2 Air National Guard C-27 Deploy to Afghanistan

via Key.aero

TWO OHIO Air National Guard (ANG) C-27J Spartans left Mansfield-Lahm Airport, Ohio, on July 26 for the type’s first deployment to Afghanistan with the ANG to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The first of these, 08-27012 (callsign ‘RCH579’), subsequently arrived at Prestwick Airport, Scotland, on July 28, before leaving for Bucharest, Romania, early the next day and then heading onwards to Afghanistan. The second aircraft, 08-27015 (‘RCH714’), followed it into Prestwick on the afternoon of July 29, having been delayed by technical problems. It also then became unserviceable again at Prestwick, resulting in USAF/AFRC/459th ARW KC-135R 58-0075 arriving from Italy on July 31 with spares. It finally departed for Bucharest early on August 1 to follow its partner into theatre.
Both of these C-27Js are operated by the Ohio ANG’s 179th Airlift Wing/164th Airlift Squadron, which recently became the first US Air Force unit to re-equip with the type, having previously operated the C-130 Hercules. The Afghan deployment is a join mission with aircrew from the 179th AW and soldiers from the Georgia and Oklahoma National Guard. They will be working in conjunction with the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade in direct support of the US Army for airlift and airdrop operations.

Wow.

First deployment and it breaks down while enroute?  I'm not going to call BS on this airplane or how it fits into the Air Force but why wouldn't it make more sense for the USAF to just have bought more C-130's?

UPDATE*
First deployment of US C-27's.  According to David Cenciotti (check out his blog...best coverage of the Libyan aerial conflict that I've seen on the net) and something I really should have known....Italian C-27's have been operating in Afghanistan for some time.

Prepping goes mainstream.

I first saw this on Everyday no days off blog, but since then its been all over.  Seems that prepping has gone mainstream.  I keep my gear 'stacked high' and ready to go.  Seems like the rest of America that has fallen for the fantasy of everything being alright...for those that still have dreams of wealth backed by debt...for those that are on the dole...well, they're gonna be in a hurt locker.  I can't wait.

"I guess I can't be a Marine anymore"

Yep that's right...General Cartwright uttered those words in the middle of the fight to keep the EFV.  Now that he's retiring he scurries back to Marine Barracks for his send off.

Remember this blurb from one of Sweetman's Marine Corps bashing articles?  I can almost hear the glee in the Dark Lords heart as he types these words that a "Marine" General uttered...

Cartwright went on to brand the EFV with the scarlet "E" for "exquisite": "As we look at anti-access threats, is the exquisite nature of the vehicle appropriate? It's going to have a hard time."

"Now I can't be a Marine any more", he added. According to other sources, the QDR may downplay the Marines' role as a forced-entry assault force versus security assistance and the Corps' currently dominant role on the ground.

Under development by General Dynamics since the early 1980s, the EFV is intended to combine payload and protection with 25-knot overwater speed and long range. It has been criticised for high cost, technical snags and delays, and for the potential vulnerability of its flat-bottom design to mines.

Good riddance.  Carry your ass, Sir!

If you had leveraged your position as the Deputy Chairman then we might have this vehicle coming online instead of the ground forces playing second fiddle to the wing.  But that's what we get when we keep slamming wingers into leadership positions.

Special Operations Command Pacific puts their knees in the breeze.

All photos by Cpl Reese Lodder

Sgt. Brian Zygmant, a parachute rigger with 4th Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division, and soldiers with Special Operations Command, Pacific, walk toward an Air Force C-17 transport aircraft before parachuting over Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 28, 2011. Over a two-day training event, the recon Marines combined forces with Army, Air Force and Navy parachutists from SOCPAC and SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 to conduct static-line and free-fall parachute operations. Conducted bi-monthly as part of the recon Marines' sustainment training, the parachute operations served to better parachutist jump proficiency, and allowed jumpmasters to gain experience supervising their parachutists.

A soldier with Special Operations Command, Pacific, glides to the ground during parachute operations on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 28, 2011. Over a two-day training event, soldiers, sailors and airmen from SOCPAC combined forces with force reconnaissance Marines from 4th Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division, and Navy SEALS from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, to conduct static-line and free-fall parachute operations. Conducted bi-monthly as part of the recon Marines' sustainment training, the parachute operations served to better parachutist jump proficiency, and allowed jumpmasters to gain experience supervising their parachutists.

Reconnaissance Marines with 4th Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division, and service members with Special Operations Command, Pacific, glide to the ground during parachute operations on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 28, 2011. Over a two-day training event, the recon Marines combined forces with Army, Air Force and Navy parachutists from SOCPAC, and Navy SEALS from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, to conduct static-line and free-fall parachute operations. Conducted bi-monthly as part of the recon Marines' sustainment training, the parachute operations served to better parachutist jump proficiency, and allowed jumpmasters to gain experience supervising their parachutists.

Told ya.

I told ya this was coming months ago.  I even called an end strength number of between 175,000 and 150,000 billets.

