F-35 and the truth. Shedding capabilities to buy an overpriced, underperforming airplane.

You've all seen the news.

The Dutch are now having to reduce their buy of F-35s to LESS THAN HALF THE INTENDED BUY and additionally they're having to sell off other portions of their military to pay for it.

Who is the brave, delusional soul that will tell me that the F-35 is affordable, that it will do what it was planned to do and that its worth the price that various Ministries and Depts of Defenses will have to pay in order to see it through.



Note 1:  I continue to marvel at F-35 supporters inability to explain how the plane can supposedly be going down in price, yet key allies like the Dutch are buying even fewer of them than planned.  The wheels are coming off the lies faster and faster.  

Note:  What will be more valuable in a future allied operation.  37 more F-35s or a fully stocked Logistics Support Ship?  

Textron's Scorpion Jet.

Thanks Dwi!!!!!

The F-35, Vanity Fair, and a corrupt procurement scheme.

I've gotten many alerts about the Vanity Fair article.  Thanks to all.

But I've got to be honest.  I heard about it almost a month ago.  No details were given but I was told it was gonna be a barn burner and it would expose the program for what it was.

This article didn't disappoint.  Read the whole thing for yourself but check out these passages....

*Near the end of my interview with General Bodgan, I thanked him for his candor. His reply was a broad one, not directed at any branch of the military or any particular company. “It is unfortunate,” the general said, “that you can’t get straight answers, because we’re at a point in this program where transparency leads to trust, leads to advocacy or at least support. People have committed to this program. We’re not walking away from the program. Something catastrophic would happen to walk away from that. So just tell everybody the truth. It’s hard.”

* During the 2012 campaign cycle, Lockheed—either directly or indirectly through its employees and political-action committee—doled out millions in campaign cash to virtually every member of Congress. The company’s lobbyists included seven former members of Congress and dozens of others who have served in key government positions. According to Charlie, Pentagon officials involved with the Joint Strike Fighter routinely cycle out of the military and into jobs with the program’s myriad contractors, waiting out intervening fallow periods required by ethics laws at Beltway “body shops” like Burdeshaw Associates. Until recently Burdeshaw was led by Marvin Sambur, who, as assistant secretary of the air force for acquisition, oversaw the F-35 program. (He resigned in the wake of the Boeing tanker-lease scandal, for which his subordinate Darleen Druyun went to prison.) The firm itself lists dozens of generals and admirals as “representative associates,” and on its board it boasts none other than Norman Augustine, a former chairman and C.E.O. of Lockheed Martin. When asked about the Lockheed Martin connection, Burdeshaw’s vice president, retired air-force major general Richard E. Perraut Jr., wrote in a statement to Vanity Fair, “It is our company policy to not comment on questions about clients, projects, or Associates” (emphasis in the original). For his part, Dr. Sambur wrote in a separate statement: “I never consulted for Lockheed on the F35 or F22, and while I was at Burdeshaw, we had no contract with Lockheed for any consulting with respect to these programs.”

*I asked General Bogdan about the Marines’ decision to declare their planes combat-capable without adequate time for operational testing (O.T.)—or, as the Pentagon used to call it, “field testing.” His answer was straightforward—yes, that was what the Marines are going to do, and yes, they have the power to do it. “By law,” he said, “we have to do operational testing. But by law, the service chiefs, the secretaries of the services, get to decide I.O.C. and when the airplane can go into combat. There’s nothing that says the results of the O.T. must be used, factored in, to determine what the services do. I can tell you that’s why, when you look at the real letter of the law, the U.S. Marine Corps intends on declaring I.O.C. before we start O.T.” In other words, the commandant of the Marine Corps plans to announce that his planes are ready for combat before operational testing proves they are ready for combat. (Despite repeated queries over a period of nearly a month, including requests for an interview and the submission of written questions, the office of the commandant of the Marine Corps would make no comment.)

*Take the matter of stealth technology, which helps an airplane elude detection. Charlie explained that while stealth is helpful for deep-strike bombing missions, where planes must remain unobserved while going “downtown” into enemy territory, it doesn’t serve much purpose in a Marine Corps environment. “The Joint Strike Fighter’s forte is stealth,” he said. “If it’s defending Marines in combat and loitering overhead, why do you need stealth? None of the helos have stealth. The Marines’ obligation is not to provide strategic strike. Look at Desert Storm and the invasion of Iraq. Marine aviators did close air support and some battlefield prep as Marines prepared to move in. Not deep strike. Ask the commandant to name the date and time the Marines struck Baghdad in Desert Storm. Sure as hell wasn’t the start of war. Why invest in a stealth aircraft for the Marines?”

