Chinese Stealth Bomber

Thanks to William, Joe and everyone else to gave links on this story!

via Reuters.

China is developing a new long-range bomber, the head of the Chinese air force was quoted as saying in state media on Friday, the latest move in its ambitious military modernization program.
China has already improved its ability to strike at targets far from home and there will be further improvements in the future, the Global Times quoted air force chief Ma Xiaotian as saying at an air force open day.
"We are now developing a new generation of long-range bomber, and you'll see it in the future," Ma said, according to the paper, without elaborating.
China has been ramping up research into advanced new military equipment, including submarines, aircraft carriers and anti-satellite missiles. This has rattled nerves regionally and in Washington as China takes a more muscular approach to territorial disputes in places such as the South China Sea.
The air force, which has for years relied on large numbers of Chinese copies of Russian aircraft, is now also developing its own stealth fighters. In July, it put into service a new, domestically developed large transport aircraft.

Ma said the air force had entered into a "transformation" stage, changing its focus from quantity to quality, the report said.

Tribe!  Many of you sent me links to this story, but lets take a look at this.  We've heard talk about the Chinese building a new bomber since at least 2011!

We've seen fanboy concept art of the bomber, we've heard talk of how its gonna be a B-2 clone - hypersonic wunder weapon - even a space plane that would orbit the earth before making a drop from height that would use pure speed and no explosive to achieve almost nuclear weapon type destruction (I think its called golden rods or something like that...I'm too lazy to look it up right now).

The point is, I just can't get excited till I see something sitting on a tarmac.

TOW Anti-Tank Missile shoots down Gazelle Helicopter?

Thanks to Info Infantry for the link!

I can't put my finger on it but something seems off with this video.

Royal Marines attempt to plug a glaring hole...they've had no TRAP capability!

via IHS Janes.

Senior UK Royal Marine officers are pushing for the country's two new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers to be provided with their own personnel and equipment recovery capability when they enter service later this decade.
Such a force would be "trained and equipped to recover downed aircrew and recover or deny highly classified equipment", according to a briefing on the joint personnel recovery capability prepared by a staff officer in the Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade in July, which has been seen by IHS Jane's .
RAF Squadron Leader Phil Skinner, who co-ordinates air support within 3 Commando Brigade's headquarters in Plymouth, revealed that the Royal Marines have already set up a Personnel Recovery Co-ordination Cell (PRCC) in the brigade as a result of last year's Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Just plain wow.

Quite honestly I thought the Royal Marines already had this capability.  The idea that they're just now creating it makes ya wonder.  What were they thinking? How did they let this slip?

What I find even more curious is that they're only seeking to recover personnel and sensitive/classified equipment.  They're not even looking at doing aircraft recovery.

For a top notch force this is just unsat.

Open Comment Post. Sep 1, 2016.

Its Friday, labor day is Monday, Venezuela is melting down, the jobs numbers are below expectations, the unemployment rate is 4.9% yet we're not seeing even the hint of inflation, Trump is the focus of everyone....and I'm waiting for a shoe to drop while the country is trying to enjoy the holiday.

But that's me.  What's on your mind?

Blast from the past. Oshkosh S-ATV (pic heavy).

Remember the light weight vehicle craze that was sweeping the Marine Corps and Army?  Remember how even SOCOM (looking at you AF Special Operations) even requested custom built rigs to accomplish their missions?

Well things have changed.  We saw the Boeing Phantom, a real nice offering from Northrop...General Dynamics upped their game and of course Oshkosh put forward my favorite of the group, the S-ATV.

Little did they know that some rednecks in Army Special Forces would simply bring their hunting rigs to work and do everything the special designed vehicles did but only cheaper.  SOCOM settled on the Polaris MRZR and the rest is history.

Now even the USMC is looking to dump the Growler and adopt the Polaris to its internally carried vehicle requirements.  The only question?  According to some reports that I've seen from the Marine Corps the Polaris is NOT suitable for the fast attack role and their is a question of cargo carriage.

I have a feeling SOCOM will prove the first false and as far as the second?  Its simplicity itself.  Again the civilian market is showing the way and all it will take to solve the cargo carriage issue is an all terrain trailer!

This is the trailer offered with the vehicle.  In my mind its too light, has too high a center of gravity and if loaded heavily could compromise the tow vehicle.

