Military Trained, Anti-Law Enforcement Shooter.

We've talked about it for ages here on SNAFU! but this is the first time we're seeing it play out.

Personally, the bad guys tactics are pretty good...except he didn't press his attack. If he did then the LEO would be dead. The LEO should have had gun out as soon as the guy refused to comply.

Is this a situation where political correctness is causing hesitation on the part of LEOs?

I would say yes.

I would also say fuck political correctness if you want another sunrise.

Female Marine tries the Infantry...gets fucked up.

Read the story here.

Pic of the day. A Kevin Martin1 Special.

How much law enforcement is in DC????

I'm watching the briefing on the DC shooting and I've got a question.  How many law enforcement agencies are in DC???  I'm counting...

1.  FBI
2.  ATF
3.  Secret Service
4.  Uniformed Secret Service
5.  Park Police
6.  Capitol Police
7.  US Marshals Service
8.  Homeland Security
9.  DC Police
10.  DEA
11.  ICE
12.  TSA (and I can't make out the rest of what's written on the raid jacket)

That's just the Law Enforcement Agencies.  Not counting the quasi-intel/security agencies.  If we count those then we're adding...

1.  CIA
2.  DIA
3.  US Army Intelligence Agency
4.  US Navy Intelligence Agency
5.  NSA

Oh and if we're looking at "special units for security in a national emergency" then you'd have to count "8th and I" that are slatted to provide security at Camp David and can be used in the city if ordered and the Army ceremonial unit.   I'm not sure if the USAF and Navy units also provide the same function.

Someone better deconflict DC with a quickness.

F-35 claims another scalp. US Army seeks to delay AMPV program.

via FedBuzz...

The Army wants to delay the start of its armored multi-purpose vehicle program by one year and raise its development costs by several hundred million dollars,according to Defense News.
The Army wants to buy 2,097 AMPVs over 13 years costing roughly $1.8 million apiece. The new draft request for proposals released Tuesday does not include an average unit manufacturing cost, unlike the March draft. The Army will now plan to award a five-year contract in May 2014 to one contractor that will manufacture 29 vehicles for government testing. This will be followed by a three-year low-rate initial production contract starting in 2020.

You can call this a face saving move.  This program is as dead as disco.  

Canadian Forces TAPV gets in the mud!

47% availability rate? Good job USAF!

I contend that stealth is too costly for fly everyday and train hard, then go to war type airplanes.  I also believe that the code will be cracked soon and all the money being spent on stealth will be seen as a passing phase of the development of warplanes.  Even saying that, David Axe has an eye opening article on B2 availability.  It ain't good.  Read it here.

Blast from the past. Pics from the Eastern Front via English Russia.

Motorcycle Gangster left paralyzed.

Above is a photo of one of the motorcycle "gang" that terrorized a family in supposedly safe New York.  The driver of the vehicle being terrorized did the only sensible thing and fled, using his car as a weapon.

I don't like the idea of a young man being paralyzed, perhaps forever but he was part of a mob that was harassing people.  I don't know if this is Karma but it sings.

Read about it here.

Project Pluto.

Scientist in the '50 and '60 were some crazy bastards.

How do you even think stuff like this up?

A nuclear powered, ram jet missile that carries nuclear weapons...drops them on desginated targets...zooms along at tree top level and moves so fast that the shock wave from it passing could kill...radioactive particles would be dripping from its exhaust so it would poison people that survived...and because its nuclear powered some scientist recommended that they simply fly it over the Soviet Union so that it could continue its killing spree while slowly running out of nuclear fuel.

Read a great article on this weapon system at Jalopnik.

STOVL Transport as big as an A-400M?

Rest well Stud...

Tom Clancy (1947-2013)

Blast from the past. Light Armored Vehicle-Air Defense (LAV-AD)

Pic of the day. 10.02.2013

U.S. Marines with the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) drive an assault amphibious vehicle while conducting an amphibious assault during Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) MEU Integrated Training (PMINT) June 23, 2013, at Green Beach at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. PMINT is a three-week predeployment training event focusing on combined MEU and Amphibious Ready Group capabilities and the strengthening of Navy and Marine Corps teams. (DoD photo by Sgt. Jennifer J. Pirante, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)

The Flopping Fish (J-11) in flight.

