Volunteers, Airlines Lift Tons of Baby Clothes to Refugees Fleeing War in Afghanistan

The anguish of unrelenting cold in the camps is reflected in the face of this Afghan Boy

Image: Andrea Bruce, New York Times

Unusually Cold Afghanistan Winter Takes Toll on Most Vulnerable: Relief Effort Led by British Afghan Women’s Society; Mission Accomplished Through Unprecedented Rapid End-to-End Private Effort Airlift of Large Quantities of Aid Materiel Into Conflict Zone

      Kalitta Air and DHL Deployed their aircraft to assist in the rapid movement of relief goods to refugee camps outside of Kabul, Afghanistan in an unprecedented private airlift mission into a conflict zone    Image: Kalitta Air

“We were up all night trying to keep her warm, but there weren’t enough blankets.  Then we heard her cough.  It was her last breath.”  Mr. Samid Gul, on the loss of his infant daughter, as told to the BBC’s Andrew North


UPDATE:   Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan ( March 24-31, 2012)  - In the aftermath of a deadlier than usual winter for young children in Afghanistan, in which at least 40 children have frozen to death as a result of inadequate clothing, shelter, and blankets, a British Afghan Women’s Society  air cargo of warm baby clothes, baby formula, and other items has arrived in Kabul, and delivered to the refugee camps in Kabul where many of the freezing deaths occurred.  The cargo is the result of an outpouring of sympathy from Britons and people from around the world, who responded overwhelmingly to calls by the Society for donations of these items.

The cargo was transported through the generous donation of air transport services from a number of companies working together, picking up different legs of the trip.  It is believed that this is the first time a purely cooperative effort attempting end-to-end delivery of such a large quantity of donated relief items has been accomplished in the Afghan theater.  The donated items are being driven directly to the camps after sorting and will be put into the hands of the neediest families.

      Children of Kabul Refugee Camps Gather During Distribution of Relief Goods on 31 March, 2012; Amidst Squalor, a Quiet Dignity - Image: BAWS/DHSA

The refugee camps hold an estimated 35,000 people who have fled the violence and fighting in other parts of the country, and live in squalid conditions, mostly in tents and mud huts.Twenty three of the deaths occurred in the camps in Kabul, considered the most secure area of the country.  All were children under five.

The British Afghan Women’s Society gathered  over 2,000 kilos of children’s clothes and blankets, the weight  equivalent of a Ford Explorer.   The transport mission is led by former Newsweek special correspondent Mr. Myron D. Stokes of Global HeavyLift Holdings Inc. of Bloomfield Hills, MI,  working with strategic partners at Kalitta Air, DHL-United Kingdom/Bahrain/Bagram, Aviapartner Belgium, and Fast Forward Freight, Belgium.

British Afghan Women’s Society Director Zarghona Rassa and Sameer Ahmad Mastoor pose with DHL Bagram crew during pick up at Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan   Image: DHL-OAIX

The Mission Begins: 0745 ZULU/24 – Liege Airport, Belgium

The airlift took-off from Liege Airport in Belgium at 0745z March 23rd last weekend, briefly stopped at Bahrain, and arrived Bagram at 0500z/24, March 24.  Distribution was carried out Saturday March 31 in the refugee camps in Kabul following a news conference that morning from within the DHSA compound.   The flight has been christened “Ismail’s Flight,” after the youngest of the children who froze who were named in a New York Times report.  Ismail was 30 days old.

Sameer and DHL ground crew member reflect the cooperative spirit manifest throughout this relief mission. Image: DHL-OAIX

The donation of children’s items comes as relations between the Afghan government and the US government are at an all-time low, after recent incidents such as the Quran burnings last February and, more recently, the murder of 16 civilians allegedly by a US soldier now in custody.   The organizers noted that in addition to the great need for the winter baby clothes, the timing of the delivery to the refugee camps in Kabul is significant,  as it coincides with the Afghan New Year. “It’s the  first week of Afghan New Year.  This will mean so much to them” said a representative of the British Afghan Women’s Society.

Afghan tradition holds that on Nowruz, the week of celebrations for the New Year, if a person is warm and kind to their relatives, friends and neighbors, then the New Year will be a good one. As reported in the BBC by Mr. Andrew North on 21 February, “Nearly 40 children have frozen to death in Afghanistan, according to Afghan officials, as the country experiences one of its harshest winters in decades.”  More than half these deaths took place in and around Kabul, the most secure area in the country.

The DHL air crew handling the final leg of the mission into Afghanistan flew into the often dangerous airspace, at risk, in order to deliver the load.

Although death by cold or starvation, especially among young children, is a common occurrence every winter in rural areas in Afghanistan, this year the world was shocked as dozens of infants and young children froze in the most populous and secure city, the capital of Kabul.

