LVTUX2, Largest amphib ever.

The largest amphib ever.  Info on the LVTUX2 is rather spotty.  Time to hook up with the Marine Corps History Foundation to see what they have on it.

This game is gonna be good!

Yeah Baby!  Its almost that time.  I start game prep Friday afternoon by loading up on Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Louisiana Bourbon and assorted sea food and hot wings.

Hopefully by Saturday night I'll be in an altered state ready for some football!

F-35A Spin Recovery Chute Test

Touch stone reaffirmed...

Amphibious by nature, expeditionary through training...

 Via Marine Corps Times...

Marines are definitely getting back to their expeditionary roots.
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit just returned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., following a seven month deployment. But as Marine Corps Times’ Gidget Fuentes reported, when the 24th MEU was still in the Persian Gulf, there were more Marines on Navy ships than in the combat zone in Afghanistan in late-October.

Things are starting to sort themselves out.  Just a note to the head shed.  The Marines never left the sea, they were assigned a mission by the Commander in Chief that required max effort to win a war in the desert.

I've been going over Marine Corps history and I can't find one mention of the Marine Corps needing to get back to its amphibious roots after prolonged combat in Vietnam.  The "back to the sea" nonsense was a product of poor messaging.  Nothing more or less.

The hurricane saved the administration from the Libya scandal...

Major Hat Tip to Black5.

Yeager! You're cool but you jumped the shark on this one!

Wow.

Dude is cool but he opened up his "I love me" book on this vid.

I can't lie, I laughed a bit cause it was so over the top....I changed my mind.  That was semi-awesome.

UPDATE:  Some clown sent an e-mail saying I have a man crush 'cause he has so many guns?!  Are you kidding me!  I live down South.  We call his setup a starter kit!

US Army Armored Personnel Carriers since WW2.

I've been harking on the fact that since WW2, the USMC has been behind the 8 ball when it comes to armored personnel carriers.  A visual history will show you exactly what I mean.

Above you see pics of the M75 APC.  It served with some distinction during the Korean War, however it was expensive to produce and maintain.

Next up was the M44.  A co-produced vehicle, it bridged the gap between the M75 and the M59.  Large does not describe it, it rivaled MBT's in size...consider it the original Israeli Namer.

The M59 was the official follow on to the M75.  It sought to correct many of the deficiencies found but still was not a satisfactory design.  It served in the early stages of the Vietnam war.

The M113.  Many believe that this vehicle will serve for 100 years.  It would probably still be in front line service except for the scare that the Soviet Union put on the Army by introducing the BMP.  The BMP was supposedly the first IFV, but that concept is in my opinion flawed.  The Soviets wanted a vehicle that could transport infantry in a nuclear battlefield and allow them to fight from inside the vehicle, not having to dismount.  In actual practice supposed IFV always operate in the APC role.  Dismounting infantry short of the objective and providing fire support while the grunts take the hill.

The Bradley.  The USA's first IFV.  Many point to the battle of 73 Eastings as proof of concept.  I see it differently.  In my reading of that battle Bradley's operated as Tank Killers using their TOW missiles to engage heavy armor from stand off distance and then using superior optics and fire control to take out supporting vehicles.  The Bradley will continue but it will be modified and upgraded.

Stryker.  The US Army didn't procure the Stryker because it was believed that the Bradley was inadequate, but because they wanted a strategically mobile APC.  The concept is flawed and the double hulled stryker weighs as much as the Bradley.

Next up for the Army is the Ground Combat Vehicle and the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (a Bradley and M113 replacement respectively).  The Marine Corps has struggled along with the LVTP.  That WW2 vehicle served till the late 50's.  Next up was the LVTP-5.  It served throughout Vietnam to the early 70's.  And finally the AAV (originally the LVTP-7 until "renamed" by the powers that be).

This history shows why I believe that at the very least a DRASTICALLY upgraded AAV or ACV is needed ALONG WITH the MPC.

Bad behavior.

Wow.  I don't remember Australian women being this ... surly.  What is a grot?  The guy keeps calling her a "grot."

F-35 Test Flight Update...

