Close Air Support On Sniper House

This shows why it is not a good idea to snipe at our troops when they have on call air support available. These Taliban are as stupid as the scum in Sadr City that fought against M-1 Abrams tanks the other day and came up woefully short.

Quote Of The Day

It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag. -- Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

South Koreans Buy More Strike Eagles

South Korea has approved the purchase 21 additional Boeing F-15Ks, but has decided to switch engine manufacturers. The 21 F-15Ks to be purchased under the FX2 program will have Pratt & Whitney F100s-229 series engines with the 6000 cycle extended life core. The 40 F-15Ks purchased in 2002 under the FX1 program are powered by General Electric F110s.
I wish our own Air Force would get its act together and buy more Strike Eagles and upgrade the radar and EW suite on the 200 plus E’s that are in the fleet. We will need more E models in the future that can go the distance with heavy loads and penetrating weapons not more unbelievable expensive and less bomb capable F-22 Raptors
Photo (Boeing)

Pic Of The Day

Really a blast from the past: Two F-15C alert jets from the 32nd FS, Wolfhounds cruising over the windmills of Kinderdyke, Netherlands. Soesterberg AB the home of the 32nd was a great assignment my time from late 87 to the end of 91 was my favorite overseas tour. The Dutch are great people I just hope they wake up before the Islamists take over.

Hilarious Quote Of The Day

Damn funny quote on the Presidentail race.

Lord Shockley, a commenter at Redstate, puts the Presidential race in a different perspective...

"Hmmmmm...who to vote for this fall....well on one side, you have a bitch who is a lawyer, married to a lawyer, and a lawyer who is married to a bitch who is a lawyer....
on the other side, you have a war hero married to a total babe who owns a beer
distributorship....where I come from that is known as a 'no brainer'."

T-38C Down

A T-38C Talon assigned to the 14th FTW at Columbus AFB MS crashed Wednesday killing both pilots. No details of the crash have been released. A board will be appointed to investigate the cause of the crash
The T-38C is the latest upgrade to the Talon. It has a completely new avionics setup and glass cockpit to aid the student pilot’s transition to frontline fighter aircraft

Georgian UAV Shot Down By Russian MIG

Pretty interesting video shot by the UAV right before it got blown away. The Russians were about 80 miles inside Georgian airspace when this went down if you believe the Georgian reports.


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Raptor Super Maneuverability

Check out this video of the F-22 Demo pilot putting the Raptor through its paces.
To bad it a couple of hundred million each and has caused the USAF to inadvertently disarm itself. Still it is impressive to watch fly.

Quote Of The Day

This is one of the best quotes I’ve heard lately and is so true whether you are in the Military or in a big company, Via Opfor

“All of us are better than any of us.” -- Colonel Eddie S. Ray, USMC

Jimmy Carter Quote Of The Day

Via the Wall Street Journal
“When I go to a dictatorship, I only have to talk to one person and that's the dictator, because he speaks for all the people."

I think it is official Carter has finally gone over the edge. How did he ever get elected President? His statements are as bad as Obama’s such as

"You got into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." -- Barack Obama

or

"I am not in favor of concealed weapons. I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations." -- Barack Obama

even better

It was usually an effective tactic, another one of those tricks I had learned: (White) People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied, they were relieved -- such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn't seem angry all the time." -- Barack Obama

The Democrat party, the gift that just keeps giving this election year.

F-15E Strike Eagle LGB Video

Nice video with the usual rock soundtrack. It shows the impressive delivery accuracy of the F-15E Strike Eagle, also has some bonus footage of then Major General Seip, then component Air Commander now Lt Gen and 12th Air Force Commander talking about the Chiefs (335 FS, 4th FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC). Gen Seip is one of the good guys, he was my Group Commander in the UK when he awarded me an incentive ride in the F-15E and was my Wing Commander at the 4th Wing when I retired. My last Meritorious Service medal has his signature.

