Akula attack sub operated in the Gulf of Mexico.

 Many thanks to my bud Dwi for sending me this article.  Note: I never heard of the Washington Free Beacon but Bill Gertz is well connected.  I'm posting a tidbit but read the entire article.

A Russian nuclear-powered attack submarine armed with long-range cruise missiles operated undetected in the Gulf of Mexico for several weeks and its travel in strategic U.S. waters was only confirmed after it left the region, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.

It is only the second time since 2009 that a Russian attack submarine has patrolled so close to U.S. shores.

The stealth underwater incursion in the Gulf took place at the same time Russian strategic bombers made incursions into restricted U.S. airspace near Alaska and California in June and July, and highlights a growing military assertiveness by Moscow.

The submarine patrol also exposed what U.S. officials said were deficiencies in U.S. anti-submarine warfare capabilities—forces that are facing cuts under the Obama administration’s plan to reduce defense spending by $487 billion over the next 10 years.

The Navy is in charge of detecting submarines, especially those that sail near U.S. nuclear missile submarines, and uses undersea sensors and satellites to locate and track them.

The fact that the Akula was not detected in the Gulf is cause for concern, U.S. officials said.

Hmmm.  I should be surprised but I'm really not.  To be quite honest I have a totally different take on this situation.  I've been doing a bit more reading on the naval issues of World War 2.  I was shocked to learn that besides the US sub force, the US Coast Guard had the most sophisticated sub hunting tools in existence at the time.  To be quite honest the Coast Guard could be called the subject matter experts on surface prosecution of undersea threats.

That history has been lost to both the Navy and Coast Guard.  Whoever came up with the idea of putting the Coast Guard into the Department of Homeland Security had to be smoking crack.  I would have preferred to see them fall under the FBI for domestic work and continue under the Pentagon for wartime issues.

Nevertheless, this is bad news.  We are watching two important parts of our naval warfighting capabilities get shit canned in order to give the LCS a reason for being.  Minehunting and ASW work.  We have to do better.

A global force for good?

I always thought that the Navy catch phrase...a global force for good...was too much meals on wheels, too much peace corps and not enough war fighter.

Well it seems like they're starting to have that debate.  Check out the latest from USNI Blog.

I wonder however, if new recruits are the only audience? Shouldn’t our brand also appeal to the American taxpayers and their direct representatives on Capitol Hill? To the teachers, counselors, parents and coaches—those figures America’s youth look to when trying to figure out their personal way ahead? The point is that the “brand” has to appeal to a broad audience, with different levels of experience and different perspectives. The challenge is to reach and appeal to this wide audience with a clear and concise message of who we are.

Yeah he's right.  They should try to relate to not ony a wider audience but also to retired/vet Sailors.  The current marketing campaign doesn't do that. 

What has me laughing my ass off is that he thinks that young men joining the Navy are all for the cup cakes and unicorns.  That migh apply to a few since don't ask don't tell was repealed but the societal facts point to something else.  The fastest growing sport in America is mixed martial arts.  The biggest fitness craze is cross fit which is just a rip off of mixed martial arts training techniques.  The next fastest growing sport is weight lifting.  That points to a much more macho type mindset...a more conservative mindset than the powers that be are comfortable with.

Read the whole thing and compare/contrast the comments between those with fingers in the air trying to say the politically correct thing and those that are speaking the truth.

Its really quite funny.

The Marine Corps' JLTV problem.

The Corps has a JLTV problem.  Check this out from Govt Exec.

Instead of fielding new vehicles with new technology, service leaders installed more armor on the vehicles they already have and buy off-the-shelf stopgaps to create MRAPs, mine-resistant ambush-protected trucks. But even the lightest, most mobile MRAP variant, the M-ATV (MRAP all-terrain vehicle), weighs in at more than 12 tons, more than twice an uparmored Humvee. Other, heavier MRAPs can hardly operate off-road: problematic but tolerable in highly urbanized Iraq, painfully limiting in rugged Afghanistan, and potentially crippling for future rapid-intervention missions around the world.

Now the Army and Marine Corps want a truck that’s much more maneuverable cross-country than an MRAP, yet much less vulnerable than the old Humvee. But their proposed solution, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program, faced cancellation threats in Congress and already has been rebooted to control its rising costs. The Army likewise revamped its Ground Combat Vehicle after initial proposals came in at 50 to 70 tons, startlingly heavy even for what is essentially a tank.

