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Tag: U.S. Military

  • USS Mahan Shooting Leaves Two Dead

    USS Mahan Shooting Leaves Two Dead

    A shooting aboard the USS Mahan has left two people dead and is raising questions about the Navy’s security procedures.

    According to the U.S. Navy, one male sailor was shot and killed aboard the Mahan at around 11:20 pm Monday night. The man suspected of shooting the sailor was also shot and killed by Navy security forces.

    The base was put on lockdown for a short while following the incident as a precautionary measure. No other injuries were reported and the base was released from lockdown after 45 minutes.

    The shooting took place as the USS Mahan was docked at Naval Station Norfolk on the coast of Virginia. The Mahan is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer that was conducting routine operations in the Atlantic.

    According to a Navy Times report, the shooter was a civilian, but was authorized to be at Naval Station Norfolk. A spokesperson has stated that the Navy cannot say whether the suspect was authorized to be aboard the Mahan. The Navy has also stated that it will release the names of both the sailor and the alleged shooter following the notification of their families.

    News of the incident was first reported via Naval Station Norfolk’s Facebook page. The post indicates that the Navy is currently investigating the shooting.

    Post by Naval Station Norfolk.

    The Navy Times report also states that the shooting suspect disarmed a petty officer before the shooting. The alleged shooter also reportedly did not have a weapon of his own.

    The shooting comes just months after the Washington Navy Yard shooting in September 2013. That incident left 13 people dead, including the shooter, Aaron Alexis. According to reports Alexis was a former Navy Reserve sailor who had receive a defense service medal but was known for misusing firearms.

    Image via U.S. Navy

  • Another Soldier Sentenced For Afghanistan Fuel Theft

    U.S. Army Sergeant Kevin Bilal Abdullah has been sentenced to one year, one day in prison for his role in fuel thefts at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty in Afghanistan. Abdullah pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery in August 2013 for receiving bribes in exchange for helping to steal fuel during his time in Afghanistan.

    Abdullah is one of four convictions that have been obtained that are related to fuel thefts at Fenty. Two civilian contractors, Jonathan Hightower and Christopher Weaver, have been sentenced to two years in prison and three years, one month in prison, respectively for their part in the thefts. Former U.S. Army Specialist Stephanie Charboneau last month was sentenced to seven years, three months in prison for helping to facilitate the theft of around 70 truckloads of fuel worth approximately $1.2 million.

    Like Charboneau, Abdullah was in charge of overseeing deliveries of fuel from Fenty to other military bases in Afghanistan. He forged fake transportation movement request documents authorizing transfers of fuel to other locations in the country. Instead of other military bases, the fuel was diverted by an Afghan trucking company and stolen. Abdullah, as with others in on the scheme, was paid in cash by the trucking company for helping to facilitate the thefts.

    In all Abdullah was responsible for the theft of around 25 truckloads of fuel from the U.S. Army. In addition to his year in prison, Abdullah has been ordered to pay $466,250 in restitution to the U.S.

  • Army Sex Case: U.S. Army General Could Face Life in Prison

    Brig. Gen. Jeffery A. Sinclair faced military trial Tuesday on charges of sexual assault against an Army captain.

    According to the Los Angeles Times, the now 34-year-old accuser made the allegations against the general in March 2012. She claims that the affair started when she was 29 years old.

    Although the three-year relationship between the two was consensual, she accuses Sinclair of forcing her to partake in oral sex and threatening to harm her family.

    Sinclair, a married man and father of two, denies the captain’s accusations and says the relationship was mutual. He also made it clear that he never made such threats as she claims.

    Defense attorney Richard L. Scheff found that part of the accuser’s testimony surrounding the details of cell phone evidence was unlikely the truth. He’s determined that she may have lied on stand and perjured herself during January’s  trial hearing.

