Reminds me of bygone Victory Parades through Red Square. Thank God they never came through the Fulda Gap.
Photo Credit: Pasha Itkin
Thursday, June 14, 2012
A Ukrainian Boneyard For Soviet Tanks
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Giving Back Diego Garcia: Are You Out Of Your Bloody Mind?
During an era when the Pentagon has declared a pivot from Europe and the Atlantic to Asia and the Pacific, the prospect of handing over so many installations located in such a strategic spot -- or having them more accessible to a foreign government such as Mauritius -- must worry Pentagon officials.
So we asked a senior Pentagon official. Here's what he said: "Without commenting on discussions between other countries, the US military is the most flexible and agile in the world. We're nimble enough to deal with any scenario, especially as we move toward a rotational posture in much of the Asia-Pacific region. Of course, it's always preferable to have more options than fewer."
So one gets the impression the risk isn't considered very great, at least not yet.
But a change in status must have some implications, especially for operational security.
Under its current status as a British possession ceded to the United States, operational security is excellent for the simple reason that almost no one lives on the island unless they work for the U.S., Britain or an allied government. And the island is distant from almost anywhere else. Mauritius, at least publicly, says it wants the people who lived on the island to be able to return, something the British government has argued would not be feasible for security reasons, and because there really isn't much of an economy. A coconut plantation that was the island's mainstay has fallen largely to ruin.
Here's what the British Guardian newspaper, which has covered Diego Garcia much more closely and critically than most publications, said today about the talks:
"After meeting David Cameron in Downing Street, the Mauritian prime minister, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, told the Guardian that the aim of talks with the UK and US was to reassert Mauritian sovereignty over the islands."
"If Mauritius achieves its longstanding aim – supported, it says, in international law – it will mean the end of the British Indian Ocean territory. The territory was established in 1965 when Britain expelled the islanders and allowed the US to set up a large base in a deal that included cutting the cost of Polaris missiles for the UK's nuclear submarines."
It is not clear that the bases would have to be ceded to Mauritius or be closed. In fact, the Guardian said that Ramgoolam is coming here soon and is "likely to reassure the US that its base would remain on the island under Mauritian sovereignty." Whether the U.S. and its allies would have the same unfettered access and, perhaps most important, control of the island remains unanswered.
"After meeting David Cameron in Downing Street, the Mauritian prime minister, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, told the Guardian that the aim of talks with the UK and US was to reassert Mauritian sovereignty over the islands."
"If Mauritius achieves its longstanding aim – supported, it says, in international law – it will mean the end of the British Indian Ocean territory. The territory was established in 1965 when Britain expelled the islanders and allowed the US to set up a large base in a deal that included cutting the cost of Polaris missiles for the UK's nuclear submarines."
It is not clear that the bases would have to be ceded to Mauritius or be closed. In fact, the Guardian said that Ramgoolam is coming here soon and is "likely to reassure the US that its base would remain on the island under Mauritian sovereignty." Whether the U.S. and its allies would have the same unfettered access and, perhaps most important, control of the island remains unanswered.
The problem with giving Diego Garcia back to the natives is th fact that there are no real natives, or rather "islanders". The only islanders to inhabit Diego Garcia outside of stranded mariners, were marooned lepers, and the slaves (and their descendants) of a coconut plantation formerly located on the island. From 1968 to 1973 the "natives", were relocated to Mauritius, the Seychelles so as to make way for the U.S. Navy. Another problem is the fact that the U.K. purchased Diego Garcia and the rest of the Chagos archipelago for 3 million pounds from Mauritius.
That only covers the political/social issues with giving back Diego Garcia. If the U.S. were to give up it's military facilities on Diego Garcia, we would lose an invaluable base with access to the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Gulf, through which 17% of the U.S.'s, and most Asia's oil flows. Currently, the Navy has 9 pre-positioned ships in the anchorage at Diego Garcia, with enough supplies to supply a marine air-ground task force for 30 days, and also a base from which all types of U.S. fighters and bombers can operate from. In fact aircraft operating from Diego Garcia have provided air support for Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.
To give up Diego Garcia because of a bunch of political rhetoric, would be a military disaster as we would lose the ability to deploy aircraft from the island, and an anchorage capable of handling anything in the U.S. Navy. Unfortunately, with the current president, it just might happen. God help us if it does.
Photo Credit: USAF
Yet Another Example Of Media Hype Over Nothing
Fox news reports:
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet said Monday the Navy will be sending its most advanced vessels and aircraft to the Asia-Pacific region as it builds up its presence by assigning most of its fleet there.
Adm. Cecil Haney said a policy recently outlined by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to deploy 60 percent of the Navy's ships fleet to the Pacific by 2020 is about capabilities as well as quantity.
