Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring

USMC. Procurement Doomsday Is Here.

Check out this story from Reuters.

The Marine Corps' decision to proceed with training flights amounts to a vote of confidence in the embattled F-35 fighter program, which has been restructured three times in recent years, slowing production and delaying the plane's operational use.
Marine Corps leaders, increasingly concerned about replacing their current fleet of aging fighters, decided to skip the formal evaluation of the plane's operational utility that the Air Force is completing before proceeding with its own pilot training flights at the base.

Don't be fooled.

Part of this is about the F-35 but most of it has to do with a procurement doomsday that is here now and only going to get worse.

The Marine Corps needs to start clearing the books on some projects....wonder why?  Check out all the programs that the Marine Corps is running now....

*F-35
*AH-1Z
*UH-1Y
*MV-22
*KC-130J
*Marine Personnel Carrier
*AAV Upgrade
*Amphibious Combat Vehicle
*CH-53K
*JLTV
*Internally Transportable Vehicle
*MTVR
*KMAX UAV
*LAV-25 Upgrade

And those are the things that I remembered off the top of my head.  Those are all major programs being done at the same time with the prospect of budget cuts, not increases!

Then notice how many of those programs are big dollar aviation projects.

By rushing the F-35 into the field, they'll essentially wall off the money, will tie in defense jobs to the planes production and will be able to play the old game of asking for supplementals to replace the ancient ground equipment.

Still.  Look for the JLTV to be cancelled (the Marine's buy anyway), expect the AAV upgrade or the ACV to compete for defense dollars...we'll do one but not both and finally (and I hope I'm wrong) but look for the CH-53K to get pushed further out.

The trainwreck is here for the Marines.

JLTV downselect winners.

Thanks for the link Jonathan!  Wow.  Read the entire article but BAE lost AGAIN!  I don't know whats going on.  They seem to have solid designs yet can't catch a break in these selections.

via DefenseNews.

The U.S. Army and Marine Corps have selected three vehicles for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, with the announcement coming Wednesday evening.

The awards were somewhat surprising, since two of the three went to companies that submitted their designs in March, as opposed to bidders who had been working on the program since its inception in 2005.

The awards went to AM General, ($64.5 million); Lockheed Martin ($66.3 million); and Oshkosh Corporation, ($56.4 million). AM General and Oshkosh are the new bidders.

In a notice posted to a government contracting website, the Army said that the firm-fixed price contracts cover the 27-month EMD effort, and that “approximately $99.5Mwas obligated for the three contractors by this action, with initial funding of approximately $28M to $36M for each contractor. The balance of the funding, up to full base contract amount, will be provided in FY 13 and FY 14.”

The Army says that it plans to purchase 50,000 vehicles, while the Marine Corps is looking to buy 5,000.

The three industry teams who won technology development contracts in October 2008 included BAE Systems and Navistar; General Tactical Vehicles (General Dynamics and AM General); and Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems.

But on March 28, Navistar left the BAE-led team to offer the Saratoga Light Tactical Vehicle, and AM General and Oshkosh both announced they were also striking out on their own to submit independent bids.

The announcement today — barring a protest — shuts out original TD winners BAE Systems and General Dynamics, as well as newcomer Navistar.

Just plain wow.

General Dynamics seems to be mailing it in lately when it comes to these contests (I mean really?  How could they think that the Duro Eagle could compete...they didn't even design a new vehicle!) and the BAE loss just has me stumped.  I can't wait to read the rationale behind this decision.

Oshkosh

Lockheed Martin

Have the US Navy SEALs lost their fucking minds???

via Soldier Systems.

We recently posted a video entitled, “Dishonorable Disclosures” by a group named OpSec that was making a case that the Obama administration had been releasing details of special operations for political gain. Their timing couldnt have been worse. We knew that a major book was on the horizon (and they should have to) by a bin Laden raid participant so we were a bit cautious about the whole politicized thing. Since the OpSec group is headed by SEALs it would surely make them look kind of foolish if an even bigger leak came out by a fellow SEAL. Well, now that book has been announced. According to a report by ABC News, “The book, titled “No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama bin Laden,” was written by a former SEAL team leader who the publisher said was “one of the first men through the door on the third floor of the terrorist leader’s hideout.” See the ABCNews story for details on the upcoming book by “Mark Owen.”
While we are certainly looking forward to reading the book, we hope that the group OpSec will attempt to maintain their legitimacy by also working to educate the public on any damage that this book might cause. Here’s your chance to do the right thing guys.

Man I hope this is all a false news story.

I HOPE IT IS!

If it isn't then someone needs to get that community together and tell them to knock it off!  I'll never forget when Admiral McRaven was told by an old time retired Special Forces General to get out of the news media.  The Admiral laughed at him.  I bet he isn't laughing now.

