The List 6000 TGB
Good Thursday Morning February 10
I hope that your week is going well.
Tomorrow in 2000 the first list was sent out.22 years ago.
Regards,
Skip
This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
February 10
1862
A flotilla under Cmdr. Stephen C. Rowan aboard USS Delaware engages the gunboats and batteries at Elizabeth City, N.C, capturing CSS Ellis and sinking CSS Seabird.
1900
Commodore Seaton Schroder is appointed the first naval governor of Guam.
1943
USS Pickerel (SS 177) sinks Japanese freighter Amari Maru off Sanriku.
1944
USS Pogy (SS 266) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks destroyer Minekaze and freighter Malta Maru 85 miles north-northeast of Formosa.
1945
U.S. Navy submarine USS Batfish (SS 310) sinks three enemy submarines from Feb. 10-13.
1991
During Operation Desert Storm, A-6 Intruders attack two unidentified patrol boats in the northern Arabian Gulf, destroying both.
This Day in History 10 February
1258 Hulagu, a Mongol leader, seizes Baghdad, bringing an end to the Abbasid caliphate.
1620 Supporters of Marie de Medici, the queen mother, who has been exiled to Blois, are defeated by the king's troops at Ponts de Ce, France.
1763 The Treaty of Paris ends the French-Indian War. France gives up all her territories in the New World except New Orleans and a few scattered islands.
1799 Napoleon Bonaparte leaves Cairo, Egypt, for Syria, at the head of 13,000 men.
1814 Napoleon personally directs lightning strikes against enemy columns advancing toward Paris, beginning with a victory over the Russians at Champaubert.
1840 Queen Victoria marries Prince Albert.
1846 Led by religious leader Brigham Young, the first Mormons begin a long westward exodus from Nauvoo, Il., to Utah.
1863 P.T. Barnum's star midgets, Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren, are married.
1904 Russia and Japan declare war on each other.
1915 President Wilson blasts the British for using the U.S. flag on merchant ships to deceive the Germans.
1939 Japanese occupy island of Hainan in French Indochina.
1941 Iceland is attacked by German planes.
1941 London severs diplomatic relations with Romania.
1942 The war halts civilian car production at Ford.
1945 B-29s hit the Tokyo area.
1955 Bell Aircraft displays a fixed-wing vertical takeoff plane.
1960 Adolph Coors, the beer brewer, is kidnapped in Golden, Colo.
1966 Protester David Miller is convicted of burning his draft card.
1979 The Metropolitan Museum announces the first major theft in its 110-year history, $150,000 Greek marble head.
1986 The largest Mafia trial in history, with 474 defendants, opens in Palermo, Italy.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post
… For The List for Thursday, 10 February 2022… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 10 February 1967… Who are your heroes?…
This following 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
(Very interesting story!)
"Stagecoach Mary" Fields: Gun Totin' and No Tolerance for Nonsense
Mary's imposing size and personality—and trademark Smith & Wesson strapped under her apron—made her a memorable character everywhere she went.
The most iconic image of Mary Fields shows her posing for a studio photograph holding a Winchester 1876 saddle ring carbine.
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Here's What to Expect for This Year's Super Bowl Flyover
By: Kipp Hanley
FEBRUARY 08, 2022
Footballs won't be the only thing flying at Sunday's Super Bowl.
Five military aircraft will soar over SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles during the national anthem performance prior to Super Bowl LVI. Included in the flyover will be a P-51 Mustang from the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation (AFHFF) in Chino, Calif.
Called the Wee Willy II, the historic aircraft is comprised of parts from several Mustangs. P-51s flew during World War II and the Korean War, and continued in service until 1957.
"Originally manufactured in 1940 by North American Aviation, the P-51 Mustang is … known for its significant impact on World War II, helping to turn the tide in the Allies' favor," said Wee Willy II pilot Steve Hinton, who is making his second Super Bowl flyover. "Its balance of range and speed helped shorten the war. My team and I rebuilt and restored Wee Willy II."
