Is this evidence that the FBI at best tried to setup Trump or at worst tried to laid the ground for his removal from office?

I was scrolling thru my feed this afternoon (got a day off) and I ran across this piece from Daily Caller.

John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, on Thursday sent Congress a newly declassified memo related to an FBI briefing given to Donald Trump and Michael Flynn in August 2016 that was used as cover to collect evidence for the Russia probe.

Joseph Pientka, a supervisory special agent, wrote the memo following his Aug. 17, 2016 briefing to Trump, Flynn and Chris Christie, a Trump campaign adviser.

Pientka, who was one of the top agents on Crossfire Hurricane, developed the briefing materials in coordination with Peter Strzok, the lead investigator on the Trump-Russia probe. Kevin Clinesmith, an FBI lawyer found to have altered an email related to Carter Page, also worked on the plan to use Pientka in the briefing, according to the memo.

Here.

Its a bit involved but the upshot is clear.  The FBI seems to have been after Trump since day one.

Dude has done silly stuff since being elected and he has definitely said stuff that has raised eyebrows but Presidents come and go.  The FBI is here to stay and they seem to have had a finger on the scale of national politics.

Should we be concerned?

New Israeli unit, Refaim?

That new Israeli unit, Refaim, had some fun yesterday. I like their brand of fun! pic.twitter.com/xpPqynZuno

— Hans Schmulke (@gunner_schmulke) July 24, 2020

I guess this is the new Israeli SF combined arms unit.  Info appears sparce.

UK and US say Russia fired a satellite weapon in space

BBC News - UK and US say Russia fired a satellite weapon in space https://t.co/oJajDiEzbN

— Jonathan Beale (@bealejonathan) July 23, 2020

Space has been a battlefield since the 80's if not before.  Not at al surprised.  Just wondering what took the Russians so long.  This is the one area where I'm pretty sure we're leading decisively.

RAF Chinooks of 18 Sqn @ Ex Decisive Manoeuvre.

Mi-8AMTSh-VN has begun flight tests

Russian Helicopters' Andrey Boginsky said that the new Mi-8AMTSh-VN has begun flight tests. The upgraded helicopter, designed to support Russian SOF, is equipped with the LSZ-8VN defense complex, GOES-321MK, and OPS-24N-1L system.https://t.co/pcsL5HdwKphttps://t.co/kHyPDc5asf pic.twitter.com/yPVSAFQ087

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) July 22, 2020

Ejercicio 'Toro' 2019

Hizir armoured vehicles to African customer

via DefenseWeb.co

Turkish armoured vehicle manufacturer Katmerciler is shipping Hizir armoured vehicles to an African customer, after receiving a $20 million order last year.

The order, announced in July 2019, is Katmerciler’s first export order for the Hizir armoured vehicle.

The company on 20 July said the vehicles have been loaded onto a ship headed for the undisclosed African country. Deliveries will be completed by the end of this year.

Katmerciler said it expects a high level of export income in 2020 and anticipates approximately $45 million in export revenue by the end of the year.

Making a statement after the first batch of Hizir vehicles were loaded for shipping, Katmerciler Deputy Chief Executive Furkan Katmerci said, “Hizir was our first armoured combat vehicle export. We want to repeat the export success we have achieved by civilian equipment for many years in the field of defence. We opened another door with Hizir. We will continue this success with our Hizir and other qualified vehicles that we have developed for different needs.”

“As Katmerciler, we have successfully implemented measures to keep the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic to a minimum. We continued our activities without interruption. Thanks to our precautions, we did not have any employment losses and we did not have to benefit from state supports such as short-term work allowance or minimum wage support.”

The Hizir vehicle recently entered service with Turkey’s military. It can carry nine personnel, including driver and commander. The vehicle has a gross weight of 16 tons and has a V-hull for landmine and improvised explosive device protection. It is powered by a Cummins six-cylinder diesel developing 400 hp, giving a top speed of 110 km/h and range of 700 kilometres.

The Hizir can be built in a number of configurations, including combat, command and control, CBRN, weapon carrier, ambulance, reconnaissance and border security. It can be fitted with an Aselsan SARP turret with machineguns or an automatic grenade launcher.

Katmerciler was established in 1985 and has developed 30 vehicles, ranging from fire trucks to armoured vehicles and riot control vehicles. Its defence and security portfolio includes the Khan 4×4 armoured personnel carrier with seating for eight, the Nefer 4×4 armoured command and patrol vehicle, Toma riot control vehicle, a 4×4 armoured ambulance built on a Ford F550 chassis, Ates armoured border security vehicle, and Kirac criminal investigation vehicle. It also offers an armoured backhoe loader, remote controlled armoured tracked excavator, armoured fuel tanker, armoured water tanker, armoured tipper, armoured trailer, armoured remote controlled bulldozer, remote controlled firefighter, armoured telescopic forklift and a riot control shield.

In June 2019 Katmerciler received an order for water cannon vehicles worth $2.2 million from an African customer.

I saw this vehicle in Turk service (I believe) and it was serving as a border patrol vehicle with a couple of huge masts at the rear of the vehicle...one with a E/O contraption on it.

Wonder how this undisclosed country will use it?

Prototype assault gun that seems to be based on a facelifted version of the ZBL-09.

Some more images of that prototype assault gun that seems to be based on a facelifted version of the ZBL-09. These pics indicate that there are at least two prototypes now. pic.twitter.com/lA0AClDJ3d

— Sam Cranny-Evans (@Sam_Cranny) July 22, 2020

The facelift on this beast is real and its looking alot more polished...more modern now.  Additionally that turret seems different from what I've seen in the past.

The Chinese are quite serious about modernizing their armor and appear to AT LEAST be approaching parity.  That should be a concern.  What happens if you no longer have a qualitative advantage and have lost numerical superiority across the board?

My prediction?

The Chinese will EASILY increase the number of anti-missile systems aboard their ships, rapidly improve their ISR capability and will locate, fix and destroy the Missile Marine Corps vehicle based anti-ship missiles.

Looking over the concept again the Missile Marine Corps is apparently looking for those systems to be expendable because they're supposedly moving to robotic vehicles in the form of some type of JLTV HIMAR thing but that will make little difference.

What few bits of airmobile infantry the Missile Marines decide to land will suffer the same fate as those robotic vehicles.

They will be found, fixed and easily destroyed.

Mommas don't let your babies grow up to be Missile Marines! LOL!

Open Comment Post. 24 July 2020

U.S. Soldiers Prepare Tanks for Exercise in Poland

GREYWOLF Brigade First to Receive New Abrams Tanks

RFI issued for F-15EX and F-15E enhancements to plug known but classified capability gaps.

.@usairforce to map future @BoeingDefense Eagle capability upgrades, with RFI issued for F-15EX and F-15E enhancements to plug known but classified capability gaps. Effort will follow current F-15C/D and F-15E roadmap which is funded to 2025. My @JanesINTEL story to come... pic.twitter.com/UgJaF7Vo4y

— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) July 22, 2020

Geez.  How close to us are the Chinese?  Known but classified capability gaps?  Enhancements for the F-15EX and F-15E?

Just how bad is the F-35, how many more F-22s do we need and what has the USAF so spooked that they need to plan enhancements to an airframe that that was supposed to be just a missile truck?