U.S. Air Force’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) pic

via Alert 5

A low cost throw-awayable, stealthy (looking at least) aircraft?  Let's call this what it is.  An F-35 enabler!

The background noise on the program gets louder and louder.  The old Marine Corps procurement maxim get's clearer and clearer.

Get it and once we have it we'll fix it.

It's so obvious that's its stunning.

Have you noticed that any talk of systems and aircraft to actually make the F-35 work has fallen by the wayside and we get only momentary glimpses of it?

What the fuck am I talking about?

Remember the plan for new buys of F-16s?  How about a new Arsenal Plane? Lasers?  And now this!  Oh and it wasn't that long ago.  The talk of new F-16s and the Arsenal plane was around the end of 2016.

That's my point F-35 critics.

The fanclub is agile.  They hop from point to point, from attack vector to attack vector and they use their friends in the media to make their case.

We needed to be just as agile instead of sticking to the tired debate of outdated/ineffective sensors, electronics or performance!  History will show that the anti F-35 crowd was right about the plane but we stand the chance of losing the fight based on the momentum and agility and the lie-ability of the planes supporters.

Terror attack in Manchester UK?

News is reporting an incident...cameras show people running from a stadium...large immigrant population....doesn't sound good.

More to come.

UPDATE 1.

Police are reporting a number of casualties.

Update 2.

Witnesses are claiming they heard explosions...not verified.

Politics Talk. Have you been keeping up with the Congressional Hacking Scandal????

via DC Caller

Congressional technology aides are baffled that data-theft allegations against four former House IT workers — who were banned from the congressional network — have largely been ignored, and they fear the integrity of sensitive high-level information.

Imran Awan and three relatives were colleagues until police banned them from computer networks at the House of Representatives after suspicion the brothers accessed congressional computers without permission.

Five Capitol Hill technology aides told The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group that members of Congress have displayed an inexplicable and intense loyalty towards the suspects who police say victimized them. The baffled aides wonder if the suspects are blackmailing representatives based on the contents of their emails and files, to which they had full access.

“I don’t know what they have, but they have something on someone. It’s been months at this point” with no arrests, said Pat Sowers, who has managed IT for several House offices for 12 years. “Something is rotten in Denmark.”

Yeah.

While the rest of the govt is on fire, everyone is focusing on Trump.  The deep state, neo-cons, republican/democrat elite, and the liberal scum that support them have been ignoring this story.

Shame on them for deceiving their fellow citizens.

Shame on us for letting them get away with it.

These fifth column members that the Congress allowed inside its own house are working for someone...and the FBI/Intel Agencies aren't running it to ground.

If you wonder why I have so little faith in the future of our country, just add this story to the list.  We're fucked.  Proper fucked.

Breaking! Saudi arms package includes 150 Blackhawk helicopters?!?!?

via UPI

"We are especially proud of how our broad portfolio of advanced global security products and technologies will enhance national security in Saudi Arabia, strengthen the cause of peace in the region, and provide the foundation for job creation and economic prosperity in the U.S. and in the Kingdom. These agreements will directly to His Majesty's Vision 2030 by opening the door f in the U.S.or thousands of highly skilled jobs in new economic sectors."

The weapons systems include the THAAD ballistic missile defense system, the anti-aircraft missile Patriot, 150 utility Blackhawk helicopters, and other systems and logistical support.

The program is projected to support 18,000 skilled jobs in the U.S., along with thousands of jobs maintaining the equipment in Saudi Arabia for the next 30 years.

What in God's name are the Saudi's gonna do with 150 Blackhawks?  They don't have a force large enough to support half the number!

This deal is great for the US defense industry but for Saudi Arabia it makes absolutely no fucking sense.

I DON'T GET IT!

Open Comment Post. May 22, 2017

Background for sustained combat between China & the US.

Trying to think of the background for a short on the next Korean War with an emphasis on sustained ground combat between the US and China.

Rough sketch (not even outline)...

1.  N. Korean fat boy goes even loopier.  Launches strikes against Seoul just for shits and giggles.  50K people die in the first hour, and the city is in ruins.

2.  Efforts to contain retaliation at the UN fail.

3.  US supports punishing blows against N. Korea.

4.  Massive airstrikes are launched against military and communication centers.  The entire USAF Pacific mobilizes along with Navy Air to essentially put an orbit of fighters, bombers, refuelers and drones above N. Korea.    N. Korean AF is eradicated in 6 hours with most of that time plinking hangars built into mountain sides.  Anti-air missiles defenses are 60 era models and prove to be no threat.  The North retaliates and their most effective anti-air systems is their ability to hack the airbases that these planes fly from.  Within 2 days air combat drops 50%.  Not because of lack of targets or a lack of desire to support the coming land war, but because the computer virus has done what the North couldn't....killed a portion of our AF.

5.  Little fat boy saves face and launches a nuke at Nagasaki.

6.   1 million dead, the world is outraged and war is back on.

7.  Land warfare commences with the 2nd ID along with the Korean Army launching a deliberate assault thru the DMZ.  Casualties are heavy.  The assault continues.  3rd ID is alerted for deployment to Korea.

8.  1st Mar Div and the entire ROK Marine Corps assemble off shore for an amphibious assault on the North.  China becomes alarmed.  States that they will intervene to prevent the situation from escalating and will remove little crazy.

9.  S. Korea refuses the assistance, the US objects says that the time for intervention has passed.

10.  China puts its forces on alert, starts massing at the border.  US is aware of the troop movements and seeks clarification from Beijing.  The response is terse.  China will seek to remove the little fat boy and maintain the status quo...with or without the permission of the US or S. Korea.

