QDR 2010 and China

Tomorrow brings the much anticipated release of the first of three documents of significant import to the US Navy – the QDR for 2010 (Draft-QDR-2010-predecisional).  Language in the draft highlights China as one of several state-actors that have acquired significant anti-access capabilities over the past ten years. Additionally, it points out that: Chinese military doctrine…

Fifth Generation Fighters – The Competition Casts Its Ballot (UPDATED)

UPDATE: Lots of comparisons to the F-22 based on the front end shots and planform, but I’m also thinking that Sukhoi took some cues from this bad boy: based on a comparison from the tailfeather POV: for comparison, here is an in-flight of the YF-22 and YF-23: Things that make you go hmmm…. In this…

This Date in Naval Aviation History: Vietnam Cease-fire Takes Effect (27 Jan 1973)

27 Jan 1973: The Vietnam cease-fire, announced four days earlier, came into effect and the carriers Oriskany, America, Enterprise and Ranger, on Yankee Station, cancelled all combat sorties into North and South Vietnam. The cost of this endeavor in terms of lives and treasure was indeed dear.  From 1961 t0 1973 the Navy lost 896…

Update – We Have News

Admittedly, there has been a bit of light posting around here of late – but with good cause.  With the new year we shifted location and jobs, moving from the purple world back to Navy blue and gold.  Still very much involved in the operational world and much more analytical work, but from a different…

Aircraft Carriers and Civil Assistance: Then and Now

17 Jan 1930.   USS Lexington (CV-2)  completed a 30-day period in which she furnished electricity to the city of Tacoma, Wash., in an emergency arising from a failure of the city’s power supply. The electricity supplied by the carrier totalled 4,251,160 kilowatt-hours.  From Historylink.org: In the 1920s, Tacoma received most of its electrical energy from…

Air Force Pilot Missing In Action From Vietnam War Is Identified

In the mail today: The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial. Air Force Maj. Russell C. Goodman of Salt Lake City, Utah, will be honored this…

Chinese Announce Successful Missile Intercept Test

From China today comes news today of a successful missile intercept test: “BEIJING (AP) — China announced that its military intercepted a missile in mid-flight Monday in a test of new technology that comes amid heightened tensions over Taiwan and increased willingness by the Asian giant to show off its advanced military capabilities. The official…