U.S. military leaders will take extra steps to ensure innocent Afghan civilians are not killed or hurt in combat operations, but U.S. forces will retain the means of self-defense, Pentagon officials said June 12. Following a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of U.S and NATO forces…

The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan is limiting airstrikes against houses to self-defense for troops, following a strike last week that killed women and children alongside insurgents, a spokesman for the alliance said June 11. Such airstrikes are now being designated a weapon of last resort to rescue soldiers, cutting back their use. Though airstrikes…

The Danish Acquisition and Logistics Organization announced June 12 at Eurosatory it has awarded AeroVironment a firm fixed-price order of $9.6 million to supply the Danish Armed Forces with the company’s Puma AEâ„¢ small unmanned aircraft systems. AeroVironment was selected following a competitive evaluation. “Allied armed forces are procuring our small unmanned aircraft systems to…

Though a team of U.S. negotiators is returning home after several weeks of discussing reopening ground supply routes in Pakistan, the talks are not mired, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said June 11. In November, Pakistan closed ground routes that had been used to resupply forces in Afghanistan after a NATO airstrike accidentally killed 24…

S.C. military base task force hires coordinator The panel named to help ensure that military bases in South Carolina don’t suffer in a possible new round of defense budget cuts has hired an executive coordinator. The State newspaper reported the South Carolina Military Base Task Force has hired a former commander from Shaw Air Force…

Lockheed Martin signed agreements June 11 with two Turkish companies to collaborate on training solutions for coalition military personnel and the production of PAC-3 Missile single canisters. The partnerships were confirmed at the 31st Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkish Relations in Washington, D.C. In the first agreement, Lockheed Martin expands its collaboration with Havelsan, Inc., to…

Pratt & Whitney and the Italian Air Force celebrated the highly successful Peace Caesar F-16 lease program and supporting Pratt & Whitney F100 Fleet Management Program during the F-16 departure ceremony May 23 at Trapani Air Base, Italy. The Performance Based Logistics program was designed to provide affordable readiness for the Italian Air Force fleet…

The Philippine president comes to the White House seeking assurance of U.S. military help should the Southeast Asian ally face attack by rising power China over their conflicting maritime claims. That’s an awkward question for the U.S. as it seeks to enhance its Asian alliances without alarming Beijing. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III met President…

The Defense Department remains focused on efforts to return the only U.S. service member known to be in Taliban captivity to his family, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby said June 8. Kirby told reporters that freeing Army Sgt. Bowe R. Bergdahl is a constant focus for commanders in Afghanistan. “Every day … there is…