Pic of the day. June 18, 2011.

Forgot where I got this pic from but this Burke Ticonderoga is having a very bad day!

When some people state that the Falklands can't be defended, you might want to listen.

'Sharkey' Ward says that the Falklands are vulnerable.  

Commander Nigel 'Sharkey' Ward DSC AFC RN commanded RNAS 801 Naval Air Squadron from HMS Invincible during the Falklands War during April to June 1982, and was senior Sea Harrier adviser to the Command on the tactics, direction and progress of the air war. Commander Ward flew over sixty war missions, achieved three air-to-air kills and took part in or witnessed a total of ten kills; he was also the leading night pilot, and was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry. Cdr. Ward's main Sea Harrier mount during the Falkands War was XZ451, which was built on 18 June 1979 and was the first RN Sea Harrier delivered. Cdr. Ward also shot down an Argentine Air Force IAI Mirage V "Dagger" in Sea Harrier FRS.1, ZA175.

This from the Phoenix Think Tanks...

Stop Press: October 10^th, 2010.
·        The Argentine navy just harassed another trawler at the limit of Falklands territorial waters, without ‘our garrison’ putting in an appearance – the Typhoons were nowhere to be seen. Is this evidence that the Argentine Navy (and hence other Argentine vessels) can come and go as they choose without detection or interception? How capable is our current surveillance of the EEZ?  Are we relying on a fighter aircraft that has little or no surface surveillance capability?
·        It is understood that the Nimrod MPA cannot operate from the Mount Pleasant runway because of the latter’s “uneven surface”.  Our principal land-based maritime surveillance aircraft, postulated by the Royal Air Force as having a worldwide capability, appears therefore to be unsuitable for and incapable of satisfying the Falkland Islands EEZ airborne surveillance need. (Perhaps there is another explanation for this serious shortfall in land-based air power operational capability. If so, it should be explained.)
·        Subject to satisfactory answers to the above questions/problems, it would appear that yet again the public and the government are being kept “in the dark” by an air force that claims better operational capability than the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm but ‘when push comes to shove’ is unable to match words with deeds.[2]
·        These questions need to be answered.
Planned Argentine Military Resources
The British Government should take serious note of the major military air procurement program now underway in Argentina.
·        An order for up to 128 F-15C and F-15E Strike Eagle fighters has been made from the USA with delivery due to begin in the 2017/18 timeframe . The F-15C Eagle’s passive IRST sensor system, used alone or in concert with existing F-15 sensors, provides unprecedented on-board situational awareness while detecting, identifying and engaging enemy targets at extended ranges. The IRST system’s high-angle accuracy also provides the ability to track closely-spaced targets at maximum ranges. This information can be used alone or combined with other sensor data to further enhance the pilot’s situational awareness.
·        A further order for Landing Craft Air Cushion Vehicles (LCACs) – hovercraft – has been made. They are seagoing vehicles with the capacity to deliver stores and ammunition to the islands from the mainland at high speed – and remain invulnerable to attack by SSN torpedoes.
·        The latest version of the Mirage F1 air to air fighter aircraft has also been ordered from France and there are amphibious warfare oriented Hind gunships in the pipeline from Russia. Hinds are combat-proven against light sea surface and land vehicles.
Such a major military air resources build-up can have only one aim in mind: retaking the Falklands. (The purchase of the LCACs in particular is a very good indicator of this.)

Read the rest and get depressed.

If a warrior is telling you that you're vulnerable, you might want to check your six.

UK, one of your warriors is trying to tell you just that.  It might be wise to listen.

Note:

Interesting that hostilities (limited though they may be) have occurred as recently as late last year.  A history check would lead one to note that limited activities as are described in the article led up to hostilities back in 82.

Blast from the past...the "Original" BlackHawk...S-67.

Back in the late 60's the US Army and Marines had to opportunity to have a work horse of a helicopter...the original Black Hawk, the S-67.  Stats from Wikipedia...

Specifications (S-67 Blackhawk)

Data from Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters,^[3] Attack Helicopter Evaluation^[15]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: Up to 8 troops^{[citation needed]}
• Payload: 8,000 lb (3,600 kg)
• Length: 74 ft 2 in (22.6 m)
• Rotor diameter: 62 ft (18.9 m)
• Height: 15 ft (4.57 m)
• Airfoil: NACA 0012 Mod
• Empty weight: 12,525 lb (5,681 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 24,272 lb (11,010 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× T58-GE-5 turboshaft engine, 1,500 shp (1,100 kW) each
• Rotor system: 5 blades on main rotor, 5 blades on tail rotor
• Fuselage length: 64 ft 1 in (19.5 m)
• Fuselage height: 16 ft 3 in (4.95 m)
• Stub wing span: 27 ft 4 in (8.33 m)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 230 mph (370 km/h) in dive with ducted fan
• Maximum speed: 193 mph (311 km/h)
• Range: 220 mi (354 km)
• Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (5,180 m)

My recent "Blasts from the past" have focused on helicopter projects because as usual, we're getting fawning press about the X-3, and criticism of the US helicopter industry which has in the past (and is presently) cutting edge in every way.

