Marines agree with the Air Force and the Navy is screwed.

I don't know how I missed this but its good and it shows a rift between what should be the two closest services.

The Navy forced the Marines to buy the F-35C model and while I howled at the travesty of that, it didn't change the most important dynamic...the Marine Corps is following the US Air Force and going to an all stealth fighter force.

The Navy is still deciding the issue and it appears from the outside looking in that many would like to continue to build non-stealthy high performance fighters...depending on electronic jamming and superior avionics to make up for the lack of stealth.  Well the Marines not only aren't buying the non-stealth argument but are again following the US Air Force's lead in abandoning the electronic jamming role.  Check out this from Defense Tech.

The Marine Corps has no plans to pursue an Electronic Warfare variant of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos at a Pentagon roundtable Thursday.
Amos said the AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar installed on the F-35 already sets the fifth generation fighter apart as an electronic warfare platform.
“The airplane itself … with the AESA radar and sensors and information sharing capability is a pretty significant EW platform right now,” said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos at a roundtable meeting with reporters in the Pentagon Aug. 23.
Aviation analysts have questioned why the Air Force and Navy have not focused more heavily on modernizing their electronic warfare capabilities. The Navy has started to phase out the EA-6B Prowler with the addition of the FA-18 Growler as the military’s pre-eminent electronic warfare platform to take suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) missions.

What does that mean?  It means that Navy electronic warfare wings are going to be worked even harder than they already are.  The Navy and Marine wings are already supporting Air Force and NATO ops and now they're going to be worked even harder!

NAVAIR is gonna have to make up for the shortfall...I would bet that Super Hornets might make an appearance in Marine Corps colors after all.

The tale of CAPT Rogers. A warning from the past.

Do you remember Capt Rogers?

Do you remember the pain and worry that his family had to face after he was forced to act on one fateful day.  A day that would see innocent people killed...not because Capt Rogers was a blood thirsty maniac, but because a couple of pilots flew into restricted airspace during a cold conflict turned hot between the US and Iran.

Read the Wiki page for yourself but here's a tidbit.

Nine months after the downing of Iran Air Flight 655, on March 10, 1989, Rogers' wife Sharon escaped with her life when a pipe bomb attached to her minivan exploded, while she was driving.^[5] The van was recorded in the name of Will Rogers III, and many people jumped to a conclusion and suspected that terrorism was involved. Five months later, the Associated Press reported that the most likely suspect had a personal vendetta against Capt. Rogers and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had ruled out terrorist activity.^[15] At that time pipe bombs were a common occurrence (over 200 each year) in San Diego County and a largely homegrown threat according to the local sheriff's department.^[16] As of 2007, the bombing of Rogers' van remains an unsolved case, despite a major investigation involving at some time up to 300 police men and FBI agents.^[17] On February 17, 1993, the case was featured on the TV show Unsolved Mysteries, but no additional information was uncovered.

The story of Capt Rogers isn't widely known or told these days.  Its forgotten been forgotten by most and only the dedicated people in historical society probably even talk about it.  Forget reading about his story at USNI blog or on Proceedings...they're stuck on stupid about insignificant and unimportant personal issues or advocating for rights.

But they should.

Its a warning to all that when you fight certain enemies today, the battle doesn't necessarily end when you get back home.  If you're part of a noteworthy battle, or extremely critical mission these bastards will hunt you AND your family down.

That's where my outrage toward this Navy SEAL comes from.  Its ok to put your own life on the line and I salute him for doing that.  But by penning this book he's painted bullseyes on the backs of his and teammates loved ones.

This book is unacceptable.  The sad part of it though is this.  If the Pentagon allows it to be published I'll read it...and so will every bad guy that SEAL Team has ever gone after.

 

Blast from the past. Comanche Recon Helicopter.

The Comanche Helicopter.

A flying marvel that was perhaps ahead of its time when it was developed but probably right on time today.

