Soldier Battle JTRS: The HMS Radio Set

PRC-154 airborne

PRC-154 with 75th RR
(click to view full)

The Pentagon?s JTRS (Joint Tactical Radio System) aimed to replace existing radios in the American military with a single set of software-define radios that could have new frequencies and modes (?waveforms?) added via upload, instead of requiring multiple radio types in ground vehicles, and circuit board switchouts in order to upgrade. Trying to solve that across the entire American military meant taking on a very a big problem, maybe too big. JTRS has seen cost overruns and full program restructurings, along with cancellation of some parts of the program.

JTRS HMS (Handheld, Manpack & Small Form-Fit) radios, for use by the individual solder, have survived the tumult, and are now headed into production. They offer soldiers more than just improved communications, and have performed in exercises and on the front lines. Now, production is ramping up.

  • JTRS HMS: The Radios
  • Contracts & Key Events
  • Additional Readings

JTRS HMS: The Radios

JTRS HMS

AN/PRC-154 Rifleman
(click to view full)

JTRS HMS? AN/PRC-154 Rifleman radios are jointly developed and manufactured by Thales and General Dynamics. These software-defined radios are designed as successors to the JTRS-compatible CSCHR (PRC-148 and PRC-152) handhelds, securely transmitting voice and data simultaneously using Type 2 cryptography and the new Soldier Radio Waveform. General Dynamics touts it as being more than 20% smaller than current tactical handhelds, with battery life of over 10 hours. It weighs 2 pounds, with battery and antenna.

The Rifleman radio can create self-forming, ad hoc, voice and data networks. What?s even more significant is that they can also enables any leader at the tactical level to track the position of individual soldiers who are also using the radio. That?s a big deal in urban environments, which can force a squad or platoon to split up.

For vehicles that may not have a JTRS HMS radio or a base station, the Rifleman Radio also mounts to a ?Sidewinder? accessory that provides power for recharging and/or longer-range transmission. To use it, just slide your PRC-154 radio in. The Sidewinder?s hardware assembly includes the 20w power amplifier from the AN/PRC-155, and connectors that work with the vehicles? existing intercom systems. Sidewinder is compatible with many US standard military mounting trays and vehicle intercom systems: MT-6352/VRC; SINCGARS VRC-89, 90, 91, 92; and SINCGARS AM-7239 VAA.

JTRS HMS

JTRS HMS set
(click to view full)

The program?s Small Form Fit (SFF) configurations also include embedded variants that serve in Army host platforms. The 0.5 pound SFF-A/D offers communications for UAVs and the tracked SUGV robot. The 3.4 pound SFF-B can serve as a communications relay; it allows bridging from unclassified to classified networks, and is expandable with the broadband WNW. SFF-B can be carried in vehicles, helicopters, or as an airborne relay by UAVs.

JTRS HMS? AN/PRC-155 Manpack is a larger 2-channel networking radio that allows battlefield commanders to talk to their team on one channel, and exchange information with other forces or headquarters on the second channel. There are many times on the battlefield when having to choose one or the other is a lousy choice to make, and the fact that it has been that way for a long time doesn?t make fixing it any less beneficial.

The 14-pound PRC-155 is the only JTRS radio to successfully demonstrate all 3 new waveforms: the Soldier Radio Waveform, the Wideband Networking Waveform, and the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite-communications waveform. That last option comes in very handy in urban environments, mountains, and other terrain that can block straight-line radio communications. The PRC-155 is also interoperable with older systems, of course, including the current frequency-hopping SINCGARS standard. Planned enhancements would extend that backward compatibility, and include: HF, IW, VHF/UHF LOS, AM/FM, and APCO-25.

Phase 2 of JTRS HMS will produce Manpack radios with stronger NSA-certified Type 1 cryptography.

Both the JTRS HMS AN/PRC-154 Rifleman and the 2-channel AN/PRC-155 Manpack networking radios are planned for inclusion in the Army?s Capability Set 13, which is to be delivered to Infantry Brigade Combat Teams beginning in October 2012.

Contracts & Key Events

JTRS: Networked Battlefield concept

Sept 17/12: LRIP-2. The U.S. Army awards a $53.9 million Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract for 13,000 AN/PRC-154 Rifleman Radios and associated gear, with production to be split between prime contractor General Dynamics C4 Systems, and their partner and 2nd-source supplier Thales Communications.

