Military Intel

[JK]

FWIW -

A former Navy Intel Officer, Skip Leonard, provides me with a daily post that addresses real time miliary issues. Wondering if MOA members would be interested in its details?

J.K.

+++++++++++++

Here's Friday's example:

Item Number:1 Date: 03/14/2008 AUSTRALIA - ARTILLERY TROOPS TO FACE COMBAT IN AFGHANISTAN (MAR 14/AUSTRALIAN) THE AUSTRALIAN -- Artillerymen from Australia are scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan for their first combat operations since the Vietnam War, reports the Australian. Fifteen gunners from the 8/12 Medium Regiment, based at Darwin, will serve with British artilleryman from the Royal Horse Artillery in Afghanistan's Helmand province as part of an exchange program. The combined artillery teams will operate British 105-mm L118 light guns, which are similar to the Australian Hamel gun. The Australians are completing six months of preparatory training in the U.K.

Item Number:2 Date: 03/14/2008 CANADA - CONDITIONAL AFGHANISTAN MANDATE EXTENDED THROUGH 2011 (MAR 14/GAM) GLOBE AND MAIL -- The Canadian parliament voted to keep troops in Afghanistan's Kandahar province until December 2011, if allies provide reinforcement, the Globe and Mail (Toronto) reports. The measure is conditional, requiring 1,000 additional NATO combat troops, as well as transport helicopters and reconnaissance drones, to arrive in Kandahar by February 2009. The mission was previously mandated through February 2009.

Item Number:3 Date: 03/14/2008 CANADA - DEFENSE DEPT. TAKES ANOTHER LOOK AT COASTAL RADAR (MAR 14/TS) TORONTO STAR -- The Canadian Dept. of Defense has revived a program for a high-tech coastal radar system, reports the Toronto Star. A US$39 million program, canceled in 2006 and involving government scientists and Raytheon Canada, explored the use of a high-frequency surface wave radar to monitor the coast for terrorists and drug smugglers. The Defense Dept. has now sought proposals from companies with experience in developing such radars. The military hopes a new radar system will enable it to save on coastal surveillance costs.

Item Number:4 Date: 03/14/2008 CHAD - PEACE DEAL SIGNED BETWEEN SUDAN AND CHAD (MAR 14/VOA) VOICE OF AMERICA NEWS -- The presidents of Chad and Sudan signed a no-aggression pact on Thursday aimed at ending years of attacks across their mutual border, the Voice of America News reports. The negotiations in Dakar, Senegal, were facilitated by Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade and witnessed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Chadian President Idriss Deby and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir agreed not to support the rebel groups that have frequently launched attacks inside the other's territory. Similar agreements have been struck in the past, with limited success.

Item Number:5 Date: 03/14/2008 CHINA - TROOPS SURROUND TIBETAN MONASTERIES (MAR 14/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- After protests turned violent this week, Chinese security forces have sealed off three Buddhist monasteries in Lhasa, Tibet, the BBC reports. The Drepung, Sera and Ganden monasteries were surrounded following two days of protests by Tibetan monks against the Chinese government, according to witnesses. The demonstrations in Tibet are believed to be the largest in two decades. Chinese officials played down the situation. "In the past couple of days, a few monks in Lhasa have made some disturbances in an effort to cause unrest," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gan. "Thanks to the efforts of the local government and the democratic administration of the temples, the situation in Lhasa has been stabilized."

Item Number:6 Date: 03/14/2008 IRAQ - 1,300 POLICE COMPLETE TRAINING COURSE (MAR 14/S&S) STARS AND STRIPES -- The Furat Iraqi Police Training Academy in Baghdad is scheduled to graduate its largest class of recruits this week, reports the Stars and Stripes. More than 1,300 recruits have just completed a two-week introductory course. The course covers basic law enforcement techniques, including weapons and combat training, building clearing tactics, first aid and defensive tactics. U.S. officials have set a goal of training more than 12,000 recruits from the region.

Item Number:7 Date: 03/14/2008 KENYA - SCORES SEIZED IN MT. ELGON OPERATION (MAR 14/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- Kenyan security forces have rounded up 189 people during a week of operations against a militia group in the Mt. Elgon district, the BBC reports. The army said that it is continuing its offensive against the Sabaot Land Defense Forces in the area. "This operation will continue until the members of the militia are arrested or they surrender," said a local official. Those captured will be charged after investigations are completed, said the official.

Item Number:8 Date: 03/14/2008 LIBERIA - CODE OF CONDUCT SOUGHT FOR TROOPS (MAR 14/THENEWS) THE NEWS -- President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has submitted a draft law to the Liberian parliament that would hold soldiers accountable for violations of the law, reports the News (Monrovia). The proposed bill calls for a code of conduct for the military that would maintain respect for human rights. Soldiers who broke the law would be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is defined in the new measure. The proposed law also emphasizes the importance of the coast guard and air force.

Item Number:9 Date: 03/14/2008 LITHUANIA - PARLIAMENT SUPPORTS MOVE TO PROFESSIONAL ARMY (MAR 14/INT-AVN) INTERFAX-MILITARY NEWS AGENCY -- The Lithuanian parliament passed a resolution on Thursday to support the transition to a professional army, reports Interfax-AVN (Russia). Lawmakers voted in favor of the introduction of a professional army, while maintaining conscription to ensure sufficient numbers in case of a mobilization. The parliament is expected to approve a yearly limit on the number of those who will be subject to conscription, officials said.

Item Number:10 Date: 03/14/2008 PAKISTAN - NAVY DRILLS WITH NATO IN THE MED (MAR 14/APP) ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN -- Pakistani ships have joined NATO naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time, the Associated Press of Pakistan reports. Turkey is hosting the 10-day Mavi Balina-2008 exercises, which conclude on March 16. The destroyer PNS Tariq and PNS Moawin are participating in the exercises held at the Aksaz Turkish naval base. The warships will call on the port of Antalya following the exercises.

Item Number:11 Date: 03/14/2008 PAKISTAN - U.S. ACKNOWLEDGES STRIKE, CIVILIAN DEATHS REPORTED (MAR 14/LAT) LOS ANGELES TIMES -- The U.S. military acknowledged that it had struck inside the border of Pakistan on Wednesday with precision-guided shells, the Los Angeles Times reports. The munitions landed in North Waziristan, about a mile from the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan's military had lodged a protest against the strike. A Taliban commander, Siraj Haqqani, was said to be the intended target. Four civilians were reportedly killed in the blast. Pakistan was informed of the attack after it occurred, said a U.S. military spokesman.

