UK's Minister of Defense crows about potential export of Ocelot to Australia.

Southern Partnership Photos.

Marines, operating amphibious assault vehicles with the Security Cooperation Task Force, prepare to debark the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall during Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011. A-SPS 11 will focus on strengthening existing regional partnerships and encouraging the establishment of new relationships through the exchange of subject matter expertise. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Lorraine S. Mendoza)

Amphibious assault vehicles with Security Cooperation Task Force member debark the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall during Amphibious Southern Partnership Station 2011. A-SPS 11 will focus on strengthening existing regional partnerships and encouraging the establishment of new relationships through the exchange of subject matter expertise. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Lorraine S. Mendoza)

Info on BAE's upgraded HUMVEE.

Baes PDF Brochure Isv

USAF to start training on the F-35 before the end of the year.

via Defense News.

The 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will take delivery of 20 F-35A-model conventional take-off variant aircraft with Block 1 training software after a brief informal operational evaluation so that instructor pilots can begin their training, said Vice Adm. Dave Venlet, the new JSF program executive officer.

 "We're going to put them in the hands of the fleet and the Air Force is going to be operating [Conventional take-off and landing aircraft] in training at Eglin before the year ends," Venlet told a luncheon hosted by the National Aeronautic Association.

Why is the discussion of the F-35 so contentious.

Click here and the link will take you to an article written by Sweetman about the F-35.

From the start the conversation was contentious, with a commenter named JackJack being double and triple teamed...all because he supports the program.

What surprised me even more was the fact that even Sweetman (whos come out in the past against outing commenter s because it could deny a link to the inside story on these program) goes so far as to insist that JackJack come out and identify himself by name.

All of the above is neither here nor there...the question is this...Why do conversations about the F-35 become so contentious.

F-35C.

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- Lt. Cmdr. Eric "Magic" Buus performs the first F-35C flight by a Navy test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River on Feb. 11, 2011. The F-35C is the carrier variant of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter currently undergoing test and evaluation. Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin.

You just knew I had to add this pic to the blog.  Remember..."except for discussions about my beloved F-35B" I can be quite lucid!

Pic of the day. Feb 15, 2011.

Marines with Combat Assault Battalion, Ground Combat Element, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Forward, III Marine Expeditionary Force, in amphibious assault vehicles train with smoke grenades here Feb. 11, 2011. The training evolution also included courses of fire with the M2 50. caliber heavy machine gun and the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher at a newly-constructed range built for multinational training by Marines from 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, and Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd MarDiv, both assigned to GCE during Exercise Cobra Gold 2011.Cobra Gold 2011 is a yearly multinational, joint training exercise designed to improve partner nation interoperability. Courtesy PFC Mark Stroud.

BAE's ugraded HUMVEE.

all photos courtesy of BAE...