The Challenge and Opportunity of Reduced Defense Spending in Space
The government may well be entering an extended period of reduced spending in
space-based communications, and a new space architecture that ensures continued
American superiority has yet to be defined.
That was the sobering message delivered by Intelsat General President Kay
Sears at a Washington Space Business Roundtable event last week.
In her speech, Kay described the four major cycles in defense spending that
the United States has been through since the end of WWII.
With the planned withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan next year,
and the current budgetary climate on Capitol Hill, she used a chart to show that
the nation is currently heading into a down cycle following a decade-long growth
period that began with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
American superiority in space-based communications networks is not as clear
as it was during the first Gulf war. Other nations now have their own space
capabilities, and many of our nation's satellite constellations are in need of
technological refreshes, she said.
In the current budgetary climate, the buzzwords heard most often are
"affordability," "portfolio optimization," "resiliency" "disaggregated
architectures" Kay told the audience that the commercial space industry welcomes
this kind of attention to getting the most for the taxpayer dollar, since
commercial providers have a proven track record of delivering value. A fiercely
competitive commercial space market demands it.
However, she said that though government officials often use value buzzwords,
the dialogue has been lacking on how commercial companies can help government
customers reduce the costs of the next steps in space. Kay has written in the
past about how government clients are processing the fact that budget realities
have shifted.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
QF-16 drone arrives for testing, prepares warfighters for tomorrow's threats
The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group marked an important milestone in continuing to prepare the warfighter for tomorrow's threats as the first QF-16 drone arrived for developmental testing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 19.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
QF-16 drone arrives for testing, prepares warfighters for tomorrow's threats
The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group marked an important milestone in continuing to prepare the warfighter for tomorrow's threats as the first QF-16 drone arrived for developmental testing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 19.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
F-22's success more than 'skin deep'
Many are surprised to discover that the largest organ the human body has is the skin. Skin provides a physical barrier against harmful, external factors. The F-22 Raptor, much like the human body, has a layer of skin called low observable.
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
F-22's success more than 'skin deep'
Many are surprised to discover that the largest organ the human body has is the skin. Skin provides a physical barrier against harmful, external factors. The F-22 Raptor, much like the human body, has a layer of skin called low observable.
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
Friday, November 23, 2012
F-35A Achieves Maximum High Angle Of Attack Limit In Four Flights
F-35A Achieves Maximum High Angle Of Attack Limit In Four Flights
An F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft rapidly expanded its high angle of attack (AOA) test envelope to its 50 degree limit in only four flights during recent flight testing here. F-35A test aircraft are limited to AOAs of 20 degrees until their controllability is proven at a higher AOA limit of 50 degrees. The ability to rapidly progress to the maximum AOA indicates a sound aerodynamic and flight control system design. High AOA testing will continue on the F-35A for several months testing the capabilities of all design loadings and the flight control system.
An F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft rapidly expanded its high angle of attack (AOA) test envelope to its 50 degree limit in only four flights during recent flight testing here. F-35A test aircraft are limited to AOAs of 20 degrees until their controllability is proven at a higher AOA limit of 50 degrees. The ability to rapidly progress to the maximum AOA indicates a sound aerodynamic and flight control system design. High AOA testing will continue on the F-35A for several months testing the capabilities of all design loadings and the flight control system.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Precision, Wireless Ground Handling of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft
Precision, Wireless Ground Handling of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy have taken a first critical step toward demonstrating that the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator can be maneuvered safely and wirelessly on the crowded deck of an aircraft carrier. In early November, the team successfully completed its first shore-based trials of a new wireless, handheld device called a Control Display Unit (CDU). Developed by Northrop Grumman, the device will allow deck operators to maneuver the X-47B by remote control on the carrier deck. The team demonstrated the CDU's ability to control the X-47B's engine thrust; to roll the aircraft forward, brake and stop; to use its nose wheel steering to execute tight, precision turns; and to maneuver the aircraft efficiently into a catapult or out of the landing area following a mock carrier landing. Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. "The CDU is fundamental to integrating the X-47B seamlessly into carrier deck operations," said Daryl Martis, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D test director.
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy have taken a first critical step toward demonstrating that the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator can be maneuvered safely and wirelessly on the crowded deck of an aircraft carrier. In early November, the team successfully completed its first shore-based trials of a new wireless, handheld device called a Control Display Unit (CDU). Developed by Northrop Grumman, the device will allow deck operators to maneuver the X-47B by remote control on the carrier deck. The team demonstrated the CDU's ability to control the X-47B's engine thrust; to roll the aircraft forward, brake and stop; to use its nose wheel steering to execute tight, precision turns; and to maneuver the aircraft efficiently into a catapult or out of the landing area following a mock carrier landing. Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. "The CDU is fundamental to integrating the X-47B seamlessly into carrier deck operations," said Daryl Martis, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D test director.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Europe, U.S. talk space program link
Europe, U.S. talk space program link
European plans to join the United States in building a manned spaceship could see a British astronaut in space before the end of the decade, officials said. A meeting of ministers of the European Space Agency's 20 member states in Italy this week will consider a proposal to join in the construction of the four-person U.S. Orion space capsule. "Europeans will have the power to put men and women into space," Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of the European Space Agency, told Britain's The Observer newspaper in an interview. "That would be a fantastic development for us." "Britain has already indicated support," he said
European plans to join the United States in building a manned spaceship could see a British astronaut in space before the end of the decade, officials said. A meeting of ministers of the European Space Agency's 20 member states in Italy this week will consider a proposal to join in the construction of the four-person U.S. Orion space capsule. "Europeans will have the power to put men and women into space," Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of the European Space Agency, told Britain's The Observer newspaper in an interview. "That would be a fantastic development for us." "Britain has already indicated support," he said
Friday, November 16, 2012
Change in U.S. defense strategy could ease fiscal challenge
Change in U.S. defense strategy could ease fiscal challenge
group of national security experts on Thursday proposed a new U.S. defense strategy they said could be safely implemented at different budget levels, enabling President Barack Obama to cut Pentagon spending by more than the $487 billion agreed to so far.
