Af/Pak & Other News (2/22/2021)

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Afghanistan's Ghani sees 'window of opportunity' for peace process

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56144795









India: Navy's Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-To-Air Missile Test-Fired, Can Hit Sea-Skimming Targets

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/navys-vertical-launch-short-range-surface-to-air-missile-test-fired-can-hit-sea-skimming-targets-2376308



Terror groups in Jammu & Kashmir adopt Canadian messaging app to evade Indian security services

https://medium.com/dfrlab/terror-groups-in-jammu-and-kashmir-adopt-canadian-messaging-app-to-evade-indian-security-services-311ab5d3a3a1



India-China Border Disputes Persist Despite Troop Pullback

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/india-china-border-disputes-persist-despite-troop-pullback









Khamenei says Iran may enrich uranium to 60% purity if needed

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear/khamenei-says-iran-may-enrich-uranium-to-60-purity-if-needed-idUSKBN2AM1ZJ









Iraq Decides Against Oil-Supply Deal With China’s Zhenhua

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-21/iraq-freezes-oil-for-pre-payment-deal-for-now-oil-minister-says



NATO to expand Iraq training mission

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/nato-to-expand-iraq-training-mission



Rockets hit Baghdad green zone, no casualties - Iraqi military

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security/rockets-hit-baghdad-green-zone-no-casualties-iraqi-military-idUSKBN2AM248









UAE: Caracal unveils new .338 semi-automatic rifle

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/idex-2021-caracal-unveils-new-338-semi-automatic-rifle



U.A.E.-Based Armacraft Signs Contract with Foreign Navy to sell Diver Submersible

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29023/U_A_E__Based_Armacraft_Signs_Contract_with_Foreign_Navy_to_sell_Diver_Submersible



Edge Group unveils kamikaze drones at IDEX

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/idex/2021/02/22/edge-group-unveils-kamikaze-drones-at-idex/



HALCON lifts veil on new HAS-250 anti-ship missile

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/02/halcon-lifts-veil-on-new-has-250-anti-ship-missile/



A Ton of the New Defense Technologies Being Unveiled at IDEX-2021

https://thedebrief.org/a-ton-of-the-new-defense-technologies-being-unveiled-at-idex-2021/





In the Middle East, War Is Going Digital; And that should scare everyone.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/02/22/in-the-middle-east-war-is-going-digital/




Saudi Arabia, South Korea to Jointly Produce Biho II Air Defense Systems

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29021/Saudi_Arabia__South_Korea_to_Jointly_Produce_Biho_II_Air_Defense_Systems



Yemen's Houthis raise stakes in Marib 'blood bath', sources say

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security/yemens-houthis-raise-stakes-in-marib-blood-bath-sources-say-idUSKBN2AM1ER









It’s Official: KC-46 Tankers And More F-35s For Israel, But No Advanced F-15s For Now

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39375/its-official-kc-46-tankers-and-more-f-35s-for-israel-but-no-advanced-f-15s-for-now



How Drones Are Changing The Way The Israeli Army Operates

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/02/22/how-drones-are-increasingly-changing-the-way-the-israeli-army-operates/









Italian ambassador among three killed in attack on UN convoy in DR Congo

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210222-italian-ambassador-among-three-killed-in-attack-on-un-convoy-in-dr-congo




ISWAP Jihadists Overrun Nigerian Army Base as Residents Flee

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/02/22/jihadists-overrun-nigeria-army-base/




Somalia: The Worst Gets Worse

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia/articles/20210222.aspx



Somali Military Kills 70 al-Shabaab Members in Two Operations

https://sofrep.com/news/somali-military-kills-70-al-shabaab-members-in-two-operations/




South Africa: Paramount launches N-Raven long range swarming UAV system

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerospace/unmanned-aerial-vehicles/paramount-launches-n-raven-long-range-swarming-uav-system/









Ukraine accuses Russian networks of new massive cyber attacks

https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-cyber/ukraine-accuses-russian-networks-of-new-massive-cyber-attacks-idUSL1N2KS1BD



Russian spies try to steal Ukrainian modern tank secrets

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/russian-spies-try-to-steal-ukrainian-modern-tank-secrets.html



No Middle East Nation Interested in Russia's Su-57 Jet

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29024/No_Middle_East_Nation_Interested_in_Russia_s_Su_57_Jet



Russian Reality Based Reforms

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htworld/articles/20210222.aspx



Russia to Unveil the Antey-4000 Missile System at IDEX 2021

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia-unveil-antey-4000-missile-system-idex-2021-178603



Kalashnikov Presents New “Hybrid” Fixed Wing-Multirotor Drone at IDEX 2021

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29020/Kalashnikov_Presents_New____Hybrid____Fixed_Wing_Multirotor_Drone_at_IDEX_2021




EU agrees to sanction Russian officials over Navalny jailing

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210222-eu-agrees-to-sanction-russian-officials-over-navalny-jailing




Armenia seeks bigger Russian military presence on its territory

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-armenia-azerbaijan-russia-base/armenia-seeks-bigger-russian-military-presence-on-its-territory-idUSKBN2AM1AP




