Ground Mobility Vehicle contestants so far...

Generaly Dynamics Jamma...well used to be Jamma.

Navistar Saratoga.

Navistar Special Operations Tactical Vehicle.

Legacy Ground Mobility Vehicle.

Armored Ground Mobility System.

The vehicles above are either in use or being considered for use by various units in SOCOM.  The Legacy Ground Mobility Vehicle is a favorite of the Rangers and SEALs, the Armored Ground Mobility System is supposedly used by the Rangers, Special Forces and Delta.

This contest will get crowded and should prove to be interesting.   I can't wait to see how this shakes out.  Oh and we can't forget the most popular Ground Mobility Vehicle in SOCOM.

Marine Personnel Carrier Threshold Requirements.

I was going over a few documents yesterday and ran across the MPC Threshold and Objective requirements.  To say that they appear to be somewhat challenging is an understatement.  Challenging but doable.

Having said all that, the need to swim from ship to shore...provide a crew station for the senior troop commander that provides observation points without electronics, the ability to mount a current or projected Marine Corps weapon that allows direct fire support for 1000 meter assault....

I think we'll see this project winnow down to just a couple of companies rather quickly.  But read it for yourself below...

MPCAnnexA

A fighter jet is taken down by a bird

Crazy!

First night takeoff for the F-35C

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Matt Taylor ascends in F-35C test aircraft CF-2 June 13. The flight was the first night takeoff for the carrier variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and evaluated the aircraft’s night lighting system. The F-35C carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter is distinct from the F-35A and F-35B variants with its larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear to withstand catapult launches and deck landing impacts associated with the demanding aircraft carrier environment. The F-35C is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

24th MEU's Force Recon practices TRAP mission.

Nice video but its a shame.

Remember when the 82nd Airborne once practiced airfield seizures?  Well the Rangers were looking for a mission so they took it away from them.

Remember the O'Grady rescue?

The men of the 24th MEU should.  3rd Battalion 8th Marines was the Battalion Landing Team for that float and guess what?

They're the ones that pulled it off.

Force Recon...Maritime Raid Force...needs to be absorbed back into MARSOC.  As it currently stands they're just taking missions away from the Battalion Landing Team.  Besides...any recon will or can be conducted either by UAV, Sats or SNIPER teams....

The US military might field 3 different V-22 internally transportable vehicles.

Formerly the Force Protection Jamma...now...who knows what GDLS will name it.

via the postandcourier.com

The defense giant that acquired Summerville-based Force Protection Inc. last year is in the hunt to build a new tactical vehicle for the U.S. military.

General Dynamics Land Systems said Thursday it has submitted a formal proposal to participate in the U.S. Special Operations Command’s Ground Mobility Vehicle program.

The Sterling Heights-based company filed its bid with the defense unit’s headquarters in Tampa, Fla. A sample vehicle was delivered on May 30.

Special Operations Command plans to buy up to 1,300 high-speed tactical transports under its so-called GMV 1.1 program, but it has not yet picked a supplier.

A contract is expected to be awarded by January, with production ending in mid-2020.

Read the entire article, but the US military might be in the awkward position of having three different internally transportable vehicles.

GDLS EFSS & Light Strike Vehicle for the Marine Corps to fill the ITV role.

GDLS Flyer ITV which rumor has it USAF pararescue likes for their ITV.

And these are just the offerings from General Dynamics.  To be quite honest I lost track of all the different competitors for the ITV role but surely other manufacturers are going to be entering these contest and only the Marine Corps has fielded a version.

Besides a Ground Mobility Vehicle for Rangers (and other SOCOM units if they see fit), you have the Para-Rescue guys that are looking at a vehicle...you can bet money that Naval Special Warfare will want their own ride (c'mon can you see SEALs using a vehicle that isn't boutique?) and because of their mission set Special Forces might need a unique vehicle too.

Long story short....vehicle standardization isn't even possible within SOCOM much less across the rest of the DoD.  Perhaps we should stop trying?

Friday Funny.

The Puma Suit and Elements of Power's take on the F-22 issues.

Elements of Power goes over the issues with the F-22 in one of his blog posts...very informative stuff but what actually blew me away was his short talk about the Puma Suit.

Back during the development of the F-22 the USAF was aware of the altitudes at which the F-22 would be operating and had a decision to make.

Either wave the restrictions on the normal flight suit at those altitudes or develop a new pressure suit to help safeguard its pilots.  The USAF chose to roll the dice on new tech and it MIGHT be coming back to bite them.  Read his entire post but I wonder if it could be as simple as a pressure suit to solve the F-22's woes.