Af/Pak & Other News (12/4/2020)

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Pakistan Says Afghan Border Fence Nearly Complete

https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/pakistan-says-afghan-border-fence-nearly-complete



Legendary Afghan air force pilot in hiding after U.S. reverses decision to help him flee Taliban

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/12/03/afghan-pilot-naiem-asadi/



Defense bill seeks to halt Afghanistan drawdown

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/528686-defense-bill-seeks-to-halt-afghanistan-drawdown



Turkey is preparing Syrian mercenaries to fight in Kashmir: report

https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/12/04/turkey-syrian-mercenaries-kashmir/









Lockheed Martin Shares First Look of Indian Navy’s New MH-60R Romeo Helicopter

https://defpost.com/lockheed-martin-shares-first-look-of-indian-navys-new-mh-60r-romeo-helicopter/



GRSE to Launch Indian Navy Project 17A Stealth Frigate This Month

https://defpost.com/grse-to-launch-indian-navy-project-17a-stealth-frigate-this-month/









More Reported Attacks on Iranian Military, Intelligence Officials as Parliament Reacts

https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/voa-news-iran/more-reported-attacks-iranian-military-intelligence-officials-parliament



In Iran, assassination shock spurs calls to rethink security

https://news.yahoo.com/iran-assassination-shock-spurs-calls-172502736.html



Iran rejects Biden's terms for reviving nuclear deal

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55177586



History of Assassinations of Iran's Top Nuclear Scientists

https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/history-assassinations-irans-top-nuclear-scientists



Iran plans to install more advanced atomic centrifuges underground -IAEA

https://news.yahoo.com/iran-plans-install-more-advanced-133433628.html









U.S. to draw down Baghdad embassy staff fearing Iran retaliation; The move comes ahead of the anniversary of the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's elite, secretive Quds Force.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-draw-down-baghdad-embassy-staff-fearing-iran-retaliation-n1249810



Focus On The Tornado IDS With RecceLite II Pod Flying ISR Missions In Support Of Operation Inherent Resolve

https://theaviationist.com/2020/12/03/focus-on-the-tornado-ids-with-reccelite-ii-pod-flying-isr-missions-in-support-of-operation-inherent-resolve/









Iran Missile Upgrades Complicate GCC Defense Efforts

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/12/iran-missile-upgrades-complicate-gcc-defense-efforts/




Turkish Naval Robots

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsurf/articles/20201204.aspx









Lebanon’s Hezbollah suing those accusing it of port blast

https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-beirut-lebanon-militant-groups-671cb12bc0366ad53d79089e4aceb3a4








US, Israel Readying For Iran Strikes In Mid East

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/12/us-israel-readying-for-iran-strikes-in-mid-east/



Israel warns ex-nuclear scientists they could be targets of Iran revenge attack

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-warns-ex-nuclear-scientists-they-could-be-targets-of-iran-revenge-attack/









Ethiopia says war ending, with most Tigray leaders dead or caught

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-conflict/ethiopia-says-war-ending-with-most-tigray-leaders-dead-or-caught-idUSKBN28E13V




OP NEWCOMBE: UK task force enters Mali, deploys exotic combat systems

https://www.africanmilitaryblog.com/2020/12/op-newcombe-uk-task-force-enters-mali-deploys-exotic-combat-systems









Russia accuses scientist of treason for passing hypersonic aircraft secrets

https://defence-blog.com/news/russia-accuses-scientist-of-treason-for-passing-hypersonic-aircraft-secrets.html



Russia’s only carrier Admiral Kuznetsov expected to begin sea trial in 2022

https://navalnews.net/russias-only-carrier-admiral-kuznetsov-expected-to-begin-sea-trial-in-2022/




Azerbaijan Says Almost 3,000 Troops Killed In Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting

https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-says-almost-3-000-troops-killed-in-nagorno-karabakh-fighting/30982224.html




Belgian F-35As to include nuclear capability

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2020/december/6731-belgian-f-35as-to-include-nuclear-capability.html




B-52 bomber declares emergency over UK

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/b-52-bomber-declares-emergency-over-uk/



UK Royal Marines roll out new Can-Am 6x6 vehicles on mortar exercises

https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_december_2020_global_security_army_industry/uk_royal_marines_roll_out_new_can-am_6x6_vehicles_on_mortar_exercises.html



New image of new British fighter jet

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/new-image-of-new-british-fighter-jet/









Brazil’s first submarine of Prosub program completes first independent dive successfully

https://navalnews.net/brazils-first-submarine-of-prosub-program-completes-first-independent-dive-successfully/









China’s space probe on its way to Earth with Moon samples as Beijing tries to enter space race

https://www.france24.com/en/video/20201204-china-s-space-probe-on-its-way-to-earth-with-moon-samples-as-beijing-tries-to-enter-space-race



