Otokar's Arma Wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

All images courtesy Otokar.

Via Otokar.  More info on Otokar's vehicle line-up can be found here.

ARMA is the modular multi-wheel configuration wheeled armoured vehicle with superior tactical and technical characteristics. Thanks to the high level of ballistic and mine protection as well as the outstanding design allowing the integration of various types of mission equipments or armament, ARMA is an adaptable 6x6 platform for evolving mission needs in a modern battlefield forming an optimum solution among mobility, modularity and protection.
ARMA 6x6 has an 18,500 kg combat weight and carries a driver, commander and eight dismounts. ARMA is transportable by various means including C130 aircraft.
ARMA with longitudinal and transverse differantial locks, geared hubs and double wisbone type independent hydropneumatic suspension, offers respectable all terrain mobility on difficult terrain, high level safety and comfort for the crew.
ARMA is developed and validated by Otokar's R&D capabilities and now ready for production.

LCS-1 headed to RIMPAC.

via US Navy.

USS Freedom Departs San Diego for RIMPACBy Lt. Ed Early, USS Freedom Public Affairs SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1), departed Naval Base San Diego today to participate in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010, the world's largest maritime exercise.

During this year's RIMPAC, the 22nd in the biennial exercise series, Freedom will operate in and around the Hawaiian Islands with air, land, and maritime forces from 13 other nations.

"RIMPAC is a tremendous opportunity to build upon and to refine Freedom's known surface warfare and maritime security capabilities and to break new ground in LCS employment," said Cmdr. Kris Doyle, commanding officer of Freedom's Blue Crew. "We have several 'first-of' events scheduled, ranging from air defense to anti-submarine to fire support exercises. Every day, we will be stretching ourselves to learn more about what LCS brings to the fleet and how we integrate in a multinational environment."

Freedom recently arrived in San Diego at the conclusion of a historic maiden deployment to the U.S. 3rd and 4th Fleet areas of responsibility. During deployment, the ship conducted counter-illicit trafficking (CIT) operations, making four successful seizures that yielded more than five tons of cocaine, two "go fast" drug vessels, and nine suspected smugglers taken into custody. In addition to independent operations, Freedom successfully integrated with the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Carrier Strike Group for a re-fueling at sea, high-speed operations, surface gunnery events, and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure evolutions. The ship also completed three theater security cooperation port visits to Cartagena, Colombia; Panama City, Panama; and Manzanillo, Mexico.

The first ship of the revolutionary LCS program, Freedom is a fast, agile, and maneuverable ship designed to compliment the Navy's larger multi-mission surface combatants in select mission areas, including combating submarines, mines, and fast-attack craft threats in the littorals.

Embarked aboard Freedom for RIMPAC are Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, Detachment 2, based in Norfolk, Va., and the first tailored LCS Surface Warfare Mission Package (SUW MP), based in San Diego.

Estonia and US Marines perform amphibious ops training. (Baltops)

LOSKA, Estonia -U.S. Marines amphibious assault vehicles head for the beach during a combined U.S., Estonian amphibious landing at a beach here. The combined training demonstration was part Baltic Operations 2010, an exercise designed to increase the interoperability of NATO and partner nations in the Baltic Sea region. , Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/14/2010 11:19 AM

 LOSKA, Estonia -U.S. Marines amphibious assault vehicles embarked aboard the USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) advance on the shore line during a combined U.S./Estonian amphibious landing. The combined operations was part of a demonstration of the interoperability between the two forces as part of exercise Baltic Operations 2010, an exercise designed to increase the interoperability of NATO and partner nations in the Baltic Sea region. , Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/15/2010 11:36 AM

LOSKA, Estonia -U.S. Marines amphibious assault vehicles embarked aboard the USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) come ashore during a combined U.S./Estonian amphibious landing. The combined operations was part of a demonstration of the interoperability between the two forces as part of exercise Baltic Operations 2010, an exercise designed to increase the interoperability of NATO and partner nations in the Baltic Sea region., Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/15/2010 11:36 AM

LOSKA, Estonia -Estonian soldiers emerge from a U.S. Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicle during a combined U.S., Estonian amphibious landing at a beach here. The combined training demonstration was part Baltic Operations 2010, an exercise designed to increase the interoperability of NATO and partner nations in the Baltic Sea region., Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/15/2010 11:38 AM

