S. Korea Helo-Top Gun Training.

Photo: J-10B weapons load out

via Alert 5.

First CH-53K Prototype Delivered.

Sikorsky has delivered the first CH-53K prototype heavy lift helicopter for ground-based flight tests. The aircraft will triple the U.S. Marine Corps' external load carrying capacity to more than 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles in hot/high conditions.

Hyundai Rotem wins big in S. Korea.

via Defense News.

 The South Korean Army will deploy 600 wheeled armored vehicles from 2016 to help build rapid-response forces modeled after U.S. Stryker combat brigades, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
The arms agency announced Hyundai Rotem, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, as the preferred bidder Nov. 26 to develop and produce those wheeled armored vehicles. The company beat a consortium of Samsung Techwin and Doosan DST.
“Hyundai Rotem will develop a couple of prototype vehicles with six and eight wheels by 2015 with investment of about 28 billion won ($26 million),” a DAPA spokesman said. “After field tests, the company will produce 600 vehicles in stages by 2020.”

Go to DN to read the whole story, but I find it interesting that only now the S. Koreans are jumping on the wheeled bandwagon when it seems that the US Army is at the very least re-evaluating its position on them.

Want proof?  The US Army still hasn't decided to make all its Strykers Double Vee Hulled.  Funding is still in doubt for the project, yet the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (its going to be tracked) is full speed ahead.

I don't know what to make of this other than S. Korea putting these types of vehicles into service in order to prime the pump to sell them over seas.

Time will tell though.

F-35A AF-25 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti was at the controls for the first flight of F-35A AF-25 (US Air Force serial number 10-5013). The flight occurred on 18 November 2012 with takeoff and landing at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas.

Peace Dividend? Not a chance.

A little news...

China, India and Vietnam are gearing up for a fight over the Spratly Islands.  India announced that they were prepared to defend their interests, Vietnam claimed that a Chinese company was sabatoging its fishing boats and would defend its rights to the chain and China was being China.  Basically the Chinese believe that all should bow to the rising power.

If that wasn't enough, then check out the following pics from the Poder.Naval Blog.

Yeah that's right boys and girls.  The Iranians are building a new class of Frigates and I believe that's a new patrol boat alongside.  Additionally they're building (or refurbing) what looks like some model of British Hovercraft and lets not forget the little funky blue sub.

We can all joke but they're building a navy that is specifically designed to fight asymmetrically

So yeah.  If you thought you might be looking at a peace dividend in the next couple of years you can think again.  The world is an even more dangerous place now.   

Another tradition dies to satisfy the PC Nazis.

Australian Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan

One of the neatest all terrain vehicles ever designed.

Yeah I'm on a WW2 kick (well a bit of one anyway) and looking at vehicles used by the Axis and Allies revealed what I believe to be is probably the neatest all terrain vehicle of the war and in the top ten of all time...the Volkswagen Type 166 'Schwimmwagen'.

Fairchild XC-120 Pack Plane

Some concepts are so awesome it makes you wonder why they didn't become standard fare in the aviation industry.  The pack plane is one of those concepts.  A detachable field hospital...command post...armory...disaster relief capsule..this could do it all.  Too bad it didn't make it.

The Small Boat Navy (1968)

SK-105 Light Tank. Dinosaur still in production...

The General Dynamics European Land Systems website lists the SK-105 as one of its products.  Whats even more interesting is that they list they list a mortar carrier and armored personnel carrier as variants of this vehicle.  I'm still looking for the APC version out of nothing but pure curiosity.  As a vehicle for airborne forces though it intrigues.  Lighter than the Stryker MGS system with a gun that works it can be loaded onto a C-130 without waiver.  More info to come.

On this and that...

I decided to do a post on a couple of things that caught my attention.  Its gonna vary widely so bear with me...

KA-Bar Becker BK2 Companion.

I bought one of these a couple of months ago and all I can say is wow.  Its more a short sword than a knife (I say that because of weight, not length) and can handle pretty much anything you can throw at it.  The carrying case is nice.  On shortcoming?  The nylon belt loop.  Not a problem for me.  I bought an attachment that allows me to remove the fabric belt attachment and replace it with a device so I can Scout carry it.  Act fast.  When I bought mine I got it for around 50 bucks.  They're over that now and rising fast.  Read a great review of this knife here.

Firearms for SHTF.

Everyone has their own way of thinking when it comes to an ideal weapon for when shit hits the fan (SHTF).

Lots of people swear by 5.56/223, 30/06, shotguns, three oh eights etc...

I think that the ultimate survival battery really includes only two weapons...don't get me wrong.  I have different tools for different things (and that's what guns are...either tools primarily or hobby instruments secondarily...oh and if you use them for self defense its a tool just like a club was for a caveman or a sword for a Samauri).  That would be a handgun and a .22 caliber rifle.  The handgun because in a true SHTF you're going to be working, getting stuff done if you want to live decently that is.  Our modern world has allowed many to forget how difficult just keeping clean can be when power is out, but I digress.  When you're feeding your chickens or gathering firewood or washing clothes you're not going to want to be unarmed.  Work has to get done but you have to be able to defend yourself.  That means a reliable handgun in a well built holster.  Next comes the need to harvest food in a true SHTF.  That's anything from squirrel, rabbits, deer and hogs.  A .22 works for all that if you're using the right bullets and have good shot placement.  Yeah hunting deer with a .22 can be considered inhumane but I know for a fact that some have done it and I know that those who do placed the shot where needed to take down the animal.  A .22 gives you the opportunity to practice like a madman, allows you to easily store enough ammo for not only yourself but also your kids kids.

If you know of anyone that is just starting the prepping journey then start them off with a .22 and a reliable handgun.

Water Storage.

My quick and dirty research on water storage shows exactly how far behind I am behind like thinking people.  Between those that have setup rainwater collection systems, to those that have some pretty elaborate automatic refill systems of their standard storage to those that not only have all of the above but also are growing food hydroponically and one family even transformed their swimming pool to a self sustaining mini-fishing pond.

I/We/US (I mean me and my readers that think like I do--if you don't cool, I don't hate, we just part ways on this subject) have alot to do.  Links coming up on some of the projects that just blew me away.

Challenger 2 Tank on Salisbury Plain

Scout Sniper Platoon, Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit