Af/Pak & Other News (6/18/2021)

[dump...@hotmail.com]

Afghan peace envoy fears pullout will embolden Taliban

https://apnews.com/article/taliban-middle-east-europe-government-and-politics-24e62b31c000b248334e34dae25c42f5



Elite Afghan Forces Suffer Horrific Casualties as Taliban Advance

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/17/world/asia/afghanistan-military-casualties.html



UN Says Planning for Afghanistan Violence Hike When US Troops Withdraw

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/06/18/un-planning-afghanistan-violence-hike/



Militia Takes A Page From Insurgent Playbook In Fight Against Taliban

https://www.barrons.com/news/militia-takes-a-page-from-insurgent-playbook-in-fight-against-taliban-01624000229



US will be able to keep embassy in Afghanistan after Turkey agrees to secure airport

https://news.yahoo.com/us-able-keep-embassy-afghanistan-104916918.html



Turkey Looks to Expand Footprint in Afghanistan

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/06/17/turkey-afghanistan-footprint-us-withdrawal-security/



U.S. says Biden, Erdogan agreed on Afghanistan but S-400 issue is unresolved

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-erdogan-agreed-turkey-take-lead-securing-kabul-airport-us-aide-2021-06-17/



Did Joe Biden Get Played by Erdogan on Afghanistan?

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/06/did-joe-biden-get-played-by-erdogan-on-afghanistan/









Judge under U.S. sanctions set to take over Iran presidency

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-vote-set-hand-presidency-judge-under-us-sanctions-2021-06-18/









House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization as Senate prepares to take action

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/17/house-votes-to-repeal-2002-iraq-war-authorization-.html









Turkey’s ALPAGU Fixed-Wing UAV Test Fires Ammunition

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29839/Turkey___s_ALPAGU_Fixed_Wing_UAV_Test_Fires_Ammunition









Is Islamic State rebuilding in Syrian desert?

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/06/islamic-state-rebuilding-syrian-desert




World powers promise to help Lebanon's army, without specifics

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/with-few-tangibles-world-powers-promise-help-lebanese-army-2021-06-17/









Israeli military again strikes Gaza after reports of 'incendiary balloons' sparking fires

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israeli-military-again-strikes-gaza-after-reports-of-incendiary-balloons-sparking-fires/ar-AAL9M2C



Iran’s Role in the Latest Gaza Conflict

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/06/18/irans_role_in_the_latest_gaza_conflict_782007.html



Iran Creates A Phantom Threat

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htart/articles/20210618.aspx



Rafael networks Python-5 short-range air-to-air missile with Global Link SDR

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/rafael-networks-python-5-short-range-air-to-air-missile-with-global-link-sdr









Why are British C-17s flying to Libya at night?

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/why-are-british-c-17s-flying-to-libya-at-night/



Haftar sends reinforcements to south Libya

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210618-haftar-sends-reinforcements-to-south-libya/




France Slams Russian 'Seizure Of Power' In CAfrica

https://www.barrons.com/news/france-slams-russian-seizure-of-power-in-cafrica-01624011909



France is pulling back from Africa’s fastest-growing conflict. Who will fill the security void?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/06/18/france-barkhane-sahel-west-africa-african-lion/









How Russian threats in the 2000s turned this country into the go-to expert on cyber defense

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/18/tech/estonia-cyber-security-lessons-intl-cmd/index.html




German defense group unveils new autonomous platform

https://defence-blog.com/german-defense-group-unveils-new-autonomous-platform/




M-346 challenges fifth generation fighters during multinational Falcon Strike 21 exercise

https://www.blogbeforeflight.net/2021/06/m346-falcon-strike-21.html




Airbus responds to Air Force call for new tankers to replace Boeing's KC-46

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/06/17/air-force-seeks-new-refueling-tankers/8381623955868/









China's Space Station Is Now Manned As Concerns About Its Space Ambitions Grow

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41137/chinas-space-station-is-now-manned-as-concerns-about-its-space-ambitions-grow



Persistent Paper Dragons

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htmurph/articles/20210618.aspx



Going Coastal: Image Shows Chinese Navy Still Investing In Fixed Defenses

http://www.hisutton.com/Chinese-Coastal-Defenses-Bohai-Sea.html



China’s Air Force Has a New Enemy (No, Not the U.S. Air Force)

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/06/chinas-air-force-has-a-new-enemy-no-not-the-u-s-air-force/



