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FORBIN

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US Marine Corps Intrepid Tiger II rotary-wing EW pod goes operational

The US Marine Corps (USMC) has begun operations with the (V)3 rotary-wing variant of the AN/ALQ-231 Intrepid Tiger II airborne communications-band electronic attack (EA) pod.

In a photo release dated 11 July, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced), and 2nd Radio Battalion Detachment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, revealed that a UH-1Y Venom had commenced operational flying with Intrepid Tiger II (V)3 on 8 July from the assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1). Wasp was operating in the Atlantic at the time.

Intrepid Tiger II is a network-enabled family of systems that provides a Rapid Deployment Capability to support ground combat operations. Designed and developed by the US Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in conjunction with the Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR's) Airborne Electronic Attack Systems and EA-6B Program Office (PMA-234), the Intrepid Tiger II pod addresses the USMC's requirement for counter-communications and irregular warfare radio-frequency target sets.

Suitable for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, the system has been engineered to deliver a distributed, adaptable and net-centric airborne EA capability that can be controlled from the cockpit or by a ground operator. Furthermore, the Intrepid Tiger II system can be rapidly reprogrammed to counter evolving and emerging threats, and allows for changing mission requirements mid-flight.

According to a USMC public release document on the Marine Air Ground Task Force EW concept, the Intrepid Tiger II (V)3 pod (at Block 1 standard) is intended to deliver Early Operating Capability with USMC light attack (AH-1Z and UH-1Y) helicopters. The UH-1Y performing the first operational flight was BuNo 168416, sidecode 32.

Flight testing of Intrepid Tiger II (V)3 began in June 2015 using a UH-1Y helicopter from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

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FORBIN

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B-1 bombers will deploy to Guam for first time in a decade

The Air Force is preparing to send B-1 bombers to Guam for the first time in a decade.
The Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and approximately 300 airmen will deploy on Aug. 6 to Andersen Air Force Base as part of the military's continuous bomber presence mission in the Pacific, according to an Air Force release. The bombers were last in the region in April 2006.
The B-1Bs will replace the B-52s from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. The Air Force did not disclose the number of B-1s flying in for the next rotation.

The B-52 could rise again, this time to fight ISIS
The B-1s were actively involved the bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, returning to the United States in January for maintenance upgrades, Air Force officials said.
The Lancer, which can fly at 900-plus miles per hour, can hold 5,000 pounds munitions within the aircraft. Under Operation Inherent Resolve, the B-1s
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on 3,700 targets in six months, according to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth. B-52s in April replaced the B-1s in the CENTCOM region for airstrikes against ISIS.

“The B-1 units bring a unique perspective and years of repeated combat and operational experience from the Central Command theater to the Pacific,” the release said. “They will provide a significant rapid global strike capability that enables our readiness and commitment to deterrence, offers assurance to our allies, and strengthens regional security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.”
In May, a Minot B-52 at Andersen crashed at Andersen’s flight line. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. All seven aircrew members, performing a routing training mission, safely exited the aircraft the B-52H Stratofortress after the crash.

Pacific Command has maintained a rotational strategic bomber presence in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region for more than a decade to foster partnerships with allies, and to keep adversaries at bay.
In January, a B-52 from Andersen conducted a low-level flight near Osan Air Base, South Korea, after North Korea days earlier purported a successful hydrogen bomb test.

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Jeff Head

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Pacific-Partnership-visits-Malaysia-for-first-time.jpg

Naval Today said:
The annual Pacific Partnership deployment embarked aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in Kuantan, Malaysia thereby marking the first time the mission has visited Malaysia, although Malaysia has provided teams to support the mission since 2006.

Malaysian civilian and military leadership led planning activities for Pacific Partnership 2016, where personnel from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the U.S. will work side-by-side with the their Malaysian counterparts, conducting subject matter expert exchanges to improve regional disaster preparedness and resiliency, focusing on multilateral cooperation.

As the fourth mission stop of Pacific Partnership 2016, specific activities include a search and rescue (SAR) seminar followed by a live SAR exercise, medical seminars, civil engineering projects and community service events.

