CV32

From Defense Aerospace Government Moves Combat Aircraft Acquisition Into the Next Stage – Maintains Three Candidates (Source: Norwegian Ministry of Defence; dated Dec. 15, web-posted Dec. 18, 2006) The Government has now approved the so-called conceptual solution for the combat aircraft acquisition, effectively moving the combat aircraft project into the next stage. The process towards a possible acquisition of new combat aircraft will now be intensified. “We are still pursuing competition, and will therefore maintain a close dialogue with all three potential candidates, JAS Gripen, Eurofighter and Joint Strike Fighter,” says Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen. “The Government will delay a decision on whether to continue the JSF production phase until a satisfactory level of Norwegian industrial participation has been achieved, but if we continue with JSF, we will also enter into agreements with the other two candidates,” emphasizes Strøm-Erichsen. Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre says that the final choice of combat aircraft will be based on an overall evaluation. “To me it is of vital importance that the new aircrafts are able to meet Norway’s defence policy needs and at the same time enable us to contribute to international peace and stability through NATO and other international operations.” Due to the estimated magnitude of this investment, significant resources have been allocated to developing the conceptual solution. Studies have been conducted on how to provide a future Norwegian combat aircraft capability, including discussions on several alternatives. “We have examined many options, and as a result of these deliberations, we have concluded that we would like to pursue the combat aircraft alternative, - either JAS Gripen, Eurofighter or JSF. In addition we have decided to pursue the option of extending the life of our current combat aircraft, with the aim of acquiring new aircraft at a later stage,” says Minister of Defence Strøm-Erichsen. In accordance with established policy for major public investment projects, the conceptual solution has been subject to quality review by external consultants. “The Government’s main concern at this stage was to confirm the need for a future combat aircraft capability, and to move the project into the next stage with fewer alternatives than have been considered so far. We will now enter a more in-depth dialogue with all candidates and receive updates on the data we currently possess. “Furthermore the Government finds it important to examine more closely the industrial plans that we have received. Current assessments of these plans show that they are all acceptable, however they do need more work,” says Strøm-Erichsen. The Government has agreed to carry on with three candidates, but plans associated with industrial cooperation possibilities must be in place. This is also a requirement for signing a potential JSF production agreement. “It has been our long-term intention to consider signing the JSF production agreement this fall. However, there still remain some questions that need to be clarified. I have therefore been granted authority by the Government to sign the JSF production agreement when I find the industrial plan for this candidate satisfactory,” continues Strøm-Erichsen. The Ministry of Defence will also contact Eurofighter and Jas Gripen to discuss continued cooperation with these two candidates. “We have not selected a candidate and will therefore enter into negotiations with these two (candidates) with the aim of committing to cooperation on development that will ensure an improved decision making basis in this important matter,” concludes Strøm-Erichsen. [To my mind, the Gripen most naturally fits the Norwegian requirement - lowest cost, appropriate capabilities, readily available, developed for Scandinavian environment, etc.]

Pictures taken of the F-35A's first flight can be found at the Flight International website here including the backwards flags (oops !) visible on the starboard side of the forward fuselage.

From Aviation Week F-35A Makes First Flight By Ed Phillips/Aviation Week & Space Technology 12/15/2006 05:40:41 PM The first production Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II flew Dec. 15, initiating a six-year, 12,000-hour flight test program involving 15-20 airplanes. Company officials say the 32-min. flight, which originated and terminated at Lockheed Martin facilities at NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, went as planned. "The Lightning II performed beautifully," said Jon Beesley, F-35 chief test pilot. After takeoff Beesley flew the airplane to an altitude of 15,000 ft. and performed a series of maneuvers to check handling qualities and throttle response of the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine. Two F-16s and one F/A-18 flew as chase aircraft during the flight. The single-engine, single-seat fighter encountered no problems, according to company officials. At least one additional flight is planned for this month, followed by about six flights per month during the first half of 2007, according to Doug Pearson, vice president of the Lightning II's Integrated Test Force. Pearson says the F-35's airframe systems are highly integrated, and the airplane features a myriad of advanced systems not found on any legacy fighter. These include the installation of electrohydrostatic flight control surface actuators that combine hydraulic and electrical functionality in one compact unit, and a new, "intelligent" electrical system with multiple redundancies. Although the F-35 will carry a powerful array of sensors to identify, track and strike enemy air and ground targets, none of these systems were installed in the first production aircraft. Prior to the flight, Beesley had taxied the Lightning II under its own power for the first time on Dec. 7, accelerating up to 30 kt. to evaluate brake systems and nose wheel steering. On Dec. 12 subsequent tests were conducted at 80 kt. and 110 kt. on the runway to ensure proper operation of the antiskid system. Engineers spent Dec. 13 examining telemetry from the tests and assessing operation of the airplane's air data system. In related news about the Joint Strike Fighter program, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, the UK's Minister for Defense Lord Drayson, and Ward Elcock, Canadian Deputy Minister of National Defense, this week signed a memorandum of understanding to begin future cooperation in production, testing, training and sustainment as well as follow-on development of the F-35. The MOU expands cooperation beyond the current System Development and Demonstration phase. The Netherlands signed in November, and five other countries are expected to sign the MOU by the end of the year, according to the Defense Dept. Italy will sign in January, and Turkey plans to join the production and support phase of the program.

