Makran.

This is coolbert:

One more Iranian "arsenal ship" on the way.

Commercial merchant vessel converted into a warship.

Capable of deep-water [pelagic] military operations. Multi-role.

Entry courtesy  the Internet web site of H.I. Sutton "Covert Shores".

"Iranian Navy's largest Ship, I.R.I.N.S Makran, Observed On Sea Trials"

"The Iranian Navy is joining the IRGC in converting large merchant ships to function as Forward Base Ships. The Iranian Navy's version, the I.R.I.N.S. Makran (441), is by far the largest. As previously reported it was floated in November. From at least December 9-14 it was on sea trials in the general vicinity of the Straits of Hormuz."

Can deploy and use missiles, helicopters, UAV, fast-attack boats, mines [?] and naval special operations troops [?].

See again courtesy the "Covert Shores" web site further discussion the I.R.I N S Makran.

Also refer to my previous blog entry the IRGC forward -base-ship as termed by H.I. Sutton.

Iran wants a deep water naval capability and now has it?

coolbert.

Lesser.

This is coolbert:

Personally I don't want to believe it is true. Thanks to the tip from Theodore.

"A 2016 report published in Joint Force Quarterly (National Defense University Press) titled 'Officers Are Less Intelligent' found that today’s officers are, well, less intelligent"

AND AS IS RELEVANT TO A RECENT PRIOR BLOG ENTRY, CHEATERS AT THE USMA WEST POINT..

"Joint Force Quarterly 81 (2nd Quarter, April 2016)"

"Officers Are Less Intelligent: What Does It Mean?"

"Two-thirds of the new officers commissioned in 2014 would be in the bottom one-third of the class of 1980; 41 percent of new officers in 2014 would not have qualified to be officers by the standards held at the time of World War II. Similarly, at the top of the distribution, there are fewer of the very intelligent officers who will eventually become senior leaders."

Tendency as reported seems to be across the board too. No one military service is immune it seems.

American educational system as acknowledged by authority and experts in a slow and steady decline for many decades now. Graduates of primary and secondary education not mastering basic material as they need to. That is what this is all about?

coolbert.

Superdreadnought.

This is coolbert:

Absolute pie-in-the-sky outrageous weaponry WW1 era "not built" and we can all be glad for it. This you gotta see to believe.

"USA WW1 USA (1916) Land Battleship – Not Built"

"concentrate within one volume the striking power of an army”. - - Shuman. 

As to the weaponry of the superdreadnought land-ship consider:

"a long row of heavy chains suspending 'weights aggregating many tons' (he [Shuman] also describes them as weighing ‘several’ tons each) dangling down, crushing or smashing anything running underneath too."

A BRITISH ROYAL NAVY [RN] SHIP-OF-THE-LINE DURING THE NAPOLEONIC ERA INDEED DID HAVE THE STRIKING POWER OF AN ARMY. THAT COMBINED WEIGHT  OF LEAD AS PLACED INTO THE AIR BY EACH CANNON ON THE HMS VICTORY FIRING ONE ROUND EQUAL TO AN ARMY OF THIRTY-THOUSAND MEN EACH DISCHARGING THEIR BROWN BESS MUZZLE LOADER ONE TIME.    

coolbert.

MiG-31K.

This is coolbert:

MiG-31K Foxhound [NATO code name]. An air interceptor warplane as a strategic weapon?

From the Internet web site South Front and thanks to same.

"ROLE OF RUSSIA’S NEW STRATEGIC WEAPONS SYSTEMS IN PROVIDING STRATEGIC DETERRENCE"

MiG-31K ten of them now able to function as a stand-off weapons delivery system for the KH-47M2 Kinzhal. Russian hypersonic missile. Kinzhal atomic warhead capable. Image courtesy South Front.

MiG-31 Foxhound [two-seater] based on the original MiG-25 Foxbat. High-speed, high-altitude air interceptor warplane. Foxhound does have a mid-air refueling capability. I wouldn't think Foxhound carrying a Kinzhal would be used in the strategic-range role but rather in the intermediate-range role 

coolbert.

Stonewall.

This is coolbert:

Once again from a question posted at the Quora Internet web site and with answer as extracted shamelessly in entirety.

"What would Ulysses S. Grant have thought of Stonewall Jackson?"

Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson.

Jackson a famous senior Confederate military commander from the era of the American Civil War. Noted for his leadership and innovative battlefield tactics.

  "Military historians regard Jackson as one of the most gifted tactical commanders in U.S. history. His tactics are studied even today. His death proved a severe setback for the Confederacy, affecting not only its military prospects, but also the morale of its army and the general public."

