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PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 17, 2020) Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) conduct flight operations with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Reinforced). America, lead ship of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to maintain security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Cavenaile)
200823-N-IO312-1179 PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 23, 2020) Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct fast-rope sustainment training on the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6). America, flagship of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to maintain security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Cavenaile)
PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 12, 2020) The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) conducts a replenishment at sea with the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14). America, flagship of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Cavenaile)
SOUTH CHINA SEA (Sept. 6, 2020) As seen from the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) sails in the South China Sea during a visit, board, search and seizure exercise aboard Germantown. Germantown, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)
Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Why is it so difficult to catch this color ?
from the SRGC Scottish Rock Garden Club seed exchange
The work exudes an abstract and dynamic artistic atmosphere.
Composed primarily of black and white lines and irregular shapes, it creates a strong contrast and visual tension. The lines flow with a sense of fluidity, like ripples or clouds. A dark, circular hole in the center serves as a focal point, breaking the overall flow and adding a sense of stability.
The work leans towards Abstract Expressionism, conveying emotions or concepts rather than specific objects through the use of line, light, shadow, and form. The black and white treatment further enhances this sense of abstraction, drawing the viewer's attention to the form and atmosphere itself.
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作品呈現出一種抽象且富有動感的藝術氛圍。
作品主要由黑白線條和不規則的形狀構成，營造出強烈的對比和視覺張力。 畫面中的線條流動感十足，如同水波或雲霧般變幻莫測，中心點深色圓孔則成為視覺焦點，打破了整體的流動性，增添了一絲穩定感。
作品風格偏向於抽象表現主義，透過對線條、光影和形狀的運用，傳達出某種情緒或概念，而非具體的物象。 黑白處理進一步強化了這種抽象感，使觀者更專注於形式和氛圍本身。
WESTERN PACIFIC (Nov. 12, 2017) The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Strike Groups are underway, and conducting operations, in international waters as part of a three-carrier strike force exercise. The U.S. Navy has patrolled the Indo-Asia Pacific region routinely for more than 70 years promoting regional security, stability and prosperity. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. James Griffin)
In the mid-1980s, Kodachrome was king. In its day, it was the best film out there, and the stability of its emulsions remains legendary (I have Kodachromes from 1964 that are still saturated, with no colour shift). It was unpredictable, though. A brand new, fresh-from-the-factory batch usually processed green; older film, near the expiry date, would shift magenta. During a two year stint working in a pro lab in Vancouver, making 4 x 5 internegs from Kodachrome and then printing from those, I learned that there is no such thing as white, no such thing as neutral grey. Today, things are better: whites are whiter, neutral tones are really neutral. I don't long for the "good ol' days."
That said, there is something about the "Kodachrome look" that still appeals to me, and I can easily distinguish scans like these, of old Kodachrome slides, from later films such as the Fujichrome Velvia series.
I made this shot of a ewe with her lamb along the Alaska Highway in northeastern British Columbia. Stone Sheep are a sub-species of Dall Sheep, the wild white sheep of Alaska and Yukon. Their coats are variable: generally pale grey, with brown tinges and dark legs. After birthing their lambs, the ewes must be mineral-depleted, because they use nearby mineral licks and often eat the roadside gravel.
Photographed at Muncho Lake Provincial Park, BC; scanned from the original Kodachrome 64 slide. Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 1985 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
SEA OF JAPAN (May 15, 2022) Naval Air Crewman 3rd Class Rebekah Blackburn, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25, preforms pre-flight check on an MH-60S aboard USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) during Exercise Noble Vanguard. Noble Vanguard serves as an enabler to reinforce tactics and techniques of different mission sets that contribute to regional stability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gregory A. Pickett II)
photo rights reserved by B℮n
Khao Hin Thoen Stone Park is located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province in the narrowest part of Thailand, which is only 15 kilometers wide, close to the border with Myanmar Burma. Khao Hin Theun Stone Park is a hilly area where many large granite stones are stacked naturally. The fact that these large rocks appear to remain balanced despite their size and weight reminds us of the delicate balance and stability in nature. It is a reminder of the forces of nature and the unique geological processes that create such formations. These formations are often the result of centuries of geological processes, including erosion, sedimentation, landslides and other forces. It's amazing how nature can create these complex structures over time. From the top of the hill you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand and the surrounding coastline. Just a few kilometers away, at the Singkhon checkpoint, is the border with Myanmar; a route with rich historical significance as it once served as a military trail during the late Ayutthaya period. At the summit there is also a secluded temple built between three large massive granite boulders. Essentially an open cave, this temple is a hidden gem maintained by a lone monk. This venerable monk, now 78 years old, has been living here in solitude for more than 40 years. The temple and living area are built into the large boulders. Surrounded by lush green forests, this open temple cave also offers an opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty and tranquility. Hiking trails are available for those who want to enjoy the natural environment. The peaceful surroundings and natural beauty make it a popular place for meditation and contemplation.