LOSKA, Estonia -U.S. Marine infantrymen and amphibious assault vehicles from Special Purpose Marine Air/Ground Task Force African Partnership Station take up defensive positions during a demonstration of a combined U.S./Estonian amphibious landing. The combined training demonstration was part Baltic Operations 2010, an exercise designed to increase the interoperability of NATO and partner nations in the Baltic Sea region. , Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/15/2010 11:42 AM

LOSKA, Estonia -Estonian soldiers wade ashore during a combined U.S., Estonian amphibious landing at a beach here. The combined training demonstration was part Baltic Operations 2010, an exercise designed to increase the interoperability of NATO and partner nations in the Baltic Sea region. , Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/15/2010 12:16 PM

LOSKA, Estonia -Estonian soldiers and U.S. Marines wade ashore during a combined U.S., Estonian amphibious landing at a beach here. The combined training demonstration was part Baltic Operations 2010, an exercise designed to increase the interoperability of NATO and partner nations in the Baltic Sea region. , Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/15/2010 12:16 PM

Pic of the day. June 16, 2010.

Via Joe Stemph's Flickr Page.

CH-53E Super Stallion of HMH-464 "Warhorse" kicking up debris on landing at West Wetlands Park in Yuma, Arizona during a noncombatant evacuation exercise.

Australian Special Forces clearing operations.

An Australian Special Operations Task Group soldier takes aim during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive. (Date taken: June 2010)

An Australian Special Operations Task Group soldier observing a 500lb bomb strike an insurgent position during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive. (Date taken: June 2010)

An Australian Special Operations Task Group soldier observing the valley during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive. (Date taken: June 2010)

Afghan Officers from the Provincial Police Response Company and Australian Special Operations Task Group Soldiers lift off in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter as part of the Shah Wali Kot Offensive. (Date taken: June 2010)

Afghan Officers from the Provincial Police Response Company and Australian Special Operations Task Group Soldiers wait to lift off in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters as part of the Shah Wali Kot Offensive. (Date taken: June 2010)

AH-64 Apache attack helicopters lift off to support Afghan National Security Forces and Australian Special Operations Task Group Soldiers as part of the Shah Wali Kot Offensive. (Date taken: June 2010)

RG41 Video.

And BAE was kind enough to supply a few photos of this new beast.

Thales Australia at Eurosatory.

I am really impressed by some of the efforts made by defense contractors at getting the word out on their products.  Most have come up short....waaaaaaaaaaay short.

Some have gone above and beyond. 

BAE is one such company.

And Thales Australia is the other.

If you want to check out a nifty piece of advertising then go here.  Well done Thales!

CV 90 Armadillo Video.

When in doubt send in the Military?

Via the American Spectator.

Ray Mabus long-term Gulf Coast restoration plan. Well, okay, but... why the Secretary of the Navy?Isnt the Navy important enough? If Mabs is to do that, it should be his only job, and somebody else should be Sec-Navy. Frankly, this is an outrage. And what does the Navy have to do with Gulf Coast shore restoration anyway?!?!?!?!?!?!?

They said it better than I could.  This is just plain sad.  I have recently learned that the Netherlands, and several other European countries offered technology to clean up the oil spill and they got no response from our government!

But a bigger mystery to me is why select the Secretary of the Navy to perform this mission?  Maybe because the President finally understands that is the only competent section of the US government.  Maybe because he looked at the heads of his other agencies and realized that they're not up to the job.

Either way, the Secretary of the Navy has personnel in harms way.

He does not need this additional duty.

And the French betrayal begins.

via RiaNovosti.

Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Tuesday it had signed several contracts with the French defense firm Thales on the transfer of technology and delivery of communications equipment for Russian armored vehicles.
"The first contract involves transfer of technologies to Russia, which now will have the right to produce officially licensed thermal imagers at Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant," said Igor Sevastyanov, Rosoboronexport deputy director general.
"The second contract provisionally allows Russia to bring in communications equipment for integration into Russian armored vehicles for testing," Sevastyanov said. He added that the communications equipment would be mounted on T-90 tanks and BMP-3 armored personnel carriers.

My problem with this is that this gear will eventually wind up in the hands of our enemies.  Whether its the Iranians or the Chinese, the Russians are a gateway supplier of advanced technology.

What should also give many PAK-FA fans pause is Russia even needing to procure this type of tech transfer...to even demand it in order to complete the buy of Mistral BPC's.

Are they truly capable of producing a 5th gen fighter if they can't even get communications gear into BMP-3's and T-90's?

photo from RiaNovosti.

Marine Aviation Supporting Marines on the Ground.

