Jesus! The FC-31 is looking like a beast!

FC-31V2 expands the application area of composite material skin compared to V1. pic.twitter.com/FTBfV7qTi9

— dafeng cao (@xinfengcao) November 24, 2017

Back off cowboy.  I know what I've said about the F-35.  I stand by every word too!  If the plane had come in on time and on budget then all would be roses in Marine land (not to mention the other services and our allies), but it didn't so I body slam the plane every chance I get.

Now turning to the FC-31.

Let make you a bet.  I bet the plane is not saddled with the weight problems that the F-35 has.  I bet the plane isn't going thru fucking purgatory trying to get it's "sensor fusion" together.

I bet the Chinese aren't letting the manufacturer bleed them dry for a few more dollars.

Later I'll try and find some articles on what the aviation experts are saying about the plane but to my eye it looks like a beast.

PLA Marines conducted live fire training in Djibouti national range on 23 Nov

Thanks to FormerDirtDart for the pics!

Just plain wow.  These pics serve two, maybe three purposes.  The first one I read loud and clear.  The Chinese have landed and they're gonna be a force to be reckoned with worldwide.  Leadership might be focused on Russia, but I've got my fangs out, nailed them into the floorboard and I'm focused like a laser on the China threat.

The second purpose is a message to the African continent.  They're there in force.  They're not just doing the Special Ops things with the crazy "raid dynamic".  If the Chinese decide to make a move on someone it will be with a fully mechanized force that is rolling hard, kicking ass and taking names.  They will be fast, they will hit hard (especially for the region they're in) and they will bring overwhelming firepower to whoever they decide to bring the pain to.

The last message is to the Chinese people.  This is an overt declaration that they are no longer just a regional power.  This is a show to their citizens that they have global aspirations.  In a more disciplined time the US would show the determination to rally round the flag and to do whatever is required to support that effort.  The US no longer lives in those times.  The Chinese do. This is (at least in my mind) a call to do what it takes to ensure China's rise.

I'll be monitoring Chinese message boards when I get up and going again to see what they're talking about, how they're viewing this and to see what the nationalistic minions are thinking the next step will be.

Make no mistake about it boys and girls.  Russia isn't the threat.  China is the clear and present danger to the very existence of the United States.

Syria is over? Good cause Ukraine is heating back up. Rebel leader says there was a coup attempt!

via GKmen.com

Breaking nearly a week of silence, Igor Plotnitsky, leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, claimed that former interior minister Igor Kornet "tried to seize power by force".
Kornet's followers seem to be calling the shots now, with reports his men have arrested the local prosecutor, a Plotnitsky ally, and continue to have the local television station surrounded.
Separatist leadership has been plagued by infighting.
Several high-profile commanders have been killed in the region in suspicious circumstances in what was widely viewed as power struggle.
Dozens of armed people in combat fatigues have deployed to main administrative buildings in Luhansk, a major city in rebel-controlled territories in eastern Ukraine, in a sign of a split in the rebel leadership.
Residents of Luhansk, capital of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LNR), saw unidentified armed men blocking access to downtown streets on Tuesday morning, according to local media and a resident of the city.

Story here. 

I don't want to!  I don't want to wade into the mess that is Ukraine because quite honestly I don't see ANYONE I should be cheering for.

Do I cheer for the Russians?  Conventional wisdom says that they have sparked an internal revolution. 

Do I cheer for the Ukrainian govt?  No way in hell.  I don't support Nazis.  No way, no fucking how. 

Do I cheer for rampant corruption?  That would mean I cheer for the Ukrainian govt that has Nazi Brigades fighting for them IN ADDITION to being corrupt beyond belief!

So let me tell ya where I'm at.

I don't care about Ukraine.  In my view its a relic of Hillary's failed State Dept attempt to do a color revolution that spiraled out of control and threatened to destroy the work that had been done to make Europe united and a contributing member of the world community...speaking with ONE voice.

My ideal solution would be for the US to simply get out of the way, let the Europeans and Russians come to some type of agreement/settlement of the issue and for the US to start a new tract with the Russians to put the Middle East back in its cage.

My solution has much chance of being a thing as a drop of water on heated steel in the middle of the desert on a bright sunny day.

So even though I DON'T WANT to follow the madness that is Ukraine, I think I'm gonna have to.

Stay tuned for the drama.  "As the world turns" ain't got nothing on real life Ukraine.

