Poland launches civilian military training.

Thanks to John for the info!

via RT

Poland plans to allow civilians to sign up for military training. With anti-Russian hysteria spreading like wildfire, Warsaw has rushed to step up its defense systems amid fears over the ongoing military conflict in neighboring eastern Ukraine.
"All citizens interested in taking part in military exercises will be able to sign up starting March 1" at regional recruitment centers, Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told reporters on Thursday.
Although Poland, Central Europe's largest country, ended conscription in 2008, Siemoniak said that some 38,000 reservists would be called up to take part in exercises in 2016, compared to the 12,000 this year. The ministry also plans to involve paramilitary groups in its new defense policy, AFP reported.
Since the crisis broke out in eastern Ukraine, Poland, a NATO member state, has been busy revamping its armed forces. Warsaw plans to spend 33 billion euros ($37 billion) over a decade on the overhaul.

"The chances of a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis are increasingly slim. Russia’s obvious goal is to block Ukraine's path toward Europe," Siemoniak said, adding that Russia's use of "military means" poses "a long-term threat to Europe."

Make no mistake about it.

This is a baby step toward civilian militarization.  Its voluntary now, but we all need to keep our ear to the ground for word that suddenly all men between the ages of 18 to 65 are required to report for physicals...or training.  Not necessarily induction into the military.

Why do I believe that?

Because while Russia can play the card of acting to protect its nationals in Ukraine, Poland can too.  What is the play here?  Is this a signal to the populace regarding a more active role in the fighting in Ukraine?  Will the support they're giving turn from being "humanitarian" to one involving sending combat units to fight?  Is this why the US Army moved to send trainers and advisors to Ukraine in order to prevent the Poles from doing so?

This thing in Ukraine can get worse.  It could spill over borders and infect all of Europe.  This crisis needs to be walked back with a quickness. 

Ukraine War takes an insane turn. Russia is sending T-34 (WW2 era) tanks to the front? UPDATED!

Thanks for the vid Info-Infantrie



If this is true then two things are happening.  The first is that Russia is going from covertly to overtly supplying the Rebels.  That alone is ominous.  The second is that this is crazy in a handbag.  Who would think that Russia would have that many serviceable T-34 tanks in inventory!  But the thought that WW2 level armor protection is a sought after commodity in a modern conflict should be stunning.

Never ignore the value of armor protection and shock value.

UPDATED:  One of the readers pointed out that Putin proposed the following via USOSCE website.

President Putin proposed a cease-fire and a withdrawal of weapons exceeding 100 mm in caliber from a defined area.

The largest gun mounted on the T-34 was, if I remember correctly, a 85mm gun.  These tanks would fall in line with his proposal.  The people that posted this video and the Russians who commented on it believe that these tanks are headed to Ukraine.  I agree with them.  As crazy as it might sound, these vehicles are in line with Putin's plan.  Funny.  The "crazy" Russian seems to have a game plan while the US and EU are lost in the woods.

Think Defense Blog slams RAF Operations against ISIS.

via TD...

Just shy of a months worth of operations and the RAF has expended;

• Hellfire; 20

• Brimstone; 5

• Paveway IV; 12

The target descriptions are equally interesting, a truck, a heavy machine gun position, an armoured personnel carrier and excavator. These targets fall definitely into the ‘tactical’ column rather than attacking ‘strategic’ targets.
What conclusions can we draw (if any) from the number of targets, types of target, launch platform and weapons expended?

• Reaper is doing just as much of the heavy lifting as Tornado without the massive logistic effort involved with refuelling Tornado?

• Paveway IV seems to be the referred option for those sorties flown by Tornado?

• How many Reapers can we buy for a single F35?

• The effect delivered (destroying an excavator or trucks in singles) are insignificant compared to the cost?

• Air power used in this manner satisfies the ‘something must be done’ brigade but not much else?

• Any others?

Now you know why the effort against ISIS is .... a joke.

The US, UK and our allies are all involved in tank plinking.  This air campaign is NOT designed to provide a decisive outcome to the war.  Its just a political game being played with peoples lives.  Why commit a pilot to combat if you're not serious about winning the war?

An interesting sidenote for me is the use of Hellfire vs. Brimstone.  Hellfire is much more popular it seems.

My guess for the ISIS conflict?  Someone in leadership is hoping that they burn themselves out and then attempt a political resolution.

790 pound hog? Yeah...and they captured it alive.

Something strange is going on with wild pigs in this nation.

They're getting big.

Real big.

And no, the one-off Hogzilla's that people run into every now and then don't concern me.  They're too massive to pose a real danger to anyone and generally stay real deep in the woods...places no one goes much.  Its whats happening down the line that's disturbing.  We're seeing 300 pound hogs in my neck of the woods with a bit of regularity now and they're fast, fierce, fear nothing and will eat practically anything.

I don't know the answer to controlling them but read the story of how some good ole' boys captured a 790 pound boar...alive...here.

31st MEU Flight Ops. Photos by Unknown.

509th Airborne does the winter package at Bridgeport...Photo by Sgt. Sean Callahan

BRIDGEPORT, Calif (Jan. 26, 2015) - Paratroopers assigned to Able Company, 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry execute high-altitude mountain mobility operations at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center. The joint training opportunity is part of U.S. Army Alaska's initiative to enhance partnered high altitude cold regions training.

Ukraine News. Ukrainian North Operations Command reports 6 armored vehicles destroyed.

via Mil.Gov.UA

Friday, January 30, DONBAS — According to the press center of the North Operations Command, the terrorists make attempts of break-through in Schastya, Krymske.
Military equipment is moved from RF in Lugansk direction and the illegal armed forces increase their forces. The combat tactics of the rebels: multiple rocket launcher attacks, shelling attacks, armor groups supported by infantry.
Artillery units of the North Operations Command accomplished 12 tasks in order to destroy the rebels’ fire emplacement and inflict losses. In the last 24 hours they have destroyed 6 armored vehicles.
The rebels have completed 24 attacks against the sector positions. The rebels traditionally mount their weapons in communities.

This news is from the Ukrainian military website.  How accurate is it?  Again, I don't know.  But it is another source of info.  Click the above link to go to the site.

F-35 News. The USAF tries to control the message.

via Breaking Defense.

“This organizational change will help ensure a unified voice for operational integration of the F-35 across the Air Force as we collectively work towards bringing this remarkable new aircraft into our combat inventory.” Harrigian said in a statement.
Harrigian is the Air Force’s assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements. He replaces Col. Carl Schaefer, who heads to Edwards Air Force Base in March to command the 412th Test Wing in March.
Perhaps the most important but obscure bit of this change is that the Air Force’s voting authority in the JPO moves from Air Combat Command to the F-35 Integration Office. That gives the service’s senior leadership a tighter rein on the program. As the statement notes, “all senior leader communication within the Air Force will flow through the integration office.”
“Assigning a general officer on the Air Staff will ensure we have a single point of contact with the Joint Program office empowered to speak on behalf of the Air Force for any aspect of the F-35 program,” Gen. Mark Welsh, Air Force Chief of Staff, said in the statement.

