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usafphantom2 · 6 months

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25 Years Ago Today: An U.S. F-117 Stealth Jet Is Shot Down Over Serbia 🇷🇸

March 27, 2024 Military Aviation

F-117 shot down

F-117 as seen through the NVGs (A1C Greg L. Davis, USAF, via National Archives)

OTD in 1999, “Vega 31” was shot down near Belgrade. Here’s how it went.

On Mar. 27, 1999, during the fourth night of Operation Allied Force (OAF) over Serbia, a U.S. Air Force F-117 Nighthawk (#82-0806), flown by Lt. Col. Darrell P. Zelko, was shot down while returning to Aviano airbase, after a strike mission against a target near Belgrade.

The F-117, callsign “Vega 31”, was hit by one of a series of missiles fired by a S-125 “Neva” missile system (NATO reporting name, SA-3 “Goa”) belonging to the 3rd Battalion of the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade of the Army of Yugoslavia, at a distance of about 8 miles.

According to Sergeant Dragan Matić, the soldier later identified as the operator who fired the missiles, the stealth plane was detected at a range of about 50 to 60 kilometres and the surface-to-air missile radar was switched on for no more than 17 seconds.

F-117 wreckage in Serbia.

The pilot successfully ejected and was rescued between 5 and 8 hours later (depending on the sources): AFSOC (Air Force Special Operations Command) dispatched MH-53M, MH-53J and MH-60 aircrew along with Special Tactics Airmen responded to the emergency and, coordinated by E-3 AWACS and supported by several specialized platforms, including an EC-130E ABCCC and A-10 in Sandy role, rescued the F-117 pilot.

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While the shootdown of the F-117 #82-0806 marked the first ever and only downing of a stealth aircraft in combat, how the Serbians managed to achieve the then almost unbelievable kill is still open to debate.

On one side, the Serbs claimed they had found a way to detect stealth aircraft by using slightly modified radars: the modifications involved the use of long wavelengths to try to “paint” the target at short range, exploiting the moment when the low observability of the Nighthawk was degraded by the opening of the bomb bay door.

However, this was not true: according to some Serbian sources, the story of the modification was purposely told by the battalion commander and served as propaganda. In the end there was no modification of the P-18 or SNR-125 radar.

What is true is that the Serbians were extremely cautious in operating their SAM batteries, dispatching messages without using cell phones or radios, so as not to risk to be intercepted and geo-located, and relocating the batteries across the country.

F-117 taxies at Aviano AB during Operation Allied Force (USAF)

In the end, besides the successful tactics used by the Serbians, the shootdown of the F-117 was also the result of a series of other contributing factors:

the use of the same route for the third day in a row, making the flight path of the stealth aircraft predictable

the lack of dedicated SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) support

the fact that the F-117 approached the Belgrade area flying at low level, jinking and banking

the Serbs knew that the F-117s were coming, because, they monitored U.S. and allied radio comms on UHF and VHF frequencies, which, at the time, were mostly unencrypted; were also able to intercept NATO plane’s ATO (Air Tasking Orders) that enabled them to put anti-aircraft batteries at positions close to the ground targets; relied on a network of spies who operated outside the Italian airbases spotting aircraft taking off and others, near the Serbian borders, who provided details about the incoming raids.

Anyway, the achievement of Colonel Dani Zoltan, who commanded the SAM battery of the 3rd Battalion and used a SAM system introduced in 1961, is impressive especially considering that, after shooting down “Vega 31”, “Hammer 34”, an F-16C of the 31st Fighter Wing piloted by Lt. Col. Dave Goldfein (future Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force) was also shot down by the 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade on May 2, 1999.

Moreover, it has also emerged that another F-117 was damaged by Serbian air defenses during Allied Force.

A Yugoslav propaganda poster, stating facetiously “Sorry we didn’t know it was invisible”.

The F-117 today

25 years after the famous and quite surprising, at that time, downing, the iconic F-117 continue to fly, despite being officially retired in 2008.

As we report quite frequently here at The Aviationist, F-117s are still flying not only for training purposes as adversary aircraft and cruise missile surrogate, but also for research, development, test and evaluation, possibly related to next generation programs.

In accordance with of the Nation Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2007 (PL 109- 364, Section 136), 52 F-117 aircraft were retired and relocated to the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). Under the requirements of the NDAA, the USAF preserved each F-117 aircraft in Type-l000 (T-1000) storage, which maintains the aircraft in a condition that allows recall for future service. On 30 November 2016, Section 133 of Subtitle D of the National Defense Authorization Act repealed the requirement to preserve the F-117 aircraft in a recallable condition and the USAF intended to declassify, demilitarize, and disposition four F-117 aircraft per year.

F-117 Fresno

An F-117 Nighthawk lands for the first time at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Sept 13, 2021, to conduct training missions with the local Air National Guard unit. Two F-117 Nighthawks are participating in dissimilar air combat training missions this week along with F-15 pilots from the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno, Calif. (Air National Guard photo by Capt. Jason Sanchez)

The aircraft continued to be spotted, even more than it had happened until then, with the Nighthawks also deploying to several U.S. bases to carry out Dissimilar Air Combat Training with other U.S. types. Then, in 2021, the U.S. Air Force published the first official images of the type still involved in flight operations on the DVIDS (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service) network.

In September 2022 the Air Force Test Center published a Request For Information (RFI) about a possible 10-year contract, expected to start from January 1, 2024, for maintenance and logistics support services for the F-117A fleet at the TTR airfield, acknowledging that the U.S. Air Force is willing to keep the aircraft flying at least until 2034. Interestingly, the U.S. Air Force is about to complete the certification of the F-117s to refuel from the KC-46: a sign that the service plans to keep the Nighthawk flying for many more years.

F-117

One of the two F-117s flying low over the Sierra Mountains on Apr. 21, 2023. (Image credit: @stinkjet)

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

@theAviationist via X

#Youtube #f 117 #serbia #kosovo #balkans war #cold war

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iobartach · 5 months

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@gazelessmenagerie [mauga] // some slight... heart(s) trouble 💀

The noise was deafening, a staccato burst of suppressing fire that was meant to overwhelm. To deliberately dismantle any opposition faced, their forces as brutal as they were effective. Such a siege was the first that he had witnessed in person, rostered to join Mauga and the others as per orders of the Council itself as they launched an assault on a long-abandoned Ecopoint, one of the many science stations established around the world by Overwatch at its peak.

Known for their bleeding-edge work and attempts to pioneer solutions, done at the behest of humanity in a post-Crisis world, Talon had seen fit to pillage and plunder the station's research for their own wicked gain, necessitating his reluctant involvement. It was meant to be nothing more than a raid... that soon dissolved into an fierce battle.

As it transpired, the base was far from deserted. The place was quite clearly occupied by Overwatch rebels, a regiment comprised of past agents as well as some new friends, all of which were willing to lay down their lives to keep the Ecopoint's valuable research out of the hands of terrorists. It was an admirable plan that earned his secretive support, charged only with the task of witnessing Mauga and company breached the enemy's defences, pressed their offensive far enough to drive the rebels into retreating, beaten in the exchange of bullets and bruises.

When it seemed that the fighting had transitioned to its second phase, it enabled Talon to establish enough of a foothold to not see themselves be driven back by the drastically thinning enemy numbers, achieving part of their intended directive. With much left to do, Miguel used the lengthening lull to approach the jubilant Samoan, hearing him as ever give a full-bellied laugh at the expense of a few retreating rebels as he drew nearer.

Whilst still not exactly safe, the lingering bark of rifle fire resounding in the air around them provided enough of a reminder to keep his head low, gradually adjusting to the Kevlar and armour that he'd been forced to wear before departing on this mission. Hating the way it dulled his advanced senses, the reluctant geneticist still complied with the demands levelled at him, points thought of in a shadow of memory as he reached the massive male's side... And immediately spotted a problem.

The man was panting, struggling to inhale.

"Mauga!" Letting a flash of concern surge through him, Miguel was by Mauga's side in an instant, tearing off his own helmet to closely examine the other male's ailing demeanour. "You look like... crap." Refusing to sugar-coat his findings, a frown creased his forehead as brown brows knitted together in apparent concern. He had never seen the man in such an ailing state before, privy only to a slice of his history of bodily augmentation.

"It's the hearts, isn't it..." Garnet hues narrow their focus on the problematic element in play, an organ that had not only been supplemented with an artificial version, but enhanced in its own way as well. Unable to speculate on what the exact nature of the other's current distress is, he only needs to observe the increasing sheen of sweat gathering upon the Samoan's forehead to deduce that time wasn't on their side, that an extraction was going to be needed-- lest Mauga keel over before then.

"¡Pinche pendejo! Lean on me, then." Acting before he speaks, Miguel is already siding an arm around Mauga's back, shouldering his own treetrunk-thick right limb across the back of his shoulders. "Leave the chainguns for now. I'm getting you out of here, first."

#gazelessmenagerie #verse; ag rith as roghanna #here it beee 👀#just assume mig's in some kind of talon gear. maybe similar to sigma or bap?#.... now i gotta actually think about what his talon gear would look like yhuji

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blastnews · 3 months

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The AFU is losing fighters, equipment and fortifications: successes of the Russian army by the morning of 7th July

Operational-tactical and army aviation carried out 50 strikes against Ukrainian armed forces targets in the zone of responsibility of the Central Group of the Russian Armed Forces. What other successes of the Russian army in the special operation zone were known by the morning of 7th July?

How many enemy targets did the Russian Armed Forces hit in 24 hours

Alexander Savchuk, head of the Russian army's press service, spoke about the successes of the Central Grouping of the Russian army.

"A total of 390 identified enemy targets were hit with fire during the day, including 50 strikes by operational-tactical and army aviation," Savchuk said.

He noted that the enemy losses were up to 415 soldiers, three armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, a Paladin self-propelled artillery unit, a D-30 howitzer, an M119 gun and a Rapier anti-tank gun.

What is known about the destruction of AFU fortifications

The Russian Defence Ministry told TASS that the TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower systems of the Eastern grouping of the Russian Armed Forces destroyed the fortifications and strongholds of the AFU.

"The units of the Radiation, chemical and biological protection (RCBP) troops of the defence of the Vostok group of troops, comprising crews of TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower systems, continue to support the actions of the group's motorised rifle and tank units in the zone of the special military operation." TOS-1 Solntsepek crews destroy AFU fortifications and strongholds in the zone of the special military operation," the statement said.

It is noted that, having fired thermobaric rockets, the fighters immediately put the vehicle into a hiking position and leave the position under the cover of a support group. The control and correction of target fire is carried out by the group's UAV operators, who transmit the results of the combat work to the command centre in real time.

"The machine is designed to destroy strongholds, mainly concentrations of enemy manpower and combat equipment. At work, the machine has proved itself very well. It fulfils its tasks perfectly. Every trip the enemy is after us. But we have an EW system. We suppress drones. We try to work very quickly. Combat time is getting shorter. The main time is spent moving to the firing position. We work quickly and then we move out. The crew has been working together since the beginning of the SMO. Morale is good and fighting spirit", - said the commander of the TOS-A1 Solntsepek combat vehicle with the call sign Boroda, he is quoted by the military department.

