SHARC.

This is coolbert:

Is it an iceberg or is it Moby Dick?

Thanks to Forbes and tip from Marcus.

"Mystery Unmanned Craft Seen Off Florida May Be Secret SHARC Spy Vessel"

"A ‘what is this?’ Facebook video from FishMonster, picked up by HI Sutton on his Covert Shores site, shows a curious vehicle spotted off Florida’s Key West last week. Virtually the only part of it above water is a mast supporting an array of antennae.  The vehicle is almost certainly a Wave Glider made by U.S. company Liquid Robotics (now owned by Boeing BA) , and the antennae suggest it is part of a U.S. Navy development known as Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft, or SHARC."

This is what is seen at the surface. Antenna array and apparently a solar charging panel of some sort.

This is what is below the surface. The vessel a "spy" submersible it is called. I am not sure if that towed array as seen at the surface can be raised or lowered at will.

Get em' SHARC. 

A very good idea. 

 coolbert.

Spew II.

This is coolbert:

Once more with vigor.

How many times have these stange anomalies been reported? Lots of them!!

 RELEASES OF NUCLEAR RADIATION FROM AN UNDISCLOSED SOURCE.

 From the English tabloid Daily Star and thanks to same. Seems the English tabloids too the only media interested in these kinds of stories for some reason.

"'Mystery' rise in nuclear particles from 'weapons test' detected by fission sensors" 

 "Cutting edge radiation sensors in Stockholm have detected higher-than-usual levels of isotopes produced by nuclear fission –potentially coming from a nuclear weapons test.

 BALTIC NATIONS IN DANGER THIS TIME!

 "A station detected unusually high levels of three radionuclides earlier this week: caesium-134, caesium-137 and ruthenium-103."

Two schools of thought exist [?] regarding the many anomalies of markedly increased levels of radioactive particles found in the atmosphere having not found to have a source identified with certainty.

1. Tests of the much ballyhooed long-range Russian nuclear powered cruise missile sending a spew of radioactive particles into the atmosphere.

 2. Low-yield [as deemed] Russian testing of atomic munitions.

See previous blog entry [with many additional links] as germane to the topic:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/08/mayak.html

coolbert.

Eye-Witness.

This is coolbert:

From the Internet web site Zero Hedge and the article by Tyler Durden and thanks to both.

ANARCHIST INSURRECTION USA! OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS OF AN ENLISTED  MILITARY MAN AT THE SCENE.

Refer to the previous blog entry the You Tube video most informative.

"A Shocking Eye-Witness Account Of What's Really Happening During The Seattle Riots"

"A social media post (which has been removed) by a member of the Washington National Guard has been shared more than 7000 times since it was written on June 12th. It’s a true education in mob mentality."

INCORRECT TO A DEGREE. NOT A MOB MENTALITY BUT THE MENTALITY OF AN INSURRECTION! HARD-CORE DISCIPLINED AND DETERMINED FIGHTERS [ANARCHISTS] THE AMOUNT OF AGGRAVATION THEY ABLE TO CAUSE EXTREME.

That "eye-witness account" the veracity of which cannot be determined with finality. It does seem to have AN AUTHENCITY that seems to suggest more truthful than false.

"I previously said I had a lot to say regarding my experiences while in downtown Seattle [Incoming VERY long post…]. When I came home, I was exhausted, angry, and saddened by what I had experienced. I said I needed to share what happened, but I also said I needed some time to rest and reflect. My unit was activated for 12 days. We worked long hours but we continued to stay dedicated to the state and the mission. I can’t stop that now. I’ve been up all night, trying my best to put into words what I experienced and observed. This is too important to wait. I rarely post on social media, but I’m making this post, hoping it reaches those that want to know the truth. I can imagine, given the current environment, this post may cause some controversy. That is not my intention what-so-ever. I agree the excessive use of force in Minnesota was inexcusable but reacting with hatred and violence is contradictory to the message of peace and change. Either way, people need to know what’s actually happening behind the guise of this 'movement.' Whether localized or nationalized, what I witnessed NEEDS TO STOP!"

