Hacksaw Ridge

US and Romanian Marines train together at Exercise Spring Storm in Capu Midia...pics by Sgt. Matthew Callahan

Note:  Never knew Romania had a Marine Corps!  

So this is what had the House Intel Chief running to the White House.

via Free Beacon by Bill Gertz.

A House intelligence committee investigation took a dramatic shift this week after newly disclosed intelligence reports suggested the Obama administration improperly gathered and disseminated secret electronic communications from President Trump and his transition team prior to inauguration.
Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.), the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, indicated that the administration used its foreign intelligence gathering authority to spy on the discussions of Trump and his transition team by improperly unmasking the identity of Americans who were swept up in foreign electronic spying.
"What I've read seems to be some level of surveillance activity, perhaps legal, but I don't know that it's right and I don't know if the American people would be comfortable with what I've read," said Nunes, who uncovered the reports.
Nunes announced the committee would seek to determine who knew about the classified reports, why they were not disclosed to Congress, and who requested and authorized the disclosure of the Americans' identities in the reports.

Why did I include Bill Gertz's name at the beginning of this post?  Because he's one of the best defense journalist roaming the planet at this time.  His stuff is almost always well sourced and correct.

He plays it straight.  If he's the one reporting that we're looking at improperly gathered communications against Trump's transition team then you better check it out again.

I can't wait to see how this plays out.

Blast from the past. Experimental M-113 based Landing Vehicle Tracked Personnel (LVTP)

The Marine Corps does a pretty good job and the YATS-YAS boys are almost fanatical about how they trace the history (its one of the one few "mafias" inside the Marine Corps that maintains a link between its past, present and future) of its Amphibious Combat Vehicles.

One thing they have dropped the ball on are some of the experimental Landing Vehicle Tracked Personnel (LVTP) that have come down the line.  The Experimental M-113 based model is one of them.  Check out the pics below.

I call it a M-113 based model but I think it might pre-date that vehicle and might be based on an even earlier Army vehicle.  I do know that the concept was refined and we saw this proposed (pics below).

It irks me that additional information on these vehicles isn't available.  I've gone to the wayback machine on the web and tried to see if the FMC site had any info and it's a no-go.  I've checked out my collection of Hunnicut books to see if they had any, hell I've even checked out various old editions of JANES to see if they had any info and it's all NEGATIVE!

Last chance is to see if Foss knows anything and of course you guys.

If you have real deal info then hook me up.  I don't need guesses, speculation or theory.  I want REAL information on this rig!

Open Comment Post. March 26, 2017

It's time to replace the other amphibious vehicle...time to replace the LARC!

It's past time to replace the other amphibious vehicle in the Navy/USMC arsenal.  It's time to replace the LARC.  This underappreciated hero of the fleet is used by SeaBees to perform many tasks.  Additionally it's used to transport men/materiel ashore, act as a rescue boat and a general workhorse.

There really are only two off the shelf candidates and they'd have to be modified to fill the role if we don't want to contract out for new build, but improved versions of what we have now.  The first is the Gibbs Humdinga below.

The advantage is obvious.  High water speed due to the water jets and retractable wheels.  The issues are obvious too.  We'd need alot of them or we'd need to modify the design and make it bigger.  I personally prefer that we buy alot (maybe 4 to do the job of the legacy LARC?) but that's for the bean counters.

The other option?  Some will think I'm crazy (ok, let's be fair...crazier than they think I already am but let's go easy on that talk) but check out the pic below.

I can't find the pic but I saw Marines conducting exercises with allies and they were landed ashore in the above vehicle.  What's it's name?  The PTS4 Tracked Amphibious Vehicle.  The advantage?  Obvious.  It's got a ton of lift! The disadvantage?  It's freaking huge!

Pick your solution.  New build and improved LARCs.  Buy Gibbs Humdinga as is or design a larger model.  Go with the PTS4 and purchase it from the Ukrainians or Poles (I think they use it).  Either way the Gator Navy needs a new or new version of the LARC.

The Marine pic scandal is about one thing. Integrating boot camp.

