Marines bullish on F-35.

via WNEP.com from Reuters.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Marine Corps version of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet could soon be taken off a "probation" imposed by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a U.S. Marine Corps official said on Wednesday.

General Joseph Dunford, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, told an investment conference that he was "pretty bullish" on the F-35B, the short takeoff, vertical landing variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

He cited progress in fixing technical problems and said the fighter jet met 98 percent of its test points this year.
Gates put the F-35B on a two-year probation last January and threatened to cancel further work on it unless technical issues were resolved. But Dunford said he was optimistic about the plane's future after a year of solid progress.

"It's no longer ... in the cross hairs," Dunford told the conference hosted by Credit Suisse and Aviation Week, noting that an engineering solution had been identified for every challenge that had arisen.
Given the progress, the plane already was slowly coming off probation and could see that label removed wholly at the start of 2012, he said.

The F-35 program is the biggest U.S. weapons program, which has prompted speculation that the program may face big cuts as Pentagon budget officials struggle to cut over $450 billion from their plans for the next decade.

The F-35B, designed to take off from shorter runways and land vertically, like a helicopter, is seen as particularly vulnerable given a variety of technical issues.

But Dunford said the new fighter remained a top priority of the Marine Corps, and that its ability to land on shorter runways and twice as many U.S. warships was a critical capability that the military could not do without.
Dunford said the Marines would not accept a "hollow force", and would rather downsize the overall size of their force than send Marines into battle without the right equipment.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa)

Every time we get a "strange" bit of news that many of the military blogs pick up on the F-35 (mostly non-stories that are put forward as breaking news) I start looking around the web because I realize that it must be in reaction to something positive that's been said.

Which had me search out the above news story.  But why, you ask do I suspect a good news story about the F-35 occurred whenever I see a quasi bad news one?

Exhibit number one.

Dunford made these statements to a conference hosted by Credit Suisse and Aviation Week!  Yet we didn't read any of this on their blog!

Exhibit number two.

We have this story posted by a couple of Aviation Week journalist.  Read it here.

It might not be a conspiracy but it is definitely an effort by some to shape opinion about the F-35.

US Marines and US Air Force to begin pilot training in the F-35 in 2012.

via Defense News...

"Looks like training for STOVL students may go around August of this coming year," the official said. "Once student training starts, it will include all modes including STOVL."
Originally, the STOVL training was projected to start around April 2012. Air Force pilots will likely start training in the F-35A conventional-takeoff version months before the Marines, as previously planned.

Pics of the day. Nov 30, 2011.

The latest production F-35B (Navy Bureau Number 168059, called BF-8) was flown from NAS Fort Worth JRB on 29 November 2011.  Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti was the pilot for aircraft's first flight.

As the crew of Fat Albert, the support aircraft for the Blue Angels, the US Navy's Air Demonstration Squadron, brings their twenty-year-old C-130T in for a landing at NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas, on 22 November 2011, the latest production F-35B Lightning II (Bureau Number 168059) can be seen in a flight line hangar at the adjoining Lockheed Martin facility. Fat Albert’s crew stopped in Fort Worth to pick up two pallets of toys for the Marine Corps Toys For Tots program

I don't know who "Farmer" is but he's one heck of a artist!

Spike’s Tactical Rally Fighter

Massive hat tip to Soldier Systems...

Spike's version...

Standard version (if you can call this vehicle standard)

Go to Soldier Systems website for more info....I can't wait to read how SOCOM writes the requirement to get about 500 of these.  Of course it'll be airdrop capable and have mounts for a 50 cal on the roof and a passenger side 7.62 machine gun, with an additional passenger facing rearward with another 50 cal.

Damn it, I hope they write the requirement!

Naval guns...we took a step back by taking them off amphibs.

Back in the old days...when the Marine Corps still remembered the lessons of the past, Amphibs had 5 inch guns.  In the case of the old school Tarawa --- two 5in guns.

Why do I bring this up?  Because of an article by the G-man today.  Check it out here but this part caught my attention.

But hindsight being what it is, I do have serious questions if the US Navy leverages the flexibility of the amphibious ships well in modern irregular warfare situations like offshore of Somalia. Does anyone honestly think it is a good idea to put a $2 billion ship like USS Chafee (DDG 90) in green water for fire support? Our destroyer force is being primarily resourced to fight sophisticated air targets, not shoot guns to shore in littorals which are always the most risky.

What a false choice current US force structure forces on warfighters for gunfire support - either send in $3 billion DDG-1000s with advanced gun systems or send in the less expensive, terribly armed 57mm hauling LCS. Honestly, where are Reapers on LHDs, because right now the only other option is to task the RW community for their capabilities.

