Pic of the day. Feb. 05, 2011.

Corporal John Noh, non-commissioned-officer with the Civil Affairs Group attached to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 8, is greeted by several Afghans during a patrol through the bazaar in Musa Qal’eh, Jan. 28. During the patrol the Marines inspected the location of a planned soccer field. Noh, 25, is a native of Los Angeles Calif. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Joshua J. Hines).

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Cpl. Michael Lyons, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, air noncommissioned officer, monitors the inbound descent of an AH-1W SuperCobra onto the Forward Operating Base Geronimo landing zone in Afghanistan, Nov. 7, 2010. The helicopter transported Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369’s senior leadership to FOB Geronimo to attend a plaque dedication ceremony in honor of Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo and Maj. James M. Weis, two pilots from HMLA-369 who were killed in action while supporting 3/3 combat operations in July. (Official Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)

Sergeant Rubin I. Lichtenstein applies a choke hold to Cpl. Christopher Canada during a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training session at Pano Aqil Cantonment, Pakistan, Nov. 6, 2010. With the Pakistan military, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Marines have been flying CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopters to isolated locations since early September and have transported more than 3.9 million pounds of World Food Programme flood relief supplies to 150 different locations in southern Pakistan. (Official USMC photo by Gunnery Sgt. Bryce Piper) (Released)

X-47B Hi-Rez Photos

The X-47-B takes to the skies at Edwards AFB on the first flight.

The Navy X-47B flies over Edwards AFB, Calif. on its maiden flight.

E-2D Carrier Suitability Trials...

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye approaches USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during Carrier Suitability Testing today. Aircraft 501 is assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 and is the first of 75 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to be acquired by the U.S. Navy. The program remains on track for Initial Operational Capability scheduled for first quarter fiscal year 2015. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman)

The latest aircraft variant of the E-2 platform, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during Carrier Suitability Testing today. The aircraft, assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20 (VX-20), remains on track for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation scheduled for first quarter fiscal year 2012. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman)

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20 (VX-20) catches the arresting wire aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during carrier qualifications testing. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s command and control capability makes it a multi-mission platform through its ability to coordinate concurrent missions that may arise during a single flight. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman)

I'm back and its time to take care of a few odds and ends!

Hey guys, I'm back and let me tell ya...the old Corps saying of fighting through some pain and carrying on does not serve one well later...a simple nick in the weight room and days later you watch your leg fill up like its being pumped full of helium will definitely get your attention and a new perspective on not only fitness but of body maintenance.

But forgetting that nonsense, I appreciate the wishes and wanted to hit you with a couple of issues I was able to read up on, follow on the news concerning current defense issues...


1.  The F-35 as seen by Air Force Flight Test School...via Combat Aircraft Magazine...

Unfortunately the issue is by subscription only.  It is well worth the read but here's the highlight from one of the pilots with the Air Force Flight Test School...

"It'a a little too early to tell but I would say that all indicators show that the F-35 can be a very capable airplane"

Major Matt Hayden, F-35 Flight Sciences Test Pilot, Edwards AFB

2.  The NEO in Egypt.  via Information Dissemination.

G-Man has been rather cautious in his outlook on this situation but I personally get the whiff that things might be a bit more dicey than many in the West are being told.  If the Enterprise and her group are headed toward Egypt than the situation is not a benign as we are being told.  Even now, I believe more is brewing beneath the surface and it deserves a much more careful look.

Break...

Hey guys...I'll be on a short break to take care of some personal problems....the blog will be back in action hopefully this weekend...

State Dept Evacuation. Epic Fail.

I wrote a post here on the possibility of the US Military conducting an NEO in Egypt.  I received this comment this morning and just have to respond.  Anonymous wrote:

Ok, if we do a NEO we will only put in a few very small security forces at a couple of airports - Cairo, Alex, Luxor - and we would contract a bunch of commerical airliners (or even cruise ships) to haul out all the US (and EU, Japanese, etc) tourists. We'd do that in cooperation and coordination with (especially)the EU. If we have to RESCUE those tourists as opposed to a NEO then it is a whole different ball game. Not at that point yet. Keep in mind that we already have quite a few US military folks there as part of the training/advisor mission... Such a NEO is most definitely NOT "mission impossible" - just a trifle difficult, expensive and a big operation - and, oh by the way, it is already underway.

