Current Events in the Americas

From Air Force Times Reaper ready to deploy next month By Tom Vanden Brook - USA Today Posted : Tuesday Aug 28, 2007 6:23:41 EDT CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — The Air Force next month will deploy a new generation of pilotless airplane with the bombing power of an F-16 to help stop the stubborn Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. The Reaper is an upgraded version of the Predator, which has become one of the military’s most sought-after planes since it first appeared in Afghanistan in 2001. The Reaper can fly three times as fast as a Predator and carry eight times more weaponry, such as Hellfire missiles, the Air Force said. The Reaper’s greater range and s…

Navy Times DD1000

From Flight International DATE:24/08/07 SOURCE:Flight International Lockheed tackles JSF power deficit By Stephen Trimble A shortage of electrical power on board the carrier variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has forced Lockheed Martin to launch a redesign of two key subsystems, even as flight tests are set to resume within the next few weeks. Lockheed engineers discovered in laboratory tests in late 2006 that the F-35C will need 33% more power than its on-board generator can provide. The aircraft's flight-control surfaces are powered by electro-hydrostatic actuators and the electrical system has to meet the condition when all the controls demand p…

From National Defense September 2007 Navy still Years Away From Deploying Attack Drones Aboard Aircraft Carriers By Grace Jean Given the Navy’s checkered history of flying drones aboard ships, it’s not surprising that its first pursuit of an unmanned aircraft geared for carrier operations has progressed cautiously and even with a hint of trepidation. While the sea service remains tight-lipped about how such an autonomous system might be employed in the future, analysts say it has the potential to alter naval warfare and are calling for an accelerated demonstration of its capabilities. “The sooner you can demonstrate this and convince the carrier aviation com…

From Navy Times Stennis group returning from deployment By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Aug 21, 2007 18:09:34 EDT SAN DIEGO — More than 5,500 sailors and Marines are heading home after a nearly eight-month deployment to the Persian Gulf. The aircraft carrier John C. Stennis and several ships of its strike group are scheduled to arrive in San Diego on Monday, Aug. 27, where the massive flattop will unload part of its carrier air wing, Navy officials said Tuesday. The Stennis, a Bremerton, Wash.-based carrier, spent most of the spring and summer operating in the Gulf region, supporting combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and maritime …

From Defense Aerospace Northrop Grumman-Built Mesa Verde (LPD 19) Successfully Completes Builder's Trials (Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.; issued Aug. 20, 2007) PASCAGOULA, Miss. --- The Northrop Grumman-built amphibious transport dock ship Mesa Verde (LPD 19) successfully completed builder's trials last week, in a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman. “We had a very successful trial,'' said Philip Teel, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems sector. “The ship is in great shape, and this team performed incredibly well. This ship is ready to serve the Navy.'' Shipbuilders worked on sea trial…

From Air Force Times Tanker contract to be awarded in December By Donna Borak - The Associated Press Posted : Monday Aug 20, 2007 6:56:27 EDT WASHINGTON — The Air Force will award a much-anticipated multibillion-dollar tanker refueling contract at the end of the year, extending talks with bidders beyond the October deadline Wall Street anticipated. Either Boeing Co. or Northrop Grumman Corp. will emerge as the winner of the $40 billion Air Force deal to replace 179 aerial refueling tankers. One industry analyst said the extension of talks signals extra caution by the service because of a controversy that engulfed the tanker program several years ago. The…

[This one's for you Brad] Chavez’s Bid For Russian Arms Pains U.S. By C. J. Chivers MOSCOW, Aug. 15 — A proposed contract between Russia and Venezuela that could transfer thousands of sniper rifles to Venezuela has raised concerns in the United States about the potential use or regional distribution of the weapons by the socialist-inspired government of President Hugo Chávez. The rifles are the latest variant of the Dragunov, a long-barreled, semiautomatic design with a telescopic sight. It is derived in part from the much more widely circulated Kalashnikov assault rifle. First manufactured in 1963 for use by militaries and intelligence agencies in the…

Future US Air Force Missile: Speeds Up To Mach 6.5 The X-51A program could mean that long-range strikes take a fraction of the time needed now. By Gordon Lubold, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor In the hunt for Osama bin Laden and other individuals the military considers high-value targets, the US Air Force is pursuing a new program that could put a missile on a target in minutes instead of hours. The Air Force is developing a "hypersonic" engine designed to fly bombs at Mach 6.5 speed, or more than 4,000 miles per hour, allowing commanders a chance to conduct long-range strikes on targets in a fraction of the time it takes now. The program, k…

Hope that someone gets some photos of those Tu-22s. I can never get enough of those beautiful planes.

