Have you heard the latest fear tactic? Russia is supposedly about to attack a US sat...

🇷🇺🇫🇮 ANTI-SATELLITE SPACE WARS: Russian military satellite KOSMOS 2612 is now 135 meters (445 feet) from ICEYE-X36 spy satellite that provides tracking data to Ukraine. If it keeps maneuvering the same way, it will close to 45 meters (145 feet) on Monday, tomorrow. -> First aggressive satellite encounter in history! Will the Russian anti-satellite weapon hit the Finnish spy satellite with a laser to burn its camera, use electronic warfare, or just ram it? Space war about to start? PS: You can see how close it is on the video, first time in history a satellite might attack another one. https://t.co/NC6w3IxtDg

— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) October 18, 2026

Finally someone in this administration is ready to putting Barking Dawg Zelensky back in his kennel...

 

🚨 SCOTT BESSENT JUST PUT ZELENSKY IN HIS PLACE. Zelensky went on national TV and blamed America for limits on Starshield connectivity. He said the limits came from a "message from American government." Bessent wasn't having it: "I think it is very reckless for President Zelensky to make such a charge." He added a warning: "Zelensky should be very careful about making statements like this that aren't true." When Zelensky was asked whether Trump or Musk made the call, he admitted he didn't know. Then he claimed it was "both" anyway. He attacks America in public, then turns around and asks for more of our money. It's time to stop writing blank checks. https://t.co/jSgibs2URK

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) October 18, 2026

Word to the wise. Don't talk shit in public and then beg for money in private. As far as I'm concerned after this idiocy the most corrupt country in Europe can get its monetary and military needs elsewhere. It appears he has a ton of support in Europe. Let Europe deal with his begging, ungrateful ass.

Four dead, dozens wounded in CFB Wainwright fire

 Thanks to Canuck Fighter for the link!

via CTVNews.ca

Prime Minister Mark Carney says four service members died in Saturday’s fire and explosion at CFB Wainwright.

“Yesterday afternoon, a violent, fast-moving fire swept through a Canadian Armed Forces base in Wainwright, Alberta,” he told reporters on Sunday. “What followed was one of the worst tragedies for the forces in Canadian soil in peace time.”

The Canadian Armed Forces said the fire broke out in a training area at approximately 4 p.m. local time Saturday before spreading rapidly beyond its boundaries.

The Department of National Defence say that there are no indications that the fire and explosion at CFB Wainwright was a terrorist attack.

A spokesperson shared that the incident remains under investigation.

Turning into a pretty bloody weekend for North American forces.  God bless the fallen and their families.

Another inexpilicable incident.  I can't even begin to imagine what happened. 

Notre Dame is pissed but blame the rule not the officials for your guy getting ejected...

 

Notre Dame EDGE Boubacar Traore was ejected against BYU for targeting less than 3 minutes into the game. This is the hit that led to the ejection: https://t.co/Ecp2Y6sLVZ

— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) October 17, 2026

FUCK ME! Air Force Commando dies in fast rope mishap at football game demonstration...

 Thanks to Carlton for the link!

Jesus!  This is terrible news.  God bless this dude and may his family somehow find peace.  It ain't suppose to happen like this.  Damn!

via New York Post.

An Air Force commando who fell from the 170-foot rafters in front of thousands of horrified fans at a University of Texas at San Antonio football game Saturday has died.

The airman slipped while rappelling from the roof of the Alamodome before the UTSA game against Navy — and plunged to the ground.

The service member, who was assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, was mortally injured during a pregame demonstration at the school’s “Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans” game.

Here 

This sucks so bad.  When dude walked out the door in the morning he didn't see this coming.  Neither did his family.

Life is precious.  

Safeguard it.  

Priority number one?  Go home the same way you left (at least physically) if you have anything to do with it.

