45 Commando's Falklands Yomp.

A forced march of 50 miles and upon completion you go into action against enemy forces....

How many forces could do it today?

Could you say confidently that a US Marine Corps or US Army unit could?  Quite honestly I'd lay money on the Rangers being able to get it done....maybe a battalion or two at Camp Pendleton or 29 Palms (if they have a balls busting CO that doesn't give a rats ass about political correctness)....perhaps the the 82nd....but I bet it isn't many.

I wonder.

New helos in Okinawa....

SIDENOTE:  This is just sad.  First we had a Marine Corps journalist post a story that has the Marine Expeditionary Unit supporting the Maritime Raid Force and then we have this person proclaiming that the 31st MEU "leads humanitarian missions around the Pacific with the help of aircraft like the UH-1N helicopter"...she didn't even get the aircraft designation right in the caption to the video.

Its here....the USMC's forward deployed elements are now MEALS ON WHEELS.  Put away the weapons.  Close up shop.  USAID can do this mission.  Or the Salvation Army...or Catholic Relief Society or any of a number of other organizations.  The pussification of the Marine Corps needs to stop.  I can guarantee you this.  Young men aren't joining the Corps to be part of a glorified relief society.

Oshkosh. Is trouble ahead?

L-ATV

M-ATV

M-ATV Special Forces

TAPV

MTT

MTVR

OSHKOSH had the most to gain and the most to lose in the Canadian TAPV contest.  The problem is that its own vehicles are eating each other.  The only other manufacturer in the defense realm that has a similar problem is maybe...maybe BAE but their portfolio is so much larger that it really just lets them customize vehicles to the needs of the user.

Take the M-ATV.  It has spawned numerous clones but probably most disturbing is that I see nothing in the pipeline once the JLTV is chosen.  Unless OSHKOSH wins they're gonna be in trouble.  Tamir of Defense Update posted a story that they're looking to win orders in Africa and the Middle East but that's a longshot...

On the big truck side its not much better.  The MTT and MTVR eat each others sales and it even flows further up the line.

OSHKOSH is ripe for someone to swoop in, separate the Defense from the Commercial line....buy the Defense line and then pare down the number of vehicles it has in production.

At the end of the day, the MTVR, FMTV and one of the heavy trucks LVSR or HEMT will survive.  OSHKOSH Defense is in trouble.

USS New York (LPD 21) and USS Enterprise (CVN 65)

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (June 9, 2012) The amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21), left, transits alongside the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). New York was commissioned in November 2009 and is currently on its maiden deployment, while Enterprise was commissioned in November 1961 and is on its 22nd and final deployment after more than 50 years of service. Both ships are currently deployed to the region in support of maritime security operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman/Released) 120609-N-FI736-409

Marine Week---Cleveland....

Photos by Cpl. Marcin Platek

Two new Marder models...

Tamir over at Defense Update has about the best coverage of Eurosatory 2012.

To be honest, I've been a bit UNDERWHELMED by the offerings this year.   Go to Tamir's site to read more on these unusual Marder concepts.

Other vehicles at the show this year are below......

General Dynamics Europe has "civilianized" the EAGLE...You can bet they want to do the same in the US...especially if they win the JLTV contract.

Iveco wants to build on the VBTR's win in Brazil...Argentina just procured some a few months ago and it will probably be offered as competition against the Piranha III...especially since the bigger and heavier Piranha V has yet to gain traction

More to come hopefully but as I said.  The vehicle makers are cautious as hell.  I forgot where I read it but they even place rocks and such underneath their vehicles not to make them appear to be in a desert or forest environment but to keep "spies" from crawling underneath photographing the underbodies gaining a competitive edge.

Big boy procurement indeed.

IBD and Singapore develop the most powerful tank in Asia.

Which company was a bigger winner in the Canadian Tactical Armored Patrol Vehicle contest than Textron?  I would say IBD.

This company has been operating in the background but has amassed some impressive wins and tech.  Its armor designs and concepts have challenged PLASAN to the point that they can arguably called the most dynamic and cutting edge armor corporation on the planet.

Proof positive is the package that they assembled for Singapore.

The Leopard 2A4 by itself is a formidable tank.  In Asia...doubly so.  But add the Evolution Armor Concept to the vehicle and you have a tank that is more heavily armored (in my opinion) than a M1A1 and given the terrain found in that theater, more survivable too.  In jungle and urban fighting with armor, close in fights will be the norm...multiple hits from multiple quadrants will be the norm...and the ability to get hit and keep in the fight will be essential.

The Leopard 2A4 Evo has that in spades.  Singapore has a winner and so does IBD.  Read more about the company and their concepts here.

NOTE:
Can anyone name a more powerful armor force than the one that Singapore is assembling in Asia?  China?  The Type 99 is a joke in comparison.  The S. Korean K2?  Nice as a M1A1 light but I don't think so.  The Japanese Type 90?  Nope, they better hope the MBT-X proves out.  Australia's M1's?  Again, nice but I don't think so.