This is probably what you'll see SOCOM demand from Polaris.  A 4 wheel trailer is more stable on trailers, allows you to travel faster, can generally carry a heavier load and is less likely to tip over meaning that the chance of compromising the tow vehicle is lessened.

Breaking! MASSIVE PROTESTS IN VENEZUELA!

You want to know what an economic collapse looks like?  Check out this country. You're looking at over One Million people protesting in the streets.

How bad are things?  Food lines are common.  People are robbing bread trucks.  Big rigs are now rolling with armed guards to prevent them from being hijacked.

Things are about to get beyond nasty down south.  Overthrowing the govt is now talked about openly despite the military being deployed to the streets.

Even worse?  This was all caused by the oil bubble.

Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS)...that's what this is all about....

I had to dig thru my files to find the above graphic depicting a Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad in a fictional fight.

Do you notice something?  You have these MERS operating at distance....in a distributed fashion...depending on networked fires and air support for survival.

Even worse?  One Company has Battalion and MAGTF peeking over its shoulder?  Freaking seriously?  They might as well throw Regiment in to make it a real party!

But ignore all that.  Think about this.  What happens to these MERS in a fight against a peer opponent?  How will they survive against the new threats we're seeing in the Middle East?  The terrorist are now operating like quasi nation state armies.  Will they hold up against even them?

Sometimes pushing ahead is the wrong thing.  If the threat or information changes then you must adjust.  The terrorist threat has changed.  The fight against near peer threats will be more savage than we can possibly imagine.

Distributed Operations is a concept that just isn't worth the effort.  Side note. I hate to bring it up but even Marine Snipers have learned the lessons of the vulnerability of small units.  The days of a sniper and his spotter going out alone are done.  I believe they even operate in Platoon size strength during ops now.  SOCOM doesn't go out light either!

But the Marine Corps believes a MERS is workable?

Amazing.

Poles are going crazy over their Leopard 2A4PL Upgrade!

Correction (apologies to all)!  Thanks to D90 for the linK!!!

I found out two things while checking out Polish military forums.  The first is that they're loving what they're seeing in the Leopard 2A4PL Upgrade.  I MEAN REALLY loving it.

The second is that unfortunately a GROM member died from injuries while fast roping onto a ship.

Definitely need to pay more attention to things going on in Poland.....

Japanese Ground Self Defense Force Firepower Demonstration (pic heavy)

Note:  When I was a little guy I remember seeing one of these put on by the 1st Infantry Division.  Lots of boom, fireworks and a James Earl Jones sounding announcer telling us what we were seeing.  Do they still do this in the US military or is it a thing of the past?

The Japanese have to be one of the last forces in the West that use 8in guns.  Pity.  They're slow firing but God do they hit hard!

Modest Proposal. The US Army should combine its Mobile Protected Firepower and Recce Vehicle requirements.

This is a quick and dirty modest proposal.  We've seen Saudi MRAP type vehicles being taken apart by Houthi Light Infantry in Yemen.  We just heard of the proposal to upgun the JLTV, which the Army wants to use in the Recce role, with a 30mm cannon.

I don't know which way the Army is going with this.  Are they looking at a rebirth of the Armored Cavalry concept of fighting for intel?  Is the idea that they need heavier firepower in case of those 'chance' encounters?

Regardless the JLTV is a sub-optimal solution.

The answer is staring them in the face.  Combine the Mobile Protected Firepower and Recce Vehicle requirements and have a light tank in the recon role!  Properly equipped (meaning at least every third vehicle in a troop with a sensor mast) they can perform passive scouting, with the proposed main gun they can engage anything up to (and possibly including) main battle tanks effectively, and they would be able to properly screen the main force if we ever (highly doubtful) see a rerun of Desert Storm.

What do you guys think?  Personally I believe this proposal sings!

10 Incredible Soviet Fighter Aircraft that never entered service via HushKit Blog!

Pretty nice rundown of aircraft that I never knew existed.  Check it out here.

Defence Technology Review Sept Edition! PLUS BONUS Australian Armored Vehicle Program Overview!!!

Defence Technology Review Sept Edition (here) and the bonus Australian Armored Vehicle Program Overview (here) IS A MUST READ!  Drink it in boys...this might be one of the best yet!