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And the reason we got the M1A2 in sufficient numbers a few years after the Gulf War is because the Saudis and Kuwaitis bought them. Originally, the US was going to make only 62 to validate the production line and to equip the training base. Similar situation as with the F-15. During the Gulf...

Not just a Our helo pilots had them also, and if we worked a deal, ground guys would have them. I inherited my FIL and it was almost in brand new condition.

As the author mentions, timing is critical. The offensive began on 16 December, and now Pz Bde 150 makes its attack five days later when everyone is alert for German attacks. They should have gone in first.

"Machine guns are atypical weapons not protected by the Second Amendment because a reasonable person would not expect them to be used in militia service,..." I find this statement nonsensical. Why would it be unreasonable? I remember a quote from my favorite political satirist from long ago...

I agree, not a direct reference. Case previously represented the US Gov't in the southern district in US vs. The City of Jackson, MS over unsafe drinking water on behalf of the EPA. No one jumps on this 2A case unless it's perceived that the district US attorney or higher up (Bondi) will look...

Let's examine this further in the original Wa Times article: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/apr/25/trump-administration-says-machine-guns-arent-protected-second/ First, according to the article from two weeks ago, gun groups did react as we would expect. I.e, the Trump admin took...

Side note: Nauru, now the Republic of Nauru had rich deposits of phosphate and mining started in the 1800s. The Brits basically whittled down an entire mountain in the center of the island and this prevented rain clouds piling up the slopes and cooling enough to rain. Hence the water supply...

"...and more to gun culture than democracy-destroying right-wing politics." Umm, OK, thanks for your premise. Next..

I was a MADM asst. OIC if it would ever be deployed in our AO in the day. These were for large autobahn bridges or collapsing choke points along the enemy's advance. Unfortunately, the idea of the SF SADM later ballooned to the infamous suitcase nuke threat post-911 and led to a lot of hand...

I had a love-hate relationship with the vehicle. I served on it for two years before I transferred to regimental HQ. It was great to go where the heavies couldn't and it was fast as heck. I mentioned before that on the automotive side of the house it was pretty reliable if the driver knew...

Honestly, I can't remember. We generally fired one missile per year per vehicle at the TOW target at Graf which was about 2800-3000. If the missile worked, it hit. Problem was we had missiles which "poofed" out of the gun tube, went about 50m and spun around on the ground while everybody ducked.

Apparently, we did as informed by squadron. It was the first and last time we ever fired HE.

Wow. Did not know the background of the round in the late 60s. All I can say is that we didn't have a problem with the heat round and by the time I got to USAREUR the CBSS was working as intended. OTOH, some mensa decided that we would fire the HE round one gunnery at Graf. I mentioned to...

As equally as sordid was the development of the Apache and the concurrent effort to have aviation as a separate branch. In the late 70s/early 80s as a ground guy, though having worked with aviation for about a year, my time in training development put me in a position to work with Dir. of Armor...

"Anti-armor community" = infantry branch primarily. In fact there was an Armor - Anti Armor office in the Pentagon up through the Gulf War IIRC. A former CO of mine had a tour there.

Official language was not fire and forget, yet that phrase popped up consistently in the anti-armor community.

Drop tanks were actually a contentious issue especially with the bomber mafia. The P-38 could fly to Berlin yet the bomber mafia remained adamant that bombers could fly unescorted on long range missions. And bomber crews paid the price for their stubborness. Meanwhile, the 5th AF in the...

Not to mention fog, rain, obscuration of IR tracking flares of both TOW and Shillelagh. All of this reeks of pure McNamara type analysis. Not to mention the infantry community jumped on the "we need a fire and forget weapon system." We've had one for decades, it's called a tank gun.

Thank goodness these eggheads and their weapons eventually went the way of the dodo.

Back in the day, we lived in a small town SW of Nurnburg where we had the entire lower half of a fairly new house. It was the way to go. Just down the road was a farm house and you got use to the honey wagon smell because it was a damn site better than living in the city. The fridge was...