The strategy, by a group of 15 defense experts assembled by the Stimson Center think tank, proposes reducing costs by improving manpower usage, cutting back on foreign bases, curbing nuclear modernization efforts, reforming compensation and taking other steps to improve efficiency within the Defense Department.
Stimson
Center co-founder Barry Blechman, who led a group that included retired Marine
Corps General James Cartwright, retired Admiral Bill Owens and scholars Gordon
Adams and Anne-Marie Slaughter, said the strategy, dubbed "Strategic Agility,"
expanded on the one unveiled by the Pentagon in January.
"It's more an evolution than any kind of radical change," Blechman said in an interview. "It's a shift, a greater shift, toward an expeditionary model of U.S. military power that moves away from the kind of static big bases that characterized our Cold War posture to rotational deployments of forces in and out of regions to exercise."
group of national security experts on Thursday proposed a new U.S. defense strategy they said could be safely implemented at different budget levels, enabling President Barack Obama to cut Pentagon spending by more than the $487 billion agreed to so far.
The strategy, by a group of 15 defense experts assembled by the Stimson Center think tank, proposes reducing costs by improving manpower usage, cutting back on foreign bases, curbing nuclear modernization efforts, reforming compensation and taking other steps to improve efficiency within the Defense Department.
"It's more an evolution than any kind of radical change," Blechman said in an interview. "It's a shift, a greater shift, toward an expeditionary model of U.S. military power that moves away from the kind of static big bases that characterized our Cold War posture to rotational deployments of forces in and out of regions to exercise."
Report says $67.9 billion in defense budget is idled away
Report says $67.9 billion in defense budget is idled away
They called it the Red Balloon Challenge. The Defense Advanced Research Projects A
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”gency, responsible for investing in next-generation technologies, recently paid researchers at MIT $40,000 to coordinate a social-media treasure hunt for 10 red balloons placed at various locations across the country. They succeeded, in eight hours, 52 minutes, and 41 seconds.
At Brown University, researchers received nearly $300,000 from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to determine the color of the wings of the Archaeopteryx, a bird that lived 150 million years ago. They concluded “black, with 95 percent probability.”
. ...
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”
They called it the Red Balloon Challenge. The Defense Advanced Research Projects A
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”gency, responsible for investing in next-generation technologies, recently paid researchers at MIT $40,000 to coordinate a social-media treasure hunt for 10 red balloons placed at various locations across the country. They succeeded, in eight hours, 52 minutes, and 41 seconds.
At Brown University, researchers received nearly $300,000 from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to determine the color of the wings of the Archaeopteryx, a bird that lived 150 million years ago. They concluded “black, with 95 percent probability.”
. ...
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”
GOP senator outlines $68 billion in defense cuts
GOP senator outlines $68 billion in defense cuts
Defense spending could be slashed by $68 billion over 10 years if the military stopped spending millions on running grocery stores, operating its own schools and even developing a roll-up version of beef jerky, insists one of the Senate's leading fiscal conservatives. In a new report, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn dubs the Pentagon the "Department of Everything."
Coburn details how the Pentagon could save money - vital in a time of rampant federal deficits - if it eliminated duplicative and excessive programs that have nothing to do with the nation's security. By turns sober and cheeky, the report points out that the Pentagon has spent more than $1 million on the 100-year Starship Project, including $100,000 for a workshop sure to attract Trekkies. One of the discussions was titled "Did Jesus Die for Klingons Too?"
"Our nation's $16 trillion debt is the new red menace, posing perhaps a greater threat to our nation than any military adversary," the report says in chilling Cold War terms.
Defense spending could be slashed by $68 billion over 10 years if the military stopped spending millions on running grocery stores, operating its own schools and even developing a roll-up version of beef jerky, insists one of the Senate's leading fiscal conservatives. In a new report, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn dubs the Pentagon the "Department of Everything."
Coburn details how the Pentagon could save money - vital in a time of rampant federal deficits - if it eliminated duplicative and excessive programs that have nothing to do with the nation's security. By turns sober and cheeky, the report points out that the Pentagon has spent more than $1 million on the 100-year Starship Project, including $100,000 for a workshop sure to attract Trekkies. One of the discussions was titled "Did Jesus Die for Klingons Too?"
"Our nation's $16 trillion debt is the new red menace, posing perhaps a greater threat to our nation than any military adversary," the report says in chilling Cold War terms.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Bradley Offspring, GCV, May Top 84 Tons, Heavier Than M1 Tank
Bradley Offspring, GCV, May Top 84 Tons, Heavier Than M1 Tank
What may weigh more than an M1 Abrams tank and carry 12 soldiers? The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle. New weight estimates for GCV, released this week by the Congressional Budget Office, will likely go over like a lead ballon with the program's critics in Congress and in the Army itself.
Depending on the model and add-on armor package, an M1 weighs 60 to 75.5 tons. According to the CBO report, the General Dynamics design for the GCV weighs 64 to 70 tons. BAE s proposal is still heavier, at 70 to 84.
There's a tactical reason for all this weight: It's armor. The Ground Combat Vehicle is supposed to replace the Army's current frontline infantry carrier, the M2 Bradley, carrying more foot troops in back -- nine instead of six -- and protecting them better against everything from rocket-propelled grenades to roadside bombs. Even the most heavily uparmored models of the M2, at almost 40 tons, proved too vulnerable for the worst streets in Baghdad during the "surge," so commanders often sent 70-plus-ton M1s to clear the way. Even some of those M1s blew up, in part because the insurgents could build huge improvised explosive devices, in part because the M1's armor is mostly on the front to protect against enemy tanks, not on the underside.
What may weigh more than an M1 Abrams tank and carry 12 soldiers? The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle. New weight estimates for GCV, released this week by the Congressional Budget Office, will likely go over like a lead ballon with the program's critics in Congress and in the Army itself.
Depending on the model and add-on armor package, an M1 weighs 60 to 75.5 tons. According to the CBO report, the General Dynamics design for the GCV weighs 64 to 70 tons. BAE s proposal is still heavier, at 70 to 84.