Item Number:12 Date: 03/14/2008 RUSSIA - CSTO TO AUTHORIZE RUSSIAN NUCLEAR USE (MAR 14/KOMMER) KOMMERSANT -- The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) expects to authorize Moscow to use tactical nuclear weapons to defend other members of the body, reports Kommersant. Under an amended treaty, Russia would extend its doctrine covering the use of tactical nuclear weapons as a deterrence guarantee for all CSTO member states. The Russian-led organization also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Item Number:13 Date: 03/14/2008 RUSSIA - NEW ACADEMY TO TRAIN AIR FORCE PROFESSIONALS (MAR 14/RIC) RUSSIA INFOCENTER -- The Russian government plans to open a new air force academy, the Russia InfoCenter reports. The academy will include two branches: the Zhukovsky engineering academy and the Yuri Gagarin air force academy. The institution will be able to handle as many as 4,614 students.

Item Number:14 Date: 03/14/2008 SOUTH KOREA - BLUEPRINT SET FOR NEW COMMAND STRUCTURE (MAR 14/DN) DEFENSE NEWS -- South Korea will set up its own independent war-fighting command next year, Defense News reports. The new command will have initial operating capability in 2009, and full operational capabilities are expected by late 2011, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The U.S. military has headed a combined force structure in South Korea for decades. The new structure will be a South Korean-led "joint defense system" with separate theater commands for U.S. and South Korea forces.

Item Number:15 Date: 03/14/2008 SPAIN - MULTINATIONAL EUROFIGHTER EXERCISE WINDS DOWN AT MORON AFB (MAR 14/EUROFIGHTE) EUROFIGHTER GMBH -- The air forces from four nations that operate the Eurofighter Typhoon are wrapping up a training exercise at Moron Air Force Base in Spain, reports the manufacturer of the fighter. Twenty Typhoon fighters from Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. have been in taking part in the drills, which covered air combat tactics. Training focused on demonstrating the interoperability of Typhoon fighters and combat drills against different types of aircraft, including Spanish navy Harriers, air force F-18s and Mirage F-1s and Portuguese F-16s.

Item Number:16 Date: 03/14/2008 SWEDEN - METEOR MISSILE PASSES TEST (MAR 14/MBDA) MBDA CORP. -- MBDA has successfully completed another test of its Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, reports the European missile manufacturer. The trial, conducted at the Vidsel Missile Test Range in Sweden, involved the firing of a Meteor from a Gripen fighter at a MQM-107B Streaker aerial target. This was the last of a series of development firings intended to prove the performance of the missile and its guidance, propulsion, datalink and fuse subsystems. The missile was launched, made the transition to ramjet operation, successfully acquired the target and tracked it through to intercept. During the missile's flight, its data link demonstrated communication between the missile and firing aircraft. MBDA will soon begin the pre-production industrialization phase of the program. The Meteor is expected to be procured by France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the U.K., where it will be integrated with Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale and Gripen fighters.

Item Number:17 Date: 03/14/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - MORE CAPABLE SNIPER SYSTEM INTRODUCED (MAR 14/UKMOD) U.K. MINISTRY OF DEFENSE -- The British army is about to field a new sniper system, reports the U.K. Ministry of Defense. The new L115A3 rifle fires a larger caliber round at a greater range than older sniper rifles. The weapon will also be equipped with a more powerful telescopic sight and all-weather day and night sights. Snipers from the 16 Air Assault Brigade will be the first to use the new sniper rifle operationally when they deploy later this month.

Item Number:18 Date: 03/14/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - MORE SPENDING EARMARKED FOR AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ OPERATIONS (MAR 14/GUAR) THE GUARDIAN -- Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said that the British Treasury will spend an additional 2 billion pounds (US$4 billion) for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, reports the Guardian (U.K.). New funds will include about 900 million pounds (US$1.8 billion) for equipment, including body armor and armored vehicles, according to Darling. Other monies will go towards bonuses for troops, ammunition and maintenance costs.

Item Number:19 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - ARMY SEEKS MORE MRAPS FOR IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN (MAR 14/ARMY) ARMY TIMES -- The U.S. Army now hopes to buy more mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles than previously planned, reports the Army Times. The Army expects to field 10,000 MRAPs in Afghanistan and Iraq by the end of the year and is considering buying up to 15,000 of the vehicles, Army Secretary Pete Geren told a House defense panel. The Marines, meanwhile, recently decided to reduce their MRAP procurement by 40 percent.

Item Number:20 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - AS SAFETY PRECAUTION, SEALS STAND DOWN (MAR 14/NTIMES) NAVY TIMES -- U.S. Navy SEALs and special boat drivers stood down for 24 hours on Thursday to concentrate on training, reports the Navy Times. The order was issued after a series of training accidents that resulted in the deaths of three SEALs over the last two months. Units planned briefings on personal security, finances and alcohol, as well as training operations.

Item Number:21 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - JSF, TANKER INITIATE AERIAL HOOK-UP (MAR 14/AFT) AIR FORCE TIMES -- An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter hooked up with a tanker aircraft in mid-air for the first time this week, the Air Force Times reports. The test held over Texas evaluated the fighter's compatibility with the KC-135 tanker. The next test flight will include an actual fuel transfer. The first F-35s for the U.S. military are currently scheduled to be delivered in 2010.

Item Number:22 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - SATELLITE LAUNCHED FOR NRO (MAR 14/AERO-NEWS) AERO-NEWS NETWORK -- The U.S. military launched a new reconnaissance satellite into space Thursday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Aero-News.net reports. An Atlas V rocket successfully carried a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office into orbit. The launch was the first involving an Atlas V booster taking off from the West Coast.

Item Number:23 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - UNNANNOUNCED RUSSIAN BOMBER FLIGHTS CONCERN NORAD (MAR 14/DENPOST) DENVER POST -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has urged Russia to be more open and cooperative regarding its long-range bomber sorties, the Denver Post reports. Russia renewed bomber flights last year more than a decade after halting them. However, Russia does not officially file its flight plans. The Russian bombers don't have flight plans and "are not complying with the internationally accepted rules of operation," said Air Force Gen. Victor Renuart, commander of NORAD and Northern Command. "In the post-9/11 environment, it is difficult to have unidentified aircraft flying toward your airspace if you don't know who they are or what their plans are." "We've got good military-to-military relations with the Russians," said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen. "My sense is there's no strategic intent to threaten the United States." Mullen did caution that "there's more of a risk of something accidental happening."

 

[PAULBACH]

Item Number:23 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - UNNANNOUNCED RUSSIAN BOMBER FLIGHTS CONCERN NORAD (MAR 14/DENPOST) DENVER POST -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has urged Russia to be more open and cooperative regarding its long-range bomber sorties, the Denver Post reports. Russia renewed bomber flights last year more than a decade after halting them. However, Russia does not officially file its flight plans. The Russian bombers don't have flight plans and "are not complying with the internationally accepted rules of operation," said Air Force Gen. Victor Renuart, commander of NORAD and Northern Command. "In the post-9/11 environment, it is difficult to have unidentified aircraft flying toward your airspace if you don't know who they are or what their plans are." "We've got good military-to-military relations with the Russians," said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen. "My sense is there's no strategic intent to threaten the United States." Mullen did caution that "there's more of a risk of something accidental happening."

