NAVAIR video shows F-35B landing blind on LHA due to HMD glitch. Quote:"We got real lucky that night."

via Defense Tech.

The video that recently surfaced appears to indicate a new nighttime visibility problem, in addition to others that have been publicly identified.

In his presentation, Fields gave credit to the pilot, who positioned himself on the flight deck using two generators he remembered walking past on his way to the aircraft.

“I think his words later were, ‘screw you, ship, I’m landing on you,'” Fields said. “We got lucky. There is no way around it. We got very lucky that night.”

Story here.

Read it and fucking weep F-35 fanboys.  Your program was just saved by a fantastic USMC Aviator that has elephant sized balls  and somehow squeezed them into a cockpit to strap on a plane that is substandard, has faulty tech, jacked up leadership and by the grace of God made it all work.

Now do you get the force of connection all you guys that worship anyone with stars on their shoulders?  This plane still doesn't work and you're being lied to.

McGregor BLASTS US Army General leadership AND says they're gonna lose the next war unless they change!

via National Interest.

The Army is on track to lose more than money unless President Trump appoints a forceful and informed Secretary of the Army—one who is prepared to impose accountability on his generals and demand sweeping change. It’s going to lose the first battle of the next war. And, in the twenty-first century, Americans may not get a chance to fight a second battle.

Then this!

 On July 18 the 173rd Airborne Brigade, along with allied NATO airborne units, will conduct a Joint Forcible Entry exercise near Bezmer Air Base, Bulgaria. The goal is to demonstrate an airfield seizure operation that will then allow for the “all wheeled” Second Cavalry Regiment to “build up combat power” and prepare for follow-on operations.

This exercise equates to practicing for suicide. Our East European partners know it and the Russians know it. Any joint theater-entry operation requires U.S. aerospace and maritime supremacy, as well as, overall battle-network superiority in the objective area. Try this “forced entry” against a defended Russian, Chinese or North Korean Airfield and the “exercise” would end in minutes with the total annihilation of the paratroopers and the brigade of light, armored trucks. The Army four-star generals are stuck in a World War II fantasy.

If that's not enough it gets even more brutal!

 Today’s Army is spread too thinly around the world and its fighting formations are Cold War relics. If today’s Brigade Combat Teams faced an air-defense threat, rocket artillery and loitering munitions (drones that loiter over the battlefield for hours and attack targets by flying into them), let alone a capable, opposing Army, then it would face certain defeat.

No fucking commentary on this one!  Go here to read it all for yourself! 

Open Comment Post. July 18, 2017

It's Chinook week I guess.  Anyway, what's on your mind....

The magnificent concepts of Zetor Engineering...a new 8x8 and tracked IFV...

via Janes.

Zetor Engineering, a subsidiary of Czech agricultural machinery producer Zetor Tractors, is developing a family of modular wheeled armoured vehicles that the company hopes to enter into upcoming public tenders for such platforms. These tenders are expected to be announced by a number of armed forces in Central and Eastern Europe, and beyond.

“In general the (armoured vehicle) project is geared towards future tenders and requirements where it will fulfil the criteria (of potential users), “Zetor Engineering's Isabela Vrskova told Jane's on 17 July.

Zetor Engineering has dubbed the flagship vehicle of the development programme as the Projekt 8x8, which boasts an enlarged hull capable of accommodating a crew of three (vehicle commander, driver, and gunner) and up to eight fully equipped infantry.

The company website is here. 

I don't know about you but personally I like it!  Small countries that are doing the work of innovating for their home defense needs?

This is the kind of national independence that I can get behind.  If we want our allies to take a bigger role in their own defense then I'm thinking that building up their "at home" defense industries and not forcing them to rely on outside products is probably the best way to go.

Develop a NATO/Western standard and build to it.  It doesn't have to look alike or work the same way...just get the job done and we should all be satisfied.  If it increases a nation's spending on defense but cuts off exports from our own industry?  A monetary loss but a big integrated defense win!

Modest Proposal. Bring back the S-3/ES-3 Vikings to make the carrier air wing great again!

pic via zainisaari.tumblr.com

A real quickie.

We've heard talk and studies about bringing back frigates from the boneyards to get the surface fleet back up to speed but what about naval aviation?

There is a major gap in our capabilities and frigates will only cover a portion of the problem.  We need dedicated electronic attack/surveillance platforms that can operate from the carrier and we need long range anti-sub planes that can do the same.

The answer is gathering dust in the boneyards.

The S-3/ES-3 Vikings have TONS of time left on them and can be quickly and easily brought back into service.  One squadron per ship of each type along with a nice allotment of anti-ship/anti-sub weaponry with buddy refueling tanks to pick up the load when the UAV refuelers go down would save wing time for the Super Hornets, provide a much needed capability for the carriers and add a new option for everything from Electronic Attack, Electronic Surveillance, Anti-Ship Strike, Long Range Anti-Sub work, Bomb Truck duties in permissive environments and tanker duties when necessary.

