Good Wednesday Morning March 17 .
A bit of history and some tidbits today
Regards,
Skip.
Today in Naval History
March 17
1898
John Holland's submarine, Holland IV, performs the first successful diving and surfacing tests off Staten Island, N.Y.
1944
USS Block Island (CVE 21) torpedo bomber aircraft from Composite Squadron (VC 6), along with USS Corry (DD 463) and USS Bronstein (DE 189), sink German submarine U 801 west of Cape Verdes.
1945
USS Sealion (SS 315) sinks Bangkok-bound Thai oiler Samui off Trengganu coast, while USS Spot (SS 413) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks army cargo vessel Nanking Maru off Yushiyama Island and damages cargo Ikomasan Maru, beached off Matsu Island.
1958
The Naval Research Laboratory satellite Vanguard 1 is launched into orbit to test the capabilities of a three-stage launch vehicle and effects of the environment on a satellite and its systems in Earths orbit.
1959
USS Skate (SSN-578) becomes the first submarine to surface at the North Pole, traveling 3,000 miles in and under Arctic ice for more than a month.
1962
USS Raleigh (LPD-1), the Navy's first amphibious transport dock, is launched at New York Naval shipyard.
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• Reporting about Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to the Indo-Pacific continued.
• Military.com reported PACFLT is studying the pros and cons of reactivating U.S. 1st Fleet.
• Trade and local press reported on comments from HASC Vice Chair Rep. Elaine Luria during a Hudson Institute event.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
March 17
1766 Britain repeals the Stamp Act.
1776 British forces evacuate from Boston to Nova Scotia.
1799 Napoleon Bonaparte and his army reach Mediterranean seaport of St. Jean d'Acra, only to find British warships ready to break his siege of the town.
1868 The first postage stamp canceling machine patent is issued.
1884 John Joseph Montgomery makes the first glider flight in Otay, Calif.
1886 Twenty African Americans are killed in the Carrollton Massacre in Mississippi.
1891 The British steamer Utopia sinks off the coast of Gibraltar.
1905 Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, marries Franklin D. Roosevelt in New York.
1910 The Camp Fire Girls are founded in Lake Sebago, Maine.
1914 Russia increases the number of active duty military from 460,000 to 1,700,000.
1924 Four Douglas army aircraft leave Los Angeles for an around the world flight.
1930 Mob boss Al Capone is released from jail.
1942 The Nazis begin deporting Jews to the Belsen camp.
1944 The U.S. Eighth Air Force bombs Vienna.
1959 The 14th Dalai Lama flees Tibet and goes to India.
1961 The United States increases military aid and technicians to Laos.
1962 The Soviet Union asks the United States to pull out of South Vietnam.
1966 A U.S. submarine locates a missing H-bomb in the Mediterranean.
1970 The Army charges 14 officers with suppression of facts in the My Lai massacre case.
1972 Nixon asks Congress to halt busing in order to achieve desegregation.
1973 Twenty are killed in Cambodia when a bomb goes off that was meant for the Cambodian President Lon Nol.
1973 First POWs are released from the "Hanoi Hilton" in Hanoi, North Vietnam.
1985 President Ronald Reagan agrees to a joint study with Canada on acid rain.
1992 White South Africans approve constitutional reforms giving legal equality to blacks.
Today was a sad day for Naval Aviation with the loss of one of our comrades - Hoser -Had left the bonds of Earth.
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Thanks to Crane Dog and Jim for this one
Here's a wee bit of humor to greet you on St. Paddy's Day! 😊
An Irish World War II Spitfire pilot and flying Ace was speaking in a church and reminiscing about his war experiences. "In 1942," he said, "the situation was really tough. The Germans had a very strong air force. I remember," he continued, "one day I was protecting the bombers and suddenly, out of the clouds, these Fokker's appeared."
There are a few gasps from the parishioners, and several of the children began to giggle.
"I looked up, and realized that two of the Fokkers were directly above me. I aimed at the first one and shot him down. By then, though, the other Fokker was right on my tail."
At this point, several of the elderly ladies of the church were blushing with embarrassment, the girls were all giggling and the boys laughing loudly. The pastor finally stands up and says, "I think I should point out that 'Fokker' was the name of a German-Dutch aircraft company, who made many of the planes used by the Germans during the war."
