Thursday, July 31, 2014

Javelin Joint Venture Demonstrates Vehicle-Mounted Missile Launch

Javelin Joint Venture Demonstrates Vehicle-Mounted Missile Launch: The Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture recently fired a Javelin missile from a remote weapon station integrated onto a wheeled vehicle at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

The test demonstrated Javelin's vehicle-launch capability to an international customer that has expressed interest in purchasing vehicles integrated with Javelin.

The Javelin missile launched successfully and hit a T-62 tank target from a range of 1,000 meters.

Immediately after missile launch, the remote weapon station engaged an alternate target with its ballistic weapon, demonstrating a seamless Javelin integration that supports the warfighter's requirement to quickly transition between multiple weapon systems.

"This demonstration highlights the ability to mount Javelin on a vehicle," said Richard Benton, Javelin Joint Venture vice president and Javelin senior manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

Back to square one

Back to square one



The Iraq and Afghan wars have cost the U.S. taxpayer upwards of $2 trillion thus far -- and the meter is still running in both theaters.

In Afghanistan, after 12 years of combat operations and the costly training and equipping of a 360,000-strong army, and the loss of 2,800 U.S. killed in action, Taliban, the enemy we went in to defeat, is making steady gains around the capital.The Vietnam syndrome is in the air and SIGAR, the U.S. government investigative agency, is reporting abandonment of some U.S.-funded aid projects that can no longer be protected, let alone inspected.This week, SIGAR said the U.S. Defense Department cannot trace over 40 percent of the weapons it turned over to Afghan security forces. Many of them found their way into the black market -- and Taliban's hands.Afghan security forces are under steadily increasing fire around Kabul, the capital, and have sustained heavy casualties. This goes largely unreported.

Monday, July 28, 2014

U.S. and Europe Agree to Escalate Sanctions on Russia - NYTimes.com

U.S. and Europe Agree to Escalate Sanctions on Russia - NYTimes.com: The United States and Europe put aside their differences and agreed on Monday to sharply escalate economic sanctions against Russia in a set of coordinated actions driven by the conclusion that Moscow has taken a more direct role in the war in Ukraine.

After months in which European leaders were hesitant to go as far as the Americans, the two sides settled on a package of measures that would target Russia’s financial, energy and defense sectors. In some cases, the Europeans may actually leapfrog beyond what the United States has done, forcing Washington to try to catch up.



The agreement came during an unusual five-way video conference between President Obama and his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and Italy in advance of a European Union meeting scheduled for Tuesday to consider new sanctions against Russia. American and European officials said the leaders agreed that Russia has not only not backed down since the shooting of a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet but has also accelerated its involvement in Ukraine’s burgeoning civil war.

U.S. Says Russia Tested Cruise Missile in Violation of Treaty - NYTimes.com

U.S. Says Russia Tested Cruise Missile in Violation of Treaty - NYTimes.com



At the heart of the issue is the 1987 treaty that bans medium-range missiles, which are defined as ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles capable of flying 300 to 3,400 miles. That accord, which was signed by President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who was then the Soviet leader, helped seal the end of the Cold War and has been regarded as a cornerstone of American and Russian arms control efforts. Obama administration officials concluded by the end of 2011 that the cruise missile test was a compliance concern, officials have said. Rose Gottemoeller, the State Department’s senior arms control official, first raised the violation concern with Russian officials in May 2013.
In January, The New York Times reported that American officials had informed the NATO allies that Russia had tested a ground-launched cruise missile, raising serious concerns about Russia’s compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or I.N.F. treaty, as it is commonly called. The State Department said at the time that the issue was under review and that the Obama administration was not yet ready to formally declare it a treaty violation.
In recent months, however, the issue has been taken up by top-level officials, including a meeting this month of the Principals’ Committee, a cabinet-level body that includes Mr. Obama’s national security adviser, the defense secretary, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretary of state and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Pentagon Plan Would Help Ukraine Target Rebel Missiles - NYTimes.com