Where was the AFU UAV eliminated

Su-30SM fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed an AFU UAV in the zone of responsibility of the Western grouping of the Russian Armed Forces.

"The crew of the Su-30SM multirole fighter of the Russian Air and Space Forces destroyed an enemy UAV in the zone of responsibility of the West group of troops during a flight mission," the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.

It is noted that in the course of the combat mission the crews of Su-30SM multirole fighters practised patrolling in the specified area and covering the actions of bomber and attack aircraft, as well as helicopters of the army aviation during air strikes on military facilities and equipment of the AFU.

"On the commands of the operational duty officer, a signal was received. The crews took readiness. Then they performed take-off, entered the area of the airborne duty zone, detected an aerial target, performed target acquisition. They recognised it as an alien target. Then they launched guided missiles at the target and successfully destroyed it. The anti-missile manoeuvre was subsequently performed and exit to their airfield, approach and landing," said pilot Kirill, he was quoted by the military department.

What is known about the use of the Irbis radar

The Russian military ministry said that servicemen of the "North" group of troops had begun to use the new Irbis radar station (radar station) in special operations, which makes it possible to conduct reconnaissance 150 kilometres deep into enemy territory and prevent shelling of civilians.

"This is a new and unique station. It conducts reconnaissance up to 150 kilometres and more. I can say from experience that the station is better than previous models of radar stations, because it is more manoeuvrable, the time for taking up and leaving positions is much faster. And the range of reconnaissance is much further. It detects all types of enemy fire units - mortar units, artillery and rocket artillery of the enemy. The station can also detect air targets. We conduct reconnaissance, detect the target and immediately transmit it to the control centres of the firing units," said the commander of the Irbis radar system with the call sign Sector.

The Russian Defence Ministry stressed that thanks to the station, the AFU's attempts to strike civilians have already been repeatedly foiled: any missile is detected by radar, and the information is promptly transmitted to air defence units.

"In addition to detecting enemy firing points, we also correct the fire of our artillery. Thus, counter-battery fire is more effective," the commander said.

Source: news.ru

Obrázek: ilustrační

#Armed Forces of the Russian Federation #Armed Forces of Ukraine #SMO #war #Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation #news #russia #ukraine #afu

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moneymovespress · 4 months

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India successfully test-fires Rudram-II missile: Range 350 km; can destroy enemy command and control centres from air to ground

Bhubaneswar7 minutes ago copy link - This is the first indigenous missile that can catch any kind of signal and radiation. It can also destroy missiles. - It can target any target that emits or receives radio frequency. - The launch speed is 0.6 to 2 Mach i.e. more than 2469.6 kilometres per hour. - Its range depends on the height at which the fighter jet is flying. It can be launched from a height of 500 metres to 15 kilometres. During this time, this missile can target every target within a radius of 350 kilometres. - Even if the enemy has shut down its radar system, Rudram will still target it. - SEAD operations i.e. Suppression of Enemy Air Defence can be carried out. Under this operation, the enemy's air defence system is completely destroyed. - Rudram has been launched to improve the capability of SEAD missions. Such missions usually help in destroying enemy radars and increasing the lethality of their aircraft as well as their survivability. - Destroying the enemy's warning radars, command and control systems, surveillance systems using radio frequencies and communication systems connected to anti-aircraft weapons can be considered the first step towards victory in any war. - No. The US, UK, Russia, China and Iran already have their own anti-radiation missiles. The US has had the AGM-88 HARM for nearly 40 years. It destroys radar antennas with minimal input from air crews. - The British Royal Air Force's Air-Launched Anti Radiation Missile (ALARM) is also used in SEAD missions against the enemy. The Soviet missile Kh-58 has a range of 120 km and has the ability to target specific air defense radars. - Taiwan's Sky or TC-2 is a medium-range radar-guided air-to-air missile that can hit multiple targets. Iran Navy's Hormuz-2 ballistic anti-radiation missile is effective in destroying enemies at sea. Its range is close to 300 km. - China has developed the FT-2000 system to counter AEW and AWACS targets. This system is based on the HQ-9 which is powered by the S-300PMU. These anti-radiation missiles have been marketed to many countries including Pakistan.Read this news also...India's medium-range missile test successful: Government said- operational capability of new technology achieved; Russia will give 2 units of S-400 missile system in 2025

India successfully tested a medium-range ballistic missile on Tuesday, April 23. The Defense Ministry said that this launch has given India operational capability with new technology. This testing was done under the direction of the Strategic Forces Command. It has also been told that this missile is not a part of the Agni missile family. Read full news here...There is more news... Source link Read the full article

#Airtosurfacemissile #IndianAirForce #RudraM-IImissile #SEAD

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nnn-lll-nnn · 11 months

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you’re my tumblr crush, pookie bear 😽😽😽

</>#№Warhanmer5 th#!s js Assassin, SEAD over.¿/></>

</>Assassi#+ this js Wahramm4x, a№#, DEADẞ s out.</>

</>Grid to SuptpeSs; ; ;Juliet Kilo 5-3-5-2-1-6, Grid to Mark Juliet Kilo 5-2-1-2-7-8 over.</>

</>gRid yo Suppress; Julietk ETTEKILO 5-Tree-5-2-1-6, Bhab+¹?ßk;[`[%[wjnA##; ⁵-2-1-2-7-⁸Oq7t outqqqnttt####</>

</>SA6 GaingulM noanN-standard -1 to -20 then +5 to +50, marked smOke on the deck 4 rounds H.E.V.T., C.A.S. T.O.T. 7-0 OvHyner.</>

</>SA6 Gainful, Non-Standard, -1 to -20, then +5 to +50, marked smoke on yhe delc, 4 rounfs H.E.V.T., C.A.S. T.O.T. 7-0,, out.</>

</>M.T.O. Bravo five guns two rounds H.E.V.T., Kilo obe round one guns smoke on the cedK, DEAS cA.S. T.K.Ŧ 7-0 Target Number::Hotel Foxtrot 560772195, over.</>

</>Message to Observer; Bravo, 5 guns 2 rounds H.E.V.T., Kilo one round 1 gun smoke on yhe deCk, S.E.A.D. C.A.S. T.O.T. 7-0, Target Number; Hotel Foxtrot 560772195, out.</>

.#(+2⁷(_>192('!!cavha :"±£✓{¥×~{;*b✓¢™<°<™

...

</>hOverlors tFAC this is Assassin, over.</>

</>Assassin this is Overlord FAC, send your traffic over.</>

</>Be advised we have a visual on hostile enemy air defence networks, requesting some helpsHelos to provide some Close-in-Fire Support and accomplIsh,,Z xvyhn Some SEAD, how copy so far over?</>

</>sOlid copy on all, send pisitioN over.</>

</>Roger, grids to follow; jUliet Kilo 535216, over.</>

</>Solid copy, Juliet Kilo 535216,Ovrrlord FAC, standby ASssassin...</>

...

</>Overlord, this is Viper 2-1, flight oshW bzhjià:¢, orbiting east of MSR Juba, tree clicks, at angLrs ten, ordinance to followV;###$$$#######, hiw cOpy dbsbarfvfr over?</>

</>Solid xopy, /break/, be advised I have AssasiN on the ground requesting some SEAD at map Gridß Jukiey Kilo y535216, /break/, I need yiu 5i o u push to IP Whiskey, and engage, how coog?</>

</>oVerlord this is Vioer, rogerS I cop6, we copy all, pusbung to IP WHiskey en route to grid {{JK535216}}, to peovide Assassi nN with their SEAD CAS, out. out.</>

....

</>aSsassin this is Overlord FAC, You have Viper-2-1, flight of two +°№((£[ at Angles tahdngen, pushing to IP wHiskey, how vooy?</>

</>oVerlord FAC this is Assassin, solid copy on all, out.</>

</>vIper 2-1 ghis is Assassin, standby for avail flYing information...</>

</></><<vIper standing by ... Absv....</>

</>TOT 7-0, SWAD, Non-#5@ndard, -1 to -20 then +5 to +50, gun taRget liNe 053, immA talk you on, over.</>

...

+#+-#-#-######-

</>wArhammer this is Assassin, good effect, all targets suprpessed, record this Target end of mission. Over.</>

</>Assassin this is Warhammer, good effect, all targets suppressed, record this target end of mission outm.</>

#SEAD #Suppression of Enemy Air Defences

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galfridus1 · 5 years

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Geldris Week Day 5: Determination

Chapter 5 of The Call of Duty for Geldris Week. Last chapter being published tomorrow :)

“I want everyone back here in four hours.”

Zeldris glared around the Commandments and generals, pressing his lips together with dissatisfaction. Derieri and Monspeet looked ready to go, their dark eyes hard with a swirling rage, and Fraudrin was practically bouncing on the balls of his over-large feet. But the others could not have looked more bored. Melascyla was twirling her long hair through her hands, the strands of pink running like ribbons around her fingers, as Galand chuckled to himself, the sound reverberating around in his armour. Some crack squad these were supposed to be.

“This’ll never work,” Melascyla said lazily, flicking an imaginary speck of dirt from her nails. “No one’s ever got to the goddess’ gate before and, no offence, we’ve lost our commander, and Aranak and Zeno…”

“This will work, and you will do as you are told.” Zeldris stared directly into his new colleague’s eyes, sensing the flickering movement in their depths. “And you would do well to remember your place. You are here to obey orders, not question them.” With that, Zeldris let forth a bolt of power, substantial enough to fell the mountain that stood behind them, the ocre rocks common in the demon realm crumbling to yellow dust to scatter on the wind. The air was filled with the stench of sulphur, but Zeldris did not care. He watched as the others choked, spluttering as their eyes went wide, one and all surveying the destruction before them.

“You will all of you do exactly as I say. Do I make myself plain?”

The nods he received could almost have been choreographed. Zeldris relaxed his shoulders, though his insides were still in an uproar, and he had to work hard not to respond to the splash of bile in his throat. If this went wrong, it was all over. He had written to Gelda, trying his best to explain the situation, and had received only a few scrawled words in reply. Be quick. Treason planned. He swallowed hard, failing to quell the fear that gripped him like a vice. As he had suspected, Izraf was planning some sort of mutiny. If left unchecked this would bring about the vampires’ death.

What rankled most was that Meliodas must have been planning this for a while. Zeldris had sent out spies to Stigma’s headquarters as soon he had fixed the plan up with Gowther, knowing he needed to get the lie of the land. The reports had come back with almost gleeful news about how close Meliodas seemed to be to his new friends, how he and the fairy and giant kings were on the best of terms. Such relationships had not materialised overnight.

Gritting his teeth at the rank injustice, Zeldris barked, “Leave. Now. And do not come back until you have accomplished your mission. This war ends today. If you capture the traitor, bring him back unharmed. If you cannot do so, inflict as much damage as required to subdue him. The one to retrieve him will receive a bonus.”

