Monday, February 19, 2007

Javelin Antitank Missile

The Javelin is a manportable, fire-and-forget, antitank missile employed by dismounted infantry to defeat current and future threat armored combat vehicles. Javelin is intended to replace the Dragon system in the Army and the Marine Corps. JAVELIN has significant improvements over DRAGON.
The Javelin's range of approximately 2,500 meters is more than twice that of its predecessor, the Dragon. The Javelin has secondary capabilities against helicopters and ground-fighting positions. It is equipped with an imaging infrared (I2R) system and a fire-and-forget guided missile. The Javelin's normal engagement mode is top-attack to penetrate the tank's most vulnerable armor. It also has a direct-attack capability to engage targets with overhead cover or in bunkers. Its "soft launch" allows employment from within buildings and enclosed fighting positions. The soft launch signature limits the gunner's exposure to the enemy, thus increasing survivability. JAVELIN is also much more lethal than DRAGON. It has a top attack dual warhead capability which can defeat all known enemy armor systems.
The Javelin is a tactical precision engagement system that enhances the Army's ability to dominate the ground maneuver battle. The Javelin's impact on scout capabilities will be significant. It will allow dismounted scouts to execute reconnaissance and combat patrols with a relatively lightweight thermal sight. It will also give dismounted patrols the capability of dealing with unexpected armored vehicle threats. (Scouts, however, will not use the Javelin to seek out and destroy enemy armor in offensive operations.)

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)

Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) is a high/medium advanced surface-to-air guided missile air defense system. PAC-3 is a major upgrade to the Patriot system. The PAC-3 Operational Requirements Document (ORD) represents the Army Air Defense need to buy back required battlespace lost against the current and evolving tactical missile and air breathing threat. PAC-3 is needed to ounter/defeat/destroy the 2008 threat and to extend Patriot's capabilities to accomplish new/revised missions. In tandem with the upgraded radar and ground control station, PAC-3 interceptors can protect an area about seven times greater than the original Patriot system.
The PAC-3 Program consists of two interrelated acquisition programs - The PAC-3 Growth Program and the PAC-3 Missile Program. The Growth program consists of integrated, complementary improvements that will be implemented by a series of phased, incrementally fielded material changes. The PAC-3 Missile program is a key component of the overall improvements of the Patriot system, it will provide essential increases in battlespace, accuracy, and kill potential.
PAC-3 is a much more capable derivative of the PAC-2/GEM system in terms of both coverage and lethality. The PAC-3 has a new interceptor missile with a different kill mechanism--rather than having an exploding warhead, it is a hit-to-kill system. The PAC-3 missile is a smaller and highly efficient missile. The canister is approximately the same size as a PAC-2 canister but contains four missiles and tubes instead of a single round. Selected Patriot launching stations will be modified to accept PAC-3 canisters.
Initially the Army did not consider changing the PAC-3 range requirement to give it more of an overlap with THAAD's lower boundary of 40 kilometers. In 1999 Hans Mark, the Pentagon's director of defense research and engineering, suggested that BMDO should consider raising the THAAD intercept requirement from 40 kilometers to 60 or 80 kilometers to simplify the problem of guiding the missile and make operation of the seekers easier to manage.
But by 2002, it was decided that the Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missile, which provides for greater ranges, will be the objective missile for the system. On 23 June 2003 Lockheed Martin Corp., Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $13,000,000 increment as a part of a $260,000,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for missile segment enhancement. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on June 24, 2003, and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (DAAH01-03-C-0164).