Pentagon Plan Would Help Ukraine Target Rebel Missiles - NYTimes.com



The Pentagon and American intelligence agencies are developing plans that would enable the Obama administration to provide specific locations of surface-to-air missiles controlled by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine so the Ukrainian government could target them for destruction, American officials said.
But the proposal has not yet been debated in the White House, a senior administration official said. It is unclear whether President Obama, who has already approved limited intelligence sharing with Ukraine, will agree to give more precise information about potential military targets, a step that would involve the United States more deeply in the conflict.
Already, the question of what kind of intelligence support to give the Ukrainian government has become part of a larger debate within the administration about how directly to confront President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and how big a role Washington should take in trying to stop Russia’s rapid delivery of powerful weapons to eastern Ukraine.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

U.S. evacuates embassy in Libya, citing militia violence - The Washington Post

U.S. evacuates embassy in Libya, citing militia violence - The Washington Post: The State Department on Saturday evacuated all American personnel from its embassy in Libya after clashes among rival militias in the capital intensified in recent days in the vicinity of the diplomatic mission, officials said.

Traveling in Paris, Secretary of State John F. Kerry cited the threat posed by “freewheeling militia violence” near the embassy in Tripoli. Kerry said some embassy functions will continue from neighboring Tunisia, where diplomats were taken.

“We will return the moment the security situation permits us to,” Kerry said.

The evacuation of diplomats and other government personnel by land lasted five hours and was carried out with U.S. military aircraft providing security from the air, officials said. The decision was not made lightly, the State Department said.

“Security has to come first,” spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement. “Regrettably, we had to take this step because the location of our embassy is in very close proximity to intense fighting and ongoing violence between armed Libyan factions.”


When U.S. diplomats evacuate a diplomatic post, they must smash computers and other sensitive equipment that could be exploited for intelligence purposes.

The State Department also issued a new travel warning for U.S. citizens, advising against all travel to the country and recommending that Americans in Libya leave now.

“The security situation in Libya remains unpredictable and unstable,” the department said in its warning notice. “The Libyan government has not been able to adequately build its military and police forces and improve security following the 2011 revolution.”

A Syrian Rebel Advance Off the Battlefield: A Longer-Lasting Battery for Missiles - NYTimes.com

A Syrian Rebel Advance Off the Battlefield: A Longer-Lasting Battery for Missiles - NYTimes.com



Rebels in Syria are designing rechargeable batteries for shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles, a development that could make them more lethal against Syrian warplanes but that also carries potential risks to civilian aircraft, according to a rebel behind the new design and to Western analysts who have assessed his work.
The batteries are matched to the SA-7b missile system, or Strela-2, an early variant of heat-seeking missile that originated in a Soviet design bureau in the late 1960s and has been reproduced in several countries, including China, North Korea and Pakistan.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

US Air Force to launch new surveillance satellites

US Air Force to launch new surveillance satellites: The US Air Force will launch new satellites Wednesday to track those of other countries and counter possible threats to American spacecraft, officials said.

Two satellites are due to be sent into high-altitude orbits for the first time as part of a program that until a few months ago was strictly secret and classified.

The satellites will be launched from Delta IV rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and head to the geosynchronous belt, 22,300 miles (35,900 kilometers) above Earth, where crucial US satellites are also orbiting.

"This neighborhood watch twosome will help protect our precious assets in geo (high-altitude orbit), plus they will be on the lookout for nefarious capability other nations might try to place in that critical orbital regime," US Air Force Space Command chief General William Shelton told reporters.

Shelton said the satellites would dramatically improve the US military's picture of satellite traffic in the geosynchronous orbit, as the new satellites will be much closer at the higher altitude.

Transfer of French warships to Russia 'inappropriate': US

Transfer of French warships to Russia 'inappropriate': US



The delivery of French Mistral-class warships to Russia would be "completely inappropriate" given the West's misgivings about Moscow's role in Ukraine, the United States said Tuesday.

