IDF deploys Patriots

HAARENTZ: 

A Patriot surface-to-air missile battery was deployed in Haifa on Monday, two days after an unmanned aerial vehicle breached Israeli airspace from the west.

Israel Defense Forces officials said that the deployment was not an emergency measure, and such systems are deployed to the area from time to time.

Moreover, IDF officials refused to comment on the possible connection between the drone, which was intercepted on Saturday, and the Patriot missile system deployed to Haifa.

The Patriot missile system is a part of Israel’s air defense capabilities, and is meant to defend against enemy warplanes, and intercept missiles.

Last April, a Patriot battery was deployed to Haifa, close to the city’s university. Numerous such systems were in place in Haifa during the Second Lebanon War as well.

The deployment of the battery comes shortly before the beginning of a joint comprehensive drill between the IDF and United States Military commands, which has been called AC12. The AC12 drill entails testing the active defense capabilities of the two military organizations.

The last joint-command drill, “Juniper Cobra,” which took place in 2010, included the use of Patriot missile systems. 

Then, ten Patriot missiles were fired at UAVs simulating a breach of Israeli airspace. The Israeli air defense establishment has labeled the AC12 as “a significant factor in improving our combat capabilities” with the United States.

The Israeli Air Force shot down an unidentified aerial vehicle that penetrated Israel's airspace on Saturday. IDF forces shot down the drone over the Negev, south of Mount Hebron.

Read the rest of the story here. 

DARPA: Drones can mid-air refuel

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has announced that two modified Global Hawk drones have demonstrated they can "safely and autonomously operate under in-flight refueling conditions," but challenges remain. 

The tests actually took place several months ago, and DARPA researchers have been poring over data acquired during those tests to reach their conclusions. Researchers expected low success rates over multiple attempts because Global Hawks are designed for endurance, not refined control authority in formation flight. But DARPA this week said data analysis shows that close formation flights show that "60 percent of the attempts would achieve contact." And that could eventually lead to changes the mission profiles and capabilities of unmanned aerial systems.

The tests flew the aircraft in formations that kept a refueling probe and receiver at distances of 100 feet or less over hours at a time at altitudes above 44,000 feet. They applied different breakaway scenarios and contingencies and found that the aircraft successfully avoided potentially hazardous conditions. 

The latest tests were the ninth in a series that have advanced since 2007. In those tests, DARPA and NASA teamed to show that high-performance aircraft operated with human observer pilots could perform automated refueling from conventional manned tankers. Fitting Global Hawk aerial vehicles with air-to-air refueling capabilities would allow the aircraft to carry heavier payloads at takeoff and prolong mission times. The FAA is currently working to formalize regulations that would dictate the operation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the national airspace.

Israeli jets intercept drone

JERUSALEM — Israel scrambled fighter jets to intercept a drone Saturday that crossed deep into Israeli airspace from the Mediterranean Sea, shooting the aircraft down over the country's southern desert, the military said.

The incident marked the first time in at least six years that a hostile aircraft has penetrated Israel's airspace, and Israeli officials said they were taking the incident seriously, raising the possibility of retaliatory action.

It was not immediately clear who launched the drone, but suspicion quickly fell on the Lebanese Islamic militant group Hezbollah. The Iranian-backed group is known to have sent drones into Israeli airspace on several previous occasions.

Tensions are running high between Iran and Israel over Tehran's nuclear program, which the West believes is cover for the development of atomic weapons. The Islamic Republic denies the allegations, and says its program is for peaceful purposes only. Israel has threatened to carry out a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities to prevent Iran from acquiring such weapons.

Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich said Israeli ground systems detected the drone, which flew over the Gaza Strip but did not originate there, Saturday morning. They alerted the air force, which scrambled the jets to intercept the aircraft. She said Israel was still trying to determine where the drone took off from. Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Leibovich said Israeli jets escorted the drone before deciding to bring it down in the northern Negev area, which is largely uninhabited.

The drone, which was downed near the Yatir Forrest close to the West Bank, had spent about 20 minutes in Israeli air space, an Israeli military official said on condition of anonymity in line with protocol.

Leibovich did not give more details, but Israel media reported that the aircraft was not carrying explosives and could have been a surveillance drone.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a statement that Israel views "this incident of attempting to enter Israeli airspace very severely and we will consider our response later," while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel "will continue to defend our borders in the sea, on the land and in the air for the security of the citizens of Israel."

It's not the first time that Israel has shot down a drone in its airspace, although such cases are very rare.

Hezbollah sent a few aircraft over Israel over the past decade but without much success. In the 2006 war, the militant group launched an Iranian-made drone capable of carrying explosives into Israel that was shot down. Another drone two years earlier crashed in the Mediterranean.

