Rapid Fire 2011-09-12: Chinese Aerospace Power

* On the 10th anniversary of the attacks that came as the first shots in the current war with al-Qaeda and its allies, see: Pentagon mini-site | Britain’s PM | Canadian MND statement | French PM (video). * The Long War Journal asks: How many al Qaeda fighters are in Afghanistan again? The numbers don’t seem to add. * Meanwhile, ISVG points out that “open-source information indicates that while the United States and its allies have been highly effective at killing or capturing high-level members of [al Qaeda Central], the central leadership of [al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula] remains largely intact.” * At WIRED’s Danger Room, David Axe chronicles 10 (American) military jobs that barely existed on Sept 10, 2001 – but do now. * The US military’s 1st JHSV catamaran is launched and christened at Austal’s Mobile, AL shipyard. Meanwhile, the Austal-built USS Independence Littoral Combat Ship has finished repairs for its corrosion issues, and steamed into St. Petersburg. * India’s 5th stretched C-130J special operations transport flies out to AFS Hindan. * Boeing is cooperating with Dalhaousie University in Halifax, NS, Canada, as part of its required industrial offsets for sales of C-17A Globemaster heavy aerial transports, […]