Category Archives: International

International, Technology

Vehicle I-D: Marina Armada de México Mil 17

Video

Mil 17=NATO reporting name ‘Hip’.

Marina=Marine, as in ocean/sea/water.

Armada=Fleet of ocean going military vehicles, or navy.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Second Class John Stratton, 31JAN2010.

Mexican Mil 17-V5 delivers aid to Haiti, 31JAN2010.

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Eric T. Crosby, 20JUL2012.

Mexican Navy Mi-17 Hip lands behind a U.S. Marine CH-53E Sea Stallion on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2).

USN photo by Petty Officer First Class Paul Seeber, 13JUL2012.

Mil 17-1V flying off ARM Usumacinta A412 (ex-U.S. Navy USS Frederick LST1184 tank landing ship) during Rim of the Pacific war games (RimPac), 13JUL2012.

USN photo by Petty Officer First Class Paul Seeber, 14JUL2012.

Maintenance on an Mi-17-1V, July 2012.

USN photo by Petty Officer First Class Paul Seeber, 11JUL2012.

U.S. Navy video by Petty Officer First Class Paul Seeber, fast roping from a Mexican Hip, during RimPac, 15JUL2012:

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Captain Naomi Dorren, 16AUG2014.

Infanteria de Marina (Infantry of the Ocean) board a Mil 17-1V during exercise Partnership of the Americas, in Chile, August 2014.

USMC photo by Private First Class Devan Gowans, 06SEP2015.

Mil 17-1V lands on ARM Usumacinta A412 during Exercise Dawn Blitz, 06SEP2015.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Frank Cordoba.

During 2016’s RimPac wargames, Mexican navy Mi-17-V5 were used in training operations on Hawaii and California.  This is a medevac operation on San Clemente Island, California, 28JUL2016.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Jason Estevez.

Mexican Marina Mil 17-V5 arrives on U.S. Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, 23OCT2017, for exercise Bold Alligator.

USMC photo by Corporal Jason Estevez, 23OCT2017.

U.S. Marine Corps video by Chief Warrant Officer Izzel Sanchez, 23OCT2017:

USMC photo by Corporal Jason Estevez, 23OCT2017.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Cody J. Ohira.

Mi-17-V5 parked near a CH-53E Super Stallion, MCAS New River, North Carolina, 23OCT2017.

Vehicle I-D: UH-60 FOR AFGHANISTAN, KILLED-OFF BY THE MIL 17?

International, Technology

Already-paid-for Obama-era Patrol Boat, sunk by Biden? Re-floated by Ukraine Crisis!

Video

(This report has been updated) In June 2022, the U.S. Navy (USN) announced a replacement for the expensive Mark VI(6) patrol boat; the 40PB Defiant. 

As of January 2022, Ukraine placed an order for 12 Mark-6 patrol boats.  This was part of a U.S. Department of State subsidized deal for 16 boats, announced back in June 2020!

In May 2021, the USN suspended their planned ‘divestment’ of the Mark-6 patrol boat.

Surprisingly, in February 2021 the USN announced that it will get rid of the Mark-6 by the end of the year, despite the fact that U.S. taxpayers already paid $15-million per Mark-6 Patrol Boat!  The USN blames it on reliability problems and cost of operations, and the claim that the U.S. President Joseph Robinette Biden Junior wants to cut funding to the military!

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Brienna Tuck, 25FEB2021.

U.S. Navy Mark VI (6) patrol boat with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in The Philippine Sea, 25FEB2021.  The Mark-6 was intended to replace much older Riverine boats.  It looked like the Mark-6 was a highly capable patrol boat.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Brienna Tuck, 25FEB2021.

A Mark-6 refuels from USS Ashland (LSD 48) in The Philippine Sea, 25FEB2021.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Brienna Tuck, 25FEB2021.

The news of the USN’s decision to ‘divest’ their Mark-6 Patrol Boats comes a month after (January 2021) Ukraine signed a U.S. State Department Foreign Military Sales deal to buy the 16 new-build Mark-6 boats from SAFE Boats International. The total cost of the U.S. taxpayer subsidized deal comes to $600-million!

USMC photo by Sergeant Jennessa Davey, 06JAN2021.

In June 2020, the U.S. Department of State announced a Foreign Military Sale for up to 16 Mark-6 patrol boats, and associated equipment, to Ukraine.  State Department Foreign Military Sales are subsidized with U.S. taxpayer funding, because the sales are considered a form of “security assistance”!

