NATO's 30-30-30 Plan...thanks Trump!

Dude accused a previous post of mine to be pure click bait (happening alot lately).  Well on this one I'm not try to click bait ya, just being provocative as hell!

What is the 30-30-30 plan?  Something new from NATO.  Check out the caption that goes with the pic above...oh and this is from the US Mission in NATO Instagram Page.

What does 30-30-30-30 mean? It's @NATO's plan to boost combat readiness by ensuring 30 medium-heavy battalions, 30 fighter squadrons & 30 combat ships from across the Alliance are able to meet any threat within 30 days. #NATOSummit #AlliedStrong

Interesting isn't it.

The Bush Admin complained about NATO member spending.

The Obama Admin complained about NATO member spending.

Trump complains about NATO member spending and suddenly its a threat to the alliance, unprecedented and a threat to the future.

If you're not seeing the connection here then I can't help ya.  Hate Trump all you want but HE IS shaking up the status quo.  He is FINALLY getting our allies to START moving toward doing their fair share to DEFEND THEMSELVES!

The "thanks Trump" part seems like click bait to you?  Seems like he's scaring people straight to me. 

Still hate his tweeting.  He's drifted dangerously close to the racists section of our country.  His tax cuts are pure Republican orthodoxy and benefited the wealthy MUCH MORE than they did the middle class.

But when he does stuff right he deserves credit.  On this he deserves credit.

BAE's Howitzer is having major issues...

via Bloomberg.

BAE Systems Plc’s manufacture of the U.S. Army’s new howitzer is hobbled by poor welding, supply chain problems and delivery delays even as the service nears a $1.3 billion decision on full production, according to the Pentagon’s contract management agency.

Among the setbacks have been a six-month halt in deliveries last year because of welding flaws and the return of 50 of 86 vehicles that had already been delivered due to repair production deficiencies.

Nevertheless, Army officials plan to meet on Thursday to decide on approval of full-rate production, the most lucrative phase for London-based BAE. That would trigger $1.3 billion in contract options and increase vehicle production to about 60 from 48 a year, according to a Pentagon program assessment.

The Pentagon’s Defense Contract Management Agency “assesses that BAE is currently experiencing significant supply-chain, part quality and delivery issues,” spokesman Mark Woodbury said in an email. “DCMA’s assessment has been shared with” the Army and “could potentially aid the program office’s final decision to proceed” to full-rate production, he said.

Story here.

This is concerning.

I'm a BAE fanboy and one of the reasons why they were able to decisviely beat SAIC/ST Kinetics is because they were able to execute.

They were on time and on target with every point of the contest for the ACV...their competitors were not.  The competition paid the price in having an excellent vehicle that showed more poorly than it should have because of their basic failure in doing basic stuff.

Now?

Now we're seeing the same company that was able to get it done by the numbers stumble and fall in delivering quality vehicles to the US Army.

Bad welds?

That's important but simple shit they should get right.  Delivery chain issues? Important but again simple (for an organization like BAE) shit they should get right.

Don't know what's going on with BAE but they're starting to command a significant portion of our armored vehicle fleet (that's actually in service/slated to be in service) and they must do better.

Air Tattoo is coming up!

Only two air shows that I lust to see.  Dayton and the Air Tattoo.  For you lucky freaks that can get it done, the Air Tattoo is coming up.  If you make it, then share your pics!

Blast from the past. British Army Thur Throwback ... Warrior IFV in Afghanistan (2013)

Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles of 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland in Afghanistan in 2013

Open Comment Post. July 12, 2018

What is this madness! Israel says Assad is safe from them but Iran must quit Syria!

via Reuters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russia on Wednesday that Israel would not seek to topple its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but Moscow should encourage Iranian forces to quit Syria, a senior Israeli official said.

Story here. 

I've been monitoring a few stories that I haven't posted on the blog regarding certain conflicts we're involved in (you'd be surprised in all the fighting we're taking part in globally) and I am now convinced that Trump is about to complete a campaign pledge and bring troops home from some of these fights.

Read the article but the idea that Israel is now saying Assad is safe is an early indication of a DRASTIC shift in US policy in Syria.

Canadian Demo CF-18 thru the Mach Loop by Peter Steehouwer!

Pics are from Peter Steehouwer's webpage!  Check it out here...guy's an awesome photographer!

Thanks to Dustin for the link!

Russians are knocking down allied communications, disabling AC-130's, etc in Syria....

via Military Times.

The Corps is looking to install antennas in its F/A-18 C/D Hornets to help the aircraft defeat GPS jammers.

In a request for information posted in early June by Naval Air Systems Command, or NAVAIR, the Corps wants to install the anti-jam antennas known as the Air Navigation Warfare Program, or NAVWAR, in 120 of the legacy Hornets.

The anti-jamming antenna “provides Global Positioning System (GPS) protection for Naval Air platforms by allowing for continued access to GPS through the use of Anti-Jam (AJ) Antenna Systems designed to counter GPS Electronic Warfare threats from intentional and unintentional interference,” Michael Land, a spokesman for NAVAIR, told Marine Corps Times in an emailed statement Tuesday.

The development comes as U.S. aircraft have faced mounting electronic warfare attacks against aircraft in Syria.

Army Gen. Tony Thomas, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, told audience members at a conference in April that adversaries were trying to bring down AC-130 gunships in Syria using electronic warfare, or EW.

“Right now in Syria, we’re in the most aggressive EW environment on the planet, from our adversaries,” Thomas said. “They’re testing us every day, knocking our communications down, disabling our AC-130s, et cetera.”

The Corps is amid an overhaul of its forces and equipment to prepare for a potential fight with near-peer adversaries like Russia and China.

Both countries boast an impressive array of electronic warfare capabilities. Russia has been using the Syrian battlefield to hone its EW skills.

The top Marine has oft repeated the threats posed to GPS systems from rising adversaries and says the Corps needs to be prepared to fight in GPS denied environments.

Story here. 

Electronic warfare, not cyber is the future of the modern battlefield.  One is sexy the other practical and be honed by our adversaries to a razor's edge.

We must prepare for the probable, not the hoped for.

UH-1Y Venom "Huey" | The Ultimate Tactical Utility Helicopter

Open Comment Post. July 11, 2018