Military Science, Military Issues, and the Nature of War

[ccp]

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/30/nx-s1-5281246/pentagon-jet-military-helicopter-collision

Hence the reason Trump came out and called it related to DEI which I will say may not be accurate and unfair since we are also told pilot had a lot of experience and the many other flight problems around RR airport.

Interesting is it not that the name is still withheld .  Who is controlling the delay in this info?

Obviously some Pentagon/DOD wokesters.

[ccp]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14365069/map-spy-plane-flight-path-mexico-border.html

thanks brits or whoever did this.   

well I guess it could have been us attempting to put the cartels on notice......?

[Crafty_Dog]

Ed Calderon was reporting this a number of days ago.

Possible explanations: 

*Preparing intel for the 10,000 troops Sheinbaum is about to send north, or

*preparing intel for American action,

*or?

[Crafty_Dog]

Recommended by my friend Matt Larsen-- currently the head of the Combatives Progam at West Point, prior to that the founder of MACP Moder Army Combatives Program (in which he made me Level 3 Instructor) and a military life of much adventure.   Among other things he is a serious studient of evolutionary pyschology/biology.   A very thoughtful man.

https://www.urbanwarfareinstitute.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIS3SFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUxAwI58O91lDYJT73LzgLrL4UMz9Wdbkx6-S-BmgBMzHAhruzHHGcKpcg_aem_CfyvgN8eG_YCP2ehwFHEzA

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D4rsqxqSIc

[ccp]

Gazan tunnels far beyond what any other military has encountered:

https://mwi.westpoint.edu/israels-new-approach-to-tunnels-a-paradigm-shift-in-underground-warfare/

wow .   

[Crafty_Dog]

https://wgme.com/news/local/hegseth-renames-north-carolina-military-base-after-maine-wwii-hero-roland-l-bragg#

 

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/naval-ship-that-carries-5k-sailors-crashes-in-mediterranean-sea/ar-AA1yZEF5?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=6a3c3de8139d4cfeb678ebc63a8ef0ed&ei=8

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/trump-wants-attack-subs-the-rest-of-the-50-billion-pentagon-budget-shuffle-is-a-question-mark-for-the-navy/ar-AA1zxLvO?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=6943410ec11541a4bac0808ab505b072&ei=16

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/friday-night-purge-as-trump-fires-top-general-and-five-senior-military-staff-20250222-p5leai.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawIoZQdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYA_a4FzD3-Pmt0iXy--MtdSuG37s9jjnT7LKU42zowvIjP5WHXe5Fl3MA_aem_aj_q-fEYKgY04uQK6ja2sQ

[Crafty_Dog]

https://amuseonx.substack.com/p/contempt-and-consequence-the-case?utm=&fbclid=IwY2xjawIsFnpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRl_S0Vun2xz2aZ_ZYVVrrIFW7MkGhfXdbZ-CX96VguQ-nXfo_Y2_VHTXg_aem_6CBrQsGB2xv9j0SxHxBjQQ

[ccp]

Well at least in theory and with the expected integrity one can easily argue

it should work both ways

Trump's public name calling and insults to these generals is wrong too

maybe not in military code but I feel strongly about this.

if he doesn't like what they say fine but then work behing the scenes, fire them, or look into a military court. 

I do have a problem with it is ok for Trump to insult anyone in any way always the last word but no one can criticize him

This will come back to haunt us.  Mark my words.

[Crafty_Dog]

I agree that Trump insults inappropriately sometimes, but disagree with your here.

It is essential to our system that the military is subject to civilian control-- specifically their Commander in Chief. 

They are there to kill people and break things upon his command-- not offer political commentary and disrespect.  Period.

[ccp]

yes
perhaps my post was misunderstood.

I agree stepping out of the chain of command is to be punished

But I am tired of Trump saying whatever he wants and that being ok

It is not but we are stuck with this part of him.....

[Crafty_Dog]

And then there is this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5HlrkLQWnc

 

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/here-s-how-trump-s-pick-to-lead-the-us-navy-wants-to-fix-the-submarine-shipbuilding-problem/ar-AA1zVZX8?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=672dfbc80ad7427d80e04d719036ce37&ei=13

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/documents/ccb2108a-6ae1-4a10-8ae8-30553b0e7b4a.pdf?itid=lk_inline_manual_4&fbclid=IwY2xjawIvRuNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTWd_v6vKnGrTdJTsvCH9VqArrEdMZ6T-lf5rzttGZAjrx4cjtsWqtfZoQ_aem_6TsvKRxOvjGiTiDg9mJ10w

"President Trump’s actions undermine our all-volunteer force and weaken our national security. Talented
Americans may be far less likely to choose a life of military serviceaaa if they believe they will be held to a
political standard. Those currently serving may grow cautious of speaking truth to power or they could
erode good order and discipline by taking political actions in uniform.  And the public’s traditionally high
trust in the armed forces could begin to wither. 

"The United States cannot afford to have our military infected by partisan politics and distracted from its
core mission of defending the nation."

