Year: 2008

India Working on BMD System

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They are looking at a two tiered system, and have some demonstration vehicles for their missile defense system.

The two tiered system mirrors that of the US Safeguard system of the late 1960s, and has me wondering if their system, like Safeguard, uses nuclear warheads.

In Safeguard, the upper tier had an exoatmospheric interceptor, Spartan, with a megaton sized warhead that killed thermally, and an endoatmospheric interceptor, Sprint, with a kiloton sized warhead that killed through neutron pulse.

In either case, they have purchased Israeli phased array radars for the system, along with Raytheon and Lockheed, and there is either some Russian involvement, or an extensive marketing effort by the Russians to get their foot in the door.


The Thielert Diesel Aircraft Engine Soap Opera Continues

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Relations between Thielert, and Diamond, its largest customer, who has had to halt production for lack of engines continues to be poor.

Diamond continues the rapid development of its aircraft diesel engine, the Austro, and even though Thielert has resumed production, Diamond is not taking any shipments, even though Thielert has moved to the next step of insolvency.

Diamond has a statement out on the situation. It’s basic points are:

  • Thielert has not involved Diamond in investment discussions (Thielert claims that Diamond has declined to be involved)
  • Recent issues with the clutch/reduction gear of serious concern.
  • Diamond has serious concerns with prompt delivery of spares, even when money is paid up front.
  • Even when spares are available, the prices are high, due to the captive nature of the market.
  • Diamond is working to develop it’s own support infrastructure for Thielert engine for existing infrastructure.
  • Diamond is looking at integrating a Lycoming AvGas engine into its DA-42.

This is an unbelievable mess.

A Case Study: The Problem With Defense Procurement

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Over the past few years, the Swedes have looked at developing an advanced wheeled combat behicle, the SEP, developed by BAE* subsidiary Hagglunds.

About 6 months ago, after a few demonstrators had been fielded, massive budget cuts came out for the Swedish military, and there was not enough money to buy a new class of vehicles.

They decided to go “off the shelf”.

Well, now BAE and Hagglunds are declaring that the SEP is really off the shelf, because there are 4 pre-productions vehicles under construction….Yeah, right.

It’s the iron triangle, also called the military industrial complex, at work.

Still, it’s some pretty neat tech, doing 6×6, 8×8, and tracked on the same basic chassis.

It also has an active protection panel armor (see pics below):

*Full disclosure, I worked at another division of BAE in 1995 and 1996 when the Carlyle Group sold me to buy Dunkin Donuts†
†Yes, I have worked everywhere. Maybe I can’t hold down a job, but more likely this has been my role as “technical hit man”, where you are parachuted in to take care of a specific need.

The AMA: Part of the Problem, Not Part of the Solution

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Yes, the American Medical Association just voted to lobby to outlaw home births, because midwives are taking too much of OB/GYN’s business.

I would never have used a midwife or done home delivery with my wife, and if she had wanted it, I would have done everything in my power to make her go to a hospital instead, because she is a poster child for major birthing complications.

But that’s our choice. It’s not a profit center for doctors.

An Interesting Development in Lightweight Armor

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The material is called Dyneema, which is an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

I’ve seen high strength polyethylene used for bullet proof garments and butcher’s gloves, where it has a real advantage over Kevlar® in that it does not degrade in a washing machine.

They were showing at a show what happened when a 500g high speed (about 1500 m/s) projectile at it.

It looks like the projectile had a low sectional density, but it’s still impressive.

Here is a test stand with penetration of multiple layers:

With the detail of the final layer stopping the projectile:

Definately neat.

Sarko Runs into Buzz Saw Over Defense White Paper

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Nicolai Sarkosy has proposed a massive restructuring of the French military. He would cut about 1/5 of the military’s manpower, tie the military much more tightly into a pan-European framework, close African bases, and rejoin the NATO integrated military command.

This is a very big deal, and I think that I agree, at least partially, with Robert Fox’s analysis, that a large part of this is about creating a more European framework, which would reduce US influence. (See also here)

This will, however, create a firestorm. The independence of the French military command from the US has been a centerpiece of the center-right Gaullists in France, the center-left Socialists always being more friendly to the US, so he is moving against his base, and the generals are flipping out, having published an anonymous essay in Le Figaro under the pseudonym of Surcourf, “attacked the new defence policy as amateurish, incoherent and full of gimmicks.”

Alain Juppé objected strenuously too, noting that, “Gaullism is not dead, at least in the minds of some people.”

US Talking With Lithuania About Missile Interceptor Location

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It appears that because the Poles are getting cold feet, or demanding more for the base, they are talking with Lithuania about locating the missiles there.

This means a number of things:

  1. The relatively new Polish government is not being as cooperative as they would like.
  2. That most other nations are not interested (the Lithuanians really hate the Russians)
  3. That this missile defense installation is directed against the Russians, and not the Iranians.

The last point is simple: If you have a sub optimal location, one that is too far north to protect parts of Turkey, Greece, and Italy, starting negotiations with a country that is further north, and hence less well suited to intercepting Iranian missiles, but just as well suited to intercepting a Russian strike.

What is going on is simple: This is Republicans trying to recreate the cold war, because it benefits them politically.

Zimbabwe: Mugabe Rejects Mbeki Plan (Page 1 of 1)

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What I find remarkable is that even with the violence and criminality of ZANU-PF in the runoff, they are still not sure that they can win an election, because there are now reports that there are arguments among the leadership as to what should be done if he loses.

Seriously, it appears that they are running up against their limits as vote riggers.

It has apparently gotten so bad that Mbeki is actually starting to propose solutions, specifically something similar to what happened in Kenya, with a PM and a unity government.

I think that this is unlikely, as Mugabe’s government is proceeding with the trumped uptreason trial of Tendai Biti, the secretary-general of the MDC.

Economics Update

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I’m lazy, so let’s just say, Oil up, retail gasoline up, and dollar down.

I’m beginning if I should stop covering the above swings daily….day-to-day has too much noise to signal.

On the other hand, the rumors of massive writedowns at Citi over mortgages, LBO loans, CDOs, etc. is probably more significant, as is the fact that Moody’s finally cut MBIA’s credit rating.

Moody’s Investors Service on Thursday stripped the insurance arms of Ambac Financial Group and MBIA of their AAA ratings, citing their impaired ability to raise capital and write new business.

….

Moody’s cut Ambac Assurance three notches to “Aa3,” the fourth highest investment grade, and downgraded Ambac Financial three notches to “A3,” the seventh highest investment grade, from “Aa3.”

MBIA Insurance was cut five notches to “A2,” the sixth highest investment grade, and MBIA Inc was cut five notches to “Baa1,” three steps above junk, from “Aa2.”

This is actually more significant than just making their borrowing money more expensive, it means that some of the holders of insurance contracts the right to terminate or require the additional collateral from the company.

It’s what Atrios calls, “Another Jenga Piece” coming out.