TheList 5313

The List 5313 TGB


Good Thursday Morning May 7. By the way this is a heads up to all of you that this Sunday is Mother's Day and it is one day that you best not forget. Remember I warned you!

Regards,

skip





This day in Naval History May 7, 2019



1779 The Continental Navy sloop Providence, captures the British brig Diligent off Sandy Hook and is later acquired for service in the Continental Navy.

1934 The frigate Constitution completes her 3-year tour of 76 port cities along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts and then returns to Boston, Mass. Prior to her journey that began July 1931, the 137-year-old frigate undergoes a refit and overhaul. Congress authorized the restoration of Constitution in March 1925.

1942 The Battle of the Coral Sea resumes as Task Force Seventeen (TF-17) intercepts the Japanese intending to invade Port Moresby, New Guinea marking the first naval battle where aircraft carriers engage each other out of sight from one another.



Thanks to CHINFO



Executive Summary:

•CNO Adm. Mike Gilday addressed the fleet on the Navy's continued efforts to combat COVID-19.

•Multiple outlets report that USS Ronald Reagan is underway following an extended quarantine period.

•For the first time since December 2018, the Navy publicly announced new nominations and assignments for several of its flag officers, reports USNI News.



Today in HistoryMay 7



558

The dome of the church of St. Sophia in Constantinople collapses. Its immediate rebuilding is ordered by Justinian.


1274

The Second Council of Lyons opens in France to regulate the election of the pope.


1429

Joan of Arc breaks the English siege of Orleans.


1525

The German peasants' revolt is crushed by the ruling class and church.


1763

Indian chief Pontiac begins his attack on a British fort in present-day Detroit, Michigan.


1800

Congress divides the Northwest Territory into two parts. The western part will become the Indiana Territory and the eastern section remains the Northwest Territory.


1824

Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony" premieres in Vienna.


1847

The American Medical Association is formed in Philadelphia.


1862

Confederate troops strike Union troops at the Battle of Eltham's Landing in Virginia.


1864

The Battle of the Wilderness ends with heavy losses to both sides.


1877

Indian chief Sitting Bull enters Canada with a trail of Indians after the Battle of Little Bighorn.


1915

The German submarine U-20 torpedoes the passenger ship Lusitiania, sinking her in 21 minutes with 1,978 people on board.


1937

The German Condor Legion arrives in Spain to assist Francisco Franco's forces.


1942

In the Battle of the Coral Sea, Japanese and American navies attack each other with carrier-launched warplanes. It is the first time in the history of naval warfare where two fleets fought without seeing each other. Two crucial battles in 1942 marked the turning point of the war in the Pacific.


1943

The last major German strongholds in North Africa--Tunis and Bizerte--fall to Allied forces.


1945

Germany signs an unconditional surrender, effectively ending World War II in Europe.


1952

In Korea, Communist POWs at Koje-do riot against their American captors.


1954

French troops surrender to the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu.


1958

Howard Johnson sets an aircraft altitude record in F-104.


1960

Leonid Brezhnev becomes president of the Soviet Union.





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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS

FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 5

THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY



May 7



1945: Mass produced B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, B-29s, P-38s, P-40s, P-51s, and C-47s led to Victory Day

in Europe. On 7 May, the German High Command surrendered unconditionally at Reims, effective

9 May. With that surrender, ATC began Projects Green and White, for personnel and aircraft,

respectively, to move 250,000 people and 5,900 aircraft from Europe and the Mediterranean

theaters to the US by September 1945. (4) (12) (18)



1953: The 63 TCW (Heavy) at Donaldson AFB, S. C., received the first C-124 aircraft. Service testing

for the aircraft occurred in February-March 1952, and the first live paratroop drops from

these aircraft took place at Fort Bragg. (11)



1956: The 762d Air Control and Warning Squadron began operating the "Texas Tower" radar defense

installations erected on Georges Shoal some 100 miles east of Cape Cod, Mass. (24)