Well, that sure is rich , , ,

[Crafty_Dog]

Quelle surprise.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/03/01/media-hugely-inflated-number-transgender-troops/

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-s-new-supercarrier-will-outgun-the-entire-uk-armed-forces-it-may-visit-us-soon/ar-AA1A9D2o?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=7d5d85c84ad448fd901c0947535ee541&ei=36

[Crafty_Dog]

(9) U.S. INTERNATIONAL LAW PROF: TREAT GRAY ZONE AS WAR: Chairman of the Stockton Center for International Maritime Law at the U.S. Naval War College James Kraska recommended to Japanese national defense planners and “other states” to treat China’s gray zone tactics as war on the basis that the “gray zone” is an invalid creation of the International Court of Justice and this matches the U.S. approach to self-defense.

Kraska cited the 1986 and 2003 rulings from the ICJ that denied the United States had the right to self defense and collective self-defense due to a “lack of gravity” of the attacks.

Why It Matters: Treating China’s gray zone tactics as war lowers the threshold for war. The reinterpretation is unlikely to be taken outright as Japan holds the ICJ presidency until 2027. However, this does offer an opportunity for a reinterpretation of the law to loosen American allies’ restrictions on the use of force against China’s gray zone tactics. - J.V.

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.ft.com/content/1503a69e-13e4-4ee8-9d05-b9ce1f7cc89e?fbclid=IwY2xjawI6jgFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfpWo24Gsxqd1btu4DKsISBckIj7NTsMWcO-6uSjZpIz0mLaHy_OTT8BrQ_aem_sKYiIFanZY7XJqjBNHoffQ


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/f-35-kill-switch-could-allow-trump-to-disable-european-air-force/ar-AA1Az07u?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=a9c277ad43d2422ab7149079c4911de8&ei=8

[Crafty_Dog]

I found this very interesting.


Iran's Loophole to Seize US Navy Vessels

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/naval-affairs-specialist-says-pacific-allies-might-just-have-answers-to-us-shipbuilding-problems/ar-AA1AIs8u?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=3d129fb78196490983d394c6b03fcd94&ei=15

[Crafty_Dog]

While the U.S. military tends to view the instruments of power (IOPs) strictly through the lens of the diplomatic, informational, military, and economic (DIME) framework, it is increasingly imperative to consider additional IOPs such as finance, intelligence, and law enforcement (FIL).

https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/2106566/putting-the-fil-into-dime-growing-joint-understanding-of-the-instruments-of-pow/


https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA561308.pdf

The use of force alone is not enough to break the will of enemies and
to advance the interests of the United States. War must include the use of all elements
of national power – diplomacy, information, military, and economics (DIME). Indeed,
effective integration of national power may prevent war in the first place. 
The purpose of this paper is to develop a strategic theory and framework that
address the nature and conduct of war in the twenty-first century: the integration of
DIME.

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/warning-that-all-the-world-s-oceans-will-soon-be-under-control-of-new-10-000-ton-submarine-with-never-before-seen-technology/ar-AA1AWOVu?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=b77553a1f43b4b2bb49f829bf38773f3&ei=18

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/china-s-giant-drone-carrier-power-purpose-explained/vi-AA1zGzqU?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=b77553a1f43b4b2bb49f829bf38773f3&ei=142#details

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/allies-cancel-orders-of-f-35s-the-fighter-jets-that-will-cost-2-trillion/ar-AA1B6xvP?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=fab547e8e5b64f9ab424149bfa9622eb&ei=7

[ccp]

I don't blame them

same article points out even

we don't like the ones we have

costs go up and reliability seems to go down.

China though will have cheaper stolen knockoffs for half the price announced any day now.

What is the word ?  boondoggle

like those ridiculous Zumwalt ships

like not knowing what is in a bill till you pass it.
is like not knowing if what you are buying can even work till you already bought it.

[Crafty_Dog]

John Boyd of OODA loop fame spent much of his post Korean War/Top Gun life warring with the Pentagon about building boondoggle planes such as the F35.

[Crafty_Dog]

https://www.zerohedge.com/military/erik-prince-ai-kamikaze-drones-future-warefare-praises-elon-musks-doge

Erik Prince On AI, Kamikaze Drones, Future Warfare, & DOGE
Tyler Durden's Photo
by Tyler Durden
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - 09:20 PM
Erik Prince, the founder and former CEO of the military contractor Blackwater, recently spoke at a seminar at Hillsdale College titled "AI and the Future Battlefield." In his speech, he discussed the evolution of warfare, the impact of drones and AI, the changing dynamics of global power, and the importance of innovation—particularly in the private sector. He also praised Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.



"We don't have a monopoly in innovation, but we have a critical mass of it, and a lot of that still resides in the military," Prince, a 1992 Hillsdale College graduate and founder of Blackwater Worldwide, told students.

