Sunday, May 24, 2015

A REAL side by side comparison (top view) of the Armata vs. T-90A

Thanks to s300v4 for the pic.


Ok.  I'm not getting this.  What explains the dramatic increase in size of the Armata over the previous Russian Tanks?  I don't think an armored "tub" for the crew would take up so much room.  I'm beginning to wonder if its even bigger than a M1 Abrams or Leopard 2.  Additionally to say that the turret is unmanned they didn't achieve any size reduction there either.

This tank is a mystery.  I can't wait till they sell a detuned model to a foreign government so we can buy or steal it from them.

China tried to jam a UAV on an intel mission. A defense analyst says an inflight snatch might be next...

Rick Fisher, a China military affairs analyst, said China could increase pressure on the United States to halt surveillance flights in Asia by first attacking one of the unmanned aircraft flights.
“Though UAVs like the Global Hawk are rather expensive, they are also regarded as more expendable because they are unmanned,” said Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center.
“But failing to defend these UAVs runs the risk of China viewing them as ‘fair game’ to shoot down whenever they please.”
Beijing also might attempt to capture a Global Hawk by causing one to crash in shallow water, or by attempting to snatch one in flight using a manned aircraft.
The United States should balance its unmanned high-altitude surveillance systems with high-altitude piloted aircraft that are better able to conduct evasive maneuvers and use defensive systems, Fisher said.
Is that even possible?

I really don't know.  I've heard the size of the Global Hawk being described as almost as big as a 737, (its been described as having the wingspan of a 737...apologies to all for a bad memory) so an inflight snatch might be pushing it (although with the Chinese, you shouldn't rule out the improbable) so I'm betting that a carefully timed shootdown to allow them to recover it at their leisure is more likely.

Still.

How would the current administration react to such a provocation?  Would they retaliate?  Or perhaps do nothing at all?

This bears watching.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

This is when I started to hate the enemy...

There are usually turning points in every life.  This is one.  I started to hate the enemy after this incident and had much difficulty in separating the perpetrators of the deed from the larger population...and of leadership that was pushing a confusing set of "requirements" that had little to do with actually winning the war.

I think I'm over that...sort of...but I digress.  We're still talking about the ambush of USMC snipers attached to 3/25.  The first video gives a very brief overview...the second is what those Islamic bastards posted...warning....extremely graphic.







A little discussed "incident" from the Battle of Haditha...

Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

While you're settling into your style of festivities, I want you to think about these Marines that everyone seems to have forgotten.  Thier story is hardly ever discussed in Marine Corps circles.  Why?  I'm not sure.  Maybe because it hurts too much to talk about, perhaps because it shows the danger of concepts being pushed...either way, we need to remember the good as well as the heartbreaking.

via Wikipedia.
On the morning of August 1, 2005 a six-man Marine sniper unit on the outskirts of Haditha was attacked by a large insurgent force from theAnsar al-Sunna group and in less than 10 minutes was overrun.[2] Five members of the unit were killed. One was missing and was reported to have been seen alive but wounded and being driven through the streets of Haditha.
A few days later a video of the attack was posted on the Internet on which insurgents were seen rushing the Marines. The group’s Web site posted still photographs showing a bloody, badly wounded body wearing Marine camouflage trousers and two hooded gunmen standing in front of several rifles. The insurgents said that they slit the throats of some of the Marines. Masked gunmen had shown up in the Haditha public market that afternoon displaying helmets, flak jackets and other equipment they said was taken from the bodies of the dead Marines. The bodies of five of the Marines were found in one place and the body of the sixth was discovered later a few miles away.
The Marine Corps must not forget the sacrifice that these men made.  We should remember and honor them at every opportunity.

Small units whether conventional or special ops, always run the risk of being found, fixed and destroyed.  In my opinion the risk is too high to enshrine the Company Landing Team or (rumors) Squad Landing Team into the FMF as a replacement for the MEU.

Remember your history....even the painful parts so you don't repeat it.

NOTE:  Read about the battle of Haditha here.   Sadly this is one time when I can't recommend the official USMC history.  I don't know if it's politics, an attempt to protect those that died, or not talking about painful incidents, but the Anthology is almost comically written.  I've never seen so much politically correct drivel in my life.  If you want to read it anyway then click here.


