Category Archives: Technology

Cold War Battle Damage: USS Tripoli LPH-10 Desert Storm

Image October 31, 2021 Hutchins AAron

The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LPH-10) ships-out of Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippines, sailing for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Senior Chief Petty Officer McColley.

On 18FEB1991, the United States Ship (USS) Tripoli (aka Tripoli-2) LPH-10 (not to be confused with the new LHA-7 Tripoli) struck an Iraqi mine while sailing the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. Four crewmembers were injured, and the Tripoli went into drydock for repairs.

This U.S. Navy photo claims to show the Tripoli being tugged into a dry dock in Bahrain, after the mine incident, however the date on the photo is two weeks prior to the incident. Photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joe Gawlowicz.

Tripoli was sailing (news reports conflict, some say Tripoli was the flagship for a minesweeping operation while others say only specialized minesweepers conduct such operations, USN sources say Tripoli was acting as a “mine clearing platform”) along with USS Princeton, both hit mines. Tripoli was hit first, early in the morning before dawn (again conflicting times, some reports say 04:36, others say 04:40), two to three hours later Princeton was hit. The ships were more than 60 miles apart when they hit mines. Both ships were able to continue under their own power (one report says it took the crew of Tripoli seven hours to restore power).

As the water is drained from the dock, the damage is revealed. USN photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joe Gawlowicz.

USN photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joe Gawlowicz.

Size comparison of damage with puny humans. USN photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joe Gawlowicz.

USN photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joe Gawlowicz.

There are photos of the Naval Broadcast Service conducting video interviews about the Tripoli’s repairs, for Navy News This Week, but unfortunately I couldn’t find the videos.

USN photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joe Gawlowicz.

Tripoli was an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship, commissioned on 06AUG1966, and based in San Diego, California. Tripoli served several tours of duty off the coast of Viet Nam from 1967 to 1972. The assault ship had continuous problems with its propulsion system, in the first six months of 1977 Tripoli underwent propulsion system upgrades. Tripoli was decommissioned and stricken from USN records in September 1995. Tripoli got new life with the U.S. Army, from June 1997 to April 2015. Tripoli was scrapped sometime after 2018. For some strange reason, the USN History and Heritage Command does not mention Tripoli’s action during Operation Desert Storm on its official history page for the ship, the only ‘conflict’ they mention is Viet Nam. However, they do mention Tripoli’s mine incident on its February 1991 chronology page.

Captain Bruce McEwen, commanding officer of the amphibious assault ship USS TRIPOLI (LPH-10), removes a symbolic band-aid after the mine damage was repaired. USN photo by Journalist Second Class Petty Officer Hatzakos, photo dated 01APR1991.

The Combat Action Ribbon was awarded to the crew of LPH-10 on 17MAR1991.

USN photo by Journalist Second Class Petty Officer Hatzakos.

Operation Desert Shield/Storm can be considered the last battle of the undeclared/unofficial Cold War.

LPH-10 departs Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on its way home to San Diego, July 1991. USN photo by Operations Specialist-2 John Bouvia.

Home again, Naval Station San Diego, 08AUG1991, USN photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joseph F. Lancaster.

08AUG1991, USN photo by Journalist First Class Petty Officer Joseph F. Lancaster.

Robot Wars: SEAHAWK & SEA HUNTER

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), 2020: INTO THE STEEL INFERNO!

Recovery Ops, 2018: USS/DKM PRINZ EUGEN

Cold War Battle Damage: THE HIND-END OF DESERT STORM

Technology

Cold War Battle Damage: The Hind-End of Desert Storm

Image October 29, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Mil 24, NATO reporting name Hind.

Hind is Middle English for rear end (hind end, hind leg), originating with Old English/Old German. Hind is also the name for female Red Deer who are three years of age or older. Hind is also the name for a type of speckled serranid fish in the Western Atlantic Ocean. Hind is also a word for a peasant/lower class worker.

The crews/countries who operate the Mil 24 have given it their own nicknames, such as Flying Tank, Drinking Glass and Satan’s Chariot.

Operation Desert Shield/Storm can be considered the last battle of the undeclared/unofficial Cold War.

United States Department of Defense photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner, March 1991.

March 1991, photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner.

U.S. DoD photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner, March 1991.

March 1991, photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner.

General Norman Schwarzkopf uses his foot to check-out the pieces & parts of an abandoned Hind. U.S. DoD photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner, March 1991.

