Af/Pak & Other News (5/12/2021)

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Afghan National Army MD 530F Helicopter Crashes In Kandahar province

https://fighterjetsworld.com/air/afghan-national-army-md-530f-helicopter-crashes-in-kandahar-province/25850/



Taliban Seize Nerkh District on Outskirts of Afghan Capital

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/05/12/taliban-seize-nerkh-district/



As Afghan Talks Stall, Former Fighters On Both Sides Hope For Resolution

https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-peace-talks-taliban-army/31251081.html



US military: Afghanistan withdrawal up to 12 percent complete

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/553013-us-military-afghanistan-withdrawal-up-to-12-percent-complete



US Military Coy About Numbers of Troops Leaving Afghanistan

https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-military-coy-about-numbers-troops-leaving-afghanistan



Pilot stays with his flaming Harrier jet while it skids on its bombs in Afghanistan

https://warisboring.com/pilot-stays-with-his-flaming-harrier-jet-while-it-skids-on-its-bombs-in-afghanistan/



Longest-serving U.S. commander in Afghanistan oversees mammoth task of packing up America's longest-ever war effort

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-war-us-withdrawal-general-packs-up/



Key NATO Allies Were More Than Twice As Likely To Die In Afghanistan Than U.S. Forces, According To New Study

https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/05/12/key-nato-allies-were-more-than-twice-as-likely-to-die-in-afghanistan-than-us-forces-according-to-new-study/



Pakistan: No More Military Bases for US Afghan Mission

https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/pakistan-no-more-military-bases-us-afghan-mission



Lawmakers Scold Pentagon for Leaving Afghanistan Without ‘Over-the-Horizon’ Plan

https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/05/afghanistan-bases/173985/









Cash-Strapped Indian Military Opts to Lease Critical Weapons Platforms

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/05/12/india-to-lease-critical-weapons-platforms/









UN watchdog: Iran has enriched uranium to highest purity yet

https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-donald-trump-europe-middle-east-iran-42044e447f1356237d273222ba7a3316



Not Fooling Anyone: Iran Tried to Pass This Russian Jet Off as New

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/not-fooling-anyone-iran-tried-pass-russian-jet-new-184931



Iran Stocks Up On Catamarans

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsurf/articles/20210512.aspx









Iraq’s Air Force Is At A Crossroads

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/05/11/iraqs-air-force-is-at-a-crossroads/



In Iraq, powerful militias assassinate protesters with impunity

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-iraq-powerful-militias-assassinate-protesters-with-impunity/ar-BB1gEqVL



Can Iraq Save Its F-16s By Relocating Them To Kurdistan?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/05/12/can-iraq-save-its-f-16s-by-relocating-them-to-kurdistan/









Yemen’s Houthis say they joined 'anti-Israel' front - analysis

https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/yemens-houthis-say-they-joined-anti-israel-front-analysis-667887



Why Yemen's civil war is about to get worse – video explainer

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/may/12/why-yemens-civil-war-is-about-to-get-worse-video-explainer









Intel: UN finds undeclared chemical weapons stockpile in Syria

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/05/intel-un-finds-undeclared-chemical-weapons-stockpile-syria



Russia is expanding its naval base in Tartus, Syria

https://geopolitics.news/middle-east/russia-is-expanding-its-naval-base-in-tartus-syria/









Largest Rocket Barrage From Gaza Ever Hits Central Israel Amid Fears Of An Imminent War

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40561/largest-rocket-barrage-from-gaza-ever-hits-central-israel-amid-fears-of-an-imminent-war



Hamas confirms several top commanders killed in Israeli strikes

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20210511-live-blog-israel-hamas-trade-deadly-fire-as-confrontation-escalates-with-over-130-rockets-fired-towards-tel-aviv



Israel Kills Hamas Intelligence Chief: 'Looks Like Our Intel Was Better'

https://www.newsweek.com/israel-kills-hamas-intelligence-chief-our-intel-was-better-1590714



Israeli city of Lod descends into ‘civil war’ as violence escalates

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/12/father-and-daughter-killed-in-rocket-attack-on-israeli-city-of-lod



Hamas Rockets and Iranian Drones: A War of Economic Attrition Against Israel?

