February 23 Weekly Update

SHIP LOGS & OPERATIONS Ship & Group Locations Checked & Updated (February 17 to February 23)

CHINA NONE FRANCE NONE RUSSIA BLACK SEA FLEET (Feb 23) Russia announces plans to re-arm the Fleet once negotiations are concluded with Ukraine (RIA Novosti ) RUSSIAN TASK FORCE TO SYRIA (Feb 18) Task Force Assault ships sent to Syria for possible evacuation of Russian citizens ...ORBAT updated (Rusnavy ) RFS Severomorsk TF (Feb 21) @ Gulf of Aden, participating in NATO Anti-Piracy EX with Italy (Rusnavy ) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Argyll (Frigate) (Feb 18) @ Atlantic, begins Atlantic patrol (Royal Navy ) HMS Bulwark (LPD) (Feb 18) @ Atlantic, begin 5-week FOST training (Royal Navy ) HMS Dauntless (Destroyer) (Feb 22-26) @ Newcastle, UK HMS Illustrious (Carrier) (Feb 18) @ Atlantic, leaves Liverpool, resume training (Royal Navy ) HMS Northumberland (Frigate) (Feb 20) @ Bahrain (Royal Navy ) UNITED STATES USS BH Richard ARG-Forward (Feb 17) @ Gulf of Thailand, Non-Combatant Evacuation EX (US Navy ) (Feb 14) @ Gulf of Thailand, Amphibious Assault EX (US Navy ) USS Eisenhower CSG (Feb 21) @ Atlantic, Deploys to EUCOM / CENTCOM (Daily Press ) USS Freedom (LCS-1) (Feb 21) @ Fort Meade, MD, LCS Council declares Freedom will deploy March 1, and be forward deployed to Singapore (US Navy ) USS Kearsarge ARG (Feb 17) @ Atlantic, complete COMPTUEX (US Navy ) USS Nimitz CSG (Escorts) (Feb 20) @ Andaman Sea USS Vinson (CVN-70) (Feb 17-18) @ Pacific, On-loading weapons (US Navy ) USS Wasp (LHD-1) REGIONAL / OTHER – NAVAL LOGS NONE

GROUND UNITS, CONFLICTS & OPERATIONS LOGS US Ground units logs updated per DOD reports, up to (February 17 to February 23)(DOD News Releases ) France, UK, Russia, China Army logs updated per various news releases and open sources

AFRICA MALI (Feb 21) @ Kidal, Islamist carbomb strikes airport fuel depot, 1-killed; @ Gao, Islamists stage several ambushes, 15-rebels killed (Defense Ministry ) (Feb 20) @ Adrar, French troops and Tiger attack helos pursue rebels, kill 12 (Feb 19) @ Adrar, Islamists ambush French para-commandos, artillery counter-fire and airstrike eliminate 2-MG nests and 20-rebels AMERICAS USA – AFRICOM (Feb 22) US announces 100-300 troops and 2-Raptor UAV will deploy to Niger in support of French operations in Mali (RIA Novosti ) ASIA / MIDDLE-EAST SYRIA (Feb 19) Syrian Army pulls units from Golan border to Damascus, abandons border to Islamist rebel units EUROPE NONE

MAPPING UPDATES

NONE

February 16th Weekly Update

SHIP LOGS & OPERATIONS Ship & Group Locations Checked & Updated (February 10 to February 16)

