This is James Yeager doing an update on the vid from yesterday. The difference? This time something off. Considering some of the limp wrist-ed responses I've seen I won't fill in the blanks, but it was CLASSIC!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Actionable update.
This is James Yeager doing an update on the vid from yesterday. The difference? This time something off. Considering some of the limp wrist-ed responses I've seen I won't fill in the blanks, but it was CLASSIC!
Japanese Navy is four times bigger than the Royal Navy??
via Cdr Salamander...
I knew that the Japanese, S. Korean and Singaporean Navies were all getting bigger and much more capable but I didn't factor in how much larger they are in comparison to their European counterparts.
Time to take a closer look and perhaps compare the lineups world wide.
Back on topic though; yes, the facts are clear.Though you can find +/- difference depending on source, definitions, and recent com/decom; here are the numbers:Royal Navy:Helicopter Carriers: 2Amphibious Ships: 2Destroyers: 7Frigates: 13Submarines: 6-SSN, 4-SSBNWell call that 24.Japanese Navy:Helicopter Carriers: 2 (technically 4, all of which are helicopter carrying destroyers. The SHIRANE Class of 2 are only half decks and are really just destroyers. HYUGA Class of 2 are no-kidding helicopter carriers. Two more much larger 19,500 ton ships on the way this decade as well).Amphibious Ships: 5Destroyers: 40Frigates: 6Submarines: 16-SSWell call that 67. If you are what Salamander defines as “major combatants” then you have 2.8 times, not 4x, but there are lots of ways to count. Perhaps they are looking at smaller ships as well. By either definition though, it should give one pause not only to reflect about the decline of the Royal Navy – but more importantly – the latent and potential power of the Japanese Navy.Anyone who has worked with the Japanese will agree with me as well that from a professional point of view, they are an exceptionally quality force.Here is the tie in.Did you catch this little memo?Japan’s Defense Ministry will request a second boost to its military budget, according to reports, just a day after the government announced the first Defense budget increase in 10 years.The boosts, although relatively modest compared with Japan’s overall defense spending, coincide with increasing tensions in the Asia Pacific region.Japan’s Defense Ministry intends to ask for 180.5 billion yen ($2.1 billion) from a government stimulus package – on top of an increase of more than 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion) to its military budget announced earlier this week – in order to upgrade its air defenses, according to the BBC..Good. Japan needs to continue to do this, and we should welcome the move as long overdue (though don’t get too excited, their larger budgetary problems are even greater than ours). Europe fades, Royal Navy withers … where can the USA look for its major partner at sea?We don’t have to look far. With the tweaks they are on the road to make in their Constitution – Japan is right there.Uh wow.
I knew that the Japanese, S. Korean and Singaporean Navies were all getting bigger and much more capable but I didn't factor in how much larger they are in comparison to their European counterparts.
Time to take a closer look and perhaps compare the lineups world wide.
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Cut defense and save money? Don't forget about the hidden costs...
via Dallas Morning News.
“The JSF is almost everybody’s low-hanging fruit,” said Winslow Wheeler, a frequent critic of the program. “When the expense sinks in, the numbers will be pared back dramatically. A major resizing is inevitable.”Lockheed said it still expects to sell about 3,000 of the fighters, also known as the F-35, over the next 25 years, including 2,443 to the U.S.Wheeler, who’s worked on Capitol Hill for three decades, said he would be astonished if deliveries top 1,000.Wheeler is a famous critic of the program so his comments aren't at all surprising. Quite honestly neither is the news story.
What should grab everyone's attention is found in two other places. First in the comments section of the above news story.
Paul Gose · Alexandria, MinnesotaI have worked for Lockheed Martin since 6/6/2011. My first position was at the Marietta, Ga plant. We moved there from Minnesota when they offered relocation pay in exchange that I signed a 12 month no-quit contract. During orientation we were promised work until 2017. I was laid-off on 4/13/2012. Forced to break our apartment lease we moved to California with family. I was then offered a position here in Ft Worth on the F-35 program. I signed another 12 month contract to be relocated again and started on 8/13/2012. I was told today to expect a two week notice by Monday. Looking at a 2nd lay off in less then a year after signing two twelve month contracts. Lockheed does not honor corporate seniority, the IAM union knows these layoffs are happening so they have been forcibly taking extra "dues"And then this from the Pittsburgh Business Times...
The fighter jet is the most expensive military airplane in history at a cost of more than $400 billion. It's built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and a host of subcontractors, including a number in the Pittsburgh region including II-VI Inc.(Nasdaq: IIVI) and RTI International Metals (NYSE: RTI).But that cost also is a major liability in this era of defense cuts, according to The Dallas Morning News. The Joint Strike Fighter will see almost "inevitable" cutbacks in the production program that is supposed to be at least 3,000 in the next quarter century, the Dallas Morning News said.That short article doesn't spell things out quite clearly enough so let me.
Defense cuts will affect your neighbor and your neighbor's neighbor.
The knock on effect of cutting the Department of Defense will result in many businesses going out of business here in the US and abroad. And its not just the F-35 program thats in jeopardy. Armored Combat Vehicle makers, Ship builders, electronics firms...all those type company's and more will fall victim to cuts. But more importantly other smaller firms will die as a result. From the mom and pop running the roach coach, to the small business supplying janitorial supplies this will be a terrible few years.
Oh and I didn't even touch on the fact that China is rapidly upgrading its military while we go on another procurement holiday.
People are going actionable!
I TOLD YOU THAT THIS ISSUE IS MAKING PEOPLE GET 'ACTIONABLE'...
Quite honestly I've heard this from MANY other people. America's leadership and its liberal base don't realize what they're doing. This will get nasty.
Blast from the past...Fa 223 "Drache"
via Wikipedia...Recovery of downed aircraft, rescue, cargo and troop transport. The Fa 223 was the worlds first. Imagine if Hitler had been smarter and delayed OR refused to start a second war with Russia? The technological lead that the Germans had would have spelled doom to the allies if they only had another year or two.
The Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache ("Dragon" in English) was a helicopter developed by Germany during World War II. A single 750 kilowatt (1,000 horsepower) Bramo 323 radial engine powered two three-bladed 11.9 metre (39 feet) rotors mounted on twin booms on either side of the 12.2 metre (40 ft) long cylindrical fuselage. Although the Fa 223 is noted for being the first helicopter to attain production status, production of the helicopter was hampered by Allied bombing of the factory and only 20 were built.
The Fa 223 could cruise at 175 kilometres per hour (109 mph) with a top speed of 182 km/h (113 mph), and climb to an altitude of 7,100 m (23,300 ft). The Drache could transport cargo loads of over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) at cruising speeds of 121 km/h (75 mph) and altitudes approaching 2,440 m (8,010 ft).[1][2][3]
Follow the above link to read more about this interesting airplane.
The US Marine Corps is more politically correct than the Royal Navy!
Breathalyzers are being used to test Marines before duty now. The Brits haven't gone that far but they might...
If that doesn't give you pause then nothing I can say will..The US Marines are more PC than the Brits. I've laughed at the nanny state that the Brits run but it seems that our military is further ahead when it comes to playing mommy than even they are. I'd laugh but can't find it in me.
If that doesn't give you pause then nothing I can say will..The US Marines are more PC than the Brits. I've laughed at the nanny state that the Brits run but it seems that our military is further ahead when it comes to playing mommy than even they are. I'd laugh but can't find it in me.
The hearing in Southampton was told the officer was "highly alarmed" by the crew's alcohol consumption and he wrote to Hampshire chief constable Alex Marshall with his concerns. His boss then contacted Brigadier Neil Baverstock.After talking to the crew, detectives concluded that Donovan's drink intake was not out of the ordinary.The hearing has previously heard he had drunk 20 pints of cider and lager, cocktails and double vodkas in the 48 hours before he was put on a guard duty with a gun.Richard Wilkinson, counsel for Lt Cdr Molyneux's family told the hearing that police found "significant" numbers of the crew were involved on getting "drunk out of their minds"."Detective superintendent Tony Harris was highly alarmed at the alcohol consumption of the Astute's crew and he took the unprecedented action of writing to the chief constable."It was normal practice for the crew of the boat to drink heavily while on shore leave, consuming alcohol over an extended period until they passed out and then returned to duty after five or six hours," he told the hearing.The Royal Navy has since tightened its rules on alcohol consumption before duty.At the time sailors were allowed 10 units in the previous 24 hours with no alcohol in the 10 hours before duty, which has now been changed to five units.Mr Wilkinson asked the nuclear-powered sub's captain at the time, Commander Iain Breckenbridge, whether he had any concerns about his crew drinking ashore during the goodwill visit to Southampton in April 2011 when the killing and the shooting of another officer took place.He told the inquest that he had been told of no concerns about the crew and he had no concerns about Donovan before the shootings and he was "surprised" to hear of the police's fears of binge drinking by the crew.But when asked if tighter controls should be put in place to check such as breathalysing crew, Cdr Breckenbridge said: "to minimise the chances of a similar event, it's something that should be seriously considered but that's for the policy makers."God help us all. They're well on the way to making pussies of the entire male species.
Raytheon's Quick Kill APS wins again...
 |
| Israel's combat proven Trophy Protection System mounted on a Merkava Main Battle Tank. |
As the U.S. Army prepares for formal testing to evaluate a system to protect combat vehicles from shoulder-fired and tube-launched Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Quick Kill™ Active Protection System (APS) has again shown its maturity and accuracy in a series of tests.On the surface this sounds impressive right?
In a recent test, held in December 2012, the Quick Kill APS demonstrated its protective capability by successfully defeating an extended set of threats, including one of the most lethal RPG threats by destroying it in mid-flight. All testing is in preparation for formal government evaluations in early 2013 to demonstrate the system's unique RPG-defeat capabilities.
"Raytheon's APS is based on the same radar technology deployed to perform sense and warn operations at active Forward Operating Bases. It has been extremely successful in providing timely warning against rocket and mortar attacks," said Jeff Miller, vice president of Combat and Sensing Systems for Raytheon's Network Centric Systems business.
"With Quick Kill," he added, "Raytheon has matured a highly advanced system, offering our forces an unprecedented force protection capability that is essential to the future survivability of combat vehicles. This technology is ready and could begin fielding within a year."
The Quick Kill system consists of a multi-mission, fire-control radar that detects and tracks incoming threats, combined with hard-kill countermeasures that serve as a hit avoidance system, enabling multi-tracking and multi-engagement of enemy fire for vehicle and squad protection.
The system's vertical launch countermeasure is unique in its ability to engage threats fired from any angle or elevation, providing all weather, full 360 degree hemispherical vehicle and crew protection with each countermeasure.
In previous tests, the system demonstrated its ability to defeat multiple threat types both from a stationary and an on-the-move platform – and it showed its multi-threat capability by defeating two simultaneous threats.
Wrong.
Like I said the Israeli's already have a protection system in service...we've been wasting time reinventing the wheel and second, check out the specs on the RPG-29 (notice that they never state what threat RPG their system defeated). via Wikipedia.
In August 2006 an RPG-29 round was reported to have penetrated the frontal ERA of a Challenger 2 tank during an engagement in al-Amarah, Iraq, wounding several crew members.[8]In May 2008 The New York Times disclosed that an American M1 tank had also been damaged by an RPG-29 in Iraq.[7][9] The US Army ranks the RPG-29 threat to armor so high that they refused to allow the newly-formed Iraqi army to buy it, fearing it would fall into insurgent hands.[10]But the RPG-29 is in essence old tech. Check out the RPG-30..again via Wikipedia...
The RPG-30 shares a close resemblance with the RPG-27 in that it is a man-portable, disposable anti-tank rocket launcher with a single shot capacity. Unlike the RPG-27 however, there is a smaller diameter precursor round in a smaller side barrel tube, in addition to the main round in the main tube. This precursor round acts as a false target, tricking the target's active protection system (APS) into engaging it, allowing the main round a clear path into the target, while the APS is struck in the 0.2-0.4 second delay it needs to start its next engagement.[1]The PG-30 is the main round of the RPG-30. The round is a 105-mm tandem shaped charge with a weight of 10.3-kg (22.7-lb) and has a range of 200 meters and a stated penetration capability in excess of 600-mm (24-in) rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) (after ERA), 1500-mm reinforced concrete, 2000-mm brick and 3700-mm of soil.[1] Reactive armor, including explosive reactive armor (ERA), can be defeated with multiple hits into the same place, such as by tandem-charge weapons, which fire two or more shaped charges in rapid succession
Armor can't evolve fast enough to defeat these threats. The key is mobility, speed and the introduction of Active AND Passive systems to defeat anti-tank missiles and grenades. Quite honestly the idea of APC's and IFV's weighing in excess of 40 tons is questionable, it probably always has been. It might even be worth considering forcing the issue towards the two tabs of the iron triangle...speed and mobility and accept the risks that come from lighter armor.
Maybe we need to establish a threshold of 20 to 30 tons and dismount further away from the objective in order to properly protect our armored forces.
To the Chopper
 |
| Exercise Amitie, which is French for friendship exercise, is a multinational training exercise designed to increase interoperability, enhance mutual capabilities and support a sustained presence in the region. During Amitie, elements from the 15th MEU participated in a three-day mounted patrol, land and water obstacle courses, aviation-related evolutions and joint planning. The training was led by the French 5th Marine Regiment and included elements from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, French Foreign Legion, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and Djiboutian military. The 15th MEU is deployed as part of the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group as a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force, providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. John Robbart III) |
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
F-35 First Departures
 |
| Lockheed Martin test pilot David Nelson is at the controls of F-35A AF-4 for the first intentional departure from controlled flight as part of the high angle of attack testing being performed at the Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB, California. This first departure test sortie occurred on AF-4 Flight 148 on 4 December 2012. |
Monday, January 07, 2013
Time to jump the shark again. Get'em Alex!
I love the push back and laugh at the people that are uncomfortable with the fight.
Its half time and its over.
I hate Alabama but I love the SEC.
I can take another win for Alabama as long as the conference wins another title.
For tonight and tonight only.
Roll Tide!
UPDATE: Defense programs are ALL in trouble.
Just got this from the Washington Post.
Defense cuts are acceptable. Acceptable to the Republicans in order to balance spending (I can't argue with this logic as long as the cuts are reasonable) and the Democrats are in favor of cutting defense so that precious social programs can be spared.
They agree for different reasons but the results are the same.
The only real cuts that will take place in Washington will come out of the Pentagon.
The sequester put in place last year was supposed to be so unpalatable that both parties would have to come to an agreement. But House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) tells the Wall Street Journal that, now that tax increases are dealt with, the defense cuts in the deal don’t scare him. He has significant Republican support, he said, for letting the defense cuts (along with drastic domestic spending cuts) take effect. “I got that in my back pocket,” he said. The sequester is “as much leverage as we’re going to get” to force Democrats to cut entitlement spending.Both parties agree on one thing.
Defense cuts are acceptable. Acceptable to the Republicans in order to balance spending (I can't argue with this logic as long as the cuts are reasonable) and the Democrats are in favor of cutting defense so that precious social programs can be spared.
They agree for different reasons but the results are the same.
The only real cuts that will take place in Washington will come out of the Pentagon.
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