17 July 2012:  The first F-35C test mission with updated Block 2A software was piloted by Navy Lt. Chris Tabert in F-35C CF-3 for 1.1 hours from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. Block 2A software provides additional capabilities for the F-35, such as the Multifunction Advanced Datalink, the current Link-16, maintenance datalink, and a mission debriefing system. The mission marked CF-3 Flight 68.

27 July 2012: Lockheed Martin test pilot David Nelson completed airstart testing in F-35A AF-4 during Flight 131 over the Edwards AFB, California, test range. The 2.3-hour mission included the final four required airstarts, a critical step prior to the start of high angle of attack tests.

7 August 2012: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Matt Kelly piloted the three first F-35B engine spooldowns over the Edwards AFB, California, test range to signal the beginning of F-35B airstart testing. The 1.3-hour mission marked F-35B BF-2 Flight 212.

8 August 2012: Traveling at 400 knots at 4,200 feet altitude in F-35B BF3, Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Levin dropped an inert 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAM over the Atlantic test range. The 0.8-hour mission was the F-35 program’s first weapon separation. The milestone flight was BF-3 Flight 224.

10 August 2012: Navy Lt. Chris Tabert accomplished the first fly-in arrestment into the MK-7 arresting gear cable by an F-35C at JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

13 August 2012: The F-35 program set a new record of nineteen flights in one day in production flights and test flights at five bases across the United States. F-35s were flown from Edwards AFB, California; NAS Patuxent River, Maryland; JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas; and Eglin AFB, Florida.

Another Joe Copalman Pic.

An F/A-18D Hornet of VMFA(AW)-533 "Hawks" returns to NAF ElCentro with live ordnance after an aborted trip to the ranges nearby.

9th ID vid covering the Mobile Riverine Force.

Roebling was right. Modern rescue agencies wrong.

Check out this passage from ibiblio.org on the LVT.

Another vehicle which was to play a vital role in the amphibious operations of World War II was the amphibian tractor (amtrack, LVT). It was built in 1935 by Donald Roebling, a wealthy young inventor living in Clearwater, Florida. The "Alligator," as Roebling called his creation, was a track-laying vehicle which derived its propulsion afloat from flanges fixed to he tracks, essentially the principle of early paddle-wheel steamships. Originally intended as a vehicle of mercy, for rescue work in the Everglades, the "Alligator" was destined for fame as an instrument of war.

Make note of those humble beginings.  The vehicle was originally designed for rescue work in flood prone areas.  Hurricanes are a recurring problem in the southern US and the amphibs designed by Roebling were and are the answer to rescuing people during severe flooding.

 Fast forward to today and instead of buying or asking for amphibs from the Army or Marine Corps, most of our countries first responders are begging for MRAP type vehicles. 

This type truck does no good for the type of conditions that our fellow Americans are facing on the eastern sea board.  The REALLY sad thing about all this is that the US Army has several thousand first generation M-113's that are nimble (they can turn in a much shorter distance than MRAP's), can be equipped with band tracks to increase mileage and if fully restored are amphibious.

 Don't get me wrong.  The M-113 is still a weapon of war, but like the LVT it can be re-purposed toward fulfilling a major hole in our disaster response.

Flooding is too common in the US for Federal and State Disaster Response Agencies not to have amphibious vehicles in their arsenals.  If anything this illustrates a lack of proper planning and thinking outside the box. 

The next time a major hurricane hits the US, it would be nice to know that FEMA, the National Guard or some other agency had the tools necessary to rescue people that chose poorly and didn't heed evacuation notices.

US Army 9th Infantry Division. The original Mobile Riverine Force!

Armored Troop Transports tied up alongside a Mothership.

Armored Troop Transports

Riverine Monitor

Monitors and Troop Transports tied up to a Barracks ship.

Hospital Barge.

In Vietnam the 9th ID formed the mobile riverine force.  Along with that mission set they basically invented several of the concepts that many are calling for today.

Motherships?  They did motherships before they were cool.  Artillery barges?  Check.  Monitor patrol boats based off LCM's?  Check.  Monitor patrol boats that had landing pads for helicopters?  Check.  Barracks barges for troops after missions?  Check.

In other words the US Army in general and the 9th ID basically wrote the book on effective riverine operations.

