More pics of the Chinese-Russian Amphibious Exercise via Sputnik...

Note:  As much as I bitch about China "drinking our milkshake" we do have to give them credit for one thing.  We've asked them to be more open with regard to military capabilities and they are.  Interesting.  When they were weak we couldn't see a thing.  Now that they're stronger they're lifting their skirt for everyone to take a peek.

Swift Response 2015 (Airborne Exercise-Europe) Pics...

I'm not going to be keeping track of this one so if you want more then click here to take you to the event's website.

Crazy Fact of the Day....Republic of Korea has a bigger army than the USA.

The discussion about Korea possibly sliding into war has been interesting.  Slowman, a long time reader, made a statement that stopped me cold in my tracks....

It is still a Cold War going on over there. Where on earth do you find a country of 23 million with 1 million man army, 10,000 artillery, 7,000 MLRS, 800 fighter jets, and 80 submarines? The opposing side, the ROK, has the biggest army of the free world, yes, the ROK Army is officially bigger than the US Army as of past couple months, and is accounted to have more firepower than the Imperial Japanese Army of the WW2 era. A war between two such military powers will create a level of destruction not seen since the Soviet-Nazi war.

I did a quick check and from what I could find it appears to be true.

Ain't that a kick in the pants.  S. Korea.  A small country.  A country with fewer worldwide interests than we do, has a larger army.

Ain't that a kick in the pants!

Sidenote:  I stand ready to be corrected on this but if this is true then we're seeing almost criminal malfeasance.  This is unsat!  How can we at this time of worldwide unrest downsize our forces to this extent?  Oh and the numbers from the US Army & ROK Army Wiki pages give good numbers.  Check them out for yourself here and here.

Are you really against the death penalty?

via CNN

Vincent realized the suspect's vehicle matched the description of a truck whose driver had reportedly been driving recklessly. He started talking to Daigle, who appeared to be impaired and was alone in the truck, Edmonson said.
According to police, Daigle opened the truck's door and came out with the shotgun.
"You could hear him breathing, telling him, 'You're lucky. You're lucky. You're going to die soon.' That's the words that came out of his mouth," said Edmonson, who said he listened to a recording of the interaction.
The suspect tried to flee the scene, but other motorists wrestled a shotgun from him and detained him with the trooper's handcuffs, Edmonson said.

Video and story here.

Everytime I hear about people protesting the death penalty I wonder if they ever consider the victims.

Do they think about the suffering of the victim and later their families?  Is it even on their radar?

Don't get it twisted.  If evidence can be found that exonerates a person then that's fine..I don't even mind giving at least a decade to allow time for that evidence to be produced before an execution is carried out.  I'm well aware of the history and that before DNA many people were accused that had nothing to do with the atrocity.

That was then, this is now.

In a case like this one....where a State Trooper makes a stop, is simply doing his job, and in the course of events is murdered....are you really against the death penalty?

Breaking! Is Korea headed to war while we all watch the market?

via Bantay Spratly

BREAKING NEWS! North Korea forward deploys amphibious landing crafts carrying special forces
North Korea has deployed amphibious landing crafts carrying special forces to the frontline as the country keeps up its tight combat readiness despite on-going inter-Korean talks to defuse military tension, military sources said Monday.
About 10 North Korean air-cushioned landing crafts have left their home base in Cholsan, North Pyongan Province, and come forward to a naval base, located about 60 kilometers north of the Northern Limit Line, the de facto inter-Korean border in the Yellow Sea, the sources said.
“Since North Korea declared a semi-war state, its invasion vehicles and forces have been actively moving,” one of the sources said.
More than 50 North Korean submarines are also apparently away from their bases for operations, a sign that the North is gearing up for combat while participating in high-level talks aimed at easing tension, an official here said.
“Seventy percent of North Korea’s submarines left their bases, and their locations are not confirmed,” the South Korean military official told reporters.
The North is known to have around 70 submarines.
The unpredictable communist nation has also doubled the number of its artillery troops on the border, with the command to be combat ready, according to the official.

What aren't we being told?

If this is true then shit is getting real.  I bet the boys on Okinawa are having a real busy day.

T-50 graphic via Sputnik

Story on advanced Russian short range missile here.

Royal Marines looking for a BV206 replacement...

Thanks to Jonathan for the link!

BvS-210 Viking...Royal Marine All Terrain Vehicle.

via Defense News.

"The key user requirements are still to be formally agreed and are not yet ready for public release," he said.
Some details of the requirement could start to emerge at a stakeholder day planned to take place on the sidelines of the DSEi defense exhibition, which opens in London Sept 15.
The MoD spokesman did say though that the British would likely opt to retain a two-unit configuration for its future all-terrain vehicle.
"The most likely solution is a two-car variant. The new capability needs to interface with in-service equipment such as the landing platform dock and landing craft utility Mk10," he said.

More here.

I don't quite get the Brit affection for these vehicles or the configuration.

Oil crash fallout? How about Venezuela imploding!

A little birdy told me that we should keep our eyes on Venezuela.

Why?

The main reason is because oil is crashing and they need prices high to keep their socialist govt afloat.  It wasn't clear if they're expecting rioting, a civil war or a mass migration of refugees to the US but I've been told that the State Dept is putting together humanitarian assistance if and when that country implodes.

Is Southern Command monitoring the situation and assembling forces behind the scenes?  Don't know.  I will ask though.

1st Battalion 4th Marines, Charlie Co. Air Assault Course

Note:  I like to give the photograhers credit for their photos but I'm following this unit on their facebook page and it's not listed.

2015 Fuji Firepower Display

Note:  This is always a good show.  If you haven't seen it in person then you need to put it on your bucket list.  Not shown in the pics?  The USMC flew a MV-22 out to the show and their was a display of the "new" Japanese AAVs.