Lightning Commitment
"[The F-35] is our highest priority program. Air superiority is something we absolutely have to have, operationally, forever. And so, we're going to get that program delivered."
—Frank Kendall, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, meeting with defense reporters in Washington D.C., April 20, 2011.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Quote of the day. May 7, 2011.
Col. Morgan-real American hero... / Bell Helicopter...get a freaking clue.
Big Time Apologies to Col Morgan.
Bell Helicopter get a freaking clue.
I ran an earlier post here, where I questioned what Col Morgan was doing at the Bell Helicopter plant in the context of the US Army about to run a competition for their next generation scout helicopter and whether his appearing in the video amounted to product endorsement.
Bell Helicopter deceived me. Either intentionally or unintentionally. The results were the same.
They used a real life American hero for an advertisement when he was there to simply thank them for their product that he used to save lives.
Big Time Hat Tip to SMSGT MAC for getting me the article and his citation.
Bell Helicopter get a freaking clue.
I ran an earlier post here, where I questioned what Col Morgan was doing at the Bell Helicopter plant in the context of the US Army about to run a competition for their next generation scout helicopter and whether his appearing in the video amounted to product endorsement.
Bell Helicopter deceived me. Either intentionally or unintentionally. The results were the same.
They used a real life American hero for an advertisement when he was there to simply thank them for their product that he used to save lives.
Excerpts from the narrative that accompanied Lt. Col. Mike Morgan’s Silver Star:
“His heroic actions and those of the aircrews he led were singularly responsible for saving American lives that were on the brink of being overrun by a determined enemy insurgents of numerically superior force.”
“LTC Morgan’s quick reaction, skillful employment of his and other attack weapon systems, and mastery coordinating multiple aircraft over a target simultaneously resulted in a confirmed three insurgents confirmed killed and an estimated 20-30 unconfirmed.”
“LTC Morgan, with his aircraft munitions expended, determined that American lives were at risk. He quickly decided to make two additional direct passes with his team, enabling his copilots to use their M4 rifles to suppress insurgents attempting to maneuver and over-take the pinned down route clearance team lead vehicle. His actions provided critical time and space to enable the vehicle to maneuver out of the kill zone and back to the north.”
Pure dee crazy.
I was reading the blog Bayou Renaissance Man (highly recommended...its a mix of just about every interesting news story you could think of)when I stumbled across this story that he posted on May 3 of this year. I repost it in its entirety without shame.
Wow.Doofus Of The Day #472
Courtesy of an e-mail from Australian reader Andrew S., we learn of the shooting of an alleged armed robber - and an incredible statement from his girlfriend.Mr Douglas was shot in a St Kilda street by officers investigating a stabbing earlier that night at the nearby Gatwick Hotel and police have since confirmed they are probing his connection to two armed robberies at Geelong post offices last month.
The Geelong Advertiser reported the 31-year-old was also arrested in February at the scene of a stabbing at the North Geelong commission housing complex where he had lived since last year.
Miss Tuck, who was taken into custody after Sunday's shooting and later released pending further inquiries, claimed her partner had no involvement in the hotel stabbing and had done nothing to warrant the officers' use of lethal force.
"I'm devastated. I loved him he's my heart," she said.
"How dare those evil police shoot an innocent man who just happened to be advancing towards them with a knife out? It's every ones right to stab people, how dare they take that away from us?"
"It shouldn't be like this. He should be here with me today."
There's more at the link. Bold print is my emphasis.
I could hardly believe what I was reading. Is it even possible that someone could say something so stupid? I don't know what to say about the lady (?) in question . . . except that she instantly qualifies for our latest Doofus Of The Day award!
Peter
(EDITED TO ADD: I note, on returning to the linked news report several hours after I first read it, that the statement in bold print has been removed: but if you read the comments at the foot of the article, you'll see that other readers also quoted it. It was there, all right. A more detailed report of the shooting may be found here.)
Just wow.
Oh and WTF!
More F-35 News Sweetman won't like;)
F-35 passes 1st radar cross section test.
via Bloomberg.
The program office has collected radar cross-section information on the Air Force version of the aircraft and “we are very pleased, very pleased,” U.S. Navy Vice Admiral David Venlet, the program manager, said in an interview.F-35- win
Haters- another loss
AAV's from the USS Iwo Jima on exercise. Photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Z. Ecklund
USS Boxer conduct water ops. Photos by Seaman T. Welsh.
Old ideas dusted off as being new. The USS America as a sea control ship.
Sea Control Ship |
But I digress. This Proceedings article is all the buzz and all it is, is a rehash of the '70's control ship idea.
The thought that the defense community would be all a-twitter over this is ... AMAZING. Here is a tidbit but read the entire thing.
