Australian Army continues to develop its amphibious capability alongside US Marines at it's "Sea Series" Exercise.

Australian Defence Forces provide security as vehicles come to shore via Light Landing Crafts as part of Exercise Horizon in Bowen, Queensland, May 28, 2018. U.S Marines from Marine Rotational Force – Darwin are working with the Australian Amphibious Task Group during the Exercise Sea Series. The Series consists of command exercises, infantry sea routines and culminates with an amphibious assault.

I really expected Australia to be sprinting by now when it came to developing their amphibious capability. 

But their high command seems to be taking a VERY cautious approach to the whole thing.

Unfortunately for Australia I don't see them cracking the top 5 of military forces in the region for the foreseeable future.  The Chinese, S. Koreans, Japanese, Singapore, Thailand and several others are just too far ahead when it comes to amphibious forces.

Arabs ask the US for help seizing port in Yemen. Great opportunity for the Marine Corps but we don't need this fight!

via The Hill.

The U.S. is considering giving direct military support to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in an effort to capture a key port in Yemen from Houthi rebels, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The UAE has reportedly asked the U.S. for assistance in helping the Saudi-led coalition retake Hodeidah, which provides support to the whole of Yemen.

U.S. officials told the Journal that the Saudis and the UAE will not act until they receive U.S. support, but Washington worries about the toll such a move could take on the war-torn country.
“We continue to have a lot of concerns about a Hodeidah operation,” a high-ranking official told the Journal. “We are not 100% comfortable that, even if the coalition did launch an attack, that they would be able to do it cleanly and avoid a catastrophic incident.”

Administration officials familiar with the situation in Yemen are planning to meet on Monday to discuss next steps, according to the newspaper.

The coalition also decided that UAE forces would not interfere in the port in the near future so the United Nations envoy can begin peace efforts in the country's civil war, the Journal reported.

The U.S. already supports the Saudi campaign with billions of dollars in arms, intelligence and logistics such as air refueling.

U.S. lawmakers have not warmed to the idea of additional involvement in Yemen.

The House last year passed a nonbinding resolution that called U.S. military involvement in the war unauthorized, while the Senate recently blocked a resolution that would have put an end to U.S. military support for the campaign. 

Wow.

I absolutely hate this idea and pray that the military doesn't get the go ahead.  The Saudi's have made a dogs breakfast of the fight and we don't need to save their sorry asses.

BUT!

This is an opportunity for the Marine Corps to test some concepts and to relearn port seizure which should be a core competency but isn't.

But at the end of the day its still "nope".

This is one war we need to stay out of...or at least NOT get involved in any further.

Armor Porn. Stacked along a Merkava!

Thanks to Vodkar for the pic!

Either the Israeli's have the tiniest soldiers in the world or the Merkava is one HUGE tank!  They're not even having to crouch and the hull is still above their heads!

Open Comment Post. 4 June 2018

2nd Cav Performing Uncontested Wet Gap Crossing

Saturday Motivation from The Art of Manliness Blog! EMBRACE FRICTION! THRIVE IN CHAOS!

Skills that aren’t practiced atrophy; relationships that aren’t intentionally invested in wither; virtues that aren’t exercised enervate.
Left to follow the path of least resistance, all the good of human life is perishable.
That’s why you have to embrace friction and keep doing hard things. 

Why is this on a military blog?

'Cause we cover more than just military topics.  We cover fitness, law enforcement, dabble in politics and strive for self improvement.

That push to be a better version of you will endure till the day you die.

Interestingly enough this self improvement topic has application to our military endeavors.

Quick question.

Does it seem like many believe that you can fight easy?  Does it seem like many think that cooperation in the extreme is better than dealing with issues straight on and conquering friction, crushing inadequacy, and obliterating chaos to the point that it becomes comfortable instead of debilitating?

Seems like that to me.

If we're hard (and I'm not sure...how do you measure it) then we must get harder.  If we're not then we need to do the work it takes to get there.  Instead of avoiding friction we must embrace it...learn to love it.

Chaos?

We got to get to a point where we thrive in it, not seek to avoid it at all costs.

Today is a new day.  It might be half done but you can plant your flag in the ground and decide that this point forward you will do the work it takes to conquer.  Discipline, not motivation is what you need.  Push.  Push and when you get tired, take a beat to reorient (that means just a microsecond to pull it together, make an assessment, refocus) and push even more.

Blast from the past. Northrop A-9A Close Air Support Prototype...

Open Comment Post. 2 June 2018

82nd Airborne Chinook Jump...

In these divided times, there is one thing on which all Americans can agree: EVERYONE loves a Chinook jump. #aatw #airborneinfantry

A post shared by 82nd Airborne Division (@82ndairbornediv) on Jun 1, 2018 at 11:54am PDT

Armor Porn. Spanish Army Leopard getting wet!