Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration Vid

 

British Army force structure (future proposal)

 

THE BRITISH ARMY'S DILEMMA
✅I expect each of Britain's two Regular Army divisions to look something like the diagram below.
✅3rd (UK) Division will be a tracked manoeuvre force with three brigades. 1st (UK) Division will be a wheeled expeditionary force, also with three… pic.twitter.com/rUkmUaD70V

— Nicholas Drummond (@nicholadrummond) October 19, 2025

I continue to find it amazing that even Nicolas' Army Force Structure diagram is a best case scenario for that unit. I am further amazed that even with this optimization, the US Marine Corps outnumbers it. Not gonna bother to look it up but I would bet that Marine Air is bigger than their Naval Air Force. While I view the current force structure of the Marine Corps to be a shell of its former self, I have to remember that size wise its freaking huge compared to many other forces around the world.

First I look at the Brits.

Would it be wise for them to prioritize their naval forces at the expense of their Army?  Considering its an island nation, out of area operations should be their bread and butter.  At least I think so.  If you disagree then should they prioritize their Army at the expense of its Navy so that they can properly reinforce NATO?  What about their Air Force.  It seems to be trying to walk the line between the two with a slight nod toward the NATO mission.  Which way should they go?

Second I look at the US military.

How much is too much.  Does the China threat actually need a large army?  Could we or should we prioritize the Navy over the Army?  We too are an island nation of sorts.  Should the Navy be our number one concern?  Should we revamp our nuclear mission to be able to hold our competitors at bay from attacks on the homeland?  How much should we contribute to the defense of others?  Obviously our armed forces are over the top to protect our own country.  Should we downsize to that level and let others fend for themselves?

KF-21

Thanks to Damian for the link!

What do you think of when you see this plane?

I think payloads over platforms.  That was once the mantra around the Pentagon but somehow it changed.  Now?  Now everything has to be uber stealth.  Still not sure that's the way to go.  The F-35 shows me that the electronics are the real secret sauce and that's why I think the S. Koreans have a winner.  What's better a semi stealthy platform with impressive missiles that can be launched from distance along with first class sensing gear or a stealth fighter with good missiles and ok sensing?

Stealth has a shelf life.  We're seeing it now with the loyal wingmen coming online. We see it with the USAF no longer talking about air dominance.  We're even seeing it with the advances in AESA.  Speed, operating height, sensors...the old fashioned stuff it took to win aerial fights is coming back online.

Amphibious Operations Demonstration 2025 - LAVs on the beach

Chief Of Naval Operations is thrilled by the amphibious demonstration. The legacy force, not Force Design 2030 is what military & civilian leadership is awed by

forces can respond swiftly, strike decisively, and prevail anywhere on earth. pic.twitter.com/Pbv8n1QlYm

— USNavyCNO (@USNavyCNO) October 19, 2025

The Marine Corps is gonna have to make a choice. Either adopt the legacy force and modernize it (rebuild it too) or head full speed toward the Force Design 2030 concept that no one understand/believes in (except for the zealots). Make no mistake about it. What wowed the crowd is real deal forcible entry, amphibious assault. NOT THE DEFENSIVE, STALE, UNWORKABLE Force Design 2030.

Well over 300# and apparently proud of it...

Las Vegas restaurant named Heart Attack Grill, known for its notoriously unhealthy dining experience, rewards customers who weigh more than 350 pounds with free food.👀 pic.twitter.com/bWabXhU16Q

— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) October 19, 2025

Not body shaming but fuck me. Well over 300# and happy with it. All women. Mostly black. WTF! RFK is actually doing God's work in putting health ahead of prescriptions. You can't outwork a bad diet and I'm seeing alot of bad diets here.

Open Comment Post. 19 Oct 25

 

A comment from the amphibious op demonstration that gave me pause....

 

For the Marines involved, the moment carried personal significance. “I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” said Cpl. Grayson Hilderbrandt, an infantry Marine with Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th MEU. “Being part of this demonstration shows what today’s Marines are capable of — we’re faster, smarter, and more lethal than ever, and we get to prove that to the world.”

This statement gave me pause.

Maybe I'm older and wiser.  Maybe I vehemently disagree with Force Design 2030. Maybe instead of chest thumping I'm reading this as blind arrogance but it makes me wonder.  

Why do you think you're faster?

Why do you think you're smarter?

This one is gonna be a shocker but why do you think you're more lethal? 

Looking at the Marine Corps current organization and equipment I just don't see a more lethal outfit.  I don't see how today's Marine Corps can apply greater weight of fire on a forehead than Marines of the past (most notably the WW2 Marines).

Smarter?  I don't see that either.  You have better battlefield awareness than at anytime in Marine Corps history but that does not translate into making better strategic or tactical decisions.  That still rests with the individual leaders up and down the chain.

Faster?  If you're talking about conducting long range raids then ok, the tech gives you that with the MV-22.  But if you're talking about building up combat power on the beach I beg to differ.  The ACV is no faster than the retired AAV in water.  The LCAC is fast but how many sorties would it have to make in order to get gear ashore?