From Navy Times December 14, 2006 Attack sub Rickover to be inactivated today By William H. McMichael Staff writer Crew members of the Los Angeles-class submarine Hyman G. Rickover prepare to tie up Oct. 11 at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., after the boat’s final deployment. Rickover will be inactivated today. — MCSN Kelvin Edwards / Navy NORFOLK NAVAL STATION, Va. — The 22-year-old attack submarine Hyman G. Rickover will be inactivated Thursday during a ceremony at its home port of Norfolk Naval Station, the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force announced. The ship’s sponsor and widow of the late Adm. Rickover, retired Cmdr. Eleonore Rickover, will attend the 1 p.m. ceremony at Norfolk’s pier 3. Adm. Rickover — who led the effort to develop the world’s first nuclear submarine, Nautilus, and became known as the “father of the nuclear Navy” — retired in 1982 after 63 years of continuous active service. He died in 1986. The sub completed its last six-month deployment in October “conducting operations in support of national security taskings and the Global War on Terrorism,” according to a press release from the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force. The 22nd sub in the Los Angeles class, Rickover is being retired because of a combination of factors, according to Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Chris Loundermon. These include the sub’s age; the cost of maintenance, modifications, and of refueling the nuclear sub; demands on the 2007 Navy budget; and the need to trim the submarine force to 48. That trim was mandated by the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review and endorsed by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen, Loundermon said. Ten of the 21 subs that preceded Rickover remain in commission: Los Angeles, Bremerton, La Jolla and City of Corpus Christi in Pacific Fleet, and Philadelphia, Memphis, Jacksonville, Dallas, Albuquerque and Minneapolis-St. Paul in the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force. After Rickover is inactivated, the Navy will have 52 fast-attack submarines, Loundermon said. The 360-foot sub will be transported to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, in early 2007 for the yearlong inactivation process, according to SubLant.

From Flight International Indian navy set to issue maritime reconnaissance aircraft shortlist within days By Siva Govindasamy New Delhi to step up contest for new reconnaissance platforms, while interest in V-22 Osprey emerges The Indian navy is poised to announce the shortlist for its maritime reconnaissance aircraft contest "any day now", says Boeing, which is offering a P-8I variant of its 737-based P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft now in development for the US Navy. Other types in contention for the eight-aircraft programme include a special mission version of the Airbus A319/A320 from EADS, a package based on Dassault's Falcon 900 business jet also backed by Israel Aerospace Industries, an improved version of the Ilyushin Il-38 and a refurbished P-3 Orion promoted by Lockheed Martin. Boeing India has urged the Indian government to broaden the rules of its offset policy related to the deal to allow companies to look across the nation's aviation business, including both its defence and commercial aircraft activities. "The policy should be opened to the entire aerospace segment," said Integrated Defense Systems president Jim Albaugh during a visit to India last week. "If done right, offsets will introduce more complex technology and processes that India doesn't currently enjoy." India is also mulling the possible future purchase of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor after its ongoing F-X fighter and army light utility helicopter programmes are concluded, says Boeing. "There has been some interest from the Indian ministry of defence, but nothing beyond that," it adds. Indian defence officials and Boeing have held initial talks on the programme, but industry sources say the rotorcraft's price tag could be a stumbling block to any future sale. "Even if they get it down to $60 million in 2010 from the current $70 million, it might be too expensive," says one. New Delhi's immediate priority is to complete tenders for 126 multi-role combat aircraft - the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16, RSK MiG-35 or Saab Gripen - and 197 light utility helicopters. The Bell 407 and Eurocopter AS550 are contesting the army requirement. "The Osprey will add to the military's transport and combat search-and-rescue capabilities, but that's not urgent. Talks will start after the F-X contest," says a source.