I've been following the story on the Marine pic scandal with much interest.  The more I read the more I'm convinced that this is another setup.  That issue with the "Task and Purpose" blog was too smooth.  The distribution of the story too perfect.

This was a planned ambush on the Corps.

Even worse?

The aim of it is simple.  They want the Marine Corps boot camp to go co-ed.  This is the final aim of USNI Blog, Task and Purpose and War on the rocks blogs.  This is all part of the women in combat meme and its designed to break the Marine Corps.

All you guys that said nothing yet call yourselves Marines deserve every ounce of future pain.  I don't feel sorry for you at all.  As far as the Commandant is concerned?  The bastard could face enemy fire but cowers in front of a female senator that is talking to him like a dawg?  He makes me want to puke!

We once had greats that stood for what's right.  It seems like those days are over.  Remember Colonel Ripley?  USNI Blog doesn't.  Check out this blast from the past.

COLONEL RIPLEY: I, too, would like to begin with prepared remarks.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Commission, I’ll start with my background. Very briefly, my association with combat. I served my first combat tour as a young Marine captain company commander of a rifle company for a year in Vietnam, along the DMZ; from Khe Sanh, virtually all of the fire bases, over to the Tonkin Gulf, Con-Tien, Rockpile, Khe Sanh and the jungles in between.

My next tour was with the Vietnamese Marines four years later, where I served in virtually the same area. At the time, Khe Sanh was abandoned, and I had the distinction of being the last American there, having been shot down there twice on two consecutive days.
I also served a tour with the British Royal Marines, where I commanded a rifle company in 4/5 Commando, deployed with them to the Arctic for two years—correction, two winters—and during that same tour, I deployed to Malaya, where I served with the 1st of the 2nd Gurka Rifles and 40 Commando on a post-and-station tour that, to my surprise, in the jungles of northern Malaya, also included combat. I wasn’t supposed to know that.

I had been trained exceedingly well by the Marine Corps. I am one of two Marines who have completed all four schools preparatory to reconnaissance training; airborne, scuba, jump, trained with the Navy SEALs at the time they were not SEALs, they were UDT, and, finally, the British Royal Marine Commando Course. There are only two present active-duty Marines so designated.

I give you this information simply to acquaint you with my background and also to say that I feel I have some degree of expertise in this subject, although I personally do not like the term “expert.”

During my tenure as a company commander in Vietnam, my company was lost three times over. At the time, my rifle company weighed out at about 210 Marines; 212 perhaps. When you added your attachments, your engineers, scout dogs, and others that joined that company, it could be perhaps another 25, 30 Marines in addition.

I lost my company 300 percent in that 11 months, killed and wounded: 13 lieutenants killed, all my corpsmen, three senior corpsmen and an additional 15 corpsmen, killed and wounded.
(5:34 p.m.)

COLONEL RIPLEY (Continuing): I feel I have a basis upon which to comment, and I would like to read this statement: First of all, this subject should not be argued from the standpoint of gender differences. It should not be argued from the standpoint of female rights or even desires.

As important as these issues are, I think they pale in the light of the protection of femininity, motherhood, and what we have come to appreciate in Western culture as the graceful conduct of women.

We simply do not want our women to fight. We simply do not want them to be subjected to the indescribable, unless you have been there, the horrors of the battlefield.

The oft-intoned surveys that we have heard have yet to show you even a reasonable minority of women who feel that they belong in combat units. Survey after survey and question after question, ad nauseam, is answered with the overwhelming majority, around 97 percent, with “No, I do not want to be in a combat unit. There is no purpose for me being there,” and the only purpose which has been stated, as we know, is for that pathetically few who strive to gain higher command and feel that they must have served in a combat unit to achieve command, or perhaps higher rank.

The issue then becomes, “I want to be in a combat unit or to serve in that unit, to serve in combat, to qualify myself for promotion,” and this, I must tell you, is the worst possible reason, because it is self-serving. It is self-aggrandizing. The only purpose is to further the interest of the individual, as opposed to improving the unit.

