General Dynamics Land Systems Australia Land 400 Phase 2 LAV(CRV)

Thanks to Dragon for the link!

Rapid Trident 16. Why so many freaking European military exercises all of a sudden?

You ever heard of Rapid Trident?  Me neither.  But that's not the real issue.  The issue is this sudden and dramatic increase in military exercises in Europe.  No tin foil hat but this is crazy!  We've seen a major exercise almost every month this year AND we've seen them overlap.

I can't piece it together but something is going on.  We didn't see this level of activity even during the cold war.

More to come but something is off with all this....I just can't put my finger on it.

An impressive line up of vehicles for Land 400 Phase 2....

Terrex 3

Patria AMV

Boxer

LAV 6.0

I was going over the Australian Land 400 Phase 2 lineup and we have an impressive number of vehicles all competing for the win.  If this doesn't turn into a price shootout (if it does then all bets are off....I would imagine the Boxer would move into poll position because the German govt would essentially subsidize production just to keep its workers working!) then I rank them in this order.

4.  LAV 6.0

This vehicle is a weird combination of old and new.  Its LAV III heritage is clearly seen in the vehicle design, but it also takes design cues from the LAV Technology Demonstrator that they rolled out a couple of years ago.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe this vehicle is a solid performer but its competition is stiff.  I'm thinking it comes in 4th.  Considering the field its nothing to be ashamed of.

3.  Boxer

Wow.  The Boxer.  Everyone screams about it modularity.  About its protection...and they once screamed about its weight.  When the Boxer was first introduced it was an outlier.  The heaviest wheeled IFV by far and no one even coming close.  Personally I have yet to see a case for real life use of the vaunted modularity that the vehicle brings and I question its mobility in comparison to the competition.  The most exciting thing I see from the Boxer is Lancer turret.  When introduced it was a world beater.  Today?  Everyone has caught up.  Boxer is a legend but in this competition I see it placing a solid 3.  Side note.  Maybe its just not talked about in US armored circles but this monster was used in Afghanistan and I haven't heard much about how it performed.

1. Patria AMV (tied)

Everyone knows about the AMV.  Its a stud of a vehicle, got raving reviews in Afghanistan and is the wheeled equivalent of the Leopard MBT in Europe.  The Patria AMV might as well be the European standard (no offense to the Boxer or VBCI or Piranha III/V/6.0).  No one has told me (Patria refuses to talk about it) but the falling out they had with Lockheed Martin still intrigues me.  BAE partnered with them for this contest and its sporting the CV90 turret.  Mobility is good, armored protection is good, combat performance is sterling...it deserves its 1st place ranking in my opinion.

1.  Terrex 3 (tied)

This vehicle surprised me.  When the SAIC/ST Kinetics first rolled out the Terrex 2 for the ACV contest I was underwhelmed.  MAYBE it would hold its own if the Marine Corps placed a premium on networked warfare...but against the competition...especially when it came to the swim contest (in my opinion) would see it crushed.  Little did I know that they would build a NEW vehicle...one that could swim from ship to shore but also have the mobility and armored protection that was being demanded.  For this contest swim isn't required but the base vehicle is formidable and Team Sentinel member Elbit did some solid work on the turret and its the new "cat's meow".

If you haven't been keeping up with the Aussies then shame on you.  This is an impressive lineup of vehicles and any one of them would fill the CRV role nicely.  The old LAV-25 is getting a worthy replacement no matter which way they go.

Time to do some research and see if Land 400 Phase 3 is still on.  If it is then we're about to get an "armor bonanza" from down under!

Upcoming events on SNAFU! Blog...

Heads up Tribe Members...

A few things are coming up this week on SNAFU!

1.  Review of American Warfighter is in the que and ready to go.

2.  Completing Part 3 of the "First Battle Of Daiyou Islands" (part 1 and 2 here).  Its been almost a year since I first penned it!  Funny thing is that I got such negative reaction in my e-mail that I thought it was viewed as trash.  A buddy told me today to get it done so I'm climbing back in the saddle on it.  Remember this though...its just fiction so don't pick it apart...just roll with it...

So that's about it for definite stuff coming up.  Stay tuned!

Terrex 3 review by Australia Defense Magazine.

Thanks to Mercator for the link!



That gun elevation is crazy!  I wonder if they're thinking of building in an anti-aircraft capability (UAVs and helicopters) into the design?  I imagine fire control would be a bear but the brainiacs could work it out...right?



I see the Aussies have adopted the "safety vest" meme full force!



Nicely done Australia Defense Magazine.  Nicely done.

A US General is responsible for not sending rescue forces to the men in the CIA complex in Libya?

Thanks to Mobeius2249 for the link!

If you follow right wing news sites (fringy news sites) then the name of General Carter Ham constantly comes up as part of the belief that the Obama administration has been conducting a purge of leaders.

