Showing posts with label Royal Air Force. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Royal Air Force. Show all posts
Monday, January 22, 2024
Steadfast Defender 24:UK Makes Major Commitment
The UK Ministry of Defence laid out its plans in the massive NATO Exercise Steadfast Defender 24 on 15 January 2024.Said the Ministry:In the context of our ever more dangerous world,the Secretary of State for Defence,Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP,will deliver a major speech at Lancaster House today to set out his vision for the UK to deter threats,lead among Allies and defend the UK...the Defence Secretary is expected to announce that in the first half of 2024,20,000 service personnel from the Royal Navy,the British Army,and the Royal Air Force will deploy across Europe to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender 24.*The drills will see the UK Armed Forces join 70,000 other NATO troops from 31 NATO Allies and candidate Sweden to operate across multiple countries coinciding with the Alliance's 75th Anniversary.This deployment will feature the RAF's most advanced fighter jets and surveillance aircraft,the RN's most advanced warships and submarines,and the full range of the Army's capabilities-from logistics to armour to Special Operations Forces.*Mr.Shapps' remarks are expected to say:We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies,lead our Allies and be prepared to defend our nations whenever the call comes.Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers.Old enemies are reanimated.Battle lines are being redrawn.The tanks are literally on Ukraine's lawn.And the foundations of the world are being shaken to their core.We stand at a crossroads...providing vital reassurance against the Putin menace.*Mr.Shapps noted that deploying this year is 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team...which will be operating across Europe to deliver one of the largest NATO deployments since the Cold War.Steadfast Defender 24 will deliver on the promises made at the 2023 NATO Vilnius Summit.The RN will be deploying eight warships and submarines and more than 2,000 Sailors.A UK carrier Strike Group,centred on a QE Class aircraft carrier and her air group of F-35B Lightning jets and helicopters,will operate as part of a potent Naval Force of Allied warships and submarines in the North Atlantic,the Norwegian Sea,and the Baltics.More than 400 Royal Marines Commandos will be deployed to the Arctic Circle at the heart of our Allied Amphibious Task Group designed to land in the High North and defend the Alliance in one of the world's harshest environments.Sixteen thousand troops from the British Army will be deployed across Eastern Europe from February to June 2024,taking with them tanks,artillery,helicopters,and parachutes.There will be live-fire manoeuvres,parachute jumps,an Army and Navy joint helicopter force,and Army Special Operations Forces on deployment.The British Army will deploy to test and strengthen the readiness of the UK's Land Forces in defending NATO,and to bolster its ability to operate jointly with Allied Armed Forces.*The RAF will be making use of some of its most cutting-edge aircraft,including F-35B Lightning attack aircraft and Poseidon P8 surveillance aircraft.The RAF will practise flying simulated conflict scenarios against near-peer adversaries,proving its ability to defer and defend against threats.*It is known that SD24 will practise a reinforcement of Europe from North America across the Atlantic Ocean.*More context:There is suspicion that Russia has not only been jamming Ukraine with Electronic Warfare,but NATO Allies as well.The Washington think tank Institue for the Study of War (ISW) noted high levels of GPS interference in Poland on 10 and 16 January 2024,and in the Baltic Sea Region between 25 and 27 December 2023.Several analysts believe it was likely Russia attempting to wage hybrid warfare against NATO.The ISW also noted that Putin has been sharply critical of the Baltic States recently for their perceived mistreatment of ethnic Russians living in them-an expansionist vision of Russian Federation sovereignty.ISW said that Putin:notably amplified a long-standing Kremlin effort to set information conditions for future escalations against the Baltic countries,likely as part of his wider effort to weaken NATO.
Monday, January 31, 2022
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Friday, September 3, 2021
B-2 Spirits Deployed to Iceland
B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from the US Air Force's 131st and 509th Bomb Wings have deployed to Keflavik Air Base,Iceland from Whiteman AFB,Missouri in support of Bomber Task Force Europe.During their mission,they are building strategic relationships critical for timely and coordinated responses when needed,Whiteman AFB said.The Northrop Grumman aircraft are being crewed by Airmen with the Missouri Air National Guard.
