LAPD fist bump after body slamming mom!?!?

Oh this is bad.  This is real bad.

One trend that the US military needs to stop and stop right now is the trend toward closer cooperation with law enforcement.  Its a road lined with peril and if it isn't stopped then you'll see the military lose the trust of the people that it now enjoys.  But back on this injustice....Read the whole story here.

I'm calling BS on that Aviationist.

used without permission but he has this nasty ass watermark all over it so....

The Aviationist has an article up saying that the F-16's used in the Wild Weasel role will get the F-35 paint treatment.

I'm calling bullshit on that. Go to his site to read the whole thing but a tidbit.

All the U.S. “Wild Weasel” F-16s are being given a new paint job similar to the one of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
It is called “Have Glass 5th generation” as it represents the evolution of the standard Have Glass program that saw all the F-16s receiving a two-tone grey color scheme made with a special radar-absorbing paint capable to reduce the aircraft Radar Cross Section: in fact, “Vipers” are covered with RAM (Radar Absorbent Material) made of microscopic metal grains that can degrade the radar signature of the aircraft.
For the moment, the JSF-like paint job will be applied to the F-16CM (formerly CJ) Block 50 Fighting Falcon aircraft that can carry a  variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface ordnance, including  HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles) and precision-guided munitions.

I went to site to ask him where he sourced the story from and he said they wished to remain anonymous.  Ok. Cool, but I'm still saying bullshit.

First the F-16 is about the most unstealthy airplane flying.  To get from here to there you have to hang gas off its wings.  Want a stealthier airplane?  Try conformal fuel tanks...but paint?  Additionally the maintenance challenge has yet to be determined.  I THINK it'll be less maintenance intensive but you'll still need to put in work.

Last, why would you do it?  Besides the cost, I would think that other priorities would get those dollars.  Extended range weapons, upgraded cockpits and avionics...there are a whole host of things that could be done to make this more cost effective.  But an even better reason is that this is the one area where UAVs will definitely be useful.  The X-47 is primed to take over this role.

Naw.  This paint job story just don't sing.

UPDATE:
This was the response on TWITTER...

 well, this means you've never heard about Have Glass. Google it before writing such things.

Hey I get that.  And trust me...I haven't heard of "Have Glass" but that still doesn't make the story any less probable.  The Dew Line just ran a story on F-16 upgrades and they're aviation guys too.  They made no mention of any stealth treatment from the F-35 being applied to the F-16.  Additionally Lockheed Martin would be singing to the rafters about another benefit of the F-35 program being applied to legacy aircraft.  So betwen all that and the money crunch I just can't see it.

Don't get me wrong.  Where I come from you can call bullshit on your best friend and it not cause a fight.  Its just two guys not agreeing on a given bit of info.  I like David.  I'm just calling bullshit on this particular story.

Know your enemy. China launches Type 52D Destroyer.

Type 52C Destroyer via China Military Review.

Type 52D Destroyer via China Military Review.

This is the trouble with China.

They're pumping out ships and planes so fast that identification issues that we had with the Soviet Union are going to look like child's play in comparison.  Not only are they producing new models but they're also introducing product improved models of existing designs.

There is an additional issue too.  Look at all those VLS tubes.  Remember my fictional attack on a carrier battle group?  Add to that mix a couple of these ships armed with the Chinese Tomahawk anti-ship missile and it becomes even more difficult for our guys to survive.

Read about the new Type 52D here.

Launching AAVs from LCACs at Sea.

Sea launch of the mechanized raid force from LCACs.

A concept you might not have heard of but is part of "LCAC Doctrine" and is even part of the manual on the employment of LCACs.  I've never seen it actually employed but according to the book, the operation can only be performed in sea state 1 and there is much talk about safety considerations.  I totally get that but what has me intrigued is the idea of extending the range of our AAVs without having the expense of the EFV's hydroplaning.

With all the experimentation that's going on (or supposedly going on) you would think that the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch along with the Navy LCAC crews at Pendleton could come up with some innovative procedures that could let us make best use of this concept.

The manual states that the LCAC is to come off cushion, remove tie downs, lower stern ramp, get underway at a speed of approx 3 knots and launch the AAV's.

Why can we add some type of cushioning to the interior sides of the LCAC to protect it from a vehicle that might get jostled around...use wheel chocks instead of tie downs and (this is perhaps the hardest part too...how do you launch an AAV from an LCAC without coming off cushion?) launch the vehicles at speed.

Whatever the AVTB and the LCAC crews come up with will be a big improvement over what we have now.  It should allow us to have over the horizon reach with our amphibious vehicles and not just helicopters and perhaps most of all, it'll give us another option to present to the Combatant Commanders.

Oh and did I mention that the LCAC manual also talks about launching small boat raids at sea using a similar technique?

I'm becoming more and more convinced that our LCACs can be a massive force multiplier if we would only get a bit creative.

MCRP 3-31.1A Employment of Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC)

SEAL Author on 60 Minutes..

This guy just won't stop.  I don't know if he's just stubborn, needs the attention or if this is part of his book deal but damn it!

I can't wait to see what the boys over at SOFREP have to say on this one. 

More pics of the F-35B in formation...

F-35B test aircraft BF-2 and BF-4 fly in formation over an Atlantic Test Range on Aug. 22, 2012, to collect data on handling characteristics.

Photo release: F-35B aircraft in formation

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – F-35 test pilots Marine Corps Maj. C. R. Clift and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Burks fly BF-2 and BF-4 during a formation flying qualities test in the Atlantic Test Range Aug. 22. Testing formation flying qualities provides data on handling characteristics. The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter designed for use by U.S. Marine Corps, as well as F-35 international partners in the United Kingdom and Italy. The F-35B is capable of short take-offs and vertical landings to enable air power projection from amphibious ships, ski-jump aircraft carriers and expeditionary airfields. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River, Md., prior to delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

NAVAIR Clips: AARGM Live Fire

The Navy conducts a live fire test for the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) at China Lake, Calif. in June 2012.