Wow.

Air Combat Command has been booted as the voting authority?

There is now a single point of contact for the USAF on this program?

I fully expect all news to be even more sanitized than it has been.  We will hear nothing but sunshine, rainbows and unicorns are being produced.  They will lie in an attempt to blunt criticism of this airplane.

I thought it was in trouble before.

Now I'm convinced.

Blast from the recent past. General Dynamics ACV contender.

General Dynamics ACV prototype.

I was doing my morning sweep thru the internet and tried to find the latest and greatest on the ACV contest.

All I could find is a rehashed story from National Defense that once again promises that the ACV contest is about to heat up after Request for Proposal are received after Feb.

We talked about sequestration and the F-35.  I think the same can be applied to the Marine Personnel Carrier program.

The point though is that of all the competitors, the General Dynamics version has been the most elusive...until Defense Daily published the above pic.  More info here and here.

While reading the comments from my previous blog post, something I said earlier still haunts....

so what you're telling me is that our new ACV is now barely more capable than the AAV in the water, probably less mobile than a legacy AAV over broken terrain but the plus side is that its more heavily protected?
do you get what you're saying?
we canned a high speed EFV that was (according to HQMC) only suffering from reliability problems...they said that it had attained MRAP type levels of protection before it was canceled. we declined to buy a non-planning version of that same vehicle because we said that high speed in the water was important. we not only threw away all the work that was done on the EFV but then we turned around, wasted 4 years debating this issue and in the end we're going to rely on a vehicle, the Marine Personnel Carrier that was intended from the start to be a surrogate vehicle to the EFV.
we invest over 15 years of work...waste millions of dollars and in the end we're getting a vehicle that only equals (at best) what we have now?
sorry. i want to be fired up, but this just makes me want to choke someone in leadership. don't piss on my back and tell me its sunshine. additionally lets be real. we'll actually be lucky to have these vehicles in service by 2025. so again. tell me why i should be happy?

One thing the USMC must NOT do is fool itself.

Its currently operating an obsolete Amphibious Assault Vehicle and the ACV 1.1 will at best MATCH, not exceed the combat capabilities of threat vehicles...especially Chinese and Russian IFV/APCs.

We're playing catch up and if more delays occur then we might be in the uncomfortable position of having to retain the AAV (or give it up entirely because its so old and having our boys ride into combat in that other threatened program, the JLTV) until possibly 2040 or later.

I want to be optimistic but I just can't.  Not after so much failure.

Another Marine has died because an LAV-25 seat malfunctioned???

via FAYObserver

Lance Cpl. Steven J. Szymanski reached over the front seat of a light armored vehicle to grab his helmet.
In doing so, the lever that raises the seat was accidentally triggered and Szymanski was trapped with his neck between the back of the driver's seat and the ceiling of the vehicle.
At least 15 minutes passed before a fellow Marine found Szymanski and pulled him out. By then, according to officials, it was too late.
A 147-page report obtained Thursday by the Observer details the Marine's accidental death on Fort Bragg last year and shows that at least 11 other Marines from his unit had experienced similar seat malfunctions.
The malfunctions, however, were never reported to the appropriate personnel.
Szymanski, 24, of Midland, Michigan, was training on Fort Bragg with his unit, the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division out of Camp Lejeune, when he was killed on Oct. 21.
A light-armored vehicle crewman, Szymanski was conducting post-operation checks from inside the LAV when he reached to grab his helmet.
According to the command investigation, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, the LAV seat was not locked into place because the locking pin, which would have prevented the seat from moving up or down, was rusted and seized in the open position.
The Marine investigator ruled Szymanski's death, most likely caused by traumatic asphyxiation, an accident.

JESUS!

You have got to be fucking me!  Another young Marine has died, a family is in mourning and a life of promise ended because a fucking seat malfunctioned?

The fact that this isn't a scandal should shock us all.

Death in combat is one thing.

Even a training accident can be accepted (won't like it but shit happens and the job is dangerous)...but to die because of a malfunctioning seat?

HQMC and the LAV Community need to fix this post haste.  

Taiwan C-11 "Brave Tiger" Tanks get Explosive Reactive Armor...

via Janes from TANK & AFV NEWS Blog.

Recent photographs have confirmed that at least part of the Republic of China Army (RoCA) fleet of CM11 main battle banks (MBT) have been upgraded with the installation of explosive reactive armour (ERA).
The CM11 MBT is essentially a brand new US-supplied General Dynamics Land Systems M60 hull fitted with a modified turret from the older M48 MBT. The CM11 is also referred to as the M48H 'Brave Tiger'.
The ERA, shown in photographs taken during exercises earlier in January, is fitted on the glacis plate as well as the front and turret sides to provide a higher level of protection against weapons fitted with a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead.
This ERA is not normally fitted during peacetime training as there is no threat.
The exact origins of the ERA fitted to the CM11 MBT has not been confirmed, but it is very similar to that developed by France some years ago rather than the Blazer ERA fielded by the Israel Defense Forces.

The analysis at the end of the Janes' article does raise a question.

Why haven't we given the Republic some of our used M1 Tanks?  Of course China would object but it would be a simple show of solidarity, would disrupt the balance of power in the region and would provide added firepower to the RoC's effort to stop them on the beach strategy.

Sidenote:  If you're into armor then you really should check out TANK & AFV NEWS Blog...they cover it all from tanks, AFVs, IFVs, APCs etc....both modern and historical.  Additionally they keep track of new armor books and even models.  Definitely worth a look see.

Lost Dog...

If this don't touch a heart string then you don't have one...

F-35 News. This is why the proposed production increase is nuts....

via Military.com

The Pentagon's base budget is currently $496 billion, plus another $64 billion for overseas missions. Obama's increases would allow for new next-generation F-35 fighters, ships and submarines and long-range Air Force tankers. Military leaders have also said the earlier cuts forced reductions in flying hours, training and equipment maintenance.
On the domestic side, Obama has proposed offering two free years of community college and creating new or expanded tax credits for child care and spouses who both work. He's called for raising the top capital gains rate on some wealthy couples and consolidating education tax breaks, although some of those ideas have already faced intense opposition.
"Until he gets serious about solving our long-term spending problem, it's hard to take him seriously," said Cory Fritz, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner.
Still, the president's budget proposal is just that - a proposal- and will not become law.

And there you have it.

Defense Hawks are going to get stymied by Domestic Welfare Zealots and they're both gonna get steam rolled by the Deficit Warriors.

So all those news reports of Lockheed Martin stock rising on increased orders for the F-35 are simply people being taken to the bank and swindled.  To properly understand defense procurement you must watch the defense corporations and the Pentagon but also politics.