AMEN and AMEN a THOUSAND times!!

Weaponry as used by the anarchists in combat with the combined and UNARMED [NATIONAL GUARD] OR LIGHTLY ARMED [POLICE] SECURITY FORCES TO INCLUDE:

* Pipe-bombs. * Five-inch chunks of concrete. * Green lasers. * Flame weapons. ANY AND ALL OF WHICH OF THEMSELVES ARE A USE OF LETHAL FORCE!!

Devoted readers to blog I strongly encourage each and all of you to read the article with closeness. As I have stated before events of this nature as have come to pass recently in Seattle constitute an insurrection and not merely a riot.

An insurrection of which only one side is fighting. Security forces [that combination of police and military Washington state National Guard troops] only behaving in the what sounds as a more or less totally passive manner.

ZERO HEDGE from all appearances an Internet web site their content primarily directed at the financial sector and individual investors. ZERO HEDGE merely from a comment of one reader now deemed as far-right-wing and no longer eligible to financial pay-outs as earned from Internet advertisements.

coolbert.

Rivals.

This is coolbert:

From Eric Margolis courtesy the Ron Unz Internet web site yet one more explanation of the current crisis in the Himalaya. See a previous relevant blog entry by Colonel Austin Bay.

"Nuclear Rivals Clash in the Himalayas"

"So why are China and India at daggers drawn over the Galwan River Valley in Ladakh? Both are busy dealing with the coronavirus epidemic. Delhi and Beijing have conducted off and on diplomacy to ease Himalayan border tensions."

"The clash in Ladakh was no accident but clearly a planned offensive act by China – and the biggest military operation since the two Asian giants went to war in the Himalayas in 1962, producing a serious defeat for India. China then said the war was a ‘serious message’ to India to restrain its ambitions in the region."

Eric Margolis purports to be an expert on Asia to include the rivalry between India and China as now manifests itself in armed violence between nuclear weapons armed powers.

Eric however as does Colonel Austin Bay offers no cogent and rational explanations as to why the current Himalayan crisis has escalated as to pose a potential continental threat. Other than an undefined or ill-defined border dispute or the control of upstream rivers the source being in Tibet. What else?

Any other experts out there among the devoted readers to the blog willing to offer their opinions on the situation?

coolbert.

Primitive.

This is coolbert:

More thanks to Freeper the latest the confrontation India and China in the high Himalaya.

1. "'Snapped Necks, Smashed Faces Beyond Recognition': How Indian Soldiers Killed Chinese PLA Troops After CO Fell"

"In the counter-attack following the killing of their commanding officer Colonel B Santosh Babu by Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops in Ladakh's Galwan valley, the jawans [a soldier of the Indian army is referred to as a jawan] of 16 Bihar regiment, using the most 'primitive fighting methods', snapped the necks of at least 18 PLA troops and smashed their faces beyond recognition"

This senior Indian Army Colonel did not fall. He was thrown to his death! Seems to the jawans in response gave as good as they got. 

2. "India redraws its rules to engage China on border"

"India has reset the rules of engagement with Chinese troops along the entire stretch of their 3,488km long border, with the Indian Army now given a free hand to deal with any provocation by China."

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT [ROE]. INDIAN ARMY COMMANDERS AT THE TACTICAL LEVEL APPARENTLY ALLOWED THEIR DISCRETION IN ANSWERING CHINESE PROVOCATION.

Need I say that the India of Mahatma Gandhi gone a long time ago. 

See previous blog entry with many embedded links as is relevant to the Himalaya situation"

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/escalating.html

coolbert.

Terminator II.

This is coolbert:

The super-soldier French style. Force Noire'.

Before the latter-day Chinese and their desire to genetically modify and create the super-soldier there was the French General Mangin. 