Its past time for a bit of common sense when it comes to Marine Corps procurement of ground vehicles.

1.  The JLTV just doesn't make sense for the Marine Corps.  Have the balls to cancel Marine Corps purchases and pick an upgrade for the HUMVEE.  If we land in extended combat in IED infested areas then we pull MRAPs out of storage.  The JLTV as currently constructed will cause our ships to weight out before they cube out.
2.  The slow walk that is the Marine Personnel Carrier Program is a mystery.  You pick the best one (and on this I would aim for best land performance, not swimming ability...we'll never launch these from ship and everyone knows it).  We've been looking at this since 2010.  They've been tested at Marine Bases around the country.  Man up and make a selection.
3.  What gives with the AAV upgrade?  Again.  Pick out what's desired and just get it done.
4.  ACV.  Again, this is nothing but a big bag of WTF!  Simply take the transformer pieces off the EFV, don't make it plane on water and get some decent jet drives on it and lets get it in the fleet.

These are simple issues that the Marine Corps has the answers to.  The Marine Corps does have a weight problem and its with too many functionaries and procurement officials.  This should have been done a year ago.

No urgency.

No plan.

Too much talk.

You don't win wars that way and you don't win procurement battles either.  

NOTE:
Yeah I know this is just a thinly disguised hit piece on the F-35 by the guy whose name must not be spoken but he did have some juicy tidbits mixed in.  I've got to get my hands on the wargame where the Army tried to get amphibious....how would they manage that with Strykers, Bradleys and Abrams?

Has anyone ever heard of these guys??? US Corrections Special Operations Group.

Corrections Officers are  now considered operators?  We definitely need to get a better definition of the word.

Pikes Peak Crash.

Jalopnik has a great write up on this years race.  If you have only a passing interest in autocross you must check it out.

LCS vs...

Rules of the fight are simple.  You're commanding an LCS and you're going up against another threat.  Your only weapons are those that are integral to the ship itself.  No helicopters but mission modules are allowed.  Winner is determined by who ever is left standing at the end....

First up.  LCS vs.Pirate Dhow...

Operating off the coast of Africa, your LCS has been charged with stopping illegal piracy.  You spot a dhow that you suspect of being a pirate ship and as you approach to launch your boarding party, you're hit with small arms fire and RPGs.  You retaliate with your 57mm cannon and make short work of the threat.  LCS 1.  Pirates 0.  LCS wins.

LCS vs. Fast Attack Missile Boat.

Future war in S. China sea.  Your LCS is acting as a picket ship.  No helicopters are onboard as they've been called back to reinforce the anti-sub net for the Carrier Battle Group.  Suddenly from behind an island, a Houbei class fast attack boat comes storming out.  They're 25 miles away and you launch your Griffin missile and start punching out decoys and smoke 'cause you know a long range missile is coming.  Your Griffin missile comes up short (you knew it would, you just hoped it would get a reaction from the enemy) and you speed away at 50 knots.  The engine will have to be rebuilt but that means you'll have survived the encouter.  A rebuilt engine will be a small price to pay for the joy of living another day.  God frowns and you die.  Your ship is a smoking wreck.  The Chinese paint a silhoutte of an LCS on the bridge, your crew is shark food and the LCS is destroyed by a boat less than half its size.  LCS 0.  Fast Attack Boat 1.  Rematch.  LCS is given a mission module with Harpoon missiles.  The circumstances of the battle remain the same.  The outcome?  Mutual destruction.  Both ships launch at range and both ships are hit.  The Chinese missile has a heavy warhead so the results are the same on the US side.  The Chinese ship being small is also damaged beyond repair.  The sharks dine on both crews.  LCS loses.  Rematch?  LCS loses.  Houbei loses.

LCS vs. Frigate.

LCS vs a La Fayette class frigate.  Hmmm.  This should be a decent match up.  With anti-ship modules both ships are similarly equipped and since the La Fayette class carries Exocet missiles the throw weight of their weaponry is also similar.  Circumstances of the ship to ship combat are irrelevant.  Equal opponents.  Equal weaponry.  Comes down to a pick'em.  Results.  Tie.

