Navy Conducting SAR Missions After Yemeni Isl Volcano Eruption

RED SEA (Oct. 1, 2007) - A Sailor assigned to guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) looks for survivors during a search and rescue operation after a volcanic eruption on the Yemeni island of Jazirat at-Tair. Bainbridge, along with Yemeni Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Dutch Navy, and Portuguese Navy have been conducting the search and rescue efforts since the volcano erupted Sept. 30. Bainbridge is the flagship for Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1 and was in the area when the volcano erupted. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Vincent J. Street)

Black Stallions Disestablish After 24 Years

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Riza Caparros, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Atlantic

NORFOLK (NNS) -- The “Black Stallions” of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 4 officially disestablished Sept. 28 after 24 years of service during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk.

Acting Command Master Chief (AW) Barry Rice spoke about the pride he felt for the squadron and their contribution to the Navy.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to be a part of the Navy’s premier airlift squadron,” said Rice. “This squadron has served the Navy well and we did it with pride and great success.”

HC-4 was stationed in Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, Italy for 23 years where they provided heavy lift combat support for units serving in the 5th and 6th fleets' areas of responsibility.

“We stood up much faster than a typical Navy squadron,” said retired Capt. James F. Scurria, HC-4’s second commanding officer. “Just seven months from initial establishment we were in combat operations in Beirut.”

“The squadron’s tenaciousness to get the job done and serve the country is what I will always remember,” he continued. “I would say my time at the Black Stallions was the highlight of my navy career.”

For the past year, the Black Stallions provided heavy lift combat support for the U.S. 3rd Army in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“The squadron’s final missions ran out of Kuwait to run into Iraq transporting troops with their packs and some supplies for the U.S. 3rd Army,” continued Rice. “We left there knowing we did a job well done.”

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 1st Class (AW/NAC) Carl Stewart, who first joined the squadron in 1999, also expressed pride for his time as a Black Stallion.

“Being a part of the Black Stallions gave me a sense of pride to stand out because of our unique job within the air community,” said Stewart. “Wherever my Navy career takes me from here on out, I will always be proud to say I was a part of their legacy.”

Since their commissioning, the Black Stallions of HC-4 have received numerous personal and unit awards, including two European Region National Defense Transportation Association awards, three Golden Anchors and one Silver Anchor award for retention, five Navy Unit commendations, three Meritorious Unit Commendations, three Navy Battle "E" Efficiency awards, a Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award.

“Over the years the squadron developed and grew to become a national asset,” added Scurria. “I underscore the fact that the key to HC-4’s success was always based on the phenomenal quality of people who served in the squadron.”

“The squadron has been given many opportunities to succeed and our service to the Navy has been impressive,” said Cmdr. Robert H. Buckingham, commanding officer. “The awards speak for themselves.”

The squadron held a final landing ceremony June 26 at Naval Station Norfolk’s Chamber field. HC-4’s last “Sea Dragon” will be reassigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 in Norfolk.

Stennis Begins Six-Month DPIA

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Gethings, USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs

BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) shifted berths from its homeport pier at Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton to a drydock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), Bremerton site.

The shift is part of the ship’s six-month scheduled docking-planned incremental availability (DPIA) period which began Sept. 28.

During the maintenance period, Stennis will receive major upgrades to its potable water system, combat and self defense systems, navigational systems, electrical load centers and numerous other components. The last time Stennis was dry-docked for a DPIA was after the ship’s homeport move from San Diego to Bremerton following the 2004 deployment.

“Our upcoming DPIA is off to a great start,” said Stennis’ Commanding Officer, Capt. Brad Johanson. “For more than a year now we have been preparing for this and just like our last DPIA, this one will go great. Now that everyone has had a chance to decompress a little bit from our intense and hugely successful deployment, I am confident Stennis’ crew will be hitting on all cylinders as we launch into our next mission-maintenance!”

Civilian employees from PSNS & IMF, contractors from various local and external organizations and an estimated 600 Stennis' Sailors, will work to renovate potable water tanks, main engineering spaces, aircraft support equipment, berthings and a multitude of other work centers during the maintenance period.

“This is probably the best plan, the most integrated plan I’ve ever seen because we started a year out,” said Cmdr. Bob Breon, Stennis’ chief engineer and DPIA coordinator. “It was time consuming, but it will pay dividends in the end.”

The planning stages of DPIA began a year ago when Stennis’ leadership began holding meetings in preparation for the event. Between Stennis and the shipyard staff, a list of necessary work was put together and extensive scheduling of the jobs was done to organize the dry-dock period.

“We already have everything sequenced-what will happen and when, now we’re executing the plan,” said Breon.

A ship’s large-scale maintenance availability is planned years in advance and is determined by various entities and the ship’s operational schedule.

HSC-8 New Name, New Mission, New Helicopter

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Porter Anderson, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 8 became the first HS squadron to transition to a Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) Sept. 28 at Naval Air Station North Island.

Despite the name change (HSC-8), new aircraft (MH-60S), and new missiion, at least one thing remained unchanged, the squadron’s nickname, “Eightballers.”

“It’s going to change the mission entirely because you’re going from anti-submarine warfare to search and rescue (SAR), to VERTREP [vertical replenishment] and SAR type events,” said Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class (AW) Michele Reynolds, HSC-8 helicopter mechanic.

Due to the new aircraft that replaced the SH-60F in the transition, new training has been implemented to maintain and service the new MH-60S.

“We are sending our AZs [Aviation Maintenance Administrationman] and AEs [Aviation Electrician’s Mate] to a full two-month training course to learn how to work on the aircraft,” said HSC-8 Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Lawrence S. Vincent.

