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Military

General Petraeus to Leave Afghanistan by End of Year

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General PetraeusGeneral David Petraeus is expected to leave his post as commander of US troops in Afghanistan later this year. As the Pentagon looks to replace Petraeus, it is unknown who that person will be. And, whoever it may be will definately have a hard task at hand as they will have to navigate a tricky relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani leaders.

“General Petraeus is doing a brilliant job but he’s been going virtually non-stop since 9/11 [and] he can’t do it for ever,” Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, told The Times.

“This is a heck of a demanding job,” Morrell said of General Petraeus’s central task of driving the Taliban from its strongholds in southern Afghanistan, which US commanders now claim is almost complete. “He will have to be rotated out at some point.”

So, what could be next for Petraeus?

Petraeus has been talked about for a while as a possible successor to Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff  (CJCS),  who is expected to retire in October.  Any move would be part of a broader shake-up in the administration, which will also see Defense Secretary Robert Gates retire this year.

 

Iran Test-Fires Supersonic Anti-Warship Missile

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Iran test-fires new missile
Iran has demonstrated its capability to hit a floating target with precision guided, short range ballistic missile of the Fatah 110 (M-600) class. Photo: FARS news agency

Iran successfully test-fired a new surface-to-sea supersonic anti-warship ballistic missile. What they are calling the “Persian Gulf” is claimed to be capable of hitting warships and targets within a 300-kilometre range and has a warhead with 650 kilogram of explosives.

SatNews report:

During an operational demonstration the missile was fired at a target vessel floating in the Persian Gulf, scoring a direct hit. Accordingly, the new missile was named ‘Persian Gulf (Khalij Fars). The missile apparently uses mid-course inertial guidance (INS) and an electro-optical homing seeker to achieve terminal attack precision. Previous versions of the Fateh 110 (also designated M-600 in Syrian use) used a tipped nose, while the current model has a rounded nose presumably housing the guidance kit. As the new version demonstrated in this test, the accuracy of the new missile is far better than the 0.3 percent of the range, attributed for the earlier model of Fateh 110 which relied only on inertial guidance. This type of solid-rocket propelled missile can carry a 450 kg warhead.

Soldier Spotlight

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Face of Defense: Brothers earn combat decorations

By Sgt. Scott Davis, Regional Command East

Busch Brothers - Combat Decorations
Sgt. Jason Busch, left, and his brother, Cpl. Josh Busch, were decorated for combat in Afghanistan. The Soldiers, who are from Seymour, Wis., both serve with the 101st Airborne Division.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Feb. 2, 2011 — Two brothers in the 101st Airborne Division were decorated for separate combat actions during their deployment to Afghanistan.

One received a Silver Star Medal in December for actions during a five-day firefight in Kunar province, and the other received a Purple Heart in January after a firefight at Forward Operating Base Andar. [Read more…] about Soldier Spotlight

Soldier Spotlight

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Soldier graduates at top of Marine sniper course

By Staff Sgt. Amber Robinson

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Marine snipers, by common knowledge, are some of the most renowned snipers in the U.S. militry, if not the world. When Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, were given an opportunity to qualify as snipers at the Marine Scout Sniper Basic Course in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, they took it.

For one “Cacti” Soldier, the opportunity was especially rewarding, as he graduated Honor Graduate for the class that graduated Dec. 14, at Kaneohe Bay.

Sgt. Michael Yilek, course Honor Graduate and Scout with 2-35 Inf. Regt., 3 BCT, said he was glad he took the opportunity to participate in the Marine course. Although the course was not mandatory for his sniper training, Yilek chose to rise to the challenge.

“I volunteered for the course,” said Yilek.

“I was given the opportunity to go to an Army sniper course or the Marine course,” said Sgt. Jonathan Taylor, infantryman with 2-35 Inf. Regt., 3 BCT “But I was convinced by a fellow noncommissioned officer, and leader, to go to the prestigious Marine school.”

Yilek and his fellow Cacti Soldiers were not only proud to experience and dominate the course, but to also have the opportunity to learn about and tighten their skills with their military brethren, the Marines.

“These guys were extremely professional,” said Yilek. “We learned from them and they learned from us.”

“I had never worked with the Marines before,” said Taylor. “Any misconceptions we may have had about them were broken. They really are great guys.”

The course, although tough, was a team-building challenge.

“The marches out to the range were strenuous,” said Taylor. “We had 80-pound rucksacks, and it was three miles to the range. And, it was a sprint!”

“Our last night was a field training exercise,” said Yilek. “It was a hard experience, but it was where we really came together as a team.”

All Cacti Soldiers set a strong standard during the course. Taylor and his partner, Spc. Matthew Jenkins, 2-35 Inf. Regt., were the only partners who made it through the entire course together.

