Laser Weapons on the Horizon

A megawatt laser weapon was fired from an aircraft for the first time.Although the Airborne Laser (ABL) was fired from a stationary plane at a target on the ground just a few metres away, the test marked a milestone for the weapon, developed by aerospace firms Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.The laser was 12 years in the making and cost $4.3 billion, putting it vastly over budget.

Some laser weapons are already being used by the military. In Iraq and Afghanistan a laser system called Zeus, developed by the US navy, is being tested by coalition forces for detonating the improvised explosive devices of insurgents. The 10-kilowatt laser is pointed at the device from a few hundred metres away, to heat the explosive until it detonates. It can take between 4 seconds to 15 minutes to destroy an explosive device - but the advantage is that no soldiers' lives are risked. And last month Northrop Grumman launched Firestrike, an electrically powered 15-kilowatt battlefield laser that can be multiplied in power by adding more units.

I have followed the ABL system for years.  It appears to finally be here.  I was surprised by some of the other laser weapons mentionned.

Tags: ABL, Laser Weapons, Zeus, Firestrike

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The U.S. Defense Department has awarded its up to three-year, $300 million contract for "information operations" in Iraq and possibly Afghanistan. There are four lucky firms: the Lincoln Group, which was outed in 2005 for planting U.S. military-written pieces in Iraqi newspapers; Leonie Industries, a woman-owned company that promises "access to seemingly impenetrable markets" around the world; SOS International, which in 2006 won a contract to monitor foreign media for coverage of the so-called Global War on Terrorism; and MPRI, a unit of L-3 Communications that won a contract in 2003 to involve former Iraqi soldiers in public works projects. The new PR push is "seen by the [U.S.] military as a means toward 'reconciliation' of the country and a way to foster support for Iraqi Security Forces from Iraqi civilians," reports O'Dwyer's.

This is an example of the Admin function in Barnett's book, Pentagon's New Map.

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How To Start A Religion

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are remotely piloted or self-piloted aircraft that can carry cameras, sensors, communications equipment or other payloads. They have been used in a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering role since the 1950s, and more challenging roles are envisioned, including combat missions. Since 1964 the Defense Department has developed 11 different UAVs, though due to acquisition and development problems only 3 entered production. The US Navy has studyied the feasibility of operating VTOL UAVs since the early 1960s, the QH-50 Gyrodyne torpedo-delivery drone being an early example. However, high cost and technological immaturity have precluded acquiring and fielding operational VTOL UAV systems.

By the early 1990s DOD sought UAVs to satisfy surveillance requirements in Close Range, Short Range or Endurance categories. Close Range was defined to be within 50 kilometers, Short Range was defined as within 200 kilometers and Endurance as anything beyond. By the late 1990s, the Close and Short Range categories were combined, and a separate Shipboard category emerged. The current classes of these vehicles are the Tactical UAV and the Endurance category.

Pioneer: Procured beginning in 1985 as an interim UAV capability to provide imagery intelligence for tactical commanders on land and see at ranges out to 185 kilometers. No longer in the Army inventory (returned to the US Navy in 1995).

Tactical UAV : Designed to support tactical commanders with near-real-time imagery intelligence at ranges up to 200 kilometers. Outrider Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program terminated. Material solution for TUAV requirements is being pursued through a competive acquisition process with goal of contract award in DEC 99.

Joint Tactical UAV (Hunter): Developed to provide ground and maritime forces with near-real-time imagery intelligence at ranges up to 200 kilometers; extensible to 300+ kilometers by using another Hunter UAV as an airborne relay. Training base located at Fort Huachuca, with additional baseline at Fort Polk to support JRTC rotations. Operational assets based at Fort Hood (currently supporting the KFOR in Kosovo).

Medium Altitude Endurance UAV (Predator): Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration now transitioned to Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP). Provides imagery intelligence to satisfy Joint Task Force and Theater Commanders at ranges out to 500 nautical miles. No longer in the Army inventory (transferred to the US Air Force in 1996).

High Altitude Endurance UAV (Global Hawk): Intended for missions requiring long-range deployment and wide-area surveillance (EO/IR and SAR) or long sensor dwell over the target area. Directly deployable from CONUS to the theater of operations. Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) managed by the US Air Force.

Tactical Control Station (TCS): The Tactical Control Station is the software and communications links required to control the TUAV, MAE-UAV, and other future tactical UAV's. It also provides connectivity to other C4I systems.

Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (MAV): DARPA program to explore the military relevance of Micro Air Vehicles for future military operations, and to develop and demonstrate flight enabling technologies for very small aircraft (less than 15cm/6in. in any dimension).

