Monday, December 31, 2018
Friday, December 28, 2018
Thursday, December 27, 2018
US Coast Guard Reacts to Russian Corvette - Icebreaker Project
More and more,nations see the Arctic as a bulwark of their economic and military futures.As a case in point,the new Russian Project 23550 Ice-class patrol ships,or corvettes,resemble warships more than anything else.The idea of the project was to add full surface combatant capability to an icebreaker-apparently a first in naval history.
Besides a medium caliber deck gun,the 23550 will have two payload bays astern to accommodate containerised missile systems.They will also have a flight deck and hangar for anti-submarine/utility helicopters.What is more,there may even be an anti-aircraft system and small arms emplacements.
Thus the two 23550s will have strategic,and not just tactical,military implications,since cruise missiles can range for hundreds of miles/kilometers.The class is slated to enter service by 2020.*
On a more detailed level,it's been ascertained that the Ice-class will feature a 76 mm AK-176 MA naval gun in a stealth turret for deflecting radar rays,and will be armed with up to eight 3M-54 Kalibr supersonic cruise missiles.Military intelligence publisher IHS Jane's quotes a Russian defence ministry source as saying it will be:
a fully featured combatant designed in accordance with the navy's requirements for ships of such a class;she can break ice of up to 1.7 m.*
Russia currently has a fleet of about 40 icebreakers and is planning to acquire at least 12 more.*
In January 2018,then US Coast Guard Commandant ADL Paul Zukunft confirmed a Washington Times report about the capabilities of the proposed Coast Guard heavy icebreaker cutters.He revealed that,for the first time ever,Coast Guard icebreakers would be fully weaponisable,with the space,weight and power supply to support cruise missiles and other advanced weapons.
According to his successor,ADL Karl Shultz,the Coast Guard aims to award the first contract for the first of three new heavy icebreakers,to be known as the Polar Security Cutter,in spring 2019.He is cautiously optimistic this will happen.The estimated cost is 950 million dollars per ship.An additional three medium icebreakers are also on the service's shopping list.
ADL Shultz told the National Press Club on 6 December 2018:
Diplomacy and cooperation are really hollow without presence.If we're not present,if we don't own the environment today,guess who owns it tomorrow:our competitors.*
On Christmas Day 2018,President Donald Trump made phone calls to a number of military units,including Coast Guard District 17 in Juneau,Alaska.On the Polar Security Cutter,he observed that:
The bad part is the cost.The good part is,it's the most powerful in the world.The ice is in big trouble when that thing gets finished.It'll go right through it.It's very expensive,but that's OK.*
Currently,the US Coast Guard only has two operational icebreaker cutters:the Healy,assigned to the Arctic;and the Polar Star,assigned mainly to the Antarctic.The Polar Sea has failed engines and is used to supply its sister ship the Polar Star with obsolete parts.
Besides a medium caliber deck gun,the 23550 will have two payload bays astern to accommodate containerised missile systems.They will also have a flight deck and hangar for anti-submarine/utility helicopters.What is more,there may even be an anti-aircraft system and small arms emplacements.
Thus the two 23550s will have strategic,and not just tactical,military implications,since cruise missiles can range for hundreds of miles/kilometers.The class is slated to enter service by 2020.*
On a more detailed level,it's been ascertained that the Ice-class will feature a 76 mm AK-176 MA naval gun in a stealth turret for deflecting radar rays,and will be armed with up to eight 3M-54 Kalibr supersonic cruise missiles.Military intelligence publisher IHS Jane's quotes a Russian defence ministry source as saying it will be:
a fully featured combatant designed in accordance with the navy's requirements for ships of such a class;she can break ice of up to 1.7 m.*
Russia currently has a fleet of about 40 icebreakers and is planning to acquire at least 12 more.*
In January 2018,then US Coast Guard Commandant ADL Paul Zukunft confirmed a Washington Times report about the capabilities of the proposed Coast Guard heavy icebreaker cutters.He revealed that,for the first time ever,Coast Guard icebreakers would be fully weaponisable,with the space,weight and power supply to support cruise missiles and other advanced weapons.
According to his successor,ADL Karl Shultz,the Coast Guard aims to award the first contract for the first of three new heavy icebreakers,to be known as the Polar Security Cutter,in spring 2019.He is cautiously optimistic this will happen.The estimated cost is 950 million dollars per ship.An additional three medium icebreakers are also on the service's shopping list.
ADL Shultz told the National Press Club on 6 December 2018:
Diplomacy and cooperation are really hollow without presence.If we're not present,if we don't own the environment today,guess who owns it tomorrow:our competitors.*
On Christmas Day 2018,President Donald Trump made phone calls to a number of military units,including Coast Guard District 17 in Juneau,Alaska.On the Polar Security Cutter,he observed that:
The bad part is the cost.The good part is,it's the most powerful in the world.The ice is in big trouble when that thing gets finished.It'll go right through it.It's very expensive,but that's OK.*
Currently,the US Coast Guard only has two operational icebreaker cutters:the Healy,assigned to the Arctic;and the Polar Star,assigned mainly to the Antarctic.The Polar Sea has failed engines and is used to supply its sister ship the Polar Star with obsolete parts.
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Monday, December 24, 2018
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
President Trump Re-establishes US Space Command - no Space Force for now
President Donald Trump has signed a one page memorandum authorising the Pentagon to re-establish the US Space Command,which had existed from 1985-2002.It will be the eleventh combatant command,headed by a four star flag officer and a deputy.
Combatant commands are leadership nodes comprised of personnel from all the services working together in a joint manner to advance a common mission set.They are not separate armed forces.Among the existing combatant commands are US Strategic Command,;US European Command;US Special Operations Command,etc.The original US Space Command was abolished in the wake of the 9-11 attacks so that US Northern Command (including NORAD) could be established to protect the continental homeland.Its elements were absorbed by US Strategic Command and Air Force Space Command.
The complex new organisation will have a staff of about 1600 personnel:600 of them from existing space organisations,and 1,000 of them new hires.It is estimated it will cost about 800 million dollars to set it up over a period of years.The first step will come next year with the nomination of a flag officer for commander,plus a deputy commander,for approval by the US Senate.*
President Trump considers this a move in the direction of creating a new armed service,the US Space Force.It's widely believed,however,that it isn't possible to create the force in the immediate future,while the US faces immediate challenges in space from Russia and China.*
Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement while visiting NASA Kennedy Space Center and the US Air Force 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida.He explained that:
The US Space Command will integrate space capabilities across all branches of the military.It will develop the space doctrine,tactics,techniques and procedures that will enable our warfighters to defend our nation in this new era.*
The Pentagon says that the renewed US Space Command is a critical step in accelerating our space capabilities and posture to defend our vital national interests and deter our adversaries.This combatant command will lead space operations and develop space warfighting doctrine,tactics and procedures.
Combatant commands are leadership nodes comprised of personnel from all the services working together in a joint manner to advance a common mission set.They are not separate armed forces.Among the existing combatant commands are US Strategic Command,;US European Command;US Special Operations Command,etc.The original US Space Command was abolished in the wake of the 9-11 attacks so that US Northern Command (including NORAD) could be established to protect the continental homeland.Its elements were absorbed by US Strategic Command and Air Force Space Command.
The complex new organisation will have a staff of about 1600 personnel:600 of them from existing space organisations,and 1,000 of them new hires.It is estimated it will cost about 800 million dollars to set it up over a period of years.The first step will come next year with the nomination of a flag officer for commander,plus a deputy commander,for approval by the US Senate.*
President Trump considers this a move in the direction of creating a new armed service,the US Space Force.It's widely believed,however,that it isn't possible to create the force in the immediate future,while the US faces immediate challenges in space from Russia and China.*
Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement while visiting NASA Kennedy Space Center and the US Air Force 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida.He explained that:
The US Space Command will integrate space capabilities across all branches of the military.It will develop the space doctrine,tactics,techniques and procedures that will enable our warfighters to defend our nation in this new era.*
The Pentagon says that the renewed US Space Command is a critical step in accelerating our space capabilities and posture to defend our vital national interests and deter our adversaries.This combatant command will lead space operations and develop space warfighting doctrine,tactics and procedures.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Closing Ranks:NATO Responds as Russia Violates Treaty
At the end of a NATO Foreign Ministerial in Brussels,Belgium that was attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,on 4 December 2018,NATO Allies certified that Russia is in a substantive breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
All Allies have concluded that Russia has developed and fielded a new ground-launched cruise missile system-the SSC-8,also known as the 9M729.Allies agree that the missile system violates the INF Treaty and poses significant security risks to Euro-Atlantic security.And they agree that Russia is therefore in material breach of its obligations under the INF Treaty.*
This is really serious,because,of course,all missiles are dangerous,but these missiles are particularly dangerous because they are hard to detect;they are mobile;they are nuclear capable.*
Despite the US and others raising the matter with Russia over 30 times,Russia has continued to develop and deploy the forbidden missiles,eroding effective arms control and undernining the security of the NATO Allies.*
Mr.Stoltenberg continued:
This is part of Russia's pattern of behaviour,intended to weaken the overall Euro-Atlantic security architecture.There are no new US missiles in Europe;but there are new Russian missiles in Europe.*
In conclusion,Mr.Stoltenberg warned:
Russia now has a last chance to come back into compliance with the INF Treaty,but we must also start to prepare for a world without the treaty.*
The US has given Russia 60 days to come back into compliance with the INF Treaty.*
Analysis:NATO has to be very watchful as it is not sure what the Putin regime will do next in Ukraine;perhaps Russia will take covert actions that will be used to justify another land grab.NATO finds itself in a position that approaches the danger at the height of the Cold War-at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis,for example.A conflict with Russia and/or China could necessitate a reinstatement of conscription in the US.It could mean a war of the order not seen since Vietnam-or even Korea.*
The Chief of Staff US Army,GEN Mark Milley,has been nominated by US President Donald Trump to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,the senior commander in the US military.GEN Milley has said of Putin's Russia that:
I see Russia as aggressive,not just assertive.They attacked Georgia (in 2008);they illegally seized Crimea (2014);they have attacked Ukraine (2014-present)...all those countries were free and independent and have been sovereign nations now for a quarter of a century,since the fall of the Berlin Wall.I would say,Russia's recent behaviour is adversarial to the interests of the United States.
All Allies have concluded that Russia has developed and fielded a new ground-launched cruise missile system-the SSC-8,also known as the 9M729.Allies agree that the missile system violates the INF Treaty and poses significant security risks to Euro-Atlantic security.And they agree that Russia is therefore in material breach of its obligations under the INF Treaty.*
This is really serious,because,of course,all missiles are dangerous,but these missiles are particularly dangerous because they are hard to detect;they are mobile;they are nuclear capable.*
Despite the US and others raising the matter with Russia over 30 times,Russia has continued to develop and deploy the forbidden missiles,eroding effective arms control and undernining the security of the NATO Allies.*
Mr.Stoltenberg continued:
This is part of Russia's pattern of behaviour,intended to weaken the overall Euro-Atlantic security architecture.There are no new US missiles in Europe;but there are new Russian missiles in Europe.*
In conclusion,Mr.Stoltenberg warned:
Russia now has a last chance to come back into compliance with the INF Treaty,but we must also start to prepare for a world without the treaty.*
The US has given Russia 60 days to come back into compliance with the INF Treaty.*
Analysis:NATO has to be very watchful as it is not sure what the Putin regime will do next in Ukraine;perhaps Russia will take covert actions that will be used to justify another land grab.NATO finds itself in a position that approaches the danger at the height of the Cold War-at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis,for example.A conflict with Russia and/or China could necessitate a reinstatement of conscription in the US.It could mean a war of the order not seen since Vietnam-or even Korea.*
The Chief of Staff US Army,GEN Mark Milley,has been nominated by US President Donald Trump to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,the senior commander in the US military.GEN Milley has said of Putin's Russia that:
I see Russia as aggressive,not just assertive.They attacked Georgia (in 2008);they illegally seized Crimea (2014);they have attacked Ukraine (2014-present)...all those countries were free and independent and have been sovereign nations now for a quarter of a century,since the fall of the Berlin Wall.I would say,Russia's recent behaviour is adversarial to the interests of the United States.
DOD Statement on Open Skies Flight Over Ukraine
DOD Statement on Open Skies Flight Over Ukraine: Today, the United States and Allies conducted an extraordinary flight under the Open Skies Treaty. The timing of this flight is intended to reaffirm U.S. commitment to Ukraine and other partner
Canada–U.S. Joint Statement
Canada–U.S. Joint Statement: Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis and Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan co-hosted a meeting of the top 13 nations contributing military support to the Global Coalition to Defeat-ISIS on Dec. 6, in
Friday, December 7, 2018
Blink and you’ll miss it: The B-21 bomber accomplishes another big review
Blink and you’ll miss it: The B-21 bomber accomplishes another big review: The final design of the B-21 is getting clearer...to the Air Force and Northrop Grumman, at least.
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Afghan War:Fourth Service Member Dies from Ghazni Explosion
The Pentagon has announced that,on 2 December 2018,a fourth US service member,Army SGT Jason Mitchell McClary,24,of Export,Pennsylvania,died from wounds received in a 27 November IED attack on a convoy in Andar District,Ghazni Province,Afghanistan.SGT McClary died in Landstuhl,Germany,to which he had been transported for further medical care.He is survived by his wife and two children.
The convoy was on a mission to engage the Taliban militants,after Ghazni leaders had requested assistance from US Forces-Afghanistan.Unlike the other three fatalities,SGT McClary was not a Special Operations Forces member,but an infantryman serving with the 1st Battalion,38th Infantry Regiment,1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team,4th Infantry Division,out of Fort Carson,Colorado.He was serving in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel,the extension of the original combat mission against Islamist extremists following 9-11.*
SGT McClary had completed a tour in Iraq previous to his current deployment to Afghanistan,which began in April.He had received two Purple Heart Medals even before this incident.Among his other decorations were the Army Commendation Medal with Valor;Army Commendation Medal (Combat);NATO Medal;Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star;Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star;and the Combat Infantry Badge.*
LTC Christopher Roberts,commander,1st Battalion,38th Infantry Regiment,said that:
SGT McClary served honorably as an up-armored vehicle gunner for the Attack Company.His memory and contributions will never be forgotten.*
Two other US service members and a contractor were wounded in the attack.SGT McClary's death brings the US fatality count in Afghanistan for 2018 to 14,with five of them having occurred in November.*
"Rejoice not against me,O mine enemy;when I fall,I shall arise;when I sit in darkness,the Lord shall be a light unto me."
