Outside View: The wrong war again
Last week, Washington roiled in revelations about the war on terror with reports of drone strikes in Pakistan secretly approved by that government; National Security Agency tapping of the German chancellor's and French president's phone calls along with dozens of other heads of state; and what to do once the 2001 Authorization to Use Military Force ends with the 2014 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Sadly, the contradiction for the Obama administration, as for George W. Bush, is embedded in the misguided phrase "global war on terror." The concept of a "war on terror" isn't only flawed. Worse, it cannot work. Americans have long been subjected to many wars declared against drugs, poverty, crime, illiteracy, racism and, of course, terror. None has worked. The reason is that none of these scourges is a war and treating them as such usually produces solutions directed at symptoms and not correcting actual causes. Terror is a tactic, ploy and tool to achieve larger ends. Lenin understood that. The purpose of terror he asserted was to terrorize. When adversaries don't need nor possess armies, navies and air forces, terror is a highly effective, less costly and more relevant alternative. As the United States learned in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the most powerful military in the world cannot defeat an enemy that owns no army, navy or air force when other instruments required to overcome the fundamental causes that produce insurgencies and terrorism are missing in action. Further, the vocabulary to define properly the "terrorist" adversary along with the associated syntax and grammar to defang this threat is absent. Terms such as Islamic violent extremism or radicalism; jihadism; and other invented phrases confuse not clarify the real issue, which isn't the acts of terror, however dire, but the underlying causes that produce such violence and contribute to the ability of these groups to attract followers. In one sense, creating a conceptual underpinning for waging what has been mistakenly called the war on terror is simple. The issue is recognizing that these acts of violence represent political revolutions albeit ones that incorporate larger religious characteristics and perhaps share more in common with the religious wars of the Middle Ages or the Crusades than 1789, 1848, 1917 and the Cold War but must be dealt with in a broader context.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Obama May Ban Spying on Heads of Allied States - NYTimes.com
Obama May Ban Spying on Heads of Allied States - NYTimes.com: President Obama is poised to order the National Security Agency to stop eavesdropping on the leaders of American allies, administration and congressional officials said Monday, responding to a deepening diplomatic crisis over reports that the agency had for years targeted the cellphone of Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.
The White House informed a leading Democratic lawmaker, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, of its plans, which grew out of a broader internal review of intelligence-gathering methods, prompted by the leak of N.S.A. documents by a former contractor, Edward J. Snowden.
In a statement on Monday, Ms. Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, “I do not believe the United States should be collecting phone calls or emails of friendly presidents and prime ministers.” Ms. Feinstein, who has been a stalwart defender of the administration’s surveillance policies, said her committee would begin a “major review of all intelligence collection programs.”
The White House said Monday evening that no final decision had been made on the monitoring of friendly foreign leaders. But the disclosure that it is moving to prohibit it signals a landmark shift for the N.S.A., which has had nearly unfettered powers to collect data on tens of millions of people around the world, from ordinary citizens to heads of state, including the leaders of Brazil and Mexico.
It is also likely to prompt a fierce debate on what constitutes an American ally. Prohibiting eavesdropping on Ms. Merkel’s phone is an easier judgment than, for example, collecting intelligence on the military-backed leaders in Egypt.
U.S. Disrupts Afghans’ Tack on Militants - NYTimes.com
U.S. Disrupts Afghans’ Tack on Militants - NYTimes.com: A bungled attempt by the Afghan government to cultivate a shadowy alliance with Islamist militants escalated into the latest flash point in the troubled relationship between Afghanistan and the United States, according to new accounts by officials from both countries.
The disrupted plan involved Afghan intelligence trying to work with the Pakistan Taliban, allies of Al Qaeda, in order to find a trump card in a baroque regional power game that is likely to intensify after the American withdrawal next year, the officials said. And what started the hard feelings was that the Americans caught them red-handed.
Tipped off to the plan, United States Special Forces raided an Afghan convoy that was ushering a senior Pakistan Taliban militant, Latif Mehsud, to Kabul for secret talks last month, and now have Mr. Mehsud in custody.
Publicly, the Afghan government has described Mr. Mehsud as an insurgent peace emissary. But according to Afghan officials, the ultimate plan was to take revenge on the Pakistani military.
In the murk of intrigue and paranoia that dominates the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Pakistanis have long had the upper hand. A favorite complaint of Afghan officials is how Pakistani military intelligence has sheltered and nurtured the Taliban and supported their insurgency against the Afghan government.
Now, not content to be merely the target of a proxy war, the Afghan government decided to recruit proxies of its own by seeking to aid the Pakistan Taliban in their fight against Pakistan’s security forces, according to Afghan officials.
ARCENT says future hinges on regional alignments | Article | The United States Army
ARCENT says future hinges on regional alignments | Article | The United States Army
U.S. Army Central Command is looking past Afghanistan to conduct exercises and sustain partnerships in 19 other countries under the Regionally Aligned Forces concept.
For instance, Exercise Steppe Eagle in Kazakhstan this summer involved the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division, and that was just one of many Regionally Aligned Forces, or RAF, engagements the brigade conducted across U.S. Central Command's, or CENTCOM's, area of resonsibility, said Lt. Gen. James L. Terry, commander of U.S. Army Central Command, known as ARCENT.
"Long before the term RAF was cool," CENTCOM has been building partner capacity, said Col. Thomas Weikert, ARCENT's G-3 chief of staff. He discussed RAF in countries such as Kazakhstan and Oman during a "Warriors Corner" presentation, Oct. 23, at the 2013 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition.
About 20,000 U.S. Soldiers are currently stationed outside of Afghanistan in the CENTCOM area, Weikert said, and they are doing far more than operating supply routes and conducting retrograde operations.
"RAF efforts in U.S. Army Central are all about setting conditions," Weikert said, explaining the engagements build more capable partners "and that translates into better deterrence."
The 20 nations in CENTCOM's area cover 12 million square kilometers, Weikert said. About 540 million people there speak 60 different languages and practice 27 different religions.
ARCENT conducted almost 1,800 training events and symposia over the last fiscal year, Weikert said. Operation Spartan Shield exercises in particular helped build the capacity of partner nations there.
"There's nothing more challenging or rewarding than working with a partner nation and seeing their improvement over time," Weikert said.
The partnerships and exercises build trust and confidence, he said, and that can translate into "access" when it's most important.
This year, the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, or CAB, of the Texas National Guard participated in 36 partnership engagements in the CENTCOM area, Weikert said. The CAB participated in the inaugural Exercise Desert Talon with the United Arab Emirates. And the brigade conducted a number of partnership activities over the year with the Kuwaiti Air Force.
The 1/4th ABCT, known as the "Raider Brigade," illustrated the level of partnering and variety of missions that RAF forces undertake, Weikert said.
Upon deploying in February, brigade leaders thought they would be working primarily out of Kuwait, but Weikert said the BCT had to expand to cover everything from theater security cooperation engagements to contingency response throughout the region.
The ARCENT Regionally Aligned Forces are allocated to the command and deploy for a year, Weikert said. In a couple of weeks, the 2nd Brigade of 4th Infantry Division, is scheduled to rotate into Kuwait, and that brigade will replace 1/4th to conduct RAF engagements in CENTCOM.
In addition, ARCENT has also assigned units such as the 160th Signal Brigade, and the 4th Battlefield Coordination Brigade, to form partnerships in theater, Weikert said. He added that Military Information and Civil Affairs units also conduct partnerships, which enhance understanding between the U.S. and nations in the region.
ARCENT is also developing a RAF "Community of Purpose," Weikert said. This will provide a "closed-loop learning model" for units that will deploy into theater and provide insights through lessons learned for units that will conduct RAF engagements in the future.
In January, ARCENT units will participate in Exercise Inferno Creek and work with the Royal Omani Reconnaissance Brigaed in Oman.
Units from the 82nd Airborne Division, are scheduled to participate in Exercise Bright Star in Egypt.
In addition, the National Guard continues to conduct state partnership programs, or SPP, with CENTCOM nations, participating in SPP exercises, exchanges and other engagements.
As part of the National Guard's SPP, the Arizona National Guard has been teamed with Kazakhstan, since 1993. Additionally, the Colorado National Guard has a partnership program with Jordan, and has conducted 29 engagements this year, Weikert said.
The Mississippi National Guard has a partnership program with Uzbekistan. The Virginia Guard partners with Tajikistan, and the Montana National Guard has a partnership program with Kyrgyzstan.
Leveraging partnerships is an economical and effective way to pave the path for the future in the CENTCOM area, Weikert said. He said Regionally Aligned Forces will continue to expand in the region.
U.S. Army Central Command is looking past Afghanistan to conduct exercises and sustain partnerships in 19 other countries under the Regionally Aligned Forces concept.
For instance, Exercise Steppe Eagle in Kazakhstan this summer involved the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division, and that was just one of many Regionally Aligned Forces, or RAF, engagements the brigade conducted across U.S. Central Command's, or CENTCOM's, area of resonsibility, said Lt. Gen. James L. Terry, commander of U.S. Army Central Command, known as ARCENT.
"Long before the term RAF was cool," CENTCOM has been building partner capacity, said Col. Thomas Weikert, ARCENT's G-3 chief of staff. He discussed RAF in countries such as Kazakhstan and Oman during a "Warriors Corner" presentation, Oct. 23, at the 2013 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition.
About 20,000 U.S. Soldiers are currently stationed outside of Afghanistan in the CENTCOM area, Weikert said, and they are doing far more than operating supply routes and conducting retrograde operations.
"RAF efforts in U.S. Army Central are all about setting conditions," Weikert said, explaining the engagements build more capable partners "and that translates into better deterrence."
The 20 nations in CENTCOM's area cover 12 million square kilometers, Weikert said. About 540 million people there speak 60 different languages and practice 27 different religions.
ARCENT conducted almost 1,800 training events and symposia over the last fiscal year, Weikert said. Operation Spartan Shield exercises in particular helped build the capacity of partner nations there.
"There's nothing more challenging or rewarding than working with a partner nation and seeing their improvement over time," Weikert said.
The partnerships and exercises build trust and confidence, he said, and that can translate into "access" when it's most important.
This year, the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, or CAB, of the Texas National Guard participated in 36 partnership engagements in the CENTCOM area, Weikert said. The CAB participated in the inaugural Exercise Desert Talon with the United Arab Emirates. And the brigade conducted a number of partnership activities over the year with the Kuwaiti Air Force.
The 1/4th ABCT, known as the "Raider Brigade," illustrated the level of partnering and variety of missions that RAF forces undertake, Weikert said.
Upon deploying in February, brigade leaders thought they would be working primarily out of Kuwait, but Weikert said the BCT had to expand to cover everything from theater security cooperation engagements to contingency response throughout the region.
