Another indication war drums are beating in N. Korea. China ramps up its defenses along the border.

Thanks to PNWCommando for the link!

via CNBC.com

China has ramped up its defenses along its border with North Korea to ready itself for a potential crisis on the peninsula, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The newspaper reported Beijing has increased surveillance of the border region as well as a "combat readiness-level big data disaster recovery center." The military has also conducted drills and transferred units from other regions, the Journal reported.

The Journal said that these measures parallel President Donald Trump's comments that he is considering military action to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and that Beijing should do more to handle the matter

Story here. 

Consider this another piece of information when you think about whether or not war is being planned for N. Korea.

So let's get this straight.

First the president of the United States comes out and says that military options are on the table...he expresses regret that the Chinese weren't able to solve it...and he holds sidebar meetings with the Japanese prime minister almost constantly but those meetings are overshadowed by the Russia mania.

Second, we have Hawaii throwing a shit fit talking about how they need additional civil defense funding...the Japanese running drills to evacuate their towns and them telling their civilians that in case of a ballistic missile attack they might have minutes to react.

Last, we have the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs pushing back against those that say there can be no war in N. Korea because the casualties would be so horrific.

Step out of your normalcy bias!  War drums are beating in N. Korea and everyone seems to be ramping up.  The S. Koreans will be the last to act because it will affect their society the most.  They're probably taking steps in the military realm but if it became public then you would have panic, Seoul would damn near shutdown and business in the country would grind to a halt.

Take S. Korea out of your indicators.  Look at the other players...the US, China and Japan (Russia is probably laughing their asses off....the Neo-Cons are about to get us into another shit fest....that area is sparsely populated and they can always fly in paratroopers or Marines before it kicks off to control illegal immigration).

This thing might not happen but understand this.  We aren't living in ordinary times.  A war IS possible and we're seeing baby steps toward that nightmare scenario.

MiG-35 can beat USA’s F-35, says Russia

via Financial Express (India)

MiG-35's new version is said to be Russia's most advanced and lethal 4++ generation fighter jet - and India it seems has expressed interest in it. MiG Aircraft Corporation's chief executive Ilya Tarasenko has reportedly said that the company is promoting the aircraft in India and that that latter has expressed interest in it. The new warplane is an upgraded version of the MiG-29 and has been in the works for several years now. The manufacturer claims that the Mig-35 can beat US's latest and most expensive fighter jet, the F-35! 

Slide show here. 

Sorry for the beating on the drum about the F-35 but everything about the plane, the program and even public announcements (not to mention reaction from foreign powers) is screaming that its just not what it's said to be.

Consider the fact that old metrics have been thrown out the window when it's talked about!  When the F-22 was introduced it was compared to the F-15 in all regards.  With the F-35 its "well we're gonna have to use it in a different way".  That's code for the plane isn't meeting performance requirements (dreams?) and they're gonna have to devise new methods of employment to keep it even reasonably competitive.

Even more stunning is the reaction from potential foes and even allies.  Some that are part of the program are taking a wait and see attitude with regard to purchases.  Others are developing new aircraft but they're partial stealth and they're much higher performance airplanes.  My point is this.  No one except the Japanese are following the US lead by trying for an all stealth force.  Most notably the Russians and Chinese are dramatically improving their 4th gen fighters, something we could have done except for leadership's fixation on the F-35.

Let me hit you with a what if.

What if they're right and the code is cracked on the F-35 due to cyber espionage and hacking?  What if they can beat the F-35 with legacy fighters simply because new AESA arrays can detect the plane and future enemy fighters can fly faster, farther and higher?

What happens when the F-35's we have are faced with not only J-20's and PAK-FA's that can kill it but swarms of J-10's, J-11's, SU-30's and MIG-35's?

What do you do then Combatant Commander?

Another subtle hint of war with N. Korea. THAAD missile test in Alaska

via UPI

The U.S. military intends to conduct another missile defense test from Kodiak Island as soon as this weekend, according to an advisory from the U.S. Coast Guard.

The test will be conducted from the Pacific Spaceport Complex -Alaska. The Coast Guard recommended that vessels should avoid areas of oceans between Kodiak Island and Hawaii.

The U.S. Army has soldiers stationed at the launch complex as part of the Missile Defense Agency's testing of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense ballistic missile defense system. A successful flight test for targeting intermediate range ballistic missiles was conducted earlier this month.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system is designed to intercept incoming enemy ballistic missiles as they begin their terminal descent phase inside and just outside of the atmosphere.