From Navy Times New CNO pick could come any time, sources say By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Jul 17, 2007 7:30:21 EDT The Navy’s search for a new chief of naval operations is underway, with an announcement of a nominee expected to come as early as this week, sources tell Navy Times. In June, President Bush nominated the current CNO, Adm. Mike Mullen, to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If approved by the Senate, Mullen will take over for Marine Gen. Peter Pace, who is slated to retire at the end of his term Oct. 1. A date has yet to be set for Mullen’s Senate confirmation hearing. The leading candidate for CNO remains…

From Navy Times National security cutter fires up engines By Patricia Kime - Staff writer Posted : Friday Aug 10, 2007 5:31:15 EDT The Coast Guard fired up the engines of the national security cutter Bertholf for the first time Wednesday. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Walt Probst pressed the switch to start the ship’s gas turbine engines, the power source for high speed operations. The ship is under construction at Northrop Grumman Ship System’s Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. The engine light-off marks another step in the vessel’s march toward sea trials, expected this fall. A Coast Guard spokesman said Wednesday the ship’s diesel engine…

From DefenseNews Northrop Wins U.S. Navy Unmanned Strike Aircraft Competition By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS Northrop Grumman has beaten a Boeing team as the Navy’s choice to develop the Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) — intended to prove the technology to provide the fleet’s aircraft carriers with a long-range pilotless jet strike aircraft. The award of a $636 million cost-plus-incentive-fee development contract was announced by the Navy late Aug. 1. The competition to develop the aircraft — also known as UCAS-N, for UCAS-Navy — was between Boeing’s X-45N and Northrop Grumman’s X-47B test aircraft. Northrop now will be the prime contractor t…

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…

From Navy Times Air Force: Hornet couldn’t kill Raptor By Seamus O’Connor - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Aug 7, 2007 11:37:16 EDT The F-22 Raptor is the world’s most advanced fighter, but is it invincible? Internet rumors have swirled for months over whether any F-22s had been taken down in simulated combat exercises. Discussion forums are rife with Navy pilots touting a controversial photo appearing to show an F/A-18F Super Hornet gunning down a Raptor. The F-22’s debut combat exercise was at Northern Edge in June 2006. According to Air Force data, the dozen F-22s in attendance racked up an unprecedented kill record of 144-0 the first week alone and su…

Marines experience Brit style on ‘Lusty’ By Vago Muradian - Staff writer Posted : Monday Aug 6, 2007 5:36:26 EDT ABOARD THE HMS ILLUSTRIOUS — What’s the definition of heaven if you’re a Marine Harrier pilot? Why, spending two weeks on one of Britain’s aircraft carriers, of course. “What’s not to like? The flying’s awesome, the food and quarters are great, and you can get a drink at the end of the day,” said Maj. Stephan “Poppy” Bradicich, the executive officer of Marine Attack Squadron 542 who helped plan the unprecedented embarkation of 16 Harriers and 200 Marines aboard HMS Illustrious, known as “Lusty” to its crew. Slideshow Aboard the HMS Illustrious…

Robots Clear Waterways of Deadly Mines Associated Press | July 27, 2007 PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - As it slowly moves in the shallow water along a beach, the robot splashes its fins like a small child playing in the surf. But the prototype device has a serious mission: destroying mines that could kill Marines and Navy SEALs as they come on shore. Such technology is considered the future of underwater bomb detection. "It's a kamikaze vehicle, a suicidal robot," said Mathieu Kemp, a scientist with Durham, N.C.-based Nekton Research, LCC, which created the Transphibian. The 3-foot-long device, which will some day carry 14 pounds of plastic explosives and at…

From Aviation Week GPS Issue Latest In History Of JASSM Problems Jul 31, 2007 Amy Butler/Aerospace Daily & Defense Report At least eight components of the Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) have caused problems during the stealthy cruise missile's troubled past, contributing to the missile's 42 percent failure rate in recent months. All of the issues are being addressed and some of the involved systems are being fixed or replaced (see chart p. 2). The steady stream of issues, though, demonstrates a pattern of failures that traces back to the first lot of deliveries. As part of a get-well plan for the $5.8 billion prog…

From Air Force Times Raptor funding switch raises concern By Erik Holmes - Staff writer Posted : Monday Jul 30, 2007 19:06:20 EDT The Air Force is worried that the House Appropriations Committee’s decision last week to strip $364 million from the service’s F-22 modernization program and redirect it to the permanent change of station account will cause delays and cost overruns to the F-22 program. An Air Force official said Monday that the service will appeal Congress’ decision. “The F-22A program is currently assessing the impacts,” the official said, “and anticipates the proposed cut would drive significant program restructure, cost increases and schedu…

From Air Force Times F-22 near perfect in combat exercises By Seamus O’Connor - Staff writer Posted : Monday Jul 30, 2007 11:47:18 EDT The F-22 Raptor is the world’s most advanced fighter, but is it invincible? Internet rumors have swirled for months over whether any F-22s had been taken down in simulated combat exercises. Discussion forums are rife with Navy pilots touting a controversial photo appearing to show an F/A-18F Super Hornet gunning down a Raptor. The F-22’s debut combat exercise was at Northern Edge in June 2006. According to Air Force data, the dozen F-22s in attendance racked up an unprecedented kill record of 144-0 the first week alone an…