When the CMV-22 fails at the COD mission because its just too short legged we can even dust off the plans for this plane to fill that role.

We have a jewel in the boneyards.  Time to scrap off the dust and get it back in service!

AV8B Harrier II's buzzing the USS Wasp...pics by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Molina

Japan to introduce Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile ASM-3 next fiscal year....

Thanks to Alert 5 for the link!

via Yomiuri Online.

　From next year, the government has decided to introduce the new type of air-to-ship missile under development to the Air Self Defense Force's F 2 fighter aircraft.

The procurement cost of several hundred million yen is posted in the estimate request for FY 2018, and the mass production system is entered. It is the first supersonic speed as a domestic air-to-ship missile, which is characterized by being difficult to intercept. There is an aim to check the Chinese Navy where the aggressive activities are prominent in the East China Sea.

　The domestically produced air-to-ship missile that has already been introduced has "80 type" and "93 type" close to the sound speed, but the new model has a dramatically faster speed of about 3 times the flight speed of 93 type than the 93 type . In terms of speed, we line up with the most advanced missiles of the same kind abroad.

　The time to hit the target is greatly shortened, and the enemy ships are less likely to intercept the missiles because they can fly at low altitude near the sea surface that can not be caught by the radar. It is said that the range will be longer than 93 types (hundreds of kilometers).

Story here, and you will need a translator. 

Interesting isn't it.  Unless we get on our horse with a quickness we will need to start importing major weapon systems from our allies.

Not because we want to be nice but because we let develop lag so much that they're now ahead and we need quick replacements now.

What do I mean?  How about anti-air systems.  If we're smart we'll probably have to buy Meteors from the Brits.  What about anti-ship missiles?  If we go supersonic we're buying the ASM-3 from Japan and if internal carry is important then we're buying the Norwegian solution.

How did we get to a point where we have to buy weapons from people that can't last more than 10 days during a relatively low scale affair in Libya without begging us for more bombs?  Our procurement priorities have been jacked up.

Sabre Guardian Exercise by US Army Europe...

Should be interesting.  I'd like to see more "defense" scenarios rather than the constant "always on the offense" stuff we've seen.

Hell let's get real.

A realistic scenario will be one where they model Spetznaz running all over the place creating havoc in the rear, paratroopers dropping in, Russian Naval Infantry making landings along the coast and communication with higher headquarters cut off for every unit in the field requiring independent action across the board.

But they won't do that...will they?

Muddy Water..... photo by Cpl. Aaron S. Patterson

A weird mix of pain and anger....muddy snot bubbles are next if he got water up his nose..

Obama Care Repeal Died Tonight...So did any chance for a defense increase...

via Roll Call.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pulled the plug late Monday on the Republican effort to overhaul the U.S. health insurance system and pledged the chamber will now focus on only dismantling the 2010 health care law.

“Regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful,” the Kentucky Republican said.

His statement came after GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas said they did not support the latest Senate health care draft and would not vote for a motion to proceed. Lee and Moran joined Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine in opposition to the procedural motion, leaving McConnell without the votes needed to move forward on the Senate bill.

McConnell said the Senate will now take up the House-passed health care bill and amend it with legislation the Senate supported in 2015 to repeal the 2010 health care law “with a two-year delay to provide for a stable transition period to a patient-centered health care system that gives Americans access to quality, affordable care.”

Story here. 

Many will look at this story as simply a case of the Republican leadership failing to pass a key piece of its legislative agenda.

They're wrong.

This is a multi-faceted story with many lessons to be learned, many clues included and illustrate for those willing to see it the changing landscape of the American economic/political and social scene.

*  Many Trump voters were against the repeal.  Why?  Because unlike all the economic reports that are floated out to show an improving economy its just not so.  Many Americans are in an economic hurt locker and in their quiet places admit that they need the socialized medicine that Obamacare provides.

*  The economy just hasn't improved.  How do we know?  Because IF things actually were better inflation would be roaring.  It isn't.  Full employment?  NOT bloody likely!  We'd see wage pressure.  Automation and globalization to blame?  Yeah kinda, but its more ominous than that.  Big business has cracked the code on exploiting workers in the new age.  This means something bad but I can't quite put it together.

But to the focus of this blog post it also means that ANY chance of a defense spending increase just died tonight.

Endless wars?

That won't be enough to shake the purse strings either!

We are in a catch 22 of our own making.  Obamacare repeal was the first step in controlling social spending in the US which takes up an ENORMOUS portion of our budget and is a huge driver of our debt.

With this program firmly in place and many others of the kind, we won't be able to go on a sustained rearmament.

Not only will we be unable to match the Chinese industrial output but we won't be able to afford leap ahead weapons (assuming we could get them to work) to make up the difference.

The biggest threat to US defense wasn't an outside enemy.  It was uncontrolled spending.

Now?

Faced with endless wars, social experiments with the military and runaway debt we've guaranteed that the Chinese will win the next war without firing a shot.