In February Andrew North of the BBC reported the story of Mr. Samid Gul, who had recently lost an infant daughter.  Mr. Gul said:”We were up all night trying to keep her warm, but there weren’t enough blankets.  Then we heard her cough.  It was her last breath.”

The temperatures on the coldest nights in Kabul ranged from just below freezing to minus ten degrees Celsius, for refugees living, for all practical purposes, outdoors with no heat in such temperatures.

In January the BBC’s Bilal Sarwary reported of life in Kabul in general that “Many homes lack basic heating and many Afghans simply do not have enough clothes to keep them warm.”  The deaths in Kabul were also reported by Rod Nordland of the New York Times.

  

  Zarghona Rassa and Sameer Ahmad Mastoor pose with DHL crew after truck loading at Bagram Airbase     Image: DHL-OIAX

Bringing Together a Global Logistics Team

Myron D. Stokes of Global HeavyLift Holdings, Inc. said of the complex logistical team working together, “Not only are they happy to do this, they are excited.  We can’t thank the aviation professionals like Pete Sanderlin, Sean Pryce, Thomas Henry, Emil Pando, Mohamed Durgana, Benjamin Seamans, Heath Nicholl, Diana Bean and Connie Kalitta of Kalitta Air; Susan Westlake and Doug Choyce of DHL UK, Nick Mariano, DHL-Bagram, Ebrahim Abdulla and Sami Juma, DHL-Bahrain;  Bob Swindens and Aurelie Seron of Fast Forward Freight Belgium; Menno Van Goch and Stef Lemmens of IAS/Kalitta Belgium and innumerable others, enough for this extraordinary effort that moved significant relief goods across the world into a conflict zone in record time.  Even more significantly, I believe this represents a new humanitarian resource transport model that has demonstrably removed, via this mission, the typical and often frustrating complexities for moving such goods to the critical point of utilization.”

Stokes also commended Global HeavyLift’s Director of Middle East Operations Benjamin Ballout, who, after discussions with Ed Corcoran of Global Security and Jobs For Afghan’s Ralph Lopez, recommended the mission.   “He simply called and said, ‘We really need to do whatever we can to assist’, and that was the trigger”, Stokes said. "Of course, none of this would have been possible without the cooperation of the Bagram base personnel under the command of Maj. Gen. Darryl Roberson, USAir Force", he concluded.

DHL Aircraft at Bagram airfield, Afghanistan Image: Bagram AF

Stokes says he has to reserve special praise for the ground team in Kabul which required precise coordination between DHL-Bagram’s Nick Mariano, British Afghan Women’s Society Director Zarghona Rassa, Sameer Ahmad Mastoor, the transport convoy co-organized by Shahir Zahine of Development Humanitarian Services of Afghanistan (DHSA) Najim Dost, and NYE Express Marketing Director Sayed Hanif Ghanzafar.  

“The flexibility and resourcefulness demonstrated in the face of rapidly changing circumstances associated with pick up at Bagram Airfield to delivery and storage at the NYE Express warehouse is the stuff of movies”, said Stokes.  We’ll be re-telling the story for the rest of our lives, I think.  And, I don’t believe that on their best day Oprah Winfrey’s producers could find a grander example of strong, brave and resourceful women like Zarghona Rassa.”
[ENDIT]

Images

Background articles:

“Driven Away by a War, Now Stalked by Winter’s Cold” by Rod Nordland, New York Times, Feb.3, 2012
 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/world/asia/cold-weather-kills-children-in-afghan-refugee-camps.html?_r=2
“Uncovering the Sadness of Young Deaths”, by Rod Nordland/Andrea Bruce photography, New York Times, Feb. 8, 2012
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/uncovering-the-sadness-of-young-deaths/?scp=1&sq=nordland&st=cse
 “In the Midst of $2 Billion Per Week Spending on War, Babies Freezing in Kabul for Lack of Food, Fuel.”
 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/13/1064411/-In-the-Midst-of-2-Billion-Per-Week-Spending-on-War-Babies-Freezing-in-Kabul-for-Lack-of-Food-Fuel



About Global HeavyLift Holdings, Inc

Founded in 2002, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based GHH is a strategic air transport solutions entity that was born of a multi-year public/private effort (Commercial Application of Military Airlift Aircraft-CAMAA  ) among forward thinkers in both the private sector and government to mitigate emerging and observable vulnerabilities in the U.S. industrial base global supply chain. Such vulnerabilities are represented by the fact that no ocean-borne shipping is in U.S. hands at present, thus potentially subjecting American corporations, especially automotive, and their global operations to the whims and perhaps economically hostile activities of and by foreign governments. Add to this the risk of terrorist activities, which have, according to the Department of Homeland Security, targeted maritime operations; i.e., ships, ports and ocean containers.

