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Airpower Report For July 5, 2009.
Relevance Score: 3.764 2009-07-08 01:24:22
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations July 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials. In Afghanistan, a UK Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornado conducted a strafing run in a wooded location near Gereshk against anti-Afghan forces fighting positions. Enemy personnel in the trees were firing on a friendly unit with small power and rocket propelled grenades. Near Asadabad, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped guided bomb unit-31s on enemy mortar emplacements. Enemy forces were located preparing to launch an indirect fire strike, leading to the aircraft targeting them in self-defense of friendly forces. Nearby, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted shows of force to prevent an enemy attack near a coalition forward base. A GR-4 and a coalition aircraft carried out strikes in the vicinity of Kandahar to take out enemy fighting positions along a treeline and a weapons cache concealed in the woods. The aircraft employed GBU-38s, Paveway guided bombs and cannon strafes, hitting a lot of enemy positions and devastating the enemy ammo dump. Intelligence was received that the enemy was preparing an attack, prompting the aircraft to intervene before anti-Afghan forces could initiate hostilities. In the vicinity of Farah, an F-15E flew a show of force to deter enemy forces who had been firing at an Afghan and coalition unit. The aircraft also conducted route reconnaissance helping ground forces locate improvised explosive devices set up by anti-Afghan personnel, helping to reduce the threat the improvised explosive devices posed to security forces and Afghan civilians. Strike Eagles were scrambled to deliver overwatch for a friendly ground unit which came under enemy RPG and automatic weapons attack near Shahid. The attack ended when the aircraft flew a show of force over the area. A coalition aircraft, a Marine AV-8B Harrier, and an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted shows of force in the Musa Qaleh, Delaram, and Gereshk areas respectively, deterring enemy attacks during ground operations. The presence of airpower assets stopped enemy forces from acting and allowed Afghan and coalition missions to continue without risk to Afghan civilians from enemy fire. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers assigned to coalition units verified the success of these missions. In total, 61 close air support missions were flown in support of the ISAF and Afghan security forces, reconstruction activities and route patrols. Twenty-four Air Force surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions as part of operations in Afghanistan. In addition, two coalition aircraft performed tactical reconnaissance. In Iraq, coalition aircraft flew 8 close air support missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions integrated and synchronized with coalition ground forces, protected key infrastructure, provided overwatch for reconstruction activities, and helped to deter and disrupt hostile activities. Twenty-four Air Force and Navy surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions as part of operations in Iraq. What is more, two Air Force aircraft performed tactical reconnaissance. U.S. Air Force C-130s and C-17s provided intra-theater heavy airlift, helping to sustain operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa. Approximately 120 airlift sorties were flown; 300 tons of cargo was delivered; and about 2,530 passengers were transported. This included about 20,650 pounds of aerial resupply cargo dropped over Afghanistan. Coalition C-130 crews flew as part of operations in Afghanistan or Iraq. On July 4, Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and "Guardian Angel" teams transported 14 wounded soldiers to coalition field hospitals from locations in Afghanistan. Pararescue Team members aboard located, rescued and began treatment to stabilize patients in the battlefield. The Pave Hawk transported these patients to field hospitals in less time than it takes for a civilian patient to reach emergency care by ambulance in most major cities. U.S. Air Force aerial refueling crews flew 35 sorties and off-loaded approximately 2.0 million pounds of fuel to 110 receiving aircraft.
