Defense Review on the "super mag".

David Crane of Defense Review has an outstanding write up of the next gen magazine for the Infantry Automatic Rifle.

This is a must have if this system is going to work.  I'm still not convinced and STILL believe that this is a boutique purchase to satisfy a small segment of Marine Corps leadership.

The Gunners are getting their way.

PS.    

First.  The drop test that they performed was silly.  If it works then we'll know when its tested out at 29 Palms with the boys from the 7th Marine Regiment.

Second.  I can tell you what's going to happen operationally with this weapon once it hits the fleet.  Officer, SNCO's and Squad leaders are going to scoop them up and take the tracer rounds from their boys.  They're going to use this to mark targets for their Marines or as a way for them to apply suppressive fire themselves at targets of opportunity.  I guarantee SAWs will still be humped and this will be used in ways that are not being thought of at Headquarters Marine Corps.

 

More Info on the IAR can be found here.

New Crane for Sea Basing.

If you're a fan of the Sea Basing Concept then you might enjoy what the Office of Naval Research has been doing.  ONR coupled with Advanced Technology and Research Corporation to develop a new Naval Crane.  What's really exciting about this is that its applicable to Navy operating doctrine of the future.  You see ISO containers, I see mission modules.  The transfer of vehicles at sea is still iffy in my opinion and this crane could prove to be a very nice backup...if that method proves troublesome.

US Marines in Romania.

BABADAG TRAINING AREA, Romania-Sgt. Shane Cell, a squad leader with scout platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Tank Battalion, demonstrates muscular gouging to a during a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training exercise with Macedonian soldiers at Babadag Training Area, Romania, June 1. Since arriving at BTA, the Marines and Macedonian soldiers have also covered the fundamentals of peacekeeping, rules of engagement, fundamentals of combat marksmanship and night vision training., Cpl. R. Logan Kyle, 6/1/2010 4:40 AM

Macedonian forces begin training alongside U.S. Marines 6/2/2010 By Cpl. R. Logan Kyle , Black Sea Rotational Force BABADAG TRAINING AREA, Romania — Macedonian soldiers kicked off two weeks of training alongside U.S. Marines at Romania’s Babadag Training Area, May 31. This is the second of four peacekeeping operations courses for partner nations scheduled to be supported by the Marines and Sailors of Black Sea Rotational Force 2010, the first Security Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force to deploy to the Balkan, Caucasus and Black Sea regions. The Marines wrapped up their initial training phase with Romania, May 28, and have training with additional Romanian forces, as well as Ukrainian and Bulgarian forces, slated over the coming weeks. 1st Lt. Marc Tucker, the commander for scout platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Tank Battalion, said he is excited to continue to work with different partner nations and help build their operational capabilities with U.S. and Coalition forces. Scout platoon serves as part of the ground combat element for the Security Cooperation MAGTF currently deployed to Eastern Europe. “Each experience is going to be unique,” said Tucker, a native of Silver Spring, Md. “They all bring different experiences, different skill sets, and we look forward to the exchange.” Since arriving at BTA, the Marines and Macedonian soldiers have covered the fundamentals of peacekeeping, rules of engagement, fundamentals of combat marksmanship, night vision training and an introduction to the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Macedonian troops said they believe the skills and techniques that they are fine-tuning will help them on their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. “We will deploy to Afghanistan in July for six months, and I think this training will help us while we are there,” said Sgt. Sait Saiti, a Macedonian soldier with Scorpion Co., 1st Bn., 1st Brigade. “I’ve been in the military for nearly five years, and this is my first experience outside Macedonia.” The Marines are working in the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus regions to promote regional stability, build enduring partnerships and build the capabilities of partner nations’ military forces. The Security Cooperation MAGTF is Marine Corps Forces Europe’s commitment to a rotating presence of Marines in Eastern Europe to meet U.S. European Command’s theater security objectives. “This is going to be really interesting, and I hope we will be able to use this training in other areas of the world in the future,” Saiti said.

Missions like this were once the exclusive domain of Special Operations.  I wonder if SOCOM is aware that since they've gone to all raids and nothing but raids...and since conventional forces are now doing internal security, training for host nations etc...that when the fighting is over they'll have less work.

