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Whatever happened to us keeping our nose out of other countries business? They are not part of NATO and we are not beholden to them in any way except through Hunter and the big guy's money.
At some point the Russian army, previously described as "pathetic, weak, incompetent, clumsy, unprofessional, cowardly, and bumbling" will mutiny.
They will leave their munitions in Ukraine and walk home.
alright, we're giving 'em four more HIMARS and getting ready to give some NATO jets..
Quote:
At the Aspen Security Summit in Aspen, Colorado, on Wednesday, Brown hinted strongly that the idea of getting Western jets into Ukraine is now on the table.
“There's US [jets], there's Gripen out of Sweden, there's the Eurofighter, there's [the French] Rafale. So there's a number of different platforms that could go to Ukraine,” he said in response to a question on if the U.S. might be willing to sell or provide Ukraine with U.S. fighter jets. “I can't tell you exactly what it's gonna be,” he said.
The current Russian offensive may secure limited additional territorial gains in Donbas northeast of the E40 highway but will likely culminate before seizing major populated areas such as Slovyansk or Bakhmut.
Russian forces have not made significant advances towards Slovyansk or along the Siversk-Bakhmut salient in the past few weeks and are continuing to degrade their own offensive combat power in localized fights for small and relatively unimportant settlements throughout Donetsk Oblast. Russian troops have notably been attempting to take Siversk since the capture of Lysychansk and the Luhansk Oblast border on July 3 and have still not reached the city as of July 20.[1] Similarly, Russian troops have failed to launch direct assaults on Bakhmut and have largely impaled themselves on fights for small settlements to its east and south. Efforts to advance on Slovyansk have mostly ground to a halt and have made no meaningful gains for weeks. The renewal of active ground offensives following the brief operational pause has not yet translated into meaningful Russian forward progress, although it is possible that either steady Russian pressure or the completion of Russian efforts to rebuild combat power could generate limited gains in the coming days or weeks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov articulated expanded geographical aims for Russian operations in Ukraine on July 20, confirming ISW’s long-held assessment that Russia has territorial goals beyond Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
The Russian Defense Ministry publicly identified Lieutenant General Andrey Sychevoy as the commander of the Western force grouping in Ukraine on July 20.
The Russians have identified commanders of the southern, central, and eastern groups of forces, corresponding to their respective military districts and oriented on Bakhmut, the Izyum area, and Siversk respectively. They have notably failed to identify any commander of Russian forces operating in occupied southern Ukraine, however.
Ukrainian troops rescued a cat during clearing operations on Snake Island and evacuated it back to the Ukrainian mainland on July 20.
The cat reportedly survived the duration of the Russian occupation of the island.
Key Takeaways
Quote:
The current Russian offensive will likely make marginal territorial gains northeast of the E40 highway in Donetsk before culminating along the E40.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia is pursuing expanded territorial gains in Ukraine beyond Luhansk and Donetsk Oblast, confirming ISW’s assessment that the Kremlin seeks to capture territory beyond Donbas.
Russian forces resumed limited ground attacks northwest of Slovyansk and around the Donetsk City-Avdiivka area.
Russian forces continued localized ground assaults east of Siversk and made marginal gains northeast of Bakhmut.
Ukrainian forces conducted the second consecutive high-precision strike against the Antonivskyi Bridge-- a major Russian logistics artery east of Kherson City.
Russian occupation authorities are likely propagandizing recent Ukrainian high-precision strikes and partisan activity to set conditions for mass deportations of Ukrainian citizens to Russian territory.
Activity in Russian-occupied Areas
Quote:
Russian occupation authorities may be propagandizing recent Ukrainian high-precision strikes against Russian assets and Ukrainian partisan activity in occupied areas in order to set conditions for mass deportations of Ukrainian citizens to Russian territory. The Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) Internal Ministry claimed that LNR authorities are bussing residents of Kozacha Lopan (northern Kharkiv Oblast) to “rescue settlements” in Russia due to intensified Ukrainian shelling of the settlement and its surroundings.[31] ISW reported on July 17 that Russian occupiers are similarly preparing for massive deportations from Southern Ukraine under the guise of punitive measures against anti-occupation dissent.[32] Such forced deportations may be a means of exporting Ukrainian labor and combat power to the Russian Federation.
It became known about the use of Russian Lancet kamikaze drones
Ukraine
inAbout itRIA Novosti reported an informed source.
The interlocutor of the agency explained that kamikaze drones are used to destroy enemy infantry and lightly armored vehicles. The upgraded version of the "Lancets" is distinguished by an increased flight duration of one hour and a more powerful high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a mass of more than five kilograms. In addition, the new Lancets received one large X-shaped wing and an X-shaped plumage in the tail.
"Lancet" is a development of ZALA AEROConcern "Kalashnikov" Such weapons can be in the air for a long time and independently seek out a target. When it is detected, the drone dives and explodes above it.