Long story short?  You can't fight an LCS against anything bigger than a Frigate.  And thats where the Navy should go with these ships.  Equip the ships as frigates and add them to the fleet.  Modules should be limited to Special Ops only.  An anti-surface package and anti-sub package should be a given.  Limited anti-air should come from close in defense and its 57mm guns.  Re-engining them with a more economical engine should be a given and the idea of speeds approaching 40 knots should be abandonded.  It still won't be perfect but it will be servicable.

Water obstacle course in Djibouti

Photos by 2nd Lt. Joshua Larson

Note:
Captions are embedded in the photos.

SAAB RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile

Super Carriers. Why not 6?

Check out a couple of passages from National Defense Magazine.

“Go back and look at the capabilities or reasons we used carriers 20 and 30 years ago and then look today,” Polmar said. “You’re going to reprogram a satellite — it’s cheaper, easier, faster.You’re going to send [an unmanned aerial vehicle], you’re going to dispatch a U-2 or you’re going to try to do it with cyber.”

The Navy has more than 50 submarines and more than 80 surface combatants that can launch Tomahawk missiles.

and...

While Preble believes 11 is too many, he doesn’t necessarily buy into the idea that the heyday of the super carrier is over. Large numbers of relatively low-cost anti-ship missiles and quiet submarines can cause serious problems for an aircraft carrier task force, but these threats are not insurmountable, Preble said.

“There are some people who believe that subs are such a game-changing technology and the advantage so disproportionately in the subs’ favor that a carrier is a sitting duck. I don’t believe that,” Preble said. “They’re big and they’re targets, but we have other big targets. Yes, we’re investing a lot of resources and money and time and people in a really, really big vessel. And so we invest a lot in protecting that vessel. This is not a new phenomena. We did the same thing with battleships.” 

Seems like the establishment is having the same conversation we are.

Interesting.

But it brings me to the real issue.  11 carriers is definitely too many.  Especially in light of how we're using them and the utility that the bring to the fleet.

If we lack the courage to change the size of our carriers then its time to change the number.  We need 8 max, 6 minimum.  I'd lean toward the 6.  We could have one deployed, one doing workups and one on a rest period.  Duplicating that on both coasts and you have it.

What do we get out of the deal?  A surplus instead of a deficit.  We will finally have enough aircraft to fully man our aircraft carriers.  Going to sea with 60 airplanes on deck is a crime.  We can pump that number up to a little over 100. 

Its doable.

We're building LCS, while China is pumping out Frigates.

Many thanks to Paralus for pointing out this article to me.

Sidenote:  I've publicly questioned Feng's motives.  He's a constant over at ID, and I've wondered if he was a Chinese sympathizer.  I was wrong.  Its more like he's simply informing us all of the strides that the Chinese are making in becoming a military as well as economic superpower.  Additionally Mike at New Wars caught alot of grief from me when he was writing.  I was wrong too.  He was into smaller, simpler and more plentiful ships before it was cool.  He was right.  And we all were so wrong.  Let me also add that I'm into small arms and armor.  But I will be focusing on China with a bit more gusto now.  They're the 800 pound gorilla that's a real threat to the US.

Go to Feng's place to get the full story on these ships....but one thing is obvious.  We're playing checker---testing out concepts----while the Chinese are playing chess----opting to product improve what is KNOWN to work.

Things aren't looking good for the home team.  We MUST get our shipbuilding plan and designs for smaller combatants going again!

Informational. Spratly Islands.

Flashpoint.

The Spratly island chain will be the area where the next major naval battle will probably occur. 

Consider this.  The Spratly Islands chain is reported to contain vast oil reserves.  Also consder that Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines and China all claim itt.

Now think about all the wars that have started over less.

Israeli and Chinese Navy. 20 years of cooperation.

Uh quick question.  When the fuck did China and the Israeli Navy become BFF's?

The Israel Navy congratulates the Chinese Navy on docking at the Haifa port. On August 13, 2012, the Chinese vessels arrived at Israel in order to celebrate 20 years of cooperation between the Israel Navy and the Chinese Navy. RADM Yang Jun-Fei was welcomed by the Haifa base commander, Brig. Gen. Eli Sharvit, upon his docking.

HMH-362 Memorial Flight.

Completing 60 years of service, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, known as the 'Ugly Angels,' completed a memorial flight over Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 9. The squadron was created in 1952 and holds the distinction of being the first Marine helicopter squadron to arrive in country during the Vietnam War  Photo by Cpl. Isaac Lamberth.

