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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 |
“The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.” –Thomas Campbell |
| WEEKLY SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS |
American Military Deaths in Pakistan Fuel the Fires of SuspicionTIMEBy killing three U.S. soldiers in a bomb attack in a remote corner of northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, the Taliban scored a political jackpot. With anti-American sentiment cresting in Pakistani public opinion, the presence of the three American trainers in a convoy passing through Koto village when it was struck by a roadside bomb has set off a flurry of questions and even wild conspiracy theories about the U.S. presence in the country. The news left Islamabad in a difficult position, deepened suspicion of the U.S. and further strained an already troubled relationship. |
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| U.S. DEFENSE NEWS |
Gates Tries to Get F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Back on CourseNew York TimesThe Joint Strike Fighter was supposed to be the program that broke the mold, proof that the Pentagon could build something affordable, dependable and without much drama. But rather than being the Chevrolet of the skies, as it was once billed, the fighter plane, also called the F-35, has turned into the Pentagon’s biggest budget-buster. And with worries growing that the rise in costs could overwhelm other programs, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates fired the general in charge this week and said he would withhold $614 million in fees from the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin. Full StoryA Look at the Advanced Combat GlockTactical MilSimThis year I will focus on optimizing the various platforms we live and work with. Specifically the Glock, the Kalashnikov, the Saiga Shotgun, and others. With the Glocks there are a number of things that can optimize their performance. Again, if all you want to have is “good enough”, never mind. But if you want the best tools to match the high level of skill then there are some things to consider. Full StoryHelicopter-Maker Sikorsky to Build Pilotless Black HawkTelegraph.co.ukAfter the unmanned drone, the craft could be the next great aerial innovation for the US armed forces. Sikorsky has announced a $1 billion venture it hopes will respond to military demand, which includes the Black Hawk helicopters. The military workhorse, made famous by the book and film after two were shot down in Somalia in 1993, is heavily relied on over the long stretches of mountain and desert in Afghanistan. Full StoryPentagon to Increase Stock of High-Altitude DronesBusiness WeekThe U.S. military plans to more than triple its inventory of high-altitude, armed and unarmed drones capable of 24-hour patrols by 2020. The long-range aviation plan delivered to Congress Feb. 2 calls for 800 high-altitude drones, up from 220 currently. “Recent operational experience and combat commander demands” are driving this “significant growth,” according to the plan submitted. “We can’t get enough drones,” General David Petraeus, head of the U.S. Central Command, which includes the Afghanistan and Iraq war theaters, said in a speech Jan. 19. Full StoryHow Unmanned Drones are Changing Modern WarfareBBC NewsMark Jenkins is an experienced RAF pilot, flying combat missions over Afghanistan. But he works from an airbase in Nevada, 8,000 miles away. "I've got a 45-minute drive home. And then by the time I'm home, I'm kind of straight into family life." He is one of a new generation of pilots who fly drones - or unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, as the military prefer to call them. Flt Lt Jenkins trained on conventional planes - but there are now pilots joining the RAF who may never leave the ground, according to Air Vice Marshal Tim Anderson, a top Ministry of Defense planner. Full StoryMine Resistant Ambush Protected Can Take Fight Off-RoadUSA TodayThe latest armored vehicles aimed at shielding troops from roadside bombs are so maneuverable off roads that they give U.S. troops an offensive advantage as they prepare for major operations against insurgents this spring, a Marine general running the vehicle program says. The speed and maneuverability of the new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles transform it "from simply a means of transportation to an offensive capability," Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan said. There are about 300 of the all-terrain MRAPs being used in combat, Brogan said. Military leaders seek 6,000 more of the vehicles to protect troops from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Last year, the number of IEDs planted by insurgents more than doubled to nearly 8,000. Full Story |
| INTERNATIONAL MILITARY NEWS |
