Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Saudi backed Yemen Prime Minister set to flee the country...
via The Republic.
Yemen’s prime minister was preparing to flee to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates seized the area around the presidential palace in the southern city of Aden in fierce battles, security officials said.Story here.
A Saudi-led coalition that includes the UAE has been battling rebels in northern Yemen for nearly three years on behalf of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government. But despite having a common enemy, the UAE and Hadi have been locked in a long-running power struggle, which boiled over on Sunday as clashes erupted across the government’s seat of power.
Elsewhere in Yemen, al-Qaida militants attacked a checkpoint in the southern Shabwa province, killing at least 12 soldiers in an area where Yemeni troops had claimed victory against the extremist group. The militants claimed the attack in a statement circulated on social media, saying it was in retaliation for abuses by U.S. and UAE-backed forces.
What? You haven't been paying attention to Yemen with all the drama going on in SYria?
Your mistake!
The House Of Saud is continuing to get its ass kicked in an absolutely brilliant military manner and they seem unable to even mount a decent offensive against Houthi tribesman that stalk the hills.
So what about AQ and ISIS that supposedly aid the Houthis?
I can't be certain because I don't have good visibility on them but it seems like they just migrated to the region, picked up weapons and started shooting at Saudi forces.
I can't see a direct "partnership" between them and to be honest I have to wonder if those names aren't being used as an excuse to get us hip deep in rescuing the Saudis.
Long short?
Unless we intervene this Saudi adventure is about to come to an end. The result? Iran will be bolstered (they supplied the Houthis while we sat back and helped the Saudis BLOCKAIDE the country...millions went hungry while we helped with this almost criminal invasion). The House of Saud will sink deeper into chaos. The GCC will probably fracture.
Yeah. An already chaotic middle east will become even MORE chaotic.
The next time Marines land in that region we'll probably have to shoot in all directions. Our enemies are getting stronger, our so called allies are weakening themselves and the fence sitters (Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait) will soon have to pick sides.
Asterix completes Royal Canadian Navy trials, achieves Full Operational Capability
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| Asterix completes Royal Canadian Navy trials, achieves Full Operational Capability Davie Shipbuilding and Federal Fleet Services announced that following an intensive period of at-sea trials and testing, Asterix has been formally accepted by the Department of National Defence and has now entered full operational service with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). As planned, Asterix performed daily replenishment-at-sea (RAS) exercises with the RCN and conducted extensive RCAF CH-148 Cyclone helicopter operations to prove and demonstrate the world-leading capabilities of the Resolve-Class Naval Support Ship. These exercises have included everything from dual RAS operations to helicopter landing, take-off and vertical replenishment trials. Over 900 Canadian companies from coast-to-coast participated in the build of Asterix. |
The Israeli Air Force choosing F-15's over F-35's for its next buy?
Thanks Liam for the link!
via Haaretz.com
The F-15, though older, has two advantages over the F-35: a longer flight range and the ability to carry larger bombs. Another factor in its favor is that it’s built on a different platform, which means the air force would have a mix of planes rather than relying on a single model.Story here.
The F-15I is also cheaper to operate than the F-35. But the plane is currently being upgraded by the manufacturer, Boeing, and its purchase price is expected to rise in any future deal. Thus it could end up costing the same as the F-35 does next time around.
The argument within the air force apparently isn’t over whether a third F-35 squadron is needed, but over how soon it is needed.
Proponents of the F-15 prefer to postpone buying the third F-35 squadron until near the end of the next decade.
The decision is also very important to the competing American manufacturers, Lockheed Martin (the F-35) and Boeing (the F-15), and not only because the deal is likely to be worth almost $3 billion. Boeing is considering closing its F-15 production line, but an Israeli order would keep the line open. It could also persuade other countries to buy the plane, since a purchase by the IAF is considered a seal of approval of a fighter jet’s high quality and continued relevance.
This is weird.
I miss the days when IDF officers spoke plainly. There was a time when they would say what's what and let the chips fall where they may.
Those days are over.
Additionally, while I LOVE to bang on the F-35 anytime, anyday, anywhere, this article is just plain off.
They lavish tremendous praise on the F-35. Talk about how its price will equal an upgraded F-15, emphasize how its hyper advanced and how its stealth is a world beater....then turn around and talk about "bigger" bombs and the F-15's range?
The IDF could have done us all a favor and provided clarity on the F-35's real capabilities. Instead they've muddied the waters even more.
My stance remains the same.
Stealth is overrated, payloads over platforms, AESA is the magic elixir and the F-15 is the daddy airplane.
The IDF all but told us so, but want to stay on the Pentagons good side with regard to the F-35.
The Taliban has started a new bombing offensive in Afghanistan that no one is talking about...
via DW.com
A string of brutal attacks over the past several weeks, killing and injuring hundreds of innocent Afghans, have shown the world the fragile and worsening state of security in Afghanistan and made it once again a staple of international headlines.Story here.
The incidents have plunged war-weary Afghan citizens into a state of despair and highlighted the limitations faced by the government in Kabul in ensuring public security.
Both the Taliban and the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) have claimed responsibility for the violence.
Have you been keeping up with events in Afghanistan? Probably not because all eyes are on Syria, but the Taliban has started a bombing offensive that is shaking the govt to its foundations.
Our response?
Did you know that the Commander in Afghanistan is requesting an additional 1K troops to the region for the summer fighting season?
The Marine Corps is trying to arrange for Predator overwatch (24/7) for our boys making up that Task Force that is due to hit ground anytime (if they're not there already).
I've read reports that Afghan security forces are suspected of being thoroughly penetrated by Taliban infiltrators and that we can expect an increase in green on blue incidents.
Things are terrible in Afghanistan.
We should have bailed. That land is ungovernable. Worse? They don't want peace, they don't want a partition of the land, they only want continued warfare.
We don't understand the psychology of people like that. We should stop trying.
Some want to rebuild the UK Armed Forces to look like the USMC! Things are bad for UK Defence...
via The Guardian.
With no cultural or historic ties, an off-the-shelf armed forces might even resemble the US Marine Corps (USMC), a force that is almost eerily similar in size to the UK Armed Forces: both have about 400 tanks (though many of the UK’s are in storage), 1,200 aircraft, and are about 230,000 personnel strong (including reserves). The USMC operates on a budget of just $40bn compared to $50bn for the UK, far more expensive even when the more than $2bn annual cost of Trident is taken into consideration.Story here.
With a fresh look at the country’s requirements and commitments, the UK could focus on certain key roles where it can best support Nato and European allies. Historically the UK has excelled in areas such as maritime strike, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), air defence, and airlift, as well as intervention through special operations or amphibious and airborne rapid reaction forces. During the cold war, the Royal Navy was highly specialised in chasing Russian submarines around the North Atlantic, while the RAF played a major role intercepting the Soviet aircraft that would regularly test the alliance’s airspace.
Believe it or not that blurb about starting with a blank sheet and rebuilding the UK Armed Forces and them making it to look like the USMC was the most optimistic part of this article that I could find.
Things are looking bad for UK Defense. Correction. Things are looking horrible.
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