"There are some officers in the Navy who would like to see stealth brought to carriers, but quite a few who wouldn't, who would rather stick with something they know, at a price they know, with two engines that they know and perhaps, shift all funding to the sixth generation [F/A-18]," Aboulafia said.Roughly 200? The programmed buy was 260. Additionally if the Navy is buying fewer F-35C's than projected then that will increase the buy of those planes for the USMC.
He said the Navy's buying pattern is telling as to how it sees it integrating into the fleet.
"They are just not acting like the F-35 will be a major part of their force structure in the future," he said, noting he estimated that the Navy might end up buying roughly 200.
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| via gdfalksen Tumbler Page. Chiune Sugihara. This man saved 6000 Jews. He was a Japanese diplomat in Lithuania. When the Nazis began rounding up Jews, Sugihara risked his life to start issuing unlawful travel visas to Jews. He hand-wrote them 18 hrs a day. The day his consulate closed and he had to evacuate, witnesses claim he was STILL writing visas and throwing from the train as he pulled away. He saved 6000 lives. The world didn’t know what he’d done until Israel honored him in 1985, the year before he died. |
Just plain wow. The unknown stories of this war....I'm blown away.... Everyone knows about the "big stuff", the propaganda and the story crafting to illustrate to those that would come later on how they were expected to perform. But these stories lost to time of sacrifice and bravery are just plain cool and show a type of strength that 99.9% of the population can't muster and the majority of those could never comprehend.comment made by robowolvesHe was often called “Sempo”, an alternative reading of the characters of his first name, as that was easier for Westerners to pronounce.His wife, Yukiko, was also a part of this; she is often credited with suggesting the plan. The Sugihara family was held in a Soviet POW camp for 18 months until the end of the war; within a year of returning home, Sugihara was asked to resign - officially due to downsizing, but most likely because the government disagreed with his actions.He didn’t simply grant visas - he granted visas against direct orders, after attempting three times to receive permission from the Japanese Foreign Ministry and being turned down each time. He did not “misread” orders; he was in direct violation of them, with the encouragement and support of his wife.He was honoured as Righteous Among the Nations in 1985, a year before he died in Kamakura; he and his descendants have also been granted permanent Israeli citizenship. He was also posthumously awarded the Life Saving Cross of Lithuania (1993); Commander’s Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (1996); and the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2007). Though not canonized, some Eastern Orthodox Christians recognize him as a saint.Sugihara was born in Gifu on the first day of 1900, January 1. He achieved top marks in his schooling; his father wanted him to become a physician, but Sugihara wished to pursue learning English. He deliberately failed the exam by writing only his name and then entered Waseda, where he majored in English. He joined the Foreign Ministry after graduation and worked in the Manchurian Foreign Office in Harbin (where he learned Russian and German; he also converted to the Eastern Orthodox Church during this time). He resigned his post in protest over how the Japanese government treated the local Chinese citizens. He eventually married Yukiko Kikuchi, who would suggest and encourage his acts in Lithuania; they had four sons together. Chiune Sugihara passed away July 31, 1986, at the age of 86. Until her own passing in 2008, Yukiko continued as an ambassador of his legacy.It is estimated that the Sugiharas saved between 6,000-10,000 Lithuanian and Polish Jewish people.
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Pictured is a C Sqn Household Cavalry Regiment Scimitar Vehicle at night during Exercise IRON SCOUT 3...The Household Cavalry Regiment is an Armoured Cavalry regiment equipped with CVR(T) recognisance vehicles (soon to receive the new AJAX vehicle) that allow the Regiment to project forward large distances and provide the forward recognisance for 1 (Armoured) Brigade.
The Scimitar armoured fighting vehicle's exceptionally low ground pressure and small size make it useful where the terrain is hostile and movement is difficult.
Scimitar carries a 30mm Rarden cannon for self-defence. It is used by reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps and 'recce' elements of the armoured infantry.
