A U.S. Marine with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment inspects a vehicle at Forward Operating Base Now Zad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 17, 2012. (DoD photo by Cpl. Alejandro Pena, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)
A Force Protection Cougar and two Oshkosh M-ATVs.
The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the world’s largest naval station. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott/Released)
The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the world’s largest naval station. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott/Released)
U.S. Army Spc. Richard Burton leans out the door of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to get a better view of the ground during a flight mission over Afghanistan’s Kandahar province on Nov. 26, 2012. Burton is a crew chief with the 25th Infantry Division’s 2nd Battalion, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie, U.S. Army. (Released)
A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352 refuels a French air force Dassault Mirage 2000-5 aircraft during a refueling training mission over Djibouti Nov. 22, 2012. The mission was intended to improve interoperability between U.S. and French forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Joseph McKee/Released)
An Afghan National Army soldier provides security at an observation post in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, Nov. 25, 2012. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Nicolas Morales, U.S. Army/Released)
Bonus points for him if he’s not aiming at US troops.
Let’s hope it’s up to all sorts of no good.
The Air Force launched its third Orbital Test Vehicle, the X-37B, Dec. 11, 2012, at Cape Canaveral, Fla. The third launch follows closely behind a record-setting 469 days in space for the second OTV. (Courtesy photo)
Air Force launches 3rd X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle
In the next installment to improve space capability and further develop an affordable, reusable space vehicle, the Air Force conducted its third X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle launch here on December 11, officials said.
The launch comes on the heels of the successful flight of OTV-2, which made an autonomous landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., June 11 after a record 469 days in space.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the strides we’ve made in this program and the success of the X-37B vehicle on the first two flights,” said Mr. Richard McKinney, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space. “However, it is important to keep in mind that this is an experimental vehicle and a third mission is still relatively young for a test program. This is the first re-flight of a vehicle so that is certainly a key objective for us. We have only just begun what is a very systematic checkout of the system.”
This is OTV-1, the first one that flew in 2010. See Secret Space Plane is Back for more.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ty Aweau, an Aviation Survival Technician, conducts rescue swimmer training with an aircrew in an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter off Hermosa Beach, Calif., Nov. 16, 2012. (DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Eggers, U.S. Coast Guard/Released)
The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) operates near a storm in the Arabian Sea Nov. 19, 2012. Dwight D. Eisenhower is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (DoD photo by Lt. Greg Linderman, U.S. Navy/Released)
Looks like they’re heading for a storm like the Nimitz ran into in THE FINAL COUNTDOWN.
An X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator is hoisted aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 26, 2012. Sailors aboard the Harry S. Truman were conducting flight deck handling tests with the UCAS. Harry S. Truman was the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. (DoD photo by Alan Radecki, U.S. Navy/Released)
NOTE: This is a re-post from 2009.
There are a lot of familiar images from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Here is one of them:
The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin (DD-372) in Drydock One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes. USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right distance, beyond the crane. Visible in the center distance is the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37), with USS Maryland (BB-46) alongside. Smoke is from the sunken and burning USS Arizona (BB-39), out of view behind Pennsylvania. USS California (BB-44) is partially visible at the extreme left. This image has been attributed to Navy Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives Collection.
Those who don’t know or haven’t looked closely might not notice that there are two destroyers in front of the battleship. The drydock had been dry when the attack began, but after raging fires began setting off ammunition aboard the destroyers, it was flooded in an attempt to douse the flames. Cassin slipped from her blocks and rolled against Downes.
Both ships were 1500-ton Mahan-class ships and had been commissioned in the mid-30s.
Here’s another image, taken from near where the two men in the first photo are standing at the head of the dock. The men on the Downes surveying the damage give a great sense of scale:
In Drydock Number One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on 7 December 1941, immediatly following the Japanese attack. Both ships had been severely damaged by bomb hits and the resulting fires. In the background, also in Drydock Number One, is USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), which had received relatively light damage in the raid. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, NHHC Collection.
Notice the man in white uniform crawling on the Cassin, just behind the partially submerged #2 turret.
Here’s a shot from the rear of the destroyers:
Read the rest of this entry »
Instapundit
GunPundit
Wizbang
Danger Room
Strategy Page
Defense Tech
Hell in a Handbasket
OpFor
Defense Industry Daily
Stryker Brigade News
Michelle Malkin
Frank Warner
Blackfive
Ministry of Minor Perfidy
Dean's World
Threats Watch
Counterterrorism Blog
Milblogs
Gateway Pundit
Long War Journal
Instapinch
Winds of Change
Argghhh!
EagleSpeak
WorldwideStandard
Airborne Combat Engineer