Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV)

Kennedy is the father of Special Forces...Obama is the father of Navy SEALS's?.

Watch this video and cringe like I did.  

From the Ministry of Defence. French Marines and Arctic Training.

A French Marine is pictured on Exercise Boar's Head at the Otterburn Training Camp, Northumberband with a Famas assault rifle.

Exercise Boar's Head was a company level live firing exercise which took place at Otterburn Training Area involving a British Army infantry company from 5 SCOTS, a unit of 16 Air Assault Brigade; and a company from 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment a unit of the French 11th Parachute Brigade.

The exercise was part of the continuing relationship between French and British Army units following the signing of the Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty by Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in November 2010.

The exercise involved a wide range of live firing exercises from platoon to company level involving a range of supporting weapon systems and saw the French company conducting live fire attacks supported by a British fire support team in a demanding environment.

Royal Navy Sea King Mk4 helicopter pilots and aircrews from Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) carry out a load lifting exercise as part of their Arctic flying training in Norway.

The training takes place some 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle at the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) base near Bardufoss, Norway. The JHC base known as “Clockwork” provides survival and operational training and support facilities to enable aviation capable unit’s arms to survive, operate and fight in extreme C2 environments.

USS Freedom porn.

Has anyone noticed that we haven't heard a thing about the Austal version of this ship? 

US Army Aviation innovates. First datalink for UAVs delivered.

 

via Lockheed Martin Press Release

LONGBOW LLC DELIVERS FIRST PRODUCTION BLOCK III APACHE DATA LINK SYSTEM TO THE U.S. ARMY

 

ORLANDO, Fla., February 21, 2012 – The LONGBOW Limited Liability Company, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and Northrop Grumman [NYSE: NOC], recently delivered the first production Unmanned Aerial Systems Tactical Common Data Link Assembly (UTA) to the U.S. Army for the Apache Block III helicopter.

 

“The delivery of the first Apache Block III UAS [Unmanned Aircraft Systems] control system, called the UTA, marks the next major capability advancement for the Apache, which continues to be the deciding factor on the battlefield,” said Lt. Col. Dan Bailey, U.S. Army Apache Block III product manager.  “When fielded, the UTA capability will significantly enhance the game-changing perspective of the Apache.”

 

This delivery follows the successful completion of the LONGBOW UTA system design and development phase.  Low-rate initial production is currently underway to equip the first U.S. Army Apache Block III helicopters with this capability.

 

“The delivery of the first UTA system to the U.S. Army is the successful culmination of a nearly six-year design and development program,” said Mike Taylor, LONGBOW LLC president and director of LONGBOW programs in Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control business.  “The UTA provides Apache aircrews with increased situational awareness and net-centric interoperability significantly reducing sensor-to-shooter timelines.”

 

LONGBOW UTA is a two-way, high-bandwidth data link for the Apache that enables aircrews to control the sensor and flight path of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.  UTA-equipped Apache aircrews can operate a UAS at long range and receive real-time, high-definition streaming video on their multi-function displays.  The new Block III Radar Electronics Unit enhances the LONGBOW Fire Control Radar system performance while reducing size, weight, maintenance and power requirements.  The UTA will be fielded on the Apache Block III aircraft beginning in 2012.

 Masking behind terrain takes on a whole new meaning now.
 

Black rifles finally going away.

Finally!

It looks like the Marine Corps is finally getting around to painting rifles.  It would be better if they duracoated them or something better but I'll take what I can get.  Fast forward to the 57 second mark to see what I'm talking about.

Scout Snipers train with Thai Special Forces

Old Faithful Holsters.

Old Faithful Holsters.

Remember me saying that Kydex is Kydex?

Well it looks like we've stumbled onto a manufacturer that's really tapped into the thinking of the cutting edge consumer.

Not only do they offer holsters for sale but also kits to complete your own.  I just found this site this morning and will do more research, but to be honest I LOVE what I'm seeing from this company.  Now if someone could tell them to remove the lady talking when you go to the site they'll be cooking with gas.

Is the F-16V sporting F-35 wing pylons?

Stop the video at the 6 second mark and take a good look at the wing pylons.  Are those the same from the F-35 that we saw yesterday(specifically the AIM-9 pylon...the others not so much)?  If so, and I'm really not sure, then this should be a pretty carefree part of the test program.

Act of Valor blowback part 6.

Navy SEALs at the Red Carpet of the movie.

via Yahoo News.  Go to that site to read the whole thing...just a few snippets though.

US defense officials did not find out about the movie until after the fact, causing consternation at the Pentagon, which has an office that vets scripts and negotiates cooperation deals with Hollywood producers.

and...

 "It's one thing to be filmed parachuting out of a plane, but it's another thing to be parachuting and land on the red carpet," a defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

and...

 But the screen debut of active duty troops from a community that has always shunned media attention has irked some inside the military, who worry that a line has been crossed.
Defense officials at one point even weighed whether to prevent the film's release by withdrawing legal permission for footage of the SEALs and military hardware

and...

The Pentagon, however, does not want a repeat of the episode and is spreading the word to commanders that future movie projects -- including a possible film on the Bin Laden raid -- must be approved beforehand, the defense official said.
"This hasn't been swept under the carpet," he said.

It appears that the SEALs ran a black op to get this movie done.  No approval from the Pentagon before filming began?

Now I know why the Navy Press Office released that statement stating that the film costs taxpayers no money...now I know why the Admiral in charge of SOCOM bristled when the SOCOM creator told him to get out of the press.