Woodstock does its bit to contain China

USS Santa Fe

Under a September 12 contract, Woodstock's armaments manufacturer will send a fan to the USS Santa Fe, a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine that was recently deployed to the Western Pacific, where it is no doubt taking part in Obama's destabilizing and expensive "pivot" toward a beefed-up military presence in the area to surround and contain China. The $2,157 fan is to be rushed to the sub under an "URGENT AND COMPELLING EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT."

A Navy website tells us that "A verstile [sic] platform, SANTA FE is equally at home in the roles of tactical intelligence gathering and surveillance, regional sea denial and task group support. Should conflict arise, her inherent covertness, near vulnerability to attack, and cruise missile capability provide SANTA FE a unique ability to be in place and undetected offshore for precision strike or ground warfare support."

Ball Bearings: $104 each

Super Hornet

Among recent weapons contracts of Woodstock's military contractor is one dated August 16 to supply the U.S. Navy with 24 ball bearings at $104 each. Webflis (see this post) tells us that these high-end ball bearings are specifically destined the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet multirole fighter aircraft, built by Boeing, which played a significant part in the war on Iraq. The high cost of these ball bearings (a "critical application item" according to the contract) is put in context by noting that the Defense Department's FY2013 budget includes $2.6 billion for 37 new Super Hornets, which works out at about $70 million per aircraft. The DoD also budgets some $18 million for spare parts for the Super Hornet, presumably including this contract, which thus represents a tiny drop in the great murky sea of so-called "defense" contracts. Once again Woodstock provides a small window into the world of military procurement.

Woodstock's Part In Global Hawk Spy Drones

This blog has been silent for a while, but Woodstock's military contractor (and the town's largest employer) has continued its business-as-usual supply of components for warships, military communications systems, and who knows what other weapons systems.

Global Hawk

We decided to look at some of Ametek Rotron's recent contracts. Here's one that caught our eye: dated June 6, and worth $20,650, it supplies 25 fans for the Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft. While itself unarmed, this spy drone plays a crucial part in the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere, gathering intelligence and identifying targets for drone warfare. Veterans For Peace recently called it an "accomplice" in the highly controversial extrajudicial drone killings. In addition, the Global Hawk is slated to be armed with Triple Terminator missiles.

We have reported before on Woodstock's role as sole supplier of a crucial component for another drone, the Predator.

Two other recent contracts, both dated May 30, supply components to the air forces of Kuwait ($14,658) and South Korea ($3,248). Both are apparently paid for by the US taxpayer. Kuwait is under scrutiny from Human Rights Watch, the State Department, and others for increasing human rights violations. And supplying yet more arms to South Korea can only inflame the dangerous situation in the Korean peninsula with its threat of escalation to nuclear war.

Military helicopters

Under a new military contract dated 6 February, made-in-Woodstock spare parts will end up in more of the US military's McDonnell-Douglas helicopters, doubtless belonging to their MD-500 series, pictured here.

Woodstock helps to fan the flames in the Straits of Hormuz

Update on USS Pinckney, for which we reported recently that Woodstock rushed a fan under an "URGENT AND COMPELLING EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT". The Pinckney, we now learn, is part of the Navy's John C. Stennis Strike Group led by the aircraft carrier USS Stennis -- and therefore part of the US's cat-and-mouse game with Iran in the Straits of Hormuz which has been making headlines lately and which may be part of a build-up to war. The Stennis recently took part in the maneuvers to pass through the Straits. The "URGENT AND COMPELLING EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT" was apparently a requirement to join in the war-mongering.

Cruiser, destroyer, nuclear submarine

USS Greeneville

Woodstock weapons contracts for the first few days of 2012 include rush orders for parts for three Navy warships: USS Greeneville, a nuclear-powered submarine; USS Pinckney, a guided-missile destroyer recently active in the Gulf of Aden region; and USS Vicksburg, a guided-missile cruiser.

In 2001 the Greeneville collided with a Japanese fishing vessel, killing 9 Japanese civilians including 4 children; the following year it collided with another naval vessel, the USS Ogden, resulting in the spilling of thousands of gallons of oil.

SPY-1 Radar: helping the Navy find its targets

Here's Woodstock's Christmas present to the world, ordered on December 23 by the Defense Logistics Agency. 6 fans (price $4,758) will be specially made in Woodstock for Lockheed Martin's AN/SPY-1D naval radar system. The radar, mounted on US Navy destroyers, is a key component of the Aegis Combat System, crucial for the destabilizing "Missile Defense" program. It enables the Navy to "perform search, track and missile guidance functions simultaneously with a capability of over 100 targets". The radar system, with Woodstock's fan keeping it cool, is hidden behind the octagonal plate on the destroyer in this photo.

Where are the Marines landing?

Wasp Class LHD

On November 30 the U.S. Navy sent in a rush order to Woodstock's weapons contractor. WebFLIS tells us that the fan ordered is specifically for a Wasp Class Landing Helicopter Dock amphibious assault ship. As the Federation of American Scientists explains, the Wasp Class LHDs are designed to "provide the means to deliver, command and support all elements of a Marine Landing Force in an assault by air and amphibious craft. ... They transport and land ashore not only troops, but also the tanks, trucks, jeeps, other vehicles, artillery, ammunition and various supplies necessary to support the amphibious assault mission."

Since this was another "URGENT AND COMPELLING EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT" with "EXPEDITED DELIVERY", we're prompted to ask where is the assault or planned assault that brings on this urgent need? Against what hostile territory? Wherever it is, Woodstock once again has a bit part (literally) in the proceeding.

Woodstock rushes to maintain nukes and harm whales

"* URGENT AND COMPELLING EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT. ...

Seawolf

* EXPEDITED DELIVERY IS REQUESTED AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE TO THE GOVERNMENT.
* SHIP BY FASTEST TRACEABLE MEANS."
This is the wording in a new Woodstock military contract ... What is it that's so urgent? WebFlis tells us that the item being rushed from Woodstock is a flow switch for Lockheed Martin's AN/BQQ-10 sonar system for a Seawolf nuclear-powered submarine. The Seawolf class submarines are obsolete Cold-War leftovers that serve no useful purpose except to shunt around nuclear weapons and endanger our future.
And the sonar used by Navy submarines is widely criticized for its harmful effects on already endangered whale populations. As the NRDC says, "There is no question that sonar injures and kills whales and dolphins."
Once again Woodstock belies its peace-and-love image by making a material contribution to the extinction of other species ... and perhaps our own.