Israel MOD - Eitan 8X8 Armoured Wheeled Vehicle Advance Field Testing (Vid)

This is why Cops get the bad rap of militarization...

Full disclosure.

My thinking on police militarization has evolved.  I know that there are bad people out there doing bad things that need to be dealt with by good people that are equipped, trained and fit enough to deal with them.

We've seen it with the few terrorist events we've seen in the US and Europe along with active shooting situations (many people are alarmed by the demonstrations against bad police shoots but I am not).

The point is simple.

Police need to be equipped to deal with bad actors.  Full stop.

Having said that do you see the gear display above?

I consider every piece to have a real world application if we're talking about a SWAT Team or even street level narcotics bubbas.

So why do I say they're doing it wrong?

Because they chose to go multicam or whatever color that is.  Cops are getting a bad rap for militarization because they're following the lead of SOCOM and buying gear that looks like they're about to drop into a foreign country and conduct operations.

Why do you need a desert type camo for urban ops?  If you must have multicam than go with multicam black. But even better would be to go with Sheriff's green or Police blue.

This is a simple thing but simple things mean alot.  If you're a LEO and your dept is about to drop coin for your next set of loadout gear then do yourselves and your dept a favor.  Ask for it in green or blue and leave the overseas combat look for guys doing that work.

Sidenote:  Some will say that they need the camo to blend in when working in rural locations.  I personally have never seen that and even the wildlife LEO's wear the green pants, khaki shirt things (for the most part).

Ship to Shore movement with 26th MEU...pics by Staff Sgt. Dengrier Baez

Marines take fitness to HQMC level! FUCKING OUTSTANDING!

I'm a critic of many things that HQMC is doing.  But when they get it right I need to shout that to the rooftops too.

This is one of those things.

I have my personal suspicions on why this is being done, but put that to the side...this is long overdue.

Warrior Fitness....being Hard To Kill...being able to endure under times  of stress both mental and physical?

That's what this is all about.

What would I like to see?  I'd like to see the initiative that Colonel Armes is pushing continue and to watch the fruit that it brings.  I'd also like to see some of the administrative bullshit that came about go by the wayside.  That combat pt test is one such thing (in my opinion).  That should be part of unit pt and does not need to be formalized.  Some of the changes in the PT Test I'd like to see go away but understanding the push made by the feminists in the Corps it's unlikely.

Simplify and amplify.

That should be the goal.

Finally I'd like these ideas that Armes has and will receive to go fleet wide without the paperwork accompanying it.  Develop the stuff that will enhance performance, LIMIT injuries (I hope they understand that people will break no matter what they do and certain demographics will break at higher rates considering the exercises being recommended), and develop the proper mindset.

This little initiative might be the real war winning change we've all been looking for but even better than that it emphasizes the individual Marine instead of glamorizing a piece of kit.  Being fit and strong (mentally and physically) saves lives and kills the enemy!  "Nuff said!

Late Open Comments Post. April 15, 2018

Blog Blurb. What did you expect from the strike? Let's be actual and factual..both from supporters of it and dissenters!

I've been monitoring conversations revolving around the strike in Syria.

The conversations have been beyond interesting.  Some people have brought up thought provoking ideas/theories.  Some have just gone batshit crazy and its obvious that thinking has gone out the window and emotionalism is all they're clinging to.

But lets be actual and factual about this thing....

If you're a supporter of the strikes.

You should be happy as hell.  The President backed up his line in the sand and sent a message.  Additionally he did it in a focused manner that did not lead to needless loss of life while still delivering a message to Assad and defying the Russians.

If you're a dissenter.

You should be happy as hell.  You believe that the evidence was shaky and that a miscalculation could lead to a wider conflict.  Trump did the unusual for him and approved a limited strike (ok, alot of ammo was expended but the targets were few) that happened at a time when few casualties would be suffered even among Syrian military and the threat of Russian retaliation was muted because we steered clear of targeting their installations/personnel AND it appears that we even took the time to deconflict the attack with the Russians!