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Cody Rich, 06MAY2020.

Somewhere in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, May 2020.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Kory Alsberry, 06MAY2020.

Video by Petty Officer Second Class William Carlisle, .50 cal. (12.7mm x 99mm) and 7.62mm NATO (7.62mm x 51mm) live fire near Bahrain, 16APR2020 (don’t get sea-sick):

In 2019, two Mark-6 boats set a record for nautical miles sailed by coastal/river patrol boats. 

USN photo by Chief Boatswain’s Mate Nelson Doromal Junior, 19SEP2019.

Mark-6 off San Diego, California, 19SEP2019.

USN photo by Chief Boatswain’s Mate Nelson Doromal Junior, 19SEP2019.

USN photo by Petty Officer First Class Woody Paschall, 05JUN2019.

Mark-6 off San Diego, California, 05JUN2019.

USN photo by Petty Officer First Class Woody Paschall, 05JUN2019.

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class John Philip Wagner Junior, 17MAY2019.

Mark-6 Patrol Boat delivered to Santa Rita, Guam, 17MAY2019.

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class John Philip Wagner Junior, 17MAY2019.

Music video by Petty Officer Second Class Kelsey L. Adams, .50 cal. live fire, including remote .50 cal. weapon system, near Santa Rita, Guam, 29MAR2019:

U.S. Navy video report by Petty Officer First Class Stacy D. Laseter, 23APR2018:

The 12th USN Mark-6 was delivered in 2017 (Trump era).

Video by Petty Officer First Class Arthurgwain L. Marquez, Coastal Riverine Squadron Two (CRS-2) sails near Santa Rita, Guam, 30SEP2016:

USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Shannon Burns, 16DEC2016.

Three types of patrol boats, as of December 2016, from left to right; Sea Ark, Coastal Command boat, and Mark VI patrol boat.

SAFE Boats International delivered the first Mark-6, to the USN, in 2014 (Obama era).  Originally it was thought that 48 patrol boats would be ordered, but only 12 were paid for.

River Gun Boat: ROMÂNIA

Vehicle I-D: U.S. NAVY KEEPS OLD U.S. ARMY BOAT-TRUCK AFLOAT

USMC 2020: LAST RIDE FOR 1ST, 2ND & 4TH TANK

International

U.S. Taxpayers fund Japanese military vehicles for Iraq, again!

Image

Once again, Toyota is involved with supplying vehicles for military forces, and this time they’re openly being paid for by U.S. taxpayers!

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Armando Vasquez.

On 26JAN2021, almost U.S.$1-million worth of militarized Toyota four-by-fours were given to Iraqi ‘security’ forces, paid for through the U.S. Al Asad Air Base Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) program.

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Armando Vasquez.

The Toyotas were part of a total package of $6.6-million worth of vehicles, that included HMMWVs, “divested” to the Iraqi security forces!

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Armando Vasquez.

U.S. taxpayers have a long history of supplying Iraq with vehicles.

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Roger Jackson.

Divestment of U.S. HMMWVs to Iraq, 29JUN2019.

U.S. Army photo by Master Sergeant Horace Murray.

A U.S. purchased Mercedes truck being staged for ‘divestment’ to Iraqi security forces at the Besmaya Range Complex, 20JAN2018.

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Travis Jones.

U.S. supplies Iraqi security forces with Toyota 4X4s, at Camp Al Asad, 26DEC2017.

U.S. Army photo by Corporal Tracy McKithern.

U.S. funded vehicles divested to Iraqi security forces at the Besmaya Range Complex, 03AUG2017.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jacqueline Romero.

This U.S. supplied Iraqi HMMWV was nicknamed Project One because it was the first to be overhauled by an Iraqi maintenance crew at Taji.

Photo by Specialist Sarah De Boise.

In April 2008, U.S. and Iraqi military leaders met in Mosul to discuss supplying Iraqi security forces with new vehicles.  It was believed that by providing U.S. taxpayer funded vehicles to Iraq, that Iraq would be able to take care of its security concerns and the U.S. could draw-down its military forces.

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Joshua R. Ford.

In September 2006, the U.S. military gave the Iraqi city of Bayji $670-thousand worth of sewage trucks, trash trucks and a 25-ton crane.  None of them made in the U.S.

World War 3: RUSSIA BACKS UP BLIND-BAT-NEWS’ CLAIM AS TO WHERE ALL THOSE TOYOTAS ARE COMING FROM!