Massive Oil Reserves In U.S.Going Untapped

Why are we not utilizing all the oil available to us in the U.S as prices hover at 110 dollars a barrel? Why do we want to punish the oil producers? Why have we not built new refineries and limited the number of gasoline blends to reduce the price at the pump? The common thread in any answer is the Democrat party and the loony environmental left. The folks that talk about energy independence but who do absolutely nothing to make it happen. So when you are paying 4 dollars a gallon this summer thank your local Democrat Congressman I know I will be thanking my local man Mike McIntyre the blue dog who is Nancy Pelosi’s lap dog. Check out the article below from IBD Editorials. It discusses the recent release of the expected size of the oilfields below ND and MT. Anyone who votes for any Democratic candidate in the face of stories like this deserves the government they get.

The Democrats' Shale Game
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 4:20 PM PT
Energy: A North Dakota field holds at least 4 billion barrels of oil and possibly much more. But its Democratic senator demonstrates his party's schizophrenia on energy, preaching independence while doing nothing to achieve it.
The price of crude hit a record $112 a barrel last week, just about the time the U.S. Geological Survey released its assessment of the oil and gas potential of a region known as the Bakken Formation.
The USGS estimates that the shale formation straddling western North Dakota and Montana contains 3.65 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil.
The oil is trapped in a thin layer of dense rock nearly two miles beneath the surface. The USGS estimate may be conservative and is based on current technology.
Leigh Price, a USGS scientist, authored a study before his death in 2000 estimating that the entire formation, which extends into Saskatchewan and Manitoba, may hold up to 500 billion barrels of recoverable oil, an amount that dwarf's the 16 billion barrels in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
The technology to retrieve it is sophisticated. Rather than sitting in large underground reservoirs, the oil is trapped in microscopic pores of rock, and companies must force pressurized fluid and sand into the earth to break the pores in the rock. The extraction technology and production process also is not cheap.
In a press release announcing the study results, North Dakota Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan said:
"The substantial amount of oil that it estimates is in the Bakken Shale should attract significant new investment to this region. This is an exciting time for North Dakota's oil industry. We're going to see new growth that will boost our economy and help our country shed its dependence on foreign oil."
Apparently there aren't many pristine areas or caribou in North Dakota.
This is a senator who has opposed drilling in a tiny portion of ANWR's frozen tundra.
He and his fellow Democrats also oppose new oil production in the Outer Continental Shelf and off the Florida coast where China and Cuba are gleefully setting up rigs 50 miles from Key West.
Wouldn't oil development there help just as well?
Dorgan and his fellow Democrats support a new "windfall profits" tax to punish the oil companies for high gasoline prices that are due in large part from their restrictions on domestic supply. They also support an "Ending Subsidies for Big Oil" act.
Just where do Dorgan and his ilk think the technologies to exploit fields like Bakken come from? Hint: It starts with P — as in profits, about which our money-printing Congress knows little.
Yes, oil companies make money. But they spend more than they make on finding new sources of oil. A new Ernst & Young study shows the five major oil companies had $765 billion of new investment from 1992 to 2006 compared with net income of $662 billion.
Over the same stretch, the industry — which includes 57 of the largest U.S. oil and natural gas companies — had new investments of $1.25 trillion compared with a net income of $900 billion and a cash flow of $1.77 trillion.
This is an industry that has redefined innovation, reinvesting profits to find innovative ways to recover oil and gas wherever they find it. This includes fields once considered "dead," vast tracts miles beneath the ocean surface, and sands or even shale in North Dakota.
In Pennsylvania, which holds its presidential primary April 22 and where America's first oil well was drilled in Titusville in 1859, there's a layer of rock similar to Bakken called the Marcellus Shale.
Researchers at Penn State estimate that Marcellus contains 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, roughly twice the amount consumed in the U.S. last year.
Pennsylvania Democrats must choose between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, both of whom oppose getting crude from Bakken or gas from Marcellus, or anywhere in the U.S. or its offshore waters.
Energy independence? The Democrats are standing on it.

