Ward on the F-35.

I told you earlier that Sharkey Ward is still on the warpath over the UK's decision to revert to the F-35B.  In true think tank fashion, he's put his misgivings to paper and provided a report on the subject.


I don't agree but considering his service, I'll at least hear him out.  You might consider doing the same.

120520 - Balancing the Books - F-35 STOVL

"Depussification of the Navy"

via CDR Salamander...

In a real departure from normal procedures, the skipper left the weatherdecks open during the full power run, crash astern, and crash ahead testing. ... everyone else secures the decks to avoid possible mishaps. (when I told him that) He gave me a disgusted look and formed an upside down triangle with his hands. He said that one of his missions was the "depussification of the Navy."

Click here to read the whole thing.

Wow.

The powers that BE have made a severe miscalculation.

They shoved through the repeal of don't ask, don't tell.  They ignored survey's that they themselves commissioned on the subject.

They're shoving through women in ground combat units and the Army is allowing women to go to Ranger School.  That in and of itself indicates that Special Operations will be open to women and if you complete Ranger School then going to the Ranger Indoctrination Program (is that what its called?) will certainly be allowed....

They've done all this in a compressed time frame and they believe that the troops are happy?

Not even close.

The hollow armed forces of the 70's are going to look like a power house compared to what we will have if President Obama is re-elected.  Thank God we're seeing some push back.

Old is new. Combat Fitness.

I've been digging this guys site for a while now and have finally decided to share it.  Its called Tactical Athletic Performance and you should check it out for yourself.

But my main gripe isn't with him but with all those that are latching onto the Cross fit, High Intensity or whatever the latest buzz word for getting into shape is.

Its all bullshit.

You either get out and work your ass off or you don't.  You can either master your own weight or you can't.

We don't need buzz words or repackaged themes to make it work.

We just need common sense.  No one invented something new with Cross fit.

They simply repackaged what was already out there.  Oh and you can't tell me that a Marine that's running 5 miles Mon-Thurs...hitting a full old school calisthenics routine and doing the obstacle course twice a week with a 5 to 15 mile ruck on Friday isn't cross fit.

He's got it in spades and didn't do a thing new.

1950 USMC Recruiting Vid.

Sharkey Ward demands another U-turn....back to the F-35C or F/A-18E-F.

Relentless.

Cunning.

A never say die attitude.

All this and more can be used to describe Sharkey Ward, hero of the Falkland Island's Air Sea battle.  One thing that can't be stated is that he's a F-35 booster.  At least not in its purist sense.

I made that mistake and I was wrong.

I've accused the critics of the F-35 to be a loose amalgamation of people that have separate agendas but bound together by a single goal.  KILL THE F-35!

Sharkey isn't a F-35 booster...he's a naval aviation purist and he wants a fully capable, fully functional carrier air wing in the US Navy image.  If that means getting there by flying F-18's, Rafale's, Sea Typhoons, Sea Gripen's or any other airplane on the market place then that's ok by him.  Check this out...

I fear that there are some who are content to accept the decision taken by the Secretary of State last week on the F-35 variant to be procured for our new carriers.

There appears to be a view "that the STOVL aircraft is far better than nothing at all" and that "living with ramp fitted carriers will not be such a bad thing".  I'm afraid I can't agree and I go along with the well put remarks in the article by DefenceSynergia (attached).

My biggest concern is not just that we will have a more limited capability than with the F-35 or the F-18.  My most serious concern is that for operations in bad weather and/or very high temperatures, we may not be able to operate the aircraft at all.

My attached paper underlines this - at page 6/7. Within the paper I have taken pains not to be critical of the Secretary of State or other ministers and I place the blame for this flawed decision entirely upon the MoD advisers who persuaded the Secretary of State to take this way ahead.

I understand from press articles that Mrs Margaret Hodge, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee is furious at the manner in which her Committee and the Government have been misled on Carrier Strike issues - and, reportedly, is initiating full investigation with the NAO.  Good for her!  But if she is to get anywhere with her investigation, she will need to be pointed in the right direction, don't you think?  Listening to the same sources that advised the Secretary of State will not enable a serious investigation to get to the root of all these problems.

It is not too late for the Royal Navy to get this right (unlike the Sea Harrier decision and then the Harrier/Ark Royal decision).

I'll be posting his attachments shortly but a couple of points.  Before you dismiss his ideas understand that the British Government appears to be subject to the whims of vocal minorities...combine that thinking with the pounding that the F-35 has taken in the public relations realm along with the voodoo economics that Sweetman and Aviation Week have saddled the plane with and you have a govt that can be made to change course again.

I thought this issue was dead.

I think I was wrong.

Marines Clear Afghan Villages of Insurgents

A simplistic view of Flag Officer Ranks in the USMC.

Ultimate Ratio Reg and CDR Salamander are banging hard on the number of Admirals in the Navy.  I'm sure URR will come back (he said he would) and take a serious look at the number of Generals in the Marine Corps.

I want to beat him to it.

My simplistic view of the appropriate number goes like this.

2 four star Generals.  The Commandant and Assistant Commandant.
4 three star Generals.  They would be in charge of each of the Marine Corps Divisions.
4 two star Generals.  They would take care of Marine Expeditionary Brigades and serve as Asst Division Commanders.
20 one star Generals.  They would fill out all joint billets.  If the number of joint billets is greater than this number (and it most assuredly is) then it would be filled with a Colonel that is given a temporary promotion to the flag rank until his assignment is over.
Colonels and below would be as currently assigned with the exception that billets that are deemed more appropriate to the rank of Major will go to that rank and by this method we will also reduce the number of Colonels.

This is just off the top of my head but I was tweaked by URR and Sal on this issue. 

Evolution of the Combat Helmet.

WW I Helmet

WW II thru Vietnam Helmet (with modifications)

PASGT

MICH

ACH

OPS CORE

ACH with Mandible

The evolution that we're seeing with combat helmets is .... unexplainable.

From World War 1 up until the Second Gulf War we saw a movement toward more coverage.  During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan we see a new movement toward less coverage.

Then Special Ops decided that they basically only needed a shell covering only a portion of the head.  Conventional forces followed suit and brought the MICH first and then the ACH into service.

Now we have the services deciding that mandible protection is needed.

WHO IS COMING UP WITH THIS STUFF!

At least from the outside looking in, this makes absolutely no sense at all.  I wish PEO Soldier would explain the rationale behind this...or if you can then please hook me up!