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Dave Majumdar, the defense editor for The National Interest, assessment is that an Advanced Super Hornet could perform could offer a less costly 80 percent solution for the U.S. Navy’s requirements. Once developed to its full potential, the Advanced Super Hornet could perform most of the missions envisioned for the F-35C except penetrating strike—it would have to rely on stand-off weapons for that mission.Story here.
The Marines would simply be out of luck since a short takeoff/vertical landing variant of the Advanced Super Hornet is simply a physical impossibility
Switching to mostly Advanced Super Hornet's could save around $15 billion per year or more for 30-50 years.
Sensor Fusion can be matched
When development is complete, the F-35 will be able to correlate all of the data from its various sensors and data networks and then present that information in a single coherent and easily understandable display. Currently, only the Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35 have such a capability, but the Navy is working on adding a similar “sensor fusion” system to the Super Hornet. The Navy’s Multi-Sensor Integration effort for the Super Hornet is being developed in three phases—some of which have been fielded—with the goal of developing a sensor fusion capability similar to the F-22 and F-35.
According to Navy officials, the Super Hornet’s MSI program drew lessons from both the F-22 and F-35. However, one major difference between the Super Hornet’s sensor fusion and the F-22 and F-35 is the limited capabilities of the F/A-18E/F’s current displays. Boeing, however, has an option to fit a new large 11’X19’ high-definition color display into the Super Hornet cockpit that would address that issue.
The Army is preparing to configure Abrams tank prototypes able to control nearby “robotic” wing-man vehicles which fire weapons, carry ammunition and conduct reconnaissance missions for units on the move in combat, service officials said.Story here.
Although still in the early stages of discussion and conceptual development, the notion of manned-unmanned teaming for the Abrams continues to gain traction among Army and General Dynamics Land Systems developers.
Algorithms are progressing to the point wherein they will be able to allow an Abrams tank crew to operate multiple nearby “wing-man” robotic vehicles in a command and control capacity while on the move in combat.
Army researchers, engineers and weapons developers are preparing to prototype some of these possibilities for future Abrams tanks, Maj. Gen. David Bassett, Program Executive Officer, Ground Combat Systems, told Scout warrior in an interview.
“As I look to the future and I think about game-changing technologies, manned-unmanned teaming is a big part of that. There’s a set of things that we think could be really transformational,” Bassett said.
This kind of dynamic could quickly change the nature of landwar.
Autonomous or semi-autonomous robotic vehicles flanking tanks in combat, quite naturally, could bring a wide range of combat-enhancing possibilities. Ammunition-carrying robotic vehicles could increase the fire-power of tanks while in combat more easily; unmanned platforms could also carry crucial Soldier and combat supplies, allowing an Abrams tank to carry a larger payload of key combat supplies.
Also, perhaps of greatest significance, an unmanned vehicle controlled by an Abrams tank could fire weapons at an enemy while allowing the tank to operate at a safer, more risk-reducing stand-off range.
As unmanned vehicles, robotic platforms could be agile and much lighter weight than heavily armored vehicles designed to carry Soldiers into high-risk combat situations. By virtue of being able to operate without placing Soldiers at risk, tank-controlled ground drones could also be used to test and challenge enemy defenses, fire-power and formations. Furthermore, advanced sensors could be integrated into the ground drones to handle rugged terrain while beaming back video and data of enemy locations and movements.
“You don’t need armor on an auxiliary kit,” Michael Peck, Business Development Manager, General Dynamics Land Systems, told Scout Warrior in an interview.
Manned Abrams tanks, therefore, could make use of advanced thermal sights, aided by robotic sensors, to locate and destroy enemies at ranges keeping them safe from enemy tank fire. Sensor robots could locate enemy artillery and rocket positions, convoys and even some drones in the air in a manner that better alerts attacking ground forces.
Land drones could also help forces in combat breach obstacles, carry an expeditionary power supply, help with remote targeting and check route areas for IEDs, Army and General Dynamics statements said.
Some of the early prototyping is being explored at the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, Warren, Mich.
Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley has consistently emphasized that manned-unmanned teaming and autonomy central to the Army’s preparations for the future, Bassett explained.
“The Chief has been really candid with us that what whatever we build for the future has that concept in mind that we are laying the architectures in that will support that,” he added.
Thus far in the Army, there are both tele-operated vehicles controlled by a human with a lap-top and joystick as well as platforms engineered with autonomous navigation systems able to increasingly perform more and more functions without needing human intervention.
For instance, TARDEC has developed leader-follower convoys wherein tactical trucks are engineered to autonomously follow vehicles in front of them. These applique kits, which can be installed on vehicles, include both tele-operated options as well as automated functions. The kits include GPS technology, radios, cameras and computer algorithms designed for autonomous navigation.
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| standard BTR-4 |
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| optimized with what I believe is additional flotation armor across the front section of the vehicle |
Indonesia is reconsidering plans to acquire more Ukraine-built BTR-4 8x8 amphibious armored personnel carriers (APC) after issues cropped up during training activities.Story here.
After concluding initial training on the amphibious vehicle, Korps Marinir (KORMAR), the Indonesian Marine Corps, reported several problems, including the APC excessively trimming at the bow while immersed in water and operating at full speed.
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| Near Al Bab TSK M-60T TZMA and Scorpion armored vehicles |
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| How would you like riding in this golf cart in a combat zone. Strip it down, take off the ineffective armor and make it fast...at least speed would give you a chance to survive... |
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Foreign Minister Murray McCully of a "declaration of war" if the UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning Israel's continued settlements, according to a report.First we have the SecState making a speech regarding the vote in the UN on Israeli settlements. Then we have the Israelis stating that they have proof that the US administration pushed for the vote (which would undeniably be contrary to US policy) and now we have this unconfirmed report from New Zealand?
New Zealand co-sponsored the resolution, which said the settlements violate international law and undermine a two-state solution in Israel's conflict with Palestine.
On Saturday, the Security Council voted in favour of passing the resolution and the Israeli Government recalled its ambassador from New Zealand as a result.
Before the vote on Saturday, Netanyahu personally phoned McCully and warned him of war, unnamed Western diplomats told Isareli newspaper Haaretz.
"This is a scandalous decision. I'm asking that you not support it and not promote it," Netanyahu reportedly told McCully.
"If you continue to promote this resolution from our point of view it will be a declaration of war. It will rupture the relations and there will be consequences."
McCully reportedly refused to back down, telling Netanyahu: "This resolution conforms to our policy and we will move it forward."
A spokesman for McCully confirmed the phone call took place, but said the Foreign Minister wouldn't comment on what was discussed.
TEHRAN (FNA)- Dozens of Saudi princes and princesses have left the country for the fear of their lives after the empowerment of King Salman and his son Muhammad bin Salman as deputy crown prince.Here.
The Palestinian daily, al-Manar, quoted informed sources as saying that many members of the royal family have fled Saudi Arabia to other countries after increased internal differences and rivalries in the House of Saud and their policies in the region.
A large number of the royal family members believe that their lives are at stake and could be assassinated any moment.
According to the report, a number of these princes and princesses aren’t allowed to leave the country and are still in Saudi Arabia under the supervision of the security bodies.
Meantime, the fear is not confined to Saudi Arabia and certain Qatari and UAE princes and princesses have also left their countries.
The general commanding coalition forces in Iraq predicts it will take two years of hard work to clear the so-called Islamic State from its twin capitals of Mosul and Raqqa, and then to burn out the remnants that will likely flee to the vast empty desert between Syria and Iraq.JESUS! Our way of war needs to be totally revamped. Two MORE years to destroy a force that numbers less than 50K? Allowing our supposed allies to legalize death squads so that the sectarian violence will continue...even those on the sidelines will eventually pick up arms if the govt forces are seen as being cold blooded murders! A sprawling Green Zone which almost guarantees that we will be committed to supporting a faction in the sectarian violence...which means we've taken sides...also means that we're guaranteeing a generational conflict?