Interesting! As long as they are in their own airspace and out of civilian corridors does it make much of a difference?

 

[JK]

Global Crisis

So we worry about gas and election.

Dawg -

The first salvo in the escalating global crisis was economic. It's not the cost/price of oil/gold that's going up, but the value of the Dollar that's being pressured downward. With many of our banks and brokerages teetering on insolvency and in need of bail-outs, we ain't seen nothing, yet.

Hold on to your hat/helmet....


J.K.

 

[JK]

3/17

Daily Military Intel from Skip Leonard:

J.K.

++++++++++++++++++++



Item Number:1 Date: 03/17/2008 ALBANIA - AMMO DUMP BLASTS KILL AT LEAST 9, INJURES 240 (MAR 17/PA) PRESS ASSOCIATION -- A series of explosions occurred Saturday at an army ammunition depot north of Tirana, Albania, the Press Association (U.K.) reports. The explosions were triggered accidentally, according to Albanian officials, during what was intended to be a controlled destruction of munitions. At least nine people were killed and 240 injured in the village of Gerdec, according to authorities. Ten other workers are missing.

Item Number:2 Date: 03/17/2008 BURUNDI - REBELS SAY 5 COMMANDERS KILLED BY ARMY (MAR 17/AFP) AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE -- The Burundian army battled National Liberation Forces (FNL) rebels late last week in central Burundi, Agence France-Presse reports. The clashes took place 30 km (19 mi) north of Bujumbura. The FNL and government have a cease-fire agreement and are engaged in peace negotiations. Five rebel commanders were killed and five other rebels were captured, said a spokesman for the FNL, which accused the government of breaking the cease-fire. The military denied those accounts. "According to the reports I received, the FNL were from looting from civilians," said an army spokesman. "There was an exchange of fire and five rebels were arrested."

Item Number:3 Date: 03/17/2008 DENMARK - BOEING CONSIDERS JOINING FIGHTER COMPETITION (MAR 17/DN) DEFENSE NEWS -- Boeing may take part in Denmark's fighter competition with its latest version of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, reports Defense News. The Danish Defense Ministry has expressed support for the move. Danish officials are expected to meet soon with Boeing representatives to clarify the competition requirements. Denmark is looking for replacements for its 48 F-16 fighters. Denmark's fighter competition currently features Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II and Saab's Gripen.

Item Number:4 Date: 03/17/2008 DENMARK - NEW DEFENSE COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE PROCUREMENT DEALS (MAR 17/COPOST) COPENHAGEN POST -- Danish Defense Minister Soren Gade is establishing a committee to oversee major procurements by the ministry, reports the Copenhagen Post. The new inventory committee will issue a quarterly report on the ministry's transactions. The committee's creation follows several large contracts that have produced poorly performing equipment, including the OceanEye radar, Fennec and EH-101 helicopters and the Danish army command, control and information system (DACCIS).

Item Number:5 Date: 03/17/2008 EGYPT - MILITARY OVENS MOBILIZED FOR BREAD PRODUCTION (MAR 17/AFP) AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE -- President Hosni Mubarak has ordered the Egyptian army to use its food-production facilities to make more bread for public consumption, Agence France-Presse reports. Egypt's government-subsidized bread market has been hit by rising world wheat costs and rocketing inflation. At least four people have been killed in violence in bread lines in recent weeks.

Item Number:6 Date: 03/17/2008 GEORGIA - TURKS PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS (MAR 17/INT-AVN) INTERFAX-MILITARY NEWS AGENCY -- The Georgian navy has obtained surveillance and navigation systems from Turkey, repots Interfax-AVN (Russia). The new equipment was transferred last week during a ceremony at the Marneuli air base in eastern Georgia. Turkey will also install the navigation equipment on Georgian ships and provide training for Georgian officers.

Item Number:7 Date: 03/17/2008 INDIA - MILITANT LEADER DIES IN KASHMIR SHOOTOUT (MAR 17/REU) REUTERS -- Indian army troops battled militants in India-controlled Kashmir late on Sunday, leaving two soldiers and a senior militant dead, Reuters reports. Hafiz Nasir, a senior leader of the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) terrorist group, was killed in the nine-hour gunfight that started in the Baramulla district, said an Indian police spokesman. Three other soldiers were wounded.

Item Number:8 Date: 03/17/2008 INDIA - MORE RESTRICTIONS LIFTED FOR FEMALE OFFICERS (MAR 17/DNAINDIA) DNA INDIA -- The Indian army is opening more slots for female officers, reports Daily News and Analysis (India). Beginning in April, women at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai will undergo a 49-week training course, similar to that required of male officers. Subsequently, women will be commanding platoons and companies in signals, air defense, supply and other such units. Female officers will still be restricted to "short service" commissions and are eligible to serve for only 14 years.

Item Number:9 Date: 03/17/2008 IRAQ - POLICE, SHI'ITE MILITANTS CLASH IN DIYALA (MAR 17/GDN) GULF DAILY NEWS -- Shi'ite militants clashed with Iraqi police on Sunday in Diyala province, leaving at least five police and two militants dead, Gulf Daily News (Bahrain) reports. Members of the Mahdi Army militia, whose members are loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, fought with police in the villages of Kharnabat and Al Huwaidar, north of Baquba. Elements of the Mahdi Army also battled Iraqi and U.S. security forces last week in Kut, in central Iraq. Sadr has declared an official cease-fire, but has admitted there are splits among his followers.

Item Number:10 Date: 03/17/2008 ISRAEL - IMPORTED AIR-DEFENSE SYSTEMS MULLED (MAR 17/HA) HAARETZ -- Following recent rocket attacks, Israel is considering importing short-range air-defense technologies, Haaretz reports. Israel has been developing its own anti-rocket system, known as the Iron Dome, to protect against rockets launched by Palestinian militants. However, it is not scheduled to be operation before 2010. Defense Minister Ehud Barak is said to be reviewing the Nautilus, a joint Israeli-American project that uses lasers to counter rockets and mortars in mid-flight. The Phalanx, an automated machine gun produced by Raytheon, is also under consideration.

Item Number:11 Date: 03/17/2008 KOSOVO - PEACEKEEPERS, SERB PROTESTERS CLASH (MAR 17/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- United Nations police withdrew from Serb areas of Mitrovica, an ethnically mixed city in Kosovo, following clashes with Kosovo Serb demonstrators, the BBC reports. At least three U.N. police and two NATO troops were injured during action to expel Serb protesters from an occupied U.N. court on Friday. Tensions between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians have risen sharply since Kosovo declared independence last month.

