Herman

Sorry, this report is with the old version. I'd already written it by the time your revised one was posted and it wouldn't be 'cricket' to try it again with foreknowledge of the events to come. AAR: Black Valour – [spoiler Alert] By Mark Gellis The forces under Turkish command were caught mostly unprepared. The fighters on the airfields at Ankara and Merzifon were unloaded and empty. Orders quickly went out to the ships currently on station in the Black Sea. They were to head back to shore for better protection since nothing in the orders stated that they were needed to maintain their present patrol positions. The only available fighters were the Phantoms based out of Topel. A flight of three was sent for CAP [Combat Air Patrol] over each of the surface groups. An RF-4C Recon plane was sent to scout the area over the Black Sea as HQ was essentially blind in the region. A number of MiGs were soon detected. Their intentions were unknown. So, one flight of Phantoms was ordered to investigate and ascertain their posture. After dancing with a pair of the agile fighters, the Romanians behaved themselves and took no aggressive measures towards the Phantoms. Still, the flight leader allowed his charges to train at the expense of provocative, yet currently non-belligerent, Romanians by allowing his less experienced wingmen to close on the MiGs and manoeuvre into their "six-o'clock" positions. He was even tempted to taunt them over the international guard frequency with, "If we were serious, you'd be dead, now." However, he was a fighter pilot and fighter pilots are nothing if not well disciplined. After tracking them for a few minutes within their cones of vulnerability, he was certain that they 'got the message' and the Phantoms broke off to investigate a second flight of MiGs. The second flight of MiG-21 Fishbed N was much more bellicose. They turned directly towards the Phantoms and began trying and get behind the Turks for their AA-2 Atoll missiles. "Well," thought the flight leader, "if that is what you want, that is what you will get." He split off from his flight and allowed himself to act as Missile Bait and ordered his wingmen to cover him. Sure enough, the Romanians were seen to fire AA-2 Atolls! The flight leader immediately went to afterburner and took evasive action all the while deploying flares. Meanwhile, his two wingmen struck back quickly with a pair of AIM-9L Sidewinders targeted on each of the MiGs. The Atolls came very close to the Phantom, but they simply could not catch a fighter on afterburner. The Sidewinders each tracked a MiG and tore them apart in quick retribution. The flight re-formed and went to chase the first flight of Fishbeds. If they wanted to play roughly, then Turkey would oblige them and play along with them until someone cried "Uncle!" A repeat performance was played out when the second flight got 'frisky' with the Phantoms. This time, the flight wingmen were fired upon and the Flight leader killed both MiGs; one with a gunnery pass and the other with his two 9 Limas. The RF-4C had detected two frigates, Tetal and Marasesti. While Tetal was only armed with old-fashioned gunnery, Marasesti was dangerous with four SS-N-2c Styx AShMs [Anti-Ship Missiles]. A closer second look was certainly warranted. As the Phantom closed on the Romanian vessels, his "guy-in-back" suggested that they make a quick camera pass and let the photo interpreters do their job. The pilot agreed that there was no need to stay within their AAA envelope any longer than absolutely necessary. He lit his afterburners just four miles away from the target and engaged his cameras. The second CAP [Combat Air Patrol] did not fare as well. The less experienced flight leader was jumped by a pair of MiGs and shot down in a lightning-quick slashing attack. His wingmen were barely able to shake themselves out of their shock from the loss of their commander. However, just as the MiGs were about to pass out of the AIM-9 engagement envelope, both wingmen loosed a pair of Sidewinders at each of the bushwhackers and managed to destroy them. No parachutes were seen from any of the three planes and the vicious combat was over within two minutes. The first flight was rejoicing in their skill and luck when Flanker radar was detected. Perhaps they had spoken too soon. The Su-27 Flanker was a totally different beast from the antiquated MiG-21 Fishbed. She had powerful radar to complement her awesome AA-10 Alamo missiles' 47nm range. The Sparrows on the obsolescent Phantoms only had a range of 31nm. The flight leader decided that they had used up their allocation of luck, today, and decided to run for home. "Let the pilots in their fancy Falcons and AMRAAM deal with the Flanker," he thought. However, his Ground-Controlled Intercept [GCI] officer ordered all the airborne Phantoms to close on the Flankers since the Falcons were still not ready for flight operations. Sullenly, he ordered his wingmen to keep a sharp lookout for Alamo smoke trails. At a range of 32nm, the accompanying RF-4C reported, "They've locked you up! Incoming Alamo!” The Phantoms immediately executed a Split-S manoeuvre and thundered away from the approaching missiles on afterburner. This time, range and alertness prevented any loss to the Romanians. Now that the Flankers had exhausted their missiles, the Phantom flight sought revenge. After closing to 31nm, the Flankers were easily dispatched with Sparrows. The Flankers had obviously been covering another attack flight. Two H-5 Beagle were visually detected coming in low and on the deck towards FFG Gediz. The Phantoms suspected that they were up to no good and closed to investigate. Although they had already exhausted their missiles, they still had their gun ammo. When the Beagle gunners took them under fire, the fighter pilots shredded the lumbering bombers with gunfire of their own. This would prove to be the most successful combat sortie in Turkish history. Eight victories were recorded for no losses. Two bogies were detected approaching the Gediz. The wounded flight of Phantoms was ordered to close since the other flight had already left for home after exhausting their weapons. After visually identifying the L-39 Albatros, they were engaged and decided to return the favour with Sparrow missiles that quickly brought down the Albatros. However, this flight has also been escorted by a pair of MiG 21 Fishbed. After dealing with the Albatros, the Phantoms closed on the MiGs. Before they were able to ascertain their intentions, both Phantoms of the hard-luck flight were killed by AA-2 Atolls. More Flankers were detected, but, this time, AMRAAM-armed Falcons were ready to handle them. Although the AMRAAM only had a range of 40nm, this was still far superior to the 31nm range of the Sparrow. Two more flights of Albatros tried to attack the Gediz but were quickly shot down by the guardian flights of Phantoms now positioned over the ship. The Phantoms would be used for close-in defense while the Falcons would take care of long-ranged threats. The arrangement was working very smoothly as two more flights of Flankers were dispatched after engaging the Falcons with AA-10 Alamo. The fire-and-forget ability of the AMRAAM allowed the Falcons to turn away after missile release while the Flankers were forced to keep their radar focused in order to have any chance of success. The math was simple. Four Flankers went down for no commensurate Falcon losses. FFG Gediz appeared to be the 'belle of the ball' and garnered all the attention. Currently, there were three Osa-class missile boats chasing her along with two Naluca-class torpedo boats. Without much in the way of air-to-ground attack assets, the Tigers out of Istanbul were ordered to re-arm with Mavericks to take out the surface threat. The Romanian boats were all moving in excess of 35kts and the Gediz could only make 29 knots. There would no chance of her running away from her determined suitors. A pair of Maverick / target was all that were needed to kill each of the Naluca / Osa torpedo / missile boats. Gediz turned around and sent her eight Harpoon missiles into the frigates Marasesti and Tetal to leave them burning wrecks. With the aerial situation over the Black Sea appearing to be well-in-hand, Turkish HQ ordered the RF-4C to reconnoitre Kogalniceanu and attempt to locate the ballistic missile launchers. Four SA-6 batteries were seen protecting the base so the pilots decided to circle the base and look for a chink in the armour before making their final approach. As they were looking for an opening, a slew of MiG-21s were detected rising from the runways! The RF-4C beat a hasty retreat and called on her Falcon and Phantom escorts to deal with the interceptors. A lone pair of Falcons was soon facing six pairs of very agitated Fishbeds. However, the pilots were non-plussed. In this high stakes poker game, they were holding AIM-120 AMRAAMs and AIM-9L Sidewinders over AA-2 Atolls. The only question would be if they had enough missiles to do the job. They managed to bring down eight fighters before the backup Phantoms arrived to finish the job with AIM-7 Sparrows. With the airborne threat silenced, the RF-4C was once again facing a single dimensional threat from the SA-6 batteries. She elected to make her ingress from the SW where there appeared to be a gap in the SAM defences. The Phantom went to full speed and streaked in on Kogalniceanu. As she neared the base, a SA-6 rose to challenge her. The pilot increased speed to afterburner and attempted to turn away. However, when travelling at 1300+ kts, turns are very slowly executed. He ran to the NW in hopes of evading further SAMs. "Luck" was with him as the SAM forced him to over fly one of the DF-25 sites! However, luck often cuts both ways. Another SA-6 was rising towards him. This one also missed him as his burst of speed carried him from the area. Four TEL units had been detected on his egress. Now, if only his fuel would hold out until he left the area, he promised that he would be a devout Muslim for the rest of his days. Allah must have agreed with him as he left the area unmolested. When his report was received back at base, Turkish HQ ordered all the Phantoms and Falcons to re-arm with Rockeye CBUs [Cluster Bomb Units]. The strikers took circuitous routes around the SA-6 batteries so that they would only be vulnerable on the final leg of the attack run. All four DF-25 launchers were destroyed for the loss of a single Phantom. Once the SRBMs were destroyed, the attack moved on to Kogalniceanu airbase. One swift, decisive attack and the base was levelled for the loss of one plane. Upon their return the base, victory was awarded. Thanks for a unique and interesting scenario on the Black Sea. SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

