The cost of war is coming into painful focus for Americans as the month of August closes as the deadliest so far in the decade-long war in Afghanistan, and as a Congressional watchdog releases research showing that tens of billions of dollars meant for contractors in both the Afghan and Iraq conflicts have been squandered.
As of last night, the US
fford to limit attacks ahead of the withdrawal of so many American troops.
topping by one the death toll for July 2010, which was previously the deadliest single month since the invasion was first ordered by President George W Bush in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
While a disturbing statistic by any measure, particularly at a time when President Barack Obama has ordered the withdrawal by September 2012 of all 33,000 of the extra troops he sent in as part of a surge strategy in Afghanistan, it was skewed by a single attack on a Chinook helicopter on 6 August which killed 30 US service personnel, including 17 Navy Seals. It marked the single-largest loss of life since the start of the war.
Other nations contributing to the Nato force have also seen losses this month, including four French and two British fatalities. These have come, however, at a time of relative calm on the battlefields of Afghanistan, thanks in part to the observance of Ramadan and also, strategists say, to a sense among Taliban commanders that they can afford to limit attacks ahead of the withdrawal of so many American troops.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
AeroVironment Introduces Shrike VTOL UAS
AeroVironment has introduced its lightweight and man-portable Shrike VTOL unmanned aircraft system. In August 2008 AeroVironment announced the receipt of a contract from DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) to develop a portable, stealthy, persistent perch and stare (SP2S) unmanned aircraft system.
Shrike VTOL represents the conclusion of this development effort.
"With more than four years of customer funding behind it, our new Shrike VTOL unmanned aircraft system is designed to address the need for a small, light-weight hovering aircraft that delivers unique surveillance and intelligence capability not provided by current solutions.
"Not only does Shrike VTOL hover for more than 40 minutes with a high resolution video camera, but its innovative design also allows for the transmission of several hours of live video as a remotely emplaced perch and stare sensor," said Tom Herring, senior vice president and general manager of AeroVironment's UAS business segment.
"This new solution adds an important set of new capabilities to our existing and battle-proven family of small unmanned aircraft systems that are saving lives in theater today."
Operating quietly enough to go virtually undetected, Shrike weighs approximately five pounds and is small enough to fit in a backpack
Shrike VTOL represents the conclusion of this development effort.
"With more than four years of customer funding behind it, our new Shrike VTOL unmanned aircraft system is designed to address the need for a small, light-weight hovering aircraft that delivers unique surveillance and intelligence capability not provided by current solutions.
"Not only does Shrike VTOL hover for more than 40 minutes with a high resolution video camera, but its innovative design also allows for the transmission of several hours of live video as a remotely emplaced perch and stare sensor," said Tom Herring, senior vice president and general manager of AeroVironment's UAS business segment.
"This new solution adds an important set of new capabilities to our existing and battle-proven family of small unmanned aircraft systems that are saving lives in theater today."
Operating quietly enough to go virtually undetected, Shrike weighs approximately five pounds and is small enough to fit in a backpack
US Iraq pull-out to proceed as scheduled: Maliki
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said US forces will leave Iraq as scheduled by year's end, and that there will not be any permanent US bases in the country, a statement from his office said on Tuesday.
"The agreement on the withdrawal of American forces will be implemented on schedule by the end of the year, and there will not be any bases for US forces here," Maliki told Al-Ittijah TV channel in an interview to be broadcast later, it said.
"The agreement on the withdrawal of American forces will be implemented on schedule by the end of the year, and there will not be any bases for US forces here," Maliki told Al-Ittijah TV channel in an interview to be broadcast later, it said.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Navy NRL toLaunch Experimental TacSat-4 Satellite
The Naval Research Laboratory announced Aug. 30 that its Tactical Satellite IV (TacSat-4) is scheduled to launch from the Alaska Aerospace Corporation's Kodiak Launch Complex Sept. 27 aboard an Orbital Sciences Corporation Minotaur-IV+ launch vehicle.
The satellite will allow forward deployed forces to communicate on-the-move from obscured regions.
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored the development of the payload and the first year of operation. The Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office is funding the launch which is managed by the Space Development and Test Directorate (SD), a directorate of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC).
Shortly after launch, the TacSat-4 spacecraft will be deployed into a unique, highly elliptical orbit with an apogee of 12,050 kilometers. This orbit helps augment current geosynchronous satellite communication by including high latitudes.
TacSat-4 is a Navy-led, joint mission which provides 10 ultra high frequency (UHF) channels and allows troops using existing radios to communicate on-the-move (COTM) from obscured regions without the need for dangerous antenna positioning and pointing.
"Communication is a critical warfighting requirement. TacSat-4 will support forward deployed forces at sea and Marines on the ground," said Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR's director of innovation.
"We've developed a technology more rapidly and at lower cost that will supplement traditional satellites, giving multiple combatant commanders around the globe another outlet for data transmission and communications on the move."
TacSat-4 provides flexible up and down channel assignments, which increase the ability to operate in busy radio-frequency environments and will cover the high latitudes and mountainous areas where users currently cannot access UHF satellite communications (SATCOMs).
The NRL Blossom Point Ground Station provides the command and control for TacSat-4. The Virtual Mission Operations Center (VMOC) mission planning system allows dynamic reallocation to different theaters worldwide that enables rapid SATCOM augmentation when unexpected operations or natural events occur.
Marking the 100th launching of an NRL built satellite into orbit, TacSat-4 is an experimental spacecraft that will test advances in several technologies and SATCOM techniques. Ultimately, TacSat-4 will augment the existing fleet by giving the SATCOM Support Centers (SSC) an additional space asset to provide communications to otherwise under-served users and areas that either do not have high enough priority or do not have satellite visibility. The project helps define future options for launching one or more smaller, highly elliptical orbit (HEO) satellites allowing the military to achieve the benefits of a combined HEO and geosynchronous orbit constellation.
The spacecraft bus was built by NRL and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) to mature ORS bus standards. It was developed by an Integrated (government and industry) System Engineering Team (ISET), with representation from AeroAstro, Air Force Research Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Laboratory APL, ATK Space, Ball Aerospace and Technologies, Boeing, Design Net Engineering, General Dynamics AIS, Microcosm, Microsat Systems Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, Orbital Sciences, NRL, SMC, Space System Loral, and Raytheon.
The Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) funded the standardized spacecraft bus.
TacSat-4 is managed by the Naval Research Laboratory Naval Center for Space Technology.
The satellite will allow forward deployed forces to communicate on-the-move from obscured regions.
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored the development of the payload and the first year of operation. The Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office is funding the launch which is managed by the Space Development and Test Directorate (SD), a directorate of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC).
Shortly after launch, the TacSat-4 spacecraft will be deployed into a unique, highly elliptical orbit with an apogee of 12,050 kilometers. This orbit helps augment current geosynchronous satellite communication by including high latitudes.
TacSat-4 is a Navy-led, joint mission which provides 10 ultra high frequency (UHF) channels and allows troops using existing radios to communicate on-the-move (COTM) from obscured regions without the need for dangerous antenna positioning and pointing.
"Communication is a critical warfighting requirement. TacSat-4 will support forward deployed forces at sea and Marines on the ground," said Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR's director of innovation.
"We've developed a technology more rapidly and at lower cost that will supplement traditional satellites, giving multiple combatant commanders around the globe another outlet for data transmission and communications on the move."
TacSat-4 provides flexible up and down channel assignments, which increase the ability to operate in busy radio-frequency environments and will cover the high latitudes and mountainous areas where users currently cannot access UHF satellite communications (SATCOMs).
The NRL Blossom Point Ground Station provides the command and control for TacSat-4. The Virtual Mission Operations Center (VMOC) mission planning system allows dynamic reallocation to different theaters worldwide that enables rapid SATCOM augmentation when unexpected operations or natural events occur.
Marking the 100th launching of an NRL built satellite into orbit, TacSat-4 is an experimental spacecraft that will test advances in several technologies and SATCOM techniques. Ultimately, TacSat-4 will augment the existing fleet by giving the SATCOM Support Centers (SSC) an additional space asset to provide communications to otherwise under-served users and areas that either do not have high enough priority or do not have satellite visibility. The project helps define future options for launching one or more smaller, highly elliptical orbit (HEO) satellites allowing the military to achieve the benefits of a combined HEO and geosynchronous orbit constellation.
The spacecraft bus was built by NRL and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) to mature ORS bus standards. It was developed by an Integrated (government and industry) System Engineering Team (ISET), with representation from AeroAstro, Air Force Research Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Laboratory APL, ATK Space, Ball Aerospace and Technologies, Boeing, Design Net Engineering, General Dynamics AIS, Microcosm, Microsat Systems Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, Orbital Sciences, NRL, SMC, Space System Loral, and Raytheon.
The Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) funded the standardized spacecraft bus.
