Af/Pak & Other News (5/15/2013)

[dump...@hotmail.com]

Obama to announce Afghanistan troop plans shortly: Kerry:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/14/us-usa-afghanistan-kerry-idUSBRE94D0G920130514



Afghan soldiers take fight to Taliban 'brothers':

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22516319



Battles in Pakistan Tribal Area Displace Thousands:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pakistan-vote-count-shows-big-sharif-win-19178418




What Torture Charges? Special Ops Chief Says Afghan Relations Are
‘Great’:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/05/mcraven-afghanistan/




4,000:

http://nation.time.com/2013/05/15/excess-armor/



Afghanistan Exit: Kabul and Berlin Estranged as Withdrawal Looms:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/tensions-rise-between-kabul-and-berlin-ahead-of-withdrawal-a-899319.html



Afghan Commandos Step Up Their Combat Role:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/world/asia/us-special-operations-step-up-in-afghanistan.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0




Two Things Are Certain in Afghanistan: (IED) Deaths and (Screwed Up)
Taxes:

http://nation.time.com/2013/05/15/two-things-are-certain-in-afghanistan-ied-deaths-and-screwed-up-taxes/




Detection System Protects FOBs from Cameras, Rifle Scopes:

http://defensetech.org/2013/05/15/detection-system-protects-fobs-from-cameras-rifle-scopes/



Terrorists Win A big Election:

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/india/articles/20130515.aspx





The Ugly End to the Largest Service Contract In U.S History:

http://defense-update.com/20130514_kbr_army_logcap.html





Saudi Telecom Sought U.S. Researcher’s Help in Spying on Mobile Users:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/05/saudi-telecom-sought-spy-help/





Qatar, allies tighten coordination of arms flows to Syria:

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30485:qatar-allies-tighten-coordination-of-arms-flows-to-syria&catid=113:international-news&Itemid=248





Syrian rebels launch assault on prison in attempt to free prisoners;
Internet down nationwide:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrian-rebels-battle-assads-troops-near-damascus-to-reopen-arms-supply-route-retake-key-town/2013/05/15/ec506c5e-bd42-11e2-b537-ab47f0325f7c_story.html



Battlefield Update: The Fight for Isolated Government Outposts in
Northern Syria:

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/battlefield-update-the-fight-for-isolated-government-outposts-in-northern-syria/





All Hate All The Time:

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htiw/articles/20130515.aspx





Russian Pacific Fleet Warships to Enter Mediterranean:

http://www.defencetalk.com/russian-pacific-fleet-warships-to-enter-mediterranean-47788/






US Repositioning 200 Marines in Italy as Precaution for Libya Unrest:

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130515/DEFREG04/305150025/US-Repositioning-200-Marines-Italy-Precaution-Libya-Unrest




Tensions continue to escalate in Tunisia:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/05/tensions_continue_to.php




351st EARS Continues to Provide Support to French Air Force:

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/145008/usaf-flies-100th-mali-tanker-sortie.html





Nigeria president declares state of emergency:

http://news.yahoo.com/nigeria-president-declares-state-emergency-182549903.html






M-346 Fleet is Grounded Pending Crash Investigation:

http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2013-05-14/m-346-fleet-grounded-pending-crash-investigation





U.K. Rivet Joint - First "Official" Picture:

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:806fffeb-c4c1-4e03-a079-4df9983663b2




Final A-10 Thunderbolt II tactical sortie in Europe:

http://alert5.com/2013/05/15/final-a-10-thunderbolt-ii-tactical-sortie-in-europe/




Saab Touts Naval ‘Sea Gripen’ Variant:

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/145025/saab-touts-naval-%E2%80%98sea-gripen%E2%80%99-variant.html





Going Dark: SOUTHCOM, Where Modern ISR Was Born, Is Hoping for Assets:

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130514/C4ISR/305140017/Going-Dark-SOUTHCOM-Where-Modern-ISR-Born-Hoping-Assets





Russia to Showcase T-90S Tank at Arms Show in Peru:

http://www.defencetalk.com/russia-to-showcase-t-90s-tank-at-arms-show-in-peru-47785/




In Mexico, restrictions on U.S. agents signal drug war shift:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/in-mexico-restrictions-on-us-drug-agents-seen-as-overdue/2013/05/14/a86bd394-b9ae-11e2-b568-6917f6ac6d9d_story.html





PICTURE: New Chinese advances in tailless UAV designs revealed:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-new-chinese-advances-in-tailless-uav-designs-revealed-385842/




N. Korea has no nuclear warhead to fit missile: official:

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/N_Korea_has_no_nuclear_warhead_to_fit_missile_official_999.html




China disguised new ASAT missile test as sounding rocket experiment:

http://alert5.com/2013/05/15/china-disguised-new-asat-missile-test-as-sounding-rocket-experiment/



