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Monday, August 03, 2020
Russian Navy exercise "Ocean Shield-2020" at the Khmelevka training ground (pics)
Army Diver Discusses Underwater Recovery Missions
Chilling but important video describing the recovery of personnel after a tragedy.
They're doing God's work here. Good on them for helping bring closure to families.
US Army Prepares Live-Fire Test of Anti-Air Version of Stryker Armored Vehicle After Pandemic Delays
via Sputnik
A modified version of the Stryker infantry carrier vehicle built to carry anti-air missiles will soon be tested in upcoming live-fire drills by the US Army.
The US Army has already begun a limited user test of its new Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range. Those tests will now enter a live-fire stage as the Army brings in two new systems for testing: a new version of its MIM-108 Patriot missile battery and the Interim Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD), a modified version of the Stryker, Brig. Gen. Brian Gibson, director of the Army’s air and missile defense modernization team, told Breaking Defense for a Monday report.
The essence of IBCS 2.0 will be the networking of different air defense systems. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) “Missile Threat” project, the IBCS is “intended is to integrate the communications between weapon launchers, radars, and the operators, allowing an air defense unit, such as a Patriot battery, to fire its interceptors using information provided by the radar of another.”
The IM-SHORAD will fill a key gap in US air defenses, which have for decades prioritized targeting ballistic missiles and strategic bombers over short-range perimeter defense. The proliferation of drones on the battlefield in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the September 2019 suicide drone attack on two Saudi oil facilities, rushed short-range air defense to the top of the Pentagon’s list of concerns.
Enter the IM-SHORAD. With Stinger and Hellfire missiles as well as a 30-millimeter autocannon and a 360-degree multi-mission hemisphere radar, the Stryker could fill a vital gap. The eight-wheeled, armored vehicle can hit 60 miles per hour on roadways and hard surfaces and can go offroad as well, making it a potent way to quickly move anti-air systems into new areas and displace them from old ones.
The US Marine Corps has weighed a similar modification of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), which will replace the service’s Humvees. The Direct Fire Defeat System could potentially include anti-air missiles such as the FIM-92 Stinger as well as a 30-millimeter autocannon and a suite of electronic warfare tools, Sputnik reported in April.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the White Sands tests, which required extensive reworking in order to minimize the risk of spreading the disease. It’s just the latest delay for a system that should have gone active last year, Defense News noted. The Pentagon’s budget for upgrading the weapons systems of both anti-air and regular Stryker vehicles has also come under scrutiny, with the House Armed Services Committee questioning the fairness behind the awarding of contracts that were included in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act in June.
One day, the IM-SHORAD will get a less clinical name which, as Task & Purpose reported, has the potential to be derived from the fictional Manticore missile-armed tank from the “Warhammer 40,000” tabletop gaming franchise, depending on how many votes the suggestion gets.
As expected the US Army WILL fight in every clime and place...examining options to base NEW weapons in the Indo-Pacific region.
via National Interest.
The Army continues to analyze options for basing new long-range precision weapons in the Indo-Pacific region, to be used by one of its new multi-domain task forces, the service's top officer said July 31.Here.
The Indo-Pacfic continues to grow in strategic importance for Pentagon planners as great power competitor China modernizes its military and takes a more aggressive posture toward its neighbors and deployed U.S. forces.
The Army's multi-domain operating concept envisions the service employing advanced capabilities — such as hypersonics, anti-ship missiles, anti-aircraft systems and cyber weapons — to aid the other services in countering near-peer adversaries. The multi-domain task force pilot program was assigned under the Army’s Pacific Command in 2017. The Army is using information from the program to establish additional task forces.
“We're standing up a new organization, it’s called multi-domain task forces that provide the ability to do long-range precision effects," said Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville.
Long-range precision fires is the No. 1 modernization priority for the Army. The capabilities will boost deterrence in the region, McConville said.
Told ya so. The US Army is coming to drink the Missile Marines milkshake and won't buy into the "one fight only" paradigm that Berger is foisting on the Missile Marine Corps.
They will fight in every clime and place and thankfully they won't repeat the mistakes of the past by trying to predict where the next fight will be. They'll be ready to fight across the globe and against any opponent.
They will become the new tip of the spear because they won't be a one trick pony, confining themselves artificially to one region.
I suspected it was coming and can't help but applaud them
The Army is new hotness in the DoD. Everyone else is simply flailing trying to find their footing and reason for being.
It must be nice to be a Soldier tonight. Their leadership is competent, brings order to chaos and are unswayed by pundits that shift positions every few years.
In other words the US Army seems to be the only service that has its shit together.
15th MEU identifies personnel killed in AAV mishap
via Press Release.
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Officials with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), identified on Aug. 2 the one Marine who was killed and seven Marines and one Sailor who are presumed dead after an amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) mishap July 30.
Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene before being transported by helicopter to Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego. He was a rifleman with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/4, 15th MEU.
