The F-35 Program Office would like to thank the People's Republic Of China.

A special thank you goes to the People's Republic of China.


You have successfully scared the shit out of your neighbors, risk making your number one trading partner your mortal enemy (despite attempts by liberals, misguided capitalist, and silly free market junkies) and are on the brink of societal collapse.


With all those issues you still found the time to cobble together a slightly stealthy, oversized, weak engined, single man fighter with questionable avionics....but because of your inferiority complex...because of your desire to beat the US militarily instead of economically with your poorly paid labor force you have finally woken the fools in Congress.


The critics of the F-35 MIGHT have carried the day if you had planned properly.  If you had presented yourself as only an economic and not military competitor things might have turned out differently.


Now.  All bets are off.


The F-35 will go into production.

You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.

The J-20 is an indication that the F-35 scares the Chinese.  That's a good thing.

24th MEU. More Eager Lion 12

Photos by Cpl. Michael Petersheim

CH-53E Super Stallions and MV-22 Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are arranged and organized by aircraft category in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 9. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12, which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU which, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force.

U.S. Navy beach masters from Amphibious Squadron 8 guide Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion hovercrafts onto the beach in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12, which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU which, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force.

Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit offload Humvees from Navy Landing Craft Air-Cushion hovercrafts with Assault Craft Unit 4 in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. Eager Lion 12, taking place throughout the month of May, is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 participating nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force.

A Navy Landing Craft Air-Cushion hovercraft from Assault Craft Unit 4 parks after offloading Marines and tactical vehicles with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU which, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, ride Assault Amphibious Vehicles ashore from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, ride Assault Amphibious Vehicles ashore from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Jordan - Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, ride Assault Amphibious Vehicles ashore from the USS New York in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12 here, May 10. More than 1,000 Marines from the 24th MEU are participating in Eager Lion 12 which is taking place throughout the month of May and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of 19 partner nations. This is the second major exercise for the 24th MEU who, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S Central Command area of operations as a theater security and crisis response force. The USS New York can be seen in the background.

Kydex craziness follow up!

Hey Gents.


A quick followup on my rant against Kydex.


YES.  I remain against the tons of items that are being pushed onto the American Shooter all in the name of the latest and greatest...I hate trends...I hate the trendy....I hate those that follow them just because, without any thought to there actual needs.


But there is one aspect of Kydex that I love.


The fact that people are forming there own holsters, gear holders etc...


The Do It Yourself aspect is awesome.  Awe inspiring.  Cool.


Rant over.

USMC Blood

Pics of the day. USAF edition.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alyssa Gomez demonstrates proper use of camouflaged ghillie suits at the Nevada Test and Training Range on May 11, 2012. Snipers wear the ghillie suits to blend into their surroundings and conceal themselves from enemies or targets. Gomez is with the 99th Ground Combat Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Hughes)

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pulls away from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft after refueling off the East Coast on May 10, 2012. On Dec. 15, 2005, the Air Combat Command commander, along with the 1st Fighter Wing commander, announced the 27th Fighter Squadron as fully operational and capable to fly, fight and win with the F-22. The F-22 is with the 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., and the KC-135 is with the 756th Air Refueling Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock)

U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crew members conduct slingload operations with Airmen at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., May 10, 2012. Both units were preparing for a Marine airpower demonstration at the bases’ open house and air show, which took place May 12 and 13. The CH-53E crew is with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 and the Airmen are with the 621st Contingency Response Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Edward Gyokeres)

F-35. Can't be cancelled after the China Threat Assessment

Dave Majumdar over at the Dew Line has published the recently released China Threat Assessment.  The J-20 will be operational in 2018.

Stick a fork in any hopes of seeing the F-35 cancelled now.  With the PAK-FA delayed, with the US Teen Fighters and the Euro Canards being uncompetitive, this effectively puts an end to this LONG, TIRED, LIE FILLED (from those who oppose the F-35) DEBATE.

Cancelled?  I can see it being rushed into service now. Oh and you can pretty much rule out the Democrat Party falling back to the "cut defense" to save social programs meme now.  Not even they would risk it after this report.  Looks like we're seeing the makings of a modified cold war.

Read Dave's article here.

Read a take on the misguided attempt by traitorous Congress Critters here.

Mandible Protection?

Wow.

Mandible protection has been around for awhile but now its being talked about going Marine Corps wide.  Uh...I thought we wanted to get lighter?  Time for the School Of Infantry to start weighing in on some of this stuff.  They're suppose to be the subject matter experts but they've been getting knocked around by the different program offices and billets inside the Corps.  The results?  More equipment that gets left on the dock or in the sea bag.

Kydex craziness...

This Kydex foolishness has to stop.

It just plain has to.

They probably don't deserve it but I'm pointing at those guys.  You know ... Costa-Haley Effect ... CHE!

Yep, the CHE is what started this Kydex craziness but no one is putting the breaks on it.  I mean seriously look at that belt.  Just taking a look at this guys pistol mags and all the real estate that's being taken up because of kydex instead of normal pouches, all I can do is shake my head at the madness.

I could easily double up if not quadruple the number of pistol mags that he's carrying with a simple equipment change.

Same goes with the M-16 mags.  In the space of one of those kydex holders, I could fit an old style pouch and triple up on the number of mags...so instead of two M-16 mags I could carry 6.

But what really has me worried is that this is making its way into the Marine Corps via shops that should know better.  Places like the Marine Corps Marksmanship Program.

Yeah, send our guys to 3 gun matches but stick with combat marksmanship.  Turning our weapons into race guns isn't doing the fleet any good and that 19 year old that's been doing 3 gun instead of football will still eat up the Sgt that we send that's had 3 combat deployments and 20 confirmed kills.

The sports just don't translate.  And neither does the gear or the gear setups.  More Jungle and Arctic training will totally change our gear setups.

I can't wait to see it.  In the mean time, this Kydex craziness makes about as much sense as a kydex holster for a can of dip....oh wait.  They did that too.