The problem is that the US government in general and the US military in particular are sticking to outdated technology and attempting to wring more performance out of physics limited designs.

Currently Piaseki has cutting edge technology ready to insert into our legacy airframes and it is left to rot.

We have had ducted fan concepts, pusher concepts, compound helicopter concepts and more, yet we're sticking to models that have little performance improvements since the 70's!

Nothing is wrong with innovation in the US...the X-3 is a joke when compared to even past attempts.  The joke is the Department of Defense that complains about industry and thinking that industry is going to jump when they've been burned before.

Blast from the past....D-2022 Ducted Assault Transport.

The Bell Aero Systems D-2022 Ducted Assault Transport is another 'blast from the past' that never even made it to mock up stage.

Its a shame.

USS Bataan is still blacked out.

UPDATE:

The USS Bataan is still blacked out according to its FaceBook Page.

This is highly unusual.  Whats more mystifying is that this simple problem has been ongoing since the 13th of this month.

Something is going on with the USS Bataan.  What exactly I don't know but remember this post?

UPDATE 1:

Phil asked a very important question.  He asked if the other ships in the Expeditionary Strike Group 2 were blacked out.

From what I gather from open sources is that the Group has split up.  I'm going to burning up this computer tonight to try and nail down exact locations.  One thing though.  Bataan is waaaay ahead of the curve when it comes to social networking.  LSD 41 has updated its website since Oct 2010 and the Mesa Verde is still trying to get its act together (or so it appears online).  More info to you when I get it.

My new ring tone...

Blast from the past...XH-51A

2nd Force Recons conduct helo-casting training.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.-Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division; and Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, pull their fellow Marine into a combat rubber raiding craft after jumping out of a CH-53 helicopter aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 14, 2011. The purpose of the exercise was to train the Marines for amphibious operations., By Cpl. Johnny Merkley, 6/13/2011 8:06 PM

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division; and Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, prepare to push a combat rubber raiding craft out of a CH-53 helicopter aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 14, 2011. The purpose of the exercise was to train the Marines for amphibious operations. , By. Cpl. Johnny Merkley, 6/13/2011 8:13 PM

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.-Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division; and Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, prepares to jump out of a CH-53 helicopter into the ocean aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 14, 2011. The purpose of the exercise was to train the Marines for amphibious operations. , By Cpl. Johnny Merkley, 6/13/2011 8:27 PM

USMC - wins...UK Ministry of Defense - loses.

The title of this post indicates the outcome of the UK MoD's decision to sell Harriers to the US at bargain basement prices.

We win.  They lose.  BIG.  From the Sun (via Phoenix Think Tank).

Ex-Security Minister Admiral Lord West said that whoever was behind the "joke" £34million sale was "as mad as a box of frogs".
UK taxpayers forked out more than £1BILLION for the iconic jets - up to 40 of which are going to the US Marine Corps for the knock-down price.
Lord West, 63, stormed: "We're in a land of complete madness. Selling these Harriers in this way - well, what a stupid, extraordinary decision.

"It makes one feel that whoever is behind this is as mad as a box of frogs. We're in the extraordinary place where we rely more and more on the US.

This is how freedom ends.

If you depend on another for your protection then you're not a Man...or a nation.  You're a slave or in the case of a nation a protectorate.

The UK has/is in the process of losing all leverage with the US.

Its not yet too late to turn this around, but its getting close.

But in the meantime, the UK can be proud of one fact.  Between the US purchase of the Harriers and the Australian fleecing them on the buy of the Albion class ship, they're at least strengthening allies.

Argentina to the UK. The Falklands are ours!

via Defense Management.

A reassertion of British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands by Prime Minister David Cameron has been described as nearing "stupidity", by Argentina's President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Cameron told MPs that "as long as the Falkland Islands want to be sovereign British territory, they should remain sovereign British territory - full stop, end of story".

But responding, Fernandez said Britain was "arrogant" and that Cameron had put forward an "expression of mediocrity, and almost of stupidity".

She said Cameron used the word "full stop" in a way that suggested "he could put an end to history".

"I want to tell you in the name of all Argentines, that the Argentine people never believe in full stops, when it comes to human rights, much less when it comes to the rights of sovereignty to our Malvinas islands," she said.

And the President added: "We are going to get them back, through international rights and peace."

So much for the UK's soft power approach.

Not having Harriers and Carriers is going to bite the UK in the ass.

MC-130J Combat Shadow II

AM General's HMMWV Upgrade Concept.

Thanks for the heads up on the vid Michael!  As far as the vehicle is concerned....looks good.  I'm going to send AM General an e-mail and see if they'll provide a little info on it.