Af/Pak & Other News (1/15/2021)

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Talk or fight? In Afghanistan, signs Taliban now prefer victory.

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2021/0114/Talk-or-fight-In-Afghanistan-signs-Taliban-now-prefer-victory



US has conceded too much to Taliban, says Afghan vice-president

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55666152



US troop levels cut to 2,500 each in Afghanistan and Iraq

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210115-us-troop-levels-cut-to-2-500-each-in-afghanistan-and-iraq



Pakistan: The Chinese Loyal Wingman

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htterr/articles/20210115.aspx









India Army Demonstrates AI-Powered Combat Swarm Drone Technology Using 75 Drones At Army Day Parade

https://fighterjetsworld.com/air/india-army-demonstrates-ai-powered-combat-swarm-drone-technology-using-75-drones-at-army-day-parade/24369/



Thales, BDL agreement brings STARStreak air-defense system to India

https://defbrief.com/2021/01/14/thales-bdl-agreement-brings-starstreak-air-defense-system-to-india/









Iran’s Suggestion of Using Shiite Fighters in Afghanistan Seen as Risky

https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/irans-suggestion-using-shiite-fighters-afghanistan-seen-risky



Iran Films One Of America's Most Powerful Submarines Lurking Near Its Military Exercise

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38728/iran-films-one-of-americas-most-powerful-submarines-lurking-near-its-military-exercise



Iranian Navy takes delivery of new Zereh missile-launching ship F235

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2021/january/9557-iranian-navy-takes-delivery-of-new-zereh-missile-launching-ship-f235.html



Iranian Guard drones in drill mirror those in Saudi attacks

https://apnews.com/article/tehran-middle-east-iran-f418d005cd53c6dd7a479214dab110cc









Report Adds Further Evidence Iran's Soleimani Was Killed By New Highly Precise Missile

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38739/pentagon-report-adds-new-evidence-irans-soleimani-was-killed-by-new-highly-precise-missile









Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says it intercepted three Houthi drones

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-yemen-security/saudi-led-coalition-in-yemen-says-it-intercepted-three-houthi-drones-idUSKBN29K0UR









Israel’s Air Force attacks warehouses used to ‘store and stage Iranian weapons’ in Syria

https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2021/01/israels-air-force-attacks-warehouses-used-to-store-and-stage-iranian-weapons-in-syria.php









Syria, Gaza: How the IDF handles different threats to Israel - analysis

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/two-fronts-two-different-attitudes-analysis-655511



Integrated Multi-Threat Defense System

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htada/articles/20210115.aspx









NATO ready to contribute to security building in Libya, bloc's chief Stoltenberg says

https://www.dailysabah.com/world/africa/nato-ready-to-contribute-to-security-building-in-libya-blocs-chief-stoltenberg-says









Putin’s war drives Ukraine towards true independence

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putins-war-drives-ukraine-towards-true-independence/



Russia announces exit from Open Skies treaty citing U.S. withdrawal

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-openskies-exit/russia-announces-exit-from-open-skies-treaty-citing-u-s-withdrawal-idUSKBN29K1IC



Russia Should Ditch Its Cursed Aircraft Carrier And Focus On Its Two New Amphibious Assault Ships

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38724/russia-should-ditch-its-cursed-aircraft-carrier-and-focus-on-its-two-new-amphibious-assault-ships



Alexei Navalny ordered to be detained on return to Russia, say officials

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/14/alexei-navalny-will-be-detained-on-return-to-russia-says-prison-service




Belarus Negotiating to buy Russian S-400 Air Defense System

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28770/Belarus_Negotiating_to_buy_Russian_S_400_Air_Defense_System




Dutch Navy replacing Goalkeeper CIWS with RAM missile, DART projectile combo

https://defbrief.com/2021/01/15/dutch-navy-replacing-goalkeeper-ciws-with-ram-missile-dart-projectile-combo/




Greek parliament approves purchase of Rafale fighters from France

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-france-defence/greek-parliament-approves-purchase-of-rafale-fighters-from-france-idUSKBN29J2FZ




Italian Navy’s aircraft carrier Cavour to begin qualification trials for F-35B in few weeks

https://www.blogbeforeflight.net/2021/01/italian-navy-cavour-aircraft-carrier-united-states-f35b-qualification.html









Mexico exonerates ex-defense chief implicated in smuggling drugs into the U.S.

https://warisboring.com/mexico-exonerates-ex-defense-chief-implicated-in-smuggling-drugs-into-the-u-s/