"The black troops . . . have precisely those qualities that are demanded in the long struggles in modern war: rusticity, endurance, tenacity, the instinct for combat, the absence of nervousness, and an incomparable power of shock. Their arrival on the battlefield would have a considerable moral effect on the adversary." - - Mangin.

ACCORDING TO GENERAL MANGIN THE FRENCH COLONIAL AFRICAN TROOP FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS POTENTIALLY THE BEST IN THE WORLD. 

Rusticity = able to live rough and do well for an extended period.

Further:

"Mangin asserted that Africans were endowed with a series of natural attributes that made them outstanding soldiers, including: (1) an ability to live in harsher climates than other races; (2) the capacity (owing to centuries of portage and migration) to carry heavy loads great distances; (3) a nervous system that was less developed than that of ‘whites’, which gave them greater resistance to pain and hence more willingness to shed blood in battle; (4) the patriarchal nature of African societies, which endowed them with a sense of discipline and hierarchy that was readily transferable to military life; and, finally, (5) the ‘selectionist’ argument that Africans were naturally suited to be excellent soldiers, since Africa had for centuries been a ‘vast battlefield’."

Mangin being heavily influenced by the British experience during the time of the Raj in India. Certain tribes and ethnicities in India considered martial races and recruited for the British Indian army. Martial race personnel thought by the British to make for a better combat troop.

Force noire' to a degree came to fruition but not exactly as General Mangin had hoped? Black African Senegalese troops did fight on the Western Front during WW1 but as far as I know their performance not so superior to anyone else.

coolbert.

Terminator I.

This is coolbert:

The super-soldier. Chinese style.

Test tube creations, genetically-modified human beings, the purpose of which is to create a fighting man of the utmost quality, combat troops as possessing positive attributes favorable for military success on the battlefield. It can be done?

Thanks to the English tabloid The Sun and Freeper.

"China ‘considering plans to genetically-modify soldiers to make army of Terminator-style troops’" [Ter-ming-ator].

"CHINA may be planning to genetically-modify [GM] its soldiers for an army of Terminator-style super troops, a defence think tank has warned. Experts at Rusi say GM soldiers could be faster, stronger and cleverer than their battlefield opponents and even feel no pain."

Faster, stronger, cleverer, more enduring, no pain [or relatively impervious to pain]?

This has all be tried before without success. The humanzee [half-human, half-chimp] experiments of the Soviet during the time of Stalin. Again the idea was to create the super-soldier. A hybrid creature having attributes and qualities that would make for a superior combat troop!

I am not sure if a human being can be genetically modified. Or if they can be to create an entire army of them impossible given current technology. Perhaps units of shock troops in the battalion size [1,000 combatants] is possible. 

coolbert.

Escalating.

This is coolbert:

Devoted readers to the blog will want to read this Colonel Austin Bay  article courtesy the Internet web site Strategy Page.

"On Point: Scenarios for a China-India Himalayan War"

June 10, 2020. Colonel Austin Bay.

"Everyone who wants to prevent nuclear war and expand economic opportunity should demand China's dictatorship answer this question: Why is nuclear-armed mainland China militarily and diplomatically escalating its Himalayan border dispute with nuclear-armed India?"

YES WHY!!

This particular Austin Bay article written from over a week ago. Tensions and incidents since that time between the Chinese and Indian military units has become much more intense. Much more.

I am somewhat disappointed in the Colonel Bay article. Scenario as discussed only one of them. Surely others exist?

COLONEL BAY DECLINES TO MENTION ADDITIONAL SCENARIO INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF A NUCLEAR EXCHANGE OF APOCALYPTIC PROPORTIONS?

See previous blog entries the situation vicinity Ladakh tense:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/plunge.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/gladiators.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/galwan.html

coolbert.

Thirty-two.

This is coolbert:

From the Internet web site Executed Today a story with a military dimension.

Before there was Budapest [1956] there was Magdeburg [1952]. 

"1953: 32 merciful Soviet soldiers"

"In June 1953, some discontented young citizens of Magdeburg, East Germany revolted and began demonstrating against the repressive Communist regime. On June 17, in the spirit of totalitarian governments everywhere, the authorities ordered a platoon of soldiers to open fire on a crowd of protesters."