In the course of their mission,the B-2s have performed their first integration with Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft,strengthening our shared commitment to global security and stability.They also integrated with US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa F-15C Eagle fighters out of RAF Lakenheath,England,who provided escort to the bombers.
Indeed,the F-15s,Typhoons and B-2s flew a training sortie over the North Sea,enhancing enduring skills and relationships with NATO Allies and regional Partners.They thus are reinforcing goals of remaining flexible and agile for rapid response capabilities towards any potential crisis or challenge across the globe.*
While long responsive to Russian aggression and Islamist extremism,NATO is currently developing its approach to Chinese challenges as well.*
Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Operation Inherent Resolve:RAF Pounds IS in Iraq as Green Berets Patrol Northern Syria
The war on Islamic State continues unabated in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, despite the global pandemic coalition forces are also dealing with.This has been made clear as Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) conducted various operations in recent days.
On 28 April 2020,two RAF Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, flying out of RAF Arotiri, Cyprus,staged a night raid on an IS stronghold in the Hamrin Mountains of Northern Iraq.They acted when military intelligence revealed the militants were hiding in the warren of caves and tunnels they maintain in the rugged mountainous terrain Northeast of Bayji,Iraq.The Typhoons successfully delivered their Pavehawk IV guided munitions on their targets, the British Ministry of Defence announced.Defence Minister Ben Wallace noted that:
The Daesh (another name for IS) threat is relentless and so will we be.*
Also participating in the raid were a Voyager refueling tanker plane and other unidentified OIR aircraft. The Hamrin Mountains are used by IS to smuggle weapons; facilitate senior leader movements; and plot terrorist attacks in the region,CJTF-OIR stated.Daesh senior leaders and their operatives have used the mountains as one of their last operating areas in Iraq.*
Following the raid,Iraqi Security Forces found IS documents; electronic devices; and fragments of weapons and other gear in the caves, some of which were rendered inaccessible.Initial estimates show that 5-10 militants were killed.Follow on searches continue.*
The next day,29 April 2020, the MaT partner forces and US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) conducted a joint patrol in the At Tanf,Syria area to continue the mission to defeat remaining elements of Daesh and set conditions for their lasting defeat, the Global Coalition said, adding that:
While the terrorist group no longer occupies territory in Iraq and Syria,it remains a threat there and elsewhere.
The Global Coalition will continue its comprehensive efforts in Iraq and Syria, and globally, to deny ISIS's (another name for IS) ambitions and the activities of its branches and networks, until the job is done.*
On 16 April, the Political Directors of the Global Coalition Defeat Daesh/ISIS Small Group had met, agreeing to maintain maximum pressure on Daesh/ISIS despite the several and multifaceted challenges, including those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.*
On 28 April 2020,two RAF Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, flying out of RAF Arotiri, Cyprus,staged a night raid on an IS stronghold in the Hamrin Mountains of Northern Iraq.They acted when military intelligence revealed the militants were hiding in the warren of caves and tunnels they maintain in the rugged mountainous terrain Northeast of Bayji,Iraq.The Typhoons successfully delivered their Pavehawk IV guided munitions on their targets, the British Ministry of Defence announced.Defence Minister Ben Wallace noted that:
The Daesh (another name for IS) threat is relentless and so will we be.*
Also participating in the raid were a Voyager refueling tanker plane and other unidentified OIR aircraft. The Hamrin Mountains are used by IS to smuggle weapons; facilitate senior leader movements; and plot terrorist attacks in the region,CJTF-OIR stated.Daesh senior leaders and their operatives have used the mountains as one of their last operating areas in Iraq.*
Following the raid,Iraqi Security Forces found IS documents; electronic devices; and fragments of weapons and other gear in the caves, some of which were rendered inaccessible.Initial estimates show that 5-10 militants were killed.Follow on searches continue.*
The next day,29 April 2020, the MaT partner forces and US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) conducted a joint patrol in the At Tanf,Syria area to continue the mission to defeat remaining elements of Daesh and set conditions for their lasting defeat, the Global Coalition said, adding that:
While the terrorist group no longer occupies territory in Iraq and Syria,it remains a threat there and elsewhere.
The Global Coalition will continue its comprehensive efforts in Iraq and Syria, and globally, to deny ISIS's (another name for IS) ambitions and the activities of its branches and networks, until the job is done.*
On 16 April, the Political Directors of the Global Coalition Defeat Daesh/ISIS Small Group had met, agreeing to maintain maximum pressure on Daesh/ISIS despite the several and multifaceted challenges, including those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.*
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.*
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, May 8, 2018
Romania:Russian Spy Plane Draws British Fighter Intercept
At Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase,Romania,two RAF Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled on 3 MAY 2018 when a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance aircraft was detected approaching NATO airspace over the Black Sea.The Typhoons under 135 Air Expeditionary Wing are serving in NATO's Enhanced Air Policing mission,supplementing the Romanian Air Force as one of the Assurance Measures adopted by NATO in 2014 to demonstrate the collective will of the Alliance;demonstrate its defensive nature;and deter Russia from aggression or the threat of aggression against NATO Allies,Allied Air Command explained.*
It was the Typhoon Eurofighters' first scramble of their current deployment.According to Squadron Leader Roger Cruickshank:
Quickly climbing to height and nearly supersonic,it was down to the superb collective response alongside our Romanian partners that we were able to successfully complete our mission.*
The Il-20 never got within visual range of the Typhoons and was tracked departing the area on a Northeast bearing.The prop aircraft is used for long-range reconnaissance missions.A converted civilian plane,it has a top speed of 410 mph and a range of 2200 miles.In contrast,the Typhoon can zip past at up to 1550 mph,with a range of 2355 mph.It can brandish a full array of advanced armament,including a cannon,missiles and bombs.
It was the Typhoon Eurofighters' first scramble of their current deployment.According to Squadron Leader Roger Cruickshank:
Quickly climbing to height and nearly supersonic,it was down to the superb collective response alongside our Romanian partners that we were able to successfully complete our mission.*
The Il-20 never got within visual range of the Typhoons and was tracked departing the area on a Northeast bearing.The prop aircraft is used for long-range reconnaissance missions.A converted civilian plane,it has a top speed of 410 mph and a range of 2200 miles.In contrast,the Typhoon can zip past at up to 1550 mph,with a range of 2355 mph.It can brandish a full array of advanced armament,including a cannon,missiles and bombs.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Russia Probes British Defences by Sea and Air - Belgian fighter jets among responders
The Russian military has been probing the UK's area of national interest in recent weeks,raising NATO concern as fighting between the Ukrainian Army and Russian-backed rebels intensified in Eastern Ukraine.On 8 January 2018,the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster intercepted and escorted two Russian warships,the Stereguschin-class frigates Soobrazitelny and Boiky,plus their support ships Paradoks and Kola,out of the English Channel.
Commander Simon Kelly,commanding officer of the Westminster,explained:
The English Channel is an absolute lifeline for the UK,and it is very important that HMS Westminster and the Royal Navy maintains a watchful eye on this key strategic link.*
Presumably,the Russian warships have by now returned to their Baltic homeport.*
In the Baltic State of Estonia,Britain has deployed its Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) artillery,which is long range and precision-guided by GPS,along with 800 troops as part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence strategy.*
On 15 January,the RAF launched Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth,Scotland,on a quick reaction alert as two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers approached the UK.The Russian Defence Ministry said their bombers were escorted by Belgian F-16s as well as British Typhoons at different stages of their mission.*
According to the UK Ministry of Defence:
The RAF worked closely with NATO partners to monitor the jets as they passed through a variety of international airspace,before they were intercepted by the RAF over the North Sea.Subsequently,our fighters escorted the Russian Blackjacks North,out of the UK's area of interest.At no time did the bombers enter UK sovereign airspace.*
For his part,British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
The threats this country faces are intensifying and we will not hesitate in defending our skies from acts of aggression.Our excellent RAF tracked the Russian aircraft every step of the way,and they continue to police UK and international airspace every hour of every day,to help keep the British people safe.*
RAF QRA was launched today because the Russian military aircraft were not talking to air traffic agencies,the MOD added.
