SEALs Conduct Nighttime Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation Training

Note. Its appearing more and more like SOCOM is about to take over the Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation . They are great but have limited capacity. In the last operation supposedly 16K Americans were left behind. It was an African country so it was dismissed. Don't know if that would fly in any other region (don't get mad...that's my opinion and I have a right to it so suck it up). The mission would have been a failure if they sought to evacuate ALL Americans not just embassy staff. Are we evolving to the point where if you're an American and you're caught up overseas you're on your own?

SEALs Conduct Nighttime Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation Training

"These exercises provide an opportunity for our operators and support personnel to hone their skills, coordinate with other units, and enhance their ability to conduct complex operations," said Commodore Bill Gallagher, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 2.

#SOF commandos can play a critical role in safeguarding lives during complex international crises.

A U.S. Marine with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s (MEU) Maritime Special Purpose Force, clears a room while conducting a simulated raid during Composite Training Unit Exercise (C2X)

 

A U.S. Marine with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s (MEU) Maritime Special Purpose Force, clears a room while conducting a simulated raid during Composite Training Unit Exercise (C2X), the last exercise in the pre-deployment training program for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th MEU.

A raid is a mission requiring a small force to swiftly penetrate hostile territory to secure information, confuse the enemy, or to destroy their installations, and ends with a planned withdrawal upon completion of the mission.

Green Berets assigned to 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) participate in the Mint 400 in Primm, Nevada, March 10, 2023

Note. I find it interesting the Special Forces can participate in stuff like this. They're not gonna beat the professionals in this sport but they will make contact with the guys that know the latest and greatest when it comes to off-roading. Trust and believe when you're dealing with pros they don't mind sharing tips if you're humble and not trying to "show off" or act superior. I believe this applies across the board when it comes to the fields that Marines, SOCOM and Army bubbas are interested in. Off-roading, camping, shooting etc...

The Marine Corps needs to get out and about. Pick a few Marines that have their heads on straight and can come back and share what they found out. Do an experiment. Go on a road trip. See what the others services are doing. Check out the different industries. See what our allies are doing (still don't understand why we don't have the Aussies at every Marine installation teaching UAV flying...have you seen the stuff they do!). It can't hurt!

Sunday Motivational

Third Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, participate in Exercise LETHAL WEAPON

 

Open Comment Post. 11 June 23

 

Open Comment Post - Ukraine War Discussion - 11 June 23

 

M10 Booker. The USMC should buy 4 Tank Bns worth.

The USMC should immediately look to buying 4 Tank Bns worth. It would rebalance the GCE and make it capable of ground combat again. Its not much heavier than the ACV. Can provide shock action that Marine Infantry will need and would probably serve as a better platform for Combat Engineers (can we modify one specifically for them...like a mini ABV), could probably act as a much more stable launcher for Tomahawk missiles than rogue fires and other tasks I can't remember right now. Lastly it would be ideal for protracted ground combat in the Middle East and more probably (IMO) Africa.

The Marine Corps might want to get to its naval roots (never left it and I hate that talking point) but people live on land, not water (unless we find Atlanteans) so that is where the decisive battles will occur.

Sidenote.  One company of mobile armored recon per division ain't gonna cut it on the modern battlefield.  That might be another role for this vehicle.  If not actual recon then escort.

Russian kamikaze drone strikes on 3 x Ukrainian Leopard 2A4 tanks.

Russian kamikaze drone strikes on 3 x Ukrainian Leopard 2A4 tanks. pic.twitter.com/Wp1Qgy4agP

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 10, 2023

Indian Aircraft Carriers (2) on exercise

 Thanks to Gessler for the pics!

Ukrainians got it together and are making major advances

Rybar reporting major Ukrainian advances in the Velyka Novosilka area, with Ukrainian forces capturing Neskuchne and Blahodatne "almost without a fight", and moving on Urozhaine and Novodonets'ke. pic.twitter.com/4Xu2Z5YFEw

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 10, 2023

Russian military blogger "Rybar" (I think that's his name) confirmed this. Propaganda is so heavy that unless pics/vids or confirmation its hard to tell whats what. Has been talk of Russians simply leaving positions. Wonder what gives? The Russians should be careful if they think this is a diversionary attack. A diversionary attack could turn into the main effort if its successful enough and recon shows no reinforcement.

Russian SSO sniper head shot Ukrainian (I consider it mild compared to what we've seen but some my consider it NSFW)

Russian SSO sniper head shot Ukranian pic.twitter.com/7875tOgjqM

— ZOKA (@200_zoka) June 10, 2023

Geez. Even police snipers shoot from within buildings now. POLICE! What sniper school is still teaching this? Grunts don't even do this. Lack of discipline, training or both? The only good is that it was a quick death.

Now its a total of 5 Bradleys that were caught in the Russian ambush.

 

I would love to know the real story behind this. I believe there are survivors so it should be a real interesting read.

Feedback still "very positive" - Rheinmetall boss admits losses of German weapons in Ukraine

 via N-TV.DE

Russia recently celebrated the destruction of a Leopard 2 tank in Ukraine. Losses of German weapons in Ukraine come as no surprise to the head of the Rheinmetall armaments group. Nevertheless, the quality of the systems has proven itself - and sometimes even surprises the manufacturers themselves.

