Sony backs US cybersecurity legislation

Sony backs US cybersecurity legislation: "Japan's Sony Corp., victim of one of the largest data breaches in history, voiced support on Wednesday for cybersecurity legislation being considered by the US Congress.

Tim Schaaff, president of Sony Network Entertainment International, also told a Senate panel that the level of activity on the PlayStation Network had returned to more than 90 percent of what it was before a series of cyberattacks that began in mid-April.

'Almost every day it seems a new story emerges about businesses, government entities, public institutions and individuals becoming victims of this cyber crime wave,' Schaaff said in written testimony to a hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on privacy and data security.

'If nothing else, perhaps the frequency, audacity and harmfulness of these attacks will help encourage Congress to enact new legislation to make the Internet a safer place for everyone,' the Sony executive said."
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Cyber Defense

The US military is preparing for 21st Century electronic warfare and cyber terrorism. A joint US Cyber Command and four service cyber commands have been set up.

Their mission is to defend American military networks and civilian American infrastructure from cyber terrorism and from foreign government hackers.

The officers leading these cyber commands explain how they are organized, how they operate, and how they will protect the United States from foreign military hackers, intelligence agencies, and cyber terrorists.

Israel to join U.S. Mideast missile shield

Israel to join U.S. Mideast missile shield: "Israel's growing missile defenses will reportedly be integrated into the United States' planned regional defense network -- and could end up shielding Arab states that, in theory at least, are considered adversaries of the Jewish state.

Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, head of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, told Defense News, a Washington weekly, that the multi-tiered Israeli system would strengthen the U.S. military's ability to protect its forces in the Middle East.

Israel is the only state with operational systems capable of intercepting rockets and missiles of different calibers and range.

Merging the two networks has actually been under way for some time."
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NATO Missile Defense for Europe

NATO has agreed to provide ballistic missile defense or BMD for all of Europe. This NATO BMD will protect NATO (European and American) military forces in Europe. It will also – for the very first time – protect the civilian population throughout Europe from ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction launched from the Middle East.

Much of this NATO missile defense for Europe – known as the European Phased Adaptive Approach – will actually be provided by the United States armed forces. This will include seaborne AEGIS missile defense on board US Navy ships in the Mediterranean, as well as land based radars and interceptor missiles.

This e-book describes how NATO missile defense for Europe will be organized and implemented.

Army deploys microgrids in Afghanistan for ‘smart’ battlefield power | Article | The United States Army

Army deploys microgrids in Afghanistan for ‘smart’ battlefield power | Article | The United States Army: "The U.S. Army, led by the Project Manager for Mobile Electric Power, or PM MEP, is installing microgrid technologies in Afghanistan as part of a groundbreaking project that could significantly lower fossil fuel consumption on the battlefield.

The effort, which kicked off at a 2,400-man Force Provider complex in June, is the first attempt by the Department of Defense to evaluate microgrid technologies in an operational environment.

A microgrid consists of “smart” generators that link with one another to intelligently manage the power supply and operate at peak efficiency. Microgrids also enable the use of alternative energy sources and energy storage.

“We know this technology can save fuel and maintenance time for our deployed forces,” said Brig. Gen. N. Lee S. Price, program executive officer for Command, Control and Communications - Tactical, or PEO C3T, the Army organization overseeing the initiative. “Through this project, we can obtain reliable data on these benefits -- and lay the groundwork for successful use of microgrids in theater.”

Among the goals of the three-month experiment are to collect data on fuel and maintenance savings, identify the microgrid technologies with the highest potential for military use, familiarize Soldiers with the equipment’s functions and obtain a baseline cost analysis to support future installations. The Army Materiel Systems Analysis Agency, or AMSAA, will take the lead in gathering system and cost data.

Reducing demand for energy on the battlefield is viewed as a key military challenge by the DoD, which recently released its first-ever Operational Energy Strategy. The strategy will increase the energy efficiency of operations; limit the risks troops face as they use, transport and store energy; and minimize the amount of defense dollars spent consuming energy, officials said.

“The department will therefore take steps to improve the efficiency of our energy use, both through technological innovation and nonmateriel changes,” said Sharon Burke, assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs, in unveiling the strategy. “This will range from more efficient engines on aircraft, ships and vehicles to lighter materials, to concepts of operation that conserve fuel. An important first step will be collecting better data and analysis on our actual energy use.”

With dozens of initiatives already underway for different operational scenarios, the microgrid project targets a “gray area” that has not yet been addressed: an expeditionary camp that quickly grows in size and power consumption, officials said.

“They kept adding module after module, and they ended up with 96 separate generator sets,” said Chris Bolton, lead engineer for PM MEP and one of the architects of the project. “The intent was to take a lot of the commercially available technology and state-of-the-art microgrid systems and apply it to that situation.”

A 1-megawatt, or MW, microgrid will replace 22 of the complex’s generator sets with just four larger sets, simplifying maintenance as well as cutting fuel consumption, Bolton said. Another 180-kilowatt, or kW, microgrid configuration will not replace any of the remaining 74 generators, but will allow up to six of them to communicate and turn on and off in response to demand.

A key benefit of the smaller system -- which is part of the Army’s Hybrid Intelligent Power, referred to as HI Power, research and development program -- is modularity and scalability to different quantities of generators as a camp expands.

“As companies come in, or battalions and then brigades come in, this will demonstrate a way to hook all those systems up and make them more efficient as things grow,” Bolton said. “This is an opportunity to advance the HI Power program and the smaller tactical side, which may be used for a command post, expeditionary camps, or things in between like hospital complexes and Force Provider complexes.”

While the microgrids are potentially capable of supporting tactical communications equipment, they will not power any mission-critical command and control systems during the three-month testing phase, Bolton said.

“It’s (supporting) kitchens, laundries, latrines and sleeping tents,” he said. “So if we do have power issues, we’re not shutting down radars or radios or anything like that.”

To prove its readiness for a harsh Afghan summer, the 1 MW microgrid went through seven training rotations at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. in recent months. For more than 2,500 hours, it functioned reliably in environments ranging from 35 degrees to 117 degrees Fahrenheit, enduring thick dust and severe windstorms.

Along with the 1 MW and 180 kW microgrid, the Army is simultaneously evaluating several HI Power technologies that are still in the developmental stage but could have major implications for tactical use.

One initiative could prevent blackouts through a combination of energy storage mechanisms and intelligent controls, said Chris Wildmann, HI Power lead for the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, or RDECOM’s, communications-electronics center, or CERDEC. A grid with these features could anticipate an overload and better manage its environmental control units, which provide temperature regulation for Soldiers and systems but are a major consumer of fuel.

“If the temperature gets too high and the air conditioner needs to come on, it would actually put in a request to the controller to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to come on. I need power. Is power available?’” Wildmann said. “And the controller would either say, ‘No, don’t come on yet,’ or it would turn on another generator set.”

In addition to increased reliability, the intelligent controls will also make future grids easier to set up than today’s power generation layouts, Wildmann said.

“They’re being designed so that a Soldier can just hook them up any way and plug things in and not have to worry about doing prior analysis of how the power grid should be laid out or what load should be placed where,” he said. “The generators automatically talk to each other, recognize each other and can control each other without Soldier intervention.”

Army researchers are also working on universal power converter boxes that would enable interoperability between power sources of all types -- a key concern in deployed environments, where troops often encounter a mix of military and commercial generators, utility power and renewable energy sources.

These capabilities await further testing and could be available for fielding by fiscal year 2013, Wildmann said. However, the microgrids now functioning in Afghanistan will provide a crucial baseline for “smart” power on the battlefield, officials said.