TacSat-4 is managed by the Naval Research Laboratory Naval Center for Space Technology.
Monday, August 22, 2011
US troops may stay in Afghanistan until 2024
America and Afghanistan are close to signing a strategic pact which would allow thousands of United States troops to remain in the country until at least 2024, The Daily Telegraph reports.
The agreement would allow not only military trainers to stay to build up the Afghan army and police, but also American special forces soldiers and air power to remain.
The prospect of such a deal has already been met with anger among Afghanistan’s neighbours including, publicly, Iran and, privately, Pakistan.
It also risks being rejected by the Taliban and derailing any attempt to coax them to the negotiating table, according to one senior member of Hamid Karzai’s peace council.
A withdrawal of American troops has already begun following an agreement to hand over security for the country to Kabul by the end of 2014.
But Afghans wary of being abandoned are keen to lock America into a longer partnership after the deadline. Many analysts also believe the American military would like to retain a presence close to Pakistan, Iran and China.
The agreement would allow not only military trainers to stay to build up the Afghan army and police, but also American special forces soldiers and air power to remain.
The prospect of such a deal has already been met with anger among Afghanistan’s neighbours including, publicly, Iran and, privately, Pakistan.
It also risks being rejected by the Taliban and derailing any attempt to coax them to the negotiating table, according to one senior member of Hamid Karzai’s peace council.
A withdrawal of American troops has already begun following an agreement to hand over security for the country to Kabul by the end of 2014.
But Afghans wary of being abandoned are keen to lock America into a longer partnership after the deadline. Many analysts also believe the American military would like to retain a presence close to Pakistan, Iran and China.
Boeing Demonstrates Swarm Reconnaissance with Unmanned Aircraft
Boeing has reported the successful autonomous communications and operation of dissimilar unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in flight tests over the rugged terrain of eastern Oregon.
The July 7-10 mission used two ScanEagles manufactured by Boeing subsidiary Insitu and one Procerus Unicorn from The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). The UAVs communicated using a Mobile Ad Hoc Network and swarm technology developed by JHU/APL.
Swarm technology is similar to how insects communicate and perform tasks as an intelligent group.
The UAVs worked together to search the test area through self-generating waypoints and terrain mapping, while simultaneously sending information to teams on the ground. A broader demonstration is planned for the end of September.
"This is a milestone in UAV flight," said Gabriel Santander, Boeing Advanced Autonomous Networks program director and team leader.
"The test team proved that these unmanned aircraft can collect and use data while communicating with each other to support a unified mission. This swarm technology may one day be used for search-and-rescue missions or identifying enemy threats ahead of ground patrols."
The July 7-10 mission used two ScanEagles manufactured by Boeing subsidiary Insitu and one Procerus Unicorn from The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). The UAVs communicated using a Mobile Ad Hoc Network and swarm technology developed by JHU/APL.
Swarm technology is similar to how insects communicate and perform tasks as an intelligent group.
The UAVs worked together to search the test area through self-generating waypoints and terrain mapping, while simultaneously sending information to teams on the ground. A broader demonstration is planned for the end of September.
"This is a milestone in UAV flight," said Gabriel Santander, Boeing Advanced Autonomous Networks program director and team leader.
"The test team proved that these unmanned aircraft can collect and use data while communicating with each other to support a unified mission. This swarm technology may one day be used for search-and-rescue missions or identifying enemy threats ahead of ground patrols."
Friday, August 19, 2011
Afghan forces need help post-pullout: commander
The commander of NATO's mission to train Afghanistan's security forces has warned it will need years of support from foreign powers and the Afghan government to be a long-term success.
Lieutenant-General William Caldwell indicated that several thousand international trainers could be needed to support the mission until at least 2020 in an interview with AFP.
All foreign combat troops will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 in a process that started last month and will require the Afghan army and police to play an ever-greater role in fighting the Taliban insurgency.
But Caldwell also said that President Hamid Karzai's government needed to make progress on governance and justice in Afghanistan to help sustain the efforts of NTM-A (NATO Training Mission Afghanistan).
Lieutenant-General William Caldwell indicated that several thousand international trainers could be needed to support the mission until at least 2020 in an interview with AFP.
All foreign combat troops will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 in a process that started last month and will require the Afghan army and police to play an ever-greater role in fighting the Taliban insurgency.
But Caldwell also said that President Hamid Karzai's government needed to make progress on governance and justice in Afghanistan to help sustain the efforts of NTM-A (NATO Training Mission Afghanistan).
Lockheed Martin Developing Unmanned Autonomous Technologies
The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $47 million contract to develop, demonstrate and deliver autonomous technologies for unmanned air systems in support of in-theater unmanned cargo resupply missions.
Under the contract, Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace will demonstrate intelligent autonomous technologies for unmanned aerial systems using the K-MAX helicopter platform.
The Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate is investing in mature technologies that will enhance unmanned cargo resupply capabilities by improving autonomous operations, increasing delivery accuracy and reducing ground control station operator workload. Prior to being deployed for cargo resupply missions, the technology will be demonstrated in an operationally realistic environment on the unmanned K-MAX.
Under the contract, Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace will demonstrate intelligent autonomous technologies for unmanned aerial systems using the K-MAX helicopter platform.
The Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate is investing in mature technologies that will enhance unmanned cargo resupply capabilities by improving autonomous operations, increasing delivery accuracy and reducing ground control station operator workload. Prior to being deployed for cargo resupply missions, the technology will be demonstrated in an operationally realistic environment on the unmanned K-MAX.
Boeing Communications Relay Links Radios with Multiple Unmanned Platforms
Boeing has successfully demonstrated the company's newest narrowband communications relay aboard two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) - an Insitu ScanEagle and a portable AeroVironment Puma All Environment (AE).
The relay was designed to meet the needs of small distributed forces operating in areas where line-of-sight communications are not possible. It is the longest-range narrowband relay successfully flown in the Puma AE and ScanEagle platforms to date.
During the multiservice demonstrations, held in California in May and this month, UAVs flew at a variety of altitudes while linking handheld military radios dispersed over mountainous regions. The tests confirmed the relay's performance and versatility. Using the two UAV platforms extended the radios' range tenfold.
The relay was designed to meet the needs of small distributed forces operating in areas where line-of-sight communications are not possible. It is the longest-range narrowband relay successfully flown in the Puma AE and ScanEagle platforms to date.
During the multiservice demonstrations, held in California in May and this month, UAVs flew at a variety of altitudes while linking handheld military radios dispersed over mountainous regions. The tests confirmed the relay's performance and versatility. Using the two UAV platforms extended the radios' range tenfold.
Raytheon Completes Improved Small Tactical Munition Lab Testing
Raytheon has completed laboratory integration and testing of its Small Tactical Munition Phase II configuration, setting the stage for flight tests later this year.
STM Phase II is a new 12-pound, 21.5-inch long, precision-guided, gravity-dropped bomb specifically designed for employment from manned and unmanned aircraft systems, and is the smallest air-launched weapon in the Raytheon portfolio.
STM Phase II is a new 12-pound, 21.5-inch long, precision-guided, gravity-dropped bomb specifically designed for employment from manned and unmanned aircraft systems, and is the smallest air-launched weapon in the Raytheon portfolio.
Raytheon Completes Fifth Small Diameter Bomb II Tri-Mode Seeker in New Factory
Raytheon has built the fifth Small Diameter Bomb II seeker in its new factory expressly designed to assemble integrated tri-mode seekers.
"Raytheon is the only company building integrated tri-mode seekers on a 'hot' production line and we're doing it less than a year after contract award," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Air Warfare Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems.
"Producing seekers in an active factory is one of the reasons Raytheon can keep its commitment to deliver SDB II to the warfighter on cost and on schedule."
SDB II's seeker fuses millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semiactive laser sensors on a single gimbal. The result is a powerful integrated seeker that seamlessly shares targeting information between modes, enabling the weapon to engage fixed or moving targets around the clock in adverse weather conditions.
"Raytheon is the only company building integrated tri-mode seekers on a 'hot' production line and we're doing it less than a year after contract award," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Air Warfare Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems.
"Producing seekers in an active factory is one of the reasons Raytheon can keep its commitment to deliver SDB II to the warfighter on cost and on schedule."
SDB II's seeker fuses millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semiactive laser sensors on a single gimbal. The result is a powerful integrated seeker that seamlessly shares targeting information between modes, enabling the weapon to engage fixed or moving targets around the clock in adverse weather conditions.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Lasers to Spot Bombs, IEDs
Imagine a checkpoint where Soldiers don't have to walk up to a vehicle that's been rigged to explode, but instead, they can detect the explosives at safe, standoff distances. That's the kind of technology the Army Research Laboratory, or ARL, is investing in as part of a research effort now shared with the Leonard Wood Institute in Missouri.
