Erik

Iran claims to have smuggled anti aircraft missile systems into country By Damien McElroy Iran claimed it had smuggled four S-300 anti aircraft missile systems with a 90 mile range in defiance of United Nations sanction that prompted a Russian ban on selling the sophisticated defence system to Tehran. US and British officials responded with delight when Moscow unexpectedly pulled out of a deal to sell the system to Iran after the UN passed sanctions including an arms embargo on the Islamic state in June. But Tehran now claims it received two S-300s from Belarus and two others from another unspecified source. If the news is confirmed, the threat posed by the system would be a serious deterent to military planners contemplating a strike on Iran's nuclear programme. The S-300 is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of more than 90 miles and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet. Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian dictator, forged close ties with Tehran, while Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who visited the ex-Soviet nation in 2007, has called the Belarusian leader one of his best friends. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Sunday the United States has drawn up the plan to prevent Iran getting nuclear weapons, but was "extremely concerned" about the consequences of an attack. telegraph.co.uk

Delay Scuttles Chance at $40 Billion Air Force Deal By Noah Shachtman Somehow, against all odds, the already-surreal competition to build America’s next fleet of tanker planes just got sillier and more venal. A tiny, troubled aerospace firm and its Ukrainian partner have been disqualified from the bidding because they handed in their proposal five minutes too late. The companies, for their part, insist that their messenger had a few minutes to spare. For at least a decade, the Defense Department has been trying to replace its creaky cadre of Eisenhower-era refueling aircraft — the planes that keep the entire American fleet flying. A combination of corruption, jingoism, political preening, lack of will and sheer incompetence has kept Washington from accomplishing what should have been a relatively straightforward task. (Compared to, say, fighter jets, these tankers are technically simple.) In 2003, the Air Force gave Boeing a $20 billion deal to lease some tankers. But the contract award process turned out to be beyond-shady; the deal was canceled. In 2008, EADS and Northrop seemingly beat out Boeing in a fair fight, winning up to $40 billion in business. Then the Government Accountability Office ruled that the competition wasn’t so fair, after all. The ongoing drama has been manna for journalists and publishers, as Nathan Hodge recently pointed out. Not only has the tanker saga included everything from back room deals to dramatic reversals to heated Congressional hearings to military officials going to the pokey. The two main competitors, Boeing and EADS, also indirectly subsidized with their advertisements and marketing just about every defense industry publication around. Then, on July 2nd, just when the steel cage match between Boeing and EADS looked like it might be heading for some sort of final resolution, into the octagon stepped a third wrestler. Tiny California firm U.S. Aerospace said it would enter the tanker throw-down by partnering up with Antonov, a Ukrainian plane-maker. Never mind the SEC report about regulators’ “substantial doubt about the [u.S. Aerospace's] ability to continue as a going concern.” Never mind that the tag team wasn’t sure which plane it would modify for tanker duty, even though bids were due just a week hence. Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia called the whole thing “dumb beyond belief.” U.S. Aerospace didn’t exactly work hard to disprove Aboulafia. A few days later, the company asked for an extra 60 days to submit its bid. (“Somewhere inside the Pentagon, a harried staffer has received an urgent, high-level tasker to check a thesaurus for appropriate and non-profane alternatives to the term “hell, no,” quipped Flight Global’s Stephen Trimble.) The new team scrambled to get in its proposal on time, only to be rejected by the Air Force. So U.S. Aerospace turned to the Government Accountability Office for redress. After all, the GAO had already helped overturn the tanker deal once. Maybe they’d do it again. According to Aviation Week ace Amy Butler, the company claims its messenger delivered the proposal to the gate of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio by 1:30 pm on July 9th. But the messenger had time to spare: The deadline was 2 p.m. that day. (What, you wouldn’t leave a contract worth tens of billions of dollars to the last half-hour, too?) Anyway, Air Force guards allegedly denied the messenger access to the base. Then the guy got lost, once he was inside. “By the time the papers reached their destination, the Air Force stamped the proposal as being received at 2:05,” Butler reports. Too late, in other words. Air Force officials subsequently told a company representative that delays at installation gates are common (and they are — I’ve been subject to more than a few), and that the company should have anticipated this potential snag and planned appropriately. But, the U.S. Aerospace argument is that Air Force personnel “intentionally delayed the messenger from delivering the proposal in order to create a pretext for refusing to consider it because they have political issues” with the principal supplier, Ukrainian state owned Antonov, according to the industry executive. If this is proven to be true, it will bring the KC-X competition and the entire U.S. Air Force acquisition system to its knees after and already rough decade of missteps and scandals. wired.com Photo: USAF

