The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is set to increase the size of its Marine Corps from about 20,000 to 100,000, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on March 13. According to unnamed PLA insiders and experts interviewed by SCMP, elements of the expanded Marine Corps would be stationed abroad, including Djibouti in the Horn of Africa and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan.Story here.
The PLA Marine Corps (PLAMC), part of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has gradually been expanding its size over the last couple of years as its mission is slowly expanding from conducting operations in China’s coastal areas — including defending Chinese holdings in the East and South China Seas, next to preparing for a possible amphibious assault on Taiwan — to more global roles.
“The PLA marines will be increased to 100,000, consisting of six brigades in the coming future to fulfill new missions of our country,” a source told SCMP. The source also noted that two combat brigades were already transferred to the PLAMC, increasing the size from roughly 12,000 (two understrength brigades) to around 20,000.Each PLAMC brigade is divided up into one armored regiment and two marine battalions. The brigades are equipped with ZBD05 Tracked Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicles and ZLT05 Tracked Amphibious Assault Guns. The ZBD05 is reportedly one of the fasted amphibious assault vehicles, capable of top speeds of 45 km/h in the water.
According to IHS Jane’s, China’s Ministry of Defense may is also considering
equipping its PLAMC brigades with the Norinco ZTL-11 8×8 amphibious assault vehicle.
As I reported in January 2015, China purportedly is expanding its amphibious mechanized infantry divisions (AMID) from two to four or from about 30,000 to 60,000 men. Each division is equipped with up to 300 armored and amphibious transport vehicles, including ZBD05s and ZLT05s, but also heavier main battle tanks and associated equipment.
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| The battle for Nasiriyah |
RCT-1 pushes through Ambush Alley[edit]Hey diddle diddle. Straight up the fuckin middle.
The advance of Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) through Nasiriyah was delayed by fighting there. On the evening of 24 March, LAVs of the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (2nd LAR, commanded by Lt. Col. Eddie Ray) pushed north of the Saddam Canal, leading RCT-1 through Ambush Alley. With Apache Company in the lead, 2nd LAR attacked north on Highway 7, coming under fire from a heavily defended compound north of the city. Two anti-aircraft guns protected the approach to the compound. After coming under fire from Reconnaissance Scouts, LAVs, M1A1 tanks, Cobra gunships and artillery, Iraqi resistance subsided.[citation needed]
During this time 3/2 Lima Company, known by the Iraqi Army as "The Destroyers" and by their fellow Marines as simply "Light em up Lima" with javelin, sniper, and gunship support conducted many successful offensive operations inflicting a devastating number of casualties on the hostile Iraqi forces operating in the area.
That evening Marine 2nd LAR Bn 81 mm mortar crews took position and eliminated known sniper positions which previously had US Army elements pinned down throughout the city. At dusk, 2nd LAR established a perimeter 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) north of Nasiriyah. However, a huge sandstorm rolled in, cutting off communication with main elements to the south in Nasiriyah. As 2nd LAR set up a defensive perimeter for the evening, Iraqi reinforcements were mobilized and sent south to Nasiriyah from Kut, unaware of 2nd LARs defensive position. When the Iraqi force ran into 2nd LAR they surrounded them from every direction, taking positions among the surrounding hillside. Using a combination of overwhelming direct firepower by Reconnaissance Scouts, a M1A1 tank, battalion LAV-25s, LAV ATs, and LAV AD vehicles, the battalion engaged the Iraqi forces. Simultaneously, 81 mm mortar crews eliminated Iraqi positions throughout the hillside by indirect fire as well as a strategic ammunition supply point (ASP) used by Iraqi forces during the first half of the attack.[citation needed]
The last Iraqi attack was beaten off just after dawn and a large number of Iraqi prisoners taken afterwards. The battalion estimated that around 300 Iraqi soldiers were killed along with an unknown number of civilians who were loaded by force onto buses while Iraqi troops occupied the rear sections in the hope of breaking the Marines defensive position. There were no U.S. casualties. The battle would later be called "The Battle of the Coil" and was, at that time, thought to be the longest sustained battle by US Marines since the Vietnam War.[citation needed]
Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (the "Thundering Third", commanded by Lt. Col. Craparotta) held open Ambush Alley as the rest of RCT-1 passed through Nasiriyah on the night of 24–25 March.[citation needed]
Partly as a result of RCT-1's delay, Colonel Joe Dowdy was later relieved of command of RCT-1.[22]
During the March 20 meeting of the Ministerial Investment Committee, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian decided to authorize the launch of initial development of the new F4 standard for the Rafale combat aircraft.Interesting.