UK Helicopters to be Prepared for Afghan Operations
Relevance Score: 3.110 2009-08-13 09:21:54
The homecoming of two Merlin helicopters to RAF Benson yesterday marked the end of an era for the Royal Air Force as now all of the Service’s aircraft have left Iraq. And having just returned from a six-year deployment to Iraq, the helicopters will undergo a series of modifications to ensure they are prepared for their next operation in Afghanistan by the end of this year. The last two Merlins flew back to RAF Benson in Oxfordshire yesterday, Tuesday 11 August 2009, to be met at the station by Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, alongside friends and families in a homecoming ceremony. Merlin and Puma Force Commander and RAF Benson Station Commander Group Captain Jon Burr said: “The Pumas have played an active role in Iraq since 2003, to be joined by the Merlins two years later. The Merlin made its name in casualty evacuation, carrying out daring rescues in a hostile environment to rescue British and coalition lives. It’s been a big commitment for the personnel of RAF Benson. Some staff have been deployed in Iraq several times over, which combined has added up to almost two years of their lives spent in Iraq. “I’d like to salute the courage, skill and commitment of all RAF Benson personnel who have served so valiantly in Iraq, to help make a better life for the Iraqi people.” Wing Commander Nigel Colman, Officer Commanding 78 Squadron, of which the Merlins were a part, said: “It’s fantastic to bring home the squadron. We faced quite varied and significant challenges in Iraq, on an operation which has at times involved intense war-fighting. Now we’re able to prepare for and be completely focused on Afghanistan.” Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said: “The Merlin and Puma forces have played a hugely important role in our operations in Iraq and I would like to thank all those involved, as well as their families and friends for the strong support they have given over the last six years. We can all be incredibly proud of their achievements and Iraq today is a better place thanks to their outstanding service, commitment and sacrifice.” Now all RAF aircraft have left Iraq, the Service is concentrating on getting all available equipment to the troops in Afghanistan to provide additional support in the form of Puma, Lynx and Merlin helicopters, each of which will offer additional capabilities to the existing International Security Assistance Force kit already being used in theatre. Deputy Commander Joint Helicopter Command, Air Commodore Simon Falla, said: “At the moment we have Apache doing the Ground Fire Support role out in Afghanistan, principally supporting other helicopters and protecting troops on the ground. The principal troop carrier is the Chinook and also deals with CASEVAC [casualty evacuation] and I’d like to think that we have a world-beating capability with this aircraft in that role. “We’ve got Sea King helicopters out there doing what we call Command Support, in other words they are able to take round small groups of people, principally commanders, and get them round the battlefield. Mobility around the battlefield is pretty important and that’s the kind of role they’re getting into. “Our Lynx aircraft are worked with seasonally. They are built for a temperate environment, they’re not well suited to the hot weather in Afghanistan, but in the winter they can work and so from September they’ll be out there. They work in an escort role, again escorting transport helicopters and offering mutual support, in other words looking after another helicopter as a pair. And Merlin will be going out at the end of the year to do the troop transport role. “In Kenya we’ve deployed our Puma helicopters who have also recently returned from Iraq, principally to do Army training; they work in a troop transport role so they’re out there to train the Army. And Lynx helicopters will be going out there to do their pre-deployment training in Kenya.” Mr Ainsworth stressed that the Merlin helicopter will be a massive boost to UK troops currently serving in Afghanistan. He said: “It’s a well armoured aircraft. It’s served in Iraq very successfully for the last few years and we are spending money on its protection as well as its lift capability before we send it out to Afghanistan. I am confident that this helicopter is perfectly capable of the job that we’re giving it to do in Afghanistan. “The Merlin has a long range so, with the great distances that there are in Afghanistan, in Helmand, it will be ideally suited by the time we’ve done our modifications for that theatre. When people see the Merlin arrive