This article should be front and center at a Congressional hearing.  Crimes have been committed.

It should be obvious to everyone.

Note:  The Aviation side of the house at Lockheed Martin is where the trash lives.  I would feel comfortable under the umbrella of a Patriot Missile battery.  Feel sorry (for a nano second) for the enemy on the receiving end of a MLRS salvo.  Would have no problem riding into bad guy land inside a Patria AMV.  So the issue is with this one project.   I highly recommend the leadership at that company and in the sectors I named to insulate themselves from the F-35.  Its the only way to keep from being tainted by the inevitable backlash that is coming.

What the latest "mass" shooting tells us.

I've been watching the news and the interviews of survivors of the latest "mass" shooting, workplace violence, whatever you want to call it.  I've come to one very disturbing conclusion.

Many of my fellow citizens are indeed sheep.

I don't say this with joy or a "I told ya so" attitude.

I say this with shock.

A person was walking around the Navy Yard, shooting people.  Hopefully we'll see reports where people fought back gallantly.  Hopefully we'll hear reports of people deciding that fleeing was the better part of valor.

Instead what I'm hearing is that people simply "sheltered in place."!!!!!

A killer is on the loose and you huddle in your office under a desk praying that he won't come kill you?

You do the most passive thing possible instead of reverting to the natural FIGHT OR FLIGHT instinct?

What the fuck is happening to us????  Correction.  What the fuck is happening to them?

Amos vs. the Admiral.

Defense One has an "editorial opinion piece" written by Amos.  The funny thing is that he practically goes head up against the Vice Chairman of the JCS in his thinking.  Consider this a dueling quote post....

General Amos.

Tomorrow’s Marines will see challenges such as violent extremism, battles for influence, disruptive societal transitions, natural disaster, extremist messages and manipulative politics.  We will likely see criminal enterprises wield combat power once associated only with states, as well as separatism, extremism and intolerance that lead to terrorism, protests and violence. We will see new technologies place modern weapons into the hands of developing states and non-state actors while the development and proliferation of advanced conventional weapons challenges our ability to project power or gain access. In this security convergence it will be the forward influence, strategic mobility, effective power projection and rapid response capabilities

VCJCS Winefeld.

As for counterinsurgency, Adm. Winnefeld said “we are more likely to see a Desert Storm type of operation, ejecting a nation that has invaded an ally or a friend of the United States, than we are to see another decade-long counterinsurgency campaign.”
“I simply don’t know where the security interests of our nation are threatened enough to cause us to lead a future major, extended COIN campaign,” he continued, “though we very well might provide support to a nation fighting its own COIN campaign, as we continue to do today in Colombia.” (Note that supporting Afghan security forces, whether today or post-2014, was not his example of choice). “The president himself made it clear inhis Defense Strategic Guidance that we will retain some capability for COIN, but only on a limited scale.”

Long story short?  Well I can't make it short but I will say this.  I don't know how Amos got so infatuated with COIN type operations but he's bought into the concept whole hog.

The Vice Chairman?  Not so much.  Quite honestly, not at all.

And that is the biggest issue facing us when we build our Marine Corps for the future.  Our current leadership sees COIN as the end all, be all mission.  He is a part of the COIN mafia.  But others (myself included) don't think so and if anything see it as a minor role in our mission tool box.

Now we know why the AAV replacement is so low on Amos' to do list.  He doesn't think its necessary because we're going to be doing the MARSOC thing into the future.

Many Marines will die because of his error in thinking.  I just hope he lives long enough to see how wrong he is. 

The best allied Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) Attack Aircraft since WW2

Everyone is fixated on VSTOL, but before that came into vogue, STOL was all the rage.  The Brits popularized the concept but STOL has been around since the beginning of aviation.  These are my picks for the best STOL attack aircraft since WW2.  No particular order.

Sidenote:  This list only includes airplanes that have demonstrated true STOL capability without assistance from ground equipment.