“The Afghanistan Microgrid Project is a key step toward reducing fossil fuel consumption in Afghanistan and for future operations,” Price said.

"

HBC and ATK to Demonstrate Weapons System

HBC and ATK to Demonstrate Weapons System: "Hawker Beechcraft and ATK hasve announced an upcoming demonstration of ATK's Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket (GATR) from HBC's AT-6 Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft. The demonstration is expected to take place in the late fall of this year.

"We are excited to showcase the capabilities of this weapon system on the AT-6," said Jim Maslowski, HBC president, U.S. and International Government Business. "GATR's low cost and very low collateral damage make it an excellent choice to prosecute the LAAR mission."

GATR is a 70mm precision system that uses a Semi-Active Laser guidance package to achieve extreme accuracy against both stationary and moving targets. With GATR, the pilot is able to lock-on before launch to ensure that only the target of interest is engaged, providing precision strike with much less collateral damage at a significantly lower cost than current guided missiles.

"

Iran unveils new underground missile silo: state tv

Iran unveils new underground missile silo: state tv: "Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Monday unveiled an 'underground missile silo' which the elite force said will allow them to launch the country's long-range ballistic missiles, state television reported.

The broadcaster showed footage of a facility at an unknown location, with an 'underground missile silo' holding a projectile described as a Shahab-3.
The unveiling came as the Guards on Monday began a military exercise, codenamed Great Prophet-6, which was to include the launching of different range ballistic missiles.

'The technology to build these silos is completely indigenous,' the state television website quoted the exercise's spokesman, Colonel Asghar Ghelich-Khani, as saying.

State television also showed a missile launch, without specifying its type or when the firing took place."

NATO allies must pool funds or face decline: Gates

NATO allies must pool funds or face decline: Gates: "European members of NATO need to pool their defense funds to bolster their declining military power, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says.
The Libya air war has exposed serious shortcomings among NATO allies and European governments will have to agree on joint defense budget priorities to rectify the problem, Gates told AFP in an interview.

The Pentagon chief, who is due to retire this week after more than four years in the post, reiterated views he expressed in a blunt speech in Brussels earlier this month, in which he warned the alliance faced a potentially 'dismal' future.

'The truth is, as I said in Brussels, there is a lot of military capability and a lot of money being spent in Europe,' Gates said on Thursday.

'The problem is, is how it's being spent, and not a sufficient acknowledgement that every nation in NATO can't have a full spectrum capability militarily,' he said."

Active self-defense strategy best deterrent against cyber-attacks

Active self-defense strategy best deterrent against cyber-attacks: "With the threats of cybercrime, cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare looming over our hyper-connected world, the best defense for the U.S. might be a good offense, says new research by a University of Illinois expert in technology and legal issues.

Law professor Jay P. Kesan warns that an active self-defense regime, which he terms 'mitigative counterstriking,' is a necessity in cyberspace, especially to protect critical infrastructure such as banking, utilities and emergency services.

'The threats from cyber-attacks are real, and the harm of a potential attack can be far greater than what we can currently combat,' Kesan said.

Kesan's analysis, co-written with former U. of I. law student Carol M. Hayes and published in a forthcoming issue of the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology, concludes that mitigative counterstriking against attacks instead of simply relying on passive defense options (firewalls, patches and anti-virus software) is legally justifiable as self-defense, although a more exhaustive legal framework needs to be implemented."

Sikorsky building CH-53K prototype

Sikorsky building CH-53K prototype: "The first of five prototype CH-53K Super Stallion helicopters is being built by Sikorsky at its Assembly and Flight Operations center in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Sikorsky, in a news release from the Paris Air Show, said the start of assembly of the ground test vehicle is an indicator of progress toward the system validation test phase of the Heavy Lift Replacement Program.

The CH-53K would replace the CH-53E used by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Sikorsky said when the GTV prototype is assembled, it will be delivered to the Sikorsky Development Flight Center, adjacent to the FAFO facility, to undergo ground-flight testing in early 2012. First flight is expected during fiscal year 2014.

The new aircraft program is planned to include production of more than 200 aircraft."

Karzai rules out asking for more US troops

Karzai rules out asking for more US troops: "Afghan President Hamid Karzai ruled out Sunday asking the United States for more troops if the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorates during or following the US military drawdown.

President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that 10,000 troops would leave this year and all 33,000 personnel sent as part of a surge ordered in late 2009 would be home by next summer, leaving a US force of some 65,000.

Obama's top brass, including Afghan war commander General David Petraeus, warned that the decision to pull out so many troops so quickly went against their best advice and could imperil fragile gains made against the Taliban.

Karzai, speaking to CNN in his first US interview since the drawdown announcement, welcomed the move but refused to be drawn into a debate on the specific numbers, saying, "we have no opinion on that."

"The number of troops that he has announced to be withdrawn this year and the rest, next year, is a sign that Afghanistan is taking over its own security and trying to defend its territory by its own means. So we are happy with the announcement."

"

'Vigilant Skies' brings ESC-infused NATO, Russian effort to fruition

'Vigilant Skies' brings ESC-infused NATO, Russian effort to fruition: "When NATO and Russian representatives wrapped up a joint international airspace demonstration June 10, it marked a great success for an effort Electronic Systems Center officials helped set in motion.

Dubbed 'Vigilant Skies 2011,' the joint demonstration was sponsored by the NATO-Russia Council Cooperative Airspace Initiative, known as NRC CAI. This initiative was designed in the wake of 9/11, to prevent terrorist attacks via civilian aircraft.

The project allows officials of NATO nations and Russia to share real-time air information on movements in both NATO and Russian airspace and to coordinate the response to renegade aircraft events in the border areas, including the "escorting," or interception, of them. It also provides a much higher level of transparency between Russia and NATO nations, in terms of airspace activity, said Sal Pomponi of the International Operations Division, who was in Warsaw, Poland, for the exercise to provide technical oversight.

ESC officials became involved when the concept was conceived in 2003. It became an official project in 2004, when a joint NATO-Russia team was commissioned to conduct a feasibility study covering the options for tying in data from disparate systems. ESC and MITRE engineers were the US technical representatives for this effort and made a major contribution to the system design and specification.

The report, completed in 2005, proposed an initial solution that would have resulted in building a new system costing 10 to12 million Euros (about $12-14.5 million), just on the NATO side.

"The plan was approved by NATO, but it soon became apparent that there wasn't sufficient support from the NATO funding nations to develop a new system," Mr. Pomponi said. "Fortunately, at just that time, ESC became aware of software recently developed and fielded by Eurocontrol -- the European equivalent to the Federal Aviation Administration -- that appeared well-suited to the CAI requirements.

"It was free to NATO countries, and we were confident that it could do 80 percent of what we needed," Mr. Pomponi said.

The ESC team proposed a demonstration and, with a lot of borrowed hardware and signed agreements among Eurocontrol and host nations Russia and Poland, conducted it in 2005.

"It was a roaring success, so NATO gave the go-ahead to field this low-cost solution," Mr. Pomponi said.

Russian officials, using the same standards and protocols, proceeded to build a new system, which cost about $10 million while NATO implemented the proposed solution. With purchased hardware and other installation and overhead costs, the total NATO price tag was about $2 million.

"The cost was so low, it was almost too low," said Manny Lindo, former deputy director of the International Programs Office. "When you're looking for relatively small amounts of money, it's sometimes easy for your program to get lost."

Eventually, though, using "Partnership for Peace" money, U.S. officials made a 25-percent contribution as a member of the NATO coalition willing to fund and enhance the basic system. Now, following the success of Vigilant Skies, they'll have a chance to see it all come to fruition with full operational employment.

