N. Korean Punt Gun

Great pic of some Marines inspecting a captured N. Korean Punt gun.  Click on the pic to enlarge it but you can see that the Marine holding the weapon is also "Mexican" carrying some type of firearm.  It doesn't look to me to be a 1911 so I'm assuming that its also captured.  I found this pic on the Marine Corps Historical site, but failed to copy the caption.  When I find it again, I'll update.


UPDATE:  The photo is from the Marine Corps Archives and Specials Flickr account.  IT IS AWESOME!  Check it out if you have even a passing interest in Marine Corps History.

UCAS-D goes to sea!

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) is the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft — the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator. The Navy plans to conduct X-47B carrier deck handling tests aboard the ship. (Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman)

Really Marine Corps? Banning Pmags???

Wow.

Just when I was starting to regain a SMALL bit of faith in the leadership we have this clusterfuck.

HQMC has officially banned Pmags.  No rationale given except that they might not be compatible with the M27 IAR.

Check out the article from Marine Times.

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 26, 2012 17:42:33 EST
Polymer rifle magazines, preferred by many combat troops for their durability, have been banned by the Marine Corps, according to a new administrative message published Monday.
Effective immediately, only standard-issue 5.56mm metal magazines are approved, according to the message, signed by Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, the Marine Corps’ deputy commandant for combat development and integration. They have a 30-round capacity with either tan, green or black followers, the internal plate that pushes rounds into a rifle’s chamber.

I've seen this type of leadership before.  To be quite honest I've been thinking this for the past year but decided to take a wait and see approach.  Well its time to call a spade a spade.

These guys are in over there heads.  It really looks like they're flailing about trying to remind everyone they're in charge.  This is a silly rule change and will only cause Marines to distance themselves from leadership.

Want to know whats really going to happen?  Dump pouches will be filled with Pmags...issue mags will be carried on plate carriers and once out of view of the FOB you'll see the mags get switched out in a hurry.  After the patrol is over and you're heading back in, they'll get switched again.

But trust me on this.  NO ONE WILL BE GETTING RID OF THEIR Pmags.

This is warmed over bullshit.  The leadership is making Marines break rules without a valid explanation of why the change is good for them and the Marine Corps.

UPDATE:  Why do I get the sinking feeling that the US Army is running the Marine Corps now?  They go with sleeves down...the Marine Corps follows.  They go with no polymer mags...the Marine Corps follows.  They go with x, y or z...and the Marine Corps follows!

Women in the Infantry. An update.

Serious hat tip to Chris for e-mailing me this article.  

via the Washington Times...

Female Marine officers are unlikely to join the infantry anytime soon, in part because of a lack of volunteers for the Marine Corps' Infantry Officer Course, which was opened to women in September.
Only two of about 80 eligible female Marines have volunteered for the course -- a grueling, three-month advanced regimen conducted at Quantico, Va., that was opened to women to research their performance.
Of the two female volunteers, one washed out on the first day, along with 26 of the107 men, and the other dropped out two weeks later for medical reasons, a Marine Corps spokesman said.
The research effort was launched after the Pentagon opened to women more than 14,000 jobs that could place them closer to front lines and combat.
The Marine Corps wants to test at least 90 more women in the course before making any decision about women serving in infantry roles, the spokesman said.
Getting 90 more female volunteers may be difficult. About 125 female officers each year enter the Basic School, a prerequisite and candidate pool for the Infantry Officer Course, the spokesman said.
Since September, women in every new class of the Basic School have been given the opportunity to volunteer for the Infantry Officer Course, and they will continue to be offered the chance, he said.
A Marine Corps spokeswoman said no women have volunteered for the next Infantry Officer Course, which begins in January.

Read it all at the Times website here.

The real problem?  TBS is a kick in the nuts...or ovaries.

The Commandant knows this.  The SgtMajor of the Marine Corps damn sure knows this.  But what catches my attention and boggles the mind is the fact that this type of training can actually affect women physically in ways that are harmful.

In a July article in Marine Corps Gazette titled “Get Over It! We Are Not All Created Equal!” Capt. Katie Petronio said she suffered from restless leg syndrome, severe muscle atrophy and infertility resulting from 10-month and seven-month deployments, respectively, to Iraq and Afghanistan.In Afghanistan, she commanded 30 Marines who were building patrol bases in Helmand province, one of the most dangerous areas at that time.“At the end of the seven-month deployment, and the construction of 18 [patrol bases] later, I had lost 17 pounds and was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (which personally resulted in infertility, but is not a genetic trend in my family), which was brought on by the chemical and physical changes endured during deployment,” Capt. Petronio wrote.

So what do we have?

We have people that know better getting ready to set up someones daughter to do a job that the Feminist boosters would never do and that Marine Corps leadership knows will hurt some of their Marines.

