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This Week in the Blackwater Tactical Weekly…
Afghanistan–Pakistan Developments
Homeland Security–First Responder
From Our Friends at Total Intelligence Solutions If you are having trouble viewing this please Click Here |
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| QUOTE OF THE WEEK |
| “A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty to that principle.” –George William Curtis |
| WEEKLY SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS |
Mullen to Marines: You Have Two Years to Turn Tide in AfghanistanChristian Science MonitorAdm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave a pep talk to marines at Camp Lejeune Monday, as the Pentagon announced that the first troops of the Afghanistan surge would deploy by the end of the year.
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| U.S. DEFENSE NEWS |
Photos: Ospreys at War in Afghanistan (Updated)Wired Danger Room – Defense BlogThe aircraft — which can take off and land like a helicopter, and shift to fixed-wing mode for forward flight — have been used in intelligence and patrol missions. But now the things are officially operational, and flying in combat. The Ospreys of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 are taking part in Operation Cobra’s Anger, a new Marine offensive in the Now Zad Valley of Helmand Province. The aircraft have been upgraded for the fight.”The Ospreys are now armed with a 7.62mm belly-mounted turret gun, known as the Interim Defense Weapon System, capable of shooting 360 degrees around the aircraft. Additionally, the ramp-mounted M240 was upgraded to a .50-cal,” Marine Corps Times notes. Full StoryA New Era for the US Defense MarketDefense TalkAfter years of unprecedented growth, the pace of overall U.S. defense spending appears to have reached a plateau, and will likely commence a steady decline in the coming years. That is not to say that the Pentagon's base budget is due for major cuts in the near term, however. Rather, the basis for this anticipated downturn is a shifting security environment overseas, particularly in Iraq. Full StoryNext-Generation Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft Takes FlightDefense TalkThe first Block 40 configuration of the RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) successfully completed its first flight on Nov. 16. Designated AF-18, the advanced capability aircraft flew for approximately two hours from Northrop Grumman Corporation's manufacturing facility in Palmdale, Calif., to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. "AF-18, the eleventh of the next-generation Global Hawk Block 20/30/40s to arrive at Edwards Air Force Base, performed beautifully," said George Guerra, Northrop Grumman vice president of HALE systems. "This flight marks the continuation of our Global Hawk flight test program, and is a testament to the team comprised of people from Northrop Grumman and the Air Force who have worked so hard to make this happen." Full StoryNew Training Method Produces Better MarksmenDefense TalkSgt. Barry Crossman was in the zone, knocking down knee-high targets 250 and 300 meters away and bouncing shots off the torso-sized iron target 300 meters distant. Out-shooting all but one of his 19 classmates in the 300-meter three target contest, he did so with the precision of someone well acquainted with rifle marksmanship. Except, this Soldier from 3rd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery, admitted to barely qualifying as a marksman throughout his nine-year career. Full StoryState Department Can’t Find Supervisors for Its Guns-for-HireWired Defense Blog – Danger RoomAfter a string of disasters involving their guns-for-hire, the State Department went looking for some folks who could help supervise their protective details in Iraq, Afghanistan and Afghanistan. Somehow, after eight months, Foggy Bottom has only managed to hire a grand total of four of these new security agents. Full Story |
| INTERNATIONAL MILITARY NEWS |
Another Test Failure for Russia's Bulava Missile?Defense NewsRussia's new nuclear-capable missile suffered another failed test launch, the defence ministry said Dec. 10, solving the mystery of a spectacular plume of white light that appeared over Norway. The Bulava missile was test-fired from the submarine Dmitry Donskoi in the White Sea early Dec. 9 but failed at the third stage, the defence ministry said in a statement. The predawn morning launch coincided with the appearance of an extraordinary light over northern Norway that captivated observers. Full StoryUkraine and Iraq Sign $2.5 Billion Weapons DealDefense Industry DailyReports have surfaced that a $2.5 billion defense agreement between the Ukraine and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense will involve 420 of