Check this 2013 article out from The Blaze.

Nine senior commanding generals have been fired by the Obama administration this year, leading to speculation by active and retired members of the military that a purge of its commanders is underway.
Retired generals and current senior commanders that have spoken with TheBlaze say the administration is not only purging the military of commanders they don’t agree with, but is striking fear in the hearts of those still serving.

The timing comes as the five branches of the U.S. armed forces are reducing staff due to budget cuts, and as U.S. troops are expected to withdraw from Afghanistan next year.
“I think they’re using the opportunity of the shrinkage of the military to get rid of people that don’t agree with them or not tow the party line. Remember, as (former White House chief of staff) Rahm Emanuel said, never waste a crisis,” a senior retired general told TheBlaze on the condition of anonymity because he still provide services to the government and fears possible retribution.

Now we get this from the Select Comittee Report (at the 2:12 mark)



Don't get me wrong.

I'm still not a fan of Obama's policies and still think that they've been bad for the nation.

But I WILL NOT blame him for firing a general that disobeyed orders and possibly contributed to men dying in the field.

If the Report is true then Ham should have been brought up on charges, reduced in rank and dishonorably discharged from the military.  Oh and for those that want to give the inevitable push-back, the "fog of war" doesn't apply in this situation.  ANY COMMANDER WORTH HIS SALT would push forces forward even if the situation wasn't clear.  You can always recall them, but there was no need for him to over ride the instructions from the Commander in Chief and the SecDef.

What I don't get is why the entire DoD lined up behind the lies?  There was no need to use this incident as an excuse to stand-up SPMAGTF-CRs?  I disagree with the concept but it was too easy for anyone to see that forces were available so it was a pathetic lie by HQMC.  Why the national security establishment for the President would push lies about forces being unavailable is also mysterious.  Why not simply tell the truth?  The Administration made a mountain out of a mole hill because they didn't give the public the real info.

ANOTHER AMOS LIE!!!! I told you that SPMAGTF-CR was a cover for administration failure!

How good is your memory with regard to history?

Ok, enough with the drama.  This is the deal.  Amos stood up SPMAGTF-CR's in response to "US forces not being in position" to respond to the attack in Benghazi.  via Wikipedia.

In 2013, following the 2012 Benghazi attack, Lt. Gen. Richard Tryon, Marine Corps deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations, announced the creation of a Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force that could fly in a company of Marines on Bell Boeing MV-22B Ospreysto respond to crises in Africa. However, this will require political work to secure a ground base nearby that the amphibious ships operating in the global commons of the world's oceans do not require.[1] The task force self-deployed to Morón Air Base on 27 April 2013.[2]
USMC spokesman Capt. Eric Flanagan has listed the responsibilities of the task force to be a first responder for American embassies in the area, to help evacuate Americans, and to provide humanitarian and disaster relief.[3]

Now we get the Senate report and as usual we find out that the former dick sucking bastard of a Commandant lied his ass off.  Check this out...

The report also sheds new light on previous conclusions that the military was unable to respond quickly enough to perform a rescue. The Republicans found that "despite President Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s clear orders to deploy military assets, nothing was sent to Benghazi, and nothing was en route to Libya at the time the last two Americans were killed almost 8 hours after the attacks began."

We can shut down one meme.

Seems as if Obama and Panetta DID order forces to the scene.

What we don't know is how the order got jumbled at best or at worst who is the fucktard that refused to carry them out.

Either way its apparent that something is seriously broken inside our Dept of Defense.  While Mabus is "renaming" positions to gender neutral terms, he ignores serious issues that should concern us all.

I am amazed, heartbroken and angry.  Time to punch a wall.

American Warfighter e-book giveaway. UPDATE! giveaway closed....

UPDATE:  The giveaway is closed, but keep eyes open...we're starting something awesome and this is just the beginning!  To the winners, congrats and I know you're gonna enjoy this book!  THERE ARE MEN THAT STILL WALK THIS PLANET THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THE HARD THING!  You're not on an island in a sea of shit tribe members....hard men doing hard things (yeah I'm including me and you in this) live!  Drink this in and marvel at the sacrifice...a type of selflessness that most in this nation are unworthy of.

An opportunity for 10 of my readers.  I am able to give away 10 copies of American Warfighter (e-book version).

How do you get it?

Simple.

First 10 people to hit my inbox for the blog (addy on the right hand side) get a copy.  Put "Mabus sucks" to weed out spam in the subject line and I'll reply with the link.

I'd bet body parts I value that you're gonna love this book.

Europe burns. Terror attack at Turkish airport.

