Zumwalt: The Navy's massive, high-tech destroyer is here

Zumwalt: The Navy's massive, high-tech destroyer is here 

The cutting-edge warship finally enters the water, chockablock with an all-electric integrated power system, an advanced gun system, radar-reflecting angles, and a striking inward-sloping tumblehome hull.

General Dynamics Bath Iron Works launched the first of the Navy’s next-generation Zumwalt-class destroyers on Monday at its Bath, Maine, shipyard.

The 610-foot-long ship is chockablock with new technologies including radar reflecting angles, a striking inward-sloping tumblehome hull, an all-electric integrated power system, and an advanced gun system.

Tumblehome hull

This exterior shot gives a good perspective on the tumblehome design. Meanwhile, on the inside: the cutting-edge operating system aboard the Zumwalt, known as the Total Ship Computing Environment (TSCE), was developed by Raytheon.

The TSCE is the first large-scale implementation of the US Navy's open-architecture strategy. It is designed to bind all Zumwalt on-board systems together and allow for a significant reduction in manning -- with an standard crew size of 130 and an aviation detachment of 28 sailors -- compared to Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

Raytheon said the systems' open architecture design enables commonality across the US Navy's entire family of ships, which allow for easier updating and systems modifications for years to come.

Ready, aim, fire.

The DDG 1000 Zumwalt has a Peripheral Vertical Launching System (PVLS), with each PVLS compartment containing and protecting one MK57 Vertical Launching System.

The cutting-edge computer weapons system also features a couple of 155-millimeter advanced gun systems which can fire rocket-propelled warheads at a range of up to 83 nautical miles. The Navy said the gun system firepower is equivalent to having twelve 155mm howitzers -- giving the ship a three-fold improvement in naval surface fire coverage when compared to current capabilities.

Design features and systems 

The Zumwalt-class destroyer represents what the US Navy describes as a next-generation destroyer technology for deployment in land attacks and anti-surface and anti-air missions.

Workers at General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works in Maine will continue working on the ship through the year. The timetable is to deliver the ship to the Navy in late 2014. The first Zumwalt is expected to be sailing the seas and fully operational sometime in 2016, the Navy said.

Autonomic Fire Suppression System

Along with increased offensive capabilities, the Zumwalt's Autonomic Fire Suppression System equips the ship with an automated damage-control system. It uses a network of sensors, cameras, and automated firefighting capabilities offering the Zumwalt fastest response time to threats.

Enhanced stealth capabilities

With a quiet and efficient all-electric propulsion system, the inward-sloping hull design optimizes speed, maneuverability, and stability while minimizing engine noise and infrared signatures for enhanced stealth capabilities

Big ship, low profile

The absence of high-profile masts and rotating antennas, combined with a composite-material deckhouse, means the Zumwalt-class destroyer will be extremely low profile.

Water sleeting along the sides, along with passive cool air induction, also reduce signature thermal emissions, and although it's almost 40 percent larger than a current Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the radar signature will be more like that of a simple fishing boat than a menacing military machine.

Dennys no longer accept military

We were just at Denise and tried to use our veteran discount and they told us they no longer accept military are veterans discounts. It used to be 10% but now it is nothing.  My guess is Dennys is moving away from honoring men and women brave enough to serve this country.

Brave American Fighters Against ISIS

Iraqi forces have made substantial inroads with the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Tikrit. While the United States has stayed on the sidelines of this particular battle, a number of American veterans have volunteered for the cause, fighting with the Kurdish peshmerga against ISIS in Syria.

Former US Marine Sgt. Patrick Maxwell was one of them. Maxwell deployed to Anbar Province with his Marine unit in 2006. He left the military with an honorable discharge five years later, but he couldn't stay away from the fighting.

Last year, he returned to Iraq, this time as a volunteer with the Kurdish peshmerga forces. In an interview with The New York Times, Maxwell explained, "When I'm enlisted, I'm there to serve my country, protect my country, obey the orders of the officers appointed over me."

He continued: "As a private citizen, I'm going to have an adventure, essentially, and that's my own business."

While the US doesn't have official numbers on American veteran volunteers fighting ISIS, a Y.P.G. Kurdish militia spokesman told The New York Times that their forces include more than 100 American citizens.

Matthew VanDyke knows these veterans well. VanDyke has spent most of his adult life in the Middle East and North Africa, fighting with Libyan rebel forces against Muammar Qaddafi and filming a documentary on the Syrian Civil War. He's also the founder of Sons of Liberty International, a security organization that trains anti-ISIS fighters and recruits American veterans to the cause.

“[These veterans] once did something that they view as significant with the US military,” says VanDyke. “Now they’ve come back and they’re doing a job that they consider to be menial labor or something that they’re not happy with. They want a sense or feeling of belonging or importance again.”

In addition to having a sense of purpose, VanDyke says that veterans are joining forces with the peshmerga because they view ISIS an extension of al-Qaeda.

“They see it as the undoing of years of their own [work] for the US military in Iraq,” he says. “You spent years [fighting], saw comrades die, and perhaps suffered injuries yourself. And then you see, in a matter of a month or so, the sweep of ISIS through Iraq. It really must get to these people.”