they’ll know that there is additional support there. “The Merlin being finished in Iraq means that we can now reconfigure it, get it fit and get it out to Afghanistan. “We have work going on to see if we can increase the number of Chinooks that we’ve got out in theatre. “We’re going to upgrade the Lynx to make sure it can fly all year round in the hot circumstances of Afghanistan. So, this is part of an ongoing process. We’ve doubled the number of helicopter hours and the Merlin gives us the opportunity to get even more helicopter hours to our troops. Mostly it’s going to be used for lifting and for transporting troops around, moving people around in theatre.” With the Merlins returned to their hangars at RAF Benson, preparation for their mission to Afghanistan has already begun. The modifications include new rotor blades, improvements to the Defensive Aid Suite which protects the aircraft from threats on the ground, as well as ballistic protection. Wing Commander Ross Richards who oversees training on the Merlins said: “Afghanistan and Iraq are very different theatres, so we’ve got a series of modifications to make to enable the aircraft to cope with the different conditions and threats they will face in Afghanistan. “When you add the heat and the increase in altitude together, the aircraft has to work harder – the air is thinner and they have to work closer to the edge of their performance envelope. “We’re working hard and are on track to deploy the required number of aircraft by the end of the year. By the end of the year we should see Merlins in Afghanistan.” It’s not just the helicopters which have to prepare for life in Afghanistan as many of the engineers who returned from Iraq will travel with the Merlins too. Flight Lieutenant Ross Norman said that the change in theatres may prove challenging: “The main element will be handling the aircraft at that height,” he said. “In Iraq the areas we were working in were mostly flat deserts and open land or urban areas – Afghanistan is very different.” The helicopter squadron will now take part in a four-month training exercise in America to prepare for deployment to Afghanistan later this year. Mr Ainsworth added: “I have been extremely impressed with the energy and enthusiasm of everyone here at RAF Benson who are busting a gut to get these helicopters ready for their next challenge. They know, as I do, that additional helicopters in Afghanistan will help us to achieve more and achieve it faster.”
Iraq's hot, but a tourist hotspot?
Relevance Score: 3.013 2009-06-10 11:37:14
Iraq's first notable tourist, Jonah, hated it. Belched out of a whale and stuck under Ninevah's parching, sweltering sun, the Bible says he cared more for the plant that shaded him than for the city he was sent to save. Thousands of years later, it's cliché to say Iraq is not everyone's ideal day-trip. But, in the six years since Saddam Hussein was deposed, conditions have reached the point where tourism is now a viable industry. That's where Master Sgt. Dave Cullen of the 34th Infantry Division comes in. "My job is to increase tourism to Iraq," said Cullen, noncommissioned officer-in-charge for Tourism and Employment in Multi-National Division-South. Hundreds of thousands of people already travel to Najaf, Karbala and Babil for religious events every year, said Cullen. "Some of the northern provinces in our area have over 30% of the economy based on tourism." In addition, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates has hundreds of historical sites and is the birthplace Hammurabi, Nebuchadnezzar and also the wheel. "The history of the world starts there," Cullen said. Unfortunately for history buffs everywhere, nations ravaged by over 30 years of war and tyranny generally do not offer a plethora of five-star accommodations. "They don't have a very good hotel industry or service industry," said Cullen. The good news, however, is that Cullen will not have to revive Iraq's tourism sector all by himself. In addition to the brigade combat teams and non-government organizations in the area, Cullen will be working by, with, and through Iraqi nationals. "It can't be Dave Cullen going down there and saying I need to set up a hotel," said Cullen. "It has to be agreed upon through their eyes." By working together with the Iraqi government, Cullen will be helping ensure a healthy economy for Iraq after Coalition forces are no more. "The increase of tourism by increasing their economy is going to build a safer environment," said Cullen. Like Jonah and his whale, Cullen and the 34th Red Division have been tasked with a unique mission: to help make Iraq a better place.
Iraq's hot, but a tourist hotspot?