In fact, the effort is likely to grow. Currently, the NATO side system includes three sites for airpicture sharing with Russia: Warsaw; Bodø, Norway; and Ankara, Turkey. However both Finland and the Ukraine officials observed Vigilant Skies and have expressed interest in joining in. Eventually, team members hope for more Baltic state participation, to eliminate other gaps.

The other possibility for expansion would come on the opposite end of the mammoth Russian land mass, up against the Bering Sea, where the U.S., in Alaska, shares a near-border.

"We were asked to look at that possibility in 2007 and concluded in our report that, yes, it could definitely be done," Mr. Pomponi said. "We never did get to demonstrate it, but there's revived interest now."

Much of the renewed interest in all of this comes from legitimate terrorism concerns, but there is also value simply in demonstrating cooperation.

"With the U.S and Russia looking to show examples of cooperation, this CAI initiative is a really good one," Mr. Lindo said. "The success of this recent exercise shows what's possible when nations work together toward common goals.""

Navy, Coast Guard Forge Partnership to Support Maritime Strategy

Navy, Coast Guard Forge Partnership to Support Maritime Strategy: "The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona entered into a partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, June 21, to provide performance assessment capability to the Coast Guard's advanced National Security Cutter (NSC)class through combat systems ship qualification trials (CSSQT).

"This agreement establishes Corona and C4ISR Moorestown as the Coast Guard command and control performance analysis agents for NSC," said Ahmedur Majumder, Coast Guard Acquisition Directorate NSC execution manager. "This minimizes costs and allows us to support data extraction and analysis for these important exercises now and into the future."

CSSQTs are performed to verify shipboard combat and weapon systems are installed properly and can be operated and maintained safely and effectively by the crew. The trials also validate developmental testing and tactics for the ships and crews.

Majumder said prior to the agreement CSSQTs for the Coast Guard were a joint effort between that service and the Navy with contractors heavily relied upon. The new agreement defines Corona's roles and responsibilities for performing data collection, data distribution, data management, system performance analysis and test reporting during all NSC test events.

"This partnership leverages existing capability within the Navy to support our sister maritime service," said NSWC Corona Commanding Officer Capt. Jay Kadowaki. "It is an excellent example of the intellectual horsepower that can be harnessed for new tasking and helps execute our nation's maritime strategy."

As a Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) field activity, NSWC Corona operates under NAVSEA's Technical Authority Warrant for force-level and combat systems assessment for all but the undersea warfare systems. Corona brings technical expertise and analysis methodologies - developed from decades of conducting performance assessment for the Navy - to Coast Guard CSSQTs.

According to Coast Guard's acquisition directorate, as multiple maritime and military roles of the Coast Guard have grown in scope and significance since 9/11, the NSC's capability requirements have evolved to respond.

The 418-foot, Legend-class NSC cutter is the flagship of the Coast Guard's surface fleet, featuring 12,000-nautical-mile range, 60-day endurance cycle and robust command, control and defense systems.

In addition to maritime homeland security and law enforcement missions, NSCs will also support national defense missions, including supporting the mission requirements of the joint U.S. combatant commanders.

The Coast Guard commissioned the first NSC, USCGC Bertholf (WMSL 750), in 2008, and plans to build eight altogether. NSWC Port Hueneme, supported by sister division NSWC Corona, led the first Coast Guard CSSQT on Bertholf.

NSWC Corona is one of the Navy's newest designated federal labs and serves as the service's independent assessment agent. It is responsible for gauging the warfighting capability of weapons and integrated combat systems, through assessment of system performance, readiness, quality, and supportability, as well as the adequacy of training.

The base is home to three premier national laboratories and assessment centers: Joint Warfare Assessment Lab; Measurement Science and Technology Lab; and the Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center, dedicated to fallen Sailor Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class Steven P. Daugherty.

"

Afghan-US tensions imperil transition to exit

Afghan-US tensions imperil transition to exit: "As the United States starts exiting the Afghan war, analysts warn that dysfunction in Kabul and its naked hostility towards the White House jeopardise the US goal of handing over security in 2014.
The transition to Afghan control is a delicate operation that looks imperilled by the dismal relationship between President Hamid Karzai and Washington, battered and bruised by 10 years of mutual disappointment.
Karzai has increasingly indulged in anti-US tirades, aimed at Afghans weary of another decade of war after Taliban rule, civil war and anti-Soviet jihad, venting anger that US troops do too little to limit civilian casualties.
But the state of the relationship is more critical than ever, with President Barack Obama now counting down to the full withdrawal of US combat troops and the handover to Afghanistan of lead responsibility for fighting the Taliban.
After a decade of limited success, there are just three years left to build up Afghan security forces and ensure that Afghans deliver state services across the board when foreign combat forces are due to leave at the end of 2014.
The Afghan forces will have a big hole to fill."

Top US military officer says Afghan drawdown risky

Top US military officer says Afghan drawdown risky: "The top US military officer said Thursday that he endorsed President Barack Obama's Afghan withdrawal plan despite initial worries about the risks of "sacrificing fighting power in the middle of a war."

"More force for more time is, without a doubt, the safer course. But that does not necessarily make it the best course," US Joints Chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen told the House Armed Services Committee.

'There is no jumping ship here. Quite the contrary. We will have at our disposal the great bulk of the surge forces through this -- and most of the next -- fighting season,' Mullen said one day after Obama unveiled his strategy."

Op-Ed: U.S. Intelligence at a Crossroads

Op-Ed: U.S. Intelligence at a Crossroads:

Op-Ed by Stephen J. Blank

"Despite the killing of Osama bin Laden, this is not and should not be a time for euphoria concerning the state of U.S. intelligence.

Even though all praise is due to everyone who participated in the often fruitless, but ultimately rewarding search for bin Laden, the success of this mission should not lead us to complacency about the state of our intelligence system. Earlier this year, The New York Times reported that President Obama was unhappy with the lack of adequate intelligence warning about the possibilities of revolution in Tunisia and Egypt. This lack of adequate warning was even more unwarranted, given that President Obama himself had written a five-page memo to his administration in 2010 warning about the restiveness of Arab societies, and Secretary of State Clinton had been making important speeches stressing the same thing. Nevertheless, as the President’s reaction indicated, we were quite unprepared, and our policymaking reflected it.

Soon afterwards, Secretary of Defense Gates publicly admitted that we had underestimated the pace and scope of China’s military buildup. Since this buildup is a long-term process that is subjected to detailed scrutiny by the Pentagon, State Department, intelligence community, etc., and is the subject of many academic and expert publications, including those by the Army and Navy War Colleges, this announcement is sadly revealing of our defects in intelligence collection and, possibly worse, analysis. China’s lack of transparency and its military tradition of extolling deception as a tool of statecraft is not an excuse. Rather, that is the standard operating condition under which we must work in this domain. Since China’s defense procurements and much of its defense literature regards a possible contingency against Taiwan and possibly the U.S. as its most likely mission, such a failure has profound consequences for the United States and our allies in Asia, none of which are reassuring.

Then, General James Clapper (Ret.), Director of National Intelligence, testified to Congress that the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood was a pluralist and secular organization. As the Muslim Brotherhood appears to be the best organized political force in Egypt contending for power in the upcoming elections, a victory by this openly anti-democratic, Islamist, and anti-American (and anti-Israeli) group could have serious negative implications for Middle Eastern security. Failing to grasp this organization’s essential nature is a mistake that will likely have serious consequences.