Open Comment Post. 18 Oct 26

People want the player suspended and are pissed. I'm not. This chic had main character energy

Kimari Robinson has ANGERED the masses after this incident! Duke CB Landan Callahan was being treated on the field by two individuals from the medical staff before Athletic Training Fellow, Grace Dietrich, also entered the scene. As she tried to make room for herself by moving Robinson away, he swatted her arm away. Dietrich looked a bit shaken after the reaction. Many fans defended Robinson by saying he was worried about his injured teammate. But many more College Football fans believe that this deserves a suspension. What do y'all think? Understandable or unnecessary? https://t.co/p2T0uXGj1B

— EssentiallySports (@ES_sportsnews) October 18, 2026

I disagree with many on this. This woman has main character energy. She arrived late. Pushes the player out of the way so she could do what? Two trainers were already dealing with the situation and she would have added nothing but confusion. Get angry about the school shooting. Get angry about the economy. Get angry about the war in the Middle East, Europe and all the brush fires going on in Africa, but this? It's a .01 on the scale. If you wanna get mad at anyone involved in this then how about aim it at the right target. In my opinion the wanna be superhero female.

Geez! This Soldier burned into the ground fast roping in a demonstration at the start of a game...never seen anything like this in real life. What happened?

A U.S. Army officer falls to the field at high speed during a fast rope demonstration gone wrong during the Navy vs UTSA pregame tonight. The officer was attended to on the field and taken to the hospital on a stretcher. There has been no update on his condition but we pray that he was not seriously injured. https://t.co/Q4nOKhhNjn

— U.S Military Clips (@usmilihist) October 18, 2026

Rheinmetall Boxer 8×8 armored vehicles, in the Lance 2 turret configuration, armed with the 30 mm MK30-2/ABM

 

Viaturas blindadas Rheinmetall Boxer 8×8, em configuração com torre Lance 2, armada com MK30-2/ABM de 30 mm, em acção de formação ministrada pelo fabricante alemão aos militares do "Jägerbataillon 413" do Exército Alemão, em Bergen, na Baixa Saxónia, Alemanha, a 2 de Setembro de 2026. O fabricante alemão Rheinmetall prestou aqui formação, ao longo de cerca de 2 meses, com oito unidades da sua viatura blindada Boxer 8×8 aos militares do "Jägerbataillon 413" do Exército Alemão. Estas oito viaturas correspondem aos primeiros exemplares disponibilizados para a introdução deste sistema de armas no Exército Alemão, tendo sido inicialmente empregues nesta fase de formação ministrada pelo fabricante. Numa das fotos podemos observar a dispersão das cargas fumígenas (de cor branca) projectadas pelos sistemas de protecção Rheinmetall ROSY-L ("Rapid Obscuring System - Land"), com quatro lançadores instalados na torre Lance 2, dois de cada lado, cada um equipado com cinco cargas de 40×280 mm, num total de 20 cargas, que permitem a criação de cortinas de fumo multi-espectro, com interrupção da linha de vista e componentes de barramento de infra-vermelho e laser (contra sistemas electro-ópticos e armas guiadas). Esta versão tem 8,9 metros de comprimento, 3 metros de largura e 3,6 metros de altura, com um peso de combate de 38,5 toneladas. É guarnecida por três elementos (comandante, condutor e apontador) e equipada com motor de 530 kW (710 hp), atingindo 100 km/h. A torre Lance 2, tripulada, integra como armamento principal a peça automática MK30-2/ABM de 30 mm, com alcance eficaz até 3 000 metros, complementada por uma metralhadora de 7,62 mm e pelo sistema de mísseis anticarro MELLS ("Mehrrollenfähiges Leichtes Lenkflugkörpersystem"), a designação alemã do sistema Spike LR, com alcance até 4 000 metros. Transporta 252 munições de 30 × 173 mm prontas a disparar, alimentadas por sistema de dupla fita, permitindo o emprego alternado de dois tipos de munição, incluindo munições perfurantes APFSDS-T e munições programáveis KETF/ABM de "air burst". As Forças Armadas Alemãs ("Bundeswehr") contrataram o fornecimento de 123 unidades desta versão "Schwerer Waffenträger Infanterie" (lit. "Viatura Pesada Porta-Armas de Infantaria") do blindado Boxer, num contrato no valor global de 2,7 mil milhões de euros, compreendendo serviços e manutenção, assinado a 21 de Março de 2024. Está prevista a conclusão das entregas até 2030. Embora se trate de uma encomenda alemã da Rheinmetall, esta versão deriva do Boxer CRV ("Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle") desenvolvido para o Exército Australiano, sendo as primeiras 20 viaturas produzidas na Alemanha e as restantes 103 fabricadas na Austrália pela Rheinmetall Defence Australia, em Redbank, Queensland. No conjunto, a Alemanha tem actualmente 549 viaturas Boxer contratadas em sete variantes. O modelo está ao serviço desde 2009, inicialmente nas configurações de transporte de pessoal, comando, ambulância protegida e instrução de condução, às quais se juntam actualmente novas versões especializadas, entre elas este "Schwerer Waffenträger Infanterie" bem como o Boxer Skyranger 30 de defesa antiaérea. Para além das novas versões agora contratadas, a "Bundeswehr" dispõe já de 403 Boxer ao serviço, entregues entre 2009 e 2021 - correspondentes a 256 na configuração de transporte de pessoal, 65 de comando, 72 ambulâncias blindadas e 10 viaturas de instrução de condução. O campo militar de Bergen, a cerca de 60 km a Sul de Hamburgo, foi estabelecido em 1935. Situado na região de Lüneburger Heide, entre Bergen e Fallingbostel, tem uma área de cerca de 28 400 hectares, sendo o maior campo de treino militar da Alemanha e da Europa Ocidental. É utilizado não só pelas forças alemãs, mas também por unidades aliadas, nomeadamente holandesas, britânicas e belgas. Fotos por Jana Neumann | Forças Armadas Alemãs ("Bundeswehr")