Now, combat Marines will tell you that any leader, junior or senior, who focuses on himself, as opposed to the good of the unit, is completely worthless as a leader and he will never be followed willingly, and he will never gain the respect of his Marines.
Combat Marines will also tell you that they distrust any leader who puts his own wellbeing and his own ambition ahead of the mission of the unit, or the good of the unit. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is precisely what is happening here. These extraordinarily few would-be generals are saying, “It is more important for me to be in a combat unit, so that, I may profit from that and become promoted than it is for the unit to be combat effective, combat ready, and successful in combat.” And that is precisely what they are saying. That’s exactly what this issue is. (It comes down to, “My ambition, my personal needs, are greater than the effectiveness of the unit or the wellbeing and the welfare of my Marines.”)

I think that is the issue to be decided. You must ask yourself, then, “Should we permit this aberration of good sense, of logic and the good of the unit? Must we permit that in order to permit an extraordinarily few to become generals and admirals, as they would wish to be?”

I cannot comment to you accurately, or even with experience, on whether a woman would be an effective pilot in combat, never having been a pilot myself. I will tell you at the same time, having been shot down in a helicopter at Khe Sanh on two consecutive days, different aircraft, that no woman could have sustained the crash of the aircraft or the physical effort necessary after the crash to evacuate myself and another 16 dead and wounded in order to remove myself from this combat necessity. No woman could have done that.

No woman remaining alive after such an event would have had the physical power to extract those killed and wounded men; the pilots and the crew, absolutely no one. To see them effectively out of this enemy sanctuary, with no friendlies around me, while I remained behind, I don’t think any of them would have done that, would have been physically able to do that, and if in fact they had chosen to do that.

Read the whole thing here.  Are we living in a fantasy land?  Do people really believe the movies where a 105 pound female kicks the dogshit out of a male attacker?

America is setting up its daughters for much pain and misery...and that's before they get to combat.

USMC advertising to minorities and women is wrong! We've done it right in the past!

Every service on the planet except the USMC is going hardcore.  They're showing warriors doing warrior shit.  Even the freaking US Army commercials has Soldiers doing helocasts and then taking a zodiac to the beach.

That shit stirs the soul.

That shit makes your dick or ovaries hard (hmm do ovaries get hard?)...forget the science and I don't care about the science YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!!

But have you seen the latest USMC advertisement?

What do I see?  Old people (nothing wrong with that....its coming my way), families, urban centers...NOTHING THAT WILL STIR THE SOUL OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT WILL DO VIOLENCE ON BEHALF OF THEIR COUNTRY!

I understand the outreach to minorities.  You want more minorities in the Corps?  Ok, but how about you ask the Marines that are serving or have served what attracted them to the Marines.  You want more women in the Corps?  Ok, but how about you ask the female Marines that are serving or have served what attracted them to the Marines.

Filling ads with more brothers than I saw in any Battalion that I've ever been to is not reality and is not important anyway.  Same with females, hispanics, asians...pick your poison!

The Marine Corps is and SHOULD REMAIN a place to test your mettle.  An institution that you need more than it needs you.

This current advertising scheme is a sin and disgrace.  Want to do it better? Want to appeal to minorities while keeping the culture/ethos/warrior spirit intact?  Ask me.  Even better?  Take a look at what you've done in the past!

OH! They shot him. Oooh shot him again! Warning! Graphic war footage!

⚠️Warning , the following video contains graphic content , viewer discretion is strongly advised ⚠️ - - Taliban runner shot in the head - - ❤ DOUBLE TAP pic 📌 TAG your friends 📍 DM your Pics/Vids 📡 Check My IG Stories👈 - - - 🚨We are sick 'n tired of our post being removed due to people reporting it. War is NOT something pretty so next time before reporting, go to my page and unfollow - - #ArmyStrong #Sailor  #Marine #Veterans #Military  #Brotherhood #Marines #Navy #AirForce #CoastGuard #UnitedStates #USArmy  #Soldier #NavySEALs #airborne #socialmedia -#operator #troops #tactical #Navylife #patriot #USMC #Veteran

A post shared by Jacob P. (@military_footage) on Mar 24, 2017 at 4:29pm PDT

Safeguard Transporters...

Hmm.  One of the truck routes is near me.  Not too surprising considering Barksdale is up the road a piece.

