These pics were taken on the Yagzie river in China!
Archive for 2013
You Never Know Where They’ll Show Up
Sunday, December 1st, 2013Grey Cell – ‘China flexes its military muscle’ By Jonny Eberle
Sunday, December 1st, 2013Two massive American B-52 bombers sailed calmly through the skies above the East China Sea. Below, three islands sit in the waters between Japan and China and which side of the border they lie on is hotly disputed. On November 23, China announced that it had annexed the airspace above the islands and would require all planes flying through it to file a flight plan with Beijing. Three days later, the unarmed U.S. planes passed through the airspace without incident as tensions continue to ratchet up.
“We view this development as a destabilizing attempt to alter the status quo in the region,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said in response to the Chinese statement, reports Bloomberg. “This unilateral action increases the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculations.”
China’s extension of its sovereign airspace over the disputed islands is merely the latest development in a series of escalating incidents between the two Asian powers. The currently uninhabited islands, known as Diaoyu in Chinese and Senkaku in Japanese, lie northeast of Taiwan in a region where the exclusive economic zones of each country overlap. According to the BBC, the surrounding seafloor is home to extensive oil and gas reserves.
The United States’ ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, criticized China’s move as unnecessarily aggressive.
“Unilateral actions like those taken by China with their announcement of an East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone undermine security and constitute an attempt to change the status quo in the East China Sea,” Kennedy told ABC News. “This only serves to increase tension in the region.”
Tensions in Asia have already been high as China seeks to build up its military might. In recent years, China has invested heavily in bulking up its defenses, especially its coast guard and navy. According to The Guardian, the nascent coast guard confronted Japanese patrol ships that control the archipelago in June. No shots were fired, but the ships came within loudspeaker range. In early November, China’s first aircraft carrier left port to conduct drills in the South China Sea.
Shortly after American bombers buzzed China’s new air defense zone, Beijing issued a statement saying they were able to monitor the planes’ progress through the area.
“China’s air force monitored the entire course [of the U.S. bombers], identified them in a timely way and ascertained the type of U.S. aircraft,” the statement said, writes the BBC. “China has the ability to effectively manage and control the relevant air zone.”
Despite the saber rattling, experts agree that the U.S. defiance of China’s self-proclaimed airspace sent a clear message. The Obama Administration is in the midst of a military pivot to Asia. Challenging China also signals that the U.S. will support Japan, a longtime ally, despite its strong economic relationship with Beijing.
Following the B-52s, two Japanese commercial airliners also flew through the restricted airspace without filing a flight plan with Beijing. For now, it seems China’s bluff has been called, though their determination to force negotiations over the islands remains. Neighboring countries worry that territorial competition could lead to a military conflict.
“We see competition and conflict in the region deepening,” South Korea’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told The New York Times. “Things can take a dramatic turn for the worse if territorial conflicts and historical issues are merged with nationalism.”?
Sources:
Bloomberg: U.S. Sent B-52s Into China Air Zone, Official Says. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-26/u-s-sent-b-52s-over-disputed-china-air-zone-official-says.html
BBC News: China ‘monitored’ US bombers in new air zone. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-25099123
ABC News: Ambassador Kennedy Accuses China of Raising Tension in the Region. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/11/ambassador-kennedy-accuses-china-of-raising-tension-in-the-region/
The Guardian: China’s coastguard confronts Japanses ships near disputed islands. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/26/china-coastguard-confronts-japan-disputed-islands
The New York Times: After Challenges, China Appears to Backpedal on Air Zone. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/28/world/asia/china-explains-handling-of-b-52-flight-as-tensions-escalate.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
Reuters: U.S. affirms support for Japan in islands dispute with China. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/27/us-usa-china-idUSBRE9AQ0T920131127
The Atlantic: China’s new maritime muscle. http://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/11/chinas-new-maritime-muscle/281902/
Daniel Defense – Banned By The NFL
Saturday, November 30th, 2013In case you haven’t heard, the NFL recently denied a commercial by Georgia-based firearms manufacturer Daniel Defense to be played during the 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII on FOX, on the grounds that it violates the firearms portion of the NFL’s Prohibited Advertising Categories:
“5. Firearms, ammunition or other weapons are prohibited; however, stores that sell firearms and ammunitions (e.g., outdoor stores and camping stores) will be permitted, provided they sell other products and the ads do not mention firearms, ammunition or other weapons.”
The commercial, which can be seen above, doesn’t technically violate the NFL’s policy, with (arguable) exception to the DDM4 silhouette logo at the end. Daniel Defense offered to replace the potentially offending logo with “…an American flag and/or the words “Shall not be infringed.””. The NFL countered the offer with an additional non-negotiable denial. Surprisingly, Daniel Defense had no trouble running a commercial in local Georgia markets during the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI on NBC.
