Of all places in Pakistan !!

Transgender Pakistanis join election fight for first time

18 April 2013 Last updated at 16:36 GMT Help

As Pakistanis prepare to head to the polls at next month general election, for the first time in the country's history transgender candidates are being allowed to run for office.

The step is seen as a highly significant moment for transgendered people who have often found themselves on the edge of Pakistani society.

Tom Bayly reports.

Video report at BBC site :  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22208601
That means a lot of pondan there

Most MRAPS won’t be coming home from Afghanistan

Very few of the Marine Corps’ 1,200 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles still in Afghanistan will be traveling back to the U.S., the Corps’ deputy commandant for installations and logistics said this week.

Speaking at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Wednesday afternoon, Lt. Gen. William Faulkner revealed elements of a plan to donate unwanted MRAPs to partner nations within Central Command as Marines balance efforts to retrograde from Afghanistan with a mandate to get lighter and more compact as a service.

“The bottom line is, we don’t need them,” Faulkner said of the MRAPs remaining in Afghanistan. “We don’t need as many as we have today.”

The Pentagon has been planning to decrease its fleet of the hulking MRAPs as the war in Afghanistan winds down. In recent years, the U.S. military has expanded its requests for Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, a more agile competing technology.

The Marine Corps has about 4,000 MRAPs in its inventory, Faulkner said, and officials have calculated they want to keep fewer than 1,500 of the 14-ton machines after Operation Enduring Freedom draws to a close in 2014.

“We’re looking for partner nations throughout Afghanistan to provide these to them as a donation, as extra defense articles,” Faulkner said. “We plan on only keeping those that we believe are absolutely necessary to minimize our risk.”

The few MRAPs in Afghanistan that will be retained for Marine Corps use will be parceled out, with some going to military prepositioning programs with Military Sealift Command or in Norway or Kuwait. Others will be brought back to U.S. bases for training programs, such as the pre-deployment exercises aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Faulkner said the quantities of equipment being retrograded from Afghanistan were unchanged by the sequestration budget cuts that took effect in March.

What may alter the MRAP donation plan, however, is the current estimated length of time between a partner country requesting vehicles and actually receiving the equipment: a bureaucratic 210 days, Faulkner said.

This would include a review by the State Department to ensure the requesting country can support the donated equipment and final approval by the Joint Staff.

“There are some concerns over the (donation system) not being responsive enough,” Faulkner said. “So they’re trying to neck that down so we’re more responsive. But we would much rather provide this to a partner nation of U.S. Central Command’s than actually cut it up into razor blades.”

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20...rom-Afghanistan

Now, we should buy that surplus MRAP and deploy it to UNIFIL

free frigates?
in your dream.
They did offer us OHP class ship for a very low price. but it not worth getting.
maintaining it would be a nightmare.

PAKFA for the win

Typhoon fighter jet performs first laser guided, self designating, simultaneous guided bomb drops
Posted by David Cenciotti - April 19, 2013 - The Aviationist

Equipped with new P1E software, a Eurofighter Typhoon in a multirole configuration featuring both air-to-surface and air-to-air weapons (2 GBU-16 plus 1 Laser Designation Pod plus 2 AIM-9L plus 2 underwing tanks) recently conducted the first laser guided, self designating, simultaneous guided bomb drops: in other words, the European jet attacked and destroyed two different targets at the same time.



According to Eurofighter, further successful tests were conducted using the same two-seater plane with 2 x SRAAM, 4 x AMRAAM, 2 x underwing tanks, 4 x GBU-16 and 1 x LDP pod;  approximately double the F-16 weapons load.

The tests were aimed at proving that the Typhoon is not only an air dominance fighter capable to achieve some F-22 kills in mock aerial combat during last year’s Red Flag Alaska, but is also an effective precision air-to-surface platform, as proved by the Libya Air War.

“P1E brings full simultaneous multi-role capabilities to the Air Forces currently operating the Eurofighter Typhoon with full integration of the Litening II Laser Designation Pod and Precision Guided Munitions. P1E also delivers Mode 5 IFF, improved Radios and Direct Voice Input, Air-to-Surface integration of the Helmet Mounted Sight System, improved Air-to-Air capabilities including digital integration of Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles, updated MIDs functionalities for enhanced interoperability with coalition forces, and many aspects from the popular UK Radar and Drop programmes which delivered improvements to the Tranche 1 aircraft” Eurofighter says.