Either SOCOM will do a massive mission grab and start performing these missions again OR they'll fall victim to the personnel cuts that the conventional forces are facing.

My prediction is that SOCOM is looking at some pretty massive budget cuts.  There forces are older, get paid more, have proven to be support intensive etc...they're going to get whacked in the upcoming budget battles. My prediction is that Marine Special Ops will be scaled way back as will the SEALs, Army Special Forces and USAF Special Ops.

The only force that I see remaining relatively unscathed is the US Army Rangers.  They haven't experienced the weird and wild growth that the other SOCOM members have and their operating principals are fiscally sound.  Whenever possible they have used standard Army gear (the SCAR is an outlier...don't expect it to see widespread service..just my opinion).

SOCOM might be able to avoid cuts in the future but it will depend on their success in the Horn of Africa (where you have more and more conventional US Marines operating) and in Yemen.  If they can contain the threat then it might be sunny skies.  If they need assistance to win the war (think Afghanistan before the build up) then cuts -be- a coming.

Amphibious Assault Exercise-Dawn Blitz.

1st Battalion 6th Marines and DEA Agents bust drug kingpin.

*Note* All photos courtesy I Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD) by Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Butler 

An Afghan Counter Narcotic National policeman holds the Afghan government's primary drug kingpin in Marjah, Afghanistan, May 18. The mission, a team effort between the Marines, Drug Enforcement Administration and Counter Narcotic Police of Afghanistan, nabbed high-level drug traffickers.

A Drug Enforcement Administration special agent and Cpl. Michael Zarate, 22, from Chula Vista, Calif., and his patrol drug-detection dog, Roy, search a building for drugs and anyone evading arrest at the compound of a known Taliban commander and drug trafficker in Marjah, Afghanistan, May 18.

Counter Narcotic Police of Afghanistan, Drug Enforcement Administration and Marines make final plans before executing an arrest-and-search warrant on the Afghan government?s primary drug and terrorist target in Marjah, Afghanistan, May 18. The team got their man, who is facing a 10-year sentence in the Afghan judicial system for drug trafficking.

Sgt. Patrick Main, (left) squad leader, 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, makes final checks with his Marines, as a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent checks his watch, minutes before serving an arrest warrant on the Afghan government's primary drug and terrorist target in Marjah, Afghanistan, May 18. Main's squad caught the drug trafficker as he attempted to escape the compound after the Counter Narcotic Police of Afghanistan, DEA and a Marine with his patrol drug detection canine forced their way into the compound.

Counter Narcotic Police of Afghanistan, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent and Marines prepare to enter a compound of a known Taliban commander and drug trafficker to serve an arrest warrant for him in Marjah, Afghanistan, May 18. The team successfully arrested the Afghan governments primary drug and terrorist target in Marjah.

US Marines train on HMS Ark Royal.

Viper Strike arming the KC-130J Harvest Hawk.

Via DefPro.com...

Under the terms of the contract, Northrop Grumman will deliver 65 Viper Strike munitions beginning this year to the Joint Attack Munition Systems Project Office within the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space at Redstone Arsenal for eventual integration onto the KC-130J platform.

More info on Viper Strike and Harvest Hawk ....
http://www.es.northropgrumman.com/solutions/viperstrike/index.html
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Harvest-Hawk-Aims-to-Arm-USMCs-KC-130J-Aerial-Tankers-05409/


Just on a side note...check out our bureaucracy at work.  They're going to deliver them to the Joint Attack Munitions Systems Project Office within the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space and that's before NavAir gets ahold of it which is before Headquarters Marine Corps does its thing...all of which is before the guys who will actually use the damn thing get a chance to even see what it looks like!  Amazing!

II MEF SOTG HRST Master Course Vid.

Audio disabled but still illustrates how the USMC does it.

Change of command in Helmand.

This is getting interesting.  Read the story here, but note this passage...the last line in the story and perhaps a source of tension (remember that the US and Brits argued over the conduct of operations in Iraq)...

Reports have suggested that US commanders want British troops in Helmand to be redeployed elsewhere in southern Afghanistan.

Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force New York

A MV -22 Osprey flys out of Corona Park, Queens after completing a helicopter raid. More than 3,000 Marines, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen will be in the area participating in community outreach events and equipment demonstrations. This is the 26th year New York City has hosted the sea services for Fleet Week. 

Marines from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force New York rush out of MV -22 Osprey while demonstrating a helicopter raid at Rye Playland, May 30. More than 3,000 Marines, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen will be in the area participating in community outreach events and equipment demonstrations. This is the 26th year New York City has hosted the sea services for Fleet Week. 

A CH-46 Sea Knight flys out of Corona Park, Queens after completing a helicopter raid. More than 3,000 Marines, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen will be in the area participating in community outreach events and equipment demonstrations. This is the 26th year New York City has hosted the sea services for Fleet Week.

You have got to be kidding me! part 2.

via MSNBC from AP.

Marine aircraft mishap injures 10 at NYC park

NEW YORK - The powerful propellers on a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft doing a Memorial Day demonstration has blown tree branches into people on the ground in a New York City park.

Firefighters say ten people suffered minor injuries.

The Osprey MV-22 aircraft was landing at Staten Island's Clove Lakes Park around 8 a.m. Monday as part of Fleet Week. It's an annual event honoring the U.S. military.

Marine Corps spokesman Lt. Josh Diddams says the wind generated by the aircraft's propellers broke branches off a nearby tree. The branches were swept into some people on the ground.

Firefighters say seven people have been taken to Richmond University Medical Center. Three others refused medical attention.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Just one question.  Who is the dumbass in the Commandant's office that keeps scheduling these dog and pony shows in New York?????  The second most fucked up state (California wins the crown) in the union with few real supporters of the military but they keep sending our guys up their to "thrill the crowds"...AMAZING.

PS.  I found the video.  This was a complete and total CLUSTERFUCK!  

CBO report on Navy/Marines fighter gap.

Hat tip to the Navy Times (go to there site here..for the article).  This report (below) is a light read and it lays out 4 options for dealing with the fighter shortfall.  Alternative 1 is a no brainer and will probably be followed.  But you can bet Boeing and their Congressional delegations will be pushing for more F/A-18E/F's.
05-27-FighterInventories

Tribute to the fallen...

Forty-five-year-old; Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Cottle, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, pays tribute to one of his fallen Marines on March 8, 2010 at South Station, Helmand province, Afghanistan. A little more than two weeks later, Cottle, a seven-year active-duty veteran and high-ranking SWAT officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, was struck by a roadside bomb killing him and 19 year old Marine Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni. (Photo by Marine Corps 1st Lt. Joshua Diddams)
I Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd)
Date: 03.08.2010
Location: South Station, AF

Pic of the day. May 28, 2010.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mykel Thaete, of the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion (AITB), School of Infantry West (SOI-W), Detachment Hawaii, runs for concealment after popping an M18 green smoke hand grenade on Kahuku Training Area in Hawaii May 19, 2010. Thaete participated as opposition force in an attack and defend field exercise as part of SOI-W's Infantry Squad Leader Course. (DoD photo by Lance Cpl. Jody Lee Smith, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)

MultiCam .... check.
Motto sunglasses ... check.
Popped Green Smoke Grenade ... check.

Conducting training as OpFor for the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion?  PRICELESS

RoK/US Amphibious Assault.

An old video but still entertaining.  The Republic of Korea and US Marines conduct an amphibious assault.  Highlighted in the video is the soon to be retired CH-46.

Center for American Progress slams Navy/Marine Corps Budget allocations.

The Center for American Progress has published a write-up of the latest from the House Armed Services Committee.  Suffice it to say that they're not pleased with continued funding of many of the service's programs.  Read more here.

