Ukraine 2

[Hoodat]

Air Force Open to Sending A-10s to Ukraine for Fight Against Russia

But is the Army open to it?

[Hoodat]

Biden administration rolls out $270 million Ukraine weapons package

This represents less than 1% of the $40 billion outlay of government spending.  The State Department alone is getting 32 times this amount.

[Elderberry]

Russian missiles hit Odessa port a day after signing grain deal; Ukraine calls it 'spit in the face' by Vladimir Putin

https://www.timesnownews.com/world/russian-missiles-hit-odessa-port-a-day-after-signing-grain-deal-ukraine-calls-it-spit-in-the-face-by-vladimir-putin-article-93080367

Russian missiles hit he southern Ukrainian port of Odessa on Saturday. The attack was carried out a day after Russia signed a grain deal with Ukraine in Istanbul. Notably, Odessa is one of the three port hubs mentioned in the agreement.

Russian missiles hit the southern Ukrainian port of Odessa on Saturday afternoon. several people were reportedly injured in the attack. The missile attack was carried out on Odessa port a day after Russia and Ukraine signed a grain deal in Istanbul. Ukraine called the attack a "spit in the face".

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military claimed that it shot down two cruise missiles, reported AFP. However, two missiles hit the port. The attack has put the entire deal in jeopardy. The Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson said that the strike was "a spit in the face" by Russian President Vladimir Putin against the agreement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Russia for the strikes. "This proves only one thing: no matter what Russia says and promises, it will find ways not to implement it," Zelensky said as quoted by AFP.

More at link.

[Hoodat]

Russia's word is worthless.

[Hoodat]

Today, I saw a clip of a video of soldiers in a trench fighting for Ukraine.  The soldier narrating was a muslim (maybe Chechen) calling out Russia as the true enemy - the butcher of innocent women and children.  Along side him was an Israeli special forces soldier.  The narrator began by pointing out what he did not think possible - a muslim and a Jew fighting along side each other in the same trench.  Russia has done what no one thought could ever happen, bringing muslims and Jews together to fight against the Russian bastards.  Wish I could find a link.

[Elderberry]

“You’ve never seen anything like this:” Muslim and Jew fight together against the Russians

@Hoodat

https://warisboring.com/youve-never-seen-anything-like-this-muslim-and-jew-fight-together-against-the-russians/

War makes comrades out of the most unlikely fellows, and the conflict in Ukraine is no exception.

An Israeli Jew and a Muslim were filmed hiding from Russian indirect fire barrages, declaring their brotherhood against the invasion forces.

The video, which made its rounds on 4chan before finding its way to Reddit and Twitter, shows the two men hiding from GRAD strikes.

More at link.

https://twitter.com/ItsArtoir/status/1550097213958852608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1550097213958852608%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwarisboring.com%2Fyouve-never-seen-anything-like-this-muslim-and-jew-fight-together-against-the-russians%2F

[Hoodat]

Thanks, @Elderberry

[Cyber Liberty]

This is what Russia gets when they brutally subjugate a people (Chechens), then try to force them to fight for Russia.

[sneakypete]

But is the Army open to it?

@Hoodat

The army has nothing to say or do about what the USAF does with their people and airplanes.

I can tell you with an ABSOLUTE certainty that any US Army soldiers that might be serving in Ukraine as observers or advisors to Ukrainian units are HUGELY in favor of Wart Hogs showing up.

Trust me on this one.

[Hoodat]

@Hoodat

The army has nothing to say or do about what the USAF does with their people and airplanes.

I can tell you with an ABSOLUTE certainty that any US Army soldiers that might be serving in Ukraine as observers or advisors to Ukrainian units are HUGELY in favor of Wart Hogs showing up.

Trust me on this one.

It should be an Army aircraft, period.  Army purchase.  Army pilots.  Army maintenance.  They shouldn't let the Air Force have anything to do with them.

[Hoodat]

More than 1,000 Russian troops encircled by Ukrainian Forces in Kherson region

Friday, July 22, 2022  |  6:00:51 PM

During the counteroffensive in the Kherson region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces encircled three battalion tactical groups of the Russian Army, including a special forces (VDV) company and a tank company. Up to 2,000 Russian troops are in the operational encirclement near the village of Vysokopillya. They requested a "green corridor" from the Ukrainian military, reported The Insider, citing sources in the Ukrainian army.