"It's not just numbers -- it's also what those platforms, what those units, bring to the table," Haney told The Associated Press in an interview at his headquarters in Pearl Harbor.
Haney cited as an example the Littoral Combat Ship which can operate in shallower waters than other vessels. The U.S. plans to begin deploying one of the ships to Singapore next year.
The EA-18G plane -- which can jam enemy air defenses and fly faster than the speed of sound -- is another. Haney said squadrons of these aircraft would be coming through the region.
There's also the Navy's most advanced submarine -- the Virginia-class. Several of these subs are based at Pearl Harbor.
"Yes, it's about having numbers in that 60-40 split, but also about having the right capability," he said.
The policy offers further details to the Obama administration's announcement earlier this year of a new defense strategy that places greater emphasis on a U.S. military presence in the region in response to Asia's growing economic importance and China's rise as a military power.
The Navy now has about 285 ships about evenly divided among the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The total number of ships will decline in coming years as some vessels are retired and not replaced.
It has 11 aircraft carriers. A majority -- six -- are already assigned to the Pacific.
The policy is an extension of a 2006 Bush Administration-era policy that had the Navy base 60 percent of its submarines in the Pacific.
The service had for years split its submarines evenly between the Atlantic and Pacific. During the Cold War, the Navy kept 60 percent of its subs in the Atlantic as a deterrent to the Soviet Union.
This article is making a big deal over the fact that Navy is moving most of it's ships to the Pacific, when that has been underway for the last 6-7 years. The other areas this article blows things up are when the writer mentions the LCS, and the E/A-18G.
Haney cited as an example the Littoral Combat Ship which can operate in shallower waters than other vessels. The U.S. plans to begin deploying one of the ships to Singapore next year.
The ability to operate in shallow water does not make a ship advanced. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyers can operate in waters as shallow as 9.5m, and the Perry-class frigates can operate in water up to 7m deep. Just because the LCS can operate in a swimming pool does not make it advanced (both classes have a draft of about 4.5m). The LCS may have an advanced electronics suite, but it's only weapon is it's wake and sheer speed. Until the LCS can carry a real anti-ship missile, it is under-armed and is little more than a large patrol boat.
The EA-18G plane -- which can jam enemy air defenses and fly faster than the speed of sound -- is another. Haney said squadrons of these aircraft would be coming through the region.
Yes, the E/A-18G Growler is an advanced aircraft, and arguably the best ECM aircraft in the world. However, if the best selling point the Navy can come up with is the fact that it's supersonic, they might want to spend a little more time thinking about what they want to say, before talking to the press.
Basically, much ado about nothing.
Photo Credit: US Navy
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
HAVE DOUGHNUT Footage Of A USAF MiG-21
This video is a mish mash of footage taken during HAVE DOUGHNUT back in the late '60s when the USAF evaluated a MiG-21 Fishbed. The MiG-21 was obtained from the Israeli Air Force when an Christain Iraqi pilot defected.
Video Credit: flynbrick
Video Credit: flynbrick
Monday, June 11, 2012
INS Vikramaditya Sails For Her First Sea Trial
India's new carrier the INS Vikramaditya finally sailed for her firstrt sea trial on June 8th RIA Novosti reports. The Vikramaditya has been undergoing an overhaul in Sevmash shipyard since 2005 and has been experiencing many delays, as hes scheduled delivery date was in 2008, and now is this coming December.
Read the article here:
INS Vikramaditya, formerly the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, has set sail for sea trials before delivery to the Indian navy. After a delay of four years, one of Russia’s largest military contracts is planned to be completed by the end of 2012, adding a nice sum to the Russia’s arms export revenues.
Twenty years ago
The warship was docked in spring 1992 and later moved to the Sevmash shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk in northern Russia, where it was modernized for the Indian navy as the Vikramaditya.
The sea trials began late at night on June 7, giving India hope that INS Vikramaditya, named after a legendary Indian emperor famed for his wisdom, valor and magnanimity, will be delivered to the Indian navy on schedule on December 4, 2012.
The Soviet-made ocean-going warship will get a new lease on life in the Indian navy, where it will replace the Vikrant-class aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which was commissioned in 1959 as the Royal Navy's HMS Hermes and transferred to India in 1987.
The Admiral Gorshkov, originally named the Baku, was a Kiev-class air-capable warship laid down in 1978. The first Soviet air-capable cruisers, traditionally named after the capitals of Soviet republics, were more like anti-submarine ships than aircraft carriers. They were equipped with helicopters and the Yak-23 Forger vertical take off/landing fighter planes, which had a limited strike capability. These warships were also armed with heavy anti-ship missiles.
The Soviet Union’s first real aircraft carrier was the Admiral Kuznetsov, which was laid down in 1983 and became fully operational in 1995, after the Soviet Union’s collapse.
