The CNO and why the Navy is shaky on the F-35C.

Remember the news that the CNO made when he talked about stealth?

I went high and to the right...initially I thought that he was stuck on stupid because of the failure of the A-12 program.  But just like everyone else I overthought the issue.

Its much simpler than that.  The US Navy and by a bit of arms twisting the USMC are the only buyers for the F-35C.  It is on track to be the most expensive, least produced model by far.  The CNO wasn't actually doubting stealth, he was outlining a plan on how to reduce the buy and justify doing so.  Its a matter of priorities.  Carrier Air must survive even if its relegated to second day of war missions only.  His proposal to concentrate on payloads over platforms is Eurocentric thinking.  Its the same bullshit that EADS uses to sell Eurofighters, Dassault uses to sell Rafales and Boeing is using to sell F-18's.  They're hoping that Meteor or AIM-120D's can keep the bad guys at bay.  They're hoping that upgrades to avionics (brought to them by the work done on the F-35) will keep their airplanes viable....

He's hoping to keep all his carriers....even if it means putting a second class fighter on their decks.

That statement was about image over substance and a hope that a war against a peer/near peer won't happen till the budget is good to go again.

Marine Air has a speed problem.

Above you see the basic parts of the MEU's airwing.

AH-1Z, UH-1Y, MV-22, CH-53 (soon to upgrade to the K model) and soon the F-35B.

Guess what boys and girls?  We have a speed problem.  I didn't even include the CH-46 because its headed out to pasture as we speak but the problem lies mainly with the AH-1Z, UH-1Y and their relation to the MV-22.  Theoretically both those helicopters can be used as escorts for the MV-22 but realistically its a dead issue.  The MV-22 flies too fast and far for the AH-1Z to be of much use...much less the UH-1Y.

The answer is probably a drastic re-working of the MEU's airwing.  If the future holds raids from the sea as one of the primary combat missions then we'll need more F-35's on deck....almost no AH-1Z's....only a few (as in one or two--and that's assuming that the Navy doesn't have an H-60 around) UH-1Y's...and the remainder of the airwing being composed of only MV-22's and CH-53K's for lift.

All escort, ground support etc will have to fall on a drastically increased fixed wing component.  I remember reading in the Gazette about how stoked AH-1Z pilots were because they wouldn't have to tell CH-53 pilots to slow down while on escort missions.  With MV-22's coming online and CH-53K's soon after, AH-1Z pilots won't have to ask them slow down, they'll have to ask them where they are cause they'll be so far behind.


Which brings me to an uncomfortable thought for Marine leadership.  In order to get those needed F-35B's might it be time to consider cutting the F-35C purchase and buying F/A-18E/F's to fulfill the carrier air wing requirement?  It would free up money to help preserve the MEU's air wing and get more F-35B's on our amphibs.

Photo 01 Aviation Photography's Iraqi 407 ARH Pic.

Amazing.  The Iraqi Army is fielding the Bell 407 Armed Recon Helo designed to the same specifications that the US Army spelled out and they're getting it before our forces.

Single source procurement might be the way to go if this is an example.  Simply decide what you want, work with the manufacturer to get a realistic AND reasonable price AND get the gear in the hands of our guys in the military.

SIDENOTE:  Head over to Photo 01 Aviation Photography's webpage and check out those funky exhaust "defusers" or whatever you call them.  You can barely make them out in the photo above but I've never seen any other helicopter with that particular setup.  What gives I wonder.

M1A1 and M88A2 sporting Saab Barracuda Camo System

Thanks DWI for these photos.  I never heard about Barracuda Camo before and its pretty interesting. 

Militarized Police and Citizen Missteps.

Check out this vid.

The people that posted this video will want you to believe that the police over stepped the bounds and that this was an unjustified arrest.

Bullshit.

When asked to present an identification by Police you must comply.  If you believe that Police are acting unjustifiably then you have the right to file a complaint or law suit later.

This guy crossed the line when the officer tried to place him under arrest and prevented him from handcuffing him.  At that time he officially RESISTED ARREST and if he injured or in the case of him resisting caused the officer to injury himself, that little game of patty cake would have turned into FELONY RESISTING.

Additionally the female YELLING in the background was also wrong.

But this goes back to the issue of the people and its Police becoming divided.  Do you remember the OPEN CARRY movement?  People legally walked around with weapons on their hips in order to spark a police response.  I believe we're seeing that movement evolve into these little run in's with police.

My prediction.  Its gonna get much worse and one tiny spark will ignite certain cities unless these minor run in's are managed properly.

MRAPs go to Korea.

Wow.

Pretty awesome news.  Not awesome in a good way but more like awesome in the ... DOES ANYONE IN D.C. HAVE A CLUE!...kinda way.

I could be wrong (I could easily be wrong) but I haven't heard of any ideas, guidance, planning or policy regarding the use of MRAPs in regular Army formations.  Read the entire article from Stars and Stripes but check out this....

“Beyond the increased force protection MRAPs offer our soldiers, MRAPs provide the 2nd Infantry Division the best platform for ‘mission command-on-the-move’ systems that allow our commanders to take command-post communications (and) command-and-control capabilities with them while circulating the battlefield,” he said.
Asked if the 2ID was concerned how North Korea might respond to the MRAP testing, Scrocca said, “The addition of MRAPs improves the 2nd Infantry Division’s force protection capabilities and enhances our ability to preserve peace and deter aggression on the Korean peninsula.”
Officials said most, if not all, of the MRAPs being delivered to South Korea were previously deployed in either Iraq or Afghanistan and were refurbished in the U.S.
Mutter said U.S. military officials want to “capitalize on our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan” in figuring out how MRAPs might best be used in South Korea.
To the best of his knowledge, Mutter said, this month’s deliveries mark the first time MRAPs have been on the Korean peninsula.

Read the whole thing but I would pay good money for one of these people to look at a reporter and say...Hey buddy I just don't fucking know!

But they won't.  Instead we get bullshit like..."enhances our ability to preserve peace and deter aggression"....

Geez!

Long story short.  The US Army and Marine Corps will store most of these vehicles, will give a few to federal, state and local law enforcement and the rest will be gifted to foreign countries.

They won't become a part of regular units except for maybe a few EOD and Military Police outfits and this will be looked back as a tremendous failure.  Not because they were bought in a hurry but because too many were bought with no plans for the future.

Too funny.

Of course if that doesn't hit your funny bone then how about this????


Fat Girl Faceplants Off a Mechanical Bull - Watch More Funny Videos

F-35B BK-2 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti flew the 1.4-hour inagural flight of F-35B BK-2 from NAS Fort Worth JRB on 11 July 2012. BK-2 (serial number ZM136) is the second F-35 produced for the United Kingdom.The aircraft will join other F-35s at the training center at Eglin AFB, Florida, later this year.