Item Number:12 Date: 03/17/2008 PAKISTAN - 6 THUNDER FIGHTERS ARRIVE FROM CHINA (MAR 17/PTI) PRESS TRUST OF INDIA -- Pakistan has taken delivery of six JF-17 Thunder fighters from China, reports the Press Trust of India. The JF-17 was jointly developed by Pakistan and China and entered production in January. The aircraft are based at the Pakistan air force's facility in Kamra, where they will be used for testing and evaluation as part of the JF-17 development program. Pakistan received its first Thunder fighter in March 2007.

Item Number:13 Date: 03/17/2008 PAKISTAN - MISSILES STRIKE TRIBAL AREAS (MAR 17/NYT) NEW YORK TIMES -- Air strikes in Pakistan's northwest tribal area killed at least nine people Sunday and left nine others wounded, the New York Times reports. Multiple strikes were believed to have been launched by an American aircraft. Pakistani military officials disavowed responsibility for the attack. An Arab, two Turkmen and six Pakistanis were killed in the attack in Wana, South Waziristan, said a Pakistani security official. No senior Al-Qaida or Taliban militants were killed, said the official.

Item Number:14 Date: 03/17/2008 RUSSIA - BORDER TREATY RATIFIED WITH NORWAY (MAR 17/INT-AVN) INTERFAX-MILITARY NEWS AGENCY -- Russia's lower house of parliament has ratified a treaty with Norway that delineates the disputed sea border near the Varanger fjord, reports Interfax-AVN. The treaty, initially signed in Moscow in July 2007, defines the coordinates used to establish the border in a 1957 agreement, and stipulates that it will be adjusted in line with the World Geodetic System 1984 accord. The agreement also covers potential cross-border hydrocarbon fields and their exploitation.

Item Number:15 Date: 03/17/2008 RWANDA - AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS VISIT U.S. BASE IN GERMANY (MAR 17/AFPN) AIR FORCE PRINT NEWS -- Rwandan air traffic controllers have been picking up U.S. air traffic techniques at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, reports the Air Force Print News. Controllers visited the 86th Operations Support Squadron Airfield Operations Flight and the 1st Combat Communications Squadron Airfield Systems Flight as part of the Joint Staff Contact Program. The Rwandans spent a week embedded in the air base control tower and ground-controlled approach facilities. Americans provided briefings on the mobile microwave landing system, tactical aircraft navigation system, communications central mobile tower and the landing control system.

Item Number:16 Date: 03/17/2008 SOUTH KOREA - UPGRADE URGED IN ARMS-BUYING STATUS WITH U.S. (MAR 17/YON) YONHAP -- The top U.S. commander in South Korea said he supports upgrading Seoul's status as a weapon's purchaser, reports the Yonhap News. The U.S. currently gives top preferential status in arms sales and military training to NATO members, as well as Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Seoul has been seeking that status for at least a decade. If Congress were to grant the upgrade, South Korea would be able to purchase U.S. weapon systems faster and at lower cost.

Item Number:17 Date: 03/17/2008 USA - AFTER OVERHAUL, COLUMBUS HEADS TO SEA (MAR 17/NNS) NAVY NEWSSTAND -- The USS Columbus (SSN-762) submarine departed from Pearl Harbor Naval Station last week on her first deployment following an overhaul, reports the Navy NewsStand. The attack submarine spent two years at Submarine Base Bangor, Wash., prior to returning to Pearl Harbor in December 2006. The boat is headed for the western Pacific where it will conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

Item Number:18 Date: 03/17/2008 USA - AIR FORCE OFFICIALS SEEK MORE PLANES FOR CENTRAL AMERICA (MAR 17/AFT) AIR FORCE TIMES -- U.S. Air Force commanders have urged Congress to supply $300 million in aid to reinforce the air forces of four Central American nations, the Air Force Times reports. The proposal is designed to keep the air forces of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua airborne, said officials with the 12th Air Force, Tucson, Ariz. If approved by Congress, the money would be spent on dozens of aircraft to replace the Vietnam-era helicopters and planes currently in service in those countries. The newly equipped forces could take over drug interdiction and disaster relief missions currently performed by U.S. assets in the region, said the U.S. officials.

Item Number:19 Date: 03/17/2008 USA - ARMY FUNDS DEVELOPMENT OF BAT-LIKE DRONE (MAR 17/DFP) DETROIT FREE PRESS -- The U.S. Army has awarded a grant to the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan to help develop a tiny unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), reports the Detroit Free Press. The five-year, $10 million grant will help the Center for Objective Microelectronics and Biomimetic Advanced Technology develop communication tools, batteries and sensors for a 6-inch, quarter-pound, bat-like UAV. The air vehicle will use solar, wind and vibration energy derived from its environment to recharge its lithium battery. The vehicle will collect data based on sights, sounds and smells and will use radio signals to transmit that information back to military personnel. A miniature, low-power radar and navigation system will help the aircraft maneuver at night. The system will be designed to detect explosives and hazardous chemical components that can be found in the air, officials said.

Item Number:20 Date: 03/17/2008 USA - GATES SEEKS TO APPEASE MOSCOW ON MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM (MAR 17/NYT) NEW YORK TIMES -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has proposed keeping some functions of a missile-defense system in central Europe in a non-operational status to mollify Russia, the New York Times reports. Russia has criticized U.S. plans to install radar and interceptor missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic as part of a missile-defense system to protect against potential future strikes from the Middle East. The defense secretary is on his way to Moscow to talk about missile defenses. "This missile defense is not aimed against [the Russians]," said Gates. Moscow must decide whether its goal is to be a true partner or just "stall the whole deal," said Gates.

Item Number:21 Date: 03/17/2008 USA - ITT WINS JAMMER CONTRACT FOR U.S. NAVY, AUSTRALIA (MAR 17/DOD) DEPT. OF DEFENSE -- ITT Industries of Clifton, N.J., has been awarded a contract modification to produce jammer systems for F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters, reports the Dept. of Defense. The $111.5 million contract covers full-rate production Lot V of 66 AN/ALQ-214(V)2 on-board jammer systems for the U.S. Navy and Australia. The Navy portion of the contract is valued at $103 million, while the Australian part is worth $8.5 million. Work on the contract is scheduled to be completed in December 2010.

Item Number:22 Date: 03/17/2008 USA - MH-60R COMPLETES FIRST OPERATIONS AT SEA (MAR 17/NAVAIR) NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND -- The U.S. Navy's newest helicopter has completed its first operations at sea while aboard USS Preble (DDG-88), reports the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command. A single MH-60R, operating as a detachment from Maritime Strike Helicopter Squadron 71 (HSM-71), conducted basic training, familiarization and qualification missions and shipboard integration flights while off the West Coast of the U.S. The MH-60R is expected to conduct its first operational deployment this September with the USS John C. Stennis carrier battle group.

