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Aviation Week has a pretty good writeup of what AutoGCAS is and how it works.

WASHINGTON — The military services have identified 1,357 medals awarded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could qualify for higher honors, according to Pentagon officials.

In January, the Pentagon launched an extensive review into the number of Medals of Honor, Silver Stars and service crosses awarded for actions taken in Iraq and Afghanistan. The review could lead to upgrades to certain medals depending on the outcome. The initial estimate suggested about 1,100 medals were being reviewed.

The Army is reviewing 785 Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross awards. The Navy, including the Marines, is reviewing 425 Navy Cross and Silver Star medals. The Air Force is reviewing 147 medals, including 135 Silver Stars and 12 Air Force Crosses.

via www.stripes.com

Good.
That's not to say that there must be a bunch of upgrades. It's just that it is entirely possible that at some point in the process, some awards were not properly staffed (and the staffs do have other things going on, like fighting a war) and a second look is a good idea.

So, Oshkosh in coordination with the Army is planning on mounting an M230LF 30mm autocannon on at least some portion of the future fleet of Joint Tactical Light Vehicles (JLTV). The JLTV is the replacement for the Humvee, at least in some missions, such as for light mounted Scout Platoons.

Oshkosh Corp. will feature its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle outfitted with an Orbital ATK’s M230 LF 30 mm lightweight automatic chain gun at the National Guard Association of the United States Conference Sept. 10-12 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland.

JLTV is the next generation light tactical vehicle that was selected by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to replace a portion of the outdated, armored Humvee fleet.

Army maneuver leaders, such as Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, have been campaigning for the service to adopt a 30mm cannon for the JLTV to give units such as scout platoons a more potent weapon than the .50 caliber machine gun.

Oshkosh officials said the JLTV at the NGUAS conference will feature the 30mm cannon teamed up with an EOS R-400S-MK2 remote weapon system to demonstrate the vehicle’s ability to support increased lethality including a medium caliber weapon system.

The M230LF is a slightly modified version of the 30mm chain gun used on the AH-64 Apache. As you’ve probably seen on YouTube, the 30mm is a very handy little weapon. It should be noted that the M230 is a relatively low velocity gun. That keeps recoil down to a level where a light truck like the JLTV can gainfully employ it.

The current fleet of Humvees typically uses a mix of M2 .50 caliber machine guns and Mk19 40mm grenade launchers to provide them with firepower.

There’s always a tension between the light and heavy sides of the Army. Back in the early 1980s, while Reagan was able to get the size of the Army expanded somewhat, there were still manpower limits in place. But the Army figured it still needed more divisions, and divisions that could be moved very quickly. The answer was the Light Infantry Division. By stripping the 9 rifle battalions down to the bone, and having very little organic firepower beyond small arms, and virtually no vehicles, the Army was able to create a couple new divisions.  And an entire division could be deployed on 500 C-141 sorties.

The problem was, once it reached  a theater, any force beyond a simple insurgency would have the firepower to blow light infantry units off the map. The Light Infantry divisions might avoid that by not being sent into high intensity combat. But the “other” light units, the Airborne and Air Assault divisions didn’t have the luxury of not being instantly deployable. And so where a light infantry battalion had three rifle companies and an headquarters, the ABN and AASLT battalions had three rifle companies, and a weapons company. The weapons company was mounted on Humvees, again, with .50cal, Mk19, and with the TOW missile system, typically a platoon of each system.

Right now, the firepower school of thought is leading in the Army.  Firepower comes with its own downsides (higher costs, higher maintenance costs, greater transportation costs, larger signature on the battlefield, greater likelihood of killing innocent bystanders, etc.) but traditionally, the Army swings back and forth over the course of a generation. Having said that,  I have often wondered why the Army didn’t mount more autocannons before.

Military.com is reporting that in response to the latest North Korean nuclear test, the US Air Force deployed B-1 bombers to South Korea.

The U.S. is preparing to send two nuclear-capable B-1B Lancer bombers to South Korea in a show of force and commitment to Seoul’s defense following the latest underground nuclear test by North Korea, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

The U.S. had planned to have the bombers fly over Osan Air Base, about 50 miles southeast of Seoul, on Monday, but the overflight was postponed because of Typhoon Lionrock in the region, Yonhap reported.

The overflight of the B-1Bs, flanked by South Korean and U.S. fighter jets, is now scheduled for Tuesday, Yonhap reported, citing a spokesman for U.S. Forces Korea.

The only problem with that story is, the B-1 Lancers gave up their nuclear capability to concentrate on the conventional strike role clear back in the 1990s.

Which lead to this amusing exchange on Twitter last night:

URR here.  Five days ago, the Washington Post published an article by The Fix's Chris Cillizza ridiculing Drudge and other sites for questioning the health of Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton.  He called such questioning "absurd".  It was, in short, a journalistic parroting of the assertions on the subject from Hillary herself.   

Here's the thing: This is a totally ridiculous issue — for lots of reasons — and one that if Trump or his Republican surrogates continue to focus on is a surefire loser in the fall.

Let's start here: Clinton has released a detailed letter from her personal physician attesting to her overall good health — and making specific reference to her 2012 fall.

And this little bit of self-induced egg on the face:

So, to believe that something is seriously wrong with Clinton, you have to a) assume her doctor lied and b) that her coughing, which often happens when someone catches a cold or spends a lot of time speaking publicly, is a symptom of her deeper, hidden illness.

Behold Hillary's collapse at the 9/11 Memorial event.  

