Combat Assault Company conducts long range swim exercise...pics by Sgt. Alex Kouns

Note:  You haven't seen Combat Cameramen credited for their photos because on some platforms, they aren't listed.  If it ain't there I can't post it.

I wonder how far out is considered long range for an AAV.  Additionally I wonder if they're testing just the crews or if infantry is involved to see how effective they'll be after a long trip to the beach.

Not sure if I have my history right but during WW2 the LVTs would swim circles while waiting for naval guns and aviation to prep the beach and that they could sometimes wait for a couple of hours before making the run to the beach.

If we use that example for a guide then that means that you're looking at what...16 maybe 24 miles from the beach?

Definitely need more info on this.

Turkey seeks to buy Harriers as an interim measure until F-35Bs are ready

via Janes IHS.

Turkey has been seeking to buy an unknown number of Harrier fighters as a stop-gap measure until the F-35B short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) version of the Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is ready for Turkish service, Jane’s has learned from reliable Turkish and Western defence industry sources.

Jane’s earlier reported that Turkey had expressed to the United States its interest in purchasing 19-20 of the F-35B STOVL version. This is in addition to the 100 F-35As it already plans to buy from Lockheed Martin.

Turkey first approached the United Kingdom about the purchase of Harriers but then turned to the United States for the AV-8B in the inventory of the US Marine Corps because the aircraft have not been used by the UK armed forces since 2010.

But why would Turkey look to buy Harriers as an interim airplane when the F-35 is ready now?  I mean the fanboys beat their chests and say we're liars when we say it isn't!  They call us fools and state that the F-35 is already in service with the USMC and USAF...I mean they both declared the F-35 operational right?  The generals and even the SecAF has said that the plane is ready to go to war so why would Turkey even think about an interim buy when they can get ahead in the line and buy F-35s now!

Because the Turks just told everyone the ugly truth.

It's just days away from 2018.  The plane is suppose to be ready to go according to schedule in 2020, yet they want an interim buy of Harriers?

It's because anyone with an operational brain cell knows the truth.

This does present an interesting quandary though.

Turkey has been a bad actor.  They first shot down a Russian airplane, then they've sought to get closer to them while at the same time buying S-400s which aren't NATO compliant and to top it all off they supported ISIS when the US govt supposedly was trying to kill them.

Turkey is a security risk.  So do we sell them Harriers now and F-35's later or do we do the smart/practical thing and tell them to pound sand?

To further complicate things you know the USMC wants the Harrier gone to make the F-35 the default airplane and remove any option of upgrading them later so the full press will be on to approve the sale.

In my mind the real question will be in the details.  Do the Turks demand language that further guarantees F-35 sales if they get permission to buy Harriers?  Does the USMC still have lobbying power (I don't think so...I think they've foolish squandered their ability to gather public/congressional support for any issue...people on the recruiting trail keep telling me things are bleak for ALL services). 

This bears watching.

Brazilian government authorises the navy to begin efforts to purchase HMS Ocean

via Naval News.

Brazil’s Ministry of Defence on 1 December authorised the navy to begin efforts to purchase the UK Royal Navy’s HMS Ocean landing platform helicopter.

The Brazilian Navy requested this authorisation in early 2017 after a decision to retire its  São Paulo aircraft carrier, and after the Royal Navy said the HMS Ocean  could be available for sale once decommissioned in March 2018.

HMS Ocean would be inspected by Brazilian Navy officers before that, while authorisation from the US government is also being requested as the ship has some US-built components.

The Brazilian Navy’s plan is to finish the deal in 2018, overhaul the ship in 2019, and have it operational by 2020.

Ok.  Looks like the Brazilians took a beat, did a bit of housekeeping on the national level and now they're moving ahead with their plan of military modernization.

They are becoming quite the regional powerhouse.  Other S. American nations will be hard pressed to keep up.

Open Comment Post. Dec 6, 2017

Congrats to Finland for 100 years independence....

Brit vs Russia aircraft carrier comparison chart...Let the butt hurt begin!

via Badassery Instagram page.

