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Daily News
By Gail Helmer

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Monday September 24, 2001

PC News

Matrix Games Announces Publishing Deal
Matrix Games has announced the signing of a multi-game publishing deal with Simulations Canada. Matrix Games will be developing a line of computer wargame line based on many of Simulation Canada’s most popular designs.

"We will release a line of moderate complexity computer wargames based on these proven Simulations Canada designs,” Heath adds. “This will allow both experienced gamers and beginners to enjoy challenging games. Development work has already been started on these new projects and we will make announcements on the new titles as work on them progresses.”

Two new Matrix titles should be released this fall. "Uncommon Valor", the latest game from legendary designer Gary Grigsby, is an operational-level simulation of the campaign for the South Pacific from 1942 to the end of 1943. Players will have at their disposal every ship and plane that fought in that bitter duel between the Allies and Japan. Also forthcoming is "Starships Unlimited II", a space exploration and colonization strategy game combining the flow of real-time strategy games with the detailed control of turn-based games.

New Falcon 4.0 Files
Dr.Stop's F-117 Cockpit Version 1.0 is available now from F4Freeware.Net

Falcon 4.0 Operation Desert Storm addon BETA v0.1 has been released

Operation Desert Storm screenshots

Falcon 4.0 Vietnam addon BETA v0.7 released.

Military News

U.S. Army Contract for Apache Helicopters
United Industrial Corporation announced today that its AAI Corporation subsidiary has received a contract from the U.S. Army for an Advanced Boresight Equipment (ABE) system for the Republic of Singapore. The contract, valued at $920,000, was developed through the U.S. Defense Department's Foreign Military Sales program.



The ABE system will be used by the Republic of Singapore Air Force for precision alignment of systems and components on its fleet of AH-64D Apache helicopters. The contract includes one ABE Model 300 common system, a unique set of ABE Apache adapters, support services, and operation and maintenance training.

"Selection by an important U.S. ally in Asia underscores the increasing global recognition that our ABE technology has received in bringing value to military aircraft readiness and operability," said Richard R. Erkeneff, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Industrial. "The Singapore program team became familiar with our work supporting all Apache AH-64D helicopters produced by Boeing, and we are delighted they have chosen our system to support their own needs."

AAI's gyro-stabilized, electro-optical ABE system represents a major revolution in boresighting technology, resulting in significantly increased accuracy and repeatability, reduced maintenance time, and lower operating costs. AAI's ABE customers include the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter, Textron, GKN Westland, BAE Systems, and the Eurofighter Consortium.

Royal Marines Commandos Unveil The Hippo
The Royal Marines Commandos have unveiled a new 50 tonne armoured vehicle which will clear the way for faster and more effective beach assaults - the 'Hippo' Future Beach Recovery Vehicle. The Hippo will replace ageing Centurion-tank based beach recovery vehicles now used by the Royal Marines and will bring to an end nearly 60 years of service by the Centurion in Britain's Armed Forces.



The Hippo FBRV, produced by Hagglunds, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alvis Plc, is based on a modified Leopard 1 main battle tank chassis. It weighs 50 tonnes, is capable of over 40 kph and has a crew of three. It can manoeuvre in water up to a depth of 10 feet and, in up to four feet of water, can move anything from a Land Rover to a small tracked vehicle such as the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance and the new LCU Mk 10, itself weighing up to 240 tonnes fully loaded.

Defence Procurement Minister Lord Bach said: "The Hippo is vital for the success of an amphibious assault across a beach. We hope that these new vehicles will enter service a year ahead of schedule in parallel with the entry into service of the new assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, from which they will operate."

War Against Terrorism

Rumsfeld Says This War Is Different
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The war against terrorism the United States finds itself in is different from any other in the country's experience, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Sept. 20. The attacks of Sept. 11 were an act of war committed against America, Rumsfeld said. But the war will require a different vocabulary to describe and different tactics to fight.

"What we're engaged in is very, very different from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Kosovo, Bosnia -- the kinds of things that people think of when they use the words 'war' or 'campaign' or 'conflict,'" Rumsfeld told reporters in the Pentagon. "It is very different (from) embarking on a campaign against a specific country within a specific timeframe for a specific purpose."

He said the war would require the full resources of the U.S. government. He said political, diplomatic, economic, financial, law enforcement and military moves will be required to fight the terror networks. All will be engaged, and all must work together, he said.

Rumsfeld also spoke about deployments. "We are trying to get ourselves arranged in the world with our forces in places that we believe conceivably could be useful in the event the president decided to use them for one thing or another," he said.

He said he would not discuss what forces are moving where. "It's sufficiently sensitive that I'm not going to provide specific details of who's doing what, when and where," he said. "I don't think it's helpful."

After his briefing, the Department of Defense announced the first call-up of Reserve component personnel. A total of 5,131 members of the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve have been mobilized in 29 units from 24 states and the District of Columbia.

Rumsfeld said the United States will take the effort to the terror networks, but that doing so would take time. "It's a marathon, not a sprint," he said.

He said the United States is receiving a lot of international support for the effort against the terror networks. "This was an attack on the world," Rumsfeld said. "Hundreds of people from 60 countries were killed in these attacks."

There has been an outpouring of support from many countries and alliances. "We appreciate deeply these powerful expressions of support," he said.

Rumsfeld stressed this is not an effort "aimed at any religion or people."

He stressed the United States faces the asymmetrical threats of terrorism as well as threats from ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, cyber attacks and weapons of mass destruction. "These are front and center to us because of the problems of proliferation," he said.

He said that with the end of the Cold War, weapons of increased lethality and range are available to terrorist groups and countries "if they are determined and if they have the money."