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/05/hamas-rockets-and-iranian-drones-a-war-of-economic-attrition-against-israel/



Under The Iron Dome: The Problem With Israel’s Rocket Shield

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/05/12/under-the-iron-dome-the-problem-with-israels-rocket-shield/



Israel-Gaza violence: "The situation was always unsustainable"

https://www.france24.com/en/video/20210512-israel-gaza-violence-the-situation-was-always-unsustainable









Libya's latest unity government faces uphill battle

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210512-libya-s-latest-unity-government-faces-uphill-battle




Mali: Withdrawal and Relapse

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/mali/articles/20210512.aspx




Nigeria Repels Boko Haram Attack on Northeastern City of Maiduguri

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/05/12/nigeria-repels-boko-haram-attack-maiduguri/




Eritrean troops disguised as Ethiopian military are blocking critical aid in Tigray

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/12/africa/tigray-axum-aid-blockade-cmd-intl/index.html









Ukraine says Russia still has 100,000 troops near its borders

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/11/ukraine-says-russia-still-has-100000-troops-near-its-borders



Ukraine charges Putin ally Medvedchuk with treason

https://apnews.com/article/europe-ukraine-business-government-and-politics-c3cb6ca3a2a58096fcd9810436539de9



Panel Warns of Economic and Military Impacts from Russia’s Plans for Arctic

https://news.usni.org/2021/05/11/panel-warns-of-economic-and-military-impacts-from-russias-plans-for-arctic



Were Su-57s in Russia's Victory parade livestream fake? Yes.

https://www.aerotime.aero/27902-Russias-cgi-su-57s



Russian jet escorts three French airforce planes over Black Sea - Ifx

https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-jet-escorts-three-french-airforce-planes-over-black-sea-ifx-2021-05-12/



Incredible details keep trickling out about the Russian DarkSide hackers

https://bgr.com/tech/colonial-pipeline-hack-new-details-about-darkside-ransomware-gang-5924917/



'Lying As If We Are Morons': Russian Demographer Calls Official COVID-19 Statistics 'Disinformation'

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-official-covid-statistics-disinformation-demographer/31251097.html





Swiss Spy Chief Exits After Reports of Row Over CIA-Linked Firm

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-05-12/swiss-spy-chief-exits-after-reports-of-row-over-cia-linked-firm




GLOCK Assault Rifle Patents Emerge

https://www.overtdefense.com/2021/05/12/glock-assault-rifle-patents-emerge/




Germany goes Hail Mary on funding Europe’s next-gen fighter

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/05/11/germany-goes-hail-mary-on-funding-europes-next-gen-fighter/




Elettronica Will Equip Italian Navy’s U212 NFS Submarines With its EW Suite

https://navalpost.com/u212-nfs-ew-suite-elettronica-italian-navy/




France performs first lock-on firing of MMP missile from new Jaguar vehicle

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2021/05/11/france-performs-first-lock-on-firing-of-mmp-missile-from-new-jaguar-vehicle/



Interview: French Asia Pacific Commander Rear Adm. Jean-Mathieu Rey

https://news.usni.org/2021/05/11/interview-french-indo-pacific-commander-rear-adm-jean-mathieu-rey



The French military is phasing out the FAMAS and we’re honestly sad to see it go

https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/video-french-military-getting-rid-of-famas-rifle/



France to test V-MAX hypersonic glider in coming months

https://www.aerotime.aero/27906-france-to-test-v-max-hypersonic-glider-in-coming-months




Royal Navy’s upgraded Spearfish torpedo enters service after Bahamas test

https://defbrief.com/2021/05/12/royal-navys-upgraded-spearfish-torpedo-enters-service-after-bahamas-test/









China Demos Drone-guided Helicopter-launched Missile Attack on Maritime Targets

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29560/China_Demos_Drone_guided_Helicopter_launched_Missile_Attack_on_Maritime_Targets



Image May Reveal A New Type Of Submarine For The Chinese Navy

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/05/image-may-reveal-a-new-type-of-submarine-for-the-chinese-navy/



