#OnThisDay 2003 the largest allied amphibious operation since Suez (1956) Carried out at Al Faw, Iraq. Also biggest #UK action since 1st Gulf War in 1990. Involving: 19 ships & subs of @RoyalNavy, 6 FAA Sqns, 14 ships of RFA and most of the @RoyalMarines @40commando pic.twitter.com/8RhNUcr63J— On This Day RN (@OnthisdayRN) March 20, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Blast from the past. Al Faw, Iraq 2003...
Last Resort...When Main Battle Tanks are used as Suicide Vehicle Borne IEDs (SVBIEDs)...
The internet sometimes gives outstanding nuggets of information. This is one of those times.
The article is too extensive for me to give you even a preview but the author, Hugo Kaaman, has done a terrific job of laying things out.
Check it out here.
Did the Joint Chiefs Of Staff (JSC) and Office of the Secretary of Defense, plus the hope for hypersonics team up to push the F-15X?
Note. I've been trying to keep track of the F-35 vs F-15X saga. Part of that effort has been to determine exactly where the requirement came from. The idea of a missile truck has been around forever and was resurrected in 2018...but even with that the F-35 fanbase launched a campaign to let any and all know that the current Acting SecDef, once a Boeing executive, pushed the idea and that no one wanted it.
But today we get a bit of clarity on how this came to be. Check this out from Flight Global.
The US Air Force (USAF) is requesting funds from Congress for eight Boeing F-15EX fighters instead of more of its favoured aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter, in a move aimed at cutting costs.
Over the past year and a half, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff have come up with the idea as a means to quickly and cheaply replace the USAF’s ageing F-15C fleet, which will be ready for retirement in the 2020s, says a source familiar with discussions around the Pentagon's force planning.
---------------------------------------
"We used the best cost estimate that we had at the time and looked at the various options. The most affordable options – as long as we keep the F-35 absolutely on track with our programme of record – was to look at an F-15 variant to replace the F-15C."
As part of the Department of Defense’s fiscal year 2020 funding request, the USAF is initially requesting $1.1 billion for eight F-15EXs. The service plans to request 80 of the aircraft in total over the next five years, costing roughly $80 million each. The first F-15EXs are expected to be delivered in FY2022.
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Lastly, the F-15EX is seen as a reliable launch pad for new, larger weapons, in particular hypersonic missiles that will not fit inside the F-35A's internal weapons bay, the source notes.Story here.
"We've got to carry a [7,000lb] to 8,000lb weapon that is enormous and doesn't fit in an internal bay," says the source. "And we need a very reliable platform that we well understand, that has power, space and cooling, and we can adapt quickly over the next 10, 12 or 15 years."
The USAF says hypersonic weapons are still in early stages of development, and that it is too early to know which platforms will be able to carry them.
So now we get it. A few things pushed this decision...
1. Cost of the F-35. I find this one a bit puzzling. The meme is that a quicker build rate will lower the cost of that plane. Additionally they also say that it is more capable than the F-15, but more on that in a bit.
2. The price point. JCS & OSD are claiming that the price of the F-15X will be around 80 million dollars. This along with maintenance and training are clearly a big win for the USAF. Again, the cost savings claim is weird because of what we've always heard in terms of the F-35 but you already know that song and dance.
3. Hypersonics. This is another curious one. The F-35 is talked about as being able to operate in "beast mode"...everything hanging off pylons when its not necessary to use stealth. They're claiming that the F-15 can carry payloads of this type but the F-35 can't? Weird as hell. But it also points out something else. I've only heard of hypersonic missiles being used in an attack role...against either ships or land based installations. So this is more than continental defense or even acting as a missile truck to carry AAMs. This also includes the strike mission (unless I've misunderstood things).
So what gives?
The price of the F-35 is obviously a concern...as well as maintenance. Hypersonics are coming along and they don't see the F-35 filling that mission or rather being able to carry them.
If we look at what we've been told about the F-35, none of this passes the smell test.
So we're left with a choice.
Do we believe the previous information about the F-35 and conclude that they're lying now OR do we conclude that they lied about the F-35 and they're telling us the awful truth now.
You know where I stand but how do you see things?
US Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle Demonstration...Video by Cpl. Paul Ochoa
Sit down, shut up and chill the fuck out...we got this shit..He didn't exactly say that but reading between the lines that was the distinct impression.
Paraphrased quote from General Mullen, USMC
He was right.
They got this shit. Damn vehicle looks good...real good!
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Your Weds BatShit Crazy Moment. Let me introduce you to "Fart Rape"!
Got this from Bayou Renaissance Man's Blog.
I hoped to God this is another of those batshit crazy memes that we see pop up every now and then but he assures us that it's not.
Wow.
Ya know what's most difficult for me in this age that we live in? The rules keep changing faster than I can keep up.
But I never imagined there would be a push to make farting into a type of rape.
Simply amazing.
Side note. If you find info that this is a hoax, please let me know immediately in the comments. It would give me great pleasure to know that I'm just being trolled.
Uh oh....
"Terrorists couldn't have done a better job"— Robert Hopkins (@CobraBall3) March 19, 2019
Unofficial RUMINT that cost of repairing infrastructure damage to 55th Wing at Offutt AFB would be "astronomical," raising the possibility that rebuilding/relocating to a different base would be more cost effective. @steveliewer pic.twitter.com/LnFzgotwH7
Two USAF bases destroyed by weather in a year?
The hits keep coming....F-35 Far from Ready to Face Current or Future Threats, Testing Data Shows
via POGO
The Navy’s version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, recently declared ready for combat, has netted unacceptably low “fully mission capable” rates—meaning it’s in fact almost never fully ready for combat—according to a document obtained by the Center for Defense Information at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO)Story here.
The fact that the Navy is pushing ahead with the aircraft in spite of evidence that it is not ready for combat and could therefore put at risk missions, as well as the troops who depend on it to get to the fight, comes at the same time as the Pentagon’s annual operational testing report for fiscal year 2018 shows that the entire F-35 program, the most expensive weapon system in history, is not ready to face current or future threats.
Standard operating procedure for the F-35 fan base. Attack the messenger.
The problem?
If you read carefully you'll see that the messenger in this case is the Pentagon's annual operational testing report for fiscal year 2018.
How do you attack them?
Now do we know why the USAF is buying F-15X's? Now do we understand why the USN is pushing the Super Hornet buys and only purchasing such a small number of F-35's (we can do a reasonable guesstimate on what the competition between the Super Hornet and the F-35 revealed by the purchase plan)?
What has me curious is the F-35B.
I've said that it is the one model that is delivering on the promise of being better than the legacy airplane.
But is even that true?
Would an upgraded Harrier successfully compete with the F-35B? Would it have been cost effective?
One thing is certain. More and more info is leaking that shows that the F-35 program is as bad as many of us feared.
May 1st harrier raid on Stanley airport
found some footage of the May 1st harrier raid on Stanley airport pic.twitter.com/NZXhOp6QB2— Harrier preservation (@HarrierPres) March 19, 2019
Does anyone know where I can find the whole thing!
This is crazy. Those guys were only 90 miles off the coast and launching air strikes? That's knife fighting distance. I'm surprised the Brits didn't suffer heavier losses. They were practically right on the coast.
Why didn't the Argentinians push combat engineers forward, lengthen that air strip and push their fast air out to the island? If they had done that they would have changed the entire complexion of the war.
Same goes with their anti-air and anti-ship batteries. They could have threatened the Brit fleet from at least 200 (my guess) miles off shore of the Falklands.
They were bold and then complacent. Damn it. The number of books I'm needing to read is getting longer than I figure I have time left on this earth.
Fuck it. Who knows a good book on this subject?
US special forces troops landing at #Tripoli’s Abu Sitta naval base ....?
Another video circulated on #Libya-n social media websites said to show US special forces troops landing at #Tripoli’s Abu Sitta naval base earlier today. pic.twitter.com/RjSzbIED3N— The Libya Times (@thelibyatimes) March 19, 2019
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Blast from the past. F-35's AESA Array is the "secret sauce" of its electronic attack...an attack that any AESA equipped fighter can conduct.
via F-35.com
Advanced electronic warfare capabilities enable the F-35 to locate and track enemy forces, jam radio frequencies and disrupt attacks with unparalleled precision. All three variants of the F-35 carry active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radars with sophisticated electronic attack capabilities, including false targets, network attack, advanced jamming and algorithm-packed data streams. This system allows the F-35 to reach well-defended targets and suppress enemy radars that threaten the F-35. In addition, the ASQ-239 system provides fully integrated radar warning, targeting support, and self-protection, to detect and defeat surface and airborne threats.------------------------
While F-35 is capable of stand-off jamming for other aircraft — providing 10 times the effective radiated power of any legacy fighter — F-35s can also operate in closer proximity to the threat (‘stand-in’) to provide jamming power many multiples that of any legacy fighter.
"What we've done with the 5th Generation [aircraft] is the computer takes all those sensory inputs, fuses it into information. The pilot sees a beautiful God's eye view of what's going on. [...] It's a stunning amount of information."Here.
—Gen. Mike Hostage, Commander, Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Force
via Northrop Grumman (2009)
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has announced that it successfully demonstrated key electronic protection capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II's AN/APG-81 radar during the recent Northern Edge 2009 (NE09) joint military exercise.Here.
The Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar was flown on board the company's BAC 1-11 test aircraft and was integrated into what is considered the United States' largest and most complex airborne electronic warfare (EW) exercise to date. Northrop Grumman demonstrated the electronic protection (EP) capabilities of the AN/APG-81, by successfully countering advanced electronic attacks (EA), which are intended to degrade, neutralize, or destroy friendly combat capability.
"This event represents a major milestone in electronic protection testing for the AN/APG-81 in an operationally representative environment. We have been able to prove a number of EP capabilities years ahead of normal development timelines," said Teri Marconi, vice president of Combat Avionics for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems sector. "The AN/APG-81 is the world's most advanced fighter fire control radar. It has extremely robust electronic warfare capabilities, and these tests validate years of laboratory testing versus a wide array of threat systems."
Why did I post this?
Because I've been waiting for an aviation guy to say out loud what I've pieced together. The secret sauce to the F-35's vaunted "sensor fusion" and "electronic attack" is it's AESA Array.
Back in 2000 it was unique and a game changer. But they've taken almost 20 years to get the plane into service and what was once rare is now common.
The F-35 fanatics are ramping up their attacks on the F-15X claiming that its a 4th gen fighter in a 5th gen world.
They're wrong.
The F-35 is like building a luxury car in 2000 but failing to get it into the showroom, freezing the design and then introducing it in 2020. It was great when designed but life moves on. Now? Now you have Ford Pickups that are more luxurious, cheaper and can do a wider array of jobs.
Which would you buy? The 2000 luxury car or the brand new Ford that's been evolving and is now just as good?
But back on task.
The F-15X will be one helluva sensor node. Why? Because it has a huge honkin AESA Array!
The F-35 stood still and now it's getting ran over! That happens to everyone and everything that isn't constantly striving to improve.
US Army intends to purchase 131 additional Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs) in 2020
via Janes
The US Army intends to purchase 131 additional Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs) in 2020, some of which will fall under a third low-rate initial production (LRIP-3) buy.I give up.
According to fiscal year 2020 (FY 2020) budget planning documents, the service wants to spend USD485.7 million next year on its AMPV programme. Within the base budget, the service has said it wants to move out on a LRIP-3 buy with USD264 million for 64 AMPVs, while also spending USD221.6 million in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds to purchase 66 vehicles.
“The AMPV will mitigate current and future capability gaps in force protection, mobility, reliability, and interoperability across the spectrum of conflict,” the US Army said.
You explain to me what the US Army is doing. Last I heard from the commenters is that this program was being curtailed.
Now?
Now they're about to buy 131? Oh and I get it. They're dipping into the Pentagon slush fund, the Overseas Contingency Operations (if that isn't the most misused fraudulent budget line currently going I don't know what is...you can bang on social programs all you want and I get it, but this is willful and obvious fraud/waste/abuse...this fund is to fight/prepare for unforeseen circumstances not budget plus ups!).
More puzzling and frustrating? They're using it to buy more vehicles in an "unprogrammed" state then they are thru the normal budget procedure.
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