Morality Talk. Consumerism in the 2017 Christmas Season...

Personal disclosure.  I've been nursing sinuses and I thought a cold that just wouldn't quit for the past...well almost two weeks now.  This morning I messed around and woke up at 3am and found myself having trouble breathing.

I was in full freak mode.

What does that have to do with the title of this post?  Be patient...getting to that.  We made our way to the regional hospital emergency room and the staff were sold.

As usual they were dealing with the freaks of society.  Talking to a Sheriff's Deputy I got hit with stories of numerous family disturbances.  People that supposedly gathered to break bread and to share thanks suddenly lost their fucking minds and turned on each other like rabid dogs.  If that wasn't bad enough the usual "party" scene ended up with a couple of shootings, one guy definitely gonna die his body just didn't know it yet and the usual roundup of drunk drivers that the Sheriff, City and State Police always gather up at this time of the year.

After getting two shots in the ass for being stupid and not getting on top of this little bout of illness I continued the conversation while I was getting discharged.

One story was about a drunk driver that must have gone ape shit because he realized that he was following a Sheriff's Deputy and instead of using a little common sense (like pulling over, taking the key out of the ignition and getting in the backseat) he thought that stepping on the gas and running into the back of his cruiser would be a good idea.  I always wondered why they run with bull bumpers front AND back but now I know.  Idiot driver ended up totaling his little economy car, Cruiser was only in need of a fresh paint job to cover the scratch.

The second story was a bit more ominous...at least as far as my audience goes.

I don't consider myself old.  Nicely seasoned is how I label myself.  Just between young and dumb vs. old and stale.  Having said that I remember when "door buster" sales was actually a family affair.  You could go out with the little ones, shop for that toy that they had their eye on and not have to worry about getting trampled, runover in the parking lot or shot by some maniac that decided today was a good day for other people to die.

Those days are over.  Even in bumfuck Egypt Louisiana those days are gone. This morning and last nights tally?  I don't know if dude was bullshitting me but he said that 10 people had been trampled at freaking WALMART!  Of all places someone rushed the doors at Wally World?  Amazing!  At the local Mall their were numerous incidents of FIGHTS!

All that to buy some widgets and other items that they don't actually need, just THINK they want.

Consumerism.  When they right the epitaph of America it will be the rise of consumerism, the fall of self discipline and the lack of common sense.  This Christmas season, buy for your loved ones, be moderate with gifts to yourself but work toward just saying NO to rampant consumerism.

Open Comment Post. Nov 24, 2017

Where did the Romanian Agilis 8x8 come from and how did Rheinmetall get the bid to build it?

Well this came out of the blue.  A couple of websites that cover armored vehicle development are all a buzz about the Agilis 8x8 that Rheinmetall is proposing to build for Romania.

Besides being intrigued by the vehicle (you have to admit that it looks alot
like the Russian counterpart that has yet to enter production) I'm a bit confused by its birth parents.

Did this come from Rheinmetall to spark Romanian interest or did the Romanians develop it (one of their corporations) and Rheinmetall is simply latching onto their work?

If Conyers goes down it looks like he'll drag the rest of the House of Rep with him!

via The Daily Caller.

“Reed acknowledged that while these allegations are serious, they are simply allegations,” the statement said. “If people were required to resign over allegations, a lot of people would be out of work in this country including many members of the House, Senate and even the president.”

The statement said that Conyers has “no plans to resign” despite calls for him to do so. 

Story here. 

It's a weird story about weird people but it's still worth a read in my opinion.  The bigger point?  There are many Senators and Representatives that are shaking in their boots about this.

This is beyond beautiful.

They sought to take advantage of the Weinstein drama by unleashing a political hit job on Moore (who is a nut case I'll freely admit) and while working overtime to stick a dagger in his campaign tried to pivot toward clearing old brush from the party in the form of forcing Conyers to resign but now face political mutually assured destruction.

How are they gonna back down from this drama?

I don't think they can if they want to appear credible.  This thing is about to consume DC, the elite media and the political elite.

I was wrong about something else.

They're trying their best to swing this thing toward being an issue across all walks of life.  I'm sure it is, but the main focus will be on the groups I described.  Relations will be COMPLETELY different in DC/New York/Los Angeles.  They won't soon recover from this drama.

Happy Thanksgiving & Open Comment Post. Nov 23, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving everyone...

