6x6 Patria AMV....plus bonus pics of the Guarani undergoing blast testing.

This isn't exactly earth shattering but I was unaware of a 6x6 version of the Patria AMV.  Quite honestly I'm surprised it hasn't been successful.  It can use larger tires giving it a higher ride height, helping to defeat IED's (well at least ground buried ones) and it has one less set of drive gear to do maintenance on.  If wheeled vehicles continue on in service and this isn't just a "fad" then I would bet that wheeled armored vehicles will evolve toward fewer sets of wheels.  Brazil might be on to something.

Speaking of which.  Bonus coverage.  The Guarani undergoing blast testing...Compare that vehicle to the 6x6 Patria AMV.

UPDATE:
I've almost reached the conclusion that the Marine Corps should buy both designs and mix/match the best qualities of each and then have companies bid to produce the hybrid design.  An example would be that we end up with the hull design of the Patria, the automotive components of the SuperAv and the electronics from the Tennix.  Pie in the sky but the Govt once bought designs and had companies produce them.  The old jeep is an example and the F6F is another.  I wonder how much money that approach could save!

Pussification of the military UPDATE.

Geez.

Everytime I feel the need to jump up and defend the US Navy SEALs, it turns out that they've simply SHOT THEMSELVES in the foot because they TALK TOO FUCKING MUCH!

Quite honestly I have never seen a more publicity driven special operations outfit in my life.  Only the SAS rivals them, but they can be excused because they're British and they can't help it once they start tossing back a few pints.

But I'm really having trouble sorting this stuff out with the SEALs.  

US Army Special Forces is as tight as a virgin on her wedding day at 40 years old.  SEALs?  Like a hooker in New Orleans!

US Army Rangers.  You don't hear a thing.  US Air Force Special Ops.  Nadda.  US Marine Corps Special Ops?  Zilch.

But the SEALs seem to keep reaching for publicity and it keeps biting them.  Check out this story from the Virginia Pilot....

The range - often referred to as a "kill house" - is divided into four zones by steel doors, meaning four groups can train simultaneously. Scenarios include a mosque, bank, post office, market and residential compound. In one section, nine chairs painted in primary hues sit behind desks in an elementary school classroom. Other rooms are more sinister, like a torture chamber accessed through a bus station wall.
Many of the details were taken from actual raids over the past decade, said Capt. Tim Szymanski, the commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group Two.
"I don't think there's anything comparable in the continental United States," Szymanski said during a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Instructors will observe from above, using catwalks that criss-cross the building.
Larry Pacifico, who manages the complex, said instructors will control each scenario using an iPad to adjust the lighting and movement of the targets. Cameras will record the action, so SEALs will find out where the bullets they fired came to rest, he said, down to specific bones and organs.

So I was right in my first post (in the comments section) when I stated that this wasn't a range but specifically a kill house.  Interesting.  Most kill houses (and to be honest I only know of two) are restricted, no cameras and no civilians.  But the SEALs had a ribbon cutting and a tour of the facility.  Amazing.  Which leads to how the Council on Islamic American Relations found out about the head scarf wearing female target.

C'mon guys!  You're better than this!  But you can read the whole thing for yourself.  First article here.  Second (where CAIR goes ballistic) here.

Vickers Mk 7/2. What might have been.

Advanced armor like the Challenger...same gun and ten tons lighter.  What direction might tank development have taken if this project had gone forward?

Olifant Mk 2 Main Battle Tank.

I've watched the US' move into Africa with much interest.  Special Ops are leading the way covertly and you see a big contingent of Marines and I would assume soon Soldiers.

It started in the North of the continent and has moved into Central Africa...but one question vexs me.  Why haven't I seen military to military teaming with the nation of S. Africa?  This would seem to be a no brainer to me, they have the most technologically advanced military on the continent (with Egypt being a close second), they're the most stable of all the African countries (including Egypt) and they're experienced when it comes to operations in the bush.

Putting the questions aside, when looking at S. African armor I am impressed.  Take for example the Olifant Mk 2 Main Battle Tank.

The S. African's have taken a 1950's warhorse and made it capable of dealing with almost any threat in the region by itself and it becomes even more formidable when operating as part of a combined arms team.  Military-Today.com has the best info and you can read more about it here.

The Pussification of the military continues.

via BlackFive.

The Navy will not use a target depicting a Muslim woman holding a gun at a new training range for SEALs in Virginia Beach.

