Af/Pak & Other News (12/19/2020)

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Rockets hit U.S.'s Bagram Airfield base in Afghanistan

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/rockets-hit-u-s-s-bagram-airfield-base-afghanistan-n1251800









India To Modify Used Airliners Into Early-Warning Radar Jets To Keep Pace With Its Rivals

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38251/india-plans-to-kit-out-old-airliners-as-early-warning-jets-to-keep-pace-with-its-rivals



Ballistic missile submarine Arighat in final stages of trials, to be commissioned early 2021

https://theprint.in/defence/ballistic-missile-submarine-arighat-in-final-stages-of-trials-to-be-commissioned-early-2021/567869/



India-China military commanders meet in near future; PLA non committal on Depsang

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-china-military-commanders-meet-in-near-future-pla-non-committal-on-depsang/articleshow/79807379.cms









Iran: Body Count Blues

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htwin/articles/20201219.aspx



US: Iran tried to assassinate senior officials in Bahrain

https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/47189









Iraq: F-16s Rescue Desperate Special Operators In This Chilling Account With Gun Camera Footage

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38287/f-16s-rescue-desperate-special-operators-in-this-chilling-account-with-gun-camera-footage









Saudi Arabia cuts defence spending

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/saudi-arabia-cuts-defence-spending



Yemen's STC separatists join unity government against Houthis

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/yemen-stc-separatists-unity-government-houthis



Fourth explosives attack targeting Saudi energy infrastructure demonstrates Ansar Allah militants' growing capabilities to target assets in Red Sea

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/fourth-explosives-attack-targeting-saudi-energy-infrastructure-demonstrates-ansar-allah-militants-growing-capabilities-to-target-assets-in-red-sea









Algerian Navy AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin crash, one dead, two missing

https://www.africanmilitaryblog.com/2020/12/algerian-navy-agustawestland-aw101-merlin-crash-one-dead-two-missing




Cameroon Says Boko Haram Infiltrates Top Business and Political Leaders

https://www.voanews.com/africa/cameroon-says-boko-haram-infiltrates-top-business-and-political-leaders




Somalia suicide bombing misses PM but kills several top commanders

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20201218-somalia-suicide-bombing-misses-pm-but-kills-several-top-commanders



Massive ‘Sea Base’ Ship Joins Effort to Withdraw US Troops From Somalia

https://www.voanews.com/africa/massive-sea-base-ship-joins-effort-withdraw-us-troops-somalia




Why Boko Haram’s attack on Toumour, Niger is a stark warning to neighbouring states

https://observers.france24.com/en/africa/20201218-toumour-niger-boko-haram-terrorist-attack-warning









Buran: How the Soviets stole the Space Shuttle

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/buran-how-the-soviets-stole-the-space-shuttle/



Experts Name S-500 Air Defense System as Possible ‘Antidote’ to Hypersonic Weapons

https://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/214928/russia-says-s_500-could-be-%E2%80%98antidote%E2%80%99-to-hypersonic-weapons.html



Aviastar-SP Will Start Fulfilling the Contract of the Ministry of Defense for the Production of 10 Il-78M-90A Tankers Next Year

https://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/214935/russian-af-orders-first-ten-il_78m_90a-tankers.html



Russia's SolarWinds Hack Is a Historic Mess

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-solarwinds-hack-roundup/



Why Russia's massive cyberattack is especially insidious

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-russias-massive-cyberattack-is-especially-insidious-222912267.html



Russia’s Hacking Frenzy Is a Reckoning

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-hack-supply-chain-reckoning/




Lithuanian defense minister: We fell victim to a large-scale cyberattack

https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/47188




Polish Army receives first PILICA anti-aircraft missile system

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/polish-army-receives-first-pilica-anti-aircraft-missile-system.html




Italy starts work on new "Top Gun" training school, here is a preview

https://www.blogbeforeflight.net/2020/12/international-flight-trainng-school-decimomannu-sardinia.html




French Army will use AI to identify enemy combat vehicles

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/french-army-will-use-ai-to-identify-enemy-combat-vehicles.html









Ex-governor of cartel-ravaged Mexican state gunned down in beach resort

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-crime/ex-governor-of-cartel-ravaged-mexican-state-gunned-down-in-beach-resort-idUSKBN28S1PY









China Is Gnawing at Democracy’s Roots Worldwide

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/18/china-democracy-ideology-communist-party/



Chinese launch covert cyber attacks on India: Millions of online shoppers targeted, claims report

https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/industry/article/chinese-launch-covert-cyber-attacks-on-india-millions-of-online-shoppers-targeted/696678



China says tailed U.S. warship in Taiwan Strait

https://www.reuters.com/article/china-usa-taiwan/china-says-tailed-u-s-warship-in-taiwan-strait-idUSKBN28T0GX





Report: North Korea's top diplomat 'out' at Pyongyang's politburo

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2020/12/18/Report-North-Koreas-top-diplomat-out-at-Pyongyangs-politburo/1241608309246/





Japan may equip Aegis ships with long-range standoff missiles

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/12/19/national/japan-may-equip-aegis-ships-long-range-standoff-missiles/





Steel cut on new Australian frigates

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/steel-cut-on-new-australian-frigates/











Bellingcat Can Say What U.S. Intelligence Can’t

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/17/bellingcat-can-say-what-u-s-intelligence-cant/