Ukrainian Forces carried out an offensive in the directions of Olhyne - Kostyrka and Potomkyne - Novovoznesenske. Active hostilities are currently taking place along the Arkhanhelske - Zolota Balka axis in the north of the Kherson region.

Russian troops are also facing encirclement near the village of Arkhanhelske, where the Ukrainian military successfully crossed the Ingulets River threatening Russian positions on the left bank. According to the Ukrainian military, Russians threw in two battalion tactical groups to stop the advance of the Ukrainian Forces near Novovoznesenske – Zolota Balka.  .  .  .

https://uawire.org/more-than-1-000-russian-troops-encircled-by-ukrainian-forces-in-kherson-region


Russian troops have already been given a "green corridor" to get the hell out of Ukraine.  Perhaps they should take it.

[sneakypete]

It should be an Army aircraft, period.  Army purchase.  Army pilots.  Army maintenance.  They shouldn't let the Air Force have anything to do with them.

@Hoodat

I agree,but that ain't the way it works. Remember when the army was flying a twin engine airplane named the "Caribou"? GREAT aircraft for landing on small remote airstrips,where oddly enough,a lot of SF A-teams had their camps.

The USAF had a hissy-fit over the Army encroaching on their turf,and that was the end of the Caribou flights. The USAF didn't like them,and started using C-123's instead,which resulted in the "jet booster"(JACO?) being added to the 123's so they had enough power to take off from short strips. Yeah,the 123's could carry a heavier load than the older Caribou's,but that didn't matter to the brass. What mattered was protecting their turf.

The USAF wasn't really happy about all the army helo's either,but that was only because the helo's "sorta" flew by beating the air into submission,so they just weren't sexy enough for the AF.

BTW,I was told that some smart guy in the US Army procurement chain did a little research and just bought the Caribou's from the Canadian manufacturer pretty much as they were. Saved the taxpayers a TON of money by not having to "reinvent the wheel",so to speak. The Caribous were really designed to service all the short airstrips on remote places in Alaska and Canada,so they were a PERFECT fit for the US Army needs at that time. I am sure SOME modifications had to be made,but it couldn't have been many.

I found out not long ago that one of my local friends was a load master on a Caribou in the early days of the VN war.

[Elderberry]

Ukraine strips down captured Russian drone, says it is full of Western parts, CNN reports

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-captured-russian-drone-western-parts-2022-7

•   Ukraine says Russian drones are full of components made by Western companies.

•   Despite global sanctions, Russia appears to have acquired parts from several of Ukraine's Western allies.

•   Russia has a long history of evading international controls.

Ukraine claims that Russian drones used to kill its soldiers are full of parts from its Western allies.

A Ukrainian technical intel officer showed CNN's Nic Robertson inside a captured Russian Orlan-10 surveillance drone, revealing components from around the world.

The officer claimed that the drone's cell phone tracker was US-made. He said that the engine was manufactured in Japan, and the thermal imaging module on the camera was produced in France after Russia had already invaded.

Other Russian drone parts come from countries including Austria, Germany, Taiwan and the Netherlands, the officer claimed.

This is in spite of a spate of global sanctions aimed at crippling Russia's war machine.

The officer said his job is to follow every serial number to work out who made the part and alert allies to stop Russia's drone techs from getting their hands on it.

Robertson noted that stopping the supply of these often commercial components won't be easy, as Russia might have stockpiled parts and has a long history of evading sanctions.

More at link.

[sneakypete]

  Russia has a long history of evading international controls.

And greedy,"the bottom line is ALL that counts" businessmen,as well as traitors working in the defense industry,are all to happy to betray their country for profits,or to become a "secret hero in a workers paradise".

These people should be shot if and after found guilty by a MILITARY court.

[Kamaji]

Is Russia RUNNING OUT of weapons in Ukraine: Putin's army hits ground targets with surface-to-air missiles that are meant to shoot down planes amid 'critical' weapon shortages

By CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE and AFP
24 July 2022

Russia has been hitting ground targets in Ukraine with a surface-to-air missiles, reports have said, the latest sign of growing logistical issues faced by Moscow.

The Soviet-era S-300 missile system, first deployed in 1979, was originally designed to defend against air raids and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defence Forces.

