Blast from the past. A couple of awesome light aircraft that the USAF ignored.

Everyone is excited (well a few people are anyway) about the possibilities that a Tucano or AT-6 could bring to the USAF...particularly in the Special Ops realm.

Few remember that the USAF has had some pretty awesome clean sheet designs that they refused to even fund...

How about the Ratun Ares Concept?



Or if that does nothing for you then how about the SM-27 Machete?

I'm not throwing stones at the Air Force on this.

I happen to believe that future air support will require larger, higher performing aircraft in order to be successful and survivable.  But the point remains.  If this is a valid requirement then we can do better than the Super Tucano.

Military exercises in US cities.

I've noticed many Marine Corps and especially SOCOM exercises that are taking place in and around local communities.

I've always questioned why.  The Marine Corps and SOCOM both have elaborate mockups that mirror local towns and cities so the training in civilian areas just doesn't make sense.

Additionally I've seen an uptick in the number of training evolutions that are conducted with federal law enforcement agencies.

Why a civilian law enforcement agency would seek to train with the military also escapes me.

The tactics are different.  When a Marine Squad assaults a building it isn't done with protecting civil liberties...it isn't done with the idea of preserving evidence.

That my friends is a fact!  NO MATTER HOW MANY CLASSES ARE GIVEN ON COMBAT POLICING, YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE DYNAMICS ON A BATTLEFIELD.

So with all that being said, can someone explain the uptick?  Can someone explain the rationale?

Maybe the tinfoil hat crowd isn't so crazy afterall.  Especially when it seems like the Army is getting into the game.

Ten Principles for Success

Ten Principles for Success
Major Dick Winters Easy Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Div. “The Band of Brothers”

• Strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage.
• Lead from the front.  Say, “Follow me!” and then lead the way.
• Stay in top physical shape, physical stamina is the root of mental toughness.
• Develop your team.  If you know your people, are fair in setting realistic goals and expectations, and lead by example, you will develop teamwork.
• Delegate responsibility to your subordinates and let them do their jobs.  You can’t do a good job if you don’t have a chance to use your imagination and creativity.
• Anticipate problems and prepare to overcome obstacles.  Don’t wait until you get to the top of the ridge and then make up your mind.
• Remain humble.  Don’t worry about who receives the credit.  Never let power or authority go to your head.
• Take a moment of self-reflection.  Look at yourself in the mirror every night and ask yourself if you did your best.
• True satisfaction comes from getting the job done.  They key to a successful leader is to earn respect not because of rank or position, but because you are a leader of character.
• Hang Tough!Never, ever, give up.

From Beyond Band of Brothers, The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters, by Dick Winters and Col. Cole C. Kingseed. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 2006. page 293.

Interesting.

The basic concepts for success are varied but essentially the same.  Leading by example...physical fitness...positive attitude and never quiting.

On a side note the Army's uniform of WW2 is so much more...elegant...than the modern version.  I wonder why they don't go back to it.  And someone tell me how Winter's is able to look like a million bucks while living at an adhoc base!  Even in a black and white photo those boots are gleaming.

Oliver Ehmig for the Daily Mail.

Ehmig's photos are awe inspiring.  The photo essay done for the Daily Mail is outstanding and the guys website is something that MUST be seen.  Check out his site here and his photos are below....

Viking amphibious tracked vehicles retired from British service.

Thanks for the article Jonathan.

via Defense-aerospace.com

Military vehicles have been withdrawn from the frontline after they failed safety checks.
Armoured Viking all-terrain vehicles were used in Afghanistan but have already been replaced by Warthogs.
The MOD wanted to give the Vikings to Royal Marines for frontline use but those plans were scrapped when damaged from carrying too much weight was discovered.
-ends-

Too bad.

When the discussion first started about the Marine Personnel Carrier, I suggested that the Marine Corps should consider this vehicle...especially since I could not find any rationale for it being wheeled.  With the British experience of this type of vehicle failing safety checks and not being able to stand up to IEDs, it would appear that the perfect all terrain vehicle is headed to the scrap heap.

Damn Right...try the Army...they're next door.

Wow!

Joe and a couple of other people are gonna have a cow but this had me saying WTF!

I don't care what side of the political isle you're on this is just plain sad, stupid, pathetic and arrogant.  When I first saw this on Drudge and then followed the link to WeaselZippers.us I thought it was a gag...then I followed the link to the Obama site and its legit.

Just Wow!

F-4 shotdown...

via Reuters.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Syria had admitted it had shot down the plane and apologized, BBC Monitoring reported, citing Turkey's state news agency Anatolia.
Turkey said earlier it had lost contact with one of its military aircraft off its southeastern coast after it took off from Erhac airport in the eastern province of Malatya.
Turkish officials said Erdogan, who was returning to Ankara from Brazil on Friday evening, would convene a security meeting with the interior and foreign ministers and the chief of general staff. They did not say what would be discussed.
Turkey's military said a search and rescue operation was under way. Two crew were aboard the F-4 jet, Anatolia said.

Latest reports say the crewmen were recovered in ok shape.

The Middle East is primed to pop.  The US and European economies are staggering along.  Even China is facing a slowdown.

All we need is some trigger to make the whole world go boom and we could be looking at regional war.

2012 is proving to be quite interesting.