#Surface Warfare

[pukindawgsblog]

Knox-class frigate USS Barbey FF-1088. Operational 1972-92

[s0fter-sin]

soap's whole deal being sniper and demolitions gets me going bc on the surface they sound so different but when you get into it, you realise it's bc soap's smart

sniping is all math; calculating distances and wind interference and bullet drop. something i think people overlook is he was listed as a sniper first so it can be implied that he's better at it than demolitions. he does more sniping in both campaigns than demolitions work; in capture or kill, ghost specifically calls on him to take down the aq snipers

and demolitions is math with a hit of chemistry; knowing what mixes with what, knowing how much to use, recognising environmental factors and adjusting accordingly. it's not just about the boom; so much work goes into contained/ planned explosions. especially when having enough power for a breacher charge and not bringing down the whole building is the difference between mission success and failure

the chemical bombs he makes in alone can't just be any old cleaners, they have to have the correct reaction to each other; he just knew off the top of his head what would mix with what to create what reaction. he would also potentially have to recognise them by sight/smell bc they would’ve been written in spanish

soap would also have to know architecture; recognising structural integrity and weak points so he knows exactly where to plant a charge to bring it down and how it'll come down

he has an incredible soldier's mind people just forget that bc he's sociable which itself is a skill

we know he tends to buck against orders he doesn't agree with like when he pushes back against ghost in capture or kill and shepherd when he tells them to release hassan

he gets closer to people and sees if he can trust them and that's when he follows them without question. really think about how he talks to alejandro and rudy; he asks about their home and alejandro's family and rudy's relationship with him. those aren't questions you ask a stranger after a few hours of knowing them. that's not even touching on his relationship with ghost

he also deliberately brings people of higher ranks down to his level; talking informally with ghost and giving him a shoulder punch, addressing alejandro (a colonel!!) by his first name and rudy by his nickname despite literally just meeting them. he personalises all of them and it’s in direct opposition to the reason most characters do that; it’s not due to insubordination or lack of respect, the more he respects and trusts someone, the more casual he is with them

he digs into people; he wants to know what makes them tick and that determines if he can one, trust them and two, follow their orders. once he decides that, he's the ultimate soldier; he bleeds loyalty which makes him vicious when that loyalty is taken for granted

he isn't naive or bubbly or insecure; he's an incredibly smart and aware soldier. he's aggressive and bloodthirsty and loyal and intuitive and i love him so much

[notarealwelder]

Take: in some domains, adopting a language that makes it impossible to express some things is good, because nobody actually wanted to express the things: they were mostly confusions caused by unclear thinking / lack of conceptual vocabulary.

In other domains, it's war, because others do want to express things, and depriving them of vocabulary to do that is an effective combat tactic.

Ofc arguing that the domain is of the first kind is also an effective second-kind tactic.

[fanxians]

god i'm OBSESSED with them

[nocternalrandomness]

USN MH-60S releasing flares over the Pacific Ocean

[wantonlywindswept]

me, who learns songs by rote memorization and once learned Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the piano by ear: hmm there are portions of silence in this song. dislike. i am going to change it so the silences are shorter. my wife, ex-band kid, who knows how to read sheet music and count the measures in a song: Stop. Don't do that. Only villains do that.

[historyofguns]

The article, "The German U-Boat Menace of World War II" by Peter Suciu, explores the significant impact and historical evolution of German U-boats during both World Wars. It highlights Chicago's Griffin Museum of Science and Industry as one of few places showcasing a German U-boat, the U-505, which underscores the technological advancements and strategic importance of these submarines. The article discusses the development of the German U-boat fleet despite restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, detailing the evolution of various types including Type II, Type VII, and the long-range Type IX, which could reach American waters. The piece mentions strategic warfare concepts like the "Tonnageschlacht" and how the U-boats initially enjoyed success during the "happy times" of the early war years. However, the increased Allied countermeasures, including convoys and sophisticated detection technology, eventually curtailed the effectiveness of the U-boat campaigns. Notably, the U-505's capture was so significant that it was hidden from German knowledge until after the war, and its preservation offers a rare glimpse into this fascinating aspect of naval warfare.

[bambimeadows]

Watching my dad (who’s played literally every title released) play the mw3 campaign and the first thing he says when ghost appears for the first time is “does this guy think it’s still Halloween or something?”

And I said “dad that’s ghost, you remember ghost?”

And he said “I know…. but isn’t it time he stops being so childish and takes that stupid shit off his face?”

😭

[wanderingwolpertinger]

Gotta Catch ‘Em All except it’s US military branches trying to recruit me

[scattered-winter]

so was anyone gonna tell me that ghost and roach's death scene in mw2 is sooooooo much worse with context or was i just supposed to find that out myself

[ghostwarriorrrr]

SM-6 MISSILE

The SM-6 missile is three missiles in one.İt is the only weapon that can perform anti-air warfare,ballistic missile defence and anti-surface warfare missions.