This transition to HSC-8 is another benchmark for the Eightballers past endeavors, which date back to June 1, 1956.

Guest speaker Rear Adm. Gerard M. Mauer, commandant, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, said he had a history with HS-8. Mauer said that in 1975, when he took his first flight in a U.S. Navy aircraft, it was with HS-8. That flight made such an impact with him that it led him to joining the naval aviation field.

The transition of mission, name and aircraft are big changes for the squadron, but the men and women who make up the Eightballers have accepted each change and are incorporating them into its long and proud history.

HSM-41 Transitions from SH-60B to MH-60R Helos

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Mark Logico, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

The “Seahawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 41 graduated not only the last class of SH-60B helicopter naval air crew, but also the first class of MH-60R helicopter naval air crew at Naval Air Station North Island Sept. 28.

Since 1983, the squadron has trained more than 3,000 fleet replacement pilots and air crew for the SH-60B helicopter and fleet squadrons. When HSM-41 received the Romeo aircraft (MH-60R) in December 2005, they started training the first set of pilots and air crew for the new aircraft.

“It’s a proud moment for naval aviation and a historic moment for helicopter aviation, this command and our Navy,” said the Seahawks’ Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Curtis Shaub. “It’s a bittersweet moment, as it is the end of an era when we stop training on the SH-60B and move into this new airframe. We couldn’t be more excited for what the country expects of us and the training we’re providing here today.”

Unlike the SH-60B and SH-60F, the MH-60R features electronic support measures, airborne low frequency sonar, a multi-mission radar upgrade--including ISAR, forward looking infrared, and a weapons suite including torpedoes and Hellfire missiles.

“They’ve pretty much taken the Bravo and the Foxtrot and combined them and increased them with technological advancement to where we have an up to date war-fighting machine,” said Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Justin Tate, the training student control leading chief petty officer.

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 3rd Class (NAC) Scott Haeusler, who graduated from the air crew training, said he looks forward to applying his knowledge when he transfers to his new command in HSM-71.

“It’s been a long time training to be air crew qualified,” said Haeusler. “It’s an honor to be with the aircraft from the very beginning. I can now say that I was there, and I was a part of it.”

The MH-60R will be one of two helicopter airframes used on Navy aircraft carriers once the Navy completes a reduction from the current seven types of helicopter airframes. It is designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers alike.

“The MH-60Rs are equipped with the newest 21st century computers and we are able to upgrade them as technology increases,” said Shaub. “Its mission has expanded. It has become a force multiplier for the fleet and for the strike group.”

13th MEU Returns to BHR Expeditionary Strike Group

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Woody Paschall, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs
Marines assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) observe as Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) 65 of Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, Det. B., hits the beach at Kuwait Naval Base during a Marine backload. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob L. Hollingsworth)

The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC) completed its return to the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR), USS Denver (LPD 9) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47) Sept. 28, after conducting combat operations in Iraq for nearly four months.

While in Iraq, the 13th MEU's SOC Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (BLT 3/1) was responsible for ground combat counterinsurgency operations in Al Anbar Province.

According to Lt. Col. Justice Chambers, 13th MEU SOC operations officer, the BLT and other units attached to the MEU conducted 14 separate named operations focused largely on disrupting the insurgent's freedom of movement and denying the movement of materials into Baghdad and Al Anbar.

The operations resulted in the confiscation and destruction of over 90 tons of homemade explosives and raw materials used to create them.

"We successfully accomplished all missions assigned to us, contributing significantly to the decreasing levels of violence in Kharmah, Fallujah, and Ramadi, and the improving security situation in Baghdad," said Chambers. "BLT 3/1 disrupted the enemy's freedom of movement by operating where coalition forces typically have not operated. That set the conditions to transition portions of our area of operations to the Iraqi army, allowing them to greater control selected portions of eastern Al Anbar."

He added that the contribution of the Iraqi forces almost assured success because of their integration with the Iraqi people.

"When they integrated into our operations we saw the pronounced benefit. Where we could spend a lot of time trying to detect insurgents, they can go in and immediately pick out a person and say he doesn't belong here," said Chambers. "They [the Iraqi army] are served by thoughtful leaders and troops who feel they serve all of the Iraqi people."

Accomplishing these missions would not have happened without the support of the MEU's Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 13.

"The first 30 days the Battalion Landing Team was non-stop and they were able to maintain that tempo through the efforts of CLB-13 to build-up and sustain logistics," said Chambers. "CLB-13 certainly made everything the BLT did possible."

The AV-8B Harriers and helicopters of the MEU's Aviation Combat Element began returning to BHR Sept. 14. Helicopters and LCACs (landing craft air cushion) were then used to return nearly 2,000 Marines and their equipment.

"It's a relief to get the hard work done with," said Cpl. Seth Gyldenvand, BLT 3/1, Kilo Co. "I'm looking forward to getting some rest and liberty."

During their return, the MEU loaded several tons of ammunition and weapons, nearly 30 aircraft, including AV-8B Harriers, CH-46E Sea Knights and AH-1W Cobras, numerous heavy transport and patrol vehicles, and artillery.

"It's a good thing. We're getting the Marines back and we're going home soon," said Gunnery Sgt. Bernardo Cruz, BHR combat cargo. "The combat cargo Marines and Sailors have been doing a great job getting the MEU back on board. Everyone put in a lot of time getting ready for this, and they showed a lot of teamwork to get all the equipment on board quickly and safely."