So how do I clock a Safeguard Transporter?  Look for a big rig being followed by a large 4x4 vehicle with a bull bumper, blacked out windows and carrying a bunch of guys looking for an excuse to get a bit of trigger time!

The sad thing?  Sooner or later (if it hasn't already happened and was deemed a state secret) someone is gonna make a run at one of these trucks.

Open Comment Post. March 25, 2017

Do you have true power?

T-72B4?

Thanks to S300V4 for the link!

Wow.  A T-72B4?  I need a chart that details all the upgrades to this tank and how the Russians rank them as far as capabilities.  They have the T-90, various versions of the T-72 and now the Armata.  What tank is the most capable (leaving out the Armata).  If a unit has T-90's is it more highly regarded than one that uses T-72B4's?

I need to make nice with an intel bubba to help me sort this stuff.

FED Alpha Update! It lives! Well...sorta...

Remember the "Blast from the past" that I did a little while ago on the FED Alpha?  Remember how I wanted one sitting in my garage and how many wondered if the Army auctioned off the experimental vehicles that they built for personal use by some millionaire?

Well I got an answer this morning from one of the engineers on the project (name won't be used...I didn't get permission and I don't want to Blue Falcon someone) and it's a mix of good and bad news.

The good?  The Army has the vehicle, so it lives.

The bad?  It's a cost saving measure...they'll use it for parts on the next project that pops up.

This!  This is why it's so important for military enthusiasts to develop personal libraries on every vehicle they can.  We're seeing history and it must be preserved.  So consider this a public service announcement.  Save pics, brochures...anything you can so that future generations can have a look-see at some of the concepts that were being worked on during our time.

A future armor geek will thank you for it.

Open Comment Post. March 24, 2017

Another article on China's growing (by 400%) Marine Corps...

via The Diplomat.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is set to increase the size of its Marine Corps from about 20,000 to 100,000, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on March 13. According to unnamed PLA insiders and experts interviewed by SCMP, elements of the expanded Marine Corps would be stationed abroad, including Djibouti in the Horn of Africa and Gwadar in southwest Pakistan.

The PLA Marine Corps (PLAMC), part of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has gradually been expanding its size over the last couple of years as its mission is slowly expanding from conducting operations in China’s coastal areas — including defending Chinese holdings in the East and South China Seas, next to preparing for a possible amphibious assault on Taiwan — to more global roles.

“The PLA marines will be increased to 100,000, consisting of six brigades in the coming future to fulfill new missions of our country,” a source told SCMP. The source also noted that two combat brigades were already transferred to the PLAMC, increasing the size from roughly 12,000 (two understrength brigades) to around 20,000.

Each PLAMC brigade is divided up into one armored regiment and two marine battalions. The brigades are equipped with ZBD05 Tracked Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicles and ZLT05 Tracked Amphibious Assault Guns. The ZBD05 is reportedly one of the fasted amphibious assault vehicles, capable of top speeds of 45 km/h in the water.

According to IHS Jane’s, China’s Ministry of Defense may is also considering
equipping its PLAMC brigades with the Norinco ZTL-11 8×8 amphibious assault vehicle.

As I reported in January 2015, China purportedly is expanding its amphibious mechanized infantry divisions (AMID) from two to four or from about 30,000 to 60,000 men. Each division is equipped with up to 300 armored and amphibious transport vehicles, including ZBD05s and ZLT05s, but also heavier main battle tanks and associated equipment.

Story here.

Once again we're seeing everyone moving in an opposite direction from the USMC.

The Chinese Marine Corps is going to be an armored powerhouse.  Meanwhile we're doing everything we can to strip our MEU's of anything bigger than a JLTV or MTVR.  HQMC must be brilliant beyond description or their view of the future battlefield is way off.  Since I'm screaming for armor now, that means that if I'm right the future will see our Marines filling body bags instead of winning battles.

The lust for aviation and the stubborn "stay the course because we're locked in a generational war chasing terrorist in the Middle East" will be the reason why the Marine Corps gets skull crushed in the battle against the Red Chinese.