Prince said, "As long as DoD, just a little bit, opens the tap of money, redirecting from the nonsense, hyper-overpriced programs that they like to spend money on, we can certainly not just catch up but surpass any capability that we have to worry about with China."

So, less DoD funding for the military-industrial complex—such as legacy defense giants like Lockheed and Boeing, often seen as innovation killers—and more support for emerging startups like...

The magic of innovation: more startups = more competition ... who would've ever thought?


Prince discussed the impact of AI on warfare, starting with a historical comparison to Genghis Khan's innovation of placing stirrups on every soldier's horse, which revolutionized the speed and effectiveness of warfare.



Here's a summary of the key points of Prince's hour talk with students:

(02:21) He highlighted how Ukraine's citizen-led innovation in defense, particularly with drones and 3D printing, has significantly impacted modern warfare, making precision strikes more accessible and cost-effective.

(03:37) Ukraine's ingenuity, including the use of hobbyist drones equipped with explosive devices, has democratized the ability to perform precision strikes against tanks, offering a more affordable alternative to high-tech weapons.

(05:38) Prince mentioned Russia's expertise in electronic warfare and how Ukraine's innovations in drone and weaponry have managed to counteract such strategies.

(09:46) He addressed the asymmetry in warfare, with smaller, low-cost weapons like drones being highly effective against expensive military systems, leading to a shift in military dynamics.

(14:14) The challenge of countering drone warfare is not limited to Ukraine but also affects other regions like Israel, where drones are used by enemies to disrupt operations.

(17:44) Prince discussed the growing industrial and technological advantage of China, especially in drones, and the U.S.'s lagging position in defense technology.


At 19:52, Prince emphasized the need for the private sector to drive innovation in defense, citing examples of government inefficiency.

"But that convergence of trying to bring market solutions into a truly Congress and a military-industrial complex that's run wild - the amount of spending and waste that occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan, as you're seeing now, with a DOGE effort. God bless Elon Musk for cutting it down across the board. I hope we have the same opportunity to do something similar in the Pentagon yeah, cheer for Elon...  I have such respect for that guy. When he looks at spacecraft ... um he said look, we have to lower the cost of launch to get it to altitude by a thousandfold and he's well on his way to doing that," Prince said.

A continuation of the key points:

(28:42) Prince expressed concern over potential U.S. military involvement in Taiwan, emphasizing the unpreparedness of the U.S. Navy and the risks of escalating a conflict with China.
(55:10) He also touched on potential global hotspots like Taiwan, Burma, and Venezuela, explaining their significance and the challenges the U.S. faces in dealing with these issues.

============

Here is the talk.  It is sixtyone minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsKtfLRSo2c

[Body-by-Guinness]

Hard to argue with the logic:

The Secretary of Defense really got the Times exercised yesterday. The Gray Lady ran a story yesterday huffingly headlined, “Hegseth Mandates Uniform Fitness Standards for Combat Roles.” In other words, he’s axing the easy tests for gals.

image 3.png
See if you can spot the off-the-chain cuckoo contradiction in the article’s first paragraph. I won’t even highlight it— let’s see if you can spot it yourself:

image 2.png
Catch it? The Times strained to complain that, if the Army yanks watered-down fitness tests —tests designed to keep soldiers alive— fewer women will qualify for, wait for it, particularly dangerous jobs.

One wonders whether the Times simply hates the military, and secretly wants soldiers to die. Or maybe, for Times editors, the trade-off between DEI or death is totally tilted toward the former. Who cares if they die, at least it was fair.

The story suggested a Marine example. In one test, male Marines must do 3 pull-ups or 34 push-ups in two minutes. Female soldiers can open their mascara cases ten times in sixty seconds or … just kidding! The fighting ladies strain to complete one push-up or eke out 15 push-ups in two minutes.

How do you suppose the guys feel about that? That’s not just a rhetorical question. Morale is an unquantifiable but critical war-fighting factor. Double standards devastate morale in the military same as everywhere else.

But overall, the Times’ restrained sneering was oddly encouraging. Perhaps sensing the moment has shifted, the Times didn’t strain to defend affirmative action for the military’s most dangerous jobs.

For example, the story didn’t quote any Democrats, woke generals, or “military experts” whining about SecDef Hegseth’s flattened standards. Instead (shoved to the end of the story), it cited a 2021 West Point op-ed written by Major Kristen Griest, the Army’s first female infantry officer and second female Ranger.

image 7.png
Kristen’s op-ed was titled, “With Equal Opportunity Comes Equal Responsibility: Lowering Fitness Standards to Accommodate Women Will Hurt the Army—and Women.” In it, Kristen argued that lower standards for female soldiers “not only jeopardized mission readiness in combat units but also reinforced the false notion that women are categorically incapable of performing the same job as men.”

So, apart from Hegseth, the op-ed only quoted a lady soldier arguing against double standards for women. In other words, the Times isn’t snapping up the bait this time. They didn’t reflexively try to defend the indefensible.

Either way, it was great news for our military.

https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/disclosure-day-tuesday-april-1-2025