Hey I'm just the messenger.  All my Brit readers can take the butthurt to Badassery and let them feel your pain.  Be advised though.  He added the caption "which one is better" and the Russians are winning hands down.

3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment conducted a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

8x8 Gladiador LAV

We are proud to be exhibiting at #Expodefensa 2017 this week in Bogota, displaying our 8x8 Gladiador LAV that’s already in service with the Colombian Army! #expodefensa2017 #colombia #military #militaryvehicle #gladiador

A post shared by General Dynamics Land Systems (@gd_landsystems) on Dec 5, 2017 at 10:54am PST

Santa was a Recon Marine? Makes sense!

 

http://youareclearedhot-over.tumblr.com/post/168241717797/bears-for-the-bear-god-positive-memes

 

Hmm.  Santa was a Recon Marine?  Old skool Nam Marine too? Makes sense! Think about how Santa operates.  No direct action.  He enters millions of occupied dwelling during the hours of darkness (he must have top secret, high speed NVGs), leaves behind goodies (during wartime I'm sure its explosives) and leaves sight unseen

I think we cracked the code.

Santa is a Recon Marine that tries to make up for all the hate and anger he inflicts during the rest of the year when he's wearing his real uniform.  Besides, he's probably been seconded to the CIA and is also gathering intel for future hits by their Special Activities Division.

F-35's literally falling apart in air...aircraft panel goes missing on training flight in Okinawa!

Thanks to Asmi for the link!

視聴者提供ってあるけど絶対マニアだろこれ pic.twitter.com/gvfS9bOhRx

— さいとぅーん (@satwoon_msdf174) November 30, 2017

This is no big deal...and kinda big deal at the same time.  No big deal cause no one was injured and the aircraft recovered safely.  Cool beans right?  Well not exactly.

These airplanes are getting LAVISH support at this point in their careers.  That's to include contractor support out the ass.  If they're dropping panels during the USAF's first, high risk, high profile deployment then what happens later?

Weird dog story...Georgia is turning into Florida...

via Miami Herald.

A Georgia man says he was ordered to cut his own dog's head off after police shot it dead. Joe Nathan Goodwin was at work on Friday when he received a call from his distraught girlfriend Natasha Dakon telling him the police had turned up at their home and shot their dog after receiving reports it had bitten a neighbor. The cops, who claimed they'd shot the animal when it lunged at a deputy, then ordered the grieving pet owner to decapitate his two-year-old dog, Big Boy, so his head could be sent for rabies testing. The stunned Goodwin, who began recording the confrontation with the officers on his cellphone, says that when he refused to cut off his dog's head, Crawford County Sheriff's Office investigator James Hollis threatened to throw him in jail.

Story here. 

If this was in Florida it would be easier to believe.  All kinds of batshit crazy stuff happens in Florida.  Or New Jersey.  Or California.  But even in the crazy areas of the US this is plain weird.

I get shooting the dog if he attempted to attack deputies.  Pause.  Let's take a beat on this.  You do know why cops are seemingly so quick to shoot dogs don't you?

It's a blast from the past.

Not many seem to remember but when the crack scene was raging hard (and even today with the meth dealers) you'd see crack houses (meth dens) guarded by muscled up Rottweilers that owners would feed steaks that I would love to have on my table and inject them with steroids and have them pull weights around the building so they get bigger/stronger/faster.

These dogs would attack on command and according to people that have been there and done that, they were as big a danger as the hopped up zombies waiting behind the door with AK's and Sawed Off Shotguns.

But back on task.

I can't blame them for the shooting.  But I wonder about the order.  The only reason why I'm not more solid on this is because I don't know how rabies testing is done.  Is this common?  I've never heard of such a thing before. 

What I find even stranger is why the dog owner would do that!  I can see me now.  Dude!  You just killed my fucking dog and now you want me to saw off his head?  Eat shit bro.  Take me to jail cause that ain't happening!

This whole story is just plain weird.

How did we get to a point where weirdness isn't unusual but becoming commonplace?