RG-35. Why did BAE lose.

BAE's entrant in the Canadian TAPV contest seemed like a surefire winner.

It came from the S. African design house and is a clean sheet design.  It's modular, a true mine protected vehicle, boasts tremendous mobility, had a 6x6 version and is capable of carrying a wide array of weapons.

How did it lose?

I have absolutely no idea!  BAE played the domestic production card right and teamed up with several Canadian companies...it built or expanded a campus in that country and I refuse to believe that they lost due to price...especially after the institutional knowledge gained from the FMTV debacle.

So how did the Textron product beat the RG-35? 

I don't know and the Canadian Department of Defense isn't telling.  At least they aren't telling me.  Information is proprietary and they can't discuss the different bids or the criteria on which they based their decision.

You might say no problem.  I say you're wrong.  A chilling effect is creeping into the defense industry and I'm afraid that we'll simply see re-worked vehicles instead of cutting edge advancements if current trends continue.  If you take a look at the major armor vehicle makers in the west, you'll see product improved vehicles, rearmored vehicles but few NEW vehicles.  BAE is one of the very few organizations that appears to be bringing new designs to the market place.

We'll see what we'll see but it appears that the global recession has hit and we're entering a time similar to the period between WW1 and 2....minor improvements on existing hardware but no major advancements for a generation.

Military Sci-Fi Concept Art.

Donald Bradford's Concept Art Work.

Makes a great desktop wallpaper.  Of course some of you work in politically correct places so the thought of having even a sci-fi weapon of war on your computer screen will probably offend your co-workers...you have my sympathy.

Venezuela buying 2 more battalions of T-72B1 Tanks

I've started subscribing to three blogs that cover S. American defense issues.

I think everyone should.  While all eyes are firmly locked on the Middle East and the Pacific something is brewing in Central and S. America that will catch us all by surprise unless we're proactive.

A trickle of weapons sales has turned into a full blown arms race and Europe, Russia, China and the US all are trying to setup proxy states to advance their interests.

The latest chess move in the region is being made by Venezuela.  Two battalions of T-72B1 tanks is nothing to sneeze at.  This via Forcas Terres Res.

During the celebration of 191 anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo Day and the army of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez said his country this year will acquire an additional lot of the main battle tank T-72B1, Russian-made.
Then, in order to continue the process of equipping the Armed Forces, Venezuela and Russia will sign a credit to values ​​close to 4 billion U.S. dollars, for which he was dispatched to Moscow Deputy Minister of International Relations Temir Rojas, accompanied by an official delegation.
The intention of the government of this country this year is to have enough material to provide two new battalions equipped with the MBT, with the technical and military cooperation of the Russian Federation.

If a surprise war is possible, then it'll happen in S. America...not the Middle East.

31st MEU about to bring the pain (simulated)

Mission Accomplished.

I saw this image over at PoderAereo website and couldn't put it together.  I knew that wasn't a ship on the side of the plane so what could it be?  Then I checked out the Aviationist website and it came together.  Brazillian fighters shattered the windows of the Supreme Court in that country during a flyby.

Too bad a couple of wild and wooly F/A-18D pilots couldn't have done the same on Thursday in Washington.  Maybe the sonic boom would have shaken some sense back into a back sliding Justice.  Just say'n.

Afghanistan. The only real solution.

Thanks for the link Tom!

Terrible news strikes again and to be honest I'm beyond tired of the bullshit that is Afghanistan.  Its time to call a spade a spade.  The people are primitive, backwards by Western standards and have a social dynamic that completely befuddles us.  We are caught in a civil war where the only thing that both sides can agree on is that we shouldn't be there.

Either we get out or we nuke the entire place and be done with it.  But Afghanistan isn't worth another drop of US or Western allied blood.

If women lose their rights and aren't allowed to go to school or vote.  To bad.  Sorry for ya.  If they have a full fledged civil war.  We did too and survived.  If they turn into a staging base for terrorist then cool, we turn the country into a parking lot.

