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Colbert Goes Commando in Iraq
Relevance Score: 4.368 2009-08-11 14:28:35
To get a taste of what it means to be part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Comedian Stephen Colbert subjected himself to the full Army experience—soldiering up, pushing through basic training, eating dust in Baghdad, and even getting a buzz cut. While his efforts to enlist failed to impress the military, the four shows his team produced from Camp Victory in Baghdad—for his popular Comedy Central series "The Colbert Report"—successfully overcame the logistical and technical challenges of doing TV from a war zone while maintaining Colbert's clever brand of hilarious antics and insightful humor. Each of the Baghdad shows were shot "live to drives," June 7-9, 2009 before an audience of 500 American troops in the spacious atrium of the Al-Faw—Saddam Hussein's lavish palace that now serves as the U.S. military headquarters for the Iraq War. This special remote undertaken by "The Colbert Report" was facilitated by extensive support from the USO and the U.S. military. Stephen Colbert in front of the blue screen for the "Formidable Opponent" segment. Photo by Andro Buneta SHOOTING IN BAGHDAD Preproduction began in early spring with a trip to Baghdad to scout out the locations to determine what resources were available locally and what would need to be shipped over. "Since our goal was to replicate the production quality and spontaneity of our New York-based studio show over in Baghdad, one of the biggest challenges we faced was that we were constrained in the amount of equipment we could transport to Baghdad because we were relying on military transport. When we realized how much equipment we would actually need to ship, we had to be extremely resourceful and judicious in deciding just what to bring," said Tanya Michnevich Bracco, supervising producer for "The Colbert Report" and line producer for the Iraq shows. "Also, with no technical support there, we had to come up with backup plans for every part of our workflow. We had to think outside the box." While USO productions typically involve transporting two or three palettes of gear and a few people, "The Colbert Report" needed to transport a 30-member crew and over 13 palletes of gear, done over three separate trips. This meant filling the interiors of C130 and C17 military cargo planes with people in helmets and flak jackets—including editors, camera operators, and writers—and production elements such as sets, props, theatrical lighting, editing systems, and audio gear, not to mention office equipment. The military dedicated over 200 troops to assist in construction and setup of the facility, as well as logistical support and housing for the crew. "Given the opportunity, we would have pre-fabricated a high-end production control room or even a flypack in New York and moved it over to Iraq ready to go. But we didn't have the luxury to ship such large cargo," said Jeremy Tchaban, production manager for "The Colbert Report." "As a result, we had to supplement our equipment complement with video cameras, production switchers, and monitors from a local source, Coaxial, a Kuwaiti event production company; and this meant we would have to work in PAL, the native format in that part of the world."
Sale of F-16s to Iraq raises issues
Relevance Score: 4.075 2009-07-29 22:12:45
As U.S. forces move toward for a gradual withdrawal from Iraq, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was in Baghdad Tuesday to discuss pressing security issues with government leaders, including the possible purchase of Lockheed Martin F-16 combat aircraft. That's a highly sensitive issue. The Americans want to build up Iraq's military forces to take over their own security but rearming Iraq is fraught with pitfalls, given the sectarian divisions that plague the country and which has taken such a heavy human toll since the March 2003 invasion. An effective military that can maintain internal security as well as protect against external threats -- and there are several of these -- is essential to any U.S. exit strategy. But at the same time, Iraq must not have an offensive capability that its neighbors, mindful that Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in 1980 and Kuwait a decade later, might perceive as threatening. "We don't want to turn Iraq into an arsenal," Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a leading Shiite politician who became an interim prime minister, declared in June 2004. "We don't want the military to return to a strategy of aggression. But we want Iraq to be strong enough to return assaults from others." That entails an effective air force. Iraq's air force was formed in 1931, which makes it the oldest in the Middle East. It was once one of the most powerful in the Arab world but was essentially wiped out in 1991 and played no part in the 2003 fighting. Indeed, when the U.S.