Open Comment Post. Nov 11, 2017

Spanish Army Leopard 2E's at exercise “Sudraba Bulta 2017” in Latvia...pics via Bmashina Tumblr Page.

21st Century Asian Arms Race Blog has a concise history of Israeli MBTs....

I don't know how accurate the history of Israeli MBTs on 21st Century Asian Arms Race Blog is, but I do know that at the very least its a good primer on the subject.  Check it out here.

Open Comment Post. Nov 10, 2017

Harrier Operations aboard USS Iwo Jima....Pics by Cpl. Jonathan Sosner

BTR-4E still in the running in Thailand according to Ukraine...

via Janes.

Ukraine’s state-owned defence exports and industry agency UkrOboronProm is continuing discussions with the Royal Thai Army (RTA) over the supply and local production of the 8x8 BTR-4E armoured personnel carrier (APC), Jane’s has learnt.

The BTR-4E and China’s 8x8 VN-1 APC, made by Norinco, were downselected to meet the RTA’s APC requirement earlier this year, with the Chinese product declared by the government in June as the preferred tenderer.

However, a contract between the RTA and Norinco has not yet been signed and a UkrOboronProm official stressed that the agency remains “actively engaged’ with the RTA about a potential order of the BTR-4E.

Hmm.  I just don't see the Ukrainian offering being able to match what the Chinese are in the VN-1.  That rig looks like a more modern design, seems to swim better and as far as weapon systems it looks like its almost plug and play.

It'll be fun to watch Thailand on this one.

Pickle Rick Fight Scenes

Pickle Rick.  If you don't know who he is then you better ask somebody!  My view?  The most powerful superhero introduced in the last 10 years.

Pickle Rick rocks!

242 years of motivation....Video by Lance Cpl. Gloria Lepko

Yeah cupcake.  You're getting shit like this all day.  Deal with it!

Happy Birthday Marines!

Happy birthday Marines!

Get drunk, get laid (no end of the bar uglies allowed) and get home safe ready to do the "Marine Thing" next week!

God Bless!

Interesting list but they left off the most important weapon in the Marine Corps arsenal...

Via National Interest.

In the event of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula, U.S. and South Korean forces will root and and destroy the regime of Kim Jong-un. The need to properly secure the country’s weapons of mass destruction will necessitate an invasion of North Korea, much of which will come by sea. Leading the way will be the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). Here are five USMC weapon systems necessary in Korean War II.

Story here. 

The list is kinda interesting but nothing spectacular.  It covers the basic Marine Corps standbys.

So why this post?

Because its probably my fault, maybe your fault, maybe our jaded view of things and the love of stuff that goes boom, but from my seat the most important vehicle in the Marine Corps wasn't covered and gets very little airtime on these or any other pages.

What's the system?

The MTVR!

Troop carrier, supply mule, primary weapons mover...the list goes on. The Marine Corps won't win unless these vehicles are up and doing their jobs.

Want to know what the new jeep has been for the last 20 years (at least in the Marines)?  Its the MTVR.  Oshkosh isn't properly promoting this vehicle cause it should be taking the world by storm.

Wildfire work?  Dial in the MTVR.  High water rescue? Not perfect but it can handle a fair bit.  Supply?  Every allied nation we have really should be in on this.

If we pushed vehicles the way we pushed planes we'd get more bang for the buck and commonality with allies on systems that count.

The MTVR is the real war winner.  Its just not sexy.