Hyundai Rotem to supply wheeled apcs to Peru (K808)

A bit stunning. Once we would have simply been notified of the need and whoever was the pick of the liter manufacturer would turn to building them, kick backs all around and its a done deal. I'm pleased to see them doing it right but at the same time I kinda view it as a symptom of diminishing US influence RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD! We focus so hard on the needs of Europe that we forget we have HOME and our OWN neighborhood to pay attention to, not to MENTION the economic powerhouse of the globe that is the Pacific countries! 

Side note. Many tremble at the idea of a powerful China. What should leave you in a cold sweat is the idea of all those Pacific nations putting aside their generational despites and forming an economic/military alliance. If that EVER happens we will pray for the good ole days of Genghis Khan.  I admit its not probable but we're heading into an age of nation "blocs".  Alliances aren't formed during good times.  They're formed when you see trouble ahead or its already at your doorsteps.

 

South Korea’s (🇰🇷) Hyundai Rotem has officially announced they have been selected for the @EjercitoPeru’s (🇵🇪) 8x8 competition.

Hyundai will supply 30x K808 White Tiger wheeled armored personnel carriers for a total of $60 million. pic.twitter.com/MnDg3REOBS

— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) May 3, 2024

Hyundai Rotem is laying the foundations for expansion in the markets of Central and South America.
Hyundai Rotem will deliver 30 of the K808 White Tiger 8x8 wheeled armored vehicles to the Peruvian Army through STX company.
This is the first export of an 8x8 wheeled armored… pic.twitter.com/d2fDYcyfNh

— Junsupreme (@RyszardJonski) May 3, 2024

The Marine Corps That Should Have Been....THIS IS A MUST READ GENTLEMEN!!!!!

 Via Real Clear Defense

Say what one wants about the Israeli incursion into Gaza, but not a single rocket or missile has been fired from what is left of it since the start of fighting. Compare this with the relative ineffectiveness of American efforts stop Yemen's Houthis from slinging missiles at shipping in the Red Sea. The difference is simply geography. The Israelis simply have to cross fencing and concrete barriers to directly confront their attackers, the Palestinians of Hamas.

If U.S. wanted to launch such a large scale punitive operation against the Houthis, it would have to be done from the sea with a large scale amphibious assault. An amphibious assault of this scale, requiring sea borne tanks, assault engineers and bridging capabilities that have been divested by the U.S. Marine Corps. Instead, the Marine Corps is building a defensive force built around anti-ship missiles designed primarily to contain the Chinese Navy.

This is a good one folks!  A MUST READ!

Check it out here, tell your friends then swing back around and let's talk about this! 

The IDF is still singing the praises of the Eitan APC...

Don't know how to class this beast. It's bigger than a Bradley in both size and weight, hell it even makes the Boxer look small!

via Ynetnews

At that critical moment of battles against Hamas terrorists, Major A. made several dramatic decisions, that saved communities like Kibbutz Kerem Shalom. One of them was exceptional: to bring all the heavy Eitan APCs from a base in the southern part of the country to the combat zones and deploy them as a barrier between the terrorists’ infiltration routes and the communities close to the border.

He made the decision despite the fact the vehicles had not yet been operationally integrated into the unit, and he doubted whether the soldiers would know how to operate and handle them to the required level. 

Since then, the new APCs have been increasingly utilized in combat in Gaza, led by the Nahal soldiers. Initially, they mainly served for the rapid extraction of wounded from the battlefield, but subsequently, as proficiency with them increased, they were also used for operational incursions deep into the war zone. The new Eitan APC is characterized by high "off-road" capabilities and especially by its speed, which allows it to evade Hamas anti-tank rockets. 

Here 

Question.

What isn't Hamas doing that we've seen is making a difference on the battlefield?

Hamas isn't using small drones for recon and attack...especially on IDF armor.

Sidenote.  Why aren't we seeing BIG TIME WORK on anti-drone weapons from the US Army for armored vehicles...I don't care if its software to make existing guns more capable of anti-air work, we've got to get this done!

Back to Major A.

Dude did good work.  He realized the command staff was either captured, dead or soon to be.  He took command, deployed his vehicles and fought them effectively.

I look forward to reading the unclassified after action.

Enhancing Marine Corps Capabilities: ACV training course

Is it just chance or a plan? We've been seeing a whole bunch of stuff on the ACV lately. Is it because the debate about Force Design 2030 is still raging and the backers of that abomination are still trying to push the idea that the USMC is still capable of "force in readiness" missions? As a sidenote. When was the last time we heard the words "amphibious assault" coming from HQMC?

 

Open Comment Post. 5 May 24

 

Saw this post online & makes me wonder why our advancement has slowed down...

 

Saw that on X and it made me sit back in my chair.

That's actually factually correct.  Development of all kinds has slowed dramatically.  Did you know that the time period between the first flight of the Wright Brothers and the moon landing took place in what?  About 60 odd years?

As far as military aviation let's be honest.

We've been riding the coattails of the designers from the 70's and mid 80's for decades now.

WTF happened to us?  

Why is mankind stalling out?

Are we still progressing but its all black programs now?

I have no answers but from what we can see, something is wrong.

Balikatan 24: ACVs Debut in the Indo-Pacific

 

A pack of rampaging pit bulls. Everyday carry, proper bullets & solid bullet placement is a necessity against ANY predator..

Good reason to own a firearm
byu/EducationalCellist41 inFirearms

I've personally never seen a pack of raging pit bulls. I've seen a couple of dogs go after people but this many? Never. Against this threat (and many of the two legged variety), that 17 round magazine in your Glock 45 begins to look kinda small doesn't it. Ya got to carry. Ya got to have a spare mag. I don't advocate it but its been pounded so hard thru out my life that I guess some type of first aid (especially one to stop the bleeding) is a must have too (my thinking is that I make holes, I don't plug them up...but liability & humanity shit I guess).

Back on task.

These dogs were acting on some type of instinct, training or both. They weren't shooting, just biting.  Some animals shoot.

Your hip pocket training is now concluded.

This Russian Commander is either a true believer, fatalistic as fuck, or just plain batshit crazy. If this is your motivational speech then shut the fuck up and let me do what needs to be done!

 

ruzzian garbage only belongs in an incinerator🔥...time to put an end to the putler mafia ⚰️
byu/Due_Collar_3917 inLoveForUkraine

War prizes will get you killed. The bastard responsible for the Tongo Tongo ambush of our Green Berets was neutralized & found with a weapon taken from the attack

 

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Open Comment Post. 4 May 24

 

Wonder how long this Ukrainian general has to live after saying this to the Economist...

 

A top Ukraine general in the Economist:

Ukraine is on the brink. A fresh Russian push’ll test Ukraine severely

It is a matter of time until Chasiv Yar falls; Dark days ahead for Kharkiv

This war will end with negotiations; they won’t happen until late 2025 or 2026 1/ pic.twitter.com/W0dzHNFlm3

— Tymofiy Mylovanov (@Mylovanov) May 3, 2024

This dude has apparently reached the point in life where he has no more fucks to give. Wonder how long this general has to live has an accident resulting in death or great bodily injury.

1st MARDIV Marines learn to integrate, counter drones.....past time to yank Air Defense from the Wing & put it into the Ground Combat Element

 

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Madden Chapman, center, a low altitude air defense officer with 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, teaches Marines during small unmanned aerial systems and counter-sUAS training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, April 29, 2024. The purpose of the training is to improve the effectiveness and consistency of sUAS integration and C-sUAS tactics, techniques and procedures across 1st Marine Division. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jaye Townsend)

I just added the caption to the first pic to show what the class was on.

That's not what I want to talk about.

What I am proposing is that Air Defense needs to be part of the Ground Combat Element and not the Wing.

It might have made sense in the past.  Hell it might make sense now, especially since the Marine Corps is no longer in the business of seizing ground.  

Maybe a force that whose reason for being is to sense and make sense doesn't need Air Defense to be part of the Ground Combat Element if the Ground Combat Element no longer maneuvers.

But I believe that this "Force Design" 2030 concept has a shelf life that is expiring as we talk.  It's days are numbered and the idea of the Marine Corps taking ground will come back in vogue.

With that in mind Air Defense needs to maneuver with the Ground Element and doesn't need the additional friction of confusing masters.

The Wing is morphing into a force that is at the beck of call of anyone and farmed out to any and all in penny packets galore. To be honest that's one of my biggest gripes with Force Design 2030.

The cohesive fighting unit that was once the Marine Air Ground Team that was zealously protected and arguments were held behind the scenes to see it fight as one is long over.

BUT when someone in Quantico gets their common sense back and sees the value of the MAGTF again and even before, Air Defense needs to be on call to protect Marine Ground.

Take the F-35s.  That's part of the reason why the Marine pushed for a "stealth" ground support platform isn't it?  Take the C-130s, use the V-22s for SOCOM, but at least have Air Defense available to protect the GCE when the rest of the Wing is playing pussy for the joint force (as in getting fucked).