Commander Simon Kelly,commanding officer of the Westminster,explained:
The English Channel is an absolute lifeline for the UK,and it is very important that HMS Westminster and the Royal Navy maintains a watchful eye on this key strategic link.*
Presumably,the Russian warships have by now returned to their Baltic homeport.*
In the Baltic State of Estonia,Britain has deployed its Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) artillery,which is long range and precision-guided by GPS,along with 800 troops as part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence strategy.*
On 15 January,the RAF launched Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth,Scotland,on a quick reaction alert as two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers approached the UK.The Russian Defence Ministry said their bombers were escorted by Belgian F-16s as well as British Typhoons at different stages of their mission.*
According to the UK Ministry of Defence:
The RAF worked closely with NATO partners to monitor the jets as they passed through a variety of international airspace,before they were intercepted by the RAF over the North Sea.Subsequently,our fighters escorted the Russian Blackjacks North,out of the UK's area of interest.At no time did the bombers enter UK sovereign airspace.*
For his part,British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
The threats this country faces are intensifying and we will not hesitate in defending our skies from acts of aggression.Our excellent RAF tracked the Russian aircraft every step of the way,and they continue to police UK and international airspace every hour of every day,to help keep the British people safe.*
RAF QRA was launched today because the Russian military aircraft were not talking to air traffic agencies,the MOD added.
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Military Intelligence:USAF RC-135 Still Active in Afghanistan - classic ISR plane
A longtime US Air Force reconnaissance asset,the RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft,a reconfigured Boeing C-135,continues its intelligence collecting legacy in Afghanistan.A new photo of the aircraft being refueled in Afghan skies was tweeted by the Department of Defense on 10 January 2016 and a video has been released as well.A KC-135 Stratotanker of the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is shown refueling the Rivet Joint on 3 January 2016.The squadron is actively engaged in tactical air refueling operations which extend kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities,the Air Force said.*
According to Air Force magazine,the RC-135 is perhaps the most potent airborne intelligence-gathering platform in history.It conducts ELINT and COMINT intercept operations out to 150 miles.Later models of the plane are characterised by the variety and complexity of electronic suites,sporting additional antennae,radar platforms,bulges,stings and other less-than-aerodynamic shapes to accommodate the exotic electronics.*
From Vietnam to Operations Urgent Fury in Grenada and Desert Storm in Iraq,on to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,and now Operation Freedom's Sentinel,the US roles in NATO'S Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan,the plane's onboard sensor suite has detected,identified and geolocated signals throughout the electromagnetic spectrum,fowarding them to a wide range of consumers via Rivet Joint's extensive communications suite,the Air Force continues,supporting both theatre and national level consumers with near real time in country intelligence collection,analysis and dissemination capabilities.*
The 17 Rivet Joint aircraft,operated by 55th Wing,are based at Offut Air Force Base,Nebraska by crewed by up to 32 Airmen,including the flight crew of up to 3 pilots and 2 navigators;the mission flight crew of a minimum of 3 electronic warfare officers;14 intelligence operators and 4 inflight/airborne maintenance technicians.
Great Britain's Royal Air Force also flies the RC-135 Rivet Joint.*
Boeing (BA)
According to Air Force magazine,the RC-135 is perhaps the most potent airborne intelligence-gathering platform in history.It conducts ELINT and COMINT intercept operations out to 150 miles.Later models of the plane are characterised by the variety and complexity of electronic suites,sporting additional antennae,radar platforms,bulges,stings and other less-than-aerodynamic shapes to accommodate the exotic electronics.*
From Vietnam to Operations Urgent Fury in Grenada and Desert Storm in Iraq,on to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,and now Operation Freedom's Sentinel,the US roles in NATO'S Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan,the plane's onboard sensor suite has detected,identified and geolocated signals throughout the electromagnetic spectrum,fowarding them to a wide range of consumers via Rivet Joint's extensive communications suite,the Air Force continues,supporting both theatre and national level consumers with near real time in country intelligence collection,analysis and dissemination capabilities.*
The 17 Rivet Joint aircraft,operated by 55th Wing,are based at Offut Air Force Base,Nebraska by crewed by up to 32 Airmen,including the flight crew of up to 3 pilots and 2 navigators;the mission flight crew of a minimum of 3 electronic warfare officers;14 intelligence operators and 4 inflight/airborne maintenance technicians.
