Russia counts on U.S. help in Georgia-S.Ossetia standoff

Russia counts on U.S. help in Georgia-S.Ossetia standoff MOSCOW, August 4, 2008: - Russia counts on the United States to exert a positive influence on Georgia following the latest surge in violence in the breakaway province of South Ossetia, a Russian diplomat said on Monday. Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin's statement follows a warning from the Russian ministry that South Ossetia is on the brink of a large-scale military conflict, and Moscow's claim that Georgia is aggravating the situation through excessive use of force. At least six people were killed late on Friday and early on Saturday in clashes between South Ossetian and Georgian forces. Karasin, speaking after a phone conversation with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried, said: "The Russian side expressed deep concern over the latest surge in tensions around South Ossetia, the unlawful buildup of Georgia's military presence in the region, and the intensive construction of fortifications." "Russia has already urged Tbilisi to take a responsible approach, and it also counts on constructive cooperation from Washington," he said. Last month, U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice visited Georgia, and assured President Mikheil Saakashvili that Washington would help the country resolve its tensions with South Ossetia and Georgia's other rebel region, Abkhazia. The U.S. will be joining Russia and Germany at UN-mandated peace talks in Berlin on August 15 on the Abkhazian and South Ossetian conflicts. South Ossetia has evacuated more than 1,000 children across the border into Russia since violence broke out on Friday. The separatist authorities say six people were killed and 15 injured in mortar and sniper attacks from Georgian forces. Georgia had denied using snipers, and says it only retaliated against South Ossetian grenade attacks. On Sunday, a total of 543 evacuees arrived in Russia's North Ossetia, and over 500 are expected to arrive by Monday evening. South Ossetia's Interior Ministry said on Monday that Georgia had deployed a howitzer battalion and two mortar batteries along the border over the weekend, while police posts on the southern outskirts of the separatist republic's capital, Tshinvali, had come under sniper fire. South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity said on Sunday that the province was prepared to announce a general mobilization to repel Georgian attacks. Russia has stepped up its support for Georgia's rebel provinces in recent months, angering Georgia's pro-Western leadership, which has set bringing the regions back under central control as a priority task. South Ossetia declared its independence from Georgia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Hundreds died in the conflict that followed.

Iran, EU to decide on further nuclear talks

Iran, EU to decide on further nuclear talks TEHRAN, August 4, 2008 - Iran's top nuclear negotiator will speak to the European Union's foreign policy chief over the phone on Monday to discuss further negotiations on the country's nuclear program, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said. The statement comes two days after a deadline set by six world powers for Iran to respond to proposals designed to persuade Tehran to halt nuclear activities and avoid further international sanctions. "Mr. Jalili will contact Mr. Solana by phone today. We maintain a serious, strategic approach to the talks and therefore will continue discussions on the Iranian nuclear issue," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said, adding Iran would not give up its right to pursue a civilian nuclear program. Javier Solana has represented the six nations - the five permanent Security Council members and Germany - at the long-running nuclear talks with Iran. Saeed Jalili, head of the Supreme National Security Council, negotiates on Iran's behalf. Iran failed to give its reply on Saturday to a package of trade and nuclear technology incentives in exchange for agreement to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can be used in nuclear weapons production. Tehran also dismissed the United States' warning that Iran could face tougher UN Security Council sanctions, saying Russia and other countries would not support such measures. Russia has opposed any deadline for a reply from Iran, while calling on the country to respond swiftly, and resisted tougher sanctions. The Islamic Republic is already under three sets of UN sanctions imposed since 2006. The U.S. and Israel have refused to rule out military action against Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, if diplomacy fails to end the dispute. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari reiterated a threat in comments quoted by Fars news agency on Monday to block the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 40% of global oil shipments pass, in the event of aggression against the country. Iran has recently conducted a series of missile test launches in the strait, which is located at the southern end of the Gulf.

