Current Events in the Americas

US Navy's transition from Prowlers to Growlers proceeding smoothly Good DEW Line blog article on the transition, with photos.

U.S. Navy Deploys Standard Missile-3 Block IB for First Time (Seapower)

High-Flying, Secret Drone Unveiled DefenseTech Lockheed Martin has pulled the lid off of a secret, stealthy, high-flying drone. Built and flown by its famous "Skunk Works" division, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could serve as a model for a new generation of robotic aircraft that hits targets halfway around the world. With a 90-foot wingspan and a tailless design, the "Polecat" UAV looks like a smaller version of the B-2 stealth bomber. And like the B-2, the drone has been built to be stealthy and sneaky. But the twin-engine Polecat is "90 percent composite materials, rather than metal," the L.A. Daily News notes. "The vehicle is also made from less than 200 …

Navy to name aircraft carrier after Ford From: The Associated Press http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070103/ap_on_...pe/ford_carrier WASHINGTON - The Navy will name its next aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in honor of the president who was buried Wednesday in his home town of Grand Rapids, Mich., officials said. The Navy had not planned to make the announcement yet, but Donald H. Rumsfeld, the former defense secretary who served in the Ford administration, divulged the news during his eulogy at the funeral. "How fitting it would be that the name Gerald R. Ford will patrol the high seas for decades to come in defense of the nation he loved so much," he sai…

From ACC Public Affairs Raptors wield 'unfair' advantage at Red Flag by By Tech. Sgt. Russell Wicke Air Combat Command Public Affairs 2/21/2007 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (ACCNS) -- "Undercover" is an understatement for the F-22A Raptor. A point clearly illustrated by pilots of the 94th Fighter Squadron, who delivered an aerial sucker punch to the seasoned Red Force opponents during the F-22A's debut at Red Flag here Feb. 3 -16. Among the Blue Force participants were foreign pilots from the Royal Air Force of England and Royal Australian Air Force, flying the GR-4 and F-111C respectively. In addition, the F-22s flew with the B-2 Spirit and F-117 Ni…

From Defense Aerospace Op-Ed: A History Lesson On Why the F-22 Fighter Is Essential (Source: The Lexington Institute; issued May 20, 2008) By Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D. Imagine that in 1902, Secretary of War Elihu Root had told President Teddy Roosevelt the difficulty of suppressing the Philippine Insurrection proved future weapons would need to be useful in conducting irregular warfare. I know, you aren't so clear on what the Philippine Insurrection was. But it was a big deal at the time: 130,000 U.S. troops were deployed in a multiyear counter-insurgency campaign, and over 4,000 of them died. U.S. forces tortured prisoners. Insurgents committed atrocities. Very …

Secret Nuclear Redesign Will Keep U.S. Subs Running Silently for 50 Years (Wired, Danger Room blog)

From http://www.defence-aerospace.com V-22 Cleared to Begin Operational Evaluation Source: Bell Helicopter; issued March 2, 2005 FORT WORTH, Texas --- The Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) testing program for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey has now been approved. On February 24, Tom Laux, the Program Executive Officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault, and Special Mission Programs, certified that the V-22 Osprey aircraft is ready for operational testing and evaluation. "This is great news signifying a crucial step forward in reaching our goal of getting this tremendous aircraft to our customers," declared Robert Kenney, Bell Helicopter vice president and di…

From Navy Times USS New Orleans commissioned in namesake city By Stacey Plaisance - The Associated Press Posted : Sunday Mar 11, 2007 11:44:30 EDT NEW ORLEANS — With the blaring of cannons, the Navy commissioned the amphibious transport dock New Orleans before thousands of onlookers March 10, marking the first time since at least World War II a Navy ship has been built and christened in its namesake city. “May God bless and guide this warship and all who sail on her,” the secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter, said before hundreds of sailors — in crisp, white uniforms — ran onto the ship to set the traditional first watch and to salute those in the celebra…

From Flight International DATE:26/08/08 SOURCE:Flight International Northrop declines to rule out platform switch for new KC-X bid By Stephen Trimble As Boeing reportedly considers alternate platforms or withdrawal from the US Air Force's KC-X tanker competition, the Northrop Grumman/EADS North America team may also consider upgrading its tanker offer. The US Department of Defense plans to release a final request for proposals during the last week of August, in defiance of Boeing's public requests for an extension period. Boeing's chosen 767-200ERX platform is likely to be too small to compete against the KC-30B version of the A330-200 if fuel offload c…

