Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Technology in US helicopter not so secret: expert

Technology in US helicopter not so secret: expert: "Pakistan or other countries may not have much to learn from the wreckage of a 'stealth' US helicopter used in the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, a defense analyst said Monday.

"The helicopter is a modified Blackhawk that is designed to maximize the chance for surprise in conducting special operations," said Loren Thompson, an aerospace analyst and head of the Lexington Institute.

But he said that the technology and design features to enable an aircraft to reduce noise and evade radar are not shrouded in secrecy.

Countries that examine the wreckage "will not learn much from the remnants of the exploded helicopter that were not already readily available in open literature," Thompson told AFP.
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GERMAN NAVY “SEALS”


German naval commandos are called Kampfschwimmer or "combat swimmers". These German navy counterparts to the US Navy SEALs are Germany's oldest Special Operations Forces. The Kampfschwimmer roots go back to World War II.

Today's Kampfschwimmer formations are heavily involved in international operations against terrorism, including missions in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This e-book is written by a German Navy lieutenant who serves as a Kampfschwimmer team leader -- the equivalent of a US Navy SEAL platoon leader.

"German Navy SEALs" is a profile of the Kampfschwimmer units. The e-book covers the history of the Kampfschwimmer beginning with the World War II era; describes their organization, command structure, capabilities and training; discusses their cooperation with US Navy SEALS and other Special Operations Forces; and their role in German and NATO operational planning.

Other German Special Operations Forces are also briefly discussed.