Royal Navy Intends HMS Queen Elizabeth to be Integrated into U.S. Carrier Operations...this is a sign of a dying Navy

via USNI News.

The U.K. Royal Navy intends its largest, most advanced warship ever built to be considered interchangeable with U.S. Navy carriers, its top admiral said on Thursday.

HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) is indicative of both Great Britain’s return to carrier-based fixed-wing flight operations after a decade’s absence and the strength of its cross Atlantic partnership with the U.S., said Adm. Tony Radakin, the First Sea Lord and U.K. Chief of Naval Staff. Radakin was in Queen Elizabeth’s hangar bay addressing the second Atlantic Future Forum, while the ship was moored in the Chesapeake Bay just offshore of Annapolis, Md.

“As she has demonstrated already, we can successfully field a combined U.S., U.K. carrier strike group,” Radakin said. “I look forward to this developing further, moving to the point where we are not only talking about interoperability, but we are looking for interchangeability. ”

Story here. 

I really want my Brit readers to chime in hard on this one but the way I see it this is a sign of a dying Navy.

Let's get real.

During the 80's and 90's you never ONCE heard a Royal Navy Chief talk about integrating his big deck much less considering interchangeability.

This is a bad look.

Even worse.

Military leadership appears to be taking their civilian masters in a direction that I have yet to hear either the DoD or MoD weigh in on.

What happens if Falklands 2.0 (or some variation happens) and USMC F-35s are on deck?  Do we fight that war because of this "interchangeability" or do we bring them home and leave the Brits in the lurch because we decide to sit it out like we did the first time?

US interests and Brit interest are NOT the same.

Neither are decisions about using forces!  But this type of talk will intertwine our forces so closely that they could get dragged into our craziness and we could get dragged into ours.

You say that's no big deal?

Ok, but riddle me this.  How will the relationship hold up if the above scenario plays out?  It was damaged badly when Blair sided with Bush Jr in the war on Iraq so that would be a crippling blow.

The cart is before the horse on this one.  The Royal Navy is dying and they're trying to wrap themselves around the US Navy to keep from going down (well that and making a play for more of the budget...always follow the money or a monetary reason for weird ideas).

SecNav went behind the SecDef's back to propose a "deal"...

via Stars & Stripes.

But on Sunday, Esper said he had learned that Spencer had “privately” proposed to the White House that Gallagher be allowed to retire in his current rank and without losing his status as a SEAL. Esper said Spencer had not told him of the proposal to the White House, causing him to lose “trust and confidence.”

A spokesperson for Spencer, Navy Cmdr. Sarah Higgins, said Spencer had no immediate comment. The White House did not provide details of Spencer’s alleged private proposal regarding Gallagher.

In yet another twist, Esper also directed on Sunday that Gallagher be allowed to retire at the end of this month, and that the Navy review board that was scheduled to hear his case starting Dec. 2 be cancelled. At Esper’s direction, Gallagher will be allowed to retire as a SEAL at his current rank.

That effectively gives Trump the outcome he sought.

Story here.

The moral of the drama?  Don't go behind your bosses back in the midst of serious shit. 

Don't care about your take on the Gallagher affair (interesting that administrative punishment would be used to accomplish what criminal punishment failed to do though) the outcome in my mind is fair.

What do ya'll think?

Turk Heavy Class Attack Helicopter developed by TUSAS

2019 yilinda imzalanan sozlesme ile TUSAS’in gelistirmekte oldugu Agir Sinif Taarruz Helikopteri’nin ilk ucusu 5 yil icerisinde (2024) yapilacak.

Helikopterin 7 yil icerisinde de (2026) urun halini almasi planlaniyor. pic.twitter.com/uVhOTpRny3

— Turan Oguz (@TyrannosurusRex) November 25, 2019

Nasty fight between the UK's Royal Navy and British Army...Brit Army suggesting that the Royal Navy sell one of it's carriers to the US!

Depressing report in the @thetimes says there is major inter-service infighting over inadequate defence budget.

Army is pushing to mothball or lease one of the RN’s aircraft carriers to the US. https://t.co/6bTOsJEzNq pic.twitter.com/prBshGMCNQ

— NavyLookout (@NavyLookout) November 24, 2019

Just plain wow!