Tactical Air Defense Submits Proposal to Purchase Military Aircraft CARSON CITY, Nev., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TADF), an Aerospace/Defense Services contractor that offers air-combat training, aerial refueling, aircraft maintenance, disaster response services, and other Aerospace/Defense services to the United States and Foreign militaries and agencies, is pleased to announce that it has submitted a proposal for the purchase of 12 Dassault Mirage military aircraft to the government of a foreign allied country. To support its air services growth strategy, post-acquisition of Tactical Air Support, Inc., ("Tac-Air"), TADF believes that the acquisition of the 12 Mirage military aircraft would better position the Company, together with Tac-Air, to capture the aerial services contracts that it is currently pursuing or evaluating with the U.S. and foreign-allied governments. The Mirage aircraft that TADF is negotiating to purchase are advanced super-sonic fighter jets that are used by militaries around the world. To know more about Dassault Mirage aircraft, please go to www.dassault-aviation.com/en/defense.html. Alexis C. Korybut, Chief Executive Officer of TADF, stated, "We believe the acquisition of a fleet of Mirage aircraft, in conjunction with the military aircraft currently owned by Tac-Air, would position TADF to capture a much larger portion of the rapidly growing business of supplying aerial services to the U.S. and foreign militaries." PRNewswire

What browser and accelerator are you using specifically? Ranging is allowed for partial file download and resuming. From my checks it's working as it should. Your download limits are being influenced by your download accelerator. I'll need the above to look into this further.

Russian hellish fires completely destroyed naval base outside Moscow: 200 aircraft burnt down The forest fire has destroyed a large Russian naval base outside Moscow. Its occurred on July 29, but became known only on August 3. A Russian news agency, Life News, was the first to report about the incident: according to its data, 200 aircraft with the value of about $ 670 million had been reduced to ashes outside Moscow. The very base of 100 hectares was completely burnt down, the agency reported citing its source. Other sources confirm the report. "Initial inquiry is being conducted on a fire on the naval base", the military investigations department at the Moscow military district commented on the information, giving neither the number of military aircraft, nor the damages caused fires. Later, the ITAR-TASS news agency issued a statement by the defense ministry: indeed, "the upstream fire spread to the territory of one of the units in the Kolomna district on July 29". "The fire spread over to a secret unit of the area of 100 hectares in 10 minutes", a source of Life News said. At the same time, it said, it is not only from an emergency situation from that the servicemen suffered. "One building in the storage area of the Navy was also burnt down. The damage there is several times less - about $ 33 million", the source added. Official spokesman for Investigations Committee, Vladimir Markin, confirmed that an initial inquiry into the fire is being conducted by the military investigations department. The fire occurred on Thursday 29 July. It took place at about 04:00 pm on the storage base of aviation and technical equipment belonging to the Russian Navy, which is located near the town of Kolomna, Moscow Region, Markin said to the Moscow Interfax news agency. He said nothing about 200 jets and helicopters and $ 670 million damage, but pointed out that the HQ, a financial unit, a club, two buildings of the car park, 13 storage facilities with different aircraft, 17 open storage areas for equipment with cars on them, were burnt down. "On July 30, the hotbeds of fire were localized. No one was suffered as a result", claims Markin. According to unofficial data, the Central Aerotechnical Base (CAB) of the Russian Navy Air Force and Air Defense is located on the outskirts of the town of Kolomna (Shurovo District in Moscow Region). The main tasks of the military unit are receiving, storing and processing aerial, hydrographic and navigating equipment coming from industrial enterprises, aviation and technical units, military schools and repair facilities of the Navy. Russian Northern Fleet, Pacific Fleet, Baltic Fleet, Black Sea Fleet, the Caspian flotilla, the St. Petersburg Naval Base, units of the Russian Navy Air Forces, received maintenance at the CAB for 60 years. No more. The fire completely destroyed this largest military base of the Russian Navy. Department of Monitoring Kavkaz Center

