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Marine corps Times said:

Backup plans for back-ordered helmets

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 11, 2011 5:44:10 EDT

The Marine Corps is owed more than 100,000 back-ordered helmets and is developing contingency plans in case they aren’t delivered fast enough, Marine officials said.

Marines’ primary head protection, the Lightweight Helmet, serves as the primary head protection for most Marines, and typically is ordered through the federal Defense Logistics Agency, said Lt. Col. Kevin Reilly, program manager for infantry combat equipment at Marine Corps Systems Command. But the Corps hasn’t received any helmets from the agency since 2009, he said.

The problem is twofold. First, the recall of 44,000 DLA-issued Army helmets in 2010 led the Corps to refuse any helmets made by subcontractor UNICOR, a federal corporation that uses prison inmates to do its work.

UNICOR, also known as Federal Prison Industries, served as a subcontractor to ArmorSource, of Hebron, Ohio, and made the defective helmets, military officials said.

The Corps did not have any helmets recalled, but because UNICOR was in position to make Lightweight Helmets, Marine helmet production was delayed.

Second, DLA issued a separate $28 million contract to BAE Systems in early 2010 to make 120,000 Marine helmets. But the defense giant failed first-article testing for the helmets twice and is unable to deliver them so far, Reilly said.

In the first round, the helmets were slightly overweight and had several quality issues. In the second round, the helmets showed too much deformation when shot with small arms in testing, Reilly said.

“It’s a capability that we’ve had before, but I think part of the problem is that the demand cycle is not very constant,” Reilly told Marine Corps Times. “They’ve been very diligent in working this stuff, but they’ve had a hard time in getting back the capability that they’ve had in the past.”

BAE Systems spokeswoman Kelly Golden said the company has “is working closely with the Corps and DLA to ensure it provides the helmets Marines “need and deserve.”

“We’ve completed a new design that we are confident will pass first-article testing, and we anticipate starting the production phase in the very near future,” she said.

DLA officials could not be reached for comment.

To cover its bases, the Corps issued a contract March 26 worth up to $53.5 million to Gentex Corp., which has made Lightweight Helmets before. The contract allows the Corps to buy up to 16,000 helmets with the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet cut for the scout sniper and reconnaissance communities.

The bulk of the money is for up to 184,000 Lightweight Helmets if DLA can’t provide helmets needed by Marines.

“We don’t intend to buy any Lightweight Helmets because the Marine Corps as an institution has already paid for these things,” Reilly said. “If we really need to buy some in small quantities because we further delayed with the Lightweight Helmet, we may end up doing that.”

The Gentex order is unrelated to the development of the Enhanced Combat Helmet, next-generation headgear for Marines and soldiers made from a lightweight plastic known as ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.

The ECH is expected to provide more protection than existing helmets but which has faced several snags in testing and will not be fielded until at least late 2011, Marine officials said.

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military times said:

Tornado-wrecked Lejeune school closed for year

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Apr 19, 2011 13:49:51 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Army is opening a tornado assistance center at Fort Bragg to help service members recover from the weekend’s vicious weather.

Fort Bragg spokesman Benjamin Abel said Tuesday that 90 families who live off post reported damage to their homes. The center will help with lodging, financial questions, insurance and other needs.

A spokeswoman at Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune says a primary school is closing for the rest of the school year because of storm damage. Lt. Nicole Fiedler said 160 students at Tarawa Terrace 1 primary school will report to class Thursday at the elementary school next door.

Fielder said a 23-month-old child injured Saturday remains in critical condition at a Greenville hospital but is improving.

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Marine corps Times said:

Warfighting lab experiments with robotic trucks

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 20, 2011 8:57:29 EDT

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory is pushing forward with development of at least two unmanned ground vehicles, including a 7-ton truck that would cut down on the number of Marines outside the wire during resupply convoys.

Upcoming experiments will determine the feasibility of taking Marines out of some Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement trucks, thus exposing fewer to improvised explosive devices and other threats, said Capt. Warren Watts II, a logistics officer overseeing the project. Marines in one command-and-control vehicle would control up to two other trucks via laptop computer, with sensors, cameras and a computer in the unmanned vehicles providing direction at speeds of up to 45 mph.

The first tests will take place at Fort Pickett, Va., from May 16 to 20, Watts said. One unmanned vehicle and a C2 vehicle will demonstrate how they work when guided by computer programming and a Marine equipped with an Xbox-style remote control.

“If we use these types of kits that make these systems robotic, we don’t want this big hulking, mechanical thing taking up a lot of space in the cab,” said Maj. Patrick Reynolds, head of the logistics combat element branch in the lab’s technology division. “We want the ability to have a Marine jump in the cab, and at the flip of a switch, he can drive it.”

The experimental trucks don’t have armor because it’s in high demand in Afghanistan, but the sensors have been developed so they can be incorporated on armored vehicles, Reynolds said.

Members of 2nd Marine Logistics Group, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., will test the vehicles in September, Watts said. A culminating experiment is planned for 2012.

The Corps also continues development of its Ground Unmanned Vehicle Support Surrogate, a 3,000-pound cart that carries up to 1,200 pounds. The program is assessing how unmanned vehicles could assist Marines during dismounted patrols by carrying water, supplies and battery chargers. Marines also can hop on it to drive up to two casualties out of harm’s way.

The vehicle can be operated through a portable, 3-pound control unit known as the WaySight, said Capt. Adorjan Ferenczy, the GUSS project officer. In “follow me” mode, the vehicle stays within a preset, adjustable distance of the Marines, allowing them to focus on their surroundings.

In a four-day, 15.5-mile experiment last year, GUSS was helpful in keeping water and supplies near Marines but struggled to determine which obstacles it could go through and which ones it needed to avoid, Marine officials said.

“Sometimes it sees tall grass as a wall,” Ferenczy said.

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Marine corps times said:

Optics for .50-cal guns coming to Afghanistan

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 18, 2011 8:37:34 EDT

In response to an urgent requirement from units downrange, Marines in Afghanistan will soon field a new optic for their heavy machine guns, including the .50-caliber M2 and 40mm Mark 19 grenade launcher.

A $2.34 million contract was awarded in March to Leupold & Stevens Inc., of Beaverton, Ore., for 728 scopes. Each scope sells individually for about $3,150, according to Marine documents.

Leupold calls them MK 8 Close Quarters Battle Scout Sniper optics, but Marine officials said they will not be used on sniper rifles. The heavy day optic, or HDO, will be a long-range sighting system for heavy machine guns, documents say.

The urgent need statement was submitted in April 2010, and endorsed by operating forces with 3rd Marine Division out of Okinawa, Japan. The M2 and MK19 have effective ranges of at least 3,500 meters and 1,700 meters, respectively, but no optics were fielded that allowed Marines to consistently engage enemies at those distances, the documents state.

“The currently provided iron, image intensified and thermal sighting system either offer limited detection ranges or do not enable the required employment methods, which are based largely on the need for range-corrected aiming points, regardless of range, lighting condition or sighting device,” the document states.

The new optic will be used with Leupold’s Marine Tactical Milling Reticle, or M-TMR. It was designed to prevent Marines from needing to perform math on the fly to estimate range and to work in open desert, heavy cover and urban terrain.

Leupold officials said they have gone to extremes to ensure the optic is capable of withstanding shock and vibration. It will be mounted on the weapon with the Ballistic Extended Rail Mount, or BERM, which provides Picatinny rail space for optics and other equipment, Marine officials said.

The Corps bought the scopes through a sole-source contract, meaning it could find no one else capable of providing them in a timely fashion. This effort continues the Corps’ shift toward fielding day optics on nearly every infantry weapon. In the last few years, Marine officials have fielded optics for the 5.56mm M16A4 rifle, M4 carbine, and M249 squad automatic weapon and the 7.62 mm M240B machine gun.

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Army times said:

WikiLeaks suspect bound for Leavenworth prison

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Apr 19, 2011 15:53:35 EDT

WASHINGTON — The soldier suspected of giving classified data to WikiLeaks is being moved to a state-of-the-art facility at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where Pentagon officials said more extensive mental, emotional and physical health care will be available.

Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon’s top lawyer, said the move does not suggest that Army Pfc. Bradley Manning’s treatment in the brig at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., was inappropriate.

The transfer, which Johnson described as “imminent,” comes in the wake of international criticism about Manning’s treatment at Quantico. The conditions of Manning’s detention have been the focus of repeated protests from human rights groups and lawmakers.

Johnson, however, said that “the fact that we have made a decision to transfer this particular pretrial confine ... should not be interpreted as a criticism of the place he was before.”

Speaking to reporters Tuesday during a hastily arranged briefing, Johnson and Army Undersecretary Joseph Westphal acknowledged that Quantico was not designed to hold pretrial detainees for more than a few months.

“This is the right decision, at the right time,” Westphal said. “We were looking at a situation where he would need an environment more conducive for a longer detention.”

The Leavenworth facility, they said, will be more open, have more space, and Manning will have a greater opportunity to eat and interact with other prisoners there. They added that the move was in Manning’s best interest because Leavenworth’s Joint Regional Correctional Facility has a broader array of facilities, including trained mental, emotional and physical health staff.

