Good Thursday Morning March 11 .
I hope that your week has been going well
Regards,
Skip.
Today in Naval History
March 11
1778—During the American Revolution, the Continental frigate Boston captures the British ship Martha in the North Atlantic.
1941—President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act, which permits delivery of war materials to Allied Powers on credit or lease.
1942—Lt. John Bulkeley, commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, helps Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Rear Adm. Francis W. Rockwell, as well as their families and others, escape the Philippines in motor torpedo boats PT 32, PT 34, PT 35, and PT 41. For this action, along with other operations in the Philippines during the start of World War II, he receives the Medal of Honor.
1945—The U.S. Navy begins use of LCVPs (Landing Craft, Personal Vehicles) to ferry troops across the Rhine River at Bad Neuenahr, Germany.
1845—George Bancroft takes office as the 17th Secretary of the Navy. Although he serves in that position only 18 months, he establishes the Naval Academy at Annapolis and encourages the growth and importance of the Naval Observatory.
1965—Operation Market Time (Coastal Patrol Force) patrols begin off the South Vietnam coast. The objective is to interdict enemy efforts moving supplies to South Vietnam by sea.
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• National and trade press reported on the Pentagon's release of its annual Freedom of Navigation Report.
• Trade press reported on USS John Finn's routine transit of the Taiwan Strait.
• Kyodo News reported on the unwavering friendship between the U.S. and Japan on the 10th anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.
This Day in World History March 11
0537 The Goths lay siege to Rome.
1649 The peace of Rueil is signed between the Frondeurs (rebels) and the French government.
1665 A new legal code is approved for the Dutch and English towns, guaranteeing religious observances unhindered.
1702 The Daily Courant, the first regular English newspaper is published.
1810The Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is married by proxy to Archduchess Marie Louise.
1811 Ned Ludd leads a group of workers in a wild protest against mechanization.
1824 The U.S. War Department creates the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Seneca Indian Ely Parker becomes the first Indian to lead the Bureau.
1845 Seven hundred Maoris led by their chief, Hone-Heke, burn the small town of Kororareka in protest at the settlement of Maoriland by Europeans, in breach with the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi.
1861 A Confederate Convention is held in Montgomery, Ala., where the new constitution is adopted.
1863 Union troops under General Ulysess S. Grant give up their preparations to take Vicksburg after failing to pass Fort Pemberton, north of Vicksburg.
1865 Union General William Sherman and his forces occupy Fayetteville, N.C.
1888 A disastrous blizzard hits the northeastern United States. Some 400 people die, mainly from exposure.
1900 British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury rejects the peace overtures offered from Boer leader Paul Kruger.
1905 The Parisian subway is officially inaugurated.
1907 President Teddy Roosevelt induces California to revoke its anti-Japanese legislation.
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1930 President Howard Taft becomes the first U.S. president to be buried in the National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
1935 The German Air Force becomes an official organ of the Reich.
1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorizes the Lend-Lease Act which authorizes the act of giving war supplies to the Allies.
1942 General Douglas MacArthur leaves Bataan for Australia.
1965 The American navy begins inspecting Vietnamese junks in hopes of ending arms smuggling to the South.
1966 Three men are convicted of the murder of Malcolm X.
1969 Levi-Strauss starts to sell bell-bottomed jeans.
1973 An FBI agent is shot at Wounded Knee in South Dakota.
1985 Mikhail Gorbachev is named the new Soviet leader.
1990 Lithuania declares its independence from the Soviet Union.
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Thanks to Micro
In response to Streak Eagle: for that flight, as well as for some of their flight test points to either beat F-4 or F-14 records (or perhaps just make their design specs), they up-rated the engines. After the flight, the engines were scrapped. The "fleet" engine ratings were considerably lower, so the design specs could never be achieved by an actual combat aircraft. Cheating at its best.
Also, my evaluation report on the F-15, done in secret at MacD, had ten copies, classified Secret, and all ten copies were put in the same safe in the Pentagon. The fear from the Navy was that it would start a war with the Air Force.
You see, their "fly away cost" was with one engine and no ECM or DECM. I think some other things were missing, too. Anything to get the cost down so they could testify before Congress. The other engine for each aircraft, as well as all other missing pieces, were ordered as "spares," a funding line that was never reported in the Washington Post and received little attention from Congress.
