The units are organized into detachments, squadrons, groups, and wings, except for low altitude air defense units, which are organized into platoons, detachments, batteries, and battalions. As resupply was not guaranteed at the time, the onboard infantry were heavily laden with ample food, water, cold-weather clothing, night-vision and communications equipment in addition to weapons and ammunition. The 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson builds and maintains combat ready expeditionary forces necessary to fight and win in complex environments as members of a Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) team or as a Mission Command Element (MCE); provides first class support to Soldiers, Airmen, Civilians, and Families; and enable unified action … 09/03. The helicopters would land just after the start of morning nautical twilight, as mission planners weighed the options of attacking under the cover of darkness or during daylight hours. Military aircraft. [27], A third lift of reinforcement and medical evacuation aircraft were sent to the area just before darkness on day one. Retrieved 12 March 2015, from. The Blackhawks quickly left accompanied by two Apaches, with a load of approximately thirty infantry to fortify OP Fritsche. In February 1972, the 159th Aviation Battalion returned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky as the only CH-47 Chinook battalion in the United States Army. The aircraft hydraulics were significantly damaged, and the CH-47 pitched violently while the crew fought to regain control. The ACE is task organizaed to perform the six functions of Marine Corps aviation in support of MAGTF operations. Following its re-designation, the 159th CAB deployed again to Iraq in 2005. that aviation physiologists and others have developed to assist in human compensation for the numerous environmental changes that are encountered in flight. Marines and Soldiers attending the Mountain Leaders Course were taught and practiced downhill ski techniques, which improves their skill set for working in … Some individuals carried a hundred pounds or more.[23]. On 20 November 2014, the U.S. Army announced that the 159th CAB would be inactivated in 2015. [1], The 159th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter)[2] was a Vietnam War-era heavy lift helicopter formed on 1 July 1968 from the assets of the 308th Aviation Battalion (Combat). [50], As a result of heroism in the face of enemy fire, 3-101 Apache pilots Captain Matthew J. Kaplan, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ross D. Lewallen, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Randy L. Huff, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher N. Wright and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gary H. Wingert were each awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. It is the first combat deployment of an aviation ship by any country. The 159th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) formerly supported the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.While active, 159th CAB made the 101st Airborne Division the only US Army Division with two organic aviation brigades, and currently the 101st CAB is the only CAB supporting the unit at Fort Campbell. CACP cabin area control panel. Partnerships with the Afghan Air Force, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Civil Order of Police, and the Afghan National Army helped to further improve security in the region and increase the capability of the ANSF and the government of Afghanistan.[53]. Retrieved 17 November 2014, from, Liftmaster. We were looking at Keating, and it was just a massive fire. The 159th CAB also took on a new role during this deployment, serving as mentors to Afghan National Security Forces. The lineage of the 159th Aviation Brigade is separate from that of the Vietnam-era 159th Aviation Battalion and the later 159th Aviation Regiment. The landing zone had only enough room for one Chinook or two Blackhawks to land at one time. The unit conducted airmobile artillery raids, troop movements, flare drops, fire-base insertions and extractions, IFR airdrops, and flight support and aircraft recovery missions. The aircrew and ground forces at FOP Blessing became nervous that insurgents would launch a mortar attack on the vulnerable airframe at first light, in an attempt to set the aviation fuel inside ablaze. As World War II emerged, naval aviation became the decisive element in the war at sea. Chilcote, R., & Skiba, K. (28 March 2003). Aaron Nichols, the assistant Task Force Wings operations officer; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Raymond Andrel, the Company C. safety officer; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Howey, a Company C. instructor pilot were awarded the Air Medal with Valor device. The 159th CAB reorganized