Updates in light of Ukraine war

[DRG]

Originally Posted by MarkSheppard

APS can't work if APS isn't installed.

To this date, there is one (1) confirmed Russian tank with Hard-APS (aka projectiles hitting incoming munitions) destroyed (the lone T-80UM prototype).

There is a LOT of seemingly conflicting information and the installation or not of Arena is one of them

This is REPORTED TO BE a photo taken in Ukraine



The Arena tubes are clearly visible

This is also REPORTED TO BE a photo taken in Ukraine



That is early style Kontakt ERA

This article from 2017 https://informnapalm.org/en/russia-a...ainian-border/

claims

Russia amasses decommissioned T-72B and T-80BV tanks at Ukrainian border

for use by the L/DPR

but it may very well be that there is a wider mix of new and old equipment than assumed but chances are it will be months ( at best ) that we know for sure ( Maybe)

[DRG]

If you see this





it has Arena...... if you don't see it, it doesn't

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod...f?resize=980:*

[DRG]

There is one interesting addition this year.......

[Wdll]

Originally Posted by DRG

There is one interesting addition this year.......

Is that the child of the Batplane and the SR-71?

[DRG]

Switchblade drone
https://www.popsci.com/technology/sw...nes-explained/
https://www.avinc.com/tms/switchblade

Supporting conventional or special operations forces in the field or from fixed defensive positions, the combat-proven Switchblade 300 with patented wave-off feature is the ideal loitering missile for use against beyond-line-of-sight targets. Backpackable and rapidly deployable from air, sea or ground platforms, Switchblade 300 delivers increased warfighter lethality with real-time GPS coordinates and video for precise targeting with low collateral effects.

It uses the NLOS weapons class and has special targeting instructions that are included with the units that have it which is one in the US OOB, one in the Ukrainian OOB and one in the UK OOB ( UK starting 2023)

Only a HQ , dedicated forward observer or light helicopter can target using NLOS and that unit must be able to see the target.*
*
To target an NLOS unit first press the " I " key with the spotter unit and you will see a list of the NLOS firing units available on the Right. You can click on any of the listed NLOS units to select it as the current firing unit. Once you have the firing unit unit you want you can click on a target on the map or use the ' N(ext) ' or 'P(revious)' keys to go to the next or previous target. Once you have your target and firer pair as you wish it, then press the ' F ' key to fire the unit and the firing sequence will begin. NLOS units that have used their shots for that turn will disappear from the list of available units*

it's not a perfect adaptation of the weapon but it's "close enough" it has a WH similar to a 40mm GL

[Mobhack]

Some Area SAM can have longer min ranges than the map size - in which case they would only be useful for shooting at planes making stand-off attacks, not those coming on the map itself, helos etc.

[Imp]

Not been following heavily but the most obvious thing to take from this is stop always using the best equipment available. I wonder if Russia just expected the Ukraine to capitulate when faced with such a massive force. For the first few days they played nice limiting collateral damage I think that changed when they realised it was not going to be quick as expected.

The big problem is while there is a lot of coverage its cherry picked & biased. The question is who are we watching in action I believe a lot of troops were pulled from the Eastern Military District. My guess as they are facing China probably worse trained & equipment that is not upgraded. As said not following but a lot of vehicles do not seem to have Arena for example.
Is this really a surprise your not talking outfitting a few hundred or at most a few thousand tanks.
Slightly surprising is the level of incompetence shown but we generally only see the success stories. As mentioned elsewhere editing is a wonderful thing to.

[zovs66]

This is a pretty fair and balanced French site (my browser auto translates).

https://lavoiedelepee.blogspot.com/

So far the consensus seems to be that there is a lot of disinformation coming from both sides, the West and the Media seems to support Ukraine and is depicting that Russia is the bad evil invaders (where the US gets a pass for doing the same in the Middle East) and the Russians (almost typed Soviets, lol) has really failed/dropped the ball when it comes to the operational art of war, in particular combined arms.

So its a bloody mess with no end in site.