11.  10th Mountain is alerted for deployment to N. Korea.  Mountains are light infantry land and even though the 10th just wears the Mountain in its name for historical purposes they're light fighters...and they're gonna fight in the hills soon.

12.  USAF sends additional maintainers to the Pacific.  The problem isn't a lack of aircraft but the virus that has grounded aircraft.  US, S. Korean and Japanese Govts put out a call to every computer organization and white hat hackers to solve the computer virus situation.

13.  The USAF launches three X-37's.  Mission unknown.

14.  The USMC activates the 4th MARDIV.  US Army calls up the 256th and armories across the US are seeing increased activity.

And that's where I ran out....toss me something...or is it just batshit crazy from the start and I need to scrap it.

Trump deal to Saudi Arabia includes Boeing CH-47F's...

via Reuters.

Boeing said Saudi Arabia agreed to buy Chinook helicopters, associated support services and guided weapons systems, and intends to purchase P-8 surveillance aircraft.

The U.S State Department in December announced plans to sell Saudi Arabia CH-47F Chinook cargo helicopters and related equipment, training and support worth $3.51 billion. Congress was informed last year that a sale to Saudi Arabia would involve 48 of the helicopters.

Saudi Arabia is seeking closer defense and commercial ties with the United States under Trump, as it seeks to develop its economy beyond oil and leads a coalition that is fighting a war in Yemen. Saudi Arabia is seeking to end Iran-allied Houthi control over most of Yemen's main population centers and restore its internationally recognized government to power.

The total value of the deals was not disclosed in a statement announcing the agreements.

The Boeing announcement is the latest in business deals worth tens of billions of dollars signed between U.S. and Saudi companies since Trump arrived in Riyadh on Saturday.

"These announcements reaffirm our commitment to the economic growth, prosperity and national security of both Saudi Arabia and the United States, helping to create or sustain thousands of jobs in our two countries," said Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg.

I wonder what's going on here.  Either the USMC and Lockheed/Sikorsky just don't give a damn or they're not thinking.

We need to drive down the cost of the CH-53K helicopter.

As things stand now, Boeing (don't get me wrong, I think they're a fine company) is on the verge of dominating (if they don't already) the heavy lift helicopter market and positioning the CH-47F as the only real game in town (besides Russian offerings).

I don't understand why Lockheed/Sikorsky/USMC didn't push the sale of the CH-53K to the Saudis.  

If the Saudis are buying stuff for friendship and protection then we should have pushed the CH-53K their way.  As things stand now the USMC will be the only operator of a 140 million dollar a piece helicopter....that is not the kind of "elite" anyone had in mind.

8 best martial arts for self defense via High Consumption magazine...

High Consumption Magazine came out with its list of the 8 best martial arts for self defense.  My personal favorite, Thai Kickboxing or Muay Thai for you purists, didn't place as high as I would have liked but it did make the list.  Check it out for yourself here.

Truck Porn. Hennessy Raptor!

Hennessy Raptor!

Only if I won the lottery, but what a beauty!  This is truck porn at it's best.

Blast from the past. HMS Ardent meets her fate.

via Royal Navy Pics.....On this day 35 years ago HMS Ardent, supporting the British amphibious landings, is hit by Argentine bombs, she sinks 22 May, killing 22 sailors R.I.P 

I'm somewhat surprised that proponents of the Company Landing Team concept don't push the Battle of the Falklands as a scenario where it would shine.

It's almost the perfect example of where Air-Sea Battle would be decisive (as it was originally conceived).  Think about it.  We saw massive air and sea engagements.  We saw amphibious landings by both forces.  We saw the defenders fail to repulse those attacks (for either side).  And finally we saw how relatively small ground forces could effectively alter the strategic course of the war (whoever held the Falklands effectively held the "high" ground...that's where the Argies failed badly...they should have pushed hard to reinforce that garrison with more troops and used the airport to forward base fighters, not just COIN aircraft).

My plate is getting full.  Gotta look at Marine Corps Logistics, a couple of books that have been recommended to me and now I need to take a different look at the Battle of the Falklands.

That little fat N. Korean is actually aiming for the US!

Thanks to Olgerts for the link!

This!

This is why I put Russia so far down the list of threats to the US and why I think we should seek to join forces with them instead of pick fights!

That little fat N. Korean bastard is actually aiming for the US!  Even worse?  He's targeting a military base not that far from me.  Kinda partial to having a radiation free backyard ya know!

Real world threats to the security of the US?

1.  Terrorism.

2.  N. Korea (cyber and nuclear tech to include sharing it with other rogue states/groups).

3.  China (economic, military, cyber...they seek supremacy, not cooperation, and are a clear/present danger).

4.  Outlaw Hackers (have the ability to shut down power plants, hospitals and even security networks just for giggles...this threat is underplayed and is extreme).

I could go on but suffice it to say that Russia isn't even in my top ten.  The little N. Korean fat fuck is!

The latest hot thing I don't get? Fidget Spinners!

What's the latest "hot thing" that I just don't get?

Fidget Spinners!

I've seen weird fads come and go and this has to be added to that list.  The claims by the makers/users?  A great way to relieve stress and they're fun.

To each his own I guess but it seems like a strange way to waste about 10 bucks....unless its just burning a hole in your pocket and you have to get rid of it that is.

Looks like we're on the cusp of weird "hotness toys" coming and going for the next year or two.  I wonder if that says anything about our society or if it's just a natural cycle we go thru.  Probably the latter and it's probably harmless as hell.  It's still weird though.