Blast from the past. Dickie Mason's tragic story... via Historical Times.

Dickie Manson, 11 year old Australian boy who was court-martialed for espionage and executed by a Japanese firing squad

Here.

Czech Vera-NG. Passive Detection System. The real stealth killer?

Thanks to Drinas for the link!

via POGO

An even simpler system that is even harder to counter than a long wavelength search radar is a passive detection system (PDS) that detects and tracks the radio frequency (RF) signals emitted by an aircraft—radar signals, UHF and VHF radio signals, identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) signals, data link signals like Link-16, and navigation transponder signals like TACAN.

A good example of a modern PDS is the VERA-NG, a Czech system being sold internationally that uses three or more receiving antennas spaced well apart to detect and track and identify the RF signals emitted by fighters and bombers. The system’s central analysis module calculates the time difference of the signals reaching the receivers to identify, locate, and track up to 200 aircraft transmitting radar signals. The VERA-NG is only one of many types of PDS used throughout the world: the Russians, Chinese, and others produce PDSs, as well, and these have been widely fielded for several years.

Info on the Vera-NG here. 

Forgetting the troubled and horribly broken F-35 for a minute.  Is this system and others like it "stealth killers"?

Neller considers going all M27 for Marine Infantry.

Thanks to AC for the link!

via Business Insider.

The Marines are considering arming more of its infantry with a lightweight, highly reliable automatic rifle, but there’s one catch: It costs about three times more than the rifle that is currently standard issue.

The standard-issue M4 carbine could be replaced by the M27 infantry automatic rifle. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said the M27s that have already been deployed are "the most reliable, durable, and accurate weapons in our rifle squads," according to Marine Corps Times.

The M27, a variation of the HK416 built by the German gunmaker Heckler & Koch, sells for about $3,000. The M4, which is used by most Army and Marines combat units, is manufactured by Colt Defense and FN America and costs less than $1,000.

If the Marines equipped 11,000 infantry riflemen — the number under discussion — with the M27, the price tag would be about $33 million.

The M27 is said to be far superior to the M4, but Marine Corps Times quoted Neller as saying that while he is looking at a new weapon for infantry Marines, "we have to balance improved capabilities and increased lethality with cost." But, he added, "our infantry Marines should be the most lethal force we can afford."

I'm conflicted.  I like the M27 more as the standard battle rifle for Marines rather than a SAW replacement but...can we afford it?

The Marine Corps once hung its hat on being the most cost effective military force in the Pentagon.  Those days are close (if they're not already) to being over and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

How many more gold plated solutions can we ask the taxpayer to swallow? Will we reach a point where the Marines aren't worth the cost?  Are we pricing ourselves out of a mission?  How much longer can you justify unique/expensive solutions to problem sets that even the freaking US Army can solve for less money?

Yeah.  I'm conflicted, confused and concerned.  Yet I still want the weapon.  Glad this isn't on my desk waiting for a decision!

Rise of the wheeled tanks...

Japanese Maneuver Combat Vehicle

Italian Centauro II

I just had a "force of connection".  While I have yet to hear an explanation of why fighting in mega cities will be worth the high casualties, protracted conflict, and the impossibility of actually accomplishing a military objective it seems that everyone in our Defense Dept is onboard that train.

With that being the case then the way we think about armored vehicles and especially tanks will shift.

What I'm saying in a drawn out fashion is that we're about to see the rise of the wheeled tanks.

Why?

Think about it.  We've already reached a point where kinetic weapons can penetrate anything on the battlefield.  Even RPG-29's have been shown to penetrate weak points on the M1 Abrams (cool your jets...it was once classified but is in the open now).  So with that being the case what is the answer?  Lighter weight (not that 40 tons is light), higher mobility on roads (remember mega cities are not rural locales) and massive guns to deal with
enemy fortifications.  What will be the protection values?  Probably armored to deal with medium caliber cannons (talking probably proof against 30mm up to 40mm in the future), equipped with APS (to deal with infantry ATGM) and able to deal with IEDs.  What will be the caliber gun?  I'm not sure yet.  We see a couple with standard 120mm cannons.  The future might see an evolution toward even larger caliber guns designed to destroy buildings, fortifications etc.  Think along the lines of the WW2 Sturmtiger but with a turret and of course advanced ammo.

This is of course speculation but we're seeing trends that indicate that planners are seeing the battlefield in a different way.  Away from the countryside and unfortunately in the city.

General Dynamics European Land System's SIAC...state of the art 155/52 caliber towed howitzer with self-propelled capabilities

Gents...you talk about artillery all the time but one offering has hardly been mentioned.  If you're not familiar then let me introduce you to General Dynamic European Land Systems SAIC 155/52 howitzer (page here).

