USMC pilot flies CH-53K

via Marines.mil

t. Col. Jonathan Morel became the first U.S. Marine to fly the Corps’ CH-53K helicopter Dec. 18, 2015 at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation's Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Morel, a test pilot with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21, and former Weapons and Tactics Instructor with HMH-466 “Wolfpack”, took off in Engineering Development Model 1 at 10:30 a.m. to conduct direct mode mechanical stability and hover flight control response data collection.
The flight test ran for 1.5 hours and now marks the sixth flight for the CH-53K.
“The aircraft flew very close to the way the simulators and engineers predicted it would,” said Morel. “The aircraft was quite stable and handled very predictably. You can feel the huge amount of power and overall, it definitely felt like a 53. Marines are going to love to fly this aircraft.”
The King Stallion entered flight test phase on Oct. 27, 2015.

“This flight brings us to 8.2 hours on the first test aircraft, and our second test aircraft is almost ready to start flying," said Col. Hank Vanderborght a U.S. Marine Corps program manager for the heavy lift helicopter program. "The program remains on track for initial operational capability in 2019.”
The CH-53K is the Marine Corps' new build, heavy lift replacement for the CH-53E, which will transport Marines, heavy equipment and supplies during ship-to-shore movement in support of amphibious assault and subsequent operations ashore. The CH-53K will be one of the key enablers of future joint war-fighting concepts by drastically expanding the fleet's logistical throughput through the joint area of responsibility. Using proven and matured technologies, the King Stallion is designed to lift a 27,000 pound external load at a mission radius of 110 nautical miles in Navy high/hot environments – three times the CH-53E lift capability.

And this is why the USMC won't see an AAV replacement till 2030 and beyond.

Aviation is EATING THE ENTIRE FUCKING BUDGET!

Fucking amazing.  F-35, more MV-22, AH-1Z/UH-1Y, and then of course the CH-53K.  Someone really needs to write a book on how aviation suddenly consumed the Marine Corps at the expense of everything else.

Brazil set to buy upgraded AAVs from BAE.

via Press Release.

BAE Systems has been awarded an $82 million contract to modernize and deliver 23 upgraded Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAV7A1) for the Brazilian Marine Corps.
The vehicles, which will be the Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability/Rebuild to Standard (RAM/RS) variant, will significantly enhance the current capabilities of the Brazilian Marine Corps.
“These new vehicles will have major capability enhancements, which will give the Brazilian military an amphibious vehicle with improved speed and reliability beyond the current configuration,” said Deepak Bazaz, director of new and amphibious vehicles at BAE Systems. “We have a strong track record of supporting the Brazilian military and will continue that close working relationship throughout this program.”
Under the terms of the contract, BAE Systems will provide 23 AAV7A1 RAM/RS vehicles and supply all tools and test equipment to support vehicle maintenance. The company will also provide an initial sustainment capability to the Brazilian Marine Corps to include spare parts and field service support, as well as training for the vehicle users.
The AAV7A1 RAM/RS variant provides a more powerful engine and drive train, as well as an upgraded suspension system, allowing the vehicles to meet or exceed original AAV7A1 performance requirements. The RAM/RS variant also provides improved mobility and repair capabilities while transporting troops and cargo from ships.

Work on the contract will take place at BAE Systems’ York, Pennsylvania facility. Production is anticipated to start in June with vehicle deliveries beginning in February 2017. Final delivery to Brazil is expected to take place by the end of 2017, when the training and support for these vehicles will begin.
“BAE Systems has served the Brazilian military for more than 15 years and is also working on other vehicle enhancement programs here, such as the Brazilian Army’s upgrade of its M113B vehicles to the M113A2 Mk1 configuration,” said Marco Caffe, the company’s general manager for Brazil. “In the fall of 2015, we completed our 150th M113 upgrade.”

Extremely interesting.  The Brazilians were suppose to be developing a 8x8 version of the Guarani.  I assumed that would be their next gen AAV replacement.  I was wrong.  Wonder whats going on with that concept?  Is it turning out to be too expensive and/or are they shelving it?

Operation Inherent Resolve Strike Update 21 Dec 2015

December 21, 2015

Release # 20151221-01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA- On Dec. 20, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted three strikes using ground-attack and remotely piloted aircraft. In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, fighter, bomber, ground-attack, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

The following is a summary of the strikes conducted against ISIL since the last press release:

Syria

• Near Mar’a, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL staging area and an ISIL mortar system.

• Near Ayn Isa, one strike destroyed an ISIL road obstacle and an ISIL improvised explosive device (IED).

Iraq

• Near Bayji, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL RPG, an ISIL heavy machine gun, seven ISIL vehicles, two ISIL caches, and an ISIL fighting position.

• Near Mosul, six strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL weapons storage facility, and an ISIL weapons cache and destroyed two ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL mortar tube, three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL checkpoint, two ISIL vehicles, and suppressed an ISIL light machine gun.

