EFS 120mm EFSS goes to war, fires first combat rounds

Source waronterrornews.typepad.com

Sunday, February 13, 2011 by Gunnery Sgt. Bryce Piper 26th MEU

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Marines fired the first rounds using the Expeditionary Fire Support System during combat operations, Jan. 29. In support of the International Security Assistance Force, Marines with F Battery, Battalion Landing Team 3/8, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Regimental Combat Team 2, fired the new 120mm mortar system from Combat Outpost Ouellette, Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Source www.cyberpresse.ca

12 Feb 2011By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent THE TELEGRAPH

Army commanders are planning to change bomb disposal tactics in Afghanistan to cope with the surge in the number of Taliban booby traps. Rather than removing bombs from the ground without blowing them up, so that they can be forensically analysed, more devices will now be simply destroyed in situ. Senior officers believe the new tactic will be quicker and safer.

War in Afghanistan News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command.  Operations are reported in the following provinces:  Helmand, Ghazni, Nangarhar, Wardak, Khost and Kandahar.

photo US Army

10.02.2011 by Craig Hoyle / Flight Daily News

Hindustan Aeronautics delivered its first five Shakti-engined Dhruv advanced light helicopters to the Indian army at the show. Dubbed the Dhruv Mk III, the new aircraft features a more powerful engine than previous examples of the indigenous type. The Shakti was developed by HAL with Turbomeca as a replacement for the latter's TM333 powerplant which equipped earlier aircraft for the Indian armed forces. It is also used by the Indian manufacturer's advanced light helicopter, which is flying here at the show for the first time.

Norwegian CV9030 during a patrol in Afghanistan.

photo ISAF Headquarters Public Affairs Office

18:16 GMT, February 9, 2011 DEFPRO.COM

Örnsköldsvik, Sweden | Two Norwegian Army CV9030 infantry fighting vehicles have been using rubber tracks in northern Afghanistan since December. The 28-tonne BAE Systems vehicles are the heaviest to have used them on operations. The rubber track system is jointly developed by Soucy International in Quebec, Canada and BAE Systems in Sweden: Soucy has designed and produced the tracks and BAE Systems has qualified the system in full-scale trials. The tracks reduce vehicle weight by more than one tonne compared with conventional steel tracks. They also cut noise by a massive 10dB and vibration levels by 65 percent. “The reduced vibration levels are increasing the life expectancy of electronics, optronics and ammunition, which will significantly reduce vehicle running costs,” said CV90 platform manager Dan Lindell. “The tracks also improve stealth, reduce crew fatigue and increase mobility in many conditions, such as on snow and ice.”

Bangalore, India, February 9, 2011 Thales pree release

Thales today announced that together with the Tiger and Huey UH-1Y helicopters, its TopOwl® Helmet Mounted Sight & Display system (HMSD) has been deployed with the French and US Forces in Afghanistan, to provide high levels of night vision performance and targeting capabilities for helicopter pilots.

TopOwl® is already installed and fully operational on five major helicopter programmes: Tiger, NH90, Cobra AH-1Z, Huey UH-1Y and Rooivalk. An additional programme, the T129, is in progress. TopOwl® has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters.

The combat-proven Thales TopOwl HMSD has been involved in bringing major operational benefits to helicopter crews. TopOwl is the only Helmet Mounted Sight and Display system offering both conformal piloting symbology, dark night vision performance and accurate targeting together with an unmatched level of comfort and fatigue reduction - key for war missions and the high levels of stress involved.

TopOwl night vision performance provides “level 5,” visibility equivalent to a cloudy night with no moon, no peripheral light source and no starlight. With its exclusive architecture featuring the projection of intensified images directly onto the helmet visor, TopOwl offers a seamless transition between head-up piloting and head-down instrument monitoring, together with a well balanced centre of gravity, eliminating the pilot fatigue generated by standard night vision goggles.

Yves Joannic, Thales Vice President, Helicopter Avionics activities commented, “Thales is constantly working towards improving its products and systems. We integrate essential pilot feedback and build on existing technologies to provide greater levels of performance that will better support troops in theatre.”

