Raw Intel

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lo0Cr35ltBM/VbIvaIF-7_I/AAAAAAAAKDk/Mc_0Q7hSJYA/s320/1p1.jpg Most of your people slaughtered. In front of you is the land of your ancestors, a land you do not know, mostly desert and waste. You are surrounded by large numbers of a well armed enemy on the march. You have the option of going home, or to ride off to war in a cheap copy of an outdated weapon. Of course, you gather around you fast friends, and head to the sound of rolling tanks. WWhen Lou Lenart was growing up in a Pennsylvania mining town, he endured beating after beating because he was Jewish. After he took a Charles Atlas bodybuilding course, he joined the Marines and fought in t…

Americas Booz Allen Hamilton won a $17.6 million modification for AH-64E technical support, which will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of November 3, 2024. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Australia); fiscal 2023 research, development, test, and evaluation, Army; fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement, Army; and 2024 operation and maintenance, Army funds […]View the full article

I just dropped this tweet as an afterthought on twitter last night and it received a LOT of interest so I thought I would bring it over to the blog for review and discussion. Again, the Austrian Army is providing the best briefs on the Russo-Ukrainian War. Col. Markus Reisner, AUT Army sets the benchmark. If your German is iffy, you can get English subtitles in settings by going Settings<Subtitles/CC<English. The Kursk-Donbas side by side is exceptional at the 13-minute mark. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=aJhgQXCoD6g:koQ4UyYrX5…

You know about The Long Game, you know about comparative shipbuilding numbers between the USN and the PLAN ... but have you seen the pictures? Behold the graphs I've put over at USNIBlog. Regulars here will not be shocked ... but if anyone tells you all is well in WESTPAC, they are fools or think you are one. Check it out. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=DPbEJ2TsanA:utLp9GvKxP8:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=DPbEJ2TsanA:utLp9GvKxP8:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=DPbEJ2TsanA:ut…

I found two things curious about the response to this news over the weekend; China is looking to create its first permanent military presence on the Atlantic Ocean, on the coast of the small African nation Equatorial Guinea, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal based on classified U.S. intelligence. Though officials did not describe China's plans in detail, they said China's presence on Africa's Atlantic coast would enhance the possible threat to the U.S., as it would give Chinese warships a place to rearm and refit opposite the East Coast, the Journal reported. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who serves as commander of U.S. Africa Command, told the Senate in April …

Americas The US Air Force has started a search to find a supplier for its Global Precision Attack Weapon, a small, lightweight bomb that fits in the weapons bays of the B-21 and F-35. The weapon is to have “high loadout” and digitally engineered, Air Force magazine reports. „High load“ means many can be carried on a single platform, suggesting a small size—and digitally engineered, with open-systems architecture. It should enable “maximum flexibility to integrate a suite of technologies,” including position, navigation, and timing and guidance, navigation, control; as well as “cockpit-selectable warhead effect,” fuzing, sensors, propulsion, “signature optimization” or ste…

From our point of view from the other side of the Pacific, Americans tend to focus on the points of first resistance from the People's Republic of China - Taiwan, South China Sea, etc. Is that really what China is worried about? Is she really building her huge Navy to challenge us somewhere west of Wake, or is she thinking of something else we are just too parochial to see? Did you notice that France, UK, and even Germany have decided they need to head east of Suez to spend some time in the Indo-Pacific theater? Connected? As with most things, it is helpful to take a deep breath and ask yourself - what does the map say? h/t The Other Sal. http://…

Americas Northrop Grumman won a $50.9 million contract modification, which provides for repair services for 36 critical common items for the RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-4C Triton. It will support reparable National Stock Numbers (NSNs) encompassing the air vehicle, multiple sensor packages, Mission Control Element, and Launch and Recovery Element. In addition, this effort includes support engineering services covered under the Engineering Delegation Authority for NSNs transferred to and under the 407th Supply Chain Management Squadron. According to Northrop Grumman, the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissanc…

I think that pic captures the soul of a battleship well, don't you think? 108 years after her commissioning, she got underway again for a well needed dry docking. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ObWh_P2FodI/T77zjjqRXyI/AAAAAAAAB94/kz9TLghqooo/s320/uss-texas-bb35.jpgI had a lot of people reach out to me about seeing her underway again, so for this week's FbF I'll reach back 8-yrs ago when we last mentioned the USS TEXAS (BB-35).We could spend hours on the ship that my paternal Grandfather (GM3 Salamander) saw from his ship, the USS ARKANSAS (BB-33), with the Brits in WWI - but let's just say "Happy Birthday" to the grand lady who completed 34 years of commissioned service an…

When trying to get a grasp on the best way to secure the nation's security and interests, why should Americans look to the sea? Do American's assume or take for granted what three-quarters of a century of American dominance of the high seas gifted them? Is this assumption in danger? Where do we stand and what steps need to be taken to secure what every American living assumes is their birthright? To discuss this and related issues this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern will be one of our favorite guests, Dr. Jerry Hendrix, CAPT USN (Ret.), and author of the upcoming book, To Provide and Maintain a Navy; Why Naval Primacy is America's First, Best Strategy. Since retirement, …

