HMS Duncan (Type 45 Destroyer) begins sea trials.

Brand new Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan is escorted to begin her first sea trials off Scotland.

Duncan, the Royal Navy’s sixth and final powerful new Type 45 Destroyer, has put to sea for the first time (August 31) for trials where a blend of Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems personnel will put her through her paces.

Following her departure from BAE System’s Scotstoun shipyard in Glasgow, Duncan quickly set about testing her speed and manoeuvrability, which will see the 7500-tonne destroyer taken to over 30 knots and turning very tight figure-of-eights.

Duncan will also spend four weeks at sea trialling her power and propulsion systems as well as her highly capable weapons systems. A second period of sea trials, set to take place later in the year, will test Duncan’s combat systems and sensors in order to ensure she joins the other Type 45s already commissioned and based in Portsmouth, in pristine condition next year.

Captain Henry Duffy, Captain Surface Ships, said:, This is a significant milestone in Duncan's programme. We wish her every success as we look forward to welcoming her to join the rest of her sister ships into the Portsmouth Flotilla next year.”

 There is something about this ship.  It just looks right.  And of course if it looks right more than likely it is right.

The Brits have lost their minds.

PHOTO: Mike Scott

The King’s Royal Hussars, 1st Troop, D Squadron, supports Prince Harry, among other things

via The Daily.

Strip, strip, hooray for Prince Harry!

These soldiers from the King’s Royal Hussars, a British army cavalry unit, joined thousands of other proud Brits in showing solidarity with their favorite royal rascal after his naked Las Vegas antics landed in tabloids.

These privates were covering their privates and little else under the hot Afghanistan sun to pledge their allegiance to their prince. More than 16,000 others have joined a Facebook group called “Support Prince Harry with a naked salute!” to do the same.

The group has been flooded with steamy pics of soldiers and civilians alike showing a little more skin than a dress uniform typically allows.

Wow.

No freakin' comment on this one.  Just plain wow.

No Easy Day. Should I buy it?

The book is out and the question is should I buy it?

Before I get to that understand this.  Because of the initial reaction from the Pentagon, you can bet your favorite body part that 1000 copies are being purchased by Chinese Intelligence/Military, another 1000 by Russian Intelligence/Military, at least 100 by the head shed over at AQ, and possible several dozen by allied nations that will have analyst trying to determine tactics, techiniques and procedures used by Navy SEALs.

And that's the very reason why I'll buy it.  I'm curious.  I want to know.  And half the challenge will be in determining exactly what is classified info. 

What doesn't fly is responses like this (Major Hat Tip to CDR Salamander for pointing this out)....

This book represents a complete failure and abdication of well known and established code of ethics to which every Navy SEAL pledges. To wit:

My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes who have gone before...By wearing the Trident, I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day...I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans...I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions...Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed.

The Trident is the insignia that designates a SEAL. In every possible way this person has prostituted this Ethos and has brought shame and mockery upon our entire community. He is receiving a very large advance for this book and although he claims that he is donating sale proceeds to the Navy SEAL Foundation, it is my understanding that they are refusing to accept this money as it is tainted by the gross violations of ethics that it represents.

UPDATE: I have spoken with representatives of the Navy SEAL Foundation and they have CONFIRMED that they are refusing to accept any donations resulting from the sale of this book. I have encouraged them to make a press release to ensure that the public is aware of this and they have placed that on the agenda of their executive committee.

Nobody in the Teams likes Obama and we all want him to lose the election, but not this way. This book is not going to be the difference in the election in any case and those of you using that excuse for purchasing and reading this book are fully aware of that.

If you want to know what happens during classified SEAL operations, then nut up and join the fight yourself. You should be satisfied that you are being protected and served by exceptional men who are entitled to your respect if not your gratitude. You are not owed the inside scoop on how we do our business. Rest assured our activities receive oversight from your elected representatives, our chain of command, and most importantly the integrity of the vast majority of the operators. We are not gladiators in the arena to entertain you, and by supporting works like this you are helping to validate a very ugly aberration of our most closely held beliefs.

