Threat Axis

HMS_Vangaurd_DD02

Originally uploaded by Frank Bennett.

When I saw this article – Royal Navy goes with “Windows for Subs” – I got goosebumps.

Bucking the open-source trend, the British Royal Navy has developed a modified version of Microsoft Windows XP and has begun installing it on its fleet of nuclear submarines.

According to the BAE (lead integrator) news release – the new Submarine Command System Next Generation (SMCS NG) “transfers the software applications proven on earlier variants of SMCS to a modern system architecture that uses mainstream PCs to provide the computer processing with Microsoft Windows as the software operating system.”

So at this point – all of the RN’s nuclear submarines have been upgraded with these new control stations. Including – the 4 Vanguard class SSBN’s.

Nuclear Weapons – Trident SLBM’s – controlled through Windows.

Maybe Apple should make a Mac commerical based on Windows doing this. Or else another way for Microsoft to push Vista?

Vandenberg_Launch_04

Originally uploaded by DanDawson

Lost in the initial euphoria of a successful MDA test at the beginning of this month – was the fact that this wasn’t the “realistic” test that it was supposed to be.

During the announcement of the test – it came out that the countermeasures that were supposed to be part of this test – did not deploy.

This may sound silly or naive – but if we can’t get countermeasures to work on a simple test missile (with all of the time to prep the attempt) – can we realistically expect that a minor power has been able to integrate a successful countermeasure into their ballistic missile?

Northrup Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk

Originally uploaded by rob-the-org

Earlier this summer – Military.com/DefenseTech.org published a story saying the Air Force was not ready to retire the U-2 in favor of the Global Hawk.

The key argument – was that the U-2 could collect more info during a single flight – due to a larger payload and more electrical power (more sensors) – than the Global Hawk.

The Pentagon has said it will not retire the U-2 at least until the Global Hawk Block 30, which will carry the Advanced Signals Intelligence Payload, is flying.

According to a Northrup-Grumman press release back in January 2008 – the first Block 40 fuselage was supposed to come off the assembly line back in September.

The fact that the Air Force transferred two early model Global Hawk’s to NASA earlier this year – seems to indicate that that some serious fuselage changes are needed for the later modifications (and that these changes cannot be retrofitted to the earlier models).

Additionally – the on again off again potential sale of the Global Hawk to Korea – maybe back on again. I bet it will only be a Block 20…..

History – Remember Pearl Harbor

Originally uploaded by rob-the-org

I think the quote is perfect. As recent events in the US have shown, if you don’t pay understand history – and mistakes others made before hand – you will quickly become history.

nato russia georgia

Previously, we posted commentary about the ironies in the Georgia-Russia situation.  In August, ThreatAxis pointed out that we should not necessarily assume that Russia was the bad guy in that conflict – something we are prone to do because of past history – but that we should rather take an unbiased, courageous look at both sides of the equation – that perhaps Georgia might even actually be the aggressor here!  With world opinion headed the other way, it was an aggressive stance for us to take.

Interestingly, as time passes, it’s looking more and more like we were dead right.

Today the International Institute for Strategic Studies said that the “balance of evidence suggests that Georgia started this war.” The comments were made by Dr. John Chipman, the Director-General of the IISS.  For a long time, NATO has been considering whether to offer membership to Georgia – something that this writer is strongly opposed to – and something which now the IISS and others are also suggesting might be bad.  To unilaterally accept Georgia into NATO would accomplish very little positive.  It would, however, antagonize Russia, and plunge NATO into what is barely a step away from a civil war.

But, the west loves to antagonize Russia.  In another previous post, ThreatAxis outlined the ongoing problems in perceptions with Russia, and took the stance that maybe the Cold War really was over (imagine that!).  Now, it seems that others are noticing this glaring truth as well.  In the same speed, Dr. Chipman said that “There have been major errors of presentation of policy towards Russia. The US and Nato have in the past told Russia to accept whatever was happening. There was no give and take.”

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Topol Intercontinental

Originally uploaded by Danner Gyde

First – on Wednesday (11/26) – they test fired a new RS-24, MIRV capable ICBM from Plesetsk to the target range on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Then on Friday (11/28) – they test fired a new ‘Bulava’ SLBM from the White Sea also to the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Hopefully Cobra Ball got some good info about both tests.

Maybe the new Administration will realize that we better start putting some R&D into the Triad, since the newest US ballistic missile is the Trident 2 D5 (using late 70′s/early 80′s technology).

Why is this situation not getting the attention it deserves?

As long as the pirates can keep funnelling money to support the radicals destabilizing Somalia – there will be a safe haven for terror.  There is no way that the Somali government (if one still exists) can even compete when you are talking about the radicals getting millions of dollars in ransom for each ship.

Stop the pirates and you have a chance to restore order to Somalia.

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Corona – Film return capsule

Originally uploaded by rob-the-org

According to Spaceflightnow.com

Russia launched a top secret military satellite Friday in an unannounced flight from the country’s northern space base, according to news reports.

A Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 1550 GMT (10:50 a.m. EST) Friday. The launcher released the classified satellite payload about nine minutes later.

Russian officials did not provide details of the spacecraft’s mission, but the satellite is likely a Kobalt spy satellite with retrievable film canisters that return to Earth.

The satellite was delivered to an orbit with a high point of about 200 miles and a low point of about 110 miles. The orbit’s inclination is about 67.2 degrees, according to U.S. tracking data.

Russia is calling the satellite Kosmos 2445 under the military’s naming system for defense spacecraft.

They are still using FILM capsules? Hasn’t it been like 20 years since the US has had to do that?

This seems fishy…..

No matter who wins next week – the defense establishment of the United States will be changing drastically over the next four years.

The economic/credit crisis that has turned into a world-wide economic slump – will make sure that the military will only get the bare minimum’s (I hope) to maintain some sort of effective force.

The West privately laughed when the Russians had to park/dock/mothball/ground most of their once feared armed forces when they went through their own collapse post-Yeltsin.  Now the shoe is on the other foot.

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Found on Flickr via the Military Vehicles group.

Would have liked to see more of the SU-34.  Looks like a variant of the Su-27, but if it is replacing the Su-24, it is for mid-long range Air to Ground.

Two things to mention;

1) Why doesn’t someone just slip a platoon of Marines on a random ship entering the hazard area – and if the pirates bite it will be a short little firefight.  And the world will be short one pirate gang.  There is a reason that the phrase ‘the Shores of Tripoli‘ is in the Marine Hymn.  Maybe it is time to remind some of that fact.

2) Why hasn’t any mainstream media picked up on this mystery Iranian ship that was seized by the pirates – that has caused the pirates that searched the ship to fall ill and die.   Because everyone realizes that the US is in no position to take on any one right now.  A detailed investigation of this ship is a long shot – and in all likelyhood – a Pandora’s box that no one wants to open.  Instead everyone is focusing on a ship full of T-72′s (that the pirates admit – they don’t want).

ILA 2008: B-1 Lancer approaches

Originally uploaded by Umschauen

Imagine – you know that a high value target will be at Location “X” in approximately 30 minutes.

It is far from the Continental US and there isn’t a CVBG in range. And Congress (among a host of others – including me) didn’t like the idea of putting conventional warheads on old Minuteman III’s.

The war against Iraq started in 2003 with a strike very much like this. But in this case – there was a B-1 bomber loitering far overhead – that was able to dash in and drop a dedicated load of bombs in an attempt to take out Saddam Hussein (The decapitation strike was a result of Saddam giving false information to a possible traitor on his staff. USAF blew up the building – and Saddam knew who to have shot).

But what do you do when you don’t have a heavy bomber nearby? In Afghanistan – UAV’s – like the Predator and the Reaper have been flying as much as the pilots and the mechanics can support them. Both those still require a forward base for the UAV’s to launched and recovered to.

For years the US has dreamed of having something able to be launched from the continental US and be able to fly at hypersonic speeds to be able to hit a target.

DARPA’s FALCON project – has been an attempt to create just such a system.

The requirement – deliver a 12,000 lb payload, out to 9,000 miles, in under 2 hours.

[This is the first in a series of articles about FALCON - and whether or not it will ever happen]

B-2 Spirit on IR

This picture was supposedly taken by a Eurofighter Typhoon.  Obviously from below the B-2.  Pretty cool overall.  If you look to the trailing edge of the wing – near the center – you will see white lines – which is probably the heating from the engines.

I bet the same shot from overhead – would show a more dramatic rise in the exhaust signature.

I have to wonder though – why this image got out anyway.  It shows me – that the best way to look for a B-2 – would be from above.  Very high altitude a/c – or even an orbit IR sensor.

Unless it is time to illustrate the B-2′s shortcomings – so the NGB can get more $$$$.

Blackjack w. Flanker

Originally uploaded by yuriybrisk

After reports yesterday that Russian ships (based around the nuclear powered battle cruiser “Peter the Great”) would be sailing to Venezuela to conduct joint exercises – comes late word today that two Tu-160 Blackjack bombers (one is pictured w/ a Su-27 Flanker for a size comparison) have already been sent.

They landed earlier after a 13 hr flight (probably from the Kola Penisula).

Congress – can we please order more F-22′s now?

(it was a bad pun – but my fingers couldn’t resist)

North Korea has been quiet for some time – too quiet some would say.  Last month – the N Korean’s stopped working on disabling their reactor at Yongbyon – when the US didn’t remove NK from a list of states that supports terrorism.

Then – about 48 hours ago – an Australian news organization publishes a story from a Japanese International Relations professor – saying Kim Jong Il has been dead for nearly 5 years.  And any appearances since that point have been carefully staged with body doubles.

[follow the link above - the story has a 2003 picture and a 2008 picture.  The changes between the two are believable for a 60+ year old man.]

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Technorati tags: Russia Georgia War Conflict

In follow-up to my post yesterday, I’m amazed at the news that came out overnight.  You’ve really gotta love the irony here.