In a Christmas Day sit-down with The Daily Beast at his headquarters, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend would not put specific timelines on the battle. But he mapped out a grinding campaign that he thinks is going slowly but as well as can be expected, considering how much time ISIS had to prepare and how brutal its fighters are willing to be.
“A fighter walking out of a building will hold a child over his head so we can see him through ISR until he reaches another building,” he said, using the military acronym for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
The grim battle against ISIS is taking place against a backdrop of continuing sectarian tension in Iraq, which could get worse if newly empowered militia groups let their influence go to their heads. A new Iraqi law that goes into force this week makes militia forces here legal. Such groups—especially Iranian backed Shiite armed forces—have been accused of war crimes against Iraq’s Sunni minority. The U.S. has ordinarily eyed these units warily.
But Townsend, in an unusual statement for an American commander, said these militias been been “remarkably disciplined” allies since he arrived. That assessment marks a stark contrast with his previous tours, when deadly Iranian-manufactured bombs almost hit his vehicle, and took the lives of many of his troops.
The coalition footprint is much smaller than the 100,000-plus of Townsend’s previous tours in Iraq—somewhere south of 10,000 when troops on short term duty are added to the count. At the headquarters compound, soldiers were taking a brief break from work on Christmas to stage a spoon relay race in a hallway. One soldier dressed as Santa cheered competitors to the finish line, while those watching swigged nonalcoholic cider for some semblance of Christmas cheer.
The headquarters is tucked inside the sprawling “Green Zone” which the U.S. used to run, now turned over to Iraqi control. The Americans feel very much like visitors. U.S. authority extends to the gate of the compound—all outside is done with Iraqi government permission. Townsend’s team is very aware they are there to help, not to lead.
Last month, Pentagon negotiations gave Lockheed a $6.1 billion take-it-or-leave-it deal for 57 F-35s. Lockheed make no secret that it was unhappy with the deal and has until February to accept or reject it.THIS IS A MUST READ ARTICLE (HERE)! Don't embarrass yourself and try and commit before you've taken a few minutes to read the whole thing!
Nextbigfuture prefers that the F-35s get cancelled and the Advanced Hornet option is pursued.
The general in charge of the F35 project, Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, has floated other ways to reduce the cost of each jet, including injecting more competition within the plane’s sprawling supply chain, which touches 45 states, and buying planes in bulk.
“If you have a single source supplier of a particular component on this airplane right now and you’re not sure if that person can build you 3,000 airplanes worth of that, you probably might want to open up a second source,” he said. “Once you open up a second source, now you have natural competition. We should explore some of that.”
The F-35 will not be fully battle ready to fight a diverse range of missions until the end of the decade (or even later). As for the F/A-18, its design is stable and Boeing can build them quickly. And Boeing has marketed an “advanced Super Hornet” with high-tech equipment somewhat comparable to the F-35.
Functioning and lower cost F18s would make a stronger US military from now to 2022 at least. I am not convinced the F35s would be better even after the effort to get them capable of basic missions.
Investing some of the savings into accelerated development of the F/A-XX and new long-range unmanned strike platforms could see new military capability by 2025-2030 instead of 2035-2045.
BEIJING — China's new stealth fighter could certainly "take down" its opponent in the sky, the president of China's top aircraft maker said on Tuesday, referring to its U.S.-made counterpart.Then this...
Lin Zuoming, president of Aviation Industry Corp of China (Avic), which developed the J-31 stealth fighter, made the remarks in an interview on state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).
"When it takes to the sky, it can definitely take it down," he said, in a reference to the U.S.-made F-35. "That's a certainty."
China hopes the J-31 will compete with the U.S.-made F-35 stealth aircraft as China works to strengthen its standing as an arms producer, according to China military watchers and state media reports.Story here!
"Experts predict that the J-31 will make rapid inroads in the international market in the future, and will undoubtedly steal the limelight from the F-35," the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily reported on its website in August 2013.
It said the aircraft would be particularly attractive to countries that are cut off from U.S. arms exports.
