Then it turned into Terminator 1000, the batshit crazy sequel! Well done? I'm not sure but it was definitely an unexpected turn.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
I thought this was a comic about a vet explaining his lost leg to a little girl....
Then it turned into Terminator 1000, the batshit crazy sequel! Well done? I'm not sure but it was definitely an unexpected turn.
US Army just saved the Defiant and V-280..
via RotorAndWing.
The Pentagon FY 2020 budget request includes about $790 million for Future Vertical Lift (FVL) research and development. That includes about $94 million for FVL technology under basic research and $152 million for FVL advanced technology.Story here.
The Army's significant budget request for FVL may allay the fears of some in industry about sustaining the Joint Multirole Technology Demonstration (JMR-TD) program in which the Bell V-280 Valor is competing against the Boeing-Sikorsky built SB-1 Defiant. JMR-TD is scheduled to end this year. Industry and DoD have funded the demonstrator aircraft at a 2-to-one ratio, and there has been some concern among industry observers about whether proposed Army funding levels in FY 2020 will be sufficient to move the program forward.
The DoD budget also includes nearly $1.7 billion for 73 U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters by Sikorsky, as well as 25 cockpit kits to upgrade UH-60Ls to UH-60Vs--in all, a $225 million increase from the FY 2019 enacted level for the UH-60 program. The budget proposal also includes nearly $358 million for nine Army MH-47Gs by Boeing--$73 million more than the FY 2019 funded level for the Chinook program, which includes CH-47F transports and the MH-47G special operations rotor craft.
The proposed increase for the latter includes $25 million in the Overseas Contingency Operations fund to replace one MH-47G lost in combat. OCO funds are not subject to budget caps.
The Pentagon said that the CH-47F is expected to remain the Army’s heavy lift helicopter until the late 2030s and that the MH-47G version is a must to extend the service life of the MH-47 fleet. The Chinook Improved Cargo Helicopter program for the CH-47F and MH-47G includes an upgraded digital cockpit and modifications to the airframe to reduce vibration.
The Army budget request also includes $1 billion for 48 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters by Boeing--$463 million less and 18 airframes fewer than funded in FY 2019.
Wow. Two quick takes. The FVL program is at least a bit safe, the Army is buying 48 attack helicopters vs 6 CH-53Ks (and for half a billion less) and additionally the OCO budget is a slush fund that should be
Other than that...pretty good news.
AH-1Z at sea...pics by Staff Sgt. Donald Holbert
Take a look at the Sidewinders on that AH-1Z. I assume that just means they're dummy rounds right?
USMC budget requests include FEWER F-35s, more ACVs, a few Predator UAVs, G/ATOR arrays & fewer JLTVs (among other things)...
via National Defense.
The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2020 budget request calls for the Marine Corps to purchase MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles for the first time, according to budget documents released March 12.What stands out to me???
The fiscal blueprint would have the service buy three of the drones, which can perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike missions, at a total cost of $77 million. The Air Force currently operates a fleet of the systems. Historically, the Marine Corps has not operated large unmanned aerial vehicles in the Reaper's class.
The UAVs are “single engine, turboprop, remotely piloted aircraft designed to operate over the horizon at medium to high altitude for long endurance” missions, according to budget documents.
The Reaper can “fulfill an urgent operational need for the Marines as we intend to transition this as a program of record once we complete the program evaluation process," Rear Adm. Randy B. Crites, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for budget said during a press briefing at the Pentagon.
The topline for the Marine Corps in the 2020 fiscal blueprint is $45.9 billion, $2.7 billion more than was enacted in fiscal year 2019. That includes $3.1 billion for procurement.
The budget request would buy fewer F-35 joint strike fighters. The service flies the B variant of the aircraft, which has short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. The request is for 10 of the Lockheed Martin-build platforms, 12 less than the previous year, according to budget documents.
The budget also calls for six more CH-53K King Stallions at a cost of just over $1 billion. The platform is a Sikorsky-made helicopter that is the Defense Department's only “ship-board compatible” heavy-lift cargo helicopter, according to budget documents. The CH-53K’s are a replacement for the CH-53E, which the service has been operating since the early 1980s.