-Micah 7:8
The convoy was on a mission to engage the Taliban militants,after Ghazni leaders had requested assistance from US Forces-Afghanistan.Unlike the other three fatalities,SGT McClary was not a Special Operations Forces member,but an infantryman serving with the 1st Battalion,38th Infantry Regiment,1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team,4th Infantry Division,out of Fort Carson,Colorado.He was serving in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel,the extension of the original combat mission against Islamist extremists following 9-11.*
SGT McClary had completed a tour in Iraq previous to his current deployment to Afghanistan,which began in April.He had received two Purple Heart Medals even before this incident.Among his other decorations were the Army Commendation Medal with Valor;Army Commendation Medal (Combat);NATO Medal;Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star;Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star;and the Combat Infantry Badge.*
LTC Christopher Roberts,commander,1st Battalion,38th Infantry Regiment,said that:
SGT McClary served honorably as an up-armored vehicle gunner for the Attack Company.His memory and contributions will never be forgotten.*
Two other US service members and a contractor were wounded in the attack.SGT McClary's death brings the US fatality count in Afghanistan for 2018 to 14,with five of them having occurred in November.*
"Rejoice not against me,O mine enemy;when I fall,I shall arise;when I sit in darkness,the Lord shall be a light unto me."
-Micah 7:8
Monday, December 3, 2018
Natural Notebook:Genentech-Shionogi Flu Drug Approved,Hits the Market
Genentech,an American biotech subsidiary of Roche Holding AG of Basel,Switzerland,and its partner Shionogi and Co.Ltd of Osaka,Japan have received FDA approval for the sale of their new influenza treatment,Xofluza (TM).The FDA had fast-tracked the drug for quick review,indicating they were impressed by the prospective product.On 24 October 2018,the agency announced its approval.It is now available for patients 12 years old and up.The price is 30.00 for insured patients and 90.00 for uninsured,after Roche coupons are applied.*
The drug is a pill taken in a single dose,the first ever flu treatment of this dosage and the first pharmacologically distinctive flu treatment to be approved in nearly twenty years.It is the only effective single dosage influenza treatment available today.Competitor drug Tamiflu(R) is taken twice a day for five days.The two treatments are comparable in terms of effectiveness,lessening the length of the infection by at least a day.There is some evidence that Xofluza may help limit the spread of influenza.*
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb MD stated that:
With thousands of people getting flu every year,and many people becoming seriously ill,having safe and effective treatments is critical.This novel drug provides an important,additional treatment option.*
The pharmacological uniqueness of Xofluza stems from the fact that it inhibits polymerase acidic endonuclease,an enzyme that supports influenza virus reproduction;while Tamiflu inhibits the enzyme that causes the virus to spread.It is desirable to have more than one type of influenza treatment in case the virus should develop defences against one of them.Xofluza is recommended for acute,uncomplicated influenza.*
The CDC says that,since 2010,flu has caused annual infections at the rate of 9.2-35.6 million cases;140,000 to 190,000 hospitalisations;and 12,000 to 80,000 deaths.*
Roche Holding AG (OTCMKTS:RHHBY),Shionogi and Co. Ltd (OTCMKTS:SGIOY)
The drug is a pill taken in a single dose,the first ever flu treatment of this dosage and the first pharmacologically distinctive flu treatment to be approved in nearly twenty years.It is the only effective single dosage influenza treatment available today.Competitor drug Tamiflu(R) is taken twice a day for five days.The two treatments are comparable in terms of effectiveness,lessening the length of the infection by at least a day.There is some evidence that Xofluza may help limit the spread of influenza.*
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb MD stated that:
With thousands of people getting flu every year,and many people becoming seriously ill,having safe and effective treatments is critical.This novel drug provides an important,additional treatment option.*
The pharmacological uniqueness of Xofluza stems from the fact that it inhibits polymerase acidic endonuclease,an enzyme that supports influenza virus reproduction;while Tamiflu inhibits the enzyme that causes the virus to spread.It is desirable to have more than one type of influenza treatment in case the virus should develop defences against one of them.Xofluza is recommended for acute,uncomplicated influenza.*
The CDC says that,since 2010,flu has caused annual infections at the rate of 9.2-35.6 million cases;140,000 to 190,000 hospitalisations;and 12,000 to 80,000 deaths.*
Roche Holding AG (OTCMKTS:RHHBY),Shionogi and Co. Ltd (OTCMKTS:SGIOY)
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Friday, November 30, 2018
Thursday, November 29, 2018
US Troops Killed in Ghazni,Afghanistan Identified - General Miller Visited Province Armed with Long Rifle
Three Special Operations Forces members,including two Green Berets,serving in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel,the US antiterror campaign in Afghanistan,
were killed in Andar,Ghazni Province,Afghanistan on 27 November 2018.They were traveling in a convoy on the way to engage the enemy when an IED struck their vehicle.Three other US troops were wounded,as well as a civilian contractor.They were medevaced out for advanced treatment.The Taliban Islamist extremists claimed responsibility for the blast.
Those killed in action were identified as:
CPT Andrew P. Ross,US Army,29,of Lexington,Virginia;
SFC Eric M. Emond,US Army,39,of Brush Prairie,Washington State;
SSgt Dylan J. Elchin,25,US Air Force,of Hookstown,Pennsylvania.
CPT Ross and SFC Emond were members of 1st Battalion,3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne),out of Fort Bragg,North Carolina.SSgt Elchin was a member of 24th Special Operations Wing,26th Special Tactics Squadron,out of Cannon Air Force Base,New Mexico.*
COL Nathan Prussian,commander,3rd Special Forces Group,noted that:
Andrew and Eric were invaluable members and leaders in 3rd Special Forces Group and the Special Operations community.Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the families of these brave men.*
CPT Ross was on his second deployment.Among his decorations were the Bronze Star Medal (second award),Purple Heart Medal,NATO Medal,and the Combat Action Badge.He is survived by his wife and his parents.
SFC Emond was a veteran of more than 21 years of military service,both in the US Marines and the US Army.He was in his seventh deployment.Highly decorated,some of the awards he had earned were the Bronze Star Medal (third award),the Meritorious Service Medal,the NATO Achievement Medal (second award),the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal,and the Combat Action Badge.He is survived by his wife and three children.
SSgt Elchin was a special tactics combat controller,advising the ground forces commander,directing close air support aircraft,and delivering destructive ordnance on enemy targets in support of offensive combat operations.His decorations included the Bronze Star Medal,Army Commendation Medal with Valor,Air Force Combat Action Medal,and the NATO Medal.
LTC Gregory Walsh,commander of 26th Special Tactics Squadron,said that:
Dylan had an unusual drive to succeed and contribute to the team.He displayed maturity and stoicism beyond his years and was always level-headed,no matter what the situation.*
SSgt Elchin is survived by his fiancée and his parents.*
On 22 November 2018,GEN Austin S. Miller,commander,NATO Resolute Support Mission and US Forces-Afghanistan,visited Ghazni to encourage the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in their struggle,with US assistance, to secure the unstable province.He was photographed carrying his M4 carbine long rifle,which is quite unusual for a general officer to be seen carrying.Another notable instance of a well-armed general was that of General Matthew Ridgway in the Korean War,wearing grenades on his vest.
His spokesman said GEN Miller just hadn't found anywhere to put it.The general varies his armament according to the circumstances and the location.Sometimes he takes his M4;sometimes he doesn't.*
"They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted.
They fell with their faces to the foe."
-Robert Laurence Binyon,from "For the Fallen"
were killed in Andar,Ghazni Province,Afghanistan on 27 November 2018.They were traveling in a convoy on the way to engage the enemy when an IED struck their vehicle.Three other US troops were wounded,as well as a civilian contractor.They were medevaced out for advanced treatment.The Taliban Islamist extremists claimed responsibility for the blast.
Those killed in action were identified as:
CPT Andrew P. Ross,US Army,29,of Lexington,Virginia;
SFC Eric M. Emond,US Army,39,of Brush Prairie,Washington State;
SSgt Dylan J. Elchin,25,US Air Force,of Hookstown,Pennsylvania.
CPT Ross and SFC Emond were members of 1st Battalion,3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne),out of Fort Bragg,North Carolina.SSgt Elchin was a member of 24th Special Operations Wing,26th Special Tactics Squadron,out of Cannon Air Force Base,New Mexico.*
COL Nathan Prussian,commander,3rd Special Forces Group,noted that:
Andrew and Eric were invaluable members and leaders in 3rd Special Forces Group and the Special Operations community.Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the families of these brave men.*
CPT Ross was on his second deployment.Among his decorations were the Bronze Star Medal (second award),Purple Heart Medal,NATO Medal,and the Combat Action Badge.He is survived by his wife and his parents.
SFC Emond was a veteran of more than 21 years of military service,both in the US Marines and the US Army.He was in his seventh deployment.Highly decorated,some of the awards he had earned were the Bronze Star Medal (third award),the Meritorious Service Medal,the NATO Achievement Medal (second award),the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal,and the Combat Action Badge.He is survived by his wife and three children.
SSgt Elchin was a special tactics combat controller,advising the ground forces commander,directing close air support aircraft,and delivering destructive ordnance on enemy targets in support of offensive combat operations.His decorations included the Bronze Star Medal,Army Commendation Medal with Valor,Air Force Combat Action Medal,and the NATO Medal.
LTC Gregory Walsh,commander of 26th Special Tactics Squadron,said that:
Dylan had an unusual drive to succeed and contribute to the team.He displayed maturity and stoicism beyond his years and was always level-headed,no matter what the situation.*
SSgt Elchin is survived by his fiancée and his parents.*
On 22 November 2018,GEN Austin S. Miller,commander,NATO Resolute Support Mission and US Forces-Afghanistan,visited Ghazni to encourage the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in their struggle,with US assistance, to secure the unstable province.He was photographed carrying his M4 carbine long rifle,which is quite unusual for a general officer to be seen carrying.Another notable instance of a well-armed general was that of General Matthew Ridgway in the Korean War,wearing grenades on his vest.
His spokesman said GEN Miller just hadn't found anywhere to put it.The general varies his armament according to the circumstances and the location.Sometimes he takes his M4;sometimes he doesn't.*
"They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted.
They fell with their faces to the foe."
-Robert Laurence Binyon,from "For the Fallen"
Mattis: Actions in Ukraine Show Russia’s Word Cannot Be Trusted
Mattis: Actions in Ukraine Show Russia’s Word Cannot Be Trusted: Russia’s seizure of three Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov in contradiction to signed treaties and the Law of the Sea show that Russia cannot be counted on to keep its word, Defense Secretary James
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
NATO Bulletin and Update:Three More US Troops Die in Ghazni,Afghanistan Blast;Initial Review of Nimruz Province Incident Indicates Friendly Fire
NATO's Resolute Support Mission has issued two news releases today on US fatalities in the Afghan War,one of them updating yesterday's release on the death of SGT Leandro A.S. Jasso;the other reports a separate,later incident which occurred on 27 November 2018.
The new incident:
Word has been received that three more US service members were killed in action on 27 November 2018,this time near the city of Ghazni,which is south of the Afghan capital,Kabul.They died in an IED explosion that was claimed by the Taliban Islamist extremists.Three more troops were wounded,as was a civilian contractor.The wounded personnel were medevaced out for advanced treatment.Further details are pending family notification.*
The update:
An initial review of the 24 November 2018 incident that took the life of SGT Jasso of Leavenworth,Washington State shows that he likely died of friendly fire,NATO explained.SGT Jasso was accompanying members of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces on an assault of multiple barricaded al-Qaida shooters.In the close quarters combat that ensued,it is believed that an ANDSF member mistakenly shot SGT Jasso.There is no evidence of a green on blue attack (insider attack) in this case.
In the words of Resolute Support and US Forces-Afghanistan commander GEN Austin Scott Miller:
SGT Jasso was killed defending our nation,fighting al-Qaida alongside our Afghan partners.All of us,and throughout our Coalition of 41 nations,recognise the threats posed by groups such as al-Qaida and ISIS and are determined to fight them here.*
The two lethal incidents bring the total US troop losses in the Afghan War this year to 13.
The new incident:
Word has been received that three more US service members were killed in action on 27 November 2018,this time near the city of Ghazni,which is south of the Afghan capital,Kabul.They died in an IED explosion that was claimed by the Taliban Islamist extremists.Three more troops were wounded,as was a civilian contractor.The wounded personnel were medevaced out for advanced treatment.Further details are pending family notification.*
The update:
An initial review of the 24 November 2018 incident that took the life of SGT Jasso of Leavenworth,Washington State shows that he likely died of friendly fire,NATO explained.SGT Jasso was accompanying members of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces on an assault of multiple barricaded al-Qaida shooters.In the close quarters combat that ensued,it is believed that an ANDSF member mistakenly shot SGT Jasso.There is no evidence of a green on blue attack (insider attack) in this case.
In the words of Resolute Support and US Forces-Afghanistan commander GEN Austin Scott Miller:
SGT Jasso was killed defending our nation,fighting al-Qaida alongside our Afghan partners.All of us,and throughout our Coalition of 41 nations,recognise the threats posed by groups such as al-Qaida and ISIS and are determined to fight them here.*
The two lethal incidents bring the total US troop losses in the Afghan War this year to 13.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Afghan War:Army Ranger Killed in Battle with al-Qaida
A US Soldier killed in action over the weekend has been identified.On 24 November 2018,a US Army Ranger,SGT Leandro A.S. Jasso,25,of Leavenworth,Washington State,was killed as a result of a firefight with al-Qaida militants,the Pentagon said.Struck by small arms fire,he was medevaced to the neighbouring Helmand Province for advanced treatment,where he died.The battle occurred in Khash Rod District of Nimruz Province in Southwestern Afghanistan.Nimruz has desert borders with both Pakistan and Iran.The incident is under investigation.*
SGT Jasso was a team leader with Alpha Company,2nd Battalion,75th Ranger Regiment out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord,Washington.He was on his third tour in Afghanistan,serving in support of the US counterterror mission there,Operation Freedom's Sentinel.SGT Jasso had earlier received the Combat Infantryman Badge,indicating he was already a combat veteran at the time of Saturday's battle.According to 2nd Battalion commander LTCOL Rob McChrystal:
SGT Jasso was a humble professional who placed the mission first,lived the Ranger Creed and will be deeply missed.*
It was the second American death in the Afghan War this month,and the tenth of 2018.On 7 November,MAJ Brent R. Taylor,Mayor of North Ogden,Utah,was killed in a green on blue attack in the Afghan capital,Kabul,while serving with the Utah Army National Guard.