The HASC bill also includes $65 billion for Navy and Marine Corps procurement despite Secretary Gates’s recent speech before the Navy League calling on the service to reexamine its force posture in the current operating environment. As Gates noted, the United States will maintain 11 carrier strike groups through 2040 when no other country has more than one. The $65 billion includes $5.1 billion to fund two Virginia class submarines—the first time the committee has ever authorized two of these boats in one year. And the committee’s FY 2011 authorization includes $1.7 billion in advance funding toward the purchase of two more Virginia class hulls in FY 2012. Including funding for the advanced purchase of these two submarines creates a strong incentive for lawmakers to allow the program to proceed in next year’s budget, which essentially ensures that the same misguided spending evident in this year’s markup will continue in FY 2012.
The list goes on. The HASC bill includes $361 million over what the administration requested for funding for ballistic missile defense despite the fact that the Pentagon already increased the budget by over $300 million from a year ago. The increased funding, which then-Senator Obama campaigned against, would fund missile defense at George W. Bush administration-levels if approved by the House and the Senate. HASC also revived funding for the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, an unnecessary and deeply flawed amphibious vehicle that is vulnerable to the types of improvised explosive devices used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I'm not sure about many of the issues raised here.  What I do know is that the statement regarding the EFV is false.  It has been re-engineered to survive IEDs similar to those encountered in Iraq/Afghanistan.  I wonder what else they got wrong.

Amphibs. The most useful ships in the fleet.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (May 26, 2010) - Members of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL) Navy Band prepare to welcome USS Tortuga (LSD 46) to Indonesia to kick off Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) 2010. In its 16th year, NEA is part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Mike Morley)

Navy Partnership missions invariably include amphibious ships.  Despite their detractors, the amphib is the hardest working ship in the Navy.  But its useless without its Marine Contingent.  Many forget that and focus only on the ships themselves.  That is not only disingenuous but its also shortsighted.  This from the 7th Fleet.

“Naval Engagement Activity Indonesia plays an important role in our Navy’s maritime strategy of building global partnerships,” said Clemmons. “NEA is a great opportunity to build upon our pre-existing relationship with our Indonesian counterparts and to learn from each other what can be accomplished through our combined efforts.”

Training events held during NEA in Indonesia include search and rescue, flight deck familiarization, boarding exercises, medical and dental activities, an amphibious landing, salvage exercises as well as community service projects and performances by the U.S. 7th Fleet band Orient Express.

“The events planned for our NEA phase in Indonesia will help to promote our interoperability and foster better relationships with our Indonesian partners,” said Clemmons.

Do you notice that most of those events are directly related to the USS Tortuga and not the FFG or the T-ARS or the Coast Guard Cutter?

*Amphibious Landing---LSD-46
*Search and Rescue---All ships involved
*Medical and Dental Activities---LSD-46
*Boarding Exercises---LSD-46, FFG-48 and the Coast Guard Cutter
*Salvage Exercise---T-ARS
*Community Service---All ships involved

To be quite honest with the proper manning, the LSD could perform all these missions except the salvage exercise. 

The Amphib is the true multi-mission platform. 

Seabasing Counters Area Denial | AVIATION WEEK

Seabasing Counters Area Denial | AVIATION WEEK

Great article but what I'm still waiting for is an explanation of how you develop an LHA and not have it part of the Amphibious Fleet.  This is another promising concept that will probably be under intense pressure with the current budget problems.  

US Marines intercept hijacked ship.

...a detachment aboard ship?

US marines intercept hijacked ship

Manama - A US destroyer intercepted a hijacked ship with around 50 pirates on board last week, authorities said on Monday.

The container ship M/V Iceberg I, with 24 crew members on board, had been captured by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia, nearly two months ago.

The USS McFaul identified the ship, despite the pirates having painted over its name and re-named it Sea Express, a spokesperson from the region's counter-piracy task force said in the Bahraini capital Manama.

The US marines had first noticed the ship on Wednesday and sent a radio message. The crew answered that they were on their way to the next port to have some repairs done.

The marines then radioed that they wanted to come on board, at which point the crew replied that they had been hijacked by heavily armed pirates.

"First and foremost our responsibility is to ensure the safety of the crew," said the commander of the USS Faul, Ronald Toland. "Given the report of heavily armed pirates on board, it was more prudent to monitor the ship's movement, rather than attempt a rescue."

His crew followed the ship's movements for the next 36 hours, until it begin to sail towards the coast of Somalia.

The marines said they suspected the pirates wanted either to help other pirates who had fallen into difficulties at sea, or to use the ship to capture another vessel. - Sapa-dpa

Quotes of the day. May 24, 2010.

My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of the higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military.

There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights.

 War is a racket. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.

General Smedley Butler, United States Marine Corps.