The head of Germany's largest armaments group, Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, has admitted losses in weapons systems that Germany supplied to Ukraine. At the same time, however, he praised their basic quality. "There are always losses in life," said Papperger in an interview with the editorial network Germany (RND), but one does not talk about it. In principle, the weapons systems developed and produced in Germany have proven themselves in the Ukraine, emphasized the armaments manager.

&

The EU's promise to supply Ukraine with one million rounds of artillery ammunition for its defense against Russia within a year can only be fulfilled if governments fall back on their arsenals, said the Rheinmetall boss: "In the short term, Ukraine will have one million rounds of artillery ammunition only get if European armies make stocks available."

The industry is working flat out to increase production capacities, but Rheinmetall itself wants to increase its artillery ammunition capacity from the current 450,000 rounds to 600,000 rounds per year in the next few months, Papperger explained. "However, it will take six to ten years before all European ammunition depots are filled."

Here 

Two things.

1.  For some reason its apparent to me at least, that the Leopard 2 losses that the Turks suffered were ignored.  The losses in Ukraine can't be.  The Leopard has always had the reputation of being under armored when compared to the Abrams & Challenger and PERHAPS this proves this out.  Tactics count too and its certain that the Ukrainians used bad tactics.  We'' have to see what this war does to the tanks reputation.

2.  The issue with supplying Ukraine with weapons and ammo is shown for all to see.  The only people paying attention to this are people on the blog and defense chiefs.  This war is headed to the point where one will have to decide between Ukraine continuing the war and protecting your homeland.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  One thing is certain.  If the Middle East turns hot and Western action is needed there we will be strained to the max.  If China acts against Taiwan it will break our weapon supply.

US Army's M10 Booker combat vehicle.

 

As part of the 248th #ArmyBirthday it was my honor to unveil the name of our Mobile Protective Firepower vehicle: the M10 Booker. pic.twitter.com/hsLaQ8fn50

— SMA Michael Grinston (@USArmySMA) June 10, 2023

Combat footage from the AFU showing them abandoning a disabled Bradley

 

⚡️Combat footage from the AFU showing them abandoning a disabled Bradley

This is most likely the same pile that we’ve seen today. pic.twitter.com/DiiKcxsD2g

— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) June 10, 2023

We don't know if this was the actual assault against Russian lines or just a probing attack. Either way its doom on Ukrainian Commanders for doing this to their troops. Oh and for Ukrainian propaganda for making this war seem like a game when they were plinking individual soldiers. One last one. For the body count bastards that used lost lives as some kind of statistic to measure wartime success. We learned better back in Vietnam.

Open Comment Post - Ukraine War Discussion - 10 June 23

 

This thing is heating up and since the purpose of open comments is for me to pick up on things I decided to split them up.  OCP-UKWD is solely about the war in Ukraine.  Nothing else.  The regular OCP is gonna be for other developments.  

I know it seems awkward to split it up but the OCP-UKWD needs its own space.

Open Comment Post. 10 June 23

 

Did ya miss it? The US SecDef announced another 2.1 billion dollar aid package for Ukraine

 

The security assistance to Ukraine 🇺🇦 continues.

Today's $2.1 billion USAI package underscores our commitment to Ukraine's defense by continuing to provide additional capacity over the long term.https://t.co/kM1WUUSb1D

— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) June 9, 2023

We have limited visibility of the battlefield (soda straw effect) but we can glimpse and deduce a few things. The main one is that whenever things are going sideways for Ukraine, the Ukrainians will either yell and shout for a particular weapon system (MLRS, UAVs, Close The Sky, Abrams/Leopards, Anti-Air Missiles, recently F-16s etc...) or the Pentagon will step up and send them what they think they need.

In this case they're sending anti-air missiles (have seen some really rough tweets saying that Russian attack helicopters are making a mess of Ukrainian armor) and Puma uavs.

The Pumas are really interesting.  They're used by infantry which seems to indicate (at least to me) that the Ukrainians are having a bit of difficulty locating Russian fighting positions as they advance.

I talked yesterday about that armor cluster of destroyed Ukrainian vehicles and I suspected that they weren't able to orient to where they were taking fire.

The Pumas should be able to help with that.

Consider this another data point to indicate that the Ukrainians are having a rough go of it.

God I have too vivid an imagination and these pics of the bunched up/burned out armor is nightmare fuel

Every time I look at these pics it gives me slight chills.  I have an active imagination and see it playing out in my head.

A quick brief by the battalion commander.  Short ride to the front. Started firing main guns, hitting nothing but the activity alone is good at least for morale.

They start taking incoming.  The mine plow is hit (looking at the top pic).  The trailing Leopard leaps forward to provide cover and is knocked out by anti-tank missiles.  The Bradley closest to the pileup was trying to pick up injured and dismounts when it got hit too.  The Bradley farthest away was still operational while all this was happening and was trying to put down fire but couldn't orient on the proper direction (or maybe they did) but before they could assess the situation, understand that all was lost they finally joined their brothers in heaven, hell, Valhalla...pick your hoped for destination.

Just like the Russian forces that mounted their assault into Ukraine, the Ukrainians are finding that defense is alot easier than offense.

This is war porn and it sucks but we need to see what's happening.

Now do you understand why I want this war turned off?  With the dam break, all the lives lost, all the people that have left, the infrastructure damage, the damaged children and the rampant corruption that makes current and future aid half as effective as it should be.  Do you know what the result will be?

Ukraine will be a broken shell of a country for at least 50 years IF THEY'RE LUCKY!