SGT Jasso was a team leader with Alpha Company,2nd Battalion,75th Ranger Regiment out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord,Washington.He was on his third tour in Afghanistan,serving in support of the US counterterror mission there,Operation Freedom's Sentinel.SGT Jasso had earlier received the Combat Infantryman Badge,indicating he was already a combat veteran at the time of Saturday's battle.According to 2nd Battalion commander LTCOL Rob McChrystal:
SGT Jasso was a humble professional who placed the mission first,lived the Ranger Creed and will be deeply missed.*
It was the second American death in the Afghan War this month,and the tenth of 2018.On 7 November,MAJ Brent R. Taylor,Mayor of North Ogden,Utah,was killed in a green on blue attack in the Afghan capital,Kabul,while serving with the Utah Army National Guard.
Saturday, November 24, 2018
NATO:US Service Member Killed
NATO'S Resolute Support Mission has announced in a press release that a US service member was killed in Afghanistan today,24 November 2018.
In accordance with Department of Defense policy,the service member's identity is being withheld for 24 hours following notification of family.
It is the tenth US death in the Afghan War this year,according to the Stars and Stripes newspaper.About 2400 Americans have died in the war since it began when President George W. Bush dispatched the CIA and US military to Afghanistan in 2001,in order to respond to al-Qaida's 9-11 attacks on the United States.
In accordance with Department of Defense policy,the service member's identity is being withheld for 24 hours following notification of family.
It is the tenth US death in the Afghan War this year,according to the Stars and Stripes newspaper.About 2400 Americans have died in the war since it began when President George W. Bush dispatched the CIA and US military to Afghanistan in 2001,in order to respond to al-Qaida's 9-11 attacks on the United States.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Natural Notebook:Female Asiatic Cheetah Killed in Iran,Highlighting the Subspecies' Precarious Position
A critically endangered Asiatic cheetah,also called Iranian cheetah,was killed in a road accident in North Khorasan Province,Iran recently,the Provincial Department of the Environment announced.The loss of a female,one of the approximately 50 Asiatic cheetahs left in the wild-all of them in Iran-was especially hard to bear.She had sustained a severe spinal cord injury and died while being transported to the DOE.Several road signs in the area were apparently unheeded.The wreck caused irreparable harm to Iran's biodiversity and the conservation of a valuable species,the DOE said.*
Between 32,000 and 67,000 years ago,a new subspecies of cheetah branched off from the African cheetah and established itself from the Arabian Peninsula,the Near East and the Caspian Sea region to Pakistan and India.The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubilatus venaticus) has now been extirpated from most of its range,only occurring on the Iranian central plateau, a remote and mountainous desert area which is sparsely populated.
The Asiatic cheetah has been shown to be genetically distinct from the African cheetah by a mitochondrial DNA study.It is morphologically distinguished from its African cousin by a smaller head;shorter legs;a thicker coat in winter,particularly on the ruff and belly,when it encounters snowfall;and a longer,more powerful neck.It preys on smaller mammals such as gazelles and hares.*
Road accidents are a major source of mortality for the Asiatic cheetah and its prey alike,with guard dogs being another significant threat.Habitat has also been fragmented by mining operations and roadbuilding.Fencing along roads is supposed to be done,but has been incompetently handled by the Transport Ministry,environmental officials complain.Cheetahs are wide-ranging,covering up to several thousand square kilometers a year.
The UN supports Iran's cheetah conservation programme,which consists of a network of 92 specially trained park wardens spread over a total of six million hectares of habitat in Central and Northern Iran.*
The Asiatic cheetah is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List,the standard conservation status reference in use among environmental professionals.
Between 32,000 and 67,000 years ago,a new subspecies of cheetah branched off from the African cheetah and established itself from the Arabian Peninsula,the Near East and the Caspian Sea region to Pakistan and India.The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubilatus venaticus) has now been extirpated from most of its range,only occurring on the Iranian central plateau, a remote and mountainous desert area which is sparsely populated.
The Asiatic cheetah has been shown to be genetically distinct from the African cheetah by a mitochondrial DNA study.It is morphologically distinguished from its African cousin by a smaller head;shorter legs;a thicker coat in winter,particularly on the ruff and belly,when it encounters snowfall;and a longer,more powerful neck.It preys on smaller mammals such as gazelles and hares.*
Road accidents are a major source of mortality for the Asiatic cheetah and its prey alike,with guard dogs being another significant threat.Habitat has also been fragmented by mining operations and roadbuilding.Fencing along roads is supposed to be done,but has been incompetently handled by the Transport Ministry,environmental officials complain.Cheetahs are wide-ranging,covering up to several thousand square kilometers a year.
The UN supports Iran's cheetah conservation programme,which consists of a network of 92 specially trained park wardens spread over a total of six million hectares of habitat in Central and Northern Iran.*
The Asiatic cheetah is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List,the standard conservation status reference in use among environmental professionals.
F-16 Getting GPS Anti-Jam from Rockwell Collins - Avionics
F-16 Getting GPS Anti-Jam from Rockwell Collins - Avionics: The U.S. Defense Department has given Rockwell Collins a $30 million contract to upgrade F-16s with the company’s digital GPS anti-jam receiver (DIGAR) for the U.S. Air Force Reserves and National Guard. The F-16 will be the first fighter to receive the latest version of the DIGAR, which provides GPS jamming protection across 16 simultaneous …
Monday, November 19, 2018
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Operation Inherent Resolve:Combat Against Islamic State Continues in Both Syria and Iraq
Many members of the public may believe the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant is over;but that is far from the case,recent press releases from Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve make plain.For example,on 24 October 2018,US Army Soldiers fired an M777 A2 howitzer from Firebase Saham,Iraq.They were acting in support of Operation Roundup,a military offensive to eliminate ISIL from the Middle Euphrates River Valley and the Syria-Iraq border region.
The Soldiers at Firebase Saham are members of Bravo Battery,Field Artillery Squadron,3rd Cavalry Regiment.It is a physically demanding team effort to load and fire the howitzers.Providing indirect fires along with French artillery in Iraq,the US troops are part of the overall Coalition effort against Islamic State,Operation Inherent Resolve,which also includes training missions and air strikes in support of Iraqi Security Forces on the ground in Iraq and Syrian Democratic Forces in neighbouring Syria.*
NATO has begun a training mission in Iraq as well.*
ISIL is reportedly going underground and operating at night,while trying to blend with the civilian population during the day.The Islamist extremist militants have a remarkable ability to transform and regenerate themselves.*
More recently,on 30 October,ISF and Iraqi Counter Terrorism Services,with Coalition support,conducted multiple strikes against Daesh (an Arab word for ISIL) on Khanukah Mountain in Salah ad Din Province,Iraq.Killed in the raids were five senior Daesh leaders and over 30 other Daesh militants.The leaders had oversight responsibility for Daesh operations in Salah ad Din,Kirkuk,Nineveh and Northern Anbar Provinces.The other militants helped coordinate VBIED attacks in Sharqat and Qayarrah that injured civilians;as well as several attacks against ISF,Iraqi civilians and infrastructure in Salah ad Din and Kirkuk Provinces.
The Soldiers at Firebase Saham are members of Bravo Battery,Field Artillery Squadron,3rd Cavalry Regiment.It is a physically demanding team effort to load and fire the howitzers.Providing indirect fires along with French artillery in Iraq,the US troops are part of the overall Coalition effort against Islamic State,Operation Inherent Resolve,which also includes training missions and air strikes in support of Iraqi Security Forces on the ground in Iraq and Syrian Democratic Forces in neighbouring Syria.*
NATO has begun a training mission in Iraq as well.*
ISIL is reportedly going underground and operating at night,while trying to blend with the civilian population during the day.The Islamist extremist militants have a remarkable ability to transform and regenerate themselves.*
More recently,on 30 October,ISF and Iraqi Counter Terrorism Services,with Coalition support,conducted multiple strikes against Daesh (an Arab word for ISIL) on Khanukah Mountain in Salah ad Din Province,Iraq.Killed in the raids were five senior Daesh leaders and over 30 other Daesh militants.The leaders had oversight responsibility for Daesh operations in Salah ad Din,Kirkuk,Nineveh and Northern Anbar Provinces.The other militants helped coordinate VBIED attacks in Sharqat and Qayarrah that injured civilians;as well as several attacks against ISF,Iraqi civilians and infrastructure in Salah ad Din and Kirkuk Provinces.
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Unsafe Interaction:US Navy Criticises Russian Intercept
On 5 November 2018,a Russian fighter jet conducted an intercept of a US Navy SIGINT plane,drawing a critical response from the Navy.According to a news release from US Naval Forces Europe and Africa/US 6th Fleet,a Russian Su-27,NATO code name "Flanker,"intercepted a US Navy EP-3 Aries over international waters of the Black Sea:
The interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the Su-27 conducting a high speed pass directly in front of the mission aircraft,which put our pilots and crew at risk.The intercepting Su-27 made another pass,closing with the EP-3 and applying its afterburner while conducting a banking turn away.The crew of the EP-3 reported turbulence during the first interaction,and vibrations from the second.The duration of the intercepts was approximately 25 minutes.*
In conclusion,the Navy stated:
Unsafe actions increase the risk of miscalculation and potential for midair collisions.
The US aircraft was operating in accordance with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity.*
The EP-3 Aries is a Lockheed Martin turboprop aircraft based on the EP-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft.It was perhaps collecting SIGINT from Russian military activity in or near Crimea,Ukraine,which has been intensifying for the past five years.The classified missions of the EP-3 Aries are mainly conducted in high threat environments where long-range standoff capability is desirable.
The EP-3 Aries is the Navy's only land-based SIGINT platform.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
The interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the Su-27 conducting a high speed pass directly in front of the mission aircraft,which put our pilots and crew at risk.The intercepting Su-27 made another pass,closing with the EP-3 and applying its afterburner while conducting a banking turn away.The crew of the EP-3 reported turbulence during the first interaction,and vibrations from the second.The duration of the intercepts was approximately 25 minutes.*
In conclusion,the Navy stated:
Unsafe actions increase the risk of miscalculation and potential for midair collisions.
The US aircraft was operating in accordance with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity.*
The EP-3 Aries is a Lockheed Martin turboprop aircraft based on the EP-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft.It was perhaps collecting SIGINT from Russian military activity in or near Crimea,Ukraine,which has been intensifying for the past five years.The classified missions of the EP-3 Aries are mainly conducted in high threat environments where long-range standoff capability is desirable.
The EP-3 Aries is the Navy's only land-based SIGINT platform.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
NATO's Trident Juncture 2018 at Full Force
The largest NATO exercise in recent memory is now fully engaged in overcoming wintry challenges in Northern and Central Norway.Trident Juncture 18 got underway with the US Marines doing preliminary training in Iceland in mid-October.This was followed by the Live Field Exercise beginning on 25 October and extending to 7 November.
The Marines have provided the biggest contingent from the US military at the drills.Landing in Iceland via the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) amphibious assault ship,dozens of Marines secured Keflavik Air Base on 17 October and set up a communications relay point before turning the base over to Icelandic National Police armed with automatic weapons.On 19 October,the Marines marched inland to a cold weather training site attired in watch caps,gaiters and snow/mud boots.
Altogether,more than 14,000 US troops from the Army,Navy,Marines and Air Force are participating in TJ 18.
On 29 October,the Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit went on to conduct an amphibious assault in the Landing Craft Air-Cushioned at Alvund,Norway.*
Operationally,the focus of the drills is qualifying the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) 2019 and testing the Alliance's follow-on forces.Norway is learning how to host these reinforcing Allied troops.
The importance of the Bundeswehr to NATO is being emphasised at the exercise.A brigade of German troops initiated TJ 18,and Germany is leading the VJTF 2019 with its 9th Armoured Demonstration Brigade,Munster (tanks).In all,some 8,000 German personnel will field 200 armoured vehicles and 20 Leopard 2 Combat Tanks in the drills.*
The 65 warships in TJ 18 are interacting with the aircraft carrier USS Harry
S Truman (CVN 75).*
All 29 NATO Allies are involved in the drills,as are partner nations Sweden and Finland,whose airspace is being utilised.The scenario involves a NATO Ally invoking the Article V collective defence clause when an enemy attacks.The VJTF responds first and is then reinforced.NATO's land forces in Norway are being led by Canadian Forces LTGEN Christian Juneau.
NATO is testing its total defence concept at freezing point,conducting collective defence with all-domain warfighting just below the Arctic Circle,while dealing with such conditions as ice,mud,rain and snow.
The Marines have provided the biggest contingent from the US military at the drills.Landing in Iceland via the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) amphibious assault ship,dozens of Marines secured Keflavik Air Base on 17 October and set up a communications relay point before turning the base over to Icelandic National Police armed with automatic weapons.On 19 October,the Marines marched inland to a cold weather training site attired in watch caps,gaiters and snow/mud boots.
Altogether,more than 14,000 US troops from the Army,Navy,Marines and Air Force are participating in TJ 18.
On 29 October,the Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit went on to conduct an amphibious assault in the Landing Craft Air-Cushioned at Alvund,Norway.*
Operationally,the focus of the drills is qualifying the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) 2019 and testing the Alliance's follow-on forces.Norway is learning how to host these reinforcing Allied troops.
The importance of the Bundeswehr to NATO is being emphasised at the exercise.A brigade of German troops initiated TJ 18,and Germany is leading the VJTF 2019 with its 9th Armoured Demonstration Brigade,Munster (tanks).In all,some 8,000 German personnel will field 200 armoured vehicles and 20 Leopard 2 Combat Tanks in the drills.*
The 65 warships in TJ 18 are interacting with the aircraft carrier USS Harry
S Truman (CVN 75).*
All 29 NATO Allies are involved in the drills,as are partner nations Sweden and Finland,whose airspace is being utilised.The scenario involves a NATO Ally invoking the Article V collective defence clause when an enemy attacks.The VJTF responds first and is then reinforced.NATO's land forces in Norway are being led by Canadian Forces LTGEN Christian Juneau.
NATO is testing its total defence concept at freezing point,conducting collective defence with all-domain warfighting just below the Arctic Circle,while dealing with such conditions as ice,mud,rain and snow.
Friday, October 26, 2018
Afghan War Update:NATO Soldier Killed in Herat Identified
The NATO Soldier killed in a green on blue attack on 22 October 2018 in Herat Province,Afghanistan has been identified.He was CPL Tomas Prochazka of the Czech forces.Two other Czech troops were wounded and evacuated to a hospital in Belgium,according to Radio Prague.
