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| EADS North America unveiled its Armed Aerial Scout 72X+ (AAS-72X+) April 2, 2012 at the annual Army Aviation Association of America convention. The AAS-72X+ will offer the Army greater power, range, endurance and payload capacity when operating in 6,000 foot altitude and 95 degree environments, commonly known as “6K/95 high/hot” conditions. EADS North America image |
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A Royal Marine of Zulu Company, 45 Commando is pictured practicing
cliff climbing techniques during a training exercise.
The Royal Marines' 3 Commando Brigade is the Royal Navy's amphibious
infantry on permanent readiness to deploy across the globe, and is a
core component of the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force. Together the
Royal Navy's amphibious ships and the Brigade represent a highly
mobile, self-sustained and versatile organisation, with a strategic
power projection capability that is unique among the British armed
services. The Royal Marines are the cold weather experts of the
Services.Photographer: LA(PHOT) Andy Laidlaw |
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| HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan-Sgt. Kyle Harrison, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 and a San Diego native, keeps an eye on the terrain over southwest Afghanistan March 28. Two VMM-365 crews dropped off approximately 40 Marines and sailors with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, as well as several Afghan National Army soldiers, in Helmand province to support combat operations., Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 3/28/2012 5:54 AM |
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| HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan-Sgt. Andrew Lopez, a squad leader with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and a Port Jervis, N.Y., native, prepares to disembark an MV-22B Osprey in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 28. The 2/6 Marines, sailors and Afghan National Army soldiers flew with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 in support of combat operations., Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 3/28/2012 6:02 AM |
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| HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan-Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Cody Vaneerd, a Three Lakes, Wis., native and hospital corpsman with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, gives military working dog, "Bone," an ear rub before taking off in an MV-22B Osprey, March 28. Approximately 40 Marines, sailors and Afghan National Army soldiers flew with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 to a patrol site in Helmand province, Afghanistan., Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 3/28/2012 6:08 AM |
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| HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan-Two MV-22B Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 cut through the sky over Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 28. The Osprey crews flew approximately 40 Marines and sailors with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, as well as several Afghan National Army soldiers, to a patrol point in support of combat operations., Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 3/28/2012 6:53 AM |
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| HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan-Sgt. Kyle Harrison, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 and a San Diego native, stands guard as Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, disembark an MV-22B Osprey in southwest Afghanistan March 28. Two Osprey crews flew approximately 40 Marines and sailors with 2/6, as well as several Afghan National Army soldiers, in support of combat operations., Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 3/28/2012 8:43 AM |
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| HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan-Military working dog, "Bone," leads the way as Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, disembark an MV-22B Osprey in southwest Afghanistan March 28. Sgt. Kyle Harrison, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 and a San Diego native, keeps a watchful eye on the horizon while the 2/6 Marines spread out in the unstable region., Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot, 3/28/2012 8:43 AM |
Recently, we have seen yet again, a US government report on the life cycle costs of the F-35 fleet from a 55 year perspective!
One could ask a simple question: what has mandated this question and why are they not fired?
There are many questions one can ask in life but wondering about the lifecycle costs of combat systems 55 years in the future is not one of them.
There can only be one purpose of posing this question: to come up with a PR number to club the program.
But analytically, we should laugh this effort off of the stage. Simply to pose the question should be met with ridicule, disdain or perhaps sorrow.
To give perspective, let us imagine that our predecessors had been so stupid or irrelevant. Let us go back in time – 55 years ago – and pretend that we are GAO analysts being tasked to look at the life cycle costs of weapon systems by the year 2012. (Hard to imagine President Eisenhower not calling such folks up to the White House for a barbecue, and not to eat ribs).