The budget request also includes funding for 56 amphibious combat vehicles, at a total procurement cost of $318 million. The purchase of the platforms, which are eight-wheeled, ocean-capable systems meant to transport Marines from sea to shore and then operate on land, would come as the service is working to replace its aging assault amphibious vehicles.
“The amphibious combat vehicle is armored, it's designed to handle the [improvised explosive device] threat … and it's larger" than lighter vehicles, said Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
The program will consist of multiple phases, budget documents noted, with the first phase designed to provide an initial operational capability of personnel carriers.
The service is also asking for $558 million for 1,398 joint light tactical vehicles, a 6.8 percent decrease from the $599 million enacted in 2019. The joint Army-Marine Corps program is currently in low-rate initial production, with a full-rate production decision expected later this year. The platform is expected to replace a large portion of the military's Humvee inventory.
The budget proposal also requests funding to purchase eight ground/air task oriented radars, formally known as G/ATOR. The system is “an expeditionary, three-dimensional short/medium range multi-role radar designed to detect cruise missiles, air breathing targets, rockets, mortars and artillery,” according to budget documents.
Aside from procurement, the Marine Corps is requesting to grow its force by 100 personnel in fiscal year 2020, going from 186,100 to 186,200 Marines, according to budget documents. Although the service is only requesting to grow by 100 service members, it recently increased its number of infantry squad leaders by 330 through “internal structure realignments.”
“The Marine Corps is moving to this advanced base model where they are going to try to have more Marines postured forward rotationally, which will put a demand on the operational Marine force,” Clark said.
* What is going on with the F-35 program? The Marine Corps I thought was buying them NOW to help clear the books. They're slowing down purchases? Don't quite get it unless they're making room for allied purchases. With the drama in the UK I don't see them accelerating though. Something is up!
* A billion dollars for less than a bakers dozen CH-53s? Just plain wow.
* The JLTV was supposedly fixed. This was another of those programs that was supposed to be cleared quickly to avoid the trainwreck. What gives?
* The Predator purchase I think is to lay the groundwork for the hoped for "super UAV" tilt rotor that they're working on. At least that's what I'm guessing.
What's your guesses behind where the USMC is putting its money? Point of failure from looking at this rough draft? Where are we gonna get our electronic attack? The Prowler is out of service. We don't have any E/A-18s. Are they gonna hang E/A-18 pods under the wings of the F-35 and let it try to fill the role? I don't see any intention of outfitting an ACV, LAV-A2 or JLTV as a ground based electronic attack platform so we're facing a serious shortfall if the Marine Corps is actually serious about electronic attack/defense/cyber on the battlefield.
Want an "open source" account of things in Venezuela? Check out Enrique 262...
Hey guys.
Much debate about the goings on in Venezuela. Well we can debate that but if you want to see what its like for people on the ground then check out Enrique262's Tumblr Page.
A quick and dirty if you don't want to read it? Things are bad. Real bad. Much worse than we're being told.
Much debate about the goings on in Venezuela. Well we can debate that but if you want to see what its like for people on the ground then check out Enrique262's Tumblr Page.
A quick and dirty if you don't want to read it? Things are bad. Real bad. Much worse than we're being told.
US to resume making parts for ground launched cruise missiles....
U.S. to resume making parts for ground-launched cruise missile systems - https://t.co/vEKHgThEoV pic.twitter.com/sQ7jOgHiME— Alert 5 (@alert5) March 12, 2019
Shit just got real!
We need to slightly alter our viewpoints. Its becoming increasingly obvious that the leadership (across all services) are waking up to the reality of nation state warfare.
It's gone from words to action. Don't believe me? Follow the money!
So where does that leave us now? We're in a whole different space. We can now debate which approaches are best. We can disagree with the solutions that they come up with but we should cheer the fact that they're FINALLY beginning to work the problem.
Am I happy? Wouldn't go that far. Relieved would be a better description. Relieved and a slight tingle of being pleased. We don't have much time and the budget crisis IS a thing. But they're working the problem! That's a sea change.
From the USMC flying a F/A-18 Hornet loaded with 10 AMRAAMs and 2 Sidewinders, to the US Army seeking 30mm turrets for the Stryker/AMPV/M-113 type vehicles and back to the USMC pushing forward with the ACV...I'm finding reason to acknowledge the work being done.
