Alligator Dagger canceled...this was gonna be a prom dance for new concepts...

via SacBee

The U.S. military on Thursday canceled the remainder of a training exercise in the Horn of Africa, and the government of Djibouti called a halt to U.S. military air operations in its country, following two U.S. Marine aircraft accidents this week in Djibouti.

Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie told reporters at the Pentagon that the decision to cancel the remainder of an exercise called Alligator Dagger, billed by the U.S. as a combat rehearsal, was "a reasonable precaution" in light of the aviation accidents, which happened separately but within a few hours of each other on Tuesday.

Story here. 

This is a bit stunning.  Don't get me wrong I agree with it but it's still a take a deep breath sit back moment.

A little background.

Before many exercises such as Alligator Dagger, the Pentagon puts out a notice to Journalists. 

This one was kinda over the top (my opinion).

They called it one of the biggest in the region, called it a battle dress rehearsal and then we can't forget where it's being held.

This was gonna be a shot across the bow of the Chinese in Africa, a warning to Iran and a demonstration to all (including terrorists in Yemen and as far away as Syria) that the US military was in the area and we're ready to play.

Additionally the type of warships involved kinda made it the Bold Alligator of the Middle East/Africa.  Big, bold and in your face.

What was on deck?

The French sent their BPC (LHD type ship) with US Marines aboard, the renamed Mobile Landing Platform was set to participate too.  Of course we'd also see aviation conducting raids deeper into fictional enemy territory than ever before.

This was gonna be a highlight of aviation, US forces aboard foreign warships...the whole shebang.

But aircraft fell out of the sky, good men were killed/and or injured and the whole thing called off.

Stunning move but one I can cheer.

I don't have to agree with a Marine Corps centric focus, but by God if they're bound and determined then take a beat and get it right.  Our loss rate is outrageous, unsustainable and at this time eating men/equipment.

We've got to do better and if the ending of an exercise gets us closer to that goal then I'm all for it.

Italian Navy aircraft carriers Cavour (550) and Garibaldi (551) during a training exercise

I cannot state enough how the US Marine Corps is starting to evolve toward a more Italian amphibious force type construct.  They currently use a mix of wheeled and tracked amphibious vehicles (this is off the top of the head but I think they currently use the Piranha III, and will be transitioning to the SuperAV along with the AAV), they have the Cavour which is smaller but will fill the same role as the first two America Class LHD...quite frankly its amazing how much influence they appear to have had on Marine Corps planners.

That influence doesn't stop there though.  If you look at the "Maritime Raid Force" I see hints of how the Royal Marines operate aboard ship and the beat goes on.

We need to take a beat and get back to being a middle weight force that wins battles...Shock Troops from the sea....a return to the Marine Corps that has won the day for the last 200+ years.

Can't lie, the CMV-22 looks good! Pic by Sheldon Cohen...

China adds stealth features to it's J-10 fighter...

Thanks to Ronald for the link!

J-10C TVC-testbed - magazine cover via https://t.co/EjnfL8dZwc pic.twitter.com/wo7pykcV90

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 3, 2018

Does it even need to be said anymore?  China is stealing us blind and we still have so called Americans that can't call balls and strikes.

China is a threat to the US and we need to focus on containing/eradicating that threat.

I have never been one to support pre-emptive war.  I've seen it in the recent past and I've been unconvinced of it's necessity.

When it comes to China, my views have evolved.

If we allow them to continue to improve militarily then we will be defeated if we act on their timetable.  We simply don't have the industrial strength to match them because I believe they're looking to combine high tech weaponry with mass production on a scale we can no longer match.

We might fill the skies with technologically superior planes, the plains with better armor and our troops might be lavishly equipped in comparison but if they're close to matching our tech and can add overwhelming numbers we're screwed.

Better to hit them now while we have the advantage than wait when they're ready for the fight.

US Marine Corps suffers third aviation incident in less than 24 hours

via CNN

In the third incident involving Marine Corps aircraft in less than 24 hours, a United States Marines Corps CH-53 helicopter was damaged late Tuesday while landing in the East African country of Djibouti, in the vicinity of Arta Beach, according to a spokesman for the US military.

The aircraft "sustained minor structural damage pending further assessment," US Navy Cdr. Bill Urban, a spokesman for US Naval Forces Central Command, told CNN.
Urban added the helicopter's crew was uninjured in the incident.

Story here. 

You know the deal.

Do I really need to say it?

Marine Aviation is in shit shape.

Why we haven't seen some General somewhere fired (and I'm talking about some bubba in HQMC that talks to the Commandant everyday and has the title of Deputy Commandant for Aviation) for this is beyond me but good people are dying because of a plan that is apparently fucked beyond all recognition.

My advice.

Marine Air needs to take a beat.