Sorry F-35 fanboys.  The Program Office and the Pentagon are trying mightily to save the F-35 from the death spiral by upping production.

It ain't gonna happen.

The window of opportunity closed and IF it had remained on schedule then the full buy would have occurred.  It didn't and now it won't.

You think China's modernization is no big deal? Kendall disagrees.

via The Free Beacon

“The intelligence estimates were correct,” he said, of China. “And I became, I think it’s fair to say, alarmed as soon as I started seeing technical intelligence reports on China’s modernization programs.”
“And I can say the same with Russia’s modernization programs as well,” he added.
The U.S. military was dominant following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, he said, and the U.S. action in the Persian Gulf war demonstrated the nation’s conventional force prowess.
But beginning in 2001 the military has focused on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism campaigns against a very different kind of threat.
“No one observed more carefully the dominance that we demonstrated in 1991 than the Chinese,” Kendall said, referring to U.S. precision arms capabilities, stealth forces, and ability to conduct wide area surveillance.
“And what I’m seeing [now] in foreign modernization, again, particularly China’s, is a suite of capabilities that are intended, clearly to me, at least, to defeat the American way of doing power projection, [the] American way of warfare when we fight in an expeditionary manner far from the United States,” Kendall said.

I've been beating this drum for awhile now.

China is doing its best to match us.

If you don't believe me then believe Kendall.  They're trying to drink our milkshake.

US bases in the Philippines? We're walking into another insurgency.

Image via Bantay Spratly showing the remains of the 44 Police Officers ambushed by terrorist forces.

If your focus is solely on China and its dealings with its neighbors then US bases in the Philippines makes perfect sense.

If you're paying attention to the issues inside that country (economic, social and political) and then add that governments fight against the MILF (no, not mothers you'd like to fuck...I'm talking about a group of hardcore terrorists) then it makes you wonder if anyone has addressed force protection issues for our people there.

Why is this a concern?

Because it was reported on Monday that 44 Elite Police Officers walked into an ambush that had MILF participation...even though the government signed a treaty allowing that terrorist group to establish a state within the Philippines that would be governed by Islamic law.

The Philippines that the old skool Marines knew is gone.

When our bases there are up and running all we'll be doing is walking out of one insurgency into another.

Read about the ambush here and here.

Air Power Australia's Zhuhai 2014 Air Show Photo Essay...

Check it out here.

Brazilian Police find two M-41 Walker Bulldogs in a car "chop" house!

via Latin Post.

Brazilian police in the city of São Paulo made an unexpected discovery when they stumbled upon two old military tanks inside a warehouse. The armored vehicles were stashed away along with stolen items and the police are currently investigating how they ended up there.
On Monday the military police of Sao Paulo state stumbled upon the two engineless tanks inside a warehouse in the Sacoma, a low-income neighborhood in São Paulo, according to the Guardian.
In a statement posted on their Facebook page, the police recount how an inquiry into the theft of car led them to the very unusual discovery. Police discovered a warehouse that contained various stolen products, the statement said.
"The warehouse is located in Vila Carioca, near Tamanduateí train station, and inside it [police] found a truck with a container, loaded with approximately 500 42-inch LED televisions," the police statement said. "Beyond that container, they found a semi-trailer truck, various automotive parts and two armored tanks of the armed forces, without any identification. [Police] located the owner of the warehouse; he said he rents it for an individual and was unaware of its use."

I've never explored it but have heard that the black market in the US is truly a sight to behold.  Supposedly you can buy everything from prohibited firearms (talking real deal automatic weapons) to drugs and everything inbetween.

Now fast forward that theory of the US black market to what can be found in places like Brazil, or Italy or Japan or Saudi Arabia (just examples don't go high and to the right) and it must be truly mind boggling.

But two M-41 Walker Bulldogs?  That's just awesome...I bet the "owner" is crying!

Thai trials CMI 90mm turret on their BTR-3E1

Thanks to Info-infanterie for the link.

via Live Journal.

I know that would be happen ! Just like rumours I've heard ,the MGS for mechanized infantry regiment(s) has been tested . I don't know whether It has been chosen or not but This is another confirmation of the MGS requirement. The Army has sought for establishing the "SBCT wanna be " regiment(s) **(A.K.A. mechanized infantry regiment) for a long time ,the oldest record I have is 20+ years ago (and the winner was Piranha or LAV ,If my memory served me right) but the economic crisis in '97 struck down all military programs (e.g. RTAF- F-18C/D ,RTN -subs and RTA -AFVs) . And 3 years ago ,the dream to mechanized the infantry came true . The BTR-3E1 project fulfilled the wish of highly mobile infantry with reasonable firepower but there are some missing puzzles ,the MGS ,which will provide the heavy punches for this (these) regiment(s),IMO,this 90 mm is more than enough firepower to support the infantry (but 105 should do some jobs better,i.e. tank hunting .)

But there're still some problems with the SBCT wanna be regiment(s) such as the artillery that is not Self propelled , the Ukraine's problem which still plagues the delivery of 2nd phase BTRs and other future shortcomings,e.g. The indigenous 8x8 program which will be denied common logistics with BTR equipped regiment , the Ukraine's political problems which will lead to logistical problem of all Ukrainian's equipments .

Just like Buddha said "You shouldn't chase after the past or place expectations on the future." I just love this MGS !
Photos Credit : Army Eastern Command .(Burapha Command )

It keeps happening but the USMC seems to be ignoring the development.

The fight in the Pacific will not be infantry vs. infantry.  It will not be dominated by air power in the jungle canopy or in the dense urban centers that dot the landscape.

The nations of that region are armoring up!  Everywhere you look all you see is either armor in development or serious upgrade programs that aim to make them more lethal.

The current focus on "Company Landing Teams"..."Distributed Operations from the sea"....and "Dispersed Amphibious Ready Groups" will lead to our forces being deployed in a piecemeal fashion and then found, fixed and destroyed by the enemy at their leisure. 

The focus is all wrong.  We never left the sea...but we ARE having a time leaving the counter insurgency war in the desert!

F-35 News. Failure is confirmed by the budget.

Thanks to Slowman for the link.

Among other topics, the research effort will work closely on what 6th–generation fighter aircraft technologies will be needed to build an aircraft to succeed the 5th–generation F-35...DoD Buzz

via Yahoo

The Pentagon said on Wednesday its fiscal 2016 budget proposal will fund early technology development and prototyping of a "next-generation X-plane" that would eventually succeed the F-35 fighter jet being developed and built by Lockheed Martin Corp.
Defense Undersecretary Frank Kendall, the Pentagon's chief arms buyer, said the funding would be part of a new "aerospace innovation initiative" aimed at ensuring that the U.S. military continued to dominate the skies despite development of so-called fifth-generation stealth fighters by China and others.
He told the House Armed Services Committee the initiative would be headed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, with help from the Air Force and the Navy.
Speaking with reporters during a break in the hearing, Kendall declined to give details on the amount of funding involved in the new initiative since the Pentagon's budget will not be delivered to Congress until Monday.

