Wednesday, February 16, 2011

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill Attackers In Afghanistan

DTN News - AFGHAN WAR NEWS: Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill Attackers In Afghanistan
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, - February 16, 2011: Afghan and coalition killed four insurgents in Afghanistan’s Kunar province yesterday, military officials reported.

Security forces fired on several insurgents behaving in a hostile manner in the province’s Darah-ye Pech district, officials said, killing three.

A separate combined patrol killed another insurgent after being fired upon in the province’s Tsowkey district.

In other news yesterday throughout Afghanistan:

-- Security forces killed two insurgents during a gun battle in Helmand province’s Musa Qalah district after a group of insurgents ambushed the troops with small-arms fire.

-- Forces killed an insurgent and wounded another in a shootout in Helmand province’s Kajaki district after being fired upon.

-- Acting on tips from local residents, Afghan and coalition troops detained several suspected insurgents, including a Haqqani terrorist network leader, in Khost province’s Sabari district. The suspected Haqqani leader is responsible for trafficking weapons to other fighters in the province.

-- Security forces captured several suspected insurgents with alleged ties to a Taliban bomb facilitator in Zabul province’s Shah Joy district. The facilitator reportedly is linked to several attacks throughout the province, officials said.

-- Forces detained two suspected insurgents, including a Taliban leader believed to be responsible for kidnappings, weapons trafficking and attacks on local security forces in Ghazni province’s provincial capital.

-- Security forces detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Haqanni leader in Khost province’s Terayzai district. The targeted Haqanni leader is responsible for carrying out indirect-fire and roadside-bomb attacks on coalition convoys.

-- Afghan and coalition forces detained a Taliban leader in Wardak province’s Sayyidabad district, where he is known to have purchased weapons and bomb-making materials for senior Taliban leaders.

-- Security forces destroyed 4 tons of narcotics near Kandahar province’s Zharay district. The narcotics were found on an insurgent compound used for planning and facilitating attacks, officials said, and the compound also served as a hub for trafficking homemade bombs.

-- Security forces found several other weapons stockpiles throughout Afghanistan. The operations resulted in the seizure of more than 200 assault rifle rounds, 21 anti-personnel mines, 15 rocket-propelled grenades, 14 hand grenades, four assorted rockets and mortars. Various bomb-making materials also were discovered, including 11 blasting caps, eight bags of ammonium nitrate, five pressure plates, four cell phones, urea fertilizer, a roll of detonation cord and an electronic detonator. Forces also found 7,500 pounds of marijuana and a pound and a half of opium.

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  • DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: House To Vote On Bill That Could Kill Second F-35 Engine, USAF To Start F-35 Training

    DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: House To Vote On Bill That Could Kill Second F-35 Engine, USAF To Start F-35 Training
    Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Daily Tech
    (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 16, 2011: House vote could hack $450 million set aside for development of alternative F-35 engine from budget

    The U.S. military has been working on the most expensive weapons program in U.S. history for years now. That program is the F-35 Lighting II (Joint Strike Fighter) that will see action eventually in all branches of the U.S. military and will find its way to allied nations as well. The F-35 program has had more than its share of setbacks, and not all of those setbacks were issues with the aircraft.

    Many of the setbacks have come at the hands of lawmakers and budget cuts. The House is set to vote on a critical funding bill that has serious implications on the future of the F-35 program. The budget has a provision in it for the continued development and deployment of an alternative engine for the F-35 to go along side the Pratt & Whitney F135 jet engine. The alternative engine is from GE and Rolls Royce and will be built in Ohio, and Indiana. The F135 engine is constructed in Florida and Texas. The engine vote is under pressure because many lawmakers in the House feel that adding a second engine to the program wastes taxpayer money and the House is looking to pare all it can from the budget for the year.

    The spending measure the House is voting on has $450 million set aside for the GE and Rolls-Royce engine. The thing that has defense contractors nervous is that many of the House lawmakers are in their freshman terms and haven’t yet voted on the program. That means where the votes will lie on the second engine are more unknown than in previous votes. Rep. Bob Dold, R-Ill, in his first term, said, "We have to step forward, we have to cut back on areas, and this is an area that the secretary of defense said we need to cut back on." Debate on the bill is expected to continue all week and cuts on the alternative F-35 engine aren’t the only things on the chopping block as the House looks to cut billions from the budget. The cuts will also affect the Peace Corps, the EPA, and many more programs that currently receive federal funding. The White House has already warned the House that it would mount "strong opposition" to legislation that would undermine core government functions and investments in job growth. While the future of the alternative F-35 engine in question, the F-35 program itself moves on. The Air Force has announced that it will begin to train instructor pilots on the F-35 before the end of 2011. The first F-35 aircraft will be delivered to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base. The first round of aircraft will be the F-35A conventional take off and landing versions and 20 of the jets are expected in the first round of deliveries. Vice Adm. Dave Venlet said, "We're going to put them in the hands of the fleet and the Air Force is going to be operating [Conventional take-off and landing aircraft] in training at Eglin before the year ends." Defense News notes that it is uncommon for aircraft to be delivered to line pilots before formal operational testing is completed. However, a shortened informal test will be conducted before the 33rd pilots take delivery of the aircraft. Venlet said, "It's not a full operational test, it doesn't resolve any measures of effectiveness." Venlet also noted that he expects the F-35B STOVL aircraft will have sea-trials with the Marine Corps this fall. The F-35B has been the most trouble prone of all the aircraft and has been put on a probationary status though the aircraft has made successful vertical test landings.

    *This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

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