Great Britain's Royal Air Force also flies the RC-135 Rivet Joint.*
Boeing (BA)
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
British Officer Assumes New DIA Deputy Post;New Bethesda IC Campus Opens
On 30 October,Defense Intelligence Agency director Lieutenant General Vincent R. Stewart,US Marine Corps,announced that Air Vice Marshall Sean Corbett,Royal Air Force,United Kingdom,has been selected as the first deputy director for Commonwealth Integration (DDCI) at the DIA.It is a rotational post for the FVEY allies,or "Five Eyes," at the DIA,referring to the intelligence alliance between the US,Canada,UK,Australia and New Zealand.This alliance has drawn closer over the past 10 years for a better exchange of intelligence,assessment and burden-sharing to enhance collaboration on challenging intelligence issues.*
AVM Corbett is the RAF's senior intelligence officer and has commanded joint and single service intelligence organisations at every level.He had previously served as Chief of Intelligence,Afghanistan,and,most recently,as Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence),Permanent Joint Headquarters,UK.*
Earlier in October,the DIA held a ribbon-cutting for the new Intelligence Community Campus located at 4600 Sangamore Road,Bethesda,Maryland.The ICC-B is an advanced collaborative IC campus for up to 3,000 relocated intelligence staff from the Washington National Capital Area.
I believe this world-class facility is a beautiful addition to the community,said Director of National Intelligence General James Clapper,US Air Force Retired,at the ceremony.This facility is,in so many ways,the physical manifestation of intelligence integration,GEN Clapper added.*
DIA was executive agent for the ICC-B project,which involved redeveloping the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Sumner Campus into an integrated multi-agency site.The ICC-B has a new six-storey parking garage and a sleek glass façade that creates a unified modern structure by wrapping around the three pre-existing buildings.The facility will house staff from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) National Counterintelligence and Security Center;the National Intelligence University;and the DIA.Centrally located among the intelligence agencies,it is marked by the use of LED-lighting for energy conservation.As well,by redeveloping an existing campus,the IC realised a cost savings of around 60% versus the construction of new buildings.*
A combat support agency,DIA provides military intelligence to warfighters,defence policymakers and force planners in the Department of Defense and the IC.It aims to prevent strategic surprise,deter conflict and prepare to defeat future adversaries,delivering decision advantage to prevent and decisively win wars as the indispensable source of defence intelligence expertise.
The DIA's core mission capabilities are collecting,processing,exploiting and analysing foreign military and defence-related information,then producing and disseminating timely and relevant all-source analysis.It combines these with expeditionary competency in providing surge intelligence support to combatant commanders and warfighters to meet operational and tactical priority requirements.
AVM Corbett is the RAF's senior intelligence officer and has commanded joint and single service intelligence organisations at every level.He had previously served as Chief of Intelligence,Afghanistan,and,most recently,as Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence),Permanent Joint Headquarters,UK.*
Earlier in October,the DIA held a ribbon-cutting for the new Intelligence Community Campus located at 4600 Sangamore Road,Bethesda,Maryland.The ICC-B is an advanced collaborative IC campus for up to 3,000 relocated intelligence staff from the Washington National Capital Area.
