Galhran over at Information Dissemination has a post out on the recent retaking of a hijacked ship and of the forces that did the work. Read the story here....but his parting statement is eye catching.
What is Bulkeley's "specialist boarding team?" I am not familiar with
this new term. Is this Navy Special Warfare Command? SWOs in VBSS? SOF?
Marines?
Who are these mysterious pirate fighters of the Indian Ocean? Inquiring minds would like to know.
I don't quite know what to make of this. Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF), Force Recon and Navy SEALS are well known commodities. Even a Public Affairs Officer (no insult intended) would have knowledge of those guys...so why the murky language?
Tracking info on the USAF isn't as easy as with the other services for some reason. I wonder why that is? If anyone has sites that would provide info on them (and I mean straight from a PAO's mouth) I'd appreciate it.
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The first F-35C test aircraft (CF-1) flew faster
than the speed of sound for the first time over a test range near the
Navy and Marine Corps F-35 integrated test facility at Naval Air Station
Patuxent River March 4.
During a test flight to expand the flutter envelope, CF-1 reached Mach
1.02 at 30,000 feet with U.S. Marine Corps pilot Lt. Col. Matt Taylor at
the controls.
“It’s great to be part of bringing stealth capability to the big-deck
carriers,” said Taylor. “We accomplished a large number of test points,
and CF-1 handled great going past Mach 1. It was a privilege for me to
take the F-35C over that milestone for the first time.”
CF-1 gathered enough supersonic flutter data for the team to continue supersonic envelope expansion in the near future.
Flutter is an evaluation of structural loads on the aircraft experienced
at various speeds and while performing prescribed maneuvers. The test
and evaluation team at NAS Patuxent River will expand the flutter
envelope to demonstrate the required durability and reliability of the
aircraft in advance of delivery of the aircraft to the fleet.
The F-35C is distinct from the F-35A and F-35B variants with its larger
wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear for greater control in the
demanding carrier take-off and landing environment. Carrier suitability
testing for the F-35C variant is scheduled to begin later this year
with land-based catapult and jet blast deflector testing.
The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program is in the system
development and demonstration phase, focusing on delivering three
different, new aircraft variants to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air
Force. The integrated test force at NAS Patuxent River is focused on
testing and evaluation of the F-35B and F-35C.
AF-7, the second F-35 Lightning II production jet, takes off on its
first flight Friday, March 4, from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint
Reserve Base. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant flew
for 1.3 hours. AF-7 is the second and final aircraft from Low Rate
Initial Production lot 1.
Fleet pressure prompts Israel to rebuild scrapped CH-53
By Arie Egozi
With no immediate substitute for the Israeli air force's Sikorsky
CH-53 transport helicopters in the frame, the service has decided to
rebuild one aircraft which was cannibalised for spare parts and dumped
in a scrapyard several years ago. The need to reactivate aircraft 985 is one outcome following an Israeli CH-53 Yasur crash in Romania in July 2010. Six Israeli crew members and one Romanian observer were killed when the aircraft came down during a joint exercise. According to a report in the Israeli air force magazine, the
service's 22nd maintenance unit will perform the rebuild, which will fit
the aircraft to its modernised 2025 standard.
The upgrade, already being carried out on all Israel's operational
CH-53s, will see the installation of 20 new systems, including an
advanced electronic warfare suite, and a satellite communications fit to
expand the type's operational capability. The project will also introduce an altitude hold-and-hovering
stabilisation system and a laser obstacle ranging and display
capability.
Israel plans to continue flying its current fleet until it can
acquire Sikorsky's new-generation CH-53K, under development for the US
Marine Corps.
Only the CH-53K is designed for the type of missions Israel's Yasur helicopters are required to perform, the air force says.
Wow.
Can we see a future joint helicopter formed from the CH-53K?
It would make sense.
It would lower costs.
It would be extremely capable across the entire spectrum.
The only problem is that the US Army is aiming for an airplane even larger than the 53K...something approaching the size of the C-130....
My best guess is that the CH-47 will continue to be modernized and that the Joint Heavy Lift Helicopter project will die a well deserved death.
Read the whole thing from the Montreal Gazette, but this is the operative paragraph....
