Good Thursday morning October 21
I hope that your week has been going well
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Today in Naval and Marine Corps History
October 21
On This day
1797 The frigate Constitution launches at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard, Boston, Mass. The ship is now the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy.
1862 The Cairo class ironclad river gunboat Louisville, under the command of Lt. Cmdr. R.W. Meade III, escorts the steamer Meteor, whose embarked Army troops landed at Bledsoes Landing and Hamblins Landing, Ark. The towns are burned in reprisal for attacks by Confederate guerrillas on mail steamer Gladiator early in the morning of
1864 The wooden side-wheel cruiser Fort Jackson captures steamer Wando at sea, east of Cape Romain, S.C., with cargo of cotton.
1942 The British submarine HMS Seraph lands Navy Capt. Jerauld Wright and four Army officers including Maj. Gen. Mark Clark at Cherchel, French North Africa to meet with a French military delegation to assess French attitude towards future Allied landings (Operation Torch). Eventually, the French agreed to the mission.
1942 USS Guardfish (SS 217) sinks Japanese freighter Nichiho Maru about 120 miles north-northeast of Formosa while USS Gudgeon (SS 211) attacks a Japanese convoy in the Bismarck Sea and sinks the transport Choko Maru.
1952 USS Lewis (DE 535) aids two Korean minesweepers under fire at Wonson Harbor. As she approaches, at least four enemy batteries open up on the destroyer escort. Lewis returns fire and lays down a smoke screen to cover the minesweepers retreat. Shortly thereafter the destroyer escort takes two 75mm shell hits, killing six crewmen outright and mortally wounding a seventh. The second hit explodes on the main deck, port side, lightly wounding one sailor.
1989 Los Angeles-class submarine USS Topeka (SSN 754) is commissioned at Groton, CT
1995 USS Stethem (DDG 63) is commissioned at Port Hueneme, Calif., and named in honor of Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, Robert Dean Stethem. She is the 13th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the U.S. Navy.
2017 Expeditionary Sea Base USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) is put into service during a christening ceremony at General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego.
Today in History: October 21
1096 Seljuk Turks at Chivitot slaughter thousands of German crusaders.
1529 The Pope names Henry VIII of England Defender of the Faith after defending the seven sacraments against Luther.
1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats his enemies in battle and affirms his position as Japan's most powerful warlord.
1790 The Tricolor is chosen as the official flag of France.
1805 Vice Admiral and Viscount Horatio Nelson wins his greatest victory over a Franco-Spanish fleet in the Battle of Trafalgar, fought off Cape Trafalgar, Spain. Nelson is fatally wounded in the battle, but lives long enough to see victory.
1837 Under a flag of truce during peace talks, U.S. troops siege the Indian Seminole Chief Osceola in Florida.
1861 The Battle of Ball's Bluff, Va. begins, a disastrous Union defeat which sparks Congressional investigations.
1867 Many leaders of the Kiowa, Comanche and Kiowa-Apache sign a peace treaty at Medicine Lodge, Kan. Comanche Chief Quanah Parker refused to accept the treaty terms.
1872 The U.S. Naval Academy admits John H. Conyers, the first African American to be accepted.
1879 After 14 months of testing, Thomas Edison first demonstrates his electric lamp, hoping to one day compete with gaslight.
1904 Panamanians clash with U.S. Marines in Panama in a brief uprising.
1917 The first U.S. troops enter the front lines at Sommerviller under French command.
1939 As war heats up with Germany, the British war cabinet holds its first meeting in the underground war room in London.
1940 Ernest Hemingway's novel For Whom the Bell Tolls is published.
1942 Eight American and British officers land from a submarine on an Algerian beach to take measure of Vichy French to the Operation Torch landings.
1950 North Korean Premier Kim Il-Sung establishes a new capital at Sinuiju on the Yalu River opposite the Chinese City of Antung.
1959 The Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opens in Manhattan.
1961 Bob Dylan records his first album in a single day at a cost of $400.
1967 The "March on the Pentagon," protesting American involvement in Vietnam , draws 50,000 protesters.
1969 Israel's Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan resigns over disagreements with Prime Minister Menachem Begin over policies related to the Palestinians.
