Omani military launched the Turkish "Pars x8 vehicle"

via Daily Sabah.

The Omani military launched the Turkish "Pars x8 vehicle" during an event on Tuesday at the Safrat Al Dooh' field, according to the Times of Oman.

Omani Army Commander Maj. Gen. Mattar bin Salim Al Balushi had launched the event that included an overview of the armored personnel carrier and a field demonstration of the vehicle's capabilities.

A Turkish defense company delivered the vehicles to the Omani military as part of an agreement signed in 2015, according to the report.

The selection of the Turkish-made military vehicle followed successful tests, including field tests during different weather conditions in Oman, it added.

Have any of these vehicles seen combat?  I can't think of a time I've ever seen them used operationally.  They aren't in Yemen are they?

Brahmos anti-ship cruise missile successfully air launched from fighter....+ do we need a medium bomber?

via New Indian Express.

World’s fastest supersonic cruise missile BrahMos created another history on Wednesday. With advanced seeker software, the high speed missile was successfully flight-tested first time from the Indian Air Force’s frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI.

Defence sources said the missile was fired against a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal off Paradip and Puri coasts during noon hours. The missile was gravity dropped from the fuselage of Su-30 aircraft.

“The two-stage missile’s engine fired up and straightway propelled towards the intended target at the sea. It was a spectacular success. We are extremely happy with the performance of the formidable weapon system,” said a defence official from New Delhi.

The Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) BrahMos weighing around 2.5 tonne is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on Indian fighter aircraft modified by HAL to carry the weapon.

Congrats to India on the success of this weapon system.

It does raise an interesting point though.  Ya know how Light Tanks are making a comeback?  Ya know how we're suddenly thinking about naval guns instead of trying to plug missiles into every mission set for fire support?

I just wonder, considering the size of this missile (and others that will be coming online in the near future) if there isn't a place for medium bombers again?

A modern B-47 with speed, range and endurance would be a welcome relief for our overused tactical fighters.

When the USAF reorganized and did away with the Strategic Air Command I believe they made a mistake.  Using fighters for every mission isn't smart or cost effective or efficient.

We need a new medium bomber.  Oh and hopefully without all the bells and whistles.  Ford Truck instead of Rolls Royce.

Lieutenant General Mark Poffley, deputy chief of the UK defence staff, says cuts in the F-35 a reality of the world we live in...

via FT.com

One of the UK’s most senior military chiefs has suggested that Britain may cut the number of F-35 combat jets it buys in the future as pressure grows on its defence budget.

Despite a commitment to buy 138 F-35B Lightning II fighter jets from the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, Lieutenant General Mark Poffley, deputy chief of the UK defence staff, told MPs on Tuesday that he was “sympathetic” to the idea that the overall number could eventually fall.

“That’s the reality of the world we are living in,” added Lt Gn Poffley.
Earlier Stephen Lovegrove, the most senior civil servant at the Ministry of Defence, revealed that the cost of an initial tranche of 48 F-35s could rise from £9.1bn in 2025 to £13bn in 2048.

Story here.

These aren't just trial balloons.  This is the plan.  Since we had MP's come on the record stating that they would not tolerate any more cuts to the Royal Marines and amphibious forces, the stage has been set for drastic cuts to the F-35.

One news article compared the fate of the F-35 to what was seen with the Type 45 Destroyer.  They wanted 12 but bought half that number.  Reportedly that's what's being talked about behind closed doors with the F-35...a buy of less than half the programmed number.

The stark reality for the F-35 fan base, Lockheed Martin and the Program Office?  That first tranche of 48 might be all the Brits can afford.

Conyers must resign, Moore must not be elected but Franken is good to go?

via Roll Call.

The most widely read print and digital media outlet in Michigan has called for hometown Rep. John Conyers Jr. to resign.

“John Conyers Jr. must go — after 53 years in Congress, after a stellar career of fighting for equality, after contributing so much to southeast Michigan and the nation,” the Detroit Free Press editorialized Tuesday.

The Detroit-based Democrat first took his seat in Congress during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency smack in the middle of the civil rights era in 1965. He is the longest-serving among active federal lawmakers.

Conyers, 88, is the latest member of Congress to fall under public scrutiny for sexual misbehavior after documents from a 2015 settlement with a former staffer over sexual harassment complaints surfaced this week.

Story here. 

Let me get this out front.  I do believe Conyers should have exited stage left along time ago.  From reports I've read it's quite obvious that the guy is just a figurehead and his staff picks his positions for him...early onset is real!  But ignoring my personal view of the guy, this is what we're left with.

Based on allegation they're asking for Conyers to resign?

Based on allegations they're saying Moore must not be elected?

Based on allegations and an admission Franken is ok and should stay?

The Moore thing is obviously a political hit job.  Additionally its obvious that the calls for Conyers to resign are based on the planners in the Dem party attempting to reorient the discussion to clear space for their plan to put in place younger politicians to appeal to younger voters.

What remains to be seen is how they handle the rest of the old bulls on the Democrat side that are past their sell date.  I'm talking about Pelosi, Hoyer and Lewis.

One thing I was wrong about.  I thought that this would burn itself out once Franken was tagged.  I underestimated their determination to steal a seat in the South.

Conyers will not only provide space for a younger politician but he'll also allow the Dems to claim the high ground.  They'll be able to say that they forced a Congressman to resign over allegations and Republicans elected an accused pedophile.

