Modest Proposal. Put a large caliber cannon on a MRAP!

Infantry Fire Support.

The enemy soon learned that their infantry weapons outranged our own and would engage us at max distance.  It pushed the rebirth of the Sniper in the countersniper role, Designated Marksman Concept and led to the development of new weapons like the US Army's Punisher Weapon System.

It did one other thing.  It got the military to rush tanks to Afghanistan.

But the problem remains.  How do you provide timely Direct Fires when the infrastructure and logistics don't support the widespread use of 60 plus ton vehicles?

You at least experiment with the idea of placing low recoil, large caliber cannons on MRAPs.

It might be a non-starter for several reasons but we have several big vehicles to choose from and one might be suitable. If the Cougar (in the pic above is too small) then the BUFFALO MRAP(pictured below) should be able to handle a low recoil gun in the 90 to 105mm range.

The US military is praying to all that's holy that the age of the IED is over.  I don't believe it is.  Troops in the Pacific are facing the IED threat in jungles from the Philippines to Malaysia.

Putting a cannon on an MRAP might not be so far fetched after all...especially if you're going to get fire support to troops when they need it.

Blast from the past. Bobcat--Canadian APC.

The Canadian Armor Forums have continuous threads about this vehicle, a book has recently been written about it but outside of the frozen North not too many people have heard of the Bobcat APC.

It was a unique design with a common layout and was amphibious. One wonders how it would have performed if it made it to production.

Phantom Badger. Boeing's entrant into the SOCOM Internally Carried Vehicle Contest.

via Land Warfare

Boeing has unveiled a new ground tactical vehicle designed to be internally transported in a V-22 Osprey tiltrotor to meet a US special forces’ requirement for highly mobile, V-22 Internally Transportable Vehicle (ITV).
Unveiled to reporters for the first time at Phantom Works near St Louis on 21 May, the new ‘Phantom Badger’ vehicle has been developed using the expertise of MSI Defense Solutions, which employed vehicle technologies originally developed for NASCAR racing.
Designed by the Special Pursuits Cell at Boeing Phantom Works, the Phantom Badger is Boeing’s proposal for a US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) request for proposal for a V-22 ITV, with a selection expected to be made by the end of the year.
Phantom Works programme manager for combat support vehicles, John Chicoli, said the vehicle addressed a gap for a vehicle that was able to be internally transported in a V-22 but which provided greater levels of protection and comfort than a smaller ATV.
‘There is a gap out there. This is a real tactical vehicle and doesn’t look like an ATV at all,’ Chicoli noted. ‘This features a high use of COTS and we have done a lot of work with special operation warfighters to look at what they require from a tactical vehicle.’
Boeing recently submitted its proposal for the SOCOM V-22 ITV requirement, which initially seeks two vehicles each with the ability to purchase eight additional units for testing.
The Phantom Badger has undergone testing at Fort Bragg and the Nevada Automotive Testing Center, with Chicoli claiming it features Humvee levels of mobility.
However, due to the nature of the requirement, and given that a number of companies are expected to respond to this latest RfP, Boeing was unwilling to disclose specific vehicle specifications such as speed, range, fuel capacity or weight.
The vehicle features four wheel steering, enhanced shocks and suspension developed by MSI, and mission-specific modules fitted behind the front two seats. These can be changed within 30 minutes, allowing special forces operators to quickly re-role the vehicle.
The vehicle can be loaded mission-ready onto a V-22 with 6 inches of space on each side.
While the prototype vehicle features a carbon fibre hood, Boeing has since decided this has been ‘over-engineered’ and has moved instead to fibre glass. Boeing claims Phantom Badger is relatively comfortable for a vehicle of this kind, allowing troops to stay fresh during the ride.

Meh. 

AAVs approaching an Australian LST. Watch and imagine the ride.

If you've ever wondered why the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch can be so demanding take a look at the above vid.  Imagine the ride in back.  Consider a vehicle stuffed with 95th percentile Marines loaded down with full gear...

Now consider even rougher seas than you see here.  Its been done, might be occurring right now and its not pleasant.