I can't imagine why it hasn't seen more widespread use.  It has limited self propelled capabilities, seems to have superior off road ability...the only thing in doubt is this.  Can you sling load this monster?  Even if you can't I don't see the real problem.  Heliborne artillery raids are a myth.  I don't see it happening in real life (if you can name an example outside of Gulf War 1 then I'm all ears).  So why isn't this large caliber howitzer in demand?

EXF 8x8

Looking for pics of this vehicle undergoing testing and not just on display.  If you have any please share.

Italian Trieste Class LHD

Thanks to Eris for the pics!

I didn't even know this was thing!  Fincantieri is building a mini-aircraft carrier it seems.  Is that where we're going with LHDs?  If so then do they become in essence capital ships too valuable to actual risk in doing their jobs?

I wonder.

Website here.

Open Comment Post. April 5, 2017.

Norwegian army can only defend an area of about 600 square kilometers

via Sputnik.

The Norwegian army can only defend an area of about 600 square kilometers, which corresponds to a single medium-size Norwegian municipality (out of 426), a new army report has found to the embarrassment of the Norwegian Defense Ministry.

Last year, Norway adopted a new long-term defense plan for the army and the home guard. A new report by Brigadier Aril Brandvik has identified crucial drawbacks in the defense plan, which in effect leaves the Nordic country virtually defenseless. According to the Brandvik report, which was made public by the Norwegian daily Aftenposten, the Norwegian Armed Forces were found to be suffering from low combat readiness and lacking "real battle force" against a technically sophisticated opponent.

With the exception of the Telemark battalion (with around 470 soldiers), intelligence battalion and special forces, the Norwegian Army was found to lack units that are ready for battle within a few hours. With only one brigade, and with weak range of anti-aircraft and artillery, the Norwegian Armed Forces was found to be able to defend an area corresponding to a middle-size Norwegian municipality with an area of 600 square kilometers, such as Rissa, Vardø and Førde — compared to the country's total area of 385,000 square kilometers. The highly limited impact force made it thus difficult to defend Norway from potential aggression until the arrival of allies. 

Read the entire article and stuff your talk about this being from a propaganda site.  Sputnik quotes directly from a Norwegian paper.

The truth is stark.

The Norwegian Army and by extension the country is in trouble.  IF (and I still have yet to hear a reasonable explanation of why Russia would invade them) they were to face even moderate aggression the country would fall.

BAE/Iveco SuperAV candidate for the USMC Amphibious Combat Vehicle program swims from ship to shore...

via Janes.

During the two-day trial the vehicle was launched and recovered by operators with Italy's San Marco Brigade from the San Giorgio-class San Marco (L 9893) amphibious ship, Signorelli told Jane's on 4 April at Navy League's Sea-Air-Space exposition.

Time to go thru my files but I'd bet body parts this isn't the first time this vehicle has been tested swimming from ship to shore. I'm almost positive.

CH-53K King Stallion: The Modern Solution for True Heavy Lift

Politics Talk. The Susan Rice affair shows a terrible truth...

Have you been following the "scandal" of the Russians disclosing what the Dem party leadership actually thought about the American people?  Do you remember what the Obama Admin did when they couldn't find any solid proof of Russian and Trump collaboration/cooperation?  If not then check this out via the New York Times.

 In the Obama administration’s last days, some White House officials scrambled to spread information about Russian efforts to undermine the presidential election — and about possible contacts between associates of President-elect Donald J. Trump and Russians — across the government. Former American officials say they had two aims: to ensure that such meddling isn’t duplicated in future American or European elections, and to leave a clear trail of intelligence for government investigators.

Dems were crowing.

They thought they had the perfect strategy.  Strategic leaks (without any official actually going on the record...it's almost like the reporters could simply make shit up) that damaged the administration, were widely accepted as fact without proof and besides denials could not be refuted, seemed like a fool proof way to knock the incoming administration off its stride before it could get started.

Then we have this today.  via Zero Hedge

"Rice's multiple requests to learn the identities of Trump officials discussed in intelligence reports during the transition period does highlight a longstanding concern for civil liberties advocates about U.S. surveillance programs. The standard for senior officials to learn the names of U.S. persons incidentally collected is that it must have some foreign intelligence value, a standard that can apply to almost anything. This suggests Rice's unmasking requests were likely within the law."
Perhaps, but they also served a key political purpose: to create a media firestorm of controversy involving the Trump team, and to delegitimize Donald Trump as much as possible.

 You think this is about two political parties fighting it out?  You're wrong.  If they can weaponize the national intel services to go after a portion of our elected govt then imagine what they can do to the average guy on the street.