Incorporated in Delaware and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) listed, (CCR.gov) it is the goal of GHH and its strategic partners around the planet to work with key logistics personnel within these corporations and government agencies to conceptualize, craft and structure long-term global supply chain alternative transportation methodologies through continuous — not stop gap or emergency — air augmentation solutions. Its most important mission, however, has been in the co-development of global architecture for infrastructure of a new American controlled industry, Heavylift, utilizing the excellent airlift performance characteristics of the Boeing BC-17.

Press Contact:
Ralph Lopez
617-412-9438
Ben Ballout
74 W. Long Lake Rd.
Suite 201
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
48304
626-616-1655
http://asimov52.wordpress.com/

“Ismail’s Flight” 

Global HeavyLift Holdings Commends Senator McCaskill's Request For Commercial Certification of Boeing C-17 (BC-17) From FAA

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, United States, January 22, 2012 (PressReleasePoint) - Global HeavyLift Holdings, a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) listed (http://www.ccr.gov/) entity with principal offices in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is commending Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill's strong recommendation to the FAA that it fast track commercial certification of Boeing's workhorse C-17 Globemaster III strategic/tactical airlifter.

"GHH is exceptionally pleased that the Senator has demonstrated once again her unwavering support for this superlative airlifter, and the viability, if not the urgency, of establishing a U.S./NATO-controlled Heavylift industry based on very modestly modified C-17s -designated BC-17- for commercial use", says Global HeavyLift Holdings Managing Member Myron D. Stokes. "The Senator's actions are all the more notable when one considers the extraordinary efforts put forth by various parties in government and industry, both here and abroad, to kill C-17 by any means necessary."

World's Most Versatile Strategic/Tactical Airlifter: Boeing C-17 Globemaster III  Image: USAF

 

Global HeavyLift was founded in 2002 as a public persona of a public/private effort representing an atypically close collaboration between the U.S. Air Force, Boeing, themselves and other elements of industry at the direction of then SECAF Dr. James Roche. "The objective was to bring together the intellectual resources necessary to create a revamped (the first iteration of the strategy having been ruled as inadequate) architecture for infrastructure of a new globe spanning industry, Heavylift, while augmenting airlift requirements in the aftermath of Congressionally ordered force reductions post Cold War", says Stokes.  "Heavylift, currently controlled by the Russians with their commercialized An-124 Ruslan airlifter, is a subset of the air cargo industry that involves the movement of goods via air that are too large or outsized (Heavy Outsized Market-HOM) to fit in any door of any 747 or similar sized freighter, along with the Short Austere Market (SAM) that exploits the extraordinary short and rough/unfinished field capabilities of C-17. This is ideal for direct to site movement of heavy equipment and other materiel into the often remote, virtually inaccessible by ground transport, areas where gold, gas, diamonds and oil are found. Commercial C-17 utilization not only accelerates site preparation, but enables a significantly reduced time to market", he said.

A narrative of what was originally designated the CAMAA (Commercial Application of Military Airlift Aircraft) is linked here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Application_of_Military_Airlift_Aircraft

Stokes observes that up until now, the Russian/Ukrainian dominance of the Heavy and Outsized market was the primary concern, although not an insurmountable one. " It has always been GHH intent, as demonstrated by the 2008 visit of one of its people to Russian leadership in Moscow,  to work with them in a symbiotic way that allowed exploitation of the specific operational characteristics of both the C-17 and An-124.  The currently out of production Ruslan, while capable of carrying more outsized materiel and is quite robust, simply can't go where the Globemaster can and has - as proven in the crucibles of Iraq and Afghanistan.  Working in tandem, however, there is no let project anywhere on earth that cannot be serviced by these aircraft."

China C-17 Clone?
The new twist, Stokes says, is China's reported roll-out of its pre-production C-17 clone.  "This new airlifter, based on plans stolen by Chinese operatives in the same timeframe as the acquisition of extensive  technological and manufacturing data associated with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system along with F-22 and F-35, was projected to make its appearance in five to six years, as noted in an analysis presented to a Congressional committee in 2006. Moreover, there is every expectation China will seek to dominate the Heavy and Outsized market in the same way they have  carved out an exceptionally, and perhaps uncomfortably, strong presence in the global air cargo operations through extensive acquisition of B-747 aircraft of all configurations", Stokes says.  "Add this to their all but absolute control of ocean borne shipping -a clear and continuing concern to national security strategists- and one can understand the urgency of the FAA moving on this certification which can be completed within 12 months.

