Royal Marine Commandos on Exercise in British Woodland

F-22 upgrades in budget crosshairs???

via the Orlando Sentinel...read the whole thing...but a couple of tidbits...

Although the F-35 has had its share of problems, nothing compares with the woes of the F-22, which have made it the poster child for defense critics. And yet the U.S. is still pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into it.

and this...

It is not clear exactly how much the latest contract is worth. There was confusion when the military announced that the deal was a "potential $7.4 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract." That turned out to be incorrect; instead, the Air Force deal had actually boosted the potential value of an existing program to $7.4 billion, according to Reuters news service.

A DoD spokewoman told Reuters that the latest deal "cleared the way for funding of further upgrades in 2012, the last year of the program." She did not, however, disclose the value of the latest deal.

and finally this...

In some ways, the upgrade work on the F-22 could be seen as a sort of "bailout" of the problem-plagued fighter jet. Since the first Raptor was fielded in 2005, technical problems have prevented a single jet from taking part in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or in any other conflict.

Among the malfunctions: oxygen problems in the cockpit that caused pilots to lose consciousness, and navigation problems that led to an embarrassing return to base over the Pacific Ocean in 2007 for a dozen jets on a flight to Japan.

For defense proponents, it is an uncomfortable irony that the most-expensive, most-capable jet in the U.S. arsenal has never fired a shot.

The F-22 program confounds.

Its supporters are vociferous.  It is (they claim) capable of shooting down anything short of a Death Star, yet its looking more and more like a hangar queen and its upgrade path seems to indicate that its not as technologically advanced as some 4th gen fighters.

Upgrades are flowing from the F-35 to the F-22 and not the other way around.  Perhaps the real canary in the USAF's coal mine is the F-22 and its actual utility against a 1st tier opponent.

CH-46 flight ops aboard USS New Orleans.

All photos by Cpl. Ryan Carpenter

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, flies here Nov. 26 . The squadron is the aviation combat element for the unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) lands the amphibious transport dock New Orleans Nov. 26. The squadron is the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) flies here Nov. 26. The squadron is the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.

A CH-46E Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) flies here Nov. 26. The squadron is the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego Nov. 14 beginning a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions.

Are US Navy Amphibs and US Marine Corps MEU's preparing for embassy reinforcement mission in Europe?

Wow.

The break up of the Euro could lead to mass rioting and civil disturbances?  I hope USMC Europe is preparing for the possibility of Embassy reinforcement/recovery of US citizens.

Correction.

This is a US Army mission.  They have the 173rd Airborne in Europe along with some aviation assets.  If anything, you might see a FAST Battalion along with a USMC Infantry Battalion just helping out on reinforcing the embassies.  Everything else would probably go to the Army.

The Brits are planning, we need to too!

30mm Upgrade for AAV's?

 I've wondered what upgrades might be offered for the AAV to the Marine Corps (once they finally get around to doing it!).  One thing that I keep seeing on BAE's website is this 30mm RWS.  Its made by ELBIT of America and appears ready to go.

My question is this.  Does AAV operational philosophy demand a manned weapon station?  Is a 30mm weapon too much?  Would a compact 25mm cannon suffice?

Questions, questions but no answers.  I'll keep looking and if you hear something then hit me up.

RWS-H_1

This is police work in the UK.

Check out this article by SkyNews.

An elderly widow has died after muggers stole her handbag containing her husband's ashes - which she had carried for 17 years.
Nellie Geraghty, 79, suffered fatal head injuries as she desperately tried to cling onto the bag during the robbery in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
Police have launched a murder inquiry after she died in Royal Oldham Hospital at around midnight on Friday. Two youths, aged 14 and 17, have been arrested on suspicion of robbery.

That's a real quick background, read the rest of the story but this is what has my hair on fire...

Superintendent Catherine Hankinson, from Greater Manchester Police, told Sky News the investigating officers were keeping an open mind about the crime.
"There has been a level of violence used. Clearly Nellie has ended up on the floor and as a result of those injuries she's now sadly passed away," she said. 

The Police are keeping an open mind about the crime.

There has been a level of violence used.

If the bastard did that to my grandmother I'd hunt them down like the dogs they are.  Seems like the Police in the UK need to take a course on victims rights.

What happened to the idea that if a murder occurs in the act of a crime then you're automatically charged with murder????

UPDATE!  THEY RELEASED THESE BASTARD ON BAIL TILL JAN. 9!!!  THE UK IS UNBELIEVABLE.  WHAT A CESSPOOL IT MUST BE!

French Navy takes delivery of first new landing craft.

I'm not quite sure of what to make of this...seems slower than an LCAC...is limited to the same type beaches as an LVCP...I guess its home grown is what makes it attractive.

I could be wrong.  Anyway the French Navy just took delivery of the first boat.

On November 24, 2011 the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA - French Procurement Agency) has taken delivery of the first fast amphibious landing craft (dubbed EDA-R for "engin de débarquement amphibie rapide"). The EDA-R offers five times the landing capacity of existing landing craft currently in service with the French Navy. The EDA-R will be used by the Marine Nationale's Mistral class LHDs.

Signed in June 2009 as part of an economy stimulus plan, the contract includes the acquisition of 4 EDA-R and their operational maintenance until mid-2015. The other three fast amphibious landing craft will be delivered by mid-2012. 

Holsters and who's deciding this stuff at HQMC????

BlackHawk Serpa

I would love to know who made the decision that now was the time to switch holsters from the M12 to the BlackHawk Serpa line.

Don't get me wrong, I've worn the holster and find it functional in a normal environment, I can't ignore all the reports of the mechanism jamming when dirt, soil or even snow enter it.  An additional worry for me is the issue with the actual protection of the sidearm.  Will this holster provide adequate protection in all environments?

I have my doubts.  I also don't like how this announcement was made.  I didn't read any announcements about a competition.  All I heard was that BlackHawk had been selected to provide the next holster for the Marine Corps.

Compare the new holster with the 'legacy' model.  The 'old' one provides all around protection and although its not a speed holster, do we really need a quick draw rig?

Just by the eyeball test the old holster provides much more protection.  Which brings me back to the one major issue that keeps smacking me upside the head.  When is ideal too much and good enough a viable solution?

Was there some type of issue with the M12 rig that made it completely unworkable?  If not then our Commandant's statement of being frugal is nothing but words that have no basis in reality.  But if by chance they did find a reason why the M12 is unworkable then how about theses offerings...

Bianchi

Safariland

Both provide superior protection and both should be better options (I base my thinking on a non-mechanical retention device...even if the BlackHawk is simple its still more complex than the Bianchi or the Safariland) for Marines that jump or fast rope or actually operate in the field.

Exhibit one.  Our holster selection.  Evidence of a confused and misguided Marine Corps procurement system.