The terrorist won.  We are living in a gilded police state.  The tools are more sophisticated, the actions cloaked in legalize but the effects are the same.  You can be rounded up in the middle of the night, accused of a crime (terrorism) and be helpless to fight it.

Even more worrisome?  The Deep State has morphed into such a huge monster that it no longer hides.  It's shown its face, bared its teeth and is actively seeking to destroy (soft coup) the duly elected President (or at least incapacitate him to such a degree to make him irrelevant during his term) of the United States.

I don't fear a President no matter how mad.  Our constitution has protections to balance his power and limit the damage he/she can do.  But a defacto police state with the power of 17 civilian/military intel agencies?  How does one man stand against that?

Maybe I'm over reacting and misreading this.  If I am then talk me off this ledge, but it sure seems like we missed the big issue of our time while chasing terrorist in the desert.  Star Wars had it right...



We should have listened to Franklin...

Forgotten amphibs slated to be re-tasked...

via Defense Tech

New Navy seabasing and logistics ships may get a high-performance makeover — or several — as the service emphasizes innovation and ingenuity.

In a panel at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference Monday, the service’s head of fleet readiness and logistics, Vice Adm. Philip Cullom, said ships such as the expeditionary fast transport (EPF) and the expeditionary transfer dock (ESD) offer a wide scope of possibility, with uncommitted available space and maneuverability.

The EPF, previously known as the Joint High-Speed Vessel, was designed for rapid intra-theater transport of cargo. The modestly sized 340-foot vessels have proven useful in places such as U.S. Southern Command, where larger ships are often unavailable to move troops and gear in theater.

Both the EPF and the ESD, a platform based on a civilian oil tanker with a submersible deck, are part of a family of seabasing ships, designed for logistics and prepositioning and envisioned as a partial substitute for scarce amphibious ships.

For Cullom, the boxy EPF shouts possibility.

“It has a tremendous amount of cube, volume that isn’t necessary filled with anything, but it can be,” he said. “It certainly helps us out from a logistics standpoint, but just imagine if you could be able to put a hospital inside of it, or you could put all sorts of different [mission] packages inside. Think of how that changes our agility, maneuverability and — potentially — lethality.”

As far back as 2014, the Navy experimented with using the EPF as a miniature hospital ship or a floating ambulance, fitting it with an optimized package of medical gear and sending it to locations that might not be reached by the service’s slow-moving full-sized hospital ships, Comfort and Mercy.

Cullom said he’s looking at other uses for the EPF and the ESD and encouraging creativity from the fleet in employing the ships in novel ways.

“If you think about the cube below the main deck of those ships, there is no limitation,” he said.

This is craziness!

What exactly is the goal here?

If we're gonna split up the MEU so that our ships can do independent ship operations acting as hospital ships, conducting small scale exercises and showing the flag then why repurpose these ships?

But even if you're a fan of them being repurposed then why not simply build on the package that we have with the ESD?  The upper level as a flight deck and the lower level as a hospital would see a no brainer.  They would maintain their modularity and could quickly be converted back to a pure SOCOM support role with little difficulty.

With a little imagination you could even enhance the structure, build it out and have a mini-LHA.

The sad reality?  What we really need is already in service with the French.  We simply need to bite the bullet and buy extremely flexible, mercantile standard Mistrals for our future amphibious fleet.  The current mix of big deck LHAs, LHDs, LPDs and LSDs no longer fit what the Marine Corps is doing.

A few America Class LHAs without well deck and the rest of our amphibious ships being Mistral classes would better fit the direction that Marine Corps leadership is laying out.  I don't agree with it, but it fits.

US Army hydrogen fuel cell 4x4...

Thanks to Jonathan for the link!

via MoneyCNN

When an enemy is looking for you, especially an enemy with night vision technology, you want to keep cool and quiet. That's why General Motors and the United States Army developed the hydrogen-powered Chevrolet ZH2 off-road truck.

The 6½-foot tall ZH2 doesn't burn hydrogen. Instead, it pumps hydrogen into a fuel cell where it's combined with oxygen. That creates water (H2O) while, at same time, releasing a stream of electrical energy to power the vehicle.

The truck was developed by GM (GM) in cooperation with the United States Army's Tank Automotive Research and Development Center (TARDEC), headquartered near Detroit. Underneath its camouflaged Kevlar-reinforced carbon fiber skin, the ZH2 is based on the GM's Chevrolet Colorado mid-sized pickup.

The big ZH2 is very quiet, but it's not completely silent. When it starts up there is a whoosh of air being sucked in. When it's moving, as it did recently through an off-road course at GM's Milford Proving Grounds, there is some noise from the tires, suspension, electric motors and splashing mud. But, compared to a rumbling diesel truck, it's nearly silent. In military parlance, there is minimal "acoustic signature."

