Kuwait to buy 28 Super Hornets...

Thanks to Canuck Fighter for the link..

via Yahoo News.

New York (AFP) - Kuwait plans to order 28 Super Hornet advanced fighter jets worth $3 billion from Boeing, a person close to the deal told AFP Thursday.

The order for the F/A-18E/F multirole aircraft marks an important victory for Boeing over European rivals, which had been pitching the Eurofighter Typhoon to the Gulf country.
The move would beef up Kuwait's air force, as the country takes part in the Saudi-led coalition attacking Huthi rebels in Yemen.
The deal still requires official approval of the US government, which strictly controls foreign defense sales.
But Kuwait has signed a letter of intent, and it could be officially confirmed in the coming days, possibly as President Barack Obama hosts Gulf leaders in Washington next week, according to the source.

Well thats great news for the US Navy.  The assembly line remains open for at least a couple more years.

On a sidenote.  Isn't it funny that the region is arming to the teeth on the verge of a peace deal with Iran.

What is with the new Russian Heavy IFV?

Note:  Gabriel over at UK Commentary beat me to the punch and has a great initial analysis of the Armata MBT.  I'll be commenting on his page about a few points that I disagree with him on and you're welcome to join the conversation here.

The new Russian Heavy IFV.

To me that's the real interesting part of the roll out.  We can easily understand the thinking behind the new wheeled IFV.  The tracked vehicle is also understood quite readily and also looks capable.

So what are the Russians thinking with the new Heavy IFV?

I believe we're about to see a three tier force.  The wheeled vehicle for their rapid deployment units, the tracked for their medium weight all arounders and then for the Russian style shock and awe...hey diddle diddle straight up the middle assaults...that's what the heavy IFV will do.

I think that points to relatively small numbers for what we would consider enhanced Heavy Armored Brigades.  I also believe that this vehicle is born of the city fight in Chechnya and is probably the Russian equivalent of the US Army's desire to field the Ground Combat Vehicle.  Why do I say this?  Have you noticed that the new Russian unmanned IFV turrets have unmatched gun elevation?  That's something guys that have fought in cities would demand!

The Russians have the building blocks for a formidable armored force.

But what should concern US planners is this.

While the US Army is playing with ATV's as airborne mobility vehicles, the Russians are about to give their airborne forces the equivalent (and probably better) of the Stryker.  While the USMC is toying with Company Landing Teams and relying on the F-35 to provide support to those far flung units, the Russian Marines will be deploying with new tracked and wheeled IFVs.

Russia is matching our doctrine and beating us while we're still on the drawing board.

Happy VE Day!

Never forget the sacrifice of warriors that came before you. No matter what side they fought on, they fought for their country.

That should be respected, even if their nation's leadership shouldn't.

Defence Technology Review's May Issue!

Defence Technology Review's May issue is out and it's a definite must read!  I appreciate the majority of military tech mags but one thing rubs me wrong about them....they're so focused on aviation that they miss developments in other areas of the military art.

DTR covers it all and they've been focused like a laser on armored vehicle development which makes my heart sing. Take the time to check the mag out for yourself here....I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

The Armata MBT breakdown. Let's get real!

Let's get real about the Armata MBT breaking down at parade practice.

IT'S NO BIG DEAL!

If you've spent anytime around armored vehicles then you know they pick the most inopportune times to go tits up!  Its a mechanical vehicle that weighs God knows how much, and things happen.

More importantly though, the Russians haven't moved to full rate production on these machines.  Kinks will be worked out.  If you're dismissing these beasts because of the breakdown then you're being extremely shortsighted.

Su-35 Multi-Role Stealth Fighter Combat Simulation

Modest Proposal. Buy the 2 Mistral Amphibs!

via Alert 5 from RT.com

The Mistral helicopters carriers which were supposed to be delivered to Russia are causing the French a headache. However, rather than handing them over, the French government may send them to the bottom of the sea, if the contract is canceled.
France was supposed to have received €1.12 billion ($1.25 billion) from Moscow for the sale of two state-of-the-art warships. However, under pressure from the US and EU the sale was postponed, perhaps indefinitely.
An article in Le Figaro on Wednesday says that Paris may have to resort to sinking the helicopter carriers if the government refuses to honor the contract and deliver them to Russia. The first vessel, the Vladivostok, should have been handed over in November, but French President Francois Hollande said it would be postponed “until further notice.”

This is an opportunity.

Have you been paying attention to USMC operating concepts that are being put forward?  40,000 ton mini-aircraft carriers don't fit it.  An 18,000 ton LHD that can carry a reinforced Company Landing Team, a reduced in size Air Combat Element and maybe a platoon of AAV's would be perfect.

One thing is certain.

We're building the wrong fleet for the type of operations that are being envisioned.  Why do you need a big deck that can carry almost a battalion of Marines if you're talking about independent ship deployments?  Why do you need the San Antonio Class LPD if you're moving toward aviation centric deployment of CLTs?

If nothing else these would prove to be perfect Afloat Forward Staging Bases...but whatever we do we need to understand that planning is going sideways with regard to procurement...they no longer match up.  Since Dunford is gone, its up to the next guy to fix it.

SOCOM messed up bad with this Jade Helm exercise...

Start watching the video and gauge the tone and tenor of the residents and then consider that this is the heartland of the US.

SOCOM messed up bad.

I don't know if it was arrogance but they totally miscalculated the response to this massive exercise.  The US military has lost the heartland.  I've been hearing about a recruiting crunch and when they allow females in the infantry its gonna get worse (add that to the rest of the social engineering going on and I expect bonuses to be bigger than ever soon).

How do they fix it?  I don't know if they can. 

