F-35B at Pax River...

via Lockheed Martin...

BF-1 flight 88 at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

MMC/Boeing's Ship to Shore Connector.

Lee sent me this a couple of weeks ago (thanks buddy..!!) but life got in the way and I never shared it.  I'm interested in seeing what the competition was offering...but the fact remains.  If you want the Sea Base to actually work then this ship... or something like it... is going to be a big part of it.

SSC Gen Info+Tech Specs 1

AAI's Rapid Deployment Tank..

Marine Corps amphibious operations require vehicles that can be quickly moved to areas of concern.

I don't think a 70 ton tank meets that requirement.  And we still haven't talked about keeping it in action once its on the battlefield.

The Rapid Deployment Tank project of the 80's would be welcome even today.  These photos are all from Viggen's Blog.

If you want a refresher on the "looming" weight issue with Marine Corps and Army vehicles when it comes to strategic/tactical mobility then check out this article by Roger Galbraith.

The Israeli view of President Obama's handling of Egypt...

Jonathan (thanks guy...love the articles, keep them coming) sent me an article that answered a burning question for me...What does Israel think of the crisis in Egypt.  This answers the question...

via DefenseNews.com (bold lettering is my effort to emphasize points, not DN's)

Israelis were struggling to mask dismay, if not contempt, for what are round­ly viewed here as naïve, inept and potential­ly dangerous missteps by U.S. President Barack Obama, who has encouraged the masses seeking to oust Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

With momentum continuing to favor Egypt’s grass roots, anxiety mounted here over the specter of a revived southern front com­manded by an unknown, likely radical regime organized, trained and equipped with the very best from America.

At the outset of mass demonstrations last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne­tanyahu directed cabinet members to hold their tongues about unfolding events in Sinai and beyond the Suez Canal. Anything uttered here would either irritate his government’s al­ready-strained ties with the Obama adminis­tration or, worse, shift Egyptian street anger — still largely focused on internal repression and economic inequality — to anti-Israel or anti-Semitic diatribes.

Instead, Israel’s Foreign Ministry directed envoys worldwide to urge their host govern­ments not to isolate Mubarak through word or deed, given his decades-long contributions to regional stability and his commitment to the 1979 Camp David Accords.

“The peace between Israel and Egypt has lasted for more than three decades and our objective is to ensure that these relations will continue to exist,” Netanyahu told cabinet col­leagues Jan. 31.

But by late last week, with Obama leading the charge for a “new dawn” over a post-Mubarak Egypt, many here removed their muzzles in open support of existing centers of gravity — namely the Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) and Mubarak-legacy leadership. In in­terviews here, military officials said Mubarak may already have been lost, but it’s not too late to fortify international recognition of the EAF and the vital, stabilizing role it can play in a future regime.

So when U.S., European and some Arabic television networks began broadcasting agi­tating commentary Feb. 3 about military ac­tion against demonstrators in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, Israel’s military spokesman agreed to respond on record about unfolding events.

“Based on our assessment of events on the ground, it is our understanding that the Egypt­ian Army is operating responsibly and in a manner that contributes to stability and pre­serves the peace,” said Brig. Gen. Avi Be­nayahu, Israel Defense Forces spokesman.

Wow.

To be honest and not political, it has been curious how the White House and State Department could just dump an ally in the middle of a crisis so quickly.

Whoever wins in Egypt, they won't trust the US.  Israel doesn't trust the US.  Europe doesn't trust the US.  China doesn't (who cares)...

Will anyone else?

I talk about other nations becoming unsturdy...shaky...yielding to the whims of ideology instead of practicality.

It seems that the same can be said for the upper reaches of the current US government, regardless of party.

USMC Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST)'s to Egypt???

via Business Insider...

A senior member of the US Marine corps is telling people "multiple platoons" are deploying to Egypt, a source tells us.
There is a system within the US Marines that alerts the immediate families of high-ranking marines when their marine will soon be deployed to an emergency situation where they will not be able to talk to their spouses or families.
That alert just went out, says our source.

The units aren't identified but this story is spreading like wild fire over the internet.  I'm guessing FAST Marines are on the way because of their mission profile.

This from Wikipedia...

The Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) is capable of rapidly deploying to immediately improve security at United States Government installations worldwide. FAST Marines are deployed at the discretion of the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps when the primary and auxiliary security forces of the Marines are unable to adequately respond to a security crisis.

Yep, I'd guess that its a couple of FAST Companies.

Lenco BearCat G4.

I love the martial music...can't remember what movie I first heard it in though...

V-22 Internally Carried Vehicles...time to dump this requirement.

Again, you've got to be kidding!

There isn't enough room in that bird to carry anything but a vehicle! 

Call it mission creep, bad planning, day dreaming...call it whatever but the idea of an Internally Carried Vehicle inside a V-22 is a non-starter.  Better to air drop one out of a tasked Special Ops C-130 or even use a CH-53K to carry it but this ain't gonna work.

