New US Marine Corps Technologies [Powerpoint Presentation]

Marine Corps Warfighting Lab ^

[VaBthang4]

Some interesting stuff...especially "Yodaville".

[VaBthang4]

[The KG9 Kid]

Can I have one of those UCATS, please?

[The KG9 Kid]

They're phasing out my Mk19 MOD3 in favor of a laser-range fused model, too.

[Dialup Llama]

The aerostat is cool. Right out of a William Gibson novel. Half helicopter, half blimp.

[Dialup Llama]

I just looked at the size of it. The rotor is only 7 feet wide!

[FreedomPoster]

Aircraft can be a lot smaller when you don't have to accomodate those bulky humans.

[Flyer]

STRIKER 40mm

tangofox, you haven't done a weapon review in quite some time.

[the tongue]

This proves that no army in the world can keep up with us. Anybody we wish to F with, will go down in flames, islamic fanatasism or not.

[MudPuppy]

Neat stuff, Huh? I work at the Warfighting Lab.
The boys do like their toys here :)

OOh-Rah! Semper Fidelis!
Happy Birthday Marines!!

[RaceBannon]

Man, you will need 3 people to hump that Grenade Launcher!!

[razorback-bert]

My Christmas list in powerpoint.

[avg_freeper]

There's nothing I hate more than a long "kill chain".

BTW, what's a "kill chain"?

[Centurion2000]

Damn .... now I know how Vietnam vets felt. I got out and all this really kewl stuff is coming online. Makes me wanna go play again.

The baby RPV plane and helos could be a godsend to infantry. Just drop one in every platoon and you have an instant tactical recon.

[sneakypete]

Man, you will need 3 people to hump that Grenade Launcher!!

No kidding! I laughed out loud at their "lightweight" description. "Lightweight" compared to what,a Bradley?

BTW,am I the only one wondering why any ground troops would want or need a full-auto 40mm grenade launcher? ESPECIALLY one with programable munitions that are laser-guided. Seems like somebody is forgetting the infantry carries their ammo on their backs,doesn't it?

[Squantos]

Ditto that lightweight comment......SP ! I do know that ,checkpoints, fixed defensive positions, ramp of a HH53 or Sh&thook or mounted on humvees , ect ect the Mk-19's is/was a GOOD THING...... I never got used to trippin that bolt with a stick though :o)

Stay Safe !

[Copperhead61]

Looks like Christmas came early this year for our wonderful Leathernecks. Enjoy the toys guys and gals. Y'all are definitly on Santa's Nice List ;)

[JasonC]

A long string of communication links between the Mark I eyeball that sees the target, and the guided whatever that actually takes it out. Pvt to Sgt to FAC to AWAC to F-16 pilot - that kind of thing. In action, those always slow things down, break outright, put the bombs in the wrong place, mis-ID targets, yada yada. A shorter chain works better.

[avg_freeper]

Thank you. Interesting terminology.

[JasonC]

Actually, our guys are getting dramatically low in the firepower department, and it is showing. The emphasis on "light" has led to mere squads getting pinned down by MGs in simple bunkers, with nothing to take them out short of calling for an F-16 and trying to get it to see a pimple on the side of K-2. Attack helos aren't working well at high altitude and they take rotor hits in a heartbeat.

Guys in Afghanistan are reporting the 5.56mm fails outright against adobe huts. They are using AT-4s on huts, bunkers, and cave entrances because it is the only thing they have with enough punch - at 15 lbs per round and with only about 250 meter range. They also report always bringing their 60mm mortars - WW II era light weapons with tiny punch and no smart anything - because any long ranged direct fire support they can actually bring with them up and down mountains is better than none.

Incidentally, they aren't fighting light enough, either. They are hauling up to 80 lbs each, even leaving behind their bags and freezing at night in consequence. Above 8000 ft that is way too much weight. UH-60s can resupply them tactically because they can't fly that high. CH-47s can, but were never meant to be used so close to hot LZs and their numbers are limited.

Above all they are short on firepower. Enemies with 82mm mortars, HMGs, and RPGs pin us down until the air force arrives. Our much vaunted high tech uber-guys have nothing heavier than SAWs, and when they've thought to bring them AT-4s with very limited range, or pip-squeak 60mm mortars. They should be hauling Javelin ATGMs and Mk-19 auto GLs with 1 km plus range to take out enemy heavy weapons and fortified positions, but they flat aren't.

Why? Overreliance on CAS, overemphasis on "light", tiny sections, flattened unit structures that leave the heavy weapons sections behind, an overall snake-eater and maneuver element ethos that looks down on fire support elements. Our ATGMs are at the battalion level, for pete's sake. Meanwhile, 1000 men are expected to encircle 70 square miles of 8000 foot mountains. With just SAWs.