David has pics of our captured spy plane.

Go here...

Marines train to capture vessels at sea

USNS ARCTIC -A CH-53E Super Stallion lands on the USNS Arctic during a simulated Expanded, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure, Dec. 7, 2011 The 24th MEU is currently taking part in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The training is meant to develop cohesion between the 24th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON-8) in conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations while operating from the sea. The CH-53E helicopters are a detachment from HMH-464 based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., and comprise part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron VMM-261 (Rein), which is the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th MEU. , Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim, 12/7/2011 10:11 AM

USNS ARCTIC -Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance Platoon and Security Element, Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment fast rope from a CH-53E Super Stallion while conducting a simulated Expanded, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure aboard the USNS Arctic, Dec. 7, 2011 The 24th MEU is currently taking part in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The training is meant to develop cohesion between the 24th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON-8) in conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations while operating from the sea. The CH-53E helicopters are a detachment from HMH-464 based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., and comprise part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron VMM-261 (Rein), which is the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th MEU. (Official USMC Photo by: Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim/ Released), Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim, 12/7/2011 8:45 AM

USNS ARCTIC-Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance Platoon and Security Element, Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment provide security while a CH-53E Super Stallion lands on the USNS Arctic during a simulated Expanded, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure, Dec. 7, 2011 The 24th MEU is currently taking part in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The training is meant to develop cohesion between the 24th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON-8) in conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations while operating from the sea. The CH-53E helicopters are a detachment from HMH-464 based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., and comprise part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron VMM-261 (Rein), which is the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th MEU., Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim, 12/7/2011 9:08 AM

USNS ARCTIC -Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance Platoon and Security Element, Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment provide security while a CH-53E Super Stallion lands on the USNS Arctic during a simulated Expanded, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure, Dec. 7, 2011 The 24th MEU is currently taking part in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The training is meant to develop cohesion between the 24th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON-8) in conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations while operating from the sea. The CH-53E helicopters are a detachment from HMH-464 based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., and comprise part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron VMM-261 (Rein), which is the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th MEU. (Official USMC Photo by: Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim/ Released), Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim, 12/7/2011 8:45 AM

USNS ARCTIC -Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance Platoon and Security Element, Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, conduct a simulated Expanded, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure aboard the USNS Arctic, Dec. 7, 2011 The 24th MEU is currently taking part in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The training is meant to develop cohesion between the 24th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON-8) in conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations while operating from the sea., Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim, 12/7/2011 8:42 AM

USNS ARCTIC -Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance Platoon and Security Element, Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, climb up the side of the USNS Arctic, while conducting a simulated Expanded, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure, Dec. 7, 2011 The 24th MEU is currently taking part in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The training is meant to develop cohesion between the 24th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON-8) in conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations while operating from the sea. (Official USMC Photo by: Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim/ Released), Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim, 12/7/2011 8:43 AM

USNS ARCTIC -Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance Platoon and Security Element, Headquarters and Service Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, climb up the side of the USNS Arctic, while conducting a simulated Expanded, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure, Dec. 7, 2011 The 24th MEU is currently taking part in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), scheduled to take place Nov. 28 to Dec. 21. The training is meant to develop cohesion between the 24th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON-8) in conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations while operating from the sea. (Official USMC Photo by: Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim/ Released), Lance Cpl. Michael Petersheim, 12/7/2011 8:43 AM

Without the F-35 the Marine Corps brand is weakened?

The debate over the F-35 is starting to spiral out of control.  Want proof?  Read the entire article but check out this blurb from National Defense....

Tactical aviation is the Marine Corps’ top modernization priority, Dunford said Dec. 7. “We haven’t bought new airplanes in a decade,” he said.
The unprecedented involvement of the highest ranked Marine in a weapons acquisition program is proof that the stakes in F-35B — a fighter/bomber aircraft that takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter — have become too high to leave anything to chance.
“Losing the F-35B would really collapse the entire structure of the Marine Corps,” said Thomas Donnelly, a defense and security analyst at the neoconservative American Enterprise Institute.
The bottom line is that without F-35B, Marine aviation operations would be reduced to just helicopters. “They would become a consumer of other people’s firepower rather than a producer of firepower,” Donnelly said Dec. 7 at a Center for Strategic and International Studies forum, in Washington, D.C.
Donnelly defended the Marines’ all-in strategy to ensure the aircraft survives both technical and budgetary challenges. A Pentagon budget crunch currently threatens the entire Joint Strike Fighter program — which also includes Air Force and Navy variants.
Marines should go even further in their advocacy of F-35B and make a case that Marine aviation can at times be more valuable than Navy carrier-based aviation, said Donnelly. “A large-deck amphibious ship with 30 stealthy jump jets may be more productive and capable in some cases than a large-deck Navy aircraft carrier with 60 F/A-18s,” he said. “That’s something that we should think about.”

