Does it seem like current times are mirroring the "interwar period" just before WW2?

It's a weird thought for sure but does it seem like current times are mirroring the "interwar period" just before WW2?

I mean look at the world.

We've just been ravaged by a pandemic that looks like it will continue for at least another year.  We're looking at an extended period of a wrecked economy worldwide.  Additionally we seem to be on the verge of breakthroughs in military tech (at least in the US...I know..we've been on the verge for decades).

If you look back at conditions just before the last world war, its not the same but it sure does seem to rhyme.

There are now six identified "Heavy Amphibious Combat Assault Brigades" currently in service with the China "PLA" Army

Story here.

Russian Army Bastion coastal anti-ship missile unit recently carried out drills in the Arctic.

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force says the corps will soon take delivery of the Fotros unmanned air vehicle.

USS ESSEX Underway Operations....Photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jenna Dobson

Air Centric Amphibious Ship tries to deploy the landing force via nets over the side?

via Marines Times

From March 21 to March 28, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship America conducted a large-scale Guam to Okinawa, Japan, maneuver exercise. It rehearsed elements of the Corps’ future plans to fight in the Pacific from sinking vessels at sea, beach landings and long-range rocket precision artillery strikes.

But included in that training was a rehash of using cargo nets to prep for an uncontested insert onto small islands across the Pacific. Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marines aboard the America practiced scaling down the cargo nets at Apra Harbor, Naval Base Guam, according to a news release from the 31st MEU.

Here. 

Wow.

Just plain wow.

You build a ship that is 100% air centric.  You push that concept like its the holy grail of future operations.

Then you do this?

What are they thinking?

The sad thing?  Are you looking at the pic?  They're not kitted out for operations!  They don't even have weapons.  I'm not talking about crew served weapons, I'm not talking about their battle rifles!

This ain't even hollywood.  This is just busy work.

Open Comment Post. 28 Apr 2020

Tainted badge. Rapist Cop...

Rapist, racist cop. Justice served. from r/JusticeServed

Piece of shit deserves all the pain that's coming in jail.  He will suffer in unimaginable ways.

I doubt he survives it.

Coronavirus knock on effects. Tysons warns the food chain is breaking down...

via IHeartRadio.

Tyson Foods Chairman John Tyson took out a full-page ad in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to publish an open letter warning that our food supply chain is in trouble.

Tyson explained that many food processing plants across the country have been forced to pause or reduce operations during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure the safety of the workers.

"As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain," Tyson wrote. "As a result, there will be limited supply of our products available in grocery stores until we are able to reopen our facilities that are currently closed."

Another issue with the closures is that ranchers have no place to sell their livestock.

"In addition to meat shortages, this is a serious food waste issue," Tyson wrote. "Farmers across the nation simply will not have anywhere to sell their livestock to be processed, when they could have fed the nation. Millions of animals – chickens, pigs and cattle – will be depopulated because of the closure of our processing facilities. The food supply chain is breaking."

Tyson called for a unified solution to help protect workers and the food supply chain, and said he is confident we can solve these problems.

"Tyson Foods has a responsibility to feed our nation and the world. The government bodies at the national, state, county, and city levels must unite in a comprehensive, thoughtful, and productive way to allow our team members to work in safety without fear, panic, or worry. The private and public sectors must come together. As a country, this is our time to show the world what we can do when working together."

I wonder if they'll be able to prevent this from becoming an issue.  We've been warned.  Hopefully someone is taking steps to reinforce the food chain.

We're buying oil to store and to buttress the market.  Can you do the same with food?

Irish Army's 1 Mechanised Infantry Company unloading of Mowag APC's on return from UNDOF/UNIFIL

Lynx helicopter trying to land on a ship...this just never gets old...

Lynx helicopter trying to land on a ship at stormy weather pic.twitter.com/ljtDBMXjhK

— Naval News (@navalnewsnet) April 27, 2020

ACV deals emerge unscathed from Force Design 2030

via Shepard Media.

The USMC Force Design 2030 blueprint, which intends to reduce the number of amphibious vehicle companies from six to four, does not affect agreements with BAE Systems to procure Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs).

BAE Systems is continuing to execute ACV low-rate production. ‘At this time, our contracts are still tracking with existing programme plans,’ a company spokesperson claimed.

In 2015, BAE Systems was awarded one of two engineering, manufacturing and development contracts, worth $103.77 million, to produce 16 ACV prototypes with Iveco Defence Vehicles. All were handed over to the USMC the following year.

In 2018, the company received a contract to manufacture the new generation of ACVs. The $198 million deal allowed BAE Systems to build 30 low-rate production vehicles. At the time, the USMC classified the procurement as a ‘much-needed modernisation to the marine corps’ ground combat element'.

BAE Systems subsequently received orders for additional platforms. The most recent contract was announced in February 2020; this $113.5 million deal to provide 26 vehicles brought the total number of ACVs ordered to 116.

‘We remain committed to our objective of providing the best possible Amphibious Combat Vehicles to the United States Marine Corps, and those plans have not changed,’ the BAE Systems spokesperson told Shephard.

The ACV is an 8x8 platform that was designed to deploy USMC combat personnel from ship to shore. It provides an open-ocean amphibious capability, as well as land mobility, survivability and payload capacity.

The vehicle is a highly mobile and adaptable platform and brings enhanced combat power to the battlefield, according to BAE Systems. It is equipped with a 690hp engine, has a range of more than 520km on land before refueling and can travel faster than 105km/h.

Up to 13 marines and three crew can be carried in the ACV with internal storage capacity for all their equipment and two days of supplies. The ACV also features a blast-resistant hull and shock-absorbing seats.

The ACVs are replacing the Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) fleet that has been in service for more than 40 years with the USMC. 

Here 

Well this is a pleasant surprise but I won't relax just yet.  Berger is a force. Dude will set course and apparently will have to take a ton of frontals before he alters his gameplan.

If he wakes up tomorrow with a burr up his nether regions this could change.

Having said that I'm hopeful (but hope ain't a plan is it?) that they'll push this thru.  God knows we're buying so few of them that it should be a no brainer.

So if this is going forward what next?  What next is to mate the ACV with the EOS T2000.  What do we get with that?  We get a low profile RWS turret sporting a 30mm cannon, a couple of anti-tank missiles...we get an EXTREMELY accurate system which meshes nicely with the Marine Corps one shot one kill ethos!

If I was advising Berger I'd tell him.  Ok Sir, don't agree with getting rid of tanks but if I can't talk you off that ledge can we at least get some organic, ground based mechanized tank killing capability with this turret?