Have you gone to the gym today? Ok, check! Practiced weapon retention?

Those who know will get it. Workout everyday & practice weapon retention frequently ... and have the proper gear. If it ain't level III or better (Safariland has a level IV out now) then you're slacking...

Tues. Horror. I never knew deer did this madness...

Tues Funny. "You can have two"

 

Open Comment Post. 27 July 2021

 

Leaked map shows China plans to invade S. Taiwan after taking Kinmen, Penghu

 Thanks to Joe for the link!

via Taiwan News.

Later that afternoon, two accounts on the tightly government-orchestrated social media site Weibo, Tianfu Community and Dingsheng Forum, released a photo of PLA soldiers seated with their backs turned to a massive topographical model of southern Taiwan. The model is covered in black marks, appearing to show key strategic locations the PLA plans to seize during an invasion.

In the background, a sign can be seen which reads, "Southern Island-Landing Battle Group Command Post" (南部登岛作战群指挥所) seeming to indicate the name of the military unit. On a wall on the right, a large map is mounted which reads, "Southen Island-Landing Battle Group Landing Craft Loading Map" (南部登岛作战群装载航渡图).

Among the routes displayed on the map, one shows PLA forces first seizing Kinmen, followed by Penghu, before moving on to invade the southern part of Taiwan proper. Another map on the wall appears to show PLA forces breaking from their beachhead into three routes of attack after landing in southern Taiwan.

Ominously, one Weibo user wrote, "Isn't that a topographical map of the Taiwan area? This is such an exciting development for the new year!" However, in an interview with BBC News that aired on Wednesday (Jan. 15), Tsai indicated that such a venture by China could come at a high price because Taiwan has strengthened its capabilities and, "Invading Taiwan is something that is going to be very costly for China."

Here

The response is telling.

No boasting of pushing them back into the sea, just that it would be costly.

I still believe that if the Chinese are able to establish a foothold then they win by default.  Punishing air attacks in the style of Shock and Awe would wreck the Taiwanese people and probably have their govt suing for peace.

Once a landing is made the terrain is irrelevant.  They will determine the pace of fighting and will be able to push fresh forces into the fight while the Taiwanese are being worn down.

Additionally I just can't imagine a US administration wanting to go to war over Taiwan.  Hawks will but policy makers (to include Congress) have other priorities right here at home.

Vaccine news (Covid-D edition). The information is clearly understood but spare me a re-run of moralizing medical folk!

 

This has me laughing so hard… but also is 100%true. #getvaccinated #covid pic.twitter.com/5s3hFThi8q

— Sofia (@Klefti) July 25, 2021

I get it.

It's recommended that people get the vaccine.  I also get that many have moral/philosophical/political reasons for not doing so. 

Everyone has a decision to make and they have to live with that life choice (whatever it may be).

HOWEVER!!!!  PLEASE OH GOD! 

Spare me another round of these Tik-Tok/Twitter vids by medical folk basically talking shit to the rest of us.

The superiority complex is obvious and annoying.

Besides.  

Didn't I read a report that many medical personnel still have yet to get the shot themselves?

Chinese Navy Using Commercial Car Ferries to Launch Amphibious Landing Craft - USNI News (THIS IS HUGE!!!!)

 

Chinese Navy Using Commercial Car Ferries to Launch Amphibious Landing Craft - USNI Newshttps://t.co/wwBXDrgNCU pic.twitter.com/AiLOuy1iBb

— USNI News (@USNINews) July 26, 2021

This should concern Taiwanese defense planners.

THIS IS HUGE!

With all the merchant traffic in the straits and with the ability to now CONVINCINGLY hide within that traffic means that a modern day 'trojan horse' assault can be conducted.

I've always read about planning for putting paratroopers/special ops aboard commercial aircraft to storm airports ahead of a follow-on force from the 82nd (and then an armored brigade) but never an amphibious assault.

Interesting.

Summer Fury 21: Offensive Aerial Maneuvering

 

A U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), perform offensive aerial maneuvers during the Advanced Naval Basing evolution of Summer Fury 21 off the coast of San Clemente Island, California, July 22, 2021. 3rd MAW trained to increase its lethality by deploying buoyant targets simulating enemy small vessels to be tracked and eliminated. Summer Fury is an exercise conducted by 3rd MAW in order to maintain and build capability, strength, and trust within its units to generate the readiness and lethality needed to deter and defeat adversaries during combat operations as the U.S. Marine Corps refines tactics and equipment in accordance with Force Design 2030.

2d Assault Amphibian Battalion (AABn.), 2d Marine Division, conduct a mechanized amphibious egress exercise on Camp Lejeune, N.C.

 

U.S. Marines with 2d Assault Amphibian Battalion (AABn.), 2d Marine Division, conduct a mechanized amphibious egress exercise on Camp Lejeune, N.C., July 22, 2021. This training strengthened the unit’s capacity to conduct amphibious training in the Atlantic while ensuring safety of operations. 

U.S. Marines and ADF conduct HIRAIN during exercise Talisman Sabre 21

U.S. Marines from with 3d Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division, load High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems on an Australian Defence Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft with 36th Squadron during a HIMARS Rapid Infiltration as a part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, July 24, 2021. This is the ninth iteration of Talisman Sabre, a large-scale, bilateral military exercise between Australia and the U.S. involving more than 17,000 participants from seven nations. The month-long multi-domain exercise consists of a series of training events that reinforce the strong U.S./Australian alliance and demonstrate the U.S. military’s unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.