Only option
The 1990s were a bad period for large Russian warships. The Admiral Gorshkov spent it idling, while its “younger brothers,” including the Varyag, were sold to foreign navies.
Preparations for selling the Admiral Gorshkov to India began in 1994. But India wanted a modern warship, not a rundown behemoth, and so the first agreements were hammered out only by 2000. The warship, which was ordered to go to Severodvinsk a year before that, was officially sold on January 20, 2004 and renamed INS Vikramaditya.
The partners also coordinated the financial aspects of the contract, which were later reviewed several times as upgrade costs grew.
Russia planned to spend approximately $1 billion on the aircraft carrier’s modernization. The refurbished warship was to have a catapult for assisted takeoff and a new air group consisting of 12 MiG-29K single seaters and 4 MiG-29KUB two seaters ($740 million), the Ka-27 Helix anti-submarine helicopters and the Ka-31 Helix helicopters fitted with electronic warfare radars.
At that time, the MiG-29K multirole fighter existed only as a prototype modification of the old Soviet-era carrier based aircraft. India actually commissioned the construction of a new plane, given that all its equipment was completely new. Russia now delivers these planes not only to India under new contracts worth about $1.5 billion, but also to the Russian navy.
The aircraft was the least difficult part of the contract. Under the initial contract, the Admiral Gorshkov was to be delivered to India in 2008, but it soon turned out that the cost of modernization and the amount of work involved had been seriously underestimated.
The situation was complicated by the lack of personnel. Russian shipyards are still short of skilled personnel, which is one reason why the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea had to postpone the delivery of the Project 1135.6 frigates to India for at least a year.
While the sides haggled over additional agreements, India stopped financing the modernization of the Admiral Gorshkov. Progress was made on the cost issue only in late 2008, after President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to New Delhi.
The contract was recalculated at $2.35 billion, although Russia insisted on getting $3 billion or more, which incensed the Indian parliament and media.
INS Vikramaditya is to be delivered to India in December 2012, but it seems that problems with the warship will never end. Prosecutors are currently investigating a company that worked on the carrier without a license.
Once the Indian Navy takes delivery of the Vikramaditya she will probably be used to secure Indian energy intersts in the South China Sea, as China has begun bullying Indian vessels there. Still, it will something to keep an eye as India continues to modernize her military.
Photo Credit: Alert 5
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Replacing The Iowas In The Naval Gunfire Support Role
Among The Joshua Tress recently posted a photo of the USS Iowa on her way to Los Angeles to her new home as a museum ship. With the retirement of the Iowas, the Navy has lost an invaluable asset that could provide irreplaceable fire support to soldiers on the beaches.
The Navy has stated that the Zumwalt-class destroyers will replace the Iowas in the naval gunfire support role. However, the Zumwalt-class is slated to have a production run of three hulls, and is armed with 2 155mm guns. The Zumwalt-class armament is good for gunfire support, but with only 3 hulls, and each one costing 6.3 billion dollars, the Navy will be cautious in deploying them in the littorals close to numerous threats. The Zumwalts are excellent for ASW, and other roles, but they come up short in naval gunfire support.
What is needed is a class of cheap ships, armed with guns only. A true gunslinger. These classes, would be designed similar to the LCS (Landing Craft, Support) of WWII, which was armed with one 76mm gun, and several 40mm and 20mm cannons. The LCS was developed after the Battle of Tarawa when the Navy was unable to provide support gunfire close to shore. The first new class wold be designated the LCS(X), and would designed to be cheap, fast, relatively expendable, and easily mass produced. The LCS(X) would carry no missiles, no RIM-116 RAMs, no AGM-88 Harpoons, no BGM-109 Tomahawks, no missiles. This would be to: 1) Lower costs, 2) Allow more ammunition storage, and 3) Allow more deck space to be allocated for guns. The LCS(X) would carry one 127mm gun on the bow and stern, one 57mm CIWS aft of the stern 127mm gun and one fore of the bow 127mm gun, as well as 2 more 57mm CIWS amidships similar to the USS Long Beach's 127mm guns. The LCS(X) would also carry at least 2 M242 25mm autocannons, and 4 12.7mm machine guns for point defense.
This is merely a proposal to provide the Navy with a naval gunfire support capability, that will be able to support amphibious landings. There are a number of other details not covered here that I will discuss on a stand-alone page in the near future.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Jon Stewart On NYC's +16oz Soda Ban
Most of the time Jon Stewart is a liberal jerk, but every so often he comes out with a segment of pure gold. Take a look:
Part 2:
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Changes
If anyone is looking for the pages gadget I moved it to the side bar to allow more pages without cluttering the home page.
Have a good weekend, y'all.
Have a good weekend, y'all.