-led invaders struck, Saddam ordered his remaining military jets buried in the sand at their bases. Most remain there. The U.S.-approved plan to rebuild a self-sufficient air force from the ashes of defeat envisions a strength of 350 aircraft and 20,000 personnel by 2020. At current estimates, that will cost the Baghdad government around $2 billion a year. The post-Saddam air force currently operates 76 aircraft, all for non-combat missions, provided by the United States and other countries. That should increase to 123 non-combat aircraft by 2009, including U.S. supplied C-130 transports. The air force has no fighters but Baghdad has approached the Americans to buy 18 F-16 Fighting Falcons, enough to equip one squadron, within the next year. The air force commander, Lt. Gen. Anwar Ahmed, says that Baghdad would like up to 96 F-16s by 2020. An Iraqi Military Reconstruction Plan drawn up the Pentagon envisaged Iraq acquiring as many as 14 F-14C strike aircraft and 160 F-16 fighters. It noted that with U.S. aircraft deployed in Iraq that would be a low priority. However, that position may have changed now the withdrawal is under way. One U.S. official noted shortly before Gates' arrival, "We've said that we think it's a good idea if they go with a multi-role fighter -- that it be one of ours." The Iraqis argue that, despite U.S. wariness about allowing Baghdad offensive capabilities, the country needs to be able to deter an attack from outside. But given the fractious nature of Iraqi politics, split mainly between the majority Shiites, their putative allies, the Kurds and the minority Sunnis, internal power struggles remain the major security problem. Kurdish leaders warned recently that the sale of advanced weapons systems, such as F-16s, to Baghdad must include guarantees they wouldn't be used against the Kurds' semi-autonomous enclave in northeastern Iraq. Memories of Saddam's genocidal aerial poison gas attacks on rebellious Kurds in the 1980s in which tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, perished, are seared into the cultural psyche of Iraq's Kurds. Even so, under a $2.4 billion deal Iraq is slated to get 24 Bell Armed 407 helicopters or 24 Boeing AH-6 Apache gunships, along with Hellfire missiles, engines and rocket launchers. In 2007, Baghdad took delivery of 26 Mi-17 multi-role helicopters from Moscow, Saddam's main Cold War arms supplier. The air force also needs more transports. The Pentagon has advised the U.S. Congress of a possible sale of at least six C-130J Hercules from Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin, plus associated services and training in a package that could total $1.5 billion. The purchase of long-range early warning radar systems, notably the U.S. N/FPS-117, worth $140 million, is also being discussed.
$5.8M to Improve FOB Speicher, Iraq
Relevance Score: 3.453 2008-06-03 23:41:16
Wintara, Inc. in Fort Washington, MD received a $5.8 million firm-fixed price contract for replacement facilities for Forward Operating Base, Speicher near Tikrit, Iraq. Work is expected to be complete by Jan 31/09. 98 bids were solicited on Feb 4/08, and 12 bids were received by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Programs Center in Winchester, VA. Capt. Speicher’s F/A-18 Hornet fighter was shot down over Iraq during Operation Desert Storm on Jan 17/91, and was listed as killed. There has been considerable controversy regarding his fate, however, and in January 2001, the Secretary of the Navy took the extremely rare step of changing his status to “missing in action.” In 2002, it was changed again, this time to “missing-captured.” Many also believe that his aircraft was not shot down by a surface-to-air missile, as claimed at the time, but by an Iraqi fighter that passed American planes who were not allowed to engage it. See also the March 27/01 CIA report. After Operation Iraqi Freedom, evidence was found that included a flight suit believed to be his, an escape and evade sign located on the desert floor, and what appear to be the initials “MSS” scrawled on a wall of a cell in the Hakmiyah prison in Baghdad. Speicher’s name was also found on a document in Iraq, dated January 2003, that had the names of prisoners being held in the country. Despite these efforts and clues, however, Speicher’s whereabouts and the exact details of his fate remain unknown.