From Defense Aerospace Northrop Grumman-built Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) Completes Third-ever 'Super' Sea Trial (Source: Northrop Grumman; issued June 27, 2005) PASCAGOULA, Miss. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation's Aegis guided missile destroyer Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) successfully conducted the third-ever “super trial” last week in the Gulf of Mexico, a significant milestone that proves the ship is ready for delivery to the U.S. Navy as scheduled in August. The super trial concept, developed by industry and Navy leadership as a cost savings measure, combines three separate sea trial voyages into one extended exercise. The savings realized in conducting…

From Aviation Week Drug Gangs, Iran Impact Latin America Jan 14, 2010 By Paul McLeary Washington Security issues in Latin America have largely been on the back burner in American political and military circles for years, with continued U.S. funding for the Colombian military and the belligerence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez only briefly engaging American consciousness. This has changed dramatically over the last few years with the explosion of drug cartels that threaten the stability of some countries, the growing influence of Iran and the hard-core anti-Americanism of the Venezuelan president. A report by Latin American analyst Sylvia Longmire l…

Canada chooses TKMS as preferred bidder for CPSP submarine fleet (Canadian Defence Review)

From Defense Aerospace Long Range Land Attack Projectile Test Demonstrates 60 NM Guided Flight (Source: US Navy; issued June 27, 2005) WASHINGTON --- The DD(X) National Team and the Navy conducted the third consecutive successful guided-flight test of the 155mm Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP) June 16. Preliminary results indicate the munition successfully conducted preplanned maneuvers along a 60 nautical mile flight path during the 280-second flight. “This important test highlights another successful milestone to develop and field long-range, GPS-precise gun munitions for our fleet,” said Rear Adm. Charles Hamilton, the program executive of…

From DefenseNews U.S. Tries Putting Patriots on F-15s By KRIS OSBORN U.S. fighter jets laden with Patriot missiles may one day help shoot down incoming ballistic missiles, Lockheed Martin officials said. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is working with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to put Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles under the wing of an F-15 fighter, said Mike Trotsky, the division’s vice president. The firm is working under a contract from 2005 worth roughly $2 million. A new contract, expected to be worth about $3 million, will start work with other fighter planes. “We’re looking at the F-16. F-22, F-35, F-15,” said Trotsky. De…

USAF To Retire Newest Nuke Missile By GAYLE S. PUTRICH DefenseNews Beginning next year, the U.S. Air Force will retire the most modern missile in its nuclear arsenal as part of a 2002 disarmament treaty with Russia. The decision is expected to eliminate about 400 Advanced Cruise Missiles (ACMs) deployed with the B-52 fleet at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and Barksdale Air Force Base, La. An Air Force spokesperson said the service does not yet know how much it will save by eliminating the missiles, nor is there an estimate of personnel reductions. “In the long term, there will be cost and manpower savings, and the Air Force will use any potential savings t…

Report: Sailors killed while tethered to sub Rough seas also threatened to sink ship By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Apr 10, 2007 10:56:16 EDT Two sailors from the attack submarine Minneapolis-St. Paul were killed Dec. 29 off Plymouth, England, after being washed overboard in rough seas that soon threatened to sink the ship, according an investigative report released Monday under a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Navy Times. Senior Chief Electronics Technician (SS) Thomas K. Higgins, 45, chief of the boat, died in the accident, along with Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SS) Michael J. Holtz. A third sailor, Sonar Technician 1st C…

From Aviation Week's ARES Blog: A Real Win For Rafale Posted by Robert Wall at 9/8/2009 1:57 AM CDT There will be some that say Brazil only is buying the 36 Dassault Rafale strike fighters because of France’s agreement to help develop and maybe buy ten KC-390 airlifters, or transfer extensive nuclear submarine technology, or whatever other reasons, but reality is that, for once, the French sales team orchestrated the campaign rather flawlessly. It is, without doubt, a huge win for Rafale. Not only is Brazil the first export customer for Rafale, it is a sizeable order and it came in a real competition. Libya and the United Arab Emirates – other countries that …

From Flight Global's DEW Line blog [excerpt]

From Navy Times [excerpt]