I believe this world-class facility is a beautiful addition to the community,said Director of National Intelligence General James Clapper,US Air Force Retired,at the ceremony.This facility is,in so many ways,the physical manifestation of intelligence integration,GEN Clapper added.*
DIA was executive agent for the ICC-B project,which involved redeveloping the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Sumner Campus into an integrated multi-agency site.The ICC-B has a new six-storey parking garage and a sleek glass façade that creates a unified modern structure by wrapping around the three pre-existing buildings.The facility will house staff from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) National Counterintelligence and Security Center;the National Intelligence University;and the DIA.Centrally located among the intelligence agencies,it is marked by the use of LED-lighting for energy conservation.As well,by redeveloping an existing campus,the IC realised a cost savings of around 60% versus the construction of new buildings.*
A combat support agency,DIA provides military intelligence to warfighters,defence policymakers and force planners in the Department of Defense and the IC.It aims to prevent strategic surprise,deter conflict and prepare to defeat future adversaries,delivering decision advantage to prevent and decisively win wars as the indispensable source of defence intelligence expertise.
The DIA's core mission capabilities are collecting,processing,exploiting and analysing foreign military and defence-related information,then producing and disseminating timely and relevant all-source analysis.It combines these with expeditionary competency in providing surge intelligence support to combatant commanders and warfighters to meet operational and tactical priority requirements.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Tense Encounter:Russian Su-27 Fighter and US Air Force RC-135 Spy Plane
A US Air Force Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft was buzzed by a Russian Su-27 Flanker in international air space over the Baltic Sea on 7 April,the Pentagon revealed on Sunday.The unarmed and unescorted RC-135 was intercepted off of Northern Poland while flying a routine route,most likely to monitor Russian forces in Kaliningrad and Western Russia.The Pentagon plans to file a complaint with Russia through diplomatic channels,spokesman Mark Wright said.During the encounter,the Flanker came within six meters of the RC-135,approaching at a very high rate of speed from behind the RC-135 and circling it,also rolling over to flash its armament.This maneuver was then repeated before disengagement.
In a statement,the Pentagon's chief spokesman,Colonel Steve Warren,US Army,said that unprofessional air intercepts have the potential to cause harm to all aircrews involved.More importantly,the careless and unprofessional actions of a single pilot have the potential to escalate tensions between countries,COL Warren added.
In service in several variants since 1961,the 22 USAF RC-135s are based at Offut Air Force Base,Nebraska and deployed to forward operating locations worldwide.They are used by the USAF Air Combat Command's 55th Wing and Britain's Royal Air Force Number 51 Squadron to support theatre and national intelligence consumers with near-real time collections,analysis and dissemination.The current variants in service include:
-3 RC-135S Cobra Ball ballistic missile intelligence planes
-2 RC-135U Combat Sent adversary radar emitter intelligence planes
-17 RC-135V/W Rivet Joint SIGINT planes
-a Royal Air Force RC-135W SIGINT plane,which was delivered in September 2013 and has been placed in service in Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIL since July 2014.Two more are on order.The three aircraft will replace the Nimrod R1.
Rivet Joint is the standard airborne SIGINT platform,detecting,identifying and geolocating signals within the entire electromagnetic spectrum with its advanced sensor suite.The Rivet Joint crew consists of cockpit crew;electronic warfare officers;intelligence operators;and airborne systems maintenance personnel.
Rivet Joint airframe and mission system modifications are made exclusively by contractor L-3 Communications.L-3 is a US-based prime contractor in aerospace systems and national security solutions,providing a broad range of communications and electronic systems and products for military and commercial platforms.*
Boeing (BA),L-3 Communications Holdings Inc (LLL)
In a statement,the Pentagon's chief spokesman,Colonel Steve Warren,US Army,said that unprofessional air intercepts have the potential to cause harm to all aircrews involved.More importantly,the careless and unprofessional actions of a single pilot have the potential to escalate tensions between countries,COL Warren added.
In service in several variants since 1961,the 22 USAF RC-135s are based at Offut Air Force Base,Nebraska and deployed to forward operating locations worldwide.They are used by the USAF Air Combat Command's 55th Wing and Britain's Royal Air Force Number 51 Squadron to support theatre and national intelligence consumers with near-real time collections,analysis and dissemination.The current variants in service include:
-3 RC-135S Cobra Ball ballistic missile intelligence planes
-2 RC-135U Combat Sent adversary radar emitter intelligence planes
-17 RC-135V/W Rivet Joint SIGINT planes
-a Royal Air Force RC-135W SIGINT plane,which was delivered in September 2013 and has been placed in service in Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIL since July 2014.Two more are on order.The three aircraft will replace the Nimrod R1.