Military locations in Iraq supported by TS2 Satellite Technologies
Relevance Score: 3.342 2008-06-01 11:43:45
TS2 was among the first telecommunications operators in the satellite technology in the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan and as such we have enjoyed a successful cooperation with the US Department of Defense, DoD contractors, Contracting Officers and U.S. Military Personnel from Iraq. Air Bases Al Asad Air base Al Iskandariyah Air base Al Taqaddum Air base al-Asad Air base al-Iskandaryah Air base al-Sahra Air base Amarah Air base Baghdad Air base Balad Air base Baquba AF HAir basebaniyah Air base Jalibah Air base K-2 Air base Kirkuk Air base Kut Air base Mosul Air base Qalat Sukar Air base Quyarrah Air base Rasheed Air base Samarra East Air base Sather Air base Taji Air base Tal Ashtah Air base Tallil Air base Tuz Khurmatu Air base US Army Camps Camp Abu Naji [Al Amarah] Camp Adder [Tallil AB] Camp Al Asad [al-Asad AB] Camp Al-Adala [Kadhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Al-Amal [Baghdad] Camp Al-Hurya Al-Awal [Baquba AF] Camp Al-Hurya Al-Thani [Green Zone] Camp Al-Isdehar [Al Salam] Camp Al-Istiqlal [Baghdad AB] Camp al-Nasr [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Al-Saqr [Rasheed AB] Camp Al-Sharaf [Green Zone] Camp Al-Tadamun [Adhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp al-Tahreer [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Al-Tawheed Al-Awal [Al Sijood] Camp Al-Tawheed Al-Thani [Al Sijood] Camp Al-Watani [Green Zone] Camp Anaconda [Balad AB] Camp Andaluz [Kufa] Camp Anderson [Diwaniyeh] Camp Arkansas [Al Salam] Camp Arrow [Ad Dawr] Camp Ashraf Camp Avalanche [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Babylon Camp Baharia [Fallujah] Camp Balad [Balad AB] Camp Basilone [Qalat Sukar AB] Camp Black Jack Camp Blackjack [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Blue Diamond [Ar Ramadi] Camp Bonzai [Kadhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Boom [Baquba] Camp Brassfield-Mora [Samarra] Camp Bucca [Umm Qasr] Camp Bushmaster [Najaf] Camp Bushwacker Camp Caldwell [Kirkush] Camp Cedar [Tallil AB] Camp Cedar II [Tallil AB] Camp Chesty [Kut AB] Camp Claiborne [Mosul AB] Camp Cobra [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Cold Steel Camp Condor [Amarah AB] Camp Cooke [Taji AB] Camp Cropper [Baghdad IAP] Camp Cuervo [Rasheed AB] Camp Dahuk Camp Diamondback [Mosul AB] Camp Dogwood [al-Iskandaryah AB] Camp Dragoon [Baghdad] Camp Duke [Najaf] Camp Eagle [Baghdad] Camp Eagle III [Najaf] Camp Edson [Diwaniyeh] Camp Falcon [Rasheed AB] Camp Fallujah [I MEF] Camp Fenway [Qalat Sukar] Camp Ferrin-Huggins [Rasheed AB] Camp Freedom [Mosul] Camp Freedom I [Baquba AF] Camp Freedom II [Green Zone] Camp Ganci [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Golf [Najaf] Camp Graceland [Rasheed AB] Camp Greywolf [Al Sijood] Camp Griffin [Baghdad IAP] Camp Gunslinger [Adhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Headhunter [Baghdad AB] Camp Honor [Green Zone] Camp Hope [Baghdad] Camp Hope [Diwaniyeh] Camp Hotel [Najaf] Camp Hurricane Point [Ar Ramadi] Camp Independence [Baghdad AB] Camp Iron Horse [Green Zone] Camp Ironhorse [Tikrit] Camp Jennings [Al Amarah] Camp Junction City [Ar Ramadi] Camp Justice [Kadhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Klecker Camp Korean Village [Ar Rutbah/H-3(?)] Camp Lancer [K-2 AB] Camp Leader [Mosul] Camp Libeccio [Nasiriyah] Camp Liberty [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Lima [Baghdad] Camp Manhattan [Habbaniyah AB] Camp Marez [Mosul AB] Camp Marlboro [Sadr City] Camp Mercury Camp Muleskinner [Rasheed AB] Camp Nakamura [Nippur] Camp Normandy [Muqdadiyah] Camp Outlaw [Green Zone] Camp Pacesetter [Samarra East AB] Camp Paliwoda [Balad] Camp Patriot [Green Zone] Camp Performance [Mosul] Camp Prosperity [Al Salam] Camp Qayyarah [Quyarrah AB] Camp Raider [Tikrit] Camp Red Knight Camp Redcatcher [Rasheed AB] Camp Redemption [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Renegade [Kirkuk AB] Camp Ridgway/Ridgeway [Al Taqaddum AB] Camp Rustamiyah [Rasheed AB] Camp Sather [Baghdad IAP] Camp Scania [Nippur] Camp Slayer [Radwaniyah] Camp Solidarity [Adhamiyah/Baghdad] Camp Speicher [al-Sahra AB] Camp St. Mere [Fallujah] Camp Steel Dragon [Green Zone] Camp Steel Falcon [Dora Farms] Camp Strike [Mosul] Camp Stryker [Baghdad IAP] Camp Sustainer Camp Sycamore [al-Sahra AB] Camp Taji [Taji AB] Camp Taqaddum [Al Taqaddum AB] Camp Thunder [Baghdad IAP] Camp Top Gun [Mosul] Camp Ultimo [Baghdad] Camp Union I [Al Sijood] Camp Union II [Al Sijood] Camp Victory (51 Papa) [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Victory [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Victory North [Abu Ghurayb] Camp Vigilant [Abu Ghurayb Prison] Camp Viper [Jalibah AB] Camp War Eagle [Baghdad] Camp Warhorse [Baquba AF] Camp Warrior [Al Sijood] Camp Whitehorse Camp Whitford [Tallil AB] Camp Wolfpack [Green Zone] Camp Zadan [Zadan] Forward Operating Bases in Iraq FOB al-Asad [al-Asad AB] FOB Al-Tawheed Al-Thalith [Green Zone] FOB Arrow [Ad Dawr] FOB Bandit Island FOB Bernstein [Tuz Khurmatu AB] FOB Blue Diamond [Ar Ramadi] FOB Brassfield-Mora [Samarra] FOB Broomhead FOB Buzz FOB Byers FOB Caldwell [Kirkush] FOB Champion Base [Ar Ramadi] FOB Chosin [Al Iskandariyah AB] FOB Cobra [Abu Ghurayb] FOB Constitution [Abu Ghurayb] FOB Cooke [Taji AB] FOB Danger [Tikrit] FOB Daquq FOB Delta [Kut AB] FOB Duke [Najaf] FOB Eagle [Balad] FOB Echo [Diwaniyah] FOB Eden [Hit] FOB Endurance [Quyarrah AB] FOB Ferrin-Huggins [Rasheed AB] FOB Gabe [Baquba] FOB Givens FOB Glory [Mosul AB] FOB Grant [Tal Ashtah AB] FOB Grizzly [Camp Ashraf] FOB Guardian City [Al Taqaddum AB] FOB Gunner [Taji AB] FOB Headhunter [Baghdad AB] FOB Hit [Al Anbar] FOB Honor [Green Zone] FOB Hotel [Najaf] FOB Hurricane [Ar Ramadi] FOB Ironhorse [Tikrit] FOB Junction City [Ar Ramadi] FOB Kalsu [Iskandariyah] FOB Latham FOB Laurie [Fallujah] FOB Lion [Balad AB] FOB Manhattan [Habbaniyah AB] FOB McHenry [Al Hawijah] FOB McKenzie [Samarra East AB] FOB Melody [Sadr City] FOB Mercury [Fallujah] FOB Miller FOB Morgan [Baghdad IAP] FOB Muleskinner [Rasheed AB] FOB Normandy [Muqdadiyah] FOB O'Ryan FOB Pacesetter [Samarra East AB] FOB Packhorse [Tikrit] FOB Paliden Base [Ar Ramadi] FOB Q-West [Quyarrah AB] FOB Quinn FOB Raider [Tikrit] FOB Red Lion [Camp Ashraf] FOB Ridgway/Ridgeway [Al Taqaddum AB] FOB Rough Rider [Mandali] FOB Sabre [Ar Ramadi] FOB Scania [Nippur] FOB Spartan [Camp Ashraf] FOB Speicher [al-Sahra AB] FOB St. Mere [Fallujah] FOB St. Michael [Mahmudiyah] FOB Steel Dragon [Green Zone] FOB Summerall [Bayji] FOB Tiger [Al Qaim] FOB Trojan Horse [Green Zone] FOB Union III [Green Zone] FOB Volturno [Fallujah] FOB War Eagle [Baghdad] FOB Warhorse [Baquba AF] FOB Warrior [Kirkuk AB] FOB Webster [Al Asad AB] FOB Wilson [Ad Dawr] FOB Wyatt [Balad AB] Other Nomenclature Al Azimiyah Palace al-Kufah Baghdad Convention Center Bashur AB Butler Range Complex Champion Base [Ar Ramadi] Champion Main [Ar Ramadi] CJTF Babylon CMOC Ar Ramadi CMOC Baghdad CMOC Diwaniyah CMOC Mosul CMOC Samarra CSC Scania [Nippur] Engineer Base Anvil [Rasheed AB] Essayons Base [Republican Palace] Fire Base Glory [Mosul AB] Firebase Melody [Sadr City] Firebase Shoemaker [Ar Ramadi] FLB Sycamore [al-Sahra AB] Green Zone [Baghdad] H-1 Airstrip Haditha Dam Hard Site [Abu Ghurayb] Hillah Hurricane Base [Ar Ramadi] International Zone [Baghdad] Kirkuk AB Kut AB Log Base Seitz Loyalty Base [Ar Ramadi] LSA Adder [Tallil AB] LSA Anaconda [Balad AB] LSA Diamondback [Mosul AB] LSA Highlander [Al Salam] LSA Viper [Jalibah AB] MEK Compound OBJ Jaguar [Quyarrah AB] OBJ Redskins [Al Taqaddum AB] OBJ Weber [al-Asad AB] Post Freedom [Mosul] Redcatcher Field [Rasheed AB] Rifles Base (3 ACR) [Ar Ramadi] Saddamiat Al-Tharthar Sinjar Stryker Island [Baghdad IAP] Taji Military Camp Tall 'Afar AB Tiger Base [Al Qaim] TSP Whitford [Tallil AB] Victory Base [Abu Ghurayb]