The solution?  Reinforce (Enhance) the MEU!  Add more artillery, tanks etc...to its force structure.  Start deploying with Mobile Landing Platforms as part of the current Amphibious Ready Group (an LHD/LHA, LPD, and LSD) or add another LSD to the mix (my preferred option).  We can add firepower, Marines, armor and even additional helos to every MEU to make them almost a MEB(-) that can truly take ground and hold it against the advanced threats we see today.

Hey Commandant. In case you forgot...

pic via Bmashina Tumblr Page.

The battle for Nasiriyah

Hey Commandant,

In case you forgot.  We need better armor now.  Not a year or two from now after dicking around with bullshit testing.  Not a couple of years later after you "sort the budget" so that you can pleasure the Wing behind the building.

We need it now.

Sincerely,

Snafu Blog.

For my readers.  Check this out via Wikipedia...

RCT-1 pushes through Ambush Alley[edit]
The advance of Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) through Nasiriyah was delayed by fighting there. On the evening of 24 March, LAVs of the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (2nd LAR, commanded by Lt. Col. Eddie Ray) pushed north of the Saddam Canal, leading RCT-1 through Ambush Alley. With Apache Company in the lead, 2nd LAR attacked north on Highway 7, coming under fire from a heavily defended compound north of the city. Two anti-aircraft guns protected the approach to the compound. After coming under fire from Reconnaissance Scouts, LAVs, M1A1 tanks, Cobra gunships and artillery, Iraqi resistance subsided.[citation needed]
During this time 3/2 Lima Company, known by the Iraqi Army as "The Destroyers" and by their fellow Marines as simply "Light em up Lima" with javelin, sniper, and gunship support conducted many successful offensive operations inflicting a devastating number of casualties on the hostile Iraqi forces operating in the area.
That evening Marine 2nd LAR Bn 81 mm mortar crews took position and eliminated known sniper positions which previously had US Army elements pinned down throughout the city. At dusk, 2nd LAR established a perimeter 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) north of Nasiriyah. However, a huge sandstorm rolled in, cutting off communication with main elements to the south in Nasiriyah. As 2nd LAR set up a defensive perimeter for the evening, Iraqi reinforcements were mobilized and sent south to Nasiriyah from Kut, unaware of 2nd LARs defensive position. When the Iraqi force ran into 2nd LAR they surrounded them from every direction, taking positions among the surrounding hillside. Using a combination of overwhelming direct firepower by Reconnaissance Scouts, a M1A1 tank, battalion LAV-25s, LAV ATs, and LAV AD vehicles, the battalion engaged the Iraqi forces. Simultaneously, 81 mm mortar crews eliminated Iraqi positions throughout the hillside by indirect fire as well as a strategic ammunition supply point (ASP) used by Iraqi forces during the first half of the attack.[citation needed]

The last Iraqi attack was beaten off just after dawn and a large number of Iraqi prisoners taken afterwards. The battalion estimated that around 300 Iraqi soldiers were killed along with an unknown number of civilians who were loaded by force onto buses while Iraqi troops occupied the rear sections in the hope of breaking the Marines defensive position. There were no U.S. casualties. The battle would later be called "The Battle of the Coil" and was, at that time, thought to be the longest sustained battle by US Marines since the Vietnam War.[citation needed]

Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (the "Thundering Third", commanded by Lt. Col. Craparotta) held open Ambush Alley as the rest of RCT-1 passed through Nasiriyah on the night of 24–25 March.[citation needed]

Partly as a result of RCT-1's delay, Colonel Joe Dowdy was later relieved of command of RCT-1.[22]

Hey diddle diddle.  Straight up the fuckin middle.

Read here and wonder.  We celebrate battles of the past, but why won't anyone even talk about this heroic action? 

French to upgrade Rafale's to F4 standard. Payloads with a decent platform?

via Defense Aerospace.

During the March 20 meeting of the Ministerial Investment Committee, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian decided to authorize the launch of initial development of the new F4 standard for the Rafale combat aircraft.

This standard, integrating experience and feedback from combat operations, should contribute to strengthen the Rafale's capabilities to operate alone or as part of a coalition. New developments will include improvements to network working methods, sensor developments and their integration.

