Af/Pak & Other News (1/6/2021)

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No U.S. Troops? Taliban In Gov't? Peace? What Lies Ahead For Afghanistan In 2021

https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/taliban-afghan-peace-biden-afghanistan/31020136.html



America Already Won in Afghanistan But We Missed the Victory

https://news.clearancejobs.com/2021/01/05/america-already-won-in-afghanistan-but-we-missed-the-victory/



Afghanistan busted Chinese spy ring, kept it a secret. NDS chief explains why

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/afghan-intel-chief-confirms-busting-chinese-spy-ring-says-it-s-sensitive/story-iFqT1qRYtfytMlkEN7ATxN.html









In first mention, Defence review says ‘unorthodox’ weapons used in Galwan

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/galwan-valley-india-china-clash-lac-indian-army-7134333/



Indian Navy to Buy 10 Shipborne Drones to Boost Surveillance

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/01/05/india-navy-shipborne-drones/



Indian Air Force MiG-21 Bison Aircraft Crashes in Rajasthan, Pilot Ejects Safely

https://defpost.com/indian-air-force-mig-21-bison-aircraft-crashes-in-rajasthan-pilot-ejects-safely/









Iran Renews Interpol Request To Arrest Trump, Other U.S. Officials

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/05/953575759/iran-renews-interpol-request-to-arrest-trump-other-u-s-officials



U.S. Collects $7 Million in Iranian Assets for Terror Victims and Families

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/u-s-collects-7-million-in-iranian-assets-for-terror-victims-and-families/



Iran Allocates $150,000 For Families Of Each Victim Of Ukrainian Plane Crash

https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-ukrainian-plane-crash-compensation/31026886.html









Pro-Iran militias in Iraq grow increasingly hostile toward the U.S.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/pro-iran-militias-in-iraq-grow-increasingly-hostile-toward-the-u-s



Bodies of nearly 100 'unarmed civilians' killed by IS found buried in Mosul rubble

https://news.yahoo.com/bodies-nearly-100-unarmed-civilians-120954732.html









South Korean Destroyer Is Now Patrolling Near The Strait Of Hormuz After Iran Seizes Tanker

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38557/south-korean-destroyer-is-now-patrolling-near-the-strait-of-hormuz-after-iran-seizes-tanker




Saudi spy drone downed in Yemen: Houthi spokesman

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/saudi-spy-drone-downed-in-yemen-houthi-spokesman/2100482



Khashoggi murder documentary, too explosive for streaming, debuts on-demand

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/khashoggi-murder-documentary-too-explosive-for-streaming-debuts-on-demand/ar-BB1cwvPo









Syria: ‘Identified gaps, inconsistencies’ raise questions over elimination of chemical weapons

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1081412



Russia and West clash over Syria chemical weapons sanctions

https://apnews.com/article/bashar-assad-voting-rights-russia-chemical-weapons-damascus-e40705fd9803dda7cc5aef13c3a22ece



Fighting Continues Over Flashpoint Town in Northern Syria

https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/fighting-continues-over-flashpoint-town-northern-syria




In Beirut, a bronze bust of Iran general sparks controversy

https://apnews.com/article/iran-lebanon-middle-east-social-media-baghdad-b1ee17dadb825bde23b0d857fdc6ae84









Israel prepares for changes to security landscape in 2021

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/israel-prepares-for-changes-to-security-landscape-in-2021



Israel/Brazil/Philippines Armor:

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htarm/articles/20210106.aspx









Egypt getting U.S. infrared countermeasures and Sniper advanced targeting pods

https://www.africanmilitaryblog.com/2021/01/egypt-getting-u-s-infrared-countermeasures-and-sniper-advanced-targeting-pods




Libya: Haftar's militia violates ceasefire agreement in Sirte

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210106-libya-haftars-militia-violates-ceasefire-agreement-in-sirte/



Libya: Follow The Money, Militias and Mercs

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/libya/articles/20210106.aspx




