Sunday, January 31, 2021
"MAYDAY MAYDAY - MY VESSEL BROKE"
"MAYDAY MAYDAY - MY VESSEL BROKE"
— MarineInsight (@MarineInsight) January 30, 2021
This terrifying video recorded by the crew of the ship shows the breaking of the vessel in two which eventually sank. The ship was built in 1975 and plying in Turkish water during the time of the incident which happened on 17th Jan 2021. pic.twitter.com/bShS5DvLaM
Trying to remember but I think 6 mariners died while 12 were rescued. Question. With small amphibious warships, how will we conduct rescue ops in a dispersed environment with 75 Marines in the water along with the crew...forget the equipment loss.
How do you save those souls if they eat a missile or suffer some type of catastrophic damage to their ship while operating alone?
Forget logistics, we need flying boats just to be able to rescue our people if stuff goes sideways. It's hard enough in peacetime, in war its looking damn near impossible especially if you're "operating within the enemies engagement zone".
Saturday, January 30, 2021
Must Read...The U.S. Navy’s Loss of Command of the Seas to China and How to Regain It
A few passages stood out to me...
But the U.S. Navy has now lost its assured command of the seas — for the first time in the post-World War II era — to China in the Western Pacific. In his confirmation hearings for commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in 2018, Adm. Philip Davidson stated, “China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States.” While China may allow the U.S. Navy (or any other navy) to have peacetime access to the South China Sea, Adm. Davidson made clear he can no longer assure such access to protect U.S. interests if a battle were to erupt since, “there is no guarantee that the United States would win a future conflict with China.”3
&
As a result, the U.S. war plan is now to fight primarily from outside what is called the first island chain (of which Taiwan is a part): Long-distance strikes are to be launched as forces surge from the United States to begin “massing” in dispersed areas at a distance beyond the island chain. Aircraft are to head to a distribution of airfields as Marine Corps forces disembark to protect or seize contingency areas for emplacement of U.S. weaponry, with air and missile defenses being key. Eventually, having sustained some attrition, U.S. forces are to advance in a spread out, networked mass.
I found this illuminating. No where in the Commandant's planning guidance is their talk of having to seize terrain for the Littoral Regiments to fire their missiles, setup FARPS etc...on the contrary, its almost assumed that we can pick a spot almost anywhere we want and get it done with cooperation. Amazing.
“Due to the distances involved in the Indo-Pacific, we cannot rely solely on surge forces from the Continental United States to deter Chinese aggression or prevent a fait accompli.”6 Continuing, the admiral advocated for a larger, forward-based force posture: “I believe current forward-stationed naval forces do not provide sufficient support to [Pacific Command] requirements.” But he also stressed significant warfighting deficiencies in the capability of sensors, cyberspace, and undersea warfare, among others.7
Once again I'm stunned. In order to meet the Chinese in the Pacific its my belief that the Navy would have to do as the Marine Corps. Basically yield the rest of the planet to the US Army and Air Force and become a one region force.
Are we prepared to do that? I hope not. But if the Admiral is right and forward basing is the answer then I don't see how it can be avoided.
This generation of politicians and generals/admirals slept (pushed a 20 year fight in the middle east) while the Chinese martialed their strength. Now I fear its too late.
This guy is hoping that cyber warfare can give us back our edge.
I don't think so.
At best it can even the playing field in that domain IF WE GET SERIOUS! But that still leaves the kinetic fight and we're gonna get smashed if what I'm reading is correct.
Funny.
Berger's plan seems radical but I think its something else now.
It smacks of desperation.
Things have gotten really bad and he's doing his part to try and fix it. After reading this thing and trying to put it all together it becomes obvious. The Marine Corps is being wrecked in order to buy time for the Navy to get its house together.
CV9035NL looks like a BEAST!
