Author Archives: Sean Gallagher

General Chaos

Spineless

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cuttlefish, originally uploaded by packetrat.

The place to be last Saturday in DC was the National Zoo, and apparently everyone got the memo. We tried to slip into the Invertebrates exhibit, but anyone with an endoskeleton could not move around much. That bit of over-strained air-conditioning and claustrophobia inducing closeness came quickly to an end.

However, we did get a chance to say hello to the cuttlefish before we dashed off to see the vertebrates outside.

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Defense Department, tech

Afghan Army and Police get a helo simulator

A bit of propaganda from the Armed Forces Network: a video on the delivery of anMi-17 flight simulator.

The simulator, from Bucharest-based Simultec, is an Mi-17 Full Mission Simulator (FMS). It will give Afghan pilots the ability to train under a wide range of simulated conditions to prepare them for flying counter-narcotics and military operations. Whether this gives them a “technological edge over the bad guys” as the report says or not, it will undoubtedly save the lives of pilots and their trainers. The US bought the $4.5 million system, which was installed at the international airport at Kabul.

The US has been providing training for Afghan Mi-17 pilots for some time. As an old Cold Warrior, the irony of that is not lost on me.

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