Of course that leaves the issue with Pelosi, Hoyer and Lewis.  I think the powers that be (read that to mean rich donors) will have a come to Jesus meeting and for the good of the party they will simply not run for re-election while bragging about the tremendous unity in the Democrat party.

I need to be a bit politically incorrect now so bear with me.

These are all highly educated, accomplished public officials.  If they're having trouble dealing with the opposite sex then was it so crazy for those of us to raise alarm bells on how we would integrate women into combat arms?

It's just a question so don't kill the messenger....just tell me where I'm wrong.

CCTV - Army overview. Mandarin speaker needed!

Ok. They had a few guys on this speaking rather energetically. WTF were they saying?

Pacific Fleet is snake bit. C-2 Greyhound crashes.

via RealClear Defense.

TOKYO (AP) — A plane carrying 11 crew and passengers crashed into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday while on the way to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, the Navy said.

Eight of the people on board have been found, Japan’s defense minister told reporters, but it was unclear whether they were alive. The Defense Ministry said it had no information on their condition.

Story here. 

The force is strained.  The Combatant Commander concept that Bush Jr pushed has failed miserably...how they could let CC's continue to demand forces at a clip that is higher than wartime is beyond me but the kingdoms have been built and it'll take Congressional action to put them back in their cages now. 

But worse?

People are tired.  They're tired of what they see as being bullshit social experimentation, bullshit deployments, bullshit work and I'm not sure but I would guess that many are tired of walking on eggshells in and out of uniform.

The military will do an investigation into the cause of this accident.  They will propose new measures to correct either a deficiency on the part of the pilot or the machine.

They will NOT take a global look at the force.

They can't.

If they did then they'd realize that the real problem is the way that they're doing business.  They would finally realize that their concepts of operations is wearing out machines and killing people.

British Committee Members told price of F-35 impossible to predict and numbers may be cut...

via Telegraph.co.uk

Rising costs may force the Ministry of Defence to cut its planned order of 138 stealth jets, officials have suggested for the first time.

MPs on the Commons defence committee heard it was impossible to accurately forecast the costs of the F-35 programme. As costs become clearer as they enter service, the MoD would “make adjustments in our programme accordingly”.

Story here. 

Interesting isn't it.  It took a tier 1 partner to finally admit the truth that we've been screaming about on these pages for months.

All that talk of declining cost of the F-35 was just accounting gimmicks.

The truth is much more stark for our allies that have to sell the plane to their respective govts.

The total cost of the F-35 can't be masked...and the plane remains far from cheap.

I can't wait to hear from the fanboys on this one.  They always appeal to authority by saying that we should trust all the govts, pilots and ministry's of defense that say the plane is golden.

What will they say now that a Ministry of Defense says that the cost of the airplane is impossible to predict and that they may cut the numbers bought?

Wow. The hug that Assad gave Putin shows nothing but gratitude...

The story about Assad going to visit Putin is here.

But that isn't what I want to talk about.  Do you see that hug?  That is nothing but gratitude.  Assad seems to know that if not for the Russians he would be hung on a cross with his head at his feet.

But let's put that aside for a minute.

Think about all the work the US has been doing worldwide.  From Iraq to Afghanistan to Africa and onto Japan, S. Korea and other Pacific nations.

Do we get that same amount of thanks?

We have troops in Europe with the mission of "reassuring" them and deterring aggression.  Only in the Eastern European nations do we see the welcome mat out.  Okinawa is a unique situation but look at the troops in S. Korea.  Are they welcomed? 

The only place that I can think of where US troops are welcomed without complaint is Australia.

You want to study international relations/military/diplomacy?  Study what the Russians did in Syria to get this kind of reaction.  When we have allies that are as grateful as Assad then we know we're on the right track.

Open Comment Post. Nov 21, 2017

Mugabe being asked to resign instead of being dragged out to the bush and shot? This is a weird coup....

via Newsday.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has agreed to stand down after 37 years in power, CNN reported on Monday, after he avoided any mention of resignation in a rambling national address on Sunday night.

A resignation letter has now been drafted, CNN said, citing sources familiar with his negotiations with the generals who seized power in Harare last week.

Under the terms of the deal, Mugabe and his wife Grace would be granted full immunity, CNN said.

Pressure was now mounting from all sides on the 93-year-old, the only leader Zimbabwe has known since its independence in 1980, to swiftly end the confusion that has gripped the country since the de facto coup last Wednesday.

Mugabe stunned Zimbabweans in a rambling late night Sunday television address by avoiding any mention of resignation, pledging instead to preside over a congress next month of ZANU-PF, which had sacked him as its leader only hours earlier.

Story here. 

This is the weirdest coup I've ever seen in my life.  Are you noticing the "legalize" they're attempting to apply to this thing?  Do you notice how gentle they are being with this guy?

Full immunity?

That's just not how real coups work.  In my look back on history the way these things work is that the military storms the president's residence, the equivalent of our congress, the media and other important sites...and the former president/ruler/dictator is taken out to the bush, shot in the head and fed to the hyenas.

There is no doubt about this.

China is making their first power play in Africa and they're being careful in how they do it so they won't alarm any other African nations.

I'm actually impressed.

This is a classic Sun Tzu type takeover.  None of their troops were involved, their monetary interests are preserved, the other countries in the region are able to read between the lines and know not to jack with them...and they get to handpick the next leader of the country.

I'm beyond impressed.  I'm jealous.  I hope we're taking notes.  This is how you work in Africa...not with USMC Marine Expeditionary Unit, a brigade from the 82nd or an Army Ranger Battalion...you go low key, low risk and low effort.