Monday, August 09, 2010

Israel should be nervous. Very nervous.


If a repeat of the 1973 war were to occur today there is every possibility that the Israeli nation could be defeated.  With Arab nations obtaining Typhoons, F-15s, F-16s, M1 Abrams, high speed anti-shipping missiles, MLRS, high tech attack helicopters and other advanced weaponry the technological advantage once enjoyed by the Jewish state has all but disappeared.

This latest sale to Saudi Arabia is troubling.  Who are they arming up to fight exactly and how many airplanes do they actually need for their air force?  Via FoxNews.

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration plans to sell advanced F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia but won't equip them with long-range weapons systems and other arms whose inclusion was strongly opposed by Israel, diplomats and officials said.
The proposed $30 billion, 10-year arms package, which would be one of the biggest single deals of its kind, has been a source of behind-the-scenes tension during months of negotiations. Israeli officials have repeatedly conveyed their concerns in private that the U.S. risks undermining its military advantage by equipping regional rivals with top-flight technologies.

Saturday, August 07, 2010

Have you noticed it???

Blogging here has been light due to extra demands at work...but have you noticed it?

The military "social networking sites"...those places that I go to for daily updates on the war in Afghanistan and the situation in Iraq have virtually embargoed news of what's happening.

Marine Corps News has been running stories non-stop on the partnership mission in Africa.  Navy News is all atwitter about the various partnerships in S. America.  Army news is focused on tech advancements and dependent matters...the Air Force?  Don't know and don't care.

But for some reason, the Afghan war is off the radar screen of those closest to it.

No one seems to have noticed.

Have you?

US Marines train Mozambique Troops.

I've watched the stories coming out of a current US Marine Corps deployment to Africa.  I wonder if this is what our military should be doing.  These countries have poverty rates that are absolutely breath taking.  They have a history of instability...and yet the highest profile contact that they have with the US is our warriors training their military.  I'm not sure this is the way to go.  I'm not convinced that this is the way to counter the Chinese.  Nevertheless here are a few pics.


BOANE, Mozambique-A Marine with 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, demonstrates the uses of the M203 grenade launcher ahead of a live fire exercise with Mozambican troops Aug. 5 in Boane, Mozambique, as part of Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2010. The exercise which is coordinated by U.S. Africa Command’s Marine component, U.S. Marine Forces Africa, brings together more than 700 U.S. service members and Mozambican soldiers for the purpose of increasing Mozambique’s capacity to carry out peace and stability operations., Lance Cpl. Jad Sleiman, 8/4/2010 10:49 PM
BOANE, Mozambique-Mozambican soldiers practice martial arts during a break from a live fire exercise with U.S. Marines Aug. 5, in Boane, Mozambique, as part of Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2010. The exercise, which is coordinated by U.S. Africa Command’s Marine component, U.S. Marine Forces Africa, brings together more than 700 U.S. service members and Mozambican soldiers for the purpose of increasing Mozambique’s capacity to carry out peace and stability operations., Lance Cpl. Jad Sleiman, 8/5/2010 10:47 PM

AH-1Z inching toward service.

100802-N-3852A-366 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 2, 2010) An AH-1Z Cobra helicopter assigned to Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron (HX) 21, based in Patuxent River, Md., approaches the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). This upgraded version of the Cobra is not yet available to the fleet. The helicopter features a larger engine and has two more blades than the Cobra's original two, giving it more power and maneuverability. Wasp is conducting test flight operations and was chosen as the platform to evaluate the limits and capabilities of newer models of aircraft. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rebekah Adler/Released)
100802-N-3852A-035 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 2, 2010) An AH-1Z Cobra helicopter assigned to Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron (HX) 21, based in Patuxent River, Md., lands aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). This upgraded version of the Cobra is not yet available to the fleet. The helicopter features a larger engine and has two more blades than the Cobra's original two, giving it more power and maneuverability. Wasp is conducting test flight operations and was chosen as the platform to evaluate the limits and capabilities of newer models of aircraft. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rebekah Adler/Released)
090216-N-1251W-018 GULF OF THAILAND (Feb. 16, 2009) Landing signalmen enlisted Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Kevin Bourne, from Brooklyn, NY assigned to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) signals an AH-1Z Super Cobra assigned to the air combat element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) signals an AH-1Z Super Cobra Harpers Ferry and the 31st MEU are taking part in Exercise Cobra Gold, an annual Thailand and U.S. co-sponsored joint coalition multinational military exercise designed to train a Thai, U.S. and Singaporean Coalition Task Force. The exercise will also include humanitarian civic action projects with participating nations from Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Matthew R. White/Released)


*Note*
Navy social media is probably the best of all the services.  The website is updated constantly, and is beyond easy to navigate.  They do have one problem though.  Aircraft, ship and weapons identification is lacking.  The AH-1W in the last photo is mis-identified as an AH-1Z.  T

Latest from Lexington Institute.