As the Marine Ground Combat Element back loaded aboard BHR, the ship mustered a 150-man working party joined by volunteers from the ship's Second Class and First Class Petty Officers Associations to help the Marines bring their gear aboard and provide them with a warm welcome.

"We're out here helping them because we are all on the same team in the same fight," said Storekeeper 2nd Class (SW) Marshall Mallory. "They've been out there for about four months, and they're tired, a lot more tired even than we are. So we're pitching in to give them a hand, grab their gear and get them set up in berthing."

The gesture made a positive impression on the Marines as they stepped off the LCACs and climbed the ramp into the hangar bay.

"It's a great welcome back," said Gyldenvand. "We've been hauling our gear around for the past week and getting some help from our Navy brothers is great."

BHR, Denver and Rushmore are part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHRESG). BHRESG has been operating in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO). U.S. and coalition forces conduct MSO to help set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment, as well as complement the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations. These operations seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other materials.

USS Nashville Hosts Ship-to-Shore Operations Exercise

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Shonn Moore, USS Nashville Public Affairs
Sailors aboard amphibious transport dock USS Nashville (LPD 13) guide a landing craft air cushion into the ship's well deck as it completes exercises as part of Nassau Strike Group's Expeditionary Strike Group integraton exercise (ESGINT) off the coast of Onslow Bay, N.C. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Shonn Moore)

Sailors and Marines aboard USS Nashville (LPD 13), assigned to the Nassau Strike Group (NASSG), successfully played out their ship-to-shore operations duty Sept. 25 as part of Exercise Expeditionary Strike Group Integration exercise (ESGINT) while operating in Onslow Bay, N.C.

ESGINT is the second of three pre-deployment exercises designed to test the fundamental capabilities and shipboard interoperability between the strike group vessels and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24 MEU), in preparation for NASSG's deployment next year.

Six of the seven ships assigned to the NASSG, to include USS Nassau (LHA 4), Nashville, USS Ross (DDG 71), USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) and USS Albany (SSN 753), participated in the important pre-deployment training evolution. ESGINT includes evaluations of a series of complex and coordinated training events integrating the different units of the NASSG, and is the first time some of these units have worked together.

Sailors and Marines from the amphibious transport dock Nashville; landing craft utilities (LCU) 1659, 1660 and 1661 from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 2; Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base; and landing craft air cushioned (LCAC) from ACU 4, Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base participated in the ship-to-shore exercise.

Chief Boatswain's Mate Wayne Mills, the craft master and enlisted captain of LCU 1660, said it is important to conduct these exercise to train his crew in a realistic, life-like safe environment.

“We participate in this type of exercise to ensure that my crew (LCU 1660) is prepared to respond when it’s time to transport equipment and items that are needed by the Sailors and Marines during their deployment next year,” Mills said. “It takes a lot of practice and training to carry out these drills.”

Launching from Onslow Bay, the LCUs carried humvees, fork trucks, small arms ammunition, vehicles, and other Marine supplies and traveled three miles to transport these supplies aboard the wet-well of Nashville.

Despite the slow operations, Mills said his 12-man crew demonstrated a will and determination to carry out its mission.

“We arrived later than we had anticipated [aboard USS Nashville],” Mills said. “I have 18 and 19-year-old Sailors who have never done this before, and they are learning new techniques, and this is a very good practice for them. They will get better in no time.”

Boatswain's mates and engineers aboard Nashville provided operational support ensuring that the conventional crafts arrived safely on the ship’s wet well.

“The more training we do, the better we get,” added Lt. j.g. David Williams, Nashville's boatswain. “We want to get the Sailors and Marines in the same phase before they go on their deployment.”

Nashville is currently serving as the central control ship during a 12-day operation off Onslow Bay in support of the NASSG’s ESGINT exercise.

NASSG is currently preparing for its regularly scheduled 2008 deployment. Made up of more than 5,000 Sailors and Marines, the strike group will project sea power ashore by maintaining the capability of landing amphibious forces by helicopters, amphibious track vehicles, air cushion landing craft, and assault craft whenever and wherever the need arises.

Navy Customs Battalion TANGO Deploys

By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Dave Nagle, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- About 450 Sailors with Navy Customs Battalion (NCB) TANGO deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

The Sailors of NCB TANGO were mobilized by the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) in August and will perform customs inspection missions in Kuwait and Iraq.

According to TANGO’s Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Mark Q. Schwartzel, TANGO’s reservists hail from more than 90 Navy Operational Support Centers in 36 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.

All the Sailors trained together and completed four weeks of predeployment training at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Cheatham Annex and nearby bases. This training includes customs and agriculture inspection; weapons; chemical, biological and radiological defense; self and perimeter defense; non-tactical vehicle operation; and combat life saving and first aid.

“TANGO is certified as customs clearance border agents, trained in homeland security customs and sanctioned by the Department of Agriculture,” said Schwartzel.

“Our job will be to perform customs inspections for returning service members before leaving the theater, so they don’t have to do it stateside and can go straight to their families when they return home,” added Hull Technician 3rd Class Leah Delamarter.

Schwartzel said that TANGO completed training ahead of schedule with no mishaps. One-hundred percent of the battalion qualified on the M-9 pistol and 97.5 percent qualified on the M-16 rifle.

“We’ve received the right training at the right time and I’m confident we’re ready to go do this mission,” Schwartzel said -- a sentiment shared by the entire battalion.

“I’ve learned a lot of new information during our training, certainly things that are outside my rate, but I’ve enjoyed it,” said Delamarter, who is making her first deployment. “It’s hard to leave family, but I’m excited and ready to go.”