as Task Force Thunder, and as the only U.S. Aviation Brigade operating in Afghanistan at the time assumed responsibility for an area the size of Texas. [49], As a result of small arms damage, the Apache crews were forced to switch aircraft upon returning to FOB Bostick rather than simply rearming and refueling. U.S. Army intelligence had located a large number of Taliban and al Qaeda personnel operating in the Shah-e-Kot Valley, near the Pakistani border. L'aviation est une activité aérienne qui comprend l'ensemble des acteurs, techniques et règlements liés à l'utilisation d'un aéronef dans un but particulier. Kugler, R. (2007). [32], 159th began combat operations in the open desert, where there was enough room for the 100-aircraft strong force to establish a tactical operations center (TOC) and tactical assembly area (TAA) Thunder I. (n.d.). [35] On 15 November 2003 Blackhawk #93-26531 (4-101st) and another Blackhawk from 101st Aviation Brigade collided over the suburbs of Mosul approximately 5 km from the Airfield; six of the seventeen Soldiers who died that day were from 159th Aviation Brigade. Kevin Hobbs, a Company C. crew chief; Capt. 159th CAB again deployed to RC-E Afghanistan in December 2013, spending most of 2014 there in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The aviation combat element (ACE), which contributes the air power to the MAGTF, includes all aircraft (fixed wing, helicopters, tiltrotor, and UAV) and aviation support units. The 159th Aviation Battalion received the Valorous Unit Award for services in the Republic of Vietnam, 1 January 1970 through May 1971. The 159th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) formerly supported the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The majority of 159th CAB Soldiers would be sent elsewhere. These units include pilots, flight officers, enlisted aircrewmen, aviation logistics (aircraft maintenance, aviation electronics, aviation ordnance, and aviation supply) and Navy aviation medical and chaplain's corps personnel, as well as ground-based air defense units, and those units necessary for command and control (management and planning for manpower, intelligence, operations and training, and logistics functions), aviation command and control (tactical air command, air defense control, air support control, and air traffic control), communications, and aviation ground support (e.g., airfield services, bulk fuels/aircraft refueling, crash rescue, engineer construction and utilities support, EOD, motor transport, ground equipment supply and maintenance, local security/law enforcement, and the wing band). Due to the decentralized nature of the fight, the limited aviation assets in theater, and the vast geographic expanse requiring helicopter support, the Brigade established four distinct multi-functional task forces based out of Bagram, Jalalabad, Salerno, and Kandahar Airfield, with follow on establishment at FOB Shank. The aviation combat element (ACE), which contributes the air power to the MAGTF, includes all aircraft (fixed wing, helicopters, tiltrotor, and UAV) and aviation support units. Later, the unit would be redesignated as 4th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment and was activated at Kitzingen, Germany, and then relocated to Giebelstadt, Germany. On ingress to this HLZ, the lead helicopter began to take small arms fire. [51] Additionally, 4-101 Blackhawk pilots Sgt. As we came over the mountain, all we could see was a big column of smoke coming from Keating. During the second approach into COP Vegas, a CH-47 was struck in tail ramp by a rocket-propelled grenade. Retrieved 6 December 2014, from, 2nd Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment. [3] In the modern formation, only "Varsity" Company remained as Company B, 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th CAB. A Marine Expeditionary Brigade holds a Marine Aircraft Group or MAG, reinforced with a variety of aircraft squadrons and support personnel. n. 1. Upon arriving at the site, the Blackhawks began receiving heavy ground fire from what would later be assessed as a 300-strong element of enemy fighters. CAD computer-aided design. The unique terrain in this region consisted of open wheat or poppy fields which could be used as a landing zone, and built-up grape rows which could not. On 9 October 1997, the largest aviation brigade in the Army split nine battalions into two brigades, the 101st Aviation Brigade (Attack) and the 159th Aviation Brigade (Assault). Retrieved 6 December 2014, from, 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment. The air assault into Shah-e-Kot would be supported by five Apaches from the sister 101st Aviation Brigade. [26], Resupply and reinforcement efforts were further complicated by the then-standard use of VHF and FM radios for air-to-air and air-to-ground