Russian Ministry of Defense Aviation Calendar

via English Russia.  I love that Yak-130!

Marines Help Save 14 New Yorkers

Something tells me that the peace will be much busier and possibly just as intense as war for the USMC in the years ahead.  Back to our roots indeed...more like the period between World War 1 and 2.

Friday Night Fights

Check this out from the Times-Picayune...

Just when you thought the Friday Night Fights boxing matches couldn’t get any more macho, founder Mike Tata has arranged to send in the Marines. The Friday, Nov. 9, event, known as the “Devil Dog Dance,” is a tribute to the 237th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps and is free to all past and present Marines. Just show your discharge papers, dog tags or USMC tattoo and the folks at the door will waive the $20 admission. There’s even a place for future Marines. Tata, who served in the corps from 1980 to '86, has arranged for a Marine recruiting booth to be set up onsite. He said he plans to make it a permanent feature.
“You get drunk at Friday Night Fights,” he said laughing, “the next thing you know you’re in the Marine Corps.”

Read the whole thing...but its an interesting tool.

Jungle Warfare Training Center CASEVAC.

I knew Navy Corpsman were assigned to the JWTC, but I didn't know that an Air Force Rescue Squadron was also detailed.

Awesome.

Now that is real jointness.  Bring something to the fight that isn't organic to a service.  On a sidenote it would be nice if the Army got a couple of Jungle Schools up and running.

Super Storm Sandy Update. Marathon Controversy.

Marines and sailors of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed aboard USS Wasp, Nov. 1, 2012, currently afloat off the coast of New York City, to assist in disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The 26th MEU is able to provide generators, fuel, clean water, and helicopter lift capabilities to aid in disaster relief efforts. The 26th MEU is currently in pre-deployment training, preparing for their departure in 2013. As an expeditionary crisis response force operating from the sea the MEU is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response, and limited contingency operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michael S. Lockett/Released)

via CNBC.

But Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said the race will proceed as planned Sunday. Runners have been jogging around the edges of Central Park, which has been off limits since the storm."The marathon will go ahead," New York City Marathon race director Mary Wittenberg told CNBC Thursday. Wittenberg vowed the race would not tax city resources.

Just plain wow.

The US military...all branches...USMC, Navy, AF, Army/National Guard and Coast Guard are all busting ass to get to this region to provide assistance.

Many Americans are looking toward that region wondering what they can do...many are digging into lint filled pockets to toss what ever they can toward donations to those in need.

And what does the "cultural elite" in that city do?  They hold Halloween parties and spit in the face of a concerned nation and throw a marathon.  Resources that should be devoted to the relief effort are instead turned toward a race.

Bloomberg is an idiot and this illustrates the danger of entrenched bureaucracy AND the thinking of an imperial mayor.

This decision will bite Bloomberg in the ass and he'll deserve every tooth mark.

Super Storm Sandy News.

A couple of new developments in the Super Storm Sandy affair.

1.  Military Trucks will be used as mobile polling places.
2.  The New York Marathon will still take place.
3.  Staten Island residents are still in a hurt locker.
4.  Military Aircraft are being used to fly in utility worker's vehicles.

Time will tell, but I'm still seeing misplaced priorities.  People are dumpster diving, going through the wreckage of their houses and the government is diverting resources to setup mobile polling places AND putting on a marathon?

I've always wondered how a super city would respond to a massive crisis and so far I'm unimpressed.

The places to watch are the ones that are getting little air time.  New Jersey is probably a tinderbox.  Staten Island likewise.  But the part of New York that remains in the dark should be watched too.

I don't know when the Marathon is set to run but that will probably be the final straw.

Super Storm Sandy--Marine Corps Update.

Make note all...the 26th MEU is being tasked with relief operations in the New York metropolis.

Good thing too.  Its getting little network attention but looting is supposedly widespread and the National Guard Units are being stretched thin.

The bad news?  Once the criminals realize that they have 12 hours or more of darkness (lights are suppose to be out for another week) to operate in, then we will probably see barbaric behavior.

I am amazed that they still haven't learned the lessons of Katrina.  Security first, Medical attention second and then food/water.  It really looks like they're ignoring security and rushing straight to providing MRE's.

My prediction?  By Saturday we're going to start hearing some horrific stories coming out of New York and New Jersey.  The relief effort started off good but this will turn nasty.