"Incredibly, the soldiers refused".

"Every one of them vanished shortly thereafter, never to be seen again."

THE GRAVES OF THE THIRTY-TWO HAVE BEEN FOUND? SUMMARY EXECUTION FOR MUTINY THEIR FATE? UNTIL NOW ONLY SURMISED. NOW THE TRUTH HAS BEEN FOUND.

Devoted readers to the blog will want to read the entire article.

coolbert.

Plunge.

This is coolbert:

More details, the battle between Chinese and Indian troops with casualties.

As reported by the English tabloid Guardian with the tip from Miklos.

"Soldiers fell to their deaths as India and China's troops fought with rocks"

India shocked by Himalayan border clash in which unarmed troops fought in the dark

The hand-to-hand combat lasted hours, on steep, jagged terrain, with iron bars, rocks and fists. Neither side carried guns. Most of the soldiers killed in the worst fighting between India and China in 60 years lost their footing or were knocked from the narrow Himalayan ridge, plunging to their deaths.

HAND TO HAND COMBAT. LASTED FOR HOURS DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. IRON BARS, ROCKS, FISTS. THE SICKENING PLUNGE.

I hope someone is paying close attention to all this. Two atomic powers in serious confrontation and now deaths of troops. Worrisome should be an understatement.

See previous blog entries as are pertinent:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/gladiators.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/galwan.html

coolbert.

Gladiators.

This is coolbert:

To war gladiator style? 

More details the clash between Indian and Chinese troops resulting in fatalities and wounding. Thanks again to Freeper for the tip.

"India, China Troops Clash at Himalayan Border, With 20 Indian Soldiers Dead"

"NEW DELHI/SRINAGARA—India's army said on June 16 that 20 of its soldiers had been killed in clashes with Chinese troops at a disputed border site, in a major escalation of a weeks-long standoff between the two Asian giants in the western Himalayas..China's foreign ministry confirmed there had been a violent physical confrontation on June 15 in the border area. It made no mention of casualties, but India's foreign ministry said there had been casualties on both sides.An Indian government source said the troops had fought with iron rods and stones"

Stones and iron rods. No firearms. At least not yet? 

coolbert.

Galwan.

This is coolbert:

Some damn fool thing in Galwan? A nuclear war involving world powers is at hand? The world awaits with bated breath as they say?

Thanks to Freeper in both cases.

1. "World War 3: India slaughters 5 Chinese soldiers in bloody massacre- border tensions erupt"

"FIVE Chinese soldiers were killed and 11 injured during violent clashes at the China-India border, which has sparked fears of World War 3"

PUSH COMES TO SHOVE. THIS HAS GONE BEYOND MERE MASSING OF TROOPS

2. "Officer, 2 soldiers killed in clash with PLA; casualties on both sides" 

"An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed during a violent confrontation with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the first such incident in the last 45 years that reflected massive escalation in the five-week border row."

See previous pertinent blog entry with a number of additional links:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/06/lac.html

coolbert.

Insurrection II.

This is coolbert:

With regard to events unfolding in the USA right now devoted readers to blog will want to watch this video courtesy of You Tube.

"‘Antifa Wants To Overthrow The Gov’t’ | Counterterrorism Expert SCORCHES Seattle Anarchists"

This man [subject matter authority] knows his stuff and explains in terms understandable to everyone Authority making a point that this is an insurrection make no mistake and must be understood as so. Occupation of the CHAZ zone even if it ends [and that is questionable] is only the beginning. From my perspective this type of violence can go on more or less forever and I greatly fear an escalation to include the use of flame weapons, demolitions and small arms. Apparent connivance or acceptance of local officials in addition most troubling.

coolbert.

Pallet II.

This is coolbert:

Smart pallets? USAF.

Solution found? Improvisation? Necessity is the mother of invention?