1958: Flying a Lockheed F-104A Starfighter at Edwards AFB, Maj Howard C. Johnson set a

91,243-foot FAI altitude record for class C jets. (9)



1962: Operation QUICK KICK. Units of all US military services cooperated in the largest US

land-sea-air exercise since World War II. (24)

While submerged, the USS Ethan Allen successfully launched a Polaris missile on the full-flight

test with a nuclear warhead for the Operation Dominic nuclear tests in the Pacific. This launch

was reported as the first US firing of a missile with a live nuclear warhead. (16) (24)



1963: Dr. Theodore von Karman, sometimes called the Father of Astronautics, died at Aachen, West

Germany, a few days before his 82d birthday. (5) (16)



1966: The Minuteman Force Modernization program started at Whiteman AFB, when SAC removed

the first flight of 10 Minuteman I missiles from their silos. These missiles were replaced with

Minuteman IIs. (1) (6)



1984: The HH-60D helicopter completed its first data flight at Edwards AFB.



1985: Exercise DISTANT HAMMER: Through 17 May, USAFE EF-111 Ravens participated in

their first NATO exercise. (16)



1994: Through 9 May, six USAF airlift aircraft moved 623 people, including 448 Americans, from

Yemen to Saudi Arabia after civil war broke out. (16)



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Thanks to Dutch oooPs! BTW I took out the pictures of the blades Stacked UP



Hello! "environmentalists ….

I love the environment – clean air, clean water and all the rest – and I do what I can to keep it that way – within reason and the bounds of science and physics – so I have to say

Virtually every environmental renewal energy 'cause' has some unintended consequences – maybe even intended consequences, 'cause they are, whichever, very inconvenient and simply and completely ignored for the harm they do to the "cause" … can 't tarnish the "Green" thing, can we? I mean, really, who wants to provoke AOC and the crowd?

This article is about the wind turbine blade issue – and its about a disaster in its own right.

Let us, also, consider electric vehicles and their rare-Earth metal batteries, all and each of which are an environmental HAZMAT – and which love to burn when subjected to a rapid discharge, as they are when damaged in a collision of the electric vehicle, giving us a HAZMAT fire and very toxic smoke plume, not to mention the toxins from the carbon fiber auto structure, etc. All that has to handled with extra care and disposed of ONLY in a HAZMAT site which destroys the soil for a very, very long time – way beyond out lifetimes -

And solar panels, another source of rare-Earth metals and all the same/similar toxins –

if the corona won't get us, our "causes" will

Pogo was right …..so very right –

Dutch





So much for saving the environment.


Hundreds of Non-recyclable Wind Turbine Blades to be Buried in Landfill
Waste management experts estimate they'll take hundreds of years to biodegrade

Adan Salazar | Infowars.com - September 26, 2019 128 Comments

Image Credits: wyomingnewsnow.tv.

Hundreds of giant windmill blades are being shipped to a landfill in Wyoming to be buried because they simply can't be recycled.

Local media reports several wind farms in the state are sending over 900 un-reusable blades to the Casper Regional Landfill to be buried.

While nearly 90 percent of old or decommissioned wind turbines, like the motor housing, can be refurbished or at least crushed, fiberglass windmill blades present a problem due to their size and strength.

"Our crushing equipment is not big enough to crush them," a landfill representative told NPR.

Prior to burying the cumbersome, sometimes nearly 300-foot long blades, the landfill has to cut them up into smaller pieces onsite and stack them in order to save space during transportation.

To make matters worse, the blades aren't exactly compostable. The Casper Solid Waste Manager tells Wyoming News Now they'll take hundreds of years to biodegrade.

"So Casper happens to be, I think it is, the biggest landfill facility in the state of Wyoming. These blades are really big, and they take up a lot of airspace, and our unlined area is very, very large, and it's going to last hundreds of years."

As if that's not bad enough, NPR reports researchers estimate the US will soon have to grapple with over 720,000 tons of blades over the next 20 years, "a figure that doesn't include newer, taller higher-capacity versions."