    To Scheff, this gives the Army more of a reason to lessen the charges against the 27-year veteran.(image)

    Still, he emphasizes how much his client will not be able to receive a fair trial due to “unlawful command influence” within the Army and the Obama administration’s intolerance regarding sex offenders.

    The Los Angeles Times reported how:

    “The defense accuses the Army chain of command of pursuing the most serious charges to demonstrate that the military is getting tough on accused sex offenders — even though senior commanders have concluded that Sinclair’s accuser lied.”

    Former prosecutor Lt. Col. William Helixon would probably agree with Scheff’s argument. The lieutenant withdrew from the case in February due to personal feelings towards the charges against Sinclair, who he refers to as “a hero.”

    According to Scheff, Helixon felt that the Army was unethically pushing the case forward, so he is now a witness on the defense team in favor of Sinclair.

    The new prosecutor, Lt. Col. Robert C. Stelle, believes that the accuser’s testimony does conflict with the evidence shown. However, he continues to stand on the fact that the captain is telling the truth about everything else that occurred.

    Furthermore, Sinclair also faces additional charges, which include “adultery, pressuring two other female officers to send him nude photos, possessing alcohol and pornography in a war zone, and abusing his government charge card to pursue liaisons with the captain.”

    The general has pleaded guilty to reduced charges of adultery and misconduct of an officer.

    If convicted he could face life in prison.

    Image via YouTube

  • Another Soldier Found Guilty of Afghanistan Fuel Theft

    U.S. Army Sergeant Alber Kelly III today pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft of fuel from the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.

    Kelly was stationed at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Afghanistan from 2011 until 2012, assigned to oversee the delivery of fuel into the base. Kelly was in charge of verifying and documenting the total amounts of fuel that were transferred to Salerno.

    Instead of accurately performing his duties, from November 2011 through January 2012 Kelly falsified records showing that fuel had been delivered to Salerno. The fuel in question had actually been diverted by Afghan trucking companies and stolen.

    Kelly received around $57,000 from Afghan trucking companies for facilitating the fuel thefts. The total amount of fuel stolen through Kelly is estimated to be around 25,000 gallons, or around $100,000 worth.

    Kelly is due to be sentenced on May 22. He faces up to 10 years in prison for his crime.

    Kelly’s crimes are similar to those of U.S. Army Specialist Stephanie Charboneau, who also helped facilitate the theft of fuel from a military base in Afghanistan. Charboneau was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for helping to steal over $1.2 million worth of fuel from Forward Operating Base Fenty. Charboneau took bribes from trucking companies to forge false transportation movement requests for fuel that was stolen.

    Charboneau and Kelly are two of five people now to be prosecuted for crimes related to fuel theft during the war in Afghanistan.

  • H.L. Hunley: 150th Anniversary Of Sunken Submarine

    It has been more than a century since the H.L. Hunley sank to the bottom of the sea during the American Civil War, but the series of events that led to its death remain a mystery. The historic Confederate vessel is the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship.

    On February 17, 1864, the H.L. Hunley fulfilled its mission of raiding the Union ship Housatonic in order to strengthen the Confederate forces as they tried to breach the blockade that was suppressing Charleston. The Hunley was successful in subduing the Housatonic, but it sank along with it in the process.

    When the Hunley was recovered from the sea some 15 years ago, scientists and historians began speculating that the sinking was caused by a detonated torpedo, loose hatch, or even an enemy shot that bore a hole in the Hunley’s viewing port. The crew’s well-preserved remains were also found in their respective stations instead of areas near escape hatches, which would have been expected in an emergency situation.

    A notable artifact found in the ship’s remains is a gold coin that belonged to Lieutenant George Dixon, who was the Hunley’s commander. The coin was said to have saved Dixon’s life when it deflected a bullet during the Battle of Shiloh. Uniform buttons that belonged to the crewmembers were also recovered among the debris.

