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Sarah AB is a regular ‘above the line’ contributor to one of my favourite pro-Israel blogs, Harry’s Place. I find the b.t.l. comments varied, mainly erudite, though often surprisingly combative and irascible.  Sarah AB, renowned for her champion-level fence-sitting, has gawn and done it again. She’s positively teetering on top of the most uncomfortable rung of the fence. As far as the Israeli Palestinian conflict is concerned, all pre-1967 history is a big empty BBC void. The BBC is of the opinion that ‘it all started’ when Israel spontaneously decided to occupy Gaza and the West Bank.  The crucial evidence - that the six-day war was an intended war of annihilation - is routinely hidden or absent from the narrative. Israel’s neighbours had hoped to destroy it, but they miscalculated.  Apparently unaware of the BBC’s promotion and amplification of Dr Allin-Khan’s agenda-laden fact-finding mission, and having avoided listening to the run-up to the current situation,  in a simi

Connected Warrior Navy cracks down on personal email, social media By Adam Mazmanian Jul 30, 2019 The Navy CIO reminded department personnel in a July 12 memo about govermentwide and service policy regarding use of personal communications accounts to conduct official business. "Under no circumstances should non-official messaging accounts, including, but not limited to, e-mail, social media, and messaging applications be used for official business based on personal convenience or preference," Navy CIO Thomas Moldy said in the memo. The sternly worded memo also reminded Navy civilian and military personnel that "classified information may never be transmitted over unclassified networks, including non-official messaging accounts." There's no new law or policy being transmitted in the memo. Rather, Moldy is explaining existing federal records management law as well as specific Department of Defense and Navy policy with regard to the use of personal accou

Cloud DOD responds to JEDI ruling By Lauren C. Williams Jul 29, 2019 The Defense Department is pushing back on a legal opinion in a recently concluded lawsuit on the agency's planned $10 billion cloud acquisition. The Court of Federal Claims ruled in the Defense Department's favor in a lawsuit brought by Oracle alleging conflict of interest and rigged requirements in the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure procurement. But Judge Eric Bruggink also ruled that a provision in the contract allowing DOD to include future cloud services under the current fixed-price structure of JEDI stretched the limits of contracting regulation. DOD wanted the option of obtaining services over the life of the contract as they are invented and adopted by the chosen cloud services provider. The request for proposals included a technology refresh provision to account for new services and stipulated that the Pentagon could acquire these under JEDI. "In an ordinary reading, prices fo

Cyber Contractors fail to secure sensitive DOD information Jul 29, 2019 The Defense Department's unclassified information housed in contractor networks has not been adequately secured from cyberthreats, according to a  new report  from the department's inspector general. After reviewing how DOD information is protected on contractor's networks and systems, the watchdog agency found that contractors failed to use multifactor authentication, enforce strong password use, identify and mitigate vulnerabilities or document and track cybersecurity incidents. Administrators also improperly assigned access privileges that did not align with users' responsibilities, the report stated. According to the IG, the department "does not know the amount of DOD information managed by contractors and cannot determine whether contractors are protecting unclassified DOD information from unauthorized disclosure." Moreover, the report cited a specific incident in which neith

Connected Warrior Checking in with Army Futures Command By Lauren C. Williams Jul 29, 2019 A year after its launch, the Army Futures Command has hit full operating capability . In celebration of the milestone, reporters were given a sneak peak of what the command's cross-functional teams have produced in the past year. Here's a quick look at three projects: From video games to the battlefield The Synthetic Training Environment team has been busy designing an all-in-one heads-up display for the tactical environment. The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) looks like a pair of heavy-duty goggles, but it is a single platform that can run augmented reality training, individual performance assessment and biometric applications. IVAS project manager Col. Chris Schneider told Defense Systems during a July 16 media event at Ft. Myer-Henderson, Va., the headset features enhanced night and thermal vision capabilities and uses augmented-reality capabilities to overlay

