The Flying Kiwi Website.

Ok.  You like Naval Aviation?  Well I do, and if you do too then you must check out the Flying Kiwi.  I don't know this guy but his site is awesome and considering his far flung travels he's either independently wealthy or in hock up to his ears...check it out.

Bitch and Whine.

This from DoDBuzz....

“It’s been three years [since the arms export treaty with Britain was proposed]. At this point we are losing patience,” she says he told her. Pass the treaty, “if you want our soldiers to stand with yours and have the right technology.” Blakey spoke with Fox Sunday night at a dinner for senior U.S. government and industry officials.

Read the whole thing but I am struck by the sense of entitlement.  Yes you are an ally.  Yes you are important.  Yes we want your assistance and value our alliance..but WHAT THE FUCK!

If you're losing patience then carry your behind down the road.  You're trying to have two lovers...the US and European Defense Industries and Britain is ignoring the fact that theft of intellectual property is a real threat.  They wonder why we won't allow access to the source code on the F-35 and then talk about having a joint aircraft carrier with the French...the same French that are famous for industrial espionage and the same French that are selling high tech arms to Russia.

The UK needs an enema...they're seriously losing it.

F-22 at Farnborough

EADS Chairman is smoking crack.

Wow.  This via the BBC.

"The Americans are interested," he told BBC News. "They do not have an aircraft with the same capabilities."
Mr Gallois said he did not expect the US to order the plane immediately.
However, by the middle of the decade the US will need to replace their existing planes, he explained.
By then the A400M programme - which is several billion euros over budget and four years late - should be running smoothly.
"The programme is now on schedule," Mr Gallois said.

This guy is getting some of the "good stuff"...I mean it must be Columbia Pure.  

Or else he's just plain crazy.

Either way, I can't believe that anyone in his sales department is telling him that the A400 will be considered by the US military in the future.

Talk about capabilities and cost?  For a few million dollars more you can buy a C-17 with almost double the lift and speed.  I've never seen a company chairman grasping at straws...before now that is...and to be honest its not a pleasant sight.

How any reporter can credibly report this drivel is beyond me but it is fun watching this train wreck better known as Gallois.

Marine Corps Historical Publications.

Sgt. C. hooks us up with the link to the US Marine Corps Historical Division.  I honestly had never heard of these guys and simply got historical books etc through the All Marine Messages (ALMARS).  This is better.  Check them out.

Det One: USMC Spec Ops in Iraq 2003-2006

via the good people over at STRIKE-HOLD!  Check them out.

Det One Boards_Det One

Northrop Grumman G/ATOR coming to a theater you might deploy in!

Navy adopting Army's External Stores Support System???

ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 14, 2010) Marines assigned to the visit, board, search, and seizure team of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU) fast-rope from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter onto the flight deck of the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195) during a composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX). (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jesse J. Johnson/Released) 100714-M-6539J-058

I saw this photo on the Navy website and noticed that this helicopter is sporting the Army's External Stores Support System.  Every SeaHawk that I had seen before wore the Navy's unique store system which was much lower on the fuselage.  Is this change common place or is this simply a trial?
This would definitely make the SeaHawk only one step away from becoming a true BattleHawk, able to influence warfare in the littorals.  Maybe NAVAIR is listening????

US Marines and Australian Soldiers doing real cross training at RIMPAC.

This is the Australian view of the cross training with the Marines.  Note the full integration of their Infantry with our Assault Amphibian Battalion....you even have a Section Leader (I think that's what they call their squads) taking up the proper position in the vehicle.  Way to go Aussies!

Officer in Command Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, Major Mick Buchanan conducts a communications check from the commanders cupola of an AAVP7 RAMS amphibious vehicles belonging to the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Bravo company were operating as mounted infantry with the marines to conduct joint amphibious operations training from the well deck of the USS Cleveland.

 Soldiers from Bravo Company 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment embarked aboard the US amphibious transport dock ship (LPD 7) USS Cleveland, prepare to mount up in AAVP7 RAMS amphibious vehicles belonging to the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion of the United States Marine Corps, to conduct joint amphibious operations training from the well deck of the USS Cleveland.

Soldiers from Bravo Company 2nd Batallion Royal Australian Regiment embarked aboard the US amphibious transport dock ship (LPD 7) USS Cleveland, mount up in AAVP7 RAMS amphibious vehicles belonging to the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion of the United States Marine Corps, awaiting launch to conduct joint amphibious operations training from the well deck of the USS Cleveland.

Soldiers from Bravo Company 2nd Batallion Royal Australian Regiment embarked aboard the US amphibious transport dock ship (LPD 7) USS Cleveland, mount up in AAVP7 RAMS amphibious vehicles belonging to the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion of the United States Marine Corps, awaiting launch to conduct joint amphibious operations training from the well deck of the USS Cleveland.

Latest F-35 news...the Marine Corps will not allow delays...

When you have the Head of Marine Corps Aviation weighing in on the F-35's future operating concept and talking about making design TWEAKS (not a mistake jet as some would have it) then you know that the Marine Corps is serious about its Initial Operating Capability date of 2012.  More good news for the program.  Another stake in the heart of the beast known as "GOON"!


This from DoDBuzz...

“We have made the decision to adjust the IPP,” he said Sunday, reshaping the nozzle so that the enormous thrust comes out in an oval shape instead of the more highly focused circle now used. The oval “will resolve that problem for almost all surfaces,” he said.

NOTE*
The definition of a "Goon" in the urban dictionary is... Someone hired to rough someone up, usually someone big and dumb who commits acts of violence for money.  *Example* I'll show those fools, i'll hire a couple of goons to give those butt-pummeling ass clowns a fresh one across the face. FIST!

The Marine Corps "Mans Up" the Navy's Partnership mission.

The amount of political correctness coming out of the US Navy is becoming annoying.  Luckily for them, they have a Men's department in the form of the US Marine Corps.  Check out this new take on these "partnerships for peace" missions.

Photo-shopped Canadian F-35's.

From Lockheed Martin.