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has contracted six aircraft for the special forces for $1 billion without military-grade secure equipment because Washington denied the technology after New Delhi refused to sign a communications secrecy pact. The air force is now in the process of contracting another 10 very heavy strategic airlifters under the same technology-denial regime for an estimated $3 billion. India contracted six C-130J Super Hercules in 2007 and the first of these aircraft is likely to be delivered by January 2010 ahead of schedule by its maker, Lockheed Martin, under a government-to-government foreign military sales programme. One of the scenarios in which the Hercules (“Hercs” for short) is to be used involves inserting special airborne troops (paratroopers) by flying into hostile territory where an adversary can try to intercept and/or jam electronic communication. “We are aware that some of the equipment we desire may not be available. But it is up to us to use the platform the way we want to with modifications once we have it,” a senior air force officer told The Telegraph. A US defence official told this newspaper “anything that requires encryption, which includes military-grade global positioning systems (GPS)” will not be mounted on the C-130J or the C-17 Globemaster III (made by Boeing) because India has not yet signed the Communications Inter-Operability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA). The CISMOA was proposed by the Pentagon to the Indian defence ministry in 2006. A standard text for another crucial agreement, the End-User Monitoring Arrangement, was agreed last year after more than three years of negotiations. A secure GPS is indispensable for mobile military platforms that are designed to track targets in all-weather and all-time circumstances. “The military GPS system is encrypted and thus not available without a communications agreement,” the US defence official said. He claimed that “US military equipment is designed utilising the best systems available, such as military-grade GPS, which is more accurate and less likely to be spoofed (intercepted) than civilian GPS”. Asked if there was any way India could access the equipment without signing the CISMOA, he replied “there is no way around this”. He said the CISMOA would apply to the proposed sale of the C-17 also. Trials for the aircraft were completed last month and the Indian Air Force has decided to buy it. The four-engine turbo-prop Hercs — a workhorse for the US military — is a “tactical airlifter” with a payload capacity of 20 tonnes or about 120 fully-equipped airborne troops capable of landing on dirt strips and with short take-off and landing capability. The giant C-17 jet is also rugged but capable of flying much longer distances with much heavier payloads. The Indian Air Force has projected a dire need for these two different classes of aircraft because its Russian/Soviet-origin aircraft are outdated. The air force is set to order six more Hercs in addition to the six already contracted. The Coast Guard and the Border Security Force are also in line to acquire two Hercs each. The Hercs are to be based at Hindon, just east of Delhi, where the Indian Air Force base is being refurbished. The Hercs for India have been modified for special missions and are equipped with an infrared detection set for low-level flying in adverse conditions. Although the communications systems would not have the desired level of security for the Indian Air Force, an official said that India was getting the Hercs with the configuration it wants. They will have self-protection and mid-air refuelling ability. The Hercs is in service in 10 countries. Telegraph India

