Tuesday, January 02, 2018
Brazil has purchased HMS Ocean...
via The Herald
Brazil has bought the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Ocean for £84 million, it has been reported.I know that they're getting two new aircraft carriers but I can't help but feel that the Brits will miss the capabilities that these small little, affordable monsters provided to the Queen.
The UK Defence Journal claims it has received confirmation from a source in the Brazilian Defence community that the sale of the Devonport-based helicopter carrier has been agreed.
Its website reports that Brazilian journalist Roberto Lopes told the journal that the purchase has been confirmed by Brazilian Defence Minister Raul Jungmann within the last week.
On the other hand...Brazil just got a steal of a deal. Well done to their Ministry of Defense. They are growing capabilities on a budget. Nicely done.
Yemen News Agency gives a tally of Saudi backed forces losses for 2017...
via Yemen News Agency.
The army and popular forces destroyed 1,569 military vehicles and eight naval units, and shot down 29 aircraft of the US-Saudi aggression in 2017.
On the other hand, the army and popular forces launched 45 ballistic missiles during the same year.
The military and the Popular forces destroyed eight Abrams tanks, 196 armored vehicles, 31 tanks, 1,337 various ordnance of the US- Saudi aggression and its mercenaries, according to a report issued by the military Information, Saba got a copy of it.
the naval forces and the coastal defense destroyed eight naval military pieces of the Saudi-American aggression in 2017, distributing over two boats and four battleships, and a spy submarine and a frigate.
The report said that the air defenses of the army and the popular forces shot down 29 aircrafts, including two F-16 and one F-15, and one Typhoon, two Apache, a Black Hawk, and a helicopter, and a MQ9 plane, and 19 spy aircrafts.
The missile force of the army and the popular forces fired 45 ballistic missiles into the depth of the Saudi and UAE positions and their mercenaries on various fronts, including three Burkan-1, and three Burkan-2, three H-2, and three Zelzal-3.
Ballistic missiles launched last year also included a winged cruise missile and a Qaher missile M-2, and a missile has not been revealed yet.
During the same period, the missile force also fired 293 homemade missiles, distributing to 62 Zelzal-1 missiles, 109 Zelzal 2 missiles, 10 Sumod missiles, five al-Sarkha, Cry, missiles, 1 al-Sarkha-2 missile, 4 al-Sarkha-3 missiles, 38 Uragan missiles, 57 Grad missiles and seven other missiles.
According to the report, the sniper units of the army and the popular forces managed during the last year to shot and killed 399 Saudi soldiers and 1,894 mercenaries.
Wow. That part of the story "Saudi-American" aggression just made my skin crawl. I could forgive alot of Trump's nonsense to include his miscategorizing the marchers in Charlottesville, if he would just stop getting us entangled in other people's fights.
He failed, the "establishment" won and we're supporting another freaking fight in the Middle East.
It's enough to make you want to pound walls. Oh and make no mistake about it. The US govt has stated clearly that it is supporting Saudi efforts in Yemen.
Yep! A proxy fight between Iran and Saudi Arabia now has US fingerprints and prestige all over it.
What happened to the review that Mattis ordered between the Super Hornet and F-35?
via USNI (Jan 2017).
Defense Secretary James Mattis is ordering a Pentagon review to compare the capabilities and cost between the emerging carrier-based Lockheed Martin F-35C Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter and an upgraded version of the Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, according to a memo obtained by USNI News.Story here.
The three-paragraph directive orders Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work to, “oversee a review that compares F-35C and F/A-18 E/F operational capabilities and assesses the extent that F/A-18E/F improvements (an advanced Super Hornet) can be made in order to provide a competitive, cost effective, fighter aircraft alternative.”
The memo also directs Work to look at the overall F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program to find opportunities to significantly reduce cost while maintaining the requirements for the program.
The Work reviews are set to inform upcoming budget decisions, read the memo.
In a Friday statement to reporters, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said, “this is a prudent step to incorporate additional information into the budget preparation process and to inform the secretary’s recommendations to the president regarding critical military capabilities.”