The announcement came hours after the Council on American-Islamic Relations asked the Pentagon to remove the target. A picture of the cardboard target, which shows a woman in a headscarf holding a pistol, was published in The Virginian-Pilot on Tuesday.

Read the whole thing and then think about what has been happening to our military and our nation.

The pussification continues.

The wimpification continues.

First we get that the guy is hard as wood pecker lips because he orders the strike on Bin Laden and then we get this.  Worse in my opinion is the fact that we see no pushback from SEAL leadership or SOCOM.  Oh and forgive my French but how the FUCK did CAIR Virginia Pilot get onto a SEAL training range to even know what the targets look like? 

Air Force Vet will bring some class to the NBA.

I'm not a basketball guy.  I watch the NBA only when the finals come around or maybe a few games on Christmas but most of the time I tune it out.

I'm a Kobe fan, a Lebron hater and generally don't give a fuck about the rest of the league.

But when I heard the story of Bernard James I sat up and took notice.  Then I read his story and realized something.  The NBA has their poster.  They finally have a guy that they can point to and say hey...we have good guys here.  Check this out...

Bernard James is from Savannah, Ga., and the real world. He is a high school dropout who joined the Air Force at 16 with his parent's consent, shipped out to basic training when he was 17, did tours in Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq with security and military police, earned his GED, went to junior college, advanced to Florida State and got an economics degree while being named honorable mention All-ACC.
Now James, 27, is officially an NBA prospect, likely headed for the second round as a 6-foot-10, 230-pound power forward with one of the amazing back stories of this or any other draft. Just your typical college player getting thanked after games by fans on the road for his service, just your typical senior eight or nine years older than some teammates.
"I lot of times, I feel like I was babysitting," James said of his two seasons at Florida State. "But I got used to it. I adjusted to it. But now that I'm out of college, it'll be nice to be around adults full-time now."

James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The NBA might be must see TV.  We'll see.  And if I ever decide to buy a jersey it looks like I now have two choices...either Tillman or James.

Read about James here.

Movement to contact.

Soldiers from B Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment,
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, cross an open courtyard in search of a high-value target during a situational training exercise on June 25 at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii. The situational training exercise focused on tactics for a raid in an urban environment and marked the battalion's first platoon-level training of 2012.

4 FireScouts deploy a board the USS Klakring

Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42 departs Mayport, Fla. June 29 with four Fire Scout aboard USS Klakring (FFG 42).With a record number of Fire Scouts aboard the ship, the Navy’s goal is to significantly increase maritime surveillance support to combatant commanders.(U.S. Navy photo)

F-35C flies with external weapons.

The carrier variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flew for the first time with external weapons June 27.

UAVs in US air space.

via AOL

The Army has put together and demonstrated a system of ground-based "sense and avoid" technology that should show the Federal Aviation Administration the military can safely fly drones in civilian airspace without ground observers or chase planes, the project's leader tells AOL Defense.
"We're ready now to start getting the system certified," said Viva Austin, product director for Unmanned Systems Airspace Integration Concepts in the Army's Program Executive Office for Aviation. "Once this system is certified, I think we have cleared a major hurdle. I think we're there."

Read the whole thing but a simple question.

We know that the Army WANTS to fly drones in US air space but can anyone tell me WHY they want to?  There are too many military ranges with tons of space that's restricted for this to be merely for training.  Police dept and the Dept of Homeland Security has drones of their own...so why?

 

Modest Proposal. No more cultural celebrations.

The Montfort Marines were recently honored by the Commandant and SgtMaj of the Marine Corps in Washington D.C.

The celebration was well deserved.

But now its time to stop these celebrations of diversity.  Its gotten to the point of where we are losing ourselves in search of a goal that will divide us.

We are all Marines.  Different shades.  Different sexes.  Different beliefs.  But we are Marines first.  Not Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Female, Male, Gay or Straight. 

These subdivisions are not in the best interest of the Marine Corps....goes against everything that Marines are taught at Boot Camp.

And it goes against Corps Values.

The proposal is simple.  Lets all realize that we're all equally worthless and do away with these cultural celebrations and celebrate the thing that brings us together.

THE ONLY CELEBRATION THE MARINE CORPS NEEDS IS THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY.

The perfect primer on the M27 IAR.

I sometimes get fired up about certain issues.

The lack of leadership that I'm seeing from certain offices in the Marine Corps is one of those things that has me punching walls.

