Analysis: The one weapon that could destroy a place like Fordow
There's only one weapon in the world that can destroy a place like Fordow, and one plane that can carry that weapon. CNN military analyst Col. Cedric Leighton (ret.) explains how the Massive Ordnance Penetrator - a sophisticated bunker buster - works.
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
McAAP gets a new commander
McAlester Army Ammunition Plant has a new commander. Col. Gabriel W. Pryor relinquished command to Col. Curtis S. Perkins in the change of command ceremony at the McAlester base Wednesday. 'This change in command marks more than a transition of leadership,' Pryor said. 'It's a moment to reflect on our journey here, to honor the team and to recognize the strength that lives in this installation and its people.' McAlester Army Ammunition Plant is the Department of Defense premier bomb and warhead-loading facility. It supplies about one-third of munitions across the Department of Defense. The plant delivers thousands of Mark 84 2,000-pound bombs, M11 artillery rounds, 105 artillery rounds and more. McAAP is one of 14 Joint Munitions Command installations and one of 23 organic industrial bases under U.S. Army Materiel Command. It is the site of production, storage, distribution and demilitarization. Officials said armies historically use a flag or other symbol to serve as a rallying point under which their soldiers would gather before combat and reorganize during battle. The passing of the colors during the change of command ceremony symbolizes the original purpose and represents the official transfer of command. Brig. Gen. Daniel J. Duncan opened the Change of Command ceremony. He thanked McAAP's community partners and elected leaders, thanked Pryor's family for their support and thanked Pryor for his service. 'It just shows how much he takes care of people and not just the mission,' Duncan said about Pryor's leadership and his priority of McAAP employees' safety. Pryor was commissioned in May 1999 as a Second Lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps from the Army ROTC program at Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington. He earned a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington. He held several positions in his military career, including Distribution Branch Chief, Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commander and Joint Planner, USTRANSCOM, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, 2015-2017; Battalion Commander, 47th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, Division G4, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas, 2018-2021; and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Commander, McAlester, Oklahoma, 2023-2025. Pryor earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, and a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. Pryor's military education includes the Ordnance Officer Basic Course, Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, and more. His awards and achievements include the Bronze Star Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (bronze campaign star), Iraq Campaign Medal (4 campaign stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NATO Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3 numerals), Joint Meritorious Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation (3 Oak Leaf Clusters) and Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge. Over the last two years, McAAP has met 100% of their delivery days. The depo operation has experienced the least amount of accidents and injuries than it has in the last 10 years, according to the McAAP 'These accomplishments that I'm telling you about, these are not a commander's success. This is a team's success,' Pryor said. He thanked the men and women of McAAP for teaching him about leadership, grit and excellence. 'This was not just a duty. It was a blessing,' he said. Perkins was commissioned in December 1999 as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster branch from the Army ROTC program at South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, South Carolina. He has earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Master of Arts in procurement and acquisition management from Webster University, and a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering technology from South Carolina State University. Perkins has served in many positions during his lengthy military career, including Assistant Brigade Logistics Officer and Forward Support Company Commander, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, Texas; Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Deputy Support Operations officer, 404th Division Aviation Support Battalion, Fort Carson, Colorado; S3 Operations Officer, and Brigade Resource Manager, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas; Brigade Support Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia; and Plans Chief, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and more. His military education includes Quartermaster Officer Basic Course, Combined Logistics Captain's Career Course, Army School of Advanced Military Studies, Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. His awards and achievements include the Legion of Merit (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters) and Joint Service Commendation Medal. Perkins thanked the McAlester community for coming together to make this possible. He said he appreciates the community he has been brought to serve and said he will be the best commander he can to support the community and McAAP. 'Our mission remains instrumental to national defense, and I'm proud to serve with this dedicated team,' Perkins said.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Internet and phone outage in much of Gaza disrupts humanitarian operations and deepens isolation
CAIRO (AP) — A breakdown in communications networks in central and southern Gaza has cut many Palestinians off from the outside world for the past week, further straining aid efforts and emergency services amid continuing Israeli bombardment. Israeli strikes damaged a main connection, cutting off communications in large areas of the strip since Tuesday, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The telecom company Paltel said Friday that internet and landline services were restored in some areas in southern Gaza, including Khan Younis, with repairs ongoing in other southern and central areas. Paltel warned in a statement to AP that ongoing attacks on the main network could make future maintenance impossible, especially due to a shortage of essential materials and resources. The Gaza Strip has experienced at least 10 communications partial and full outages since the war began in October 2023, according to Palestinian telecom company Paltel. This week's outage has impacted aid efforts, emergency services, suspended academic classes, and cut off displaced Palestinians from the rest of the territory. Palestinians in Gaza rely heavily on cell service, as unsafe roads and fuel shortages limit movement across the enclave. Humanitarians say those in affected areas will struggle to access information on aid and medical services or call for ambulances. 'Telecoms have been used as a weapon of war against civilians,' said Juliette Touma, communications director at UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugee that is the main service provider in Gaza. The IDF didn't immediately respond to request for comment. The vast majority of UNRWA workers don't have connectivity in the areas affected by the outages. As a result, they and other aid workers have struggled to deliver aid and coordinate with one another, Touma told the AP. 