31st MEU concludes Cobra Gold 2012

Are you a gear head or a gear whore?

Are you a gear head or a gear whore?

Seems like a pretty outlandish statement doesn't it.  But bear with me one second.  Do you like gear and shop for the best that's out there at the best price?  Or do you simply jump on whatever bandwagon is rolling by and buy what's popular?

I came up with a little saying.  I call it the CHE.  Costa-Haley Effect.

When ever one of those guys comes out with a new setup for the AR they're running, people will go out and spend good hard earned cash to copy them.  Not slamming Raven holsters but kydex is kydex.  I've seen guys put together some impressive holsters in the kitchen and then on their build tables.  But I have an even better example.  Check this out from KitUp!

SureFire G2ZX Combat Light $115.00

Kit Up Pick: G2ZX Combat Light

 Like a good headlamp, another must have is a tactical light that can literally light up the room and blind adversaries.  SureFire has be doing this for a long time.  In my opinion, they continue to make the best weapon lights, and for the money you can’t beat the G2ZX.

Now don't get me wrong.

They just put out a list of their own top ten picks.

But reading over the list, it got me to thinking.  Is this actually good gear or is it simply "famous" gear that's sporting a "designer" price.

I chose the light because its the simplest and most in your face example that I could find.
These are its specs...straight from the surefire website.  200 Lumen run time for 2 hours.  It runs on CR123 batteries and its made of a virtually indestructible polymer.

Sorry boys and girls but for 115$ there are competing flashlights that perform much better.  Exhibit number one.  The M20 Olight by 4Sevens.  The specs on it from 4sevens website gives this info...320 Lumens for 4 hours and 110 Lumens for 11 hours and if you just use the light to make head calls and to read letters/books you can use 5 lumens for 600 hours.

Long story short.  Don't be a gear whore.

Be a gear head.  Shop around, make your own judgements and determine what type of performance YOU need, not whats fashionable.

SEAL/Act of Valor blowback...reading between the lines.

I saw this article on Military.com and it gone my head spinning.  Go to the site to read the whole thing but check out this snippets....

"All evolutions you see in the movie involving ranges, vessels, aircraft, and submarines were part of regularly scheduled training and were at no cost to the Navy or American taxpayers," the Navy's Office of Information said in a statement. "The Navy will not financially profit from AOV."

and then this...

 "I hope, personally, to be 'one and done' with the sanctioned movie business for awhile," Rear Admiral Sean Prybus, head of Navy Special Warfare, said at the AFCEA West convention in San Diego a few weeks ago. "Navy Special Warfare is challenged in this environment -- with the media exposure -- and the number of public domain transactions. Operational security matters to us. We, as a community, are not used to operating under such a spotlight

Interesting.
 

A highly decorated, former Special Ops General and basically the creator of SOCOM yelled at the head of SOCOM (a Navy SEAL) and told him to get out of the media.

The media laughed and the prick Admiral made a snide remark which amounted to...its the world we live in, its not my fault.

NOW...we have the head of Navy Special Warfare saying that he hopes this is a "one and done".

Translation.

The SEALs are getting blowback from the Special Ops Community.  I predicted that it would be the US Army Special Forces that would lead the charge to get the SEALs to STFU and I don't know cause I'm not there but it sure looks like its happening.

11th MEU mourns the loss of one of its own.

A Battalion Landing Team 3/1 rifle detail fires a salute at a Feb. 17 memorial service aboard USS Makin Island honoring hospital corpsman Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyler L. Estrada, who died in a Djibouti training accident Feb. 14. Estrada, who served with the landing team's Company I, was 21 and a native of Maricopa, Ariz. Doc died in the company of his brothers, said company commander Capt. Matt McGirr. The landing team is the ground combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, deployed as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group to the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility.

Military training is rigorous.  A euphemism used at all Marine Corps School Houses for extremely difficult and challenging training.  Being a Corpsman attached to a Marine Corps Unit opens you up to all those dangers.

God Bless you Doc.

Semper Fi.

F-35 at Edwards AFB -- 2011 in Review

BAD ASS!

A Wounded Warrior swims laps during practice for the 2012 Marine Corps Trials at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 15, 2012. Wounded Warrior Marines, veterans and allies are competing in the second annual trials, which include swimming, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, track and field, archery and shooting. The top 50 performing Marines will earn the opportunity to compete in the Wounded Warrior Games in Colorado Springs in May.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers)

 

 

First he volunteered for service.

Then he went to war.

He was gravely wounded but instead of sitting on his ass getting fat and lazy, he's out there busting his butt--still competing.

