This Week in the Blackwater Tactical Weekly…

Weekly Security Developments

• Afghan Taliban Strike Heart of Afghan Capital
• New Wave of Warlords Bedevils United States
• The War in Afghanistan: Bombs and Baksheesh
• Defense Contractors Confident About Fiscal 2011 Budget

U.S. Defense News

• Through a Glass, Darkly: Night Vision Gives US Troops Edge
• New Level of Surgical Precision: Remington’s Modular Sniper Rifle .338
• Gaining the Tactical Edge with the Smith & Wesson M&P MOE
• New Modernized Howitzer Vehicle Unveiled for US Army
• Army Prepares To Fight Terrorists With Laser Weapons

International Military News

• Eurofighter Typhoon Top Trumps the F-15
• France’s Rafale Fighters: Program Overview, 4th French Order
• Measuring China’s Naval Fleet
• Israeli Tactical Video Link, Helmet Displays Improve Situational Awareness U.S. Marine Gunships
• Israel’s New Sonic Cannon
• United States to Provide RQ-7 Shadow Tactical UAVs to Pakistan

Afghanistan–Pakistan Developments

• New Sharpshooter Rifle Added to United Kingdom’s Army Arsenal
• New Vehicles Help Reduce U.S. Deaths in Afghanistan
• In Eastern Afghan Province, Preview of Upcoming Surge Strategy
• The Hunt for Hakimullah Mehsud
• Bible References on Rifle Sights Used in Afghanistan to be Removed

Homeland Security–First Responder

• SIG Sauer's SIG516 Will Offer Select Fire For Officers
• Should Guantanamo Bay Be Closed?
• Review of Christmas Day Jet Bomb Plot Shows More Missed Clues
• Military Contractors Targeted in Chinese Hacker Attacks
• Experts Question U.S. Terror Alert System

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“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.”

Afghan Taliban Strike Heart of Afghan Capital

Wall Street Journal

The Taliban launched a coordinated attack on the Afghan capital Monday, paralyzing the city for most of the day as militants set off explosions, took over buildings and attempted to disrupt the swearing-in of new cabinet ministers.  At least 12 people were killed, including seven militants, and 71 people were injured—mostly by hand-grenade fragments—by the time the attacks were over, said Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak. Seven insurgents were shot dead in the fighting and an unknown number of other militants died in suicide blasts, he said.

Full Story

Through a Glass, Darkly: Night Vision Gives US Troops Edge

Defense Industry Daily

It was Christmas Eve 2007 and US Army Rangers were searching for suspected Al-Qaeda members in Mosul, Iraq. They were using their night vision goggles so they would have the element of surprise on their side. The story, detailed in a USA Today article, dramatically demonstrates the advantage night vision capabilities provide to US troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.

New Level of Surgical Precision: Remington’s Modular Sniper Rifle .338

Tactical Life

Remington’s Model 700 bolt action has been in production since the early 1960’s and has acquired a cult following in the 40+ years since. And not without reason — the Model 700 action is one of the most simple and robust actions ever produced. The 700 action is the foundation upon which the Marine Corps has been building its issued sniper rifles since the late 60’s. The Army was a little late to the game, picking up the Model 700 based M-24 in the late 80’s, which is still issued today. It’s hard to demonstrate a more decisive mastery of the bolt-action precision rifle than the production of two branches of service sniper rifles for a combined six decades

Gaining the Tactical Edge with the Smith & Wesson M&P MOE

Tactical Life

In this latest and greatest age of super tricked-out AR 15 rifles, the simple things tend to get lost in the hype. Certainly not immune, I currently field both a piston-driven 6.8 SPC with all the bells and whistles for patrol, and a suppressed piston-driven 10-inch 5.56mm on entry. How far removed that is from the typical police officer became evident rather quickly at the department firearms training just a few weeks ago.

New Modernized Howitzer Vehicle Unveiled for US Army

Defense Talk

BAE Systems today unveiled its upgraded PIM (Paladin Integrated Management) vehicle to military customers, Congressional representatives, community leaders and employees at a ceremony held at its York facility. PIM is the next generation howitzer in the M-109 Paladin family of vehicles, a combat proven weapon system manufactured byBAE Systems at York.  “The modernization of the Paladin is a critical step in providing the Army with a sustainable and supportable fleet of upgraded vehicles,” said Joe McCarthy, vice president and general manager of the Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) systems for BAE Systems. “The roll-out of our PIM system will ensure that the HBCT continues to have the premier Fire Support Platform needed to support the warfighter.”