Production fly away cost
F-35A = $83.4 million ((£52 million))
F-35B = $108.1 million ((£67 million))
F-35C = $93.3 million ((£58 million))
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| IDF medic Anastasia Begdlov was a passenger on a civilian bus on the Israel-Egypt border last August when terrorists opened fire on it. Begdlov treated injured passengers immediately, improvising with whatever supplies she could reach. She used her bra as a tourniquet on a severely wounded man's knee, saving his life. Today, the IDF rewarded her with a military decoration. Begdlov is currently a cadet in officers' course. |
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| Airmen of the 820th Base Defense Group jump out of a U.S. Air Force HC-130P/N King cargo aircraft at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., March 21, 2012. There were a total of 30 Airmen who participated in the static line jump. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Douglas Ellis) |
The 820th is different from other Security Forces Groups in that it is not on a rotational schedule also known as Air Expeditionary Force (AEF). The concept of the 820th BDG is to have a high operations tempo and be ready to deploy to any location at a moment's notice for extended periods of time. Falling under the 820th is the combat operations squadron. Medics, engineers, and communication specialists all fall under the 820th COS.The highlighted portion indicates that this unit is as close as is possible (within the USAF's force structure) to a version of a combined arms task force. Of course you add in the fact that these guys are going to be protecting and theoretically receiving support from high performance jet aircraft and you're cooking with gas.
There are many different Army and non-Army schools 820th airmen may attend, to include: Airborne, Pathfinder, Special Reaction Team, the Close Precision Engagement Course (CPEC), Ranger, Air Assault, Raven, Raven B UAV, Army Sniper, and EMT. Since its activation in 1997, the 820 BDG has deployed in support of Operations Desert Safeside, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Bright Star. It has deployed to locations such as Iraq, Djibouti, Cairo, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Hurricane Katrina (New Orleans), Haiti, and Pakistan.
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| Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti flew F-35B BF-12 (Navy Bureau Number 168308), on its inaugural flight on 30 March 2012 from NAS Fort Worth JRB. The aircraft will be assigned to VMFAT-501 at Eglin AFB, Florida. |
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you're probably not going to get huge if your lifestyle includes sleeping in a different location every day.
The best you can reasonably hope for is maintaining what you have and bulking when you get a chance back at the FOB (Forward Operating Base).
Training - Muscle Gain
So, where's the gym around here? What, there isn't one? What do I do now?!
Make your own gym! You have to make adjustments to your training routine, but creativity can save you. Slow-tempo and plyometric bodyweight exercises may not be ideal for bulking, but can still offer enough stimulus to prevent catabolism for a few weeks.
When you're looking for something heavier or for different movements, there's no requirement that you must lift only a dumbbell or barbell.
If you have a vehicle or aircraft nearby, many have handholds, stowage bars, or horizontal surfaces you can grab. Use these for pull-ups (or partials) and bodyweight rows. If you're lucky enough to have a set of rings, a body suspension system or cargo straps, you can add bodyweight biceps curls, triceps extensions, bodyweight flyes and dips.
Resistance bands are a great investment! They're small, portable and accommodate an array of exercises to keep your sinew occupied.
A full 5-gallon water jug weighs approximately 45 pounds and has a convenient handle at the top. Too heavy? Drink a few gallons! Ammo cans full of sand weigh about 30 pounds. Use these for lateral raises, bent-over rows, biceps curls, overhead extensions, or for just about any exercise a kettlebell works for.
Boulders, logs and sandbags come in just about any weight you can imagine, both standard and metric. Biceps curls and overhead military presses are some obvious exercise choices, but don't limit yourself.
Tata Motors unveiled at DefExpo 2012 the Micro Bullet-Proof Vehicle (MBPV), a small vehicle jointly developed by VRDE-DRDO and TataI don't know if this is innovative or just plain crazy. Either way its interesting.
Motors, responding to new requirements set by the Indian elite commando forces (NSG, Marine Commandos, Para Battalions & Force One). The vehicle provides assault teams with protected mobility solutions, assisting operations indoors.
According to Tata Motors, commando units that have fought insurgents, terrorists and engaged in hostage situations in urban areas have raised the need for gaining protected mobility. Tata designed the MBPV for such indoor combat in mind, offering width, wheelbase and four-wheel steering enabling access and maneuvering indoors. High power-to-weight ratio enables fast and agile movement across obstacles, including climbing stairs. Ballistic protection panels and armored transparent windows provide protection for the combat teams, while firing ports enable effective retaliatory action.
It remains to be seen if elite units will actually ‘buy’ this solution…
Some twenty-seven Lynx from No. 815 Squadron ‘went south’ where they operated in the ASW, ASV, VERTical-REPlenishment (VERTREP) and Special Operations insertion role. Many of the Lynx were hastily fitted with Sea Skua missiles, even though the missiles had not completed their full acceptance trials within the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was not only the Sea Skua’s use which was hasty, many of the HAS Mk 2s heading south with the Task Force were not uniformly equipped - not all had Sea Skua, while Electronic-Counter Measures (ECM), thermal imagers and MAD were only carried by a handful of aircraft. Many Lynx were fitted with door-mounted GPMGs for Close-Air-Support (CAS) operations and, though unofficial, the installation proved popular with crews.Impressive...and a war record I was unaware of.