Lt. Col. Dawn Hilton, who is in charge of the medium-security detention facility at Leavenworth, said Manning will undergo a comprehensive evaluation upon his arrival to assess whether he is a risk to his own or others’ safety. The 150 inmates there — including eight who are awaiting trial — are allowed three hours of recreation per day, she said, and three meals a day in a dining area.

She said the facility, which opened in January, is designed for long-term detention of pretrial inmates. Officials agreed that Manning’s case, which involves hundreds of thousands of highly sensitive and classified documents, is very complex and could drag on for months, if not years.

Johnson said that Manning, who has been at Quantico for more than eight months, can be moved now because his interview in the Washington region to determine his competency to stand trial has been completed. That interview lasted one day and was done April 9.

Johnson also said he believes that Manning’s lawyer was told about the move Tuesday. The lawyer, David Coombs, did not respond to a request for comment.

Manning faces nearly two dozen charges, including aiding the enemy, a crime that can bring the death penalty or life in prison.

His transfer to Leavenworth comes a bit more than a week after a U.N. torture investigator complained that he was denied a request to make an unmonitored visit to Manning. Pentagon officials said he could meet with Manning, but it is customary to give only the detainee’s lawyer confidential visits.

The U.N. official, Juan Mendez, said a monitored conversation would be counter to the practice of his U.N. mandate.

A few days later, a committee of Germany’s parliament protested about Manning’s treatment to the White House. And Amnesty International has said Manning’s treatment may violate his human rights.

Human rights activists have also staged protests near Quantico.

Tom Parker, a policy director at Amnesty International, said Tuesday that it would be good if the military was responding to concerns about Manning’s detention.

“The conditions that he was reported to be held in at Quantico were extremely harsh and could have damaged his mental health,” said Parker.

Manning has been held in maximum security in a single-occupancy cell at Quantico, and he is allowed to wear only a suicide-proof smock to bed each night.

At least part of that will not change, Hilton said, noting that all of the pretrial detainees at the Leavenworth facility are held alone in their cells.

President Obama and senior military officials have repeatedly contended that Manning is being held under appropriate conditions given the seriousness of the charges against him.

A former intelligence analyst, Manning is accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, including Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, confidential State Department cables and a classified military video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack in Iraq that killed a Reuters news photographer and his driver.

Army prosecutors, however, have told Manning’s lawyers that they will not recommend the death penalty.

There are several detention facilities at Fort Leavenworth, including the military’s maximum security prison. The new 464-bed Joint Regional Correctional Facility, which opened last fall, combined the operations of several military prisons around the country.

Associated Press writer Robert Burns contributed to this report.

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Army.mil said:

Aviators set 'aim point' for future vertical-lift aircraft

Apr 19, 2011

By C. Todd Lopez
Modified M240 machine gun

Photo credit C. Todd Lopez


Spc. Jose Palomino, Spc. James Cobb, and Spc. Kenneth Waller, look at a modified M240 machine gun that is mounted in a mock-up door frame from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during the 2011 Army Aviation Association of America's Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Tennessee. The M240's turret mount has been modified to ensure the weapon doesn't hit the window frame.


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Army News Service, April 19, 2011) -- The Army needs to plan now for a replacement helicopter -- one that has a longer range, is faster, can carry a bigger payload, is more survivable and that has a reduced logistical footprint.

Army aviation leaders want such an airframe in less than 20 years -- and they say the Army can't afford to back down from that goal.

"We know that the current fleet -- although great aircraft -- will at some point be obsolete," said Maj. Gen. Anthony G. Crutchfield, commander, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. He pegged an obsolesce date for the Longbow Block II Apache at fiscal year 2040, for instance, and fiscal year 2035 for the CH-47 Foxtrot.

"It sounds like a long way away, but it really isn't," he said. "We have to have a method of looking out that far and making sure that we have aircraft that will be relevant in this future security environment. We have to set an aim point."

Crutchfield may as well have stomped his foot on the stage in front of the more than 1,000 attendees at the opening of the 2011 Army Aviation Association of America's Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Nashville, when he laid out that aim point to field a future vertical-lift aircraft by 2030.

WARNING: CAN'T REPEAT COMANCHE

"We can't move the aim point," he reiterated. "2030 is the aim point. We're going to set it. We're not going to waiver. Our knees will not buckle and we are going to field this aircraft. I don't want my grandchildren to fly the 'Longbow Block LXXX' -- it's a great aircraft, but we need technology to take us further into that future."

Acquisition practices, he said, could be part of ensuring that timeline for a future vertical-lift aircraft -- to avoid practices that contributed to the cancellation of the Comanche program in August 2004.

"We can't afford to cancel another program. We can't afford another Comanche," he said. While he acknowledged that had the Comanche not been canceled the Army "wouldn't be in the great shape we are today," he did say that he disagrees with the circumstances that led to its cancellation.

"What I say is, in my view, we can't afford to do it again," he said. "The future vertical-lift aircraft is going to have to increase range, speed, payload, survivability -- and it's got to reduce the logistical footprint. I don't believe we can do all those things just by incrementally improving our current fleet of aircraft. It's going to have to be something new."

Crutchfield acknowledged the Army won't get "everything we want" in a new airframe, but he did say "we have to get everything we need. And I believe we need this. If we set the marker and we aggressively drive to it, we will make it happen. I know we can do it. In fact, we have to do it."

That new aircraft was but one of Crutchfield's aim points. Another was developing adaptable leaders in Army aviation.

LEARNING CONCEPT 2015

"We've got to continue to build leaders that are adaptive, that are tactically proficient as well as strategically proficient," he said. Those leaders must be versatile, and prepared for an "uncertain future environment," where the enemy will use everything against them.

"The future battlefield is unknown," he said. "One thing that is for sure -- (in) our future fight we're going to have to fight security operations, peace-keeping operations, counter insurgency operations, and full-scale war -- the full spectrum. What are we doing now to train, adapt and equip that future force?"

Today at Fort Rucker, Ala., he said, future aviation leaders are engaged in training under Army Learning Concept 2015, an effort that, according to the Army Training and Doctrine Command, is "leveraging technology without sacrificing standards," and that "focuses on the opportunities presented by dynamic virtual environments, by on-line gaming, and by mobile learning."

The learning environment for students at the Army Aviation Center of Excellence, the Army Maneuver Center of Excellence and the Army Fires Center of Excellence, for instance, is being enhanced by simulator training that ties them together across three states to allow those Soldiers to work together on operations training inside a virtual battle space.

CALL FOR ACQUISITION REFORM

Gen. James D. Thurman, commander, U.S. Army Forces Command, served as the keynote speaker at the conference's opening. He asked the aviation acquisition community and industry to work harder together on improving acquisition in today's budget environment. The acquisition community, he said, has done a good job in supporting the war, but he called for "true acquisition reform," including aviation.

"I am challenging both the industrial Army and private industry to conduct after-action reviews," he said "To understand what we have done over the course of the past few years, what we need to do in the future, and how we can adapt to increase efficiency of the system. We have to field platforms quicker, I believe, and aviation systems."

Over the next 15 years, he said it is the Army's plan to build a force of manned and unmanned aircraft "optimized for full-spectrum operations." That effort, he told attendees, "amounts to a significant challenge for the Army staff, industry and the acquisition community."

NEW SCOUT HELICOPTER NEEDED

The general also called for a replacement for the Kiowa Warrior.

"Our aviators and commanders are doing an outstanding job maintaining and employing the Kiowa Warrior," he said, adding that some units are putting as many as 100 hours a month on that airframe. In fact, he said, all Army aircraft are accumulating airframe hours at "four or five times the desired rate."

"I believe they need a modernized scout helicopter as soon as they can get it developed," Thurman said.

The general also pointed out that Army aviation gets some 21 percent of the Army's equipment budget. "You can count on pressure for your funding," he said. "The only way you can get this done is to achieve better efficiencies and work closer together as a team. Army aviation and industry must focus every dollar to achieve the best value."

REPORT FROM AFGHANISTAN

The headquarters of the conference's host unit -- the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) -- lies just 50 miles northeast of the Nashville conference center, at Fort Campbell, Ky. The division's deputy commander, Brig. Gen. Jeffrey N. Colt, spoke briefly at the start of the conference -- drawing attention to those attendees that make Army aviation successful.

"Gathered at this conference are men and women, young Soldiers, seasoned warrant officers, veterans, civilians, and contractors -- who have all contributed volumes to defining the past, present and future of our branch," Colt said. "Their contributions make Army aviation, and our Army, the premiere and professional organizations the world's military services seek to emulate."

Colt kept his remarks short in order to give the remainder of his time to the 101st's commander -- Maj. Gen John F. Campbell -- who spoke via prerecorded message from Afghanistan.

"You have every reason to be very proud of the service and sacrifice of your Army aviators serving in Afghanistan," Campbell said. He said the two aviation brigades from the 101st Airborne Division -- the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade and the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade -- have rotated in and out of theater now for their fourth rotation and will continue to do so for both Regional Command-South and Regional Command-East.

In RC-East, Campbell cited great support from two additional combat aviation brigades -- the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, from 3rd Infantry Division, and the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division.

"All four of these combat aviation brigades provided superb support to our ground forces," Campbell said. "The fight in Afghanistan is an air-centric fight and truly we could not do all that we do were it not for Army aviation."

The greatest praise for Army aviation came not from Campbell -- though he passed it on to aviators at the conference.