When George White flew the F-15, he was kind in his report (see the fear above), and no one from the Navy would say anything to the press. When the Air Force sent two Colonels to Point Mugu to test the F-14 (no changes to any settings on anything), they went to 35,000 feet and did a level acceleration run in military power, knowing that was the only place in the flight envelope that the F-15 was superior. That test point was relatively unimportant to us because we would never be doing that tactically. We'd either dump the nose or use afterburner. They then gave an interview to the Washington Post blasting the F-14. Those two people (and their bosses) were one of the main reasons it took another 15 years to get the right engine. Only the first 39 F-14's were supposed to be built with the TF-30, which, along with many other things, was FORCED on us from the F-111 program the Navy, rightfully, backed out of. This whole episode, along with being left high and dry waiting for an Air Force tanker that was diverted for a "higher priority" Air Force mission, has always given me a bad taste in my mouth.
Makes you wonder about the F-35 program, huh.
Micro
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Thanks to David ... and Dr. Rich I got a couple that said 20 year old and then one that accused me of not being human…skip
Have Fun With This!
This simulates you in the driver's seat of a car.
You're driving down a road, when you see a big red hand flash in front of you.
You have to put on the brakes.
Then, the Reaction Time Test tells you how old you are, when it comes to driving.
The test is based on reaction times of 2,000 people ages 18 and over.
The Reaction Time Test plotted their reaction times by age; it matches your reaction time to those averages.
Some of their results may surprise you...
The Reaction Time Test found that left-handed people and men have slightly better reaction times than the average person .
Then Click on the upside down Carrot ^ not the "Park Me"
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Thanks to the Bear. This is a long read but if you flew in the Iron Triangle of North Vietnam you will find it very interesting.
skip
Subject: FW: Fwd: North Vietnam Air Defenses vs USAF/USN Aircraft
,
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_military_history/v067/67.1pribbenow.html
The -Ology War:
Technology and Ideology in the Vietnamese Defense of Hanoi, 1967
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Thanks to Mike
Enjoy
POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN REALLY EXISTED
His real name was Frank "Rocky" Fiegel. He was born in 1868 in Poland and, as a child, immigrated to the United States with his parents, who settled down in a small town in Illinois. As a young man, Rocky went to sea. After a 20 year career as a sailor in the Merchant Marines, Fiegel retired. He was later hired by Wiebusch's Tavern in the city of Chester, Illinois as a 'Bouncer' to maintain order in the rowdy bar.
Rocky quickly developed a reputation for always being involved in fighting ( and usually winning).. As a result, he had a deformed eye ("Pop-eye"). He also 'always' smoked his pipe, so he always spoke out of one side of his mouth. In his spare time as a Bouncer, Rocky would entertain the customers by regaling them with exciting stories of adventures he claimed to have had over his career as a sailor crossing the 'Seven Seas.'
The creator of Popeye, Elzie Crisler Segar, grew up in Chester and, as a young man,
met Rocky at the tavern and would sit for hours listening to the old sailor's amazing 'sea' stories.' Years later, Segar became a cartoonist and developed a comic strip called 'Thimble Theater.' He honoured Fiegel him by asking if he could model his new comic strip character, 'Popeye the Sailor Man,' after him. Naturally Fiegel was flattered and agreed.
Segar claimed that 'Olive Oyl,' along with other characters, was also loosely based on an actual person. She was Dora Paskel, owner of a small grocery store in Chester. She apparently actually looked much like the Olive Oyl character in his comics. He claimed she even dressed much the same way.
Through the years, Segar kept in touch with Rocky and always helped him with money; giving him a small percentage of what he earned from his 'Popeye' illustrations.
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ROLLING THUNDER Thanks to the Bear
Thursday, 11 March 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— 11 March 1966...
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com...