These episodes are by no means unique. Taken in tandem, these seemingly unrelated but actually multiple revelations of intelligence failures underscore the fact that our overall intelligence system does not function as it should. This does not mean that it is a complete failure, the bin Laden case proves otherwise. But the episodes listed above, along with the fact that we have had several different Directors of National Intelligence in less than a decade who have failed to overcome these problems, suggest continuing, deep-seated, and unresolved issues with the provision of accurate intelligence to policymakers. While intelligence and policy failures relating to the inept or inadequate use of intelligence will always be with us, clearly neither complacency nor euphoria is warranted.

With the new configuration of national security professionals taking shape — CIA Director Leon Panetta moving over to replace Gates, and General David Petraeus moving from Afghanistan to be Director of the CIA — much is being made of the growing connection between the armed forces and the intelligence community, especially in the realm of special operations. But policymakers in the Pentagon and elsewhere need intelligence beyond order of battle or tactical dispositions of enemy targets as in the bin Laden case. They need penetrating and tough-minded analysis that has been subjected not just to official reviews, but to expert questioning, criticism, and inquisition. Indeed, those are the areas cited above where we have most visibly fallen short. But these failures arguably also bespeak a greater societal failure.

During the Cold War, we invested huge resources in the training and education of experts who understood various regions and cultures in a deep and intimate way. Those days are over. These investments are no longer being made and reports of the ignorance of our student body concerning what used to be called civics betray an appalling situation and national failure. American academia, which increasingly takes refuge in the study of transhistorical, transcultural theory, is not turning out specialists in area studies which are denigrated by the new mandarinate devoted to such acultural and ahistorical studies. Since career incentives for area studies are being closed down, students do not enter these fields and this vicious cycle repeats itself. Yet these theories founded largely on the uncritical application of our values to other cultures and societies have generally failed to have successful application. They missed the end of the Cold War, the rise of nationalism and Islamism in the Muslim world directed against the United States, and the changes in the conduct of war. These are large and immensely relevant failings. Confident predictions about the future of warfare based on the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) and U.S. supremacy have proven to be chimerical and unwarranted. Not surprisingly, these predictions and the concepts they were based on crashed to earth in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our failure to appreciate the need to understand others within their terms of reference and to grasp the importance of their behavior is evident in the intelligence miscues listed above. This lack of cultural understanding has cost us dearly and will go on doing so unless suitable action to reconstruct an intelligence system and societal structure capable of supporting it is undertaken sooner rather than later. Admittedly, there is no consensus as to how this should be done, or what to do to overcome this failure. But it is clear that we are still on the wrong track and that our success rate is nowhere as good as it should be.

The point of this editorial is, however, not to recommend one or another solution. In dealing with such complex and deeply rooted structures like the intelligence community, a short essay by definition cannot provide quick answers. But it is imperative to sound the alarm that not only are we failing to understand the world we live in, we are also failing to make sure our successors will understand it better than we do. If anything, there is danger that our insight into foreign peoples will continue to deteriorate, given the now visible crisis in teaching these subjects and the fact that our news media are more attracted to “bread and circuses” than to reporting what is happening in Paris, Cairo, Kabul, etc. With the incoming new leadership at the Pentagon and at the CIA there is yet another opportunity for undertaking a serious and long-term effort to provide current and future policymakers with the best and most timely intelligence and analysis. While failure is always inherent in the intelligence business, we must make every effort to reduce its incidence by minimizing the scope of our misunderstanding of the world. It is already clear that in contemporary war and politics we are being surprised all too often. We tragically learned on 9/11 that what we don’t know can hurt us a great deal.

"

Asia Times Online :: Why Karzai lashed out at the US

Asia Times Online :: Why Karzai lashed out at the US: "Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai sprang a surprise on Saturday by affirming for the first time publicly that the 'United States is involved in peace talks with the Taliban'. The statement comes against the backdrop of growing tensions over Washington's efforts to get him to agree to a strategic partnership agreement allowing permanent American and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military bases.

Karzai is today in the unhappy position of learning from the Americans how things are going on the peace front. On the other hand, non-Pashtun elements belonging to the erstwhile Northern Alliance are training their guns on him, accusing him of a "sell out" to the Taliban. Karzai knows well enough that some of these self-styled opposition figures, such as former intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh or former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, enjoy US patronage. Karzai feels frustrated about overall US intentions.

The Americans lately began spreading the news that Karzai intends to retire from politics when his term ends in 2014. Indeed, direct US-Taliban deals will eventually make Karzai expendable in Afghan politics by 2014. But he is determined not to be a pushover and may not hesitate to work on shared interests with even Pakistan, which is also out of the loop on the Anglo-American enterprise to engage the Taliban. Karzai pointedly said that the role of Pakistan in the reconciliation process was "very important".

Karzai is digging in with the preconditions for concluding the strategic partnership agreement with the US. The nearest he came so far was at a press "

US Senate moves to freeze Japan base move

US Senate moves to freeze Japan base move: "US senators said Friday that they have taken a major step to halt a controversial military base plan on Japan's Okinawa island and called on the Pentagon to make a fresh assessment.
Just days before top officials from the two nations meet for talks, the Senate Armed Services Committee agreed to bar any funds to move troops from Japan to Guam and ordered a new study on Okinawa's flashpoint Futenma base.
The language was part of an annual defense funding act approved Thursday. It needs approval from the full Senate and House of Representatives, but senators involved said that their actions on Asian bases enjoyed broad support.
Senator Carl Levin, a member of President Barack Obama's Democratic Party who heads the committee, said that the base plan in Japan increasingly appeared unfeasible and that the United States needed to control costs.
'This is a major step to put all these changes on hold and to require some analysis of cost and to take an honest look at what the current plans are and what the alternatives are,' Levin told reporters on a conference call."

U.S. Navy-ASEAN exercise

U.S. Navy-ASEAN exercise: "The U.S. Navy has begun with its annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training SEACAT exercise.

The 2011 operation, which began Wednesday and runs through next Friday, is the 10th in the series of annual multilateral maritime operations. The Navy is operating in conjunction with ASEAN members the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Radio Free Asia reported.

The geographical breadth of the operation is wide-ranging, including exercises in the Malacca Strait, Sulu and Celebes Seas.

More than 50,000 vessels ply the 621-mile Malacca Strait each year, carrying half of the world's oil shipments carried by sea.

The SEACAT operation is intended to enhance maritime information-sharing and the regional coordination of maritime security responses. During the exercise, the navies involved in SEACAT will undertake drills to include tracking maritime vessels as well as boarding of U.S. civilian shipping simulating international merchant vessels suspected of engaging in maritime terrorist related activities.

"

Network integration tests aim to reduce 'fog of war' | Article | The United States Army

Network integration tests aim to reduce 'fog of war' | Article | The United States Army: "A massive network test, termed the Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE, which kicked off last week here, will evaluate capabilities of a developmental vehicle-mounted company command post system intended to give enhanced on-the-move networking to company commanders.

Keeping a mobile commander well informed can be tough. Communications trouble, both technical and environmental in nature can cause a leader at any level to not feel he has enough information to make the right decision. In combat this lack of information is so common it's earned itself the name 'fog of war.'

'A key portion of the Network Integration Evaluation will take a look at collapsing networked battle and mission command capabilities into mobile company command post platforms,' said Paul Mehney, chief of public communications for Program Executive Office Integration, one of the offices involved in the evaluation.

'This may give company commanders the ability to take advanced network technology with them as they move around the operational environment -- they will no longer need to be tied to a static location to receive mission command information,' he explained"

Pakistan-U.S. security relationship at lowest point since 2001, officials say - The Washington Post

Pakistan-U.S. security relationship at lowest point since 2001, officials say - The Washington Post: "The security relationship between the United States and Pakistan has sunk to its lowest level since the two countries agreed to cooperate after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, endangering counterterrorism programs that depend on the partnership, according to U.S. and Pakistani officials.

