Archive for category Aviation

History: The Flying Tigers–America’s Celebrated PMC During World War Two

Aug 1

Posted by Matt in Aviation, History | No Comments

This is a supplement to the post on Claire Chennault and it gives you a real feel for what I am talking about here. Back then, this PMC called the Flying Tigers or AVG were heroes in the war, and produced such folks like Pappy Boyington who went on to lead the Black Sheep squadron in the Marines. It is also interesting to note that Chennault created the company called Civil Air Transport, and later converted into Air America during the Vietnam War. Both companies were involved in many cold war related conflicts since WW2. -Matt

 

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Publications: Claire Lee Chennault–Theorist And Campaign Planner, By Major John M Kelley

Aug 1

Posted by Matt in Aviation, History, Publications, Strategy | 3 Comments

I wanted to post this as a resource for anyone studying private military forces and their uses by nations. Claire Lee Chennault led the company called the American Volunteer Group or AVG in China against the Japanese after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, all with US blessing. His small force of mercenary pilots fought for 600 dollars a month (which was two to three times more than their military pay) and 500 dollars per Japanese aircraft they shot down.(offense industry)

What makes Claire significant is his theory of war, and the US military’s desire not to heed his theories. Matter of fact, it was this clash that led to Claire leaving the military, and later going to China with the blessings of the US to advise China’s fledgling air force. Claire in essence had an outlet to apply his theories of war, and not only did he advise the Chinese, but raised a mercenary army to assist.

This small mercenary army of aviators took on the entire Japanese air force at that time, and it was Claire’s planning and strategic thinking that evened the odds against the Japanese. He was certainly able to prove his theories of air power as soon as Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and brought the US into outright war with Japan. AVG was the only asset of the US that could strike back at the Japanese immediately after that attack.

And boy did they stick it to the Japanese. Their private war lasted about 6 months, and they did some damage:

The AVG was officially credited with 297 enemy aircraft destroyed, including 229 in the air. However, a researcher who surveyed Japanese accounts concluded that the number was much lower: 115. Fourteen AVG pilots were killed in action, captured, or disappeared on combat missions. Two died of wounds sustained in bombing raids, and six were killed in accidents during the Flying Tigers’ existence as a combat force.

The fight was also very uneven, and this was a PMC versus the air force and resources of a nation. Here is a statistic of how many folks we are talking about. Which further emphasizes how the AVG had to really depend upon the support of the people and really effective use of aerial strategy.

By November 1941, when the pilots were trained and most of the P-40s had arrived in Asia, the Flying Tigers were divided into three squadrons: 1st Squadron (“Adam & Eves”); 2nd Squadron (“Panda Bears”) and 3rd Squadron (“Hell’s Angels”).They were assigned to opposite ends of the Burma Road to protect this vital line of communications. Two squadrons were based at Kunming in China and a third at Mingaladon Airport near Rangoon. When the United States officially entered the war, the AVG had 82 pilots and 79 aircraft, although not all were combat-ready.

The paper below goes into detail about the theory, and pay particular attention to how similar the thinking is to Sun Tzu. Yet there is not one mention of him studying Sun Tzu?  You see concepts like attacking weakness with strength, using deception, the effective use of lookouts and networks, and the whole ‘know yourself, know your enemy’ theme.  He really focused on the strengths of the Chinese people and bringing them into the strategy.  The people are the ones that called in enemy fighter positions through an organized system of observers, helped build up the 100 bases that were crucial to Claire’s mobility strategy, and helped rescue downed pilots. This was an aerial version of guerrilla warfare.

There is a lot of good stuff in this paper, and the point I want folks to think about for the grand picture of this story, is that private force can be a strategic asset of a nation.  Claire and his AVG ‘airmen of fortune’ were celebrated in the US and world as they prosecuted the war in Asia in the post Pearl Harbor days. It would be like DynCorp waging war in Pakistan in the days right after 9/11, and everyone cheering them on as they decimate terrorist hideouts.

The AVG or the Flying Tigers also remind me of Stirling’s Private Army in Yemen. I wouldn’t be surprised if AVG is what inspired Stirling, because AVG’s private war in Asia was big news around the world.  You could also classify this as a case for the successful use of a PMC in offensive operations, or actually fighting a war. (much like with Executive Outcomes) And of course, it is another case study of offense industry, with the use of bounties as an incentive. So for all of those reasons, I think it is important to give some attention and credit to this man and what he and his company was able to accomplish. -Matt

General Claire Chennault

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Aviation: Drone Archer Weapon–The Vanguard Defense Shadowhawk UAV

Jul 29

Posted by Matt in Aviation | No Comments

Thanks to Mad Duo over at Kit Up for posting this one. I am always on the lookout for potential drone archer weapons, or UAV’s that are small and lethal. I believe tools like this can enhance the lethality of a small unit. The more we can put that capability of small lethal drones in their hands, the more options a small unit has on the battlefield.

The specifics that interested me about this UAV is that they are able to equip the thing with a 40mm grenade launcher and FLIR. Although for a platform like this, I would much rather see a precision weapon system. It would be the ultimate aerial sniper platform, and especially if they can get the stabilization game down. In this case, you could use the drone archer more like a sniper team on the battlefield, and less as a hammer that is armed with just explosive drones.

The down side with this UAV is flight time and it’s durability. If an enemy sniper is able to get one shot on this thing, they could take it out. A shotgun or drone hunter UAV would be some tools that could counter such a weapon. So the thing with this weapon is it might be best served for aerial surveillance/tracking and helping with targeting. Who knows, and what is required is to get weapons like this into the hands of the troops, and let them find it’s utility. -Matt

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Books: You Have To Live Hard To Be Hard, By Dan Laguna

May 29

Posted by Matt in Aviation, Books | No Comments

I remember when the Blackwater Little Bird (MD 500) went down in Iraq, and it was a shock to all of us working in the industry at the time. This crash and the deaths that resulted, hit home to a lot of folks, to include the brother of one of the dead–Dan Laguna. Dan’s book goes into some of the details of this crash, and the life and sacrifices of this 160th SOAR pilot and contractor Little Bird pilot.

These Little Bird pilots and crews did some amazing and extremely dangerous work back then.  If you remember the battle of Najaf or the rescue of the wounded Polish diplomat, you get an idea of the type of missions and contracts they were involved with. Which by the way, I did not know that the Polish government awarded Dan their Silver Star for the rescuing of their diplomat? (see video)

But the other thing I wanted to highlight here is that Dan represents the kind of sacrifice that contractors make and have given in this war.  In this war alone, from 09/01/2001 to 03/31/2011, there have been 2,620 contractors killed.(Xe has lost 29 KIA according to the DoL statistics, 33 according to T. Christine Miller’s graph) That is 2,620 souls that had friends and families, all destroyed by the worst disaster they could ever experience–the loss of a loved one or friend. Not to mention entire towns mourned the loss of these men and women, and the memory of that loss is with everyone forever…

During this Memorial Day weekend, there will be many folks out there looking back on this loss and trying make sense of it all. For some, the pain and despair is a constant, and any and all sources of inspiration is needed to get through the days.  That is why I recommend books like Dan Laguna’s. He is a military veteran and contractor veteran, and he lost his brother and comrades to war. If you want to learn how he copes, or understand his struggle to better understand how you can work through your loss and struggle, then this book is for you.

This book is also a testament to the kind of every day heroic deeds that contractors performed in these wars.  It is also a testament to the heroic deeds of a 160th SOAR pilots. Which brings up another point.

A contractor is usually a military veteran.  Most often, they are military veterans with incredible backgrounds, multiple deployments in the war, and have lost comrades. Not to mention the hard lives of the families of veterans who had to keep things going at the home front all of those years.

These veterans make up a large contingent of contractors. Some are even retired military veterans who definitely gave their pound of flesh to country….and then some. And yet these same men continue to serve and die as contractors, and to me, that is inspirational and something to admire. -Matt

Dan Laguna’s blog here.

