War Is Boring

Here, a detailed photo essay about the communications equipment belonging to a Russian army brigade. Includes shots of a hilarious mock battle. “After a hand-to-hand fight, the gangster [sic] were defeated,” the author assures us.

by ROBERT BECKHUSEN Mexico The Gulf coast city of Veracruz fired more than 800 police officers and 300 staff — the city’s entire municipal police force — in response to infiltration by the Zetas drug cartel. And until the city’s police force can be rebuilt, marines first deployed to the city in September to fight [...]

The military’s latest secret assessment of China’s rapidly modernizing submarines has good news and bad news for the U.S. Navy. On one hand, the roughly 60 submarines in the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet are spending more and more time on combat-ready patrols — signaling China’s increasing naval competence and growing seriousness about influencing the western Pacific Ocean.

Via Japan Security Watch, an incredible tour of the Russian battlecruiser Varyag.

Not to be confused with the ex-Varyag, now a Chinese “test” aircraft carrier.

At a meeting in Beijing in December, Chinese president Hu Jintao had a powerful message for officials from the People’s Liberation Army Navy. “Prepare for war,” Hu said, using a Mandarin term — junshi douzheng — that means “conflict in general.”

Via Nerve.com.

The Marines have begun testing K-MAX robotic supply helicopters in Afghanistan. Maj. Kyle O’Connor was kind enough to send photos.

The new phase of Chinese naval development could include even more new weapons and sensors than the previous phase, if the recent launch of another specialized testing ship is any indication.

The latest Internet video of the J-20, China’s in-development stealth fighter.

Background here.

In the summer of 2010, journalist David Axe spent a month reporting from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Lord’s Resistance Army has created one of the largest humanitarian crises on earth with its campaign of violence and widespread use of rape as a weapon of war.

I was on NPR’s “On Point” show this morning along with P.W. Singer, talking about drones, drones and drones. Give it a listen.

It was June 12 in the Sangin Valley in southern Afghanistan. U.S. Marines had been fighting the Taliban all day and had suffered heavy casualties, including two killed. Several resupply convoys had been turned back by enemy attack. The Marines were running low on food, water, ammunition and medical supplies.