The perfect example of that disconnect between getting a shiny new toy and knowing how you're going to use it is the M27.

Its in the fleet.  Its being used everyday.  But Headquarters Marine Corps, the School of Infantry and Marine Gunners have left the hardwork of "figuring" it all out to the Battalions, Companies and Platoons running ranges/getting ready for deployment.

They have better things to do than to develop doctrine.  Tweak it?  Yes.  Develop it?  No.

If you're curious about the lack of thinking that has gone into the adoption and use of this weapon then I direct you to the Marine Corps Gazette and an article written by Maj John A. Custis.

He digs down into the issues surrounding this system and its well worth a read. Spoiler Alert.  The Major believes that we need this weapon.  I believe that we're taking a blast from the past and just getting capability that was lost when someone got the bright idea that a 3 round burst was a better option than full automatic (the M-16A1 had it!)

Exercise Lion Star 4

Vietnam part deux?

525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade

I've read about the bad ole days of Vietnam.

Leadership shot on patrol.  Grenades tossed into sleeping areas.

Nonsense that indicated a weak force.  A force that was fraying at the edges.  A force that needed to be revitalized.

Welcome to the bad days part 2.  This news out of FT. BRAGG is a warning to every military leader...especially in the Army and Marines.  Check this out from Yahoo News.

A U.S. Army battalion commander was killed by a fellow soldier on Thursday in a shooting incident at Fort Bragg, N.C. The alleged gunman then shot himself and is in custody; a third soldier was slightly injured in the shooting.

An Army statement said the shooting victim belonged to the 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. A battalion is a subordinate command within a brigade and is commanded by a lieutenant colonel. The battalion involved in today's shooting has not been identified.

A Defense official told ABC News that the shooting occurred this afternoon as the battalion was gathered for a safety briefing in advance of the upcoming July 4 weekend.

The safety briefings are usually held by commanders to reinforce good patterns of behavior during holiday periods.

The official says that at some point during the safety briefing an enlisted soldier broke out of formation and pulled a handgun to shoot the battalion commander. Another soldier was slightly injured during the shooting. The gunman then shot himself. He was taken into custody and is listed as being in serious condition.

This official says it is unclear if the handgun the enlisted soldier used in the shooting was a personal weapon or military issue. Army bases usually keep firearms under lock and key at armories unless units are scheduled to use weapons at firing ranges.

The official said the incident occurred two blocks from the Corps' headquarters. An Army statement said, "Fort Bragg law enforcement and emergency responders secured the scene within minutes at the corner of Letterman and Armistead Streets."

At a press briefing late this evening Col. Kevin Arata, a spokesman for the XVIII Airborne Corps based at Fort Bragg, said, "This is a tragedy for our community. We don't yet know the reasons for the shooting, but are working with the unit and the affected families to help them through this difficult period." He added, ""Our prayers are with those who have been affected by this terrible incident."

Special Agents from the Army Criminal Investigation Command are investigating the shooting.

Any excuse given by the gunman is irrelevant.

I personally don't want to hear it.

Oh and before the anti-gun crowd gets going, trust me on this.  No law.  No amount of police presence.  No number of rules or regulations could have prevented this tragedy.  A maniac will always find a way to accomplish his goals.

What should concern the Army Chief of Staff and the Commandant of the Marines is the idea that they are losing touch with those that they lead.

I'm on the outside looking in and I can feel that the ship is adrift.  Why can't the men standing on the bridge see that?

I finally found the perfect gift for Bill Sweetman!

I've been searching for the perfect gift for my buddy Bill Sweetman.  We've had some interesting "discussions" about the F-35 in particular and the Marine Corps in general.

Ya see Bill and the rest of Aviation Week has a real hard on for the F-35 program and well...I wanted to give ole' Bill a gift that would tug on his heart strings and bring him nothing but joy.  So check this out from Scale Model News.

SMN REPORT:

Newcomer kit-maker Kitty Hawk Models has already received praise for its excellent inaugural model, the 1:48 scale Lockheed F-94C Starfire. And now here’s a really badly needed subject to the same scale, the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II.

About time someone came out with a model of the F-35.

I hope ole' Bill likes it...Maybe I should send one to Air Power Australia too?  Maybe Bob Cox?  Yeah Bob would love it!

And you wondered where he's been...

Admiral Mullen slinked out of town to remembered (by me at least) to be one in a series of ineffectual, politically motivated and un-military like Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff that we've suffered through.  It started with General Pace and has continued to this day.