The Battalion Tactical Operations Center (BTOC) is an M900 series 5-ton expandable van that has been modified by the addition of data processing and display equipment, and utilized by the battalion staff to command and control the Patriot battalion. The BTOC allows the staff to perform automated tactical planning, communications link planning, and to display situational awareness information.
In the 1997 budget DOD added about $230 million for the PAC-3 through the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) and established a realistic schedule to lower the program execution risk by extending the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the program by ten months. System performance will be improved by re-phasing the missile and radar procurements; upgrading three launchers per battery with Enhanced Launcher Electronics Systems; and extending the battery’s remote launch capability. PAC-3 Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) will begin in the second quarter of fiscal year 1998, and the First Unit Equipped (FUE) date is planned for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 1999. The FUE capability will consist of 16 missiles and five radars which will be placed in one battalion. As of 1996, in addition to funds being programmed for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, the Army planned to spend $9.6 billion for all planned purchases of Patriot missiles, $490 million for modifications and $335 million for product improvements.
The Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTE) began in 2002. The two major objectives of the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTE) are: (1) To assess the improvements in system performance provided by modifications in terms of operational effectiveness, suitability, and survivability; (2) to verify that modifications do not degrade the existing capabilities. The Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTE) will be the first operational integration and assessment of the complete Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Configuration 3 system.
The 2nd Battalion 43rd Air Defense Artillery/108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade served as the test unit for the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTE). The unit is equipped with the complete package of Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Configuration 3 hardware, PDB-5+ software and the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) missile. The Patriot Project Office has issued the upgraded equipment to 2-43 Air Defense Artillery. 2-43 has completed New Equipment Training (NET) and supports testing necessary to obtain material release of the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missile equipment.
The Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTE) is conducted in four phases: (1) The Sustained Operations Phase is a five-day deployment to McGregor Range using approved tactics and doctrine. 2-43 Air Defense Artillery will defend against live aircraft in accordance with threat test support package in a simulated combat environment; (2) The Interoperability Phase is a six-day demonstration of the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) interoperability with current Army and Joint Theater Missile Defense Systems. This phase is conducted using the Joint Common Simulated Missile Defense System Exerciser or actual tactical equipment; (3) The Flight Mission Simulator (FMS) Phase is a 22-day test of simulated air battles. The mobile Flight Mission Simulator (FMS) is a Patriot missile system simulation used to stimulate and evaluate radar performance, engagement decision and weapon assignment (EDWA) processing and test the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3)’s capabilities against a full spectrum of threat targets; (4) The Missile Flight Test Phase consists of four live missile tests conducted at White Sands Missile Range and Kwajalein Missile Range.

Arrow TMD

Israel began work on a potential theater missile defense (TMD) system in 1986, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States. While the threat posed by ballistic missiles has been a concern for Israel since the mid-1980s, Iraqi ballistic missile attacks during the Gulf War underscored the danger posed by the buildup of missile technology in the region. Given the lack of available Israeli resources for TMD development, the United States agreed to co-fund and co-develop an indigenously-produced Israeli TMD system. In 1988, the US and Israel began what was to evolve into a three-phase program to develop the ARROW series of Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missiles (ATBMs).
Arrow II is intended to satisfy the Israeli requirement for an interceptor for defense of military assets and population centers and will support US technology base requirements for new advanced anti-tactical ballistic missile technologies that could be incorporated into the US theater missile defense systems. The Arrow missile, a joint international project with Israel, is a long-range interceptor that offers the United States technology infusion, including lethality data; development of optical window technology applicable to both THAAD and Navy Area Defense programs; data from stage separation at high velocities and dynamic pressures; and, interoperability development that will allow synergistic operations of Arrow with US TMD systems, if required in future contingencies.
The Citron Tree battle management center, built by Tadiran, guides the Arrow 2 interceptor, developed by Israel Aircraft Industries' MLM Division. The entire anti-tactical ballistic missile project is called Homa.
The Arrow 2 system can detect and track incoming missiles as far way as 500 km and can intercept missiles 50-90 km away [some sources suggest the engagement range is 16 to 48km]. The Arrow 2 uses a terminally-guided interceptor warhead to destroy an incoming missile from its launch at an altitude of 10 to 40km at nine times the speed of sound. Since the missile does not need to directly hit the target--detonation within 40-50 meters is sufficient to disable an incoming warhead. The command and control system is designed to respond to as many as 14 simultaneous intercepts.
Comprised of three phases, this intiative began with the Arrow Experiments project (Phase I) that developed the preprototype Arrow I interceptor. Arrow I provided the basis for an informed GOI engineering and manufacturing decision for an ATBM defense capability.
The Phase II ARROW Continuation Experiments (ACES) Program was a continuation of Phase I, and consisted of critical lethality tests using the Arrow I interceptor with the Arrow II warhead and the design, development and test of the Arrow II interceptor. The first phase of ACES, completed in the third quarter FY 94, featured critical lethality tests using the Arrow I interceptor with the Arrow II warhead. Since program initiation in 1988, Israel successfully improved the performance of its pre-prototype Arrow I interceptor to the point that it achieved a successful intercept and target destruction in June 1994. The ACES resulted in a successful missile target intercept by a single stage ARROW-1 interceptor. The second phase of ACES consisted of the design, development and test of the Arrow II interceptor, which achieved two successful intercepts of simulated SCUD missiles on August 20, 1996 and March 11, 1997. The ACES Program ended in FY 1997, upon the completion of ARROW intercept tests.
The third phase is the Arrow Deployability Project (ADP), which began in FY96, aimed at integrating the entire ARROW Weapon System (AWS) with a planned User Operational Evaluation System (UOES) capability. Continuing through 2001, the ADP will be the cornerstone for US/Israeli BMD cooperation. The Arrow Deployability Program involves a total commitment of $500 million over five years, with $300 million contributed by Israel and $200 million from the United States. This will allow for the integration of the jointly developed Arrow interceptor with the Israeli developed fire control radar, launch control center and battle management center. This project will pursue the research and development of technologies associated with the deployment of the Arrow Weapon System (AWS) and will permit the GOI to make a decision regarding deployment of this system without financial participation by the US beyond the R&D stage. This effort will include system-level flight tests of the US-Israeli cooperatively developed Arrow II interceptor supported by the Israeli-developed fire control radar and fire control center.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter aircraft.It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to- surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations.
In an air combat role, the F-16's maneuverability and combat radius (distance it can fly to enter air combat, stay, fight and return) exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions.
The F-16 was built under an unusual agreement creating a consortium between the United States and four NATO countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. These countries jointly produced with the United States an initial 348 F-16s for their air forces. Final airframe assembly lines were located in Belgium and the Netherlands. The consortium's F-16s are assembled from components manufactured in all five countries. Belgium also provides final assembly of the F100 engine used in the European F-16s. The long-term benefits of this program will be technology transfer among the nations producing the F-16, and a common-use aircraft for NATO nations. This program increases the supply and availability of repair parts in Europe and improves the F-16's combat readiness.
USAF F-16 multi-mission fighters were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm, where more sorties were flown than with any other aircraft. These fighters were used to attack airfields, military production facilities, Scud missiles sites and a variety of other targets.
Originally conceived as a simple air-superiority day fighter, the aircraft was armed for that mission with a single six-barrel Vulcan 20-mm cannon and two Sidewinder missiles, one mounted at each wingtip. Over the years, however, the mission capability of the aircraft has been extended to include ground-attack and all-weather operations With full internal fuel, the aircraft can carry up to 12 000 pounds of external stores including various types of ordnance as well as fuel tanks.
The original F-16 was designed as a lightweight air-to-air day fighter. Air-to-ground responsibilities transformed the first production F-16s into multirole fighters. The empty weight of the Block 10 F-16A is 15,600 pounds. The empty weight of the Block 50 is 19,200 pounds. The A in F-16A refers to a Block 1 through 20 single-seat aircraft. The B in F-16B refers to the two-seat version. The letters C and D were substituted for A and B, respectively, beginning with Block 25. Block is an important term in tracing the F-16's evolution. Basically, a block is a numerical milestone.The block number increases whenever a new production configuration for the F-16 is established. Not all F-16s within a given block are the same. They fall into a number of block subsets called miniblocks. These sub-block sets are denoted by capital letters following the block number (Block 15S, for example). From Block 30/32 on, a major block designation ending in 0 signifies a General Electric engine; one ending in 2 signifies a Pratt & Whitney engine.
The US Air Force took delivery of its last F-16 Fighting Falcon on March 18, 2005, the last of 2,231 F-16s produced for the Air Force. The first delivery was in 1978.









