But reports from Ukraine have said the system has been used by Russian forces to attack ground targets, with the British Defence Ministry saying this suggests Vladimir Putin's forces are experiencing 'critical shortages' of ground-attack weapons.

Reports said the missiles were equipped with an atypical explosive projectile that destroys everything in the vicinity of impact, with commentators accusing Russian forces of yet more war crimes for striking civilian areas with weapons capable of such indiscriminate destruction.

On Thursday, Vitaly Kim - governor of the southern Mykolaiv region - said it had been targeted with seven S-300 missiles, with one person wounded and impacts on infrastructure, energy facilities and storage areas.

*  *  *

Source:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11043373/Russia-using-surface-air-missiles-hit-ground-targets-Ukraine-reports-say.html

[DB]

Ukraine strips down captured Russian drone, says it is full of Western parts, CNN reports

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-captured-russian-drone-western-parts-2022-7

•   Ukraine says Russian drones are full of components made by Western companies.

•   Despite global sanctions, Russia appears to have acquired parts from several of Ukraine's Western allies.

•   Russia has a long history of evading international controls.

Ukraine claims that Russian drones used to kill its soldiers are full of parts from its Western allies.

A Ukrainian technical intel officer showed CNN's Nic Robertson inside a captured Russian Orlan-10 surveillance drone, revealing components from around the world.

The officer claimed that the drone's cell phone tracker was US-made. He said that the engine was manufactured in Japan, and the thermal imaging module on the camera was produced in France after Russia had already invaded.

Other Russian drone parts come from countries including Austria, Germany, Taiwan and the Netherlands, the officer claimed.

This is in spite of a spate of global sanctions aimed at crippling Russia's war machine.

The officer said his job is to follow every serial number to work out who made the part and alert allies to stop Russia's drone techs from getting their hands on it.

Robertson noted that stopping the supply of these often commercial components won't be easy, as Russia might have stockpiled parts and has a long history of evading sanctions.

More at link.

That's a given. Russia does not have the ability to make many of these things. But all they have to do is setup shell companies in remote quiet countries and purchase these parts. The distributors can't investigate every order to see if that company is moving parts elsewhere. And if they did the costs would be passed on to everyone who buys those parts.

[bilo]

It should be an Army aircraft, period.  Army purchase.  Army pilots.  Army maintenance.  They shouldn't let the Air Force have anything to do with them.

Are they of any value if you don't have control of the skies?

[Hoodat]

Are they of any value if you don't have control of the skies?

It's a ground support aircraft only.  It's not their job to control the skies.  If the enemy is controlling the skies, then they have a much bigger problem to worry about.

Currently in Ukraine, neither side has air superiority.  Anything in the air is susceptible to surface to air artillery and missiles.  But if you need ground support for an offensive operation, the A-10 is your best option.  It's survivability is greater than a helicopter.  And its effectiveness is greater than a F-15.

The Air Force doesn't like them because they're slow compared to supersonic fighters, they fly too close to the ground action, and they don't like doing ground support in general.

[Hoodat]

Yard By Yard, The Ukrainians Appear To Be Pushing Toward Kherson

David Axe  |  Jul 23, 2022  |  08:00am EDT

Don’t get too excited about unconfirmed reports of Ukrainian forces surrounding hundreds, or even thousands, of Russian troops in a town 60 miles northeast of the port of Kherson in southern Ukraine.

But the flimsy rumors swirling around the purported pocket of surrounded Russian troops in Vysokopillya belie the real pressure the Russians are under along the southern front of Russia’s five-month-old wider war on Ukraine.

Having expended the last of its prewar combat power capturing the twin cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, the Russian army has hit pause on major offensive operations.

The Kremlin is busy raising volunteer battalions to make good the tens of thousands of soldiers the army has buried or sent to hospitals since late February. Ukrainian commanders have taken advantage of the Russian pause—and the simultaneous arrival of U.S.-made rockets—to ratchet up strikes on Russian radars, command posts and supply lines.

The rocket attacks are helping to destabilize Russian defenses. And in the south around Kherson, that’s helped Ukrainian forces to inch toward the occupied port city with a pre-war population of 300,000, extending a tentative counteroffensive that began back in May.  .  .