Key to TANGO’s success has been an emphasis on deckplate leadership.

“We have 45 chiefs, senior chiefs and master chiefs in our chiefs' mess whose main purpose is to take care of our Sailors, keep them motivated and identify and take care of issues early on,” said Command Master Chief (SW) Ollan Burruss. “We also stress small-team leadership and a lot of credit goes to our first and second class petty officers as well.”

Burruss added that the battalion’s morale and camaraderie has been “awesome” considering the short time they’ve been together.

“These Sailors have come together from all over the country to successfully train for a mission we’ve never done before,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better team of Sailors.”

TANGO is the sixth rotation of Navy reservists mobilized to active duty and trained to serve as customs inspectors in support of OIF. The Navy’s first-ever customs inspection battalion, deployed in January 2005.

NAVELSG is organized and staffed to deliver expeditionary logistics capabilities with mobilization-ready Navy Reserve Force Sailors and equipment to theater commanders in support of the national military strategy. NAVELSG is an operational force of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, a global force provider of adaptive force packages of expeditionary capabilities to joint warfighting commanders.

And now it is history!

At 1134 EDT I can now confirm that NGA has taken down the public FLIP pub website.

Finis!

It's October 1 and the verdict is...

As I post this at 0838 EDT, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) website with what remains of the DoD FLIP electronic pubs is still online at http://164.214.2.62/products/usfif/index.cfm.

Maybe I need to start a pool of Milcom readers to record when these folks will take their website down. So much for sticking to the plan folks. Hey maybe they will have a change of heart and leave the material online --- Not!

Now to my friends who monitor radio comms: From this day until at least the end of the calendar year, you need to be extra vigilant for frequency changes in the military frequency spectrum (138-144 MHz /148-150.8 MHz / 225-400 MHz). Expect to see even more changes take hold in the near future compared to what we have already seen over the last two years.

2nd CAB lights up Doña Ana Range with tank gunnery

By Maj. Deanna Bague, Fort Bliss Public Affairs
Soldiers from the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 5th Brigade (Army Evaluation Task Force) 1st Armored Division, search for high value targets during a combined arms tank gunnery exercise. Photo by Maj. Deanna Bague, Fort Bliss Public Affairs.

Soldiers from the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 5th Brigade (Army Evaluation Task Force) 1st Armored Division, conducted tank gunnery as part of a combined arms exercise at Dona Aña Range, N.M. Sep 18-19. The live fire exercise consisted of mounted and dismounted infantry and cavalry combat operations that orchestrated high intensity conflicts resembling today's battlefield.

"This is the first time we've had all the different elements from the Bradleys to the tanks, and all combined arms," said 2nd Lt. Randy Pace, platoon leader, 2nd CAB.

Thunderous blasts echoing from the surrounding mountains were heard as artillery firepower emerged from the MIA2 SEP V2 Abrams tanks in response to simulated enemy engagements. Two ranges away, Bradley tank fighting vehicles rolled in and came to an abrupt stop where infantry platoons dismounted and searched for high value targets. Observers stood on top of the catwalk of the modular armored tactical combat house viewing every movement Soldiers performed as they entered the structure that replicates a building with floor plans similar to those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Throughout the exercise, Soldiers honed their skills in detecting, identifying and locating targets. Training the basics and mastering the fundamentals prepares Soldiers to accomplish the required missions, said Staff Sgt. Ryan Buettner, gunner, D Co., 2nd CAB. He knows deployment is highly probable, with this in mind, everyone must take training seriously and use it to prepare to the fullest.

"We use ranges to train, but also, we qualify on these ranges," said Buettner, "As tankers we get scores. It's a big pride thing to do the best you can."

Gen. William S. Wallace, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command observed the training to see the progression of the AETF in the development of the Future Combat System program said Command Sgt. Maj. David Davenport, 5-1 AD.

"We work for TRADOC, the FCS program belongs to him," said Davenport. "He's seeing if we're meeting the standards he expects of us."

At the conclusion of the exercise, Wallace addressed the Soldiers from 2nd CAB and handed out coins to those who were identified as key contributors to the success of the exercise.

"It was good to see [the Soldiers] get some recognition, especially from the TRADOC commander," said Pace.

Once 5-1 becomes proficient in their first-tier skills, they will move into training on the new digital equipment and add FCS technology, as they continue to build and train the Heavy Brigade Combat Team, said Davenport.

"The digital training [that] will begin in October will teach the Soldiers to leverage the future technologies with the current equipment," said Davenport.

Last Chance to Download is Today

Your last chance to get a current set of available DoD FLIP publications is today.

Starting at midnight the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency will withdraw access to these taxpayer funded publications from public access. The following publications are available:

Planning Documents:
North and South America AP1/AP1A/AP1B
Pacific-Australasia-Antarctica AP3/AP3A
General Planning GP
Flight Information Handbook FIH

Enroute Supplements:
Caribbean/South American Supplement
US IFR Supplement
US VFR Supplement

The link you are looking for is http://164.214.2.62/products/usfif/enroute.cfm.

This is truly your last chance to get a copy of these publications and the frequencies they contain.

"Finis"

Exercise Noble Midas 07 is Now Underway

NATO and partner nations will hold a maritime exercise called Noble Midas 07, from 27 September until 12 October,2007 in the waters adjacent to Split, Croatia.

Approximately 2,000 military and 50 civilian personnel, over 30 ships and submarines and 20 fixed-wing aircraft from NATO and the Croatian Armed Forces will train together in a Crisis Response Operation scenario, where NATO is appointed by the UN to build up an immediate reaction in a fictitious country on the brink of civil war.