"December 1965 Yankee Station Summary"...tough month
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-11-march-1966-2/
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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Thanks to Mike
American Thinker article
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/03/kamala_has_the_best_of_both_worlds.html
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This Day in U S Military History….March11
1916 – USS Nevada (BB-36) is commissioned as the first US Navy "super-dreadnought". USS Nevada (BB-36), the second United States Navy ship to be named after the 36th state, was the lead ship of the two Nevada-class battleships; her sister ship was Oklahoma. Launched in 1914, the Nevada was a leap forward in dreadnought technology; four of her new features would be included on almost every subsequent US battleship: triple gun turrets, oil in place of coal for fuel, geared steam turbines for greater range, and the "all or nothing" armor principle. These features made Nevada the first US Navy "super-dreadnought". Nevada served in both World Wars: during the last few months of World War I, Nevada was based in Bantry Bay, Ireland, to protect the supply convoys that were sailing to and from Great Britain. In World War II, she was one of the battleships trapped when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. She was the only battleship to get underway during the attack, making the ship "the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal and depressing morning" for the United States. Still, she was hit by one torpedo and at least six bombs while steaming away from Battleship Row, forcing her to be beached. Subsequently salvaged and modernized at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Nevada served as a convoy escort in the Atlantic and as a fire-support ship in four amphibious assaults: the Normandy Landings and the invasions of Southern France, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. At the end of World War II, the Navy decided that Nevada was too old to be retained, so they assigned her to be a target ship in the atomic experiments that were going to be conducted at Bikini Atoll in July 1946 (Operation Crossroads). After being hit by the blast from the first atomic bomb, Able, she was still afloat but heavily damaged and radioactive. She was decommissioned on 29 August 1946 and sunk during naval gunfire practice on 31 July 1948.
1958 – A B-47 bomber accidentally drops a nuclear weapon over Mars Bluff, South Carolina. The conventional explosive trigger detonates, leaving a crater 75 feet wide and 35 feet deep.
1967 – U.S. 1st Infantry Division troops engage in one of the heaviest battles of Operation Junction City. The fierce fighting resulted in 210 reported North Vietnamese casualties. Operation Junction City was an effort to smash the communist stronghold in Tay Ninh Province and surrounding areas along the Cambodian border northwest of Saigon. The purpose of the operation was to drive the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops away from populated areas and into the open, where superior American firepower could be more effectively used. Junction City was the largest operation of the war to date, involving more than 25,000 troops. The first day's operation was supported by 575 aircraft sorties, a record number for a single day in South Vietnam. The operation was marked by one of the largest airmobile assaults in history when 240 troop-carrying helicopters descended on the battlefield. In one of the few airborne operations of the war, 778 "Sky Soldiers" parachuted into the Junction City area of operations 28 miles north of Tay Ninh City. There were 2,728 enemy casualties by the end of the operation on March 17.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
KELLOGG, ALLAN JAY, JR.
Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps (then S/Sgt.), Company G, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. place and date: Quang Nam province, Republic of Vietnam, 11 March 1970. Entered service at: Bridgeport, Conn. Born: 1 October 1943, Bethel, Conn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a platoon sergeant with Company G, in connection with combat operations against the enemy on the night of 11 March 1970. Under the leadership of G/Sgt. Kellogg, a small unit from Company G was evacuating a fallen comrade when the unit came under a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire from a numerically superior enemy force occupying well-concealed emplacements in the surrounding jungle. During the ensuing fierce engagement, an enemy soldier managed to maneuver through the dense foliage to a position near the marines, and hurled a hand grenade into their midst which glanced off the chest of G/Sgt. Kellogg. Quick to act, he forced the grenade into the mud in which he was standing, threw himself over the lethal weapon and absorbed the full effects of its detonation with his body thereby preventing serious injury or possible death to several of his fellow marines. Although suffering multiple injuries to his chest and his right shoulder and arm, G/Sgt. Kellogg resolutely continued to direct the efforts of his men until all were able to maneuver to the relative safety of the company perimeter. By his heroic and decisive action in risking his life to save the lives of his comrades, G/Sgt. Kellogg reflected the highest credit upon himself and upheld the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
*ETCHBERGER, RICHARD L.