Friday, February 16, 2007

GPS technology to help the blind

A new navigation tool to help blind people find their way around city streets is soon to be tested under a European Space Agency project. The hand-held device incorporates ESA's new satellite navigation technologies into the personal navigator for blind people. At present, satellite navigation based on GPS and without the use of inertial systems, is not accurate enough to guide pedestrians, especially around cities. When few GPS satellites are in view because of tall buildings, positioning accuracy can be little better than 30 to 40 m. ESA's EGNOS system, however, improves the accuracy of GPS positions to a few metres, making it sensitive enough to locate obstacles in the street. From the European Space Agency:Space technology to help the blind
A new navigation tool to help blind people find their way around city streets is soon to be tested under an ESA project.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

IMI Galil

The Galil is one of the standard assault rifles used by the Israel Defense Forces. It was designed by Yisrael Galili, and bears his name. It is a variant on the AK-47 design, chambered for 5.56 mm NATO or 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
History
The Galil project began after the Six-Day War, and the design was selected by the Israel Defense Forces from two competing designs. The winner was based on the Finnish Rk 62 (itself a locally improved and further developed variant of the AK-47). The first rifles began to arrive in 1974, after the Yom Kippur War. The Galil was designed to be a domestically produced main battle rifle for the IDF, taking the best features of other rifles, such as the FN FAL, M16 and AK-47, and putting them into one rifle. That rifle could be adapted to any number of tasks. The result was the IMI Galil. The Galil was used by Israeli infantry during the Lebanon War in 1982; but towards the mid-1980s, it was determined to be less than optimal.
Variant
Nowadays, there are a number of models used:
Galil AR The main version
Galil ARM Bipod version with carry handle.
Galil SAR ("short") - no bipod or carry handle, shorter barrel.
Galil SNR ("sniper") - bipod, subsonic munition.
Galil MAR ("micro") - which retains the internal features with a completely new frame and even shorter barrel. It has been reported that this weapon is subject to severe overheating, becoming too hot to touch after sustained automatic fire. A redesigned version is now in service with Israeli special forces in undercover operations, small enough to conceal under a jacket, yet extremely powerful. A Galil MAR variant with a redesigned receiver and front sight is in widespread service with Israel's police.
Another version, the Galat'z, has a significantly longer barrel and fires heavier 7.62 × 51 mm ammunition and is intended to be used as a sniper rifle. The successor of the Galat'z is the SR-99. The South African R4, developed in 1982, is based on the Galil. This version was the base for some further variants, the R5, the R6 and a light machine gun
Galil
Type :Assault rifle
Place of origin :Israel
Service history :In service1974–
Used by :Colombia, Estonia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Myanma, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Tonga
Wars:Lebanon War,Operation Restore Hope2003- Operation Iraqi Freedom,Operatio Enduring Freedom/ISAF - Afghanistan
Production history: Manufacturer Bernadelli, Israel Military Industries (IMI) Indumil, Ka Pa Sa State Factories
Variants :See Variants
Specifications
Weight:3.9 kg (8.6 lb) (empty)
Length :979 mm,742 mm stock folded
Cartridge :5.56 x 45 mm NATO or 7.62 x 51 mm NATO
Action :Gas-operated, Rotating bolt
Rate of fire :650 rounds/min
Effective range :450 m (5.56 mm)500 m (7.62 mm)
Feed system :Detachable box magazine35 or 50 rounds (5.56 mm