"When I visit our troops and ask what they need, the first thing they ask for is more Army aviation," Campbell said. "You can be very proud of our Army aviators."

The AAAA exposition runs April 17-20, at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn.

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Def.Pro said:

Collier-Award Winning X2 Technology Demonstrator to be on Display at AAAA Annual Forum and Expo

09:12 GMT, April 15, 2011 STRATFORD, Connecticut | The award-winning X2 Technology demonstrator will be on static display at the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) Annual Professional Forum and Exposition April 18-20 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. It is the first time Sikorsky Aircraft is showing the aircraft at the military trade show. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

The static display gives AAAA show attendees the opportunity to view the demonstrator just seven months after it set an unofficial world speed record for conventional helicopters when it reached a speed of 250 knots true air speed in level flight on Sept. 15, 2010. The first application of the X2 technologies will be incorporated into a new helicopter program, the S-97 Raider prototype.

Sikorsky plans to design, build and fly two S-97 Raider prototype light tactical helicopters to enable the U.S. military to evaluate the viability of a fast and maneuverable next generation rotorcraft for a variety of combat missions.

The X2 Technology demonstrator and the S-97 Raider mockup recently were displayed together in the courtyard of The Pentagon, allowing military representatives and media housed in the facility a rare opportunity to see the two aircraft up close and side by side.

“With the success of the X2 Technology demonstrator program, Sikorsky has begun showing the U.S. military services this next-generation rotorcraft technology that offers the functionality to outmaneuver conventional helicopters, hover at twice the altitude, and perform quick stops and close-air support agility,” said Steve Engebretson, director of Sikorsky’s armed aerial scout program. “The X2 Technology demonstrator captured the world’s attention with its speed capabilities, but its technology also brings greater endurance and the ability to operate at high and hot altitudes, a valuable suite of tools for today’s military.”

Like the X2 Technology demonstrator, the S-97 Raider helicopter will feature twin coaxial counter-rotating main rotors and a pusher propeller that enables an X2-designed helicopter to cruise at 220 knots. Other innovative technologies include fly-by-wire flight controls, hub drag reduction, active vibration control, and an integrated auxiliary propulsion system.

The X2 Technology demonstrator design is scalable, opening up a variety of potential mission uses including joint-multi-role such as combat search and rescue, armed aerial scout, medevac, attack, VIP transport, and offshore oil.

X2 Technology demonstrator Chief Pilot Kevin Bredenbeck and Engebretson will deliver five presentations on the X2 Technology demonstrator and the S-97 Raider during AAAA. Presentations are scheduled as follows:

• Monday, April 18, and Tuesday, April 19 at 1:30 and 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 20 at 1:30 p.m.

In addition to the X2 Technology demonstrator, Sikorsky booth #540 will feature the Sikorsky Xperience™ interactive kiosk that allows visitors to view videos and information on a range of Sikorsky products. Sikorsky Aerospace Services will also participate in the Sikorsky booth display. Among the items to be shown are LifePort equipment including armored flooring, a stacking litter system, as well as videos on A-to-L upgrades, and their fleet analytics offerings. Sikorsky Aerospace Services is the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft.

The X2 Technology program began in 2005 when Sikorsky first committed resources and full funding for the program’s development. In March, the X2 Technology demonstrator and program team were named the winner of the 2010 Robert J. Collier Trophy, awarded annually to recognize the greatest achievements in aeronautics or astronautics in America.

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Airforce times said:

Air Force ends force-cutting programs early

By David Larter - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 20, 2011 9:58:23 EDT

The Air Force announced Tuesday that it had reached its fiscal 2011 end-strength goal for enlisted airmen, ending early voluntary and involuntary enlisted force-cutting programs.

The service announced last March it was cutting about 6,000 active-duty airmen — enlisted and officer — to return to its congressionally mandated end strength of 332,200. In February 2010, end strength stood at about 335,500.

In December, the Air Force announced a program that pushed up the separation dates for enlisted airmen with less than 14, or more than 20, years in service who had not been recommended for retention by their commanders.

“Because we met our fiscal year 2011 enlisted end-strength goal, we won’t need to conduct the two remaining date-of-separation rollback phases planned for this year,” said Maj. Gen. Sharon Dunbar, director of force management policy, said in a news release.

Airmen affected by the rollback program will be separated or retired by May 31, according to the release.

The announcement also puts an end to the special provisions in the Palace Chase program, which allowed airmen to finish active service in the Air National Guard or the reserves, and a number of other early out waiver programs.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy said in the release that the cuts were painful but necessary. “The Air Force must balance the desire of airmen wanting to serve with the need to operate within its congressionally authorized end strength,” Roy said.

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Navy times said:

Carrier George Washington returning to Yokosuka

By Joshua Stewart - Staff Writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 19, 2011 10:52:02 EDT

The aircraft carrier George Washington will return to its homeport of Yokosuka on Wednesday after spending time off the coast of Japan, avoiding radiation from the nuclear power plant disaster in Fukushima.

The ship left March 21, 10 days after an earthquake and tsunami struck, causing a disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The carrier was undergoing scheduled maintenance at the time. Instruments on the ship detected elevated radiation levels shortly after the nuclear trouble began. The carrier left Yokosuka with 466 contractors and shipyard workers onboard, allowing maintenance work to continue while the ship moved to safer waters near Shikoku and Kyushu.

The carrier twice stopped in Sasebo while embarked to exchange personnel and equipment. George Washington is expected to continue maintenance once back at Yokosuka.

GW’s return comes just after the Defense Department ended its monthlong voluntary departure program for eligible service members’ families. More than 7,800 family members throughout Japan left the country by April 15.

An April 14 State Department advisory said the situation at the power plant is “dramatically different today” from what it was March 16. Cooling efforts are ongoing and some safety measures have been partially or fully restored, the statement noted.

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Navy times said:

Navy: Carrier Enterprise sailor found dead

Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Apr 19, 2011 14:35:47 EDT

A sailor assigned to the carrier Enterprise was found dead Tuesday, according to a Navy news release.

Details about the death, including the sailor’s identity, were not available. The ship is in the Persian Gulf.

A statement from 5th Fleet said the death is being investigated.

It’s the second time in a month that an Enterprise sailor has died. On March 22, Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class (AW) Vincent Filpi of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. died in a non-combat incident. He was the leading petty officer for the carrier’s Safety Department.

The Enterprise has seen an unusual share of tragic and high stress events in the last two days. On Monday, a sailor went overboard before being rescued by a SH-50F Seahawk from Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron 11. The sailor, who has not been named, was not injured. A little over two weeks earlier, another sailor went overboard. He too was rescued but he received minor injuries.

A 5th Fleet spokesman confirmed that the sailor who was found dead Tuesday was not the sailor who went overboard Monday.

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On 8 April 1972, Lord Balniel, UK Minister of State for Defense visited John F. Kennedy. That same day, Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment) 3d Class Mark W. Raymond of VA-34 died in an A-6 canopy accident. Two days later, the carrier hosted Operation Rivets, the retirement ceremony for Admiral Horacio (“Rivets”) Rivero.

Only five days after the canopy accident that claimed the life of AM3 Raymond, an A-6 crashed during a conventional ordnance exercise on 13 April 1972, and a search and rescue effort ensued for Lieutenant (j.g.)s William T. Hackman and David L. Douglas, without success. Two days later, however, debris from the missing Intruder was sighted near the Avgo Nisi target range.

CVW-1 lost three more aircraft (two from VA-72) before the year was out. The first was an A-7 (BuNo 154386) to hydraulic failure on 20 May 1972, with Lieutenant Bernard J. Hedger, from VA-72, being rescued by an HH-2D flown by Lieutenants LeRoy E. Hays and Roy E. Hey, with Aviation Structural Mechanic (Structures) 3d Class F. L. Barthold and Aviation Machinist’s Mate (Jet Engine Mechanic) 3d Class G. H. Trouton, as crew. The second was an HH-2D Seasprite (Angel 013) to a lost tail rotor on 11 June, its four-man crew (Lieutenants Larry E. Crume and James R. Palmquist, Aviation Machinist’s Mate (Jet Engine Mechanic) 3d Class Kent D. Swedberg and Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment) Airman Richard F. Diaz) being rescued by Angel 010 flown by Lieutenants Hays and James C. Harrison, with Aviation Machinist’s Mates (Jet Engine Mechanic) 2d Class David T. Warmkessel and James C. McDonald as crew. The third was another Corsair (Decoy 401) due to a stall spin, on 27 June, with Lieutenant (j.g.) Newton R. Gaines, also of VA-72, being rescued by Angel 010 (Lieutenant Palmquist and Lieutenant Commander Lawrence B. Kauffman, with Swedberg and McDonald as crew), with British guided missile destroyer HMS Antrim providing wind velocity data to the inbound helo.

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KingLouis said:

What job did you have on the Ship

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Army times said:

Army’s XM2010 sniper rifle gets full fielding

By Lance M. Bacon - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 25, 2011 5:29:06 EDT

The XM2010 sniper rifle is making a name for itself in Afghanistan.

Officials won’t say how many are there or where they are. But at the time of the Sept. 20 contract, officials said the first 250 rifles would be ready by early December and sent directly to Afghanistan. No matter how many are there, this is clear: The weapon’s performance has been strong enough to warrant full fielding.