The Su-27 Flanker among the best military aircraft of the 20th century. INFOgraphics

The Su-27 Flanker among the best military aircraft of the 20th century. INFOgraphics 04, August, 2008: The Russian Su-27 is recognized as one of the best combat aircraft of the 20th century, an online poll by Flight International magazine shows

Chavez warns U.S. after getting Russian warplanes

Chavez warns U.S. after getting Russian warplanes MOSCOW, August 4, 2008 - President Hugo Chavez said Venezuela had taken delivery of 24 Russian Sukhoi fighter jets, and warned the U.S. Fourth Fleet that his country is ready to defend itself. "We've received the 24 Sukhoi aircraft," he said Sunday. "They're for defensive purposes; we're not going to attack anybody." The deal included training for pilots and crews, as well as missiles for the fighters. Chavez said the Sukhoi missiles have far greater range than those of the U.S. F-16 fighter jet, and warned the U.S. Fourth Fleet to keep out of Venezuelan waters. "Any gringo ship that sails into brown waters [river waters] will itself turn brown and go to the bottom, because they'll not get through," he said. The jets are part of a recent $4 billion deal with Moscow, including tanks, transport planes, air-defense systems and AK assault rifles. In 2005-2006, Venezuela signed a deal to buy more than 50 combat helicopters, 24 Su-30MK2 fighters, 12 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems and 100,000 AK-103 rifles from Russia. Chavez, an outspoken critic of Washington since coming to power nine years ago, has focused his foreign policy on bolstering ties with countries outside the U.S. sphere of influence.

Iraq Seeks Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters

Iraq Seeks Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters 04-Aug-2008: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces Iraq’s formal request for 24 helicopters. Based on the request, Iraq seems to be interested in Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters that act as scouts, perform light close air support, and escort other helicopters on dangerous missions. The IqAF currently relies on a small force of Russia’s popular Mi-8/17 and refurbished Bell “Huey II” helicopters. While the Russian helicopters can be armed, their status as Iraq’s only medium utility helicopters makes them a poor fit for an ARH role. Instead, Iraq looks set to choose between 2 competitors. One is the Bell 407, whose derivative ARH-70A won the competition in America but has run into trouble. The other is Boeing’s AH-6 “Little Bird” light attack helicopters used by US Special Forces, which provided critical fire support during the 1991 “Backhawk Down” incident. The complete request also includes mortars for land use, but also adds airborne weapons – something the nascent post-Saddam IqAf has not really had to this point. The entire request, which could be worth up to $2.4 billion, includes: The Request: Helicopters and Armament 24 Bell Armed 407 Helicopters, similar to the American AH-6 “Little Bird” Helicopters. The AH-6 is the specialized attack version of the MH-6, designed to mount missiles, guns, and/or 7-tube rocket launchers. 24 Rolls Royce 250-C-30 Engines. Interestingly, this engine powers the H-6 Little Bird – but not Bell’s 407. 24 of Lockheed Martin’s M299 Guided Missile Launchers. Can launch Hellfire missiles, or DAGR laser-guided 2.75” rockets 200 of Lockheed Martin’s AGM-114M Hellfire II missiles. Laser-guided, which means the helicopters will either need a sensor/targeting turret, or be forced to rely on ground troops “painting” the target with systems of their own. Standard blast/fragmentation warhead. 16 M36 Hellfire Training Missiles 24 “M280 2.75-inch Launchers.” This may be a typo The usual launchers are the 7-rocket M260 or the 19-round M261. Helicopters in this class are more likely to use the M260. 15,000 2.75-inch/70mm Rockets. Standard unguided rockets. 24 XM296 .50 Cal. Machine Guns with 500 Round Ammunition Box 24 M134 7.62mm Mini-Guns Land Systems 565 M120 120mm Mortars. General Dynamics makes most of these for the US armed forces. Unspecified 120mm ammunition 665 M252 81mm Mortars Unspecified 81mm ammunition Support Plus test measurement and diagnostics equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support. The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. in Hurst, TX or Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Seattle, WA. U.S. Government and Contractor technical assistance will be required but cannot be fully defined at this time. The DSCA adds that: “The proposed sale of these helicopters, missiles, and mortar systems will be used to develop new Iraqi Air Force (IAF) squadrons and/or wings, and to enhance the ability of the IAF to sustain itself in its efforts to bring stability to Iraq.” DJ Elliott, who is the prime author of the Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle at the respected Long War Journal, believes that these helicopters are destined for Iraqi Special Operations support alongside the 26 Mi-17v5s of 15th Special Operations Squadron. He also points to rumors of interest in up to 50 used SA 341/342 Gazelle helicopters from France or Britain, however, which could change the wider implications of this purchase from “likely special forces support” to “the beginning of a wider push to deploy close support aviation.” Saddam’s armies used the French Gazelle helicopters in an ARH/light attack role from the 1970s onward, and Britain has deployed SA 341 utility variant Gazelles to Iraq since 2003.

