BVS-10. 102 more for Sweden.

BAE Press Release---We have signed a $120 million contract to supply an additional 102 BvS10 all-terrain vehicles to Sweden.

The Swedish go-anywhere BvS10s will be delivered in different variants — troop carrier, command vehicle, ambulance, and logistic carrier and feature integration of the Protector remote weapon station, radio, and battlefield management systems. Smoke grenade launchers are also fitted to give 360 degree coverage.

Bayou Man on the future of fighter production. An interesting take....

Bayou Man has a very interesting take on where the future of combat fighter production is going.  Read it here.  His view of what the NSA scandal may mean for allies buying the F-35 is beyond interesting.  Is this one of the reasons why the Pentagon is so desperate to sell the airplane?  Combat be damned, its all about intel?

CRH-60

The USAF just developed a new designation for its next rescue helicopter?  CRH-60.  Interesting.

Korea Aerospace Industries signs deal for 60 more Surions.

Thanks for the article Jonathan.

via Yonhap News.

SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Yonhap) -- State-run Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said Thursday it has signed a 1.7 trillion won (US$1.6 billion) deal to deliver 60 Surion helicopters to the Army by 2017.
The contract is the second of its kind signed with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) following the first in 2010 involving 20 helicopters. The first of the choppers that will replace the decades-old fleet of UH-1H and 500MDs entered service this year.
KAI has spent 1.3 trillion won since 2006 on developing the twin-engined rotary aircraft that will compete with such rivals as the UH-60 and AW-149. It said test machines have logged more than 2,700 flying hours and passed 7,600 evaluations before being certified for operation.
The company said up to 400 Surion, or Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH), can be sold in the country in the coming years, while the export figure may reach 300 units.
Domestic demand includes choppers for the Marine Corps and the police as well other government agencies.
KAI, meanwhile, said that with the latest deal, the company secured new orders worth 6.1 trillion won in 2013. It said that including ongoing parts delivery contracts, total contracts will easily exceed the 6.2 trillion won target set by the management for this year.

It appears that the arms buildup in the Pacific will continue despite reduced buys by the Pentagon.

In five years the balance of forces in the region (to include modern versus antiquated) will be interesting.

Steel Knight Mechanized Assault Pics by Cpl. James Gulliver

Note:  Have you noticed something?  To be more precise have you heard a whisper about Amos' latest and greatest move to reshape the Corps by emphasizing the Marine Expeditionary Brigade at the expense of the MEU and MEF?  Its a total failure so far and simply another issue that the next Commandant is going to have to take care of.  2014 is going to be great for one reason.  Amos is going to be gone.

Hail Hydra!!!! Hybrid-Defend Recon Assault Vehicle (Hy-DRA)

Gripen for the win in Brazil!!!!

Thanks much Alfredo!!

http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/nacional,brasil-vai-escolher-cacas-suecos-,1110114,0.htm

http://www.naval.com.br/blog/2013/12/18/istoe-gripen-ng-e-o-novo-caca-brasileiro/

Shit just got real.

With this win, Gripen is now full time into the market and a truth is realized.  Affordability...real affordability is now essential.

The aerospace world just got flipped on its head.

25th ID. America' Arctic Troopers.

I gotta watch myself.  I'm turning into a fan of the 25th ID...and God help me I'm even becoming a bit impressed with...wait for it...Paratroopers!

It seems that quietly, with NO fanfare, the US Army has designated the 25th ID as its Arctic Reaction Force.  We've already talked about the rigors of living, much less fighting in frigid conditions but they appear to be grabbing onto the responsibility.  Whats even more surprising is that the 25th also has units that are dedicated to jungle ops in the Pacific and its aviation units are trying their level best to get feet wet by operating off Navy ships (this one I'm a bit skeptical of though...they're not marinized and will suffer unless that issue is taken care of).

I don't do units of the week, but if I did the 25th ID would win the prize.

US Army in the fight of its life update!

American Mercenary took the bull by the horns and explained in greater detail why making the Army in particular but ground forces in general smaller is a big mistake.

Read it here.

For my Marine brothers don't get it confused.  They're going after the Army now but they'll be after Marines if they're successful.  

One last thing.  I've read everything I could about Air/Sea Battle.  My take on the concept is that its nothing more than a money grab.  What else explains the desire to buy F-35's instead of X-47's for the AF, Navy and Marines to strike deep into enemy territory?  Why are more LCS' being bought instead of a real deal Frigate to deal with Chinese ships, subs or airplanes?  Why is their no new class of anti-ship missile, surface launched anti-aircraft/cruise missile-missile being procured?  The list goes on and its about one thing.  The Air Force conspired with a reluctant Navy to craft a plan to get a bigger share of the budget.