[featherymainffins]

I thought I would walk some additional 14 km today and thus burn my accidental lunch (caved into peer pressure and went to a restaurant and had a salad instead of eating my perfectly counted can of tuna) and as such I agreed to go have breakfast with some friends tomorrow to celebrate the end of the excursion.

But I did not walk those 14 km because I wasn't able to get water + I just finished 12 hours of lectures + my arches were killing me + it was raining + I wanted to shower + I wanted to study + I was fucking freezing.

Which means I have to punish myself for my lack of discipline and I also have to make up for the food and that means I CANNOT have that breakfast. In fact I cannot have anything. For 2 days. Just to be sure.

So now I'm trying to figure out what lie I can make up. Currently thinking about saying that I just started to feel really nauseous all of a sudden and as such I unfortunately cannot eat breakfast oopsie. It feels really random and not really believable though.

[foldingfittedsheets]

The location of the sex shop I worked was a haven for spiders. We had tall ceilings and skylights and unused storage rooms. It was a spider paradise. We quickly sussed out which coworkers to call on in case of emergency. The Dorito lady was a solid ally for spiders but absolutely petrified of moths.

But there’s actually a hierarchy of fear. Most people don’t realize. The person least afraid is the one forced to deal with the bug in question. If coworker B was scared, but coworker A was petrified, well coworker B was gonna have to screw their courage to the sticking place because by the law of fear they were the most competent person on scene.

Thus enters Rick. Rick first appeared in the back storage room. This room doubled as a second bathroom so we went in on a semi frequent basis. The girl who’d gone in to pee shot out again gibbering with fear about the biggest spider she’d ever seen had just run across her boot.

We sicced Dorito lady on it. She returned, shaking her head. “He was squatting on a power cord where it plugs in. I couldn’t get a clean shot at Rick.”

“Rick?”

She shrugged. “Spiders that big need a name. Seemed like a Rick.”

Rick, freshly named, became a store menace. I’d normally say this was probably a case of multiple spiders being mistaken for one but everyone who encountered him swore up and down there could be no mistake. This spider was massive, fast, and distinct. A gladiator among arachnids.

I never encountered Rick. His exploits grew in the telling but the theme was consistent: no one could kill him. He’d hunker in places that no one could reach and dart away when a strike missed. He also chased off the more faint hearted, charging them in bold dashes. There could be no benign cup transplant to remove Rick from the premise. He was not leaving.

The saga of Rick continued for two months. Not seeing him was almost worse, a fearful wariness when going to the bathroom or stepping into quieter areas. I waited with dread, hoping my eventual run in would have me on shift with Dorito lady to protect me.

It was not to be. There was a girl the same who hated my one moment of singing that was absolute piss-herself scared of spiders. She’d slam straight into a panic attack and couldn’t think or speak. And so it was that one night on shift, I heard her scream.

It was unmistakable. I was in the front window turning off the open sign. Through an obstacle course of mannequins and lingerie I performed an acrobatic sprint out of the window, darting up to find her quivering at the front counter, fully crying. I radiated calm at her and said, “Just point.”

I knew it was Rick. Our destinies were intertwined and we had always been pulled toward the inexorable battle that was drawing nigh.

Her hand raised to point to our sandwich board sign at the front of the store. So Rick had the metaphorical high ground. There was no quick easy strike on the slanted signs surface.

I armed myself and marched into battle, my knuckles white on my chosen weapon. I would do this, because I must. Because there was no one else. And because I wanted to close and go home.

I saw Rick immediately and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger spider since. Outside of a tarantula, he was truly the most massive spider I’ve ever beheld outside a zoo enclosure or terrarium.

We regarded each other. Rick launched off the sign toward me and I stomped my foot reflexively, making him pause in his charge. Then I raised my weapon. Anything else, I believe Rick could have evaded. He’d bested most of the store thus far. But I had chosen chemical warfare.

I doused the shit out of that spider with cleaning spray, stunning him with a barrage of chemicals. While he froze, choking on the unexpected deluge, I dropped a paper towel over him. My foot came down.

I felt his exoskeleton crunch and I can feel it still to this day. The shattering was as of bones and I truly mourned that we had been forced into senseless war. If only he has cleaved tighter to the shadows. If only he’d crawled willing into a cup for relocation. I released a full body shudder of horror, fear, and adrenaline as I stepped back.

I took several quivering breaths. I donned a veneer of calm and tidied the battlefield of it’s corpse then went to reassure my coworker that all was well, while internally I still shook.

You fought well, Rick. I hope you sired many more monstrous children to haunt retail workers in the years to come. Rest in valor, you monster.

[rhk111sblog]

You have probably seen this TikTok Video already by Timothy James and how he broke down the supposed “Collision” between the China Coast Guard (CCG) Vessel and a Philippine Vessel. James is a former Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) of the United States Navy (USN), so he knows what he is talking about.

In case you haven’t seen it yet, then this is a Must Watch Video, all Filipinos should go and watch it. I also stitched a second Video of his where he talked a little bit more about the Incident.

Here are the Links to Timothy James’ TikTok Account and Videos:

US Navy Officer shares Thoughts on Collision of Chinese and Philippine Vessels

Timothy James TikTok Account