False Flag 2015:  U.S. ALLY JAPAN SUPPLIES ISLAMIC STATE WITH CONVOYS OF NEW TOYOTAS! NISSAN & FORD AS WELL!

International

U.S. Taxpayers give German and Japanese vehicles to Georgian Border Police!

Image

Defense Threat Reduction Agency photo by Andrea Chaney.

On 27JAN2021, the U.S. Embassy in Georgia presented 15 vehicles, made by Suzuki and MAN, to the Georgian Border Police.

DTRA photo by Andrea Chaney.

The vehicles were funded through the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Proliferation Prevention Program (PPP). 

Georgian Border Police photo.

For several years the United States, other NATO members as well as the European Union, have been spending their taxpayer’s money on building up Georgia’s border police.  

29JUL2020: European Union peacekeepers deploy new observation vehicles to Georgia’s border with Russia.

27JUL2020: U.S. provides Georgian border guards with modern all-terrain vehicles.

19OCT2019: Georgia receives 15 brand new vehicles from NATO.

January 2019: U.S. multi-agency Super Surge

Business/Economics, Idaho, International

Global Sugar Crisis, better stock up now!

Since the end of 2019, agricultural analysts have been warning of a global sugar shortage and thanks to a combination of pandemic, logistics, market and labor shenanigans, it is now upon us.  Here’s a list of links to news reports and food industry analysis, as of 10FEB2021.

New medical study says sugar promotes cancer killing Gamma-Delta T-cells!

Sugar shortage results in massive growth of sugar free chocolate market!

Global organic coconut sugar market expect to be worth U.S.-$442.8-million by 2027.

Monk Fruit sugar market expects steady growth until 2026.

Pandemic to affect organic sugar markets until 2025?

Predictions for the future of the global sugar market.

Brown sugar market predictions until 2029.

Powdered sugar market predictions until 2026.

Is there demand for sugar made from Dates?

Myths about sugar health risks debunked

European Food Agency:  Decades of logistical and government policy failures of European Union’s sugar industry, and now global shortages, results in a massive taxpayer funded study to solve the EU’s sugar supply chain problem.

AUSTRALIA: Aussie farmers told to focus on sugar production, to profit off the sugar shortage in Europe!

INDIA: Sugar farmers go on strike saying they haven’t been paid for their last sugar harvest!

Shipping container shortage and skyrocketing transportation costs halt sugar exports: “India has exported around 70,000 tonne [metric tons] so far. The container shortage, however, is affecting exports. Sri Lanka consumes around 60,000 tonne of sugar from India every month. But the freight costs have gone up from $250 per container to $1,000 between January 2020 and January 2021. Afghanistan consumes 60,000 tonne of sugar from India every month and freight costs for Afghanistan have gone up from $125 per container to $550 per container. There has been a sharp increase in freight rates and shipping is pretty tight at the moment.”-Rahil Shaikh, ‎MEIR Commodities India

INDONESIA: Government tries to expand sugar production by relaxing sugar licensing regulations, it fails due to lack of technologies and skyrocketing costs of operations.

KOREA: North Korea blames food shortages, including sugar, on the pandemic.

PAKISTAN: Government to attempt to import another 0.5m tonnes of sugar to overcome shortage.

PHILIPPINES:  Long term sugar shortage expected.

THAILAND: Black Sugar (the result of farmers burning sugarcane fields, not to be confused with Japanese Kuru Sato) increases due to lack of migrant farm workers caused by pandemic restrictions!

UNITED STATES: Sugar Processors Raise Prices as U.S. Faces Possible Sugar Shortage.

Florida; NASA releases images of Florida’s burning sugarcane farms (black sugar)

Georgia; Coca-Cola reports largest drop in volume production since World War Two, blames it on the pandemic!

Idaho; I live in Southeastern Idaho and since last year soda-pops made with 100% sugar (instead of 100% high fructose corn syrup, which is what the overwhelming majority of sodas are made with) have been disappearing.  In the past two weeks 100% sugar sodas have all but completely disappeared from local grocery store shelves (except for some very expensive gourmet sodas sold in individual bottles).

Amalgamated Sugar 2020 crop comes in at just over 40 tons per acre.

Idaho sugar beet growers report 29% increase in sugar beet revenues.

New York; Sugar High On Wall Street As White-Sugar Futures Climb On Container Shipping Worries.

 

Food Crisis:  SOYLENT GREEN PET FOOD? OR, ARE PEOPLE BEING PREPPED TO EAT PET FOOD?