But Afghanistan isn't worth the effort, money or most importantly the lives of our people.

Not by a long shot.

If you're wondering what has me pissed this morning then check this out from the Long Wars Journal.

ISAF reports that three of its soldiers were killed today by "an individual wearing an Afghan National Civil Order Police uniform" in the south:

An individual wearing an Afghan National Civil Order Police uniform turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force servicemembers in southern Afghanistan today, killing three service members.

The incident is under investigation.

It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.

The British Ministry of Defence later released a statement on their website confirming that three of their soldiers from a Police Advisory Team were killed in Helmand province:

Two soldiers serving with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and one serving with the Royal Corps of Signals were killed in an incident at Checkpoint Kamparack Pul in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.

The soldiers were part of a Police Advisory Team which had been to the checkpoint to conduct a shura. On leaving, they were engaged by small arms fire from a man wearing an Afghan Police uniform. During this exchange of fire the three soldiers were wounded and, despite receiving first aid at the scene, they died of their injuries.

Afghan security forces personnel have now killed 27 ISAF soldiers in 2012. The last "green-on-blue" attack that resulted in the death of an ISAF soldier took place on June 18, when three Afghan Local Police members killed an ISAF soldier in the south.

Read it all but the idea that the number of wounded service member by these renegade soldiers is classified is beyond a disgrace.  Its BULLSHIT.

Marines prep for fictitious battle against Aussies

The Ferengi of the defense industry.

Check this out from Shepard.

The company is offering its AS350 and AS355 Ecureuil family of aircraft for the programme and the company sees the deal as a highly important first step to breaking into the Russian military market.
The deal is, however, subject to the outcome of an evaluation of the aircraft. In recent weeks, Eurocopter has delivered five Ecureuils to an undisclosed Russian operator. These include three single-engined AS350 B3s and a pair of twin AS355NPs. The company will evaluate the aircraft before a decision to order is taken, which is expected by the end of the year.
'There are no small helicopters being produced by Russian companies with the exception of the piston-engined Mi-34, so there are a lot of missions being performed with big helicopters. They want a helicopter for training and possibly for light utility missions,' explained Olivier Michalon, Eurocopter sales and customer relations vice-president for Europe and central Asia.
'It is potentially a very important order – we believe the requirement could for as many as 200 helicopters.'

Read the whole thing but this is amazing.  They will sell to anyone at anytime for any reason.

I wonder if any thought is being given to possible contracts with the US military.  It can't be a feather in their hat to have the Russian military flying aircraft that they're trying to pitch to the US military.  Is this a short term move or part of a larger plan?

And considering the fact that I don't see Westland or Bell or Sikorsky running to Moscow to try and win this deal.  I think that says everything that needs to be said about the wisdom behind EADS' move and the business ethics displayed by that company.

EADS.  Modern day Ferengi.

The dangers of going on patrol in the Philippines.

You're patrolling the jungles in the Philippines...the brush rustles, you turn and you're face to face with a 20ft long crocodile that weighs over a ton.

What do you do?

If you're in US Army Special Forces or a US Marine you better start working up some answers because they exist.  The record has been set and recognized.

Oh and for my boys down in Australia, don't feel too good.  The former record holder was found down under at a paultry 17 ft.

Experts believe that bigger examples exist in the wild.

HAPPY PATROLLING!

Conflicted Air Space.

If you look carefully at the photo above you can see a rocket passing underneath a Puma Helicopter.

That is the ultimate in conflicted airspace.

I remember talking to a pilot years couple years ago and I asked what's he most worried about when it came to supporting us and he told me (paraphrasing)....

I'm not worried about the bad guys...we train to fight them...if we have a general location we can beat them or avoid them...what we're worried about is what you guys are doing.  Have you called in artillery...are you firing mortars?  