France says dozens of jihadists killed in weekend Mali air strike

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210105-france-says-dozens-of-jihadists-killed-in-weekend-mali-air-strike



After Eight Years of Mali Campaign, France Seeks Exit Strategy

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/01/06/france-seeks-mali-exit-strategy/




Sudan says it signs deal on normalizing ties with Israel

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-abdel-fattah-el-sissi-condoleezza-rice-omar-al-bashir-egypt-6075c85c6ffc7183e9be584da428bad7









Ukrainian Marines to receive amphibious version of BTR-4

https://defence-blog.com/news/ukrainian-marines-to-receive-amphibious-version-of-btr-4.html



Ukraine to Buy Additional Turkish Bayraktar TB2 Drones for Navy

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28702/Ukraine_to_Buy_Additional_Turkish_Bayraktar_TB2_Drones_for_Navy



SAFE Boats secures $19.9 million Pentagon contract for MK VI patrol boats for Ukraine

https://defence-blog.com/news/safe-boats-secures-19-9-million-pentagon-contract-for-mk-vi-patrol-boats-for-ukraine.html



All roads lead to Ukraine in Putin’s global hybrid war

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/all-roads-lead-to-ukraine-in-putins-global-hybrid-war/



Russia blamed for SolarWinds hack in joint FBI, NSA and CISA statement

https://www.cnet.com/news/fbi-nsa-and-cisa-say-solarwinds-hack-was-likely-of-russian-origin/



Russia is planning to test-fire a salvo of new hypersonic missiles from a warship for the first time this year, state media says

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-is-planning-to-test-fire-a-salvo-of-new-hypersonic-missiles-from-a-warship-for-the-first-time-this-year-state-media-says/ar-BB1cuORA?li=BBnb7Kz



Did Russian State Media Reveal a Mobile ICBM Cheating Program?

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/01/06/did_russian_state_media_reveal_a_mobile_icbm_cheating_program_655537.html




Silicon Valley Technologists Interested In Swiss UFO Case

https://thedebrief.org/silicon-valley-technologists-interested-in-swiss-ufo-case/




The U.S. Air Force Established A Permanent Base For MQ-9 Reaper Drones In Romania

https://theaviationist.com/2021/01/06/the-u-s-air-force-established-a-permanent-base-for-mq-9-reaper-drones-in-romania/




Greece Joins Forces With Israel To Revamp Its Fighter Pilot Training Program

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38560/greece-joins-forces-with-israel-to-revamp-its-fighter-pilot-training-program




United States confirms the procurement of three Hawkeye E-2D tactical airborne early warning aircraft by France

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2021/january/9506-united-states-confirms-the-procurement-of-three-hawkeye-e-2d-tactical-airborne-early-warning-aircraft-by-france.html




The British pick MBDA’s Spear 3 cruise missile for their F-35s

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/01/06/the-british-pick-mbdas-spear-3-cruise-missile-for-their-f-35s/



BAE Systems to demonstrate new RF countermeasure system for US Navy P-8As

https://defbrief.com/2021/01/06/bae-systems-to-demonstrate-new-rf-countermeasure-system-for-us-navy-p-8as/



Pixelated Camouflage to Make British Tanks 80 Percent Harder to Detect

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/01/06/pixelated-camouflage-british-tanks/









China develops world-class escape system for submarine crew members

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1212049.shtml



Experts: Report of China Hacking African Union HQ Fits Larger Pattern

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/voa-news-china/experts-report-china-hacking-african-union-hq-fits-larger-pattern



Changhe Z-11WB attack and reconnaissance helicopter to enter PLA service

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/january/6797-changhe-z-11wb-attack-and-reconnaissance-helicopter-to-enter-pla-service.html



PLAAF 2021 recruitment video

http://alert5.com/2021/01/06/plaaf-2021-recruitment-video/



WHO team probing pandemic's origins blocked from entering China

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/01/06/WHO-team-probing-pandemics-origins-blocked-from-entering-China/2281609908019/



China is desperate to control the narrative of Covid-19's origin - whatever the cost

https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-desperate-control-narrative-origins-105645148.html