“The question is whether to ‘pure fleet,’ and that is the direction we’re going in,” said Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller, Program Executive Office Soldier.

To “pure fleet” means the Army would upgrade its 2,500 M24 sniper rifle chassis to XM2010s. The $28 million contract included the funds to allow manufacturer Remington to upgrade or produce 3,600 rifles over five years.

A pure inventory would give sniper teams a big boost. While the XM2010 is technically an upgraded M24 sniper rifle, the upgrades are so significant that the weapon warranted a new designator. Notably, the XM2010 transitioned from the 7.62mm NATO caliber (.308 Winchester) to a .300 Winchester Magnum. This increased a sniper’s effective range from 800 to 1,200 meters.

Improvements to lethality and standoff distance were in response to feedback from Afghanistan, where snipers needed long-range capabilities. The .50-caliber M107 has a range beyond 2,000 meters, but its 2.5 minutes of angle means the round will impact anywhere within a 25-inch area at 1,000 meters. That is acceptable for a material target, but the average human torso is 22 inches.

Snipers wanted a weapon with the accuracy of the M24, which has one minute of angle, but with greater range. The XM2010 was the Army’s answer.

In addition to greater reach, the rifle comes with the Advanced Armament Corp. Titan-QD Fast-Attach suppressor. The 10-inch suppressor eliminates 98 percent of muzzle flash and 60 percent of recoil and reduces sound by 32 decibels, according to AAC, which recently was acquired by Remington.

Rails are built into the M1925 chassis. This, and a free-floating barrel, gives it tight accuracy.

Its improved 6.5-20x50 variable-power Leupold scope has an enhanced reticle within the first focal plane. That means the reticle power will scale with the zoom up to 20 power. Snipers will have to make fewer calculations as target distances change.

Shooters in the testing phase also found no degradation at night when using the A/N PVS 29 night sight.

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Army Times said:

The new chief’s challenges

Dempsey wants better leaders and a shorter acquisition cycle
By Lance M. Bacon - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Apr 24, 2011 8:03:26 EDT

In his second day on the job, Chief of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey learned President Obama plans to cut another $400 billion from the defense budget.

It was not the welcome for which one might hope. But it was one Dempsey took in stride as he outlined his way ahead.

“That might mean [the Army is] smaller than we like, but it will be able to do the job it’s asked to do,” said Dempsey, who has planned a few targets of his own.

Dempsey looks to crack down on things that directly affect soldiers: bad leaders, redundant programs and wasteful acquisition processes that leave soldiers with outdated and overpriced gear.

With calm resolve, Dempsey discussed his plans for seeing the Army through this “challenging period.” He said balancing the demands of the current fight while building the future Army is his biggest challenge. And it is becoming an increasingly difficult task.
WHAT HE’S LIKE

Gen. Martin Dempsey, the new Army chief of staff, gave this presentation to Army staff, general officers and civilians April 12 at the Pentagon:

What I’m like

I value your service.

I want to know who you are. Expect that I’ll want to learn something about you before we get down to business.

I always want to know up front what you expect of me in the meeting.

I read the read-aheads.

Honorifics matter to me. If you want to call yourselves by your first names, do it on your own time. You’ve earned your rank or title, and I’ll acknowledge it.

I respect everyone’s opinion. Never denigrate anyone else’s view in my presence.

I want to hear from the person with the knowledge I need regardless of rank.

I always want to understand problems before being asked to solve them.

I expect alternatives, not ultimatums.

I really enjoy serving in our Army. There’s no reason we can’t celebrate our profession while solving difficult problems along the way. Stated another way, I have no tolerance for whining.

You may have heard that I dislike PowerPoint. It’s true.

Every morning on the way to work, I walk past the pictures of all the former Chiefs, and then I drive past row after row of the headstones in Arlington National Cemetery. If you find me eager to get things done, that’s why.

Chief of staff focus areas

The nation

The joint fight

The profession

The Army family

Leader development

Mission command

The squad

The human dimension

21st-century training

Army leaders have said they can maintain plans for a 1:3 deployment ratio — meaning soldiers are at home for three years for every year deployed — assuming end strength holds and there are no further commitments. But Pentagon and congressional leaders are strongly questioning whether a 2014 Afghanistan exit is likely.

In addition, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has said Iraq would “go to hell” unless 10,000 to 15,000 U.S. troops remain there beyond 2011. If Iraq were to request such help, Dempsey said he would not oppose it.

“A stable Iraq, long-term, would be of common interest to both [nations],” said Dempsey, who commanded the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad for 14 months, spent another two years there training and equipping the Iraqi Security Forces and spent a year as acting commander of Central Command.

If sent or ordered to stay in Iraq, the number and types of forces would be determined by the need expressed by the Iraqis, Dempsey said. But if tasked, the Army would “find a way to do it because that is what we do.”
Command woes

Dempsey acknowledged that building the nation’s Army is not simply a matter of supplying tanks, trucks and fully equipped soldiers. It is also ensuring those soldiers have and become the leaders the Army desires and the nation deserves. That said, the chief was adamant that under his leadership, the recent failures of key leaders would be neither ignored nor accepted.

The Army has had three high-profile firings this year, beginning with Col. Frank Zachar, who was relieved Jan. 4 as commander of the 172nd Infantry Brigade in Grafenwoehr and Schweinfurt, Germany, for “loss of confidence in his ability to command.”

On March 25, Col. James Johnson was relieved of command of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. According to an Army official, the service is investigating criminal charges of adultery and fraud against him.

On April 6, an Army investigation found no “causal relationship” between Col. Harry Tunnell’s aggressive leadership and the actions of a “kill team” under his command. But investigators criticized Tunnell for neglect that created a climate ripe for misconduct.

“What you want to learn is if there is something we could have, should have, done along the way in their development,” Dempsey said. “The same question is appropriate for commanders at any level.”

Dempsey said he would not “accept the notion that there are simply bad apples out there” and move on. Instead, he has a plan to remove the bad apples from the barrel of command.

The plan may include 360-degree evaluations in the command-selection process. Typically, the evaluation system and command selection/promotion are based on the evaluation of seniors who rate performance and potential. This approach would allow subordinates to anonymously comment on whether the individual engenders a climate of trust and lives a life of integrity and discipline.

The Army also is looking at how leaders are developed, how tour length affects command climate and how they have been connected to senior leaders above them.

When the Army went from 65 to 73 brigades to manage the 1:1 ratio, it backed into a structure in which some brigades were available when higher headquarters were not. While Maj. Gen. John Campbell had a successful tour with his troops from the 101st, Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling’s deployment was composed of different brigades with whom he had not trained. They pulled together and pressed through, but with difficulties not common to a unit that has the benefit of brotherhood and unity forged in preparatory training.

Dempsey said modularity gives a measure of versatility beneficial to the nation, “but there are leader development issues, human dimension issues that accrue,” adding that it “injects a degree of friction into the relationship.” As such, he “absolutely” aspires to reconnect divisions to brigades.

“There are signals out there to which we have to respond and as the demand declines … you will find us inclined to reconnect leaders and their mentors in a way that will help us get at these leader development issues,” Dempsey said.
Personnel hurdles

Also on Dempsey’s plate is the likely effect on end strength from the Obama administration’s plan to cut another $400 billion from the defense budget. The Army already plans to cut 22,000 active-duty soldiers by the end of 2013, and a combined 27,000 in 2015 and 2016. Even so, it would end with 37,000 more troops than it had at the start of the war, and some observers will see that number as surplus.

The administration has spread the cuts over a 10-year period to ease the burden, but that doesn’t change the fact that there is no more low-hanging fruit. Hundreds of billions of dollars have already been cut. More than half the money the Army is slated to get in the next decade will come in the first four years. Funding for overseas contingency operations will end in fiscal 2014, and the service’s annual budget will drop from $232 billion in 2011 to $167 billion in 2020.

Army Times was in the chief’s office when Dempsey was told of these latest cuts. Dempsey, a student of military and social history, remained poised. He calmly described the need to maintain the “fairly predictable, traditional balance” among three key categories: personnel; training, operations and maintenance; and modernization. Once you identify the proper balance, or what piece of the pie each one gets, the key is keep that ratio. If you stray too far and rob from one category to sustain another, a “hollowing” of the force will occur — something Dempsey said he is “extraordinarily concerned about.”

“Whatever target we receive, my target is to build the best Army we can,” said Dempsey, who said he is committed to building the nation’s army, not the Army’s army. To do so, the Army must build upon its core capabilities and the pace at which soldiers can absorb missions.

“We know that at 1:1 [dwell time] … it created enormous personal problems and stresses,” Dempsey said. “We know that at 1:2, they do much better, and we know that at 1:3, we’ve got them where they want to be.”

Dempsey was adamant that the Army must “keep faith” with its soldiers and families throughout this process. He vowed to protect worthy programs by eliminating ones that are redundant or not producing a desired outcome.

“Communicating that to the field is the challenge,” he said. “If you take away or reduce a program, there’s always the perception that we’re going to absorb this budget constraint on the back of our families. That’s absolutely not the case.”
Procurement pressure

The chief also looks to overhaul the way requirements become procurements. Dempsey said the Army’s biggest waste takes place in this process, and for a number of reasons.