Khariv Morozov’s BTR-4 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carriers, 6 of Antonov ASTC/ Aviant’s AN-32B light military transport planes, and repair work on 2 of Iraq’s Mi-8T military helicopters. If these contracts go through, they would provide a significant boost to the Ukraine’s defense exports, and make that country one of Iraq’s top defense suppliers. Full StoryM1 Abrams Tanks for IraqDefense Industry DailyOn July 31/08, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced [PDF] Iraq’s formal request to buy M1 Abrams tanks, well as the associated vehicles, equipment and services required to keep them in the field. The tanks will apparently be new-build, not transferred from American stocks. With this purchase, Iraq would become the 4th M1 Abrams operator in the region, joining Egypt (M1A1s), Kuwait (M1A2), and Saudi Arabia (M1A2-SEP variant). Full StoryIsrael Defense Forces Aims for Quieter, Sturdier UAVsHomeland Security News WireThe IDF has issues an RFP for a stealthy UAV; the quiet UAV will be attached to battalions in the theater to provide surveillance on a tactical, pinpointed level; also, in an effort to increase its intelligence-gathering capabilities, the IAF will in the coming months establish a new squadron of Heron TP UAVs, called the Eitan, manufactured by IAI. Full Story |
| AFGHANISTAN–PAKISTAN DEVELOPMENTS |
US Air Force Confirms 'Beast of Kandahar' DroneAgence-France PresseThe US Air Force on Tuesday confirmed for the first time that it is flying a stealth unmanned aircraft known as the "Beast of Kandahar," a drone spotted in photos and shrouded in secrecy. The RQ-170 Sentinel is being developed by Lockheed Martin and is designed "to provide reconnaissance and surveillance support to forward deployed combat forces," the air force said in a brief statement. Full StoryU.S. Military Joins CIA’s Drone War in PakistanWired Defense Blog - Danger RoomThe headquarters for the American military’s air war in Central Asia and the Middle East is located in a converted medical warehouse on an undisclosed base in a country the U.S. Air Force would rather not name. The lights are turned down low, so the troops can clearly see the giant screen at the far end of the in this cavernous, classified facility. Full StoryAmerican Troops Combat Taliban’s New Weapon of Choice – Secondary BombsStars & StripesAs armored vehicles improve, killing soldiers with roadside bombs becomes increasingly difficult. So insurgents do what they can to separate the two. Roadside bombs are still effective in stopping a convoy. If the insurgents can disable a vehicle, they can force U.S. troops out of the protective vehicles to investigate, exposing them to secondary bombs — increasingly a weapon of choice in the badlands of southern Afghanistan. Full StoryWhy Pakistan's Old Jihadists Pose New Threat – At Home and in AfghanistanChristian Science MonitorIn an interview, a jihadi talks about why state-sponsored militants who once fought in Indian-controlled Kashmir are now joining the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like many of his friends from Pakistan's Punjab Province, in the 1990s he rushed east to help the Army fight the Indians in Kashmir. When government support dried up in 2002, he returned home to his quiet farming town of Hafizabad. But last summer, Mr. Dilawar found a new cause. This time he headed west to join the Taliban, sneaking across the mountainous border to Afghanistan to fight NATO forces. The Phrase That’s Screwing Up the Afghan Air WarWired Defense Blog – Danger RoomThe rules of the new Afghanistan air war appear to be pretty straight-ahead. If a commander on the ground declares that his troops are “in contact” — coming under fire — then drones and fighter jets and attack helicopters will immediately streak to his location. Otherwise, the commander’s chances of getting air support are fairly slim. So it’s no surprise that “troops in contact,” or “TIC,” has become the most abused phrase in the Afghanistan campaign. |
| HOMELAND SECURITY–FIRST RESPONDER |
Dallas-Fort Worth Area Moves to Top Tier of Terrorism TargetsDallas NewsDallas is now officially one of the nation's top 10 terrorist targets – a designation that sounds alarming but which state and local officials have sought for years, because it means millions in federal funds to beef up security. The Department of Homeland Security's precise reasons remain secret, but there were plenty of educated guesses Wednesday about the many factors that justify putting Dallas on a list with New York and Washington. They include population growth, huge sports venues, economic impact, and even the fact that an ex-president calls the city home. Full StoryTSA Accidentally Reveals Airport Security SecretsWashington PostThe Transportation Security Administration inadvertently revealed