The Military Thread

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The Mk 47 is not service wide adoption just SOCOM for now.

Associated Press reports that PFC Pemberton did not enter a plea for murder for the transgendered woman.

Pro-LGBT groups are staging protests nationwide in the Philippines while pro-left groups protested outside the American embassy to demand end to American colonialism.

A witness states (One of the Marines with Pemberton) that he mentions on Pemberton murdered her. Details a bit sketchy since the trial was closed to reporters.

edited 23rd Feb '15 5:58:31 PM by Ominae

PFC Pemberton, when you're in a hole, stop digging!

Throw him an E-tool if he did it!

It is looking increasingly bad for him. Personally it looks more and more like he is guilty. If he is I hope they throw him to the wolves.

Would just like to point out that they're protesting because it's high profile as it involves a US Marine. The transgender woman mauled to death in Cebu is ignored by these groups because she isn't "high profile enough".

edited 23rd Feb '15 7:29:58 PM by entropy13

There is a PFC rotting in a South Korean jail due to raping a 17 year old.

Well he's not a marine then isn't he?

Actually no, he was a soldier with 2nd Infantry Division. US Forces Korea publishes the court martial results and Korean court outcomes. It's both tragedy and farce to see privates to colonels get busted by the courts.

The no guilty plea means that the courts in Manila can try him. Washington is not showing signs of interfering, which is a good thing.

Argentina, China Could Jointly Develop Fighters

China is looking to sell military equipment, most notably fighter aircraft to Argentina, in the aftermath of an attempt by the latter to purchase Swedish aircraft that failed when the UK wouldn't have any of it. The PRC also looks forward to closer military ties with the Argentinians, whom they paint as two nations sharing the same struggles with nationalistic territorial disputes with former imperial powers and analogizing the Falklands/Malvinas with the Diauyo Islands.

edited 23rd Feb '15 10:24:30 PM by FluffyMcChicken

Better hurry up on those Naval F-35s for Britain, or else Faith, Hope, Charity and Desperation will be getting a workout.

And where is the money going to come from?

The way things are, I don't think that should matter any more.

At the moment, Britain does not have the power-projection capabilities to fight a new Falklands War. The new carriers, and their fighters, would be required.

At the moment, the only martial reason that the Argentines aren't invading is that their air force is mainly upgraded Skyhawks.

And their navy is quietly rotting away at anchor. And each of the 15 ships that can sail can only spend 11 days at sea a year for budget reasons.

The general concern of worry is that Beijing may be giving the Argentinians discount prices in exchange for geopolitical favors. IIRC, China has already made attempts to expand its soft power through infrastructure projects in various South American countries, the new Chinese-managed canal that's being built through Nicaragua for example. Having Argentina, one of the most powerful regional nations, under their wing would make a lot of other opportunities easier to take.

edited 24th Feb '15 12:56:04 AM by FluffyMcChicken

But the Falklands do have RAF Mount Pleasant.

Year, Argantina's navy is slowly turning to rust, also while the Royal Navy lacks the power to retake the Falklands they may well have the power to hold them.

Not only are the Falklands more fortified than they used to be but also information control is harder than it used to be. A sneak attack would not be easy (especially as MI 6 will probably have a high priority on not messing up a second time) and once the alarm goes of in London an invasion force has to succeed before the British submarines get down there and go nuts (plus other rapid responce reinforcing of the garrison can happen).

The Argantinian Air Force can modernise all it likes, unless the navy picks itself up London isn't going to be seriously worried.

edited 24th Feb '15 6:14:44 AM by Silasw

Plus the UK is part of NATO. They could call in help. They didn't last time ^note  Directly, anyway. They did have other nations cover their responsibilities elsewhere to free up their own forces, and had intelligence support, plus some technical advice from France on the aircraft Argentina had. because they didn't really need it.

And Argentina even being able to take the islands is pretty unlikely. It's got a good sized defense force now, and the Royal Navy tends to leave a sub snooping around down there if memory serves.

edited 24th Feb '15 9:30:18 AM by Joesolo

I believe UK normally keeps at least one Type 45 and a Eurofighter flight in the Falklands, too, plus perhaps a sub or two. That's a hell of a deterrent to any invasion force.

I don't think a 45 is permanent garrison.

I believe a Type-45 used to be stationed there more or less permanently, but it was moved back to the UK proper.

NATO can't be called in, the treaty states that it only applies to territory north of the Tropics of Cancer, though other treaties could be used, Portugal might be callable and we may have relevant treaties with France and the US for calling them in. Also last time is was Canada, Australia and New Zealand that did a lot of slack picking up for the UK, not NATO members.

The type 45 is semi-permanent, there's a frigate or guided missile destroyer there at all times, but the exact details of the ship varies from time to time. The 4 Eurofighters are part of the garrison and the sub presence is probably a thing but nobody can tell for sure. I'm sure if things started to escalate we might send 2 subs down there for if things exploded.

edited 24th Feb '15 12:54:31 PM by Silasw