Looks like the Army needs to take the Riverine mission back. 25th ID could assign a battalion to the task and operate throughout the Pacific.

More information on the US Army's Mobile Riverine Force during the Vietnam war can be found here.

UK F-35's join USMC/USAF jets at training base.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon provides a safety escort for two F-35 Lightning II pilots Oct. 16, 2012. The aviators delivered two new joint strike fighters to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Following the 90-minute ferry flight, Eglin AFB ground crews received the F-35s to prepare them for pilot and maintainer training and for the United Kingdom to conduct operational tests and evaluations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

U.K. Royal Air Force Sqn. Ldr. Jim Schofield touches down in an F-35 Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 19, 2012. This second United Kingdom F-35B at Eglin AFB will be embedded with the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501. It will be used for pilot and maintainer training and for the United Kingdom to conduct operational tests and evaluations. The F-35 incorporates a wide range of new technologies for stealth, multi-mission capabilities and sustainability. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

United Kingdom Royal Air Force and Royal Navy aircraft maintainers met the U.K.'s second F-35B Lightning II as it arrived to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 19, 2012. These maintainers are part of the first class of U.K. maintainers attending courses at the F-35 Academic Training Center here. The U.K. maintenance training began Oct. 1. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

Riverine Combat Skills Course

RCS is a five-week class that teaches CORIVFOR sailors combat skills, weapons fundamentals and equipment, land navigation, urban operations, offensive and defensive patrolling, and communications.

You're gonna teach Combat Skills, Weapon Fundamentals, Land Nav, Urban Combat Ops, AND offensive and defensive patrolling in 5 weeks?????

Sorry I'm calling bullshit on that unless you're just checking off boxes.  There is no way that even fundamentals can be taught in that short a time period.  What is happening to NAVY Riverine Force?  

Maybe the US Army needs to take this mission!  They did it in Vietnam maybe its time they did it again?

Let's talk about the Libya leadership failure.

My buddy Tom hit me with a few things about the situation in Libya and its aftermath and it got me to thinking.

A list of my bullet points....

1.  AFRICOM was never intended to be a "real" combatant command.  Instead it was intended to be the vessel through which the US military conducted humanitarian and military to military training.

2.  General Ham was/is a politician.  He lacks the necessary skills and the backing to actually be a player in the power game that is Africa.  The Chinese are playing chess and we have a political hack in country.  Why do I say that?  Can you imagine General Mattis not sending forces ahead anyway to at least have them orbiting nearby to dash in once the word was given?  I can't and I can't be sure but the guy I used to know would have disregarded those orders and had the knuckle draggers from Delta heel stomping the entire city.

3.  Obama did know about the situation but instead of taking immediate action he vacillated.  In essence by not making a decision in a timely matter, HE MADE THE CHOICE NOT TO HELP.  Its somewhat circular but in doing nothing, he in fact did something (I'm killing myself to say it a better way but can't hit on it...someone help me out here)...his deliberative style essentially doomed these men.  Remember the assault on Bin Laden?  It had at least 2 dry runs before he finally pulled the trigger.  There was no time to debate on this one.  He had to make a command decision without all the facts and chose to do nothing.

4.  The Joint Chiefs are no longer an independent group.  Rumsfeld actually started us down this road when he not only disagreed with the military's assessment that more troops were needed for the invasion of Iraq but then had them go before the camera's and lie and say that the plan was their own and that they fully supported it.  Until the military reforms itself, the JCS should be looked at as an arm of the administration that is in power and not an independent entity.  To think that Panetta is able to hide behind the JCS instead of facing the media by himself is telling...and disturbing too.

Those are my thought, but we need to know more.  Time will tell if I'm right or not.

UPDATE:  It just occurred to me that we're seeing almost unprecedented interference with operations.  I remember reading stories about Commanders in Vietnam orbiting in helicopters over a battle trying to lead the men on the ground doing the actual fighting.  Are we seeing an updated example of it but with the leaders in Washington D.C. attempting to influence events that they have no real understanding of?  If thats the case then we have bigger problems than I thought. 

UPDATE 1:  I was reading some of my Marine Corps leadership manuals and a term that was included in one of them applies perfectly to what happened to our Commander-in-Chief.  He suffered a paralysis due to analysis.  He studied the problem, sought opinions on the problem and in the end took so long that in essence he did nothing.  That's the real coverup in all this.  The guy couldn't make a decision and people lost their lives because of his indecision.

Doak VZ-4 VTOL Aircraft

Blast from the past. Chrysler River Utility Craft.

Light, fixed wing escort aircraft needed for the MV-22.

Its been tested in combat, has the same or better weapons carriage, has better range and most of all it has better speed.

The modest proposal is to bite the bullet and fully embrace the capabilities of the MV-22 by curtailing buys of the AH-1Z and purchasing product improved OV-10's.  The big Achilles heel of the AH-1Z when it comes to operating besides the MV-22 is not only its inability to keep up but also its short legs (in comparison).  Putting a mixed wing of OV-10's, AH-1Z's and UH-1Y's would cover the bases a bit more effectively than relying on the F-35B and AV-8B to provide escort for the MV-22.

Our current concept of operations will have the AV-8/F-35's busy doing combat air support, fighter sweeps and fleet defense.  Escorting MV-22's about the battlefield will be a necessary task that might get left behind among all that work.

But it gets worse.  When the CH-53K comes on line it will also outpace the AH-1Z.  That means even more work for the fast movers on the MEU.

In my mind the canary in the coal mine occurred during the Libyan War when the MEU was tasked to rescue downed F-15 pilots.  AV-8B's were launched to escort the MV-22's.  CH-53E's carried a backup force and were escorted by AH-1Z's.  Carrying a reinforced squad of Marines isn't exactly a heavy lift for the CH-53 and from what I've been told even those elderly birds can push AH-1Z's to the firewall in order to keep up.

That was the wake up call.  Its time.  Get some OV-10's out of storage, refurbish them, put in new engines and avionics and lets get the boys at NAVAIR some good work.  

Modest Proposal. Test the LHD in the Sea Control Ship Concept.

Sea Control Ship.

V/STOL Support Ship.

via SLD Info.com

As the Enterprise (CVN-65) transits the Mediterranean Sea for the last time on its way home to Virginia for retirement and inactivation, the Navy is bracing for a new reality — starting Dec. 1, it will have only 10 aircraft carriers.
The key to maintaining an effective and responsive Navy is being able to both project power through regularly scheduled rotations and add surge forces when needed, Navy spokesman Lt. Cdr. John Fage told Inside the Navy on Oct. 16. But with just 10 ships in the fleet until the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) delivers in 2015, Program Executive Officer for Aircraft Carriers Rear Adm. Thomas Moore told ITN in an August interview that surging becomes much more complicated and risks long-term damage to the fleet.
“The demand signal is not likely to go down any time soon, and so we’r working pretty hard within in the maintenance community, and [Vice] Adm [Kevin] McCoy and his whole team at [Naval Sea Systems Command] and the shipyards, are looking real hard at what we can do to make sure we hand these ships back over to the combatant commanders and the operators ready to go,” Moore said. “And so we’ve been very successful with that, but we’ve been very honest with them about what we can and can’t do. And to be honest with you, more of it at this point is, the combatant commanders say ‘I want X number of carriers’ and we say ‘I can give you Y.’”

The Navy is about to be down to 10 aircraft carriers.

Bad times in the land of the big blue machine, but a solution is already here...IF the Navy and Marines are bold enough to see where it leads.

Its time to man and deploy an LHD as a Sea Control Ship (more properly called a V/STOL Support Ship).  Strip an LHD of its embarked Battalion Landing Team, add a Reinforced Harrier Squadron from the USMC and maybe add a rotary anti-sub helo detachment with a couple more multi-role MH-60s and get them to sea.

It would provide a smaller punch than a full sized carrier battle group BUT it could maintain big carrier rotations AND it would be good enough for MOST scenarios.

Besides, it can't hurt to try...the worst that could happen is that the Sea Control Concept would be confirmed as a success or failure.

NOTE:  This concept dates back to the 70's...and yes every LHD/LHA has the sea control mission as part of its operating concepts, but it has never been realistically deployed as one.  That's what I'm calling for especially since the Navy will be down to 10 carriers.