Sailors with COVID-19 replaced aboard USS Essex

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/12/18/Sailors-with-COVID-19-replaced-aboard-USS-Essex/6551608318239/



Security experts are 'freaking out' about how foreign hackers carried out the 'most pristine espionage effort' in modern history right under the US's nose

https://www.businessinsider.com/cybersecurity-experts-freaking-out-solarwinds-russia-hack-2020-12



How to Understand the Russia Hack Fallout

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-solarwinds-hack-targets-fallout/



Former CIA and Pentagon Chief of Staff Jeremy Bash: This is an epic national security crisis

https://www.msnbc.com/andrea-mitchell-reports/watch/former-cia-and-pentagon-chief-of-staff-jeremy-bash-this-is-an-epic-national-security-crisis-98013765672



SolarWinds Isn't the Only Way Hackers Entered Networks, CISA Says

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2020/12/solarwinds-isnt-only-way-hackers-entered-networks-cisa-says/170882/



Citing mega hack, lawmakers urge Trump to sign defense bill full of cyber protections

https://www.c4isrnet.com/congress/2020/12/18/citing-new-mega-hack-lawmakers-urge-trump-to-sign-defense-bill-full-of-cyber-protections/



Here's a list of the US agencies and companies that were reportedly hacked in the suspected Russian cyberattack

https://www.businessinsider.com/list-of-the-agencies-companies-hacked-in-solarwinds-russian-cyberattack-2020-12



Trump Officials Deliver Plan to Split Up Cyber Command, NSA

https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2020/12/trump-officials-deliver-plan-split-cyber-command-nsa/170913/



Pentagon says it's cooperating with transition but Biden team disagrees

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/12/18/Pentagon-says-its-cooperating-with-transition-but-Biden-team-disagrees/1921608320873/



Ranger Training Battalion Commander Fired

https://sofrep.com/news/ranger-training-battalion-commander-fired/



Lockheed Martin video appears to show simulated attack on Russian S-400 system

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/lockheed-martin-video-appears-to-show-simulated-attack-on-russian-s-400-system.html



ATAC Mirage F1 fighters arrive at Tyndall to provide adversary air training

https://www.blogbeforeflight.net/2020/12/atac-mirage-f1-tyndall.html



Space Force Troops Finally Have A Name: Guardians

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38288/theres-finally-a-name-for-members-of-the-space-force-guardians



What Will The Guardians Of Space Force Protect Us From?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/traceyfollows/2020/12/19/what-will-the-guardians-of-space-force-protect-us-from/



SpaceX Launches NROL-108 Mission for U.S. National Reconnaissance Office

https://defpost.com/spacex-launches-nrol-108-mission-for-u-s-national-reconnaissance-office/



Israeli, Serbian, And Swedish Self-Propelled Howitzers Are Headed To A U.S. Army Shoot-Off

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38271/israeli-serbian-and-swedish-self-propelled-howitzers-are-headed-to-a-u-s-army-shoot-off



Army names their new mask ‘Combat Cloth Face Covering’

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/army-names-their-new-mask-combat-cloth-face-covering/



Army Plans Next Steps for Iron Dome Missile Defense

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/12/18/army-plans-next-steps-for-iron-dome-missile-defense



US Army places $4.6B contract for deliveries of newest Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 tanks

https://defbrief.com/2020/12/19/us-army-places-4-6b-contract-for-deliveries-of-newest-abrams-m1a2-sepv3-tanks/



Army Will Let Makers Decide How Many Soldiers to Fit Inside New Fighting Vehicle

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/12/18/army-will-let-makers-decide-how-many-soldiers-fit-inside-new-fighting-vehicle.html



QinetiQ, Pratt Miller Deliver Two Additional RCV-L Robotic Combat Vehicles to U.S. Army

https://defpost.com/qinetiq-pratt-miller-deliver-two-additional-rcv-l-robotic-combat-vehicles-to-u-s-army/



US Army see self-adjusting turbine blades powering new supersonic VTOLs

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/us-army-see-self-adjusting-turbine-blades-powering-new-supersonic-vtols/141686.article



Here’s why the Valkyrie drone couldn’t translate between F-35 and F-22 jets during a recent test

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/12/18/heres-why-the-valkyrie-drone-couldnt-translate-between-an-f-35-and-f-22-during-a-recent-test/



NGAD Likely To Carry AI Copilot; Next Step Certifying Them Flight Ready: Roper

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/12/ngad-likely-to-carry-ai-copilot-next-step-certifying-them-flight-ready-roper/



Navy Cruising Ahead with Project Avenger Pilot Training Program

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/12/2/navy-cruising-ahead-with-project-avenger-pilot-training-program



This Mini Vertical Launch System Can Give Small Ships And Trucks Huge Firepower

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38259/this-mini-vertical-launch-system-can-give-small-ships-and-trucks-huge-firepower



U.S. Navy Submarine Emerges from Beneath the Arctic Ice

https://www.military.com/video/video-shows-us-navy-submarine-emerging-beneath-arctic-ice



Navy Wants 21 New Large Undersea and Surface Attack Drones in 5 Years

https://defensemaven.io/warriormaven/sea/navy-wants-21-new-large-undersea-and-surface-attack-drones-in-5-years-Tta0-RX7Ck-RepOAITqbIQ