This Navy SEAL "fame" incident will not end well.

via Daily Mail.

The Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden dead in the special force's most famous operation can be named today.
The Navy hero is set to give a full interview to Fox News later this month and waive his anonymity but MailOnline has established that he is Rob O'Neill, a highly-decorated veteran who quit after 16 years service.
In an exclusive interview Rob's father, Tom O'Neill, tells MailOnline, 'People are asking if we are worried that ISIS will come and get us because Rob is going public. I say I'll paint a big target on my front door and say come and get us.'
Rob O'Neill, 38, is a former member of SEAL Team Six who has been portrayed on screen in Zero Dark Thirty, Captain Phillips and Lone Survivor.

You fuck with the bull, you get the horns.

Rob's father might have a lackadaisical attitude with regards to his personal protection and the issues that come with it, but he has done exactly what he brags about.  He painted a big target on his front door and ISIS is paying attention.

Yesterday I stated that any person can be found with just a bit of work and the proper resources and today the SEAL's father has been tracked down by the Daily Mail?

This will end badly.  The only thing we can hope is that the other SEALs and their families, that are trying to do things the right way don't end up in the cross-hairs because they had a teammate that couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Japanese MLRS training from the deck of an LST.

Google translate lets me down with these photos but from the way the vehicle is tied down, I'm assuming that this "MLRS training" is to actually fire the rockets from the deck of the ship.

Every arm chair Navy and Marine analyst should be cheering.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard this as a solution to the lack of naval guns.  I'll try and find out more.

Marine Personnel Carrier (aka ACV 1.1) Mission Profile via HQMC.

  Attachment 08 - Operational Mode Summary Mission Profile (OMS MP)

Highlights of the above document...

ACV Wargame

To develop the ACV MP, a wargame was conducted involving a representative group of subject matter experts (SMEs) who wargamed the individual scenarios to create the necessary details for tasks, events, duration and operating conditions. The participants had the opportunity to discuss their actions during each of the scenarios and their responses were collected. Once the tactical approach to the scenario was decided upon, the responses were focused on the time-phased representation of systems operation that is key to the OMS/MP. Refer to the ACV OMS/MP Wargame Final Report for further details.
Each of the scenarios had a number of lethality engagements that supported the description of how the ACV’s weapon system would be employed. Each engagement was executed with the ACVs having a mix of a stabilized remote weapons system (RWS) equipped with either a .50 caliber M2 or a 40 mm Mk19 MOD. The ACV platoon had an equal mix of the two weapons (ACV platoon with 21 vehicles 11 x .50 cal and 10 x Mk19). During the scenario discussions, the participants were presented a threat engagement and given the opportunity to discuss their actions during engagement and then their responses were collected. Once the tactical approach to the engagement was decided, the responses were focused on how the weapons system was employed and rounds fired.

So the AAV turret is being tossed and they're going with a RWS with either a fifty cal or 40mm.  Interesting.  I wonder if this is priming the AAV Battalions to go down to a two man crew?

Littoral Penetration Summary (Scenario 1)

The first scenario in the ACV mission is a littoral penetration. A company team (Co Tm) comprised of an infantry company, an ACV platoon, a light armored reconnaissance (LAR) platoon and a tank platoon is part of a larger joint task force. The Co Tm has been staged near a border of a threat nation. This scenario starts with the infantry company mounted on ACVs moving under the cover of darkness to a launch point and crossing the surf of an estuary that is part of a border with the threat nation. During this water movement, there is an engagement with two ‘technical’ vehicles from cliffs above the estuary. After a 3 NM movement, the ACVs cross through another surf zone into the threat nation. Upon landing, the ACVs move along the beach to the beach exit and establish an assembly area where infantry disembark and await link up with the LAR and tank platoon.

I'm still digesting this.  In the document "Statement of Work for the ACV" they include this blurb...

Launching from Amphibious Ships Analysis

The Contractor shall perform an analysis of their vehicle design showing the capability of launching from amphibious ships identified in the ACV System Performance Specification.  The analysis shall include the sub-sections listed below.  The Contractor shall prepare and submit the Amphibious Ship Launching Capability Analysis in accordance with CDRL A066.