If we're on the topic of base locations, can you look at Orange Caritat? The HCDB location is 44' 7" N , 9' 54" E. That puts it in Italy. I think that the correct location is more like: 44' 7" N , 4' 52" E

Re-loading Weapons will re-load the first weapon listed in the magazine and not necessarily the weapon that was recently fired. Land-based radar Land-based radar is able to see through mountains.

The 2nd new scenario of the year! Not even one week into the new year and Mark Gellis has published a second scenario for the Harpoon community to enjoy. At this rate, I shudder to think how many great scenarios he will produce in the upcoming year. Thanks for sharing another game with us. Crete Convoy - EC2003 MEDC Battleset It is 1990 and the world is at war. America and its allies are gradually preparing to liberate Iran from the Soviet Union, which invaded that country earlier this year. Several allies of the Soviet Union have declared their support for the Soviet invasion. Blue Orders: Convoy AAS (Flag Robison) should proceed to the waters off the southern shore of Crete in preparation for a rendevous with other vessels. Once at the rendevous point, you will receive additional orders. Libya has declared its support of the Soviet invasion of Iran. It is possible that Libyan aircraft, surface vessels, or submarines will attempt to attack your convoy. Soviet submarines may also be in your area. Greek aircraft are available to provide air support for your convoy. You are free to fire on either Libyan or Soviet assets if they attack or appear to threaten the convoy or allied assets. You are not directed at this time to attack Libyan territory. This scenario requires Harpoon Classic version 16b9 or later and also the HCDB_060103 or later in order to function properly. Author: Mark Gellis http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/FilesO...7s%20Scenarios/ SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

Sub commander 'bullied crew' on secret mission By Michael Evans, Defence Editor TimesOnline.com THE commanding officer of a Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine has been charged with bullying members of his crew while engaged in a highly sensitive secret mission. Captain Robert Kenneth Tarrant is due to appear before a court martial in Portsmouth on Monday but the details of the case are considered by the Ministry of Defence to be so sensitive that the trial may be held partly in camera. According to military legal sources, Judge Jack Bayliss, the Judge Advocate who is to take the case, has indicated that the whole trial may have to be held in secret. Underlining the sensitivity of the case, the MoD refused yesterday to give any details of the court martial, including the name of the officer, the submarine that he was commanding and the precise nature of the charges. However, The Times has learnt that Captain Tarrant was the commanding officer of the Trafalgar Class, nuclear-powered submarine HMS Talent when a number of his crew alleged that he had verbally abused them. Defence sources said that the allegations did not involve physical abuse. It is understood that up to five crew members have accused Captain Tarrant of abusive treatment, and that he has been charged under the Naval Discipline Act. Captain Tarrant is no longer the submarine’s commander, and now has a senior Navy appointment at the MoD’s head office in London. Naval sources said that for commanding officers in a surface ship or submarine, there had to be a careful line between running a tight regime and using abusive or domineering language. It was also true, they said, that Armed Forces personnel were now more aware of their rights, and more likely to make allegations against senior officers if they felt that the line had been overstepped. Legal sources with knowledge of the case said that the alleged incidents had occurred during a period of high tension on board the submarine while it was engaged in a sensitive mission. One of the reasons for the application for the court martial to be held in camera is the MoD’s reluctance to make public either the nature of the mission or the location of the submarine at the time of the allegations. Like other nuclear-powered attack submarines, one of the roles of HMS Talent is to protect the Navy’s four Trident ballistic missile submarines, one of which is on patrol every day of the year, maintaining Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent. HMS Talent is due this year to be fitted with Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles. In 2004, two crew members of HMS Trafalgar were investigated for disobedience. Eleven crew members were also put ashore after voicing concerns about safety on board the submarine. Ministers subsequently denied that there had been any grounds for their concern and said that rigorous checks had been carried out. Also in 2004, the commanding officer of a Royal Navy frigate, HMS Somerset, was relieved of command after allegations that he had verbally bullied two crew members. Commander David Axon was investigated, but did not face a court martial. The Navy said that the investigation had found that Commander Axon’s leadership and management style fell “significantly short of the exemplary standards the Royal Navy requires of its commanding officers”. He was transferred to a desk job. HMS TALENT Commissioned: May 1990 Crew: 18 officers and 112 ratings Displacement: 4,740 tonnes Length: 280ft (85m) Beam: 32ft (9.75m) Speed: underwater, 32 knots (37mph)