As to the answer also shamelessly extracted:

"From 'Around the World with General Grant' Grant on Jackson and Sheridan"

“From all I know of Jackson, and all I see of his campaigns, I have little doubt of the result. If Jackson had attempted on Sheridan the tactics he attempted so successfully upon others he would not only have been beaten but destroyed. Sudden, daring raids, under a fine general like Jackson, might do against raw troops and inexperienced commanders, such as we had in the beginning of the war, but not against drilled troops and a commander like Sheridan. The tactics for which Jackson is famous, and which achieved such remarkable results, belonged entirely to the beginning of the war and to the peculiar conditions under which the earlier battles were fought. They would have insured destruction to any commander who tried them upon Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Meade, or, in fact, any of our great generals. Consequently Jackson's fame as a general depends upon achievements gained before his generalship was tested, before he had a chance of matching himself with a really great commander. No doubt so able and patient a man as Jackson, who worked so hard at anything he attempted, would have adapted himself to new conditions and risen with them. He died before his opportunity. “  - - U.S. Grant.

There you have it. When Grant speaks we all need to listen.

THAT ASPECT OF WARFARE GREAT COMMANDER VERSUS GREAT COMMANDER AN EXTREME RARITY I MIGHT THINK. FROM THE NINETEENTH CENTURY ALONE THINK WELLINGTON/NAPOLEON AND LEE/GRANT.

coolbert.

Write-off.

This is coolbert:

As extracted from a Quora Internet web site question and answer.

"How many M4 Sherman’s [tank] were destroyed on the Western Front during WW2?"

"The M4 Sherman Tank was used by both the British and the Americans on the Western Front, based on the info I could find there were around 7,100 of them that were 'lost' in the Western Front. 2712 were British and around 4300-4400 were American."

Not specified and those figures of "losses" taken in the subjective manner tanks quite often out-of-action often due to mechanical breakdown or battlefield damage brought back to working order relatively quickly. This is my suspicion.

Consider strictly Operation Goodwood British and Canadian tank losses:

"Reynolds wrote that study of the records suggests that the maximum number of tanks lost during Operation Goodwood was 253, most of which were damaged rather than write-offs. Tamelander and Niklas Zetterling wrote that during Goodwood 469 tanks were lost by the armored divisions (including 131 tanks on the 19 July and 68 on the 20 July), but that the majority could be repaired. Trew rejected those figures and wrote that after much investigation, VIII Corps [British] losses amounted to 197 tanks on 18 July, 99 tanks on 19 July and 18 tanks on 20 July, 'for a total of 314, of which 130 were completely destroyed'. . . In 2014 Buckley wrote that 400 British tanks were knocked out and that many were recovered and put back into service, although the morale of some of the crews deteriorated."

A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THOSE TANKS LOST DURING GOODWOOD  BACK IN SERVICE AND IT BEING SO WITHOUT PROPER RECOGNITION.

Montgomery in the aftermath of Goodwood  got a lot of bad press to an extent undeserved? You the devoted reader to the blog decide for yourself.

coolbert.

Boudicca.

This is coolbert:

"The wheels of her war chariot were be-splattered with blood and gore!"

Boudicca. Great Queen of the Iceni in the British Isles at the time of the Romans.

Hidden gold treasure found. Hidden apparently from the Romans. Boudicca a warrior Queen willing to wage war with the Roman occupier. Unsuccessful in that effort, her store of treasure evidently hidden to prevent capture by the Roman.

Courtesy the English tabloid Daily Mail and the tip from Lucius.

"Birdwatcher stumbles upon £800,000 hoard of 2,000-year-old Celtic gold coins dating from time Boudicca was at war with the Romans"

"Birdwatcher recovered 1,300 gold coins".

"Experts say each coin is worth up to £650".

"The lucky finder said 'a cascade of coins fell out".

VALUE OF THE GOLD COINS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $1 MILLION USD. VALUE AS ARTIFACTS CANNOT BE ESTIMATED?

Long-lost buried treasure of great value as a result of war a popular topic for the blog. See some previous entries [many additional links also] as germane:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/06/priceless.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/03/freemasons.html

Hidden treasure as reputed to exist often searched for but never found. In this case an accidental discovery hardly less noteworthy.

coolbert.

Sir Victor.

This is coolbert:

"It's one thing for an anonymous caller to join a late night radio show, and claim that he is a time traveler. It is another thing altogether, for a respected military flyer, to speak of his flight into the future and his subsequent return."

Paranormal with authenticity? When Sir Victor speaks we should all listen?

Sir Victor Goddard. KCB, CBE, DL 

Thanks to You Tube for this video which I recommend highly without qualification or reservation.

From authority I have been assured that it has been deemed possible at least in the theoretical sense to see into the future but not back into the future. Just don't ask me how. Ground crews ignoring Goddard as he made low level passes over the believed abandoned airfield. That an experienced military observer and a man of impeccable credentials reports such a phenomenon makes things even more interesting.

As the narrator to the video says, you must decide this all for yourself if you can. 

coolbert.