That technology is laser spectroscopy, which can be used for standoff explosive detection, is based on ARL's advanced research in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. It is 1980s technology that today can detect explosive threats in real time, sometimes processing agent analysis in as little as one-second. The Leonard Wood Institute work involved advancing current technology to detect such threats, including home-made explosives, beyond 20 meters.
The Leonard Wood Institute, or LWI, is a non-profit organization located at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., that was created to connect regional businesses and university expertise to Army training and technology needs. Its formal Cooperative Agreement with ARL's Human Research and Engineering Directorate allows LWI to initiate, fund, manage and participate in applied research, and build capacity to support Army innovation.
The laser spectroscopy testing launched at Fort Leonard Wood looks to be a promising way to keep Soldiers out of harm's way, experts say. The newest system based on that technology, the Checkpoint Explosives Detection System, uses a multi-modal approach to detect harmful materials. The system combines ARL's laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, the ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy and Townsend effect plasma spectroscopy.
This combination could be vital in the counter-improvised explosive device, or IED, effort and thereby, saving lives in current and future counter-IED operations, said Alan Davison, chief of the Maneuver and Mobility Branch with ARL's Human Research and Engineering Directorate at the Fort Leonard Wood Institute.
U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq currently have no effective means to detect trace elements of explosives from a distance that make up the enemies' strategic weapon of choice, IEDs, which are the primary cause of death and injury to American Soldiers.
Improving upon systems like this, while also using robots, keeps Soldiers out of harm's way.
"One of the biggest challenges that Soldiers have when operating robots is that the two-dimension computer displays they use provide very limited depth perception," Davison said. "Two-dimension displays do not provide the kind of depth perception needed to perform many military tasks."
For example, if a Soldier is searching through a pile of roadside garbage for an IED using a robot, it is much more difficult to manipulate objects using the robotic arm through a 2-D computer screen because the Soldier cannot perceive how deep that robot should truly dig in the garbage.
Three-dimensional visualization, however, greatly improves the Soldier's ability to mentally place an object in the spatial world. ARL researchers believe that by combining the benefits of 3-D or stereo vision with tactile feedback enhanced manipulation, Soldiers will be much better enabled to locate and manipulate objects associated with IEDs. This improved capability should also lead to less time in hazardous zones while working with IEDs or their components.
"Up until recently, the robotic work has focused on improving the stereo-vision. That clearly has helped the Soldier see what he is trying to accomplish by manipulating the arm. But as the stereo-vision continued to improve, it became more obvious that the robotic work was still not nearly as good as human performance," said Davison.
"For example, reaching out to grab a bottle was difficult and not so much because the visual was not good but that the manipulator arm was hard to control."
He said an ARL experiment, planned for September 2011, will combine a tactile feedback (haptic) manipulator arm that operates much more like the human hand with some force feedback through the manipulator to the controller in the Soldier's hand, with a 3-D stereo vision system.
"While robotics are probably a long way from approaching human performance in many tasks, if we can close this gap, we can improve what a Soldier can do with a robot and reduce the time in the most dangerous conditions."
Soldiers in combat today often get up close and personal to dangerous objects, and use hand-held devices with sensors to detect all metallic and nonmetallic antitank and antipersonnel mines. That technology, the AN/PSS-14, combines ground penetrating radar and highly sensitive metal detector technology using advanced data fusion algorithms.
This combination allows the system to detect anti-personnel and anti-tank mines but operators of this eight-pound hand-held device need refresher training about every 60 days or less on well-prepared training terrains. Researchers from ARL, LWI, industry and academia have developed a device that can effectively bring refresher training to operators in a small, indoor environment, which is a quick-fix to locations where the more traditional training sites are not always available, and are expensive to set up.
The team developed two landmine detection training simulators -- including all hardware and software -- that are similar to the AN/PSS-14 landmine detector. The system uses two cameras, which wirelessly transmit information to a laptop via Bluetooth technology.
The training device, they say, offers an efficient, low-cost way to provide realistic landmine detection training for Soldiers, allowing the trainer to give valuable, real-time feedback to equipment operators. Training with this new device can be conducted inside, in only a small area. While it is not designed or expected to completely replace the traditional training on outdoor lanes, it can provide an opportunity for badly needed refresher training.
That technology is laser spectroscopy, which can be used for standoff explosive detection, is based on ARL's advanced research in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. It is 1980s technology that today can detect explosive threats in real time, sometimes processing agent analysis in as little as one-second. The Leonard Wood Institute work involved advancing current technology to detect such threats, including home-made explosives, beyond 20 meters.
The Leonard Wood Institute, or LWI, is a non-profit organization located at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., that was created to connect regional businesses and university expertise to Army training and technology needs. Its formal Cooperative Agreement with ARL's Human Research and Engineering Directorate allows LWI to initiate, fund, manage and participate in applied research, and build capacity to support Army innovation.
The laser spectroscopy testing launched at Fort Leonard Wood looks to be a promising way to keep Soldiers out of harm's way, experts say. The newest system based on that technology, the Checkpoint Explosives Detection System, uses a multi-modal approach to detect harmful materials. The system combines ARL's laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, the ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy and Townsend effect plasma spectroscopy.
This combination could be vital in the counter-improvised explosive device, or IED, effort and thereby, saving lives in current and future counter-IED operations, said Alan Davison, chief of the Maneuver and Mobility Branch with ARL's Human Research and Engineering Directorate at the Fort Leonard Wood Institute.
U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq currently have no effective means to detect trace elements of explosives from a distance that make up the enemies' strategic weapon of choice, IEDs, which are the primary cause of death and injury to American Soldiers.
Improving upon systems like this, while also using robots, keeps Soldiers out of harm's way.
"One of the biggest challenges that Soldiers have when operating robots is that the two-dimension computer displays they use provide very limited depth perception," Davison said. "Two-dimension displays do not provide the kind of depth perception needed to perform many military tasks."
For example, if a Soldier is searching through a pile of roadside garbage for an IED using a robot, it is much more difficult to manipulate objects using the robotic arm through a 2-D computer screen because the Soldier cannot perceive how deep that robot should truly dig in the garbage.
Three-dimensional visualization, however, greatly improves the Soldier's ability to mentally place an object in the spatial world. ARL researchers believe that by combining the benefits of 3-D or stereo vision with tactile feedback enhanced manipulation, Soldiers will be much better enabled to locate and manipulate objects associated with IEDs. This improved capability should also lead to less time in hazardous zones while working with IEDs or their components.
"Up until recently, the robotic work has focused on improving the stereo-vision. That clearly has helped the Soldier see what he is trying to accomplish by manipulating the arm. But as the stereo-vision continued to improve, it became more obvious that the robotic work was still not nearly as good as human performance," said Davison.
"For example, reaching out to grab a bottle was difficult and not so much because the visual was not good but that the manipulator arm was hard to control."
He said an ARL experiment, planned for September 2011, will combine a tactile feedback (haptic) manipulator arm that operates much more like the human hand with some force feedback through the manipulator to the controller in the Soldier's hand, with a 3-D stereo vision system.
"While robotics are probably a long way from approaching human performance in many tasks, if we can close this gap, we can improve what a Soldier can do with a robot and reduce the time in the most dangerous conditions."
Soldiers in combat today often get up close and personal to dangerous objects, and use hand-held devices with sensors to detect all metallic and nonmetallic antitank and antipersonnel mines. That technology, the AN/PSS-14, combines ground penetrating radar and highly sensitive metal detector technology using advanced data fusion algorithms.
This combination allows the system to detect anti-personnel and anti-tank mines but operators of this eight-pound hand-held device need refresher training about every 60 days or less on well-prepared training terrains. Researchers from ARL, LWI, industry and academia have developed a device that can effectively bring refresher training to operators in a small, indoor environment, which is a quick-fix to locations where the more traditional training sites are not always available, and are expensive to set up.
The team developed two landmine detection training simulators -- including all hardware and software -- that are similar to the AN/PSS-14 landmine detector. The system uses two cameras, which wirelessly transmit information to a laptop via Bluetooth technology.
The training device, they say, offers an efficient, low-cost way to provide realistic landmine detection training for Soldiers, allowing the trainer to give valuable, real-time feedback to equipment operators. Training with this new device can be conducted inside, in only a small area. While it is not designed or expected to completely replace the traditional training on outdoor lanes, it can provide an opportunity for badly needed refresher training.
Pentagon Considering Scrapping Traditional Pensions in its Proposed Retirement Program Overhaul
A Pentagon task force is proposing the largest overhaul of the military retirement system in 50 years that will do away with a traditional pension system, opting instead for a 401(k)-style contribution program.
Under the newly proposed Defense Business Board plan, all troops would receive yearly retirement contributions if they served at least 20 years -- a stipulation of the existing system. The money, however, would not vest until service reached at least three to five years and would then be payable at retirement age. If personnel left before that three- to five-year mark, the time served would be rolled over into Social Security.