Beyond impressive.  Every time a Marine drops out of run 'cause he hurts or whatever, he should be shown this pic.

Bad Ass!

NOTE*
This photo represents every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Coast Guardsman that are participating in these events.  You guys and gals put a whole lot of shit into perspective.  Thanks.

Dutch Marines still training hard...

Dutch Royal Marines patrol through the Military Operations in Urban Terrain compound here with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Feb. 14, 2012. 24th MEU conducted the final mission for their Certification Exercise (CERTEX) with the Dutch Royal Marines as a way to integrate partnered operations with allied countries. The 24th MEU's CERTEX with Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group included a series of missions from Jan. 27 to Feb. 16 intended to evaluate and certify the unit for their upcoming deployment.  Photo by SSgt.  Robert Fisher

U.S., Thai Marines practice urban combat during Cobra Gold 2012

Photo Release: F-35 naval variants commence weapons testing

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – Marine Corps Maj. C. R. “Jimi” Clift flies F-35B Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft BF-3 Dec. 19, 2011 with a 1,000-lb inert test GBU-32 in an open internal weapons bay for loads testing. Significant weapons testing for the F-35B and F-35C variants is scheduled for 2012, including fit checks, captive carriage, pit drop and aerial drop tests.

The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. Marine Corps, capable of short take-offs and vertical landings for use on amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields to provide air power to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

Marine recon and scout snipers train marksmanship with Thai and Korean special forces

An outstanding Marine Corps artist...

Graphite Illustration of Lance Cpl. Terrance Thorp, a rifleman with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, providing security for his fellow Marines during a simulated airfield seizure at the Farmville Municipal Airport Jan. 14, 2012. The training was part of the 24th MEU's Realistic Urban Training exercise that took place Jan. 5-20, which had the unit prepare for the various missions they may face during their upcoming deployment. (Official USMC Illustration by: Corporal Michael J. Petersheim/ Released)

Cpl Petersheim is beyond good. 

Impressive!

Marine conduct amphibious assault during Cobra Gold 2012

Not sure if this is a repeat or not but you can never get enough AAV's on tape.

The Marine Infantryman is the most Marine Corps specific weapon system...the AAV is second.  No other service uses or can match the capabilities of either of them (easy Army guys...just showing service pride).

Aviation mystery...why isn't the SpeedHawk gaining traction?

It looks right.

Its performance is impressive.

Current helicopters can be modified easily (I think).

So why isn't the SpeedHawk gaining traction.  I also wonder why Piasecki isn't screaming to high heaven that it can solve the helicopter speed problem but is being ignored by the DoD.

Well, this mystery demands a solution.  Time to contact Piasecki and find out whats going on with this fantastic concept.

Note*
I also wonder if this concept hasn't gone black.  SOCOM produced a stealth BlackHawk, why would we doubt that they have this in their toolbox too?

Gun control.

If you're on the fence about the 2nd amendment then check out this quote...

”This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!” ~Adolph Hitler, 1935, on The Weapons Act of Nazi Germany

Wow.

The bastard was right.  Germany, England, Australia, France and many other nations have followed.  Looks like he just might win in the end...at leas in those countries.

On Rappel

Cpl. Gerard Coon with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit's battalion landing team 3/1 rappels from a parked CH-46E Sea Knight aboard USS Makin Island Feb. 10. The Sea Knight is with the unit's aviation combat element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced). The 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.

Rawley gets it wrong. Marines on aircraft carriers is about self preservation.

Chris Rawley pinned an article for Information Dissemination in which he lauds the idea of putting detachments of Marines aboard aircraft carriers.

He is missing the real issue here.  It isn't about making the carrier more effective.  Its about preserving the aircraft carrier. 

Take a look at the pic above.  It shows in great detail the standard compliment of a deployed US aircraft carrier today.  A ship designed to carry approximately 100 aircraft is lucky to leave the dock with 60.  Additionally a squadron or two of those airplanes are Marine Air.

Carrier aviation is in trouble and if a bean counter ever takes a good look at the number of carriers that we have and the way that we're utilizing them then you'll see an axe come out quick.  But this is what Rawley has to say....

LCDR Benjamin Armstrong, one of the up and coming naval officers who truly gets irregular warfare, has written a fine article on maritime raids for this month's Proceedings. His recommendation to expand the utility of carriers by adding small Marine landing teams and MV-22s makes a lot of sense. CVNs can easily augment our amphibious capacity and provide significant flexibility to conduct raids and other ground-centric missions when gators are not around. This move could be compared to the addition of F-35Bs to large deck amphibious ships to augment our CSGs striking power. In other words, our CSGs should become more ARG-like and our ESGs/ARGs can become more CSG-like. If our gator fleet shrinks further, we’ll need to get creative in how we employ all ships in support of objectives ashore, and implementation of BJ’s suggestions would be a smart step in that direction.