SAAB Viggen.
Some would classify this airplane as the best of its type during its time in service.  A true multi-role airplane before it became fashionable, this fighter was used in the Maritime Attack, Close Air Support, Fighter Offense/Defense and Recon missions.  Truly ahead of its time.

OV-10 Bronco.
Small field specialist, this tough airplane continues to find fans even today.

Sepecat Jaguar.
Tough, fast and a low level specialist.  The Brits have yet to find a true replacement for this attacker.

IA-58 Pucara.
The Argentinians never got the best out of this airplane during the Falklands Conflict.  

A-1 Sky Raider.
Nuff said.

OV-1 Mohawk.
This is an unknown to many people but I've read that the US Army used it to good effect in Vietnam.  This plane is another victim of Key West.  It never was developed to its full potential due to that and its another example of why that "agreement" needs to go away.

Harrier.
The Harrier in its original form.  Its much different now.  The original airplane in the form of the Sea Harrier approached Mach 1 in speed and if the design remained static, but improved engines installed then this well could have been the first supersonic STOVL airplane.  The redesign with the Harrier II is telling and shows how different Marine Aviation is today from where it once was.  During this time the Marine Corps insisted on turning the AV-8B into a bomb truck.  The Brits wanted higher speed and the wing was a major source of contention.

More to come.

Maybe.

Predicting our next COIN op. How about the Southern Philippines?

Thanks Mark for the info.

First this from the Washington Times.

The six-day standoff with the rebels in Zamboanga, one of the most vibrant trading cities in the southern Philippines, was believed to have left at least 55 people dead. It has also raised fears of a setback in the government’s efforts, backed by the United States, to calm insurgencies and fight terrorism.
The government said most of the dead were rebels holed up in several seaside neighborhoods. Government forces were firing mortar rounds into the area and battling street by street to take areas back from the militants.


The situation was serious enough that the country’s top civilian and military leaders traveled to the city, despite the mayhem, to plan their strategy. President Benigno S. Aquino III arrived Friday, with one of his escort helicopters taking small-arms fire as he landed. The crisis has crippled the once peaceful city, a mostly Christian enclave on the island of Mindanao, displacing more than 62,000 people.

That's right friends.

Muslim Rebels are attacking cities in the Philippines.  We already have Special Forces operating on that island and more SOCOM assets are on the way.

To make matters worse (or better, it depends on your view) is the fact that the US military is close to getting access to Subic Bay Naval base and Clark air base.

This is how you get involved in other peoples wars.  The second thing you need to realize is exactly how wide ranging the problem with Muslim extremist is.  The tilt to the Pacific isn't taking us away from the problem.  And the stationing of US forces in the Philippines puts us directly in the mix of the fight again.  This is from Military Review.

 Several island chains bisect the T3, providing natural corridors for transit.
They provided trading routes during the precolonial era in Southeast Asia.
Today, along with legitimate trade, they provide relatively safe transit routes
for criminal and terrorist elements and for the movement of weapons and
personnel to the region’s two infamous terrorist groups, the Jemaah Islamiyah
(JI) in Southeast Asia, and the Abu Sayyaf Group in the southern Philippines. 
Four main island chains transit the T3 area. These chains have many unof-
ficial names—“rat lines,” “infiltration routes,” “terrorist corridors”—and
are referred to differently by Department of Defense, Department of State,
various intelligence agencies, and Department of Justice officials.

Yeah.

Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah.

From one insurgency to another on the other side of the world.  How come I get the impression of the Philippines being another tar baby...Just in the jungles instead of the desert? 

Sidenote:  Has anyone considered that SOCOM might be a reason for the US edging toward perpetual war?  If conventional forces are used, there is no secrecy, the warfare is out in the open and everyone has full visibility.  Toss it to SOCOM and US forces are active worldwide without end.  

Paralus on the F-35 and the real problems facing the DoD.

I've struggled mightily to explain why the F-35 is such a bad buy for the USMC in particular and the US military in general.  

I've never questioned the STOVL operating concept.  Never doubted the tech that is stuffed inside the F-35.  I have questioned its level of agility and speed, but mostly I've questioned its COST!

Paralus said it better than I ever have in a comment that I'm turning into a post.  His comment follows....

Sol hasn't been a basher of the F35, but he has been a basher of the cost of it. And it is a factor that nobody who has posted in this thread who still supports the F35 has addressed...ever. They are still partying like it's 1999.