The ARCENT Regionally Aligned Forces are allocated to the command and deploy for a year, Weikert said. In a couple of weeks, the 2nd Brigade of 4th Infantry Division, is scheduled to rotate into Kuwait, and that brigade will replace 1/4th to conduct RAF engagements in CENTCOM.
In addition, ARCENT has also assigned units such as the 160th Signal Brigade, and the 4th Battlefield Coordination Brigade, to form partnerships in theater, Weikert said. He added that Military Information and Civil Affairs units also conduct partnerships, which enhance understanding between the U.S. and nations in the region.
ARCENT is also developing a RAF "Community of Purpose," Weikert said. This will provide a "closed-loop learning model" for units that will deploy into theater and provide insights through lessons learned for units that will conduct RAF engagements in the future.
In January, ARCENT units will participate in Exercise Inferno Creek and work with the Royal Omani Reconnaissance Brigaed in Oman.
Units from the 82nd Airborne Division, are scheduled to participate in Exercise Bright Star in Egypt.
In addition, the National Guard continues to conduct state partnership programs, or SPP, with CENTCOM nations, participating in SPP exercises, exchanges and other engagements.
As part of the National Guard's SPP, the Arizona National Guard has been teamed with Kazakhstan, since 1993. Additionally, the Colorado National Guard has a partnership program with Jordan, and has conducted 29 engagements this year, Weikert said.
The Mississippi National Guard has a partnership program with Uzbekistan. The Virginia Guard partners with Tajikistan, and the Montana National Guard has a partnership program with Kyrgyzstan.
Leveraging partnerships is an economical and effective way to pave the path for the future in the CENTCOM area, Weikert said. He said Regionally Aligned Forces will continue to expand in the region.
Monday, October 28, 2013
US military's airship programs lose altitude
US military's airship programs lose altitude: The US military has invested billions in blimp-like aircraft to track militants planting roadside bombs but the spyship experiment is losing altitude because of technical failures and changing priorities.
The lighter-than-air projects were billed as an innovative revival of an old aircraft design to conduct "unblinking" surveillance on the battlefield -- at a fraction of the cost of fuel-guzzling planes or helicopters.
The Pentagon invested $7 billion in airship programs between 2007 and 2012, but the funding has mostly dried up amid budget cuts and embarrassing setbacks.
Tethered balloons equipped with radar have been used routinely for surveillance by US forces over the past decade and are a common sight floating over American bases in Afghanistan.
But the big money went towards airships, which are a step up from the "aerostats" held by ropes. The airships fly on their own power similar to the zeppelins of the World War I era, while carrying more technology on board.
The lighter-than-air projects were billed as an innovative revival of an old aircraft design to conduct "unblinking" surveillance on the battlefield -- at a fraction of the cost of fuel-guzzling planes or helicopters.
The Pentagon invested $7 billion in airship programs between 2007 and 2012, but the funding has mostly dried up amid budget cuts and embarrassing setbacks.
Tethered balloons equipped with radar have been used routinely for surveillance by US forces over the past decade and are a common sight floating over American bases in Afghanistan.
But the big money went towards airships, which are a step up from the "aerostats" held by ropes. The airships fly on their own power similar to the zeppelins of the World War I era, while carrying more technology on board.
Boeing, Lockheed team up for new US Air Force bomber
Boeing, Lockheed team up for new US Air Force bomber
Boeing and Lockheed Martin said Friday they have teamed up to bid for a new $55 billion US Air Force bomber program aimed at replacing the aging bomber fleet.
Boeing is acting as the prime contractor, and Lockheed is the main teammate in the bid to supply the Air Force's Long-Range Strike Bomber program, the companies said in a joint statement. "Boeing and Lockheed Martin are bringing together the best of the two enterprises, and the rest of industry, in support of the Long-Range Strike Bomber program, and we are honored to support our US Air Force customer and this important national priority," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Air force spokesman Ed Gulick said the program aims to build between 80 and 100 of the new, long-range stealthy bombers. "The LRS-B program is a top modernization priority for the Air Force and critical to our national security. The Air Force looks forward to working with all participating industry partners on this very important program," he said. The cost of each plane is about $550 million, he said, putting the total value of the program if all 100 planes are built at $55 billion. Deliveries are due to begin in the mid 2020s, "before the current aging fleet goes out of service," he said.
Boeing and Lockheed Martin said Friday they have teamed up to bid for a new $55 billion US Air Force bomber program aimed at replacing the aging bomber fleet.
Boeing is acting as the prime contractor, and Lockheed is the main teammate in the bid to supply the Air Force's Long-Range Strike Bomber program, the companies said in a joint statement. "Boeing and Lockheed Martin are bringing together the best of the two enterprises, and the rest of industry, in support of the Long-Range Strike Bomber program, and we are honored to support our US Air Force customer and this important national priority," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Air force spokesman Ed Gulick said the program aims to build between 80 and 100 of the new, long-range stealthy bombers. "The LRS-B program is a top modernization priority for the Air Force and critical to our national security. The Air Force looks forward to working with all participating industry partners on this very important program," he said. The cost of each plane is about $550 million, he said, putting the total value of the program if all 100 planes are built at $55 billion. Deliveries are due to begin in the mid 2020s, "before the current aging fleet goes out of service," he said.
Friday, October 25, 2013
US 'pivot' to Asia gaining strength: admiral
US 'pivot' to Asia gaining strength: admiral
The United States has significantly increased its warships and aircraft deployed in Asia despite Washington's budget woes, adding punch to its "pivot" to the region, a senior naval commander said.
Rear Admiral Mark C. Montgomery, commander of an aircraft carrier strike group homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, said the expanded military presence would have a calming effect on simmering tensions and territorial disputes in the region. "The strategic rebalancing has resulted in an extremely higher number of surface combatants, cruisers and destroyers that support the strike group," Montgomery told AFP in an interview on Wednesday aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the South China Sea. "What we've seen is an increase in surface combatant presence here in the Western Pacific... so these ships are spread throughout those areas," he said, in the interview at the flag bridge of the nuclear-powered supercarrier as fighter jets took off and landed on the deck as part of drills. "Having more ships gives us more presence. It allows us to have a greater force."
The United States has significantly increased its warships and aircraft deployed in Asia despite Washington's budget woes, adding punch to its "pivot" to the region, a senior naval commander said.
Rear Admiral Mark C. Montgomery, commander of an aircraft carrier strike group homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, said the expanded military presence would have a calming effect on simmering tensions and territorial disputes in the region. "The strategic rebalancing has resulted in an extremely higher number of surface combatants, cruisers and destroyers that support the strike group," Montgomery told AFP in an interview on Wednesday aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the South China Sea. "What we've seen is an increase in surface combatant presence here in the Western Pacific... so these ships are spread throughout those areas," he said, in the interview at the flag bridge of the nuclear-powered supercarrier as fighter jets took off and landed on the deck as part of drills. "Having more ships gives us more presence. It allows us to have a greater force."
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Anger Growing Among Allies on U.S. Spying - NYTimes.com
Anger Growing Among Allies on U.S. Spying - NYTimes.com: The diplomatic fallout from the documents harvested by the former National Security Agency contractor Edward J. Snowden intensified on Wednesday, with one of the United States’ closest allies, Germany, announcing that its leader had angrily called President Obama seeking reassurance that her cellphone was not the target of an American intelligence tap.
Washington hastily pledged that the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, leader of Europe’s most powerful economy, was not the target of current surveillance and would not be in the future, while conspicuously saying nothing about the past. After a similar furor with France, the call was the second time in 48 hours that the president found himself on the phone with a close European ally to argue that the unceasing revelations of invasive American intelligence gathering should not undermine decades of hard-won trans-Atlantic trust.
Both episodes illustrated the diplomatic challenge to the United States posed by the cache of documents that Mr. Snowden handed to the journalist Glenn Greenwald. Last week, Mr. Greenwald concluded a deal with the eBay founder Pierre Omidyar to build a new media platform that aims in part to publicize other revelations from the data Mr. Greenwald now possesses.
The damage to core American relationships continues to mount. Last month, President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil postponed a state visit to the United States after Brazilian news media reports — fed by material from Mr. Greenwald — that the N.S.A. had intercepted messages from Ms. Rousseff, her aides and the state oil company, Petrobras. Recently, the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel, which has said it has a stack of Snowden documents, suggested that United States intelligence had gained access to communications to and from President Felipe Calderón of Mexico when he was still in office.
Raytheon BBN Technologies extends Boomerang shooter detection technology to helicopters
Raytheon BBN Technologies extends Boomerang shooter detection technology to helicopters: Raytheon BBN Technologies has adapted its life-saving Boomerang shooter detection technology to protect helicopter crews. Raytheon BBN Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon, is the world leader in shooter detection technology and has been providing Boomerang vehicle, fixed site and soldier-wearable shooter detection/location systems for the U.S. and its allies since 2003.
Helicopters are highly susceptible to sniper attacks because of their low-altitude flight paths and hovering requirements in theater. However, developing a shooter detection system for helicopters is a very complex problem because of the extreme noise and heavy vibration involved.
Boomerang Air overcomes this challenge by incorporating BBN's proven computer-based signal processing, adapted for the rotary-wing environment, and auditory and visual indications to detect and report relative shooter azimuth and elevation information.
Helicopters are highly susceptible to sniper attacks because of their low-altitude flight paths and hovering requirements in theater. However, developing a shooter detection system for helicopters is a very complex problem because of the extreme noise and heavy vibration involved.
Boomerang Air overcomes this challenge by incorporating BBN's proven computer-based signal processing, adapted for the rotary-wing environment, and auditory and visual indications to detect and report relative shooter azimuth and elevation information.
Regionally aligned forces continue to organize despite budget uncertainties | Article | The United States Army
Regionally aligned forces continue to organize despite budget uncertainties | Article | The United States Army
As forces draw down from Afghanistan, more are available for regional alignment, said the Army's top forces generation leader.
But unfortunately, total forces are also drawing down, limiting that manpower, added Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, commander, U.S. Army Forces Command, known as FORSCOM.
Allyn and seven other panel members spoke Oct. 22, at a forum on regionally aligned forces, or RAF, at the 2013 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Washington Convention Center.
The Army "intends that all forces not committed to assigned missions" -- like those in Korea, Afghanistan and in the Global Response Force -- "will be in a regionally aligned force construct, available to the geographical combatant commander," he said.
Besides the issue of availability of forces for RAFs, the other is sequestration and budgetary challenges facing all the services, he said, noting that training is also taking a heavy hit.
For a RAF unit to be at a full readiness level, it goes through a thorough training cycle at a combat training center, which includes decisive action engagements and wide-area security, as well as follow-on, region-specific training.
But the dollars are not there, he said, to rotate units through that cycle, except for those assigned to ongoing operations.
For example, should sequestration continue, just one FORSCOM-assigned RAF brigade -- 4th Brigade Combat TEam, 1st Infantry Division, backfilling 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, for AFRICOM -- will be able to train at NTC this fiscal year. "That's how tight our resources are," Allyn said.
"If there were more resources available, we would certainly be sending more [brigade combat teams] to combat training centers," he said.
RAF itself is seen by Army leaders as the best strategy going forward, even in this climate of uncertainty and scarce resources.
RAF is important during this time of fiscal austerity and the drawdown, said panel member Lt. Gen. James L. Huggins Jr., deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7. "We'll need to rely more and more on our partners' capabilities and they on ours, as their armies are drawing down as well."
HOW RAF WORKS
Brigades, divisions and corps are assigned to combatant commanders from different regions of the world -- U.S. Africa Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Southern Command.
Those forces, including active and reserve components, could be U.S.-based with some forces deployed to the region to which they're assigned.
The level of forces in the region could be an entire brigade, as was the case during an AFRICOM exercise in South Africa this year, and during a corps-level exercise this year in Australia. Or, it could be as small as a two-Soldier advise-and-assist mission.
Units assigned to a region could also be deployed outside their area, should the need arise. Units are not permanently assigned to regions. They rotate in and out of the various regions.
While component commanders can get pretty much the tailorable and scalable force they need, when they need it, they should try to anticipate those needs in as far in advance to mitigate risk and delays and help the Army better apportion those assets, Huggins said.
The primary goal of RAF is to prevent war by partnering with nations within the region, according to Allyn. Partnering can be military-to-military training, providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, and sharing intelligence and interoperability.
Partnering with other nations includes "engagements and interactions between us, our allies and partners -- and even potentially our adversaries," he said, adding that the players include not just the Army and its sister services, but also U.S. and foreign governments, agencies and non-governmental agencies.
REGIONAL EXPERTISE
The National Guard has had a State Partnership Program, or SSP, for 20 years now, a precursor to the current RAF. Additionally, the Army Reserve has also had a robust military-to-military training program for a number of years. The reserve components' programs, together with the active component, are all tools in the toolbox that the combatant commanders have at their disposal.
There are some advantages SSP has. While active-duty RAF units rotate in and out of regions, National Guard Soldiers, whose states are aligned with different countries on a more or less permanent basis, have "long lasting relationships" that the active component doesn't, said panel member Maj. Gen. Patrick A. Murphy, adjutant general, New York National Guard.
Murphy's New York Guard has been aligned with South Africa for 10 years, and he said their close personal relationships have "fostered a high level cooperation," particularly in law enforcement. The New York Guard brought their expertise to bear as advisors for the World Cup, which was held in that country.
Panel member Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Donahue II, commander, U.S. Army Africa/Southern European Task Force, concurred that the State Partnership Program really works. During a visit to Botswana, he said that while his active-duty Soldiers were given a cordial welcome, "when the North Carolina Guard showed up, they were treated like rock stars. It's all about those established personal relationships, plus, the Guard has that resident expertise."
The Army Reserve also adds special benefits to RAF, said panel member Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, chief, Army Reserve/commander, Army Reserve Command. "We provide long-term stability just as the Guard does," he said.
The Reserve has conducted training exercises in some 30 countries over the last year, as part of the Army Reserve Engagement Cells program, he said. Within those cells are subject-matter experts with expertise in logistics, medicine, engineering, languages and a host of other areas, he said.
The Reserve's civil affairs units have Soldiers trained in myriad languages and cultures, he said. The Reserve also has a linguist program Soldiers can take advantage of.
Some of those Soldiers may also be working full time in the State Department and other agencies, he added.
Talley said he encourages Soldiers leaving active duty to consider the Reserve, as they still have invaluable talent their country can use.
Another stabilizing factor in national and regional expertise are special operations troops, who have in-depth language and cultural expertise and often train and advise militaries, said panel member Maj. Gen. Christopher K. Haas, commander, U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne).
As to the active component part of RAF, the Soldiers are usually not linguists or resident experts, but they are expected to have a good level of cultural understanding as a result of their RAF experiences, Allyn said.
Additionally, it is not uncommon for active-duty formations to have Soldiers whose first language and culture are not American. While the process for finding these Soldiers has not yet been institutionalized, Allyn said wise commanders should "scan their formations to identify resident expertise" for regions their units are assigned.
FRENCH RAF MODEL
The French have been able to use their intimate knowledge of many areas of the world where French is spoken and where they have lived and trained since colonial times, said panel member Maj. Gen. Olivier Tramond, director, French Army Doctrine Center.
The French led a successful peacekeeping mission recently in Mali, where jihadist forces were prevented from overrunning the country. Tramond credits past French outreach efforts in Africa with getting other nations onboard with that peacekeeping effort.
Although the French army is relatively small, Tramond said they've been doing RAF-like missions throughout the world for decades. He said small units sent in are often isolated, so they have to adapt, think for themselves and rely on partner nations, including those in the European Union and U.N., probably even more so than the U.S.
Because their army is small, he said its members must be highly trained, enculturated and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
NOTES OF CAUTION
There's a danger that with a shrinking budget and manpower, that the "Army is trying to cover down on the world. Forces will shrink and resources are finite," said panel member Nathan Freier, senior fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The Army needs to better identify where important engagements will be, he continued, because "in some places where it's important to be, we won't be allowed in because we're not welcomed."
Also, "some things we want to prevent are not preventable," he said, citing stability of nations that might be influenced by political or grass roots events, where military-to-military exchanges, while helpful, cannot prevent all instability around the world.
The thought in the Defense Department seems to be, "we'll manage terrorist threats remotely" through cyber and "use SOC" where force is needed and direct other forces to Iran or North Korea should the balloon go up.
Nevertheless, Freier acknowledged advantages to using RAF to learn to operate in austere and challenging conditions around the world.
Allyn concluded that one of the most important benefits of RAF is that it's exciting work for young leaders. He used the example of a second lieutenant deployed to Uganda to help train her military police counterparts. She left highly motivated by what she and her Soldiers accomplished.
As forces draw down from Afghanistan, more are available for regional alignment, said the Army's top forces generation leader.
But unfortunately, total forces are also drawing down, limiting that manpower, added Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, commander, U.S. Army Forces Command, known as FORSCOM.
Allyn and seven other panel members spoke Oct. 22, at a forum on regionally aligned forces, or RAF, at the 2013 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Washington Convention Center.
The Army "intends that all forces not committed to assigned missions" -- like those in Korea, Afghanistan and in the Global Response Force -- "will be in a regionally aligned force construct, available to the geographical combatant commander," he said.
Besides the issue of availability of forces for RAFs, the other is sequestration and budgetary challenges facing all the services, he said, noting that training is also taking a heavy hit.
For a RAF unit to be at a full readiness level, it goes through a thorough training cycle at a combat training center, which includes decisive action engagements and wide-area security, as well as follow-on, region-specific training.
But the dollars are not there, he said, to rotate units through that cycle, except for those assigned to ongoing operations.
For example, should sequestration continue, just one FORSCOM-assigned RAF brigade -- 4th Brigade Combat TEam, 1st Infantry Division, backfilling 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, for AFRICOM -- will be able to train at NTC this fiscal year. "That's how tight our resources are," Allyn said.
"If there were more resources available, we would certainly be sending more [brigade combat teams] to combat training centers," he said.
RAF itself is seen by Army leaders as the best strategy going forward, even in this climate of uncertainty and scarce resources.
RAF is important during this time of fiscal austerity and the drawdown, said panel member Lt. Gen. James L. Huggins Jr., deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7. "We'll need to rely more and more on our partners' capabilities and they on ours, as their armies are drawing down as well."
HOW RAF WORKS
Brigades, divisions and corps are assigned to combatant commanders from different regions of the world -- U.S. Africa Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Southern Command.
Those forces, including active and reserve components, could be U.S.-based with some forces deployed to the region to which they're assigned.
The level of forces in the region could be an entire brigade, as was the case during an AFRICOM exercise in South Africa this year, and during a corps-level exercise this year in Australia. Or, it could be as small as a two-Soldier advise-and-assist mission.
Units assigned to a region could also be deployed outside their area, should the need arise. Units are not permanently assigned to regions. They rotate in and out of the various regions.
While component commanders can get pretty much the tailorable and scalable force they need, when they need it, they should try to anticipate those needs in as far in advance to mitigate risk and delays and help the Army better apportion those assets, Huggins said.
The primary goal of RAF is to prevent war by partnering with nations within the region, according to Allyn. Partnering can be military-to-military training, providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, and sharing intelligence and interoperability.
Partnering with other nations includes "engagements and interactions between us, our allies and partners -- and even potentially our adversaries," he said, adding that the players include not just the Army and its sister services, but also U.S. and foreign governments, agencies and non-governmental agencies.
REGIONAL EXPERTISE
The National Guard has had a State Partnership Program, or SSP, for 20 years now, a precursor to the current RAF. Additionally, the Army Reserve has also had a robust military-to-military training program for a number of years. The reserve components' programs, together with the active component, are all tools in the toolbox that the combatant commanders have at their disposal.
There are some advantages SSP has. While active-duty RAF units rotate in and out of regions, National Guard Soldiers, whose states are aligned with different countries on a more or less permanent basis, have "long lasting relationships" that the active component doesn't, said panel member Maj. Gen. Patrick A. Murphy, adjutant general, New York National Guard.
Murphy's New York Guard has been aligned with South Africa for 10 years, and he said their close personal relationships have "fostered a high level cooperation," particularly in law enforcement. The New York Guard brought their expertise to bear as advisors for the World Cup, which was held in that country.
Panel member Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Donahue II, commander, U.S. Army Africa/Southern European Task Force, concurred that the State Partnership Program really works. During a visit to Botswana, he said that while his active-duty Soldiers were given a cordial welcome, "when the North Carolina Guard showed up, they were treated like rock stars. It's all about those established personal relationships, plus, the Guard has that resident expertise."
The Army Reserve also adds special benefits to RAF, said panel member Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, chief, Army Reserve/commander, Army Reserve Command. "We provide long-term stability just as the Guard does," he said.
The Reserve has conducted training exercises in some 30 countries over the last year, as part of the Army Reserve Engagement Cells program, he said. Within those cells are subject-matter experts with expertise in logistics, medicine, engineering, languages and a host of other areas, he said.
The Reserve's civil affairs units have Soldiers trained in myriad languages and cultures, he said. The Reserve also has a linguist program Soldiers can take advantage of.
Some of those Soldiers may also be working full time in the State Department and other agencies, he added.
Talley said he encourages Soldiers leaving active duty to consider the Reserve, as they still have invaluable talent their country can use.
Another stabilizing factor in national and regional expertise are special operations troops, who have in-depth language and cultural expertise and often train and advise militaries, said panel member Maj. Gen. Christopher K. Haas, commander, U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne).
As to the active component part of RAF, the Soldiers are usually not linguists or resident experts, but they are expected to have a good level of cultural understanding as a result of their RAF experiences, Allyn said.