communication. The various Marine Expeditionary Units command a reinforced squadron, with various types of aircraft mixed into a single unit (known as a composite squadron). [5], In November 1987, the 159th Aviation Battalion headquarters was inactivated at Fort Campbell and the 159th Aviation Regiment was activated under the new U.S. Army regimental system at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Via radio contact with the ground force within COP Keating, the crews were told to consider anyone outside the wire perimeter to be hostile. (n.d.). As a result, the 101st Airborne headquarters considered breaking the 101st Aviation Brigade in half and establishing a second headquarters. Retrieved 6 December 2014, from, Billingsley, D. (2002). Strategic Global Aviation (SGA) is a world class military aerospace Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility located at the former Griffiss Air Force Base (B-52 Strategic Air Command Base) in Rome, … Billingsley, D. (2002). The Journal of Electronic Defense (JED). The U.S. and Europe are pursuing development of next-generation combat aircraft… White trails of smoke showed the path the RPGs had taken. Both types of radios are limited by line of sight, and as aircraft were divided by mountain ridges communication was at times interrupted. More troublingly, OP Fritsche could offer no support to neighboring COP Keating as the force was cut off by heavy enemy machine gun and RPG fire from within the valley. Headquartered out of Bagram Airbase, the brigade task force provided a wide range of aviation support to CJTF-101, CJTF-82, CJSOTF, USFOR-A and International Security and Assistance Forces (ISAF). 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment. The 159th CAB was inactivated on 15 May 2015. 3. While active, 159th CAB made the 101st Airborne Division the only US Army Division with two organic aviation brigades, and currently the 101st CAB is the only CAB supporting the unit at Fort Campbell. [1], The majority of aircraft usage within the MAGTF is for close air support or transport for the ground combat element (GCE) or logistics combat element (LCE), however, other specialized missions are available. The six main functions include: assault support, anti-air warfare, offensive air support, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, and aerial reconnaissance.[2]. As a result, the attack aircraft engaged some thirty armed individuals just outside a large visible breach in the defensive works of COP Keating. There are many MOSs and many ways Marines serve in the air, on land, at sea, and even in cyberspace, but regardless of role, they will forever be known by the purpose they fight with and the cause they fight for. The Journal of Electronic Defense (JED). On 22 April 2003 the 159th Brigade and 101st Airborne Division conducted the longest air assault in history. After conducting an emergency shut-down, the crew found damage to the CH-47's hydraulic control lines which could have been catastrophic. As such, these units were assigned lineage to the 101st Aviation Regiment, and initially reformed under the headquarters of the 101st Aviation Brigade. [31] A mixed composition air convoy of 200 Black Hawk, Apache, Chinook and Kiowa helicopters from 159th and 101st Aviation regiments landed at two forward bases, unloading infantry soldiers and refueling. Strategic Global Aviation’s mission and purpose is to support the warfighter, our country, and provide our military aircrews worldwide with combat-ready and mission-ready aircraft. These operations resulted in moving over 132,000 Soldiers and 6,574 Tons of cargo. The operation of aircraft. 1st and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wings are unique in that they are subordinate to III MEF and I MEF, respectively, while all other equivalent units numerical designators match the MEF to which attached. During this third insertion, overhead Apache crews observed several RPG near-misses on the first aircraft, falling short, and another fired between the following two. Reinforcements hovering outside the objective area could no longer be safely inserted due to intense ground fire, and supply drops for friendly positions were likely to be shot down. Chopper in the Coils: Operation Anaconda was a back to basics campaign for US combat helicopters. 