The holy grail of our next vehicle have to be ergonomics, reasonable (that doesn't mean perfect) protection, sea keeping, ground mobility, the ability to provide fire support and GROWTH POTENTIAL (this is a very important yet poorly understood requirement)

The AAV was never expected to serve this long.  We have to plan having a vehicle with a comparable service life with the procurement of our next ride.

Blast from the past. F-14 edition.

A single tailed F-14???  I never knew such a thing existed or was tested!

I don't know what became of this missile.  It looks like a boosted AAM but I can't find it in US aviation historical registries.

  F-14'S KICK A LITTLE F-15 ASS! by snafu-solomon-blogspot-com

The real state of Marine armor.

Let me give you a real deal 100% view of where Marine Corps armor is currently.  Above you see the EFV.  It was part of a plan that was developed by Marine Corps theorist for a new concept of operations that would see Marines launching assaults from over the horizon at lightly/undefended parts of shoreline, conducting the mission and either withdrawing or continuing on to a new target.  High water speed was necessary in order to keep the Infantrymen from wearing down...10 hours in the water in the back of an AAV is not what you want your attacking force to face before an assault.  It carried a 30mm Bushmaster capable of defeating other IFVs and their was talk of adding a "Trophy" type system to protect it from enemy anti-tank guided missiles.

It was the future.

It got canceled.  In hindsight (my opinion here..for what its worth), the thing should have been canned five years into the program.  If General Dynamics couldn't make it work or give the inkling of success then we should have walked away.  As it is, we stayed.  WE pumped millions...billions of dollars of taxpayer money into the vehicle...and on the cusp of success we discovered that it costs too damn much (HELLO F-35!  Love ya, but if you're gonna break the bank then see ya!).  Meanwhile.  We have wars to fight.  Meet the MTVR.

The MTVR is the replacement in the Marine Corps for the old 5-ton truck.  Its also the prime mover of the M-777 Howitzer.  Its suppose to be relegated to operations behind the lines moving cannons and doing the boring but necessary work of transporting supplies from here to there.  It didn't quite work out that way and despite all the banging that I do on Oshkosh, they built a winner here.  Its the most unheralded yet most important vehicle in the Marine Corps today.  It has outstanding mobility, it can climb like a billy goat, it can tow a locomotive and it can serve as a surrogate troop transport.

This brings us to the JLTV project.  This vehicle will provide transport for at least a portion of the Marines infantry.  Why the Marine Corps is so wedded to a project that will only provide a small portion of the required lift, will cost more than an upgraded (properly upgraded to include armor, suspension and engine) Humvee and will introduce an entirely new supply chain is beyond me.

Many have questioned the decision to proceed with a buy of around 5000 instead of simply upgrading the entire Humvee fleet but it appears the decision has been made.  HQMC has never justified the thinking behind this project, they simply state that its a priority Marine Corps acquisition.

Above you see the SuperAv and the Havoc.  These are the real candidates for the MPC contest and could start production quickly.  The problem?  The project is being placed on hold awaiting the outcome of the decision regarding the Amphibious Combat Vehicle.  Both vehicles have been tested in the surf, both are capable, one is combat tested --- in essence, the Marine Corps has a bird in hand.  Did I say that the program was delayed awaiting a decision on the ACV.  Did I tell you that its been delayed at least twice since the EFV was canned?  Did I also tell you that the current Commandant promised to drive a production version of the ACV before he left office?  Yeah I still believe in Santa Claus too.

All this brings me to the last vehicle in this roundup.

The LVTP-7A2 (which should be the vehicle's proper designation) or the AAV as the Marine Corps now calls it.

This 40 plus year old vehicle has been gutted, upgraded, had armor slapped on it thats been around since the late 80's (does anyone even make EEAK anymore?) been subject to a frankenstein suspension lift (thank you US Army for allowing us to borrow the guts from the Bradley) and RUMOR has it that we're looking at MORE OF THE SAME.

The network is telling me that the game plan is to once again strip, rip and rebuild these vehicles, up-engine, up-suspension (you get my meaning), add more powerful thrusters, a new weapons package, SEND IT OUT TO THE FLEET AND RENAME IT ACV!

