India, China & others interested in buying the Armata...

via Russia & India Report.

India, China and Southeast Asia countries have shown interests to new Russian armoured vehicles demonstrated during the Victory Parade on May 9, Russian president’s aide for military technical cooperation Vladimir Kozhin said in an interview with the Izvestia daily published on Thursday.
According to Kozhin, Russia’s traditional partners are interested in buying infantry combat vehicles and Armata tanks. "Interest has been demonstrated. The weapons are new and expensive. For the most part, by our traditional partners: India, China and Southeast Asia," he said.
He said that the new weapons demonstrated at the parade would be first supplied to the Russian army and only in perspective would be sold to foreign states. So far, Russia is selling weapons under current orders.

Analyst have to be on guard for a couple of things.  Wishful thinking and "normalcy" bias are included.

I think that with regard to the Armata, we saw many exhibit wishful thinking with the thought that no one would want to buy it and normalcy bias, because its was thought that since the West wasn't pursuing new armored programs that it would set a trend that others would follow.

I stand by my early views.

The Armata will be a best seller and we're on the verge of an "armor gap".

US Marines & Aussie Diggers train together at Exercise Predator Walk...

Many thanks to Andy for the link!

A US Marine takes a defensive position during on a secured enemy trench.
ABC News: Steven Schubert

Here.

Where did the "Digger" nickname come from?  That's about the most unusual description for a fighting unit that I can think of.

Aircraft Artwork via Scramble Facebook Page.

F-35 News. ALIS under Congressional scrutiny.

The Autonomic Logistics Information System for the F-35 just got highlighted in a way the Program Manager probably doesn't like.  Check this out from the CTMirror...

The latest flak to hit the F-35 program is a provision in the $579 million House defense appropriations bill that would limit the number of planes to be built next year to 36 unless the Pentagon certifies the problem-plagued logistics system is glitch-free. The system, manufactured by the plane's maker, Lockheed Martin, coordinates maintenance, parts supply, operational support and other functions for the F-35.
The Pentagon had requested 57 planes and the House Armed Services Committee authorized funding for 65.
The defense spending bill, approved by a voice vote Tuesday in the House Appropriations Committee, says, “The committee is concerned that despite action taken by the Department of Defense to improve the management of the Autonomic Logistics Information System, the system is not proceeding at a pace that will ensure capability to support demands for data and information for rapid aircraft turnaround and efficient maintenance operations.”

There are more twists and turns with this airplane that its truly turned into a soap opera.

Worse, I sense that we're being hit with an information warfare campaign that would make Special Forces PSYOPS units blush with envy.

My belief?  They're gonna pencil whip the F-35 into service this summer.  But they're gonna fail at certifying ALIS as being ready and then the Congressional Testimony about how great the F-35 is will really ramp up.

They will have no other choice.

Do you remember the Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Recovery Vehicle or GAARV?

Everyone is on the lightweight vehicle bandwagon, but do you remember one of the first?

The Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Recovery Vehicle or GAARV?

It had disappeared off my radar too except  that I had a guy remind me of the concept because of his work inserting PJ's to conduct their missions.

I found one (1) video showing the vehicle being brought into service for evaluation here, but almost no other current info.  The vehicle looks right and it should be a beast off road, but I wonder.  How is it doing in service?

SIDENOTE:  FBSO worked in the Recovery Field in the USAF and we finally have a bit of insight on how the vehicle will be used...or should I say knowledgable speculation.  His thinking is that the vehicle will be pre-staged and able to make quick overland runs to rescue pilots (if they're within range and helicopter recovery is too risky) or they'll be deployed by C-130 along with the Rescue Team.  That makes alot more sense than me trying to figure out how they're going to sling load this thing in since the HH-47 got canned and it can't be carried internally anymore.

Absolutely GORGEOUS Warbirds! Spitfire & Hurricane....

via Royal Air Force Tumblr...

Blast from the past. A carrier capable F-16! via Defense Media Network!

No spoilers.  Read it here!

FBI oversteps and no one is outraged....

via AP

The AP traced at least 50 aircraft back to the FBI, and identified more than 100 flights in 11 states over a 30-day period since late April, orbiting both major cities and rural areas. At least 115 planes, including 90 Cessna aircraft, were mentioned in a federal budget document from 2009.
For decades, the planes have provided support to FBI surveillance operations on the ground. But now the aircraft are equipped with high-tech cameras, and in rare circumstances, technology capable of tracking thousands of cellphones, raising questions about how these surveillance flights affect Americans' privacy.
"It's important that federal law enforcement personnel have the tools they need to find and catch criminals," said Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "But whenever an operation may also monitor the activities of Americans who are not the intended target, we must make darn sure that safeguards are in place to protect the civil liberties of innocent Americans."
The FBI says the planes are not equipped or used for bulk collection activities or mass surveillance. The surveillance equipment is used for ongoing investigations, the FBI says, generally without a judge's approval.
The FBI confirmed for the first time the wide-scale use of the aircraft, which the AP traced to at least 13 fake companies, such as FVX Research, KQM Aviation, NBR Aviation and PXW Services.

Here.

So the FBI is using front companies, operating in a clandestine manner against US citizens, is not hiding behind terrorism and stating flat out that they're using it against "regular" criminals and no one is outraged?

Have we become so frightened that we throw away liberty so easily?

Why do we have elected officials that are so law and order that they can't see that they're creating Frankenstein's Monster?

A country that is afraid is not a country that can lead....the FBI oversteps and no one is outraged.  Worse?  No one seems to even care.

Anyone have a USAF fast roping manual?

I posted the above photo yesterday and made a tongue in cheek comment that Marine Aviators must be sadistic or USAF pilots really get low for fast roping.

Then a former HRST Master stopped by and commented that its just a matter of them doing business differently and that whereas the USMC requires an Insertion Safety Officer and HRST Master, they do it with only a HRST Master....no ISO necessary.  Different service, different rules.  Cool.  But I'm curious!

I'm trying to lay my hands on a USAF Fast Roping or HRST Master manual.  No luck on my end and I was hoping someone had one in their professional library.

Thanks in advance.

Oh and a comparison?  Below you see average Marine Corps insertion height.

UKRAINE SAYS REBELS STARTED LARGE-SCALE OFFENSIVE IN EAST

Thanks to William for the link!

BFW 06/03 12:48 *UKRAINE SAYS ARTILLERY RE-DEPLOYED TO HALT REBEL OFFENSIVE: IFX
BFW 06/03 12:47 *UKRAINE SAYS REBEL OFFENSIVE INVOLVES 1,000 TROOPS, TANKS: IFX
BN 06/03 12:45 *INTERFAX CITES GENERAL STAFF OF UKRAINE ARMED FORCES ON ATTACK

---

*UKRAINE SAYS REBELS STARTED LARGE-SCALE OFFENSIVE IN EAST: IFX
2015-06-03 12:45:30.60 GMT
--PAUL ABELSKY
-0- Jun/03/2015 12:45 GMT

Yeah.

The pain keeps coming so stay hydrated....Ukraine is officially in a hurt locker from hell.