xthetenth

Despite protestations to the contrary, America is aligned towards aggressive action against hostile nations and non-state actors. Attacks and damage to national morale will engender a response in order to restore the national feeling of tranquil military superiority. The same psychological tendency that leads to wars being fought to restore a national feeling of pride in military capabilities can also be harnessed to encourage greater morale by giving military personnel in all specialties a feeling of actualization from operational action and success.
 
The psychology of combat troops is contradicted by operational experience and statistics, before combat the soldier routinely overestimates the danger of wounding and death despite even major battles rarely reaching a 2% casualty figure. Therefore, morale is an important component of the capability of combat soldiers to achieve a concrete impact on opposing forces and therefore the battle. The increased combat capability from combat experience happens at different rates for different soldiers, but it is important that each soldier remembers their importance to the overarching plan and the overall force.
 
Training is a vital component of readiness for soldiers, and it helps professional development and the accumulation of experience that starts them closer to the higher levels of combat capacity demonstrated by veterans. Constant vigilance by soldiers as engendered by training allows avoidance of adversity such as ambushes, and prevents the combined arms team from operating below maximum capacity. Operationally, failures of sentries stand out as a prime example of how greater training can prevent major unnecessary losses.
 
The army as a whole is a team that must work together in order to be successful, the importance of the combat actions of soldiers are nearly always overshadowed by the realization of synergies between forces and the mutual multiplicative effects on effectiveness. The high training and readiness levels of American units the world over is a major guarantor that the odds of success are decisively against any opposition they may face.
 
It is essential that every man in the army be reminded that their job is important and must be done. Laxity with only minor effects from one man would be calamitous from thousands. A reminder that every job in the modern military is essential provides esteem-boosting actualization that will ensure any vital tasks can be accomplished quickly and successfully despite adversity or opposing action.
 
A culture of bravery under fire must be created among recruits and the traits that make a successful military professional should be identified and encouraged.
 
Even a task as seemingly insignificant as repairing communications gear under fire may prove crucial in battle, and it is important to empower the troops to actualize their goals and frame their actions in the context of overall success to ensure positive action under fire.
 
Convoy actions are another example of even traditionally non-combat soldiers showing great bravery under fire and the professional pride to ensure successful completion of combat-essential tasks despite great fatigue and operational disorder.
 
It cannot be denied that actively engaged soldiers would prefer a cessation of hostilities, but the fastest route to the end of a conflict is identification, isolation and destruction of the opposite side's center of gravity. By destroying the control structures keeping the opposition organized and able to fight, aggressive action allows a shift to a stance of deterrence and prevents losing strength to long drawn-out conflict and the resulting decline in reenlistment.
 
Aggressive action directed towards opposing forces allows the modern military to leverage its information-centric strengths and position itself inside the opponent's OODA loop, gaining control of the battlefield and preventing the opposition from slowly accumulating damage on our deployed force.
 
Despite fears of untried soldiers, aggressive action and devolution of decisions allow the warfighter to fall back on their training to combat the opposition and maintain effectiveness.
 
It is essential that rather than terrain-focused reactive strategies, continual pressure be exerted on the enemy's center of gravity and forces in the field to prevent effective counterattacks.
 
Because of these factors a high operational tempo must be achieved and maintained, and it is essential that no matter the adversity the serviceperson to continue to perform their responsibilities despite difficulty, opposition action or even, in extremis, wounding.
 
While units require individual identity and other factors to maintain high espirit de corps, secrecy must be maintained to prevent disclosure of capabilities to opposition planning elements. If handled properly, soldiers will be reminded of the capabilities of their unit and that those capabilities will provide a particular difficulty for the opposition.
 
By showing how important a soldier's contribution is to overall victory, morale can be boosted by providing actualization of the personal traits that led to enlistment.
 
 
What did I just do with my life.

Despite protestations to the contrary, America is aligned towards aggressive action against hostile nations and non-state actors. Attacks and damage to national morale will engender a response in order to restore the national feeling of tranquil military superiority. The same psychological tendency that leads to wars being fought to restore a national feeling of pride in military capabilities can also be harnessed to encourage greater morale by giving military personnel in all specialties a feeling of actualization from operational action and success.
 
The psychology of combat troops is contradicted by operational experience and statistics, before combat the soldier routinely overestimates the danger of wounding and death despite even major battles rarely reaching a 2% casualty figure. Therefore, morale is an important component of the capability of combat soldiers to achieve a concrete impact on opposing forces and therefore the battle. The increased combat capability from combat experience happens at different rates for different soldiers, but it is important that each soldier remembers their importance to the overarching plan and the overall force.
 