The attacker is believed to have fired at random on Coalition forces from a distance of 80-100 meters with an M-14 assault rifle.He was not a member of an ANDSF unit the Czechs were training.The Czech Soldiers were returning to Shindand Air Base from a routine assignment of gathering building materials for use on base when the disguised militant opened fire on their vehicle.He was immediately subdued by ANDSF.The Taliban Islamist extremists claimed responsibility for the assault.*
It is the Czechs' fourth loss of a service member in Afghanistan in the past three months,and there were seven other Czech troops wounded in that time frame.Czech Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar said the uptick in violence may be related to the ongoing Afghan elections.Mr.Metnar insisted:
We are not leaving Afghanistan,as our mission is not finished.We will go on...Every incident in Afghanistan is deeply analysed and countermeasures are taken.*
CPL Prochazka,42,of Hradek nad Nison,Northern Bohemia,was in the midst of a six-month deployment that started in August 2018.He was a Cynologist,or K-9 specialist.*
Shindand is a former Soviet air base that was refurbished by US forces.
The attacker is believed to have fired at random on Coalition forces from a distance of 80-100 meters with an M-14 assault rifle.He was not a member of an ANDSF unit the Czechs were training.The Czech Soldiers were returning to Shindand Air Base from a routine assignment of gathering building materials for use on base when the disguised militant opened fire on their vehicle.He was immediately subdued by ANDSF.The Taliban Islamist extremists claimed responsibility for the assault.*
It is the Czechs' fourth loss of a service member in Afghanistan in the past three months,and there were seven other Czech troops wounded in that time frame.Czech Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar said the uptick in violence may be related to the ongoing Afghan elections.Mr.Metnar insisted:
We are not leaving Afghanistan,as our mission is not finished.We will go on...Every incident in Afghanistan is deeply analysed and countermeasures are taken.*
CPL Prochazka,42,of Hradek nad Nison,Northern Bohemia,was in the midst of a six-month deployment that started in August 2018.He was a Cynologist,or K-9 specialist.*
Shindand is a former Soviet air base that was refurbished by US forces.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Afghan War:NATO Service Member Killed in Herat
A non-US NATO service member has been killed in Herat Province,Western Afghanistan on 22 October 2018.The person was serving in the Resolute Support Mission's Train,Advise and Assist Command-West (TAAC-West).Two other troops were wounded.No nationalities or identities were available.TAAC-West is led by Italian personnel.Also serving in TAAC-West are troops from Albania,Lithuania,Slovenia,Ukraine and the US.TAAC-West is helping the Afghan National Army's 207th Corps and the 606th Afghan National Police Zone.*
The incident was reportedly a green on blue attack,or someone disguised as an Afghan National Defence and Security Forces member attacking a Coalition service member.A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack,saying one of their "infiltrators" was the assailant.The flare-up was the second green on blue attack in less than a week.On 18 October,the Taliban militants claimed responsibility for an attack following a security review session in Kandahar Province,Southern Afghanistan,in which two Afghan leaders were killed and two Americans were wounded.The Afghans lost were the highly admired Kandahar Province police chief GEN Abdul Raziq,and a senior Afghan intelligence officer.Those wounded in the firefight included a US general officer,BGEN Jeffrey D. Smiley,US Army,commander of TAAC-South,and a US contractor.The Taliban Islamist extremists said they had hoped to kill the new commander of US Forces Afghanistan and NATO's Resolute Support Mission,GEN Austin Scott Miller,US Army,who took command on 2 September 2018,but he escaped unscathed.
GEN Miller has a Special Operations Forces background,having recently served as commander,Joint Special Operations Command.He is a veteran of the Battle of Mogadishu,Somalia;the Iraq War;and the Afghan War.Among his decorations are the Bronze Star Medal,the Purple Heart Medal and the Legion of Merit.
The incident was reportedly a green on blue attack,or someone disguised as an Afghan National Defence and Security Forces member attacking a Coalition service member.A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack,saying one of their "infiltrators" was the assailant.The flare-up was the second green on blue attack in less than a week.On 18 October,the Taliban militants claimed responsibility for an attack following a security review session in Kandahar Province,Southern Afghanistan,in which two Afghan leaders were killed and two Americans were wounded.The Afghans lost were the highly admired Kandahar Province police chief GEN Abdul Raziq,and a senior Afghan intelligence officer.Those wounded in the firefight included a US general officer,BGEN Jeffrey D. Smiley,US Army,commander of TAAC-South,and a US contractor.The Taliban Islamist extremists said they had hoped to kill the new commander of US Forces Afghanistan and NATO's Resolute Support Mission,GEN Austin Scott Miller,US Army,who took command on 2 September 2018,but he escaped unscathed.
GEN Miller has a Special Operations Forces background,having recently served as commander,Joint Special Operations Command.He is a veteran of the Battle of Mogadishu,Somalia;the Iraq War;and the Afghan War.Among his decorations are the Bronze Star Medal,the Purple Heart Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Monday, October 22, 2018
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
US Strikes al-Qaida Group in Somalia - dozens killed
According to a press release from US Africa Command,US Forces,in coordination with the Somali Government,conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab Islamist extremists,who are associated with al-Qaida,on 12 October 2018.It took place in the Haradere area of Mugdu Province,Somalia.The current assessment is that about 60 militants were killed,which makes it the biggest strike since 21 November 2017,in which around 100 al-Shabaab members were killed.No civilians were killed or injured in the latest strike,the assessment found.
Such strikes reduce al-Shabaab's ability to plot future attacks;disrupt the leadership networks;and degrade the freedom of manoeuvre in the region,AFRICOM said.*
The enemy has used parts of Southern and Central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks;steal humanitarian aid;extort the local populace to fund its operations;and shelter radical terrorists,thus destabilising Somalia and its neighbours,while threatening the interests of the US and its allies in the region.*
Baledogle Airfield,70 miles/112.654 km northwest of the capital Mogadishu,is a former Soviet airbase now used by multinational forces,including the US,which has launched drone attacks against al-Shabaab from it.It is believed that armed General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drones were sent on this latest mission.The US has also launched missiles from US Navy warships against the militants.
MQ-9s are additionally used for high altitude surveillance missions.The Reaper is flown by the Royal Air Force and Italian Air Force as well.*
Such strikes reduce al-Shabaab's ability to plot future attacks;disrupt the leadership networks;and degrade the freedom of manoeuvre in the region,AFRICOM said.*
The enemy has used parts of Southern and Central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks;steal humanitarian aid;extort the local populace to fund its operations;and shelter radical terrorists,thus destabilising Somalia and its neighbours,while threatening the interests of the US and its allies in the region.*
Baledogle Airfield,70 miles/112.654 km northwest of the capital Mogadishu,is a former Soviet airbase now used by multinational forces,including the US,which has launched drone attacks against al-Shabaab from it.It is believed that armed General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drones were sent on this latest mission.The US has also launched missiles from US Navy warships against the militants.
MQ-9s are additionally used for high altitude surveillance missions.The Reaper is flown by the Royal Air Force and Italian Air Force as well.*
Monday, October 15, 2018
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Aircraft Carrier Rushed to Europe on Snap Deployment - big NATO exercise scenario revealed
The US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and its Carrier Strike Group of a Guided Missile Cruiser,Guided Missile Destroyers and likely an Attack Submarine has been on a breakneck pace as of late.After a summer deployment that was abruptly halted in July after only three months,as opposed to the customary seven months,and a return to its Norfolk,Virginia homeport,the Truman was ordered right back to Europe and arrived in mid-September.The ship and its 6,000 crewmembers are to be a focal point of the massive NATO Exercise Trident Juncture 2018,which runs from 25 October to 7 November.Some 45,000 personnel from 29 NATO Allies,plus partner nations Finland and Sweden,will participate.*
The Truman's demanding schedule is part of the US Navy's new Dynamic Force Employment strategy.It means the warships and their crews must be on a more agile and unpredictable footing for crisis response in an era of renewed great power competition.As ADL Christopher Grady,commander,Fleet Forces Command,put it:
Let me be clear:all returning units are one hundred percent mission-capable and will remain in the sustainment phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan,which means they will sustain warfighting readiness and be ready to surge forward or redeploy when called upon.*
As Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the US House of Representatives:
The way you do this is ensure that preparation for great power competition drives not simply a rotational schedule that allows me to tell you,three years from now,which aircraft carrier will be where in the world.*
According to US Navy ADL James G. Foggo III,commander,US Naval Forces Europe and Africa and all NATO naval forces:
Trident Juncture 18 is going to test our ability to plan and conduct a major collective defence operation .*
The drills will be held in Central and Eastern Norway;the contiguous Baltic Sea and North Atlantic Ocean;Iceland and the airspace of Finland and Sweden.The exercise scenario is that a NATO Ally has requested help under the Alliance's Article V collective defence clause.*
About 2,000 US Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the roughly 700 Marines of the 3rd Battalion,8th Marines already on rotation in Norway will also play a major role in the scenario with the new anti-tank version of the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-AT).These are armed with the TOW anti-tank missile.
The Truman's demanding schedule is part of the US Navy's new Dynamic Force Employment strategy.It means the warships and their crews must be on a more agile and unpredictable footing for crisis response in an era of renewed great power competition.As ADL Christopher Grady,commander,Fleet Forces Command,put it:
Let me be clear:all returning units are one hundred percent mission-capable and will remain in the sustainment phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan,which means they will sustain warfighting readiness and be ready to surge forward or redeploy when called upon.*
As Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the US House of Representatives:
The way you do this is ensure that preparation for great power competition drives not simply a rotational schedule that allows me to tell you,three years from now,which aircraft carrier will be where in the world.*
According to US Navy ADL James G. Foggo III,commander,US Naval Forces Europe and Africa and all NATO naval forces:
Trident Juncture 18 is going to test our ability to plan and conduct a major collective defence operation .*
The drills will be held in Central and Eastern Norway;the contiguous Baltic Sea and North Atlantic Ocean;Iceland and the airspace of Finland and Sweden.The exercise scenario is that a NATO Ally has requested help under the Alliance's Article V collective defence clause.*
About 2,000 US Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the roughly 700 Marines of the 3rd Battalion,8th Marines already on rotation in Norway will also play a major role in the scenario with the new anti-tank version of the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-AT).These are armed with the TOW anti-tank missile.
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Afghan War:National Guard Soldier Killed in Helmand Identified
A US Army Soldier killed in action in Garmsir district,Helmand Province,Afghanistan has been identified as SPC James A. Slape,23,of Morehead,North Carolina.Serving in support of both the NATO Resolute Support Mission and Operation Freedom's Sentinel,SPC Slape was a member of the North Carolina National Guard's 60th Troop Command,430th Explosive Ordnance Company.
He was an explosive ordnance disposal technician and was approaching a vehicle that had struck an IED,intending to clear a path to it,when a second IED blew up,severely wounding him.He later died at a medical care facility.*
SPC Slape had joined the Guard in 2013 and was deployed to Afghanistan in April 2018,being posted to Camp Dwyer in Helmand Province,which is focused on assisting Afghan National Defence and Security Forces overcome the substantial Taliban militant presence in the Province.He was to have returned home in the spring.SPC Slape's was the seventh American combat death in Afghanistan this year.He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
About 14,000 US troops are serving in Afghanistan at this time,led by General Austin Scott Miller,US Army.*
Righteousness exalteth a nation;but sin is a reproach to any people.
-Proverbs 14:34
He was an explosive ordnance disposal technician and was approaching a vehicle that had struck an IED,intending to clear a path to it,when a second IED blew up,severely wounding him.He later died at a medical care facility.*
SPC Slape had joined the Guard in 2013 and was deployed to Afghanistan in April 2018,being posted to Camp Dwyer in Helmand Province,which is focused on assisting Afghan National Defence and Security Forces overcome the substantial Taliban militant presence in the Province.He was to have returned home in the spring.SPC Slape's was the seventh American combat death in Afghanistan this year.He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
About 14,000 US troops are serving in Afghanistan at this time,led by General Austin Scott Miller,US Army.*
Righteousness exalteth a nation;but sin is a reproach to any people.
-Proverbs 14:34
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
First To Fight:US Marine Corps Bashes the Enemy with the Lightning II - plus the UK's own F-35B milestone
According to Naval Support Activity Bahrain,the US Marine Corps' F-35B Lightning II has been unleashed for combat operations in support of the counter-terrorist Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan.On 27 September 2018,an F-35B conducted a successful airstrike to assist with ground clearance operations.
US Navy VADM Scott A. Stearney,commander,US Naval Forces Central Command:
As part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group,this platform (the F-35B Lightning II) supports operations on the ground from international waters,all while enabling maritime superiority that enhances stability and security.*
The Essex ARG in turn belongs to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit,which is the first combat-deployed MEU replacing the AV-8B Harrier with the Lockheed Martin F-35B.The F-35B scrambled for the mission is from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211,which is currently embarked on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2).COL Chandler S. Nelms,13th MEU commander,said that:
The opportunity for us to be the first Navy-Marine Corps team to employ the F-35B in support of manoeuvre forces on the ground demonstrates one aspect of the capabilities this platform brings to the region,our allies and our partners.*
The F-35B,with its short takeoff/vertical landing capability,is the same variant of the Lightning II being acquired by the UK.*
CNN reported that the target on the 27 September Marine Corps mission was a fixed Taliban Islamist extremist location.The raid was dedicated to Marine Corps hero LTCOL C.K. 'Otis' Raible,who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2012 when,armed with only a pistol,he led a quick response as the Taliban launched an incursion against Camp Bastion,blowing up Harrier AV-8B aircraft on the ground.Photos show that the F-35B launched on 27 September was armed with weapons including the GBU-32 JDAM;the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb;and the GAU-22 gun pod.
