Saturday, October 29, 2022

The Brits are talking about cutting a Royal Marine Battalion and some ships to pay for a tilt toward the continent (Army)

Told ya so. The Europeans don't have a dog in the fight in the Pacific. They will support us in spirit but not with their forces. All that cross decking was useless show. But partnerships are the "hotness" that the Pentagon dreams about to cover our weakness and to give an illusion of strength. In the Pacific we will only have Japan, and Australia. All others will sit on the sidelines and see how the fight plays out. No insult to Australia or Japan. They have capable forces. But even adding them to the mix we're still behind an eight ball.

Something is off with the attack on Pelosi...

This whole story is off. You don't send two cars and a supervisor to a "welfare check". Additionally the assault STARTS when the police arrive? Maybe in a domestic you'll see the woman (yeah I'm sterotyping) act out when she feels safe from her attacker, but a person conducting a home invasion? Weird as fuck!

German President gives his people an ominous warning...

I've been seeing bad things coming in Europe but this sounds particularly bad. What does he know that I've missed?

MUST READ TWITTER THREAD by PLAOps

 

*Note. I don't know the background on this dude but he's all over the PLA's way of war, the Taiwan issue and how a potential war between the US and China might unfold. Is he a Chinese propagandist? Don't know but he seems pretty down the middle. Make up your own mind but read this twitter thread!

3d LCT secures an expeditionary advanced base at Dillingham Airfield

Missions of EABO include:

• Support sea control operations

• Conduct sea denial operations within the littorals

• Contribute to maritime domain awareness

• Provide forward command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, targeting, and counter-targeting capability

• Provide forward sustainment

2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion (LAAD) demonstrate the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or L-MADIS

 

Friday, October 28, 2022

Rasputitsa has now fully started in Ukraine.

Tracks will get bogged down in that,  much less wheeled vehicles (thinking logistics and in this fight HIMARS). Things will slow down dramatically. 

I'm betting we're gonna switch from a HIMARS war back to the suicide drone war. I had another thought. Iranian drones should prove to be game changing. Not because they're sophisticated but because they use "industrial age" type production to pump them out like candy. Numbers count. We haven't seen the Ukrainians receive the type of anti-drone hardware that will defeat the numbers being thrown at them and missiles are expensive and we have only a limited number.

The West better pray to God that China doesn't start supplying Russia.

If they do then sheer numbers alone provided by Chinese industry will be crushing.

At least for now it's probably smart to get a bit more nuanced in our approach to China.

If we push them completely into the "enemy" side of the board then we will face challenges globally that we're not ready for.

"A guy called Vasili Arkhipov saved the world".

 

So we no longer equip the Marine, we man the tech?

 via USNI News

The Marine Corps adaptability is necessary for the changing world, according to the service’s new recruiting campaign, which launched online Thursday and will air Saturday during the University of Georgia vs. University of Florida football game. 


The advertising campaign, “Shifting Threats,” features Marines as they adapt to the more technologically sophisticated world in scenes that look to be out of a video game. The ad shows modern techniques like how Marines use and destroy drones against the backdrop of traditional Marine Corps missions like amphibious landings, humanitarian aid and disaster relief and infantry operations in harsh weather.

Here 

I almost feel sorry for these people.

They're walking a fine line and don't seem quite able to get it done.

On one hand they're trying to maintain touch with the past while they zoom toward a future that most can't recognize and even they have trouble trying to explain.

I continue to marvel at Marine Officers having to break down into professorial tones to explain this shit.

If it only makes sense to Think Tanks then your concept is probably trash.

There is always one....Marine Aviator faces extradition over training enemy pilots...

 via Aerotime

A former United States Marine Corps (USMC) pilot and flight instructor who worked several years in China faces extradition from Australia to the United States at the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 


Daniel Edmund Duggan was arrested on October 21, 2022, in the Australian city of Orange, New South Wales, Reuters reported, citing court records and police sources. Though the nature of the charges against him was not officially disclosed, Duggan’s arrest reportedly followed a request from the FBI regarding work he carried out in China. 


Duggan formerly flew Hawker Harrier vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft in the USMC and was also an air combat instructor.  


He then moved to Australia where he founded Top Gun Australia (also referred to as Top Gun Tasmania), a company that offers civilians to fly on military trainer jets. According to its website, the company flies the BAC Jet Provost formerly used by the British Royal Air Force, and the Nanchang CJ-6 still used to this day by China’s People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). 


The former fighter pilot is still listed on LinkedIn as the Managing Director of AVIBIZ Limited in Qingdao, China. The company is defined as a “comprehensive aviation consultancy company with a focus on the fast growing and dynamic Chinese Aviation Industry”. 

Here

Greed is a terrible thing.   

Knowingly training the enemy to kill your countrymen?

That's worse.