The other aircraft participating in the flyover include an A-10 Thunderbolt, an F-16 Fighting Falcon, an F-22 Raptor, and an F-35A Lightning II. The F-35 will be piloted by Maj. Kristin "Beo" Wolfe, USAF, the first female Air Force pilot to lead the F-35 Demonstration Team.
The team's mission is to showcase the unique aerial capabilities of the F-35, the Air Force's most advanced fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter, as well as highlight the history of the Air Force's service through heritage formation flights.
Sunday's flyover will be Hinton's final flight for the AFHFF. A civilian pilot with movie credits including Pearl Harbor, Die Hard 2, Dunkirk, and Iron Man, Hinton has always had a fascination with aviation history.
"I was drawn to vintage planes because it was an opportunity to become involved with restoring history and piloting airplanes with purpose," Hinton told MOAA. "With the AFHFF, we are on a mission and it's an honor and a privilege to be chosen to do it. It's special to be in an aircraft that many other great pilots have flown."
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Eastern, with the national anthem set to begin at 6:10 p.m. Eastern, per the NFL. Want more than NBC's pregame coverage? Beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern, the Air Force Facebook page will host a live pre-game stream from the formation while the aircraft take their positions above Los Angeles. The flyover broadcast will also feature special interviews and segments.
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Thanks to Tom
View the Latest Edition of "This Week @NASA" (published Feb. 4, 2022)
Folks –
BUSY week….for me and the agency!
300 days on orbit – a new record! Interesting is going to be re-adaptation to gravity – Scott Kelly has REAL issues. If we are going to conquer mars someday (not soon, I am willing to bet) we MUST generate artificial gravity to keep the humans healthy and not degrading. Funny, "greenies" are SO WORRIED about Co2, but never EVER think about the magnetosphere or gravity functions of our little planet. Those two items are absolutely required for any life at all on this planet!
ISS goes "splash mode" in 202 according to congress…..it has been 2015, 2025, 2020, and 2028…now 2030. Anyone want to bet this changes too? The idea is to get a new space station "birthed" from the ISS and then trash the ISS due to fatigue, failures of equipment and just aging infrastructure – AND technology. The avionics and computers are 1980's vintage – like 386 IBM pcs in the innards of ISS. When is the last time (outside a museum) you saw one of these? Right next to the floppy disk section, right? ;-)
Private Astronaut Mission – this is yet another example (a YEA) that moves key functions from government to private industry. Not a death knell for NASA, but a SURE indication the times they are a-changing! What does the future hold? Excellent question – only answer I can see is CHANGE!
ARTEMIS I mission to put an un-crewed vehicle in an orbit around the moon has slipped to March 2022. Every time we stretch the ARTEMIS program – the return to the moon – I see a deeper appreciation of Apollo start-to-finish of 7 years – crowned by a success.
Lastly, the Inflatable Heat Shield….think of a balloon that is going to adsorb the reentry heat like the solid heat shields of the past and tiles did on the shuttle. THIS IS INNOVATIVE and is likely a "next step" in reentry technology. I'll try to dig up more information on this.
Enjoy, stay safe and keep warm in this non-Texas cold!!!!
Tom
AGENCYWIDE MESSAGE TO ALL NASA EMPLOYEES
Points of Contact: Brittany Brown, brittany.a.brown@nasa.gov and Andre Valentine, andre.valentine-1@nasa.gov, Office of Communications, NASA Headquarters
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View the Latest Edition of "This Week @NASA" (published Feb. 4, 2022)
View the latest "This Week @NASA," produced by NASA Television, for features on agency news and activities. Stories in this program include:
300 Days and Counting Aboard the Space Station
Updated Plan for Space Station Transition
Ax-1 Crew Approved for First Private Astronaut Mission to Space Station
Artemis I Status Update
Testing Inflatable Landing Technology
To watch this episode, click on the image below:
Watch the Video
To access this edition of "This Week @NASA," you may also visit:
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Thanks to Mike
Late notice
Skip,
I know it's a little late, but a good friend of mine has two tickets for 2022 Super Bowl, 40 yard line mezzanine.
He paid $2,550 each but he didn't realize last year when he bought them, it was going to be on the same day as his wedding. If you are interested, he is looking for someone to take his place...