Syrian Rebel Weapons
A video from Defense Tech showing the Syrian Rebels using a tanker truck a flamethrower. Not bad for a bunch of towelheads.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day 2012
Today is May 28, 2011, Memorial Day. Memorial Day for so many Americans has become just another summer holiday like Labor Day to use as an excuse to barbecue and drink a few beers. However, for many other Americans, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for our forefathers, grandfathers, fathers and brothers who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend what we Americans hold dear. Today is a day to remember those who died to make America free from the British monarchy, the over 300,000 Federal soldiers who died to keep America one nation and the 416,000 American soldiers who died in World War Two defending the United States from the threats of the Japanese and the Nazis, along with the thousands of others who made made the ultimate sacrifice. As you read this, take a moment and think about the Men and Women who have come before us and made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free.
May God bless the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, you and the USA.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Iran News
Hat tip to the U.N. for the obvious.
U.N. report: Iran gaining ground with controversial uranium plant
And finally.
Iran claims traces of enriched uranium a 'technical issue'
Pardon the french, but my ass.
Have a nice weekend.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Flashback Friday: Heinkel He 219 Uhu
Less than 300 Eagle-Owls were built during World War II, but for such a small production run it had a great effect on the RAF's night bombing campaign. During the Eagle-Owl's combat debut, a single Eagle-Owl shot down 5 RAF fighters. The Eagle-Owl was also one of the only German aircraft that could fight a British Mosquito on even terms, due it's peed, maneuverability, and firepower.
However, due to the fact that all of Germany's resources were being poured into the "Emergency Fighter Program", only ~300 He 219s were built. As of 2012 2 He 219s survive, one in National Air & Space Museum, and one in Denmark. The He 219 was such a promising design, one has to wonder how it would have affect the RAF's night-bombing campaign if more resources had been invested in it.
Photo Credit: LuftwaffePhotos
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
First Type 056 Corvette Launched
Take a good long look at it, this is the next generation of Chinese ASW ships.
Photo Credit: bigrabbit
China To Build Two More Carriers Starting In 2013
Focus Taiwan has an article quoting "a Taiwanese security official" claiming that China will begin construction on a second carrier in 2013.
There have been rumblings about China building more carriers all over the internet for years now, mainly on forums. However, in 2008 a Japanese newspaper ran an article stating that the Chinese will build 4 more carriers. (see this post for more details). This is the first time that anyone has claimed that China will begin construction in 2013.
As the summer rolls on, it will be interesting to see what developments come from the Chinese aircraft carrier program.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
1st Type 56 Corvette To Be Launched "Within Days"
China Defense Blog reports that the 1st Type 056 corvette is be launched "within days". The Type 056 is believed to be the replacement for the Jianghu-class (Type 053).
Photo Credit: China Defense Blog
Monday, May 21, 2012
Manila Wants Fighters, Just Not U.S. Fighters
Defense News reports that Manila, due to high maintenance costs, may forgo procuring surplus U.S. F-16s and purchase from another country. This comes as tensions continue to escalate with China over the Spratley Islands and the South China Sea.
Currently, the Philippines have no air-superiority fighters that can go up against China and win. Manila retired their last F-5 in 2005, effectively leaving the country without an air defense capability. With China rapidly modernizing their Navy and Air Force, Manila has asked the U.S. for 1 to 2 squadrons of surplus F-16s. However, President Benigno Aquino stated May 16th, "We might end up spending $400 million to $800 million per squadron, and we were thinking of getting two squadrons.... We do have an alternative, and - this is a surprise - it seems we have the capacity to buy brand new, but not from America.... These are manufactured by another progressive country that I won't name at this point." This "progressive" country President Aquino mentions, would probably be South Korea, as the Philippines have looked into purchasing 6 TA-50s to replace several of their retired F-5s.
However, if you reread the quote from President Aquino it seems to be making angry noises for the press rather than actually considering a purchase of non-U.S. fighters. The Philippines will get their F-16s one way or another, because the F-16 is the only fighter that they can afford that can win against the Chinese. The TA-50 on other hand is a trainer with a small attack capability, and is not purpose built for air-to-air combat.
Still, stranger things have happened if the Philippines purchased fighters from a country besides the U.S.. As the summer approaches it will interesting to see how things play out in South China Sea, and the Philippines.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Flashback Friday: Dornier Do 335
The Arrow had an armament of 1 30mm cannon and 2 20mm cannons, and could carry 1000kg of bombs. The Arrow had a range of roughly 1400km, and a max speed of 770kmh. The Arrow was powered by 2 Diamler-Benz liquid-cooled, 12 cylinder in-line engines generating 1,750 horsepower apiece.