From Flight International JSF team rejects dedicated EA-35 By Graham Warwick USMC looks at 'plug-and-play' electronic alternatives The US Marine Corps is looking to raise the electronic attack capability of its Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, but will not build a dedicated "EA-35" jamming version, says deputy commandant for aviation Lt Gen John Castellaw. Just last year, the JSF team was studying an EA-35 variant, but Castellaw now says: "We are moving away from dedicated platforms. We get a designed-in [electronic attack] capability with the AESA [active electronically scanned array radar], and there are other opportunities we will be pursuing." These include plug-and-play pods and components that could be put on the basic aircraft, he says. "We are looking at it now." JSF joint programme office deputy director Brig David Heinz says the initial Block 3 F-35 will include low- and high-band receivers and the ability for the AESA to put a "very focused high-energy beam" on a target for jamming or spoofing. Electronic attack enhancements are being studied for Block 4 and later versions, and could include expanding the AESA's jamming ability beyond X-band frequencies, says Heinz. "AESA is limited X-band only in the near term." Castellaw says the USMC is looking at electronic attack capabilities beyond strike support. "There are particular capabilities we want to develop" to support ground operations, he says, an apparent reference to the current use of Northrop Grumman EA-6Bs to defeat improvised explosive devices by jamming cellphones used to trigger the bombs. The Marine Corps wants an expanded electronic attack capability in the F-35 by the time it retires its EA-6Bs in fiscal year 2015. "We are trying to scope it out now, but I cannot tell you what the timeline will be," says Castellaw. The USMC plans to buy 420 short take-off and vertical landing F-35Bs.

From Flight International Breakthrough as UK signs technology transfer deal with USA to allow Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF purchase to go ahead By Justin Wastnage The UK has cleared a major hurdle over its purchase of Lockheed martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) after years of dispute over the ability to support and maintain the aircraft in the UK. Coming a day before the aircraft, officially dubbed the Lightning II, is due to make its maiden flight, UK defence minister Lord Drayson signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US deputy secretary of defence Gordon England during a visit in Washington, DC today over the next phase of the project. The agreement guarantees "operational sovereignty" for the UK, Drayson says. Operational sovereignty is defined as the UK having control over essential aspects of the aircraft so that it can be operated through life at the time of the UK’s choosing, says the Ministry of Defence. "We need to be able to integrate the JSF into the UK operating environment; operate, maintain, repair and upgrade the UK fleet to meet evolving through-life requirements; and certificate the aircraft as safe to fly," Drayson says. Last week the House of Commons Defence Committee advised the MoD to draw up a 'plan B' with an alternate supplier of fighter jets selected in case the USA refused to concede technology transfer elemente essential to maintain its own fleet. Other partner nations have argued for such clearances and are likely to be bolstered by today's agreement, although the UK is the only Level One partner nation in the programme. Lord Drayson said: “After an excellent meeting with Gordon England, I am delighted to be able to sign this MoU which will take the UK into the next phase of the JSF programme. I have always been clear that the UK would only sign if we were satisfied that we would have operational sovereignty over our aircraft. I have today received the necessary assurances from the US on technology transfer to allow me to sign the MoU.”

I've heard the name, but have never tried them.

From DefenseNews Posted 12/08/06 16:12 U.S. Sale of Airborne Early Warning System To Pakistan Possible By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE The Pentagon said Dec. 8 it has notified Congress of a possible sale to Pakistan of three surplus P-3 aircraft with airborne early warning systems. The Pentagon estimated the value of such a sale at as high as $855 million. It said Pakistan intends to use the aircraft with the E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning System for its naval forces. The refurbished aircraft would boost Pakistan’s ability to guard its shores and borders against the movement of terrorists and drug traffickers, it said in a statement.

From Defence Talk China To Use Galileo Satellite Navigation System Xinhua News Agency Dec 8, 2006 - 6:17:20 AM Nanjing, China: The European Union's Galileo satellite navigation system, a rival to the reigning global positioning system (GPS) of the United States, is expected to be operational in China in 2008. The 30-satellite system, with a navigational fix accurate to within one meter, will provide safe, reliable and accurate navigational information for Chinese users in fields of civil aviation, railway, waterway and road transportation, according to a Sino-EU technology cooperation symposium in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. China officially joined the project in 2004 and invested 200 million euros in a Galileo training and application research center based in Southeast University in Nanjing. The center carries out research on the satellite receiver, chips and communication system and provides scientific training for the Galileo project, said Li Jianqing, head of the technology department of the university. The European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency kicked off the 3.5 billion-euro Galileo Project in March 2002 to develop a satellite-navigation system independent of the U.S. GPS monopoly. Unlike the military-managed GPS, Galileo will stay under civilian control, increasing the EU's strategic independence. Israel, India and South Korea have also joined the Galileo project. [Hmm, what happens if the US and/or Taiwan gets into a tussle with the PRC, and wants the Galileo system shut down or degraded ?]