Each contractor produces 50% of the ordered equipment, and the LRIP-2 contract brings AN/PRC-154 Rifleman Radio orders to 19,250 so far. Thales Rifleman Radios are manufactured at the company?s Clarksburg, MD, facilities. GDC4S | Thales Communications.

LRIP Lot 2

May 16/12: WNW Test. General Dynamics C4 Systems announces that they have demonstrated wireless high definition video and data transfer on the JTRS HMS AN/PRC-155 two-channel networking manpack radio, using the new high-bandwidth Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW). With so many UAVs, robot UGVs, and other sensors roaming around the battlefield these days, that kind of local high-bandwidth networking is really helpful.

March ? May 2012: The US Army 1st Armored Division?s 2nd Brigade uses the Rifleman Radio in the Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 12.21 exercise, alongside other equipment that comprises WIN-T Phase 2. GDC4S.

March 30/12: SAR. The Pentagon releases its Selected Acquisition Reports summary, and JTRS HMS is on it. It?s reported as a significant program change, since:

?Program costs increased $3,493.3 million (+60.1%) from $5,811.4 million to $9,304.7 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of 49,224 radios from 221,978 to 271,202 radios [DID: +22.2%].?

That?s only a 22.2% quantity increase, which leaves 37.9% of the cost increase unaccounted for. At least HMS did better than the JTRS GMR for ground vehicles, whose costs declined 62.2% because the program was cancelled. The army says the vehicle-mounted GMR radars were just too expensive, and they?ll look for JTRS-compatible off-the-shelf alternatives.

SAR ? more JTRS HMS, no JTRS GMR

Feb 17/12: MUOS test. General Dynamics C4 Systems announces that they?ve successfully run their 1st test of the AN/PRC-155, suing the MUOS satellite-communications waveform to transmit encrypted voice and data. Development of the MUOS waveform remains on track for completion in the third quarter of 2012, with expected production availability or software upgrade by year-end.

The PRC-155 manpack radio will be the first MUOS communications terminal used by soldiers. Its twin channels mean that a soldier can use 1 channel for line-of-sight SINCGARS and SRW waveforms, and bridge to the 2nd channel using the MUOS satellite system for global communications reach.

Jan 23/12: It?s announced that the US Army?s 75th Ranger Regiment special forces in Afghanistan have deployed with the PRC-154 the Rifleman Radio, and General Dynamics Itronix GD300 wearable computer. The Rifleman Radio is for intra-squad communications, while the GD300, running the Tactical Ground Reporting (TIGR) tactical ?app,? will be used to send text messages, situation reports and other information to individual soldiers.

The equipment reportedly gets good reviews in theater. CDC4S | Inside the Army [PDF].

Jan 17/12: DOT&E testing. The Pentagon releases the FY 2011 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). JTRS HMS is included, and a number of the DOT&E?s conclusions appear elsewhere in the timeline. Their core concern is that:

?The JTRS HMS program is schedule-driven and has reduced developmental testing to support an aggressive operational test schedule. Therefore, operational testing has and will likely continue to reveal problems that should have been discovered and fixed during developmental testing.?

Dec 14/11: IOT&E done. The AN/PRC-154 Rifleman Radio has finished its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) during the U.S. Army?s Network Integration Evaluation at Fort Bliss, TX. The IOT&E is the last formal test required by the military before the radios enter full-rate production. GDC4S.

Oct 10/11: WNW. General Dynamics C4 Systems announces a 5-year, maximum $64.5 million contract to support, maintain, and further develop the high-bandwidth JTRS Wideband Networking Waveform.

This Software In-Service Support contract was awarded by the U.S. Navy?s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR), which oversees JTRS. The award is separate from, but related to, GDC4S? role as the prime contractor for the JTRS Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit radio program.

WNW support & development

July 7/11: LRIP-1. The U.S. Army awards the 1st Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract. It?s a $54.4 million order for 6,250 AN/PRC-154 Rifleman Radios, plus 100 AN/PRC-155 Manpack radios for continued testing, and expenses for one-time production startup costs, accessories, training, related equipment and supplies.

