GEO-STRAT: June 8th Update

SHIP LOCATIONS:

SHIP LOGS:

June 4

FS Cmdt Herminier (FFG) @ Ivory Coast, conducted exfiltration exercise
USS America (LHA-6): America was launched, being outfit for commissioning, Sea Trials begin soon
USS Peleliu (LHA-5): assists the Coast guard with the medical evacuation of a merchant marine sailor from the Horizon Spirit, currently conducting Amphibious Squadron Integration Training for upcoming deployment (...ARG composition updated)

June 5

June 6

FS Mistral (LHD): conducts amphibious planning exercise with 9^th Marine Infantry Brigade (May 28 to June 1st), and testing interoperability with UK 3 Commando, Royal Marines; Exercise is part of the training and development of a joint French-UK Expeditionary Force that will become active in November, 2012, and be tested in October, 2012 during the Corsican Lion 2012 exercise.
HMS Argyll (FFG): celebrates it's 21^st anniversary as oldest Type-23 FFG in the Royal Navy; planning to be On-Call this summer, in August to undergo FOST, and deploy to S. Atlantic in fall
USS Annapolis (SSN-760): visits Souda Bay, Crete
June 7
HMS Ocean (LHA): Family Day off Plymouth, UK
RS Yuri Dolgoruky (Project 955 Borei SSBN): takes to sea performing checks, planning to test Bulava ICBM and be commissioned this year
June 8
HMS Dauntless (DDG): visited Sassandra, Ivory Coast
INS Vikramaditya (CV): begins sea trials in White Sea, planned to take 4-months

GROUND UNITS LOGS:

Ground units locations updated per DOD reports, up to (June 8)
France Task Force La Fayette – in Afghanistan, conducted “HUNTING SPEAR 7” security sweep with 3^rd Brigade, Afghan Army, in Tagab Valley
France 3^rd Marine Infantry Regiment – in CHAD conduct urban warfare training with unit of Chadian troops
UK Royal Welsh Regiment, 1^st Battalion – KIA @ Observation Post 'Tir”, Nahr-e Saraj, Afghanistan
UK Yorkshire Regiment, 3^rd Battalion – KIA @ Helmand Province, Afghanistan
US 1^st Marine Division, 5^th Regiment, 2^nd Battalion – KIA @ Helmand Province, Afghanistan
US 2^nd Infantry Division, 2^nd Stryker Brigade, 23^rd Infantry Regiment, 4^th Battalion – KIA @ Maiwand, Afghanistan
US 25^th Infantry Division, 4^th Brigade, 40^th Cavalry Regiment, 1^st Squadron – KIA @ FOB Salerno, Afghanistan

NOTEWORTHY NEWS:

AZERBAIJAN: An Azeri commando group was spotted and engaged by Armenian border forces as they attempted to cross into Nagorno-Karabakh. The two sides have been staging cross border raids on each other for the past couple days. Russia has assets on both sides and has been mediating the conflict for nearly 20 years. Azeri Army later says their units are “ready to flush Armenians out of Karabakh”
RUSSIA: Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin says they have no plans to develope and purchase a 5^th Gen strategic bomber for Russia's AF, citing the current state of air defense systems and stating “...these aircraft will not get anywhere. Not ours, not theirs...”, and prefers the modernization of current airframes. However, Chief of the Russian General Staff Gen. Makarov says the development will continue unabated, and the planned deployment date of 2025 continues on schedule.
SYRIA: France condemns a Syrian Army incursion into Lebanon near Arsal on June 7; Lebanese Army units deploy to Arsal to guard and stabilize it.

UK: Defense Secretary says the Army may loose 20,000 personnel by 2020, forcing it to merge units and rely more on reservists and contractors
USA: USAF panel approves a document articulating the need for a replacement for the Minuteman III ICBM, and eyes cooperation with the Navy
USA: US Army identifies units for the next OEF rotation into Afghanistan
1^st Infantry Division, 4^th Brigade (Late Spring, 2012)
3^rd Infantry Division, Combat Aviation Brigade (Winter, 2012)
101^st Airborne Division, 3^rd Brigade (Fall, 2012)
101^st Airborne Division, Combat Aviation Brigade (Fall, 2012)

GEO-STRAT