The jury is out. But consider further from the Internet web site Anti-military:

"US Bombers Are So Ridiculously Expensive Air Force Forced to Make Up for Low Numbers by Planning Cargo Planes for Combat"

"Even the massive Air Force budget is still not enough when what you're buying is as dear as the B-2/B-21"

"According to Defense News, the Air Force thinks aircraft such as the C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III could become part-time missile trucks."

Transport aircraft functioning as bomber warplanes. Carrying pallets of missiles to be dropped off the back of a military combat transport while aloft?

An entire load of pallet-loaded missiles, receiving target data from some sort of net-centric targeting system [?]. Released as an intact pallet, which breaks apart during free-fall, missile motors firing and on-the-way to the target? This is what is being talked about?

"The pallets would be capable of feeding position, navigation, and targeting data to their onboard missiles. Once dropped from the rear of the aircraft, the pallets would quickly release their missile cargoes, sending them downrange to their targets. The larger the aircraft, the more missiles it could carry."

It all sounds too good an idea to be true. Why didn't I think of that? Solution found? It remains to be seen.

coolbert.

Pallets I.

This is coolbert:

Within context of a previous blog entry, consider the readiness status of American bomber warplanes.

As reported by the Anti-Military Internet web site and thanks to same.

"US Bombers Are So Ridiculously Expensive Air Force Forced to Make Up for Low Numbers by Planning Cargo Planes for Combat"

"Even the massive Air Force budget is still not enough when what you're buying is as dear as the B-2/B-21"

"Despite having a massive budget the hardware the service orders from the defense industry is so ridiculously expensive the stable just isn’t large enough. That is also the reason the ancient but reliable B-52s are still kept in service (and indeed form the backbone of the nuclear and heavy bomber force) and will outlive far newer but overly-complicated and troubled machines like the B-1 from the corporate handout era"

Modern bomber warplanes such as the B-2 Spirit and the even more modern B-21 very expensive both from the manufacturing and operational standpoint. Budget constraints mean only a small and very limited numbers of such warplanes can be built. MORE MISSIONS THAN COMBAT AIRCRAFT AVAILABLE IS THE RESULT.

Consider strictly the readiness status of  current American bomber warplanes:

* B-1 Lancer (only 46% were able to perform a single mission at any one time last year).

* B-2 Spirit  (readiness rate last year: 60%).

 * B-52s flying (readiness rate last year: 66%).

Is there a solution to the problem? More to follow.

coolbert.

Perle.

This is coolbert:

HOW OFTEN HAS THIS BEEN AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION? MATERIAL FOR A BLOG ENTRY?

SUBMARINES WHILE DOCKED, ANCHORED, IN PORT, NOT AT SEA, THE DANGER GREATER TO THE BOAT THEN WHEN SAILING AND SUBMERGED IT SEEMS!!

Once again with vigor so it seems!!

"French Nuclear Submarine Catches Fire in Mediterranean - Photo"

"PARIS (Sputnik) - A Rubis-class French nuclear submarine named Perle has caught fire while anchored on a naval base in the port-city of Toulon on the country's Mediterranean coast, the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the Mediterranean said on Friday, adding that the incident poses no threat of radioactive pollution."

No danger from radioactivity release so we are told. I hope so.

See previous blog entries with some additional embedded links as germane to the topic:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/01/ins-arihant.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/11/orp-orzel.html

coolbert.

Contemptuous.

This is coolbert:

“'Retired officers can't make contemptuous remarks of the commander-in-chief,' . . . 'They’re all subject to recall. They’re subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice until they die.'”

UCMJ = Uniform Code of Military Justice.

“'As part of the UCMJ, governing military law, you cannot use contemptuous words against certain officials, including the president,' . . . 'That is a court-martial offense, and yes, you can be recalled to active duty to be court-martialed.'”

WITHIN SOME QUARTERS THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE A MAJOR STIR!

Courtesy Freeper for the tip.

"Retired generals who denounced Trump could be recalled to active duty and prosecuted, experts say"

"The Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits using 'contemptuous words' against the president."