So much for saving the environment.



Wind Turbine Blades Can't Be Recycled, So They're Piling Up in Landfills

Companies are searching for ways to deal with the tens of thousands of blades that have reached the end of their lives.

By

Chris Martin

@cleantechchrisMore stories by Chris Martin

February 5, 2020, 5:00 AM EST Updated on February 7, 2020, 11:54 AM EST

A wind turbine's blades can be longer than a Boeing 747 wing, so at the end of their lifespan they can't just be hauled away. First, you need to saw through the lissome fiberglass using a diamond-encrusted industrial saw to create three pieces small enough to be strapped to a tractor-trailer.

The municipal landfill in Casper, Wyoming, is the final resting place of 870 blades whose days making renewable energy have come to end. The severed fragments look like bleached whale bones nestled against one another.

"That's the end of it for this winter," said waste technician Michael Bratvold, watching a bulldozer bury them forever in sand. "We'll get the rest when the weather breaks this spring."

Tens of thousands of aging blades are coming down from steel towers around the world and most have nowhere to go but landfills. In the U.S. alone, about 8,000 will be removed in each of the next four years. Europe, which has been dealing with the problem longer, has about 3,800 coming down annually through at least 2022, according to BloombergNEF. It's going to get worse: Most were built more than a decade ago, when installations were less than a fifth of what they are now.

Built to withstand hurricane-force winds, the blades can't easily be crushed, recycled or repurposed. That's created an urgent search for alternatives in places that lack wide-open prairies. In the U.S., they go to the handful of landfills that accept them, in Lake Mills, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Casper, where they will be interred in stacks that reach 30 feet under.

"The wind turbine blade will be there, ultimately, forever," said Bob Cappadona, chief operating officer for the North American unit of Paris-based Veolia Environnement SA, which is searching for better ways to deal with the massive waste. "Most landfills are considered a dry tomb."

"The last thing we want to do is create even more environmental challenges."





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Thanks to Carl



Friday Valor : This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here



https://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=86709&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+thisainthell/nTMY+(This+ain't+Hell,+but+you+can+see+it+from+here)


Friday Valor

May 3, 2019

Today's Valor Friday honors Lieutenant Colonel Charles Kettles for his actions in Viet Nam as flight commander of the 176th Assault Helicopter Company, 14th Combat Aviation Battalion. They deployed to Vietnam in February, 1967. Mason has performed his usual outstanding research and write up for us; read on:

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Kettles, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2016 by President Obama for actions during the Vietnam War, passed on 21 Jan, 2019. In remembrance of him, here is his incredible story.

Kettles, from Ypsilanti, Michigan, studied engineering at Michigan State Normal College before being drafted at age 21 into the Army in 1951. Selected for OCS, he was commissioned as an armor officer in February 1953. He went on to graduate the Army Aviation School in 1954 and served in South Korea, Japan, and Thailand in the next few years.

Kettles returned home in 1956 and took a position with the 4th Battalion, 20th Field Artillery of the Army Reserve in Dewitt, Michigan. He opened a Ford dealership during this timeframe.

In 1963, as the US was becoming involved in greater numbers in Vietnam, Kettles volunteered for active duty. Already a fixed wing pilot, he underwent rotary transition training at Ft Wolters in Texas in 1964. The following year, while on assignment in France, he cross-trained onto the venerable UH-1D Huey.

A new helicopter unit was stood up at Ft Benning in 1966 with Kettles as a flight commander of the 176th Assault Helicopter Company, 14th Combat Aviation Battalion. They went to Vietnam from February 1967 through November 1967. It was about four months into the Vietnam deployment that he would earn our nation's highest award for valor.

In the wee hours of 15 May, 1967 soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division were ambushed along the Song Tra Cau riverbed in Duc Pho by an NVA battalion. Fired upon by intense automatic weapons fire, mortars, and recoilless rifles from a complex of fortified tunnels and bunkers, the troops found their suppressive fire ineffective.

Upon hearing of the men's' plight, then-Major Kettles volunteered to lead a flight of six Hueys in to carry reinforcements and retrieve the wounded.

To describe it as a "hot" LZ would be an understatement. The helos were taken under fire from multiple directions as they approached. Soldiers aboard the choppers were hit and killed before they could even leave the cabins. Friendly aircraft covering the landing dropped napalm and other munitions into the surrounding jungle but provided little relief.

Once on the ground, Kettles refused to leave until all the wounded had been loaded aboard, while his aircraft came under heavy fire from the enemy. They left with the wounded and returned to base for additional supplies before returning to where the 1st Brigade was pinned down.

On their second approach, Kettle's gunner was seriously wounded and the aircraft severely damaged. His wingman reported he had fuel streaming out of his tanks. Nobody would judge a crew for abandoning the aircraft here and returning to base aboard one of the other helicopters, but Kettles refused. He expertly guided his failing aircraft back to base once again.

Despite their resupply and the addition of 160 reinforcements, the battalion commander requested an emergency extraction of the 40 remaining US servicemen still at the riverbed. Kettle's unit also had four soldiers there whose Huey had been destroyed by enemy fire.

Only one of the original six helicopters were in flying condition, with Major Kettles volunteering to make a third trip that day into the breach. He led a group of six Hueys into the LZ, five others coming from another company.

Kettles' flight landed, extracted the troops, and took off again. The gunships covering the evacuation had also departed. Once in the air Kettles was advised there were still eight Americans that had been left behind, unable to reach the LZ due to the intensity of enemy fire.

Kettles handed off command of the flight to another pilot and headed back into the LZ. A single Huey. Alone. As he described it during a 2016 event, "The gunships had gone back home from lack of fuel and ammunition, artillery shut down for same reason … and the Air Force had gone back home. I don't think it took any thought, there were eight troops down there that didn't want to be there."

As they came in, the helicopter was hit by mortar fire, damaging the tail boom and the main rotor blade, broke both front windshields, and blew out a chin bubble. The small arms and machine gun fire continued unabated on the sole target for the NVA.

Enduring this intense fire, Kettles maintained control of his aircraft and the situation, and got the eight soldiers aboard. Despite the major damage done to his helicopter, he was able to use his skill to get the aircraft and everyone aboard back to base safely. If he hadn't been willing to go back when he did and retrieve those eight men, they surely would have died in that riverbed.

That flight of six Hueys brought back 44 American soldiers that day.

Initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery, this was upgraded to the MoH in 2016 after congressional action was taken. At the awarding event, the ever eloquent President Obama said, "You couldn't make this up. It's like a bad Rambo movie." I'm sure he meant that as a compliment. The Marine guard assisted the President in removing his foot from his mouth after the event.

Kettles continued with the Army, serving again in Vietnam from October, 1969 through October, 1970. After his second tour he went to Ft Sam Houston with the Army Reserve and retired from the Army in 1978 with a Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, and 27 Air Medals, among other awards and decorations. After retiring he finished his degree, earned a master's degree, and developed the Aviation Management Program at the Eastern Michigan University's College of Technology. Before retiring in 1993, he worked for Chrysler Pentastar Aviation. Prior to his death at age 89, he had returned to Ypsilanti.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to
Major Charles S. Kettles
United States Army

