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Iraqi air force cadets learning to fly
By Erik,
Stars and Stripes -- By Heath Druzin -- October 12, 2010
CONTINGENCY OPERATING STATION SPEICHER, Iraq — On a sweltering summer day here recently, 49 young Iraqi cadets sprinted off a C-130 cargo plane to start a three-year journey that Iraqi officials hope will be an important step toward military self-sufficiency.
The men were the first students at Iraq’s new Air Force College, a collection of drab, boxlike buildings that match the seemingly endless desert that surrounds Speicher. Eventually, the cadets are expected to help Iraq do what it is years away from: defend its own air space.
“Any country without an Air Force cannot defend their country ... especially in our region,” said Gen. Ali Hasan, the commander of the college. “Now, we cannot protect our airspace.”
As U.S. forces have concentrated on building up Iraq’s Army and Federal Police, the Air Force has been largely left behind.
After the invasion, Iraq was left with virtually no military aircraft, and the U.S. military had to start from scratch in rebuilding the Air Force. Now, with less than 15 months until all U.S. troops are supposed to leave Iraq, the first crop of prospective Iraqi pilot instructors is still training with their American counterparts, months away from being able to teach on their own.
Lt. Col. Jeff “Jelly” Myer, who is flying with the Iraqi instructors-to-be in single propeller T-6 training planes, said building up the Air Force will take time.
“We’re starting over again, and you can’t just jump into a fighter,” he said.
The Iraqi Air Force is about five years into a 10- to 15-year project to get Air Force fully functional, including training mechanics, ground crews and air traffic controllers, said Brig. Gen. Scott Hanson, who is in charge of the U.S. mission to train the Iraqi Air Force.
By the end of next year the Iraqis will have the ability to spot an airborne threat and track it, but not shoot it down, Hanson said.
A group of 10 Iraqi pilots applied for visas to the United States in August to attend an introductory course for prospective F-16 pilots. The earliest the pilots would be ready to fly solo would be 2013, Hanson said. That’s the same year Iraq hopes to receive 18 F-16s that they are negotiating to buy from the United States.
“The technological nature of aviation doesn’t lend itself to quick learning,” Hanson said. “And the complexity of employing air power, not only with other aircraft, but with ground forces, also requires a sophisticated level of training.”
Being in the neighborhood it is, with much more powerful air forces next door, Iraq is likely to be tested often. Just last spring, the U.S. Air Force shot down an Iranian drone that got as far as Balad Air Base, a major U.S. military hub about 20 miles from the Iranian border.
Stars and Stripes
Chinese warplanes refueled in Iran enroute to NATO exercise in Turkey
By Erik,
World Tribune -- Tuesday, October 12, 2010
ANKARA — Iran has joined Turkey in military cooperation with China.
Turkish sources said Teheran enabled Chinese fighter-jets to refuel in Iranian air space in September. They said the four Chinese Air Force Su-27 combat aircraft had been on their way to Turkey to participate in the NATO-aligned Anatolian Eagle air exercise. "Four drill-bound Chinese Su-27 warplanes that took off from bases in China refueled in Iran — the first time the Islamic republic has ever allowed foreign warplanes to refuel at its air bases," the Turkish daily Hurriyet said.
In a report on Oct. 11, Hurriyet reported that the Iranian support for Chinese warplane refueling took place in September. The Turkish newspaper said the Chinese participation in Anatolian Eagle has alarmed the United
States.
"Official letters were sent to the two countries prior to the military exercise requesting the use of air space and passage and refueling privileges," Hurriyet said. "The warplanes refueled a second time in Iran on their return to China."
Turkish sources said Iran and Turkey have joined to expand military cooperation with China. They said the Turkish cooperation with Beijing would include military training, exercises and technology development.
Hurriyet said Chinese participation in Anatolian Eagle came after two years of negotiations with Beijing. The report said Turkey has sought to enhance cooperation with China in defense and energy.