Quite honestly I'm hoping that my source for this information is smoking crack. The idea that we have the option of MPC sitting in front of us and will default to the ACV makes no sense.

The vacillation thats occurring at HQMC is telling though.  The numbers have been crunched on the ACV at least 3 times according to my count and that excuse is getting old.

If you're wondering why I'm beginning to sour on the F-35 then this should explain it.  We have mortgaged our future for the wing.  When some grunt is lying in the mud trying to hold his intestines in and crying for his mother we can all point to this time and lay the blame at the feet of leadership.  He's gut shot because his vehicle couldn't provide fire support.  His vehicle couldn't provide fire support because it couldn't make it to the objective.  It couldn't make it to the objective BECAUSE SOME DUMBASS THOUGHT IT WISE TO CONTINUE TO UPGRADE A VEHICLE THAT IS OVER 40 YEARS OLD!  

We wouldn't continue to upgrade 40 year old aircraft (the exception being the B-52..but there is always an exception) so why are we willing to do it with our Armored Fighting Vehicles?

F-35 News. USAF moves up operational date.

Thanks for the link Joe!!!!

Interesting news....via Yahoo.com

By Andrea Shalal-Esa
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force plans to start operational use of Lockheed Martin Corp.-built F-35 fighter jets in mid-2016, a year earlier than planned, using a similar software package as the Marine Corps, two sources familiar with the plans said on Monday.The Air Force's decision to accelerate its introduction with a slightly less capable version of the F-35 software package means the planes will carry fewer weapons at first, although the software will later be upgraded to the final version, said the sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly.
Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said a final decision had not been made and declined to comment further. A spokesman for the Pentagon's F-35 program office declined to comment.
The decision reflects the military's desire to start using the new warplanes, which are already rolling off the assembly line at Lockheed's sprawling Fort Worth, Texas, plant, even as military officials continue to test the plane.
The Air Force, Marines and Navy must report to Congress by June 1 on their target dates for initial operational capability, or IOC, which marks the point when the services have enough planes on hand to go to war if needed. Actual deployments usually lag IOC dates by about a year.
The sources said the services would send Congress a list of target or "objective" dates for declaring initial operational capability and a list of "threshold" dates, or deadlines.
The Marines Corps is sticking to its plan to begin early operational use in mid-2015 of its F-35B jets, which can take off and land like a helicopter, making it the first of the three U.S. military services to start using the jets.
Its threshold is the end of 2015. The planes will run the F-35's 2B software, which will give the Marines an initial war fighting capability that includes some air-to-air skills, the ability to strike targets on the ground and carry several internal weapons, including laser-guided bombs.
The Navy has set mid-2018 for starting operational use of its C-model F-35, which is designed for use aboard U.S. aircraft carriers. Its deadline or threshold date is early 2019.

Ok.

I'm a supporter but even I have to ask some questions about this.  First how is a program that was once stumbling along suddenly in a full speed gallop, testing isn't complete and yet the plane is being rushed into service?  Second, if testing isn't complete are we putting pilots lives in danger?

I happily await input from "Elements of Power" Blog on this issue.

NOTE:  Since I'm being ignored on my own damn blog let me say again.  What is the cost?  Is the plane keeping us from procuring much needed armor (a MUCH greater need than replacing the Harriers at this point in time)?  Are we rushing the plane into service?  Simple questions gentlemen.  I await answers.

Katmerciler selling Pit Bull VX Tactical Trucks to Azerbaijan.

via APA.az

Armored patrol vehicle Pit-Bull VX, newly produced by Turkish Katmerciler company, will be presented in Azerbaijan, company representative Ramazan Dincer told APA.
The vehicle designed for police and patrol operations was produced at Ford-550 chassis. Its maintenance is easy: “Net weight – 7530 kg, Pit-Bull VX is designed to carry 9 persons (2+7). The vehicle can move at a speed of 12 km / h and turn the area of 9 meters. We think that this vehicle will be more favorable for the border guards”.
According to the company representative, earlier, Katmerciler sold TOMA vehicles to Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry. At the same time, the company exported various types of vehicles to SOCAR. The company, which produces various equipments deployed on fire engines to extinguish fire in multi-storey buildings, is seeking opportunities for cooperation with the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Interesting for a couple of reasons.