It's at St. Michaels Church, at 3pm. The bride's name is Nicole, she's 5'4", about 115 lbs, real eye candy, great personality, & a good cook too. She'll be the one in the white dress.
Cheers
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This Day in U S Military History February 10
1763 – The Seven Years' War, a global conflict known in America as the French and Indian War, ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris by France, Great Britain, and Spain. In the early 1750s, France's expansion into the Ohio River valley repeatedly brought the country into armed conflict with the British colonies. In 1756, the British formally declared war against France. In the first year of the war, the British suffered a series of defeats at the hands of the French and their broad network of Native American alliances. However, in 1757, British Prime Minister William Pitt (the older) recognized the potential of imperial expansion that would come out of victory against the French and borrowed heavily to fund an expanded war effort. Pitt financed Prussia's struggle against France and her allies in Europe and reimbursed the colonies for the raising of armies in North America. By 1760, the French had been expelled from Canada, and by 1763 all of France's allies in Europe had either made a separate peace with Prussia or had been defeated. In addition, Spanish attempts to aid France in the Americas had failed, and France also suffered defeats against British forces in India. The Seven Years' War ended with the signing of the treaties of Hubertusburg and Paris in February 1763. In the Treaty of Paris, France lost all claims to Canada and gave Louisiana to Spain, while Britain received Spanish Florida, Upper Canada, and various French holdings overseas. The treaty ensured the colonial and maritime supremacy of Britain and strengthened the 13 American colonies by removing their European rivals to the north and the south. Fifteen years later, French bitterness over the loss of most of their colonial empire contributed to their intervention in the American Revolution on the side of the Patriots.
1965 – Viet Cong guerrillas blow up the U.S. barracks at Qui Nhon, 75 miles east of Pleiku on the central coast, with a 100-pound explosive charge under the building. A total of 23 U.S. personnel were killed, as well as two Viet Cong. In response to the attack, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a retaliatory air strike operation on North Vietnam called Flaming Dart II. This was the second in a series of retaliations launched because of communist attacks on U.S. installations in South Vietnam. Just 48 hours before, the Viet Cong struck Camp Holloway and the adjacent Pleiku airfield in the Central Highlands. This attack killed eight U.S. servicemen, wounded 109, and destroyed or damaged 20 aircraft. With his advisors advocating a strong response, President Johnson gave the order to launch Operation Flaming Dart, retaliatory air raids on a barracks and staging areas at Dong Hoi, a guerrilla training camp 40 miles north of the 17th parallel in North Vietnam. Johnson hoped that quick and effective retaliation would persuade the North Vietnamese to cease their attacks in South Vietnam. Unfortunately, Operation Flaming Dart did not have the desired effect. The attack on Qui Nhon was only the latest in a series of communist attacks on U.S. installations, and Flaming Dart II had very little effect.
1967 – The 25th Amendment to the Constitution, dealing with succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities, is ratified. It supersedes the ambiguous wording of Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the Constitution, which does not expressly state whether the Vice President becomes the President, as opposed to an Acting President, if the President dies, resigns, is removed from office or is otherwise unable to discharge the powers of the presidency.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
DAVIS, JOHN
Rank and organization: Quarter Gunner, U.S. Navy. Born: Cedarville, N.J. Accredited to: New Jersey. G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Valley City during action against rebel fort batteries and ships off Elizabeth City, N.C., on 10 February 1862. When a shell from the shore penetrated the side and passed through the magazine, exploding outside the screen on the berth deck, several powder division protecting bulkheads were torn to pieces and the forward part of the berth deck set on fire. Showing great presence of mind, Davis courageously covered a barrel of powder with his own body and prevented an explosion, while at the same time passing powder to provide the division on the upper deck while under fierce enemy fire.
GLOVER, T. B.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Troop B, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Mizpah Creek, Mont., 10 April 1879; at Pumpkin Creek, Mont., 10 February 1880. Entered service at:——. Birth: New York, N.Y. Date of issue: 20 November 1897. Citation: While in charge of small scouting parties, fought, charged, surrounded, and captured war parties of Sioux Indians.
GREELY, ADOLPHUS W.
