Good Friday Morning May 7
Great Bubba Breakfast this morning
Regards,
Skip.
This day in Naval History May 7
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:
• USNI News highlighted CNO Adm. Mike Gilday's remarks at the Navy Memorial's SITREP series, which included Middle East carrier deployments.
• Media reported on increased Congressional support for the SHIPYARD Act of 2021, which would provide $21B to make upgrades to the Navy's four public shipyards and $4B for private shipyards in the U.S. that support the Navy fleet.
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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Thanks to Dr. Rich
Look up tomorrow when it comes down. The old poem "I shot an arrow into the air and where it lands I don't know where" may be valid here
First image of Chinese rocket shows it 435 miles above Earth's surface as it moved 'extremely fast' | Daily Mail Online
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Thanks to Dr. Rich
A good friend of mine has a harrowing story of how run flat tires save him …skip
What Are Run-Flat Tires? | The Drive
https://www.thedrive.com/cars-101/40488/what-are-run-flat-tires-and-are-they-any-good
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Thanks to Barrel…..I think
Disney Going Woke
PS Remember the Babylon Bee is satire.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— ... For The List for Friday, 7 May 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-68)...
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 7 May 1966...
"LBJ on the fence"
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-7-may-1966-stop-go/
Some have asked why I add this here each day. This work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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Thanks to Carl….Hmmm
May 5, 2021
Aldous Huxley foresaw our despots — Fauci, Gates, and their vaccine crusaders
In 1949, sometime after the publication of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, Aldous Huxley, the author of Brave New World (1931), who was then living in California, wrote to Orwell. Huxley had briefly taught French to Orwell as a student in high school at Eton.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 7
1864 – Following two days of intense fighting in the Wilderness forest, the Army of the Potomac, under the command of Union General Ulysses S. Grant, moves south. Grant's forces had clashed with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in a pitched and confused two-day battle in which neither side gained a clear victory. Nonetheless, Lee could claim an advantage, since he inflicted more casualties and held off the Yankees, despite the fact that he was outnumbered. When Lee halted Grant's advance, Grant proved that he was different than previous commanders of the Army of the Potomac by refusing to fall back. Many of his veteran soldiers expected to retreat back across the Rapidan River, but the order came down through the ranks to move the army south. The blue troops had just suffered terrible losses, and the move lifted their spirits. "We marched free. The men began to sing," recalled one Yankee. In some ways, warfare would never be the same. Grant had promised President Abraham Lincoln that there would be no turning back on this campaign. He would aggressively pursue Lee without allowing the Confederates time to retool. But the cost was high: Weeks of fighting resulted in staggering casualties before the two armies dug in around Petersburg by the middle of June.
1942 – Battle of the Coral Sea: American Admiral Fletcher sends Task Force 44 to attack Japanese troop transports bound for Port Moresby. The Japanese retaliate with attacks from land based aircraft. The Japanese also sight the American tanker Neosho and the Sims, they send aircraft after the ships and the Neosho is sunk. The Americans find Japanese Admiral Goto's close support force and they proceed to sink the carrier Shoho. Meanwhile, Japanese Admiral Takagi sends planes out in an attempt to find the American fleet. Twenty-one of the Japanese planes are lost without engaging the enemy, including a small group which attempt to land on the American aircraft carrier Yorktown. The Japanese troop transports return to Rabaul to await the outcome of the battle.
1944 – The US 15th Air Force and British Bomber Command attack railway yards in Bucharest during the day and night, leaving the city in flames.
1944 – The US 8th Air Force conducts a massive raid on Berlin with 1500 aircraft.
1944 – The US 9th Air Force attacks the railway yards at Mezieres-Charleville with Marauders and P-38 Lightnings.
1945 – On Luzon, the US 43rd Division advances about 5 miles toward Ipo. American troops attacking towards a ridge near Guagua are repulsed by Japanese defenders.
1945 – On Okinawa, the US 7th Division completes the elimination of Japanese units that infiltrated into the Tanabaru area. Fruitless attacks on the Japanese held Shuri Line continue. Note"still have over 6 more weeks of this battle.
