SNAFU!

US Navy loses 10 helicopters due to a storm...

Thanks to Carlton for the link!

Wow.

I don't think that will buff out.

Story here

Taiwanese Forces @ Han Kuang 38

Wow. They still use 8in guns. Can't think of too many forces that still have them in inventory. Scarcity along with a viable threat makes a nation extremely thrifty when it comes to defense. I remember when the Marine Corps could claim to be a very thrifty yet EXTREMELY effective/affordable force for America. Haven't seen that claim in a long time.

This short vid should send chills down the spine of Europe & the Middle East.

NOW - Putin, Raisi, and Erdogan holding hands in Iran.pic.twitter.com/qQRx4VMist
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 19, 2022

Are you seeing this bro?

This should send chills down the spine of Europe & the Middle East...perhaps the Pacific too.

China isn't included in this pic but they should be. Think about the power dynamic here.

Russia. Iran. TURKEY! All with China sitting on the bleachers waiting to be called in for the big play.

A real State Dept would be looking to drive wedges between these nations. A real strategist would be looking to disrupt this union before it turns into a monster.

Mark this down.

You see this pic and all you see is three leaders right?

I look at it and I see 10 tons of drama, a monster that could rip off body parts and bleed us badly --- I see the potential for intense worldwide pain unless we get ahead of it.

The future fleet (by 2045) looks kinda wimpy...

via Defense News

Unlike the original navigation plan, the updated document includes a Force Design 2045 plan, a vision of the future fleet that mirrors what Gilday has called for in other recent documents.
It calls for 12 Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines as the undersea nuclear deterrent, 12 aircraft carriers, 66 attack submarines and large payload submarines, 96 large combatants such as destroyers, 56 small combatants such as littoral combat ships and frigates, 31 traditional amphibious ships, 18 light amphibious warships, about 150 unmanned surface and undersea vessels, 82 logistics and auxiliary ships, and a sophisticated blend of manned and unmanned aircraft to complement the fleet.

Here

If the force was totally dedicated to the Atlantic and Middle East I'd say ok, that works.

If the force was totally dedicated to the Pacific I'd say ok, kinda on the meager side of things (considering the Chinese buildup) but ok, we can work with that.

Considering that we have a Navy with worldwide obligations then it looks kinda wimpy.

Another thing.

Looks like the Navy has started to tell the Marine Corps NO!

The current Commandant seemed to want it all. 31 big amphibs along with MANY more than 18 light amphibs.

That would appear to be the minimum number possible to make this new Littoral Missile Marine Concept work.

The number of unmanned surface/undersea vessels seems on the light side too. I thought they would be a force multiplier and would act as picket ships, ISR platforms and missile ships.

The worst thing.

The Chinese now have a number. You can bet they'll be aiming at a two to one advantage ~~~all with the thought that they're gonna be playing on home turf.

The commander of the 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Colonel Vitaliy Guliayev has been killed in action....Where are we at with regard to this war

Rest In Peace.

Ya know what has amazed me more than anything else about this fight?

How callous people are with regard to the lives of the fighters (on both sides).

Putting that aside. Where are we at right now? From my chair we're headed into the pre-winter phase. General Snow is coming. I'm betting that the Russians are marshaling their forces for a major push later this fall.

When its cold, snow is on the ground, trees are bare and its harder to hide your forces (thermals will be magic against the icy background) is when you'll see a huge push toward what I CONTINUE TO CONTEND IS THIER PRIMARY OBJECTIVE~~~~ODESSA!!!!

From the Ukrainian side I've heard (but still haven't seen evidence) of them making a counter offensive. I think they're trying to stabilize the lines, continue to attack logistics hubs (they see it coming) and are trying to beg - borrow - plea for more weapons/cash and time.

Someone somewhere wanted to turn this into a grinding slog fest. I've been wanting talks to end this thing (extremely funny that we could talk to the Soviet Union, we can talk to China - both want/wanted to wipe us off the face of the earth and can do it) but get accused of being soft or worse a Russian agent.

Winter is gonna crush Europe. Inflation is beyond high, govts are doing goofy stuff and they're gonna be in a hurt locker. Same in the US.

Public support for Ukraine will evaporate by Christmas when trees have only a couple of boxes underneath them and Turkey dinner at thanksgiving is replaced by a few happy meals from McDonalds.

Soon it will be the elites that want this fight. Citizens will want there lives put back in order.

Its now or never for Ukraine. They better seize the moment or they'll never get another chance.

Confidence is not high that they will. They've been played. Ukraine will be no more. It will be a broken place for decades to come.

Photos of Russian Uragan and Smerch MLRS as part of Russia's "O" grouping.

Photos of Russian Uragan and Smerch MLRS as part of Russia's "O" grouping.https://t.co/Q9Q9vIsRLq pic.twitter.com/v83rgdlRqJ
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) July 25, 2022

Law Enforcement Officers are leaving in droves...Chicago will soon only have a token force

Chicago’s gonna be quite the experiment, huh pic.twitter.com/Rvx0faIVbs
— David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) July 25, 2022

Wow. Chicago is getting rocked but I've heard its happening all around the country. Worse for communities? LEOs that don't retire are getting lured from where they work to higher paying places with bonuses and other inducements. The justice system is broken and "reform" has turned into a tragedy for the citizens that pushed for it. Crime is gonna get worse before things get better. Gun up folks. Calling 911 is soon to turn into a joke (if you live in a big city).