Amid Shortfalls, Most USMC Requests for Ship Training Denied Last Year

via Military.com

A report released by the Government Accountability Office this fall finds the Navy and Marine Corps are falling short in adequate and consistent training for amphibious missions, with stateside units often missing out as next-to-deploy units get precious shipboard training time.

The report does fault the services for not doing enough to maximize virtual training and experimentation, but it also points out that a dearth of available amphibious ships are putting a strain on the force.

Story here. 

Wow.  This is mighty convenient.

US Marines onboard French Amphibs for a deployment?

via Naval Today

A French Navy amphibious task group got underway from the Toulon naval base on Wednesday, November 21, for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean.

Composed of Mistral-class amphibious assault ship LHD FS Tonnerre and the Horizon-class air defense destroyer FS Chevalier Paul, the task group will also be spending time in the US 5th Fleet area of operations integrating into the command and control structure of US Naval Forces Central Command.

In addition, some 150 US sailors and marines will embark aboard the Tonnerre while she operates in the region.

In the spirit of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I, and in memory of the sacrifices of US Marines during the second battle of the Marne, this deployment is named Bois Belleau 100.

The US Navy has welcomed this deployment saying it would pre-position an important amphibious operational capability in an area of common strategic interest.

US and French personnel previously cooperated and trained together between April and May this year as another French task group, composed of FS Mistral and frigate FS Courbet, carried out the annual French Jeanne D’Arc deployment.

No comment.

When did Polish gear become the new "hotness"????

I was trying to find a new utility pouch and was scouring the gun/gear and believe it or not AIRSOFT (those little freaks buy the most expensive gear I've ever seen just to go play PAINTBALL...I don't understand it but they always have lines on the latest and greatest) sites to see what I could see to fit the bill and much to my surprise Polish gear is suddenly the new "hotness"!

I don't pay attention to Brit stuff.  It might be 2017 but everything they make is in that DPM camo...plus they have a weird infatuation with belt gear.

The French stuff is just plain weird.  I guess you can tell that from the FAMAS that they'd either shop for US stuff or suffer from homegrown, cause it just don't ring any bells with me.

The Italian stuff is good and they ship overseas but the few items that I had my eye on (they make some really interesting knives) are outrageously priced plus they have the audacity to actually charge you a freaking VAT tax on top of it.  Hint.  I avoid paying local, state and federal taxes when I can.  I sure as shit ain't paying a freaking VAT too!

Which leads me to the Polish gear.  Direct Action I had heard of but Husar was new and there are a couple of others that have people going nutty.

Who knew.

The Poles might be the home of gear innovation in the future.  They haven't been neutered yet!  There is hope for Europe!

Side note.  Not a solid connection, but gear innovation equals martial spirit.  Martial spirit equals the willingness to do the hard thing when necessary.  Doing the hard thing when necessary means being responsible.  Being responsible means being man.  Being a man means that there are times when you must be willing to fight.  Being willing to fight equals martial spirit and martial spirit equals gear innovation!

Canadian Army moving forward with the Tactical Armored Patrol Vehicle (TAPV)

via OttawaCitizen.

The Canadian Forces officially opened on Friday its new facility at 4 CDSB Petawawa to house the base’s fleet of Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles.
The vehicles will be used for a variety of tasks on the battlefield, including reconnaissance and surveillance, security, command and control, and transporting cargo and personnel.

In total, 113 TAPVs will be operated at 4 CDSB Petawawa, according to the Canadian Forces. Fifty-nine will be housed in a new facility. The remaining 54 TAPVs will be housed in existing facilities at the base.
Delivery of the TAPVs to 4 CDSB Petawawa began in August 2017. Fourteen TAPVs are currently located at the new facility, with the rest expected to be delivered in 2018, said Department of National Defence spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier.

I posted the video cause it finally explains the thinking of the Canadian Army.  If we look at how they view themselves and what they consider likely deployments then the TAPV by Textron makes nothing but sense.

The TAPV is a different looking "protected mobility vehicle".  Because of its ground clearance and basic design its more mobile than other vehicles in its class.

I don't know the cost point but even if it's a bit more expensive I have to think that its combat capability will make up for the difference.

We wondered why the TAPV?  I think we have the answer.  I like it.  They're getting it into service and I can't wait to see it perform at NATO exercises.

Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicles...they're coming so we need to get ready...

Above you see various unmanned ground combat vehicles that are being tested, trialled etc...

I have never been a fan of the concept.  I think the logistics of the thing will drive everyone batty (which would seem to mean we need more CH-53K's and less MV-22's but that's a different discussion), the maintenance will be a bear and the energy consumption crippling.

But it's turning into a self fulfilling prophecy because everyone is pushing the concept in order to be "futurists".

With that in mind we need to get ready.  Question.  How do we economically kill UGCV?  Does it make sense to expend an anti-tank rocket/missile on them?  How many rounds does it take from your combat rifle to get a kill on one?  What is your point of aim to knock them out?

The USMC is pushing the logistics/squad support role for these rigs but others are looking at the "tankette" role which means we MUST plan to kill these beasts.

UGCV.  It's past time to take the threat seriously and workout tactics to deal with it at the squad level!  