They need to go over what they're doing and why and toss what doesn't work, reinforce what does and get everyone to buy in on doing the deed.

Military training is inherently dangerous.  So is aviation, but for the Marine Corps to be suffering this horrific accident rate and the other services seemingly getting it right is more than frustrating.

This shit is borderline criminal.

Open Comment Post. April 4, 2018

AlmasdarNews has pics of a new US base in Aleppo...

pics via almasdarnews

Now do you see?

If this is true and it sure looks like it then something is going on in Syria outside of KNOWN presidential approval.

Is it possible that there is a secret executive order that allows this type of activity?

Yep.

Is it possible that the reigns have been taken off US forces that they are acting in what they believe is the Commander's Intent even though he has publicly stated otherwise?

Yep.

But is it possible that the Special Ops/Small Wars Mafia is trying to run events without proper oversight?

Ordinarily I'd say no, but this has been an EXTREMELY weird war.

This thing is off the rails, ISIS is NOT the primary objective of anyone fighting the damn thing and this appears to be the main game for SOCOM.

So in other words your guess is as good as mine and I have NO FUCKING IDEA of what's really happening here.

YouTube shooter was a muslim, female, liberal....many speculated that a gun rights guy would do the deed...

via Heavy.

38-year-old woman who was angry at YouTube opened fire at the video-sharing website’s headquarters in San Bruno, California, on Tuesday, April 3.

Police say that Nasim Aghdam wounded three people before fatally shooting herself. Police recovered a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun at the scene. The gun was registered to Aghdam, who police say went to a shooting range before heading to YouTube.

According to her website and various social media posts, Aghdam believed that YouTube was discriminating against her videos, causing her to lose money and views. Police revealed her identity on Tuesday night.

Story here. 

This is terrible news.  Truly horrible and I cringe at the loss of life.

But.

YouTube has gone after gun channels with a vengeance.  They've gone so far that I truly believe they have an agenda to end any channel that even touches on guns, gun rights, gear, training etc...

Many thought that a gun guy would do the deed its been so bad.

No seriously!

We've evolved into a stage in our soceital development that YouTube was a major source of funding for some people.  I've heard that certain channels bring in hundreds of thousands and a rare few even millions.

Don't know if any gun channel was that popular but does it matter?

Corporations have started playing a dangerous game.

They've begun to stick their fingers in the wind and try and take sides in societal matters.

In one way its brilliant.  You don't hear about corporate responsibility with regard to worker pay, benefits etc...no, that's been replaced with corporate responsibility with regard to their stance on social issues.

That don't cost a dime and usually involves simply saying something a particular group wants to hear mixed with the bludgeon of advertising dollars or sponsorship or even where events are held.

My prediction?

This terrible thing is just the start unless corporate America decides to get out of social issues and focuses once again on selling shit.

Politics Talk. New Assessment & Perhaps Appreciation for Mattis/Kelly?

A few things are quite obvious if you care to pull the curtain back a little (well as much as an average citizen can).

Not in any particular order but my thinking goes like this....

1.  Marine Corps Generals still have the political game down cold.  I don't understand the yielding on women in combat but its obvious that they did some kind of reading of the wind and simply dealt with the circumstances as they were.  The full telling of that story will come with time, but although many disagree, I know feel like it was inevitable so they played the game.

2.  Kelly is MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE than many realized when he took over the reigns of Chief Of Staff.  Dude has been pushing a border security agenda that at times seems even more hardline than even Trump.  The same plays out on social issues. 

3.  Mattis is playing the corridors of Washington in ways that would make Macavelli blush!  He is the constant.  He is the true power player and the most powerful man in the cabinet.  He cultivates relationships, and when new players enter he pivots, brings them into his confidence and eventually ends up dominating them.  McMaster was in deep water when dealing with him and couldn't handle the swim.  I believe a few others have met the same fate....with the assistance of his buddy Kelly and the quiet devil dog that is still working behind the lines...General Dunford, the CJCS, the Marines have Washington in their paws.

4.  Even when you look at the F-35, perhaps the most poorly run defense project in the history of the world, the Marines have won.  I don't doubt for one minute that Mattis supports it.  FOR THE MARINES!  And to me that's the issue.  Name one plane that the F-35 is clearly superior to.  If you said the F-15, F-16, F-18, Gripen, Typhoon or Rafale I'd say you were full of shit.  If you said the F-35B was outrageously superior to the Harrier and will deliver capabilities never seen before in a STOVL jet (in the performance dept!) then you're spot on.  Everyone else got screwed.  The entire program labored hard to produce a world winning STOVL jet and wrecked the allied air defense to do it.  Marines win everyone else loses.

In short?

With Mattis, Kelly and Dunford, the Marines are in power positions and making shit happen.

It's a weird thing to see.

Late Open Comment Post. April 3, 2018