May 22nd Update

SHIP LOCATIONS:

• Ship & Group Locations Checked / Updated (5/22)

SHIP LOGS:

May 12

• FS Tonnerre (LHD): conducts amphibious exercise in Ivory Coast (May 4^th to 12^th)
  

May 15

• FS Mistral (LHD): the 3^rd Marine Artillery Regiment tests the new Caesar mobile artillery system onboard the Mistral and Siroco for future operations
  

May 21

• USS Hawaii (SSN-776): begin WESTPAC deployment (6-month)
  

May 22

• FS CD Gaulle (CVN): french carrier begins airwing integration (Rafale fighter bombers; E2C Hawkeye AWACS; Marine Caiman Helicopters)
  
• SNS P. Asturias (CV): Spanish carrier threatened with mothballing due to budget cuts. Also at risk are 6-Santa Maria class FFG's.
  
• USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70): ETA arrive at homeport on (5/23)
  
• USS Wasp (LHD-1): heading to New York City Fleet Week
  

GROUND UNITS LOGS:

• Ground units locations updated per DOD reports, up to (May 21)
• RUSSIA: Security forces kill warlord and 4-militants in Dagestan
• US 17^th Fires Brigade, 377^th Field Artillery, 1^st Battalion (Air Assualt) (NG-Washington): unit in Asadabad, Afghanistan (KIA Reports)
• US 82^nd Airborne Division, 4^th BCT, 508^th Parachute Regiment, 1^st Battalion: unit at Zharay, Afghanistan (KIA Reports)
• US 214^th Fires Brigade, 168^th Support Battalion (NG-Oklahoma): unit in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan (KIA Reports)

NOTEWORTHY NEWS:

• LEBANON: UN fears 14-month conflict in Syria may spread to Lebanon, warning of a renewed civil war after an anti-Assad cleric was assassinated by soldiers
• NATO: Poland has warned Russia to stop interfering in NATO's missile defense deployment, saying Russia isn't part of NATO and has no say in the matter. NATO states that talks will continue with Russia, but no legal guarantees are being offered.
• NATO: Britain and France sign agreement to form joint military expeditionary force, which will be tested during the CORSICAN LION Exercise (October 17-26), and become operational in 2016 (...exercise added to naval grid)
• NEW ZEALAND: is planning to withdraw it's 145-man contingent from Afghanistan in 2013 instead of 2014 (currently stationed at Bamiyan Province)
• PHILIPPINES: Russia open to the idea of conducting joint anti-terror exercises with the Philippines
• UK: MoD has awarded contracts worth 350 million pounds to UK companies to design the next generation of SSBN submarines, due to be delivered in 2028, replacing the current Vanguard Class SSBN
• US: US Navy commissions it's 6^th San Antonio Class LPD, USS San Diego, on May 19^th.
• YEMEN: Al Qaeda suicide bomber attacks military parade during practice, killing 96