Future enhancement programmes will integrate even more weapon systems and capabilities to the aircraft such as Storm Shadow, Brimstone and the Meteor missiles.

Source:  The Aviationist

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
No. 252-13
April 19, 2013

Navy to Christen Third Joint High Speed Vessel

The Navy will christen the joint high speed vessel (JHSV) Millinocket April 20, during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony in Mobile, Ala.

Vice Adm. William R. Burke, deputy chief of Naval Operations for Warfare Systems, will deliver the ceremony’s principal address.  Karen G. Mills, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, will serve as the ship’s sponsor.

“The USNS Millinocket will represent the United States around the world for decades to come,” Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said.  “Naming this joint high speed vessel after East Millinocket and Millinocket honors the immense contributions and support to the military made by the men and women of these communities and the state of Maine.”

The future USNS Millinocket is the first naval vessel to be named in honor of Millinocket and East Millinocket, Maine.  Founded in 1901 and 1907, respectively, Millinocket’s main source of revenue for residents came from working at what was, at the time, the world’s largest paper mill.  During the Great Depression, showing a great sense of community, mill workers coordinated to reduce the number of hours individual employees worked, ensuring all employees kept their jobs and were able to provide for their families.

In February 2012, the USS Stephen W. Groves was decommissioned after almost 30 years of active service.  The ship was named for Ensign Stephen W. Groves, a native of East Millinocket, Maine and a naval aviator who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his brave actions during the Battle of Midway during World War II.

The 338 foot-long aluminum catamaran is being constructed by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.  They are ideal for fast, intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles, supplies and equipment.  They are capable of transporting 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots and can operate in austere ports and waterways, providing U.S. forces added mobility and flexibility.  The JHSVs also have an aviation flight deck to support day and night air vehicle launch and recovery operations.  JHSVs have berthing space for up to 104 personnel and airline-style seating for up to 312. 

Military commanders will have the flexibility to use the JHSV in a variety of roles to include supporting overseas contingency operations, conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, supporting special operations forces and supporting emerging joint sea-basing concepts.

Upon delivery to the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Millinocket will be designated as a United States Naval Ship and will have a core crew of 21 civilian mariners who will operate and navigate the ship.  The first four JHSVs -- including Millinocket -- will be crewed by federally employed civil service mariners, and the remaining six will be crewed by civilian contract mariners working for private shipping companies under contract to MSC.  Military mission personnel will embark, as required, by the mission sponsors. 

Source: U.S. Department of Defense



The Spearhead class Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) is a United States Navy-led shipbuilding program to provide "a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intratheater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The JHSV will reach speeds of 35–45 knots (65–83 km/h; 40–52 mph) and will allow for the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or special forces as well as equipment and supplies.



The JHSV will be able to transport U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps company-sized units with their vehicles, or reconfigurable to become a troop transport for an infantry battalion.



The JHSV will have a flight deck for helicopters and a load ramp that will allow vehicles to quickly drive on and off the boat. The ramp will be suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. JHSV will have a shallow draft (under 15 feet (4.6 m)).[1]



The U.S. Navy has awarded $204.2 million to Mobile's Austal USA shipyard for the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program, part of a potential 10-vessel, $1.6 billion contract. Austral USA parent company is Australia's publicly traded Austal Ltd.,

>>>  This would be good for sending troops and assets between East and West M'sia and can even use small ports

Eurocopter delivers the first Tiger HAD version to the French DGA

Eurocopter’s first production Tiger helicopter in the HAD attack configuration was delivered to France’s DGA armament procurement agency today for operation by French Army Aviation units, providing a highly capable combat weapon system that is tailored to the world’s evolving battlefield conditions.



This milestone followed DGA qualification of the Tiger HAD version on April 10, and marked the delivery startup for Eurocopter’s latest variant of a rotorcraft product line which has already been combat proven during military operations in Afghanistan, Libya and today in Mali.

“With the Tiger HAD, Eurocopter further expands the operational capabilities of a combat helicopter family which has demonstrated its mission effectiveness and performance in highly challenging military deployments,” said Dominique Maudet, the Eurocopter group’s Executive Officer for France, and Vice President of Global Business and Services.

To date, France has ordered 40 Tiger combat helicopters in HAD configuration for its French Army Aviation units. Another 24 helicopters has been ordered by the Spanish government to equip the Spanish Army (which includes six Tiger HAP support and escort versions retrofitted for fire support and attack missions).