As part of the Harper government’s efforts to promote the F-35
stealth fighter, a top Conservative MP is criticizing a respected
retired public servant who has advised government on defence purchases. Edmonton
MP Laurie Hawn, who’s the parliamentary secretary to Defence Minister
Peter MacKay, has been sending out emails promoting the F-35 purchase
and attacking critics of the deal, including former Defence Department
assistant deputy minister Alan Williams. The email, which has
circulated among retired and serving Canadian Forces members as well as
journalists, also attacks a retired Australian air force officer who has
raised questions about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and an
Australian aviation analyst who has done the same.
I've been amused and annoyed at the tactics employed by F-35 critics.
Let me assure you that the mailing lists for these notices are large..surprising...and if you follow the "FACTS(?)" provided and then read stories put out by so called journalist after the fact then you'd be more than disgusted.
Suffice it to say that a critic of the program got tarred with the same brush as supporters have for a couple of years now and he's running hoping that Mommy makes them stop.
Charlie Sheen 47, is all over the news because he’s a Celebrity drug
addict. While Andrew Wilfahrt 31, Brian Tabada 21, Rudolph Hizon 22,
Chauncy May 25, are Soliders who gave their lives this week with no
media mention.
The F-22 is still one of only three aircraft (in
service) that can supercruise (go faster than the speed of sound without
using the afterburner.) In addition to the F-22, the Eurofighter and
the Gripen can also supercruise.
Huh?
The Eurofighter and Gripen can super-cruise?
What then exactly is super-cruise?
And how is it that the SU-27 family isn't on this list...What about the later blocks of F-15/16's?
Is it even viable? The F-22 can buts it has much shorter legs than the much derided F-35 (I laugh at those who slam the F-35 for being short ranged yet talk about the F-22 being more suited to long patrols over the Pacific...can't they read...the F-35 can fly much further on internal gas).
What is fuel consumption like in S/C? Has its use been wargamed? Besides the launch of A2A and A2G weapons during the cycle to give them extra hmmph then what good is it really?
I'm looking back at the history of the MRAP program and one vehicle keeps popping up as "looking" like a winner yet failing to gain substantial orders. The Golan.
Does anyone have specific information on why it wasn't chosen and why the manufacturer failed to seek sales elsewhere? It would be appreciated.
Lessons Learned From Operation El Dorado Canyon During Operation El Dorado Canyon
in Libya in the late 1980s, the United States conducted a strike
against the Libyan government in response to the state-sponsored bombing
of a disco in Berlin that resulted in the injury of over 200 people,
and cost the lives of two individuals. Much of the accolades that
followed the successful raids on Libya revolved around the long-range,
EF-111 and FB-111 bombers, along with the KC-135 and KC-10 aircraft that
conducted long-range refueling operations while originating operations
out of the United Kingdom. Less talked about was the role of the Naval Forces off the coast of
Libya that also participated in the raids. Well over 30 Naval strike
aircraft participated in the raids as well, and the Naval Force was also
on stand-by to conduct search and rescue operations as needed with
helo-borne forces. The Naval Fleet provided command and Control as
well, and the security of the airspace was guaranteed through the use of
carrier-based F-14 Tomcats that were in position to react should
something arise.
What is more important is what did not take place. Had
there been an unforeseen emergent air threat that resulted in
significant delays, the bomber force that had transited the Atlantic
would have been unable adjust to the extended operations, and would
likely have had to turn back toward England without dropping their
ordnance. In an equivalent scenario in today’s day and age, that would
most certainly be viewed as a strategic failure and then subsequently be
plastered all over the mass media as exactly that.
What
is more important is what did not take place. Had there been an
unforeseen emergent air threat that resulted in significant delays, the
bomber force that had transited the Atlantic would have been unable
adjust to the extended operations, and would likely have had to turn
back toward England without dropping their ordnance.
What the Naval Services provided
operational commanders during Operation El Dorado Canyon is exactly the
same thing the ARG provides today– the ability to react to change and
absorb operational friction across a spectrum of operational
conditions. That is something that typically doesn’t make the history
books. Instead of a single-focus, long-range strike capability, the
USN-USMC team provides operational commanders with a series of
strategic, operational and tactical options that a one-dimensional
bomber force cannot provide.
Read the whole thing and consider it carefully. Quite a bit of truth lies in this short article.
