Current Events in the Americas

Navy Sinks Former Frigate USS Reuben James in Test of New Supersonic Anti-Surface Missile (USNI News)

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…

Why We Still Need a Nuclear-Armed Cruise Missile (War on the Rocks)

From Flight International DATE: 17/10/07 SOURCE: Flightglobal.com EXCLUSIVE: US considers Airbus A380 as Air Force One and potentially a C-5 replacement By Stephen Trimble The Airbus A380 has attracted interest from the US Air Force (USAF) as a cargo freighter and as a large VIP transport in the Air Force One class, says an industry source. EADS last summer responded to two separate inquiries by the USAF’s Air Mobility Command (AMC) about the A380, which is a double-decker jet delivered to Singapore Airlines on 15 October after a long delay. AMC’s first request asked EADS to submit data about the A380F Freighter for potential use as a military airlifter…

From AOL Defense [excerpt]

Navy Quietly Downscales Destroyer Upgrades (USNI News)

Team Tests Pod at 'Litening' Speed Find It Here (Source: US Air Force; issued April 18, 2006) EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --- Three Air Force units have started accelerated testing of a Litening-AT targeting pod. The 416th Flight Test Squadron here is working with the 85th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the 422nd OTES at Nellis AFB, Nev., to update the existing Litening pod with several new capabilities for warfighters, including a video downlink transmitter currently used in the Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. "The transmitter, called the ROVER Module, was pulled out of the Predator and allows …

Next Large Combatant Might Be a Flight IV Destroyer (Seapower)

Why Is the PLAN Near Alaska? (The Diplomat) Scenario fodder (complete with OOB) for the under utilized Bering Strait battleset!

Winning The Salvo Competition: Rebalancing America's Air And Missile Defenses (CBSA)

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Demonstrates Network Capability in Multiple JDAM Drop here (Source: Boeing Co.; issued April 18, 2006) ST. LOUIS --- Boeing has successfully demonstrated the capability of an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to provide targeting coordinates to other aircraft using the Raytheon APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system. During the test at the Naval Air Weapons Center at China Lake, Calif., an AESA-equipped F/A-18F created a long-range, high resolution synthetic aperture radar map and designated four closely-spaced stationary targets. The aircraft then data-linked two target designations to non-AESA equipped Super…

Only one scenario for the PlayersDB currently exists for the high Arctic, "The True North Strong and Free". Looks like here's an opportunity to explore the area, again. Ottawa to proceed with plan to acquire six Arctic patrol ships Murray Brewster, The Canadian Press Published: Sunday, May 13, 2007 Victoria Times Colonist OTTAWA -- A key federal cabinet committee has given the go-ahead for a plan to construct six corvette-sized Arctic patrol vessels, The Canadian Press has learned. The cabinet priorities and planning committee approved the program to build the 100-metre-long, 6,000-tonne warships within the last 10 days, according to defence and politica…

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 Armed Forces Journal, April 2011 issue

From Aviation Week [excerpt]

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 …