It is not known how many F-35Bs went on the mission or how many of them delivered ordnance on the target.Perhaps only one delivered ordnance and others played an intel support roll,so this blog has used the singular to refer to the attacking aircraft.*
In late May,it was revealed that the Israeli F-35 Adir Joint Strike Fighter conducted the first two strikes ever made by any nation with the fifth generation aircraft.The targets were in the Middle East-quite possibly they were Iranian forces on the ground in Syria or elsewhere.*
On 25 September,Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots began developing the operational envelope of the F-35B on the UK's new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier with the first takeoffs and landings on the deck of the advanced warship.This re-established British aircraft carrier aviation after an eight-year gap that began when their last AV-8B Harrier was retired from service.*
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT)
US Navy VADM Scott A. Stearney,commander,US Naval Forces Central Command:
As part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group,this platform (the F-35B Lightning II) supports operations on the ground from international waters,all while enabling maritime superiority that enhances stability and security.*
The Essex ARG in turn belongs to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit,which is the first combat-deployed MEU replacing the AV-8B Harrier with the Lockheed Martin F-35B.The F-35B scrambled for the mission is from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211,which is currently embarked on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2).COL Chandler S. Nelms,13th MEU commander,said that:
The opportunity for us to be the first Navy-Marine Corps team to employ the F-35B in support of manoeuvre forces on the ground demonstrates one aspect of the capabilities this platform brings to the region,our allies and our partners.*
The F-35B,with its short takeoff/vertical landing capability,is the same variant of the Lightning II being acquired by the UK.*
CNN reported that the target on the 27 September Marine Corps mission was a fixed Taliban Islamist extremist location.The raid was dedicated to Marine Corps hero LTCOL C.K. 'Otis' Raible,who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2012 when,armed with only a pistol,he led a quick response as the Taliban launched an incursion against Camp Bastion,blowing up Harrier AV-8B aircraft on the ground.Photos show that the F-35B launched on 27 September was armed with weapons including the GBU-32 JDAM;the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb;and the GAU-22 gun pod.
It is not known how many F-35Bs went on the mission or how many of them delivered ordnance on the target.Perhaps only one delivered ordnance and others played an intel support roll,so this blog has used the singular to refer to the attacking aircraft.*
In late May,it was revealed that the Israeli F-35 Adir Joint Strike Fighter conducted the first two strikes ever made by any nation with the fifth generation aircraft.The targets were in the Middle East-quite possibly they were Iranian forces on the ground in Syria or elsewhere.*
On 25 September,Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots began developing the operational envelope of the F-35B on the UK's new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier with the first takeoffs and landings on the deck of the advanced warship.This re-established British aircraft carrier aviation after an eight-year gap that began when their last AV-8B Harrier was retired from service.*
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT)
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
The Donbas War:US Air Force Spy Plane Arrives as Ukraine Sets Up Its New Naval Base
A new front in the Donbas War in Eastern Ukraine may be opening up in the Sea of Azov,a bay-like body of water at the top of the Black Sea fronted by Ukraine to the west and Russia to the east.And with this development,the United States has taken a step in greater involvement in the conflict by sending a sophisticated reconnaissance aircraft to possibly assist NATO partner Ukraine with intelligence support for the naval base project.
On 22 September 2018,the Russian FSB (KGB successor) announced that ships of the FSB Coast Guard were dispatched to intercept two Ukrainian Navy ships that had entered the "exclusive economic zone" near Russian-annexed Crimea.These intercepted ships were the Ukrainian Navy's A 500 Donbas search&rescue ship and A 830 Korets seagoing tug.They had departed from Odessa,Ukraine on 20 September and were enroute to Mariupol and then Berdyansk,where the new naval base is going up.The two Ukrainian vessels were accompanied by small armoured artillery boats P 177 Kremenchuk and P 178 Lubny,which had been dispatched from the port of Berdyansk to support the Donbas and the Korets.
Meanwhile,at about 1200 hours local time,a US Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft began operations over the Kerch Strait area.The Kerch Strait is the narrow channel between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.Crossing the Strait is an illegal Russian-built bridge connecting the Taman Peninsula to Crimea which has been criticised by Ukraine and NATO.*
One of the FSB armed Coast Guard ships was the patrol ship Ametist (project 22460) which,with two other unidentified FSB patrol ships intercepted the Ukrainian Navy ships when they passed the Crimean city of Sevastopol.One of the FSB Coast Guard ships violated international norms by coming too close to the Ukrainians.Recall that the Ukrainian ships were transiting the Black Sea at this point to reach the Sea of Azov by way of the Kerch Strait.*
The Ukrainian ship Donbas will strengthen the Ukrainian Navy's fleet infrastructure on the Sea of Azov,helping establish the headquarters,barracks,warehouses and other critical facilities which are currently lacking.As well,on 12 September,Colonel General Serhiy Popko,commander,Ukrainian Ground Forces,said Ukraine would augment its ground forces near the Sea of Azov with permanent territorial defence structures,missile and artillery forces,plus Ukrainian Air Force assets,to provide a "reliable coastal defence."*
The RC-135V is considered a premier SIGINT collection platform.The US Air Force has 17 RC-135s,which are converted Boeing airliners that have been operational and upgraded since 1964.The RC-135 has participated in every major conflict since that time,and the UK has acquired its own Rivet Joint aircraft.*
As the Ukrainian ships approached the Kerch Strait,they were met by more than 10 FSB Coast Guard ships and Russian Navy warships,while also being buzzed by low-flying Russian aircraft.Nonetheless,the Ukrainian Navy ships made it safely to their objective.*
The Stratfor Company,a noted consultancy and publisher in the strategic and international studies field,made the following remarks on the Sea of Azov crisis:
The military buildup could lead to growing economic disruption of shipping in and out of the sea.Russia is stronger than Ukraine on the sea,but robust US support for Kiev could alter the situation in the area.
As a result of growing tensions,a flare-up is now entirely possible,especially if the United States brings its weight to bear in the conflict.*
The Boeing Company (BA)
On 22 September 2018,the Russian FSB (KGB successor) announced that ships of the FSB Coast Guard were dispatched to intercept two Ukrainian Navy ships that had entered the "exclusive economic zone" near Russian-annexed Crimea.These intercepted ships were the Ukrainian Navy's A 500 Donbas search&rescue ship and A 830 Korets seagoing tug.They had departed from Odessa,Ukraine on 20 September and were enroute to Mariupol and then Berdyansk,where the new naval base is going up.The two Ukrainian vessels were accompanied by small armoured artillery boats P 177 Kremenchuk and P 178 Lubny,which had been dispatched from the port of Berdyansk to support the Donbas and the Korets.
Meanwhile,at about 1200 hours local time,a US Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft began operations over the Kerch Strait area.The Kerch Strait is the narrow channel between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.Crossing the Strait is an illegal Russian-built bridge connecting the Taman Peninsula to Crimea which has been criticised by Ukraine and NATO.*
One of the FSB armed Coast Guard ships was the patrol ship Ametist (project 22460) which,with two other unidentified FSB patrol ships intercepted the Ukrainian Navy ships when they passed the Crimean city of Sevastopol.One of the FSB Coast Guard ships violated international norms by coming too close to the Ukrainians.Recall that the Ukrainian ships were transiting the Black Sea at this point to reach the Sea of Azov by way of the Kerch Strait.*
The Ukrainian ship Donbas will strengthen the Ukrainian Navy's fleet infrastructure on the Sea of Azov,helping establish the headquarters,barracks,warehouses and other critical facilities which are currently lacking.As well,on 12 September,Colonel General Serhiy Popko,commander,Ukrainian Ground Forces,said Ukraine would augment its ground forces near the Sea of Azov with permanent territorial defence structures,missile and artillery forces,plus Ukrainian Air Force assets,to provide a "reliable coastal defence."*
The RC-135V is considered a premier SIGINT collection platform.The US Air Force has 17 RC-135s,which are converted Boeing airliners that have been operational and upgraded since 1964.The RC-135 has participated in every major conflict since that time,and the UK has acquired its own Rivet Joint aircraft.*
As the Ukrainian ships approached the Kerch Strait,they were met by more than 10 FSB Coast Guard ships and Russian Navy warships,while also being buzzed by low-flying Russian aircraft.Nonetheless,the Ukrainian Navy ships made it safely to their objective.*
The Stratfor Company,a noted consultancy and publisher in the strategic and international studies field,made the following remarks on the Sea of Azov crisis:
The military buildup could lead to growing economic disruption of shipping in and out of the sea.Russia is stronger than Ukraine on the sea,but robust US support for Kiev could alter the situation in the area.
As a result of growing tensions,a flare-up is now entirely possible,especially if the United States brings its weight to bear in the conflict.*
The Boeing Company (BA)
Monday, September 24, 2018
Friday, September 21, 2018
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Rapid Trident 18:Preparing Ukraine for NATO
From 3-15 September 2018,troops from 14 nations assembled at Ukraine's International Peacekeeping and Security Centre in Yavoriv for two weeks of intensive training.The Rapid Trident 18 drills were aimed at building the sophistication of the Ukrainian Land Forces while strengthening the bonds with and between the multinational cohort.Ukraine aspires to NATO membership,as does the Republic of Georgia.As part of their path to NATO,both nations must undertake defence reform to ensure their interoperability with Alliance and partner forces.
Those militaries participating in RT 18 included: Azerbaijan;Bulgaria;Canada;Denmark;Georgia;Germany;Lithuania;Moldova;Poland;as well as Romania;Turkey;the UK;Ukraine;and the US.
The annual exercise builds military interoperability through establishing professional relationships and fostering camaraderie in the process of building Ukraine's sustainable training capacity and supporting defence reform,according to US 7th Army Training Command.*
The multinational forces served as trainers,observers and mentors throughout the situational training in platoon-level tasks such as border control and security;cordon and search;medevac and combat lifesaving;convoy security;reaction to contact;countering IEDs;bomb disposal;checkpoint security;observation post operations;drone usage for aerial observation;and armour manoeuvre and tactics. The second week of the drills combined all the training objectives into a live action field exercise for the Ukrainian training battalions,which included the Ukrainian Special Forces;Conventional Forces;National Guard;and Border Guard.
Representing the US were about 100 Soldiers from the California Army National Guard and around 200 from the Tennessee Army National Guard,which is currently serving a nine-month deployment at Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine.The US National Guard units have developed very strong ties with the Ukrainian Land Forces over several years of staffing the JMTG-U.
Those militaries participating in RT 18 included: Azerbaijan;Bulgaria;Canada;Denmark;Georgia;Germany;Lithuania;Moldova;Poland;as well as Romania;Turkey;the UK;Ukraine;and the US.
The annual exercise builds military interoperability through establishing professional relationships and fostering camaraderie in the process of building Ukraine's sustainable training capacity and supporting defence reform,according to US 7th Army Training Command.*
The multinational forces served as trainers,observers and mentors throughout the situational training in platoon-level tasks such as border control and security;cordon and search;medevac and combat lifesaving;convoy security;reaction to contact;countering IEDs;bomb disposal;checkpoint security;observation post operations;drone usage for aerial observation;and armour manoeuvre and tactics. The second week of the drills combined all the training objectives into a live action field exercise for the Ukrainian training battalions,which included the Ukrainian Special Forces;Conventional Forces;National Guard;and Border Guard.
Representing the US were about 100 Soldiers from the California Army National Guard and around 200 from the Tennessee Army National Guard,which is currently serving a nine-month deployment at Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine.The US National Guard units have developed very strong ties with the Ukrainian Land Forces over several years of staffing the JMTG-U.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
US Ups Its NATO Commitment to Germany
US Army Europe is increasing its troop strength in Germany,despite President Donald Trump's recent complaints that Germany isn't doing enough to defend itself and its NATO allies.Between now and 2020,USAEUR will be sending new units comprised of 1500 additional troops,mainly to Southern Germany.The move will round out existing US combat forces in Germany up to divisional strength.The new total commitment to Germany will be 34,800 American Soldiers in Deutschland.
Germany praised the decision.*
The new US forces will include:
1.a field artillery brigade HQ in Bavaria,Southern Germany;
2.2 multiple rocket launch system battalions in Bavaria;
3.a short-range air defence battalion in Ansbach,Bavaria;
4.support personnel at Grafenwoehr,Bavaria;and
5.support personnel at Baumholder,Rhineland-Palatinate,Western Germany,near the border with France.
According to USAEUR:
The addition of these forces increases US Army readiness in Europe and ensures we are better able to respond to any crisis.*
A Newsweek magazine investigation showed that the Trump administration has increased spending on USAEUR and its drills by up to 40%,or 1.4 billion dollars.
Germany praised the decision.*
The new US forces will include:
1.a field artillery brigade HQ in Bavaria,Southern Germany;
2.2 multiple rocket launch system battalions in Bavaria;
3.a short-range air defence battalion in Ansbach,Bavaria;
4.support personnel at Grafenwoehr,Bavaria;and
5.support personnel at Baumholder,Rhineland-Palatinate,Western Germany,near the border with France.
According to USAEUR:
The addition of these forces increases US Army readiness in Europe and ensures we are better able to respond to any crisis.*
A Newsweek magazine investigation showed that the Trump administration has increased spending on USAEUR and its drills by up to 40%,or 1.4 billion dollars.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Friday, September 7, 2018
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
West Virginia Soldier Killed in Afghanistan as New Commander Takes the Reins
A senior US Army non-commissioned officer was killed in a green on blue attack,an attack by a person disguised as an Afghan soldier or police officer against a coalition member,on Monday 3 September 2018 in Eastern Logar Province.CSM Timothy Bolyard of Thornton,West Virginia,42,was the sixth US combat death of the year in the Afghan War,and the second to fall in a green on blue attack.CPL Joseph Maciel was killed in a green on blue attack in July in Uruzgan Province.*
A second US Soldier was wounded in the most recent attack and is in stable condition.Reportedly, there had been a meeting of key Afghan leaders and US military advisors at Forward Operating Base Shark preceding the attack.Then of a sudden a spray of bullets from an Afghan National Police Humvee struck the two Soldiers in the back.An ANP officer was shot dead in response,and four others were arrested.
The Taliban miltants have an office that promotes and encourages green on blue attacks.*
CSM Bolyard was a member of 1st Squadron,38th Cavalry Regiment,currently a unit of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) out of Fort Benning,Georgia.The SFAB concept was formulated by the Trump Administration as part of its South Asia Strategy.It assigns members of non-special operations units to train,advise and assist the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces on the frontlines,thus freeing up Special Operations Forces and Brigade Combat Teams to concentrate on counter-terror missions against the Taliban,ISIL-K and al-Qaida Islamist extremists.*
Another US service member was killed in Afghanistan on 4 September in a so-called non-combat incident,the seventh US military death in Afghanistan for 2018.This service member's identity is being withheld pending family notification.Both incidents are under investigation.*
CSM Bolyard,who was married and the father of two,was on his thirteenth deployment and had been repeatedly decorated for his accomplishments,having been awarded six Bronze Star Medals,two of them with combat V device for valour;six Army Commendation Medals;nine Army Achievement Medals;four Meritorious Service Medals;the Iraq Campaign Medal with four Campaign Stars;the Kosovo Campaign Medal;and the Combat Action Badge.