CHINA PLAN (Feb 15) PLAN flotilla returns to port after training in S. China Sea FRANCE FS Surcouf (Frigate) (Feb 4-7) @ Seychelles, Conduct joint training with Seychelles special forces on anti-pirate ship boarding (Defense Ministry ) FS Tonnerre (LHD) (Feb 5-7) @ Mediterranean, SPARTAN Amphibious Group training, preparing for upcoming Jean de Arc deployment (Defense Ministry ) RUSSIA RUSSIAN TASK FORCE TO SYRIA (Feb 9) @ Novorossiysk, LST Kaliningrad and A. Shabalin offloading Marines and air assault troops, completed delivering equipment to Tartus, Syria during Naval Ex, returning to Baltisk (Rusnavy.com ) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Bulwark (LPD) (Feb 12) @ Atlantic, SW coast, UK, Amphibious EX HMS Dauntless (Destroyer) (Feb 12) @ Atlantic, en-route to Newcastle, training with 702 NAS (Royal Navy ) HMS Defender (Destroyer) (Mar 21) @ Portsmouth, UK, Commisioning (Feb 15-18) @ Northumbria Quay, UK HMS Illustrious (Carrier) (Feb 14-18) @ Liverpool, UK HMS Montrose (Frigate) (Feb 13) @ Atlantic off Devon, UK, in 3rd week of BOST 8-week training, preparing for deployment this year (Royal Navy ) HMS Somerset (Frigate) (Feb 12) @ Plymouth Sound, training with 814 NAS (Royal Navy ) UNITED STATES USS Albuquerque (SSN-706) (Feb 13) @ Yokosuka, Japan, currently on WESTPAC deployment (US Navy ) USS BH Richard ARG-Forward (Feb 10) @ Gulf of Thailand, Exercise COBRA GOLD 2013 (US Navy ) USS Boxer (ESG-3) (Feb 4-15) @ off San Clemente Island, host IRON FIST 2013 with 13th MEU and Japanese troops, raid island (US Navy ) USS Gary (FFG-51) (Feb 10) @ Casco Antiguo, Panama (US Navy ) USS Nimitz CSG (Feb 11) @ Everett, WA, CSG-11 Change of Command ceremony (US Navy ) USS Roosevelt (CVN-71) (Feb 13) Overhaul completion could be delayed by budget cuts (Daily Press ) (Feb 10) Begin onloading JP-5 aviation fuel (US Navy ) USS Stennis CSG (Feb 1) @ Jebel Ali, Dubai, 4-day visit (US Navy ) USS Vinson (CVN-70) (Feb 11) @ Pacific, begin carrier qualifications (US Navy ) USS Wasp (LHD-1) (Feb 11) @ Norfolk, VA, preparing for Afloat Training Group light off assessment for it main boilers in April (US Navy ) REGIONAL / OTHER – NAVAL LOGS None Noted

GROUND UNITS, CONFLICTS & OPERATIONS LOGS US Ground units logs updated per DOD reports, up to (February 10 to February 16)(DOD News Releases ) France, UK, Russia, China Army logs updated per various news releases and open sources

AFRICA MALI (Feb 15) Mali plans to hold presidential elections July 7th (Yahoo ) (Feb 13) Islamist groups begin using guerrilla insurgency tactics against French and AU forces (STRATFOR) (Feb 11) @ Gao, Mali troops hunt Islamist militants in house-to-house running battles (BBC ) (Feb 9) @ Tessalit, French Combat Engineers airdrop in, begin rehabilitation of the airstrip (Defense Ministry ) AMERICAS USA – PACOM / WESTPAC – JAPAN (Feb 10) @ Thailand, BHR-ARG an MV Cpt. SL Bennett (T-AK-4296) in COBRA GOLD 2013 EX (US Navy ) (US Navy ) ASIA / MIDDLE-EAST AFGHANISTAN (Feb 15) US Army may have to extend deployments due to lack of trained replacement brigades after budget cut (Yaoo ) (Feb 12) UK announces HERRICK-18 units to deploy ...ORBAT updated (UK Gov ) KOREA (Feb 12) NK tests small nuclear device (Fox News ) PACIFIC RIM – E. CHINA SEA (Feb 15) PLAN flotilla returns to port after training in S. China Sea SYRIA (Feb 11) Syrian rebels seize the Tabqa Dam on the Euphrates River, which supplies power to Aleppo (BBC ) EUROPE NO UPDATES

MAPPING UPDATES

NO UPDATES

February 9th Weekly Update

SHIP LOGS & OPERATIONS

Ship & Group Locations Checked & Updated (February 3 to February 9)

CHINA

PLAN ?