The captured Hinds were brought to Rafha Domestic Airport in Saudi Arabia. The airport is near the border with Iraq. Photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner, March 1991.

A different Iraqi Hind, photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner, March 1991.

Retractable nose gear pointing to heaven, all that is left of an Iraqi Hind, March 1991, photo by Sergeant Kimberly Yearyearn.

Desert Storm:

DoD photo.

IRAQ AIRCRAFT GRAVEYARD

Afghanistan 2020: MAINTAINING SATAN’S CHARIOT

Vehicle I-D 2020:

IRAQI HUEY

Cold War Vehicle I-D: TU-95 ‘BEAR’

B-47 STRATOJET

Influenza, Technology

Operation Jupiter: U.S. Army using Pandemic as excuse to inject you with Nano Tar Babies? And you’re paying for it!

October 28, 2021 Hutchins AAron

28 October 2021 (04:05-UTC-07 Tango 06) 06 Aban 1400/21 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1443/23 Wu-Xu (9th month) 4719

The U.S. Army’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Chemical and Biological Technologies Department has joined with University of California San Diego’s (UCSD) Department of NanoEngineering, and with a company called Zhang Lab (led by Liangfang Zhang, professor of nanoengineering at UCSD), to study the use of nanosponges in humans.

The DTRA claims that test tube (invitro) testing showed that nanosponges could capture 90% of viruses invading your body. Nanosponges are biodegradable polymers wrapped by the membrane of ‘target cells’, once released in your body they are expected to trick the invading virus into thinking it is one of your cells and it attempts to infect it but gets stuck. Essentially the nanosponge is a nano-Tar Baby.

It should be noted that the nanosponge development began at the beginning of the Pandemic, and the invitro testing used the Coronavirus! The first scientific publication came out in June 2020.

The DTRA stated that nanosponges will be used for other ’emerging’ diseases “to protect the warfighter.”

But nanosponges aren’t being explored for use as Tar Babies, a June 2021 report stated that nanosponges could also be used to imitate your immune cells, and to deliver powerful drugs. The study was done by UCSD/Zhang Lab, they injected mice with nanosponges that delivered anti-inflammatory drugs to the lungs of the mice. The study was funded by U.S. taxpayers through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the DTRA’s Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense.

Vaccine Fail: ARE YOU A V-I-P? ADVERSE REACTIONS FAR WORSE THAN YOU THINK!

Operation Jupiter, September 2021: U.S. MILITARY’S NEW GLOBAL FEVER PROGRAM?

July 2021: COVID ‘BUBBLE BOY’ BOX? PROJECT WAS STARTED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC FOR THE PANDEMIC & YOU PAID FOR IT!

April 2021: U.S. ARMY MAKING ITS OWN COVID NANO-VACCINE!

Technology

Cold War Vehicle I-D: Tu-95 ‘Bear’

Video October 25, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Tupolev 95, NATO reporting name Bear, in the mid-1950s the prototype/early production was called Tupolev 20. From official Soviet silent film, Tu-20s make a quick overfly of a parade in Moscow (the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics did not like publicly displaying their bombers, especially new bombers), 1957:

Bear-As were bombers and did not have refueling probes. Bear-B/Cs were bombers with refueling probes and could carry early style cruise missiles. Bear Ds were long rang maritime reconnaissance aircraft with radar bulges under chin and belly. Bear Es were also recon aircraft, with the tail gun replaced by electronic sensors. Bear-G/H carried cruise missiles and had a differently shaped radar bulge under its chin.

Silent U.S. Air Force film, ‘Bear-D’ South East of Iceland, 21NOV1967:

Silent USAF film, ‘Bear D’ East of Iceland, 16JAN1968:

Silent USAF film, ‘Bear B’ (while the film’s slate says Bear B, the shape of the radome indicates a Bear G/H, definitely not a Bear-B) escorted by F-102 Delta Dagger, South East of Iceland, 20FEB1968:

Silent USAF film, ‘Bear-C’ (as above, the shape of the chin radome indicates a Bear-G/H, not a Bear-C) escorted by F-102 Delta Dagger, 20FEB1968:

Silent U.S. Navy film, ‘Bear Ds’ buzz USS Essex (CVS-9), May 1968:

Silent USN film from May 1971, F-4Js ‘escort’ a Tu-95:

‘Bear A’ near Iceland, March 1972.