Don't listen to the talking points.

Watch the budget.

And what does this budget request tell us?  It says that the F-35 is a complete and utter failure.  It says that it will not deliver as promised and that the services will make it work...at least for awhile, but that a replacement needs to be worked on now.

Have you noticed something else?  We don't hear talk about the F-35 serving until 2050 anymore.  Also consider this.  Before this airplane has made it into service the replacement is being planned.

Armed Chinese Drone downed in Nigeria!

Thanks to Tom for the link.

Read the story here.

Typhoon in the vertical.

RAF Typhoon Aircraft from 29(R) Sqn

A Royal Air Force Typhoon jet in a vertical climb over RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.The aircraft is sporting its newly painted tail depicting 29 Reserve Squadron (29(R)Sqn).

One of the roles of the Typhoon is to protect our national airspace by securing our skies, to do this they maintain a constant Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) force around the clock.

The RAF’s Typhoons are also providing support to NATO by carrying out the Baltic Air Policing role.

5 Separatist Tactical Battle Groups (with Russian Airborne) operating near Debaltseve bridgehead, Ukraine.

via Chapter 97.

Over the recent days the Russian-terrorist troops continued to accumulate forces and resources in the area of the Debaltseve bridgehead.
This is stated by Dmytro Tymchuk on his Facebook page citing the operational data of the Information Resistance, Censor.NET reports.
According to the group's data, at the moment five battalion tactical groups (BTG) of the enemy (at least one of them includes Russian airborne troops) and three composite artillery groups are fighting in different parts of the bridgehead. In addition, there are numerous small formations of the terrorists in the area, which are armed with individual samples of heavy infantry weapons.
"The total number of the Russian-terrorist troops engaged in fighting for Debaltseve foothold is about 2,500 people, up to 35 tanks, about 50 armored combat vehicles, 50 cannon artillery units (including SP guns), as well as at least 22 MLRS units," Tymchuk said.
In addition, he noted that in the area of Debaltseve after an unsuccessful attempt to storm through Troitske to Svetlodarsk, the enemy retreated to their original positions and is restoring the level of combat readiness.
"There is movement of militants' reinforcements through Stakhanov (up to 12 vehicles, mostly covered military trucks, and about 18 armored vehicles). In the area of Vuhlehirsk and in the direction of Svetlodarsk reservoir the enemy continues to accumulate additional tactical reserves, thus preserving significant strike potential of its units," Tymchuk said.

True?  False?  Propaganda?  Real deal info?

I just don't know.

Argentina seeking to buy Chinese VN-1 Wheeled IFVs. via Defesanet News Agency

The minister of defense of argentina, agustin rossi received a delegation of the people's republic of china, on the day 23 january, to treat on topics related to the production for defence, on the eve of the visit We will hold president kirchner to the asian country in february.
The ministry of defence, through the argentine minister agustin rossi, claims that one of the negotiations in progress is That comes from the purchase of a figure has not specified of tanks, but that can reach the hundreds . the model that is being evaluated is vn - 1 ( name of export zbl - 09 ), That was recently acquired by the naval infantry of venezuela.

Slowly but surely....despite economic problems...Argentina is rearming thanks to China's largesse.

The direction they take with fighter planes will be telling.  The delegation to visit China will be with hat in hand and a list of arms to be "loaned"....I wonder if they'll petition for the J-31?

Scheduled NATO Exercise comes at interesting time. Photo by Spc. Tyler Kingsbury

A U.S. Army Stryker armored vehicle of Pale Horse Troop, 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment provides security while conducting an overwatch during exercise Allied Spirit at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, Jan. 25, 2015. Exercise Allied Spirit includes more than 2,000 participants from Canada, Hungary, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the U.S. Allied Spirit is exercising tactical interoperability and testing secure communications within alliance members

Exercise Allied Spirit was scheduled well in advance of current events in Europe but it comes at an interesting time.

According to the Army's Green Book it was to host approx 3000 soldiers with 22 participating nations.  They might have hit that mark but aren't releasing all the names of the nations attending for .... diplomatic....reasons.

Russia's response to this exercise, the stationing of a US Army Heavy Brigade near their border and US attempts to woo India into our circle should be a point of interest for anyone covering military affairs.

What's that old saying about not poking the bear?

News that will change your life. Greece is about to default.

Major Hat Tip to Bayou Man Blog.






The below is taken from Bayou Man's Blog from the above video.

Q. You owe the ECB 6 million dollars are you not going to pay?

A: Well, if you look at the existing agreement, the existing agreement recognizes that, ah, we can't pay. And it imposes upon us the very strange notion that as a bankrupt state, we must borrow money from our partners - even more money than they've already given us - to repay a central bank which is in the process of printing one trillion Euros. Now, you only have to state this to realize that this is not a God-given, Divine imperative which Europe shouldn't be discussing.

This is going to shake the financial markets to the core.

I know I'm sounding like chicken little but do yourself and your family a favor.  Prepare for drama.  Work while the sun is shining because this could be the first of many indicators of global storms coming.  Make no mistake about it.  A Greek default (even if they try a little word judo to make it sound like something different) will change your life.

NOTE:  The danger here isn't the amount of money involved in the Greek economy.  The danger revolves around a European country seeing default as the answer to its economic problems...along with the idea that in doing so it could have to move away from the Euro.  That could have knock on effects.  What happens if this spreads like a contagion to other countries in economic trouble?  This isn't a threat to the EU.  This is a threat to the enter house of cards that is the global economic system.

15th MEU conducts heliborne extraction training. Photos by Cpl. Steve H. Lopez

Note:  According to the caption on these photos, the Combat Logistics Element was doing "external extraction" training.  I don't know what that is.  If anyone knows, feel free to get me up to speed.  My Google skills let me down and I don't know if this is some kind of fancy vehicle recovery or what!

The military took a hobby and made it "bad"...

If you're a guy of a certain age then you're familiar with remote control aircraft.  For hobbyist they've gotten bigger, certainly more advanced but thats to be expected with the march of time.

What is unexpected is that any remote control airplane, helicopter or even tank (yeah there are some fantastic remote control armored vehicles...some quite large) that you mount a Go-Pro camera on suddenly becomes a drone!

But this is the part that has me concerned...

Obama said drones have the potential to empower people in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago, but the federal government is trying to catch up with the technology’s progression in order to enact laws that ensure safety and privacy. He said a goal in his final years as president "is seeing if we can start providing some sort of framework that ensures that we get the good and minimize the bad.”

Just wow.

A worldwide hobby is going to probably bite the dust because it was militarized and then regulated out of existence.