"We don't think anyone should be providing arms to Russia," deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters, adding US officials had voiced their concern over the deal in recent days to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.In the wake of the downing of a Malaysian airliner last week, blamed by the United States on a Russian missile system which it says was given to Ukrainian pro-Moscow separatists, EU foreign ministers agreed on Tuesday to strengthen sanctions against Russia.But they remained divided as to how far to go, with British-led calls for an arms embargo putting France on the spot.Paris has a deal worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.6 billion) to supply Russia with two Mistral warships.French President Francois Hollande on Monday said the agreement was still in place, but added that delivery of the second Mistral ship would "depend on Russia's attitude."Asked what Washington thought about France going ahead with delivering the warships, Harf told reporters US officials "clearly think it's completely inappropriate. And we've told them they should not do it."

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Here Are The Intercepted Transcripts Indicating Russian Rebels Shot Down Malaysian Flight MH17

Here Are The Intercepted Transcripts Indicating Russian Rebels Shot Down Malaysian Flight MH17: The Ukrainian intelligence service has released more intercepted phone calls that show militants and Russian military intelligence agents discussing the presence, location, and disposition of BUK surface-to-air missiles in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian intelligence has provided the voice recordings and English transcripts,

Russian Igor Strelkov Blamed For Shooting Of MH17 - Business Insider

Russian Igor Strelkov Blamed For Shooting Of MH17 - Business Insider



A retired Russian military officer is suspected of being involved in the attack that downed a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane in eastern Ukraine on Thursday.



Igor Girkin, who is also known by his pseudonym Igor Strelkov, has been called "one of the most powerful separatist figures in eastern Ukraine." He's a Russian citizen from Moscow and has declared himself the Minister of Defense of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), according to Radio Free Europe.

The Ukrainian government says Strelkov is a covert agent of Russia's GRU military intelligence. In documents posted on separatist websites he has asked Russia to provide military assistance to the DPR.

Strelkov is a veteran of both the Soviet and Russian armies, according to Reuters.

A Reuters article from May describes Strelkov as "the top Russian operative in the separatist east:"

He moves through the streets in a black Mercedes, his face with pencil moustache hidden behind tinted windows, and his aim is to "destroy" Ukrainian forces that venture onto his territory.
In a leaflet distributed in the rebel Donetsk region, "Colonel Igor Strelkov" assumed command of all rebel forces there and called for Russian army help to ward off what he calls the threat from the Kiev "junta" and from NATO.
Strelkov's history and his powerful position within the separatist movement in the east could be taken as proof that Russia is assisting or even coordinating the separatist uprising.



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-igor-strelkov-blamed-for-shooting-of-mh17-2014-7#ixzz381o6392L

Saturday, July 19, 2014

The Downing of the Malaysian Airliner: Avoid Rushing to Judgment | Center for Strategic and International Studies

The Downing of the Malaysian Airliner: Avoid Rushing to Judgment | Center for Strategic and International Studies



By Anthony H. Cordesman

Jul 18, 2014



The exact cause of the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 remains uncertain, but seems most likely to be the result of a firing of either the SA-11 (Gadfly 1979) or SA-17 “Buk Mk. 2” missile (Grizzly 2007). The SA-11 and SA-17 launch vehicles and missiles (four per vehicle) look very similar. The 17 has upgraded missiles but it is hard to see the difference. 

It seems very doubtful that Russia would have used its SA-20(or S-300) air defense missiles, and there have been no suggestions that these are in rebel hands or they could use them. The SA-20 is an extremely sophisticated system operated by experienced crews with excellent ability to characterize flight paths and read out IIF (Identification friend of foe) and transponder data. Human error from a SA-20 unit is still possible, but seem very unlikely.

No MANPAD (man-portable air defense system) can reach and track a passenger aircraft flying at cruise altitudes of around 30,000 feet and normal flight speeds. However, both the SA-11 and SA-17 can easily intercept and track such an aircraft. Their radars can track high altitude planes to ranges of up to 120 kilometers.