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Name	Endurance (Hours)	Payload Weight (Pounds)	Altitude Capability (Feet)	STATUS
AQM-34N Firebee	hr.	lbs.	ft.
Aquila	hr.	lbs.	ft.
Arcturus T-16	16 hr.	20 lbs.	17,000 ft. (gas) - 40,000 ft. (electric)
COMPASS ARROW	hr.	lbs.	ft.
COMPASS BIN	hr.	lbs.	ft.
COMPASS COPE	hr.	lbs.	ft.
COMPASS DAWN	hr.	lbs.	ft.
Condor	hr.	lbs.	ft.
CR-TUAV	hr.	lbs.	ft.
CR-UAV	hr.	lbs.	ft.
Darkstar	8 hrs.	1,000 lbs.	45,000 ft.
Dragon	hr.	lbs.	ft.
Eagle Eye	8 hrs.	300 lbs.	20,000 ft.
Exdrone	2.5 hr.	25 lbs	10,000 ft.
Firebee	1.25 hrs.	470 lbs.	60,000 ft.
Global Hawk	42 hrs.	1,960 lbs.	65,000 ft.
Gnat 750	48 hrs.	140 lbs.	25,000 ft.
Hunter	12 hrs.	200 lbs.	15,000 ft.
Model 324	2.5 hrs.	200 lbs.	43,000 ft.
Model 410	12 hrs.	300 lbs.	30,000 ft.
MR-UAV	hr.	lbs.	ft.
MRE	hr.	lbs.	ft.
Outrider	4 hrs.	160 lbs.	15,000 ft.
Pioneer	5.5 hrs.	75 lbs.	12,000 ft.
Pointer	1 hr.	2 lbs.	3,000 ft.
Predator	29 hrs.	700 lbs.	+40,000 ft.
SEA FERRET	hr.	lbs.	ft.
SENIOR BOWL [D-21]	hr.	lbs.	ft.
VT-UAV	hr.	lbs.	ft.
VT-UAV Dragonfly	hr.	lbs.	ft.
VT-UAV Vigilante	hr.	lbs.	ft.
VT-UAV Guardian	hr.	lbs.	ft.
MQ-8B Army Fire Scout	hr.	lbs.	ft.
MQ-8B Navy Fire Scout	hr.	lbs.	ft.

Tags: UAV

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Active Protection System (APS)

The U.S. Army is developing Active Protection System (APS) as part of its Future Combat Systems ground-force modernization program. FCS is designed to bring Soldiers into the 21st century by equipping them with state-of-the-art vehicles, communication capabilities, sensors and protective systems. The system has been named one of the best inventions of 2008 by Time magazine.
Tags: APS, FCS, Active Protection System

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Thai Trawler sunk by INS Ship

The Indian navy error in sinking a Thai trawler in the last week shows the problem that exists with information, either too much or too little of it, in dealing with non-state actors like pirates.

The ship seems to be under pirate control and to have attacked the frigate that sank it. The issue is the death of the hostages on the ship. In former centuries, their deaths would not be well know and the removal of the pirate force on the ship would have been positive for stopping piracy. In these times, the ideal use of force must be more surgical. So, our multi-billion dollar navies are tied up by bandits with RPG's.

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Blackwater beats the Navy or maybe it is Democracy

Blackwater is offering the MV MacArthur, a 183-foot vessel with a crew of 14 and a helicopter pad, as an escort for ships through the Gulf of Aden. 
“We have the capability to assist” shipping companies, said Bill Mathews, Blackwater executive vice president. He and other company leaders are former Navy SEALs. Ship security “is kind of what we did for a living” before joining Blackwater, he said.
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The company isn’t seeking new U.S. security contracts in Iraq, where a Blackwater team was involved in the killing of 17 Iraqi civilians while guarding a State Department convoy in September 2007. The deaths are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The State Department paid Blackwater more than $832 million to provide security between 2004 and 2006, about half of the money under a no-bid contract awarded in June 2004.

According to Coast Guard records, the McArthur was decommissioned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2003 after nearly 40 years as a research vessel. Built in 1966 by Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., now BAE Systems Norfolk Ship

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Tags: MV MacArthur

Tags: Blackwater, US Navy, Samilia, Pirates

Isn't it amazing that in the picture above this ship is flying the American flag.  It is another example of some American citizens having the right to wage war outside of government channels.  Blackwater is a private army with land, sea and air forces operating out of the United States.  That should not be allowed.

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