MAG-16's MASSIVE MV-22 Osprey "Elephant Walk" (and quite a few CH-53Es too)....pics by Lance Cpl. Juan Anaya

Fewer Than Ten U.S. B-1 Bombers Are Ready for Action

via Popular Mechanics

The U.S. Air Force’s fleet of B-1B bombers is undergoing a readiness crises that has resulted in less than ten of 62 bombers capable of carrying out missions. The low readiness rating is almost certainly the worst among the U.S. military’s combat aircraft and reduces the overall number of bombers by almost a third.

Air Force Times, which broke the news, reports that the number of fully capable B-1Bs is currently in the “single digits.” According to June 2019 issue of Air Force Magazine, the service is supposed to have 62 B-1Bs in operation. The problem is so bad that B-1 air crews are being temporarily assigned to other airframes.

A number of issues are likely involved. The B-1B fleet is reportedly not receiving the “resources and attention necessary” to keep the fleet going. The last bomber was produced 31 years ago, and as planes grow older they grow more expensive and difficult to repair. One problem in particular is that the bombers reportedly suffer from structural issues. Another issue is the high tempo of operations in the post 9/11 period. The heavy strategic bomber became a close air support favorite in the skies over Afghanistan, with its ability to dash to support troops in contact, stay aloft for hours on end, and drop bombs with precision.

Story here.

We have a lavishly funded military yet only 10 B-1 Bombers are capable of flying missions?

This isn't a funding problem.

This is a management problem.

Want it in a nutshell?  Everything must die so that the F-35 can live and even with all the plus ups for all the infrastructure and other support its still draining the coffers and forcing situations like this.

We need a new plan...and if current leadership can't give it to us then we need new leaders.

This is pathetic. 

Missile Trucks are not a new idea....

The idea of ​​turning bombers and even AEW&C into fighters was amazing, but none of them succeeded. pic.twitter.com/fyGP7bduI2

— Caesar (@Ninja998998) June 10, 2019

Missile trucks are not a new idea and Caesar point out previous attempts quite well.

What has me spinning is how the Fighter Mafia has so successfully been able to squash this idea and keep single seat fighters the pre-eminent type of airplane in the Air Force's inventory.

The B-1R concept was nothing but genius.  The only fail was the failure of imagination on the part of leadership.

Even today the idea of a loitering, high speed missile truck totting 20 or more air to air missiles has got to be attractive.

The only real limiting feature is the fact that missile tech has been allowed to lay by the wayside.

There is no reason why we don't have a couple hundred mile air to air missile with great terminal velocity.

Quite honestly its a need that should be obvious to everyone.  But instead of pursing payloads over platforms we've forced ourselves to chase holy grails like laser tech which will only be effective in the near term for defense, not offensive roles.

It all comes back to the crazy focus on penetrating platforms.  

Somehow someway we've evolved into an almost totally offensive force.  We say that we "defend freedom" but somehow we're always on the offense to accomplish that task.

It's just plain weird.

Notice that we're seeing exercises that are skewed toward seizing airports, seizing ports, rapid deployment here or there...never do we exercise acting in the defense.

I think that explains why we're pursuing the concepts that we are and leaving so many great ideas on the drawing boards.

Massive protests in Hong Kong...this is what I've been waiting for!

via CNN

More than 1 million protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong Sunday, organizers said, to oppose a controversial extradition bill that would enable China to extradite fugitives from the city.

The mass of protesters would be the largest demonstration since the city was handed back to China in 1997. Civil Human Rights Front, the group that organized the protests, said 1.03 million people marched -- a figure that accounts for almost one in seven of the city's 7.48 million-strong population.

Story here. 

This is what I've been waiting for!  This will give us a GREAT indication of the course that China will take.

Will they crush dissent?

Will they seek some type of foreign crisis to serve as a distraction?

Both?

Whichever course they choose this will be telling.  What will be interesting is if they take a hands off approach and the protest continue...sort of a Chinese yellow vest movement.

If they go that route and this thing persists then all bets are off.

This bears watching.

Chengdu J-20 (pics)...via Bmashine Tumblr Page...

Open Comment Post. 10 June 2019

Bonus Sci-Fi GIF to go along with the LCX above...

F-35 News. Japanese release the findings from the crash that claimed the life of their pilot...