A sniper’s partner is as much a part of the firing process as the Soldier holding the rifle. The cohesion between sniper and spotter is most important when firing during difficult situations. Taylor and Jenkins displayed this cohesion throughout the course.

“At one point we were practicing 1000 yard firing during a storm,” said Jenkins. “No one could see, but we have a good partnership. We were the only team to keep firing.”

All Cacti Soldiers who began the course graduated, each with a new and valuable skill as an elite qualified sniper. Their role as not only an infantryman, but an infantryman sniper, is one of honor.

Only recently has the Marine Scout Basic Sniper Course become available to Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division, with the Cacti Battalion helping to pave the way with distinction.

Soldier Spotlight

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CSA presents Rakkasan Soldier with Silver Star for combat heroism

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr., presented a Task Force Leader Rakkasan Soldier with a Silver Star Medal for combat heroism at a brief ceremony at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, Dec. 23.

“I feel honored to receive this medal,” said Spc. Nicholas Robinson, M240B machine gunner with Company D, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. “It’s a great opportunity for me to be able to represent my battalion and the division, as well.”

Robinson received the medal in what he said was the first combat action he had seen in Afghanistan.

“I bet you can remember the first time each of you saw your first action,” Casey said to the formation. “Now, did you all respond the same way Specialist Robinson did?”

Casey went on to tell the stories of recent Medal of Honor awardees and how Robinson’s actions were also in keeping with the finest tradition of heroism and courage under fire.

The Army chief of staff said Robinson’s actions are an example of what kind of courage is spoken of when talking about heroes.

Robinson explained the events that resulted in his receipt of the Silver Star Medal from actions at the 5th Afghan Border Police compound near Combat Outpost Zerok.

“I was on guard and it was a typical morning. I think I had a six-hour shift that night. There was a COP (combat logistics patrol) that was driving to COP Zerok, where the rest of my company was and they had been getting hit that morning,” Robinson said. “I heard Apaches firing and .50-(caliber machine guns) all morning, and then it got quiet.”

He said it was about 15 minutes before he got off of his guard shift when a mortar round landed roughly 20 meters in front of his guard tower.

“It knocked me back and when I got up I saw an explosion like nothing I had ever seen before going off,” Robinson said. “Then gunfire erupted from every possible side you could imagine.”

Robinson grabbed a PKM machine gun, fired, and killed an insurgent who carried a Rocket-Propelled Grenade launcher about 35 meters outside of his guard tower.

“There were about 15 more (insurgents) who were coming closer with PKMs, RPGs and AKs,” Robinson said. “So I just shot all the ammo I could at them. Then a 240 was brought up because more people were coming up, so I used that.”

Another mortar round went off about the same time he ran out of ammunition on the M240B. He then grabbed an AK-47 from one of the border policemen and began shooting the remaining enemy, eventually killing a suicide bomber who was nearly 50 feet away.

Even though the incident lasted only about seven minutes, Robinson said he was able to fend off 15 to 20 insurgents.
“Always expect the unexpected,” Robinson said.

Soldier Spotlight

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You’re right, it’s not a soldier, But it’s really cool and will definately be an advancement in technology that the soldiers will depoly with one day.

Navy Sets New World Record with Electromagnetic Railgun Demonstration

By Geoff Fein, Office of Naval Research Public Affairs

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER DAHLGREN, Va (NNS) — The Office of Naval Research (ONR) achieved a milestone Dec. 10 when it successfully conducted a world-record 33-megajoule shot of the Electromagnetic Railgun aboard Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division.

“Today’s railgun test demonstrates the tactical relevance of this technology, which could one day complement traditional surface ship combat systems,” said Rear Adm. Nevin Carr, chief of naval research.

“The 33-megajoule shot means the Navy can fire projectiles at least 110 nautical miles, placing Sailors and Marines at a safe standoff distance and out of harm’s way, and the high velocities achievable are tactically relevant for air and missile defense,” he said. “This demonstration moves us one day closer to getting this advanced capability to sea.”

Besides the extended ranges, the railgun also improves safety for Sailors and Marines because it will eliminate the need for a high-energy explosive warhead and traditional gun propellants. Removing explosives and chemicals will reduce the munitions logistic chain.

A megajoule is a measurement of energy associated with a mass traveling at a certain velocity. In simple terms, a one-ton vehicle moving at 100 mph equals a megajoule of energy.

In 2008, ONR conducted a 10-megajoule shot for media and visitors at Dahlgren. Today’s demonstration showed researchers are steadily progressing toward developing a gun that could hit targets almost 20 times farther than conventional ship combat systems. A 33-megajoule shot, for example, could potentially reach extended ranges with Mach 5 velocity, five times the speed of sound.

The Department of the Navy’s Office of Naval Research provides the science and technology necessary to maintain the Navy and Marine Corps’ technological advantage. Through its affiliates, ONR is a leader in science and technology with engagement in 50 states, 70 countries, 1,035 institutions of higher learning, and 914 industry partners. ONR employs approximately 1,400 people, comprising uniformed, civilian and contract personnel.

