Thursday, February 27, 2020

The French are interested in the CH-47F?


via FlightGlobal.com
The French air force has finally confirmed a long-rumoured interest in acquiring heavy-lift helicopters for special forces missions and is studying different options, including leasing a pair of Boeing CH-47F Chinooks as a trial before making any purchase.

In addition, the service hopes to shortly outline an upgrade package for its fleet of Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracals and is also working to define possible tri-service requirements for a next-generation rotorcraft post-2040.
Story here.

This is interesting.  Not because the French are interested (although that's a bit stunning) but because I believe a French order for the CH-47F could affect the way the Germans go.

For better or worse, France is seeking to take over European leadership in the area of military affairs.  From my chair it appears that out of all the European countries, the French are pushing hardest for a European solution.

Which brings me back to their interest in the CH-47F.

If the French go that way then I believe they'll push Germany to follow them so that they can get "economies of scale" not only in the initial purchase but to also setup a maintenance hub that is purely European in nature.

I could be wrong but that's how I see it.
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Strike Industries Mass Driver Comp



Yeah baby.  Gonna order this next paycheck!
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Cobra Gold 20: AAV Launch Aboard USS Green Bay...pics by Petty Officer 3rd Class Maria Llanos





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Commander, Task Force 56 Conducts Training Exercises with Mark VI Patrol Boats...Video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher OGrady



These guys were all over the web, then some of their boats got captured and they got hammered.  Accusations hurled at some folks.  A few others supposedly acted badly in the face of the enemy.  I think a CO got fired and a LT got a bad letter in his SRB and the whole command went silent.

Now they seem to be raising their heads with new boats and apparently a new reason for being.

Good for them.

I hope all goes well and they're good to go.
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The World Health Organization is criminal for not declaring the Coronavirus an epidemic...

Small Rant.

The World Health Organization was, in my personal opinion, the only functioning part of the UN.  Everything else was a broken mess.

Now?

They're as jacked up as the rest of the place.



That simple graph lays it out in stunning detail.  This thing is worldwide.  How bad?  We can all debate that.  I have my opinion, you have yours.  What can't be debated is that getting ahead of this monster is key to TRYING to contain it as much as possible.

The WHO isn't helping.  As a matter of fact by NOT, declaring a pandemic they're making what I believe is a mistake.  The short term pain will be negligble.  The stock market is already tanking around the world.  The economic pain is already starting to be felt.

If they declare a pandemic we can start taking concrete, non-controversial steps to contain this thing (those same steps taken outside of a declared pandemic will fall into the usual political infighting).

This is not going to be good folks.  Have you looked for N95 masks?  You can find them but their cost is outrageous.  Should have jumped on this when I first warned about it (yeah...a bit more chest thumping...but fuck it..I was right!).
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1st MarDiv @ Exercise Arctic Edge 2020

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9 Turk troops killed in Syria...

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Is this the most powerful Corvette in the world?



Nicholas Drummond did a tick tock of this ship's weapon systems and to say they're impressive is an understatement.  If this isn't the most powerful Corvette in the world then its got to be in the top 5.
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We focus on Coronavirus while East Africa is facing famine caused by locust swarms...



The world economy is gonna take a hit, oil prices will plummet and we're facing the issue of migration this time caused by starvation, not war (assuming those poor souls even have the strength to move) .... all at the same time.

We pissed God off and he's tapping us on the shoulder.  What else explains all this (not gonna mention crime, the regional war in the Middle East and other catastrophes happening at this time).
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Missed this. US Navy and Marine Corps preparing to mobilize to fight Coronavirus...

via Military Times.
U.S. Northern Command is executing plans to prepare for a potential pandemic of the novel coronavirus, now called COVID19, according to Navy and Marine Corps service-wide messages issued this week.

An executive order issued by the Joint Staff and approved by Defense Secretary Mark Esper this month directed Northern Command and geographic combatant commanders to initiate pandemic plans, which include ordering commanders to prepare for widespread outbreaks and confining service members with a history of travel to China.

The Navy and Marine Corps messages, issued Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, reference an executive order directing U.S. Northern Command to implement the Department of Defense Global Campaign plan for Pandemic Influenza and Infectious Diseases 3551-13.

The document serves as the Pentagon’s blueprint for planning and preparing for widespread dispersion of influenza and previously unknown diseases.