Have you ever wondered why the military doesn't dust off the designs that didn't work when they came out but might work today.  The Comanche obviously contributed to the design of the stealth helicopter that crashed in Pakistan but instead of using that tech to work up a new helicopter, the Army and Sikorsky appear to have abandoned it for conventional forces.

Too bad.  The Comanche is something our forces could use.

Arrogance on display. Courtesy USNI Blog.

I'm not a fan of the USNI Blog.  Some of the writers yes.  The majority of them?  NOT AT ALL!

They vast majority of them represent the very worst values to be found in individuals in the military...they're self serving, self important, believe the world revolves around them and they think that the military owes them something.

The latest example of this comes from a YN2.  Read the whole thing but check this out.

Get through ‘A’ School, and through a duty station, probably in/around DC.  Then apply for the sabbatical program in the Navy, and finish whatever schooling I have left.

But, even with this plan, I don’t want to leave SHAPE.  I doubt that anyone who reads this blog dislikes my Boss, ADM Stavridis.  But, I also doubt many people who read this blog have worked for him.  Trust me, he’s even better to work for than his reputation lets on.  I know that anywhere else I go in the Navy, the ideas will not be as good, the drive to bring good ideas forward will not be as earnest, and I will miss all of this so terribly much–Please, all of you out there, prove me wrong in that, let me know who next to go work for as a CTR, I beg you.

I don’t care that I will become just another CTR2 out there in the Fleet–in fact I miss the Fleet.  But, I do care about not being around ideas.  And that is why I want to get out, because in a very real sense, I know that in four years I’ve worked in that once-in-a-generation Command.

I don't know how USNI came to a point where its allowing its authors to pen articles that are this self serving.  This selfish.  This limited in its scope.

But they have.

I just wonder where the trustees are.  Where is the leadership that says this is bullshit.

And if you're sitting there saying "hey the guy is making a decision and he's sharing it with the world" then consider this.

Thousands of Marines are making this very decision right now without whining.

Thousands of Marines are facing the very tough situation of wanting to remain in the Corps but will be forced out anyway.

Thousands of Marines are making a decision and dealing with the consequences.

But not this sailor.  Not this guy.  He's important.  He's the only one that's going through this.  He's special.

He makes me fucking sick.

SOCOM is operating in Mexico.

Read between the line on this one.  Check out this tidbit and read the rest for yourself.

The U.S. Embassy did not release the names of the injured workers, who it said were heading to a military training base south of Mexico City. Its statement said the employees and a Mexican naval captain traveling with them were fired on by a group of men, and were chased when they tried to escape. The naval officer was not seriously injured.

Mexico's federal police agency acknowledged that its own officers fired on the embassy's SUV, which appeared to be armored and has diplomatic plates. It said the officers were in the area looking for criminals, but it did not explain what happened.

Its statement said at least four vehicles fired at the embassy vehicle on a road south of the capital, but it did not clarify whether any or all of them were federal police units. Federal police spokesmen did not respond to The Associated Press requesting further comment.

A U.S. official who was briefed on the shooting said later that all the shots were fired by federal police.

Yeah.

A diplomatic vehicle?

US govt. workers?

Traveling with a Mexican Naval Officer?

You heard it here first.  SOCOM is operating just South of the border.

When did Laron Landry hulk out?

I remember seeing this guy play at LSU (when we won another Championship...not counting the one we'll win this year) and he was NEVER this big.  I'm not saying he's juicing but damn, he must have added almost 50 pounds of pure muscle in two years!

JLTV is a mistake.

I'm parsing this from the Commandant's latest interview.  via Reuters.

After the new ACV enters into production, the Marines also plan to start work on a cheaper new personnel carrier that would be used to transport troops on the ground. Amos said the service would also maintain some undefined number of existing vehicles and keep them running to save money.
He underscored the importance of a Humvee replacement program, and said the Marines could expand their plans to buy 5,000 of the new trucks in later years.

I'm just not understanding the rationale.

The Marine Corps just necked down aviation to save money yet at the same time we're going to buy 5,000 JLTV's to replace only a portion of the 20,000 odd HUMVEEs we have in service?

