The Commandant's guidance includes about thirty words on F-35 and about three hundred words on amphibious vehicle, which is inverse to investment but not to utility.
he seems resigned to the F-35 but not enthused. i don't know. overall it seems like we're looking at a return to the REAL USMC, did you notice he never mentioned Amos but did talk about Krulak, and others? this is going to be interesting. he seemed to slam the SPMAGTF-CR, put the MEB concept back in its cage, and talked about the zero deficit thinking that's taken over the Marine Corps as being bullshit. the ACV 1.1 is going forward, so all of the above is positive. the talk about partnering with SOCOM is a big question mark for me and the idea of the F-35 being a done deal is just plain bad.
Dunford has to play a waiting game until the new SecDef takes over next month, and makes his position known. Carter is a smart tech guy, but also an insider. Unlike the Hagel, he is smart enough to recognize the significant F-35 engine problem, for one thing, and decisive enough to do something about it, but he's also (like Kendall, who is similar) close to industry. Deputy Dog Work, USMC vet, experienced thinker, is also a factor. It should shake out at that level soon.
And then there is the performance of the plane itself. It is a system still deep in development with many unresolved problems.
A key factor is that this is the year when they want to "ramp up" F-35 production and in effect make a full production decision at least four years before the program is really ready for such a decision. Bogdan hopes to line up over a hundred foreign buys this year even though it took him a year to line up fourteen buys for the 2014 LRIP-8.
Dunford is no doubt aware of some or all of this (via Bob Work, I hope -- once a Marine....etc) which he can't control and can only respond to. So meanwhile, yes, he's resigned but (thankfully) not enthused.
I am pretty sure that is not a call for the Marines to make. I am pretty sure an act of congress requires to constantly have 3 active expeditionary force HQs.
There were rumors in 2013 about moving the II MEF Headquarters to Norfolk (JDNews reported this on 21 Sep 2013). Since that initial rumor which only discussed a move and not disbanding, there has not been any more in the media. Don't know if that move was ever seriously in the plans.
i never really got the MEB concept that Amos was pushing. i don't know if he had in mind combining MEU's and SPMAGTF-CRs or what. from reading this guidance it looks like the MEB is being put back in its cage and the SPMAGTF-CR is on borrowed time....at least that was my take on things.
its really simple. SPMAGTF-CR's play havoc with dwell time. there is no way it can last unless the Marine Corps sees a huge plus up.
The Commandant's guidance includes about thirty words on F-35 and about three hundred words on amphibious vehicle, which is inverse to investment but not to utility.
ReplyDeletehe seems resigned to the F-35 but not enthused. i don't know. overall it seems like we're looking at a return to the REAL USMC, did you notice he never mentioned Amos but did talk about Krulak, and others? this is going to be interesting. he seemed to slam the SPMAGTF-CR, put the MEB concept back in its cage, and talked about the zero deficit thinking that's taken over the Marine Corps as being bullshit. the ACV 1.1 is going forward, so all of the above is positive. the talk about partnering with SOCOM is a big question mark for me and the idea of the F-35 being a done deal is just plain bad.
Deletehe gets an 7 out of 10. more to come.
Dunford has to play a waiting game until the new SecDef takes over next month, and makes his position known. Carter is a smart tech guy, but also an insider. Unlike the Hagel, he is smart enough to recognize the significant F-35 engine problem, for one thing, and decisive enough to do something about it, but he's also (like Kendall, who is similar) close to industry. Deputy Dog Work, USMC vet, experienced thinker, is also a factor. It should shake out at that level soon.
DeleteAnd then there is the performance of the plane itself. It is a system still deep in development with many unresolved problems.
A key factor is that this is the year when they want to "ramp up" F-35 production and in effect make a full production decision at least four years before the program is really ready for such a decision. Bogdan hopes to line up over a hundred foreign buys this year even though it took him a year to line up fourteen buys for the 2014 LRIP-8.
Dunford is no doubt aware of some or all of this (via Bob Work, I hope -- once a Marine....etc) which he can't control and can only respond to. So meanwhile, yes, he's resigned but (thankfully) not enthused.
I thought II MEF HQ will be eliminated due to cost cutting.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that is not a call for the Marines to make. I am pretty sure an act of congress requires to constantly have 3 active expeditionary force HQs.
DeleteThere were rumors in 2013 about moving the II MEF Headquarters to Norfolk (JDNews reported this on 21 Sep 2013). Since that initial rumor which only discussed a move and not disbanding, there has not been any more in the media. Don't know if that move was ever seriously in the plans.
ReplyDeletei never really got the MEB concept that Amos was pushing. i don't know if he had in mind combining MEU's and SPMAGTF-CRs or what. from reading this guidance it looks like the MEB is being put back in its cage and the SPMAGTF-CR is on borrowed time....at least that was my take on things.
Deleteits really simple. SPMAGTF-CR's play havoc with dwell time. there is no way it can last unless the Marine Corps sees a huge plus up.