The F35 Follies: The Grift Keeps on Giving

I took months off to work on other projects and catch up on other business. I'm back. The F35 continues to be the gift that keeps on grifting. The F35B and C models are the Marine Corps Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing (STOVL) and US Navy aircraft respectively. Both the B and C models have had their challenges due to the very different takeoff requirements and the concomitant engineering challenges to meet that. And keep in mind all of this expense and reduction in capability to have a stealth capability means nothing in modern peer combat for toose countries that have long wave radar which...

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Ep 070 “Bolivar’s Revenge: The Venezuelan Tar Pit and American Ambition”

Ep 070 “Bolivar’s Revenge: The Venezuelan Tar Pit and American Ambition”

We examine the emerging Venezuelan kerfuffle. There are many currents and undercurrents in the latest incipient war debacle in America history. This will be a disaster for America if it clacks off and; expect the American government to make this a preamble to go kinetic on the drug war generally and the following catastrophes. I covered this in detail in both parts of Ep 059 and 059 "The Mexican Cartel Conundrum: War Without End". Gird your loins for the first war in American history that will lead to significant foreign-born bad actors making war on American soil. *** References: US...

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Ep 070 “Bolivar’s Revenge: The Venezuelan Tar Pit and American Ambition”

Ep 019 “Power Failure: A Thought Experiment on US Expeditionary Vulnerability”

Effective June 2025, I did a major improved revision on the sound quality for all my WarNotes episodes retroactively thanks to the technology at Podsworth. The banal and humble generator set is a secret to destroying US combat power. I wanted to flesh out a thought experiment on the vulnerabilities of the US war machine in its expeditionary mode in future wars of choice if a critical node of its operations for US efficacy were specifically targeted, in this case, generator sets;. these range from small portable units to large, trailer-mounted systems, including the Tactical Quiet Generator...

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Ep 069 “The CG Mailbag: Question Time and the Backbenchers Lament”

Ep 069 “The CG Mailbag: Question Time and the Backbenchers Lament”

It's been quite some time since I have responded to "mail" so I have curated five questions to address:. What are your personal weapons of choice: rifle or pistol? How do you fix the defense acquisition system? Is the American military really in terminal collapse? Storming America; is it still coming to the US? Is America headed to civil war? I'll offer some more recommendations and a path forward. References: RAND wish-casting on drones in 2015. Slaughterbots (2017) Slaughterbots: if human: kill() (2021) How are Drones Changing Modern Warfare? Sun Tzu The Art of War Carl von Clausewitz On...

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Ep 018 “American Military Stalemate and Defeat: A Sterling Record”

Ep 018 “American Military Stalemate and Defeat: A Sterling Record”

I discuss the thumbnail sketches of US military failure since the end of WWI and try to elucidate some of the reasons for the failure and the existential threat this cavalcade of calamities is to 21st century America if the ship of state doesn't reverse course. This a a dangerous time for America to continue its bad habits of wars of choice and allowing its intelligence organizations and their cutout mischief-makers to poke the bear and create black swan events out of whole cloth. America boasts a magnificent 20th century war machine not fit for purpose for 21st century peer warfare. The...

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Boeing, Boeing: The Saga Continues

  Boeing is now a verb synonym for worthless.   The K46 also leaks fuel.   It's a refueler bird.   It leaks fuel.   If you Boeing something, things are really fucked up. https://www.twz.com/air/kc-46-tankers-boom-just-broke-off-during-f-22-refueling-mission Did I mention the cracks that have grounded the fleet? https://www.newsweek.com/air-force-kc-46-cracks-fleet-grounds-2038195

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Ep 070 “Bolivar’s Revenge: The Venezuelan Tar Pit and American Ambition”

Ep 068 “The Military Drone Revolution: Make All Flesh Forfeit”

Despite what you are told by the mainstream news sources in the media, the drone war is here to stay and it will be the most significant war modality for the next generation. It has literally exposed all ground troops and the exquisite platforms the West relies upon in war-making for detailed neutralization and destruction. In concert with the democratized distribution of ubiquitous missile technology, it is the end of Western dominance in warfare. Despite what you may think, the US conventional forces are in terminal collapse and completely unprepared for 21st century peer conflict. I'll...

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Chasing Ghosts and WarNotes Podcast Upgrades

I have been retrofitting and improving the sound to my podcasts WarNotes episodes are done with the Podsworth app upgrade. Chasing Ghosts upgrades to episodes 1-3, 6, 8-26 and 58-67 are now complete (updated on RSS, Substack and the Libertarian Institute). I know it seems rather chaotic but when I went back to reprocess, some things were missing or needed attention. Finished uploading the remainder this morning for processing and then when the dust settles, I will see what I missed. If I missed something you identify or any feedback, let me know. As always, I am indebted to your...

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