Special Operations always complains that Big Army or Big Navy or Big Whatever always gets in the way and keeps them from operating the way that they would like.

If shit like this keeps up you can bet that Special Operations will be snatched back again....and just think...a few months ago McRaven wanted Combatant Commander status to deploy his forces world wide!

Golani Brigade at the Golan Heights (Namer APC in action)

Nineteen Flights In One Day

F-35s were in the air across the nation, from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey to Edwards AFB in California, on 13 August 2012. Two aircraft launched from Edwards; four from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland; three from NAS Fort Worth JRB; and nine from Eglin AFB, Florida; and one from McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst for a total of nineteen, which set a record for the F-35 program. The previous record was seventeen flights on 8 August. Of the nineteen flights, five were CTOL and seven were STOVL.

UltimateRatioReg nails General Dempsey.

UltimateRatioReg nails General Dempsey!

Its a great read and I recommend you head over to USNI Blog to check it out. 

This is AWESOME. 

Only a few writers are able to give voice to the majority of military people...Black5, UltimateRatioReg, CDR Salamander and a few other spots (a very few) still have their heads on right.  But the pushback is coming and I can't wait to read the comments that are coming.

Know your enemy. ZBD09 Wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

The ZBD09.

It appears to be a Mowag Piranha copy.

But that isn't what should be of concern to Western military planner or thinkers.  While it almost certainly doesn't have the same armored protection and is probably a rough copy of a Western design, what should concern all is how fast the Chinese are able to get new vehicles into the hands of their military. What should concern the USMC is that the Chinese already have a wheeled personnel carrier that meets (at least on paper) the exact specifications laid out for its MPC without the drama thats part of our procurement process.

JSOW C-1 integrated. Navy moves to solve the anti-ship issue.

via Raytheon.

 -- The U.S. Navy has begun integrated testing (IT) of Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1. During its first flight in IT, the JSOW C-1 was retargeted to strike a large moving ship target.

"This flight test further demonstrates that JSOW C-1 can receive third party target updates in-flight, retarget after release, and strike a precise point on a moving ship using the weapon's autonomous terminal seeker," said Cmdr. Samuel Hanaki of the U.S. Navy's Precision Strike Weapons Program Office. "The program remains on track for reaching initial operational capability in 2013."

The test presented two maneuvering ships (large and small) as potential targets. Before weapon release, a Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet targeted the smaller ship, and then handed off weapon control to a second Super Hornet also targeting the smaller ship. After release from the first Super Hornet, the JSOW C-1 was guided by the second Super Hornet toward the smaller maneuvering ship target located 90 kilometers from launch point. 
While in flight, the JSOW was retargeted by the second Super Hornet to the larger maneuvering ship target. The JSOW provided weapon in-flight track and bomb hit indication status messages back to the controlling Super Hornet while successfully engaging the larger target ship. The test validated JSOW C-1's unique ability to be controlled, updated and retargeted as needed to eliminate its intended target. 
"JSOW C-1 brings U.S. and allied warfighters the unique ability to engage moving ships as far as 100 kilometers away with an air-launched precision strike weapon," said Celeste Mohr, Raytheon Missile Systems' JSOW program director. "The 280 Raytheon employees in Tucson, Ariz., and the hundreds of partner-supplier employees across the U.S. worked hard to make this test a success and demonstrate JSOW C-1's ability as the newest and pre-eminent moving maritime target weapon

You can bet your last dollar that when they talk about getting info from a third party they're talking about using this with P-8's.  I wonder if we're about to see a type of control ship operating with UAVs off a carrier.  Maybe a P-8 or C-2 stripped down as comm platforms having this as their sole mission.

The US Army in Air-Sea Battle. How will they get in the game?

The Army Chief looks at the Chairman and feels his blood pressure rising. He counts to ten before he speaks.  He wanted this to come out in a calm and measured way.  He failed.  This is fuckinig bullshit.  I've got 500,000 soldiers ready to go to war and you're telling me you don't need them.  FUCK YOU!  Fuck you all!

The Marine Commandant worked hard to conceal his smile.  This shit is fun!  Luckily he was able to contain his laughter and replied, well calm down John, which units are you gonna send?  Your Strykers aren't integrated with our amphibs and the MPS ships will take to long to get to theater.  You're gonna send your air assault units?  I thought we all agreed that we wouldn't be doing any more dog and pony shows...so no, we're not going to empty an aircraft carrier to carry your helos to the Pacific...besides, after that Haiti nonsense it took weeks for you all to get them back together after the saltwater worked its magic on them.