Read the whole thing but a few things are telling.

1.  Notice that he talks about putting F-35B's aboard carriers...a nice fig leaf but that was dismissed out of hand by carrier Navy.  They stated that it would disrupt flight operations when HQMC offered that as a possibility to make up for the loss of carrier squadrons that was complained about.

2.  Notice the attempt to make the carrier into a more ARG type vessel.  A bigger fig leaf.  If the carriers can perform ARG type missions then it should be asked why do we need the ARG?  It is a power play that is so obvious its pitiful.

3.  Lastly, notice that no one is talking about embarking SOCOM aboard carriers.  Wonder why?  I make the guess that it would cause a loss of autonomy.  Yeah you could put SEALs or Rangers or Special Forces aboard carriers and rotate them but you would have an new master in Tampa to answer to.  Its nice supporting SOCOM but having to work for them can be a bitch if you're not part of the clubhouse.

This whole thing is a farce.  Its all about making the carriers more relevant especially in light of the rise of the Amphibians (Libya most recently when no one asked where are the carriers, before that Japan and Haiti...Carriers are faster but have no manpower to do the soft missions...Marines on board would open up that possibility as well).  This is a bad idea.  Everyone knows it, no one will admit it.

Elements of Power nails it on the new bomber.

Elements of Power nails it in his analysis of news on the new Air Force Bomber.  Read the whole thing and subscribe to him but this part had me saying out loud...damn it!  Why didn't I remember that!

Hey Phil? About that 'doing things differently' angle. If we would have bought 80-100 B-2s, in the first place the unit acquisition cost would have been far less than those "$550M" in 2010 dollars, and probably much less than that even in then-year dollars. CBO numbers for only 26 B-2s in the early 90s was $540M per plane. Northrop offered to sell the AF only half as many (40)  B-2Cs in 2001 for a fixed price of $545M/aircraft.

We've been down this road before and it looks like we're going down it again.  Being penny wise and pound foolish!  I'm referring specifically to the offer by Northrop of selling the plane for a fixed price!

Wow.

Perhaps what we really need in our Defense Procurement System are a group of historians.  We seem to keep forgetting ours.

David Cenciotti has a couple of great articles out.

David has a couple of great articles out.

The first is an outstanding photo essay on a new (at least to me) Nato Tactical Leadership Program, and the second is news from the other side of the Atlantic on the recent Italian decision on the numbers of F-35's to procure.

Therefore, along with the reduction by 43,000 people to abate the current 70 percent of the overall defense budget for spending on military personnel, the review has led to the revision of the some important programs. First of all, the much criticized F-35 program.
Accordingly, 41 aircraft will be scrapped leaving the Italian Air Force and Navy with only 90 F-35 in the A and B version. The latter, recently removed from probation, will replace the Navy’s AV-8B+ Harrier II on board the Cavour aircraft carrier as well as the Air Force’s AMX, both involved in the recent Air War in Libya.
“The F-35 program was reviewed. Nevertheless it remains a major commitment in terms of technology, technology transfer to the industry and employment” Di Paola said few days after placing the first order for three F-35s.

I love reading this guys blog especially when it comes to the F-35 because I can't quite pin him down on being a supporter or hater.

He is definitely playing it down the middle and is to be commended for it.  Go to his site to read it in full.  Now, if I could only get him to make that watermark just a tad smaller, all would be right with the world.

24th MEU's certification exercise continues.

Modest proposal. Scrap the Key West Agreement.

Most people view the AH-64 as an unstoppable weapon of war.

It has the reputation of being the most lethal, survivable helicopter flying today.  It boasts impressive electronics, weaponry and weapons.


But in 2003 in the attack on Karbala,  members of the 11th Aviation Regimen, 3rd Infantry Division in particular had a very bad day.

This from Wikipedia...