Since the truck isn't burning any fuel, it doesn't give off much heat that could be picked up by heat-sensing night vision cameras. In other words, there's not much of a "thermal signature" either.

Added bonus: Soldiers can drink the exhaust.

"We're not doing it in this vehicle, but it is possible for us to take the exhaust gas from the engine, or the fuel cell, and actually create potable water," said Brian Butrico, with the U.S. Army's Research and Development and Engineering Command. "The soldiers can actually create their own drinking water as they're operating the vehicle."

Refueling the truck will be different from refueling a truck with liquid fuel. The ZH2's thick-walled storage tank -- GM engineers went through 38 saw blades trying to cut one in half for a display -- is filled with compressed hydrogen gas.

Although hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it doesn't ordinarily exist as a free-floating gas. It has to be extracted from substances that contain hydrogen, like water or hydrocarbon fuels. That can be done using portable devices that can run on solar or battery power or that plug in to a local electrical grid.

"Our machine will take JP8, which is the common military fuel, and convert it right into hydrogen," said Butrico. Where ever it goes, it can make its own fuel.

Hydrogen gas could also be made from any sources on hand wherever the truck happens to be, he said. It takes about 3 minutes to fill the fuel tank, according to GM. With five to six kilograms of hydrogen -- about 12 pounds -- the ZH2 can go about 200 to 300 miles, said Charlie Freese, executive director for GM's fuel cell business. It could go as far as 400 miles with a hydrogen tank optimized for longer range, he explained.

Prior to creating the ZH2, GM and the military had been experimenting with hydrogen fuel cells in strictly road-going crossover SUVs. Today, Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC) and Hyundai (HYMTF) have fuel cell vehicles available for lease or sale to the general public in California.

China now able to mass produce submarines...

Thanks to Ben for the link!

via The Next Big Future.

China's Bohai Shipyard has built a new large-scale plant to mass produce nuclear submarines.

Western production lines for the most part can only build one submarine at a time, and only the US is capable of building two submarines simultaneously, but China is now capable of building four submarines at one time.

China already has at least four type 094/094A ballistic missile submarines and at least five Type 093/093G attack submarines, so it is speculated that the new facility is to build the successor third-generation classes of Type 096 ballistic missile submarines and Type 095 attack submarines. The new submarines will be built using modular fabrication techniques. The projection is made that Chinese nuclear submarine production will double its rate within two to three years.

China currently has about three submarine production lines and can build 5 to 6 submarines at one time. This would mean in three years China could be building ten to twelve submarines at one time.

China is going to match our capabilities the board...to include our ace, our sub force.  Continued focus on the Russians is old thinking.  Russia wants respect.  China wants domination.  They're the clear and present danger.

82nd Airborne testing LAV-25's???? PICS!!!

CAPTION---FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Mar. 31, 2017) – Light Armored Vehicle-25s from Bravo Troop, 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, line up in a tactical formation during a live fire training exercise. The event is part of an Army’s pilot program to test the capabilities of the LAV-25s. The event is part of an Army’s pilot program to test the capabilities of the LAV-25s.

To my Marine Corps brothers! The Army is coming for our mission sets. Past time to jealously protect our role/function. Cross domain is a smoke screen!  Don't be fooled.

Spanish Army Leopard 2A7's on exercise (pics)

Open Comment Post. April 4, 2017.

Germany May Buy Marines’ King Stallion Helicopter

via DoD Buzz

German officials are interested in buying about 40 of the ultra heavy-lift rotorcraft to replace their aging CH-53G/GA/GS aircraft, program officials said Monday at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference.

And that prospect could drive unit cost down and make the development of additional capabilities more efficient, both key selling points for the Corps, the King Stallion’s primary buyer.

Rep. Niki Tsongas, a Massachusetts Democrat, made headlines in March when she said in a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing that lawmakers had been briefed on a program cost increase, which, she said, would increase King Stallion unit cost to $122 million.

Marine Col. Henry Vanderborght, program manager for Heavy Lift Helicopters for Naval Air Systems Command, pushed back emphatically on that figure, saying the total program unit cost — now estimated to top $130 million, according to a Government Accountability Office report released last week — should not be conflated with the unit recurring flyaway cost, which includes just the cost of aircraft production and not the sunk costs of development.

Don't be fooled.  The Germans are seeking to buy a bit of good will with the Trump admin.  Who knew that demanding allies to step up to defend themselves could boost US defense sales?

L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle

Brits should just bite the bullet and buy Canadian AR's.