In the meantime, the America-class big-deck amphibious ship has the potential to be a new generation of light aircraft carrier. At 45,000 tons’ displacement, she will slide into the water larger than her World War II predecessors, and larger even than the modern French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Designed without an amphibious well-deck, she will put to sea with a Marine Air Combat Element and key elements of a Marine Expeditionary Unit.That boys and girls is nothing more than a Sea Control Ship. Nothing fancy. Nothing revolutionary. Simply an old idea dressed up.
However, to view this purely as an amphibious-assault ship would be to miss her potential as a strike platform. Stripped of her rotorcraft, the America class could comfortably hold two squadrons of F-35B short take-off vertical-landing (STOVL) stealth fighter/attack aircraft. Such an arrangement would allow the naval services to dramatically increase presence and strike potential throughout the maritime domain. In addition, if the requirements were instituted in the near term, the new unmanned carrier-launched airborne-surveillance and strike (UCLASS) aircraft could be designed to operate from America-class decks with greater potential utility and distribution than what could be expected when operating from super carriers.
USS America Class LHA |
Friday, May 06, 2011
Where is the line between support and product endorsement?
I wonder where the line is ethically for the Army Colonel in the video above. Bell Helicopter is making an upgraded OH-58F for them currently and is also in competition to build the next scout helicopter.
With that in mind, does a video like this cross the line?
I hope that someone experienced in military ethics 101 can explain the hows and whys when it comes to the difference here.
Oh and understand: I don't blame Bell Helicopter one bit. They're capitalist and are trying to put the best light on there products possible. What I'm wondering about is where the line is for the military.
Alpha Company 1/5 on patrol. Photos by Cpl. B. Crilly.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Questions about the Raid that I'd love answered...
Just a few questions I'd love answers to...
1. Why do Navy SEALs trace their ancestory to UDT instead of Navy Scouts and Raiders?
2. Why did JSOC choose to go with the 160th instead of AFSOC?
(a) Is it because AFSOC chose the wrong platform? (CV-22 instead of MH-47)
(b) Does this indicate that the 160th is considered a higher tiered unit?
(c) How have they been able to keep a top secret aircraft under wraps in the middle of Kentucky?
3. What was the backup force? Army Rangers? More SEALs?
4. How did SEAL Team 6 get the mission instead of DELTA?
5. What has DELTA been doing? SEAL TEAM 6 has been all over the news lately...what are the other Supermen in the DoD doing.
6. Was a package of fast movers available to provide assistance? How many, what type, what branch?
7. How big a force was the SEALs thought capable of engaging? If a platoon of terrorist were inside the compound...detected 10 minutes before landing would that have scrubbed the mission?
8. Is it common for the President to personally observe these type missions? I'm fairly certain that they've thought that they had "him" before.
9. What other assets were dedicated to this mission? A commenter on ARES suggests that jammer aircraft, command and control platforms etc were assisting. Is this true? If so then why is that considered a secret?
10. Once it was determined that the helicopter was not completely destroyed, why wasn't an airstrike called in to finish the job. Could the remnants give clues to our enemies about our classified aircraft?
11. Who was in control of this mission? JSOC? Central Command? CIA? Or was it run out of the Sec of Defense's office?
Just a few quick questions. If you have more then send them my way.
1. Why do Navy SEALs trace their ancestory to UDT instead of Navy Scouts and Raiders?
2. Why did JSOC choose to go with the 160th instead of AFSOC?
(a) Is it because AFSOC chose the wrong platform? (CV-22 instead of MH-47)
(b) Does this indicate that the 160th is considered a higher tiered unit?
(c) How have they been able to keep a top secret aircraft under wraps in the middle of Kentucky?
3. What was the backup force? Army Rangers? More SEALs?
4. How did SEAL Team 6 get the mission instead of DELTA?
5. What has DELTA been doing? SEAL TEAM 6 has been all over the news lately...what are the other Supermen in the DoD doing.
6. Was a package of fast movers available to provide assistance? How many, what type, what branch?
7. How big a force was the SEALs thought capable of engaging? If a platoon of terrorist were inside the compound...detected 10 minutes before landing would that have scrubbed the mission?
8. Is it common for the President to personally observe these type missions? I'm fairly certain that they've thought that they had "him" before.
9. What other assets were dedicated to this mission? A commenter on ARES suggests that jammer aircraft, command and control platforms etc were assisting. Is this true? If so then why is that considered a secret?
10. Once it was determined that the helicopter was not completely destroyed, why wasn't an airstrike called in to finish the job. Could the remnants give clues to our enemies about our classified aircraft?
11. Who was in control of this mission? JSOC? Central Command? CIA? Or was it run out of the Sec of Defense's office?
Just a few quick questions. If you have more then send them my way.
They should have named an aircraft carrier after him.
Thanks Craig for sending me this vid.
Remember this post on the naming of a new Destroyer after LT Murphy? They should have named an aircraft carrier after this American hero.
This is the story that the Navy should be shouting to the rooftops.
Remember this post on the naming of a new Destroyer after LT Murphy? They should have named an aircraft carrier after this American hero.
This is the story that the Navy should be shouting to the rooftops.
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