The exercise will comprise forces from twelve NATO nations, including The Netherlands, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States of America, as well as two Partner nations Albania and Croatia.

This live maritime and amphibious exercise will focus on NATO RESPONSE FORCE (NRF) operations supported from the sea, and aims to improve standards of interoperability and to test procedures among participating nations. It will also serve to facilitate certification of the next group of forces committed to the NRF, the Alliance’s high readiness force. Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) will play a significant role in the exercise.

The unique design of Noble Midas 07 demonstrates NATO’s ability and desire to ensure that forces from Allied and Partner nations can adequately operate together and permits an assessment of NRF progress. . While sustaining the required readiness of participating forces, it underpins NATO’s ability to continue its mission of maintaining peace and stability through training and co-operation with Partners.

Noble Midas 07, will be conducted by Allied Maritime Component Command Headquarters Naples (CC-MAR HQ Naples).

Task force readies base for Joint Strike Fighter mission

By Lois Walsh, 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFMCNS) — With the next generation of fighter aircraft slated to arrive here in less than three years, the Eglin F-35 Site Activation Task Force is already working to get the base ready.

Led by Col. George Ross and consisting of a 12-man joint service team, the SATAF has the formidable task of bedding down the JSF. The team’s primary responsibilities are vast; from managing a $400 million military construction budget for facilities to interfacing with multiple multi-service headquarters to meet everyone's training needs.

Assigning the mission of training new Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers to Eglin is the result of the Base Realignment and Closure Committee's 2005 directive.

While Colonel Ross is the single point of coordination between all stakeholders, he relies heavily on his team. He counts on their service-specific expertise to make things happen.

"There are a lot of requirements that come from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps headquarters and we execute to ensure the requirements are met," the colonel said.

For example, Lt. Commander Mike Williams works for the fleet integration team under the commander of the Naval Air Force. He is working closely with Pensacola Naval Air Station and Whiting Field to coordinates the Navy specific training such as field carrier landing practice.

Maj. Lee Kloos is the Air Force Education and Training Command's flying training representative and is responsible for developing and integrating the flying training syllabus for the pilots.

"We try to compartmentalize who does what, but we all have to look at the big picture and be familiar with cross-service activities," Colonel Ross said. "The best example is the work Marc Richard does integrating all the services' and Lockheed Martin's requirements into the design of the training and maintenance facilities."

The colonel recognizes that established units on Eglin, like the 46th Test Wing and the 96th Air Base wing, are huge players in the process. Even though the skies won't be filled with the 33rd Fighter Wing's F-35s for a while, that won't make range planning easier because of the F-35's mission.

"Our mission is going to be different from the existing F-15s, which is air-to-air," Colonel Ross said. "The F-35 has air-to-air and air-to-ground -- it's a multi-role fighter and we'll be utilizing both the land and water ranges for training."

Another big change will be passing the 33rd Fighter Wing's Air Combat Command to the Air Education and Training Command. Colonel Ross is well aware of the heritage of the wing's Nomads, which pleases the wing’s commander, Col. Russ Handy.

"It's absolutely awesome that the 33rd Fighter Wing’s heritage will be carried on as the flag is passed to the F-35 training mission," Colonel Handy said. "The Lightning II is a crucial ingredient to the future of air and space power dominance for the United States and our allies. To know every new F-35 pilot's first exposure to this new weapons system will be with a Nomad patch on his or her shoulder makes me very proud."

Colonel Ross said the lines of communication are open and the SATAF working groups are meeting and working well together to face the milestones head on.

Aerial intercept training prepares warfighters

by Tech. Sgt. Steven Wilson, 36th Operations Group Public Affairs
An F-16 Fighting Falcon demonstrates its range of maneuverability during an aerial intercept exercise Sept. 24 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The F-16 C/D model is capable of withstanding up to nine Gs, or nine times the force of gravity, during combat maneuvers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Mahmoud Rasouliyan)

-16 Fighting Falcon crews practiced rapid response situations during aerial intercept training held Sept. 24 at Andersen Air Force Base.

The training took advantage of deployed airframes present on the island, and the "hostiles" in the exercise were deployed KC-135 tankers simulating enemy aircraft.

"Although the Cold War is long over, and our mission has changed, we must continually adapt to new threats" said Col. Damian McCarthy, the 36th Operations Group commander. "This type of intercept training lets us remain proficient and vigilant in defending our critical resources and personnel."

"This exercise was designed to prepare 522nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron members and Andersen permanent party for an aerial oriented defense scenario," said Capt. Jason Monaco, a 522nd EFS member. "The end goals were to train fighter pilots in alert, scramble and intercept tactics, to test the Andersen senior staff decision-making process and to exercise command-related issues."

The training was intense and very fast paced, said Capt. Vince O'Connor an F-16 pilot .

"When receiving the order to scramble, aircrews went from waiting in the alert facility to airborne within minutes," Captain O'Connor said. "Once airborne, we were directed by air traffic control to intercept the threat. We conducted an intercept at supersonic speed to get to the engagement as soon as possible.

"The highlight of this exercise, from a fighter pilot perspective, was training to an alert take off in very little time and completing an intercept at supersonic speeds," he said. "The ability to complete rapid and safe intercepts of hostile aircraft allows senior leaders to make timely decisions regarding our strategies to best deal with the bad guys."

The joint training exercises conducted here are aimed toward protecting America's interests, reassuring our friends and allies that we are committed to the region, and promoting stability throughout the Western Pacific Region, Colonel McCarthy said.