I get the advocacy for the F-35.  But the thought that the Marine Corps is nothing without it is beyond annoying.

Its obscene.

I want the airplane.  I believe we need the airplane.  But if we don't get it then we'll figure out another way.

That's what the Marine Corps is all about.  I said in an earlier post that the Program Manager said in Grunt talk that the F-35 was fucked up beyond belief and that it needed to be sorted out and get its bearings before marching on.

Seems like HQMC needs to do the same.  The only weapon system that identifies the Marine Corps is the Rifleman.  Everything else is just a tool to achieve the mission.

NOTE:
Marine Air...God love ya, but to say they haven't bought a new airplane in a decade is a bit of a farce.  We still have Marines getting the job done in AAV's that were first designed in the 70's.  How about a little love for the ground side?

F-35...the hot spots and the Admiral's statement.

A couple of things.

1.  I wrote Lockheed Martin for info about the good Admiral's statement about production slowdown and the hotspots and have yet to get an answer.  I DID get a response but just to acknowledge reciept of my e-mail and that they would be getting back to me....that was Monday.

2.  We have this statement by Sufa Viper on ARES...

Some food for thought, when thinking about the Cracks of doom (by they way they are hot spots at this point, not cracks).

The F-16 has a structural distinction known as Pre- and Post-Block. Pre-Block aircraft are considered to be structurally "flawed" and immature, where as Post-Block aircraft are considered structurally sound and mature.

The dividing line is Block 40. So that means that every Block 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30/32 is structurally "flawed." More than 2,000 of those blocks were built. And yet EPAF countries still fly Block 15 and USAF still flies Block 25/30/32.

Almost all have some form of structural repair on them, and that is long before they reach the design life of 8,000 FH. Yet, I think you would have to be nuts if you think the "flawed" F-16's aren't effective fighters.

Sufa Viper

Long story short.

I don't have an answer on this thing.  I'm confused as all out doors and I feel like I'm getting spun both ways by critics and supporters.

If Sufa Viper is right, then why is the Admiral so alarmed?  Why would he want production slowed?  This whole thing is starting to take on an air of gamesmanship and not having any basis in reality.


UPDATE:

Ok.

I'm heading toward becoming pissed.

I'm not ready to join the throngs of haters but I mean seriously?  Check out DoD Buzz for the story but this tidbit has me steaming.

How healthy is the world’s biggest defense program? Secretary Panetta himself plans to head down Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., for his first in-person encounter with the jet and the people who make it possible, DoD announced Wednesday. We just don’t know exactly when that’s going to happen.
The Pentagon first announced that Panetta was planning on heading to Pax River on Friday, but then it followed up with another announcement that something had come up and he had to postpone his trip until “early next year.” Still, it’s the thought that counts, right?

First we have the Program Manager saying that the program is FUBAR.

Then we have the SecDef planning a trip to PaxRiver. 

Can we all get on one page, get the messaging together and get me some fucking answers about the status of this program?

Marines and Pearl Harbor...

At their barracks, near the foundation of a swimming pool under construction, three Marines gingerly seek out good vantage points from which to fire, while two peer skyward, keeping their eyes peeled for attacking Japanese planes. Headgear varies from Hawley helmet to garrison cap to none, but the weapon is the same for all -- the Springfield 1903 rifle.
Lord Collection, USMC

 

 

Today is a day that will live in infamy.


A day that saw the US Marines engaging in battle against a predicted foe.  A day that saw Marines distinguish themselves.  Sgt. Micheletto is just one such hero from that early battle of WW2.  We must never forget.