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. For most of you, Aviation Physiology is an entirely new field. During the summer of 2011, TF Thunder partnered with Task Force Strike (2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division) and later Task Force Mountain (10th Mountain Division), and TF Thunder Medevac aircraft were repeatedly engaged at ranges of 100 meters or less by small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire in the claustrophobic Arghandab River and Helmand River valleys. ...if we have to go in there 10 times, I've got to put my fears aside because they're counting on me, I'm counting on them to go out there to fight the Taliban head to head, in close quarters. Images of 159th Aviation During the Battle. Feb. 8 (UPI) --The U.S. Army's 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, based in Fort Riley, Kan., will deploy to Europe in April in a troop rotation, the Army announced on Monday. The ACE is led by an aviation headquarters which employs rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft in conjunction with command and control, maintenance and engineering units. Utilizing our experience with the U.S. Army, we designed the T901 to be the most reliable, cost effective, and responsible choice for the future of U.S. Army aviation. French reconnaissance aircraft spot a gap between the First and Second German Armies as they head southeast toward the Marne. As there was only room for one Blackhawk at this landing site, the aircraft would take turns making use of the location to land, disembark the passengers, and quickly take off again. [6] From this point on, the 159th Aviation Regiment would have no further affiliation with either Fort Campbell, the 101st Airborne, or the 159th Aviation Brigade - the 159th Aviation Regiment continues to exist as a separate unit affiliated with 12th Aviation Brigade.[7]. Despite this, reports of deliberate Taliban ambush of Medevac aircraft continued until the onset of cold weather that fall.[57]. The units are organized into detachments, squadrons, groups, and wings, except for low altitude air defense units, which are organized into platoons, detachments, batteries, and battalions. CAB combat aviation brigade (U.S. Army) CAC caution advisory computer. French Airplanes Spot a Gap. [45] This would greatly complicate support and reinforcement efforts before, during, and after the Battle of Kamdesh. The attack aircraft radioed back the call of "ice", a military term for an uncontested landing. The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is a forward-deployed, flexible sea-based Marine air-ground task force capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations, to include enabling the introduction of follow-on forces and designated special operations in order to support the theater requirements of … When they need Medevac , we're going in there. The single spool architecture provides superior growth capability as proven by the T700 single spool core design, which has grown power by 100%. [56], TF Thunder Medevac crews learned to cooperate closely with infantry ground forces to establish a tight security perimeter around a given HLZ. The Taliban began to target the aircraft, and on the first day of the operation, five out of seven AH-64s were put out of action by ground fire. Greece’s government has completed a deal to buy 18 Rafales from France. Seaborne aircraft were used in fleet actions at sea, strikes against naval units in port, ground forces support, anti-submarine warfare and a host of other actions. [29], 159th Aircraft would continue to support the operation until it ended on 18 March 2002. Overcast weather from an incoming thunder storm allowed the pilots to clearly see muzzle flashes from small arms and DShK heavy machine guns directed at them and friendly ground forces. [4], From January 1969 through February 1972, the battalion provided lift support to the 101st Airborne. TF Thunder Medevac flights were based out of Kandahar Airfield, Camp Bastion, and several small combat outposts in Helmand, Uruzgun, and Zabul provinces. Define aviation. The Apaches entered the valley first to provide overwatch of the helicopter landing zones. (n.d.). The 159th CAB worked in direct support of Multinational Corps-Iraq by providing rotary-wing helicopter support to nearly every unit in Iraq. The Apache crews had been verbally told that the COP was taking heavy fire from small arms and RPGs prior to departure, however the situation was unstable and the Apache crews were worried of accidentally firing upon friendly troops. Between 1997 and 2001, the Brigade deployed units to Bosnia, Kosovo, Trinidad and Tobago, and Central America. [34], After the initial invasion, 159th assumed responsibility for Iraq's second largest city of Mosul and four northern provinces. 159th Brigade also deployed 8 UH-60L Blackhawk and 13 CH-47 Chinook aircraft to Bagram. [22] The air mission consisted of eight 7-101 CH-47 aircraft divided into two flights of four, carrying infantry from the 101st Airborne and 10th Mountain Divisions. [13], Following 9/11, elements of the 4-101st (Blackhawk),[14] and 7-101st (Chinook)[15] Aviation Battalions, 159th Aviation Brigade deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (n.d.). During the deployment, Task Force Thunder made history when it became the first CAB to receive, integrate, and execute fixed-wing movements with Alenia C-27J Spartans and electronic attack missions with Beechcraft C-12 Caesar aircraft. [42], As a result of his heroism, 7-101 CH-47 pilot CW3 Ryan Dechent was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.