From DefenseNews Posted 12/08/06 10:18 Britain to U.S.: Share JSF Technology or No Deal By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, LONDON Britain should cancel a deal with the United States to purchase Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jets if America does not share sensitive technology by the end of the year, a report by the parliamentary defense committee will say, the Financial Times reported on Dec.8. The yearly report on British weapons spending, which is due to be released Dec. 8, says “it is still uncertain whether the U.S. is prepared to provide the required information”, despite Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George W. Bush agreeing in May that Britain would get the technology it needed. Bush and Blair had said then that they agreed that Britain “will have the ability to successfully operate, upgrade, employ, and maintain the Joint Strike Fighter such that the U.K. retains operational sovereignty over the aircraft.” Britain was planning to purchase 138 JSF aircraft that would be operated on two new aircraft carriers by 2013, but the MPs’ report said: “If required assurances are not obtained by the end of the year, we recommend the MoD (Ministry of Defence) switch the majority of its effort and funding into a fallback ‘Plan B’.” Britain has thus far committed $3 billion to the JSF project, a spokesman for the defense ministry told AFP. It was planning to buy 150 fighter jets at $104 million each, the defense ministry said in May. The defense ministry spokesman said, however, that the final figure for how much the deal would be worth was not yet clear. According to the Financial Times, the issues lie in the aircraft’s advanced missions systems and its stealth capability. Britain wants key technical details so that it can upgrade the jets without having to send them to the United States. “I have been absolutely crystal clear on this issue. Our ‘Plan A’ is to buy this aircraft, but our ability to buy it depends on having operational sovereignty,” Paul Drayson, the British defense procurement minister, was quoted as saying by the daily. “We will not buy the aircraft until we have that.” He said that he had a “Plan B” if the JSF project was abandoned, but declined to give details. Drayson is to travel to Washington next week to try and break the deadlock over the project. The JSF has been billed as the United States’ biggest fighter program. The Pentagon has planned to buy 2,400 of the stealthy multi-role fighters and other countries could purchase another 2,000 to 3,500 aircraft. The aircraft is manufactured by Lockheed Martin with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense along with international partners Britain, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore and Turkey. The MPs’ report also criticizes the government for its inadequate provision for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying they are “desperately short” of equipment, according to The Independent daily. They also criticized the defense ministry for mistakes made in an order of Chinook helicopters from Boeing which have resulted in eight Chinooks being grounded in Britain, with the defense ministry writing off the 200 million-pound cost involved. “During our visits to the U.K. armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq we were told that additional equipment was required urgently, such as the helicopters,” the report reads, according to The Independent. A spokesman for the ministry, however, was quoted by The Independent as saying: “We haven’t had any requests for additional helicopters since we went out two additional Chinooks to theater in July.”

From DefenseNews Posted 12/07/06 11:35 Israelis Piqued by Gates Nuclear ‘Confirmation’ By DAN WILLIAMS, REUTERS, JERUSALEM Robert Gates, the incoming U.S. secretary of defense, won plaudits in Washington this week for his candor on the Iraq war. Some Israelis were less pleased, however, to hear Gates mention with equal frankness what U.S. administrations have long avoided saying in public -- that the Jewish state has the Middle East’s only nuclear arsenal. To be fair, it was pretty oblique. During his Senate confirmation hearing on Dec. 5, Gates mentioned why Iran might be seeking the means to build an atomic bomb: "They are surrounded by powers with nuclear weapons: Pakistan to their east, the Russians to the north, the Israelis to the west and us in the Persian Gulf," he said. The remark led Israeli news bulletins. State-run radio suggested Gates may have breached a U.S. "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy that dates back to the late 1960s. "It’s quite unprecedented," a retired Israeli diplomat told Reuters on Dec. 7 when asked about Gates’ testimony. "I can only assume he has yet to get to grips with the understandings that exist between us and the Americans." According to recently declassified documents cited by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists magazine, under President Richard Nixon the United States knew Israel had developed nuclear weapons but opted against pressing its ally to come clean on the capability and accept international regulation. Israel neither confirms nor denies having the bomb as part of a "strategic ambiguity" policy that it says fends off numerically superior enemies while avoiding an arms race. This sanctioned reticence is a major irritant for Arabs and Iran, which see a double-standard in U.S. policy in the region. U.S. AID By not declaring itself to be nuclear armed, Israel also skirts a U.S. ban on funding countries that proliferate weapons of mass destruction. It can thus enjoy more than $2 billion in annual military and other aid from Washington. Though Gates was appointed as part of a move by U.S. President George W. Bush to revitalize prospects for Iraq and a wider peace in the Middle East, no one has yet gone as far as to propose openly that Washington review Israel’s open secret. "I am not aware of any change in U.S. policy on discussing Israel and its nuclear capability," said Stewart Tuttle, spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv. Shimon Peres, who helped found Israel’s main atomic reactor in the 1950s, officially for civilian use, and is now senior deputy to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, sounded similarly unperturbed. "This announcement makes no fundamental difference," he told Israel Radio. " "Whether or not Israel has nuclear weapons, the fact is that Israel is the only country threatened with destruction ... Israel is not threatening any country. Weapons do not fire themselves, people fire them." He was apparently referring to arch-foe Iran, whose President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for the elimination of the "Zionist regime" but denied his country seeks nuclear arms. [if you find the topic of Israeli nukes interesting, then you may want to check out this article regarding the infamous National Security Study Memorandum (NSSM) 40.]

