Force Recon on the Dyanmic Assault Course.

Just a few observations...

1.  .45's all the way around...they look tricked out...not standard grips by any means.
2.  P-Mags all the way around...Is this item allowed or not?
3.  Fanny Packs all the way around????? I don't get that.  I wonder what the load out is for that?  E&E gear?  I have no idea.
4.  They still like the Flight Suits I see.

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan--Marines fire their M4A1 carbines during marksmanship training May 10 as a part of the Dynamic Assault Course at Camp Hansen’s Range 16. The Marines are from Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Force Company, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and need the certification provided by the course to operate as a force reconnaissance platoon.
, Lance Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr., 5/10/2011 5:49 AM

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan--Marines from Force Reconnaissance Platoon assault a building May 10 during the Dynamic Assault Course at Camp Hansen’s Range 16. The five-week course includes marksmanship training in a close-quarters environment., Lance Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr., 5/10/2011 11:43 AM

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan--Marines fire their M4A1 carbines during marksmanship training May 10 as a part of the Dynamic Assault Course at Camp Hansen’s Range 16. The Marines are from Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Force Company, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and need the certification provided by the course to operate as a force reconnaissance platoon.
, Lance Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr., 5/10/2011 5:49 AM

A400M...as big as it is its still too little...

As impressive as the A400M is, its still too little and too late to find many customers outside of Europe. With the C-17 line looking for orders...with its price being extremely close to the the A400M, I just don't see customers lining up to buy it. This story from the Independent is propaganda in my opinion. Read it for yourself but again, here's a tidbit.

"There has been interest from Far Eastern governments. You've only got to look at the disasters in the area to see how the A400 could help."

Mr Elliott added that the A400 had "enormous potential" in disaster relief, anti-piracy and illegal immigration control. For example, the advanced radar and communication facilities could easily track pirates.

He also confirmed that "informal contacts at mid-level staff levels" had started with some countries. "We will kick-off the export campaign next year," he said. "The full potential of this aircraft will really begin demonstrating itself when entering service."

Yeah this sounds like a little rustling to get interest stirred in an airplane with few prospects.  But one thing is either an amazing expansion in capabilities or just an outright lie is the claim that the radar on the A400 can be used to track pirates?

They're really desperate in the AirBus house.

Seriously Cynthia?

Say it out loud before you do it!  Does it sound like a good idea to go to a country that your nation is at war with and make pronouncements?  Does it sound like a good idea to 'give aid and comfort to the enemy'????

Are you crazy?  Read the whole thing at CNN, but here's a tidbit.

"I want to say categorically and very clearly that these policies of war ... are not what the people of the United States stand for, and it's not what African-Americans stand for," she told state TV.

Maybe not African American's but Africans were aboard a boat and in a sense forcefully deported from that country.  The boat sank and estimates are that 600 souls were lost.

The really sad part about this whole thing is that I don't support the US participating in the action in Libya.  We already have enough on our plate...if it must be done then the Europeans should be able to handle it.  But you do not go to a foreign country to do this.

We have JAGM...we don't need no stinkin' Brimstone!

Why isn't the USAF part of this program?

MFC_JAGM_ProductCard

F-35 makes airshow appearance!

F-35C CF-2 flew over the Andrews Joint Services Open House airshow on 21 May 2011. US Navy Lt. Cdr. Eric Buus was the pilot on this seventh test flight of the aircraft—and the first flight that originated from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The USAF Thunderbirds can be seen below.

F-35C CF-2 Fly over during the Joint Service Open House at Andrews AFB

OUTRAGEOUS!

This is OUTRAGEOUS!  Thanks MUCH PATRICK for sending me this link.  Read the whole thing.  Medical aid didn't arrive for an hour.  The SWAT Team didn't find a weapon on this Marine.  Nothing.  Save these tactics for use against Drug Cartels not US citizens!







I'm not going to lie to you. I've always considered Police brother in arms. But the behavior of this group of SWAT officers has me re-evaluating that stance. Another problem that I'm having to face is that I've always looked at charges of Police Brutality as issues of criminals attempting to sully the name of the men that are out there to protect society. No more. This is honest to goodness crossing the line.