The Arrow was unable to be deployed in large numbers due to delays in engine deliveries, and the fact that the U.S. overran the factory were it was being produced. However, eleven Arrows were delivered to the Luftwaffe, with at least one seeing combat. French ace Pierre Clostermann encountered a single Arrow on a fighter sweep while flying a Hawker Tempest in April of 1945. When he and his flight of 4 other Tempests pursued the Arrow it was able it outrun them, and escape. Besides this one encounter, there are no there confirmed instances of the Do 335 seeing combat.
The Do 335 had a great deal of potential with it's ability to outrun most allied fighters, and had it been mass produced a year earlier it could have changed the course of the war. However, due to delays and the lack of resources it was unable to see a great of combat. As of 2012 one Do 335 survives, it resides at the National Air & Space Musuem. With so many promising projects being developed in Germany at the end of WWII, one wonders how long the war would have dragged on if Hitler had started WWII in 1946 like he had planned.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Israeli "Jedi Rides" Monitoring Iran's Nuclear Program
Among the many claims, the statement that Israel has stealth Black Hawks (also known as "Jedi Rides") stands out. In 2010 when SEAL 6 killed Osama Bin Laden, they used modified Black Hawks for insertion and extraction. The modified Black Hawks, among other changes, had a fuselage modified for a lower radar signature. To date only the U.S. is known to have any sort of stealth chopper, and with the Israelis reported to have them, it would open up all sorts of targets that were previously too well defended.
The one other claim that stood out, was the claim that the Israelis are deploying 12-man teams into Northern Iran to investigate Iran's nuclear program. It is a widely known fact that the Israelis are extremely interested in Iran's nuclear program, and have probably had a hand in the assassinations of several of Iran's top nuclear scientists. However, this is the first claim that the Israelis are actively deploying spec ops people in Iran. The article claims that they are gathering intel to take before the U.N. to convince them that the Iranians are developing nuclear weapons. However, when you put boots on the ground in hostile country, there are a number of other missions that could be undertaken, such as guiding a laser-guided bomb to it's target, assassinating high-level government officials, or even actively sabotaging military activities.
As the summer rolls on, it will a good possibility that Israel will strike Iran, as they now a coalition government, which covers Netanyahu's political flank. If the Israelis do strike Iran, keep your powder dry because the crap will hit the fan.
Photo Credit: DefenseTech
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Air Force Fire Suppression Systems Go Off Prematurely,
David Cenciotti over at The Aviationist has a couple of photos (here and here) of some Air Force fire suppression system going off prematurely. In one instance the foam was up to the cockpit of an F-15. Needless to say, there are some officers who have bad fit reps in their near future.
Photo Credit: David Cenciotti
Monday, May 14, 2012
Quantity or Quality? That Is The Question
During WWII, Nazi Germany often held the technological advantage over the Allies (Radar being a notable exception). The Panther and Tiger series of tanks consistently outclassed American and British tanks, and it wasn't till 1945 with the advent of the M90 Pershing and A34 Comet that Allied armor could truly match German armor. Another example is the ME 262 "Swallow", the world's first true jet fighter, it could outrun and outgun any Allied fighter of the time, but was defeated because of it's vulnerability when taking off and landing (just like every other fighter). Other examples of Germany's technological advantage include Type XVII, XXI U-boats, He 219, Ta 152, Do 335, Go 229, Ju 290, Ju 390, Ar 234, Ju 287, V-1, V-2, Wasserfall, Enzian, and the Rheintochter. Unfortunately, I can't go into detail into detail on all these systems at the moment, but the point I'm attempting to make is that Germany had an enormous technological advantage. However, it was moot because they did not have the production capability, time, resources, trained personnel, trained production personnel, Hitler's meddling, and the Allies numerical advantage.
During the Second Persian Invasion of Greece, 300 Spartans held off the Persian army for 3 days at the Battle of Thermopylae buying time for Greece to unite and organize to defeat the Persians. The Spartans, who were better trained, killed several times their number, but because of the Persians sheer weight of numbers they were defeated. Later, at the Battle of Plataea 10,000 Spartans supported by roughly 30,000 other Greeks defeated 300,000 Persians. The reason I bring up the Spartans is because in their day they had the equivalent of a technological edge in their training. When you have a technological edge it only matters when deployed in large numbers like at the Battle of Plataea.
The question in your mind at this point is probably, what does this all have to with question of quality over quantity? There will be a war between the U.S. and a country with an actual military, which country is up for discussion. However, the fundamental flaw in our war fighting strategy is dependence on our technological edge in stealth. The cornerstone of our war fighting strategy is providing air support to the Army and Marines. If we do not have air superiority to allow bombers hit their targets the forces on the ground will be forced to retreat because of the lack of air support and the enemy's numerical superiority. A prime example of this flaw is the F-35 Lightning II. The reason I say this is because of a CBO report a few years ago called "Alternatives for Modernizing U.S. Fighter Forces". Basically there will be a shortfall in Air Force, Navy, and Marine fighter forces
with the F-35 being purchased in currently projected numbers. The F-22 is another example with only 187 being built, at extreme costs, which in an extended conflict will be useless because of their small numbers. Other examples include Nimitz and Ford-class aircraft carriers, the LCS, and B-2.