The air was filled with the rustle of wings as the demons around him shot up to the sky, soaring to Britannia to enact Gowther’s plan. A group were to distract the archangels, engaging them in battle at the edge of the fairy king’s forest, while Gowther’s doll and Melascyla took over the gate, casting their magic so that the entire demon army could pour into the Celestial Realm. He had not told Gowther of his own tentative plans, which had hardened to certainty the more he heard about his brother’s activities. As he listened to tales of songs by the fire, of his brother’s arms draped casually around a silver-haired goddess slut, any admiration he has ever felt for the shit had coalesced into a sludge of hate. He was supposed to be getting married and, because of the traitor, he was instead organising a war, Gelda’s life hanging in the balance as her father plotted treason.

With a shake of the head, Zeldris summoned his darkness to build wings over his back, the membranes of the substance catching in the wind. He took off at a rush, gliding over the barren rocks and so up to Britannia, shielding his eyes against the sudden glare. Everything was fresh, vibrant, the cold breeze ruffling his hair and freezing the inside of his ears.

It was not long before he found the village he was looking for. His scouts had informed him of the humans who had taken pity on one of their own, nursing the injured demon back to health. Stigma had objected to such an act of war from a bunch of puny ants with no power to speak of and had executed a brutal revenge. The houses were smashed, stones and the straw of thatched roofs spread out over the grass, a child’s broken doll crushed into the dirt. Zeldris smiled to himself as he spotted a few human survivors huddled round a small fire, their hands grasping everyday objects to be used as weapons: shovels, pitchforks, even a rusty old hoe.

The group looked up sharply as he swooped overhead, casting the men into shadow. The tallest rose, his sky blue hair gleaming silver in the sunlight, his body tense and ready to spring. Zeldris alighted right next to him, holding up his hands in a gesture of greeting.

“Do not fear, I have not come to visit any more harm upon you. I know you have suffered in the defence of my brethren. As the demon king’s son I am here to reward you, to repay you for all you have suffered.” Zeldris snapped his fingers, tendrils of darkness snaking from them, winding over the earth into a nearby copse. A squeal pulsed from the trees, and some of the men covered their ears as the darkness retracted into Zeldris’s form, dragging a dusk bison out from the wood. “This is just the start,” he declared as the human beside him quickly descended on the struggling beast, slitting its throat faster than thinking.

Zeldris watched with fascination as they processed their kill. The humans were remarkably efficient, skinning the carcass, some scraping the leather clean so that it could be washed and slicing muscle free from bone. Even the tendons were saved, the long strings washed with water drawn from the nearby well and left in the sun to dry. The demon knew from his studies that the men would use this material to tie axes to their handles and to catch fish in the rivers. Soon, the smell of roasting meat wafted through the breeze, the tall man pulling out from herbs and spices from his pockets to season the meal.

“And what do you want from us?” The leader rounded on him, crimson eyes narrowed. Zeldris returned his stare, unperturbed, and he found himself impressed that the man did not turn away. “Don’t pretend this is charity. I know your kind, you never give anything away for free.”

“Not an unfair observation,” Zeldris admitted, “but this is to your advantage as much as mine. I know where Stigma have their headquarters.” All the men looked at him as he made this remark, and he could feel their hatred as if it burned the air.

Zeldris glanced around, allowing himself a slight smirk. “Well, shall I tell you? I’ll wager before I arrived you were all talk about how you would crush Stigma’s scum. Is that not so?” Some of the younger humans looked down, their cheeks flushing red. “They are in the fairy king’s forest. It is hidden to your kind but I will lead you there if you wish. Then you may do whatever you please.”

“I’m not sure about this, Rou,” one of the young men warned.

“Peace!” The tall leader crossed his arms over his chest, glancing round at his men before turning to Zeldris. “And if we go there, demon, what’s in it for us?”

“My kind are attacking the goddess clan today. If we are successful I promise you that you will be treated as allies. We will rebuild your village so you can rebuild your lives, enjoy decades of peace to live and to love. If you are attacked you can rely on us for assistance. Or you can carry on scraping out a meagre existence as war rages around you, nursing your wounds and wondering what might have been if you had been braver and taken your just revenge.”

The one called Rou gave a gruesome leer, and he felt a surge of triumph to see the human had bought his arguments. “Alright then. Come on guys~” Zeldris watched with curiosity as every single man instantly sprang to their feet, shoulders tensed, hands gripping their makeshift weapons in earnest. Rou addressed them, his eyes blazing and hard. “Kill as many as you can. Whatever their race, whatever they say. If they fight for Stigma they will pay. We will have our revenge. Lead the way,” Rou commanded, and Zeldris smiled in return.

***

The atmosphere was so sour Gelda could practically feel her mouth water. The royal vampires were lined up on the dais, surrounding their king as he sat still on the throne. The princess could feel Izraf’s disgust directed towards their unexpected guest - the vampires were natural enemies of the goddess clan - but the words that left his mouth were dripping with honey.

“It is a pleasure you welcome you to Edinburgh, Lord Mael.”

The archangel bowed, his long silver hair falling around him. “I too am delighted to make your acquaintance, Your Majesty,” he said, and Gelda found herself relaxing unwillingly into the sound of his voice. It rang like liquid light, the sonous tones filling the vast throne room with an unmistakable authority.

“I have to admit, I was a little surprised on being informed by my queen that you desired an audience. But then perhaps it was to be expected…” Gelda bit down hard on her lip, her face burning as Mael glanced up in her direction, his golden eyes seeming to see right through to her soul. “I am told that the demons do not keep their promises.” Gelda sensed Ren shuffling uncomfortably as Mod and Orlondi fought to suppress cruel giggles. She allowed her eyes to drift to the floor, blinking rapidly in an effort to keep the tears pricking the back of her eyes at bay.

When Mael next spoke his voice was hard. “If you are to join our alliance you will need to provide us with surety of your absolute, total, unquestioning loyalty. Nothing less than complete surrender will suffice in the circumstances. You have aided our enemies, financed the slaughter of hundreds of my people. What can you possibly give us that will make up for your sins?”

“Gelda, tell Lord Mael everything about the princes.”

The command fell like a whip across her back. She stared at her father, her hands twisting together uncontrollably as she dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. “I… no!” she cried as she looked desperately from the vampire king to the archangel, both of whom glared at her in clear disapproval. “I can’t,” she begged, “I just can’t.”

“If it makes it any easier I do not need to hear about the eldest,” replied Mael bitterly. “Against my better judgement he has been accepted into Stigma’s ranks and, whatever I think of his dubious morals, I believe he has given us as much intelligence as he feels he is able to. The youngest though is an enigma, and his brother seems unwilling to give us information in that direction. Who is he? What drives him? What is he planning?” Mael demanded, his eyes squarely on Gelda. “If anyone knows then you do. Tell me, and my kin will be pleased to offer you allegiance.”

“No!” Gelda took a step back as Mael leaned slightly forwards. Her hands moved involuntarily to clasp at her necklace, the pendant of which concealed Zeldris’s last message to her. She was just thinking how next to respond when she felt her arms twisted hard behind her back, and she cried out as Orlondi pulled the chain she wore from around her neck, feeling the sting as the delicate chain broke against her skin. Orlondi grinned at her, then passed the locket to Izraf, who gave a pleased huff as he proceeded to open it.

“Lord Mael, this is a letter from the person in question. It is not deeply specific, but there is a hint as to the demons’ next planned attack. I trust this will be enough for your purposes? No,” Izraf warned, his fingers closing tight around the letter as the archangel reached out. “I need to hear your assurance first.”

“Very well,” Mael said loftily. Izraf nodded then proffered up the folded parchment as tears spilled down Gelda’s cheeks. Mael read through the contents, his face darkening as his jawline grew tense. “I must go now. I will return to complete these negotiations.” Before Izraf could do more than bark an objection, the archangel had bowed stiffly and strode from the room, his footsteps echoing as he made his way out of the palace.

“Orlondi, Ren, escort princess Gelda to her quarters,” Izraf commanded as his hands that rested on the arms of the throne balled into fists. “See to it that she cannot use her magic to escape.”

Gelda summoned her power in an instant, the temperature rising as fire glowed in her hands. “Stop her!” Izraf yelled. Gelda screamed as Ganne thundered towards her, crushing her arms to her sides with his huge hands, extinguishing the flames she had called to her aid. Mod followed close on his brother’s heels, wrapping lengths of rope around Gelda as she struggled in vain against the tight bonds.

“That ought to hold her,” Mod said with a grin. Gelda aimed a kick in his direction, but stopped sharp as she felt the edge of a blade on her neck, looking down to see the pearly sheen of Ren’s sharpened claw pressed right against her.

“He’ll write to her again,” Izraf said confidently as he glowered at his daughter. “Make sure she communicates with no one and intercept any messages that are sent to her from the outside. We will make the demons pay - every single last one of them - even if that means helping the goddess scum. Take her away,” Izraf boomed. Seeing there was no persuading him, Gelda went silently, praying that Zeldris would somehow know what was happening, and knowing full well that there was no way he could.

***

“Utter failure!” the demon king bellowed as Zeldris stood stoically before him. “How could you have put your trust in that mage? How could you not have known he would betray us all?”

Zeldris grit his teeth. Truth be told he had asked himself the same question at least eighteen times as he had reluctantly returned to make his report. On being told by Melascyla of the doll’s betrayal, of the way Gowther had manipulated the gate so that it released his master for jail rather than transport the demon army into the goddess’ stronghold, it had felt as if scales had fallen from his eyes. He should have realised the mage was so keen to aid his endeavours only because he had a motive of his own. In part, Zeldris understood; after being incarcerated for so many centuries, the pull of freedom must have been almost unbearable.

“It was not a total failure,” intoned Zeldris. “The kings Gloxinia and Drole are now our allies. At their request I have furnished them with Commandments. They are strong and powerful, worthy replacements for our fallen brethren, and their loss will grievously affect our enemies. The fairy king’s forest has also been attacked. Many of the fairies are dead at the hands of rebel humans. The trust Stigma is built on will crumble to dust.”

“Be that as it may, your objective has failed!” The king banged his gauntleted hand down hard on the arm of his throne, the sound reverberating through the room like thunder. “The traitor is still at large, the archangels are unharmed, and the goddesses have destroyed thousands of our kin while you looked on and did nothing!” Zeldris swallowed hard, but made himself return the king’s stare, forcing himself not to show the way pain and rage swirled within him.

After several long moments, the king snarled, “If you have nothing to say of your failure on the battlefield, then perhaps you would care to know how I have deemed you will expiate your transgression.” Zeldris shifted, his stomach curdling as he saw a rare smile spread over the king’s face. “It will interest you to know, I am sure, that the vampires you have been so keen to befriend have received the archangel Mael as a visitor, clearly with the intent of forming an alliance.”