[43]. [46], In an attempt to conceal their approach, the aircraft took a non-traditional approach by flying directly over the mountain ridge. 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As Task Force Thunder, the 159th CAB was responsible for medical evacuation flights for all of RC-S and RC-SW in partnership with the U.S. Air Force. The pilot continued the approach and safely deposited half the Brigade TAC before departing. As part of the restructuring, the Army will retain the 159th CAB's Apache battalion, the 3d Battalion (Attack/Reconnaissance), 101st Aviation Regiment, and reassign it to the 101st CAB. The 159th Blackhawks would insert this element as wave two of the operation, and proceeded directly to the pre-designated HLZ. In addition, the unit executed more than 2,400 MEDEVAC missions, moving over 2,800 patients from point of injury to appropriate care facilities[40], FOB Blessing and COP Vegas were located within the Korengal Valley, in Eastern Afghanistan. 1914-09-05. The date for the attack had initially been planned for 25 February, but bad weather forced a delay until 2 March. Étant une composante de l'armée de terre, en France l'aviation militaire voit le jour en 1909. COP Keating was located in a depression, surrounded by mountains. (n.d.). [48] Just after this time MEDEVAC aircraft attempted to extract wounded, but were forced to turn back due to heavy ground fire. This constituted a problem for the helicopter teams since the regular avenue of approach to COP Keating was through the low-lying terrain of said valley. The entire brigade, minus its MEDEVAC company that had just returned from an off-cycle deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, assumed responsibility for the rotary wing aviation mission throughout Regional Command South in Afghanistan. In September 2009, a flight of two CH-47s transferring troops and equipment from FOB Blessing to COP Vegas was ambushed by insurgents. [41], Upon arrival to FOB Blessing, the pilot judged the risk of landing on the established HLZ to be too high, instead landing the aircraft in an open field to conserve the HLZ for an inbound MEDEVAC. Retrieved 6 December 2014, from, 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment. The design, development, and production of aircraft. Air Assault in the Gulf: An interview with MG J. H. Binford Peay, III Commanding General, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). [21], 159th Aviators began pre-flight checks for departure at 4:30 am, 2 March 2002. [47] Meanwhile, the Apaches remained overhead providing support to the battered U.S. force at COP Keating. After approximately a one-hour weather hold, 159th CAB aircraft returned to the area one final time that day to further support ground forces with Apache fire and conduct one further reinforcement of OP Fritsche. This webinar took place February 19, 2021 and sponsored by Element. Though the aircraft were able to disembark infantry without incident, the ground force began taking small arms fire immediately after their departure. [33], During the initial invasion, the Brigade lost only a single aircraft due to heavy dust conditions at FARP Shell. [24] After this initial period, the infantry and supporting Chinooks would require repeated air to ground fire support from the accompanying Apaches and USAF assets. U.S. Marines and Soldiers attending the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center Mountain Warfare Training Center’s Mountain Leaders Course undergo downhill ski training at Mammoth Lakes, California on January 26, 2021. [17], The unit deployed another 5 UH-60L[18] aircraft to Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistan on 3 May 2002. Operation Anaconda would block Taliban and al Qaeda forces inside the valley where they could be destroyed before escaping into Pakistan. This had the fortunate side-effect of allowing the crews several minutes to return to the nearby unit TOC, exchange maps and information of the situation, and learn of the most recent real-time intelligence regarding events on the ground. Though only two Apaches remained serviceable to provide support, 24-hours of air force bombing began to have an effect and Taliban attacks slowly diminished. In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element (ACE) is the aviation component of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). Miracle at the Marne. Observation Post Fritsche was located on top of a nearby mountain, overlooking COP Keating and a significant liability were it overrun. Because of the extremely small size of the one-hundred meter