If I didn't see it happening I would never believe it could happen in the Marine Corps that I know. And one other thing.  Don't fool yourself.  If they lower standards in Infantry Course you can bet that you'll see those same people getting smoked once they get to the fleet.

It will be a sad day when a LT straight out of Infantry School falls out of a road march in front of the battalion.  Respect will be lost and never recovered...and the entire battalion will hate, not pity that officer.

UPDATE:  I re-read this and I need to make something clear.  Capt Petrino was outside the wire in Afghanistan getting it done, doing the Marine thing!  Anyone, man or woman will suffer under those conditions.  Weight loss is common and stress is constant.  That's the dirty secret behind this war.  At big bases you have service members that are working to keep the weight off...people have deployed and come back on weight control.  It all depends on where you serve.  I hope that clears things up a bit.

Armor News....

Thanks for the articles Jonathan....

Italian Armor for the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) is planning to acquire 100 armored personnel carriers (APC)s and dozens of artillery equipment from Italy in support of the military’s capability upgrade program.Documents obtained by The STAR showed that the Italian government might donate 100 units of operational M113 APCs and 25 units of operational FH70 155 mm howitzers.The possible donations are in connection with the procurement of other equipment that may become part of what the DND called the “Italian package.”The DND is currently negotiating with Italy for the procurement of Maestrale-class ships, medium-lift fixed wing aircraft (C27J-Spartan), special mission aircraft and three naval helicopters.If the procurement pushes through, the 100 APCs and 25 long-range cannons may be included in the package.“In connection with the acquisition of the aforementioned equipment (ships, aircraft, helicopters) the Italian government will donate 100 units operational M113 armored personnel carriers and 25 units operational FH70 155 mm howitzers,” the DND document read.

The shame of it is this would allow civilian workers to pick up some quick money, would get vehicles out of storage to help allies and its something we should be leading on...not the Italians.  Think about it.  How many M-113's, MRAPs, Bradley's and other vehicles do we have in storage that are going to collect dust and eventually be scrapped?  Good on the Italians and boo to us.

Warrior Upgrade is the British Army's #1 Priority. 

The principal upgrades Warrior is receiving with this £1 billion facelift are improvements to its lethality, electronic architecture and modular armour systems. Of the three, Pietralski said all were important but picked out lethality as being particularly prominent.“The biggest priority is on the lethality side. We’re incorporating a 40mm cannon that will enable the crew to have a fire and move capability, which is something the current platform can’t achieve.”Pritchard stressed the importance of this capability, saying that “it’s just something we haven’t been able to do before” and underscored why WSCP is the critical project for the Army.On the commercial side Lockheed Martin was keen to stress the importance of its supply chain in delivering this contract and announced that it had opened a dedicated new facility at Nuneaton with its engineering partner, MIRA.Lockheed will need to work closely with its partners as WCSP represents a step-change in the MoD’s reliability requirements. It’s something that is at the forefront of the team’s mind, especially that of Colin Gilding , WCSP programme manager, who said that “reliability is a big part of this programme … it permeates every decision we make.”Pietralski agrees: “The key challenge for WCSP is to provide a reliable platform … [to] ensure it’s capable, not only for tomorrow but well into 2040.” He explained that Lockheed is implementing rigorous testing procedures at every stage and is looking all the way down to the sub-system level to achieve the reliability required.

Interesting.  They believe the move to a 40mm cannon will give them lethality that the 30mm cannon lacks?  I'd love to see the testing that led to this conclusion.  I also have doubts about the IFV concept.  APC's are the future, the infantry is too well armed and when you have legacy weapons that are upgraded capable of penetrating a tank (RPG-29) then it makes sense to deposit infantry short of the objective.  Read it all over at Defense IQ.

VAB Mk3. for export?

PARIS — Renault Trucks Defense (RTD) plans to open a new assembly line for the Véhicule Avant Blindé (VAB) Mk3, an upgraded version of its troop carrier aimed at export markets, which are forecast to make up at least half of the company’s annual sales by 2015, said Chief Executive Gérard Amiel.On Oct. 25, RTD, part of the Swedish Volvo commercial trucks group, completed the 538 million Swedish krona ($79 million) acquisition of Panhard General Defense, the French maker of light armored vehicles. The Panhard acquisition is a move toward RTD’s target of making 700 million euros ($888.6 million) in annual sales by 2015 and is seen as a step toward consolidation in the French land systems industry.RTD is part of Volvo’s government sales division, which has a target of 1 billion euros of annual sales by 2015.The plan to add production, announced Nov. 14, is highly unusual, given the economic crisis hitting Western economies. Carmakers Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroen have seen new car sales collapse, and there is much debate over a deindustrialization of the French economy.The new line will be at the Fourchambault site, in central France, the maintenance center for the French Army’s 4,000-strong fleet of VABs. Amiel declined to give financial details of the investment.RTD developed the VAB Mk3 with its own funds for foreign markets. Under the company’s plan, exports will make up 50 percent to 60 percent of annual sales.“The VAB Mk3 was developed for export,” Amiel said.