U.S. lawyer among 53 arrested in huge crackdown on Hong Kong pro-democracy figures

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hong-kong-china-arrest-pro-democracy-figures-american-lawyer-john-clancey/





Facing Economic Woes, North Korea Admits Failure, Mulls Future

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/facing-economic-woes-north-korea-admits-failure-mulls-future



What Is the Truth About COVID-19 in North Korea?

https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/what-is-the-truth-about-covid-19-in-north-korea/





Hmm, South Korea’s First Aircraft Carrier Looks Awfully Familiar

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a35131429/south-korea-planned-aircraft-carrier-queen-elizabeth-resemblance/



Hyundai Rotem aims to roll out unmanned K1 MBT testbed by 2024

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/hyundai-rotem-aims-to-roll-out-unmanned-k1-mbt-testbed-by-2024





Australia begins prototyping Hunter-class frigates

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/01/05/Australia-begins-prototyping-Hunter-class-frigates/1611609892869/











Sorry, Believers — Many UFOs Are Just Military Aircraft; There's no shortage of secret prototypes

https://warisboring.com/sorry-believers-many-ufos-are-just-military-aircraft/



Ominous Iran-Related Threat To Fly Plane Into Capitol Broadcast To Air Traffic Controllers

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38571/ominous-iran-related-threat-to-fly-plane-into-capitol-broadcast-to-air-traffic-controllers



New Arctic Strategy Calls for Regular Presence as a Way to Compete With Russia, China

https://news.usni.org/2021/01/05/new-arctic-strategy-calls-for-regular-presence-as-a-way-to-compete-with-russia-china



Why Getting Rid Of U.S. ICBMs Could Make Nuclear War More Likely

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2021/01/05/why-getting-rid-of-us-icbms-could-make-nuclear-war-more-likely/



Minuteman III Missiles Are Too Old to Upgrade Anymore, STRATCOM Chief Says

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/01/06/minuteman-iii-missiles-are-too-old-upgrade-anymore-stratcom-chief-says.html



An A-12 Oxcart Spyplane Crashed Near Area 51 In 1967. This Is How One Explorer Found It.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38570/an-a-12-oxcart-spyplane-crashed-near-area-51-in-1967-this-is-how-one-explorer-found-it



Hospital Ship USNS Mercy Tied Up in Maintenance, Can’t Deploy for COVID Relief

https://news.usni.org/2021/01/05/hospital-ship-usns-mercy-tied-up-in-maintenance-cant-deploy-for-covid-relief



Inside the CIA, She Became a Spy for Planet Earth

https://www.yahoo.com/news/inside-cia-she-became-spy-200826749.html



Rare, cool video shows A-10s and Thunderbirds Formation Flying

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/rare-cool-video-shows-a-10s-and-thunderbirds-formation-flying/



Mass of Drones Storms Manhattan in Trial to Counter Future Threats

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/01/06/drones-manhattan-trial-future-threats/



The U.S. Army’s Robot Tanks Will Make Great Bait

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/01/06/the-us-armys-robot-tanks-make-great-bait/



Army Says "Sky's the Limit" With New Armored Infantry Carrier

https://defensemaven.io/warriormaven/future-weapons/army-says-sky-s-the-limit-with-new-armored-infantry-carrier-jOkjXYKypUq1IMusC2CNSg



Stealth Fighters: Why U.S. Marine Corps Is Issuing Silencers To All Infantry Units

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/01/05/stealth-fighters-why-all-marine-infantry-are-getting-silencers/



An Update on the CH-53K from VMX-1: The Perspective of Lt. Col. Frank

https://sldinfo.com/2021/01/an-update-on-the-ch-53k-from-vmx-1-the-perspective-of-lt-col-frank



The Aging B-1 Bomber Just Won't Die

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a35121417/b1-bomber-will-keep-flying/



Navy Secretary: US Plans Patrols Near Russian Arctic Bases

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/01/navy-secretary-us-patrols-near-russian-arctic-bases/