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Types of weapons

There are essentially three facets to classifying weapon types: who uses it, how it works, and what it targets.
Who uses it essentially determines how it can be employed:
Personal weapons (or Small Arms) are designed to be used by an single person.
Crew served weapons are larger than personal weapons, requiring more than one crew member to operate correctly.
Fortification weapons are designed to be mounted in a permanent installation, or used primarily within a fortification.
Mountain weapons are designed for use by mountain forces or those operating in difficult terrain and harsh climates.
Vehicle weapons are designed to be mounted on any type of military vehicle.
Railway weapons are designed to be mounted on railway cars, including armored trains.
Aircraft weapons are designed to be carried on and used by some type of aircraft, helicopter, or other aerial vehicle.
Naval weapons are designed to be mounted on ships and submarines.
Space weapons are designed to be used in or launched from space.
How it works refers to the construction of the weapon and how it operates:
Antimatter weapons combine's matter and antimatter causing a powerful explosion.
Archery related weapons operate by using a tensioned string to launch a projectile at some target.
Artillery are large firearms capable of launching heavy projectiles (normally explosive) over long distances.
Biological weapons spread biological agents, attacking humans (or livestock) by causing disease and infection.
Chemical weapons spread chemical agents, attacking humans by poisoning and causing reactions.
Energy weapons rely on concentrating forms of energy to attack, such as lasers, electrical shocks, and thermal or sonic attack.
Explosive weapons use a physical explosion to create blast concussion or spread shrapnel.
Firearms use a chemical charge to launch one or more projectiles down a rifled or smoothbore barrel.
Future weapons make use of futuristic high tech weapon systems and advanced materials.
Improvised weapons are common objects that were not designed for combat purposes but are used as such in self defense or a violent crime.
rely on combustible materials and an ignition mechanism to cause damage by fire.
Non-lethal weapons are used to attack and subdue humans, but are designed to minimize the risk of killing the target.
Magnetic weapons is one that uses magnetic fields to accelerate and propel projectiles, or to focus charged particle beams.
Mêlée weapons operate as physical extensions of the user's body and directly impact their target.
Missiles are rockets which are guided to their target after launch. This is also a general term for projectile weapons.
Nuclear weapons use radioactive materials to create nuclear fission and/or nuclear fusion detonations above a target ("air-burst") or at ground-level.
Primitive weapons make little or no use of technological or industrial elements, instead being purely constructed of easily obtainable natural materials.
Ranged weapons cause a projectile to leave the user and (ideally) strike a target afterwards.
Rockets use chemical propellant to accelerate a projectile (usually with an explosive warhead) towards a target and are typically unguided once fired.
Suicide weapons are typically explosive in nature and exploit the willingness of their operator to not survive the attack to reach their target.
What it targets refers to what type of target the weapon is designed to attack:
Anti-aircraft weapons target enemy aircraft, helicopters, missiles and any other aerial vehicles in flight.
Anti-fortification weapons are designed to target enemy installations, including bunkers and fortifications. The American bunker buster bomb is designed to travel almost 10 metres underground before detonating, toppling underground installations.
Anti-personnel weapons are designed to attack people, either individually or in numbers.
weapons target enemy sources of electronic radiation, particularly radar emitters.
Anti-ship weapons target enemy ships and vessels on water.
Anti-submarine weapons target enemy submarines and other underwater targets.
Anti-tank weapons are primarily used to defeat armored targets, but may be targeted against other less well armored targets.
Area denial weapons are designed to target territory, making it unsafe or unsuitable for enemy use or travel.
Hunting weapons are designed particularly for use against animals for hunting purposes.
Infantry support weapons are designed to attack various threats to infantry units, supporting the infantry's operations, including heavy machine guns, mortars and pinpoint airstrikes ordered by the infantry, often to strike heavily defended positions, such as enemy camps or extensively powerful machine-gun nests.

Light Armored Vehicle-25 (LAV-25)

The LAV-25 is an all-terrain, all-weather vehicle with night capabilities. It provides strategic mobility to reach and engage the threat, tactical mobility for effective use of fire power, fire power to defeat soft and armored targets, and battlefield survivability to carry out combat missions. It is air transportable via C-130, C-141, C-5 and CH-53 E. When combat loaded there are 210 ready rounds and 420 stowed rounds of 25 mm ammunition as well as 400 ready rounds and 1200 stowed rounds of 7.62mm. There are 8 ready rounds and 8 stowed rounds of smoke grenades. A supplementary M240E1 7.62mm machine gun can be pintle-mounted at the commander's station in the turret. The LAV-25 is fully amphibious with a maximum of 3 minutes preparation

