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For those of you not active on social media, you may not have heard that long time Harpoon community member Byron 'JClark' Audler passed away on 15 April. His notable contributions included being a knowledgeable ship fitter (irl), scenario author, HC2002 program manager, and HULL mailing list moderator, and a Lifetime Pooner award winner. His bio can be found at Ed Ladner's website Dr Who's Harpoon Pages here : https://www.harpoonpages.com/Bios/bio022.htm Fair winds and following seas.

Looking back at some of the things I wrote about 15 years ago, and this caught my eye. The first decade of GWOT, everyone was reminded of the heart of a Corpsman. Almost decade into a war that a decade later would end in national disgrace, we had men raising their hand and saying, “Send me.” Time to revisit. E3 and below. Non-PO. Seaman/Airman/Fireman. Huh. Ponder. Unqual. “Hasn’t paid his dues.” etc. Well, there’s a then-Seaman in the upper-right hand corner. Where did he come from? When he decided to join the U.S. Navy, (Raffetto) was living at home and working in construction, and he craved a more structured lifestyle. His brother had been a Marine and Raffetto was tempted to join the infantry, but his father suggested enlisting in the Navy and learning a useful trade. Becoming a Hospital Corpsman, Raffetto thought, seemed like the right course of action. A serious rating for serious Sailors doing a critically serious job. Underway time and pre-deployment training is, for a Sailor, a bit different. The convoy moved through dirt roads where mock IEDs exploded during an ambush. “This is to see our reaction after the explosion,” said Cpl. Michael Kempker, a point man with Co. B. “Someone in the convoy gets injured by the blast and we have to find a safe place to treat him.” Once at a safe location, Marines followed instructions from a Navy corpsman to treat common injuries seen from IED attacks. “It’s important for them to know what procedure to follow because if something were to happen to me whether I get killed, or injured in a way I can’t help, they will be able to treat me or anyone else who needs it,” said Seaman James Raffetto, a corpsman with Co. B. The recon Marines learned how to treat the specific injury each of their patients had during practical applications in a simulated combat zone. “The main thing is to acknowledge the life-threatening injuries and stabilize the casualty,” said Raffetto. Marines explained the importance of knowing what to do and doing it in a fast manner. “Every second counts in this type of situation, so we rehearse and rehearse to change any minor problems to help us in the future,” said Lance Cpl. Ben Eiden, an assistant radio operator with Co. B. You train hard for a reason. Your future can visit you quickly. Raffetto spent the bulk of his Navy career in training; he was wounded during his very first deployment. He was assigned to the Marines of 1st Reconnaissance and, while in Afghanistan in August 2010, he was severely injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. The accident resulted in the amputation of both his legs above the knee, an amputation of his left arm at the elbow, and the amputation of three fingers on his remaining hand. There is something about a Corpsman, their view on life - and the women that they marry, often right before deployment. Though his recovery process was very difficult at first, Raffetto, who now is standing tall on prosthetic legs, feels very hopeful about the future. “Several factors help me stay positive: first and foremost, my wife – the best part about all of this is that she is with me and I can spend time with her,” Raffetto said. “Organizations like Navy Safe Harbor have made a big difference. And my physical therapists are extremely skilled. Had I been injured a few years ago, walking may have been impossible. But, considering the future of prosthetics, it is hard to not be optimistic.” Navy Safe Harbor has helped the Raffetto family address a number of non-medical issues, from helping the family get to Raffetto’s bedside immediately after his injury to fixing pay and personnel problems. “Navy Safe Harbor has been very helpful,” said Raffetto. “They strike the perfect balance of being there when you need them, but not hanging around when you don’t. [My Non-medical Care Manager] CDR Hamilton is phenomenal. She gets results, she checks in often, but she’s not overbearing in any way.” “From day one James has maintained a positive attitude that sort of says: ‘This is where I fell; I’m going to stand where I am and move forward from here,’” said Hamilton. “He faced many trials in his recovery and rehabilitation but has never given up. He sets goals and strives to achieve them. He’s a champion.” When they can, Raffetto and his wife Emily like to visit other wounded warriors; they generously offer their company, share their experiences, and offer an ear to listen if needed. “The most important thing I can do is show the wounded warriors what they can accomplish during their recovery – by seeing me, they learn that so much is still possible,” said Raffetto. “I try to give them a realistic look – but a hopeful look – at what’s to come.” His Marines didn’t forget him either. He lost his legs, his left arm and part of his right hand to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in August, but Navy Medical Corpsman James Raffetto says that’s not what’s been worrying him. “I just wanted to know my guys would make it home OK,” he said. When the 220 troops from Camp Pendleton’s 1st Reconnaissance Battalion he served with in the Helmand province arrived home on Wednesday, they were equally concerned for Raffetto. Dozens of Marines rushed up to the Pennsylvania native, hugging him and asking him how he was doing in a remarkable display of Marine Corps’ brotherhood. “I’m great,” he assured them as he stood in a corner of a gymnasium filled with parents and families of the returning troops. “It’s a relief to know everyone is now home and all right.” Raffetto explained to his buddies how he’s able to get around on prosthetic legs and use the portion of his hand that remains. He flew from Washington, D.C., to California to welcome the battalion back to Camp Pendleton. After all, he said, it was those he was assigned to protect who saved him, making sure he didn’t bleed to death when he was blown up. “They’re the reason I’m still alive,” he said. “They used the training that I helped give them, and that’s why I’m here today.” Then Seaman now Petty Officer Raffetto; BZ and Fullbore. First posted in OCT 2011.Leave a comment Share This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