Rising Korean Tensions

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A few days ago, the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, was hit with artillery from its neighbor North Korea. Which resulted in the deaths of two South Korean soldiers and two civilians. This attack was seen as a demonstration against the joint military exercise between the US and South Korea staged in the Yellow Sea.

However, it appears that there could be more to it. You see, there is a regime change that will soon take place in the North. This is more likely that it is the doing of the incoming regime as a test to see if the military will follow new command. Especially when state controlled Korean Central News Agency responded Friday saying, “The situation on the Korean peninsula is inching closer to the brink of war.”

A war that neither party, including China or Japan, would invite. Seeing as China is seen as an ally to North Korea, they would be a definite thorn at the side of US support to the South. A showdown that could be devastating to the US naval fleet.

How so? Despite the fact that the US has the most advanced systems, they are still vulnerable. With the nuclear-powered US carrier, the USS George Washington, with more than 6000 sailors and 75 fighter jets aboard, and being in the backyard of the Chinese, its loss would be a catastrophic loss. After all, the Chinese have proven their ability to roam the seas undetected.

Do you remember the contrail that was in question the other week? Many top analysts claim it was a missile from a Chinese submarine. However, the Chinese would position themselves, you could wager they are already in position on both sides of the peninsula. With two Chinese fishing patrol ships spotted by the Japanese coast guard off a group of islands, you can bet they are positioned for an attack on either direction.

But, there are heavy propositions for talks coming from China as it is their latest move to calm tensions. Wu Dawei, Chinese special representative for the Korean Peninsula affairs said, “The Chinese side, after careful deliberation, proposes emergency consultations among the heads of delegation to the Six-Party Talks in early December in Beijing to exchange views on major issues of concern to the parties at present.”

North Korean Artillary Hits South Korean Island

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Dozens of North Korean artillary shells have hit a South Korean island in what it says is retaliation against South Korea for firing first. While South Korea’s defense ministry official, Lee Hong-ki says “This is an intentional and planned attack… and it is clearly in violation of the armistice.”

FoxNews reports:

North Korea fired artillery barrages onto a South Korean island near their disputed border Tuesday, setting buildings alight and prompting South Korea to return fire and scramble fighter jets. At least one South Korean marine was killed and 13 wounded, the military said.

The firing came amid South Korean military drills in the area. North Korea’s military had sent a message to South Korea’s armed forces early Tuesday to demand that the drills stop, but the South continued them, said an official at South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

During the drills, South Korean marines on the island shot artillery toward southern waters, away from North Korea, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of military rules.

The skirmish also came amid high tension over North Korea’s claim that it has a new uranium enrichment facility and just six weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong Il unveiled his youngest son Kim Jong Un as his heir apparent.

The artillery barrages struck the small South Korean-held island of Yeonpyeong, which houses military installations and a small civilian population in an area that has been the focus of two previous deadly battles between the Koreas.

One South Korean marine was killed, three were seriously wounded and 10 slightly wounded, a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said. Island residents were escaping to about 20 shelters in the island and sporadic shelling was continuing, the JCS said.

South Korea responded by firing K-9 155mm self-propelled howitzer, but the JCS official declined to say whether North Korean territory was hit.

YTN TV said several houses were on fire and shells were still falling on the island, which is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of the coast. The station broadcast pictures of thick columns of black smoke rising from the island, which has a population of 1,200 to 1,300. Screams and chaotic shouts could be heard on the video.

Risking a New Cold War

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by Patrick Buchanan

Before Republican senators vote down the strategic arms reduction treaty negotiated by the Obama administration, they should think long and hard about the consequences.

In substance, New START has none of the historic significance of Richard Nixon’s SALT I or ABM treaty, or Jimmy Carter’s SALT II, or Ronald Reagan’s INF treaty removing all intermediate-range missiles from Europe, or the strategic arms reductions treaties negotiated by George Bush I and Bush II.

The latter cut U.S. and Russian arsenals from 10,000-12,000 nuclear warheads targeted on each nation to 2,000 — a huge cut.

If Republicans could back those treaties, what is the case for rejecting New START? Barack Obama’s treaty reduces strategic warheads by 450, leaving each side 1,550.

Is this not enough to deter when we consider what the Chernobyl disaster did to the Soviet Union and what the knockdown of two buildings in New York has done to this country? Ten hydrogen bombs on the United States or Russia could set us back decades, let alone 1,000.

Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona is holding up the treaty until he gets more assurances that the administration will do the tests and upgrades necessary to maintain the reliability of U.S. nuclear weapons. He should receive those assurances.

Maintaining the credibility of the U.S. deterrent is a vital national interest. But does this justify holding the treaty hostage?

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