Pakistan is accelerating its nuclear weapons program

June 1, 2009 · Posted in Blogroll, Uncategorized · 1 Comment 

Wired reports that Pakistan seems to be stepping up its program for manufacturing more nuclear devices; and additionally, it is ramping up efforts to produce more efficient thermonuclear warheads.

Ramping up these nuclear facilities, ISIS notes, is “likely linked to a strategic decision to improve the destructiveness and deliverability of its nuclear arsenal.” Take, for instance, the focus on plutonium production: A plutonium fission device can be used as the “primary” (i.e., as the trigger) for a staged weapon that would set off a thermonuclear “secondary.” That’s scary enough; but equally troubling is the potential vulnerability of these nuclear sites.

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Heron UAV in US service

June 1, 2009 · Posted in Blogroll, Uncategorized · Comment 

Steve Trimble reports the appearance of the Israeli Heron UAV apparently on counter-drug assignment in El Salvador.

A version of the Heron called the "Heron 2" lost a huge US Army contract competition in 2004. It was called the extended range/multipurpose (ERMP) UAV program. The army picked the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc’s Sky Warrior, a UAV that falls between the Predator and the Reaper in capability.
The new SOUTHCOM experiment begs the question: Could the Heron re-emerge as a contender to join the US military’s inventory?

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