The OX - Global Vehicle Trust designed to be built in 12 hours by hand.

Story here.

This truck is designed for use in undeveloped parts of Africa and can be assembled by hand in about 12 hours.  I'm personally intrigued by the idea.  Few people realize it but Japanese mini-trucks are real popular for use on farms and I could see this truck competing for that market here in the states.

The interesting thing?  In my neck of the woods farm trucks don't require the same safety standards as 'regular' vehicles but they're limited to operating on side roads.  For some people that's more than enough to get their day to day activities done.  This might have a future.

Why is Turkey so convinced the US was behind the coup attempt and why are they zeroing in on General Campbell?

Thanks to Don for the link!

via Yenisafak

A former U.S. commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan, was the organizer of the July 15 military coup attempt in Turkey, sources said.
General John F. Campbell was one of the top figures who organized and managed the soldiers behind the failed coup attempt in Turkey, sources close to ongoing legal process of pro-coup detainees said.
Campbell also managed more than $2 billion money transactions via UBA Bank in Nigeria by using CIA links to distribute among the pro-coup military personnel in Turkey.
The ongoing investigation unveiled that Campbell had paid at least two secret visits to Turkey since May, until the day of the coup attempt.
The coup plot that was foiled by the comprehensive effort of Turkish Nation, including its citizens, politicians, media and police forces, was organized by the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) led-by so-called cleric Fethullah Gülen who has been living in self-exile in America for several years.
American Intelligence, Military and other institutions are accused of supporting the FETO leader Gülen and his gangs for the military coup.

This has gone beyond being an accusation and an annoyance.  Turkey is behaving as if they have solid evidence that the US was behind the coup attempt.  But why?  Additionally they're zeroing in on General Campbell with laser beams but have yet to provide any evidence.

So what's really going on here?

One thing is certain.  The Turkish govt is acting as if there isn't any doubt and that has major league implications not only for US policy in the Middle East but for NATO as a whole.

We've seen half hearted efforts by Chairman of JCS to patch things up and a quick visit by the SecState.

Whatever is going it needs to be worked and worked hard.  The utterly unthinkable?  What if the Turks are right?  Could we actually have been crazy enough to plan a coup of a NATO member?  I say impossible.  No one could be that stupid.  Not even the Pentagon, White House, State or CIA.

You say hardcore...dedication...cool. All I see is pain...

People look at the above pic and say that's so hardcore, he's so dedicated and that's cool.

All I see is pain.

How they get guys to volunteer for the honor guard is beyond me.  I mean seriously!  That poor bastard volunteered to stand outside in the snow, during hurricanes, blistering sun....all while on enhanced guard duty (I'm being sarcastic...I understand the important symbolism here).

The vid below has to be the theme song for the ceremonial bubbas.

China develops a new 8x8 Mobile Gun System via Defence Blog.

Story here.

The US Marine Corps is losing the armor race.  Do you really believe that Company Landing Teams and their "Expeditionary Squads" will be able to survive against what we're seeing coming down the pike?

HQMC seriously needs to rethink its doctrine.  It might not want to prepare for a peer war but our enemies are voting differently.

Preview of Army 16! Pic Heavy.

Thanks to D90 for the link!

The Russians are real big on radars...mobile radars at that...the focus on stealth by the US military has produced this expected reaction.  Consider that several allies have already produced systems that they claim can detect stealth.  What happens if that's true?  I think we'll see a return to "dinosaur" thinking...how fast, how agile, how high, how many missiles etc can your airplane carry.  All this fuzzy talk will be shown to be the lie that we all know...and unfortunately a bunch of Marine Corps officers that are pushing that fiction will be seen to be the liars that we suspect them of being...

Can anyone tell me what this is?

The Philippines launches a "REAL" war on drugs.

Thanks to William for the link!

via Daily Mail.

But Duterte warned that he is a leader of a sovereign country and is answerable only to the Filipino people.
'Who is he to confront me?' he said, adding that the Philippines had not received an apology for misdeeds committed during its U.S. colonization.

I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody.
'You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. Putang ina I will swear at you in that forum,' he said, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch.

And then this.

'Until the (last) drug manufacturer is killed we will continue,' Duterte told reporters before leaving for a regional summit in Laos, where he is due to meet U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
The White House had no immediate reaction to Duterte's comments. Obama has been attending a meeting of the Group of 20 nations in Hangzhou, China.
Duterte won elections in May and immediately promised a law-and-order crackdown on drugs.
'These sons of w****s are destroying our children. I warn you, don't go into that, even if you're a policeman, because I will really kill you,' the president told an audience during a speech in the country's capital, Manila.
Duterte made it clear he would pardon police if they were charged with human rights violations for carrying out his merciless orders.
Nearly 60,000 Filipino drug addicts surrendered themselves last month to the government after President Duterte urged citizens to 'go ahead and kill' drug dealers and users.

This is fascinating.

Ignore the demeaning talk directed toward our President (as offensive as it is) and focus on the results.  60K drug addicts have surrendered to authorities.

Drug dealers are being terrorized instead of communities.

Is this the first real deal war on drugs that we've seen anywhere on this planet?  Is this what happens when a nation decides to directly confront a problem and eradicate it?

There are lessons to be learned here.  Duterte might be a mad man but he might be onto something. 

