No news on the Amphibious Combat Vehicle?

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I've been reading the news on the defense budget today.

No mention of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle.  AAV upgrades.  Nothing.

Meanwhile we get clarity on the Army's Ground Combat Vehicle, the JLTV, the C-27, Carriers, Air Wings and end strength numbers (even cancellations provide clarity).

I find it amazing that the most important ground acquisition for the US Marine Corps has gotten no attention.

No mention.

We are lost in the woods when it comes to modernizing our ground component.

Say it out loud. 

The US Army has gone through the M-113 (with upgrades), the Bradley IFV (with upgrades), the Stryker IFV (with upgrades) and is embarking on getting the Ground Combat Vehicle.

The Marine Corps has been saddled with the AAV.

Now tell me something isn't broken in Marine land.

Are partnership missions the "meals on wheels" that Rush warned about????

The photos above are from Cobra Gold.

I'll spare you the captions.  They're not worth it in my opinion.  Understand I'm not getting on the Marines and Sailors that are sent on these missions...I am questioning our leadership.

Back during the 90's, Rush Limbaugh derided Clinton for sending the US Military on "meals on wheels" missions.  If you've taken a serious look at the current "exercises" you'll see that those fears of yesterday might be justified today.

Partnership missions appear to be glorified civics projects with little actual training taking place.

Marines playing patty cake with children.

Building schools/roads/villages.

Doing things that the Peace Corps should be doing...not the Marine Corps. 

If we are going to go back to being a force in readiness that arrives by the sea then we've got to get away from these types of programs.  If we are going to be smaller.  If we are going to have to do more with less...then we must focus on the missions at hand. 

I've never seen building villages as a critical skill for Marine Infantry.

Pic of the day. Mistral during LCAC certification.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Jan. 25, 2012) Landing Craft Air-Cushion (LCAC) 53 speeds from the French navy projection and command ship FS Mistral (L9013) to the shoreline during a well deck certification. Mistral will participate in Exercise Bold Alligator 2012, the largest naval amphibious exercise in the past 10 years. The exercise will take place Jan. 30 through Feb. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael M. Scichilone/Released) 120125-N-CG436-056

JLTV? The Marine Corps is getting screwed!

The US Army is applying the big green d*ck to the Marine Corps.  How?  Well check out these two articles...the first from Marine Corps Times...

“If it comes in at the weight where it is right now, the Marine Corps simply cannot get involved [and] will not buy a joint light tactical vehicle that’s 20,000 pounds,” Conway said. “It doesn’t fit our expeditionary kind of capacity. We can’t carry it on our helicopters or even sling it.
“So, depending on what the evolution of the development looks like, we may have to depart ourselves from that buy and again [rehabilitate] what we’ve got to take us into the next decade.”

And then this from AOL Defense...

Senior service leaders, including Army Secretary John McHugh and Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, have repeatedly stated JLTV is the future of the Army's tactical vehicle fleet. The Army already decided to ramp down the MECV program -- from 50,000 to 100,000 vehicles down to roughly 6,000 for air assault ops -- to make way for the JLTV's entrance into the fleet. In 2010, service officials attempted to cancel the MECV program, until Capitol Hill forced the Army to pull it off the budget chopping block.

The closest Army units that match the Marine Corps when it comes to being expeditionary in nature are the 82nd Airborne and 101st Air Assault.

To think that the Army is going to forgo JLTV for those formations (Airborne/Air Assault) and attempt to push the JLTV on the Marine Corps is telling.

Bold Alligator prep

He likes it!

Just watching and reading the latest on the Navy SEAL rescue of the hostages in Africa...

I watched the coverage of the President by Chris Mathews on MSNBC and now I'm getting a bit concerned.

The press is fawning over the President's decision...Mathews is going bonkers over a clip in which the President is congratulating the SecDef telling him "good job."

And we have a Commander in Chief that has no experience with the military -- and he has just been successful on two high risk military operations. 

DON'T GET ME WRONG...I'M EXTREMELY PLEASED THAT THESE OPERATIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL!