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Major Charles S. Kettles distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Flight Commander, 176th Aviation Company (Airmobile) (Light), 14th Combat Aviation Battalion, Americal Division near Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam. On 15 May 1967, Major Kettles, upon learning that an airborne infantry unit had suffered casualties during an intense firefight with the enemy, immediately volunteered to lead a flight of six UH-1D helicopters to carry reinforcements to the embattled force and to evacuate wounded personnel. Enemy small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire raked the landing zone, inflicting heavy damage to the helicopters; however, Major Kettles refused to depart until all helicopters were loaded to capacity. He then returned to the battlefield, with full knowledge of the intense enemy fire awaiting his arrival, to bring more reinforcements, landing in the midst of enemy mortar and automatic weapons fire that seriously wounded his gunner and severely damaged his aircraft. Upon departing, Major Kettles was advised by another helicopter crew that he had fuel streaming out of his aircraft. Despite the risk posed by the leaking fuel, he nursed the damaged aircraft back to base. Later that day, the Infantry Battalion Commander requested immediate, emergency extraction of the remaining 40 troops, including four members of Major Kettles' unit who were stranded when their helicopter was destroyed by enemy fire. With only one flyable UH-1 helicopter remaining, Major Kettles volunteered to return to the deadly landing zone for a third time, leading a flight of six evacuation helicopters, five of which were from the 161st Aviation Company. During the extraction, Major Kettles was informed by the last helicopter that all personnel were onboard, and departed the landing zone accordingly. Army gunships supporting the evacuation also departed the area. Once airborne, Major Kettles was advised that eight troops had been unable to reach the evacuation helicopters due to the intense enemy fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, Major Kettles passed the lead to another helicopter and returned to the landing zone to rescue the remaining troops. Without gunship, artillery, or tactical aircraft support, the enemy concentrated all firepower on his lone aircraft, which was immediately damaged by a mortar round that shattered both front windshields and the chin bubble and was further raked by small arms and machine gun fire. Despite the intense enemy fire, Major Kettles maintained control of the aircraft and situation, allowing time for the remaining eight soldiers to board the aircraft. In spite of the severe damage to his helicopter, Major Kettles once more skillfully guided his heavily damaged aircraft to safety. Without his courageous actions and superior flying skills, the last group of soldiers and his crew would never have made it off the battlefield. Major Kettles' selfless acts of repeated valor and determination are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Hand salute. Ready, Two!





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Thanks to Carl



(Ever get POed that the F-15 is still getting upgrades while the Tomcats were shredded? Thank you Dick Cheney for cancelling the Tomcats (and chopping them up)and for calling the F-14 a "jobs program"!)


Everything You Need to Know About the Air Force's New F-15EX



https://www.military.com/equipment/military-aircraft/everything-you-need-know-about-air-forces-new-f-15ex.html?ESRC=eb_200507.nl





The Air Force announced it will sole-source two contracts, one for the F-15EX and the other for its F110 engines. (Courtesy of Boeing)





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Daily News thanks to Military Periscope for 7 May



USA—Pentagon Puts Brakes On Recruits Who Survive COVID-19 Military Times | 05/07/2020 The Defense Dept. has decided to bar those who have recovered from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from joining the military, reports the Military Times. According to a U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command (MEPCOM) memo cited by the newspaper, any confirmed cases, either by lab test or clinician diagnosis, is permanently disqualifying. Similar to other such conditions, those permanently disqualified can apply for a waiver but there is no further guidance for such requests, indicating a review authority would have no grounds to grant a waiver. Those suspected of having the virus but whose cases have not been confirmed can re-apply after a 14-day quarantine. The move is likely due to the limited information on the possible lingering effects of the virus, including respiratory damage, further flare-ups and lack of full immunity, the newspaper said. A Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed the authenticity of the memo.



USA—Trump Vetoes Measure Requiring Congressional Approval For War With Iran Cbs News | 05/07/2020 President Donald Trump has vetoed a resolution requiring congressional approval for any use of military force against Iran, reports CBS News. On Wednesday, Trump vetoed the measure, which he called insulting and a political move by the Democratic Party. The resolution would have required congressional approval for any action against Iran other than in response to an imminent attack. President Trump rejected this logic, asserting that he had the right to respond pre-emptively with force to combat evolving threats. In a separate statement cited by CNN, the White House said that "an indefinite prohibition is unnecessary and dangerous." Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who introduced the measure, urged his colleagues to vote to override the veto, arguing that the U.S. should not be sending its troops into harms way without congressional consensus. The measure was introduced following the January killing of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qassem Soleimani.