New Architecture
In anticipation of certification and permissions from involved Federal agencies including the State Department, GHH is revising its internal architecture, and has also advised its legal representation to incorporate in Delaware.  "This new architecture will allow more flexibility in terms of anticipated global operations", Stokes added, "And minimize the complexities of interaction with the financial sectors of multiple countries expected to serve as bases for GHH Air Operations Epicenters. In line with this, GHH financial advisors are already reaching out to those financial entities both here and abroad who survived the global economic meltdown of 2008, particularly those who were instrumental in creating GHH's comprehensive 30-year business plan."

As noted in previous releases, GHH has identified and has access to, financial instruments with a value up to USD5Billion. "We will leverage these instruments to help accomplish the mission outlined 11 years ago, inclusive of non-traditional aircraft acquisition methodologies as alluded to in the 2007 SpeedNews Jonathan Club Aerospace-Defense conference presentation in Los Angeles," Stokes said.  He  noted that despite the vigorous and continuous assaults on C-17's continued production, the bulk of which were based on flawed data, the GHH team remained confident that this indispensable airlifter would retain the mantle as primary resident of the Long Beach plant. "The reasons for our contending with those who sought C-17's -and Boeing's- demise were quite simple: No C-17, no heavylift."

Over the past 5 years, GHH representation -drawn from some of the best and brightest in industry and government- have traveled the world to assess potential bases in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.   "Through the efforts of GHH Director of Middle East Operations, Benjamin Ballout, an agreement was secured with the Sultanate of Oman", says Stokes.  This long time friend of the United States dating back to the 19th century Barbary Pirate Wars, is not only a profoundly strategic location, but is populated by a people of great intellect, solid values and ruled by a leader with clear vision.  I've been impressed with Sultan Qaboos since first becoming aware of him nearly 3 decades ago. 

"Also, there are active discussions with an Asian nation possessed of similar qualities, and expect to have an agreement by second quarter 2012.  And, now that the Long Beach and St. Louis production facilities, along with the supplier base, are secure until at least 2014, all involved parties can concentrate on global implementation of the HeavyLift initiative, and the rather significant economic stimulus benefits to participant countries", he said.   -Endit-

Previous releases: http://www.slideshare.net/GHHLLC/global-heavylift-holdings-llc-asks-boeing-c17-detractors-to-produce-internal-dod-analyses-supporting-kill-efforts
http://www.pressrelease365.com/pr/industry/military-and-defense/boeing-c17-2010-congressional-budget-dod-usaf-airlift-3650.htm
http://asimov52.wordpress.com/tag/global-heavylift-holdings-pushes-for-120-boeing-c-17s-for-2012-2020-dod-budgets/

About Global HeavyLift Holdings

Founded in 2002, GHH is a strategic air transport solutions entity that was born of a multi-year public/private effort among forward thinkers in both the private sector and government to mitigate emerging and observable vulnerabilities in the U.S. industrial base global supply chain. Such vulnerabilities are represented by the fact that no ocean-borne shipping is in U.S. hands at present, thus potentially subjecting American corporations, especially automotive, and their global operations to the whims and perhaps economically hostile activities of and by foreign governments. Add to this the risk of terrorist activities, which have, according to the Department of Homeland Security, targeted maritime operations; i.e., ships, ports and ocean containers.

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) listed, (ccr.gov/)  it is the goal of GHH and its strategic partners around the planet to work with key logistics personnel within these corporations and government agencies to conceptualize, craft and structure long-term global supply chain alternative transportation methodologies through continuous -- not stop gap or emergency -- air augmentation solutions. Its most important mission, however, has been in the co-development of global architecture for infrastructure of a new American controlled industry, Heavylift, utilizing the excellent airlift performance characteristics of the Boeing BC-17.    * * *

Global Reach: The "Aero-Athleticism" of Boeing C-17

(Video) http://www.boeing.com/videos/video.html?fr_chl=f172ba8e1bc611ca29d00c7cc5932d7b490b9c4b&fr_story=38ecd9b32734ca11b6ba09a66e8793f684ef727b&rf=cs

P-190’s flight crew, (from left) U.S. Air Force Capts. Patrick Murphy, Jordan Leicht, and Rick Kind, with the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, celebrate the C-17 fleet’s 2-millionth-flight-hour mission. Image: Jerry Drelling/Boeing

Bagram, Afghanistan    -   As the U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III lifted off from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, early in the morning on Dec. 10, 2010, the mission appeared routine to its crew: airdrop 74,000 pounds of aviation fuel to coalition troops south of Kabul, and then return to base. But this C-17 made history.