The central feature of the new DBB proposal would be a mandatory “Uniformed Military Personnel Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)” in which the contributions by the Department of Defense and the individual service member would be deposited. There is already a TSP program in operation, established by Congress in 1986 for both federal employees and service personnel. But those TSPs are voluntary and only include employee contributions.
The new TSPs -- functioning as a 401(k)-style account -- could include a government contribution amounting to as much as 16.5 percent of the member’s annual pay, as well as a maximum annual tax-deferred contribution limit of $16,500 by members. In addition, there is a $5,500 annual tax-deferred “Catch-up Contribution” for service people age 50 or older, and adjustments for those serving in a combat zone. The proposed DBB retirement program would not impact disabled veterans or current retirees.
Under the existing Defense Department pension system, personnel with at least 20 years of active service can retire with a lifetime annuity of 50 percent of their highest average salary from their last 36 months of employment. According to the DBB, the new TSPs would function much like the current voluntary TSPs for federal employees.
Under the newly proposed Defense Business Board plan, all troops would receive yearly retirement contributions if they served at least 20 years -- a stipulation of the existing system. The money, however, would not vest until service reached at least three to five years and would then be payable at retirement age. If personnel left before that three- to five-year mark, the time served would be rolled over into Social Security.
The central feature of the new DBB proposal would be a mandatory “Uniformed Military Personnel Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)” in which the contributions by the Department of Defense and the individual service member would be deposited. There is already a TSP program in operation, established by Congress in 1986 for both federal employees and service personnel. But those TSPs are voluntary and only include employee contributions.
The new TSPs -- functioning as a 401(k)-style account -- could include a government contribution amounting to as much as 16.5 percent of the member’s annual pay, as well as a maximum annual tax-deferred contribution limit of $16,500 by members. In addition, there is a $5,500 annual tax-deferred “Catch-up Contribution” for service people age 50 or older, and adjustments for those serving in a combat zone. The proposed DBB retirement program would not impact disabled veterans or current retirees.
Under the existing Defense Department pension system, personnel with at least 20 years of active service can retire with a lifetime annuity of 50 percent of their highest average salary from their last 36 months of employment. According to the DBB, the new TSPs would function much like the current voluntary TSPs for federal employees.
US rejects Taiwan bid for F-16s: report
The United States has told Taiwan it will not sell the island 66 long-sought F-16 fighter jets, a report said, but both US and Taiwanese officials insisted Monday no decision had been made yet.
Taiwan applied to the United States in 2007 to buy the F-16C/Ds, improved versions of the F-16A/Bs that the island's air force now uses, claiming that the new jets are needed to counter a rising China.
But a US Department of Defense delegation flew to Taipei last week to tell the local authorities that Washington will reject the bid, US magazine Defense News said in a Taipei-datelined article released Sunday.
"We are so disappointed in the United States," it quoted an unnamed Taiwan defence ministry official as saying.
Instead, Washington will help Taipei upgrade its F-16A/Bs, according to the report.
Taiwan applied to the United States in 2007 to buy the F-16C/Ds, improved versions of the F-16A/Bs that the island's air force now uses, claiming that the new jets are needed to counter a rising China.
But a US Department of Defense delegation flew to Taipei last week to tell the local authorities that Washington will reject the bid, US magazine Defense News said in a Taipei-datelined article released Sunday.
"We are so disappointed in the United States," it quoted an unnamed Taiwan defence ministry official as saying.
Instead, Washington will help Taipei upgrade its F-16A/Bs, according to the report.
Taliban blames US economy, London riots on Afghan war
The Taliban blamed the state of the US economy and last week's London riots on the war in Afghanistan in a statement published on its website on Monday. The insurgents claimed both situations were linked to the US and Britain spending hundreds of billions of dollars on the ten-year war in Afghanistan and again urged foreign troops to pull out of the country.
The Taliban are known to exaggerate and distort their public statements as part of a propaganda campaign accompanying a bloody armed insurgency.
"With no doubt, the immense and basic reason of the financial crises, deprivation and riots that United States and UK are facing now is because of the offensive and imperialistic policies and designs of these countries," a statement published on the Taliban's website said.
The Taliban are known to exaggerate and distort their public statements as part of a propaganda campaign accompanying a bloody armed insurgency.
"With no doubt, the immense and basic reason of the financial crises, deprivation and riots that United States and UK are facing now is because of the offensive and imperialistic policies and designs of these countries," a statement published on the Taliban's website said.
Biden on mission to woo next China leader
Vice President Joe Biden heads to China Tuesday in hopes of winning favor with the rising power's next leader, seeking a smoother relationship after Beijing's sharp criticism of US fiscal policy.
Biden will spend five days in China, an unusually long trip that comes at the invitation of Vice President Xi Jinping who is expected to take over as China's leader by 2013 and is little known in US policy circles.
"Simply put, we're investing in the future of the US-China relationship," said Tony Blinken, the vice president's national security adviser.
The number-two US leader will also visit close ally Japan, where he will go to an area hit by the March 11 mega-earthquake and encourage a quick recovery, and Mongolia to praise its embrace of democracy.
Biden will spend five days in China, an unusually long trip that comes at the invitation of Vice President Xi Jinping who is expected to take over as China's leader by 2013 and is little known in US policy circles.
"Simply put, we're investing in the future of the US-China relationship," said Tony Blinken, the vice president's national security adviser.
The number-two US leader will also visit close ally Japan, where he will go to an area hit by the March 11 mega-earthquake and encourage a quick recovery, and Mongolia to praise its embrace of democracy.
Tehran's 'Butler' in Iraq
Unimaginable to say the least; recent remarks made by Ambassador Lawrence E. Butler, a top U.S. State Department official, about the status of 3,400 members of an Iranian opposition group taking refuge in Iraq has left him being labeled mockingly as "Tehran's Butler."
Outrage quickly spread in political circles, with many quite rightly appalled and in fact bemused that Butler, tasked with ensuring 3,400 members of the Mujahedin e Khalq are kept safe from an Iraqi government loyal to Tehran, took the opportunity in speaking to The New York Times to make disparaging comments about the group.
Not only do Butler's comments play directly into the hands of the Iranian regime and, in fact, spout the misinformation that Tehran's leadership spends millions to achieve, it unfortunately reiterates the belief of many that U.S. President Barack Obama remains clueless in ensuring Iraq makes its way to full democracy.
The culmination of what is being called the MEK saga in Iraq will tell us much about whether a future Iraq is gobbled up by Tehran quicksand, falling into the hands of an Iranian regime intent on setting up a satellite state or an Iraq which moves forward both in terms of democracy and economic development which has fallen foul of Iraq's current corrupt leadership.
Outrage quickly spread in political circles, with many quite rightly appalled and in fact bemused that Butler, tasked with ensuring 3,400 members of the Mujahedin e Khalq are kept safe from an Iraqi government loyal to Tehran, took the opportunity in speaking to The New York Times to make disparaging comments about the group.
Not only do Butler's comments play directly into the hands of the Iranian regime and, in fact, spout the misinformation that Tehran's leadership spends millions to achieve, it unfortunately reiterates the belief of many that U.S. President Barack Obama remains clueless in ensuring Iraq makes its way to full democracy.
The culmination of what is being called the MEK saga in Iraq will tell us much about whether a future Iraq is gobbled up by Tehran quicksand, falling into the hands of an Iranian regime intent on setting up a satellite state or an Iraq which moves forward both in terms of democracy and economic development which has fallen foul of Iraq's current corrupt leadership.
True cost of Afghan, Iraq wars is anyone’s guess
When congressional cost-cutters meet later this year to decide on trimming the federal budget, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq could represent juicy targets. But how much do the wars actually cost the U.S. taxpayer?
Nobody really knows.
Yes, Congress has allotted $1.3 trillion for war spending through fiscal year 2011 just to the Defense Department. There are long Pentagon spreadsheets that outline how much of that was spent on personnel, transportation, fuel and other costs. In a recent speech, President Barack Obama assigned the wars a $1 trillion price tag.
But all those numbers are incomplete. Besides what Congress appropriated, the Pentagon spent an additional unknown amount from its $5.2 trillion base budget over that same period. According to a recent Brown University study, the wars and their ripple effects have cost the United States $3.7 trillion, or more than $12,000 per American.
Lawmakers remain sharply divided over the wisdom of slashing the military budget, even with the United States winding down two long conflicts, but there’s also a more fundamental problem: It’s almost impossible to pin down just what the U.S. military spends on war.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/15/v-fullstory/2360960/true-cost-of-afghan-iraq-wars.html#ixzz1VD6nf900
Nobody really knows.
