Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Why does the US Coast Guard operate in foreign waters?
Just a question.
They're not the Navy. They have a distinctive mission outside of war. They have limited resources.
Its time for them to give up a warfighting role. Rescue, and law enforcement only. That's how you save the Coast Guard.
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SOUTH CHINA SEA (July 12, 2010) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mellon (WHEC 717) pass each other during a surface gunfire exercise. Chung-Hoon, Mellon and other U.S. and Republic of Singapore Navy ships are participating in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Singapore 2010. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kim McLendon/Released)
Why does the Coast Guard operate its ships far from home? Why do they participate in military exercises?
Isn't it time to revamp or better yet, remission the Coast Guard?
They're not the Navy. They have a distinctive mission outside of war. They have limited resources.
Its time for them to give up a warfighting role. Rescue, and law enforcement only. That's how you save the Coast Guard.
SOUTH CHINA SEA (July 12, 2010) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mellon (WHEC 717) pass each other during a surface gunfire exercise. Chung-Hoon, Mellon and other U.S. and Republic of Singapore Navy ships are participating in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Singapore 2010. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kim McLendon/Released)
Pics of the day. July 14, 2010.
Lance Cpl. Cody Kummer, rifleman, 1st
Squad, 1st Platoon, Company A, Landing Force, native of Omaha, Neb.,
prepares himself to repel down a 20-meter repel tower July 5. More than
50 Marines from the Landing Force participated in the Republic of Korea
Marine Corps Basic Rangers Course with ROK Marines from the 31st
Airborne Battalion as part of the Korean Incremental Training Program
2010 Series Four July 5-9. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Colby
W. Brown)
And the truth starts to come out on the Russian 5th gen fighter.
via RiaNovosti.
"The Air Force will start taking delivery [of fifth-generation fighters] in 2015-16. The preliminary number is over 60," Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said.I always wondered how the Russians would be able to cobble together the pieces of a 5th gen fighter in such a short time.
He also said the first batch of new fighters would be provided with older, "non-fifth" generation engines.
Now we know.
Its not going to be a 5th gen fighter...its going to be a re-skinned SU-30...how about this Sukhoi fans...it'll be a re-skinned SU-35! Better?
If its flying with current engines...how far along can they be when it comes to sensor fusion?
My prediction.
This bad boy will have pods hanging from hardpoints when it makes it into service...if it makes it into service.
Fallschirmjaejer QRF in Afghanistan.
Germany's in the fight. The photo is via Strike-Hold and the gallery is definitely worth a look-see. Their gear setup is interesting. As is the way they outfit their weapons. No backup iron sights? Wow.
Comment of the day. July 14, 2010.
Steve made this comment on an earlier post.
F-35 cops a lot flack for development delays - but as I recall it is no worse than the F-22 whose X moodel first flew in 89/90 but did not reach IOC until about '05. The Eurofighter X-model first flew about '86 and did not reach IOC - in only a limited air-air mode - until about '04. The Rafael was not much different.And that boys and girls is the real issue with the F-35. Once it begins serial - full rate production, then its Katy bar the door! The costs of the airplane will drop dramatically. Nations will clamor for the airplane and the Typhoon, Rafale, Gripen and Super Hornet will be shut out of the fighter market. This could be the swan song for some aircraft manufacturers.
Yet I cannot recall Bill Sweetman et al giving anything like the grief to those earlier fighters that they now give to the F-35. And before someone tells me that the F-35 is much bigger program, the issue here is development cos' once development is completed, the production ccosts usually come down e.g. F-22.
That's Bill's fear.
That's Boeing's fear.
That the European Aircraft Manufacturer's fear.
And that explains why so much venom is being tossed at this program. Effectiveness be damned. Its all about protecting territory and market share.
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