Technically, General Dynamics receives the LRIP contract, and the Rifleman radios will be manufactured in a 50/ 50 split by both Thales Communications and General Dynamics. JTRS HMS? contract structure, from System Design and Development through LRIP, has been designed to provide competition from multiple qualified sources.

The JTRS HMS networking radios are the first ground-domain radios that will be fielded by the U.S. military that meet the full suite of JTRS requirements. At this point, the Army plans to purchase more than 190,000 Rifleman and approximately 50,000 Manpack radios. GDC4S | Thales Communications.

1st Production Lot

July 2011: Manpack testing fail. During the Army?s Network Integration Eexercise (NIE), they test the JTRS HMS Manpack. The Pentagon?s DOT&E testing report says that it demonstrated poor reliability, short range of the Soldier Radio Waveform and Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) waveforms that significantly constricted the operational area of the cavalry troop, and Inconsistent voice quality. Overall, the Army decided that the Manpack?s Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) waveform was not ready for test and did not test it during the truncated formal Government Developmental Test. Source: DOT&E.

May 2011: Milestone C. The JTRS HMS program received a Milestone C decision from the U.S. Department of Defense, clearing the radios for low-rate production. The Defense Acquisition Executive approved up to 6,250 Rifleman Radios, and up to 100 Mapack radios.

Milestone C

January 2011: The US Army conducts a Verification of Correction of Deficiencies (VCD) test with a redesigned version of the Rifleman Radio.

That full redesign stemmed from the 2009 Limited User Test, where the radio was deemed ok during movement and preparation, but didn?t perform well in combat. The redesigned Rifleman Radio featured improvements in size, weight, battery life, radio frequency power out, and ease of use. Source: DOT&E.

Sept 8/10: Crypto cert. General Dynamics announces that its AIM II programmable cryptographic module has been certified by the US National Security Agency (NSA) to secure classified information up to and including Top Secret, Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).

The AIM II module uses a secure hardware foundation with embedded software-based cryptographic algorithms. It?s certified for the JTRS HMS and Airborne Maritime Fixed (AMF) radios alike.

Crypto cert

Additional Readings

Source: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Soldier-Battle-JTRS-The-HMS-Radio-Set-07536/

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Premiums inching higher for popular Medicare plans

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Obama administration officials say they have some good election-year news for seniors.

Monthly premiums for popular Medicare Advantage insurance plans are rising by only $1.47 next year, to an average of $32.59.

The private plans often can provide the same services as traditional Medicare for a lower out-of-pocket cost, but seniors have to accept some restrictions on choice.

About 12 million Medicare recipients are in private plans. Enrollment is projected to rise by more than 1 million next year.

The news follows a recent announcement that prescription drug premiums would remain stable for the third year in a row, about $30 a month.

Since the premium numbers are averages, some people may see their costs go up. They can shop for a lower cost plan.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-19-US-Medicare-Advantage-Premiums/id-966946d9dc8541ff9fcd6cf4cb1b620e

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hurricane windows Austin,replacement - Do I Need Hurricane ...

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Don't bother with plywood panels, hurricane shutters or sketchy clips to cover up your windows during the hurricane season, hurricane windows are built to last through the strongest of storms and beyond. Call Gulf Coast Windows right now and learn about all of our hurricane windows today, so you can protect your home from future storm damages.

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Study compares duodenal switch vs. gastric bypass for morbid obesity

ScienceDaily (Sep. 17, 2012) ? A study comparing bariatric surgical procedures for obesity suggests that even though undergoing the less commonly used biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch (DS) may be associated with higher early risks compared with gastric bypass (GB), the DS appears to achieve better weight loss and control of co-existing illnesses, especially among patients whose body mass index (BMI) was more than 50, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery, a JAMA Network publication.

Bariatric surgery has been established as the most effective way to treat morbid obesity and weight-related co-existing illnesses. The traditional Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (GB) is widely considered "the gold standard," but some evidence suggests that weight loss failure and weight regain may be more prevalent than first thought, especially among the "superobese" (BMI greater than 50), the authors write in the study background.

Daniel W. Nelson, D.O., and colleagues from the Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Washington, used the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database (BOLD) to compare 1,545 patients who underwent DS (average preoperative BMI of 52) with 77,406 patients who underwent GB (average preoperative BMI of 48) between 2007 and 2010. The average age of the patients was 45 years and 78 percent of the patients were female.