UPDATE 1:  My bet is that by Monday of next week we're looking at a full MEB being sent to that region.  Things are already dicey and it won't get better soon.

UPDATE 2:  Ok.  Let me modify my first prediction.  A cold front will move through the New York area in the middle or late next week.  Cold, hungry and mad?  That's when people are going to flip out.  Either way, its gonna get nasty UNLESS they can get the power back on.  The authorities know it too.  50,000 utility workers are suppose to be on the way...That's a Reinforced Marine Expeditionary Force...You're talking about two divisions plus of utility workers.  They're racing to prevent Armageddon.

3 amphibs to Jersey..a case of image over substance?

via Business Week.

The U.S. Navy is sending three large-deck amphibious ships to waters off of New York and New Jersey to assist in storm recovery and relief, according to the Navy’s chief of information.
“The Navy is moving ships to be closer to the areas affected by the hurricane,” Rear Admiral John Kirby, the service’s chief spokesman, said in a blog posting today.
The Pentagon said in a separate update on military assistance that 10,000 Army and Air Force National Guard personnel have been mobilized to provide support in the 13 states that were hit hardest by superstorm Sandy.
While the three ships haven’t been officially assigned to post-storm duties, Kirby said the moves “will allow our forces to be best-postured to minimize the amount of time it will take these forces to get on station if tasked.”
The USS Wasp, USS San Antonio and USS Carter Hall are being sent from Norfolk, Virginia. The San Antonio is the lead ship in the new $18.8 billion, 12-ship LPD-17 class. The three vessels are capable of carrying Navy helicopters or refueling Army choppers.
The Wasp was already out to sea riding out the storm when it headed north “to be better positioned,” Kirby said, and the other ships today were ordered to follow.

Ok.

This is gonna be controversial.  But here goes.  Is the Navy again doing an image over substance exercise?

I mean seriously!  I saw the same thing happen with Haiti.  The Coast Guard chest thumped for two weeks about being the first on the scene but in reality there was little that a couple of Coast Guard Cutter could do to aid the suffering.

Same with the Navy.  They rushed a carrier down to that island but again.  There was little that could be done.  It acted as a large helo pad and that was it.

Now we're seeing the same thing.  Amphibs are being rushed to the area but what exactly are they suppose to do without their compliment of Marines?

What could the military contribute that would be most appreciated?  The National Guard is providing troops so that box is checked.  Maybe (like John stated) we could send the AAV detachment at Quantico up the coast to assist in the search and rescue.  Amphibious vehicles along with a Rifle Company or two would probably be welcomed.

If the Amphibs are manned then the surgical department could help back up local hospitals.  An Engineer company from the Corps would be of use...or even better some Navy SeaBees, but amphibs?

Image over substance.  But looks are what counts here.  Not actual utility.

One more for Alabama's candy ass!

So I decided to start game prep a couple days early...get over it.

LVTUX2, Largest amphib ever.

The largest amphib ever.  Info on the LVTUX2 is rather spotty.  Time to hook up with the Marine Corps History Foundation to see what they have on it.

This game is gonna be good!

Yeah Baby!  Its almost that time.  I start game prep Friday afternoon by loading up on Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Louisiana Bourbon and assorted sea food and hot wings.

Hopefully by Saturday night I'll be in an altered state ready for some football!

F-35A Spin Recovery Chute Test

Touch stone reaffirmed...

Amphibious by nature, expeditionary through training...

 Via Marine Corps Times...

Marines are definitely getting back to their expeditionary roots.
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit just returned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., following a seven month deployment. But as Marine Corps Times’ Gidget Fuentes reported, when the 24th MEU was still in the Persian Gulf, there were more Marines on Navy ships than in the combat zone in Afghanistan in late-October.

Things are starting to sort themselves out.  Just a note to the head shed.  The Marines never left the sea, they were assigned a mission by the Commander in Chief that required max effort to win a war in the desert.

I've been going over Marine Corps history and I can't find one mention of the Marine Corps needing to get back to its amphibious roots after prolonged combat in Vietnam.  The "back to the sea" nonsense was a product of poor messaging.  Nothing more or less.

The hurricane saved the administration from the Libya scandal...

Major Hat Tip to Black5.

Yeager! You're cool but you jumped the shark on this one!

Wow.

Dude is cool but he opened up his "I love me" book on this vid.

