GEO-STRAT: June 23rd Weekly Update

SHIP LOCATIONS:

SHIP LOGS:

June 17

June 18

FS Guepratte (FFG): anti-piracy patrol in Gulf of Aden (June 1-14), heads to Oman afterwards
USNS Mercy (T-AH-19): @ Samar, Philippines
USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19): @ Tokyo, WESTPAC Patrol ENDS, on Friends & Family Cruise

June 19

June 20

FS Mistral (LHD): at Toulon, France, received award “Croix de la Valeur Militaire” for service in the Libya conflict
HMS Daring (DDG) and HMS Triumph (SSN): conducted EX in Arabian Sea
USS Eisenhower (CVN-69): CSG begins EUCOM / CENTCOM Deployment
USS Kearsarge (LHD-3): @ Norfolk, conducting Amphibious Familiarization EX
USS Normandy (CG-60): @ Karlskrona, Sweden

June 21

FS Cmdt L'Herminier (FFG): conducted exercises with Benin (June 11-15)
(FS Tonnerre (LHD) must be returning home, it must have been fully relieved of duty by Herminier since June 1, all Corymbe activities are now being conducted by Herminier)
HMS Diamond (DDG): Visits Gibraltar
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72): visits Jebel Ali, UAE

June 22

HMS St. Albans (FFG): visited Kiel, Germany for one week on (June 17)
USS Makin Island (LHD-8): ARG returns to San Diego, WESTPAC / CENTCOM deployment ends

GROUND UNITS LOGS:

Ground units locations updated per DOD reports, up to (June 15-23)
UK Welsh Guards, 1^st Battalion – Flush insurgents out of Pulpazay, Afghanistan with 90-afghan police on (June 19)
US 2^nd Infantry Division, 3^rd Stryker Brigade – KIA @ Panjwa'l, Afghanistan (June 12)
US 82^nd Airborne Division, 1^st Brigade – KIA @ Spedar, Afghanistan (June 15)
US 82^nd Airborne Division, 4^th Brigade – KIA @ Zharay, Afghanistan (June 18)

NOTEWORTHY NEWS:

June 18

EGYPT: The Muslim Brotherhood claims victory in the Presidential election, but the military council is taking action to solidify it's independence and supremacy
ISRAEL: IDF Armor units appear to be moving closer to Egyptian Sinai border after attack kills several civilians working on border fence
SYRIA: Russia says it's sending a couple warships, one being an LST with Marines, to fortify the port of Tartus and assist in the evacuation of Russians. Meanwhile, rumors abound that Russia, Iran and China are lining up a huge military exercise in Syria, possibly involving a major naval contingent from China and 90,000 troops.

June 19

RUSSIA: Russia denies the LST Kaliningrad was being sent to Syria with marines and equipment (however, the Russian's haven't denied the Ukrainian reports about the LST Nikolai Filchenkov being sent from the Black Sea Fleet with weapons and marines)
SYRIA: Syria denies reports of Russian attack helicopters were being shipped to Syria, or that a major exercise with Russia, China and Iran was in the works.

June 20

IRAN: Iran says it's planning to build 10 new destroyers and frigates this year
1-Mowj-2 Class Destroyer (1,420 tons, more of a Corvette sized ship)
9(?)-Sina Class Frigates
June 21
SYRIA: Russian ship MV Alaed carrying a cargo of overhauled Mil MI-25 helicopter gunships to Syria returns to Murmansk
RUSSIA: Russian president Putin submits a bill to parliament establishing the “Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects in the Defense Industry”, which will fund high-risk advanced technology projects for the military (similar to US's DARPA)

June 22

SYRIA: Syrian air defense forces shoot down a Turkish AF fighter (F-4 Phantom) after it intrudes Syrian airspace in Hatay Province. Eye witnesses report it flying low before heading back out to sea where it was shot down about 8 miles out. Turkish navy and CG ships are searching for the wreck, and the two pilots are missing. The government promises a response once it determines what happened.

June 23

ISRAEL: IDF aircraft strike HAMAS targets in Gaza while rocket teams pound southern Israel after Sinai border attack
SYRIA: It's been confirmed a Russian Buk-M2 (AKA SA-11) was used to shoot down the Turkish F-4 Super Phantom over Latakia

Latakia = Port of Tartus = main Russian Naval Base in the Mediterranean = Turkish Reconn mission to figure out what's going on with reports of ships, Marines and equipment arriving ...but wouldn't satellites do as well? I guess they know SA-11's are on site now.
NO WAIT! Now they're saying it was a Pantsyr-1 that downed the F-4. That's even worse. The US, UK, France and Israel can deal with Pantsyr's, but not Turkey. The Pantsyr would seriously threaten any attempt to achieve air supremacy over Syria, and only very advanced systems can defeat it ...and the Turks don't have it yet. That changes things. Expect the Turks to stall on them spearheading limited action (because only a direct multi-faceted invasion of Syria can ensure Turkish victory now), and attempt to change the momentum to the US doing something, or going full force into the unconventional option, and offering arms and even more support to the FSA. The Turkish endevour to establish a safe zone in N. Syria is over without superior support.

GEO-STRAT