Podcast: How Chang’e 5 Fits into China’s Space Program

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/podcast-how-change-5-fits-chinas-space-program



China plans coastal base to launch rockets from the sea

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3112459/china-planning-coastal-base-will-allow-it-launch-rockets-sea



Chinese Navy Visited Key Indian Ocean Base As U.S. Navy Talks of Re-forming 1st Fleet

http://www.hisutton.com/Chinese-Navy-Indian-Ocean-Base-As-USN-Reestablishes-1st-Fleet.html



China has done human testing to create biologically enhanced super soldiers, says top U.S. official

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/china-has-done-human-testing-create-biologically-enhanced-super-soldiers-n1249914



Trump spy chief labels China biggest threat to freedom since World War Two

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-intelligence-china/trump-spy-chief-labels-china-biggest-threat-to-freedom-since-world-war-two-idUSKBN28D36A





Why South Korea Is Building Robotic Artillery

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2020/12/04/why-south-korea-is-building-robotic-artillery/





US donates Paveway II laser guided bombs and TOW antitank missiles to Philippines

https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_december_2020_global_security_army_industry/us_donates_paveway_ii_laser_guided_bombs_and_tow_antitank_missiles_to_philippines.html










Leaked Photo Surfaces of Purported Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

https://www.thedebrief.org/leaked-photo-surfaces-of-purported-unidentified-aerial-phenomena/



Survivors remember Pearl Harbor at home this year amid virus

https://apnews.com/article/us-news-world-war-ii-football-coronavirus-pandemic-california-ce71646fbc56ba9a7e6b63b6c5e01fae



224 killed, 186 aircraft lost. Military pilots worry about being ‘the next accident’; Military aviation accidents have killed 224 pilots or aircrew, destroyed 186 aircraft and cost more than $11.6 billion since 2013

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/military-aviation-mishaps-deaths-cost/



US needs a hi-tech revolution to combat China, says General Mark Milley

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3112510/us-needs-hi-tech-revolution-combat-china-says-general-mark



Congress directs DoD to build interim homeland missile defense interceptor

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/12/03/congress-directs-dod-to-build-interim-homeland-missile-defense-interceptor/



Hypersonic Missile Coming Five Years Faster Thanks to Acquisition Reform

https://www.airforcemag.com/hypersonic-missile-coming-five-years-faster-thanks-to-acquisition-reform/



Aevum Unveils Ravn X Autonomous Launch Vehicle For Lightweight Satellites

https://theaviationist.com/2020/12/04/aevum-unveils-ravn-x-autonomous-launch-vehicle-for-lightweight-satellites/



Laser Weapons On The Battlefield Of Tomorrow: Separating Fact From Fiction

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37646/laser-weapons-separating-fact-from-fiction



The Army Is Forming a Whole Family of Armed Robot Tanks

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a34659199/army-family-robotic-tanks/



US Army-Funded Research Could Allow Battlefield Telepathy

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2020/12/04/us-army-research-battlefield-telepathy/



U.S. Army looks to improve capabilities of its Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/u-s-army-looks-to-improve-capabilities-of-its-gray-eagle-unmanned-aircraft.html



Revealed—How The U.S. Army’s Killer Drones Could Destroy Enemy Air-Defenses

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2020/12/04/drones-launching-drones-attacking-enemy-missile-batteries-the-us-army-just-revealed-high-tech-new-tactics/



Air Transportation: Evolve Or Die

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairmo/articles/20201204.aspx



The US Air Force wants to buy a big robot to help with bomb disposal

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/12/03/the-air-force-wants-to-buy-a-big-robot-to-help-with-bomb-disposal/



Avenger Tests DARPA's Autonomous 'Brain' In Flight Demo

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/avenger-tests-darpas-autonomous-brain-flight-demo



The Air Force wanted to mothball over 100 planes. Here’s what Congress says it will permit.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/12/04/the-air-force-wanted-to-mothball-more-than-100-planes-in-its-inventory-heres-what-congress-says-it-will-permit/



Air Force Accelerates F-35 Missions as Networked Combat "Sensor Node"

https://defensemaven.io/warriormaven/air/air-force-accelerates-f-35-missions-as-networked-combat-sensor-node-tBpIVbM520SdNEB7FZgEYw



F-35 A Winner In Compromise Defense Policy Bill

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/budget-policy-operations/f-35-winner-compromise-defense-policy-bill



Massive 2021 U.S. Naval Drills Will Include Multiple Carriers and Amphibious Ready Groups

https://news.usni.org/2020/12/03/massive-2021-u-s-naval-drills-will-include-multiple-carriers-and-amphibious-ready-groups