Navy SEAL who oversaw the bin Laden raid says China's massive military buildup is a 'holy s---' moment

via Business Insider.

The legendary former Navy SEAL Adm. William McRaven said at an event on Wednesday that China's technical and defense capabilities were quickly approaching — and sometimes surpassing — those of the US, representing what he called a "holy s---" moment for the US.

McRaven, who was the head of Joint Special Operations Command during the 2011 operation on the Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's Pakistan compound, said at the Council on Foreign Relations event that "we need to make sure that the American public knows that now is the time to do something" about China's rapid developments in research and technology that threaten US national security.

Story here. 

I'm not impressed.

This dude is late to the party and is only latching onto a bandwagon that has left the station years ago.

Legendary?  The author of this piece called him legendary?  Why?  What makes him legendary in the halls of Navy SEAL land?  What did he do that puts him with Navy SEAL greats?

Image over substance.  This bubba is the classic, walking example of image over substance.

Overall?  I'm sensing a move to line himself up with a job in the next administration...the next Dem or non-Trump Republican administration.  If he was serious about the China threat then he would have opened his mouth years ago.  This is just a show.

CH-148 Cyclone helicopter @ Exercise CUTLASS FURY ... pics by Corporal David Veldman

Open Comment Post. 19 Sept 2019

Light blogging till the weekend.  New job has not only slammed the modern day Marine plans but also caused a few other things to go off track.

Will reset, reorient and head forward with a quickness though (my long weekend off).  Stand by it'll be sorted shortly.  Thoughts on the new Marine Corps doctrine are coming.  One tidbit to start the discussion.

How many times is the USMC gonna fall prey to the idea that "its broke so we must fix it"?

Are we not feeding the idea that we're searching for relevancy when we're undoubtably relevant in this batshit crazy world?

I think we are and I'll expand on it.  One other thing.  How many starts and stops can we have?  How many times can we jerk the Navy's chain and demand a "different" kind of ship and then watch it basically go unused without a REAL plan on going forward?  The Expeditionary Fast Transport comes readily to mind (although it would seem a natural in the new scheme) and the once named Mobile Landing Platform does too.

I'm just not sure about the constant rebranding, lurching from concept to concept that I'm seeing.

Are we seeing the military getting ready to cross swords with Iran?

The U.S. Military has triggered a massive surge of its wartime sealift ships https://t.co/6zbeAUhdJu pic.twitter.com/mdJAMHEi1V

— Defense News (@defense_news) September 17, 2019

Hmm.

In the past I've always kept my ear to ground for units recalling people or intensifying training.

That might have been wrong.

Maybe I should have looked more closely at the background noise. IE.  Logistics.

Transport/Logistics.  They're always the first to ramp up.  That's where I should have been looking.

British Officer's view on the US OODA Loop...

Every now and then when I think about OODA loops I think about the time a British officer remarked how the US OODA loop is:

Observe
Overreact
Destroy
Apologize

— Pete Kouretsos (@PKouretsos) September 17, 2019

I didn't know whether to classify this as a Weds Funny or make it a subject for a bit of discussion.

Regardless I got a quiet, but thought provoking chuckle out of the thing.

Instant Regret but lucky to be alive...

Pointing guns at a car pic.twitter.com/E1ND7u0g1L

— Instant Regret (@lnstant_Regret) September 18, 2019

These kids are lucky to be alive. 

This LEO lighted them up instead of "lighting" them up.

Good going on his part but kinda "tombstone" brave.  Getting a serious tilt to my thinking on police shootings.  He did good but violated the idea of making sure you go home.

Don't know if the LEO should get a hero medal or a chewing out for violating training standards.

Note.  Don't hate.  Like I said getting a serious rethinking on views.  The threat was real.  The justification obvious...at least in my opinion.

F-35 News. Lockheed Martin asks for a long term contract to do what should already be done...

via Defense One.

The Pentagon currently pays Lockheed more than $2 billion per year to sustain about 400 jets, or roughly $5 million per jet per year. But within four years, the global fleet is expected to reach nearly 1,200 aircraft as production ramps up.

Lockheed estimates that the tab for the five-year arrangement could come to $15 billion, and that it would save the Pentagon a total of $1 billion.

Company officials figure that both sides will do better with the half-decade-long deal, which will allow the aircraft maker to lock in longer-lead parts contracts and assure its suppliers of steady work at known prices. Lockheed also says that if the Pentagon signs the deal, the company will immediately invest $1.5 billion to buy parts, sign long-lead contracts, and improve the F-35’s ALIS logistics/maintenance software.

And Lockheed say the arrangement would require the company to make sure 80 percent of the fleet is always mission-ready.

Fewer than half of the Air Force F-35s were deemed mission-ready in 2018, according to Air Force Times. Those numbers have improved this year, particularly for jets deployed overseas. Last year, former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ordered the military services to boost fighter readiness to 80 percent.

Finally, Lockheed’s proposal includes a vow to reduce the cost per flying hour from the current $44,000 — for an Air Force F-35A in 2018 — to about $25,000. Company officials say they would absorb the risk.

“We are accepting a lot of the risk in the deal,” Merchant said.

Story here. 

Two things.  First.  Shouldn't Lockheed Martin be working to improve the ALIS software and be buying long lead items to keep this plane in the air?

Second. Chris Rock said it best.  The dope man don't get you on the sale of dope.  He gives you the first hit free.  The dope man makes his money on the comeback.  That's what we have here.  Lockheed Martin is trying to lock govts worldwide into a long term maintenance deal.

They're trying to lock in the comeback.

I hope the JSF Program Office isn't stupid enough to fall for it but confidence IS NOT high.

Swedish Army 120mm towed mortar firing Strix munition

A historic Gripen moment....Brazil made a great choice!

I can't help but be impressed by how Brazil is approaching their defense procurement.  The Gripen is a great choice on a number of levels.  The tech transfer, the performance of the airplane and last but definitely not least is the ability to maintain the airplane once it enters service.

I think they're doing it right. 

Draco crash today

Geez.

Kind of a fan of these bush planes and the super modified models are a treat.  DRACO is somewhat famous for being an overpowered freak of a plane and to see it in this condition is a bit disappointing.  Luckily everyone seems ok.  Below is a pic of the plane in better times.

JLTV sporting a Hero-120 Loitering Munition...anti-tank missiles in a box..

Here.

Press Release.

A 4-door General Purpose JLTV will be equipped with the Javelin Integration Kit (JIK), LW30 Remote Weapon Station (RWS), and for the first time, a Black Hornet Vehicle Reconnaissance System (VRS).  A 2-door Utility JLTV will be outfitted for the first time with the Uvision Hero-120 Tactical System.

“As the military pivots its focus from counter-insurgency threats towards near-peer adversaries, so too must industry,” said George Mansfield, Vice President and General Manager of Joint Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “We designed the JLTV with the unpredictability of the future in mind, bringing the Warfighter unprecedented lethality capabilities along with scalable levels of protection to meet virtually any mission need.”

The U.S. Marine Corps recently announced that they plan to increase their Approved Acquisition Objective (AAO). “We're incredibly pleased to hear that based on their own evaluation, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) is now planning to field 15,390 JLTVs, replacing all HMMWVs in the Corps’ legacy fleet in a one-for-one swap,” said Mansfield. “We will continue to work with both the U.S. Army and the USMC to align and deliver against key military modernization priorities.” With this increase, the Marines have nearly tripled their original AAO, up from an original 5,500 quantity.

The Marine Corps also recently announced that the JLTV program has reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC), nearly a year ahead of schedule.

Oshkosh Defense leadership will be available to discuss the Oshkosh JLTVs on display as well as the company’s entire portfolio of vehicles, technologies, and integration capabilities. Visit us at Modern Day Marine 2019 booth 1703.

Pride of the Pacific: Lion's Pride (Recon is still rocking those .45's)....Video by Sgt. Matthew Teutsch

Note.  Matthew should be picking up SSgt soon (unless he's been a bad boy)...been following him for a minute.  He does good work.