The new review follows then President-elect Donald Trump’s December declaration that he wanted Boeing to price out a comparable Super Hornet to an F-35 as a cost saving measure.
My question. What was the result of the study? Why aren't defense journalists pressing for answers?
I imagine that the results and testing will be biased to make the F-35 look as good as possible but NAVAIR knows the reality and that's why it hasn't been released.
BUT WE NEED TO KNOW!
Combat capabilities must not be allowed to be subordinate to marketing or stockholder profits.
If the conventional wisdom is correct then electronic warfare will become even more important than stealth in the near future. That means that the E-18G will be a bigger part of future warfare than stealth...especially for ground forces. One last thing. The USAF has abandonded electronic warfare and tossed the mission to the Navy. The USMC has essentially joined with the AF and is doing the same.
That makes this study absolutely essential to the ground combat component of the United States (and probably our allies). We don't have ground based electronic warfare platform like the Russians (who are masters) or even the Chinese. In short. I believe we will need the E-18G to survive on the modern battlefield against a peer opponent.
China 6th Gen Unmanned Hypersonic Stealth Fighter Concept Unveiled
How did F-15E's make it into a Chinese propaganda film?
Another day another Houthi ass kicking of Saudi backed forces...
via almasdarnews.com
The Houthi forces killed scores of Saudi-backed fighters inside the Al-Jawf Governorate of northern Yemen, yesterday, the Yemeni group’s official media wing report.Story here. Be advised (because when I posted pics of the dead on these pages I got reported) that there are a few MILDLY graphic images.
According to the Houthi forces, their fighters foiled a large attack launched by the Saudi-backed Hadi loyalists in the Al-Khalifeen area of Al-Jawf on Monday.
The Houthi forces added that their fighters killed at least ten Hadi loyalists, while also destroying two armored vehicles before the latter finally made the decision to retreat.
Back on task.
It's obvious that the Saudis are conducting some type of push and are still getting it handed to them. Who is the idiot Saudi general that is pushing that same tired meme we heard during the Bush Admin of "staying the course" when it was obvious things weren't working?
The US, Russia and a few other countries can handle protracted war.
Saudi Arabia and the GCC can't.
Before the end of the year I would bet body parts that the house of Saud is teetering on the brink.
Gock 19X. Compact slide, full size frame?
Glock is rolling out its 19X and I just got news in my inbox this morning. I haven't watched any of the review vids or read any articles.
This is just my take on the basic concept.
A Glock 19 slide length married up to a Glock 17 frame?
I've seen wildcat things gone that give you the Glock 17 slide with the frame cut down to Glock 19 length, but to do the opposite?
I really don't get it.
With my carry G26 I walk around with the 10 round mag inserted and have a G19 mag as my reload. If I was carrying for duty work I would probably rock a G19 and have 33 round G17 mags in my bailout bag.
Who is this setup suppose to appeal to? If I feel a need to carry the G17 then why would I not go with the slightly longer slide length? That's in a duty carry scenario. Why would I ever want a G17 frame with a G19 slide in a concealed carry role?
What am I missing?
Let's talk about the case of the SWATTING against an innocent man by another gamer....
By now most of you have heard about the case of the SWATTING, the fraudulent calling of police by another individual with a grudge that causes police to react with Special Tactics Units, of an innocent man by a gamer with a bone to pick with him.
We need to talk about this.
I've read several takes on this issue and they usually fall down into one of two camps.
The first is that the Police responding to the incident are wrong and the second is that the gamer is wrong.
I want to deconstruct this thing but be warned. There are two guilty parties here. One identified, the other has somehow escaped everyone's notice.
First let's talk about the SWAT Teams response. Let me tell you straight ahead. Those guys are golden. They did nothing wrong. These guys were told by dispatchers that they were responding to a case of people being held against their will by another family member.
Have you heard the saying that when things are most intense is when you must focus, think clearly and do what is necessary to stay alive?
This poor guy that got SWATTED handled the issue badly. Following instructions and acting as demanded might have helped to end this differently.
But even if the cops MIGHT have acted in a bad way you have to consider the call they were sent on. Man with a gun. Man holding others against their will.