    A year ago, members of The Hunley Project made a major development in determining the real reason the ship’s crew members failed to return from their mission. Scientists examined the spar of the ship and found its deformed state to be a result of some form of explosion. As a result, they believe that the Hunley was close enough to the Housatonic to cause the sub’s crew to be knocked out by the power of the explosion.

    Civil War re-enactors gathered on Monday evening at Breach Inlet to hold a memorial service in honor of the Hunley sub’s crew, as well as the Union sailors who died along with them.

    http://youtu.be/L_eb0mRm8CM

    Image via YouTube

  • Soldier Jailed For Fuel Theft in Afghanistan

    The U.S. Department of Justice this week announced that former U.S. Army Specialist Stephanie Charboneau has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for her role in a plot to steal fuel from the U.S. Army.

    Last September Charboneau pleaded guilty to the charges, which include bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery. Her thefts are estimated to have cost the U.S. over $1.2 million.

    Charboneau was stationed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty in Afghanistan in early 2010, when the thefts occurred. She was assigned to oversee the delivery of fuel from Fenty to other bases in Afghanistan.

    To facilitate the thefts, Chaboneau forged false transportation movement requests (TMRs) which were used to fill truck and send the fuel to a trucking company involved in the conspiracy. She was directly involved in the theft of around 70 truckloads of fuel and has admitted to taking bribes from the trucking company for her part in the scheme.

    Charboneau is the fourth person to be prosecuted for crimes related to the fuel thefts. Civilian contractors Jonathan Hightower and Christopher Weaver were sentenced to two years in prison and three years, one month in prison, respectively in October 2013. Army Sergeant Bilal Kevin Abduallah has pleaded guilty to charges related to the thefts and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12.

  • U.S. Military to Buy Nearly 100K Electric Vehicles This Decade

    Sales of electric vehicles are finally showing promise, with predictions showing the vehicles making up to 7% of the light vehicle market by 2020. Though consumers will undoubtedly find value in ditching gas, it also seems that the U.S. government could cut costs by using electric vehicles as well.

    Market research firm Navigant Research today released a report estimating that the U.S. Department of Defense will buy more than 92,400 electric vehicles by the end of the decade. This number represents an increase in the current rate at which the department is acquiring electric vehicles. Navigant also states that the U.S. military is “one of the largest supporters” of electric vehicles and other alternative fuels.

    “In remote theaters of operations, the cost of moving fuels to forward military locations can be a multiple of the cost of the fuel itself,” said Scott Shepard, research analyst at Navigant. “The military’s approach to reducing fossil fuel consumption from non-tactical operations includes acquiring increasing numbers of vehicles powered by ethanol blend and biodiesel blend fuels; but the majority of the investment will go toward HEVs (hybrid electric vehicles and PEVs (plug-in electric vehicles).”

    The U.S. military is expected to use these electric vehicles in non-tactical roles only. Navigant speculates that militaries could use electric vehicles along with vehicle-to-grid solutions to help make base operations more energy efficient and to provide an extra source of power backup.

  • Japanese Troops Being Trained in California

    Members of the Japan‘s Self-Defense Force this week are training on the southern coast of California.

    According to an Associated Press report, the troops are being trained for the next two weeks by U.S. Marines. The training will specifically train Japanese troops in amphibious assault tactics. The U.S. Department of Defense claims the exercises will help Japan and the U.S. better coordinate and respond to crises in the Pacific.

    China, however, has criticized the continued militarization of Japan’s Self-Defense Force. According to a Japanese news outlet, China has requested that the U.S. and Japan cancel the exercises, which are scheduled to begin tomorrow.

    China was one of the major victims of Japan’s World War II (and pre-World War II) expansionism. Tensions between the countries have varied over the past 60 years, with China regularly recalling Japanese-led atrocities during the war. Just last year tensions flared when members of a Japanese nationalist group called Gambare Nippon set out for the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands in China and Tiaoyutai Islands in Taiwan) to counter protests from Chinese protesters the previous week. Ownership of the islands is currently in dispute, with Japan, China, and Taiwan all claiming to control the small chain of islands.