Rank: Chief Master Sergeant, Organization: U.S. Air Force, Company: Detachment 1, Division: 1043d Radar Evaluation Squadron, Born: 5 March 1933, Departed: Yes (03/11/1968), Entered Service At: Hamburg, Pennsylvania, G.O. Number: , Date of Issue: 09/21/2010, Accredited To: Pennsylvania, Place / Date: Phou Pha Thi, Laos, 11 March 1968. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Chief Etchberger and his team of technicians were manning a top secret defensive position at Lima Site 85 when the base was overrun by an enemy ground force. Receiving sustained and withering heavy artillery attacks directly upon his unit's position, Chief Etchberger's entire crew lay dead or severely wounded. Despite having received little or no combat training, Chief Etchberger single-handedly held off the enemy with an M-16, while simultaneously directing air strikes into the area and calling for air rescue. Because of his fierce defense and heroic and selfless actions, he was able to deny the enemy access to his position and save the lives of his remaining crew. With the arrival of the rescue aircraft, Chief Etchberger, without hesitation, repeatedly and deliberately risked his own life, exposing himself to heavy enemy fire in order to place three surviving wounded comrades into rescue slings hanging from the hovering helicopter waiting to airlift them to safety. With his remaining crew safely aboard, Chief Etchberger finally climbed into an evacuation sling himself, only to be fatally wounded by enemy ground fire as he was being raised into the aircraft. Chief Etchberger's bravery and determination in the face of persistent enemy fire and overwhelming odds are in keeping with the highest standards of performance and traditions of military service. Chief Etchberger's gallantry, self-sacrifice, and profound concern for his fellow men at risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for March 11, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
11 March
1912: Lt Frank P. Lahm opened an Army Air School at Fort William McKinley, Philippines, with two volunteer students, Lt Moss L. Love and Cpl Vernon L. Burge, who later became the first enlisted pilot. (24)
1918: Lt Paul Baer, 103d Aero Squadron, received the first Distinguished Service Cross awarded to an Army Air Service member for attacking seven German pursuit planes. He destroyed one. (8) The Navy's General Board approved Capt Alfred A. Cunningham's plan to form the 1st Marine Aviation Force with a mission to bomb German submarine bases in Europe. (10)
1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act to provide war materiel, including aircraft, to friendly nations. Under this act, the U.S. supplied over 43,000 aircraft to its allies in World War II. (21)
1945: Eighth Air Force dispatched 1,079 bombers to attack Essen, Germany. This raid posted the greatest weight of bombs, 4738 tons, on a single target to date. (24)
1952: KOREAN WAR. Fighter-bombers dropped 150 tons of bombs and approximately 33,000 gallons of napalm on a four square mile supply storage and troop training area near Sinmak, Korea. Fifth Air Force operations officers reported this to be the most intensive napalm attack on a single area in the war. Also, through 12 March 10 B-29s struck the Sinchang-ni choke point, 10 miles east of Sunchon, Korea, with 91 tons of high explosives, rendering the point unpassable. (28)
1957: A Boeing 707 set a transcontinental speed record for passenger flight with 42 passengers and 10 crewmen by flying 2,335 miles from Seattle to Washington DC in 3 hours 48 minutes. (24)
1959: The Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King first flew. (5) 1960: Cape Canaveral launched NASA's Pioneer V satellite on a Thor-Able rocket into a solar orbit between Earth and Venus. (24)
1964: The 500th Minuteman ICBM rolled off the assembly line at Air Force Plant No. 77 at Ogden, Utah. (5)
1967: US Navy fighters attacked North Vietnamese targets with television-guided Walleye glide bombs. This attack introduced electro-optical/television precision-guided weapons into the Vietnam War. (21)
1974: The YF-16 attained Mach 2 for the first time in test flights at Edwards AFB. (3)
1986: An Air Force Program Management Directive sought a night and under-the-weather surface attack capability for the F-15. (30)
1990: The Navy conducted its last Trident II missile test from the submerged USS Pennsylvania near Cape Canaveral. It was the first shot from the Pennsylvania and second demonstration and shakedown launch in the program. This test allowed the Navy to reach an initial operating capability with the missile on schedule in late March. (8: May 90)
1991: Operation ARC WIND. Returning from DESERT STORM, AFRES C-130 Hercules aircraft began flying reservists from ports of entry in the US to their home units. (16)
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World News for 11 March thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Strategic Long-Range Cannon Program Paused Defense News | 03/11/2021 The U.S. Army has put most work on an ultra-long-range cannon on hold while it waits for a report on the technical feasibility of the project, reports Defense News. A decision on whether to potentially advance the Strategic Long-Range Cannon from a science and technology effort to a program of record is awaiting a technical feasibility report from the National Academy of Sciences, said Brig. Gen. John Rafferty, the head of Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF) development. The study was ordered in fiscal 2020 and is expected to be released in the next few months. The Strategic Long-Range Cannon would have a range of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,850 km) and is part of the Army efforts to increase the range and lethality of its artillery. Some science and technology work is continuing. An initial objective to demonstrate a prototype in 2023 no longer appears possible. Rafferty expressed hope that some elements of the cannon might be ready for testing by then.