Note.  I told you guys that I would focus on the F-35 for the foreseeable future.  The reason should be obvious but let me rehash.  The F-35 is the most consequential program currently going for the US and allied militaries. The success or failure of this program is important!  If it works as advertised then we're set for the next several decades.  IF IT DOES NOT (and I fear it won't...only the F-35B seems to be meeting the requirement of being a step forward from the plane its replacing) then not only is the USAF screwed but so are the air arms of several of our most important allies.  For better or worse the F-35 is the BIG DAWG in the procurement game.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force announced the cause of the F-35A crash that occurred on April 9 and the recurrence prevention plan.https://t.co/MPQOnPyMJl pic.twitter.com/WbwYyjD9Na

— Golf9 ✈️ (@KimagureGolf9) June 10, 2019

I follow Mike Yeo on Twitter.  Dude is an aviation journalist out of Singapore and is my go to on events and happenings in the Pacific region.  Between him and my bro over at DTR you won't find a better pair of dudes covering that region.  He retweeted the above graphic and below I popped them out for you to get a better look.  

Any Japanese readers that can punch this out and tell us what's being said would be appreciated.

Possibly a stupid question but some are saying that the pilot became disoriented.

How does that happen when you're flying straight and level and suddenly you're so disoriented  that you pitch the airplane down and fly into the ocean?

I don't get it if that's the explanation.

Weigh in on this aviation guys!  And the call for Japanese readers remains.  Someone suss this out for us.

Turkey considers Russian Su-57, Chinese J-31 jets to replace F-35s

via AHAVALNews.

Ankara prioritises S-400s over F-35 fighter jets as the missile systems are seen as an urgent need due to regional tensions, the daily said.

“The B, C, D plans are ready in case the F-35 project goes to the dump after S-400 purchase,” Yeni Şafak said. Turkey will sustain its air force by increasing the maintenance of existing aircrafts, while it will escalate efforts to produce its own jets, according to the pro-government newspaper.

“To sit at the table with Russia for the accusation of military aircraft is among the options. The security bureaucracy is also exploring Chinese J-31s, along with Russian Su-57s,” it said, adding that those options were also more cost-effective compared to F35s.

“Ankara already thinks that even if F-35s are delivered, they will create serious security risks for Turkey as they are directly commanded by the United States. Therefore, nobody regrets ‘losing’ F-35s,” the daily said.

Mehmet Barlas, a columnist of the pro-government daily Sabah, on Sunday also suggested immediately ordering Russian jets, without waiting for U.S. sanctions that can be imposed under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Tyler Rogoway and Joseph Trevithick said in an article they penned for The Drive automotive website last month that Moscow had stated it had been ready to work with Turkey on the export and production of their Su-57 advanced fighter jet to fill the void of the U.S.-produced F-35s.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said in April that Turkey could buy aircrafts elsewhere, when asked about Ankara’s possible expulsion from the F-35 programme.

“There are (Russian) Su-34, Su-57 and others. I will absolutely meet my needs from somewhere until I can produce it myself,” Çavuşoğlu said.

Story here. 

A few random thoughts on this article.

*  The Chinese would probably PAY Turkey to put the J-31 into service.  I believe they desperately want to be seen as having a plane that is a viable alternative to the F-35.

*  If the Russians end up selling their airplane to the Turks then they will be putting that plane in a glass container.  I can easily see every sensor system we have turned to it to gather any information possible.  What I wonder about is whether we would see the US continue with its basing agreement in Turkey. If the agreement remains (doubtful) then I'm betting F-35s are suddenly off limits when it comes to be stationed there.

*  Is this ego over substance?  I'm not just throwing stones at the Turk govt either.  I'm wondering if this applies to the US too.  Has a simple disagreement suddenly exploded into something more than it had to be? I'm hardly an expert and have limited visibility on the "real vs fake" with this issue but this thing didn't come out of nowhere.

*  Turkey is pushing hard for homegrown development of weapon systems.  They're not alone.  Give it another 5-10 years and we're gonna see the "hardware" of weapons being built inside home countries and different electronics being forced to at least be assembled in country too.  De-globalization seems to be hitting the defense industry.

