A quick update from an Angry Jumpmaster…

No, I didn’t go hide under a rock…yet.

It’s been a hot minute since Ive posted on Substack, and an even longer time since I released a new novella. No, I didn’t quit and start eating worms. I am sharpening my pencil by enrolling in a Master of Arts program with a focus on creative writing. Since your only as good as your training, its about time I humbled myself and got some.

My interest in self published books for fun and profit has to take a back seat for a while, so I can concentrate on my studies. Having a full time job and working on a masters degree online takes a lot of time that I used to spend writing and editing my own books. I am still researching new technology and applications to conventional warfare. Here are a few things I bounce around with.

The F47 NGAD or next generation air dominance fighter. It’s an exciting time around Boeing’s Defense and Space division and the kids out in Kansas that build fighters. This was one of the programs that I thought would go the way of the buffalo in the quest for const cutting by congress. #46 admin kicked the can down the road and #47 didn’t fumble the ball, this time and manned fighters are now enshrined as part of our military for at least the next 50 or so years.

In other news, the Navy is getting ready to select the F/A XX plane to manufacture in the next few weeks. This will be a one airframe to replace the Super Hornet and potentially the F35C currently in use by the Navy on their flat tops. Since Boeing got the NGAD I expect Northrop Grumman to land this whale. Lockheed is tied up with building the three variants of the F35 with a book of business stretching out for at least the next 10 years. Like they say, Fighter Jocks are gonna be Fighter Jocks.

The Marine Corps isn’t getting left out either. The Corps gave up their tanks to become leaner and meaner, and that isn’t a bad thing. Along with the new Amphibious COmbat Vehicle and ACV 30, the Corps got into the 8 wheeled battle taxi business for advanced mobility over legacy amphibious transport. They also got a new toy to play with, a remotely operated launcher for anti ship missiles to keep the bad guys away from their dirt. It’s an interesting concept for them to flesh out, and keeps the meat puppets away from the launcher. Now the Corps is establishing a new unit that will specialize in drone warfare. Things are brewing over in Marine land, and I like what I’m seeing.

The Army is now fielding new strikers armed with the 30x179mm Bushmaster cannon. The only ones previously in the inventory were the Dragoon variant of the flat bottom striker thats used exclusively by the Second Cavalry Regiment in Germany. Combining the bushmaster with the double V A1 version of the Striker is a good thing for the striker brigades since the mobile gun system with a 105mm cannon went bust. Not to be left out, the air defense kids at Ft Sill, OK are rapid prototyping a version of the Sgt Stout Air Defense Striker variant that is adding a 25 kilowatt laser for anti-drone warfare. There have also been development in Unmanned Ground Vehicles with Textron getting the nod for production of the M5 Ripsaw drone that I know and love so well. Many more variants of the Ripsaw are in various stages of development at this time.

It’s a fine time to be a fiction writer these days with plenty of materiel out there to stimulate the imagination.

My shorts and novellas on kindle

Check out my stories and novellas on Kindle if you need a free time sponge during your spring break.

I’ll see all of you on the Drop Zone!