Capability photos on Flickr

Compten Verney, Warwickshire by jacquemart

2 5

Grounds Capability Brown

26 Panavia Tornado GR4 (RAF) by Kurt's MOCs

3

By 2003, the Eurofighter Typhoon was scheduled to begin replacing the Tornado in RAF service. However, the Typhoon's developmental delays and limited air-to-ground capabilities led to a further upgrade of the GR4s in RAF service. In 2004, BAE Systems (replacing British Aerospace) began overhauling the front and rear cockpits, adding new digital multifunctional displays instead of the old CRT screens. These updates were called the Tornado Advanced Radar Display Information System, or TARDIS, in reference to the popular British television series Dr. Who. Many of these new Tornados were deployed to Libya in 2011 and Afghanistan until 2014, when they were redeployed to Iraq and Syria to begin operations against ISIS. The Tornado was eventually retired, and the last aircraft left RAF service in 2019, replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

This Tornado GR4 from No. 617 Squadron “The Dambusters” flies through a North Sea rain storm off the northeast coast of Scotland. The “Dambusters” are renowned for their actions during Operation Chastise against German dams during WW2. The squadron was formed on 21 March 1943 at RAF Scampton with the Avro Lancaster. No. 617 Squadron flew many high-risk missions over Germany, Italy, Occupied France, and North Africa and used a variety of unusual munitions, including the “Bouncing Bomb,” “Tallboy,” and “Grand Slam” earthquake bombs against dams, U-boat pens, and German battleships. During WW2, the squadron carried out 1,599 operational sorties with the loss of 32 aircraft. After the war, No. 617 Squadron was disbanded but reformed in 1958, assuming its nuclear strike capability with the Avro Vulcan and carrying the WE.177 strategic nuclear bomb and the Blue Steel stand-off nuclear bomb. In 1983, the squadron was re-equipped with the Tornado GR1 and flew combat operations in Iraq during the Gulf War. By 1993, the No. 617 Squadron joined No. 15 Squadron in the maritime strike role at RAF Lossiemouth. By 2003, the squadron had upgraded to the GR4 variant and was stationed in Kuwait and Afghanistan. With the retirement of the Tornados beginning in 2013, it was announced that the No. 617 Squadron would be the first operational RAF unit to receive the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning.

4-118th Combined Arms Battalion hosts capability event by SC National Guard

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).

4-118th Combined Arms Battalion hosts capability event by SC National Guard

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).

Incredibly rare shots of an Atlantic puffin were taken by photographer Sam Hobson on the Sony RX10 III, which features an extended 600mm super-telephoto zoom lens and silent shutter capability, to ensure the endangered animal was not disturbed by Fotoblog Szerkesztőség

Incredibly rare shots of an Atlantic puffin were taken by photographer Sam Hobson on the Sony RX10 III, which features an extended 600mm super-telephoto zoom lens and silent shutter capability, to ensure the endangered animal was not disturbed

4-118th Combined Arms Battalion hosts capability event by SC National Guard

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct capability demonstrations for families, employers and future recruits at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The Soldiers highlighted live-fire artillery demonstrations on M1A1 Abrams tanks, M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and various weapons systems. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).

4-118th Combined Arms Battalion hosts capability event by SC National Guard

1

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with Company A, 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion, South Carolina National Guard, conduct platoon level hasty defense and live fire exercises of the M1A1 Abram tank during a capability demonstration held at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, July 24, 2021. The 4-118th Combined Arms Battalion hosted the event for families, employers and future recruits. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly D. Calkins, South Carolina National Guard).

by Fort Knox, KY

The Fort Knox energy team demonstrated during an Energy Security Project ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday the installation’s capability to operate independently of external power sources using natural gas from beneath the post’s surface – a first for a U.S. military installation.

The project was originally conceived to address mission readiness issues experienced in 2009 when an ice storm left Fort Knox and much of Kentucky without power for several consecutive days.

The harvesting of renewable methane gas on post in recent years and the installation’s six new energy substations that include gas generators now allow Fort Knox to continue 100 percent of its operations if power from the external utility provider is cut off. The post’s 3.7 megawatts of solar arrays and 6 million square feet of building space that is heated and cooled using geothermal energy has allowed the post to reduce its dependency on using other power sources, such as gas, as well.

“We’re giving back gold to the taxpayers,” said Garrison Commander Col. T.J. Edwards. “Our (Directorate of Public Works) estimates that we will save about $8 million per year from peak shaving.”

Peak shaving des-cribes another primary purpose of the Energy Security Project – switching to Fort Knox-produced power when energy demand strains the off-post energy utility, which is also when costs to purchase energy are at its highest. Com- bined with the savings achieved through geothermal heating and cooling, Fort Knox’s annual energy utility bill is projected to be $18 million less.

“Our energy team is special,” said Edwards. “We’ve won nine conse- cutive Secretary of the Army energy awards. But we don’t sit on our laurels. We’re constantly getting after it, asking how do we get better.”

Katherine Ham-mack, the assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, addressed the criticality for installations to maintain operating capability at all times.

“Energy security underwrites our unique ability to rapidly de- ploy, employ and sustain military forces around the globe, she

said. “And it’s for that

reason the Army is moving toward building resilience into our installations.”

Fort Knox’s ability to achieve this “resilience” was credited by the secretary and garrison commander as a result of Fort Knox Director-ate of Public Works, contracting command and legal officials working to establish partnerships with third parties whose expertise is in the energy field. As an example, Edwards singled out Brandon Marcum, an engineer and Harshaw Trane subcontractor for Nolin RECC, as a central figure in creating and developing the concept that became the Energy Security Project.

“We have authorities to work with third parties, leveraging core competency, capability and funding to enable us to meet our mission,” said Hammack. “The private sector partners have stepped up to help the Army in meeting our mission requirements.”

Nolin RECC staff gave the audience of about 150 area and military leaders, Fort Knox employees and area community members an inside look at its energy security bunker through a live video stream. Attendees were told how all of the systems function to achieve energy independence and peak shave. The built-in redundancies to prevent power failure – such as an off-site energy security bunker and the multiple, secured substations – were touted as well during the demonstration.

The formal celebration of the occasion involved a unique twist. Dignitaries and Army leaders didn’t cut a ribbon, they unplugged a ribbon. The ribbon was an LED cord, and when it was unplugged in the middle, the side connected to the Fort Knox power source stayed lit, symbolizing Fort Knox’s energy independence.

“Kentucky is very proud of the efforts here,” said Dave Thompson, Kentucky Commission on Mili-tary Affairs executive director. “We see Fort Knox as a growing in- stallation with undeniable potential for the future. Job well done.”

For more information about Fort Knox’s energy initiatives, read Capt. Jo Smoke’s story in the March 26 edition of The Gold Standard, titled “The Army’s only green island: 20 years of energy investments pay off,” which can be found at bit.ly/1FY4MT5. To learn more about the Energy Security Project visit youtu.be/CxNH7m0cdfw.

Photo By Renee Rhodes Fort Knox Photo