Two F-16 Fighting Falcons go "wheels-up" during aerial intercept training Sept. 24 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The F-16 has proven itself as a highly maneuverable, low-cost and multi-mission capable weapons platform since it was added to the Air Force inventory in 1979. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Mahmoud Rasouliyan)

F-22 performs first drop of small diameter bomb

by Senior Airman Jason Hernandez, 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
An F-22 Raptor drops a small diameter bomb from its weapons bay during a test mission Sept. 5 over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The test marks the first airborne separation of a small diameter bomb from the internal weapons bay of an F-22. (U.S. Air Force photo/Darin Russell)

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- The F-22 Raptor Combined Test Force staff conducted the first airborne separation of a small diameter bomb from the internal weapons bay of an F-22 during a September test mission here.

"This is a major milestone for the F-22 modernization roadmap," said Lt. Col. Daniel Daetz, the 411th Flight Test Squadron commander.

The drop was made to ensure the small diameter bomb, or SDB, would have a clean separation when released from the F-22.

"The test proved that our predictions were modeled properly," said Maj. Jack Fischer, a 411th Flight Test Squadron test pilot. "The bomb came out exactly as it should have for the first test, so we're on the right track."

Testing of the SDB with the F-22 is part of the Increment 3.1 upgrade to the aircraft, Major Fischer said.

Once the SDB is cleared for operational missions aboard the F-22, it will enable the aircraft to carry four times the weapons load, Major Fischer said. The F-22 can carry eight SDBs with two advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

"Instead of taking two Joint Direct Attack Munitions, we can carry eight SDBs," the major said. "It also increases our range considerably. The SDB envelope will be the highest and fastest of currently fielded Air Force weapons."

Carrying the SDB internally is important to maintaining the F-22's stealth because external weapons could be picked up by radar, said Bill Kuhlemeier, the Lockheed Martin chief flight test engineer. However, the requirement presents unique challenges.

"I think the real question for us is what challenges are there associated with carrying weapons internally," Major Fischer said. "No other aircraft can release a supersonic weapon out of an internal weapons bay. The flow field and shock wave interactions present a very complex challenge. Whether it's air-to-air or air-to-ground, we're still dealing with those same factors."

The F-22 was not originally designed for air-to-ground operations, Mr. Kuhlemeier said.

"We have to learn how much we can get away with while inducing loads on an aircraft that wasn't designed to carry bombs at first," he said. "We're finding ways to overcome that by making the Raptor stronger for the different missions."

The Combined Test Force's future flight test plans include expanding the F-22's delivery envelope to the full capability of the aircraft, Mr. Kuhlemeier said.

"Once we can say the bomb can safely be released from the aircraft, we will move to guided tests," he said. "We will then release the weapons to see if they hit their targets. We're starting easy and working our way up to more difficult tests."

Major Fischer said integration of the SDB with the F-22 is important to the warfighter because it puts almost everything in their target set.

"Targets we can't get with most weapons, we can get with the F-22 because we have stealth," he said. "With this weapon and aircraft, there is no place we can't reach and no place for an enemy to hide."

C-5 lands at Bagram, opens galaxy of capabilities

by Capt. Michael Meridith, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
A C-5 Galaxy lands at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, without interruption to flight operations for the first time Sept. 22. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jamie Cabral)

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) -- The Sept. 22 landing and launching of one of the Air Force's largest aircraft at Bagram Air Base promises to bring "tremendous" capability for the movement of critical cargo across the region, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing officials said here.

The Air Force's C-5 Galaxy landed here without interrupting wing flying operations, a first for Bagram AB, said Col. Jon Sutterfield, the commander of the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group.

The completion of runway upgrades last December helped make Sept. 22's landing and launch possible and opened the door for possible future visits, said Belinda Williams, the Bagram AB airfield manager.

"We're definitely ready to see more C-5 landings in the future," she said "Everything went smoothly."

Previous landings have required the movement of other aircraft on the flightline to accommodate the massive plane.

The C-5 is the largest airlifter in the Air Force inventory and has the ability to carry 36 pallets of cargo. In comparison, a C-130 Hercules can only carry six to eight pallets of cargo, depending on configuration. In addition, the C-5 has the benefit of nearly unlimited range through aerial refueling.

"One of the big advantages of bringing the C-5 here is bypassing the main (U.S. Central Command area of responsibility) hubs to get cargo to the warfighter faster," Colonel Sutterfield said. "It's a huge force multiplier."

Colonel Sutterfield also noted that the landing was the culmination of months of effort involving teamwork among the staff at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in the AOR, the Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and members of a host of organizations at Bagram AB, to include maintenance, security forces, transient alert and airfield management.

"It was a true team effort with a great result," said Master Sgt. Jamie Cabral, a transient alert quality assurance evaluator, who noted it took less than three hours for the aircraft to land, offload nearly 16,000 pounds of cargo and take off again.

"The bottom line is that bringing the C-5 here enables us to bring in more cargo, tools and personnel enabling the 455th to continue to take the fight to the enemy," Sergeant Cabral said.

NGA public downloads - Only 2 days left and then no more

You have two days left to download the NGA FLIP publications. NGA publications will no longer be available to hobby listeners after 1 October 2007, see below.

These useful pubs will be gone from the public domain forever after this date. According to an official spokesman in the NGA that I interviewed, you can thank the Aussie military among other countries who complained their copyrights were being violated by this information being in US DoD pubs and being public. What jerks and guess what milpubs I won't buy and where I won't being going on vacation?