Rivet Joint is the standard airborne SIGINT platform,detecting,identifying and geolocating signals within the entire electromagnetic spectrum with its advanced sensor suite.The Rivet Joint crew consists of cockpit crew;electronic warfare officers;intelligence operators;and airborne systems maintenance personnel.
Rivet Joint airframe and mission system modifications are made exclusively by contractor L-3 Communications.L-3 is a US-based prime contractor in aerospace systems and national security solutions,providing a broad range of communications and electronic systems and products for military and commercial platforms.*
Boeing (BA),L-3 Communications Holdings Inc (LLL)
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Air War Heats Up As Syrian Front Concerns-top line warplanes used
Turkey has authorised the use of military force against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.It has also given permission for other countries to use its bases,such as Incerlik Air Base,in the conflict.
Several US and Arab ally airstrikes have been carried out in the Kobani area of Northern Syria in recent weeks as US allies the Kurdish ground forces attempt to save the strategically important city from Islamic State militants.The IS is trying to stretch its control over a swath of territory more than 100 kilometers-or 62 miles-from its headquarters in Raqqa,Syria to Kobani near the Turkish border.The airstrikes destroyed two IS fighting positions south of Kobani Tuesday.Also,witnesses observed two large plumes of smoke just west of Kobani after hearing the sounds of military aircraft.Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been participating in these Syria airstrikes.
One of the targets struck was an IS staging area/IED factory.
Despite the increased tempo of the air war against them,the militants have succeeded in capturing several villages near the city and making various incursions into it,raising their black and white flag.The IS has seized several buildings on the southern edge of town,as well as a hospital being built on the western side.Kurdish forces were still flying their flag over the center of town as of Tuesday,but are outnumbered and outgunned.*
Over the weekend,US Army Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships were brought into the air war for the first time to engage the enemy west of Baghdad,a sign of the deteriorating situation in Anbar Province.The targets there,as well as many of them in Kobani,are too close to Kurdish forces or the Turkish border to use fighter aircraft
against.*
On 22 September,the US Air Force sent its front line Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighters into combat for the first time ever.The Raptor,a stealth aircraft with internalised weapons bays,were used to strike IS targets in Syria.It was deemed appropriate to send them because of uncertainty about whether Syria might switch on its advanced air defences as the US conducted its first raids over Syria.In the event,Syria did not respond.
The Raptors were sent in the second wave of attacks.Stationed in the Middle East,the fifth generation warplanes can fly very high and fast-more than Mach 1.5-in all weather.The US Air Force has 188 of these agile strike aircraft.*
Also recently brought into the air war over Iraq were the RAF Panavia Tornado fighters.These swept wing aircraft are considered to be among the best high speed/low level attack planes in the world.They flew in from RAF Akrotiri,Cyprus.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT),Boeing(BA)
Several US and Arab ally airstrikes have been carried out in the Kobani area of Northern Syria in recent weeks as US allies the Kurdish ground forces attempt to save the strategically important city from Islamic State militants.The IS is trying to stretch its control over a swath of territory more than 100 kilometers-or 62 miles-from its headquarters in Raqqa,Syria to Kobani near the Turkish border.The airstrikes destroyed two IS fighting positions south of Kobani Tuesday.Also,witnesses observed two large plumes of smoke just west of Kobani after hearing the sounds of military aircraft.Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been participating in these Syria airstrikes.
One of the targets struck was an IS staging area/IED factory.