"Although the DS carries a higher relative risk profile than GB, the absolute risk is low. Among morbidly obese patients, the DS results in superior sustained weight reduction and improved comorbidity control compared with GB, which may outweigh early perioperative risk. The benefits of the DS, including a significant decrease in the bariatric failure rates, appear to be greatest in the superobese population," the authors comment.

While the DS was associated with longer operative times (191 vs. 114 minutes), greater estimated blood loss and longer hospital stays (2.4 vs. 4.4 days), the percentage of change in BMI was significantly greater in the DS group at all follow-up intervals. In the superobese population, the DS was associated with a significantly greater percentage of excess body weight loss at two years of follow-up compared to GB (79 percent vs. 67 percent), according to the study results. The results also indicate that nearly 20 percent of GB patients failed to lose at least 50 percent of their excess BMI by both the one- and two-year follow-ups, while the weight loss failure rates for DS patients were lower at 9 percent and 6 percent.

"Finally, in regard to postoperative comorbidity control, the DS group saw significantly greater resolution or improvement in most of the well-recognized obesity-related comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia [high cholesterol] and obstructive sleep apnea," according to the results.

Although researchers note a relative increase in the use of the DS, this procedure is still used much less in theUnited Statescompared with gastric bypass. The researchers suggest that is likely due to several factors, including the technical difficulty of the procedure, the higher reported rates of short-term complications and concerns about the longer-term nutritional consequences of a primarily malabsorptive procedure (where absorption of calories and nutrients is reduced).

"Further studies of this procedure to determine the optimal patient selection, operative technique and longer-term risks vs. outcomes are warranted," the authors conclude.

Invited Critique: Time for a Change in Gastric Bypass?

In an invited critique, Alec C. Beekley, M.D., of the Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals,Philadelphia, writes: "In summary, Nelson and colleagues provide a well-researched and well-presented analysis of DS [biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch] vs. GB [gastric bypass] for morbid obesity, derived from an enormous and reliable database."

"Their findings and conclusions challenge the notion that GB is the optimal operation for the majority of patients. As more surgeons familiarize themselves with the operative techniques and follow-up requirements for DS patients, it may be used more frequently in the superobese population," Beekley concludes.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by JAMA and Archives Journals.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal References:

  1. Nelson DW, Blair KS, Martin MJ. Analysis of Obesity-Related Outcomes and Bariatric Failure Rates With the Duodenal Switch vs Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity. Archives of Surgery, 2012; 147 (9): 847-854 DOI: 10.1001/archsurg.2012.1654
  2. Beekley AC. Gastric Bypass: Time for a Change? Archives of Surgery, 2012; 147 (9): 854-855 DOI: 10.1001/archsurg.2012.1682

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/r1W9A53cr6w/120917161416.htm

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Evaluate the potential of a new market ? Case Study | The Business ...

This case study demonstrates the power of what I call ?down and dirty? exploratory telephone research really well?

Background
One of my (Linda Mattacks) clients was a company that supplied enterprise-wide business systems solutions to a diverse range of companies around the globe. Its solutions had been adopted by companies in the construction industry in the USA and Europe, but never in the UK.

An independent salesman had presented the client with a UK construction industry database and claimed he could sell to it. The client wasn?t convinced and, before committing to an expensive three-month trial period of sales and marketing activity, wanted me to research ?100m+ turnover construction companies in the UK.

With the salesman?s full cooperation, this client provided 50% of his database, from which I would need to select the target audience for the research project. The salesman was meanwhile using the other half of his database to make prospecting calls and even gave me his tip on how to approach the companies: This was to wait until the Secretary/PA was likely to have left the office for the day and attempt to make direct contact with the Chief Executive Officer. I did wonder whether he was seriously trying to be helpful or deliberately setting me off on a false trail. Anyway, it didn?t ?sit right? with me so I decided fairly immediately to file the tip rather than follow it.

Data sanity check
Knowing close to zero about the UK construction industry the first thing I did was obtain a count from a couple of business list providers to double check the size of the universe.

This showed there to be around 80 construction companies in the UK with a turnover of ?100m+ rather than the 250 on the full database supplied by the salesman. Closer inspection of ?my? half of this database revealed that he had parent companies and lots of subsidiaries that each showed as separate companies.