So while it was never war gamed, it does appear that they're looking for the future Marine Personnel Carrier (aka ACV 1.1---NOTE!  HQMC fix this naming nonsense!) will be at least analyzed in its ability to launch from amphibious ships.

Is this an actual requirement or a "like to have"?

Either way I want to thank the little bird that keeps dropping these crumbs on my window sill.  You can download and read the documents yourself here.

NOTE!  I stand by my earlier assessment that the USMC cannot afford these vehicles under current budget pressures.  The work you see above is simply "residual" effects from Amos' tenure as Commandant.  This was laid out and ready to go when Amos took office.  To see it suddenly appear now is nothing but legacy building.  Dunford will not be able to put his stamp on the Marine Corps...and this program for another 3 to 4 months.  You're witnessing program "inertia"...everyone is waiting to see what the "new" guy has to say, in the mean time the work goes on.

Israeli Ministers OPPOSE additional F-35 purchases.

Major Hat Tip to ELP Blog.

via Haaretz.

Several ministers, headed by Strategic and Intelligence Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz, strongly objected to purchasing more F-35 fighter jets at the ministerial committee for defense purchases’ meeting Wednesday.
The Defense Ministry and Israel Air Force submitted to the committee a proposal to buy a second squadron of the advanced fighter jets at the expected cost of some $4.5 billion.
Steinitz spearheaded the objection to buying 31 jets, which will be added to the 19 ordered in the first deal. Steinitz is in favor of buying numerous cheap missiles to be launched from the sea, surface and air, and for increasing the use of drones, thus reducing Israel’s dependence on manned aircraft.
The committee consists of 10 members headed by the prime minister, with Steinitz as his deputy. Steinitz is supported, as far as is known, by Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir, a retired IAF colonel and former chairman of Israel Aerospace Industries. Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and IAF commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel supported the purchase proposal in the committee.
The IAF is interested in buying a third F-35 squadron as well. Altogether the air force hopes to have 75 F-35 jets in three squadrons in the coming decade.
The deal’s opponents, who also cite the opinions of external experts such as former Defense Minister Moshe Arens, argue that in an era when myriads of rockets and missiles threaten IAF bases, Israel must not be wholly dependent on fighter jets.

Read the entire article here. 

What has me fired up is that we were deceived (again) by the F-35 program office.  They put out the word that the Israeli's were going to buy additional jets.

Now we hear that Ministers oppose that buy.  Either they know nothing about Israeli procurement procedures (not likely) or they knowingly put out false information to garner positive publicity for their program.

This is not criminal behavior but it is at best deceitful at worst an outright lie.  Yeah I know all is fair in love and procurement but we have been told over and over that this program is the most open in Pentagon history.

What else has the program office been deceitful/lying about?

This Navy SEAL just signed his own death warrant.

via Marine Corps Times.

BREAKING: Robert O'Neill has been identified by media reports as the SEAL Team 6 commando who fatally shot Osama bin Laden. O'Neill, 38, is a decorated combat vet whose full story is set to be aired in an upcoming Fox News interview:

Just plain fucking wow.

I've said that something is wrong with SEAL culture in the past.  McRaven set a bad tone and now this Robert O'Neill is following in his footsteps.

I wonder if this guy has actually payed attention to threat warnings.

Call me paranoid or a tin foil hat guy, but I would imagine that every radical Muslim worldwide will have this guy in their sights.  Every madman, maniac, wanna-be and publicity seeking psychopath.

What's worst?

He can be traced using open source materials.  No one is iron clad and if you have the time, resources and maybe a bit of cash you can be found.  So can the people that you're close to...including your family.

How does it get even worse than that?

Other Navy SEALs that chose to do it the right way are now also endangered...there families too.

He'd be lucky if the worst that happened is if he's charged with disclosing state secrets.  He wanted fame and fortune so bad that he signed his own death warrant. 

Photo Release: F-35C Lightning II completes first carrier launch

Armor Art. Panzerkampfwagen E-75 Standardpanzer