Taxi.

This is coolbert:

From the Aviationist and the article by STEFANO D'URSO the Loyal Wingman almost and up-and-going flying concern.

"Boeing’s Loyal Wingman In New High-Visibility Paint Job Completes First High-Speed Taxi Test"

"Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have completed the first high-speed taxi test of the Airpower Teaming System (ATS) unmanned aircraft, also known as Loyal Wingman. The unmanned aircraft is undergoing low-, medium-, and high-speed taxi testing at a remote test location in Australia, with Boeing’s technicians closely monitoring the aircraft’s performance and instrumentation from a ground control station."

AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME THE AIRCRAFT ONLY ABLE TO TAXI ON THE RUNWAY. JUST PRIOR TO LIFT-OFF.

Loyal Wingman will be able to take-off and land without human interface? This I am not sure about.

See also this video. Five scale-model radio-control type aircraft with AI [artificial intelligence] able to take off, land, sortie and assemble, maneuver apparently without ANY human intervention. 

SKY NET and the rise of the machines no longer science-fiction. Is NOW!

coolbert.

Scouts?

This is coolbert:

Once more from Iranian Internet media PressTV:

"Activists call for end to recruitment of Canadian citizens by Israeli army"

"Human rights activists have called for an end to the recruitment of Canadian citizens by the Israeli military, which is against the laws of Canada."

"These activists maintain that this measure by the Israeli army is in violation of the Foreign Enlistment Act, which prohibits the recruitment of Canadian citizens by foreigners."

RECRUITMENT as mentioned in the article not totally and explicitly defined!

Canadian citizens by law are forbidden from joining the military of a foreign nation? That is a new one on me.

DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, MORE CANADIANS SERVED IN THE  U.S. MILITARY THAN WERE ACTIVE IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES DURING THE SAME PERIOD!! 

I am aware that relatively small numbers of American citizens [Jewish] do volunteer for military service in Israel. This not being illegal under American law as long as the individual does not serve in the capacity of an officer or non-commissioned officer and an oath of allegiance nor sworn?

These Canadians might also be teenage volunteers for a month long program in Israel called Chetz V'keshet. Program an immersion in Hebrew language, Israeli culture, and yes some sort of wearing of the Israeli military uniform and rudimentary weapons and para-military training.

coolbert.

KMS.

This is coolbert:

Keenie-Meenie? English? Keenie Meenie?

From the Iranian Internet media outlet PressTV and thanks to same.

"British ‘mercenaries’ accused of war crimes in Sri Lankan Civil War"

British 'mercenaries' who fought in the Sri Lankan Civil War are currently under investigation for suspected was crimes by the Metropolitan Police.

Formerly CONFIDENTIAL document now declassified. Keenie-Meenie active in the Sri Lankan civil war and of concern to the British Foreign office. Click on image to see and enlarged view.

. . . . 

"The KMS [Keenie-Meenie] has been accused of training an elite unit of the Sri Lankan police called the Special Task Force (STF), which has been implicated in many human rights abuses against the Tamil minority in the north and east of the island nation."

Sandline I had heard of. Executive Outcomes I had heard of. Blackwater I have heard of. But not Keenie-Meenie. Private Military Contractors [PMC]

I might think too the British mercenary private military contractors [PMC] not actively involved in counter-terrorist or counter-insurgency action per se. Rather trained Sri Lanka STF who perpetrated the alleged atrocities.

The wheels of  justice grind slow but they grind  exceedingly fine?

coolbert.

USS Ford.

This is coolbert:

USS Ford American super-carrier deficient. And in a big way? Cannot combat deploy as envisioned. Disaster!!

As seen at the Internet web site Anti-Empire and thanks to same.

"America’s New Ford Carrier Class Is Flawed Junk That Will Be Impossible to Rely On"

"The design [EMALS and AAG] is fundamentally and irrevocably flawed from a maintenance perspective.  The entire carrier must be powered down to work on any single component"

As has been noted by a variety of experts the launch and recovery apparatus aboard the USS Ford state-of-the-art but seemingly unreliable way beyond expectations.

As to the EMALS [Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System] launch system:

"The launch system is over 50 times less reliable than the target failure rate."

And as to the AAG [Advanced Arresting Gear] recovery system:

"The landing system . . . is over 200 times less reliable than planned." 

Dig this crazy stuff too. USS Ford the AAG system considered to be so unreliable that the ship unable to sail far from land when conducting take-off and landing exercise of combat warplanes:

“Meaning that the ship has to stay within reach of land divert bases so as not to lose aircraft when EMALS and AAG failures occur”

Consider also the case of the troublesome elvators. Bring weaponry from inside the ship to the flight deck:

"With the seventh of 11 weapons elevators slated for certification before the end of this calendar year, … the remaining four will be completed by the end of April 2021."

OH glory! Anything else.

coolbert.

