Japanese AAVs?

Interesting.  If the Japanese are actually looking to buy AAVs then that would make them the second country in less than a month that's shown interest in the vehicle (the first is Brazil).

This puts the AAV upgrade/ACV development in a totally different light.  IF the Japanese are interested then the AAV upgrade/ACV programs will probably merge.  This could be just the kind of news that the Marine Corps needs to help save its vehicle programs AND a bit of money.

The only thing left is to solve the doctrine issues.  Why do we need MRAPs in storage and JLTVs?  If we need JLTVs then why are we only replacing a portion of the HUMVEEs with them instead of replacing all of them?  If we're upgrading the AAV, developing the ACV then why do we need the MPC? If we need the MPC then why develop the ACV and upgrade the AAV?

We're spending money without a plan as to why.  This is why I say Marine Corps procurement is jacked up.

Uncle Jimbo goes hard against the author of the Bin Laden tell all.

Wow.  Check this out from Black5..

One of the SEALs from the bin Laden raid has apparently written a book about the operation.

The book, titled “No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama bin Laden,” was written by a former SEAL team leader who the publisher said was “one of the first men through the door on the third floor of the terrorist leader’s hideout.”

He uses a pseudonym, but I know his name and it will likely come out shortly. The bottom line is that doing this makes you a douche of epic proportions. There was whining about how former operators were pointing out that leaks about classified ops were hurting our security. They were called unprofessional, which was unfair. They were not giving out info, they were saying that the giving out of info was a dangerous thing This jackass is going to spill the details of the raid so he can cash in.
Dear Loser,
Enjoy the money, you are now dead to all the rest of us.
Cordially,
Everyone else from the Special Ops community

I said it once and I'll say it again.  Special Forces especially but the rest of SOCOM too, won't be putting up with this SEAL self promotion vibe they have running through that community.

This incident is going to give the SEALs a very bad name in the rest of the Special Ops Community and the fallout hasn't quite hit yet.

NOTE:

I just realized something after re-reading Uncle Jimbo's post.  This Navy SEAL has probably put himself, his family and other members of SEAL Team 6 in danger.  If this guys name comes out and UJ thinks it will, then it will be a pretty easy matter of back tracing his steps and finding out the names of other guys.  Maybe not directly but by some good internet searches, a little leg work and determination.  And you can bet that AQ will want to kill the men that performed this mission.  Even if they don't someone around the world probably has an axe to grind. I wonder if this guy realizes the shit he's started.

Don't blame the SEAL, blame the publisher!

Brandon Webb over at SOFREP has a weird take on the author of the tell all book about the Bin Laden raid.  A few tidbits before he changes the article to make it sing better....

Our opinion is that the publisher at Penguin clearly had no concern for National Security or Operational Security (OPSEC), or they would have not published this book. Should publishers have more accountability? We say yes.

(My Comment:  You have got to be shitting me.  The publisher is wrong but the author gets a pass?  Bullshit)
+

The Internet and social media has created a world where headlines live and die depending on who’s first to Tweet about it.  It’s something that is causing major headaches in the US Special Operations community.

“The Admiral (SEAL) has locked down all media projects until further notice”- A SEAL Master chief recently told SOFREP.

(My comment:  Too damn late.  McRaven was told by an old time Special Forces General to get out the media.  He laughed at the guy.  Bet he ain't laughing now)

One thing is becoming apparent from the outside looking in.  The SEALs might be the rock stars of the Special Ops world but they're gonna pay a price for all this.  The whole community is. 

Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring

USMC. Procurement Doomsday Is Here.

Check out this story from Reuters.

The Marine Corps' decision to proceed with training flights amounts to a vote of confidence in the embattled F-35 fighter program, which has been restructured three times in recent years, slowing production and delaying the plane's operational use.
Marine Corps leaders, increasingly concerned about replacing their current fleet of aging fighters, decided to skip the formal evaluation of the plane's operational utility that the Air Force is completing before proceeding with its own pilot training flights at the base.

Don't be fooled.

Part of this is about the F-35 but most of it has to do with a procurement doomsday that is here now and only going to get worse.

The Marine Corps needs to start clearing the books on some projects....wonder why?  Check out all the programs that the Marine Corps is running now....