Sikorsky Challenges Navy Plan To Buy Russian-Made Helicopters for Afghanistan By EZRA R. SILK and ERIC GERSHON, esilk@courant.com -- 8:42 PM EDT, August 4, 2010 Sikorsky Aircraft has formally protested a Navy plan to buy the same Russian-made helicopters for military operations in Afghanistan that the Russians used there during the 1980s. In a document filed with the federal government Tuesday, the Stratford-based helicopter company challenged the Navy's plan to acquire 21 additional Mi-17 helicopters built by Kazan Helicopters of Russia, which is affiliated with a Russian state corporation. Sikorsky said it should be allowed to compete for the contract because there is an alternative — its own S-61 helicopter, developed in the late 1950s. Sikorsky said it had recently provided S-61 aircraft to the U.S. Department of State for use in Afghanistan. The Navy intends to provide the helicopters for the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, which trains the Afghan National Army Air Corps, Sikorsky said. The military already has been criticized by Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., for procuring the Russian helicopters for the war effort. U.S. Air Force officials responded last month, saying that almost all Afghan Air Corps pilots were trained to fly Russian helicopters, and that training an entire flight crew can take two to five years. "The Mi-17 fits in directly with the experience of Afghan pilots' and mechanics' training," said Richard Aboulafia, a defense industry analyst with the Virginia-based Teal Group. "They need something simple, robust, maintainable — something basically that isn't built today, unless you're in Russia." Sikorsky spokesman Paul Jackson says the company could provide the necessary training for Afghan pilots, but declined to provide an estimate for how long that would take. According to the protest document, the Navy sought bids for the work on July 8, but specified that it wants Mi-17-variant helicopters and parts, which are built only by Kazan. The bids are due today. Aboulafia characterized the dispute as a "race to the past." "Its like saying we want to buy an obsolete Russian truck that was still built today and an American company saying we have all these leftover 1960s trucks that we can retrofit," he said. "If you want something that the Afghans can easily interface with as quickly as possible, then Mi-17s are the way to go. If you want U.S. industry to benefit from U.S. cash, you understand the Sikorsky argument." Sikorsky said it wants "a full and open competition that is not unduly restrictive on the basis of a particular brand-name peculiar to just one manufacturer." Sikorsky, a division of Hartford-based United Technologies Corp., filed its protest with the Government Accountability Office in Washington. The GAO's Bid Protest Forum will have 100 days to write a recommendation to the agencies involved. "This is an unusual situation," said Ralph White, managing associate general counsel for procurement law at the GAO. "The Navy has specified that it wants a Russian helicopter. We haven't seen many instances of that kind of limitation and we'll wait and see what the Navy has to say." Mark Wright, a Department of Defense spokesperson, declined to comment. Dodd and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, condemned previous Mi-17 procurements in a December 2009 open letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Jackson declined to say whether Sikorsky had lobbied Dodd or Delauro, but that the company has voiced its "concerns with appropriate channels." Dodd affirmed the Sikorsky protest in a statement Wednesday. "I find it troubling that [the Department of Defense] would supply aircraft for our Afghan partners without holding a fair and open competition to include helicopters made right here in Connecticut by Connecticut workers," he said. CTnow

The Belarusian government denied on Wednesday rumors that Minsk had allegedly sold S-300 air defense systems to Iran. The Associated Press earlier cited the Iranian semi-official news agency Fars as saying that Iran had acquired two S-300PT (SA-10 Grumble) systems from Belarus and two more systems from an unidentified supplier. Iranian officials have not confirmed the fact so far. "The State Military-Industrial Committee can officially state that Belarus has never held talks with Iran on the deliveries of the S-300 air defense systems," committee's spokesman Vladimir Lavrenyuk told RIA Novosti. "Belarus has never supplied S-300 systems or their components to Iran," he said, adding that Minsk strictly complied with international arms control regulations. Jane's Defense Systems News reported as far back as in January 2008 that Tehran was in the final stages of negotiations with Belarus for the acquisition of two surplus trailer-mounted towed S-300PT systems. These outdated systems were deployed near Minsk and Belarus allegedly asked $140 mln for the two systems (including parts, maintenance and training). The actual sale has never been confirmed. Belarus has no right to resell air defense systems supplied by the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation. Russia signed a contract on supplying Iran with at least five S-300 systems in December 2005, but the contract's implementation has so far been delayed. On June 9, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1929 imposing a fourth set of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, including tougher financial controls and an expanded arms embargo. The sale of S-300 air defense systems is believed to fall under the sanctions, though earlier Russia said the delivery would not be affected since the weapons are not included in the UN Register of Conventional Arms. The S-300 PT is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of over 90 miles (144 kilometers) and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet (27,432 meters). MINSK, August 4 RIA Novosti

