Landing the Big One

Landing the Big One

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Tuesday Reading

Any day of the week is a good day to head to Fred Fry's Maritime Monday 108 over at gCaptain.com. Fred has great pictures of very large Norwegian ships and links to more maritime stuff than you can point and click at in one day.

Fred also points out the way to a "high speed transit" of the Houston Ship Channel. 500 knots? I don't know, but it covers the upper channel. More bridges than I remembered. The work is by OneEighteen.

Speaking of merchant shipping, Robin Storm links to a report of a vigorous inspection of container chips since the break up of the box ship Napoli - turns out some of the ships may not be properly designed for the loads they carry...

Xformed seems to be chasing the same power curve that I am falling behind, but keep an eye on his Monday Maritime Matters because Admiral Jesse Olendorf is the topic. Olendorf's battle line "crossed the t" in the battle of Surigao Strait...

Another form of high speed linked to by Chap here. I think I would wear a helmet and face shield...or at least goggles.

China Confidential links to an article about a North Korea project of digging out an underground runway for a fighter base to protect it from --well-- I guess a nuclear attack that crazy Kim Jong Il is sure is coming. The article says the runway is "reminiscent of the Thunderbirds television series" - except, of course, the Thunderbirds were good guys. Funny how people think of puppets when discussing North Korea...Spook86 looks at the same article and says it would be impressive, but that there is no truth to the runway idea , but there's some substance behind the rumor, as set out here:
Underground facilities are also found at bases supporting other aircraft, including the three mentioned in the Times' story. Incidentally, those installations have been around for years, and they serve (primarily) as forward bases for AN-2 Colt biplanes, used as an insertion platform for North Korea's massive special operations forces. Prior to an attack against the south, the AN-2s would arrive at the forward airfields, allowing local SOF units to deploy on the aircraft.
Well, that's comforting.

Dadmanly discusses litigation being brought against the VA and finds some bias. Okay, a lot of bias and misrepresentation.

Galrahn finds a suggestion of an international anti-piracy force that could (and probably should) involve asking the Chinese to use their fleet to protect international sea lines of communication. Hey, they are using them and getting a free ride in not having to patrol them...

Odd media events noted at InstaPunk.

No comments:

Post a Comment