This standard, integrating experience and feedback from combat operations, should contribute to strengthen the Rafale's capabilities to operate alone or as part of a coalition. New developments will include improvements to network working methods, sensor developments and their integration.
The F4 standard will also take into account the expected evolutions of missiles, of the power plant and the integration of new capabilities. The first aircraft fully equipped to this new standard should be commissioned by 2025, but certain functionalities will be available as early as 2023.
This new standard is part of the continuing evolution of the aircraft which will progressively constitute the entire French manned combat aircraft fleet.
The launch of a future tranche of Rafale aircraft will be decided by the next LPM multi-year program law to meet the requirements of the Air Force.
“We’ve got a compendium of many kinds of initiatives that have already started or that we will start in the future. That compendium is up for review with the secretary of defense as we speak,” said Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the F-35 joint program office (JPO) head. “I can't comment on what he's going to do with that, whether he is going to pick from it like a menu or say, ‘Go do all of these.’”A couple of things.
Some items on the menu include contracting options that would allow the government a discount for buying in bulk, including block buys, economic order quantity and multiyear purchases. Other options involve changes to training and operations that would slash overall cost, such as relying more on simulator training instead of expensive live red air exercises, he said during a speech at the McAleese/Credit Suisse conference.
The JPO also wants to put increased pressure on F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin and its supply chain. Bogdan pointed out that his affordability goals have changed over the past several years: instead of wanting an $85 million F-35A unit cost by 2019, Lockheed will be expected to offer an $80 million dollar A-model by 2020.
To get there, Lockheed most likely will have to scrutinize its supply chain and cut out companies that bring little value — such as a middleman that issues a purchase offer to a supplier on Lockheed’s behalf.
“There are things that industry could be doing today to drive costs out of this airplane that they ought to be doing themselves, and if they don’t, then the government is going to help them do it. Like de-layering the supply chain, for one,” he said. Lockheed’s first cost initiative, called the Blueprint for Affordability, captured the “low-hanging fruit,” netting savings that were “just okay,” but Bogdan said more could be done to manage low-tier suppliers.
The latest leaks from WikiLeaks' Vault 7 is titled “Dark Matter” and claims that the CIA has been bugging “factory fresh” iPhones since at least 2008 through suppliers. The full documents are expected to be released after a 10 a.m. EDT “press briefing” that WikiLeaks promoted on its Twitter.I wanted so badly to not comment and just provide a link to the full story (here), but I'm just not that disciplined. So here goes. I find it interesting that everyone is outraged about the "Russian hacking" of the DNC. They did NOT plant evidence! They just gave Americans a peek behind the curtain. Why is that considered an attack? Quite honestly it could almost be considered patriotic. We get to know what they really think about us. We get to know how they really feel about "we the people".
Meanwhile, a massive amphibious mission was underway. The SDF’s Kurdish YPG and Syrian Arab Coalition fighters led by Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) boarded Zodiac watercraft and whatever boats they could find, and made a more direct assault onto the dam itself, east of the airborne drop zone. The dam was being used as an ISIS headquarters, a prison for high value individuals, and a training camp. They were successful in taking the dam.Story here.
As the footholds across the Euphrates were confirmed, bridge boats were loaded with combat vehicles, supply trucks, and command and control vehicles, and they made their way for the beach heads to reinforce the initial shock troops who were carrying very little water, ammo, and supplies in order to stay highly mobile.
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| Graphic via Defense Aerospace Blog!~ |