Calculus.

This is coolbert:

Bad news West Point. USMA. Military Academy cheating scandal. Thanks to the Internet web site Legal Insurrection. 

"Over 70 West Point Cadets Accused of Cheating on Calculus Exam"

"A West Point law professor called it a national security issue." 

"The U.S. Military Academy [USMA] at West Point accused over 70 cadets of cheating on a math exam, making it the school’s worst academic scandal in 45 years."

Colonel Jack Jacobs awarded the Medal of Honor [MoH] decoration for heroics during the Vietnam War. So high was his esteem as a reserve officer that in case of a general mobilization the Colonel would have been activated with the rank of general officer.

A major academic cheating scandal with many participants. Only one such scandal in forty-five years? I guess that is not so bad. 

It is suggested [?] remote learning is to blame. Culprits unmasked by everyone making the same mistake on the same question? Guilty as charged.

NORMALLY CHEATING OF SUCH A NATURE THE PENALTY AT A SERVICE ACADEMY IS INSTANT DISMISSAL. NO MORE?

coolbert.

Attention!

This is coolbert:

As seen at the Internet web site of our good friend Commander Salamander and taken from same.

"Sweden Executes an About Face"

"Sweden is not an official ally, but as the largest Scandinavian country, she has influence from Finland, through the Baltic and across the sea to Iceland."

"She also has a long history with Russia that she cannot keep an eye off for too long."

"The Swedish parliament has approved an increase of a whopping 40% in the defence expenditure to counter the threat of Russian aggression. This will take the Swedish defence expenditure to USD 11 billion. This is the first such massive increase in the Swedish defence expenditure in the last 70 years. Only last week, the main parties in the Swedish parliament also adopted the stand to support NATO membership."  

SWEDEN FOR A LONG TIME [AND STILL MAYBE IS] ONLY ONE OF THREE DECLARED NEUTRAL NATIONS IN THE WORLD. NOT ALIGNED AND UNDERSTOOD TO BE SO.

APPARENTLY NO LONGER. 

See previous blog entries with many embedded links the topic Swedish military preparedness:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/09/tax.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/05/cash.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/06/forty.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/05/fallout.html

coolbert.

Quote.

This is coolbert:

Once more from the Coffee or Die webzine more interesting stuff.

Thanks to Team Mighty for the input.

"11 QUOTES THAT SHOW THE AWESOMENESS OF GEN. GEORGE PATTON"

"Gen. George S. Patton was a complicated military figure, but there can be little debate over whether he was quotable."

"Perhaps most famous for his commanding of the 7th Army during World War II, Old 'Blood and Guts' often gave rousing speeches to motivate, inspire, and educate his soldiers. We collected up 11 of his most famous quotes (courtesy of his estate’s official website) that show how larger-than-life he really was."

GO READ ALL THE QUOTATIONS.

Additionally consider one more quotation as attributed to George S. Patton:

Profound! Intuitive! Simple and to the point and quite accurate.

Well, I respect that the man knows!

coolbert.

Exclude.

This is coolbert:

As seen at the Coffee or Die webzine of the Black Rifle Coffee Internet web site a bad omen.

All thanks to  Joshua Skovlund. 

"CITY OF RACINE [WI] REPORT CONSIDERS A BAN ON VETERANS IN POLICE DEPARTMENT AMONG OTHER REFORM SUGGESTIONS"

A SUGGESTION THAT IS ILLEGAL!!

"Excluding veterans from the hiring process at the Racine Police Department [WI] was among the suggestions for reform included in a report from the Mayor’s Task Force on Police Reform released on Tuesday in Racine, Wisconsin. The suggestion raised considerable concerns among the veteran and law enforcement communities across the country."

THERE IS A MILITARY DIMENSION BEYOND THE EXCLUSION OF VETERANS "FROM THE HIRING PROCESS".

The military police MOS [military skill] is only one of two occupations in the military that is instantly transferrable from military to civilian duty. NO additional or further training required. Experience already a factor for hiring as well. 

AGAIN THIS TASK FORCE SUGGESTION IF ATTEMPTED TO BE IMPLEMENTED WILL BE FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL. 

And just for clarification sake vehicle mechanic the other military MOS "instantly transferrable from military to civilian duty".

P.S.: Enlisted military MOS "instantly transferrable". A pilot of course in a league of their own.

coolbert.

USS Georgia.

This is coolbert:

"The USS Georgia is armed with 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles and can host up to 66 special operations forces"

As reported by NewsMax an announcement quite [?] startling.

"US Nuclear Submarine Transits Strait of Hormuz amid Tensions"

"DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An American nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine traversed the strategically vital waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula on Monday, the U.S. Navy said, a rare announcement that comes amid rising tensions with Iran."

Comments:

* Obviously this is an act of intimidation as directed against the Iranian. 