Yes, Congress has allotted $1.3 trillion for war spending through fiscal year 2011 just to the Defense Department. There are long Pentagon spreadsheets that outline how much of that was spent on personnel, transportation, fuel and other costs. In a recent speech, President Barack Obama assigned the wars a $1 trillion price tag.
But all those numbers are incomplete. Besides what Congress appropriated, the Pentagon spent an additional unknown amount from its $5.2 trillion base budget over that same period. According to a recent Brown University study, the wars and their ripple effects have cost the United States $3.7 trillion, or more than $12,000 per American.
Lawmakers remain sharply divided over the wisdom of slashing the military budget, even with the United States winding down two long conflicts, but there’s also a more fundamental problem: It’s almost impossible to pin down just what the U.S. military spends on war.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/15/v-fullstory/2360960/true-cost-of-afghan-iraq-wars.html#ixzz1VD6nf900
A golden decade for defense companies is ending
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down, Osama bin Laden is dead, and the federal government is deeply in debt. This spells the end of what was a golden decade for the defense industry.
In the decade since the Sept. 11 attacks, the annual defense budget has more than doubled to $700 billion and annual defense industry profits have nearly quadrupled, approaching $25 billion last year.
Now defense spending is poised to retreat, and so are industry profits. "We're about to go into the downhill side of the roller coaster here," said David Berteau, a defense industry analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Congress agreed last month to cut military spending by $350 billion over the next 10 years. The defense budget will automatically be cut by another $500 billion over that period if lawmakers fail to reach a deficit-cutting deal by November.
Defense industry stocks have already begun to suffer; they are lagging the S&P 500 in recent months. During the last defense spending downturn, which lasted from 1985 to 1997, defense stocks underperformed the broader market by 33 percent, according to an analysis by RBC Capital Markets.
The Sept. 11 attacks forced the world's biggest and best-funded military to quickly retool itself. It needed to develop technologies, weapons and strategies to find and fight an elusive network of terrorists that seemed more sophisticated and dangerous than ever imagined.
The U.S. spent $1.3 trillion in the ten years following the attacks chasing al-Qaida and fighting two wars. That was on top of baseline military spending in excess of $4 trillion.
"After 9/11 the floodgates opened," says Eric Hugel, a defense industry analyst at Stephens Inc.
The defense budget grew from $316 billion in 2001 to $708 billion in 2011. Federal spending on homeland security, which includes everything from airport security to border control, also rose dramatically. Last year dozens of federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, spent $70 billion on such programs, according to the Office of Management and Budget. That's up from $37 billion in 2003, the first year after DHS was formed.
All that spending was reflected in the soaring performance of the defense industry, led by the top five defense contractors: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics and Raytheon.
In 2001, revenues for U.S.-based defense contractors totaled $217 billion, according to data compiled by the analytics firm Capital IQ. By 2010 revenues had grown to $386 billion. Profits grew more than twice as fast over the same time period, from $6.7 billion to $24.8 billion. Contractors based abroad, such as BAE Systems, also flourished. BAE was the sixth biggest defense contractor in 2010, with $7.2 billion in U.S. military contracts.
Stock prices of defense companies in the S&P 500 index have risen 67 percent since September 11. The index as a whole climbed 8 percent in that period.
Military spending typically rises during wartime and falls during peacetime. But after Sept. 11, and as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan evolved, it became clear the country needed to spend money on very different military technologies and strategies.
Fighter jets, missile defenses and other Cold War-era systems designed to deal with the perceived threats of nation-states were less useful. The U.S. military had to increase its ability to find, recognize and track enemies that were scattered in many countries and dispersed among the civilian population.
During the war in Iraq the military realized that it couldn't protect troops from a low-tech, but potent threat: jerry-rigged road side bombs. In Afghanistan, commanders needed ways to find and root out insurgents that had tucked themselves in caves in hard-to-reach mountains.
These challenges led to new hardware. Among the most important:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/08/15/national/a125601D67.DTL&type=printable
In the decade since the Sept. 11 attacks, the annual defense budget has more than doubled to $700 billion and annual defense industry profits have nearly quadrupled, approaching $25 billion last year.
Now defense spending is poised to retreat, and so are industry profits. "We're about to go into the downhill side of the roller coaster here," said David Berteau, a defense industry analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Congress agreed last month to cut military spending by $350 billion over the next 10 years. The defense budget will automatically be cut by another $500 billion over that period if lawmakers fail to reach a deficit-cutting deal by November.
Defense industry stocks have already begun to suffer; they are lagging the S&P 500 in recent months. During the last defense spending downturn, which lasted from 1985 to 1997, defense stocks underperformed the broader market by 33 percent, according to an analysis by RBC Capital Markets.
The Sept. 11 attacks forced the world's biggest and best-funded military to quickly retool itself. It needed to develop technologies, weapons and strategies to find and fight an elusive network of terrorists that seemed more sophisticated and dangerous than ever imagined.
The U.S. spent $1.3 trillion in the ten years following the attacks chasing al-Qaida and fighting two wars. That was on top of baseline military spending in excess of $4 trillion.
"After 9/11 the floodgates opened," says Eric Hugel, a defense industry analyst at Stephens Inc.
The defense budget grew from $316 billion in 2001 to $708 billion in 2011. Federal spending on homeland security, which includes everything from airport security to border control, also rose dramatically. Last year dozens of federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, spent $70 billion on such programs, according to the Office of Management and Budget. That's up from $37 billion in 2003, the first year after DHS was formed.
All that spending was reflected in the soaring performance of the defense industry, led by the top five defense contractors: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics and Raytheon.
In 2001, revenues for U.S.-based defense contractors totaled $217 billion, according to data compiled by the analytics firm Capital IQ. By 2010 revenues had grown to $386 billion. Profits grew more than twice as fast over the same time period, from $6.7 billion to $24.8 billion. Contractors based abroad, such as BAE Systems, also flourished. BAE was the sixth biggest defense contractor in 2010, with $7.2 billion in U.S. military contracts.
Stock prices of defense companies in the S&P 500 index have risen 67 percent since September 11. The index as a whole climbed 8 percent in that period.
Military spending typically rises during wartime and falls during peacetime. But after Sept. 11, and as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan evolved, it became clear the country needed to spend money on very different military technologies and strategies.
Fighter jets, missile defenses and other Cold War-era systems designed to deal with the perceived threats of nation-states were less useful. The U.S. military had to increase its ability to find, recognize and track enemies that were scattered in many countries and dispersed among the civilian population.
During the war in Iraq the military realized that it couldn't protect troops from a low-tech, but potent threat: jerry-rigged road side bombs. In Afghanistan, commanders needed ways to find and root out insurgents that had tucked themselves in caves in hard-to-reach mountains.
These challenges led to new hardware. Among the most important:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/08/15/national/a125601D67.DTL&type=printable
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
USAREUR commander says European mission is still vital
U.S. Army Europe’s annual cost to American taxpayers: $1.2 billion; benefit provided to taxpayers: “Priceless,” according to USAREUR commander Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling.
In an era of budget cuts and debt debates, with an expectation of at least $350 billion in cuts to the defense budget over the next decade, with critics charging NATO allies are not contributing their fair share, and with some in Congress clamoring to bring U.S. forces home from Europe, now that the Soviet threat is long extinct, Hertling has his work as an advocate for U.S. Army Europe cut out for him.
So, he welcomed last week’s visit from Army Secretary John McHugh, a moderate Republican from upstate New York appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009.
It was McHugh’s first visit to the command as secretary, and Hertling took him to Grafenwöhr and Hohenfels, where the first thing McHugh saw was a Bulgarian unit in counter-IED training.
“That surprised him a little bit,” Hertling said.
Then, McHugh saw a Georgian unit training on MRAPs (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles).
“He’s like, ‘Holy smokes,’ ” Hertling said.
McHugh, the former ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, had heard about security cooperation, of course, but seeing it was something else.
“I think it opened his eyes,” Hertling said.
Pentagon to reconsider landing Chinooks in battle zones
Two Pentagon officials told McClatchy on Monday that an investigation into the helicopter crash that killed 30 American troops would probe whether it's a mistake to send the large, lumbering Chinook helicopter into a Taliban firefight, where it's a target for insurgents.
As the remains of the 30 troops killed in the military's deadliest incident of the Afghan war were being flown back to the United States, U.S. commanders confirmed that the servicemen were flying to the aid of American troops embroiled in a firefight when an insurgent shot down their helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade.
The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan offered the first detailed account of the tragedy since the pre-dawn crash in the Tangi Valley, a Taliban-infested area of Wardak province, about 60 miles southwest of Kabul, the capital.
"The helicopter was reportedly fired on by an insurgent rocket-propelled grenade while transporting the U.S. service members and commandos to the scene of an ongoing engagement," said a statement released by the International Security Assistance Force.
************************
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.