1954 – In northwest Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh forces decisively defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu, a French stronghold besieged by the Vietnamese communists for 57 days. The Viet Minh victory at Dien Bien Phu signaled the end of French colonial influence in Indochina and cleared the way for the division of Vietnam along the 17th parallel at the conference of Geneva. On September 2, 1945, hours after the Japanese signed their unconditional surrender in World War II, communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam, hoping to prevent the French from reclaiming their former colonial possession. In 1946, he hesitantly accepted a French proposal that allowed Vietnam to exist as an autonomous state within the French Union, but fighting broke out when the French tried to reestablish colonial rule. Beginning in 1949, the Viet Minh fought an increasingly effective guerrilla war against France with military and economic assistance from newly Communist China. France received military aid from the United States. In November 1953, the French, weary of jungle warfare, occupied Dien Bien Phu, a small mountain outpost on the Vietnamese border near Laos. Although the Vietnamese rapidly cut off all roads to the fort, the French were confident that they could be supplied by air. The fort was also out in the open, and the French believed that their superior artillery would keep the position safe. In 1954, the Viet Minh army, under General Vo Nguyen Giap, moved against Dien Bien Phu and in March encircled it with 40,000 Communist troops and heavy artillery. The first Viet Minh assault against the 13,000 entrenched French troops came on March 12, and despite massive air support, the French held only two square miles by late April. On May 7, after 57 days of siege, the French positions collapsed. Although the defeat brought an end to French colonial efforts in Indochina, the United States soon stepped up to fill the vacuum, increasing military aid to South Vietnam and sending the first U.S. military advisers to the country in 1959.
1965 – 6,000 Marines of the 4th marine Division are sent to Chu Lai, a sandy pine barren along the coast 55 miles south of Danang to build a second jet air base. Chu Lai will sport a new type of field, the Short Airfield for Tactical Support (SATS) — a 4,000 foot long airstrip of aluminum matting with arrestor wires like an aircraft carrier. Initially all planes will take off via jet assist, but a catapult will be installed two years later. By 1 June, A-4 Skyhawks and MAG-12ss will be using the field.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
JONES, WILLIAM H.
Rank and organization: Farrier, Company L, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Little Muddy Creek, Mont., 7 May 1877- at Camas Meadows, Idaho, 20 August 1877. Entered service at: Louisville, Ky. Birth. Davidson County, N.C. Date of issue: 28 February 1878. Citation: Gallantry in the attack against hostile Sioux Indians on May 7, 1877 at Muddy Creek, Mont., and in the engagement with Nez Perces Indians at Camas Meadows, Idaho, on 20 August 1877 in which he sustained a painful knee wound.
JORDAN, GEORGE
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company K, 9th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Fort Tularosa, N. Mex., 14 May 1880; at Carrizo Canyon, N. Mex., 12 August 1881. Entered service at: Nashville, Tenn. Birth: Williamson County, Tenn. Date of issue: 7 May 1890. Citation: While commanding a detachment of 25 men at Fort Tularosa, N. Mex., repulsed a force of more than 100 Indians. At Carrizo Canyon, N . Mex., while commanding the right of a detachment of 19 men, on 12 August 1881, he stubbornly held his ground in an extremely exposed position and gallantly forced back a much superior number of the enemy, preventing them from surrounding the command.
*FARDY, JOHN PETER
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S Marine Corps. Born: 8 August 1922, Chicago, Ill. Accredited to: Illinois. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a squad leader, serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Islands, 7 May 1945. When his squad was suddenly assailed by extremely heavy small arms fire from the front during a determined advance against strongly fortified, fiercely defended Japanese positions, Cpl. Fardy temporarily deployed his men along a nearby drainage ditch. Shortly thereafter, an enemy grenade fell among the marines in the ditch. Instantly throwing himself upon the deadly missile, Cpl. Fardy absorbed the exploding blast in his own body, thereby protecting his comrades from certain and perhaps fatal injuries. Concerned solely for the welfare of his men, he willingly relinquished his own hope of survival that his fellow marines might live to carry on the fight against a fanatic enemy. A stouthearted leader and indomitable fighter, Cpl. Fardy, by his prompt decision and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death, had rendered valiant service, and his conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*HANSEN, DALE MERLIN
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 13 December 1922, Wisner, Nebr. Accredited to: Nebraska. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 May 1945. Cool and courageous in combat, Pvt. Hansen unhesitatingly took the initiative during a critical stage of the action and, armed with a rocket launcher, crawled to an exposed position where he attacked and destroyed a strategically located hostile pillbox. With his weapon subsequently destroyed by enemy fire, he seized a rifle and continued his 1-man assault. Reaching the crest of a ridge, he leaped across, opened fire on 6 Japanese and killed 4 before his rifle jammed. Attacked by the remaining 2 Japanese, he beat them off with the butt of his rifle and then climbed back to cover. Promptly returning with another weapon and supply of grenades, he fearlessly advanced, destroyed a strong mortar position and annihilated 8 more of the enemy. In the forefront of battle throughout this bitterly waged engagement, Pvt. Hansen, by his indomitable determination, bold tactics and complete disregard of all personal danger, contributed essentially to the success of his company's mission and to the ultimate capture of this fiercely defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His great personal valor in the face of extreme peril reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service.