Relevance Score: 2.866 2009-06-10 11:37:14
Iraq's first notable tourist, Jonah, hated it. Belched out of a whale and stuck under Ninevah's parching, sweltering sun, the Bible says he cared more for the plant that shaded him than for the city he was sent to save. Thousands of years later, it's cliché to say Iraq is not everyone's ideal day-trip. But, in the six years since Saddam Hussein was deposed, conditions have reached the point where tourism is now a viable industry. That's where Master Sgt. Dave Cullen of the 34th Infantry Division comes in. "My job is to increase tourism to Iraq," said Cullen, noncommissioned officer-in-charge for Tourism and Employment in Multi-National Division-South. Hundreds of thousands of people already travel to Najaf, Karbala and Babil for religious events every year, said Cullen. "Some of the northern provinces in our area have over 30% of the economy based on tourism." In addition, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates has hundreds of historical sites and is the birthplace Hammurabi, Nebuchadnezzar and also the wheel. "The history of the world starts there," Cullen said. Unfortunately for history buffs everywhere, nations ravaged by over 30 years of war and tyranny generally do not offer a plethora of five-star accommodations. "They don't have a very good hotel industry or service industry," said Cullen. The good news, however, is that Cullen will not have to revive Iraq's tourism sector all by himself. In addition to the brigade combat teams and non-government organizations in the area, Cullen will be working by, with, and through Iraqi nationals. "It can't be Dave Cullen going down there and saying I need to set up a hotel," said Cullen. "It has to be agreed upon through their eyes." By working together with the Iraqi government, Cullen will be helping ensure a healthy economy for Iraq after Coalition forces are no more. "The increase of tourism by increasing their economy is going to build a safer environment," said Cullen. Like Jonah and his whale, Cullen and the 34th Red Division have been tasked with a unique mission: to help make Iraq a better place.
General Dynamics Awarded $154 Million to Support U.S. Army's Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care
Relevance Score: 2.863 2010-02-16 19:50:10
General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a task order to support the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS), Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) Product Management Office (PMO). The task order is valued at $154 million over five years if all options are exercised. General Dynamics will provide the full spectrum of pre-deployment, deployment, on-site, re-deployment and garrison support to MC4 PMO system activities at as well as worldwide training events, including combat areas and contingency operations use. General Dynamics also provides on-the-ground support for Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom with fielding, training and sustainment of MC4 medical information systems for tactical medical forces that have been deployed to serve warfighters. MC4 integrates, fields and supports a comprehensive medical information system, enabling lifelong electronic medical records, streamlined medical logistics and enhanced situational awareness for Army tactical forces. Since 2003, MC4 has fielded 35,000 systems to combat support hospitals and deployable medical assets with the Army, Air Force, Navy and Army Special Operations Forces in 14 countries. More than 44,000 users, commanders and systems administrators have been trained through the program on how to use and support the system.
Israel Drones To Be Used by Germany In Afghanistan.
Relevance Score: 2.821 2009-11-03 19:59:02
Israel Aerospace Industries said it would supply unmanned spy planes to Germany that will see action in Afghanistan early next year. The Heron drones will be deployed by the German air force in northern Afghanistan in early 2010 for reconnaissance missions, the company said in a statement. It would not reveal how many drones were sold or for how much but informed it was a multimillion dollar deal. Germany's Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement confirmed it had inked an agreement to purchase the aircraft. Israeli drones have previously been supplied to coalition forces to gather intelligence data on Islamic militants in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Heron is Israel's largest surveillance drone, with a 54-foot wingspan and an ability to fly for as long as 30 hours at a time at a speed of 140 mph (225.3 kph) and a height of 30,000 feet (9,144 meters).
General Dynamics Awarded $154 Million to Help U.S. Army's Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care
Relevance Score: 2.193 2010-03-09 22:48:10
General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a task order to support the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS), Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care (MC4) Product Management Office (PMO). The task order is valued at $154 million over five years if all options are exercised. General Dynamics will provide the full spectrum of pre-deployment, deployment, on-site, re-deployment and garrison support to MC4 PMO system activities at as well as worldwide training events, including combat areas and contingency operations use. General Dynamics also provides on-the-ground support for Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom with fielding, training and sustainment of MC4 medical information systems for tactical medical forces that have been deployed to serve warfighters. "General Dynamics is proud of our partnership with the MC4 PMO for the past five years," informed Zannie Smith, senior vice president of General Dynamics Information Technology's Army Solutions Division. "We will continue to support MC4's vision for improved tactical healthcare and better decision making through the power of information technology. Our in-depth experience and thorough understanding of the program and its requirements enable us to promote, maintain and enhance the health and readiness of military personnel." MC4 integrates, fields and supports a comprehensive medical information system, enabling lifelong electronic medical records, streamlined medical logistics and enhanced situational awareness for Army tactical forces. Since 2003, MC4 has fielded 35,000 systems to combat support hospitals and deployable medical assets with the Army, Air Force, Navy and Army Special Operations Forces in 14 countries. More than 44,000 users, commanders and systems administrators have been trained through the program on how to use and support the system. As a trusted systems integrator for more than 50 years, General Dynamics Information Technology delivers information technology (IT), systems engineering, professional services and simulation and training to customers in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, health, federal civilian government and commercial sectors. With approximately 17,000 professionals worldwide, the company manages large-scale, mission-critical IT programs providing IT services and enterprise solutions. More information about General Dynamics Information Technology is available at www.gdit.com. General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 91,700 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com.
