Rapid Fire 2012-01-12: AH-64A Phased Out
Jan 12, 2012 08:30 ESTRelated Stories: Americas - USA, Britain/U.K., Budgets, Daily Rapid Fire, Design Innovations, Fighters & Attack, Helicopters & Rotary, Issues - International, Medical, Middle East - Other, R&D - Contracted, Soldier's Gear
- The US Office of Naval Research has funded & developed a battery-powered, hand-held device for Navy corpsmen, that measures intercranial bleeding. A life-saver, indeed.
- The last 16 American AH-64A Apache attack helicopters will disappear soon, to be turned into AH-64D Block IIs. All AH-64As were either lost, or remanufactured into subsequent helicopter versions.
- Britain’s lead Type 45 air defense ship, HMS Daring, sets sail for its 1st mission “east of Suez”. That could mean anti-piracy work, but there’s wide speculation that this means the Persian Gulf, where Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz are focusing global attention.
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- If things do build to a clash, former CIA operative in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards “Reza Kahlili” offers some thoughts on Iranian preparations. Though they may find that a fight in the Strait has some negative effects on their Chinese relationship.
- The US Air Force is going through its final round of restructuring its civilian workforce for the current fiscal year. It aims to eliminate 4,500 positions using voluntary early retirement and monetary incentives as much as possible.
- US Marines have received their first 2 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, where the USMC reactivated its VMFAT-501 training squadron (formerly VMFAT-451 or “Warlords”) in April 2010. It was the first time a Marines squadron was embedded in an Air Force wing (the 33rd Fighter Wing).
- The Pentagon plans to start releasing FY13 budget numbers on January 26.
- To improve its infantry capability against enemies behind cover, Germany is procuring RGW 90-AS 90mm recoilless grenade launchers. In past months the US Army has been ramping up its purchases of Carl Gustav M3s.