We are a nation of laws. That is, at the core, what we are. What we saw today was what happens when the Chief Executive actively incites a mob against the government he leads. None of this in American, in the American tradition, or can be defended by well meaning people. Full stop. There will be more to follow that will lay out what happened today, but we had an unprecedented attack on the Legislative Branch by a mob incited by the Chief Executive, The President of the United States. I’m really not interested in shades of grey or what about in’s here, there are no shades. Lucky for us, the balance of the American people are sound and the founders set a very solid set o…

Americas The wings and engines of the KC-130J that crash landed on a field in Thermal on September 29 have been removed last week. According to NBC, the wings were removed on October 9 and the engines were taken off a day earlier. The aerial refueling cargo plane had a mid-air collision with a F-35B which forced the crew to make an emergency landing on the field after failing to divert to an airport. The ballistic missile submarine USS Wyoming returned to the fleet after a 27-month overhaul in Norfolk, Virginia, the Naval Sea Systems Command announced. The Ohio Class, nuclear-powered submarine was commissioned in 1996 and is normally homeported at Kings Bay, Ga. It under…

SSBN-X concept (click to view full) The US Navy needs new SSBN nuclear missile submarines. Their existing Ohio Class boats will begin to retire at a rate of 1 hull per year, beginning in 2027, as they reach the end of their 42-year operational lifetimes. Hence SSBN-X, also known as the Ohio Replacement Program for now. The first step toward recapitalization involved a new Common Missile Compartment and Advanced Launcher for current and future nuclear missiles. The next step involves finalizing a design that can serve effectively to 2080, without destroying the US Navy’s shipbuilding budget in the process. Good luck with that one, but they have to to try. The maintenanc…

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $47.3 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure Ancillary Mission Equipment in support of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lot 17 production aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales customers, and non-US Department of Defense participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2025. F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) is a stealthy, supersonic multirole fighter developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and programme partners from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) and US al…

Let's hit a first principal out of the gate here: if you are serving in the military for the money - get out. Your nation does not need or want you here. Thank you for your service and enjoy your civilian career. Now that this is out of the way, let's hit a topic in the Salamander Top-10: we have a glut of General Officers and Flag Officers in the US military. We have more than we know what to do with, so we keep making up jobs for them - bloating the tail while starving the teeth. That bloat means that we have a lot of very talented people who are underemployed. Trust me on this, with one or two exceptions, take any 4-star right now, and there are a few dozen 3 or 4 …

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $93 million contract modification, which adds scope to procure special tooling and test equipment in support of electronic warfare capabilities for F-35 Lightning II low rate initial production for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will take place in New Hampshire, Maryland and expected completion date is in November 2024. Lockheed Martin won a $304.9 million modification. Under it, the contractor will produce and deliver Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support US government requireme…

The Navy wants to talk some more about unmanned systems, the unknown war we have been fighting for years along the bleeding edge of Islam in Africa seems to be going nowhere we want it to go, China decides to let the mask slip at last, in the mandated extremism training The Pentagon realized the military reflects the nation it serves and not the readers of The Washington Post ... and we still don't have any Service Secretaries nominated. This week produced more news than can be covered in one Midrats, but we're going to try. This Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern come join us for a Midrats free for all. Open topic, open chat, open phones. If you use iTunes, you can add Midrat…

Americas With a backorder for 128 jets, the Lockheed Martin F-16 could be flying in 2070s, Air Force Magazine reports. The last aircraft in this order is not expected to be delivered until 2026, with a service of more than 40 years, this last aircraft could be flying well into 2070. To be manufactured at Greenville, South Carolina, these aircraft are destined for Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Taiwan and an unnamed customer. These customers have indicated they are keen to follow on with new orders. The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is the first to deploy the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System from the East Coast, a Marines statement said. The amphibious attack unit, re…

So, the day after the election, what does the USCG really want its officers performance evaluated on? Of course. Para 3 covers it. R 041533 NOV 20 FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-1// TO ALCOAST UNCLAS //N01000// ALCOAST 399/20 COMDTNOTE 1000 SUBJ: GUIDANCE FOR TARGETED MID-TERM COUNSELING FOR OFFICERS A. Officer Accessions, Evaluations, and Promotions, COMDTINST M1000.3 (series) B. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 041026 NOV 20/ACN 129/20 C. COMDT’s Guidance to Officer Boards and Panels D. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 251640 JUN 20/ALCOAST 252/20 1. All reported on officers (ROOs) must receive mid-term counseling as required by REF (A) and as updated by REF (B).…

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $38.7 million contract modification, which exercises an option for ordering emerging capabilities and analysis systems engineering to include programmatic and logistics tasks that will analyze the F-35 air system’s ability to meet future operational requirements, investigating cost and weight reduction program options and conducting modeling and simulation activities. Additional assessments may include such efforts as analyzing changes to design life, operational readiness, reliability and air system design and configuration. Work will take place in Fort Worth, Texas. Estimated completion is in December 2021. The 85th Test and Evaluation Sq…