US-China First Formal Nuclear Talk

choi

Rachel Oswald, US-China Nuclear Posture Dialogue Stymied by Miscommunication, Experts Say. Global Security Newswire (GSN), Oct 28, 2011.
http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20111028_2739.php

Quote:

"Unlike the United States, China keeps its nuclear warheads separate from launch vehicles, according to an official Chinese military textbook.

"the Obama administration is seeking to engage in nuclear discussions with the People’s Liberation Army’s Second Artillery rather than with the Chinese Defense Ministry, which is more of a 'military diplomacy place' and not a decision-making body, according Li Bin, a noted expert on nuclear disarmament issues in China.

Gregory Kulacki, a senior analyst in the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Global Security Program "blamed much of the United States’ misreading of Chinese nuclear weapons policy on the 'debilitating bad' quality of US government translations of military texts and other sources. Official US translations of Chinese nuclear-weapon terms misidentify parts of speech, obscure the correct identification of the subject of the sentence or omit key phrases -- all of which significantly interferes with the ability to interpret the text’s meaning, he said. 'The translation is abysmal. It’s just bad. My guess is they’re starting with machine translations and then fixing the English,' Kulacki said.

Note:
(a) like chickens talking with ducks  雞同鴨講 (Cantonese)
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E ... C%E9%B8%AD%E8%AE%B2
(b) Li Bin  李 彬
http://learn.tsinghua.edu.cn:8080/2000990313/libinc.htm


------------------------Separately
(1) UAVs Saved By The Third Dimension. Strategy Page, Oct 29, 2011
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20111029.aspx
(the August 15 collision between an army RQ-7 UAV and an air force C-130 transport; The RQ-7 hit a wing of the C-130, between the two engines; RQ-7 was destroyed)

Note: The article does not say where, but the accident occurred in Afghanistan.

(2) Japan Adopts Sonar Sleds For Mine Hunting Choppers. Strategy Page, Oct 29, 2011.
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htnavai/articles/20111029.aspx

Note:
(a) Please note paragraph 1 is about "bottom mine," whereas paragraph 2, about "surface mine."
(b) News release: Northrop Grumman to Supply AQS-24A Airborne Mine-Hunting System to Japan. Oct 24, 2011
http://www.irconnect.com/noc/pre ... eases.html?d=235745
("The AQS-24A and its predecessors, the AQS-24 and the AQS-14, have been the only operational airborne [as opposed to one piggy backed on a speed boat] mine hunting search systems used by the US Navy for the past 27 years. * * * The AQS-24A contains a laser line scanner that provides precision optical identification of underwater mines and other objects of interest. The AQS-24A allows for simultaneous operation of the sonar and laser, which significantly improves area coverage rate")

* For MCH-101, see AgustaWestland AW101
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW101
(Introduction 2000; section 3.6 Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force)

I am unaware of why Japanese call their version MCH-101.

* Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_CH-53E_Super_Stallion
(Introduction 1981; Status  Active service)
* list of rotorcraft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rotorcraft
(Notes: (US Army helicopters designations: "AH" means: "Attack Helicopter", "AAH" means: "Advanced Attack Helicopter", "RAH" means: "Reconnaissance and Attack Helicopter", "CH" means: "Cargo Helicopter", "OH" means: "Observation Helicopter" and "UH" means: "Utility Helicopter".)

(c) AN/AQS-24A Airborne Minehunting System. Northrop Grumman, undated.
http://www.es.northropgrumman.co ... 4/assets/aqs24a.pdf
(d) Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS)
(i) ALMDS. Northrop Grumman, undated
Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS)

Just take a look at the photo to see what the ALMDS pod looks like and where in a helicopter the pod is affixed.
(ii) ALMDS. Northrop Grumman, undated (Fact Sheet)
http://www.as.northropgrumman.co ... LMDS_Fact_Sheet.pdf
("The ALMDS uses pulsed laser light and streak tube receivers housed in an external equipment pod to image in 3D, the entire near-surface volume area")

From the illustration, one can see the pod is attached to one (not both) lower side of a helicopter which beams out a fan-shape laser.

(3)
(a) French Combat Aviation In Libya. Strategy Page, Oct 28, 2011
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20111028.aspx
("With NATO military operations over Libya winding down, the participating nations are reviewing their experience and seeking lessons learned")

Note: French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fre ... _Charles_de_Gaulle_(R91)
(commissioned 2001; Homeport Toulon, France; uses a shorter version of the catapult system installed on the US Nimitz class carriers, the 75 m C13-3 steam catapult)

In other words, French aircraft carriers uses US-designed steam catapult.
(b) De Gaulle Getting E-2C Upgrade. Strategy Page, Oct 27, 2011
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htnavai/articles/20111027.aspx
("France has decided to upgrade its three E-2C carrier radar aircraft to something closer to the new E-2D standard. * * * It was only last year that the U.S. Navy received its first E-2D aircraft. This is the latest version of the E-2 Hawkeye radar aircraft that was originally introduced in 1964.")

Note: Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_E-2_Hawkeye
(section 1.4 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye; section 5 Operators: Republic of China Air Force has four E-2Ts and two E-2C Hawkeye 2000s. The four E-2Ts had been approved to be upgraded to Hawkeye 2000 configuration)

(4) Extended Range Excalibur. Strategy Page, Oct 28, 2011.
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htart/articles/20111028.aspx

Note:
(a) M982 Excalibur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M982_Excalibur
(developed by Raytheon Missile Systems and BAE Systems Bofors; first operational use: in Iraq in 2007, photo)
(b) The article states, "This is the extended range version, which can hit targets with precision up to 40 kilometers away (with the M777 howitzer, or up 60 with longer barreled howitzers)."

The preposition "to" is missing in "up 60."

(5) Russian Shipyards Refuse To Deliver. Strategy Page, Oct 27, 2011
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/articles/20111027.aspx
(to Russian Navy)