outpost, the landing zone was located 'outside the wire' - a common expression for being outside the defensive perimeter in an unsecure area. [25], After the initial engagements on his forces, Colonel Frank Wiercinski (ground forces commander), decided to move his mobile command team off of the airborne command post and directly control fighting from the ground. A jug this big will blow a man's leg off and, unfortunately, I have a lot of soldiers who have lost legs to this kind of wickedness. [36][37], Under Army Transformation, the unit was reorganized as a CAB on 17 September 2004. ...we determined that the most dangerous and critical part of the operation was getting the force on the ground. The Apaches returned to COP Keating and began engaging a mixed group of 25 enemy fighters in and around the nearby police station and mosque. [9][10][11] Aviation support was provided by 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.[12]. [52], In January 2011, the 159th CAB was again called upon to support Operation Enduring Freedom. ... NE network element. Case Studies in Defense Transformation, 5. The size of the ACE varies in proportion to the size of the MAGTF. Task Force Falcon flew in excess of 160,000 combat flight hours and provided much needed humanitarian relief efforts to both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The joint, coalition based task force included 138 helicopters, 7 un-manned aerial systems (UAVs), and 28 various fixed wing aircraft with an oversight relationship for Polish, French and Czech Aviation units. Later this same day, the Screaming Eagles made their first attack deep inside Iraq, using dozens of helicopters to hit an Iraqi armored brigade about 100 miles southwest of Baghdad, reported a CNN correspondent embedded with the 101st. After multiple turns in the area while under fire, the two Blackhawks were able to insert more than 100 Soldiers to reinforce the outpost. The spiritual ancestor (separate lineage) to the 159th CAB was organized as the medium and heavy lift Assault Helicopter Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division, and composed of three Boeing CH-47 Chinook companies (Pachyderms - A Company; Varsity - B Company; Playtex - C Co) and 1 Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe company (Hurricanes). Retrieved 18 November 2014, from. Mission. [58], Thunder History. A Marine Expeditionary Force has a Marine Aircraft Wing or MAW. Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan: A Case Study of Adaptation in Battle. Airlift carries soldiers deep into Iraq. Throughout its year-long deployment, the brigade provided full-spectrum aviation support to ground units, to include air assaults, air movements, reconnaissance, security, close combat attack and Pathfinder missions. This likely saved the lives of several of the wounded Soldiers on board, as otherwise medical crews would have been forced to spend time improvising an HLZ or even remove casualties individually from the air. Within the valley were the three villages of Sherkhankhel, Babukhel, and Marzak. As originally formed, Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks were in the 4th, 5th and 9th Battalions, 101st Aviation; Bell UH-1 Iroquois were in the 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation; CH-47D Chinooks were in the 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation;[8] and Boeing AH-64 Apache were in 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation. Just before touch down, a RPG exploded below the lead Black Hawk and sent shrapnel into the airframe directly under the pilot's seat. [30], In 2003, the 159th deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 22 March 2012 the 159th CAB redeployed to Fort Campbell, Kentucky and, for the first time in five years, the entire 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) was "back home" together. NEAN North European ADS Network. Wright, Jr., R., Boggs, R., & Lippard, C. (5 June 1991). Meanwhile, the same 1987 reorganization that removed the 159th Aviation Battalion lineage left nine active aviation battalions which had existed beneath it at Fort Campbell. [38] On 26 September 2005, the aviation support battalion of the 159th CAB was reflagged from the 9th Battalion (Support), 101st Aviation Regiment, to the 563d Support Battalion (Aviation).[39]. Retrieved 1 December 2014, from, Thunder History. It was finally decided to insert at sunrise to catch the enemy asleep yet provide optimal vision for the forces entering the valley. (j) Ensure training plans are based on the unit commander’s mission analysis and training resources in order to 159th CAB Aviators from Task Force Pale Horse (7-17 Cavalry) provided direct air support to the ground troops during the attack on COP Keating on 3 October 2009.
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