Carter At It Again

Known anti Semite and worst modern era former President Jimmy Carter is at it again, this time talking to the murdering terrorist thugs Hamas in the west bank. Never in my lifetime would I expect to see a former President of the United States hit such lows in supporting tyrants and thugs. He had been advised as late as Monday the 14th by the State Department not to go and meet with Hamas. In addition 50 representatives from both sides of the aisle sent him a letter urging him to cancel any meetings and reminding him of the 26 Americans killed by attacks organized by Hamas. Of course this is the man who gave rise to the crazed mullahs in Iran when he as President did nothing to support the Shah as he went down the tubes and stood on his hands when the Embassy was taken instead of reducing the country to rubble. Carter compounded his error by stating after he laid a wreath at Yasser Arafat’s tomb that “Arafat fought for just causes” .Why can’t this sad old man just fade away at the peanut farm?
Photo:(AP,Atef Safadi, Pool)

Check Out The USMC National Museum

I was in the Washington DC area late last week and over the weekend. I stayed at Quantico last Wednesday night in their very comfortable on base lodging and had an opportunity to tour the new museum Thursday. I can say that this new museum tells the story of the Corps from day one to the present in an outstanding fashion. Any Marine past, present and future or fans of Marines should go and check it out.
It is located just off 95 at 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway. Triangle, VA, phone 1.800.397.7585, hours of operation 0900 to 1700 daily except for Christmas, admission is free. Check out their web site at http://www.usmcmuseum.org/index.asp or just click the post title.
Semper Fi
Photo Benjamin Christy

T-37 Era Draws To A Close

The Tweet is ready to fly off into the sunset as the 89th Flying Training Squadron accepts the first of 69 T-6A Texan II aircraft. The Tweet will be phased out as the Texans are delivered over the next 18 months.
Two Continental J69-T-25 turbojet engines power the T-37 that has flown as the Air Forces primary jet trainer since 1956. If you have ever been around a Tweet like I was years ago at Mather you can really appreciate the nickname flying dog whistle.
(Air Force photo/Harry Tonemah)

Navy SEAL Awarded Medal of Honor

Today President Bush at the White House presented our nations highest award for valor to the family of Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor who was killed in Iraq as he covered a live grenade with his body to save his team.
Rest Easy and God Bless

Citation that accompanies the Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to Master-At-Arms 2nd Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor

FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS AUTOMATIC WEAPONS GUNNER FOR NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE TASK GROUP ARABIAN PENINSULA, IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2006. AS A MEMBER OF A COMBINED SEAL AND IRAQI ARMY SNIPER OVERWATCH ELEMENT, TASKED WITH PROVIDING EARLY WARNING AND STAND-OFF PROTECTION FROM A ROOFTOP IN AN INSURGENT HELD SECTOR OF AR RAMADI, IRAQ, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY HIS EXCEPTIONAL BRAVERY IN THE FACE OF GRAVE DANGER. IN THE EARLY MORNING, INSURGENTS PREPARED TO EXECUTE A COORDINATED ATTACK BY RECONNOITERING THE AREA AROUND THE ELEMENT’S POSITION. ELEMENT SNIPERS THWARTED THE ENEMY’S INITIAL ATTEMPT BY ELIMINATING TWO INSURGENTS. THE ENEMY CONTINUED TO ASSAULT THE ELEMENT, ENGAGING THEM WITH A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. AS ENEMY ACTIVITY INCREASED, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR TOOK POSITION WITH HIS MACHINE GUN BETWEEN TWO TEAMMATES ON AN OUTCROPPING OF THE ROOF. WHILE THE SEALS VIGILANTLY WATCHED FOR ENEMY ACTIVITY, AN INSURGENT THREW A HAND GRENADE FROM AN UNSEEN LOCATION, WHICH BOUNCED OFF PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR’S CHEST AND LANDED IN FRONT OF HIM. ALTHOUGH ONLY HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED THE BLAST, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR CHOSE INSTEAD TO PROTECT HIS TEAMMATES. INSTANTLY AND WITHOUT REGARD FOR HIS OWN SAFETY, HE THREW HIMSELF ONTO THE GRENADE TO ABSORB THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION WITH HIS BODY, SAVING THE LIVES OF HIS TWO TEAMMATES. BY HIS UNDAUNTED COURAGE, FIGHTING SPIRIT, AND UNWAVERING DEVOTION TO DUTY IN THE FACE OF CERTAIN DEATH, PETTY OFFICER MONSOOR GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY, THEREBY REFLECTING GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

French Rafales Getting Ready For Red Flag

The French Air Force is getting ready for their upcoming deployment this summer to Red Flag. It will be interesting to see hoe the Rafales do against the F-22.
Photos: Joris Janssen Lok

Luftwaffe F-4 On Exercise

It is good to see the F-4 still flying in active service. This was another mistake made by the Air Staff retiring the F-4G Advanced Wild Weasel to soon and giving the mission to a half ass no legs platform in the F-16CG. The Luftwaffe plans on flying the F-4’s at least two more years until they are eventually replaced by the Typhoon.
The Air Staff is a wonderful group sometimes I think all their really worried about is designing a new uniform so we can look like a WWII movie set.