In retrospect, and I really didn't catch it the time, but he was basically saying that golden bb's coming from the blue force could be a bigger concern than enemy action.

All this has me wondering.  Have we lost helos in a conflicted battlespace?

Buffel. The original MRAP...more S. African armor.

The Buffel is considered by many to be the first true MRAP.  This description from FlickR seems best...

The Buffel is a mine-protected APC used by the South African Army during the South African Border War. It was certainly not the most comfortable vehicle, but it offered the necessary protection against mine attack. The Buffel was also used as an armoured fighting vehicle and proved itself in this role. It has been replaced by the Mamba in South Africa, but remains in use elsewhere, notably Sri Lanka.

Many view these vehicles as ugly but I disagree.  The minimalist design approach appeals.

The Saga of Biorn. Sunday Funny.

6x6 Patria AMV....plus bonus pics of the Guarani undergoing blast testing.

This isn't exactly earth shattering but I was unaware of a 6x6 version of the Patria AMV.  Quite honestly I'm surprised it hasn't been successful.  It can use larger tires giving it a higher ride height, helping to defeat IED's (well at least ground buried ones) and it has one less set of drive gear to do maintenance on.  If wheeled vehicles continue on in service and this isn't just a "fad" then I would bet that wheeled armored vehicles will evolve toward fewer sets of wheels.  Brazil might be on to something.

Speaking of which.  Bonus coverage.  The Guarani undergoing blast testing...Compare that vehicle to the 6x6 Patria AMV.

UPDATE:
I've almost reached the conclusion that the Marine Corps should buy both designs and mix/match the best qualities of each and then have companies bid to produce the hybrid design.  An example would be that we end up with the hull design of the Patria, the automotive components of the SuperAv and the electronics from the Tennix.  Pie in the sky but the Govt once bought designs and had companies produce them.  The old jeep is an example and the F6F is another.  I wonder how much money that approach could save!

Pussification of the military UPDATE.

Geez.

Everytime I feel the need to jump up and defend the US Navy SEALs, it turns out that they've simply SHOT THEMSELVES in the foot because they TALK TOO FUCKING MUCH!

Quite honestly I have never seen a more publicity driven special operations outfit in my life.  Only the SAS rivals them, but they can be excused because they're British and they can't help it once they start tossing back a few pints.

But I'm really having trouble sorting this stuff out with the SEALs.  

US Army Special Forces is as tight as a virgin on her wedding day at 40 years old.  SEALs?  Like a hooker in New Orleans!

US Army Rangers.  You don't hear a thing.  US Air Force Special Ops.  Nadda.  US Marine Corps Special Ops?  Zilch.

But the SEALs seem to keep reaching for publicity and it keeps biting them.  Check out this story from the Virginia Pilot....

The range - often referred to as a "kill house" - is divided into four zones by steel doors, meaning four groups can train simultaneously. Scenarios include a mosque, bank, post office, market and residential compound. In one section, nine chairs painted in primary hues sit behind desks in an elementary school classroom. Other rooms are more sinister, like a torture chamber accessed through a bus station wall.
Many of the details were taken from actual raids over the past decade, said Capt. Tim Szymanski, the commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group Two.
"I don't think there's anything comparable in the continental United States," Szymanski said during a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Instructors will observe from above, using catwalks that criss-cross the building.
Larry Pacifico, who manages the complex, said instructors will control each scenario using an iPad to adjust the lighting and movement of the targets. Cameras will record the action, so SEALs will find out where the bullets they fired came to rest, he said, down to specific bones and organs.

So I was right in my first post (in the comments section) when I stated that this wasn't a range but specifically a kill house.  Interesting.  Most kill houses (and to be honest I only know of two) are restricted, no cameras and no civilians.  But the SEALs had a ribbon cutting and a tour of the facility.  Amazing.  Which leads to how the Council on Islamic American Relations found out about the head scarf wearing female target.