Hidden deep within the lush landscape of Khao Hin Thoen Stone Park is an open cave that serves as the home of the wise Buddhist monk Pasek Pakuno, a 78-year-old man. He has lived in this remote hideaway for 40 years. His story has become a legend among the locals. Venerable Pasek Pakuno left his worldly possessions at a young age and dedicated his life to spiritual enlightenment. For four decades he has found peace and his calling in this remote environment. His daily routine is simple. He awakens with the rising sun and greets the new day with meditation and prayer. The sound of birds singing and the rustling of the trees serve as his companions during his meditative hours. He lives on donations from passers-by, which he gratefully accepts, but he has no material wealth. The monk sleeps on a simple mat on the cool floor. He welcomes them all with kindness and a smile. He loves the quiet moments when the sunset fills the cave with a soft light, and he looks to the stars in the night sky as witnesses to his spiritual journey. His life story inspires many to think about their own choices in life. He reminds them that happiness is not always found in material possessions, but in the simplicity of the heart and soul. His cave remains a sacred place, an oasis of peace and reflection for those who find their way to this remote place. I was deeply impressed by Monk Pasek because of his dedication to spirituality. I was deeply impressed by Monk Pasek because of his dedication to spirituality. When we arrived at the cave, we didn't even see the monk sitting there as he was sitting as still as a Buddha.
Khao Hin Thoen Stone Park ligt in de provincie Prachuap Khiri Khan in in het smalste stukje van Thailand, dat slechts 15 kilometer breed is, dichtbij de grens met Myanmar (Birma). Khao Hin Theun Stone Park is een heuvelachtig gebied waar veel grote granieten stenen op natuurlijke wijze zijn gestapeld. Diep verscholen in het weelderige landschap van Khao Hin Thoen Stone Park bevindt zich een open grot die dient als de thuisbasis van de wijze boeddhistische monnik Pasek Pakuno, een man van 78 jaar oud. Hij woont al 40 jaar lang in deze afgelegen schuilplaats. Zijn verhaal is een legende geworden onder de lokale bevolking. De eerwaarde Pasek Pakuno heeft op jonge leeftijd zijn wereldse bezittingen achtergelaten en zijn leven gewijd aan spirituele verlichting. Al vier decennia lang heeft hij vrede en zijn roeping gevonden in deze afgelegen omgeving. Zijn dagelijkse routine is eenvoudig. Hij ontwaakt met de opkomende zon en begroet de nieuwe dag met meditatie en gebed. Het geluid van zingende vogels en het ruisen van de bomen dienen als zijn metgezellen tijdens zijn meditatieve uren. Hij leeft van de donaties van voorbijgangers, die hij dankbaar accepteert, maar hij bezit geen materiële rijkdom. De monnik slaapt op een eenvoudige mat op de koele vloer. Hij verwelkomt hen allen met vriendelijkheid en een glimlach. Hij houdt van de rustige momenten wanneer de zonsondergang de grot met een zacht licht vult, en hij beschouwt de sterren aan de nachtelijke hemel als getuigen van zijn spirituele reis. Zijn levensverhaal inspireert velen om na te denken over hun eigen keuzes in het leven. Hij herinnert hen eraan dat geluk niet altijd te vinden is in materiële bezittingen, maar in de eenvoud van het hart en de ziel. Zijn grot blijft een heilige plaats, een oase van vrede en reflectie voor degenen die de weg naar deze afgelegen plek vinden. Ik was diep onder de indruk van monnik Pasek vanwege zijn toewijding aan spiritualiteit. Toen we bij de grot aankwamen, zagen we de monnik niet eens zitten, aangezien hij zo stil zat als een Boeddha.
Terrace Falls Reserve
Blue Mountains National Park.
The Blue Mtns received some torrential rain for a couple of days, so it was a great time time to explore the waterfalls in the mid mountains area.
These waterfalls only flow strongly after decent rain.
I waited for a day after the rain finished to so that all the sediment that normally turns the water an ugly brown would’ve settled back down.
My friend Bez and I headed down into the Reserve and we were met by a rainforest wetland.
The waterfalls were flowing like I’d never seen them before, and there was water and mud everywhere.
The walking track had a temporary creek running thru it and all the usually dry creek crossings became tricky & slippery wades.
There were cascades tumbling down where previously there were none.
The cliffs were ‘weeping’ moisture which made it quite a refreshing walk.
And of course, the wet brought out the leeches in force.
The conditions were exhilarating but made for challenging photography.
The torrent of water that was flowing down the creeks was creating a fine mist that continually covered camera lenses.
This mist also created a rather hazy washed-out looking landscape.