Buy the book here.

Facebook for book here.

Blackwater’s Little Birds blog here.

Find the book in the Jundi Gear Locker here.

9781449081249Books: You Have To Live Hard To Be Hard, By Dan Laguna
Book Description from Amazon
On July 20, 1994, Dan Laguna and Carlos Guerrero of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment SOAR were in a devastating helicopter accident. Carlos died and Dan spent months in the hospital recovering from 3rd and 4th degree full thickness burns and several broken bones. His story of survival is miraculous, inspirational and motivating. He returned to duty a year later and served seven more years in his unit before retiring.
After retiring from the Army and moving to Utah, Dan took a job working as a contractor for Blackwater USA in 2004. On January 23, 2007 his brother, Art Laguna, and four of his brothers in arms were killed when their helicopter was shot down over Baghdad, Iraq.
Dan Laguna’s helicopter had extensive damage due to small arms fire and was forced to land but after inspecting the helicopter and noticing dozens of insurgents racing toward them, he decided to take the risk and fly back to the Green Zone.
This book is a tribute to his fallen brothers whose, courage, bravery, and patriotism are what make this country what it is today.

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Utah Helicopter Pilot Talks About Battle That Killed Brother
January 24th, 2007
First of all my brother is and was a HERO. All he ever wanted to do from the time I can remember as a child, was he wanted to fly. He became one of the most professional pilots you could have ever known. I recruited my brother to join us with Blackwater Aviation. We get a lot of resumes but only a few have the qualifications to join us. This is one of the most demanding jobs in Iraq. The military flies some every day, but we in Blackwater Aviation are up flying in the RED zone every day all day.

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Industry Talk: Missions Evolve, So Does DynCorp

May 28

Posted by Matt in Aviation, Industry Talk | No Comments

These types of articles are great because they give the reader some perspective as to where the industry is going.  DynCorp mentioned specifically that they are looking at getting into intelligence and post conflict international development as their targets for company growth. They are also recognizing the fact that a company that can meet the needs of both the DoD and DoS will have some good diversification as the wars evolve and transition. I love this quote:

“We position ourselves for transition,” he said. “We have to watch the whole life cycle of conflict to see where we’re going to play and who we’re going to play with.”

Which brings up another quote that really kind of threw me here.  I had no idea that DynCorp was maintaining Presidential aircraft? That is a huge deal, and to put that kind of trust in a company like DynCorp says a lot.  Here is the quote:

“We’re also known for our work with the presidential fleet,” he added. “There are now about 28 airplanes at Andrews Air Force Base that support the president’s Cabinet, and we support that fleet 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

So there you have it.  A private company tasked with maintaining the aircraft of the most important leaders of the nation. Might I add that DynCorp is also tasked with protecting dignitaries and politicians in the war zones through their DoS contracts, and that is a huge responsibility as well.  From protecting nuclear plants, government employees, CEO’s and VIP’s, military officers,  political leadership of the US, etc.–private industry is certainly making a contribution. DynCorp is definitely making their mark and it will be very interesting to watch them grow and evolve as the wars transition, or new wars come on to the scene. -Matt

Missions evolve, so does DynCorp
By Amber Corrin
Jun 06, 2011
It’s been a busy year for DynCorp International. In the past 16 months, the company has been bought by a private equity firm, made two acquisitions of its own and won at least four new major contracts.
At the same time, it is maintaining critical U.S. aircraft fleets, running counter-drug operations in Colombia, training law enforcement agents and shuttling dignitaries throughout Iraq, and maintaining military bases and working with police and Ministry of the Interior personnel in Afghanistan.
The company’s success helped it reach the No. 12 spot on the 2011 Top 100 with $3 billion in prime contracts.
The company continues to look toward its future. Specifically, it’s seeking to break into the intelligence and international development spheres, President Steven Schorer said.