I'm not sure that the VAB will be competitive.  Too many other vehicles are available that match its price point yet offer more.  This might be a case of wishful thinking.  Read more here. 

Foxhound...the Brits better JLTV.

Welcome to paradise. A Joe Copalman Photo.

Click on the photo to enlarge it, the details that he captured are awesome.  

Proper assembly required.

Gun Websites put up this video and I'm glad they did.  The weapon doesn't belong to GW or James Yeager...Yeager was giving one his contractor classes and the guys gun broke.

I'm sure they're laughing about it at home but think about the person that bought this gun.

He bought a Short Barreled Rifle that requires a ATF Tax Stamp to own.  More than likely he waited a couple of months for his rifle to get built.

He probably ran a few rounds through it before taking it to class---and then before the day of the training he probably took it out for a good cleaning.

Then the poor bastard didn't even re-assemble his rifle correctly or do simple function tests on it.

That's Marine Corps 101.  That old saying about being able to re-assemble your weapon blind folded and all that jazz.

That's why I sometimes question those in the prepper movement.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe in being prepared and not depending on government during times of emergency...but I can't help but wonder if alot of the people involved aren't just gun collectors that are looking for a reason to justify the hobby.

Either way here's a link to the Spikes Tactical.  Info. Price.

The Zombie craze. Its jumped the shark and swam down stream.

Coonan Triple Threat Zombie Kit.

Seriously?

I mean seriously?!  First the Dept of Homeland Security does a drill out in California where they're exercising against a Zombie outbreak (yeah, no shit they really did), then you have the gun guru himself Chris Costa (who makes nice gear...I don't even like leg rigs but I do want his for 3 gun) doing Zombie "training" films...Gerber put out some puke green knives to sell to the silly and trendy and now we have Coonan putting out a Zombie kit.

What comes in the kit?

* 99.9% pure silver bullets to use against werewolves.
* a wooden stake to use against vampires.
* and of course both those items can be used against zombies.

This is just plain sad.  What's even sadder?  Someone will actually buy it!

US Marine Corps advertising. Dysfunction shown by comparing two videos.

The sensitive among you will think I'm ranting.  But before you get your panties in a bunch hear me out.  Check out the first vid...



The guy looks good.  He looks like a Marine. Box checked.  He's shown going back through his neighborhood.  Ok.  It goes against the theme that we're all Marines, light and dark green but all Marines, but we'll check that box too.  Its the ending that has me wondering where Headquarters Marine Corps and its advertising agency are at.  Once again we see the "Meals on Wheels" promotion of the Marine Corps.

I mean seriously.  With commercials like this, can you tell the difference between USAID and the Marine Corps?  You still don't get it?  Ok, let me be a bit more clear.  Without the uniforms, without the weapons and without the heavy machinery what is the difference between the message being sent out by the world's finest fighting organization and the Peace Corps?



Quite honestly if the type of person that the Marine Corps is attempting to recruit is jazzed about helping people around the world (and yes even here at home) then the Marine Corps is going to lose that recruiting war.  If the Marine Corps is going by polling then my theory that the closer to Washington D.C. the dumber you get is in full force.  Do you really believe that pollsters actually get the real story?  Do you believe that once a person is in the pipeline to becoming a Marine that he isn't going to say exactly what he/she believes the interviewer wants to hear?

The goal is to recruit more gays, women and minorities.  Maybe this will work but the "old" style recruiting commercials were more in keeping with the Marine Corps ethos and they even talked about the ethical warrior...

Old Skool Armor. T26 Heavy Tank.

Found this while watching some BORING Texas vs. TCU football.  I did however find a pretty cool blog called Lone Sentry.  It concentrates mostly on the European Theater of Operations but its a treasure chest of info on the subject.  Well worth your time.

Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa

Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa prepare to board an MV-22 Osprey during a field training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Nov. 16, 2012. Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa is training for their upcoming deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caleb McDonald)

Happy Thanksgiving.

Dear Readers,

Happy Thanksgivings to one and all.  I hope that those of you that partake eat too much, drink too much, watch too much football, annoy the wife or girlfriend and crush it on your bets.

I also hope that you follow some type of tradition that remembers those that can't be with their loved ones because they made the ultimate sacrifice.

I personally never liked the glass of adult beverage at your favorite watering hole with a message saying that its reserved for whoever.  Don't get me wrong, its a great gesture but I have always been told that we celebrate in public and morn in private.