There's a tactical reason for all this weight: It's armor. The Ground Combat Vehicle is supposed to replace the Army's current frontline infantry carrier, the M2 Bradley, carrying more foot troops in back -- nine instead of six -- and protecting them better against everything from rocket-propelled grenades to roadside bombs. Even the most heavily uparmored models of the M2, at almost 40 tons, proved too vulnerable for the worst streets in Baghdad during the "surge," so commanders often sent 70-plus-ton M1s to clear the way. Even some of those M1s blew up, in part because the insurgents could build huge improvised explosive devices, in part because the M1's armor is mostly on the front to protect against enemy tanks, not on the underside.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Army Orders NETT WARRIOR Radios from General Dynamics
General Dynamics C4 Systems has received an order from the U.S. Army to deliver
a new secure radio for Nett Warrior soldiers. The new Nett Warrior radio is
part of the Handheld Manpack Small Form Fit family of radios. Weighing less
than two pounds, the secure radio communicates using the Soldier Radio Waveform
(SRW) and meets a critical communications need by giving Nett Warrior team
members access to the government's classified networks at either the Secret or
Sensitive But Unclassified level.
Nett Warrior is a U.S. Army program that provides integrated situational awareness and mission command for dismounted soldiers.
The Low Rate Initial Production order for 2,052 radios includes engineering support and related equipment and has a maximum potential value of $11 million if all options are exercised. The Nett Warrior Radios are scheduled to begin delivery in the first quarter of 2013.
"By providing a lighter, smaller radio capable of two levels of security, Nett Warrior soldiers will have increased agility and significantly improved access to classified mission-critical information," said Chris Marzilli , president of General Dynamics C4 Systems. "That combination can help save American soldiers' lives."
The Nett Warrior Radio joins the HMS family of tactical radios, which includes the AN/PRC-154 Rifleman and AN/PRC-155 Manpack radios. The radios enable soldiers on the battlefield to have highly mobile voice, video and data communications capabilities using U.S. government waveforms that include SRW, Wideband Networking Waveform and Mobile User Objective System waveform. Waveforms move information from a radio to the tactical network by providing the physical signal, network protocols, routing and security functions.
Nett Warrior is a U.S. Army program that provides integrated situational awareness and mission command for dismounted soldiers.
The Low Rate Initial Production order for 2,052 radios includes engineering support and related equipment and has a maximum potential value of $11 million if all options are exercised. The Nett Warrior Radios are scheduled to begin delivery in the first quarter of 2013.
"By providing a lighter, smaller radio capable of two levels of security, Nett Warrior soldiers will have increased agility and significantly improved access to classified mission-critical information," said Chris Marzilli , president of General Dynamics C4 Systems. "That combination can help save American soldiers' lives."
The Nett Warrior Radio joins the HMS family of tactical radios, which includes the AN/PRC-154 Rifleman and AN/PRC-155 Manpack radios. The radios enable soldiers on the battlefield to have highly mobile voice, video and data communications capabilities using U.S. government waveforms that include SRW, Wideband Networking Waveform and Mobile User Objective System waveform. Waveforms move information from a radio to the tactical network by providing the physical signal, network protocols, routing and security functions.
General Dynamics is the prime contractor
for the HMS program. With the order for the Nett Warrior radios, the Army has
procured more than 26,000 HMS radios from General Dynamics . The Nett Warrior
Radio shares common technology with the HMS family and seamlessly interoperates
with the Rifleman Radio.
Army researchers link ground robots wirelessly
Four U.S. Army Research Laboratory researchers have developed an algorithm that will make it easier for the Department of Defense to maintain wirelessly networked Army PackBots and other military assets using radio communications.
The team recently demonstrated they could map the region of good connectivity to a radio base station using received signal strength, or RSS.
"We are working on fundamental techniques that employ autonomous agents to maintain connectivity, and continuously provide situational awareness to Soldiers," said Brian Sadler, Ph.D., of Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, in a recent article about the research.
The team has been focused on radio connectivity between robots for nearly two years, he said.
"We can find and explore areas that have high RSS and then map these areas as having the strongest connectivity to the radio base station," said Jeffrey Twigg, a contract employee with Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate who was instrumental in this research. "This brings us a step closer to operating autonomous systems in complex and unstructured situations like those Soldiers encounter on the battlefield."
When the environment is open, communication between autonomous robots is well understood. Indoors however, walls and other sources of interference cause radio propagation to be more complex. This requires the communication strategies used by robotic systems to be more complex, Twigg said.
"Ultimately we want to form building blocks that increase the effectiveness of a networked team of robots in an unknown environment," Twigg said. "If robots can be programmed to map where there is the potential to communicate inside a building, then Soldiers and other assets can know where in the building they will be able to communicate with a radio base station."
Efficient Base Station Connectivity Region Discovery by Jeffrey Twigg, Jonathan Fink, Ph.D., Paul Yu, Ph.D., and Brian Sadler, Ph.D., is a project that takes a second step toward a broad understanding of solutions for Army robotics. The study has been submitted for publication by the International Journal of Robotics Research.
The researchers took their findings from earlier research conducted this year to the next level. They combined region decomposition and RSS sampling to form an efficient graph search. The nominal RSS in a sampling region is obtained by averaging local RSS samples to reduce the small scale fading variation.
At this point, the system has been tested in the lab as well as at the urban operations training site at Fort Indiantown Gap.
The algorithm can be used for sensing and collaborative autonomy within the region of base station connectivity, Twigg said.
The Army Research Laboratory researchers first presented the development: RSS Gradient-Assisted Frontier Exploration and Radio Source Localization at the 2012 International Conference on Robotics and Automation in St. Paul, Mn.
The team recently demonstrated they could map the region of good connectivity to a radio base station using received signal strength, or RSS.
"We are working on fundamental techniques that employ autonomous agents to maintain connectivity, and continuously provide situational awareness to Soldiers," said Brian Sadler, Ph.D., of Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, in a recent article about the research.
The team has been focused on radio connectivity between robots for nearly two years, he said.
"We can find and explore areas that have high RSS and then map these areas as having the strongest connectivity to the radio base station," said Jeffrey Twigg, a contract employee with Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate who was instrumental in this research. "This brings us a step closer to operating autonomous systems in complex and unstructured situations like those Soldiers encounter on the battlefield."