From DefenseNews Posted 12/07/06 11:37 North Korea Says U.S. Has Nuclear Bomb in South: Tass By REUTERS, MOSCOW North Korea believes Washington has atomic weapons deployed in South Korea and it will not halt its nuclear program as long as this threat persists, Itar-Tass news agency quoted a North Korean source as saying on Dec. 7. "(North Korea) has practically no doubts that there are U.S. nuclear weapons in the south of the Korean Peninsula," the source told Tass. "North Korea is forced, in the interests of self-defense, to enhance its nuclear capability." "Without eliminating the threat from the United States and without relevant guarantees being offered, Pyongyang will not agree to give up its right to possess a defensive nuclear shield whatever the pressure from outside." North Korea drew international condemnation when it conducted a nuclear test on Oct. 9 but it has since agreed to return to six-party disarmament talks it had boycotted for a year. Despite a flurry of diplomacy, no date has been set for the talks, which involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia. The source did not link Pyongyang’s allegations about a U.S. nuclear weapon directly to the failure to restart the talks. But the source underlined North Korea’s conditions for their resumption. "The North Korean side is ready in principle for such talks, but because of U.S. position the new round is being postponed," he said. "Until the atmosphere of pressure eases and until all our financial operations blocked by Washington are released, we will not join the six-way talks," the source added. Russian news agencies are among the few media outlets which have regular access to official circles in reclusive North Korea.

Little fact that isn't mentioned in this article and which I didn't know until recently. Israel apparently employed decoys (probably a precursor to Samson and TALD) to stimulate Syrian air defences to turn on their radars for the ARMs (which I believe were predominantly Standard ARM ?).

The B-2 is like Thor's Hammer in Harpoon. I highly recommend taking it for a spin, especially with the varied loadouts in the HCDB.

From Flight International Northrop Grumman outlines B-2 bomber enhancements as USAF reveals plan to also boost strike fleet with new aircraft design By Graham Warwick USAF to also boost strike fleet with new aircraft design High-energy laser weapons are a potential future upgrade for the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit bomber, which is expected to remain in service beyond 2050. Improved passive and active stealth techniques are also expected to be needed beyond 2020 to keep the type viable as a penetrating bomber, the company says. A US Air Force advanced concepts simulation exercise in November evaluated use of a solid-state laser system for positive combat identification and self-defence. The design concept deploys the laser from the aircraft's internal weapons bay, says Northrop programme manager Dave Mazur, and also uses its optics for target identification, as the only imaging sensor the B-2 carries is its radar. Northrop is proposing a series of incremental upgrades to keep the USAF's 21-aircraft B-2 fleet viable while the service pursues a three-phase approach to developing and fielding a new long-range strike (LRS) capability. The plan is to resize and modernise the current bomber fleet, develop a new aircraft to replace its Boeing B-1Bs and B-52s around 2020 and then, beyond 2035, field a new long-range strike capability that could include hypersonic vehicles. There has never been a roadmap for B-2 upgrades, says Mazur, but one is now being developed with the USAF and is to be co-ordinated with similar plans for the B-1 and B-52 under Phase 1 of the LRS strategy. Northrop is looking at incremental upgrades in the $100-300 million range that could be introduced on two-year cycles and would also help reduce risk for the next-generation LRS aircraft, Mazur says. Upgrades are already under way to improve low-observable maintainability, add smart bomb racks, Link 16 datalink and EHF satellite communications (satcom), and modernise the radar with an active electronically scanned array (AESA). These will provide the building blocks for further enhancements. The AESA upgrade, required to shift frequencies, will add "hooks" for future modes, including high-resolution synthetic aperture radar and enhanced land/sea moving-target indication, says Mazur. EHF communications will "provide a big pipe to the aircraft", and allow the B-2 to be used for "stealthy non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance", says Mazur. "We have over 100 antennas on the aircraft and can use EHF to get the information off the aircraft." Northrop has proposed upgrading the B-2's defensive system to a digital receiver, which could also be coupled to EHF satcom to send threat information offboard, he says. The EHF upgrade, to enter development next year, will also replace the B-2's processors and provide the capability to carry a rotary launcher in one weapon bay and smart racks in the other. "Now we can only load the software for either launchers or racks," says Mazur. "The processor upgrade will allow us to load both." This so-called "mixed load" capability will allow the B-2 to carry four 2,270kg (5,000lb) GBU-28 bunker busting bombs in one bay and 40 230kg GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions in the other. US Congress has, meanwhile, also provided initial funding for new weapons, with the B-2 planned to carry two 13,600kg Massive Ordnance Penetrators or 80 115kg Small Diameter Bombs. However, this load out could be increased "up to 120 with modifications and 240 with new racks", says Mazur. Stealth improvements could be required around 2020-25 as the threat escalates, says Mazur, citing new passive treatments and "active cancellation" techniques. "The B-2 is still very viable, but we see techniques that can add to survivability, and we need to take the first steps today."

From Defense Aerospace Government Announces Intention to Maintain the UK's Nuclear Deterrent (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Dec. 4, 2006) The Prime Minister has today, 4 December 2006, signalled the Government's intention to maintain Britain's nuclear deterrent beyond the 2020s. The Government's proposals for maintaining the deterrent have been published today in a white paper. They will receive a vote in Parliament in the early part of next year. An exhaustive review of possible future nuclear threats and deterrent options has shown that renewing the Trident system, by replacing the existing submarines and extending the life of the Trident missiles, is the best and most cost-effective way to maintain our ability to deter future nuclear threats to the UK. The Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne said: "It is the job of Government to strike a balance between working towards a safer world, and protecting the security of the UK and its citizens, both now and in the future. The UK's security situation has changed since the end of the Cold War, but while the threat has changed, it has not gone away. "The number of countries equipped with nuclear weapons has continued to grow. We cannot rule out the possibility that at some point in the next fifty years Britain could face a new nuclear threat. To decide now to run down our deterrent would be taking a huge gamble with Britain's future security. A gamble I am not prepared to take." As part of the Government's ongoing commitment to working towards disarmament, the Prime Minister also announced a further 20 per cent reduction in the number of nuclear warheads. We have already reduced our operationally available stockpile to less than 200 and today's decision will see that number reduced to less than 160. The procurement costs of renewing the Trident system will average around £1 billion per annum during 2012-2027, which is comparable to what the current system cost, and less than 0.1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The investment required to maintain our deterrent will not come at the expense of the conventional capabilities our Armed Forces need. The Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, said: "This decision to retain our deterrent at minimum levels is fully compatible with all our international legal obligations. We remain committed to working for a world free of nuclear weapons. I am pleased that it has been possible to take further practical steps in this direction in this White Paper. The UK now has the smallest arsenal of the five recognised nuclear weapons powers. And the UK now accounts for only one per cent of the global stockpile of nuclear weapons." Three possible future scenarios are identified in the white paper that could develop over the coming decades: the re-emergence of a strategic nuclear threat; the emergence of new nuclear powers that could threaten British vital interests; and the deliberate equipping of terrorist groups with nuclear weapons by a state sponsor. To be effective the UK's deterrent must be able to operate independently, be immune from pre-emptive action and reach the territory of any potential aggressor. The most credible and cost-effective method of delivering this remains the minimum independent nuclear deterrent provided by a submarine based deterrent system. Britain has maintained an operational nuclear deterrent since 1956. Today's decision allows for this to continue beyond the 2020s, potentially into the 2050s. Since 1969 there has been a nuclear armed British submarine continuously at sea somewhere in the world's oceans. Uniquely among the nuclear weapons states recognised under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Britain has reduced its deterrent to a single nuclear weapons system: the Trident D5 missile on board four Vanguard class submarines. The first of the current Vanguard fleet, HMS Vanguard, was launched in 1992 and the second, HMS Victorious, in 1994. The submarines have a design life of 25 years. A successor to Vanguard is expected to take 17 years to develop from the concept phase through to final operational deployment, so a decision is needed now if we are to maintain continuous deterrence patrolling. The first new submarine needs to be operational by the time HMS Victorious leaves service in 2024. BACKGROUND NOTES: 1. A full analysis of potential future nuclear threats and deterrent options is set out in the White Paper, published today on the Ministry of Defence website. Factsheets accompanying the White Paper can also be found on the website. 2. The White Paper states clearly that, despite some success with our efforts to counter the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology, large stockpiles remain and are in some cases being modernised or expanded. In addition, there is a risk of further proliferation. 3. In this uncertain world we cannot say with confidence that Britain will not face a nuclear threat over the next 20-50 years – the lifetime of a successor submarine force. 4. Three possible future scenarios are identified that could develop over the coming decades: the re-emergence of a strategic nuclear threat; the emergence of new nuclear powers that could threaten British vital interests; and the deliberate equipping of terrorist groups with nuclear weapons by a state sponsor. To be effective the UK's deterrent must be able to operate independently, be immune from pre-emptive action and reach the territory of any potential aggressor. The most credible and cost-effective method of delivering this remains the minimum independent nuclear deterrent provided by a submarine based deterrent system. 5. While maintaining our own national security, Britain also has a responsibility, under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to work for a world free from nuclear weapons. Until that becomes possible through multilateral negotiations, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty specifically acknowledges Britain as a nuclear weapons state. 