Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 in Afghanistan.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Zachary Hughes, weapons tactics instructor, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, observes Lance Cpl. Madison DeLoach operate a .50-caliber machine gun, Helmand River Valley, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2011. DeLoach operated the .50-caliber machine gun during flight operations with the guidance of Hughes. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Robert R. Carrasco/Released).

U.S. Marines of 1st Radio Battalion, 2D Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), load onto a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 (HMH-363) during a routine flight operation, Forward Operating Base Edinburgh, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2012. HMH-363 conducted flight operations in support of troops throughout the Helmand Province. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Robert R. Carrasco/Released).

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Madison DeLoach, crew chief, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 (HMH-363), observes the terrain during a routine flight operation, Helmand River Valley, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2012. HMH-363 conducted flight operations in support of troops throughout the Helmand Province. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Robert R. Carrasco/Released).

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Madison DeLoach, crew chief, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 (HMH-363), observes the terrain during a routine flight operation, Helmand River Valley, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2012. HMH-363 conducted flight operations in support of troops throughout the Helmand Province. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Robert R. Carrasco/Released).

U.S. Marines of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 (HMH-363) conduct an end of day assessment on a CH-53D Sea Super Stallion, Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2012. End of day assessments are conducted after flight operations ensuring aircraft of HMH-363 are ready to support future missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Robert R. Carrasco/Released).

Latest F-35 porn.

F-35B test aircraft BF-3 flies with the weapon bay doors open on Dec. 19, 2011

F-35B test aircraft BF-5 completes its first vertical landing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on Jan 5, 2012.

F-35B test aircraft BF-1 flight in short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) mode on Jan. 5, 2012.

F-35B test aircraft BF-3 flies with the weapon bay doors open on Dec. 19, 2011.

Bell Helicopter makes an idiot move.

How stupid can a company be?

One of your products that's sold to the US Marine Corps is highlighted in a very popular game.

Instead of saying "glory...glory..glory" and pass the beer, they instead launch a law suit and demand that the game remove the depiction from the video game.

Read the insanity here.

Army NG leads half the way.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, Arizona Army National Guard, participate in wartime operation exercises at the Florence Military Reservation, Jan. 7.

This soldier is halfway there.

Camo firearm.  Check.

Camo mags.   Check.

Black slings and other gear.  Big no-go.

Someday, somehow, you'll see the Infantry Branch of the US Army and Marine Corps get the brilliant idea to outlaw black equipment and accessories.

Until then we have effective camouflage that's defeated by our weapons and accessories.

The GCV is dead. Long live the Bradley Family of Vehicles?

The Army is facing a reduction in manpower and since the justification for a Ground Combat Vehicle(GCV) was always weak sauce, it looks like BAE is properly positioned to capitalize on this by moving forward with the Bradley Family of Vehicles.

Looks like upgrades instead of new builds will be the order of the day for Ground Vehicles and Ground Forces.



Informative video but they glossed over the General Purpose Carrier.  I'm digging for more info now.

F-35C scratched? Wouldn't that be ironic!

ELP has an article up in which he talks about the F-35C and comes to the conclusion that the F-35C might get cancelled.  I don't know if that's entirely true and you can read the article for yourself...but wouldn't that be ironic?

Several months ago, everyone and their mothers were talking about the B model being cancelled.  I always disagreed with that thinking and always thought that the C model was in the danger zone.

What makes me say that?

*the US Navy basically shoved the F-35C down the throats of Marine Air...
*even if full production was done the only customers for the C would be the USN, USMC and RN...
*and lastly, the USN doesn't and never has appeared enthusiastic about the F-35C...to be honest they appear fired up about growth variants of the Super Hornet and they're not even warm about the X-47B.

Having said all that the B should have a longer production run than the C and as much as me and ELP disagree (he has a hard on for the Corps that I'll never understand) he MIGHT...just MIGHT...have a point.

Failure captured in a picture.

Take a look at the above pic.  If that doesn't illustrate the failure of the JIEDDO.  Two Marines are dismounted sweeping a road for mines.

Meanwhile behind them are Force Protection Cougar(?) and Oshkosh M-ATV MRAPs.

No protection.

Nothing.

Just two brave Marines walking the ground because some bureaucrats didn't do the job.