*This is another Turkish firm that is selling "combat"/military style vehicles.
*Azerbaijan is following the US style of policing by buying this vehicle instead of the European version.  I'm not sure if thats a good or bad thing.  The Europeans have been fighting terrorism alot longer than we have and although the results were ... slow, they did win in the end.
*This truck looks like a BEARCAT clone which is essentially a MRAP that has been SLIGHTLY de-militarized.  For good or bad it looks like these type vehicles are here to stay.

F-35 Graphic Art.

Two Embassy Reinforcement Units Created by the Corps?

via the Marine Times (story posted on 22Mar13).

As violent protests erupted across the Middle East and North Africa this fall, the 4,000 Marines and sailors comprising the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group were on alert, ready to go in. In fact, they remained on that status for 150 days, the majority of their deployment in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations.
The tension may have reached its zenith on Sept. 14, when protestors, angry over an anti-Islam online video, attacked the U.S. Embassy in Sudan. The crisis-response force for top military commanders in the region, including U.S. Central Command, was prepared to go and waited for the order to respond, said Col. Frank Donovan, the 24th MEU commander

No one is noticing a few indisputable facts.

The Marine Corps MEU has the reinforcement mission.  The Marine Corps has never developed other units to perform this role for one simple reason.

No other rapidly deployable MARINE combat formation has the power to provide a CREDIBLE deterrent. 

Suddenly, the Commandant of the Marine Corps has  decided to develop not ONE special embassy reinforcement unit but TWO!

via the  Marine Times (26April2013)....

The Marine Corps will soon be able to dispatch squad-level teams for immediate embassy security reinforcement as the service responds to calls to better protect diplomatic facilities in the wake of September’s deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya.
The Security Augmentation Unit will be based in Quantico, Va., as part of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, according to a Marine Corps official at the Pentagon. It will be composed of nine or 10 squad-level teams, totaling between 120 and 130 Marines, he said.

Give this issue to a competent Infantry Fire Team Leader in the Fleet and he'll tell you why this isn't a good idea.  I'm assuming that thinking equal to that resides somewhere at HQMC.

If these formations aren't tactically sound then they must be politically expedient...perhaps an attempt to provide the right visuals to a suspect public that remains concerned about the handling of the Libya Embassy Crisis?

NOTE: Any further discussion of whether or not these "new" units are actually needed versus them being necessary for political expediency can be set aside with a quick glance at Marine Corps concepts.

One of those concepts includes "mini-ARGs" and "Company Landing Teams".  This would have an Amphibious Ready Group splitting up and the LHA sailing to one crisis location, the LPD (especially the new San Antonio class ships) sailing to a different one etc... On board each ship would be reinforced Company Landing Teams and they would be backed up in the case of the LPD with AH-1Zs and on the LHA F-35s/Harriers.  The transports would be allocated as necessary and the situation would be handled.

Once the crisis was over the ARG would reform and continue operations.  If a crisis in a location proved too big for a Company Landing Team to perform then the ARG would reform to carry out THAT mission.

The idea that the Marine Corps is establishing a Crisis Response Force and Reinforcement Squads is an example of current leadership SHITTING away years of planning/operational experience.

These two new units are bullshit.  Plain and simple.

26th MEU (Battalion Landing Team 3/2), Mechanized Raid and Eagle Resolve Photos.

Marine Corps Crisis Response Force (MCCRF). Ready to fly into a modern day Ia Drang Valley.

The new Marine Corps Crisis Response Force.  via Marine Times...

The Pentagon has approved the development of a new 500-man Marine crisis-response force, but the U.S. must still determine where it will be based overseas, two top Marine officers said.
The unit is called Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force–Crisis Response, said Lt. Gen. Richard Tryon, deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations. It will include a company of infantrymen and be based around six MV-22B Ospreys and two KC-130J Hercules tanker planes, he said.

Head to Marine Times to read the entire article but let me hit you with this scenario...don't be offended but its a replay of the Libya crisis with a twist...hang in there with me please.

2100 Hours Libya Embassy.   A flash message is sent to AFRICOM telling them that a large group of protesters appeared almost out of nowhere.  Intel from both the CIA, allied intelligence and military intel did not indicate that there were any indicators pointing to this possibility.

2330 Hours AFRICOM.  Upon receiving news of the mob, AFRICOM alerted both the Marine Corps Crisis Response Force (MCCRF) and the SOCOM theater commander attached to his command.  He informed SOCOM TC to get his guys ready for possible action.

0100 Hours Libyan Embassy.  Message traffic is sent to AFRICOM indicating that local authorities appear to have the situation contained and that the crowd doesn't appear to be getting any larger or violent.  It is hoped that after a bit more yelling the crowd will disperse and the citizenry will go about their normal activities.  Intel agencies are not able to explain what incited this or why it is occurring.

0130 Hours White House Situation Room.  The Watch Officer has been monitoring the situation and has made contact with his counterparts at the DoD, State, CIA, State Dept Diplomatic Security, and AFRICOM.  It is decided on a satellite call that the principals will be informed as part of the daily brief as this doesn't appear to be an aggressive act.

0330 Hours AFRICOM.  The Combatant Commander is torn.  He could start moving forces toward the scene or he could cancel the alert...deciding not to waste a good training opportunity he starts the MCCRF towards Libya.  He's tempted to send along the Alert SOCOM unit but the SOCOM TC talks him out of it.  Africa is a big place and if intel missed this then there might be a 'real' incident about to pop off at another location.

0400 Hours Libyan Embassy.  Shit went from zero to 100 in minutes.  One second the Libyan security personnel were there, the next they weren't.  A second after that the first RPG hit and suddenly the compound was getting peppered with small arms fire.  The Marine Security Guard had begun to secure and return to normal operations when the first grenade hit.  The Chucks with flak jackets were exchanged for real deal 782 gear.  Kevlars and everything.  This was already a long night...now it was going to be a longer day.

0405 Hours AFRICOM.  The AFRICOM TC is asking himself one question.  What the fuck just happened.  How did a simple demonstration suddenly go bad?  Luckily he has the MCCRF already enroute. Now the decision had to be made.  Does he let them land?  Does he commit them to an unknown situation that he doesn't have a clear view of?  They're still approximately an hour away.  He has little time to dick around.  Time to wake the boss.

0500 Hours White House Situation Room.  The Principles have all gathered and have been briefed on the issues.  The MCCRF is already enroute, the Libyan Government has stated that they are still gathering information but will allow reinforcements to land at the embassy and the President has given the go ahead for DEFENSIVE operations only.  The SOCOM Ready Alert Force has been recalled and will be enroute shortly by C-17s.  While they won't be able to land directly at the embassy its expected that the fast, high flying airplane will arrive soon enough to make a difference if things go bad.

0500 Hours AQ Assault Force.  The AQ Commander has studied American operations in Afghanistan and their reaction to the first attack in Libya.  He is aware of the loss of face that the Americans received (even though the American public was too stupid to realize it) by having an Ambassador---the freaking equivalent of a 3 or 4 star General killed by his men.  This time they would be smarter.  They wouldn't kill the messenger of SATAN.  No.  This time they would kidnap him, make money off his suffering and then slaughter him like a goat on the internet to make the American people fear TRUE ISLAM and understand what will happen to all foreigners that invade their lands.  Besides.  He also studied the American Marines new force.  A crisis response force they call it.  He knew that the easiest way to kill Marines were in the air.  Before they touched down.  Videos, brochures and articles on the V-22 indicated that while fast and high flying it had one glaring flaw.  When transitioning to helicopter mode and flying low and slow it could not maneuver like a helicopter.  It was crazy vulnerable.  It had no protective firepower like the CH-47 and CH-53 that had guns sticking out both sides and at the ramp.  Fire at the beast from either head on or at the sides and they would risk nothing.  The trap was set and his anti-air teams were already sliding into place.  It wouldn't be long.

0530 Approaching the Libyan Embassy.  Squad Leaders are doing last minute equipment checks, weapons are being readied and the Company Commander and the Marine Security Guard Detachment Commander have both agreed that they'll do staggered landings two by two to get the force on the ground as quick as possible.  They would land inside the compound because it would be more secure, they would avoid the issue of landing on Libyan soil.

