Ward on the F-35.

I told you earlier that Sharkey Ward is still on the warpath over the UK's decision to revert to the F-35B.  In true think tank fashion, he's put his misgivings to paper and provided a report on the subject.


I don't agree but considering his service, I'll at least hear him out.  You might consider doing the same.

120520 - Balancing the Books - F-35 STOVL

"Depussification of the Navy"

via CDR Salamander...

In a real departure from normal procedures, the skipper left the weatherdecks open during the full power run, crash astern, and crash ahead testing. ... everyone else secures the decks to avoid possible mishaps. (when I told him that) He gave me a disgusted look and formed an upside down triangle with his hands. He said that one of his missions was the "depussification of the Navy."

Click here to read the whole thing.

Wow.

The powers that BE have made a severe miscalculation.

They shoved through the repeal of don't ask, don't tell.  They ignored survey's that they themselves commissioned on the subject.

They're shoving through women in ground combat units and the Army is allowing women to go to Ranger School.  That in and of itself indicates that Special Operations will be open to women and if you complete Ranger School then going to the Ranger Indoctrination Program (is that what its called?) will certainly be allowed....

They've done all this in a compressed time frame and they believe that the troops are happy?

Not even close.

The hollow armed forces of the 70's are going to look like a power house compared to what we will have if President Obama is re-elected.  Thank God we're seeing some push back.

Old is new. Combat Fitness.

I've been digging this guys site for a while now and have finally decided to share it.  Its called Tactical Athletic Performance and you should check it out for yourself.

But my main gripe isn't with him but with all those that are latching onto the Cross fit, High Intensity or whatever the latest buzz word for getting into shape is.

Its all bullshit.

You either get out and work your ass off or you don't.  You can either master your own weight or you can't.

We don't need buzz words or repackaged themes to make it work.

We just need common sense.  No one invented something new with Cross fit.

They simply repackaged what was already out there.  Oh and you can't tell me that a Marine that's running 5 miles Mon-Thurs...hitting a full old school calisthenics routine and doing the obstacle course twice a week with a 5 to 15 mile ruck on Friday isn't cross fit.

He's got it in spades and didn't do a thing new.

1950 USMC Recruiting Vid.

Sharkey Ward demands another U-turn....back to the F-35C or F/A-18E-F.

Relentless.

Cunning.

A never say die attitude.

All this and more can be used to describe Sharkey Ward, hero of the Falkland Island's Air Sea battle.  One thing that can't be stated is that he's a F-35 booster.  At least not in its purist sense.

I made that mistake and I was wrong.

I've accused the critics of the F-35 to be a loose amalgamation of people that have separate agendas but bound together by a single goal.  KILL THE F-35!

Sharkey isn't a F-35 booster...he's a naval aviation purist and he wants a fully capable, fully functional carrier air wing in the US Navy image.  If that means getting there by flying F-18's, Rafale's, Sea Typhoons, Sea Gripen's or any other airplane on the market place then that's ok by him.  Check this out...

I fear that there are some who are content to accept the decision taken by the Secretary of State last week on the F-35 variant to be procured for our new carriers.

There appears to be a view "that the STOVL aircraft is far better than nothing at all" and that "living with ramp fitted carriers will not be such a bad thing".  I'm afraid I can't agree and I go along with the well put remarks in the article by DefenceSynergia (attached).

My biggest concern is not just that we will have a more limited capability than with the F-35 or the F-18.  My most serious concern is that for operations in bad weather and/or very high temperatures, we may not be able to operate the aircraft at all.

My attached paper underlines this - at page 6/7. Within the paper I have taken pains not to be critical of the Secretary of State or other ministers and I place the blame for this flawed decision entirely upon the MoD advisers who persuaded the Secretary of State to take this way ahead.

