I Am Not Going To Lie...

 ... I laughed my ass off when encountered this (I also briefly touched upon it in my today's video). 

The US military tested an experimental cruise missile launch system above the Arctic Circle on Wednesday. The commander in charge of the test called it a deliberately “provocative” move aimed at deterring Russia. The operation involved dropping a long-range cruise missile from a Special Operations C-130 transport aircraft, with parachutes slowing its descent until its rocket motor blasted it toward a target. The deployment system – called ‘Rapid Dragon’ by the military – was developed by the US Air Force, and Wednesday marked its first demonstration in Europe. The choice of Norway’s Andoya Space Range for the launch was deliberate. Located around two degrees north of the Arctic Circle, the range sits at the far western edge of a region of military and economic importance to Russia.

The question is WHY? This contraption is ridiculous on so many levels that one must question the grasp of the nature of stand off weapons by people in US MIC and Pentagon. Just an example:

This is USS Ohio (SSGN-726), you noticed that she is not SSBN anymore, with "B" in abbreviation standing for "Ballistic", no, this old warrior has "G" in its designation meaning "Guided", because instead of 24 Trident ballistic missiles she carries 154 Tomahawks and that makes her extremely dangerous, even considering Tomahawks nearing obsolescence. 4 of the Ohio class SSBNs have been converted into SSGNs. They can launch submerged and get their cruise missiles into the very low profile (trajectory) almost immediately. They are difficult to detect. 

Now, how the fuck this shit wants to remain "dangerous" for Russia in case of real war (God forbids) when Russians control whole air space London included and can see aircraft... on the runway in Netherlands even before it takes off. I am talking about THIS. You get my drift, I hope. The US would do better with high subsonic strategic bombers with their revolver launch system launching JASSMs than having lumbering slow transport planes dropping some shit from a significant altitude, with those being visible from huge distances. Look at the size of this thingy. 

I know America loves air power, but this? Really? Well, maybe against Zamunda. I am sure Russian AD people had a good laugh. What's next? Cart and buggy driven trebuchet, which launches a vehicle, which after reaching the appropriate height launches a cruise missile? Sounds ridiculous, you say? Do not rush to the conclusions--I saw the birth of Zumwalt-class DDGs. Poor Elmo Zumwalt, he would have died again once seeing what kind of technology freak is named after him. 

But what can I say? 

I love this documentary, wink, wink))