Vulnerability of Shipping?

 Isle of Wight Incident!

Terrorism is one of the major threats that nations face today and success in shutting down terrorist networks has been of note in the last twenty years, but many of these groups move on to new fields of operation in terms hijacking other causes?

Piracy did not die with the advent of steam and Diesel and this is noted in the Arabian sea and throughout the Indonesian islands today, ships are vulnerable to being boarded at night while in port or by the crew themselves?

We do not really know what was going on in the English Channel, but it was serious to have to call in special forces? 

The cost of security of ships lays with their owners and many foreign ships still do not pay their workers very well, in fact shipping can be a real legal minefield as to who owns what and what flag the vessel is under and who crews it from the Master to cheap labor?

It will be almost impossible to secure ship and there is a new front forming in using large vessels as terror weapons around the world?

Boeing 737MAX Comeback?

New computer control system Solved?

Well this is what Boeing in Seattle is saying, wither it is true is another matter! 

As seen recently with the sad crash in Pakistan, pilots do not seem to have been trained very well in handling their aircraft forgetting to let the wheels down?

It would seem to be a simple mistake, but the problem that is being encountered world-wide with new aircraft is the complexities of needing a degree in computer engineering as well as being a well trained pilot?

The danger is computers are taking away access to the over ride of manual control, since humans can do things still that machines cannot?

The 737MAX series was to be the last of this great line of type entering now into the 21st Century, but with the loss of two aircraft in Indonesia and Ethiopia and the complexities of control being lost in updating pilots to fly them this has caused major delays and a stump in production from building, painting and delivery!

CASA. Part-Two.

Moving on into new Technology?

CASA is well known for its aviation exploits, but it also was in the development of drones for its own Spanish armed forces and with miniaturisation it has built some serious battle-field kit!

But it also has developed more adaptions for current aircraft to operate any type for fishery protection duties instead of having dedicated aircraft as in times past. This one of many breakthroughs that may see future developments curtailed in these areas and thus be focused on to more aggressive types?

CASA C212 are getting a second life in these roles and the Casa-Nuranto CN-235 and new versions of the CN295 are now more popular in their various civil aircraft liner work than that of military application! Many projects with other nations in South-America seems not to have worked out in a very competitive market?

CASA. Part-One.

Spain's Aviation.

Casa has seen much success over the last fifty years in it aviation ventures from the CASA C-101 Aviojet to it cooperation with Indonesia and the CN-235 medium transport, leading to the larger version CN-295.

After developing the initial advanced trainer for the Spanish Airforce in the early 1970's  it moved on small transport aircraft to replace the aging licence built U.S Douglas DC-3 and German Junkers Ju-52/3m, and took a required market with the two, plus twelve seat C-212 Aviocar. This small transport has gradually developed from the 100-400 series and was exported to Jordan, Chile, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.  

But it was not until CASA teamed up with Indonesia that real success paid off with both civil and military orders for the CN-235. 
Maritime reconnaissance, military and national guard transport and various other configurations has made this aircraft very adaptable for a quick switch round in roles.

Spains Long-standing Military Industry! Part-One.

Casa aviation to ground Vehicles.

Not many people know much about Spain and their exhaustive arms industry, the Casa corporation with the famous CN-212 transport an the Avio-Jet are perhaps its most know fame?

But co-operation with Indonesia has been a success in producing the widely exported Casa-Nuranto CN-235 and its larger variant the 265 medium transport and maritime reconnaissance aircraft!

But there is much more to Spain's arms industry with a extensive shipbuilding and both arms and vehicle industries. Spain has always been a European power to be faced with since the 14th Century, with the Spanish Armada and colonial expansion into the Americas!

Malaysia and Indonesia.

Three Airliner Losses.

Is there something going on here that we do not fully know about yet? Three commercial aircraft from two countries in  the region have lost their aircraft, one disappeared from radar on a flight to China, a second was shot down in the Ukraine by unknown hostiles while on a flight from the Netherlands to Australia. Now we have a possible thunder and lightening strike on this Indonesian aircraft flying to Singapore.

The first loss is an enigma? Australian security specialist suggested it was Cyber Hijacked and this type of crime has recently been seen emanating from North-Korea in relation to a Sony film. 

Second we have the conflicting reports of who and how the aircraft over the Ukraine was destroyed, was it shot down by a Russian missile or by a Ukrainian fighter jet mistaking it for a Russian commercial overflight?

This last one would seem it was struck by lightening, while trying to divert from developing storms. But as yet these are all ideas. The one thing which does not seem to be urgently addressed, is the essential need to secure the transponder and black boxes, so that they continue to ping long after an aicraft disappears or crashes?