The representative flight for the worldwide fleet of Boeing-built C-17s, achieved a remarkable milestone: 2 million flight hours, which equates to 1.13 billion nautical miles, or the equivalent of a C-17 flying to the moon and back 2,360 times.

The mission call sign “Moose 75” was flown by the Air Force’s 190th C-17, delivered in 2009 and assigned to Joint Base Charleston, S.C. It’s one of a global fleet of 226 C-17s that provide air-transport support worldwide.

Boeing’s C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership field support team, operating in and out of Afghanistan via Ramstein and Spangdahlem air bases in Germany, has a lead role in keeping the C-17s mission-ready. Robert Guffey, Jr., the engineering team lead at Ramstein Air Base, couldn’t be prouder.

“Two million hours!” Guffey said, beaming. “It’s hard to believe. We certainly are flying the wings off these aircraft.”

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Paul Trowbridge, a loadmaster, watches bundles of fuel parachute towards the ground over Afghanistan, Dec. 10, 2010, during the C-17 fleet’s historic mission reaching 2 million flight hours. Image: Jerry Drelling/Boeing

For Bob Rabbitt, engineering manager, C-17 Field Services International Hub, the milestone is nothing short of mind-boggling.

“I’ve been on the program 23 years, and when I started I would have never imagined that I would still be here to see the C-17 surpass 2 million flight-hours,” Rabbitt said. “The plane’s a workhorse, and it’s amazing how many hours they’re racking up and continuing to work day in and day out, back and forth across the ocean and into the war zone. They just keep going.”

The C-17 has helped make Bagram Airfield Freedom Port the busiest military-aerial port in the world, moving more than 50,000 people and nearly 26,000 short tons of cargo in and out of its secured fence lines every month.

U.S Air Force Lt. Col. Kirk Peterson, commander of the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, says the versatility of the Boeing-built heavy lifter is one reason they have been able to sustain operations for Operation Enduring Freedom.

“The C-17 gives us that flexibility,” said Peterson. “On this day we had a load planned for 17 pallets, and now it’s taking out six air-evacuation patients back to Germany, saving their lives.”

In fact, one of the most important missions of the aircraft is evacuating wounded patients so they can get necessary medical care in Europe and the United States.

Col. Christopher Benjamin, U.S. Air Force physician and commander of Bagram’s 50-bed Craig Joint-Theater Hospital, says it’s aircraft like the C-17 that are making a difference with their reliability.

“I find myself just standing at the foot of the bed sometimes thinking, ‘In past wars he would have not made it, beyond Da Nang, beyond Tokyo, we wouldn’t have made it home’,” said Benjamin.

Now in its 18th year of service, the C-17 fleet continues to support numerous humanitarian and disaster relief missions worldwide -- including last year’s earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and flooding in Pakistan -- and it continues to operate at an accelerated rate due to the recent troop surge in Afghanistan.

“There’s tremendous satisfaction in knowing that in those 2 million hours, the C-17 fleet has saved countless lives around the world on so many occasions,” said Bob Ciesla, C-17 program manager. “We’re very proud that the C-17 continues to exceed expectations in performance and reliability.”   - Jerry Drelling/Boeing Public Affairs

Publisher's note:  The eMOTION! REPORTS.com team remains committed to supporting the mission and continuance of aviation's most capable airlifter, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and are in full expectation of significant FMS - and even U.S. DoD - orders for production through 2020...

Hickam AFB C-17, in a recent joint operation with the U.S. Navy, air drops a search/rescue boat over the Pacific  Image: US AirForce/U.S. Navy

Related:

http://asimov52.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/with-boeing-long-beach-production-worker-layoffs-looming-global-heavylift-holdings-pushes-for-120-boeing-c-17-globemaster-iiis-in-dod-2012-2020-dod-budgets-through-transformational-recapitalizatio/

http://asimov52.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/comments-subsequent-to-an-asia-tour-this-year-from-a-highly-respected-defense-policy-analyst-who-has-served-in-previous-administrations-seem-to-confirm-the-concerns-by-several-key-officials-within-th/


http://www.slideshare.net/GHHLLC2/ronis-scenario1-2-06a-sans-pw
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http://asimov52.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/continued-and-intense-efforts-to-kill-boeing-c-17-designed-to-set-stage-for-us-air-force-acquisition-of-much-delayedoverweight-and-overcost-airbuseads-a400m-continued-retrofit-of-lockheed-martin-c/
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TRANSFORMATIONAL REPLICATION: SECDEF ORDERS BOEING TO RESTART B-29 SUPERFORTRESS PRODUCTION WITH B-52 RETROFIT FUNDS http://t.co/hkS6oGX


eMOTION! REPORTS.com ARCHIVES - Hyperintelligence: Toyota, CIA, NSA, KGB, MOSSAD [MI-6] and... Sun Tzu: http://t.co/lpJVXY5