Let?s continue the examination of this case. There are several reasons I?ve labelled this project ?down and dirty? and none of them are anything to do with it being wrong or underhand:

1 Research briefing
The attitude of the individual who commissioned the research was very much ?You just get on with it and find out if there?s a market for us? and, even when I could get hold of him, he wouldn?t sit down to give a proper briefing. Oh, terrific, I don?t think!

2 The research objectives
So I figured out that there were three main objectives we needed to achieve:
Target

  • Identify principal drivers and constraints upon the use of integrated business systems in the UK construction industry
  • Establish the opportunity for our client to feature in the re-engineering of business systems within UK construction companies
  • Ascertain what would make choosing our client a viable solution

3 Time restrictions
This client was a man who did not want to hang around. The research had to be planned, executed and results presented within four weeks. There was no time for:

  • The usual desk research of the industry (the Internet was still in its infancy and information was nowhere near as widely, easily and swiftly available as it is today)
  • Preparation, design and testing of a research questionnaire call guide
  • Putting together, briefing and training a team of telephone researchers

4 Practical considerations

There was the small matter that:

  • Re-engineering a ?100m+ company?s business systems requires major investment and has enormous potential impact on the business, which meant that interviews would have to be held at director level in order for the findings to have any meaning and authority
  • Getting telephone interviews with Board level directors of ?100m+ turnover companies at short notice is not easy

5 Resultant implications
This was a project that was fraught with potential pitfalls and could easily have failed to achieve sufficient useful information within the allotted time.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because it leads on to a:

Light
Big Tip

  • The chances of ever having ideal circumstances and conditions to carry out any kind of exploratory telephone research are virtually negligible
    • Go with what you have
    • Check out what ?facts? you can before you start
    • Then get on with it ? you are not going to publish the results as a business paper ? you?re going to use them to ascertain and evaluate market opportunities
    • If you wait for the ideal moment to present itself it will never happen

Back to this research project?

The project became focused on identifying and interviewing key figures in leading construction companies which, in turn, led to additional information gathering from other influencers in the industry (consultants, associations and an IT/construction industry think tank that I uncovered along the way) to round out the picture.
Spy
Research results
It was a fascinating, extremely focused, four weeks and I ended up becoming something of a mini expert on the industry and on the differences between the workings of the sectors within the industry. I ultimately conducted twenty depth telephone interviews with a mixture of Decision Makers and Influencers. The outcome provided us with a sound understanding of the state of the construction industry at the time and these were the top level findings:

  • There was a readiness amongst the major players, those with ?400m+ turnover, to re-engineer their business systems ? the rest would watch and wait and probably follow suit
  • The research also unearthed differences in attitude to re-engineering business systems in different sectors of the industry
  • It highlighted misconceptions about the client?s solution and a need for the client to demonstrate understanding of and involvement with the construction industry
  • It confirmed that any possibility for change only existed where there was a Board Director ?champion? ? if the interest emanated from IT Director level it was doomed to failure
  • The Board Director?s views prevailed even where there was resistance from the IT Director
  • It brought requests from Board Directors of two major ?400m+ turnover companies for an exploratory meeting with the client

As a result the client was able to weigh the pros and cons of what cost and effort would be required to successfully actively target the industry, and the likely monetary returns, based on facts rather than assumptions.

The value of the results of this research project being delivered to the client within his specified time frame, (together with the unexpected bonus of high level introductions to two potential clients) was such that he readily and promptly paid the project fee of ?12,000.

All this type of research will cost your company is someone?s time, the application of intelligent thought and a small addition to the company?s phone bill!

Dumb-bell
Set aside some thinking time

  • If you can involve other members of your team, so much the better
  • Brainstorm ideas for free-form telephone research

Taken from training material originally developed and delivered by Linda Mattacks

Source: http://tonystitt.co.uk/business-development/the-telephone/evaluate-the-potential-of-a-new-market-case-study

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iRobot buys rival Evolution Robotics for $74 million to expand hard-floor cleaning tech

iRobot buys floorcleaning rival Evolution Robotics for $74 million

iRobot celebrated Roomba's 10th birthday quietly teeing up a $74 million acquisition of rival Evolution Robotics Inc. The Pasadena-based company produces the Mint, a hard-floor 'bot that uses ordinary Swiffer pads to wet-wipe your wooden decks clean -- and comes with the more sophisticated "Northstar" GPS-style positioning tech. As part of the deal, Evolution CEO Paolo Pirjanian will become iRobot's new CTO and the Mint and Mint Plus will be folded into the company's stable of Roomba cleaners -- with the deal expected to be fully approved by the fourth quarter of the year.