Axis of Evil II The largest scenario ever written for Harpoon3 has now been digitally re-mastered and is hereby re-released for your enjoyment. It is the Mother of All Monster scenarios. Be forewarned. Examine the Readme.txt file carefully. The magnitude of this scenario may cause problems for your computer and should not be attempted by those with processor-challenged systems. The Chinese economic bubble has burst and it has fallen into recession. The economic picture is mirrored worldwide. Russia is plunged ever further into social and monetary chaos. In an effort to raise hard currency, Russian resorts to selling almost everything within its arsenal. China moves to maintain its market share and matches prices and terms. Iran takes advantage of the prices and buys from both nations. A radical fundamentalist regime very similar to the Taliban is elected in Iran. Iran announces its nuclear power status with an atmospheric test. NATO leaders unanimously demand the immediate removal of the missiles and the extradition of Bin Laden. Author: Herman Hum, Tim Eastburn This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7 Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline, HarpGamer, SimHQ, PlayersDB Depot, SubSim, CombatAce, or Frugal's World of Simulation. SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

Evidently not. LINK

Let's hope that they haven't forgotten those hard-won lessons. USAF Re-activating Aggressor Squadron Source: US Air Force Jan. 6, 2006 eDefense The US Air Force (USAF) will reactivate the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis AFB, NV, on Jan. 12. In a letter to airmen, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, USAF chief of staff, cited the history of the unit as “legendary” and said the aggressors will “directly contribute to the combat capability of our airmen.” “The 65th and other aggressor units will provide realistic adversary training in air, space, and information operations that make us even better,” General Moseley said. “Their training will keep us innovative as we fight this global war on terror and defend this great nation in the face of modern threats and tactics that continue to proliferate. We have to have adversarial training to remain razor sharp.” The unit will stand up with nine F-15C Eagles and later will be expanded to a total of 24 fighters. The squadron was last active in 1989 when it operated F-5E Tiger II aircraft. Once active, the squadron will fly alongside the F-16 Fighting Falcons of the 64th Aggressor Squadron – part of the Air Force’s advanced composite-force training team. In the letter, the general also said advanced adversarial training will better prepare airmen. He also urged people to “use these opportunities to continually innovate and improve our tactics, technologies, and training. If we do that then we will continue to dominate air, space, and cyberspace.”

Congratulations to both of these gentlemen. Sometimes, nice guys DO finish first.

MOAB release --- GE HCCE B09 MC-130 loaded with MOAB will not attack air base even though loadout is rated for Surface. Target already destroyed --- GE HCCE B09 When a target is destroyed by leading groups, subsequent groups continue to fly to the target's position.

Gave your new version a quick test and the DF-25s do indeed fire. Looks like you got that problem fixed.

Over 70 new aircraft, ships, submarines, facilities, classes, countries, and weapons have been added to the PlayersDB. As well, Dave Steinmeyer and Frans Koenz have been typing their little fingers to the bone adding new and interesting text for all the entries. Get the PlayersDB 5.9.7 on HarpDB, PlayersDB Depot, or StrategyZoneOnline. Additions include: F/A-18C Hornet CH 97 F/A-18C Hornet CH 03 P-3C Orion Update II.5 PK 91 P-3C Orion AIP III PK 05 P-3C Orion Update III ROK 00 Boeing 707 Phalcon IND 04 RQ-4A Global Hawk USA 05 MiG-19 Farmer C AL 80 MiG-17F Fresco C AL 70 MQ-1B Predator USAF 01 JAS 39C EBS Gripen ZA F/A-18D Hornet FIN 07 W-3PPD Gipsowka [C3I] PL 05 F/A-18D Hornet CH 03 F/A-18D Hornet CH 97 F/A-18C Hornet FIN 07 JAS 39C Gripen CZ 05 JAS 39C EBS Gripen H 06 F-16C/D Falcon Blk 50/52 PL 05 CASA C-295M PL 05 W-3RM Anakonda [sAR] PL 05 MQ-9 Predator B USAF 04 - countless changes and improvements guaranteed not to crash any earlier scenario built with the PlayersDB SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

The First new scenario of the year has just been released! Incoming Mail is a rebuild of a scenario from the original paper rules of Harpoon as was published in "Battles of the Third World War." It is Dave's fourth scenario effort. Thanks for sharing it with the community. The Soviets have two weapons that can reach NATO convoys in the Atlantic: submarines and long-range aircraft. Long-range bombers on the Kola peninsula can easily hunt the Atlantic. With Iceland in Soviet hands, however, they can attack at will and their range would be greatly increased. A standard NATO convoy crossing the Atlantic would consist of 40-50 merchant ships. Eight to ten escorts and, if they are lucky, a helicopter carrier, will provide protection from submarine and air attack. Here, a large NATO convoy has been detected by a Soviet Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite (RORSAT) and Tu-95 Bear Ds are sent out to pinpoint their position. Following closely behind the Bears are two squadrons of Backfire bombers. This could be a very bad day for NATO... Author: Dave Steinmeyer This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7 Always download the scenario and the Database at the same time to ensure perfect compatibility. Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline, HarpGamer, SimHQ, PlayersDB Depot, SubSim, CombatAce, or Frugal's World of Simulation. SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

I only tried the original version. I did not try your amended release.