TopOwl is also capable of switching directly from intensified image projection to highresolution infrared image projection, via a simple click. It thereby meets increasingly rigorous demands for improved visibility and safe flight operations in degraded visual environments such as brownout, whiteout and nighttime flying.

Aimed at improving crew comfort and efficiency, TopOwl HMSD now features a new internal liner with new 3D fabric and an improved internal design. The helmet provides a recognised, perfect fit and accurate targeting performance, while improving cooling characteristics, which is vital for pilot comfort in hot conditions.

Posted by MsMarti - on Tuesday, February 08, 2011

War in Afghanistan News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command.  Operations are reported in the following provinces:  Kapisa, Khost, Kandahar and Helmand.

A U.S. Air Force MRAP in Southwest Asia

photo by MaxMercy

ASDNews: Feb 8, 2011

Fairfax, Va. - ManTech International Corporation (NASDAQ:MANT), a leading provider of innovative technologies and solutions for mission-critical national security programs, announced today that the company has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army's TACOM Contracting Center to continue providing logistics sustainment and support for the U.S. military's MRAP Family of Vehicles (FoV). The award is valued at $488 million for an initial period of performance and options totaling 11 months. ManTech will manage, monitor and sustain equipment operational readiness for MRAP FoVs. In addition, ManTech will provide rapid assessment and repair of battle-damaged MRAP and Route Clearance Vehicle equipment, and immediate repairs of mechanical failures due to operational damage or system fatigue. Work will be performed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and at locations throughout the U.S. as required.

Source Danger Room

February 7, 2011 By David Axe DANGER ROOM

There are more than 2,000 ground robots fighting alongside flesh-and-blood forces in Afghanistan, according to Lt. Col. Dave Thompson, the Marine Corps’ top robot-handler. If his figures are right, it means one in 50 U.S. troops in Afghanistan isn’t even a human being. And America’s swelling ranks of ground-bot warriors are being used in new, unexpected, life-saving ways. 

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at work in the new, purpose-built

Equipment Sustainability System facility at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan

[Picture: Corporal Mark Webster, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

7 Feb 11 UK MoD / An Equipment and Logistics news article

A purpose-built workshop for the in-theatre maintenance and repair of UK military vehicles was recently opened in Camp Bastion, southern Afghanistan, by Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox.Staffed by around 130 military engineers and Defence Support Group (DSG) civilians, the multi-million pound facility will mean that vehicles no longer have to be returned to the UK for deep repair and maintenance, saving around £50m per year in equipment rotation costs. The Equipment Sustainability System (ESS) facility can accommodate 26 armoured vehicles and is one of the biggest buildings built in support of British operations since World War Two.

M1117 Armored Security Vehicle

photo Spc. Micah E. Clare, U.S. Army

February 6, 2011 by STRATEGY PAGE

The U.S. Army is buying fifty M1117 ASVs (Armored Security Vehicles) for the Afghan Army. These will be used, as American Army M1117s are, for security duties. These vehicles can mount either 12.7mm machine-guns or Mk19 40mm automatic grenade launchers in their turrets. The vehicles cost about $900,000 each.

photo © 2007 David Monniaux

05/02/2011 Sources : EMA

Vendredi 4 février 2010, vers 19h30, un hélicoptère Tigre , qui escortait deux autres hélicoptères français de manœuvre entre la base de Tora en Surobi et Kaboul, a effectué un poser dur à une trentaine de kilomètres de la capitale.L’équipage, un pilote et un copilote, l’un très légèrement blessé et l’autre souffrant de contusions, a été évacué et un dispositif aéroterrestre a été déployé pour sécuriser le site. L’hélicoptère Tigre  évoluait de nuit, dans des conditions météorologiques difficiles, lorsqu’il a du atterrir durement dans une zone montagneuse. Une enquête est en cours pour déterminer les circonstances exactes de l’incident même s’il semble d’ores et déjà exclu qu’un tir ennemi puisse en être à l’origine. Le bataillon hélicoptères français est déployé à Kaboul en Afghanistan. Il compte 12 appareils : 3 Caracal , 3 Gazelle , 3 Tigre , 3 Cougar .