"Yes, that's true," said the old pilot, "but these Fokkers were flying Messerschmitts."
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Thanks to MICRO
Back again by popular demand:
Church Ladies With Typewriters
They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for the church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced at church services:
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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water. 'The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Pot-luck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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And this one just about sums them all up
The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.'
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Thanks to Mud
A bit of humor to brighten your day.
S/F,
- Mud
A mathematics teacher was arrested today at John F. Kennedy International airport as he attempted to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a compass, an ancient wooden device called a "slide-rule", as well as a code device called an "abacus" that he claimed was a calculator.
At a morning press conference, the Attorney General said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-Gebra movement. He did not identify the man, who has been charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction. "Al-Gebra is a problem for us," the Attorney General said. "Al-Gebra has terrorized young people for years. They derive solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in search of absolute values".
"They use secret code names like 'X' and 'Y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns,' but we've determined that they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country." As the Greek philosopher Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle.'"
"If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, he would have given us more fingers and toes."
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Thanks to Boysie ... and Dr. Rich
Conversion Tables
1. Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter = Eskimo Pi
2. 2000 pounds of Chinese soup = Won ton
3. 1 millionth of a mouthwash = 1 microscope
4. Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement = 1 bananosecond
5. Weight an evangelist carries with God = 1 billigram
6. Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour = Knotfurlong
7. 16.5 feet in the Twilight Zone = 1 Rod Sterling
8. Half of a large intestine = 1 semicolon
9. 1,000,000 aches = 1 megahurtz
10. Basic unit of laryngitis = 1 hoarsepower
11 Shortest distance between two jokes = A straight line
12. 453.6 graham crackers = 1 pound cake
13. 1 million-million microphones = 1 megaphone
14. 2 million bicycles = 2 megacycles
15. 365.25 days = 1 unicycle
16. 2000 mockingbirds = 2 kilomockingbirds
17. 52 cards = 1 decacards
18. 1 kilogram of falling figs = 1 FigNewton
19. 1000 milliliters of wet socks = 1 literhosen
20. 1 millionth of a fish = 1 microfiche
21. 1 trillion pins = 1 terrapin
22. 10 rations = 1 decoration
23. 100 rations = 1 C-ration
24. 2 monograms = 1 diagram
25. 4 nickels = 2 paradigms
26. 2.4 statute miles of intravenous surgical tubing at Yale University Hospital = 1 IV League
27. 100 Senators = Not 1 decision
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ROLLING THUNDER Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War—17 March 1966 From the archives of http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com
"When the Weather Clears"...
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/subject-rolling-thunder-remembered-17march-st-patricks-day/
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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This Day in U S Military History
17 March
1756 – St. Patrick's Day was 1st celebrated in NYC at Crown & Thistle Tavern.
1762 – In New York City, the first parade honoring the Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is held by Irish soldiers serving in the British army. Saint Patrick, who was born in the late 4th century, was one of the most successful Christian missionaries in history. Born in Britain to a Christian family of Roman citizenship, he was taken prisoner at the age of 16 by a group of Irish raiders who attacked his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland, and he spent six years in captivity before escaping back to Britain. Believing he had been called by God to Christianize Ireland, he joined the Catholic Church and studied for 15 years before being consecrated as the church's second missionary to Ireland. Patrick began his mission to Ireland in 432, and by his death in 460, the island was almost entirely Christian. Early Irish settlers to the American colonies, many of whom were indentured servants, brought the Irish tradition of celebrating St. Patrick's feast day to America. The first recorded St. Patrick's Day parade was held not in Ireland but in New York City in 1762, and with the dramatic increase of Irish immigrants to the United States in the mid-19th century, the March 17th celebration became widespread. Today, across the United States, millions of Americans of Irish ancestry celebrate their cultural identity and history by enjoying St. Patrick's Day parades and engaging in general revelry.
