We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:06:05 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken] You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place... ************************ This is something John�s covered before. But it was prominently on The Keith Olberman Show last night and I found another report on it today: Reactive armor to beat RPG and ATGM, and more specifically the TROPHY system developed by Israel, that the Army refuses to buy and... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:25:46 -0600 HEy, what happened to all the comments? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-55013 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-55013 Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:24:38 -0600 Oh, I even got slapped down by Dusty. I'm moving up in the world.;) "So, to cut to the chase, I think the Eagles offer both a more modern system that is easier to integrate with another system never originally considered for air launch and the aerodynamic capability (thrust-to-weight ratio, sufficiently structurally robust to carry large payloads, etc.) to get it to where the users need it to be effective" Probably. I was kinda thinking that you were pulling for the AF out of service rivalry until here. Still could be. :0). BUt this actually is a bit to chew on. I was also thinking along the lines of do we have enough airframes to add one more mission to the Eagle? They can't be everywhere. Limited number of airframes and little money likely available to allow us to buy the numbers we really need to allow for this. Area defense like this is what the F-14 was totally designed for. Flying some kind of anti-missile CAP could be a real low stress on airframe type mission so the age and stress showing on the 'Cats is less a factor. Plus it allows the 15's to go do their real job: air supremacy. It might cost a little more. Another engine upgrade and some electronics tinkering(the 14's a big girl and open to mods) and it might allow us to keep the 15 doing the job she was really intended for: kicking booty. Note: I'm not a fan of jack-of-all trades swiss army knife-ing of platforms across the board. Some specialization is absolutely necessary in my opinion. But thanks Dusty, that's definitely something to think about. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54992 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54992 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 01:24:19 -0600 JMH, dude, I thank you so much for providing high powered rebutle to Quiggin. I don't know how many hours I've lost wrestling with issues he and the others over there present. It never hurts to have someone nudge me along. Thankee sir. "Well, to a point, yes. But ain't the M-240 and M-249 Belgie guns?" And there was much handwringing over that wasn't there? Once in a while we seem to buy stuff, but mostly not. Why build Standard when the Brits already had a battle tested system? Why not use Cheiftan MBTs instead of following MBT80 to the Abrams? We wants our own stuff built here at home. And yes, it was mostly an over generalization but not by much. Something like the Rhinemetal big bore guns and the JSF programme aren't the order of the day on this side of the Pond. "I will be keenly learning the counter-measures, and, no, I'm not going to share the "word"..." Dang. Glad you aren't, but dang. I'd love to know. Take care of yourself Sgt. B. You're in our prayers, dude. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54991 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54991 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 01:09:46 -0600 Re: Reactive armor... As I sat in the gunner's position of my mount (Bradley MICV), I wondered the same thing regarding my protection against ATGMs and RPGs. I will be keenly learning the counter-measures, and, no, I'm not going to share the "word"... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54986 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54986 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:42:57 -0600 Ry When you read Professor Quiggen again, you might also check the relevant commentary at TimBlair.net. His pronouncements are quite often the source for unintended amusement. Cheers http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54985 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54985 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:46:58 -0600 If it wasn’t designed and built by ‘Muricans we ain’t buying. Well, to a point, yes. But ain't the M-240 and M-249 Belgie guns? (Not to mention the occasional MP5, the Ranger/Seals with their M3 aka Carl Gustaf, ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54984 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54984 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:45:13 -0600 The Rooskies started fielding anti-ATGM projectile-based reactive armor for the T-90 just before the Soviet economy imploded. It utilized a series of UV sensor (not IR; UV spoofers are few and far between) to detect launch plumes and triangulate the incomer -- if it wasn't closing with the tank, the system went back to passive search mode. Sounds like the Israelis took the basic idea and carried it further. We had the same opportunity in the '90s, but didn't follow up because the world was now all lovey-dovey and Congress was too busy divvying up the imaginary Peace Dividend to countenance testing it, let alone fielding same... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54983 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54983 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:32:00 -0600 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/006960.html ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54982 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54982 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:26:37 -0600 You all have brought up 2 very interesting, and seemingly related, issues. However, as has been said before, besides the free speech/expression/religion issue, the Klingenschmitt case also involves long standing restrictions on how active duty personnel exercise their rights of speech, petition and assembly. As long as I can recall (back to 1975), active duty personnel have never been allowed to participate in any form of political assembly or public speaking while in uniform. Now, maybe the good chaplain’s superiors did have it in for him, but that is even more reason for him to protest within the rules. BTW, I agree with his basic point, but I also agree that the Navy has to not only maintain good order and discipline, but also avoid the appearance to the public of a politicized military service. Now, all that said, I think the Nave screwed up by charging him with failure to follow the order of his superior rather than relying on the fact that he appeared at a public protest in uniform. I predict that, at some point, it will be ruled that the order of his superior was not lawful and therefore he was under no compulsion to obey. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54980 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54980 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:16:32 -0600 don't forget that reactive armor poses its own threat to of our own dismounts and/or civvies who happen to be in the vicinity... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54979 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/hi_fires_12_jan.html#comment-54979 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:03:19 -0600