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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 trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.” –Stephen King |
| WEEKLY SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS |
Private Security Guards Shoot Dead Somali Pirate For First TimeTimes OnlinePrivate security guards shot and killed a Somali pirate when the cargo ship they were protecting came under attack this week — signaling the start of a lethal phase in the fight against the increasingly bold raiders. It is the first time that armed guards are known to have used lethal force against the pirates, who have increased their attacks despite the presence of international warships off Somalia. |
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| U.S. DEFENSE NEWS |
Army Sending Long Range Rifles To AfghanistanAll VoicesThe Army is sending rifles to Afghanistan that will double the killing range of troops. The M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle is accurate out to 800 yards, Army Times reported. “It’s a very precise weapon system,” said Spc. Andrew McMeley, a squad designated marksman serving in Afghanistan with B Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment. “All the improvements on it are fantastic.” Up to now only a squad’s designated marksmen got the long-range rifle. Full StoryUS Army Looking Forward to MRAP in Iraq, AfghanistanDaily TechnologyThe United States Army will buy its last Humvee vehicle in the next couple of weeks, as the military instead transitions to Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. Humvees have been used in the military since the 1980s, but have been called "death traps" since they are so ineffective against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Full StoryNew MPCV Ready to Enter ProductionDefense TalkMBDA is in the process of freezing the final definition of the MPCV (Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle) in readiness for its series production. Two Mistral missile firings carried out at the end of 2009 served to validate this automatic system in its air defence configuration. Thisdefinition freezing represents the final technical step before moving into series production, which should be launched in the very near future. Full StorySnipers UpgradedStrategy PageA year ago, in response to user requests, the U.S. Army ordered upgrades for its sniper equipment, including 38.4 million rounds of .300 Winchester magnum ammunition for the newly modified M-24 sniper rifles. The new ammo costs about $1.30 per round. The army is also modifying rifle magazines to hold ten, rather than five, rounds. A new scope (25x instead of 10x) and a flash suppressor is being provided as well. Other changes are in the works. Snipers have been enormously successful in Iraq and Afghanistan, and when new gear is asked for, it is usually provided. Full StoryThe National Character of IEDsAres Defense BlogPart of the difficulty in finding and defeating improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the roadside bombs that have wreaked such havoc for Americans and their allies in Iraq and Afghanistan, is that they come in so many different varieties. Not only are some command detonated using things like cell phones or garage door openers to trip the fuse, but others are “victim-operated”—meaning they go off when someone steps on top of them. Full Story |
| INTERNATIONAL MILITARY NEWS |
Russia May Unveil New ’Super-Tank’ in Summer 2010Defense TalkRussia's new main battle tank (MBT), the T-95, could be exhibited for the first time at an arms show in the Urals Region this summer, the developer and future manufacturer of the tank has said. The development of the new tank dubbed "Item 195" began at the Uralvagonzavod design bureau in the early 1990s. Russia will become the first country in the world to have the 5th-generartion MBT if the military commissions the vehicle. Full StoryGeneral Dynamics to Deliver Specialist Vehicle for British ArmyDefense TalkGeneral Dynamics United Kingdom Limited has been selected by the Ministry of Defence to provide the next generation of armored fighting vehicles to the British Army. The MoD has chosen General Dynamics' ASCOD SV tracked vehicle as the winning design for the demonstration phase of the Specialist Vehicle competition, providing both the Scout variant and the Common Base Platform for up to 580 SV vehicles. ASCOD SV is the latest generation of a proven European design, which has been significantly redesigned by General Dynamics' UK engineering team, and will provide unparalleled military capability for the British Army over the 30 years of the vehicles' life. The Coming China-India Conflict: Is War Inevitable?TIMEBy sheer demographics, it's the world's most important relationship. China and India comprise 40% of humanity and boast economies that are expected to loom large over the 21st century. They also represent two of the world's fastest-growing militaries, armed with nuclear weapons, and are expanding their spheres of influence across oceans. Jonathan Holslag, a Brussels-based scholar of Chinese foreign policy and author of the recent book China and India: Prospects for Peace, is among a growing number of observers who have dismissed the idea of "Chindia" — a term once often invoked, expressing optimism over the joint geopolitical rise of the two Asian giants. He spoke to TIME about the fault lines between the two neighbors, Washington's place in the region and how tensions could escalate into war. Full StoryThreat in Asia is Anti-Ship MissilesWashington TimesThe Obama administration's regional missile-defense strategy is designed to counter emerging threats like China's new anti-ship ballistic missile and other so-called anti-access weapons, a senior defense official said Monday. Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said during a speech outlining the administration's missile-defense priorities that "potential adversaries are planning to employ ballistic missiles in anti-access tactics." Full Story |
| AFGHANISTAN–PAKISTAN DEVELOPMENTS |