1776 – During the American War for Independence, British forces are forced to evacuate Boston following Patriot General George Washington's successful placement of fortifications and cannons on Dorchester Heights, which overlooks the city from the south. During the evening of March 4, Patriot General John Thomas, under orders from Washington, secretly led a force of 800 soldiers and 1,200 workers to Dorchester Heights and began fortifying the area. To cover the sound of the construction, Patriot cannons, besieging Boston from another location, began a noisy bombardment of the outskirts of the city. By the morning, more than a dozen cannons from Fort Ticonderoga had been brought within the Dorchester Heights fortifications. British General Sir William Howe hoped to use British ships in Boston Harbor to destroy the Patriot position, but a storm set in, giving the Patriots ample time to complete the fortifications and set up their artillery. On March 17, 11,000 British troops and some 1,000 Royalists departed Boston by ship and sailed to the safety of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The bloodless liberation of Boston by the Patriots brought an end to a hated eight-year British occupation of the city, known for such infamous events as the "Boston Massacre." For the victory, General Washington, commander of the Continental Army, was presented with the first medal ever awarded by the Continental Congress.
1945 – The Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River, at Remagen, collapses under the combined strain of bomb damage and heavy use but US Army engineers have built several other bridges nearby and the advance over the Rhine continues. To the south, the US 3rd Army offensive over the Moselle River takes Koblenz and Boppard on the left flank of the drive while farther forward, the Nahe River has been crossed.
1947 – First flight of the B-45 Tornado strategic bomber. The North American B-45 Tornado was the United States Air Force's first operational jet bomber, and the first multi-jet engined bomber in the world to be refuelled in midair. The B-45 was an important part of the United States's nuclear deterrent for several years in the early 1950s, but was rapidly succeeded by the Boeing B-47 Stratojet. B-45s and RB-45s served in the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command from 1950 until 1959. It was also the first jet bomber of the NATO Alliance, which was formed in 1949.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day 17 March
MULLEN, PATRICK (First Award)
Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Birth: Baltimore, Md. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation: Served as boatswain's mate on board the U.S.S. Wyandank during a boat expedition up Mattox Creek, 17 March 1865. Rendering gallant assistance to his commanding officer, Mullen, lying on his back, loaded the howitzer and then fired so carefully as to kill and wound many rebels, causing their retreat.
SANDERSON, AARON
Rank and organization: Landsman, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Birth: North Carolina. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Wyandank during a boat expedition up Mattox Creek, 17 March 1865. Participating with a boat crew in the clearing of Mattox Creek, L/man Anderson carried out his duties courageously in the face of a devastating fire which cut away half the oars, pierced the launch in many places and cut the barrel off a musket being fired at the enemy.
BRYAN, WILLIAM C.
Rank and organization: Hospital Steward, U.S. Army. Place and date: At Powder River, Wyo., 17 March 1876. Entered service at: St. Louis, Mo. Born: 9 September 1850, Zanesville, Ohio. Date of issue: 15 June 1899. Citation: Accompanied a detachment of cavalry in a charge on a village of hostile Indians and fought through the engagements, having his horse killed under him. He continued to fight on foot, and under severe fire and without assistance conveyed 2 wounded comrades to places of safety, saving them from capture.
GLAVINSKI, ALBERT
Rank and organization: Blacksmith, Company M, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Powder River, Mont., 17 March 1876. Entered service at:——. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: 16 October 1877. Citation: During a retreat he selected exposed positions, he was part of the rear guard.
MURPHY, JEREMIAH
Rank and organization: Private, Company M, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Powder River, Mont., 17 March 1876. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 16 October 1877. Citation: Being the only member of his picket not disabled, he attempted to save a wounded comrade.
*DEVORE, EDWARD A., Jr.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Saigon, Republic of Vietnam, 17 March 1968. Entered service at: Harbor City, Calif. Born: 15 June 1947, Torrance, Calif. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. DeVore, distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on the afternoon of 17 March 1968, while serving as a machine gunner with Company B, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission approximately 5 kilometers south of Saigon. Sp4c. DeVore's platoon, the company's lead element, abruptly came under intense fire from automatic weapons, Claymore mines, rockets and grenades from well-concealed bunkers in a nipa palm swamp. One man was killed and 3 wounded about 20 meters from the bunker complex. Sp4c. DeVore raced through a hail of fire to provide a base of fire with his machine gun, enabling the point element to move the wounded back to friendly lines. After supporting artillery, gunships and air strikes had been employed on the enemy positions, a squad was sent forward to retrieve their fallen comrades. Intense enemy frontal and enfilading automatic weapons fire pinned down this element in the kill zone. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Sp4c. DeVore assaulted the enemy positions. Hit in the shoulder and knocked down about 35 meters short of his objectives, Sp4c. DeVore, ignoring his pain and the warnings of his fellow soldiers, jumped to his feet and continued his assault under intense hostile fire. Although mortally wounded during this advance, he continued to place highly accurate suppressive fire upon the entrenched insurgents. By drawing the enemy fire upon himself, Sp4c. DeVore enabled the trapped squad to rejoin the platoon in safety. Sp4c. DeVore's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty in close combat were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 39th Infantry, and the U.S. Army.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for March 17, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
17 March
1911: At Potomac Park in Washington DC, Army and government officials watched the first flight of the military-type Curtiss D. The Signal Corps bought the plane, making it the first from the Curtiss Manufacturing Company and second in the inventory (Signal Corps No. 2). (4)(12)
1945: 307 B-29s delivered 2,300 tons of incendiary bombs on Kobe, Japan. (24)
1947: The US AAF's first multiengined jet bomber, the North American XB-45 Tornado, powered by four General Electric J-35 engines, flew for the first time. (12)
1958: Vanguard I, the second US satellite to go into orbit, launched from Cape Canaveral. (5)
1961: Northrop delivered the first T-38 Talon, a supersonic jet trainer, to ATC at Randolph AFB. (24)
1966: The X-22A V/STOL research airplane, designed and built by Bell Aerosystems Company, completed a 10-minute first flight at Niagara Falls IAP. (5) (26)
1967: The US and Thai governments announced that USAF units in Thailand were flying missions against North Vietnam. (16)
1978: A Defense Systems Acquisition Review Council approved development of the Space Shuttle's inertial upper stage. (5)
1981: At Long Beach, the Douglas Aircraft Company turned over the first KC-10 Extender (79-0434) to Lt Gen Edgar S. Harris, the Eighth Air Force Commander. He flew it to Barksdale AFB for testing with the 4200th Test and Evaluation Squadron. (1) (12)
1988: Exercise GOLDEN PHEASANT. Through 18 March, 50 airlifters carried 3,200 US soldiers to Honduras for this exercise after Sandinista forces from Nicaragua crossed the border. For the mission, 23 tankers refueled 31 planes with 1.5 million pounds of fuel. (16)
1997: Operation GUARDIAN RETRIEVAL. The Air Force Special Operations Command provided a joint task force with MC-130 aircraft and MH-53 helicopters to evacuate U. S. citizens and other foreigners from Zaire due to an outbreak of civil unrest. By late March, the special operations effort had moved 532 passengers in 57 missions. To assist, Air Mobility Command dispatched C-5s, C-17s, C-141s, and KC-135s. Besides placing tankers at Moron AB in Spain, Air Mobility Command airlifted a Joint Task Force and special operations forces to Libreville, Gabon, and Brazzaville, Congo, while setting up support operations at Ascension Island; Brussels, Belgium; and Yaounde, Cameroon. By 17 April, AMC had flown over 115 missions, carrying over 1,200 passengers and 2,400 short tons of cargo. (21) (22)
2001: A C-5 Galaxy from the New York ANG's 105 AW delivered 65,600 pounds of relief supplies to earthquake-ravaged El Salvador at the San Salvador International Airport. (32)
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World News for 17 March thanks to Military Periscope
USA—Preparations Underway For Defender Europe Drills | 03/17/2021 U.S. troops are on their way to Europe for the annual large-scale Defender Europe exercise, reports U.S. Army Europe and Africa, which leads the multinational training. Personnel and equipment in the U.S. began moving to Europe this month. Participating units will draw their equipment from Army prepositioned units in April, with various training events slated for May and June, the command said on Monday. This year's exercise is expected to involve more than 30,000 troops from 27 nations taking part in drills in over 30 training areas across 12 European countries. A division-size force will deploy from the U.S., pull equipment from prepositioned stocks and then move across the theater to multiple training areas, reported the Army Times. Of the U.S. force, 2,800 of the troops are from the National Guard and 800 from the Army Reserve. The training will involve security force assistance brigades and the newly reactivated V Corps, officials said. Defender Europe includes several linked and two associated exercises. The linked events include the Swift Response airborne exercise in Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania in the first half of May; Immediate Response live-fire and joint over-the-shore logistics training from mid-May to early June; Saber Guardian live-fire, air and missile defense and large-scale medical evacuation drill involving 13,000 troops from mid-May to early June; and a command-post exercise in June focused on the ability of headquarters to command multinational land forces while maintaining real-world operations. The associated drills include the U.S. Africa Command-led African Lion exercise in Morocco from mid-May to mid-June, which will involve 5,000 troops from 24 countries. The training covers medical readiness, large-scale live-firings and air, maritime and forward command-post operations. Meanwhile, the Steadfast Defender exercise, scheduled for mid-May to early-June, will focus on transatlantic reinforcement of Europe and demonstrating NATO's ability to rapidly respond to the full spectrum of threats.