M4A3E2 Jumbo OUT ARMORED Tiger 1's?

via M4A1 Shermayne Tumblr Page

Not only was the Sherman Cost Effective and Versatile, but it was also extremely reliable and available in mass wherever needed. Unlike both the Panther and the Tiger which suffered from poor reliability and lack of availability, from 1942 onward the Sherman was used on every front of the war.

When it comes to the overall Flammability of the Sherman compared to the Tiger and Panthers… there wasn’t much difference after the installation of wet stowage, as all three tanks used gasoline engines, but due to the Shermans always being of the offensive compared to the German tanks, they suffered heavier losses to Panzerfausts, AT guns, tank destroyers, etc.

When it came to close combat, the M4A3E2 Sherman with the 76 could easily win against the Tiger and Panther at close range. Especially if you factor in the M93 APCR shot which has the ability to penetrate up to 230mm of armor.

Infact the M4A3E2 Jumbo OUT ARMORS both tanks from the front. With a total of 106mm of RHA angled at 48 degrees and a total ring of 152mm of turret armor, aswell as 177.8mms of turret face armor*

Gotta verify this claim.  If true then WW2 tank history is gonna change.  Rather, conventional wisdom is gonna need to change!

Operation Inherent Resolve | Marines

Yeah its propaganda but good propaganda.

This fight against ISIS.  This is the fight that tells you everything you need to know about our COIN efforts and the way we do it.

First.  When we solely on defeating the enemy and stopped trying to support an idiotic strategy thought up in smoked filled rooms to "shape" the region we got shit done.  It didn't take 50 years like some generals and other "experts" said to defeat ISIS.  All it took was a focus on the enemy and dropping the bullshit agendas.

Second.  We did this fight without nation building.  The US military just doesn't do that!  We have HISTORICALLY never been able to get that part done.  Why?  I'm not sure.  Is it cultural?  Probably.  The very idea of democracy means that it can't be imposed.  After several decades its apparent to me that some regions just don't see the value in it that we do.  Butler would say that the real goal isn't pushing democracy but propping up a skewed view of capitalism.  I tend to agree with that thinking but can't go all the way with that...at least not yet.

How do we fight COIN, or rather should?  We defeat the enemy on the battlefield and then we withdraw.  We can't secure someone else's future for them.

Operation Inherent Resolve is almost done.  

A little battlefield clean up and we're out of there!

Political game changer? Mueller removed FBI agent from Russia probe for anti-Trump texts

via Reuters

The New York Times and the Washington Post identified the investigator as FBI agent Peter Strzok, the deputy head of FBI counter-intelligence. He was reassigned last summer to the FBI’s human resources department after the Justice Department’s inspector general began looking into the text messages, the papers said, quoting several unidentified people familiar with the matter.

Strzok played a key role in the FBI investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, the papers said.

During that probe and the 2016 presidential election, Strzok and an FBI colleague exchanged texts that disparaged then-Republican candidate Donald Trump and favored Clinton, his Democratic rival, the Washington Post said. The newspapers did not disclose details of the text messages.

Reuters was unable to reach Strzok for comment. The New York Times said that a lawyer for Strzok declined to comment, while the Washington Post said it repeatedly sought comment from Strzok, but received no response.

Mueller’s office confirmed Strzok’s removal, but did not elaborate on the cause.

Story here. 

This is huge and will be used to question the legitimacy of the investigation.  Consider the implications....

1.  The Agent in question was in charge of the Hillary probe.  We already know the Comey (or is it suspect) was a Hillary Supporter/Deep Stater.  This will add fuel to the fire that the FBI prejudged the outcome of that investigation.

2.  This same agent has cracked the rubicon.  He is shown to have political leanings.  For Muller to dismiss him at this late date indicates that at least for awhile, his staff was filled with some that can be said to have a political agenda.

This could be a political game changer...or am I wrong?

Royal Marines hovercraft conducting training in Devon.

Royal Marines hovercraft conducting training in Devon. #royalmarines #royalmarinescommando #commando #marines #amphibious #stateofmind #landingcraft

A post shared by Royal Marines (@royalmarines) on Dec 2, 2017 at 3:01am PST

Dutch can't afford last 3 F-35's due to exchange rate?

via NLTimes

Due to the high dollar rate, the Ministry of Defense may not have enough money to buy the last three of the 37 Joint Strike Fighter jets the government plans to purchase, State Secretary Barbara Visser of Defense wrote in a letter to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, ANP reports.

She wrote that there is "just not enough project budget" for the last three fighter jets, but does not seem to consider the problem definite yet, according to the news wire. "The decision on the order of these three remaining planes will be discussed in 2019", Visser wrote. "By that time I will inform the Kamer about this."

Last year the Court of Audit also warned that the purchase of the JSF jets, or F-35 as they're officially called, may be more expensive than expected due to fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate. These jets are the intended successors of the F-16s. 

Amazing.  They're talking exchange rate when the cost of building facilities for these airplanes is back breaking alone?

I consider this a weak excuse.

They lose airplanes off the order and supposedly the cost goes up (although the economics of this program defy anything taught in school)....so these 3 planes will add to the cost for others.

I've said death spiral before and the fanclub went batshit.  I stand by it.  They're using accounting gimmicks and illegality to keep the program alive but eventually you have to pay the piper.

Watch this space.  When he shows up you'll hear it here first.