Another weapon in the war against Sea Piracy.Sent to me by Ed Oursien of NB. Himself an old Vet. Thanks Ed great pictorial.
Pirates may want to find another profession...
NAVY'S NEW PIRATE CATCHER...
A couple of these should be able to easily clean all the pirates out of the Indian Ocean ..U.S.S. Independence (LCS-2)....A Triple Hulled, Weapon-Laden Monster.
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We've been hearing rumblings about the U.S. Navy's triple-hulled ships, but here's one that was launched last month, the U.S.S Independence .. Built by General Dynamics, it's called a littoral combat ship (LCS), and the tri-maran can move huge weapons
Littoral means close to shore, and that's where these fleet-hulled babies will operate, tailor-made for launching helicopters and armored vehicles, sweeping mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, missiles and machine guns. These ships were designed to be relatively inexpensive this one's a bargain at $208 million and the navy plans to build 55 of them.
This tri-maran is the first of the new fire-breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots.. It's like a speedy and heavily-armed aircraft carrier for helicopters.
The new Breed of Vessels will greatly enhance the UN Fleet trying to intercept pirates. Canada's Navy is hard at it stopping and searching vessels that are suspect. Well Done Canadian Crews and their NATO Allies.
Today we thanks our sailors who also put their lives on the line daily for world peace and freedom. Ready Aye Ready
In a second story of the NAVY another first for them.
For the first time a sailor has been awarded the Queens Medal for Champion Shot (Regular Force) at the Canadian Forces Small Arms Competition (CFSAC).
Petty Officer, 1st Class Martin Cashin, a naval electronics technician at the CF Naval Engineering School in Halifax and deputy captain of the Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) Combat Shooting Team, captured the prestigious prize September 19 at the Connaught Range in Ottawa.
Competing in a field of around 200 top CF and international competitors, PO 1 Cashin has excelled in his musketry and has done the Navy and the CF proud, says Lieutenant (Navy) Dave Giannou, captain of the MARLANT team.
The Queens Medal for Champion Shot, originally created under the British Honours System, was introduced in Canada in 1991. Two medals are awarded annually to a member of the CF Regular and Reserve Force, or the RCMP, who obtain the highest aggregate score in stages one and two of the Queen's Medal Competition.
PO 1 Cashin, who has been shooting competitively since 1994, has competed at CFSAC nine times. Placing second last year, he was thrilled to be chaired off the field this year as the top shooter by members of his own team and other competitors.
Every year you try to get better and better, he says, and then its your turn to be in the chair. I didnt know I had won until they announced it I think I was carried 100 metres in the chair before it finally settled in.
PO 1 Cashin, who has also competed at the international Bisley competition in England, is thrilled to be the first sailor to capture the coveted prize, but adds that the colour of his uniform is not important. We are tri-service, he says. We are all one big family. Whether youre Army, Navy or Air Force you still have to be able to shoot; its the first thing we learn in boot camp.
He adds that since all three services can be deployed to Afghanistan, marksmanship is a critical skill. Borders are being broken down between all three services, he says. We all need to have the determination and the will to get things done, regardless of the uniform we wear.
As CFSACs Champion Shot, PO 1 Cashin now has automatic entrance into many international competitions, including some coming up in the US and Australia next spring. However, he is being deployed to Afghanistan in January and will take his ability as a marksman into a war zone instead.
Ultimately, this is what we are trained to do, he says. I can go there with confidence in my weapon and my own ability to manipulate it to get results.
Bravo Zulu Petty Officer Cashin
BRAVO ZULU to the crew of HMS Iron Duke on the interception and capture of 500 Million Dollars of Cocaine of the coast of Columbia.
Once again we ask for your support to our troops Soldiers,Sailors and Airmen and Women serving in dangerous areas of our Globe.
Remember Everyone Deployed
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