Training is a vital component of readiness for soldiers, and it helps professional development and the accumulation of experience that starts them closer to the higher levels of combat capacity demonstrated by veterans. Constant vigilance by soldiers as engendered by training allows avoidance of adversity such as ambushes, and prevents the combined arms team from operating below maximum capacity. Operationally, failures of sentries stand out as a prime example of how greater training can prevent major unnecessary losses.
 
The army as a whole is a team that must work together in order to be successful, the importance of the combat actions of soldiers are nearly always overshadowed by the realization of synergies between forces and the mutual multiplicative effects on effectiveness. The high training and readiness levels of American units the world over is a major guarantor that the odds of success are decisively against any opposition they may face.
 
It is essential that every man in the army be reminded that their job is important and must be done. Laxity with only minor effects from one man would be calamitous from thousands. A reminder that every job in the modern military is essential provides esteem-boosting actualization that will ensure any vital tasks can be accomplished quickly and successfully despite adversity or opposing action.
 
A culture of bravery under fire must be created among recruits and the traits that make a successful military professional should be identified and encouraged.
 
Even a task as seemingly insignificant as repairing communications gear under fire may prove crucial in battle, and it is important to empower the troops to actualize their goals and frame their actions in the context of overall success to ensure positive action under fire.
 
Convoy actions are another example of even traditionally non-combat soldiers showing great bravery under fire and the professional pride to ensure successful completion of combat-essential tasks despite great fatigue and operational disorder.
 
It cannot be denied that actively engaged soldiers would prefer a cessation of hostilities, but the fastest route to the end of a conflict is identification, isolation and destruction of the opposite side's center of gravity. By destroying the control structures keeping the opposition organized and able to fight, aggressive action allows a shift to a stance of deterrence and prevents losing strength to long drawn-out conflict and the resulting decline in reenlistment.
 
Aggressive action directed towards opposing forces allows the modern military to leverage its information-centric strengths and position itself inside the opponent's OODA loop, gaining control of the battlefield and preventing the opposition from slowly accumulating damage on our deployed force.
 
Despite fears of untried soldiers, aggressive action and devolution of decisions allow the warfighter to fall back on their training to combat the opposition and maintain effectiveness.
 
It is essential that rather than terrain-focused reactive strategies, continual pressure be exerted on the enemy's center of gravity and forces in the field to prevent effective counterattacks.
 
Because of these factors a high operational tempo must be achieved and maintained, and it is essential that no matter the adversity the serviceperson to continue to perform their responsibilities despite difficulty, opposition action or even, in extremis, wounding.
 
While units require individual identity and other factors to maintain high espirit de corps, secrecy must be maintained to prevent disclosure of capabilities to opposition planning elements. If handled properly, soldiers will be reminded of the capabilities of their unit and that those capabilities will provide a particular difficulty for the opposition.
 
By showing how important a soldier's contribution is to overall victory, morale can be boosted by providing actualization of the personal traits that led to enlistment.
 
 
What did I just do with my life.

Despite protestations to the contrary, America is aligned towards aggressive action against hostile nations and non-state actors. Attacks and damage to national morale will engender a response in order to restore the national feeling of tranquil military superiority. The same psychological tendency that leads to wars being fought to restore a national feeling of pride in military capabilities can also be harnessed to encourage greater morale by giving military personnel in all specialties a feeling of actualization from operational action and success.
 
The psychology of combat troops is contradicted by operational experience and statistics, before combat the soldier routinely overestimates the danger of wounding and death despite even major battles rarely reaching a 2% casualty figure. Therefore, morale is an important component of the capability of combat soldiers to achieve a concrete impact on opposing forces and therefore the battle. The increased combat capability from combat experience happens at different rates for different soldiers, but it is important that each soldier remembers their importance to the overarching plan and the overall force.
 
Training is a vital component of readiness for soldiers, and it helps professional development and the accumulation of experience that starts them closer to the higher levels of combat capacity demonstrated by veterans. Constant vigilance by soldiers as engendered by training allows avoidance of adversity such as ambushes, and prevents the combined arms team from operating below maximum capacity. Operationally, failures of sentries stand out as a prime example of how greater training can prevent major unnecessary losses.
 
The army as a whole is a team that must work together in order to be successful, the importance of the combat actions of soldiers are nearly always overshadowed by the realization of synergies between forces and the mutual multiplicative effects on effectiveness. The high training and readiness levels of American units the world over is a major guarantor that the odds of success are decisively against any opposition they may face.
 
It is essential that every man in the army be reminded that their job is important and must be done. Laxity with only minor effects from one man would be calamitous from thousands. A reminder that every job in the modern military is essential provides esteem-boosting actualization that will ensure any vital tasks can be accomplished quickly and successfully despite adversity or opposing action.
 
