Current Events in the Americas

From Flight Global [excerpt]

Important article, I think: https://m.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2018-05/how-we-lost-great-pacific-war

How US strategic antimissile defense could be made to work An interesting piece. Contains a criticism of SM-3 testing methodologies and instead advocates airborne missile defense via stealthy drones.

Not been seen since operation two weeks ago Very interesting... as in the old Chinese curse...

Hypersonic threat simulation test UAV to be employed next year from Stratolaunch: https://www.stratolaunch.com/vehicles/talon-a

From Flight International DATE: 11/07/08 SOURCE: Flight International Indian Su-30 fighters depart for Red Flag exercise By Radhakrishna Rao An Indian air force contingent with eight Sukhoi Su-30MKI combat aircraft, two Ilyushin Il-78 air-to-air refuellers and one Il-76 transport has left India to participate in the 9-23 August multinational exercise Red Flag '08 at the US Air Force's Nellis AFB in Nevada. It will be the first time that the Russian-made Su-30MKI will participate in multinational manoeuvres involving US and other NATO fighters. India expects to spend around Rp1 billion ($23 million) on its participation in the air combat exercise. Sou…

DOD Inspector General's report: Assessment of the USAF Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AIB) Report on the F-22A Mishap of November 16, 2010

Improved Conventional Munitions Policy (CSBA) This is a big deal. In the world of Harpoon, some of you might have already noticed that cluster munitions (especially older style cluster munitions) tend to fade from sight in many US/NATO aircraft loadouts in the HCDB2 after around 2003.

From Aviation Week India's Advanced Su-30MKIs Come to USA Aug 21, 2008 By David A. Fulghum American, French and South Korean aircrews are getting a close look at one of the world's fabled aircraft - the Indian air force's Su-30MKI strike fighter. An Indian air force group of 50 pilots and weapon systems officers - flying eight Su-30MKIs, two Il-78 tankers and an Il-76 transport - are just finishing a month-long deployment to the United States with a training cycle at the latest, annual Red Flag aerial combat excercises based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. They were part of a contingent of 246 IAF personnel selected from 20 (fighter) Squadron, Poona;…

Industry has big hopes for Fire Scout UAV By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer Posted : Thursday Aug 9, 2007 8:14:18 EDT The “flexibility” of the Northrop Grumman-built Fire Scout unmanned helicopter could see its mission sets expanded in the future from surface warfare, antisubmarine warfare and mine warfare to include special operations, humanitarian relief and other missions, an industry official said he hopes. The MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical-takeoff-and-landing unmanned aerial vehicle is being designed to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for the Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ships’ three mission modules, designed for surface warfare, anti…

Navy Completes Initial Development of New Carrier Landing System (USNI News)

Navy Times DD1000

Interview with Capt Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 Program Manager, PEO Ships, Naval Sea Systems Command (Defense Media Network)

From Defense Aerospace Iranian Influence, Terrorist Links, Threaten Latin American Security (Source: US Department of Defense; issued March 17, 2009) WASHINGTON --- Iran is increasing its presence in Latin America, and Hezbollah, a terrorist organization it sponsors, is making inroads in drug trafficking in Colombia, the commander of U.S. Southern Command told Congress today. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis told the House Armed Services Committee he shares concerns expressed by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates about Iranian activity in Central and South America. Iran has opened six embassies in the region during the past five years and is promoting Islamic acti…

I don't plan on losing much sleep over this one: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-says-warships-sailing-towards-u-agency-214302042--finance.html

More scenario fodder for the new battlesets! Get cracking! From Ares Iranian Shock Troops in Venezuela? Posted by John M. Doyle at 7/29/2010 12:27 PM CDT It was a little surprising near the end of the (July 27) Senate confirmation hearing for Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis to be the new head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) when Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.) brought up Venezuela. LeMieux said he was very concerned about the connection between Iran and Venezuela including secret flights between the two countries and the presence of “Iranian shock troops in Venezuela.” LeMieux, who was appointed last year to serve out the remaining term of Mel Martine…

From DefenseNews [excerpt]

From AOL Defense [excerpt]

CNO: Next-Generation Navy Fighter Might Not Need Stealth (DefenseTech) ACC Chief: Stealth ‘Incredibly Important’ For Next USAF Fighter (Aviation Week)

From DefenseNews Posted 04/02/07 10:41 Is New U.S. Destroyer Unstable? Experts Doubt Radical Hull; Navy Says All Is Well By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS As the U.S. Navy is poised to award the first construction contracts on its new multibillion-dollar DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer, experts in and outside the Navy say the radical new hull design might be unstable. Given just the right conditions, some say, it could even roll over. At least eight current and former officers, naval engineers and architects and naval analysts interviewed for this article expressed concerns about the ship’s stability. One former flag officer, asked about DDG 1000, responded by puttin…