Additionally, it is not uncommon for active-duty formations to have Soldiers whose first language and culture are not American. While the process for finding these Soldiers has not yet been institutionalized, Allyn said wise commanders should "scan their formations to identify resident expertise" for regions their units are assigned.
FRENCH RAF MODEL
The French have been able to use their intimate knowledge of many areas of the world where French is spoken and where they have lived and trained since colonial times, said panel member Maj. Gen. Olivier Tramond, director, French Army Doctrine Center.
The French led a successful peacekeeping mission recently in Mali, where jihadist forces were prevented from overrunning the country. Tramond credits past French outreach efforts in Africa with getting other nations onboard with that peacekeeping effort.
Although the French army is relatively small, Tramond said they've been doing RAF-like missions throughout the world for decades. He said small units sent in are often isolated, so they have to adapt, think for themselves and rely on partner nations, including those in the European Union and U.N., probably even more so than the U.S.
Because their army is small, he said its members must be highly trained, enculturated and ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
NOTES OF CAUTION
There's a danger that with a shrinking budget and manpower, that the "Army is trying to cover down on the world. Forces will shrink and resources are finite," said panel member Nathan Freier, senior fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The Army needs to better identify where important engagements will be, he continued, because "in some places where it's important to be, we won't be allowed in because we're not welcomed."
Also, "some things we want to prevent are not preventable," he said, citing stability of nations that might be influenced by political or grass roots events, where military-to-military exchanges, while helpful, cannot prevent all instability around the world.
The thought in the Defense Department seems to be, "we'll manage terrorist threats remotely" through cyber and "use SOC" where force is needed and direct other forces to Iran or North Korea should the balloon go up.
Nevertheless, Freier acknowledged advantages to using RAF to learn to operate in austere and challenging conditions around the world.
Allyn concluded that one of the most important benefits of RAF is that it's exciting work for young leaders. He used the example of a second lieutenant deployed to Uganda to help train her military police counterparts. She left highly motivated by what she and her Soldiers accomplished.
Iran, China intend to use Antarctic bases to control offensive weapons
Iran, China intend to use Antarctic bases to control offensive weapons
Australian academics have pointed to dangers that Antarctic bases are for the first time being militarised, despite the continent officially being called a land of peace and science. Satellite systems at polar bases could be used to control offensive weapons, according to a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and little could be done to prevent it due to the loose nature of the Antarctic Treaty rules.
The report highlights a Chinese base inland in the Australian Antarctic Territory for its satellite intelligence gathering potential and also flags Iran's recent interest in establishing a polar presence. Abuses of the treaty's strict controls on any use of military personnel are said to have already occurred with many countries not reporting their use in Antarctica, while Australia is neglecting to use defence assets there. The report, "Cold Calculations", released on Monday, warns that the militarisation is occurring with a relatively high pace.
Australian academics have pointed to dangers that Antarctic bases are for the first time being militarised, despite the continent officially being called a land of peace and science. Satellite systems at polar bases could be used to control offensive weapons, according to a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and little could be done to prevent it due to the loose nature of the Antarctic Treaty rules.
The report highlights a Chinese base inland in the Australian Antarctic Territory for its satellite intelligence gathering potential and also flags Iran's recent interest in establishing a polar presence. Abuses of the treaty's strict controls on any use of military personnel are said to have already occurred with many countries not reporting their use in Antarctica, while Australia is neglecting to use defence assets there. The report, "Cold Calculations", released on Monday, warns that the militarisation is occurring with a relatively high pace.
Monday, October 21, 2013
US secures Romanian air base for Afghan pullout
US secures Romanian air base for Afghan pullout
The United States agreed a deal Friday with Romania allowing use of an air base on the Black Sea as a transit point for American troops departing Afghanistan, officials said. The agreement allows the US to shift its flight operations to Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu air base from an airport in Kyrgyzstan, which charged steep rental fees and had ruled out a lease beyond July 2014. The arrangement, approved in talks Friday at the Pentagon between US and Romanian defense chiefs, resolves a crucial logistical challenge. The United States is preparing to pull out most of its combat forces and equipment from Afghanistan by the end of next year. The cost of using the Manas air field in Kyrgyzstan proved a recurring problem for Washington. Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel and Romania's Defense Minister Mircea Dusa "finalized an agreement for Romania to support logistics into and out of Afghanistan, including both personnel and cargo movement," press secretary George Little said in a statement.
The United States agreed a deal Friday with Romania allowing use of an air base on the Black Sea as a transit point for American troops departing Afghanistan, officials said. The agreement allows the US to shift its flight operations to Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu air base from an airport in Kyrgyzstan, which charged steep rental fees and had ruled out a lease beyond July 2014. The arrangement, approved in talks Friday at the Pentagon between US and Romanian defense chiefs, resolves a crucial logistical challenge. The United States is preparing to pull out most of its combat forces and equipment from Afghanistan by the end of next year. The cost of using the Manas air field in Kyrgyzstan proved a recurring problem for Washington. Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel and Romania's Defense Minister Mircea Dusa "finalized an agreement for Romania to support logistics into and out of Afghanistan, including both personnel and cargo movement," press secretary George Little said in a statement.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
US senators to ice new sanctions if Iran ends enrichment
US senators to ice new sanctions if Iran ends enrichment: US senators have vowed to stay the implementation of new Iran sanctions if Tehran takes verifiable steps such as immediately halting uranium enrichment, ahead of a new round of talks on its suspect nuclear program.
In a letter sent to President Barack Obama last week, a group of leading Democratic and Republican senators said they would be prepared to match Iran's actions and hold off threatened new sanctions on the already struggling Iranian economy.
"Iran's first confidence-building action should be full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency," the group, led by the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, Senator Bob Menendez.
Tehran should also implement all UN Security Council resolutions on its nuclear weapons program "to include immediate suspension of all enrichment activity."
"If the Iranian government takes these steps in a verifiable and transparent manner, we are willing to match Iran's good-faith actions by suspending the implementation of the next round of sanctions currently under consideration by the Congress," said the letter released on Monday.
"In short, the US should consider, with the other members of the P5+1, a 'suspension for suspension' initial agreement -- in which Iran suspends enrichment and the US suspends the implementation of new sanctions," it added.
In a letter sent to President Barack Obama last week, a group of leading Democratic and Republican senators said they would be prepared to match Iran's actions and hold off threatened new sanctions on the already struggling Iranian economy.
"Iran's first confidence-building action should be full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency," the group, led by the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, Senator Bob Menendez.
Tehran should also implement all UN Security Council resolutions on its nuclear weapons program "to include immediate suspension of all enrichment activity."
"If the Iranian government takes these steps in a verifiable and transparent manner, we are willing to match Iran's good-faith actions by suspending the implementation of the next round of sanctions currently under consideration by the Congress," said the letter released on Monday.
"In short, the US should consider, with the other members of the P5+1, a 'suspension for suspension' initial agreement -- in which Iran suspends enrichment and the US suspends the implementation of new sanctions," it added.
US Navy Next Gen Air And Missile Defense Radar Contract Awarded
US Navy Next Gen Air And Missile Defense Radar Contract Awarded
Raytheon has been awarded a $385,742,176 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the engineering and modeling development phase design, development, integration, test and delivery of Air and Missile Defense S-Band Radar (AMDR-S) and Radar Suite Controller (RSC). AMDR is the Navy's next generation integrated air and missile defense radar and is being designed for Flight III Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class destroyers beginning in 2016. AMDR consists of an S-band radar, an X-band radar and a Radar Suite Controller. AMDR-S is a new development integrated air and missile defense radar designed for long range detection and engagement of advanced threats. The X-band radar is an existing horizon-search radar. The RSC provides S- and X-band radar resource management, coordination and interface to the Aegis combat system. Under the contract, Raytheon will build, integrate and test the AMDR-S and RSC Engineering Development Models (EDMs). For the ship sets covered under this contract, the AMDR suite will integrate with the existing AN/SPQ-9B X-band radar.
Raytheon has been awarded a $385,742,176 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the engineering and modeling development phase design, development, integration, test and delivery of Air and Missile Defense S-Band Radar (AMDR-S) and Radar Suite Controller (RSC). AMDR is the Navy's next generation integrated air and missile defense radar and is being designed for Flight III Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class destroyers beginning in 2016. AMDR consists of an S-band radar, an X-band radar and a Radar Suite Controller. AMDR-S is a new development integrated air and missile defense radar designed for long range detection and engagement of advanced threats. The X-band radar is an existing horizon-search radar. The RSC provides S- and X-band radar resource management, coordination and interface to the Aegis combat system. Under the contract, Raytheon will build, integrate and test the AMDR-S and RSC Engineering Development Models (EDMs). For the ship sets covered under this contract, the AMDR suite will integrate with the existing AN/SPQ-9B X-band radar.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
'De-Americanised' world needed after US Shutdown: China media
'De-Americanised' world needed after US Shutdown: China media: While US politicians grapple with how to reopen their shuttered government and avoid a potentially disastrous default on their debt, the world should consider 'de-Americanising', a commentary on China's official news agency said Sunday.
"As US politicians of both political parties (fail to find a) viable deal to bring normality to the body politic they brag about, it is perhaps a good time for the befuddled world to start considering building a de-Americanised world," the commentary on state news agency Xinhua said.
In a lengthy polemic against American hegemony since World War two, it added: "Such alarming days when the destinies of others are in the hands of a hypocritical nation have to be terminated.
"A new world order should be put in place, according to which all nations, big or small, poor or rich, can have their key interests respected and protected on an equal footing."
"As US politicians of both political parties (fail to find a) viable deal to bring normality to the body politic they brag about, it is perhaps a good time for the befuddled world to start considering building a de-Americanised world," the commentary on state news agency Xinhua said.
In a lengthy polemic against American hegemony since World War two, it added: "Such alarming days when the destinies of others are in the hands of a hypocritical nation have to be terminated.
"A new world order should be put in place, according to which all nations, big or small, poor or rich, can have their key interests respected and protected on an equal footing."
Outside View: U.S. shutdown costs longer-term relations with Asia
Outside View: U.S. shutdown costs longer-term relations with Asia: No good has come from the political deadlock plaguing Washington. But the U.S. government shutdown and looming fears about the nation's debt levels have hurt the country's relations with Asia particularly hard.
Even if the U.S. Congress is able to reach a compromise soon to get back to business as usual, U.S. relations with the Asia-Pacific region may suffer in the longer term.
What's more, it may give further impetus to China as well as its neighboring nations to envisage an Asia with an ever-decreasing U.S. presence. Reversing such a perception and undoing the damage done due to days of U.S. inaction will require considerable and consistent commitment from Washington for the long haul.
Even if the U.S. Congress is able to reach a compromise soon to get back to business as usual, U.S. relations with the Asia-Pacific region may suffer in the longer term.
