The Defense Department‘s National Guard bureau has determined that 10 Homeland Response Force units are mission-ready for HRF operations when called upon.

The Government Accountability Office said in a post released Tuesday the National Guard team performed an evaluation of necessary tasks and actions as well as DoD’s Defense Readiness Reporting System as a primary measure of readiness status and HRF capacity.

GAO said DoD has made progress in incorporating the HRF into the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear Response Enterprise through updates on plans, guidance and exercises.

HRF Commanders told GAO that the additional personnel can help mitigate personnel loss through turnover and other deployment factors including medical and personal factors.

The U.S. Marine Corps will redesignate a Yuma, Arizona-based squadron as marine fighter attack squadron 211 on June 30 as the unit transitions from AV-8B Harrier aircraft to Lockheed Martin-built F-35B fighter jets, DoD Buzz reported Tuesday.

Hope Hodge Seck writes the redesignation of VMA 211 squadron comes after it accepted the first two F-35Bs on May 9 and as the service branch prepares to field the first operational unit of the fighter jets – VMFA-121 – to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan in January.

VMA 211 will become the second squadron to operate the fighter jets, which achieved initial operating capability in July 2015.

Lt. Col. Chad Vaughn is also scheduled Thursday to succeed Lt. Col. William Maples as commanding officer of the squadron, Seck reports.

The service branch will eventually replace the Harrier, EA-6B Prowler and F/A-18 Hornet jets with the F-35 aircraft, according to the report.

Marine Corps officials told DoD Buzz that the Prowler is scheduled to retire in 2016, followed by the Harrier in 2026 and Hornet and Super Hornet jets by 2030s.

The FBI and the State Department are helping to lead a global law enforcement forum on diamond trafficking, illegal trade and threat financing which will run until Thursday.

The FBI said Tuesday the Europol-hosted forum will focus on the use of diamonds for trade-based money laundering, crime financing and other illegal purposes.

“Europol is interested in this topic from several angles – robbery crimes, money laundering, and terrorist financing activities – due to the high value and portability of diamonds,” said Wil van Gemert, Europol deputy director.

“Precious stones and gold are still readily liquid and moveable assets that can be easily traded and transported over borders.”

The three-day event is co-sponsored by the World Customs Organization and will bring together senior law enforcement and customs officials; regulatory bodies; and anti-money laundering and private sector experts, the FBI added.

Stephen Richardson, FBI assistant director for the criminal investigative division, said the forum aims to support cooperation and information sharing among global law enforcement partners to address illegal trade that funds criminal activity.

The forum looks to facilitate law enforcement partnerships to help identify, dismantle and disrupt criminal networks associated with the illicit diamond trade, FBI noted.

Service members from the 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing led the first off-station deployment exercise of seven Lockheed Martin-built F-35A Lightning II units that works to meet initial operational capability targets within the year.

The U.S. Air Force said Monday the fighter aircraft were tested at Mountain Home Air Force Base to observe their capacity in close air support, aerial interdiction, limited suppression and destruction of enemy aircraft.

Lockheed also provided the aircraft’s information technology infrastructure – the Autonomous Logistics Information System — as well as mission systems software, spare parts and logistics services to support the deployments.

A quality assurance team from the U.S. Army‘s Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center has inspected AH-64 Apache attack helicopters South Korea purchased through a foreign military sales deal with the U.S. government.

The center performs QA tests to help ensure that domestically made systems or services sold to international defense customers meet the same quality standards required for the U.S. military, the Army said Monday.

AMRDEC collaborates with the Army’s Security Assistance Command, Aviation and Missile Command Security Assistance Management Directorate, Program Executive Office Aviation, Joint Munitions Command,  Apache Attack Helicopter Project Office and industry partners to conduct aircraft inspections.

Boeing is the manufacturer of Apache helicopters.

Paul Anderson, chief of the Army’s aviation systems quality branch, said that U.S. government flight representatives are the designated approving authority for contractor flights, procedures and crews.

“They ensure contractor compliance and act as the government insurance agent by assuming some of the risk of loss for aircraft,” Anderson added.