First, the acquisition cycle takes too long. And the longer they exist, the more stuff gets added, leading to skyrocketing costs. The Army is not alone in this. The Government Accountability Office on March 29 released its ninth annual assessment of Defense Department weapon system acquisitions. Since 2008, major acquisitions grew from 96 to 98 programs, but the price jumped 9 percent to $1.68 trillion. And the new programs are not to blame. More than half of the $135 billion increase was driven by 10 of the Pentagon’s largest programs, which are all in production and should not be seeing such increases.

Dempsey also pointed to problems the process causes in the delivery of technology. By the time soldiers get an expensive item, it has been rendered nearly obsolete by newer technology. The answer, he said, is fewer long-term, expensive programs and a focus on commercial and government off-the-shelf technologies and products.

“We have to learn faster and understand better than our enemies, and we have to leverage the technologies that exist instead of trying to find that exquisite technology,” Dempsey said.

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Air force Times said:

Sikorsky develops agile helo on its own dime

By Dave Majumdar - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Apr 24, 2011 8:37:28 EDT

Sikorsky is betting its own money on a radical new helicopter design, a gambit some observers say might become more common in austere budgetary times.

The S-97 Raider will have a pusher propeller meant to send it zooming past the roughly 200-mph top speed of conventional rotorcraft — and, the company hopes, win Pentagon contracts. The Connecticut-based company intends to furnish a prototype for testing by U.S. service officials.

“It’ll be a Sikorsky product, but we’ll have our pilots in the seat and we’ll let the military evaluate it,” said Steve Engebretson, Sikorsky’s director for the Armed Aerial Scout program. “We’re picking this size because the most likely replacement aircraft next up will be the Kiowa Warrior.”

Other potential customers could include Air Force Special Operations, Army Special Operations and the Marine Corps, Engebretson said.

The Army, which has yet to complete its Armed Aerial Scout study, said it couldn’t comment on the Sikorsky effort.

The S-97 design will be based on Sikorsky’s revolutionary X-2 demonstrator, which features two counter-rotating rotors on a single axle plus a pusher-prop. Company officials said the craft has flown 253 knots in level test flights, and that was at just 70 percent power. An axle fairing and other tweaks might allow the X-2 to reach 280 knots, said Steve Weiner, the project’s chief engineer.

Its unique design makes it far more maneuverable and quicker to accelerate and decelerate than a conventional helicopter — and better at hovering than the mechanically and aerodynamically more complex Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor, Weiner said.

The Raider will be limited to 220 knots, but will be designed to fly real operations, carrying two pilots and six troops. Its wings can hold weapons. Sikorsky plans to start building the first S-97 aircraft in 2013 and hopes to have it in the air by 2014.

The company will spend $50 million on the X-2 effort and more to build the S-97s, Engebretson said.

Company-funded developmental efforts are part of a growing trend, analysts and current and former government officials said.

General Electric, for example, is pouring money into the continued development of the F136 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter — despite the Pentagon not wanting a second engine.

Another example is General Atomics, which has developed several unmanned aircraft on its own dime.

The expected tightening of acquisition budgets will accelerate the trend because the Defense Department doesn’t have the money to fund new designs or technology, said Byron Callan, an analyst at Capital Alpha Partners in Washington.

“You’ve got to be very forward-leaning, and I think, more aggressive, these days to win market share in a declining budget and not just wait for the customer to write requirements,” Callan said. “At the end of the day, in this kind of environment, that’s how you’re going to get in and win market share.”

But Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at the Teal Group of Fairfax, Va., disagreed.

“It’s pretty unusual for this budget environment. Usually when things turn down, you get real scared about finding customers for new products with bells and whistles,” he said.

Moreover, Aboulafia said, sheer velocity is not necessarily a selling point.

“We really don’t know who will pay for speed in this industry,” he said.

Others said the risks of spending company money to develop defense products would keep it from becoming common.

“I don’t see that as a broad trend across the board in the DoD because all my history has told me that there are times when it makes sense to make your own investments to advance the capability, but whenever you can, getting your partner to make that co-investment, to get that skin in the game, is very important,” said Paul Kaminski, who heads the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board.

Potential civil applications can mitigate the risk of developing military technology, Kaminski said, but he doesn’t immediately see one for Sikorsky.

“I don’t know if they have a commercial companion outlet for the product which helps them justify spending the money to demonstrate this on their own,” he said.

Former Pentagon procurement chief Jacques Gansler agreed.

“In the commercial world, there are lots of different buyers and you have multiple customers; in the case where you have to put up your own money and the only customer is the Department of Defense, that’s really a much higher-risk approach,” Gansler said.

Gansler cited the ill-fated F-20 Tigershark lightweight fighter jet. Northrop developed the plane, but could not persuade the Air Force to buy it — a failure that scared off potential export customers.

“It’s a trend you’re seeing, but not necessarily one that has the likelihood of continuing very long because people are going to lose too much money over it,” Gansler said.

Engebretson said the X-2 technology might well be desired by civil customers, but he said that the company does not yet have specific ones in mind.

Aboulafia said Sikorsky made a similar bet, on its S-92 helicopter, during the downturn of the 1990s. The S-92 lost the competition to become the White House helicopter, and the investment has yet to pay off for the company.

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Air force Times said:

NATO strike damages Gadhafi compound

By Diaa Hadid and Karin Laub - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Apr 25, 2011 10:16:10 EDT

TRIPOLI, Libya — NATO airstrikes targeted the center of Moammar Gadhafi’s seat of power early Monday, unleashing guided bombs that destroyed a multistory library and office in his compound and badly damaged a reception hall for visiting dignitaries.

A security official at the scene said four people were slightly hurt. Dust was still rising from the rubble when reporters arrived at the scene after midnight.

Gadhafi’s whereabouts at the time of the attack on his sprawling Bab al-Aziziya compound were unclear. He has made infrequent public appearances in Tripoli during the fighting that broke out in February between his forces and rebel groups.

The strike on the compound — a military base where Gadhafi maintains an official residence — was a sign of mounting pressure on the regime. While NATO said the site was targeted as a military command post, it also delivered a strong message to the embattled leader that the alliance is widening its range of targets.

While rebels control most of eastern Libya, Gadhafi is trying to keep control of the western half, which includes the capital of Tripoli. In recent days, opposition forces in western Libya drove Gadhafi’s troops out of the besieged rebel city of Misrata and also took control of a border crossing with Tunisia.

Gadhafi’s troops on the outskirts of Misrata unleashed more shells into the city Monday following an especially bloody weekend that left at least 32 dead and dozens wounded. The latest shelling hit a residential area and killed 10 people, including five members of one family, according to a doctor in Misrata who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared government retaliation.

The battle for Misrata, which has claimed hundreds of lives in the past two months, has become the focal point of the armed rebellion against Gadhafi since fighting elsewhere is deadlocked.

Video of Misrata civilians being killed and wounded by Gadhafi’s heavy weapons, including Grad rockets and tank shells, have spurred calls for more forceful international intervention to stop the bloodshed.

In Brussels, a NATO spokesman said the alliance is increasingly targeting facilities linked to Gadhafi’s regime.

“We have moved on to those command and control facilities that are used to coordinate such attacks by regime forces,” the spokesman said of the strike on Bab al-Aziziya, which was hit last month, early in the NATO air campaign. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military briefing regulations.

Gadhafi’s son, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, struck a tone of defiance. He claimed Gadhafi has “millions of Libyans with him” and said NATO’s mission was doomed to fail.

“In history, no country has achieved victory with spies and traitors and collaborators. ... NATO, you are the losers,” he was quoted as saying by the state news agency JANA.

The Libyan government said it has been in touch with Russia, China, Turkey, Italy and other countries concerning the NATO strike. The foreign governments were told that “message sent by NATO in the early hours of this morning was sent to the wrong address,” according to government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim.

In Washington on Sunday, three members of the Senate Armed Services Committee said more should be done to drive Gadhafi from power, including targeting his inner circle with airstrikes. Gadhafi “needs to wake up every day wondering, ‘Will this be my last?’“ Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican on the committee, told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

In last month’s attack on Bab al-Aziziya, a cruise missile blasted an administration building, knocking down half of the three-story building. The compound also was targeted in a U.S. bombing in April 1986, after Washington held Libya responsible for a blast at a Berlin disco that killed two U.S. servicemen.

At least two of the guided bombs struck Bab al-Aziziya early Monday, and the booms could be heard miles away.

A multistory building that guards said served as Gadhafi’s library and office was turned into a pile of twisted metal and broken concrete slabs. Dozens of Gadhafi supporters climbed atop the ruins, raising Libya’s green flag and chanting support for their leader.

A second building, where Gadhafi received visiting dignitaries, suffered damage. The main door was blown open, shards of glass were scattered across the ground and picture frames were knocked down.

Just two weeks ago, Gadhafi had received an African Union delegation led by South African President Jacob Zuma in the ceremonial building, which was furnished with sofas and chandeliers. The delegation had called for an immediate cease-fire and dialogue between the rebels and the government.

NATO’s mandate from the U.N. is to try to protect civilians in Libya, split into a rebel-run east and a western area that remains largely under Gadhafi’s control. While the coalition’s airstrikes have delivered heavy blows to Gadhafi’s army, they have not halted attacks on Misrata, a city of 300,000 people.