Chinese AI Learns To Beat Top Fighter Pilot In Simulated Combat

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/06/18/chinese-ai-learns-to-beat-top-fighter-pilot-in-simulated-combat/





PLA warplanes enter Taiwan air defence zone 2 days after record sortie

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3137795/pla-warplanes-enter-taiwan-air-defence-zone-two-days-after



US touts Taiwan ‘porcupine’ strategy to thwart Chinese threat

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3137753/us-touts-taiwan-porcupine-strategy-thwart-chinese-threat





Kim Jong Un told North Korea's government to 'get fully prepared for confrontation' with the US

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/kim-jong-un-told-north-korea-s-government-to-get-fully-prepared-for-confrontation-with-the-us/ar-AALaUeG





South Korea’s KSS-III Batch 2 Submarine to Feature both AIP and Li-Ion Batteries

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/madex-2021/2021/06/south-koreas-kss-iii-batch-2-submarine-to-feature-both-aip-and-li-ion-batteries/





Japan to outline Taiwan’s strategic importance, concerns over China’s maritime strength in defence white paper

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3137716/japan-outline-taiwans-strategic-importance-concerns-over-chinas










‘Something’s going on’: UFOs threaten national security, US politicians warn

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/17/ufos-us-report-national-security-concerns



Lawmakers react to classified UFO briefing

https://www.wavy.com/news/national/lawmakers-react-to-classified-ufo-briefing/



Biden's 'off-limits' list for Russian cyberattacks criticized as 'green light' to target everything else

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-putin-russian-cyberattacks-list-16-off-limits-criticism



Rumors of U.S. Secretly Harboring Top China Official Swirl

https://www.thedailybeast.com/rumors-of-us-secretly-harboring-top-china-official-dong-jingwei-swirl



An Air Cushion Patrol Seaplane Was Once In The Works With The U.S. And Japan

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41142/an-air-cushion-patrol-seaplane-was-once-in-the-works-with-the-u-s-and-japan



AC-208: America’s Cessna that shoots Hellfire missiles

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/ac-208-americas-cessna-that-shoots-hellfire-missiles/



US Will Try Using Lasers to Send Data From Space to Drones

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2021/06/pentagon-will-try-using-lasers-send-data-space-drones/174810/



Air Force Says Hypersonic Missile Tests Could Kill Four Snails And 90 Clams

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41148/bizarrely-specific-usaf-report-says-hypersonic-missile-tests-could-kill-four-snails-and-90-clams



Competitors Vie for Army Arctic Vehicle Contract

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/6/18/competitors-vie-for-army-arctic-vehicle-contract



Army Signals The Abrams Tank Is Here To Stay

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2021/06/18/army-signals-the-abrams-tank-is-here-to-stay/



Army's New Unmanned Missile Launcher Could Target Ships And Air Defenses

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41135/armys-new-unmanned-missile-launcher-could-target-ships-and-air-defenses



US Army could soon have a high-power microwave to destroy small drone swarms

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/06/17/us-army-could-soon-have-high-power-microwave-capability-to-take-out-small-drone-swarms/



Check Out This USAF Animated Video of THOR Destroying Drones

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/06/18/usaf-thor-animated-video/



Boeing Readies Fix For T-7A Wing Rock, Narrows Schedule Slip

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/light-attack-advanced-training/boeing-readies-fix-t-7a-wing-rock-narrows-schedule



The Air Force Might Make Two Distinct Versions Of Its Next Multirole Stealth Fighter

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41138/the-air-force-might-make-two-distinct-versions-of-its-next-multirole-stealth-fighter



Navy releases long-range shipbuilding plan that drops emphasis on 355 ships, lays out fleet design priorities

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/06/17/navy-releases-long-range-shipbuilding-plan-that-drops-emphasis-on-355-ships-lays-out-fleet-design-priorities/



Lawmakers Probe Navy’s Plan to Decommission Cruisers, Navy Says Cuts Will Save $5B Across FYDP

https://news.usni.org/2021/06/17/lawmakers-probe-navys-plan-to-decommission-cruisers-navy-says-cuts-will-save-5b-across-fydp



Radar-Equipped Drones May Protect U.S. Navy Ships From Mach 10 Hypersonic Missiles

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelpeck/2021/06/17/radar-equipped-drones-may-protect-us-navy-ships-from-mach-10-hypersonic-missiles/