The solution? Strike a balance between quality and quantity. The T-34 is an excellent example, as it was simple so unskilled labor could manufacture it in large numbers, and at the same time was could beat the Tiger and Panthers because of it's angled armor and its ability to withstand cold Russian winters. Use a high-low mix similar to the F-15/F-16 or F-22/F-35, but in much greater numbers. Make the KISS principle the cornerstone of weapons development, and keep costs to a minimum.
Josef Stalin once said the "Quantity has a quality all its own". What Stalin said was true to a point, but rather a balance must be struck between quality and quantity. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed in a war against an actual military.
Photo Credit: USAF
with the F-35 being purchased in currently projected numbers. The F-22 is another example with only 187 being built, at extreme costs, which in an extended conflict will be useless because of their small numbers. Other examples include Nimitz and Ford-class aircraft carriers, the LCS, and B-2.
The solution? Strike a balance between quality and quantity. The T-34 is an excellent example, as it was simple so unskilled labor could manufacture it in large numbers, and at the same time was could beat the Tiger and Panthers because of it's angled armor and its ability to withstand cold Russian winters. Use a high-low mix similar to the F-15/F-16 or F-22/F-35, but in much greater numbers. Make the KISS principle the cornerstone of weapons development, and keep costs to a minimum.
Josef Stalin once said the "Quantity has a quality all its own". What Stalin said was true to a point, but rather a balance must be struck between quality and quantity. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed in a war against an actual military.
Photo Credit: USAF
Thursday, May 10, 2012
You Want It? COME AND TAKE IT!
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The Daily Mail reports that the U.N. has recommended that the U.S. return Mount Rushmore to the Indians.
Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, which are considered sacred by the Sioux indians. The U.S. had signed over the Black Hills to the Sioux in a treaty, but retook them in The Great Sioux War of 1876 (The Battle of Little Bighorn was a part of the war). When a country engages another in a war, and beats the everlivin' crap out of them, they generally keep the land they take.
Lets be honest here, the U.S. has had control of the Black Hills since 1876, and has made significant improvements to the region. Along with placing one of the most iconic symbols of America in the Black Hills, and this will not sit well with the American people (the commies in D.C. are a different story). And If the indians and/or the U.N. want Mount Rushmore, well they can come and take it.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Amen
Solomon over at SNAFU! has a great post about using a high/low mix for U.S. aircraft carriers, exactly what I have been saying. So, hop on over there and check it out.
I'm Back
Sorry I've been gone for so long, but work has been bad for the last 3 weeks. However, things have begun to slow down, so I will begin blogging a lot more over the next few weeks. Have a good weekend everybody.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
China's Jugular Vein: Straits of Malacca and Oil
In recent years there has been much talk about the strength of the Chinese economy, and wethere or not the U.S. could win a war versus China. However, what is not usually discussed in China's energy situation. China as of 2010, China consumed 9 billion barrels of oil per day (bbl/d), of which 4.8 billion barrels were imported, roughly 53%. In comparison the U.S. the consumed 19.2 bbl/d in 2010, of which 10.2 billion barrels were imported (53%). These numbers show that China is heavily dependent on foreign oil, and if that oil could not reach China, their economy would grind to a halt.
Most of China's oil passes through the Strait of Malacca, and or the Lombok Strait. The Strait of Malacca is the body of water between Singapore, and Indonesia, and is 3km wide at it's widest. The Sraait carried 13.6 million bbl/d in 2009 to Asian markets (South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, etc). The Lombok Strait is only used by ships too large to pass through the Strait of Malacca, and is not draft limited. If the Straits of Malacca and the Lombok Strait were to be closed, say by quickstrike mines and a few 688 SSNs, things would get very hairy for the Chinese due to the fact that they have no meaningful strategic oil reserves. However, the problem arises as to what happens to the oil supply of U.S. allies Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
The other oil choke point for China is her refineries, without which crude oil is just a flammable black liquid. Most of China's refineries are located on the coast, around Shanghai and to the north. If these refineries are hit by a cruise missile strike it would destroy China's ability to produce refined oil products such as jet fuel, gasoline, along with diesel and petroleum-based lubricants.