6. Today's announcement underlines Britain's commitment to reducing our holding of nuclear weapons. We have already reduced our operationally available stockpile to less than 200 and today's decision will see that number reduced to less than 160. 7. Britain has maintained an operational nuclear deterrent since 1956. Today's decision allows for this to continue beyond the 2020s, potentially into the 2050s. Since 1969 there has been a nuclear armed British submarine continuously at sea somewhere in the world's oceans. Uniquely among the nuclear weapons states recognised under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Britain has reduced its deterrent to a single nuclear weapons system: the Trident D5 missile on board four Vanguard class submarines. 8. The first of the current Vanguard fleet, HMS Vanguard, was launched in 1992, and the second, HMS Victorious, in 1994. The submarines have a design life of 25 years, and at most this can be safely extended for around 5 years. Based on our experience of building nuclear submarines, and that of the US and France, we estimate that a successor to Vanguard will take 17 years to develop from the concept phase through to final operational deployment, so a decision is needed now. If we are to maintain continuous deterrence patrolling the first new submarine needs to be operational by around the time HMS Victorious leaves service in 2024. Although the knowledge developments of the Vanguard class took 14 years, a good deal of design and concept work took place in the preceding decade. 9. Britain will participate in the Trident D5 Life Extension programme which will extend the life of the missile into the early 2040s. This will only prevent obsolescence; it will not enhance the capability of the missile. (ends) Deterrent Announcement - Lord Paul Drayson Min (DP) (Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Dec. 4, 2006) Yesterday the Prime Minister announced the Government's intention to maintain and renew our nuclear deterrent for the long term. This decision was not taken lightly. It followed a thorough review of the need and the options. I am convinced it is right. The decision should come as no surprise. Labour was re-elected in 2005 on a manifesto which made clear our commitment to retain the existing deterrent. Yesterday in the House of Commons the Prime Minister set out the reasons for this. Providing security to its citizens is one of the most important duties of any government. Our deterrent has played a crucial role in ensuring that we remain safe and secure for half a century. To run it down now would be a huge gamble at a time when the future is so uncertain. Who knows what challenges we will face in the years ahead? Over the last few years some countries have acquired nuclear weapons for the first time. Others are trying to develop them. Large nuclear arsenals remain and in some cases are being modernised or expanded. We owe it to our children to make sure that we do not gamble with their future by removing one of the vital cornerstones of our current security. The onus is on those who think we can disarm without affecting our security to convince us that they are right. They have not done so. Some people argue that there is no need to decide now. They are wrong. Our current submarines will reach the end of their life in the next fifteen to twenty years. Following a thorough examination of the options we have concluded that the best way to maintain our deterrent is to replace them. The experts tell us that it takes 17 years to build these submarines. If we do not start the process now we would effectively be deciding to abandon our deterrent. This government remains committed to working towards a safer world in which there is no need for nuclear weapons at all. That is why we have reduced our own nuclear arsenal by 70% since the end of the Cold War and why our holding of weapons is less than 1% of the global total. That is why the Prime Minister announced yesterday yet further reductions in our nuclear warhead numbers to add to the significant reductions we have already made since 1997. We have played a leading role in international efforts to cut nuclear arsenals and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and will continue to do so. But despite these efforts nuclear weapons are still spreading. We cannot afford to drop our guard. There will be a full debate and vote in Parliament in the next few months. The process we have followed has been, and will continue to be, far more open than for previous decisions of this kind. I know that continuing the deterrent is not cheap, and that some people have concerns about how that money could otherwise be spent. Security does not come cheap. But to put this into context maintaining our nuclear deterrent costs each of us less than a pound a week. I am in no doubt that this is a price worth paying to help secure our children's future. (ends) BAE Systems’ Statement Regarding Proposal to Deploy Nuclear Deterrent by Submarine (Source: BAE Systems; issued Dec. 4, 2006) Welcoming news of today’s announcement regarding the proposal to deploy the UK’s future nuclear deterrent by submarine, BAE Systems’ chief executive Mike Turner said: “BAE Systems welcomes the decision that the UK’s future nuclear deterrent will be deployed by submarine, which means the UK can sustain a very high level of skills and capabilities within its defence industrial base. Any delay would have meant a loss of those skills, making the UK dependent upon overseas suppliers." BAE Systems is the premier transatlantic defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 88,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded 12 billion pounds (US22 billion dollars) in 2005, excluding the Group's former interest in Airbus.