As we like to say in the Teams, "Let your conscience be your guide." Just understand that by purchasing this book you are rewarding a man who has sold out his brotherhood for money. Your money.

Wow.

Excuse the fuck outta me.  I get the outrage.  I get the anger.  I get the sense of betrayal that SOME in the community feel (I say some because SOFREP has an article out where they contend that this is no big deal).  But the turn against the public for reading a book that might reveal TTP's when its been published, when the Pentagon could take action and hasn't and when you're talking about a SEAL community that's bold enough to go behind enemy lines and kill Bin Laden but lacks the nut juice to take down an author in their own fraternity is a couple of steps too far.

So yeah.  Fuck you.  I'm buying the book.

NOTE:
When I say take down the author I mean that they got word (from reading between the line and hearing several SEALs say that they got word of the book long ago) of the book and weren't able to get their team mate, ship mate, fellow Special Operator to not go ahead with it.  If SEALs are as tight knit a community as we're lead to believe then this should have been an easy fix.

Canada's close Combat Vehicle part 2. Nexter and BAE all in, General Dynamics as usual mailing it in.

Nexter VBCI.

Nexter VBCI.

Nexter VBCI.

BAE's CV90.

 

BAE's CV90.

BAE's CV90.

Thanks for the article Jonathan!

Wow.

The Canadian's are gonna try to pick a Close Combat Vehicle again.  Check this out ....

The bids are in for the Close Combat Vehicle (CCV). At least one company, Nexter Systems, has confirmed it has submitted a bid in response to the government’s Request for Proposals.
Nexter will offer the VBCI 25 – a platform currently in service with the French Army in both Afghanistan and Lebanon, according to the company.
“The VBCI is a state of the art platform with an excellent combination of protection, mobility and firepower” Patrick Lier, Nexter’s Vice President, Sales & Business Development, North America, noted in a statement released Tuesday. “Perhaps its most significant feature is its thick aluminum alloy hull which provides unparalleled protection against mines and IEDs.”
The company points out that the vehicle is capable of speeds over 100 km per hour. The VBCI has a one man turret with a 25 mm NATO standard gun, a 7.62 co-axial machine gun and grenade launchers. With a range of 750 km, it can sustain an infantry section on operations for three days, the firm adds. Nexter has already delivered over 400 of a total of 630 vehicles ordered by the French Army.
DND wants to buy 108 of the Close Combat Vehicles. There would be an option for the purchase of up to 30 additional vehicles. The army has argued that the Close Combat Vehicles, which would accompany its Leopard tanks into battle, are a priority for future missions.
BAE officials told Defence Watch during CANSEC 2012 they would bid. General Dynamics Land Systems Canada took an approach that it was reviewing the RFP material provided by government. No word yet from GD about whether their bid went in but industry sources believe that the firm did/will proceed with a bid.
As you know, the CCV program has run into a number of problems. It went off the rails earlier this year and companies vying for the $2 billion program were told that their bids had been rejected and they would have to submit new proposals. It was the second time that candidate vehicles, some of which are in service with allied nations in Afghanistan, had been rejected by the Defence Department.
The Close Combat Vehicle program, announced with great fanfare by the government in the summer of 2009, has already fallen two years behind schedule, according to industry officials.

Wheels.

The French are all in when it comes to wheeled forces...perhaps it has to do with a LACK of experience in Afghanistan where in my opinion wheeled vehicles showed vulnerability to IEDs and lacked off road capability.

I'm sure that's what BAE is trying to figure out.  Will it offer a vehicle that actually meets requirements and will be able to keep up with Leopard MBT's cross country or will it put forward a trendy option...a wheeled option.

General Dynamics has a totally different issue.  It has a WEAK design studio.  It really seems as if they're not even trying anymore.  If I was a betting man it will be a version of the Stryker/LAV III.  They could go rogue and try to push an ASCOD but in reality that is a tired vehicle and the British move to go with them had to be purely based on a cost, not the best vehicle offered.