Sunday, February 11, 2007

F-15E Strike Eagle

Although the slogan of the F-15's original design team was "Not a pound for air-to-ground," the F-15 has long been recognized as having superior potential in the ground attack role. In 1987 this potential was realized in the form of the F-15E Strike Eagle. The F-15E became the newest fighter in Tactical Air Command when the 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., accepted delivery of the first production model in April 1988. The 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., was the first operational F-15E Strike Eagle wing in the Air Force.
While new to the operational inventory, F-15E Strike Eagles were among the first airframes tasked to react to events in the Persian Gulf in August 1990. The 4th Fighter Wing deployed two F-15E squadrons to Southwest Asia in August and December of that year, and spearheaded an attack on Iraqi forces Jan. 16, 1991. The war was brought to a swift and successful conclusion in late February 1991.
Unlike previous models, the F-15E uses two crew members, a pilot and a weapon systems officer. The two engine dual role fighter capable of speeds up to MACH 2.5. It is capable of carrying an external payload of up to 24,500 pounds, to include fuel tanks, weapons pylons, missiles, and bombs. The maximum takeoff weight ofthe F- 15E is 81,000 pounds. The basic empty weight is 36,500 pounds. Considered to be the most advanced tactical fighter aircraft in the world, the F-15E is the fifth version of the Eagle to come off the McDonnell Douglas assembly line in St. Louis, Mo., since 1972. While retaining the best features of its predecessors, the "E" model is equipped with an array of new avionics and electronics systems.

F-14 Tomcat

By early 2006 only 22 F-14 Tomcats remained in service, aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. These last two F-14 squadrons returned from theis last deployment on 10 March 2006. VF-213 Blacklions transition to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in April 2006, and the VF-31 Tomcatters give up their Tomcats in September 2006.
Fighter Squadron (VF) 31 returned home to Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana on Oct. 31, 2004, from a five-month Western Pacific deployment with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). As part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14, the squadron became the last to fly F-14 Tomcats over the skies of the Pacific Fleet.
Besides the United States, Iran is the only other country that deploys the F-14 Tomcat, and sales of military equipment to Iran is prohibited. By the end of 2006, Iran will be the only country operating the F-14. US Customs have made multiple arrests in conspiracies to transship military parts to Iran. One seuzure in 2001 involved 16 pallets containing military aircraft parts, missile parts, and other military items, including a crate containing an entire canopy to an F-14 Tomcat Fighter.
Manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Corporation, the F-14 employs variable geometry wings to optimize aircraft performance throughout the flight envelope. The F-14 swing-wing could be manually controlled by the pilot or shifted automatically according to the plane's speed. It moved forward to allow the plane to land on tiny aircraft carrier decks at relatively low speeds and backward as the plane dashed out to intercept Soviet bombers. The multiple tasks of navigation, target acquisition, electronic counter measures (ECM), and weapons firing are divided between the pilot and the radar intercept officer (RIO).

Saturday, February 10, 2007

B-52 Stratofortress

The B-52H BUFF [Big Ugly Fat Fellow] is the primary nuclear roled bomber in the USAF inventory. It provides the only Air Launch Cruise Missile carriage in the USAF. The B-52H also provides theater CINCs with a long range strike capability. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,000 meters). It can carry nuclear or conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability.
With a gross weight of 488,000 pounds, the B-52H is even today one of the heaviest offensive military aircraft operated by any nation in the world. Maximum speed of the B-52H is 639 miles per hour at 20,700 feet, or a Mach number of 0.91, and cruising speed is 525 miles per hour. Mission radius is 4,480 miles with a weapons load of 10,000 pounds. Many other combinations of payload and range are, of course, possible. Range is, of course, greatly increased by in-flight refueling.
The B-52 was originally designed for high-altitude weapons delivery over the target. Like the B-47, however, the increasing effectiveness of enemy antiaircraft defenses required the development of low-altitude high-speed penetration tactics for the B-52. Again like the B-47, the B-52 has suffered from its share of structural fatigue problems. To cure these problems, many modifications have been made to the aircraft during its long-lived career.
A total of 744 B-52s were built with the last, a B-52H, delivered in October 1962. Only the H model is still in the Air Force inventory and all are assigned to Air Combat Command. The first of 102 B-52H's was delivered to Strategic Air Command in May 1961. The H model can carry up to 20 air launched cruise missiles. In addition, it can carry the conventional cruise missile which was launched from B-52G models during Desert Storm.
Today, 94 B-52H's are all that remain of 744 Stratofortresses built in the '50s and '60s. As part of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, signed by the United States and Russia, B-52 C/D/E/F/G aircrews flew their planes' final missions to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Commonly known as the "Boneyard," the center became the last stop - but not a resting ground - for many of the old SAC warriors. The bombers, some still wearing faded "Peace is our Profession" emblems, were placed deep inside the sprawling complex, like sacrificial lambs awaiting slaughter. Then stripped of all usable parts, the bombers - which helped end two wars and kept the mighty Soviet Bear in check - were unceremoniously ripped into five pieces by a 13,000-pound steel blade. The modern-day guillotine crashed down four times on each plane, severing the mammoth wings and leaving the fuselage in three pieces. The battered remains sat there for three months, until orbiting Russian satellites confirmed nothing was left but 90 tons of junk.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

