56th & 57th Rescue Squadrons headed to Aviano, Italy...

via EDP24.co.uk

“From a geographic standpoint, this movement will enable us to be more agile in our support to personnel recovery requirements across Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia,” Smith added. “We are excited for the transfer of our mission to Italy and growing upon the relationships we have formed from the past several years of staging rescue operations from there.”
These squadrons of aircraft, aircrew, Guardian Angel Weapons Systems and support personnel are slated to begin relocating in 2017.
This includes five HH-60 Pave Hawk Helicopters and approximately 350 aircrew.
“Saving lives is at the heart of our mission, so moving to Italy, where we’re better postured to provide rescue capabilities quickly and effectively, just makes sense,” said Lt. Col. Jose Cabrera, 57th Rescue Squadron commander. “Our partnership with the UK is as strong as ever. While we’ll miss the great support and hospitality we’ve experienced in England, we certainly look forward to forging new relationships and conducting training operations in Italy.”

I really don't understand the thinking behind the stationing of troops in Europe. If the moves are to deter Russia then they're in the wrong places.  If its about being able to respond to incidents in N. Africa and the Middle East then again, they're out of place.

I don't get it.

Fallout4 official launch trailer

Homegrown barbarity. 9 year old lured into an alley and murdered...

via ABC News.

A 9-year-old Chicago boy who was fatally shot this week was "lured" from a park into an alley and executed because of his father's alleged gang connections, police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said Thursday in a crime he described as among the most "unfathomable" of his 35 years in policing.
Tyshawn Lee, an elementary school student headed to his grandmother's house, was shot in the head and back Monday in a neighborhood alley on the city's South Side.
McCarthy told reporters Thursday that the slaying was the result of two gangs fighting, potentially in a string of retaliatory events dating back months. He said the boy's father isn't cooperating with police.

Read this heartbreaking, disgusting, wall punching story here.

FUCK!!!!  This one plays with my heart strings.  Spike Lee has a movie coming out called "CHI-RAQ".  He goes on to call for gun control.

The issue isn't guns.  The issue is a lack of decency and morals.  Luring a 9 year old into an alley to murder him because of some bullshit gang stuff?  That goes beyond barbaric and into demonic.

Just plain FUCK!

Canada's Foote: our intention not to buy F-35 lockheed martin planes & other REAL F-35 news...

via Reuters.

Nov 4 Canada's minister of public services and procurement Foote says:* It remains our intention not to buy F-35 Lockheed Martin Corp planes (Reporting By Leah Schnurr)

Now I think I understand why Allison Barrie did the fluff piece at the behest of the F-35 program office.  But if you think that's the end of the bad news check out these stories....

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: One of America's Worst Fighter Jets Ever?

The US Navy officials have reaffirmed plans to procure an additional 24 to 36 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets through fiscal year 2018

Pentagon, McCain weigh cuts to number of F-35’s

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the head of Senate Armed Services Committee and a frequent critic of the F-35 program, said the numbers the Pentagon has been quoting are inflated.
“There’s just not going to be that many,” McCain said.
In an interview, McCain said the Pentagon has to look “realistically” at how many weapons systems it can afford.
“The question is, at the present cost, can we afford as many F-35s?” he asked.
McCain said he will press the Pentagon to determine how many planes the services need.

Yeah.

This program is in some serious trouble.  What I find most interesting is the Navy's position.  For every Super Hornet they buy, that's at least one less F-35 that they can program.  They're playing some serious Pentagon politics to reduce the number of stealth fighters that they'll have.  The Navy has arrived on a decision with the F-35 and apparently they aren't sold.  With budget wars looming I can see this turning nasty. 

Fox News Allison Barrie...either a useful idiot or willfully negligent...

Thanks to Bryan for the link!



Fox News should be ashamed.  This reporter simply passed along propaganda and provided no real information to the viewers.

So why did the program office go to one of their favorites for this fluff piece?

My take is that they're trying to rally support for the airplane.  I'm betting that they think they can wave the flag and middle America will fall into line.  Notice that they've brought back the "Air Dominance" bullshit too.

She ignored the costs.  She didn't talk about the delays.  She didn't mention the fact that the Chinese have stolen the planes "secrets".  She didn't explore any of the claims made by the F-35 program office.  She didn't care....she's in like Flynn and got to giggle while stars (generals) fawned over her.  Allison Barrie in this instance is either a useful idiot or willfully negligent.