Milrem Robotics showcases robotic mini-tank at IDEX 2021

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/milrem-robotics-showcases-robotic-mini-tank-at-idex-2021.html




Sweden Charges Former High-Tech Worker With Spying For Russia

https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/sweden-charges-former-high-tech-worker-with-spying-for-russia




U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer Bombers Have Just Arrived At Orland Air Station, Norway.

https://theaviationist.com/2021/02/22/u-s-air-force-b-1b-lancer-bombers-have-just-arrived-at-orland-air-station-norway/




UMS Skeldar’s V-200 UAV achieves automatic take-off and landing milestone

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/02/ums-skeldars-v-200-uav-achieves-automatic-take-off-and-landing-milestone/



New Artwork Collaboration: Walrus Class Submarine

http://www.hisutton.com/Artwork-Walrus-Class-Submarine.html



Boeing 747 cargo plane drops engine parts in Netherlands, investigation launched

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-747-netherlands/boeing-747-cargo-plane-drops-engine-parts-in-netherlands-investigation-launched-idUSKBN2AM0OS




Italy showcases new multirole mission for Eurofighters

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/italy-showcases-new-multirole-mission-for-eurofighters



BriteCloud decoy trialled on Reaper UAV

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/britecloud-decoy-trialled-on-reaper-uav




French carrier FS Charles de Gaulle starts Middle East deployment

https://defbrief.com/2021/02/22/french-carrier-fs-charles-de-gaulle-starts-middle-east-deployment/



France's new SSBN: Aus Attack-class 2nd or 3rd Priority.

http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2021/02/frances-new-ssbn-aus-attack-class-2nd.html




Britain denounces abuses "on industrial scale" in China's Xinjiang

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-un-rights-china-speech/britain-denounces-abuses-on-industrial-scale-in-chinas-xinjiang-idUSKBN2AM1DC



Littoral Strike Ship concepts see light again

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/littoral-strike-ship-concepts-see-light-again/









Chinese spyware code was copied from America's NSA: researchers

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-china/chinese-spyware-code-was-copied-from-americas-nsa-researchers-idUSKBN2AM11R



No More Nannies—The Chinese Air Force Is Finally Training Its Fighter Pilots To Match The Americans

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/02/22/no-more-nannies-the-chinese-air-force-is-finally-training-its-fighter-pilots-to-match-the-americans/



Chinese, Japanese chase each other near disputed Diaoyu Islands as tensions rise in East China Sea

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3122630/chinese-japanese-chase-each-other-near-disputed-diaoyu-islands





Interoperability with U.S. will be Key Feature of Japan's F-X Fighter Jet

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29019/Interoperability_with_U_S__will_be_Key_Feature_of_Japan_s_F_X_Fighter_Jet



U.S., Japan start computer-based Resilient Shield 2021 exercise

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/02/22/japan-resilient-shield-missile-defense-training-exercise/4441614015907/



U.S., Japan Begin Joint Military Drills after China Enters Japanese Waters

https://www.newsweek.com/us-japan-begin-joint-military-drills-china-enters-japanese-waters-1570892





North, South Korea condemn Japan's claims over Dokdo

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/02/22/North-South-Korea-condemn-Japans-claims-over-Dokdo/9571614007238/





South Korea discloses plans for light-aircraft carrier

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/02/22/South-Korea-discloses-plans-for-light-aircraft-carrier/8711614012160/





Vietnam builds up defences against Beijing in Spratly Islands, report says

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3122648/south-china-sea-vietnam-builds-defences-against-beijing





In Pictures: Nationwide General Strike against Military Coup in Myanmar

https://www.voanews.com/gallery/pictures-nationwide-general-strike-against-military-coup-myanmar










Airliner Encountered Unidentified Fast-Moving Cylindrical Object Over New Mexico

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39367/airbus-encountered-unidentified-fast-moving-cylindrical-object-over-new-mexico



Congress creates new special operations and intelligence subcommittee

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/congress-creates-new-special-operations-and-intelligence-subcommittee/



Mysterious Malware ‘Silver Sparrow’ Infects Tens-of-Thousands of Macs

https://thedebrief.org/mysterious-malware-silver-sparrow-infects-tens-of-thousands-of-macs/



Trump 'offered Kim Jong Un a ride home on Air Force One'

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210222-trump-offered-kim-jong-un-a-ride-home-on-air-force-one



XB-70A Valkyrie: Supersonic Bomber Turned Passenger Jet?

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/02/xb-70a-valkyrie-supersonic-bomber-turned-passenger-jet/



German special forces mistaken for terrorists after training mix-up in Arizona

https://www.yahoo.com/news/german-special-forces-mistaken-terrorists-152535920.html



The Army’s new infantry goggles put the ‘Tron’ in ‘Army Strong’

https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/army-ivas-goggles-testing-infantry/



On Iron Dome, 'our intent is not to park them in a parking garage': US general

https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/48488



U.S. Marines Test Ultra-Destructive New Artillery Round

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/02/22/marine-corps-tests-ultra-destructive-new-artillery-round/



Software-Defined, Unmanned Jets Pitched For USAF Training Role

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/software-defined-unmanned-jets-pitched-usaf-training-role