F-8 Crusader escorts ‘Bear-D’, 25MAY1974, photo by Lieutenant Fessenden.

USN photo dated 15MAY1974.

F-106 Delta Dart escorts Bear-D.

Bicentennial F-4C/D escorts Bear-D.

F-14A escorts ‘Bear-D’, 15OCT1979.

F-4E escorts ‘Bear-A(?)’, 28SEP1980, photo by Master Sergeant Richard Diaz.

Somewhere over the North Atlantic, F-4Es escort ‘Bear-D’, September 1980, photo by Master Sergeant Richard Diaz.

There is also a gun turret under the rear fuselage, September 1980, photo by Master Sergeant Richard Diaz.

Texas Air National Guard F-4C escorts Bear-D, August 1981.

1982, ‘Bear-A’.

‘Bear-D’ over the Mediterranean Sea, May 1983.

U.S. Navy photo, published January 1984.

‘Bear-E’ (notice the fairing where the tail gun would be), August 1985.

Pukin Dogs F-14s escort Bear-D.

‘Bear-E’ with F-14D, August 1985. You can see the tail gun position is faired over, but there is still a gun turret underneath the rear fuselage.

A-7E escorts Bear-D, September/October 1985.

‘Bear E/G/H(?)’, U.S. Navy photo published July 1987.

‘Bear G/H(?)’, USN photo published August 1988.

Cold War Vehicle I-D: B-47 STRATOJET

Modern Vehicle I-D: SUKHOI 24

Technology

Cold War Vehicle I-D: B-47 Stratojet

Video October 24, 2021 Hutchins AAron

B-47 engine nacelle at the Glenn Research Center Altitude Wind Tunnel, Ohio.

1953, crew of B-47A pose for photo after 1000th test mission.

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) B-47A, August 1953.

NACA B-47A, Edwards Air Force Base, August 1953. Nose probe for measuring airspeed, altitude, angle-of-attack and angle-of-sideslip, and an optigraph behind cockpit for measuring the movements of target lights on the wing and tail.

According to Boeing, only the XB-47, B-47A and B-47B had rocket assisted take off (RATO, officially and incorrectly called JATO jet assisted take off, they were rockets not jets).

Silent USAF film of RATO by B-47Bs during the National Air Show, from August to September 1955, over Pennsylvania:

Photo via Boeing.

Silent U.S. Air Force film, glass nosed B-47A gets refueled by KC-97:

Silent USAF film of refuel demonstration by KC-97 during the National Air Show, from August to September 1955, over Pennsylvania:

1000th B-47, an E model.

USAF film explaining how changes made to B-47E elevator trim tabs played a role in a crash, however they still blame the pilot:

Silent USAF film of formation flights during the National Air Show, from August to September 1955, over Pennsylvania. I left in scenes of three B-52s to show similarity of the silhouette:

Silent USAF film of landings by B-47Bs & Es during the National Air Show, from August to September 1955, over Pennsylvania:

RB-47E refuels from KC-97.

Silent USAF film, B-47 loses control while landing, crashes and burns:

YDB-47B carrying GAM-63 Rascal missile.

Pinecastle AFB, City of Winter Park wins Strategic Air Command competition, November 1957.

Old Blue, McKoy AFB, October 1959.

Hunter AFB, WB-47E City of Savannah Hurricane Hunter I, September 1963.

Very quick silent USAF color film of cockpit view from B-47 refueling from KC-135:

Spirit prepares to leave Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake on its final flight, 17JUN1986, photo by Technical Sergeant Michael Haggerty.

Final flight B-47E Spirit, 17JUN1986, photo by Technical Sergeant Michael Haggerty.

Spirit inbound to Castle AFB, 17JUN1986, photo by Technical Sergeant Michael Haggerty.

B-47E Spirit, 17JUN1986, photo by Staff Sergeant Robert Gillette.

The show is over for B-47E Spirit, 17JUN1986, photo by Staff Sergeant Robert Gillette.

Davis Monthan AFB, October 1988, photo by Senior Airman Alan R. Wycheck.

2018 USAF video, Little Rock Air Force Base does short history of B-47:

Grissom Air Museum: B-47B

Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum: B-47E

Air Force Magazine: The B-47s Deadly Dominance

Vehicle I-D: ROKAF 대한민국 공군 PHANTOMS

XB-70A VALKYRIE

International, Technology

Vehicle I-D: More of Type 74

Video October 15, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Japan’s Type-74 battle tank was designed in the 1960s and produced in the 1970s and ’80s (during the Cold War). It is to remain active with the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces (JGSDF) until 2024.