The budget wars are here.  Air/Sea Battle is just the tool being used to win that war....and justify gutting the Army.

Rand Corporation Report Hammers the F-35.

via Bloomberg

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (LMT) F-35 jet fighter, designed by the Pentagon to serve the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, is likely to end up costing more than it would to build separate planes for each service, a Rand Corp. study has found.
“Under none of the plausible conditions we analyzed did” the F-35 “have a lower life-cycle cost estimate,” Rand, a nonprofit research institution, said in the report released this week on the plane known as the Joint Strike Fighter.
The report questions a fundamental tenet of the Pentagon’s costliest weapons program -- that building different versions on a common base will reduce costs. Rand analyzed an estimated $1.5 trillion “life-cycle cost” that includes acquisition plus long-term support of the fleet.

Read the entire article here.

A couple of things.  The original plan was for the different services to have different designs to accomplish the unique missions each have.  CONGRESS forced the programs to unite.  CONGRESS!

Then the next thing that has dawned on me is that the ground is being laid for a massive fight over the F-35.  The supporters and the critics are lining up and the fight will be over the cost of the airplane.

Supporters will lock onto an estimated full rate production cost and critics (myself included) will point to how much money has already been spent.

This is gonna get good.  One last point.  Don't assume that Republicans will support this program.  McCain and his allies are having a tough time getting money for defense and when you add troop cuts onto all this and you're going to have a full scale revolt of the tea party members (don't buy the press about the tea party...their main focus is on smaller government).

Chris Costa rocks in this vid!

Ok.  I've been a critic but this little film rocks.  Its entertaining, a little action yarn in the best hollywood tradition.  I like it.  

4000 Capt/Major to get pink slips.

via Army Times.

Almost 19,000 captains and majors will be screened by separation and early retirement boards this spring as part of the ongoing drawdown of the active-duty Army.
The Officer Separation Board and Enhanced Selective Early Retirement Board could select up to 20 percent of the considered population for separation from the Army — that’s about 3,800 people. However, not everyone in the group will have enough time in service to qualify for a 15-year retirement.
Officers subject to these boards are Army Competitive Category captains in year groups 2006 to 2008 and majors in year groups 1999 to 2003. Eligible officers must have at least one year active-duty time in grade and not be on a promotion list to the next rank.
“The Army’s drawdown plan is a balanced approach while maintaining readiness and reducing turbulence to the officer corps,” said David Martino, director of the Officer Personnel Management Directorate at Human Resources Command.

Read it all here.

A few things.  It always irked me that a civilian had any hand in the military's selection and retention system.  Next, even if a person survives this first cut there will be others.  Last.  If you even suspect that you're on the margins then an early out bonus (if they're still offered) might be something to consider.

The Army is getting raped and as usual, Capt/Major---SSgt/GySgt, are where they're going to look first.

Unfortunately those are also the ranks that actually contain the experts in their field.

This is going to be nasty.

The US Army is in the fight of its life and doesn't even know it.

via SLDInfo.

In early 1916 “Big Army” was not so big, it had around 110,000 solders, eventually America mobilized close to 4 Million members in uniform with 2 million arriving in France to fight and win. The peacetime “Big Army” of 1940 on the eve of WW II had 269,000 in uniform and was mobilized to over 8.3 million solders by1945.
So it is not a cliché to sing, “we did it before and we can do it again.”
The one thing Grant and Sherman did not anticipate however is the airplane, and the need for a Navy/Marine/Air Force team for combat in the expanse of the Pacific.
They also had no way to anticipate nuclear weapons, subs and ICBMs. It was just not in their scope of knowledge or concern because they had a country to save and they did just that.
In today’s world the USN, USMC and the USAF are the core elements for military power as the foundation for global reach. If a large army is needed, mobilization can be done.  History has shown that.

The US Army is in the fight of its life and acts as if it doesn't even know it.  All the talk about "jointness" has been tossed aside, first by think tanks, then by the AF Chief of Staff and now by SLDInfo.

The long knives are out for the Army.

I hope Army leadership pulls its head out and starts fighting back.  I tease and love the rivalry with the Big Green but more importantly I believe in having strong ground forces.  Unfortunately many don't.  The Army's enemies are out for blood and the battlefield is Washington.

Read the entire article here. 

***American Mercenary had a FANTASTIC response to SLDInfo that sums things up nicely...

You know what the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam had that we no longer have?
The draft. 
Good luck cutting the Army down to nothing then creating a great big Army based solely on recruiting volunteers in wartime. 