The M-4 combat assault rifle first entered Army service in 1997. The rifle is the standard weapon used by some Army units such as the 82nd Airborne Division and special operations units, such as Army Rangers. With a shortened barrel and collapsible stock, the M-4 is ideal for close quarter marksmanship where light weight and quick action are required. Firing a standard 5.56 millimeter round, the weapon weighs a mere 5.6 lbs. (empty). A revised rear sight allows for better control of the weapon out to the maximum range of the ammunition used. With the PAQ-4 (Infrared Sight) mounted on the forward rail system, the M-4 can be fitted for increased firepower. The M-4 Carbine can also be fitted with the M-203 40mm grenade launcher. The M-203 is a lightweight, compact, breech loading, pump action, single shot launcher. The launcher consists of a hand guard and sight assembly with an adjustable metallic folding, short-range blade sight assembly, and an aluminum receiver assembly which houses the barrel latch, barrel stop and firing mechanism. The launcher is capable of firing a variety of low velocity 40mm ammunition. The launcher also has a quadrant sight that may be attached to the M-4 carrying handle and is used when precision is required out to the maximum effective range of the weapon. The M-4 in this photograph also has an M-68 close-quarters battle sight mounted on the rear rail and a PAQ-4 infra-red sight on the forward rail.
Type: Compact assault rifle
Entered Army Service: 1997
Specifications:
Caliber: 5.56mm
Weight: 5.65 lbs
Range: 500 m
Rate of fire: variable, depending on rate selected

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

M-252 Mortar


The M252 81mm Medium Extended Range Mortar is a crew-served, medium weight mortar which is highly accurate and provides for a greater range (4,500 meters to 5,650 meters) and lethality than the previous 81mm mortar. The cannon has a crew-removable breech plug and firing pin. The muzzle end has a short tapered lead-in which acts as a blast attenuator device. The breech end is finned for better cooling. This mortar also uses the standard M64 mortar sight of the M-224 60mm mortar.
The M252 is an adaptation of the standard British 81mm mortar developed in the 1970s. It is mostly commonly found in the mortar platoon of an Army or Marine Corps infantry battalion.The M252 is ideally suited to support airborne, air assault, mountain and light infantry units. The M-252 Mortar is used by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Type: 81mm mortar

Entered service: 1987

Caliber: 81mmBarrel

length:4 ft 6 in

Weight: 91 lbs

Range: 5,600 meters

Rate of fire: 15 rounds/min sustained

M-9 Handgun

Did you know that in combat, it's mostly officers who carry handguns? Most enlisted don't. Notable exceptions are military police, and special operations forces. The M-9 pistol is the primary sidearm for all of the military services. It entered the services in 1985 (1990 for the Army), pushing out the older M-1911A1 .45-caliber pistol, a weapon with an 80-year military history, and 4-inch-barrel, .38-caliber revolvers. The adoption of the M-9 pistol was the result of a congressional mandate to equip all U.S. services with a standard handgun.
The Colt-designed M-1911A1 served soldiers well in many wars; some older soldiers argued, why replace it? As with other Army weapons, competition proved the M-9 to be the best sidearm.
To get the nod, the M-9 had to meet strict requirements for functional reliability, speed of first shot, rapidity of fire, speed of reloading, range, penetration and accuracy to 50 yards. Also, the pistol's components had to be interchangeable, so a working weapon could be pieced together from the parts of others.
The M-9 went through a series of rugged tests to evaluate its functionality. An extreme climatic test checked its ability to withstand temperatures between minus 40 and 140 degrees. A 10-day salt water immersion and humidity trial tested its resistance to corrosion. It tackled mud, sand, dirt and water to test its operation under adverse field conditions. A fully loaded weapon was dropped four feet onto a hard surface to test for accidental discharge.
To test the ability to swap pistol components, testers fired and then disassembled 10 weapons. The parts were randomly put back together, then the weapons were fired again with no problems. If needed, the parts of weapons can be cannibalized to create a working pistol from broken ones.
Type: Semiautomatic pistolEntered Army service: 1990Specifications:Caliber: 9mmLength: 217mmBarrel length: 125mmWeight: 850 gMagazine capacity: 15 roundsRange: 50 m