1983 The United States sends a ten-ship task force to Grenada.
1994 North Korea and the US sign an agreement requiring North Korea to halts its nuclear weapons program and agree to international inspections.
19th Century |
1805 |
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— … For The List for Thursday, 21 October 2021… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 21 October 1966… "The love of fame, the universal passion"… a little free verse…
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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An interesting note from the Bear's Rolling Thunder for 21 October 2019
ALL-WEATHER AND NIGHT OPERATIONS…
"Operations at night and in bad weather conditions were critical roles of tactical air support in Southeast Asia. To overcome the operational problems, three approaches were in use in Vietnam at the end of 1969: artificial light, COMBAT SKYSPOT, and the A-6A Diane system.
"Two basic types of artificial light were available. The primary sources were flares of various kinds, dropped either by flareships or gunships, by the lead fighter in a flight, or in rare cases, by the FAC himself. Both the F-100 and the F-4 had flares on the lead aircraft standing night alert. The A-37 had not been modified for this mission at the end of 1969, but a study was under way to determine its feasibility. The OV-10 and O-2 FACs were used to drop flares on occasion. The O-1 did not have this capability. The second type of light was the illuminator on the AC-119K.
"This system was designed to improve visibility and target acquisition for use in close air support at night. It was not widely used because illuminators were on the AC-119K, operating out-country in a night truck killing role. In this role, the illuminator was not required. Operating with artificial light, the delivery parameters were general the same as during daylight. Using the illuminator along Laos LOCs would have highlighted the aircraft making it extremely vulnerable to ground fire.
"MSQ-77 radar, called COMBAT SKYSPOT, was the primary means of weather delivery and was also widely used at night. The Air Force required that COMBAT SKYPOT drops be no closer than 1,000-meters to friendly troops. MSQ-77 radar sites were located throughout Southeast Asia and gave coverage to all of South Vietnam, except for a small portion of II CTZ. The operator would vector the aircraft to the target and provide a countdown for weapon release based on his radar presentation. A system similar to the COMBAT SKYSPOT operation was used by Marine aircraft in I CTZ; it used the same procedures, but the radar facilities were compatible only to Marine aircraft.
"The Marine A-6 Intruders in I CTZ also had a bombing system called Diane, consisting of an airborne radar set, a mobile ground beacon, and a ground located FAC. By using a known beacon location, the offset distance and bearing to the target were determined by the FAC and programmed into the aircraft's bombing computer. The radar operator could then use the beacon impulse as a radar target while the aircraft made its bomb run on the offset target up to 99,999-feet away. Using the Diane system drops as close as 500-meters to friendly troops were allowed.
"Weather minimums for visual bombing and support of troops in contact varied but not only with aircraft type but also with terrain, troop situations and ordnance carried. Generally, minimum ranges from a ceiling of 300-feet and 2 miles visibility for the A-1 to 1,500-feet and 5 miles for the F-4 and F-100. Lower weather conditions required the use of the all-weather procedures and equipment described previously.
"Two other night and all-weather systems or procedures, LORAN and COMMANDO NAIL, were used in Laos but not in South Vietnam. The former capability was provided only on certain F-4s at Ubon RTAFB, while the latter used the airborne computer system, on the F-4… (and Navy A-6s)…
"ARC LIGHT missions used two methods of ordnance delivery. About 95 per cent of the time they used COMBAT SKYSPOT. The highly accurate, self-contained radar bombing system of the B-52 was occasionally used to bomb primary targets and a majority of the secondary targets."… End quote (pgs. 58-60)…
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Thanks to Dutch
thanks to Sperky
Folks,
Something to watch about a man's dream and how to meet it. I like his concept, but he goes about it all wrong which is the interesting thing to watch. Sometime down the road this will be a cool place to go to.
Please enjoy and think about other topics you might be interested in as we get ourselves back into the meeting-in-person mode for our VAHS Chapter. Thanks Tom for sharing.
Cheers,
Dave
So apparently a fast growing part of aviation is back country flying. This fellow is setting up his own place for folks to go learn back country flying.
