Boxer IFV sporting the Lockheed Martin UK Turret...

via Nicholas Drummond's Twitter Page!

Side note:  Why are the Brits still pushing ahead with the Warrior Upgrade when they're about to buy 500 plus Boxers AND the AJAX Scout?

X-20 Dyna-Soar Space Plane...

via Defense Media Network by Robert Dorr.

Decades before the space shuttle, U. S. Air Force officers and scientists were working on the Dyna-Soar, a single-pilot, reusable space plane that would have been boosted aloft by a Titan rocket. Before the heyday of unmanned aerial vehicles, an Air Force film spoke of the “emphasis on having a man on board” and of the new spaceplane requiring “the cool hand of a skilled pilot.” Before the digital age, the Dyna-Soar had a remarkably clean and functional cockpit, although it was cramped and festooned with toggle switches and round dials. Before heat-resistant ceramic tiles were used for shuttle re-entry, they were being studied for use on the Dyna-Soar.

Story here. 

Marines rushing towards the sounds of chaos...

Marines from 8 and I running towards the fire raging in SE DC. pic.twitter.com/4vSKsuyTGo

— Lyndsey Medsker (@lmedsker) September 19, 2018

Makes my heart sing!  Well fucking done!

British Army set to buy 500 Boxer IFVs?

ministry of defence A programme to supply the British Army with a new fleet of eight-wheeled armoured vehicles has taken a major step forward. The Army intends to make an initial purchase of over 500 Boxer vehicles, and Defence Minister Stuart Andrew has announced that British suppliers have been given the green light to bring forward concrete plans for the project, which is set to support at least 1,000 UK jobs. #BritishArmy #Army #UKarmedforces #armour

Israeli Delegation to Travel to Moscow to Share Information on Il-20 Plane Crash

via Sputnik

Israeli military delegation led by air force commander to travel to Moscow to share information on Il-20 plane crash.

The Israeli military delegation led by Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin will travel to Moscow on September 20 with information about the crash of a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft off the Syrian coast that killed 15 military personnel, the IDF press service said Wednesday.

"The Air Force Commander and accompanying officials will present a picture of what happened in all its aspects, including… the main conclusions of the investigation conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces," the press service said in a statement.

Story here. 

This is interesting.  The Israelis have stated their version of the story and we're talking about a region that probably has the highest level of ISR assets dedicated to it in the world, yet they still feel a need to send their Air Force Commander to Moscow?

This seems more than just an effort to smooth things over with Russia.

More has to be going on here than meets the eye, I just don't know what.

Spanish Marines to receive upgraded Piranha 1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

via IHS Janes

General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) is set to begin work on upgrading some of the first batch of Piranha 1 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) it supplied to the Infanteria de Marina (the Spanish Marines) in 2003-04.

The 8x8 vehicles will go through a mid-life maintenance programme and update that will bring them into line with version 2 that was delivered in 2007-13, a company spokesman told Jane’s on 18 September.

“The contract is signed and we expect to start work before the end of the year,” he said.

It will cover an initial 18 vehicles and is worth EUR9.9 million (USD11.6 million), which will be spread over the length of a contract due to be completed by 2021.

Wow.  Don't quite get this one.  They've already decided to buy Piranha V's so the decision to upgrade their older rides is beyond me.  I imagine they're taking the same stance the USMC took initially with the ACV and AAV-SU, until the decision to focus on modernization of the entire fleet.

We'll see how this plays out.

Cadillac Gage V-150 Commando 4x4 reborn in Thailand as the modernized HMV-420

Pics via Defense Studies Blog (check them out here)

via IHS Janes

Thai company Panus Assembly has unveiled a 4x4 military vehicle that it hopes to supply to the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

The HMV-420 high mobility vehicle (HMV) is based on the company’s HMV-150 platform, which was unveiled in 2017 and, in turn, is based on a re-engineered and upgraded Cadillac Gage V-150 Commando 4x4 light armoured vehicle.

In disclosing details about the HMV-420 in mid-September, the company said it has been built to provide end-users with enhanced protection and a more spacious interior. The vehicle presumably derives its name from its Cummins 420hp engine, which has been integrated with an Allison 4500 SP automatic transmission.

This is surprising but pleasant news.  Cadillac Gage was one of the first US manufacturers that was on the wheeled combat vehicle meme...and before it was cool too.

They had a whole series of vehicles that mirrored what many are trying to do today.

Of course they settled on 4x4 and 6x6 but the mobility was fabulous (for the time damn near outstanding) and their portfolio ran the gamut from APCs to tank destroyers or Mobile Gun Systems as they're called today.

What would make this complete?

If some corporation bought the plans to the V-600 and modernized that puppy for service today!

Open Comment Post. 20 Sept 18