All the usual spots for waterfall compositions were now under water, and the force of the water played havoc with tripod stability.
Also the amount of water made longer exposures trick due to over-exposure.
We reached the Bedford Ck junction and Bez had to head off for a family function.
I continued left towards Bedford Pool and headed upstream on un-named creek that headed towards Pyramid Falls.
This gully is normally pretty dry but was alive with flowing water with temporary cascades and rivulets flowing in all directions.
It was certainly quite a memorable day with conditions that are pretty rare for these parts.
Wrapping up my Southern Arizona Adventure 2024 with a visit to Amerind Foundation and Texas Canyon. This is stage 9 of 9.
This is a view from the trail looking basically southeast across the valley. The clouds are starting to get ominous. It did rain.
www.amerind.org/texascanyonnaturepreserve/
Chat GPT
Texas Canyon is a striking natural area located in Cochise County, southeastern Arizona, along Interstate 10 between Benson and Willcox. It is renowned for its dramatic landscape, characterized by massive granite boulders scattered across the desert terrain, creating a rugged and picturesque environment.
The granite boulders in Texas Canyon were formed through millions of years of erosion and weathering. These formations, often precariously balanced, provide a unique and photogenic sight, making the canyon a popular stop for travelers and photographers.
The area is surrounded by the Chiricahua Mountains to the south and other nearby ranges, offering expansive views of the Sonoran Desert with its mix of desert vegetation, including cacti and mesquite trees. The light, especially at sunrise and sunset, enhances the golden hues of the rocks, adding to the area's charm.
Texas Canyon has a rich history tied to the Chiricahua Apache people, who once roamed these lands. Later, it became home to early settlers.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Canyon
Texas Canyon is a valley in Cochise County, Arizona,[1] about 20 miles east of Benson on Interstate 10. Lying between the Little Dragoon Mountains to the north and the Dragoon Mountains to the south and known for its giant granite boulders, the canyon attracts rockhounds and photographers.
www.arizonahighways.com/article/texas-canyon-nature-preserve
The giant granite boulders along Interstate 10 in Southeastern Arizona have been gracing postcards for decades, but that otherworldly landscape was always off-limits to the general public. Not anymore. Thanks to the Amerind Foundation, 6 miles of trails in the brand-new Texas Canyon Nature Preserve are now available to those who want a closer look.
By Suzanne Wright
Zipping past Texas Canyon, an hour southeast of Tucson, it’s impossible not to notice the boulders — giant, eye-catching piles of granite, like something out of The Flintstones. But other than providing scenery along Interstate 10 — particularly at a rest area just down the highway from the kitschy attraction known as The Thing — the area has long been off-limits to curious travelers who wanted to stretch their legs and get a closer look.
There are several private landowners in Texas Canyon, including Triangle T Guest Ranch, which has some trails for its guests. But none had opened its trails to the public until this past October, when the portion of the area owned and managed by the Amerind Foundation had its ribbon-cutting. After a multi-year campaign that raised $250,000, the Texas Canyon Nature Preserve — on land previously closed to the public for 85 years, and where the organization’s founding family raised quarter horses until 1968 — is open to all.
“The idea had been percolating with the Amerind Foundation board and management for years,” says Eric Kaldahl, the president, CEO and chief curator of the foundation. “The response from the surrounding community has been very enthusiastic. We welcomed more visitors last October than we’ve seen for the past 10 years.”
The preserve, located just off I-10 between Benson and Willcox, is part of a 1,900-acre campus that includes the Amerind Museum. More than 6 miles of trails wind past balanced rocks, fantastical shapes and rocky spires in open, sun-warmed high-desert grasslands studded with cactuses, wildflowers and trees. The trail is self-guided, although Kaldahl hopes to offer guided sunrise and sunset hikes in the next year. Visitors can pay a $12 admission fee for just the trails or $20 to visit both the trails and the museum.
Trail designer Sirena Rana knows the landscape can look intimidating, but she purposely designed the trails to be “perfect little morsels.” Rana didn’t grow up hiking, so she aimed to make the trails a comfortable experience for all ages and abilities. There are no steep elevation gains, and dirt, rather than gravel, makes for more stability. And Rana recalls walking for miles and miles over several months to understand the land and ensure the trails were constructed to shed water, limit erosion and provide firebreaks.
“Texas Canyon is one of the most unique landscapes in the Southwest, formed by millions of years of wind and rain weathering the granite,” she says, likening it to Joshua Tree National Park and the Wilderness of Rock on Mount Lemmon. “It’s very unusual that it’s right off a major interstate and just an hour from a major metropolitan area,” she adds. “This is one of the greatest outdoor sculpture gardens in the world designed by Mother Nature. I’m so pleased with how it turned out.”
