Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Brazen Attacks Rock Kabul,Afghanistan - Green Beret killed
Taliban militants penetrated the outer perimeter of Camp Integrity,a NATO base in Kabul,Afghanistan and HQ for the US Army Green Berets.The intruders detonated a bomb and engaged in a firefight with security forces,killing a decorated Green Beret,Master Sergeant Peter Andrew McKenna,35,of the 1st Battalion,7th Special Forces Group,with small arms fire.MSGT McKenna,of Bristol,Rhode Island,was a 17-year Army veteran who had served in Iraq as well,receiving a Bronze Star with V device for heroism in combat operations,as well as the Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal.On Independence Day,he was presented with a flag that had flown over the US Capitol by Senator Jack Reed,D-Rhode Island.*
The Taliban assault was part of a wave of terrorist attacks last Friday through Monday in the Afghan capital Kabul.Two other US troops were wounded in the Camp Integrity attack.Eight Afghan contractors and four militants also died in the battle,which was within hours of an attack on the police academy in Kabul,in which 20 cadets were killed and 24 others wounded at he academy gates.
In yet another incident Friday,a truck bomb devastated an entire city block of the Kabul residential neighbourhood Shah Shaheed,killing 15 and wounding 240 more.On Monday,a vehicle-borne IED hit a crowded entrance to Kabul International Airport,killing at least 5 and wounding 16 others.Over the four-day period,almost 70 were killed and hundreds wounded by the Islamist extremists.*
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani complained that the Pakistanis failed to prevent the Taliban from congregating and planning the attacks in Quetta,Pakistan.They elected and installed their new leader there,Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour,whose predecessor,Mullah Omar,had died in a Pakistani hospital 2 years ago.
The current fighting has seen heavy clashes between the Afghan National Security Forces,supported by their NATO trainers,advisors and US counter-terrorist forces,and the Taliban.
The Taliban assault was part of a wave of terrorist attacks last Friday through Monday in the Afghan capital Kabul.Two other US troops were wounded in the Camp Integrity attack.Eight Afghan contractors and four militants also died in the battle,which was within hours of an attack on the police academy in Kabul,in which 20 cadets were killed and 24 others wounded at he academy gates.
In yet another incident Friday,a truck bomb devastated an entire city block of the Kabul residential neighbourhood Shah Shaheed,killing 15 and wounding 240 more.On Monday,a vehicle-borne IED hit a crowded entrance to Kabul International Airport,killing at least 5 and wounding 16 others.Over the four-day period,almost 70 were killed and hundreds wounded by the Islamist extremists.*
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani complained that the Pakistanis failed to prevent the Taliban from congregating and planning the attacks in Quetta,Pakistan.They elected and installed their new leader there,Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour,whose predecessor,Mullah Omar,had died in a Pakistani hospital 2 years ago.
The current fighting has seen heavy clashes between the Afghan National Security Forces,supported by their NATO trainers,advisors and US counter-terrorist forces,and the Taliban.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Marine Corps Aviation:F-35B Squadron Goes Operational
On 31 July,the US Marine Corps declared initial operational capability for the first squadron of Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II aircraft.Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition,Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall hailed the event as a significant milestone in the continued evolution of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.The decision was made following a thorough operational readiness inspection,which assessed the Marine Corps' ability to employ this complex weapon system in an operational environment.This accomplishment is an affirmation that the F-35 program is on track to deliver essential 5th generation warfighting capabilities to our US services and international partners,Mr.Kendall said.*
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121,VMFA-121,is based in Yuma,Arizona.It has 10 F-35Bs in the Block 2B configuration with the requisite performance envelope and weapon clearances,to include the training,sustainment capabilities and infrastructure to deploy to an austere site or a ship,Marine Corps Commandant General Joseph Dunford said.It is capable of conducting close air support,offensive and defensive counter-air,air interdiction,assault support escort and armed reconnaissance as part of a Marine air-ground task force or in support of the joint force.
The F-35B conducted flight operations for 7 weeks at sea aboard an L-class carrier;participated in multiple large force exercises;and executed a recent operational evaluation which included multiple live ordnance sorties,GEN Dunford certified.*
The F-35B will replace the AV-8B Harrier,F/A-18 Hornet and EA-6B Prowler.More than 50 F-35B pilots have been trained and qualified,and about 500 maintenance personnel have been certified to assume autonomous,organic-level maintenance support for the aircraft,the USMC said in a press release.*
The British Royal Navy is also acquiring the F-35B for its new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth,and RN pilots and maintenance crews have been training alongside US Navy and Marine Corps personnel.*
GEN Dunford has been confirmed by the US Senate as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121,VMFA-121,is based in Yuma,Arizona.It has 10 F-35Bs in the Block 2B configuration with the requisite performance envelope and weapon clearances,to include the training,sustainment capabilities and infrastructure to deploy to an austere site or a ship,Marine Corps Commandant General Joseph Dunford said.It is capable of conducting close air support,offensive and defensive counter-air,air interdiction,assault support escort and armed reconnaissance as part of a Marine air-ground task force or in support of the joint force.
The F-35B conducted flight operations for 7 weeks at sea aboard an L-class carrier;participated in multiple large force exercises;and executed a recent operational evaluation which included multiple live ordnance sorties,GEN Dunford certified.*
The F-35B will replace the AV-8B Harrier,F/A-18 Hornet and EA-6B Prowler.More than 50 F-35B pilots have been trained and qualified,and about 500 maintenance personnel have been certified to assume autonomous,organic-level maintenance support for the aircraft,the USMC said in a press release.*
The British Royal Navy is also acquiring the F-35B for its new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth,and RN pilots and maintenance crews have been training alongside US Navy and Marine Corps personnel.*
GEN Dunford has been confirmed by the US Senate as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
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