What's more, it may give further impetus to China as well as its neighboring nations to envisage an Asia with an ever-decreasing U.S. presence. Reversing such a perception and undoing the damage done due to days of U.S. inaction will require considerable and consistent commitment from Washington for the long haul.
Israel to make helmets for US F-35 fighter
Israel to make helmets for US F-35 fighter
An Israeli company has been selected to take part in manufacturing hi-tech helmets for pilots of the US F-35 stealth fighter, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said Sunday. He said in a statement that Elbit Systems and its US partner Rockwell Collins have been chosen by the Pentagon and F35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin to supply helmets for the next generation of the Joint Strike Fighter, the hi-tech warplane that is supposed to serve as the backbone of future American air power. "I congratulate Elbit Systems on becoming a partner in this global flagship project to produce the world's most advanced warplane," Yaalon said. Elbit Systems designed the helmet for the fighter.
An Israeli company has been selected to take part in manufacturing hi-tech helmets for pilots of the US F-35 stealth fighter, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said Sunday. He said in a statement that Elbit Systems and its US partner Rockwell Collins have been chosen by the Pentagon and F35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin to supply helmets for the next generation of the Joint Strike Fighter, the hi-tech warplane that is supposed to serve as the backbone of future American air power. "I congratulate Elbit Systems on becoming a partner in this global flagship project to produce the world's most advanced warplane," Yaalon said. Elbit Systems designed the helmet for the fighter.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Strike Fighter Squadron 101 Hosts F-35C Lightning II Rollout Ceremony
Strike Fighter Squadron 101 Hosts F-35C Lightning II Rollout Ceremony
The Navy's first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant aircraft squadron, the "Grim Reapers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101, hosted a rollout ceremony for their new aircraft at the squadron's home at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct.1.
The rollout ceremony commemorated the long, storied history of the "Grim Reapers" and the establishment of VFA-101 as the Navy's first F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron.
Retired and active duty service members from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force attended the ceremony, as well as industry partners from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Pratt and Whitney, and BAE Systems.
Several local community leaders also attended, including Niceville, Fla., Mayor Randall Wise; Mary Ester, Fla., Mayor William Creekmore; and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Mayor Michael Anderson.
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Bill Gortney; Commander, Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm. David H. Buss; and Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President and General Manager, F-35 Lightning II Program, Lorraine M. Martin provided remarks about the Navy's new aircraft and the legacy of the "Grim Reapers."
Gortney recognized the significance of the rollout ceremony and spoke about the future importance of the fifth-generation fighter in enhancing the flexibility, power projection, and strike capabilities of future carrier air wings and joint task forces.
"Today, we formally recognize the next generation of Naval Aviation - the F-35C," said Gortney. "The most important revolution is fusing these weapons systems with the rest of the weapon system. Our cruisers, destroyers, P-8s, Tritons, and operational and tactical headquarters - the decision makers."
Buss spoke about how the Navy's stealth fighter will ensure that future carrier air wings are capable of fulfilling two important missions - assure access and project power.
"Our Navy needs aircraft capable of overcoming a variety of threats - surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, and tactical aircraft," said Buss. "The F-35C brings stealth capability to the ultimate sea base - the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier - for the first time in our history."
"The F-35C mixed with the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye, MH-60R/S helicopters will provide carrier-based Naval Aviation the ability to fulfill these requirements well into the future," said Buss, regarding the Navy's ability to combat future threats.
Martin spoke about the unique design and capabilities of the F-35C, which complements the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Navy's current premier strike fighter.
"With its rugged structure to withstand the tough environments aboard our carriers, advanced avionics, high resolution sensors, fused targeting and combat information networks linked directly into the grid, the F-35C will become a critical, lethal node in the strike group network," said Martin.
Vice Commander, 33rd Fighter Wing, Capt. Paul Haas provided a brief overview of the history of the "Grim Reapers," a nickname that has served three difference squadrons - Fighter Squadron (VF) 10, VF-101 and now Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 - since June 1942.
VFA-101 Sailors and officers then paid tribute to the "Grim Reapers" legacy by honoring the first two commanding officers of the original "Grim Reapers" of VF-10, Vice Adm. James H. Flatley, Jr., and Capt. William R. Kane, who both received the Navy Cross for their service during World War II. Flatley was represented by his son, retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley, III, and Kane was represented by his daughter, Chris Kane Andrews.
Throughout the years, the "Grim Reapers" have fought in various aircraft, including the F4F Wildcat, the FG1-D Corsair, the F-4 Phantom, the F-14 Tomcat and currently the F-35C. The "Grim Reapers" flew combat missions in the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Korean War and at various times since World War II, served as trainers for future Naval Aviators joining the fleet.
"The legacy of the Grim Reapers is one, quite literally, for the history books. Not only for its past legacy, but also of the expectations of the future," said Martin. "With the F-35C under this squadrons command, VFA-101 will once again have the opportunity to fly their flag and leave their mark on aviation history."
"Today's grim reapers are picking up where VF-101 left off almost a decade ago, laying a new foundation for training our nation's premier carrier-based strike fighter aviators and maintainers," said Haas.
VFA-101 received the Navy's first F-35C June 22, 2013, from Lockheed Martin, becoming the Navy's first F-35C squadron, and completed its first check flight in the squadron's new aircraft Aug. 14, a milestone that reinforced the Navy-industry partnership and represented a step forward in the development of the Navy's next generation fighter. As the F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron, VFA-101 trains Navy aircrew and maintenance personnel to fly and repair the F-35C.
The Navy's first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant aircraft squadron, the "Grim Reapers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101, hosted a rollout ceremony for their new aircraft at the squadron's home at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct.1.
The rollout ceremony commemorated the long, storied history of the "Grim Reapers" and the establishment of VFA-101 as the Navy's first F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron.
Retired and active duty service members from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force attended the ceremony, as well as industry partners from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Pratt and Whitney, and BAE Systems.
Several local community leaders also attended, including Niceville, Fla., Mayor Randall Wise; Mary Ester, Fla., Mayor William Creekmore; and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Mayor Michael Anderson.
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Bill Gortney; Commander, Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm. David H. Buss; and Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President and General Manager, F-35 Lightning II Program, Lorraine M. Martin provided remarks about the Navy's new aircraft and the legacy of the "Grim Reapers."
Gortney recognized the significance of the rollout ceremony and spoke about the future importance of the fifth-generation fighter in enhancing the flexibility, power projection, and strike capabilities of future carrier air wings and joint task forces.
"Today, we formally recognize the next generation of Naval Aviation - the F-35C," said Gortney. "The most important revolution is fusing these weapons systems with the rest of the weapon system. Our cruisers, destroyers, P-8s, Tritons, and operational and tactical headquarters - the decision makers."
Buss spoke about how the Navy's stealth fighter will ensure that future carrier air wings are capable of fulfilling two important missions - assure access and project power.
"Our Navy needs aircraft capable of overcoming a variety of threats - surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, and tactical aircraft," said Buss. "The F-35C brings stealth capability to the ultimate sea base - the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier - for the first time in our history."
"The F-35C mixed with the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye, MH-60R/S helicopters will provide carrier-based Naval Aviation the ability to fulfill these requirements well into the future," said Buss, regarding the Navy's ability to combat future threats.
Martin spoke about the unique design and capabilities of the F-35C, which complements the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Navy's current premier strike fighter.
"With its rugged structure to withstand the tough environments aboard our carriers, advanced avionics, high resolution sensors, fused targeting and combat information networks linked directly into the grid, the F-35C will become a critical, lethal node in the strike group network," said Martin.
Vice Commander, 33rd Fighter Wing, Capt. Paul Haas provided a brief overview of the history of the "Grim Reapers," a nickname that has served three difference squadrons - Fighter Squadron (VF) 10, VF-101 and now Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 - since June 1942.
VFA-101 Sailors and officers then paid tribute to the "Grim Reapers" legacy by honoring the first two commanding officers of the original "Grim Reapers" of VF-10, Vice Adm. James H. Flatley, Jr., and Capt. William R. Kane, who both received the Navy Cross for their service during World War II. Flatley was represented by his son, retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley, III, and Kane was represented by his daughter, Chris Kane Andrews.
Throughout the years, the "Grim Reapers" have fought in various aircraft, including the F4F Wildcat, the FG1-D Corsair, the F-4 Phantom, the F-14 Tomcat and currently the F-35C. The "Grim Reapers" flew combat missions in the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Korean War and at various times since World War II, served as trainers for future Naval Aviators joining the fleet.
"The legacy of the Grim Reapers is one, quite literally, for the history books. Not only for its past legacy, but also of the expectations of the future," said Martin. "With the F-35C under this squadrons command, VFA-101 will once again have the opportunity to fly their flag and leave their mark on aviation history."
"Today's grim reapers are picking up where VF-101 left off almost a decade ago, laying a new foundation for training our nation's premier carrier-based strike fighter aviators and maintainers," said Haas.
VFA-101 received the Navy's first F-35C June 22, 2013, from Lockheed Martin, becoming the Navy's first F-35C squadron, and completed its first check flight in the squadron's new aircraft Aug. 14, a milestone that reinforced the Navy-industry partnership and represented a step forward in the development of the Navy's next generation fighter. As the F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron, VFA-101 trains Navy aircrew and maintenance personnel to fly and repair the F-35C.
Strike Fighter Squadron 101 Hosts F-35C Lightning II Rollout Ceremony
Strike Fighter Squadron 101 Hosts F-35C Lightning II Rollout Ceremony
The Navy's first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant aircraft squadron, the "Grim Reapers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101, hosted a rollout ceremony for their new aircraft at the squadron's home at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct.1.
The rollout ceremony commemorated the long, storied history of the "Grim Reapers" and the establishment of VFA-101 as the Navy's first F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron.
Retired and active duty service members from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force attended the ceremony, as well as industry partners from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Pratt and Whitney, and BAE Systems.
Several local community leaders also attended, including Niceville, Fla., Mayor Randall Wise; Mary Ester, Fla., Mayor William Creekmore; and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Mayor Michael Anderson.
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Bill Gortney; Commander, Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm. David H. Buss; and Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President and General Manager, F-35 Lightning II Program, Lorraine M. Martin provided remarks about the Navy's new aircraft and the legacy of the "Grim Reapers."
Gortney recognized the significance of the rollout ceremony and spoke about the future importance of the fifth-generation fighter in enhancing the flexibility, power projection, and strike capabilities of future carrier air wings and joint task forces.
"Today, we formally recognize the next generation of Naval Aviation - the F-35C," said Gortney. "The most important revolution is fusing these weapons systems with the rest of the weapon system. Our cruisers, destroyers, P-8s, Tritons, and operational and tactical headquarters - the decision makers."
Buss spoke about how the Navy's stealth fighter will ensure that future carrier air wings are capable of fulfilling two important missions - assure access and project power.