The reality?

This is about as good as it gets with regard to politics in the US and in appeasing our French and British allies that WE NEED to put the veneer of legality on the whole thing AND pushback against the idea of the lawless US attacking another country.

This is far from perfect but...

This ain't perfect but its the best melding of political considerations mixed with tactical smarts within a constrained framework that I've seen the US military put together in a long time.

I'm not a Mattis fanboy yet but its obvious that he along with Dunford at the head of the JCS and Kelly as White House Chief of staff tailored the right response (almost perfect) to the lunacy that I'm sure Bolton was proposing.

Long story short?

Whether a supporter or critic, we all should be happy.

New expectations for F-35 quality on delivery?

via Defense News.

“The issue itself is well on its way to being resolved,” Ellen Lord, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, told reporters during a roundtable.

However, the debacle establishes the “department’s point of view” that Lockheed had gotten sloppy in meeting the specified manufacturing requirements — and that the Pentagon got not been rigorous enough in enforcing them, she said.

“The department, in an effort to move forward with the program, has perhaps not been as thoughtful as we want to be from this point forward in terms of what we consider acceptable performance,” she said. “I think this corrosion issue is one example where we have expectations for workmanship, and at this point we’re not seeing those workmanship levels being achieved.”

Lockheed Martin officials understand that, Lord said, including its CEO Marillyn Hewson, who has been meeting with Lord every month to talk about the Pentagon’s new expectations for the development, production and sustainment of the program.

“What we are in the process of doing is talking with a greater level of fidelity about our expectation for performance on each of the upcoming lots,” she said. “I know that there is a much higher level of fidelity around expectations and the details that we are discussing at all levels of management.”

Since the department partially suspended deliveries, it has accepted 14 F-35s, Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the Air Force’s top uniformed acquisition official, said during a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing on Thursday. Five aircraft—three U.S. Air Force F-35As, one for Norway and another for Australia — have been deferred.

The pause has been going on “for a few weeks,” he told reporters after the hearing. “Hopefully it will be done in a few more.”

Story here. 

The highlighted portion is damning.

Not on Lockheed Martin's part.  I expect them to do as they've always done.  Cut as many corners possible and charge as much possible to maximize profits and to limit expenses.

In any other business it would be considered good ole fashioned capitalism...buyer beware and all that jazz.

The only thing that annoys is that LM wraps itself in the flag, spouts false patriotism and so many bite on that idiocy.  I consider it like wearing a flag pin on your lapel.  That shit is easy.  What's the hard thing you've done to show you support the country ass wipe?

Back on task.

The DoD let standards slip so that the program could go forward.

Considering how the DoD has acted with regard to this airplane it should be expected but it shouldn't be allowed.  Want to fix the F-35?  Start sending fucks to jail.  Retired and you had a hand in this dog's breakfast?  Fuck it.  You go too.

No more free passes on this clusterfuck.

But that's fantasy.

The reality is that they're still accepting airplanes...it's only a partial suspension.

Some of these bastards just don't care.  They're gonna get this plane into service and even if it ain't worth hot piss on a summer's day in LA they're gonna git'er done.

Fuck them all.

Blog Blurb...MV-22's, a couple of Marine Infantry Battalions and maybe a Ranger Battalion were on call for TRAP missions for this strike!

I'm musing about the strike on Syria and right now they're under the label of Blog Blurbs but I'm thinking of renaming them Strike Thoughts...just explaining how I'm titling these things...

Back on task.

What did we see with the strike?  A massive expenditure of firepower on a few targets in Syria.

What didn't we see?

We didn't see all the assets they had to move into theater to make this thing possible.

I won't go into the Command and Control that was airborne to coordinate this whole thing.  I'll leave aside the number of Tankers that the USAF put into the air to support this whole thing.  I'll even leave aside the crews aboard ship went thru to launch their missiles.