As the remains of the 30 troops killed in the military's deadliest incident of the Afghan war were being flown back to the United States, U.S. commanders confirmed that the servicemen were flying to the aid of American troops embroiled in a firefight when an insurgent shot down their helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade.
The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan offered the first detailed account of the tragedy since the pre-dawn crash in the Tangi Valley, a Taliban-infested area of Wardak province, about 60 miles southwest of Kabul, the capital.
"The helicopter was reportedly fired on by an insurgent rocket-propelled grenade while transporting the U.S. service members and commandos to the scene of an ongoing engagement," said a statement released by the International Security Assistance Force.
************************
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.
Allen: Airstrike kills insurgents who shot down U.S. helicopter
An airstrike has killed the insurgents responsible for shooting down a U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan and causing the largest single-day loss of American life in the 10-year-old war, the top commander there said.
Forces tracked the insurgents after the crash, and early Monday morning F-16 fighter jets were sent in to take out their location, Marine Gen. John Allen said Wednesday in a video briefing from Kabul.
The insurgents, fewer than 10 in number, were found in the Chak district of Wardak in eastern Afghanistan.
NATO Not Confirming That U.S. Helicopter in Afghanistan Flew Into Taliban Trap
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force-Afghanistan (ISAF) says it has no information yet to validate whether the U.S. Chinook helicopter that crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 U.S. troops, flew into a Taliban ambush.
It was reported by AFP news agency that an unnamed Afghan official had said the Taliban, working with some Pakistanis, lured the U.S. forces into a trap to shoot down the helicopter. CNSNews.com asked the ISAF if that report was accurate.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings Jr., a spokesman for ISAF, responded by e-mail, saying, “I have seen a number of media stories stating this allegation. We have no initial information as of yet to validate that this was some kind of ambush or trap, but with that said, the helicopter incident is still under investigation for the cause of the crash.”
*****************
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.
It was reported by AFP news agency that an unnamed Afghan official had said the Taliban, working with some Pakistanis, lured the U.S. forces into a trap to shoot down the helicopter. CNSNews.com asked the ISAF if that report was accurate.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings Jr., a spokesman for ISAF, responded by e-mail, saying, “I have seen a number of media stories stating this allegation. We have no initial information as of yet to validate that this was some kind of ambush or trap, but with that said, the helicopter incident is still under investigation for the cause of the crash.”
*****************
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.
Al-Qaida-linked rebels pounded in Somalia
The withdrawal of Islamist insurgents from Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, is a major gain for the shaky Western-backed Transitional Federal Government and comes as the United States is stepping up a covert war against the group that's linked to al-Qaida.
As the Americans escalate counter-terrorism operations in Yemen, across the Gulf of Aden, they have also stepped up covert airstrikes against al-Shabaab in Somalia, a failed state that has been gripped by clan warfare and anarchy for more than two decades.
U.S. officials say the Somali organization, which pledged loyalty to Osama bin Laden's successor and longtime deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri in June, is developing stronger ties with al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen.
There have been at least three airstrikes against al-Shabaab in recent weeks. The first was April 6, when a jihadist commander was killed in the southern town of Dhobley. Some reports said 35 fighters were slain.
US helicopter crashed in Taliban trap: Afghan official
The Taliban lured US forces into an elaborate trap to shoot down their helicopter, killing 30 American troops in the deadliest such incident of the war, an Afghan official said Monday.
US President Barack Obama pledged that the incident -- which killed 38 people -- would not keep foreign forces from prevailing in Afghanistan, and the Pentagon called the downing of the Chinook a "one-off" that would not alter US strategy.
The late Friday attack marked the biggest single loss of life for American and NATO forces since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan toppled the Taliban in late 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks.
The loss of the Chinook during an anti-Taliban operation southwest of Kabul dealt a blow to elite US special forces, which had 25 members on board -- 22 US Navy SEAL commandos and three Air Force Special Operations Forces.
Five US Army personnel, seven Afghan commandos and an interpreter also died.
A senior Afghan government official told AFP on condition of anonymity that Taliban commander Qari Tahir lured US forces to the scene by tipping them off that a Taliban meeting was taking place.
He also said four Pakistanis helped Tahir carry out the strike.
Monday, August 8, 2011
U.S. forces in Afghan crash were on rescue mission
The 30 American service members - most of them elite Navy SEALs - who died when their helicopter was shot down had rushed to help Army Rangers who had come under fire, two U.S. officials said Sunday.
Some of the SEALs who died Saturday were from the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden three months ago, although none of the men took part in that mission.
There were conflicting accounts late Sunday as to whether the SEAL team had subdued the attackers who had pinned down the Rangers and were departing, or whether they were hit as they tried to land.
Thirty Americans and eight Afghans were killed in the crash, making it the deadliest single loss for U.S. forces in the decadelong war in Afghanistan. The Rangers, special operations forces who work regularly with the SEALs, secured the crash site in the Tangi Joy Zarin area of Wardak province, about 60 miles southwest of Kabul.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/07/MN0G1KKHJQ.DTL#ixzz1US6rgdEF
Afghan chopper crash a major blow to US commandos
The loss of around two dozen elite commandos in a helicopter downed by the Taliban has dealt a major blow to US special forces, a key element in the strategy to wind down the Afghan war.
A navy special forces member interviewed by the Navy Times expressed "shock and disbelief," saying: "There's no precedent for this. It's the worst day in our history by a mile."
The Chinook transport helicopter was shot down by insurgents during a firefight southwest of the capital Kabul, according to Afghan authorities and the Taliban, killing 30 US troops, including around two dozen Navy SEALs.
Seven Afghan commandos and an interpreter were also killed in the attack, the deadliest for the NATO-led coalition since the invasion to oust the Islamist Taliban in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
US special operations forces have played an increasingly central role in the war, with thousands of members of elite units carrying out scores of commando operations -- usually at night -- to capture or kill senior Taliban fighters.
*******************
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.
A navy special forces member interviewed by the Navy Times expressed "shock and disbelief," saying: "There's no precedent for this. It's the worst day in our history by a mile."
The Chinook transport helicopter was shot down by insurgents during a firefight southwest of the capital Kabul, according to Afghan authorities and the Taliban, killing 30 US troops, including around two dozen Navy SEALs.
Seven Afghan commandos and an interpreter were also killed in the attack, the deadliest for the NATO-led coalition since the invasion to oust the Islamist Taliban in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
US special operations forces have played an increasingly central role in the war, with thousands of members of elite units carrying out scores of commando operations -- usually at night -- to capture or kill senior Taliban fighters.
*******************
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.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Pentagon chief warns won't accept extra spending cuts
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Thursday he would not accept large military cutbacks under a debt deal, charging the move would weaken the United States faced with rising powers.
Panetta, holding his first formal news conference since taking charge of the Pentagon a month ago, launched a pre-emptive strike as a special committee prepares to slash spending under a last-ditch deal to avert a US debt default.
Panetta, a veteran Democratic Party dealmaker who was once in charge of budgets, said that "God willing" the process would not trigger sweeping cuts under which the Pentagon could lose another $600 billion.
Such cuts "I believe would do real damage to our security, our troops and their families and our military's ability to protect the nation," Panetta said.
"It is an outcome that would be completely unacceptable to me as secretary of defense, to the president and, I believe, to our nation's leaders," he said.
Defense spending, which has nearly doubled since the September 11 attacks a decade ago, accounts for 20 percent of the federal budget. The United States spent some $700 billion last year on defense, far more than any other country.
Panetta, holding his first formal news conference since taking charge of the Pentagon a month ago, launched a pre-emptive strike as a special committee prepares to slash spending under a last-ditch deal to avert a US debt default.
Panetta, a veteran Democratic Party dealmaker who was once in charge of budgets, said that "God willing" the process would not trigger sweeping cuts under which the Pentagon could lose another $600 billion.
Such cuts "I believe would do real damage to our security, our troops and their families and our military's ability to protect the nation," Panetta said.
"It is an outcome that would be completely unacceptable to me as secretary of defense, to the president and, I believe, to our nation's leaders," he said.
Defense spending, which has nearly doubled since the September 11 attacks a decade ago, accounts for 20 percent of the federal budget. The United States spent some $700 billion last year on defense, far more than any other country.
Pentagon Grocery Stores, Troops May Lose in $825 Billion Cuts
The Pentagon’s chain of subsidized grocery stores to major weapons systems and troop strength may be on the chopping block to pay for as much as $825 billion in budget reductions that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said would inflict “real damage” on the U.S. military.
The Defense Department is facing the largest reduction in spending since the end of the Cold War, when military budgets declined by about 35 percent in constant dollar terms between 1985 and 1998, according to Pentagon data.