Note:  TheRequimen provided this map of the exercise and I'd love to talk to the Rocket Scientist that dreamed up this scenario.  Why in God's Name would you label conservative states as hostile, liberal states as friendly?  Someone was being cute and its biting them in the ass....he should be sent back to psyops school and learn the necessary lessons about local sensibilities and flashpoints.

The US Army enters the armor race....

via National Defense.

The Army has suspended purchases of new combat vehicles for the time being, but it is ploughing ahead with plans to gut aging tanks and equip them with fresh components and electronics, including a new powerful targeting sensor.
More than 1,600 Abrams tanks and 2,500 Bradley infantry combat vehicles would be overhauled over the next decade.

Read the entire thing here. 

Well.

It appears that the Armor branch got an assessment of the new Russian armor and didn't like what they saw.  Additionally it appears that they plan on keeping a sizable tank force into the future.

We see the upgrades that are planned but don't hold your breath thinking that this is the end.

I personally think that the Chinese are probably climbing all over these tanks trying to figure out what they should buy....or steal...to make their own tanks more competitive.

The armor race is on!

Space X keeps moving forward...

Read about it here.

I've been a BIG doubter when it comes to commercial spaceflight but these guys are proving me wrong.  They seem to be charging ahead alot faster than NASA and the other govt space agencies.

Will the commercial boys beat NASA to Mars?  A few months ago I would've bet against it.  Now?  I'm not so sure.

Quick and dirty on the Armata MBT...

I've started to do a little work on what we can see from the pics released on the Armata MBT.  Its turning into a bigger project than I imagined so in the mean time here's a quick and dirty with MUCH more to come.

First has anyone noticed how low the barrel is?  I find its placement interesting.  It will suffer from lack of gun elevation but the Russians use dedicated vehicles for city fighting and in mountainous terrain I imagine they'll find a way to work around the deficiency.  My question is does this lower placement yield any benefits?

The next thing that catches attention is the overhang off the back of the turret.  I immediately thought of the T57 line of US tanks that were experimented with (and my T69 that I play in WOT).  Many thought it simply redundant because previous Russian autoloaders didn't use this arrangement.  I believe that they're simply using a discarded US idea and expanding on it.

This is perhaps the most thrilling, and chilling part of the tank.  Remember the T57 had three men in the turret.  The unmanned Armata turret is still large so does that mean that its going to have a revolver of 120mm shells that number more than 4-6?  Could we be looking at a vehicle that is able to pop out from a herd of T72's, fire 8-10 rounds in rapid fire manner and then sneak back in to reload?

A few more things have me wondering.

Notice those...smoke dischargers that might not be at the base of the turret?  That's an extremely weird place for them.  They're also larger than standard.  What if they're not and they're something else?  What could they be?

Lars Gyllenhaal informed me that those are a protective system called AFGANIT...so yeah, I wasn't even close!  Thanks dude!  Now I have to try and find out exactly how capable a system it is!

Like I said.  There is alot more to pull apart when it comes to this vehicle, but its not even the most interesting of the herd.

That heavy APC has me intrigued beyond belief.  Is it the Russian version of the US Army's Ground Combat Vehicle?  How will it be employed when they have a standard tracked APC that looks quite capable.  Who will be getting the VBCI wheeled APC look alike?

Yeah folks.  Alot more to come.

UK Attack Subs unfit for duty? UPDATED!!!

via Defense 24

For six British submarines shock four are currently in the yard, one will be repaired in the database and there is one in patrol (HMS "Astute"). Worse, due to the lack of substitutes, HMS "Astute" had to be sent in operating cruise moment after he returned from it at the end of 2014.

The article is in Polish and I'm not sure if my Google Translate got it right but the gist of things seems to be that all but one of the UK's attack subs are unsat and are in the process of being fixed.

I've looked around this morning at the usual UK blogs to see if they had anything....Think Defence, UK Commentary, Amphibious Necessity and I even threw in Naval Matters to see if a blog covering naval issues was covering it from this side of the pond.

Nothing.

Don't have time right now, I'm working on an analysis of the new Russian Armata MBT, but this bears watching....and verifying.

UPDATE:  DRACAE found this article.  This should have been big news.  I wonder why it isn't getting much air time.

So much churn in leadership is not good for the USMC...

So Dunford is heading over to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Good for him, bad for the Marine Corps.

Has anyone considered the implication for the Marines?  We've gone through the controversial leadership of Amos, and now, just as Dunford was settling into his role as Commandant, he's moving on.

So now we get a new Commandant.

That's too much churn...alot of institutional flux....in short this is bad news.  Dunford should have stayed if he cared about the Marines.

The Marine Corps is reeling...even if no one says it outloud.

PARS 4x4 Video...

KAPLAN-20 The New Generation Tracked Armoured Fighting Vehicle Video...

FNSS Pars 4x4..

FNSS Kaplan 20 IFV...

Close up, Hi Rez pics of the Armata MBT Turret!

Thanks to Dwi for the link!

Note:  Thanks to everyone that sent me pics and links of the sneak peak at the new Russian vehicles.  I waited because I wanted close up pics that could provide detail.  Well here they are and more at this link!

May the 4th be with you via World of Tanks...

Maj. Gen. Robert Walsh talks amphibious shipping...

I wish I had asked Strock why 30 Mistral class ships wouldn't be a better option for the USN/USMC team...especially if we're headed toward independent ship operations.

An aviation centric, but surface assault capable 18000 ton LHD would seem to be a better bargain (much cheaper) and more in keeping with where the force is going instead of 12 big decks, 12 LPDs and 12 LX(R)s that are designed for a way of war/deployment/operating concept that they're migrating away from.