Note:   I read the article written by a Chinese analyst about the combat capability of the J-11.  If I recall correctly someone called it a flopping fish.  One word.  Disinformation.  Ski jumps have been used to good effect by the Russians, and the UK.  Additionally the Canberra is even fitted with one.  Too much work has been invested in the study of the ski jumps and how they affect aircraft performance.  I'm not buying what the Chinese are trying to sell with regards to the J-11 being super inferior to what we have in the West.  All photos via Chinese Military Review.

Blast from the past. AAV with M39 20mm cannon.

EFV is dead and buried. MPC is delayed forever. ACV canceled?

Inside Defense has a slightly alarming, but pretty much expected story behind their paywall.

The Marine Corps is willing to offer up the ACV to keep the F-35.

Told ya so.  Everything coming out of HQMC was pure and utter bullshit.  Forgive me but rant time.  I wish the Commandant had simply said..We're not going to go forward with the ACV until we get the F-35 done.  Same with his false cancellation of the MPC.

I disagree with his position on the F-35.  He views the Marine Corps as being involved in combat against terrorist and responding to disaster etc...If he's right (and the rest of the JCS seem to disagree), then we need to upgrade our armor RIGHT NOW!  As things stand though we're going to have a high tech fighter that isn't useful for the type of combat that the Commandant sees the Marine Corps engaging in.

Solutions are available.  My recommendations?

1.  Single source a MPC buy.  Pick the vehicle you want and then get the best price possible and get it into service.
2.  Complete rebuilds of the AAV with massive upgrade.  I know a few companies are already working on this.  Cut them loose today.
3.  Rethink the requirements for the ACV.  If we don't need high water speed then consider a stripped down EFV.

Its time to get this done, the alternative is having Marines dying in the mud with Marine pilots flying overhead with a great view of the slaughter.  

NOTE:  Where are the asshats that kept trying to tell me that the F-35 wasn't responsible for killing the MPC, and delaying the ACV?  This plane is like an alien bursting thru the chest of its victim.  We might have given birth to this plane but its gonna kill us.

Shit just got real at the UN.

Netanyahu is speaking at the UN and is basically saying that ....

1.  The US is being naive in believing that Iran is serious about diplomacy.
2.  Israel will never allow a rogue nation that has threatened to wipe it off the map to get nuclear weapons.
3.  If Israel must go it alone, then so be it...but Israel will be standing up for others that aren't as brave when they do what must be done.

So much for the great international week that the President had.  If Netanyahu is saying all this publicly then the phone lines must be buzzing in private.

I think its pretty much confirmed that we're playing checkers while the rest of the world plays chess.

We need new leadership so bad it hurts...in every area of govt.

F-35. Everything else must die so it can live!

Thanks for the article Don!

via AviationIntel.

I have gotten a ton of email with various articles attached talking about how plans are in the works to retire a whole slew of “legacy” (ie front line) aircraft types in a desperate attempt to protect the most flawed weapons procurement concept in modern history- the F-35 Lightning.
So far strong rumors are being passed around and even touted stating that the USAF will work to can the A-10, KC-10 and B-1 fleet so that “key procurement programs” can be protected. Even the F-15C community has been said to be vulnerable to meat cleaver cuts for the USAF’s FY2014 budget. At what point to the Generals and Civil Servants that have a major say over decisions like this just cease to have any credibility? If even a portion of these across the board fleet retirements are true than they are actually mortgaging America’s national security on a machine that has so far been nothing short of a disaster and whose central concept is now almost totally out of date and based on technology “choices” of the late 1990s. This is so stunningly stupid and offensive to the tax payer that it is actually personal.

Go to AviationIntel to read the rest.

The USMC and USAF are in a deadly partnership and jumping off the bridge together.  The Marines because leadership wants next gen STOVL so badly and the USAF because they lust after an all stealth force.

I'll enjoy watching everyone involved perp walked into a federal detention center.

Blast from the past. Militarization of fire depts...

Above you see a fire dept Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT).  Many fire depts in the deep south after WW2 took possession of these vehicles to use in flood/hurricane rescue.

Fast forward to today and every fire dept in the south could use a M-113 (that retains its amphibious capability) for the same work.  Additionally out west a few could be outfitted to tow water trailers and used to fight fires in the deep wilderness.

Militarization of civilian rescue forces isn't a bad idea.  Its time has come.  Law Enforcement?  That's a different kettle of fish.