I believe in a strong defense but joys are being crushed in order to keep nuts, perverts and fools from abusing something that has brought joy to many.

And that sucks.

Falcon Heavy | Flight Animation

Canadian Forces - Exercise RAFALE BLANCHE 2015

Bombogenesis? Bombo-idiocy!

This is from NBC News...yesterday....

While millions of Americans gear up for likely historic snowfall this week, they should also prepare for a blizzard of the latest meteorological buzzword: bombogenesis. In simple terms, bombogenesis is the equivalent of a "meteorological bomb," according to The Weather Channel's Kevin Roth. It occurs when a storm's area of lowest pressure experiences a rapid drop of more than 24 milibars in 24 hours. "This turns a routine storm into an intense storm very quickly," Roth told NBC News.
While not uncommon for this time of year, a period of bombogenesis between midday Monday and midday Tuesday could trigger record snow. More than two feet of snow is expected to bring "paralyzing, crippling" conditions for a 250-mile stretch from Philadelphia, through New York and Boston to northern New England. "This storm has a bundle of energy," Roth said. When bombogenesis starts to happen, coupled with the cold air over the U.S. hitting the warm Gulf Stream, "that's when the show will really begin," he added.

Conspiracy hat on.

I TRULY BELIEVE that they were going to slingshot from this "historic" snow storm straight into a push for a carbon tax and intensified talk of global warming...oh wait, they call it climate change now.

Bombogenesis?  Bombo-idiocy!  Someone, somewhere tell me where that term came from!  I'm fairly well informed and never heard it before this storm.

This was a made for TV event for some agenda and it fell flat.  I LOVE IT.

Thought for the day via Grunt Works.

General Butler's Wikipedia page is here.

The latest from China Defense Blog...

China Defense Blog has a couple of must reads up.  The first covers cold weather training that Chinese Marines are undertaking...read it here.

The next covers a top attack projectile designed to destroy heavy armor.  Isn't it time we deployed TROPHY on our vehicles?

Drink it in.  The Chinese are making moves.

Army Sgt Berghdahl to be charged with desertion?

via The Blaze.

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was reportedly held captive by Taliban militants for five years, will be charged with desertion for leaving his post, according to sources of retired Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer. Bergdahl was only released after President Barack Obama negotiated with the terrorists, agreeing to release five prisoners from Guantanamo Bay.
Shaffer, senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, told Bill O’Reilly on Monday night that his sources have confirmed the Army has concluded its investigation and Bergdahl’s lawyer has been given a “charge sheet” informing him of the desertion charge.“This has been done, the decision has been made,” Shaffer asserted. “And let me be very clear, as a corporate entity, the Army has decided that they want to pursue Bergdahl for this violation.”
It’s important to note that Shaffer’s claims have yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Army or government officials.
He said the next step in the case will be similar to the grand jury process. If the charges stand, the Bergdahl case will proceed to a court-martial, according to Shaffer. Watch the interview via “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News:

My view.

The US Army had no choice.  The military is already facing a morale issue and if they had let Berghdahl skate without any consequences...especially considering the casualties his unit took trying to find him...then recruiting, retention and support for the service would crater.

I'm betting that there is still a way out for the Army on the back end though.  I don't expect any severe, realistic and justified punishment.  Probably a slight slap on the wrist, with service officials saying that his time in captivity was punishment enough and that although he's guilty of desertion he will not face time in the Brig.

The bigger issue will be ignored though.

We traded a deserter for five terrorists.  We're not talking about a serviceman that was captured while doing his duty, but a guy who left a forward operating base because he wanted to...even though he was well aware that he was in a war zone (I won't even touch on his crazy ass father).

The American people won't pay attention to this story but its telling none-the-less.  They'll focus on the elite smearing the reputation of a real hero (Chris Kyle), they'll be outraged over deflated footballs (a child's game that grown men are paid to play) but they'll ignore this.

I'd be amazed if I wasn't so ashamed.

Average Guy World of Tanks ...T69 game play

I'm still trying to work all this stuff out when it comes to publishing videos.  I bought the license to bandicam so the watermark will be going away and the vids will include the entire game in the future.

Still trying to figure out how to include the results screen at the end but that'll come with time.

Sidenote;  Still laughing my ass off at the Northeast United States and this idiocy with a snow storm.  The latest craziness?  A REPORTER asked the mayor if bicycle delivery was allowed during the storm!  The people in those cities eat out so much that daily food delivery is a way of life?  I DON'T GET IT!  The NE is definitely different from the rest of the country...well except for probably the West Coast.

NORTHEAST USA! Grow some damn nuts! Warning ... RANT!

I've been attempting to monitor the news today to check on events in Egypt (did you know that 17 people have been killed in renewed rioting)...Ukraine (fighting has intensified), the Middle East (ISIS is wanting to trade a female prisoner in Jordan for the remaining Japanese hostage...and I missed the broadcast but the name of the female ISIS hostage was leaked by the President's Chief of Staff) and elsewhere.

What do I find instead?

News about a freaking snow storm!

Who gives a shit!

Its gonna snow.  You might even get to record "snow thunder" and put it on YouTube.  If you're like the people I hang out with you'll get to test your preps and there was no hurry to rush to the grocery store to stock up...you have alternate heating if the electricity goes out...you're ready.

This happens every year but people act as if they're experiencing it for the first time...EVERY FUCKING YEAR!!!!!!

I won't even get into the declaration of a state of emergency and the ordering of people off the roads.  If you're stupid enough to drive in snow drifts then you deserve the Darwin Award and should not be fined....just buried deep.

I don't know what's going on with the US.

Are we really this pussified that a simple snow storm causes people to lose their minds?  If we are...and it sure seems like it...then there is no way we can win the future.

RANT OFF.

A must follow...Dmitry Tymchuk's military blog

via Kyiv 

Editor's Note: To counter Russian propaganda lies about the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula on Feb. 27, Dmitry Tymchuk has set up the Center of Military and Political Research in Kyiv. He served in the Army air defense from 1995-1998, the National Guard from 1998-2000 and in the Defense Ministry in subsequent years on missions to Iraq, Lebanon and Kosovo. His blogs are translated into English by Voices of Ukraine. The Kyiv Post has not independently verified his findings, but will correct any misinformation brought to our attention at news@kyivpost.com or 38-044-591-3344 or any of our contacts at www.kyivpost.com/contacts.

Russian-terrorist troops continue active operations in the conflict zone in Donbas. After a number of unsuccessful advance attempts, a large-scale regrouping of Russian forces and illegal armed formations is underway. We have reports of maneuvers by insurgent forces and equipment in all sections of the ATO [Anti-terrorist operation] zone.
On Jan. 23-24, units of Russian-terrorist troops attempted to push back Ukrainian troops in the area of Pisky. The enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops in several sections, consecutively, using several infantry groups (total strength of 350-400 insurgents) and up to 25 armored vehicles, supported by cannon and rocket artillery. Met with powerful retaliation and incurring significant losses, Russian troops were forced to fall back to their initial positions.