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

DARPA Proposes One-shot Sniping System

Sniper has been one of the most effective battlefield assets. The gun is known to do the job accurately and turning the course of the battle. Snipers are trained to calculate the external influences due to atmospheric conditions that may deviate the direction of the bullet fired. DARPA has developed a new Advanced Sighting System (One-Shot) program with a view to enabling Snipers to accurately hit targets with the first round, under crosswind conditions, at the maximum effective range of the weapon (RE).
It aims at creating a system that finds the “perfect angle” by digitally measuring all the required atmospheric information. The two systems, Laser Doppler Velocimeters and Coherent Doppler Lidar that are being used currently in the snipers are not adequate to design this system. Therefore, the researchers are trying to figure out better sensor technologies. The organization has set no time frame for the research so it is not possible to tell when would we be able to see this “one shot one kill” machine.
Via: gizmag

Sunday, February 4, 2007

China Develops J-10 Stealth Fighter

China has been working on increasing its defense power. Initially the company blinded a U.S. satellite with a laser, and then they destroyed a satellite more than 500 miles up and now the country officials are spending the most in five years in defense.
The result of this is a new J-10 stealth fighter. This is the country’s first indigenous state-of-the-art fighter jet.
The machine is a single-seat and single-engine plane that can reach a speed of Mach 2. The country officials also commented that the jet is thought to be the equal of just about every other fighter in the world. The only exception is America’s new F-22 Raptor.
China is also sending this new jet to Russia where current and former Red militaries will team up in joint exercises.
China has also started working on the upgrade of this new jet with new jets named J-12 and J-13 in the development phase.
Via: wired

Saturday, February 3, 2007

SwiMP3 Surf Waterproof MP3 Player


Next time you go surfing/ swimming/ kayaking you can hear your music while you hit the waves thanks to the SwiMP3 Surf Waterproof Player from ActiveForever. The fully sealed player works 25 feet underwater and the waterproof ear buds keep water out of the ear. The player straps on securely to your arm and the ear buds stay firmly in place due to their sensible design. The lithium ion rechargeable battery provides up to 10 hours playback and the player has a 256 MB storage capacity for about 60 songs. It supports both MP3 and WMA formats.

Friday, February 2, 2007

Porsche Design Cronographe PTC


This distinctive Porsche Design chrono is a welcome breath of fresh air. Porsche Design Cronographe PTC is true to its innovative spirit. This time piece blazes new trails in design and styling. Offered in limited edition, it’s titanium case measures 42mm and the dial is secured with sapphire crystal on both the sides. Powered by automatic chronograph caliber ETA 2894-2 with special Porsche Design rotor, it has a power reserve of 42 hours. It is water resistant up to 100 meters. Don’t miss on to the subtle highlighting with orange on the dial as well as the strap.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Motorola RAZR 2 launched in Korea


The RAZR's successor the RAZR 2 is finally out in stores in Korea, the first market it is available globally. Motorola's flagship model for the year it features a distinctive tandem display in the front. It has a 2 inch external screen for crisp picture and readable text, the internal display is 2.2 inches wide and has double the resolution of the original RAZR. The phone is 2mm thinner the first RAZR at just 11.9mm. The most distinctive feature of the RAZR 2 is the tandem display as with the 2 inch external screen users can access 10 functions like reading text message, navigating multimedia files, navigation and etc. even with the phone closed. It has a touch sensor on the external display, it vibrates lightly whenever users touch its menu buttons.