*PETERSON, OSCAR VERNER
Rank and organization: Chief Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 27 August 1899, Prentice, Wis. Accredited to: Wisconsin. Citation: For extraordinary courage and conspicuous heroism above and beyond the call of duty while in charge of a repair party during an attack on the U .S .S. Neosho by enemy Japanese aerial forces on 7 May 1942. Lacking assistance because of injuries to the other members of his repair party and severely wounded himself, Peterson, with no concern for his own life, closed the bulkhead stop valves and in so doing received additional burns which resulted in his death. His spirit of self-sacrifice and loyalty, characteristic of a fine seaman, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
*SCHWAB, ALBERT EARNEST
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 17 July 1920, Washington, D.C. Entered service at: Tulsa, Okla. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a flamethrower operator in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Rykuyu Islands, 7 May 1945. Quick to take action when his company was pinned down in a valley and suffered resultant heavy casualties under blanketing machinegun fire emanating from a high ridge to the front, Pfc. Schwab, unable to flank the enemy emplacement because of steep cliffs on either side, advanced up the face of the ridge in bold defiance of the intense barrage and, skillfully directing the fire of his flamethrower, quickly demolished the hostile gun position, thereby enabling his company to occupy the ridge. Suddenly a second enemy machinegun opened fire, killing and wounding several marines with its initial bursts. Estimating with split-second decision the tactical difficulties confronting his comrades, Pfc. Schwab elected to continue his l-man assault despite a diminished supply of fuel for his flamethrower. Cool and indomitable, he moved forward in the face of a direct concentration of hostile fire, relentlessly closed the enemy position and attacked. Although severely wounded by a final vicious blast from the enemy weapon, Pfc. Schwab had succeeded in destroying 2 highly strategic Japanese gun positions during a critical stage of the operation and, by his dauntless, single-handed efforts, had materially furthered the advance of his company. His aggressive initiative, outstanding valor and professional skill throughout the bitter conflict sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
WAINWRIGHT, JONATHAN M.
Rank and organization: General, Commanding U.S. Army Forces in the Philippines. Place and date: Philippine Islands, 12 March to 7 May 1942. Entered service at: Skaneateles, N.Y. Birth: Walla Walla, Wash. G.O. No.: 80, 19 September 1945. Citation: Distinguished himself by intrepid and determined leadership against greatly superior enemy forces. At the repeated risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in his position, he frequented the firing line of his troops where his presence provided the example and incentive that helped make the gallant efforts of these men possible. The final stand on beleaguered Corregidor, for which he was in an important measure personally responsible, commanded the admiration of the Nation's allies. It reflected the high morale of American arms in the face of overwhelming odds. His courage and resolution were a vitally needed inspiration to the then sorely pressed freedom-loving peoples of the world.