*  What does Turkey know that other partners don't?  For them to make such a stand over the S-400 seems strange.  I asked earlier if they were acting from a position of ego.  What if they aren't?  Could they have done an in country assessment and decided that the F-35 was perhaps flawed in ways we don't know?  The Turks have to understand that Greece MIGHT pay for a squadron of F-35s.  Are they telling us that they view the S-400 as being capable of shooting them down?  I don't know but if they're acting rationally instead of from ego or anger then we should be concerned.

Over the past month (and more) I've been watching this whole thing play out and thought for sure one side or the other would back down. 

I was wrong.

I'm sure there are plays being made behind closed doors that we're not aware of so this thing bears watching.

Is this the "down and dirty" analysis of the SU-57 vs F-35 that we've been looking for?

Thanks to Don for the link!

via National Interest.

Analysts estimate the Su-57 to be significantly less stealthy than an F-35, particularly when painted by sensors to its side and rear. However, the twin-engine jet is faster, dramatically more maneuverable, and boasts sensors that would assist in engaging enemy stealth aircraft at shorter ranges. The F-35 is primarily built to penetrate enemy airspace, while the PAK FA is optimized for counter-air and ground support operations on the edge of friendly airspace.

Turkey is also domestically developing its own TF-X stealth fighter. British firm Rolls Royce had been set to furnish engines for the jet, but largely abandoned its bid in March 2019 due to continuing disputes over technology transfers. Rostec has been quick to hawk the AL-41F turbofans developed for the Su-57. Thus, Su-57s and engine technology intended for the TF-X could conceivably be bundled in a package deal.

Story here.

The story talks about the Turks opting to buy the S-400 and abandoning the F-35 (by their actions, not their words).

I found the whole thing interesting.  Should have known but didn't that the latest Patriot Missiles are optimized for anti-ballistic missile work and NOT anti-aircraft missions.

Didn't know that the upcoming S-500 is basically the Russian version of the Patriot but with better range.

Didn't know that the highlighted portion above was how many defense analysis view the F-35 vs SU-57.

I've said before that the myopic focus on "penetrating platforms" and defeating "Anti-Access/Area Denial" battlespace has tilted our defense procurement in an unfortunate direction and this tends to support that view.

SU-57 is designed to operate at the edge of friendly airspace?

That means that they're seeing it operate as part of their air defense network.

An Air Force General says that the F-35 will never be alone.  I think the same can be said of the SU-57.

Remember all those vids showing F-35 finding gaps in enemy air and flying thru them to the target?  What happens if those systems are overlapped to such a degree that the gaps become miniscule and where they still exist you have SU-57's camping out?

The more I read (and I'm far from an expert) the more I'm convinced that the biggest threat to stealth and the thing that has made the F-35 almost obsolete before it even entered service is AESA radar.  Add GaN AESA and increased computing power and the vaunted stealth that the USAF has hung its hat on is looking at bit frayed at the edges.

But back on task.

I imagine for their intended purposes the F-35 and SU-57 will be sufficient.

The problem?

The F-35 is being asked to do things it was never designed for and because of that it will fail.  Things are shaping up to the point that if the F-35 fails so does Western Air Power.

We need to start acting on Plan B.  The F-15EX and Super Hornet Block 3 are good starts.  What do we need now?  Long range anti-air and anti-ground missiles poste haste.

Is this the real story of the "Tom Cruise middle finger" in Top Gun?

 

https://usafphantom2.tumblr.com/post/185476790529/bill-anders-is-an-icon-meco-official-bruh-my

 

F-35 News. Remains of Japan ASDF pilot found

via Stars & Stripes...

Remains of the pilot of an Air Self-Defense Force F-35A stealth jet fighter that went missing off Aomori Prefecture on April 9 have been retrieved from the ocean, Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Friday.

The remains were found Wednesday and identified as those of Maj. Akinori Hosomi, an ASDF public relations officer in Tokyo said.

Both Iwaya and the ASDF declined to reveal further details, citing privacy and the wishes of the bereaved family.

On Monday, the Defense Ministry terminated search and rescue activities. The ministry has retrieved part of the jet’s flight recorder but its data was lost.

The ministry is now analyzing the cause of the crash by using radar data and communication records from three other F-35A fighters that were conducting a joint exercise about 135 km off Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture.

The ministry plans to use a waterproof camera to search the ocean area where the remains were found, although it believes it is unlikely that anything offering clues regarding the cause of the accident will be found, Iwaya said.

“It’s truly regrettable we lost the excellent pilot who had a bright future ahead. … I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family,” Iwaya told reporters.

Story here. 

May his memory be a blessing.

I can't help but wonder if the rush to put this plane into production didn't cost this aviator his life.

I hope not, but the bill is coming due.  Shortcuts, workarounds and other half measures will make Mr. Murphy laugh with glee and cause families to weep in sorrow.

Open Comment Post. 9 June 2019

Politics Talk. Now we know why Mueller wouldn't testify before Congress...something strange was going on with his report...

Via The Hill.

In a key finding of the Mueller report, Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Kilimnik, who worked for Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, is tied to Russian intelligence.

But hundreds of pages of government documents — which special counsel Robert Mueller possessed since 2018 — describe Kilimnik as a “sensitive” intelligence source for the U.S. State Department who informed on Ukrainian and Russian matters.

Why Mueller’s team omitted that part of the Kilimnik narrative from its report and related court filings is not known. But the revelation of it comes as the accuracy of Mueller’s Russia conclusions face increased scrutiny.

The incomplete portrayal of Kilimnik is so important to Mueller’s overall narrative that it is raised in the opening of his report. “The FBI assesses” Kilimnik “to have ties to Russian intelligence,” Mueller’s team wrote on Page 6, putting a sinister light on every contact Kilimnik had with Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman.

What it doesn’t state is that Kilimnik was a “sensitive” intelligence source for State going back to at least 2013 while he was still working for Manafort, according to FBI and State Department memos I reviewed.

Kilimnik was not just any run-of-the-mill source, either.

He interacted with the chief political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, sometimes meeting several times a week to provide information on the Ukraine government. He relayed messages back to Ukraine’s leaders and delivered written reports to U.S. officials via emails that stretched on for thousands of words, the memos show.

The FBI knew all of this, well before the Mueller investigation concluded.

Story here. 

There is so much more to this story.  History will not be kind to those involved in this.

I think I was right (as were many others) in calling this a modern day coup attempt.  My guess?  The psych profile they did on Trump missed the mark.  Most people would have bailed on the job once they saw the railroading being done to them. 

As we all know Trump isn't an ordinary individual and this is one time where his character issues served him well.

Or was it simply the fact that he knew he did nothing wrong?

On a side note this explains why Pelosi isn't fast walking impeachment and even the subcommittees have slowed down.  The more they scratch the more this goes public.

AND NOTE ALSO that this is THE HILL reporting this.  Not a right wing paper.

Turkish-Ukrainian anti-tank missile launching system "SERDAR"

Blast from the past. Battle Of Bogside...

Women preparing petrol bombs during the Battle of the Bogside, 1969.

I'm doing a little internet search because the idea of an insurgency popping up in the US has for some reason been stuck at the back of my brain stem and I can't shake it loose.

That's taken me to various insurgencies going on world wide (trying to exclude those based on Islamic extremist) and what we've seen from a historical perspective.

While I don't think its possible now, I'm starting to get the idea that under the right conditions and with an adversary bold enough to support it (could  crime be considered a form of insurgency?), we could actually see one in the US.

What has me a bit shook is what you see above.  Average citizens, in this case females, filling petrol bombs to be hurled at British forces.

Funny thing though. 

In my short look at things I believe that major urban areas are more vulnerable to this type activity than are rural areas (easier to control small isolated populations...unless they go full bore fighter), while at the same time being better able to cope with events like you see above.

More to come.

From D-Day to Destiny

Didn't do much on the D-Day celebrations but I covered why on another blog post.  I've been searching for the right story and this one kinda touched the heart strings so I'm posting it today.



On a personally level I just think this is so freaking cool.  Dude's sporting the Combat Infantry Badge and Combat Jump Wings but life took him in an unforeseen direction and he ended up being the leader of an orchestra.

Simply amazing...AND awesome.  Well done dude.  Well fucking done.

D-Day Question. Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT) were available. Why weren't they used for the landings?

Just like you guys, I watched the D-Day anniversary news and unlike you it kinda left me in a weird spot.  It felt like more a "show" because it had to be, not that people were actually commemorating the sacrifice.