They never fired against me, either.

Superb AAR! Thanks for sharing it.

On a similar note, if you feel that any of the AARs that I've posted are worthy of addition to the AAR section, please feel free to copy them over from the forum.

The 57th new scenario of the year has just been released! Black Valour - EC2003 MEDC Battleset A few years in the future... Tensions between Turkey and its neighbors in the Black Sea region have increased during recent years. The causes have ranged from trade issues to environmental concerns. Romania has been among the most vocal in its protests against Turkey, going so far as to threaten the use of force if Turkey continues to interfere with its international agenda. The situation has been made more serious because Ukraine has declared itself a guardian of the slavic Black Sea nations and has made it clear that Turkish aggression against any of these nations, even those it has squabbled with in the past, will not be tolerated. A few months ago, Romania purchased long-range ballistic missiles from China. Orders: Romania has continued to use provocative language regarding our trade, environmental, and defense policies. We maintain that our nation has acted in accordance with international law. We remain willing to address these issues in such forums as the United Nations, and to abide by the will of the global community. Unfortunately, our neighbors appear unwilling to do the same. We have reason to believe that sometime in the next few hours Romania will attack Turkish vessels in the Black Sea as "retribution" for our policies. Those ships are ordered to go on high alert, but unless they are attacked first should not fire on Romanian vessels or aircraft. If they are attacked, they are directed to defend themselves and are free to attack any other targets of opportunity. It is also possible that Romania will attack Turkish bases. Be prepared for this possibility. If Romania should attack Turkish assets or Turkish territory, all available assets are directed to initiate Operation Black Valor. Your objectives are as follows: 1. Destroy the base at Kogalniceanu. 2. Locate and destroy the ballistic missile launchers located near Kogalniceanu. 3. Destroy any Romanian vessels you encounter. Ukrainian aircraft have been observed near Kogalniceanu and may attempt to prevent attacks against Romania. Do not fire on these aircraft unless you are attacked first. If you are attacked, you may defend yourselves and you may attack any Ukranian assets that appear to be a threat to your forces. Do not under any circumstances attack Odessa. This scenario requires Harpoon Classic version 16b9 or later and also the HCDB_051221 or later in order to function properly. Author: Mark Gellis SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

Der Speigel: Israel preparing strike to take out Iranian nuclear sites Posted: 12/27 From: Israel Insider The German weekly Der Spiegel reported Saturday that the Mossad has marked six Iranian nuclear facilities as targets for an Israeli Air Force pre-emptive strike. An unnamed IAF pilot told the weekly that such a mission would be "complex, but feasible." The Los Angeles Times reported that Israel has modified U.S.-made Harpoon cruise missiles so it can launch nuclear warheads from submarines. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered Mossad chief Meir Dagani to devote "utmost efforts" to gather information about Iran's growing nuclear capabilities, Maariv reported today. According to Maariv, Sharon told associates that "Iran is the greatest danger to Israel" and that he was coordinating intelligence gathering efforts with the United States "down to the last detail." Last week, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told senior IDF commanders that Iran's nuclear efforts constitute "the gravest danger to Israel's existence in the future. This is because Iran calls for Israel's annihilation. We must do out our utmost, under U.S. guidance, to delay or eliminate the prospect of the extremist regime [in Tehran] securing weapons of this sort." According to Der Spiegel, a special unit of the Mossad received an order two months ago to prepare a detailed plan to destroy Iran's nuclear sites. The Mossad believes Iran has reached an advanced stage in its nuclear program and is capable of producing enriched uranium, a vital ingredient of nuclear bombs. The report said that three of Iran's nuclear sites were totally unknown to the outside world. The Mossad's plan is now ready and has been delivered to the Israeli Air Force, which will carry out the strike, Der Spiegel said. The simultaneous air strike on six Iranian nuclear facilities would be carried out by IAF F-16 fighter jets. The paper quoted an unnamed IAF pilot who said the operation, which would be far more complicated than Israel's strike at Iraq's nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981, would be "complex, but feasible." "We think that next summer, if Iran is not stopped, it will reach self-sufficiency and this is the point of no return. After this self-capability, it will take them some two years to make a nuclear bomb," IDF OC Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Aharon Ze'evi (Farkash) announced on Channel One television in August. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued an ultimatum to Iran that by October 31 it would have to open all of its nuclear facilities for IAEA inspection. Media analysts suggested that the leak of the Der Spiegel report was intended to pressure Iran into complying with the international agency. Unnamed American officials were quoted by Army Radio as saying that the United States had no plans to launch an attack against Iran at this stage, but it was impossible to know what the "crazy" Israelis would do. Meanwhile, U.S. and Israeli officials say Israel has modified U.S.-made Harpoon cruise missiles so it can launch nuclear warheads from submarines, the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday. "The previously undisclosed submarine capability bolsters Israel's deterrence in the event that Iran develops nuclear weapons," the report said. But, the newspaper added, "It also complicates efforts by the United States and the United Nations to persuade Iran to abandon its suspected nuclear weapons program." The deployment of the modified Harpoon cruise missiles completes Israel's nuclear program, the Los Angeles Times said. Israel has the capability of launching nuclear missiles from the land, air and sea, the report claimed. Israeli military spokesmen refused to comment on the report, in line with the country's policy of refusing to say if it has nuclear weapons. MK Ephraim Sneh (Labor) told Army Radio that publication of the reports harm Israel, divert international attention from Iran's efforts to develop nuclear capabilities, and are "incorrect." Sneh said, "Anyone who knows the Harpoon missile realizes it could never carry a nuclear warhead." http://www.mathaba.net/news

