Current Events

From Defense Aerospace HMS Astute (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Nov. 4, 2010) Various media report that nuclear-powered submarine HMS Astute, which [ran] aground off the Isle of Skye last week was damaged in a collision with a tug which tried to free it. We can confirm HMS Astute was in a minor collision with one of the tugs that assisted in refloating her, following an incident in which she became grounded off the Isle of Skye on 22 October 2010. Damage was assessed at the time and she was deemed fit to proceed under her own power to Faslane. She remains alongside at Faslane whilst investigations into the incident continue. From Defense Aer…

Does anyone know if Italy has retired their Atlantique MPAs and/or have they replaced them with anything else? Thanks in advance D

The newly revamped Code One website has some great pics that I thought I would share: The ROK Air Force's Black Eagles: Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16s during Falcon Air Meet 2009: F-16 Block 52+ for Greece (under the Peace Xenia IV program): F-35C roll out: Turkish Air Force F-16 (undergoing Peace Onyx III program upgrade): C-5M Super Galaxy: C-130 Hercules taking part in MAFEX at Nellis in November 2009:

Military Capabilities for Hybrid War: Insights from the Israel Defense Forces in Lebanon and Gaza (PDF)

BBC News story, with video Well, I have to say, it looks like you'd imagine a Russian stealth fighter to be. Like a stretched F-35.

From the December 2009 issue of Air Force Magazine A Specter Haunts the Carrier, by Rebecca Grant (PDF)

Seriously, what on Earth?

Full PDF article at National Defense University Excerpt follows, from Defense Aerospace: "Faced with the prospect of aerial stealth proliferation, states in the 21st century are looking for anti-stealth defense options. One such alternative, passive radar, appears a cost-effective counter to stealth. Passive radar is a receive-only system that uses transmitters of opportunity. Integrating a system of netted receivers, passive radar can detect, track, and target piloted and unpiloted stealth systems and provide cuing for antiair weapons systems. A passive radar system emits no radio energy and can be well camouflaged in both urban and rural landscapes. The thre…

From Aviation Week Fleets Turn to Small Ships for New Conflicts Jun 30, 2009 By Paul McLeary During a speech at the U.S. Naval War College in April, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates cited the value of developing a viable force of small warships that are better suited to face current threats in the littorals than vessels designed for blue-water operations. “You don’t necessarily need a billion-dollar ship to chase down a bunch of teenaged pirates,” he told a group of Navy officers. “The size of the ship in such cases is less important than having Navy Seals on board. To carry out the missions we may face in the future—whether dealing with non-state actors at…

From Ares UAVs Cruel as Landmines Says Senior British Judge Posted by Christina Mackenzie at 7/8/2009 12:25 PM CDT A senior British judge, Lord Bingham, says that the use of UAVs as weapons is "cruel as to be beyond the pale of human tolerance", Robert Verkaik, legal editor of Britain's daily The Independent reported earlier this week. Lord Bingham, who was until last year the senior law lord, said in an interview with the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, that drones could be compared with cluster bombs and landmines. "Are there, for example, and this goes to conflict, not post-conflict situations, weapons that ought to be outlawed?…

From the August 2009 issue of Air Force Magazine Fighting Under Missile Attack By John Stillion The Air Force hasn’t thought about air base defense for a while. Now, things are changing. For the first time in decades, Air Force aircraft deployed in an international crisis now face substantial risk of damage or destruction on the ground. By some estimates, missile and air attacks could disable up to 70 percent of the aircraft at some overseas bases in the opening minutes of a fight. The problem is not insurmountable; the Air Force and the Pentagon already have the means to start addressing this critical problem. Even so, there is no doubt the threat is g…

All in PDF US nuclear warheads, 1945-2009 Russian nuclear forces, 2009 US nuclear forces, 2009

Reading some of the naval blogs I subscribe to, I'm a bit out of my depth. Can you help me? 1. What's the big issue with the DDG-1000? What are its advantages/disadvantages over more DDG-51? 2. What's a Future Surface Combatant and is it the same thing as the Royal Navy are planning to order to replace the Type 22/23 frigates? 3. Explain the Littoral Combat Ship to me and the controversy over that. 4. When does the US need to start building more cruisers to replace the Ticos? On other subjects: 1. If the PRC are completing Varyag, when would we be likely to see it in service? 2. Are the Russians actually building vessels at a half-decent rate now? 3. What, in y…

From Ares We Got Hosed, Osama, We Got Hosed! Posted by Bill Sweetman at 5/12/2009 5:00 AM CDT "We can sink a RIB (rigid inflatable boat) at 100 meters," remarks a representative of a joint program between Raytheon's marine radar unit and Unifire, Sweden-based specialist in firefighting equipment. At the IMDEX maritime defense show in Singapore earlier today, Unifire and Raytheon unveiled their joint approach to non-lethal defense against typical pirate attacks. The keys are that large ships often already carry water cannon for firefighting and that they are not regarded as weapons - which demand special training and may cause a ship to be restricted in using …

Here (in PDF): 2009 USAF Almanac USAF Aces and Heroes USAF Aces USAF Bases and Installations Worldwide USAF Weapons Lots of useful facts and figures.

For those of you who have fond (or perhaps, not so fond) memories of the RGM-109B TASM antiship variant of the Tomahawk cruise missile, I have news: From Defense Aerospace Raytheon Develops Anti-Surface Warfare Capability for Tomahawk Block IV Missile (Source: Raytheon Company; issued May 4, 2009) TUCSON, Ariz. --- Raytheon Company has developed a technology plan to enhance moving target capabilities for the combat-proven Tomahawk Block IV missile. The technology will enable naval forces to effectively engage moving maritime surface targets and conduct anti-surface warfare missions. "This capability will allow the warfighter to attack a new tactical targe…

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/pop...14&src=news You know they look defeated but their probably still getting better chow then if they were at home.

Yes, I know its Carlo Kopp ... read it anyway, its good for you. Surviving the Modern IADS

From IISS Introduction: Statement by IISS Director-General (Source: International Institute of Strategic Studies; issued Jan. 27, 2009) Welcome to the launch of the 2009 The Military Balance. Joining me to answer your questions today are: James Hackett, Editor of The Military Balance, Alex Nicoll, Director of Editorial, Nigel Inkster, Director for Transnational Threats and Political Risk; Tim Huxley, Executive Director IISS-Asia; Oksana Antonenko, Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia; Christopher Langton, Senior Fellow for Armed Conflict and Defence Diplomacy; Dana Allin, Editor of Survival and Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy and Transatlantic Affairs; Ma…

From the January 2009 issue of Defense Technology International USA Estimated 2009 budget: $608 billion Percent of GDP: 4.25 Personnel under arms: 2.28 million (includes reserves) United Kingdom Estimated 2009 budget: GBP 37 billion ($56.6 billion) Percent of GDP: 2.5 Personnel under arms: 173,370 (as of 1 July 2008) India Estimated 2009 budget: $26.5 billion (for FY 08, ending 31 March; 2009-10 budget not available) Percent of GDP: 1.9 Personnel under arms: 1.15 million Russia Estimated 2009 budget: 1.34 trillion rubles ($49 billion) Percent of GDP: 2.6 Personnel under arms: 1.134 million Germany Estimated 2009 budget: Euro 31.1 billion (…