Wait. Trump revealed a secret op to the Russians and now its being revealed to the world?

via Times of Israel.

US President Donald Trump revealed details of a daring top-secret mission into northern Syria by Israel’s Mossad spy agency and elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit in a May meeting with Russian officials, sticking a dagger into the robust Israeli-American intelligence-sharing apparatus, according to a report Thursday.

The account, published in Vanity Fair based on information from unnamed sources the magazine described as “experts on Israeli intelligence operations,” sheds new light on both the highly sensitive covert operation deep in the heart of Syria and the damage done to the security relationship between the allies after the president revealed the secret information while apparently bragging about the quality of his intelligence reports.

Story here. 

You want to know why I say there is a concerted effort on the part of the deep state to de-throne Trump?  This is exhibit number 1.  We were told months ago that Trump revealed classified information to the Russians.

I get the outrage and I'm not happy.

But check this out.

We didn't know what the information was.  The Russians didn't reveal the info either.  But someone in the intelligence mafia decided to leak this news...specific information...to Vanity Fair to I guess inflame the public once again about a mistake that was made months ago.

This brings something else up too.

Trump IS a buffoon.  He IS an egomaniac.  He DOES seek the approval of the elite despite them openly mocking him.  He DOES appear to have the attention span of a two year old.

But he's right about the leaks and he's right about Sessions needing to have the FBI hunt down those leakers and if necessary also prosecute news media sources that have published classified material.

Facts are facts and the President MIGHT have screwed up in our eyes and maybe even in the eyes of the Israelis but as President HE DOES have the right to declassify any material he sees fit.

What did those Border Patrol Agents stumble into?

The FBI is investigating the incident on the Texas-Mexico border where one agent was killed and another seriously injured.

This thing smells.

Coyotes and smuggled persons know the deal.  They'd be sent back home.  I've even read that catch and release is back on because there isn't enough space to keep all the people they're apprehending.

So illegals would simply play by the rules and turn themselves over to the Border Patrol.

But these people assaulted the agents.

So what did they stumble into?  There is more to this story than we're being told.

Omani military launched the Turkish "Pars x8 vehicle"

via Daily Sabah.

The Omani military launched the Turkish "Pars x8 vehicle" during an event on Tuesday at the Safrat Al Dooh' field, according to the Times of Oman.

Omani Army Commander Maj. Gen. Mattar bin Salim Al Balushi had launched the event that included an overview of the armored personnel carrier and a field demonstration of the vehicle's capabilities.

A Turkish defense company delivered the vehicles to the Omani military as part of an agreement signed in 2015, according to the report.

The selection of the Turkish-made military vehicle followed successful tests, including field tests during different weather conditions in Oman, it added.

Have any of these vehicles seen combat?  I can't think of a time I've ever seen them used operationally.  They aren't in Yemen are they?

Brahmos anti-ship cruise missile successfully air launched from fighter....+ do we need a medium bomber?

via New Indian Express.

World’s fastest supersonic cruise missile BrahMos created another history on Wednesday. With advanced seeker software, the high speed missile was successfully flight-tested first time from the Indian Air Force’s frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI.

Defence sources said the missile was fired against a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal off Paradip and Puri coasts during noon hours. The missile was gravity dropped from the fuselage of Su-30 aircraft.

“The two-stage missile’s engine fired up and straightway propelled towards the intended target at the sea. It was a spectacular success. We are extremely happy with the performance of the formidable weapon system,” said a defence official from New Delhi.

The Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) BrahMos weighing around 2.5 tonne is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on Indian fighter aircraft modified by HAL to carry the weapon.

Congrats to India on the success of this weapon system.

It does raise an interesting point though.  Ya know how Light Tanks are making a comeback?  Ya know how we're suddenly thinking about naval guns instead of trying to plug missiles into every mission set for fire support?

I just wonder, considering the size of this missile (and others that will be coming online in the near future) if there isn't a place for medium bombers again?

A modern B-47 with speed, range and endurance would be a welcome relief for our overused tactical fighters.

When the USAF reorganized and did away with the Strategic Air Command I believe they made a mistake.  Using fighters for every mission isn't smart or cost effective or efficient.

We need a new medium bomber.  Oh and hopefully without all the bells and whistles.  Ford Truck instead of Rolls Royce.