Army Prepares To Fight Terrorists With Laser Weapons

Fox News

The military envisions a future of laser warfare -- ultra-precise weapons based on devastatingly powerful beams of light. It's only a matter of time until the U.S. Army fights terrorists and other enemy combatants with laser beams, engaging in battles seen previously only in movies like 'Starship Troopers' and 'Star Trek.'

Eurofighter Typhoon Top Trumps the F-15

Defense Talk

During recent exercises, NATO Air Forces carried out several training combat engagements known as DACT, Dissimilar Aircraft Combat Training, involving different types of aircraft. In this situation, where the air dominance is a matter, the Eurofighter Typhoons turned out to be the leading air-to-air fighter jets.  Once again, the outstanding performance of the Eurofighter Typhoon was evident in a dogfight simulation. The 111 Squadron of the Spanish Air Force as well as the 493rd Squadron of the U.S. Air Force were deployed for training in Gando Air Base, Gran Canaria. The Spanish Squadron attended the training with a total of six Eurofighter Typhoons. The U.S. Air Force deployed F-15s.

France’s Rafale Fighters: Program Overview, 4th French Order

Defense Industry Daily

Will Dassault’s fighter become a fashionably late fighter platform that builds on its parent company’s past successes – or just “the late Rafale”? It all began as a 1985 breakaway from the multinational consortium that went on to create EADS’ Eurofighter. The French needed a lighter aircraft that was suitable for carrier use, and were reportedly unwilling to cede design authority over the project. As is so often true of French defense procurement policy, the choice came down to one of paying additional costs for full independence and exact needs, or losing key industrial capabilities by partnering or buying abroad. France has generally opted for expensive but independent defense choices, and the Rafale was no exception

Measuring China’s Naval Fleet

Strategy Page

The U.S. Navy accidentally posted their classified estimate on the size and composition of the Chinese Navy. This data was quickly taken down, but not before it was copied and posted worldwide.

Israeli Tactical Video Link, Helmet Displays Improve Situational Awareness U.S. Marine Gunships

Defense Update

U.S. Marine Corps AH-1W attack helicopters will significantly improve the situational awareness of gunship crews. Two systems being delivered by Elbit Systems of America provide these enhancements - the new Tactical Video Data-Links and Helmet Display & Tracker system (HDTS). Following the upgrade, to be performed in 2010, aircrews flying these advanced Cobra gunships will be able to access real-time imagery obtained from UAVs, aircraft targeting pods and ground based sensors.

Israel’s New Sonic Cannon

Strategy Page

Israel has developed a new non-lethal weapon; the Thunder Cannon. Light enough to be mounted in a cart, it uses a new Pulse Detonation Technology that combines LPG (liquefied natural gas) with air to create a sonic boom in a cannon type barrel. Each burst moves forward at 2,000 meters per second and lasts 300 milliseconds. The cannon generates 60 to 100 bursts per second. One 27 pound (12kg) canister of LPG can create 5,000 bursts.

United States to Provide RQ-7 Shadow Tactical UAVs to Pakistan

Asian Defense Blog

The United States will provide a dozen unarmed aerial spy drones to Pakistan for the first time as part of an effort to encourage Pakistan’s cooperation in fighting militancy on the Afghanistan border, American defense officials said Thursday.The unmanned Shadow drones, which are smaller than armed Predator drones, would be a significant upgrade in the Pakistanis’ reconnaissance and surveillance capability and would supply video to help cue ground or air strikes.

New Sharpshooter Rifle Added to United Kingdom’s Army Arsenal

Defense Talk

A new rifle is being bought for troops in Afghanistan that will improve the long-range firepower available on the frontline, the Ministry of Defence announced today. The Sharpshooter rifle will fire a 7.62mm round and will enhance accuracy of engagement during longer-range firefights with the Taliban and this weapon will be used by some of the best shots in the Infantry.

