Monday, June 04, 2012
IDF river crossing...
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IDF ground forces practice a river crossing. The drill included
soldiers from combat engineering, tanks, artillery and infantry units.
Photo taken by Ori Shifrin, IDF Spokesperson's Unit
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BAE's MPC Contestant...
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| Jamie Eason...fitness godess! |
Why?
Because the Geeks (I say that with love and respect) at BAE fantasize about armored vehicles the way that I do about Jamie Eason.
Check out the vehicles that they developed in the past few years...many of them self funded!
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| RG-41 |
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| GCV |
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| RG-34 |
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| RG-35 |
Time to find out whats what. Its time to call BAE and get the real 411 on this program, the vehicle and the thought process behind it all.
Like I said. BAE pops out new armored vehicles like a constipated goose spits shit after being fed ex-lax. More to come.
Sapper Course Helocast.
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| Soldiers helocast into Lake of the Ozarks during the U.S. Army Sapper Leaders Course Nov. 2, 2009. The Sapper Leader Course is a 28-day, joint-service course designed to create elite combat engineers in all aspects of mobility, counter mobility, and survivability at the U.S. Army Engineer School in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. |
MPC program and Armada International's take on it.
First. Armada International is a new magazine on my reading list. A buddy of mine threw one my way and its definitely packed full of the type of info that I'm interested in. This passage PARAPHRASES bits and pieces from an article in that magazine. You can check it out online here.
Second. What happens when the Marine Corps puts out a request for information on a new Marine Corps Personnel Carrier and you have BAE basically blowing it off (they have one of the most dynamic design teams on this planet yet teamed with Iveco instead...and Iveco is mostly interested in winning the Italian Marine Corps contract/satisfying those requirements). General Dynamics almost ignoring it (haven't heard a peep from them and most agree that we'll see a revamped Piranha III as offered to the Spanish and Brazillian Marine Corps), Singapore Technology jumping in late (probably because they see such lack luster interests) and only Lockheed Martin/Patria really digging in and looking like they're trying to win?
You're looking at an industry that has for the most part decided that the Marine Corps acquisition system is at best in flux at worst fucked up from the floor up....or an industry that has decided that the spirit is willing but the funding isn't.
But that's just my take on things. Go buy the Armada International magazine to read the entire article but here are some juicy tidbits on each of the competitors in the contest.
The Havoc...
The magazine really talks about three big ideas with the Havoc. First its going to be a great swimmer. Second, its going to have modularity built into it...so much so that it could be offered with the same engine as the revamped AAV or the new built ACV. Those two facts alone should have the Marine Corps jumping for joy. These vehicles are suppose to all fit under the Amphibious Assault Battalions banner so not having to train mechanics or crewmen on different engines should be a cost saver. Third and probably not a big deal to many is the fact that they changed the layout from the over 1500 vehicles that they've already sold to accomodate Marines and their equipment. Blast resistant seating doesn't work if a Marine can't fit into it with full gear on.
The Super AV...
I was really shocked by the tone of the article regarding this vehicle. They talked on and on about the work done to make sure that this vehicle is an excellent swimmer...even going so far as utilizing Dutch Marine Corps facilities to validate their work. They also talked in glowing terms about the vehicle being in the pipe line since 2006 to meet an Italian Marine Corps requirement. A shocker for me was the description that they hadn't yet met the requirement to "fit" 95th percentile Marines in their vehicle. Have you taken a look at the average Marine Rifle Company lately? Even the little guys are getting big! That alone has me scratching my head wondering if BAE/Iveco is seriously trying for this contract.
General Dynamics...
They didn't provide any information for the story. That means (at least to me) Piranha III or maybe even EVO dressed up. I just don't get the feeling (at least from the outside looking in) that they're fully into this. The Army has its Stryker upgrade program going hard...they're trying to win the contract to replace the M-113 with Strykers and you get the idea. The plate is full and the Marine Corps program is just slim pickings.Singapore Technology...