When the environment is open, communication between autonomous robots is well understood. Indoors however, walls and other sources of interference cause radio propagation to be more complex. This requires the communication strategies used by robotic systems to be more complex, Twigg said.
"Ultimately we want to form building blocks that increase the effectiveness of a networked team of robots in an unknown environment," Twigg said. "If robots can be programmed to map where there is the potential to communicate inside a building, then Soldiers and other assets can know where in the building they will be able to communicate with a radio base station."
Efficient Base Station Connectivity Region Discovery by Jeffrey Twigg, Jonathan Fink, Ph.D., Paul Yu, Ph.D., and Brian Sadler, Ph.D., is a project that takes a second step toward a broad understanding of solutions for Army robotics. The study has been submitted for publication by the International Journal of Robotics Research.
The researchers took their findings from earlier research conducted this year to the next level. They combined region decomposition and RSS sampling to form an efficient graph search. The nominal RSS in a sampling region is obtained by averaging local RSS samples to reduce the small scale fading variation.
At this point, the system has been tested in the lab as well as at the urban operations training site at Fort Indiantown Gap.
The algorithm can be used for sensing and collaborative autonomy within the region of base station connectivity, Twigg said.
The Army Research Laboratory researchers first presented the development: RSS Gradient-Assisted Frontier Exploration and Radio Source Localization at the 2012 International Conference on Robotics and Automation in St. Paul, Mn.
Ray Odierno: Army Aiming For Regionalized Structure
Ray Odierno: Army Aiming For Regionalized Structure
As the Army withdraws forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the branch’s chief of staff says the next goal is having uniformed soldiers return to traditional jobs they performed previously, Federal News Radio reports.
Gen. Ray Odierno told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Thursday that the Army wants to put more senior non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers back into both the training pipeline and the doctrine pipeline.
Odierno added that the Army is going to be more regionalized and integrated with other services in the Defense Department.
As the Army withdraws forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the branch’s chief of staff says the next goal is having uniformed soldiers return to traditional jobs they performed previously, Federal News Radio reports.
Gen. Ray Odierno told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Thursday that the Army wants to put more senior non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers back into both the training pipeline and the doctrine pipeline.
Odierno added that the Army is going to be more regionalized and integrated with other services in the Defense Department.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
F-35 celebrates 500th sortie
The Air Force's premier fighter, the F-35 Lightning II, surpassed its 500th sortie only 16 days after reaching the 400 mark and only 238 days from the beginning of the program.
Maj. Matthew Johnston of the 58th Fighter Squadron completed the 500th combined sortie for both the F-35A and F-35B at the 33rd Fighter Wing Nov. 2, marking a continued progress in sortie generation rates since the wing started flight operations March 6.
"On Friday during our F-35A operational utility evaluation we hit the 500th flight in 16 days from the prior 400th combined sortie flown on Oct. 16," said Col. Andrew Toth, commander for the 33rd Fighter Wing. "This is significant progress forward since it took 123 days to achieve the 100th combined sortie on July 12."
"The joint team is focused on safe and effective flying to stand up their unit's future operations and the increased amount of sorties and quicker turnaround time to maintain and turn jets is a simple byproduct of this."
According to the maintenance squadron commander, the number of Air Force maintainers continues to grow as the program progresses. "When we first started F-35A flying you could count the uniformed maintainers trained on the system on one hand," said Maj. Maurice Lee, commander, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "Now we have more than 100 Air Force maintainers trained up.....I am very proud of their legacy aircraft expertise and newly-learned F-35 skills."
While the Air Force's A variant of the Lightning II was the jet flying the 500-sortie milestone, the Marine Corps' B variant has been the other part of the team effort progressing the multi-role fighter forward for joint and partner nation fifth-generation air power.
"Both services' efforts are a precursor to training other services and allies at the world's only F-35 Integrated Training Center," said Toth.
Currently two pilots from the United Kingdom are gearing up to begin classes in aircraft familiarity and simulator training at the F-35 Academic Training Center along with almost 20 Royal Air Force and Royal Navy maintainers who began through their country's first courses Oct. 1.
"And next spring the Navy's F-35 C variant will begin contributing to the sortie successes," said Toth, who besides spearheading the joint and international efforts at Eglin, is also flying weekly joint strike fighter sorties.
The multi-role joint strike fighter is the centerpiece of the Defense Department's future precision attack capability, designed to penetrate air defenses and deliver a wide-range of precision munitions. It offers increased interoperability and cost-sharing across three of the U.S. services and coalition partner nations. Eglin is home to the largest fleet of F-35s at any DoD base with 22 jets.
. 100th combined sortie - July 12 - accomplished in 123 days
. 200th combined sortie - Aug. 24 - accomplished in 44 days
. 300th combined sortie - Sept.21 - accomplished in 30 days
. 400th combined sortie - Oct. 16 - accomplished in 25 days
. 500th combined sortie - Nov. 2 - accomplished in 16 days
Maj. Matthew Johnston of the 58th Fighter Squadron completed the 500th combined sortie for both the F-35A and F-35B at the 33rd Fighter Wing Nov. 2, marking a continued progress in sortie generation rates since the wing started flight operations March 6.
"On Friday during our F-35A operational utility evaluation we hit the 500th flight in 16 days from the prior 400th combined sortie flown on Oct. 16," said Col. Andrew Toth, commander for the 33rd Fighter Wing. "This is significant progress forward since it took 123 days to achieve the 100th combined sortie on July 12."
"The joint team is focused on safe and effective flying to stand up their unit's future operations and the increased amount of sorties and quicker turnaround time to maintain and turn jets is a simple byproduct of this."
According to the maintenance squadron commander, the number of Air Force maintainers continues to grow as the program progresses. "When we first started F-35A flying you could count the uniformed maintainers trained on the system on one hand," said Maj. Maurice Lee, commander, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "Now we have more than 100 Air Force maintainers trained up.....I am very proud of their legacy aircraft expertise and newly-learned F-35 skills."
While the Air Force's A variant of the Lightning II was the jet flying the 500-sortie milestone, the Marine Corps' B variant has been the other part of the team effort progressing the multi-role fighter forward for joint and partner nation fifth-generation air power.
