First asymmetric weapons load test for F-35B

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – On June 14, F-35B Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft BF-2 completed the first test flight for the short takeoff and vertical landing variant with an asymmetric weapons load. Cmdr. Eric Buus flew BF-2 with an AIM-9X Sidewinder inert missile on the starboard pylon, a centerline 25 mm gun pod, and a GBU-32 and AIM-120 in the starboard weapon bay. Significant weapons testing for the F-35B and F-35C variants is in progress, including fit checks, captive carriage environment characterization, and pit drops. Aerial weapons separation testing is scheduled for this summer.

The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. Marine Corps, capable of short take-offs and vertical landings for use on amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields to provide air power to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

F-35 avionics. State of the art!

Between this video and the question and answer article on DoD Buzz, its beyond obvious that the F-35 will bring unprecendented capability to US and Allied Air Forces.

Birds of Prey

CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters and MV-22B Ospreys land aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, June 18. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, boarded the aircraft to be flown to various training areas on base. The II Marine Expeditionary Force and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing are conducting Exercise Mailed Fist throughout the week resulting in a surplus of aircraft available for training purposes and aerial infantry operations.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Andrew Johnston)

PHOTO 01 Aviation

You have got to check out this guys photos.  Click here.

On a sidenote.  Can it be argued that the Kiowa has been the most effective attack helicopter for the past 10 years?  Lower operating costs, avionics that are just as good and pretty capable in the counter insurgency role...this might be the future....dedicated attack helos might be going away and the role taken over by utility/recon types.  Just sayin'.  And now...courtesy of the US taxpayer, they're about to get thier Armed Recon Helicopter before the US Army!

Special Ops takes aim at Obama....

Wow.


If you thought these guys are good at direct action then you should see them when they get started in the realm of politics!


Austin Bay penned an article at Strategy Page that pointed me to their website and I fully expect the White House to be taking full frontal assaults within the next few days!


Check them out for yourself.

RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames...new company alert!

Can you name the company that just supplied Iraq with an OffShore Support Vessel?

Can you name a company that's pretty much operating under the radar but is putting together a pretty impressive line of ships and boats designed to operate from the littoral zone on out?

If you can't then let me introduce you to RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames...check out their website here, but be advised...these guys seem like they have their stuff wired tight....more to come (if they answer e-mails!).

OSV 401 for Iraqi Navy.

Australian Army Exercise Predator Strike 2012.

Note:  Those Abrams look pretty beat up.  Australia is a whole different kind of nasty when it comes to terrain.  Marines are gonna get some "good" training in the outback...

Dereliction of duty to help the President?

via Wired Danger Room.

“How could we think to invite the DOD IG [the Pentagon inspector general] in during an election cycle?” Caldwell allegedly upbraided subordinate officers who favored an outside inquiry in fall 2010. Caldwell, supposedly in an “emotional” state, yelled, “You should know better!”
The accusations are laid out in a letter sent to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (.pdf), who calls the incident an apparent “cover up.” The Wall Street Journal first reported the letter’s contents.

President Obama “calls me Bill,” Caldwell allegedly bragged, according to the letter. The general supposedly didn’t want to spoil that first-name relationship with a messy inquiry into corruption and wrongdoing at Afghan hospitals.

Since then, Caldwell has assumed command of US Army North in Texas, one of the Army’s most prestigious posts and the latest in a series of plum assignments

If this is true then we are witnessing the worst generation of Generals in our nations history.

The Republicans are busy nailing the AG to the wall.  They'll get to this and its gonna be nasty.  I'll be keeping an eye on this one but at least the officers that were junior to this General were trying to do the right thing.  I guess we can feel proud that from Major and below the military still has common sense.