"Our Navy needs aircraft capable of overcoming a variety of threats - surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, and tactical aircraft," said Buss. "The F-35C brings stealth capability to the ultimate sea base - the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier - for the first time in our history."
"The F-35C mixed with the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye, MH-60R/S helicopters will provide carrier-based Naval Aviation the ability to fulfill these requirements well into the future," said Buss, regarding the Navy's ability to combat future threats.
Martin spoke about the unique design and capabilities of the F-35C, which complements the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Navy's current premier strike fighter.
"With its rugged structure to withstand the tough environments aboard our carriers, advanced avionics, high resolution sensors, fused targeting and combat information networks linked directly into the grid, the F-35C will become a critical, lethal node in the strike group network," said Martin.
Vice Commander, 33rd Fighter Wing, Capt. Paul Haas provided a brief overview of the history of the "Grim Reapers," a nickname that has served three difference squadrons - Fighter Squadron (VF) 10, VF-101 and now Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 - since June 1942.
VFA-101 Sailors and officers then paid tribute to the "Grim Reapers" legacy by honoring the first two commanding officers of the original "Grim Reapers" of VF-10, Vice Adm. James H. Flatley, Jr., and Capt. William R. Kane, who both received the Navy Cross for their service during World War II. Flatley was represented by his son, retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley, III, and Kane was represented by his daughter, Chris Kane Andrews.
Throughout the years, the "Grim Reapers" have fought in various aircraft, including the F4F Wildcat, the FG1-D Corsair, the F-4 Phantom, the F-14 Tomcat and currently the F-35C. The "Grim Reapers" flew combat missions in the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Korean War and at various times since World War II, served as trainers for future Naval Aviators joining the fleet.
"The legacy of the Grim Reapers is one, quite literally, for the history books. Not only for its past legacy, but also of the expectations of the future," said Martin. "With the F-35C under this squadrons command, VFA-101 will once again have the opportunity to fly their flag and leave their mark on aviation history."
"Today's grim reapers are picking up where VF-101 left off almost a decade ago, laying a new foundation for training our nation's premier carrier-based strike fighter aviators and maintainers," said Haas.
VFA-101 received the Navy's first F-35C June 22, 2013, from Lockheed Martin, becoming the Navy's first F-35C squadron, and completed its first check flight in the squadron's new aircraft Aug. 14, a milestone that reinforced the Navy-industry partnership and represented a step forward in the development of the Navy's next generation fighter. As the F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron, VFA-101 trains Navy aircrew and maintenance personnel to fly and repair the F-35C.
The Navy's first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant aircraft squadron, the "Grim Reapers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101, hosted a rollout ceremony for their new aircraft at the squadron's home at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct.1.
The rollout ceremony commemorated the long, storied history of the "Grim Reapers" and the establishment of VFA-101 as the Navy's first F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron.
Retired and active duty service members from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force attended the ceremony, as well as industry partners from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Pratt and Whitney, and BAE Systems.
Several local community leaders also attended, including Niceville, Fla., Mayor Randall Wise; Mary Ester, Fla., Mayor William Creekmore; and Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Mayor Michael Anderson.
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Bill Gortney; Commander, Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm. David H. Buss; and Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President and General Manager, F-35 Lightning II Program, Lorraine M. Martin provided remarks about the Navy's new aircraft and the legacy of the "Grim Reapers."
Gortney recognized the significance of the rollout ceremony and spoke about the future importance of the fifth-generation fighter in enhancing the flexibility, power projection, and strike capabilities of future carrier air wings and joint task forces.
"Today, we formally recognize the next generation of Naval Aviation - the F-35C," said Gortney. "The most important revolution is fusing these weapons systems with the rest of the weapon system. Our cruisers, destroyers, P-8s, Tritons, and operational and tactical headquarters - the decision makers."
Buss spoke about how the Navy's stealth fighter will ensure that future carrier air wings are capable of fulfilling two important missions - assure access and project power.
"Our Navy needs aircraft capable of overcoming a variety of threats - surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, and tactical aircraft," said Buss. "The F-35C brings stealth capability to the ultimate sea base - the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier - for the first time in our history."
"The F-35C mixed with the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye, MH-60R/S helicopters will provide carrier-based Naval Aviation the ability to fulfill these requirements well into the future," said Buss, regarding the Navy's ability to combat future threats.
Martin spoke about the unique design and capabilities of the F-35C, which complements the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Navy's current premier strike fighter.
"With its rugged structure to withstand the tough environments aboard our carriers, advanced avionics, high resolution sensors, fused targeting and combat information networks linked directly into the grid, the F-35C will become a critical, lethal node in the strike group network," said Martin.
Vice Commander, 33rd Fighter Wing, Capt. Paul Haas provided a brief overview of the history of the "Grim Reapers," a nickname that has served three difference squadrons - Fighter Squadron (VF) 10, VF-101 and now Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 - since June 1942.
VFA-101 Sailors and officers then paid tribute to the "Grim Reapers" legacy by honoring the first two commanding officers of the original "Grim Reapers" of VF-10, Vice Adm. James H. Flatley, Jr., and Capt. William R. Kane, who both received the Navy Cross for their service during World War II. Flatley was represented by his son, retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley, III, and Kane was represented by his daughter, Chris Kane Andrews.
Throughout the years, the "Grim Reapers" have fought in various aircraft, including the F4F Wildcat, the FG1-D Corsair, the F-4 Phantom, the F-14 Tomcat and currently the F-35C. The "Grim Reapers" flew combat missions in the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Korean War and at various times since World War II, served as trainers for future Naval Aviators joining the fleet.
"The legacy of the Grim Reapers is one, quite literally, for the history books. Not only for its past legacy, but also of the expectations of the future," said Martin. "With the F-35C under this squadrons command, VFA-101 will once again have the opportunity to fly their flag and leave their mark on aviation history."
"Today's grim reapers are picking up where VF-101 left off almost a decade ago, laying a new foundation for training our nation's premier carrier-based strike fighter aviators and maintainers," said Haas.
VFA-101 received the Navy's first F-35C June 22, 2013, from Lockheed Martin, becoming the Navy's first F-35C squadron, and completed its first check flight in the squadron's new aircraft Aug. 14, a milestone that reinforced the Navy-industry partnership and represented a step forward in the development of the Navy's next generation fighter. As the F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron, VFA-101 trains Navy aircrew and maintenance personnel to fly and repair the F-35C.
Senior U.S., European land forces leaders meet to discuss common security challenges, build partners | Article | The United States Army
Senior U.S., European land forces leaders meet to discuss common security challenges, build partners | Article | The United States Army
WIESBADEN, Germany (Oct. 3, 2013) -- Senior land forces commanders from 35 European partner nations, the U.S. and Canada convened here, Sept. 30, to discuss the future of cooperative European security, during the 21st Annual Conference of European Armies.
The theme of this year's three-day conference, co-hosted by U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno and U.S. Army Europe Commander Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell Jr., focused on opportunities to address common security challenges.
"The United States and its allies and partners share common interest in maintaining a Europe that is safe, secure and prosperous," said Campbell. "The Conference of European Armies enhances this common interest and supports a foundation for the strong relationships we share in the region."
Most of the participants are their nation's' equivalent to the U.S. Army chief of staff. In addition to their partnership with U.S. Army Europe, known as USAREUR, for regional security, most of the countries participating in the Conference of European Armies, or CEA, provide forces to NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. According to figures released by International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, in August, CEA participants comprise nearly 60 percent of ISAF contributing nations, and have more than 20,000 troops on the ground in Afghanistan.
The conference sessions, led by officer participants from across the spectrum of nations represented, included presentations and discussions on current and future transatlantic and European security threats; coalition operations, military transformation; multinational training and interoperability; expanding shared lessons learned and exercises; and building new capabilities with leaner defense budgets.
"I feel confident in the fact that this conference was a strong pillar for the lasting ties that allows our forces to continue their great work together," said Campbell. "Whether in partnership training or multi-nation operations, we will work together again as we work toward lasting security solutions in the European and Eurasian regions."
Campbell emphasized that events such as the CEA and shared planning, training and operations help to maintain strong relationships with USAREUR's European allies and partners, and continually improve the mutual strategic and tactical awareness that are essential to U.S., regional and global interests.
"The bonds made here only continue to deepen the lasting friendships that can be trusted in times of uncertainty, which we know the future holds much of," said Campbell.
Odierno said he believes security cooperation is vital for future military and contingency operations, and that European partnerships have set the standard for alliances for regional and global security.
"As we look at potential future operational requirements, the way forward will be to develop multinational solutions to complex problems," said Odierno. "This Conference of European Armies is one piece of that."
Gen. Philip Breedlove, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, also attended the CEA, where he made remarks to participants, Oct. 1, joined in group sessions and engaged in bilateral discussions of shared concerns. In an interview during the conference, Breedlove said the value of events such as CEA and multinational security cooperation is impossible to calculate.
"We have fought together now for 12 years," said Breedlove. "Our cohesion, interoperability and tactics, techniques and procedures are at a pinnacle in NATO's history and our challenge now is going to be: how do we stay at that."
USAREUR organizers said that the CEA has been the USAREUR commander's premier general officer-level theater security cooperation event since 1988, providing a venue for creating shared training opportunities and establishing relationships between European ground forces and contributing to regional and global understanding, peace and stability.
WIESBADEN, Germany (Oct. 3, 2013) -- Senior land forces commanders from 35 European partner nations, the U.S. and Canada convened here, Sept. 30, to discuss the future of cooperative European security, during the 21st Annual Conference of European Armies.
The theme of this year's three-day conference, co-hosted by U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno and U.S. Army Europe Commander Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell Jr., focused on opportunities to address common security challenges.
"The United States and its allies and partners share common interest in maintaining a Europe that is safe, secure and prosperous," said Campbell. "The Conference of European Armies enhances this common interest and supports a foundation for the strong relationships we share in the region."
Most of the participants are their nation's' equivalent to the U.S. Army chief of staff. In addition to their partnership with U.S. Army Europe, known as USAREUR, for regional security, most of the countries participating in the Conference of European Armies, or CEA, provide forces to NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. According to figures released by International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, in August, CEA participants comprise nearly 60 percent of ISAF contributing nations, and have more than 20,000 troops on the ground in Afghanistan.
The conference sessions, led by officer participants from across the spectrum of nations represented, included presentations and discussions on current and future transatlantic and European security threats; coalition operations, military transformation; multinational training and interoperability; expanding shared lessons learned and exercises; and building new capabilities with leaner defense budgets.
"I feel confident in the fact that this conference was a strong pillar for the lasting ties that allows our forces to continue their great work together," said Campbell. "Whether in partnership training or multi-nation operations, we will work together again as we work toward lasting security solutions in the European and Eurasian regions."
Campbell emphasized that events such as the CEA and shared planning, training and operations help to maintain strong relationships with USAREUR's European allies and partners, and continually improve the mutual strategic and tactical awareness that are essential to U.S., regional and global interests.
"The bonds made here only continue to deepen the lasting friendships that can be trusted in times of uncertainty, which we know the future holds much of," said Campbell.
Odierno said he believes security cooperation is vital for future military and contingency operations, and that European partnerships have set the standard for alliances for regional and global security.
"As we look at potential future operational requirements, the way forward will be to develop multinational solutions to complex problems," said Odierno. "This Conference of European Armies is one piece of that."
Gen. Philip Breedlove, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, also attended the CEA, where he made remarks to participants, Oct. 1, joined in group sessions and engaged in bilateral discussions of shared concerns. In an interview during the conference, Breedlove said the value of events such as CEA and multinational security cooperation is impossible to calculate.
"We have fought together now for 12 years," said Breedlove. "Our cohesion, interoperability and tactics, techniques and procedures are at a pinnacle in NATO's history and our challenge now is going to be: how do we stay at that."
USAREUR organizers said that the CEA has been the USAREUR commander's premier general officer-level theater security cooperation event since 1988, providing a venue for creating shared training opportunities and establishing relationships between European ground forces and contributing to regional and global understanding, peace and stability.
US, Japan aim at 'balanced' security alliance
US, Japan aim at 'balanced' security alliance: New US drones and a radar to defend against North Korean missiles will be deployed in Japan, senior politicians from both sides said Thursday as they met to rebalance their security alliance.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera held the first review of the cornerstone alliance in 16 years, after years of rising Chinese power and provocations from Pyongyang.
"Our goal is a more balanced and effective alliance, where our two militaries are full partners working side-by-side with each other, and with other regional partners, to enhance peace and security," Kerry said after the meeting.
Washington has long expressed frustration at Japan's narrow interpretation of its pacifist constitution, which precludes the right of first strike and confines military action to defence against a direct attack on Japanese people or property.
At the same time a resurgent centre-right, in the form of popular Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is increasingly nervous about China's intentions in the region.
Abe has said he wants Japan's well-resourced and well-trained military to play a more active role -- chiefly the ability to come to the aid of its ally if it were attacked, for example by a North Korean missile attack on a US base.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera held the first review of the cornerstone alliance in 16 years, after years of rising Chinese power and provocations from Pyongyang.
"Our goal is a more balanced and effective alliance, where our two militaries are full partners working side-by-side with each other, and with other regional partners, to enhance peace and security," Kerry said after the meeting.
Washington has long expressed frustration at Japan's narrow interpretation of its pacifist constitution, which precludes the right of first strike and confines military action to defence against a direct attack on Japanese people or property.
At the same time a resurgent centre-right, in the form of popular Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is increasingly nervous about China's intentions in the region.
Abe has said he wants Japan's well-resourced and well-trained military to play a more active role -- chiefly the ability to come to the aid of its ally if it were attacked, for example by a North Korean missile attack on a US base.
Philippines says deal on wider US role needs more work
Philippines says deal on wider US role needs more work: Discussions over proposals to expand the American military's presence in the Philippines failed to reach a deal, Filipino officials said Thursday, a day after US President Barack Obama called off a Manila visit.
The plan would allow more US troops, aircraft and ships to temporarily pass through the Philippines, an Asian military ally, at a time when Washington is refocusing its attention on Asia.
President Benigno Aquino has pushed for the deal to help modernise the Philippine military and to contain China, which he accuses of illegally laying claim to most of the South China Sea including parts of Filipino territory.
The two sides completed a fourth round of talks in Manila on Wednesday, but Filipino negotiators could not say when these will resume amid a US government shutdown.
The plan would allow more US troops, aircraft and ships to temporarily pass through the Philippines, an Asian military ally, at a time when Washington is refocusing its attention on Asia.
President Benigno Aquino has pushed for the deal to help modernise the Philippine military and to contain China, which he accuses of illegally laying claim to most of the South China Sea including parts of Filipino territory.
The two sides completed a fourth round of talks in Manila on Wednesday, but Filipino negotiators could not say when these will resume amid a US government shutdown.
U.S. army mulls replacing Vietnam-era vehicles
U.S. army mulls replacing Vietnam-era vehicles: The U.S. Army is looking into best possible options to replace Vietnam-era armored military vehicles with modern battle-ready units that are fit to perform roles in modern warfare.
Some of the vehicles in the Army's present inventory were put into service as early as 1961. Not surprisingly, in the current political climate in Washington, with an overall funding squeeze, the Army is treading carefully to find ways of funding its Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program.
Marked for replacement are between 2,000 and 3,000 assorted vehicles, many dubbed "battle taxis" because of their relatively light armor and potential unsuitability for some modern warfare scenarios, industry analysts said.
Some of the vehicles in the Army's present inventory were put into service as early as 1961. Not surprisingly, in the current political climate in Washington, with an overall funding squeeze, the Army is treading carefully to find ways of funding its Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program.
Marked for replacement are between 2,000 and 3,000 assorted vehicles, many dubbed "battle taxis" because of their relatively light armor and potential unsuitability for some modern warfare scenarios, industry analysts said.
US, Japan and S. Korea to hold joint naval drills
US, Japan and S. Korea to hold joint naval drills: The United States, South Korea and Japan will hold joint naval exercises next week in waters around the Korean peninsula, a US defence official said Thursday, as fears grow over Pyongyang's nuclear programme.
The announcement comes as US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State John Kerry were in Tokyo to meet their Japanese counterparts following talks with South Korean officials this week.
The US defence official gave few details about the three-nation drills, calling them "increasingly common" and "designed to strengthen coordination and improve readiness to respond to situations such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief".
"Next week, in waters around the Korean peninsula, the USS George Washington Strike Group will conduct a trilateral maritime exercise with the Republic of Korea Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force," he said.
The announcement was made a day after the United States and South Korea said they had mapped out a new strategy to counter the growing threat of a North Korean nuclear or chemical weapons attack.
The announcement comes as US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State John Kerry were in Tokyo to meet their Japanese counterparts following talks with South Korean officials this week.
The US defence official gave few details about the three-nation drills, calling them "increasingly common" and "designed to strengthen coordination and improve readiness to respond to situations such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief".
"Next week, in waters around the Korean peninsula, the USS George Washington Strike Group will conduct a trilateral maritime exercise with the Republic of Korea Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force," he said.
The announcement was made a day after the United States and South Korea said they had mapped out a new strategy to counter the growing threat of a North Korean nuclear or chemical weapons attack.
Eat, move, sleep: Incorporating Performance Triad offers optimal performance | Article | The United States Army
Eat, move, sleep: Incorporating Performance Triad offers optimal performance | Article | The United States Army
Eat, Move, Sleep! Not the name for a sequel to the 2010 movie, "Eat, Pray, Love" starring Julia Roberts, but rather three basic concepts.
The three components serve as cornerstones of a pilot program being launched by the Office of the Surgeon General and Army Medicine.
The program is called the Performance Triad. The three components are represented as physical activity, nutrition and sleep. Each is important on its own, but when all three are addressed simultaneously optimal performance can be achieved.
The entire nation is concerned with rising health care costs. Preventive medical measures are recognized as a necessity in order to move from a system of health care (disease model) to one that impacts behavior choices and health in the "lifespace." The lifespace is where health really happens -- where we sleep, how active we are, and what fuel we are putting in our bodies.
The Performance Triad, according to Army Medicine, seeks to create a system of behaviors that will support Soldier performance and overall unit readiness and effect a lifestyle of healthy behaviors for Soldiers and their families.
"We are very fortunate that Fort Bliss was selected as one of the pilot sites for this program," said Lt. Col. Elizabeth Miller, chief, department of preventive medicine and Performance Triad champion. "All Soldiers in 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, will be trained in these three areas -- activity, nutrition and sleep -- thus improving Soldier and unit readiness and develop the Soldier-athlete."
Outlined below are the three critical components and how they will facilitate good health, prevent disease and promote wellness and disease prevention.
Physical activity (Move): Regular exercise and physical activity can lead to long term health benefits and reduce the risk for many chronic diseases such as depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke and some forms of cancer.
Nutrition (Eat): Over the last 30 years, obesity in the U.S. has more than doubled among adults and more than tripled among children and adolescents. Statistics for Army family members parallels national rates. Obesity is a major public health again concerns for Army families due to its association with an increased risk for chronic health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and some forms of cancer. Army children who are overweight are at greater risk for becoming obese adults with significant health concerns.
Sleep: Chronic poor sleep has serious short and long term consequences -- from impairing daily readiness through reduced alertness and concentration to increasing risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression. Fatigue and drowsiness from poor sleep can cause fatal accidents.
"Success of the sleep health component of the Performance Triad is dependent upon leaders who live and promote healthy sleep -- seven to nine hours per day," Miller said. "This will require a culture change. You are not better if you stumble through the day on five hours a sleep -- it's not safe."
She added that if healthy activity, nutrition and sleep behaviors are embedded into the Army culture by engaging Army family members, the Army could lead the nation in achieving and maintaining healthy weights and improve overall health.
"Think of the impact on American society," said Miller. "Healthy Soldiers, family members and Department of the Army civilians will lead the way to better sleep behaviors, fitness and overall health."
Eat, Move, Sleep! Not the name for a sequel to the 2010 movie, "Eat, Pray, Love" starring Julia Roberts, but rather three basic concepts.
The three components serve as cornerstones of a pilot program being launched by the Office of the Surgeon General and Army Medicine.
The program is called the Performance Triad. The three components are represented as physical activity, nutrition and sleep. Each is important on its own, but when all three are addressed simultaneously optimal performance can be achieved.
The entire nation is concerned with rising health care costs. Preventive medical measures are recognized as a necessity in order to move from a system of health care (disease model) to one that impacts behavior choices and health in the "lifespace." The lifespace is where health really happens -- where we sleep, how active we are, and what fuel we are putting in our bodies.
The Performance Triad, according to Army Medicine, seeks to create a system of behaviors that will support Soldier performance and overall unit readiness and effect a lifestyle of healthy behaviors for Soldiers and their families.
"We are very fortunate that Fort Bliss was selected as one of the pilot sites for this program," said Lt. Col. Elizabeth Miller, chief, department of preventive medicine and Performance Triad champion. "All Soldiers in 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, will be trained in these three areas -- activity, nutrition and sleep -- thus improving Soldier and unit readiness and develop the Soldier-athlete."
Outlined below are the three critical components and how they will facilitate good health, prevent disease and promote wellness and disease prevention.
Physical activity (Move): Regular exercise and physical activity can lead to long term health benefits and reduce the risk for many chronic diseases such as depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke and some forms of cancer.