The Burmese base at Mergui stuck like a thorn in my side. The base harboured many aircraft that would seriously impede operations so it was decided to try and close the base down. Jaguars from Pt. Blair and Corsairs from Surat Thani were ordered to bomb the base. The Corsairs were just climbing to attack altitude when multiple contacts were spotted! This was the ultimate in "Oh Sh*t" moments. They had inadvertently stumbled upon a flight of outbound AirGuard fighters! Both sides quickly loosed air-to-air missiles at each other. In the space of mere seconds, four aircraft from both sides were destroyed. The subsequent attack on Mergui by four Jaguars from Pt. Blair was a disaster. The base barely suffered any damage and two Jaguars were destroyed. Although they did manage to shoot down one AirGuard just as it was rising off the runway, the bombs totally missed their targets. A follow-on flight of F-5 Tigers from Surat Thani managed to drop one hangar with Rockeyes, but both attackers were shot out of the sky during their egress. Mergui was turning out to be more than just a thorn in my side. It was becoming a total meat grinder for men and planes. It was finally put out of business by an attack of F-5 Tigers from U-Tapao. Even then, she managed to exact a price of admission. Both Tigers were destroyed in the process. CVH Viraat was having problems of her own. The helicopter assigned to AEW duty was attracting all the wrong kind of attention; like flashing a diamond ring in the poorest part of town. Soon, F-7 AirGuards jumped her and blasted her from the air. They continued to snoop around the task force until all four were shot down by AAA from the carrier group. Luckily, they must not have reported their discovery as no accompanying bombers appeared. On the other side of the Strait, Harriers from the Thai CV, Chakri Nareubet, attacked a Chinese task force. The effort was less than useless for it not only failed to inflict any damage, the Orion hold the SAG [surface Action Group] under surveillance was shot down by a Flanker that was covering them. With the aircraft from Surat Thani all but wiped out, additional aircraft from U-Tapao, Takhili, and Korat were transferred over. The Chinese SAGs had considerable striking power in their SSM batteries and there was no way for the two Thai task forces in the vicinity to challenge them without getting themselves blown out of the water before they ever came into range of their own Surface-to-Surface Missiles. While forces were concentrating at Surat Thani, CVH Viraat was having yet another 'adventure'. She had stumbled over SS Wuhan. Luckily for her, the sub was discovered at great enough distance that four SeaKings were able to prosecute the contact while the task force maintained a safe distance. With that many dipping sonar, the result was pre-ordained. However, Viraat's undersea problems were only beginning. Not long afterwards, INS Himgiri reported, "Transient! Torpedo in the water!" A submarine had managed to get close enough to fire a torpedo. All ships in the group were immediately ordered to scatter. Their propellers quickly churned the sea to foam. No one wanted to be anywhere near a live torpedo. Luckily, helos do not require their host platform to move into the wind in order to launch. Five were immediately launched and one dipped her sonar right away to catch a submarine less than 500yards away. Whitehead A.244 torpedoes were immediately dropped and an explosion was heard almost instantaneously. Crewmen on the INS Taragiri held their breath as they watched the torpedo pass through her wake. Finally, the Falcons and Tigers from Surat Thani were re-armed and re-fueled. They launched and moved in to bomb DDG Guangzhou then kill DDG Zhuhai. The Tigers were armed with Rockeye cluster munitions and had to make their approach at low level. Although they delivered their ordnance with deadly accuracy, half did not return after being shot out of the sky by SAMs. Another strike of consisting Tigers at low altitude with Rockeyes and Falcons with Mk 84 2000lb bombs at high alttitude was aimed at the second SAG. They were engaged savagely by SAMs during their ingress, but enough survived to kill frigates Huaibei and Siping while damaging the DDG Qindao. However, the Chinese sailors were no slouches, either. The entire strike was wiped out on their egress. Although a heavy price had been paid, victory was granted as the Falcons touched down back at Surat Thani. The Chinese had evidently decided that the operation had been too costly and withdrew from the area. Thanks for another great scenario. Freek says that this is the easier of the two sides that are playable. I can't wait to try the other side! SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

AAR: Malakka [spoiler Alert] - Thailand A Harpoon 3 scenario By Freek Schepers As usual, the politicos had issued their orders before the military was fully prepared and positioned. CVBG Viraat was just leaving Port Blair when the orders came down. I immediately detached the LST Guldar and ordered her back to port as she could serve no useful purpose in the upcoming operations. The rest of the group went to full speed and raced to cover the Sea Lines of Communication [sLOCs]. As usual, the region was thick with commercial traffic of all types. All I could think about was the potential bullseye painted on each and every one of them. As soon as air assets became available, they were assigned missions. An Orion rose up from U-Tapao and was sent to cover the Malacca Strait on a sea control mission. I had no airborne radar assets so she would simply have to suffice. She immediately detected Flanker radar coming over the eastern border and alerted central HQ. I decided to be prudent and launched a two-ship CAP [Combat Air Patrol] for Korat and just stacked them over the air base. Soon enough, my precaution paid off. A pair of bogeys was detected penetrating sovereign Thai airspace from the southwest. The Falcons immediately diverted to intercept them and two replacements were launched. They appeared to be headed for the central radar unit. Loss of that facility could be crippling and would, essentially, leave me blind over much of the region. The Falcons pushed their throttles to full military power and closed swiftly on the unidentified aircraft. When the bogies turned back just short of the Radar site, everyone exhaled a sigh of relief. However, they were still over Thailand. The Falcons closed from their six o'clock position and confidently identified them as Burmese F-7M AirGuards. They immediately engaged each aircraft with two AIM-9 Sidewinders and killed both of them before the enemy even knew that they were in danger. Korat tower immediately re-called them to intercept a probable threat emanating from the east. Flanker radar had been positively identified and the contacts were over Thai airspace. Additional flights of Falcons were launched and the first pair was ordered to intercept. Fearful of the Alamo and Adder that the Flankers could be carrying, the interceptors closed at low altitude with their radar silent and hoped that they would be lost in the ground clutter. The Flankers turned and the Falcons were able to approach from the rear aspect. After they visually identified the intruders as PRC Flankers, they lit their afterburners and climbed from the enemy's seven o'clock position. Once again, a pair of AIM-9s were targeted at each of the unsuspecting quarry. The interceptors were rewarded by the sight of twin fireballs. Unfortunately, a second flight was detected approaching at high speed. They must have been warned by their recently departed cousins. There would be so simple bushwhack this time. The interceptors were forced to approach the Flankers from the front - right in the middle of the enemy's radar coverage. Although they were certainly detected, the enemy must not have been able to positively classify the Falcons as hostile. They hesitated. That hesitation cost them dearly as the cries of, "Fox one, Fox one", came over the air, once again. Both Flankers were killed before being able to return fire. With plentiful quanties of both missiles and fuel, the Falcons returned to CAP positions and decided to linger before landing. H-6 Badgers suddenly materialized on the doorstep to Korat. Thank goodness that a pair of Falcons was also waiting and immediately unleashed Sidewinders on them. Both were killed just as they began their attack run. Two additional pairs, bound for Takhili and U-Tapao, were quickly chased down and clawed from the sky. The first officer on the merchant vessel Breukel reported a submarine periscope and immediately sent out an urgent call for help. The only ASW asset available was the Orion and she was still over the Gulf of Siam, 300 miles away. Dutifully, she went to full military power and prayed earnestly that she would arrive in time to save the vessel. A Burmese F.27 Maritime Enforcer was detected hunting for ships. The only available interceptor was a Harrier from Viraat so she was sent to silence the snooper. Equipped with only a puny radar, the Harrier almost lost her target in the ground clutter. Fortunately, the bandit turned the wrong way and flew right at her. She promptly did a double-tap with two Matra AAMs into the port engine and sent her into the drink. Since the late-Enforcer had probably already detected a few of the merchants, a CAP from Surat Thani was ordered to provide air cover for the expected upcoming airstrike. On their way out, the two Tigers assigned to CAP spotted a Burmese missile boat which quickly took them under fire. They returned the favour and after a quick strafing run, left her burning on the Andaman Sea. A quick search of the area revealed another gunboat. She received the same attention and suffered the same fate. The crewmen on the Breukel would never question the power of prayer, again. The P-3 Orion arrived and quickly dropped a sonobuoy. A sub periscope was immediately detected and the contact was localized. The Orion quickly turned and dropped a Mk 46 torp on it. Unfortunately, it malfunctioned and ran in circles. A second torpedo was dropped and one minute later, the sonobuoy registered an explosion. With no further urgent cries for help, the P-3 resumed her mission to classify all unknown surface contacts.