Operation CoViD-19: COVERT OP TO CONTROL THE GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY?

U.S. Food Crisis, February 2019: “LONG HOURS, EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, EQUIPMENT FAILURES, WAGE HIKES”

International, U.S.

Texas spread thin: تحالف مصر وتكساس Egypt and Texas form alliance!

Image

On 29JAN2021, it was announced that armored vehicles assigned to 3rd Squadron of the 278th Armored Cavalry (Cav-all-ry, not cal-va-ry) Regiment, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, are being shifted to Texas Army National Guard, to support The Lone Star State’s military alliances with Chile, Czech Republic, and now Egypt: “The Texas Military Department is proud to play a key role in the overall U.S.-Egypt relationship. From the Texas National Guard’s continued participation in Exercise Bright Star – a decades-running, multilateral defense exercise, to Texas National Guard units supporting the MFO’s [Multinational Force Observers] mission in Sinai, Texas is a key player in the military partnership between our two countries. The formal establishment of our partnership through the State Partnership Program codifies and makes official a relationship between our militaries that has been in the making for decades.”-Major General Tracy R. Norris,  Adjutant General of the State of Texas

There is a town in Texas named Egypt, but in August 2020 the U.S. state of Texas and the government of the country of Egypt formed a military alliance.

In 1993 (end of the Cold War), Texas joined Nebraska in a military partnership with then newley created Czech Republic at the behest of the U.S. Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program.

Photo by Staff Sergeant Herschel Talley.

During the January 2021 presidential inauguration SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fucked Up) the Czech Republic’s embassy staff provided traditional Czech goulash and bread to five-hundred Texas and Nebraska National Guard personnel deployed to the failed ‘state’ of Washington DC.

Photo by Staff Sergeant Herschel Talley.

Then in 2008, the Texas Military Department (aka National Guard) formed an military alliance with Chile.

Photo by Charles E. Spirtos.

On 24AUG2020, Egypt officially became a new military partner at a signing ceremony at Camp Mabry, Texas (another signing ceremony took place in Cairo, Egypt, later in the year).

Photo by Staff Sergeant Eliverto Larios.

Earlier in the year, March 2020, Texas Army National Guard took over ‘peace-keeping’ ops from Guam Army National Guard in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

As part of the official alliance, Egyptian military and civil officials toured border operations along the Texas-Mexico border.

The border tour included a ride in an air-boat on the Rio Grande/Río Bravo del Norte.

In 2018, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) began hosting border patrol training for Egyptian border guards at its academy in New Mexico: “The [Egyptian] delegation was surprised that we were willing to share so much information about our training program.”-Doyle E. Amidon Junior, CBP’s attaché to Egypt

Photo by Master Sergeant Mindy Bloem.

The official information about the new ‘long-term partnership’ says Texas and Egypt will conduct operations involving C-130 transport aircraft, F-16 fighter aircraft, cyber defense, logistics, special forces, homeland security response preparedness, military support to civilian authorities, and humanitarian and disaster assistance response.

Photo by Sergeant First Class Nicholas Salcido.

In March 2015, officials with the Egyptian Military Nursing Training Academy came to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to seek advice from the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, as well as the Christian (Catholic) University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, in how to deal with the increasing medical problems of the Egyptian population.

The State Partnership Program boasts that 84 countries have signed alliances with various state National Guard organizations.

“We are going to have to stop being the policemen of the world.”-Donald Trump, August 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt

Great Reneger: DEPLOYMENTS SO COMMON EVEN BEERS ARE NAMED AFTER THEM

Great Reneger: IDAHO MILITIA’s RECORD NUMBER OF DEPLOYMENTS IN ONE YEAR?

My immigrant Idaho: Do you know that Singapore has an air base in Southern Idaho?

International, Technology

Vehicle I-D: Kuwaiti C-17 الكويت

Image

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

On 22JAN2021, a Kuwaiti C-17 Globmaster-3 landed on Dover Air Force Base (AFB) in Delaware, United States.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Kuwaiti C-17 was visiting Dover AFB as part of a completion of a military sales deal.  Dover AFB is directly involved in $3.5-billion worth of yearly U.S. military sales to other countries.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

2021 is also the 30th Anniversary of the U.S. liberation of Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

The information released with the photos does not go into details about the U.S.-Kuwaiti military sales deal.   However in December 2020, the U.S. Department of State announced a $4.2-billion sale of U.S. military equipment to Kuwait, which included AH-64 Apache gunships and parts for Patriot missiles.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Christopher Quail, 22JAN2021.