"Retired four-star military officers who lambasted President Trump could be recalled to active duty and prosecuted for violating the U.S. Code,"

RETIRED FLAG OFFICERS OF THE U.S. MILITARY CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OPENLY SO. RETIRED FLAG OFFICERS RECEIVING A PENSION MIGHT LOSE IT ALL?

Yes indeed, when you join the U.S. military in whatever capacity you lose your right to Freedom of Speech. Flag officer too as is my understanding are carried on the rolls of their respective service for the duration of their natural existence, until death. Flag officers valued for their degree of experience and education considered to be a national asset.

coolbert.

LAC.

This is coolbert:

LAC = Line of Actual Contact. 4,000 kilometers - 2,500 miles.

Troops are massing! Troops are always massing! This time ominously.

More Ladakh stuff. Conflict between India and China over a border dispute not only continues but the potentiality for further escalation marked now.

The tip courtesy Free Republic and thanks to same.

"China deploys troops all along 4,000-km LAC (with India)"

"Even as India and China continue to discuss ways to reduce tensions in Eastern Ladakh, it is emerging that the Chinese Army has deployed its troops all along the over 4,000 kilometre-long Line of Actual Control after which India has also rushed its fighting formations to forward locations"

Deployment/counter-deployment. Once the movements of large masses of troops begins war cannot be avoided? As it was in World War One.

To me, again, this all sounds ominous. India in case of war with China would have a low nuclear thresh-hold?

See previous blog entries the subject Ladakh:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/05/fingers.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/05/ladakh-ii.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/05/ladakh-iii.html

coolbert.

CBP.

This is coolbert:

“'They knew what they were doing,' . . . 'They were aiming and adjusting their aim on purpose, with purpose to strike the aircraft repeatedly.'”

Insurrection USA. The Canadian connection. 

"CBP Helicopter Hit With Lasers From Canada During Riots"

"A U.S. [CBP] Customs and Border Protection helicopter [conducting surveillance of] protesters in Detroit on June 3 was repeatedly hit by a green laser fired from across the border in Canada."

See my previous blog entry. Green laser used to render a surveillance camera ineffective. And when aimed at the eyes of a human can blind!! ATTACK THAT CAN CAUSE GRAVE BODILY HARM.. Especially when aimed at the eyes of a pilot.

THE BAD GUY CAPTURED. WAS ON THE CANADIAN SIDE OF THE RIVER ROUGE BUT APPREHENDED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

"The pilot was able to capture video of the attack and follow the attacker, leading to the arrest of 22-year-old Ali Zuhair of Windsor Canada. The pilot was able to keep track of Zuhair’s location continuously while he called in the crime to an airport tower in Windsor, leading to his capture."

Using a laser to blind aviators military and civilian hardly new. See this rash of incidents vicinity the South China sea 2018.

AND NOW THE USA/CANADIAN BORDER. IN FURTHERANCE OF AN INSURRECTION.

coolbert.

INSURRECTION!

This is coolbert:

INSURRECTION USA!

Make no mistake about it, the current protests USA violent and peaceful and the activities of the opportunist anarchists represent an insurrection and nothing less than that. No small and incremental change is going to satisfy the mob now. The mob realizes what they can do and get away with they will only become more emboldened.

"in•sur•rec•tion - - n. The act of rising against civil authority or governmental restraint; specifically, the armed resistance of a number of persons to the power of the state; incipient or limited rebellion."

Thanks here to Freepr.

"How ANTIFA Organizes Protests and Riots"

"Below is how ANTIFA organizes their protests. Watch for their movements in all protests."