* Normally a nuclear powered submarine of the size of the USS Georgia would NOT operate in the vicinity of a choke point such as the Strait of Hormuz or congested waters such as the Persian/Arabian gulf. 

* Submarine operations of their very nature NEVER an item of public knowledge. American submariners sworn to an eighty year non-disclosure agreement.

* USS Georgia a converted ballistic missile firing submarine loaded with land-attack cruise missiles of the Tomahawk variety.

coolbert.

Reenactment SS.

This is coolbert:

FIRST, see my previous blog entry a photo-essay, Invasion USA, Rockford, Illinois.

THE WORLD WAR TWO REENACTOR AS WAFFEN SS MANN!

And YES this was noticed by me.

"Waffen-SS in popular culture"

"Waffen-SS reenactment"

"Popular culture of the romancers also includes Waffen-SS reenactment. Although banned in Germany and Austria, SS reenacting groups thrive elsewhere, including in Europe and North America. In U.S. alone, by the end of the 1990s there were 20 Waffen-SS reenactment groups, out of approximately 40 groups dedicated to German World War II units. In contrast, there were 21 groups dedicated to the American units of the same time frame."

REENACTMENTS WHERE WAFFEN-SS ARE PRESENT AS ONE MIGHT [?] EXPECT CONTROVERSIAL!

SEE FROM A FORUM AN OPEN LETTER DISCUSSING THIS VERY TOPIC.

MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, THE WAFFEN SS MANN REENACTOR GETS TO WEAR A "COOL" LOOKING UNIFORM THAT STANDS OUT?

"cool - - adjective 2. fashionably attractive or impressive. Synonyms: fashionable, stylish, chic, up-to-the-minute, sophisticated"

Devoted readers to the blog let me here from you on this matter.

coolbert.

Drama.

 

This is coolbert:

Highbrow military style?

"highbrow - - noun : a person who possesses or has pretensions to superior learning or culture"

Links as shown for You Tube video: Drama/plays/opera/martial theme.

Courtesy the article as seen in "The Reader's companion to MILITARY HISTORY" edited by Robert Cowley and Geoffrey Parker.

"Representation of War in Drama" by David Culbert.

* "Agamemnon"

* "Peace and Lysistrata"

* "The Second Shepherd's Play"

* "Tamburlaine" Part 1.

* "Tamburlaine" Part 2.

* "Richard III"

* "Arms and the Man"

* "Wozzeck"

* "Mathis der Maler"

* "Shachiapang"

Consider these drama/plays/opera only a smidgen of the whole. Much more exists.

Enjoy!

coolbert.

WhatsApp.

This is coolbert:

HELLO! We are watching you! We know where you are!

Israeli wages war by Smart Phone. Intimidation.

Thanks to the outstanding Internet web site South Front and You Tube.

War by Smart Phone. Embedded virus placed by the Israeli surreptitiously allows messages to be sent to Syrian Army officers. Messages of an intimidating nature as a warning!

See previous blog entries with many additional links the ability of intelligence agencies to spy using malware:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/05/barbie.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/02/rebound.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/06/honey.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2019/05/jawan.html

coolbert.

Doomsday III.

This is coolbert:

"MOST CLASSIFIED"?

Apparently no longer? Place this one in the strange but true and incomprehensible category.

Thanks to the BBC for the story.

"Russian 'doomsday' plane's radio equipment stolen by thieves"

"Russian media say the aircraft was undergoing repairs at an airfield in the Rostov region"

"Thieves have stolen electronic equipment from a Russian military aircraft known as a 'doomsday plane' for its role in the country's nuclear arsenal, local media report."

. . . . 

"Military experts say the aircraft is one of four Il-80s designed to be used as airborne command posts for Russian officials, including the president, in the event of a nuclear conflict. Interfax news agency describes them as among Russia's most classified aircraft."

Undergoing repairs and yet I presume still heavily guarded? Doomsday plane during a time of global thermonuclear war able to command Russian nuclear forces in totality. Electronic equipment as described I think rather esoteric and not having much value on the black market. LOTS of heat going to applied to find the culprits.

coolbert.

Werx.

This is coolbert:

Nothing to see here folks. Move along?

From Monkey Werkx and thanks to same.

"Recent Increased Flight Activity"

INCREASE3D "FLIGHT ACTIVITY" OF A MILITARY NATURE USA!

"Over the past few weeks [as of 9 November?], record numbers of military aircraft have taken to the skies over the United States. Normally, we see a number in the 250 range but the increase had us in the 1600+ range for several days. It is important to note that the military doesn’t always 'squawk' on a transponder we can see, so the numbers are likely much higher."

INCREASED MILITARY AIR ACTIVITY TO INCLUDE FOUR TIMES THE NUMBER OF TANKER AIRCRAFT ALOFT DURING A GIVEN PERIOD.