• (Jan 30) PLAN-FFG targeted Japanese escort “Yuudachi”, Tokyo files formal protest with Beijing (BBC )

FRANCE

FS Aquitaine (FFG)

• (Feb 4) @ Levant Island testing range, New FREMM class frigate tested Astor-15 missile in Mediterranean (Defense Ministry )

FS Ch. Paul (DDG)

• (Feb 6) @ Gulf of Oman with USS Stennis CSG (Defense Ministry )

RUSSIA

RUSSIAN PACIFIC FLEET – KURIL ISLANDS NAVAL EXERCISE

• (Feb 5) Russian Pacific Fleet exercise including ships, fighters, artillery and border units (Rusnavy )

RFS Severomorsk TF

• (Feb 8) @ Bab el Mandeb Strait, escorting RFS Vitus Bering (Ice Breaker)
• (Feb 4) @ Gulf of Aden, begin anti-piracy patrol

UNITED KINGDOM

HMS Illustrious (CV)

• (Feb 14-18) @ Liverpool, UK
• (Feb 5) @ Atlantic, begin flight training, on-call for surge deployments
• (Feb 4) @ Portsmouth, UK for maintenance (Royal Navy )

HMS Monmouth (FFG)

• (Feb 4) @ Doha, Qatar, NATO dignitaries visit ship (Royal Navy )

HMS Queen Elizabeth (CV)

• (Feb 7) The Forward Island (Bridge) being delivered for installation

UNITED STATES

USS Barry (DDG-52)

• (Feb 7) @ Atlantic, Deploy to 6^th Fleet for ABM Duty (US Navy )

USS BH Richard ARG-Forward

• (Feb 6) @ Sasebo, Japan, USS Denver (LPD-9) conducts mass casualty drill
• (Feb 5) ARG in Philippine Sea

USS Boxer (ESG-3)

• (Feb 4) depart San Diego for underway period

USS Gary (FFG-51)

• (Feb 3) Executive Officer relieved of command ...currently deployed to 4^th Fleet (US Navy )

USS Higgins (DDG-76)

• (Feb 5) @ Koror, Palau

USS A. Lincoln (CVN-72)

• (Feb 8) @ Norfolk, RCOH Maintenance delayed due to lack of funding (US Navy )

USS Mahan (DDG-72)

• (Jan 28) @ Haifa, Israel ...currently deployed to 6^th Fleet (US Navy )

USS Nicholas (FFG)

• (Feb 4) @ Souda Bay, Greece ...currently on 6^th Fleet deployment

USS Nimitz CSG (Escorts)

• (Feb 5) Escorts @ Subic Bay, Philippines

USS Truman CSG

• (Feb 6) Sec of Defense delays Truman deployment due to budget constraints, CSG remains on standby, ORBAT updated (US Navy )
• (Feb 3) @ Norfolk, completed COMPTUEX (US Navy )

USS Vinson (CVN-70)

• (Feb 3) @ Pacific, PIA Maintenance Period Officially ends (US Navy )

USS Washington (CVN-73)

• (Feb 5) @ Yokosuka, international strategists visit ship

USS Wasp (LHD-1)

• (Feb 4) @ Norfolk conducting CMAV Maintenance

REGIONAL / OTHER – NAVAL LOGS

None Noted

GROUND UNITS, CONFLICTS & OPERATIONS LOGS

US Ground units logs updated per DOD reports, up to (February 3 to February 9)(DOD News Releases )

France, UK, Russia, China Army logs updated per various news releases and open sources

AFRICA

MALI

(Feb 8) French SOF, armor and Chadian troops assault Tessalit (Defense Ministry )

(Feb 5) French Defense Minster visiting, reviews Emergency Military Plan “Cheetah” used to rapidly deploy to Mali, meets troops being assigned to retrain and reorganize Mali's military (Defense Ministry )

(Feb 4) UPDATE... (Defense Ministry )

• French and African forces reinforce Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal
• French AF continue bombing rebel targets north of Kidal, and near Aguelhok & Tessalit

TUNISIA (ARAB SPRING)

• (Feb 7) Opposition leader killed, protests erupt in Gafsa, PM plans to form new technocratic cabinet (BBC )

AMERICAS

USA

• (Feb 7) NORAD exercise FALCON VIRGO 13-05

USA – CENTCOM

• (Feb 6) US media reveal CIA operating drone base in Saudi Arabia for targeted strikes in Yemen (BBC )

USA – PACOM / WESTPAC – JAPAN

• (Feb 5) @ Yokosuka, USS Antietam (CG-54) replaces Cowpens in hull-swap ceremony

ASIA / MIDDLE-EAST

AFGHANISTAN

• (Feb 7) UK Defense Sec. Visits Helmand Province for 2-days (GOV.UK )
• (Feb 7) US 1^st Infantry Division, 4^th Brigade – begin returning home
• (Jan 11) US 10^th Mountain Division – Deployment Ceremony @ Ft. Drum, NY