Obamacare repeal could have led to a turnaround in the decline of our great nation and would have signalled a return to principles of civic responsibility...putting the nation's needs ahead of the individual.

Congress and the American people failed.

That is why we will lose the next great war.

Australian Woman killed by police in Minnesota, that she called to report a crime...

via Heavy.

Justine Damond – the name she used professionally – was in her pajamas speaking with a police officer who was in the driver’s seat of a police vehicle that responded to her call when the officer in the passenger side allegedly “pulled his gun and shot Damond through the driver’s side door,” The Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting through three sources. The officers’ body cameras were not turned on.

The officer who shot Damond was named by KTSP-TV as Mohamed Noor, the first Somali-American police officer in his precinct. Damond was shot multiple times, the television station reported. Noor, 31, had only been on the force since 2015.

Justine was engaged to marry Don Damond, who is vice president and manager of Little Six Casino in Minnesota. On LinkedIn, Justine defined herself as a “Speaker, Coach & Consultant for Neuroscience & Meditation Based Change Initiatives.”

Story here. 

This incident will be instructive and informative.

1.  Many take the stance that the police do no wrong.  They instinctively defend police even when its obvious that they had an "oh shit" moment.  How they react to this will be interesting.

2.  The flipside will also be interesting.  The minority communities sometimes instinctively protest police shootings even when its obvious that police just ran into a bad guy.  Will they be quiet?

I've had the suspicion that police shootings aren't based in right or wrong but totally racial in nature.

This woman's unfortunate death will yank back the current on these types of incidents.  Is it all about race?  Does race play a part in this?  Will police supporters still support them when they see a young white lady killed in a questionable shooting?  Will BLM even do a press release supporting the victim?  Will the NRA do a press release supporting police?  What will the police union do?  Does the officer being of Somali origin play any role in this?

This will be an uncomfortable but quite welcome examination of American culture.

Popcorn?  Hell no.  I think we're all gonna need a VERY stiff drink to take in what we're undoubtedly about to learn.

Sidenote:  I just had a disturbing thought.  What if this was a terror attack?  We know the Somali community has been deeply penetrated by ISIS.  What if this guy was inspired to kill...while wearing a badge?

The fight in Iraq was clear cut and simple. Syria? Dazed and confused...

via Almasdarnews.com

An astonishing four T-72 tanks were watched from afar by Failaq Al-Rahman (Free Syrian Army branch) as its militants struck the front end of the convoy with a guided anti-tank missile, causing one of the armored vehicles to plunge into a nearby river.

According to a military source based in Damascus, the incident took place on Sunday afternoon and forced the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) tank crew to ‘abandon ship’ and leave the vehicle faceplanted in a small river in the embattled Ayn Tarma suburb.

Shortly after, three other SAA tanks moved in to cover the site, likely to allow infantry units and mechanics to mop-up the area and recover the partially damaged vehicle.
The SAA military source added that five of the FSA’s TOW crews have been killed in the Ayn Tarma suburb alone while some 400 insurgents have been killed or injured over the past 25 days alone across the eastern Damascus frontline.

Counter-insurgency efforts in the Ayn Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar suburbs in east Damascus are spearheaded by the 105th and 106th Brigades of the Republican Guards who are battling the FSA and its staunch ally Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), considered a tacit Al-Qaeda franchise group.

Story and a vid of the action (along with some terrible music) here. 

Now I get it.

Now I understand why the Obama Admin and military leaders said the fight in Syria to destroy ISIS would take so long.

We're dazed and confused there.

In Iraq their was a singular purpose.  To destroy ISIS.  A clear military objective that was clearly achievable led to a clear victory.  Don't get me wrong.  It took longer than it could because the Iraqi civilian leadership was a bit stubborn, but still it got done.

Syria on the other hand is faced with a muddled battlefield with conflicting objectives and allies that are either terrorist, terrorist connected or have agendas of their own.

What do I mean?  The Syrian Free Army.  Who are these guys?  From everything I've read they're just allies that we're gonna have to kill at a later date.  So what do we do?  We give them freaking TOW Missiles!  They're allied with ISIS that we say we're trying to kill, and while we're trying to kill ISIS we're also trying to kill Assad and by extension his troops that are also trying to kill ISIS.

Russia is trying to kill ISIS and help Assad, but they're also trying to kill the Syrian Free Army which are terrorist that we will have to kill later, and the terrorist named the Syrian Free Army are also aligned with ISIS that we're trying to kill now.

To make matters worse we have a military airfield inside Syria now (widely reported in Arab news...even photographed much to my annoyance...how long before they get hit in a Camp Leatherneck rerun?), the Kurds are trying to setup a separate nation and Turkey has made incursions into Syria and claimed territory.

We won't win in Syria this year because the policy is still fucked up beyond recognition.

The Deep State, Neo-Cons, Military Establishment, Foreign Policy Hawks and Generational War Zealots win again.