NOTE!!!!  I'm lost in the woods when it comes to this conflict.  Up is down, down is up and sideways is normal.

Dmitry's blog give another perspective and in situations like this I want as many views as I can get to try and piece it all together to come up with a reasonable image of whats actually going on.  I'm not endorsing his blog but simply saying that it should be used as another information piece to help those that are interested arrive at some of the truth to this conflict.

SIDENOTE:  William sent me a link that has Russian ratings cut to JUNK STATUS.  If they can get loans in the future it will be at astronomical rates.  Whoever is designing this game against the Russians has gone from playing with fire to juggling hand grenades.  Again!  Put aside your normalcy bias and imagine what we would do if someone was actually doing damage to our economy.  Now think about Russian reaction when they believe that's what we're doing (still giving the administration the benefit of the doubt...even though evidence mounts against them).  This could actually lead to war.

Boeing KC-46 Tanker test aircraft completes first flight

Why is IAI able to convert civilian freight aircraft into tankers with little effort but it takes an entire design team and many years for the USAF to get a tanker based on a airliner into service?

What is the choke point for simple/fast acquisition of new gear?

China's 50,000 ton LHD will rival most nation's carriers!

USMC 0802 locked onto something in my previous post that I totally missed.  The Chinese goal of building a 50,000 ton LHD will produce an amphib that rivals the size of the UK's Queen Elizabeth Class carrier AND will be larger than most nation's carriers...not to mention being twice to four times the size of most other amphibs roaming the seas.

You're looking at ship that will be a one ship Amphibious Ready Group and will be able to put a Battalion of Chinese Marines on most shores by LCAC, swimming IFVs or by helicopter.

And that's just their LHD.

They're also building LPD's that rival the San Antonio class in capability, have solid attack helicopters, have the schematics of our Black Hawks, still build the French Frelon and have access to an array of Russian birds.

Dump your normalcy bias and take a real look at what China is doing.  They're attempting to rival the US and overwhelm our allies.

Sidenote:  Below you see a pic of China's Mistral class LHD designed for export.  Marine Corps are becoming increasingly popular.  I'd bet body parts that it'll be a best seller.

China seeks to build LHDs to bolster its expeditionary capabilities.

via Focus Taiwan.

The PLA quickly became aware of the many inadequacies of its Type 071 Kunlun Shan-class (崑崙山艦) amphibious transport dock during conflicts in Africa. Despite its ability to carry two Russian-designed Zubr-class air cushion landing crafts (LCAC), currently the largest military hovercraft of its kind, the Type 071 vessel is plagued by a lack of firepower and inability to fill command and air support roles in combat.
The same inadequacies in military humanitarian missions were repeated during the subsequent armed conflicts in Libya, which hastened the adoption of amphibious crafts by the PLA, the report said.
In addition, the report said that the PLA might be motivated to match the capabilities of the U.S. Navy's America amphibious class landing crafts.
In response, China's dockyards are scrambling to build its own home-grown amphibious assault craft, with a displacement of 50,000 long tons, said the report, and the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipbuilding Company Limited (上海江南長興造船廠) has been commissioned to build at least four amphibious assault ships.
The report also implied that the PLA Air Force is developing a variant of the J-10 fighter jet, equipped with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities.
Of note, diagrams released by Xinhuanet (新華網) revealed a design for China's amphibious assault vessel that stands 265 meters in length and is capable of launching jet fighters, helicopters, and LCACs.

A STOVL J-10?

They must be working toward a directed thrust, similar to the Harrier if they're talking about putting it into service quickly.

That will be interesting.  The simplicity of the Harrier design when coupled to a modern jet could give us the Chinese version of the Harrier III.  Depending on how they market it, we could be looking at a competitor to the F-35B.

If the Chinese are willing to allow Western avionics to be installed in the jet...and I can't see why they wouldn't...then they will have a cheaper, possibly higher performing jet that will catch the attention of cost conscious allies and neutral countries.

Everything else in this story comes as no surprise.  The Chinese Marine Corps will be every bit as active as the USMC and its only a matter of time before they meet on the field.

Blast from the past. The Altair Lunar Lander via Fuck Yeah Spaceships Tumblr.

Note:  When the Constellation program was "reconfigured" and given the new mission of landing on an asteroid (I still don't get that...the moon is a stable source of everything we could get from asteroids...its like they just wanted to do something different instead of actually harvesting resources) instead of the moon, alot of work had been thrown away with the blink of an eye.  Exhibit number one is the Altair Lunar Lander.  Its just like the Orion space capsule.  A step back to the work that was proposed for the follow on to Apollo by the greats that put us on the moon.  Notice that they chose an evolutionary path instead of seeking to be revolutionary.  The US military should take note.

 

US Army Special Forces and 101st Airborne train together. Photo by Spc. Robert Venegas | 5th Sfg

Soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, receive training on all-terrain vehicles from 5th Special Forces Group Jan. 12 on Fort Campbell. The training concluded a five part combined training exercise between the two units.

The Commandant talked about integrating with SOCOM.  It looks like the US Army is already doing that with Special Forces and their Global Response Force units.

Is a modification of this what he was talking about?

The USMC's direction on unconventional warfare is tortured.  The Marines have gone from no special units before WW2, to developing Recon, Parachute, and other units during that conflict, to parrying it down to only Recon afterwards, to developing MEU Special Operations Capable, to where we are today with many "elites inside an elite".

With MARSOC taking 3 Battalions of Marines along with supporting units (and of course the desire by the wing to provide dedicated air), something has got to give.

I wonder if the basic design of the Army makes integration with SOCOM an easier fit than it does with the Marine Corps?  This bears watching but I'm betting that resistance from both conventional Marine Corps units, MARSOC and SOCOM will make "integration" difficult.

Your defense dollars at work via Giovanni de Briganti

Sidenote:  The above illustrates the silliness found in the US Dept of Defense...but if you think that we're the only ones that spend foolishly then I've got a bridge to sell you.  Check out this example from Defense Aerospace that hits the Brits hard...

The £2,163 million price tag includes 14 aircraft as well as everything the squadron needs to operate them, including all associated support equipment and capital spares, but neither their weapons nor their fuel. (Other Royal Air Force fast jet squadrons comprise 12 aircraft). This works out to an average cost of £154.5 million ($234.9 million) per aircraft.

Yeah.  If you thought the Eurofighter was expensive then get a load of the F-35.  What has me puzzled is that the usually frugal Brits aren't even batting an eye at the cost.  Amazing.

F-35 News. They program office has lost control of the message.

Check this out from the American Interest.