— Espada & Escudo (@EE_EspadaEscudo) October 10, 2026

Pentagon Doubles Down on Pacific Area Denial, Need for High-end Munitions

 

via USNI News

The Pentagon doubled down on its plans to establish a forward-deployed area denial, anti-access network along the First Island Chain to deter China in the 2026 National Defense Security update.

In a Sept. 22 report to the Senate Armed Services Committee on the 2026 NDS, Defense Under Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby highlighted the department’s efforts to establish a “deterrence by denial” posture in the Indo-Pacific against China. The move is the culmination of attempts within the last decade to prepare American forces for a potential conflict against China, one that would require expansive logistics and missile volleys over the vast distances of the Pacific.

“We are also doing so through force development, as shown in our budget requests to Congress, which increasingly focuses on the kinds of conventional capabilities required to sustain deterrence by denial along the [First Island Chain],” reads Colby’s report.

The report said Colby wants to achieve the second-most important policy of the NDS, which aims to “Deter China in the Indo-Pacific Through Strength, Not Confrontation,” through similar methods via a first island chain denial plan.

Capabilities such as ground-based mobile missile launchers, stand-in forces, naval mines and sustainable aerial forces were emphasized in Colby’s statement. These contrast a previous reliance on large scale naval forces and reflect the Pentagon’s new approach to countering Chinese forces.

Here 

Well that answers a question.

Still don't know the tick tock of this thing but the Marine Corps has gotten the Defense Dept to buy into this weird ass first island chain defense scheme.

Cool.

I stand by contention that not only has China already broken out of this mythical line but that, just like the USSR, we'll never cross swords with them directly.

In my mind this applies double to China.  We've become to dependent on all the little useless widgets we buy from them.  We're far too intertwined to make direct confrontation possible.

We'll fight them thru proxies and might have scrapes on far off lands, I'm still betting on Africa rather than the Middle East...but never heads up.

With all that being said it leaves me with TWO big questions.

1.  Why is the Marine Corps sticking with NMESIS when that system is already obsolete?  The HIMARS does what it does cheaper, better and with a bigger weapons load.

2.  Why is the Marine Corps so focused on this sea denial mission and ignoring 200 years of land combat?  Why is the focus so hard on becoming a totally defensive outfit when its most famous battles and the history its won was found fighting wherever the nation needed...MOSTLY on the ground against enemy land forces?

Anyone know?