Nutrition (Eat): Over the last 30 years, obesity in the U.S. has more than doubled among adults and more than tripled among children and adolescents. Statistics for Army family members parallels national rates. Obesity is a major public health again concerns for Army families due to its association with an increased risk for chronic health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and some forms of cancer. Army children who are overweight are at greater risk for becoming obese adults with significant health concerns.
Sleep: Chronic poor sleep has serious short and long term consequences -- from impairing daily readiness through reduced alertness and concentration to increasing risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression. Fatigue and drowsiness from poor sleep can cause fatal accidents.
"Success of the sleep health component of the Performance Triad is dependent upon leaders who live and promote healthy sleep -- seven to nine hours per day," Miller said. "This will require a culture change. You are not better if you stumble through the day on five hours a sleep -- it's not safe."
She added that if healthy activity, nutrition and sleep behaviors are embedded into the Army culture by engaging Army family members, the Army could lead the nation in achieving and maintaining healthy weights and improve overall health.
"Think of the impact on American society," said Miller. "Healthy Soldiers, family members and Department of the Army civilians will lead the way to better sleep behaviors, fitness and overall health."
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
US military braces for full effect of shutdown
US military braces for full effect of shutdown
The US government shutdown had no drastic effect on the military Tuesday but if it remains in place everything from ship repairs to combat training will be disrupted, officials say. With about half the Pentagon's 800,000 civilian employees placed on unpaid leave, defense officials said the military will soon face a headache trying to make do with less civilian manpower under the shutdown. "There's going to be an impact, but it will take some time to feel the effect," said a senior military officer. The furloughs mean that "real work doesn't get done," said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Much of the Defense Department's civilian workforce are employed at bases across the country, and the military relies on them to keep equipment running and logistical networks humming. If the shutdown drags on for weeks, planned work at shipyards and aircraft depots will have to be put off, routine administration will be neglected and some units will have to forgo training unless it is directly related to critical operations, officials said.
The US government shutdown had no drastic effect on the military Tuesday but if it remains in place everything from ship repairs to combat training will be disrupted, officials say. With about half the Pentagon's 800,000 civilian employees placed on unpaid leave, defense officials said the military will soon face a headache trying to make do with less civilian manpower under the shutdown. "There's going to be an impact, but it will take some time to feel the effect," said a senior military officer. The furloughs mean that "real work doesn't get done," said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Much of the Defense Department's civilian workforce are employed at bases across the country, and the military relies on them to keep equipment running and logistical networks humming. If the shutdown drags on for weeks, planned work at shipyards and aircraft depots will have to be put off, routine administration will be neglected and some units will have to forgo training unless it is directly related to critical operations, officials said.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
US F-35 jet plagued by shoddy quality control: audit
US F-35 jet plagued by shoddy quality control: audit: The US military's bureaucratic watchdog on Monday accused companies building the F-35 fighter of shoddy management that could jeopardize the reliability, performance and cost of the aircraft.
The Pentagon inspector general cited 363 problems in the design and manufacture of the costly Joint Strike Fighter, the hi-tech warplane that is supposed to serve as the backbone of the future American fleet.
For the United States and eight other countries backing the project, the report raises fresh questions about the technology and ultimate price tag of the F-35, which has struggled with production delays and cost overruns.
The office that oversees the fighter project, the plane's primary manufacturer Lockheed Martin and five subcontractors failed to carry out rigorous "quality assurance" practices, the report said.
The failures "could adversely affect aircraft performance, reliability, maintainability,and ultimately program cost," according to the inspector general office's report.
A number of the shortcomings -- including how software is managed -- could possibly put safety at risk, it warned.
The Pentagon inspector general cited 363 problems in the design and manufacture of the costly Joint Strike Fighter, the hi-tech warplane that is supposed to serve as the backbone of the future American fleet.
For the United States and eight other countries backing the project, the report raises fresh questions about the technology and ultimate price tag of the F-35, which has struggled with production delays and cost overruns.
The office that oversees the fighter project, the plane's primary manufacturer Lockheed Martin and five subcontractors failed to carry out rigorous "quality assurance" practices, the report said.
The failures "could adversely affect aircraft performance, reliability, maintainability,and ultimately program cost," according to the inspector general office's report.
A number of the shortcomings -- including how software is managed -- could possibly put safety at risk, it warned.
Extended Range Munition completes first Guide to Hit test series
Extended Range Munition completes first Guide to Hit test series: Raytheon has completed its first two Guide to Hit (GTH) test series of the Precision Extended Range Munition (PERM) program for the United States Marine Corps. This GTH tested the structural integrity and the kinematic capability of the round when fired from a smooth bore mortar tube.
The tests confirmed that after launch, the canards and tail fins deploy and the round transitions to steady flight.
The test also confirmed that the round would meet expected range and impact angle requirements. The next series of GTH tests will be conducted out of a rifled mortar tube.
"Raytheon is leveraging our extensive experience with precision artillery and munitions to meet an aggressive, 18-month development schedule," said Tom Bussing, vice president of Advanced Missile Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems.
"Our PERM solution's exceptional accuracy not only means long-range precision fire support; it results in less collateral damage and logistical burden for Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces."
Raytheon is under contract to deliver mature, production-representations of the 120mm extended range, guided mortar munition for a live-fire demonstration phase by the Marines in early 2014.
The tests confirmed that after launch, the canards and tail fins deploy and the round transitions to steady flight.
The test also confirmed that the round would meet expected range and impact angle requirements. The next series of GTH tests will be conducted out of a rifled mortar tube.
"Raytheon is leveraging our extensive experience with precision artillery and munitions to meet an aggressive, 18-month development schedule," said Tom Bussing, vice president of Advanced Missile Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems.
"Our PERM solution's exceptional accuracy not only means long-range precision fire support; it results in less collateral damage and logistical burden for Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces."
Raytheon is under contract to deliver mature, production-representations of the 120mm extended range, guided mortar munition for a live-fire demonstration phase by the Marines in early 2014.
Raytheon's Griffin missile demonstrates maritime protection capabilities
Raytheon's Griffin missile demonstrates maritime protection capabilities: Raytheon and the U.S. Navy demonstrated the Griffin missile's combat proven capabilities in a maritime environment by successfully engaging fast-moving small boats from various platforms throughout a series of at-sea tests.
During one of the tests, the MK-60 Patrol Coastal Griffin Missile System was integrated on a Cyclone-class Patrol Coastal-class ship, where the missile was employed against remote-controlled boats simulating a threat to the ship.
"The Griffin missile and the MK-60 System provide the accuracy and lethality required to meet the requirements of our operational testing," said Capt. Mike Ladner, major program manager of Surface Ship Weapons, U.S. Navy Integrated Warfare Systems 3.0 program office.
The most recent test, conducted at the Navy's Point Mugu, Calif., sea test range, marked the completion of a quick reaction assessment that will lead to fielding of the Griffin missile on forward deployed Patrol Coastal ships later this year.
During one of the tests, the MK-60 Patrol Coastal Griffin Missile System was integrated on a Cyclone-class Patrol Coastal-class ship, where the missile was employed against remote-controlled boats simulating a threat to the ship.
"The Griffin missile and the MK-60 System provide the accuracy and lethality required to meet the requirements of our operational testing," said Capt. Mike Ladner, major program manager of Surface Ship Weapons, U.S. Navy Integrated Warfare Systems 3.0 program office.
The most recent test, conducted at the Navy's Point Mugu, Calif., sea test range, marked the completion of a quick reaction assessment that will lead to fielding of the Griffin missile on forward deployed Patrol Coastal ships later this year.
Raytheon AI3 intercepts its first UAS target
Raytheon AI3 intercepts its first UAS target: In a first-of-its-kind test for Raytheon's Accelerated Improved Intercept Initiative system, AI3 destroyed an unmanned aerial system (UAS) in flight. The intercept was part of the second guided test flights for the AI3 program and follows its first in-flight defeat of a 107mm rocket earlier in the test series.
"Defeating a UAS demonstrates the AI3 system has capabilities beyond its original requirements and can defeat a variety of threats to our warfighters today," said Steve Bennett, Raytheon Missile Systems' AI3 program director.
"This latest success is a testament to our strong partnership with the U.S. Army and our team's commitment to meeting the customer's challenging schedule and cost requirements."
AI3 is designed to protect warfighters by intercepting rockets and other threats in flight.
The AI3 Battle Element includes the Ku Radio Frequency System (KRFS) fire control radar, Avenger-based AI3 launcher with technical fire control, Counter Rockets, Artillery and Mortars command and control, and the AI3 missile.
"Defeating a UAS demonstrates the AI3 system has capabilities beyond its original requirements and can defeat a variety of threats to our warfighters today," said Steve Bennett, Raytheon Missile Systems' AI3 program director.
"This latest success is a testament to our strong partnership with the U.S. Army and our team's commitment to meeting the customer's challenging schedule and cost requirements."
AI3 is designed to protect warfighters by intercepting rockets and other threats in flight.
The AI3 Battle Element includes the Ku Radio Frequency System (KRFS) fire control radar, Avenger-based AI3 launcher with technical fire control, Counter Rockets, Artillery and Mortars command and control, and the AI3 missile.
Hagel hopes deal by end Oct. on US forces in Afghanistan
Hagel hopes deal by end Oct. on US forces in Afghanistan: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday he hoped an accord on the future US military presence in Afghanistan would be in place by November, despite President Hamid Karzai's refusal to be rushed.
"I hope we'll have that agreement by the end of October, because we just can't move without it," Hagel told US soldiers participating in a live-fire exercise in South Korea.
The United States plans to pull out the bulk of its 57,000 troops in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and has tentative plans to retain a smaller force of around 10,000 forces after that.
But a new security agreement is needed to allow for the post-2014 presence, including provisions allowing the United States access to various bases.
"I hope we'll have that agreement by the end of October, because we just can't move without it," Hagel told US soldiers participating in a live-fire exercise in South Korea.
The United States plans to pull out the bulk of its 57,000 troops in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and has tentative plans to retain a smaller force of around 10,000 forces after that.
But a new security agreement is needed to allow for the post-2014 presence, including provisions allowing the United States access to various bases.
Japan, US to discuss strengthening cyber-security: reports
Japan, US to discuss strengthening cyber-security: reports: Japan and the United States will discuss strengthening defences against cyber-attacks, reports said Monday, as Tokyo looks to play a more active role in global security.
At talks in Japan later this week, the foreign and defence ministers from both countries will undertake their first review for 15 years of how their security alliance operates.
Measures to counter cyber-attacks will be high on the agenda, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.
The Sankei Shimbun carried a similar story, adding "cooperation in space will be another important issue".
At talks in Japan later this week, the foreign and defence ministers from both countries will undertake their first review for 15 years of how their security alliance operates.
Measures to counter cyber-attacks will be high on the agenda, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.
The Sankei Shimbun carried a similar story, adding "cooperation in space will be another important issue".
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