God save us from sorry leadership.

But if you were wondering where the good Admiral's been, then consider that mystery solved...well at least for one day in Sept of this year at least....

Just out of curiosity.

Why do all these gay rights groups always use Marines in their "advertising"?????  Pick a Squid, a Doggie or a Zoomie but leave Devil Dogs alone!

How much does treason cost? About 75 million dollars.

via Defense Talk.

United Technologies Corp. and two of its subsidiaries have pleaded guilty to exporting software that helped China build its first military attack helicopter, US officials said Thursday.
United Technologies, Canada-based Pratt and Whitney and US-based Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation entered guilty pleas to criminal charges and agreed to pay more than $75 million to the government in a settlement, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Pratt and Whitney admitted to selling to China military software that is designed to test and control the company’s helicopter engines, it said. The technology helped China develop a new combat helicopter, the Z-10.

Pratt and Whitney pleaded guilty to violating the arms export control act while United Technologies and Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation admitted to making false statements to US authorities.

The companies had claimed in statements to the State Department that they initially believed their exports would be used for a civilian helicopter that would form the basis for a military chopper. But executives admitted they knew from the start that the software was for a military aircraft, despite a US embargo on arms sales to China, the Justice Department said.
Of the $75 million owed in the settlement, about $20.7 million is due to be paid to the Justice Department and the remaining $55 million will be paid to the State Department. The payments include turning over profits made in the deal with China.
“This case is a clear example of how the illegal export of sensitive technology reduces the advantages our military currently possesses,” said John Morton, director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“I am hopeful that the conviction of Pratt & Whitney Canada and the substantial penalty levied against United Technologies and its subsidiaries will deter other companies from considering similarly ill-conceived business practices in the future,” he said.

So some of the same tech that was initially developed for the engines used in the AH-1Z Attack Helo is some of the same tech that the Bell Helicopter Corporation (a subsidiary of United Technologies) gave to the Chinese.

Once we hung traitors.

Now we fine them.

Ain't it grand?

Kitty GITMO!

A kitten is nestled in the trouser pocket of a U.S. soldier during a Pacific Partnership 2012 veterinary project in the town of San Juan in Samar province, Philippines, June 21, 2012. Pacific Partnership is an annual deployment of forces designed to strengthen maritime and humanitarian partnerships during disaster relief operations, while providing humanitarian, medical, dental and engineering assistance to nations of the Pacific. (Photo by Camelia Montoy)

M27 IAR employment confusion?

Pfc. Kevin Irving, a point man with, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, lays in the prone and shoots down range at targets a part of his evaluation. Marines with the unit were evaluated for their offensive and defensive fundamentals during a training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune June 18-22.

Hmmm.  When I first saw this I was rather jazzed at seeing one of the few clear pics of a Marine using the M27 IAR.  But the caption left me cold.  Are we seeing confusion regarding the employment of the M27 in line companies?  It could be wrong.  The Marine might be boasting a bit, but the idea that your Machinegunner is used as your point man seems off.  I remember writing the 24th MEU asking how they planned on using the M27.  The Public Affairs Officer wrote me back stating that (I'm paraphrasing) they would employ it  as needed in roles that they deemed fit.  I'm good with that.

The M27 was brand new to the fleet, and the book hadn't been written yet.

But getting back to the photo.  You're going to have one of your machine gunners as point man on patrols?

Definitely time for the Infantry School House to start writing up some type of manual on the employment of this weapon.  Its really starting to look like its just being used as another M-16A4 in the field.  If that's' the case then I say again....redesignate it as the M-16A5 and get them in the hands of all Marines.

'Nuff said!

Guarani Amphibious Personnel Carrier and Astros III MLRS accelerated by Brazil.

Astros III

Astros III

Astros III

Astros III

Astros III Command Vehicle

Guarani Amphibious Personnel Carrier

Interesting news from Brazil.  They have fully reinvigorated the once dead AVIBRAS and are accelerating development (with assistance from IVECO) of the GUARANI APC and ASTROS III MLRS.  via Defense Aerospace.

The Ministry of Defence will receive 1.527 billion reals (USD 733 million) from the Accelerated Growth Program (AGP) for defense equipment. The funds will allow the purchase of 4,170 trucks, 40 Guarani armored vehicles and 30 Astros 2020 missile launcher vehicles. The transfer of the funds was approved today (June 27), through a Provisional Measure signed by President Rousseff during a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace.