UK Forces Light Weaponry Showcased at MOD HQDefense TalkThe latest developments in the wide range of light weapons available to British troops operating in Afghanistan were put on display at the MOD's Main Building in London this week. The Memorial Courtyard of the MOD's London headquarters was temporarily transformed into an arsenal as the Ministry's Defence Equipment and Support section and their industry partners, who are responsible for the provision and management of the world-leading kit, showcased their wares. The spectrum of small arms currently in use by British forces which was on display included the hand-held Sig Sauer 9mm pistols, the latest Sharpshooter rifles, long-range sniper rifles, .50-calibre heavy machine guns, and some newweapons that are still undergoing trial. Full StoryIran Boasts of New Apache-Killer WeaponDefense TalkIran has developed a new weapon to shoot down U.S. Apache attack helicopters, the Iranian Fars news agency has reported. "Our enemies should not imagine that if their Apache choppers have shown a mighty and desirable performance in Iraq and Afghanistan, they can show the same might and power in any possible aggression against Iran. We will certainly put an end to the power of their Apaches through our measures," Fars quoted Col. Nasser Arab-Beigi of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps. The official did not specify the type of the weapon Iran is manufacturing to shoot down Apache helicopters. Full StoryChina and India Increase Military SpendingDefense TalkAsian states led by China and India are surging ahead with military spending as they recover strongly from the global slowdown, while Europe and the US feel the pinch, a study said Wednesday. The US military remains “under severe strain” due to ongoing Iraq operations and its 30,000-strong surge in Afghanistan, said the respected annual “Military Balance” report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Full StoryRussia and Libya Sign $1.8 Billion Arms DealVoice of AmericaRussian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says Moscow has agreed to sell Libya weapons in a $1.8 billion deal. Mr. Putin made the announcement Saturday while meeting with the head of Izhmash, a major Russian gun manufacturer. He said the contract was signed Friday, and covers both small arms and more complex weapons. Russia's Interfax news agency had quoted a "military diplomatic source" as saying Libya was ready to buy about 20 fighter planes from Moscow, as well as air defense systems and several dozen tanks. Full Story |
| AFGHANISTAN–PAKISTAN DEVELOPMENTS |
US Marines Poised for Major Military Offensive in MarjahStars & StripesWhen 35-year-old Lance Cpl. Robert McGuinn enlisted four years ago, he knew what to expect. But being poised to take part in a large offensive where casualties are a virtual certainty still makes for dark thoughts. "Sometimes I wake up in the morning with a pit in the bottom of my stomach," McGuinn said during a recent patrol in some of Helmand province’s most volatile territory. "Sometimes, when I’m walking around (on base), I’m so focused on it that I’m looking at the ground, watching where I step." For the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based infantrymen of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment who will be participating in the battle for control of Marjeh — the Taliban’s last major stronghold in Helmand province. Hakimullah Mehsud's Big MistakeHuffington PostHakimullah Mehsud may have issued his own death warrant earlier this month when he appeared on an Al-Jazeera video sitting beside Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi. Balawi is believed to be the person behind attacks on the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan. Shortly before the release of this video, he died while carrying out a suicide bombing, killing eight people. Full StoryPredators Pound Terrorist Camp in North WaziristanLong War JournalA swarm of unmanned US aircraft pounded an al Qaeda camp today in the Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan. Five unmanned US strike aircraft, likely the Predators and Reapers, are reported to have fired 18 missiles at a camp and vehicles in the village of Datta Khel, a known al Qaeda and Taliban stronghold. This is the largest recorded US airstrike in Pakistan, indicating a top al Qaeda, Taliban, or Haqqani Network leader, or leaders, may have been present. Seventeen terrorists are reported to have been killed in the missile attack. At this time, no senior al Qaeda or Taliban commanders have been reported killed. Full StoryMcChrystal Sees Signs of Progress In Push to Stabilize AfghanistanWall Street JournalGen. Stanley McChrystal, head of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, said he no longer believes the battlefield situation there is deteriorating, the first time he has made such a determination since taking command in Kabul last summer. Gen. McChrystal cautioned that he doesn't yet believe the U.S.-led coalition is winning or has "turned the corner," and said his conclusion is based more on anecdotal evidence than hard data. But he said he has heard increasingly positive feedback from tribal leaders about the security situation in southern Afghanistan—long the most violent part of the country— which has led him to believe his troops have begun to halt the Taliban's momentum. Full StoryPakistani Truckers Ply Risky Road To AfghanistanNational Public RadioU.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan rely on a crucial supply line from the Pakistani port of Karachi. Pakistani truck drivers take enormous risks to ferry fuel and other goods to the troops along the route, where the threat of a Taliban ambush is ever-present. Raziq Shah has one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. He's a Pakistani truck driver, hauling fuel to U.S. and NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Full Story |