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and there will be no thermal nuclear war. But nothing is guaranteed and with the West backed by the frenzied Media wanting a war with Russia and with an idiot like Biden sitting on the button, anyone's guess on our future.

We have gone from a pandemic to the brink of nuclear war in just two short years.

China has remained silent, waiting in the wings to launch there agenda.

And no I don't trust the government, especially the new administration.

[Wdll]

Originally Posted by zovs66

This is a pretty fair and balanced French site (my browser auto translates).

https://lavoiedelepee.blogspot.com/

So far the consensus seems to be that there is a lot of disinformation coming from both sides, the West and the Media seems to support Ukraine and is depicting that Russia is the bad evil invaders (where the US gets a pass for doing the same in the Middle East) and the Russians (almost typed Soviets, lol) has really failed/dropped the ball when it comes to the operational art of war, in particular combined arms.

So its a bloody mess with no end in site.

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and there will be no thermal nuclear war. But nothing is guaranteed and with the West backed by the frenzied Media wanting a war with Russia and with an idiot like Biden sitting on the button, anyone's guess on our future.

We have gone from a pandemic to the brink of nuclear war in just two short years.

China has remained silent, waiting in the wings to launch there agenda.

And no I don't trust the government, especially the new administration.

At least you are objective. *sarcasm*

BTW, what the USA or anyone else has done in the past is irrelevant, unless Russia invaded USA. I do NOT agree that USA and allies have done the same thing, but using that hypothetical as an excuse is like robbing someone because someone else has robbed someone third so you might as well rob one yourself.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

War have been fought not necessarily to conquer other people in general, but to conquer the land they live in. To "Expand the Empire" loosely speaking and to take advantage of the geographical and resource situation.

Russia does definitely want to take Ukraine in the long haul. However, their near terms tactical and strategic goals have faltered thus far the drive on Kiev has stopped and with a counter offensive to the NW/NNW and the stiff resistance they are encountering along the S/SE Coast.

Those goal were 1. Take out the capital and Decapite the government. I would argue the following is of more importance 2. Establish a "land bridge" in Eastern Ukraine from the breakaway providences to Crimea and onward to Odessa which would consolidate their 2014 gains and essentially also give them unchallenged control of both the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

Anyone seeing where I'm going yet?

About those resources I've seen the following online and CINCLANTHOME has shown it to me on Facebook. Yes, the economics lesson is coming with modification I'll be using the same material but as fact checked by "Snopes" since they did some fact checking. They do the same work as "Onyx" if that doesn't you can check them out yourselves.

Why did Hitler want the Ukraine? Or Russia after WWI? Or "Uncle Joe"
in his time enough so that 3+ million Ukrainians would die from famine? So, their people could get feed instead.

Just before the war it was found that the Ukraine was rich in other natural resources. So, besides the above I'll give what I believe is the rest of the story long term beyond the ego and the past glory of the Soviet Union to be reborn.

You to look at this as I have from a somewhat purely economic perspective by coupling the following based on what you know or think you know about Russia's natural resources. For instance, Russia is the world's 3rd largest producer of oil in the world accounting for 12% -15% of the world's supply based on source.

So now to Ukraine:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wh...kraine-matter/
https://www.emsnow.com/ukrainian-rus...ys-trendforce/

Toyota and I believe, it was Ford will be closing down their USA plants next week for 1 and 2 weeks respectively. Why? Lack of global supply of computer chips that has recently worsened and not from Covid-19 that caused the issue in the first place ~1.5 yrs. ago.

I'm not afraid at all to say that very recently a much more narrowed trend of political views have started to pop up. Which quite frankly, I personally don't appreciate.

When I see pictures of Mariupol, Ukraine I think of the images of London, Hannover (Where my mom lived through MANY bombings as a preteenager.), Cologne, Dresden, Toyko and their more modern counterparts.

My point is, it's nice to be in our homes while others have lost theirs and others as well.

Let's try to keep the politics out of this.

It's damm hard enough to just get reasonable data and information as it is, without having to deal with the rest.

To Andy and Don if I've overstepped my bounds, I extend my apologies.

Regards,
Pat