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Russian Black Sea Fleet Expansion in the Works?

04/29/2014
2014-04-29 In a piece published on Eurasianet.org, Joshuya Kucerna published a piece looking at the opportunities and challenges for the Russians in expanding their Black Sea Fleet. (Excerpts) Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled his intent to expand the country's Black Sea Fleet now that the previous restrictions to its size…

China, Japan and US Responses to Putin

04/28/2014
2014-04-28 by Harald Malmgren The hesitant, cautious, incremental responses of US policy towards Russia with regard to developments in Syria, Iran, and now Ukraine, and further Russian threats to Transniestria and other Russian “neighbors” is generating rethinking in Asian capitals. Notably, China’s PLA is ramping up its aggressive rhetoric about…

Afghanistan, Dust Storms and Demanding Operations: The Recapitalization Bill

04/27/2014
2014-04-27 With Afghan operations drawing down, it is important to remember how challenging the Afghan enivornment is and the impact of that operational environment has been on US and allied military equipment. A recent photo from Camp Bastion is a good reminder of the demanding Afghan environment. [caption id="attachment_64851" align="alignnone"…

USAF Ospreys and the US Army Work Force Insertion

04/27/2014
2014-04-27 A Osprey CV-22B, drop U.S. Soldiers in a landing zone close to a urban training site on Maneuver Training Area, Baumholder, Germany 24 MAR. Certainly, the US Army should look to Osprey acquisition for at a minimum MEDEVAC missions. CreditL Training Support Activity Europe 4/24/14 Clearly, the advantage of…

Journey Back to Khe Sanh

04/27/2014
04/27/2014: Introduction by Ed Timperlake Khe Sanh has an important place in the Vietnam War.  For Marines, the epic battle is how they remember the name. In a remote mountain stronghold in 1968, six thousand US Marines awoke one January morning to find themselves surrounded by 20,000 enemy troops. Their only road…

31st MEU Night Airborne Raid Exercise

04/26/2014
04/26/2014: A night airborne raid was conducted by the Weapons and Golf Companies of Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, on a notional enemy-held town at a training range aboard Camp Hansen, Okinawa.  The raid was in support of the 31st MEU's "MEUEX," a week-long…