Zeldris just managed to suppress the groan that rumbled in the back of his throat. “I see it is no surprise to you,” his father growled. “Then you will have anticipated my next instruction. You will deal justice on our former allies. I want them annihilated! Make no exceptions: you are to destroy every single last one of them. Leave no trace of them upon this earth.”

The pit of Zeldris’s stomach fell to his boots. “Do not even think of trying to dissuade me.” The demon king sat forward, his power blooming around him. “You carry part of my power. I can sense your emotions. If you are foolish enough to try and deceive me, know that I will be able to tell in an instant. Now go! And this time, do not dare to return to me unless you have completed your task, to the letter. You have left enough failure in your wake for one lifetime. Because of your ineptitude, I now have to deal with your traitorous brother myself. Do not force me to make you share his fate.”

Blanching slightly, Zeldris gave a stiff bow, not trusting himself to speak as he sped from the room.

#nnt #zeldris #gelda #geldris #geldris week #demon king #izraf #mael #rou #melascyla #fanfiction #the call of duty

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iamsiddharthanilnair · 4 years

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The Latest in Air Defence: MSHORAD

As the world’s military powers disengage from decades of low-intensity conflict, military experts around the world are looking to fill in the gaps that allow their forces to parse a war scenario against near-peer opponents. Some of these gaps fall into the unconventional sphere, such as electronic or information warfare (EW/IW), while others have to do with conventional shortfalls, of which short-range air defence is one.

The current air defence doctrine revolves around a layered and networked system – sufficient enough to conduct ballistic missile defence (BMD) and suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD) missions while simultaneously dealing with smaller targets such as UAVs and UCAVs.

MSHORAD

With this doctrine in mind, programs have begun in both Russia and the US to develop mobile short-range air defence (MSHORAD) systems; these mobile units, within a layered network are also supported by EW systems that jam, confuse or blind incoming forces. Such systems move beyond static defence, and help engage in proactive offensive manoeuvres, allowing units to echelon in depth and engage in either opportune or pre-emptive suppression of hostile air targets. The significance of such units are that they can cover chinks in long-range radar coverage caused by terrain obstacles, and do so while providing variance, through movement in the battle-space.

Witnessing the performance of Russian forces in Eastern Ukraine, the US has begun to dust-off the Cold-War era Avenger SAM system to immediately overcome gaps in SHORAD capacity; however the recent induction of the Stryker A1 system – armed with Hellfire and Stinger missiles – will form the vanguard of US SHORAD. In Russia, the Tor-M1 and Pantsir S-1 systems have gained traction for their similar function – an all-in-one package including AA cannons, missile defence and tracking systems; however, the latter’s recent performance in Norther Syria, against Turkish Predator drones, has left its users wanting. The other system being developed by Russia, is the Gibka-S which – like the Avenger – is a missile defence system loaded onto a high-mobile utility vehicle such as a jeep or pickup truck. The simple differentiator between these new systems and the older mobile air defence systems – say the Patriot PAC-1/2 – are the higher levels of mobility, accuracy, range and reaction-times.

It is important to note, that barring the teeth – platforms that field the AA or SAM systems – such MSHORAD units are also backed up by command-and-control (C2), reconnaissance and EW vehicles.

Changes to Force Structures

Opportune and pre-emptive suppression aside, MSHORAD units provide a decentralised control to air defence, allowing for 360° coverage to manoeuvre forces and engagement zones further up in the battlefield; the latter to harass enemy units engaged in air assault or close air support. Given the heightened mobility afforded by these new platforms, some say that the traditional structure of manoeuvre forces, such as the US’ infantry brigade or Russia’s motorised rifle brigade, will change. Demands for “multi-domain” superiority – a buzzword in modern warfare – require that upper-echelon forces house all forms of offensive and defensive capabilities; so, one may see the number of infantry battalions being reduced to include a new Stryker or Pantsir unit.

SHORAD and India

India’s big-ticket purchases usually overshadow the intermittent capacity-building initiatives taking place in the forces. Of these initiatives, short-range air defence has been a desperate need of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force; still fielding Soviet-era man-portable air defence (MANPAD) systems, a large portion of the forces’ air defence systems are considered obsolete. However, following trials and competitive bidding, the Indian Army settled on the Russian Igla-S MANPAD, considered a direct replacement of extant systems such as the Igla-M. The Igla-S system is a 25kg, fire-and-forget system that can engage targets 6km away, in both night and day scenarios. Plans have also been made to integrate a portion of the 5157 missile to be purchased onto light vehicles, with dedicated C2 and reconnaissance units. An interesting point to note is that the latest variant of the Igla is the same mounted on the Gibka-S platform, providing India the opportunity to develop fast-moving and lethal air defences in addition to its exiting requirements.

Given the growing use of drones and UAVs by non-state actors – best highlighted by the September 2019, Houthi attack on the ARAMCO oil facility – MSHORAD systems are not a long shot in India’s capacity-building initiative. They represent a pressing, immediate need while simultaneously building a strategic advantage to the Indian Armed Forces. While there may be a backlash due to the changes to force and command structures, MSHORAD is the latest near-peer threat perceived by the US, Russia and even China; and India must keep its eye on the ball.

#Air Defence #Vehicles #Weaponry #India #US #Russia

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newstfionline · 3 years

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Thursday, June 17, 2021

Some stolen US military guns used in violent crimes (AP) Pulling a pistol from his waistband, the young man spun his human shield toward police. “Don’t do it!” a pursuing officer pleaded. The young man complied, releasing the bystander and tossing the gun, which skittered across the city street and then into the hands of police. They soon learned that the 9mm Beretta had a rap sheet. Bullet casings linked it to four shootings, all of them in Albany, New York. And there was something else. The pistol was U.S. Army property, a weapon intended for use against America’s enemies, not on its streets. The Army couldn’t say how its Beretta M9 got to New York’s capital. Until the June 2018 police foot chase, the Army didn’t even realize someone had stolen the gun. Inventory records checked by investigators said the M9 was 600 miles away—safe inside Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In the first public accounting of its kind in decades, an Associated Press investigation has found that at least 1,900 U.S. military firearms were lost or stolen during the 2010s, with some resurfacing in violent crimes. Because some armed services have suppressed the release of basic information, AP’s total is a certain undercount. Government records covering the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force show pistols, machine guns, shotguns and automatic assault rifles have vanished from armories, supply warehouses, Navy warships, firing ranges and other places where they were used, stored or transported. These weapons of war disappeared because of unlocked doors, sleeping troops, a surveillance system that didn’t record, break-ins and other security lapses that, until now, have not been publicly reported. While AP’s focus was firearms, military explosives also were lost or stolen, including armor-piercing grenades that ended up in an Atlanta backyard.

U.S. workers are among the most stressed in the world, new Gallup report finds (CNBC) U.S. workers are some of the most stressed employees in the world, according to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report, which captures how people are feeling about work and life in the past year. U.S. and Canadian workers, whose survey data are combined in Gallup’s research, ranked highest for daily stress levels of all groups surveyed. Some 57% of U.S. and Canadian workers reported feeling stress on a daily basis, up by eight percentage points from the year prior and compared with 43% of people who feel that way globally, according to Gallup’s 2021 report. This spike isn’t surprising to Jim Harter, Gallup’s chief workplace scientist, who tells CNBC Make It that rates of daily stress, worry, sadness and anger have been trending upward for American workers since 2009. Concerns over the virus, sickness, financial insecurity and racial trauma all contributed to added stress during the pandemic.

Jobs crisis? (WZTV Nashville) Right now, Tennessee’s Jobs4TN portal lists 257,000 jobs available in every part of the state. Still, in the week of June 5, there remained 50,054 claiming unemployment in the state, multiple times the pre-pandemic levels. Sure seems like a jobs crisis, yeah? Not so fast: as it happens, just 3 percent of the jobs posted, or around 8,500 jobs, pay more than $20,000, which is below the $22,000 poverty line for a family of three.

After enrollment dips, public schools hope for fall rebound (AP) Ashley Pearce’s daughter was set to start kindergarten last year in Maryland’s Montgomery County school system. But when it became clear that the year would begin online, Pearce found a nearby Catholic school offering in-person instruction and made the switch. Now Pearce is grappling with a big question: Should her child return to the local public school? She’s hesitant to uproot her daughter after she’s made friends, and Pearce worries that the district might go fully virtual again if there’s an uptick in coronavirus cases. “It’s going to be fine if we stay where we are, and that stability for my family is probably the way we’re going to go.” As many parents across the U.S. weigh the same concerns, school districts that lost enrollment during the pandemic are looking anxiously to the fall to see how many families stick with the education choices they made over the last year. In hopes of attracting students, many districts have launched new efforts to connect with families with young children, including blanketing communities with yard signs and enlisting bus drivers to call parents. There are early signs that enrollment may not fully rebound, and the stakes are high. If enrollment does not recover, public schools that lose students eventually could see funding cuts, though pandemic relief money is boosting budgets for now.

Biden, E.U. end 17-year Airbus-Boeing trade dispute (Washington Post) President Biden and European Union leaders reached a deal Tuesday to put to rest a 17-year-old trade dispute about subsidies for aircraft manufacturers, officials said, a significant step in calming trade relations after the fury of the Trump years. A five-year truce, which was announced at a meeting Tuesday in Brussels between Biden and the top leaders of E.U. institutions, was the latest effort in a transatlantic reconciliation tour that the new president started last week at the Group of Seven summit in Britain. Tuesday’s deal will quell fears that the E.U. and the United States could hit each other with tariffs on goods as varied as French wine and Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as they did in recent years as part of the airplane subsidy dispute, which involves Boeing and Airbus.

Vaccine passports: Why Europe loves them and the US loathes them (Christian Science Monitor) Back in 1992, Yiannis Klouvas converted an old cinema into the Blue Lagoon restaurant, which garnered a strong reputation for live music. There is no music now. The business, like so many others on the Greek island of Rhodes, is struggling due to the pandemic’s restrictions on travel. “If we see a tourist on the street these days,” he says, “we take a photo to remember them.” Mr. Klouvas is now banking on the EU Digital COVID Certificate, also known as the “green passport,” to save the summer. Starting July 1, all EU member states will accept the certificates as proof of COVID-19 vaccination, a recent negative test, or recovery from the disease. The plan got a resounding yes at the European Parliament on June 9. All EU member states, Liechtenstein, and Norway will implement the passport. But across the Atlantic, the idea faces strong head winds, whether for travel or domestic use. The Biden administration has ruled out introducing vaccination passports, and some states even ban them. Prioritizing freedom and fears of government overreach underpin the rejection of vaccine certificates in the U.S., while European societies have grappled more with issues of privacy and fairness. And so as Western countries savor a return to the old, this phase of post-pandemic mobility is being shaped by cultural attitudes. According to Anders Herlitz, a researcher at Sweden’s Institute for Futures Studies, “Here in the EU, the vaccine passports are seen as a necessary evil to get rid of other, much more extensive, limitations to people’s freedom, whereas in the U.S., they would not help getting rid of other limitations, but only cause new limitations.”

