Wednesday, March 07, 2012
They're all following the script.
DoDBuzz has the story up about the abbreviated flight that the F-35 took down at Eglin. Read it here.
I won't even bother to quote from it. Its just a bunch of mush about the short flight...how it represents the problems that the program has been having...yada, yada, yada.
It makes the critics smile but the only reason why this story is on my radar (besides getting tired of seeing it regurgitated all over the internet) is the fact that many outstanding defense reporters are missing the larger, more important story.
Someone, somewhere has accelerated this program.
We will see flight training at Eglin this year.
Pilots will start getting checked out on this airplane THIS year.
That's the real significance of the flight yesterday. And no one in the mainstream media gets it.
That's just unreal.
Winglets coming to a C-5M, C-130J or a P-3 near you.
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
SEAL Team 17????
Who are these guys?
Is this a real deal SEAL team or something else?
Curious.
Geez. I hope Lex is ok...
I follow Lex religiously so when this news came I was stunned.
I hope he's ok...
I hope his aircraft wasn't involved in this accident...
Even training is dangerous.
Go to Lex's site here.
I hope he's ok...
I hope his aircraft wasn't involved in this accident...
I've said it once, I'll say it a thousand times.
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Authorities say a pilot for a defense contractor is dead after an Israeli-made military fighter jet crashed at Fallon Naval Air Station in northern Nevada.Base and company officials say the F-21 Kfir (kuh-FEER) aircraft crashed just after 9:15 a.m. Tuesday inside the west gate of the military airfield, about 60 miles east of Reno.Petty Officer 1st Class Doug Harvey says it was snowy and foggy at the time.Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. official Matt Bannon in Newport News, Va., says it's too early to say what caused the crash of the single-seat, single-engine aircraft. Bannon says the name of the pilot won't be made public until his family is notified.The aircraft is one of several types that the company provides under contract to the U.S. military.
Even training is dangerous.
Go to Lex's site here.
Let me clarify my stance on SOCOM.
I've been getting e-mails to lay off the SOCOM.
Maybe. But lets be clear about more than a couple of things.
1. Yes, I'm going to repeat myself. SOCOM is as large as 3 Army Divisions. Yet they still leverage support from the conventional forces, have a budget that is beyond massive (the part we can see) and we don't know how large the part we can't see is.
2. We see enormous duplications in capabilities and mission sets. The Rangers are the Army's raiders...enlarge them. The Special Forces are the premier trainers. If they're taking back that mission from conventional forces then enlarge them. But as for the rest of SOCOM? It just doesn't make sense.
3. SEALs have been in the news far too much. Quiet Professionals? You're shitting me right?
4. MARSOC is seeking to enlarge itself from Regimental strength to only God knows what. If the Marine Corps shrinks to 150,000 then you'll see MARSOC absorbing a tremendous number of available boatspaces...all to follow a vision that is no longer viable...additionally it duplicates both Rangers and SEAL mission sets. Force Recon being assigned to MEU's is a much better use of those assets.
I'm not anti-SOCOM but SOCOM is busted and needs better leadership. The SEAL BullFrog in charge right now is the wrong man at the wrong time. Glory seekers and bureaucracy builders are not whats needed in that organization. Quiet Professionals are.
MRAPs. The forgotten armored vehicle.
We're getting hit with a slew of stories covering Army and Marine Corps efforts at vehicle modernization.
You can check them out here and here.
But it occurs to me that whats been missing in all these conversations is the future of all those MRAPs that we have in service.
Are we going to keep some in storage?
If so then how many?
What is the plan on how and when we deploy them? Do we take a certain percentage of casualties before its time to bring them out and ship them to theatre?
Or are they headed for the scrap heap because they're for use in counter insurgency's and we're out of that business?
We have alot of work to do before we get all this sorted out.
In the meantime, the Secretary of the Navy (yeah his sorry ass again) is rolling out a Michelle Obama special.
Note:
I stand corrected. The work is being done...but unlike Navy SEALs these guys are operating in the background, getting the job done behind the scenes.
Awesome!
The statement on the SecNav rolling out a Michelle Obama special on the Marines and Sailors still stands though.
You can check them out here and here.
Are we going to keep some in storage?
If so then how many?
What is the plan on how and when we deploy them? Do we take a certain percentage of casualties before its time to bring them out and ship them to theatre?
Or are they headed for the scrap heap because they're for use in counter insurgency's and we're out of that business?
In the meantime, the Secretary of the Navy (yeah his sorry ass again) is rolling out a Michelle Obama special.
Note:
I stand corrected. The work is being done...but unlike Navy SEALs these guys are operating in the background, getting the job done behind the scenes.
Awesome!
The statement on the SecNav rolling out a Michelle Obama special on the Marines and Sailors still stands though.
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