See this web site as allows the Internet surfer access to radar real-time locations of planes in the air their designations. It is from such information the number and type of military aircraft in the air at any given moment can be determined. At least with some degree of accuracy.

As described single screen shot air traffic USA of a military or unusual nature. Thanks ADS-8 Exchange. Exact time 02:20:31 UTC Wednesday, December 9, 2020. Amazing technology a combination of radar images with transponder data. Available to all.

From just over a year ago read of "unusual" air activity that startled and concerned the Russians. 

coolbert.

Hunter-B.

This is coolbert:

USA has one. The British want one. Everyone wants one. The Loyal Wingman.

From Business Insider and the article by Alex Hollings.

"Russia is testing its own 'loyal wingman' drone for its Su-57 stealth fighter"

"Russian state-owned media says the S-70 Okhotnik uncrewed combat aerial vehicle recently completed its first "fighter-interceptor" exercise, in which it carried simulated air-to-air missiles."

"There's reason to be skeptical of Russian state media, but this effort sounds a great deal like a number of programs that the US and its allies already have in progress."

My comments:

* Loyal wingman Hunter-B as called to accompany the Su-57 air superiority warplane. Hunter-B the mission more aerial combat using air-to-air missiles as an adjunct to the manned warplane? Valkyrie American loyal wingman unmanned aircraft the mission as I understand it SEAD. Suppression-Enemy-Air-Defense. American Valkyrie expendable. Hunter-B not so?

See previous blog entry with many further embedded links the topic the Loyal Wingman:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/08/this-is-coolbert-originally-i-had.html

coolbert.

Hippies.

This is coolbert:

Consider this a first for me. An incident from the era of the Vietnam War I was totally unaware of.

HIPPIES RUN AMOK? MUTINEERS. HIJACKERS. PIRATES. KIDNAPPERS. ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE?

As extracted from the Internet web site History.com and thanks to same.

"6 Famous Naval Mutinies"

"Get the facts on six of history’s most ferocious naval rebellions."

AMERICAN MERCHANT SEAMEN HIJACK A VESSEL CARRYING WAR MUNITIONS AS A PROTEST?

"One of the only shipboard mutinies in American history occurred during the Vietnam War. In Mar 1970 two merchant marines named Clyde McKay and Alvin Glatkowski held their captain at gunpoint and commandeered the supply ship Columbia Eagle. Abandoning most of the crew in lifeboats, the two hijackers changed course and steered toward the neutral nation of Cambodia. After arriving in the port of Sihanoukville, the mutineers informed authorities that they had seized the ship and its cargo of 10,000 tons of napalm as an act of protest"

Lurid headlines as describing the mutiny at the time. 

My comments:

* That amount of military munitions as carried by the Columbia Eagle stupendous. Worst case would be a catastrophic explosion with the same force as a tactical nuclear weapon. 

* One pirate/hijacker/mutineer/kidnapper repatriated to the USA. Served a prison sentence. The other participant his fate very grim indeed. 

Form of protest? You the devoted reader to the blog must decide for yourself.

coolbert.

NK-32.02.

This is coolbert:

Flying high Tu-160M2. Higher, faster, further.

From the Internet web site The Aviationist courtesy DAVID CENCIOTTI with further contributions from Deagel and Strategy Page.

1. "Russia’s Upgraded Tu-160M2 Makes First Flight With New NK-32-02 Engines"

"The newly upgraded Tu-160 “White Swan” made its first flight with the new version of the NK-32, the largest and most powerful engine ever fitted on a military aircraft."

"The new Tu-160M2 version, includes a glass cockpit, weapons upgrades, new engines and the removal of obsolete equipment no longer relevant to the Tu-160’s mission"

2. NK-32.02. As reported by Deagel and thanks to same. 

"The state-of-the-art NK-32.02 engine is being developed to power the Tu-160M2 bomber beginning in 2023. The new engine will provide at least more than a thousand kilometers range increase than its predecessor. The main blocks and components of the NK-32 have been replaced making it more efficient providing better endurance characteristics."

3. "Warplanes: Russian Bomber Engine Blues"

From Strategy Page an analysis of the entire Tu-160M2 program and less than sanguine. Goal to have a fleet of seventeen White Swan not possible given monetary and talent constraints? 

Dollars. Always the dollars.

coolbert.

Retreat?

This is coolbert:

From our good friend Commander Salamander and thanks to his outstanding blog.

"Even the Chairman Goes Salamander on Overseas Forces"

"As regulars here know, from the start of the blog - and a decade earlier IRL - one of my core stands is that we are long past the need for having large formation of maneuver forces based overseas in now rich and ready allies."

Regarding the recent  comments of Army Gen. Mark Milley. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. [soon to be outgoing Chairman.]