 

Read the entire article but check out this snippet... 

Long-time critics of the V-22 program are again trying to go after the program, seeking now not to terminate it but merely truncate the production run and substitute for the Osprey slower and less capable aircraft. This is ironic since both the Marine Corps and the Air Force would like to see production of the V-22 increase.
Substitute the F-35 for the V-22 and you see history repeating itself.  Its funny too.  The same supporters of additional F-22's, the A-330 tanker and cutting the V-22 are all opposed to the F-35.

Amazing.

Thursday, August 05, 2010

PEO Soldier's Equipment Piece of the week.

PEO Soldier has been running an "Equipment Piece of the Week" article for a while now.  This is their latest.
SW_IW_M150                                                            

Jungle Training.

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan (Aug. 5, 2010) -- -Second Lt. Brett Howard, platoon commander for Combined Anti-Armor Team 1, teaches Marines how to pick alternate positions in case of compromise, August 3. The training prepares Marines for an upcoming deployment with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler C. Vernaza), Lance Cpl. Tyler Vernaza, 8/3/2010 7:25 AM
CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan (Aug. 5, 2010) ---Lance Cpl. Vernon Graham, vehicle commander with Combined Anti-Armored Team 1, briefs a plan of approach before conducting a foot patrol, August 3. The training prepares Marines for an upcoming deployment with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler C. Vernaza), Lance Cpl. Tyler C. Vernaza, 8/3/2010 9:53 AM
CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan (Aug. 5, 2010) -- -Gunnery Sgt. John Schmuck, platoon sergeant with Combined Anti-Armor Team 1, talks with Marines about different types of ambushes and the best ways to employ them during jungle warfare training, August 3. The two-day exercise taught various techniques to help Marines operate in a jungle environment. The training prepares Marines for an upcoming deployment with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler C. Vernaza), Lance Cpl. Tyler C. Vernaza, 8/3/2010 8:26 AM

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Some F-35 news you didn't hear...


This from Defense News.com
U.S. Air Force chief Gen. Norton Schwartz is considerably "more optimistic" than he was this spring about the future of the F-35 Lightning II program given the significant progress being made on the plane's test program
"I am more confident than I was, to be sure," about the F-35A - the Joint Strike Fighter version his service will fly - due to a recent string of testing successes with the jet, Schwartz said during an Aug. 4 meeting with the editorial staff of Defense News and Air Force Times.
Read the whole thing but the Air Force buy is critical.  To hear the Air Force Chief stating such reasoned thought when it comes to the F-35 is a pleasant surprise.

The critics have failed.  This airplane will be placed into full rate production.

Oh and for my boys at Lockheed...go on and destroy the tooling for the F-22...we won't be needing it!

They report, you decide.


This story from FoxNews is...breathtaking.  If the accusations are true then those that state that the Obama administration is weak and apologetic are completely vindicated.
The son of the U.S. Air Force pilot who dropped the first atomic bomb in the history of warfare says the Obama administration's decision to send a U.S. delegation to a ceremony in Japan to mark the 65th anniversary of the attack on Hiroshima is an "unsaid apology" and appears to be an attempt to "rewrite history."
That's just a snippet.  Read the whole thing here.

CH-53K advances.

via Hartford Business.com
The Stratford helicopter maker, a unit of United Technologies Corp. in Hartford, says the new design of the 47-year-old copter has passed muster with military reviewers and is now headed for assembly, testing and evaluation of a K-model prototype of the CH-53.
Hmm.  This re-design seems to either be sliding in under everyone's radar or we're seeing a new trend in future weapons procurement.

Don't go with a clean sheet design, simply upgrade an existing platform to the hilt...If the 53K can escape the bean counters barbs because its "an upgrade" then we should do this across the board in the future.

Sunday, August 01, 2010

Still no information regarding the circumstances for the murdered Sailors.

Its been seven days since news first broke of the missing and since murdered Sailors in Afghanistan.

What's puzzling is that no further information has been released regarding the circumstances that led to them taking the wrong turn into Taliban controlled territory.

In every previous instance of a missing US serviceman being captured or missing, the circumstances have come out rather quickly.  This time its different.

The only hint that we have is the rather cryptic statement from Admiral Mullen...
"from what I know right now, this is an unusual circumstance."
What does that mean?

What do they know that they're not telling us?

The Wikileak scandal is eye opening in one regard.  The US government/military has classified information that is widely available.

These Sailors were not in a Special Ops Unit.  They weren't in a Combat Outfit.  They were admin...So the question remains....What were they doing out there???