Overall, this program will allocate 8.43 billion reals (USD 4,046 million) in 2012, and aims to stimulate the Brazilian economy to expand investment and to generate employment and income.

The Provisional Measure referred to the National Congress frees up a budget of 6.611 billion reals that were contingent. The details of the PAC equipment were disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Guido Mantega, to justify the measures taken by the federal government to stimulate the national economy.

To cope with present economic difficulties, the government is taking steps to foster the internal market. In her speech, Rousseff also highlighted the importance of the resource allocation program to the Ministry of Defence for the purchase of equipment for the Armed Forces.

Read the whole thing but check out the last paragraph...they're going to increase domestic buying to prime the pump for export orders (at least that's how I read it).  Brazil obviously has plans on becoming a major player on the market.  The Israel of South America when it comes to arms production must have a nice ring to them.

Additionally South American countries have been in an arms race of sort with many of them buying advanced weapons from the US, Europe and Russia.  A domestic builder that can provide good equipment at great prices would be hard to resist.  Wrap it all up in a few mutual defense treaties and you can see that this is some far reaching thinking.

Check out the AVIBRAS website here.

Final Goodbye

Lance Cpl. Isaac Ramirez, Marine Wing Support Squadron 471, stands guard over Pfc. Nicolai 'Cola' Jensen at the Church of St. Patrick June 24 while his girlfriend, Abby Cuttell, says goodbye. Jensen passed away recently while attending the School of Infantry. He enlisted out of Recruiting Station Twin Cities' Woodbury, Minn., office.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Clinton Firstbrook)

I usually avoid posting pics of Marines that have lost their lives.

Celebrate in public.

Morn in private has always been my view of things.

But the above pic is particularly moving...

No Knock Raids at the wrong location. What would you do?

You're a law abiding citizen.

You mind your business, do your best to not to break the law and you pay your taxes.

What do you do when the Police make a mistake and raid your house --- its their mistake, they've simply jumbled the address but what are you to do?  What about the real possibility that its just gang bangers that are simulated the police?

What do you do?

Lets let that hang for a minute.  Gabe over at Warrior Talk had an article up that addressed this issue.  I invite you to read it for yourself but check out this tidbit.

A SWAT team is like a military unit. You can moan all you want about the militarization of the police and all of that but your tears will not change a thing. Get used to that theme, BTW. When I was on SWAT our view is that "We will always win....even if we have to burn down your entire house by bombing it....we will win". Losing is not an option.  That again is reality....to expect less once the event kicks off is simply stupid.  Period. 

I can see Mr. Bubba Bumpfire now, beating his chest and grabbing his Tapcoe'd SKS, and snarling that he has rights and no SWATdogs are gonna take him down.  Good luck Bubba....Indy law or no Indy law...with that attitude I see you on the deck hog tied...or with a chest full of bullets. Your choice.

Not fair? Get over fair...I deal in reality friend. The reality is that you and your M4 or Custom AK are no match for ten trained guys, working in unison, and coming at a time of their choosing, to take you down. Notice that I have not even gotten into the "right or wrong" discussion.  Why not? Because at that moment in time, it is not relevant.  

Like I said.  Read the whole thing.  But while you're reading it, I want to point out a couple of things.

--Gangs and other crimminals have forced themselves into houses posing as law enforcement officers.  The results have been mixed but lets just say that it didn't end well for the homeowners.
--I laugh when the guy in the article talks about a SWAT team being like a military unit.  FAR FROM IT~!  They can wear the same gear, even drive MRAPs on US roads but they aren't trained to assault through to the objective even in the face of fire.  They aren't built that way.  Additionally, I've had the pleasure to train with several big city Police and Sheriff's depts in S. California and I can tell you this.  When faced with fire from crimminals, the first response is always to retreat and contain the situation.  Not to assault through.  That's why terrorist will cause much blood shed when they hit our shores one day.  Police are not trained to deal with even small numbers of infantry trained individuals.  Check Mumbai for a primer.

But let me climb off my soap box.  Check out this tidbit from Say Uncle's site about a police raid on the wrong house.

