Partial Media News & Editorials
Syria, Semptember 8 — Syrian rebel group Fateh al-Sham Front (Al-Nusra Front) reported earlier the chief Abu Omar Sarakeb was killed in Aleppo province. Appears the death was the result of an airstrike but is unclear from which nation.
Al-Nusra Front is a terrorist organization under US State Department’s terrorist organizations list, (05/15/2014).
Read full article at DW.
Kubinka, Russia, September 8 — Russia’s military technology bureau Almaz-Antey Concern has begun work on the fifth-generation medium range surface to air missile system. The new system will have smaller missiles with more efficient propulsion system enabling better endurance capability.
Report also explains the capacity for the launch platform is increased from four to six missiles. The new missile will incorporate newest target acquisition system, have improved anti-jamming capability and higher destruction area. Allegedly twice better overall capability from previous models.
The design bureau works in conjunction with JSC Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design.
Read the full article at TASS.
Russia, September 2 — Political conversation over which nation (US or Russian Federation) liquidated the ISIL terrorist spokesman Muhammad al-Adnani continues.
Apparently US claims its air operation with other coalition forces (excluding Russian Federation) likely liquidated ISIL spokesman Muhammad al-Adnani. Around the same time of US-coalition operations the Russian Federation was conducting its own air strikes in Aleppo province on August 30. Russian Defense Ministry reported via field intelligence that al-Adnani was among deceased, reports TASS.
Regardless which faction scored the terrorist liquidation matters less now as long as the target has indeed been liquidated. What is interesting is that there appears to be a growing enthusiastic fervor in continued liquidations of ISIL command and control chain of command between the two nations.
Read the full article at TASS.
Read US Department of Defense statements regarding bombs (Aug 30).
Ankara, August 30 — In a situation which can be described as “enemy of my enemy is still my enemy” a Turkish offensive operation against Kurdish force positions in Syria is being heavily criticized by US.
US is asking Turkey to remain focused on fighting ISIL/ISIS. Turkey considers Kurdish fighters as “terrorists” (HurrietDailyNews) while the US considers same as “friendlies”, all three consider ISIL/ISIS “terrorist”. It appears based on early reports the two sides have come to a some sort of a ceasefire for the time being.
Read full article at HurriyetDailyNews.
US Navy, August 30 — US Navy’s latest Gerald Ford-class aircraft carrier project under review by Pentagon. Among cited issues are “performance of key systems aboard” reports USNI (via August 23 memo obtained by USNI).
Estimated cost is $12.8 billion according to nationalinterest.org
The article continues listing some of the project related issues citing “Transformation” doctrine of early 2000s under which many latest, bleeding-edge systems were to be used – and unproven.
It is interesting how this particular project review coincides with the fact that Russian 3M22 Zircon anti-ship hypersonic (speeds mach 5-6) missiles are to go into serial production in 2018. Read this as a system of direct threat to entire carrier groups.
These are newest generation of anti-ship missiles as an addition to already vast Russian arsenal. See P-800 Oniks/Yakhont, Brahmos, etc. These are some of the issues to think about.
Read the full article at USNI.
Aleppo, Syria, August 30 — According to Amaq News Agency ISIL/ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani was killed in Syria. al-Adnani was responsible for inciting global violence against non-muslims. DW continues to report al-Adnani was a terrorist propaganda chief also responsible for recruiting new fighters.
Interestingly and [not surprisingly] he was previously imprisoned by US troops during Iraq campaign.
Read the full article at DW.
Read the report at SiteIntelGroup.
West Bank, August 27 — An unarmed Palestinian man, a 38-year-old Eyad Zakaria Hamed died in what appeared to be a charge at an IDF guard post. In following the procedures for “stopping suspicious individual[s]” IDF opened fired killing the man. No IDF soldiers sustained injuries.
An unnamed Palestinian official said the deceased individual “suffered from mental illness and was not found to have any weapons on his person when searched…”, reports Ynetnews.
Read full article at Ynetnews.
Geneva, August 26 — US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov met in Geneva to discuss possible end-of war strategy in Syria. After a ten hour meeting Mr. Kerry said the two nations “achieved clarity on the path forward“.
Nationwide ceasefire technical aspects are still under discussion. Russian and American diplomats are to continue talks in the coming days to collaborate on a key unresolved issues in Syria, reports DW.
Continue reading full article at DW.
Tianjin, August 26 — China’s LM-5 largest carrier rocket (Long March-5) has departed Tianjin Port heading to the launch base in southern Hainan. The rocket is scheduled for maiden flight later this year, reports Xinhuanet.
The large carrier rocket has a payload of 25 tonnes in low orbit and 14 tonnes in geostationary orbit. The rocket is planned to carry Chang’e-5 lunar probe for 2017 and launching various space satellites and Mars probes.
Read the full article at Xinhuanet.
Persian Gulf, August 25 — Three more US Navy ships were harassed by Iranian navy reports USNI. This is on the wake of earlier incident this week also harassment of another US war ship.
One of the ships returned warning shots from heavy caliber machine-guns to discourage Iranian patrol boat from further approach. US Navy is concerned over such dangerous maneuvers by IRGCN vessels stating, “the Iranian high rate of speed approaches towards three Unites States ships operating in international waters in accordance with international law along with multiple bow crossings at short range and the disregard of multiple warning attempts created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation,” said US 5th Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Bill Urban to USNI News.
Read full article at USNI News.