Two supply chains.  One for the new JLTV the other for the legacy Hummers.

But wait it gets better.  The ACV (unless he misspoke) is going to be in production before the MPC?  Yet the ACV is suppose to be affordable, have greater carrying capacity and yet we're still going forward with the MPC?

And while we're getting the ACV and the MPC we're going to upgrade the AAV?

You heard it here first.

This is bullshit.  It ain't gonna work, Congress won't go for it and they're spinning wheels because they're unsure of which direction they want to go.

One thing I'm sure of.  The only reason why the Marine Corps is going forward with the JLTV is because of US Army pressure.  Reports I got are that the upgraded HUMVEE shown to Marines at Pendleton got nothing but RAVE REVIEWS.  Those reports surely got up the chain because high ranking Marines were there to see it.

The Army does good work but its time to make the turn back to the sea and understand that we fall under the Dept of the Navy.

Standardization with the Army at a budget busting cost is just not acceptable.  First things first.  Dump the JLTV.

Marine Corps Muleskinners

Sgt. Justin D. Head, animal packing course chief instructor, exercises his mustang, Hondo, shortly after grazing. The animal packing course is the only one of its kind in the department of defense and teaches Marines and other military personnel how to effectively and efficiently work with beast of burden to transport munitions, supplies and wounded personnel to and from areas inaccessible to mechanized and air transportation. The course, offered at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, teaches an introduction to animal packing, an anatomy of pack animals, animal packing techniques, casualty evacuation techniques, animal first aid and bivouac considerations.

Sgt. Warren Sparks, Mountain Warfare Animal Packer Instructor, leads a group of Marines across the Sierra Nevada mountain range on his mule, Trigger. The Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center trains Marines and other service members to move across various terrains at altitudes between 8,000 to 11,000 feet. The animal packer course is one of several classes taught at the MWTC.

The bond established between Marine and animal are important to the success of every packing mission. "You put a horse in certain circumstances, he has to be able to trust you," said Sgt. Warren Head, animal packer course chief instructor. "They see we feed them and take care of them, and over time, that builds the trust between us."

Capt. Anthony F. Reynolds, maintenance management officer at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, rest his mule, Herman, following a supply transport to a training area. Marines are taught to tend to the needs of their packing animals before taking care of their own, which includes brushing, grazing and resting the animals once they arrive to their destination.

The Marine Corps animal packing course is designed to aid Marine Corps units in alternative methods of transporting crew served weapons, ammunition, supplies and wounded personnel to and from areas inaccessible to mechanized and air mobile transportation. Students are taught the necessary skills to enable them to plan, organize, and conduct animal packing, and/or provide advice to senior commanders and staffs.

Law Enforcement shoots another vet...by mistake...

Thanks for the story Joe!

I don't get it.  Everyone wants to paint Law Enforcement and the US Military with the same brush and nothing could be further from the truth.

One thing is becoming obvious though.

There appears to be a war on veterans. 

Vets are being shot, arrested and generally (it appears) targeted by law enforcement.  Something has to give or this could get even more out of hand.

K-MAX Beacon-Enabled Delivery

Former Navy SEAL already getting death threats.

I knew this would happen.

But its this guys fault.  He outed himself when he wrote the book but perhaps more importantly he outed his buddies too.  Check this story out.

(NBC NEWS) Users on several militant Islamic websites affiliated with al-Qaida have posted the name and photo of a former Navy SEAL identified as the author of an upcoming book on the commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden. The posts called for his “destruction” in revenge for the al-Qaida founder’s killing.
Among the website publishing the death threats was the “Al-Fidaa” web forum, which al-Qaida uses to distribute its media and public communications, said Evan Kohlmann, an NBC News consultant and a terrorism analyst at Flashpoint Partners, a global security firm.
The source of the photo, which appears to show a special operations soldier in leveling an automatic rifle during a training exercise, was not immediately clear.

I wish I could feel sympathy.

I wish I could be worried for the guy.