Raven UAVs Winning Gold in Afghanistan’s “Commando Olympics”

Raven UAVs Winning Gold in Afghanistan’s “Commando Olympics” 04-Aug-2008: Back on Feb 24, 2005, DID covered the success the RQ-11 Raven mini-UAV was enjoying in Iraq. In November 2005, StrategyPage reported that the RQ-11 Raven was also turning heads in what it calls “the commando Olympics” of Afghanistan: “In addition to all the cooperation, there’s also a lot comparing notes. One thing everyone has noted is the large number of useful gadgets American Special Forces troops have. The most envied item is the American Raven UAV.” Or at least, mini-UAVS like the Raven. This Spotlight article looks at Special Forces related mini-UAV buys from a number of countries, spurred by requests from troops in theater. The latest update involves a 3rd order from Australia for Skylark UAVs, and a report from the front lines that suggests progress for Britain’s Desert Hawk systems… RQ-11: Drawing Raves The Commando Olympics: Other Teams are Competing. Additional Readings & Sources RQ-11, Baghdad The Raven is a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched sensor platform that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for “over the hill” and “around the corner” reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition. Each Raven system typically consists of 3 aircraft, a ground control station, system spares, and related services. As a measure of its success, The 3,000th RQ-11A Raven vehicle rolled of the production line back in March 2006. U.S. armed forces use Ravens extensively for missions such as base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning and force protection. According to the U.S. Army, Ravens were flown for approximately 150,000 combat hours in 2007. The same reasons behind the Raven’s Iraqi success also apply in CENTCOM’s first theater of war: Useful at the battalion level, but so simple to operate that one of the best pilots in the Iraqi theater was a cook. Ideal for quick peeks to see what’s on the other side of obstructed terrain – like a city block in Iraq, or Afghanistan’s hills and mountains. Switch-in IR cameras that some called better than an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter’s. Small and unobtrusive (wingspan just over 4 feet, weight just over 4 pounds), with low noise signature relative to larger UAVs. So small, in fact, that it can easily be carried by Special Forces scouts and squads. No letters to write if the aircraft goes down. While some Ravens have been shot down, StrategyPage says the most common cause of loss is losing the communications link or a software/hardware failure on the aircraft. It also reports that troops in Afghanistan have taken to putting a translated label on each Raven, noting that a reward will be given to anyone who returns them to the Americans. Several lost Ravens have actually been recovered this way. The Commando Olympics: Other Teams are Competing Skylark UAV launch Both American UAVs and American UAV doctrine are attracting interest from other Western Special Forces – and other branches of the US military. Nevertheless, American UAVs aren’t the only winners. Elbit’s Skylark, for instance, has emerged as a strong alternative… Australia: The Skylark system include 3 Air Vehicles, a Ground Control Station and the day and night payloads. The system can be carried in two back packs and operated in mission by two soldiers, but additional launch options are available – including by air from various manned or unmanned platforms, or ground launch by rail. The UAV is controlled through full, downsized or man-portable tactical miniature ground-control stations which draw from the Hermes UAV family heritage, and offers real time continuous video and telemetry data transmission via a new Spectralink-developed data link. It has been improved over the years. Aug 3/08: Australia places its 3rd Skylark UAV order, valued at “several million dollars.” Elbit Systems release [PDF]. Nov 3/05: Australia chooses Elbit’s Skylark as its mini-UAV, to complement Israel Aerospace Industries’ larger I-View 250 and some Boeing ScanEagles used at battalion and brigade levels. Britain: MiTex BUSTER The British SAS purchased a larger hand-launched UAV called BUSTER (backpack unmanned surveillance targeting and enhanced reconnaissance) in 2005, which is bigger than the RQ-11 Raven but has greater endurance, altitude, and range. While StrategyPage claims that the BUSTER is a derivative of the Raven’s AeroVironment FQM-151 Pointer predecessor, DID’s research reveals a very different vehicle with a biplane-like double wing, made by a different company who seems to have the applicable British contract. August 1/08: Rotorhub Magazine runs “REPORT FROM IRAQ: Royal Artillery’s mini and tactical UAVs tasked to counter indirect fire at Basra, Iraq.” The UAVs are Desert Hawk mini-UAVs and mid-size Hermes 450 aircraft, which indicates that some of the Desert Hawk’s technical issues with Iraqi mobile phone frequencies have been resolved. The same tactics and procedures would be used in Afghanistan, where surprise mortar and rocket attacks are also a feature of combat. Sept 27/06 A UK MoD release confirms that they’re using RQ-11 Ravens in Iraq via a partnership with the US Army. June 9/06: The British are also incorporating Desert Hawk mini-UAVs in Afghanistan. Canada: Skylark mini-UAV Back in 2005, Canadian Forces director of operational requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles, Maj. Keith Laughton, stated that they will be buying portable UAVs that are similar to the Raven, and that they will be deployed in Afghanistan by August 2006. “It has been identified as an operational requirement for Op Archer Roto 2 in August.” At the time, no specific UAV had been chosen to fulfill this role, though Canada has evaluated the Advanced Ceramics Research Silver Fox mini-UAV (see a more visual report via the CASR think tank). Canada joined Australia in choosing Elbit’s Skylark. The UAV was first ordered on a temporary basis, as part of the $200 million set of emergency purchases for Operation Archer in November 2005. It was picked more formally as Canada’s future mini-UAV in October 2006, following a competition that reportedly included IAI’s I-View 50 with its unique parafoil landing system, and Boeing’s larger ScanEagle UAV . Thales Canada will act as the prime contractor. Denmark: On Sept 11/07, Aerovironment announced that the Danish Army Operational Command had examined competing offerings, then placed