The Spratley Islands. China has laid claim to the entire South China Sea, even going as far as to question an Indian Navy ship what it was doing in the area. China desperately needs needs new oil reserves, as all their current fields have reached maturity, and with oil consumption rising they need new oil fields to satiate their demand for oil. The Spratley Islands are sitting on top of an estimated 213 billion barrels of oil and 5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. China wants this oil, as do Vietnam, Malaysia, Borneo, the Philippines, and Taiwan. We cannot allow China to take control of the South China Sea region, this is why the U.S. has been selling the Philippines several old Coast Guard cutters, and is among other reasons why most countries on South China Sea are building up their navy.
Finally, strategic oil reserves. If China's oil supply were cut, they would automatically switch over to the oil in storage. However, China only has about storage for 270 million barrels of crude oil, plus 300 million barrels is commercial storage, assuming these facilities were filled to capacity. The Chinese government also plans to establish a stockpile of 80 million barrels of refined petroleum products. This would not pose a problem to destroying the Chinese economy and military as these are fixed targets, and could be destroyed by cruise missiles like the refineries.
This idea is primarily meant to cripple the ability of the Chinese military to function with economic effects being a side benefit. I might add that electricity production would be relatively unaffected by this, as most of it is produced by coal and natural gas. Still, the Chinese Navy would be unable to sail a great deal, and the Air Force would be for the most part grounded for a lack of gas. And there is a historical precedent for, back in WWII the U.S. Navy specifically targeted Japanese tankers, thereby denying the IJN and IJAF of gas.
Charts from the U.S. Energy Information Administration
Monday, April 2, 2012
A Strategy For The 21st Century, Part 8: The Air Force
The Air Force. Airpower has in the last 100 year, determined America's success on the battlefield, and is the key to winning a war. That is why the Air Force is so important. However, the Air Force is among all the services, is the service with the most problems, here they are, and some ideas on how to fix them.
1. Stand By The F-35A to the end. Have a contingency ready if the F-35 is canceled. The Air Force has hung it's hat on the F-35A, and must not back down. In recent months, writers like Carlo Kopp of Air Power Australia, and Bill Sweetman of Aviation Week has stepped up attacks on the F-35 (I tend to agree with them on the fact that the F-35 is a piece of crap, but at the same time a piece of crap is better than no piece of crap). The Air Force must move forward and defend the F-35A, they have done an excellent job of this, but must keep it up. Also, the Air Focre must have a Plan B in case something does happen to the F-35A, something along the lines of the F-15SE, F-16E/F, or a watered down F-22.
2. Develop a new ICBM and nuclear weapons. The U.S. has not developed a new ICBM since 1986, and a new nuclear weapon since 1988 (as a interesting side not, the U.S. has not conducted a nuclear test since Operation Julin in 1992). The Air Force has begun looking into developing a new ICBM to replace the Minuteman III. However, as I outlined in "Air Force Looking Into Producing A New ICBM" there will be many problems with developing a new ICBM, especially since the the skills honed during the Cold War have been all but lost.
3. Develop a replacement for the B-52. The B-52 was developed in 1945, but was not actually fielded until mid-1955. The B-52 was originally a long range nuclear bomber, but is now used as a low cost bomb truck. The B-52 can carry 32,000kg (70000lbs) worth of ordnance, and with it's long range it was optimal for staying over an area and providing air support as needed. The Air Force plans to operate the B-52 through 2040, 85 years since it was first fielded in 1955. The problem here is that the Air Force has no plan for after 2040. The Air Force needs to have a replacement for the B-52 ready before 2040, as they would lose an extremely valuble capability with the retirement of the B-52.
4. Develop a replacement for the A-10. As of 2012, the Air Force plans to field the A-10 through 2028, when it will be replaced by the F-35A. This is NOT a smart move by the Air Force, the A-10 is designed to go low and slow and take a lot of punishment, and still get the pilot home (see example here, point made?). The F-35 simply cannot absorb several dozen 23mm hits and stay airborne.
Once again, these are just a series of ideas, that if implemented would go aoong way towards bringing the Air Force back on track.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Hamas and Hezbollah Have SA-24s
Aviation Week reports that Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, are now in possession of an unknown number of SA-24 "Grinches" from Libya. The missiles reportedly were shipped from Libya to Iran, where they were sent to Syria and Gaza.
The SA-24 has a maximum engagement altitude of 6 kilometers (3.7 miles), and a warhead of 2.5 kilograms (5.5lbs). The SA-24 also has a more advanced guidance system than the SA-7, and is not as easy to evade as the SA-7. The SA-24 entered into service with the Russian military in 2004 making it rather new, and thus is just entering it's service life. This also makes the SA-24 a threat for a long time to come as the batteries in a MANPADS's (MAn Portable Air Defense System ) guidance system determine the missile's lifespan as long as there are no problems with the missile itself.