Camp Fuji, Japan, 16JUN2021, U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Scott Aubuchon.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Scott Aubuchon, June 2021.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Scott Aubuchon, June 2021.

Camp Nihonbara, November 2020, USMC photo by Lance Corporal Tyler Harmon.

Camp Nihonbara, November 2020, USMC photo by Lance Corporal Tyler Harmon.

For the first time Japanese Type 74s invaded California’s Fort Irwin, in January 2014. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Chris McCullough.

U.S. Army video of Type 74 live-fire on Fort Irwin-National Training Center (NTC), California, January 2014:

NTC, California, January 2014, U.S. army photo.

Hijudai Maneuver Area, August 2012, USMC photo.

Mitsubishi Type 74 Main Battle Tank, Ojojihara Training Area, June 2001, U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Chance W. Haworth.

Ojojihara Training Area, June 2001, USMC photo by Lance Corporal Chance W. Haworth.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Chance W. Haworth.

Vehicle I-D: TYPE 7-4 INVADES EVERGREEN STATE! PREPS FOR WAR WITH CHINA?

Technology

Vehicle I-D: Korean 대한민국 K1

Video October 11, 2021 Hutchins AAron

The Hyundai Precision K1 (aka Type 88) was based on the Chrysler’s XM1, it is armed with the M68E1 105mm gun, which is identifiable by its ‘coffee can’ looking bore evacuator. The K1A1 is armed with a license built version of the Rheinmetall 120mm gun.

April 1987, prototype XK1 near the town of Yoju, photo by Staff Sergeant Arnold W. Kalmanson.

Twin Bridges Training Area, October/November 1998, U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant James Mossman.

Twin Bridges Training Area, October 1998, USAF photo by Technical Sergeant James Mossman.

March 2002, Twin Bridges Training Grounds, U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Petty Officer Second Class Stacy Young.

USN photo by Journalist Petty Officer Second Class Stacy Young.

March 2004, U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant D. Myles Cullen.

Camp Casey, Gyeonggi-do Province, March 2006, U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Christopher Kaufmann.

USA photo by Sergeant Christopher Kaufmann.

March 2006, K1 onboard U.S. Navy hovercraft, USA photo by Sergeant Christopher Kaufmann.

USA photo by Sergeant Christopher Kaufmann, K1 loading onto rail flat cars, March 2006.

USA photo by Sergeant Christopher Kaufmann, Camp Casey, March 2006.

August 2010, Camp Casey. In this USA photo by Sergeant Ryan Elliott, note the differences between the 120mm gunned M1A1 and the 105mm gunned K1.

April 2012, USA photo by Major Gabriel Zinni.

April 2012 U.S. Army video report, live fire gunnery with Stryker M1128 MGS and K1:

Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, March 2015, USA photo by Specialist Steven Hitchcock.

April 2017 U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) video, by Staff Sergeant Braden Anderson, K1 platoon formation live fire of main gun and coax while on-the-move on Susŏng Ri live fire range:

USMC photo by Corporal Anthony Morales, March 2017, Susŏng Ri Range, Pohang.

USMC photo by Corporal Anthony Morales, March 2017, Susŏng Ri Range, Pohang.

March 2017 USMC video by Corporal Jordan Walker, overhead view of K1 live fire while ‘Sagger’ maneuvering (no audio from drone cam) on Susŏng Ri live fire range, from TC (Tank Commander) position including smoke grenade launches:

USMC photo by Corporal Anthony Morales, March 2017, Susŏng Ri Range, Pohang.

Vehicle I-D:KOREAN 대한민국 M48

KOREAN 대한민국 M47

Technology

Vehicle I-D: RoKAF 대한민국 공군 Phantoms

Video October 10, 2021 Hutchins AAron

In 1968, Republic of Korea (South Korea) Air Force (RoKAF) began using the F-4D Phantom-two. In 1976, RoKAF placed orders for the F-4E. The F-4Ds were retired in 2010. RoKAF’s 10th Fighter Wing, based on Suwon, currently operates the F-4E.

F-4E, January 1979, USAF photo by Master Sergeant Philip Lewis.

AGM-65A Maverick armed F-4E Phantom II, February 1979, U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sergeant Philip J. Lewis.

March 1984, USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Ken Hammond.