With surprise lost, they climbed and put on full military power in hopes of delivering their bombs and escaping the hellish mess that they had found themselves in. However, Fate was not kind to them, today. Another Freedom Fighter intercepted them and killed two more and they were still a long ways away from the target. The mission had to be aborted. Two more Freedom fighters chased down and destroyed the surviving Dakota just as it was finished sending out a contact report on a group of ships NE of Cyprus. Their lives were not spent in vain. The landing forces were forewarned. All of the Sea Vixen were stranded on the deck re-fueling when another attack boiled up out of Antalaya. Crews worked feverishly to get two planes ready. Until then, the Task Group would have to depend on their gun crews for protection. DDs Devonshire and Kent began radiating their radar systems with hopes that the strikers would wander into their SAM envelopes. The AAA crews put up a storm of fire. First one, then another Starfighter burst into flames. However, there were still two driving furiously onwards into the heart of the formation. Miraculously, two Sea Vixen were just preparing to launch from the catapults. They were thrown into the air (and not a second too soon!) just as the gun crews were depleting their ready supplies of ammunition. Both pilots banked hard to port and set their throttles at full military power; right into the face of their enemies. First one, then the other Starfighter were clawed out of the air by Firestreak missiles. This encounter had been much too close for comfort. They had gone from catapult launch to interception in less than twenty seconds. Evidently, the Starfighters had reported the location of the CVG to Turkish command. Soon enough, eight Thunderjets were detected approaching from Izmir. However, the remaining Sea Vixen had sufficient time to re-arm and six were aloft and awaiting their arrival. All eight bombers were easily brought down without loss to the defenders. Things were going relatively well when DD Kent reported a tremendous explosion destroying her Type 182 Torpedo decoy! Apparently, a submarine had managed to launch an attack totally undetected and DD Kent only had one decoy. Hurriedly, the TF ordered a determined hunt for the elusive submarine while the Kent went to flank speed in the opposite direction in hopes that the submarine was attacking from her forward direction. Luckily, Kent carried a helo of her own and immediately launched it. Once it was in the air, she dipped her sonar right away... And found a submarine 1 nm away! She immediately dropped her torpedoes on the contact all the while calling for her airborne sisters to join in her discovery. However, the 2 Mk 44 torpedoes that she carried were quite sufficient to kill the bushwacker and the task group re-formed before heading back to the original objective. Meanwhile, SS Poseidon was planning a little undersea mayhem of her own. Her captain had miscalculated the intercept vector for the DDs Gelibolu and Gemlik and ended up in a stern chase. However, as she was receiving excellent cues from the Gannet, she was able to close the distance and achieved a 75% firing solution. Of course, she preferred to attack from the bow quarters, but unless the ships turned, this was as good as it was going to get. Two Mk 14 torpedoes were allocated to each target. Running time was estimated to be 5 minutes. Gelibolu erupted in a thunderous explosion. But Gemlik escaped unscathed, for the moment. Two more Mk 14s were launched at Gemlik and the crew of the Poseidon was rewarded with another explosion. Upon coming up to periscope depth, both destroyers were photographed sinking quickly by the stern. As she was reporting her victories to the Admiral aboard the Ark Royal, the group of ships reported by the late-Dakota crew was re-detected. There would be more work for Poseidon. Destroyers Gazientup and Giresun along with cruiser Yavuz would be the next to feel the tender mercies of Poseidon. She set up her approach from the bow and targeted two torpedoes on the cruiser and one each on the destroyers. The two torpedoes struck the Yavuz and snapped her keel like a twig but the destroyers did not even know that they had been under attack. Unfortunately, this was the final attack that she was able to launch as her remaining Mk 37 Mod 1 torpedoes were only able to attack submarines. She had to watch helplessly as two very fat targets sailed right by on their way to intercept the task force. Her squadron mates would never let her crew live it down back at base. Scimitar, Super Sabres, and Thunderjets were sent over the beach, once again. However, this time, they had a proper fighter escort from the Ark Royal. The six Super Sabres were re-assigned to finish off the two destroyers and they did so admirably. The Ark Royal group arrived first and proceeded to bombard the beachead. Three companies of the Turkish army and an artillery battlion were flattened by the concentrated guns of the Cruiser and escort squadron. Once the beachead was secure, the entire group sailed around the island and repeated their performance at LZ Bravo. The arrival of the Greek landing ships was almost anticlimactic and victory was awarded. The dream of Enios would continue. Thanks for sharing another interesting scenario.