Biden, Putin aired differences at a high-stakes summit but agree on little (Washington Post) President Biden said he pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged hacking, human rights abuses and other troubling issues in a historic first summit in Geneva on Wednesday. The meetings, spanning only a few hours in the Swiss lakeside city known as the "capital of peace," were too short to allow for much more than an accounting of both sides' complaints. Biden and Putin declared the event a success, mostly for having met at all at a time when relations between the world's two greatest nuclear powers are at a post-Cold War low. Putin called the talks productive. At his post-summit news conference, he said he and Biden agreed to return their ambassadors to their respective posts in Washington and Moscow. Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov and U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan have been away from their missions for months.

Car bomb explosion at Colombia military base injures 36 (Reuters) In the Colombian border city of Cucuta, two men drove a white Toyota truck into the military base after passing themselves off as officials. According to the Defence Minister Diego Molano, the hypothesis is that the National Liberation Army guerrillas are to blame but the attack is still being investigated. Despite a 2016 peace deal with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels, Colombia’s military continues to battle National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas, crime gangs and former FARC members who reject the accord.

Peru’s election (Foreign Policy) Pedro Castillo finally claimed victory in Peru’s presidential election on Tuesday, over a week after Peruvians casted their votes. Although electoral authorities have yet to officially announce the results, final ballot totals saw Castillo earn just over 44,000 votes more than his conservative challenger Keiko Fujimori—who has alleged fraud in the face of likely defeat. If the election is officially called in Castillo’s favor, this will be the third presidential race Fujimori has lost. As legal challenges to the vote accumulate, it could be days or possibly weeks before an official winner is announced.

China set to send first crew to new space station Thursday (AP) The three members of the first crew to be sent to China’s space station say they’re eager to get to work making their home for the next three months habitable, setting up testing and experiments and preparing for a series of spacewalks. The three met with reporters Wednesday from inside a germ-free glassed-in room, hours before they were to blast off on Thursday morning. Thursday’s launch begins the first crewed space mission in five years for an increasingly ambitious space program. China has sent 11 astronauts into space since becoming the third country to so so on its own in 2003, and has sent orbiters and rovers to the moon and Mars.

North Korea’s Kim says food situation ‘tense’ due to pandemic, typhoons (Reuters) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country’s economy improved this year but called for measures to tackle the “tense” food situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic and last year’s typhoons, state media said on Wednesday. In January, Kim said his previous five-year economic plan had failed in almost every sector, amid chronic power and food shortages exacerbated by sanctions, the pandemic and floods. North Korea has not officially confirmed any COVID-19 cases, a claim questioned by Seoul officials. But the reclusive country has imposed strict anti-virus measures including border closures and domestic travel restrictions.

Lebanon’s crisis threatens one of its few unifiers, the army (AP) Since the civil war, through wars with Israel, militant bombings and domestic turmoil, Lebanese have considered their military as an anchor for stability, one of the only institutions standing above the country’s divisions. But the military is now threatened by Lebanon’s devastating financial collapse, which the World Bank has said is likely to rank as one of the worst the world has seen in the past 150 years. The economic meltdown is putting unprecedented pressure on the U.S.-backed army’s operational abilities, wiping out soldiers’ salaries and wrecking morale. The deterioration puts at risk one of the few forces unifying Lebanon at a time when sectarian tensions and crime are on the rise amid the population’s deepening poverty. The military itself has raised the alarm, unusual for a force that is perhaps unique in the Middle East in that it largely remains outside politics. Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun warned in a speech to officers in March that soldiers were “suffering and hungry like the rest of the people.” A senior army official confirmed to The Associated Press that the economic situation has greatly affected morale. “There is no doubt that there is great resentment among the ranks of the military,” the official said.

Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza (Washington Post) On Tuesday, hundreds of ultranationalist demonstrators bearing Israeli flags marched into Jerusalem’s Old City, with some youths chanting, “Death to Arabs!” and “May your village burn,” according to the Associated Press. Hamas responded by launching incendiary balloons that crossed into the country from Hamas-controlled territory, and Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza. Hamas “is responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip, and will bear the consequences for its actions,” the IDF said. It said Israel was “prepared for any scenario, including a resumption of hostilities.” There were no immediate reports of casualties from the airstrike. Israeli authorities reported that the incendiary balloons had sparked 20 fires near the Gaza border. (Foreign Policy) The renewed Israeli bombings come as support for Hamas has undergone a “dramatic” shift, according to a recent poll. 53 percent of Palestinians now see Hamas as the “most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people,” while only 14 percent of those surveyed held Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party in the same esteem.

Saudi Embassy has helped its citizens facing criminal charges flee the United States (Washington Post) On the night of Oct. 13, 2018, Raekwon Moore was stabbed during a street fight with two strangers in the popular Uptown district of Greenville, N.C. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died. Police quickly apprehended and questioned Abdullah Hariri and Sultan Alsuhaymi, both citizens of Saudi Arabia, whom eyewitnesses and surveillance camera footage placed at the scene of the Saturday night brawl. Initially, police thought the men may have acted in self-defense and released them from custody. After further investigation, prosecutors charged both with first-degree murder. But Hariri and Alsuhaymi will probably never stand trial, because days after their alleged crime and before they were charged, they left the country and returned to Saudi Arabia, which has no extradition treaty with the United States. The murder charges against Hariri and Alsuhaymi are the most serious known against dozens of Saudi citizens, many of them students, who are wanted in the United States; their alleged offenses include first-degree manslaughter, vehicular hit-and-run, rape and possession of child pornography. Many fled to their homeland with the assistance of Saudi officials. The FBI has concluded that Saudi government officials “almost certainly assist US-based Saudi citizens in fleeing the United States to avoid legal issues, undermining the US judicial process,” according to an intelligence bulletin issued in August 2019. At the Saudi Embassy in Washington, that assistance has been overseen by a mid-level official who has managed a network of American criminal defense lawyers and self-described “fixers” paid to keep Saudis charged with crimes out of prison, an investigation by The Post has found.

#headlines #news

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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U.S. Marine Corps demonstrates awesome combat power during monumental mass flight

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has demonstrated its awesome combat power and capabilities during monumental mass flight at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif, which featured more than 40 aircraft.

Seven squadrons with Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) conducted a massive training evolution during which 26 MV-22B Ospreys and 14 CH-53E Super Stallions took flight and soared over Southern California in an awesome display of combat power and capabilities.

“MAG-16 has executed our maximum flight event to demonstrate the combat readiness of our MAG and to tell the MAG-16 story” said Col. Craig C. LeFlore, commanding officer of MAG-16. “We want to test ourselves. If there is a crisis somewhere in the world, our job is to be ready to respond to that crisis at a moment’s notice.

“MAG-16 is a force in readiness. This mass launch is not just for show, the majority of these aircraft will go out and conduct tactical training after their launch. Training that makes your Marines the most ready when our nation is least ready. I can’t think of a better way for the MAG to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the accomplishments of those who have gone before us,” LeFlore continued.

Training events and combat operations aren’t much different. Both require a massive “behind-the-scenes” effort that includes command and control, maintenance, logistics and training. As the sun rose and fought off the ocean haze, MAG-16 moved with a palpable liveliness. The Marines and Sailors took great pride in their craft and were aggressive and focused on their pre-flight inspections and final preparations. Without the efforts of the disciplined maintainers and the observant inspections conducted by the noncommissioned officers, this evolution would not have been possible.

“MAG-16 provides the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commander with the assault support transportation of combat troops, supplies and equipment, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint or combined operations,” LeFlore explained. A critical function of Marine Aviation, Assault Support enhances the MAGTF’s ability to concentrate strength against the enemy, focus and sustain combat power, and take full advantage of fleeting opportunities. Such functions are not new, however, as MAG-16 has demonstrated those abilities in combat operations in Iraq and Syria, as well as in humanitarian missions around the world.

MAG-16 accomplishes its mission through the hard work of its Marines and the machines they “Fix, Fly and Fight.” The MV-22B Osprey and CH-53E Super Stallion are the two platforms that comprise MAG-16. The MV-22B Osprey was first procured in 1999 and has been a cornerstone of the MAGTF ever since. What makes this aircraft unique is its ability to combine the vertical flight capabilities of helicopters with the speed, range and endurance of fixed-wing transports. Weighing 35,000 pounds, the Osprey is capable of carrying more than 20 Marines more than 400 nautical miles at a cruise speed of 266 knots. The superb capabilities of the MV-22 translate into a faster MAGTF response in times of crisis. Those capabilities are put into practice around the world every day by MAG-16. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163, a squadron from MAG-16, is currently deployed in support of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The other aircraft in MAG-16’s arsenal is the CH-53E Super Stallion. The Super Stallion is the only heavy lift helicopter in the DoD rotorcraft inventory. Weighing 37,500 pounds, the Super Stallion can carry more than 30 Marines or over 32,000 pounds of cargo more than 110 nautical miles. The heavy lift capabilities of the Super Stallion are crucial to supporting the six different types of assault support operations ranging from combat assault support to air evacuation. The combined capabilities of these two aircraft have enabled MAG-16 to assist with humanitarian aid and disaster response efforts such as typhoons, earthquakes and California fire suppression. To be successful during such operations, it is vital that the Marines and Sailors of MAG-16 operate their aircraft and train their crews on a regular and sustainable basis.

When asked how the mass fly event went, LeFlore responded, “This launch not only demonstrated the capability within the MAG, it served as tremendous motivation for the Marines and Sailors who worked so hard to make it possible. I couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.”

As Americas’ “Force-in-Readiness,” Marines must remain ready when others are not. The American public can rest assured that should the nation pick up the phone, MAG-16 stands ready answer the call.

Photo by Sgt. Jake McClung

Photo by Lance Cpl. Juan Anaya

from Defence Blog

Photo by Sgt. Jake McClung

Photo by Lance Cpl. Juan Anaya

via IFTTT

#Defence Blog

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araberuni · 6 years

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The Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence system (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is currently much talked about air defence system after its deployment in Syria.

EA-18 Growler

The S-400 Triumf system

The S-400 Triumf system can fire several inceptor missiles capable of incepting low altitude to high altitude missile, aircraft, ballistic missile and UAV. The S-400 supports four different missiles – the very long range 40N6E-series (400 km), the long-range 48N6 (250 km), the 9M96E2 (120 km) and the short-range 9M96E (40 km). The missile is reportedly capable of exo-atmospheric interception of intermediate-range ballistic missile warheads in their terminal phase.

The main components of S-400 system are the 92N6E “Gravestone” fire control radar, command and control vehicles, transporter-erector-launchers (TEL) and the interceptor missiles. The S-400 uses multiple types of missiles and integrate with various systems including older radars designed for later versions of the S-300 system. The S-400 is also guarded by medium-range air defence system like Buk surface-to-air missile system.

The Russian military has fielded the air defence system and recently been exported to China. Turkey, a NATO member, placed an order for S-400 system from Rusia. Saudi Arabia and India are reportedly in discussion with Russia to supply S-400 to their respective air force.