F-4E approaches highway landing site during Exercise Team Spirit, January 1991. U.S. DoD photo by Sergeant Gary R. Coppage.

F-4D runway mishap, details unknown, but it is obvious the aircrew ejected.

In 1988, RoKAF placed orders for surplus U.S. Air Force RF-4Cs, which began operations by December 1989. In February 2014 the RF-4Cs were retired.

F-4E, April 2017, USAF photo by Senior Airman Colville McFee.

April 2017, U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Carlos Jimenez.

13APR2021, RoKAF promo video of the F-4E:

22APR2021, Kunsan Air Base, video report by Technical Sergeant Herbert-William Bracy, USAF’s Wolf Pack remembers the F-4E, still in use by Republic of Korea:

Defense Today Korea:

The F-4D

Vehicle I-D:KOREAN 대한민국 M48

Georgia Air National Guard:‘RESTORED’ F-4C GETS NEW HOME

Technology

Vehicle I-D: Ukraine Mil 8MT/MSB-V & BMP-1 & BRDM & BTR-80/3DA

Video October 9, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Images from wargame Rapid Trident 2021, underway from September 20th to October 1st.

BTR-80 video, by U.S. Army Sergeant Hayden Hallman and Specialist Preston Hammon, 27SEP2021:

BTR-80, 27SEP2021, U.S. Army (USA) photo by Specialist Preston Hammon.

BRDM, 24SEP2021, Washington Army National Guard (WANG) photo by Staff Sergeant David Carnahan.

Rapid Trident 2021 involves approximately 6-thousand-2-hundred personnel from 12 countries.

BRDM, 24SEP2021, WANG photo by Staff Sergeant David Carnahan.

U.S. Army 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment video of Mil 8, BTR-3DA, BMP-1 and BRDM, 24SEP2021:

BMP-1, 24SEP2021, WANG photo by Staff Sergeant David Carnahan.

U.S. Army (USA) 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment video of Mil 8 operation, 23SEP2021:

23SEP2021, Mil 8MT, USA photo by Sergeant Hayden Hallman.

Mil 8MT, USA photo by Specialist Preston Hammon, 23SEP2021.

BMP-1, 22SEP2021, WANG photo by Staff Sergeant David Carnahan.

Mil 8, WANG photo by Staff Sergeant David Carnahan, 22SEP2021.

Mil 8MSB-V, USA photo by Specialist Preston Hammon, 21SEP2021.

21SEP2021, USA photo by Specialist Preston Hammon, Mil 8MSB-V.

Mil 8MSB-V, USA photo by Specialist Preston Hammon, 20SEP2021.

31AUG2021, The U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Defense Framework signed in Washington DC.

Vehicle I-D, 2020: UKRAINIAN ARMOR

BTR-3DA

Vehicle I-D:

16th Regimental Combat Team, JGSDF, at Yakima Training Center during Operation Rising Thunder, September 2013. USA photo by Sergeant Bryan Spradlin.

TYPE 7-4 INVADES EVERGREEN STATE! PREPS FOR WAR WITH CHINA?

Trident of Poseidon: NATO’S NEW U.S. HQ FULLY OPERATIONAL!

Technology

Vehicle I-D: Cal-Fire Bronco

Video October 8, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Alderman, 06MAY2019.

A California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (Cal Fire, formerly CDF) Bronco flies at tree top level during Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) training and recertification at Grand Canyon Hills, Colorado, 06MAY2019.

2019 Cal-Fire video report, upgraded OV-10:

https://www.facebook.com/CALFIRE/videos/493842311191325/

An OV-10A uses smoke to ‘lead-in’ the water bombers. Cal-Fire photo.

The OV-10, and other small aircraft, serve as forward air controllers (FAC) for the larger water bombers, picking out the next target and guiding the water bombing in.

Cal-Fire photo.

23JUL2021, Action News Now report (note the reporter uses the incorrect word ‘aircrafts’ while the Cal-Fire official uses the correct word ‘aircraft’) on how smoke from fires can actually ground aircraft:

In 1993, Cal-Fire bought 15 ex-Marines OV-10As (with three blade propellers). They replaced the older O-2As. In 2009, Cal-Fire bought three OV-10Ds (with four blade props and short ‘A’ model nose). OV-10As and OV-10Ds are slowly being upgraded to meet Cal-Fire requirements.

2010 Cal-Fire video report, the Gov’na authorizes more of everything for fighting future fires, plus a new GPS flight tracking system will be used: