BAE Systems-led Technology Development (TD) vehicles

Costa-Haley Effect (CHE) and the perfect carbine setup.

The Costa Haley Effect (CHE) exemplified in his AR.

It goes a little like this.

- A 14 to 16 inch gas Carbine.  The higher dollar it is the better.
- Magpul buttstock (adjustable of course)
- Tango Down grip
- Aimpoint optics on a LaRue mount
- LaRue rails

Well you get the idea.  But hold on and be strong.  Once the gear makers have sold as many units of this setup you can bet that they'll move on to something else.  And that's the danger of this.  Its not really a matter of what works, its a matter of separating the consumer from his cash.  I mean really.  I have buddies that run compensators on AR's and they go 6'3" and 225!  The last thing they need is a compensator on a rifle that's as light as a 5.56!  Its more style than substance.  Of course night shoots are fun with these guys and the first time we did it they were blind as bats but that's all right...they were stylin'!

Spare us the trendy and that goes for HQMC too.  That's the danger with Marines attending 3 gun matches...some of its practical, most of it isn't and almost 90% of it is gear based.

And that's what this post is all about.  Time to get back to basics Marines.  3 gun is a sport that was designed to give sport shooters another platform to ply their skills on.  Unless the Marine Corps is about to start building race guns then its another trend that needs to be done away with.

SIDENOTE:

It's coming and when it finally hits I'll be pounding walls.  The first time I see a Marine attempting to clear a room while using a C-clamp on his rifle I'll know that common sense when it comes to weapons handling has left the Corps.

Perfect camo...except for the black rifle.

Check out this picture of a Marine sweating his ass off at 29 Palms (been there, done that have more than a few t-shirts)....

That MARPAT Desert works.

It works great and the US Army deserves a foot in the ass for not adopting it.  But ignore that issue for a minute and what stands out.  Those gay ass shades he's wearing and that black rifle.

Isn't it time for the Marine Corps to duracoat all its weapons coyote brown and be done with it?  That's pure dee craziness.  A camo system that works and then you mess it all up with a black rifle that stands out!

That's the kind of back to basics thinking that the Marine Corps needs to adopt.  Enough of the social engineering -- we need a focus on getting each and everything right when it comes to winning on the battlefield.

Every Marine, everywhere sweating his nuts off deserves nothing less.

Fire Team Ready

Lance Cpl. Mark Fitzmyer, rifleman, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, provides cover fire for the rest of his platoon during an attack on the Combat Center's Range 410A July 6, 2012, during Large Scale Exercise-1/Javelin Thrust 2012.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. D. J. Wu)

Sikorsky S-92® Helicopter

H-60. US Military Multi-Generational Helicopter.

via Sikorsky.

The U.S. Army and Navy today signed an $8.5 billion contract with Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), to buy a baseline quantity of 653 BLACK HAWK and SEAHAWK^® helicopters through December 2017. The five-year contract will yield significant savings for the U.S. Government compared with purchasing the same quantity across five separate annual agreements.

The five-year agreement also allows the Army and Navy to order as many as 263 more aircraft within the same contractual terms. If exercised, the optional purchases could push the contract value as high as $11.7 billion. Actual production quantities will be determined year-by-year over the life of the program based on funding allocations set by Congress and Pentagon acquisition priorities.
“By buying a five-year quantity of four helicopter models in a single joint-service purchase, the two services have enabled Sikorsky and our suppliers to aggressively control our long- term costs,” said John Palumbo, Sikorsky’s Vice President for BLACK HAWK aircraft production. “Furthermore, by ordering a similar number of aircraft year-over-year, the Army and Navy have ensured that we can stabilize our supply base over the same period of time.”

Interesting.

The Army and Navy have carved out a scheme to ensure that they have a steady supply of new helicopters to replace old and lost airframes over the next five years.  Left on the outside looking in is the US Air Force and Marines.

I like the MV-22.  I think that it has some awesome capabilities.  But at the end of the day, I wonder if we wouldn't have been better served (from a cost AND capabilities point) by going in with the Navy and buying a pure combat UH-60.  Using the ESSS, we could have a helicopter that would replace both the UH-1Y and the CH-46.  Combat capable.  Attack capable.  Cargo carrying capable.  I think the aviation neck down might have cost us more than we realize.

Canadian Light Infantry at RimPac

Italy postpones Freccia while attempting sales to Columbia...

Thanks for the article Jonathan.

Hmmm.  Missed this one but it makes sense.  Iveco is making inroads into S. America in a big way...or at least trying to.  Check this out.

Italian manufacturers are in talks with Colombian officials to negotiate the delivery of new military vehicles including the 8x8 IFV VBM Freccia. The Colombia Army has a requirement for a new 8x8 Infantry Fighting Vehicle as it is trying to improve its armoured component. The Colombian Army currently operates with the Brazilian made EE-9 Cascavel and EE-11 Urutu....

However, Italian CIO (Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara) is trying to push the Freccia armoured vehicle proposing a large military package also including the Leopard 1 A5 MBT's and the M113 APC coming from the Italian Army's surplus.

The Leopard 1 A5's were placed in storage as Italian armoured brigades dismissed them in favour of new Ariete MBTs. The 31sth Armoured Regiment "Pinerolo" Brigade was the last Italian Army Regiment to be equipped with Leopard 1 A5 as it was converted for the Italian Army's "Forza NEC" Program, the Italian net-centric program.
The Leopard 1 A5 was produced by German KMW and Rheinmetall companies and bought by the Italian Army in the Eighties to use with armoured units alongside American M60s. The Leopard 1 A5's were fitted out with a larger turret than the previous models to host a new fire control systems and enable night operations. Currently in the Italian Army surplus there could be more than 100 Leopard 1 A5's.
The M113's are still in service with Italian Army armoured and mechanized units, but they are being replaced with Freccias and they could be available as second hand equipment for the export. The Freccia armoured vehicle is currently deployed with Italian contingent in Afghanistan in Shindand western province.

That article is from late April.  Hit the link to read it all.  The Italian govt is including a nice package of vehicles to sweeten the pot.  Now add to it this article I got from Jonathan today (Defense News article by subscription only).

ROME — Italy’s newly released Defense Ministry budget for 2012 reveals that a number of key procurement programs are to be slowed as spending cuts announced last year begin to bite.
After deciding last year to slash 28 percent off procurement spending, Italy has reduced its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter order, announced a fire sale of Navy ships and hatched plans to cut 30,000 troops.
But Rome had not, until now, gone public with a full breakdown on its truncated spending plan for 2012. Due for publication last November, Italy’s 2012 budget had been delayed as generals divided up scarce funds for ongoing programs.
Released to the parliament at the end of June and seen by Defense News, the spending document describes a “reduction, remodulation, slow down and reorienting” of procurement in 2012.
The completion of Italy’s purchase of 249 VBM Freccia armored vehicles, built by Iveco and Oto Melara, slips from this year to 2016, while the full buy of Italy’s second pair of U 212 submarines is pushed back from 2016 to 2017.
The upgrading of Italian mine-sweepers is moved back from 2014 to 2018, while the full delivery of Army and Navy NH90 helicopters is pushed from 2018 to 2021. New combat search-and-rescue AW101 helicopters for the Air Force will be fully delivered by 2017, not 2014.
Deliveries of the new Vulcano munition for Army and Navy guns, and small-diameter bombs and a new direct infrared countermeasure system for the Air Force are all put back by at least two years.
“There has been a tendency for a number of years to delay big decisions about a large rebalancing of the budget,” said Roberto Menotti, an analyst at think tank Aspen Institute Italia. “It is a cautious way to proceed that makes sense when the future is uncertain, but you want to be at the table in Europe on major programs.”
The upshot, he added, is that producers such as Italy’s Finmeccanica defense and aerospace group are being driven “to find innovative ways into new markets as their traditional sources of income reduce.”
Total Defense Ministry spending this year stands at 13.61 billion euros ($16.75 billion), down 5.2 percent from 2011, and equal to 0.84 percent of Italy’s gross domestic product.

Why am I am I linking the two developments? 

Because I'm not looking at them in a vaccum.  First.  The delay in production is understandable with the economic troubles hitting Italy.  Remember.  Delayed not canceled.  Second.  Considering the success in Brazil, the pending buy of Gurauni IFV's by Argentina and if they can get Columbia to bite then you'll see a string of success in S. America by the Italian govt and Iveco that is hard to beat.  Quite honestly the only other group that has had equal success would be the Germans and KMW.

Everyone is focused on the Brazillian fighter contest yet the arms race in S. America is zooming along and what many would consider bit players in the defense industry are running away with it.

The big boys better pay attention cause the little guys are kicking there ass down south.

Concept ship models by CUTANGUS

One Marine Captain (who happens to be female) with more moral courage than exists in the Commandant's Office.

Interesting.


This Marine Captain...who happens to be female...has more moral courage than exists within the Marine General's club...than exists at the pages of USNI Blog (with the exception of URR and CDR Salamander) and probably exists within Marine leadership in general.


Have you noticed how this debate is playing out?  A few brave souls have waded into it and are shot down by the feminist horde but the rest are hugging the ground like they're being barraged by 1 million Chinese MLRS rocket systems.


Its amazing.  Some of these same men would have no problem leading an assault against fortified enemy positions yet on this subject they cower in fear.


The Marine Corps needs an enema.  Starting with the man at the top.  Once that's done then we can make a move towards getting the basics right.  PFC's out of boot camp now are closer to what being a Marine is all about than those that are driving the ship!

Farnborough 2012. V-22 display.

Marine Medal of Honor infographic.

I don't know why these are suddenly so popular but Marine Blog put this out.  Amos still should quit but back on subject.  You can see the original here.

Pilots talk about the F-35

The CNO. Stuck on Rosie.

Check this out....

LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35 FLIGHT TEST PROGRESS REPORT

 

FORT WORTH, Texas, July 10, 2012 -- Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] F-35 program accrued the highest number of test points in a single month during June, an accomplishment indicative of the program’s ongoing maturation.  Additionally, for the 18^th consecutive month the F-35 test program remained ahead of plan.

 

As of June 30, the F-35 Lightning II 5^th Generation multirole fighter had conducted 595 test flights in 2012 versus a plan of 445 and accrued 4,830 test points against a plan of 3,901.

 

In June, the F-35 program accomplished several flight test and production milestones:

 

• During June, the F-35 test program accrued the most test points in a single month, 1,118, in program history.

 

• On June 5, BF-5 became the first F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jet to fly with Block 2A software.

 

• On June 13, the first F-35C carrier variant (CV) night flight was completed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. 

 

• On June 13, F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) weapons pit drop testing was conducted for the first time at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

 

• On June 14 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., BF-2 completed the first test flight for the F-35B STOVL variant with an asymmetric weapons load.

 

• On June 25, AF-1, an F-35A CTOL test jet, accomplished the first F-35 weapon pit drop from an external station, a GBU-12 from station 2.  

 

• On June 27, the program achieved the highest number of F-35 flights in a single day, 12.

 

Cumulative flight test activity totals for 2012 through June 30 are provided below:

 

• F-35A CTOL jets have flown 260 times.
• F-35B STOVL jets have completed 202 flights, 134 of which began with a short takeoff. Additionally, F-35B STOVL aircraft have conducted 55 vertical landings.
• F-35C CV jets have flown 133 times.

 

Cumulative flight test activity totals for the duration of the program through May 31 are provided below:

 

• F-35A CTOL jets have flown 907 times.
• F-35B STOVL jets have completed 791 flights, 553 of which began with a short takeoff. Additionally, F-35B STOVL aircraft have conducted 334 vertical landings.
• F-35C CV jets have flown 325 times.

 

Since December 2006, F-35s have flown 2,355 times and accrued more than 3,700 cumulative flight hours. This total includes 91 flights from the original test aircraft, AA-1; 2,023 SDD test flights; and 241 production-model flights. For video highlights of the F-35 program, click here.

 

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.

 

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 123,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.

 

But instead of seeing the F-35 for what it is, we have the CNO still heartsick over the failure that was the A-12 program.  When programs fail and it alters plans for decades its got to hurt but its sorta like being upset because...

 Rosie ODonnell dumps you, yet you keep getting phone calls and perfumed letters from...

Lori Harder but instead of being over joyed you're stuck on Rosie.  The CNO shouldn't be stuck on Rosie the A-12 ODonnell...he should step up to that beauty Lori the F-35 Harder.  He'll be much happier if he did.  That is unless he has an inferiority complex!

Mark Holt Photography..

Farnborough 2012. Great alternate pic site.

Dwi!  Thanks for the alternate pic sites of this show! 

If you're like me and you've been a bit disappointed by the coverage of the Air Show by some of the 'established' defense media then have no fear.  Dwi hit me up with a couple of sites that you should check out.  Thankfully one of the things that's big in Europe (even bigger than here in the US) is photography...in particular military photography so even if you don't hang a shingle outside your door with Aviation Week or Combat Aircraft you can still get great photos.  Check these out.

Check out the sites here and here.

Farnborough 2012. F-18 Display.

Farnborough 2012. 787 Display.

Republic of Korea "Black Eagles" display team

Gymkhana 5

A 500 horsepower Ford Focus....shredded tires that I'm surprised lasted through the run and every ounce of extra weight removed from the interior.

I want to see a 1/4 mile time.