16 Air Assault Brigade Pathfinders and 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) conduct ATV training....

Joint mobility training between the 16 Air Assault Brigade Pathfinders and 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) Green Berets rolls through Uwharrie National Forest March 26-27, 2015. The two forces continue training together for the 82nd Airborne Division CJOAX in April. 3rd Special Forces Group Green Berets routinely train with their conventional and allied nation counterparts and recognize the importance of maintaining these crucial relationships.

Polish Armed Forces Acquire Long Range Reconnaissance Vehicles

via Defense24...

The Armament Inspectorate has started a procedure, aim of which is to acquire long range reconnaissance vehicles for the Armed Forces. The programme is known under the name of “Żmija” (Polish for “Viper”).

Aim of the procedure is to procure 118 “Żmija” long range reconnaissance vehicles within the period between 2016 and 2022. The new vehicles are going to have a dry weight of less than 1700 kg, and maximum permissible weight which is not to exceed 2600 kg.
According to the information provided by the Armament Inspectorate, the “Żmija” vehicles, with a 4x4 drive-train, are to be capable of transporting 3 persons (driver, commander and gunner), along with the relevant armament and cargo, mass of which is not to be lower than 900 kilograms. This would make it possible to conduct 7-day long reconnaissance operations.

Read it all here.

I wonder why everyone is getting these ultra light combat vehicles.  One wrong turn, one proper ambush, one bad driver and you have casualties galore.

The theory is sound.  I would bet body parts that the first combat experience will be terrible.

Ukraine receives first batch of Humvees...

Thanks to Jonathan for the link...

More pics and the story here.

Of note?  The President of Ukraine's "BDU's" and sidearm in a thigh rig!  Just wow.  The dude is rocking a Serpa rig with what looks like a Glock 17!  Just plain wow.

Navy Matters: What's Wrong With This Picture?

Navy Matters: What's Wrong With This Picture?: Our uniformed military leadership is currently parading in front of Congress, pleading for more money and inferring (actually, flatly stati...

2nd Cav's "Smarden Tactical" has made it to Romania...

Note:  Are we looking at multiple 2nd Cav units on the move or just one?  Can't keep up with this.

Prelude to civil war in Ukraine...what's left of it that is???

Thanks to Fabsther for the info.

via Financial Times...

As governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, Mr Kolomoisky held the line against the Moscow-backed insurgents who now rule large swaths of the east. His financial support for volunteer battalions was critical in blocking the rebels’ advance.
But in Kiev, critics of the oligarch were ringing the alarm. They said he was exploiting his position as governor to expand his business interests, and turning the volunteer units he helped create into his own private army. The fears grew this week after uniformed men apparently loyal to Mr Kolomoisky turned up at the Kiev headquarters of two of Ukraine’s largest energy companies, sparking rumours of a power struggle between the oligarch and Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s president.
Suddenly, a week of drama drew to its stunning climax. In the early hours of yesterday morning, it was announced that the president had fired Mr Kolomoisky from his post of governor.
The break between Ukraine’s two most powerful men — once the staunchest of allies — was a political earthquake, and marked the worst internal crisis to engulf the country’s new government since last year’s revolution. It threatens to plunge Ukraine into a fresh round of instability, as it struggles to cope with a debilitating economic crisis and the smouldering insurgency in the east.
The breach also risks playing straight into the hands of the Kremlin, which opposes the pro-western government in Kiev and would rejoice in its collapse.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE! 

Everyone has turned their attention away from Ukraine (including me) because of the troubles in Yemen.

It seems like an all seeing eye is needed in the world we live in now (and that's why I love my readers...no way one guy could keep up with all the drama), but its becoming obvious that "peace" has NOT broken out in Ukraine.

Opportunist of all stripes are fighting over the bones of that broken country.  The EU doesn't appear to have a plan to deal with the aftermath (the US doesn't have a stake in this situation in my opinion) which means that in the long run the Ukrainians will go running into the waiting arms of Putin.

That son of a bitch is outwitting our guys with half his brain tied behind his back.

eARMOR Magazine Flickr Page...

Hat tip to Tank & AFV News for the link!

Tank and AFV News turned me on to this oldie but goodie.  Armor Magazine is still being printed (or rather circulated online) and between it AND their Flickr Page its well worth a look see.

Fab Fours Legend

K-21 105mm Cannon...

Why is Army Aviation trying to cram themselves aboard ship?

US Army Blackhawks Land on USS John C. Stennis off the Coast of Washington
Theater Aviation Command as they land aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) during a joint training exercise. Army rotary-wing aviation units stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord are training with John C. Stennis in the Pacific Northwest region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ignacio D. Perez) 150323-N-TC437-094

Question.  Why is Army Aviation trying to cram themselves aboard ship?

Is it doctrine based?  I don't think so.  I can't find any OPEN SOURCE documents that detail a need identified by the Navy or Marine Corps that is fulfilled by putting Army Aviation aboard ship.  Additionally I'm not even sure that Army Aviation meets basic NAVAIR safety guidelines for operation on ships.  Remember the modifications that were deemed necessary, just on the safety and maintenance side to make the Apache, NAVAIR worthy of becoming the Sea Apache?

So if its not doctrine based.  If its not safe or doesn't meet NAVAIR guidelines then what behind this move?

I'm not sure.  I can make a guess though.

The Army is desparate.  They're trying to find a way to make themselves relevant in the Pacific and see themselves getting left on the beach looking slack eyed and silly.

Its really a shame though.  The Army does have a role to play, a supporting role...and if the conflict is big enough, a combat role but it isn't by flying off individual ships and doing photo ops.

If the Army wants to be relevant in the Pacific then they need to push HARD to make the Sea Base a reality, doing the dull and boring work with Military Sealift Command integrating their landing craft and CH-47's with the MLP and Maritime Prepositioned Squadrons, and work out how they're going to operate to make that system fit the needs of forces ashore.  Working to develop the means to ferry soldiers to the Sea Base so that they can marry up with their equipment.  Training their soldiers on LCAC operations.

But no.  They instead push Army Aviation onto already crowded ships.  Amazing.