U.S. charges 14 leaders of MS-13 gang with terrorism

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-crime-ms13/u-s-charges-14-leaders-of-ms-13-gang-with-terrorism-idUSKBN29J2KX









Expansion of Naval Base Seen Giving China More Power in Disputed Asian Sea

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/voa-news-china/expansion-naval-base-seen-giving-china-more-power-disputed-asian



China building 'greatest expansion of a nuclear arsenal' since Cold War, State Department warns

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/14/china-nuclear-weapons-arsenal-growth-alarming-stat/



Huge New Chinese Ships Are Made For Ramming

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/01/15/huge-new-chinese-ships-are-made-for-ramming/



U.S. blacklists Chinese firms, executives over South China Sea

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2021/01/15/US-blacklists-Chinese-firms-executives-over-South-China-Sea/8561610693208/



U.S. commission says China possibly committed 'genocide' against Xinjiang Muslims

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-uighurs/u-s-commission-says-china-possibly-committed-genocide-against-xinjiang-muslims-idUSKBN29J2GF





In Unprecedented Move, US Ambassador to UN Meets Virtually with Taiwan President

https://www.voanews.com/episode/unprecedented-move-us-ambassador-un-meets-virtually-taiwan-president-4548056





North Korea unveils new submarine-launched missile

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55671745



New North Korean Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

http://www.hisutton.com/North-Korean-Navy-SLBM-Pukguksong-5.html





South Korea's SLBM Tests Continue

https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2021/01/south-koreas-slbm-tests-continue.html





Australia Selects AH-64E Apache to Replace Tiger ARH Helicopter Fleet

https://defpost.com/australia-selects-ah-64e-apache-to-replace-tiger-arh-helicopter-fleet/










Inspectors general of several federal agencies open sweeping review of security, intelligence surrounding Capitol attack

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/inspectors-general-capitol-riot/2021/01/15/c88474ba-573f-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html



The Revolution Behind the Attempted Revolution

https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/revolution-behind-attempted-revolution



Extremist Groups Are Actively Trying to Recruit Military Members, Defense Officials Say

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/01/15/extremist-groups-are-actively-trying-recruit-military-members-defense-officials-say.html



Dozens of people on FBI terrorist watch list came to D.C. the day of Capitol riot

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/terror-watchlist-capitol-riot-fbi/2021/01/14/07412814-55f7-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html



SEAL Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of Green Beret Logan Melgar

https://news.usni.org/2021/01/14/seal-pleads-guilty-to-manslaughter-in-death-of-green-beret-logan-melgar



U.S. military says it found potential risk with new Chinook rotor blades

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/u-s-military-says-it-found-potential-risk-with-chinook-new-rotor-blades.html



Billionaire Richard Branson Hoping To Impress NASA With Sunday Rocket Launch

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddawkins/2021/01/15/billionaire-richard-branson-hoping-to-impress-nasa-with-sunday-rocket-launch/



L3Harris to build prototype satellite capable of tracking hypersonic weapons

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2021/01/14/l3harris-to-build-prototype-satellite-capable-of-tracking-hypersonic-weapons/



U.S. Army’s Abrams Tanks to be fitted with Israeli WindGuard Radar Systems

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28767/U_S__Army___s_Abrams_Tanks_to_be_fitted_with_Israeli_WindGuard_Radar_Systems



New U.S. Tank Round Can Destroy Almost Anything

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/01/15/new-us-tank-round-can-destroy-almost-anything/



NORAD Conducts Planned “Falcon Virgo” Air Defense Exercise Over Washington D.C. Area.

https://theaviationist.com/2021/01/14/norad-conducts-planned-falcon-virgo-air-defense-exercise-over-washington-d-c-area/



Air Force Planning Hangar Construction for Future B-21 Stealth Bombers

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/01/14/air-force-planning-hangar-construction-future-b-21-stealth-bombers.html



Pentagon’s weapons tester gives update on Navy’s new long-range anti-ship missile

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/01/14/the-pentagons-weapons-tester-has-an-update-on-the-navys-new-long-range-anti-ship-missile/



Teledyne Brown Engineering sells Mk11 shallow water combat submersibles to undisclosed customer

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2021/january/9554-teledyne-brown-engineering-sells-mk11-shallow-water-combat-submersibles-to-undisclosed-customer.html



GAO: Design Delays on Columbia Sub Program Leading to Construction Delays, Cost Increases

https://news.usni.org/2021/01/14/gao-design-delays-on-columbia-sub-program-leading-to-construction-delays-cost-increases