a $2.4 million order to supply with 12 RQ-11B Raven-B small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The RQ-11B is slightly larger than the original Raven; a Raven-B system typically consists of three aircraft, a hand-held ground control station, a remote viewing terminal, systems spares, and related services, which in this case include logistics support and training services. True to form, this is a “commando olympics” purchase: “Three of the Raven-B systems are planned for delivery to the Jaegerkorpset (Army Special Forces), with the remainder destined for troop testing by deployed units at the Danish Army’s Artillery Training Center.” France: DRAC/ Tracker July 10/08: EADS announces an order for 35 DRAC mini-UAV systems from the French DGA procurement agency, bringing France’s total to 60. DRAC operator training was completed at the end of June 2008. A DRAC system consists of 2 backpack-carried UAVs equipped with payloads, a compact 2-unit ground station and an automatic tracking antenna. DRAC is based on SurveyCopeter’s TRACKER system, and is partnership between EADS Defence & Security (marketing, ground station, high-speed secure data link) and SurveyCopter (UAV system and cameras). The EADS release adds that: “Numerous foreign customers have already expressed a strong interest in this system and a number of export systems have been delivered recently.” March 24/08: Elbit Systems Ltd. announces [PDF format] that it has won “a tender involving 10 of the leading UAV manufacturers worldwide,” and will supply Skylark I UAV systems to France’s Special Forces. This contract marks Elbit Systems’ first UAV contract with France. Netherlands: Aladin UAV full kit In April 2006, the Dutch bought 10 Aladin UAVs and 5 ground stations for their Uruzgan mission in Afghanistan; Dutch troops received a crash course from the German army, who have used the system in Northern Afghanistan. The very small size of this order strongly suggests special forces deployment. On May 30/08, AeroVironment, Inc. announced that The Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), had awarded a $7.7 million contract for RQ-11B Raven systems as well as training, logistics support, and airworthiness certification. The release quotes Frans Klein, Head Section Unmanned Aircrafts for The Netherlands Defense Materiel Organisation: “We performed a thorough competitive selection process and the Raven came out as a clear winner…. Decisive elements in the selection were hand-launchability, reliability, ease of use, robustness, and proven, in-theatre operational performance.” Poland: Orbiter Launch July 27/07: Following an initial sale of Orbiter mini UAVs to the Polish Special Forces in 2006, “the customer’s high satisfaction with the Orbiter’s operational performance in Afghanistan over the past year has led to a sharp increase in Aeronautics’ activities in Poland (now a member of NATO), and to the decision by the Polish Ministry of Defense to equip its other land forces with a large number of similar systems.” The world-wide tender for the $3 million contract reportedly included 11 other companies, of which 6 made it to the final stage of the tender. Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd. will be the sole supplier of 6 Orbiter systems, each of which includes 3 mini air vehicles, day and night camera payloads, portable Ground Control Stations and data links for command and video transmission. Orbiter has a fully automatic flight control system that includes automatic launch and recovery. Spain: Jan 14/08: On Jan 14/07, El Pais reported that The Spanish Ministry of Defence has given the go-ahead to an urgent purchase of 9 RQ-11B Raven mini-UAV systems (27 UAVs) to strengthen the protection of Spain’s 742 soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and 1,100 in Lebanon. The contract amounts to EUR 3.1 million and has been awarded to the Spanish firm Aerlyper as an urgent acquisition “negociado sin publicidad.” To date, El Pais reports that the RQ-11’s manufacturer AeroVironment have sold more than 3,000 units. Thanks to DID reader Pedro Lucio for the pointer and translation assistance. This purchase is separate from, but linked to, Spain’s purchase of IAI/UTE Searcher MkII-J tactical UAVs. The Searcher UAVs will be used for for battalion-level reconnaissance in depth, as opposed to the Raven’s much shorter range and duration that gives it only squad/company-level utility. Unfortunately, the scheduled September 2007 delivery from the Spanish UTE consortium did not materialize until late December 2007, and the system will not be operational for several months. The Ravens, which are being produced in quantity, may well prove to be an immediately available front-line stopgap. USAF: Oct 15/07: The Air Force Association’s Oct 15/07 Daily Report says that: “The [USAF’s] 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron in Southwest Asia has a new asset: the 35-inch-long unmanned aerial vehicle called the Raven B. MSgt. Ruby Zarzyczny reports that airmen, who are using the 4.2-pound UAV, with a wing span of 65 inches, for reconnaissance, surveillance, force protection, battle damage assessment, and convoy security missions, adopted the small UAV from the Army. Previously the airmen used the slightly larger Desert Hawk, but “its capabilities far exceed the previous air frame,” said 1st Lt. Daryl Crosby, with the 380th ESFS. For one thing, operators can launch Raven B from moving vehicles, roof tops, or any open area, and it can go to war in a backpack. It takes both still photos and live video.” US SOCOM: July 1/08: US SOCOM issues a mini-UAV contract worth up to $200 million over 5 years – but it isn’t for the Raven. Read “Puma AE: An “All Environment” Mini-UAV” for more. Feb 6/08: AveroVironment, Inc. in Simi Valley, CA received a $45.9 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the SOCOM Raven Systems (newer RQ-11B) and initial spares packages. Work will be performed in Simi Valley, CA and is expected to be complete by Jan 31/09. One bid was solicited on Jan. 30, 2008, and 1 bid was received by the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command in Huntsville, AL (W58RGZ-05-C-0338). According to Aerovironment’s Feb 7/08 release, the option was submitted under the existing U.S. Army joint small UAS program of record for the RQ-11, which provides systems for the US Army and Marine Corps. The contract also allows for contract additions from US Special Operations Command and other U.S. military services.