This is not a surprising development, back in September I wrote that a number of SA-24s had fallen into terrorist hands. It was only a matter of time till the SA-24 showed up around Israel. Now it will be interesting to see what kind of threat this poses to Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza, and how long it takes till a plane gets shot down.
Monday, March 12, 2012
A Strategy For The 21st Century, Part 7: The Navy
The Navy. This service among all 5 is probably the most important not only from a war fighting point of view, but in terms of foreign policy. However, the Navy has made a number of grave errors in recent history which must be fixed.
1. Cancel the Littoral Combat Ship. Between 2004 and 2011, the Navy ran a contest between General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for a contract to develop the Littoral Combat Ship. Basically, the LCS is meant to get in the shallows and chase down pirates and other hostiles, hunt mines, and hunt subs. In 2011 the Navy asked Congress purchase both designs, this has since been approved. The price for a single LCS is about 450 million dollars. The LCS also uses "modules" for specialized tasks like ASW, whcih can switched out for other modules to handle other tasks. However, as of 2011 not one of the "modules" supposed to be used in the LCS has become operational. At the same time the missile meant to be used by the LCS, the XM501 has been canceled, which takes away a good deal of the LCS's firepower. At the same time Huntington Ingalls has produced a frigate design based of the Coast Guard's National Security Cutter, called "Patrol Frigate 4921". This design offers several advantages over the LCS, better handling in heavy seas, longer range, slightly heavier armor (armor does matter in the littorals), greater firepower. All that is required is upgrading the radar and electronics to Naval standards, upgunning the 57mm cannon to a 76.2mm or a 127mm gun, adding several 25mm chain guns for close in fighting, and the addition of a towed sonar array.
2. Cancel the Zumwalts. Another Navy boondoggle is the Zumwalt-class of destroyers. The Zumwalt-class have an emphasis on land attack, while at the same time handling the duties of a regular destroyer. Originally, there were supposed to be 32 Zumwalts, as of 2012 there will only be 3 Zumwalts built. On top of this the Navy has stated that they no longer want the Zumwalts, and they would rather have more Arleigh Burkes. Also, in this instance quantity over quality should be the mantra, because destroyers are exponentially more valuable. Thus, the loss of one not as capable destroyer of which there are many, would not be felt as much as the loss of an extremely capable destroyer of which there are few. The cost of a single Zumwalt is 3 billion dollars, at the same time 5 Arleigh Burkes can be purchased for the same amount. There are also concerns that even though the Zumwalt is equipped for the land attack role, it will be unable to fufill it's duties as it pertains to naval fire support. In this instance the solution would be simply to purchase more Arleigh Burkes rather than the Zumwalt-class.
4. During the Cold War the U.S. was the best in the world at anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and had the best sub force in the world. However, since the so-called "Peace Dividend" sub force hgas dropped from 93 SSNs and 33 SSBNs, to 53 SSNs, and 14 SSBNs in 2011 (this does not include 4 SSBNs converted to SSGNs.). Some of these cuts are understandable, as the collapse of the Soviet Union there was not as great a need for a large sub fleet. However, with the rise of the PRC there is need for more subs, as carriers and surface warships might not be able to get close to Asia because of ASBM and cruise missile threats. Same goes for the Navy's ASW capability, at the end of the Cold War, American ASW crews were the best, however the skills which were honed by hunting Soviet subs in the North Atlantic have deteriorated with a lack of emphasis on the sub threat.
This is just a beginning on the road to rebuilding the Navy, there need to changes in the way the Navy selects it flag officers and makes promotions, naval aviation, women on subs and carriers, and the SEALs. But what is stated above, is an excellent start to rebuilding the Navy.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
DF-41 Back From The Dead?
China Defense Blog posted this photo showing an unidentified Chinese missile being carried on a WS-9000 commercial truck chassis. Defense Tech suggested that this might be a DF-31, but he pointed out it is much to small to be a DF-31. However, there are couple of other possibilities, 1) It could be a DF-41, 2) It could be a DF-16, or 3) something new.
Personally, my first thought is that this is a DF-41. The DF-41 program was started in 1986, and was supposedly canceled 2002. However, no one really knows what has happened to the program, and it is entirely possible that it is still going strong. Also, the DF-41 was reported to be silo-based and road mobile, which could make this a DF-41.
As to the possibility that this might be a DF-16, this is probably the most debatable as no one actually knows anything about the DF-16 is, if it is in the first place road mobile, and the dimensions. All that is known about the DF-16 is that is an IRBM with a range of 4,000km, and that it is in development. As to the possibility that this is an entirely new missile, it is either an ICBM or an IRBM, obviously road mobile, has length of at least 20m, besides that there is not much else one can tell from this photo.
It will be interesting to see over the spring and summer to find out whether or not this is a DF-16, -41, or an entirely new system.
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