Is Syria about to fall?

William has been sending me some articles on what's going on inside Syria and they all add up to one thing.

ISIS is on the move, the Syrians are losing ground at a rapid clip and from my arm chair it looks like the regime is about to fall.

If I'm right then we're looking at the regional war I've been worried about.  Hezbollah has already been engaging in firefights with ISIS, Israel won't sit this one out, Jordan will be fighting both refugees and ISIS, Kuwait will wig out, Saudi Arabia will be demanding a couple divisions of troops....and the Iranians will be filled with glee at all the carnage.

This summer is going to be bloody.  We haven't seen slaughter like we will see if the Syrian Regime falls.  Are you ready for YouTube videos where thousands of people simultaneously get their throats slit?

Out of control doesn't begin to tell the story of the administration's failed foreign policy.

US Army is wrong in its approach to participation in Air-Sea Battle.

Everytime you turn around you see Army helicopters landing on Navy ships.  Not the cargo carrying CH-47's but instead the AH-64's.  What's even more amazing is that they're not attempting to utilize "non" standard platforms but are instead trying to crowd aboard Navy Amphibious Ships.

The Army is dazed, confused and wrong in their approach to playing a part in Air-Sea Battle.

Why do I say that?

Easy.  Flight deck space is limited.  Army helicopters aren't optimized to operate aboard ship, and if Army Apache's are included in the manifest then that means more capable attack helicopters (AH-1Z) will be left on the beach.

Ok, then why is the Army taking this approach?

I blame it on the British!  Hear me out before you call me a madman.  The Royal Marines have a very small air wing.  Quite honestly its almost non-existant.  They supplement this lack by including British Army helicopters aboard ship.  I believe that the US Army saw that example and is doing its best to copy it.

But that's not what I believe we'll need in the future.

The Marine Corps (in my opinion) will have EXCESS airpower....add in Navy assets (the Navy MH-60's are getting real good with that EFSS system and they're hanging hellfires, cannons and extra fuel like its cool) and providing heliborne firepower, transport and cargo carrying is just not a need.

Ideally what the US Army would provide is the traditional heavy punch to landing operations.  Taking it a step further they should consider either modifying Strykers for Pacific ops to float, or to buy an allotment of Amphibious Combat Vehicles.  Additionally deep fording kits for M1 Abrams, and other non-floating Army vehicles that are assigned to the Pacific theater should be purchased.

Finally instead of pushing Army aviation aboard ship they should push Stryker Brigades and Airborne units out to participate in exercises with the Marine Corps.  Send liaison teams (much like SOCOM is doing) so that these units can plug into a Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) with minimum fuss.

And then the Army must be willing to experiment.

Can they fire MLRS from Army landing craft?  How about tying in a Patriot battery to an Aegis Destroyer operating in the area?  What about using info sent from an E-2D and becoming a part of the defense of a carrier or even taking that Senator's advice and buying land based, long range anti-ship missiles to do a modern day "Defense Battalion" setup with integrated Patriot and Anti-ship missiles instead of anti-air artillery pieces of old?

The Army has a role to play in the Pacific, but its not by duplicating strengths and capabilities the USMC already has...Its by making up deficiencies.

FNSS - ACV 30 Self-Propelled Anti-Air Vehicle

Why China will not become the dominant power in Asia...must see video...

Many thanks to the Rifleman Next Door for the vid...



This is a must see vid!

Personally I found Professor Lee's (he spoke about China's internal issues...Professor Dibb discussed its military side...sorry but I wasn't persuaded by Dibb's arguments...Capt Fernell is much more persuasive) presentation to be eye opening.

It jives with what I've heard from buddies that are players in the market.  They're not bearish on China...yet...but they're getting nervous.

I have to wonder.  The United States and the West seems to have turned to economic warfare as a other than kinetic warfare method to solve problems.

Is that what the Trans Pacific Partnership really all about?  Is it an attempt to bottle China and to cause what many people see as China's looming economic collapse?

Regardless.  Do yourself a favor and make sure you listen to Professor Lee and then the question and answer period.

Fighting intensifies in Ukraine.

via Ukraine Today.

Fighting has intensified around Donetsk airport, with Russian-backed militants moving armored vehicles up to the line of contact, according to a statement made on Wednesday by Ukrainian Presidential Administration spokesman Andriy Lysenko.
The situation in the area of Horlivkawas not calm either, according to Lysenko. The sound of firing was heard in its western, northern and eastern suburbs.
There are also reports of tanks and 152-mm artillery shells being used by the militants to the east and west of Svetlodarsk water reservoir.

First a question.

Why can sanctions work so effectively against Russian but they're useless against Iran?

Ok, now that that's out of the way, this was as predictable as spring showers.  I hope the Ukrainian people are ready for the drama.  They're caught in the middle and will suffer because of it.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) - vid

HMS Ocean at Exercise BALTOPS

This majestic ship will be missed by the Brits.  My prediction?  They will talk glowingly about the Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers but will consider them inferior to the rugged simplicity, affordability and practicality of the HMS Ocean.

Defence Technology Review - June Issue.

Defence Technology Review's June issue is out and as usual it's a must read. The coverage of Offshore Patrol Vessels was eye opening for me and I think you should give it a look see (here).

Question.

What is the best OPV in production today?  The Chinese monster they just inducted into their Coast Guard?  The Blohm+Voss Meko OPV?  The poorly conceived LCS/re-classed Frigate?

Personally I'm partial to the Navantia BAM OPV.  Its sized correctly, armed sufficiently, has the capability to handle aircraft AND its a proven, affordable design.

What say you?

F-35. I'm coming for you!

I just got word that this thing with the F-35 is reaching critical mass.  A well placed source has indicted to me that despite public pronouncements that there is lingering doubts in the highest reaches of the Marine Corps about the AFFORDABILITY of the plane!

Replace Murdoch for F-35 and you get the picture.

F-35.  I'm coming for you!

Sidenote:  Keep an eye on the budgets.  That's the key.  The USN is in a serious hurt locker.  They need to build not only new carriers, new amphibs, command and control ships, new tankers, new prepositioning ships and new mobile landing platforms/afloat forward staging bases, but they MUST build new subs to maintain our nuclear deterrence.  Simply put, the USN won't be able to afford half this stuff unless there is a major budget increase...and that doesn't look likely.  The USMC is in the same pinch.  They're trying to buy the F-35 while at the same time getting the CH-53K going, buying the JLTV, upgrading the AAV and getting the ACV going.  Its just too much.  THE BUDGET IS THE BACK BREAKER AND THE DEATH SPIRAL IS INEVITABLE!  All the announcements are simply propaganda.  Its bullshit and the Pentagon knows it!

24th MEU...Sweating thru your Chucks!

Note:  These are the days that you're silently cursing the CO for a dog and pony up on deck AND you get a new appreciation for Navy AC!