This was as high risk as it gets.
Obviously the guy that made the call to police is dead wrong. He should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
So if the SWAT Officers are not guilty and the guy making the call is trash that should burned on the side of the road then who is the other party that should be held responsible.
Sorry to them and I know they have a difficult job but dispatchers, the watch commander of that particular sector and whoever held the position as acting chief of police for that watch (to include the chief because he would be called on incidents like this) hold MUCH of the blame here.
SWAT Officers act on the information given to them.
It is up to the dispatchers to gather preliminary information on the call. It is up to the sector watch commander to give intel on the area in question. It is up to the Acting Chief of Police for the watch to ensure that proper intel on the location has been obtained. And finally its up to the Chief of Police, who would have been informed of the situation, to ensure that his people have gathered all intel, attempted a peaceful resolution of the situation by use of negotiators and safeguarded the neighborhood by evacuating citizens that might be caught in the line of fire (and this depends on the weapons his people use for entry and what weapon the suspect is thought to be using...we could be looking at an evacuation that stretches out to a mile or more before they actually conduct a breach).
So yeah. Blame the bastard that made the false call. Blame those that I named in the above paragraph. But don't blame those that have to make entry on a building, pass thru that fatal funnel and then attempt to put bullets on target without hitting people being held for this tragedy.
Cutting low hanging fruit is easy but is what produces. Go higher up and slice away the sour, bitter fruit that only passes the blame or ducks and hides when things go bad.
We need to talk about this.
I've read several takes on this issue and they usually fall down into one of two camps.
The first is that the Police responding to the incident are wrong and the second is that the gamer is wrong.
I want to deconstruct this thing but be warned. There are two guilty parties here. One identified, the other has somehow escaped everyone's notice.
First let's talk about the SWAT Teams response. Let me tell you straight ahead. Those guys are golden. They did nothing wrong. These guys were told by dispatchers that they were responding to a case of people being held against their will by another family member.
Have you heard the saying that when things are most intense is when you must focus, think clearly and do what is necessary to stay alive?
This poor guy that got SWATTED handled the issue badly. Following instructions and acting as demanded might have helped to end this differently.
But even if the cops MIGHT have acted in a bad way you have to consider the call they were sent on. Man with a gun. Man holding others against their will.
This was as high risk as it gets.
Obviously the guy that made the call to police is dead wrong. He should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
So if the SWAT Officers are not guilty and the guy making the call is trash that should burned on the side of the road then who is the other party that should be held responsible.
Sorry to them and I know they have a difficult job but dispatchers, the watch commander of that particular sector and whoever held the position as acting chief of police for that watch (to include the chief because he would be called on incidents like this) hold MUCH of the blame here.
SWAT Officers act on the information given to them.
It is up to the dispatchers to gather preliminary information on the call. It is up to the sector watch commander to give intel on the area in question. It is up to the Acting Chief of Police for the watch to ensure that proper intel on the location has been obtained. And finally its up to the Chief of Police, who would have been informed of the situation, to ensure that his people have gathered all intel, attempted a peaceful resolution of the situation by use of negotiators and safeguarded the neighborhood by evacuating citizens that might be caught in the line of fire (and this depends on the weapons his people use for entry and what weapon the suspect is thought to be using...we could be looking at an evacuation that stretches out to a mile or more before they actually conduct a breach).
So yeah. Blame the bastard that made the false call. Blame those that I named in the above paragraph. But don't blame those that have to make entry on a building, pass thru that fatal funnel and then attempt to put bullets on target without hitting people being held for this tragedy.
Cutting low hanging fruit is easy but is what produces. Go higher up and slice away the sour, bitter fruit that only passes the blame or ducks and hides when things go bad.
Mattis says Conventional Forces will do more Special Ops missions...if that's the case then why is SOCOM so big?
via antiwar.com
After the end of the first US occupation of Iraq, the Pentagon made a concerted shift to use special forces more heavily in the future, allowing more flexible overseas operations with smaller numbers.All you need to focus on is Mattis saying that conventional forces would be used in special operations roles.