I have voted for Jan-Paul Koester for Pooner of the Year 2006 and for Darrel Dearing for Lifetime Pooner. For the same reasons that Tony has outlined above in his post. Good choices for all the right reasons.

From Defense Aerospace Alenia Aeronautica's C-27J Chalks Up Another Success (Source: Finmeccanica; issued Dec. 1, 2006) ROME --- Alenia Aeronautica’s C-27J has chalked up another international success and is fast establishing itself as the next-generation tactical aircraft of choice for new NATO member countries. Romania’s Ministry of Defence has invited Alenia Aeronautica to take part in exclusive final negotiations to supply the C-27J to replace its Air Force’s current fleet of medium-sized transport aircraft. The final contract is for seven aircraft, worth a total of around EUR 220 million, and is expected to be signed by the end of the year. The planes will be equipped with a complete self-protection system to allow them to carry out inter-theatre missions in any operational scenario under maximum security conditions. The C-27J, preferred to EADS-CASA’s C-295, was chosen by Romania thanks to its operational characteristics and the fact that it is the only aircraft of its category specifically designed for tactical transport. In addition to Italy (12 aircraft) and Greece (12), the C-27J has also recently been ordered by Bulgaria (8) and Lithuania (3), and is currently being evaluated by the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. Recently, it successfully completed a series of trials in the US to meet the requirements from the Air Force and the Army for 145 planes for their Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) programme. The final decision on this contract is expected by March 2007. The C-27J can perform multiple missions, such as transporting troops, cargo and medical supplies, performing airdrops, dropping paratroopers, fighting fires and supporting civil protection operations. It can take off and land from unprepared landing strips of less than 500 metres, with a maximum weight on take-off of 30,000 kg; it can transport 62 combat-equipped soldiers or up to 46 paratroopers, and in the air-ambulance version, 36 stretchers and 6 medical staff.

Had Capt Mullah had the opportunity to run this little scenario through Harpoon, he would have realized straight away that it would have been nuts to try and face down a submarine.

HCDB-061203 Aircraft: Euro Hawk - Germany MQ-9A Reaper - USA Neuron UCAV - France SH-3H(AEW) - Spain VH-71 Marine One - USA Ships/Mobile Land Units: C-701 (YJ-7) TEL - Iran Cyclone PG - USA Alvarez (ex Cyclone) PG - Philippines Buyan (Project 21630) FFL - Russia Scorpio (Project 12300) FFL - Russia TL-10 Kowsar TEL - Iran Vidar MCM- Lithuania

A new version of the Harpoon Classic Commander's Edition (HCCE) Database (HCDB-061203) is now available. Get it at HarpGamer via the DB Share button. New additions (or overhauls of existing entries) include: Aircraft: Euro Hawk - Germany MQ-9A Reaper - USA Neuron UCAV - France SH-3H(AEW) - Spain VH-71 Marine One - USA Ships/Mobile Land Units: C-701 (YJ-7) TEL - Iran Cyclone PG - USA Alvarez (ex Cyclone) PG - Philippines Buyan (Project 21630) FFL - Russia Scorpio (Project 12300) FFL - Russia TL-10 Kowsar TEL - Iran Vidar MCM- Lithuania Enjoy.

From Air Force Magazine December 2006 The rescue of F-117 pilot Dale Zelko was a close-run thing. [Read the whole story at the link above].

From DefenseNews Posted 12/01/06 10:39 Russia Delivers First Sukhoi Fighters to Venezuela By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MOSCOW The first two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets destined for Venezuela under a deal slammed by Washington have been dispatched from Russia, officials said Nov. 30. “Two Su-30MK2 have been sent on board an An-124 transport plane to the Venezuelan Air Force” from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, a city in far eastern Russia where the planes are made, said an official from Russia’s arms export agency. Two other fighter jets destined for Venezuela according to a deal that has riled the United States will be delivered by the end of the year, the official told RIA-Novosti news agency. In July, Venezuela’s firebrand President Hugo Chavez contracted more than $3.5 billion dollars (2.6 billion euros) in arms supplies from Russia, including 24 Sukhoi jets to replace aging F-16s from the United States. [Merry Christmas, Hugo. Love, Uncle Ivan]

That time of the year already !? Uh oh, it always serves as a reminder that I'm waaay behind on my Christmas shopping.