To meet its targets, the Pentagon may have to consider cuts in a range of programs, from the number of F-35 fighter jets to the $9 billion in subsidies for the Defense Commissary Agency, which operates 252 grocery stores around the world. Reducing the size of the 1.43 million active duty forces may yield the most savings.
President Barack Obama signed a measure Aug. 2 raising the $14.3 trillion U.S. debt ceiling until 2013 and reducing $2.4 trillion in spending over the next decade. The deal requires $325 billion reduction in the defense budget in the first phase over 10 years. Officials would begin by eliminating $28 billion from the 2012 budget request.
Another $500 billion in military spending may be cut over the next decade, for a total of $825 billion, if a special committee of lawmakers can’t agree by November on $1.2 trillion in deficit savings. That spending reduction would “trigger a round of dangerous across-the-board defense cuts” that may do “real damage” to the U.S. military, Panetta said, calling it a “doomsday mechanism.”
The Defense Department is facing the largest reduction in spending since the end of the Cold War, when military budgets declined by about 35 percent in constant dollar terms between 1985 and 1998, according to Pentagon data.
To meet its targets, the Pentagon may have to consider cuts in a range of programs, from the number of F-35 fighter jets to the $9 billion in subsidies for the Defense Commissary Agency, which operates 252 grocery stores around the world. Reducing the size of the 1.43 million active duty forces may yield the most savings.
President Barack Obama signed a measure Aug. 2 raising the $14.3 trillion U.S. debt ceiling until 2013 and reducing $2.4 trillion in spending over the next decade. The deal requires $325 billion reduction in the defense budget in the first phase over 10 years. Officials would begin by eliminating $28 billion from the 2012 budget request.
Another $500 billion in military spending may be cut over the next decade, for a total of $825 billion, if a special committee of lawmakers can’t agree by November on $1.2 trillion in deficit savings. That spending reduction would “trigger a round of dangerous across-the-board defense cuts” that may do “real damage” to the U.S. military, Panetta said, calling it a “doomsday mechanism.”
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Army prepares to cut thousands of civilian jobs
The U.S. Army, already looking to shrink its force by 27,000 soldiers, is now also trying to cut more than 8,000 civilian jobs.
The plans call for the civilian jobs to be eliminated between now and October 2012, according to an Army official and a memo obtained by CNN.
The memo from Army Secretary John McHugh reads in part, "It is imperative that these reductions be accomplished as rapidly as possible, but no later than the end of FY 2012."
The cuts are part of the Army's plan to comply with the Secretary of Defense's instructions to return to fiscal year 2010 budget levels and keeping in line with the larger federal budget reduction efforts that predate the most recent national debt battle.
The plans call for the civilian jobs to be eliminated between now and October 2012, according to an Army official and a memo obtained by CNN.
The memo from Army Secretary John McHugh reads in part, "It is imperative that these reductions be accomplished as rapidly as possible, but no later than the end of FY 2012."
The cuts are part of the Army's plan to comply with the Secretary of Defense's instructions to return to fiscal year 2010 budget levels and keeping in line with the larger federal budget reduction efforts that predate the most recent national debt battle.
Pentagon sounds alarm over budget cuts
A senior Pentagon official warned Wednesday that the military would be forced to furlough or lay off thousands of employees if it is required to cut an additional $600 billion from the defense budget.
The $600 billion in new cuts would only kick in if a bipartisan congressional panel, to be named this month, cannot reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in budget savings over the next decade.
A senior Pentagon official warned Wednesday that the military would be forced to furlough or lay off thousands of employees if it is required to cut an additional $600 billion from the defense budget.
The $600 billion in new cuts would only kick in if a bipartisan congressional panel, to be named this month, cannot reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in budget savings over the next decade.
The $600 billion in new cuts would only kick in if a bipartisan congressional panel, to be named this month, cannot reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in budget savings over the next decade.
A senior Pentagon official warned Wednesday that the military would be forced to furlough or lay off thousands of employees if it is required to cut an additional $600 billion from the defense budget.
The $600 billion in new cuts would only kick in if a bipartisan congressional panel, to be named this month, cannot reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in budget savings over the next decade.
Why defense spending should be cut (Fareed Zakaria)
The scary aspect of the debt deal meant to force all of Washington to its senses is the threatened cut to defense spending. If the congressional “super-committee” cannot agree on cutbacks of $1.5 trillion, the guillotine will fall and half of those cuts will have to come from expenditures on national security. As with so much Washington accounting, there is lots of ambiguity in baselines and terms (for instance, what is covered under “national security”?). Most experts estimate that the defense budget would lose $600 billion to $700 billion over the next 10 years. If so, let the guillotine fall. It would be a much-needed adjustment to an out-of-control military-industrial complex.
First, some history. The Pentagon’s budget has risen for 13 years, which is unprecedented. Between 2001 and 2009, overall spending on defense rose from $412 billion to $699 billion, a 70 percent increase, which is larger than in any comparable period since the Korean War. Including the supplementary spending on Iraq and Afghanistan, we spent $250 billion more than average U.S. defense expenditures during the Cold War — a time when the Soviet, Chinese and Eastern European militaries were arrayed against the United States and its allies. Over the past decade, when we had no serious national adversaries, U.S. defense spending has gone from about a third of total worldwide defense spending to 50 percent. In other words, we spend more on defense than the planet’s remaining countries put together.
First, some history. The Pentagon’s budget has risen for 13 years, which is unprecedented. Between 2001 and 2009, overall spending on defense rose from $412 billion to $699 billion, a 70 percent increase, which is larger than in any comparable period since the Korean War. Including the supplementary spending on Iraq and Afghanistan, we spent $250 billion more than average U.S. defense expenditures during the Cold War — a time when the Soviet, Chinese and Eastern European militaries were arrayed against the United States and its allies. Over the past decade, when we had no serious national adversaries, U.S. defense spending has gone from about a third of total worldwide defense spending to 50 percent. In other words, we spend more on defense than the planet’s remaining countries put together.
Senate Confirms Dempsey, Odierno
Gen. Martin E. Dempsey was confirmed by the Senate Tuesday as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Gen. Raymond T. Odierno was confirmed to assume Dempsey's post as chief of staff of the Army.
Odierno will assume the new role during a change of responsibility ceremony, Sept. 7. He currently serves as commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, which is being deactivated.
Dempsey, after serving only five months as the Army's chief of staff, will take over the top military position, Oct. 1, following the retirement of Adm. Mike Mullen, Sept. 30.
Both Dempsey and Odierno were nominated by President Barack Obama at a Memorial Day White House news conference.
Obama said during his announcement of the personnel changes, that Dempsey's tenure as chief of staff "may go down as one of the shortest in Army history," adding that during his 36 years in the military, Dempsey has become one of the nation's most respected and combat-tested generals.
At the Senate confirmation hearing, Sen. John McCain called Odierno "one of the finest military officers I have had the opportunity to know." McCain explained that Odierno was responsible, along with Gen. David Petraeus, for implementing the surge in Iraq.
"All of us who have had the opportunity of knowing General Odierno are proud of his new position and know he will carry out his responsibilities with the same outstanding leadership and efficiency he has displayed in the past," McCain said.
The debt-ceiling bill also passed by Congress Tuesday included $2.1 trillion in deficit cuts over the next decade and also called for a bipartisan committee to come up with at least another $1.2 trillion in cuts by the end of the year or automatic cuts would be triggered, possibly affecting Defense programs across the board.
At his Senate confirmation hearing, Dempsey warned lawmakers against cutting too much from the nation's military budget, saying that cuts of $800 billion or more would be "extraordinarily difficult and very high risk."
During his nomination as the 38th chief of staff of the Army, Gen. Odierno testified July 21 in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee that he is "proud to be part of this Army with the opportunity to serve with these great men and women."
He expressed concerns, however, with budget cuts.
"First off, the Army is about Soldiers," he said. "So when we talk about defense cuts, you're talking about structure, you're talking about end-strength of the Army...
"We must avoid our historical pattern of drawing down too fast and getting too small, especially since our record of predicting the future has not been very good."
At the same Senate confirmation, Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby was approved for a fourth star and confirmed as head of the U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Jacoby most recently completed his tour as commanding general, I Corps, including a combat tour in Iraq serving as the commanding general, Multi-National Corps-Iraq.
Odierno will assume the new role during a change of responsibility ceremony, Sept. 7. He currently serves as commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, which is being deactivated.
Dempsey, after serving only five months as the Army's chief of staff, will take over the top military position, Oct. 1, following the retirement of Adm. Mike Mullen, Sept. 30.
Both Dempsey and Odierno were nominated by President Barack Obama at a Memorial Day White House news conference.
Obama said during his announcement of the personnel changes, that Dempsey's tenure as chief of staff "may go down as one of the shortest in Army history," adding that during his 36 years in the military, Dempsey has become one of the nation's most respected and combat-tested generals.
