Af/Pak & Other News (2/3/2021)

[dump...@hotmail.com]

Taliban on diplomatic blitz after Afghan peace talks stall

https://apnews.com/article/turkey-afghanistan-qatar-doha-taliban-a10fe39f44c6fc400e718c58ccfcf438



Afghanistan troop withdrawal should be tied with peace talk progress, says German foreign minister

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2021/02/02/afghanistan-troop-withdrawal-should-be-tied-with-peace-talk-progress-says-german-foreign-minister/



To Leave Afghanistan, Biden Must Solve His Ghani Problem

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/02/02/afghanistan-biden-united-states-taliban-ashraf-ghani/



Insider attacks against US troops in Afghanistan have dropped to a historic low. Here’s why

https://taskandpurpose.com/analysis/insider-attacks-afghanistan-2020/



Groundhog Day in Afghanistan

https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2021/02/ep-42-groundhog-day-in-afghanistan.php



UN report: Widespread torture of detainees in Afghan prisons

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kandahar-united-nations-taliban-8ec56edb186ff325ef1f1730786d1535



Pakistan says it successfully test fired short-range missile

https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/2021/02/03/pakistan-says-it-successfully-test-fired-short-range-missile/









HAL's Displays RUAV Drone Concept for High-Altitude Cargo Delivery

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28889/HAL_s_Displays_RUAV_Drone_Concept_for_High_Altitude_Cargo_Delivery









British-Iranian academic jailed in Iran tells of escape through mountains to return to UK

https://www.yahoo.com/news/british-iranian-academic-jailed-iran-081652094.html



Suspected Iranian loitering SAM powered by Dutch minijet

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/suspected-iranian-loitering-sam-powered-by-dutch-minijet



U.S. cool to, but does not reject, Iran's idea on reviving nuclear deal

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-usa/u-s-cool-to-iranian-idea-of-synchronized-steps-on-nuclear-deal-idUSKBN2A22RR









Turkey launches F-16 life-extension program amid lack of replacement aircraft

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/02/02/turkey-launches-f-16-life-extension-program-amid-lack-of-replacement-aircraft/









IDF: Anti-aircraft missiles fired at Israeli drone from south Lebanon

https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-anti-aircraft-missiles-fired-at-israeli-drone-from-south-lebanon/









IDF to receive improved Trophy APS

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/idf-to-receive-improved-trophy-aps



Israel Is Going To Market Its Weapons Systems In The United Arab Emirates

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/02/03/israel-will-soon-begin-marketing-its-weapons-systems-in-the-united-arab-emirates/



Rafael unveils SPICE 250 ER development

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/update-rafael-unveils-spice-250-er-development









Egyptian Air Force displays SCALP cruise missile

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/egyptian-air-force-displays-scalp-cruise-missile




Libya: Negotiate Or Die

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/libya/articles/20210203.aspx




Tunisian soldiers killed by explosive device in mountains close to Algerian border

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210203-tunisian-soldiers-killed-by-explosive-device-in-mountains-close-to-algerian-border









Ukraine Sanctions 'Russian Trojan Horse' Media Assets Associated With Putin Friend

https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-television-stations-sanctions-putin/31083423.html



Russia Researching Future Interceptor Technologies, New Light Fighters

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/budget-policy-operations/russia-researching-future-interceptor-technologies-new-light



Russia proceeds with Ka-226T light rotorcraft program

https://airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/february/6883-aero-india-2021-russia-proceeds-with-ka-226t-light-rotorcraft-program.html



Russian Foreign Minister Accuses 'West' of Staging Alexei Navalny's Poisoning

https://www.newsweek.com/russian-foreign-minister-accuses-west-staging-alexei-navalnys-poisoning-1566281



Russia: Mass detentions after Putin critic Navalny jailed

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55913614



Documents Show Firm That Created Security, Communications Systems For Russian Government Also Worked On 'Putin's Palace'

https://www.rferl.org/a/documents-show-firm-that-created-security-communications-systems-for-russian-government-also-worked-on-putin-s-palace-/31084506.html



Hackers Target Pro-Kremlin TV Site, Redirect Users to Alexei Navalny's Putin Palace Film

https://www.newsweek.com/alexei-navalny-russia-sentencing-hackers-putins-palace-1566459




Kazakhstan receives first Buk-M2E air-defence system from Russia

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/kazakhstan-receives-first-buk-m2e-air-defence-system-from-russia




B-1 Bombers Are Deploying To Norway For The First Time With An Eye On Nearby Russia And The Arctic

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39053/b-1-bombers-are-deploying-to-norway-for-the-first-time




20-Strong Drone Swarm Deployed in Largest Ever UK Trial

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/02/02/20-drone-swarm-uk/



Royal Navy Submarine Appears In Gibraltar Equipped With Enhanced Wake Detection System

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39055/new-wake-detection-sensor-spotted-on-royal-navy-submarine-as-it-pulls-ito-gibraltar



Royal Marines to Use Drones for High Seas Anti-Smuggling Operations

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/02/03/royal-marines-drones-anti-smuggling-operations/




Opposition to Lethal Autonomous Weapons Remains Strong: Survey

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/02/03/survey-lethal-autonomous-weapons/









Dozen state police charged in the massacre of 19 in Mexico

https://apnews.com/article/homicide-shootings-mexico-drug-cartels-arrests-412fae73248d7235557a02aa4e44deef