BGEN Scott Jackson,commander of 1st SFAB,said of CSM Bolyard that:
He will live in our memories and the hundreds of Soldiers he led and cared for throughout his exceptional career.*
On Sunday 2 September 2018,the former Commander,US Special Operations Command,GEN Austin Scott Miller,US Army,assumed command of NATO Resolute Support Mission and US Forces-Afghanistan from GEN John Nicholson after his 30 months of service.GEN Miller has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan,as well as Somalia,having been decorated with the Bronze Star Medal,Purple Heart Medal and the Legion of Merit,among other awards.
A second US Soldier was wounded in the most recent attack and is in stable condition.Reportedly, there had been a meeting of key Afghan leaders and US military advisors at Forward Operating Base Shark preceding the attack.Then of a sudden a spray of bullets from an Afghan National Police Humvee struck the two Soldiers in the back.An ANP officer was shot dead in response,and four others were arrested.
The Taliban miltants have an office that promotes and encourages green on blue attacks.*
CSM Bolyard was a member of 1st Squadron,38th Cavalry Regiment,currently a unit of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) out of Fort Benning,Georgia.The SFAB concept was formulated by the Trump Administration as part of its South Asia Strategy.It assigns members of non-special operations units to train,advise and assist the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces on the frontlines,thus freeing up Special Operations Forces and Brigade Combat Teams to concentrate on counter-terror missions against the Taliban,ISIL-K and al-Qaida Islamist extremists.*
Another US service member was killed in Afghanistan on 4 September in a so-called non-combat incident,the seventh US military death in Afghanistan for 2018.This service member's identity is being withheld pending family notification.Both incidents are under investigation.*
CSM Bolyard,who was married and the father of two,was on his thirteenth deployment and had been repeatedly decorated for his accomplishments,having been awarded six Bronze Star Medals,two of them with combat V device for valour;six Army Commendation Medals;nine Army Achievement Medals;four Meritorious Service Medals;the Iraq Campaign Medal with four Campaign Stars;the Kosovo Campaign Medal;and the Combat Action Badge.
BGEN Scott Jackson,commander of 1st SFAB,said of CSM Bolyard that:
He will live in our memories and the hundreds of Soldiers he led and cared for throughout his exceptional career.*
On Sunday 2 September 2018,the former Commander,US Special Operations Command,GEN Austin Scott Miller,US Army,assumed command of NATO Resolute Support Mission and US Forces-Afghanistan from GEN John Nicholson after his 30 months of service.GEN Miller has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan,as well as Somalia,having been decorated with the Bronze Star Medal,Purple Heart Medal and the Legion of Merit,among other awards.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Strategic Thinking:US Marines Increasing Presence in Norway
One of the main events for US Marine Forces Europe and Africa this summer was the augmentation of its rotational presence in Norway,at the request of the Norwegian government as stated in a bilateral document.This provides for:
1.More than doubling the number of Marines from about 330 to 700;
2.Establishing a second rotation of Marines in Trom County,Northern Norway,around 250 miles from the Russian border;and
3.Extending the programme for another five years.
The programme began in 2017 with a rotation in Central Norway's Trondheim area,some 900 miles from the Russian border.In a crisis,these troops could be rapidly shifted to Sweden as a Baltic reinforcement.
Besides troop rotations,the Marines have been prepositioning military equipment in the Trondelg area under the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N).The MCPP-N is intended to supply a full Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) or Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) for 30 days if bolstered with additional supplies.There are 6 caves and 2 storage facilities near air bases in this Central Norway location for Marine Corps vehicles and other gear.The exact locations are classified;but the stated purpose of the caches is to support global operations.
The Marines also utilise the Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF),storing their gear on ships.The gear is used for exercises in Northern Europe and Theater Security Cooperation Events,as well as being on hand for crisis response.*
Most of the Marines are based near Trondheim;under the new agreement,an undisclosed number will rotate to the Arctic Trom region.Indeed,even those in Central Norway have concentrated on acquiring Arctic warfighting skills.Norway is very concerned about Russia's Arctic activities,since Norway's land border with Russia is in the Far North;as well,Russia's Northern Fleet transits the Barents Sea,including ballistic missile submarines armed with ICBMs.*
In strategic circles,it is commonly believed Russia might launch a surprise ground attack on the Baltic States,fortified with its anti-access/area denial advantage from its ballistic missile,air power and surface-to-air defence assets in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad,which is located between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.
This scenario could also entail a quick strike on Sweden's Gotland Island to establish a second Baltic A2AD chokehold,so the Marines have done some training on Gotland,during the Aurora 17 drills.
1.More than doubling the number of Marines from about 330 to 700;
2.Establishing a second rotation of Marines in Trom County,Northern Norway,around 250 miles from the Russian border;and
3.Extending the programme for another five years.
The programme began in 2017 with a rotation in Central Norway's Trondheim area,some 900 miles from the Russian border.In a crisis,these troops could be rapidly shifted to Sweden as a Baltic reinforcement.
Besides troop rotations,the Marines have been prepositioning military equipment in the Trondelg area under the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N).The MCPP-N is intended to supply a full Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) or Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) for 30 days if bolstered with additional supplies.There are 6 caves and 2 storage facilities near air bases in this Central Norway location for Marine Corps vehicles and other gear.The exact locations are classified;but the stated purpose of the caches is to support global operations.
The Marines also utilise the Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF),storing their gear on ships.The gear is used for exercises in Northern Europe and Theater Security Cooperation Events,as well as being on hand for crisis response.*
Most of the Marines are based near Trondheim;under the new agreement,an undisclosed number will rotate to the Arctic Trom region.Indeed,even those in Central Norway have concentrated on acquiring Arctic warfighting skills.Norway is very concerned about Russia's Arctic activities,since Norway's land border with Russia is in the Far North;as well,Russia's Northern Fleet transits the Barents Sea,including ballistic missile submarines armed with ICBMs.*
In strategic circles,it is commonly believed Russia might launch a surprise ground attack on the Baltic States,fortified with its anti-access/area denial advantage from its ballistic missile,air power and surface-to-air defence assets in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad,which is located between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.
This scenario could also entail a quick strike on Sweden's Gotland Island to establish a second Baltic A2AD chokehold,so the Marines have done some training on Gotland,during the Aurora 17 drills.
Monday, August 27, 2018
NATO Names Canadian General to Head Alliance’s Iraq Mission
NATO Names Canadian General to Head Alliance’s Iraq Mission: Canadian army Maj. Gen. Dany Fortin will lead the new NATO mission in Iraq, which will continue NATO’s efforts to train Iraqi forces as they work to prevent a return of the Islamic State of Iraq and
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Strategic Challenges:Arctic Defence Symposium Attended by Military,Academic,Intelligence Community Leaders
A wide range of leaders with an interest and expertise in the emerging Arctic gathered at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage,Alaska for the Arctic Maritime Symposium 2018.The symposium is a framework for experienced senior military leaders,intelligence analysts,interagency operators and Arctic maritime subject matter experts to discuss the strategic challenges associated with Arctic maritime operations.
The AMS was held from 14-16 August 2018 and hosted by LTGEN Kenneth Wilsback,US Air Force,commander,Alaska Command.The keynote speakers were ADM Sam J. Locklear,US Navy (Retired),former commander,US Pacific Command and Heather A. Conley,senior vice president for Europe,Eurasia and the Arctic,Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington,D.C.Expert support was provided by the Center for Naval Analysis;the US Naval War College;the National War College;Montclair University;and the Office of Naval Intelligence(ONI).Also represented were the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the US Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center (ICC).
The International Panel included Cmdre Jamie Clark,Royal Canadian Navy,Deputy Director NORAD&USNORTHCOM J5;CDR Jens Peter Holst-Andersen,Vice Chair/Commander,Danish Ministry of Defence;and CDR Julia Tortell,Deputy Commandant,Finnish Naval Academy.*
Attending AMS from the US Navy was RDML Cedric Pringle,commander,Expeditionary Strike Group-3.*
The Symposium was informed by the following advice and authorities:
1.Maritime Homeland Defense EXORD:
Provide an environment of uncertainty for anyone planning or attempting an attack on the United States.
2.(U) 2009 National Security Presidential Directive 66:
the United States must be prepared to safeguard its National Security Interests in the Arctic.
3.(U) 2016 DOD Arctic Strategy:
need for increased maritime surface and subsurface presence,surveillance and capabilities.*
Addressing AMS was the new NORAD and USNORTHCOM commander,GEN Terrence O'Shaughnessy,US Air Force:
Changes in the Arctic environment could give our adversaries the impression that the Arctic offers a soft underbelly in our ability to defend the homeland.The defence of the homeland requires us to reinvigorate our efforts to ensure we remain ready to operate in and through the Arctic.Secretary (of Defense) Mattis recently said that America has got to up its game in the Arctic.
Russia most notably has aggressively built Arctic military capability,securing planes and expanding access along the Northern Sea Route.We must keep in mind that,for the Russians,the Arctic is their front yard and their back yard.
Given the Arctic's unique challenges,coupled with increased accessability,it is vital that we have the capability to respond in and through the Arctic,GEN O'Shaughnessy pointed out.*
Also representing the US Navy at AMS was the guided missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92),which moored at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage.A US Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet executed a flyby over the Momsen.
The AMS was held from 14-16 August 2018 and hosted by LTGEN Kenneth Wilsback,US Air Force,commander,Alaska Command.The keynote speakers were ADM Sam J. Locklear,US Navy (Retired),former commander,US Pacific Command and Heather A. Conley,senior vice president for Europe,Eurasia and the Arctic,Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington,D.C.Expert support was provided by the Center for Naval Analysis;the US Naval War College;the National War College;Montclair University;and the Office of Naval Intelligence(ONI).Also represented were the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the US Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center (ICC).
The International Panel included Cmdre Jamie Clark,Royal Canadian Navy,Deputy Director NORAD&USNORTHCOM J5;CDR Jens Peter Holst-Andersen,Vice Chair/Commander,Danish Ministry of Defence;and CDR Julia Tortell,Deputy Commandant,Finnish Naval Academy.*
Attending AMS from the US Navy was RDML Cedric Pringle,commander,Expeditionary Strike Group-3.*
The Symposium was informed by the following advice and authorities:
1.Maritime Homeland Defense EXORD:
Provide an environment of uncertainty for anyone planning or attempting an attack on the United States.
2.(U) 2009 National Security Presidential Directive 66:
the United States must be prepared to safeguard its National Security Interests in the Arctic.
3.(U) 2016 DOD Arctic Strategy:
need for increased maritime surface and subsurface presence,surveillance and capabilities.*
Addressing AMS was the new NORAD and USNORTHCOM commander,GEN Terrence O'Shaughnessy,US Air Force:
Changes in the Arctic environment could give our adversaries the impression that the Arctic offers a soft underbelly in our ability to defend the homeland.The defence of the homeland requires us to reinvigorate our efforts to ensure we remain ready to operate in and through the Arctic.Secretary (of Defense) Mattis recently said that America has got to up its game in the Arctic.
Russia most notably has aggressively built Arctic military capability,securing planes and expanding access along the Northern Sea Route.We must keep in mind that,for the Russians,the Arctic is their front yard and their back yard.
Given the Arctic's unique challenges,coupled with increased accessability,it is vital that we have the capability to respond in and through the Arctic,GEN O'Shaughnessy pointed out.*
Also representing the US Navy at AMS was the guided missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92),which moored at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage.A US Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet executed a flyby over the Momsen.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Death of a Coalition Service Member - Operation Inherent Resolve
Death of a Coalition Service Member: SOUTHWEST ASIA – One Coalition service member was killed and several injured when their aircraft crashed at approximately 10 p.m. GMT Aug. 19 in Iraq.
Friday, August 17, 2018
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Afghan War:Taliban Mount Fierce Offensives,Seizing Most of Ghazni Province - Green Beret killed in action further south
Despite having met with US officials in Doha,Qatar recently in an effort to begin a dialogue,the Taliban Islamist extremists showed no desire for peace in recent days as up to 1,000 of them,having seized most of Ghazni Province,overran the provincial captal,Ghazni city on 10 August 2018.The massive assault on the city of about 280,000 took place in the pre-dawn hours and came from every direction.
Afghan National Defence and Security Forces fell back to protect critical defence-related buildings such as the police station,military bases and a prison;while the militants continued to control the neighbourhoods,local residents said.Many residents fled as power,food,water and medicine were cut off in the heat of combat.
The US conducted at least 16 air strikes in support of the ANDSF,killing some 200 Taliban,and a limited number of US troops stayed at the front lines to advise and assist their Afghan colleagues on the ground.About 100 ANDSF and 25 civilians were killed in the brazen seige,and hundreds more were wounded.
The Taliban had "achieved nothing,"NATO said.*
The Taliban were reportedly assisted by a number of foreign fighters from Pakistan and Chechnya,as well as al-Qaida elements.*
Also on 10 August,the Taliban swept over an Afghan SOF base in Ajristar district,killing at least 70 Afghan commandos and police.*
On 12 August,a US Soldier,SSGT Reymund R. Transfiguracion,36,of Waikaloa,Hawaii,was killed in action while on a combat patrol operation to the south,in Helmand Province,when an IED exploded near him.The incident is being investigated.SSGT Transfiguracion,a native of the Philippines,was a member of 3rd Battalion,1st Special Forces Group (Airborne),out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord,Washington State.Initially a member of the Hawaii National Guard,he had previously pulled tours in Iraq and the Phillipines.
Among his decorations were the Purple Heart Medal (second award);Army Achievement Medal (third award);Army Good Conduct Medal (third award);Combat Action Badge;and Air Assault Badge.*
Afghan National Defence and Security Forces fell back to protect critical defence-related buildings such as the police station,military bases and a prison;while the militants continued to control the neighbourhoods,local residents said.Many residents fled as power,food,water and medicine were cut off in the heat of combat.
The US conducted at least 16 air strikes in support of the ANDSF,killing some 200 Taliban,and a limited number of US troops stayed at the front lines to advise and assist their Afghan colleagues on the ground.About 100 ANDSF and 25 civilians were killed in the brazen seige,and hundreds more were wounded.
The Taliban had "achieved nothing,"NATO said.*
The Taliban were reportedly assisted by a number of foreign fighters from Pakistan and Chechnya,as well as al-Qaida elements.*
Also on 10 August,the Taliban swept over an Afghan SOF base in Ajristar district,killing at least 70 Afghan commandos and police.*
On 12 August,a US Soldier,SSGT Reymund R. Transfiguracion,36,of Waikaloa,Hawaii,was killed in action while on a combat patrol operation to the south,in Helmand Province,when an IED exploded near him.The incident is being investigated.SSGT Transfiguracion,a native of the Philippines,was a member of 3rd Battalion,1st Special Forces Group (Airborne),out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord,Washington State.Initially a member of the Hawaii National Guard,he had previously pulled tours in Iraq and the Phillipines.