USA—F-22 Makes Emergency Landing At Eglin AFB Air Force Magazine | 03/17/2021 An Air Force F-22 Raptor experienced an in-flight emergency and ground mishap at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., reports Air Force magazine. On Monday, the F-22, assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing, landed safely following the in-flight emergency, Eglin AFB said in a social media post. A picture said to be from the scene showed the jet nose down on the runway with its canopy open, suggesting a nose gear failure, reported the War Zone website. After the landing, the pilot was transported to the base medical clinic for evaluation. The cause of the incident is under investigation. This was the second accident at Eglin involving an F-22 in the past year. In May 2020, a Raptor from the 43rd Fighter Squadron crashed north of the base. The pilot ejected safely.
USA—Liberal House Dems Push For Defense Cuts The Hill | 03/17/2021 A group of progressive House Democrats has called on President Biden to significantly reduce the defense budget, reports the Hill (Washington, D.C.). In a letter to Biden on Tuesday, the lawmakers expressed approval of plans to maintain spending its current levels while urging the administration to make significant topline cuts. The letter was organized by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), both former Progressive Caucus chairs, as well as Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.). The letter did not specify how large the cuts should be, but the progressive leaders pushed for a 10 percent cut last year. Bloomberg News reported on March 9 that Pentagon officials are putting together a budget request totaling about $704 billion to $708 billion, a figure on par with current spending levels. Efforts to reduce the defense budget are unlikely to succeed. House Republicans have been pushing for a 3 percent to 5 percent boost. Democrats have a slim majority in the House, and a one-vote majority in the Senate, likely requiring a compromise on the defense budget.
USA—Relativity Space Selected For Pentagon's Rapid Launch Initiative Relativity Space | 03/17/2021 The Dept. of Defense has expanded its list of providers for its Rapid Agile Launch Initiative, awarding an orbital launch contract to Relativity Space, reports the Los Angeles-based aerospace company. The value of the contract was not disclosed. The contracted launch, scheduled for 2023, will employ Relativity's Terran 1 rocket, which is built using 3D-printed components, reported Space News. Relativity is the third firm to be selected for the Rapid Agile Launch Initiative after Rocket Lab and Virgin Orbit. The initiative seeks to identify viable commercial launch systems capable of placing a 990-pound to 2,650-pound (450-kg to 1,200-kg) payload in low earth orbit. The Terran 1 is reportedly capable of placing 2,760 pounds (1,250 kg) in low earth orbit and 1,980 pounds (900 kg) in a sun-synchronous orbit.
United Kingdom—Typhoons Launch Storm Shadow Missiles In Anger For 1st Time U.K. Ministry Of Defense | 03/17/2021 For the first time, British Eurofighter Typhoon fighters have launched Storm Shadow cruise missiles during an operation, reports the U.K. Ministry of Defense. On March 10, a pair of Typhoons launched the missiles against an Islamic State cave complex south of Erbil in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region, the ministry said on Monday. The Iraqi Counterterrorism Service identified the target, which was assessed as being particularly difficult to hit. The Storm Shadow was subsequently determined to be the best weapon for the mission. The attack was the first time that the British Typhoons had fired the Storm Shadow since obtaining the ability to use the weapon, reported the War Zone website. Previously, British Tornado GR4 strike jets carried the Storm Shadow. The Tornado was retired from British service in 2019.