Despite the increased tempo of the air war against them,the militants have succeeded in capturing several villages near the city and making various incursions into it,raising their black and white flag.The IS has seized several buildings on the southern edge of town,as well as a hospital being built on the western side.Kurdish forces were still flying their flag over the center of town as of Tuesday,but are outnumbered and outgunned.*
Over the weekend,US Army Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships were brought into the air war for the first time to engage the enemy west of Baghdad,a sign of the deteriorating situation in Anbar Province.The targets there,as well as many of them in Kobani,are too close to Kurdish forces or the Turkish border to use fighter aircraft
against.*
On 22 September,the US Air Force sent its front line Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighters into combat for the first time ever.The Raptor,a stealth aircraft with internalised weapons bays,were used to strike IS targets in Syria.It was deemed appropriate to send them because of uncertainty about whether Syria might switch on its advanced air defences as the US conducted its first raids over Syria.In the event,Syria did not respond.
The Raptors were sent in the second wave of attacks.Stationed in the Middle East,the fifth generation warplanes can fly very high and fast-more than Mach 1.5-in all weather.The US Air Force has 188 of these agile strike aircraft.*
Also recently brought into the air war over Iraq were the RAF Panavia Tornado fighters.These swept wing aircraft are considered to be among the best high speed/low level attack planes in the world.They flew in from RAF Akrotiri,Cyprus.*
Lockheed Martin(LMT),Boeing(BA)
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Exercise Red Flag:RAAF Arrives at Nellis AFB,Nevada
A robust contingent of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft and personnel have arrived at Nellis Air Force Base,Nevada for the multinational Exercise Red Flag 14-1.They are mainly from RAAF Base Williamstown.Participating are about 250 personnel from Number 77 and Number 2 Squadrons,with 7 F/A-18A Hornet fighters and an E7A Wedgetail airborne warning and control aircraft for the complex air combat missions.*
Commander Air Combat Group Air Commadore Tom Grady praised the exercise as being the most advanced international combat air training activity in the world,providing pilots,combat controllers and intelligence officers with the most realistic and demanding tactical training available.It tests and teaches through a rigorous program of day and night missions against a large number of ground threats and adversary air.It provides a level of operational simulation not available in Australia or the region,and regular participation in this Red Flag series of exercises is a major contributor to Australia's high standard of air combat capability.
RAAF Group Captain Robert Chipman is leading the deployment.*
Participating air forces will fly strike,electronic warfare,tactical transport,fighter escort,airborne warning and control,and air to air refueling missions against an extensive range of simulated surface to air threats.It is the premier air-to-air combat exercise,giving pilots the experience of multiple,intensive combat air sorties in the safety of a training environment.*
Also participating in Exercise Red Flag 14-1 are US Air Force F-22 Raptors,F-16 Fighting Falcons,F-15 Eagles,B-2 Spirit bombers and KC-135 tankers.The UK Royal Air Force is represented by Typhoon and Tornado fighters.*
The exercise continues through 14 February.It is especially relevant in light of the recent unrecognised Chinese claims to airspace in the Asia Pacific region.
Commander Air Combat Group Air Commadore Tom Grady praised the exercise as being the most advanced international combat air training activity in the world,providing pilots,combat controllers and intelligence officers with the most realistic and demanding tactical training available.It tests and teaches through a rigorous program of day and night missions against a large number of ground threats and adversary air.It provides a level of operational simulation not available in Australia or the region,and regular participation in this Red Flag series of exercises is a major contributor to Australia's high standard of air combat capability.
RAAF Group Captain Robert Chipman is leading the deployment.*
Participating air forces will fly strike,electronic warfare,tactical transport,fighter escort,airborne warning and control,and air to air refueling missions against an extensive range of simulated surface to air threats.It is the premier air-to-air combat exercise,giving pilots the experience of multiple,intensive combat air sorties in the safety of a training environment.*
Also participating in Exercise Red Flag 14-1 are US Air Force F-22 Raptors,F-16 Fighting Falcons,F-15 Eagles,B-2 Spirit bombers and KC-135 tankers.The UK Royal Air Force is represented by Typhoon and Tornado fighters.*
The exercise continues through 14 February.It is especially relevant in light of the recent unrecognised Chinese claims to airspace in the Asia Pacific region.
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