"Both services' efforts are a precursor to training other services and allies at the world's only F-35 Integrated Training Center," said Toth.
Currently two pilots from the United Kingdom are gearing up to begin classes in aircraft familiarity and simulator training at the F-35 Academic Training Center along with almost 20 Royal Air Force and Royal Navy maintainers who began through their country's first courses Oct. 1.
"And next spring the Navy's F-35 C variant will begin contributing to the sortie successes," said Toth, who besides spearheading the joint and international efforts at Eglin, is also flying weekly joint strike fighter sorties.
The multi-role joint strike fighter is the centerpiece of the Defense Department's future precision attack capability, designed to penetrate air defenses and deliver a wide-range of precision munitions. It offers increased interoperability and cost-sharing across three of the U.S. services and coalition partner nations. Eglin is home to the largest fleet of F-35s at any DoD base with 22 jets.
. 100th combined sortie - July 12 - accomplished in 123 days
. 200th combined sortie - Aug. 24 - accomplished in 44 days
. 300th combined sortie - Sept.21 - accomplished in 30 days
. 400th combined sortie - Oct. 16 - accomplished in 25 days
. 500th combined sortie - Nov. 2 - accomplished in 16 days
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
USS Enterprise Returns Home from Final Deployment
More than 5,500 Sailors and Marines assigned to the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) arrived in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 4 following a seven-and-a-half-month deployment supporting operations in the Mediterranean and the Arabian Seas.
USS Enterprise's return to Norfolk marks the 25th and final homecoming in her 51 years of distinguished service.
The aircraft carrier is scheduled to be inactivated Dec. 1, in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station, in Norfolk, Va.
"We are pleased to be returning to our families after a very successful deployment, but to know that it is the last time Enterprise will be underway through her own power makes our return very sentimental," said Capt. William C. Hamilton, Enterprise commanding officer.
While deployed, Enterprise CSG served in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR), conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
During her 238 days away from Norfolk, "Big E," as Enterprise is affectionately known, safely steamed 80,968 miles and Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1) flew more than 8,000 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and exercises in the 5th and 6th Fleet AORs.
"This has not been a victory lap for Enterprise by any means," said Rear Adm. Ted Carter, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group commander. "This has been a full-on combat operation. We've seen the full spectrum of Navy operations on this deployment. It's been a business as usual kind of deployment."
Enterprise was commissioned Nov. 25, 1961 as the eighth ship to bear the name Enterprise. Big E was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. During her 51 years of service, Enterprise deployed 25 times and participated in every major conflict since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Enterprise has been homeported in both Alameda, Calif., and Norfolk, Va., and conducted operations in every region of the world.
The December inactivation ceremony will be the last official public event for Enterprise, and will serve as a celebration of life for the ship and the more than 100,000 Sailors who have served aboard the ship. All Enterprise veterans, their families, shipyard workers, and friends are invited to register to attend the inactivation week events and the ceremony on the ship's website, www.enterprise.navy.mil. Tickets to the events will be on a first available basis.
Enterprise CSG is comprised of: Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), CVW 1, Destroyer Squadron 2, guided-missile destroyers USS Porter (DDG 78), USS Nitze (DDG 94), and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95).
The squadrons of CVW 1 embarked aboard Enterprise are: Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 "Red Rippers," VFA-136 "Knighthawks," VFA-211 "Fighting Checkmates,"Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 "Thunderbolts," Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 "Screwtops," Carrier Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 137 "Rooks," Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 "Rawhides,"and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11 "Dragonslayers."
USS Enterprise's return to Norfolk marks the 25th and final homecoming in her 51 years of distinguished service.
The aircraft carrier is scheduled to be inactivated Dec. 1, in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station, in Norfolk, Va.
"We are pleased to be returning to our families after a very successful deployment, but to know that it is the last time Enterprise will be underway through her own power makes our return very sentimental," said Capt. William C. Hamilton, Enterprise commanding officer.
While deployed, Enterprise CSG served in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR), conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
During her 238 days away from Norfolk, "Big E," as Enterprise is affectionately known, safely steamed 80,968 miles and Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1) flew more than 8,000 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and exercises in the 5th and 6th Fleet AORs.
"This has not been a victory lap for Enterprise by any means," said Rear Adm. Ted Carter, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group commander. "This has been a full-on combat operation. We've seen the full spectrum of Navy operations on this deployment. It's been a business as usual kind of deployment."
Enterprise was commissioned Nov. 25, 1961 as the eighth ship to bear the name Enterprise. Big E was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. During her 51 years of service, Enterprise deployed 25 times and participated in every major conflict since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Enterprise has been homeported in both Alameda, Calif., and Norfolk, Va., and conducted operations in every region of the world.
The December inactivation ceremony will be the last official public event for Enterprise, and will serve as a celebration of life for the ship and the more than 100,000 Sailors who have served aboard the ship. All Enterprise veterans, their families, shipyard workers, and friends are invited to register to attend the inactivation week events and the ceremony on the ship's website, www.enterprise.navy.mil. Tickets to the events will be on a first available basis.
Enterprise CSG is comprised of: Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), CVW 1, Destroyer Squadron 2, guided-missile destroyers USS Porter (DDG 78), USS Nitze (DDG 94), and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95).
The squadrons of CVW 1 embarked aboard Enterprise are: Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 "Red Rippers," VFA-136 "Knighthawks," VFA-211 "Fighting Checkmates,"Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 "Thunderbolts," Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 "Screwtops," Carrier Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 137 "Rooks," Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 "Rawhides,"and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11 "Dragonslayers."
CIA Declassifies Secret Spy Satellite Capsule
More than 400 people from around the Pacific Northwest attended a declassification recognition event at the Naval Undersea Museum's Jack Murdock Auditorium in Keyport, Washington, for the deep sea vehicle Trieste II I (DSV 1), Nov. 3.
The event was sponsored by the Historical Collections Division (HCD) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in partnership with the museum and an independent publication called Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly.
The information released was on a salvage operation conducted April 25, 1972 by Lt. Cmdr. Malcolm Bartels, Lt. Cmdr. Phil Stryker Jr., and Lt. Richard Taylor describing the recovery of a satellite film capsule from a depth 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean.