Snowblind: C-130 OHIO C-17 PENNSYLVANIA

Bare Metal: C-17 STRIPPED

2018: USAF WINS FEMALE RECRUITS WITH BABY C-17

C-17 NOSE ART

Vehicle I-D: C-17 DUMPS HMMWVS ON SOUTH CAROLINA, AWESOME VID!

International, Technology

California Orel nad Ukrainoy Орел над Украиной

Video

Photo by Captain Jason Sanchez.

California Air National Guard, 144th Fighter Wing, 194th Fighter Squadron’s F-15C Eagle #84-004 preps to take-off from Fresno Yosemite International Airport, California, to participate in the Orange Flag wargame, along with aircrews from Edwards Air Force Base and China Lake Naval Air Station, 10DEC2019.

Photo by Captain Jason Sanchez.

Photo by Captain Jason Sanchez.

2019 California Capital Airshow at Mather Airport near Sacramento.

Photo by Technical Sergeant Charles Vaughn.

84-004 lands at Starokostiantyniv Air Base, Ukraine, for wargame Clear Sky, 06OCT2018.   

Photo by Technical Sergeant Charles Vaughn.

#84-004 was painted in an eagle motif for the 194FS’s 75th Anniversary, which was officially in 2018.  The 194FS was established in 1946, but was not federally recognized until 1948.

Clear Sky video explainer by Staff Sergeant Christian Jadot:

Photo by Technical Sergeant Charles Vaughn.

A California Eagle taxis past Ukrainian Sukhoi 27s, 09OCT2018.

Video report by Staff Sergeant Christian Jadot, a happy California Eagle pilot talks about “finally” being in Ukraine:

2017: CALIFORNIA CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF OPS IN UKRAINE!

Finland: OREGON KOTKAT LENTÄÄ SUOMEN YLI

International, U.S.

Biden’s Borderland, Mexico and Canada!

Welcome to borderland hell under the new U.S. President, links to main stream news reports from 28-29 January 2021:

The Reality Behind Biden’s Plan to Legalize 11 Million Immigrants
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Biden orders ICE to stop using the phrase illegal alien

Jury awards $30-thousand over Minnesota county’s jail policy for foreign-born immigrants
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Facial recognition now in use at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

Most international e-commerce purchases made by young adults

Legal cross border trucking from Canada and Mexico declines

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Mexico complains of increase in gun smuggling from United States

Gruesome attack leaves 19 people dead and burned on the U.S.-Mexico border

Thousands of migrants sit in Mexico desperate for answers from the Biden administration
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Meth seizure is largest ever at Canadian border
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Photo by Ricardo Castrodad.

U.S. Ramey Sector Border Patrol agents, with the assistance of a U.S. Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew, apprehended two male Dominican Republic nationals and seized 157 pounds (71 Kilos) of cocaine near Villa Montana in Isabela, Puerto Rico, 23JAN2021.

Photo by Petty Officer Second Class Amanda Wyrick.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Spencer (WMEC 905) credited with capturing more than $10-million of illegal drugs.

NEW YEAR, NEW PRESIDENT, SAME WAR ON DRUGS & ILLEGALS!

U.S. BORDER WALL MILESTONES OF 2020

Operation CoViD-19: BORDER GUARDS

International, Technology

Oregon Kotkat lentää Suomen yli

Video

During May 2016, the Oregon Air National Guard spread their F-15C Eagle (Kotkat) wings all the way to Finland (Suomi), for NATO’s Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Jefferson Thompson, 10MAY2016.

One of the 173rd’s Eagles was decked-out with a special one year only paint scheme in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Oregon Air National Guard.

Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Jefferson Thompson, 10MAY2016.

Oregon’s  173rd Fighter Wing operated out of Finland’s  Rissala Air Base, aka Kuopio Airport.

Finnish Defense Forces video of Oregon’s visit:

Kuopio Airport/Rissala Air Base is home to Finland’s Karelia Air Command.  This is the flag of Karelia Air Command.

Oregon Air National Guard explainer video report:

Oregon Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Jefferson Thompson, 10MAY2016.

Oregon’s F-15Cs flew alongside Finland’s F/A-18s, fighting against Swedish Saab aircraft during the NATO wargame.

2020: NEW TAIL FEATHERS FOR OREGON EAGLE

2013:

F-15 OVER NORGE