USA—MQ-9 Replacement May Add Air-To-Air Capability The War Zone | 03/11/2021 The Air Force has released a new request for information that appears to be part of its efforts to develop a replacement for the MQ-9 Reaper uncrewed aerial vehicle, reports the War Zone website. The RFI published on March 8 seeks information on technologies for air domain awareness and high-value asset protection, reported Flight Global. For air domain awareness, this would include sensors or sensor networks to provide early warning data and fire-control quality track and identification data on enemy air operations in highly contested or contested air environments. High-value asset protection would incorporate defensive-counter air capabilities to defend against kinetic or non-kinetic threats. Assets that might be protected include tanker, command-and-control and early warning aircraft. The technology sought under the request would build into a pipeline of technologies for the Next-Generation Multirole Unmanned Aerial System Family of Systems, also dubbed the MQ-Next, which is slated to replace the MQ-9. That UAV may be attritable or expendable, according to the RFI.
USA—State Dept. Blacklists 2 African ISIS Affiliates U.S. State Dept. | 03/11/2021 The U.S. State Dept. has designated two African affiliates of the Islamic State as foreign terrorist organizations. On Wednesday, the department also designated ISIS in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC) and ISIS in Mozambique (ISIS-Mozambique) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT). In addition, Seka Musa Baluku, the leader of ISIS-DRC, also known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and Abu Yasir Hassan, the head of ISIS-Mozambique, were named as SDGTs, the State Dept. said in a release. The Treasury Dept. sanctioned Seka Musa Baluku and five other ADF members in 2019 under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program for their roles in serious human-rights abuses. ISIS-Mozambique calls itself Ansar al-Sunna and is known locally as Al-Shabaab, though it has no affiliation with the Somali group of the same name. The designation prevents members from traveling to the U.S., bars business with the designated entities and makes it a crime to provide them with material support. ISIS announced the formation of Islamic State-Central Africa Province (ISCAP) in April 2019. Although the parent organization refers to the group as a single entity, ISIS-DRC and ISIS-Mozambique are distinct organizations with distinct origins, said the State Dept.
USA—Destroyer Sails Through Taiwan Strait Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet | 03/11/2021 A U.S. destroyer has transited the Taiwan Strait, reports the U.S. 7th Fleet. On Wednesday, USS John Finn (DDG-113) made a routine passage through the waterway in accordance with international law, the fleet said in a release. The operation demonstrated "the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific." The U.S. military will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows, said 7th Fleet. This is the third passage of the waterway since President Biden took office in January.
Germany—'Transatlantic New Deal' Sought With U.S., Says Foreign Minister USNI News | 03/11/2021 Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says that Germany is working with the U.S. on a "Transatlantic New Deal," covering a wide range of issues, reports USNI News. The agreement would outline cooperation on global security, economic issues, climate change and combating the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Maas said during a virtual forum on Tuesday hosted by the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. With the inauguration of the Biden administration America is back and "Germany is by [its] side," Maas said. Berlin is looking to move at the same pace as the U.S. in Afghanistan and will be following the principle of "in together, out together," as the Biden administration decides whether to pull all its forces out of the country on May 1, as stipulated in last year's deal with the Taliban. Maas also pointed out that Germany wants to work with Washington to bring it back into the Iran nuclear deal and address Iranian meddling in the region and missile programs. The largest challenges for the allies are the rise of autocratic nations like Russia and China and creating a level playing field with them, he said. Berlin is committed to joint action with the U.S. and other European states to address such issues, the minister said.