Navy Matters. A blog you should check out.

Navy Matters.

A blog I recently discovered and you should check out.  If its not on your daily list of spots to stop by then correct yourself and subscribe!

Indian- Indigenous Light Combat Helicopter

Task Force Jaguar. The Apache Attack Helo.

H-8 Stealth Bomber. The next shoe to drop from China.

I had fun with a series of posts on a Chinese strike on an American Carrier Battle Group.

A light Google search reveals the next shoe to drop from Chinese design bureaus will be a stealth bomber---the H-8.

Several Chinese language blogs are talking about it and it just plain makes sense.  A glaring hole in Chinese force projection is the lack of a bomber with hemispheric reach.

A nation that is putting up a space station, has designed its own stealth fighter/striker and is producing 4.5 gen fighters surely is capable of producing a modern bomber...at least equal to the B-1.

Yet we still haven't seen it.

And that's why I predict the next shoe to drop from the land of the Dragon will be a stealth bomber.

Imagine designing a defense for a carrier when they have several regiments of homegrown stealth bombers to throw into the mix.

SOCOM in Afghanistan. We're doing it wrong.

Green Berets in Afghanistan via NATGEO.

Was talking to some friends about the ass sore that is Afghanistan and we all came to the same conclusion.

We're doing it wrong.

More specifically, SOCOM is doing it wrong.  They're about to have free reign (again) to operate the way that they want to and while they have conventional forces in country providing support (and will once they become lead force again) they're concentrating on raids, raids and more raids.

This might be a cultural issue, since the Commanding Officer is a Navy SEAL.

It might be part of an actual plan.

But from the outside looking in at SOCOM, it really appears like this should be a US Army Special Forces show.  I mean seriously.  THINK ABOUT IT!

AQ is done in country.  The only enemy that remains is the Taliban.  This is a classic Foreign Internal Defense Mission.

Everything else we're doing is not going to work until the politics of the simmering civil war is solved.

Rights for women?  Not gonna happen until they solve their issues.
Educating girls?  Same.
Religious freedom?  Ditto.
Reconstruction of the country?  You're kidding me right?

Only the Green Berets are culturally equipped to deal with Afghanistan.  US Marines, US Army and allied forces are not the forces to lead this fight.  Unfortunately the bureaucracy has settled in and thinking about winning the fight has taken a backseat to running a war.

Afghanistan is a Green Beret fight.  It probably always has been, but now it should be obvious to all.  Last week we had 10 US service men killed about our supposed allies.  Its past time to accept the reality of this situation. 

To solve Afghanistan you assign a Special Forces Group to the country and get everyone (including other SOCOM units) out of their way.  Then you do yearly assessments of progress made.  After 10 years at war, giving SF two more might not seem fair but when you consider the treasure expended in this effort its more than the Afghan people deserve.  If SF can't turn it around in that time frame then its a done deal.  That's how you solve Afghanistan.

Space Exploration Vehicle.

Fixing the fleet. USS America class should be the next carrier.

Embarrassing.

During the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti, the US Navy rushed an aircraft carrier with a skeleton crew on board to provide assistance.  It had no manpower to search for survivors or provide assistance.  It didn't have helicopters to move supplies ashore.  It was a case of image over substance.

All this leads to the situation the Navy finds itself in today.  Too few aircraft, too much ocean and not enough ships to go around.

The solution is simple.  Fix the Navy by adding an angled flight deck to the America class LHD and get numbers, reinvigorate rotary winged aviation in Navy use and get almost 40 F-35C's (or F/A-18's) on board.  Oh and be advised.  We've done this before.  We did the same thing to straight decked aircraft carriers after World War 2 and we were served well by the modifications.

Putting angled flight decks on the America class would be the first step to the Navy buying Ford's not Ferrari's.  We should start the planning today.

UPDATE:
A world war 2 aircraft carrier was under 30,000 tons in wieght and carried 100 aircraft.  When they were refitted witth hurricane bows and angled flight decks they still came in under 50,000 tons and operated primitve jet aircraft...meaning weak engines and avionics.

We can make a 40,000 ton carrier with an angled flight deck out of the America class and still operate 50 aircraft. If we take the space used for Marines and equipment then its beyond doable, its easy!  It can be done today, all it takes is the will.