Af/Pak & Other News (2/4/2021)

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U.S. should delay complete troop pullout in Afghanistan - report to Congress

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afhganistan/u-s-should-delay-complete-troop-pullout-in-afghanistan-report-to-congress-idUSKBN2A32VU



Inside the Shadowy Militias Luring Unsuspecting Afghans to Fight, or Die

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/world/asia/afghanistan-militias-balkh-taliban.html



Former Pak diplomat admits 300 terrorists killed in IAF's Balakot strike

https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2021/01/09/former-pak-diplomat-admits-300-terrorists-killed-in-iafs-balakot-strike.html









Aero India 2021: Indian TEDBF naval fighter showcased by HAL

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/aero-india-2021-indian-tedbf-naval-fighter-showcased-by-hal



Indian Army seeks 2 regiments of the new indigenous Arjun 1A tank

https://www.defenceaviationpost.com/2021/02/indian-army-seeks-2-regiments-of-the-new-indigenous-arjun-1a-tank/



India-China standoff: China moved J-20 fighters the moment Rafales were stationed at LAC, says IAF chief Bhadauria

https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-china-moved-j-20-fighters-the-moment-rafales-were-stationed-at-lac-says-iaf-chief-bhadauria-361280









Iran Carries Out Surgical Strike Deep Inside Pakistan, Frees Two Soldiers: Reports

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/middle-east/iran-carries-out-surgical-strike-deep-inside-pakistan-frees-two-soldiers-reports.html



Iran Expands Foreign Assassinations While Decrying U.S. Killings: Report

https://www.newsweek.com/iran-expands-foreign-assassinations-decrying-us-killings-report-freedom-house-1566540



Iran: Desperately Seeking Another Grand Intimidator

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/iran/articles/20210204.aspx



Crew still on board seized ship despite Iran release pledge: Seoul

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210204-crew-still-on-board-seized-ship-despite-iran-release-pledge-seoul









In Iraq's 'Dire' Economy, Poverty Is Rising — And So Are Fears Of Instability

https://www.npr.org/2021/02/03/961149079/in-iraqs-dire-economy-poverty-is-rising-and-so-are-fears-of-instability



Hunting ISIS: On a nighttime raid with Iraqi special forces

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/02/03/iraq-isis-american-troops-counterterrorism/



30 Years Ago RAF Buccaneer Bombers Carried Out Their First Mission in the Gulf War.

https://theaviationist.com/2021/02/03/30-years-ago-raf-buccaneer-bombers-carried-out-their-first-mission-in-the-gulf-war/









More countries taking repression outside borders: report

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210204-more-countries-taking-repression-outside-borders-report




Turkey could build its first indigenous aircraft carrier with the help of United Kingdom

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2021/february/9644-turkey-could-build-its-first-indigenous-aircraft-carrier-with-the-help-of-united-kingdom.html



Student protests grow as Turkey's young people turn against Erdoğan

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/04/turkey-student-protests-grow-young-people-vent-frustrations-with-erdogan









Alleged Israeli airstrike reported in southern Syria

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/alleged-israeli-airstrike-reported-in-southern-syria-657739









Ship-Launched Version Of The Israeli Harop Suicide Drone Will Be Sailing With An Asian Navy

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38690/ship-launched-version-of-the-israeli-harop-suicide-drone-will-be-sailing-with-an-asian-navy



Rafael, BDL to Sign MoU Regarding World’s First Soft Kill-Hard Kill Decoy System at Aero India

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28904/Rafael__BDL_to_Sign_MoU_Regarding_World___s_First_Soft_Kill_Hard_Kill_Decoy_System_at_Aero_India



Israeli military drones dropping like flies in enemy territory

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/israeli-military-drones-dropping-like-flies-in-enemy-territory-657760









UN: Ethiopia may not have control of a large part of Tigray

https://apnews.com/article/kenya-ethiopia-united-nations-eritrea-e183d672de7da4c9bf6fae7d24f3a3e0









Russia Developing First Brand-New Short-Range Air-To-Air Missile Since The End Of The Cold War

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39071/russia-developing-first-brand-new-short-range-air-to-air-missile-since-the-end-of-the-cold-war



Russian Navy nuclear submarine officer punished over drunken outburst

https://defence-blog.com/news/russian-navy-nuclear-submarine-officer-punished-over-drunken-outburst.html



Russia defines conceptual design of new missile for Tor-M2 anti-aircraft system

https://airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/february/6894-russia-defines-conceptual-design-of-new-missile-for-tor-m2-anti-aircraft-system.html



EXPLAINER: How Russia has tried to stem pro-Navalny protests

https://apnews.com/article/russia-pro-navalny-protests-explained-0f2f780d35fd46dec25e265a14f52876



Russia Ups Legal Pressure on Foreign Media Outlets

https://www.voanews.com/press-freedom/russia-ups-legal-pressure-foreign-media-outlets



More than 10,000 have been detained at pro-Navalny rallies in Russia, monitor says

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210203-more-than-10-000-detained-at-recent-pro-navalny-rallies-in-russia-monitor-says



Russia struggles to accommodate detained protesters – video report

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2021/feb/04/russia-struggles-to-accommodate-detained-protesters-video-report



Desperate Putin Resorts to Jailing Journalists for Retweeting Jokes

https://www.thedailybeast.com/desperate-putin-resorts-to-jailing-journalists-for-retweeting-jokes



Now that Navalny has been jailed, what comes next depends on protests, Putin and the West

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/04/russia-putin-and-alexei-navalny-what-happens-next.html



U.S. ‘Very Concerned’ Putin Will Provoke Foreign Crisis to Quell Pro-Navalny Unrest

https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2021-02-03/us-very-concerned-putin-will-provoke-foreign-crisis-to-quell-pro-navalny-unrest




Biden Freezes German Pullout Plans; ‘Cradle to Grave’ Review Underway

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/02/biden-freezes-german-pullout-plans-cradle-to-grave-review-underway/




US Army Europe Wants New Hub for Artillery Fire

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2021/02/us-army-europe-wants-new-command-artillery-fire/171844/




In first for Europe, Belgium jails Iranian diplomat over Paris bomb plot

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210204-in-first-for-europe-belgium-jails-iranian-diplomat-over-paris-bomb-plot



Intelligence officials fear revenge attacks from Iran after its diplomat was sentenced for trying to blow up a Paris rally

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/intelligence-officials-fear-revenge-attacks-from-iran-after-its-diplomat-was-sentenced-for-trying-to-blow-up-a-paris-rally/ar-BB1dodq8




RAF to begin UK-based Protector UAS trials in July

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/raf-to-begin-uk-based-protector-uas-trials-in-july



British Troops Get Small Swarming Drones They Can Fire From 40mm Grenade Launchers

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38909/british-troops-get-small-swarming-drones-they-can-fire-from-40mm-grenade-launchers









The U.S. and China Are Battling for Influence in Latin America, and the Pandemic Has Raised the Stakes

https://time.com/5936037/us-china-latin-america-influence/









PLAAF J-10C Fighter Jet Spotted Carrying Four PL-15 air-to-air Missile For The First Time

https://fighterjetsworld.com/air/plaaf-j-10c-fighter-jet-spotted-carrying-four-pl-15-air-to-air-missile-for-the-first-time/24464/



China 'Spamouflage' Uses Capitol Riot as Evidence American Democracy Is on Its 'Deathbed'

https://www.newsweek.com/china-spamouflage-uses-capitol-riot-evidence-american-democracy-its-deathbed-1566820





U.S. Navy Warship Transits Taiwan Strait for First Time under Joe Biden

https://www.newsweek.com/u-s-navy-warship-transits-taiwan-strait-first-time-under-joe-biden-1566715





North Korea targeted cybersecurity researchers using a blend of hacking and espionage

https://theconversation.com/north-korea-targeted-cybersecurity-researchers-using-a-blend-of-hacking-and-espionage-154236





HHI to deliver 2nd missile frigate to the Philippine Navy

https://navalnews.net/hhi-to-deliver-2nd-missile-frigate-to-the-philippine-navy/





Thai Spikes

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htarm/articles/20210204.aspx





Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth Will Drill with Japanese in Pacific During Deployment

https://news.usni.org/2021/02/03/carrier-hms-queen-elizabeth-will-drill-with-japanese-in-pacific-during-deployment





Myanmar cuts Facebook access as military tightens grip following coup

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/asia/myanmar-coup-suu-kyi-internet-intl-hnk/index.html










CIA’s declassified files on UFOs and alien life can now be downloaded

https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/cias-declassified-files-on-ufos-and-alien-life-can-now-be-downloaded-8210791.htm



Maine is a UFO hotspot, newly declassified docs say

https://bangordailynews.com/2021/02/04/news/maine-is-a-ufo-hotspot-newly-declassified-docs-say/



Defense secretary orders military-wide stand down to combat extremism

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/02/04/Defense-secretary-orders-military-wide-stand-down-to-combat-extremism/5921612424040/



Enthusiasm Growing at Pentagon for OTAs

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/2/4/enthusiasm-growing-at-pentagon-for-otas



Top Marine General: We Need to Get Comfortable with 'Throwaway' Equipment

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/02/02/top-marine-general-we-need-get-comfortable-throwaway-equipment.html



The Air Force Should Assure Defenses Against Nuclear EMP Threats As It Seeks Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/02/04/the_air_force_should_assure_defenses_against_nuclear_emp_threats_as_it_seeks_electromagnetic_spectrum_superiority_659137.html



Navy Releases Latest Round of USS Thresher Documents

https://news.usni.org/2021/02/04/navy-releases-latest-round-of-uss-thresher-documents



President Biden will keep the Space Force as a US military branch

https://www.engadget.com/biden-to-maintain-us-space-force-162343304.html



What the Space Force is, and isn't

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/03/space-force-explained-465799



Space Force Looking to Bring Biden Administration Up to Speed

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/2/3/just-in-space-force-looking-to-bring-biden-administration-up-to-speed



Sig Sauer Delivers Final Next-Generation Squad Weapon Prototypes to Army

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/02/03/sig-sauer-delivers-final-next-generation-squad-weapon-prototypes-army.html



Lockheed Martin unveils upgraded sensor suite for new production F-16

https://airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/february/6893-lockheed-martin-unveils-upgraded-sensor-suite-for-new-production-f-16.html



Lockheed’s SR-72 Spy Plane May Be Autonomous and Reach Mach 6

https://thedebrief.org/lockheeds-sr-72-spy-plane-may-be-autonomous-and-reach-mach-6/



New Sonar Sees Underwater From The Air

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/02/04/new-sonar-sees-underwater-from-aircraft/



Navy: Constellation Frigate, DDG(X) Programs Mark Start of ‘Surface Ship Renaissance’

https://news.usni.org/2021/02/03/constellation-frigate-ddgx-programs-mark-start-of-surface-ship-renaissance



The U.S. Navy Can’t Seem To Build Cruisers—Here’s Why

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/02/04/why-cant-the-us-navy-build-cruisers/