UPDATE:  Wow!  I didn't know that calling Turkey a part of Europe would get such a massive push back!  I won't back off my contention that Turkey straddles both Europe and Asia.  Look at any map and parts of Turkey are indeed part of Europe.  Its just like the US and Mexico.  By rights Mexico should be included as being both North and Central American...Map makers dumbed it down for the masses and we have the simplicity that we do.  As far as those that are pointing to cultural issues for excluding Turkey from Europe, I just don't buy it.  Culturally the US, Canada and Mexico are different yet they are still considered N. American.  If you want to use a different metric...if you want to say that being European requires something other than geography then I'm willing to listen...but as things stand now, I'm right!



Watching breaking news of a terror attack at a Turkish airport.

This is right on schedule.

I told you Europe would burn this summer and this is meeting my timetable of events.  First you have the continuing immigration crisis.  Then the Brexit vote and now this.

And this is just the beginning.

ISIS or whoever is behind this attack is no longer seeking to defeat the West on the battlefield.  They know that as soon as we get serious they'll be mopped up in a few months at worst.

Instead they're seeking to freeze our economies thru spreading fear...to sow societal chaos because terrorist are mixed in with immigrants and friction will develop between the society that they migrate to and the people....this is a perfect firestorm.

Meanwhile instead of solving real problems, our leadership seeks to maintain the status quo economically while engineering social change.

We're fucked...but Europe first.

Terrex 3 w/MT 30mm turret for Australia's Land 400 project looks bad ass!

Thanks to Dwi for the link!  Pics from Mike Yeo's Twitter Page!

Uh wow!

I can't wait to see which way the Australians go with this program.  The competition is BEYOND stiff.  I think we can safely say that we're seeing many of the best wheeled armored vehicles in world competing.

One other thing.  ST Kinetics and whoever they're teamed with is getting this "social media" thing down!  This will be talked about in armored vehicle community circles without a doubt.

A heartbreaking, tragic and controversial blast from the past (warning! extremely graphic!)

via Soldier of War Tumblr Page.

IRAQ. Fallujah. 2004. In November 2004, Stefan Zaklin, a photographer then working for the European Pressphoto Agency, was embedded with a United States Army company. Mr. Zaklin photographed this soldier, who was shot and killed in a house used as a base by insurgents. The photograph ran in several European publications, and Mr. Zaklin was immediately banned from working with the unit.
It was a scene occurring daily among American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan but one that has been deliberately hidden from the American public. There has been a relatively small number of journalists embedded with military units throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. There is also a decline in the power of news agencies to embed their employees overseas. New military rules on censorship have also reinforced this tendency, and consequently press freedom suffers.
Photograph: Stefan Zaklin/European Pressphoto Agency

Question.

Is it right to keep the media from reporting the terrible, unromantic part of war?  Shouldn't we insist that the American people see the price being paid by servicemen for the decisions made by leadership both on and off the battlefield, both civilian and military?

I don't know the answer.

All I can think is that's someone's little boy...someone's brother...someone's loved one.  Does their grief outweigh the public's right to know the unvarnished truth about war?

Would we be involved in a decade plus long war if the American people got a glimpse of images like you see above?  Would military leaders be shoveling the bullshit of it taking another 2 or more decades to win this war if these images were widely available?

I just don't fucking know.

How bad is the damage from the Marine Corps "bad bet"?

Thanks to Don for the link!

via War is Boring.

Reasoning that they couldn’t afford the Super Hornet and the JSF, the Marines decided to operate their existing F/A-18s, AV-8B Harriers and EA-6B Prowlers without replacement until the F-35 was ready. In short, the Marines bet their whole tactical aviation future on the JSF.

It was a bad bet. Design, management and quality-control problems delayed the F-35’s service debut by nearly a decade, forcing older planes to serve even longer than the Marines had planned. Moreover, the JSF’s problems added tens of millions of dollars to the cost of each JSF, compelling the military to cut maintenance funds in order to avoid huge spikes in overall budgets.

WIB just looks at this from the viewpoint of the aviation side of the house.  But what about the greater Marine Corps?

I forgot the readers name but he told me that the USMC depends on aviation to provide 70% of its fires!

70%!

If the F-35 does not live up to its billing as the premier fighter of the next couple of decades (much less till 2070) then the USMC just hazarded its ground forces in a fight against a near peer opponent.

Next we have to look at the costs of the plane.  We're putting aircraft into service that are AT BEST minimally capable.  They're obviously undeployable and will not gain many of the weapon systems that are currently carried by our legacy planes till after 2020.  How much will the upgrades cost to get the planes we're rushing into service up to that spec?  How long will those planes be out of service while they're upgraded?

War is Boring looked at the gamble on not buying Super Hornets but this is a bigger deal than even they're acknowledging.

The F-35 could very well be responsible for putting people in body bags...unfortunately they'll be members of our own Ground Combat Element and not the enemy.