USA—Pentagon Report Identifies 132 Civilian Fatalities From U.S. Ops In 2019 The Hill | 05/07/2020 A new report from the Dept. of Defense says that at least 132 civilian fatalities and 91 injuries resulted from U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Somalia last year, reports the Hill (Washington, D.C.). According to the annual report released on Wednesday, the figures included 22 killed and 13 injured in Iraq and Syria; 108 killed and 75 injured in Afghanistan; and two killed and three injured in Somalia. No civilian casualties from U.S. operations were reported in Libya or Yemen The review does not cover allegations of civilian casualties outside of traditional war zones or operations conducted by the CIA. The Pentagon also revised its casualty counts from 2018 and 2017, adding eight civilian deaths in Syria in 2018 and 71 in Iraq and Syria in 2017. Human-rights groups argue that the Defense Dept. continues to undercount civilian casualties. For example, the Airwars monitor counted between 416 and 1,030 civilian deaths due to U.S. operations in Iraq and Syria in the first half of 2019. The Pentagon says the differences are due to different methodologies. The report says the figures take into account information from outside groups, as well as intelligence data.



USA—X-37B Space Plane Prepares For 6th Mission Air Force News Service | 05/07/2020 The U.S. Air Force is set to send one of its uncrewed space vehicles back into orbit, reports the Air Force News Service. On May 16, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-6) will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard an Atlas V rocket, reported Space News. For the first time, the X-37B has been equipped with a small service module attached aft to carry additional experimental payloads. The spacecraft will deploy the FalconSat-8 small satellite developed by the U.S. Air Force Academy and sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory, which carries five experimental payloads for the academy to operate. The X-37B is also carrying two NASA experiments examining the effects of radiation and other space effects on a materials sample plate and seeds used to grow food. A U.S. Naval Research Laboratory payload will transform solar power into radio frequency microwave energy that could then be transmitted to the ground. This is the sixth mission for the reusable space vehicle. The last X-37B mission concluded in October 2019 after 780 days in orbit



USA—Offshore Patrol Cutter Program Hits New Milestones U.S. Coast Guard | 05/07/2020 New construction milestones have been reached in the U.S. Coast Guard's offshore patrol cutter program, reports the service. The keel for the Argus, the lead ship in the Heritage class, was laid on April 28 at the Eastern Shipbuilding Group shipyard in Panama City, Fla., said a Coast Guard release on May 4. Meanwhile, on April 27, Eastern Shipbuilding cut first steel for the Chase, the second cutter in the class. Keel-laying is slated for 2021, said a release from the shipbuilder. On April 2, the Coast Guard awarded contracts for the construction of the Chase and the acquisition of long-lead items for the third ship in the class, the Ingham. The Argus is currently scheduled to be delivered in 2022 and the Chase in 2023. Eastern Shipbuilding was awarded a detail design and construction contract for the first four cutters in the class in 2016



United Kingdom—1st Aviation Brigade Begins Duties U.K. Army Press Release | 05/07/2020 The British army has activated its first aviation brigade as part of efforts to adapt to the challenges of future battlefields, reports the service. The 1st Aviation Brigade stood up last month, combining the capabilities of the Aviation Reconnaissance Force and Attack Helicopter Force, the army said on Tuesday. AW159 Wildcat helicopters from the 1st Regiment Army Air Corps (AAC) will provide advanced reconnaissance capabilities while attack capabilities will be supplied by Apache helicopters from the 3rd and 4th Regiment AAC. Other units assigned to the brigade include the 5th Regiment AAC, operating Gazelle helicopters; the reserve 6th AAC; and the 7th Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, which provides specialist aviation mechanical engineers. The brigade is intended to be able to plan, execute and sustain multiple aviation maneuvers, while scaling size and power to the appropriate level, the army said.