Kosovo—Military To Make 1st Overseas Deployment Gazeta Express | 03/11/2021 The Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is set to send troops overseas for the first time, reports the Gazeta Express (Pristina). On March 9, a KSF unit took part in a ceremony ahead of its departure to Kuwait. The small unit is scheduled to spend six months in the Middle East under the command of an Iowa National Guard unit. The deployment was made possible in part by a partnership with the U.S., said acting Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani.
Russia—Tu-95 Bombers Make Long-Range Flight Over Pacific Tass | 03/11/2021 Russian bombers have conducted a long-range flight over the Sea of Japan and northwestern Pacific Ocean, reports the Tass news agency (Moscow). On Thursday, two Tu-95MS strategic bombers made the scheduled nine-hour flight escorted by Su-35S fighters, said the Russian Defense Ministry. During portions of the flight, Japanese F-15 fighter jets escorted the Russian aircraft, the ministry said. The flight took place over neutral waters, the defense ministry emphasized.
Russia—8 Upgraded T-90M Tanks Delivered To Army Defence-Blog | 03/11/2021 The Russian army has taken delivery of eight upgraded main battle tanks, reports Defence Blog. The modernized T-90M Proryv tanks were delivered to the Sevastopolskaya motor rifle brigade earlier this month, the defense ministry said on Thursday. The T-90M features a new turret module with a 125-mm cannon that can fire the latest high-performance ammunition. Tass (Moscow) last week reported such a delivery but did not disclose the quantity of tanks or the unit involved.
South Korea—Government Agrees To 14 Percent Boost In Payments For U.S. Troops Yonhap | 03/11/2021 The South Korean government has agreed to increase its share of the costs of hosting U.S. troops by 13.9 percent this year, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). Under the new Special Measure Agreement reached on Sunday, Seoul will pay about US$1 billion of the costs of the deployment of U.S. forces on its territory, a 13.9 percent increase from 2019, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The previous SMA expired in 2019. This is the first double-digit percentage increase in burden-sharing support since 2002, analysts said. The figure incorporates last year's 7.4 percent increase in South Korean defense spending and a 6.5 percent increase in the cost of South Korean personnel working for U.S. Forces Korea. Under the six-year accord, future increases will be linked to growth in the South Korean defense budget. Accordingly, a 5.4 percent increase is anticipated in 2022. The agreement also includes protections for South Korean workers to prevent their furlough in the event of delays in negotiations over future SMAs.
Burma—Arakan Army Removed From List Of Terrorist Groups Irrawaddy | 03/11/2021 The Burmese military government has removed the Arakan Army (AA) from its list of banned terrorist groups, reports the Irrawaddy (Burma). The move was announced on Thursday with immediate effect, reported the state-run Mirror newspaper, as cited by Al Jazeera (Qatar). The AA has halted attacks, said the military-led State Administrative Council. In March 2020, the Central Committee for Counterterrorism classified the AA as a terrorist group in response to a series of attacks on security forces. AA and Burmese officials have held two rounds of talks since November, which have succeeded in reducing violence, said analysts. The move has also been seen as an effort to shore up the military government's power and strengthen its focus on its crackdown on protests around the country. The AA has not publicly commented on the Feb. 1 coup.
India—Counterterrorism Exercise Underway With Uzbek Troops The Hindu | 03/11/2021 Uzbek troops are in India this month for a bilateral military exercise, reports the Hindu (Chennai). Exercise Dustlik II in the northern Uttarakhand state kicked off on Wednesday and is scheduled to wrap up on March 19. The Uzbek delegation arrived in India on March 7. Forty-five troops from each country are taking part in the drills, reported the Press Trust of India. The exercise is focused on people-centric intelligence-based surgical operations incorporating new technology to minimize collateral damage, said an unnamed defense source. The drill scenario includes counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in mountainous, rural and urban areas under a United Nations mandate. The Indian army is expected to share lessons and experience it gained conducting operations in Kashmir with Uzbek forces. Soldiers from the Indian army's 13 Kumaon Regiment are participating in company-level counterinsurgency and counterterror exercises in the town of Chaubatia. A validation exercise is scheduled for March 17 and 18, followed by the closing ceremony on March 19.