Among his decorations were the Purple Heart Medal (second award);Army Achievement Medal (third award);Army Good Conduct Medal (third award);Combat Action Badge;and Air Assault Badge.*
Monday, August 13, 2018
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Lockheed Martin Ships Fourth AEHF Satellite - satellite will serve the US,Canadian,Netherlands and the UK militaries
Lockheed Martin Ships Fourth AEHF Satellite: Lockheed Martin has shipped the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, where it will be prepared for an October liftoff aboard an Atlas V rocket, the company confirmed yesterday. Lockheed Martin is under contract to deliver six
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
NATO's Trident Juncture 18:Testing the Alliance in the Northern Reaches
Norway has issued a news release on the upcoming NATO Exercise Trident Juncture 18.It describes TJ 18 as one of the largest drills ever held in Norway,with more than 40,000 NATO and partner personnel taking part.They will be supported by about 130 aircraft;70 vessels;and 10,000 vehicles.*
TJ 18's tactical drills will run from 25 October to 7 November 2018;while the command post exercise (CPX) will run from 14-23 November 2018.The exercise will test the full spectrum of warfighting through its air,land,maritime,Special Operations Forces and amphibious scenarios,challenging both the NATO Response Force and other Allied and partner units with a view to seamless integration.*
Leading the drills will be Admiral James G. Foggo III,US Navy,Commander,NATO Joint Force Command,Naples.*
The exercise will be staged in Central and Eastern Norway and the adjacent waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea,and extending into Finnish and Swedish airspace in the bargain.The potential for adverse Nordic weather conditions may lend realism through additional hazards that need to be overcome by the Allied and partner forces.
TJ 18's tactical drills will run from 25 October to 7 November 2018;while the command post exercise (CPX) will run from 14-23 November 2018.The exercise will test the full spectrum of warfighting through its air,land,maritime,Special Operations Forces and amphibious scenarios,challenging both the NATO Response Force and other Allied and partner units with a view to seamless integration.*
Leading the drills will be Admiral James G. Foggo III,US Navy,Commander,NATO Joint Force Command,Naples.*
The exercise will be staged in Central and Eastern Norway and the adjacent waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea,and extending into Finnish and Swedish airspace in the bargain.The potential for adverse Nordic weather conditions may lend realism through additional hazards that need to be overcome by the Allied and partner forces.
Friday, August 3, 2018
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Construction of New Amphibious Warship Begins
Fabrication has begun of the US Navy's LPD - 29,last of the LPD - 17 San Antonio-class Flight I amphibious transport dock ship.It is to be christened USS Richard M. McCool Jr,after a Medal of Honor winner and veteran of three wars.CAPT McCool received the Medal of Honor in 1945 for leading the effort to save his ship and her crew after a kamikaze attack in World War II.
Huntington Ingalls Industries is fabricating the warship in Pascagoula,Mississippi.The vessel is designed to transport US Marine Corps expeditionary units and brigades (up to around 720 troops) and their equipment,including air cushion vehicles;amphibious assault vehicles;helicopters;and MV-22 Ospreys.The class is intended to support amphibious assault;special operations;and expeditionary warfare missions until about 2050.*
LPD - 28 and LPD - 29 are designated transition ships of the class.Flight II,formerly called LX (R),will consist of 13 ships,bringing the total to 26 ships for the entire class.Changes to the Flight II are relatively subtle,including the addition of Roller Doors for the Flight Deck Ramp and Hangar Doors;Traditional Stick Masts;an MV-22 Flight Deck Heating Structure;and an Open Upper Stern Gate.The alterations will not change the way most watches are stood,as these will stay the same at the ship operations level,according to program manager CAPT Brian Metcalf.*
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)
Huntington Ingalls Industries is fabricating the warship in Pascagoula,Mississippi.The vessel is designed to transport US Marine Corps expeditionary units and brigades (up to around 720 troops) and their equipment,including air cushion vehicles;amphibious assault vehicles;helicopters;and MV-22 Ospreys.The class is intended to support amphibious assault;special operations;and expeditionary warfare missions until about 2050.*
LPD - 28 and LPD - 29 are designated transition ships of the class.Flight II,formerly called LX (R),will consist of 13 ships,bringing the total to 26 ships for the entire class.Changes to the Flight II are relatively subtle,including the addition of Roller Doors for the Flight Deck Ramp and Hangar Doors;Traditional Stick Masts;an MV-22 Flight Deck Heating Structure;and an Open Upper Stern Gate.The alterations will not change the way most watches are stood,as these will stay the same at the ship operations level,according to program manager CAPT Brian Metcalf.*
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Congress Fails to Fund Trump's 'Space Force' in Defense Budget Bill
Congress Fails to Fund Trump's 'Space Force' in Defense Budget Bill: A House-Senate conference committee working on the 2019 defense budget left out money to start building the Space Force.
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Iraq and Syria:Operation Inherent Resolve Intensifies Effort to Disrupt Militant Plans - lines of communication
While their countrymen lay asleep,from 16-22 July 2018,Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve redoubled its campaign against Islamic State in Iraq,Syria and the Levant extremists.The international partners pulverised the takfiri terrorists with 24 strikes spread out over 40 engagements in Iraq and Syria.
Among the strikes in Syria were:
on 21 July,the Task Force engaged an ISIL tactical unit near Abu Kamal,destroying 3 vehicles and a line of communication;
on 19 July,there were 4 strikes near Abu Kamal,engaging an ISIL tactical unit and leveling 2 logistics hubs and 2 lines of communication;
On 18 July,there were again 4 strikes near Abu Kamal,engaging an ISIL tactical unit,destroying 2 vehicles and 3 lines of communication;
on 17 July,near Soor,a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit,destroying 2 motorcycles.
In Iraq:
on 20 July,the Task Force struck targets near Sulayman Bek,engaging a tactical unit and destroying 2 vehicles and a cave;
on 17 July,again near Sulaymen Bek,the Task Force engaged an ISIL tactical unit,wiping out a VBIED and 2 fighting positions;
on 16 July,near Makhmour,9 strikes destroyed 14 ISIL caves;5 tunnels;and 4 buildings.*
The strikes were carried out by fighter;bomber;rotary-wing or remotely-piloted aircraft;rocket-propelled artillery;and ground-based tactical artillery.No further details were disclosed.*
Earlier,from 24 Apil to 26 June 2018,CJTFOIR neutralised 6 ISIL leaders and planners.This campaign of kinetic strikes stifled the Islamist extremist militants' attack planning,facilitation and operations conceived against Saudi Arabia;the US;and Sweden.Killed were:
on 24 April,Munnawar al-Mutayari,a Syria-based militant plotting external attacks on Saudi Arabia;
on 2 June,Soufiane Makouh of Belgium,plotting in Syria against the US and its interests;
on 12 June,Simak,who was plotting attacks in Sweden,and his associates Abu Awf;Abu Quddamah;and Sharif al-Ragub ( killed on 26 June).
The strikes were to disrupt ISIL's ability to plan,coordinate,and carry out attacks,CJTFOIR said.*
A line of communication is a route from a supply base to an operating base for supplies or reinforcements.A military operation cannot succeed without effective lines of communication.
Among the strikes in Syria were:
on 21 July,the Task Force engaged an ISIL tactical unit near Abu Kamal,destroying 3 vehicles and a line of communication;
on 19 July,there were 4 strikes near Abu Kamal,engaging an ISIL tactical unit and leveling 2 logistics hubs and 2 lines of communication;
On 18 July,there were again 4 strikes near Abu Kamal,engaging an ISIL tactical unit,destroying 2 vehicles and 3 lines of communication;
on 17 July,near Soor,a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit,destroying 2 motorcycles.
In Iraq:
on 20 July,the Task Force struck targets near Sulayman Bek,engaging a tactical unit and destroying 2 vehicles and a cave;
on 17 July,again near Sulaymen Bek,the Task Force engaged an ISIL tactical unit,wiping out a VBIED and 2 fighting positions;
on 16 July,near Makhmour,9 strikes destroyed 14 ISIL caves;5 tunnels;and 4 buildings.*
The strikes were carried out by fighter;bomber;rotary-wing or remotely-piloted aircraft;rocket-propelled artillery;and ground-based tactical artillery.No further details were disclosed.*
Earlier,from 24 Apil to 26 June 2018,CJTFOIR neutralised 6 ISIL leaders and planners.This campaign of kinetic strikes stifled the Islamist extremist militants' attack planning,facilitation and operations conceived against Saudi Arabia;the US;and Sweden.Killed were:
on 24 April,Munnawar al-Mutayari,a Syria-based militant plotting external attacks on Saudi Arabia;
on 2 June,Soufiane Makouh of Belgium,plotting in Syria against the US and its interests;
on 12 June,Simak,who was plotting attacks in Sweden,and his associates Abu Awf;Abu Quddamah;and Sharif al-Ragub ( killed on 26 June).
The strikes were to disrupt ISIL's ability to plan,coordinate,and carry out attacks,CJTFOIR said.*
A line of communication is a route from a supply base to an operating base for supplies or reinforcements.A military operation cannot succeed without effective lines of communication.
Friday, July 20, 2018
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Natural Notebook:Young Buck Morning
A white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was observed at the old camp in Northern Maryland,a solitary deer,so I see it as a buck,exploring a short distance away from the doe group it belongs to.It was a young of the year buck,still in his white spots.He must have grown at an incredible pace.Say he was born in May,he is only about two months old and recently weaned.
Yet the habitat on the edge of the city is fairly rich with fields and woodlots.It seems an ideal matrix for the Virginia whitetail,one that could have brought it to its present size,about 2.5 ft /0.762 m high at the shoulder.
The young buck was foraging along the extensive stormwater management system,which is unmowed along its edges.There are some shrubs,tall grass and wildflowers.So he found a good assortment of vegetation for his breakfast.
It's so good to see him.For a long time,I wondered why I didn't see deer in this area,but saw rabbits and foxes,the whitetail's customary neighbours.It didn't make sense.Now in the past year,I have seen many of these treasured game animals around.It shows how fast a herd of deer can come out of nowhere.*
Yet the habitat on the edge of the city is fairly rich with fields and woodlots.It seems an ideal matrix for the Virginia whitetail,one that could have brought it to its present size,about 2.5 ft /0.762 m high at the shoulder.
The young buck was foraging along the extensive stormwater management system,which is unmowed along its edges.There are some shrubs,tall grass and wildflowers.So he found a good assortment of vegetation for his breakfast.
It's so good to see him.For a long time,I wondered why I didn't see deer in this area,but saw rabbits and foxes,the whitetail's customary neighbours.It didn't make sense.Now in the past year,I have seen many of these treasured game animals around.It shows how fast a herd of deer can come out of nowhere.*
Friday, July 13, 2018
Bulletin:US Army Ranger Killed in Action in Afghanistan - high achiever was admired within the Regiment
The Pentagon has disclosed that SFC Christopher A. Celiz,32,of Summerville,South Carolina,was killed by enemy small arms fire on 12 July 2018 in Paktia Province,Afghanistan while conducting combat operations along with Afghan Special Operations Forces.An Afghan SOF member was also killed in the firefight.The operation involved assisting a medevac landing zone in Zurmat district and was in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel.The incident is under investigation.
Paktia Province has been the site of several al-Qaida training camps and borders Nangahar Province,the ISIL-Khorasan stronghold.*
SFC Celiz was a mortar platoon sergeant with Company D,1st Battalion,75th Ranger Regiment out of Hunter Army Airfield,Georgia.He was on his fifth deployment and had previously served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.Among SFC Celiz's decorations were the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 3 stars;Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 stars;5 Army Achievement Medals;and 3 Army Commendation Medals.He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal;Bronze Star Medal;and Meritorious Service Medal.
Battalion commander LTCOL Sean McGee said:
SFC Celiz led from the front and always put himself in the decisive point on the battlefield.*
This is the second US combat death in Afghanistan this year,and indeed the second within the last seven days,having been preceded by the loss of US Army CPL Joeseph Maciel last Saturday.
There will reportedly be a government review of the US military's current posture in Afghanistan in the near future.
Paktia Province has been the site of several al-Qaida training camps and borders Nangahar Province,the ISIL-Khorasan stronghold.*
SFC Celiz was a mortar platoon sergeant with Company D,1st Battalion,75th Ranger Regiment out of Hunter Army Airfield,Georgia.He was on his fifth deployment and had previously served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.Among SFC Celiz's decorations were the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 3 stars;Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 stars;5 Army Achievement Medals;and 3 Army Commendation Medals.He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal;Bronze Star Medal;and Meritorious Service Medal.
Battalion commander LTCOL Sean McGee said:
SFC Celiz led from the front and always put himself in the decisive point on the battlefield.*
This is the second US combat death in Afghanistan this year,and indeed the second within the last seven days,having been preceded by the loss of US Army CPL Joeseph Maciel last Saturday.
There will reportedly be a government review of the US military's current posture in Afghanistan in the near future.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Afghan War:Green on Blue Attack Kills US Soldier
A so-called "green on blue" attack,which is an attack by an enemy posing as an ally,killed US Army CPL Joseph Maciel,20,of South Gate,California on 7 July 2018 in Tarin Kowt district of Uruzgan Province.Uruzgan borders Kandahar Province to the south.The incident is under investigation.Two other US Soldiers were wounded and are in stable condition.*
CPL Maciel was a member of 1st Battalion,28th Infantry Regiment,3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Benning,Georgia.He was serving with the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade,one of the new units set up to help implement the President's South Asia Strategy in Afghanistan.CPL Maciel received the Purple Heart Medal,Bronze Star Medal and Army Achievement Medal,along with the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.*
The unit was returning the US Army to the practice of having US infantry troops training and advising the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces,rather than just Special Operations Forces doing that task.The SFAB had received special training at Fort Benning in establishing rapport with the ANDSF and in foreign languages.
CPL Maciel was engaged in providing force protection for the unit's trainers and advisors.The SFAB numbers about 800 trainers and advisors and 300 support troops across Afghanistan.*
A Taliban spokesman said the attacker acted alone;but the Taliban "appreciated" his deed.It was the third US combat death this year in Afghanistan,and the first US green on blue fatality since June 2017.1st Battalion commander LTCOL David Connor said that CPL Maciel was:
an excellent Soldier beloved by his teammates and dedicated to our mission.He will be greatly missed by the entire Black Lion family.
