Recently, I saw a comment that claimed the Iraqi Army (IA) is the best Arab army in the Mid-East. That it had been trained by the US in Corps- and Division- level operations, and thus was better than the rest of the Arab armies, since they effectively operate at only Brigade-level.
This is pure fantasy. The IA doesn’t have Corps and only started expanding divisional communications this year. Even the Iraqi Ministry of Defense never planned on the Iraqi Army being at that level of capabilities prior to 2020. Right now, the Iraqi military is only equipped and trained as a counter-insurgency force – and it will remain that way for a while. This article explains the Iraqi Security Forces’ planned stages of growth, the current gaps as they manifest at all levels, and some conclusions about the future.
Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc., in Huntsville, AL recently received approval from the U.S. Navy to move into the Full Rate Production (FRP) Phase on the underwater Littoral Battlespace Sensing-Glider (LBS-G) Program. The first Full Rate Production option calls for the manufacture of 35 gliders, with additional options for 100 more, and a total contract value of $53.1 million if all options are exercised. US Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command manages the contract.
The Teledyne Team has already delivered 15 Low Rate Initial Production LBS-Gs to the US Navy’s Program Executive Office for C4I, under a December 2010 contract. That team includes Teledyne Brown (System Integration), Teledyne Webb Research in East Falmouth, MA (Slocum Glider development and production), and the University of Washington – Applied Physics Lab (Glider Operations Center software). Their 2m long design features a very innovative propulsion concept.
U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, IL provides more than just airlift services. For heavier items, sealift is more economical, and can even be faster given required sortie rates for very large shipments. Hence the USA’s Regional Domestic Contract (RDC-5) program, where shipping companies provide services between the continental USA and Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico; and from Alaska to Guam.
As part of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s visit to Iraq, a US Forces spokesman reveals to journalists that ‘improvised rocket assisted mortars’ (IRAM) and ‘explosively formed penetrators’ (EFP) used by insurgents originate from Iran.
The AntiSec online hacking movement claims it has broken into a server run by military contractor Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) and stolen military email addresses and passwords. BAH refused to comment.
Following the recent announcement that the United States is to suspend $800 million worth of military aid to Pakistan, an official claims that increasingly close military ties with China will allow Islamabad to ‘fill the gap’.
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) awards Guident Technologies a $20.2 million contract to provide Data Management, Business Intelligence and additional services for the Defense Commissary Agency.
Canada signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kuwait to provide access to an airport and sea terminal for the transshipment of materiel returning from Afghanistan.
China may have deployed a communications UAV called Silver Eagle in a recent exercise. The UAV is considered all but identical to the ASN Technology ASN-209 and may be deployed as part of China’s ‘access denial’[PDF] strategy for naval conflict in home waters.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirms that the country has been incorporating anti-aircraft carrier strategies in its annual military drills since 2008. The MND refused to confirm if a Chinese aircraft carrier will form part of computer simulated exercises due to start on July 18th.