Aerospace Competitors, Several Compromised Policy Makers Behind Continuing Efforts to Kill Indispensable C-17, Boeing Itself; Sets Stage for US AirForce Acquisition of Airbus A-400M, Cont'd Retrofit of Ancient Lockheed-Martin C-5 Galaxy

Bloomfield Hills, MI - UPDATE May 17, 2011   WASHINGTON, May 16 (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Monday announced that: * Boeing Co had won a $962.5 million order for five more C-17 cargo planes for U.S. Air Force. (Company news desk in Washington; +1 202 898 8400, washington.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved.



Bloomfield Hills, MI - UPDATE September 28, 2010 (to 5/26/10 press release) -        According to Congressional sources, Boeing C-17 Funding is not included in the first markup of the 2011 Defense Authorization Bill which failed to make it to the floor in the aftermath of partisan objections to certain aspects of its content. At this juncture, it will in all likelihood not come up for final approval until January 3, 2011 or beyond, giving Boeing additional opportunity to fill production schedules out to 2016 with FMS C-17 sales that may include 3 to 5 aircraft for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)  (Kuwait is now on track to acquire at least one, but indications are that will be expanded to 2, thus allowing the Kingdom to further expand humanitarian/disaster relief efforts like nation sibling Qatar) while simultaneously allowing solidification of interim policy shaping actions designed to ensure the inclusion of up to 10 and no less than 5 very much confirmable-as-needed Globemasters in this budget.




Sepecat Jaguars of the Royal Air Force of Oman 
 Image: RAFO


Oman

The Sultanate of Oman may soon make an announcement about its own C-17 aspirations; "Oman's His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has long sought, with laudable success, to place the country in a carefully crafted position of quasi-neutrality, balance, reason and progressiveness,"  (note Ambassador to the U.S. Hunaina Al Mughairy as the region's first woman in this capacity) observes a foreign services colleague, "along with a geo-strategic position that cannot be ignored nor is lost to its immediate neighbors or nations abroad.  Its recent participation in the repatriation of an American journalist held captive in North Korea is demonstrative of this contention.  Conversely, the rapid and comprehensive humanitarian/disaster relief capabilities of C-17 conjoined with the RAFO military airlift mission, fits hand-in-glove with Omani international influence objectives."

Boeing At Risk

It is our understanding that aerospace competitors to Boeing - Lockheed-Martin and Airbus/EADS - in conjunction with several policy makers (who, by their inexplicable and irresponsible efforts to kill the operationally superior and provably cost effective C-17 Globemaster III, are ostensibly compromised) have been, and continue to be, behind the full range of activities within government, industry and media to terminate C-17 production.

It’s not difficult to understand why: With C-17 out of the way, Lockheed-Martin will reap up to USD15 billion in C-5 - an arguably mission obsolete airlifter with a long history of reliability problems that continue to this day - modernization revenues, and up to 5 billion in C-130J orders both from the US AirForce and NATO/de facto NATO allies; Airbus/EADS will have an open door to attempt the placement of 200 overweight (12 tons at moment giving it essentially the same approx. 25 ton load capacity of C-130J) overcost (current acquisition costs may exceed that of a new C-17, prompting South Africa to withdraw its order) yet-to-be-operational A-400M - an order valued at up to 40 billion based on current projected acquisition costs, and renewed confidence and vigor to pursue the 35-40 billion (100 billion over life of program) US Air Force KC-X aerial tanker replacement program.

The strategy in place is structured not only to wrest airlifter and tanker program participation from Boeing, but to set the stage for the company’s rapid elimination from existence. Thus, leaving the military and commercial aircraft sector to Lockheed-Martin and Airbus/EADS and an increasingly unstable geo-political landscape (within which the duality of asymmetric/conventional war scenarios is a constant) while simultaneously rendering it bereft of Boeing’s critical-to-defense-industrial-base technological and production capacity - should its enemies succeed.

This must be called what it inarguably is: An issue of national security demanding response crafted to ensure continuance of Boeing, a core element of the US defense industrial base.

Myron D. Stokes, Publisher
eMOTION! REPORTS.com

Aerospace Competitors and Several Compromised Policy Makers Behind Continuing Efforts to Kill Indispensable C-17, and Boeing Itself; Sets Stage for US Air Force Acquisition of Airbus/EADS A400M, Continued Retrofit of Ancient Lockheed-Martin C-5 Galaxy

View more documents from eMOTION! REPORTS.com.

