Monthly Archives:: April 2011

Misc – NATO stops Gaddafi forces mining harbour

Posted by & filed under Miscellaneous.

- AFP – NATO warships stopped Muammar Gaddafi forces on Friday from laying anti-ship mines in Misrata’s harbour, the alliance said, accusing the regime of trying to disrupt the flow of aid to the besieged city. “The sea-mines were being laid two to three kilometres offshore and in the approaches to Misrata by deliberately sinking [...]

Operations Other Than War – The military interventions we don’t plan for — those to protect civilians

Posted by & filed under OperationsOtherThanWar.

- Washington Post – General Anthony Zinni says that “No one argues that planning for wars makes them more likely. Yet this seems to be the underlying reason for the military’s allergy to planning for civilian protection. U.S. armed forces should start treating civilian protection missions as seriously as they take wars. It’s only prudent [...]

French Navy – Carrier officers say Gadhafi's troops hard to spot

Posted by & filed under FrenchNavy.

- Associated Press – As French navy Rafale and Super Etendard fighter-bombers carrying laser-guided bombs catapulted Wednesday off the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier into a cloudless Mediterranean sky, officers onboard described the difficulties they face: Despite all the modern technology, troops loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi are harder than ever to identify from [...]

US Navy – STOVL F-35 Makes Headway Towards Sea Trials

Posted by & filed under USNavy.

- Defense Technology International – In numbers terms, the F-35B STOVL variant of the Joint Strike Fighter has made rapid flight-test progress since the beginning of the year, racking up 61 vertical landings compared with just 10 in 2010. Improving mechanical reliability and adding aircraft to STOVL-mode flight testing appears to be paying off.