A U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone carried out a more than 12-hour reconnaissance flight off the coast of Cuba, flying repeated patterns over the Gulf of America and the northern Caribbean, based on flight tracking data and open-source reporting. The aircraft, using the callsign BLKCAT6, operated at high altitude and made multiple passes near […]View the full article

The Israel Defense Forces has used its new Ro’em self-propelled howitzer in combat for the first time, firing the system during artillery strikes in southern Lebanon. Units from the 282nd Artillery Brigade brought the wheeled system, also known as the SIGMA 155, into action to support ground operations near the border. The howitzers were used […]View the full article

Spain’s EM&E Group has carried out live-fire trials of its Aunav robotic ground vehicles equipped with Guardian Aspis remote weapon stations during a Spanish Army experimentation campaign, showcasing their ability to engage targets while on the move. The testing took place from April 7 to April 17 at the Álvarez de Sotomayor training base in […]View the full article

AeroVironment, better known as AV, has introduced a new launched effects system, expanding its portfolio of loitering munitions with the debut of the MAYHEM 10, a multi-role platform built for use across air, ground, and maritime operations. The system builds on the company’s Switchblade family but moves into a broader mission set. Rather than focusing […]View the full article

Washington-based investment syndicate Pravo Ventures has invested in Ukrainian aerostat developer Aerobavovna, backing a company already supplying airborne platforms to Ukrainian forces for communications and sensing tasks. In a statement, Pravo Ventures said Aerobavovna is “building critical aerostat-based capabilities for Ukraine and its allies,” adding that it is “excited about the team’s continued growth and […]View the full article

Atlanta-based Askari Defense has introduced a new hand-launched interceptor drone built to counter small unmanned aerial systems, bringing forward a compact platform aimed at short-range air defense against low-flying threats. The system, called Rift Alpha, is designed to engage Group 1 and Group 2 drones—categories that typically include small reconnaissance and attack UAVs operating at […]View the full article

Florida-based aerospace company AIR says it has begun flight operations with its new heavy-lift cargo unmanned aircraft, marking the first public confirmation that the platform has moved into active flying status. The aircraft, which the company describes as one of the largest in its category, is built to carry payloads of up to 550 pounds […]View the full article

The U.S. Air Force and Anduril Industries completed the first experimental testing of the YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft with the Air Force’s newly stood-up Experimental Operations Unit last week, conducting a series of daily flight operations at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The exercise marked the first time Air Force personnel — not Anduril […]View the full article

The U.S. Army awarded a contract to German drone distributor DRONIVO GmbH on April 2, 2026, for 15 EAGLE NXT eBee VISION small unmanned aerial systems, six ground control stations, and a pilot training package to equip the 2nd Cavalry Regiment ahead of the Saber Strike 26 exercise. The contract, valued at €870,810 — approximately […]View the full article

The U.S. Air Force has issued a draft solicitation for the B-52J Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) Production Modification Kits and Interim Contractor Support, opening the door to industry competition for one of the most consequential bomber modernization efforts in recent memory. Published on April 16, 2026, through the federal contracting website, the presolicitation marks […]View the full article

One of the original member of our front porch passed away a few days ago, Byron Audler. A yard bird and great supporter of our Navy. Good friend to the blog through the years. I had no idea he was so sick. I should have checked in more often. Thank you Byron. You left a great legacy. Leave a comment Share This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

I'm using a chromium browser, I'll try edge. If it doesn't work is there any chance you could stick the file somewhere in harpgamer?

hmm, it is not a dead link. using http your browser probably blocks but the https link works fine here in Edge.