What concerns me is that this type of success can lead to the type of over confidence that will lead to tragedy.  Somewhere, someone is thinking about laying a trap for our guys.  Somewhere, someone is going to try for another BlackHawk down incident.

If a blogger in the backwoods can consider that possibility then I hope someone at SOCOM is considering it too.

And I hope SOCOM has someone with the balls to say no, when they're asked to cross a bridge too far.

F-35 in 2011...the video

F-35 night flight vid.

VMM-365

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 fly 8 MV-22B Ospreys in an echelon right formation on their way back to Marine Corps Air Station New River, Dec. 29. These eight Ospreys were some of the last aircraft to be tested out before the squadron goes on their deployment to Afghanistan.
, Lance Cpl. Martin R. Egnash, 12/29/2011 5:48

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 fly an MV-22B Osprey from Marine Corps Air Station New River toward Wilmington, N.C. This was part of the squadron’s last flight before their deployment in early January and their last flight of 2011, Dec. 29.
, Lance Cpl. Martin R. Egnash, 12/29/2011 5:46

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 fly an MV-22B Osprey from Marine Corps Air Station New River toward Wilmington N.C. This was part of the squadron’s last flight before their deployment in early January and their last flight of 2011, Dec. 29.
, Lance Cpl. Martin R. Egnash, 12/29/2011 5:40

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 land MV-22B Ospreys at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Dec. 29. This concludes the last flight of the year for the Marines flying eight Ospreys.
, Lance Cpl. Martin R. Egnash, 12/29/2011 5:55

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -Marines From Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 refuel before their last flight before their deployment early January, and their last flight of the year, Dec. 29. The flight consisted of 28 Marines flying eight MV-22B Ospreys in designated formations to a landing zone and back. , Lance Cpl. Martin R. Egnash, 12/29/2011 5:02

Monday Mud Balling.

I'm sure you remember the raid on Bin Laden.  I had the sudden revalation that the "Secret Stealth Blackhawk" resembled the Comanche in many ways.  That also led to the idea that on the raid into Pakistan everything was there except for gunships.  No Little Birds.  No Apaches.  No Super Cobras.  As a matter of fact the only aircraft that accompanied the raid according to sources was were a pair of CH-47's that stayed on the other side of the border.  I mean seriously if there was ever a need for the Direct Action Penetrator version of the Blackhawk then this would have been that mission.

Unless.

Unless there was another airplane along that provided that type of support.  Just mud balling but would the 160th have a transport helicopter without some type of armed gunship?  Keep in mind that gunship would have to share the same stealth characteristics as the stealth transport or it wouldn't make sense.

A quick Google search didn't reveal much but there is no answer on what happened to the RAH-66 prototypes.  Wikipedia is unclear as to whether or not 5 or 16 examples were built before the program was cancelled but is it possible that the RAH-66 or a modified Apache is the missing aircraft in this scenario?

We got news that Panetta fully supports 11 aircraft carriers.  Good news for the Navy but which part?  More speculation on my part but watching videos this weekend, I was amazed at one that showed an F/A-18 being waved off because crewmen were on the landing area of the airplane as it was on approach.

I don't know if they're building that kind of flexibility into UAVs operating off aircraft carriers but if they aren't then you're looking at one of the most dangerous work places in the world becoming even more dangerous.  Add to it the fact that I have yet to read how they plan on integrating UAVs onto the decks of aircraft carriers (plenty of info on how they'll be utilized...plenty on how they could even be controlled by strike fighters and such but nothing on how they'll fit in the mix on the deck of a carrier0, and it has me once again wondering if the possibility of an all UAV carrier might be in the cards.  It would make ultimate sense in my mind because you would be able to establish unique handling drills for those airplanes.  Unique operating procedures for mishaps etc.

Naval air might be in for a shock.  In the end a carrier or two might end up under the control of the Surface Navy.  Consider it a re-imagined arsenal ship.

Helocasting...Recon Style....