But he brought this on himself.  Sorta like a middle class guy going into a dangerous part of the city to buy drugs or prostitutes.  If something bad happens he brought it on himself and can only blame himself for making a very bad decision.  Just like this Former SEAL did by writing this book.

CMC talks Amphibious Combat Vehicle.

via DOD Buzz.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos didn’t mince words describing his commitment to the Amphibious Combat Vehicle and delivering the Corps a new amphibious tractor when speaking with reporters at the Pentagon Thursday.
“We need an amphibious tractor, period,” Amos said.
The Marine Corps four-star expects his acquisition team to finish the requirements for the ACV this fall and potentially submit a request for proposals to the defense industry. Amos read over the completed Analysis of Alternatives in June and remains optimistic the Corps will get its tractor. He received additional briefs on the ACV this week.

“We’re going to get one opportunity to do this right,” Amos said. “I want to make sure when we go to Congress with the requirement that Congress looks at it and says it makes complete sense to me and I fully support it. I feel like we are right where we need to be.”
Amos is understandably feeling pressure to deliver the Corps a new amphibious tractor. Their last attempt, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, was notably canceled by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates as requirements spiraled and questions arose about just how far a Marine squad could travel from ship to shore.

The Marine Corps has its top scientists and engineers evaluating the ACV’s requirement’s down in Woodbridge, Va., and making decisions on cost tradeoffs to keep the tractor affordable, Amos said. A major issue remains the distance the tractor will have to travel ship to shore and whether it can get up on plane and travel over the waves.

If the transport doesn’t reach the necessary planing speed, then the Marines aboard must endure the choppy surf and the slow pace will make them a fatter target. However, with the additional speed comes a higher price tag.

“[The scientists] have been getting into the physics of fluid dynamics. How fast a vehicle can go before you have to have a planing vehicle. How big a motor you have to have. What’s the cost tradeoffs. They’ve been working on that for a little over a year-and-a-half,” Amos said.

Following the completion of the AOA, Amos said he wants his acquisition team to work with the engineers and re-evaluate the requirements one last time to make sure the requirements are “locked in concrete.”

He made sure to not make the same mistakes the Corps made with the EFV. Amos emphasized that the Corps is not interested in building a luxury tractor, he wants a fighting vehicle that can deliver a squad of Marines ashore for amphibious assaults.
“This is not a Cadillac Escalade we’re trying to build here,” Amos said. “This is a fighting vehicle that will come ship to shore and go in with likely a squad of Marines. We are trying to make sure we are not building something that ends up with capabilities that we don’t need or can’t afford.”

A couple of things concern me about this.  First the 800 pound Gorilla in the room is the US Navy.  Some type of agreement needs to be arrived at concerning how close to shore we can expect the amphibs to launch our assault vehicles.  Once that's determined ... and assuming that the full weight of firepower will be applied to the effort ....then we can decide exactly what the capabilities of the vehicle will be.

The second thing that concerns me is the location where the scientist are conducting these experiments.  If I recall correctly that's the Headquarters of General Dynamics.  I also recall them having some type of lab there.  If our people are working hand in hand with the guys from GD then we're going to have a protest for sure and the program will be set back again.  I'm sure they have that figured out but I just wanted to put that out there.

Another thing that annoys are some of the comments.  This one in particular.

 The Marines problem is that their basic amphibious unit is the battalion size MEG that has limited resources to support an amphibious assault. The hybrid EFV seemed to be an ideal answer. Of course the only problem, besides its $21-22 million per unity price tag and manufacturer incompetence was that the all aluminum vehicle was PRG bait.

What it appears is what the Marines news is a n amphibious taxi to bet the assault units ashore, the bring in the LAV-25's and M1A2's and the M-199's that are carried with the MEG and get their butts off the beach.

Oh wait a moment that Army doctrine.