I can't lie, I laughed a bit cause it was so over the top....I changed my mind.  That was semi-awesome.

UPDATE:  Some clown sent an e-mail saying I have a man crush 'cause he has so many guns?!  Are you kidding me!  I live down South.  We call his setup a starter kit!

US Army Armored Personnel Carriers since WW2.

I've been harking on the fact that since WW2, the USMC has been behind the 8 ball when it comes to armored personnel carriers.  A visual history will show you exactly what I mean.

Above you see pics of the M75 APC.  It served with some distinction during the Korean War, however it was expensive to produce and maintain.

Next up was the M44.  A co-produced vehicle, it bridged the gap between the M75 and the M59.  Large does not describe it, it rivaled MBT's in size...consider it the original Israeli Namer.

The M59 was the official follow on to the M75.  It sought to correct many of the deficiencies found but still was not a satisfactory design.  It served in the early stages of the Vietnam war.

The M113.  Many believe that this vehicle will serve for 100 years.  It would probably still be in front line service except for the scare that the Soviet Union put on the Army by introducing the BMP.  The BMP was supposedly the first IFV, but that concept is in my opinion flawed.  The Soviets wanted a vehicle that could transport infantry in a nuclear battlefield and allow them to fight from inside the vehicle, not having to dismount.  In actual practice supposed IFV always operate in the APC role.  Dismounting infantry short of the objective and providing fire support while the grunts take the hill.

The Bradley.  The USA's first IFV.  Many point to the battle of 73 Eastings as proof of concept.  I see it differently.  In my reading of that battle Bradley's operated as Tank Killers using their TOW missiles to engage heavy armor from stand off distance and then using superior optics and fire control to take out supporting vehicles.  The Bradley will continue but it will be modified and upgraded.

Stryker.  The US Army didn't procure the Stryker because it was believed that the Bradley was inadequate, but because they wanted a strategically mobile APC.  The concept is flawed and the double hulled stryker weighs as much as the Bradley.

Next up for the Army is the Ground Combat Vehicle and the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (a Bradley and M113 replacement respectively).  The Marine Corps has struggled along with the LVTP.  That WW2 vehicle served till the late 50's.  Next up was the LVTP-5.  It served throughout Vietnam to the early 70's.  And finally the AAV (originally the LVTP-7 until "renamed" by the powers that be).

This history shows why I believe that at the very least a DRASTICALLY upgraded AAV or ACV is needed ALONG WITH the MPC.

Bad behavior.

Wow.  I don't remember Australian women being this ... surly.  What is a grot?  The guy keeps calling her a "grot."

F-35 Test Flight Update...

17 July 2012:  The first F-35C test mission with updated Block 2A software was piloted by Navy Lt. Chris Tabert in F-35C CF-3 for 1.1 hours from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. Block 2A software provides additional capabilities for the F-35, such as the Multifunction Advanced Datalink, the current Link-16, maintenance datalink, and a mission debriefing system. The mission marked CF-3 Flight 68.

27 July 2012: Lockheed Martin test pilot David Nelson completed airstart testing in F-35A AF-4 during Flight 131 over the Edwards AFB, California, test range. The 2.3-hour mission included the final four required airstarts, a critical step prior to the start of high angle of attack tests.

7 August 2012: Marine Corps Lt. Col. Matt Kelly piloted the three first F-35B engine spooldowns over the Edwards AFB, California, test range to signal the beginning of F-35B airstart testing. The 1.3-hour mission marked F-35B BF-2 Flight 212.

8 August 2012: Traveling at 400 knots at 4,200 feet altitude in F-35B BF3, Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Levin dropped an inert 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAM over the Atlantic test range. The 0.8-hour mission was the F-35 program’s first weapon separation. The milestone flight was BF-3 Flight 224.

10 August 2012: Navy Lt. Chris Tabert accomplished the first fly-in arrestment into the MK-7 arresting gear cable by an F-35C at JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

13 August 2012: The F-35 program set a new record of nineteen flights in one day in production flights and test flights at five bases across the United States. F-35s were flown from Edwards AFB, California; NAS Patuxent River, Maryland; JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas; and Eglin AFB, Florida.

Another Joe Copalman Pic.

An F/A-18D Hornet of VMFA(AW)-533 "Hawks" returns to NAF ElCentro with live ordnance after an aborted trip to the ranges nearby.

9th ID vid covering the Mobile Riverine Force.