Tuesday, May 14, 2019
22nd MEU Maritime Raid Force Fast Rope Training...pics by Cpl. Tawanya Norwood
Note. You gotta love those helo pilots that will get as low as possible for your fast rope especially when you're loaded down. I guess you have limitations on that when roping from a MV-22 (prop wash??) but other platforms will do you justice. One other thing. Can we get back to calling Force Recon, Force Recon instead of the "Maritime Raid Force"? Sometimes rebranding dilutes things instead of reinforcing it. Force Recon has history. Maritime Raid Force does not.
China saber rattles with their Amphibious Assault vehicle in a little anti-Taiwan propaganda...
via China Times.
China recently conducted a maritime exercise featuring what is being hailed as the world's most advanced medium-sized amphibious assault vehicle, the ZTD-05s, a weapon that can join amphibious landing ships in land assault missions.
With the ZTD-05s and other domestically designed hardware, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is well positioned to deal with Taiwan secessionists and potential island disputes, analysts said on Monday.
The evaluation exercise, conducted by the 74th Group Army of the PLA, was held recently in the eastern part of South China's Guangdong Province. Multiple types of amphibious vehicles entered the sea and ran through various training exercises, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday.
Multiple ZTD-05 amphibious assault vehicles took part in the exercise.
Yeah. China is getting ready to make a run at Taiwan. Maybe not today but keep your ear to the ground. More propaganda like this and we know what's up....the drum is beating real slow but when it picks up speed its a done deal.
Australia getting back into the Self Propelled Artillery game!
Thanks to Jason for the link!
via adbr.com
The Morrison Coalition Government has today announced a revival of the previously cancelled LAND 17 Phase 2 self-propelled artillery project for Army.Story here.
The project was originally described by the Howard Coalition government in the 2006 Defence Capability Plan (DCP), before being delayed and then cancelled by the Gillard Labor government in 2012 due to defence funding cuts.
ADBR understands the project will be renamed LAND 8112 Protected Mobile Fires, and that the government is looking to acquire it as a sole source acquisition through Defence’s new Smart Buyer initiative.
Jesus! Australia is CRUSHING IT! Read the entire article but they're moving with speed on this thing. A sole source acquisition? I read that to mean that they're gonna want a decision within the next couple of years which is lightning speed for a Western govt with regard to defense procurement.
The article posted an image of the K-9 but I have to believe that the US Army's updated M109A6 will get a look.
Things are rapidly changing in the ground combat game and I have to wonder how much play the idea of the Aussies operating a quasi Amphibious Force will play in this decision.
Could a Caesar or Archer type vehicle be considered? When you're talking amphibious shipping you're always talking weight and space considerations so how many can fit aboard ship (of either a tracked or wheeled variant)? Do they even care?
Which brings me to a looming problem for the Australians.
They're building an extremely capable ground force BUT its getting heavy as hell. Boxer, Abrams, maybe a tracked self propelled artillery, the KF41 or another heavy type IFV....I don't know if heavy describes it but consider this.
Pound for pound the Australian Army is projecting to be HEAVIER than the United States Marine Corps.
Drink that in.
The Aussies are morphing from basically a light infantry force with attached heavy armor into basically a HEAVY mech infantry force.
I'm a bit stunned, gobsmacked and impressed.
Marine Forces Europe participating in Arrow 19...
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| Is there a little something extra going on with this LAV? Haven't really paid attention... |
Maavoimien komentaja kenraaliluutnantti Petri Hulkko tarkasti #Arrow19 -harjoitusjoukkoja. Hulkon seurassa joukkojaan @USMCFEA tarkasti myös kenraalimajuri David J. Furness. Kenraalien viesti joukoille; ottakaa kaikki irti harjoituksesta! #maavoimat #harjoitus pic.twitter.com/s1iwhbKewa— Maavoimat (@Maavoimat) May 13, 2019
Are we going thru another Conqueror moment with the Armata?
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The Conqueror was the last Heavy Tank used by the British Army. It was developed during the late 1940s and early 1950s as a response to the Soviet IS-3, which it was feared outmatched any existing Western vehicle.
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I gotta wonder.
Are we going thru another Conqueror moment with the Armata? Oh and be advised the Brits weren't the only ones spooked by this. The US Army and most curiously the US Marines bought the M-103 in response to this threat.
I ask that with regard to the Armata but does it also apply to the arms race we're seeing with regard to the upgunning of the Army's future IFV to 50mm?
Just musing out loud.
I have no idea but if we're chasing ghosts and not planning properly then we're potentially wasting resources.
I guess I asked all this to get to this point. What is the Army seeing that makes the 50mm the objective weapon? What have they seen that makes the 30mm suddenly non-viable?
Any ideas?
French Forces in Africa pay tribute to their fallen warriors...
Dimanche 12 mai, à Gao, au Mali, la force #Barkhane a rendu hommage à nos frères d’armes, les maîtres Cédric de Pierrepont et Alain Bertoncello, morts au combat lors de l’opération de libération d’otages au #BurkinaFaso. pic.twitter.com/NqeQli3xZ5— État-Major Armées (@EtatMajorFR) May 13, 2019
So much to say but now is not the right time. These men did the hard thing and they have my respect.
The idea of SOCOM and its brother units being involved in a world wide bug hunt irks.
A rescue operation for CIA assets? Ok. But why were the assets there in the first place.
Is the self licking ice cream cone called SOCOM one of the reasons for endless war? Did we paint ourselves into this position when they became their own command?
Have you noticed that Afghanistan isn't the cool war anymore and that its been tossed to conventionals....have you noticed that the new Special Ops playground is Africa?
We will dig into this (much to the annoyance of many), but for now we mourn the death of these men and celebrate their lives.
Monday, May 13, 2019
Cryptid War Tale....The Giant of Kandahar!
You catch a member of US Special Ops and get him lit enough (Jack Daniels is the drink of choice), you too can hear the tale of the Giant Of Kandahar!
Supposedly this vicious man-beast destroyed an entire Ranger Company and only thru the efforts of the QRF composed of a US Army Special Forces Detachment being backed up by two MARSOC Companies was this 'creation' destroyed.
There are things out there more dangerous than any man. They stand 12 feet tall, absorb bullets like a sponge and enjoy the taste of warriors.
You've been advised!
Back to regularly scheduled blogging!
Sidenote. This was all in fun. To my knowledge no such battle took place.
F-35 news....Why the USAF desperately needs the F-15EX...
via News Max.
“For over two decades, the F-35 has been the symbol of everything that’s wrong with mammoth defense contracts: behind schedule, over budget, and initially, over-sold,” explains an in-depth piece in Popular Mechanics by a reporter who’s followed the F-35 throughout the jet’s life cycle. By trying to eliminate the natural form of competition that having several weapons platforms would provide, the Pentagon ended up creating an inefficient platform that couldn’t accomplish any of its widely ranging needs very well.Story here.
“Who gets the blame for a 20-year misadventure?” Popular Mechanics asks. The answer seems to be: Everybody lost the script. “In 2013, the GAO’s Michael Sullivan asserted that Lockheed had failed to get an early start on systems engineering and had not understood the technologies involved at the program’s launch. But a RAND study the same year found the three F-35 variants had drifted so far apart during development that having a single base design may prove to be more expensive than if services had just built separate aircraft tailored to their own requirements from the get-go.”
But it’s not too late to diversify, to provide more variety, and reintroduce competition. To be blunt, it needs to happen and it needs to happen now.
Military Training is inherently dangerous...condolences to the family of First Lt. Hugh C. McDowell
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| Apologies for the quality of the pic....couldn't find a better "high resolution" image to post. |
Story here.
God bless Marine. May your memory be a blessing...
Russian Army tests Lada 4x4 light multi-role pickup vehicle
Don't care what you say. I luv the LADA 4x4 SUV version (or the Suzuki Samuri..there is a place for small SUVs especially since gas is gonna spike again). If they sold it here I'd be all over it. Having said that this is a natural. I believe it should easily fit in the back of Russian Helos so it just sings in the "technical" role. Only thing I'd change is the suspension for a bit more ground clearance and bigger tires.
Story via Army Recognition here.
Phillippine Army gets first batch of upgraded M113A2's with Dragon ORCWS...
via Asia Pacific Defense Journal.
The Philippine Army (PA) received the first batch of upgraded M113A2 tracked armored personnel carriers from Israel’s Elbit Systems Land & C4I, which are now equipped with Elbit’s Dragon Overhead Remote Controlled Weapon Station (ORCWS) with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.Story here.
Filipino defense page MaxDefense Philippines confirmed that Elbit Systems delivered the first five (5) units last April 2019, out 44 vehicles to be upgraded with installation of the Dragon ORCWS and the Combat NG networked battlefield computers. This is part of the contract signed between Elbit and the Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) worth Php1.05 billion (US$20.5 million).
The project is part of the Revised AFP Modernization Program's 2nd List of Horizon 2 phase.
Part of the contract also involves converting five (5) M113A2 APCs into armored mortar carriers equipped with Elbit’s Soltam Cardom 81mm recoil mortar system.
The PA already has several units of M113A2 APCs equipped with the Dragon ORCWS, but the newly delivered models appear to be using the updated variant of the RCWS system, having a different body, and is said to have a better camera and improved sighting system.
The delivered units were immediately deployed to the southern Philippines to provide security on the upcoming mid-term national elections.
I need specs on that turret but it looks right.
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Ft Bragg closes its Air Assault School....
via Military.com
The DeGlopper Air Assault School on Fort Bragg is shutting down, officials announced through the school's Facebook page Friday.Story here.
"The decision to close the school involves funding and the reduction of borrowed military manpower on Fort Bragg," the Facebook pages states. "We are honored and privileged to have trained some of the most professional and lethal soldiers in the U.S. Army."
A spokesman for the 18th Airborne Corps, which the school falls under, said the decision was made this week by Lt. Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander of the 18th Airborne Corps.
A page for the school on Fort Bragg's website states its purpose has been to "train soldiers in the conduct of air assault operations, sling load operations, rappelling operations from an aircraft and through mental and physical training to develop their leadership, self-confidence and aggressive spirit."
Officials recommended those wanting to attend air assault school consider the Sabalauski Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; the Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia; or the Light Fighter School at Fort Drum, New York.
Was never impressed by the rope work or focus on rapelling. HRST Master ties it off, checks the setup and you hope he knows his shit (and 99.99% of the time they do).
What impressed is the sling loading. The "baby" loadmaster training for helos.
That impressed and will be missed.
The school lives on but I think we can look at the Ranger Course to see where this is headed.
Its just not cool anymore...at least for Soldiers. The badge hunters will still attend but they're doing too much of this on a daily basis to be bothered with attending a course.
For Marines?
I think we should start incorporating at least a few bits into our NCO and above training. Parts of the aviation centric Marine Corps will endure despite more than a few pieces suffering from an inevitable budget cut.
Becoming more capable with our helos in a dispersed/distributed operating concept is something we should embrace. We can't depend on the boys with the red tabs on their trousers to get it done. This is a capability that should be part of every Expeditionary Squad...sling loading should be fundamental across the force.
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| U.S. Marines Helicopter Support Team – Basic Landing Support Specialist Course |
Open Comment Post. 12 May 2019 (plus an explanation of recent blogging)....
Hey guys.
Want to give you an update on the focus of the F-35 and why I've been focusing on it.
I believe we're hitting a new critical mass. Both budget wise and with regard to the actual performance of the plane. More and more information is being presented that is showing that its not meeting expectations. More and more info is coming out that is critical of how the program has been managed.
We've basically put procurement of other necessary equipment on pause so that this plane would have a clear lane to get its act together.
They still failed.
Once the new SecDef is confirmed I expect change to come swiftly. Remember when Trump wanted to cut the defense budget but he got pushback from the Pentagon? Well Daddy Mattis ain't there and Shanahan will kiss the ring and follow orders.
A storm is coming and I want to get out ahead of it.
Choices will have to be made and we're gonna swing toward what I believe we should be purchasing, what should be cut and what needs to wait till the tech matures.
Buckle up. It's gonna be a bumpy but at times fun ride.
The "fine print" on the USAF standing up the F-35 Aggressor Squadron...
Love Tyler at the Drive. Dude is down the middle with the F-35 and doesn't hesitate to give the good or the bad with the program. His story on the F-35 Aggressor Squadron being stood up is good to go but I need to pop out the fine print that he dutifully posted.
UPDATE: 6:45pm PDT—Story here.
The USAF has now put out a release on the news. We were correct, they will be repurposing early-build jets for this role. Nine of them to start, all of which will come from Eglin AFB in Florida. Eglin is the schoolhouse for USAF F-35 training. This is probably a good thing because they can get creative and modify these jets specifically for the mission as they will never see combat.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson states:
"This move will allow us to repurpose early production F-35s to help train Airmen for the high end fight."
The release is not precise in its wording, but the aircraft may not be transferred until 2022, when new planes will replace them at Eglin. You can see the confusing statement below:
Aircraft transferring from Eglin AFB to Nellis AFB will not occur until newly produced aircraft arrive at Eglin AFB to replace them. New aircraft are planned to arrive at Nellis AFB beginning in early 2022.
This is in line with our thinking that standing up a unit like this as the force is trying to expand its front-line F-35 force will be more protracted than doing so with 4th generation fighters. It will also allow time for industry and the USAF to figure out the unique aggressor configuration for these jets.
My take.
This allows the USAF an out when it comes to updating early built aircraft. They get to call them aggressors, push the idea that they're performing important work while at the same time getting new planes that are of the latest standards without paying for the upgrades of the oldest models...planes that they said would be upgraded when the GAO told us that they were all but useless and would probably be discarded.
Pure genius.
Diabolical smart.
Even better? It gives the illusion that the first planes bought by the service are good to go without admitting the painful reality that they were nothing but prototypes.
M60AX ...
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| The prototype M60AX, highly advanced version of the M60 development Teledyne-Continental Motors. Of the upgrades were listed powerplant AVCR-1790-1B, hydro-pneumatic suspension, improving the protection of turret and hull, and much more. That’s just by that time was M1 Abrams, so that neither domestic nor foreign military M60AX is not interested |
Two French Marine Commandos killed during rescue mission....
The butcher's bill for this op? Two good men died, four hostages (including an American) rescued.
Does the cost benefit analysis indicate that this was a fair exchange for the lives of two men that were highly skilled versus four hostages that MORE THAN LIKELY put themselves into a position thru ignorance or negligence or both?
I'm not sure. I think it needs to be discussed. As a citizen you have rights. But you also have responsibilities. Going to stupid places to hang out with stupid people has consequences that others should not have to die for.
Regardless (and we will have that discussion another day), may the memories of these two men be a blessing.
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