  • Nathan Safferstein Dies; Manhattan Project Worker was 92

    The Associated Press is reporting that Nathan Safferstein, a counterintelligence agent for the Manhattan Project, has died.

    Safferstein’s family told the AP that he died Tuesday, March 5 at his home in the Bronx. He had been suffering from an unnamed illness for some time.

    As part of the program centered around creating the atomic bomb, Safferstein was trusted with some of the Manhattan Projects’ most precious secrets. The AP report states that Safferstein eavesdropped on Los Alamos laboratory scientists to ensure they weren’t leaking secrets about the program. He was also tasked with transporting sensitive material, such as uranium and top-secret messages.

    Safferstein was reportedly a grocery store manager before being recruited into the Manhattan Project and stationed at Los Alamos. He followed the project all the way to the Pacific theater, where he was able to sign his initials to the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima. After the war, Safferstein returned to grocery store work. He went on to become president of a marketing company and later founded two companies.

    (Image courtesy Michael Safferstein/AP)

  • NORAD Evacuated Over Suspicious Packages

    NORAD Evacuated Over Suspicious Packages

    The Associated Press is reporting that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) headquarters near Colorado Springs was evacuated for around four and a half hours on Thursday. The evacuation of around 1,500 people took place because of five “suspicious” or “out of place” packages that were found at the site.

    Personnel were called in to examine the packages and determined they were not filled with any potentially harmful substances. UPI later reported that military dogs were brought in to stiff the packages, which were subsequently moved to another location.

    According to UPI, when officials finally opened the package they found only “office supplies.” NORAD stated that its essential operations were not disrupted by the event, and that the control room team was able to operate at a nearby backup location.

    NORAD is a joint organization that provides aerospace defense for the U.S. and Canada. The Royal Canadian Air Force and the U.S. Air Force use the facility to coordinate aerospace warning systems and air sovereignty throughout North America.

  • Limbaugh “Ashamed” of the U.S. Over Sequestration

    This week conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh embarked on a tirade during his show and ended up admitting that he is “ashamed” of the U.S. The host blasted the issue of sequestration, calling it a repeat of other “crises” such as the auto bailouts or the fiscal cliff, and stating that the budget cuts are a “joke.”

    “It is the same threats,” said Limbaugh. “It’s the same danger. It’s the same crisis. It’s identical. There’s nothing about it that changes, over and over. And everybody gets sucked into it.”

    Limbaugh stated that he believes the sequestration issue is a “big joke on the country” and an “embarrassing spectacle.”

    “Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in my life, I am ashamed of my country,” said Limbaugh. “To be watching all of this, to be treated like this, to have our common sense and intelligence insulted the way it’s being insulted? It just makes me ashamed.”

    Limbaugh argued that there are actually no budget cuts being made, and that this year’s share of the planned $1.2 trillion cuts is only $44 billion. He states that the cuts are on funds that were scheduled to be spent, and do not actually scale back the U.S. budget.

    “We’re just not gonna spend as much as was projected,” said Limbaugh. “It’s all baseline budgeting. There is no real cut below a baseline of zero. There just isn’t.”

    Limbaugh went on to state that “we can’t afford any of this,” presumably referring to the U.S. budget deficit. He went on to excoriate the size of the U.S. government and the “dependency” that is being created.

    A rant by Limbaugh is no surprise, but his stance does demonstrate the feelings of many Republicans in the U.S. Even when budget cuts are being made, for some conservatives it will never be enough.

  • Underwater Military Drones to be Developed by the U.S.

    The Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the wing of the U.S. Department of Defense that develops future military technology, has announced plans to place unmanned military pods at the bottom of the ocean.

    The idea is to use hide unmanned “risers” in deep-sea capsules for years before they will be needed. Once activated, the hibernating systems will rise (or “fall upward” as agency terminology puts it) to fill gaps in U.S. Military ocean oversight and “deliver action at a distance.”