Presumed dead are:
Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 19, of Corona, California, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, California, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton, California, a hospital corpsman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Oregon, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, of Harris, Texas, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 19, of Portland, Oregon, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21, of Riverside, California, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
Injured were:
A Marine rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU. The Marine was transported from the scene to Scripps Memorial Hospital by helicopter and was in critical condition.
A Marine assault amphibious vehicle crewmember with Mechanized Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU. The Marine was transported from the scene to Scripps Memorial Hospital by helicopter and was in critical condition. He has since been upgraded to stable condition per a competent medical authority.
In total, 16 personnel were aboard the AAV when on July 30 around 5:45 p.m. they reported taking on water while conducting shore-to-ship waterborne operations training in the vicinity of San Clemente Island off the coast of Southern California. Five Marines were rescued and brought aboard USS Somerset.
The incident is under investigation.
Photos of the deceased are not immediately available.
Imagery of the search and rescue efforts, as well as the current recovery efforts, are available at https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/15thmeurecovery.
They were Marines but they were also just kids. Damn shame. God bless. Remember this when some piece of human waste is called a kid after committing a horrific crime at a young age. Others do the hard thing for God, Family and Country at the same tender age.
Map for August 1st: The PLA Navy Marine Corps
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They're becoming what we once were.
The real question is this. Have Chinese Marines surpassed the Missile Marines in ground combat capability? Are they projected to be so powerful that the ground fight must be passed to the US Army?
Is the very question distasteful to you? GET OVER IT! Something has Berger and the DoD spooked to such a degree that they're tossing away a war winning formula. The threat was/is so stark that instead of adding capabilities to our Ground Combat Element they're seeking to remake them. Transformation instead of evolution is seen as the key to survival. Gimmicks instead of hard work.
Pic of the day. Inverted Super Hornet.
Note. I'm sad to say I don't know what those "folding wing" missiles are under the wing. Help a bro out.
Leclerc tank repairer (DCL)
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Chinese Military Aviation "Ooh-Rah" Tweet...
受阅空中梯队起飞 pic.twitter.com/3y1ZxTMiX1— 蜜柑🍊 (@KushigumoAkane) August 1, 2020
Special Forces of the Rosgvardia Directorate for the Tula Region (Russian SF)
Looks like Russian SF are big on ATVs and Team Wendy helmets now. Weird thing is that almost looks like a Brit Tomcar or whatever that contraption they have that they claim to be an "equivalent" Polaris...
Porsanger battalion has been established in Finnmark (Norwegian Army)
Translation by Google
Porsanger battalion has been established in Finnmark and the year of training for Cavalry Squadron 2 has been concluded with a sniper with the squadron battle group. The sniping was carried out as a cooperative exercise in which all the troops in Cavalry Squadron 2 participated (armored reconnaissance, sniper, combat support, bomber and armored engineer). The troops carried out missions and shootings in their respective fields, and collaborated across the troops.
Sunday, August 02, 2020
Canadian Super Hornet?
One thing has confused me about the Canadian competition and the planes in the running. Why did Boeing go with the Super Hornet instead of the F-15EX?
God bless the Marines involved in the AAV accident but I fear that worse is coming.
By now you've heard of the accident off the California coast with 1 Marine confirmed dead and eight others missing.
This isn't going to be a "slam the concept" type blog post.
It isn't going to try and guess the cause of the accident.
No. This blog post is a warning to Marines and the Marine Corps about trouble, big trouble coming our way.
The very nature of how the Marine Corps transports its personnel from ship to shore is going to lead to a mass tragedy at sea one day. Quite honestly I'm more than a bit surprised we haven't seen it yet.
Think about it.
We transport large numbers of Marines (relatively large) by CH-53K, MV-22, AAV/ACV, C-130 and landing craft.
With operations getting pushed further out to sea, independent ship operations etc...then we can expect an airplane/helo to go down or an AAV/ACV/Landing Craft to sink.
Sorry men but that's the sad reality of things. What can we do to mitigate the risk? Unfortunately it would take totally revamping our way of doing things (which I don't deem feasible). We would have to reduce the number of people per transport, and stop practicing as we will fight. Like I said it just ain't feasible.
Unfortunately that danger will only increase in the future. Imagine this. A C-130 is dispatched to establish a FARP on a remote island. That C-130 suffers engine trouble at 200 miles from land. Suddenly it goes down with 50 Marines onboard. The nearest rescue is 5 hours away. Except for the pilots/aircrew no one is wearing locator beacons. It isn't storm conditions but the seas are high.
Oh and let me add that the water temp is 60 degrees.
We'll be lucky to save 10 of these Marines.
Military service is inherently dangerous. The Marine Corps needs to reaffirm that fact, do everything possible to mitigate risk and accept the sad fact that unfortunately Marines will die.
That is the future I unfortunately see (and that's just training, not open warfare against a capable foe).
Having said all that let me get to the important part.
May the memories of the Marines be a blessing to their families. God Bless.
Saturday, August 01, 2020
Chinese Wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicle with Mast Mounted Sights (MMS)
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— 马日天 (@z5J6NWig6ByNnsC) August 1, 2020 |
There is no easy way. Time to do work.
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