SMSGT Mac always talks about hack reporters.  He should add this chick to his list (go back to dancing...Allison, you suck as a defense reporter).  See the whole thing here.

Comparing U.S. Army Systems with Foreign Counterparts (pdf)

Thanks to THINK DEFENCE Blog for the link!

  Comparing U.S. Army Systems with Foreign Counterparts

F-15C's to Turkey....is this prep for an air war?

via Daily Beast.

Officially, the deployment of F-15C Eagle twin-engine fighters to Incirlik, Turkey—which the Pentagon announced late last week—is meant to “ensure the safety” of America’s NATO allies, Laura Seal, a Defense Department spokesperson, told The Daily Beast.
That could mean that the single-seat F-15s and the eight air-to-air missiles they routinely carry will help the Turkish air force patrol Turkey’s border with Syria, intercepting Syrian planes and helicopters that periodically stray into Turkish territory.
But more likely, the F-15s will be escorting attack planes and bombers as they strike ISIS militants in close proximity to Syrian regime forces and the Russian warplanes that, since early October, have bombed ISIS and U.S.-backed rebels fighting the Syrian troops.
Seal declined to discuss the deployment in detail, but hinted at its true purpose. “I didn’t say it wasn’t about Russia,” she said.

Here.

I've seen the reporting on this for a couple of days.  I've surfed Russian Military Blogs.  Everyone is fired up about this.  Many in the Russian blogosphere are saying that they're expecting some type of provocation...that the US is planning on bombing Assad forces.

I don't think so.

I do think that this is another of the dick measuring steps that the Obama Administration does when they feel humiliated.  Did you catch his speech where the news media focused on his statement about Republican Presidential candidates not being able to handle Russia or China if they can't handle CNBC journalists?



The telling part was at the beginning.  Where he talks about "people saying Putin is kicking sand in his face".

This has moved beyond doing whats in the best interest of the nation.  Its even gone beyond legacy.  This is about a power play.  I never considered how stung the White House must be.  Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran (the country that he risked so much political capital to bring into the fold) and Egypt have all traveled to consult with Putin.  Several of those nations are forging new bonds with Russia.

For the White House it wasn't suppose to work out this way and they're mad. The bigger problem?  These are the kind of moves that could accidentally escalate the crisis.  One cowboy pilot on either side could start an international incident.

Long story short?  Shit could get real..one mistake and it could kick off.

ISIS forms what they're calling the "3rd Armored Brigade"..

via Vocativ

The Islamic State is responding to the U.S.’ latest moves in Syria and Iraq by flaunting a fleet of American-made Humvees and other military vehicles that it has pilfered.
More than a dozen new photographs published by ISIS depict what it’s calling its “Third Armored Brigade,” which is based in Iraq’s northern province of Nineveh. The highly-choreographed images show ISIS fighters riding around the desert in Iraqi Light Armored Vehicles (ILAVs), a Humvee built in the U.S. and sold exclusively—at around $350,000 a pop—to the Iraqi military beginning in 2006. Militants are also seen operating several Soviet tanks and training with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, said Caleb Weiss of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank.

Here.

Hybrid warfare?  No, that description is no longer applicable.  I like "Mutated Terrorist Forces".

Did you see this coming?  I know.  I keep saying this but it boggles the mind.  We've seen the birth of a terrorist movement that is so powerful that it can go toe-to-toe with Nation State Military Forces and win!  Quite honestly if it wasn't for the intervention of the US in Iraq, and Russia doing the same in Syria, we'd be seeing a new nation under the Flag of ISIS.

Have we seen something like this in the modern era?

S. African police execute criminal....GRAPHIC VIDEO!

Thanks to Maurice for the link!



via Sunday Times

Mpanza, 32, walked into Omega Paint and Hardware store in the area. He loitered near the door, cocked his gun and then, according to a witness, walked out and fired eight shots at police sitting in a van about 60m away.
"He was so close and he just kept firing at the police, who were hiding out in their car. Then he ran and police chased after him," said the witness, who asked not to be identified.
A report on the incident in the local newspaper was innocuously headlined: "One dead as police return fire".
Policing expert Dr Johan Burger described the CCTV footage as shocking and called for the immediate arrest of the policeman who shot Mpanza while he lay wounded on the ground.
"I simply could not believe the callousness ... especially the one policeman. He went, and at very, very close range, shot and killed that man," said Burger.
"The one word that went through my mind as I watched this was that this is an execution. It's not even a murder, it's absolute execution."
Burger said he was even more disturbed that the constable's colleagues did not seem to stop him or express "any emotion or shock" when he fired the fatal shots at a man lying on the ground.
"All of that, in my mind, is criminal," he said.