WELL SAID AM!  Well said!  These "military theorist" are twisting history and in doing so are failing to understand where we are today.  They are literally putting our nation in danger by cutting the Army.

Spartan (25th ID) arctic combat drop pics by Justin Connaher

Note:  I see these pics and all I can think is PAIN!  The jungle will test your resolve...everything moves, but you get past that and can understand it.  The cold?  The cold will make a man out of you.  When its so cold you can't sleep then you're dealing with something on a different level.  The only thing worse than doing an airborne op in the  arctic has to be an amphibious op.  Norway?  Love your women but your cold sucks.

The Royal Air Force is screwed.

Thanks for the article Tim!

via the Daily Mail

Three female RAF recruits have each been awarded £100,000 by the Ministry of Defence after suffering injuries caused by marching in step with their male colleagues.
The women claimed that parading alongside taller male recruits caused them to over-stride, a repetitive motion which, when repeated over several weeks, led them to develop spinal and pelvic injuries.
Now, after a five-year bitter legal battle, which saw the MoD accuse the women of exaggerating their symptoms, they have been awarded more compensation than soldiers who suffered serious gunshot wounds in Afghanistan.

Read it all here.

All I have to say is wow.  Once women start getting injured in Fleet Marine Force Infantry Units we're going to be seeing this and worse on our side of the Atlantic.

I'd laugh at the RAF but I fear they're just the canary in the coal mine.

Rheinmetall MAN Military Trucks keep winning.

via Defesa Global

New Zealand has recently accepted the first 40 tactical trucks ordered in April 2013 to Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA) as part of a deal worth EUR74 million that include the supply of up to 200 vehicles, armour protection kits, weapon mounts, specialized military equipment, spares, logistic support, project management and extensive training packages.
The order encompasses 4×4, 6×6 and 8×8 vehicles in ten variants, some fitted with winches and cranes. They include dump trucks for combat engineers, trucks fitted with specialized pallet and container handling equipment, and tractor/semi-trailer combinations to carry heavy vehicles and equipment.

Not many pay attention to the Military Truck market, but I take a peek every now and then and one surprising thing keeps happening.

Rheinmetall MAN Trucks keep winning.

I'm surprised because I consider the Oshkosh 7-ton MTVR to be the best tactical truck on the market, their other heavy trucks appear to be quite good too. So what explains Rheinmetall's market domination?  I just don't know.

Either way Oshkosh better step up its game...and quick.

Side note:  What's up with that huge box on top of the cab?  I thought it might be storage or an ac/environmental unit but I also see manned turrets.  What gives.

F-35. Cuts are coming.

Thanks for the article Don!

Amy Butler also known as Wonder Woman...reports.

via Aviation Week.

Now, the Pentagon – by far the largest F-35 customer – is facing major budget cuts that could force the production rate to stay lower than planned for the fighter. The Air Force is looking at cutting as many as 24 aircraft over the next five years due to budget pressure, and the Navy is looking at far more drastic scenarios.

Read it all here.

Butler plays it down the middle and reports all the Lockheed Martin talking points but lets use a little common sense.

The USAF, USN and USMC are all getting smaller.

Why would you buy the same number of aircraft when your forces are anywhere from 10 to 25% smaller than when the number of F-35's needed were first rolled out?

The statement that the Navy is looking at far more drastic scenarios is telling. Talking points be damned.  Critical mass is approaching.  Costs ARE NOT coming down and this program is in trouble.

My opinion?  It couldn't happen to a better group of crooks. 

Steel Knight AAV Landing. vid by Lance Cpl Steve H. Lopez

The UK's next generation boomer. The Successor Class.

A Computer Graphic Image of a Successor class submarine.

The Defence Secretary has announced £79 million of investment in the next generation of Royal Navy submarines.

The Successor submarines, which will carry the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent will be the largest and most advanced boats operated by the Navy and their design and construction will be the most technologically complex in the history of the UK.

Two contracts worth £47 million and £32 million have been awarded to BAE Systems Maritime-Submarines, based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are leading on the design of the vessels.

The investment will allow BAES, who currently have more than a thousand people working on the Successor programme, to begin work on some initial items for the submarines that are due to replace the Vanguard Class from 2028. It is essential these items, which include structural fittings, electrical equipment, castings and forgings are ordered now to ensure the submarines are able to meet their in service date.

What is it about baby animals? via Everyday, no days off blog.

I needed a cool vid after seeing the idiocy of some junior Marines (female LT included...why she isn't being at least counseled right now is beyond me)...anyway check out this fawn.  Pretty ballsy, pretty bold and pretty cool of those guys to let it be.  Thoroughly impressed and well done by them.