    “The goal is to support the Navy with distributed technologies anywhere, anytime over large maritime areas,” said Andy Coon, DARPA program manager. “If we can do this rapidly, we can get close to the areas we need to affect, or become widely distributed without delay. To make this work, we need to address technical challenges like extended survival of nodes under extreme ocean pressure, communications to wake-up the nodes after years of sleep, and efficient launch of payloads to the surface.”

    DARPA is currently seeking design proposals for the “risers,” the payloads they will contain, and the communications technology to them. The agency is hoping to work with deep-ocean engineering communities to develop the technology. It is looking for experts in unmanned platforms, distributed sensors, networking, sensor packaging, information operations, electronic warfare, and anti-submarine warfare.

    According to DARPA, the four-kilometer or more depth of over half of the world’s oceans will provide these new installations with “cheap stealth.” However, the agency also stressed that the program will not specifically be a weapons program, as the great depths also make retrieval costs expensive. Instead of weapons, the “riser” would hold “a range of non-lethal but useful capabilities such as situational awareness, disruption, deception, networking, rescue, or any other mission that benefits from being pre-distributed and hidden.” One example they cite is unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly called drones, which could sit in the ocean until called to rise to the surface and deploy for aerial reconnaissance.

    “We are simply offering an alternative path to realize these missions without requiring legacy ships and aircraft to launch the technology, and without growing the reach and complexity of unmanned platforms,” said Coon.

  • Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Dies at Age 78

    U.S. General Herbert “Stormin’” Norman Schwarzkopf has died at age 78. Schwarzkopf served as the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Central Command, where he famously led coalition forces during the Gulf War.

    According to the New York Times, Schwarzkopf died in Tampa, Florida, where he had retired to after leaving the military in 1991. Complications related to his recent pneumonia were reported to have led to his passing.

    Schwarzkopf was a highly decorated soldier who graduated from the United Stated Military Academy at West Point. He rose to prominence during his two tours in the Vietnam War, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During the 70s and 80s, Schwarzkopf continued advancing his career and served as Deputy Commander of the Joint Task Force deployed to Grenada in 1983, in addition to other commands. In 1988, he was promoted to General and appointed commander-in-chief of the U.S. Central Command.

    Schwarzkopf became a household name after leading coalition forces into Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. The decisive victory and low casualties suffered during Desert Storm earned the general widespread media attention and a ticker tape parade. Despite his popularity, Schwarzkopf retired from active duty only months after the end of the Gulf War. In 1992, he published an autobiography titled It Doesn’t Take a Hero.

  • WWE Announces Partnership With Hire Heroes USA

    WWE announced today that it will be partnering with Hire Heroes USA, an organization dedicated to customized job search training and assistants for U.S. military veterans. WWE will be making a donation to the organization and using its media presence to raise funds for the group. A new veterans hiring initiative will also be implemented, with the WWE changing its military hiring practices.

    The partnership will be heavily promoted during the WWE’s 10th annual Tribute to the Troops. The television special is a holiday tradition for the WWE, and will air this weekend.

    “WWE has a long history of supporting our armed forces because we are extremely grateful for the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes,” said Vince McMahon, chairman and CEO of WWE. “It is an honor for us to partner with Hire Heroes USA and support programs that will help our veterans.”

    According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 160,000 active military members, and 110,000 reserve and national guard members are discharged each year. Nearly 1 million military veterans are estimated to be unemployed. Hire Heroes USA claims to have helped over 600 military veterans find jobs in the past two years.

    “WWE has a clear commitment to supporting the US military and the top organizations that help military veterans and their families,” said Brian Stann, president and CEO of Hire Heroes USA. “Like us, WWE follows verbal support with action, making a tangible difference in the lives of those who have sacrificed so much in defense of this nation. We are proud to partner with WWE so that together we can help reduce veteran unemployment.”

