Tuesday, May 26, 2020

China Airforce's 134th Combined-Arms Mechanized Airborne Brigade's ZBD03 is now desert camo-ed

Via China Defense Blog...




AFRICOM statement on Russian aircraft in Libya.

Press release here.  Pics below....










WHAT IS UNDER THE FUSELAGE OF THIS AIRPLANE!  They sent cruise missile equipped aircraft???

Combat Assault Company, 3rd Marine Regiment, conduct a live-fire exercise at Ulupa’u Crater Range Training Facility ...Pics by Cpl. Eric Tso

Note.  Looking at these pics I have to wonder.  Does moving LAR over to the ACV platform (with unique gear) and redesignating LAR/ACV battalions into CAC's (a total of 2...one on each coast reinforced) make sense?   Each "Company Landing Team" will have within its ranks a cohesive unit able to provide protected amphibious assault across the beach and onto the objective, can conduct robust motorized raids, can detach an element to conduct "LAR" type missions and remain a more potent, deployable and flexible force.  Just something to toss around.  Its a sketch not a final form.






Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducts flight operations aboard USS Germantown (B-Roll)...Video by Lance Cpl. Joshua Sechser

15th MEU Fast Roping from a Venom.....Pics by Cpl. Sarah Stegall




If you have to pick one platform to fast rope from in the US military, you can't go wrong if you pick a Venom.  The absolute best ride you'll get.

Franco-German ‘Main Ground Combat System’ (MGCS)....

Article here.



New 600 Tons Cataraman class for the Taiwanese coast guard


That's one handsome ship but a little light to be dealing with 10K ton monsters that China is building.


J-20 flying with big fuel bags underwing...



Open Comment Post. 26 May 2020


Can you imagine how absolutely HORRIBLE the PT sessions are gonna be after this lockdown?

View this post on Instagram
September P Company? - Do you reckon the soldier you are about to ‘Mill’ is not training to take your head off? - Are you going to provide the person to your right 100% of your load, when you release the toggle and turn away from log? - Do you have the legs to finish that 5th mile on the stretcher or get past the soldier in front who is taking your points on the steeple? - Isolation isn’t the time to settle. Success is not a gift, it’s purposeful hard work. - Don’t just stay focused and stay fit. Increase focus, get fitter and get past the soldier in front. - #Fitness #sport #coaching #athlete #coach #coachinglife #militaryfitness #ctsfo #parachuteregiment #tacticalathlete #firstresponders #police #fireservice #firefighter #army #navy #airforce #running #para #liverpoolpt #pt #airborne #paratrooper #coachmikechadwick #operator #britisharmy
A post shared by Coach Mike Chadwick (@coachmikechadwick) on


Was making my way round the internet this morning and came across one of my favorite Brit fitness coaches.

His post reminded me of one thing.

I feel absolutely sorry for those people that ate donuts and didn't PT that live in the Marine Corps during this pandemic.

That goes for all the services all over the free world.

Once this shit is over those PT sessions are gonna be absolutely HORRIFIC!  If I had a bunch of spare change I'd buy up every bottle of Tiger Balm I could find and sell it on E-Bay at twice the price later.

One other thing.  I've said it before but I absolutely mean it from the heart now.  Health is wealth!  Going back to the doctor today to get this sorted out (finally I hope) but afterwards its balls to the wall in the gym!

Monday, May 25, 2020

Tulpar Medium Weight Battle Tank...



Satellite images from today capture China PLAN CV17 type-002 aircraft carrier leaving her home port



Just plain wow.  All this is open source.  Can you imagine what our intel guys are seeing?

But back on task.

The Chinese are moving forward smartly.  Effectively.  Efficiently.

My readers are telling me that their catapult version is nearing completion too.  If we drop down to 9 big deck carriers then the Chinese will rival us sooner rather than later.

The answer to our problem is simple and was put out by a CNO years ago.

Payloads over platforms.

Our Navy and Air Force have become platform centric.  That's wrong.  We need to become payload centric.  The nuts and bolts of the fight at sea is what we should concentrate on.

If we have to attrit their forces that means our platforms must maintain distance while whittling away their numbers.  We need to focus on increasing our stockpile (and modernizing rapidly) of munitions.  We need missiles that can reach out and tag their ships and airplanes.  We need the ability to reload/rearm our vessels at sea (quickly!!!!) and have them zoom out to punch them again.

The idea that any forward base (whether mobile or static) will be neutralized because they will be methodical in their attack.

Rogue fire?  Glad its unmanned because it will fire its payload and will probably be destroyed before we can recover it (why are we going with JLTVs for this purpose instead of using refurbished HUMVEES instead?).

Instead of focusing on Cyber Operators on the battlefield we should push that function over to the Navy to utilize aboard their ships and the Marine Corps should focus on Electronic Warfare/Attack Operators operating at the MEU and above level.

Just a few thoughts but rest assured.

The Chinese aren't resting.  They're training while we're sleeping.