Click for an enlarged image. Light mace if directed against police can blind. That is using lethal force and can be met with lethal force. All these techniques and organizations have been worked out and well-honed over a period of decades with the anarchist movement and their fighting units possessing an almost incredible discipline and street-fighting combat capability as enhanced by modern technology. The anarchists even possess a radio-intelligence capability able to provide real-time intelligence based on intercepted police radio communications. In contrast the anarchists have crypto-secure for their communications of a sophisticated nature.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BECOME CALM AND GO AWAY. THIS I AM AFRAID IS ONLY GOING TO ESCALATE AND CONTINUE FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD THE SITUATION IN DOUBT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. AND WITH AN ESCALATION OF WEAPONRY THE TARGETS AMERICAN SECURITY FORCES IN PERIL.

coolbert.

LORA.

This is coolbert:

EVERY ship a WARSHIP??

From the Israeli Internet web site Ynet:

"In first, classified Israeli missile hits 400km target range"

Two-hundred fifty mile range for those of you metrically challenged.

"LORA weapons system, a theater quasi-ballistic missile, was developed by the Israel Aerospace Industries and has been tested two months ago at sea to tryout its effectiveness in naval warfare"
 
"The missile is a deceptive one that could hide in plain sight on a commercial freight ship. If undetected, it could launch up to 16 missiles before being located."

"No modifications to the ship are required once the weapons system is loaded on. In addition to offensive missiles, cargo ships can be equipped with canisterized and/or concealed anti-ship missiles and guns, as well as air and missile defense interceptors and sensors - making them asymmetric and concealable warships."

IT MIGHT BE A WORTHY IDEA TO ADD SOME SORT OF POD WITH NET-CENTRIC TARGETING CAPABILITY FEEDING DATA TO THE FIRING UNIT. A SMALL ADDITION I MIGHT THINK.

Using off-the-shelf and readily available weapons system a modern battleship can be built of almost large size merchant vessel and ready for combat in an instant. See my prior pertinent blog entry with additional embedded links:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/10/dreadnought-iii.html

coolbert.

AI USAF.

This is coolbert:

“'The [F-35] competitor should be a drone fighter plane that’s remote controlled by a human, but with its maneuvers augmented by autonomy,' . . . 'The F-35 would have no chance against it.'”

Skyborg we are familiar with. See previous blog entries here and here regarding same. The Loyal Wing-man concept.

This however is beyond Skyborg. From Air Force magazine the article by Rachel S. Cohen and thanks to same.

"Air Force to Test Fighter Drone Against Human Pilot"

"Air Force researchers are designing an autonomous aircraft that can take down a manned plane in air-to-air combat, with the goal of pitting the two against each other in July 2021."

THIS IS NOT PIE-IN-THE-SKY IMAGINARY SCI-FI STUFF. THIS IS NOW!!

"The AFRL team launched its pursuit of an unmanned, AI-driven fighter jet in 2018, aiming to show promise within 18 months . . . machine-learning technology [to be inserted] into a less-advanced plane, like an F-16, before trying it in a newer jet, like an F-35 or F-22."

UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT A 100 % AUTONOMOUS AI-DRIVEN DRONE! WILL BE FLOWN BY A REMOTE PILOT AUGMENTED BY AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LEARNING SYSTEM.

If indeed a less-advanced warplane such as a F-16 is able with AI augmentation and remotely flown or even autonomous is able to beat a much-more advanced fighter aircraft, the manned warplane is at the end of the line?

Forget Skynet. Remember Skyborg?

coolbert.

Fenians.

This is coolbert:

Consider this a new one on me. USA and Canada in disagreement and combat action as a result. The Fenian Raids. Not necessarily the USA and Canada in disagreement however.

Thanks to the tip from Lemuel.

"The Fenian raids were carried out by the Fenian Brotherhood, an Irish Republican organization based in the United States, on British Army forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada, in 1866, and again from 1870 to 1871. A number of separate incursions by the Fenian Brotherhood into Canada were undertaken to bring pressure on the United Kingdom to withdraw from Ireland, although none of these raids achieved their aims."

INVASION CANADA USA!

Ethnic Irish residing in the USA. Natural born and naturalized citizens and legal aliens. Men opposed to British rule in Ireland. Attempting to exert pressure on the British government. A FREE AND INDEPENDENT IRELAND THE GOAL!