'Sometimes we get a signal when a team member has the courage to go on the rooftop of a building, which is extremely dangerous under strikes, and they send us a message that they're alive. I can't tell you how much of a relief it is, but they're more sporadic and less regular,' said Touma. Some people rely on E-sims, but they are not compatible with all devices and can only work in certain areas. Unreliable mobile service Over 70% of telecommunications networks in Gaza has been partially or completely destroyed as of August 2024 since the war began, according to statistics released by the Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Economy, cited by the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute. However, Paltel said technical teams offered some technical solutions that would restore services. When they hear nearby strikes, Palestinians without connection don't know whether evacuation orders are issued and where should they relocate to, said Shaina Low, the Norwegian Refugee Council's communications adviser. 'This also means that people are isolated. They can't communicate with their family and friends inside of Gaza and understand what the current situation is or get external support from networks outside,' she said. Limited or unreliable mobile service has made it difficult for ambulances and civil defense teams to reach people in need of life-saving assistance, Low added. Fikr Shalltoot, Gaza director for the group Medical Aid for Palestinians, said its doctors working in hospitals and clinics in effected areas can't document or share their work with managers. 'Targeted daily' Meanwhile, with Gaza's university campuses heavily damaged, the internet has become the only way to continue education. But outages have forced educators to cancel classes and exams. 'It is, unfortunately, like a never-ending vicious cycle of suffering because when this issue is resolved in the north, the problem appears in the south,' said Mohammed Shbair, vice president for administrative and financial affairs, at al-Azhar University in Gaza. 'Students cannot reach universities because they are destroyed, and they can't even reach areas where the internet is available in cafes or displacement tents, as they are now being targeted daily and systematically by Israeli strikes,' said Shbair, an associate professor of public law. Online banking, a key alternative amid cash shortages, has also become unavailable. Palestinians who rely on online transfers to pay suppliers can no longer do so under the current conditions, according to Low. The outage complicates humanitarian operations and adds to the 'toxic stress' families face daily, said UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram. 'In a context of incessant bombardments, mass casualty events linked to food distributions, rising malnutrition and dwindling access to clean water, connectivity is a real lifeline for families in Gaza,' she said. By Fatma Khaled, The Associated Press
Associated Press
9 hours ago
- Associated Press
Internet and phone outage in much of Gaza disrupts humanitarian operations and deepens isolation
CAIRO (AP) — A breakdown in communications networks in central and southern Gaza has cut many Palestinians off from the outside world for the past week, further straining aid efforts and emergency services amid continuing Israeli bombardment. Israeli strikes damaged a main connection, cutting off communications in large areas of the strip since Tuesday, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The telecom company Paltel said Friday that internet and landline services were restored in some areas in southern Gaza, including Khan Younis, with repairs ongoing in other southern and central areas. Paltel warned in a statement to AP that ongoing attacks on the main network could make future maintenance impossible, especially due to a shortage of essential materials and resources. The Gaza Strip has experienced at least 10 communications partial and full outages since the war began in October 2023, according to Palestinian telecom company Paltel. This week's outage has impacted aid efforts, emergency services, suspended academic classes, and cut off displaced Palestinians from the rest of the territory. Palestinians in Gaza rely heavily on cell service, as unsafe roads and fuel shortages limit movement across the enclave. Humanitarians say those in affected areas will struggle to access information on aid and medical services or call for ambulances. 'Telecoms have been used as a weapon of war against civilians,' said Juliette Touma, communications director at UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugee that is the main service provider in Gaza. The IDF didn't immediately respond to request for comment. The vast majority of UNRWA workers don't have connectivity in the areas affected by the outages. As a result, they and other aid workers have struggled to deliver aid and coordinate with one another, Touma told the AP. 'Sometimes we get a signal when a team member has the courage to go on the rooftop of a building, which is extremely dangerous under strikes, and they send us a message that they're alive. I can't tell you how much of a relief it is, but they're more sporadic and less regular,' said Touma. Some people rely on E-sims, but they are not compatible with all devices and can only work in certain areas. Unreliable mobile service Over 70% of telecommunications networks in Gaza has been partially or completely destroyed as of August 2024 since the war began, according to statistics released by the Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Economy, cited by the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute. However, Paltel said technical teams offered some technical solutions that would restore services. When they hear nearby strikes, Palestinians without connection don't know whether evacuation orders are issued and where should they relocate to, said Shaina Low, the Norwegian Refugee Council's communications adviser. 'This also means that people are isolated. They can't communicate with their family and friends inside of Gaza and understand what the current situation is or get external support from networks outside,' she said. Limited or unreliable mobile service has made it difficult for ambulances and civil defense teams to reach people in need of life-saving assistance, Low added. Fikr Shalltoot, Gaza director for the group Medical Aid for Palestinians, said its doctors working in hospitals and clinics in effected areas can't document or share their work with managers. 'Targeted daily' Meanwhile, with Gaza's university campuses heavily damaged, the internet has become the only way to continue education. But outages have forced educators to cancel classes and exams. 'It is, unfortunately, like a never-ending vicious cycle of suffering because when this issue is resolved in the north, the problem appears in the south,' said Mohammed Shbair, vice president for administrative and financial affairs, at al-Azhar University in Gaza. 'Students cannot reach universities because they are destroyed, and they can't even reach areas where the internet is available in cafes or displacement tents, as they are now being targeted daily and systematically by Israeli strikes,' said Shbair, an associate professor of public law. Online banking, a key alternative amid cash shortages, has also become unavailable. Palestinians who rely on online transfers to pay suppliers can no longer do so under the current conditions, according to Low. The outage complicates humanitarian operations and adds to the 'toxic stress' families face daily, said UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram. 'In a context of incessant bombardments, mass casualty events linked to food distributions, rising malnutrition and dwindling access to clean water, connectivity is a real lifeline for families in Gaza,' she said.