Sgt Carlo A. Micheletto had turned 26 years old less than two months before Japanese planes strafed Ewa. He was recommended for a letter of commendation, but was awarded a Bronze Star.
Marine Corps Historical Collection
----------------------------------------
Another Marine who distinguished himself during the third strafing attack was Sergeant Carlo A. Micheletto of Marine Utility Squadron (VMJ) 252. During the first Japanese attack that morning, Micheletto proceeded at once to VMJ-252's parking area and went to work, helping in the attempts to extinguish the fires that had broken out amongst the squadron's parked utility planes. He continued in those labors until the last strafing attack began. Putting aside his fire-fighting equipment and grabbing a rifle, he took cover behind a small pile of lumber, and heedless of the heavy machine-gunning, continued to fire at the attacking planes until a burst of enemy fire struck him in the head and killed him instantly.

 

11th MEU decides on how to deploy its IARs.

12/6/2011 By Sgt. Elyssa Quesada
Rifleman Lance Cpl. Corey Wilson participates in a live-fire exercise aboard USS Makin Island here Dec. 6. Wilson, 20, who hails from Spray, Ore., serves with Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit 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.

Going strictly by the photo it would appear that 11th MEU has decided on how its going to deploy its IARs.

If the good Sgt's caption is correct then they are going to be used by Riflemen and not Machine Gunners...it also appears that high capacity mags aren't part of the weapons fit (yet) and it would appear that its precision suppressive firepower will be called upon in much the same way that Designated Marksmen were.

If I'm right, then it looks like we haven't really upgraded at all.  What we might have accomplished is to find an M-16A4 and M4 replacement but other than that, this appears to be a flawed concept.

Texas firearms instructor draws heat for potentially discriminatory radio ad (audio)

via Tactical Life...

On a YouTube clip that has gone viral, brash Texas handgun instructor Crockett Keller defiantly tells Muslims and non-Christian Arabs he won’t teach them how to handle a firearm.
State officials see the ad as possible discrimination, and may revoke Keller’s instructor license.
“If you are a socialist liberal and/or voted for the current campaigner-in-chief, please do not take this class,” Keller says in the ad’s closing seconds, also taking a swipe at President Barack Obama. “You’ve already proven that you cannot make a knowledgeable and prudent decision as required under the law. Also, if you are a non-Christian Arab or Muslim, I will not teach you this class. Once again, with no shame, I am Crockett Keller.”
Source: Paul J. Weber for the Associated Press via MSNBC.

I don't quite know what to make of this.

Comments.

English Russia's Sukhoi Photo Spread...

Tons more photos here...

Taliban attack Marine Patrol Base

The 31st MEU during PHIBLEX 2012

Royal Navy vindicated...Falklands endangered.

Wow.

Hope those Typhoons are capable in the maritime strike arena, cause what Sharkey was worried about appears to be happening...the Falklands appear to be endangered, check this out via BlackFive from Assoluta Tranquilita...

Argentina has launched a naval campaign to isolate the Falkland Islands that has seen it detain Spanish fishing vessels on suspicion of breaking the country’s “blockade” of the seas around the British territories.

Read the whole thing but a couple of things are obvious.  Weakness will be exploited.  Its guaranteed.

Update:

For the doubters we have this from the Telegraph.

Argentine patrol commanders carrying out interceptions near the South American coast told Spanish captains they were in violation of Argentina’s “legal” blockade of sea channels to the Falklands.

The warning has been backed up in a letter to Aetinape, the Spanish fishing vessels association from the Argentine embassy in Madrid warning boats in the area that “Falklands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and adjoining maritime spaces are an integral part of the Argentine territory.”

F-35 News...

Nothing I wanted to read about but I'll post what popped up....

The first carrier variant test aircraft for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter takes off on its 100th test flight Nov. 29 with Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Matthew Taylor at the controls. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

The photo is a press release by NAVAIR and the following statement is from the JSF Program Office...

JPO STATEMENT ON DOD AND LOCKHEED MARTIN REACHING A TENTATIVE F-35 UCA AGREEMENT
The Department of Defense and the Lockheed Martin Corporation have reached a tentative agreement on key terms of the 5th F-35 Low Rate Initial Production contract, known as LRIP 5, which will enable award of an Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA). The key terms include agreement on a fixed-price type contract vehicle and a concurrency clause where DOD and Lockheed Martin will share responsibility on costs for concurrency changes -- modification costs associated with changes discovered during development. The UCA award will allow Lockheed Martin and its suppliers to begin production of the LRIP 5 aircraft and bill for incurred costs. The exact value of the contract and number of aircraft procured will be announced through the normal DOD contract announcement process.

What I wanted to hear was a clarifying statement from the good Admiral.  I think everyone following the F-35 wants to hear what he has to say.

But alas, he's crawled under a rock and is no where to be found.

Pathetic.

ISAF statement on Iran's drone shoot-down...

ISAF speaks on the Iranian "drone shoot-down"...

KABUL, Afghanistan (December 4, 2011) – "The UAV to which the Iranians are referring may be a US unarmed reconnaissance aircraft that had been flying a mission over western Afghanistan late last week. The operators of the UAV lost control of the aircraft and had been working to determine its status."

Certainly makes sense...but notice what's been left out.  The type of UAV and the cause of the loss of control.

There is alot more to this story than meets the eye.

What now Lt?

The Marine Gazette back in the day ran tactical problems in their magazine.  The problems were based on historical situations that required some out of the box thinking, inspirational leadership and a bit of risk taking.

They always ended with the question to the reader...What now Lt after presenting a seemingly impossible situation to be solved.

You had to tune in the following month to get the "Marine Corps" answer to the problem.

Well despite some thinking that I'm being hysterical in my thinking that the F-35 is in trouble not from its critics but from the military establishment...and by extension budget cutters, other airplane manufacturers etc....its time for the Marine Corps as a whole to say collectively.

What now?

A couple of things not to do...

1.  Do NOT buy Super Hornets.  An interim jet will quickly become a good enough jet if we fall into that trap.
2.  Do NOT slep F/A-18C's and D's.  Pouring good money after bad in an attempt to keep elderly airframes viable especially when spare parts will be difficult to obtain is a suckers bet.
3.  Do NOT abandon the aviation neck down campaign.

Now a couple of things TO do...

1.  Do explore the possibility of upgrading the engines on the Harriers.
2.  Do explore the possibility of avionics upgrades to the Harrier.
3.  Do explore the possibility of fitting an AESA radar on the Harrier.

A couple of things to investigate as cheaply as possible...

1.  Is it possible to mount a bigger, more aerodynamically viable wing to the Harrier?  One that will increase range and speed?
2.  Does it make sense to convert the two seat training models into FAC's?
3.  Does a stretched Harrier make sense?

I still believe the F-35B will enter service but I'm becoming more and more convinced that it will be in the 2020 time period and not 2014 or 2015 as had been hoped.

Fat chance on getting early slots on the production line too.  The USAF will be in need of replacements as much as the USMC.

So my question to you all is what now?

Note:

You can bet big bucks that some of the allies will drop out now with the excuse being that they can't wait till 2020 to replace airframes.  Gripen will be laughing all the way to the bank...Typhoon and Rafael will still be priced out of the market and Super Hornet MIGHT pick up some orders but for our European allies, you can bet that the push to buy European will be as strong there as it is for our defense department to buy US.  The most interesting ally to watch in this whole episode will be the Canadians.

That's why this is such a huge deal.  Just a couple of weeks ago the Canadian Defense Minister came out fully in support of the F-35 (as did the Australian) and not only that but so did the US SecDef.

Now the Program Manager just cut the legs from underneath not only our guy but the guys in other countries.


If this wasn't a planned announcement then we should see a walk back on Monday.  If it was planned then we should see a clarification and amplification on Monday.

Either way Monday should be interesting.

Game over?

Ok, lets frame this up.

First we have this blurb on ARES by the Program Manager of the JSF project.

"The analyzed hot spots that have arisen in the last 12 months or so in the program have surprised us at the amount of change and at the cost," Vice Adm. David Venlet said in an interview at his office near the Pentagon. "Most of them are little ones, but when you bundle them all up and package them and look at where they are in the airplane and how hard they are to get at after you buy the jet, the cost burden of that is what sucks the wind out of your lungs."

"I believe it's wise to sort of temper production for a while here until we get some of these heavy years of learning under our belt and get that managed right. And then when we've got most of that known and we've got the management of the change activity better in hand, then we will be in a better position to ramp up production."

Take it in.

That's not Sweetman playing with words.

That's the fucking program manager.

But let's break it down a bit...