Men too with considerable combat experience, well armed, led by officers also with considerable combat experience. ALL [?] veterans of the American Civil War.

Several "invasions" border-crossing from USA to Canada resulting in relatively minor casualties. A point however was made.

INVASION NEITHER APPROVED OR SANCTIONED BY THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. FENIANS FREE-LANCERS.

Canadians responding appropriately:

"The greatest impact of the Fenian raids was in developing a sense of Canadian nationalism and leading the provinces into a Confederation. This was . . . important factor in creating the modern nation-state of Canada."

coolbert.

HEL II.

This is coolbert:

"'I’m extremely skeptical that we can put a large laser on an aircraft and use it to shoot down an adversary missile even from very close.'” - - Mike Griffin.

HEL = High Energy Laser.

Once again the topic the military laser as a directed energy weapon. As proposed to be carried on 6th generation combat aircraft. See prior blog entry.

HERE ACCORDING TO ARTHUR ZWERN A POSSIBLE METHOD BY WHICH DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS CAN BE EMPLOYED IN COMBAT:

"Lasers might be scary, but the combination of 'pinpoint accuracy plus zero time of flight' is an extremely powerful capability for taking out an enemy with zero blast radius. So long as the laser is powerful enough to kill not just maim, I hope the military gets over its reticence to use them tactically. Whether you burn a hole through someone [or an enemy missile or warplane] with explosives or photons, lethality is the purpose of military weapons, and precision counts. I would think that a swarm of seeker drones feeding target data to a large HEL [High Energy Laser] drone might be a tactically efficient way to patrol and control many current hot spots at large scale with zero blue team [the friendlies] risk."

A swarm of small [mini] drones used for target acquisition and fire control for a transport aircraft able to carry and provide power for a HEL. HEL able to engage targets of whatever sort. A transport combat warplane of the Boeing 747 or AC-130 variety perhaps.

coolbert.

HEL I.

This is coolbert:

'I’m extremely skeptical that we can put a large laser on an aircraft and use it to shoot down an adversary missile even from very close.'” - - Mike Griffin.

HEL = High Energy Laser.

Directed energy weaponry hardly NEW. Been around for some time.Some additional info as relevant to a prior blog entry. From several sources and thanks to the tip from Darwin.

1. "Army Works on a Blinding Laser".

"Officials at the Pentagon said today that the Army was developing a portable laser beam weapon capable of blinding enemy soldiers."

"Known as C-CLAW, for Close Combat Laser Assault Weapon, the system uses low-powered beams to blind the human eye, even through such mechanical optical sensors as tank periscopes, at distances up to one mile."

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES AS OF 1983!. NOT A DEVICE INTENDED TO BLIND! MORE OF A DEVICE TO "BLIND" IN A FIGURATIVE SENSE AND RENDER INEFFECTIVE HIGH-TECHNOLOGY ELECTRO-OPTIC MILITARY SYSTEMS.

CAN BLIND AN ENEMY SOLDIER YES BUT NOT WITH INTENTIONAL EFFORT!

2. From the Quora question and answer Internet web site comments by Arthur Zwern.

"I helped develop laser weapons like you speak of in 81-83 at Hughes Aircraft Company, and built the world’s first CCM  [Counter-Counter-Measure] to protect our FLIR [Forward Looking Infra-Red] sensors from these weapons in case the USSR [Soviet Union fielded them [FLIR]. We were NOT out to fry eyeballs.

"But HELs were not practical yet (size, weight, power source/efficiency, cooling, etc) [1918-1983] so we settled for sending enemy FLIRs a missile."

AGAIN, DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPON NOT FOR KINETIC KILL BUT RATHER TO RENDER INEFFECTIVE ENEMY SOPHISTICATED ELECTRO-OPTIC MILITARY SYSTEMS.

High-energy lasers not so highly advanced at the time. Kinetic kill as it was referred to understood as not feasible at the time but lasers still serving a useful role.

coolbert.