0545 AQ Assault Force.  The first two V-22 can be heard approaching.  The MCCRF would...if it were attached to an MEU have a couple or more AH-1Zs riding shotgun...they would have flown in first, hoping to attract fire and blast the stupid camel jockey that had the nerve to take a shot at America's finest.  The MCCRF didn't have that protection.  The AQ Assault Force didn't have to worry about that.  The AQ Commander was good and had two teams fire at each V-22.

AFTERMATH.
The Marines were packed in tight.  All 40 died before they touched sovereign US soil at the Libyan Embassy.

The remaining aircraft were diverted to the Libyan International Airport.  The C-17s carrying the Ranger Battalion(-) that was currently serving as the SOCOM Ready Alert Force was placed in command of the reinforcement mission and he would be taking over as soon as he touched down.

Meanwhile the Embassy was assaulted before they even touched down---the AQ Commander kept his promise and kidnapped the Ambassador.  Despite intense efforts by intelligence, SOCOM and our allies his location was never found.  A secret ransom was paid in the amount of 25 million dollars (the reward amount for info on Bin Laden leading to his capture---the AQ Commander thought it a nice insult)...after a few videos of the ambassador pleading for his life, he was finally beheaded ... again.  On video.

The Marine Corps was sunk into controversy.  Suddenly all the voices that stated that the MEU and REAL combined arms task forces was our way of warfare and the future of the Corps were finally heard.

Unfortunately for the current Commandant, he continued the initiative of his predecessor.  In the middle of the worst crisis to hit the Corps since Ribbon Creek Incident, the leadership was in turmoil.  The MCCRF was disbanded and the MEU reinvigorated.  No longer would change for change's sake be tolerated.

This is a scenario that I can see happening.  This force is just big enough to get into real trouble.  THE ENEMY IS SMART.  WE CAN TALK SHIT ABOUT THEIR CAPABILITIES BUT THEY ARE RESILIENT, FORMIDABLE AND ARE DEDICATED.  They know how we operate and will set traps unless we keep on our toes.

The MCCRF is just waiting to fly into a modern day Ia Drang Valley in the desert.

80

NO MORE AVIATION TAX! Modest proposal. Trade a squadron for decent armor.

Blame Paralus for this blog post.

I have a modest proposal.  I've been looking at the Marine Corps budget trying to understand why our armor programs are in such a shit state and it keeps coming back to the aviation side of the house.

In essence the Marine Corps is paying an aviation tax because of the purchase of the V-22 and F-35.

I have a modest proposal.  We have already shuttered several Infantry Battalions...time to close some aviation squadrons and get armor instead.

If we do without one squadron of V-22's and F-35's then we can have surplus numbers of Amphibious Combat Vehicles and Marine Personnel Carriers.  As it is our Marine Corps is unbalanced and biased toward aerial insertion and light infantry actions.

We won't have the mobility or the firepower to engage a Chinese Mechanized Infantry Unit without intense air and artillery support.  Even having M1 Abrams along probably won't prevent the Marine Ground Combat Element from being over run by a similar sized Chinese outfit.

We talk about being a medium sized force?  Not hardly.  Right now the Marine Corps is drifting towards being a bitched up seagoing 101st Airborne with fast movers added.

UPDATE: It just occurred to me that somewhere, Sweetman is laughing his ass off.  I made the complaint about the Marine Corps needing a replacement for the EFV and that even at its present cost it was still a bargain/must have.  He said the Corps could afford it if we weren't paying 100 mil a pop for the V-22.  DAMN IT!  The son of a bitch was right.

If you can't sell the need, you can't get the vehicle.

via Defense News.

US Special Operations Command plans to award a contract this August for the closely watched Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 (GMV) program, as opposed to making an award this month, said USMC Lt. Col. Ken Burger, program manager for the Family of Special Operations Vehicles.
The command wants to buy 1,297 new GMVs to replace the current 1,072 Humvee-based GMVs it has in its inventory. As Defense News has reported, the plan is to spend about $24 million on the program in fiscal 2014 for the first 101 vehicles.

Go to Defense News to read the whole story but its rather simple.

SOCOM hasn't made the case of why they need this vehicle.  Quite honestly what will this rig do that the modified HUMMVEEs and Prowlers won't?

SOCOM cheerleaders can get all excited, but they haven't.  You can talk about our Special Operators deserving the best gear possible but we live in budgets.  That's just not realistic talk...especially when unit funds go towards paying for expensive watches and I-Pads.

SOCOM will offer up this vehicle to the budget Gods and state proudly that just like everyone else they're cutting back.  It'll be pure and utter bullshit but they'll be looked at as Saints because of it.

S. African SWAT Shootouts.

The vid is via Everyday No Days Off Blog, if you aren't subscribed you should.  As far as the vid...wow.  Not in a good way but more in the "what the fuck is going on in S. Africa to produce this type of policing".  I complain about US law enforcement but they're quite civil compared to this.

Saar 72. Israel builds a better LCS...just like everyone else.

I don't blame the ship builders.  I blame the US Navy for fuzzy requirements and flawed "transformationalist" thinking.  Read how Israel joined the world club in building a better LCS...otherwise known as a Frigate Mini Corvette here.

Jankel. The biggest little company that you never heard of.

Light Patrol Vehicle (LPV)

Hot Formed Toyota Land Cruiser

Interior of Hot Formed Armored Land Cruiser.

Jankel is the biggest little company you never heard of.  They're about to become a major player in the armor business stateside and you can expect first State Dept. Personnel, then Special Forces and finally Homeland Security to start either buying or having Jankel modify their vehicles so that they can have ultra modern protection for "return home" security.

I'm still looking for info on the Hot Forming Process but you can read about Jankel here and here.

Terrex 8x8 completes swim qual.

SAIC Press Release.

(McLean, Va.) May 15, 2013-- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) [NYSE: SAI] completed preliminary amphibious tests of the marine personnel carrier (MPC) TERREX 8x8, a wheeled armored, amphibious vehicle, in preparation for an upcoming appraisal to be performed by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). SAIC leads a team, along with ST Kinetics and Armatec Survivability Corporation, which modified TERREX in order to expand the maneuver space of infantry battalions for military operations across land, littoral and inland water environments.
TERREX, derived from ST Kinetics, achieved positive results during an ocean swim and maneuvering rehearsal event held in Camp Pendleton, Calif. During the trials, TERREX demonstrated its surf transit, ocean swim maneuverability, and return-to-shore capabilities at fully loaded combat weight configurations determined by the USMC. Surf entry was successfully demonstrated at 5 and 20 mph under challenging conditions.
“Team SAIC’s MPC faced tough challenges during its swim test rehearsal, but its cutting-edge design held strong and completed the Marine Corps’ mission safely, and effectively,” said Tom Watson, SAIC customer group senior vice president. “We have a long history with the Marine Corps and hope to continue to support them on land and sea.”
The TERREX, modified for the USMC MPC program, is one of the forerunners of network-centric, highly mobile, survivable wheeled amphibious vehicles ready to deliver enhanced mobility and protection for the USMC.
On May 6, TERREX survivability demonstrator began ballistic and blast tests operated by the USMC. In June, USMC will continue its evaluation of TERREX by testing its human factors and stowage capabilities along with ocean swim testing to be conducted at Camp Pendleton.

Blast from the past. Moskva-class helicopter carrier

My mind is zooming around the internet tonight...I blame it on carb depletion leading to a mild case of goofiness.  Regardless, its helping my already vivid imagination play the what if game.

Which brings me to the Moskva Helicopter Carrier.  Get rid of the old fashioned launchers, put in some vertical launch cells, and add a 76mm rapid fire gun to the bow with a few 57mm guns at the stern and you have a formidable assault ship.

Replace those ASW helos with some AH-1Z Super Cobras, add to it a CH-53K or two and some Marines from a Battalion Landing Team (not the "Raid Force"...in my scenario they get to go home to SOCOM) and you have a perfect compliment to influence the coastline of half of Africa or help in the Philippines.

Read about the Moskva here.