Story here. 

I could EASILY be wrong but this fits with the slow walk toward some type of military action in N. Korea.

The US Navy's “Next Generation Air Dominance” will emphasize speed and range...

via Defense News.

The Navy is knee deep in an analysis on how best to replace its Super Hornet and Growler aircraft. Though much work is still left to be done, the resulting platform could look a lot different than both those jets, with a much higher priority on range and speed.

The service kicked off its “Next Generation Air Dominance” analysis of alternatives in January 2016 to study potential replacements for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and E/A-18G Growler. (Confusingly, the Air Force has used the NGAD term to describe its own analysis of alternatives for an F-22 follow-on aircraft, but the services’ efforts are not connected and there are no plans to pursue a joint fighter).

Now, after about a year and a half, the Navy team feels they have a complete understanding of what capabilities the future carrier strike group needs to have and, importantly, what threats it will face, Capt. Richard Brophy, who is working the AoA effort as part of the service’s air warfare division, said during a panel at the Office of Naval Research’s science and technology expo.

Story here. 

This is damning.

We know that the F-35 doesn't meet the requirements for the next gen fighter so it's not only marginalized now but will continue to be into the future.

Speed and range are high priorities?

The F-35 has neither so its obvious that it won't be modified to get there.

Leadership won't admit it but everywhere we look we see backup plans being put in place to get us out of the F-35 as soon as possible.

Russia MiG-35D Multi-Role Fighter Simulation

Hate them if you must but the Russians are building a nice hi-lo mix by upgrading their "legacy" fighters with the latest tech.

The Mig-35D is a great example.  As usual the secret sauce is a basic platform that is inherently high performance, add an AESA array, upgrade the defense suite and there you have it.  A potential F-35 killer!

What the fanboys don't state is that the F-35 is optimized to fly at 25K feet. It's optimized for high subsonic speed. It's a bomb truck not a swing fighter! How do we know?  Because every successful multi-role fighter has as its base being an air superiority platform.  We KNOW without a doubt that the F-35 is NOT optimized toward the air superiority mission!

Every enemy fighter it could face in the future is optimized to fly high, and look down.  The closest analogy for ground guys is having to assault uphill against a dug in enemy, backed by machine guns that have ever possible line of approach covered and crack mortar crews that have the enter area indexed.

UNITAS LVIII (USS Somerset well deck ops)...pics by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Allison

Did General Dunford warn of a possible war with N. Korea?

via SHTF Plan.

“Many people have talked about military options with words like ‘unimaginable. I would probably shift that slightly and say it would be horrific, and it would be a loss of life unlike any we have experienced in our lifetimes, and I mean anyone who’s been alive since World War II has never seen the loss of life that could occur if there’s a conflict on the Korean Peninsula. But as I’ve told my counterparts, both friend and foe, it is not unimaginable to have military options to respond to North Korean nuclear capability. What’s unimaginable to me is allowing a capability that would allow a nuclear weapon to land in Denver, Colorado. That’s unimaginable to me. So my job will be to develop military options to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Story here. 

Everything I've read indicates to me that forces are being moved in place for a conflict with N. Korea.

Statements like the one above just confirm to me what I'm seeing with my own two eyes.

Forces are being moved and the campaign to prepare the American public for the conflict is in full swing.

Don't be confused.  It's low level now with a story or two every couple of days.  As a matter of fact N. Korea is being covered on MSNBC this morning as part of their "news roll".

What should you look for?

Military movements?  I don't think so.  Everything that was going to be done for public consumption has already been done.  What you should look for is more breathless claims of N. Korea assembling an ICBM.  Graphics showing what would happen if one of their low yield nuclear weapons exploded over Honolulu or San Diego or even Los Angeles (in this regard ship movements might be telling...where are the ABM capable Burkes?).

When you see the average American talking about war with N. Korea then you will know that it's about to kick off.

Turk Altay Main Battle Tank on trials...via Bmashina Tumblr Page.

81 TV - China Army Brigade At Tibet 5000m Above Sea Level Live Firing Exercise

Open Comment Post. July 23, 2017.

I've been doing a couple things but have monitored the conversation on the recent police shooting with great interest.

Suffice it to say that the discussion broke down the way that I thought it would.  No nuance.  Little thought.  Much bias.  Some down right racist views, etc...

Am I disappointed?

No.

As I said I expected as much.