 A Minneapolis police SWAT team kicked in the wrong door yesterday during an early morning raid, prompting the man of the house to grab his gun and open fire on the officers who entered the house.“He took out his shotgun and he said if they are bad guys I’ll shoot, I’ll scare them away,” Dao Khang, the brother of the homeowner, Vang Khang, tells the Star Tribune. “He fired first, he told me it was two shots.”Dao Khang says his brother was trying to protect his wife and six children. No one from the family was hit during the exchange of gunfire. Vang hit two officers, but the Pioneer Press says they were protected by ballistic vests and helmets.“I must’ve heard over 20 or 30 shots, I swear, it was scary,” Ruth Hayes, the family’s next-door neighbor, tells WCCO-TV. “It was like 30 SWAT guys out here … it was crazy it was just like havoc.”

Again read the whole thing.  Quite honestly I put that their to confirm to the doubters police SWAT action upon resistance (if you provide them the means to retreat...important caveat!).

But one more story for your reading pleasure.

 Fred Skinner was eating a piece of toast when police from three different agencies burst through his front door with guns drawn, put the 76-year-old in handcuffs, and began ransacking his house in search of drugs. Minutes later, one of the officers noticed a piece of mail on Skinner’s table. The name on it didn’t match the name for the suspected drug dealer the officers were after. The officers asked Skinner if the name on the mail was his. When Skinner said yes, the officer shouted “Wrong house,” and the entire raid team headed out the way they’d come, without apologizing or explaining themselves. They were, according to a department spokesperson, in too much of a rush to get next door, where their suspect was supposedly located.
The Finger Lakes Drug Task Force that conducted the raid is made up of three different departments—The  Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, the Auburn Police Department, and the Rochester Police Department—meaning the cops screwed up in triplicate. Yet nearly two weeks after the March 13 raid, when the Citizen Local News got wind of the story, the police were still refusing to admit they’d made a mistake:

Again.  Read it all.  But the question that is left unanswered is this.

What would you do?

NOTE:  This issue stems from the Indiana law that allows force against Police Officers.  Research it for yourself but I think that this law is a breath of fresh air.

UPDATE 1:  I'm sure I'll have to add more updates to this post.  But let me be clear.  I AM NOT ANTI- LAW ENFORCEMENT.   But I am a realist and I don't forget.  A Marine was killed in front of his wife in Arizona because the police raided his home.  Mistakes happen and people die.  Is it better to be a victim of that mistake and have the police apologize to your relatives or is it better to do what comes naturally and resist, have them reset and get it cleared up?  The choice is yours but because I have decided not to be a victim doesn't mean that I don't respect or worse that I hate law enforcement.

The "Total Recall" reset looks cool...

This looks like it might be better than the original.  Definitely on my must see summer movie list.

High Park Fire Bambi Bucket Drops From A Blackhawk Helicopter

Video by Senior Master Sgt. John Rohrer 140th Wing Public Affairs
This video is a unique angle of a Blackhawk helicopter delivering water to a fire using a bambi bucket. When the helicopter is in position, the crew releases the water to extinguish or suppress the fire below. The shots consist of a take off from the staging field, dips from a nearby pond to get water and several drops on two different fire locations. This action takes place in the High Park Fire to try to mitigate spot fires in the area west of Fort Collins, Colorado.

I hope someone can explain this to me.  And to be clear.

I'M NOT THERE SO I DON'T KNOW!

But it appears that they're dropping on fires in unpopulated areas instead of by houses.  Why?  People are losing homes.  Not throwing stones and I've never even had a real conversation with a fire fighter so what's the theory here. 

MBT-3000?

MBT-3000

MBT-3000

MBT-300

MBT-3000

Type 99A2

Type 99A2...that engine bay looks remarkably like an M1 Abrams doesn't it?

Its definitely time to brush up on Chinese armor.  To be quite honest I've personally been less than impressed with what I'm seeing out of their industry.  Obvious copies...obvious variations on Western themes has had me recoiling in disgust instead of being curious about that nations armor development.

Now we have the MBT-3000.  Strategypage has a story on it here.  Its worth a read, but I'm still left confused.  We have the Type 99, the Type ZTZ99G, the Type 99A2  (seen above) and now the Type 3000.

I'm still not impressed but I will keep a closer watch on their work.

Hold the Line!

Paratroopers with 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division fire at insurgent forces during a firefight June 15 in Afghanistan’s Ghazni Province. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod

Check out some of the Border Patrol's Vehicles.

Yeah...everything from full bore MRAP's to armored ATV's to copies of the Para-rescue guys desired ITV to specially outfitted pursuit boats to finally the best (in my opinion) production off road vehicle going and you have a very brief over view of the Customs and Border Patrols fleet.