AAR: The Cyprus Question 1966 [spoiler Alert] By Quinton Van Zyl Admiral Feathergill, aboard the carrier Ark Royal, examined his Order of Battle one last time. As the mission of the task force was the liberation of Cyprus, he decided to re-arm most of his Greek air assets for AAW missions. They weren’t likely to be of much use over Cyprus and their limited range meant that they could only attack the Turkish mainland. That was the one thing he did NOT intend to do. He would try to keep the conflict centred on Cyprus and not allow it to escalate to attacks on Turkey proper. He immediately sent his reconnaissance assets aloft to try and pin down the location of the Turkish forces. A couple of Dakotas and a Gannet went up right away. Suddenly, two unidentified aircraft were reported approaching Rhodos. They were radar silent, but were flying a very suspicious profile. Santorini scrambled two flights of Starfighters that were already on hotpad alert. Although there was no possibility of them arriving before any potential attack was delivered, they would at least be able to redeem Grecian honour by catching the raiders on their egress. The planes turned out to be Thunderjets operating out of Izmir. The alert went out at once! Get some planes into the air over Athens! Elefsis ordered her planes to scramble and hoped that they had re-acted in time. Sure enough, the planes just leaving the runways of Santorini ran right into a flight of F-84 Thunderjets preparing to attack their home aerodrome! Instead of revenge, they might be able to avert an attack in the first place. They pulled their straps tighter and turned into the Turkish invaders. The 40mm M-42 Duster AAA battery defending Rhodos desperately tried to bring down the Thunderjets. Their efforts were quite pitiful as the planes roared directly overhead. However, they did manage to alert the 40mm Bofors battery situated next to Rhodos radar station. The F-84s were greeted with a solid wall of AAA fire and one was shot down before it managed to release its ordnance. The survivor finished his attack run, but his bombs were seen to drop well short of the mark and landed in a nearby farmer's field. The only Greek victim was the cow that had been grazing at the impact site. This gave a whole new meaning to the term, Ground Beef. The F-84 pilot was making his egress on the same route as his ingress. This was his first and last mistake. The M-42 crews were ready and shot him out of the sky as he tried to race away. A triumphant roar sounded from the crews. The four Starfighters rising out of Santorini led off with their Sidewinders. However, these missiles promptly locked onto the sun and disappeared. All four pilots swore as one as they switched their armament selection switches over to "Guns". "We'll do this this the old-fashioned way", the flight leader announced to his charges. "Increase speed to full power." One pass was all it took and both F-84s were shredded in mid-air. Now that Rhodos and been able to defend themselves, they turned around to re-arm for the next round. The second flight of fighters from Santorini thought that their mission was a bust since all of the Rhodos attackers had already been destroyed. They had been circling their base and cursing their luck when they received and urgent call over the guard frequency from one of the C-47 Dakota patrol planes. A suspected Turkish interceptor had locked them up with radar and was closing quickly. The Starfighter pilots closed their helmet visors and went to afterburner and all thought, disgustedly, "Let's see how those Turks like fighting against folks who can shoot back!" The lone Turkish F-5 was soon surprised by a volley of eight AIM-9B Sidewinders. He managed to dodge seven before the eighth flew into his exhaust pipe and exploded. His plane disintegrated and scattered itself over several acres. A very relieved Dakota pilot sent the flight a heart-felt message of thanks and promised a case of ouzo to the squadron's pilots once this crisis was resolved. However, the Starfighters had to deal with one loose end, first. The wingman of the Turk had finally shown up. Faced with four "combat" veterans, he was quickly riddled with 30mm rounds and bailed out into the Aegean. He was taken aboard a Greek fishing boat and held as a prisoner of war. Two very suspicious ships were spotted by the Gannet as they were making 32 kts and approaching the Ark Royal group from the Turkish shore. Since no commercial fishing vessels are capable of these speeds, these boats were classified as probable hostiles and the Dakota was sent to investigate while deck crews on the Ark Royal prepared an "appropriate" response. Before the Dakota even arrived in the area, they were identified as Dogan missile boats from their emissions and a pair of F-86D Sabres was ordered aloft from Santorini to the handle the situation in order to save the Ark Royal's air wing for Cypriot missions. However, they were rendered moot as three Sabres were detected approaching from Antalaya. Quickly, four Sea Vixen were launched to intercept them. All three were brought down by Firestreak missiles. Once free from the airborne threat, the fighters expended their rockets on Dogan PTMs. Somehow, the Turks must have surmised the location of the Task Group because a significant number of Starfighters were detected rising up from Antalaya. The Admirall immediately ordered the launch of his remaining Sea Vixen. The defending planes used up all of their missiles and killed most of them but one just kept on coming and coming and coming. It flew straight into the teeth of the Ark Royal group. On and on it came; right through the wall of AAA thrown up by the CL Tiger and the entire Task Group. He must have gotten an exact position of the group because he flew through the entire formation before retiring despite all the best efforts of the AAA crews. After he made his good escape, the Captain of the CL Tiger ordered that his fog horn sounded for a full five minutes. Soon, every ship in the formation followed suit in recognition of the valour and bravery exhibited by the lone Turkish pilot. Sometimes, valour can be shown and be held in respect by both combatants on both sides. Soon, two destroyers, Gelibolu and Gemlik, were spotted near NW of Cyprus. Since this would take considerably more striking power than that available in Free Flight Artillery Rockets [FFAR], SS Poseidon was sent to deal with them. Two more destroyers, Alp Arslan and Piyale Pasa were seen to be covering the approaches to LZ Bravo. The Dakota that had almost been shot down over the Greek islands was not having a good day. It reported the situation around the around the western half of Cyprus, but garnered the attention of the aerial defences. The hapless patrol plane was able to transmit its contact report before it was shot down after taking the pursuing Sabres on a merry long chase. The F-100 Super Sabres from Elefsis were ordered to re-deploy to Kasteli since their range made them ineffective where they were currently stationed and their bombloads would be need to help suppress the LZ defences. The F-84 Thunderjets already operating out of Kasteli were assigned to prepare the battlefield by bombing the airport at Nicosia. They tried to take a circuitous route in hopes of evading any Combat Air Patrol [CAP], but they were caught just as they crossed the shoreline of Cyprus. Even heavily laden with bombs, their quad .50 calibre mounts commanded respect and protection lay in numbers. Both of the Sabres attempting to intercept them were shot out of the sky before the crews continued their ground attack mission to Nicosia and dropped two of the airport's hangars. Somehow, the CVG had been detected. A two-prong attack materialised from two axes; Antalaya and Izmir. Luckily, a full force of Sea Vixen had been re-armed and was waiting for just such an eventuality. Six Sabres were brought down for the loss of a single Sea Vixen. Once the Task Group was deemed secure, the eight Scimitar were sent over the beach to continue softening up the island’s defences. Unfortunately, they ran afoul of a Freedom Fighter on CAP and were jumped. Before they knew it, three had been blown out of the sky! But, they weren't designated "Fighter-bombers" for nothing. They managed to even the score with their 30mm Aden cannon by killing one of their assailants. It was cold comfort for the loss of their ready room mates.