Both systems can kill large aircraft flying at high altitudes. The SA-11 can hit targets at altitudes up to 45,000-60,000 feet, the SA-17 up to 70,000-82,000 feet.  Their maximum intercept maximum ranges are 12 miles (some sources say 45 kilometers) and 27 miles (some sources say 45 kilometers) respectively.

The SA-11 and SA-17 are systems that are broadly deployed in Former Soviet Union forces. They are successors to the SA-6, and are in both Ukrainian and Russian hands. Rebel holdings are uncertain, but General Philip Breedlove, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, warned in June that the Russian government had been training pro-Russian separatists inside Russia to have an “anti-aircraft capability.” 

Breedlove said that, “What we see in training on the east side of the border is big equipment, tanks, APCs [Armored Personnel Carriers], anti-aircraft capability, and now we see those capabilities being used on the west side of the border,” Breedlove said he had not seen training in the smaller MANPAD systems, but, “we have seen vehicle-borne capability being trained.”

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Patriot getting enhanced radar capabilities

Patriot getting enhanced radar capabilities: Raytheon is enhancing the Patriot air defense system for the U.S. Army and two allied countries through the supply of radar digital processor kits.

The kits provide improved target detection and identification, a 40 percent improvement in overall radar reliability and decreased need for spare batteries for the system.

"These RDP upgrades are yet another example of how we continue to advance Patriot technology to stay ahead of evolving threats," said Ralph Acaba, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business. "All of our 12 Patriot partners participate in prioritizing these enhancements and funding them through the Patriot International Engineering Services Program."

The contract was awarded to Raytheon by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. It is worth $235.5 million.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

US military awards contracts to design reusable spaceplane

US military awards contracts to design reusable spaceplane: The U.S. military said Tuesday it has awarded contracts to three companies to design an experimental spaceplane conceived as a reusable, unmanned booster with costs, operation and reliability similar to modern aircraft.

The companies selected to develop the XS-1 spaceplane are Boeing, working with Blue Origin; Masten Space Systems, working with XCOR Aerospace; and Northrop Grumman, working with Virgin Galactic, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said in a statement.

"We chose performers who could prudently integrate existing and up-and-coming technologies and operations, while making XS-1 as reliable, easy-to-use and cost-effective as possible," said Jess Sponable, DARPA's spaceplane program manager. "We're eager to see how their initial designs envision making spaceflight commonplace - - with all the potential military, civilian and commercial benefits that capability would provide."

The XS-1 program aims to develop a fully-reusable unmanned vehicle that would provide aircraft-like access to space and deploy small satellites to orbit faster and more affordably using expendable upper stages.

According to the DARPA, the XS-1's first stage will fly to a suborbital altitude at hypersonic speeds and then return to earth, land and be prepared for the next flight. One or more expendable upper stages will separate and deploy a satellite into low-Earth orbit.

Key XS-1 technical goals include flying 10 times in 10 days, flying to Mach 10+ at least once and launching 3,000- to 5,000- pound (1,361 to 2,268 kilograms) payloads to orbit for less than 5 million U.S. dollars per flight.

US admiral in China for top-level navy talks

US admiral in China for top-level navy talks: The chief of the US Navy met his Chinese counterpart Tuesday for talks aimed at improving cooperation between their fleets following concerns over regional territorial disputes and potential armed conflict.

Admiral Wu Shengli, commander in chief of China's navy, welcomed Admiral Jonathan Greenert, the US chief of naval operations, with a red-carpet ceremony and an honour guard at his headquarters in Beijing.

They did not speak to reporters but a US navy official said the visit was meant to "look at ways to increase the cooperation between our navies".

It was the two men's "fourth interaction" over about the past year, he said, adding: "It obviously improves our understanding of each other also."

Greenert's trip is set to last until Friday and will include a visit to China's sole aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.