On that last point, the F-35 team itself seems to agree, because an explosive report this week disclosed that it has been fudging the plane’s performance numbers to bolster the case for more appropriations funding. According to a Defense-Aerospace.com report (h/t James Fallows at The Altantic):

Recent improvements in F-35 reliability figures are due to changes in the way failures are counted and processed, but do not reflect any actual improvement, according to the latest report by the Pentagon’s Director Operational Test & Evaluation. […]
Three different types of data “massaging” are identified in the report: moving failures from one category to another, less important one; ignoring repetitive failures, thus inflating numbers of failure-free hours; and improper scoring of reliability. In all these instances, data reporting and processing rules were changed during the year for no other reason than to paint a more favorable picture.

If that isn't bad enough then check out this piece from that paragon of conservative values...The Weekly Standard...

Last fall, the Air Force tried a final gambit. Its spokesmen claimed that the F-35 program would be even more over budget and delayed if the A-10 weren’t “divested.” The latter’s defenders responded that getting rid of all 280-odd A-10s would save enough money to buy just 12 F-35s.
But the USAF wasn’t done yet. It claimed in November that the F-35’s crisis was a matter of maintenance personnel shortages and that the program could not flourish without the 800-odd maintenance people who currently work on the A-10. This was not true. As the well-informed War is Boring website quickly pointed out, there are thousands of maintenance personnel working on other aircraft types (including rarely used B-1B bombers and F-15 interceptors) who could easily be diverted to support the F-35.
Fortunately, Congress wasn’t gulled, and the latest National Defense Authorization Act forbade the USAF from retiring the A-10. It helped that the politicians fighting for the A-10 included not just McCain but also Sen. Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire, whose husband flew A-10s in Iraq, and Represent-ative Martha McSally, a retired Air Force colonel who herself flew A-10s in combat.

How many of you are familiar with the days leading up to the truncated buy of the F-22?

We heard that the airplane would perform not only air superiority but also attack targets on land...they even went so far as to label it F/A-22 at one point.  There was a push to retire F-15's early because it would make the USAF more efficient, even while putting into service an airplane that was more expensive to run.

The messaging got crazy.  The desperation was apparent.  In the end it failed.
The same thing is happening with the F-35.  I'm happy as hell that it is.

US Army raises the stakes in Eastern Europe.

I had hoped that leadership on both sides would walk us back from the brink on this thing but the exact opposite is happening.  Check this out from Stars and Stripes...

“We are doing surveys here in the next few weeks up in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria to see if there is a place where perhaps some of that equipment could be stored there,” USAREUR chief Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges said during an interview with Stars and Stripes. “Maybe it’s a company, maybe it’s a whole battalion, we don’t know yet until we do the survey.”
In 2015, the Army expects to rotate a full-sized, U.S.-based heavy brigade of some 3,000 troops and additional tanks and other armored vehicles through Europe in connection with the service’s Regionally Aligned Force initiative. Last year, the program kicked off on a smaller scale, bringing combat tanks back into Europe after a brief absence following the elimination of two Germany-based heavy brigades in 2013. Now, the regional concept is picking up steam, with plans for 220 armored vehicles in Europe.
“The big question for us right now is ‘where are they going to go?’ Obviously, a part is going to stay here,” Hodges said, referring to the Grafenwöhr training area. “We really want to put some in southeastern Europe, some in the Baltics, some in Poland. Those countries want them bad — an obvious reason, they’re a deterrent aspect.”

A Heavy Combat Brigade is a POWERFUL formation.

The amount of combat power that it brings to the table is impressive in the extreme.  I would love to know the thinking behind this move.  One thing is certain.  It will NOT lessen tensions with Russia.  Many on their side will see this as an escalation and a move in kind should be expected.  I seriously wonder where this idea is coming from.  

ACV 1.1 Contenders

Note:  Movie making is much more difficult than I thought.  The issue isn't putting it together but rather in getting the information out that you want to convey with the format that you're given with the pre-packaged "movie makers" ... especially if you have a face for radio and a voice for the backwoods.  This was play time.  We'll see how it goes in the future.  More to come....hopefully.

F-35 News. The replacement for the F-35 is already being designed.

via Defense News.

Northrop Grumman has stood up a pair of teams dedicated to developing a "sixth-generation" fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, years before the services intend to issue requests for information on potential replacements for current aircraft.
It's an aggressive move that Tom Vice, president of Northrop's aerospace division, hopes will pay off in a big way for his company.
"Northrop Grumman will compete for the next generation fighter," Vice flatly declared, noting that there is a program manager already leading a team of Northrop staffers on the program.
When asked whether he envisioned Northrop acting as a prime contractor on a future fighter, he added "of course."

Drink that in.  Industry is already working on a 6th generation fighter for the services.  Not a joint plane but one tailored for both the USAF and USN.  Interesting huh?  Now here is the kicker.  Slowman found this article via Janes...

The UK has set out a future combat aviation force structure to meet the country's post-2030 combat air requirement.
In a House of Commons Defence Select Committee (DSC) report published in late July, the UK government sets out a future force structure that includes options for unmanned aircraft, additional buys and upgrades of ordered and current aircraft, as well as a clean-sheet design for a new manned fighter platform.
As laid out in the report, titled Remote Control: Remotely Piloted Air Systems - current and future UK use: Government Response to the Committee's Tenth Report of Session 2013-14 , this structure will comprise one or a combination of different unmanned and manned platforms.
"A UCAV [unmanned combat air vehicle] along the lines of [the BAE Systems] Taranis is one potential element of this force mix, along with an additional buy of [Lockheed Martin F-35] Lightning II, a [Eurofighter] Typhoon life extension, or an alternative new-build manned aircraft," the report said.

What are we seeing here?

This is as close as we're gonna get to an admission from the nations that are buying the F-35 and even the US services that the plane is not only a disaster but that it isn't going to deliver as promised.

This is the exit plan that they're adopting which indicates that a truncated buy is in the works.  The only question that remains is when will the general public catch on that billions have been wasted on a plane that doesn't work.

Told ya our females are more butch than yours!

Inside joke among service members.

Who has the prettiest females?

The answer always begins with the USAF having the hottest chicks.  The Marine Corps having whats left on the trash heap.  Army and Navy alternated between what you were able to witness on joint duty. I leaned toward Navy having hotter females but thats just personal preference.

Now?

Today's Marine Corps is trying its best to show that the old saying is true.  We have the most butch females in the military service.

Well done (sarcasm).  You can dress them up like dudes all you want but they're still women.  You can't change biology....well I guess you can make alterations but you know what I mean.

82nd Airborne inches toward mechanization.

This is an interesting development.  Using militarized ATVs for this role isn't what many want but as an interim step it makes sense.  Additionally support in the field will be easy, you can't argue with its agility in the field or the ability to transport them by C-130, C-5, CH-47 or UH-60.