The United States tried to stop Turkey from allowing China to participate in Anatolian Eagle, the sources said. They said Washington demanded that the Turkish Air Force ground its F-16 multi-role fighter fleet during maneuvers with the Chinese Su-27.
"We expect you to honor the agreement article that requires the exercise of caution regarding the transfer of technology to third countries," a U.S. message to Ankara, quoted by Hurriyet, read.
In the end, the Turkish Air Force flew its older U.S.-origin F-4 fighter-jets with the Chinese aircraft during Anatolian Eagle. Israel, which has been banned from the exercise since 2009, modernized Turkey's F-4 fleet in the late 1990s.
World Tribune
Dark Blue Skin Theme Released
By Erik,
We're proud to release the new CA Dark Blue Skin Theme based an original retro Biohaz Bohegeha Skin taking us back to the day. Now complete the new skin is available for everyone to use.
As pictured above, locate the skin and language selection tools on the bottom left of all our pages. Select the new CA Dark Blue to use the new skin theme or switch to any other skin that is available there. We hope you enjoy a fresh new look with more to come soon.
CleanCut Skin Theme Released
By Erik,
CleanCut Skin Theme Released
We're proud to release the new CleanCut Skin Theme based on the original CleanCut Skin modified to work with and fit our site's needs. No small task to complete the new skin is now available for everyone to use.
As pictured above, locate the skin and language selection tools on the bottom left of all our pages. Select the new CA_CleanCut to use the new skin theme or switch to any other skin that is available there. We hope you enjoy a fresh new look with more to come soon.
CombatACE Facebook Winner - Week 3
By Erik,
CombatACE Facebook Contest Winner
Week 3 - Matthew Mckee
The Randomizer selected #73 this week and on our Facebook list that is Matthew Mckee. Congratulations!
Week 1 - Ivan Adamek
Week 2 - Shaun Griffies
Matthew post on your/our Facebook page what your CA username is, then send us a PM here so we know you posted. Once we have that information we'll get your free download subscription added to your account. See you again next week for our latest winner. If you haven't added us to your Facebook likes we can't draw your number.
Hose falls from Marine plane onto home
By Erik,
Hose falls from Marine plane onto home No one injured in incident at San Diego air show
At the Miramar Air Show held last weekend in the San Diego area an air refueling hose from a KC-130J fell to a rooftop with no reported injuries. WIVB posted this about the incident.
"SAN DIEGO (AP) - A 75-foot refueling hose fell from a large cargo plane that was part of an air show Saturday and landed on a house in a San Diego County neighborhood, according to military officials. No one was injured. Investigators were trying to determine how the heavy-duty retractable rubber hose became detached from a C-130J Hercules, Maj. Jay Delarosa of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar said.
The house in Carmel Mountain just north of the Marine base sustained roof damage.
Retired navy nurse Cashmere Monroe was in the garage when the hose hit her home, and her 14-year-old daughter was in the house.
"When I heard the noise, I thought the garage door had hit something," Monroe told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Monroe went inside and a neighbor knocked on her door and told her to look at the roof. She told the newspaper she immediately smelled fuel fumes when she opened the door.
Fire officials evacuated both Monroe's house and a neighbor's house.
There was likely a small amount of jet fuel in the hose, according to Delarosa. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said no fires were reported.
Hazardous material crews and Marine Corps recovery teams were at the suburban home about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego early Saturday afternoon.
Fire officials estimated the damage at $10,000.
Delarosa didn't know if the four-engine C-130J was in the process of refueling another aircraft when the hose fell.
The mishap occurred as the annual Miramar Air Show attracted tens of thousands of people to the Miramar base. The incident did not affect the air show, Delarosa said.
The C-130J is a four-engine turboprop aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The transport planes are a military workhorse used around the world for more than 50 years, although the Marines fly newer versions of them."
The full article can be viewed here: WIVB
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