Killed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan.
Relevance Score: 3.239 2009-07-07 00:18:34
AFGHANISTAN: Insurgent attacks killed three British soldiers during the weekend in the southern Afghanistan region where thousands of U.S. Marines pushed forward with the American troops biggest anti-Taliban campaign since the hard-line Islamist regime was toppled. Roadside bombs killed two of the soldiers and a rocket-propelled grenade killed another one. IRAQ: Enemies attacked police patrols in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Sunday, killing a police officer with a grenade and injuring 14 people in a car bomb blast, authorities informed. Separately, bombs in Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad, killed one civilian and injured 14, police said. PAKISTAN: Pakistani fighter jets targeted suspected Taliban hideouts in a tribal region near Afghanistan on Sunday, killing as many as six people, intelligence officials informed. Elsewhere in the northwest, two bomb explosions killed two people and wounded 15 more in Upper Dir district at the edge of Swat Valley where Pakistan army informes it is wrapping up a two-month-old offensive against Taliban militants.
Set up and maintain a robust satellite hub at the Qatar base
Relevance Score: 3.046 2009-12-28 17:10:42
Sgt. Jeffrey Yauch, from Plover, Wis., adheres to the old Army conviction: leave it better than you found it. During a one-year deployment, the 1st Cavalry Division soldier wrote detailed technical standard operation procedures for tactical satellite hubs employing the military's latest communications technology. Yauch's painstaking labors led to an unprecedented 99-percent satellite reliability rate, according to signal reports at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar. Tactical environment uptimes typically range between 90 and 95 percent, according to Chief Warrant Officer Scott Gray, 1st Cavalry Division Special Troops Battalion network technician chief. "Our team set a new standard for maintaining a tactical satellite hub," said Gray, who then commended the entire unit for supporting communication requirements for over 230,000 combat patrols in Iraq this year. The 1st Cavalry Division, a rapidly deployable armored division based at Fort Hood, Texas, assumed duties as the Multi-National Division - Baghdad headquarters in January. While the main body moved into Iraq, Yauch and 18 other Soldiers formed a tactical satellite hub at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, located on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The team of Soldiers inherited a critical mission: set up and maintain a robust satellite hub at the Qatar base. Warfighters throughout Iraq would depend on their signal integrity for a variety of audiovisual services, such as telecommunications, video teleconferences and network access. Unfortunately, specific instructions about fielding the Army's most recent equipment didn't exist. Yauch resolved to fix that discrepancy, as the Soldiers went to work. The tactical satellite document has been disseminated throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.
