Terrorism

A U.S. air strike near Mosul on Thursday (Sept. 18, 2014) killed 40 Islamic State militants near a terrorist training camp, according to a senior Defense Department official. The attack involved a single B-1 bomber. Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, fell to militants in June.

A challenge-based acquisition project was aimed at denying enemy access to implant improvised explosive devices in road culverts.

On the night of September 14, 2019, several attacks rocked two strategic infrastructure sites in Saudi Arabia. One target was a large oil field at Khurais, recently developed by the Saudi national oil company Aramco. The second is the company’s main processing center and one of the world’s largest oil refineries at Buqayq, 200 km northeast of Khurais.

Launched from camouflaged truck mounted containers, Fateh 110 ballistic guided missiles could strike most of the relevant targets in Israel, the Lebanese Daily Star reports.

The first part of a four part series covering the air campaign in Syria and Iraq.

As it seems, Egypt is already involved in a “full-fledged war” against Islamist groups. President al-Sisi enhanced his anti-terrorism narrative to enforce brutal crackdowns on the Muslim Brotherhood opposition. The Egyptian government actually declared the group a terrorist organization earlier this year -- but Egypt is still facing an escalation of extremist activity.

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza escalated today to new levels, with each sides launching over hundred attacks at the other. For the first time, a Hamas naval commando team manage to reach land north of Gaza but eliminated soon after without reaching its target.

As the Western US lead coalition allies are dragging their feet trying to curb ISIS operations in the Middle East, it seems that the coveted "boots on the ground" could eventually come from the east - where China faces a growing ISIS-inspired subversive activity in the strategic Xinjiang province.

Portable, hand-held explosive detectors are extending security measures in areas beyond the ‘sterile zones’ defined by rigid gateways and inspection lines, enabling the routine inspection of employees, suppliers and cargo over large operational areas such as airports, container farms, industrial facilities and highways. Unveiled this week at Milipol 2015, Israel's explosive detection specialist, Laser Detect Systems, outlines how these new sensors, deployed to roadblocks and patrols, can cast an intelligence network able to track the ‘evolution of bombs’ and disrupt the stockpiling of precursory materials, thus preventing their transformation into devastating car bombs.

Terrorists have long exploited the Internet as a means to try and attract recruits to their cause. During the attack on Mumbai in November 2008 the terrorists made extensive use of mobile phones they picked up from those they had killed to look at how the events were being portrayed by the international media. It became a way of emboldening them to continue the fight over the sixty-two hours it lasted. Those involved knew through social media they were having a dramatic impact on the world stage.

Recent reports from Iraq and Syria indicate that Jihadis are increasing the use of drone attacks after exploring the use of drone weapons for several years. A recent attack employed a small surveillance drone, rigged with a bomb to become a booby trap. The attack killed two Kurdish fighters and badly wounded two French special forces.

As robots are assuming part of the roles performed by human operators, particularly in dangerous missions, it is obvious they will be used in subterranean environments. However, denied the basic attributes necessary for its operation - navigation, guidance and communications - most military robot are still awaiting some technological solutions when tasked with missions underground

Defense-Update looks at the new generation of ultra stealthy, off-road bikes designed specifically for special ops

The U.S. military is launching 'Operation Jade Helm 15' today, a large scale exercise taking place over several states. The Special Operations Command (USASOC) will supply the vast majority of the roughly 1,200 personnel participating in the joint exercise, along with units from the Navy, Marines and the Air Force. The exercise will span over two months, from July 15 through September 15.