I understand from press articles that Mrs Margaret Hodge, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee is furious at the manner in which her Committee and the Government have been misled on Carrier Strike issues - and, reportedly, is initiating full investigation with the NAO.  Good for her!  But if she is to get anywhere with her investigation, she will need to be pointed in the right direction, don't you think?  Listening to the same sources that advised the Secretary of State will not enable a serious investigation to get to the root of all these problems.

It is not too late for the Royal Navy to get this right (unlike the Sea Harrier decision and then the Harrier/Ark Royal decision).

I'll be posting his attachments shortly but a couple of points.  Before you dismiss his ideas understand that the British Government appears to be subject to the whims of vocal minorities...combine that thinking with the pounding that the F-35 has taken in the public relations realm along with the voodoo economics that Sweetman and Aviation Week have saddled the plane with and you have a govt that can be made to change course again.

I thought this issue was dead.

I think I was wrong.

Marines Clear Afghan Villages of Insurgents

A simplistic view of Flag Officer Ranks in the USMC.

Ultimate Ratio Reg and CDR Salamander are banging hard on the number of Admirals in the Navy.  I'm sure URR will come back (he said he would) and take a serious look at the number of Generals in the Marine Corps.

I want to beat him to it.

My simplistic view of the appropriate number goes like this.

2 four star Generals.  The Commandant and Assistant Commandant.
4 three star Generals.  They would be in charge of each of the Marine Corps Divisions.
4 two star Generals.  They would take care of Marine Expeditionary Brigades and serve as Asst Division Commanders.
20 one star Generals.  They would fill out all joint billets.  If the number of joint billets is greater than this number (and it most assuredly is) then it would be filled with a Colonel that is given a temporary promotion to the flag rank until his assignment is over.
Colonels and below would be as currently assigned with the exception that billets that are deemed more appropriate to the rank of Major will go to that rank and by this method we will also reduce the number of Colonels.

This is just off the top of my head but I was tweaked by URR and Sal on this issue. 

Evolution of the Combat Helmet.

WW I Helmet

WW II thru Vietnam Helmet (with modifications)

PASGT

MICH

ACH

OPS CORE

ACH with Mandible

The evolution that we're seeing with combat helmets is .... unexplainable.

From World War 1 up until the Second Gulf War we saw a movement toward more coverage.  During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan we see a new movement toward less coverage.

Then Special Ops decided that they basically only needed a shell covering only a portion of the head.  Conventional forces followed suit and brought the MICH first and then the ACH into service.

Now we have the services deciding that mandible protection is needed.

WHO IS COMING UP WITH THIS STUFF!

At least from the outside looking in, this makes absolutely no sense at all.  I wish PEO Soldier would explain the rationale behind this...or if you can then please hook me up!

The F-35 Program Office would like to thank the People's Republic Of China.

A special thank you goes to the People's Republic of China.


You have successfully scared the shit out of your neighbors, risk making your number one trading partner your mortal enemy (despite attempts by liberals, misguided capitalist, and silly free market junkies) and are on the brink of societal collapse.


With all those issues you still found the time to cobble together a slightly stealthy, oversized, weak engined, single man fighter with questionable avionics....but because of your inferiority complex...because of your desire to beat the US militarily instead of economically with your poorly paid labor force you have finally woken the fools in Congress.


The critics of the F-35 MIGHT have carried the day if you had planned properly.  If you had presented yourself as only an economic and not military competitor things might have turned out differently.


Now.  All bets are off.


The F-35 will go into production.

You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.

The J-20 is an indication that the F-35 scares the Chinese.  That's a good thing.

24th MEU. More Eager Lion 12

Photos by Cpl. Michael Petersheim

CH-53E Super Stallions and MV-22 Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are arranged and organized by aircraft category in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 9. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12, which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU which, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force.

U.S. Navy beach masters from Amphibious Squadron 8 guide Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion hovercrafts onto the beach in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12, which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU which, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force.

Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit offload Humvees from Navy Landing Craft Air-Cushion hovercrafts with Assault Craft Unit 4 in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. Eager Lion 12, taking place throughout the month of May, is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 participating nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force.

A Navy Landing Craft Air-Cushion hovercraft from Assault Craft Unit 4 parks after offloading Marines and tactical vehicles with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU which, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, ride Assault Amphibious Vehicles ashore from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, ride Assault Amphibious Vehicles ashore from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Jordan - Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, ride Assault Amphibious Vehicles ashore from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Kydex craziness follow up!

Hey Gents.


A quick followup on my rant against Kydex.


YES.  I remain against the tons of items that are being pushed onto the American Shooter all in the name of the latest and greatest...I hate trends...I hate the trendy....I hate those that follow them just because, without any thought to there actual needs.


But there is one aspect of Kydex that I love.


The fact that people are forming there own holsters, gear holders etc...


The Do It Yourself aspect is awesome.  Awe inspiring.  Cool.


Rant over.

USMC Blood

Pics of the day. USAF edition.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alyssa Gomez demonstrates proper use of camouflaged ghillie suits at the Nevada Test and Training Range on May 11, 2012. Snipers wear the ghillie suits to blend into their surroundings and conceal themselves from enemies or targets. Gomez is with the 99th Ground Combat Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Hughes)

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pulls away from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft after refueling off the East Coast on May 10, 2012. On Dec. 15, 2005, the Air Combat Command commander, along with the 1st Fighter Wing commander, announced the 27th Fighter Squadron as fully operational and capable to fly, fight and win with the F-22. The F-22 is with the 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., and the KC-135 is with the 756th Air Refueling Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock)

U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crew members conduct slingload operations with Airmen at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., May 10, 2012. Both units were preparing for a Marine airpower demonstration at the bases’ open house and air show, which took place May 12 and 13. The CH-53E crew is with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 and the Airmen are with the 621st Contingency Response Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Edward Gyokeres)

F-35. Can't be cancelled after the China Threat Assessment

Dave Majumdar over at the Dew Line has published the recently released China Threat Assessment.  The J-20 will be operational in 2018.

Stick a fork in any hopes of seeing the F-35 cancelled now.  With the PAK-FA delayed, with the US Teen Fighters and the Euro Canards being uncompetitive, this effectively puts an end to this LONG, TIRED, LIE FILLED (from those who oppose the F-35) DEBATE.

Cancelled?  I can see it being rushed into service now. Oh and you can pretty much rule out the Democrat Party falling back to the "cut defense" to save social programs meme now.  Not even they would risk it after this report.  Looks like we're seeing the makings of a modified cold war.

Read Dave's article here.

Read a take on the misguided attempt by traitorous Congress Critters here.

Mandible Protection?

Wow.

Mandible protection has been around for awhile but now its being talked about going Marine Corps wide.  Uh...I thought we wanted to get lighter?  Time for the School Of Infantry to start weighing in on some of this stuff.  They're suppose to be the subject matter experts but they've been getting knocked around by the different program offices and billets inside the Corps.  The results?  More equipment that gets left on the dock or in the sea bag.

Kydex craziness...

This Kydex foolishness has to stop.

It just plain has to.

They probably don't deserve it but I'm pointing at those guys.  You know ... Costa-Haley Effect ... CHE!

Yep, the CHE is what started this Kydex craziness but no one is putting the breaks on it.  I mean seriously look at that belt.  Just taking a look at this guys pistol mags and all the real estate that's being taken up because of kydex instead of normal pouches, all I can do is shake my head at the madness.

I could easily double up if not quadruple the number of pistol mags that he's carrying with a simple equipment change.

Same goes with the M-16 mags.  In the space of one of those kydex holders, I could fit an old style pouch and triple up on the number of mags...so instead of two M-16 mags I could carry 6.

But what really has me worried is that this is making its way into the Marine Corps via shops that should know better.  Places like the Marine Corps Marksmanship Program.

Yeah, send our guys to 3 gun matches but stick with combat marksmanship.  Turning our weapons into race guns isn't doing the fleet any good and that 19 year old that's been doing 3 gun instead of football will still eat up the Sgt that we send that's had 3 combat deployments and 20 confirmed kills.

The sports just don't translate.  And neither does the gear or the gear setups.  More Jungle and Arctic training will totally change our gear setups.

I can't wait to see it.  In the mean time, this Kydex craziness makes about as much sense as a kydex holster for a can of dip....oh wait.  They did that too.

Max Effort. Rescue SGT Bergdahl.

Major Hat Tip to the BlackFive Crew.

Rant time.

I'm ashamed of myself.  Somehow, someway, a guy that likes to think that he's keeping up with most of the goings on in the US military world let this slip by.

We have a serviceman in the hands of the enemy.

That is totally unsat.

The raid to kill Bin Laden was outstanding.  Freaking outstanding.

Want to know what would make it pale in comparison?

About a Battalion of Rangers, a Battalion of MARSOC, AFSOC providing transportation, a couple of platoons of knuckle draggers from Operational Detachment Delta, with SEAL Team 6 all making a MAX EFFORT RUN AT GETTING OUR BOY HOME.

I can almost see the issue at hand.

He's probably held in Pakistan.  Near a large city.  They probably move him constantly.  They might even be assisted by the Pakistani Government.

I don't care.

Whatever it takes, no matter the monetary cost we need to get this done.

Panetta all in on Marine Air and the F-35.

Via Flight Global. 

US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta strongly endorsed US Marine Corps aviation and voiced his continued support for the stealthy Lockheed Martin F-35B jump-jet and Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft on 17 May.

"Marine air is what we need for the future," Panetta told a crowd of marines during a commemoration ceremony marking a century of USMC aviation. He praised the USMC's air arm for its flexibility and adaptability.

"There is no force in the world that can match the Marine Corps' ability to conduct agile and flexible expeditionary operations," he says.

Moreover, the USMC can conduct those operations on short notice and with overwhelming force.

It is because of those reasons that the USMC needs the short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B version of the tri-service Joint Strike Fighter, Panetta says. He notes that earlier in the year he cleared the variant from "probation" because the once-troubled F-35B is "meeting requirements."

"The Marines need a fifth-generation fighter for the future, and they will have it," Panetta declares.

The secretary also praised the MV-22 tilt-rotor. The tilt-rotor affords the USMC agility and flexibility, he says.

This new guy over at that house (Flight Global) is a breath of fresh air.  Balanced reporting on the F-35 instead of slanted news from the likes of Aviation Week, Ft Worth Star (Bob Cox), and the APA brotherhood.  When he tells me there is bad news with the airplane my reaction will be ok, how do we fix it instead of, what kind of nonsense are they trying to push on me now?

Dave Majumdar:   

I just sang your praises but you have to do me a favor.  CAPITALIZE the word Marine!  A perfect article except for that little fact..I'm the last person to play grammar NAZI but that's a tidbit I can't let slide!.

Another Congress Critter visiting the Lions Den.

House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) displays a congressional coin to troops on Camp Leatherneck during a Mother's Day visit to Afghanistan in which Pelosi and five other congresswomen met with the troops.
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11
Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Carmichael

Let's look at the faces from left to right.

The Marine standing behind the Congress Critter and slightly to her right has a "WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING HERE?  I GOT WORK TO DO."

Then slightly to the left and much further back you have the Marine with a look that says....."DAMN IT...I COULD BE DOING ANYTHING BUT THIS....WHY DID THEY MAKE ME COME TO THIS BULLSHIT!"

And then we have the Corpman...she has the look of "YOU GOT TO BE SHITTING ME!  THIS BITCH IS CRAZY!"

I love it.

Another victim enters the Lion Den.  

Consider this a photo op gone bad!

SideNote:
I collect coins but the only thing that one's good for is target practice.  Tape it to the front of about 25lbs of Tannerite and it might have some value!

Air Waves.