Archive for the ‘Military & Defense’ Category
Not looking good:
Cargo Ship MV Rena on 09 Jan 2012.
The ship ran aground off the coast of New Zealand in October. They unloaded many of the containers, but a storm this past weekend finished her off.
A full gallery of photos is on Yahoo.
What a mess.
Another Michigan link:
West Michigan Army team goes to Afghanistan to engage other women, and win them over
As a mother, Army Sgt. Andrea Yearsoivich treasures home and family.
And as such, she values the chance to lead female soldiers in Afghanistan with a specialized new role: Win hearts and minds, not by firing weapons, but by breaking down cultural barriers that often impede male troops.
“I think it makes absolute sense. It is an amazing opportunity,” said Yearsoivich, 31. The Grand Rapids resident left last week for Afghanistan with other members of the Wyoming-based Michigan National Guard.
Yearsoivich heads a team of six “female engagement” soldiers, tasked to earn the trust of Afghan women and gain information often off-limits to men.
Good stuff, and proud to see some local guardspersons on this important mission.
Longtime readers may recall a 2006 interview Murdoc had with Jannelle Zalkovsky, a soldier who was on a similar mission in Iraq.
Heh. “Guardspersons.”
Private security firm hired to guard Michigan’s National Guard bases and facilities
The state has hired a West Michigan-based private security firm to protect six of its National Guard and Air National Guard bases and facilities.
In a 5-year, $15 million contract, DK Security will provide armed security services at six military installations around the state.
The facilities include Camp Grayling, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Ft. Custer Training Center, Joint Forces Headquarters and Grand Ledge Army National Guard Base.
Reminds Murdoc of
Close Up Photos of China’s Carrier
While we’ve written about the new weapon systems the Chinese are installing aboard her, notice these pics show some early 1960s-vintage RBU-6000 Soviet-designed anti-submarine rocket launchers. Nothing like some 50-year-old weaponry to outfit your “new” carrier. Although, another picture shows a more modern rolling airframe missile launcher.
The Shi Lang recently returned from another short trial cruise.
Meanwhile, Murdoc didn’t know that the Chinese had actually turned another ex-Russian carrier into an actual hotel. Well, the Kiev, which was more of a missile cruiser hybrid which could operate a helos and Yak-38s.
A Decade Late, but We’ll Take Them
Light Air Support turboprops for the Afghans. Keeping fingers crossed that we end up with a couple.
If the USAF won’t buy any, the Army should start pushing for the chance to field a few squadrons. Make noise and either get the rules changed or convince the AF to play ball.
US aircraft carrier filmed by Iran in Strait of Hormuz standoff
They’re all giddy about this, apparently:
An Iranian surveillance plane has recorded video and photographed a US aircraft carrier during Iran’s ongoing navy drill near a strategic waterway in the Persian Gulf, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The commander of Iran’s navy said the reconnaissance mission was proof that his fleet had “control over the moves by foreign forces” but it was unclear what intelligence could be derived from the grainy video, which was played triumphantly on state television.
“Control over the moves by foreign forces” by taping some video? They apparently define “control” differently than we do.
Here is the video. Decide if they’ve got control over the movement of the USS John Stennis:
I didn’t translate the news report, but it probably said the ship was fleeing for its life.
Murdoc hadn’t been planning to take a break, but it was refreshing.
So here’s a picture of some ships drag racing:
U.S. Navy Hull Technician Firemen Douglas Anderson, left, and Patrick Zembol watch as the guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill performs a replenishment at sea with the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in heavy seas in the Pacific Ocean Dec. 24, 2011. Bunker Hill was part of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and was deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet and U.S. 7th Fleet areas of responsibility. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Dean M. Cates, U.S. Navy/Released)
Missed this yesterday:
Happy 375th birthday, National Guard
The National Guard began on Dec. 13, 1636, when the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law establishing formal militia companies.
Last F-22 Raptor Rolls Off Assembly Line
The final F-22 Raptor fighter jet rolled off the assembly line during a ceremony at the Lockheed Martin aircraft plant at Dobbins Air Reserve Base. The U.S. military is turning to the less costly F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to complement its operational fleet of 187 Raptors, amid concerns in Washington that the $153 million F-22 is too costly and too high-tech for its own good.
187 is not enough.
