Gates: The Pentagon's accountability cop

Too bad he is one of the few accountability cops. I think back to Mario Cuomo's speech in the 1984 Democratic National Convention often. To paraphrase he spoke about President Reagan giving tax breaks to millionaires and buying missiles we couldn't afford. If we are going to cut spending, both parties need to dismantle the military industrial complex as we know it. Not on the personnel front, but in the R&D front where waste is plentiful.

U.S. nears key step in European defense shield against Iranian missiles

Star Wars 2010? U.S. military launch space plane on maiden voyage... but its mission is top secret

Back in the 60's, I had a weather changing machine that was, in essence, a sophisticated heat beam which we called a "laser." Using these "lasers," we punch a hole in the protective layer around the Earth, which we scientists call the "Ozone Layer." Slowly but surely, ultraviolet rays would pour in, increasing the risk of skin cancer. That is unless the world pays us a hefty ransom.

Obama Narrows the Range of Possible Targets in New National Nuclear-Weapons Policy

Missile Defense Agency Logo Upsets Right

My reaction is, "Oy vey."

Star Wars on a Saturday night...

This sounds like a good plan to me, despite the complaints from the developing countries of Eastern Europe. We can do much more for those nations through microfinance, NATO training missions, strengthening nation-state partnership programs with National Guard units, and educating their populace in our universities...

Among the alternatives are dropping either the Polish or Czech site, or both sites, and instead building launching pads or radar installations in Turkey or the Balkans, while developing land-based versions of the Aegis SM-3, a ship-based anti-missile system, officials said. The changes, they said, would be intended not to mollify Russia, but to adjust to what they see as an accelerating threat from shorter-range Iranian missiles.

Air Force Training More Pilots for Drones Than for Manned Planes

The Air Force will train more pilots to fly unmanned aerial systems from ground operations centers this year than pilots to fly fighter or bomber aircraft, Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, the commander of Air Education and Training Command, told an audience Friday... Will the unmanned aircraft ever completely replace either bombers or fighters? In delivering weapons on target, [Air Force deputy chief of staff for ISR, Lt. Gen. David] Deptula said, "Yes, you bet."

It is funny how much a few budget cuts and a cargo pilot chief of staff could do for the Air Force. ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaisance) used to be predominantly Army and Marine scout-speak... now it is increasingly rolling off the tongues of senior Air Force officers. If you ask me, Predators, Reapers, and Rovers (can you believe that ground troops can now speak to AF personnel without a TACP?!?!) are doing a whole lot more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than missile defense and 24/7 bomber patrols are doing...

U.S. ready if North Korea launches missile bound for Hawaii

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U.S. operates anti-missile radar in Israel: report

We are improving our relations with the Arab world, Iran, and Russia, on a daily basis!

JERUSALEM (AFP) — The United States has recently deployed an anti-missile radar in Israel that is mainly to warn of incoming Iranian ballistic missiles, Israeli state radio reported Sunday.

The radar with a range of more than 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) is sited in the south of the country, the radio added.

It is operated by a permanent 120-strong US army staff.

Questioned by AFP, a defence ministry spokesman said he did "not know about such a deployment".

A senior Pentagon official had said in late July that US Defense Secretary Robert Gates agreed to explore deploying a powerful missile defense targeting radar in Israel.

"The idea here is to help Israel create a layered missile defense capability to protect it from all sorts of threats in the region, near and far," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Besides the radar, Gates also agreed to explore sharing missile early warning launch data, as well as US funding for two costly Israeli projects designed to counter short-range rockets and mortars, he said.

The official said deploying the X-band radar was a near-term proposition, adding "all this is moving pretty quickly."

"We are going to station this land-based system there, and the Israelis would plug into it," said the official.

An X-band radar is a powerful phased array radar that can target the warhead of a long or medium range missile in space. The United States has deployed one in Japan and plans to install a larger X-band radar in the Czech Republic.

The official linked the assistance to the US administration's push for progress on a roadmap for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

But it appeared to be more directly related to Israel's concern about Iran's nuclear program.

Russian Star Wars

He said that Russia must modernise its nuclear defences within eight years, including the creation of a “system of air and space defence”.

The announcement puts Russia in a new arms race with the United States, which has infuriated the Kremlin by seeking to establish an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe. The US argues that the shield is aimed at rogue states such as Iran, but Russia is convinced that its own security is threatened.

Mr Medvedev told military commanders that “all combat formations must be upgraded to the permanent readiness category” by 2020. He added that Russia would begin “mass production of warships, primarily nuclear cruisers carrying cruise missiles and multi-purpose submarines”.

“A guaranteed nuclear deterrent system for various military and political circumstances must be provided by 2020,” he said after attending military exercises in the southern Urals region of Orenburg.