Current Events in the Americas

From Defense Aerospace New Maritime Strategy Released (Source: US Department of Defense; issued Oct. 17, 2007) The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard have released “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower,” a unified maritime strategy that explains the comprehensive role of the sea services in an era marked by increased globalization and change. This is the first time a unified maritime strategy has been signed by all three of the sea services. The strategy integrates seapower with other elements of national power in addition to that of friends, partners and allies. It states that protecting the homeland and winning the nation’s wars is matched by…

From http://defense.aol.com/2012/09/18/boeing-plows-through-kc-46-reserves-funding-sequestration-would/ [excerpt]

British Ministry of Defence say discussions at advanced stage

From Defense Aerospace Raytheon, Aerojet Test New Propulsion System for Air-Launched Missile Defense System (Source: Raytheon; issued May 14, 2007) TUCSON, Ariz. --- Raytheon Company has demonstrated a key propulsion component of the Network Centric Airborne Defense Element (NCADE) program. NCADE is a missile defense system that will affordably leverage operational tactical missile technologies and infrastructure. As part of the NCADE risk-reduction program, Raytheon and partner Aerojet tested an advanced hydroxylammonium nitrate thruster that provided more than 150 pounds of thrust for longer than 25 seconds. This test, which took place at the Aeroje…

From Navy Times Chavez could take loan to buy Russian subs By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Monday Apr 7, 2008 6:24:20 EDT Russia and Venezuela are in talks over a deal in which a Russian bank would help finance the purchase of four new Russian diesel-electric attack submarines, an official Russian news agency reported Friday. Citing an article in the Russian business newspaper Kommersant, the RIA Novosti news service reported that Russia’s state Vneshekonombank could loan Venezuela about $800 million to help move forward the proposed $1 billion sale of four new Kilo-class subs. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a socialist strongman and an outspoken …

From Flight Global DATE: 19/05/10 SOURCE: Flight International Boeing B-52 set to receive major radar upgrade By Stephen Trimble The US Air Force is moving forward with a major new upgrade for the half-century-old Boeing B-52H fleet, focused on replacing the bomber's radar, which is roughly 30 years old. The Northrop Grumman APQ-166 strategic radar is nearing the end of its useful life and will be replaced on 76 B-52Hs, the USAF says in a request for information issued to industry. The new system will perform all of the mission functions now performed by the APQ-166 mechanically scanned array, but provide "new and enhanced capabilities", the air force sa…

From Armed Forces Journal, April 2011 issue

All future military contracts should be set at a fixed price on negotiation. Any budget overruns fall squarely on the head of the contracted company. It'll never happen, but it seems sensible.

From Aviation Week [excerpt]

by Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates, Air Force News Agency Source: Air Force Link - Air Force armada all about the ammo

From Air Force Times More Russian bombers flying off Alaska coast 16 intercepts by U.S., Canadian jets since July By Erik Holmes - Staff writer Posted : Monday Apr 7, 2008 7:29:40 EDT More and more American and Canadian fighter jets are scrambling and intercepting Russian bombers flying off the Alaskan coast, exacerbating tensions between the former Cold War foes. There have been 16 such intercepts since July, Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Howie Chandler told the Anchorage Daily News on March 27. That compares with just one in 2005, and none in the previous 10 years, Chandler said. The Air Force and North American Aerospace Defense Command would …

Navy Declares Initial Operational Capability for New Rolling Airframe Missile (Seapower) It would be nice to add this throughout the HCDB, but unfortunately we don't have the room.

From DefenseNews Posted 05/15/07 17:37 U.S. Army General Picked to be ‘War Czar’ By WILLIAM H. MCMICHAEL An active-duty three-star Army general will become coordinator of the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Bush said Tuesday. Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, the director of operations for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, will be “the full-time manager for the implementation and execution of our strategies for Iraq and Afghanistan,” Bush said in a statement released by the White House. As such, Lute will serve as a direct link between commanders in the field, ambassadors Ryan Crocker and William Wood and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, and wil…

From DefenseNews [That little ship some people love to hate is attracting attention again ... ] Posted 10/26/06 13:57 Lockheed’s LCS Draws International Interest By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS, LE BOURGET, France A steady stream of uniformed and civilian visitors from many countries stopped by the Lockheed Martin desk during Euronaval, the biannual European naval show here that showcases the latest in naval concepts and hardware. And while the American company touted its Aegis combat system and approaches to open architecture, the majority of visitors wanted to know about the flashiest thing on the Lockheed stand — the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). “There have bee…

From Flight International DATE: 09/01/09 SOURCE: Flight International USAF starts public search for Air Force One replacement By Stephen Trimble The US Air Force yesterday took the first public step in the search for a replacement of the Boeing VC-25 Air Force One, the presidential aircraft fleet. The USAF posted a request for information for market sources that can provide three widebody aircraft to replace two, 19-year-old VC-25s, which are converted Boeing 747-200s. An analysis of alternatives performed in 2007, which identified the Airbus A380 as a candidate, found that it would be more cost-effective to buy new aircraft rather than modernize the…

Research begins on new anti-ship missile By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Monday Jul 13, 2009 6:34:55 EDT Find NavyTimes article here. Even as some Navy commanders quietly worry about the potential threat from foreign anti-ship missiles, fewer American warships have gone to sea in the past decade with anti-ship weapons of their own. But that might change. Surface ships could get a powerful weapon to use against surface targets as part of an experimental program announced in late June — the first new U.S. anti-ship missile in a quarter-century. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Office of Naval Research issued a $10 million co…

Lockheed's AMDR

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=69657 (h/t Alert 5)

JLENS loose and lose, how not?: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/10/28/the-army-lost-control-of-a-giant-unmanned-surveillance-blimp/

New generation join US/Spanish phased array radar for frigates in development: http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/173894/lockheed,-indra-demo-next_gen-radar-for-future-spanish-frigates.html