You should too.
Quick and dirty. Who knocked out power in Venezuela?
This is just a quick and dirty folks.
Venezuela has been suffering a power outage for a while now. Who did it? The Russians? Doubt it they've been a supporter. The Chinese? Ditto. They have nothing to gain from doing such an act. Brazil? Colombia? They're listed by the Venezuelan govt as not being friends but haven't quite crossed the line to being enemies (I think).
You do know what that means.
My thoughts keep rotating back to either a cyber attack (doubtful because the Russians or Chinese or Iranians or N. Koreans would out us in a second) or this jewel that didn't get the air time it deserved...
Yeah. Boeing's Champ Missile.
This is just a conspiracy theory but did we just witness a live fire test of this weapon?
Don't hate me...I'm just a messenger...and I admit that I might have gotten this all wrong!
Venezuela has been suffering a power outage for a while now. Who did it? The Russians? Doubt it they've been a supporter. The Chinese? Ditto. They have nothing to gain from doing such an act. Brazil? Colombia? They're listed by the Venezuelan govt as not being friends but haven't quite crossed the line to being enemies (I think).
You do know what that means.
My thoughts keep rotating back to either a cyber attack (doubtful because the Russians or Chinese or Iranians or N. Koreans would out us in a second) or this jewel that didn't get the air time it deserved...
Yeah. Boeing's Champ Missile.
This is just a conspiracy theory but did we just witness a live fire test of this weapon?
Don't hate me...I'm just a messenger...and I admit that I might have gotten this all wrong!
Russia is reinforcing its anti-air missile battalions and modernizing its nuclear force...
A reader named S300V4 left this comment...
Some numbers from fresh speech of russian minister of defence.Wow. Not hard to follow their thinking when its laid out like this is it. It's all about air defense and modernizing their nuclear force.
In the last six years
- 20 regiments of S-400 was delivered (8x2x20 = 320 launchers)
- 20 battalions of Pantsir-S1 delivered
- 109 new Yars missiles delivered (12 regiments)
- 108 new Bulava missiles delivered
- 17 Bal and Bastion battalions
- 11+ brigades of Iskander
Basically is the answer where the money flows.
More sub launched ballistic missiles...
More Iskanders...
Are you guys getting the force of connection here. They will have a modern conventional force, modern (some would say world leading) anti-air defenses and repairing/modernizing their nuclear strike force.
This isn't offensive in nature.
Tell me where I'm wrong but it looks like they're building a force to defend themselves, not conquer.
40-ton class heavy helicopter jointly developed by China, Russia to be delivered by 2032
via Global Times.
The 40-ton class heavy helicopter, jointly developed by China and Russia, is expected to be delivered by 2032, said Wu Ximing, a Chinese political advisor and chief designer of helicopters for the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.Everyone is all hot and bothered over the Arctic Ambulance Helicopter with the pusher blade that Russia is supposedly working on.
"Russia is more experienced in the transmission system when it comes to 40-ton class helicopters, as Russia's Mi-26 is of the 56-ton class. Our goal in the cooperation is to learn from Russia's strong points and close the gap," Wu told the Global Times at a Thursday press conference featuring Chinese legislators and political advisors in the field of aviation.
Wu said that China lacks experience in technologies related to the transmission system.
Russia's state corporation Rostec is set to sign "the contract of the century" with China on the helicopter "in the coming two months" after four years' talks on the project, Russia's Tass news agency quoted Viktor Kladov, a Rostec representative, as saying in February.
As a strategic cooperation project between the two countries, China has now reached agreements with Russia in technology, management and business-related fields, Wu said.
Under the contract, at least 200 heavy helicopters will be built in China, Kladov said in 2017, Russia's state TV channel RT reported then.
China is responsible for the helicopter's design and production and Russia would be acting as a technical partner, Kladov said.
The heavy helicopter, dubbed Advanced Heavy Lift, would have a weight-lift capability of 15 tons, a range of 630 kilometers and a top speed of 300 kilometers an hour, RT reported.
