Mythical Fleet. JHSV as a multirole platform.

Lee (thanks buddy) sent me info on the JHSV and its performance on its builders trials. 

It performed magnificently.  But check out this release...

USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), the innovative high-speed catamaran transport ship under construction by shipbuilder Austal in Mobile, Alabama, successfully completed Builder's Sea Trials (BST) on April 19 in the Gulf of Mexico. The trials encompassed over 50 demonstration events that enabled the shipbuilder to rigorously test the ship and all of its systems in preparation for final inspection by the United States Navy before delivery.

Notable achievements during the trials included a demonstration of major systems along with first-of-class standardization and maneuverability trials, reaching a top speed in excess of 35 knots.
A series of high-speed ahead and astern maneuvers in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrated the effectiveness of the ship’s four steerable waterjets. In the course of repeated high-speed turns the ship demonstrated the stability and agility of the catamaran hullform, with the JHSV exhibiting virtually no heeling motions throughout the radical turns.
Upon returning from the full-power trial, Joe Rella, President and Chief Operating Officer of Austal USA, remarked: “The successful first run trials for this prototype vessel validates the quality and reliability of Austal’s shipbuilding know-how. I have never witnessed a more problem-free Builder’s Sea Trial than USNS Spearhead’s. The global Austal organization successfully participated in the design, procurement, and production of this ship with a great outcome, all being accomplished while locally, Austal USA continues to hire new workers and expand our facilities. This is a telltale sign of the dedication of our team of shipbuilding professionals.

On this one I'll admit that my views are "evolving"...

I think it has merit as a multirole ship.  Mike at New Wars must be laughing hysterically right now.  My conversion to his Fords not Cadillacs Navy is almost complete.  But my thinking on this I believe is sound.

If we're going to a containerized, module type system for various tasks then why not use a ship that can carry numerous models of the same?

It has the deck space to easily perform the anti-mine mission set, the only stopping point might be a need to reorganize the interior .

It should be capable of mounting missile launchers on it fantail/landing platform so that it can fire whatever missile the Navy chooses to fight off small boats at distance and of course it can act as a mother ship for Riverines/a fast transport for Marines conducting raids and a host of other missions.

Every mission that the LCS is designed to do with the exception of close combat can probably be better handled with a ship the size of the JHSV.

Conversion complete.

Toon of the week...

M27 IAR. Redesignate it M-16A5 and roll with it.

The concept is flawed but the weapon magnificent.

How about we cut to the chase and get an upgrade.

We're currently rocking M4's and M-16A4's.  They've been serviceable but they're lacking in many areas.  If we drop the concept of a hyper accurate Squad Automatic Weapon with limited capability to lay down suppressive fire and redesignate this weapon as our new M-16A5 I think we'll have a winner.

A couple of things will have to happen though.  First we're gonna have to admit (well someone is going to) that the concept for the Infantry Automatic Rifle is stone age thinking.  In hindsight its quite obvious that we don't need a modern day Browning Automatic Rifle.

Next we're going to have to admit that we lost something when we gave up automatic fire on our service rifles.

OK, I'll do it.  We fucked up and now its time to correct the mistake.  Let's get this done gents.

Consider it a necking down of our Infantry weapons...no more dual stocks of M4's and M-16A4's....just the M-16A5 formerly known as the M27 and life is good.  Well except for qualification day.  Standards are going to have to rise again.  But that's a good thing.

Unspeakable Anger...Unceasing Rage....

Time to go workout...hit my 'strol...hit some Jack3d...hit some glutamine...and hit some inspiration...gonna tear up the gym!

If you're an operational athlete you better get there too!

Repeat Post...

NOTE:  I want this post up front and center so those that are coming from the USNI Blog don't' have to search for it.  This is exactly as I wrote it the first time.


God spare me the bullshit!

Check this out from USNI Blog.

All three of my kids have flight time in Marine Corps aircraft. 