Both sides say further deterioration is likely as Pakistan’s military leadership comes under unprecedented pressure from within its ranks to reduce ties with the United States. The army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, was jeered last month by fellow officers who demanded in a town-hall-style meeting that he explain why Pakistan supports U.S. policy.

Kayani “is fighting to survive,” said one U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of current sensitivities. “His corps commanders are very strongly anti-U.S. right now, so he has to appease them.”"

Outside View: Three deadly flaws

Outside View: Three deadly flaws: "U.S. President Barack Obama is putting in place a new national security team from the Pentagon to the CIA. The new team will have to respond to what everyone knows will be 'tough choices,' made tougher by budget cuts likely to be a lot bigger than people think.

But, unless fixed, three deadly flaws make that job even more difficult if not impossible."

Low-key Marine, Gen. John R. Allen, to take over Afghan war at high-stakes time - The Washington Post

Low-key Marine, Gen. John R. Allen, to take over Afghan war at high-stakes time - The Washington Post: "If he is confirmed, he will be the first Marine to command all U.S. forces in either Afghanistan or Iraq.

He was selected over Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, a longtime Afghanistan hand who has served as deputy commander under McChrystal and Petraeus. While Rodriguez is seen as an effective combat leader and as highly knowledgeable about Afghanistan’s complex political terrain, senior Pentagon officials questioned whether he had the communication skills to maintain support for the war on the home front.

Allen, by contrast, has not served any combat tours in Afghanistan, although he is familiar with the country and the war because of his three years as deputy leader of Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East and part of South Asia. He will rely on a new deputy commander, Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, to run the day-to-day war operations.

Perhaps most important, Allen’s backers said, he has built a close relationship with Obama, having regularly briefed the president while at Central Command. They said Allen was a natural choice to take over from Petraeus, under whom he served in Tampa as well as in Iraq.

"

US Funding 'Shadow' Networks To Aid Arab Revolutions

US Funding 'Shadow' Networks To Aid Arab Revolutions: "

The US is financing "shadow" internet systems to assist uprisings in countries, including Syria and Iran, where repressive regimes tightly control online communications in a bid to quell dissent, The New York Times reported Sunday.

The democratic uprisings in the Middle East, starting with Tunisia and Egypt and spreading to Libya and Syria, have been greatly helped by instant communications through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media.



Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/us-funding-'shadow'-networks-to-aid-arab-revolutions-dpgonc-km-20110612_13645917#ixzz1PAnzrzoY
The US State Department was financing the creation of stealth wireless networks that would enable dissidents to communicate outside the reach of governments, The New York Times reported.

In one example, wireless systems were packaged into suitcases that could be smuggled across borders."

Panetta backs significant Afghan withdrawal

Panetta backs significant Afghan withdrawal: "US defense secretary nominee Leon Panetta said Thursday he backed pulling a significant number of troops from Afghanistan next month, in a break with outgoing Pentagon chief Robert Gates.

'I agree with the president's statement,' Panetta told Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, a Democrat who had asked his view on President Barack Obama's pledge to announce a 'significant' draw-down next month.

While Panetta, the current CIA chief, repeatedly praised Gates and sought to assure the panel that he would follow in his footsteps, the answer seemed to put the two at odds as Washington works to put Afghans in charge of their own security by 2014."

Iraq likely to ask US to stay past 2011: Panetta

Iraq likely to ask US to stay past 2011: Panetta: "Iraq's leaders are likely to ask US forces to remain past a December 31 deadline for withdrawal and the United States should seriously consider the request, CIA chief Leon Panetta said Thursday.

"I have every confidence that a request like that is something that I think will be forthcoming at some point," said Panetta, President Barack Obama's nominee to succeed outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Panetta told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the United States was "on track to withdrawing our forces by the end of 2011" but added that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki seemed set to ask some to stay longer.

"

Russian Submarine Works with U.S. Sub Rescue System for First Time

Russian Submarine Works with U.S. Sub Rescue System for First Time:



"A historic international milestone was achieved when the Russian submarine, SSK Alrosa, mated with a U.S. submarine rescue system during exercise Bold Monarch 2011, June 7.

The coupling of the U.S. Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) and the Russian submarine established an international interoperability and cooperation between the two nations.

"During Bold Monarch, 13 countries worked together to save submariners from the depths of the sea," said Capt. David Dittmer, deputy commander, Submarines North and tactical commander of all the units involved in the exercise.

Bold Monarch 2011 is a NATO exercise supported by both the Submarine Escape and Rescue Working Group (SMERWG) and the International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO). Submarine escape and rescue is an international humanitarian aid effort that requires cooperation across national and alliance boundaries. ISMERLO was established in 2004 and is the international coordinating hub for global submarine rescue procedure, systems, equipment and support ships. It also ensures at least one of the world's rescue systems is available to be deployed immediately should an emergency occur.

The exercise took place off the coast of Spain, and featured submarines from Spain, Russia, Portugal and Turkey. Submarine rescue systems from the U.S., Russia, Italy and a jointly-owned NATO asset were proven compatible with every submarine.

"We enjoyed this chance to work together," said Capt. George Shelest, a Russian Federation Navy officer from the Russian Federation Navy Liaison Office. "It was a demonstration of good will from both sides, and a demonstration of the compatibility of our systems. I think that gives more of a chance to be saved if something goes wrong."

The coordinator of ISMERLO concurred with Shelest's assessment.

"The cooperation shown between all the participants and observers of the exercise demonstrates the growing importance of international cooperation," said Bill Orr. "Now there is a greater chance of ensuring a successful rescue if a submarine casualty occurs."

The historical significance of the operation and exercise permeated the thoughts of all who participated, but resonated greatly with a U.S. Sailor assigned to the Deep Submergence Unit (DSU).

"Deep Submergence Unit is unique," said Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Joel Rivera, a forward attendant for SRDRS and whose DSU command is the U.S. Navy's sole provider of submarine rescue capability. "I never thought I'd be able to walk around on a Russian submarine; before I came to this unit, I didn't know these rescue capabilities existed. As a submariner, I will be more comfortable going back to submarines knowing all of these countries are willing to help if something goes wrong."

Rivera and U.S. Navy Sailor Joe Olin, a second class Navy Diver, presented Col. Zaycer Anton, commanding officer of the Alrosa, a plaque and an American flag to commemorate and honor the historical moment and cooperative effort between the Russian submarine and the U.S. rescue system.

More than 40 countries are known to operate more than 440 submarines world-wide, making the confirmation of rescue abilities between nations vital. These exercises foster safety and the ability to work together on a survival level, and also promote understanding and a commitment to stability through regional cooperation.
"
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NATO plans force to respond to cyber attacks

NATO plans force to respond to cyber attacks: "NATO wants to beef up its cyber defence capabilities with the creation of a special task force to detect and respond to Internet attacks, an alliance expert said Wednesday at a conference on cyber security here.

'NATO is planning to establish the Cyber Red Team (...) that would provide a significant contribution to the improvement of NATO's cyber defence capability,' Luc Dandurand and expert with NATO's C3 Agency told delegates to the alliance's third annual cyber defence conference.

The new NATO cyber force could be involved in simulating threats and controlling readiness to response, gathering and using public information from open sources, scanning and probing networks as well as conducting denial-of-service attacks against specific services or networks, according to Dandurand."
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Cyber Defense

The US military is preparing for 21st Century electronic warfare and cyber terrorism. A joint US Cyber Command and four service cyber commands have been set up.