    (Image courtesy WWE)

  • Sub Boss Faked Death, Says U.S. Navy

    One month ago, U.S. Navy Commander Michael Ward II was assigned to administrative duties while Navy officials investigated whether or not Ward had faked his own death. This week, a Navy report has surfaced that indicates Ward did indeed send an email to his mistress stating that he had died. The report was obtained by the Associated Press (AP) through a Freedom of Information Act request.

    The New London Day reported on August 14th that Ward, who has a wife and children, had been having an affair under the guise that he was separated. When he was named commander of the USS Pittsburgh, he sent his mistress an email from a fictitious co-worker named Bob. The email stated that Ward had died, but the woman didn’t believe it. When she showed up at Ward’s former residence, she was informed that Ward had moved to Connecticut for his new position. She then turned over the email and other evicence to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

    The AP reports that on September 5th, Ward was found guilty of Uniform Code of Military Justice violations. A Navy spokesperson stated Ward has received a letter of reprimand for the violations, which include adultery, unbecoming conduct, and dereliction of duty.

    (Photo Courtesy the U.S. Navy)

  • Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal a Non-Event, Says Study

    A study released today shows that the repeal of the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was largely a non-event, not the military-breaking doomsday some of the policy’s supporters predicted.

    When the policy was repealed almost one year ago, there was a large outcry from conservatives and some military personnel about what the repeal might do to the military and its morale. The study quotes a statement that was signed by over 1,000 retired admiral and generals in 2009, when talk of repealing the policy first began to gather political support:

    “Repeal… would undermine recruiting and retention, impact leadership at all levels, have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service, and eventually break the All-Volunteer Force.”

    The study was conducted by the Palm Center, a think-tank devoted to studying lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people in the military. The study’s stated methods show that researchers went out of their way to gauge the opinions of military leaders who made dire predictions such as the one above. They also contacted all major opponents and watchdog organizations opposed to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” in addition to those who supported repeal. Surveys and interviews are the main basis for the study.

    The results of the study show that the repeal of the policy has had “no overall negative impact” on military readiness. Specifically, military cohesion, recruitment, retention, assaults, harassment, and morale have seen no net change.

    There was no mass exodus of soldiers from the military following the repeal. There was also no overwhelming wave of disclosures from gay soldiers. The study’s surveys indicated that a “minority of heterosexual service members” reported someone in their unit had ‘come out.’

    Units with openly gay service members also did not see a drop in cohesion. The study states that “In fact, greater openness and honesty resulting from repeal seem to have promoted increased understanding, respect and acceptance.” Violence against gay soldiers did not increase as a result of the repeal, and the study shows that openly gay service members now have new, official channels with which to resolve any harassment they may face.

    While the study shows that the morale of individuals in the military may have been negatively impacted, this is outweighed by the positive morale impact others have experienced. The study shows that, overall, there was no net change in morale across the U.S. military as a result of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” being repealed.

    None of these results are particularly surprising. U.S. soldiers are, for the most part, well-disciplined and mature individuals that can handle something as simple as differing sexual orientations at least as well as they can handle the demanding conditions of a battlefield. The report points out that opponents of repeal have now adjusted their predictions to say that long-term damage might be seen rather than short-term. For now, though, predictions of the end of the U.S. military appear to have said more about the predictors’ opinions on the maturity of U.S. soldiers than anything else.

    The study is scheduled to be published on September 20 – the first anniversary of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

  • Navy Cmdr. Michael Ward II Faked Death to End Affair

    A submarine commander in the U.S. Navy is in danger of losing his position after allegedly faking his own death in an effort to end an affair.

    Navy Commander Michael Ward II has been assigned to administrative duties, according to a New London Day report. Last week Ward was named Commander of the USS Pittsburgh, a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine.

    The report states that Ward, who is married and has children, had been having an affair under the guise that he was separated. When he was named commander of the USS Pittsburgh, Ward saw a way to end his affair, and sent an email from a supposed co-worker named Bob. The email, as quoted in the New London Day report:

    “He asked me to contact you if this ever happened,” the email says. “I am extremely sorry to tell you that he is gone. We tried everything we could to save him. I cannot say more. I am sorry it has to be this way.”

    The email goes on to say, “He loved you very much.”

    In a reply she said, “I can’t help but wonder how true this is… That maybe he just can’t talk to me until he is done and he had to make (it) appear permanent…. This is just crazy! This can’t have happened. I love him… We were supposed to be together. He promised me. How could this happen… Is it possible he was captured?”

    “Bob” replied, “This is by far the most difficult part of what we do. I wish I had a better answer. Take care of yourself – I know he would have wanted that.”

    The woman showed up at Ward’s house in Burke, Virginia, only to be told by its new resident that Ward had moved to Connecticut for his new position. The woman then turned over the emails and other evidence of the affair to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

    The London Day quotes the woman as saying, “I don’t want any issues. It’s just a big mess. I knew it was coming, though, and I feel better, in a way, because everyone knows what Michael is about.”

    (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy)

  • DARPA Hypersonic Glider Runs Hot, Peels Itself Apart

    Back in August, the U.S. Military’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, conducted the second test flight of their experimental hypersonic vehicle, the HTV-2. The project was part of a data collecting mission, a way to test global strike capabilities. DARPA said that their goal was to be able to “reach anywhere in the world in less than an hour.”

    If that sounds like a lofty goal, it’s actually more within reach than you may think. The HTV-2 was capable of reaching speeds of 13,000 MPH, or 3.6 miles per second. That’s about 22 times as fast as a commercial airplane.

    “The flight successfully demonstrated stable aerodynamically-controlled flight at speeds up to Mach 20 (twenty times the speed of sound) for nearly three minutes,” says DARPA. But as we know, the glider experienced a series of traumas that resulted in the abortion of the flight.

    Now, we know why: Unexpected aeroshell degradation. Or simply put, the glider’s shell started ripping off.

    Based on state-of-the-art models, ground testing of high-temperature materials and understanding of thermal effects in other more well-known flight regimes, a gradual wearing away of the vehicle’s skin as it reached stress tolerance limits was expected. However, larger than anticipated portions of the vehicle’s skin peeled from the aerostructure. The resulting gaps created strong, impulsive shock waves around the vehicle as it travelled nearly 13,000 miles per hour, causing the vehicle to roll abruptly. Based on knowledge gained from the first flight in 2010 and incorporated into the second flight, the vehicle’s aerodynamic stability allowed it to right itself successfully after several shockwave-induced rolls. Eventually, however, the severity of the continued disturbances finally exceeded the vehicle’s ability to recover.

    Kind of the byproduct of hitting temperatures of 3,500 Fahrenheit and beyond, I guess.

    Although the flight experienced problems, DARPA says that the data collected serves as a “profund advancement” for the project. They can use what they learned in future experiments – for instance improving upon the outer shell of the hypersonic vehicle by readjusting heat-stress allowances and better preparing for “thermal uncertainties.”

    At current speeds, the HTV-2 could get from New York to Los Angeles in less than 12 minutes. Isn’t technology amazing?

  • DARPA HTV2 Launch: Follow 13,000 MPH Plane on Twitter

    Today, the U.S. Military’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will conduct the second-ever test flight of the Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2, or HTV-2. What’s so special about the HTV-2? Maybe the fact that it can reach top speeds of around 13,000 MPH.

    Aboard the HTV-2, you could fly from New York to Los Angeles in less than 12 minutes. A flight from London to Sydney would take you no more than an hour.

    Except you won’t be flying on it anytime soon. The HTV-2 is an unmanned aircraft that while maneuverable, glides through the air. It is launched via rocket, which takes it up to the edge of space and drops it off for a hypersonic soar.

    This will be the second test-flight of the aircraft. The first occured on April 22nd, 2010. That flight resulted in 9 minutes of “unique flight data.” Why must they perform live tests of the HTV-2? Why can’t they just test it in a wind tunnel?

    Wind tunnels capture valuable, relevant hypersonic data and can operate for relatively long durations up to around Mach 15. To replicate speeds above Mach 15 generally requires special wind tunnels, called impulse tunnels, which provide milliseconds or less of data per run. To have captured the equivalent aerodynamic data from flight one at only a scale representation on the ground would have required years, tens of millions of dollars, and several hundred impulse tunnel tests.” According to Schulz, impulse tunnel testing is required to create a portion of Mach 20 relevant physics on the ground.

    And even then, we wouldn’t know exactly what to expect based solely on the snapshots provided in ground testing. Only flight testing reveals the harsh and uncertain reality.

    Mach 15 isn’t good enough. They need Mach 20, baby.

    @DARPA_News
    DARPA    #HTV2 flies 22 times faster than a commercial airliner in an atmospheric regime that is not fully understood 12 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    The HTV-2, which travels at 3.6 miles per sec, reaches surface temperatures of 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit and beyond. This is hot enough to melt steel.

    The purpose of this test flight? Other than a demonstration of some mind-blowing technology, it’s about data collecting –

    Data from the program informs policy, acquisition, and operations decisions for future Department of Defense Conventional Prompt Global Strike programs. Hypersonic data is collected through extensive modeling and simulation, wind-tunnel testing and two experimental flight tests. The ultimate goal is a capability that can reach anywhere in the world in less than an hour.

    The launch will not be shown via live web cast (like the space shuttles), but you can follow it on Twitter with the DARPA account @DARPA_News. It will take off around 10:45 EST according to a recent tweet.

    @DARPA_News
    DARPA    We will be live tweeting the #HTV2 launch today. T-2 hours until launch 17 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @DARPA_News
    DARPA    @RobotCentral No live web cast, but we will keep you updated on Twitter 23 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    The launch was scheduled for yesterday but was delayed due to weather. It will take place at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

  • U.S. Military to Manipulate Social Media

    U.S. Military to Manipulate Social Media

    The United States Military can now add Facebook trolling to its growing list of endeavors.  As ridiculous as that sounds, according to an exclusive at The Guardian, that’s exactly what is going on.

    They report that United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has contracted a newly created California company, Ntrepid, to develop software referred to as  an “online persona management service.”  The contract will add $2.76 million to military spending, which of course is paid for by John Q. Taxpayer.  The program would allow military personnel to control up to 10 separate (fake) online identities per person.  The purpose of these “sock puppets” would be to sway internet posts and discussions in favor of pro-American sentiments.

    What, you say?

    The contract states that each fake persona must have a convincing background and detailed history so as not to tip anyone off that it is fake.  The contract also sets the number of possible US-based controllers of the identities at 50.  Doing the math, that is 500 fake identities that could do anything from comment on Facebook posts and blogs to Tweeting and so much more.

    The Guardian quotes CENTCOM spokesman Commander Bill Speaks as saying, “The technology supports classified blogging activities on foreign-language websites to enable CENTCOM to counter violent extremist and enemy propaganda outside the US.”  That’s right, foreign language sites.  The program is said to only be available in Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, and Pashto.  It is apparently not to be used to influence English speaking audiences.

    The new program is part of a larger program known as Operation Earnest Voice (OEV).  The Guardian reports General James Mattis talking about the aim of OEV:

    “OEV seeks to disrupt recruitment and training of suicide bombers; deny safe havens for our adversaries; and counter extremist ideology and propaganda.” He added that Centcom was working with “our coalition partners” to develop new techniques and tactics the US could use “to counter the adversary in the cyber domain.”

    Exactly how scary is this?  Do you think corporations and marketers could try to duplicate this model in the future?  Could this actually work in turning some anti-American sentiments the other way?
    Let us know what you think.