PACIFIC RIM – KURIL ISLANDS / NORTHERN TERRITORIES

• (Feb 7) Russian SU-27's violate Japanese airspace, Japan scrambles fighters (BBC )
• (Feb 6) Russia launches probe into media reports that their Kuril garrison were fed rotten food and left to starve (RIA Novosti )
• (Feb 5) Russian Pacific Fleet exercise including ships, fighters, artillery and border units (RIA Novosti )

PACIFIC RIM – E. CHINA SEA

• (Jan 30) PLAN-FFG targeted Japanese escort “Yuudachi”, Tokyo files formal protest with Beijing (BBC )

EUROPE

GAELIC VENTURE 2013

• Franco-British Joint Exercise (Defense Ministry )
• (Jan 31 – Feb 1)
• FRANCE – 2^nd Marine Infantry Regiment
• UK – 42 Commando, Royal Marines

KOSOVO

• (Feb 4) US Adm. Clingan (NATO-JFC, Naples) visits NATO forces in Kosovo (Defense Ministry )

UK – FALKLANDS ISLANDS

• (Feb 5) Argentina says Islands will be theirs in 20-years (Guardian )

February 2nd Weekly Update

SHIP LOGS & OPERATIONS:

Ship & Group Locations Checked & Updated (January 27 to February 2)

SHIP LOGS:

GABIAN EX 2013 (Defense Ministry )

• (Jan 28 – Feb 1, 2013)
• NATO French / Italian Naval Exercise in Mediterranean
• Participating Units...
  • DDG – FS Jean de Vienne
  • DDG – FS Jean Bart
  • FFG – FS La Fayette
  • FFG – FS C. Birot
  • FFG – FS EV Jacoubet
  • FFG – ITS Libeccio
  • MCM – FS Lyre
  • MCM – FS Orion
  • MCM – FS Pluton
  • Supply – FS Meuse

FS Chevalier Paul (DDG)

• (Jan 28) @ Arabian Gulf, Escort USS Stennis
• (Jan 23-28) @ Abu Dhabi, UAE, visited by UAE Chief of Staff (Defense Ministry )

FS Dixmude (LHD)

• (Jan 28) @ Dakar, Senegal, offload GTIA-2 for Mali deployment

HMS Dauntless (DDG)

• (Feb 8-11) Visiting Great Yarmouth, UK (Royal Navy )

INS Vikramaditya (CV)

• (Feb 1) Engine repairs completed (RIA Novosti )

PLAN (N. Fleet)

• (Feb 2) 3-warships deploy to patrol S. China Sea (ABS-CBN News )

RUSSIAN TASK FORCE TO SYRIA

• (Jan 31) @ Limosal, Cyprus, Naval EX in Mediterranean and Black Sea ends (Rusnavy )

RFS Vladivostok

• (Feb 1) Commander of Russian Navy attends keel laying ceremony in France (RIA Novosti )

USS BH Richard ARG-Forward

• (Jan 30) @ E. China Sea, LSD-Tortuga & 31^st MEU completes AIT (US Navy ); BHR departs Okinawa (US Navy )
• (Jan 27) @ Okinawa, US Consul General visits crew of BHR (US Navy )

USS Boxer (ESG-3)

• (Jan 28) @ San Diego, begin EXER DAWN BLITZ 2013 with 1^st Marine Exped. Brigade (US Navy )

USS Cheyenne (SSN-773)

• (Feb 1) @ Subic Bay, Philippines (US Navy )

USS Kearsarge ARG

• (Jan 28) @ Atlantic, ARG begins COMPTUEX (US Navy )(US Navy )(US Navy ) ...EST Deployment in March, 2013

USS La Jolla (SSN-701)

• (Jan 25) @ Pearl Harbor, HA, deployment ends

USS Olympia (SSN-717)

• (Feb 2) @ Singapore (US Navy )

USS San Francisco (SSN-771)

• (Feb 1) Participating in SK naval drill (IB Times )
• (Jan 31) @ Changwon, SK ...currently on WESTPAC patrol

USS Shiloh (CG-67)

• (Jan 30) @ Busan, SK for AEGIS Interoperability training for joint USA / ROK forces