There has been a sea change in how this country views national defense, both in terms of whether we should become entangled in foreign adventures AND whether we should pay for it. The defense budget has been nearly sacrosanct since the early 1950's. But that changed with the Sequester. It opened up, for both political parties, opportunities to question whether we should or are even able to be the world's only superpower. Just five years ago, this was unthinkable, yet now it is routine. And for the most part, the answer people keep coming up with is, "no".
The service chiefs haven't realized it, the defense contractors haven't realized it, a huge portion of the blogosphere hasn't realized it yet, but smaller defense budgets via the Sequester AND an unwillingness by the American public to involve ourselves in foreign entanglements spell out the future: the good times are over.

Yes, our defense budget is huge, but a lot of that is personnel costs, tricare, veterans benefits, pay increases during OEF/OIF, etc. There are no longer any blank checks being floated to the services any more.
And what are the service chiefs offering as ways to save money? cutting personnel and BRAC.
The Navy is talking about reducing the number of carriers down to below 9. The Army is talking about reducing the total personnel below 400,000. The Air Forces wants to retire more teen-series fighters and A-10s. Amos wants to turn the USMC into a slightly beefier version of the Royal Marines. They don't get it. Once the services dump all those people, the service will NEVER, EVER get them back.
what the fuck good is the US Navy with 200 ships and 7 carriers?
what the fuck good is a US Army with 380,000 men?
what the fuck good is a USAF with 1500 fighters?
what the fuck good is a USMC that can only conduct commando raids and evacuate US citizens?
Because the question once we go down to those force sizes, we have to honestly ask whether the US can actually perform the missions we assign it. Can we reinforce South Korea? Can we defend Taiwan? Can we deploy to take out Iran?
Once we open up the Pandora's box of 'why do we need forces of this size', we release the evil spirits of "why do we even need forces?"
"Why do we need to protect Taiwan or the Philippines?"
"Why do we need to protect Israel?"
"why should we keep the Straights of Hormuz open?" and eventually
"Why do we need anything besides a military just big enough to protect the USA?"
and then you will see an explosion of international arms races because because people will realize the US cannot impose its will any longer so they no longer have to worry about whether they can invade their neighbor. The only countries that will be safe are the ones with nukes which means you will see widespread nuke races.
So, ask yourselves, do you want the F35 so much that you are willing to see a US Military so anemic that it can't project force abroad? what good will the F35 be then? Why would it even be worth projecting force abroad if we don't have the forces big enough to do perform the mission?

so, I ask the delusional schmucks here who don't get it yet, is the F35 that good that it is worth trashing US force sizes?
Or maybe, just maybe, we need to start looking at an 80% solution instead of the F35 so we can afford to keep forces large enough to actually perform the missions we expect of it?

And make no mistake.  The current JCS is building the force that will go to war in the future.   

USAF fleet cuts. An opportunity for the USMC and SOCOM.

Thanks for the article Matthew.

via Defense News...

Faced with steep budget cuts and the desire to keep existing procurement initiatives on track, the US Air Force is considering scrapping its entire fleet of KC-10 tankers and A-10 attack jets, according to multiple military and defense sources.
Also on the chopping block are F-15C fighter jets and a planned $6.8 billion purchase of new combat search-and-rescue helicopters, these sources say.

This is a tremendous opportunity for the USMC and SOCOM.

The A-10 has potential in the Pacific in ways that aren't even being considered.  Chinese Fast Attack Missile Boats?  You're considering sending helicopters after them.  What about low flying A-10's instead?  Insurgents are terrorizing a Philippine city.  How about a squadron assigned to assist SOCOM on that island nation? Yeah I'm talking about a role in Littoral Warfare.

Two Squadrons assigned to the USMC and another two to SOCOM would be a God send.  It would in essence bring the Close back to Close Air Support.

We could toss the Air Force some of those V-22's in the pipeline to ease their Rescue Helicopter requirement and everyone would be happy.

Marine Air is moving further and further away from Marine Ground.  If it is to survive its by resuming its role of supporting the Ground Combat Element, not by becoming part of the USAF Air Tasking Order.  Read the whole thing here. 