United Kingdom—Plans Made For Increasing Nuclear Stockpile Wall Street Journal | 03/17/2021 British government has decided to expand its nuclear stockpile as part of a revamp of national defense policy, reports the Wall Street Journal. A report released on Tuesday, indicated that the cap would be lifted from 180 warheads to no more than 260 as part of an increased deterrent. The U.K. currently has an estimated stockpile of 190 warheads, indicating that the country would need to build more to reach the new objective. Previous strategic documents called for reducing the stockpile to 180 warheads in the mid-2020s. The document projects that the retreat of globalization would exacerbate inter-state tensions and warns of the proliferation of novel chemical and nuclear weapons. Growing challenges to the U.S.-led, rules-based order were also cited as a reason for bolstering the British nuclear deterrent. Some experts have questioned the wisdom of strategy, as well as where the funding would come from amid tight budgets.
Norway—Javelin Missiles Sought From U.S. To Upgrade Anti-Tank Capabilities U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency | 03/17/2021 Norway is seeking to buy new anti-tank missile systems to upgrade its arsenal, reports the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The proposed US$36 million deal covers 120 FGM-148 Javelin missiles; two fly-to-buy Javelin missiles; 24 Javelin Block 1 command launch unit (CLU) retrofit kits; spare parts; training; and associated support. The potential deal would enable Norway to upgrade and increase its inventory of anti-tank missiles, the agency said.
North Macedonia—Stryker Wheeled Armored Vehicles Eyed U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency | 03/17/2021 The North Macedonian government has requested to buy wheeled armored vehicles from the U.S., reports the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The potential US$210 million Foreign Military Sales deal covers 54 Strykers in the M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV), M1130 Command Vehicle (CV) and M1129 Mortar Carrier Vehicle (MCV) configurations. The proposed sale also includes .50-cal M2A1 machine guns; M6 smoke grenade launchers and associated spares; Harris radios; Common Remote Operated Weapon Stations (CROWS); Defense Advanced GPS Receiver; AN/VAS-5 driver's vision enhancer; spares; training; testing; and support. The Strykers would improve the ability of North Macedonia to meet existing and future threats, increase operational capability and advance military cooperation, said the DSCA.
Turkey—T929 Chopper To Have Ukrainian Engine, TAI Says Daily Sabah | 03/17/2021 Turkish Aerospace Industries has decided to acquire a Ukrainian engine for a new heavy attack helicopter under development for the Turkish military, reports the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). The T929, or ATAK 2, will be powered by a 2,500-horsepower engine imported from Ukraine, Temel Kotil, the head of TAI, told the HaberTurk broadcaster on Sunday. The helicopter, being developed under the Heavy Class Attack Helicopter program between TAI and the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), is expected to have twice the takeoff weight of the current T129 ATAK helicopter. The T929 is slated to have a payload of 3,310 pounds (1,500 kg), including new-generation rockets, long-range anti-tank missiles and air-to-air missiles. Other features include a tandem, digital cockpit; low infrared and acoustic signature; ballistic armor; and advanced electronic warfare and countermeasure systems. The helicopter is expected to be able to operate at high altitudes and temperatures and in difficult weather conditions.
North Korea—NORTHCOM Chief Says N. Korea May Be Preparing For ICBM Test Reuters | 03/17/2021 The head of U.S. Northern Command says that North Korea might be readying a flight test of a new ballistic missile, reports Reuters. On Tuesday, Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck told the Senate Armed Services Committee that North Korea had unveiled a "larger and presumably more capable" intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in October. Noting that Pyongyang had released itself from a moratorium on ICBM testing in 2018, VanHerck said that a test is possible in the near future. Jenny Town, the director of 38 North, which monitors develops in North Korea, said that North Korea is more likely to restart testing with submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and shorter-range missiles, since such testing has been mostly normalized. An unnamed U.S. official said that there are indications that North Korea is preparing for a launch, but that one does not appear imminent.
North Korea—Pyongyang Threatens To Scrap Inter-Korean Agreements Yonhap | 03/17/2021 Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, has warned South Korea that Pyongyang might scrap various agreements if Seoul does not halt joint military exercises with the U.S., reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). On Tuesday, Kim warned that Pyongyang could walk away from a bilateral military agreement signed with South Korea in 2018 as part of efforts to reduce tensions. In the statement carried by the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, she said that the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, a ruling party organization assigned to handle cross-border affairs and dialogues, could be eliminated, saying there was no longer any need for such an organization. The South Korean Unification Ministry responded with a call for calm, saying that joint exercises with the U.S. should never be used to increase tensions and pledging to continue to work to improve inter-Korean ties.
