SHIP LOCATIONS:

• Ship & Group Locations Checked / Updated

SHIP LOGS:

April 16

• USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7): US Ambassador to Morocco, along with senior Moroccan army officials and commander of US Africa Command, visit 24^th MEU onboard the Iwo Jima

April 19

• USS Columbus (SSN-762): Port visit @ Yokosuka, Japan (...currently on WESTPAC deployment)

April 23

• USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19): port visit scheduled in Da Nang, Vietnam with escorts USS Chafee (DDG) and Safeguard (Salvage) for 1-week visit

GROUND UNITS:

• Ground units locations updated per DOD reports (4/18)
• 4^th Stryker BCT, 2^nd Infantry Division has been slated to deploy to Afghanistan in Fall, 2012 (...replacing 3^rd Stryker BCT, 2^nd Infantry Division)
• JOINT ANTI-TERROR EXERCISE with Russian Air Assault troops and the US Army will take place at Ft. Carson, CO (May 21-31)

NOTEWORTHY NEWS:
April 14

• AFGHANISTAN: France turns over Camp Nijrab to the Afghan Army

April 18

• US Navy test fires a Raytheon Griffin-B guided missile from a RAM launcher, was guided via GPS and Laser, and struck a static target 3km down range

April 19

• INDIA: successfully tests Agni-V Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
• SUDAN: President Bashir of Sudan threatens to teach S. Sudan a “...final lesson by force” and overthrow their government, meanwhile each country claims to be in the midst of a successful offensive versus the other. Sudan claims it's army is in Heglig and is on the verge of freeing it from S. Sudan, and S. Sudan, along with their Darfur J.E.M. allies, claim to be encircling the main Sudanese army base at al-Kharsana, in Kordofan, Sudan. Sudan used it's An-24 transports as bombers, striking a UN refugee camp in S. Sudan. S. Sudan was able to shoot down a Sudanese MIG-29 with it's new air defense systems.
• USS Chicago (SSN) forward deploys to Navy Base Guam, replacing USS Houston (SSN)