Rank and organization: Major General, U.S. Army, retired. Place and date: —-. Entered service at: Louisiana. Born: 27 March 1844, Newburyport, Mass. G.O. No.: 3, W.D., 1935. Act of Congress, 21 March 1935. Citation: For his life of splendid public service, begun on 27 March 1844, having enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army on 26 July 1861, and by successive promotions was commissioned as major general 10 February 1906, and retired by operation of law on his 64th birthday.
*DAVIS, GEORGE ANDREW, JR.
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Air Force, CO, 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, 5th Air Force. Place and date: Near Sinuiju-Yalu River area, Korea, 10 February 1952. Entered service at: Lubbock, Tex. Born: 1 December 1920, Dublin, Tex. Citation: Maj. Davis distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While leading a flight of 4 F-86 Saberjets on a combat aerial patrol mission near the Manchurian border, Maj. Davis' element leader ran out of oxygen and was forced to retire from the flight with his wingman accompanying him. Maj. Davis and the remaining F-86's continued the mission and sighted a formation of approximately 12 enemy MIG-15 aircraft speeding southward toward an area where friendly fighter-bombers were conducting low level operations against the Communist lines of communications. With selfless disregard for the numerical superiority of the enemy, Maj. Davis positioned his 2 aircraft, then dove at the MIG formation. While speeding through the formation from the rear he singled out a MIG-15 and destroyed it with a concentrated burst of fire. Although he was now under continuous fire from the enemy fighters to his rear, Maj. Davis sustained his attack. He fired at another MIG-15 which, bursting into smoke and flames, went into a vertical dive. Rather than maintain his superior speed and evade the enemy fire being concentrated on him, he elected to reduce his speed and sought out still a third MIG-15. During this latest attack his aircraft sustained a direct hit, went out of control, then crashed into a mountain 30 miles south of the Yalu River. Maj. Davis' bold attack completely disrupted the enemy formation, permitting the friendly fighter-bombers to successfully complete their interdiction mission. Maj. Davis, by his indomitable fighting spirit, heroic aggressiveness, and superb courage in engaging the enemy against formidable odds exemplified valor at its highest.
BACA, JOHN P.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Phuoc Long Province, Republic of Vietnam, 10 February 1970. Entered service at: Fort Ord, Calif. Born: 10 January 1949, Providence, R.I.. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Baca, Company D, distinguished himself while serving on a recoilless rifle team during a night ambush mission A platoon from his company was sent to investigate the detonation of an automatic ambush device forward of his unit's main position and soon came under intense enemy fire from concealed positions along the trail. Hearing the heavy firing from the platoon position and realizing that his recoilless rifle team could assist the members of the besieged patrol, Sp4c. Baca led his team through the hail of enemy fire to a firing position within the patrol's defensive perimeter. As they prepared to engage the enemy, a fragmentation grenade was thrown into the midst of the patrol. Fully aware of the danger to his comrades, Sp4c. Baca unhesitatingly, and with complete disregard for his own safety, covered the grenade with his steel helmet and fell on it as the grenade exploded, thereby absorbing the lethal fragments and concussion with his body. His gallant action and total disregard for his personal well-being directly saved 8 men from certain serious injury or death. The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Spc4. Baca, at the risk of his life, are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 10, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
10 February
1908: Capt Charles S. Wallace signed the first Army airplane contract with the Wright Brothers for the Signal Corps. Augustus M. Herring and James F. Scott also received contracts, but both failed to produce planes. (12)
1910: The Smithsonian Institute's Board of Regents awarded the first Langley Medal to the Wright Brothers at Washington DC "for advancing the science of aerodynamics." (24)
1929: Through 11 February, Evelyn Trout set a solo duration record of 17 hours 5minutes 37 seconds for women while flying a Golden Eagle monoplane. (24)