KAYS, KENNETH MICHAEL
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. place and date: Thua Thien province, Republic of Vietnam, 7 May 1970. Entered service at: Fairfield, Ill. Born: 22 September 1949, Mount Vernon, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. (then Pvt.) Kays distinguished himself while serving as a medical aidman with Company D, 1st Battalion, 101st Airborne Division near Fire Support Base Maureen. A heavily armed force of enemy sappers and infantrymen assaulted Company D's night defensive position, wounding and killing a number of its members. Disregarding the intense enemy fire and ground assault, Pfc. Kays began moving toward the perimeter to assist his fallen comrades. In doing so he became the target of concentrated enemy fire and explosive charges, 1 of which severed the lower portion of his left leg. After applying a tourniquet to his leg, Pfc. Kays moved to the fire-swept perimeter, administered medical aid to 1 of the wounded, and helped move him to an area of relative safety. Despite his severe wound and excruciating pain, Pfc. Kays returned to the perimeter in search of other wounded men. He treated another wounded comrade, and, using his own body as a shield against enemy bullets and fragments, moved him to safety. Although weakened from a great loss of blood, Pfc. Kays resumed his heroic lifesaving efforts by moving beyond the company's perimeter into enemy held territory to treat a wounded American lying there. Only after his fellow wounded soldiers had been treated and evacuated did Pfc. Kays allow his own wounds to be treated. These courageous acts by Pfc. Kays resulted in the saving of numerous lives and inspired others in his company to repel the enemy. Pfc. Kays' heroism at the risk of his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS
FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 7
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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World News for 7 May thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Calif. ANG Leadership Roiled By F-15 Scandal Los Angeles Times | 05/07/2021 The leadership of the California Air National Guard is being replaced after a scandal involving the alleged preparation of a fighter jet to disperse protests, reports the Los Angeles Times. On April 16, the head of the Guard, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, accepted the resignation of Maj. Gen. Gregory Jones as commander of the California Air National Guard. Jones denies that he stepped down, saying he was forced out. In a statement, Baldwin said that he had lost faith the ability of Jones to "foster an inclusive and healthy command environment." In an interview, Jones rejected the suggestion that he treated women or people of color unfairly. Meanwhile, the director of the California ANG air staff, Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Magram, was suspended and reassigned and ANG command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Steve Pyzska, was relieved of duty. Gov. Gavin Newsom also introduced new restrictions on the ANG's authority to use fighter aircraft for civilian missions. The directive comes after reports that that one of its F-15C Eagle fighters was placed on alert for a possible mission during the 2020 George Floyd protests. Baldwin has denied that such a mission was considered.
USA—Space Force Set To Approve Used Booster For GPS Mission Space News | 05/07/2021 The Space Force is expected to certify a previously flown booster to launch a military satellite for the first time, reports Space News. The design review for the previously flown first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket is on track to be completed early this month, said Col. Rob Bongiovi, director of the Space and Missile Systems Center launch enterprise. The first stage launched the fourth GPS III satellite into orbit in November 2020. The review will certify the booster to launch the fifth GPS III spacecraft. Last year, the military renegotiated its contracts with SpaceX to launch the fifth and sixth GPS III satellites to use previously flown boosters. The agreement was expected to save the government around $64 million. The Aerospace Corp. is conducting most of the design review work for the Space Force.
Canada—Acquisition Of Armed Drones In The Works Canadian Press | 05/07/2021 The Canadian armed forces are slowly moving toward a purchase of armed uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), reports the Canadian Press. On Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Al Meinzinger, the air force chief, said that the military expected to issue a formal request for bids to two firms shortlisted for the program in the fall. The service is also preparing personnel to operate and maintain the air vehicles and identify basing locations ahead of delivery of the systems in three to four years, the general said. A centralized ground-control system is expected to be housed at a yet-undetermined location in Ottawa, he said. There are plans for maintenance detachments in eastern and western Canada and a northern base for use as necessary. The entire drone force is expected to total about 300 personnel, including pilots, technicians and others, Meinzinger said. The drones will primarily be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations as well as precision airstrikes in combat zones, according to the Canadian government.
United Kingdom—Patrol Ships Stand Down As Fishermen's Protest In Jersey Ends British Broadcasting Corp. | 05/07/2021 Two British navy patrol ships sent to Jersey in response to a protest by French fishermen are returning home, reports BBC News. On Thursday, around 60 French fishing vessels sailed into the port of St. Helier to protest new restrictions on licenses to fish in the waters off Jersey. Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, is a British Crown dependency, but is not part of the U.K. The Royal Navy deployed the patrol ships Severn and Tamar to the island to monitor the situation, the British government said. With the end of the protest, the ships were scheduled to return to their homeports. The French police boat Athos and patrol vessel Themis were also deployed in nearby French waters to ensure the safety of the fishermen, said the maritime prefecture of Manche et de la mer du Nord. The dispute was triggered by new rules put in place by Jersey governing access for foreign fishing ships in its territorial waters that require French vessels to show a history of fishing in the island's waters. Under post-Brexit rules that came into effect this month, Jersey was required to issue 41 licenses or permits for French fishing vessels. However, new conditions and rules were added to those licenses. Paris says the new rules were not communicated to the European Union, making them null and void. The French government threatened to cut off the island's electricity supply, 95 percent of which comes from France through underwater cables. Jersey officials said that "all sides remain committed" to resolving the issues that led to the protest.
European Union—Non-Member States Set To Join Military Mobility Project Politico Europe | 05/07/2021 For the first-time, the European Union is permitting non-member states to participate in a joint military project, reports Politico Europe (Brussels). On Thursday, E.U. defense ministers authorized the Netherlands, as the coordinator of the military mobility project under the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) framework, to invite Canada, Norway and the U.S. to participate in the program, said a release from the Council of the European Union. The countries are the first from outside of the E.U. to be invited to take part in a PESCO project. The military mobility program is designed to enable troops and military equipment to rapidly move through the E.U. and across national borders in a conflict. Brussels has allocated 1.7 billion euros (US$2 billion) through 2028 to improve military mobility in support of NATO. Individual nations are also expected to contribute funding to the project. The joint initiative is expected to support the reconstruction of bridges to make them strong enough to support tanks and other military vehicles and change E.U. rules to make it easier for military forces to cross borders. In November, the Council of the E.U. formally adopted rules under which third countries could participate in PESCO projects.
Sweden—G120TP Basic Trainer Picked For Pilot Training Needs AIN Online | 05/07/2021 The Swedish defense procurement agency (FMV) has signed a contract with German firm Grob Aircraft for basic trainer aircraft, reports AIN Online. The contract, the value of which was not disclosed, covers seven G120TP aircraft, simulators, flight safety equipment as well as maintenance, said an FMV release on Wednesday. The aircraft will be designated the SK 40 in Swedish service. The GT120TPs will replace aging SK 60 (Saab 105) jet trainers for basic pilot training missions at the Malmen air base near Linkoping. The SK 60 fleet is in need of replacement, having been in service since 1967. The first G120TPs are scheduled to be handed over to Sweden for clearance trials with the FMV in May 2022. Delivery to the air force is slated to follow in the first quarter of 2023 for instructor training. New student pilots are expected begin training on the new aircraft in the summer of 2024. The acquisition is first stage of Sweden's two-phase project to modernize its military pilot training program. The second stage will see the acquisition of an advanced jet trainer to replace the SK 60. Additional G120TPs may also be procured. The Boeing T-7A Red Hawk, developed with assistance from Saab, is considered a strong candidate for the jet trainer requirement.
Ukraine—U.S. Considering Additional Military Aid, Blinken Says Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | 05/07/2021 Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. is considering sending additional military aid to Ukraine, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. On Thursday, Blinken told the news outlet that the White House was actively considering additional assistance for Kyiv, including equipment, following Russia's significant military buildup on Ukraine's borders. Ukraine has requested air defense systems and anti-sniper technology, as well as the potential deployment of Patriot air defense systems. The Ukrainian government has also urged Washington to exclude Russia from the SWIFT messaging system, which facilitates international money transfers. Blinken declined to comment on such a move. Losing access to SWIFT could substantially impact Russia's connections to the global economy, said analysts.
South Korea—Police, Firefighters Gear Up For Rear Area Defense Exercise Yonhap | 05/07/2021 South Korea is gearing up for a biennial rear area training exercise, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The Hwarang exercise is scheduled to begin on May 10 and run through November in five regions, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. During the drills, police and firefighters will practice securing critical infrastructure and responding to non-conventional security threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The exercise will largely take place in the southeastern city of Daegu and four other regions in the surrounding North Gyeongsang province, reported NK News. Due to pandemic restrictions, large-scale training will be held as field exercises, while only essential personnel will take part in command-post drills.
Indonesia—400 More Troops Heading To Papua Reuters | 05/07/2021 Indonesia is deploying an additional 400 troops to its eastern Papua region as part of a crackdown on separatists there, reports Reuters. Troops from the 315/Garuda Battalion were being deployed after a breakdown in dialogue with the separatists, said an army spokesman on Thursday. The troops were infantry soldiers and not special operations forces, he emphasized. The spokesman described the deployment as a routine rotation. President Joko Widodo ordered a crackdown on the separatists after a regional intelligence was killed in an ambush last month. On April 29, the government banned all armed Papuan organizations as terrorist groups, allowing them to be held for 21 days without charge and permitting the interception of their communications.
Maldives—Parliament Speaker Wounded In Bomb Blast Reuters | 05/07/2021 The speaker of the Maldivian Parliament, and former president of Maldives, has been injured in a suspected terrorist attack, reports Reuters. On Thursday, Nasheed was getting into his car outside his home in Male, the capital, when a bomb exploded. The homemade device was planted on a motorcycle parked near the car, according to local media. Nasheed was taken to the hospital for shrapnel wounds. His family said he was stable and responsive. Four others were injured in the blast, including Nasheed's bodyguards and bystanders, reported BBC News. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, an ally of Nasheed, announced an investigation into the incident. Nasheed became the first democratically elected president in 2008. He was ousted in a coup four years later. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.