"I think it was very significant because it's just a really great story," said David Waltrop, project manager CIA HCD. "There's only been two operations dealing with underwater intelligence activities that the CIA has declassified."
This is only the second time the CIA has declassified an underwater intelligence operation.
"The other thing that's really important with this declassification is that this is the first time the CIA...has released pictures taken on the bottom of the ocean," said Waltrop. "[Richard] Taylor, he took some very amazing pictures of the satellite film bucket as it was on the bottom of the ocean and as it was coming up, and we released that along with our collection."
The event was a panel presentation to inform the public about Trieste II's recently declassified operation and focused around Waltrop's article, An Underwater Ice Station Zebra. The panel members were Lee Mathers, retired Lt. Cmdr. Beauford Myers, and retired Cmdr. Richard Taylor, the former Trieste II pilot who conducted the CIA underwater recovery mission.
In 1972, Trieste II was the Navy's most advanced deep sea submersible. According to the CIA website, the Trieste II surfaced about 350 miles of the coast of the Hawaiian islands after completing a salvage operation from 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean. Known, at the time, as a nondescript data package from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the object was actually part of a film capsule from an American photoreconnaissance satellite, codenamed Hexagon.
Before digital technology, photoreconnaissance satellites used film that ejected from the satellite and returned to Earth. The capsules, called buckets, re-entered the Earth's atmosphere descending toward the primary re-entry zone near the Hawaiian Islands. In the case of the first Hexagon mission in 1971, the parachute broke off causing the capsule to fall into the water, sinking to the ocean floor.
Taylor said they started the training program for the mission in the summer and fall of 1971 in the area of Southern California. This was where Taylor and the crew of Trieste II saw the bucket that was brought out as a practice bucket.
"That was the first time we saw what this thing was going to look like," said Taylor. "We were briefed in the program to know that we were picking up something, we had no idea that it came from a Hexagon satellite. We knew it was a satellite, a U.S. satellite, we did not know exactly what it was and what it looked like was that [practice] bucket."
"The Navy didn't know what was on the satellite, or at least we didn't know what was on the satellite," said Taylor. "We know now, I heard in September [2012] what was there. We just knew we were picking up a satellite and it was ours."
The recovery of the submerged capsule took more than five hours, a two-hour descent and three-and-a-half hours to search for the wreckage. During the ascent to the ocean's surface, the film broke apart and dissolved into the ocean. The capsule was supposed to contain images of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Taylor said he and everyone else could only imagine what data the capsule contained.
For the museum staff, the declassification finally enables them to provide information regarding the purpose and mission of Trieste II to people from, and those who visit, the Pacific Northwest.
"The Navy has never really talked about why it was built or how it was used, so we've only been able to say it's a deep submergence vehicle, which is fun, but the declassification of this mission means that we have some concrete and tangible, and [it is] very exciting [what] our Trieste has done," said Mary Ryan, museum curator.
Ryan said since the release of the information on the Trieste II the museum has received a huge amount of interest to this story.
"I think any time you say a secret mission and a spy satellite it's an exciting story, it's a nice hook and it draws people's interest to want to come see it and they usually come into the museum to see other stuff that they never heard about," said Ryan. "So, it's a really great way for us to let people know more about the museum that it's here, what we have and what we do."
Waltrop said he was just glad to talk about this operation and its historical significance, calling it a testament to the Navy and the CIA.
"A lot of people, when they talk about history they say, 'Why is it important,' I think a good story has importance," said Waltrop. "It gives us a shared sense of values, a sense of community, a sense of espirit de corps. I think it shows the extent to which we will go to get the information that our country needs to keep itself safe."
For Waltrop, the declassified operation and the successful mission of the Hexagon satellite throughout the Cold War, from 1971-1984, has a long-lasting meaning today.
"[During] the bulk and height of the Cold War this satellite was operating in space, and I think that this shows well before words like, 'joint-duty, interagency collaboration, multi-intelligence,' you know, those buzz words that we currently have today in the [DoD] and the intelligence community," said Waltrop. "Long before those words became popular, you had a group of people from different organizations, different groups, unique talents coming together to undertake a very difficult, dangerous mission that was never before attempted."
The mission of the HCD is the promotion of accurate, objective understanding of the information that has helped shape major U.S. foreign policy decisions and to present historical material that gives greater understanding to the scope and context of past actions.
Trieste II is currently on display for the public at the Naval Undersea Museum.
The event was sponsored by the Historical Collections Division (HCD) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in partnership with the museum and an independent publication called Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly.
The information released was on a salvage operation conducted April 25, 1972 by Lt. Cmdr. Malcolm Bartels, Lt. Cmdr. Phil Stryker Jr., and Lt. Richard Taylor describing the recovery of a satellite film capsule from a depth 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean.
"I think it was very significant because it's just a really great story," said David Waltrop, project manager CIA HCD. "There's only been two operations dealing with underwater intelligence activities that the CIA has declassified."
This is only the second time the CIA has declassified an underwater intelligence operation.
"The other thing that's really important with this declassification is that this is the first time the CIA...has released pictures taken on the bottom of the ocean," said Waltrop. "[Richard] Taylor, he took some very amazing pictures of the satellite film bucket as it was on the bottom of the ocean and as it was coming up, and we released that along with our collection."
The event was a panel presentation to inform the public about Trieste II's recently declassified operation and focused around Waltrop's article, An Underwater Ice Station Zebra. The panel members were Lee Mathers, retired Lt. Cmdr. Beauford Myers, and retired Cmdr. Richard Taylor, the former Trieste II pilot who conducted the CIA underwater recovery mission.
In 1972, Trieste II was the Navy's most advanced deep sea submersible. According to the CIA website, the Trieste II surfaced about 350 miles of the coast of the Hawaiian islands after completing a salvage operation from 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean. Known, at the time, as a nondescript data package from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the object was actually part of a film capsule from an American photoreconnaissance satellite, codenamed Hexagon.