Their mission is to defend American military networks and civilian American infrastructure from cyber terrorism and from foreign government hackers.

The officers leading these cyber commands explain how they are organized, how they operate, and how they will protect the United States from foreign military hackers, intelligence agencies, and cyber terrorists.

13,450 words

JAGM Tri-Mode Seeker Demonstrated Against Moving Sea Targets

JAGM Tri-Mode Seeker Demonstrated Against Moving Sea Targets: "Lockheed Martin's Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) tri-mode seeker successfully acquired and tracked multiple moving maritime vessels during recent high-speed, captive flight tests.

The tests occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, off the shore of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., against multiple maritime targets, including a Revenge Advanced Composites (RAC) state-of-the-art, low-signature, high-speed patrol craft. The RAC performed a series of evasive maneuvers against Lockheed Martin's JAGM tri-mode seeker, mounted in the nose section of a Sabreliner Series 60 jet aircraft.

'These tests demonstrated the strong performance of our seeker design,' said Frank St. John, vice president of Tactical Missiles at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control."
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GERMAN NAVY “SEALS”


German naval commandos are called Kampfschwimmer or "combat swimmers". These German navy counterparts to the US Navy SEALs are Germany's oldest Special Operations Forces. The Kampfschwimmer roots go back to World War II.

Today's Kampfschwimmer formations are heavily involved in international operations against terrorism, including missions in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This e-book is written by a German Navy lieutenant who serves as a Kampfschwimmer team leader -- the equivalent of a US Navy SEAL platoon leader.

"German Navy SEALs" is a profile of the Kampfschwimmer units. The e-book covers the history of the Kampfschwimmer beginning with the World War II era; describes their organization, command structure, capabilities and training; discusses their cooperation with US Navy SEALS and other Special Operations Forces; and their role in German and NATO operational planning.

Other German Special Operations Forces are also briefly discussed.

U.S. wants ‘joint bases’ in Afghanistan, Gates says - The Washington Post

U.S. wants ‘joint bases’ in Afghanistan, Gates says - The Washington Post: "The United States should maintain a long-term military presence in Afghanistan as a “tenant” on bases jointly occupied with Afghan forces, rather than on permanent U.S. bases, after its combat mission ends, according to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

“Bases that belong to one country in another country are always a magnet for trouble,” he said in an interview with Afghanistan’s Tolo News that was released Wednesday. “Joint bases,” from which U.S. troops could provide ongoing training and other assistance, would be “more tolerable to the Afghan people,” he said."
*****************
GERMAN NAVY “SEALS”


German naval commandos are called Kampfschwimmer or "combat swimmers". These German navy counterparts to the US Navy SEALs are Germany's oldest Special Operations Forces. The Kampfschwimmer roots go back to World War II.

Today's Kampfschwimmer formations are heavily involved in international operations against terrorism, including missions in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This e-book is written by a German Navy lieutenant who serves as a Kampfschwimmer team leader -- the equivalent of a US Navy SEAL platoon leader.

"German Navy SEALs" is a profile of the Kampfschwimmer units. The e-book covers the history of the Kampfschwimmer beginning with the World War II era; describes their organization, command structure, capabilities and training; discusses their cooperation with US Navy SEALS and other Special Operations Forces; and their role in German and NATO operational planning.

Other German Special Operations Forces are also briefly discussed.

US Becoming More Leery of Long Wars | Middle East | English

US Becoming More Leery of Long Wars | Middle East | English: "The counterinsurgency approach the United States and its allies have used to fight their enemies and help build democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan seems to be fading in its popularity. Some U.S. officials and many members of Congress and the public have grown weary of that type of long-term and costly campaign. A Voice of America correspondent reports on what could be a significant change in the way the United States uses its power to pursue its interests."
*******************
GERMAN NAVY “SEALS”


German naval commandos are called Kampfschwimmer or "combat swimmers". These German navy counterparts to the US Navy SEALs are Germany's oldest Special Operations Forces. The Kampfschwimmer roots go back to World War II.

Today's Kampfschwimmer formations are heavily involved in international operations against terrorism, including missions in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This e-book is written by a German Navy lieutenant who serves as a Kampfschwimmer team leader -- the equivalent of a US Navy SEAL platoon leader.

"German Navy SEALs" is a profile of the Kampfschwimmer units. The e-book covers the history of the Kampfschwimmer beginning with the World War II era; describes their organization, command structure, capabilities and training; discusses their cooperation with US Navy SEALS and other Special Operations Forces; and their role in German and NATO operational planning.

Other German Special Operations Forces are also briefly discussed.

Multinational Forces Gather, Begin Baltic Operations 2011

Multinational Forces Gather, Begin Baltic Operations 2011: "Maritime forces from 13 countries began participating in Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2011, a multinational naval exercise in the Baltic Sea June 3.

Now in its 39th year, Baltic Operations is an annual exercise aimed at enhancing cooperation among regional allies and building interoperability in a real-world environment. This year's exercise will come to a close June 25.

'Baltic Operations has a common goal – the improved maritime security of the Baltic Sea and increased interoperability of our regional allies,' said Vice Admiral Harry B. Harris, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. 'The exercise has a comprehensive, robust, and challenging agenda that will provide numerous opportunities for us to operate together and develop friendships and relationships.'

During the exercise, Sailors from all participating countries become familiar with each country's military operating procedures and practices, resulting in improved ability to counter threats to maritime safety and security and conduct joint peacekeeping and humanitarian responses.

Nations participating include Belgium, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the United States."
************
GERMAN NAVY “SEALS”


German naval commandos are called Kampfschwimmer or "combat swimmers". These German navy counterparts to the US Navy SEALs are Germany's oldest Special Operations Forces. The Kampfschwimmer roots go back to World War II.

Today's Kampfschwimmer formations are heavily involved in international operations against terrorism, including missions in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This e-book is written by a German Navy lieutenant who serves as a Kampfschwimmer team leader -- the equivalent of a US Navy SEAL platoon leader.

"German Navy SEALs" is a profile of the Kampfschwimmer units. The e-book covers the history of the Kampfschwimmer beginning with the World War II era; describes their organization, command structure, capabilities and training; discusses their cooperation with US Navy SEALS and other Special Operations Forces; and their role in German and NATO operational planning.

Other German Special Operations Forces are also briefly discussed.

5,400 words

Denmark, Ukraine, and U.S. Dive into Sea Breeze 2011

Denmark, Ukraine, and U.S. Dive into Sea Breeze 2011: "Danish, Ukrainian, and U.S. Navy divers conducted one of many joint dive evolutions during the multinational exercise Sea Breeze 2011 at the Ukrainian Western Naval Base, June 8.

Divers familiarized themselves with each other's equipment, and demonstrated diving procedures and techniques gained from experience.

"It's incredible working with different nations," said Steel Worker 1st Class Robert Marin, assigned to Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1. "The training and cooperation goes both ways; the Danish and Ukrainian divers have different safety measures and dive procedures than we do, so we learn from them as much as they learn from us."

Members from the Danish Navy Dive Academy, Copenhagen; Ukrainian dive team from the Search and Rescue Center of the Ukrainian navy, Sevastopol; and UCT 1, from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va.; will be training together daily in controlled environments both in port and at sea.

"It's very nice to meet other divers from different nationalities," said Danish navy diver Benny Nielsen. "The Ukrainian and U.S. divers have been teaching us about hydraulics and deep sea diving while we've been focusing on underwater welding."

Surface supplied diving techniques, equipment familiarization, underwater welding, salvage operations, ordnance identification and disposal and side-scan sonar operations are a few of the events that will be covered during various diving phases of Sea Breeze.