LAEDC Adds New Economic Development Executive -- Long Beach’s Manager of Economic Development, Robert Swayze, Joins LAEDC as Sr. Vice President of Economic Development on September 1st

Boeing Long Beach Plant   Image: Boeing

Excerpt from Release: '“We are thrilled that Robert will be joining the LAEDC team,” said Bill Allen, LAEDC President and CEO. “He is recognized as one of the premier economic development practitioners in the region and state, and will provide significant experience and insight to our efforts to lead the implementation of L.A. County’s first-ever Strategic Plan for Economic Development.”

“Swayze [was] Manager of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs for the City of Long Beach, a position he has held since 2005. Previously, he was Manager of Regional Economic Development for the Community Development Commission of Los Angeles County.

'“Robert brings three great qualities to the LAEDC: significant experience with cities and the County, in-depth familiarity with business financing and technology issues, and a sophisticated policy perspective that is complemented by years of successful hands-on experience attracting, retaining and growing jobs for L.A. County,” said Allen.

'"Among Swayze’s credits are conceiving and developing the Business Technology Center (BTC), one of California’s largest high tech innovation centers; establishing four business loan programs, including the first equity program for high tech start-ups administered by a county; leading Long Beach’s C-17 Red Team that helped Boeing secure more orders for the C-17 and pushed production out to 2014; and securing a 15-year re-designation for the Long Beach Enterprise Zone..."

Publisher's note: We consider Bob as one of the most capable economic development executives in the country, and who brought an atypical understanding of matters concerning the preservation of the US industrial base to the City of Long Beach -- particularly, Boeing, as representative of a critical element of that base -- and view his appointment to LAEDC as not only an asset to L.A. County, but to the State of California as a whole.


We wish him well... 
-Myron D. Stokes  eMOTION! REPORTS.com

National Security Assessment of the C-17 GLOBEMASTER CARGO AIRCRAFT’S ECONOMIC & INDUSTRIAL BASE IMPACTS

C-17, McMurdo Science Station
Image: USAirForce

 Publisher's note: As consideration of the 2011 Defense bill looms within an atmosphere of presumed laudable budgetary restraint, Boeing is to be commended for its continuing and bold support for C-17, despite the forces arrayed against them. As stated in July 17 and June 1, 2010 releases from Global HeavyLift, (http://owly/2cXvE http://owly/2t0wH) specific efforts were and are being made by elements within the DoD, in collaboration with several international media outlets, both mainstream and in the blogosphere, to dissuade, among other NATO or de facto NATO  allies, the Indian government, and its IAF, from continuing their efforts to acquire as many as 24 C-17s with the intent of addressing critical strategic/tactical airlift requirements. The latter being considered a necessary and pragmatic move as the China threat grows. The same China, by the way, that has succeeded in acquiring, through covert and overt means, sufficient technological data to build C-17, F-22 and Aegis BMD clones.


This quasi-public, and arguably, "evergreen" study from the Department of Commerce accessible here was specifically crafted to refute assertions from within the DoD, policy sector and private industry that industrial/economic base impact of Boeing C-17 line closure would be minimal, while simultaneously articulating with specificity the negative ramifications of a near-permanently lost heavy airlift aircraft design, engineering and manufacturing capability - a capability that our European and Chinese associates will happily assume...

And then, there's "the rest of the story" when one applies Keynesian economic multipliers...
-Myron D. Stokes eMOTION! REPORTS.com

Excerpt from Department of Commerce C-17 Executive Summary:

"Permanent closure of Boeing’s production facility would effectively eliminate U.S. capability to further manufacture this aircraft. Either action will have large costs and industrial base consequences. These include:
• localized economic and employment disruption in regions across the United States,
• impacts on future aerospace industrial base technical and production capability,
• significant termination fees and restart expenses,
• forfeiture of potential military aircraft export market sales, and
• lost potential U.S. cargo carrier opportunities in global heavy lift, oversize markets.

"Parts, components, services, and systems for the C-17 are purchased by Boeing from more than 700 companies located in 42 states. Boeing estimates that total annual economic activity in the United States associated with the manufacture and servicing of C-17s amounts to $8.4 billion.5 In total, an estimated 25,000 jobs are linked to C-17 production and related activities."

National Security Assessment of the C-17 GLOBEMASTER CARGO AIRCRAFT’S ECONOMIC & INDUSTRIAL BASE IMPACTS

View more documents from Global HeavyLift Holdings, LLC.