Open Comment Post. Sep 5, 2016.

Talk to me people!  What's on your mind?

Turks complete operation to close border to ISIS.

Thanks to Filippo for the link!



via Washington Post.

Turkish troops and Syrian rebels on Sunday pushed the Islamic State out of the remaining stretch of territory the group had controlled along the Turkish-Syrian border, severing the militants’ last access to the outside world.
Since 2013, when the group announced its formation, it has had territory bordering a NATO state — Turkey — but the sweep by Turkish forces and rebels fighting under the umbrella of the Free Syrian Army has brought that to an end.
According to the official Turkish news agency Anadolu, the Turkish army helped Syrian rebel allies secure 57 miles of border territory stretching from the Syrian towns of Azaz and Jarabulus by ejecting the militants from a string of villages on Sunday.

I wonder if the powers that be realize what just happened with this announcement.  In my mind it reveals...

1.  The war against ISIS was a lie.  They were never the focus of our operations.

2.  The lies that Generals have told about the fight against ISIS taking years to complete was just that.  A concerted military effort achieved what I always believed.  A force of approx 30K troops in the open desert could easily be defeated in short order.

3.  The White House, Pentagon, and State Dept are hustling to try and position themselves to take part in the "victory" against ISIS.  The meeting between Obama and Putin was more about trying to take part in a face saving gesture than anything else.

4.  Assad will survive.

5.  Turkey has abandoned NATO/US goals in the region and is going alone (personally while I despise Ergodan, I can't see this as a necessarily bad thing...every nation has their own interests to pursue).

6.  No one is talking about it but Hezbollah is now more dangerous than ever.  They have gained operational experience.  Their stocks have been replenished and enlarged.  Once this is over Israel is going to have a much more dangerous foe right next door.

7.  Iran is a huge winner.  They not only picked the right side but they've established themselves as a new regional power.  Further arms shipments from Russia will mean a fight between them and Saudi Arabia is just a matter of time.  In that fight I wouldn't bet on Saudi Arabia.

8.  Saudi Arabia has left the Syria fight and is focused only on Yemen.  Unless they can end that fight quickly and positively the kingdom will be in trouble.  I expect an offensive in Yemen soon with a partition to allow victory to be declared while they lick their wounds and rearm.

Long story short.  Our Democrat/Republican Neo-Cons failed horribly.  For all the shit that our elite talk about Putin, he beat the best and brightest from the White House, Pentagon, State Dept and CIA.

Now we're left with dealing with rebel/terrorist groups that we've armed to the gills.  Expect a "joint" bombing campaign to destroy them soon.

Turkish ACV-15's Armored Personnel Carriers have gotten their baptism....how did they do?

via IHS Janes.

Turkey launched what appeared to be a long-planned military operation on 24 August, when M60 tanks and ACV-15 armoured personnel carriers were seen advancing into Syria, while 155 mm Firtina self-propelled howitzers were deployed close to the border to provide fire support.

We've all been so focused on the tanks that we missed the story about the apc's!.

The Turks super sized M-113, the ACV-15 has entered combat and not only are pics hard to find but so is info on their performance.  How is the tank performing, have they upgunned them for real deal combat, and how many troops does it carry in actual operations?

So many question.  So few answers.

NOTE:  I stand corrected.  The ACV-15 has already been used in combat.  What I question my readers on is whether or not this is the same modification of the M-113 that we've seen with our European allies.  On that I'm not so sure.  Additionally in the comments section I mentioned that I might have jumbled my vehicle identification.  THE HUGE M-113 modification that FNSS has done relates to the ACV-30.  That is a beast of a vehicle!

Israeli army introduces Dragon advanced firing system

via Globe.il

In recent days, the IDF land forces technology brigade has begun installing the Dragon advanced firing system on Achzarit armored personnel carriers (APCs) used by some infantry forces, and on Puma armored engineering vehicles used by engineering forces.
Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) land-based section developed the system according to needs defined by IDF land forces personnel, based on the lessons learned in recent conflicts, including Operation Protective Edge.
One of the Dragon's key features is its ability to quickly spot targets in both the day and the night, and under any weather conditions, using cameras installed on the APCs. Once the targets have been spotted, under various battle conditions, the system can deliver a short, accurate, and deadly burst of fire at an effective range of 1,500 meters, while the APC crew remains sheltered inside it, and the soldiers are not exposed on the battlefield.
In addition to the cameras providing high-resolution pictures day and night, the system also includes a small radar set enabling it to identify suspects in various theaters of activity, in open areas, and in urban areas. When the suspicious images are spotted, the Dragon makes it possible to lock in on them, and to direct accurate fire against them, while being operated through a computer located inside the APC.

I was bored until I read about a radar.  Radar?  I need more info guys.

Unknown Armor. M48/Leopard Hybrid!

Thanks to Costas TT for the pics!

I never knew this tank existed....always been a fan of the M60/M1 hybrid MBT 2000 that was offered for export and I thought the Marine Corps should have jumped on.

Is that a possible future?  New turrets on existing hulls?  Could we do a "Russian Armata" by creating a crew capsule in the hull of an M1 and developing some reliable, large caliber (140mm), autoloading unmanned turret?

Open Comment Post. Sep 4, 2016

So whats on your mind?