SNAFU!

Thursday, February 18, 2021

‘Clean Sheet’ F-16 Replacement In The Cards

Thanks to StarshipDirect for the link!

Before we can even get to the article we have to be clear and answer one question. What airplanes was the F-35 suppose to replace. via Military.com

The F-35 is designed to replace aging fighter inventories including U.S. Air Force A-10s and F-16s, U.S. Navy F/A-18s, U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, and U.K. Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way let's get on to the main event. via Breaking Defense.

The study will include a “clean sheet design” for a new “four-and-a-half-gen or fifth-gen-minus” fighter to replace the F-16, Brown elaborated. Rather than simply buy new F-16s, he said, “I want to be able to build something new and different, that’s not the F 16 — that has some of those capabilities, but gets there faster and uses some of our digital approach.”
Brown explained that the idea would be to build on the lessons learned in digital engineering for the “e-series” T-7A Red Hawk trainer, and the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD). In particular, Brown said he would like to see any F-16 replacement sport “open-mission systems” that would allow near-real-time software updates to meet new threats.

Here

Is the F-35 going away? Nope. Too many have been bought. But one thing is obvious. Just like Roper said. It costs too much to maintain.

All the fanboys that kept claiming that costs were getting under control, all the defense officials that stated this is a "die in the ditch" airplane have been proven wrong.

All the critics (and you know who they are...I'm talking about the guys that were onto this thing before I was) are RIGHT!

The USAF is launching this initiative and a few things are obvious.

The F-15EX is here to stay and the USAF will probably buy more.

The F-35 will not be the basis of the F-22 replacement. That ship has sailed and all the happy talk surrounding that airplane has finally evaporated.

The idea that the USAF is talking about taking a step BACK to a gen 4.5 airplane makes me wonder about the very efficacy of stealth. What is going on in the background? What do they know either about stealth or the version of stealth that the F-35 has that makes them think against a peer foe the upgraded F-16 type airplane is a winner?

My guess?

The Navy CNO was right.

They're going for payloads over platforms.

Regardless the critics can take a moment to chest thump. The fanboys need to sit down and rethink their drink.

For better or worse the USAF is looking for a 4.5 F-16 type airplane that can carry the day while the F-35 will probably serve only a fraction of its projected life. 2070? It'll be lucky to make it to 2035.

Arctic Warrior 21 tests Soldiers, equipment in extreme cold weather ...pics by John Pennell

Paratroopers kick off Arctic Warrior 2021 with jump into DTA...pics by Eve Baker

What is the USMC's specialty now?

Quick question.

What is the USMC's specialty now?

Berger has dumped amphibious assault. The US Army is the now confirmed leader in combined arms. The US Navy is the master of combat at sea. The USAF (along with it's dept sibling) is the master of aerial warfare.

So while the USMC assists the Navy in the sea fight, its not the master of that fight. It's an enabler. An asset. An assistant at best. Oh and all that depends on location. Another battle of the Atlantic or its mirror fight in the Pacific and there is no room for the littoral fight.

Berger has claimed that his new concept will be useful in the Persian Gulf but do you really see how these Littoral Regiments would be of use in that confined waterway? In Northern Europe? How? Why? We bring nothing to the land fight and I doubt we'll have targets for our missiles to go after at sea. The Russians will be parachuting specops all over the place to disrupt rear areas while they're rushing to capture...whatever! We're clearly not gearing up to fight in the Arctic (thank God the US Army, Navy and Air Force have that covered) so we'll sit that out too.

Additionally the US Army is building the same capabilities. You can bet that we'll soon see the 25th ID tasked with the same mission set and in the name of jointness will be climbing aboard amphibious ships.

So how does this concept guarantee the USMC's viability to the nation?

Forcible entry is gone. HA/DR is probably off the table. What better time to strike than when you have part of the force rendering aid...and make no mistake...with these penny packets of Marines you'll need to mass forces to provide suitable assistance or it'll only be a token force, one built for the media and not to render aid.

The only forces that are truly viable under this new plan is Missile artillery and Marine Aviation. Not even sure rotary winged aviation...I'm talking about fast movers.

What use is infantry in a sea fight? We don't fight from riggings anymore!

And the big question is why are we even maintaining a seat on the JCS? Why aren't we seeing a savage cut in the number of generals? How can such a large force structure be justified if its just missile slingers and aviation?

By rights, with the one region/one foe concept we're seeing the USMC SHOULD BE CUT to about 125K at MOST!

Two recruit depots? Why? Two major bases stateside? Why? A couple of Logistics bases? Pure folly!

If you take forcible entry off the table, if you take land combat off the table, if you eviscerate the MAGTF then the USMC should be a shadow of its former self both in tasking and in numbers.

Tell me why I'm wrong!

Open Comment Post. 18 Feb 2021

US Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (M) arrives

Robotic Combat Vehicle (M) arrived today. Forge the Future? You better believe it! #USArmy @armyfutures pic.twitter.com/bujQICoJCm
— U.S. Army NGCV CFT (@NGCVCFT) February 18, 2021

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Nurol Makina NMS 4x4 Superior Mobility and Protection Level

The USMC is shedding/changing for the sea battle. What is the US Navy doing?

The USMC is going thru all kinds of gyrations, putting together a twisted and misaligned force structure all in order to support the sea battle.

OK.

I get it.

The US Navy is outnumbered, battle simulations show the US getting slobber knocked and the USMC obviously must twist itself to pieces in order to help that fight (never mind all the talk of partnership with our allies and other talking points that showed we would fight WITH assistance instead of alone).

So with that being the case what exactly is the US Navy doing to gear up for this big fight?

We see them establishing new fleets aimed at an almost non-existent Russian Navy.

They're chasing pirates off the coast of Africa instead of doing like the Marine Corps and tailoring themselves to win in one region against one foe.

They're pushing for more ships of all types instead of tailoring a force that will win in 2030 while the USMC is cutting artillery, infantry, tanks and other forces.

From my chair they're not doing much.

Side note. I maintain my prediction that a big fight with China will be in Africa, not in the Pacific. But I have a new prediction that will happen much sooner. I'd bet good money that before long we'll see the Chinese fleet making port in Argentina and sailing inside the Gulf of Mexico...hell probably even off the coast of California. What will we do then? What will we do when they suddenly become a global military power with global reach plus ambitions? I mean seriously! We're in their backyard and if I were Chinese I'd want to share the pain by sailing their fleet in ours.

So can a reader point to an initiative that shows how the Navy is aligning their force for this Chinese threat? I hope so. Cause I can't see it.