Operation Aero Hunter.

An AH-1W Cobra with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), and an EH101 Merlin with 1419 Flight Squadron, Joint Aviation Group, 3rd MAW (Fwd), refuel before joint Operation Aero Hunter in Western Kandahar province Jan. 13. The operation consisted of two phases. The first part was a patrol to flush insurgents out of a village; the second part was a series of snap vehicle check points along Route 1. The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, conducted the patrol and Marines of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, conducted the VCPs.

 

An EH101 Merlin with 1419 Flight Squadron, Joint Aviation Group, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), prepares to land along Route 1 in Western Kandahar province during joint Operation Aero Hunter Jan. 13. The operation consisted of two phases. The first part was a patrol to flush insurgents out of a village; the second part was a series of snap vehicle check points along Route 1. The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, conducted the patrol and Marines of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, conducted the VCPs.

Marines from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, board a EH101 Merlin with 1419 Flight Squadron, Joint Aviation Group, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), along Route 1 in Western Kandahar province during joint Operation Aero Hunter Jan. 13. An AH-1W Cobra and a UH-1Y Huey with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, 3rd MAW (Fwd), provided overwatch for the duration of the operation, which consisted of two phases. The first part was a patrol to flush insurgents out of a village; the second part was a series of snap vehicle check points along Route 1. The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, conducted the patrol and the Lima Company Marines conducted the VCPs.

Royal Air Force Merlins and 3/25 and 3rd MAW conduct joint operations.

Marines from L Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, and Marines from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), joined with Royal Air Force crews of 1419 Flight Squadron, Joint Aviation Group, 3MAW (FWD), during Operation Arrow Hunter Jan. 13 along Route 1 in Helmand province Afghanistan. HMLA-169 Marines provided overwatch for the 3/25 Marines and the EH101 Merlin crew of 1419 Flight Squadron with a UH-1Y Huey and an AH-1W Cobra. The 3/25 Marines set up snap vehicle checkpoints along Route 1 in three separate areas at three times to show that, with the use of helicopters, they can set up a snap VCP anywhere, anytime. Produced by Marine Sgt. Deanne Hurla. Video provided by 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) Public Affairs.

Did David Axe just prove that stealth is dead?

Via Wired.com...

Instead, the U.S. military’s main flying branch has turned to an older jet that, with upgrades, could prove to be an even better J-20-killer than the newer, more expensive F-22. That’s right: the Boeing F-15  Eagle, one of the stars of the 1991 Gulf War, is quickly shaping up as America’s main countermeasure to China’s new fighter for the next 20 years.

Read the whole thing if you haven't already...but my question is this.  Does this mean that stealth is already dead?

If AESA radars are that capable then give me a big motor, tons of gas, 14 conformal missiles, HMD and an AWACS with that same radar and lets ditch the cost of stealth!

I was watching stealth when I should have been paying attention to the electronics that are being developed for the next gen fighters.

This is awesome and a little annoying.

If stealth isn't the big boy on the block now then that means that old school fighter pilot rules are back in vogue (with the caveat that the fight will probably be all BVR...I mean heck...why allow an enemy to close if you can detect them, launch your missiles and break contact because of modern electronics).

I sure hope he does a follow up article.

SureFire Hi Capacity Magazines.

Amazing.  They started in flashlights and are now part of the firearm industry.



Maybe the IAR makes sense with these mags?

Even training is dangerous.

Rest in Peace...

via Fox News...

Marine Dies When Vehicle Sinks Off Calif. Coast

By Justin Fishel

Published January 14, 2011 | FoxNews.com

A Marine was killed during a training mission at Camp Pendleton, Calif., after he along with five other Marines sank to the bottom of the Del Mar boat basin while inside an amphibious assault vehicle. Five of the Marines managed to escape unharmed.
Rescuers reached the trapped Marine at 2:15 p.m. Friday, about three hours after the vehicle sank. He was rushed to Scripps La Jolla Hospital, and pronounced dead a half hour later. The victim's name has been withheld until the notification of the next of kin.
The Marines said in a statement that an investigation is underway.
The Pentagon recently announced its plans to halt the production of the Exeditionary Fight Vehicle that was designed to replace the current fleet. These newer models are considered to come equipped with improved technology.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the project had already cost the Marines billions of dollars and was too far over budget to continue.

Calls of desperately needing a replacement for the 40 year old AAV, the fiasco that became the EFV and the need to get the next program going should be perfectly clear now.

Maersk Line Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) --the brochure.

Lee sent me this brochure of the Maersk Line's concept for a low cost AFSB.  Thanks Lee!  Anyway, after glancing at this, I'm a believer.  If it can provide even half the capabilities shown in this concept then I'd be in favor of giving up an LHA-6, life extending the current big decks and putting one of these in each ocean!  Check it out here.

The UK being able to do a Falklands doesn't matter anymore.

The discussion on an earlier post turned to me asking this question.  Can the UK repeat the Falklands if it happened today?

Some took the question as being a direct repeat of the events that led to that war, but I was asking it in a larger context.

If British territory was seized, could they retake it?  Not necessarily the Falklands but anywhere in the world.

After talking with friends, I realize that isn't the right question.

The right question is this...Is the European Union, as its currently organized, capable of mustering the forces of its member nations to be able to come to the defense of any of its members to regain territory.

The answer that we arrived at was maybe.  It would all depend on if the territory was a colonial holdover, if the territory's people wanted to remain part of the member countries sphere of influence etc...

Two elements of the EU's military bear watching.

The Rapid Deployment Force (information is hard to come by...does it even exist)

The Anti-Piracy Task Force

More to come.

Whoa! USNI hits hard!

USNI Blogsite is back in the fight.

Want to read something that will be thought provoking and piss you off at the same time?  Then go here.

Wow.

 UltimatRatioReg ---great article guy!

Clarification.

I keep hearing from individuals that their comments have been deleted.

I don't do that.

I have forwarded the issue to Blogger and as soon as I know, you will too.

Chinese citizens react to the J-20.

I subscribe to ChinaSmack blogsite.  While I don't know how widely held the comments are, heck I don't even know if they're translated accurately---they're still interesting as hell.  Here are a few, follow the link to read the whole thing.

红玛瑙:

Does the country/government’s strength and power have anything to do with us?

織田信長:

The more advanced the PLA’s weapons are, just means the more people that can be suppressed on Changan Avenue.

红玛瑙:

No wonder everyone says it is easy to be a [government] leader. I’d rather see the price of cabbage fall 5 mao.

正宗张江男:

Slaves cheering the slave-master for researching and developing an even more powerful killing machine? What kind of reasoning is this?

腾讯上海市网友:

Not bad not bad…I’m happy for the test flight’s success, though China normally only reports the things that are basically guaranteed to succeed. Since they said it was a test flight, then it is certain that they’ve done secret training exercises already…hehe