Yeah Ukraine pissed off the S. Koreans too. No one is talking about that though

No i Proszę Państwa stało się... Obrażona Korea wycofuje ambasadora z Ukrainy. Seul decyduje sie na radykalny (skandaliczny i niepojęty z polskiego punktu widzenia) krok po sporze z władzami Ukrainy dotyczącego dwóch północnokoreańskich jeńców wojennych. Żołnierze ci zostali schwytani walcząc po stronie Rosji, a następnie przekazani do Korei Południowej. Problem pojawił się, gdy Wołodymyr Zełenski publicznie to ujawnił podczas wystąpienia na forum ONZ. Seul twierdził, że obie strony uzgodniły zachowanie poufności, natomiast Kijów temu zaprzeczył. Gdy zdenerwowani Koreańczycy zażadali wyjaśnień i przeprosin, Ukraina zadeklarowała jedynie chęć rozwiązania sporu, później jednak rzeczywiście składając oficjalne przeprosiny. To jednak nie wystarczyło Koreańczykom i pomimo wspólnego przeciwnika w postaci współpracującej Rosji i Korei Północnej, Seul zareagował ostro o zdecydowanie i wycofał swojejo ambasadora z Kijowa. Ukraina obecność północnokoreańskich żołnierzy na froncie przedstawia jako dowód na internacjonalizację rosyjskiej agresji i ważny argument w rozmowach o wsparciu krajów demokratycznych. Dla Seulu sprawa jest bardziej złożona. Korea Północna to nie tylko państwo wspierające Rosję, ale przede wszystkim bezpośredni przeciwnik militarny, posiadający broń jądrową i ogromną armię przy granicy. Los północnokoreańskich żołnierzy, którzy trafili na Południe, ma więc znaczenie dla bezpieczeństwa ich rodzin, polityki wobec uciekinierów i relacji z Pjongjangiem. Wbicie klina między Kijów, a Seul to oczywiście sukces Moskwy. Niewykluczone, że Korea Pd wykorzysta kryzys do ograniczenia wsparcia Ukrainy. Chyba, że sprawę uda się jeszcze załagodzić...

— Radek Pyffel (@RadekPyffel) October 8, 2026

European troops deployed into Ukraine will be interesting to see

I can't help but wonder how the people at home (in each country) will view this development when it comes to pass. Even if its a peacekeeping force you can expect all sorts of sectarian violence afterwards. Mines, guerillas for both sides, treaty violations...I can't understand why anyone would want any parts of this. Like I said it will be interesting to watch the EUROPEANS do this. America should keep its troops very far away from this. It has quagmire written all over it, not to mention another 20 year effort ALONG WITH massive financial aid to rebuild.

⚡️ European armies prepare for possible troop deployment to Ukraine — major military drills set to begin in Poland At least 1,500 military personnel, including troops from the UK, France and Germany, will travel to Poland next month for exercises aimed at preparing for a peacekeeping mission after the war ends. According to The Times, the troops will rehearse deploying forces and delivering supplies, including fuel and food. The newspaper notes that these will be the first exercises of their kind to simulate the presence of European troops in Ukraine as a deterrent against future aggression after the war. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 17, 2026

Finally alarm is being raised over the greatly diminished UK's armed forces...

I really have to wonder how things got this bad for the UK. The only thing I can point to was BREXIT. Attention was turned inward and focus was lost. Whatever the case it wasn't well managed and I just wonder how long, if ever, it'll take them to recover. Honestly hope is not high.

👇More voices calling for upgrading our defence posture- but will Government listen? 👉During the Cold War: we could field 5 Divisions, over 50 war ships and 36 air squadrons. 👉Today : We could just muster 1 division, a dozen warships and just 6 air squadrons. To compound matters - we have little homeland and greyzone resilience and have failed to keep up with the changing characteristics of warfare. As the threat picture deteriorates- when will we wake up?

— Tobias Ellwood (@Tobias_Ellwood) October 16, 2026

A bad day for Atlanta Swat..

Atlantic City SWAT officers came under fire after breaching a door, leaving two officers wounded, one critically. Sharing this video, not as criticism, but as a reminder to those active and/or who train others, to never stop learning, training, and improving. https://t.co/9shhzu5Orq

— Team South Florida (@TmSouthFlorida) October 15, 2026

Going home is the goal. Everyone going home the same is the wish. Beyond happy all members are alive and wish the wounded a good recovery and back to full health.

Hollywood should fear AI. They're making mini movies now and bigger ones later that are true to the vision...