Defense Secretary James Mattis suggested this is likely to change in 2018, as continued escalations in myriad countries have already pushed US special forces to their limit, and continued escalations are going to rely on using conventional ground troops in the operations.
Though Mattis suggested this would have them in “special operations roles,” in many cases this will mean embedding conventional troops into operations, or deploying them in smaller US military operations across Africa, in places where small special forces deployments were kept out of the public eye.
With conventional deployments, the numbers will likely have to rise to have a similar impact in those countries, raising the possibility of more casualties, and making the escalations a lot more controversial in the long run.
That should focus your eyes and your brains on this issue like a laser beam!
SOCOM as the supported entity? BULLSHIT!
The concept of SOCOM being a war winner has died a well deserved death. We have been fighting by SOCOM rules in Afghanistan and Iraq and until they deemed it "necessary" to allow conventionals into the fight did we finally see movement against ISIS.
We're seeing the same run and hide behind conventionals in Afghanistan too.
THESE WERE TAILOR MADE CONFLICTS FOR SOCOM TO STRUT IT'S STUFF AND THEY CAME UP SHORT!
Time to recognize the reality of the situation.
SOCOM is a supporting, not supported force. The idea of them having their own branch (I don't even know how to properly classify that organization), command...whatever is a huge shit filled stupid sandwich.
The various Special Ops Units need to go back to their parent services and the Army should be the lead agency when it comes to equipping them (unless they already have established procedures like the Navy SEALs do...oh and MARSOC should follow Army Special Forces/Rangers and NOT FOR ANY REASON marry up with SEALs...they're broken beyond recognition!).
The last of the Rumsfeld initiatives has been shown to have been a tremendous folly. SOCOM can't win wars. SOCOM can't lead fights.
They had their time in the sun and did not deliver. Time to put them back in the cage!
Monday, January 01, 2018
Happy New Year and my wish for you....
I've delayed on posting this because of various activities but even though its late its very heartfelt.
I want you to know that I wish you all the best, but even more I wish you the following...
1. Passion.
I hope that you're passionate in all you do. If you're cutting the grass on Saturday morning then be passionate about it. Working out in the afternoon? The same. Life is too short to be an automaton.
2. Discipline, not motivation.
Most have used this date on the calendar to make changes in their lives. I never understood that. Everyday is a chance to make that change. You don't have to wait for a new year to begin to do that! Having said that though I hope you pursue your goals with rugged, immovable discipline and not fleeting motivation. Times will inevitable get hard. You will without a doubt not want to follow through on what you've decided to do. That's when discipline steps in and you do your personal hard thing anyway.
3. Morale Courage/Not following the crowd.
The mob seems to be ruling the day more and more. Memes instead of reasoned thought is a thing from a bygone era. Most follow the crowd instead of charting their own course. I hope you have the morale courage not to do the easy thing and to go your own way when you see the herd acting like jackasses.
4. No more consumerism
I was gonna add embrace minimalism but that's probably a step too far for most. So how about I ask you to simply do your part to end consumerism? We talk all the time about the global economy, China's trade advantage vs the US but rarely do we talk about what consumerism is doing to the average American. The system is enslaving too many. The idea that you must have the latest must have product, not because your old one is no longer serviceable but because its the cool thing to do must stop. Will you be able to defeat that monster completely? No. Like I said, the system is setup for this type thing. You can however tame it in your personal life. If you're like me then you'll find that you've ended modern day slavery by riding yourself of the need to simply have.
5. Health
I don't know how we got to the point where we're at but a person that is at their ideal body weight is now an oddity. I don't know where you're at in your fitness life but true wealth is in your health. Don't neglect it, exercise everyday, put down the junk food and do your body right. We don't live in China so you can't buy body parts ...take care of what you have. Oh and age is irrelevant. Do what you can the way you can and fuck what others have to say!
It's a small list guys but its just a portion of what I want for you. To sum it up, I wish each of you (and your families) the very best.
You guys have been awesome and I appreciate you!
The Chinese Super Heavy Mech Infantry Division...this is my guess on its purpose...
 |
| This monster was designed for operations against heavy German fortifications during the late stages of WW2. It can be assumed that if necessary it would have taken part in heavy urban combat not only in Berlin (had the Army not collapsed) but also in Japan if the much worried about invasion had actually been necessary... |
Remember the post I did here?
It covered steps that the Chinese were making to create a Joint Rapid Reaction Force. It was composed of the usual cast of characters that we would expect to make up any such force. Airborne, Marines,Air Assault and Special Ops.
What surprised many, including me was the addition of the 112th Division to the mix. Why was that? Because according to the China Defense Blog (if you ain't dialed into what these guys are doing then you're missing out...we're getting an order of battle that must make the CIA and DIA envious) the 112th is classed as a Super Heavy Mech Division.
Why create such a division in the first place and more importantly what is its intended purpose.
I finally hit on something and it should alarm China's neighbors in the Pacific...especially Taiwan.
One caveat before I get to it.
We're operating just off the name. I've written China Defense Blog a note to see if they could provide us with some fleshed out numbers. How many Battalions/Brigades of Infantry? Same with Tanks, Artillery and supporting units. Does it have extra enabling units like Engineers, PsyOps, Air Defense etc...
But back on task.
I believe the 112th is designed to be the Chinese answer to the urban combat riddle.
Full disclosure. I've been just short of alarmed by the solution that the USMC appears to be arriving at to fight in Mega Cities. I personally believe that the fight should be avoided and that there is NO military reason for choosing to fight in that location. Use precision weapons, MAYBE make quick raids that are reinforced beyond belief but to fight in a city with tens of millions of people? I'm guessing that we'd be looking at lost battalions.
My belief is that the Chinese have studied urban combat from Chechnya, to Ukraine, to Fallujah and back into antiquity.
It's my belief that instead of trying to go with small units they are forming a dedicated unit to fight in urban areas. More importantly its my view that they've learned that armor is essential in this type of fight (as well as robust infantry) and they're tailoring a force to make it happen.
Will one division be able to take down an entire city?
No.
Will it be better positioned to support assaults by Marines, Airborne or Air Assault troops on key locations?
You bet your ass.
Imagine this scenario (short and sweet).
The Chinese have run out of strategic patience with the Taiwan issue. Their leaders decide that the time is right to "take" Taiwan. What would we see? Chinese Marines would land and seize Hsinchu City. They would use airfields in that location as a staging point for further actions on the island. 5th columnists would be activated and would hinder Taiwanese forces from reacting and the massive aerial bombardment along with almost continuous fighter sweeps over the island would essential make the Taiwanese Army/Marines fight from their barracks instead of making the defenders fight to get to the beach.
Airborne troops would land on key objectives in the city (or nearby) and would be supported by air assault troops flying in from ships at sea. Additional Marines would support those actions by landing directly on river ports in Taipei.
By this time Taiwanese Army/Marines would have somewhat recovered from the initial assault and will seek to make their last stand in the seat of govt...Taipei's city center...the location of the civilian govt, military leadership and the cultural center of the island nation.
Taipei is huge!
It's got a population of just under 3 million people.
This is where the 112th comes into its own. With the heavy use of PsyOps personnel broadcasting that this is unification and not an invasion, along with previously unknown prominent 5th columnist inside Taiwan that are high ranking politicians/actors/religious leaders, the citizens are warned to stay inside and to not interfere with ongoing Chinese operations.
They are promised that food and water will be provided as soon as the legitimate Chinese govt has taken control and that they should revel in the new found freedom that will be arriving thanks to the Red Dragon's Marines, Paratroops etc...
The 112th using it tank with infantry leapfrogging, doing a bit of bounding overwatch on a lightning strike into the city center are able to bypass or assault various Taiwanese Army/Marine infantry platoons attempting to put up resistance from high rise buildings, the sewer system or even on street level by erecting makeshift barricades and using impromptu IEDs.
The 112th is designed to fight in urban areas.
I expect the approach that the Chinese are taking is to first fleshout the unit with equipment already on hand. This means that it will be available for action now...not sometime in the future.
But I also believe that we will see special purpose "city fighting" armored vehicles to make an appearance soon. It's past time for the next generation of Chinese armored fighting vehicles to be hitting the scenes. By my reckoning the Chinese Light Tank is the first of many such vehicles we'll see over the next couple of years that will make up this new generation.
It is my belief that some "pride" plays will be cut loose. I'm thinking of the Chinese EFV in this category. I think that some pure Chinese copy of old Western gear will be finally replaced. Think of the Chinese HMMWV in this category. Essentially I expect to see a Chinese version of the Russian T-15 or the Israeli Namer to make an appearance.
I've been the first to accuse the Chinese of stealing intellectual property and to simply copy US/Western formations/tactics/equipment.
This could be the first instance where we're seeing the Chinese study the same materials that we are and coming up with a totally different conclusion. The sad thing? The solution (if I'm right) that they're arriving at is the similar to what I would have come up with.
Remember my calls for a Reinforced MEU instead of the push for Company Landing Teams (adding additional artillery, Motor T and AAVs)? Remember my screaming to dump the SPMAGTF-CR and to push for a 4th ship for our MEUs (the MLP would serve in that role)?
The Chinese are going for combined arms teams across the board, regardless of role. The West is trying to go light and to emphasize air power as the great equalizer.
Someone is right and, someone is wrong.
In this case I'm scared shitless that the Chinese are getting it right.
Ben Franklin's advice for a new year via ArtOfManliness
Surfing the web while jotting down a few of my thoughts on this subject. I like what the Art Of Manliness did here but I have a few things to add to this list...more to come but this was a VERY nice find...
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Battles Through History (Frozen Chosen)....Video by Cpl. Jamie Arzola
I didn't see these during the runup to this years Marine Corps birthday but they're releasing them again and its worth a watch.
Short format, but excellent pieces of USMC history with the high points captured?
Just what the doctor ordered. This is good stuff. Head over to DVIDs and subscribe to these bubbas.
Man stares down Bull Elephant charge!
This dude must have a set of big gnarly titanium covered balls hauled around in a 7 ton! I can tell you right now and without shame...I would need adult diapers!
Story here!
Deputies were responding to a domestic when ambushed...
via Reuters
“Multiple” sheriff’s deputies were injured on Sunday morning after responding to a report of a domestic disturbance near Denver, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said.Wow.
The injured deputies were responding to a call of shots fired in a residential area in Douglas County, about 10 miles south of Denver, around 6 a.m. local time. At least one deputy was injured, said Jason Blanchard, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office.
The total number of injured and the severity of the injuries was not immediately known.
“No status on the deputies and no status on civilian injuries,” one Tweet read.
Authorities had no information about a suspect or suspects and residents of the area were instructed to shelter in place.
You do know that these domestic calls seem to be one of the most hazardous calls LEOs respond to.
The public (including myself) think about drug dealers, gangs (from crips and bloods to bikers and ms-13), even traffic stops that go bad, but I would bet money that more of these guys are killed and injured just going to a simple call of Papa can't get along with Momma.
One thing that has me spinning.
If every domestic, call for aid was conducted in a military manner then you'd see perimeters secured, stacks on doors, dynamic entry, room cleared, pies being sliced and flash bangs going off. Of course they can't do that....so in essence every doorway these guys walk thru is a fatal funnel.
Sucks like hell to be them!
Reuters is reporting multiple Deputies down in Colorado!
More to come I'm sure. God Bless those under fire. 2017 has sucked donkey balls.
China Pterosaurs 2 MALE Armed UAV Live Firing
Another Chinese copy. This time of the Predator UAV. These people are NOT AT ALL innovative. They can copy their asses off but building unique and capable systems? Not so much.
If we hadn't off shored our industry and propped up their govt because we wanted cheap widgets, this nation would still be rubbing sticks together for fire.
When the big fight between the US and China finally comes, historians will blame globalists, Neo-Cons, and the establishment in both parties for being what they are....Greedy traitors that sold out their country either for money or for a failed ideology.
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