Chinese Breath Easier

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/articles/20210203.aspx



China Copies U.S. Air-Ground Multi-Domain Operations

https://defensemaven.io/warriormaven/land/china-copies-u-s-air-ground-multi-domain-operations-Kf8JZ-tFG0as2OPNQeGnfQ



WHO team probing COVID-19 visits Wuhan lab, meets 'Bat Woman'

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-china/who-team-probing-covid-19-visits-wuhan-lab-meets-bat-woman-idUSKBN2A309F





China and Russia blocked the UN from condemning Myanmar's military coup

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-and-russia-blocked-the-un-from-condemning-myanmars-military-coup/ar-BB1dlIQB



Myanmar's ousted leader Suu Kyi charged with 'illegally importing walkie-talkies'

https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210203-myanmar-s-ousted-leader-suu-kyi-charged-with-illegally-importing-walkie-talkies





North Korea's Systematic Rights Violations May Amount to Crimes Against Humanity, UN Says

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/north-koreas-systematic-rights-violations-may-amount-crimes-against-humanity-un



Defector says North Korea 'popular uprising' likely

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/02/03/Defector-says-North-Korea-popular-uprising-likely/4001612374361/





South Korea's military has big problems that are much closer to home than North Korea

https://news.yahoo.com/south-koreas-military-big-problems-143444993.html





Australia to Boost its Naval Arsenal to Counter China; Government announces $1 billion investment in new missiles, mine sweepers.

https://thediplomat.com/2021/01/australia-to-boost-its-naval-arsenal-to-counter-china/









Former CIA Officer: Treat Domestic Extremism As An Insurgency

https://www.npr.org/2021/02/02/963343896/former-cia-officer-treat-domestic-extremism-as-an-insurgency



The long tail of the SolarWinds breach

https://www.axios.com/solarwinds-breach-russia-hack-software-27fbf17c-7e16-4e7f-9691-98ec6fee7b3a.html



3 National Guard members were killed in the second deadly Black Hawk helicopter crash in less than a month

https://news.yahoo.com/3-national-guard-members-were-143148562.html



U.S. extends arms control treaty with Russia for 5 years, Blinken says

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-nuclear/us-extends-arms-control-treaty-with-russia-for-5-years-blinken-says-idUSKBN2A323N



The B-21 Raider Bomber Combined Test Force Has A Ridiculously Sinister Shakespearean Motto

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39066/b-21-raider-bomber-combined-test-force-has-a-ridiculously-sinister-shakespearean-motto



Commandant Calls Marine Corps Tech Refresh ‘Urgent’

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/2/2/commandant-calls-marine-corps-tech-refresh-urgent



U.S. Army preparing its heavy dump trucks for extremely cold environment

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/u-s-army-preparing-its-heavy-dump-trucks-for-extremely-cold-environment.html



This long-forgotten unit was the predecessor to the Army's Delta Force

https://www.businessinsider.com/this-long-forgotten-unit-was-the-predecessor-to-delta-force-2017-7



Robot Tanks Are Awesome. But Are They Too Expensive To Risk In Combat?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelpeck/2021/02/02/robot-tanks-are-awesome-but-are-they-too-expensive-to-risk-in-combat/



Every Soldier a Drone Fighter: Plan Would Make Counter-UAS Training an Army Requirement

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/02/02/every-soldier-drone-fighter-plan-would-make-counter-uas-training-army-requirement.html



U.S. Marine Corps new heavy-lift helicopter practices landing in fields

https://defence-blog.com/news/u-s-marine-corps-new-heavy-lift-helicopter-lands-in-field.html



Air Force Says KC-46 Is A “Lemon” That It’s Trying To Make Lemonade Out Of

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39047/air-force-says-kc-46-is-a-lemon-that-its-trying-to-make-lemonade-out-of



Air Force study on future aerial refueling tanker could start in 2022

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/02/02/air-force-study-on-future-aerial-refueling-tanker-could-start-in-2022/



Pipistrel Teams With C-Astral To Expand Nuuva UAS Into ISR

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/pipistrel-teams-c-astral-expand-nuuva-uas-isr



Pentagon to field low-collateral, counter-drone interceptors in FY22

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/02/02/pentagon-shoots-to-field-low-collateral-counter-drone-interceptors-in-fy22/



The Air Force’s New F-15EX Eagle Just Took To The Sky For The First Time

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39027/the-air-forces-new-f-15ex-eagle-just-took-to-the-air-for-the-first-time



US Navy flies new TCTS II air combat training system for first time

https://defbrief.com/2021/02/02/us-navy-flies-new-tcts-ii-air-combat-training-system-for-first-time/



Navy Task Force Calls for Changing Ship Names that Honor Confederacy

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/02/03/navy-task-force-calls-changing-ship-names-honor-confederacy.html



US Navy helicopters and Coast Guard snipers are firing on suspected drug traffickers 'daily,' top admiral says

https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-helicopters-coast-guard-snipers-drug-busts-daily-admiral-says-2021-2



SOSUS used for drug law enforcement

https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2021/02/sosus-used-for-drug-law-enforcement.html



Navy Looking At America And Ford Class Derivatives In New Light Aircraft Carrier Studies

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39040/navy-looking-at-america-and-ford-class-derivatives-in-new-light-aircraft-carrier-studies