F-35B at Pax River...

via Lockheed Martin...

BF-1 flight 88 at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

MMC/Boeing's Ship to Shore Connector.

Lee sent me this a couple of weeks ago (thanks buddy..!!) but life got in the way and I never shared it.  I'm interested in seeing what the competition was offering...but the fact remains.  If you want the Sea Base to actually work then this ship... or something like it... is going to be a big part of it.

SSC Gen Info+Tech Specs 1

AAI's Rapid Deployment Tank..

Marine Corps amphibious operations require vehicles that can be quickly moved to areas of concern.

I don't think a 70 ton tank meets that requirement.  And we still haven't talked about keeping it in action once its on the battlefield.

The Rapid Deployment Tank project of the 80's would be welcome even today.  These photos are all from Viggen's Blog.

If you want a refresher on the "looming" weight issue with Marine Corps and Army vehicles when it comes to strategic/tactical mobility then check out this article by Roger Galbraith.

The Israeli view of President Obama's handling of Egypt...

Jonathan (thanks guy...love the articles, keep them coming) sent me an article that answered a burning question for me...What does Israel think of the crisis in Egypt.  This answers the question...

via DefenseNews.com (bold lettering is my effort to emphasize points, not DN's)

Israelis were struggling to mask dismay, if not contempt, for what are round­ly viewed here as naïve, inept and potential­ly dangerous missteps by U.S. President Barack Obama, who has encouraged the masses seeking to oust Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

With momentum continuing to favor Egypt’s grass roots, anxiety mounted here over the specter of a revived southern front com­manded by an unknown, likely radical regime organized, trained and equipped with the very best from America.

At the outset of mass demonstrations last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne­tanyahu directed cabinet members to hold their tongues about unfolding events in Sinai and beyond the Suez Canal. Anything uttered here would either irritate his government’s al­ready-strained ties with the Obama adminis­tration or, worse, shift Egyptian street anger — still largely focused on internal repression and economic inequality — to anti-Israel or anti-Semitic diatribes.

Instead, Israel’s Foreign Ministry directed envoys worldwide to urge their host govern­ments not to isolate Mubarak through word or deed, given his decades-long contributions to regional stability and his commitment to the 1979 Camp David Accords.

“The peace between Israel and Egypt has lasted for more than three decades and our objective is to ensure that these relations will continue to exist,” Netanyahu told cabinet col­leagues Jan. 31.

But by late last week, with Obama leading the charge for a “new dawn” over a post-Mubarak Egypt, many here removed their muzzles in open support of existing centers of gravity — namely the Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) and Mubarak-legacy leadership. In in­terviews here, military officials said Mubarak may already have been lost, but it’s not too late to fortify international recognition of the EAF and the vital, stabilizing role it can play in a future regime.

So when U.S., European and some Arabic television networks began broadcasting agi­tating commentary Feb. 3 about military ac­tion against demonstrators in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, Israel’s military spokesman agreed to respond on record about unfolding events.

“Based on our assessment of events on the ground, it is our understanding that the Egypt­ian Army is operating responsibly and in a manner that contributes to stability and pre­serves the peace,” said Brig. Gen. Avi Be­nayahu, Israel Defense Forces spokesman.

Wow.

To be honest and not political, it has been curious how the White House and State Department could just dump an ally in the middle of a crisis so quickly.

Whoever wins in Egypt, they won't trust the US.  Israel doesn't trust the US.  Europe doesn't trust the US.  China doesn't (who cares)...

Will anyone else?

I talk about other nations becoming unsturdy...shaky...yielding to the whims of ideology instead of practicality.

It seems that the same can be said for the upper reaches of the current US government, regardless of party.

USMC Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST)'s to Egypt???

via Business Insider...

A senior member of the US Marine corps is telling people "multiple platoons" are deploying to Egypt, a source tells us.
There is a system within the US Marines that alerts the immediate families of high-ranking marines when their marine will soon be deployed to an emergency situation where they will not be able to talk to their spouses or families.
That alert just went out, says our source.

The units aren't identified but this story is spreading like wild fire over the internet.  I'm guessing FAST Marines are on the way because of their mission profile.

This from Wikipedia...

The Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) is capable of rapidly deploying to immediately improve security at United States Government installations worldwide. FAST Marines are deployed at the discretion of the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps when the primary and auxiliary security forces of the Marines are unable to adequately respond to a security crisis.

Yep, I'd guess that its a couple of FAST Companies.

Lenco BearCat G4.

I love the martial music...can't remember what movie I first heard it in though...

V-22 Internally Carried Vehicles...time to dump this requirement.

Again, you've got to be kidding!

There isn't enough room in that bird to carry anything but a vehicle! 

Call it mission creep, bad planning, day dreaming...call it whatever but the idea of an Internally Carried Vehicle inside a V-22 is a non-starter.  Better to air drop one out of a tasked Special Ops C-130 or even use a CH-53K to carry it but this ain't gonna work.

Side note---

Did you notice the vehicles displayed in this test?  The only one not present was the Growler ITV.  Seems as if AF Pararescue and Combat Controllers have already written that vehicle off their list of potential candidates in their competition.