Israel Orders ‘Special’ C-130J-30s

Israel Orders ‘Special’ C-130J-30s 03-Aug-2008: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces Israel’s request for 9 stretched C-130J-30 aircraft, which will replace some of the aging C-130 aircraft that Israel made famous in its 1976 commando raid at Entebbe, Uganda. Appropriately, the new aircraft will also contain a number of features associated with the new HC/MC-130J Special Forces aircraft bought by India and the USA. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX, and offset agreements are expected, but they will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and contractors. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Israel involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical reviews, support, program management, and training over a period of up to 5 years. The estimated cost is $1.9 billion, and the exact items will include: 9 Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 United States Air Force (USAF) baseline aircraft including USAF baseline equipment and Block 7.0 Software. This implies the inclusion of engines, defensive equipment, et. al. 6 Rolls Royce AE 2100D3 spare engines (implies 36 engines included in C-130J-30s) 9 of BAE’s AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems (includes 3 spares) 9 of BAE’s AN/ALR-56M Advanced Radar Warning Receivers (includes 3 spares) 9 of ATK’s AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing Systems (includes 3 spares) 9 of FLIR Systems’ AN/AAQ-22 Star SAFIRE III Special Operations Suites (includes 3 spares). This is a day/night surveillance and laser targeting turret. 4 spare AN/ARC-210 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS) 10 spare Secure Voice Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency Radios 4 spare Secure Voice High Frequency Radios 3 spare AN/AAR-222 SINCGARS and Key Gen (KV-10) Systems 1 KIV-119 Non-standard Communication/COMSEC equipment 2 ARC-210 Non-standard Communication/COMSEC equipment 10 External Pylons and Fuel Tanks 5 Internal Israeli Tank Modification Kits The contract also includes defensive equipment, spare and repair parts, configurations updates, communications security equipment and radios, integration studies, support equipment, aircraft ferry and tanker support, repair and return, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support.