Before digital technology, photoreconnaissance satellites used film that ejected from the satellite and returned to Earth. The capsules, called buckets, re-entered the Earth's atmosphere descending toward the primary re-entry zone near the Hawaiian Islands. In the case of the first Hexagon mission in 1971, the parachute broke off causing the capsule to fall into the water, sinking to the ocean floor.
Taylor said they started the training program for the mission in the summer and fall of 1971 in the area of Southern California. This was where Taylor and the crew of Trieste II saw the bucket that was brought out as a practice bucket.
"That was the first time we saw what this thing was going to look like," said Taylor. "We were briefed in the program to know that we were picking up something, we had no idea that it came from a Hexagon satellite. We knew it was a satellite, a U.S. satellite, we did not know exactly what it was and what it looked like was that [practice] bucket."
"The Navy didn't know what was on the satellite, or at least we didn't know what was on the satellite," said Taylor. "We know now, I heard in September [2012] what was there. We just knew we were picking up a satellite and it was ours."
The recovery of the submerged capsule took more than five hours, a two-hour descent and three-and-a-half hours to search for the wreckage. During the ascent to the ocean's surface, the film broke apart and dissolved into the ocean. The capsule was supposed to contain images of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Taylor said he and everyone else could only imagine what data the capsule contained.
For the museum staff, the declassification finally enables them to provide information regarding the purpose and mission of Trieste II to people from, and those who visit, the Pacific Northwest.
"The Navy has never really talked about why it was built or how it was used, so we've only been able to say it's a deep submergence vehicle, which is fun, but the declassification of this mission means that we have some concrete and tangible, and [it is] very exciting [what] our Trieste has done," said Mary Ryan, museum curator.
Ryan said since the release of the information on the Trieste II the museum has received a huge amount of interest to this story.
"I think any time you say a secret mission and a spy satellite it's an exciting story, it's a nice hook and it draws people's interest to want to come see it and they usually come into the museum to see other stuff that they never heard about," said Ryan. "So, it's a really great way for us to let people know more about the museum that it's here, what we have and what we do."
Waltrop said he was just glad to talk about this operation and its historical significance, calling it a testament to the Navy and the CIA.
"A lot of people, when they talk about history they say, 'Why is it important,' I think a good story has importance," said Waltrop. "It gives us a shared sense of values, a sense of community, a sense of espirit de corps. I think it shows the extent to which we will go to get the information that our country needs to keep itself safe."
For Waltrop, the declassified operation and the successful mission of the Hexagon satellite throughout the Cold War, from 1971-1984, has a long-lasting meaning today.
"[During] the bulk and height of the Cold War this satellite was operating in space, and I think that this shows well before words like, 'joint-duty, interagency collaboration, multi-intelligence,' you know, those buzz words that we currently have today in the [DoD] and the intelligence community," said Waltrop. "Long before those words became popular, you had a group of people from different organizations, different groups, unique talents coming together to undertake a very difficult, dangerous mission that was never before attempted."
The mission of the HCD is the promotion of accurate, objective understanding of the information that has helped shape major U.S. foreign policy decisions and to present historical material that gives greater understanding to the scope and context of past actions.
Trieste II is currently on display for the public at the Naval Undersea Museum.
Exercise Mavi Balina 2012 Kicks off in Turkey
The trilateral training exercise Mavi Balina 2012 (MB12) kicked off in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Turkey, Nov. 5.
Mavi Balina is an invitational maritime exercise, hosted by Turkey, which focuses on providing realistic operational training in surface and submarine warfare for units and staffs of Turkish, Pakistani and U.S. Naval Forces, as well as promotes friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
Training with other military forces enhances mutual awareness and the maritime capability of international partners. Mavi Balina helps create an environment that promotes maritime safety and security, and interoperability between the participating nations.
Participating U.S. Naval Forces are guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and an aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 9.
Mavi Balina is an invitational maritime exercise, hosted by Turkey, which focuses on providing realistic operational training in surface and submarine warfare for units and staffs of Turkish, Pakistani and U.S. Naval Forces, as well as promotes friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
Training with other military forces enhances mutual awareness and the maritime capability of international partners. Mavi Balina helps create an environment that promotes maritime safety and security, and interoperability between the participating nations.
Participating U.S. Naval Forces are guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and an aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 9.
Sequester Would Cripple Our Economy
Sequester Would Cripple Our Economy
If the election results are pretty clear, expect to hear two things: the sounds of snoring from an exhausted Washington political class and the first tentative mentions of the shape of a solution to the dire fiscal cliff our country may fall off of in January. Given the enormity of the repercussions facing the country, Mackenzie Eaglen at the American Enterprise Institute spells out the larger national security implications at stake. Tea Party devotees should read this dedicated Republican's analysis closely.
If the election results are pretty clear, expect to hear two things: the sounds of snoring from an exhausted Washington political class and the first tentative mentions of the shape of a solution to the dire fiscal cliff our country may fall off of in January. Given the enormity of the repercussions facing the country, Mackenzie Eaglen at the American Enterprise Institute spells out the larger national security implications at stake. Tea Party devotees should read this dedicated Republican's analysis closely.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Army scientists earn patent for advanced neural chip
Two Army scientists and a university professor earned a patent for the forerunner of a powerful quantum neural dynamics computer chip. The device uses nonstandard mathematics to accomplish analog problem solving at high speed.
"The patent covers different ways to make computer chips," said Army scientist and principal investigator Ronald E. Meyers. "These computer chips can represent biological and physical processes."
Meyers and his colleague, Army mathematician Keith Deacon, joined forces with Gert Cauwenberghs, a professor of bioengineering and biology and co-director of the Institute for Neural Computation at the University of California at San Diego.
"This is as a first step toward large-scale non-Lipschitz intelligent information processing systems," Cauwenberghs said.
Cauwenberghs worked with Meyers and Deacon to map the mathematics onto an analog "continuous-time neural architecture." He also designed and tested the integrated circuit implementing the architecture.
"Experimental data from our silicon integrated circuit demonstrated the elements of terminal repulsion and attraction in neural dynamics and synaptic coupling," he said.
In other words, by using different mathematics, the scientists potentially removed a limit on how fast functions can change -- clearing the way for ultra high-speed computing.
"The chip has a lot of application to both the military and civilian use," Meyers said.
