Nice:

U.S. Marines trapped Taliban fighters in a residential compound and persuaded the insurgents to allow women and children to leave. The troops then moved in — only to discover that the militants had slipped out, dressed in women’s burqas.

Early in the Iran-Iraq War, an AK-47-toting Iranian soldier watches smoke rising from burning oil refineries near the Iranian city of Abadan. The Iraqis under Saddam Hussein, armed and supported by the United States, used mostly M16s. Photo: Henri Bureau/Sygma/Corbis

From Wired.

UPDATE: The big thing I was questioning was “The Iraqis under Saddam Hussein, armed and supported by the United States, used mostly M16s.” I’m unaware of M16s being present in either country in any significant numbers, let alone arming “most” of one nation’s army.

Though DJ Elliot comments that the Iranians had M14s.

Remember, the US had been arming Iran (not Iraq) until the overthrow of the Shah the year before the war started. MO readers will know that Iran still has at least a few F-14 Tomcats in flying condition.

HMS Invincible is dead in the water
Though in the reserve fleet, the aging carrier is apparently in pretty rough shape.

Northrop Grumman Completes First Flight of Land-Based MQ-8B Fire Scout
This whirlybird UAV program continues to move ahead.

E-mails indicate EPA suppressed report skeptical of global warming
Doesn’t seem likely. What would they stand to gain besides money and power?

82nd receives 1st batch of M320s
The Army’s plan is to purchase about 71,600 M320s over the next several years at a cost of about $3,500 each. The weapon replaces the Vietnam-era M203 40mm grenade launcher, with several notable improvements.

It’s Now Legal to Catch a Raindrop in Colorado
But still a no-no in several states.

Blackhawk HawkHook
Rescue/utility knife.

Russia to facilitate U.S. arms movements
Russia will allow the U.S. to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan. Yay, Rooskies!

Girls With Guns Get It
Female troops along on raids are scoring major points.

Military backing algae-based fuel research
I like seeing the military getting involved with alt-fuel projects. Maybe ships could someday have big algae scoops like Bussard ramjets. (Okay, maybe not…)

Daniel Defense DDXV: California compliant AR-15
I’ve not been able to post on this at GunPundit, so go check out the goods at The Firearm Blog.

Cost of U.K. Carriers Reported To Jump 25%
Raise your hand if you think they will build both of these.

Turkey Inks Sub Deal With German Consortium
They’re buying six U-214s. Those puppies have air-independent propulsion.

You’ll Shoot Your Toe Off, Kid
Ouch. Very ouch.

GI ‘walked off’ after completing shift at combat outpost, officials say

It seems he walked off base with three Afghan “counterparts” on Tuesday and hasn’t been seen since.

The whole thing seems odd and we’ll no doubt be hearing more in the coming hours and days. Hopefully, we’ll be hearing that he’s been found and is okay.

Warships to get remote-controlled deck guns
The 25mm (not 22mm as stated in the article) Mk 38 Mod 2 chain gun is being added to most US Navy surface combatants.

Navy officials say the guns take sailors out of the firing line and give them a new set of eyes for protecting the ship against small threats close aboard, but they also help crews with more mundane tasks, such as finding channel buoys.

“They love it,” said Kevin Lapointe, program manager for surface guns at Naval Sea Systems Command. “This is a significant capability — not just the gun. It’s being used for more than it was initially intended. … They’re using it to gather information and do surveillance.”

The optics can move independently of the gun, so checking out a boat doesn’t necessarily mean giving it the business end of the barrel. The gun can also be operated manually if needed, and it has a back-up battery for two hours.

The plan calls for three Mod 2s aboard amphibious assault ships; two for cruisers, destroyers, frigates and Austin-, Whidbey Island- and Harpers Ferry-class amphibious ships; and one for patrol coastal ships. All the guns are scheduled to be installed by 2015

More info here.

The Army’s LandWarrior system will be making its first brigade-wide deployment when the 5thBrigade, 2nd Infantry Division hits the ground in Afghanistan. It was used by a battalion, with pretty good success, in Iraq.

The soldiers of 5th Brigade begin deploying to southern Afghanistan this month and should see less urban combat than previous Stryker deployments to Iraq. But each unit in the brigade will receive Land Warrior. Team leaders, squad leaders, platoon leaders, platoon sergeants and higher will all be equipped with the system.

The two Fort Lewis Stryker brigades deploying later this year to Iraq have requested the system but are unlikely to receive it before they leave, said John Geddes, the Land Warrior trail boss at Fort Lewis.

No doubt the use of the system in a different type of environment and on a larger scale will turn up both more problems and more new uses.

5th Brigade is the one that had been training for Iraq but was shifted to Afghanistan in February.