FNSS Savunma AV-8

FNSS is really highlighting this vehicle.  I wonder if they see an opportunity in a country that's shopping for a wheeled IFV that hasn't gone public yet?  That's got to be it!  Of course it could be as simple as the AV-8 being the flavor of the month inside the corridors of FNSS so maybe I should cool my jets and simply watch what happens...

Open Comment Post. August 1, 2018

IDF Teams Participating in 2018 International Army Games in Russia

via Jewish Press.

The Israel Defense Force has sent teams to Russia to participate for the second year in a row in the International Army Games which began on Friday, July 27 in Alabino, near Moscow.

Teams from Belarus, Syria, Tadjikistan, Iran, Russia and Serbia were slated to take the field on the fourth day of the games for the individual tank biathlon contest in Alabino, near Moscow.

Altogether, 189 teams from 32 nations representing Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and Latin America are participating in this year’s competition. Included are 28 contests with tanks, snipers, and various air and sea disciplines.

The games are scheduled to conclude on August 11.

Story here.

Wow.

I'll tell ya what.  If we could guarantee the safety of our boys then we should go.  If you're worried about security then do what it takes....sanitize them, throw away their phones and give them stuff from WalMart...strip the tank down to bare bones...either get a bunch of new guys just out of Ft Benning or pick some seasoned guys that are squeaky clean...the point is if Israel can go then we should man up and play too.

Does it mean a thing?

Nope.

Will I expect us to even finish in the top ten?

Nope, that just wouldn't fit the narrative, but we can set the ground so that the public understands the true purpose of our participation.

To open up another front of military cooperation with those that we've never worked with before.

Besides.

If the US, Israel and Russia (with Syria and Iran tagging along cause daddy told them to) can work together to deconflict a war zone then certainly we can play nice enough to participate in an international game.

CH-53 transports howitzer during RIMPAC amphib landing demo ...Pics by Sgt. Alex Kouns

Old Man Punisher by M.J. Hiblen

Chinese 6th Marine Brigade is fully equipped and they appear to be completely mechanized...

Here.

Wow.  I hope our leadership has the future properly charted out cause by force structure and open source documents it appears that the Marine Corps of the future will be outgunned by their Chinese counterparts and "troned" (as in electronic warfare) to death by Russia.

As things stand now it appears that our Ground Combat Element will only be able to stand up to either 3rd world forces or terrorists.

Of course that could be the plan, but if it is we're building an overly expensive Marine Corps to deal with that threat...especially if we're leaving the high end ground fight to the Army.

CH-148 Cyclone helicopter takes off from HMCS Ville de Québec in the Atlantic Ocean during Operation REASSURANCE

IDF soldiers show ASTONISHING lack of discipline by posting classified pics to online forum...

via Sputnik.

A photo of the fifth generation fighter jet was reportedly released along with other pictures of secret Israeli weaponry on an unspecified military forum. IDF officials have yet to confirm the incident.

An unnamed Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officer has posted photographs of an armed F-35 jet in an underground bunker at the Nevatim base that could possibly reveal sensitive data on the cutting-edge fighter, Israeli Hadashot TV reported on July 31. The media outlet didn't specify when the picture was posted.

Hadashot also shared other cases of IDF soldiers publishing photos of classified military equipment. According to them, a tank base technician took pictures of a tank with secret equipment, while a navy serviceman photographed his command center. Both allegedly uploaded them to a military forum.

The media platform didn't reveal the name of the forum or the date of the infractions, but said the IDF officers didn't have permission to publish the photos and they were eventually deleted at the request of Israeli army officials. A tank officer, interviewed by the Israeli TV channel has equated the upload of such pictures with "acts of espionage," saying they could help Israel's enemies.

Israel acquired the F-35 fifth generation jets after the Joint Strike Fighter program ended. The program was led by the US and aimed at creating a cutting-edge fighter jet for itself and its allies. The initiative started back in 1992 and concluded in 2018, with the first jets already having been delivered to their buyers.

Story here. 

This is an astonishing lack of discipline.  It definitely cuts against the grain of the image of the IDF, but considering their social media pages I'm not surprised.

I know its not designed to appeal to me, but I swear I could get the same look from any social media site filled with 20 somethings.  The only difference? They wouldn't all be wearing green/olive drab clothing.

As far as the info published?

Unless they have a SUPER robust cyber unit those pics are in the wild now.  I won't even have to search for it.  Those pics will eventually make their way to me and you can bet your ass I'll post them.

I mean why not?  You can bet every intel service on the planet that's worth two buckets of spit has them already so why should only govts know the deal!

Space Shuttle breaking thru the clouds...

Marine C-130 refuels a CH-53 mid-flight during RIMPAC 2018

Thanks to Dragon for the link!