"It's always amazing for us to get out and train together with other countries instead of just doing it by ourselves," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Peter Dave, a two-time veteran to exercise Sea Breeze. "It's always interesting to come out and see how other countries perform operations with different equipment, apparatuses and rigs, and Sea Breeze provides a great opportunity to do that."

Air, land and naval forces from Azerbaijan, Algeria, Belgium, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Macedonia, Moldova, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States will participate in Sea Breeze, the largest multinational maritime exercise this year in the Black Sea, June 6-18, and is co-hosted by the Ukrainian and U.S. Navies.

Exercise Sea Breeze 2011 aims to improve maritime safety, security and stability actions in the Black Sea by enhancing the capabilities of Partnership for Peace and Black Sea regional maritime security forces.

"
**************
GERMAN NAVY “SEALS”


German naval commandos are called Kampfschwimmer or "combat swimmers". These German navy counterparts to the US Navy SEALs are Germany's oldest Special Operations Forces. The Kampfschwimmer roots go back to World War II.

Today's Kampfschwimmer formations are heavily involved in international operations against terrorism, including missions in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This e-book is written by a German Navy lieutenant who serves as a Kampfschwimmer team leader -- the equivalent of a US Navy SEAL platoon leader.

"German Navy SEALs" is a profile of the Kampfschwimmer units. The e-book covers the history of the Kampfschwimmer beginning with the World War II era; describes their organization, command structure, capabilities and training; discusses their cooperation with US Navy SEALS and other Special Operations Forces; and their role in German and NATO operational planning.

Other German Special Operations Forces are also briefly discussed.

Troop Drawdown in Afghanistan Pits Pentagon, Gates Against White House - ABC News

Troop Drawdown in Afghanistan Pits Pentagon, Gates Against White House - ABC News: "The debate over the drawdown of troops in Afghanistan, set to begin next month, is unearthing old tensions between the Pentagon and the White House that could present new political and logistical challenges for President Obama.

Soon-to-be-retired Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, on his final tour of the country this week, warned that it would be 'premature' to make any significant changes to the military campaign in Afghanistan before the end of the year or until the United States can say that 'we've turned the corner here in Afghanistan.'

The White House, on the other hand, continues to argue that the cuts in the numbers of troops will be 'real.'

Even if the Pentagon and White House agree on the number, Gates' public dissent makes it difficult for the president to sell that number to his supporters, who are getting increasingly agitated over the growing cost of the war."
***************

NATO 3.0

At the Lisbon NATO Summit, the US-European alliance made an open ended commitment to Afghanistan. NATO 3.0 has the details.

S. American submarine industry set to grow

S. American submarine industry set to grow:

"More submarines are set to join the military inventories of South and Central American navies in 2011 as acquisition and construction programs get under way, a report on global submarine markets said.
The total annual value of the global submarine market stands at $16.4 billion and is expected to increase to $18.2 billion by 2021, 'The Global Submarine Market 2011-2021' report said.
It wasn't immediately clear if the report takes into account secret shipbuilding and submarine activities of countries outside the conventional reporting areas, such as Iran, North Korea and other Asian countries.
Regional rivalries among states are cited in the report as a driver for the submarine market, which is expected to cumulatively be worth $44 billion across the forecast period, 23.6 percent of the total market.
In Latin America, Brazil and Argentina remain the main spenders with a total value of $8.6 billion, 4.61 percent of the total market."

NATO chief rejects Russia's missile defence proposal

NATO chief rejects Russia's missile defence proposal: "NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Tuesday bluntly rejected a Russian proposal to end a dispute on missile defence that threatens a rapprochement between Moscow and the Western alliance.

Russia has indicated it would be ready to drop its opposition to NATO installing missile defence facilities in ex-Communist eastern Europe if it provided legal guarantees the system would not be directed against Russia.

"The most promising path towards greater trust is more discussion, more political debate and exchange, rather than complicated legal formulas which would be difficult to agree on and ratify among 29 countries (the NATO member states and Russia)," Rasmussen said in an interview with the Interfax news agency released on Tuesday.

"
=================

NATO Missile Defense for Europe

NATO has agreed to provide ballistic missile defense or BMD for all of Europe. This NATO BMD will protect NATO (European and American) military forces in Europe. It will also – for the very first time – protect the civilian population throughout Europe from ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction launched from the Middle East.

Much of this NATO missile defense for Europe – known as the European Phased Adaptive Approach – will actually be provided by the United States armed forces. This will include seaborne AEGIS missile defense on board US Navy ships in the Mediterranean, as well as land based radars and interceptor missiles.

This e-book describes how NATO missile defense for Europe will be organized and implemented.

Russia softens stance on missile defence: report

Russia softens stance on missile defence: report: "Russia has softened its stance on Western plans for missile defence over Europe but has set a number of conditions for its cooperation, Kommersant newspaper Monday quoted an official as saying.

"The situation has very much changed: If before in relation to the missile defence we used to say 'no, no and no', now we're saying 'yes but on certain conditions'," Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov told the newspaper.

"Legal guarantees of the US and NATO missile defense not being directed against Russia are one of the terms of cooperation Moscow is offering," Antonov told the newspaper. "Otherwise, cooperation loses its meaning."

Antonov said Russia was open to suggestions even if the West was not interested in the so-called 'sectoral approach' offered by Russia."
*********************

NATO Missile Defense for Europe

NATO has agreed to provide ballistic missile defense or BMD for all of Europe. This NATO BMD will protect NATO (European and American) military forces in Europe. It will also – for the very first time – protect the civilian population throughout Europe from ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction launched from the Middle East.

Much of this NATO missile defense for Europe – known as the European Phased Adaptive Approach – will actually be provided by the United States armed forces. This will include seaborne AEGIS missile defense on board US Navy ships in the Mediterranean, as well as land based radars and interceptor missiles.

This e-book describes how NATO missile defense for Europe will be organized and implemented.

Mystery shrouds 'death' of al-Qaida head

Mystery shrouds 'death' of al-Qaida head: "reported death of Mohammed Ilyas Kashmiri, considered one of the most dangerous of al-Qaida's commanders and strategists, in a missile attack in Pakistan remains shrouded in mystery.

If he is dead, it would mark a major coup for the Americans hard on the heels of the killing of Osama bin Laden in a May 2 U.S. Navy SEALs strike on his hideout near Islamabad, Pakistan's capital.

The Long War Journal, which monitors international terrorism, reported a purported photo of Kashmiri's body posted on a jihadist Web site by a Pakistani group associated with Kashmiri was actually that of Abu Dera Ismail Khan, a fighter of the Lashkar-e Toiba, or Army of the Pure, killed in the November 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai.

Kashmiri, who is also a leader of the Harakat ul Jihad al-Islami and an elite jihadist unit known as Brigade 313, was reported killed with other fighters in a missile attack Friday night by a U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle in the Wana area of South Waziristan, an Islamist stronghold in northern Pakistan.

"
***************

NATO 3.0

At the Lisbon NATO Summit, the US-European alliance made an open ended commitment to Afghanistan. NATO 3.0 has the details.

US weighs timeline on Afghan surge force pullout: Gates

US weighs timeline on Afghan surge force pullout: Gates:

"A looming US decision on troop drawdowns in Afghanistan could include a timeline for pulling out 30,000 'surge' forces deployed last year, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday.

In a farewell visit to Afghanistan before stepping down as Pentagon chief, Gates indicated for the first time that President Barack Obama may be preparing to lay out a long-term plan for US troop levels over the next few years.

Obama is expected to reveal soon how many US troops will return home in July as control of security passes from foreign to Afghan troops in seven areas of the country.