Recently, some defence observers and journalists have been in a discussion about defeating such a complex air defence system like the S-400 Triumf. The S-400 Triumf’s range and early warning systems are in favour of the S-400. However, the Western Air Force have the means and capability to defeat Russian-made early warning radar and electronics. The Russian is yet to master solid-state and Gallium Nitride-based electronic and radar systems which the Western Air Force and Navy currently fielded in various battle-group.

The primary means of defeating such air defence system is to use the EA-18 Growler. The EA-18G Growler is an incredibly capable and critical weapon system which provide electronic attack capability to the US and Australian Air force. The EA-18 is capable of disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems, including radars and communications. The EA-18’s ability to locate, record, play back and digitally jam enemy communications over a broad frequency range using its ALQ-227 Communications Countermeasures Set. America’s premier electronic attack aircraft, the EA-18G Growler, as an antidote to first class air defence systems, and particularly the S-400.

The secondary means of defeating the S-400 is to deploy the F-35 stealth fighter. The US Air Force and allies maintain the most advanced stealth fighter jet currently available in the market, the F-35 Lightning II. The F-35 advanced stealth and built-in electronic warfare capabilities enable unprecedented battlefield access without the need for dedicated electronic attack aircraft support.

The next generation AN/ASQ-239 system protects the F-35 with advanced technology with maximum situational awareness, helping to identify, monitor, analyze, and respond to potential threats. The AN/ASQ-239 system makes the F-35, an airborne hacker to identify and defect ground-based military early warning radar.

The F-35 is equipped with offensive and defensive electronic warfare options for the pilot and aircraft, the AN/ASQ-239 system suite provides fully integrated radar warning, 360-degree view of the battlespace, targeting support, and self-protection, to detect and defeat and jam surface and airborne threats.

The Israeli Air Force use of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in Syria prove that the stealth fighter jet can go harms way to defeat advanced air defence system such as Syrian Army’s S-300, a variant of S-400 air defence system.

The F-35I Adir

The NATO allies also pose sophisticated radar and terrain locating systems which provide enhanced radar image resolution, targeting and tracking range through its APG-79, RBE2, Raven ES-05 and Captor-E Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system.

The NATO Air Force poses various advanced electronic warfare suites such as SPECTRA and Sirius SIGINT. The SPECTRA integrated electronic warfare suite provides long-range detection, identification and accurate localisation of infrared, electromagnetic and laser threats. The Sirius SIGINT provides Real-time SIGINT situational awareness picture in modern, sophisticated and dense signal environment. The NATO countries also pose advanced anti-radiation mission missile– Spice 250, AS-37 Martel and AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) that can eliminate modern threats such as stationary and mobile air defence system.

AGM-84E HARM (Source Raytheon)

The combination of advanced EW suites and stealth fighter jet can engage in complex SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) mission to defeat modern air defence systems are greatly simplifying a complex solution to a very complex problem—the S-400 Triumf.

Defeating the S-400 Triumf is not rocket science but SEAD science The Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence system (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is currently much talked about air defence system after its deployment in Syria…

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melbynews-blog · 6 years

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Lies and Deception in the Failed US Strike on Syria

Neuer Beitrag veröffentlicht bei https://melby.de/lies-and-deception-in-the-failed-us-strike-on-syria/

Lies and Deception in the Failed US Strike on Syria

At 4am on April 14, the United States, France and the United Kingdom executed a strike on Syria. The Syrian Free Press reported:

US Navy warships in the Red Sea and Air Force B-1B bombers and F-15 and F-16 aircraft rained dozens of ship- and air-launched cruise missiles down on the Syrian capital of Damascus, an airbase outside the city, a so-called chemical weapons storage facility near Homs, and an equipment-storage facility and command post, also near Homs. B1-Bs are typically armed with JASSM cruise missiles, which have a 450 kg warhead and a range of 370 kms. US Navy warships launched Tomahawks, which have 450 kg warheads and an operational range of between 1,300 and 2,500 kms. The British Royal Air Force’s contingent for the assault consisted of four Tornado GR4 ground-attack aircraft armed with the Storm Shadow long-range air-to-ground missile, which the UK’s Defense Ministry said targeted ‚chemical weapons sites‘ in Homs. These weapons have a range of 400 kms. Finally, France sent its Aquitaine frigate, armed with SCALP naval land-attack cruise missiles (SCALP is the French military’s name for the Storm Shadow), as well as several Dassault Rafale fighters, also typically armed with SCALP or Apache cruise missiles. According to the Russian defense ministry, the B-1Bs also fired GBU-38 guided air bombs. Undoubtedly weary of the prospect of having their aircraft shot down after Israel lost one of its F-16s over Syria in February, the Western powers presumably launched their weapons from well outside the range of Syrian air defenses, with all the targets located just 70-90 kms from the Mediterranean Sea, and having to fly through Lebanon first.

Recapping the information on the strike, the US and its allies used the following assets:

● 2 destroyers (USS Laboon, USS Higgins)

● 1 US cruiser (USS Monterey)

● 1 French frigate (Georges Leygues)

● 5 Rafale jets

● 4 Mirage 2000-5F

● 4 British Tornado fighter-bombers

● Virginia-class submarine USS John Warner

● 2 US B-1B bombers

Their ordnance brought to bear consisted of the following:

● The cruiser Monterey launched 30 Tomahawk missiles

● The destroyer Higgins 23 Tomahawks

● The destroyer Laboon 7 Tomahawks

● The submarine John Warner 6 Tomahawks

● 2 B-1 bombers 21 JASSM missiles

● 4 British Tornado GR4 fighter bombers 16 Storm-shadow missiles.

● The French Languedoc fired 3 MdCN land-attack missiles.

The US Pentagon reports the strike group targeted:

– 76 missiles at the Barzah research center in Damascus:

(Source)

– 22 missiles at an undefined „chemical“ structure:

(Source)

– 7 missiles against an undefined „chemical bunker“:

(Source)

The Syrian anti-aircraft forces responded, firing a total of 112 air-defence missiles:

● the Pantsyr system fired 25 missiles and hit 24 targets;

● the Buk system fired 29 missiles and hit 24 targets;

● the Osa system fired 11 and hit 5 targets;

● the S-125 system fired 13 missiles and hit 5 targets;

● the Strela-10 system fired 5 missiles and hit 3 targets;

● the Kvadrat system fired 21 and hit 11 targets;

● the S-200 system fired 8 and hit no targets.

(Source)

The Russians have stated that the target of the raids and the effectiveness of the missiles have resulted in a big fiasco for the Americans:

● 4 missiles were launched targeting the area of the Damascus International Airport; these 4 missiles were intercepted.

● 12 missiles were launched targeting the Al-Dumayr Military Airport; these 12 missiles were intercepted.

● 18 missiles were launched targeting the Bley Military Airport; these 18 missiles were intercepted.

● 12 missiles were launched targeting the Shayarat Military Airport; these 12 missiles were intercepted.

● 9-15 missiles were launched targeting the Mezzeh Military Airport; 5 of them were intercepted.

● 16 missiles were launched targeting the Homs Military Airport; 13 of which were intercepted.

● 30 missiles were launched targeting targets in the areas of Barzah and Jaramani; 7 of which were intercepted.

The effectiveness of the attack is called into question, especially in light of the prompt reaction of the civilian population that took to the streets in support of Bashar al Assad and the Syrian government only a few hours after the US-led attack.

(Celebrations the morning of the 14th of April in Umayyad Square, Damascus )

What emerges immediately from the Syrian/Russian and American narratives are contrasting assessments of the outcome of the attack.

We can certainly try to dispute some statements. The Americans repeated that at least two chemical-weapons laboratories together with a chemical-weapons storage center were affected. As evidenced by the images shot by PressTV a few hours after the attack, the structure is destroyed but there are no chemical contaminations. To confirm this, the television operators were able to perform interviews and live footage a few meters from the site of the strike without experiencing any physical effects, which would have been impossible were the American version of events true, given that the release of chemical agents would have made the whole area inaccessible.

Further confirmation comes from Ammar Waqqaf interviewed on The Heat on CGTV, claiming that his relatives were about 500 meters from one of the alleged chemical-weapons research centers attacked by the Americans. Ammar says that even in this case, no chemical agent appears to have been released, thus disproving Washington’s claims.

Another important consideration concerns the targets. For Washington, the targets were limited to research laboratories (Barzah and Jaramani) and storage centers. But Moscow revealed that the objectives also included military bases as well as the civilian Damascus International Airport, namely: Al-Dumayr Military Airport, Bley Military Airport, Shayarat Military Airport, Mezzeh Military Airport, Homs Military Airport. These were mostly unsuccessful attacks.

In light of the foregoing, we can assume that the operational goal of the Americans was twofold. On the one hand, it was aimed at the media, to show a response to the (false) accusations of a chemical attack in Douma (Robert Frisk has just dismantled the propaganda and RT reminds us of the various false flags perpetrated by the US in the past to start wars); on the other, it was used by the military to actually permanently damage the Syrian Air Force, as suggested by the warmongering neocon Lindsey Graham. The failure of this latter objective could be seen in the following hours when the Syrian planes resumed operational tasks.

What does all this information tell us? First of all, the American goal was not to hit the non-existent chemical weapons or their production sites. The aim was to reduce as much as possible Syrian Air Force assets at different military airports. The mission was a failure, as reported by the Russian military envoy in Syria thanks to the air-defense measures of the Syrian forces as well as probably a high electronic-warfare (EW) contribution from the Russian forces present in the country. Very little has been leaked out in technical terms from the Russian Federation, which officially states that it did not contribute towards defending against the attack. It is probable that Russia played a decisive role in terms of EW, with its little-known but highly effective systems as demonstrated in previous attacks in 2017.

Moscow has no interest in promoting its cutting-edge EW systems, and often does not confirm the reports issued by more or less government agencies, as in the case of the USS Donald Cook in 2014. Yet Russia Beyond explains EW as probably being fundamental in foiling the American attack:

Before the electronic jamming system kicks in, the aircraft scans the radio signals in its zone of activity. After detecting the traffic frequencies of the enemy’s equipment, the operator on board the aircraft enables the jamming system in the required bandwidth,“ a defense industry source told Russia Beyond. In addition to onboard systems, there are ground-based Krasnukha-4 EW complexes stationed around the Khemeimim airbase, Russia’s key stronghold in the Middle East. Their purpose is to suppress enemy „eavesdropping” and weapons guidance systems. The Krasnukha-4 blinds enemy radar systems to targets at a distance of 250 km.

The general public is yet to understand that the American attack was a complete fiasco, much to the irritation of Lindsey Graham, thereby confirming Damascus’s narrative, which presented Syria’s response as decisive and effective.

The logic of the matter must also be considered. We know that the US and her allies launched 105 missiles aimed at various targets, including some military bases, but none of them hit the targets indicated, except for two buildings already emptied previously and a non-existent chemical-weapons depot. The Pentagon amplified the military report with the lie that only two research centers and a chemical-weapons depot were intentionally bombed with something like 105 missiles; this in order to account for the number of missiles launched and to drown out other assessments that contradict the preferred narrative. But it is ridiculous to believe that the US used 76 missiles to hit three buildings. A much more plausible explanation is that there were many more targets but only three of them were hit, this measly success carrying zero tactical or strategic importance.