U.S. calls Xinjiang an 'open-air prison,' decries religious persecution by China

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-calls-xinjiang-an-open-air-prison-decries-religious-persecution-by-china-2021-05-12/





Taiwanese F-16s Have Fired AIM-120 AMRAAM Missiles Locally For The First Time

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40573/taiwanese-f-16s-have-fired-aim-120-amraam-missiles-locally-for-the-first-time





Seoul forges ahead with autonomy for UAVs

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/seoul-forges-ahead-with-autonomy-for-uavs/143696.article





Japan, US, France hold 1st joint drills on Japanese land

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2021/05/11/japan-us-france-hold-1st-joint-drills-on-japanese-land/





Philippines flags 'incursions' by nearly 300 Chinese militia boats

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/philippines-flags-incursions-by-nearly-300-chinese-militia-boats/ar-BB1gE85W



Philippines plans South China Sea ‘logistics hub’, as Beijing accused of increasing boats

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3133239/philippines-plans-south-china-sea-logistics-hub-beijing-accused










Marco Rubio is Taking UFOs Seriously and He Thinks You Should Too

https://www.newsweek.com/marco-rubio-we-cant-allow-stigma-ufos-keep-us-seriously-investigating-encounters-1590554



Chicago Police Started Secret Drone Program Using Untraceable Cash: Report

https://gizmodo.com/chicago-police-started-secret-drone-program-using-untra-1846875252



Washington DC Police Allegedly Offered $100,000 to Hackers to Stop Leak

https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dbgbk/washington-dc-police-allegedly-offered-dollar100000-to-hackers-to-stop-leak



Congress can’t ‘take foot off the gas’ on DoD electronic warfare

https://www.c4isrnet.com/electronic-warfare/2021/05/12/congress-cant-take-foot-off-the-gas-on-dod-electronic-warfare/



Raymond Unveils Classified Target Tracking Space Radar Effort

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/05/raymond-unveils-classified-target-tracking-space-radar-effort/



US Army’s Precision Strike Missile breaks range record

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/05/12/armys-precision-strike-missile-breaks-range-record/



Report to Congress on U.S. Special Operations Forces

https://news.usni.org/2021/05/12/report-to-congress-on-u-s-special-operations-forces-3



Army Leaders Have Agreed to Cap Troop Size, Top General Says

https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/05/army-leaders-have-agreed-cap-troop-size-top-general-says/173938/



Army Revamps to Pursue New Air-and-Missile Defense Tech

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/5/12/army-revamps-to-pursue-new-air-and-missile-defense-tech



The Army is making tank upgrades as simple as switching video game cartridges

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2021/05/11/the-army-is-making-tank-upgrades-as-simple-as-switching-video-game-cartridges/



US Army scraps Stryker mobile gun systems in favor of new lethality upgrades

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/05/12/us-army-scraps-stryker-mobile-gun-systems-in-favor-of-new-lethality-upgrades/



This One Upgrade Made the U.S. Marine Corps' Motorcycle a War Horse

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/one-upgrade-made-us-marine-corps-motorcycle-war-horse-184935



“Hexa,” an eVTOL aircraft displayed at Air Force Research Laboratory even in Texas

https://warisboring.com/hexa-an-evtol-aircraft-displayed-at-air-force-research-laboratory-even-in-texas/



Five JASSM Stealth Missiles Have Been Loaded On An F-15E Strike Eagle For The First Time

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40559/five-jassm-stealth-missiles-have-been-loaded-on-an-f-15e-strike-eagle-for-the-first-time



Northrop Grumman to use open-systems architecture in guidance processor card missile upgrade to AARGM-ER

https://www.militaryaerospace.com/computers/article/14203108/opensystems-architecture-guidance-processor-missile-upgrade



SASC Chairman: 355-Ship Fleet is ‘Arbitrary’ Goal, Navy Needs To Pursue Autonomous Vehicles

https://news.usni.org/2021/05/11/sasc-chairman-355-ship-fleet-is-arbitrary-goal-navy-needs-to-pursue-autonomous-vehicles



The U.S. Navy Could Spend Half Its Shipbuilding Budget On Submarines

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/05/12/imagine-spending-19-billion-a-year-on-submarines/