JERUSALEM (JTA) August 3, 2010 -- Two Israeli military helicopters made emergency landings in Romania following a technical failure. The emergency landings Tuesday morning came a week after another Israeli helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain during a joint search-and-rescue military exercise, killing six Israeli soldiers and one Romanian soldier. The helicopters forced to make emergency landings were returning to Israel from the 10-day exercise. They are being repaired at a Romanian air base near Bucharest, Haaretz reported. Seven of the CH-53 Yasur helicopters participated in the exercise. The helicopter landed, following regular protocol, after an emergency light went on in the aircraft. The second helicopter landed also following standard procedure, according to Ynet. JTA

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Russian Air Force will hold their first-ever joint air defense exercise on August 8-11, NORAD said. The exercise, dubbed VIGILANT EAGLE, involves Russian, Canadian and U.S. Air Force personnel operating from command centers at the Elmendorf airbase in Alaska, and in Khabarovsk, Russia. "Airborne warning and control aircraft [AWACS E-3B and A-50] from Russia and the United States will be involved along with fighter-interceptor aircraft and refueling aircraft from both countries," NORAD said in a statement on Tuesday. The exercise scenario, put together by NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, will create a situation that requires both the Russian Air Force and NORAD to launch or divert fighter aircraft to investigate and follow a U.S. flagged commercial air carrier on an international flight that has been taken over by terrorists. The exercise will be carried out under a cooperative military agreement between Russia and the United States, which tasks NORAD, the bi-national U.S. and Canadian command, and the Russian Air Force to conduct a live-fly exercise for up to five days. RIA NOVOSTI

Holloman Air Force Base near Alamogordo will become the training base for the F-16 and will acquire 48 F-16 fighter jets by 2013 Gov. Bill Richardson said the U.S. Air Force will remove two squadrons of F-22 aircraft from Holloman. But he added that state officials expect that the new mission will have a bigger economic impact than the other two squadrons. The Air Force has “robust plans” to use F-16 fighter jets and their training mission through 2030, Richardson said. The decision to locate the F-16s at the base is evidence that the Department of Defense sees Holloman as a strong base that can support diverse military missions, the governor added. New Mexico Business Weekly

Canadian aircraft intercept Russian bombers Canadian fighter jets have scrambled to repel Russian bombers that intruded into Canadian airspace. The Russian Tupolev-95 is a long-range bomber capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay says CF-18s were sent to intercept two of the bombers that made several attempts to enter Canadian airspace. Military officials say there was no advance warning and Mr MacKay says all such incursions will be met with a swift response. Intelligence analysts say the frequency of these attempts has been increasing, especially as Canada and Russia are in a race to lay claim to huge sections of the Arctic seabed believed to hold vast reserves of oil and gas. The incursions also come during the debate over whether Canada needs a new generation of high-tech military fighter jets. ABC News

The EC665 Tiger HAP (combat support) helicopter operated by the French Army's 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment, has now logged more than 1,000 flight hours in Afghanistan in less than a year. With an availability rate of 90% in extremely harsh operating conditions, the Tiger has once again demonstrated excellent performance and operability levels for both reconnaissance missions and combat support operations for joint tactical groups (GTIA), which have been unanimous in their praise. A key to this success has been the excellent cooperation between the French Army, the French Armament Procurement Agency (DGA), the OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armaments Co-operation) and Eurocopter, which has deployed a dedicated work structure since the beginning of the operations. In this framework, Eurocopter has been providing the French Army with nonstop support to meet the specific operational needs of the Afghan theater and guarantee the required availability levels. A team of Eurocopter technicians is on assignment in Afghanistan to assist the mechanics of the French Army Air Corps (ALAT). In addition, a customized logistics support service has been set up to respond at any time to any request and to quickly supply any necessary spare parts. Arabian Aerospace