Still, in recent days, the rebels’ drive to push Gadhafi’s men out of the city center gained momentum.

Late last week, they forced government snipers out of high-rise buildings. On Sunday, rebels took control of the main hospital, the last position of Libyan troops in the center of town, said a resident who asked to be identified only by his given name, Abdel Salam, for fear of reprisal. Throughout the day, government forces fired more than 70 rockets at the city, he said.

“Now Gadhafi’s troops are on the outskirts of Misrata, using rocket launchers,” Abdel Salam said.

A Misrata rebel, 37-year-old Lutfi, said there had been 300-400 Gadhafi fighters in the main hospital and in the surrounding area that were trying to melt into the local population.

“They are trying to run way,” Lutfi said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. “They are pretending to be civilians. They are putting on sportswear.”

Ali Misbah, a captured Libyan soldier who had been wounded in the leg, was held under guard in a tent in the parking lot of the Al Hikmeh Hospital, one of the city’s smaller medical centers.

Misbah, 25, said morale was low among Gadhafi’s troops. “Recently, our spirit has collapsed and the forces that were in front of us escaped and left us alone,” he said.

Misbah said he and his fellow soldiers were told that they were fighting against al-Qaida militants, not ordinary Libyans who took up arms against Gadhafi.

“They misled us,” Misbah said of the government.

A senior Libyan government official has said the military is withdrawing from the fighting in Misrata, ostensibly to give a chance to tribal chiefs in the area to negotiate with the rebels. The official, Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim, said the tribal chiefs were ready to send armed supporters to fight the rebels unless they lay down their weapons.

Rebels on Sunday dismissed government claims that tribes in the area were siding with Gadhafi and that troops were redeploying voluntarily.

“It’s not a withdrawal. It’s a defeat that they want to turn into propaganda,” said Dr. Abdel-Basit Abu Mzirig, head of the Misrata medical committee. “They were besieging the city and then they had to leave.”

———

Hadid reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Ben Hubbard in Benghazi, Libya, Sebastian Abbot in Ajdabiya, Libya, Hadeel al-Shalchi in Cairo and Slobodan Lekic in Brussels contributed to this story.

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Navy times said:

Apply to leave fleet up to 2 years early

By Mark D. Faram - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 25, 2011 8:42:01 EDT

Under a change to the Navy’s early-out program, sailors can leave the service up to two years early.

The Enlisted Early Transition Program, introduced in December 2008, has been extended through Sept. 30, 2013, according to NAVADMIN 142/11, released April 21. The program was slated to expire Sept. 30.

Previously, the program allowed a sailor to leave the service up to a year early. Under the extended program, a sailor scheduled to get out Aug. 12, 2013, can leave as soon as Aug. 12, 2011 — a full two years early. Discharges must be completed by Sept. 15, 2013.

There’s a catch: Sailors can only leave with approval of their commanding officers. If your CO nixes your request, there’s no appeal up the chain. Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn., also must approve all requests.

COs have always had the ability to send sailors home up to 90 days early without NPC approval; that remains in effect.

Personnel officials said they do not have a specific number of sailors they hope will take the early out deal, but the Navy has announced plans to cut 9,000 jobs by fiscal 2015, bringing end strength to 319,000.

This offer is not related to the Enlisted Early Career Transition Program, introduced March 17, which allows sailors to apply to get out with as little as two years in the service if they agree to finish their obligation in the drilling reserve.

Also, unlike that program, these early outs don’t come with any benefits or special enticements, other than the chance to leave early.

Also, unlike the reserve transition deal, your CO won’t be promised a quick relief for any departing sailor until the date that person was either slated to rotate or get out, whichever was first.
Eligibility restrictions

As always, some sailors can’t apply. If you’re a special warfare operator, special warfare boat operator, explosive ordnance disposal technician or Navy diver, or in a nuclear power rating, you’re not eligible.

National Call to Service sailors are also ineligible, as are sailors with permanent change-of-station orders in hand or those slated to fill a global war on terrorism support or overseas contingency operation assignment.

You’re also not eligible if you are in a rating or hold a Navy enlisted classification that rates an enlistment or selective re-enlistment bonus during the year you’re applying to leave. However, if you are otherwise qualified to apply but are already getting a bonus or special pay for a special skill, you can request an early out as long as you aren’t serving in a billet that requires the NEC you’re getting the bonus or pay for.

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Navy times said:

USSOCOM chief Olson to receive award

By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 25, 2011 13:30:14 EDT

A prestigious group of intelligence experts will honor the leader of U.S. Special Operations Command, Adm. Eric T. Olson, with its annual award.

The OSS Society on Monday announced Olson will receive the William J. Donovan Award, named after the founder of the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of today’s CIA.

“As one tracks the evolution from the ‘glorious amateurs’ of General Donovan’s OSS to the ‘silent professionals’ of today’s USSOCOM, Adm. Olson stands at the pinnacle of this transformation,” said Charles Pinck, the OSS Society’s president, said in a statement announcing the award.

“Adm. Olson has led USSOCOM brilliantly during a critical time in this nation’s history when our special operations forces have carried an increasingly heavy burden. In presenting him with the William J. Donovan Award, we wish to recognize his visionary leadership, courage, dedication, innovative ideas and lifelong service to the United States — qualities that are reminiscent of Gen. William J. Donovan and his leadership of OSS.”

The group will present the award Oct. 15 in Washington.

Olson will be the first special operations commander to receive the award. Past recipients include former presidents, CIA directors and Army Gen. David Petraeus.

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Marine Corps Times said:

Fewer vehicles for a lighter Corps

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 25, 2011 8:37:49 EDT

The Marine Corps will take a hard look at which vehicles should be stripped from units, to be issued only as needed from a larger pool, a top official said.

The Corps will soon launch a new oversight board focused on lightening equipment while it decides what gear and vehicles should be stripped from battalions, according to Lt. Gen. George Flynn, deputy commandant for combat development and integration.

It’s too early to say which vehicles could be dumped, Flynn said. But the plan would more closely resemble the Corps’ organization before Sept. 11. Each battalion had about 64 Humvees in 2001. The average unit now has 173 mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles and MRAP all-terrain vehicles.

“The idea is, everyone is going to have the same crisis-response set,” Flynn said.

As the Corps assesses its future strategy for vehicles, it also will commence by this summer a new panel headed by Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Corps’ assistant commandant. It will assess requirements developed for new equipment, emphasizing the need to streamline the size and weight of Marine air-ground task forces.

The efforts are part of the Corps’ plan to develop into the “middleweight fighter” that Commandant Gen. Jim Amos envisions. Efforts will be made to not only streamline equipment but to reduce the amount of energy consumed.

In May, the Corps will publish a guide establishing energy efficiency requirements. It also will work to incorporate energy efficiency into the equipment acquisition process. Energy savings could be considered on the same level as cost, performance and fielding time, according to “Bases to Battlefield,” a new, 100-page publication outlining the service’s energy plans.

In August, the Corps will issue a plan to increase energy efficiency in existing equipment, spearheaded by the Expeditionary Energy Office.

The Corps already has integrated some gear that cuts weight and size, Flynn said. Marine officials told industry sources that the trailer pulled by the 7-ton Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement truck was too large and too heavy for the allotted space on Navy ships. The last trailer could carry 8,000 pounds and weighed about 19,000, but the Corps wanted improvements. Industry delivered a trailer that’s 10 percent lighter but carries 50 percent more, Flynn said.

“We were able to take a couple of MTVR trucks off the basic load of a Marine expeditionary unit,” Flynn said. “The fact that we took trucks off the MEU gave us a significant weight savings … and we did all that in about six months.”

The Corps also is cutting weight this year on its mortar systems. The typical 60mm artillery and 81mm mortar system has weighed about 46 and 91 pounds, respectively. Flynn said they’ve cut 18 percent, or more than 8 pounds, of the weight from the 60mm system and 8 percent, or more than 7 pounds, from the 81mm system.

“That’s taking advantage of technology,” Flynn said.

The Corps also is considering replacing metal parts in Humvees and other equipment with tough, lightweight materials, such as carbon fiber. Flynn said, however, other measures will be necessary to cut weight from MAGTFs.

In concert with the Army, the Marine Corps also continues to push forward with efforts to upgrade Humvees with “blast chimneys,” which redirect energy from an underbody improvised explosive device blast, and tough, lightweight materials that could allow the services to get some massive MRAPs off the road. The Corps is conducting mobility testing on the vehicles in Nevada, while the Army assesses the vehicles’ toughness during explosions.

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Marine corps Times said:

Another year of involuntary extension pay OK’d

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Apr 24, 2011 8:45:57 EDT

Marines whose deployments are involuntarily extended will continue to receive up to an additional $1,000 per month, according to a recently released Marine administrative message.

Assignment Incentive Pay has been cleared for another year, MARADMIN 216/11 states. Under the program, Marines with deployments extended beyond one year will receive an extra $1,000 per month. Marines who deploy for less than a year but are extended beyond their 210 days will receive $250 per month.

To be eligible, Marines can deploy as part of a unit, as individual augmentees or as members of transition and training teams. They must serve in the Central Command area of responsibility, which includes but is not limited to Afghanistan and Iraq.

To determine AIP eligibility, a Marine’s deployment is measured in “boots-on-the-ground” days.