The US government has put pressure on Kurdish forces to expel American veterans from their ranks, and now Kurdish forces have said that they are no longer accepting foreign volunteers. Beyond potentially complicating American foreign policy if they are caught, it’s unclear what kind of impact these veterans might have in the fight against ISIS.

“When you’re trained with the military, you’re trained to function as a unit with other trained individuals,” says VanDyke. “When you go there as a lone wolf who is well trained — to work alongside men who are not particularly well-trained — your impact on the battlefield is extremely limited.”

Here is the Kurdish Army Face Book

Donate to benefit volunteer American war fighters against the worst evil this planet has seen since Nazi Germany. 

Funds will go to everything from providing brave men with body armor, ammunition, food and weaponry all the way to paying for tickets home to America for our fallen and wounded. 

Support these brave patriots and help keep our homeland safe.

To donate, click here -->-Anonymous Freedom Fighters.

Today Marks National 0331 Day

Life of an 0331, But I am an 0351, so, What would I know???




What is an 0311 Machine Gunner?

To begin with, expect to walk virtually everywhere. 0331 are attached to infantry units. The only time infantry units ride is when they have to be put somewhere quick. This could be by helo or truck, but then the walking begins.



The HUMVEE gunners are not 0331, they are usually part of mortar T or a unit such as combat engineers and not infantry. I say usually because at times an infantry unit is lucky enough to get a hummer for advanced recon work. The majority of the time, you will be on foot and patrolling in a tactical march column.

You sleep the mud when it rains, in fox holes or defensive positions when in the field. When in garrision it is tents in combat zones and in barracks if in US or Marine Corps bases.

Difference between a rifleman and an 0331 is the weight of the weapon plus extra ammo. I bet you can figure that one out. All the other gear is the same. This is true if you wanted to be a mortarman 0341. Everyone walks.

Level of action - both see the same amount of action since both are on the same patrol. Maybe the question is: Which draws the most enemy fire? Guess what - the machine gunner will receive 10 to 20 times more lead in his direction than the rifleman. You better hope the rifleman is doing his job to take the heat off of you as an 0331!

Harder physically - the weight of the gun and the big box of ammo will feel like a 100 tons after a 20 mile march whereas the M4 rifle with 80 rounds ammo will only feel like 500 lbs.

Advancement - about the same for both 0311 and 0331. Same opportunities since both are grunts doing a grunt job.

Weapons Company - you get assigned to Weapons Company if you are assigned a heavy, crew served gun like the .50 cal MG. Lighter MGs that are organic to an infantry company are part of the company. Often 0331s are attached to Weapons Company and are assigned to infantry companies as heavy support weapons - ditto mortars. So I would say, the odds are good you will be assigned to a Weapons Company. Expect to be doing a lot of weapons cleaning if you are and still have a lot of field time on top of that when the infantry trains.

In Weapons Company, mostly mounted - nope. Most .50 cals are mounted but not so smaller MGs - these you carry. You can be qualified for both but find yourself most of the time assigned to an infantry company.

IF you are looking for a riding job, suggest tanks or LAVs - MT is another. Not much walking, unless your tank or LAV takes a hit and you survive. Ditto MT.

0311 or 0331.

A US Marine stood on the side of the road with a blunt message for Barack H. Obama

We’ve reported about the general disdain for Bowe Bergdahl after the U.S. Army announced he will be charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

We’ve also reported on the animosity toward President Barack Obama for swapping terrorists for Bergdahl’s release.

Bergdahl’s story is a complicated one, sure to inflame many. Incredibly, it shows no signs of quieting down as each passing day presents new allegations on either Bergdahl’s character or Obama’s prisoner swap.

However, one of the most pathetic aspects of this story involves the soldiers who lost their lives while looking for the missing Bergdahl in Afghanistan in 2009.

Now one Marine is exercising his right to free speech with a sign that gets right to the heart of the matter.

We love the sign and this Marine’s conviction to garner support for those who died looking for the alleged traitor. We certainly hope he heard lots of honks, too.

His sign sums up exactly how our military feels about Bergdahl and the traitor in the Oval Office who swapped terrorists for his release.

Obama has said Bergdahl served our country honorably but we have to disagree. The real heroes in this story are the men who lost their lives while looking for Bergdahl. Bergdahl did not serve this country with honor or distinction and many believe he is responsible for those deaths.

Bergdahl is scheduled to appear before a military court in April to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to try him for desertion. If convicted, he could spend five years in prison. Additionally, he is facing life in prison if he is found guilty of misbehavior before the enemy.

If found guilty, we hope he gets the maximum legal punishment allowable.

Please share on Facebook and Twitter if you support this one Marine’s efforts to get the word out about Bergdahl and President Barack Obama.

Do Not Mess with Adam

R.I.P Brothers, 7 U.S. Marines and 4 Soldiers Presumed Dead After Blackhawk Crash In Florida

This is Bad News. Yesterday evening a Blackhawk helicopter crashed with seven Marines from Camp Lejeune, and four aircrew on board. Sadly, At this time, the Pentagon has stated that they are all presumed dead.

Debris from the helicopter and human remains have been found washed ashore, but efforts to recover any possible survivors are still underway.

The helicopter was reported missing around 2030 Tuesday, and debris was found later that night at 0200. Heavy fog is presumed to be possible factor in the crash.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of these warriors, and we will update this story as more details are released.