The CH-53K can lift more but to what end?  There is less to lift now and that's across the board between infantry and cargo...the AH-1Z and UH-1Y are simply upgrades of legacy equipment that offers some improvement but nothing revolutionary.  The F-35B vs AV-8B is also an interesting now versus then.  Yeah its faster but takes more money to maintain, has horrible readiness rates and even supporters now are saying that it won't deliver on its promises.

I just don't know.

Faster, smarter and more lethal?

I want proud Marines.  I want them walking the jagged edge of being cocky and arrogant.

But beyond the chest thumping that statement has me stalled out.  What do ya'll think?

EU still blaming the US. They were WAITING on us when they could have acted at anytime?

We lost so much time waiting for the US. But not a single Tomahawk, JASSM or sanction supported Ukraine, only the strong 🇺🇦soldiers did. Europe must stop wasting time & watching from the sidelines. Europe´s waiting costs Ukrainian lifes. It´s a European task to support Ukraine,… pic.twitter.com/OIN0a5TGhz

— Roderich Kiesewetter🇪🇺🇩🇪🇮🇱🇺🇦 (@RKiesewetter) October 18, 2025

They're blaming us for not sending Tomahawks, JASSM or additional sanctions? Why didn't they send more Storm Shadows, Taurus, or SCALP along with more air defense, armored vehicles etc... 

 As usual it's easier to blame others than to do what you can with what you have.

Louisiana man that was arrested for assisting HAMAS on Oct7th is actually from Gaza

The “Louisiana man” who was arrested for joining Hamas in attacking Israel is actually from Gaza and came to the U.S. last year under the Biden admin pic.twitter.com/UsIBt7g5vG

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 19, 2025

I wonder how many other terrorists were allowed in.

This is for you "fast food hounds"! McDonalds ain't real food

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joe Orton (@yerbajoemate)

@SecWar “OORAH MARINES…

. @SecWar “OORAH MARINES…

I’m not supposed to say this, but I think you guys might be my favorite.” pic.twitter.com/PzV0asHWLv

— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) October 18, 2025

Marine Corps combat demonstration at Camp Pendleton

 

NOW - J.D. Vance and Usha watch Marine Corps combat demonstration at Camp Pendleton. pic.twitter.com/oNREKuVLa7

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 18, 2025

2nd MEF in charge of Operations against Venezuela.

 via Compass Points

Earlier this month, the Pentagon disclosed to Congress in a notification reviewed by Reuters that Trump has determined the United States is engaged in “a non-international armed conflict.” The document aimed to explain the Trump administration’s legal rationale for unleashing U.S. military force in the Caribbean.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in Latin America.

Instead, the Pentagon said a task force was being created that would be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations that is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

That decision came as a surprise to U.S. military-watchers, since a combatant command like Southern Command would normally lead any high-profile operations.

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the admiral who leads U.S. Southern Command will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, in a surprise move.

Article here 

They go on to say this which I found VERY INTERESTING.

If the Marine Corps is going to take charge in the Caribbean, there is something else the Marine Corps needs to do: go and meet in person with the Regional Combatant Commanders and explain to them that taking over the Caribbean task force and sending the SOUTHCOM CCMD into retirement was NOT the Marine Corps’ idea. It is an honor for the MAGTF Marine Corps to be put in charge of the Caribbean task force, but the selection of the Marine Corps to lead the task force must not be allowed to sour good relations with all the Regional Combatant Commands.

This is kinda inside the Pentagon stuff THAT I HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF!  But it gives me pause.

Why would the Marine Corps be put in charge of this mission?  Understand that you have a flotilla of Navy ships operating off the coast.  You have CIA involvement.  SOCOM along with the very capable 160th aviation brigade(?) is also operating in the area.

I just have to wonder if this is a case of replacing SOUTHCOM CO with generals that will obey without question.

Some conspiracy (I'm guessing they're conspiracy sites) theorists are claiming that an order was given to attack a yacht that was suspected of  hauling drugs and the former SouthCOM commander refused the order to destroy it and instead gave the advice that it should be disabled and then boarded by Navy SEALs.

From my chair, if true, then that would have been sound advice.  Now what do we have.

The ship is destroyed and two nationals are in custody about to be returned to their home nation without charges.

This thing is gonna be messy. 

 Sometimes you have to know when its better to stow your fangs instead of nailing them into the floorboard.

Open Comment Post. 18 Oct 25

 

T-90M2 to be produced. What happened to the Armata?

via FrontIntelligence Insight

In the spring and summer of 2025, as part of our own operation, our team obtained exclusive documents that provide new insight into Russia’s tank-production plans and confirm the existence of a little-known variant of the latest Russian tank. The records indicate that by 2028, output of the T-90M and its new variant, the T-90M2, is expected to increase nearly 80% compared with 2024 levels.