I'll keep an eye on this and I'll be monitoring Defense Watch.  They're good on Canadian armored programs.

Pilots Eject, A-6 Intruder Keeps Flying

F-35B completes first airborne engine start tests

Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Canin flies BF-2 during air start testing Aug. 8. Air starts test the ability of the F-35’s propulsion system to restart during flight. Verifying the restart capability of the propulsion system is part of the initial flight test program for the F-35 and a prerequisite for high angle-of-attack testing. The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter designed for use by U.S. Marine Corps, as well as F-35 international partners in the United Kingdom and Italy. The F-35B is capable of short take-offs and vertical landings to provide air power from amphibious ships, ski jump aircraft carriers and expeditionary airfields. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

CSI's Mountain Lion III

CSI was (I thought) a prime take over candidate by one of the big industry players.  As it is they seem to have found a nice niche and are continuing to exploit it. 

BAMS - U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton Capabilities

I HATE how they continue to emphasize Homeland Security Operations.  That is beyond disturbing but I seem to be alone in being concerned by this.

Navistar withdraws protest. Hmmm.

Check out this story from AOL.

Truck maker Navistar is withdrawing the protest it filed Friday with the Government Accountability Office over the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program, company spokeswoman Elissa Koc told AOL Defense this morning.

Had Navistar persisted, its protest probably would have delayed JLTV development for months while the GAO investigated whether the military ran the competition fairly.

I'm not saying that the US Army influenced things here...but it makes no sense for them to pull this protest unless they got threats...

The Army wants this program bad.  Why I don't know.  They have yet to justify where the JLTV fits into its vehicle programs setup.  The Marine Corps damn sure doesn't have a clue.

Of all the questionable programs floating around this has to be at the top of the list.

Congratulations to the US Army.  You're about to get a vehicle that you definitely don't need, for a requirement that you haven't spelled out or justified, to achieve a mission that is already performed by vehicles already in inventory.

They should be proud.

Pics from the Fleet Marine Force.

Two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) infiltrate Marines with 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance (3rd LAR) Battalion to execute Operation Halberd V in Helmand province, Afghanistan, June 20, 2012. HMLA-469 provided aerial reconnaissance and security for the Marines of 3rd LAR during operation Halberd V to prevent the distribution of contraband in support of counter insurgency operations.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Meghan Gonzales)

Marines with 3rd Squad, 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, conduct a security patrol out of Forward Operating Base Shamsher, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 23, 2012. Marines conducted a partnered patrol to disrupt the flow of lethal and illicit aid in the area.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jason Morrison)

Marines from Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, test the Expeditionary Fire Support System M327 120mm mortar at Pohakuloa Training Area Aug. 23. The battery was selected to train on the new mortar system for the Marine Corps.
(Photo by Navy Lt. Joshua R. Lebenson)

Southern Hemisphere Firepower. Venzuela's Off Shore Patrol Vessel.

via Defesa Blog.

Venezuelan Navy´s (Armada Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela -ANBV) PC-22 ANB “Warao” offshore patrol vessel has had an accident in Fortaleza, Brazil. Important damages were made to the ship´s hull.

The Venezuelan Navy is now evaluating the serious damages.

Four Avante 2200´s POV (Patrullero Oceánico de Vigilancia) ships were built by the Spanish shipbuilder Navantia according a contract firmed in Caracas, Venezuela on 28 November 2005. They were commissioned in March 2011, August 2011, December 2011 and April 2012 respectively.

Four Avante 1400´s BVL (Buque de Vigilancia Litoral) patrol vessels were also acquired under the same contract. The last BVL is being built by the Venezuelan shipbuilder Diques y Astilleros Nacionales CA (DIANCA) in Puerto Cabello.

A couple of things.

Venezuela and Brazil appear to be forging closer ties.  Good for them.  The second?  Not bad for what is essentially a Coast Guard Vessel.  A 76mm gun up front (a rapid fire multi-munition gun at that...adequate for anti-air, anti-surface and land attack applications) along with a 35mm revolver gun at the rear.  Wrap all that up in a semi-stealthy platform built by Navantia and you have an impressive little ship.

Its hard to get a handle on whats going on down south but something is.

My frankenstien AAV upgrade...

Upgrade rehash...my updated wish list for AAV upgrades.

You listening BAE????

The MTU powerpack for the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle excels with its outstanding power-to-weight ratio and extremely compact design. Together with the 10V 890 engine, the powerpack includes a Renk 6-speed transmission unit, the starter-generator and the air cooling and filtering plant.

1.  MTU Powerpack....I want something compact and powerful.  If you can give me a diesel engine that puts out 1500 horsepower then we're cooking.  I'll accept a little less if I have to but I want max power in a compact  package.  MTU has the track record of providing this kind of powerplant.  Just to show that I have some international flavor I'll even compromise and take the powerplant from the PUMA IFV..yeah its only a little over 1000 horsepower but I'll take it.  No!  I want it in my redone AAV.

Elbit 30mm RWS (foldable trialed on the AAV)

2.  Firepower.  This one is tricky.  It depends....  Do we want our Track Commanders fighting heads down?  Are we going to designate a crewman as gunner so we can have a RWS...if we stick with the MK44 turret will it take up too much room on the AAV?  Will a RWS be too tall?  Are foldable options good enough?  It really doesn't matter what they decide as long as its 30mm or bigger.  I despise the RAFAEL mount but it does have the option to mount anti-tank missiles along with the gun.  Leaning toward the ELBIT option as its already been trialed on the AAV.

CV-90 Armadillo sporting rubber tracks.

 3.  Tracks.  I don't know how this one is gonna go over.  I believe at one time the tracks were used to help with self righting.  We can find another way to accomplish that mission but its time to switch to rubber tracks.  I admittedly don't know as much about them as I should and this one might be subject to getting dumped from the list...for instance can you shorten the track and run with it if you sustain damage with rubber like you can with steel?  Do they last as long?  Are they cost effective?  If they are then its time to get on the rubber bandwagon.  Besides BAE has already done this the CV90 and SEP.

4.  Trophy or some other anti-missile system.  Detractors like to talk about AAVs never being used in an amphibious assault.  Even if they're not RPG's and Anti-Tank missiles dot the landscape.  How about we build in the latest anti-missile defense onto the vehicle instead of questionable add-on armor that won't do the job against the latest threats and add unnecessary weight?  I have no idea of what works and what doesn't but its a thought.

5.  More to come.  The goal is to upgrade the AAV to such an extent that if Congress goes crazy (and they will) and money dries up, that we can have a vehicle that is good enough to serve another 20 years if need be.  Upgraded power, transmission, suspension, firepower, protection and ride should help get us more than halfway there.  I have no faith that the ACV will be developed on schedule and am beginning to wonder about the Marine Personnel Carrier Program.  The budget crunch is coming and their is no sense of urgency when it comes to programs except for the F-35 and MV-22.  This is unsat.  TIme for the groundside to get what it can while it can.

Does this point to future issues with the LCS?

Check out the Australian story....

DEFENCE will not say whether its ability to rescue asylum boats has been compromised by a high-seas incident in which seawater gushed into the corroded hull of a navy patrol boat off Christmas Island.
The incident forced HMAS Bathurst to retire from border patrol duties late last week and limp to Singapore for repairs, just days before the navy was called on to rescue a sunken asylum boat with 150 people aboard.
As many as 100 people are missing, presumed drowned, after the boat sank on Wednesday. HMAS Maitland arrived at the scene, 70km from the Indonesian coast, on Thursday afternoon to search for survivors.
Defence failed to respond to questions submitted yesterday morning from The Weekend Australian about whether the loss of the Bathurst had compromised the navy's rescue capability around Christmas Island at a time when asylum boats were arriving every few days.

The Australian Navy Chief of Staff has already denied allegations that the crew did not properly care for the refugees.  As tragic as that is...and it is tragic I'm focusing on the other part of the story.

These are relatively new boats and they're suffering catastrophic hull ruptures?  They're built with the same philosphy as our LCS and this is happening?