The Pacific Partnership engineering team consisting of U.S. Navy Seabee and Malaysian Armed Forces engineers will renovate two schools while in Kuantan.

Pacific Partnership’s first visit to Malaysia highlights the evolving nature of the mission from past Pacific Partnership missions.

“The unique nature of [the mission] is how this really is an exchange of professionals, of partners,” said Cmdr. Miguel A. Gutierrez, Pacific Partnership’s director of medical operations and planning. “In every country we’ve been to there have been different levels of medical capabilities. Malaysia, by all accounts, has world class medical capabilities, so our big thing here is a focus on high-end medical exchange.”

Kuantan will not only be host to Pacific Partnership 2016, but will simultaneously host the Asia Pacific Military Health Exchange (APMHE) symposium. Mission medical personnel from Medical Treatment Facility Mercy will participate in the symposium, attending lectures both ashore and hosted aboard Mercy.

Pacific Partnership 2016 completed missions in Timor Leste, the Philippines, and Vietnam, with an additional mission operating simultaneously in Palau until Aug. 15, led by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel aboard JS Shimokita (LST 4002).

Upon departure from Kuantan Pacific Partnership 2016 will make its final stop in Indonesia.
My son in law, who for years was an enlisted man, rising to the Ranks of Chief, on nuclear attack subs, is on this vessel now as a medical officer.

The US Navy put him through school and he is now a Lt. JG medical officer now and went on this deployment.

That is one BIG ship, second in size only to the carriers. A one thousand bed hospital with many operating rooms and all of the modern equipment.
 

FORBIN

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U.S. Marine Corps helicopters aboard amphibious assault ship and USAF drones lead new round of U.S. air strikes on ISIS in Libya

Manned and unmanned aircraft have taken part in the air strikes launched on Aug. 1, against Daesh targets around Sirte, in Libya.

On Aug. 1, the U.S. launched a new round of air strikes against Islamic State positions around Sirte, in northern Libya, mid-way between Tripoli and Benghazi.
According to the Pentagon, the raid was conducted following a request by the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat Daesh in its primary stronghold in Libya.
The raids were just the final stage of a three-phase operation planned and managed by AFRICOM, MilitaryTimes
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the first element of this plan was dubbed Operation Odyssey Resolve, consisting of ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) flights in the region; the second, Operation Junction Serpent, provided targeting information; while the third element, Operation Odyssey Lightning, saw the actual air strikes take place.
The latter ones were
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by the U.S. Air Force
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drones based at Sigonella airbase, in Sicily, Italy, as well as by helicopters aboard the U.S. amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.
USS Wasp, with an Aviation Combat Element of the 22nd MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit), consisting of a composite squadron, the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced) – VMM-264, containing MV-22B, CH-53E, AH-1W, UH-1Y helicopters and AV-8B+ Harrier II jets, played a major role in Operation Odyssey Lightning.

In particular, at least two Super Cobra from HMLA-467 were launched from USS Wasp and used their AGM-114 Hellfire missiles to destroy some ground vehicles and two T-72 tanks.Here below an interesting infographic put together by Middle East expert, military aviation journalist Babak Taghvaee who has collected some details about the first raid in Libya.According to the details available at the moment, the AV-8B Harriers have not been involved in the air strikes yet.

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USS Wasp.jpg
 

Air Force Brat

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My son in law, who for years was an enlisted man, rising to the Ranks of Chief, on nuclear attack subs, is on this vessel now as a medical officer.

The US Navy put him through school and he is now a Lt. JG medical officer now and went on this deployment.

That is one BIG ship, second in size only to the carriers. A one thousand bed hospital with many operating rooms and all of the modern equipment.

Awesome Jeff, what a nice promotion, and bless the USN for taking there best and building them into even greater men. One of my buds from days past is a Ret Navy Captain, who went to Med School through the USN, he was an S-3 pilot, flying the "Hoover" off the carrier.
Extend our appreciation and blessings to your son, my Cousin is a Naval Chaplain, he is now a Captain, and was assigned to one of our far West carriers.
 
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