And yet they can't secure the border?

Interesting!

Marines, Aussies prepare for war- against each other

The outback.

I wonder how many goldern orb spider bites...snake bites...crocodile bites there will be. 

Even training is dangerous...especially in Australia.  Kinda makes 29 Palms and Range 400 look like a picnic on the Commandant's lawn.

M422 Mighty Mite. A blast from the past.

Go to Vintage Military Vehicles to read more about the Might Mite.

In the late 1940's and early 1950's the Marine Corps was experimenting with using helicopters for aerial assaults and battlefield circulation.

HQMC was pleased with the results of the work being done but identified a weakness in the concept...the lack of tactical truck to be used by these units that were moved great distances by helicopter but leaving the infantry with the back breaking task of moving ammo, heavy weapons and other tools of war around the battlefield.

This task was further complicated by the power of the helicopter in use at the time.  The Sikorsky S-55 served admirably but it was one of the first operational naval helicopters and was underpowered.  In order to bridge the gap the Marine Corps commissioned the building of a mini-jeep to perform all those functions and from this the Mighty Mite was born.

It sounds familiar doesn't it.  And you wonder where the warning "if you don't remember history you're bound to repeat it" comes from!  Anyway the story ends with a short production run because by this time bigger and more powerful helicopters were coming online and the need for an ultra light jeep went away.

And now SOCOM is faced with the same issue that the Marine Corps was faced with during the 1950's and adequately solved but fucked up beyond all recognition today.  The warning is clear.  The Marine Corps mistake should serve as a warning to the guys in Tampa.  The V-22 will probably serve until the late 2020's possibly mid 2030's but a replacement will be found that's bigger, faster and flies higher.  Even now the Marine Corps has the CH-53K waiting in the wings (some claim that the Marine Corps is slowing its production in order to protect the V-22....its performance is offering damn near equal range---decent speed and three times the lift---Congress might start asking questions if they were aware of what's on the drawing boards!) and SOCOM has MH-47's that are down right beasts of aircraft...so why the desire to fit the V-22, a troop transport with an internally transported vehicle when better options are available?

I'll ask the questions if no one else will.

Did we size the ITV to the right platform?  And is SOCOM duplicating the Marine Corps mistake?  Would vehicles sized to fit inside MH-47's and CH-53K's be better suited to the intended role?  Are we ever going to send forces (even Special Ops forces) into an environment where they can't be resupplied or reinforced via heavy lift helicopters or cargo airplanes?  And if they're going to operate where they can be supplied, reinforced or supported by those airplanes then why are we doing this?

Military procurement has suffered because of the wars.  Where once we proposed concepts, tested those concepts and then war gamed those same concepts to see if they worked in our method of operations, we now just propose concepts, get them built and ship them out to the fleet.

We have got to do better....

Read about the M422 here and here and here.

NOTE:
Ok.  Now I can let the Marine Corps role in the selection of its ITV go.  Only updates on future vehicles will be covered.  I just needed to rant!

The Growler ITV debacle. A warning to SOCOM

SOCOM is looking for an Internally Transportable Vehicle to fulfill the role of Fast Attack Vehicle.

Let's all hope and pray that SOCOM learns the lesson provided by the Marine Corps sloppy procurement of this General Dynamics product.

The following video is an indictment of everything that the Marine's are suppose to be about....

-be a "best value" for the tax payer...
-getting OUR MARINES the best gear possible at the best price.
-oh and last but not least...having honor and integrity.

Watch these videos and weep for your Corps.





Thanks BB1984 for setting me straight on the Growlers history.  This is the website to the Rae Beck automotive...the vehicle that lost out to the Growler.

Clown of the week....maybe the year.

I was over at Stormbringer's blog reading some of his stuff (its good you should check it out) and I ran across this guy.

Warning.  If you're political correct, sensitive when it comes to profanity, under 18 or think that calling another human something other than a child of God is offensive then you should stop reading now!

With that out of the way .... CHECK OUT THIS WALKING, TALKING, PIECE OF SHIT!  Element's of Power I'd love your take on this "highly decorated" airman.


Absolutely amazing.  What kills me is that most of these imposters, fakers and posers are able to join but instead of going and testing themselves they would rather lie.


Amazing isn't an adequate description.  Pathetic hits closer to the mark.  Read about this asshat here.