"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (13 Viewers)

[Escuadrilla Azul]

A new baby has been born in ukrainian waters:

New Drone Boat Named Sea Baby Used In Kerch Bridge Attack

The Sea Baby is claimed to pack a 1,800-pound warhead and is said to have been used in the last drone boat attack on the Kerch Bridge.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Admiral Beez]

A new baby has been born in ukrainian waters:

New Drone Boat Named Sea Baby Used In Kerch Bridge Attack

The Sea Baby is claimed to pack a 1,800-pound warhead and is said to have been used in the last drone boat attack on the Kerch Bridge.

www.thedrive.com

That this is being made public most assuredly means the next strike on the Kerch bridge will be via anything but these drones. Such announcements are meant to encourage the Russians to defend against the last attack while leaving themselves open to the next.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

The town of Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast) liberated, a Stryker strikes, an ukrainian tank in a joyride firing and followed by artillery rounds, a Hummve hitting a mine as viewed from the inside, drone attacks in Reni port in the Danube:

Ukraine Situation Report: Town Of Urozhaine In Donetsk Liberated

The liberation of the town of Urozhaine, about 50 miles north of Mariupol, is another small step in Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive.

www.thedrive.com

 

[ThomasP]

Indirectly related to the F-16 and possible near-future airwar in Ukraine, and an interesting article in-and-of itself:

"F-35s Keep F-16s In The Fight During Northern Lightning"

If you do a search using "Operation Northern Lightning" you will easily find many other informative articles on said exercise - many with less ad interference.

 

[GrauGeist]

F-117As were spotted at the exercise, too.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

F-117As were spotted at the exercise, too.

Wow, I thought those had been retired?

 

[GrauGeist]

Wow, I thought those had been retired?

The USAF has them listed as "retired", but their storage disposition is listed as "1000", meaning they are in a maintained state of readiness.

However, they have been kept active for research, training and in the case of these exercises: enemy anomoly training (cruise missiles, stealth fighters and drones).

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

The USAF has them listed as "retired", but their storage disposition is listed as "1000", meaning they are in a maintained state of readiness.

However, they have been kept active for research, training and in the case of these exercises: enemy anomoly training (cruise missiles, stealth fighters and drones).

Thanks for explaining, that was a little baffling to me.

 

[GrauGeist]

You're welcome.

Joe (FlyboyJ) would have provided much better details on their current mission.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

The USAF has them listed as "retired", but their storage disposition is listed as "1000", meaning they are in a maintained state of readiness.

However, they have been kept active for research, training and in the case of these exercises: enemy anomoly training (cruise missiles, stealth fighters and drones).

Stealthy F-117 Nighthawks Have Been Masquerading As Cruise Missiles

The "retired" F-117s are ideal surrogates for cruise missiles, which have small target signatures, and threaten the U.S. and its interests abroad.

www.thedrive.com

F-117 Nighthawks Caught Roaring Through A Canyon In Awesome Images

The Air Force plans to continue using F-117 Nighthawk stealth jets in a variety of test and training roles through at least 2034.

www.thedrive.com

'Retired' F-117 Nighthawks Will Fly For Another Decade

The Air Force is looking at extending its growing F-117 operations to 2034, 26 years after the type was officially retired.

www.thedrive.com

F-117 Nighthawks Soar Over Alaska

F-117s have been expanding the geographical footprint of their post-retirement operations and have now ventured outside the lower 48 states.

www.thedrive.com

A very active retirement indeed.

 

[Greg Boeser]

Stealthy F-117 Nighthawks Have Been Masquerading As Cruise Missiles

The "retired" F-117s are ideal surrogates for cruise missiles, which have small target signatures, and threaten the U.S. and its interests abroad.

www.thedrive.com

F-117 Nighthawks Caught Roaring Through A Canyon In Awesome Images

The Air Force plans to continue using F-117 Nighthawk stealth jets in a variety of test and training roles through at least 2034.

www.thedrive.com

'Retired' F-117 Nighthawks Will Fly For Another Decade

The Air Force is looking at extending its growing F-117 operations to 2034, 26 years after the type was officially retired.

www.thedrive.com

F-117 Nighthawks Soar Over Alaska

F-117s have been expanding the geographical footprint of their post-retirement operations and have now ventured outside the lower 48 states.

www.thedrive.com

A very active retirement indeed.

That's gonna cut into their Social Security benefits.

 

[MiTasol]

Stealthy F-117 Nighthawks Have Been Masquerading As Cruise Missiles

The "retired" F-117s are ideal surrogates for cruise missiles, which have small target signatures, and threaten the U.S. and its interests abroad.

www.thedrive.com

F-117 Nighthawks Caught Roaring Through A Canyon In Awesome Images

The Air Force plans to continue using F-117 Nighthawk stealth jets in a variety of test and training roles through at least 2034.

www.thedrive.com

'Retired' F-117 Nighthawks Will Fly For Another Decade

The Air Force is looking at extending its growing F-117 operations to 2034, 26 years after the type was officially retired.

www.thedrive.com

F-117 Nighthawks Soar Over Alaska

F-117s have been expanding the geographical footprint of their post-retirement operations and have now ventured outside the lower 48 states.

www.thedrive.com

A very active retirement indeed.

Not close to the C-47 though

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

Not close to the C-47 though

Probably a gooney bird could be the oldest plane flying eventually

 

[MiTasol]

And I think fire bomber is about the only role it, or its derivatives, have never done.

They were one of the backbones of NZ crop dusting for many years

Although they were never a fighter the RAAF and probably others fitted forward firing MGs to a number of them so they could fight back

 

[Snowman]

New Russian startup: How to become from a military commissar into an oligarch

Russian Army Heads Find a New Way to Screw Their Dead Troops

Military commissars have come up with a new scheme targeting the relatives of dead Russian fighters, according to a human rights group.

www.thedailybeast.com

 

[GrauGeist]

New Russian startup: How to become from a military commissar into an oligarch

Russian Army Heads Find a New Way to Screw Their Dead Troops

Military commissars have come up with a new scheme targeting the relatives of dead Russian fighters, according to a human rights group.

www.thedailybeast.com

What a ridiculous mess - between the incompetence and the outright greed & corruption, Russia is literally a real-life example of a fictional land in a fictional storybook.

 

[Admiral Beez]

F-117As were spotted at the exercise, too.

F-16s, F-117s. It's the 1990s all over again. Any F-4G Wild Weasels?

 

[Admiral Beez]

I never thought I'd ever see a Challenger 2 with a cope cage.

Ukraine modifies British Challenger 2 tanks to protect them from Russian drones

I believe the Challenger 3 will have a point defence system like those on the latest Merkava.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Maybe an amphibious assault on Crimea will be in the cards in 2024.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n5mriUjZi_g

 

[buffnut453]

Fascinating article about GRU efforts to interdict military supplies being provided to Ukraine. Hats off to Poland for keeping tabs on this:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/18/ukraine-weapons-sabotage-gru-poland/