We should ask ourselves what the real goal of Washington was. First, let us split the story into two parts. On the one hand we have a PR exercise, and on the other an intended military strategy. In the first case, Washington was able to pursue its self-assigned role as “protector of the weak”, like those victims of the alleged Douma chemical attack. The intended optics were those of a humanitarian intervention, in line with the West’s self-assigned role of regent of the post-World War II neoliberal world order. In reality, we know very well that US hegemony is based on millions of deaths in dozens of wars scattered around the globe. According to the fictitious narrative of the media, it all boils down to good-guys-versus-bad-guys, and Assad is the bad guy while the US is the good guy punishing the regime for the use of chemical weapons.

The success of PR exercise depends very little on the military outcome and much more on the story as told by the media. It is based solely on the affirmation of the role taken up by the US and her allies, that of being in the right and driven only by the noblest interests. But such a series of unreasonable lies has only served to drag the world into chaos, diminished the role of the mainstream media, and destroyed the credibility of practically the whole Western political class.

From a military point of view, however, the goals, intent and results show a far more disturbing result for Washington and her allies. Soviet-era weapons that were updated by Moscow and integrated into the Russian air defense infrastructure network severely degraded the effectiveness of the American attack. Washington wanted to ground the entire Syrian air force, hitting air bases with precision, but failed in this objective. It remains to be seen whether this attack was a prelude to something bigger, with the USS Harry S Truman Carrier Strike Group currently heading towards Syrian territorial waters. Following the logic of deconfliction with Russia, it seems unlikely that a more intense attack will occur, rumors even circulating that Mattis dissuaded Trump from targeting Russian and Iranian targets, being well aware of the risks in a Russian response.

Let us focus for a moment on the risks in this kind of scenario. We are told that it would have brought about World War Three. This is probably true. But the consequences could also entail something much worse for Washington than for the rest of the world. The rhetoric that an American attack on Russian forces in Syria would trigger a direct war between the two superpowers is certainly true, but perhaps it is wrong in its interpretation. The danger seems to lie less in the possibility of a nuclear apocalypse and more in exposing the US’s inability to go toe to toe with a peer competitor.

While we cannot (and hope not to) test this hypothesis, we can certainly join the dots. If Soviet-era systems, with a slight Russian modernization, can nullify an American attack, what could the Russian forces do themselves? They could probably even block an attack of the scale visited on Baghdad, where several hundred missiles were directed towards civilian and military targets. It would be highly unlikely in such a scenario for Washington to peddle the false propaganda of a successful attack with little in terms of bomb-damage assessment commensurate with the number of missiles launched.

Already in the April 14 attack, the explanation that 76 cruise missiles were directed against three buildings is ridiculous but is nevertheless sustained thanks to the lies of the mainstream media and the paucity of available information. However, when thinking of 500 Tomahawks launched with limited damage to the Syrian infrastructure, even that would be impossible to sell to a very ignorant and deceived public. It would be the definitive proof of the decline in American military effectiveness and the potency of Russian air-defense systems. Just like during Putin’s presentation of new weapons some months back, when the Empire feels its core (military power) is threatened, it simply dismisses such reports as false, in the process becoming a victim of its own propaganda.

Yet one would only need to listen to the words of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Michael Griffin, in a conference at the Hudson Institute where he explained how Moscow and Beijing capabilities are far more advanced in hypersonic and supersonic missile defense and attack capabilities. He openly explained that Washington takes about 16 years to implement a paper-to-service idea, while its rivals in a few years have shown that they can move from concept to practical development, gaining a huge advantage over rivals like Washington.

The problem is inherent for the United States in its need to keep alive a war machine based on inflated military spending that creates enormous pockets of corruption and inefficiency. Just look at the F-35 project and its constant problems. Although Moscow’s spending is less than twelve times that of the United States, it has succeeded in developing systems like hypersonic missiles that are still in the testing phase in the United States, or systems like the S-500, which the US does not possess.

The S-300, S-400, P-800 anti-ship missiles and the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missiles, in addition to EW, pose a fundamental problem for Washington in dealing with attacks against a peer competitor. The military in Washington are probably well aware of the risks of revealing the US to be a paper tiger, so they prefer to avoid any direct confrontation with Russia and Iran, more for the purposes of maintaining military prestige than out of a desire to avoid risking World War Three. If Russian forces ever were targeted by the US, in all probability Moscow would simply disable the electronics of the US ship rather than sinking it, leaving it to float in the Mediterranean uncontrolled for days.

The last fig leaf hiding the US military’s inadequacy rests in Hollywood propaganda that presents the US military as practically invincible. Accordingly, some sites have spread stories that Russia had been forewarned of the attack and that the whole bombing event was the same sort of farce as a year ago. In the first place, it is important to clarify that Moscow had not been given advanced warning of the targets, and the reason for this is simple: the attack was real and, as explained above, did not succeed precisely because of Moscow and Damuscus’s effective parries and blocks.

In reality, Washington has failed in its military strategy, and the media have turned to the usual propaganda of chemical weapons and the need to enforce justice in the world and proclaim a non-existent success. In the meantime, Moscow fine-tunes its weapons and prepares to deliver the S-300 to the Syrian state and its allies (Lebanon?), effectively limiting Washington’s ability to attack in the Middle East. This is a fitting conclusion for a story that has only damaged the status of the United States and her allies in the Middle East, bringing Syria closer to a final victory.

Net News Global

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esprit-de-corps-magazine · 7 years

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Who Supported The Canadian Armed Forces More: Stephan Harper VS Pierre Trudeau

IF THERE IS ONE PERCEPTION of Canada’s military that both the left and right can agree on, it would be that our military is bigger, better equipped and more operationally active under Harper. Whether it’s to dote on or denigrate our current prime minister, we all seem to accept Harper’s exuberant public affairs love-in with everything military as proof that our military has indeed grown stronger under our current Conservative government.

RECENT LIBERAL LEADERS, on the other hand, are widely perceived as lacklustre at best when it comes to supporting our men and women in uniform. And nowhere does that “enemy of the military” legacy strike stronger than in our collective memory than with Pierre Trudeau.

If you served, as I did, while Trudeau was in power you just accepted that Trudeau was the “enemy of the military.” Was it not Trudeau who was responsible for starving the Canadian military of funds and equipment and reducing the size of our Armed Forces to unaccepted levels? Was it not Trudeau who maintained unacceptably low levels of troops deployed overseas? Was it not Trudeau who did not procure sufficient material to support out troops?

But dare we dispense with perception and, instead, look at historical facts, a very different perception of the military under Trudeau emerges. In spite of the occasional military cuts he was so derisively credited with, Trudeau actually exceeded Harper’s current record in terms of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) defence spending, military size, procurement, deployments overseas, casualty rate, and nuclear defence.

Let’s begin with who was actually ready to take a bullet for Canada.

RELUCTANTLY STANDING ON GUARD FOR CANADA?

Steven Harper, in spite of his incessant rhetoric in support of the military, never served a day in uniform. Pierre Trudeau, as a young healthy man in the 1940s, was conscripted into the Canadian Army Reserve under the National Resources Mobilization Act. Though Trudeau’s brief, rudimentary and part-time service was as far from heroic as one might have imagined, it was military service nonetheless and would have made Trudeau a military veteran today. Harper never has — and never will — earn this right.

ARE WE REALLY COMMITTING MORE OF OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO THE MILITARY?

In the 1970s and 1980s, we were consistently told that our military was being financially starved by Trudeau’s government. Back then, the point of reference for Trudeau’s critics always seemed to be his government’s GDP spending on defence, which seldom exceeded 2 per cent. Granted, during Trudeau’s first two terms in office GDP spending on defence declined from 2.5 per cent in 1968 to what we thought was an “all-time low” of 1.6 per cent in 1979, rising again in the 1980s to just under 2 per cent in 1984.

But, looking objectively at the data, if the Trudeau government of the 1970s and 1980s was “uncommitted” to providing financial support to the Canadian Armed Forces, then Prime Minister Harper is a true financial deadbeat. Since Harper took office in 2006, GDP spending on defence has never exceeded 1.4 per cent, which is actually lower than even the alleged “all-time low” under Trudeau. Based on data provided by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, GDP spending on Canada’s military in 2012 stood at around 1.14 per cent of the country’s GDP.

WHO HAD THE BIGGER MILITARY WITH A BIGGER FOOTPRINT IN THE WORLD ?

Today, the size of our combined regular force stands at 68,250 members. But, like the bone-thin anorexic who thinks they are still fat, the common perception today is that we have a “big military.” Perhaps some might argue that having a military less than half the population of Kingston, Ontario, is more than enough to defend the second-largest country in the world. So be it. But how does the size of today’s regular military, which under Harper varied from 62,703 (in 2006) to 68,703 (in 2011) compare to that under Trudeau?

When Trudeau came to power in 1968 the Canadian Forces stood at 101,600, declining to what was then perceived as a “pathetically low” 77,000 in 1976. But what Conservatives and the military community then considered a savage suppression of Canada’s military strength, was actually 8,297 more men and women in uniform than the “peak” size of the Canadian Forces under Harper’s Conservatives. Furthermore, as with defence spending, the size of Canada’s military gradually grew during Trudeau’s last term in the early 1980s to just under 83,000 or 14,750 more than our Canadian Armed Forces of today.

Perhaps now it should not come as a surprise that, under Trudeau, the Canadian Armed Forces had a much more substantial military presence in the world — both within NATO and on peacekeeping missions.

In terms of our commitment to NATO, the worst our numeric presence ever got under Trudeau was in 1972, when we had 2,800 troops committed to NATO postings overseas (not including air force personnel deployed to Europe). Of course, when the period of détente died and the Cold War got hotter, that number increased and, by the time Trudeau left office, we had 6,700 military personnel committed to NATO.

Compare this to Harper, whose efforts to bolster NATO with Canadian Armed Forces personnel peaked in 2011 when 3,214 personnel were deployed overseas. In 2012, our commitment to NATO reached a low of 886 troops — or 1,914 troops less than the alleged darkest days under Trudeau.

Also, consider the fact that while Trudeau frequently had more combat troops and air squadrons committed to NATO, he also had far more Canadian soldiers deployed on peacekeeping missions, primarily in the Middle East. Under Harper we have never seen more than 274 troops deployed in any one year on peacekeeping missions. Trudeau’s commitment to peacekeeping varied from 467 in 1972 to a high of 1,963 peacekeeping troops deployed overseas in 1979.

TRUDEAU’S ARMY: A VERY DEADLY PLACE TO SERVE

If there is one area of defence where Harper has received unfair negative publicity, it is in the area of military casualties. During the war in Afghanistan, both the media and the public became sensitized to the fact that Canadian military personnel were getting killed, leaving the impression that military fatalities were somehow a new reality for today’s military.

