MAG-12 Harpoon Training Exercise....Photos by Sgt. Akeel Austin (WARNING - MEGA PIC THREAD!!!)

Blast from the past. Leopard 2A7 river fording at Trident Junction.

The Chinese "Caesar" in service...

Is he working on a flat screen display?

UK's 1 Merican in Estonia (Pic)...

As infantry soldiers, we must never lose sight of why we stay ready.

The UK's adversaries are still out there, watching and waiting for any moment of weakness. Use this time to stay fit, focused and ready.

Photo taken by @mjheal with A (Grenadier) Company in #estonia🇪🇪 2019.

It ain't the jungle but that's some deep forest.  Always thought Europe was mostly pretty clear forests and plains.  Guess I only saw a small sliver of the thing.

Kinda makes ya know what the Romans faced when they crossed over.  I can't imagine what waves of "barbarians" swarming thru looked like to them.

Open Comment Post. 1 May 2020

UPDATE: Royal Canadian Navy’s Helicopter Accident

The news from the Ionian sea on April 29 burned everyone’s heart. A CH-148 Cyclone helicopter crashed into the sea near the Kefalonia island in the Ionian Sea. The helicopter went missing after taking off from the Canadian frigate Fredericton which is a part of SNMG2.
According to the announcement of the Royal Canadian Armed Forces, unfortunately, one member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) was killed on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, and five other members remain missing following an accident involving a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CH-148 Cyclone helicopter.

Killed was Sub-Lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough, a Marine Systems Engineering Officer, originally from Toronto, Ontario.
Confirmed missing are:

Captain Brenden Ian MacDonald, Pilot, originally from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

Captain Kevin Hagen, Pilot, originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia

Captain Maxime Miron-Morin, Air Combat Systems Officer, originally from Trois-Rivières, Québec

Sub-Lieutenant Matthew Pyke, Naval Warfare Officer, originally from Truro, Nova Scotia

Master Corporal Matthew Cousins, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator, originally from Guelph, Ontario “I was deeply saddened to learn yesterday of the tragic incident involving a Cyclone helicopter off the coast of Greece and the loss of our members of the Canadian Armed Forces. I wish to express my deepest condolences to their families, friends, and colleagues. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing with our NATO Allies for the five missing members and all available resources are being dedicated to this effort. This accident is a painful reminder of the dangers that members of Canada’s military face every day to ensure the safety and security of Canadians.” said Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence of Canada.

Deputy Minister of National Defence of Canada, Chief of the Defence Staff of Canadian Armed Forces, Chief of the Royal Canadian Navy and Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command also shared their messages of condolences.

#RoyalCanadianNavy #canada

Geez.

No one survived.  RIP.  May their memory be a blessing.

Kongsberg's MCT-30 selected for USMC's Amphibious Combat Vehicle-30 line

via Janes

The US Marine Corps’ (USMC’s) 30 mm cannon Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV-30) is slated to be outfitted with Kongsberg’s Protector Medium Caliber Turret 30 mm (MCT-30).

BAE Systems is expected to produce four ACV variants including the personnel carrier (ACV-P), command and control (ACV-C), recovery (ACV-R), and ACV-30. For the latter, the company has decided to integrate Kongsberg’s MCT-30 onto the vehicle, a BAE Systems spokesperson told Jane’s on 29 April.

Kongsberg did not immediately return Jane’s request for information, but its MCT-30 is a remote weapon station developed for wheeled and tracked armoured fighting vehicles and its main weapon is the XM813 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster chain gun.

Not slamming Kongsberg but I have to wonder if this is the best available on the market or if the Marine Corps is simply piggybacking off the Army's selection of this turret for their Stryker ICV.

To be actual and factual turret tech is moving along at mach speed and this turret is at least a generation behind current offerings on the market.

The height and bulk of the turret coupled with the fact that it is AS LARGE as a manned turret just can't escape my notice.

Another thing that irritates is that we don't know if a REAL competition was held or if they simply made a selection.

I'm pleased that the Corps is moving forward but a bit frustrated at the lack of visibility on the "whys" of this selection.