I encourage folks to read the whole Military Times article and give it some serious thought. When I read that article, I ask myself why the US Navy and US Marine Corps spends so much money building and maintaining amphibious ships to deploy structured air-sea-land battalions if the MEUs are unable to accomplish the sustained irregular warfare missions by sea as described in that article. That situation in 2007-2009 off Somalia appears to have been crying for a Sea Base, and yet none existed. Why

I'm a little disappointed with this article for a number of reasons...

1.  This was a Special Ops party.  Having a floating sea base (even if it was just one LHA) would probably have been a show stopper for the snake eaters.  Quiet professionals and all that.
2.  ID posted an article just a few days ago that complained about the lack of amphibs and even talked about a deployment that is reaching record breaking lengths.  Read it here and here.
3.  He forgets the 'time' that the Navy and Marine Corps was living in.  Iraq was going gang busters.  IED attacks were at all time highs, the war was in doubt and things had yet to turn our way.  Additionally you had missions going in Afghanistan and other parts of the world (I forget where but do remember it was a crazy busy time).  If I recall correctly all the naval forces had available was probably a destroyer.

But having said all that, the G-man has a point, but not for the reason that he thinks.

Where is the sea base.  I've attempted to capture some of the documents before the USMC placed them behind a firewall but even with the latest MEB exercise we didn't see even the tinkle of a sea base being utilized.

The issues with Pakistan would certainly be less stressful if we had one available too.

2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team & 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment get in a training evolution...

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Nielson, with 2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team out of Norfolk, Va., demonstrates how FAST Marines transition from primary to secondary weapons for Australian Army Soldiers with 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment at Robertson Barracks, Darwin, Australia, Nov. 23, 2011. FAST Marines are attending Exercise Semper Fast 2011, a combined training event hosted by 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment focusing on small arms ranges, direct fire ranges, military operations on urban terrain, and light infantry operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau)

Australian Army Sgt. Bruce Morris, with 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5 RAR), gives a class on Australian military weapons systems to U.S. Marines with 2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team out of Norfolk, Va., on Robertson Barracks, Darwin, Australia, Nov. 21, 2011. FAST Marines are attending Exercise Semper Fast 2011, a combined training event hosted by 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment focusing on small arms ranges, direct fire ranges, military operations on urban terrain, and light infantry operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau)

Australian Army Cpl. Phillip Trease, with 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5 RAR), gives a class on Australian military weapons systems to U.S. Marines with 2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team out of Norfolk, Va., on Robertson Barracks, Darwin, Australia, Nov. 21, 2011. FAST Marines are attending Exercise Semper Fast 2011, a combined training event hosted by 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment focusing on small arms ranges, direct fire ranges, military operations on urban terrain, and light infantry operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau)

An Australian Army Soldier with 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment tries on Marine Corps protective gear from U.S. Marines with 2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team out of Norfolk, Va., at Robertson Barracks, Darwin, Australia, Nov. 23, 2011. FAST Marines are attending Exercise Semper Fast 2011, a combined training event hosted by 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment focusing on small arms ranges, direct fire ranges, military operations on urban terrain, and light infantry operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau)

We have holographic sights for our rifles, why not our pistols?

I believe that many firearm innovations start out in the civilian world and migrate to the military.  It didn't use to be that way.

Back when civilian shooting wasn't as big a force as it is today, the military wagged the dog.  Now you see major firearm manufacturers backing out of military competitions to focus on the civilian market.  Smith and Wesson is the latest example of this....they just backed out of the M4 comp.

But to the issue at hand.

A big trend is beginning to appear in the civilian shooting market and I'm beyond intrigued.  I'm ready to pull the trigger on it and I'm wondering why the military hasn't investigated its use. 

That would be the holographic sight on a pistol.

The above system is from TSD.

What I find absolutely amazing is that not even US Special Ops appears to be embracing this tech.

That should change.  I think this is a worthwhile addition that should be procured by the lab rats at the USMC Marksmanship Training Unit to investigate its combat possibilities.

Its definitely as worthy as the IAR....in my opinion more so.

USMC AH-1Z Super Cobra and UH-1Y Huey flight for Top Brass

Hat tip to Military Photos.net via Military Notes

Royal Marine Commandos on Exercise in British Woodland

F-22 upgrades in budget crosshairs???

via the Orlando Sentinel...read the whole thing...but a couple of tidbits...

Although the F-35 has had its share of problems, nothing compares with the woes of the F-22, which have made it the poster child for defense critics. And yet the U.S. is still pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into it.

and this...

It is not clear exactly how much the latest contract is worth. There was confusion when the military announced that the deal was a "potential $7.4 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract." That turned out to be incorrect; instead, the Air Force deal had actually boosted the potential value of an existing program to $7.4 billion, according to Reuters news service.

A DoD spokewoman told Reuters that the latest deal "cleared the way for funding of further upgrades in 2012, the last year of the program." She did not, however, disclose the value of the latest deal.

and finally this...