Boeing P-8A Poseidon Aircraft T3 Enters Flight Test SEATTLE, Aug. 2, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] P-8A Poseidon aircraft T3 successfully completed its first flight test in Seattle on July 29. T3 is the P-8A program's mission-system and weapon-certification aircraft. During the two-hour and 48-minute flight from Boeing Field, Boeing and U.S. Navy test pilots performed airborne systems checks including engine accelerations and decelerations, autopilot flight modes, and auxiliary power unit and engine shutdowns and starts. In the coming weeks, T3 will join the two P-8A test aircraft currently at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and complete additional ground and flight tests. "At Pax River, the Boeing and Navy team will use some of the ground test data we've gathered in Seattle for in-flight separation and delivery accuracy tests that will occur later this year," said Chris Ahsmann, P-8A chief engineer for Boeing. T3 is one of six flight-test aircraft that are being assembled and tested as part of the U.S. Navy System Development and Demonstration contract Boeing received in 2004. Airworthiness-test aircraft T1 entered flight test in October 2009 and arrived at the Navy's Patuxent River facility in April of this year. T2, the primary mission-system test aircraft, arrived at Pax River in June. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide. Boeing

Yep. Practicing for an air show a recently upgraded CF18 was lost. An investigation of the crash is currently underway. Regardless it's an expensive way to EOL your aging fleet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfiCyVKnSSw

Four killed in Air Force plane crash in Alaska ANCHORAGE Alaska (Reuters) - All four crew members were killed in a U.S. Air Force cargo plane that crashed in flames while practicing for an aviation show at Elmendorf Air Force Base, the Air Force said Thursday. The C-17 Globemaster went down Wednesday evening in a wooded area near an airfield in Anchorage shortly after taking off, the military said. The accident is believed to be the first crash of a C-17, manufactured by Boeing, since the massive jet joined the Air Force fleet in 1995 as its newest cargo plane. "We are confirming four dead," said Lieutenant-Colonel Karen Platt, an Air Force spokeswoman. A fireball and plume of smoke over the area were visible to nearby residents shortly after the crash. Some eyewitnesses said the plane appeared to be making a strange turn while flying low over the area just before it crashed. Three of the dead were members of the Alaska Air National Guard, and the fourth was on active duty at Elmendorf, the base said in a statement. The plane was assigned to the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf, a unit consisting of 6,000 Air Force personnel who fly fighter jets and other military aircraft. The base said a board of officers would investigate the crash. The names of the dead were being withheld pending notification of next of kin, base spokesman Bob Hall said. Lieutenant General Dana Atkins told a new conference on Wednesday the plane was "doing a practice demonstration profile" it was to perform at the annual Arctic Thunder air show this weekend when it crashed. In light of the accident, Atkins said, the military was considering whether to go on with the aviation show, which also features precision flying demonstrations by the Navy's Blue Angels and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. The crash occurred during damp, cloudy weather. Elmendorf's worst air crash was in September 1995 when several geese were sucked into the engine of an AWACS plane just after takeoff. That plane was on a training mission as well. All 24 crew members were killed. The first C-17 squadron went into operation in 1995. The aircraft is 174 feet long, has a wingspan of nearly 170 feet and can carry up to 170,900 pounds (77,500 kg), according to the Air Force. Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group said Boeing has built about 200 of the planes, most of which went to the Air Force. He said the Elmendorf accident was the only crash he knew of involving the plane since it went into service. "It's got a very good reputation," Aboulafia said. July 30, 2010 Reuters