You're thinking wow!  This family produced 3 Naval Aviators!  Cool huh?  NOPE!  She was pregnant at the time.  PATHETIC!  But wait there is more.

Pre-flight school, back in 1999, I married my husband, a USMC infantry officer.  We did NOT want kids.  Of the first 9 years of our marriage, we lived in the same state for about 3 of them.  In my mind, kids = wasted career.  We were happy being childless and laughed at the idea of having kids, and how it would “ruin” things.  Why would we ever want to have kids, right?   Anyone with kids is laughing at us and the stupidity of that comment.
But…as it turned out, we had three kids, who are now aged almost 7, 3, and 18 months.  And instead of still flying, still deploying, and staying on active duty for 20 or more years, I find myself a Reservist with three little kids, not flying at all, and driving myself crazy.  This was NOT the original plan.  It took me three years to accept the fact that life had changed (in what was a wonderful way, of course, but I didn’t see it like that at first).  And I don’t know that I’ve really accepted it yet.
I don’t regret the choice to leave active duty for the Reserves (when my oldest was 2 ½ years old), but it shouldn’t have been the only viable option.  I had nearly ten years in at the time, advanced qualifications in the aircraft, and the desire to keep doing it all.  For a long, long time.  But single-parenting through most of my oldest daughter’s first two years of life showed that I could not do it all, at least not without something coming off of the track.  I went kicking and screaming from active duty, but did not see any other way, since I was failing at parenting and failing at being a Marine Corps officer/pilot.  And that is one big reason that the services lose experienced women and men at a certain point in their lives and careers.  But is it necessary?

Are you fucking kidding me?

Who the hell said to get pregnant in the first place?

Who said that you had to leave the service?

This is what pisses me off.  She made life choices and is pissed off because of the choices she made and is now trying to blame the Marine Corps.

How about this.

Don't have kids but if you do then .....

11th MEU. Range time in Jordan.

Photos by Cpl Tommy Huynh

Commando Helicopter Force Mobile Air Operations Team

Hey Weak Body...the next time you don't feel like working out....

Hey Weak Body...the next time you don't feel like working out...don't feel like getting off your ass and going the extra mile, then remember this video....



Feel like a straight up pussy yet?

Feel like you aren't quite thankful enough yet?

Yeah I thought so.

Get on your knees...Thank the Lord up above for what you have...and live your life to the fullest.  Some gave, some gave more and some gave all.

F-35A AF-16 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti flew F-35A AF-16 (USAF serial number 09-5003), on its inaugural flight on 3 May 2012 from NAS Fort Worth JRB. The aircraft will be assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida.

Silencers for Marine Infantry. Let's fund it through Obama's health care plan!

The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, Schools of Infantry and Marine Gunners Symposiums have given us things we didn't ask for and could make do without...

*Infantry Automatic Rifle.
*Multi-round grenade launcher
*Serpa Holsters.

But they identified a need and are standing pat.

What's that need?  Silencers.  Cans.  Sound Suppressors.

Whatever you call them we need them.  The racket on the battlefield while you're communicating...muzzle flash despite the flash suppressors on our weapons and the need to fully integrate night vision devices with our firearms all show the need for the average Grunt on the line to have a can on his weapon.

I personally like the Mini4 from AAC (got to shoot one and its fantastic...you can literally hold a decent conversation with someone rocking out on it next to ya).

But whatever the choice we need to get this done.  We definitely need it more than we need the M27 IAR or a new holster!

Update:
Sferrin made a good point.  We should fund this through Obama's Health Care Scheme.  We can list it under preventative medicine.  Hearing loss is an issue in the military after all.  Hey, if energy can get the military to fund green energy why can't we get health to fund silencers for the Marine Corps!

Battle Rodent.

This guy never taps out!

He'll battle you even after he collapses!

Marine Personnel Carrier. Why the Army needs it and not the GCV.

The US Army is in procurement hell.

First they've managed to almost...not quite but almost combine their Ground Combat Vehicle Program with their M-113 Replacement Program....

They're proceeding with these programs despite having difficulty describing the need for them and they're making these procurement decisions without any acknowledgement of combat in the Pacific.

Suggestion:


They then need to piggy back on the USMC's Marine Personnel Carrier buy.  If the Army is going to be effective and a player in the Pacific then they need a couple of things that the MPC will provide.

1.  Fully amphibious.
2.  A capability to carry at least 9 fully equipped Marines/Soldiers.
3.  Ship board capability from the start.
4.  An established supply chain.

Lets be quite honest here.

The Army doesn't appear to know what it wants and why it wants it.  Teaming with the Marine Corps on the MPC will show that they're serious about participating and planning for warfare in the Far East.
.

The Marine Corps can help this process by separating the MPC from the Amphibious Combat Vehicle and AAV upgrade offices.

Time to get this done.

31st MEU & The unseen test of strength in the Pacific.

Everyone was focused on the activist in China hiding in our embassy but the Philippine Nation and the US Marines were conducting exercise Balikatan and their Navy was facing off Chinese fishing boats and Destroyers.

The Pacific is where America will be tested.

Are you drunk enough flow chart?

via Odee.

This has absolutely nothing to do with nothing.

I just thought it was funny.

11th MEU. Recon small arms training.

Photos by LCpl Claudia Palacios

HMS Ocean Olympic security centrepiece

A Royal Marine Bad-Ass from the past.

Fairburn.

One of the west's first true bad ass'.  A Royal Marine, a Shanghi Cop and an OSS Operative/Trainer.  Read about him here and read his self defense book here.

Badly timed photo release of the F-22 leaving Marietta

GTV JLTV

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

General Dynamics and friends pulled a fast one on Lockheed and BAE.

The US Army was initially pushing for new production/new technology vehicles.  As soon as they came off that stance GD switched to the DURO/MOWAG Eagle platform.

They got jammed up in the British competition and they're going to do it to the compeition here in the States.  This is gonna turn into a price shootout and they're gonna win on that mark.

Funny thing is that me and other have always looked at this as a purely miliitary procurement issue.

We are wrong.

Homeland Security, the FBI, DEA, ATF and all the other federal law enforcement agencies, not to mention tons of big city agencies are all going to migrate to the winner of this contract.

General Dynamics is cheating, but they're gonna win.

In big boy procurement I guess thats all that matters.

Rant Time. Lets get real about Iran.

Rant time guys.

Let's start being honest about our foreign policy concerns.

The first thing we need to do is to be honest about Iran and the region.

Have you been paying attention or have you swallowed the talking points given at the US State Dept and the UN?  Let me enlighten you.

Iran is not a threat to Israel.  That card is played to get the support of conservatives and the Christian right.  Both groups are staunch Israel supporters and both would send troops to defend her in a heart beat.

If you want to know the real 51st state then realize that its in the Middle East.

But if we're being honest Israel can easily defend itself against anything the Iranians can throw at it.  As a matter of fact the biggest threat that Israel faces from Iran is an unleashed Hezbollah.  A Hezbollah that's fully armed and engaged in attacks against the Israeli people.

Israel doesn't fear Iranian nuclear weapons....but Iraq does...so does Saudi Arabia...UAE and a host of other oil supplying Middle Eastern nations.

I don't mind us taking the stance that Iran shouldn't get the bomb, but I just wish we were being a bit more honest about why we're doing it.  Its in our own national interests.  If Saudi Arabia can be blackmailed because of a threat against their oil fields with nuclear weapons then we would face 20 dollar plus a gallon gas.  If a strike against those oil fields were carried out and they became contaminated then the world would face a global depression and the economic system that we're currently involved in would disintegrate.


That's why the war drums are beating against Iran.  Not to protect Israel but to protect our economy.