I tried to use that link but when I clicked on it I got nothing no download no new tab just nothing happened seemed to me like it might be a dead link

For the patch, use https://www.harpoonpages.com/ftp/harpoon2/h2update.zip . I inherited the HarpoonPages.com site from Dr. Who and long since lost track of the dreamweaver install that I used to maintain the site. One of these days I'll have an LLM helper re-write the site with me, hopefully without losing the 1990s vibe.

It’s funny how some things stick in your head. Remember what was at the top of the list yesterday for the: “1 x special mission ship of unknown capability“ … UPDATE: the special mission ship is probably a replacement for this. It keeps popping into my head. In case you were too busy to follow the link, here she is. A leased civilian ship advertised as: …Kellie Chouest is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. OK, it has a helo pad, 4th Fleet is the maker of smuggler’s blues: sure, fine. I’d move on to other things, and then it just came back again and again to mind, “Really? That big crane. That funky stern. Huh.” So I started digging around and saw this. The SCORPIO sits on the MV Kellie Chouest after retrieving the flight data recorder from the downed Alaska Airlines Flight 261. The remotely piloted vehicle SCORPIO sits on the deck of the MV Kellie Chouest after retrieving the flight data recorder from the downed Alaska Airlines Flight 261 off the coast of Ventura County, Calif., on Feb. 3, 2000. ….which, being an early-cohort GenX, immediately made me think of this. Glomar Explorer II: Electric Boogaloo? I have no idea, but this isn’t just for chasing drug runners. I mean, sure, she does standard issue 4th Fleet stuff, sticking out like a cygnet being raised in a clutch of ducklings, she shows up now and then in DVIDS doing a wide variety of things, and maybe that is what she is. Perhaps she fits that “multi-tool” niche that is always Salamander-approved. Perhaps. Well, that is enough speculation. I’m just glad that we’re going to get some honest shipyard work for a ship that we will now own—and not lea—for whatever mission it does, and in a new design that will hopefully better fill that niche. Hopefully they leave “white space” for the future to do that do that she does so well, and may she and her future replacement do it well for decades to come. Leave a comment Share This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. View the full article

Teledyne FLIR Defense has secured a contract worth more than $35 million to deliver its TacFLIR 280-HDEP surveillance systems to WB Group, Poland’s largest private defense company, for integration onto reconnaissance armored vehicles. The company announced the award on Thursday, marking the third contract this year in which Teledyne FLIR Defense has been selected to […]View the full article

Ukrainian air defense personnel engaged in intercepting Russian Shahed series of long-range one-way attack drones have published footage showing multiple examples of the weapons literally disintegrating in the air before reaching their targets — a visible sign of deepening manufacturing failures at Russia’s Alabuga drone production complex. The video, published by Ukrainian Wild Hornets drone […]View the full article

French Rafale fighter jets deployed to Lithuania under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled four times in a single week, intercepting and escorting six Russian military aircraft near the airspace of the Baltic states, France’s Armed Forces General Staff said. The sorties were carried out as part of France’s current rotation at Šiauliai Air […]View the full article

EDGE Group said it is speeding up development and production of the MANSUP and MANSUP-ER anti-ship missiles under its partnership with the Brazilian Navy, pushing forward one of Brazil’s key indigenous naval weapons programs. The Emirati defense company said the work is being carried out in close cooperation with local industry partners and the end […]View the full article

Finland’s transition to the F-35 reached a key milestone this week as a Finnish Air Force pilot completed the first flight by a Finnish aviator in the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. The flight took place on April 15 from Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where Finnish personnel are carrying out […]View the full article

The U.S. Army has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a $44.4 million contract modification to continue upgrading its Stryker Double V-Hull A1 vehicles. The award, announced by the Department of War, provides $44,394,688 to the Sterling Heights, Michigan-based manufacturer under modification PZ0004 to contract W912CH-25-D-0025. The work is scheduled to continue through Feb. 20, 2030, […]View the full article

The U.S. Navy has awarded Platform Aerospace a $12.9 million contract modification for its Vanilla long-endurance unmanned aircraft system, backing continued work on a drone built to stay airborne for days at a time. The award, valued at $12,893,010, goes to Platform Systems Inc., which operates as Platform Aerospace and is based in Hollywood, Maryland. […]View the full article