The T-90M2, also known as “Ryvok-1”, is scheduled to begin modestly, with just 10 units planned for 2026. However, Russia’s long-term production plan points to far more ambitious goals: between 2026 and 2036, Moscow intends to build at least 1783 T-90M and T-90M2 tanks, with 1118 of them slated for completion in the three-year period from 2027 to 2029.

Read the whole thing here 

Ok.  The Russians are in the middle of a hot war and have to get proven material to the guys in the frontlines.  Better to build what works with certain bits of modernization than start a brand new supply line.

I get it.

Still makes me wonder.  Whats the deal with the Armata MBT?

The Russians might not be considered part of the "West" but their arms procurement programs fit it well.

When it first appeared they had a world winning design and only had to make it work.  They took their time, let it simmer and didn't do the necessary work to get it into production in a timely manner.

Now?

Now the US Army is about to entire an entirely new beast with the M1E3 next year and the Chinese are producing armored vehicles like M&Ms.

If the war is affecting their future designs like this (along with their economy) then they need to seek an end with quickness.

Oh and has anyone noticed that their aviation programs have stagnated?  Their naval programs damn near non-existent, and their elite units have been ravaged and aren't as capable as they once were?

If I was leading Russia I'd freeze the lines, seek a ceasefire and work toward getting my military side of the house back in order.

The focus on long range fires is unbalancing their house.

Spanish Dragon 8x8 Program appears to be dead

 

The Spanish DRAGON VCR 8X8 program is probably worse than it seemed just a few months ago.

"The refusal of Ministry of Defense technicians to sign off on the vehicles' acceptance testifies to the scale of the disaster. And the flaws persist: overweight, ramp problems, faulty… pic.twitter.com/oTB1mPKCTu

— Junsupreme (@RyszardJonski) October 14, 2025

I seriously have no idea how something like this can happen. Its just a Pirhana V with a 30mm remote weapon station. How can you fuck that up? Yet here we are. Its obvious that something is broken with weapon procurement in the Western world.

Open Comment Post. 17 Oct 25

 

And here we go. Looks like we're gonna actually make a run at Venezuela. Trump is my guy but I can't support this shit...

 

🧵 U.S. Military Force Buildup Locations in the Caribbean.

Since late August, the U.S. military has deployed ~10,000 troops in the Caribbean:

~5,000 on eight Navy warships — including 2,200 Marines with fighter jets — and ~5,000 at Puerto Rico air bases with F-35s, MQ-9… pic.twitter.com/vCfFcnls73

— Vanguard Intel Group 🛡 (@vanguardintel) October 17, 2025

And this from Zero Hedge

In the irony of the day, please note Trump Authorizes CIA Covert Operations in Venezuela

President Trump has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert action in Venezuela, while also floating the idea of land strikes, in a broadening campaign against alleged drug trafficking.

“I authorized for two reasons,” Trump said Wednesday at the White House, alleging Venezuelan leaders have “emptied their prisons into the United States of America” and “we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela.”

The authorization enables the CIA to operate clandestinely in the country and potentially take action against Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, his government and drug traffickers, according to an administration official. Covert action, which is authorized in what is known as a presidential finding, can involve a range of secret activities including paramilitary and lethal operations meant to influence political, economic or military conditions in foreign countries.

Sorry to say this but if Biden had announced a "covert operation" I'd be shouting from the rooftops.  

So I'M SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS ON THIS SHIT!  Who in their right mind announces a COVERT OPERATION!!! 

A bit more from Zero Hedge.

The New York Times reports Head of the U.S. Military’s Southern Command Is Stepping Down

The officer, Adm. Alvin Holsey, is leaving his job as head of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees all operations in Central and South America, even as the Pentagon has rapidly built up some 10,000 forces in the region in what it says is a major counterdrug and counterterrorism mission.

It was unclear why Admiral Holsey is suddenly departing, less than a year into what is typically a three-year job, and in the midst of the biggest operation in his 37-year career. But one current and one former U.S. official, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters, said that Admiral Holsey had raised concerns about the mission and the attacks on the alleged drug boats.

“Prior to Trump, I can’t think of a combatant commander who left his or her post early, ever,” said Representative Adam Smith of Washington, the senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

A flag officer assigned to the "supposed" backwater of the Southern Command suddenly finds his command at the center of US foreign policy?  Any request he makes MUST BE FOLLOWED?  He has a chance to be in history books for leading a successful campaign against the enemies of the US and he suddenly bows out?

Something is off here.

But the bigger thing?  

Trump is boasting about ending around 8 (if I remember correctly) small wars.  That all gets erased if he has miscalculated and gotten us into a clusterfuck in our own backyard.

I personally don't buy the narco terrorist angle either.  There are better ways to get at this problem that don't involve stationing thousands of forces and making public announcements.

THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE IS THIS IS SOME KINDA COUNTERPLAY TO AN UNKNOWN CHINESE MOVE IN THE REGION.

Right or wrong on that account the Trump administration is gonna have to come up with a better rationale for military intervention. 

Barracuda-500