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Books: Gunship Ace: The Wars Of Neall Ellis–Gunship Pilot And Mercenary, By Al J Venter

May 25

Posted by Matt in Aviation, Books | 2 Comments

Very cool. Al Venter has authored some fantastic books and is certainly dedicated to this subject matter. I have not read this particular book yet, and if any readers out there would like to add their two cents about the publication, please feel free to do so in the comments.

Also, this book is in the Jundi Gear store, and the link provided below will take you there directly. Or you can visit the JG store at any time and it will be there to check out or buy at your leisure.  It looks like it is priced at $21.75. Be sure to check out Al’s wikipedia I posted below because it will give you an idea of the kind of work he has done over the years. -Matt

517o2QiOPBL. SS500 Books: Gunship Ace: The Wars Of Neall Ellis Gunship Pilot And Mercenary, By Al J Venter
Gunship Ace: The Wars of Neall Ellis, Gunship Pilot and Mercenary
By Al Venter
Book Description
A former South African Air Force pilot who saw action throughout the region from the 1970s on, Neall Ellis is the best-known mercenary combat aviator alive. Apart from flying Alouette helicopter gunships in Angola, he has fought in the Balkan War (for Islamic forces), tried to resuscitate Mobutu’s ailing air force during his final days ruling the Congo, flew Mi-8s for Executive Outcomes, and thereafter an Mi-8 fondly dubbed ‘Bokkie’ for Colonel Tim Spicer in Sierra Leone. Finally, with a pair of aging Mi-24 Hinds, Ellis ran the Air Wing out of Aberdeen Barracks in the war against Sankoh’s vicious RUF rebels.
For the past two years, as a “civilian contractor,” Ellis has been flying helicopter support missions in Afghanistan, where, he reckons, he has had more close shaves than in his entire previous four-decades put together.

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Logistics: SKA Air & Logistics And Somalia

Jan 21

Posted by Matt in Africa, Aviation, Industry Talk, Logistics, Somalia | No Comments

“The line between disorder and order lies in logistics…”- Sun Tzu 

paragraph dividerLogistics: SKA Air & Logistics And Somalia

     I have had the opportunity to see SKA Air and Logistics in action in Iraq as have many contractors, and these guys have been busy.  They provide a very unique capability that involves setting up logistics and air services in war zones.  They are doing it in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and they are also trying to do this in Somalia.

     So why am I bringing these folks up now?  Well with all of the news of Saracen International in Somalia, or Erik Prince’s supposed involvement, to me the other interesting story that everyone is missing is the logistics side of this operation. That SKA was listed along with Saracen International for contracts in Somalia. Talk about a tough contract?

    Below I have listed as many stories as I could find about SKA and their recent dealings in Somalia.  From what I can gather, they had a contract to modernize the airport in Mogadishu and to modernize and manage the seaport. (a boat with all of their stuff and tools is in an Oman port as we speak) These two key logistics hubs are absolutely vital for any kind of future development in that country.  They are also vital to any stability operations or anti-piracy operations.

     What is also interesting about this contract, as with the Saracen contract, is that there is some heart ache within the ever changing government of the TFG in Somalia as to the particulars of the contracts. If the contracts were signed under different political leadership, then all sorts of issues pop up.  Of course the corrupt aspects of this ever evolving government want to ensure they get paid or get a cut of the action.  Then there are the warlords that currently manage or have control over the airport or seaports. Then there is Al Shabab and the Islamists and their influence on the situation. All of these forces add extreme complexity to establishing a contract and the services that go with.  But that is what SKA gets when dealing with a failed state and an active war zone. Like I said, this will be a very challenging contract to fulfill.

     As for jobs, if you check out their career section they have one position available for work at the seaport in Mogadishu. No word about guard contracts. From the website, SKA used Fijians as guards in Iraq. Who knows, maybe Saracen is involved with that aspect of the contract? I would speculate though that whatever company is used for guard services, the force would be a mix of local guard forces and the standard expat management.  Hopefully someone from the company can pop up and fill in the blanks.