Connected Warrior Army starts testing smart-city communication tools By Stephanie Kanowitz Jul 26, 2019 The Army Research Laboratory is studying how smart cities’ connected infrastructure could boost the military’s capabilities in dense urban environments. ARL researchers were interested in exploring how the emerging internet of battlefield things (IoBT) environment can best use sensors and other equipment, so they tested the capabilities of a commercial networking protocol -- the long-range wide-area network (LoRaWAN). The technology was developed to connect large numbers of internet-of-things devices over long ranges and is often used in smart-city deployments. ARL wanted to see how it would perform in an urban environment, where tall buildings can obstruct transmission. James Michaelis, an ARL computer scientist, said researchers attached different combinations of connected devices to the roof of a single vehicle and drove it around Montreal. The IoT devices were configured

Unmanned Systems Marines test AI, autonomous systems for battlefield intel By Susan Miller Jul 25, 2019 The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency took some of its Squad X equipment to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., for a test run. The Squad X program aims to provide warfighters with lightweight, intuitive technologies they can use on the battlefield, where attacks can come from physical sources as well as the electromagnetic spectrum or the internet.  The program uses autonomous systems that combine novel sensing technologies with off-the-shelf tools to increase squads' situational awareness and allow them to expand their area of influence. The two systems tested focus on manned-unmanned teaming to enhance capabilities for ground units: CACI’s BITS Electronic Attack Module Squad System is a network of warfighter and unmanned nodes. The Super Node, a sensor-laden, all-terrain vehicle communicates with a small drone and network n

Congress NDAA heads to conference after budget deal By Lauren C. Williams Jul 24, 2019 Now that White House and congressional leaders have tentatively agreed to a two-year budget deal on military spending, House Armed Services Committee members are preparing for a long conference to reconcile differences with the Senate's version of the 2020 defense authorization bill. The committee’s ranking member, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), told reporters during a July 24 briefing that although he supports the budget deal, “it does not fund defense at numbers I would like,” namely because it doesn’t account for inflation. “It is 3% real growth, not 3% real growth. And so you have inflation eating into some of the buying power of this number,” he said, adding that the $5 billion increase to the House-passed bill would help ensure readiness. Ultimately, Thornberry said, “$738 billion on time is more valuable than $750 billion in December or January after you’ve gone through a [conti

Source:- Sea-Launched BrahMos cruise missiles delivered to Indian navy frigates The Indian Navy has begun receiving sea-launched BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles for the service’s Talwar (Project 1135.6)-class frigates, the CEO of BrahMos Aerospace. The first three Talwar-class missile frigates will be equipped with a new eight-cell vertical launch system (VLS) and a shipborne control unit for launching the BrahMos missiles, which will replace the Russian-made 3M-54E Klub-B anti-ship missile as the surface combatant’s primary weapon system. The Indian Navy has started repair and modernization of the Talwar Project 1135.6 type ships that were built at the Baltic Shipyard. These platforms will have their Klub-N strike missiles replaced by the BrahMos SLCM (sea-launched cruise missile). It is unclear when the retrofitting will be completed. Russia built six Talwar-class frigates for the Indian Navy between 2003 and 2013. All six warships are homeported in Mumbai. The SLCM variant of

Source:- Vympel R-73E: All about Russia’s air-to-air missile IAF is buying for Sukhoi Su-30 MKIs Vympel R-73E (extended range) air-to-air guided missile is a weapon which will soon be acquired by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and fitted on its frontline Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighters. The $215 million deal between India and Russia for about 300 Vympel R-73E missiles was signed on Monday. The R-73E missile, which can annihilate an aerial target 30 kilometres away with its 8-kilogramme rod warhead, was developed to be fitted on MiG and Sukhoi combat aircraft. With a cryogenic cooled seeker, the R-73E air-to-air missile is basically a short-range and close air combat weapon. The missile is capable of targeting enemy fighters, bombers, attack, military transport aircraft and even unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from any direction as well as during the day and night. The R-73E can evade enemy active countermeasures to track and hit the target. It is a fire-and-forget missile with an all-aspect

A roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in the western Afghan province of Farah killed 35 civilians and wounded 27 today. But the Taliban continues to deny responsibility for attacks that clearly target civilians. The attack took place “in the Ab Khorma area of Farah province” along the Herat-Kandahar Highway, Mohibullah Mohib, Farah’s provincial police spokesman, told Reuters . “The bomb was freshly planted by the Taliban insurgents to target Afghan and foreign security forces,” Mohib said. The Taliban has once again denied responsibility for the deadly attack that killed and wounded scores of civilians. However, the Taliban’s denial is not credible. That’s because the Herat-Kandahar Highway passes through Bala Bulak and Gulistan districts in Farah province. Both of these districts are under Taliban control . There are no other insurgent groups that operate in these two districts. The Taliban defeated the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province in Farah years ago. The small breakaway “H

The Air France-KLM Board of Directors approved several strategic decisions concerning the development of the Air France fleet, following a meeting on July 30, 2019. These decisions reflect the Group's focus on simplification. Making the fleet more competitive, by continuing its transformation with more modern, high-performance aircraft with a significantly reduced environmental footprint is key to achieving leading industry margins. -- Firm order for 60 A220-300s, with 30 options and 30 acquisition rights, which will gradually replace Air France's A318 and A319 fleet -- Retirement of the 10 A380s from the Air France fleet by 2022, and study of the replacement of A380s by new generation aircraft Renewal of Air France's short- and medium-haul fleet Air France has committed to a firm order of 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with an additional 30 purchase options and 30 acquisition rights. The first aircraft should be delivered in September 2021. They will join Air France'

The Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose escorting the tanker Stena Weco through the Strait of Hormuz. Britain has proposed, and the US strongly supports, a European naval force to escort ships through the strait and protect them from possible Iranian interference. (RN photo) The US wants Germany to take part in a UK-proposed, European-led naval mission to protect ships sailing near Iran. German politicians were less than thrilled by the initiative, which aims to "combat Iranian aggression." The United States has formally asked Germany to join a European naval mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the US embassy in Berlin said Tuesday. Earlier, embassy spokeswoman Tamara Sternberg-Greller told the DPA news agency about the request. The embassy confirmed the statements to DW. "We’ve formally asked Germany to join France and the UK to help secure the Strait of Hormuz and combat Iranian aggression," she said. "Members of the German government have be

New N. Korean Submarine Seen as Capable of Carrying 3 SLBMs: S. Korea A newly constructed North Korean submarine seems to be capable of carrying three submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), South Korea's defense ministry was quoted as saying on Wednesday. The defense ministry determined that the North's submarine is ready to be deployed soon, Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, the chief of the parliamentary intelligence committee, told reporters after the ministry's closed-door briefing. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a new submarine, which the deployment of which he says is "near at hand," according to reports last week by North Korean media. The ministry said the North's sub appears to be slightly larger than a 2,500-ton Gorae-class submarine. The ministry added that North Korea fired two missiles on May 4, revising its earlier report of the North launching one missile. -ends- Let's block ads! (Why?) from Defense Aerospace - Press releases

North Korea has surprised analysts with a rapid sequence of missile tests in recent months. International affairs wonks despair that this will disrupt sensitive negotiations with other nations, but so far, the response from the international community (especially Donald Trump) has been fairly muted. The missile tests certainly do nothing to improve North Korea's international relations, but there are probably more practical reasons for the tests than sabre-rattling. North Korea has recently developed a new type of short-range ballistic missile with advanced capabilities. It seems to draw much of its heritage from the Russian Iskander missile system. This missile has been used in three separate rounds of testing. The first came on May 4, when the new missile apparently made its debut. Initial reports suggested a single missile was launched on that day, but a recent South Korean report claims there were two launches. On May 9, another firing was made with two launches. On July 25