 Engagement

The 31 Apaches of the U.S. 11th Regiment took off from Rams Base. One crashed immediately after takeoff when its pilot became disoriented. As they turned north toward Karbala, signals intelligence picked up over 50 Iraqi cell phone calls alerting the enemy's forward units of the Apaches.
As the strike neared Karbala, the Iraqis signaled their troops to open fire by turning off and then, a few second later, on the area's lights. Ground troops, having recovered from the suppression air strike, opened up with small arms and other weapons. Lieutenant Jason King, pilot of Apache "Palerider 16", was hit by AK-47 fire^[8] in the neck and suffered a severe hemorrage, but he never lost consciousness.^[3] He was later evacuated to Germany for surgery, but returned to his unit a few weeks later.^[8]

The Apaches were reluctant to return fire; most enemy fire was coming from houses and the risk of collateral damage was high. The helicopters scattered in search of the Medina Division, but were hampered by poor intelligence. Apache "Vampire 12", flown by Warrant Officers David S. Williams and Ronald D. Young Jr., was forced down after gunfire severed the hydraulics. The air commander's radio was also hit, preventing communication with the other helicopters.

The Apaches turned for home after a half-hour of combat. Most were without functioning navigation equipment or sights. At least two narrowly avoided a mid-air collision.^[3]

Aftermath

Of the 29 returning Apaches, all but one suffered serious damage. On average each helicopter had 15-20 bullet holes. One helicopter took 29 hits. Sixteen main rotor blades, six tail blades, six engines and five drive shafts were damaged beyond repair. In one squadron only a single helicopter was deemed fit to fly. It took a month for the 11th Regiment was ready to fight again. The casualties sustained by the Apaches induced a change of tactics. Attack helicopters would now be used to reveal the location of enemy troops, allowing them to be destroyed by artillery and air strikes.^[3]
Thomas E. White, who was then United States Secretary of the Army, felt disappointed by the outcome of the battle, adding "we were very fortunate we didn't lose more aircraft."^[9]

There were some big changes for Army aviation after this battle.  Not only would it lead to a more 'vigorous' use of artillery but it would end the deep strike role for Army aviation.

Fred Kaplan wrote in Slate Magazine an article called "Chop the Chopper"...

The U.S. Army's only disastrous operation in Gulf War II (at least the only one we know about) took place on March 24, when 33 Apache helicopters were ordered to move out ahead of the 3^rd Infantry Division and to attack an Iraqi Republican Guard regiment in the suburbs of Karbala. Meeting heavy fire from small arms and shoulder-mounted rocket-propelled grenades, the Apaches flew back to base, 30 of them shot up, several disablingly so. One helicopter was shot down in the encounter, and its two crewmen were taken prisoner.

After that incident, Apaches were used more cautiously—on reconnaissance missions or for firing at small groups of armored vehicles. Rarely if ever did they penetrate far beyond the front line of battle, out in front of U.S. ground troops or without the escort of fixed-wing aircraft flying far overhead.

Shortly afterward, when a speech by Saddam Hussein was broadcast over Iraqi television, some armchair commentators observed that the speech was probably live, or at least very recent, because he referred to the downing of an Apache. In fact, that proved nothing. If one thing could have been predicted before the war started, it was that an Apache would be shot down.

Last year, during the Afghanistan war, seven Apaches were flown in to attack Taliban fighters as part of Operation Anaconda. They all got shot up, again by RPGs and machine-gun fire. None crashed, but five were so damaged they were declared "non-mission-capable"—in other words, unable to go back into combat without extensive repair—after the first day.

In the 1999 air war over Kosovo, 24 Apache helicopters were transported to the allied base in Albania. Their arrival was anticipated by many officers and analysts as a turning point in the war. Yet, within days, two choppers crashed during training exercises. Commanders decided not to send any of them into battle; the risk of losing them to Serbian surface-to-air missiles was considered too great.

Attack helicopters have always been troublesome. The U.S. Army lost over 5,000 helicopters in the Vietnam War. (Nor is this a uniquely American problem: The Soviets lost hundreds of Hind helicopters to mujahideen firing shoulder-launched Stinger missiles during their Afghan venture.)

This sorry chronicle raises the question: Why did the Army build helicopters in the first place?

It all goes back to the end of World War II, when the Air Force became an independent service of the armed forces. (Before and during the war, air forces were a branch of the Army.) In its first few years of independence, the Air Force became involved in tumultuous budget battles with the other services. Finally, in April 1948, Secretary of Defense James Forrestal called a meeting with the service chiefs in Key West, Fla., where they divvied up "roles and missions." The emerging document was called the Key West Agreement. An informal understanding that grew out of the accord was that the Air Force (and, to an extent, the Navy) would have a monopoly on fixed-wing combat planes.

Quite honestly I never liked Kaplan.  I always considered him a hack and believed that he was too influential when it came to military matters during the Bush Administration.  But on this issue he gets it half right. Attack helicopters fill a vital role and should continue but he's right on this point... The Key West Agreement should be scrapped and the US Army should be allowed to field Close Air Support aircraft.

The Battle of Karbala proves that if nothing else does.