Given the effects of the terror attacks, the importance of counter-proliferation efforts increases.

"Counter-proliferation is important in seeing those weapons of vastly greater power don't come into the hands, and are not used by, the kinds of people who attacked the United States," he said.

Rumsfeld said recovery operations at the Pentagon are going well, but the FBI cannot say when they will be finished.

Officials Ban Uniforms On Commercial Flights
WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Air Force people are no longer authorized to wear their uniforms when traveling aboard commercial aircraft, Air Force officials said.

The uniform prohibition, approved by Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, Sept. 21, is directly related to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon.

"The bottom line is force protection," said Lt. Col. Bruce Lovely, chief of Air Force quality of life and uniform activities. "Due to our concern for force protection, we want to make our folks less visible on commercial aircraft."

The policy ends the June 2000 recommendation that colonels and above, and chief master sergeants, wear their uniforms when traveling on official orders within the United States.

OPSEC Critical Every Day, Everywhere
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- Operations security, or OPSEC, is a key component of antiterrorism and force protection. It helps protect servicemembers, civilian employees, families, facilities and equipment everywhere by denying information.

Good OPSEC practices are important, especially now in light of the recent terrorist attacks on the United States, said Capt. Jim Williamson, OPSEC program manager for U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

"Simply put, OPSEC is all about denying the bad guys information so we can protect personnel and maximize mission effectiveness," said Williamson, whose job includes ensuring critical information is protected throughout USAFE.

Antiterrorism relies heavily on OPSEC, according to Air Force Instruction 10-1101, Operations Security. When people identify and protect critical information (military operations, capabilities, limitations, intentions, personnel, programs), OPSEC becomes a proactive means by which adversaries are denied this important advantage, Williamson said.

"Even if you're not part of operations, OPSEC still applies to you," he said. "We all possess critical information the adversary wants."

References to this information are maintained on a critical information list, commonly known as a CIL, Williamson said. The lists should be kept handy, like by the telephone, for convenient reference. Unit OPSEC managers are responsible for tailoring the CIL to their particular work areas and distributing it throughout their units.

"If a person needs to discuss critical information, they should use a secure telephone -- remembering appropriate security clearance does not constitute a need to know," he said.

Government telephones are subject to monitoring at all times.

Since force protection and antiterrorism protect the Air Force's most precious asset -- its people -- it is critical that OPSEC be scrupulously applied Air Force-wide everywhere, every day, Williamson said.

"While OPSEC has received increased attention lately, it's important all the time," he said. "The adversary isn't just seeking information during time of conflict. He's patiently waiting and collecting it all the time."

People should be careful of what they throw in the trash because "one man's trash is another man's treasure," Williamson said.

Cell phones, while extremely convenient, are one of the easiest means of communication to monitor, he said. No critical information should be discussed on a cell phone, he went on to say.

While there is no critical information list for family members, Williamson said they should stop to consider if what they are talking about would be of interest to someone collecting information.

"We all have a role in OPSEC, and that includes family members," he said. "Information such as the cancellation of leave or work schedules can provide the adversary with another piece of the overall puzzle he's trying to piece together."

"It's everyone's job to protect their piece of the puzzle," he said.

OPSEC also focuses on observable actions. According to Williamson, an adversary creates a profile by simply observing people's daily activities.

People increase the value of that profile to the adversary if they are predictable with their actions, he said. The observable action (or indicator) becomes yet another piece of the overall information puzzle.

If the adversary observes the same action carried out in the same way at the same time, then they can easily identify not only routine activities, but deviations as well, he said.

"For example, if the same exact patrol route were followed at the same exact time every day, the patrol would quickly become predicable," Williamson said. "If the patrol were suddenly not there, that would be an indication of a change to the mission."

If an action is random to begin with, the adversary is left guessing, and "that's the point of OPSEC," Williamson said.

"OPSEC is important both on and off duty. We're all very proud of the work we do, but the particulars are not for everyone's ears," he said. "The adversary is real, he's listening, and he wants to know what you know."

FBI Assumes Jurisdiction At Pentagon Crash Site
WASHINGTON, -- The FBI assumed crime-scene jurisdiction at the Pentagon terrorist attack site Sept. 21 from the Arlington County (Va.) Fire Department, officials said.

FBI officials estimate the crime scene investigation would last about a month, Arlington Fire Chief Edward P. Plaugher said. He said he expects "additional remains will be discovered during the course of the FBI investigation" and mortuary specialists will remain on site to process them.

As a result of the attack, 125 people in the Pentagon died or remain unaccounted for, according to a DoD casualty update. Another 64 people were aboard the hijacked plane that smashed into the building. To date, 118 remains have been recovered and transported to Dover Air Force Base, Del., for identification.

Plaugher said Arlington firefighters will continue providing emergency protection for FBI investigators combing the crash site, including fire watch and structural safety monitoring. He said his department would also assist in processing evidence.

At a ceremony earlier in the day Army Maj. Gen. James T. Jackson, Military District of Washington commanding general, thanked county firefighters, Army engineers from Fort Belvoir, Va., and other organizations that pitched in during the emergency. "You are truly the foundation upon which our country will continue to stand," Jackson said, presenting the firefighters and engineers with MDW commander's coins.

A terrorist-hijacked airliner crashed into the Pentagon's west wall Sept. 11 just minutes after two other hijacked airliners crashed into the New York World Trade Center's twin towers in New York. More than 6,400 people are now feared dead there.

Around the same time, a fourth hijacked plane crashed into a Pennsylvania field, killing 44. The plane's crew and passengers are credited with thwarting the terrorists' plans.


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