A unique aspect of the research is the use of synaptic connections for interfacing neurons and learning through feedback, which is modeled after biological systems, Meyers said.
It's all part of the futuristic vision of quantum computing. Researchers believe one day they will effectively harness individual atoms to build complex super-computers.
Meyers delves into quantum physics research projects at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Currently his project is to invent a secure communications system immune to the awesome power of future quantum computers.
"Quantum computing will give unparalleled computational ability," he said. "We're talking about an ability to compute that exceeds exponentially millions of times greater than any of the computers that exist or are on the drawing boards using conventional approaches."
Meyers said neural chips can be made with classical computers or in the future with quantum computers.
"This is a different type of chip that we've developed and it's somewhat in between," Meyers said. "It's not a classical approach, and it's not quantum yet. But, we're wanting to evolve the concepts into quantum computing."
The research took several years. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent Sept. 11.
"It looks like a breakthrough to others but it's just a lot of hard work, continuous work," Meyers said. "When you put something out it's a milestone. It means you're able to explain it in a way that the Patent Office understands, or that other scientists understand. So what happened here is we're looking into one of the most important problems that the Army faces and it turns out -- from my perspective, the ones that are not solved and are most important."
Meyers is listed as the inventor on 14 patents. He co-authored a book, "From Instability to Intelligence: Complexity and Predictability in Nonlinear Dynamics," -- covering nonlinear equations in math, physics and biology, and authored a plethora of scientific papers.
"Problems are unsolved because they're difficult to tackle," he said. "I tend to seek out a different path to go toward solving problems that before have not been solved. I think I have a background that can do that. I've gained some insight. It's putting together your experience and you're trying to project it into the future. And so in my mind I see how things can be applied in the future and I look at how to solve these. Quite often if you go for the hardest unsolved problem, that's the one that gives you the most benefit."
Inspired by difficult problems, Meyers said he and his small team of scientists and mathematicians is focused on the end-user of this technology.
"We work for the Soldier," Meyers said. "We work for the warfighter and that's what our thinking is. That's why we're trying to solve these difficult problems. As Army scientists we are responsible to really help these Soldiers operate in a way that can defend the country and protect them and anticipate any threats and deal with them in an effective manner."
"The patent covers different ways to make computer chips," said Army scientist and principal investigator Ronald E. Meyers. "These computer chips can represent biological and physical processes."
Meyers and his colleague, Army mathematician Keith Deacon, joined forces with Gert Cauwenberghs, a professor of bioengineering and biology and co-director of the Institute for Neural Computation at the University of California at San Diego.
"This is as a first step toward large-scale non-Lipschitz intelligent information processing systems," Cauwenberghs said.
Cauwenberghs worked with Meyers and Deacon to map the mathematics onto an analog "continuous-time neural architecture." He also designed and tested the integrated circuit implementing the architecture.
"Experimental data from our silicon integrated circuit demonstrated the elements of terminal repulsion and attraction in neural dynamics and synaptic coupling," he said.
In other words, by using different mathematics, the scientists potentially removed a limit on how fast functions can change -- clearing the way for ultra high-speed computing.
"The chip has a lot of application to both the military and civilian use," Meyers said.
A unique aspect of the research is the use of synaptic connections for interfacing neurons and learning through feedback, which is modeled after biological systems, Meyers said.
It's all part of the futuristic vision of quantum computing. Researchers believe one day they will effectively harness individual atoms to build complex super-computers.
Meyers delves into quantum physics research projects at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Currently his project is to invent a secure communications system immune to the awesome power of future quantum computers.
"Quantum computing will give unparalleled computational ability," he said. "We're talking about an ability to compute that exceeds exponentially millions of times greater than any of the computers that exist or are on the drawing boards using conventional approaches."
Meyers said neural chips can be made with classical computers or in the future with quantum computers.
"This is a different type of chip that we've developed and it's somewhat in between," Meyers said. "It's not a classical approach, and it's not quantum yet. But, we're wanting to evolve the concepts into quantum computing."
The research took several years. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent Sept. 11.
"It looks like a breakthrough to others but it's just a lot of hard work, continuous work," Meyers said. "When you put something out it's a milestone. It means you're able to explain it in a way that the Patent Office understands, or that other scientists understand. So what happened here is we're looking into one of the most important problems that the Army faces and it turns out -- from my perspective, the ones that are not solved and are most important."
Meyers is listed as the inventor on 14 patents. He co-authored a book, "From Instability to Intelligence: Complexity and Predictability in Nonlinear Dynamics," -- covering nonlinear equations in math, physics and biology, and authored a plethora of scientific papers.
"Problems are unsolved because they're difficult to tackle," he said. "I tend to seek out a different path to go toward solving problems that before have not been solved. I think I have a background that can do that. I've gained some insight. It's putting together your experience and you're trying to project it into the future. And so in my mind I see how things can be applied in the future and I look at how to solve these. Quite often if you go for the hardest unsolved problem, that's the one that gives you the most benefit."
Inspired by difficult problems, Meyers said he and his small team of scientists and mathematicians is focused on the end-user of this technology.
"We work for the Soldier," Meyers said. "We work for the warfighter and that's what our thinking is. That's why we're trying to solve these difficult problems. As Army scientists we are responsible to really help these Soldiers operate in a way that can defend the country and protect them and anticipate any threats and deal with them in an effective manner."
U.S. needs Japan to remain nuclear, expert says
U.S. needs Japan to remain nuclear, expert says
A "zero-nuclear" Japan will be a serious concern for the United States as its key ally both from economic and security standpoints, the chief of an influential U.S. think tank said at a recent seminar on Japan-U.S. relations.
The policy set out in September by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Cabinet seeking to phase out nuclear power generation in Japan by the end of the 2030s — in response to strong anti-nuclear sentiments in the country following the triple meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011 — is not viable given Japan's vast economic needs, said John Hamre, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Hamre, a former deputy U.S. defense secretary, and his CSIS colleague Michael Green were speaking at a seminar organized by the Keizai Koho Center on Oct. 25 to discuss American policy on East Asia ahead of the U.S. presidential election as well as the imminent change in leadership in China.
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