The F4 standard will also take into account the expected evolutions of missiles, of the power plant and the integration of new capabilities. The first aircraft fully equipped to this new standard should be commissioned by 2025, but certain functionalities will be available as early as 2023.

This new standard is part of the continuing evolution of the aircraft which will progressively constitute the entire French manned combat aircraft fleet.

The launch of a future tranche of Rafale aircraft will be decided by the next LPM multi-year program law to meet the requirements of the Air Force. 

Interesting.

New engines, new networking methods, new sensors and the evolution of power plants.

Are we seeing a variation of the US Navy's "payloads over platforms" meme? Could we say that the French have adopted "payloads with a decent platform"?  If so, then I say brilliant.  We're seeing the same with Super Hornet and I think that is the most practical and cost effective approach.

F-35 Program Office takes aim at LM's crazy supply chain!

via Defense News.

“We’ve got a compendium of many kinds of initiatives that have already started or that we will start in the future. That compendium is up for review with the secretary of defense as we speak,” said Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the F-35 joint program office (JPO) head. “I can't comment on what he's going to do with that, whether he is going to pick from it like a menu or say, ‘Go do all of these.’”

Some items on the menu include contracting options that would allow the government a discount for buying in bulk, including block buys, economic order quantity and multiyear purchases. Other options involve changes to training and operations that would slash overall cost, such as relying more on simulator training instead of expensive live red air exercises, he said during a speech at the McAleese/Credit Suisse conference.

The JPO also wants to put increased pressure on F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin and its supply chain. Bogdan pointed out that his affordability goals have changed over the past several years: instead of wanting an $85 million F-35A unit cost by 2019, Lockheed will be expected to offer an $80 million dollar A-model by 2020.

To get there, Lockheed most likely will have to scrutinize its supply chain and cut out companies that bring little value — such as a middleman that issues a purchase offer to a supplier on Lockheed’s behalf. 
“There are things that industry could be doing today to drive costs out of this airplane that they ought to be doing themselves, and if they don’t, then the government is going to help them do it. Like de-layering the supply chain, for one,” he said. Lockheed’s first cost initiative, called the Blueprint for Affordability, captured the “low-hanging fruit,” netting savings that were “just okay,” but Bogdan said more could be done to manage low-tier suppliers.

A couple of things.

They're still beating the drum on doing multi-year or block buy purchases of a plane that is still jacked up beyond recognition.  In essence he's asking the SecDef to change the law so that they can get a substandard plane into service.  My fear is that if he gets his way the costs will explode even more. I have yet to see a good figure on what it costs to fix "mistake jets" but to buy an item knowing that it will need to be fixed is beyond me!

Next.

I've wondered about the crazy supply chain that has suppliers in alot of states and hands out contracts to F-35 buyers like candy.  No way it could be efficient but it did insulate the plane from proper Congressional scrutiny.  If they go with this plan then it will spell doom to the program.  If a Congress Critter can't point to jobs in his district and then looks at the price of the plane then its game over.

This affordability roadmap/plan is a joke.  They can't save anymore money because if they do then they'll wreck themselves.

I look forward to seeing what SecDef Mattis decides. 

Some computer geek in my audience needs to lend a hand!

Hey fellow tribe members!

Most of us are gun guys.  Fitness freaks.  Just plain dudes (no insult to the female lurkers but I've seen the demographic breakdown).  But do we have any computer geeks?

My problem?  I'm trying to get this podcast thing done with ELP and the setup is, to be frank, beyond me.  The actual problem?  The software to get the audio up on YouTube and even to get it to record!

I downloaded Audacity, got a cheap mic and I thought I was ready to march.  I was wrong.  Don't tell me where I went wrong here.  Don't bother telling me how simple it is, how your child could do it and I'm just a "typical idiot Jarhead" (be advised there are some REALLY smart people that reside in the Corps!).

Give me a shout over on my e-mail and walk me thru this stuff.  I appreciate it in advance.

Side note:  For all my supporters?  Luv you guys and this podcast thing IS the next frontier for Snafu Blog...its just not gonna happen on schedule!  For all my haters?  You're gonna hear my voice telling you the painful truth that has you curled up in the fetal position saying "mommie make the bad man stop"!