And the dream is really alive.
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Thanks to Barrel
What's Going On With Shipping?
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Thanks to Brett
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https://geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: China Tackles Energy Costs, Taliban Go to Moscow
Beijing's moves are already having a global effect on prices.
By GPF Staff
October 20, 2021
Beijing versus energy prices. Shortly after coal and oil futures in China reached all-time highs on Tuesday, the government began signaling that a series of interventions are forthcoming, quickly reversing the trend. Among other moves, regulators are lifting coal output quotas, giving coal shipments priority in ports and on railroads, and pledging to crack down on market speculation. The moves are already having a global effect even on oil prices, with Brent and WTI futures tumbling Wednesday. China, meanwhile, is also signing literal boatloads of new deals with U.S. liquefied natural gas exporters.
North Korean test. North Korea confirmed that the projectiles it tested Tuesday were submarine-launched ballistic missiles. This makes it only the North's second-ever SLBM test, and the first in more than five years. North Korean subs aren't considered nearly sophisticated enough for this to meaningfully extend the range and survivability of the North's missile arsenal. Nonetheless, it suggests a major leap forward in its development of solid-fuel ballistic missile engines, which would have implications on land and at sea. Following the launch, the U.S. reiterated that it was open to talks with the North without preconditions. South Korea is pushing the possibility of sanctions relief if Pyongyang comes ready to deal.
Taliban in Moscow. A Taliban delegation arrived in Moscow for talks on the political and security situation in Afghanistan as well as humanitarian assistance. Representatives from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran and India will attend. The meeting comes amid reports that China is setting up a military observation post along the Tajik-Afghan border for reconnaissance operations and to control the threat of militants from Afghanistan.
Migration uptick. Germany's interior minister sent a letter to his Polish counterpart stressing the need to step up joint border patrols in response to increased migrant flows from Belarus. Berlin may also be considering asking the EU's border agency for support. According to German Interior Ministry data, approximately 4,500 people have entered the country from Poland since August. Meanwhile, Poland nearly doubled the number of troops patrolling its border with Belarus.
U.K. Mideast diplomacy. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will meet with her Saudi counterpart on Wednesday to discuss economic ties and regional security. Truss is also expected to visit Qatar, where cooperation in trade, investment and security will be on the agenda.
Maritime cooperation. Italian and French naval officials are meeting with the Nigerian navy with the goal of strengthening maritime security partnerships. The countries will conduct a two-day maritime security exercise focused on drug and human trafficking.
Blinken down south. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on an official visit to Ecuador and Colombia. Blinken said the U.S. is working to correct the imbalance of traditional U.S. engagement with the region, which focuses too heavily on security efforts and not enough on other tools to address the root causes of problems.
Egypt-Sudan border drills. Egypt and Sudan launched joint military drills hosted at a military base along Egypt's northern coast. The exercises will focus on securing borders and improving integration between the two forces. Sudan has struggled with a porous and insecure southern border with Ethiopia.
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This Day in U S Military History
1797 – The 44-gun 204-foot U.S. Navy frigate USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, was launched in Boston's harbor. It was never defeated in 42 battles. 216 crew members set sail again in 1997 for its 200th birthday. Although her construction is almost halted by a 1796 peace treaty with Algiers, the CONSTITUTION is launched-christened by visiting Capt. James Sever using a bottle of Madeira. It is actually the third attempt to launch her; the first was a month earlier, when the ship sticks after moving only 27 feet. Two days later she moves another 31 feet before sticking once again. For the third attempt, workers make the launching ways steeper, which finally enables a successful event. The public, which includes several French aristocrats, is warned beforehand that the launch of such a large ship might cause a dangerously large wave, but none actually materializes during the event.
1837 – Under a flag of truce during peace talks, U.S. troops sieged the Indian Seminole Chief Osceola in Florida. Osceola, who was sick with malaria, knew the Indians could fight no more. He went to the General's fort at St. Augustine with a white flag. When Osceola went to General Jesup the General had his men surround Osceola. They threw the white flag to the ground and put chains on his hands and feet. The Seminoles were so angry with Osceola's capture that they continued to fight for the next five years.