IT NOT BEING DESIRABLE TO STATION ON A PERMANENT LARGE CONTINGENTS OF AMERICAN MILITARY PERSONNEL "OVERSEAS". 

Rather think deployments and stationing of American troops to be done on: "[a] rotational or 'episodic' [basis] rather than permanent".

Click on image to see an enlarged view. This particular image illustrative of the modern industrialized/mechanized by-the-numbers mass production many small cogs in a much bigger wheel., Manpower and MONEY in one end of a machine, gears rolling during a period of war. The product victory in warfare as defined by the political agenda of the policy makers, goal met, always an expenditure of manpower and MONEY net exceeding the debt when gross calculated. Such an evaluation simplistic sure but still illustrative nonetheless?

USA RETREATS FROM THE WORLD SURELY BUT SLOWLY? AS IT HAS BEEN FOR GREAT BRITAIN SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO THE USA WILL FOLLOW?

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Crane.

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"He [King of England] has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance." - - T. Jefferson, Declaration of Independence.

Hither and thither they swarm. Agents of The Crown. Some using special axes to mark trees as Crown Property for harvesting only by the Crown for Crown purposes. That primary purpose timber reserved for the Royal Navy [RN]. "Substance" of the colonial subjects stolen without regard to payment.

From a recent article as seen at the Internet web site Strategy Page:

"December 1, 2020: The oldest ship in the U.S. Navy, and one that is still in commission (active), is the sail powered frigate USS Constitution. In reality this is a memorial and museum ship and the 'commissioned' status is basically honorary. The two-century old Constitution can no longer sail, or fight but it is maintained and kept afloat. To do that, one of the oldest naval traditions, the naval forest reserve, is still observed. The U.S. Navy maintains a grove of white oak trees in Indiana. White oak provides some of the hardest and sturdiest timbers that were used to build the Constitution and ships like her. It was not for nothing that the Constitution was called 'old ironsides' because some cannon balls that would penetrate the hulls of other ships instead bounced off the Constitution’s white oak hull."

My understanding is that white oak a major timber used in the construction of the USS Constitution. The planking on the sides [hull] of the ship however the wood of the live oak preferred.

"During the American Revolution a major reason for Britain holding on to the American colonies was the enormous quantities of ship-quality lumber that was available. Rulers of sea-faring nations had always paid attention to obtaining prime ship building timber and by the 18th century the demand was enormous. Britain was the largest user of such lumber."

Britain prior to the American Revolution harvesting American white pine trees of prodigious size from the forests of New England. Crown property as marked by agents of The Crown, those most perfect specimens chosen. The forests of Scandinavia no longer able to provide "prime ship building timber" of sufficient quantity and size as needed by the RN.

CRANE DIVISION THE SECOND LARGEST AMERICAN NAVAL BASE. YET LOCATED MANY HUNDREDS OF MILES [KILOMETERS] FROM THE NEAREST OCEAN. GO FIGURE!

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Suga.

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Some damn fool thing in the Balkans? NO! Think some damn fool thing in the Senkaku?

Forget Republic of China [Taiwan]. Think Japan and USA and bilateral defense treaty.

"Biden affirms security treaty applies to Senkaku Islands in Suga call"

Prime Minister Suga of Japan.

"China calls US-Japan arrangement a 'product of the Cold War'"

Senkaku Islands during the American occupation of Okinawa during the Cold War considered by USA authorities as part of the Ryukyu chain of islands. Sovereign Japanese territory.

"TOKYO -- U.S. President-elect Joe Biden sought to shore up ties with key Asian allies on Thursday morning, by making his first calls with the leaders of Japan, South Korea and Australia."

"Biden confirmed that Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty will be applied to the defense of Okinawa Prefecture and the Senkaku Islands. Article 5 stipulates that the U.S. is obliged to defend Japan should its territories come under attack."

Senkaku Islands uninhabited and uninhabitable. No ground water. Mere specks of land in the great ocean. The water of the islands however teeming [?] with fish. Natural gas and perhaps oil deposits found in proximity to the islands. Claimed by Japan and China and now a source of rivalry. It is of such things that war begins.

Article 5 of the bi-lateral defense treaty between Japan and the USA legally obligates the Americans to come to the aid of Japan if attacked. Some damn fool thing in the Senkaku?

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Bloody.

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Courtesy the Internet web site The National Interest and the article by Kris Osborn.

INVASION ROC [REPUBLIC OF CHINA, TAIWAN] POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE?

"Why China Cannot Conquer Taiwan Without a Bloody Fight"

"In fact, Beijing might not even be able to land troops."

"China is again threatening Taiwan with amphibious attack through a series of live-fire maritime warfare operations. Those military exercises utilized Type 022 stealth missile boats, Type 071 amphibious dock landing ships and landing craft. All of those units operated in tandem to demonstrate assault landing operational exercises."

