There’s a Aussie LNO where I work. Harder to understand him than the Japanese officer.

See the world? Where does RAAF deploy? I hope so. Their F18s are as old as ours but they’ve definitely been more careful with preserving their lifespan.

Sorry I meant Armadillo. ;)

We’re all in the same boat. If Smedley Butler was right and the military is a gangster for Wall Street then nobody would go to war with China because of business.

It’s interesting because I think Europeans always kind of made fun of the racial problems we have but they were relatively homogeneous then. Now they’re really getting a good dose of what happens when minorities start to become majorities without assimilation to the more advanced host cultures.

But you’ll take their jewelry at the border to pay for those benefits! Just joking. I love the Danes. Restrepo was a great film and showed the Danes professionalism and valor. Thank you for supporting OEF.

But the Aussie defense white paper also recommends a build up too right? It is quite the conundrum. The SCS and the weird contradictory relationships of commercial vs national pride. There is still a danger of nations doing illogical things to not lose face. A lot of potential flash points.

Military freaks? On Foxtrot Alpha?

What branch did you serve in?

Don't bother. They've never worked the flight line so don't get it. You can look at an AMSRR in the morning that looks like crap - still fly all your sorties and break them all again so numbers don't look so hot. Sensational statements generates clicks.

Get rid of the airplane or the general officer? :)

Readiness metrics are not always what they seem. The original Virginian article after the MH53E mishap caused the huge slump in readiness by convincing CNAF to do a very tedious and labor intensive inspection and repair over the last year among many other cumulative factors.

No. Replacement for CH46E. Medium lift. 53D too if you want to count them.

Like the Army never screws up. ;)

Phrogs had fantastic readiness during their sundown. Finally had all the parts they needed!

We also called the Clinton years the procurement bathtub. Sequestration has had a similar effect but it’s the Republican’s fault.

Navy MH-53Es are compatible for training purposes which is why a couple of retired ones are being reactivated for HMT302. USAF MH-53J are not compatible. They are avionics upgraded versions of the CH53D which don’t have the power to perform the heavy lift mission of the Echo like externaling an LAV. And like you…

They are not the same. 53E has 3 engines, extra rotor blade, canted tail

There are problems but then again this “independent study” was done by contractors (all former Marines who were the ones who didn’t fix the problem when they were active duty and flew the crap out of them) who lo and behold urge them to hire more contractors (all former Marines). Self licking ice cream cone.

Which is how they ended up yomping across the Falklands with no helo assault.