Pic of the day. May 21, 2011.

Lance Cpl. Marcus Terry fires the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon through a mock window on an unknown distance course at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., May 18. Terry is an infantryman assigned to the Ground Comabt Element, Marine Barracks Washington. Photo by Sgt. Bobby J. Yarbrough

If you know, then tell me!

I need an answer to two questions.

1.  Why do I see this Sgt Of Marines sporting an Army bayonet on his weapon?  The Marine Corps has its own bayonet and yet it isn't issued to this guy.  Is the supply chain that slow...fractured...jacked up or does the Air Wing roll with different gear?

2.  Whats the deal with P-Mags?  Are they allowed or not?

If you know what gives then hit me up in the comments section or by e-mail.

F-22 Upgrade Taking Too Much Time, Money - Defense News

via DefenseNews.  Click the title to read the whole thing.

Among other improvements, the upgrade will allow the F-22 to carry the AIM-9X infrared-guided air-to-air missile and the AIM-120D medium-range air-to-air missile, and to attack eight ground targets with eight 250-pound Small Diameter Bombs.

Software development appears to be the primary cause of the delay.

Loren Thompson, an analyst at the Lexington Institute, said the F-22's software is written largely in Ada, a programming language that was once a DoD standard but whose use has waned in the past 15 years.

"It tends to impede quick upgrades to the system to which it is the base software," Thompson said.

Moreover, he said, "The affordability of any upgrade becomes debatable when you purchase a relatively small number of upgrades." 

Not slamming the F-22 but if the upgrade to AIM-9X and AIM-120D is behind schedule and even imperiled by budget concerns, then are we really talking about the premier air to air fighter in the world?  Everyone talks about air to air combat but in a "phone booth" type fight, even a legacy fighter should be able to achieve a mutual kill (if it can get a lock on)...one thing is certain.  The F-22 pilot will have to work really hard up close.  Harder than we've been lead to believe.

The “Kevlar coffin.”

That's what US Army Soldiers in one Stryker Unit that deployed to Afghanistan called their vehicles...Kevlar Coffins.

That's either an indictment of the vehicles or the tactics they used.  Since I am a homer, I'll blame the vehicles and it appears that the US Army agrees.  This story from the Stars and Stripes describes how they're about to deploy double hulled vehicles Army wide.  Read the whole thing but here's a juicy tidbit.

The double-V hull design, which went from conception to production in less than a year, will replace conventional, flat-bottomed Strykers that have seen extensive service in Iraq and made an inauspicious debut in Afghanistan in June 2009 with the deployment of the 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division to Kandahar province.

Members of that brigade, which had 37 troops killed in action and 238 wounded during its yearlong mission, reportedly called the vehicles the “Kevlar coffin.” Things got so bad that part way through the deployment, the Stryker unit was diverted away from the main fighting in Kandahar to a “freedom of movement mission” guarding roads on the periphery of where the toughest combat was taking place.

Unfortunately, the strain of repeated combat tours necessitated the Strykers’ deployment to Afghanistan to “take their turn downrange,” said retired Lt. Col. David Johnson, executive director of the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. Stryker brigades’ soldiers — if not their vehicles — need to deploy to Afghanistan so that other units have enough dwell time at home.

But the Stryker vehicle itself might not be the best option in places like Afghanistan, he said. It was designed to be a rapidly deployable, medium-armor vehicle that would fight in a medium- to high-intensity conflict, carry troops to an assault position and dismount the troops.

“[It] isn’t perfectly suited for the environment in Afghanistan or a low-intensity conflict with IEDs,” he said. “The Stryker is a platform. If it doesn’t work, use another tool.”

The Army's got a problem.  They've re-oriented their entire force around the "Stryker" Brigade concept.  If this vehicle isn't adequate across all conflicts then its time to rethink organizational philosophy.

Maybe its time to bring back Light Fighter Divisions?