Full story here.

Hmm.  I don't know.  South Africa has turned into a cesspool.  The amount of crime is off the charts...rapes, murder, burlary....all the felony crimes that are headline news in the US are twice to three or more times higher there.

That was pretty brazen by the criminal.  Calmly opening fire on cops?  What did he think the outcome would be?

Still.  The guy is a son of a bitch but he was giving up.  To execute him?  Not good.  Not good at all.

Russia's response to the airliner bombing? I'm guessing a Tu-160 attack!

NOTE:  Bryaxis fixed this post for me.  Originally I talked about a TU95 strike.  Right thinking, wrong airplane.  He suggested a TU-160 which is spot on in every way.  Right plane, right vehicle to demonstrate Russian global reach, and the right visuals.


We know that ISIS planted a bomb on a Russian airliner in a heinous (as if there is any other kind) act of terrorism.

So I ask again.  How will the Russians respond?

Russian Special Ops?  I don't think so.  Its not public enough.  The Russian people want blood for blood.  We aren't hearing "nuanced" talk about how they should understand that Islam is the religion of peace.  From my stroll through the Russian blogosphere, the only thing I'm seeing is a desire on their part to bathe in the blood of their enemies.

Cruise missile strikes don't send the right message either.

That's why I'm betting a heavy bombing raid from Russian territory by TU-160s.  Why does this sing to me?  Well it demonstrates the global reach of the Russian military.  It shows that retaliation will be swift and devastating.  Finally it once again separates the Russians from the US/EU.  No half measures on their part.  They will strike and strike hard.

That's my guess but one thing is certain...the answer will come quickly.

Russian plane crash and the need to unite to kill ISIS.

via CNN

Days after authorities dismissed claims that ISIS brought down a Russian passenger jet, a U.S. intelligence analysis now suggests that the terror group or its affiliates planted a bomb on the plane.
British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said his government believes there is a "significant possibility" that an explosive device caused the crash. And a Middle East source briefed on intelligence matters also said it appears likely someone placed a bomb aboard the aircraft.
Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed Saturday in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula after breaking apart in midair, killing all 224 people on board. It was en route to St. Petersburg from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
The latest U.S. intelligence suggests that the crash was most likely caused by a bomb planted on the plane by ISIS or an affiliate, according to multiple U.S. officials who spoke with CNN.

Here.

Amazing.  People still like to underestimate the ability of ISIS to inflict pain on the Western World.  Additionally, normalcy bias is alive and well.  Several bloggers that I respect shit canned the idea that ISIS was involved.

You people need to live and learn.

A determined enemy needs to be curb stomped, not underestimated or disrespected.  You can hate, but you must respect their ability to kill you.  Having said all that, this is a political mess for the US.

Once again ISIS has shown that its the threat, not Assad.  The idea that Assad must go and we can handle ISIS at our leisure is a fiction.  When will you see a mature US foreign policy?  When we put aside the bullshit and work with Assad/Russia/Whoever to put ISIS in the ground.

Warcraft Live Action Movie Trailer!

Wow.  This looks like it MIGHT be good....

City Marshals shoot and kill 1st grader in Marksville...

Read the story here.

Ok.  The usual warning.  We're about to go there.  You make comments that I don't like, hit me with a tone I don't like (and since I can't reach thru the computer screen) that's disrespectful, race baiting, or demeaning of what's going on here and you're banned.

But back on task.

I want to see how this goes.  They weren't chasing the dude on a felony charge.  They were serving some low level warrant...but we have a little boy dead and his father in critical condition.

When a boy in Cincinnati was shot and killed because he was playing outside with a toy gun, the usual POLICE DEFENDERS stepped forward.  Will they do the same with this incident?

We'll see.  Oh and a pic of the 1st grade student is below.

The reaction to this incident will prove instructive...if the "police supporters" are consistent then they will blame the father and simply consider the death of this child as a case of police having to "do business".

Armada Española (Spanish Navy) Ship gets dangerously close to a waterspout!

The frigate Numancia suffering a waterspout in the waters of the Bay of Cadiz

That is crazy.  I can't even imagine!  Bonus coverage.  The Juan Carlos...oh and click on the pic to enlarge....that's a MV-22 on deck....