Continue reading iRobot buys rival Evolution Robotics for $74 million to expand hard-floor cleaning tech

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US-Japan OK new defenses against N. Korea

Larry Downing / AFP - Getty Images

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, center, disembarks from his aircraft after arriving at US Yokota air base in Japan on Sunday.

By NBC News wire services

TOKYO -- U.S. and Japanese officials have agreed to put a second defense system in Japan aimed at protecting the country from the threat of a missile attack from North Korea,?Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Monday.

The exact location of the radar installation has not yet been determined. It will be in the south of the country, U.S. officials said, but not in Okinawa.

Officials stressed that the system would be aimed at protecting the region against the threat from North Korea and is not directed at China.


The U.S. already has similar early warning radar systems on ships in the Asia-Pacific.

This second Japan-based system will allow the U.S. vessels to spread out and cover other parts of the Asia-Pacific region.

Much at stake for US as tensions rise in troubled China seas

Panetta said the new installation would also be effective in protecting the U.S. homeland from a North Korea threat. He spoke during a press conference in Tokyo with the Japanese defense minister, Satoshi Morimoto.

Morimoto said it would not be appropriate at this time to specify a location for the new radar, and said a date for its deployment has not yet been set.

While officials insisted the radar system would not be aimed at China, the decision was sure to raise the ire of Beijing.

More China coverage on our Behind the Wall blog

The radar will "enhance our ability to defend Japan," Panetta said, adding that he would talk to Chinese leaders about the system to assure them that this about protecting the U.S. and the region from North Korea's missile threat.

"We have made these concerns clear to the Chinese," he said. "For that reason ... we believe it is very important to move ahead" with the radar system.

More North Korea coverage from NBCNews.com

North Korea has long been trying to build a nuclear arsenal, has also been working on a ballistic missile which would be able to reach the U.S. mainland. However, its long-range rocket tests have to date all failed.

David Guttenfelder / AP

In this March 9, 2011 photo, a girl plays the piano inside the Changgwang Elementary School in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

Japan has worked closely with the U.S. for several years on missile defense, and has both land- and sea-based missile launchers.

North Korea's ballistic missiles are considered a threat to security in the Asia-Pacific region because of the risk of conflict erupting on the divided and heavily militarized Korean peninsula, and because of the secretive North's nuclear weapons program.

The long-range rockets it is developing have been test-fired over Japan and could potentially reach the U.S.

The North conducted its latest long-range rocket launch in April, defying a U.N. ban. Pyongyang said the launch was intended to send an observation satellite into space but it drew international condemnation as the rocket technology is similar to that used for ballistic missiles.

Elizabeth Dalziel / AP

From work to play, see pictures from inside the secretive country.

The launch was a failure and the rocket disintegrated shortly after takeoff.

Panetta is on his third trip to Asia in 11 months, reflecting the Pentagon's ongoing shift to put more military focus on the Asia-Pacific.

Territorial disputes
The defense chief is urging countries involved in territorial disputes in the region to find a way to peacefully resolve those problems before they spark provocations and violence.

Panetta's visit to Japan also included discussions with Morimoto about the deployment of V-22 Ospreys to the southwestern island of Okinawa. Tens of thousands of people have protested the hybrid aircraft's planned use, saying they are unsafe.

Kcna / AFP - Getty Images

A pictorial look at the North Korean leader through the years

The U.S. had hoped to have the aircraft in place as early as next month, but Morimoto said no specific date has been set on that matter, either.

The Pentagon plans to deploy 12 of the aircraft, which take off and land like a helicopter, but fly like a plane. U.S. officials have assured Japanese leaders the Ospreys are safe.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/17/13907350-us-japan-agree-on-new-defense-system-to-counter-north-korea-ballistic-missiles?lite

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Fitness Baron Writes In-Depth Article on How Much Sleep Weight ...