At the Senate confirmation hearing, Sen. John McCain called Odierno "one of the finest military officers I have had the opportunity to know." McCain explained that Odierno was responsible, along with Gen. David Petraeus, for implementing the surge in Iraq.
"All of us who have had the opportunity of knowing General Odierno are proud of his new position and know he will carry out his responsibilities with the same outstanding leadership and efficiency he has displayed in the past," McCain said.
The debt-ceiling bill also passed by Congress Tuesday included $2.1 trillion in deficit cuts over the next decade and also called for a bipartisan committee to come up with at least another $1.2 trillion in cuts by the end of the year or automatic cuts would be triggered, possibly affecting Defense programs across the board.
At his Senate confirmation hearing, Dempsey warned lawmakers against cutting too much from the nation's military budget, saying that cuts of $800 billion or more would be "extraordinarily difficult and very high risk."
During his nomination as the 38th chief of staff of the Army, Gen. Odierno testified July 21 in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee that he is "proud to be part of this Army with the opportunity to serve with these great men and women."
He expressed concerns, however, with budget cuts.
"First off, the Army is about Soldiers," he said. "So when we talk about defense cuts, you're talking about structure, you're talking about end-strength of the Army...
"We must avoid our historical pattern of drawing down too fast and getting too small, especially since our record of predicting the future has not been very good."
At the same Senate confirmation, Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby was approved for a fourth star and confirmed as head of the U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Jacoby most recently completed his tour as commanding general, I Corps, including a combat tour in Iraq serving as the commanding general, Multi-National Corps-Iraq.
Monday, August 1, 2011
JFCOM's J7 Chops to Joint Staff, Stays in Suffolk
The Joint Warfighting Center (J7), Joint Center for Operational Analysis, and the Joint Concept Development and Experimentation directorate (J9) merged and transitioned from U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) to the Joint Staff J7 today as part of USJFCOM’s disestablishment.
The new organization created by this merger will remain in Suffolk, Va., and be known as the deputy director J7 for joint and coalition warfighting, a subordinate element of the Joint Staff J7.
“We will continue our mission to provide comprehensive training that meets demands of the joint warfighter who continue to engage our adversaries in an ever-changing operational environment,” said Army Maj. Gen. Frederick S. Rudesheim, deputy director for joint and coalition warfighting. “Key functions and missions will be linked together in a more efficient and effective manner, providing an integrated approach to joint development and joint training.”
JFCOM's J7 Chops to Joint Staff, Stays in Suffolk
The Joint Warfighting Center (J7), Joint Center for Operational Analysis, and the Joint Concept Development and Experimentation directorate (J9) merged and transitioned from U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) to the Joint Staff J7 today as part of USJFCOM’s disestablishment.
The new organization created by this merger will remain in Suffolk, Va., and be known as the deputy director J7 for joint and coalition warfighting, a subordinate element of the Joint Staff J7.
“We will continue our mission to provide comprehensive training that meets demands of the joint warfighter who continue to engage our adversaries in an ever-changing operational environment,” said Army Maj. Gen. Frederick S. Rudesheim, deputy director for joint and coalition warfighting. “Key functions and missions will be linked together in a more efficient and effective manner, providing an integrated approach to joint development and joint training.”
Joint Intelligence Directorate transitions to Joint Staff
Several functions of the Intelligence Directorate (J2) will transition from U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) to the Joint Staff today as part of the continuing effort to realign functions and generate greater efficiency as part of USJFCOM's disestablishment.
The directorate's functions of developing, integrating, training and providing joint intelligence capabilities will now support the Joint Staff's joint intelligence, joint operations and joint training directorates.
"The alignment of these vital intelligence operations with the appropriate parts of the Joint Staff will aid in the ultimate mission of improved intelligence support to today's warfighters," said Thomas N. Tomaszewski, USJFCOM director of intelligence.
Also serving to generate efficiencies, the Transformational Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC-X) ceased operations on July 15.
Charged with developing best practices, the JIOC-X worked in conjunction with both the intelligence and the operations communities utilizing USJFCOM's unique capability to conduct joint operational intelligence concept development, experimentation, and training.
Tomaszewski continued, "I'm also very proud of the many contributions that USJFCOM's professional intelligence workforce have made to the Department of Defense, and want to express my thanks to them as they move on to their next assignments. They have served with distinction and honor."
Joint Intelligence Directorate transitions to Joint Staff
Several functions of the Intelligence Directorate (J2) will transition from U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) to the Joint Staff today as part of the continuing effort to realign functions and generate greater efficiency as part of USJFCOM's disestablishment.
The directorate's functions of developing, integrating, training and providing joint intelligence capabilities will now support the Joint Staff's joint intelligence, joint operations and joint training directorates.
"The alignment of these vital intelligence operations with the appropriate parts of the Joint Staff will aid in the ultimate mission of improved intelligence support to today's warfighters," said Thomas N. Tomaszewski, USJFCOM director of intelligence.
Also serving to generate efficiencies, the Transformational Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC-X) ceased operations on July 15.
Charged with developing best practices, the JIOC-X worked in conjunction with both the intelligence and the operations communities utilizing USJFCOM's unique capability to conduct joint operational intelligence concept development, experimentation, and training.
Tomaszewski continued, "I'm also very proud of the many contributions that USJFCOM's professional intelligence workforce have made to the Department of Defense, and want to express my thanks to them as they move on to their next assignments. They have served with distinction and honor."
NATO School transitions to U.S. European Command
The NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, transitioned today from U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) to U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) as part of the continuing effort to realign functions and generate greater efficiency through USJFCOM’s disestablishment.
The NATO School conducts NATO education and individual training to support current and developing NATO operations, strategy, policy, doctrine and procedures.
“As the NATO School transitions to USEUCOM, our capabilities and operations will integrate that organization’s administrative support infrastructure while maintaining uninterrupted support to NATO training,” said Col. Mark D. Baines, NATO School commandant. “The transition from USJFCOM J7 will be accomplished with no impact to ongoing NATO School commitments and resources, and the school is, and will remain, fully mission capable before, during and after all the transition activities.”
The school provides resident courses of instruction in five main NATO disciplines: intelligence; surveillance; target acquisition and reconnaissance; joint operations; weapons of mass destruction; policy; and NCO programs. Most courses last one week and offer many subjects from which to choose.
HALE-D Demonstrated During Abbreviated Flight
The U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin launched the first-of-its kind High Altitude Long Endurance-Demonstrator this morning, demonstrating a number of key technologies critical to development of unmanned airships.
The aircraft successfully launched at 5:47 a.m. out of the Airdock in Akron, Ohio. The airship reached an altitude of approximately 32,000 feet, however, a technical anomaly prevented the airship from attaining its target altitude of 60,000 feet and the HALE-D team decided to terminate the flight.
The aircraft descended without incident at 8:26 a.m. in southwestern Pennsylvania to a predetermined landing location. Lockheed Martin is coordinating with state and local authorities to recover the airship. We have confirmed that no injuries or damage were experienced during this landing in a heavily wooded area.
"While we didn't reach the target altitude, first flights of new technologies like HALE-D also afford us the ability to learn and test with a mind toward future developments," said Dan Schultz, vice president ship and aviation systems for Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Sensors business.
"We demonstrated a variety of advanced technologies, including launch and control of the airship, communications links, unique propulsion system, solar array electricity generation, remote piloting communications and control capability, in-flight operations, and controlled vehicle recovery to a remote un-populated area."
The HALE-D is an unmanned solar-powered lighter-than-air vehicle designed to hover 12 miles above the earth's surface for extended periods of time. The airship is designed to demonstrate advanced new technologies and capabilities for keeping American soldiers safer through improved communications.
The aircraft successfully launched at 5:47 a.m. out of the Airdock in Akron, Ohio. The airship reached an altitude of approximately 32,000 feet, however, a technical anomaly prevented the airship from attaining its target altitude of 60,000 feet and the HALE-D team decided to terminate the flight.
The aircraft descended without incident at 8:26 a.m. in southwestern Pennsylvania to a predetermined landing location. Lockheed Martin is coordinating with state and local authorities to recover the airship. We have confirmed that no injuries or damage were experienced during this landing in a heavily wooded area.
"While we didn't reach the target altitude, first flights of new technologies like HALE-D also afford us the ability to learn and test with a mind toward future developments," said Dan Schultz, vice president ship and aviation systems for Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Sensors business.
"We demonstrated a variety of advanced technologies, including launch and control of the airship, communications links, unique propulsion system, solar array electricity generation, remote piloting communications and control capability, in-flight operations, and controlled vehicle recovery to a remote un-populated area."
The HALE-D is an unmanned solar-powered lighter-than-air vehicle designed to hover 12 miles above the earth's surface for extended periods of time. The airship is designed to demonstrate advanced new technologies and capabilities for keeping American soldiers safer through improved communications.
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