INVASION AND CONQUEST OF TAIWAN NOT GOING TO OCCUR "WITHOUT A BLOODY FIGHT"! SUCH A "FIGHT" PREDICATED ON AMERICAN INVOLEMENT IN A SUCH A CONFLICT. AMERICAN AID OBLIGATORY GIVEN THE LONG-STANDING BI-LATERAL DEFENSE TREATY BETWEEN USA AND ROC.

See all previous blog entries the topic Chinese Communist invasion of ROC, yea or nay the victory of PLA troops a possible:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/07/invasion-roc.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/11/invasion-roc-ii.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/07/appraisals.html

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Spider.

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See from the Internet website English Russia the embedded video!

"Russian Army Soldiers Trained Not Afraid [of] a Moving Tank [video]"

From a comment to the video:

"Teaching soldiers how to hide in a spider hole, while a tank drives over their position, removes some of the fear of allowing this to happen in combat, as the soldier knows what to expect. Note that each soldier fires a few rounds from his rifle, this will likely cause any enemy tankers to duck their heads, making their view of the battlefield reduced. They then throw an anti tank grenade (training versions in this case, of course). Note that they do not throw that grenade directly AT the tank, but off to the side. Modern MBT (Main Battle Tank) have sufficient armor to protect against a hand grenade, so by throwing off to the side, the goal is to damage, or even separate the tracks. Tanks are great, but if the track is separated, the tank is out of service. Now infantry can attack the now vulnerable tank, from blind spots. More grenades may rupture fuel tanks, possibly leading to a fire. Diesel fuel will burn, it isn’t as volatile a gasoline, but you can get it to burn. Burning tanks, have a tendency to get very deadly, very quickly, especially for the crew."

[As is mentioned the armored vehicle in the video is a tank but rather an armored self-propelled howitzer.]

ADDITIONALL see this You Tube video regarding the spider hole fortification.

Spider hole of this type used in a prepared ambush. Man pops out of the hole, fires an armed Light-Antitank-Weapon [LAW], then engages the enemy force with his personal weapon. LAW effective only against light-armor and soft-skinned vehicles as deemed.

Again see also thanks to You Tube this cinematic version of the fighting position from which infantry can engage enemy tanks. HEY, nobody ever said any of this military stuff was going to be easy.

One man in his fighting position ground to a pulp when the tank pivots with tread over the helpless victim. German troops attaching some sort of magnetic device with explosives to the tank as an expedient weapon crude but effective. Only troops of the highest possible caliber trained and properly equipped could fight successfully in this manner. 

Once more NO ONE ever said any of this was going to be easy. Did they?

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Flare.

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Courtesy the "Watts Up With That" Internet web site.

"Disclosure: Solar flares in 1967 almost started World War III"

"1967 solar storm nearly took US to brink of war"

"From AGU WASHINGTON, DC — A solar storm that jammed radar and radio communications at the height of the Cold War could have led to a disastrous military conflict if not for the U.S. Air Force’s budding efforts to monitor the sun’s activity, a new study finds."

"On May 23, 1967, the Air Force prepared aircraft for war, thinking the nation’s surveillance radars in polar regions were being jammed by the Soviet Union. Just in time, military space weather forecasters conveyed information about the solar storm’s potential to disrupt radar and radio communications. The planes remained on the ground and the U.S. avoided a potential nuclear weapon exchange with the Soviet Union, according to the new research."

BMEWS JAMMED BY SOLAR FLARE. BALLISTIC MISSILE  EARLY WARNING RADAR [CLEAR ALASKA, FLYINGDALE MOORS AND THULE GREENLAND ] SYSTEM THE MISSION OF WHICH WAS TO DETECT MISSILES WITH NUCLEAR WARHEAD AS LAUNCHED FROM SIBERIA OVER THE NORTH POLE TOWARD THE USA!

JAMMING AS THOUGHT TO BE A PROCESS OF THE SOVIET INTENTIONAL A PRELUDE TO NUCLEAR ATTACK ON THE USA.

Things nearly got hot that day but thankfully cooler heads prevailed.

See also another instance during the Cold War when magnetic disturbance with a solar origin caused problems for the U.S. military:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/11/magnetic.html

coolbert.

EO.

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EO = Executive Outcomes.

Thanks here to the Internet web site "War is Boring".

"Notorious mercenary group is back in business after 20 years"

"A legendary mercenary group is making a comeback, just in time for 2020’s grand finale."

"Executive Outcomes- the mercenary group made famous for their operations in Africa and other parts of the world, is reportedly on its way back into the scene, according to Eeben Barlow, the Northern Rhodesian-born South African founder of the organization"

This video highlights the combat efficiency of the mercenary force. Also covers the relative ineffectiveness of the United Nations peacekeepers. UN troops rather a detriment and hindrance to peace and stability as desired. UN peacekeepers let us face it their reputation now not good.

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