Elsewhere along the trail, signage reflects the Amerind Museum’s mission of fostering knowledge and understanding of Indigenous peoples. Acknowledging that these are ancestral lands, the signs feature O’odham, English and Spanish text, in that order — and Kaldahl hopes to add Apache, too.
Additionally, Indigenous people have collected basket-weaving materials from these lands for generations, and they remain free to access the grounds.
Haiku Thoughts:
Stone giants whisper,
Texas Canyon's quiet grace,
Time's hand carves the sky.
Southern Arizona Adventure 2024
My wife aboard the SV Cosmos Mariner. The island to the left, closest to us, is Lovango Island. The island to the right is St. John. The SV Cosmos Mariner is a Robert H. Perry designed Baba 40 Pilot House sailboat. More about the boat below.
We spent a week in the USVI after spending 9-days in Charlottesville, VA for our daughters wedding. It’s so much easier to get to the Caribbean from the east coast than Oregon. We much prefer the USVI to Hawaii.
The Baba 40, also known as the Panda 40 and later the Tashiba 40, is the third of the Baba lineup of boats involving developer Bob Berg, designer Bob Perry, and the Ta Shing boatyard. One can arguably consider the Baba 40 a full keel reincarnation of the Valiant 40, the boat that put the word “performance” next to “cruiser”. Knowing that I guess it’s not so surprising to find the Baba 40 inherits a good turn of speed – owners even trumpet around-the-buoys racing victories in these serious blue water cruisers. They are beautifully balanced with a wonderful feel at the helm, and what’s more, they have some of the best interiors to be seen in production cruising yachts.
The story of the Baba 40 really starts with the Baba 30 which brought together a winning combination of talents – developer Bob Berg, designer Bob Perry, and what was then a little known Taiwanese boatyard called Shing Sheng. Through the success of the little Baba 30 and the Baba 35, Shing Sheng started on the road to become a force in the boatbuilding world. By 1979 they had changed their name to Ta Shing and had moved to a new purpose built factory. It was in this year that Berg commissioned Perry to design a new 40-foot model to fill out the line.
Perry was not happy with merely evolving his earlier Baba 35 design, which in itself was a stretched version of the 30. Instead, in search of more boat speed, Perry dusted off the lines of his famous Valiant 40 with its radical fin keel and separate skeg-hung rudder had defined the “performance cruiser” category only five years earlier. From the Valiant 40 hull form he derived an all-new full keel design which was to be the Baba 40. It proved to be a huge step forward over earlier Babas with Perry describing the Baba 40 having an entirely different stability personality. It was stiffer initially, beautifully balanced and much faster.
The Baba 40 was introduced to the public in 1980. In 1983, when Berg left his association with the Flying Dutchman dealership who owned the Baba trademark, he marketed the boat as the Panda 40. This name did not last long and by 1984, with Ta Shing now a contender in Taiwanese boat-building, marketed the boat by themselves using the name Tashiba 40. It’s been speculated this was a play on the words names “Ta Shing” and “Baba”.
Production ended in 1996 with a total of 115 boats being built, although hull numbers can be found that run up to 182, there is a gap between 33 and 101.
Ta Shing eventually formed an exclusive relationship with the Californian based company PAEI who had Al Mason as their in-house designer. Sadly, years later when PAEI shifted focus to power boats, many of Ta Shing’s molds including the Baba 40 were cut up. Source: BlueWaterBoats.org
EAST CHINA SEA (Aug. 4, 2020) Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Valentina Imokhai, from New York, operates the ship’s helm during a full power engine run aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42). Germantown, part of America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serves as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)
William Wallace, in full Sir William Wallace, (born c. 1270, probably near Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland—died August 23, 1305, London, England), one of Scotland’s greatest national heroes and the chief inspiration for Scottish resistance to the English king Edward I. He served as guardian of the kingdom of Scotland during the first years of the long and ultimately successful struggle to free his country from English rule.
Early Life, Initial Campaigns Against The English, And The Battle Of Stirling Bridge
Wallace was the second son of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie in Renfrewshire. The elder Wallace was a minor landowner and a vassal of James, 5th steward of Scotland. In 1296 King Edward I of England deposed and imprisoned the Scottish king John de Balliol and declared himself ruler of Scotland. Sporadic resistance had already occurred when, in May 1297, Wallace and a band of some 30 men burned Lanark and killed its English sheriff. Joined by Sir William Douglas (“the Hardy”), Wallace next marched on Scone, drove out the English justiciar, and attacked the English garrisons between the Rivers Forth and Tay. The Scottish steward, Robert the Bruce (later King Robert I), and others now gathered an army, but it was forced to surrender at Irvine by Sir Henry de Percy and Sir Robert de Clifford (July 1297). Wallace, however, remained in action “with a large company in the Forest of Selkirk,” according to a contemporary report made to Edward. Wallace laid siege to Dundee but abandoned it to oppose, with Andrew de Moray, an English army that was advancing toward Stirling under John de Warenne, earl of Surrey.