Lieutenant General Mark Poffley, deputy chief of the UK defence staff, says cuts in the F-35 a reality of the world we live in...

via FT.com

One of the UK’s most senior military chiefs has suggested that Britain may cut the number of F-35 combat jets it buys in the future as pressure grows on its defence budget.

Despite a commitment to buy 138 F-35B Lightning II fighter jets from the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, Lieutenant General Mark Poffley, deputy chief of the UK defence staff, told MPs on Tuesday that he was “sympathetic” to the idea that the overall number could eventually fall.

“That’s the reality of the world we are living in,” added Lt Gn Poffley.
Earlier Stephen Lovegrove, the most senior civil servant at the Ministry of Defence, revealed that the cost of an initial tranche of 48 F-35s could rise from £9.1bn in 2025 to £13bn in 2048.

Story here.

These aren't just trial balloons.  This is the plan.  Since we had MP's come on the record stating that they would not tolerate any more cuts to the Royal Marines and amphibious forces, the stage has been set for drastic cuts to the F-35.

One news article compared the fate of the F-35 to what was seen with the Type 45 Destroyer.  They wanted 12 but bought half that number.  Reportedly that's what's being talked about behind closed doors with the F-35...a buy of less than half the programmed number.

The stark reality for the F-35 fan base, Lockheed Martin and the Program Office?  That first tranche of 48 might be all the Brits can afford.

Conyers must resign, Moore must not be elected but Franken is good to go?

via Roll Call.

The most widely read print and digital media outlet in Michigan has called for hometown Rep. John Conyers Jr. to resign.

“John Conyers Jr. must go — after 53 years in Congress, after a stellar career of fighting for equality, after contributing so much to southeast Michigan and the nation,” the Detroit Free Press editorialized Tuesday.

The Detroit-based Democrat first took his seat in Congress during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency smack in the middle of the civil rights era in 1965. He is the longest-serving among active federal lawmakers.

Conyers, 88, is the latest member of Congress to fall under public scrutiny for sexual misbehavior after documents from a 2015 settlement with a former staffer over sexual harassment complaints surfaced this week.

Story here. 

Let me get this out front.  I do believe Conyers should have exited stage left along time ago.  From reports I've read it's quite obvious that the guy is just a figurehead and his staff picks his positions for him...early onset is real!  But ignoring my personal view of the guy, this is what we're left with.

Based on allegation they're asking for Conyers to resign?

Based on allegations they're saying Moore must not be elected?

Based on allegations and an admission Franken is ok and should stay?

The Moore thing is obviously a political hit job.  Additionally its obvious that the calls for Conyers to resign are based on the planners in the Dem party attempting to reorient the discussion to clear space for their plan to put in place younger politicians to appeal to younger voters.

What remains to be seen is how they handle the rest of the old bulls on the Democrat side that are past their sell date.  I'm talking about Pelosi, Hoyer and Lewis.

One thing I was wrong about.  I thought that this would burn itself out once Franken was tagged.  I underestimated their determination to steal a seat in the South.

Conyers will not only provide space for a younger politician but he'll also allow the Dems to claim the high ground.  They'll be able to say that they forced a Congressman to resign over allegations and Republicans elected an accused pedophile.

Of course that leaves the issue with Pelosi, Hoyer and Lewis.  I think the powers that be (read that to mean rich donors) will have a come to Jesus meeting and for the good of the party they will simply not run for re-election while bragging about the tremendous unity in the Democrat party.

I need to be a bit politically incorrect now so bear with me.

These are all highly educated, accomplished public officials.  If they're having trouble dealing with the opposite sex then was it so crazy for those of us to raise alarm bells on how we would integrate women into combat arms?

It's just a question so don't kill the messenger....just tell me where I'm wrong.

CCTV - Army overview. Mandarin speaker needed!

Ok. They had a few guys on this speaking rather energetically. WTF were they saying?

Pacific Fleet is snake bit. C-2 Greyhound crashes.

via RealClear Defense.

TOKYO (AP) — A plane carrying 11 crew and passengers crashed into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday while on the way to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, the Navy said.

Eight of the people on board have been found, Japan’s defense minister told reporters, but it was unclear whether they were alive. The Defense Ministry said it had no information on their condition.

Story here. 

The force is strained.  The Combatant Commander concept that Bush Jr pushed has failed miserably...how they could let CC's continue to demand forces at a clip that is higher than wartime is beyond me but the kingdoms have been built and it'll take Congressional action to put them back in their cages now. 