     On a side note, oil exploration is ramping up in Puntland. One of my readers pointed this out to me and I thought this was an interesting tie in with the anti-piracy initiatives Saracen International has signed onto in that region. Are they connected, who knows, but these oil companies do benefit from a stable and secure Somalia. -Matt

Somalia: Nation Hands Over Mogadishu Airport to Foreign Company

SKA Air & Logistics to manage Aden-Adde International airport

Somalia: SKA Air And Logistics Denies It Takes Over Mogadishu Airport

Mogadishu port dispute

rule dividerLogistics: SKA Air & Logistics And Somalia 

dfirmLogistics: SKA Air & Logistics And Somalia

Welcome to SKA Air & Logistics

SKA Air & Logistics is a world-class provider of aviation services and logistics. The teams that currently make up SKA have been operating in Iraq since 2003 and are now expanding the operations in Kuwait, the UAE, Afghanistan and the African Continent. Our diverse capabilities include a wide range of Aviation Services, Ground Logistics, Life Support, Fuel Supply Chain Management, Camp Construction, and Security Services. We specialize in moving people and equipment smoothly and safely in challenging environments. We pride ourselves on combining unique solutions with unrivaled service helping you achieve your goals in the most difficult environments   and our motto, “Doing Difficult Jobs in Difficult Places.” is not just a marketing slogan it is a matter of proven historical record.

Security

SKA Air & Logistics operates its own Security Force to ensure the security of all our installations, aircraft, staff and cargo. Chosen for their robustness, loyalty and unblemished record of service, the SKA Security Force is managed by former British and US military personnel and we currently operate security teams comprising of former Fijian Military staff. At the higher level we have members of senior management with extensive experience of military operations and the international security industry. Our security services include:

• Asset Protection

• Emergency & Contingency planning

• Full Logistical & Administrative Security

• Cash in Transit Services

• Aviation flight Security

• Static Guard Force

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Aviation: Department Of State Enters 5 Year IDIQ Agreement For Up To 110 S-61 T Helicopters

Oct 4

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Aviation, Iraq | 1 Comment

    Interesting choice of helicopter.  This goes back to the idea of trying to be more cost effective by upgrading proven helicopters as opposed to buying brand new and more expensive helicopters. Hell, the first flight of the S-61 was in 1959, so this is definitely an old war horse.

    The other piece of news that everyone is waiting on is wether or not the DoD will loan State the Blackhawk helicopters and MRAPs it is requesting?  With the purchase of these S-61 T’s, I am wondering if DoS is wanting a faster helicopter like the Blackhawk for QRF or rescue type operations? Who knows, and I will post that information when it comes up. Below I also posted the job ads for pilots and technicians with Presidential Airways. -Matt

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  AIR S 61T lgAviation: Department Of State Enters 5 Year IDIQ Agreement For Up To 110 S 61 T Helicopters

The Sikorsky S-61T Triton helicopter. 

New S-61T Helos for the US State Department 

20-Sep-2010

First 2 accepted; Another 11 ordered. (Sept 20/10)

In February 2010, Sikorsky announced an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity agreement with the US Department of State to purchase up to 110 modernized S-61T Sea King helicopters, for “passenger and cargo transport missions in support of its worldwide operations.” The State Department regularly leases helicopters for this purpose; as one example, the helicopter that spirited Rep. Alan Grayson [D-FL] out of Niger during the 2010 coup was flown by Blackwater/Xe’s Presidential Airways.

Because of the current state of helicopter support in Afghanistan, the role of private contractors to fill the gaps has been growing. The initial S-61T delivery order has been followed by more… and Sikorsky is pointedly touting the S-61Ts as an alternative to leased machines.

Story here.

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U.S. State Department Orders 11 More Upgraded S-61 Helicopters for Use in

Iraq & Afghanistan

September 20, 2010

Sikorsky Aerospace Services today announced the U.S. State Department has ordered 11 additional upgraded S-61TM utility helicopters for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) is the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).

