12/16/2014: Chinese Harbin Z-9E helicopter practices landing aboard the U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104). Sterett and ships from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (Navy) PLA(N) commenced a bilateral counter-piracy exercise, U.S.-China Counter-Piracy Exercise 15, in the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa. Aiming to promote…
11/01/2014: Directed by NATO Maritime Command at Northwood, UK, this multinational exercise in the Mediterranean brings together no fewer than 23 vessels and some 5,000 personnel from 14 different NATO and partners nations. Headed by the Spanish flagship Castilla, warships, submarines, combat aircraft, helicopters and amphibious assault craft are training…
10/24/2014: ARABIAN GULF (Oct. 18, 2014) The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) relieves USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in the Arabian Gulf. George H.W. Bush will soon depart the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility for its homeport at Norfolk, Va., and Carl Vinson will take over…
10/01/2014: Night vision footage of a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer during strike operations in Syria Sept. 27, 2014. Credit: U.S. Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs: 9/27/14
09/28/2014: KC-135 Stratotanker refuels F-18s prior to strike operations in Syria Sept 23, 2014. These aircraft were part of the second coalition strike package to strike ISIL targets in Syria. Credit: U.S. Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs:9/23/14
2012-12-13 by Robbin Laird President Obama has declared the Syrian preparation for possible use of chemical weapons a “red line” and the NATO alliance has responded also along these lines. A “red line” should mean something when it has been crossed and if you declare a “red line” to someone…
12/08/2012: Dutch, German and American service members manning the Patriot Missile System. And such capability can provide NATO with means to provide for extended defense, for example in the aid of Turkey against threats from Syria. The Netherlands has been a donor of Patriot missiles to NATO ally Turkey in…
2012-09-05 By Richard Weitz Despite the widespread civil disorders that began in Syria in March 2011, the Iraqi government has pressed on with its policy of rapprochement with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Al-Maliki initially refrained from taking a position on the violence in Syria, saying only that Iraqis want…