 

[AFHRNFA1]

military intel

Is this the forum for this kind of info? Just a ?

 

[JK]

Is this the forum for this kind of info? Just a ?

Asked the same question myself when I first posted this thread, on Friday. This is the exact info (minus the classified stuff) that Military General Officers receive, at the beginning of each morning ("Stand Up.")

If member of this Forum find interest and value of this real time information, I'll continue with these daily posts. Otherwise, I'll ****-can them.

Doesn't get much more simplier than that...

J.K.

 

[JK]

F-117 Replacement

Welcome to U.S. Air Force AIM Points
UPDATED: March 18, 2008

Goodbye F-117, hello [insert mystery plane here]
BY: Larry Thacker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer 03/18/2008

So the Air Force announced recently the retiring of the stealth fighter, the F-117. I love when new defense air technology like fighter planes and bombers are either officially introduced or officially retired. I say official because, in the case of the F-117, it was around and being tested and even used on missions for years before "we, the people" were allowed in on it. I get that. It's important to keep new technology ÔÇô like a weirdly shaped, low radar signature plane ÔÇô under wraps as much as possible. In times of defense development and implementation ÔÇô which can take years with multiple secretive companies working on multiple projects with bottomless pits of dark funds ÔÇô the government simply isn't going to let us in on the cool new stuff until they think we're ready. The CNN article I read says the plane was in service 27 years. I'm not sure if that's the official or unofficial number of years, however. That places its use start at 1981, years before its official public showing. What will happen with the "retired" craft? Will there be an auction? Will they end up forty years from now being center pieces of air shows like restored WWII planes? Will they be destroyed? Or, more likely, will they continue serving unofficially?

I enjoy observing how people deal with these sightings and the resulting viral rumors signaling what is so often the emergence of unofficial technology. In the absence of answers we tend to begin naturally filling in the blanks (don't get me wrong, I'm not discounting the real possibility of the non-human in overall UFOlogy). That's a double-edged sword since it is curiosity that drives our wanting to know the truth, but in the process of massive curious speculation we're often allowed to go on time consuming wild goose chases at the same time. There were rumors of strange "Skunk Work"-type crafts flying around for years before we were let in on the newly evolved state of stealth in the skies. Those with the power to suppress the truth ÔÇô all in the name of national security ÔÇô must feel pretty powerful by the time they decide to fess up.

Evolving defense planes have been causing UFO reports for a few generations. The U-2 spy plane and other unconventional craft caused UFO reports for years, especially due to their silver siding, greater speeds, and altitudes. They were new things never before spotted in the sky, definitely unidentified. The perfect UFO. In these cases, the small percentage of the public even interested is allowed to let its imagination run wild, creating its own version of disinformation. Run a program like Project Blue Book for years while knowing good and well what's causing the majority of the sightings (yet there are numerous dead end reports that can't be explained away with our own craft) and those in charge of keeping things under wraps have less work to do.

Stealth technology is permanently in our lingo now. The fact that the F-22 Raptor, the replacement fighter for the F-117, utilizes stealth is no big deal in the larger "what was that?" consciousness of the nation. The Raptor, in fact, doesn't look as angular and alien as the F-117 to our senses and appears much less probable at a glance as a reversed-alien technology candidate item. The novelty is gone, I suppose.

What I was hoping, however, was that with the retiring of the F-117s some unmasking of another mystery would take place (and perhaps it will). It would be the perfect segue into an announcement pertaining to whatever the so-called TR-3B might be. Remember the Phoenix Lights, the "Flying V" in 1997? Remember Stephenville, Texas only a few months ago? Hundreds of feet long, maybe a mile long. Guess what? A similar flying triangle was seen, reported, and pretty much forgotten about already in association with the massive black outs in Florida a few weeks ago (at this point there are 97,400 Google hits for "Florida blackout" and we're up to 530 hits when adding UFO to the search, so some significant viral conversation is unfolding now).

I had the pleasure of interviewing an army National Guardsman a few years back who witnessed one on a field exercise in Kentucky. Like so many witnesses, what brought the object to his attention was the number of stars in the clear sky being covered up by its size.

There is something to this for sure and I think we're close to the official announcement. Sightings all over the country have been steady since the late 90s. They're sighted in largely populated areas. The things are too big not to notice, often described as hundreds of feet long. They possess varied light formations, the lights sometimes fading and reappearing. They're either of the triangle or "V" shape. They're very quiet, sometimes fast moving, slow moving, loitering in the sky, and fairly low to the ground. Most importantly they are seen by many, many witnesses and are being photographed and filmed. It's undeniable that these things are real and worth our curiosity.

Whatever these are must be a combination of a number of realities. Due to the consistent reporting of both triangles and Vs we're no doubt dealing with a number of different craft but with similar or the same technology ÔÇô this could be anything from anti-gravity, to gravity disruption, to lighter than air technology. My hunch is that there's a correlation between the size and the shape. The larger the craft the more likely it will be of the true triangle variation. The fact that they tend to be in no hurry, especially when around largely populated areas, indicates that those in charge couldn't care less about being seen. That might indicate a civilian produced craft. On the other hand, given the amount of on the spot technology now in civilian hands, even if it was military their best bet would be to simply continue testing without confirming or denying a thing until they're good and ready.

In the end I'm sure it will be announced that these mysterious triangles are government contracted military craft and within a few years we'll see and hear about them as often as the F-117. In fact, Defensetech.org reports that a "tri-phibian" prototype craft, the result of the "Walrus" project, should be out this year.

Check out the following links as examples of what is already either in the air or about to be up and running:
Aeros
Dynalifter
21st Century Airships

These companies produce and are developing products somewhat similar to flying triangles. Add nighttime and weather, the inevitable differences between witness details, and the fact most people just don't care what's flying around, and some variation of these craft might very well be the culprit. What they or similar companies are cooking under government contract may be our answer.

++++++++++++

J.K.

 

[wuli959]

Asked the same question myself when I first posted this thread, on Friday. This is the exact info (minus the classified stuff) that Military General Officers receive, at the beginning of each morning ("Stand Up.")

If member of this Forum find interest and value of this real time information, I'll continue with these daily posts. Otherwise, I'll ****-can them.

Doesn't get much more simplier than that...

J.K.

I like the reading.

 

[WildBlue]

I miss it from my Military days...

Keep it coming.

 

[SHAG]

I like the reading.

I enjoy it too!

 

[bob1100rtc]

I enjoy it. Keep it up.

 

[JK]

3/18 part 1

Here's Skip's "list":

J.K.

+++++++++++


Item Number:1 Date: 03/18/2008 AFGHANISTAN - SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS 7 IN HELMAND PROVINCE (MAR 18/TL) TIMES OF LONDON -- NATO troops were involved in two separate deadly incidents on Monday in Afghanistan, reports the Times of London. Four were killed when a suicide car bomber attacked an armored convoy that was traveling through the town of Girishk in Helmand province. The dead included two Danish and one Czech soldiers as well as an interpreter, reported Reuters. At least three civilians were also killed in the blast. Four other soldiers and seven civilians were wounded in the attack. Separately, a Canadian soldier was killed while on patrol in Panjwayi in Kandahar province.

Item Number:2 Date: 03/18/2008 ALBANIA - DEFENSE MINISTER RESIGNS AFTER AMMO DUMP EXPLOSION (MAR 18/PA) PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Albanian Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu resigned Monday following an explosion at a weapons depot close to the capital, reports the Press Association (U.K.). "Based on what happened and bearing my personal responsibility, I announce that I have handed my resignation to the prime minister," Mediu said. On Saturday, a series of explosions at an ammunition depot near Tirana killed at least 15 people and wounded another 300. Prime Minister Sali Berisha said that the ammunition may have detonated due to age, though human error was also a possibility.

Item Number:3 Date: 03/18/2008 BELGIUM - AGREEMENT REACHED TO FORM GOVERNMENT, 9 MONTHS AFTER ELECTION (MAR 18/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- Belgium's political crisis appears to have been resolved after five parties agreed to form a coalition government, reports the BBC. The political situation became deadlocked following elections in June 2007, which were won by Yves Leterme's Flemish party. However, he was not able to finalize a governing coalition. The five Dutch- and French-speaking parties agreed to form a coalition.

Item Number:4 Date: 03/18/2008 COMOROS - FIGHTING BREAKS OUT ON ANJOUAN ISLAND (MAR 18/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- Troops from the Comoros government clashed with rebel forces on the island of Anjouan over the weekend, reports the BBC. Meanwhile, the African Union is preparing to back an invasion to oust self-declared leader Mohamed Bacar. Fighters loyal to Bacar ambushed Comoros government troops on the coast of Anjouan over the weekend. Dozens of rebels were killed, according to the Comoran military. Bacar declared himself president last July following elections that the central government authorities called illegal.

Item Number:5 Date: 03/18/2008 INDIA - IN TURF BATTLE, ARMY TO GET MORE GENERALS (MAR 18/TOI) TIMES OF INDIA -- The Indian army appears to have won a bureaucratic battle with the air force and navy over the creation of new posts for general officers, reports the Times of India. The army contends that the 157 new posts should be distributed in proportion to the size of the officer corps in each service, without regard for the demands of the air force and navy. The army, with 1.13 million soldiers, has 35,462 officers, while the air force and navy have 10,760 and 7,394 officers, respectively. The additional general officer posted were deemed necessary after the first phase of a reform program that has led to faster promotions to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and its equivalents in the air force and navy, which has creating a bulge of mid-career officers.

Item Number:6 Date: 03/18/2008 INDONESIA - MORE NAVAL COOPERATION PLEDGED WITH MALAYSIA (MAR 18/ANTARA) ANTARA -- The Indonesian and Malaysian navies have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in securing the Malacca Strait, reports Antara News, Indonesia's national news agency. The accord was reached during a meeting at the Indonesian naval headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, that included Indonesian navy chief of staff, Adm. Sumardjono, and the Malaysian navy chief of staff, Adm. Tan Sri Ramlan Mohamed Ali. The Malaysian leader emphasized that such naval cooperation should not be influenced by political disagreements between the two countries. The Malacca Strait, a major trade route linking East and West Asia, handles more than 50,000 cargo ships every year.

Item Number:7 Date: 03/18/2008 INDONESIA - MORE PEACEKEEPERS BOUND FOR LEBANON, SUDAN (MAR 18/ANTARA) ANTARA -- The Indonesian government will send more peacekeepers to Lebanon and to the Darfur region of Sudan, reports Antara News, Indonesia's national news agency. The newly announced deployments will include at least 90 military police to serve in Lebanon and 140 civilian police headed for Darfur. Indonesia already has about 850 troops serving with the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and has been training 140 police for operations in Darfur.

Item Number:8 Date: 03/18/2008 IRAQ - DOZENS DIE IN SERIES OF ATTACKS (MAR 18/LAT) LOS ANGELES TIMES -- Dozens of Iraqis were killed in several attacks throughout the country on Monday, reports the Los Angeles Times. An attack in Karbala resulted in the deaths of 43 and injuries to 74, according to authorities. Initial reports suggested the strike was carried out by a female suicide bomber, but police officials later said the explosion may have been caused by a bomb placed on the street. In Baghdad, two attacks claimed the nine lives, including six youths who were killed in a mortar attack on their sports field. Separately, two U.S. soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad.

Item Number:9 Date: 03/18/2008 IRAQ - FOLLOWING REPAIRS, HUMVEES ENTER IRAQI SERVICE (MAR 18/CSM) CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR -- Refurbished Humvees donated by the U.S. military have begun operating with Iraqi forces, reports the Christian Science Monitor. The Iraqi government requested the vehicles last year. The Humvees were in Iraq already and were scheduled to be returned to the United States. Instead, the vehicles were repaired. The Iraqi government is paying some of the costs of rewiring and arming the vehicles, while the U.S. saves on shipping costs. Around 8,500 of the vehicles are slated to be turned over to Iraq.

Item Number:10 Date: 03/18/2008 IRAQ - SUNNI GROUP WALKS OUT OF TALKS (MAR 18/REU) REUTERS -- A major Sunni Arab bloc has pulled out of reconciliation talks scheduled to take place in Baghdad this week, reports Reuters. The Accordance Front said that it was withdrawing because it had not been properly invited, despite earlier statements that it would participate in the meeting. "The Front will not attend the conference, not because it does not believe in reconciliation ... but because the invitations were sent to members of the Front and not formally to the Accordance Front," a spokesman for the group said. The conference is aimed at bringing leaders of different factions together to promote unity between Shi'ite and Sunni Arabs.

Item Number:11 Date: 03/18/2008 ISRAEL - DEFENSE OFFICIALS MEET WITH PALESTINIANS (MAR 18/JP) JERUSALEM POST -- The Israel Defense Force's civil administration this week met with its Palestinian counterparts for the first time in a decade, reports the Jerusalem Post. All of the officials who coordinate civilian and defense issues between Israel and the Palestinian Authority discussed mutual cooperation issues. Israeli officials noted that there have been an increase in permits allowing Palestinians to enter Israel for work and medical treatment. The talks also covered the current political situation in the West Bank, foreign investment in Palestinian areas, health issues and the creation of two new industrial zones that could create up to 20,000 Palestinian jobs.

Item Number:12 Date: 03/18/2008 NATO - NEW THREATS CALL FOR REVISED STRATEGY (MAR 18/DPA) DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR -- NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has called for a new long-term alliance strategy to engage modern threats, reports Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The strategy needs to take into account such concerns as cyber attacks, global warming, energy security and nuclear threats, de Hoop Scheffer said. The NATO chief also called for improving political dialog within the alliance and with other powers, including Russia and China. An increase in the NATO budget may be needed to match the alliance's growing responsibilities, he said.

Item Number:13 Date: 03/18/2008 NEW ZEALAND - UPGRADED AIRCRAFT READY FOR TEST FLIGHTS (MAR 18/DN) DEFENSE NEWS -- New Zealand's air force is preparing to take flight tests of upgraded models of several aircraft, reports Defense News. A modernized B-757 is undergoing acceptance test and evaluation, with flight testing to begin this month in Alabama, to be followed by operational testing in May in New Zealand. The aircraft features new wiring, revised galleys, internal air stair and crew ladder, baggage units and overhead lockers and cargo-handling systems for its new cargo-passenger role. The air force is also putting its C-130 Hercules transports through a life-extension program, with acceptance testing expected to begin soon. Finally, a sensor and systems upgrade for P-3K2 Orion aircraft is expected to be delivered next January, due to integration delays.

 

[JK]

Part 2

Item Number:14 Date: 03/18/2008 NORWAY - DETAILS RELEASED ON NEW DEFENSE PLAN (MAR 18/NRK) NORWEGIAN BROADCASTING CORP. -- The Norwegian coalition government has agreed on a new long-term defense plan, reports NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corp. Under the new plan, the Joint Defense Command will be moved from Jaattaa to Reitan. NATO's Joint Warfare Center will remain at Jaattaa. Bodo will remain the primary air force base, along with Oerlandet. Orion patrol aircraft will remain based at Andoeya. The blueprint anticipates that the Allied Training Center will be moved to Bardufoss, and that the Home Guard will be reduced from 50,000 troops to 45,000. The defense budget is expected to have an increase of between US$137 million and US$156 million.

Item Number:15 Date: 03/18/2008 RUSSIA - PRIVATE BUSH LETTER GETS LIMITED SUPPORT FROM PUTIN (MAR 18/NYT) NEW YORK TIMES -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has endorsed parts of a private proposal from President George Bush that may lay the groundwork for a new strategic relationship with the U.S., reports the New York Times. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are in Moscow for two days of talks. According to Rice, a recent Bush private letter aims at coming to agreements on some less contentious issues, with the hope of then moving forward on more difficult issues such as missile defense, arms control and nonproliferation. Specifics of the letter were not made public.

Item Number:16 Date: 03/18/2008 RUSSIA - SPENDING JUMPS ON STRATEGIC MISSILE FORCES (MAR 18/RIAN) RUSSIAN INFORMATION AGENCY NEWS -- Russia has dramatically increased spending on the training of its ballistic missile forces over the last four years, reports RIA Novosti. Expenditures on combat training, maintenance, operation and scheduled repairs has increased more than fivefold from 2004 to 2006, said a Strategic Missile Forces spokesman. Russia plans to put three mobile and three or four static missile launchers into operation each year and expects to double its test launches beginning in 2009, said Nikolai Solovtsov, the commander of the missile forces.

Item Number:17 Date: 03/18/2008 RWANDA - MULTINATIONAL WORKSHOP COVERS PEACE SUPPORT OPERATIONS (MAR 18/NEWT) NEW TIMES -- Officers from 17 African countries are participating in a workshop on multinational peace support operations in Rwanda, reports the New Times (Kigali). The four-day conference at the Nyakinama Military Training Academy focuses on current operations in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region as well as in Somalia, Rwandan defense officials said. The workshop is designed draw on the experiences of veterans about the challenges of peace support missions.

Item Number:18 Date: 03/18/2008 SOMALIA - BUSINESSMEN URGE PRIVATE ARMY FOR CAPITAL (MAR 18/GAROWE) GAROWE ONLINE -- Somali business leaders from the Bakara market in Mogadishu are considering setting up a private security force, reports the Garowe Online (Garowe). The Banadir Business Association may establish a special private force to patrol and protect the market. Proponents argue that the private forces would not be targeted by insurgents in the same fashion as government troops.

Item Number:19 Date: 03/18/2008 SOUTH KOREA - MILITARY LEADERSHIP SHUFFLED (MAR 18/KT) KOREA TIMES -- President Lee Myung-bak, who assumed office last month, has named new leaders for South Korea's military, reports the Korea Times. Gen. Kim Tae-young, head of the 1st Army Command, was named to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Vice Adm. Jung Ok-keun was appointed as chief of naval operations; and Lt. Gen. Lee Sung-chool was named to be deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command. The nominations must still be approved by the National Assembly.

Item Number:20 Date: 03/18/2008 SUDAN - DIVISIONS AMONG REBELS HURT PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, GENERAL SAYS (MAR 18/NTIMES) NAVY TIMES -- The head of the African Union-U.N. mission in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region (UNAMID) said that differences among rebel factions in the region are preventing the signing of a peace agreement, reports the New Times (Kigali, Rwanda). "The situation (in Darfur) is not too bright. There is a big challenge of parties breaking into small, small groups making it difficult for a comprehensive agreement to be reached," said Nigerian Gen. Martin Luther Agway during a press conference at the Rwandan Defense Ministry. Agway is making an official visit to Rwanda, which has deployed 3,500 troops to Darfur.

Item Number:21 Date: 03/18/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - NEW ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE TO BE USED IN AFGHANISTAN (MAR 18/DT) DAILY TELEGRAPH -- The British army has unveiled a new all-terrain vehicle designed for operations in Afghanistan, reports the Daily Telegraph (London). The Mobility Weapons Mounted Installation Kit (M-WMIK) will replace aging WMIK vehicles based on Land Rover chassis. The vehicle is armed with machine guns and an automatic grenade launcher and features an air suspension system to provide a comfortable ride over rough terrain and make it easier for gunners to hit their targets.

Item Number:22 Date: 03/18/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - NEW REVIEW FOCUSES ON MILITARY AND SOCIETY (MAR 18/DT) DAILY TELEGRAPH -- A major review of the military's role in society has been officially presented to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, reports the Daily Telegraph (London). The review was made as senior military and political officials have become increasingly concerned about how little civilians know of the military and its sacrifices. The report recommends that personnel should wear their uniforms more openly, and suggests that civilians should be able to make more use of local military facilities, such as gyms and assault courses. Relationships between the military, schools, businesses and community groups also need to be restored, said to the review.