That only leaves your airborne forces and they're not mechanized.  They'll be foot mobile and that means they won't be able to pursue and destroy the enemy.  I'm afraid your boys are sitting this one out.  The Army Chief knew this was coming, his own staff had informed him of the issues.

He still had one card to play.  Time to get some allied help...Ok, Allen tell me this war plan again.  Allen was the new Air Force Chief of Staff.  They played golf and lifted weights together.  If he was going to get on board it was by the help of his long time friend.  Wow.  I really hate to tell ya but this plan is solid.  It just doesn't have any Army involvement this time out.  We've got a mix of Communist, Insurgents and Terrorist operating on the Philippine Island chain and between our fighters and UAVs out of Clark along with a Carrier Battle Group and Expeditionary Strike Group, we pretty much have this covered.  We'll be using our C-17's to ferry in high priority people and materials but we'll be landing the Marines on the southern most island and between Air Force, Navy and Marine Air they'll be covered the whole way.  Our UAVs will provide intel and you know SOCOM is already trying to get the lead on this so we have more than enough grunts running around.

The Army Chief was feeling a migraine coming on.  Those fucking cowboys in SOCOM always wanted to get camera time.  They more than had their hands full with the cluster that is Afghanistan but the news media had moved on so they were wanting out.  Still he saw an opening.

How long are operations set to continue?  The Navy Chief finally spoke up.  We're looking at a time scale of 15 days once the first Marines hits feet dry.  We've been told that under no circumstances will the mission go longer.  OK, now the Army Chief was in full migraine mode and the gloves were coming off.  So why can't my paratroopers drop in on these little fuckers and you can send your Marines back out to patrol the waters again?  The Commandant was really starting to like this new Army Chief.  He picked the wrong service but he was feisty!  He could feel the Army Chiefs pain so he wouldn't insult him with platitudes.  Its because little groups of paratroops spread all over the jungle is a recipe for disaster.  Even if we landed them at Clark and helo'ed them in they'd still be foot mobile and we're looking at pursuing them across several islands.  I'll tell ya what they can do.  Remember Panama when we had a company of Marines involved in what was an army effort?  Give us a Battalion of paratroopers for force protection at Clark...my FAST Company will take care of Subic Bay and you can tell the media that Army units are in the fight.

Damn it!  The Army Chief wondered how his predecessors could set the Army up for failure with their planning.  They refused to get light enough to fight and wouldn't get their light infantry and paratroopers the kind of vehicles necessary to fight in the Pacific.

More to come.

Oh and in this particular scenario the Army was left out completely.  Air Force Security forces pitched a bitch and would be providing force protection for Clark.  SOCOM's Army units got involved but they no longer considered themselves Army.

NOTE:
Air Sea Battle has to encompass more than just dealing with area denial threats.  It has to embrace an entirely new way of fighting wars in the future.  This is one of the ways that I see it playing out.

Red dots or laser?

Laserlyte

RMR

I am still chewing on this optic versus laser on pistols.

Ya see only a few years ago the combo was a laser and light...now you're seeing people trying to sell optics on pistols.  I still see no advantage and no reason to put red dot sights on pistols.  If you're engaging targets at distance then you should be grabbing your carbine or rifle.  If you're up close then you're going to be able to engage targets faster with a laser equipped pistol.  If your pistol is your primary, then you should save your pennies and buy a rifle.

But even worse is the potential damage that you do to your pistol.  In order to attach red dots to it you have to mill out the slide, attach suppressor sights and then you have to relearn using your pistol with the new setup.

Yeah.  Its gotta be the new money grab in the firearms industry.

US and Spanish Marines practice Helo Ops.

Tactical Air Control Party. Death on call...

TACP.  Death on call and having fun doing it.

More Generals and Civilian General Equivalents for the Corps.

Pathetic.

Around 20,000 Marines are about to be shown the door and yet the Flag ranks (and civilian equivalent...whatever the FUCK that means) continues to expand.

Via Marines.mil.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — Eight brigadier generals and brigadier general-selects, and six general officer-equivalent civilians were honored here during a ceremony commencing the 2012 Brigadier General Select Orientation Course Aug. 20.
BGSOC is a week-long course held in the National Capital Region to indoctrinate newly promoted and soon-to-be promoted brigadier generals and senior executives into their new rank and responsibilities.
This year’s BGSOC attendees include Brig. Gen. Burke Whitman, Brig. Gen. Gregg Olson, Brig. Gen. Paul Lebidine, Col. Matthew Glavy, Col. William Mullen III, Col. James O’Meara, Col. Edward Banta, Col. Eric Smith, Ariane Whittemore, Russell Howard, Dr. Todd Calhoun, James Simpson, Leila Gardner and William Dillon.
The course will feature appearances and speeches from the secretary of the navy, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, commandant of the Marine Corps, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, and deputy commandants.
Bonnie Amos, first lady of the Marine Corps, is also scheduled to host the spouses of the BGSOC attendees at the Home of the Commandants, to include a full tour of the 15,000-square-foot house, which is also the oldest continually occupied building in Washington.
The course is held every year in August.