When you see fiction, horror - scifi whatever you're thinking big. Big battles, impossible odds, big characters that actually perform like the vision taken off the pages and Hollywood just comes up short. AI doesn't. Hollywood should fear AI cause the little people who are actually invested in the source material are able to put on screen what they wished the big boys had. As awesome as Endgame was they neutered the HULK into a pussy. No way the source material would have had him melting the way the showed on screen. Anyway I enjoyed the little fiction below.

https://t.co/zlqOw5raI9

— Look at my shining eyes (@GothicOrnate) October 15, 2026

French Army’s EBRC Jaguar

You ever see a vehicle and you think...yeah that's cool. I have that reaction with the Jaguar. What I wonder about is whether or not its concept still fits. Armored recon? In an age of drones? Don't get me wrong. I still believe in the "Cav" concept. Screening, attacking flanks, fighting holding actions for the main force, that kinda thing. Its just the armored recon that I wonder about now. I haven't looked at the French way of doing things but a vehicle with a big magazine of drones that can peek ahead would seem the better option at the moment. Anti-drone warfare is advancing hard now so we might be back to the past. I guess we'll have to wait and see...

This time, Luxembourg troops were on the ground at Suippes 🇫🇷, to observe the French Army’s EBRC Jaguar in action during a series of dynamic tactical manoeuvres. Luxembourg has ordered 38 Jaguar AFVs and 16 Griffon APCs with a view to establishing a binational combat reconnaissance battalion with Belgium. 📸 by Lëtzbuerger Arméi 🇱🇺

— Tom Antonov (@Tom_Antonov) October 15, 2026

 

Been a terrible week. Hopefully back on track...

You ever have a week from hell?  If so then welcome to my world.

Hopefully I'm back on track.  A little light blogging on stuff that's been saved from this week but I was too tired to put up on the blog.

So no more biting my tongue, just getting back to the fun stuff...

31st MEU | BLT 1/1 conducts ACV water integration training program

Rafale is superior to the J-16 in close combat? Gotta get there first!

🇫🇷🇪🇬🇨🇳 Egypte: Selon l’évaluation des pilotes de l’armée de l’air chinoise, le Rafale est supérieur aux J-16 en combat aérien rapproché (dogfight) pendant l'exercice "Eagles of Civilization 2026": "Ses capacités en combat rapproché sont effectivement supérieures, tout comme sa maniabilité. D’une part, on ne peut pas se permettre de sous-estimer cet écart en matière de performances au combat rapproché".

— Restitutor Orientis 🇱🇮 (@restitutorII) October 11, 2026

Don't know how much I believe this and even if we were to believe it does it matter? Close combat is quickly becoming a thing of the past. From my chair it looks like extended range combat when it comes to the air is gonna be all the rage. Getting close is gonna probably mean mutual death at best. There is a reason why everyone is going for longer and longer ranged air to air missiles. Toss in the next evolution, lasers - microwaves - whatever directed energy weapon you want, and its game over. Anyone remember that huge laser they tried on the 747? Single seat fighters are gonna be a thing of the past. BIG, FAST, B-1B type missile carriers are gonna be the future. Don't tell the Air Force or the Navy though. They'll both shit a brick. The fighter mafia is in for a change.

Wasn't too interested in this story but the killing of the former New Zealand special ops guy & this statement has me wondering...

It seems like M23 fighters are nolonger taking Western mercenaries as prisoners in Eastern DRC conflict. The DRC hired mercenaries known as Blackwater headed by American former US Nevy SEAL, Erik Prince are right now dying like insects. https://t.co/zmuMvqzHbn

— Athousand Brains 𓃵 🇵🇸 (@AthousandBrains) October 9, 2026

What does this guy know that we don't? He's giving the impression that the former New Zealand Special Ops guy was captured and then killed by the rebels. If that's true then its a whole new story. Another thing that has me spinning is that an undercover full effort is happening in Africa right now. Don't believe that all we have operating there is Erik Prince's boys. SOCOM is running ops all over the continent. France is going whole hog there too. Not sure but the Danes also have interests there and might be running ops. The Middle East is the attention grabber but things are brewing on the African continent.