The transfer marks the first phase of a handover due to conclude by 2015, by which time all foreign combat troops are supposed to have withdrawn."
**************

NATO 3.0

At the Lisbon NATO Summit, the US-European alliance made an open ended commitment to Afghanistan. NATO 3.0 has the details.

New weapons for 'robust' US role in Asia: Gates

New weapons for 'robust' US role in Asia: Gates:

"Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday vowed the US military would maintain a 'robust' presence across Asia that includes new high-tech weaponry to protect allies and safeguard shipping lanes.

Seeking to reassure Asian countries mindful of China's growing power and Washington's fiscal troubles, Gates told a security conference in Singapore that Washington's commitment to the region would not be scaled back.

Instead, the US military would expand its presence, sharing facilities with Australia in the Indian Ocean and deploying new littoral combat ships (LCS) to Singapore where it has regular access to naval facilities, he said.

"

Riverine Forces Make History with Well Deck Certification

Riverine Forces Make History with Well Deck Certification: "Sailors from Riverine Squadrons (RIVRON) 2 and 3 made history when they successfully completed the first well deck certification for the Riverine Command Boat (RCB) and Riverine Patrol Boat (RPB) aboard USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) May 31.

"What this proves is that, once and for all, we have the capability with the Riverine Command Boats and Riverine Patrol Boats to bring them on board the well deck of a ship," said Capt. Christopher Halton, commodore of Riverine Group 1. "With us being able to sustain operations out of the well deck, it opens up a variety of mission sets for the Riverines, from counter piracy missions, supporting amphibious operations or providing force protection for LCACs (Landing Craft, Air Cushioned) operating back and forth to the beach."

With completion of the well deck certification, the boats have the ability to deploy worldwide aboard an amphibious ship in support of the maritime strategy.

Amphibious operations reach across all six core capabilities of the maritime strategy which are forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

While Oak Hill was anchored in the Chesapeake Bay, the Riverine boats entered the well deck several times, testing the boats maneuverability and the crew's ability to safely bring the boats in, and work together with the Oak Hill crew.

After the RCBs and RPB were secured in the well deck with mooring lines, Oak Hill drained the deck so Riverine Sailors could inspect the boats and ensure they could be properly secured for sea during underway evolutions.

"The RCB was designed with the focus of being a mobile command and control boat, with the ability to control smaller Riverine boats up river," said Cmdr. Clay Wilson, commanding officer of RIVRON 2. "We've kind of pulled it (Riverine mission) out towards the coastal environment right now to fill Riverine needs and the craft has proven to be capable of doing more then just inshore missions."

"Once the last boat was clear of the well and it was clear that the events of the day were successful, my well deck team broke out into spontaneous cheers and applause," said Cmdr. David Bauer, commanding officer of USS Oak Hill. "They knew the importance of what they had just done. It was a very moving moment."

The Riverine Force, part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, is a combat-arms force that performs point defense, fire support and interdiction operations along inland water ways to defeat enemies and support U.S. Marines and coalition forces.

"

NATO: Forces Capture Bin Laden Associate in Afghanistan | News | English

NATO: Forces Capture Bin Laden Associate in Afghanistan | News | English: "NATO says Afghan and coalition troops have captured an al-Qaida facilitator who was a former associate of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

In a statement Thursday, NATO said the man was captured in the Nahr-e Shahi area of northern Balkh province, but did not give his name.

The coalition said the Pakistan-based man planned attacks and was a close associate of senior al-Qaida insurgents. He is also suspected of being with bin Laden in Afghanistan in 2001.

NATO says he is one of several senior al-Qaida and Taliban insurgents captured in Balkh province this year."
************

NATO 3.0

At the Lisbon NATO Summit, the US-European alliance made an open ended commitment to Afghanistan. NATO 3.0 has the details.

Pakistan blames NATO for insurgent attacks from Afghanistan - Arab News

Pakistan blames NATO for insurgent attacks from Afghanistan - Arab News: "Islamist militants who flowed out of Afghanistan fought a second day of fierce battles with Pakistani security forces Thursday in one of the deadliest clashes on the Pakistan side of the frontier in months. Authorities said 63 people were dead.

Signaling a deepening of the rift with the United States and voicing Islamabad’s anger over the attacks, the government issued a statement late Thursday voicing Pakistan’s “strong concern” about the attack.

Pakistan’s military had initially said the assault was the work of about 200 militants, but the government statement put the number at between 300 and 400. It said the fighters “attacked villages and burned schools.” The militant attack and Pakistan’s reaction contradicted the US narrative about the poorly defined and porous border. Typically, militant cross-frontier movements originate in Pakistan, leaving the United States and NATO to gripe at Islamabad over its failure to stop the infiltration.

The new battles found Pakistan the aggrieved party, lending credence to Pakistani army commanders’ complaints that NATO was failing to crackdown on militants sheltering on the Afghan side of the rugged frontier."
***************

NATO 3.0

At the Lisbon NATO Summit, the US-European alliance made an open ended commitment to Afghanistan. NATO 3.0 has the details.

BBC News - US military cuts in Pakistan 'significant'

BBC News - US military cuts in Pakistan 'significant': "The top US military officer has acknowledged 'very significant' cuts to US military numbers in Pakistan, saying US-Pakistan ties need time to heal.

Adm Mike Mullen, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said some of the US troops, mostly trainers, would remain.

Pakistan asked the US to reduce its troop presence after US special forces killed Osama Bin Laden last month."
*************

NATO 3.0

At the Lisbon NATO Summit, the US-European alliance made an open ended commitment to Afghanistan. NATO 3.0 has the details.

US military chief 'open' to ideas on Japan base

US military chief 'open' to ideas on Japan base: "The head of the US military said Thursday he was open to ideas on resolving a long-running row with Japan over bases after three senators called the two governments' agreement infeasible.

"I think we need to be as open as we possibly can to solutions now," Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a breakfast with reporters.

Senators Carl Levin, John McCain and Jim Webb last month called for the United States to rethink base realignment plans in East Asia due to political opposition in Japan and cost overruns in both Japan and South Korea.

Japanese and US officials earlier dismissed the proposal, saying that the plan worked out in 2006 was the best approach and would reduce troop numbers on Okinawa island, where tensions with local residents have been frequent.

Mullen, whose term ends in September, did not comment specifically on the senators' proposal but said that the United States needed to be mindful both of costs and the political situation in Japan.

"

US to view major cyber attacks as acts of war: report

US to view major cyber attacks as acts of war: report: "The Pentagon has adopted a new strategy that will classify major cyber attacks as acts of war, paving the way for possible military retaliation, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The newspaper said the Pentagon plans to unveil its first-ever strategy regarding cyber warfare next month, in part as a warning to foes that may try to sabotage the country's electricity grid, subways or pipelines.

"If you shut down our power grid, maybe we will put a missile down one of your smokestacks," it quoted a military official as saying.

The newspaper, citing three officials who had seen the document, said the the strategy would maintain that the existing international rules of armed conflict -- embodied in treaties and customs -- would apply in cyberspace.

It said the Pentagon would likely decide whether to respond militarily to cyber attacks based on the notion of "equivalence" -- whether the attack was comparable in damage to a conventional military strike.
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Cyber Defense

The US military is preparing for 21st Century electronic warfare and cyber terrorism. A joint US Cyber Command and four service cyber commands have been set up.

Their mission is to defend American military networks and civilian American infrastructure from cyber terrorism and from foreign government hackers.

The officers leading these cyber commands explain how they are organized, how they operate, and how they will protect the United States from foreign military hackers, intelligence agencies, and cyber terrorists.

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