Also in serviceArmed Forces of the Russian Federation have Kub-BLA loitering ammunition, they alsoapplied in Ukraine. The US Army is armed with similar Switchblade drones, more than 700 such droneswas deliveredKiev as part of military assistance.
Everyone thinks of the US jets as being something to defend Ukraine skies from Russian fighters. And while that may be true-the F-15 has a long string of air to air victories and no losses, more importantly it will give Ukraine access to a VAST array of NATO weapons. Some examples that would change the battlefield again?
Lets give a overview of the F-16 and what it brings. The United states have built 4,604 of these up to 2018, and more since. Its a Mach-2 capable jet with a combat range of 546km, and a ferry range of 4,217km (2,620 freedom miles) meaning it can fly overseas with drop tanks. It can take 9Gs. Thats more then most humans can handle but for a fairly brief period of time before becoming unconscious.
Its integrated electronic warfare systems are very modular and can be customized for the threat environment. And Ukraine by now knows EXACTLY what would work best against that, and can change them if the environment changes. They can probably predict what Russia will try to change, and pre-order the parts and integration. And can be integrated into its countermeasure systems. And optionally can be fully automated.
Its 183.9 Freedom miles, (296km) radar has a synthetic radar capability, and will see most air opponents at over 105km.
The F-16 has access too:
AGM-88 HARM missiles. If it targets a enemy radar system within 60 Miles (111km) that radar is going to eat a 146lb (66kg) explosive fragmentation warhead, if needed you can mass launch to overwhelm air defenses. Ukrainians have proven to be competent enough on the battlefield to adapt and theres no reason to believe the would not plan these out to throw enough to be effective.
AGM-65 Maverick missiles once air defenses are gone its a short range over 12 nmi (22km) 126-300lb (57kg to 136kg) warhead depending on model. Or possibly used in a anti-shipping role for some models. Iran has used them with great success, as has the Us. You need to own the air defenses or be going after under defended naval targets. If used against tanks they're surprisingly effective. Russian armor is going to have a bad bad day.
AGM-154 Joint standoff weapon. This thing is going to ruin your day. This is a somewhat recent 2009 era weapon thats been updated over time. 1,000lb (450 kg) warhead 230 mile (370 km) missile. and some over twice that. there's just a huge variety of these things its ridiculous.
AGM-84 Harpoons. 50-170 nmi (93-315km km) sea skimming active terminal radar guidance. Vast variety and configurations. Most of which, but not all, fired in masse will overwhelm Russian navel air defense. After a certain point there's just too many coming in.
AGM Penguin? Probably not, its not appropriate for the threat environment. Unless Russia was losing the EW warfare environment. Speaking of which....
A vast variety of EW warfare systems with various capabilities. Some designed to counter heavy EW warfare environments, some pods for LR IR or CCD imaging and laser targeting. If used with HIMARS for example they could target enemy surface targets on the fly. and designate onboard weapons for precise targeting etc.
Additionally these jets built in have a FLIR infrared sensor, radar warning sensor, and pretty good ew warfare automation and configuration.
And bombs, Paveways, JDAMs, Munition dispensers, Various bombs, mines, all sort of things. Its insane.
And thats for the multi-role uses. But it was built to be a air to air platform. Its going to ruin some Russian air forces day if they take down the air defenses with HARMS. Its not going to dominate like a F-22 or F-35 but its still going to give the Russian airforce a bad bad time. Russia going to have to risk its newer aircraft that it will not be able to replace for decades to do reasonably well here,and maybe even not then if AWACS is providing data.
And while probably not relevant I should at least mention that there 2 models of nuclear weapons, with a ton of the warheads in inventory.
Also blah blah, this is a public forum im a nobody with no special knowledge beyond a love of computerized war gaming ever since I could stop playing the board-game version of it, and could play the various harpoon versions. Anyone who has better knowledge then me is probably a better opinion to listen too.
There is a certain user here who absolutely knows this topic better then me, and if he says I am wrong on any of this as far as military capabilities he is 99% probably correct. (Hey there's a chance I know some minutia you don't). So lighten up people, we are just a discussion forum. I haven't noticed him posting in this thread but I guarantee you if he reads this he know I mean him as he has actual knowledge and has demonstrated it before, believe folks who have demonstrated factual knowledge.
These are a competent air to air and multi-role fighter. Used competently Russia's gonna have a bad bad day. The do not have time to mobilize and train people fast enough to stop this now. The clock is ticking, and Russia is not keeping up with the evolving threat environment. and the sheer variety in capability of this air frame is stunning.
The 100 million budgeted looks to be sufficient to train roughly 50 pilots who have flown a Russian air frame. The time to train for Iraqi pilots was 6 weeks. I suspect in wartime that might be shortened a bit. And why wouldn't you you supply enough aircraft for that many pilots? Otherwise, whats the point?
But....wheres the money to train ground personnel? I suspect that's going to be in one of the future bills. Its a miss, and the military will bring it up I am sure. This is the gradual escalation that evolves to face the evolving Russian responses. As usual Russia is falling behind the threat environment.
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