I had a couple of queries from SurvivalBlog readers about this news article: Google map mystery of giant lines spotted by satellite in Gobi desert. My guess is that it is a radar MASINT test field. (Note the variety of bistatic angles.) Without delving into the compartmented codeword realm, I can mention an open source reference to something analogous: the imaging target field at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Here, I’ll remind you that I wrote a series of articles about Fort Huachuca for Defense Electronics magazine, back in 1988. Hans Halberstadt, a well-respected and seasoned military photographer accompanied me there for a series of briefings and interviews. When a slide picture of their half-mile long resolution facility was shown as part of an unclassified post facilities overview presentation, Hans burst out laughing. He quickly mentioned the field’s palm-size equivalent, at home in his studio. The Gobi test field, I believe, is something similar, but built for radar MASINT tests. It was constructed on a grand scale. Oh, BTW, the extensive pattern degradation at the lower edge of the field was apparently caused by the Gobi desert’s rare flash floods. This probably indicates that the test field was built some time ago.
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Readers Ron N. and Jamie L. mentioned this piece by Paul Bedard: Obama Pushing Shooters Off Public Lands
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A great little article over at one of my favorite blogs, View From The Porch: But it’s just a .22…
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F.J. spotted this: Prepare Your Bicycle and Your Body for Winter Riding