U.S., Norwegian companies partner for missile project

U.S., Norwegian companies partner for missile project: A joint strike missile for anti-surface warfare use is to be jointly developed by Raytheon and the Kongsberg Gruppen of Norway.

The missile project for the Royal Norwegian Air Force has already been funded and coincides with the U.S. Navy's consideration of a cost-effective next-generation Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare system, or OASuW.

US lawmakers boost funding for Israel's Iron Dome

US lawmakers boost funding for Israel's Iron Dome: With US ally Israel facing a barrage of rocket attacks from Gaza, a Senate panel on Tuesday approved a 50 percent funding boost for the Jewish State's Iron Dome anti-missile system.The measure, if it becomes law, would provide $621.6 million for Israeli missile defense programs for the 2015 fiscal year starting in October, including $351 million for the short-range Iron Dome system that has been put to the test over the past eight days amid a raging conflict between Israel and Hamas.Congress appropriated $235 million to Iron Dome last year.The White House had requested about $176 million for the system for 2015, but lawmakers doubled the amount.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

US teams complete assessment of Iraqi forces: Pentagon

US teams complete assessment of Iraqi forces: Pentagon: US military teams have completed an assessment of Iraqi security forces, the Pentagon said Monday, amid reports the American officers came away with bleak conclusions.

The teams were deployed to Baghdad this month after Sunni militants swiftly advanced across the country in a string of disastrous battlefield defeats for Shiite-led government forces.

"The assessments from the teams in Iraq have reached the Pentagon," spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters.

According to The New York Times, the assessment warned that any American troops serving as advisers would face safety risks given infiltration of the Iraqi army by Sunni extremists and Iran-backed Shiite troops or militia.

Citing US officials, the newspaper said the classified assessment also found that only about half of the Iraqi army's units are capable enough to be worth advising by American troops.

Kirby declined to comment on the report's details but acknowledged the danger posed by "insider threats" and that the military had drawn lessons from its experience in Afghanistan, where some NATO troops have been attacked and killed by Afghans in uniform.

Air Force seeks new long-range bomber

Air Force seeks new long-range bomber



A Request for Proposal has been issued to Industry by the U.S. Air Force for its Long Range Strike Bomber, or LRS-B.

The request sets out a future contract's requirements and precedes competitive selection based on contractor proposals."The LRS-B will be an adaptable and highly-capable system based upon mature technology," said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. "We have established an achievable and stable set of requirements that should make this capability a hallmark for the future."We've set a realistic target cost for the system and have a procurement strategy which allows us to affordably field a new bomber fleet. The program's strategy will ensure we get the best possible deal for the taxpayer."The new bomber the Air Force is seeking will be air-refuelable and capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional stand-off and direct-attack weapons. The Air Force considers it a top modernization priority.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Japan able to aid US ships under attack: minister

Japan able to aid US ships under attack: minister



Japan's new policy on military action would allow its forces to come to the aid of a US naval ship under attack, Tokyo's defense minister said Friday.

In a visit to Washington, Itsunori Onodera cited the hypothetical scenario as he sought to explain the Japanese government's controversial decision to ease decades-long restrictions on the country's military.If US warships were sent to defend Japan, and those ships were attacked, the Japanese "constitution was interpreted to say we could not help that ship," Onodera told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.But taking action to assist an ally was "what an ally should naturally do," he said through an interpreter. "That's how this change in policy should be understood."Onodera said the change approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet on July 1 would bolster Tokyo's alliance with the United States, opening the way to new forms of military cooperation.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Breedlove: Russian actions bring Europe to decisive point > U.S. Air Force > Article Display

Breedlove: Russian actions bring Europe to decisive point > U.S. Air Force > Article Display



        The aggressive actions by Russia in Ukraine have brought Europe to perhaps the most decisive point since the end of the Cold War and additional rotational forces may be needed on the continent for the sustained presence now envisioned, the top U.S. commander in Europe said June 30.

Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, the NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe and the commander of U.S. European Command, told reporters at the Pentagon that Russia's actions show just how important it is to maintain a forward presence in Europe to reassure the nation's partners and allies.

About seven Russian battalion task groups remain on the border with Ukraine, he said, as well as numerous special operations forces.

"That's not a helpful development in what it brings to the problem," the general said.

Russian regular military forces are facilitating the movement of forces, equipment and finances across the Ukrainian border, he said.

"Russian irregular forces are very active inside eastern Ukraine," Breedlove said. “Russian-backed forces are active inside eastern Ukraine. And Russian financing is very active inside eastern Ukraine.”

President Barack Obama's $1 billion European Reassurance Initiative will sustain U.S. forces in Europe and assist in protecting national security interests, the general said.

"It's too early to lay out the details of what we will do," he said, "but it will cover increased and enhanced training, readiness, exercises, and necessary facility improvements that we will need in order to conduct quality training and readiness activities with all of our allies and partners.

The training efforts will now fall under Operation Atlantic Resolve, the general added.

"In this operation, we will continue to demonstrate our continued commitment to the collective security of NATO and dedication to the enduring peace and stability in the region, in light of the Russian intervention in Ukraine specifically," Breedlove said.

The situation in Ukraine changes some long-held expectations in the region, he said.

"For the last 12 to 14 years, we've been looking at Russia as a partner,” Breedlove said. “We've been making decisions about force structure, basing investments, et cetera, et cetera, looking to Russia as a partner.”

Now, the situation is very different, he said, and there's a new baseline for the conversation about U.S. capacity and capability in Europe.

Atlantic Resolve will demonstrate the United States' solemn commitment to the collective defense of all NATO allies, Breedlove said.

"Our ability to respond quickly to reassure our European allies and partners was enabled by our forward-stationed forces and the force structure we have in place now," the general said.

Breedlove said he believes the current force structure in Europe is about right, but additional forces may be needed to cover the sustained, persistent presence that is now being envisioned.

"We are proud carriers of a legacy that began just over 70 years ago on the shores of Normandy. That legacy has endowed us with the NATO alliance and steadfast relationships with incredible allies and partners who have fought alongside of us in almost every conflict," the general said.

"It is indeed a momentous time in Europe," Breedlove continued. "But with the support of our partners and allies, we will face these challenges like we have in the past -- together -- and build a safer, more secure Europe."

Scientists devloping novel technique that could facilitate nuclear disarmament

Scientists devloping novel technique that could facilitate nuclear disarmament: A proven system for verifying that apparent nuclear weapons slated to be dismantled contained true warheads could provide a key step toward the further reduction of nuclear arms. The system would achieve this verification while safeguarding classified information that could lead to nuclear proliferation.

Scientists at Princeton University and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are developing the prototype for such a system, as this week in Nature magazine. Their novel approach, called a "zero-knowledge protocol," would verify the presence of warheads without collecting any classified information at all.

"The goal is to prove with as high confidence as required that an object is a true nuclear warhead while learning nothing about the materials and design of the warhead itself," said physicist Robert Goldston, coauthor of the paper, a fusion researcher and former director of PPPL, and a professor of astrophysical sciences at Princeton.

Navy touts destroyer's at-sea Aegis tests

Navy touts destroyer's at-sea Aegis tests: A series of five live-fire tests of the Aegis combat system were performed earlier this month by the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones.

The U.S. Navy said the tests in the Pacific were for the Baseline 9C Aegis Combat System and part of the ship's combat systems qualification trials.

A total of six targets were engaged, the Navy said, using Standard Missile-6 missiles and a Standard Missile-2 missile.

During the ship's underway period, it also performed its first ballistic missile tracking exercise while simultaneously tracking two supersonic and two subsonic missile targets.

The USS John Paul Jones had recently received modernization of its combat systems. Among the upgrades: the latest commercial-off-the-shelf computing infrastructure, upgrades to its SPY-1D transmitter, and a new multi-mission signal processor, which comprises the Aegis Baseline 9C suite.