Now the guys over at Information Dissemination are coming out in agreement.  Amazing.  Check it out...but a tidbit....

It was a tough winter for us.  First we lost the EFV in January, then in March of this year we released the Report of the 2010 Force Structure Review Group and in it the Corps did two big things, we'll see if they're both good.  Basically, we're going from 202k to 186k, reserves still stay roughly 40k. 

Well no shit. 

The only real stunning part of this story is the push to build up the MEB's.  That is going to be a major league bureaucratic cluster fuck. 

Just more jobs for the Generals. 

We should stay with three MEBs, have them trained to operate world wide and roll with it from there.  No need to setup an Army like structure of having them tasked to geographic areas.

That's NOT how the Marine Corps conducts business. 

Awesome. Toy Truck Saves Lives.

Who needs DARPA when you have ingenuity?

US State Dept playing in the military's back yard?

I say that because of this press release by the US Embassy in Romania.

Combined Amphibious Assault Exercise Ends Summer Storm 2011

August 3, 2011
On August 3, 2011, about 160 troops participated in an amphibious assault exercise at Capu Midia training range in Constanta.  In the morning, 11 amphibious assault vehicles were launched from USS Whidbey Island with U.S. and Romanian marines on board.  On shore, the marines engaged in a scheduled firing and assault on a building in the firing range.  The exercise was performed by U.S. Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, Amphibious Squadron 6, and Romanian marines from the 307th Marines Battalion and Lt. Dimitrie Nicolescu Naval Unit.

The amphibious assault ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD – 41) visited Romania between July 29 and August 4, 2011, to participate in the Romanian-American training exercise Summer Storm 2011.  The training opportunity and engagement was the first of its kind in Romania and was part of the U.S. Navy’s wider goal of continued Black Sea security and cooperation in the region.

To be honest I haven't kept up on press releases from the State Dept but I do try and keep up with military exercises.  This is the first blurb of its type that I've seen.  Either Romania is more important than I imagined or there is a message being sent to someone.  Either way I would be there is more to this than meets the eye.

4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment in Exercise Lightning Strike.

Photos by Spc. Kimberly Hackbarth

Spc. Patrick Bevans, a squad automatic weapon gunner with 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment “Manchus”, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division fires a Singapore Assault Rifle 21 during a range, July 21, here. Bevans and his platoon participated in the small-arms familiarization live fire with Company B, 2nd Singapore Infantry Regiment during Exercise Lightning Strike, a bilateral training exercise.

Soldiers of Company B, 2nd Singapore Infantry Regiment dismount from a Terrex vehicle during a company field training exercise with 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment “Manchus”, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, July 27, at Murai Urban Training Facility here. The FTX is the culminating event of Exercise Lightning Strike, a bilateral combat training exercise.

After setting off a smoke bomb, soldiers of 2nd Platoon, Company C, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment “Manchus”, prepare to clear the next room in a simulated chain of stores, July 27, at Murai Urban Training Facility here. The platoon, assigned to 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division worked with Company B, 2nd Singapore Infantry Regiment throughout Exercise Lightning Strike, a bilateral combat training exercise.

Soldiers with 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment “Manchus”, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division examine a Terrex that belongs to the Singapore army during a static display of Company B, 2nd Singapore Infantry Regiment soldiers’ assets, July 20, on Camp Pasir Laba here. Soldiers will work with 2nd SIR during Exercise Lightning Strike, a bilateral training exercise.

Hat Tip to Defense Talk.

Another Joe Copalman Special.

Joe has been at it again and I don't know why but I absolutely love this airplane.  Yeah its old as dirt...almost prehistoric but its strangely beautiful.  I don't know why but I do like it.  Check out his Flickr page for more aviation photos.

Bill is at it again!

Click the pic to get the full effect!

Yep!  The Dark Lord returns....  He has a story out on the grounding of the JSF.  Mind you no info is out yet but Bill still finds time to dazzle us.  Read the whole thing but check out this passage from his story....

Details are scant: A statement from the JSF program office reads that "aircraft AF-4's Integrated Power Package (IPP) experienced a failure ... The engine was immediately shut down and the jet was secured.  No injuries to the pilot or ground crew occurred."

The halt in operations "is the prudent action to take at this time until the F-35 engineering, technical and system safety teams fully understand the cause of the incident. Once the facts are understood, a determination will be made when to lift the suspension."

Notice that I highlighted 3 words....

DETAILS ARE SCANT!

In other words lets not do like Sweetman.  Lets wait to see exactly what happened, and what it will take to fix it.  The last grounding lasted for 6 days and the APA crowd was crowing like Rooster on a bright sunny day.  Later they buried their heads in shame.

Lets wait. 

Lets see.

Vago's notebook: F-35B is worth the investment

Thanks Marcase.

More RV than Fighting Vehicle?

Think Defense caught this, and I was shocked and amazed by it.  Suffice it to say that a toilet is the last thing I would expect to see on an APC/IFV....but the Boxer has it.