C'mon guys!  You're better than this!  But you can read the whole thing for yourself.  First article here.  Second (where CAIR goes ballistic) here.

Vickers Mk 7/2. What might have been.

Advanced armor like the Challenger...same gun and ten tons lighter.  What direction might tank development have taken if this project had gone forward?

Olifant Mk 2 Main Battle Tank.

I've watched the US' move into Africa with much interest.  Special Ops are leading the way covertly and you see a big contingent of Marines and I would assume soon Soldiers.

It started in the North of the continent and has moved into Central Africa...but one question vexs me.  Why haven't I seen military to military teaming with the nation of S. Africa?  This would seem to be a no brainer to me, they have the most technologically advanced military on the continent (with Egypt being a close second), they're the most stable of all the African countries (including Egypt) and they're experienced when it comes to operations in the bush.

Putting the questions aside, when looking at S. African armor I am impressed.  Take for example the Olifant Mk 2 Main Battle Tank.

The S. African's have taken a 1950's warhorse and made it capable of dealing with almost any threat in the region by itself and it becomes even more formidable when operating as part of a combined arms team.  Military-Today.com has the best info and you can read more about it here.

The Pussification of the military continues.

via BlackFive.

The Navy will not use a target depicting a Muslim woman holding a gun at a new training range for SEALs in Virginia Beach.

The announcement came hours after the Council on American-Islamic Relations asked the Pentagon to remove the target. A picture of the cardboard target, which shows a woman in a headscarf holding a pistol, was published in The Virginian-Pilot on Tuesday.

Read the whole thing and then think about what has been happening to our military and our nation.

The pussification continues.

The wimpification continues.

First we get that the guy is hard as wood pecker lips because he orders the strike on Bin Laden and then we get this.  Worse in my opinion is the fact that we see no pushback from SEAL leadership or SOCOM.  Oh and forgive my French but how the FUCK did CAIR Virginia Pilot get onto a SEAL training range to even know what the targets look like? 

Air Force Vet will bring some class to the NBA.

I'm not a basketball guy.  I watch the NBA only when the finals come around or maybe a few games on Christmas but most of the time I tune it out.

I'm a Kobe fan, a Lebron hater and generally don't give a fuck about the rest of the league.

But when I heard the story of Bernard James I sat up and took notice.  Then I read his story and realized something.  The NBA has their poster.  They finally have a guy that they can point to and say hey...we have good guys here.  Check this out...

Bernard James is from Savannah, Ga., and the real world. He is a high school dropout who joined the Air Force at 16 with his parent's consent, shipped out to basic training when he was 17, did tours in Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq with security and military police, earned his GED, went to junior college, advanced to Florida State and got an economics degree while being named honorable mention All-ACC.
Now James, 27, is officially an NBA prospect, likely headed for the second round as a 6-foot-10, 230-pound power forward with one of the amazing back stories of this or any other draft. Just your typical college player getting thanked after games by fans on the road for his service, just your typical senior eight or nine years older than some teammates.
"I lot of times, I feel like I was babysitting," James said of his two seasons at Florida State. "But I got used to it. I adjusted to it. But now that I'm out of college, it'll be nice to be around adults full-time now."

James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The NBA might be must see TV.  We'll see.  And if I ever decide to buy a jersey it looks like I now have two choices...either Tillman or James.

Read about James here.

Movement to contact.

Soldiers from B Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment,
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, cross an open courtyard in search of a high-value target during a situational training exercise on June 25 at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii. The situational training exercise focused on tactics for a raid in an urban environment and marked the battalion's first platoon-level training of 2012.

4 FireScouts deploy a board the USS Klakring

Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42 departs Mayport, Fla. June 29 with four Fire Scout aboard USS Klakring (FFG 42).With a record number of Fire Scouts aboard the ship, the Navy’s goal is to significantly increase maritime surveillance support to combatant commanders.(U.S. Navy photo)