• Near Ramadi, four strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed eight ISIL buildings, eight ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL staging area, an ISIL command and control node, an ISIL tactical vehicle, three ISIL heavy machine guns, and denied ISIL access to terrain.

Additionally, there was an additional strike from Dec. 19 that was not included on the Dec. 20 strike release:

• Near Ar Raqqah, one strike struck five ISIL gas and oil separation points and two ISIL crude oil collection points.

J-16 with wingtip jamming pods via Alert 5.

The above screen capture shows the J-16 with jamming pods...who is this aimed at.  Is it to degrade the radars of stealth fighters?  Are they worried about Growlers?

The theory behind them is what I find interesting.

Ideas are welcomed.

French Rafales may conduct combat ops from US carriers...via Navy Recognition.

via NR

French Navy (Marine Nationale) Rafale M carrier-based multirole fighters may conduct combat missions against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria from a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier as soon as January 2017. The information comes from French TV channel TF1 (video in French). According to TF1 this subject was discussed between US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and French Navy Rear Adm. Rene-Jean Crignola, Commander Task Force (CTF) 50.

This cross decking is the most insane, stupid, asinine, useless, misguided, moronic idea that I've heard of in a long time.

What is the utility, the combat effectiveness, the benefit for the war effort that this represents?

You can't name one!

USMC MV-22's operating from Brit carriers is pathetic!  We have a ship tied up dockside to support F-35 testing and complain that we don't have enough amphibs?  We're killing our forces with an artificially high ops tempo pushed by a combatant command cadre that is out of control with its request for forces!

Lastly there are more than enough available land bases for French aircraft to fly from.

The Pentagon is so locked into courses of actions/concepts that they don't realize that they're silly.

Germany looking at a Panavia Tornado replacement...

Now this is interesting...via Reuters...

Germany plans to develop a new fighter jet to replace Tornado jets in the long term and it aims to hold initial talks with European partners in 2016 about what features they want in the aircraft, according to a document seen by Reuters on Sunday.
A draft document from the Defence Ministry on 'military aviation strategy' said it was still unclear whether the new jet would be manned or unmanned. It said it was also possible that the jet would be designed for both options and then be flown with or without a pilot depending on the type of deployment.
As it would be a European project, it is likely that one or more European companies would be chosen to develop the jet. The Tornado jet, which Germany has been using since 1981 - although it now also has the newer Eurofighter jet - was also made in an international consortium called Panavia.
At the same time, Germany's armed forces are looking into whether it would be possible to extend usage of the Tornado jets into the mid-2030s, the paper said.
The Tornado jets had been due to be phased out in the mid-2020s.
A spokesman for the Defence Ministry said the document had not yet been agreed with the other ministries so he could not comment on it.

 Hmm.  So the Germans are looking to replace their vaunted strike fighters.  This makes a decision to proceed with the F-35 even more iffy.  Everyone says that we're living in a "1930's" type timeframe.

I strongly agree.

I don't think people are taking it to its logical conclusion.  During the 1930's we saw the tank evolve to become a battlefield monster.  Airplanes lost a wing, were being made of metal instead of canvas and on the high seas we saw the demise of the battleship and the rise of the carrier.

I think we're on the verge of something similar.

So the Germans waiting till now to see where the "future" leads is probably smart.  I'm guessing that stealth will take a back seat to speed, height (we're probably headed toward a suborbital, or close, type flight profile for bombers and recon  planes) and electronic warfare/cyber warfare to change aerial warfare as we know it.  On the ground I see armored fighting vehicles with three crewmen, autoloaders, advanced trophy anti-missile type systems, possibly even lasers replacing MBT's as we know them with a serious reduction in size and weight.

The most interesting part of this though is that the Germans/Europeans will be building an airplane to compete with the F-35 during its proposed production run.  The F-35 won't be the only game in town.  It will have competition from friends, frenemies (Russia) and enemies (China).

Blast from the past & future threat. USS Torsk Photo Album.

Bow view of USS Forrestal CV-59 taken through Torsk's periscope

Starboard side view of USS Forrestal CV-59 taken through Torsk's periscope

Details from Captain Edwards:

"The pictures were taken during a Med deployment in the Fall of '63 or Spring of '64.

Torsk was opposing a transit of a large task force. The carrier CO and the Screen 

Commander insisted no green flares (simulated torpedo firing) were sighted and no screen

penetration had taken place. When I produced the photos, both just about wet their pants.

Fred."

Pretty impressive feat by the crew of the USS Torsk.  But if you think that something like this couldn't happen today you'd be wrong.  We have all heard the stories about Russians, N. Koreans and allied subs of all types getting to within torpedo distance of our carriers sailing in the middle of a so called "protective screen".  Now you can add the Chinese to the list of people that are practicing destroying our carriers. via News Max...