Earlier this year, the State Department entered into a five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for up to 110 upgraded S-61 aircraft for passenger and cargo transport missions in support of its worldwide operations. Under the IDIQ agreement, the first four aircraft purchased in February are currently in completion and are scheduled for deployment in Afghanistan this fall.

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Aviation: Air Power On The Cheap

Sep 26

Posted by Matt in Aviation | No Comments

In aerial combat, then, low tech may be the new high tech. And there is one other advantage that the turboprop has over the jet, at least according to Mr Read—who flew turboprops on combat missions in Cambodia during the 1970s. It is that you can use a loudspeaker to talk to potential targets before deciding whether to attack them. As Winston Churchill so memorably put it: “When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.” 

*****

     Warfare on the cheap is all the rage these days and this is an excellent little article from the Economist on the subject of cheap air power.  I just talked about Colombia’s use of these types of aircraft in their war against the FARC and I thought I would add further information behind the concept. I should also note that PMC’s like Executive Outcomes had their own air assets for operations, and that too could be classified as ‘air power on the cheap’.  If it gets the job done and you are dealing with an enemy that has no air power, then these ideas make sense.

     The one thing I keep thinking about though, is that I like cheap air power that has a high probability of survival. Or better yet, is cheap and unmanned. I think as soon as we can put robotics into these cheap propeller type aircraft, then we are effectively creating cheaper drones with built in supply and maintenance systems. Imagine an unmanned Cessna Caravan doing these types of military missions?

     Or an unmanned cargo carrier like a 747 with a payload of JDAM type munitions that could be dropped from extreme heights? There are plenty of these old, yet still working aircraft that could be outfitted with robotics. Cheap drones produced from such aircraft could be a market all by itself, and especially as smaller nations join the larger nations in their desire to have this capability– for a fraction of the price.

     Not to take away from the value of having a human in the cockpit, which to me is still the smartest computer out there. I think there will always be a need for this man and machine relationship, and especially if future small wars will require extreme discipline and precision, along with common sense and a feel for the battle field. Only a guy in the plane can really get that feel for their little patch of war and how to dominate the enemy and work with other forces. We might get there one day with UAVs, but I still think humans will have a place. -Matt

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embraer super tucanoAviation: Air Power On The Cheap

The Super Tucano, made by Embraer.

Air power on the cheap

Small, slow and inexpensive propeller-driven planes are starting to displace fighter jets

Sep 20th 2010

JET fighters may be sexy in a Tom Cruise-ish sort of way, but for guerilla warefare—in which the enemy rarely has an air force of his own with which to dogfight—they are often not the tool for the job. Pilotless drones can help fill the gap. Sometimes there is no substitute for having a pilot on the scene, however, so modern air forces are starting to turn to a technology from the yesteryear of flying: the turboprop.

So-called light-attack turboprops are cheap both to build and to fly. A fighter jet can cost $80m. By contrast the 208B Caravan, a light-attack turboprop made by Cessna, costs barely $2m. It also costs as little as $500 a hour to run when it is in the air, compared with $10,000 or more for a fighter jet. And, unlike jets, turboprops can use roads and fields for takeoff and landing.

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Colombia: FARC Military Leader Mono Jojoy Death Is Blow To Four-Decade Insurgency

Sep 26

Posted by Matt in Aviation, Colombia, Strategy, Technology | 1 Comment

They said Operation Sodom, as it has been dubbed, started on Tuesday 21 September, when the heads of all three branches of the Colombian military, the police and the Ministry of Defence met in Bogota to finalise details of the attack.

In the early hours of Wednesday 22 September, 78 aircraft headed for the area known as La Escalera in the Macarena mountain range in Meta province.

They dropped dozens of bombs on Mono Jojoy’s camp, which Defence Minister Rodrigo Rivera has described as “the mother of all lairs” for its size and the number of hidden tunnels it had.

About 400 members of the Colombian special forces then abseiled from helicopters and surrounded the camp.

After hours of fighting, another 400 soldiers and police moved in on the camp, taking it in the early hours of Thursday morning. 