The J-31 is about the same size as the F-35, the U.S. Department of Defense said in a report this year.
Stealth aircraft are key for China's air force to evolve from a mostly territorial air force to developing the ability to carry out both offensive and defensive operations, the Pentagon said in the report about developments in China's military.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—The Iraqi force tasked with liberating the city of Mosul from ISIS is overstretched, suffered great loss and exhausted and is putting a few hundred new recruits through a crash course for battle. That is the elite Golden Division.If the above isn't worrying enough then check this out...
The defeat of ISIS and its expulsion from the second largest city was entrusted to this force of 10,000 trained soldiers from Iraq’s different ethnic backgrounds. And they have been on the forefront since the offensive was launched on October 17.
The operation to retake this city is getting tougher over time, hampering the liberation and increasing the number of casualties of the Golden Division.
Furthermore, the US Central Command (Centcom) argues that the current success achieved in the fight to liberate Mosul “has come at a terrible price, one that could have dire consequences for Iraq in the long run,” said quoted by Politico.
The Golden Division commanders warn that they may eventually liberate Mosul but with a little force left in the end.
“If the war continues this way, we will lose many of our fighters by the time we have liberated the left side of Mosul,” warned a commander with the said division.
However, Major General Maan Zaid, a key commander with the given division, allayed fears of a potential Golden Division destruction by the end of Mosul war. “There are no wars without casualties. The operation to liberate Mosul will surely cost lives,” he explained.
ISIS is using modern weapons in Mosul, such as the anti-tank missile known as Kornet which has severely afflicted the Iraqi army.
“ISIS is using powerful weapons in this war. But our casualties are less than reported,” Zaid added.
The Iraqi Prime Minister has said on a few occasions that they will liberate Mosul this year. However, Zaid said, “It is difficult to predict with precision when Mosul offensive will finish.”
Zaid also said that they have inflicted heavy losses on ISIS, “1000 ISIS militants have been killed on the front I lead alone.”
Some in the division doubt this number.
“This war is strange. Sometimes we regain control of a complete neighborhood without seeing an ISIS body. We haven’t seen more than 5 ISIS bodies in each of the neighborhoods we have liberated so far,” a Golden Division soldier told Rudaw on condition of anonymity.
“The more neighborhoods we liberate, the more encircled ISIS will get, the more car bombs and suicide bombers they will send, and the more intense they will fight. The war will, therefore, get tougher. Mosul offensive needs strong warriors,” said a Golden Division commander on condition of anonymity.
“Put simply, the Golden Division’s fight for Mosul could go down in history as one of the greatest victories of the Iraqi government—and its last,” warned Mark Perry in an article published by Politico, How Iraq’s Army Could Defeat ISIS in Mosul – But Lose Control of the Country.
The United States 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division is advising the Golden Division in its push into Mosul.You don't send a Brigade Combat Team to advise a division. You send a Special Forces Detachment.
Mussolini’s Yuletide SurpriseMore here.
Italy’s three-month old Abyssinian War was already bogging down when a 200,000-man Ethiopian army launched a December 1935 counter attack known as the Christmas Offensive. The objective of the campaign was to scatter the Italian forces as they sputtered on towards the capital of Addis Ababa from Eretria in the north. The Ethiopians caught Mussolini’s forces off guard precipitating a phase of the war known in Italy as the “Black Period”. With casualties topping 3,000, Il Duce appealed to citizens at home to donate their own money to help the flagging war effort. Millions of ordinary Italians gave up gold jewelry and wedding rigs in response. The patriotic outpouring had very little effect militarily; Italy eventually stemmed the Ethiopian advance with mustard gas the day after Christmas.
While making the arrest, the officer put a stun gun to Craig's back, who is now, along with Hymond, in Mansfield's jail, facing charges of resisting arrest and failing to identify herself to a police officer.This story has been circling for days and I've held off posting about it trying to wait for the response from the Chief. We got it here via Dallas Morning News.
