No graphics on this one guys. Just plain rear view mirror gazing.
The F-35, EFV and the V-22 were too big a price to pay for the dream of over the horizon amphibious assault.
I was wrong when I said (and argued) that they were just what we needed.
We could easily have made due with say the S-92 in place of the V-22 and F/A-18E/F, instead of F-35s. Our air power wouldn't be state of the art but it wouldn't be breaking the bank, it would be sufficient to carry out Marine Corps taskings and it wouldn't have put even "traditional" amphibious assault in jeopardy like we're facing now.
The Marine Corps was wrong when they continue to stick to the yardstick of over the horizon attack. They're also wrong for attempting to design amphibious ships and vehicles to act in that arena.
It was a bridge too far then and now. The troubled development process that was painfully illustrated by the EFV was an early warning sign that we all missed.
I missed it. HQMC missed it. Marine Corps leadership missed it.
Marine Corps institutional fear about being rendered irrelevant has served it well in the past but this time it worked against us. We guard amphibious assault so vigorously that we missed the obvious.
So what if it becomes a combined service effort that involves elements of the Air Force and Army. So what if its not a pure Marine Corps and Navy effort?
The other two forms of forcible entry are as difficult to perform now as any...maybe more and the threat to those forces performing those missions is perhaps even greater, yet the Airborne and Air Assault Forces never seem to express the "fear" that the Marine Corps does.
The Marine Corps as an institution needs to have a serious come to Jesus moment and get its shit straight.
70 million (down from 100 million) for a CH-46 replacement is a sign of mental illness. A replacement for the Harrier that is coming in at 150 million dollars each when we can get F/A-18's that can perform the MARINE CORPS mission of providing close air support for our infantry is insane. Delaying the replacement for a Amphibious Assault Vehicle that is almost 50 years old while we prioritize the buying of the above aircraft AND a CH-53K which I haven't mentioned yet is a sign of illegal drug usage.
I just acknowledged the false assumptions that I made regarding Marine Corps procurement. Hopefully, someone in HQMC has the balls to tell the Commandant that we're on the wrong road and need to turn around. If a blogger can see this so can those in charge of the Marines.
The F-35, EFV and the V-22 were too big a price to pay for the dream of over the horizon amphibious assault.
I was wrong when I said (and argued) that they were just what we needed.
We could easily have made due with say the S-92 in place of the V-22 and F/A-18E/F, instead of F-35s. Our air power wouldn't be state of the art but it wouldn't be breaking the bank, it would be sufficient to carry out Marine Corps taskings and it wouldn't have put even "traditional" amphibious assault in jeopardy like we're facing now.
The Marine Corps was wrong when they continue to stick to the yardstick of over the horizon attack. They're also wrong for attempting to design amphibious ships and vehicles to act in that arena.
It was a bridge too far then and now. The troubled development process that was painfully illustrated by the EFV was an early warning sign that we all missed.
I missed it. HQMC missed it. Marine Corps leadership missed it.
Marine Corps institutional fear about being rendered irrelevant has served it well in the past but this time it worked against us. We guard amphibious assault so vigorously that we missed the obvious.
So what if it becomes a combined service effort that involves elements of the Air Force and Army. So what if its not a pure Marine Corps and Navy effort?
The other two forms of forcible entry are as difficult to perform now as any...maybe more and the threat to those forces performing those missions is perhaps even greater, yet the Airborne and Air Assault Forces never seem to express the "fear" that the Marine Corps does.
The Marine Corps as an institution needs to have a serious come to Jesus moment and get its shit straight.
70 million (down from 100 million) for a CH-46 replacement is a sign of mental illness. A replacement for the Harrier that is coming in at 150 million dollars each when we can get F/A-18's that can perform the MARINE CORPS mission of providing close air support for our infantry is insane. Delaying the replacement for a Amphibious Assault Vehicle that is almost 50 years old while we prioritize the buying of the above aircraft AND a CH-53K which I haven't mentioned yet is a sign of illegal drug usage.
I just acknowledged the false assumptions that I made regarding Marine Corps procurement. Hopefully, someone in HQMC has the balls to tell the Commandant that we're on the wrong road and need to turn around. If a blogger can see this so can those in charge of the Marines.