Feature improvements of the Tiger HAD variant include two enhanced MTR390 turboshaft engines that provide 14 percent more power, improved ballistic protection, a new optronic sighting system, the capability to target and launch Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, an evolved electronic warfare suite, and an IFF (identification, friend or foe) interrogation system.

97 multi-role Tiger family currently are in service in four countries: France, Germany, Spain and Australia; which have ordered a total of 206 helicopters.

Source: EADS
The Tiger is available in French version support and protection (PAHs), equipped with air-to-air Mistral, a 30mm gun and 68mm rockets, and support version-Destruction (HAD), which in addition to equipment of PAH has air-ground missiles Hellfire.

DSME of S Korea to build Thai navy frigate

The DW 3000H is to be multirole frigate with a focus on anti-submarine warfare (ASW). Primary weapon systems are a single Oto Melara 76 mm gun in a stealth turret, an eight-cell vertical launch system for surface-to-air missiles – very likely the ESSM, eight surface-to-surface missiles – most likely American-built Harpoons or the equivalent Korean-built SSM-700K in two quad launchers located amidships, two 30 mm MSI DS30 guns fitted atop the hangar deck and a Phalanx close-in weapon system that is mounted one deck higher. A pair of decoy launchers is also fitted.

The ASW suite comprises two triple-torpedo tubes in enclosed recesses on the main deck level as well as what appear to be two anti-torpedo decoy launchers mounted atop the hangar deck. A hull-mounted sonar is fitted in a retractable sonar dome, though it is not clear if a towed array system is fitted.

The frigate can accommodate one helicopter in the hangar. The display model shows a Lynx helicopter.



Principal dimensions of the DW 3000H are a length of 114 meters, a beam of 13.8 meters, a depth of 8.2 meters, a draft of 3.9 meters, and a displacement of 3,000 tons

Stealthy features include an enclosed foredeck, enclosed boat decks on either side of the superstructure, and enclosed bridge wings that extend from the slab-sided superstructure, as well as funnels that are shielded by the superstructure in profile.



DSME DW-3000H frigates - main gun 76 mm, 8 tubes ESSM anti-air missiles in vertical launch version, 20mm CIWS, 30mm cannon (MSI DS30), torpedo tubes, stealth mast will be at Thales I-Mast 400/I-Mast 500

The DW 3000H features an integrated mast – Thales’ I-Mast 500 most likely fitted with ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile) uplink/control capability. Fire-control equipment includes a forward-facing gunfire-control director – a Thales Sting – atop the bridgehouse and a rear-facing Thales MIRADOR electro-optical director atop the helicopter hangar.



The frigate’s propulsion system is a combined diesel and diesel arrangement driving two controllable pitch propellers for a top speed of 28 knots. To improve seakeeping characteristics, the hull has a pair of adjustable fin stabilizers and two pairs of bilge keels (strakes running along the length of the hull)

Aludra boleh bikin

Thermal images of the Boston bomber hiding in a backyard boat taken by a helicopter’s FLIR

The following thermal images were released on Twitter by the Massachusetts State Police, show the Boston Marathon bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarneav hiding in a boat in a Watertow backyard during Apr. 19′s manhunt.

FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) pods carried by Police helicopters have been an important tool in helping law enforcement locate suspects of the Boston Marathon bombing.



The helicopter was able to pick up the heat signature of the individual even if he was hiding under a cover on the boat, and direct tactical teams on the ground over to the area.

Modern IR (infrared) cameras are extremely sensitive to heat: they are capable to pick different temperatures at very long distances. They can pick up heat on a wall from where a hand was placed for a few seconds and show its thermal signature.

You can’t hide from these cameras unless wearing special reflective materials/suits, capable to minimize heat gain and loss.


Source
Video:  http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/infrared-i...g-spot-19009284

got if from a friend



MILF sniper!

Croatia presents new assault rifle

Croatian HS Produkt, the maker of the famous HS and XDM handguns, officially presented a new assault rifle at the opening of ASDA 2013 expo today in Split, Croatia.



The new Rifle, VHS-2, more specifically VHS-D2 for standard and VHS-K2 for short version, is a successor to the previous VHS rifle. Unlike the previous rifle, VHS-2 is ambidextrous, and casings can be ejected either left or right, but are also ejected a little forward. It is the first bull-pup rifle in the world to feature a telescopic stock with 6 positions. Barrels and calibers can be quickley switched out, as well as grenade launchers and other accessories.