Everything else has a long way to go before being resolved. In the profanity-laced video, posted to Facebook by Porsha Craver, Craig's niece, Craig tells the officer that a man choked her son after the son refused to pick up a piece of paper. When she asks the officer what gave the man the right to touch her son, the officer asks her, "Why didn't you teach your son not to litter?" Craig says that, whether or not her son littered, her neighbor, who is white, doesn't have the right to put his hands on her son. The officer replies, "Why not?"
Understandably, this upsets Craig, who grows more confrontational with the officer, who's also white.
"You don't know what I teach him," she said. "Whatever you teach your kids don't mean they go by your rules when they're not in your sight."
After Craig tells the officer she's pissed off, he responds that "If you keep yelling at me, you're going to piss me off."
Craig's daughter Hymond then tries to get between Craig and the officer, while bystanders repeatedly call the cop a bitch and tell him they are filming everything he does.
Fort Worth officials said Friday at a news conference that the behavior of a white officer who was captured on video wrestling a black woman to the ground before detaining her and her two daughters was shocking, rude and unacceptable — but not representative of the department.The Chief is black. And wrong. But I guess racism is in the eye of the beholder and this guy has blinders on. If that had happened to a person of a different color I bet the outrage would be zooming around the internet.
"I was disappointed with the video," police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said. "I was disappointed with some of the things I've heard and saw. We have been very, very forward and honest about the way we handle things here, and this is not the way we do things."
The video in question shows an officer, whose name has yet to be released, get into an argument with Jacqueline Craig, who had called police Wednesday to report that her neighbor choked her 7-year-old son to get him to pick up trash.
MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. Russian Airborne Troops will receive a battalion set of modern infantry fighting vehicles (BMDs), the Russian Defense Ministry's press service said on Saturday.This is a bit concerning. Not because the Russians are improving their airborne vehicles. That's to be expected. They've been at this for decades.
"A battalion set of modern BMD-4M will be solemnly handed in the city of Ryazan to a military unit of Russian Airborne Troops based in the Tula Region. Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, Russian Airborne Troops commander, will take part in the event," the press service said.
"After receiving 30 military vehicles, the Airborne Troops will have an assault regiment armed with BMD-4M military vehicles and Rakuska BTR-MD (armored personner carriers)," the defense ministry noted.
Billionaire Carl Icahn shared his views in a wide-ranging interview Thursday with CNBC's Scott Wapner on topics such as government regulation, the economy, ETFs and his new Donald Trump administration advisory role on regulation.Icahn is a Trump adviser. Additionally the American people are crying out to recover our lost manufacturing and jobs.
But the most important thing may not be what the investor said explicitly, but what he implied about the market risk of a trade war with China under Trump.
"If you have a trade war with China, by definition, I remember the days something like that would really knock the hell out of the market, but maybe if you're going to do it, you should get it over with, right? So that's a consideration, you have to just make up your mind, if that's what you're going to do, you go do it," Icahn said.
Most telling is how Icahn ended the interview, unprompted.
"If you're asking me am I concerned about the market on the short term. Yeah I'm concerned about it," he said. "You can look at so many factors here that you have to worry about. Obviously, if you get into a trade war with China, sooner or later, I think we're going to have to come to grips with that, maybe it's better to do it sooner, but that's not my decision at all. I don't get involved with that."
Anis Amri, a suspect in the terror attack on a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 and injured 48, including two Americans, has been killed in a shootout with police in Milan, the Italian Interior Ministry said on Friday.Good. Tango down. How many more to go?
Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti confirmed at a Friday morning press conference that the person shot dead by Italian Police is “beyond any shadow of a doubt,” Anis Amri.
Minniti said that police stopped Amri near a train station in the Sesto san Giovani area of Milan in a routine check. Amri shot at and wounded at least one of the officers when he was asked for his documents. Police returned fire, killing him, Minniti said.
Ground VehiclesThen...