1879 – Thomas Edison invents a workable electric light bulb at his laboratory in Menlo Park, N.J. which was tested the next day and lasted 13.5 hours. This would be the invention of the first commercially practical incandescent light. Popular belief is that he invented the first light bulb, which he did not.
1917 – Members of the First Division of the U.S. Army training in Luneville, France, became the first Americans to see action on the front lines of World War I. The first U.S. troops entered the front lines at Sommervillier under French command. During the night, a battalion from each regiment and designated batteries of the division moved in beside corresponding units of the 18th French Division and began training in caring for themselves in the trenches, in patrolling, observation, and artillery procedures. The battalions and batteries were rotated at ten-day intervals until all had been at the front.
1942 – On Guadalcanal, the Japanese forces, mainly 2nd Infantry Division, under General Maruyama now number 20,000. The plan for the attack on the main American position involves simultaneous attacks to be made northward in the area between the Lunga and Tenaru Rivers, while secondary attacks are made on the American western outposts along the Matanika River. The Japanese lack accurate intelligence concerning the numbers and dispositions of the American troops.
1983 – The United States sent a ten-ship task force to Grenada, one of the smallest independent nations in the Western Hemisphere and one of the southernmost Caribbean islands in the Windward chain. The Cuban government had decided to utilize the former British colony as a holding place for arms and military equipment, complete with a major airport. Eastern Caribbean nations fully understood the implication of the communist threat and called upon the United States for help. The response was Operation Urgent Fury, a multinational, multiservice effort. Commanding officers of the US Navy ships have not yet been told what the mission in Grenada–to evacuate U.S. citizens, neutralize any resistance, stabilize the situation and maintain the peace—will be.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*MOON, HAROLD H., JR.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company G, 34th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Pawig, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 21 October 1944. Entered service at: Gardena, Calif. Birth: Albuquerque, N. Mex. G.O. No.: 104, 15 November 1945. Citation: He fought with conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity when powerful Japanese counterblows were being struck in a desperate effort to annihilate a newly won beachhead. In a forward position, armed with a submachinegun, he met the brunt of a strong, well-supported night attack which quickly enveloped his platoon's flanks. Many men in nearby positions were killed or injured, and Pvt. Moon was wounded as his foxhole became the immediate object of a concentration of mortar and machinegun fire. Nevertheless, he maintained his stand, poured deadly fire into the enemy, daringly exposed himself to hostile fire time after time to exhort and inspire what American troops were left in the immediate area. A Japanese officer, covered by machinegun fire and hidden by an embankment, attempted to knock out his position with grenades, but Pvt. Moon, after protracted and skillful maneuvering, killed him. When the enemy advanced a light machinegun to within 20 yards of the shattered perimeter and fired with telling effects on the remnants of the platoon, he stood up to locate the gun and remained exposed while calling back range corrections to friendly mortars which knocked out the weapon. A little later he killed 2 Japanese as they charged an aid man. By dawn his position, the focal point of the attack for more than 4 hours, was virtually surrounded. In a fanatical effort to reduce it and kill its defender, an entire platoon charged with fixed bayonets. Firing from a sitting position, Pvt. Moon calmly emptied his magazine into the advancing horde, killing 18 and repulsing the attack. In a final display of bravery, he stood up to throw a grenade at a machinegun which had opened fire on the right flank. He was hit and instantly killed, falling in the position from which he had not been driven by the fiercest enemy action. Nearly 200 dead Japanese were found within 100 yards of his foxhole. The continued tenacity, combat sagacity, and magnificent heroism with which Pvt. Moon fought on against overwhelming odds contributed in a large measure to breaking up a powerful enemy threat and did much to insure our initial successes during a most important operation.