Item Number:23 Date: 03/18/2008 USA - DOD ORDERS MORE THAN 2,200 ARMORED VEHICLES (MAR 18/DOD) DEPT. OF DEFENSE -- The Pentagon has awarded five more contracts for mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, covering more than 2,243 low-rate initial production units, reports the Dept. of Defense. International Military and Government of Warrenville, Ill., was awarded a $410.7 million contract for 743 MaxxPro Category I vehicles. Stewart & Stevenson Tactical Vehicle, part of Armor Holdings, was awarded a $481.8 million contract for 1,024 Category II vehicles with a Category I seating configuration. Armor Holdings builds the Caiman vehicle. BAE Systems Land and Armaments, York, Pa., received a $234 million contract covering three special operations command variants; 51 ambulance variants; and 393 Category II vehicles. BAE Systems builds the RG-31 and RG-33 MRAP vehicles. Finally, Force Protection, Ladson, S.C., received two contracts. The first, worth $9.8 million, covers 12 Category I and 6 Category II vehicles. The second, valued at $7.7 million, covers 11 Buffalo mine-clearance vehicles. Force Protection builds the Cougar MRAP variant.

Item Number:24 Date: 03/18/2008 USA - WHITE HOUSE, PENTAGON AGREE ON MARINE ONE FLEET (MAR 18/AWST) AVIATION WEEK AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY -- The White House and Dept. of Defense have reached an agreement on the future of the new presidential helicopter program that takes into account escalating acquisition costs, reports Aviation Week and Space Technology. The price tag of the VH-71 program has grown from $6.8 billion to $11.2 billion overall. The first increment's cost has increased from $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion, while the second increment jumped from $4.5 billion to $7.5 billion. The White House has now compromised on the requirements for the first increment to assist with cost and schedule problems. The second increment remains under a stop-work order. The requirements for increment two are not in line with any existing medium-lift helicopters, so the Navy and industry are conducting a redesign of the EH-101 to meet the requirements.

 

[ted]

Doesn't get much more simplier than that...

These are just repostings of Periscope Daily Defense News Capsules - this is a subscription service available to anyone who wants to pay for it.

The operative words being "Pay for it" - it is in all likelihood a copyright violation to post them here and I am sure it won't be long before we get a note from Periscope Daily's legal department requesting that they be removed.

 

[JK]

Unfortunately these are just repostings of Periscope Daily Defense News Capsules - this is a subscription service available to anyone who wants to pay for it.

The operative word being "Pay for it" - it is in all likelihood a copyright violation to post them here and I am sure it won't be long before we get a note from Periscope Daily's legal department requesting that they be removed.

Hi Ted -

Was totaly unaware of the underlying source for Skip's postings. Thanks for the "heads up."

J.K.

P.S. Learn something new every day, but still die stupid....

 

[bobh41]

Some of the info is in

Air Force Times www.airforcetimes.com
Army Times www.armytimes.com
Marine Times www.marinetimes.com
Navy Times www.navytimes.com

Also Janes by subscription

 

[gfspencer]

What I was hoping, however, was that with the retiring of the F-117s some unmasking of another mystery would take place (and perhaps it will). It would be the perfect segue into an announcement pertaining to whatever the so-called TR-3B might be. Remember the Phoenix Lights, the "Flying V" in 1997? Remember Stephenville, Texas only a few months ago? Hundreds of feet long, maybe a mile long. Guess what? A similar flying triangle was seen, reported, and pretty much forgotten about already in association with the massive black outs in Florida a few weeks ago (at this point there are 97,400 Google hits for "Florida blackout" and we're up to 530 hits when adding UFO to the search, so some significant viral conversation is unfolding now).

I had the pleasure of interviewing an army National Guardsman a few years back who witnessed one on a field exercise in Kentucky. Like so many witnesses, what brought the object to his attention was the number of stars in the clear sky being covered up by its size.

Everyone thinks I'm nuts when I say it but I saw one. Several years ago I was driving from Fort Stewart, GA to Concord, North Carolina on a Christmas Eve. It was about 2300 hrs. (11:00 pm). I was on a deserted part of I-95 just before it joins with I-26. The night was pitch black. There were no towns for miles. Something caught my attention and I looked up. There was this "thing" hovering above my car. What makes me mad is the fact that I had my digital camera in the back seat and I was too dumb struck to take a picture. When I got home I looked up UFOs and found a drawing of a Black Triangle.

 

[JK]

Everyone thinks I'm nuts when I say it but I saw one. Several years ago I was driving from Fort Stewart, GA to Concord, North Carolina on a Christmas Eve. It was about 2300 hrs. (11:00 pm). I was on a deserted part of I-95 just before it joins with I-26. The night was pitch black. There were no towns for miles. Something caught my attention and I looked up. There was this "thing" hovering above my car. What makes me mad is the fact that I had my digital camera in the back seat and I was too dumb struck to take a picture. When I got home I looked up UFOs and found a drawing of a Black Triangle.

Hi Spence -

For sure, science marches on, with the military not far behind, in locked step. Stuff in the sky is pretty amazing, and so is the stuff on the ground.

About ten years back, I was doing a midnight B-747F run, from JFK to LAX, carrying some race horses. On a clear moonless night, just southwest of ABQ, about 1000 square miles of ground lit up in kind of a wavy grid pattern. Pulses of lasar light were being beamed and bounced, and there was just enough ground dust/moisture to reflect some of the energy, so we could see it. The bursts would last about five seconds, with about 30 seconds between intervals. The whole display lasted about 10 minutes, and there were about 200 stationary reflectors, or repeaters, that changed the path of the beam at various obtuse, acute, and right angles.

Having "played" numerous times at White Sands, during my AF flight test days, I know "somebody" was having more than their share of grins and giggles that night.

J.K.

P.S. We querried ABQ Center, if they knew what was up, and they just said that it was news to them, too.

 

[glennhendricks]

B52 in the rear view mirror

Many moons ago while driving across the bit of land between Raton NM and Texas I looked in my rear view mirror and saw that I was being followed by a B-52. There used to be a radar bombing range in SE Colorado and they'd practice low level runs.

Took my breath away.

 

[gfspencer]

Many moons ago while driving across the bit of land between Raton NM and Texas I looked in my rear view mirror and saw that I was being followed by a B-52. There used to be a radar bombing range in SE Colorado and they'd practice low level runs.

Took my breath away.

I was stationed at Fort Riley KS in the 80's. On my day off I was driving back to the post from Kansas City on I-40. Normally it is a pretty boring drive . . . just prairie grass. I wasn't paying much attention to anything but the road ahead when all of a sudden a B-52 came blowing across the Interstate. I don't know what his altitude was but he was flying LOW. In the helicopter battalion that I was in we could call that NOE (Nap of the Earth) flying. It scared the crap out of me.