CSIS Analyst signals truncated F-35 buy.

via Breaking Defense.

Will the Air Force buy its full complement? Harrison was skeptical.

“I don’t think it’s plausible that we’ll actually buy that full amount in the long run, but they don’t need to change their plans right now, they don’t need to scare the foreign partners by signaling that right now, it wouldn’t make sense to do it now,” he says. “You don’t have to make that decision on the total quantity, you don’t even have to make the decision on the full-rate production, until four or five years from now. So you can wait four or five years, more of the foreign partners will get deeply invested in the program, and then they can scare them.”

Who is Harrison?   Todd Harrison, is the defense budget expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Do you get the force of connection of his words?

If you're kind then you'll call this the game of thrones effect....people seem to think that screwing allies is a good thing.  I call it a corrupt program.  This program is not out of the woods.  There are still more acts to come.

Singapore's President is just plain cool.

If you want to hear a thoughtful leader then check out the Singapore/US press conference.

They have the kind of leader I wish we had...or soon to have.

This guy is just plain cool.

PS.  The Pentagon needs to rethink its approach to Singapore.  The thought of them becoming a "forward" naval base, or logistics hub isn't gonna fly in my opinion.  Their Prime Minister is laying out a neutral policy and I don't see them "falling in line" with US policy...especially if the Neo-Cons in the form of Hillary rise to power.  Additionally I don't think they're going to be taken in by the scheming of trade deals.  These guys aren't stupid.  We need to come at them straight and not sideways.....I don't think they're so hungry for a deal that they'll take a bad one.  Long story short?  For every exercise you see Singapore participating in with the US, you'll see others that include China and other Pacific neighbors.

This is what DoD Buzz said about the F-35 AIM-120 "miss"...

via DoD Buzz.

During the same exercise, LeClair fired an AIM-120C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM, carried internally, to take out another drone. This was a miss, however, as the drone target was out of visual range.

Dress it up anyway you want this is what Hope Seck of DoD Buzz wrote in her article on the test firing of the AIM-120.

Everyone is making excuses.  That the USAF was saving money and didn't want to waste money on a drone.

Ok.  If that makes you feel better.

This thing reeks to high heaven.  I'm not buying what the USAF is selling.

The Next Israeli Surprise? Carmel Advanced Ground Combat Vehicle

via Sputnik.

This strategy will include developing another demonstrator program named Carmel, a Hebrew acronym for Advanced Ground Combat Vehicle, which is meant to drive the design of a tank that will be used as a compliment to the 65-ton Merkava Mk4.
Zur commented that the MK4 is to remain in production until 2020 and Carmel isn’t meant to take its place, but will serve as a demonstrator program to assess a modern, medium-weight combat vehicle, that will. The vehicle will be wheeled instead of treaded. 

A wheeled tank?  Could the Israelis actually pull it off?  If you haven't been paying attention then be advised.  That economic slowdown and "new" recession is on track to hit later this year.  As a matter of fact there are some economist that are saying we're already experiencing a global economic slowdown as we speak.

What does this have to do with the Carmel Advanced Ground Combat Vehicle?

Money must be saved.  If you're gonna have a credible ground force in the future then affordability must become a reality and not just a buzz word like it is with the F-35.

A wheeled combat tank?

We're already seeing wheeled APC/IFV approaching 40 tons.  That's traditional light tank weight.  Its doable.  Tech wise its doable.

Supposedly they've already built a demonstrator but I can't find pics (my Google-foo is weak) but I'm still looking.  More to come!

F-35 can't hit a drone?

Thanks to Air Power Australia for the link!

via DOD Buzz

The Air Force variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter passed another key test days ago, deploying an AIM-9X missile while in flight to hit a drone over a military test range, officials with the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office said.
The test with the F-35A was conducted off the California coast July 28, Joint Program Office spokesman Joe DellaVedova said in a news release.
The Raytheon-made AIM-9X Sidewinder missile was launched from the Lockheed Martin-made aircraft’s external wing in the test. The F-35 was able to complete a series of complex steps to track and target the drone, including identifying the object with mission systems sensors; communicating with the missile; giving the pilot, Air Force Maj. Raven LeClair the change to confirm the targeting information using the high-tech F-35 helmet mounted display, and launching the missile to engage the target, according to the release.
“After launch, the missile successfully acquired the target and followed an intercept flight profile before destroying the drone, achieving the first F-35 Air-to-Air kill or ‘Boola Boola,’ which is the traditional radio call made when a pilot shoots down a drone,” officials said in the release.
During the same exercise, LeClair fired an AIM-120C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM, carried internally, to take out another drone. This was a miss, however, as the drone target was out of visual range.

A beyond visual range missile missed a drone.

The defense journalist said that the miss was because the drone was out of visual range.

And yet you trust the defense media?  You believe the Deputy Commandant for the Marine Corps that brags about simulated combat and bullshit deployments to Red Flag while the rest of the Marine Wing burns?

F-35 fanboy you need help.  Put the crack pipe down and seek medical attention.

NOTE:  SPUDMAN says that the problem was with the AIM-120 and not the F-35.  My question to him is if that's so then how did the F-35 go up against F-16's and wipe the floor with them but can't hit a drone?  We're being told about combat simulations that are totally scripted to get a desired result and then that result is being pushed out to defense reporters that don't know the proper questions to ask!  The illusion they're selling is that the F-35 is good to go and out of the woods.  The fact that they still haven't negotiated Lots 9 & 10 indicate that not only is the price not yet right but neither is the software.

Wheeled APC Comparison Chart via Defense Update.

Story and chart here.

Defense Update has a pretty good view of Israeli weapon systems so I'd consider the specs on the Eitan to be spot on.

There was a female crewman on that shot down MI-8. I hope she died in the crash....

Syrian opposition journo wishes female #Russian crew member stayed alive for #Syrians to basically rape her. pic.twitter.com/Jza8ZBHlUv

— Nour Samaha (@Nour_Samaha) August 1, 2016

There was a female crewman on that shot down MI-8 in Syria and I hope she died in the crash.

Think about that.

We no longer pray and hope for the rescue of downed crewmen...we hope they die so they won't be captured by the animals that infest that land.

And people wonder why the status quo/Neo-Cons/Hillary is so hated?  We live in messed up times.

This Khan controversy annoys.

This Khizer Khan controversy annoys the hell outta me and shows that the US military has become a pawn in the political process.

Ignore the competing Generals...one a Marine no less....Generals are political and if they've decided to show there real colors then so be it.

This stuff with Khan though annoys because a man did the hard thing for the country and instead of everyone being able to celebrate his life, honor his sacrifice and try and comfort his parents we're instead locked into a political fight.

That pisses me off.

Make no mistake about it.  Khan insulted Trump 12 different ways on the stage and Republicans, Democrats and the elite in general are all piling on.

Everyone sees it but those people think this attack is working.

They're wrong.

What it will do is to further drag the US military into the same gutter the rest of the govt is in and any support will soon wane.  Want to see something nasty?  Watch what happens when military service become political instead of neutral.

Consider this another example of our great democracy slipping away.  Worse?  The establishment is so desperate to hold onto power that they're willing to smear any institution to do so.  My question is this though.  Trump and Sanders supporters all represent people in America that ARE NOT happy with the status quo.  Even if the establishment/neo-cons get Hillary elected what happens next?  What happens on the day after she's elected?  What is the plan to fix things?  If there is no relief for the millions of Americans that say the country is headed in the wrong direction then what's next?  They tried elections and the DNC rigged the Democrat process and the Republicans sabotaged there nominee.

So what do the people do since the normal machinery of democracy no longer work?

PS.  SACRIFICE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE!  His son made the sacrifice.  His son made the choice to run to danger to protect his troops.  The father did not.  He can be lauded for producing such a fine man but he cannot be praised for his "sacrifice".  He can be sympathized with because of his loss BUT HE DID NOT SACRIFICE!  We need to get our language right on these issues!

Israel's Eitan 8x8 Wheeled APC Video.

Thanks to MicMac80 for the link!



Like I told Dima in the comments on another blog post, this heavily armored, high speed 8x8 is a kick in the teeth to the USMC.

Consider that once again we see a small country design an indigenous 8x8 from the ground up and will have it in service before the USMC can buy one off the shelf!

Something is MAJOR LEAGUE broken at HQMC.

Israel's new "Eitan" 8x8 Armored Personnel Carrier!!!

Thanks to Galvars for the link!

Nice!  Can't wait to get more details!

What can we tell from the pics?  Notice the RWS?  That puppies armored up.  They've taken notes from the action in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Speaking of armor...take a look at the hull and the spaced armor around the sides.  I can't speak of the suspension system but just a glance under the front wheel reminds me of the setup on the MTVR.  We know it has a MONSTER power pack so it'll scoot.

The Israelis are probably introducing the most heavily armored wheeled APC in service anywhere and because they paid attention to the suspension/power pack it will retain the necessary mobility to get out of trouble.

I REALLY WANT TO SEE THE INTERIOR!

Russian MI-8 Helicopter shot down in Syria.

via Sputnik

A Russian Mi-8 helicopter has been shot down in Syria's Idlib province on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The Russian Defense Ministry is investigating the fate of three crew members and two reconciliation center officers who were aboard the downed aircraft.
"On August 1, a Russian military transport Mi-8 helicopter was shot down from the ground en route to the Hmeimim airbase after delivering humanitarian aid to the city of Aleppo. A crew of three and two officers of the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation were on board."
The defense ministry underscored that the fate of the Russian servicemen is being investigated through all available channels.

Is it wrong for me to hope that the crew is dead and not captured?  I don't need to start the week with a YouTube vid of captured Russians being horribly treated.

Are they our enemy?  Personally I don't think so.  Allies?  I think they could be.  But even more than that, they're human beings that deserve to be treated properly.  Rough up prisoners?  Yeah I can see that.  Behead them or drag their bodies thru the streets?  That's many steps too far.

General Dunford arrives at Incirlik AFB Turkey. Why?

via Sputnik.

US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford arrived at the Turkish southern Incirlik airbase on Monday, local private broadcaster NTV reported.
ANKARA (Sputnik) — According to the Turkish broadcaster, Dunford is expected to meet US troops and hold talks with Turkish high-profile military officials in Ankara.
It comes a day after media reported that the Turkish army stepped up security at Incirlik military base amid unconfirmed reports on a new coup attempt.
Incirlik military base is used by the United States and shelters combat planes of the US-led coalition launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq against Daesh outlawed in many countries, including Russia.
After a faction in Turkish armed forcesattempted a coup on July 15 which was thwarted later in the day, Gen. Bekir Ercan Van, former commander of Incirlik airbase, was arrested due to alleged involvement in the plot.
On July 25, Dunford dubbed Turkish media reports on US involvement in the Turkish attempted coup "absurd."

This is a crazy move in my opinion.  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is going to insert himself in the middle of this situation in the hopes that he can defuse it?

What could he be thinking?

The Turkish Commander of that base was arrested for being a participant in the coup attempt, the Turks have accused a US General of being involved, they're requesting we extradite an immigrant to the US back to Turkey for participation/inciting the coup and he thinks that talks to senior Turkish military counterparts might help?

I don't understand the plan.