SNAFU!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Marines conduct Urban Assault Training

Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) Operating in Afghanistan

All photos by POA(Phot) Hamish Burke

Monday, September 19, 2011

USAF fully behind the F-35!

After a rough week (all smoke and mirrors) the F-35 got a big boost from none other than the Secretary of the Air Force. This is from the Air Force Association Magazine...

The next few years are going to be tough, but Air Force and Defense Department leadership are committed to protecting airmen, their families, and the service’s core capabilities, said Air Force Secretary Michael Donley. To achieve the reductions outlined in the first part of the recent debt reduction deal, the Defense Department will have “to get savvy” and learn to accept more risk in certain areas. It will require terminating some programs, streamlining others, and “making some tough choices” about the core tenants of America’s national security strategy, said Donley at the Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference at National Harbor outside D.C., Monday. However, added Donley, as the service works to sustain the oldest aircraft fleet in history, certain programs must proceed. There is no alternative to the F-35 strike fighter. “It must succeed,” said Donley. Similarly, the Air Force is committed to developing a long range strike family of systems, including a new bomber, and to moving forward with a new aerial refueling capability. It also must protect ISR and continue to build on the growth in that area over the last 10 years. In addition, the Pentagon must maintain the nuclear triad, sustain and develop freedom of action in cyberspace, and sustain the Air Force’s commitments to US Special Operations Command, said Donley.—Amy McCullough

And there you have it. The USAF insists that it needs the F-35A. The USMC desperately needs the F-35B and the Royal Navy is waiting for the F-35C.

The critics have lost. Additionally when you add all the jobs that are attached to the program in all the different states then it will be impossible to kill it now. That would spike unemployment and despite the deficit we just can't afford to do that now. Consider it a jobs program with tangible benefits.

Another article on the AFA website caught my attention. This one deals with a Senate Committee slashing the production rate on the F-35.

The Senate Appropriations Committee's defense panel on Tuesday cut $695 million from the F-35 strike fighter program and recommended that aircraft production remains at Fiscal 2011 levels for two more years. These moves are meant "to limit outyear cost growth," said Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), SAC chairman, in explaining the defense panel's mark-up of the Fiscal 2012 defense appropriations bill. Although the panel "strongly" supports the program and is encouraged by its progress since last year's restructuring, it felt that "excessive concurrency in development and production still exists," said Inouye. The defense appropriators also were concerned that the number of production aircraft "continues to ramp up" even though the program is only 10 percent complete. "For each aircraft we build this early in the test program, we will have to pay many millions in the future to fix the problems that are identified in testing," he said. (Inouye's statement)

The highlighted area is the part that was left out of most reports on this event. Additionally Senator Hutchison, Republican from Texas only agreed to the slow down because she was assured that the program is safe and that production will be allowed to ramp up to planned rates.

Seems like the bad week has been fully reversed.

Luv it!

UPDATE*
Elements of Power has voiced his opinion on the Senate Committee's action and its a must read. Catch it here.

Marines fast rope from CH-53E...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.-Marines with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment run to a CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 during a fast-rope training event aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Sept. 15. The infantrymen fast roped with HMH-465 to prepare for future deployment-operations., Pfc. Kevin Crist, 9/15/2011 9:41 AM

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.-Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 participates in a training exercise with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Sept 15. The squadron supports infantrymen in fast-roping to prepare them for future deployment-operations., Pfc. Kevin Crist, 9/15/2011 9:45 AM

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.-A Marine with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment fast ropes aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton out of a CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 Sept. 15. The squadron supports infantrymen on the ground, and this type of training prepares Marines for battlefield scenarios., Pfc. Kevin Crist, 9/15/2011 9:31 AM

AAV's training at Fort Pickett...

A Amtrak with the Assault Amphibious Vehicle Platoon attached to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment crosses a swamp on Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 18. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the Deployment for Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training. Photo by Sgt. Richard Blumenstein

Amtraks with the Assault Amphibious Vehicle Platoon attached to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, travel drive on Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 18. More than 900 Marines and sailors are taking part in the Deployment for Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Sept. 6-23. The battalion is scheduled to attach to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as its Battalion Landing Team a few days after the training. Photo by LCpl Michael Petersheim

Pic of the day. Merkava IV storming ahead...

A tank during a training day held in the Golan Heights for the 401st Armored Brigade. The goal of the drill was to test the level of the brigade's combat fitness.

David Cenciotti has a great write up on Italian Typhoons...

If you're a Typhoon fan then you've got to check out David Cenciotti's latest write up on the work that the Italians are doing with these airplanes. Check out the great pix and the article here...

Trimble's back to doing what he does best...

And that would be getting the good stuff before most other aviation writers. He has a great scoop on some advanced concepts that are being shown at the AFA meeting....check it out here....

Hawk AJTS Overview Video

Royal Marines on patrol...

A Royal Marine from 42 Commando Lima Company based at Checkpoint Zarawar in Helmand, Afghanistan is pictured crossing a waterfilled ditch while on patrol. A Military Working Dog can be seen jumping out of the other side.

42 Commando are currently conducting daily patrols which are helping to provide reassurance for the local Afghan population and weekly shuras which are proving to be an important listening post in the communities.
Photographer: LA(Phot) Dave Hillhouse

A Royal Marine from 42 Commando Lima Company based at Checkpoint Zarawar in Helmand, Afghanistan is pictured on watching for enemy activity while on patrol.

A Royal Marine from 42 Commando Lima Company walks back to his base at Checkpoint Zarawar in Helmand, Afghanistan follwoing an arduous day long patrol.

A Royal Marine from 42 Commando Lima Company based at Checkpoint Zarawar in Helmand, Afghanistan is pictured in a corn field while on patrol.

Textron's Humvee Recap Contender...the video!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Air Force birthday today????

The Air Force turns 64 today. Happy birthday!

But a note to all the air guys out there. Your service is older than 64...stop denying the Army Air Force of old! You're cutting out a tremendous part of your legacy by not acknowledging the contributions that they made and are placing those guys in a type of nether world of being US Army but not credited with giving birth to the USAF.

An example is that if you used those metrics the USAF would be slightly over 100 years old. That's more like it....but anyway....happy birthday little brother.