USS Stennis CSG

• (Jan 23-24) @ Arabian Gulf, US Ambassador, Italian and French Ambassador to Bahrain visits (US Navy )

GROUND UNITS LOGS & OPERATIONS:

US Ground units logs updated per DOD reports, up to (January 27 to February 2) (DOD News Releases )

France, UK, Russia, China Army logs updated per various news releases and open sources

LOG UPDATES:

AFGHANISTAN

• (Jan 31) III CORP-HQ – DEPLOYING in Spring'13
• (Feb 1) 3^rd Infantry Division, 4^th Brigade – DEPLOYING this February for 9-months
• (Jan 31) 10^th Mountain Division, 10^th CAB – DEPLOYING this Spring (WWNYTV )

EGYPT – NEWS

• (Jan 29) Army Chief warns of collapse of the state due to crisis (BBC )

IRAN (Arab-Israeli Conflict)

• (Jan 30 – Feb 2) FATH 91 EX begins testing IRGC-Marines, AAA, Naval patrol and missile units in Persian Gulf (RIA Novosti )
• (Jan 29) Fordo Nuclear Facility said crippled by explosions and fire (YNET )
• (Jan 27) Kissinger says nuclear crisis with Iran coming (BBC )

KOSOVO

• (Jan 31) NATO Secretary says situation improved in 2012, but issues in N. still need to be resolved, planning to turn Serb heritage sites over to Kosovo police, no plans to reduce troop strength (6,000) (B92 )

LEBANON (Arab-Israeli Conflict)

• (Jan'13) IDF-Navy intercepts ship containing advanced weapons (including anti-aircraft missiles) enroute to Lebanon (WND )

MALI

(Feb 2) @ Timbuktu, French President Hollande visits (Yahoo )

(Jan 31) UPDATE... (Defense Ministry )

• @ Timbuktu, Airport repairs completed
• @ Gao, 2-battalions from Niger and Mali arrive
• Logistics convoys from Bamako to Gao are secure and active

(Jan 30) UPDATE... (Defense Ministry )

• French forces capture Kidal in overnight air assault (BBC )
• French air strikes continue north of Kidal
• Togolese troops patrol San and Mopti
• Burkina Faso troops controlling Markala bridge

(Jan 29) UPDATE... (Defense Ministry )

• UK preparing to deploy 330-troops to Mali Operation to train Mali army (BBC )
• French 17^th Engineering Regiment parachute in, clears and reactivates the Timbuktu airport
• Nigerian battalion takes up positions in Ansongo

(Jan 28) UPDATE... (BBC )(Defense Ministry )(Defense Ministry )

• French (3^rd Parachute Regiment and 21^st Marine Infantry Regiment) and Mali troops capture Timbuktu, regain control of main road from Niger to Gao and Timbuktu
• FS Dixmude (LHD) offloads GTIA-2, 1^st Marine Infantry and 92^nd Infantry Regiment equipment at Dakar, Senegal

RUSSIA – ARMENIA

• (Feb 1) Russia and Armenia in talks to establish joint defense enterprises under the CSTO (RIA Novosti )

RUSSIA – KAZAKHSTAN

• (Jan 30) Russia and Kazakhstan sign military agreement to create joint regional air defense system (RIA Novosti )

S. CHINA SEA

• (Feb 2) China deploys 3-warships to patrol Spratleys (ABS-CBN News )
• (Feb 2) Taiwan installs telecom system on Taiping for it's Coast Guard post (GMA Network )

SYRIA (Arab-Israeli Conflict / Arab Spring)

• (Jan 30) IDF-AF jets bomb unknown targets on Lebanese-Syrian border (Israel Today ); rumored convoy of missiles and weapons transferring to Hezbollah units in Lebanon (Debka )
• (Jan 28) Syria says civil war would be won in 2-weeks if foreign support was halted (RIA Novosti )
• (Jan 27) Israel warns of possible preemptive strike on Syrian chemical weapons (CBS )
• (Jan 25) Convoy in Syrian Golan blown up, Iranian and Hezbollah personnel killed (Debka )

UK – FALKLANDS ISLANDS

• (Feb 1) Argentina pulls out of talks over Falklands Islands when UK insists Islanders representatives participate (Telegraph )

USA – AFRICOM

• (Jan 28) US planning to set up drone base in Africa, possibly Niger (FOX News )