But one thing has always made me wonder.

One of the old inter-service jokes is that for the Marines it's "hey diddle diddle straight up the middle".

I don't believe that but its as big a meme for Marines as eating crayons.

But all that led me to this question while tracing back the history of the D-Day Invasion.

LVTs were available.

Why didn't they use them?

They brought tanks.  They even tried to make the darn things float but they left the infantry damn near unprotected during the rush onto the beach.

Any historians out there know?  I'm sure this question has been asked but I don't know the answer.

Sidenote.  I did Google it and a bunch of arm chair history buffs claim that the LVT was prioritized for the Pacific.  That's false.  The Canadians and other forces used the LVT in Europe so that's just idiocy on a stick.  Additionally the European theater was prioritized over the Pacific so anything they wanted they got.

Open Comment Post. 8 June 2019

F-35 News. Lawmakers threaten to restrict funding for the Pentagon if it doesn't find a way to fix the chronic shortage of F-35 parts

via Business Insider.

Congress is threatening to restrict funding for the Pentagon's acquisition office unless it comes up with a new plan to address the chronic shortage of spare parts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The new provisions were included by the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on readiness in its recent markup of the 2020 defense budget.

Under the provisions, the Department of Defense must develop a "detailed plan for the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution of funding" for weapons systems such as the F-35, according to a statement released Wednesday by Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., chairman of the subcommittee.

Only 26.8% of F-35s were fully capable of accomplishing their missions between May and November 2018, according to the Government Accountability Office. The minimum target for these types of weapons is usually 60%, and a lack of spare parts is a major reason why the aircraft hasn't been able to meet it.

Story here. 

Isn't this lovely?  I love the absolute irony of this situation!

Congress has followed the Pentagon's lead and pushed for more F-35's before they're ready.

Now Congress is barking about the parts situation but if the Program Office sorts out that sticky widget then production of the F-35 will slow.  Add in the mess with Turkey and you're looking at a no win situation for the office (from their perspective).

Production will not meet plan because of having to replace Turkish production AND meet Congressional mandates.

Which means prices will rise.

Of course the good news is that (if what they're claiming is true which I doubt) readiness rates will improve but the sword still hangs over their heads.

Can't wait to see how this turns out.

Saab to Offer Canada 88 Gripen E fighters

Thanks to Donno for the link!

via Press Release.

Expecting the final Request For Proposal (RFP) from the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) by mid-2019, Saab is all set to offer 88 Canadian-made Gripen E fighters to the country, reports Flight Global.

The RCAF had issued the draft RFP back in October last year to acquire new fighter planes to replace the existing Boeing CF-18A/B Hornet fleet for which Gripen E/F had also been shortlisted.

Patrick Palmer, Senior Vice-President, Saab Canada, confirms that Saab is hoping to follow the same process that helped it seal the deal in Brazil. “We think this is the model that makes sense for Canada. We’re going down that path but we’re also looking at how the RFP is written and what the customer values. Certainly if that (technology transfer) is what the customer values for Canada, then it is something that we can easily do,” he says.

Besides technology transfer, Saab can also offer the integration of U.S. and other non-Saab equipment with Gripen E so that it is interoperable with American forces. “Moving forward with the Gripen E, we see no problem whatsoever to integrate that fighter into a NORAD context,” says Per Alriksson of Saab Aeronautics.

According to another news report in The National Post, the Department of National Defence in Canada expects the first delivery of jets for the Canadian program in the mid-2020s with the full capability available in the early 2030s.
According to Saab, Gripen is built for Canadian weather conditions. "Gripen is designed specifically for operations in the Arctic, giving it a leg up on other planes. Sweden has air force bases in what you call the far North. We operate there daily. Gripen has Arctic DNA built into it,” Per Alriksson says. 

What is the Canadian national strategy?

Is it to defend the North and participate in coalition warfare?

If it is then they'd be foolish not to jump all over this.

Are they seeking to be first day strikers and commit its armed forces in solitary campaigns against 1st tier foes?

Then they might need something a bit more extravagant (and I include the Typhoon, Rafale and Super Hornet in that turn of phrase.

If I was a money strapped defense force that had to get the most bang for their defense dollar then I'd be all over the Gripen and augment it by buying the best anti-air, anti-surface missiles available.