JHMCS: Fighter Pilot “Look & Shoot” Helmets’ Upgrade, Ups & Downs

JHMCS: Fighter Pilot “Look & Shoot” Helmets’ Upgrade, Ups & Downs

August 4, 2008: In the 1970s, fighter aircraft began to appear with Head-Up Displays (HUD) that projected key information, targeting crosshairs et. al. onto a seemingly clear piece of glass, so the pilot could keep his eyes on the sky instead of looking down at his instruments. We’ve been wondering when we’d see them in our automobiles ever since. In the 1990s, another innovation appeared: helmet-mounted displays put the HUD inside the pilot’s helmet, providing this information even when the pilot wasn’t looking straight ahead. The Israelis were already using a system called DASH when a set of former East German MiG-29s equipped with HMDs slaughtered USAF F-16s in exercises, and helmet-mounted displays suddenly became must-haves for modern fighters. The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) projects visual targeting and aircraft performance information on the back of the helmet’s visor, including aircraft altitude, airspeed, gravitational pull, angle of attack, and weapons sighting, enabling the pilot to monitor this information without interrupting the field of view through the cockpit canopy. The system uses a magnetic transmitter unit fixed to the pilot’s seat and a magnetic field probe mounted on the helmet to define helmet pointing positioning. A Helmet Vehicle Interface (HVI) interacts with the aircraft system bus to provide signal generation for the helmet display. This provides significant improvement for close combat targeting and engagement. A September 2005 exchange with Boeing enabled the writer to gain insights into the rocky past, overall state, and future of a program that has experienced its share of snags and controversy – but gone on to become the #1 helmet-mounted sight in the world today. That information fits nicely with article expansion of the coverage to detail the JHMCS’ game-changing effects on air combat, its production sets and known customers, and all contracts since full-rate production began. The latest item is a contract from Boeing to provide the dual-seat version for use in USAF F-15Es.

U.S. Marine - An amphibious assault vehicle

AN AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE PREPARES TO BOARD.

Aug 4, 2008: An amphibious assault vehicle assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit prepares to board the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) while underway in the Atlantic Ocean on July 27, 2008.

Chavez Gets Russian Fighter Jets, Warns U.S. 4th Fleet

Chavez Gets Russian Fighter Jets, Warns U.S. 4th Fleet 4 August, 2008: CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez said on Aug. 3 that 24 missile-firing Russian Sukhoi fighter jets have been delivered to Venezuela, and he warned the recently reactivated U.S. 4th Fleet to steer clear of Venezuelan waters. "We've received the 24 Sukhoi aircraft" complete with pilots, crews and missiles, Chavez said on his weekly radio program. "They're for defensive purposes, we're not going to attack anybody," Chavez said, adding that missile test-firing had already begun. Chavez boasted that the Sukhoi missiles have far greater range than those of the U.S. F-16 fighter jet, and proceeded to warn the 4rth Fleet the U.S. reactivated in July to keep out of Venezuelan waters. "Any gringo ship that sails into brown waters (river waters) will itself turn brown and go to the bottom, because they'll not get through," Chavez said. The fighter jets were part of a $3 billion military deal with Moscow that include tanks and Kalashnikov assault rifles, which the U.S. has criticized because of concerns that some of the armament may end up in the hands of leftist Colombian guerrillas. Mothballed for nearly 60 years, 4th Fleet for Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Pentagon, has no aircraft carrier or large warships, lacks offensive capability and will not enter any river or maritime territorial limits. Chavez turned to Russia for military hardware after he was spurned by the U.S., who refused to provide spare parts for F-16 jets Caracas bought from Washington in the 1980s.