But worse?

People are tired.  They're tired of what they see as being bullshit social experimentation, bullshit deployments, bullshit work and I'm not sure but I would guess that many are tired of walking on eggshells in and out of uniform.

The military will do an investigation into the cause of this accident.  They will propose new measures to correct either a deficiency on the part of the pilot or the machine.

They will NOT take a global look at the force.

They can't.

If they did then they'd realize that the real problem is the way that they're doing business.  They would finally realize that their concepts of operations is wearing out machines and killing people.

British Committee Members told price of F-35 impossible to predict and numbers may be cut...

via Telegraph.co.uk

Rising costs may force the Ministry of Defence to cut its planned order of 138 stealth jets, officials have suggested for the first time.

MPs on the Commons defence committee heard it was impossible to accurately forecast the costs of the F-35 programme. As costs become clearer as they enter service, the MoD would “make adjustments in our programme accordingly”.

Story here. 

Interesting isn't it.  It took a tier 1 partner to finally admit the truth that we've been screaming about on these pages for months.

All that talk of declining cost of the F-35 was just accounting gimmicks.

The truth is much more stark for our allies that have to sell the plane to their respective govts.

The total cost of the F-35 can't be masked...and the plane remains far from cheap.

I can't wait to hear from the fanboys on this one.  They always appeal to authority by saying that we should trust all the govts, pilots and ministry's of defense that say the plane is golden.

What will they say now that a Ministry of Defense says that the cost of the airplane is impossible to predict and that they may cut the numbers bought?

Wow. The hug that Assad gave Putin shows nothing but gratitude...

The story about Assad going to visit Putin is here.

But that isn't what I want to talk about.  Do you see that hug?  That is nothing but gratitude.  Assad seems to know that if not for the Russians he would be hung on a cross with his head at his feet.

But let's put that aside for a minute.

Think about all the work the US has been doing worldwide.  From Iraq to Afghanistan to Africa and onto Japan, S. Korea and other Pacific nations.

Do we get that same amount of thanks?

We have troops in Europe with the mission of "reassuring" them and deterring aggression.  Only in the Eastern European nations do we see the welcome mat out.  Okinawa is a unique situation but look at the troops in S. Korea.  Are they welcomed? 

The only place that I can think of where US troops are welcomed without complaint is Australia.

You want to study international relations/military/diplomacy?  Study what the Russians did in Syria to get this kind of reaction.  When we have allies that are as grateful as Assad then we know we're on the right track.

Open Comment Post. Nov 21, 2017

Mugabe being asked to resign instead of being dragged out to the bush and shot? This is a weird coup....

via Newsday.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has agreed to stand down after 37 years in power, CNN reported on Monday, after he avoided any mention of resignation in a rambling national address on Sunday night.

A resignation letter has now been drafted, CNN said, citing sources familiar with his negotiations with the generals who seized power in Harare last week.

Under the terms of the deal, Mugabe and his wife Grace would be granted full immunity, CNN said.

Pressure was now mounting from all sides on the 93-year-old, the only leader Zimbabwe has known since its independence in 1980, to swiftly end the confusion that has gripped the country since the de facto coup last Wednesday.

Mugabe stunned Zimbabweans in a rambling late night Sunday television address by avoiding any mention of resignation, pledging instead to preside over a congress next month of ZANU-PF, which had sacked him as its leader only hours earlier.

Story here. 

This is the weirdest coup I've ever seen in my life.  Are you noticing the "legalize" they're attempting to apply to this thing?  Do you notice how gentle they are being with this guy?

Full immunity?

That's just not how real coups work.  In my look back on history the way these things work is that the military storms the president's residence, the equivalent of our congress, the media and other important sites...and the former president/ruler/dictator is taken out to the bush, shot in the head and fed to the hyenas.

There is no doubt about this.

China is making their first power play in Africa and they're being careful in how they do it so they won't alarm any other African nations.

I'm actually impressed.

This is a classic Sun Tzu type takeover.  None of their troops were involved, their monetary interests are preserved, the other countries in the region are able to read between the lines and know not to jack with them...and they get to handpick the next leader of the country.

I'm beyond impressed.  I'm jealous.  I hope we're taking notes.  This is how you work in Africa...not with USMC Marine Expeditionary Unit, a brigade from the 82nd or an Army Ranger Battalion...you go low key, low risk and low effort.