Source: Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS). Date: 12.14.2011

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The Marine Corps Harvest Hawk isn’t the average KC-130J Hercules. C-130 aircraft have been used by the U.S. military for more than 50 years. The Marines in Afghanistan use the KC-130J Hercules for aerial resupply, aerial refueling, battlefield illumination, and troop and cargo transport.

In addition to its ability to accomplish traditional Hercules missions, the Harvest Hawk comes loaded with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and an infrared targeting system.

The Marines in Afghanistan use this versatile variant of one of the Corps’ most venerable aircraft to provide close-air support and surveillance for ground troops. The Harvest Hawk system adds close-air support to the long list of capabilities, including aerial refueling and battlefield illumination, of the Marine Corps' largest aircraft.

To learn more about Marines in Afghanistan, join them at http://www.facebook.com/regionalcommandsouthwest

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Source: Jenny Gordon, 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, Robins Airforce Base

The occasion took place in front of an MC-130W Dragon Spear, which arrived for the day with its crew, the 73rd Special Operations Squadron, from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

A group of 15 team members received a coin and letter of appreciation from Jeff Stanley, Special Operations Forces/Personnel Recovery Division chief.

The Robins team assisted U.S. Special Operations Command Detachment 1 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. from April 2009 to April 2010 with two prototypes that would become the MC-130W.

The aircraft is a modified C-130H that is a highly-specialized and sophisticated weapons system, able to provide close air support missions for America's Special Forces.

Source: Office of Corporate Communications, Naval Sea Systems Command Washington Navy Yard, D.C. 20376 Date: 2 November 2011

Background: The requirements documents for the LPD 17 and LCS ship programs included the need for weapons systems capable of defeating small, fast, highly maneuverable surface craft. The MK 46 GWS was selected to provide these ships a capability against small surface craft. The MK 46 GWS is permanently installed aboard LPD 17 class ships. It is part of the Surface Warfare (SuW) mission module for LCS class ships.

The MK 46 Mod 2 GWS incorporates new open architecture, fault isolation software and an embedded trainer. The Navy is installing the MK 46 Mod 2 GWS aboard LPD 17 class ships during construction. The Navy designed and developed the SuW mission module for LCS class ships. Two SuW mission modules (each including one MK 46 Mod 2 GWS) will be installed on each LCS class ship

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Source: Staff Sgt. Christopher Flurry , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd). Date: 04-01-2011

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — One of the U.S. military's most seasoned aircraft has found a new purpose as a one-of-a-kind weapon for the Marine Corps in support of troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

The U.S. military has relied on the C-130 Hercules platform for a variety of tasks including air-to-air refueling, and cargo and troop transportation for more than 50 years. But the Marine Corps, in partnership with Lockheed-Martin, has recently created a unique variant of its KC-130J by outfitting an existing plane with what has been dubbed the Harvest Hawk weapons system.

"It's a brand new capability for the Marine Corps and it's proving itself very well," said Capt. Joel D. Dunivant, a KC-130J aircraft commander with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., who is currently deployed to Afghanistan. "I've been a KC-130 pilot my whole time in the Marine Corps, but this is a new capability for us to support the Marines on the ground."

Navy News  |  Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Patrick Gordon

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (NNS) -- The Navy christened its newest amphibious transport dock ship, USS Arlington (LPD 24), during a ceremony at Northrop Grumman shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., March 26.

The ship is named for the city of Arlington, Va., honoring the 184 victims in the air and on the ground, who lost their lives when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon Sept. 11, 2001.

"Sailors of the Arlington, you are the spirit that will carry this ship forward," said Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert. "This is the ship we'll need for the future. She's exactly what we called for when we looked out on our cooperative strategy for the 21st century."

Congratulations to NSWCDD  and the Project Dragon Spear Team on their win of the 15th Annual William J. Perry Award from the Precision Strike Association!

Source: Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division - News. Date: 2011-02-23

The Project Dragon Spear Joint Acquisition Task Force Team was awarded the 15th Annual William J. Perry Award at the annual Precision Strike Association Review on 23 February, in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.

The Perry Award recognizes leadership or achievement that results in significant contributions to the development, introduction or support of precision strike systems. The Dragon Spear team was cited for significant contributions that have led to the strengthening of our national security by direct application of precision strike capabilities to Department of Defense (DoD) systems and to the enhancement of our industrial technology base for application to precision strike technology.

The Dragon Spear team, which includes members from the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, is a consortium of high energy teams led by United States Special Operation Command (USSOCOM) that were brought together to rapidly field Dragon Spear under a Combat Mission Need Statement (CMNS).

Source: Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS)  Date: 2010.11.16

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DWYER, Afghanistan – Since 2003, KC-130Js have played a vital role in transporting coalition forces and cargo throughout Helmand and Nimroz provinces; however, the latest KC-130 to enter the area is providing a new kind of support.

The KC-130J “Harvest Hawk” of Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), has all the same capabilities of a KC-130J “Hercules,” but the Harvest Hawk carries four Hellfire and 10 Griffen GPS guided missiles and houses an infrared and television camera.

Its mission is to provide close air support, conduct intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions and find improvised explosive devices.