Reaper At It Again

In Afghanistan, an Air Force MQ-9A Reaper, an Air Force B-1B Lancer and British GR-7 Harriers dropped guided bomb unit-12s, 31s, 38s, enhanced paveway II munitions and a hellfire missile to destroy enemy combatants, observation posts, bunkers and enemy compounds in Deh Rawod. The on-scene joint terminal attack controller confirmed that the missions were successful.
Can youimagine down the road a world without pilots. I can
Photo: (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson)

Old Dog Gets New Tricks

I’ve always thought in a not too serious way that when the last B-2 is in the bone yard the crew will be flown home in a B-52. Judging by the continuing upgrades to the remaining BUFFS this might end up being true
In the article from Air Force link the BUFF is now flying with the LITENING advanced targeting pod that is used for targeting, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance. One thing else that I thought was amazing was the last buff was delivered in the early 60’s but it has the highest FMC (Fully Mission Capable Rate) of all three heavy bombers.

(U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Mike Kaplan)

A-10 Belly Landing At Edwards

An A-10 Thunderbolt II sits on the runway after making an emergency landing March 25 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The A-10 touched down with its landing gear in the up position after declaring an in-flight emergency. The pilot was not harmed. The aircraft, assigned to the 75th Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga., was participating in a Green Flag sortie out of Nellis AFB, Nev. (U.S. Air Force photo/Brad White)

Heroic Royal Marine Throws Himself On Grenade

An amazing story of bravery in battle by a Boot neck (Royal Marine), my friend Gary who is a retired WO2, ML will be proud of this young lion.
From The Telegraph, UK
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Royal Marine could receive the highest award for gallantry after he saved the lives of his comrades by throwing himself onto an exploding grenade in Afghanistan, it has been reported.
Lance Corporal Matt Croucher amazingly survived the incident despite shrapnel peppering his helmet during the explosion. His extraordinary courage, which could lead to a citation for the Victoria Cross, came after a tripwire booby-trap was stepped on during a nighttime mission outside the town of Sangin, Helmand province.

A live hand-grenade was released threatening to blow up L/Cpl Croucher, 24 and the rest of the patrol.

The marine shouted "grenade" and as his friends dived for cover L/Cpl Croucher lay with his back on the lethal device.

The patrol commander, Corporal Adam Lesley threw himself to the ground and another man got behind a wall, but one marine had frozen and was still standing when the grenade detonated.
"My reaction was, 'My God this can't be real'," said Cpl Lesley. "Croucher had simply lain back and used his day sack to blunt the force of the explosion. You would expect nine out of 10 people to die in that situation."
With fuses that can last several seconds the men waited for what "felt like a lifetime" before the grenade blew up.
The marine's backpack, thought to contain ammunition, was thrown more than 30ft and sent a burning radio battery flying through the air.
L/Cpl Croucher, who suffered a bleeding nose and shock, was saved by the special plating inside his Osprey body armour. He almost certainly saved the life of Marine Scott Easter who had "just completely frozen".
"All I could hear was a loud ringing and the faint sound of people shouting 'are you ok? Are you ok?'" L/Cpl Croucher, a reservist from Birmingham, told the News of the World.
"Then I felt one of the lads giving me a top to toe check. My head was ringing. Blood was streaming from my nose. It took 30 seconds before I realised I was definitely not dead," he added.
Cpl Lesley said: "He had shrapnel in his helmet, in the plate of his body armour, but he was basically okay.
"His day sack had taken the blast."
The action happened on Feb 9 as the reconnaissance troop from 40 Commando went to search a bomb-making factory in a compound out Sangin.
A Ministry of Defence statement said: "L/Cpl Croucher has displayed incredible bravery in his action in Afghanistan. His bravery could well be recognised through some form of gallantry award in due course along with other personnel from the latest deployment to Afghanistan."