A satellite spanning nearly the length of a football field was launched on board a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., June 25. Described by Elon Musk as the "toughest rocket launch ever," SpaceX delivered 24 experimental satellites into four different orbits, of which the Air Force Research Laboratory's Demonstration and Science Experiments, or DSX, spacecraft was the largest. The first of its kind, DSX was designed and built at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland AFB. "The satellite is conducting new research to advance understanding of the Van Allen radiation belts and their effect on spacecraft components, and valuable information is already being received," said Col. Eric Felt, AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate director. "We expect DSX to conduct on-orbit experiments for at least a year." "The Air Force is interested in operating satellites in the region where DSX is collecting data. This will allow us to better u

Iranian engineers have developed a large array of advanced, domestically created technologies despite over four decades of US sanctions. These include a variety of homegrown rocket and missile technologies, which Washington claims violate the provisions of the Iran nuclear deal. Tehran has denied the claims. One domestically developed satellite is ready for launch and two more are in "final preparation," Hadi Rezaei, deputy head of research and technology at the Iranian Space Research Centre, has announced. Scientists and engineers successfully created and built the satellites in spite of tough sanctions affecting Iran's ability to procure advanced technologies abroad, the official noted. "Despite all the aforementioned restrictions, due to the efforts of ISRC researchers and the cooperation of other scientific and research centres in the country [work on] one satellite has been completed and it is ready for launch, while a measurement satellite and telecommunicat

The Indian Air Force has just launched a new official mobile game ‘IAF: A Cut Above’ on iOS and Android featuring a swathe of missions covering nearly the entire IAF inventory. The single-player game launched today with the trailer above appears to feature missions on the MiG-21 (featuring what appears to be Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman), Su-30 MKI desert strike missions, gunship missions featuring the Mi-17, a sweep of missions featuring the incoming Rafale, missions with Mirage 2000 jets and Apache combat helicopters. Other missions appear to include refueling missions with the IAF’s Il-78Ms and air defence gunnery missions. We haven’t tried the game out yet, but it isn’t clear if the LCA Tejas features in the game — the type is conspicuous by its absence in the trailer. A multiplayer version of the game is set to be released in October this year. Categories: Uncategorized Let's block ads! (Why?) from Livefist https://ift.tt/2YdoMDG via Live Defense

The Taliban overran Mizan district in the southern province of Zabul today. The district was under siege for more than one year before it fell, according to the Taliban. Security in Zabul province, which is a known haven for al Qaeda and straddles the border with Pakistan, has deteriorated over the past five years. Al Qaeda operated a base in Mizan as recently as Sept. 2016. In a statement released on Voice of Jihad, the Taliban reported that Mizan’s “district administration center, police head quarter and other security installations that were under tight siege of Mujahideen for the last one year have been overrun completely at noon hours today.” Additionally, the Taliban said that the Afghan forces abandoned the district and were ambushed as they retreated. Press reports support the Taliban’s claim that the district has been unstable for the past year. The district’s police chief was killed in an attack in Oct. 2018. The Afghan military launched a night raid against the Taliba

This is a turn up for the books. Gosh, that’s an old-fashioned expression - it’s supposed to mean ‘an unexpected piece of good fortune’. In that case, scrap that. This is unexpected alright, but it’s not exactly a piece of good fortune.  Remember Dr Rosena Allin Khan? She was t he subject of a couple of our recent posts after she’d managed to generate a flurry of anti-Israeli broadcasts about the Israeli medical profession’s heartless cruelty to Gazans. Babies dying alone? Parents denied permits to accompany child cancer sufferers for treatment? Yes, those. There was a nasty interview i n which deputy Israeli ambassador Sharon Bar-Li was at the sharp end of one of Mishal Husain’s customary tongue-lashings and at the blunt end, Dr Allin Khan was invited to a leisurely stroll on Husain’s personal red-carpet.     Now you’ve remembered all that,  clock this.   Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: “So, in my quest to improve the permit system, I had a very lively radio discussion with the Deput