By Sgt. Elyssa Quesada
Reconnaissance Marines jump from a CH-53E Super Stallion here Jan. 19. The Marines serve with Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The helicopter is flown by pilots of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), the aviation combat element for the unit. The expeditionary unit is currently deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (MKIARG), which is a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is also providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

 

By Sgt. Elyssa Quesada
Reconnaissance Marines jump from a CH-53E Super Stallion here Jan. 19. The Marines serve with Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The helicopter is flown by pilots of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), the aviation combat element for the unit. The expeditionary unit is currently deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (MKIARG), which is a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is also providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

 

By Gunnery Sgt. Scott Dunn
Reconnaissance Marines jump from a CH-53E Super Stallion here Jan. 19. The Marines serve with Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The helicopter is flown by pilots of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), the aviation combat element for the unit. The expeditionary unit is currently deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, which is a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is also providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

By Gunnery Sgt. Scott Dunn
Reconnaissance Marines jump from a CH-53E Super Stallion here Jan. 19. The Marines serve with Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The helicopter is flown by pilots of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), the aviation combat element for the unit. The expeditionary unit is currently deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, which is a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is also providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

USMC and Naval Safety Center caught in a lie?

Joe sent me this story (thanks buddy) and although it dates back from last year I somehow missed it.  Its written by David Axe for Wired and its compelling.  READ it!

On March 27, 2006, at a Marine Corps air base in New River, North Carolina, an MV-22 assigned to Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron 204 experienced an unplanned surge in engine power as the three-man crew was preparing for a flight. “That caused the aircraft to inadvertently lift off the deck approximately 30 feet,” Marine spokesman Maj. Shawn Haney explained. “It came back down … there was major damage sustained to the right wing and the right engine.”
Luckily, the three crewmembers were unhurt. The cost to repair the self-flying Osprey totaled $7,068,028, according to the Naval Safety Center, which tracks all Navy and Marine aircraft mishaps. An investigation by the Navy and manufacturers Bell and Boeing resulted in tweaks to the V-22′s engine controls.
Yet the Marines and the Naval Safety Center ultimately decided that the Osprey’s dangerous joyride didn’t count as a serious flying accident, known in Pentagon parlance as a “Class A flight mishap.” The reason, said Capt. Brian Block, a Marine spokesman: The aircraft wasn’t supposed to take off just then; therefore, it’s not a flight problem. If a V-22 suffers damage while preparing to launch or after landing, or if the crew does not explicitly command the aircraft to take off but it does anyways, then the accident doesn’t count as a flight accident.

Quite honestly I didn't like the way David characterized a potentially life threatening situation as a joy ride...but I get it.  He was probably frustrated at the insanity of it all.

Quite honestly I despise the spokesman's account of the incident as not being a "serious flying accident." 

They're playing word games.

Its cute if you're a guy and girl playing a dating game.

Its acceptable if you're a low life lawyer or Congressman (well not really but lets say expected).

Its totally unacceptable if you're a US Marine.  Higher standards and all that other jazz.

We (the USMC) need to get our house in order.  This is sad.  Pathetic.  Unacceptable.  And how this didn't get bigger air time is beyond me.

Archetype. The best short Sci-Fi film I've seen in years.

You know a short film is good when it has you wanting to see more.  You know its great when you sit through the credits cause you want to see who the actors, directors, producers etc...are.  Archetype is that kinda film for me.  Check it out!

A blast from the past: Marines In Action...1965

A Canadian Journalist slams the UK.

I was doing my regular web searches and ran across this article.  To say that I was shocked is an understatement.  This is via the Vancouver Sun.  Read the whole thing....its sad and if true, then our friends across the pond have some serious troubles that I never began to fathom.