A culture of bravery under fire must be created among recruits and the traits that make a successful military professional should be identified and encouraged.
 
Even a task as seemingly insignificant as repairing communications gear under fire may prove crucial in battle, and it is important to empower the troops to actualize their goals and frame their actions in the context of overall success to ensure positive action under fire.
 
Convoy actions are another example of even traditionally non-combat soldiers showing great bravery under fire and the professional pride to ensure successful completion of combat-essential tasks despite great fatigue and operational disorder.
 
It cannot be denied that actively engaged soldiers would prefer a cessation of hostilities, but the fastest route to the end of a conflict is identification, isolation and destruction of the opposite side's center of gravity. By destroying the control structures keeping the opposition organized and able to fight, aggressive action allows a shift to a stance of deterrence and prevents losing strength to long drawn-out conflict and the resulting decline in reenlistment.
 
Aggressive action directed towards opposing forces allows the modern military to leverage its information-centric strengths and position itself inside the opponent's OODA loop, gaining control of the battlefield and preventing the opposition from slowly accumulating damage on our deployed force.
 
Despite fears of untried soldiers, aggressive action and devolution of decisions allow the warfighter to fall back on their training to combat the opposition and maintain effectiveness.
 
It is essential that rather than terrain-focused reactive strategies, continual pressure be exerted on the enemy's center of gravity and forces in the field to prevent effective counterattacks.
 
Because of these factors a high operational tempo must be achieved and maintained, and it is essential that no matter the adversity the serviceperson to continue to perform their responsibilities despite difficulty, opposition action or even, in extremis, wounding.
 
While units require individual identity and other factors to maintain high espirit de corps, secrecy must be maintained to prevent disclosure of capabilities to opposition planning elements. If handled properly, soldiers will be reminded of the capabilities of their unit and that those capabilities will provide a particular difficulty for the opposition.
 
By showing how important a soldier's contribution is to overall victory, morale can be boosted by providing actualization of the personal traits that led to enlistment.
 
 
What did I just do with my life.

Or, as an alternate:
 
Regionally aligned forces (RAF) provide capabilities to combatant commanders with agile, adaptable and focused general-purpose forces that can prevent, shape and win in today’s operational environment by generating Soldiers and organizations that are better trained for specific regions.  (italics are not mine, they are from the author)
 
becomes:
 
There's a whole lotta different kinds of bastards out there. We're gonna make sure we've got the right stuff to kill each and every kind of son of a bitch, and we're gonna make sure they know that. And if they know that and they still decide they want war, then they know the tread mark that'll be on their rears.

I'd go with 'the devil', but old scratch is supposed to have good taste.
That thing looks like some sort of heretofore-undiscovered building disease.

It has been a steady process mirroring the slow decline of the USSR.
 
Legend says he gained three pants sizes when the Berlin Wall fell.

As will have become apparent to everyone by now, an additional problem with self-defence weapons is that they invariably make even better offensive weapons. This is one conflicting requirement that I honestly have no answer for, other than to look at purely defensive ideas (read: armour) which have major problems of their own.

As if the combat load of the soldier doesn't expand like an ideal gas to fill the container.

Is that pose the Ski Ramp?

Is that pose the Ski Ramp?

Is that pose the Ski Ramp?

I once said that the Axis' engineering looks like it was designed to impress easily excited amateurs and armchair historians. Only after I said it did I realize the truth of that joke.

I once said that the Axis' engineering looks like it was designed to impress easily excited amateurs and armchair historians. Only after I said it did I realize the truth of that joke.

Video of the Sprint:
 

 

Torx bit in 6.68mm is the bullet our troops need for better capability at longer combat ranges.

Torx bit in 6.68mm is the bullet our troops need for better capability at longer combat ranges.

Grilled cheese belongs with worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar if it's using mozzarella.

It was on the end of a line of AK47s.  The pawn shop dealt in guns that it sold to the local gangs - mostly to the girlfriends of gang members since the actual gangers could not buy guns.  The Model 8 was from an estate sale - the dealer picked it up as part of the sale and could not unload it.  He tried to even get the gangers to take it as part of his 3-1 sales deal - buy three AKs and get the Model 8 at 100 bucks.  
 
I saw it with a 325 price tag.  I had to get some power tools and offered him 25 bucks for the rifle.  Sold.  I ran the serial on NCIC and confirmed I was its second owner, and that it was not stolen.
 
To this day I chuckle over those chrome plated and pink AK47s with 50 rd mags and 100 rd drums with price tags at 2 grand each, and I walked out with a piece of history for the cost of a Mcdonalds meal. 
 
Yakima WA, you have to love it.