But according to a back channel contact that I have there is a bit more to this story than just copyright concerns. This information is also being removed as a result of some Cold War warriors in DoD and DHS. They convinced their bosses that this public informaion was aiding the enemy monitor everything DoD and was helping them plan attacks. As you can see it this information has really helped the enemy since 9/11.

Yet where our brave servicemen and women are fighting and dying, DoD makes information on all the Iraqi theater freqs, callsigns, services for all bases publicly available on the internet for all to view, including the insurgents and Al Qaida. So much for military intelligence. I won't make that URL available here. Let's see if the CWWs in DoD can figure out they are openingly helping the enemy in Iraq with intel on the internet.

Here is the official story.

REMOVAL OF FLIP DATA
Effective 1 October 2007, NGA's Aeronautical Information will not be available via WWW.

Access to the Aeronautical data via the BLIND URL link will be discontinued. FLIP and DAFIF TM will only be accessible through the NGA Aeronautical Classified and Unclassified Web sites. The NGA NIPRNet site (Unclassified), in accordance with a number of DoD Directives, is Public Key Enabled (PKE); meaning that the site is encrypted using the DoD Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Users requiring access to the NIPRNet can register at https://www.extranet.nga.mil. A valid Common Access Card (CAC) and pin are required. Fill out and submit the request form. You will be notified by email when you have been granted access.

If you were previously up to date on the downloads of these pubs, then the new pubs as of 28 Sep are the US VFR Sup at https://164.214.2.62/products/usfif/enroutezip.cfm and the FIH and GP at https://164.214.2.62/products/usfif/planzip.cfm.

Other material is located at PAA Charts:
https://164.214.2.62/products/usfif/terminals/enroutelist.cfm?charttype=enroutechartscur&country=Pacific_Australasia_Antarctica

AP1B Charts at:
https://164.214.2.62/products/usfif/terminals/enroutelist.cfm?charttype=ap1b_charts&country=United%20States

So this is it folks. Monday morning (0001Z 01 Oct 2007) those who pressed for the removal of these pubs will have their wish and public domain information on DoD and FAA frequencies will be history. I am sure there are more than a few smiles in their offices at this point. But I would say this to those who are smiling, "don't get to smug."

Communications Failure at Memphis Airport Highlights FAA Negligence

Harris FTI Deficiencies Continue to Risk Safety Around the Country

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 26 PRNewswire-USNewswire - The communications outage at Memphis International Airport on September 25, 2007, was completely preventable, says the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), the union that represents Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) technicians. At fault is the FAA's failure to address serious deficiencies in Harris Corporation's Federal Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI), which provides circuitry and communications for the FAA.

The outage was caused by the loss of a circuit card at subcontractor Bell South's central office, which prevented telecommunication lines from feeding information to air traffic and ultimately resulted in a complete shutdown of radar, radio and telephone contact at the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center. Previously, when communications lines failed, a backup telecommunications system automatically came online to support these vital systems until the primary communications lines could be restored, thus preventing a full-scale failure. However, the FAA lowered the standards and definition for diversity in order to award this contract to Harris. As an effort to make the FTI contract more profitable, Harris Corporation merged the backup path for these systems together.

"The problem we experienced in Memphis yesterday should not have happened and illustrates the FAA's complete and utter refusal to accept the reality that the FTI contract is impacting the safety of the flying public," said Dave Spero, PASS regional vice president. "The FAA has given Harris the keys to the kingdom even though they have a proven track record of failing to provide this critical service. The FAA has spent billions of dollars replacing what they deemed to be antiquated telecommunications systems; ironically, the antiquated systems operated much more successfully and safely than what Harris FTI is providing."

The FTI program was introduced by the FAA as a cost-saving measure; however, according to the Inspector General, acquisition costs have increased while cost savings have decreased by over $400 million - more than half of the FAA's original estimated savings. FTI has also been plagued with additional problems, including insufficient training of contractors, poor planning and management, and substandard service. Furthermore, with no services to fall back on when there are problems with FTI, there is even greater risk of outages occurring repeatedly at facilities throughout the country. "Outages of this type are preventable," said Spero. "It is the FAA's ultimate responsibility to ensure a safe and efficient National Airspace System. Unfortunately, it is failing miserably."

USCG Icebreaker Healy Returning from the Arctic

The nation’s largest icebreaker, USCGC HEALY, commanded by CAPT Ted Lindström, returns to her homeport of Seattle, WA on the 30th of September. HEALY’s arrival in Seattle denotes the successful conclusion of the Arctic West Summer 2007 Deployment that began when HEALY departed Seattle on April 3rd. Since April, HEALY has traveled over 25,000 nautical miles and conducted over 2,000 individual science evolutions. The deployment consisted of three missions: year one of the Bering Ecosystem Study, year two of Climate Driven Changes in Impacts of Benthic Predators in the Northern Bering Sea and the third in a series of sea floor mapping expeditions to the Chukchi Cap in the Arctic Ocean. HEALY spent a six weeks between the second and third missions in Seattle conducting scheduled maintenance and training.

