Company of the week. Reaction Engines.

Have you ever heard of Reaction Engines LTD?  How about the SKYLON project?  Neither had I but they're definitely up to something in the UK.  I didn't dig deep to see if the British military is interested in their work but with the success of the X-37B, I'm sure BAE or some other conglomerate is taking a close look to determine whether money can be made or not.

Pic of the day. Dec. 5, 2010.

Hi visibility AH-1W Cobras.  Never seen this before...photos taken by Joe Copalman on Feb 26, 2009.

X-37 landing.

via Alert 5.

The Crisis in Korea & Air-Sea Battle.

Just a couple of quick question....

Was the emerging doctrine of Air-Sea Battle (the deterrence portion of the concept) visible in the latest crisis with N. Korea?

If it was I didn't see it.

Let's face it.  As a means of deterrence in a rapidly evolving area of concern, only Navy ships with aircraft or Marines aboard are a credible threat...only they have the persistence or the capability to send the proper message while diplomats either de-escalate events or shape the international community for upcoming hostilities.

Did you notice the lack of Theater Entry (or more precisely the need for it if we actually went to war)?

That concept indicates a need to fight your way not to a shoreline but actually into your area of operations. 

The last war where that was an actual concern could possibly be WW2 with the Japanese...but even in those actions it was simply blue water warfare with serious island hopping ---the theater was the war...how the they came up with that concept is beyond me...

Two concepts...two strike outs.  Actual deterrence comes from fielding technologically advanced, hardened forces capable of conducting the full spectrum of operations.  These concepts only seek to cover gaps and make allowances for not funding our military properly.

Your Saturday Sci-Fi

Hey forgive me...I'm buying my son video games and new anime.

M1161 Internally Transportable Vehicle-Light Strike Vehicle (ITV-LSV)

ITVM1161

Harvest Hawk in action via 3rd Marine Air Wing.

Thanks Sgt C for the hook up.

via 3rd Marine Air Wing Public Affairs...

Maj. Marc Blankenbicker, a fire control officer for the only KC-130J Harvest Hawk in Afghanistan, checks the Hellfire missiles attached to the aircraft on the flightline at Forward Operating Base Dwyer. The Harvest Hawk, which is a 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) asset, has only been in country since October, but has already detected three improvised explosive devices and fired one GPS guided Hellfire.

The first and only KC-130J Harvest Hawk in Afghanistan sits on the flightline at Forward Operating Base Dwyer for routine maintenance. The Harvest Hawk, which is a 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) asset, has only been in country since October, but has already detected three improvised explosive devices and fired one GPS guided Hellfire. The battle damage assessment was five enemy forces killed in action and no civilian causalities.

KC-130J Harvest Hawk takes on new role in Afghanistan

CAMP DWYER, AF - (11.17.2010)
Story by Sgt. Deanne Hurla

Since 2003, KC-130Js have played a vital role in transporting coalition forces and cargo throughout Helmand and Nimroz provinces; however, the latest KC-130 to enter the area is providing a new kind of support.
The KC-130J "Harvest Hawk" of Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), has all the same capabilities of a KC-130J "Hercules," but the Harvest Hawk carries four Hellfire and 10 Griffen GPS guided missiles and houses an infrared and television camera.
Its mission is to provide close air support, conduct intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions and find improvised explosive devices.
"This aircraft is not traditional – yet," said Maj. Marc Blankenbicker, a fire control officer for the Harvest Hawk.
There is only one Harvest Hawk operating in Afghanistan, and it is used to fill the gaps where coverage from other aircraft isn't available; it operates in a role similar to that of an F/A-18, explained Blankenbicker, who is originally from Avon, Conn.
Though the Harvest Hawk only began its first deployment in October, it has already had its first weapons engagement Nov. 4.
"We supported [3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment] in Sangin when they were in a fire fight," said Blankenbicker. "We shot one Hellfire missile, and the battle damage assessment was five enemy [killed in action]."
The assessment also stated there were no civilian causalities or property damage during the fire fight.
Using the Harvest Hawk, VMGR-352 Marines have already found at least three IEDs near 3/5's area of operation and in support of other coalition forces.

Missions such as these are aiding the VMGR-352 Marines to build relationships with ground forces that may be skeptical of the KC-130's new abilities.
"There wasn't time to teach battalions what we are capable of so a lot of it has been real time, and everyone has been really receptive," Blankenbicker said. "It's a matter of a little bit of education and a little bit of getting to know each other."
"When we first get [overhead], the [ground forces] ask what our capabilities are, but after having worked with them for a while, they've gotten used to it," added Capt. Joel Dunivant, a Harvest Hawk aircraft commander. "From what we've been told, the guys really like working with us. We're taken seriously, we're professional and we've got the time to sit there and dig thoroughly into what's going on, on the ground."
Marines and other coalition forces are all making the adjustment to having a KC-130J in the combat role, and according to the pilots, the transition is going smoothly.
"On a standard day, we arrive on station and talk to the forward air controllers attached to battalions to see what is going on," Blankenbicker said. "While we're on hand, we use our cameras to look at villages, watch pattern of life and assess what is going on in the [area of operation] at that time. If they get into some kind of conflict with the enemy forces, then we are available to provide close air support with our weapons systems."
Using the added capabilities, the Harvest Hawk is able to provide support to two or three ground units for up to three hours each time it flies.
The aircraft is kept at a medium altitude above ground level and can work alone or in conjunction with UH-1Y Hueys and AH-1W Cobras, added Dunivant, who is originally from Boise, Idaho.
Other than operating in a combat role, there are only slight differences between the Harvest Hawk and the Hercules. The four Hellfire missiles on the left wing, the Griffen missiles, secured on the aircraft's ramp and the addition of the camera are what make a Hercules the Harvest Hawk.
The KC-130J has provided transport and refueling capabilities throughout Regional Command (Southwest) and now provides the extra advantage of staying overhead for longer than any other aircraft operating in the region. The Harvest Hawk provides accurate and effective combat offensive capabilities to support coalition forces on the ground through surveillance and overwatch.

