Wednesday, June 09, 2021

The Amphibious Combat Vehicle looks like it's gonna survive. But how? How does it fit with FD2030?


I was wrong.

Yeah.  I know.  I'm just as surprised as you that I could get it wrong.

Having said that I just don't get it.  How does the ACV fit into future plans with FD2030 hanging out there like a monster?

No need to rehash my complaints about FD2030.  I've stated them loudly and so much that many of you are annoyed.

I get it.

But bear with me one second.  A lighter, more mobile force.  One that moves by light amphibious warship and air.  A force that is designed to be the "eyes" of the joint force, and one that uses stealth as protection just doesn't seem to need an ACV.

With budget issues looming and some of the cuts we've seen I thought this would be a natural.

My thinking?  Kill the ACV and you put a nail in the coffin of ever rebuilding the Marine Corps back into a legacy Air-Ground Task Force.

Making the JLTV the ground combat vehicle would go a long way toward forcing the type of cultural change that I believe is being sought.

But I was wrong on the ACV so I admit that I could be wrong in my thinking here.

So I ask.

Where do you guys see the ACV fitting into FD2030?  How will this new force use a vehicle that from my seat fits into the way we once did business but won't anymore?

I'm truly confused on this one and don't understand the thinking.

One last thing.  I stand by my statement that by 2030 we'll see an end strength of the Marines falling to 150K or less.  Killing off Assault Amphibian Battalions would help with the biggest cost the Marine Corps faces....personnel costs.

No matter how you slice it I just don't get this!

Wicked Weds Joke...

This dude is dragging...I feel your pain...

Anyone know what this BOPE Operator is doing/talking about?


I follow these bubbas on Instagram and I admire their training and the work they do (we'll call that bloody day a few months ago they had when they engaged drug dealers in a crowded favela a one off).

You want to know why the thought of fighting in a mega city worries me so much?

Follow BOPE and see what they're dealing with.

They operate in the slums outside major Brazilian cities and wade hip deep into crime infested poverty without  blinking an eye.

You talk about militarized police in the US?  You have no fucking idea. They're as well equipped as a Marine Corps Rifle Company.  They actually have used AAVs in their raids.

One last thing about fighting in mega cities.  In crime infested areas crowds are attracted by gunfire.  If they know they're not gonna get hit then they're out looking and filming.  Oh and after the fight is over you'll see pop up fights.  I see the same thing happening for these BOPE Operators.

But back on task.

Anyone know what's being said in the video?  I can't put it together.

I am genuinely surprised....Task & Purpose reports General fired...

Just plain wow.

I am genuinely surprised Berger fired this bubba.

My feelings?

Mixed.

On one hand a CO is responsible for everything that does and doesn't happen within his unit.  Additionally Berger OBVIOUSLY ordered that his FD2030 be put into overdrive so I'm sure the screws were being put to every unit on the West Coast to make this happen IMMEDIATELY.

But we're back to the responsibility thing.  Can we hold the CO responsible for something that happens so far down the food chain?

If we take that tack doesn't that mean that we can trace the line of responsibility all the way back to HQMC itself?

What I do know is this.

Those Marines are still dead.  The families are still hurting.  Everyone involved feels terrible about the situation.

Its just bad all the way around.

The only saving grace is that HOPEFULLY (and I don't have full confidence on this) lessons were learned and this won't happen again.