Saturday, November 27, 2010

The military is protesting in S. Korea? This might be more serious than the pundits think.


When the military starts protesting, you've got a serious shit sandwich on your hands.  Well that's whats happening in S. Korea.  This will MIGHT not end well.  I have to admit that I didn't think much of what was going on over there but now it seems that the possibility of some type of military action occurring might be up from 1% to about 25% now.  One miscalculation by the North and its stone age time for Seoul and refugee crisis for China (at least thats what the 'chattering' class believes...I would bet that the minefields on the border with S. Korea would get a heavy workout).  This is via CNN.
Members of the South Korean military protested on the streets of the nation's capital Saturday, stating they were angry that their country's government had not done enough to respond to recent shelling by North Korea.

Now these are the RoK Marines that I remember.


via Yahoo News.
"All Marines, including Marines on service and reserve Marines, will avenge the two at any cost, keeping today's anger and hostility in mind," said Lieutenant General Yoo Nak Joon, commander of the South Korean Marine Corps.
"We will put our feelings of rage and animosity in our bones and take our revenge on North Korea."
~Lieutenant General Yoo Nak Joon, commander of the South Korean Marine Corps.

Brazil's Marines bring AAV's to the fight.


via The Wall Street Journal.

I'll let you read the article for yourself, but what's interesting is that Brazil's Marines are using AAV's to give their police armored transport.  The Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais  are a para-military police organization thats well respected and quite capable in their own right.  As a matter of fact they have several armored vehicles that have stood the test in the slums of Rio.

Things are much worse than I even thought if they need BOPE, Special Military Police, Brazilian Marines and the Brazilian Army to fight in these areas.  Interesting.  All photos are from either the Wall Street Journal (AAV with police above) or Wikipedia (BOPE emblem to the right).

Friday, November 26, 2010

For sale to the highest bidder. How sad for a once mighty Navy.


Thanks Joe.  I wish they had sunk her instead.


Sale by Tender - HMS Invincible 
HMS Invincible is for sale by tender. Laid down in 1973 at Vickers Shipbuilding, Barrow-in-Furness, she was completed in 1980. She is currently stable for tow, subject to buyer confirmation.
Displacement - Current 17000 Tonnes
Estimated metal weight - 10000 Tonnes
Estimated metal % - 95% mild steel
Length - OA 210m, W/L 193m
Draught - Fwd 5.2m, Mid 5.8m, Aft 5.8m
Beam - Extreme 35m, Ex-walkways 32m, W/L 27.53m
Height - 46m (estimated at current draught
Engines - Removed
Generators and Pumps - Generally unserviceable or not working
For fuller information, please see the General Particulars.
Manufacturer: Vickers Shipbuilding

Yeah and I know they're selling her for scrap...still. Its just sad.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Brazillian Marines join the fighting in the city slums.


Amazing. Via Reuters.

"We have no deadline to stop operations. We're going to continue giving logistical support ... to transport police troops for as long as needed," said Colonel Carlos Chagas, commander of the Marine logistics battalion.

F-35C on the tanker

I never get tired of the F-35, and if you wonder why I post so much about it then check out all the anti- JSF sites out there.  All photos are from Lockheed Martin.








Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Strategy Page's TSA bumper stickers.

Too funny, but too true.

Aftermath of the N. Korean artillery strike.


More at Military Photos.net

If this didn't rate a retaliatory response then what does?

German CH-53's in Afghanistan.

Kinda makes you wonder if the early retirement of the MH-53J was really a smart move by the USAF doesn't it?

What the F-35C will bring to the fleet.


Hat tip to ELP...I'm starting to like this Dr. Goure!

There is no more strategically agile, operationally responsive and tactically flexible platform in the U.S. arsenal than the aircraft carrier. Properly supported as part of a carrier strike group (CSG) and sustained by the world’s best aerial and sea-based logistics system, the aircraft carrier can exploit the vast spaces of the open oceans to threaten U.S. adversaries and provide needed assistance to friends, all while minimizing its vulnerability to hostile action. This is accomplished by the CSG’s ability to establish a broad section of the open ocean as its operational maneuver space. The boundaries of this space are determined by the maximum range at which carrier aircraft can strike their targets, the maximum range at which threats to the carriers from missile and air-breathing threats can be detected and the greatest distance the resupply flights can reach the carrier. The greater the range at which sensor platforms, strike systems and resupply aircraft can operate, the larger the strike group’s operational maneuver box and the more flexibility and survivability it will have.
Over the years potential adversaries have paid the CSG the singular complement of focusing much of their naval strike assets on defeating it or at least denying it a workable operational maneuver box. The Soviet Union tried trailing the carriers with surface ships and submarines, tracking it with airborne and even space-based sensors and threatening it with massed raids by supersonic bombers. China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy is reported to have developed a maneuvering warhead for a long-range ballistic missile with the intention of using them to defeat the CSG.
But the carrier strike group is deploying a number of capabilities designed to counter the emerging threat and ensure that the carrier and its escorts have the maximum operation space within which to maneuver. First, there is the new F-35C Joint Strike Fighter. With around double the range of the current FA-18 E/F, a more powerful radar and better avionics, the F-35C can increase the strike range for the strike group and provide enhanced air defense. Then there is the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, just entering deployment, The E-2D is a game changer when it comes to managing the air defense battle and supporting strikes against land and sea targets. With its improved radar, new sensor suite, upgraded avionics and a massive communications sweep, the Advanced Hawkeye can significantly expand the safe operational box in which the CSG will operate. Finally, there is the certainty of resupply anywhere in the operational box. Today, that job is performed by the venerable C-2 Greyhound which carries supplies, personnel and mail out to the carrier. The Greyhound’s substantial range, high service ceiling, pressurized cockpit and large cargo ramps allows it to support the carrier’s under all kinds of environmental conditions, and at extreme ranges. The F-35C, E-2D and C-2 will contribute to making the aircraft carrier one of the most effective and survivable platforms in the U.S. Navy’s fleet.
The reports of the demise of the aircraft carrier are premature to say the least. The above mentioned programs will provide the aircraft carrier a new lease on life. Moreover, other technologies now under development such as electromagnetic launch, high-powered lasers and unmanned combat air vehicles will fundamentally change the role and power of the carrier in future warfare.