HEALY left Dutch Harbor on April 11th to begin the first mission of Arctic West Summer 2007. The Bering Ecosystem Study (BEST) is a multidisciplinary, multiyear project designed to consider all levels of the ecosystem of the Bering Sea, from the chemistry of the water and sediment to the biology of seals and walruses to the social implications of climate change and the roles of people in the system. It is a joint venture funded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) involving scientists from research institutions around the country. In 2007, the chief scientist was Dr. Raymond Sambrotto of Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory. The BEST project is looking at the changes that take place as the ice edge recedes during the spring. During this time, the sea transitions from a barren, dark, frozen expanse to a sea that is full of light and life in the summer. Very little research has been done in the Bering at this time of year because there are very few research vessels capable of operating in the ice choked waters of the Bering Sea in the spring. HEALY exceeded the expectations of the science party and proved itself to be an excellent platform for BEST, conducting a total of over 400 sampling evolutions at over 200 different stations spread over the central and southern Bering Sea. These evolutions included water measurements taken with a CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) rosette, sediment samples taken with a mulitcorer and plankton samples taken with a variety of small nets. At seven points during the cruise, parties were deployed to the ice to sample both the ice and the undisturbed water below the ice. The science party left HEALY on May 12th in Dutch Harbor, returning to their home institutions to process the tremendous quantity of data collected over the 32 day cruise. The next BEST cruise is scheduled to be the first mission in HEALY’s 2008 deployment.

After replenishing supplies and loading a new science party, HEALY left Dutch Harbor on May 16th to begin her second mission in support of a National Science Foundation project entitled “Climate Driven Changes in Impacts of Benthic Predators in the Northern Bering Sea.” This project was also multidisciplinary, involving physical oceanography, marine chemistry, marine biology, and the study of biological processes. The cruise took HEALY into the central and northern Bering Sea and was timed to study the ecosystem when the spring explosion of life is being sustained by phytoplankton falling to the seafloor. Chief scientists Jackie Grebmeier and Lee Cooper of the University of Tennessee and Dr. Jim Lovvorn of the University of Wyoming are using several decades of data, some collected aboard HEALY in past years, to assess how food webs and biological communities are structured and changing as water temperatures warm, seasonal ice retreats and predators such as fish and crab find more favorable conditions for growth and range expansions. These changes in the ecosystem need to be understood, as they will likely come at the expense of specialized seafloor feeding birds and mammals, including walruses, spectacled eiders, gray whales and bearded seals. During the cruise, HEALY conducted a total of 1500 sampling evolutions at over 150 different stations. Much of the equipment used was similar to that used during BEST, but this mission also used trawl nets to sample the benthic (or seafloor) animals that live on the bottom of the sea, including sculpins, shrimp, snails and brittle stars. After more than a month of crisscrossing the Bering Sea, HEALY returned to Dutch Harbor and disembarked the science party on June 18th before returning to Seattle for routine maintenance and training. The chief scientists plan to continue to study the changes in the benthic ecosystem in the Bering Sea next year.

HEALY’s third mission during the deployment focused on exploring the relatively uncharted seafloor of the Chukchi Cap. The cruise was sponsored by NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire’s Joint Hydrographic Center. The ship sailed from Seattle to Barrow, Alaska where cruise participants were ferried aboard via helicopter on August 17th. The mission was the third expedition in a series of mapping cruises aboard HEALY that began in 2003, all aimed at mapping the Chukchi Cap area. The science party, led by chief scientists Larry Mayer of UNH and Andy Armstrong of NOAA, continued to explore this poorly known region to better understand its morphology and the potential for including this area within the United States’ extended continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Several ancillary programs were able to participate in the cruise as well. A team from the National Ice Center was able to deploy a series of ice beacons to help track ice movement in the region and a graduate student from Scripps Institute of Oceanography deployed a series of hydrophones to record the underwater sounds of the Arctic Ocean. Unseasonably light ice cover allowed HEALY to cover over 5,000 nautical miles and reach areas north of 82oN during the four week cruise, dramatically exceeding the science party’s expectations. The primary mapping data, which was collected from HEALY’s multibeam sonar and subbottom profiler, has already revealed some exciting new bottom features. With further analysis, the data will significantly enhance our understanding of the Chukchi Cap and the potential for an extended continental shelf in the region.

An important element of The Arctic West Summer 2007 deployment was involving the local communities in the work being done in their backyards. The BEST science party included a school teacher and a science museum curator who led interaction initiatives for both of the isolated Pribilof Islands. Members of the science party visited the islands to make presentations at the local schools and some members of the local communities were able to visit and tour HEALY as the ship held position off shore. During the second mission, three Alaskan Natives from the St. Lawrence Island villages of Gambell and Savoonga, including a high school student, participated in the cruise, providing valuable local knowledge and expertise. At one point during the cruise a delegation of Coast Guard personnel and scientists visited Little Diomede Island where they worked with the local community to recover some automated sensors installed on an earlier trip. A Native Alaskan from Barrow was included as part of the science party during the third mission. Jimmy Jones Olemaun is a marine mammal observer; in addition to counting seals, walruses and polar bears, he helped HEALY successfully coordinate its work off Barrow with the local community.

HEALY is the newest and largest of the nation’s three heavy icebreakers and the only one with extensive scientific capabilities. The 420-foot cutter was commissioned in 2000 and has a permanent crew of 80. Scientific support is her primary mission, but as a Coast Guard Cutter, HEALY is also a capable platform for supporting other potential missions in the Polar Regions, including logistics, search and rescue, ship escort, environmental protection, and the enforcement of laws and treaties. Many people have begun to speculate what will happen in the Arctic if the less ice leads to more shipping and human activity in the region. When speaking of the future, Admiral Thad Allen, the current Commandant of the Coast Guard, has said that "Icebreakers will have an important role to play." For the time being, HEALY will remain in Seattle conducting scheduled maintenance and training in preparation for her next scientific deployment, which will begin in the late winter of 2008. The deployment being planned for HEALY is similar to the one she just completed. It focuses on studying the consequences of warming trends in the Bering Sea and more survey work in the vicinity of the Chukchi Cap.