Gunfighter Moment – Larry Vickers 
Saturday, November 30th, 2013
I’ve had some people ask me about dust covers or lack of them on assault rifles – with the AR15/M16/M4 family being the most notable example of a rifle that has a dust cover as standard issue. Recently there have been lower cost M4-style rifles hitting the market that have deleted the dust cover altogether. In my opinion this is done entirely as a cost cutting measure and not to enhance performance in any way.
My opinion is that on an AR, the dust cover is a plus with no real negatives – rarely does the dust cover spring break and cause malfunctions by bouncing back up to induce ejection stoppages during firing. It can certainly happen, but the likelihood of a stoppage due to debris entering the action from a lack of dust cover being in place is far higher.
The AR15 family of rifles was designed to have a Sturmgewehr inspired dust cover and all variants should in fact have one – if they don’t they fall into the category of guns for games and not guns for fighting.
-Larry Vickers
Vickers Tactical Inc.
Host of TacTV
Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical in a retired US Army 1st SFOD-Delta combat veteran with years of experience in the firearms industry as a combat marksmanship instructor and industry consultant. In recent years he has hosted tactical firearms related TV shows on the Sportsman Channel with the latest being TacTV of which Bravo Company is a presenting sponsor.Larry Vickers special operations background is one of the most unique in the industry today; he has been directly or indirectly involved in the some of the most significant special operations missions of the last quarter century. During Operation Just Cause he participated in Operation Acid Gambit – the rescue of Kurt Muse from Modelo Prison in Panama City, Panama. As a tactics and marksmanship instructor on active duty he helped train special operations personnel that later captured Saddam Hussein and eliminated his sons Uday and Qusay Hussein. In addition he was directly involved in the design and development of the HK416 for Tier One SOF use which was used by Naval Special Warfare personnel to kill Osama Bin Laden. Larry Vickers has developed various small arms accessories with the most notable being his signature sling manufactured by Blue Force Gear and Glock accessories made by Tangodown. In addition he has maintained strong relationships with premium companies within the tactical firearms industry such as BCM, Aimpoint, Black Hills Ammunition, Wilson Combat and Schmidt & Bender.
Larry Vickers travels the country conducting combat marksmanship classes for law abiding civilians, law enforcement and military and has partnered with Alias Training to coordinate classes to best meet the needs of the students attending the class.
Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer some words of wisdom.
Spectre Admin Mobility Panel from SOD Gear
Saturday, November 30th, 2013
Noveske BEER TAP Handle
Friday, November 29th, 2013
Available from Shop Noveske is an extremely limited run of Noveske beer tap handles. The piece resembles a stainless 10.5″ Basic Noveske Upper, with an actual KX3 permanently fixed to the barrel. Each piece includes certificate of authenticity. A great addition to any tactical-inclined mancave or bar.
shopnoveske.com/collections/extras/products/noveske-beer-tap
Forces Focus – Le Groupement Commando Montagne
Friday, November 29th, 2013We’ve mentioned the French 27e Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins but this video showcases the capabilities of the entire Groupement Commando Montagne or Mountain Commando Group.
Merci Pierre
Polaris Ranger To Assist In The DARPA Robotics Challenge
Friday, November 29th, 2013
Minneapolis MN, November 26, 2013 – Polaris® Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), the leading manufacturer of off-road vehicles, today announced that Polaris RANGER® XP 900 EPS vehicles will be used as part of the DARPA Robotics Challenge to be held December 20-21, 2013, at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla.
In the early stages of a number of recent disasters, it was clear there were limitations to what mitigation steps humans could take due to dangerous conditions. The DARPA Robotics Challenge was created to spur development of advanced robots that can help humans to better respond to future disasters. The Challenge includes eight tasks that simulate the duties a robot might have to perform in such a situation. DARPA will use the RANGER XP 900 EPS in one of the eight tasks to help demonstrate robots’ ability to operate vehicles, since they are among the tools commonly on hand in disaster zones. The Polaris RANGER XP 900 is the best-selling vehicle in its class and widely available across the U.S.
“We have found off-road vehicles are some of the most useful vehicles in disaster relief due to their ease of transport and ability to traverse challenging terrain,” said Patrick Weldon, product manager for Polaris Defense. “Our specialized vehicles are designed to the end user’s specifications. For the DARPA Robotics Challenge, the RANGERs were built to accommodate the robots and provide mobility at the mock disaster site.”
The RANGER XP 900 EPS was customized for the Challenge with a remote SafeStop Electronic Throttle Kill and Brake Actuation technology. A 1000-lb./453 kg. capacity bed provides space for the robot’s power supply, and inside the cab, the bench seat and tilt steering provide ample room for robots to operate the vehicle.
The driving task requires the robots to drive the RANGER XP 900 EPS through a 250-ft/76-m course with obstacles and varied widths, and exhibit the ability to turn the vehicle in a full circle.
In the future, the versatility of the RANGER platform would allow a robot to transport tools, equipment, supplies and power around a disaster site, while traversing the difficult terrain often found in disaster situations.