In some ways, the upgrade work on the F-22 could be seen as a sort of "bailout" of the problem-plagued fighter jet. Since the first Raptor was fielded in 2005, technical problems have prevented a single jet from taking part in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or in any other conflict.

Among the malfunctions: oxygen problems in the cockpit that caused pilots to lose consciousness, and navigation problems that led to an embarrassing return to base over the Pacific Ocean in 2007 for a dozen jets on a flight to Japan.

For defense proponents, it is an uncomfortable irony that the most-expensive, most-capable jet in the U.S. arsenal has never fired a shot.

The F-22 program confounds.

Its supporters are vociferous.  It is (they claim) capable of shooting down anything short of a Death Star, yet its looking more and more like a hangar queen and its upgrade path seems to indicate that its not as technologically advanced as some 4th gen fighters.

Upgrades are flowing from the F-35 to the F-22 and not the other way around.  Perhaps the real canary in the USAF's coal mine is the F-22 and its actual utility against a 1st tier opponent.

CH-46 flight ops aboard USS New Orleans.

All photos by Cpl. Ryan Carpenter

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, flies here Nov. 26 . The squadron is the aviation combat element for the unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) lands the amphibious transport dock New Orleans Nov. 26. The squadron is the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) flies here Nov. 26. The squadron is the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) flies here Nov. 26. The squadron is the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.

Are US Navy Amphibs and US Marine Corps MEU's preparing for embassy reinforcement mission in Europe?

Wow.

The break up of the Euro could lead to mass rioting and civil disturbances?  I hope USMC Europe is preparing for the possibility of Embassy reinforcement/recovery of US citizens.

Correction.

This is a US Army mission.  They have the 173rd Airborne in Europe along with some aviation assets.  If anything, you might see a FAST Battalion along with a USMC Infantry Battalion just helping out on reinforcing the embassies.  Everything else would probably go to the Army.

The Brits are planning, we need to too!

30mm Upgrade for AAV's?

 I've wondered what upgrades might be offered for the AAV to the Marine Corps (once they finally get around to doing it!).  One thing that I keep seeing on BAE's website is this 30mm RWS.  Its made by ELBIT of America and appears ready to go.

My question is this.  Does AAV operational philosophy demand a manned weapon station?  Is a 30mm weapon too much?  Would a compact 25mm cannon suffice?

Questions, questions but no answers.  I'll keep looking and if you hear something then hit me up.

RWS-H_1

This is police work in the UK.

Check out this article by SkyNews.

An elderly widow has died after muggers stole her handbag containing her husband's ashes - which she had carried for 17 years.
Nellie Geraghty, 79, suffered fatal head injuries as she desperately tried to cling onto the bag during the robbery in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
Police have launched a murder inquiry after she died in Royal Oldham Hospital at around midnight on Friday. Two youths, aged 14 and 17, have been arrested on suspicion of robbery.

That's a real quick background, read the rest of the story but this is what has my hair on fire...

Superintendent Catherine Hankinson, from Greater Manchester Police, told Sky News the investigating officers were keeping an open mind about the crime.
"There has been a level of violence used. Clearly Nellie has ended up on the floor and as a result of those injuries she's now sadly passed away," she said. 

The Police are keeping an open mind about the crime.

There has been a level of violence used.

If the bastard did that to my grandmother I'd hunt them down like the dogs they are.  Seems like the Police in the UK need to take a course on victims rights.

What happened to the idea that if a murder occurs in the act of a crime then you're automatically charged with murder????

UPDATE!  THEY RELEASED THESE BASTARD ON BAIL TILL JAN. 9!!!  THE UK IS UNBELIEVABLE.  WHAT A CESSPOOL IT MUST BE!

French Navy takes delivery of first new landing craft.

I'm not quite sure of what to make of this...seems slower than an LCAC...is limited to the same type beaches as an LVCP...I guess its home grown is what makes it attractive.

I could be wrong.  Anyway the French Navy just took delivery of the first boat.

On November 24, 2011 the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA - French Procurement Agency) has taken delivery of the first fast amphibious landing craft (dubbed EDA-R for "engin de débarquement amphibie rapide"). The EDA-R offers five times the landing capacity of existing landing craft currently in service with the French Navy. The EDA-R will be used by the Marine Nationale's Mistral class LHDs.

Signed in June 2009 as part of an economy stimulus plan, the contract includes the acquisition of 4 EDA-R and their operational maintenance until mid-2015. The other three fast amphibious landing craft will be delivered by mid-2012. 

Holsters and who's deciding this stuff at HQMC????

BlackHawk Serpa

I would love to know who made the decision that now was the time to switch holsters from the M12 to the BlackHawk Serpa line.