U.S. Moves to Replace Contractors in Iraq
Relevance Score: 3.042 2009-03-19 02:32:25
The decision not to renew Blackwater Worldwide's security contract in Iraq when it expires in early May has left the State Department scrambling to fill a protection gap for U.S. diplomats and civilian officials there. Two other U.S. security contractors with a far smaller presence in Iraq -- DynCorp International and Triple Canopy -- have been asked to replace the ousted company, according to State Department and company officials. To meet time, training and security-clearance pressures, officials said, one or both of the firms are likely to undertake the task by rehiring some personnel now working for Blackwater. The Iraqi government refused to issue Blackwater a license to perform security services after a 2007 incident in which company guards on a diplomatic protection mission shot and killed 17 civilians in Baghdad. U.S. prosecutors have indicted five of the guards on charges of manslaughter. Blackwater (which recently changed its name to Xe) still has State Department contracts for air transport in Iraq and security for U.S. diplomats in Afghanistan. ad_icon Meanwhile, fallout from the shootings -- including a new U.S.-Iraq status-of-forces agreement that places contractors under Iraqi legal jurisdiction for the first time -- has led both the Pentagon and the State Department to create new categories of "full-time, temporary" federal jobs to handle some tasks currently done by contractors. The Blackwater incident helped fuel a wider debate on the overall cost and conduct of contractors. President Obama last week ordered a government-wide review of federal contracting procedures, saying that his administration "will stop outsourcing services that should be performed by the government." Nowhere has that outsourcing been larger or more contentious than in Iraq, where contractors have long outnumbered the U.S. military presence, even at its peak of 160,000 troops. The days of massive U.S. reconstruction contracts in Iraq are over, with little to show for tens of billions of dollars spent, according to government auditors. While the military continues to outsource much of its supply chain, contracts for services such as transport and food will diminish as combat forces begin to draw down. More in The Washington Post
Gibson Dunn Wins for Military Subcontractor in Rare Trial Over Iraq Reconstruction Costs
Relevance Score: 3.012 2009-03-12 00:58:19
Among critics of America's reliance on military subcontractors in Iraq, Parsons Corp. became particularly notorious in 2006, when its $75 million Baghdad police academy building was found to be leaking human waste--literally. The giant construction firm, which has been fighting a negative image ever since, finally got some good news Tuesday, when a California state court jury found that it was not liable for damages in a rare breach of contract case tied to Iraq's reconstruction. Fiber Technologies Corporation sued Nevada-based Parsons in state court in Los Angeles in 2006, claiming that the company breached a contract to purchase $11.4 million worth of water tanks, and seeking damages up to the full contract amount. On Tuesday, a jury found that Parsons had breached its agreement, but agreed with the military contractor's defense that it had negotiated in good faith and should not be held liable for damages or any other recovery. Parsons was represented by David Battaglia of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Barry West of L.A.'s Gaims, Weil, West & Epstein represented Fiber Technologies.
Satellite Broadband Internet in Iraq and Afghanistan for U.S. Troops
Relevance Score: 2.902 2009-06-28 22:04:20
WARSAW, Poland, Jan. 22 /Reuters/ -- TS2 Satellite Technologies' network in Iraq and Afghanistan has over 15,000 military users of local broadband satellite connections. "We were among the first telecommunications operators in the satellite technology in the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan, and as such we have enjoyed a successful cooperation with the U.S. Army for several years now," says Marcin Frackiewicz, CEO of the TS2 Satellite Technologies. TS2 Satellite Technologies offers two-way high-speed Internet access with no phone lines, no cable and no dial-up modem. It's always on, available virtually anywhere, and affordable. The laptop or Wi-Fi network can receive Internet signal through a special satellite VSAT modem, which was usually set up in a building or tent when deployed. The one VSAT access point provides the following services for soldiers: -- Broadband access to the Internet (WWW, E-mail, FTP etc.) -- Data transfer to many other users simultaneously -- Telephone connections including VoIP, IP phone -- Video-conference connections Advantages