1933: The Army established four provisional air transport squadrons, one at each air depot, to haul equipment and materiel between airfields and the depots as well as transport troops on maneuvers. Major Hugh J. Knerr developed this concept. On 19 November
1932, General Benjamin D. Foulois, Chief of the Army Air Corps, approved this concept by authorizing the formation of a provisional transport group and four provisional squadrons. (18)
1939: The North American NA-40 first flew. This was the prototype for the B-25 Mitchell bomber. (5)
1947: Maj E. M. Cassell (U. S. Army Air Forces) set an unofficial helicopter altitude record of 19,167 feet in a Sikorsky R-5A at Dayton. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. UN forces captured the port of Inchon and the heavily-cratered Kimpo airfield. The field required extensive renovation before USAF aircraft could use it again. (28)
1952: KOREAN WAR/MEDAL OF HONOR. While leading a flight of 3 F-86 Sabre jets, Maj George A. Davis, Jr., engaged 12 enemy MiG-15s. After shooting down two enemy fighters and completely disrupting the enemy formation, a MiG-15 shot him down and killed him. For engaging superior forces and shooting down enemy aircraft, he received the Medal of Honor. Davis also became the first USAF ace in two wars, World War II and Korea. (21) (26) (28)
1954: Dr. John von Neumann's Strategic Missiles Evaluation Committee reported that a major technological breakthrough on nuclear warhead size could be achieved in a few years. He believed that other technological problems with intercontinental ballistic missiles could be resolved in the same period. With this, Neumann recommended the establishment of a special USAF development-management group to accelerate the intercontinental ballistic missile program. (6)
1958: Through 16 February, A1C Donald G. Ferrell lived in a space cabin simulator at Randolph AFB, Tex. (5)
1961: A Rocketdyne F-1 liquid-propellant prototype thrust chamber underwent initial testing at 1,550,000 pounds of thrust for a few seconds. (24)
1981: Three 57th Fighter Weapons Wing UH-1 helicopters from Indian Springs Auxiliary Field, Nev., rescued nine guests trapped by a fire from the roof of the 30-story Las Vegas Hilton. (16) (26)
1983: The US and Canada signed a treaty on the testing of cruise missiles in northern Canada. (5)
1988: General Dynamics delivered its 2,000th F-16 Fighting Falcon to the Singapore government. (16)
1992: Operation PROVIDE HOPE I. Through 26 February, the USAF dispatched 19 C-5 Galaxies and 46 C-141 Starlifters to move 2,270 tons of relief supplies to 24 cities in the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet republics). (See 29 February for Phase II) (16) (18)
1994: Lt Jeannie Flynn completed training in an F-15 Eagle. She was the first woman selected for combat pilot training. (16) (26)
2001: The Lockheed Martin X-35C flew a precedent-setting transcontinental flight from Edwards AFB, Calif., past Lockheed's facility in Fort Worth, Tex., to Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., where it continued its test program. (3)
2003: The Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., accelerated the developmental testing of the F-16 LITENING II Targeting Pod, condensing six weeks of activities into 3.5 days. This achievement provided an improved capability to deliver laser-guided bombs to warfighters. (3)
2005: General John W. Handy, Air Mobility Command commander, grounded 30 C-130Es and placed another 60 C-130Es, Hs, H1s, and HC-130P/Ns on restricted flight status after inspections of C-130 wing boxes revealed cracks greater in number and severity than expected. (22)
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World News for 10 February thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Air Force Grants Initial Religious Exemptions For Vaccination Air Force Magazine | 02/10/2022 The Dept. of the Air Force has granted its first religious exemptions to the military's novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandate, reports Air Force magazine. COVID-19 statistics released on Feb. 8, showed that the Air Force had approved nine religious waivers to the vaccine mandate. Eight were granted by the airman or guardian's major command or field command while one was granted via an appeal to the Air Force surgeon general. The service did not reveal whether the exemptions were for personnel in the Air Force or Space Force. The Marine Corps was the first service to grant a religious exemption, with three personnel receiving approval in January. No religious exemptions have been granted by the Army or Navy.