China rates its J-15 equal to the Hornet, lower than the Super Hornet...

via IDRW.org

In terms of its performance compared to other carrier-based aircraft in service around the world, Yin Zhuo said that the J-15 capabilities are high. For instance, it reaches a similar level to the U.S. F/A-18C/D ”Super Hornet”.
While overall it is slightly inferior to the F/A-18E/F, it has better performance in air combat. Its ability to attack land and sea-based targets is lower than the F/A-18E/F, but it is at least equal to, and perhaps slightly better than, India’s Mig-29K.

Of course he doesn't have any vision (hopefully) on classified system either on the Super Hornet or in development for it.

I'd be interested in how they stack up their other systems against ours.  The Type 52D, the Type 99 MBT and their other armored, anti-air systems etc...

J-20 in GIF performing extreme agility via Chinese Military Review.

Do you really believe the F-35 will stand up to this?

A heavyweight fighter with extreme range, super cruise and impressive agility?

The USAF is facing a nightmare scenario.  If they get what they say they want (the F-35) they're screwed...and because they're going to wait until Congress realizes its too costly to do anything, they're delaying the construction of what they actually need for the fight in the Pacific.

Jointness is awesome but it doesn't work across the 3 services.  Each have unique needs.  Share avionics/electronics and other systems but build different airframes.

Do it now, before the F-35 is killed and you're left with nothing.

F-35 in Royal Navy colors via Save The Royal Navy.org

Don't get it twisted.

The plane is too damn expensive, its manufacturing plan is pure economic blackmail and Lockheed Martin leadership needs to be indicted for corruption.

But "Save The Royal Navy.org" is supporting an organization thats between a rock and a hard place.

I haven't examined it closely but since I really believe this plane will be killed outright or begin its inevitable price death spiral, then what does the Royal Navy do?  Do we sell back the Harriers?  Do they put catapults on their ships?  What does the UK do when the F-35 prices itself out of existence?

What do our allies do?

American Mercenary false status symbols.

I've had a chance to go to a few Army schools.

The funniest thing to see is to watch them when two Alpha types approach each other (rank immaterial) and to observe the quick dick measuring that goes on.

What the fuck am I talking about?

I'm talking about the cursory examination of each other to see who has what skill badges, tabs etc...  No Jump wings when talking to a paratrooper?  Subhuman leg or a Marine.  No Ranger tab?  Subhuman slacker or a Marine.  No Air Assault wings?  Subhuman leg, slimy Paratrooper (that doesn't have the good sense to go to Air Assault School) or a Marine.

I picked up the "measuring dicks" metaphor from an Army buddy that explained what was going on when I asked him why guys were checking each other out so hard (I was mystified...the old Corps way is to be as buff as possible, make sure your uniform is squared away and eye contact was essential or you're passive and weak).  Well American Mercenary takes it all on when talking about the Ranger Tab.  Check it out here and let me know what you think.

NOTE:
Now I know I'm old.  Dick measuring in this instance was a metaphor to see who was the biggest baddest fucker in the room.  I forgot that homosexuality is now mainstream and that liberal or gay readers might take it as a literal occurrence that happened between warfighters. I stand corrected and will be much more aware of the changing cultural norms and the way that liberal, non-military, or homosexual readers will take my words.  My apologies to American Mercenary.  I had no idea that an honest reflection of a conversation from long ago would be twisted in such a way.  I assure you that I've learned from this and will never recount a telling of any incident (something I've shied away from) because it will inevitably be misconstrued, purposefully twisted to mean something else or all of the above but with malicious intent.

Investigation into Camp Leatherneck attack almost complete.

via UTSanDiego.

Danielle Atwell, one of the widows of the two Yuma Marines killed in action with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), was told this week the investigation is finished and she could be informed of the findings as early as Friday. Atwell and Donnella Raible, the other widow, both said they are frustrated at how long it took to investigate the Sept. 14, 2012 attack and that no one has been held accountable.
The promotion and third star of a former Camp Pendleton general is hanging on the outcome, as well as the careers of other senior military officials who were responsible for base security when insurgents infiltrated NATO's regional headquarters.
The investigation by U.S. Central Command focused on whether commanders were negligent because 15 heavily armed Taliban fighters were able to penetrate the base, in what was their most brazen attack of the war. Amid the drawdown of forces, security cutbacks had caused guard towers to be manned in some cases by nothing more than target dummies or poorly-trained Tongan troops who often napped on duty, several senior military sources told U-T San Diego.