U.S. Northern Command said Wednesday it was directed the Joint Staff Feb. 1 to commence “prudent planning” in their assigned role synchronizing the department’s plans for pandemic flu and disease.
Story here. 

How did I miss this?  This is from Feb 12, 2020.  Trump can get slammed for the US govt not acting but apparently they were making behind the scene moves a bit ago.

That's what was reported and we all missed it.  The only reason why I even did a Google search is because I heard a talking head state that the US Army was preparing to mobilize.

Amazing.

Question.  How many more of you are gonna keep saying this ain't serious or a concern?  Reminds me of the dudes in the horror movies that do shit that defies explanation and end up dead.
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Russia tests its Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile from a ship...



Wow.  They're moving forward hard on hypersonics.  I thought lasers would be the nullifier to this threat but my audience shot me down (pun intended).

So how do we defend against this threat?  We know that China will either buy the tech from Russia or steal it if they're denied so we have to get ready.
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Boeing proposes a new toy to go with the F-15EX...

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Never realized how huge Bison are...


Gotta give Native Americans credit.  Hunting down an animal that large without firearms is big.  Brave stuff.  Wonder how many lost their lives to them?  Kinda makes ya marvel at primitive man hunting down mastodons back in the day huh?
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The HH-60 is good but it ain't no Jolly Green Giant!



Don't get me wrong.  The HH-60 might be a boss bird but it can't hold a candle to that old warhorse.  The Jolly Green Giant that the Air Force flew in Vietnam was and will remain the BIG DAWG!







A couple of things.  I think the USAF made a terrible mistake by not going with a larger airframe.  The EH-101 would have been ideal (in my opinion), the CV-22 good and the CH-47 better platforms.  My rationale is that the EH-101 hits all the sweet spots for size, range, and speed.  The CV-22 hits it for the same with the down side being rotar wash for rescuing people which alone is probably why it wasn't considered.  The CH-47 would have been awesome for its size advantage, speed and range too.  But being so large makes me wonder how effective it would be in the role.  Honorable mention goes to the CH-53K.  That would have been the ULTIMATE Jolly Green Giant II, but it arrived too late.

Regardless I don't see the HH-60 serving in this role very long.  It's just too small, the Para-Rescue guys are using vehicles now so it's payload is too restricted and the number of people it can carry out is limited too.  Won't go into speed and range.

My verdict.  Short term go with the EH-101.  Long term look at the CH-53K.
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Open Comment Post. 27 Feb 2020.


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Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Geez! Army Chaplains are hardcore...


Wow.  That's some Southern Baptist fire and brimstone praying!  I know there has to be one out there...an Army Chaplain with a Ranger Tab...probably this bubba!  LOL!
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Looks like the Syrian Army is about to win the Battle of Idlib...

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Community spread of the Coronavirus in N. California...this thing is already a pandemic..



Look up community spread.  Then be advised that its been acknowledged in N. California and if the authorities were honest in New York.

Look up the countries that have found cases of this virus.

Yep.  This is already a pandemic.

It's time folks.  Even if you're not a prepper you should take steps to stockpile a few items NOW.  Wait at your own peril but don't aim for the big stuff.  It's the little things that'll go missing.
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Winter Weather Driving Course....Video by Sgt. Devin Andrews

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Syria is forever a Russian client...



I get the idea behind the intervention in Syria.  Knock off Assad, install a friendly govt, Westernize them (although they were pretty darn secular and modern before the war) and then turn them into an ally of the US in particular and the West in general forever.

The opposite has occurred.

Even if Assad were killed tomorrow we would still see Syria in the clutch of Russia.

From my chair this has gone beyond the head of the Syrian govt and has spread to the people.

I just get the impression that this is now personal for them (and how could it not) and they're totally grateful to the Russians.

The question we should be asking is this.  We screwed up and pushed them toward Russia.  Is there anyway that we can mitigate the damage and PERHAPS get them to at least talk to us in the future?  Is there anyway we could POSSIBLY establish relations?

Anything less than a declaration of withdrawal (with the guarantee of safety for the Kurds to be provided by Russia and Syria...got to get another dig into Turkey) I think just won't work.

But does Trump have the courage? 

If he can somehow muster up the strength to get us out of the Middle East and Afghanistan and to limit our exposure in Africa I think it would help him politically.

Failing that it would help his legacy.

Time will tell.
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