 Of course, we are told Ms Clinton "overheated".  Perfectly plausible in the blasting, almost equatorial 73 degree heat, I spose.  But it is apparent to any watching, and not for the first time, that something is badly wrong with Hillary.  And that she and her camp have been (gasp!) less than truthful about it for quite some time.  The images of being all but carried up stairs.  Her requirement for extra recovery time during the primary debates.  Corrective glasses.  Of course, there may be a simple explanation for the above video.  She might have found the spare keys to Ted Kennedy's cabinet full of Glenlivet.  

In fact, it is so obvious that WAPO, and the self-same Chris Cillizza now admits this:

Whereas Clinton and her campaign could laugh off questions about her health before today, the "overheating" episode makes it almost impossible for them to do so. Not only has it come at a time when there was growing chatter — with very little evidence — that her health was a problem but it also happened at a 9/11 memorial event — an incredibly high-profile moment with lots and lots of cameras and reporters around.

He asserts further this little revelation:

But the issue is that Clinton kept reporters totally in the dark for 90 minutes after her abrupt departure from the 9/11 memorial service for a health-related matter. No reporter was allowed to follow her. (Clinton has resisted a protective pool for coverage because Donald Trump refuses to participate in one.) This is, yet again, the Clinton campaign asking everyone to just trust it. She got overheated! But she's fine now!

So let's revisit.  On September 6th, WAPO insisted that questions of Hillary's health were "absurd" and "ridiculous", and that there was very little evidence to be concerned.   Today,  they (and Cillizza) have to very grudgingly admit that there is an issue.   And that trusting the Clinton campaign to tell the truth is not necessarily so wise.   I do suppose that one can claim that there is "very little evidence" of anything if you choose to ignore it.   (See: WMD in Iraq)

Perhaps, then, it isn't such a stretch to think that Hillary's doctor lied.  And Hillary lied.  And you, Cillizza, lied, too. And CNN, NBC, CBS, and everyone n the beholden mainstream media who continue to mislead, minimize, obfuscate, and prevaricate on behalf of their political benefactors on the far left.  

Unless you believe Benghazi was the result of a video.  And Hillary never sent or received classified information on unauthorized servers and devices.   And that she told the truth to the FBI.  And she landed under sniper fire in Bosnia.  And Bubba and the Attorney General talked about grandkids on the tarmac.  The DNC didn't screw over Bernie to give Hillary the nomination.  And the Clinton Foundation is a charitable organization not used for influence peddling from the US State Department in exchange for cash.  And that any woman claiming sexual assault deserves to be believed, unless they accuse Bill Clinton.  And that the subpoenaed papers from the Rose Law Firm were in Hillary's bedroom closet all along.  And that Hillary wasn't really fired from her Watergate job for extreme ethics violations.  And….

If you believe all those things, then yeah, Hillary is fine.  You, on the other hand, have some pretty serious problems.  

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"Disappearing" video replaced.   I hope the Youtube user who hasn't deleted it didn't have some tragic "accident" befall him, or didn't suddenly become "suicidal". 

I loved you from the first time I laid eyes on your beautiful, whiskery face, and saw those oh-so intelligent eyes looking back.  You were a wild, beautiful girl, barely done with being a pup.  The lady running the shelter kept you weeks past the day you were supposed to be destroyed, because she saw that special spark in you as well.  The only name you had was Impound Number 217, and you came bounding into the room, front paws on my legs, licking my chin and face before bellying up.  I knew then you were coming home with me, and I suspect you did, too.  

You never quite stopped being a wild child in some ways, and you were work.  But you were incredibly smart, and wanted to please.  Which you did.  When we walked, people would stop their cars to see you, and remark how exceptionally beautiful you were.  I swear you would glance over your shoulder at me when they did, as if to make sure I caught the compliment.  Thousands of times, that happened.  I loved walking you.  Working with you and teaching you, and learning from you.  It was time that I cherished with you, just the two of us.

You were far from perfect, appearances notwithstanding.  But I loved you so much.  And I know you loved me.  Life was more fun with you.  For all the challenges you presented, you were a great joy to me.  Brushing you, walking you, spending time with you.  Speaking silly half-German to you and knowing you understood.  One of my fondest life memories was when you were still but a young girl, as we bounded across the field in snow deeper than your chin.  You were having the time of your life, and so was I.  I will see you in my mind's eye forever, porpoising through the drifts, panting and smiling, covered in snow.    

I will miss you terribly.  There is a great hole in my heart for you.   Know that we loved you, even Jackass Cat.  And I loved you more than I could ever tell you.  I do believe somehow you knew that.  And that is why I could not let you suffer.  You deserved better.   

What you deserved most was a chance.  I am eternally grateful that I was able to give it to you.  Nine years-plus of a wonderful, big personality that enriched our lives in so many ways, some of which we will only note as your absence is felt.   I will cry tears for you ten years from now, because I will miss you and miss your love even then.  You were a very special girl for me, a once in a lifetime gift. 

Goodbye, my love.  And thank you.   When it is my time to step into the clearing, it would please me beyond words to see you, with your beautiful face and your wagging tail, bounding over to greet me.  Then, I will know it is heaven.

First-in-class ships of the US Navy are routinely subjected to shock tests. That is, the Navy sets off a very large underwater explosion in quite close proximity to the ship, and takes note of what damage is done. Over the years, the Navy has gotten fairly good at hardening most of the electronics, plumbing, piping and such. The Littoral Combat Ships were built to a somewhat different survivability standard that most surface combatants. And so, they have been under pressure for some time to actually conduct a shock test.  This year, some 8 years after the first LCS was commissioned, they finally got around to it.

Grump and I had a little fun on the Straits map last night.