Boeing C-17 (New) - Lockheed-Martin C-5 (Retrofit): Government Accountability Office (GAO) Nov. 2008 DoD Strategic Airlift Cost Analysis

Publisher's note: A follow on to this analysis was issued the following year, with virtually no change in the data that counts. Nevertheless, it was more reflective of the objections raised by the Office of the Secretary of Defense while still raising strong doubts about the SECDEF's motivations in terms of continuing attempts to kill C-17. This, in spite of its being one of the most operationally and cost effective platforms in DoD inventory.  This document, along with the just released and much delayed DoD Annual Report to Congress on China's military preparedness, is demonstrative of budgetary restraint objectives all but wholly dismissive of the prevailing geo-political/geo-military state of affairs.
Excerpt:
'The Air Force has cut the number of C-5s it plans to fully modernize by more than half because of substantial cost increases in the C-5 Reliability Enhancement and Reengining Program (RERP) and plans to acquire more C-17s, with additional congressional funding.

'Currently, the Air Force plans to provide avionics upgrades to all 111 C-5s, limit RERP to 52 C-5s, and acquire 205 (now 223) C-17s. However, this mix may change again, based in part on the results of a new mobility capabilities study, the findings of which DOD plans to release in May 2009.

'While the new study is expected to consider transport needs for the future force, DOD has not identified specific metrics it will use to make strategic airlift decisions—a concern GAO raised about DOD’s previous mobility capabilities study and one DOD agreed to address in future studies.

'The Air Force currently estimates it will spend $9.1 billion on upgrading the C-5s. However, this estimate may be understated because DOD did not apply risk or uncertainty analyses to its RERP major cost drivers. Moreover, the current RERP is underfunded by almost $300 million and may be unachievable if the engine production schedule is not met.

 Relative Capability Increases from Modernized C-5s and New C-17 Aircraft
'Finally, if the cost for C-5 modernization continues to increase, Air Force officials may have to reconsider the mix within its airlift portfolio or request additional funding.

'Additional investments in C-17 aircraft may become more attractive. Currently, a new C-17 would cost about $276 million compared to $132 million to fully modernize a C-5. Each new C-17 potentially adds 100 percent of its cargo capacity toward meeting the total airlift requirement.(ital. ours)

'Because the C-5s are already part of the operational force, each aircraft’s current capacity is already counted toward the total requirement. Consequently, according to DOD data, the C-5 modernization programs only provide a marginal increase of 14 percent in capability over nonmodernized aircraft.

'Using DOD’s million ton-mile per day planning factors, we, working in collaboration with DOD, calculated that DOD would need to fully modernize 7 C-5s to attain the equivalent capability achieved from acquiring 1 additional C-17 and the costs would be over 3 times more (see table 3)."

Cost per flying hour                            Mission Capable Rate
C-5                     C-17                             C-5                           C-17
$23,100              $11,300                       53%                          86%

Boeing C-17 (New) - Lockheed-Martin C-5 (Retrofit): Government Accountability Office (GAO) Nov. 2008 DoD Strategic Airlift Cost Analysis

View more documents from eMOTION! REPORTS.com.

Project on National Security Reform Book Launch

Chairing: National Security Strategist Dr. Sheila R. Ronis, Ph.D.Director, MBA/MSSL Programs Associate Professor, Management Walsh College  

July 30, 2010


Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) B1 Conference Center

Washington, DC, United States

RSVP Required : http://csis.informz.net/survistapro/s.asp?id=4219


Registration Fee: None

Vision and Foresight in Government Decision-Making: Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) Vision Working Group Book Launch Friday, July 30, 2010 8:30am-1:30pm.

Future scenarios are a time-tested tool to prepare for emerging challenges and to improve decision-making. Please join PNSR's Vision Working Group and CSIS at the launching of a new book, which explores the role of foresight and visioning in government decision-making, and proposes a Center for Strategic Analysis and Assessment within the Executive Office of the President. Copies of the book entitled "Project on National Security Reform Vision Working Group Report and Scenarios" will be distributed at the event.

Biography


Dr. Sheila R. Ronis is President of The University Group, Inc., a management consulting firm, and think tank specializing in strategic management, visioning, national security and public policy. She is also Director of the MBA/MSSL Program at Walsh College. She previously taught in the MBA programs at the University of Detroit Mercy and Oakland University. She is currently chairing the Vision and Guiding Principles Working Group of the Project on National Security Reform in Washington, D.C. www.pnsr.org. Her B.S. is in Physics and Mathematics. Her M.A. and Ph.D. are in Organizational Behavior and General Social Systems Theory from the Ohio State University.

ABOUT WALSH COLLEGE

Founded in 1922, Walsh College offers upper-division undergraduate and graduate business and technology degrees and certificate programs at locations in Troy, Novi, Harper Woods, Clinton Township, and Port Huron, as well as online. Walsh College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org), the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE, www.iacbe.org), and The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP, www.acbsp.org).