Friday, May 22, 2015

Sikorsky S-97 RAIDER™ First Flight Vid

This is our policy? Iranian forces enter the fight to retake Ramadi?

via WSLS
WASHINGTON (AP) - Iran has entered the fight to retake a major Iraqi oil refinery from Islamic State militants, contributing small numbers of troops, including some operating artillery and other heavy weapons in support of advancing Iraqi ground forces, U.S. defense officials said Friday.
Two U.S. defense officials said Iranian forces have taken a significant offensive role in the Beiji operation in recent days, in conjunction with Iraqi Shiite militia. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
One official said Iranians are operating artillery, 122mm rocket systems and surveillance and reconnaissance drones to help the Iraqi counteroffensive.
The Iranian role was not mentioned in a new U.S. military statement asserting that Iraqi security forces, with U.S. help, had managed to establish a land route into the Beiji refinery compound. The statement Friday by the U.S. military headquarters in Kuwait said Iraqis have begun reinforcing and resupplying forces isolated inside the refinery compound.
Read it all here. 

Really?  Seriously?  I'm sitting here shocked and stunned.  US policy is as batshit crazy as the Bikers in the Waco, TX shootout.

Dmitry Tymchuk says Rebels are advancing in Eastern Ukraine....

via Kyiv Post.
The activity of Russian-terrorist troops is moving from Donetsktowards Artemivsk. The positions of Ukrainian troops were shelled practically along the entire line of contact in this area – from Horlivka to Donetske. The activity of local terrorist gangs and Russian mercenaries has been observed near Mayorska station, the the settlements ofShumy, Artemove, Leninske, Kirove, Luhanske,Rozsadky, Myronivskyi,Popasna, Katerynivka, Zolote, where the positions and strongholds of Ukrainian troops were shelled.
On the Pisky–Avdiivka stretch, the enemy used small arms and artillery (122- and 152-mm caliber), mortars (120- and 82-mm caliber) throughout the day. The positions of Ukrainian troops were also shelled in the vicinity of Opytne andVodyane. The intensity and scope of attacks have increased in these areas.
The enemy has also mobilized several infantry firing teams within the past 24 hours nearKirove, Leninske, and Shumy to strike the positions of Ukrainian troops from AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns, and 82-mm mortars. Well-established and coordinated interaction between the cannon artillery and mortar units of the insurgents operating in these areas indicates the presence of a single command structure.
If Ukraine is an example of the type of wars we'll fight in the future, then we really need to get our artillery house in order.

S-97 flies...(hi rez pics)



Thursday, May 21, 2015

Upgraded BTR-82 on exercise. via English Russia.

More pics here...







The Pentagon. Gearing up for the wrong fights.





Mega Cities with bordering slums just as large.

This is one of those fights that the Pentagon is ignoring while it claws its way into the future.  Do yourself a favor and look at large cities in S. America, Central America, the Pacific and Africa.

They all have the same features (I'm generalizing)....a nice city center that is cosmopolitan and has modern features.  An outer ring that is a mix of commerce, industrialization and housing and then even further out crushing slums.

The Army is talking about "Human Terrain"?  This is where that fight will take place.  Not in the shining city centers that mirror US cities.  Its going to be in those nasty, filthy slums where disease is rampant, feces mixes with drinking water and the houses are on top of each other.

You could send a USMC Battalion (Reinforced) into that hell and it would get swallowed up.  The kind of fight I'm predicting would make Fallujah look like a picnic....and that's before we start talking about terrain features.

Are we talking about ghettos built on hillsides?  Is it by a river?  The issues compound depending on the part of the world you're operating in.

Additionally we can pretty much predict that rules of engagement will limit the efficiency of airpower to assist in the assault.  The same applies to artillery or naval guns.

This is just one of the possible future scenarios that is being ignored by military planners.  Fighting in the Middle East is easy compared to what's waiting.  We cannot afford to gear ourselves to perpetual fights in that region.  If we do then we're guaranteeing our future defeat.