USA—Marines Set To Keep Boot Camp Platoons Segregated By Gender Marine Corps Times | 02/10/2022 The Marine Corps has indicated that it does not plan to integrate male and female recruits at the platoon-level, taking advantage of vague language in legislation requiring the service to stop gender segregation during basic training, reports the Marine Corps Times. The fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), mandated the Marine Corps halt gender segregation during training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., and Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif. The service was expected to comply with the mandate within five years at Parris Island and eight years in San Diego. Prior to 2019, the Marine Corps was the only service to have no coed recruit training. All women were sent to Parris Island for basic training until 2021. The service currently operates 19 coed training companies at Parris Island and one coed training company in San Diego. Each company consists of five all-male platoons and one all-female platoon. Marine officials confirmed last week that the service considers the coed company arrangement, without integration at the platoon level, to comply with the 2020 mandate. As a result, the service does not plan to create integrated training platoons. Critics say that integrated platoon-level training is vital to reducing misogynistic attitudes that continue to exist in the Corps. Long-term plans call for establishing 30 integrated training companies at Parris Island by 2024 and 30 integrated training companies in San Diego by 2026.
USA—SDA Demonstrates On-Orbit Data Processing Space News | 02/10/2022 An experimental satellite launched by the Space Development Agency (SDA) has demonstrated autonomous data fusion, reports Space News. The prototype on-orbit experimental testbed (POET) was launched as a payload on a Loft orbital satellite on June 30 as part of the SpaceX Transporter 2 rideshare mission. POET is an artificial intelligence-enabled edge computer developed by Scientific Systems Company (SSCI). The payload was initially developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to fly as a demonstration for the Blackjack program's Pit Boss mission system. In orbit autonomous data processing is considered a vital capability, enabling satellites to analyze data acquired from third-party sources before sending it on to users. In the past, such data would have to be analyzed by a human operator at a ground station before being sent on to troops in the field. Space-based data processing could be used for analyzing raw data collected by the SDA's Tracking Layer satellites as part of the new National Defense Space Architecture.
Lithuania—Permanent U.S. Military Presence Sought Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | 02/10/2022 Lithuania wants a permanent U.S. military presence on its territory amid growing regional tensions with Russia, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. On Wednesday, President Gitanas Nauseda said that he would discuss making the current rotations of American personnel permanent with the U.S. government. Such deployments would be beneficial to both Lithuania and the wider region, he said. Since 2019, the U.S. has deployed a 500-strong battlegroup to Lithuania on a rotational basis. Other NATO allies have also announced plans to strengthen their presence on the alliance's eastern flank. For example, on Wednesday, the Netherlands announced that it would boost its contribution to the German-led NATO battlegroup in Lithuania from 270 to 350 troops.
Belarus—Union Resolve Drills Underway With Russia Tass | 02/10/2022 Belarus is hosting Russian troops for a 10-day exercise designed to evaluate the capabilities of their joint forces, reports Russia's Tass news agency. The Union Resolve drills began on Thursday at the Domanovsky, Gozhsky, Obuz-Lesnovsky, Brestsky and Osipovichsky ranges and Baranovichi, Luninets, Lida and Machulishchi airfields in Belarus, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Troops and command units from the Belarusian armed forces and Russian Eastern Military District are taking part, the ministry said. U.S. estimates that around 30,000 Russian troops are participating in the training, reported Agence France-Presse. Russia is expected to deploy S-400 and Pantsyr air defense systems and Su-35 fighter jets in Belarus for the exercise, reported the Washington Post. The training is focused on "countering external aggression," counterterrorism and protecting Belarusian and Russian interests. Belarus and Russia maintain that the exercise is purely defensive, despite Moscow's aggressive posture toward Ukraine.
China—S. China Sea Code Of Conduct Unlikely This Year, Say Observers South China Morning Post | 02/10/2022 Experts do not expect a code of conduct for the South China Sea to be agreed by the end of the year, reports the South China Morning Post. Hoo Tiang Boon, a professor at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said that key issues, including enforcement and dispute resolution, remained unresolved during a forum sponsored by Georgetown University. Bich Tran, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Southeast Asia program, said that a no-deal situation might be better than one pushed through on China's terms. Renato Cruz De Castro, a professor at De La Salle University in Manila, said that China had no interest in a strong code that would challenge its claims in the region. Analysts have suggested that a mutually agreed upon code could reduce tensions in the South China Sea. In December, retired Chinese Maj. Gen. Yao Yunzhu said that several issues remained outstanding, including whether the agreement should be legally binding, which geographic and maritime activities should be covered and the role of extra-regional powers.