Surrey failed to bring Wallace to terms outside Stirling, and, on the morning of September 11, 1297, the English began to file across the narrow bridge over the Forth. Wallace and Moray, in a position northwest of the Abbey Craig, held back their troops until about half the English had crossed. They then attacked with such sudden fury that almost all who had crossed were killed or driven into the river and drowned. Surrey, with the rest of his army, retreated hastily, having first destroyed the bridge, but the Scots crossed by a ford and pursued them. With only a small following, Surrey escaped to Berwick and York. For the moment Scotland was almost free of occupation. A letter long survived in which Moray and Wallace, writing from Haddington on October 11, urged the Hanseatic towns of Hamburg and Lübeck to resume trade with Scotland, now “recovered by war from the power of the English.” Moray, who had been wounded at Stirling Bridge, died soon afterward. Wallace now ravaged Northumberland and Cumberland, burning Alnwick and besieging Carlisle. To the monks of Hexham, however, he granted special protection.
Guardian Of Scotland And The Battle Of Falkirk
Upon returning to Scotland early in December 1297, Wallace was knighted (it is not known by whom) and was elected or assumed the title of guardian of the kingdom. In the name of King John de Balliol, then a prisoner in London, Wallace set himself to reorganize the army and regulate the affairs of the country. He seems to have acted wisely and vigorously and to have been supported by Bishop Robert Wishart of Glasgow, the steward’s brother Sir John Stewart, Sir John Graham of Dundaff, Sir John Comyn (“the Red”), Robert the Bruce, and others. Some nobles, many of whom had English estates and hostages in Edward’s hands, were only lukewarm to Wallace’s leadership, and his position depended entirely upon his success on the battlefield.
Early in 1298 Surrey returned and relieved the English-held castles of Roxburgh and Berwick but by Edward’s orders advanced no farther. Edward himself crossed the Tweed on July 3 and moved toward Stirling with a strong force of heavy cavalry, a body of archers, and Irish and Welsh auxiliaries. Wallace retreated slowly, wasting the country behind him so Edward’s force could not resupply itself on the march. Edward, with his army half-starved and mutinous, was on the point of retreat when, early on July 21 near Kirkliston, he learned that Wallace was awaiting him near Falkirk.
Edward advanced and on the following day found Wallace on a carefully chosen sloping ground, his front protected by a small river. The English cavalry, having with some difficulty crossed the river and the adjacent marshy ground, launched repeated charges on the four schiltrons (circular battle formations) of Wallace’s spearmen. They drove off the field the small body of Scottish horse under Comyn but made no impression on the schiltrons and suffered considerable losses. The archers, however, now advanced, and their deadly volleys soon broke up the spearmen’s ranks, and further cavalry charges turned them to flight. Thousands of the Scots were slain in the pursuit, and among the dead were Sir John Stewart and Sir John de Graham. Wallace retired northward with the survivors, burning Stirling and Perth as he went. Edward, unable to maintain his forces in Scotland, returned south, reaching Carlisle on September 8. His military reputation ruined, Wallace resigned the guardianship in December 1298 and was succeeded by Bruce and Comyn.
Capture And Execution
There is some evidence that Wallace went to France in 1299 and thereafter returned to Scotland to act as a solitary guerrilla leader, but from the autumn of 1299 nothing is known of his activities for more than four years. The rebellion he had led nevertheless continued until 1304, at which point most Scottish nobles submitted to Edward. How much this continued resistance was due to Wallace’s influence is uncertain, but Wallace was the one leader to whom Edward would never offer any terms of capitulation and whom he most persistently tried to capture. On August 5, 1305, Wallace was arrested near Glasgow by Sir John Menteith, and, according to two early chroniclers, by treachery. He was carried to Dumbarton Castle and then to London, having possibly been brought before King Edward along the way.
Legacy And Influence
Wallace was unmarried and is not known to have fathered any children. There is no portrait of him and no contemporary description of his appearance. Many of the stories surrounding Wallace have been traced to a late 15th-century romance ascribed to Harry the Minstrel, or “Blind Harry.” The most popular tales are not supported by documentary evidence, but they show Wallace’s firm hold on the imagination of his people. A huge monument (1861–69) to Wallace stands atop the rock of Abbey Craig near Stirling. Mel Gibson portrayed Wallace in Braveheart (1995), an Academy Award-winning film that was loosely based on Wallace’s life.
Georgetown, Queensland:
Georgetown, a rural centre 270km southwest of Innisfail, Queensland, is on the road to Croydon. Originally known as Etheridge, it is the administrative centre of Etheridge Shire.