New Vehicles Help Reduce U.S. Deaths in Afghanistan

McClatchy

Canadian reporter Michelle Lang spent her last moments in a Canadian Light Armored Vehicle rolling down a muddy path in Kandahar province on the day before New Year's Eve.  The improvised explosive device that killed Lang and four Canadian soldiers flipped the 23-ton LAV upside down, according to the Canwest News Service, Lang's employer. The Canadian LAV-III and LAV-25 closely resemble the American Stryker, an armored vehicle that U.S. soldiers have nicknamed the "Kevlar coffin."

In Eastern Afghan Province, Preview of Upcoming Surge Strategy

McClatchy

Although President Barack Obama's decision to send 30,000 or more additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan has captured headlines, the buildup that's beginning in this Taliban stronghold near the Pakistani border isn't just a combat operation.  In about a week, officials from the Agency for International Development, the State Department, the Department of Agriculture and a military-led Provisional Reconstruction Team will move into the military's Camp Goode. Their arrival is a preview of the Obama administration's evolving strategy in Paktia province and throughout Afghanistan.

The Hunt for Hakimullah Mehsud

Pakistan News

Imagine a most-wanted man listening to the radio carrying reports of his death and hearing not very well-informed analysts talking about its consequences. All this sounds bizarre, but this is what seems to have happened on Jan 14 when the CIA fired its drones to kill Pakistani Taliban commander Hakimullah Mahsud in the remote Shaktoi area in South Waziristan.  Hakimullah survived, claiming that he wasn't even there at the time of the attack and contradicting his spokesman, Azam Tariq, who had earlier said that the "ameer," or head, was in Shaktoi but had left before the pilotless US spy planes struck the mountainous village.

Bible References on Rifle Sights Used in Afghanistan to be Removed

Times Online

A defence contractor will voluntarily stop stamping references to Bible verses on combat rifle sights made for the US military.  In a statement released yesterday, Trijicon said that it is also providing free modification kits to remove the references from the telescopic sights already in use. The Marine Corps has purchased more than 200,000 Trijicon sights and the Army has bought about 100,000. The British Army is also using them in Afghanistan.

SIG Sauer's SIG516 Will Offer Select Fire For Officers

Police Magazine

When it arrives in the spring, SIG Sauer's SIG516 tactical rifle line for law enforcement officers will offer semi-auto and select fire variants, according to the company.  SIG introduced the rifle line at SHOT Show in Las Vegas, and will also make a civilian version.  The SIG516 rifles are gas-piston operated with a three-position (four-position optional) gas regulator; the design keeps the receiver free of firing residue for optimum reliability under adverse conditions and extended firing, according to SIG.

Should Guantanamo Bay Be Closed?

Council on Foreign Relations

On January 22, 2009, President Obama ordered the controversial prison camp at Guantanamo Bay closed within a year. But much has changed since the president set this self-imposed deadline. In December, the Obama administration proposed moving some of the remaining Guantanamo inmates to a rural state prison in Illinois. Earlier this month, the president reiterated his vow to close the camp, despite ordering a suspension of transfers to Yemen following evidence that the suspect in the Christmas Day airliner bombing plot received al-Qaeda training there. Roughly ninety of the remaining 198 prisoners are Yemeni nationals. Now, as Obama's twelve-month milestone comes due, legal experts are refining their arguments on the future of Guantanamo Bay.

Full Story

Review of Christmas Day Jet Bomb Plot Shows More Missed Clues

New York Times

Worried about possible terrorist attacks over the Christmas holiday, President Obama met on Dec. 22 with top officials of the C.I.A., F.B.I. and Department of Homeland Security, who ticked off a list of possible plots against the United States and how their agencies were working to disrupt them.  In a separate White House meeting that day, Mr. Obama’s homeland security adviser, John O. Brennan, led talks on Yemen, where a stream of disturbing intelligence had suggested that Qaeda operatives were preparing for some action, perhaps a strike on an American target, on Christmas Day.

Full Story

Military Contractors Targeted in Chinese Hacker Attacks

Computer World

The cyberattacks apparently originating in China that hit Google Inc. and more than 30 other companies late last year are now targeting some U.S. defense contractors, according to security vendor F-Secure Corp.  In a blog post this week, F-Secure Chief Research Officer Mikko Hypponen said the company has learned of instances in which U.S. defense contractors received e-mails containing a malicious PDF file last week. The PDF file was designed to look like an official U.S. Department of Defense document and discussed the Mission Planning User Conference, which is an actual event slated to take place in Las Vegas in March, he added.