*WILSON, RICHARD G.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Co. 1, Medical Company, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Opari, Korea, 21 October 1950. Entered service at: Cape Girardeau Mo. Born: 19 August 1931, Marion, Ill. G.O. No.: 64, 2 August 1951. Citation: Pfc. Wilson distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. As medical aid man attached to Company I, he accompanied the unit during a reconnaissance in force through the hilly country near Opari. The main body of the company was passing through a narrow valley flanked on 3 sides by high hills when the enemy laid down a barrage of mortar, automatic-weapons and small-arms fire. The company suffered a large number of casualties from the intense hostile fire while fighting its way out of the ambush. Pfc. Wilson proceeded at once to move among the wounded and administered aid to them oblivious of the danger to himself, constantly exposing himself to hostile fire. The company commander ordered a withdrawal as the enemy threatened to encircle and isolate the company. As his unit withdrew Private Wilson assisted wounded men to safety and assured himself that none were left behind. After the company had pulled back he learned that a comrade previously thought dead had been seen to be moving and attempting to crawl to safety. Despite the protests of his comrades, unarmed and facing a merciless enemy, Pfc. Wilson returned to the dangerous position in search of his comrade. Two days later a patrol found him lying beside the man he returned to aid. He had been shot several times while trying to shield and administer aid to the wounded man. Pfc. Wilson's superb personal bravery, consummate courage and willing self-sacrifice for his comrades reflect untold glory upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the military service.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for October 21, 2020 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
21 October
1911: The Army's first Wright plane arrived at the Smithsonian Institution. (24)
1944: RETURN TO THE PHILIPPINES. Southwest Pacific Area forces landed unopposed at two points on the east coast of Leyte, at Tacloban, the provincial capital and 20 miles to the south near Dulag. General Hqs Southwest Pacific Area opened an advanced echelon on Leyte at noon. Gen Douglas MacArthur, accompanied by President Sergio Osmena, landed in the 24th Infantry Division area early in the afternoon and delivered his "I have returned" liberation speech. Ground elements of the 308th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) were the first major FEAF units in country. Headquarters elements of Fifth Air Force landed on 22 October, while ground echelons of the 49 FG and 475 FG landed on the 24th. (17)
1945: Lt Gen Nathan F. Twining led three B-29s in developing a new route from Guam to Washington via India and Germany. They completed the 13,167-mile trip in 59 hours 30 minutes. (9) (24)
1948: The XF-88, predecessor of the F-101, first flew. (3)
1950: KOREAN WAR/FIRST AIRBORNE OPERATION. Through 23 October, the FEAF Combat Cargo Command dispatched more than 100 C-119s and C-47s to drop 4,000 troops and 60 tons of material for the Army's 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team at Sukchon and Sunchon, 30 miles north of Pyongyang. The command also began airlifting Eighth Army supplies to Pyongyang. (21) (28)
1952: The Douglas X-3 research plane made its first flight at Edwards AFB. (3)
1955: SAC phased its last B-50D (number 49-330) out of its force from its assignment with the 97 BMW at Biggs AFB. (1)
1960: The DoD set up an Army-Navy-Air Force program under the Navy to develop a prototype vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft to test its suitability for air transport service. The Jupiter IRBM made its first test launch from a tactical-type launcher. It flew 962 miles from Cape Canaveral down the Atlantic Missile Range to the target area. This launch ended Army responsibilities for the program. (6)
1961: PROJECT PIPE STEM. The 15 TRS deployed four RF-101s to Tan Son Nhut AB. They flew 67 reconnaissance sorties over South Vietnam and Laos, developing their photographs by a photo-processing unit they brought with them. These aircraft were the first PACAF aircraft deployed to South Vietnam. (17) (16)
1969: To assist the development of the Safeguard anti-ballistic missile system, SECDEF Melvin R. Laird approved the use of Titan II as test targets. (6)
1973: As a result of the Arab-Israeli War, the Arab nations imposed an oil embargo, which disrupted USAF flight training. (16) (26)
1976: General Dynamics conducted its rollout ceremony for the F-16A at its plant in Fort Worth. (12)
1980: Through 23 October, units assigned to the USAF's Southern Air Division flew 40 tons of food, medical supplies, and accessories to northwestern Nicaragua for flood victims. (16) (26)
1989: Indonesia received its first F-16A in ceremonies at the General Dynamics plant in Fort Worth, Texas. (8: Jan 90)
1998: The AFFTC flew its first sortie at Edwards AFB to test the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). The helmet would allow an F-15 pilot to track a target and aim his missiles by movements of his head. (3)
2007: A C-17 Globemaster III took off from Edwards AFB, Calif., on a flight using a blend of synthetic and JP-8 fuel in all four fuel tanks. It was the first time a C-17 carried the FischerTropsch/JP-8 blend as the only fuel on board. The four-hour flight assessed how well the aircraft performed with the synthetic fuel as part of a certification test. (AFNEWS, "C-17 Flight Uses Synthetic Fuel Blend," 25 Oct 2007.)