An Up Close Look at the Military Life in MarjahWashington PostFor months, the U.S. military had been openly saying it was getting ready to crush the Taliban in its last stronghold in Afghanistan's Helmand province - the world's opium bazaar. So in early February, just weeks after President Barack Obama announced 30,000 new boots on the ground for Afghanistan, the Pentagon launched the largest military offensive in the country since the 2001 invasion. Uneasy Quiet, then a Taliban AmbushStars & StripesLance Cpl. Matthew W. McElhinney faded in and out of consciousness as the morphine kicked in. Other Marines grasped his hand, squeezed it and talked to him, trying anything to keep him awake. “What’s your girlfriend’s name?” “Stay with me.” “Don’t worry. You’re going to be OK. You’ll be calling your family within a day.” There had been no real fighting for Company L, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment since the second week of the Marjah assault, which had started almost a month earlier. McElhinney’s platoon had been patrolling for nearly two weeks on the northern outskirts of the town without drawing a shot. Full StoryNavy SEAL Adam Lee Brown Killed in AfghanistanUS Navy SEALs BlogThe Navy SEALs bid farewell to yet another comrade. The Navy announced on Friday the death of Chief Petty Officer Adam Lee Brown. The 36-year-old native of Hot Springs, Arkansas succumbed to injuries he sustained in a battle against heavily-armed militants on Thursday. Full StoryBritish Soldier Killed by 'Impossible-to-Detect' Roadside BombTelegraph.co.ukWarrant Officer Sean Upton was killed in Afghanistan as he led a patrol to diffuse another device. The bomb was so powerful that it blew the 35-years-old father of two over the six feet high walls of a nearby compound. Following Warrant Officer Upton's death, his widow Karen became the first recipient of the Elizabeth Cross, awarded to the families of service personnel killed in conflicts. She attended the hearing wearing the award. The inquest heard how her husband, serving with the 5th Regiment Royal Artillery was leading a patrol in Helmand Province when he was killed last July. Full Story |
| HOMELAND SECURITY–FIRST RESPONDER |
Experts Warn Terrorists Could Use Explosives in Breast ImplantsFox NewsFemale homicide bombers are being fitted with exploding breast implants, which are almost impossible to detect, British spies have reportedly discovered. The shocking new Al Qaeda tactic involves radical doctors inserting the explosives in women's breasts during plastic surgery — making them "virtually impossible to detect by the usual airport scanning machines." Full StoryMexican Gangs Infiltrating U.S. Border Police?Ares Defense BlogIt should come as no surprise that the spiraling narcogang-related violence in Mexico is spurring business for companies providing protection from the chaos of the streets. The Homeland Security Newswire reports this morning that for one company, sales for their armored vehicles are up a whopping 300 percent over the past 18 months. Mark Burton, CEO of International Armoring Corp. told HSW that most customers live in El Paso, Texas, but have business dealings across the border in Juárez, Mexico—which has been dubbed the “murder capital of the world” after having seen 2,600 murders in 2009 with another 227 assassinations related to organized crime in January of this year alone. 'Behavior Detectives' Report Card Key to TSA ExpansionAOL NewsAs President Barack Obama's nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration calls for increasing the number of officers trained to pick out suspicious behavior, officials at the Department of Homeland Security await the results of a key study that they hope will validate the controversial program. Called Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques, or SPOT, the program involves using specially trained behavior detection officers to look for suspicious behavior in passengers, who are then selected for secondary screening. While the program's effectiveness has drawn scrutiny, a study being conducted by the American Institutes for Research is looking at whether those trained officers are any better than random screenings at picking out potential problem passengers. BMW to Supply Diesels for Police Car VentureNew York Times BlogCarbon Motors and the BMW Group announced at a Washington news conference on Monday that the companies had reached an agreement for BMW to supply 240,000 turbo diesel engines for a police car that Carbon Motors would produce called the E7. Although there are working prototypes with BMW engines, the E7 remains somewhat speculative. Stacy Stephens, the company’s co-founder, said Carbon Motors, of Connersville, Ind., would begin building the car three years after closing on a $310 million loan from the Energy Department that the company applied for last August. “We’re extremely confident of being awarded that loan,” he said. “We’ve made it past the first milestone.” |
| FROM OUR FRIENDS AT TOTAL INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS |
Piracy: The Evolution of Anti-Piracy Strategy in the Gulf of Aden and Somali WatersHighlights
On March 19, the EU’s anti-piracy mission Navfor announced that it would begin taking a more aggressive and proactive approach to combating piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast. According to Rear Admiral Peter Hudson, Navfor’s commander, this move comes after Spain, currently president of the EU, pressed for the mission to change course and become more effective at preventing attacks. In the past month alone, Navfor has intercepted and dismantled 12 pirate groups at sea, more than it dismantled in all of 2009. Of those 12 groups, 6 were intercepted close to the Somali shore, as opposed to out on the high seas where anti-piracy missions have tended to patrol. This reflects a new strategy, wherein naval forces intercept the pirates as they depart from Somalia before they carry out any attacks. Since the beginning of this year, anti-piracy strategy has evolved from primarily “catch-and-release,” to arrests and offensive confrontations. Full ReportThe 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 EvaluationSpartan Tactical PlatformAcross the years I’ve written several articles about “Go Bags” or “Bug Out Bags” and I’ve tried to explain the evolutions as I’ve gone through them. I’ve also written a number of back packs and vests all tailored to carry specific gear needed under various circumstances. For all that I’d never seen a single platform that could serve as a back pack, go bag or equipment platform (in replacement of a vest) until I was introduced to the Spartan Tactical Platform. Here’s one platform you can mount all your stuff on and then mount the platform in your vehicle, or carry it like a back pack or carry it like a duffle bag. Interesting. The rest of the review http://www.newamericantruth.com/reviews/other/spartacplat.htmRecreational Equipment Review“Split Image” by Robert B. ParkerI noted with some sadness the passing of author Robert B. Parker a couple months ago. Probably best known for his “Spenser for Hire” series which was also a television show starring Robert Urich and Avery Brooks (who played Hawk), prior to his passing Parker developed three other series of books. One was an “old west” series that ran, so far, three books. The others involved a police chief, Jesse Stone, and a female private investigator, Sunny Randall. Parker, quite unusually, ran the storylines together so that those two characters appeared in each other’s series. “Split Image” is the latest in the Jesse Stone series and it’s my understanding there are several others the publisher has and is just waiting to print. The rest of the review: http://www.newamericantruth.com/reviews/recread/splitimage.htm |
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