of the system: -- Short set-up time -- Fast and easy upgrades -- Possibility of guaranteed CIR -- Transmission in almost all weather conditions The communication among the bases is possible thanks to the simultaneous lease of bands on the Intelsat 10-02, Intelsat 901 and Eutelsat W6 satellites whose coverage enables configuration of connections between any place in Europe, Middle East and Southwest Asia. TS2's satellite military networks are located in Al Taqaddum Air Base, Bahgram AF, Balad Base, Baquba Airfield, Brassfield-Mora, Cob Adder, Cob Speicher, Camp Al Asad Airbase, Camp Bucca Basra City, Camp Buehring, Camp Charlie Basra, Camp Eggers, Camp Fallujah, Camp Grizzly, Camp Korean Village, Camp Liberty, Camp Mejid, Camp Ramadi, Camp Slayer, Camp Stryker, Camp Taji, Camp Victory, Fob Bagram, Fob Brassfield Mora, Fob Delta Al Kut, Fob Diamondback, Fob Falcon, Fob Garryowen, Fob Gardez, Fob Ghazni, Fob Kalagush, Fob Kandahar, Fob Lagman, Fob Mchenry, Fob Marez, Fob Normandy, Fob Rustamiyah, Fob Summerall, Fob Sykes, Fob Salerno, Fob Torkham, Fob Warhorse, Fob Warrior, Herat RTC, Jallahabad Air Base, Kabul Airport, Kabul Camp Eggers, Kandahar Air Base, Lsa Anaconda Balad, Q-West Base Complex and Tallil Ab Lsa Adder. Especially for U.S. Military Personnel, Contracting Officers and DoD Contractors, TS2 delivers satellite equipment to most of all military addresses in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East, within maximum of 7 days. Supported military locations in Iraq - http://www.ts2.pl/en/Internet-in-Iraq-for-US-Army-Soldiers Supported military locations in Afghanistan - http://www.ts2.pl/en/Internet-in-Afghanistan-for-US-Army-Soldiers Contact: Piotr Kubiak and Michal Skrok TS2 Satellite Technologies phone +48 22 630 70 70 fax +48 22 630 70 71 http://www.ts2.pl
Soldier rewrites standard in satellite reliability
Relevance Score: 2.289 2009-12-30 14:37:31
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar -- Sgt. Jeffrey Yauch, from Plover, Wis., adheres to the old Army conviction: leave it better than you found it. During a one-year deployment, the 1st Cavalry Division soldier wrote detailed technical standard operation procedures for tactical satellite hubs employing the military's latest communications technology. Yauch's painstaking labors led to an unprecedented 99-percent satellite reliability rate, according to signal reports at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar. Tactical environment uptimes typically range between 90 and 95 percent, according to Chief Warrant Officer Scott Gray, 1st Cavalry Division Special Troops Battalion network technician chief. "Our team set a new standard for maintaining a tactical satellite hub," said Gray, who then commended the entire unit for supporting communication requirements for over 230,000 combat patrols in Iraq this year. The 1st Cavalry Division, a rapidly deployable armored division based at Fort Hood, Texas, assumed duties as the Multi-National Division - Baghdad headquarters in January. While the main body moved into Iraq, Yauch and 18 other Soldiers formed a tactical satellite hub at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, located on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The team of Soldiers inherited a critical mission: set up and maintain a robust satellite hub at the Qatar base. Warfighters throughout Iraq would depend on their signal integrity for a variety of audiovisual services, such as telecommunications, video teleconferences and network access. Unfortunately, specific instructions about fielding the Army's most recent equipment didn't exist. Yauch resolved to fix that discrepancy, as the Soldiers went to work. "I basically took a quick-reference manual and turned it into a 40-page TSOP," said Yauch. He documented satellite positions, database creation, network maintenance procedures - all the best configurations for signal strength and fidelity in a deployed location. He crammed hours of troubleshooting into a clean how-to format. "The hardest part was dummying it all down," said Yauch. "It needed to be simple ... so anyone with a basic knowledge of satellite communications could comprehend it." Aside from understanding suitable implementation methods, reliable uptimes require operators who care for their equipment, he said. The tactical satellite document has been disseminated throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. "It's a step-by-step guide on everything from setting up to maintaining," said Sgt. Andrew Haase, 1st Armored Division satellite communications operator. The 1st Armored Division will relieve the 1st Cavalry Division at MND-B next month. "We've been using it to set up here," referring to an ongoing relief-in-place transition in Qatar. source > TMCnet.com