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World News for 21 October thanks to Military Periscope
USA—B-1B Bombers Deploy To Diego Garcia Pacific Air Force News Service | 10/21/2021 A detachment of B-1B Lancer bombers is in Diego Garcia for the first time in more than 15 years, reports the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). The B-1B Lancers and around 200 personnel from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., recently deployed to the island in the center of the Indian Ocean, PACAF said on Tuesday. The number of B-1Bs in Diego Garcia was not released due to operational security concerns, noted Air Force magazine. The bombers are part of a PACAF Bomber Task Force Mission. The B-1Bs are expected to fly sorties in support of various geographic combatant command objectives and training requirements during the deployment.
USA—Senate Orders Navy To Study Risks Of 2nd Shipyard For Frigate Program Breaking Defense | 10/21/2021 The Senate has expressed concerns about Navy plans to build its new frigate at a second shipyard, reports Breaking Defense. In a report released on Monday alongside the draft fiscal 2022 defense spending bill, the Senate Appropriations Committee warned that adding a second Constellation-class frigate shipyard "before the first shipyard has identified and corrected technical and production issues will inject unneeded risk and complexity into the program." To mitigate those issues, the draft legislation directs the Navy to prioritize technology maturation and risk reduction for critical ship systems; major systems integration; full ship technical data package creation; and successful operationally realistic testing for the lead ship. It also requires the navy secretary to submit a report outlining the acquisition strategy for the Constellation-class frigate program and meeting maturation and risk reduction objectives at least 90 days before awarding a contract to a second shipyard. The Navy required industry to provide a technical data package of the ship design that would enable a second shipyard to build the frigate. Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin is under contract to build the initial batch of Constellation-class frigates.
NATO—Defense Ministers To Approve Plan For Defending Against Russia Reuters | 10/21/2021 NATO defense ministers are poised to approve a plan to counter rising threats from Russia, reports Reuters. On Thursday, the ministers were expected to authorize the Concept for Deterrence and Defense in the Euro-Atlantic Area, a renewed plan to address possible Russian attacks on various fronts, diplomats said. Details of the plan are confidential, but it includes contingencies for a potential simultaneous attack in the Baltic and Black Sea regions, as well as cyber, nuclear and space threats, said officials. The sources emphasized that there is no sign of imminent Russian aggression but noted that Moscow has been developing advanced weapon systems and deploying personnel and materiel near allied borders. With the approval, NATO will be able to move forward with more detailed regional plans by the end of 2022, enabling it to determine what weapons it needs and how to position its forces, said a U.S. official.
Germany—Former Soldiers Arrested For Attempting To Form Mercenary Group To Fight In Yemen British Broadcasting Corp. | 10/21/2021 German authorities have arrested a pair of ex-army soldiers who allegedly tried to form a mercenary group to fight in Yemen, reports BBC News. On Wednesday, special federal police units arrested Arend-Adolf G. and Achim A. during raids in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district in southwestern Germany and Munich, reported Politico Europe (Brussels). The pair began planning to form a mercenary force of around 100 to 150 former police officers and soldiers in early 2021, said Germany's attorney-general. They expected to pay each fighter around 40,000 euros (US$46,400) each month. Financial gains were reportedly the primary motivation. At the time of their arrest, they had attempted to recruit seven people. The ex-soldiers wanted to hire their services out to the Saudi government to fight Houthi rebels in Yemen. They had attempted to contact the government but had not received a response. Both suspects were scheduled to appear in court for a pre-trial detention hearing on Wednesday.
Turkey—New Aksungur Drone Begins Naval Service Daily Sabah | 10/21/2021 The Turkish navy has taken delivery of a new domestically produced medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), reports the Daily Sabah (Istanbul). On Wednesday, the service received its first Aksungur drone, Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) chief Ismail Demir said in a statement. The new system has a flight endurance of 50 hours, a payload capacity of 1,655 pounds (750 kg) and a service ceiling of 40,000 feet (12,100 m). It has been integrated with three electro-optical/infrared cameras, Teber laser-guided weapons, locally developed HGK precision-guidance kit bombs and a domestic PD170 engine. The Aksungur is designed for long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and strike missions. Russia—
Military To Continue To Operate Facilities In Belarus Tass | 10/21/2021 Top Belarusian and Russian defense officials have signed an accord that will extend the presence of two Russian military facilities in Belarus, reports Russia's Tass news agency. On Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and his Belarusian counterpart, Viktor Khrenin, formalized the pact during a joint defense meeting in Moscow. The deal will enable the continued operation of the missile attack warning center in Baranovichi and the Russian navy's radio communication center in Vileika, Shoigu said. The sides also approved a military cooperation plan for 2022, covering 139 events, and evaluated the results of joint projects between 2019 and 2021. The ministers mapped out plans for military security provisions through 2024, including expanding the joint Union Shield exercise scheduled for 2023.
Japan—Yard Oiler Tanker Launched In Imabari Naval News | 10/21/2021 The first in a new class of ships intended to resupply Japan's remote island outposts has been launched in southern Japan, reports Naval News. On Tuesday, the YOT-01 tanker was put into the water at the Shin Kurushima Hashihama Dockyard in Imabari city in southwestern Ehime prefecture. The YOT-01 is the first of two yard oiler tankers ordered by the Japanese Ministry of Defense last year. The vessels have a combined cost of US$48.4 million. The 4,900-metric-ton ships are intended to transport fuel to bases in Okinawa and the Nansei Islands and fuel anchored warships. The ships are not capable of underway replenishment operations, the ministry said. The tankers are a contingency measure because Japan currently relies on civilian vessels to transport fuel to the island bases. In the event of a conflict, contractors might refuse to perform such missions, officials said. South
Korea—Indigenous Rocket Fails To Put Satellite Into Orbit In 1st Test Yonhap | 10/21/2021 The South Korean government says the initial trial of a homemade rocket failed to place a dummy satellite into orbit, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). On Thursday, the three-stage KSLV-II launch vehicle, also known as Nuri, blasted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, 294 miles (473 km) south of Seoul. The rocket completed all flight sequences but failed to put the 1.5-ton dummy satellite into orbit, said President Moon Jae In. The satellite failed to reach orbit because it did not achieve the required speed of 4.7 miles per second (7.5 kps), officials said. The third-stage rocket, which was supposed to burn for 521 seconds, only burned for 475 seconds, reducing the rocket's speed at the end. Further analysis is needed to determine why the rocket failed to burn for the allotted time. South Korea will attempt a second launch in May 2022, said Moon.