That's why instead of gorging myself on left overs for a couple of days, I try and find a real deal homeless vet and give him a chance to try my cooking.  This isn't for everyone and approaching a homeless person entails some risk but I haven't had a problem and it meshes with my personality and belief system.

However you do it, remember those that can't be with family, while in the service or having served our nation.  Oh and have a happy thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

SNAFU!

This female is 100% Bitch!

via Stolen Valor Facebook Page by way of EndoBlog

Geez.  If this is suppose to be acceptable behavior, then I feel okay in calling this female a bitch.

How pathetic have we as an American people become?  We're so pathetic that this kind of behavior is defended and if someone calls her out on it, they're told to chill out, turn the other cheek etc...

Well fuck that.  

Two different blogs, two different sources...same bullshit.

Two different blogs, two different sources but the same bullshit with the exact same spin.  I originally had the entire passages here but I don't want to pollute my blog.  Click on the highlighted words and it'll take you to the posts.

This is the nonsense from "War is boring" Blogspot.  And then we have...This weirdness from "ELP" Blogspot..

Long story short.  You're looking at an organized information campaign to discredit the F-35.  I'm not impressed.  I am annoyed though.  The bigger concern is David Axe's "War is boring" Blog though.  He is suppose to be a journalist.  If he has hung up that hat and is now a blogger that advocates then ok.  If he's still calling himself a Defense Reporter then I'm calling his ethics into question.

Swedish Blast from the Past. Saab 210 Lilldraken..the Viggen's daddy

By developing the Saab 35 Draken, Saab made a bold move by choosing a double delta wing configuration.

Due to limited knowledge of this configuration, it was decided to build a special test-bed in order to improve the project safety. The experimental aircraft was scaled down to 70 percent of the planned size and was given the designation Saab 210 Lill-Draken. The intention was primarily to test the flight characteristics at low speeds and to test the assumptions made before undertaking full-scale construction. The maiden flight on 21 January 1952 was made by Bengt Olow.
The Saab 210 performed around 1,000 test flights over four years. The results provided valuable experience during development of the Saab 35 Draken.
Saab 210 is the first and only experimental aircraft to have been developed throughout Saab's history. Lill-Draken is now on display at the Air Force museum in Linköping, Sweden.

Comments!

To all my readers!

Apologies guys!  My buddy Resident Author let me know that the Blogger Spam Filter has been smashing comments.  Well I went and checked and wow.  Trust me, my mind is right and I'm working to get the problem solved.

I am unfucking this!

Tanks. What are we gonna do with them?

I keep going back to the issue of Marine Tanks.

Going over the issue a few options came to mind.

1.  Divest ourselves completely of Tanks and revert to the Gulf War I example and simply attach US Army armor to our forces when we go against a heavy armor force.

2.  Follow the example of those that came before and develop an AmTank version of the AAV upgrade or ACV.  Low recoil guns are readily available and we don't have to repeat the mistake that the Army made with their Mobile Gun System.

3.  Substitute a dedicated Mobil Gun System for our tanks.  I've previously recommended the CV90-120 for that role.
4.  If the Marine Personnel Carrier Program continues then develop a version of that to fulfill the AmTank/MGS role.  My top two contenders Lockheed Martin Havoc and the BAE Super AV both are capable of mounting low recoil 120mm guns.
5.  Upgrade our standard M1A1's to the latest Army standard (I'm beginning to believe that this is cost prohibitive).

6.  Continue to operate the M1A1's as are...accept the risks and when facing large enemy tank forces depend on Marine Air to destroy them (I'm becoming more doubtful of this scenario...the USAF is big on stealing all air in theater it will take stronger leadership than I've seen currently to prevent that from happening in the future).

I don't know where the Marine Corps is with any of these issues.  Hopefully we'll never run into a procurement train wreck like we have now.  Again I'm repeating myself but we're waiting to buy...AH-1Z/UH-1Y, F-35, CH-53K, MV-22, JLTV, AAV Upgrade, ACV, MPC, M-16A4 upgrade, ACH helmets, G/ATOR radar and much more while dropping down to a planned force of 180,000 (and more probably...and its being planned for 150,000), upgrading SOCOM to a full 3 Battalions of MARSOC (AND a support battalion...plus recruiting/training) while being fiscally responsible.

The big chair in the Commandant's Office must feel like it full of needles....

TPC News: Marines Receive First F-35

Why don't F-35B squadrons get the VMFA(All Weather) designation that is worn by the F/A-18D and former A-6 squadrons?

3 more F-35's to Yuma. Program safe.

The program is too far along with too many Senators in pocket for it to be threatened by the likes of Aviation Week, Bill Sweetman or APA.  You lost boys.

via Lockheed Martin.

Three Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft were officially delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps during ceremonies at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., today. The three jets are assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 residing with the host Marine Aircraft Group 13.

Zoom.  Zoom.