Wow. I almost feel sorry for these guys. The article didn't even list them as a competitor. They're a longshot and I really wouldn't be surprised to see them pull out of the competition. Its a shame too. They really had an outstanding weapon in the Ultimax 100 that probably should have gotten a better hearing with the IAR comp. They'll survive and probably prosper...just not with this program.Summation: Not much has changed since the last time we glanced at this program. We just have confirmation on some of the theories that were put forth a little while ago.
This should be good (the competition) but its importance should not be underestimated. They're about to pick one of the vehicles that Marines will ride into combat for probably the next 20 years or more.
75 mile torpedo? The sea base itself is vulnerable.
Air targets are easy. We plan for anti-air operations. Our systems are geared toward massed air attacks.
Mass launches of torpedos from launchers on land at the sea base might be a totally different kettle of fish.
Dbl_SeaHake_01The product guide gives very little info. And to be quite honest I'm not too concerned about this particular missile from this particular company.
What concerns me are the copy cats that will seek to duplicate this technology.
Either way the littoral zone just became alot more hostile.
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Politically correct Marine Corps bows to pressure again...
BEAUFORT — A controversial decision by commanders to again refer to a Beaufort F-18 squadron as the “Crusaders” has been reversed by a three-star general, according to Marine Corps officials.Wow.
Lt. Gen. Terry Robling, deputy commandant for aviation, issued an order April 30 that Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 discontinue use of the Crusaders nickname and a logo that featured a red cross on a white shield. The squadron will retain its identity as the “Werewolves,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Plenzler, a Corps spokesman.
Robling’s order came about a month after the unit’s commanding officer, Lt. Col. Wade Wiegel, announced during a 70th anniversary party the unit again would be known as the Crusaders, a nickname the squadron used from 1959 to January 2008.
In 2008, the squadron changed back to its World War II-era nickname, the Werewolves, before a combat deployment to Iraq later that year. The name change was partly because unit commanders thought the Crusaders nickname would not be well-received by Iraqis and others in the region.
I'm not surprised in the least. Notice that the Commander tried to maintain tradition...esprit de corps....tried to maintain a touchstone to the past and was summarily over ruled by the Deputy Commandant for Aviation?
The closer Marine Corps leadership is to Washington the more pussified they become. And you wonder why patches like this are so popular among the troops....
German Boxer IFV with Lance turret
Interesting. via Defesa Global.
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Germany´s
Rheinmetall Defence is to show at Eurosatory 2012 international
exhibition a ARTEC GmbH BOXER equipped with the LANCE turreted weapon
system. The turret is armed with a 30mm gun and additional armament such
as smoke grenades launchers and a coaxial light machine gun.
BOXER
is being deliveries in several configurations to the Royal Netherlands
Army and to the German Army. Some of the Piranha IIIC amphibian wheeled
armoured vehicles procured by Spain´s procurement agency DGAM (Dirección
General de Armamento y Material) for the Spanish Navy marines
Infantería de Marina (IM) are equipped with LANCE turreted weapon
system. LANCE system is also available in a remote controlled variant
(as LANCE RC).
A
BOXER command post vehicle of the Germany Army will be also displayed
as well as the 4×4 AMPV (Armoured Multi Purpose Vehicle) light armoured
vehicle, the brand new Amorok M lightweight vehicle, TG, HX and SX
series of tactical trucks from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH
(RMMV), SLR observation system, Vingtaqs II combined electro-optical
reconnaissance and battlefield radar system mounted on the AMPV vehicle
as a mobile reconnaissance solution, FOI 2000 laser target marking
system (in service with Sweden and Norway) for forward artillery
observers and forward air controllers, Gladius (IdZ-2) dismounted
soldier system and as well as Rheinmetall Air Defence AG Skyshield
MOOTW/C-RAM air defence system.
At the event, RMMV is showcasing an advanced version of the protected
HX series heavy tactical truck equipped with and active protection
system.
Vingtaqs
II system will be integrated into the reconnaissance variant of AV-8
armoured vehicle being developed by Turkey´s FNSS Savunma Sistemleri AŞ
and Malaysia´s DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (DEFTECH) for the
Royal Malaysian Army (RMA).
At
the Paris based event, General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag
GmbH is showcasing a Piranha 5 weeled armoured vehicle equipped with a
LANCE turret.
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