| HOMELAND SECURITY–FIRST RESPONDER |
Intelligence Officials Warn Attempted Al Qaeda Attack Months AwayFox NewsAl Qaeda can be expected to attempt an attack on the United States in the next three to six months, senior U.S. intelligence officials told Congress Tuesday. The terrorist organization is deploying operatives to the United States to carry out new attacks from inside the country, including "clean" recruits with a negligible trail of terrorist contacts, CIA Director Leon Panetta said. Al Qaeda is also inspiring homegrown extremists to trigger violence on their own, Panetta added. The annual assessment of the nation's terror threats provided no startling new terror trends, but amplified growing concerns since the Christmas Day airline attack in Detroit that militants are growing harder to detect and moving more quickly in their plots Full StoryHomeland Security Challenges for the Washington D.C. PoliceHomeland Security NewswireProtecting the U.S. capital on a local level poses unique challenges, but it also offers advantages; the police department must accommodate both traditional local concerns and diverse needs related to the presence of multiple federal government and military organizations; yet, the department also can tap those myriad government agencies for vital resources and information that help it counter or respond to terrorist threats. |
| FROM OUR FRIENDS AT TOTAL INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS |
Free TIS article of the week - Pakistan: The Purported Death of Hakimullah MehsudHighlights
The immediate aftermath of the January 14th strike, Pakistani Taliban militants insisted Mehsud left the compound minutes before the strike occurred. On January 16, 2010 Hakimullah released audio messages denying he was anywhere near the attack, but ultimately failed to quell rumors that the TTP leader had been seriously injured in the attack. The United States (US) and Pakistani governments have yet to officially confirm Hakimullah’s death, but unnamed officials within both governments have stated there is a “90 percent” chance the militant leader is dead. If Hakimullah’s death is confirmed, it would represent a major blow to the TTP, a group that has recently lost its sanctuary in South Waziristan, growing increasingly isolated among regional tribal elders, losing support among the Pakistani public, and possibly now the loss of a charismatic leader. However, claims of Mehsud’s death must be greeted with skepticism, as the TTP leader has been declared dead at least once before, only to resurface later. The best indication of Hakimullah’s status will come from the personal release of an audio or videotape confirming he is alive. In the past, Mehsud has been quick to dispel rumors of his death, and the latest silence may be the best proof of his death. .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. |
| BUMPER STICKER |
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| FRANKS REVIEW |
Tactical Equipment EvaluationSHOT Show 2010Last week I did a quick blush through of the items that caught my eye at SHOT Show in Vegas this year. With the entire outdoor / Mil / LE writing industry focusing on SHOT Show coverage, I was tempted not to even write about this week. However, I’ve already gotten emails from folks wanting to know when I was going to put out “Full Coverage”. Well, here it is. The format is slightly different than in years past, but the information is still here. Enjoy!!! The rest of the review http://www.newamericantruth.com/reviews/other/2010shotcoverage.htmRecreational Equipment ReviewCRKT Hissatsu & SOG TAC Tanto
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| CHAPLAINS CORNER |
COMMUNICATINGAs it was last week with the snow, so it is today with the snow. Wind-driven snow is coming down thick and heavy between my office and the house across the street with a cold freeze predicted for tonight. Washington, D.C. is socked in deeply. Trains and buses are not running. Planes are not flying. The blizzard came across from the southwest and is beating hard toward the northeast and New England dumping a great white blanket along the way. Some areas already have or expect 20 inches. Communications told us it was coming… Now it is here. Full article can be seen at: http://www.ustraining.com/new/btw/chaplain/020810chaplain.htm |
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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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