Non-Lethal Weapons Change Warfare
Relevance Score: 2.126 2010-03-16 19:47:12
Which is better in war? Wipe out a nation completely and start fresh? Merely disarm the enemy through aggressive tactics? Or subdue through nonaggressive means altogether? Philosophers from Niccolo Machiavelli to Carl von Clausewitz to Sun Tzu have been debating the most effective means to approach warfare for centuries. Today, the United States has been actively fighting two wars with high casualty rates for both sides. It would be valuable for the commander in chief and senior military leaders to consider the merits of a nonlethal approach to warfare. The term “nonlethal weapon” generally refers to weapons intended to be less likely to kill or to cause great bodily injury than a conventional weapon, i.e., guns, missiles, bombs, etc. Nonlethal weapons can include chemical and biological agents, electroshock devices, acoustic devices, optical munitions, blunt or rubber projectiles, traction modifiers, nets or rapid-hardening rigid foam, radio frequency or microwave technologies, computer viruses, noxious smells, and acoustical interference technologies. It wouldn’t be difficult to have soldiers learn to use these weapons more regularly, as these types of weapons are already used in any number of operations. Experience points to the fact that nonlethal weapons (NLW) are not only appropriate for use, they could be the most effective strategy and save thousands of lives. Consider, for example what happened in Somalia in 1995. Lt. Gen. Anthony Zinni forcasted the need to fill the void between verbal warnings and lethal force for unarmed hostiles while extracting United Nations peacekeepers (over 6,000 soldiers) from Somalia. He used intelligence operations to ensure the local population was informed that his forces were armed and ready with nonlethal grenade launchers and other equipment such as shotguns that fired pepper spray. As a result, not a single shot was fired and all troops and equipment were withdrawn without suffering a casualty. “Our experience in Somalia with nonlethal weapons offered ample testimony to the tremendous flexibility they offer to warriors on the field of battle,” Zinni explained later. So what prevents the military from using more tactics such as the one Zinni used? A general lack of understanding of the methods used by of torturers among watchdog groups. Groups such as the International Committee of the Red Cross have strongly opposed the proliferation of many nonlethal weapons, even going so far as campaigning to have banned them outlawed altogether, mainly due to abuse of such nonlethal weapons. However, as the broad definition of nonlethal weapons shows, it is a user’s intent, not the tool, that is problematic. After all, there is no shortage of objects that can be used as instruments of torture. The effectiveness of nonlethal weapons reducing noncombatant deaths and collateral damage and bridging the gap between lethality and a show of force depends on intention, not capability. Moreover, soldiers understand the types of wars being fought and the enemy they are facing. Ground forces are expected to demonstrate maturity and discipline and feel confident handling their weapon systems, but confidence can only be attained as a result of training. Only through familiarization, qualification, testing, simulations, and exercises will forces confidently and responsibly employ NLWs. Senior military planners need to consider the ramifications of sending soldiers into a hostile environment armed only with lethal weapons. The resulting destruction means dealing with political, economic, social, infrastructural, and information challenges. NLWs allow for intangibles that lethal weapons do not. Some still assert that a nonlethal approach to warfare is foolish. But this is an age when stories and images are transmitted in real time all over the world by way of cellular telephones, satellite communications, Internet access, and 24-hour news outlets. Having so many casualties caused by the US is what seems foolish. When combined with well-trained and well-placed ground troops, using more nonlethal weapons could have a profound effect on how wars are fought. Miscommunications and misunderstandings might not yield more than a bruised or hurt ego, and mistakes will not result in death. Reestablishing structures and services would demand minimal resources, communities