Britain's constant boast that it punches above its weight internationally rings more hollow by the day. The defence ministry is eviscerating the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and making deep cuts to the army, too. There have been sweeping redundancies across all three services, the sudden retirement of the fleet of Harrier jump jets, the premature retirement of the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and the likely immediate sale to raise cash of one of two carriers now being built. Even after the current round of Draconian cuts, it is difficult to see how Britain can sustain the force that will remain, let alone underwrite plans for a new generation of nuclear submarines, new frigates and the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
That Britain can no longer even pretend to be a major global player was already obvious to its troops and allies in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Well-trained, brave soldiers from fabled regiments went into battle under-equipped because the British treasury no longer has enough money to pay for the kit required for expeditionary escapades. While, for example, Ottawa gave Canadian troops in Kandahar whatever they urgently required, from boots to state-of-the art command posts, helicopters and safer armoured vehicles, British troops often have had to make do with gear that sometimes looked as if it had seen service against Rommel's Afrika Korps - and in a few cases, may have actually been used in that war.
Much has been made lately of Britain's decision to opt out of a new European financial treaty that tried to rescue the continental economies because the other EU states refused to grant London's financial institutions special status. Britons of ``the wogs start at Calais'' school celebrated Prime Minister David Cameron's intransigence as they did earlier British decisions to keep the pound instead of the euro and to maintain a totally separate set of immigration and customs checks than their neighbours across the English Channel. The almost universal European response to Downing Street's latest act of isolationism was to say ``good riddance.''

I don't know if his critique of the Ministry of Defense is adequate.  As a matter of fact, at least a couple of procurement issues can be traced back to 'urgent requests' that were rubber stamped without proper vetting.  What I mean by that is this...it appears that the UK tried its best to make sure that its troops were properly equipped--no matter what the costs. 

I look forward to hearing British readers weigh in on this one.  I just don't know.

Lava Viper 2012.

U.S. Marines with Gulf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, ride in CH-53 cargo helicopters while conducting immediate-action drills during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 20, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marines with Gulf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, ride in CH-53 cargo helicopters while conducting immediate-action drills during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 20, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marines with Gulf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conduct immediate-action drills during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 20, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marines with Gulf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conduct immediate-action drills during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 20, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marines with Gulf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conduct immediate-action drills during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 20, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Noland Lynch, section leader, combat assault company, stands atop an amphibious assault vehicle during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 19, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marine Pfc. Maxwell Dossett, machine gunner, Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, maintains security during immediate-action drills at Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 19, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marines with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conduct immediate-action drills during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 19, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Marco Othon, with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, maintains security during an immediate-action drill at Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Jan. 19, 2012. Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.

Marine Aviation = 1...Critics = 0....

via CBS News via the AP

FORT WORTH (AP) — A U.S. defense official says Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is giving fresh backing to the Marine Corps’ version of the next-generation fighter jet, the F-35.
The F-35, which is developing Navy and Air Force variants, is the Pentagon’s most expensive weapons program. It has faced delays and other problems that raised doubts about its future.
During a visit Friday to a naval air station in Maryland, Panetta will announce that the Marines’ version of the Fort Worth-built joint strike fighter is no longer on what Panetta’s predecessor, Robert Gates, called “probation.” That’s according to a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity in advance of the announcement.
Gates announced one year ago that if the Marines’ version of the plane had not overcome its problems within two years he would attempt to cancel it.

This is more about the partner nations than it is about the Marine Corps.  Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan and others have been nervous about the airplane being canceled.  This news should chill them out.

CH-53 down in Afghanistan.

Just heard on a radio that a CH-53 went down in Afghanistan in Helmand province.  Its unknown (more precisely they aren't saying what caused the crash) what caused the incident, but all 6 people on board were killed.  This from ABC News via AP...

A NATO helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing six members of the international military force, the U.S.-led coalition said.
The coalition said in a release early Friday morning that there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash in southern Afghanistan.
The cause of the crash is still being investigated. The coalition did not disclose the nationalities of those killed.
The helicopter crash occurred on the same day seven civilians were killed outside a crowded gate at Kandahar Air Field, a sprawling base for U.S. and NATO operations, after a suicide attacker set off a vehicle laden with explosives. The Taliban claimed responsibility, claiming they were targeting a NATO convoy.
It was the second suicide bombing in as many days in southern Afghanistan, officials said. The coalition said no NATO troops were killed. It does not disclose information about injured troops.

Rest in peace to the fallen and comfort to their families.

VMFAT-501 gets another bird...

BF-7 departs Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base at 2:07 p.m. CST on its 90 minute ferry flight to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. With the delivery of BF-7, a F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) jet, Eglin is now the home of the largest F-35 fleet in the Department of Defense. (Lockheed Martin photo by Randy Crites)

F-35A Performs First Night Flight