This guy is smoking crack.  The MEU is a battalion sized unit that's self sufficient for 15 days in combat.  No other formation of that size in the US military can say the same.  Additionally the USMC is tailor made for multiple environments but especially the Pacific.  The silly crack about Army doctrine is just sour grapes.  The Pacific is an Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps play land.  The Army will have to find a rationale for inclusion in war planning.  I've been trying to figure out a role for that force and just can't find it.  Their best hope is to garrison Afghanistan and perhaps parts of Africa for the foreseeable future if they want to claim relevancy.

Australia to acquire EA-18G Growler

UPDATE: SOFREP does NOT give a pass...

Just a note.

Head over to SOFREP to read their latest article.

THEY DO NOT GIVE THE SEAL IN QUESTION A PASS.  Consider me impressed.  I actually thought that since they're a Special Ops Centric website (like I focus on the Marine Corps) that they would cut the guy some slack.  Especially when you consider that they have many Navy SEALs writing for the website.

I stand corrected.  SOFREP played it straight.  Kudos.

NOTE:  I forgot to link to the post on SOFREP.  Click here to read it for yourself.

The Terrapin 8x8. Marine Personnel Carrier's Pappy..

Name a World War 2 vehicle that had the same specifications as the Marine Personnel Carrier that's wheeled.  You could name the DUKW but that would be a misnomer.  It wasn't designed transport men in the assault, it was and is a logistics vehicle.  The LVT? Nope, its tracked.

You would have to point to the Briish Terrapin8x8. It laid the groundwork for the modern amphibious 8x8 fighting vehicle.  Although it wasn't successful because of certain design decisions it did play a major role with the Canadians in the fighting in Northern Europe.

Read about the Terrapin here.

Lieutenant General John F. Mulholland, Jr. Is he man enough to save SOCOM?

SOCOM is in disarray.


If you follow military matters they've been going bad for quite a while now.  You had the cluster that was the SEAL movie.  People played the patriot card and laughed and said it was good fun.  Then you had McRaven speaking to  every news outlet that would hear him...you had McRaven ask Congress for world wide Combatant Commander powers (that kind of power would make him the most powerful person in the US military...SOCOM would be answerable to no one and missions could have theoretically been run inside the US if the Admiral saw fit) and now you have a SEAL way off base writing a tell  all book about a top secret operation.

Even if no secrets are spilled he gave up the most important thing of all.  His identity.  With that little tidbit and a google search, enemies of SEAL Team 6 can not only trace him and his family down, but they can also locate other team mates of his.  

Yeah.  SOCOM is in shit shape right now.

Let me ask you this.  If you had a top secret mission that needed to be run right now would you pick Navy SEALs or would you opt for another SOCOM unit?

I would opt for another unit.  Especially if I was concerned about news of it getting out.

Lucky for SOCOM, there is a man of with experience, courage, ability and perhaps most importantly the humility to take the reigns and steer the organization back to what it was always suppose to be.
  
I don't expect it right now (although it couldn't hurt) but I can see General Mulholland taking over early next year...right after the elections.  Remember the General in S. Korea that talked about missions being run in the North?  A few months later he was relieved of duty.

The same will happen with this.  I don't know what's wrong with the SEALs but the culture appears to be broken.  Something is off with that outfit and I can't quite put my finger on it. 

The only question that needs to be answered is this.  Is General Mulholland man enough to save SOCOM from itself?

$250,000 to BAE for AAV Upgrade Study?

via DefenseAerospace.

“BAE Systems has worked successfully with the U.S. Marine Corps for more than 70 years, and we’re proud to continue being a part of programs that will revolutionize the amphibious fleet,” said Ann Hoholick, vice president and general manager of Amphibious & New Programs for BAE Systems. “It is our goal to design a family of systems that incorporates low-risk, mature technologies that are scalable to align with emerging requirements and funding.”

The AAV trade study will allow BAE Systems to propose how to best improve the survivability and force protection of the vehicle while maintaining its current land and water mobility characteristics. Through this $250,000 contract, BAE Systems will determine if an affordable development and production unit cost can be realized using a production schedule that fields 43 upgraded vehicles by September 2017.

Hmmm.  The Vice President of Amphibious & New Programs for BAE Systems is bieng a bit coy in her description of working with the Marine Corps for 70 years...unless she's counting FMC's work (BAE bought them out). But whats interesting is the production schedule and the amount of money allocated.

They're looking to have this done by 2017 which puts it smack dabin the iddle of MPC production.  THey also have a paltry sum of 250,000 grand to do this study.  That tells me that BAE is probably doing this on their own dime.  I can't lie to you.  I'm cheering for BAE on this one.  They have too many inovative projects out there...have lost on some projects on questionable reasoning and its time for a break through.

Quite honestly I'd love to see BAE offer new build AAV's with increased firepower, speed (land and water) and crew protection.

That'll be tough to do with only a quater million dollars seed money.

Japanese AAVs?

Interesting.  If the Japanese are actually looking to buy AAVs then that would make them the second country in less than a month that's shown interest in the vehicle (the first is Brazil).

This puts the AAV upgrade/ACV development in a totally different light.  IF the Japanese are interested then the AAV upgrade/ACV programs will probably merge.  This could be just the kind of news that the Marine Corps needs to help save its vehicle programs AND a bit of money.

The only thing left is to solve the doctrine issues.  Why do we need MRAPs in storage and JLTVs?  If we need JLTVs then why are we only replacing a portion of the HUMVEEs with them instead of replacing all of them?  If we're upgrading the AAV, developing the ACV then why do we need the MPC? If we need the MPC then why develop the ACV and upgrade the AAV?

We're spending money without a plan as to why.  This is why I say Marine Corps procurement is jacked up.

Uncle Jimbo goes hard against the author of the Bin Laden tell all.

Wow.  Check this out from Black5..

One of the SEALs from the bin Laden raid has apparently written a book about the operation.

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.”

He uses a pseudonym, but I know his name and it will likely come out shortly. The bottom line is that doing this makes you a douche of epic proportions. There was whining about how former operators were pointing out that leaks about classified ops were hurting our security. They were called unprofessional, which was unfair. They were not giving out info, they were saying that the giving out of info was a dangerous thing This jackass is going to spill the details of the raid so he can cash in.
Dear Loser,
Enjoy the money, you are now dead to all the rest of us.
Cordially,
Everyone else from the Special Ops community

I said it once and I'll say it again.  Special Forces especially but the rest of SOCOM too, won't be putting up with this SEAL self promotion vibe they have running through that community.

This incident is going to give the SEALs a very bad name in the rest of the Special Ops Community and the fallout hasn't quite hit yet.

NOTE:

I just realized something after re-reading Uncle Jimbo's post.  This Navy SEAL has probably put himself, his family and other members of SEAL Team 6 in danger.  If this guys name comes out and UJ thinks it will, then it will be a pretty easy matter of back tracing his steps and finding out the names of other guys.  Maybe not directly but by some good internet searches, a little leg work and determination.  And you can bet that AQ will want to kill the men that performed this mission.  Even if they don't someone around the world probably has an axe to grind. I wonder if this guy realizes the shit he's started.

Don't blame the SEAL, blame the publisher!

Brandon Webb over at SOFREP has a weird take on the author of the tell all book about the Bin Laden raid.  A few tidbits before he changes the article to make it sing better....

Our opinion is that the publisher at Penguin clearly had no concern for National Security or Operational Security (OPSEC), or they would have not published this book. Should publishers have more accountability? We say yes.

(My Comment:  You have got to be shitting me.  The publisher is wrong but the author gets a pass?  Bullshit)
+

The Internet and social media has created a world where headlines live and die depending on who’s first to Tweet about it.  It’s something that is causing major headaches in the US Special Operations community.

“The Admiral (SEAL) has locked down all media projects until further notice”- A SEAL Master chief recently told SOFREP.

(My comment:  Too damn late.  McRaven was told by an old time Special Forces General to get out the media.  He laughed at the guy.  Bet he ain't laughing now)

One thing is becoming apparent from the outside looking in.  The SEALs might be the rock stars of the Special Ops world but they're gonna pay a price for all this.  The whole community is.