The BBC reported last night that Russia has now formally recognized the independence of the two Georgian provinces.  And the opinion of the masses seems to agree with the Russians’ move.

But, shockingly, our own country, the United States, is quoted as saying that this recognition is "regrettable."  And the opinion of other countries’ governmental leaders seems to agree with the US government’s opinion.

All of this over what to this writer’s eyes seems to be nothing more than a desire for a people to achieve independence from a parent state… a parent state that itself recently won independence from its parent state… all the while being condemned by a "superpower" that itself celebrates its own independence on an annual basis!

But don’t take my word for it.  You can read an excellent writeup by the BBC giving a much more unbiased opinion on the situation in Georgia here.

At what point, I’d like to know, did we become mindless pawns of our countries’ governments?  At what point did we give up all attempts at rational thought and just let our political masters run over us unchecked? We have a situation where our "leaders" are saying one thing… and almost all of the "people" are saying another, much more obvious thing… this is so obvious as to be blinding.  It makes me wonder just what the agendas really are here.

Technorati tags: Russia Georgia War Conflict

Ahh, Russia.  How we love to hate you!  We love to hate you so much, and have hated you for so long, that it’s become a habit… an addiction.  In fact, it’s become quite pathetic.

Though the concept of being a patriot, or a revolutionary, is, tragically, long-since dead in the industrialized world, almost everyone still identifies in one form or another with their country of birth, or citizenship, or residence.  Whether we live in a democracy or dictatorship, there is a predisposition to love and trust our own country – or, more to the point, our own country’s government – and at the same time to hate and mistrust other countries – and in that direction, it’s not the government we end up hating, but the actual people of the country in question. This is why we, in America, for example, think we’re so great (because we listen to our endless-motion propaganda machines) while the rest of the world hates us (because our government has made choices that – although “we the people” didn’t make them – we are blamed for.)

So let’s take a hard look in the mirror before we go arbitrarily handing out condemnation worldwide.

In 2001, we were brutally attacked… by terrorists.  Not by a country, even though we were happy to go invade Iraq in retribution.  Not by a religion, even though we’re happy to blame Muslims worldwide in disgust.  And when that attack came, we all cried out for war.  We all cried out for revenge.  Conveniently, most Americans have forgotten this fact.  They have forgotten their anger of that day, and how they directed their anger at evil Iraq and evil Islam, and demanded retribution for the twin towers.  Now, they’ve found a new focus:  The excitement of blaming the mideast has worn off, to be replaced with the pain of the loss of our troops there, so now they’ve found a new drug:  let’s blame George Bush!  The new axis of evil!  Never mind the fact that there were less than 5 “abstainers” out of all the senators and all the representatives who “voted” for war.  Never mind that those people were just doing what their constituents wanted. Oh no – it couldn’t be us!  We couldn’t be the problem!  In such danger of having to face the truth, we turn instead to our scapegoat:  the President of the United States!  Because we all know that everything is his fault.  The war, the attacks, high taxes, smoking, acid rain:  It’s gotta be Bush’s fault!

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Blue Burn

Originally uploaded by F/Depth Photography

For those of you who have burned out watching the Olympics – and don’t want to look at the mess that is the former Soviet republic of Georgian today – take a look at this wonderful picture of an Indian Air Force SU-30 that was taking part in the annual Red Flag exercises at Nellis AFB (LV NV).

Aviation Week’s Area blog has an interesting article about the restrictions that the Indian pilots were under during the exercise. And the probable ESM snooping that was going on to evaluate all of the capabilities of this front line fighter.

Rounding out the International participation in Red Flag – were Rafale’s from the French Air Force – and F-15′s from South Korea.

_Z6R9275b

Originally uploaded by Lockheed Martin

Even though some think that the Navy won’t even accept the LCS prototypes into the Fleetinitial Builder’s Trials.

Lockheed is getting w/ the modern age – and has posted a set of publicity photos from the Trials – out on Flickr

BTW – the Israeli’s are interested in buying a variant of the LCS to upgrade their navy. But have already realized that the US designed LCS – doesn’t have nearly enough weapons.

X-37

Originally uploaded by ryanclark75

AviationWeek’s Ares blog reported yesterday that the X-37 unmanned space plane – has been scheduled to be launched later this Fall – for an on Orbit shakedown.

The X-37 was originally built for NASA by Boeing, but when NASA’s funding was cut the project was taken over by DARPA. DARPA in their cost cutting best – brought Scaled Composite (now owned by Northrup-Grumman) on-board.

[Scaled Composite used White Knight (the same mothership for the SpaceShipOne effort) to perform the drop tests. It turns out that Scaled by using WK - was able to conduct the drop tests for 1/10th what it was costing NASA to use their B-52

SpaceflightNow's launch schedule is already showing the LRO launch being pushed back to the Spring (2009) - but doesn't yet show the new Atlas launch for the X-37 demonstrator.

Stay tuned.

[Update - Mon, Aug 4th - Aviation Week has published a broader article listing some of the milestones of the project, as well as the expected goals from the on orbit shakedown flight]