CPL Maciel was a member of 1st Battalion,28th Infantry Regiment,3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Benning,Georgia.He was serving with the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade,one of the new units set up to help implement the President's South Asia Strategy in Afghanistan.CPL Maciel received the Purple Heart Medal,Bronze Star Medal and Army Achievement Medal,along with the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.*
The unit was returning the US Army to the practice of having US infantry troops training and advising the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces,rather than just Special Operations Forces doing that task.The SFAB had received special training at Fort Benning in establishing rapport with the ANDSF and in foreign languages.
CPL Maciel was engaged in providing force protection for the unit's trainers and advisors.The SFAB numbers about 800 trainers and advisors and 300 support troops across Afghanistan.*
A Taliban spokesman said the attacker acted alone;but the Taliban "appreciated" his deed.It was the third US combat death this year in Afghanistan,and the first US green on blue fatality since June 2017.1st Battalion commander LTCOL David Connor said that CPL Maciel was:
an excellent Soldier beloved by his teammates and dedicated to our mission.He will be greatly missed by the entire Black Lion family.
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Testing of B61 Upgrade Continues in Nevada on B-2 Bombers - NATO nuclear deterrent
On 9 June 2018,an upgrade of the B61 guided nuclear gravity bomb,the B61-12,was tested on a US Air Force B-2A Spirit bomber at the high security Tonopah Test Range,Nevada.The B61 is stored on NATO bases in Europe under a dual key arrangement.
In the course of the two flight tests,an unarmed B61-12 test assembly was released from the B-2,according to a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) press release.The NNSA,which is part of the Department of Energy,designed the test assembly and the US Air Force provided the Boeing tail assembly.According to BGEN Michael Lutton,NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Military Application:
The flight tests demonstrate the B61-12 design meets system requirements and illustrate the continued progress of the B61-12 life extension program to meet national security requirements.The achievement is also a testament to the dedication of our workforce and the enduring partnership between NNSA and the US Air Force.*
Conducting the tests was the 419th Test and Evaluation Squadron out of Edwards Air Force Base,California.The tests were the first end-to-end qualification tests on a B-2A Spirit for the B61-12.They were part of a series of joint tests to demonstrate both the aircraft's ability to deliver the weapon and the weapon's non-nuclear functions.The flight tests included hardware designed by the Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory and manufactured by Nuclear Security Enterprise plants.
The B61 LEP will consolidate and replace the existing B61 bomb variants in the Nation's nuclear stockpile.The first production unit is on schedule for completion in fiscal 2020,NNSA said.*
NATO Allies Belgium,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands and Turkey host the current B61 variants on their bases.Panavia PA-200 Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike) and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft are the authorised Allied delivery aircraft for these legacy weapons.
Besides the B-2A and the F-16C/D and MLU,another aircraft that can deliver the current B61 variants is the F-15E Strike Eagle.In future,the F-35 Lightning II and B-21 Raider will be able to deliver the B61.*
The B61s are guarded by US Air Force personnel and stored in vaults within hardened Protective Aircraft Shelters on the NATO bases.Their Permissive Action Links,or codes that enable the weapons to be armed,are in US custody.NATO's Nuclear Planning Group oversees the Alliance's nuclear deterrent.The annual NATO nuclear exercise,Steadfast Noon,is held in the autumn.
In the course of the two flight tests,an unarmed B61-12 test assembly was released from the B-2,according to a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) press release.The NNSA,which is part of the Department of Energy,designed the test assembly and the US Air Force provided the Boeing tail assembly.According to BGEN Michael Lutton,NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Military Application:
The flight tests demonstrate the B61-12 design meets system requirements and illustrate the continued progress of the B61-12 life extension program to meet national security requirements.The achievement is also a testament to the dedication of our workforce and the enduring partnership between NNSA and the US Air Force.*
Conducting the tests was the 419th Test and Evaluation Squadron out of Edwards Air Force Base,California.The tests were the first end-to-end qualification tests on a B-2A Spirit for the B61-12.They were part of a series of joint tests to demonstrate both the aircraft's ability to deliver the weapon and the weapon's non-nuclear functions.The flight tests included hardware designed by the Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory and manufactured by Nuclear Security Enterprise plants.
The B61 LEP will consolidate and replace the existing B61 bomb variants in the Nation's nuclear stockpile.The first production unit is on schedule for completion in fiscal 2020,NNSA said.*
NATO Allies Belgium,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands and Turkey host the current B61 variants on their bases.Panavia PA-200 Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike) and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft are the authorised Allied delivery aircraft for these legacy weapons.
Besides the B-2A and the F-16C/D and MLU,another aircraft that can deliver the current B61 variants is the F-15E Strike Eagle.In future,the F-35 Lightning II and B-21 Raider will be able to deliver the B61.*
The B61s are guarded by US Air Force personnel and stored in vaults within hardened Protective Aircraft Shelters on the NATO bases.Their Permissive Action Links,or codes that enable the weapons to be armed,are in US custody.NATO's Nuclear Planning Group oversees the Alliance's nuclear deterrent.The annual NATO nuclear exercise,Steadfast Noon,is held in the autumn.
Monday, July 2, 2018
Friday, June 29, 2018
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Orion Program Update:ESM Construction at Full Speed in Germany;Capsule Software and Display Mini-Sim;Prepping for AA-2
Here is some of the Orion Program work being carried out as the launch of the uncrewed test Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) rapidly draws near (as early as December 2019) and the first crewed mission,EM-2,is not too far over the horizon (2023):
At the Airbus Defence & Space clean room in Bremen,Germany,the Orbital Manoeuvering System engine for EM-1's European Service Module (ESM) has been mated to the ESM.The OMS engine is the main engine for getting the Orion spacecraft into deep space.It is the 33rd and last engine for the ESM.The others include 8 auxiliary thrusters and 24 attitude control thrusters.
The first ESM is on a full-rate production schedule,as Airbus technicians work in shifts 24 hours a day to meet the goal of shipping it to the US this summer.
Also in Bremen,the structure of the second ESM,to be used for EM-2,the first crewed Orion mission that will take humans farther into outer space than ever before,some 40,000 miles beyond the Moon,has arrived.Technicians have begun installing its almost 7.5 miles of cables;fuel;water;air tanks;computers;engines;and so on that support the crew module and up to four crew members.
The ESM also protects the spacecraft from launch energy and vibrations from the new Space Launch System rocket;moreover,it shields the crew from micrometeoroids and space debris.*
Congratulations to the ESM Assembly,Integration &Test team from Airbus,ArianeGroup and NASA for their excellent work.*
Meanwhile,the Orion Rapid Prototype Lab (RPL) team of astronauts and flight controllers designed and executed complex,innovative simulations of newly prototyped Orion crew on-orbit burn display formats and electronic procedures.They thus gained valuable experience using the displays and procedures in a more realistic scenario for the crew members and ground controllers,NASA said.This will help validate or identify areas needing updates so key changes can be made more expeditiously and economically in the software development cycle.
Also on the team for this fifth in a series of mini-sims were members from Aerospace Applications North America;Barrios Technology;NASA Ames Research Center;and interns from NASA and Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies Inc.*
At NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans,Louisiana,Lockheed Martin technicians completed the forward structure to cone weld on the EM-2 crew module pressure vessel.The Orion Program team members at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston from LMT and NASA continued outfitting the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) capsule for its critical flight test at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,Florida in April 2019.*
At the Airbus Defence & Space clean room in Bremen,Germany,the Orbital Manoeuvering System engine for EM-1's European Service Module (ESM) has been mated to the ESM.The OMS engine is the main engine for getting the Orion spacecraft into deep space.It is the 33rd and last engine for the ESM.The others include 8 auxiliary thrusters and 24 attitude control thrusters.
The first ESM is on a full-rate production schedule,as Airbus technicians work in shifts 24 hours a day to meet the goal of shipping it to the US this summer.
Also in Bremen,the structure of the second ESM,to be used for EM-2,the first crewed Orion mission that will take humans farther into outer space than ever before,some 40,000 miles beyond the Moon,has arrived.Technicians have begun installing its almost 7.5 miles of cables;fuel;water;air tanks;computers;engines;and so on that support the crew module and up to four crew members.
The ESM also protects the spacecraft from launch energy and vibrations from the new Space Launch System rocket;moreover,it shields the crew from micrometeoroids and space debris.*
Congratulations to the ESM Assembly,Integration &Test team from Airbus,ArianeGroup and NASA for their excellent work.*
Meanwhile,the Orion Rapid Prototype Lab (RPL) team of astronauts and flight controllers designed and executed complex,innovative simulations of newly prototyped Orion crew on-orbit burn display formats and electronic procedures.They thus gained valuable experience using the displays and procedures in a more realistic scenario for the crew members and ground controllers,NASA said.This will help validate or identify areas needing updates so key changes can be made more expeditiously and economically in the software development cycle.
Also on the team for this fifth in a series of mini-sims were members from Aerospace Applications North America;Barrios Technology;NASA Ames Research Center;and interns from NASA and Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies Inc.*
At NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans,Louisiana,Lockheed Martin technicians completed the forward structure to cone weld on the EM-2 crew module pressure vessel.The Orion Program team members at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston from LMT and NASA continued outfitting the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) capsule for its critical flight test at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,Florida in April 2019.*
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Air Force Issues First Guidance to Troops About Space Force
Air Force Issues First Guidance to Troops About Space Force: Air Force leaders have broken their silence following President Trump's order to create a new military service branch.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
General Hyten Lays Out US STRATCOM's Leadership Role in Space
On 13 June 2018,US Air Force General John E. Hyten,Commander,US Strategic Command,gave the annual John Glenn Lecture at the Smithsonian Air&Space Museum in Washington.Speaking in generalities to protect classified information,GEN Hyten noted that only 13% of Americans thought that sending US astronauts back to the Moon was a top priority,and only 18% considered sending a crewed mission to Mars a top priority,according to the latest Pew Research poll.This shows a disappointing lack of enthusiasm for space exploration.We need to return to dreaming,GEN Hyten said,to emphasise how important the STEM disciplines are,and to make sure we protect space so these dreams are always possible.Today,STEM is mainstream.Six percent of all workers are in STEM fields,and they earn 12% more than other workers.The cool kids are becoming the geeks.STRATCOM shuts down without a flow of these cool people.*
GEN Hyten,who has 162,000 service members under his command,said that they have two imperatives:
1.To operate within space to defend our nation;and
2.We have to defend space so our children can use it.
Basic research is where the next great idea is going to come from.For decades,it was thought the enemy could only hurt us through massive damage.That's no longer the case.Now they can hurt us in space and even cyberspace.Our adversaries get a vote.This is not the world I wish there was;this is the world that is,and the world that is has threats to our space capabilities;and because it has threats to our space capabilities,we have to be willing to do something about it.
When we have adversaries such as Russia and China that openly declare that they are going to build weapons to take away our space capabilities,we have to do something about it.So we're going to change.We're going to change the way we look at space.We're going to look at space,and we're going to define our future,and we're going to treat space as if it's a warfighting environment.There's actually no such thing as war in space;there's just war.
We have adversaries that are building weapons to take away our use of space,so we have to do something to prevent them from doing that.So we're going to build different systems,and different ways of doing business,and we're going to build operators that think about space as a warfighting domain;so that every adversary that looks at us will not try to contest us in that area,because,if they do,they'll realise that they'll lose.And that will prevent war from extending into space.We're taking measures so that any attack on our space architecture will be met in a manner,time and place of our own choosing.That's what our current national security strategy says.We're going to put a priority on building new capabilities to defend ourselves.Space superiority is not our birthright;Russia and China are building weapons that are going to challenge us.*
This is an exciting time to be in the space business.If you think about what's going on in SpaceX;in Blue Origen;in NASA;in the Air Force;in small companies.I've never seen a time like this;but now we have to take the steps forward;we have to push back;we have to support NASA in their desire to move back out into space with humans.Our nation's leadership is aligned like I've never seen before.From the White House,to Congress,to NASA,the Pentagon-across the Government,it's a great thing to see;but we have to take advantage of it.Now is the time.The big dreams and innovation of the sixties and seventies were only the beginning,and we're taking steps that will ensure that the benefits of space will be protected for future generations.With dreams,we can make our own history.*
STRATCOM deals with space in large part through one of its component commands,US Air Force Space Command,headquartered at Peterson AFB,Colorado.*
The Air Force's highly classified Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is often suspected to be an integral part of space warfighting research and development.
GEN Hyten,who has 162,000 service members under his command,said that they have two imperatives:
1.To operate within space to defend our nation;and
2.We have to defend space so our children can use it.
Basic research is where the next great idea is going to come from.For decades,it was thought the enemy could only hurt us through massive damage.That's no longer the case.Now they can hurt us in space and even cyberspace.Our adversaries get a vote.This is not the world I wish there was;this is the world that is,and the world that is has threats to our space capabilities;and because it has threats to our space capabilities,we have to be willing to do something about it.
When we have adversaries such as Russia and China that openly declare that they are going to build weapons to take away our space capabilities,we have to do something about it.So we're going to change.We're going to change the way we look at space.We're going to look at space,and we're going to define our future,and we're going to treat space as if it's a warfighting environment.There's actually no such thing as war in space;there's just war.
We have adversaries that are building weapons to take away our use of space,so we have to do something to prevent them from doing that.So we're going to build different systems,and different ways of doing business,and we're going to build operators that think about space as a warfighting domain;so that every adversary that looks at us will not try to contest us in that area,because,if they do,they'll realise that they'll lose.And that will prevent war from extending into space.We're taking measures so that any attack on our space architecture will be met in a manner,time and place of our own choosing.That's what our current national security strategy says.We're going to put a priority on building new capabilities to defend ourselves.Space superiority is not our birthright;Russia and China are building weapons that are going to challenge us.*
This is an exciting time to be in the space business.If you think about what's going on in SpaceX;in Blue Origen;in NASA;in the Air Force;in small companies.I've never seen a time like this;but now we have to take the steps forward;we have to push back;we have to support NASA in their desire to move back out into space with humans.Our nation's leadership is aligned like I've never seen before.From the White House,to Congress,to NASA,the Pentagon-across the Government,it's a great thing to see;but we have to take advantage of it.Now is the time.The big dreams and innovation of the sixties and seventies were only the beginning,and we're taking steps that will ensure that the benefits of space will be protected for future generations.With dreams,we can make our own history.*
STRATCOM deals with space in large part through one of its component commands,US Air Force Space Command,headquartered at Peterson AFB,Colorado.*
The Air Force's highly classified Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is often suspected to be an integral part of space warfighting research and development.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
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