China missile hit highest suborbital level since 1976 - scientist:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/05/15/china-missile-launch-idINDEE94E03T20130515





China questions Tokyo's rule over Okinawa in effort to gain leverage
in East China Sea dispute:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/05/15/china-questions-tokyo-rule-over-okinawa-in-effort-to-gain-leverage-in-east/





Taiwan pilot rescued after fighter jet crash:

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130515/taiwan-pilot-rescued-after-fighter-jet-crash




The North Korean Solution:

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htwin/articles/20130515.aspx







Air Force asks industry for hand-held Link-16 special operations
networking radios:

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2013/05/Link-16-handheld.html



ESSM intercept of high-diving threat proves expanded defensive
capability:

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/ESSM_intercept_of_high_diving_threat_proves_expanded_defensive_capability_999.html



Raytheon Delivers Electronic Jamming Capability for Gray Eagle UAS:

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/145024/gray-eagle-uav-gains-jamming-capability.html




VIDEO: X-47B launches off carrier deck, aviation first:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/video-x-47b-launches-off-carrier-deck-aviation-first-385850/




Yet Another Sexual-Assault Investigation Likely to Spur Congressional
Action:

http://nation.time.com/2013/05/15/yet-another-sexual-assault-investigation-likely-to-spur-congressional-action/



Will The Navy’s New Killer Drones Hunt Terrorists or Fight China?:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/05/navy-drone-bet/



The day of the unmanned aircraft:

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/05/the-day-of-the-unmanned-aircra.html

[dott.Piergiorgio]

Il 15/05/2013 18:36, dump...@hotmail.com ha scritto:
> US Repositioning 200 Marines in Italy as Precaution for Libya Unrest:
>
> http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130515/DEFREG04/305150025/US-Repositioning-200-Marines-Italy-Precaution-Libya-Unrest

I have already reported it and discreetly pointed that isn't necessarily
what seems ;)

Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio.

[Yeff]

On Wed, 15 May 2013 09:36:38 -0700 (PDT), dump...@hotmail.com wrote:

> U.K. Rivet Joint - First "Official" Picture:
>
> http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:806fffeb-c4c1-4e03-a079-4df9983663b2

From the article,

"Qualified UK personnel already fly alongside their US counterparts on
Rivet Joint operational missions."

To think I used to think it was weird when US Navy personnel flew RJ
missions. And, now that I think about it, wasn't there an Air Force guy
on the EP-3 that went down on Hainan?

--

-Jeff B.
zoo...@fastmail.fm

"Excuse me.
I don't mean to impose,
but I am the Ocean."

~ The Salton Sea

[Bill]

On Wed, 15 May 2013 15:52:58 -0400, Yeff <zoo...@fastmail.fm> wrote:

>On Wed, 15 May 2013 09:36:38 -0700 (PDT), dump...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>> U.K. Rivet Joint - First "Official" Picture:
>>
>> http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:806fffeb-c4c1-4e03-a079-4df9983663b2
>
>From the article,
>
>"Qualified UK personnel already fly alongside their US counterparts on
>Rivet Joint operational missions."
>
>To think I used to think it was weird when US Navy personnel flew RJ
>missions. And, now that I think about it, wasn't there an Air Force guy
>on the EP-3 that went down on Hainan?

One assumes that the RAF/UK Rivet Joint crews will be much the same
as the R1 Nimrod crews.

[dump...@hotmail.com]

On May 15, 1:25 pm, Bill <blackuse...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 15 May 2013 15:52:58 -0400, Yeff <zoo...@fastmail.fm> wrote:

> >On Wed, 15 May 2013 09:36:38 -0700 (PDT), dumpst...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> >> U.K. Rivet Joint - First "Official" Picture:
>

> >>http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-...

>
> >From the article,
>
> >"Qualified UK personnel already fly alongside their US counterparts on
> >Rivet Joint operational missions."
>
> >To think I used to think it was weird when US Navy personnel flew RJ
> >missions.  And, now that I think about it, wasn't there an Air Force guy
> >on the EP-3 that went down on Hainan?
>
> One assumes that the RAF/UK  Rivet Joint crews will be much the same
> as the R1 Nimrod crews.

So, the RAF is getting rid of the elderly Nimrod airframes
for SIGINT, and replacing them with elderly 707/C-135
airframes for SIGINT?

Meanwhile, the RAF is buying new A330 MRTT airframes
(Voyager) for the tanker role:

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/mil-log/raf-a330-mrtt-makes-maiden-flight-first/

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/a330_200/


Was there ever any thought given to adapting the newer
A330 airframes (or some other newer airframe type) for
the SIGINT role?

[Bill]

The funding of SIGINT is horribly secret, and not covered by the '30
year rule' either, so chances are you'll never ever know.