MLR-TE Recon Live-Fire Range

If you notice haven't been posting many pics from the USMC. Why? Everything on both coasts and damn near world wide is focused on the "Stand In Force". I saw a glimmer of hope because they talked a modernized MEU concept and/or amphibious assault theory but that was apparently just a smoke screen. The critics are right. Its all SIF all the time and the only foe is China. Any and everything on another continent or region will fall to the other services with the Army doing all aspects of the ground fight. The Marine Corps has become hyper specialized...and that's for insects.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Michael Indigo, a reconnaissance man with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment Special Reconnaissance Detachment, 3d Marine Division, loads a magazine prior to rehearsing immediate action drills on a live-fire range during Marine Littoral Regiment Training Exercise (MLR-TE) at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Feb.1, 2023. MLR-TE is a large-scale, service-level exercise designed to train, develop, and experiment with the 3d MLR as part of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, led by 3d Marine Division, operating as a Stand-in Force across a contested and distributed maritime environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jerry Edlin)

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 261 training with 1st Recon Bn

31st MEU flies V-BAT drone

Russian & Iran are going to build a drone facility that can produce 6000 drones

2/ Now, the U.S.-aligned officials said, the talks have morphed into concrete plans with the Jan. 5 visit to the Russian town of Yelabuga, about 600 miles east of Moscow. Town location below, deep in Russia's heartland. pic.twitter.com/2N6FwxAa3V

— Samuel Bendett (@SamBendett) February 5, 2023

#Iran and #Russia plan to build a joint factory to produce drones, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The plant will be located in Russia. pic.twitter.com/gf1Umvc41V

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 5, 2023

This has major implications for the Ukrainian war. Imagine swarm after swarm of these drones mixed with more effective cruise missiles. Now move that capability to the Middle East. Does ANYONE at this time have the ability to destroy a massive amount of drones aimed at sensitive targets? If any nation was to stockpile say 12K drones and launch them all at once at a target and then mix that strike with higher speed/semi-stealth cruise missiles it would overwhelm ANY anti-air force on the planet (talking combined ground and air interception).

We are in the interwar years.  

Advances are coming so fast and the nature of warfare is changing in such a way that NO ONE can predict where this is going.

Stay safe kids !

*Get past the goofiness at the end and drink in the moral of the story. The grass is greener where you WATER it!

 

Open Comment Post. 5 Feb 23

 

Upcoming tank for WOT.  I love the game and hate it with a passion.  Still suck at it.

Now begins the idiotic politics of failure....BREAKING: 2 Former DNI Directors Say Report of Chinese Balloons Under Trump is Fake

 Note.  Earlier I classified this balloon thing as not the big deal is was being touted as being.  I stand by that.  The delayed response, the lack of decisiveness and now the awkward and lame finger pointing all shows one thing.  Our political/military power structure is fucked beyond belief.  Apparently they have the same pulse of the people as I do, except that they have a bigger megaphone and have the ability to PROPERLY explain why they arrived at a certain decision.  Vacillation like we've seen is a danger sign.

via Trending Politics

On Sunday morning, former acting Director of the United States National Intelligence (DNI) Richard Grenell denied the recent report claiming Chinese Spy Balloons flew across the United States under former President Donald Trump.

“Yes, Chinese Spy Balloons Flew Over The U.S. When President Trump Was In Office Too,” the piece from Matt Novack published on Forbes read.

The article was extremely vague and weakly sourced.

In a tweet on Sunday, Grenell strongly denied the piece and hammered the Biden administration for pushing the fake news.

“Biden’s DoD is shamelessly using an anonymous source to say that Chinese balloons flew over the US under Trump – and the Trump team allowed it,” he tweeted. “It is a lie. We never heard this – ever. Congress should demand @SecDef tell the truth. Shame on @JakeSullivan46.”

Story here 

The only real loser in the China Spy Balloon Incident is Milley...

Mark Milley held secret calls with China in 2020 undermining Trump

Mark Milley gave the order not to shoot down the Chinese spy balloon

General Mark Milley in 2015 declaring that China is not our enemy: pic.twitter.com/Z00ZcdUdu9

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 5, 2023

Parts of Military Twitter & ESPECIALLY the Conservative Twitter spaces are eviscerating Milley. He has never been popular with the troops (from the outside looking in...but does it really matter?) and he's been suspect to both the left and right. To the left because he's military and to the right because he's implemented some policies that many disagree with.

But when it comes to the balloon case I almost feel sorry for the dude.

Biden threw his ass under the bus so quick its shocking.  The CJCS over ruled him and told him not to shoot down the balloon?  Then Biden over ruled him and ordered the balloon shot down?

China got an over flight of the USA.  Got first hand experience with the lack of decisiveness from our elected officials....basically they got a timeline of how long it would take for America to decide to sortie forces to aid Taiwan.  If it took days to shoot down a fucking balloon how long will it take to decide to lose a couple of carriers and dozens of other warships along with countless lives of American troops?

And Milley.

Milley just sealed his fate as probably the worst CJCS in the history of the US.

The dude has had a rough ride with two "unique" Presidents but the guy is still trash.

Former French Navy Carrier Foch scuttled in international waters...

Brazilian Navy Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier São Paulo, formerly French Navy carrier Foch, was scuttled it in international waters on 3rd February 2023....sad to see her go this way pic.twitter.com/ZHjytIdXls

— Stiofán Sopelza (@sopelza) February 4, 2023

The Brazilians didn't get much use out of her. Is it even worthwhile to buy ships second hand anymore? I know the US Navy rides all its ships HARD. There is a big opening for some basic builds to supply smaller nations fleets but no one is tapping into it. Oh and Brazil! Next time buy a LHD. It would be more cost effective and better suit your needs!

This is a damn winter hurricane!

❄️💨❄️This is EXTREME WEATHER! Right now Mount Washington is living up to the reputation of having the worse weather in the world.
INSANE conditions Temp -42° F, Wind Chill -101° F, Wind Gusts 127 mph! https://t.co/vr4pGu9p7G
From the summit cam 230-240pm. #OHwx #PAwx pic.twitter.com/6N30euV9oL

— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) February 3, 2023

That looks plainful.