Georgetown began in 1869 as an alluvial gold mining centre, based on the Etheridge River. Mining came about mainly from Queensland Government geologist Richard Daintree's exploratory work. When the gold field was approved as a township it was named Georgetown in honour of the local gold commissioner, Howard Saint George. The alluvial gold attracted a rush of prospectors, estimated at up to 3000 at its peak. This number was short-lived, however, as footloose prospectors were soon drawn to more rewarding sites such as the Palmer River and Hodgkinson fields.
In 1870 a telegraph repeating station for an overland line to the Gulf was built at Georgetown, and a post office and a court opened in 1872. Buildings were primitive, including the school (1874), the Catholic chapel (1876), and the numerous hotels. The school closed in 1877 for want of pupils during one of the miners' periodic desertions to other fields (a government primary school opened again in 1878, today's State school tracing its origins to this date). The telegraph station, colonial-administrative functions and reliable river flows ensured a degree of economic stability and buffered Georgetown against the vagaries of fluctuating mining fortunes. The district's fertile red basalt soils encouraged beef pastoralism, and the town developed as a commercial service centre.
By 1880 the original wood and canvas buildings were wearing out. White-ant proof iron and hardwood structures replaced them (the Bank of New South Wales' new building built in 1890 lasted until 1988). In 1882 Georgetown had ten hotels, ten billiards rooms, and an enlarged courthouse to deal with participants in drunken brawls, assaults, indecent language, and livestock theft. The rich mineral lodes paid well enough to offset the costs caused by lack of water and distance, and continued to provide enough return to keep miners employed. By the early 1900s, however, mining was reported as being depressed, with cyanide processing of tailings giving the best results. There were still several hotels, and a hospital had been opened. Copper mining began at Einasleigh and a railway line was opened in 1908 to carry the ore to the Chillagoe smelters. The line, however, was not extended to Georgetown.
Georgetown was made the administrative centre of Etheridge Shire, which, together with the hospital and recreation facilities, has offset its never having a railway line. Georgetown is at the heart of some of Queensland's best gemfields, and the shire has embraced outback tourism. Outside of the town are several heritage-listed gold mines. A house in South Street built with antbed bricks circa 1890 (possibly the sole surviving example) is also heritage-listed. In Georgetown itself are a motel, hotel, and three camping/caravan parks, together with Anglican and Catholic churches, a general store, the State primary school, racecourse, swimming pool and a tourist information centre, which in 2003 acquired a notable minerals collection.
In 2004, the Ewamian people surrendered native title over the far northern Queensland townships of Einasleigh, Forsayth, Mount Surprise, and Georgetown. In return, they received access to their traditional country through three reserves along with land and housing in Georgetown.
Source: Britannica, Queensland Places (www.queenslandplaces.com.au/georgetown), & Queensland Heritage Register.
EAST CHINA SEA (July 31, 2020) Gunner’s Mate Seaman Spencer Christie fires a shot line from the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) to the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE-3) during a replenishment-at-sea. Shiloh is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Isaac Maxwell)
YOKOSUKA, Japan (March 2, 2018) The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Topeka (SSN 754) sits along the pier at Fleet Activities Yokosuka after arriving for a port visit. U.S. Navy port visits represent an important opportunity to promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, demonstrate commitment to regional partners and foster relationships. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeremy Graham/Released)
PHILIPPINE SEA (June 12, 2021) Sailors assigned to USS New Orleans (LPD 18) handle line as a Landing Craft Utility enters the well deck during a multilateral exercise involving Sailors and Marines on the USS New Orleans (LPD 18), USS America (LHD 6), USS Germantown (LSD 42), and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. New Orleans, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Desmond Parks)
The sculpture is called the Churning of the Milk Ocean or the Scene of the Churning of the Milk Ocean. It is believed to be the place that holds the nectar of immortality, thus it portrays immortality and stability. Likewise Suvarnabhumi Airport represents the golden land/resources/prosperity/stability and eternality.
The sculpture has the statue of four-hand Narayana (Vishnu) placed on top of the Mount Madura. 9 gods are on one side and 9 demons on the opposite are pulling the king of Nagas from both sides. The turtle (Koorm Avatar) is the tortoise-incarnation of Vishnu which is the third incarnation form out of the ten forms according to the Scene of the Churning of the Milk Ocean. Koorm Avatar uses the shell to be a pivot for the churning stick. BKK airport Bangkok Thailand
PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 24, 2020) As seen from the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), left, conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194). Germantown, part of Expeditionary Strike Group Seven (ESG 7), along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)
SEXT IS ASSOCIATED with the stillness and peace of noon, but it also evokes crisis and danger. Crisis is always a purification if we understand it correctly. The very word “crisis” comes from a root that means sifting out. Crisis is a separation, a sifting out of that which is viable and can go on from that which is dead and has to be left behind.