These ships look like something the dog dragged home after a couple of days at sea and we're given the explanation that this is how they're designed to weather and yet we have Australian ships limping into port because the hull collapses unexplainably!

Its definitely time to slow our roll with the LCS and make sure the concept is sound.

SOFREP's take on The Asymmetric Warfare Group

Head over to SOFREP to read their take on the AWG.  Interesting.  I never knew these guys existed but I'm a bit confused.  I thought the US Army already had an AWG....its called US Army Special Forces.  From taking a look at the vid (you can see it below) I've never seen so many tabs, CIB's and jump wings on anyone outside of a Special Forces Group (and I'm talking about old skool SF guys).  I wonder why the Army didn't just detail a platoon or company from SF to provide this service?  I'm looking forward to more articles to fully explain the why with this unit.

Operation Helmand Viper

B-roll video of Regimental Combat Team 6, Scout Snipers doing the Marine thing.

Compare and contrast with the pic of the happenings with the 82nd Aviation Brigade out of Bagrahm.  Interesting yes?

Your war may vary.

PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The Creative Arts Dance Team performs to "I Just Can't Give Up Now" by Mary Mary in celebration of Women's Equality Day, Aug. 24, 2012. The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade celebrated Women's Equality Day on Bagram Airfield, with servicemembers and civilians from all across the large base. Congress designated Aug. 26 as "Women's Equality Day" in 1971, to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Pahon)

I don't give a damn about the dance.


Its not about gender.

Its about the war effort.

If you have the time to hold celebrations for whoever and you're in a war zone then you don't need to be there.  Its suppose to be a max effort to locate and destroy the enemy.

This indicates to me that the initiative has been lost.  This indicates that even at the Brigade level the focus is not on winning the war.

Its time to bring our people home...especially if they have time to do this stuff.

Girls just wanna have fun

USMC's MV-22 belly all quadrant gun is a blast from the past.

The 24th MEU's Public Affairs Office (they do a great job by the way) ran an article on the underbelly gun for the MV-22.  Its designed to provide fire mainly to the front and sides during insertion and extraction.

Its been done before and its being put on the MV-22 is a blast from the past.  Whether or not its known as such is beyond me, but if it isn't tribal knowledge then the Marine Corps is losing touch with its institutional history.  The above pic is of an OV-10D.  If I'm not mistaken they slaved the gun with the pilots view through the FLIR mounted on the nose of the airplane.

A simple and elegant solution that seems to have eluded the otherwise fine folks at NAVAIR.  Its time to get our house in order.  First we need a detailed study of our history...both in battle and research...and then we need to proceed with programs that we actually need.  If we don't then all we'll be doing is repeating blasts from our past.

Its time to push BAE on new built AAV's

Its time to brutally use an ally to see what kind of deal the USMC can get when it comes to new built AAV's.  The Japanese are in the market to buy AAV's and the deal they had brewing with SAMSUNG of S. Korea (who have the license rights to build them) fell through so they're looking at a US company to get the job done.  That company would be BAE.

Additionally Brazil just put out that they're in the market for 24 or 36 of these vehicles.

Its time to get medival on BAE and get our armored vehicle issues solved once and for all.

Approach BAE with a wish list of modifications, improvements and armaments fits for the vehicle....get a bulk buy including the Japanese and Brazilians in the deal and there you have it.

SEALY, Texas has jobs....the USMC has its vehicles...Japan and Brazil too...and good enough but not great is satisified.

Additionally BAE has already done the leg work on this.  We can have this setup for next years budget instead of playing the usual procurement games.

But is leadership smart enough to get it done?  I doubt it.  They're fans of process and paperwork instead of results.

Mike Sparks analysis of COIN Aircraft.

Many consider Mike Sparks a madman.  I totally disagree.  Except for him being RABIDLY anti Marine Corps the guys was spot on.  Plus he put work in when it came to his blog.  It can only be found on way back machines but its definitely worth a look.  One of his best posts was on COIN aircraft.  Check it out here.  Photos  are from his site...