Last week Israeli authorities indicted an Arab citizen of Israel on charges of spying for Hezbollah, accusing him of gathering intelligence on security for Israel's president and other public officials as well as military installations.

Baumgartner set for world record breaking jump

Austrian daredevil, Felix Baumgartner, 43, aviation pioneer, B.A.S.E jumper and a world renowned extreme athlete is all set to break not only one but a number of world records. For this purpose he along with Red Bull Stratos team which whom he has been practicing for years to break the record of the highest altitude jump which was set 52 years ago. A special capsule has been prepared for this purpose.

It had been through a series of tests at an altitude chamber in Brooks City Base in San Antonio, Texas. This capsule that weighed 1.315 kgs was the one in which Baumgartner used to test jump from an altitude of 29,610 meters in July this year at a speed of 864 kmph. Now on October 8th, Baumgartner will attempt the world record once again wherein he will be breaking records for highest speed in freefall, highest jump, highest manned balloon flight and longest freefall.

The balloon itself is made of plastic, 1/10th the thickness of a Ziploc bag and is an 850.000 cubic meter helium balloon. Weather conditions permitting, Baumgartner will attempt this feat at Roswell, New Mexico where he will jump from an altitude of 36,576 meters. If successful this will be the world's highest ever skydive. The current record for the same feat stands at 31,333 meters and was set in 1960 by US Air Force Capt. Joe Kittinger who now serves as the adviser for Baumgartner's mission.

For more information CLICK HERE

Marines speaking out on Camp Bastion attack.

New details have emerged of the large-scale response to a Taliban attack last week on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province.

The BBC has been given exclusive access to the US Marines and Royal Air Force gunners who were involved in the counter-attack.

The Taliban attackers who broke through Camp Bastion's perimeter chose the darkest night of the year to launch their assault.

They quickly made their way to the US Marine Harrier flight line.

They were dressed in American army uniforms but, instead of boots, they wore training shoes.

Their beards were another give-away, but the darkness meant that the coalition forces on the base only realised they were insurgents when they opened fire.

In quick succession, they fired rocket-propelled grenades at eight Harrier jump jets under canvas hangers, destroying six and damaging two.

Trained riflemen

Capt Kevin Smalley of Marine Attack Squadron 211 had just finished a combat mission when he heard the first explosion.

Every Marine, whether a mechanic or pilot, is a trained rifleman.He said: "I didn't get a good bead on how many enemy were out there because it was very smoky and there were a lot of flames and explosions as our rounds were cooking off. But I could see at least one enemy from my position, as I secured the area."

Squadron Commander Lt Col Chris Raible ran 150 metres across open ground under fire. He was carrying only his service pistol.

As he lay down, shooting at the insurgents, a rocket-propelled grenade exploded nearby, killing him.

Sgt Bradley Atwell was also killed by an RPG as he pushed forward with a counter-attack.

Capt Smalley said: "Lt Col Raible was one of the best Harrier pilots we have in the entire fleet... He wrote on many of the tactics and techniques that the Harrier uses."

Firefight

Bastion is one of the biggest camps in Afghanistan - its perimeter is 37km in length.

It appears the Taliban got close to the perimeter through a network of dry river beds that run along the camp perimrter.

Although Bastion is in an area of desert, the surroundings are not uninhabited.

The Royal Air Force's 51 squadron, the base's quick response force, crossed the runway in two heavily-armed, Coyote open-topped vehicles.

A four-and-a-half hour long firefight then ensued.

Sgt Roy "Doc" Geddes was one of those leading the counter-attack.

"This is something we weren't expecting, the base is quite well defended," he said.

"Obviously they've found the weak point, and managed to exploit that and get on to the base, but once they were on they were dealt with effectively and quickly."

The airfield's four fire appliances made their way to the site (nearby fuel pits had also been set alight). They needed to be resupplied with water three times.

"The flames were about 100ft," said Sgt Simon Allsop, watch manager of the Red Watch in Camp Bastion's fire section.

"And there were more flames from the Harriers, there were large thuds going off, explosions going on, obviously from rocket attack. 

Attack helicopters were called in too - from Prince Harry's squadron. The Prince was not involved in the counter-attack: he was taken to a secure location on the base.

American helicopters killed the three remaining Taliban, who had hidden behind concrete blast walls. In total 14 were killed, and one was injured.

Their tactics bore all the hallmarks of the Haqqani network, a Taliban affiliate based in Pakistan.

At Bastion, military sources were not commenting, an investigation is underway.

The one surviving insurgent is believed to be undergoing treatment at Bastion's hospital.

Within hours of the attack, parts of the Bastion runway were operational again.

Two new Harriers arrived at the base earlier this week; four more will follow shortly.

The two that weren't destroyed by the Taliban will be returned to the US for extensive repairs.

More on this story at the BBC HERE