AZ, FL, UT, VT to get Air Force's new F-35 fighter PHOENIX — The U.S. Air Force has chosen bases in Arizona, Florida, Utah and Vermont as homes for the military's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, prompting applause from officials banking on the pricey new combat jets to supercharge their communities' economies. Operational missions of the single-engine jets would go to Hill Air Force Base in Utah and the Burlington Air Guard Station in Vermont, the Air Force said Thursday. For training, the Air Force recommended Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. The Air Force also announced Wednesday that 59 F-35 jets would be stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The announcement of these bases as "preferred alternatives" is a disappointment for seven bases passed over during this round of selections, including sites in Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida and South Carolina. But U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was jubilant at the inclusion of Luke, located in Phoenix suburbs. Military backers there have waged a vocal campaign to win the jets, as have groups in other states where bases are trying to preserve their relevance as fleets of aging F-15 and F-16 fighters edge toward the scrap yard. "The unparalleled capabilities inherent to Arizona — from the Barry M. Goldwater Range, to great flying weather, and strong support from state and local governments and communities — serve to provide the best environment and the finest quality of life for our military personnel training in the Air Force's next generation fighter," McCain said. The Department of Defense said Thursday's basing decision includes 250 to 300 F-35 aircraft. According to McCain, three squadrons with dozens of aircraft would be based at Luke if the Air Force finalizes its decision. So far, Lockheed Martin Corp. has built just a few of roughly 2,400 F-35s that the United States says it wants to buy, but the plane's cost already has more than doubled to some $113 million apiece. Other bases under consideration included Mountain Home Air Force Base and Gowen Field in Idaho, Tucson International Airport in Arizona, Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, Jacksonville Air Guard Station in Florida, and Shaw Air Force Base and McEntire Air Guard Base in South Carolina. Military officials said Thursday's announcement isn't cast in stone. Kathleen Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, said the other sites — she called them "reasonable alternatives" — will continue to be evaluated as part of environmental studies. Maj. Gen. Stanhope Spears, the adjutant general for South Carolina, said he was disappointed with the announcement, but the McEntire base is still in the running. "Right now, we don't have specifics on when additional candidate bases will be announced," Spears said. "We currently have the newest and most capable F-16s in the United States Air Force and will continue to be an elite fighting force." In Idaho, officials counting on a $1 billion boost to the state's economy from up to 3,000 new personnel and 144 planes at two sites were taking heart in the military's plans to eventually buy thousands of F-35s. "Given the number of F-35s our nation is going to be building, this isn't the end of the story," said John Revere, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho. "Congressman Simpson firmly believes Gowen Field and Mountain Home remain strong contenders for future siting decisions." Gowen got some consolation when it was named a finalist for a C-27J Spartan cargo plane operational mission, the Defense Department said. The other operational-mission finalist for the twin-engine plane is Great Falls, Mont. The Air Force also announced Thursday that Holloman, in New Mexico, was being transitioned to an F-16 training mission, with the capacity to take on two squadrons. Associated Press Article

The Subaru Ad - The guy who looses his sun glasses in his hoodie. He's lucky he's with his girl / wife 'cause he deserves a tune-up for that dumb stunt. The DirectTV Ad - The Russian guy who kisses his miniature giraffe in his golden opulent palace. I mean really, owning and kissing a cute pet? Someone needs to punch a couple holes in his man-card. I'm sure you have some to share too.

I've had my "green big egg" cooker for a couple maybe three years now. I've cooked just about everything in it and I'm getting to be quite good if I do say so myself. This morning during my ritual man chores I head off to the local Safeway. The butcher who runs the meat department there brings his "A" game to work and he's always there Sunday morning early so it shouldn't be considered coincidence that's when I go. Anyway we get to talking a bit this morning when he tells me to hang on and disappears into the back. Emerging from the back like it's a hunter's trophy room he's holding some ribs and tells me that's what he's getting ready to put out on special for the day. One look and I'm all in like I'm holding a royal flush. I get home and set up the egg to get it settled into a nice low two hundred smolder. I prep and dry rub the ribs and put them on. They've been smoking ever since and in a couple more hours I'll be ready to sauce 'em up. I can't wait. I've attached some smoker smell to this post enjoy it with an ice cold beer!

Are you serious? Wow, the gear and prop feather / flutter during landing was in short, impressive!

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Fates Returns In a grand farewell it is my distinct pleasure to release the calendar artwork for August 2010. It has been my pleasure for the past six months to create the calendars here at CombatACE. September's calendars will be released by Fates as he returns to continue the contributions he started so long ago. We look forward to Fates' keen eye and creativity returning to a screen near you. I had such a hard time choosing for this month that I decided to release a set of my top picks. August's calendars are available in wide screen and high definition formats. Get yours today. Click the link below: GET YOUR CALENDAR ARTWORK HERE Enjoy!