The Free Beacon notes that although the incident occurred during the weekend of Oct. 24, the Obama administration has kept the details of submarine targeting under wraps "to avoid upsetting military relations between the Pentagon and the People's Liberation Army."
Although Adm. Harry Harris, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, did not deny that the incident occurred, when asked via email about it, he side-swiped the question stating, "I have nothing for you."
"I cannot discuss submarine operations, reports of submarine operations, or rumors of submarine operations," added Pacific Command spokesman Capt. Darryn James. "I can tell you that we are completely confident in the effectiveness and capabilities of the ships and aircraft of the forward-deployed naval force."

Unfortunately Capt James is full of shit.  The US military needs a back to basics movement.  The past threats are now the present and future problems.

The Strength of the Pack is the Wolf...The Strength of the Wolf is the pack!

The X-47 will do everything the Navy says the F-35 will do....only better....

I read the AOL Breaking Defense article/interview with RADM Manazir with great interest.  The fawning over what the Marine Corps will bring with the Amphibious fleet wasn't  interesting.  What caught my interest was his description of what the F-35 will bring.  Check this out...

“We are doing what Bayesian theory talks about, namely we are providing more and more information to get closer to the truth in targeting or combat situation. One can reduce that fog of war by increased understanding of what actual truth is; [then] you’re going to have better effects,” said Manazir. “This is why the technology that the F-35 brings to the fight is so crucial.”
“With the fifth generation aircraft and their sensors and fused data, you can cover a much greater swath of combat space than with legacy aircraft, and as we sort through how to integrate unmanned systems with F-35s, we will be able in a single operational unit to cover significant combat space,” Manazir said. “You are looking at exponential growth in coverage capabilities to inform the process of generating the combat effects, which you want in that extended battlespace, and the growth in the ability to generate better target information will allow us to execute strikes within our rules of engagement.”
“With Block 3F software in the airplane, we will have data fusion where you transform data information to knowledge enabling greater wisdom about the combat situation,” he continued. “The processing machines in the F-35 provide enough of the fusion so that the pilot can now add his piece to the effort. This enables the ships to enhance their ability to operate in the networks and to engage with the air fleet in dynamic targeting at much greater distance.”

And that's the rub ladies and gents.

We've missed the forest for the trees.  The US Navy's biggest boosters of the F-35 aren't talking about it as a warplane.  They aren't talking strike or fleet defense.

They're talking about a stealthy ISR platform...

In that role the X-47 will perform the same role....only better than the F-35 ever could.  Not only will its sensor be better, but it will be longer ranged and provide more persistence for the fleet.

Why I haven't hit on this earlier is beyond me, but there you have it.  But the bigger thing is that the USAF and Marine Corps are doing the same thing.  They aren't talking about the airplane as a fighter, deep strike/interdiction platform or as a close support airplane.

They're talking about it performing as a stealthy, manned UAV (you get the point don't be smart asses) type airplane.

So the question now becomes simple and stark for our allies.  If the F-35's biggest and probably only strength is as a sensor node, then how will it perform for those nations that do need strikers, close air support, fleet defense or air superiority airplanes?

Has Poland lost its fucking mind? They conducted a raid on a NATO intel center!

via Daily Beast

On Friday morning Poland awoke to reports of a nighttime raid on a NATO-linked training center on Polish soil. Yet the perpetrator was not a hostile foreign power, but rather Poland’s own defense ministry, led by new minister Antoni Macierewicz.
The move, which aimed to replace officials appointed by the previous government, is part of Poland’s new right-wing Law and Justice government’s attempt to consolidate its hold over Poland’s defense and security apparatus. One of its first moves after taking office in mid-November was to replace the heads of the intelligence services.

At 1.30 am on Friday morning, defense ministry officials and military police entered the temporary premises of the Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Warsaw, the Polish capital. (It will ultimately be based in Kraków, a city in southern Poland.) According to liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza, they had a copy of the key. The raid ended with the removal of officials appointed by the previous government, including the Center of Excellence’s head, Col. Krzysztof Dusza. Later that day, the ministry of defense announced on its website that a new acting director, Col. Robert Bala, had been appointed.
"This is probably the first time in NATO's history that an alliance member has attacked a NATO facility", said Tomasz Siemoniak, the previous defense minister, who held the job until the centrist Civic Platform party lost parliamentary elections in October to the right-wing Law and Justice Party.

I'm sure Galvars will help us make sense of this but on the surface it looks like the Poles have lost their fucking minds.

Quite honestly I heard about this earlier in the week but the only source was Sputnik....pound sand critics of all sources of news!

Regardless.  The point is clear.  NATO is no longer viable as a military force.  It is more a political than military instrument.  Its time to shutter it.  The overhead alone makes it unaffordable and the illusion it creates of united defense is now making us weaker---not stronger.