*****

     What can I say?  This is an incredible stroke of luck for the Colombian government in their war against the FARC, and bravo to them for pulling off such an operation.

     The first thing that jumped up at me was how they were able to find out who the boot manufacturer was that Mono used to make his custom made jungle boots.  Because from that little tip, this entire operation was grown.  Basically, once they had a fix on these boots, they were able to slip a GPS tracking device into them and follow the path these boots made from shop to secret jungle camp.

     Once the location was found, you can see from the quote up top that the government forces quickly took advantage.  They knew what they had, and they put everything they had into being successful.

     The use of their Embraer Super Tucanos in this operation is very interesting.  With these things, the cost of the air operation is significantly cheaper.  This aircraft is also getting a lot of looks from other countries who are fighting insurgencies where their enemies do not have jet aircraft or any serious air power.  The reasoning here is that why use multi-million dollar jets that cost thousands of dollars an hour to fuel and maintain, when you can accomplish the same task with cheaper prop aircraft?  Colombia is definitely proving the validity of the concept.

     The capture of computer hardware is impressive as well. I would suspect that the FARC is sweating bullets right now because everyone on Mono’s hard drive will now be a target. Expect to see more clean up operations designed to demoralize the FARC, and drive them to either dissolve or just surrender. I certainly hope that Colombia is able to break their will and sink this pathetic drug fueled organization. (Mexican drug cartels, you’re next. lol)

     Now onto some lessons here. The whole GPS in the boot trick is pretty damn cool and I think any chance we can do the same thing with other enemies in today’s various insurgencies would be a good thing. I say the smaller you can make the device, the better, and make it sturdy enough to insert in all and any objects.  Even troops in Afghanistan could be putting GPS devices in all types of things that the enemy could possibly pick up and want to use. These devices should not be just the tools of specialists, and they should be viewed as the tool of modern day combat trackers.

     One area that the GPS trick might be well served, is in the endeavor to track animals for anti-poacher operations.  Eeben Barlow talked about the Rhino poaching problem in South Africa the other day, and I think small GPS tracking devices would be very helpful in anti-poaching operations.

    Better yet, Joseph Kony of the LRA could be tracked using the same method the Colombians used against Mono Jojoy. Either set up some child’s AK with a GPS in the stock, or introduce several of these devices somehow into the possession of this group.  Any way possible to track these folks should be looked at and planned for. If you strive to know your enemy, you should be able to find some weakness or opening at one point in your hunt for him. The imagination is the only limit and the pay off would be incredible. -Matt

FARC Military Leader Suárez’s Death Is Blow to Four-Decade Insurgency

Colombian police examine Farc rebels’ laptops

A chip hidden in the boots of Mono Jojoy allowed to locate in the jungle

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1285343246 0Colombia: FARC Military Leader Mono Jojoy Death Is Blow To Four Decade Insurgency

The bodies of guerrillas killed, including Mono Jojoy.

Colombia Kills Guerrilla Chief

FARC Military Leader Suárez’s Death Is Blow to Four-Decade Insurgency

By JOSé DE CóRDOBA And DARCY CROWE

BOGOTA—Colombia’s army killed the military leader of the country’s communist guerrillas in a two-day battle that involved airstrikes against his jungle bunker, dealing a major blow to the four-decade insurgency, officials said Thursday.

Victor Suárez, 57 years old, nicknamed “Mono Jojoy,” was the second in command and top field marshal of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, Latin America’s biggest and oldest guerrilla group. To many ordinary Colombians, his thick moustache and Che Guevara-style black beret were synonymous with the FARC.

“Mono Jojoy is dead,” Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos told reporters in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. “This is the most devastating blow ever dealt to the FARC.”

The strike was a big boost for Mr. Santos, who took office in August. He dubbed the military mission, which involved more than 30 aircraft, “Operation Welcome.” In his role as defense minister under Colombia’s previous president, Álvaro Uribe, Mr. Santos oversaw some notable blows against the FARC.

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