Israel—Upgraded Iron Dome Air Defense System Passes Test Rafael Advanced Defense Systems | 03/17/2021 Rafael has demonstrated the latest capabilities of the Iron Dome air defense system during a trials campaign with the Israel Missile Defense Organization, reports the Israeli defense firm. The latest test campaign, as well as two other test-firings, demonstrated the technology capabilities of the upgraded system, which enhanced the ability of the Iron Dome to cope with multiple complex threats, reported the Times of Israel. The trials involved a range of complex scenarios, involving the interception and destruction of simulated current and future threats, including the simultaneous defeat of multiple drones as well as rocket and missile salvos, said Rafael. The upgrades are being delivered to the Israeli air force and navy, including the new Magen-class corvettes.
Libya—Security Council Report Documents Violations Of Arms Embargo Washington Post | 03/17/2021 A new U.N. report criticizes several countries for flagrantly violating the arms embargo on Libya, reports the Washington Post. Released on Tuesday, the report documents the transfer of drones, transport aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, artillery and armored vehicles to Libya from October 2019 through late January 2021. It also documents the deployment of mercenaries financed by Egypt, Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and others. For those countries that directly support local parties to the conflict, "the violations are extensive, blatant and with complete disregard for the sanctions measures." The report documents how air bridges, often involving stopovers in Egypt, were used to disguise the origin of some illegal shipments. It also appears to confirm reports of Emirati-trained Sudanese and Chadian fighters in the ranks of eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar. Observers and analysts have long noted the violations in support of the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HOR).
Ethiopia—Amhara State Seizes Disputed Parts Of Tigray State Bloomberg News | 03/17/2021 Forces from Amhara state in northern Ethiopia have taken advantage of the conflict in neighboring Tigray state to take control of disputed territory, reports Bloomberg News. A spokesman for the Amhara regional government said on Tuesday that the territory had originally been integrated with Tigray by force "and now has been returned by force." The areas include the Welkait, Tegede, Humera, Telemte and Raya districts, he said. The move is backed by by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and awaits approval by the House of Federation, Ethiopia's upper house of Parliament. In the interim, Amhara is administering the area, said the spokesman. Amhara state was forced to cede territory to Tigray in 1991, after an alliance led by the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) overthrew the government. Federal Ethiopian officials did not immediately confirm the report. A member of Tigray's interim government objected to the possible border shift. Militia forces from Amhara have fought alongside federal Ethiopian troops as part of the operation against the TPLF that began in November.
Niger—Dozens Killed In Assault Near Border With Mali Agence France-Presse | 03/17/2021 At least 58 people have been killed in a militant attack in southwestern Niger, not far from the border with Mali, reports Agence France-Presse. On Monday, gunmen stopped four vehicles that were carrying passengers from a weekly market in Banibangou to the nearby villages of Chinedogar and Darey-Daye, according to a televised government statement. Locals said that the attack started with an assault on a bus on its way to Chinedogar in which 20 people were killed. The militants subsequently attacked nearby villages, killing another 30 people, according to security sources. One person survived the attacks with injuries. Two of the vehicles were seized and two destroyed. The attackers fled with a supply of grain. Following the attack, the government called for increased vigilance and vowed to fight "criminality in all its forms." There were no immediate claims of responsibility. The assault took place in the Tillaberi region, part of the tri-border region where the borders of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger meet that has been the site of numerous militant attacks.
Mozambique—Marines Receiving Training From U.S. U.S. Embassy in Mozambique | 03/17/2021 Mozambique and the U.S. have just launched a training program for Mozambican marines, reports the U.S. Embassy in Mozambique. On March 15, the two countries formally launched the Joint Combined Exchange Training program. Under the program, U.S. special operations forces will train Mozambican marines for two months. The U.S. is also providing medical and communications equipment. The effort is intended to support Mozambique's effort to prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism. Maputo is locked in a conflict with an Islamist extremist insurgency in the northern Cabo Delgado province, noted Defence Web (South Africa). The group has reportedly killed 2,000 people and driven 670,000 from their homes. The embassy emphasized that the U.S. prioritizes the respect for human rights, protection of civilians and engagement with civil society in all security assistance programs.
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