Don't get me wrong, I've worn the holster and find it functional in a normal environment, I can't ignore all the reports of the mechanism jamming when dirt, soil or even snow enter it.  An additional worry for me is the issue with the actual protection of the sidearm.  Will this holster provide adequate protection in all environments?

I have my doubts.  I also don't like how this announcement was made.  I didn't read any announcements about a competition.  All I heard was that BlackHawk had been selected to provide the next holster for the Marine Corps.

Compare the new holster with the 'legacy' model.  The 'old' one provides all around protection and although its not a speed holster, do we really need a quick draw rig?

Just by the eyeball test the old holster provides much more protection.  Which brings me back to the one major issue that keeps smacking me upside the head.  When is ideal too much and good enough a viable solution?

Was there some type of issue with the M12 rig that made it completely unworkable?  If not then our Commandant's statement of being frugal is nothing but words that have no basis in reality.  But if by chance they did find a reason why the M12 is unworkable then how about theses offerings...

Bianchi

Safariland

Both provide superior protection and both should be better options (I base my thinking on a non-mechanical retention device...even if the BlackHawk is simple its still more complex than the Bianchi or the Safariland) for Marines that jump or fast rope or actually operate in the field.

Exhibit one.  Our holster selection.  Evidence of a confused and misguided Marine Corps procurement system.

Blast from the past. A-5 Vigilante.

The A-5 Vigilante.

When it looks right it is right and the Vigilante looks right. 

Even today. 

I can only imagine what one of these planes could do with modern avionics...engines and fly by wire controls!  The Navy would have a long range two man strike bomber that it could use in medium threat areas.

If any airplane could perform the modern day F-111/F-15E strike mission from a carrier then it would be a brand new Vigilante!

But enough spitting in the wind.  More on this beauty is here.

European de-militarization is fueling Pacific militarization.

Europe is demilitarizing.

And with Europe making itself less relevant, it making the militarization of the Pacific accelerate.  Check this out from Tempointinteractive...

The government will buy a German Army Leopard tank and Apache helicopter, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro has confirmed.


Indonesia is also looking at buying main weaponry systems from France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain. These countries have recently reduced their military budgets.


Purnomo said the budget would depend on the equipment that will be purchased, but assured that spending would not exceed the targeted budget. Currently, he added, the Defense Ministry is waiting on the list of weapons required by the army, navy and air force. “We haven’t decided about the budget to buy the equipment from Europe,” he said.


Previously, the Army chief of staff, Gen. Pramono Edhie Wibowo, said his unit was given a special allocation of Rp14 trillion to buy weapons, including 100 2A6 Leopard tanks and eight Apache helicopters.


Other weapons to be purchased include multi-barrel rocket launchers, a helicopter type 1412 and a 155 mm cannon from France. Pramono said that only 15 countries in the world use the 2A6 Leopard. “In Southeast Asia, only Singapore has it,” he said.

Wow.

Maybe my thoughts on taking a capability holiday and dropping Tanks from Marine Corps rosters needs to be re-examined.

Singapore has new tanks.  China has new tanks.  India has new tanks and it appears that there is an armor race in the Pacific.

Maybe we should keep ours awhile.  Damn.  Another decision for HQMC to make.  Can we afford to stick with the M1A1 or do we join the Army with an upgrade to the M1A3?

We better get this right.  KMW pumps out upgrades like a pez dispenser...in some ways the Leopard 2A7 is already superior to the M1A2 TUSK....Who knew?  We have to prepare for armored warfare in the Pacific now!

Police Sniper in Egypt is accused of shooting suspects in the eye with rubber bullets.

Read the whole thing from CNN but this Police Sniper is going to wake up dead once they find out where he lives...I digress...here's a juicy bit.

El Shinawi has been on duty on Cairo's Mohamed Mahmoud street during the recent clashes and is a "highly trained marksman," 1st Lt. Alaa Mahmoud, an Interior Ministry spokesman, told CNN. The spokesman declined to comment on the specific accusations against El Shinawi.
One of the suspect's alleged victims is Ahmed Harrara. Harrara, who lost one eye on January 28 during the uprising against then-President Hosni Mubarak, lost his other eye last Sunday on Mahmoud Street.
Both he and at least one other victim, Malek Mustapha, said they were blindsided by their shootings -- and, therefore, could not pinpoint the shooter or shooters. Yet they were able to recall the circumstances.
Harrara told CNN that he'd arrived in Tahrir Square around 3 p.m. Saturday "and joined the front lines in (the) street battle."
"Around 3 a.m. I was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet from about a distance of 7 to 10 meters (23 to 33 feet)," he said.
He lost his second eye, then fell to the ground "during one of many tear gas attacks."

Not bad.

I'm not cheering this guys actions but to be taking 'eye' shots and hitting is pretty impressive.  I wonder what type weapon he's using.