If deployed with a unit, the clock starts ticking when the majority of the unit arrives in the CENTCOM AOR. The clock stops when the majority leaves. That means a Marine whose deployment is involuntarily extended will stop receiving AIP after most of the Marines in his unit have gone home, even if he stays behind to complete redeployment tasks.

However, if a Marine is assigned to a new billet after his unit leaves, he will be granted AIP pay based on his individual time in theater.

Marines who are part of a unit receiving AIP could be excluded if they joined the unit part-way through a deployment. If, for example, their unit is involuntarily extended beyond 210 days, but the individual Marine has fewer days in theater, he will not receive extra pay until he has accumulated enough days to warrant AIP.

Individual “boots-on-the-ground” days start and stop when a Marine arrives in and leaves the CENTCOM AOR.

Marines extended beyond 365 days are immediately eligible to collect extra pay. Those being extended beyond 210 days are not eligible until they have spent at least 29 extra days on deployment.

Marines who re-enlist to remain with their unit through an involuntary deployment extension are still considered involuntarily extended and are eligible for AIP.

According to MARADMIN 161/11, released in March, Marines who voluntarily extend their deployment are also, in some cases, eligible for AIP pay. Staff sergeants and above can earn an extra $500 per month, if they spend more than one year deployed during a single 15-month period and work in support of a Marine regimental- or group-level headquarters element or higher.

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Military Times said:

At least 480 inmates escape Kandahar prison

By Mirwais Khan - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Apr 25, 2011 13:39:52 EDT

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Taliban militants tunneled at least 480 inmates out of the main prison in southern Afghanistan overnight, whisking them through a 1,000-foot-long underground passage they had dug over months, officials and insurgents said Monday.

Officials at Sarposa prison in the city of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, say they only discovered the breach about 4 a.m., a half hour after the Taliban said they had gotten all the prisoners out.

The militants said they began digging the tunnel about five months ago from a house within shooting distance of the prison guard towers. It was not immediately clear whether they lived in the house while they dug. They meticulously plotted the tunnel’s course around police checkpoints and major roads, the insurgent group said in a statement.

The diggers finally broke through to the prison cells about 11 p.m. Sunday night, and a handful of inmates who knew of the plan unlocked cells and ushered hundreds of inmates to freedom without a shot being fired.

A man who claimed he helped organize those inside the prison told The Associated Press in a phone call that he and his accomplices obtained copies of the keys for the cells ahead of time from “friends.” He did not say who those friends were, but his comments suggested possible collusion by prison guards.

“There were four or five of us who knew that our friends were digging a tunnel from the outside,” said Mohammad Abdullah, who said he had been in Sarposa prison for two years after being captured in nearby Zhari district with a stockpile of weapons. “Some of our friends helped us by providing copies of the keys. When the time came at night, we managed to open the doors for friends who were in other rooms.”

He said they woke the inmates up four or five at a time to sneak them out quietly. AP reached Abdullah on a phone number supplied by a Taliban spokesman. His account could not immediately be verified.

Kandahar holds particular importance for the Taliban, which seized the city in 1994 as it began its campaign to take over Afghanistan toward the end of the country’s brutal civil war. The Taliban held onto its stronghold city long after U.S. and NATO forces drove the insurgents from power in the country, and a recent wave of assassinations shows they still have strength there.

The Taliban statement said it took four and a half hours for all the prisoners to clear the tunnel, with the final inmates emerging into the house at 3:30 a.m. They then used a number of vehicles to shuttle the escaped convicts to secure locations.

Government officials corroborated parts of the Taliban account. They confirmed the tunnel was dug from the nearby house and the prisoners had somehow gotten out of their locked cells and disappeared into the warm Kandahar night.

Police showed reporters the roughly hewn hole that punched through the cement floor of the prison cell. The opening was about 3 feet in diameter, and the tunnel dropped straight down for about 5 feet and then turned in the direction of the house where it originated.

Reporters were not allowed into that building but officials pointed out the mud-walled compound with a brown gate and shops on either side.

The city’s police mounted a massive search operation for the escaped convicts. They shot dead two inmates who tried to evade capture and arrested another 26, said Tooryalai Wesa, the provincial governor.

But there was no ignoring that the Taliban had pulled off a daring success under the noses of Afghan and NATO officials.

“This is a blow,” presidential spokesman Waheed Omar said. “A prison break of this magnitude of course points to a vulnerability.”

At least 480 inmates escaped from Sarposa, most of them Taliban fighters, according to the governor of Kandahar province. The Taliban said they had freed more than 500 of their fellow insurgents and that about 100 of them were commanders — four of them former provincial chiefs.

Government officials declined to provide details on any of the escaped inmates, including whether any of them are considered high-level commanders. The highest-profile Taliban inmates would likely not be held at Sarposa. The U.S. keeps detainees it considers a threat at a facility outside of Bagram Air Base in eastern Afghanistan. Other key Taliban prisoners are held by the Afghan government in a high-security wing of the main prison in Kabul.

As the massive jailbreak suggests, the Afghan government remains weak in the south despite an influx of international troops, funding and advisers. Kandahar city, in particular, has been a focus of the international effort to establish a strong Afghan government presence in former Taliban strongholds.

The 1,200-inmate Sarposa prison has been part of that plan. The facility underwent security upgrades and tightened procedures after a brazen 2008 Taliban attack that freed 900 prisoners. In that assault, dozens of militants on motorbikes and two suicide bombers attacked the prison. One suicide bomber set off an explosives-laden tanker truck at the prison gate while a second bomber blew open an escape route through a back wall.

Afghan government officials and their NATO backers have repeatedly asserted that the prison has vastly improved security since that attack.

There are guard towers at each corner of the prison compound, which is illuminated at night and protected by a ring of concrete barriers topped with razor wire. The entrance can only be reached by passing through multiple checkpoints and gates.

An Afghan government official familiar with Sarposa prison said that while the external security has been greatly improved, the internal controls were not as strong. He said the Taliban prisoners in Sarposa were very united and would rally together to make demands from their jailers for better treatment or more privileges. He spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

The prison break weakens the argument that international troops are making good progress in handing over more responsibility for security to Afghan forces, which will eventually enable the coalition to leave. President Obama plans to start drawing down forces in July.

The Kandahar escape is the latest in a series of high-profile Taliban operations that show the insurgency is fighting back strongly against the surge of U.S. and NATO forces. Over the past year, tens of thousands of U.S. and NATO reinforcements routed the Taliban from many of their southern strongholds, captured leading figures and destroyed weapons caches.

The militants have responded with major attacks across the nation as the spring fighting season has kicked off. In the past two weeks, Taliban agents have launched attacks from inside the Defense Ministry, a Kandahar city police station and a shared Afghan-U.S. military base in the east. In neighboring Helmand province on Saturday, a gunman assassinated the former top civilian chief of Marjah district, where U.S. Marines started the renewed push into the south. The victim, Abdul Zahir, was also deputy of the provincial peace council.

Also on Saturday, a U.S. service member was killed in a bomb attack in southern Afghanistan, the American military said in a statement. It did not provide further details.

Associated Press writers Heidi Vogt, Amir Shah and Rahim Faiez contributed to this report from Kabul.

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Army.mil said:

Stateside Lakota deliveries let Black Hawks go to theater
Apr 22, 2011

By C. Todd Lopez
Related Links

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 22, 2011) -- Some 23 Black Hawk helicopters have been freed from duty in the United States to go to combat elsewhere, thanks to stateside delivery of UH-72A Lakota helicopters.

As Lakotas are fielded, said Col. John Thurgood, project manager for Army utility helicopters, they take Black Hawks out of the mix and send them back to combat.

"As we field the UH-72A, we are able to take Black Hawks at some of those units and give them back to combat units, and those combat units take those aircraft to the fight," Thurgood said. "So the Lakota is a very important part of our Army strategy to make sure our combat units have what they need."

"And to make sure our states, our governors, our homeland-security missions have what they need -- this platform delivers all those things," he continued.

Thanks to delivery of Lakotas, about one assault battalion of Black Hawks have been freed to return to combat, Thurgood said, about half of a combat aviation brigade.

Thurgood, along with John Burke, program manager for EADS North America's light utility helicopter program, spoke April 20, 2011, at a press conference regarding the Lakota program during the 2011 Army Aviation Association of America's Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Nashville, Tenn.

Thurgood said the Army has been pleased with both the aircraft and with contract performance.

"They have been doing a tremendous job of producing every aircraft on time, or early," he said. "That's very important to us."

Thurgood said the Army plans to purchase about 345 Lakotas, and today, about 154 have been delivered. "We are about halfway through the delivery of this program and doing it exactly on the cost and schedule that the Army asked it to do."

The Lakota is a slightly modified version of the manufacturer's commercial EC145 aircraft.

"We literally chose the EC145, painted it green, and we've only added to it -- the basic aircraft -- one thing, and that's an ARC-231 radio," Thurgood said.

The Army "knew what they wanted and they have held to that requirement," Thurgood said regarding the Lakota. "Holding ourselves to that requirement without changing it really gives the program managers a lot of flexibility to use best business practices."

Variants of the Lakota include a two-litter medical version, a VIP version used in the National Capital Region, a security and support version used for state missions by National Guard units, and a version used by "opposing forces" during at combat training centers.

The S&S version of the aircraft, on display at the AAAA convention, sported a mission equipment package with a search light, a GPS navigation system that allows pilots to find locations by street address as well as military grid coordinates, and a visual sensor ball that can transmit imagery to a ground station.

Thurgood said there will be small continuous modifications for the Lakota -- the sensor ball might become obsolete, for instance, and may be changed eventually.

But because the Lakota is essentially a commercial product, the manufacturer is incentivized to do continuous improvements on their version of it -- improvements the Army can opt to buy into without having to fund.

"If they decide to put on a new tilt rotor system then the Army gets to take advantage of that without the investment to do that," he said.

Conversely, for an aircraft like the Black Hawk -- the Army must pay for such modifications, Thurgood said.

Right now, the Lakota is fielded to National Guard units for state support, disaster relief and homeland defense, and in the active component where it's used in non-deployable units for medical evacuation and at training centers, for instance.

"There is no better aircraft in the military's inventory right now for domestic operations -- there is none," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kevin Mudd, Utility Helicopters Project Office, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. "With its communications, sensors, and ability to be in a location you're not used to and still function and complete your mission -- this is the premiere domestic-operation platform right now."

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(Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department has terminated a contract with General Electric (GE.N) and Rolls-Royce (RR.L) to develop an alternative engine for the F-35 fighter jet, the department said on Monday.

The budget deal recently passed by the U.S. Congress contained no funding for the alternative engine.

The Pentagon has sought for five years to kill the alternative engine as an economy measure. United Technologies Corp (UTX.N) unit Pratt & Whitney is building the primary F-35 engine. (Editing by John Wallace)

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Army times said:

Improved carbines headed your way

Special ops model goes Army-wide; more weapons upgrades in the works
By Lance M. Bacon - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Apr 30, 2011 9:46:41 EDT

Half a million soldiers will soon trade their M4 for an enhanced version of the Special Operations Command M4A1. The Army also will replace its 600,000 M16s with the enhanced M4A1 — or something better.

These are among a dozen changes that will provide soldiers a lighter and more lethal arsenal in the coming years.

M4 upgrades will start with SOCOM’s M4A1, which has a heavy barrel and automatic fire. The heavier barrel reduces warping and erosion, resulting in better performance and longer life. It also allows for a higher sustained rate of fire.

The Army is bettering SOCOM’s M4A1 by adding ambidextrous controls and improvements to the bolt, bolt carrier and forward rail to increase the carbine’s effectiveness and accuracy.

It will take about 10 years to retrofit the entire inventory, said Col. Douglas Tamilio, project manager for soldier weapons.

Replacing M16s will start in 2014 as the Army looks to “pure fleet” with carbines. The big question is whether the M4A1 or an entirely new weapon will be picked to replace the 600,000 M16s. Tamilio thinks a new carbine will emerge.

“I’m very positive in my outlook that the Army is going to see a new carbine,” he told Army Times. “I really think they’re going to.”

The Army is hosting a $30 million carbine competition to answer that question. All competitors must present their products by mid-August. No caliber restriction has been placed on new designs. They must be at least a 500-meter weapon and have a higher incapacitation percentage.

Weapons that meet production requirements will square off in 18 months worth of “extreme and extensive” tests. Two million rounds will be fired in myriad scenarios. Weapons will be tested to their destruction point and to determine whether they maintain accuracy throughout their life cycle — something the military has not tested before.

Some of the notable competitors include:

• Adaptive Combat Rifle by Remington.

• XCR by Robinson Armament.

• SCAR by FNH.

• M6A4 IAR, or similar variant, from LWRC.

• SR-16 by Knight Armament.

• CM901 by Colt.

When the dust settles, the winner will be measured against the $1,300 M4A1 to determine whether cost and capability warrants a new weapon. Most major manufacturers have carbines that cost less and offer improvements such as interchangeable barrel sizes and multiple calibers.
More weapons improvements

Better carbines are not the only firepower boost headed your way. The Army has a host of new and improved weapons scheduled to come on line in the coming years.

“Even with a diminishing budget, we’re pushing a lot of stuff to the field,” Tamilio said. “The next couple of years are going to be very busy with some significant advances.”

Some notable programs include:

• The XM25, or “Punisher,” as it is known in Afghanistan. The Army will put 36 into a battalion in the next 18 months. Fielding will begin in 2014. The total number is undecided, but estimates have stood as high as 12,500 — enough to put one in every squad.

The XM25 has a target acquisition system that calculates range with the push of a button. The data is transferred to an electronic fuse, enabling the 25mm round to explode over the target and rain shell fragments on the enemy.

All five prototypes were sent into theater in November, and the effects were immediate. Brig. Gen. (p) Peter Fuller, Program Executive Office Soldier, called it “a revolutionary weapon” and “a game-changer.” Tamilio said the weapons “performed flawlessly” and had no maintenance issues.

• The M26 modular shotgun. The Army plans to buy 35,000 M26s. The first made their way to units late last year — primarily to military police and engineers, Army officials said. But considering this modular system was largely driven by soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division, troops can expect to see it in close-quarters battle in the near future.

The shotgun weighs half as much as the Mossbergs soldiers now carry and can attach to the M4 in a matter of seconds. It has lethal, nonlethal and door-breaching capability, highlighted by a 3-inch, standoff adapter.

The 12-gauge is single-shot, which means less cleaning and fewer moving parts than one would see in a semiautomatic. The shotgun also comes with three- and five-round magazines that are easy to load, which allows soldiers to change shot selection in fairly short order.

It has a hydraulic butt stock to absorb recoil — a necessary add since the barrel is 7.75 inches. The size would be illegal on the streets, but provides a significant spray that is effective to 25 meters. That’s good news for any soldier who needs to clear a room with one shot.

• The XM2010 sniper rifle. The Army is likely to “pure fleet” its inventory, Fuller said. That means the Army would upgrade its 2,500 M24 sniper rifle chassis to XM2010s. An existing $28 million contract included the funds to allow manufacturer Remington to upgrade or produce 3,600 rifles over five years.

The weapon’s performance has been praised by snipers in Afghanistan, who received the first 250 rifles in December. Of note is the transition from the 7.62mm NATO caliber (.308 Winchester) to a .300 Winchester Magnum, which increased a sniper’s effective range from 800 to 1,200 meters.

• A new precision sniper rifle. Tamilio said he expects the Army to select and start fielding a new PSR in the next three to four years.

Remington, which has long owned the military sniper market, looks to keep its corner on that market with the Modular Sniper Rifle. Its primary competition will come from FNH, which recently unveiled the Ballista.

And the competition between these two will be tight.

Both weapons are modular and multicaliber, able to fire .338 Lapua Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum and .308 (7.62 x 51mm NATO) calibers. In an era of diminishing defense dollars, the ability to train with the .308 for almost pennies on the round will be a must for any competitor. Both boast user-friendly designs driven by snipers. Both weigh about 17 pounds and both can put a serious dent in your medical record from 1,500 meters.

• An improved Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, or CROWS. The Army is bumping the ceiling from 11,000 to 18,000 systems. It has 7,575 in service. A Feb. 16 recapitalization solicitation said the five-year contract will see production rates of up to 300 CROWS monthly, with the ability to surge to 500 for limited durations.

Operators can expect to see a significant increase in the weapon’s elevation in the coming year, Tamilio said. Other improvements may include an escalation of force kit, infrared pointer and 360-degree situational awareness with the day and night cameras.

• The XM806 lightweight .50-cal. Crews will see the much-anticipated machine gun by 2014, and possibly in late 2013, Tamilio said.

It cuts the weight of the 128-pound M2 by half and reduces recoil by 60 percent. It also boasts an effective range of 2,000 meters, 170 better than the M2. The machine gun, which has a manual safety, allows for quick barrel changes that do not require adjustments for headspace and timing.

The same safety and barrel-changing benefits will be available to the Army’s 54,000 M2 heavy machine guns, as well. The M2A1 quick change barrel will begin fielding by the end of this year, Tamilio said.

Relief also is on the way for A-gunners tapped to carry the tripod. The new XM205 weighs 13 pounds less than the 44-pound M3 they now carry. The XM205 collapses to less than 50 percent of deployed height.

• A modified M240 light medium-machine gun. This one will have a short barrel and collapsible butt stock, and will enter the force “shortly,” Tamilio said.

The titanium M240L replaced the M240B medium machine gun. It weighs 5.5 pounds less, and the 18 percent reduction does not compromise reliability or range. The M240L has smoother operation and a minimum 50,000-round receiver life.

• Lighter ammo. That’s good news for A-gunners who carry up to 30 pounds of ammo. Half that weight is contained in the shell. Engineers are looking to construct a stainless steel cartridge case that will reduce ammo weight by nearly 20 percent.

The Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center also is fielding a 5.56mm telescoped ammunition that uses a thin plastic casing instead of the traditional brass shell. This would reduce the weight by 42 percent.

“I’m really excited. There are a lot of good things coming in the small arms arena,” said Tamilio, who recounted how, as a private in 1981, he was given “an M60 that barely worked.”

“The Army is starting to realize that spending money on soldiers is a wise thing to do,” he said. “The future of our Army is going to be more centrally focused versus big, heavy equipment. We will see some great enhancements in terms of technology for our soldiers.”

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