Extended Area Protection and Survivability System.

I became a bit miffed when I looked around the globe and saw some of the air defense systems that our allies were putting into production.  Don't get me wrong.  I fully acknowledge that we have the carrier battle groups and perhaps our Division and higher command centers protected by Patriots and Aegis missile systems.  What concerned me was the seeming lack of coverage for the forward operating units in the attack/defense.

Let me introduce you to a capable looking system that I never heard of...the EAPS system.

  Extended Area Protection and Survivability System Brochure

Pacscat. What's the deal?

The QinetiQ Pacscat is one of those designs that has people on both sides of the Atlantic drooling in anticipation.

But when I went to find information on where the boat was in its development I was disappointed.  Its caught up in some kind of weird purgatory   Its been tested by the Royal Navy and Marines...its been found to be operationally superior...yet it can't find a place in the budget.

What kills me about this is that once again the Brits have hit on a great idea...a partial catamaran, partial air cushion vehicle that promises high speeds with heavy loads and even higher speeds if used for troop transport (or patrol as the Royal Marines are fond of doing with their landing craft)...but because they aren't pulling the trigger on development I can see Lockheed Martin Huntington Ingalls Industries swooping in and buying the specs and you have the Harrier debacle (for the UK...a boon for the USMC) all over again.

This would be a PERFECT replacement for our LCM's and an enlarged version would certainly be ten times better than a SLEP'ed LCU 1600 class (check out the last two fotos). The last foto shows a concept for a Littoral Combat Ship...I notice that "naming convention" has lost favor and people are just calling these type ships Frigates again, but thats not the point.  The point is this.  The concept has applications to a whole range of ships.  I'm repeating myself but I can't for the life of me understand why the Brits aren't all over this.

via UK Armed Forces Commentary.

via NTLworld.com  /128m High-speed Connector Ship for use by the US Navy & Marines

via NTLWorld.com /  42m MPF(F) Fast Lighter for use by the US Navy & Marines

via NTLWorld.com /PACSCAT Littoral Combat Ship concept design for the German MoD

UPDATE:  THINK DEFENCE Blog gave a pretty good overview of the program (pays to have friends in the land of our little brother) and I thought it was worth being moved to the actual post instead of having people find it in the comments section.  I'm curious to know why he isn't sold on the idea.  Interesting, but let me add that for all the rave reviews that the L-CAT is receiving I see this concept as  being 1000% better.

Sol, some background information and links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkVJS501Y78http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/08/innovation-in-the-littoral/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaPvUTuIMAQIMA Website
http://www.imaa.co.uk/http://www.marinetechnology.co.uk/pdf/PACSCAT.pdfhttp://www.qinetiq.com/news/pressreleases/Pages/pascat-launched.aspx

http://www.motorship.com/news101/industry-news/uk-trials-pacscat-demonstratorhttp://source.theengineer.co.uk/software-and-communications/data-acquisition-and-analysis/data-acquisition-software/pacscat-vessel-built-using-hbms-edaq-system/394262.articlehttp://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMIX/2009oct00121.htmlhttp://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2012expwar/Geaney.pdf


The QinetiQ partial air cushion catamaran (PASCAT) demonstrator has recently been launched and although this 30m demonstrator is LCU Mk10 size, the design might be scaled for the smaller requirement. The demonstrator sits slightly below the Mk10’s in terms of payload and weight.
PASCAT is an innovative concept that seeks to provide easier beach handling, greater payload and speed for landing craft. The demonstrator has been created by QinetiQ in conjunction with BMT, Aluminium Shipbuilding and of course, Griffon Hoverwork. The specification for the demonstrator is predicated on transporting 5 Viking armoured vehicles from ship to shore, rather than a Challenger 2 so maximum payload is 55 tonnes. PASCAT is not a solely military technology and was originally developed by the Independent Maritime Associates for a European Commission Study into transport options for European waterways. Additional studies for the USMC, USN and German MoD have also been carried out.
The MoD does have a requirement for a fast landing craft but no funding beyond the initial technology demonstrator has been announced
As usual Sol, interesting design but not enough cash although I am not completely sold on the idea.

Public Service Announcement.

Hey All.  The search for the perfect replacement for Google Reader has been found by yours truly.

One small caveat.  I use Google Chrome and I don't know if it works for the other browsers but here ya go....