Poland—1st Armored Brigade In Line For New Tank Simulators Defence24 | 05/07/2020 The Polish army has revealed plans to acquire the necessary infrastructure to provide the 1st Armored Brigade in Wesola, near Warsaw, with a complete training capability, reports Defence24 (Poland). Plans call for the acquisition of a full Leopard 2A5 tank simulator set as part of the creation of a training center for the brigade. The center is to be fully operational in 2023. To maintain the schedule, procurement of the simulator systems is expected to begin later this year or in 2021, defense ministry officials said. The 1st Armored Brigade began to receive the Leopard 2A5 tanks in 2017 from the 34th Armored Cavalry Brigade in Zagan in southwestern Poland. Last year, the brigade was assigned to the 18th Mechanized Division, which is headquartered in Siedlce.



Estonia—American B-1B Bombers Join Spring Storm Drills Estonian Public Broadcasting | 05/07/2020 Two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers have taken part in Estonia's annual Spring Storm exercise, reports Estonian Public Broadcasting. On Tuesday, the B-1Bs from the 28th Bomb Wing flew from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to Estonia on a bomber task force mission and to train with the Danish air force, reported the Air Force Times. During the flight, the bombers conducted integration and interoperability training with Danish air force F-16 fighters over Bornholm Island in the Baltic Sea. The bombers then conducted close air support training with Estonian joint terminal attack controllers at the Tapa Range in central Estonia as part of the live-fire portion of the Spring Storm drills. The participation of American bombers in the exercise was an important symbol of how important the U.S. takes its role in defending the Baltic states, said Estonian Defense Minister Juri Lui. The bombers also flew over Latvia and Lithuania during the mission.



Russia—1st Improved Borei Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Ready For Delivery Tass | 05/07/2020 The first upgraded Borei-class ballistic missile submarine could be delivered to the Russian navy as soon as this month, reports the Tass news agency (Moscow). The Knyaz Vladimir has completed state testing and been prepared for delivery, which could take place as soon as late May, a defense industry source told the news agency. Officials from the Russian navy declined to comment. The Knyaz Vladimir was launched in November 2017 and conducted ballistic missile tests in October 2019. In November 2019, she arrived at the Belomorsk naval base after completing state trials in the White Sea. She was originally scheduled for commissioning in 2018. The improved Borei-class boats feature a number of upgrades, including advanced sonar, enhanced navigation, communications and fire-control systems and other changes to reduce their acoustic signature.



India—Hizbul Mujahedin Commander Killed In Kashmir Op Deccan Herald | 05/07/2020 A top Indian militant leader has been killed in the Pulwama district in Indian-administered Kashmir, reports the Deccan Herald. On Tuesday, security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Beighpora village in search of Riyaz Naikoo following reports that the Hizbul Mujahedin (HM) operation chief was visiting his ailing mother. During the operation, soldiers from the 55 Rashtriya Rifles and Kashmiri police used excavators to dig up suspected hideouts and tunnels, reported the Tribune (Chandigarh). Security personnel tracked the suspect to a house, leading to the fatal encounter on Wednesday, said the Kashmir police chief. Another HM militant was also killed during the fighting. Clashes erupted in Kashmir following the operation, resulting in at least 30 injuries, reported Reuters. Such protests are common in the region following the killing of militants. Naikoo, 35, was an active HM member for eight years. He succeeded Yasin Yatoo, also known as Mehmood Ghaznavi, after he was killed in a gunfight in August 2017. Separately, three unidentified militants were killed in Shaar area of Kashmir's Pampore district. Officials did not identify their affiliation.



Afghanistan—9 Taliban Killed In Raid In Badakhshan Province Khaama Press | 05/07/2020 Afghan forces have killed at least nine Taliban militants during an operation in Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan province, reports the Khaama Press (Afghanistan). The insurgents in the Yaftal Bala district were preparing to launch an attack when the pre-emptive raid was launched, according to the Special Operations Corps. At least nine Taliban were killed in the raid. During the same operation, the Afghan forces cleared seven villages and injured at least seven militants, the corps said. The Taliban and other terrorist groups are highly active in Badakhshan province, noted analysts.