Full Story

Experts Question U.S. Terror Alert System

CNN

Despite the "palpable level of angst" that a source described over an al Qaeda threat against the United States, the national terror threat level remains at "Elevated" or "Yellow" -- where it has been stuck since 2005.  Information gathered since an attempted airliner bombing on Christmas Day has U.S. officials concerned that al Qaeda in Yemen has "trained and equipped ... viable operatives" to strike U.S. targets, including targets unrelated to aviation, a reliable source familiar with the investigation told CNN.

Full Story

Afghanistan: The Road to the Taliban Stronghold of Marja

Highlights

1. Marja labeled Afghanistan’s Falluja
2. Marines likely to go on the offensive throughout Helmand province
3. Invasion of Marja likely to occur in coming months

When ordering a surge in troops, United States (US) President Barack Obama tasked General Stanley McChrystal, commander of US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces, to drastically alter the security situation in Afghanistan. By granting McChrystal’s request for at least 30,000 additional troops, McChrystal is focusing on securing population centers and reversing Afghan Taliban momentum.

In an effort to reverse Afghan Taliban momentum, McChrystal’s military strategy is focusing on the violence plagued southern and eastern provinces.  The General has paid particularly attention to Helmand province, a scene of several large-scale US Marine and British military offensives, the most recent offensive involving nearly 1,000 US Marines and British forces targeting Afghan Taliban positions in the village of Now Zad.

The success in Now Zad is likely to prove to be a harbinger of a wider and more significant effort to stabilize the province, including attacking the Afghan Taliban-controlled Marja, often dubbed Afghanistan’s Fallujah.  Given McChrystal’s focus on Helmand and the deployment of at least 10,000 Marines to the province, the US, along with Afghan and British military forces, are likely to embark on a major offensive in Marja in the coming months.  If the Afghan Taliban stand their ground in the city, which is expected, the battle could be one of the fiercest yet in Afghanistan and the outcome could prove vital for defeating the larger Taliban movement.

.Full Report

The preceding article is part of subscription service created byTotal Intelligence Solutions (TIS). For additional information, please contact Brad Slade at bslade@totalintel.com.

Tactical Equipment Evaluation

Shot Show 2010 Preview

Due to the intricacies and timing of even internet (instant) publication, as I type this I’m preparing to go to Las Vegas for SHOT Show 2010. As you read it, however, SHOT Show ended 3 days ago. SO, understand that as you read through. As I prep for SHOT Show I can’t help but be eager to see some of the new guns, knives, boots, lights, clothing, and more that the industry has come up with in the past year. SHOT Show usually means losing about five pounds, walking about 25 miles (not bad over four days) and “working” somewhere between 12 to 16 hours each day. Here is some of the stuff I’m looking forward to seeing.

The rest of the review http://www.newamericantruth.com/reviews/recread/pursuitofhonor.htm

Recreational Equipment Review

“Pursuit of Honor” by Vince Flynn

Lately I’ve noticed a trend among the writers that I favor. They all seem to be writing novels / stories that fill 350+ pages but with the entire story spanning only 24 hours or less. For me, that takes a little getting used to because one of my absolute favorite authors can write a story that spans several months in one novel. That’s because he leaves out the unnecessary detailed BS that the reader really doesn’t need. Of course, that also makes the book shorter and a faster read. Vince Flynn’s latest offering, “Pursuit of Honor” is one of these novels that spans about a day, and it’s a good read. There’s not a lot of action, but it’s a good read none the less.

THIS PRESENT MOMENT

We live in a world in turmoil.  Politics, economics, earthquakes, storms, overcrowding, human suffering, piracy, lawlessness, war, injury and death.  There is no country in existence that is not in some kind of difficulty…  Some are in worse difficulty than others.  China is the largest and they are seeking to dominate world trade because of the low cost of their labor force and manufacturing production.  Loaded ships come to the U.S. from China and return to China empty because we are buying from them rather than make our own and we are not exporting goods to China anymore.  Check the products you see when you shop…  Where were they made?…  Predominantly China.  Check those products for quality and you will find them often sorely lacking in quality and workmanship. 

Full article can be seen at: http://www.ustraining.com/new/btw/chaplain/012510chaplain.htm

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