Tell me again why 1st Tanks isn't deploying as a unit to Afghanistan?

Amazing.  If you watch the above video you'll see Assault Breacher Vehicles, M-88 Recovery Vehicles, D-9 Bulldozers, MRAPs, and MTVRs. 

What you won't see are M1 Tanks wearing USMC decals.

Why?

Our allies have successfully deployed heavy armor.  We constantly perform mechanized operations.  We assault heavily fortified areas and direct fire weapons would be an asset.

If we won't use them in conflicts like this, then the very notion of Marines and Tanks should be questioned.

Panther UAV

via DefenseUpdate

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

F-35C gets its new paint job.

via Lockheed Martin.

F-35C CF-1 rolled out of the F-35 Final Finishes Facility in Fort Worth, Texas, recently in full color, as it  received its highly accurate robot-applied coatings. CF-1 was flown flew fourteen times before entering an intensive period of ground testing

Special Purpose MAGTF. Continuing Promise.

Surfing the net today, I stumbled across the website of the SPMAGTF Continuing Promise.  You be the judge but it seems like a tremendous waste of time for the Marines involved.  Better to be steaming in circles rather than wasting training time doing Peace Corps missions.

The Navy (which started this nonsense) needs an enema and Marine Corps leadership needs a wake up call.  Bridgeport, 29 Palms and NTA has training space available for use if you can't find better things for your Marines to do.  The website is here.

More Relief Effort Photos. CH-53's over Pakistan.

Notice the missile detection systems --- the 50 caliber machine guns --- the crew chiefs out and looking.


Benign environment my ass.

Marine Corps Super Stallion helicopter from VMM-266 (REIN), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit takes off during humanitarian assistance operations in the southern province of Sindh, Pakistan.
Date Photo Taken: 9/30/2010 10:15:00 AM
Unit: 26th MEU
Photo ByLine: Capt. Paul Duncan

A Marine Corps Super Stallion helicopter from VMM-266 (REIN), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit flies in route to deliver relief supplies during humanitarian assistance operations in the southern province of Sindh, Pakistan.
Date Photo Taken: 10/1/2010 12:49:00 PM
Unit: 26th MEU
Photo ByLine: Capt. Paul Duncan

A Marine Corps Super Stallion helicopter from VMM-266 (REIN), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, flies in route to deliver relief supplies during humanitarian assistance operations in the southern province of Sindh, Pakistan.
Date Photo Taken: 10/1/2010 12:55:00 PM
Unit: 26th MEU
Photo ByLine: Capt. Paul Duncan

New to me. Enclosure for NLOS missiles on LCS-2.

Totally new to me.  I assumed that these missiles would be stored at the stations occupying the 30mm cannon spots.  I really thought it would be one or the other (as far as those weapons were concerned), now I know better.

100327-N-1876H-007 GULF OF MEXICO (March 27, 2010) The enclosure for the non-line-of-sight missile system lies behind the Mk 110 57mm gun housing on the bow of the littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) as it transits the Gulf of Mexico. Independence is underway on her maiden voyage. (U.S. Navy photo by Lieutenant Zachary Harrell/Released)