Does it confirm some views that I have about certain individuals?  You bet your ass.

Minneapolis police chief says Justine Damond 'didn't have to die'

via UPI

Minneapolis' chief of police on Thursday said the fatal police shooting of unarmed Australian woman Justine Damond was unnecessary -- her first remarks on the growing scandal.

"Based on the publicly released information from the [Bureau of Criminal Apprehension], this should not have happened," Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau said during a news conference. "On our squad cars, you will find the words, 'To protect with courage and serve with compassion.' This did not happen."

"I believe the actions in question go against who we are as a department, how we train and the expectations we have for our officers," she added. "These were the actions and judgments of one individual."

Story here.

I've been watching this one with great interest.

No voicing of support from the usual "police are always right" crowd.

No voicing of condemnation from the usual "police are always wrong" crowd.

Just silence from all parties.

This has been very instructive so far.  It's almost like no one wants to see what's happening here.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe that EVERYONE has an "oh shit" moment.  We're human that's allowed.  But just because you had a massive brain fart does not excuse the action.  You still have to pay the piper.

Still.

This case is telling us something about American society and we should all be ashamed.

Upgunned Expeditionary Strike Group. What happened to "disaggregated MEU"?

Thanks to Ogden for the link!

via Shepard Media.

The upgunned ESG was a ‘concept in development by the US Navy’, said USN Rear Adm Marc Dalton, commander of the Amphibious Force Seventh Fleet, addressing a question from Shephard aboard USS Bonhomme Richard.

The initiative will take the existing three-ship Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and add three cruisers, destroyers or frigates.

These additions from the Pacific Command’s Surface Action Group will protect the amphibious ships and add new capabilities.

The full upgunned ESG will make use of USS Wasp (LHD 1) when it deploys later this year from Japan with a squadron of F-35B fighters embarked for the first time.

‘We’ve used this [Talisman Saber] exercise to work concept development, especially for the cruiser/frigate/destroyer integration into the force as we build towards adding the F-35B. Wasp will deploy with the F-35B in early 2018 for the first time. That will be our first opportunity to operate the complete package as we see the upgunned ESG,' Dalton explained,.

‘We’ve got a tremendous amount of insights into how we can take full advantage of that integration between amphibious capabilities and surface combatants, and all the capabilities with the aircraft and helicopters that the task force brings, so that, as we add the F-35B, it will be just another step and we will be proficient much more quickly in bringing these capabilities together.’

Story here. 

Sounds good don't it?  Sounds like a real smart thing to do don't it?  If the F-35 ever delivers as promised then it will take a dedicated task force to challenge our Expeditionary Strike Groups don't it?

But wait!  What about the freaking "disaggregated MEU concept"!!!!

via Marine Times.

Operating in multiple theaters and under separate chains of command likely will become a more common experience for troops deployed with Marine expeditionary units.

It's known as being disaggregated and split. The latter means ships within an amphibious ready group are more than 200 miles apart, the range of a helicopter. The former refers to those same ships operating in differing combatant commands.

Splitting an ARG is fairly routine, said Marine Col. L.M. Landon, branch head of plans, policies and operations. But disaggregating an MEU was much less common not long ago, he said.

"Historically, they generally stay together," Landon said. "Usually, you would have all three ships within a couple of hundred miles."

But that has changed over the years. The recently returned 22nd MEU, for example, undertook simultaneous operations in the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East and Africa during its deployment.

"I don't know how much more complicated you can get," said Navy Capt. Neil Karnes, ARG commander, during a briefing before policy experts at a Virginia-based think tank earlier this month.

There are several reasons driving the shift, said Landon, the primary one being the lack of standalone ARGs in the Mediterranean as well as in Central Command.

"You could ask most military guys: We'd rather have an [ARG] in the Mediterranean and another one in CentCom, but right now we can't get there," Landon said. "Disaggregate has become more common way now of operating."

So on one hand we're increasing the combat power of an MEU and on the other splitting it up?

I don't get it.

I don't understand how these competing ideas can be allowed under the same roof.  Additionally if the F-35 is the key to leveraging all this capability then the LPD and LSD are just around for shits and giggles.

Maybe the real answer is just to cancel the LX(R) stop work on the LPD class and just sail LHA/LHD.  They certainly can carry enough Marines (the air company and then the wing can act as SOCOMs bitch), so we would economically have a one ship MEU with an upgunned escort.

That's the only way this actually makes sense.