Side note---

Did you notice the vehicles displayed in this test?  The only one not present was the Growler ITV.  Seems as if AF Pararescue and Combat Controllers have already written that vehicle off their list of potential candidates in their competition.

You have got to be shitting me!

Taken directly from Battle Rattle.

Col. Robert G. Petit, commander of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune, N.C., was relieved of command Saturday following his arrest a week ago in connection with a theft at Walmart in Jacksonville.
The decision by II Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. John M. Paxton to fire Petit “followed a Marine Corps inquiry into the facts relating to Petit’s Jan. 29, 2011 arrest by the Jacksonville Police Department for misdemeanor larceny,” according to a Saturday evening press release from Paxton’s office.
Petit was relieved “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” the release said.
Petit, 50, who took command of the 24th MEU in September, was detained by Jacksonville police shortly after 5 p.m. Jan. 29, and charged with one count of misdemeanor larceny for allegedly stealing printer ink and STP fuel cleaner worth about $65, according to police and court documents.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 22.
As a lieutenant colonel, Petit led Camp Lejeune’s 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, during combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Petit is a native of New Orleans, according to a Marine Corps news release, which also notes that the MEU is scheduled to deploy in early 2012.

This is too crazy to comment on.

Absolutely, positively AMAZING...and in a very bad way.

Hey HQ Marine Corps. Dump the IAR and go with the XM-25.

**UPDATE**
After a short discussion with Marcase and rereading the KITUP! article, it struck me that this weapon system has nullified the former king of Infantry combat...the Machine gun.  USMC Gunners are definitely caught in the past.  Unless the IAR is a backdoor attempt to field a replacement for the M-16A4 and M4 then we must dump it quick and join the US Army in procuring this weapon!

A modest proposal.

Dump the inept, still born, poorly conceived Infantry Automatic Rifle and go instead for a real Grenadier in the form of an XM-25 Gunner.

What has me on this kick?

Catching up on my reading and getting this blurb from KitUp!

The XM-25 has fired 55 rounds in nine firefights between Dec. 3 and January 12, when the formal Forward Operational Assessment ended. Officials say the weapon “disrupted” two insurgent attacks against an observation post, destroying one PKM machine gun position in one of those attacks. That is where the ”usually our engagements last for 15-20 minutes. With the XM-25 they’re over in a few minutes” line came from.
The XM-25 also “destroyed” four ambush sites during engagements on foot patrols or movements to contact. In one instance, the 25mm HE round exploded on a PKM gunner and he was either wounded and fled or scared and fled, but dropped his machine gun, which Soldiers later recovered.

Unless the Marine Corps is actually after a replacement for the M-16A4 then the IAR is not whats needed.

The US Army in this instance has made a common sense decision when it comes to future small arms procurement.

It seems (in my opinion) that the Marines have been bitten with the precision fires bug.  Nothing wrong with that as long as you remember that precision fires with area weapons is good too!

Pic of the day. Feb. 05, 2011.

Corporal John Noh, non-commissioned-officer with the Civil Affairs Group attached to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 8, is greeted by several Afghans during a patrol through the bazaar in Musa Qal’eh, Jan. 28. During the patrol the Marines inspected the location of a planned soccer field. Noh, 25, is a native of Los Angeles Calif. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Joshua J. Hines).

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Cpl. Michael Lyons, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, air noncommissioned officer, monitors the inbound descent of an AH-1W SuperCobra onto the Forward Operating Base Geronimo landing zone in Afghanistan, Nov. 7, 2010. The helicopter transported Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369’s senior leadership to FOB Geronimo to attend a plaque dedication ceremony in honor of Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo and Maj. James M. Weis, two pilots from HMLA-369 who were killed in action while supporting 3/3 combat operations in July. (Official Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)

Sergeant Rubin I. Lichtenstein applies a choke hold to Cpl. Christopher Canada during a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training session at Pano Aqil Cantonment, Pakistan, Nov. 6, 2010. With the Pakistan military, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Marines have been flying CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopters to isolated locations since early September and have transported more than 3.9 million pounds of World Food Programme flood relief supplies to 150 different locations in southern Pakistan. (Official USMC photo by Gunnery Sgt. Bryce Piper) (Released)

X-47B Hi-Rez Photos

The X-47-B takes to the skies at Edwards AFB on the first flight.

The Navy X-47B flies over Edwards AFB, Calif. on its maiden flight.

E-2D Carrier Suitability Trials...

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye approaches USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during Carrier Suitability Testing today. Aircraft 501 is assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 and is the first of 75 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to be acquired by the U.S. Navy. The program remains on track for Initial Operational Capability scheduled for first quarter fiscal year 2015. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman)

The latest aircraft variant of the E-2 platform, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during Carrier Suitability Testing today. The aircraft, assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20 (VX-20), remains on track for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation scheduled for first quarter fiscal year 2012. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman)

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20 (VX-20) catches the arresting wire aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during carrier qualifications testing. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s command and control capability makes it a multi-mission platform through its ability to coordinate concurrent missions that may arise during a single flight. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman)