Af/Pak & Other News (3/29/2021)

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Pentagon could open itself to costly litigation from contractors if US pulls out of Afghanistan this year

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/29/politics/pentagon-contractors-afghanistan/index.html



Lawyers for Afghans say Dutch troops failed to spare civilians

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netherlands-afghanistan-warcrimes/lawyers-for-afghans-say-dutch-troops-failed-to-spare-civilians-idUSKBN2BL1A2



Strategizing to Exit Afghanistan: From Risk Avoidance to Risk Management

https://warontherocks.com/2021/03/strategizing-to-exit-afghanistan-from-risk-avoidance-to-risk-management/



First public appearance of Chinese VT4 tank during military parade in Pakistan

https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_march_2021_global_security_army_industry/first_public_appearance_of_chinese_vt4_tank_during_military_parade_in_pakistan.html



Saudi Tornados deploy to Pakistan for exercise

http://alert5.com/2021/03/29/saudi-tornados-deploy-to-pakistan-for-exercise/









USS Theodore Roosevelt joins India's air force, navy for exercises

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/03/29/india-navy-airforce-exercises/1341617036963/









With Huge Iran Deal, China Hopes Deep Pockets Further Boost Influence In Middle East

https://www.rferl.org/a/china-eurasia-iran-deal-middle-east-influence-reid-standish/31175565.html



U.S. tries to break Iran nuclear deadlock with a new proposal for Tehran

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/29/us-biden-iran-nuclear-deal-478354



Iran’s New Missile Corvette Could Reshape IRGC Naval Doctrine

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/29/irans-new-missile-corvette-could-reshape-irgc-naval-doctrine










What to Expect When You’re Expecting NATO in Iraq

https://warontherocks.com/2021/03/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-nato-in-iraq/



Turkey neutralizes senior PKK terrorist in northern Iraq

https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/war-on-terror/turkey-neutralizes-senior-pkk-terrorist-in-northern-iraq









U.N. team finds Houthis launched Aden airport attack that killed 22 - diplomats

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-attack-exclusive/exclusive-u-n-team-finds-houthis-launched-aden-airport-attack-that-killed-22-diplomats-idUSKBN2BL315




Turkish AKINCI drone hits milestone in maiden flight

https://dronedj.com/2021/03/29/turkish-akinci-drone-hits-milestone-in-maiden-flight/









U.S., Russia Agree Life Has Gotten Worse for Syrians, But Blame Each Other

https://www.newsweek.com/us-russia-agree-life-has-gotten-worse-syrians-blame-each-other-1579641




Lebanon could sink like Titanic, parliament speaker says

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-crisis/lebanon-could-sink-like-titanic-parliament-speaker-says-idUSKBN2BL0YO



Lebanon’s Air Force launches public aircraft bids as part of fleet reorg

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/03/29/want-to-buy-fighter-jets-and-helos-lebanon-is-accepting-bids/









US heading anti-jihadist intelligence sharing op: Le Monde

https://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_heading_anti-jihadist_intelligence_sharing_op_Le_Monde_999.html









Suez Canal traffic resumes after stranded container ship freed

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210329-suez-canal-authority-says-traffic-resumes-after-stranded-container-ship-freed



How the Giant Boat Blocking the Suez Canal Was Freed: Dredgers, Tugboats, and a Full Moon

https://time.com/5950888/suez-canal-boat-freed-explained/




US Green Berets in Mozambique as ‘Brutal’ ISIS Siege Unfolds in the North, Spurring ‘Dunkirk-Style’ Evacuation

https://coffeeordie.com/isis-siege-mozambique/



Rebels leave beheaded bodies in streets of Mozambique town

https://apnews.com/article/mozambique-palma-rebels-beheaded-bodies-e0b0a68eec8f322ebbcaf13384f890fd




Nigeria: Kidnapping, Corruption and Catastrophe

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/nigeria/articles/20210329.aspx









Amid war, Ukraine tries to boost arms sales

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/29/amid-war-ukraine-tries-to-boost-arms-sales



Russia jails woman for 12 years in Crimea for spying on behalf of Ukraine

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-russia-treason/russia-jails-woman-for-12-years-in-crimea-for-spying-on-behalf-of-ukraine-idUSKBN2BL242



Russia Just Showed Of Its Most Powerful Submarine Ever (Maybe)

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/03/russia-just-showed-of-its-most-powerful-submarine-ever-maybe/




The French armed forces are planning for high-intensity war

https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/28/the-french-armed-forces-are-planning-for-high-intensity-war



France funds two more FDI frigates for French Navy

https://defbrief.com/2021/03/29/france-funds-two-more-fdi-frigates-for-french-navy/




Italian Ariete MBT can launch UAV from its gun

https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_march_2021_global_security_army_industry/italian_ariete_mbt_can_launch_uav_from_its_gun.html




British jets intercept Russian Bears over North Sea

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british-jets-intercept-russian-bears-over-north-sea/



Life on Royal Navy aircraft carrier (1960)

https://hushkit.net/2021/03/29/life-on-royal-navy-aircraft-carrier-1960/









An Alliance of Autocracies? China Wants to Lead a New World Order.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/29/world/asia/china-us-russia.html



Did China cross a new red line in cyberspace?

https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/china-cross-new-red-line-cyberspace



WHO report: COVID likely 1st jumped into humans from animals

https://apnews.com/article/who-report-animals-source-covid-19-coronavirus-8a839c179c330c56fa46a763b7286a7f





Taiwan says tracks intruding Chinese aircraft with missiles, not always scrambling

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-security/taiwan-says-tracks-intruding-chinese-aircraft-with-missiles-not-always-scrambling-idUSKBN2BL0JS



Taiwan has deployed anti-stealth passive radar system in Penghu

http://alert5.com/2021/03/29/taiwan-has-deployed-anti-stealth-passive-radar-system-in-penghu/



Wary of Beijing, Taiwan Doubles Down on South China Sea Island

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/wary-beijing-taiwan-doubles-down-south-china-sea-island





North Korean submarine capable of firing missiles being watched, Seoul says

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/03/29/North-Korea-ballistic-missiles-submarine-watch/5401617023190/





Philippines to increase number of vessels and aircraft monitoring disputed Whitsun Reef

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/philippines-to-increase-number-of-vessels-and-aircraft-monitoring-disputed-whitsun-reef










Democrats Move to Curtail War Powers

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/dems-railroad-war-powers-bill-through-congress/



'We trusted that our equipment would work,' says Army vet, as U.S. trial over 3M earplugs begins

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-3m-earplugs-trial/we-trusted-that-our-equipment-would-work-says-army-vet-as-u-s-trial-over-3m-earplugs-begins-idUSKBN2BL157



Czech billionaire among 5 killed in chopper crash in Alaska wilderness

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2021/03/29/alaska-helicopter-crash-czech-kellner/3561617023627/



SolarWinds Hack: ‘The Truth Is Much More Complicated’

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/solarwinds-hack-the-truth-is-much-more-complicated/



DARPA is Fighting Hackers by Building The ‘Unhackable’ Computer Chip

https://thedebrief.org/darpa-is-fighting-hackers-by-building-the-unhackable-computer-chip/



Parler: We warned the FBI more than 50 times before the Capitol riot

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/parler-we-warned-the-fbi-more-than-50-times-before-the-capitol-riot/



F-35 Hitmen Put U.S. And Partner Lives At Risk

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davedeptula/2021/03/29/f-35-hitmen-put-us-and-partner-lives-at-risk/



Podcast: Skyborg Express

https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/podcast-skyborg-express



U.S. nuclear weapons are aging quickly. With few spare parts, how long can they last?

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article250187880.html



The Battery That Will Finally Unlock Massless Energy Storage

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a35902755/structural-battery-massless-energy-storage/



USAF 'Red Flag' exercises turn to combat problem-solving

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/03/29/usaf-redflag-nellis-combat/8951617048792/



The SR-71 Spy Plane Was the Jet Russia Never Could Copy

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/03/the-sr-71-spy-plane-was-the-jet-russia-never-could-copy/



Austal USA Expanding to Make Steel Ships; Yard Looks to Bid on Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter, Navy Light Amphib Programs

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/29/austal-usa-expanding-to-make-steel-ships-yard-looks-to-bid-on-coast-guard-offshore-patrol-cutter-navy-light-amphib-programs



U.S. Army’s Raven Hand-Launched Drone Fleet Getting Millions Worth of Upgrades

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/us-armys-raven-hand-launched-drone-fleet-getting-millions-worth-of-upgrades-158401.html



Special Operations Command's New A-29 Super Tucano Pays Tribute To World War II Air Commandos

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39976/special-operations-commands-new-a-29-super-tucano-pays-tribute-to-world-war-ii-air-commandos



USMC Evolves To Survive

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htamph/articles/20210329.aspx



U.S. Air Force Graduates First Class of XPW Pilots

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2021-03-29/us-air-force-graduates-first-class-xpw-pilots



The Air Force's Virtual Reality Fighter Training Is Working Best for 5th-Gen Pilots

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/03/26/air-forces-virtual-reality-fighter-training-working-best-5th-gen-pilots.html



Air Force Drone Plan May Rile MQ-9 Champions

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/air-force-drone-plan-may-rile-mq-9-champions/



The First Flight Test Of The Air Force's New Hypersonic Missile Appears To Be Imminent

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39975/signs-point-to-imminent-debut-flight-test-of-the-air-forces-first-hypersonic-missile



Navy contract helps MQ-4C escape production pause

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/navy-contract-helps-mq-4c-escape-production-pause/143084.article



21st Century USW: A Kill Web Team Sport

https://sldinfo.com/2021/03/21st-century-usw-a-kill-web-team-sport/