A couple of things.

*  The wheels of justice turn slower the higher in rank you are.  If you're a LT leading your men on patrol outside the wire and you make a mistake you'll be hung out to dry with the Commandant himself saying he wants you "crushed".  If you're a General in command of base security and the enemy infiltrates your location, destroys a squadron of airplanes, the squadron commander and an NCO killed, and it'll take awhile for them to figure out what should be done.  RHIP.  Rank has its privileges.
*  MAN UP!  Don't slam the Brits.  DO NOT ACCUSE the Tongans (funny how they're being blamed now).  Unless its changed, Marine doctrine is to provide our own security even when operating with other forces (I've seen it cause heartburn with our Army brothers).  What form that takes varies.  It might be so simple as to insist that our personnel always carry a firearm...pistol, carbine or rifle...at all times.  It might take the form of an interior guard.  Whatever the case may be, its never the responsibility of another unit for Marine security.
*  My heart goes out to LtCol Rable's wife AND the family of Sgt Atwell that lost their loved ones that day.  My heart also goes out to those Marines that are killed and injured everyday but  aren't involved in as high profile an incident.

If Marine Corps standards were applied to camp defense then this never would have happened.  Active patrols outside the wire would have been ongoing.  Observation posts inside and OUTSIDE the camp would have been manned and active.  A buffer zone would have been established where any unidentified person/vehicle would be challenged.

That's the standard in a war zone.  The general in charge of security did not meet that standard shouldn't be promoted and should be forced to retire (at the very least) for not meeting it.

Make no mistake about it.  The powers that be are hiding behind CENTCOM but this is a Marine Corps issue, the standards that should be enforced are Marine Corps standards and any evaluation of events that doesn't take those standards into account to determine wrongdoing is a travesty of justice.

“The battlefield will be a more hostile environment than it’s ever been..."

via Breaking Defense...

“If we get in another fight – and some day we will get in another fight on the ground – I think it would be a different fight: one that’s shorter, faster-paced, and much harder,” Winnefeld said in his opening remarks. “The battlefield will be a more hostile environment than it’s ever been. The fog of war, despite all of our technology, will not clear for us, and the adversary will use the tools we have employed so successfully recently, such as quality ISR and networks and precision guided weapons, against us. We will need ground forces that can handle this.”
“Speed of deployment, whether by being there already or through prepositioning or through lift, will become more important than it’s ever become,” Winnefeld went on. Getting to the war zone quickly, by the way, has been an agonizing issue for the Army since the failure of Task Force Hawk during the Kosovo campaign of 1999. Indeed, even further back, many in the Army remember the desperately vulnerable position of the much-vaunted but lightly-armed 82nd Airborne after it flew to Saudi Arabia in 1990, only to have to wait months for heavy backup to come by sea: For a stinging critique, read theDefense Science Board’s 2006 Summer Study: Search for the words “speed bump.”

Read the entire article but be advised.

This is exactly what I've been saying for months...he's just saying it better.

Its weird.  The Commandant of the Marine Corps is building a light weight, airmobile force and here we have a Navy Admiral telling us that we're going to be in the fight of our lives against a sophisticated enemy, with precision weapons and ISR as good as our own.

An air assault Marine Corps will not survive this type of future battlefield.  F-35's will not provide the type of support needed by Marines in this type of fight.

We're building the wrong type of Marine Corps for the future.  Sea base?  200 nm offshore isn't protection from shore based anti-ship missiles anymore.  Against a modern foe is the M777 the right artillery system or do we need something truck mounted like the French have?  We definitely need a new AAV (or better... the BAE MPC).  And is the MEU going to be capable of performing even its traditional missions as currently equipped?

I don't know.  What I do know is that Marines are asking these questions.  I just wish HQMC would too.

UPDATE:  I just realized that the Admiral just gave us a glimpse at more than a few things...

*  SOCOM is the favored child right now but its time in the sun seems to be ending.  His talk about COIN going out of favor is a direct blow at them.  A hard core body shot that is telling. My only question is how low will they go.
*  Speaking of reduced manning.  Its obvious that they want to take the military waaaay down in strength.  We're talking about historic lows for the Army and Marine Corps.  Its obvious that they plan is to trade manpower for weapons.  Specifically the F-35...that is until everyone wakes up and kill the beast.
*  He's basically telling the Army to get back to having Light Fighters.  A Stryker Brigade isn't rapid deployable and neither is the 101st.  Sounds like he wants the Army to get back to the days when a 50 cal was considered heavy.