This is a really good argument you're making. The caliber creep crowd want to maximize the ability of the rifle to strike at intermediate ranges. If you accept their hypothesis that small caliber rounds are ineffective, than any level of effectiveness gives a good price/performance ratio in that range bracket because the increase in capability is roughly infinite. There's just one catch. The soldier being a man with a rifle went out of fashion at about the same time as the fife and drums. The soldier is a small system that uses weight carrying capacity to bring a variety of tools to kill the enemy at a variety of ranges.
 
The constraining resource is not the allotment of a rifle, it is the ability to carry the weight of infantry equipment. The most weight-efficient way to add capability is the best (unless it involves something crazy enough to make something else, like cost or bulk, the constraint). The other option is rejiggering the relative position of the components of the squad if the individual soldier needs a capability they can't individually carry.
 
I've also got a comedy idea of mechanized infantry spotting for an autoloading mortar on their vehicle.

Let me state why I am against 6.8 as it is different than anyone else' reason.  
 
As a person who studies several forms of technology I would introduce a theory that all technology performs, from a macro point of view, in the same manner, and by watching historical trends one can predict where you are on a technology adoption or change curve, and that allows you to invest time and money on looking for changes.  Two trends always show up - the trend of convergence, where a new technology sucks in all other technologies until it dominates the world, and that of shift, where a technology hits up against a wall and the only way to improve is to seek a new breakthrough outside of the dominant paradigm.
 
The last convergence for technology was 1886 when smokeless powder introduced new chemical paradigms into ground warfare.  Other technologies are peripheral - like digital and electronic, but still important.  However for guns, the convergence is long past, and now we enter shift. The universal weapon idea was the dream of convergence and happened twice - the musket (300 year dominance) and the advanced breach loader (only fifty years).  
 
Now we have entered the far ends of the period of shift where hundreds of specialized designs vie for king, and where minor corrections to course are constantly made seeking out changes that barely can be measured.  My objection to 6.8mm comes from this.  Sure, maybe it has a chubb advantage, and if we measure the erections of gun experts for the larger and longer throw weight of their tumescence we may determine that 6.8 gets a bigger boner factor than 5.56, but the 6.8 is merely a way of hiding from the fact that we are on the bottom of a new slope in technology, and it is very scary because we do not have the scope of the slow yet - we have no idea what is coming next.
 
I like the G11 because it is a test of paradigms that would answer the question "are traditional kinetics ready to go one more round."  I also like the idiotic 20mm thing the US tried out and the idea of plastic rounds, and metal storm.  It keeps someone working on the edge while the next paradigm develops.  The 6.8mm is an automatic looser for me just because it is a return to ideas we have already walked across, with the idea that the past was better than the future.  
 
In reality, I am a big proponent of adopting the 5.7 (and was a fan before it existed, since I am older than most of you, of the Spitfire) and fielding the PDW as a universal rifle.  BOPE has been working with this in their high threat environments and they love the 5.7.  My own experience with it was great, out to 200m a smart reflex sight generates great accuracy.  In combat the 5.7 can have a suppressing effect 250 meters further, which is all 5.56 does anyway.
 
So I would give units a little gun with that 200m envelope coverage.  That is inside danger close envelope where you won't get anyone shooting the big stuff anyway, and the entire modern job I believe of the hand-held kinetic is to fight in alleys and houses, or to clear the area 200m out.  I would design the sights to allow area fire to 600m, but this would be more to sustain suppression while the sniper or other assets find their cover.
 
Next, develop a universal thrower for each rifle that allows each soldier to toss 60mm mortar grenades out to 450m  These should be versatile (different models do different jobs), and include some with terminal guidance.  The GPMG stays with the team, as does the designated marksman, and this group is keyed to engage to this range or a little further.  
 
In Iraq and Afghanistan engagement outside the 450 mark is mostly done by heavies and artillery.   

The mismanagement of the Ottoman Empire's collapse is just one of the major black marks on the Entente after WWI.

It could have easily been the worst thing to happen in the 20th Century, if you know, other things hadn't happened that were somehow even worse.

Based on this I propose the ultimate universal infantry weapon for all purposes based on our A-stan experience.
 
The 66.8 mm mortar is clearly the ideal solution to allow effectiveness at many ranges and has a carefully chosen caliber to make ballistic reformers happy.

Holy crap they combined a bunch of really neat ideas into a package that will surely kill you if you buy it.

But until you die, you'll get a good calf workout.
Alternate joke: Americans are always trying to invent themselves out of having to walk anywhere.

Look Sparky, just because some bad bastard welded a bunch of bazookas to a puddle jumper and managed to kill tanks with it does not make it a good idea.