Burma—Military Levels New Charges Against Aung San Suu Kyi British Broadcasting Corp. | 03/11/2021 The Burmese military government has accused ousted State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi of taking bribes, reports BBC News. On Thursday, authorities accused Suu Kyi of receiving US$600,000 and gold without providing any evidence. The military government has leveled increasingly severe accusations against the leader of the civilian government it overthrew last month, including violations of health curfews and receipt of illegal communications equipment. Meanwhile, at least eight people were killed by security forces on Thursday during protests against the coup. Six fatalities were reported in the central town of Myaing, reported Reuters. Witnesses said security forces opened fire on the protesters despite the peaceful nature of the demonstrations. On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council issued a statement condemning the attacks on protesters, reported CBS News.
India—Counterterrorism Exercise Underway With Uzbek Troops The Hindu | 03/11/2021 Uzbek troops are in India this month for a bilateral military exercise, reports the Hindu (Chennai). Exercise Dustlik II in the northern Uttarakhand state kicked off on Wednesday and is scheduled to wrap up on March 19. The Uzbek delegation arrived in India on March 7. Forty-five troops from each country are taking part in the drills, reported the Press Trust of India. The exercise is focused on people-centric intelligence-based surgical operations incorporating new technology to minimize collateral damage, said an unnamed defense source. The drill scenario includes counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in mountainous, rural and urban areas under a United Nations mandate. The Indian army is expected to share lessons and experience it gained conducting operations in Kashmir with Uzbek forces. Soldiers from the Indian army's 13 Kumaon Regiment are participating in company-level counterinsurgency and counterterror exercises in the town of Chaubatia. A validation exercise is scheduled for March 17 and 18, followed by the closing ceremony on March 19.
India—3rd Domestically Built Sub Enters Service Hindustan Times | 03/11/2021 The Indian navy has commissioned its third indigenously built submarine, reports the Hindustan Times. The Karanj was inducted into service on Wednesday after two years of sea trials. Built domestically by Mazagon Dock, the Indian Kalvari-class submarines are based on the French Scorpene design, noted Naval News. Karanj was launched in January 2018. She is the third of six subs in the class.
Saudi Arabia—Court Sentences 5 ISIS Suspects To Death Al Arabiya | 03/11/2021 A Saudi court has sentenced five suspected ISIS members to death, reports Al Arabiya (Dubai). On Thursday, the court issued preliminary death sentences to the militants for their roles in terrorist incidents, reported a correspondent for the channel. The suspects are accused of belonging to a 45-member cell affiliated with the Islamic State that plotted attacks inside Saudi Arabia. That cell has been implicated in numerous crimes, including the August 2015 bombing of a mosque in the southwestern city of Abha; the October 2015 bombing of a mosque in Najran; and the January 2016 attack on the Al-Ridha mosque in the eastern city of Al Hofuf. It was not immediately clear which crimes the suspects were implicated in.
Yemen—Top Houthi Commander Killed In Southwest, Government Says New Arab | 03/11/2021 The Yemeni army says that pro-government forces have killed a senior militant commander in fighting in Taiz in southwest Yemen, reports the New Arab (London). On Sunday, Houthi commander Abu Asad was killed during heavy fighting on the eastern front of Taiz, said an army spokesman cited by Arabi21 (U.K.). The spokesman said "scores" of militants were killed in the clashes. Abu Asad was reportedly one of the most senior and feared Houthi commanders. Government and Houthi forces have been engaged in heavy fighting around Taiz, which is Yemen's third largest city. Pro-government forces reportedly recaptured the Jabal Habashi district from the rebels. Taiz has been under siege by the Houthis for years.
Israel—Netanyahu Makes 1st Official Visit To U.A.E. Haaretz | 03/11/2021 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to make an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, reports Haaretz (Israel). The prime minister is set to meet with Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in an effort to show off new ties in the Gulf region ahead of national elections on March 23. There are also reports the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman might join the other leaders, reported Israeli public broadcaster Kan, as cited by Reuters. The U.A.E. was reportedly reluctant to host the visit out of concern that it could be seen as an effort to interfere in the Israeli election. Israel established formal relations with the U.A.E. in September 2020 as part of a U.S.-brokered agreement.
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