-Music of Silence: A Sacred Journey Through the Hours of the Day
Brother David Steindl-Rast, Sharon Lebell, and Kathleen Norris
PACIFIC OCEAN (Jan. 6, 2021) Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Clark Lampert, from Andover, Ohio, signals the pilot of an MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to the “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75, to take off from the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113). John Finn, part of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. As the U.S. Navy’s largest forward deployed fleet, with its approximate 50-70 ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and 20,000 Sailors in the area of operations at any given time, 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific area of operations to foster maritime security, promote stability, and prevent conflict alongside 35 other maritime nations and partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jason Waite)
PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan. 26, 2022) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Donald Elliot, from Kansas City, Missouri, assigned to forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), directs a CH-53E Super Stallion, assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), to land on the ship’s flight deck. America, the lead ship of America Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), along with the 31st MEU, is operating in U.S. 7th Fleet to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Theodore C. Lee)
SOUTH CHINA SEA (Oct. 6, 2019) - The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), left, and the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 6) and ships from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) and the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) are underway in formation while conducting security and stability operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest numbered fleet in the world, and the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific region for more than 70 years, providing credible, ready forces to help preserve peace and prevent conflict. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Erwin Jacob V. Miciano) 191006-N-VI515-0396
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March Road Buckie, en route to the Statkraft Stability project at Westerton Road Sub Station in Keith.
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The Castle of the Moors (Portuguese: Castelo dos Mouros) is a hilltop medieval castle located in the central Portuguese civil parish of Santa Maria e São Miguel, in the municipality of Sintra. Taken by Christian forces from the Moors after the fall of Lisbon, it was an important strategic point during the Reconquista, and classified as a National Monument, part of the Sintra Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The castle was constructed during the 8th to 9th century, during the period of Muslim Iberia, as the central place in a territory that was primarily agricultural, and which was necessary to protect its population.
In 1031, after the loss of Córdoba to the Almoravid dynasty, the king of Badajoz opted to transfer to Alfonso VI of León and Castile a few territories on the Iberian peninsula (among them Sintra) in order to gain an alliance with the Christian king. This transfer did not result in any security, and the castle was lost to the invading Almovorid.
After the conquest of Lisbon (1147) by forces loyal to Afonso Henriques, the castle surrendered voluntarily to Christian forces. Afonso Henriques entrusted the castle's security to 30 inhabitants, granting them privileges in the foral (charter) signed by the monarch in 1154. The charter suggested the that settlers should occupy and inhabit the castle, as a mechanism for guaranteeing the region's security and development.
During the second half of the 12th century, the chapel constructed within the walls of the castle became the parish seat. This was followed by the remodelling and construction under the initiative of King Sancho I of Portugal.
In 1375 King Ferdinand I of Portugal, under the counsel of João Annes de Almada, ordered the rebuilding of the castle. While the structure was well fortified by 1383, its military importance was progressively diminishing as, more and more, the inhabitants were abandoning the castle for the old village of Sintra.
While the chapel was still being used a centre of religious activities at the beginning of the 15th century, by 1493 this chapel was abandoned and later only used by the small Jewish community of the parish. This was followed in the 16th century by the transfer of the ecclesiastical parish of São Pedro from the castle to the new parochial church in the village. The Jews occupying and using the structures in the castle were expelled by Manuel I of Portugal, and the castle was completely abandoned.
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake caused considerable damage to the chapel and affected the stability of the castle. Visiting the chapel, Francisco de Almeida Jordão described the chapel (in 1768) as having a "principal door in the east, and in the south another smaller door, and a window. An addition to a painted image on the altar, there was another of rock which, already exists in the hermitage of Santa Eufémia, where they took it". An 1830 lithograph by Burnett immortalized the chapel's place in the Castle.
By 1838 the towers were already in ruins, when in 1840 Ferdinand II of Portugal took up the task of conserving and improving the condition of the castle, in which he committed 240 réis annually. He consolidated the walls, reforested the spaces, created nooks and manicured spaces and conserved the chapel. Along the south flank of the chapel he built a monument to collect the bones discovered during the public works, planting a tree in the central nave of the chapel. These reforms in the enclosure were overseen by Baron von Eschewege, but likely made the archaeological exploration of the territory considerably difficult.
At the end of the 19th century the administrator of the Forestry Service, Carlos de Nogueira, authorized several projects in the castle and chapel.
In 1939 the DGEMN became involved in the reconstruction of the castle walls, in addition to the lateral door of the chapel.
With an eye towards a fledgling tourist market, in 1954 a few of the cliffs were cleared to establish a picnic area near the castle, and in 1965 a transformer was installed to provide illumination.