Wow.

He/She/It seems quite sure of themselves.  I had to check this out...from CNN...

...At least 220 Americans had been evacuated from Egypt as of Monday evening, according to the State Department. Another 175 were boarding a flight to Athens, Greece, Monday evening, according to the agency.The first plane out was a Cyprus-bound flight with 42 people aboard, the government said. It landed Monday afternoon.
Despite earlier reports that flights would be subject to Egypt's 3 p.m. curfew, the State Department said flights would depart around the clock. U.S. officials hoped to evacuate 900 people on Monday.
About 52,000 Americans are believed to be in Egypt. Of those, more than 2,400 have asked to be evacuated, Jacobs said. But she expected those numbers would rise as the unrest continues...

Sorry, but if this were a military operation, I'd be lambasting the Officer in Charge for non-performance.

Operations are underway and they have initially evacuated 220 people?

2400 people have asked to be evacuated and the number is almost certain to rise?

Not text book in my mind.

Also I'm sure that the writer is speaking about troops in the Peace Keeping force out in the desert.  Do you think that they can be easily retasked?  I don't know the unit and really its irrelevant.  The point remains that the US State Department much like USAID in Haiti is in over its head.

I've tried to remain open minded but it appears that the current Commander in Chief is attempting to usurp traditional military missions and give them to civilian agencies.

EFV is dead...Time for a new gun for the LCS.

With the EFV suffering an unwarranted death (well maybe, it was expensive but maybe pressure could have been applied to the manufacturer to lower it) its time to ditch the ATK gun and get something designed from the outset for service aboard naval vessels.

My candidate is the Oerlikon Millennium 35 mm Naval Revolver Gun System...the following information and photos are from NAVWEPS.com

Prototype 35 mm Naval Gun System (GDM-008) Millennium on the Lockheed Martin Sea Slice
Note the triple-coil muzzle velocity gauge and fuze setter
Photograph copyrighted by Oerlikon Contraves AG

Stats via Wikipedia...Oerlikon Millennium 35mm Naval Revolver Gun System
Type	CIWS
Place of origin	Germany, Switzerland
Service history
In service	2003
Used by	Denmark
Production history
Designed	1995
Manufacturer	Rheinmetall, Oerlikon Contraves
Specifications
Weight	Gun: 450kg Turret: 3300kg
Length	5.5 m
Width	2.39 m
Height	1.94 m
Crew	unmanned
Shell	35 x 228 mm
Caliber	35 mm
Action	Revolver cannon
Elevation	-15 / +85 degrees rate: 70 degree/s
Traverse	360 degrees rate: 120 degrees per second
Rate of fire	Single shoot Short Burst: 200 rounds per minute Full automatic fire: 1000 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	AHEAD: 3,445 fps (1,050 mps) HEI: 3,854 fps (1,175 mps) APDS/T: 3,950 fps (1,440 mps)
Effective range	3500m (3830 yards)
Feed system	252 linkless rounds on turret

Long story short, Rheinmetall-detc has created a modular weapon system that can be changed out in 30 minutes, is tailor made for the LCS mission and is in worldwide service. It can be had for a song (relatively) and is effective against air and surface targets.

Non-combatant Evacuation (NEO) of Egypt???

Information Dissemination has posted an interesting article with the dangling fruit of the POSSIBILITY (remote in his opinion) of there being an NEO in Egypt.

It is worth remembering there are some 90,000 Americans in Egypt. Nothing has been decided, but preparations are being made just in case.

The U.S. Marines have a pair of warships -- the USS Kearsarge and the USS Ponce -- just hanging around the southern end of the Red Sea waiting to see if they're needed to rescue U.S. diplomats and citizens from Cairo. They're half of the Marines' 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, a mini-armada that recently dispatched 1,400 of its 2,000 Marines into Afghanistan. But they've got a "fair number" of helicopters, and Marines, still aboard.

Something to keep an eye on.

Can you imagine?