Call me tin foil hat, but Marine TV releases this video the day after our next Commandant...an Aviator...is announced to the public.  I smell a rat.  And the vid isn't even up to snuff.  Feel my pain when you watch it.

Support for the smaller European nations the Marine Corps way.

VENTSPILS, Latvia-Latvian President Valdis Zatlers (in red on top of vehicle) rides a Light Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle through the beach entry access point constructed to aid maritime preposition force offload exercises and increase access to local recreation areas here. President Zatlers visited the Marines and Sailors of 4th Landing Support Battalion and Naval Beach Group 2, who have been working together with Latvian forces to conduct maritime preposition force offload operations and other training events here since the start of the exercise June 6., Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/10/2010 3:46 PM

VENTSPILS, Latvia-Latvian President Valdis Zatlers (in red on top of vehicle) rides a Light Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle through the beach entry access point constructed to aid maritime preposition force offload exercises and increase access to local recreation areas here. President Zatlers visited the Marines and Sailors of 4th Landing Support Battalion and Naval Beach Group 2, who have been working together with Latvian forces to conduct maritime preposition force offload operations and other training events here since the start of the exercise June 6., Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, 6/10/2010 3:46 PM

via Marines.com

MPF offload demonstrates Navy-Marine Corps Team, Latvian interoperability  
6/15/2010   
By Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis  , Marine Forces Europe 
VENTSPILS, Latvia   — A simulated earthquake brings a humanitarian crisis to the Baltic Sea region and the Marines and Sailors from Charlie Company, 4th Landing Support Battalion and Naval Beach Group 2 arrive at the port to help. Working in close coordination with members of the Armed Forces of Latvia, local civilian and port authorities, and Latvian contractors, the Navy and Marine Corps Team delivered a robust maritime preposition force (MPF) offload during exercise Baltic Operations 2010.
“This is another example of when we as Marines and Sailors are working together with our NATO partners to further develop our interoperability,” said Mike Harvey, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe prepositioning officer. “When we come together and conduct the three objectives of MPF offload, it not only shows that we are able to work together to prove and improve MPF concepts, but it also gives us a chance to strengthen our ties and continue to build partnerships and professional relationships.”
To prove those concepts, the Marines, sailors and Latvians conducted equipment offload at sea and in port, staged the equipment in a logistics support area (LSA), and then transported the equipment throughout the country via three modes of transportation, according to Harvey.
Harvey said the purpose of the transportation was to allow the Latvians to demonstrate their ability to integrate into the U.S. MPF offload process and stress their infrastructure.
“The ability to take military equipment and vehicles from ship to shore, stage it and prepare it for onward movement and then conduct that movement with tactical convoy, commercial trucking and railways shows the importance of this exercise,” Harvey said.
While the focus of the exercise was on the MPF offload in support of a simulated humanitarian aid crisis, the training didn’t only benefit the Latvians.
“This kind of training is hard to come by, so it benefits our Marines greatly by giving them more experience with beach and pier-side operations and the specific platforms that they utilize,” said Staff Sgt. Jamison Johnson, beach operations/port operations group chief with Charlie Company.
According to Johnson, the ability for the Marines to work with the Latvians throughout the entire process provided vital experience in working in a coalition environment.
“If the port is full or inadequate, the ability to conduct beach operations allows the mission to continue unhindered,” said Lance Cpl. Adam Bath, landing support specialist with Charlie Company. “So, to come out here and get to do all the aspects of our job, that is really important. Especially since it is in a coalition environment and that is how we operate more and more these days.”
During a demonstration portion of the two-week exercise, the Marines, Sailors and Latvians had a chance to show the fruits of their collective labors to the highest ranking individuals in the Latvian military.
Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, Minister of Defense Imants Lieģis, and the Commander of National Armed Forces of Latvia Maj. Gen. Juris Maklakovs all toured the training areas here and had a first-hand look at what the two forces had accomplished during the exercise.
“I’m very impressed with the skills and the cooperation between the American and Latvian forces,” said President Zatlers. “It gives me a sense of security and that is the most important message I get from this event. I’m grateful to the United States, the other allies participating in the exercise and to my countrymen for making this exercise such a success.”  

Wow, what a beautiful concept that's finally gaining traction but much too late.  This is another concept that won't die but will be truncated.  How much?  I really don't know but the idea of having ships dedicated to the Sea Base and only the Sea Base would seem a stretch.  An LHA dedicated only for Sea Base?  Ain't gonna happen now.  High speed connectors?  Yeah, probably.  Other than that we'll just have to see.