Philippines—Navy Seeks More Amphibs News 5 | 02/10/2022 The Philippine navy wants to buy two more amphibious warships three years after a previous procurement effort collapsed, reports News 5 (Manila). On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the defense dept. had released tenders for the acquisition of two large transport vessels along with essential equipment and logistics. Two utility landing craft (LCUs) and four rigid-hull inflatable boats are included in the US$108 million project. The tenders will be opened on March 1. The amphibious warships are expected to be similar to the Tarlac-class amphibious transport docks acquired from Indonesia in 2016 and 2017. The Philippine navy has made four previous attempts to acquire a pair of large amphibious warships since 2019, noted the Defense Post. In one instance, a joint venture between Megaship Builders in the Philippines and a Malaysian shipbuilding firm was selected but later disqualified due to lack of equipment and facilities.
Indonesia—Deal Inked With Dassault For Rafale Fighter Jets Flightglobal | 02/10/2022 The Indonesian air force has signed a contract with French aerospace firm Dassault for new fighter jets, reports Flight Global. On Thursday, Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier and Indonesian Air Vice Marshal Yusuf Jauhari signed the US$8.1 billion deal for 42 Rafale fighters in Jakarta, reported Reuters. The initial phase of the deal would cover the delivery of six Rafales in the coming months, with the balance of the order to be handed over at a later stage, either late this year or early 2023, according to an unnamed French Defense Ministry official. In addition to the jets, the procurement includes crew training, logistical support and a training center with two full-mission simulators.
Thailand—Military Acquires THeMIS UGV For Testing Milrem | 02/10/2022 Estonian defense firm Milrem Robotics says it has delivered an armed uncrewed ground vehicle to the Thai military. The THeMIS combat robot was delivered to the Thai Defense Technology Institute (DTI) late last year, Milrem said on Tuesday. The robotic combat vehicle combines the THeMIS UGV and the R400S Mk 2-HD remote weapons station (RWS) built by Australian space and defense company Electro Optic Systems. The weapon station is armed with a 30-mm M230LF cannon from Northrop Grumman. The vehicle would be used for testing and evaluation by the DTI and Thai army, said Milrem.
Afghanistan—Taliban Apprehends Foreign ISIS-K Recruits Guardian | 02/10/2022 Last fall, the Taliban arrested a pair of militants as they attempted to enter Afghanistan to join the Islamic State-Khorasan Province terrorist group, reports the Guardian (U.K.). Last fall, the ISIS recruits were arrested as they were attempting to enter Afghanistan via the Hairatan border crossing with Uzbekistan, according to a Taliban source cited by the newspaper on Tuesday. The pair had flown into Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, using British passports, said an unnamed Uzbek source. Uzbekistan has visa-free entry for British passport holders. Uzbek authorities subsequently tipped off the Taliban, who arrested them on the border with more than 10,000 pounds (US$13,550) in cash, military fatigues and night-vision goggles. When they were detained, one was carrying a British passport and the other a passport from another European country, according to the Taliban, although it was not clear if the Afghan source was confused. Both men were reportedly of Afghan heritage. They told border guards that they were visiting family in Jalalabad. Their arrest is the first known case of attempted international recruitment by ISIS since the Taliban seized power last year.
Afghanistan—Video Shows Taliban Fighters Benefiting From U.S. Training Task and Purpose | 02/10/2022 A new video released by the Taliban government in Afghanistan suggests that former Afghan troops with U.S. training are sharing their knowledge with Taliban fighters, reports Task & Purpose. On Feb. 5, the official Bakhtar news agency published a video of Taliban military training, showing fighters with improvised uniforms and equipment on an assault course, maneuvering between fighting positions. The troops involved were from the Sixth Border Brigade of the Al Fatha Army Corps, the news agency said. The video shows individual movement and small-unit tactics, as well as a rapid transition from rifles to pistols, a maneuver not typically employed by regular troops, experts said. Analysts noted that most Afghan males had some exposure to U.S. military training over the last 20 years. The video might also be intended for propaganda purposes rather than a demonstration of widespread Taliban training.
Qatar—Pair Of LCMs Launched In Turkey Naval News | 02/10/2022 A Turkish shipyard has launched two new landing craft for the Qatari navy, reports Naval News. Anadolu Shipyard launched the Broog (QL-40) and Ishat (QL-41) during a ceremony in Istanbul on Feb. 7. Construction on the mechanized landing craft (LCMs) began in July. Delivery is scheduled for August, with the ships to arrive in Qatar in September. The LCMs have a carrying capacity of 130 tons. Each can carry two 60-ton tanks. Qatar ordered the LCMs, a tank landing craft (LCT) and a vehicle and personnel landing craft (LCVP) from Anadolu Shipyard in 2020. The LCT is currently under construction. The Qatari navy has a requirement for three LCTs and three LCMs. Anadolu Shipyard officials said that they were ready to build three more landing craft for the Qatari navy in 2023.
Benin—6 Killed In Ambush In National Park In North Agence France-Presse | 02/10/2022 Six security personnel have been killed in a suspected militant attack in northern Benin, reports Agence France-Presse. On Tuesday, a security patrol was ambushed in W National Park, the African Parks nongovernmental organization (NGO) said on Wednesday. Five rangers and a soldier were killed, and 10 others injured in the assault, the NGO said. The rangers were patrolling the northern limit of the park, which borders Burkina Faso and Niger. There were no immediate claims of responsibility. Militants from the Sahel region have in recent years begun launching attacks farther south, including in Benin.
Uganda—ICJ Orders Government To Pay Reparations To DRC Reuters | 02/10/2022 The International Court of Justice has ordered Uganda to pay US$325 million in reparations to the Democratic Republic of Congo for its role in the conflict there from 1998 to 2003, reports Reuters. On Wednesday, the court ruled that Uganda must make payments of US$65 million annually, starting in September. The ruling found Uganda had violated international law by occupying parts of the DRC's northeastern Ituri province. Uganda argued that it had been invited by the Congolese government, a claim the court rejected. The reparations are intended to compensate surviving family members of those killed, survivors of sexual violence and the state for its economic losses. Congolese officials had sought reparations of up to US$11 billion. On Thursday, the Ugandan government said that it considered the ruling "unfair and wrong."
Haiti—PM Involved In Moise's Assassination, Stalls Investigation Cable News Network | 02/10/2022 A top judge who led the investigation into the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moise has accused Prime Minister Ariel Henry of involvement in the killing, reports CNN. On July 7, a group of armed men assaulted the presidential compound, shooting Moise and his wife. His wife survived with multiple gunshot wounds. Former Haitian anti-corruption official Joseph Felix Badio has been accused of organizing the assassination squad. Badio is currently on the run, although some say he is in hiding under Henry's protection. Judge Carry Orelien initially oversaw the case against those involved in the plot. Last fall, Orelien was heard on a recording stating that Henry was connected to and friends with "the mastermind of the assassination" and was a prime suspect. Moise had named Henry prime minister two days before his assassination, although Henry had not been sworn in at the time. A subsequent power-sharing agreement brought him to the post. In early August, senior Haitian prosecutor Bed-Ford Claude revealed that there had been phone calls between Henry and Badio in the hours before Moise's death and asked Henry to appear for questioning, which he refused. Claude was fired by the prime minister days later. Henry is also believed to have obstructed the investigation on several occasions.
Colombia—2 Killed In Militant Bombing In Meta Department Agence France-Presse | 02/10/2022 A soldier and civilian have been killed in a bombing at a military base in central Colombia, reports Agence France-Presse. On Wednesday, an explosive device attached to a scooter detonated next to a military base in Granada, Meta department, said a local government official. The blast killed a motorcyclist passing by and a soldier who was attempting to prevent the bomber from entering the facility, reported Telesur (Venezuela). Five soldiers were injured. Gen. Antonio Beltran said that the perpetrator attempted to enter the army's 21st Infantry Battalion before detonating the device outside. Their fate was not immediately clear. Beltran blamed the attack on members of a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who reject a 2016 peace deal.
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