The 55th new scenario of the year! The seventh installment of "The Cyprus Affair" battleset has been released. NEW WORLD ORDER SERIES: THE CYPRUS AFFAIR CAMPAIGN #2 When the NSC made good on its promise to deliver SA-10 Grumble SAM systems to the Greek Cypriots in the spring of 1995 despite Turkish protests, the stage was set for another conflict in Cyprus. The presence of the advanced weapons shifted the delicate balance of power as it put nearly all aircraft operating from the Turkish side of the island at risk. NATO was embarrassed when regular Turkish forces stormed the island a few months later. It had not been aware of Turkey's intent to reclaim Cyprus once and for all. Hand-in-hand with the economic boom in the NSC came military modernization and revitalization; funding for which was fueled at least partly by an unprecedented level of arms exports. The NSC would no longer sit idly by while its national interests were decided by others. It launched a major attack against Turkey on June 3, 1995. The NSC did not believe that NATO would intervene in the Cypriot affair after having been snubbed by its Turkish partner and after the beating it had received in the Baltic conflict the previous year. The NSC was about to be proven wrong. #7 - LIONHEART Pound an enemy as much as you like but you cannot seize and hold territory from ships at sea or from aircraft aloft. You must put troops on the ground. The amphibious force now approaching Turkish shores, code-named Lionheart, must be protected. The amphibious landing will be accompanied by a major airborne assault on Cyprus. It is expected that the NSC will be pulling out all the stops to destroy these assets before they can reach their destination. Author: Herman Hum, Brad Leyte This scenario requires the latest release of the PlayersDB v5.9.7 Get it via: StrategyZoneOnline, HarpGamer, SimHQ, PlayersDB Depot, SubSim, CombatAce, or Frugal's World of Simulation. SZO file archives - Home of the Harpoon3 PlayersDB FilesOfScenShare HarpGamer.com - Home of the HCDB.

Canada will take 'necessary measures' to stop U.S. subs in Arctic: Martin CNews By ALEXANDER PANETTA CAMBRIDGE, Ont. (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin says the federal government will take the "necessary measures" to stop American submarines from passing through Canada's Arctic waters. He offered no specifics but cast a wary glance at reports that at least one U.S. military submarine had recently patrolled the Arctic and likely passed through Canadian waters. The prime minister has repeatedly drawn attention to his differences with the United States as part of a re-election strategy designed to benefit his Liberal party. But he chose his words carefully when asked whether Canada would accept U.S. subs under its coastal waters. "No," Martin replied. "Arctic waters are Canadian waters, and Canadian waters are sovereign waters. Canada will defend its sovereignty." He used stronger language - but offered no additional details - when asked in French how Canada would stop such incursions: "We will take the necessary measures," he replied. The comments came after news an American nuclear submarine, the USS Charlotte, visited the North Pole last month, and likely passed through Canadian waters in the process. U.S.-Canada relations have become an issue in the election campaign, as Martin has lobbed verbal grenades across the border over issues such as U.S. duties on softwood lumber and American reluctance to sign on to the Kyoto protocol on climate change. Last week, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins, struck back, warning that U.S.-bashing is a "slippery slope" that Canadian politicians should not embark upon. The Conservative defence critic, retired general Gordon O'Connor, said the apparent breach of Canadian sovereignty by a U.S. submarine betrays the phoniness of Martin's war of words with the United States. "The Liberals have failed to enforce our sovereignty and increase security in the North," said O'Connor. "The Liberal government has been undermining Canada's sovereignty over our northern territory and its vast natural resources by failing to properly defend the far North." He demanded to know what, exactly, the Liberal government is doing about the issue and asked how many other unauthorized voyages by foreign naval vessels have occurred in Canadian territorial waters without Ottawa's permission or knowledge. "It has been common knowledge for more than a decade that nuclear submarines from the United States, Russia, China, France, and Great Britain pass through our territory without necessarily seeking permission from the government of Canada," he said. "In international law, sovereignty must be enforced to be recognized. A Conservative government will enforce our sovereignty in the North. "Paul Martin's record of failure in standing up for Canada's Arctic sovereignty is proof that his war of words with the United States is just more phoney election rhetoric." Arctic sovereignty is becoming more coveted as global warming melts the ice and opens new areas for oil and mineral exploration. The issue sparked controversy in 1985 when the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Sea traversed the Northwest Passage without Ottawa's permission. Washington eventually signed an agreement with Ottawa stating it would seek permission before navigating the passage again. But the issue has never been resolved with a formal acknowledgement that the waters belong to Canada, which has only a handful of small icebreakers and whose own submarines cannot operate under the pack ice. Canada has also been engaged in a dispute with Denmark over remote Hans Island, a 1.3-kilometre windswept rock in the Kennedy Channel between Greenland and Ellesmere Island. The rock was discovered by the British, ceded to Canada at Confederation, and was briefly home to a Canadian scientific station in the 1940s. It is listed as part of Nunavut in the National Geographic Atlas. Danish ships or military officers have visited Hans Island five times in the last 17 years. Canadian geological researchers landed once and, before Defence Minister Bill Graham visited it earlier this year, Canadian soldiers hoisted the Maple Leaf and built an Inukshuk, or traditional Inuit stone marker, on the island.