closely guarded secrets related to airport passenger screening practices when it posted online this spring a document as part of a contract solicitation. The 93-page TSA operating manual details procedures for screening passengers and checked baggage, such as technical settings used by X-ray machines and explosives detectors. It also includes pictures of credentials used by members of Congress, CIA employees and federal air marshals, and it identifies 12 countries whose passport holders are automatically subjected to added scrutiny. Customs and Border Protection Readies Maritime UAVHomeland Security NewswireTo increase the long-range reconnaissance capabilities over water, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection take deliver of a maritime variant of the Predator B UAV; the Predator B UAV has already proven its value to homeland security over the U.S. land borders and the Great Lakes region. |
| FROM OUR FRIENDS AT TOTAL INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS |
Afghanistan: Escalating the War Against the Taliban’Highlights
On December 1, 2009 United States (US) President Barack Obama gave his much anticipated policy speech regarding near, medium, and long-term goals in Afghanistan. While President Obama’s speech outlined numerous policy goals for Afghanistan, it is the escalation of nearly 30,000 additional troops and an 18-month timeline that has stood out the most, remaining two of the most controversial aspects of the new war plan. With the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorating rapidly and the Afghan Taliban gaining momentum, a troop surge by the US is needed if violence is to subside. However, by setting a timeline for July 2011 when troops will begin withdrawing, giving General Stanley McChrystal only 18 months to drastically alter the security situation in Afghanistan is almost an impossible task given the gains the Afghan Taliban have made in recent years. The preceding article is part of subscription service created byTotal Intelligence Solutions (TIS). For additional information, please contact Brad Slade at bslade@totalintel.com. |
| BUMPER STICKER |
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| FRANKS REVIEW |
Tactical Equipment EvaluationPhantom LitterI’d be the first to admit that I’m not a combat medic, tactical medic or any other kind of “medic”. I’m one of those people who has had my share of basic first-aid as well as advanced first-aid and the bits and pieces of trauma wound treatment one picks up from true tactical medics. Most of the downed officer/soldier extraction I’ve been trained to deal with involves a drag handle and moving fast under the cover of suppressive fire or behind a hard vehicle. So when I got to test and use the Phantom Litter from Tactical Medical Solutions I had to expand my mind and knowledge base.Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.newamericantruth.com/reviews/tacems/tacmedlitter.htm Recreational Equipment Review“Family Honor” by Robert B. ParkerSo recently I found myself wandering around the airport in Milwaukee because I had arrived several hours earlier than my scheduled flight (and about ten minutes too late for an earlier flight out). I was surprised to find a book store in the airport that sold used books and went in to find something to read during the wait and on the flight. I found a used copy of “Family Honor” – a Sunny Randall novel by Robert B. Parker. I was familiar with the character because Parker had put her into his Jesse Stone storyline. I picked up and wasn’t disappointed.Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.newamericantruth.com/reviews/recread/familyhonor.htm |
| CHAPLAINS CORNER |
THE GOERS, THE DOERS AND THE WAITERSSome of this you have heard before. Today I am impressed to tell it again...For as long as there has been man upon the earth there has been the combination of those who go away and those who await their return… Those who go, go out for conquest, exploration, work, food, provisions or a mission. I all too well remember the tears and pain of some of those partings… And the great joy of the reunions. Full article can be seen at: http://www.ustraining.com/new/btw/chaplain/121409chaplain.htm |
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| CONTACT INFORMATION |
The Blackwater Tactical Weekly is a free weekly e–publication. The Mission of the Blackwater Tactical Weekly is to provide readers with valuable information from diverse sources regarding tactical, strategic, and geo–political security issues. Editor–in–Chief – N Conley (btw@ustraining.com) Questions regarding US Training (252) 435–2035 To subscribe to the Blackwater Tactical Weekly, Click Here To view an archived edition of the Blackwater Tactical Weekly, Click Here |
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