Singapore—Armed Forces Wrap Up Joint Drills In Australia Singapore Ministry Of Defense | 10/21/2021 The Singapore armed forces have completed a major exercise in Australia involving all three military services, reports the Singapore Ministry of Defense. Exercise Wallaby ran from Sept. 13 through Oct. 21 at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland, Australia, the ministry said. The training involved large-scale coordinated missions designed to enhance air-land-sea integration. The drills included live-firings by AH-64D Apache attack helicopters; airdrops from C-130 transport aircraft; ship-to-shore exercises; deck-landings by CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters; and replenishment serials from the Endeavour tank landing ship. The Shoalwater Bay Training Area has a land area around four times the size of Singapore, allowing the military to conduct large-scale training that would not be possible at home. Last year's Wallaby drills were canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Burma—Junta Orders Elimination Of Civilian Resistance Groups Irrawaddy | 10/21/2021 The regime in Burma has ordered the military to take decisive action against civilian armed opposition groups that have caused significant casualties in fighting with security forces, reports the Irrawaddy (Burma). On Oct. 13, Vice Sr. Gen. Soe Win, the second senior-most official in the military government, ordered security forces to eliminate the People's Defense Forces (PDFs), said sources familiar with security affairs. The general also ordered the enforcement of a zero-contact policy between the PDFs and civilians, and to severely punish those who disobey. The PDFs are a broad umbrella of civilian groups, largely armed with homemade weapons, that formed following the coup in February. They are mostly separate from Burma's numerous armed ethnic groups, some of which have sided with the PDFs. PDF attacks escalated after the opposition National Unity Government (NUG) declared war on the government last month. The NUG Defense Ministry claimed that in 65 confrontations between the PDF and Burmese soldiers in September, 768 soldiers and 165 civilians and PDF fighters lost their lives. Analysts said that the army was expected to employ the same tactics previously used against ethnic armed organizations, including restricting access to food, funds, intelligence and recruits. This is a different kind of threat than the ethnic armed groups, however, and one that the military is not well-equipped to counter, said experts.
Pakistan—6 Security Personnel Killed In 3 Separate Attacks The News International | 10/21/2021 At least six members of Pakistan's security forces have been killed in suspected militant attacks, reports the News International (Karachi). On Wednesday, a blast struck paramilitaries conducting a search operation in Bajaur district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, reported the military-run Inter-Services Public Relations. The attack killed two Frontier Corps personnel and two police officers. Separately, militants opened fire on a military checkpoint in Thall, Hangu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing one soldier, reported the Express Tribune (Karachi). Finally, gunmen fired on a checkpoint in Kech in the southwestern Balochistan province, killing a soldier, reported Al Jazeera (Qatar). There were no immediate claims of responsibility for any of the attacks.
Yemen—Scores Of Rebels Killed In Airstrikes, Coalition Says Agence France-Presse | 10/21/2021 The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says it has inflicted heavy losses on rebels in the contested Marib region, reports Agence France-Presse. More than 82 Houthis were killed in airstrikes near the government-held city of Marib, the Saudi coalition said on Wednesday. The strikes in the Al Jawba and Al Kassara districts also destroyed at least 11 military vehicles, reported the state-run Saudi Press Agency. This is the 10th consecutive day of coalition airstrikes around the city, which have killed an estimated 1,300 Houthis killed so far. The Houthis nevertheless made some advances around Marib, coalition officials acknowledged. The rebels launched a renewed push to take the area in September.
Egypt—Guardian Of The South Drill Underway With Sudan Daily News Egypt | 10/21/2021 Egyptian and Sudanese border guards have just begun a joint exercise, reports the Daily News Egypt. The Guardian of the South-1 exercise started on Tuesday at the Mohamed Naguid military base in Egypt's Matrouh governate, west of Alexandria. The training includes theoretical and practical exercises as well as exhibits of arms, devices and equipment used for border security and to combat cross-border smuggling and infiltration, reported Xinhua, China's state-run news agency. These activities are intended to identify combat experience on both sides and enhance integration, allowing both sides to improve their skills and unify combat concepts. This is the first joint exercise involving Egyptian and Sudanese border guards.
Syria—6 Die In Arms Depot Explosion In Hama Province Mehr News Agency | 10/21/2021 A Syrian regime ammunition depot in the central Hama province has exploded, killing at least six people, reports Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency. The blast at the depot, on the road connecting the city of Hama with Homs, killed at least six pro-government fighters, reported the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. At least seven other members of the National Defense Forces militia were injured, reported Agence France-Presse. Local media reported that the explosion was not the result of a terrorist act.
Mali—5 Kidnapped In Unusual Attack In South Agence France-Presse | 10/21/2021 Suspected militants have kidnapped five people in southern Mali, reports Agence France-Presse. Late Wednesday night, 11 to 17 assailants on motorbikes grabbed five people in Blendio in the Sikasso region, which borders Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, said an unnamed security source. There were no immediate claims of responsibility. Kidnappings and violence are common in central and northern Mali, but such violence has been much rarer in the more populous south.
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