Pathetic.

Rationalizing Special Ops. A look at roles.

The SecDef and the President have all called for expanding the number of Special Operations Units that we have.  Question that no one wants to face is this.

Why and how will you employ those units?

Looking at the lineup of Special Operations Units you will see nothing but overlap in roles and mission sets.

*US Army Rangers-  Raid specialist.  Provide backup to other Special Ops Units.
*US Army Special Forces- They used to be trainers of indigenous forces and would lead those forces in actions against the enemy.  Thats changed.  Training indigenous forces is now a conventional skill set and Special Forces is a raid unit.
*US Navy SEALs- Raid specialist that operate from the sea.  I don't know if they've given up the mission of recon, but its painfully apparent that its raiding thats a primary focus.
*USAF Combat Controllers- Provide terminal guidance for air forces.  Act as pathfinders for air assaults.
*USAF Combat Weathermen- Provide weather information at the site of a raid, air assault or bombing mission.
*USAF Para-rescue- Recovery of downed personnel or Special Ops and provide medical treatment.
*USMC Special Ops- Raid specialist that operate from the sea.  All indications are that recon is a distant second mission set.
*US Navy SWCC- Provide transport to Navy SEAL teams or other Special Ops units.
*160th Night Stalkers- Provide transport to Special Ops units.
*USAF Special Ops Air Wing- Provide transport to Special Ops units.

Do you get the drift?

Every one of our special ops trigger pulling units is now focused on raiding.  Everyone.  Even US Army Special Forces that once had language requirements and areas of specialization have given that up to focus on raids.  All of them train for ship boarding ops.  All train for hostage rescue.

But the main focus is raids.

Ideally, we would rationalize Special Ops into fewer units.

Raids- US Army Rangers

Maritime Ops- US Navy SEALs/Force Recon

Special Ops full spectrum missions- US Army Special Forces

That would stream line Special Ops, remove it from being a separate service and would push these units back underneath the custody of their parent service.

Or more precisely under the command of the secretary of each service.

I still don't see a need for USAF Combat Controllers, Weathermen or Para-rescue.  Each one of these units have Pathfinder qualified personnel and SEAL/Force Recon/Ranger/Special Forces trained Corpsmen/Medics.

I see a need to keep the 160th as currently composed but will need to learn more about the "Best Kept Secret" in the Navy (SWCC).  Not sure about the USAF Special Ops Air Wing either but need to learn more.

As a sidenote, I would think that if the USMC is forced to go below 175,000 boatspaces then any idea of expanding USMC Special Ops is probably a non-starter.

Additionally, the USMC still needs deep recon and since Force is gone, I highly recommend that our SNIPER platoons be tasked with the mission.  No raiding, just recon and shooting.

Time to rationalize Special Ops. SWCC's as an example.

Curious.

With the call to increase the number of Special Ops Forces, I wonder why we don't see them engaging in some of the issues that are facing the nation and the world.

I'll use SWCC's as an example.

I realize that SWCC's are Navy SEALs and other Special Ops waterborne insertion force but what about other issues like anti-piracy ops?  It would make more sense to use them against the pirates than a DDG-51.

Additionally if there role expanded then would it make sense to combine Riverines with SWCC?  I know I'm talking blasphemy to the SWCC community but we've seen Special Ops and Regular forces with similar skill sets combined before...most notably UDT and SEALs. As a sidenote, I still don't understand the differences between Navy EOD (which was once part of SOCOM) and SEALs especially in light of the fact that UDT and EOD perform the same mission.

Its time to rationalize Special Operations if we're going to expand them.  We have too many units performing the same mission sets.  Throwing more bodies at a problem is NOT suppose to be how its done.  It seems like that's where we're headed though.

Too funny..Getting dusted...

Commentary from the YouTube'er but check out the guy next to the airplane...and his dog...

I was sitting at the Ocotillo Wells Airport on 1640 05Jan2012 watching the U.S.M.C performing some touch and goes with a couple of V-22 Ospreys when a local old guy went onto the make shift flight line to tell the Pilot and his crew how he felt about the dust storm they were causing when the Pilot decided he wasn't going to hear it... I'm sure he took off for the safety of the old dude however it looked REAL BAD... That dog was shitting it's self for about 30min...