"Most of them are little ones, but when you bundle them all up and package them and look at where they are in the airplane and how hard they are to get at after you buy the jet, the cost burden of that is what sucks the wind out of your lungs."

Wow.

After all the fantastic performance that the F-35 has been having lately, I've been wondering why they haven't shoved it off probation.  I know this is part of the development track but dang.  You have this guy talking about "sucks the wind out of your lungs"....that's not good.

A story appeared on Aviation Week that stated that the unit cost of the F-35B was 111 million dollars.  Thats right where you want this bad boy to be and you can expect the cost to come down.  But the repair bill is looking like a monster.

If that isn't bad enough then we have this statement...

"I believe it's wise to sort of temper production for a while here until we get some of these heavy years of learning under our belt and get that managed right. And then when we've got most of that known and we've got the management of the change activity better in hand, then we will be in a better position to ramp up production."

Grunt translation.

We fucked this up.

This program is fucked up beyond recognition. 

We need to get our bearings, get ourselves sorted out and then we can continue to march.

I hope I'm wrong.

Geez I HOPE I'M WRONG.

But that's what I read this guy saying.  I've read Elements of Power's take on this but I keep coming back to the Admiral's words.

"...temper production for a while here until we get some of these heavy years of learning under our belt and get managed right..."

The F-35 appears to be fucked.  If you disagree (and on this one I'd love to be wrong) then hit me up.

Raid force fast-ropes aboard USS New Orleans

Photos by Lance Cpl. Claudia Palacios

American X - Planes...from X -1 to X -50.

From X-1 to X-50

David Cenciotti goes medieval on the F-22!

Medieval I tell ya!

Read the whole thing here but check out this tidbit...

Second, the US ACC decision can also be read as: “the F-22 is good for air shows. All the other combat planes are good for war.”

Typhoon, A400M and Tigre upgrade paths are a joke!

Anyone thinking that the Typhoon has a chance of winning future orders should be drug tested immediately.

While we've all been focused (on this side of the Atlantic) on issues ranging from the F-35, to the current wars, to the coming issues with China...Germany has begun a series of austerity measures that should shock defense analysts.

Check this out from SLD, but here's a juicy bit...

The main story broke that Germany wished to make significant cuts in a raft of aerospace programs. The proposed cuts were in Eurofighter (from 177 to 140), A400M  (from 53 to 40), Tiger attack helicopter (from 80 to 40), and NH-90 (from 122 to 80). Looking at all of these, the scale of the cuts ranges from a “mere” 20%, right up to 50% in the case of Tiger.
 An observation: is anyone really surprised about the Typhoon cuts? Isn’t this cut simply Germany doing what the UK (and Italy) had done, that is ordering Tranche 3A, but consigning Tranche 3B to the dustbin? As such, Defence Analysis cannot say that we are particularly  “surprised” by this. And on the same line, talk to practically anyone in France (let alone Italy or Spain), and they will state that Germany’s A400M offtake was originally a joke at close to 70, was a joke even when brought down to 60, and even at 40 looks excessive for a military that hardly leaves its own borders.

Wow.

The story's main line is that friction between Germany and France will be exacerbated with these types of cuts.

I'm taking another tact.

With cuts like this, the upgrade paths for all these aircraft will take a hit.

They will be extremely expensive.

They won't keep up with US advancements.

They will be seen as technologically stale by nations seeking to purchase new airplanes.

Sweetman worried that the design of the F-35 program was an attempt to take control of the Western fighter market...essentially freezing out Europe.

He was wrong.  The Europeans are doing it to themselves.

WEST PAC 11-2

A Marine with Company L, Battalion Landing Team 3/1, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires at a target while wearing a gas mask during in a live-fire exercise aboard USS New Orleans here Dec. 1. The unit embarked USS New Orleans, USS Makin Island and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14, beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.  Photo by Cpl. Chad Pulliam

A Marine with Company L, Battalion Landing Team 3/1, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, wears a gas mask during a live-fire exercise aboard USS New Orleans here Dec. 1. The unit embarked USS New Orleans, USS Makin Island and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14, beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.  Photo by Cpl. Chad Pulliam

A Marine with Company L, Battalion Landing Team 3/1, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, participates in a live-fire exercise aboard USS New Orleans here Dec. 1. The unit embarked USS New Orleans, USS Makin Island and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14, beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.  Photo by Cpl. Chad Pulliam