*F-35
*AH-1Z
*UH-1Y
*MV-22
*KC-130J
*Marine Personnel Carrier
*AAV Upgrade
*Amphibious Combat Vehicle
*CH-53K
*JLTV
*Internally Transportable Vehicle
*MTVR
*KMAX UAV
*LAV-25 Upgrade

And those are the things that I remembered off the top of my head.  Those are all major programs being done at the same time with the prospect of budget cuts, not increases!

Then notice how many of those programs are big dollar aviation projects.

By rushing the F-35 into the field, they'll essentially wall off the money, will tie in defense jobs to the planes production and will be able to play the old game of asking for supplementals to replace the ancient ground equipment.

Still.  Look for the JLTV to be cancelled (the Marine's buy anyway), expect the AAV upgrade or the ACV to compete for defense dollars...we'll do one but not both and finally (and I hope I'm wrong) but look for the CH-53K to get pushed further out.

The trainwreck is here for the Marines.

JLTV downselect winners.

Thanks for the link Jonathan!  Wow.  Read the entire article but BAE lost AGAIN!  I don't know whats going on.  They seem to have solid designs yet can't catch a break in these selections.

via DefenseNews.

The U.S. Army and Marine Corps have selected three vehicles for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, with the announcement coming Wednesday evening.

The awards were somewhat surprising, since two of the three went to companies that submitted their designs in March, as opposed to bidders who had been working on the program since its inception in 2005.

The awards went to AM General, ($64.5 million); Lockheed Martin ($66.3 million); and Oshkosh Corporation, ($56.4 million). AM General and Oshkosh are the new bidders.

In a notice posted to a government contracting website, the Army said that the firm-fixed price contracts cover the 27-month EMD effort, and that “approximately $99.5Mwas obligated for the three contractors by this action, with initial funding of approximately $28M to $36M for each contractor. The balance of the funding, up to full base contract amount, will be provided in FY 13 and FY 14.”

The Army says that it plans to purchase 50,000 vehicles, while the Marine Corps is looking to buy 5,000.

The three industry teams who won technology development contracts in October 2008 included BAE Systems and Navistar; General Tactical Vehicles (General Dynamics and AM General); and Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems.

But on March 28, Navistar left the BAE-led team to offer the Saratoga Light Tactical Vehicle, and AM General and Oshkosh both announced they were also striking out on their own to submit independent bids.

The announcement today — barring a protest — shuts out original TD winners BAE Systems and General Dynamics, as well as newcomer Navistar.

Just plain wow.

General Dynamics seems to be mailing it in lately when it comes to these contests (I mean really?  How could they think that the Duro Eagle could compete...they didn't even design a new vehicle!) and the BAE loss just has me stumped.  I can't wait to read the rationale behind this decision.

Oshkosh

Lockheed Martin

Have the US Navy SEALs lost their fucking minds???

via Soldier Systems.

We recently posted a video entitled, “Dishonorable Disclosures” by a group named OpSec that was making a case that the Obama administration had been releasing details of special operations for political gain. Their timing couldnt have been worse. We knew that a major book was on the horizon (and they should have to) by a bin Laden raid participant so we were a bit cautious about the whole politicized thing. Since the OpSec group is headed by SEALs it would surely make them look kind of foolish if an even bigger leak came out by a fellow SEAL. Well, now that book has been announced. According to a report by ABC News, “The book, titled “No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama bin Laden,” was written by a former SEAL team leader who the publisher said was “one of the first men through the door on the third floor of the terrorist leader’s hideout.” See the ABCNews story for details on the upcoming book by “Mark Owen.”
While we are certainly looking forward to reading the book, we hope that the group OpSec will attempt to maintain their legitimacy by also working to educate the public on any damage that this book might cause. Here’s your chance to do the right thing guys.

Man I hope this is all a false news story.

I HOPE IT IS!

If it isn't then someone needs to get that community together and tell them to knock it off!  I'll never forget when Admiral McRaven was told by an old time retired Special Forces General to get out of the news media.  The Admiral laughed at him.  I bet he isn't laughing now.

Special Operations always complains that Big Army or Big Navy or Big Whatever always gets in the way and keeps them from operating the way that they would like.

If shit like this keeps up you can bet that Special Operations will be snatched back again....and just think...a few months ago McRaven wanted Combatant Commander status to deploy his forces world wide!

Golani Brigade at the Golan Heights (Namer APC in action)