Archive for April, 2009
US nuclear experts expelled from N.Korea
Four US experts monitoring the shutdown of a North Korean nuclear plant were expelled Friday from the isolated nation, Chinese media reported, days after they were told to leave.
The four departed Pyongyang’s Sunan airport for Beijing “under the DPRK’s (North Korea’s) expulsion order,” Xinhua news agency said.
North Korea on Tuesday pulled out of nuclear disarmament talks and ordered US and UN nuclear inspectors out of the country after the United Nations Security Council condemned Pyongyang for an April 5 rocket launch.
The UN nuclear inspectors left North Korea on Thursday.
It’s hard to pursue effective diplomacy with someone who knows you won’t hurt them, and who doesn’t care what you think.
North Korea is a model that can be used by virtually any nation in the world. Goody, goody.
AFPS:
Somali pirates fired on a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel south of the Gulf of Aden today, military officials reported.
Pirates attacked the motor vessel Liberty Sun with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. The crew put out a distress call received by the U.S. Coast Guard.
“The pirates were not successful in their attempt to board the vessel,” said Navy Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain. “The USS Bainbridge, [which] was in the general vicinity, responded to ensure Liberty Sun wasn’t in peril.” The pirates had fled by the time the Bainbridge arrived.
The Bainbridge put a security detail aboard the Liberty Sun.
The U.S. Navy wants to decommission its oldest aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) three years early, in 2012. Originally, the Enterprise was going to stay in service until the USS Ford entered service in 2015. But changes in aircraft weaponry, namely smart bombs and targeting pods, have reduced the need for eleven carriers. The navy believes ten will get the job done.
Murdoc continues to be skeptical that lowering the number of carriers is the correct move. The proposed gap between the Enterprise and the Ford was mentioned last summer when I wrote:
Murdoc is worried that 11 is not enough. 10 is asking for trouble.
The Strategy Page story also mentions that the Navy is looking at retiring the Nimitz 5+ years early. It’s currently scheduled to serve until 2024.
Traveling at a high rate of speed, USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) moves to position itself in the Adriatic sea in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. Events in the Yugoslavian province of Kosovo have placed ENTERPRISE in a high state of alert pending possible U.S. and other NATO led air strikes over Kosovo. This mission is in direct support of NATO Operation Allied Force. Photographer's Name: PH3 Timothy S. Smith Date Shot: 2/21/1999
Other pirates vow to retaliate after daring operation by Navy SEALs
“From now on, if we capture foreign ships and their respective countries try to attack us, we will kill them (the hostages),” Jamac Habeb, a 30-year-old pirate, told the Associated Press from one of Somalia’s piracy hubs, Eyl. “(U.S. forces have) become our No. 1 enemy.”
I take this to mean that any act of piracy can be considered to put the crew into immediate imminent danger of being killed. Therefore pirates are all legit targets immediately. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
No more waiting around for the pirates to escalate things. They’re claiming that they’ve already escalated.
A lot is being made about Obama manning up and doing the right thing here, even though it was about as total a no-brainer as you could concoct. Let’s hope he really does man up and actually addresses this with policy.
Analysis: Obama scores win on pirate crisis
His administration passes its first critical national security test
I feel the urge to comment on the idea that authorizing the use of force against hijackers if they pose an imminent threat to a US ship captain is somehow a “big win” for policy makers, but I’ll pipe down and just bask in the glow of the victory of the US Navy.
Die, pirates. Die.
Note: The “Die, pirates. Die.” is not rah-rah cheerleading or a fist-pumping victory cry. I really, honestly, mean for pirates to die. If they won’t do it on their own, someone could be sent to help them.
Via a reader: Another thorn in the F-22 and F-35 side
Boeing recently released information on a new variant of the F-15 family, the F-15SE “Silent Eagle”, which features stealth technologies and upgraded avionics. It would compete directly with F-22 and F-35 for international sales.
“The F-15 Silent Eagle is designed to meet our international customers’ anticipated need for cost-effective stealth technologies, as well as for large and diverse weapons payloads,” said Mark Bass, F-15 Program vice president for Boeing. “The innovative Silent Eagle is a balanced, affordable approach designed to meet future survivability needs.”
Missile Bay on F-15SE
Similar to full stealth fighters, the F-15SE will have different roles and configurations in the opening phase of an air campaign and in the sustainment phase, after air superiority is achieved. Flying with full ‘RCS Reduction Package’ the F-15SE will be able to carry Air-to-Air (AIM-9 and AIM-120) missiles and air-to-ground munitions to include JDAM and SDB. The aircraft could be configured to F-15SE Multirole Capable aircraft in approximately two hours, providing long range weapon capability, employing missiles such as the SLAM-ER and Harpoon Block II missiles or any other type of weapon qualified for the Strike eagle. In this configuration the aircraft will retain a total fuel capacity of 34,700 lbs at a maximum takeoff gross weight of 81,000 lbs (carrying 29,500 lbs of payload).
According to Boeing estimates, utilizing the twin F110-GE-129 engines the Silent Eagle will be able to reach an approximate mission radius of 800 nautical miles (nm) on air/ground missions and 720 nm on combat air patrols (CAP), employing the RCS reduction kit. Baseline CFT equipped F-15SE can reach 1000 nm on ground attack and 900 nm on CAP. The Silent Eagle will be able to internally carry air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 and AIM-120 and air-to-ground weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). The standard, external weapons load used on current versions of the F-15 is available with the traditional CFTs installed.
Seems to me that this might be an attractive alternative to nations looking to upgrade but unwilling or unable to pay F-35 prices. That would explain the “thorn” lede, as a cheaper (though less capable) option may be exactly what some customers are hoping for.
Remington 1740 Double Barrel Pump
With video.
Musical Road Hits Sour Notes With Neighbors
Local officials say it was a mistake to allow a television commercial company to grind grooves into a stretch of desert roadway near Lancaster to enable car tires to play a song — “The William Tell Overture” — as people drive over it.
A rigid hull inflatable boat leaves USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) on its way to FGS Hessen (F 221) during the Neptune Warrior training course in the Atlantic Ocean April 27, 2007. Neptune Warrior is a course designed to increase interoperability among NATO coalition forces in a maritime combat environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Michael Starkey) (Released)
A lot of internet searches are bringing people to a post with an image of the cruiser USS Bainbridge which was retired in 1996. Here’s the destroyer Bainbridge which is involved in the current pirate scenario.
Quote of the day over at View from the Porch:
Everyone who’s ever attended a gun show knows that you are guaranteed to find at least one table (and probably several) of genuine whackos: Neo-Nazis, conspiranoiacs, people who think space aliens assassinated Elvis with fluoridated water, that sort of thing. It’s just the eddies in the stream where the First and Second Amendments flow together. Frankly, a gun show without Nazis to mock would be like a gun show without beef jerky. [emphasis Murdoc's]
As they say: “Indeed.”
Via Say Uncle.