From 2018 to 2022, the Army plans to improve the mobility and lethality of it's vehicles. They'll do that by fielding the Ground Mobility Vehicle, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle as an interim Light Reconnaissance vehicle and introducing the Armored Multipurpose Vehicle to replace the "obsolete" M113 armored personnel carrier. The service will also add 30mm cannon to their Europe-based Stryker unit, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. That's because the unit is outgunned by their Russian counterparts.
In addition, development will be done on the Future Fighting Vehicle, which will replace the Bradley. The Army also wants to develop next generation power trains.
2023-2027: The service wants to improve Stryker lethality through weapons and optics upgrades, continue development of the FFV and introduce autonomous ground recon systems.
2028-2050: The focus will be on the Army's armored forces. New direct fire systems will be introduced, such as a new main battle tank, which would replace the legendary M1A2 Abrams. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle will also be replaced by the Future Fighting Vehicle.
AviationWhy do I seriously get the feeling that the US Army of the near future will be virtually identical to the force we have today? I don't mean that as a bad thing but I'm seeing more of an upgrade path going on than some type of revolutionary development scheme being cooked up.
2018-2022: Several things are planned for this time frame. One, complete the Aviation Restructuring Initiative, which pairs AH-64 Apaches with unmanned systems to replace the OH-58 Kiowas. Two, continue modernization of the AH-64 fleet to the E-model Apache Guardian variant, the UH-60 fleet to the M and V model variant, and improve the CH-47F heavy lift chopper.
It also plans to complete the demonstrator phase of the Future Vertical Lift program, which is the future of Army aviation. Boeing/Sikorsky and Bell Helicopters are competing there with the SB-1 Defiant and V-280 Valor, respectively.
2023-2027: The Army plans to begin the fielding of the CH-47F Chinook Block II, complete the AH-46E and UH-60M/V fielding, integrate the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), improve surviability and visibility, field a runway-independent unmanned aerial system (UAS) and develop the Capability Set 2 and 3 of Future Vertical Lift. Set 2 is similar to the Navy's SH-60 Sea Hawk and Set 3 is the UH-60 Black Hawk replacement.
2028-2050: The Army hopes to field the FVL Capability Sets 2 and 3 aircraft and the CH-47 Block III.
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via Anti Semitic Tumblr Page
Willem Arondeus was a Dutch resistance fighter who gave his life trying to protect his Jewish countrymen from the Nazis.
Born in Amsterdam in 1895, Willem was one of six children. From a young age, he was a talented artist and his parents encouraged his creativity, until he came out as homosexual at age 17.
In a time when nearly all gay people were in the closet, Willem’s parents could not accept his choice to live openly. Their rejection led Willem to run away from home.
On his own, Willem took odd jobs and eventually became a successful visual artist and writer. He was commissioned to paint a mural for Rotterdam’s town hall, in a style that combined modern abstract painting with a traditional Dutch motif. Willem was a well-respected author who published a popular biography of Dutch painter and political activist Matthijs Maris.
In 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands. Willem immediately joined the resistance movement, and urged his fellow artists to fight against the Nazi occupation. WIllem published illegal anti-Nazi pamphlets calling for mass resistance against the Germans.
Willem was especially committed to saving Amsterdam’s Jewish community. Bringing in others to the cause, Willem arranged for Dutch Jews to be hidden in people’s homes. He used his artistic skills to create false identity papers.
In 1943, Willem hatched a brazen plan. Dressed as a German Army captain, and with 15 men behind him, Willem boldly marched into the Public Record Office, where lists identifying people as Jews were kept. Willem drugged the guards and planted a firebomb. The resulting blaze destroyed tens of thousands of documents, and delayed or prevented many Jews from being identified by the Nazis.
Unfortunately, Willem was captured by the Germans and sentenced to death. Willem’s last words before being executed in July, 1943 were, “Let it be known that homosexuals are not cowards.”
In 1986 Yad Vashem recognized Arondeus as Righteous Among the Nations.
Because of his sexual orientation, Willem’s story was omitted from Dutch history books. Only in the last 20 years has his courage become widely known.