(PRWEB) September 14, 2012

According to Fitness-Baron.com, there?s more to sleep than simply getting rest. In fact the article, which is based on research and is well-sourced, sets out that sleep is a period during which muscle actually grows. In fact sleep is an anabolic period, which means weight lifters and bodybuilders should get sufficient sleep every night in order to maximize gains.

Moreover, Fitness-Baron?s article is also highly relevant to people not necessarily interested in building muscle, but instead seek to simply develop their fitness and/or burn fat. The article suggests, based on studies that are sourced, that sleep deprivation can actually cause weight gain (i.e. fat gain).

About

Fitness-Baron.com is a fitness website with a weightlifting bent, but also covers cardio, weight loss and yoga ? mostly from the weight lifter?s perspective. Started in 2012, Fitness-Baron.com seeks to inform readers about building quality muscle based on actual experience in the gym.

Fitness-Baron.com also gives away 42 free workouts to help any beginner or intermediate weight lifter get going with proven weightlifting and bodybuilding workouts. The 42 workouts include toning and lean muscle options as well for those who don?t wish to build a massive physique.

For more information, read the full article on sleep and building muscle here.

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Source: http://www.bodyhealthandfitness.net/fitness-baron-writes-in-depth-article-on-how-much-sleep-weight-lifters-and-bodybuilders-need/

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U.S. believes Japan-U.S. security treaty covers disputed isles: Japan foreign minister

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-believes-japan-u-security-treaty-covers-disputed-031746983.html

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Protesters clash with police near US Embassy in Cairo, one dead

CAIRO (Reuters) - Clashes near the U.S. Embassy in central Cairo between police and Egyptians incensed over a film denigrating the Prophet Mohammad entered their fourth day early on Saturday, leaving one protester dead and dozens more injured.

The clashes moved to a main road on the banks of the Nile after authorities closed the street leading to the embassy. The protesters, many of whom are intent upon breaking into the embassy, now are seeking alternative routes to the site.

A 35-year-old protester died from bird shot wounds late on Friday, three days after protesters climbed the embassy's walls and tore down the American flag.

"God is Greatest" and "There is no God but God," one group near the front of the clashes chanted as some threw stones on Friday on a street leading from Tahrir Square to the embassy nearby, as police in riot gear fired off rounds of tear gas.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in streets near the mission late into the night, pelting police with stones and petrol bombs as they were pushed back from the embassy perimeter.

The state news agency said 27 people were injured on Friday. Based on figures it announced on other days, that suggested more than 250 people have been injured during clashes this week after Tuesday's breach of the embassy.

"The clashes will continue until President Mursi takes a strong position. ... They aren't for something specific, we are trying to be at the embassy to tell the whole world we are here," said Ahmed Abdel Gawad, 31, who was taking part in the clashes.

President Mohamed Mursi, an Islamist and Egypt's first freely elected leader, has to strike a delicate balance, fulfilling a pledge to protect the embassy of a major aid donor but also delivering a robust line against the film to satisfy his Islamist backers.

In Sinai, militants attacked an international observer base close to the borders of Israel and Gaza, a witness and a security source said. Two Colombian soldiers were wounded, an official from the observer force said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called his Egyptian counterpart, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on Friday to "underscore the importance of ensuring the safety and security of the U.S. diplomatic mission," Pentagon spokesman George Little said.

"In light of ongoing protests in Egypt, Minister al-Sisi reiterated Egypt's commitment to secure U.S. diplomatic facilities and personnel," Little said.

Many Muslims regard any depiction of the Prophet Mohammad as blasphemous. The low-budget film - produced in California - that portrayed him as a womanizer and religious fake has provoked outrage across the Middle East and led to the storming of several U.S. missions in the region.

Mursi repeated on Friday his condemnation of the film, rejection of violence and promise to protect diplomatic missions in comments in Italy, the second stop of a trip to Europe.

On Thursday, he said he asked U.S. President Barack Obama to act against those seeking to harm relations. His cabinet said Washington was not to blame for the film but urged the United States to take legal action against those insulting religion.

The U.S. government says it had nothing to do with the film but cannot curb the constitutional right to free speech in the United States.

The United States has a large embassy in Cairo, partly because of a vast aid program that began after Egypt signed a peace deal with Israel in 1979. Washington gives $1.3 billion in aid each year to Egypt's army plus additional funds for its government.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/protesters-clash-police-near-us-embassy-cairo-one-092733009.html

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