F-35 at Edwards AFB -- 2011 in Review

BAD ASS!

A Wounded Warrior swims laps during practice for the 2012 Marine Corps Trials at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 15, 2012. Wounded Warrior Marines, veterans and allies are competing in the second annual trials, which include swimming, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, track and field, archery and shooting. The top 50 performing Marines will earn the opportunity to compete in the Wounded Warrior Games in Colorado Springs in May.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers)

 

 

First he volunteered for service.

Then he went to war.

He was gravely wounded but instead of sitting on his ass getting fat and lazy, he's out there busting his butt--still competing.

Beyond impressive.  Every time a Marine drops out of run 'cause he hurts or whatever, he should be shown this pic.

Bad Ass!

NOTE*
This photo represents every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Coast Guardsman that are participating in these events.  You guys and gals put a whole lot of shit into perspective.  Thanks.

Dutch Marines still training hard...

Dutch Royal Marines patrol through the Military Operations in Urban Terrain compound here with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Feb. 14, 2012. 24th MEU conducted the final mission for their Certification Exercise (CERTEX) with the Dutch Royal Marines as a way to integrate partnered operations with allied countries. The 24th MEU's CERTEX with Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group included a series of missions from Jan. 27 to Feb. 16 intended to evaluate and certify the unit for their upcoming deployment.  Photo by SSgt.  Robert Fisher

U.S., Thai Marines practice urban combat during Cobra Gold 2012

Photo Release: F-35 naval variants commence weapons testing

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – Marine Corps Maj. C. R. “Jimi” Clift flies F-35B Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft BF-3 Dec. 19, 2011 with a 1,000-lb inert test GBU-32 in an open internal weapons bay for loads testing. Significant weapons testing for the F-35B and F-35C variants is scheduled for 2012, including fit checks, captive carriage, pit drop and aerial drop tests.

The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. Marine Corps, capable of short take-offs and vertical landings for use on amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields to provide air power to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

Marine recon and scout snipers train marksmanship with Thai and Korean special forces

An outstanding Marine Corps artist...

Graphite Illustration of Lance Cpl. Terrance Thorp, a rifleman with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, providing security for his fellow Marines during a simulated airfield seizure at the Farmville Municipal Airport Jan. 14, 2012. The training was part of the 24th MEU's Realistic Urban Training exercise that took place Jan. 5-20, which had the unit prepare for the various missions they may face during their upcoming deployment. (Official USMC Illustration by: Corporal Michael J. Petersheim/ Released)

Cpl Petersheim is beyond good. 

Impressive!

Marine conduct amphibious assault during Cobra Gold 2012

Not sure if this is a repeat or not but you can never get enough AAV's on tape.

The Marine Infantryman is the most Marine Corps specific weapon system...the AAV is second.  No other service uses or can match the capabilities of either of them (easy Army guys...just showing service pride).

Aviation mystery...why isn't the SpeedHawk gaining traction?

It looks right.

Its performance is impressive.

Current helicopters can be modified easily (I think).

So why isn't the SpeedHawk gaining traction.  I also wonder why Piasecki isn't screaming to high heaven that it can solve the helicopter speed problem but is being ignored by the DoD.

Well, this mystery demands a solution.  Time to contact Piasecki and find out whats going on with this fantastic concept.

Note*
I also wonder if this concept hasn't gone black.  SOCOM produced a stealth BlackHawk, why would we doubt that they have this in their toolbox too?

Gun control.

If you're on the fence about the 2nd amendment then check out this quote...

”This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!” ~Adolph Hitler, 1935, on The Weapons Act of Nazi Germany

Wow.

The bastard was right.  Germany, England, Australia, France and many other nations have followed.  Looks like he just might win in the end...at leas in those countries.

On Rappel

Cpl. Gerard Coon with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit's battalion landing team 3/1 rappels from a parked CH-46E Sea Knight aboard USS Makin Island Feb. 10. The Sea Knight is with the unit's aviation combat element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced). The unit is currently deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, which is a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is also providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Rawley gets it wrong. Marines on aircraft carriers is about self preservation.

Chris Rawley pinned an article for Information Dissemination in which he lauds the idea of putting detachments of Marines aboard aircraft carriers.

He is missing the real issue here.  It isn't about making the carrier more effective.  Its about preserving the aircraft carrier. 

Take a look at the pic above.  It shows in great detail the standard compliment of a deployed US aircraft carrier today.  A ship designed to carry approximately 100 aircraft is lucky to leave the dock with 60.  Additionally a squadron or two of those airplanes are Marine Air.

Carrier aviation is in trouble and if a bean counter ever takes a good look at the number of carriers that we have and the way that we're utilizing them then you'll see an axe come out quick.  But this is what Rawley has to say....

LCDR Benjamin Armstrong, one of the up and coming naval officers who truly gets irregular warfare, has written a fine article on maritime raids for this month's Proceedings. His recommendation to expand the utility of carriers by adding small Marine landing teams and MV-22s makes a lot of sense. CVNs can easily augment our amphibious capacity and provide significant flexibility to conduct raids and other ground-centric missions when gators are not around. This move could be compared to the addition of F-35Bs to large deck amphibious ships to augment our CSGs striking power. In other words, our CSGs should become more ARG-like and our ESGs/ARGs can become more CSG-like. If our gator fleet shrinks further, we’ll need to get creative in how we employ all ships in support of objectives ashore, and implementation of BJ’s suggestions would be a smart step in that direction.

Read the whole thing but a few things are telling.

1.  Notice that he talks about putting F-35B's aboard carriers...a nice fig leaf but that was dismissed out of hand by carrier Navy.  They stated that it would disrupt flight operations when HQMC offered that as a possibility to make up for the loss of carrier squadrons that was complained about.

2.  Notice the attempt to make the carrier into a more ARG type vessel.  A bigger fig leaf.  If the carriers can perform ARG type missions then it should be asked why do we need the ARG?  It is a power play that is so obvious its pitiful.

3.  Lastly, notice that no one is talking about embarking SOCOM aboard carriers.  Wonder why?  I make the guess that it would cause a loss of autonomy.  Yeah you could put SEALs or Rangers or Special Forces aboard carriers and rotate them but you would have an new master in Tampa to answer to.  Its nice supporting SOCOM but having to work for them can be a bitch if you're not part of the clubhouse.

This whole thing is a farce.  Its all about making the carriers more relevant especially in light of the rise of the Amphibians (Libya most recently when no one asked where are the carriers, before that Japan and Haiti...Carriers are faster but have no manpower to do the soft missions...Marines on board would open up that possibility as well).  This is a bad idea.  Everyone knows it, no one will admit it.