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Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016
Donald Trump promised Wednesday that he would cut the costs of the Air Force's F-35 program, underlining a message that he will seek to reduce government's costs.When you have the head of LM show up to talk to the incoming President you know exactly how nervous those people are. I'm a little miffed that the talk has gone from cancelation to bringing costs down but it is a dance and this is all leading to a MUCH smaller buy.
"It's a program that's very, very expensive," the president-elect said to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
"It's a dance. It's a little bit of a dance, but we're gonna get the cost down, and we're gonna get it down beautifully."
He added: "I think were looking to cut a tremendous amount of money."
Trump met with Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson Wednesday afternoon.
In a statement to Time, Hewson called the meeting "productive."
"I appreciated the opportunity to discuss the importance of the F-35 program and the progress we’ve made in bringing the costs down," she said. "The F-35 is a critical program to our national security and I conveyed our continued commitment to delivering an affordable aircraft to our U.S. military and our allies.”
On Dec. 12, 2016, president-elect Donald Trump asserted that F-35 unit cost was “out of control” through his preferred medium Twitter. On Dec. 19, 2016, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, in charge of the Joint Strike Fighter project, gave the press his version of things.The truth is getting out there...FINALLY! When the history of this program is written it will be the best example of waste, fraud and abuse in military history....and no one will go to jail for it.
Multiple media outlets passed along the officer’s comments, but with no analysis of the completeness and accuracy of Bogdan’s assertions. The reports offered no context or alternative views on the stealth fighter’s actual cost per plane.
The general said each one of the Air Force’s F-35A would cost $102.1 million, while both the U.S. Marine Corps’ F-35Bs and and U.S. Navy’s F-35Cs would set the taxpayer back 132 million each. Those costs average to approximately $122 million for a “generic” F-35.
Bogdan got these numbers from the funds Congress set aside in the 2015 defense budget for what the Pentagon called “Lot 9,” just one of a number of planned F-35 purchases. In November 2016, the U.S. military was still negotiating the final deal with plane-maker Lockheed Martin.
Needless to say, the unit costs Bogdan gave the media were incomplete. They involve only the Pentagon’s existing contracts with Lockheed and engine-maker Pratt & Whitney to build the airframes and jet motors.
The numbers do not, for example, include the cost to buy maintenance equipment and other necessary support elements. They do not include money the Pentagon will spend to fix design errors discovered in testing now and in the future.
These figures are not the “sticker price.”
One could calculate a far more complete price from the appropriations that Bogdan told Congress he needed to buy functioning airplanes. The difference between what he is telling the press now and what he told Congress in 2015 is significant — it is also the difference between a factory simply putting together a airplane and delivering an airplane that can actually fly and operate.
For the 2015 fiscal year, the F-35 project chief petitioned Congress for $6.4 billion to produce 34 F-35s for the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. This amount did not included separate funds for research and development and other costs that the Pentagon asked for in budget request.
With the production data, we can calculate a F-35A has a price tag of $157 million, not $102 million. It’s $265 million for a F-35B and $355 million for a F-35C, not $132 million for either variant.
On average, these F-35s cost $188 million apiece, not $122 million.
More basically, Bogdan says the F-35’s price has been coming down, and indeed it has. The $188 million generic price in 2015 was less than the $250 million the Pentagon quoted in 2001.
For the 2017 fiscal year, Congressional appropriations showed us that the total costs came down again to $128 million for a generic F-35. That’s $113 million for an F-35A, $142 million for an F-35B and $241 million for a F-35C.However, an old Congressional Research Service report on the F-35 tells us that in 1994 the Pentagon was promising F-35As for $31 million, F-35Bs for $31 to $38 million and F-35Cs for between $30 and 35 million. In 2017 dollars, those costs would be $53 million per F-35A, $53 million to $65 million for each F-35B and $51 million to $60 million for a single F-35C.
Put another way, in 2017, a F-35A costs about twice what the Pentagon promised Congress more than two decades earlier. Compared to this initial estimate, the F-35B costs more than twice as much now, while an F-35C is about four times more expensive.
