VBA Amphibious Armored Vehicle (SuperAV)

Centauro II Mobile Gun System (vid)

Oklahoma State Troopers take down Vance (cop killer)

Ok.  FBI HRT, US Marshals Service, LA State Police, Texas Rangers and now I guess I have to add Oklahoma State Troopers to the list of agencies that I automatically surrender to and don't put resistance if caught on the other side of the law.

Did you check out the vid?  That son of a bitch actually shoots his AR thru the windshield of his vehicle!  They put him down and kept shooting till he stopped moving!  Jesus.  That's hard core.

I'll try and find the backstory on this incident but one thing is certain.  They got their man.

Blast from the past. Did the US have a high orbit manned space station during the Cold War?

via War History Online.

The exact purpose of MOL is still unknown. After the documents were released, many people had questions about it. Some believed that MOL was a laboratory, others thought it was an operational reconnaissance spacecraft, and still others believed it was a bomber. Because the MOL initiative remains a secret, people may never find out the full scope of the project.

This fascinates me and I hope you read the brief article.  I've only gotten snippets of information on this project but I refuse to believe that the US and Soviet Union, both space happy at the time, didn't put nuclear weapons platforms into orbit.

For all we know we still might have them up there.

I mean seriously think about it.  During the height of the Cold War the US or Soviet Union could effectively knock out each others land based missiles if they launched a first strike.

Wouldn't it make sense for a backup to exist that was more survivable than subs and guarantee a decapitation hit on the power centers of the opposing state?

Call me a conspiracy theorist but I find it hard to believe that we haven't already weaponized space.  Which leads me to the X-37.  What is that for exactly?

What We Can Expect From Britain’s New Carriers

Georgia militia steps up its 'combat training' as it prepares to 'fight and kill' should Hillary Clinton 'steal' the election

Thanks to Pete for the link!

That's a real Marine Corps like setup.  Lawn chairs, a campfire and dinner tables!  NOT!!!!

Do these people look hardcore to you?  All I see is flab, and wannabe's.

via Daily Mail

As the most divisive presidential election in recent memory nears its conclusion, some armed militia groups are preparing for the possibility of a stolen election on Nov. 8 and civil unrest in the days following a victory by Democrat Hillary Clinton.
They say they won't fire the first shot, but they're not planning to leave their guns at home, either.
Trump's populist campaign has energized militia members like Hill, who admire the Republican mogul's promise to deport illegal immigrants, stop Muslims from entering the country and build a wall along the Mexico border.

Trump has repeatedly warned that the election may be 'rigged,' and has said he may not respect the results if he does not win. At least one paramilitary group, the Oath Keepers, has called on members to monitor voting sites for signs of fraud

Story here.

These dudes are clowns.  Anyone that is planning some type of action doesn't talk to reporters about it.  They don't skyline themselves so that law enforcement can start monitoring their activities.

These ARE NOT the people that you should be concerned about.

The people that should worry you are the lone wolf actors like the bubba in Iowa.  I didn't post on it but some jackwagon decided to go to a high school football game and fly a confederate flag.  He was escorted out by law enforcement and then went ape shit.

He didn't react to what he considered an insult immediately.  No this sack of shit waited and then ambushed lone officers in their squad cars.  He killed two LEO's before he was finally taken into custody.

My point is simple.  I don't expect groups of people to go operational after Hillary is elected.  Its the lone wolf that has a gun and a bit of practice and feels that its all over that should concern you.  Those people in the article?  Big mouth, out of shape, wannabe's that probably call the police when they hear a bump in the night instead of investigating it themselves.

China Air Show 2016 : Main Battle Tanks & Armoured Vehicles Demo

Star Trek: Phase II “Kitumba”

Open Comment Post. Nov 3, 2016

What's on your mind?

VN18 Amphibious Assault Vehicle via IHS Janes.

via IHS Janes.

Now that they are operational with the People’s Liberation Army, China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) (Hall B, Stand 058) has started to market overseas the latest VN18 Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) and its associated VN16 direct fire version.
When compared with the BAE Systems Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7A1 (AAV7A1), which is deployed by a number of countries in the region, the VN18 AAV provides a greatly increased capability. In addition to its crew of three, the VN18 carries 11 dismounts and is fully amphibious, being propelled in the water by two water jets that give it a maximum speed of up to 25km/h.
It is very well armed and fitted with a two-person turret armed with a 30mm cannon, 7.62mm co-axial machine gun (MG) and a rail launcher on either side of the turret for a Red Arrow HJ-73D anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW).
There are a number of more specialised versions of the VN18, including the VN16 direct fire version. This is fitted with a three-person power operated turret armed with a 105mm gun and 7.62mm co-axial MG. In addition to firing a wide range of conventional ammunition types, the 105mm rifled gun can also fire the GP2 laser-guided projectile. This has a maximum range of up to 5,000m and is fitted with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead to neutralise targets fitted with explosive reactive armour.
The role of the VN16 is to provide suppressive fire during an amphibious assault as well as once the vehicles are ashore.

Two things.  The author of this piece is Christopher Foss.  I wondered where he went off to and I'm glad to see he's with Janes.  I look forward to him writing new books.

Second, this is disturbing.  The Chinese got the EFV right and now they're about to market it around the world and we can't even get the ACV across the finish line. Where once we had the lead in AAV development we've now given it over to the Chinese.

Even IF (and I still believe its a big IF) we put the ACV into service it will not advance our capabilities.  The Chinese will still have the most capable AAV on the planet.

Future Tactical Aerial Transport Concept

Lockheed Martin threatens to sue the Pentagon over the F-35 contract!

Thanks to William for the link!

via Wall Street Journal.

By Doug Cameron
The Pentagon on Wednesday awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. a $6.1 billion deal for the next batch of F-35 fighter jets, triggering an unusual rebuke from the defense contractor over the terms and timing. The deal for the ninth batch of the stealthy fighters covers 57 jets for the U.S. and some foreign air forces, with talks continuing on another contract involving more than 100 planes.
Lockheed has been in negotiations with the Pentagon for 18 months about a combined deal for 160 jets covering two years of production, and the two sides had hoped to reach agreement in early 2016.
But negotiations over price and other issues dragged on longer than
expected as the Pentagon tries to cut the cost of the F-35A model used by the U.S. Air Force to around $80 million by the end of the decade, and The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the order would be split. Lockheed said in a statement Wednesday that the new deal was imposed on it, and a spokesman said the company is considering a court appeal so that talks could be reopened.
"We are disappointed with the decision by the Government to issue a unilateral contract action on the F-35 [latest] contract," the company said. Negotiating F-35 deals in bigger batches was intended to cut the Pentagon's price and help Lockheed and its partners negotiate better deals with their suppliers. The F-35 accounts for 23% of Lockheed's revenue and is an important contributor to sales and earnings at other companies including Northrop Grumman Corp. and BAE Systems PLC, as well as dozens of smaller contractors.

Wow!  This is awesome!  I wonder how LM stock will do when this news gets out!  If you bought the stock after the last Investors Call you better sell it quick.  The assumptions made for future earnings are about to take a haircut!