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/07/23/inch-by-inch-the-ukrainians-appear-to-be-pushing-south-toward-kherson/?sh=48dc7db17e20

[sneakypete]

It's a ground support aircraft only.  It's not their job to control the skies.  If the enemy is controlling the skies, then they have a much bigger problem to worry about.

Currently in Ukraine, neither side has air superiority.  Anything in the air is susceptible to surface to air artillery and missiles.  But if you need ground support for an offensive operation, the A-10 is your best option.  It's survivability is greater than a helicopter.  And its effectiveness is greater than a F-15.

The Air Force doesn't like them because they're slow compared to supersonic fighters, they fly too close to the ground action, and they don't like doing ground support in general.

@Hoodat

Yup,but it should be noted there is a HUGE exception to this rule. Fighter pilots LOVE Wart Hogs,and only the best pilots that volunteer for them get to fly them.

And I have been told by people in the USAF when I was still in the army that the line of potential Wart Hog pilots is a LOT longer than the number of WH's available.

The young pilots just LOVE that Bush! So do some of the older pilots who still think they are young. I have seen them do a barrel roll over me after making a gun run,and they were so close to the ground I could see the pilot smiling as he flew over me with an open canopy,and his silk scarf flying in the wind.

Seems like they were all wearing leather helmets,goggles,and fling silk scarves of different colors to identify what flight they came from. They were like big kids playing "WW-2 Movie".

It also needs to be said that if a Wart Hog pilot was shot down,there was NEVER a shortage of volunteers wanting to go in and pull them out.

It also needs to be noted that they all had an open invitation to come drink in our NCO club anytime they wanted,and the drinks would be free.

BTW,the Wart Hogs I am writing about were the ones still using those old radial gasoline engines from WW-2 and made all the good sounds as they passed over.

The new WH's are jet propelled,but can still fly slow enough to be effective,and they carry even MORE ordinance than the VN-Era ones.

In case you haven't guessed,I am a HUGE fan of both Wart Hogs AND their pilots. Those boys have some SERIOUS stones!

[bilo]

It's a ground support aircraft only. It's not their job to control the skies.  If the enemy is controlling the skies, then they have a much bigger problem to worry about.

Currently in Ukraine, neither side has air superiority.  Anything in the air is susceptible to surface to air artillery and missiles.  But if you need ground support for an offensive operation, the A-10 is your best option.  It's survivability is greater than a helicopter.  And its effectiveness is greater than a F-15.

The Air Force doesn't like them because they're slow compared to supersonic fighters, they fly too close to the ground action, and they don't like doing ground support in general.

If you don't have control of the skies and they are slow doesn't that make them easy targets for MIG's?

[sneakypete]

If you don't have control of the skies and they are slow doesn't that make them easy targets for MIG's?

@bilo

I don't know for sure because I am not,and never have been a zoomie,but I strongly suspect that anything with the electronics gear and the firepower a WH has is never going to be an easy target for anyone.

[Smokin Joe]

@bilo

I don't know for sure because I am not,and never have been a zoomie,but I strongly suspect that anything with the electronics gear and the firepower a WH has is never going to be an easy target for anyone.

That, and they are flat-out one of the most maneuverable aircraft I have ever seen in motion.

[sneakypete]

That, and they are flat-out one of the most maneuverable aircraft I have ever seen in motion.

@Smokin Joe

Not sure how relevant that is in these days of missiles that home in and follow,but I don't really know diddly squat about fighter aircraft anti-aircraft armament. For all I know they are armed with missiles programed to seek out and destroy incoming missiles.

[Smokin Joe]

@Smokin Joe

Not sure how relevant that is in these days of missiles that home in and follow,but I don't really know diddly squat about fighter aircraft anti-aircraft armament. For all I know they are armed with missiles programed to seek out and destroy incoming missiles.

Some missiles are heat seekers. The ability to pivot the aircraft to 'hide' the exhausts while dumping flares makes duping the missiles with countermeasures possible, and the aircraft is moving away from it's former track. I have observed A-10s go from a full left bank to a full right bank in a heartbeat, which would suggest (as long as the pilot can take the Gs) they can turn out of the path of an incoming missile pretty quick.

That would not defeat a radar lock, but well timed, might keep the missile from a direct impact or increase distance from a proximity warhead.