By pushing the concept forward and getting what is available into the field, the Army might have hit on the vehicle it actually needs going into the future.

Which riles up the biased Marine in me.

The US Army isn't drinking our milkshake...yet.  But they have their straws out and its aimed squarely at our beverage.  Question.  Which would you rather have.  A brigade from the 82nd that can be on the ground in 72 hours (sooner if you're planning properly....meaning you have them on alert before needed) or a SPMAGTF-CR that can arrive with a company (+) of Marines?  Now toss in the idea that the brigade from the 82nd will have mechanized ground mobility and our Marines will be foot mobile and what are your thoughts?

I stand by my earlier contention that the solution is to reinforce the MEU by adding AFSB's to each MEU.  Trash the SPMAGTF-CR concept and simply use the MV-22 to add distance to the reach of each deployed MEU....maybe use it as an early entry force for the MEU before the full strength of the formation can be brought to bear...but as an individual unit...trash it.  Simply enlarge the Air Company and reinforce it if necessary.

Meanwhile the US Army/82nd Airborne is starting to complain that we ordered a strawberry shake instead of the mango peach that they love.

F-35 News. If they can do this with 10 year old sensors....

via Fox News.

The idea with a demonstration, sources indicate, would be to use the F-35 as an airborne relay node or sensor in place of the E-2D Hawkeye. This could allow NIFC-CA to operate against an increasingly complex set of targets such as stealthy targets, the Lockheed executive explained.
Sensors on the F-35 include the Active Electronically Scanned Array, or AESA, radar as well as a system called Distributed Aperture System, or DAS, which combines input from as many as six different electro-optical cameras on the aircraft. The aircraft also draws upon a technology called Electro-optical Targeting System, or EOTS, which helps identify and pinpoint targets. EOTS, which does both air-to-air and air-to-ground targeting, is able to combine forward-looking infrared and infrared search and track technology.

Read the entire article but the question must be asked.

If they're going to do this with an airplane that has avionics that are 10 years behind what the Super Hornet and Growler currently carry into combat then what can they do with the mentioned airplanes?

They're trying to awe the crowd because they don't know any better.  What has me scratching my head is the attempts to wedge the F-35 into missions that it wasn't designed to fulfill.  They're creating "make work" missions for a plane that isn't capable of doing the needed missions of air superiority, close air support, deep strike etc...

I'm not impressed.  NAVAIR knows better but they're trying to prop up a failed airplane.

Mariupol today after shelling & why the conflict in Ukraine is front and center on the blog.

Thanks to info-infanterie for the vid.



Why is the conflict in Ukraine taking such a prominent spot on my blog these last couple of months?

Simple.

We're seeing a fighting in the heart of Europe that I believe is the most consequential battle we've seen since the end of the Cold War.  Don't get me wrong.  Gulf War 1 &  2 were history making/shaping...but not in the way that this fight in Ukraine is.

We're seeing something deadly here and officials are slowly rolling it out to the public.

The US/EU is at war with Russia.

If you're a reader of this blog then you taken on the mantle of responsibility that the masses have refused.  You're aware of whats going on in the world and want to stay informed.  THIS SHIT IS HUGE!  If you've read recent news articles I have then you've heard troops headed to Ukraine described as trainers and more ominously as combat advisors!  Individuals that I keep in contact with that are still active have suddenly gone off line.

This could easily be nothing and we might the powers that be walk all this back...but confidence is not high.

Ukrainian combat losses between Jan 17-22

Is it just me or does this Russian tracked vehicle have an almost impressive amount of ground clearance?  Is this by accident or design to enhance IED protection.

via Kyiv Post

In the period of Jan. 17-22, 18 Ukrainian military servicemen were killed and 235 others injured in armed clashes with militants in the Donetsk and Luhansk, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service reported on Jan. 24.
"Also one tank, seven armored fighting vehicles, two MT-12 cannons, and seven automobiles have been lost," it said.
As many as "600 militants and Russian military men were killed and 275 wounded" within the same period of time, it said. The final figure could be bigger, as militants managed to take some wounded persons with them.
"Thanks to decisive and professional actions of Ukrainian military men, 14 tanks, 43 armored fighting vehicles, 14 Grad and Uragan multiple rocket launchers, 28 self-propelled artillery weapons and 19 automobiles were destroyed," the ministry said.
The ministry said that only at Donetsk airport 85 militants were killed and 53 were wounded, seven tanks, 12 armored fighting vehicles, nine automobiles and MT-12 cannon were destroyed.

The fighting at the airport and reports of clashes at other locations makes me wonder if these figures might be on the low side.

Is the USMC going to be saddled with providing F-35C's for carriers?

The first F-35C Lightning II for the US Marine Corps was delivered to Eglin AFB, Florida, on 13 January 2015. Marine Lt. Col. J.T. Ryan, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 501 detachment commander, flew the aircraft (Bureau Number 169031) from the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, to the base near Fort Walton Beach. It is assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101), the US Navy’s only F-35C fleet replacement squadron. This aircraft is the first of five Marine Corps F-35Cs that will be delivered to VFA-101. The delivery marks the beginning of Marine training in the F-35 carrier variant. The first operational Marine Corps F-35C fleet squadron, VMFA-115, is scheduled to stand up at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2019.

Have you been keeping track of the numbers of F-35's the US Navy is planning on deploying with each carrier?  Do you remember the number of F-35C's the USMC is programmed to buy?

Is it possible that the US Navy is going to get out of buying the F-35C by relying on the USMC to provide their carrier wings with the few aircraft needed?  I've speculated that some kind of deal must have been struck for the US Navy to pick the MV-22 for the COD mission and this seems like a trade they'd be willing to make.

One thing we do know.

No one is enthused about the F-35 anymore.  Its seen as a bad plane that must be bought because we've gone too far to turn back now (I totally disagree with that but more on it later).  Everyone from US Senators, to the Commandant of the Marine Corps is unhappy about the situation they find themselves in with regard to this plane.

The cutbacks are coming, the planning for the 6th gen has already begun and the only thing left to do is assign blame for the biggest procurement boondoggle in the history of defense procurement...anywhere.

UK headed toward irrelevancy? Cuts nuclear stockpile.

I don't know what to think.

If you don't have strong conventional forces then you better have exceptional nuclear capability.

Seems like the UK is giving up on both.

Is the UK headed toward irrelevancy or is it still as strong?  Personally I don't care.  The future for them as far as the US is concerned (IMO) is the same as its always been.  They're gonna be good allies among many.  They will do what they can with what they have with the interests of their own country first and foremost in mind.

I can live with that.

What becomes jeopardized?  Talking points....and perhaps national prestige.  I don't think many of the elites realize how powerful a detterent the idea of a strong military really is.  For all the complaints about the US (and I get an earful on a daily basis by readers from all over the planet) one thing that can't be said is that we're weak militarily.  That makes a difference.