I won't even talk about the maintenance done to aircraft that actually hauled those missiles to their launch point and how crew chiefs were sweating bullets that the plane worked like they were suppose to and hoping like hell that they made it home...and if they didn't that the reason why isn't because they missed something on the checklist.

Nope.

We're gonna focus on the boys you call when and if an "oh shit moment arrives".

We'll probably never hear about it because Defense Reporters don't have the knowledge, curiosity or commonsense to ask but the TRAP mission for this thing must have been insane.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall for the pre-strike briefing and actions to be taken if they (aircrew) were forced down.

Even better would be to know how many Marine Infantry Battalions were tasked with the mission.  My guess is that they had at least a Ranger Battalion spun up to fly in and rescue pilots if they went down too.

This is the part of the story that the Pentagon will never be asked about but I'd love to know.

But take a moment to do the math/risk calculations in your own head.

If a US or allied pilot was shot down, and they're in the midst of probably the most chaotic battlefield we've seen in the last 40 years how do you get them out?  We've seen the weaponry used by terrorists, rebels...whatever you want to call them and you know they're just under nation state status.

MV-22's or CV-22's would be the aircraft of choice because of the distance involved but they're slow landing and would be vulnerable to RPGs that are all over the place over there.

Additionally we know that if they capture aircrew, they kill aircrew.  So max effort must be exercised or this limited strike turns into a huge shit sandwich.

The TRAP Mission.  Forever lost in history because things worked out right but the planning for it....That's what I'd love to know about.

Blog Blurb....Mattis wrecked Bolton in the latest round of foreign policy intrigue!

Ok.  I'm turning into a bit of a Mattis fanboy.  Not sure if I'm reading this right but in the latest round of foreign policy intrigue it appears that Mattis wrecked Bolton! 

I don't mean just wrecked, I mean ripped out his eyeballs and skull fucked him!

Why do I say that?

Reports are pouring out that Bolton petitioned the President for a full scale strike, Russian targets included and that Mattis pushed for a more limited affair.

By all indications Mattis has won this round.

What does this mean going into the future?  I'm really not sure.  What I do know is that Bolton is dumping current National Security Council members in a way that can only be called a purge.  I have no view on that.  Really don't care.  They make recommendations and we're just getting a new skin of what we've gotten.  The Obama people are out, the neocons are back in.  Same game plan (slightly modified) just now they're a bit more belligerent.

The problem for Bolton.

He's up against the Marine Corps holy trinity.

Mattis, Dunford and Kelly.

The Marines have landed in the halls of power and seem quite comfortable.  What's shocking is how able they are at pushing their viewpoints/policy positions.

Outside of WW2 and perhaps the Civil War (haven't studied the political side of that conflict so I don't know) I don't know of a time when the US military in general and the Marines in particular have had more absolute power or influence.

If you disagree then hit me with something real, I'd love to know why you think I'm wrong.

US show cases JSSAM, French Scalp and UK Storm Shadow missiles in strike on Syria...

Watching the Pentagon briefing on the strike last night and the amount of ordnance that was expended is almost breathtaking.

They used alot of missiles on a few targets.

In other words they destroyed a building, bounced rubble, bounced rubble again and obviously did it one more time.

Why?

I have no idea but this was a massive use of force on a few targets.....even if you're talking about an industrial park, 71 missiles is quite alot to get the job done , assuming I heard the briefer correctly.

Regardless the shop is open and the latest in weapons tech was on display.  The US used its JSSAM, the French it's Scalp and the UK its Storm Shadow.

Even if the whole thing was backboned by the tried and true Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, its still gave the new guys a chance to strut there stuff.

One thing is obvious to me though.

Ship borne firepower is supreme.  Aircraft are nice and fancy but a flight of Rafales, Typhoons and whatever US fighter you throw into the mix can't compare to the power of one Burke that decides to expend its magazine on a target(s).

Ships are the shit when it comes to striking hard, not tactical fighters!