A heavy helicopter can usually be used to airlift heavy cargo and vehicles without the need of an airfield. For military use, a heavy helicopter can transport troops, armored vehicles, artillery and rockets. For civilian use, it can lift heavy engineering vehicles to sites where normal transportation routes could not reach in case of a natural disaster, military observers said.
China will have a complete helicopter family covering from 500-kilogram class to 40-ton class, to satisfy all kinds of needs, Wu said.
I could care less.
This is the one to watch.
The size and lift capability of this helicopter tells us what we need to know. The Chinese are filling a gap in their tactical helicopter scheme. This is the final piece of that well crafted puzzle.
Even worse.
The Russians are providing technical support. Read that to mean they'll be furnishing engines, transmissions, rotor blades etc...So once again China makes a false leap into the future. At least they're buying it this time but they're gonna make the leap.
On a bigger scale you do realize that once this is completed the Chinese will be able to take Taiwan with just airborne and air assault forces.
No ships necessary.
That will be the ultimate in "surprise attacks".
They assemble their forces in the interior, make a pitstop on the coast to refuel and then off to their objectives with a massive air armada to kill the Taiwanese while they're doing their morning PT.
Logistics. Battlefield logistics to be precise. These aircraft will have the reach to ferry in light vehicles, bullets/bandages/beans from the mainland and to ferry out wounded.
With this aircraft the planning to take Taiwan will be complete. If I'm right and this is the final piece then they'll be able to take Taiwan before we even have clarity on what's going on.
Monday, March 11, 2019
I was apparently wrong. Cross decking on British carriers has been a "thing" for a looong time...
Apparently I was wrong. Heard it was all about the alcohol and not the training. Best kept secret in the US military. Now I know why everyone volunteers for exchange duty with the Royal Navy...not so much with the Royal Marines...
Army ASAALT - Next Generation Combat Vehicle
You should check out their playlist. Pretty interesting. Nothing concrete just an overview of their thinking/priorities...
Bonus material...
Monday Cool...a great concept that will NEVER see the light of day...
Fantastic idea. Check out this detachable airplane cabin concept... pic.twitter.com/y25pjeR0n5— Mark Lane 🇬🇧 (@marklanebiz) March 10, 2019
Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352 prepare to refuel an F/A-18 Hornet with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323 (MAX ANTI-AIR LOADOUT!)
Well I guess we see where the USMC is headed. F-35B will be the "sensor" (or the E-2, or USAF AWACS or F-15X or whatever has an AESA array) and the Hornet will be the missile truck that will shed fuel tanks, rely on aerial refueling and shoot from long range.
Not a perfect plan but a plan none-the-less.
Works for me.
Hope it works on the Chinese....
Side note...All the aviation guys said that this is nothing but an airshow loadout...guess they were wrong...
USMC currently uses DM11 MPHE round. However when US Army finishes it's M1147 MPHE/AMP program, this new round will also replace it in USMC service.
Link via Damian Ratka's Twitter Page...
Bonus coverage...I thought the HQMC was working on a tailor made solution for the Corps...check out the vid below...circa Aug 2016.
Bonus coverage...I thought the HQMC was working on a tailor made solution for the Corps...check out the vid below...circa Aug 2016.
Monday Story Of Interest (not importance)...Former Army special forces soldier secretly trained an armed Utah polygamous squad.
via SLTrib.
Almost 7½ years later, Raynor contends the PPT was a militia whose purpose was to defend members of the Apostolic United Brethren, also known as the Allred Group. It’s a polygamous sect with enclaves across the American West.Story here.
Men in the PPT, Raynor and Mangels acknowledge, bought and learned about firearms. They wore camouflage and body armor. They marched through the forest to practice military maneuvers. They learned about emergency medicine. Mangels asked the men not to tell others what they were doing.
“It was like being in the military,” Raynor said in an interview. “We were blood brothers.”
Wow. I knew from circling thru the internet and landing on pages that were NOT AT ALL intended for me, that there were groups like this out there (especially in Utah, Montana, Idaho, N./S. Dakota) but this gives a small view into their activities.
Most aren't into multiple lives but many are into the doomsday prepping world.
Is this important?
Nope, not at all.
Is it interesting and maybe worth a read? To me it is. It might be to you so I posted it and provided the link. Enjoy or not, its up to you.
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