CV9035NL #IFV #MLU @landmacht including Iron Fist active protection system #APS #CV90 #BSH #landmacht #defensie #landpower https://t.co/hpZoZKW8Lw pic.twitter.com/eJxV6qNFtD
— Pieter Bastiaans (@PieterBastiaans) January 29, 2021
Hero Afghan interpreter who worked with British forces on the frontline is slain by the Taliban who boasted that he 'died like a dog'
via Daily Mail
A former Afghan translator who worked with British forces on the frontline has been assassinated by the Taliban, who boasted that he had 'died like a dog'.Feda Mohammad, 42, was shot several times at point blank range after reportedly driving into an ambush in an area known for attacks by insurgents.His devastated family said yesterday that he had been killed by gunmen in a 'revenge attack' because he had worked for Nato forces against the Taliban.
I have mixed feelings on this.
The Afghans and Iraqis should have been able to build an entire cadre of officers and NCOs by now.
Their govts should be taking the fight to the enemy.
One other thing. Why is it that this is being characterized by him dying because he worked for allied forces instead of his own govt?
The cream of the crop in that society is seeking to come to the US, UK or Europe? Not to finally make their country work?
This is tragic on many levels.
The first is that this dude was murdered.
Another is the fact that this proves that war is lost.
That would have been alot of missiles on one airplane...
By 1977 after the cancellation of the B-1, Rockwell offered a cheaper fixed wing version with up to 30 ALCM .14 ALCM will be loaded on hardpoints and bay doors.Estimated saving of 15m vs regular B-1. #aviation pic.twitter.com/uPHMO1k3qe
— The Shadow of the Eagle (@clemente3000) January 30, 2021
Jesus! Starship SN10 looks like something out of a 1950's sci-fi movie!
Starship SN10 on the move to SpaceX’s South Texas launch site.
— John Kraus 📷🚀 (@johnkrausphotos) January 29, 2021
Unreal. pic.twitter.com/YNKn0KxCyB
If Berger wants to sell his plan then he should be honest. He's taking the USMC back to pre-WW2 "Marine defense battalions" & killing other roles to do it...
 |
| 155 mm Long Tom gun "Scorpion" of the 4th Marine Defense Battalion at Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella in the South Pacific. |
Berger's plan is in trouble. While it's obvious that the "defense establishment" was not at all fond of Trump, he at least kept them awash in cash.
That money train isn't slowing down.
It's hitting a wall at high speed. An economy in trouble, massive unemployment, sluggish growth, an ongoing covid crisis and the defense dept is about to be ravaged of funding.
Right in the middle of the most massive re-organization of the USMC in its entire history.
Even worse?
No one is buying what the Commandant is selling.
Don't get me wrong. The various "sycophants" that pleasure him at his wargames and meetings are doing nothing but lavishing praise on this thing. I'm talking about the rank and file Marines that go out and do the Marine-thing everyday that's not buying this thing.
But let's give Berger the benefit of the doubt.
Let's assume that the top secret wargames are actually telling him this is the way (not fictional non-sense that is trying to find a bloodless way of engaging a peer foe on the high seas without massive loss of men and material), then what does he need to do?
First he needs to call this thing what it is.
He's rebuilding Marine Defense Battalions.
Second he needs to be honest and state clearly that this monstrosity will only be viable in the Pacific.
Third he needs to admit that he is sacrificing long fought for independence for this concept and that the loss is worth it.
Last but not least.
He needs to get off his high horse and admit that all the smart boys could be wrong (God knows they've fucked up concept after concept for as far back as I can remember) and at least retain a bit of capability to be able to actually fight on land.
Make no mistake though.
Berger has his fangs dug into the floorboard and he won't yield an inch.
Which is why he will ultimately fail.
Change agents always fail because they don't realize the necessity of getting buy in from those they lead. Berger doesn't seem to care which is why he's losing.
Friday, January 29, 2021
Polish Army @ work in the snow...
#Rak.i w szeregach @ZAWISZACY zimy się nie boją. Szkolenie poligonowe to najlepszy sprawdzian dla sprzętu. Zdjęcia szer. A. Staszewski / 15BZ #pgz #HSW #polskiprodukt #PartnerGodnyZaufania #szkolenie @MAPGOVPL @MON_GOV_PL @DGeneralneRSZ pic.twitter.com/VbTUlELn80
— Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa🇵🇱 (@PGZ_pl) January 29, 2021
You need a Friday funny...
The kids laugh is great. 😏😂 pic.twitter.com/YotmokxEqa
— Fred Schultz (@fred035schultz) January 28, 2021
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