In 1979 archaeological excavations in the Chapel of São Pedro were begun by the cultural services of Portugal, which discovered the existence of medieval funerary tombs, dating to the turn of the 13th century.
A dispatch by the Ministry of Culture, on 26 June 1996, declared the area of the Castle as a zone of special interest (Portuguese: Zona Especial de Protecção do imóvel).
During the summer of 1986, scouts were involved in projects to consolidate the walls with cement and clean the grounds, supported by the CMS.
In 2001 there were various interventions associated with cleaning the property, clearing undergrowth and forest overgrowth, and the installation of an electrical box along one of the walls.
PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan. 30, 2021) Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) conduct flight operations. America, flagship of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan D. Berlier)
CORAL SEA (July 19, 2021) Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) stand by in the USS New Orleans (LPD 18) well deck in preparation for combat rubber raiding craft operations as part of Talisman Sabre 2021 (TS21). TS21 is a large-scale, bilateral military exercise conducted biennially across Northern Australia designed to enhance the U.S.-Australia alliance, which is an anchor of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Exercises like this provide effective and intense training to ensure our forces are capable, interoperable, responsive, and combat-ready. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Desmond Parks)
A formation of Lockheed Martin F-35A "Lightning IIs", from the 388th Fighter Wing and 419th FW, refuel over the Utah Test and Training Range, Utah, as part of a combat power exercise Nov. 19, 2018. The exercise aims to confirm their ability to quickly employ a large force of jets against air and ground targets, and demonstrate the readiness and lethality of the F-35. As the first combat-ready F-35 units in the Air Force, the 388th and 419th FWs at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, are ready to deploy anywhere in the world at a moment's notice.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
Development
Origins
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.
Production and procurement
As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.
The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.
The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.
Ban on exports
The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon or the newer F-35 Lightning II, which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.
Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.
Production termination
Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.
In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G Growler.[60] Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.
In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP).[66] A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.
In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.
Upgrades
The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.
Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D.[83][84] To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.
In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.
The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.
Design
Overview
The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF.[91] It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.
The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.
The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.
The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.
Stealth
The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.
Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 Phantom II that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.
PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 6, 2020) A CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft attached to the Air Force 21st Special Operations Squadron lands on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6). America, flagship of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to maintain security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter Estrada)
PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 12, 2020) The dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14) steams alongside the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) during a replenishment at sea, while an MH-60S Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 executes a vertical replenishment between the ships. America, flagship of the America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Cavenaile)
Must attribute with link to: www.ptpioneer.com
Image of a girl working out Outside doing stability ball dumbbell chest press In a sunny park.
SOUTH CHINA SEA (June 15, 2017) The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, JS Izumo (DDH 183), break formation during a combined Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and U.S. Navy exercise June 13-15. Participants included USS Ronald Reagan, the guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), Carrier Air Wing 5, Destroyer Squadron 15, the guided-missile destroyers USS Barry (DDG 52) and USS McCampbell (DDG 85), JS Izumo and destroyer JS Sazanami (DDG 113). The JMSDF and U.S. Navy forces routinely train together to improve interoperability and readiness to provide stability and security for the Indo-Asia Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Burke / Released)
Machine and objective: Canon EOS 450D, Sigma 18-200mm DC OS, Canon Speedlite 430EX II
Locale: España, Sevilla, (en mi terraza).
Photographer: todoUNtipo
Velocidad: 1/200s
ISO: 400
Apertura: f8,0
Focal: 96mm
Please View On Black Por favor
Cuando la vida te presente razones para llorar, demuéstrale que tienes mil y una razones para reír.
When life hands you this reason to mourn, show him you have a thousand and one reasons to laugh.
…Cuando en la vida nos sale algo doblado, torcido o simplemente no nos sale, tenemos que serenarnos, calmarnos y ver las posibles soluciones, si no está en nuestras manos solo tenemos que tener paciencia y ver las soluciones desde otro ángulo, si lo está, solo tenemos que saber como y cuando lo podemos solucionar, es cuestión de paciencia y calma.
(F. Martínez Ledesma).
Como lo único que veo últimamente por todos los lados son gotas, pues apunto otra en la lista, y espero el buen tiempo ansioso.
Dedicada a todos vosotros por seguir ahí, hoy me sumo a la dedicatoria ya que estoy “mu” feliz porque mis pruebas médicas han salido de arte ;)
…Nunca me han interesado ni el poder ni la fortuna lo que admiro son las flores que crecen en la basura…
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved.
For the first time in 9 seasons, a new manufacturer popped up in the Galactic Speeder League, being the planetary corporation of Mesklin. The mesklinites produced a biodesign inspired B+ class racing speeder with two plazma engines shifted to the front to help manoeuverability and widespread front repulsors for better stability on banked tracks. The HC-1 in the name stands for sci-fi writer Hal Clement who invented planet Mesklin.