Saudi/GCC rotating troops in what is being called a "long term" operation.

via GulfNews.com

Military experts commended the UAE’s troop rotation tactic in Yemen, announced on Monday, which will see the first batch replaced by another as part of Operation Restoring Hope, saying “it was a positive move, in favour of the coalition forces.”
The military tactic, which is used in military operations the world over, experts told Al Bayan newspaper, aims to revitalise the UAE’s presence in Yemen. They said the decision to replace troops was well-timed, especially since it’s been nearly seven months since the UAE began deploying military forces in Yemen.
The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces on Monday announced that the first batch of Emirati soldiers will be replaced by the second group of soldiers. The rotation comes following many victories, such as the liberation of Marib and retaking the Marib dam, parts of which was rebuilt on behalf of Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
According to Al Bayan, the second batch will participate in the Arab coalition forces to perform new tasks in Yemen, replacing the first instalment of troops “which was able to achieve several important victories.”
Strategy-analyst Major General Monem Kato said the troop-rotation decision taken by the UAE is a positive move, in favour of the UAE army and the Saudi-led coalition forces in general. “It is a punctual decision,” he told Al Bayan, “especially since the coalition is on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sana’a, and is on the verge of liberating it.”

Here.

Wow.  Looks like the Saudis/GCC took advantage of the Tropical Storm that hit Yemen to rotate troops.  I'm really surprised that they didn't take advantage of the storm to launch a new offensive.

Regardless.  This isn't going to be short, nor is it going to be painless for them. They're in a quagmire.  

Whites 45-55 dying at alarming rate....another sign that the economic recovery wasn't...

via Washington Post.

“Drugs and alcohol, and suicide . . . are clearly the proximate cause,” said Angus Deaton, the 2015 Nobel laureate in economics, who co-authored the paper with his wife, Anne Case. Both are economics professors at Princeton University.
“Half a million people are dead who should not be dead,” he added. “About 40 times the Ebola stats. You’re getting up there with HIV-AIDS.”

Read it here and be shocked...but I warn you.  Keep your race baiting bullshit to yourself or I'll lock down the comments on this.

My take.

The economic recovery that the Democrats have been hanging there hat on isn't.  They can play with the employment numbers...inflation numbers...even household income but the truth is still out there and obvious to anyone with the eyes to see and the courage to believe what they're seeing.

This country is in economic trouble.  The funny thing is that the Baby Boomers had the highest level of living in the history of the world and their children are getting smoked.

Remember the post that I did on drugs in the Middle East?  I wondered what would happen to a society that experienced a couple of decades of war.  Now we have to ask what happens to a society that experiences a decade of economic malaise and the disappearance of the Middle Class.

Now we know.  Oh and if you think this problem is only affecting whites?  Think again...remember this chick?



The Middle Class across the board is getting body slammed...Black, White, Hispanic, Asian...every swinging dick and ovary.  The Democrats failed.  The Republican have no real answers.  We're fucked.

Sidenote:  I would never do it so leave me alone Secret Service and US Marshals but did you see the President grinning at the start of her question?  I don't dislike the guy (I just think he's done a terrible job) but I feel like jumping thru the TV, punching the fuck out of him and then smoking his ass for half an hour!  What the fuck did she say that was funny or worthy of even a smile?  She voted for her new reality....she got "hope and change" and it sucks.

Awesome F-15 Silent Eagle gif from Foxtrot Alpha!

The more I see of this airplane the more convinced I become that its the real answer to the issue in the Pacific...NOT the F-35!  Nicely done Foxtrot Alpha!  Take notes Boeing!!!

Check out Chris Heal on Flickr!

Just found this guy on Flickr and his pics caught my eye.  Check out his collection here.

Even more pics from Trident Juncture 2015...

When did the Canadians move to band tracks?  That's a rather beefy looking M-113!

Look at all the gear racks on the Canadian LAVIII!  Going into my World of Tanks thinking...I wonder if that counts as spaced armor?

Never had the nerve to ask them in person...didn't want to appear disrespectful but what is the deal with the "decoration" attached to the helmets?  Always found that curious.

Even SOCOM is unable to solve the terrible Fast Roping issue with the V-22....they've got to get that solved before someone gets killed or injured.

This is new...or at least new to me.  What is that contraption they're using?  Is it some type of brake to control the load of a fast roper with a heavy load?  Even so, I can't imagine a pooch is over 50 pounds (military working dogs are light)...so what's the deal?

MacGregor Recon Strike Group Presentation..

Thanks to Paralus for the document!

  MacGregor's Recon Strike Group Presentation