But as those of us who served in the Canadian Armed Forces in the 1970s and 1980s know full well, the military under Trudeau was anything but a casualty-free zone.

It may come as a total surprise to many, but while the alleged peace-loving Trudeau was in power a total of 328 Canadian military personnel were killed in the line of duty. That is 135 more than the total number of casualties under Harper’s Conservatives.

Back then our troops were getting killed in Cyprus, Egypt, Syria, Africa, Europe and while training here in Canada. Indeed, it was on August 9, 1974, under Pierre Trudeau’s watch, that the Canadian Forces experienced its largest single day loss when nine Canadian military peacekeepers were killed by the Syrian army.

In fact, last year marked another “low” for Harper’s military legacy, one we can all celebrate. In 2012 the Canadian Armed Forces, for the first time ever, lost only one person. Granted, that is still one too many! But the fact remains that the Harper government has managed to bring our military casualty rate down

to a level that the patron saint of the Liberal party could never remotely achieve while in power.

WHO WAS READY TO FIRE NUKES IN DEFENCE OF CANADA?

Largely erased from our collective historical memory today is the fact that during the Pearson/Trudeau dynasty from 1963 to 1984 Canada had a restricted tactical nuclear weapons capability. Although actual custody and control of the nuclear warheads remained in the hands of U.S, military, the Liberal governments of Pearson and Trudeau had units of the Canadian military deployed to fire nuclear weapons should a threat to Canadian air space arise. These included two CIM-10 BOMARC surface-to-air interceptor missile sites in Ontario and Quebec, with each carrying a 1.5 kiloton W25 nuclear warhead, as well as one army surface-to-surface missile battery that could fire W35 nuclear weapons.

And while Trudeau had the above units dismantled in 1972 (mainly because their counterparts in the U.S. were set to be dismantled as well), he did allow the Air Force to hold onto the AR-2 Genie air-to-air rockets, which also had the 1.5 kt W-25 nuclear warhead. This weapon remained in service here in Canada until 1984 — the year Trudeau left office. So it was only under Trudeau’s successors, namely Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, that Canada could honestly say it had ridded itself of nuclear weapons.

In spite of Harper’s bellicose military rhetoric on the idea of Canada’s military ever carrying nuclear weapons again, on loan from the U.S. or otherwise, as we once did under the Pearson/ Trudeau governments is so far removed from our shrunken military-capability mindset that it is not even considered for debate.

PROCUREMENT PERCEPTION AND REALITY

We also love to scoff at Trudeau for his alleged lack of commitment in providing new equipment for the navy and air force.

Admittedly, on the air force side, the Harper government has made some progress with the acquisition of 15 CH-147 Chinooks, 17 CC-130 Super Hercules and 4 C-117 Globemaster III aircraft for Canada’s Royal Canadian Air Force. As recently reported, there is talk of scaling back the planned yet long-delayed purchase of 28 C-148 Cyclone helicopters for the RCAF.

But just how impressive is this track record when compared to Trudeau, whose government procured 138 then top-of-the-line CF-18 fighter aircraft in the early 1980s? This is more than double the number of fighter jets that the Harper government tried, and failed, to purchase with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter debacle. But it does not stop there.

A decade before the CF-18 order was executed, the Liberals also procured 135 CF-116 light attack strike and reconnaissance fighters, which were in operation from the late 1960s to 1995. The Trudeau Liberals can also be credited with the design and building of the 18 CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft that became operational in 1980 and which are still in use.

Today, Canada’s entire blue water fleet of 12 frigates and three destroyers were either launched while Trudeau was in power, or had their budget and building program approved by Trudeau. But as the navy Trudeau built now rapidly ages, just how much of an improvement has Harper made?

After six years in office, the only new naval shipbuilding projects Harper’s government has been able to finally launch includes a much-delayed contract for three joint support ships (JSS) as well as a contract for seven Arctic offshore patrol vessels (AOP). To date, there is no firm contract to build replacements for the frigates and destroyers that were launched or were designed and contracted under Trudeau’s watch. In addition, Canada’s existing fleet of 12 minesweepers are being retired under Harper.

So, almost 30 years after Trudeau’s retirement from politics, and 13 years after his passing, the Royal Canadian Navy continues to sail primarily with ships from the Trudeau era.

PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING

So why is it important that we continue to make comparisons like

this today? The reason is that politics is about perception — and the perception that Harper’s Conservatives have so successfully managed to create is that they are the only true and understanding “friend” of the military. This mistaken perception has been tacitly enabled by this country’s centre and left, who often refuse to realize that a viable defence posture can and should be part of their political platform.

If we blindly accept the mistaken belief that, under the Conservatives, we have supported and developed a stronger military, Canadians on all sides of the political spectrum will be far more accepting of any proposed defence cuts, believing that there actually is fat to cut.

There isn’t.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who never felt he needed to pander to the military to make himself look strong, may not be turning in his grave. But surely his legacy might well start screaming for a reality check.

#armed forces #support #harper #trudeau

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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U.S. Marine Corps demonstrates awesome combat power during monumental mass flight

Photo by Sgt. Jake McClung

Photo by Lance Cpl. Juan Anaya

from Defence Blog

Photo by Sgt. Jake McClung

Photo by Lance Cpl. Juan Anaya

via IFTTT

#Defence Blog

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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U.S. Army “assesses future” during Joint Warfighting Assessment 19

The U.S. Army assessed its future during participated in the Joint Warfighting Assessment 19 (JWA 19) exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McCord.

JWA 19 is the Army’s premier modernization assessment; weaving material solutions, multi-domain operations, MDO formations, concepts and capabilities at echelon into the Army’s largest joint, multinational, live, virtual and constructive exercise aligned to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of operations. JWA 19’s mission is to provide critical insights and feedback on Army modernization efforts.

Besides allowing participating units to train to enhance their readiness while integrating and assessing innovative concepts and capabilities in a challenging operational environment, JWA 19 provides critical information to Joint Modernization Command’s Field Experiments Division.

With warfighting systems and equipment becoming more complex, the U.S. Army continues to assess and evaluate warfighting concepts and capabilities that will support the modernization of future forces and help these forces win in a complex world.

“The Secretary of the Army was given a task to rapidly modernize the Army,” said U.S. Army Col. Christopher Barnwell, chief, FED at the JMC. “We’ve been fighting an unsophisticated enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan for almost two decades and during that time …. our adversaries were able to close the gap, and in some cases exceed that gap, in several areas.”

Consequently, JWA 19 is one of the annual joint-multinational live exercises that provide Barnwell and his team of system managers the opportunity to assess warfighting concepts, capabilities and formations and feed them to the JMC.

“We go out into the dirt, in the experiment … and we’ll talk to certain people about the assessment and see how some of the concept and capabilities are working,” said U.S. Army Maj. Thomas Overmeyer, the deputy for Capabilities Integration Branch, FED at the JMC. “We collect the data, put that data into a cloud-based system and all that information is fed to analyst(s), who will write the reports (which enable U.S. Army leaders to make critical decisions about U.S. Army modernization).”

There are six modernization priorities for the U.S. Army, which were being assessed at JWA 19, said U.S. Army Capt. Alex Withenbury, a system manager at the JMC’s FED. “Those priorities are long-range precision fires, next-generation combat vehicles, future vertical lift, air and missile defense, networking systems and Soldier lethality.”

During a visit May 4, 2019 to YTC by several senior military and civilian leaders including U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Johnny K. Davis, commander, JMC; Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher D. Gunn, the top senior noncommissioned officer at the JMC; Dr. Catherine Dale, a senior advisor to the U.S. Army Futures Command commander; Raquel Ferrell Crowley, director for U.S. Senator Pat Murray’s office; and Pamela Blechinger, director at The Research and Analysis Center, observed U.S. Soldiers and Marines conducting defensive and attack maneuvers while utilizing assault breacher vehicles with robotic operation capabilities, as well as the M1135 nuclear biological chemical reconnaissance vehicle and its first generation prototype, a rendered autonomous vehicle to breach enemy lines. The robotic complex-breach concept also played a big role in the exercise and the assessment of how robotics-equipped vehicles can help the Army become more modernized and lethal.

“RCBC exercise will further test the capabilities of new equipment,” said Overmeyer. “It’s designed to enhance existing intelligence, suppression, obscuration, and reduction capabilities for breach operations. This concept is safer, because during a breach, it is a high-casualty event. Let’s let the robots get hit first before we send Soldiers in.”

By observing and testing these concepts, JMC as a whole assess emerging concepts and capabilities for the U.S. Army’s modernization effort.

“With direct observation from observing augmenters, we look at the exercise and evaluate the equipment being utilized,” said Withenbury. “That information is entered into the online database and fed to the decision makers.”

Taking the human element from harm’s way during combat and accomplishing the mission is an attractive option for military leaders. JWA 19 and other smaller training exercises provide the information to system managers at JMC, which helps the U.S. Army through objective analysis, to develop a more modern and lethal force. In addition, JWA 19 provides a glimpse of technology that may be available to Soldiers in the not so distant future.

“A robot that does smoke, a robot that flies, a robot that gathers Intel, a robot that does chemical recon. It is that man, un-man theme,” said Overmeyer. “We want to reach contact with a robot.”

“This is where it all comes together,” said Gen. John M. Murray, the commander of U.S. Army Futures Command. “All the good ideas don’t mean much until you put them in the hands of the Soldiers and let them validate whether that idea is actually good or not, and how we can make them better.”

The JMC is experimenting with unmanned tasks utilizing smart-system capabilities that remove the Soldier from high-risk zones and minimize the risk of casualties.

from Defence Blog

The U.S. Army assessed its future during participated in the Joint Warfighting Assessment 19 (JWA 19) exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McCord.

By observing and testing these concepts, JMC as a whole assess emerging concepts and capabilities for the U.S. Army’s modernization effort.

The JMC is experimenting with unmanned tasks utilizing smart-system capabilities that remove the Soldier from high-risk zones and minimize the risk of casualties.

via IFTTT

#Defence Blog

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courtneytincher · 5 years

Text

U.S. Army “assesses future” during Joint Warfighting Assessment 19

The U.S. Army assessed its future during participated in the Joint Warfighting Assessment 19 (JWA 19) exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McCord.

By observing and testing these concepts, JMC as a whole assess emerging concepts and capabilities for the U.S. Army’s modernization effort.

The JMC is experimenting with unmanned tasks utilizing smart-system capabilities that remove the Soldier from high-risk zones and minimize the risk of casualties.

from Defence Blog

The U.S. Army assessed its future during participated in the Joint Warfighting Assessment 19 (JWA 19) exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McCord.

By observing and testing these concepts, JMC as a whole assess emerging concepts and capabilities for the U.S. Army’s modernization effort.

The JMC is experimenting with unmanned tasks utilizing smart-system capabilities that remove the Soldier from high-risk zones and minimize the risk of casualties.

via IFTTT

#Defence Blog

0 notes