would remain intact, and coalition efforts could be directed toward investments and improvements, rather than rebuilding and damage control. If the US integrates NLWs into its doctrine and operations, it is likely that our allies and other nations will follow. And that would be a good thing. If the US casts doubt on the efficacy of NLWs in irregular warfare, it is likely to significantly impede further NLW development. Neither the president nor the National Security Council has weighed in on the debate and issued a formal policy on NLWs. The Department of Defense issued the Directive Policy for Non-Lethal Weapons in 1996, and although it is a well-intentioned effort, support from the president or National Security Council would deliver a significant boost for NLW proponents and support US efforts to demonstrate restraint, and would reduce the catastrophic effects associated with war. Richard L. Scott is the fire support officer for the 21st Calvary Brigade (Air Combat) at Fort Hood, Texas.
Military Seeks $1.3 Billion For Projects in Afghanistan
Relevance Score: 2.080 2009-10-18 11:13:57
While the Obama administration weighs whether to send additional troops to Afghanistan, the U.S. military is spending billions of dollars on construction projects to ensure the country's infrastructure can support American and coalition personnel in 2010 and years beyond. The military has already spent roughly $2.7 billion on construction over the past three fiscal years. Now, if its request is approved as part of the fiscal 2010 defense appropriations bill, it would spend another $1.3 billion on more than 100 projects at 40 sites across the country, according to a Senate report on the legislation. At the main U.S. base in Afghanistan, Bagram, the military is planning to build a $30 million passenger terminal and adjacent cargo facility to handle the flow of troops, many of whom arrive at the base north of Kabul before moving onto other sites. Under the proposed schedule, those facilities will not be completed until late 2010 and go into operation early in 2011, according to military sources. Officials say such projects are absolutely essential given the inadequate and dilapidated nature of the existing infrastructure. Bagram is far from the only U.S. base being upgraded. The military is also spending hundreds of millions of dollars constructing facilities for the Afghan army and police. The U.S.-led coalition recently announced the opening of a $68 million, U.S.-financed forward operating base near Farah, in the western part of the country bordering on Iran. The base will house 2,000 Afghan soldiers and an American mentoring team. Such bases can take a long time to build. The original solicitation for contractors on the Farah garrison project was dated Dec. 29, 2007. A proposal for an additional phase was offered in March 2008, and 18 months later, almost two years after it was first solicited, the garrison at Farah was opened. Col. Thomas E. O'Donovan, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Afghanistan Engineer District, told reporters last March that his multibillion-dollar construction program is providing "underpinnings" for efforts at establishing security and stability across Afghanistan.
General Dynamics Reaches An MC4 PMO Agreement.
Relevance Score: 2.068 2010-03-09 23:15:55
The U.S. Army has chosen General Dynamics to deliver full spectrum information technology support for mission critical tactical healthcare operations. U.S. company General Dynamics says its Information Technology unit was awarded the contract to deliver its IT services in support of the Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care Product Management Office, or MC4 PMO. Under the $154 million Army Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems task order, General Dynamics will deliver the MC4 PMO with on site tactical medical forces systems support among other pre-deployment and deployment services. "We will continue to support MC4's vision for improved tactical healthcare and better decision-making through the power of information technology," Zannie Smith, General Dynamics Information Technology Army Solutions Division senior vice president, informed in a statement. "Our in-depth experience and thorough understanding of the program and its requirements enable us to promote, maintain and enhance the health and readiness of military personnel."