One of the most celebrated actions involved two Lynx from HMS Brilliant, which attacked the Argentine submarine Santa Fe on the 25th April 1982, during Operation Corporate. One launched a Mk 46 torpedo, expecting the vessel to submerge, which it didn’t. The sub was then unable lo submerge due to the circling torpedo beneath it; the Lynx attacked with their 7.62mm machine-guns eventually putting the submarine out of action.Further action on the night of the 3rd May 1982 saw HMS Coventry’s Lynx ripple fire two Sea Skuas at the enemy patrol boat, Alferez Sorbal. Two direct hits were scored from a range of 13km. In the confusion of the attack the vessel was struck again by a further two Sea Skuas from a Lynx attached to HMS Glasgow. On May 23rd the Argentine supply ship Rio Caracana received two direct hits courtesy of a Lynx from HMS Antelope. The Sea Skua was gaining itself an impressive reputation, leaving a succession of enemy vessels burning and sinking following Lynx attacks. By the end of the Falklands Conflict Lynx HAS Mk 2s of the RN had an impressive combat record, with one example even having a lucky escape when attacked by a pair of Argentine Daggers. Three Lynx were lost when the ships Ardent, Atlantic Conveyer and Coventry were sunk. A further example lost its nose when an unexploded bomb bounced off the side of HMS Broadsword - however no Lynx were shot down or lost in flying accidents despite the atrocious weather conditions encountered in the region.
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Two Army Air Corps Apache attack helicopters are pictured at the Army
Aviation Centre Middle Wallop.
Designed to hunt and destroy tanks, the Apache attack helicopter has
significantly improved the Army's operational capability.Apache can operate in all weathers, day or night and detect, classify and prioritise up to 256 potential targets in a matter of seconds. It carries a mix of weapons including rockets, Hellfire missiles and a 30mm chain gun.Photographer: Peter Davies |
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| Photo by Cpl. Jad Sleiman A force reconnaissance Marine goes over threat detection methods with a group of Ugandan soldiers, Feb. 28. Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 12 sent a small team of Marines into Uganda, Feb. 3, to train Ugandan forces for the fight against al-Shabaab in Somalia and the hunt for Joseph Kony and the Lord’s resistance army. |
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| Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 12.2 stand on line with AK-47 assault rifles preparing to conduct a live fire exercise during foreign weapons familiarization training near Crawfordsville, Ark., Jan. 23, 2012. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF 12.2 are deploying to Africa to advise host nation militaries on various military tactics. Photo by Lance Cpl. Adwin Esters |
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| Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 12.2 Marines receive a class from Instructor Phil Aldredge on the destructive effects of the 7.62x39mm round on various mediums during foreign weapons familiarization training near Crawfordsville, Ark., Jan. 23, 2012. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF 12.2 are deploying to Africa to advise host nation militaries on various military tactics. Photo by Lance Cpl. Adwin Esters |
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| Landing support specialist Sgt. Geoffrey Dubie, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 12.2 watches over Cpl. Stefan Tunstall, a field radio operator, as he takes aim on his target during foreign weapons familiarization training near Crawfordsville, Ark., Jan. 23, 2012. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF 12.2 are deploying to Africa to advise host nation militaries on various military tactics. Photo by Lance Cpl. Adwin Esters |
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| Lance Cpl. Shane Lee fires a rifle during a live-fire exercise aboard the amphibious transport dock New Orleans here March 28. The 19-year-old mortarman hails from Torrance, Calif., and serves with Company L, one of three rifle companies with Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit is deployed as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility. |
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| Marines with Company L fire at training targets aboard USS New Orleans, March 28. The company is one of three rifle companies in Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit is deployed as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet area of responsibility. |
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| Marines with Company L fire at training targets aboard USS New Orleans here March 28. The company is one of three rifle companies in Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit is deployed as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, a U.S. Central Command theater reserve force. The group is providing support for maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of responsibility. |
