Royal Air Force says the Indian "story" about the SU-30MK vs. Typhoon is .... exaggerated!

via Forces TV

Sources from the RAF state, however, that Indian planes were being 'bedded in' to new terrain and effectively shown the ropes. The RAF were "introducing them to the airspace", putting the Typhoons up against the Sukhois in something more akin to a pigeon-shooting exercise, rather than a combat exercise, so the Indian pilots could get their bearings.
Once the IAF were comfortable flying in foreign air space the Large Force Exercises (LFEs) began and subsequently the RAF Typhoons proved more than a match for the Indian SU-30's.

Here.

Personally I'm not buying it.

I think we got it wrong.  We always thought that the Typhoon was the best European fighter.  I think maybe the Rafale actually is.  Additionally the Gripen E could probably fly rings around the Typhoon in a WVR fight.

The Typhoon a top 5 fighter?

Not from where I'm sitting.

Yemen: Hundreds of Saudi tanks roll out of Aden (vid)

2015 PLAN (Chinese Navy) Recruitment Video via Navy Recognition...

Why should you watch the PLAN recruitment video?  No, I'm not trying to get you to join their Navy....you should consider it an open source piece of information on how they view themselves while gaining a look at their weaponry.  Oh and thanks to Navy Recognition for the vid!

31st MEU/USS Ashland to Saipan on relief mission..photos by Mass Communications 3rd Class David A. Cox & Leah Eclavea

Interesting and refreshing.

We saw an attempt to perform this mission via MV-22 and from my chair it failed spectacularly.  You just can't move the amount of supplies needed by air...you need a ship and the manpower that the ship brings to really help those in need.

I'm glad to see that trend end.

What if air superiority is not achieved? How does the maneuver force protect itself from air attack?

Scenario.

The USMC has just landed on the beach at Country X.  The landing went off without a hitch and forces are moving inland.  The problem?  The enemy waited until the Marines went feet dry and now they're making a major push to sink every ship in the fleet.

Air superiority is just a dream.  Carriers and LHA/LHDs have moved further offshore to increase warning time for the seemingly endless antiship missiles that are being launched, and a whole gaggle of SU-30 appeared out of nowhere and are contesting any attempt to gain the initiative.

The landing force is on its own.  Additionally the enemy has numerous UAVs.  Some are even Kamikaze types that crash into US vehicles or troop positions once they're spotted.

So how does the force protect itself when the enemy air force has decided to put up a fight?

Other forces have figured it out....

German Gepard

Russian Tunguska M1

South Korean K30

Chinese ZBL09

With the proliferation of UAVs, cruise missiles and the such developing self propelled anti-air systems are a no brainer.  To expect large, relatively stationary setups to keep up with the maneuver force is asking too much.

Luckily the USMC is being presented with an opportunity.  The Amphibious Combat Vehicle is ready made to become a family of vehicles.  A self propelled anti-air system is a no brainer to be a part of that family (along with a mobile gun, recovery, ambulance, and 120mm mortar carrier).

The funding to make this happen MUST be insisted upon.  If he can't be budgeted normally than it should be included in unfunded priorities...and it should be done honestly....if Congress asks then despite what the Defense Sec says we should truthfully answer.

Our business is about to preservation of this country.  The politicians can worry about politics.

Weasel Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV)

Don't quite get this.  Sure the Weasel appears to be VERY mobile but I thought the Germans had the Fennek for recon work.

The Mighty Eurofighter Typhoon DOMINATED by Indian SU-30MKI?

Thanks to Slowman for the link!

via NDTV.com

The first week of the exercises pitted the Su-30, which NATO calls the Flanker, in a series of aerial dogfight scenarios. First, there were 1 v 1 encounters, where a single jet of each type engaged each other in Within Visual Range (WVR) combat, firing simulated missiles to a range of two miles. The exercises progressed to 2 v 2 engagements with two Eurofighters taking on two Su-30s and 2 v 1 exercises where two Sukhois took on a single Typhoon and vice versa. Notably, in the exercise where a lone Su-30 was engaged by two Typhoons, the IAF jet emerged the victor 'shooting' down both 'enemy' jets.
In all dog fighting exercises, IAF Sukhois were able to turn sharply into the extremely agile Typhoons using their thrust-vectored engines to keep the RAF jets locked in their sights. The Su-30's advanced Infrared Search and Track System (IRST), a passive sensor, which cannot be tracked, proved to be a distinct advantage for the IAF's pilots in close-combat maneuvering. Both the IAF and RAF used the full capabilities of their onboard radars, albeit in training mode, which meant that actual radar frequencies used in combat conditions were never exposed for confidentiality reasons. However, the detection ranges of the radars of both aircraft were not curtailed per se. This was air combat as close to the real thing as possible.

Here.

Uh.  Wow.

I've heard it said that the Typhoon is one of the best dogfighters flying for Western nations.

To see it get spanked so completely by the SU-30MKI is.....disappointing.  The Typhoon is not living up to the hype.

Maybe its a BVR fighter like the F-35?

General Neller is confirmed....and all is quiet....

via USNI News.

Neller, nominated last month, will become the 37th USMC commandant following the brief tenure of Gen. Joseph Dunford. Dunford has been approved by the Senate to replace outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey. Neller is currently commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and Marine Corps Forces Europe and is set to take over the commandant position next month.

Here.

Outside of some people in DC, I haven't heard much about the man....or much about him becoming Commandant of the Marine Corps.

All is quiet in Marine Land.

The churn in Marine Land at the upper reaches of the Corps is severe.  A Commandant that takes office for a little less than a year?  That's barely time to move all your "I love me" awards/gear into your office.  Now he's off to the JCS, Neller is taking his place and we're lining up to see a whole slew of retirements...some unplanned due to this deep selection.

The Corps is in flux.

Considering the world situation....this is a bad time to be flux.

Russia has superior jamming capability?

via Sputnik...

Top US and NATO officials have confirmed that Russia has extensive capabilities to shut down enemy communications.
Russia maintains an ability to destroy command-and-control networks by jamming radio communications, radars and GPS signals, according to Laurie Buckhout, former chief of the US Army's electronic warfare division.
In contrast with the US, Russia has large units dedicated to electronic warfare, known as EW, which it dedicates to ground electronic attack, jamming communications, radar and command-and-control nets, he added.

Here.

Isolated units or ships will be increasingly vulnerable.  Company Landing Teams, Distributed Operations and Independent Ship Operations are just asking to see our forces found, fixed and destroyed.....with backup arriving too late to help.

Even worse?  China is heading down the same road.  Electronic warfare is a major part of their ground forces...and its aimed at enemy ground forces.

China selling J-10's to Iran?

via National Interest.

China is reportedly prepared to sell Iran some of its J-10 multi-role fighter jets.
Over the last week, a number of sources have reported that China and Iran are finalizing an agreement for Beijing to sell Tehran the Chengdu J-10, which China exports under the name the F-10. The aircraft is called the Vigorous Dragon in the West.
Many of the reports trace back to DebkaFile, an Israeli military and intelligence site with questionable credibility. Last week, DebkaFile reported that China intends to sell Iran 150 J-10s. The story cited unnamed military and intelligence sources.

Uh wow.

Everyone looks at the SU-30 series of fighters in China's arsenal as the main short term threat but the J-10 to me has always been an overlooked wild card.  Everyone says that it has F-16 like performance but I doubt that.  I really get the impression (from what I've read) that it is much more formidable....but that's just my opinion.

Now Iran is about to get it?  I wonder what else they're going to buy....anti-ship missiles...advanced air to air missiles....armored vehicles.....Iran is about to make a generational leap ahead in military tech.