Romanian National Day Military Parade.

Thanks Alex. 

Resboiu Blog has pics up of the Romanian National Military Parade...Does anyone know what the 8 wheeled vehicle is?  I think its a Patria but I'm not sure.

K-Max and A-160 are awarded the USMC cargo UAV contract.

 K-MAX

 A-160

via NAVAIR.

Navy awards Cargo UAS contract

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- The Navy announced today the award of two fixed-price contracts to Boeing/Frontier Systems and Lockheed Martin for Cargo Unmanned Aircraft System services for $29.9 and $45.8 million respectively.

The Cargo UAS services contract is in response to an urgent needs requirement in support of Marine Corps forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. This capability will augment ground and air logistics operations, supplement rotary-wing assets and reduce warfighters’ exposure to Improved Explosive Devices in theater.

“We are trying to get this much needed capability to the warfighter as quickly as possible,” said Rear Adm. Bill Shannon, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. “By evaluating two different systems, we have the ability to accelerate development of technology and use it immediately to support the warfighter while maintaining competition.”

Both contracts include development of two air vehicles, three remote ground control stations and a Quick Reaction Assessment (QRA). The systems will be government-owned and contractor-operated. Each contract also includes a separate fixed-price option for a six-month deployment.

In order to meet the operational needs of the Marine Corps, the Navy made a decision to award two contracts to reduce potential deployment delays and inability to meet performance requirements. The Navy will conduct a QRA in summer 2011 to prove systems’ ability to sustain cargo-carrying capability in an operational environment. Immediately following a successful QRA, one contractor's in-country service option will be exercised and their system will deploy to OEF.

“While we only plan on deploying one system after a successful QRA, we will explore options for using the second system for future operational missions and/or science and technology development, should it also meet performance requirements,” said Capt. Tim Dunigan, Program Manger for Navy and Marine Corps Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Air Systems (PMA-266).

The Navy intends to field Cargo UAS in fall 2011 for a six-month deployment. After the initial deployment, Navy and Marine Corps leadership will assess the value of the capability and determine if an extension or re-compete contract should be pursued.

Wow.  FireScout didn't make the cut.  I wonder what that means for the program.

K-21 Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle not so Amphibious.

Defense News is reporting that a design flaw has been found in the K-21.

"An armored vehicle weighing 25 tons or more is required to maintain at least 20 percent of reserve buoyancy when it crosses the river, but the K2 has been found not to meet that requirement," Kim said, citing the results of a two-month probe of the accidents.
The front of the vehicle, where crew members were on board, became heavier than the rear section, allowing water to flow into the air intake hose of the engine, he said.
The investigation revealed that the spread of the vehicle's weight is unbalanced, with 54.2 percent of the total weight in the front part, said the minister.
The height of the wave plate also is found to be shorter than the requirement, he noted. The plate was required to be 22 centimeters high under the original design requirement, but the manufacturer changed the design in consultations with the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ).
As a result, the plate's height was designed to become 7 to 11 centimeters.
There also was a problem with the drain pump, according to the investigation. When the vehicle moves at full speed, the pressure inside the engine compartment goes down, so more water flows into the compartment. But the pump fails to adequately remove the water.

Designing an amphibious fighting vehicle is alot tougher than many realize.  The K-21 was once touted by some to be a contender to replace the AAV in the USMC.  I never took that talk seriously and the unfortunate deaths and the findings of this study bear that out.

F-22 mission capable rates.

I was reading a story on the CV-22 and its mission capable rate and this juicy tidbit hung over the plate like a 50 mph fastball ready to be taken out of the park....

Many planes also see their mission-capable rates slowly improve as they age. The F-22 Raptor, for example, went from 51.25 percent in 2003 to 60.94 percent in 2010.

Read the whole story here, but this is curious...the Air Force Association and the USAF is not giving us the full story on the F-22 experience.  A mission capable rate that rises from 51 percent to 60 percent is hardly something to brag about and is well below the MV-22 rate which has been claimed as a reason to cancel that airplane.

AMAZING!~

Add to it that the Air Force Association is talking about building more F-22's (read that here) and you have another case of massive spin by an advocacy group for the USAF....the F-22 isn't the world beater many would have us believe.

We finally get a look at the Internally Transportable Vehicle.