Go to the Chrome Webstore...Download "FEEDLY" Beta.  Once you've done that and its synchronized with your Google Feed, you then return and add "FEEDLY READER"!!!!

When I tell you that it makes a cleaner, crisper, more modern Google Reader--- believe every word.

This ends your public service announcement.

F-35 quote of the day...

                                  

Q: critics say F-35 can't climb, turn or fly 

Flynn: it has flown to max speed and g with full load of fuel & bombs. 4th Gen doesn't do that.

F#$K!

LPD Flight II: Flexible and Affordable

The more I think about it the more convinced I am that we probably got TOO much capability in the San Antonio Class. A serious rethink needs to take place and an adjustment to amphibious ship requirements is probably called for.

LPD Flight II: Ballistic Missile Defense Capable

A pure dee STUD!

Sgt. First Class Greg Robinson, 34, of 101st Airborne Division, greets fellow soldiers on Monday, April 29, 2013, at Fort Campbell, Ky., after graduating from air assault school. He lost a lower portion of his right leg in Afghanistan in 2006 and is the first amputee to graduate from the grueling Sabalauski Air Assault School. (AP Photo/Kristin M. Hall)

I've never been through this course but from talking to some Army dogs they tell me its a kick in the teeth (I'm talking about the Air Assault School).  The theory goes a little like this.  The 101st has a superiority complex when it comes to the 82nd so since the school is a week shorter they need to make it twice as hard.

Think about that, then consider doing it while being an amputee.

Now you know why I call this Sgt 1st Class a pure stud.  Way to go son!

Read about this barb wire chewing, tobacco spitting (I don't know if he dips or not...just deal with it), Coors light drinking Alpha Male here.

Could this be the new LSD?

I know a certain guy that will cheer the fact that this new ship will be getting a crane.  Its still a monster of a ship and I wonder if the Marine Corps isn't getting more capability than necessary.  The current LPD carries 800 Marines!  The next gen LHA will exceed that number and carry over 1500!  We're getting less shipping but more carriage.

I'm beginning to think that Mike at New Wars was right.  Smaller might be better.  In the future, if we lose one ship to a lucky torpedo or air attack we could be facing the loss of an entire Battalion plus of Marines.  That's not acceptable.

Seen in the rear view mirror while leaving Colorado...

via Michael Yon!

Michael Yon ‏@Michael_Yon1h

Review Mirror in Colorado -- A friend was driving and saw this.

Is the A400M entering the dreaded Death Spiral?

via Marianne.net (you should subscribe...this guy is good).

The White Paper on Defence provides an air force equipped with " fifty tactical transport aircraft . " This format should be reflected in the next Act military program, a reduction in orders for the Airbus A400M, the first of which must be delivered before the summer. The 2008 White Paper spoke of "about 70 transport aircraft."

According to our information, we today evokes a number between 35 and 40 aircraft, while the target was up at 50. The difference, to achieve "fifty" is composed of the last C-130 Transall and especially C-130 Hercules. These lighter, will remain in effect essential for special forces, the means must be strengthened.'s Casa, lighter transport aircraft are not taken into account in the calculation of tactical transport aircraft (ATT). This reduction in the volume of orders, and perhaps the pace of delivery will cause intensive discussions with the manufacturer Airbus Military and, inevitably, lead to an increase in the price of each unit, which was already far from good market.

I haven't been paying attention but things don't look too good for this program.

If I remember correctly every participating nation has reduced its order and for an airplane that costs almost as much as a C-17 but can carry less that ain't good.

Add to it the fact that C-130's can be had at almost fire sale prices and the C-17 is scrambling for orders I'd say if it isn't in a death spiral, it's got to be close. 

Ospreys Take Marines from Ship to Shore

F-35A AF-29 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Al Norman was at the controls for the first flight of F-35A AF-29 (USAF serial number 10-5017). The flight occurred on 27 April 2013 with takeoff and landing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas.

Sexy beast but the Marine Corps needs its armor updated TODAY!

IWI Ace.

I am beyond intrigued by the 7.62x51.

Is Israel carrying our water in Syria???

Syria.  That's a problem WAAAAY above my paygrade.  I have no answers and only see problems.

I don't want boots on the ground, I blame the chaos we're seeing in the Middle East on US inaction to support Mubarak in Egypt and I don't want to see chemical weapons in Syria spreading to terrorist networks.

So I guess that would leave us with performing airstrikes.  But what happens if the current administration is "scared" to death of making that decision?

You hide behind the Israelis and let them do the heavy lifting.

Bayou Man makes the case here.  Definitely worth a read.

Hillbilly Gun Safe.

via Gunsngear Tumblr.

If you're not concerned about looks and are going to keep your gun safe in the basement or in your shop, a used refrigerator or freezer makes a good gun safe. Take out all the shelving, make a notched rail and install it and put your guns in it with a padlock on the door. You can use the door compartments to store all manner of airgun goodies and the freezer part too.

Yeah...about those Active Protection Systems for our armored vehicles.

AbramsTanker reminded me of the Raytheon Quick Kill System and it suddenly dawned on me that I had written about that system earlier this year.  Click here to go that article but a juicy tidbit....

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

Its easier to develop destructive devices than it is to build protective ones.

This is sealing the deal for me.  The IFV concept (as practiced in Western Armies) is a threat to Infantry.  The Armored Personnel Carrier is the future (at least in uncontaminated areas), and Marines/Soldiers are going to have to get used to the idea of being transported short of the objective and assaulting on foot...hopefully with supporting fire from their rides, but on foot nonetheless.

Pic of the day. Politically Incorrect Version.

Knights Templar!  To your Shields and Swords Men!

Iron Curtain ready for prime time.

Wired photo

Thanks for the article Jonathan!

via Artis Press Release

HERNDON, Va., April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The head of a growing technology development firm announced today that one of its premier products, the active protection system (APS) known as Iron Curtain, successfully defeated all threats during recent U.S. government testing.
"After this latest round, where the system hit and killed 100 percent of the shots in a very demanding test series, the only rational conclusion is that the system simply works," said Keith Brendley , CEO of Artis, LLC, developer of Iron Curtain. "We proved not only that Iron Curtain defeats threats and saves lives, but the risk from collateral damage is minimal, especially when compared with the alternative."
Brendley said that the system protects military vehicles and other assets by intercepting threats such as rocket-propelled grenades inches from the vehicle and rendering them inert, even if the threat was fired from extremely close range. Iron Curtain uses two independent sensors, radar and optical, high-speed computing, and tightly controlled countermunitions to minimize the false alarm rate and provide extraordinary system effectiveness and reliability.
"In addition to these compelling test results, Iron Curtain has an approved safety architecture as unanimously recommended by the Joint Services Weapons Safety Review Board. These accomplishments along with our cost studies show that this system is affordable and ready to integrate today," said Brendley.
The system's radar was developed by Mustang Technology Group in Plano, Texas. BAE Systems integrated the system onto a combat vehicle as a system demonstrator for government testing.
Mark Signorelli , a BAE Systems executive, said, "We evaluated many active protection systems. Iron Curtain was selected because of its test history, maturity, robust capability against many types of threats, and safety to personnel outside the vehicle. Clearly, the outstanding result from these tests vindicates our decision. The BAE protection systems team picked the best APS in the market, and then did an excellent job in integrating it with our platform."
Retired Army Gen. Walter "Skip" Sharp, former head of U.S. and U.N. forces in Korea, said, "The threat posed by small rockets and missiles is very real in places such as Korea and around the globe. When I first heard how Iron Curtain shoots down threats just inches from the vehicle, my reaction was, 'No way!' But after I examined the data and witnessed a live fire demonstration, I was convinced. It defeats a real threat, and I can't see any technical, safety or affordability reason why this shouldn't be deployed today and save lives."
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Expeditionary Warfare, Brian Detter , said, "This is clearly a life-saving technology, and the testing demonstrates it is ready to be included in existing ground vehicles and those under development, such as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Currently, there is no plan to include APS, and modifications can be made which preserves this capability at very little cost."

I want to be stoked but defeating the threat inches away from the armor doesn't seem like much of a game changer.  Time will tell and I could easily be wrong.

Warrior Ethos.

via Marines.mil

A messenger returned to Sparta from battle. The women clustered around.

To one, the messenger said, "Mother, I bring you sad news: your son was killed facing the enemy."

The mother said, "He is my son."

"Your other son is alive and unhurt," said the messenger. "He fled from the enemy."

The mother said, "He is not my son."

— The Warrior Ethos