I also forgot to include the link.  Click here.

Blast from the past. Polish PZL-230F.

Note:  I saw this on David Cenceotti's Aviationist site and got curious.  An awesome concept and was to be dedicated to CAS.

Blast from the past. T77 Heavy Tank.

This vehicles nomenclature seems to vacillate online between being called the T77 or T54.  Either way its a wonderfully obscure vehicle that was in development for US forces.

But of more interest is where the "heritage" for old armored concepts is being kept.

Would you believe World Of Tanks?  Spots like WOT and AboveTopSecret mixed in with the various modeling forums are the true treasures of the internet.  Check them out.  

F-35 and Canada. How about a little economic blackmail?

Thanks for the article Andrew.

Via CTVNews.

Canada's aerospace industry could lose about $10.5 billion worth of contracts over several decades if the federal government ultimately decides not to purchase the controversial F-35 Stealth Fighter, says a senior executive at Lockheed Martin.
Orlando Carvalho, executive vice-president of the U.S. defence giant, says Lockheed will honour $500 million worth of business already awarded to Canadian partners but that other work would be in jeopardy without a Canadian jet order.
"If in fact the Canadian government were to decide not to select the F-35 we will certainly honour the contracts that we have here with the Canadian industry but our approach in the future would be to try to do business with the industries that are in the countries that are buying the airplane," he said in an interview after officially opening its new engine overhaul facility in Montreal.

Economic blackmail.

Some will call it the price of doing business, but make no mistake about it.  This is a threat being levied at the Canadian Govt and its people.

This alone should cause Canada to reject the F-35.

But this points to a larger issue.  Why would the Pentagon allow contracts to be awarded not on the basis of getting the best manufacturing practices AND cheapest price possible?  It is as I've suspected.  A business scheme designed to get countries into the program.  Not because the F-35 meets the needs of those buying it, but because it is tied to their economies.  

Did Lockheed just expose another reason why this plane costs so damn much?

Consulate in Herat, Afghanistan under attack.

We're getting hit again.  Read about it here.

F-35 in S. Korea. Lockheed buys some help.

Affordable is officially a joke now...Canada is being pressured despite budgeting x-amount of dollars and only being able to buy many less than required fighters...same with others...including the Pentagon.

via Chosun Ilbo.

Fifteen former Air Force chiefs have written to President Park Geun-hye calling on her to procure stealth bombers. They said Korea should "give top priority to stealth functions" for the next-generation F-X fighter procurement project, regardless of the budget. 
A total amount of W8.3 trillion (US$1=W1,085) has been earmarked for the project to buy 60 fighter jets.
All of the retired Air Force chiefs who are still alive signed the letter, except for six who are ill or overseas.
"Originally, the Air Force gave priority to the capabilities of fighter jets in order to respond to threats from North Korea or potential threats from neighboring countries," they said in the letter sent on Aug. 29. "But if the project is implemented under the current parameters," which put the priority on price, "the Air Force would have to select the F-15SE, which has poorer stealth function." 
There are three candidates, but the other two -- the Lockheed Martin F-35A and EADS Eurofighter -- have more or less been knocked off the list because they are too expensive. 
The former Air Force chiefs urged Park not to assess the models based on their bid prices alone but carry out a comprehensive evaluation of all models.
But they do not want the project halted and started from scratch, since that would leave a vacuum in the country's defenses. Instead, they urged Park to secure additional funds.

I'm not shocked by this.

I'm not surprised.

I'm also not stupid.

Lockheed Martin is putting on a full court press in S. Korea.  Can you smell the desperation?  Can you sense the fear?  This corporation built a house of cards, fooled the entire DoD, built up a belief that their plane is the only solution and now that they're meeting resistance in the form of fiscal reality they're panicking.  

But the craziest thing is that these generals don't want price to be a consideration!  I mean really?  Seriously?  Not a consideration for an "affordable" fighter?  Not a consideration for a fighter that was suppose to be cheaper to operate than a F-16?

These generals just invalidated the very airplane that they're seeking to endorse.  Amazing.