But don't laugh.  This type drama is coming to the US armed forces!  Everyone has a wish list but no one seems to have spending discipline.  The terrible 2020's are here and no one seems to have properly planned for it.

Cpl Frisk gives an overview of the Super Hornet in the Finnish Fighter Project.

Story here.   It's an excellent overview of how the Finns view the Super Hornet and how it would plug into their future defense plans.

Open Comment Post. 25 Nov 2019

Politics. Trump impeachment not exactly working as Dems expected...

Note.  Posting this simply as an informational.  From my chair the testimony I've heard sounds more like the National Security Establishment striking back rather than anything impeachable (what I find striking are all the statements from State Dept personnel whining over the idea that Trump would chart a different course...that he would choose to ignore the advice of so called Russia experts that have been proven wrong more times than not).  Of course your mileage may vary.  Regardless, there are political ramifications to this whole ordeal and those must be examined.  The article cited in the Tweet does just that.  Short story long?  Impeachment is not working as Dems expected.

“It Is Hard to Read This as Anything but a Warning”: New Polling Suggests Democrats’ Impeachment Push Could Alienate Key Voters | Vanity Fair https://t.co/HryEwX2ZZQ

— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) November 24, 2019

Armed Black Hawk - Multi-mission Lethality for the Attack

Open Comment Post. 23 Nov 2019

First female graduates Amphibious Recon Course. Superwoman, the men that went before were weak or she got pencil whipped...let's get real!

via Marine Corps Times.

The first female Marine has passed the Basic Reconnaissance Course and earned the 0321 reconnaissance Marine military occupational specialty, or MOS, the Marine Corps has confirmed.

Lance Cpl. Alexa Barth graduated from the grueling 12-week course Nov. 7, 1st Lt. Sam Stephenson, Marine Corps spokesman, confirmed to Marine Corps Times Thursday.

Barth still has a few more training schools to go through before joining her unit at 1st Recon Battalion at Camp Pendleton, California, said Maj. Kendra Motz, spokeswoman for 1st Marine Division. Barth is expected to arrive at her unit late spring 2020.

The BRC provides Marines “with the basic knowledge of reconnaissance doctrine, concepts, and techniques with emphasis on amphibious entry, extraction, beach reconnaissance, Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft (CRRC) operator skills and ground reconnaissance patrolling skills,” according to a slide attached to the Reconnaissance Training Company website.

Story here. 

Lock in people cause I'm gonna go there.  Send as much fire my way as you like but ya know what?  If I piss you off then I'm over the target.  If I make you mad then what I'm saying is hitting a soft spot.

In the words of General Mullen....DEAL WITH IT!

Let's dig in.

The first female has graduated the Basic Recon Course.  What does this mean?  As I see things we have three possibilities...

1.  She's superwoman.  This LCpl has strength and fortitude that thousands of men that went before her didn't have.  She was capable of dealing with a course that wipes people out during testing to GET TO THE COURSE! 

2.  The men that went before her were weak.  I've seen PT studs wash out of that course.  They sucked it up and moved on but the disappointment was there.  The desire was there.  I thought the work needed to pass was there.  So because they were weak in ways that I couldn't identify they were washed out.

3.  She got pencil whipped thru.  HQMC wanted a desired outcome and by hell or high water they would get that outcome.  If that means lowering standards then I can see someone with stars on their collar saying fuck it.  Lower the fucking standards.  SgtMaj so and so says but is that fair to the others?  General says DEAL WITH IT!!

Long story short?

I really don't which one of these possibilities it is.

I have my suspicions.

The terrible thing?

If my suspicions are true then its a MASSIVE slap in the face of all those guys that worked their asses off and didn't make it.

My biggest fear?

I don't think we're all equally worthless in the Corps anymore.  I think some are worth more now and that's a shame.

The F-35 promised payload vs the reality...

Thanks to BlackTail for the pic!

Even worse than what you see above is the reality that we're facing as 2019 comes to a close.

Many of the weapons that were promised for clearance by now still aren't.  Won't be till mid 2020's at best.

In short?

Our most advanced fighter is currently payload limited which means that it's target limited.

It might have the new car smell but its less capable against a range of targets than a long retired A-7D!

Open Comment Post. 22 Nov 2019