Wow.

And you thought it wasn't a club.  A week long orientation course?  I said club, I should have said fraternity.

24th MEU Amphibious Raid

Photos by Cpl. Michael Petersheim

Arktos Amphibious Craft.

US Coast Guard Amphibious Craft.

Who knew?  The US Coast Guard has amphibius craft!  Too bad they haven't expanded this program to include smaller vehicles for use in the Southern US.  I can actually see them doing good work especially after a hurricane hits...AAV's played a huge role in the rescue of citizens after Hurricane Katrina and it might be good to see a few painted in Coast Guard colors.  On a side note maybe police depts need to be equipping with those type vehicles for real rescue work instead of MRAPs.

Type 26 Global Combat Ship

David Axe. You're a dumb ass!

Open note to David.

Dude!  I stepped up to defend you when those bubbas at SOFREP were handing you your ass over the statement made by the General in S. Korea when he made a weird statement about missions being run in the North.

I had forgiven you when it came to some pretty obvious school boy follower ship of the Dark Lord Sweetman and his critique of the F-35 program.  But this new little ditty is just too much.

Oh sorry.  Let me get everyone up to speed.  David wrote this article on the F-35...the whole thing is pretty pathetic but his part stood out.

No mention of the JSF program’s years of delays and rising costs, its reliability and performance problems and the fact that the Marines’ slavish dedication to the flawed stealth fighter means the Corps risks losing its ability to fight in the air.

Read the whole thing but that verbiage is straight out of the Sweetman, Air Power Australia and ELP playbook.  As a matter of fact he can probably get hit with plagiarism cause I'm sure I've read those exact words on one of those websites.

I would like to say that I'm disappointed but that would be a lie.  I expect this kind of behavior along with the secondary effect of Aviation Week linking to his site to help them prove that "we're not the only ones that dislike the F-35" theme.  Its all bullshit and David's a dumb ass. 

NOTE:  The F-35 program is up to speed/performing well and his statement about slavish devotion makes me want to punch walls.  Get a clue you son of a bitch. 

UPDATE:  I know the F-35 Haters Club like I know the inner workings of an M-16A4.  Sure as shit, Sean Meade linked to David Axe's story!  Check out the timeline on my blog posting and then go here to see the link for yourself.

UK cutting top billets. The USMC should do the same.

via BFBS.

The military's "top-heavy" command will be cut by a quarter under the latest in a wave of defence cuts to save £3.8 million a year.

Thousands of posts have already been cut after the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. These latest cuts were recommended in a report by Lord Levene last year.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond says one in four senior posts from the ranks of commodore, brigadier, air commodore and above will go and the top brass cull will take two years to carry out.
It means around 26 civilian and military head office posts are being axed and a new senior structure will come in from April next year.

A new streamlined head office will focus more on providing strategic direction. It will no longer get involved in the day-to-day management of the front line commands, which will take over responsibility for managing their own budgets.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “At a time when we are making difficult decisions about defence spending and have had to accept reductions across the board we cannot ignore the volume of posts at the top. For too long the MOD has been top heavy, with too many senior civilians and military.

“Not only does this new structure reduce senior staff posts by up to a quarter in the next two years, but it allows clear strategic priorities to be set for the Armed Forces. It will hold the frontline Commands to account for their delivery and support them in the tasks they are set.

Acting Permanent Under Secretary Tom McKane said: “All parts of Defence are being restructured as we transform the way the Ministry of Defence does business, and Head Office is no exception. A smaller Head Office focused on strategic direction and policy, which hands more responsibility to the front-line commands, allows for a better-run organisation.”

Wow.

The Brits are actually doing what everyone has always talked about.

Take the US Marine Corps for example.  We're about to put 20,000 Marines out on the street, yet we haven't heard one peep about reducing the number of Flag Billets or seen a reduction in support elements.  All we know for sure is that several Infantry Battalions are going away.

AMAZING.

Time for the Corps to man up.  If you can kick LCPL Schmucatelli to the curb then you can do the same to General Don't Know Shit (said in jest...relax rank thumpers).

Seriously though.  Its time for the Marine Corps to seriously clean house.  Close down shops, combine functions and billets and make this a streamlined machine again.

NOTE:  This should also apply doubly so for all the civilian billets that dot the Marine Corps landscape.