Gates backs Troops.

Nice to hear.  From FoxNews.com

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday defended the soldiers shown firing on a group of people near Baghdad in a classified military video released last week, saying the troops were caught in a "split-second" situation and the video doesn't show the "broader picture." 
Gates acknowledged that the grainy, black-and-white video showing men on the streets running from gunfire while U.S. troops appear to make playful remarks, is a "hard thing to see," but said he doesn't anticipate the footage will hurt the U.S. image abroad. 
"It's unfortunate. It's clearly not helpful, but by the same token I think it should not have any lasting consequences," Gates told ABC's "This Week." 

Slightly surprising too.  To be honest I've been waiting for a bit more anti-military statements from this administration.  Gates and Jones must be keeping things in check.

Quote of the week- ending 4/11/2010.

I don't know who "Fridge" is but I like him already.  This was posted on Ares in another F-35 furball.

This has become a self-sustaining vortex of mis- and disinformation. Sure would be nice to hear from some truth-seekers for a change...

KC-130J Harvest Hawk.

Remember the Harvest Hawk?  Well, information on the program and its status has been no where to be found since its announcement last fall.  Its suppose to be in theater this summer...but again we have no information on it.  With that in mind did anyone notice the placement of the targeting system?  Its co-located on the left fuel tank.  NAVAIR has been making a habit of this set up --first with the IRST on the Super Hornet and now with Harvest Hawk.

The retrofitted KC-130J will use an AN/AAQ-30 Targeting Sight System located under the left wing's external fuel tank to give the fire control operator eyes on target from more than several thousand feet away. Lockheed Martin equipped the aircraft with a AGM-114P Hellfire II weapons rack, in place of the left-hand aerial refueling pod, that can carry a maximum of four air-to-ground Hellfire missiles for close-air support.

What's interesting is that the Air Force and Special Ops Command is following this setup in future examples of both tanker and attack C-130s.  Future ordnance setups might include SDBs and even AIM-9X if the ground attack version can be perfected.

Convair R3Y Tradewind

I have got to find an aviation 'grey beard' and have him give me a little background on this airplane.  Why this concept never caught on is beyond me.  But one thing is sure...nothing is new under the sun.  Sea Basing is just a rehash of what they were attempting in the 50's!  So much for advanced logistics.

NAVAIR and SeaPlanes.

Found this while searching NAVAIR's archives.  Interesting.  It wouldn't be the first time that sea planes were used in a logistics/assault role either.  The Convair Tradewind Sea Plane was probably the best example.

1092848197_seaplanes Wo Animations (Sname-09dec2003)

Karzai to veto military action?

Oh you have got to read this from the TimesOnline....Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, threatens to block Nato offensive

AAVs from the USS Ashland...

I don't quite get this one.  The Ashland is performing an anti-piracy mission, supporting the 24th MEU on their African Partnership for peace mission AND acting as part of the Theater Reserve for Central Command?!?!?!?!

Way to go.  The video is of the AAV Platoon doing a landing.  If you watch carefully you'll see gear being lost off one of the vehicles.  Gear adrift is a gift....