Iraq—President Confirms Saudi-Iranian Talks Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | 05/07/2021 President Barham Salih has confirmed that Iraq has hosted several rounds of talks between the Saudi and Iranian governments, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. More than one round of talks had been held in Iraq, with important and significant discussions taking place, Salih said on Wednesday during an online discussion by the Beirut Institute think tank. The talks in recent weeks focused on the Yemen conflict, reported Bloomberg News. The discussions have primarily involved intelligence officials. The regional rivals have recently softened their language and indicated that they were ready for some form of reconciliation. The change in Riyadh may be driven by the new Biden administration in Washington, which has brought renewed attention to Saudi Arabia's human rights record and regional policies. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has been a key participant in the talks, because he is trusted by Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. to have a degree of autonomy from Iran.
Israel—2 Militants Killed In Attack On W. Bank Border Post Jerusalem Post | 05/07/2021 Two Palestinian militants have been killed after attacking an Israeli Border Police post in the northern West Bank, reports the Jerusalem Post. On Friday, three attackers opened fire on the Salem border post, north of Jenin. Israeli border officers returned fire, killing two and wounding one. The attackers used homemade, semi-automatic Carlos submachine guns. There were no reported Israeli casualties. An investigation is looking into whether the attackers were able to breach the base, reported the Times of Israel. Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have escalated recently due to increasing tit-for-tat attacks, a series of evictions in majority-Palestinian East Jerusalem and violent rhetoric from Palestinian armed groups.
Somalia—Diplomatic Ties Re-Established With Kenya East African | 05/07/2021 Somalia is restoring diplomatic relations with Kenya six months after cutting ties, reports the East African (Nairobi). On Thursday, a spokesman for Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as Farmajo, said that diplomatic ties with Kenya would resume based on "mutual benefit and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-external interference, peaceful coexistence and equality." Qatar mediated the talks that led to the move. Somalia expelled the Kenyan ambassador and recalled its own representative to Nairobi in November 2020 after accusing Kenya of interfering in the electoral process in the southern Jubaland, reported Reuters. The relationship between the two sides has deteriorated in recent years over a maritime dispute over potential oil and natural gas deposits off the coast of Jubaland.
Ethiopia—Abiy Replaces Interim Leader In Tigray Agence France-Presse | 05/07/2021 The Ethiopian government has installed a new leader in the Tigray region, where it launched on operation in November to overthrow the regional Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) government, reports Agence France-Presse. On Thursday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office announced that Abraham Belay would replace Mulu Nega as the chief executive of the Transitional Government of Tigray. Belay previously served as minister of innovation and technology and is a member of Abiy's Prosperity Party. Nega will take up the post of state minister of science and higher education. Thousands of people have been killed since the conflict began and federal forces and allied militias have been accused of human-rights abuses.
Uganda—Former LRA Commander Sentenced British Broadcasting Corp. | 05/07/2021 The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced a former commander in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to 25 years in prison, reports BBC News. In February, the ICC convicted Dominic Ongwen on 61 of 70 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, rape and torture. The charges stem from 2004 attacks on internally displaced camps in Uganda. Ongwen was abducted by the LRA at the age of nine and groomed by the rebel group, which had killed his parents. He eventually rose to command the LRA's Sinia brigade. For this reason, the judges decided not to sentence him to life in prison. In 2015, Ongwen surrendered to U.S. forces in the Central African Republic, who later transferred him to the Ugandan government.
Brazil—25 Killed In Rio Police Raid Al Jazeera | 05/07/2021 At least 25 people have been killed in a police raid in a slum outside Rio de Janeiro, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Thursday, around 200 Rio civil police raided Jacarezinho, north of the city, in an operation against alleged drug-traffickers. Police arrived in armored vehicles, while helicopters monitored the operation from above, reported Reuters. Fighting was fierce, with multiple explosions reported. Witnesses described at least seven armed individuals moving from roof to roof in the area. Two passengers on a nearby metro were injured by shattering glass. At least one police officer was killed and two wounded. The raid was the deadliest in the history of Rio de Janeiro, reported the Guardian (U.K.). In 2007, 19 people were killed in a police operation in the nearby Complexo do Alemao community. Police said that the raid was intended to neutralize Red Command, one of Brazil's major criminal organizations, which police said was recruiting children, reported the Washington Post. Human-rights activists criticized the operation for using excessive force and called for an investigation, saying there may have been extrajudicial killings.
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