Afghanistan—Major ISIS-K, Haqqani Network Cell Busted In Kabul Khaama Press | 05/07/2020 At least five militants have been killed in raids against a major terrorist cell in Kabul, reports the Khaama Press (Kabul). Late Tuesday, a special unit of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, launched three operations in Kabul's 11th Police District and Shakar Dara district, reported the Tolo News (Kabul). During the raids, five suspected militants were killed, and eight others arrested. At least two members of the security forces were killed and six wounded. The cell was led by Sanatullah, a commander believed to be affiliated with both the Al-Qaida-linked Haqqani Network (HQN) and ISIS in Afghanistan. The cell is believed to have been behind several high-profile attacks, including those targeting a Sikh gurdwara, President Ashraf Ghani's inauguration and other attacks on high-profile targets around Kabul. Security personnel recovered arms and ammunition, including 82-mm rockets, mortar rounds, a DShK heavy machine gun and 550 pounds (250 kg) of explosives.



Bahrain—Order Placed With Aselsan For Naval Remote Weapon Stations Anadolu News Agency | 05/07/2020 Bahrain has signed a contract with Turkish defense firm Aselsan for naval remotely operated weapon stations, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). Aselsan announced the deal in a release on Wednesday. The type and number of systems involved, and the value of the deal were not made public. It was not clear what Bahraini ships the weapon stations might equip.



Israel—Army Hits Hamas Targets In Gaza After Rocket Attack Jerusalem Post | 05/07/2020 The Israeli army has destroyed several Hamas positions in the northern Gaza Strip following a rocket launch toward southern Israel, reports the Jerusalem Post. On Tuesday night, Israeli tanks attacked three sites belonging to the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said the Israel Defense Forces. No injuries were reported following the attacks, reported Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Wednesday morning, the al-Qassam Brigades reported that one of its fighters had died after the terror tunnel he was working in collapsed. It was unclear if this was related to the Israeli military action the night before. The strikes came after a rocket was fired from Gaza into southern Israel, where it landed in an open area. No casualties or damage was reported. These were the first Israeli attacks in Gaza since March 27, when a rocket was fired from Gaza into southern Israel.



Egypt—S43 Sub Arrives At Alexandria Naval Base Defence Web | 05/07/2020 The Egyptian navy's newest submarine has arrived in Alexandria after sailing from Germany, reports Defence Web (South Africa). The S43 arrived at Alexandria naval base on Tuesday after being officially delivered to Cairo on April 9 in Kiel in northern Germany. She is the third of four S41-class submarines ordered by Egypt. The first two boats were ordered in 2011 and options for two more were exercised in 2015. The fourth and final boat is scheduled for delivery in 2021.



Libya—U.N. Report Confirms Presence Of Wagner Group Mercenaries Agence France-Presse | 05/07/2020 A U.N. report has confirmed that hundreds of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group are fighting in Libya on behalf of eastern militia leader Khalifa Haftar, reports Agence France-Presse. A report that circulated on Wednesday and was cited by U.N. diplomats suggested that between 800 and 1,200 mercenaries from the group are currently in Libya. A copy of the report cited by Reuters provided details on 122 Wagner employees who were likely operational or had been operational in Libya, including 39 from the group's specialist sniper group and 83 from combat units. Wagner has provided technical support for the repair of military vehicles, taken part in combat operations and engaged in influence operations, says the report. The mercenaries have also provided more specialized capabilities, including artillery forward observation, forward air control, electronic warfare and sniper teams. Weapons captured in Libya are similar to those captured in other areas in which the Wagner Group is known to operate, such as Syria and Ukraine, the report says. The expert report on the arms embargo in Libya has not been made public. Sources cited in the report also indicated that Haftar has received support from Syrian fighters, though it was unclear how they were being funded and trained