Even if only half those people request to be moved then you're looking at a "mission impossible"...

Think about it.

You'd have to fully commit the remainder of the 26th MEU.

You'd probably have to fly in the 82nd Airborne Division Ready Brigade.

An entire wing from the Air Forces Air Mobility Command would have to be deployed....

All while a friendly nation other than Israel was lined up to take in this massive infuse of humanity.

The whole idea gives me shivers.  And we haven't even begun to think about terrorist mixing with refugees blowing up airplanes or even gaining body counts in the crowds.  Not even considered the population turning violent.  Not even thought about the Egyptian military attempting to stop the effort.

Is it time for the US Military to rethink its understanding with Americans in foreign countries?  Is it time for it to be understood that if trouble erupts they should be PREPARED---and be ready to protect themselves---cause as much as we'd like to, help might not be coming?

I think so.  If you can change my mind, I'm all ears.

Mountain Sniper Course...

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A scout sniper takes an observer, watching to see the any position changes in his target Monday during the Mountain Scout Sniper Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif. , Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson, 1/24/2011 7:37 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A shooter and his spotter prepare a shot Jan. 24, 2011, during the Mountain Scout Sniper Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif. , Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson, 1/24/2011 7:39 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-Marine scout snipers wait for word in their dug in position at the top of a mountain Jan. 24, 2011, during the Mountain Scout Sniper Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif. , Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson, 1/24/2011 7:41 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A scout sniper prepares his shot on target Jan. 24, 2011, during the Mountain Scout Sniper Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif., Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson, 1/24/2011 7:52 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A scout sniper takes an observer, watching to see the any position changes in his target Jan. 24, 2011, during the Mountain Scout Sniper Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif., Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson, 1/24/2011 7:53 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A shooter and his spotter prepare a shot, Jan. 24, 2011, during the Mountain Scout Sniper Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif.
, Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson, 1/24/2011 8:00 AM

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif.-A scout sniper prepares his shot on target Jan. 24, 2011, during the Mountain Scout Sniper Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif. His class 1-11 graduated Jan. 25, 2011. , Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson, 1/24/2011 8:39 AM

Latest Centennial of Aviation Aircraft...

An F/A-18 Hornet sits in an overflow hangar at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast Jan. 12, awaiting its return to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122 in Lemoore, Calif. The aircraft is part of the Centennial of Naval Aviation’s Heritage Paint Project to recreate vintage paint schemes on modern aircraft. (U.S. Navy photo by Vic Pitts/Released)

On Jan. 13, F/A-18 Hornet Pilot Cmdr. Mitch Conover prepares for takeoff at NAS Jacksonville, Fla., in a jet painted in a vintage WWII paint scheme used from late 1943 to late 1944. Painters at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast are applying heritage color schemes to several military aircraft for the 100th anniversary of Naval Aviation. (Photo courtesy of NAS Jacksonville Air Operations)

On Jan. 28, Fleet Readiness Center Southeast in Jacksonville, Fla., completes a heritage paint scheme on a P-3C Orion for Patrol Squadron (VP) 9 attached to Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The squadron chose to honor the VP-6 “Blue Sharks” by using the defunct squadron’s insignia on the modern aircraft. (U.S. Navy photo by Vic Pitts/Released)

Pic of the day. Jan, 28, 2011.

NAVAL AIR STATION, NORTH ISLAND, Ca. (Jan. 26, 2011) An E/A-18G Growler from the "Vikings" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129, based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Wash., arrives at NAS North Island. The Growler is painted in a throwback three-tone paint scheme (circa 1944), honoring Air Group 85 which operated from USS Shangri-La (CV 34) during World War II. The specially-painted Growler is one of more than 200 naval aircraft, from pre-World War II to the present day, participating in a Parade of Flight over San Diego Bay, kicking off a series of nationwide events celebrating the Centennial of Naval Aviation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Briana C. Brotzman/Released)

M-1A3?

I saw this over at MilitaryPhotos.net...

I'm slightly intrigued.  Could that be the prototype for a new M-1A3 that the US Army is developing?  The only external difference seems to be the turret but some are speculating that a new larger gun is being used.

I report, you decide.