Mullen sees operational structure in Guard's future

Mullen sees operational structure in Guard's future: "The National Guard's transformation from a strategic reserve to an operational force since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, should continue beyond the current conflicts, the nation's top military officer told Guard leaders Nov. 19.

As operations in Iraq and Afghanistan change over the next few years, the Guard should not be allowed to revert to being simply a strategic reserve, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told an audience at the National Guard's Joint Senior Leadership Conference at the National Harbor."

International Expedition Investigates Climate Change, Alternative Fuels in Arctic

International Expedition Investigates Climate Change, Alternative Fuels in Arctic: "Scientists from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) organized and led a team of university and government scientists, September 15-26, 2009, to initiate methane hydrate exploration in the Beaufort Sea and determine the spatial variation of sediment contribution to Arctic climate change

Utilizing the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Sea as a research platform, three cross-shelf transects were surveyed and sampled off Alaska's North Slope at Hammerhead, Thetis Island and Halkett representing three regions of the Alaskan shelf. The expedition integrated expertise in coastal geophysics, sediment geochemistry, dissolved and free methane fluxes through the water column and into the atmosphere, sediment and water column microbiology and biogeochemistry and detailed characterization of the sub-seafloor geology.

'The objective of the sampling is to help determine variations in the shallow sediment and water column methane sources, methane cycling and the subsequent flux to the atmosphere"

Rocket Science Leads to New Whale Discovery

Rocket Science Leads to New Whale Discovery: "Rocket science is opening new doors to understanding how sounds associated with Navy sonar might affect the hearing of a marine mammal – or if they hear it at all.

The same type of large industrial sized X-ray scanners that NASA uses to detect flaws in the space shuttle's behemoth solid fuel rockets is now allowing scientists to peek inside the giant head of a whale. The scans are providing detailed three-dimensional replicas of a whale's hearing anatomy using a breakthrough method developed by Dr. Ted Cranford, a marine biologist sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness Division (N45)."

Air Defense Push Inspired by 9/11 Gets a 2nd Look - NYTimes.com

Air Defense Push Inspired by 9/11 Gets a 2nd Look - NYTimes.com: "The commander of military forces protecting North America has ordered a review of the costly air defenses intended to prevent another Sept. 11-style terrorism attack, an assessment aimed at determining whether the commitment of jet fighters, other aircraft and crews remains justified."

China ramps up espionage against US: study

China ramps up espionage against US: study: "China is sharply stepping up espionage against the United States as the rising Asian power grows more sophisticated in cyber warfare and spy recruitment, a report to Congress warned Thursday.
'China is changing the way that espionage is being done,' said Carolyn Bartholomew, the chair of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
In its wide-ranging annual report to Congress, the commission reported a steep rise in the disruption and infiltration of websites of the US government"

Boeing Receives Contract To Develop Miniature Weapon Technology

Boeing Receives Contract To Develop Miniature Weapon Technology: "Boeing has received a $500,000 U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory contract on Sept. 30 for the first phase of a program to demonstrate miniature weapon technology for use on unmanned airborne vehicles (UAV).
'UAVs are increasingly called upon to perform strike operations, and this weapon technology is designed specifically for those missions,' said Carl Avila, director of Boeing Phantom Works' Advanced Weapons and Missiles.
'The concept behind this technology is designed to generate very low collateral damage and allows warfighters to engage a variety of targets, including those in a suburban terrain environment.'"

BAE Precision Targeting System Begins Final Testing

BAE Precision Targeting System Begins Final Testing: "BAE Systems has entered the final phase of testing on its Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), a technology that increases the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of airborne weapon systems.
The tests seek to confirm the production readiness of the APKWS rocket and its ability to meet Navy and Marine Corps requirements, including safely launching from a helicopter, and reliably acquiring, tracking, and hitting laser-designated targets.
In the most recent testing, a laser-guided rocket fired from a U.S. Marine Corps Cobra helicopter hit a stationary target."