"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (5 Viewers)

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Russia is digging out equipment from WW II while the U.S. looks into its trash bin and pulls out a wonder weapon. On the cheap.
 
I thought this was an interesting way to look at this issue:

It's a popular refrain: Why doesn't the West supply Ukraine with "X," where X are advanced weapons platforms like NATO battle tanks, advanced infantry fighting vehicles, Patriot and other air defenses, and fighter jets. Some will darkly mutter that NATO doesn't want Ukraine to win, that the West prefers Russia to bleed out slowly, that Putin is being protected, etc.

Yet the real answer is the same answer I've been giving since the first weeks of the war—operating such gear might not be too hard, but maintaining it is a monumental challenge for Western armies. For Ukraine, dealing with myriad new weapons systems in the middle of a brutal war? Impossible.

Take the M777, a basic piece of military equipment.

This is a simple weapons system. No wheels or tracks. Has to be towed. Electronics are basic and modular (not deeply integrated into the howitzer, but snap on externally to help aim better). There is no automation. The howitzer is manually aimed by turning wheels and pulleys. It is the military equivalent of a bicycle. And yet, as The New York Times has found, Ukraine is struggling to maintain these pieces.

A third of the roughly 350 Western-made howitzers donated to Kyiv are out of action at any given time, according to U.S. defense officials and others familiar with Ukraine's defense needs.
Click to expand...
To stress, that's over 115 of those howitzers out of order at any given time. And it gets worse—since Ukraine doesn't have the expertise and logistical chain to maintain them, they have to be shipped out of the country to facilities in Poland, Slovakia, and Romania to be serviced. Just think about how inefficient that is.

The same is happening with Germany's highly touted PzH 2000 self-propelled artillery guns. At one point, it was rumored that all of those guns Germany had given Ukraine were down for servicing. Same with Polish Krabs, etc.

….

Remember, the M777 is like a bicycle. That means an F16 fighter jet or M1 Abrams (with its jet turbine engine) are like a Ferrari. If Ukraine is struggling to maintain a simple towed howitzer, how is it going to maintain infinitely more complex Western battle tanks, fighter jets, or Patriot air defense systems (where the basic training for its maintenance crews is over a year)?

Again, the problem isn't training fighter pilots, tank crew members, and air defense operators. That stuff is easy and can be managed in weeks or a few months. Maintenance is the real challenge, and will continue to be Ukraine's biggest headache no matter how much people want to claim that Ukraine is "motivated," "resourceful," "scrappy," and other adjectives suggesting Ukraine can simply "figure it out." Meanwhile, back in the real world, they still haven't figured out the M777 nine months in.

…

"Why doesn't the West provide Ukraine with long-range rockets like ATACMS." Okay, that refrain I agree with. Better munitions for Ukraine's existing weapon's platforms for sure, please.
Click to expand...

Ukraine update: There's a good reason Ukraine hasn't gotten the most modern weapons
 
wlewisiii said:
I thought this was an interesting way to look at this issue:



Ukraine update: There's a good reason Ukraine hasn't gotten the most modern weapons
Click to expand...
Interesting article, but any military will send equipment to the rear for refitting/repair while refreshed units are enroute to the front.
The issue with Ukraine is logistics and supply - their fronts are rapidly moving and trying to establish a forward repair depot would be preferable but would have to be stocked with a wide range of material and would also be well within range of Russian attack.

Sending equipment back to Poland, Romania or other countries keeps them out of harm's way while being refurbished.
 
Sharing this primarily for the awesome pic of the ZU-23/2 in action at the top of the article. Glad to see Western nations recognizing the need for more humanitarian support over the winter months.

www.bbc.com

Ukraine war: Nato pledges to provide more weapons and fix power grid

Millions of Ukrainians remain without power and water in freezing temperatures after Russian strikes.
www.bbc.com
 
NEW DELHI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Moscow has sent India a list of more than 500 products for potential delivery including parts for cars, aircraft and trains, four sources familiar with the matter said, as sanctions squeeze Russia's ability to keep vital industries running.

The list, a version of which has been seen by Reuters in New Delhi, is provisional and it is unclear how many of the items will eventually be exported and in what quantity, but an Indian government source said the request was unusual in its scope.

India is keen to boost trade in this way, said the source, as it tries to narrow a ballooning trade deficit with Russia. Some companies have expressed concern, however, about potentially falling foul of Western sanctions.

An industry source in Moscow, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade asked large companies to supply lists of raw materials and equipment they needed.

The source added that further discussion would be needed to agree specifications and volumes and that the outreach was not limited to India.

www.reuters.com

Exclusive: India asked by sanctions-hit Russia for parts for key sectors

Moscow has sent India a list of more than 500 products for potential delivery including parts for cars, aircraft and trains, as sanctions squeeze Russia's ability to keep vital industries running.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com
 
Thumpalumpacus said:
NEW DELHI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Moscow has sent India a list of more than 500 products for potential delivery
Click to expand...
India would be nuts to fulfil any orders from Russia. Unlike with China, there's little the West needs to buy from India. If you want to lose all your trade in an instant, go ahead and sell to Russia. The world is choosing sides, and India doesn't want to be without friends when, after Russia's collapse, it's next West vs. China.

If I was India I'd instead be contacting Washington (or some neutral) to broker the sale of a thousand Indian-made Ajeya MBTs to Poland (through another neutral). These early T-72 analog-equipped variants will be very welcome in Poland, and nearby.
 
Last edited:
Admiral Beez said:
India would be nuts to fulfil any orders from Russia. Unlike with China, there's little the West needs to buy from India. If you want to lose all your trade in an instant, go ahead and sell to Russia. The world is choosing sides, and India doesn't want to be without friends when, after Russia's collapse, it's next West vs. China.

If I was India I'd instead be contacting Washington (or some neutral) to broker the sale of a thousand Indian-made Ajeya MBTs to Poland (through another neutral). These early T-72 analog-equipped variants will be very welcome in Poland, and nearby.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure the view from the Indian perspective is that dire, but I agree that it would be a big mistake.
 
Looks like someone has a beef with Ukraine.

www.reuters.com

Ukraine embassy, Spanish arms company receive letter bombs -police

Police in Spain are examining a possible link between two letter bombs sent to the Ukrainian ambassador in Madrid and to an arms company that manufactures rocket launchers donated to Kyiv, they confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com
 
Thumpalumpacus said:
NEW DELHI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Moscow has sent India a list of more than 500 products for potential delivery including parts for cars, aircraft and trains, four sources familiar with the matter said, as sanctions squeeze Russia's ability to keep vital industries running.

The list, a version of which has been seen by Reuters in New Delhi, is provisional and it is unclear how many of the items will eventually be exported and in what quantity, but an Indian government source said the request was unusual in its scope.

India is keen to boost trade in this way, said the source, as it tries to narrow a ballooning trade deficit with Russia. Some companies have expressed concern, however, about potentially falling foul of Western sanctions.

An industry source in Moscow, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade asked large companies to supply lists of raw materials and equipment they needed.

The source added that further discussion would be needed to agree specifications and volumes and that the outreach was not limited to India.

www.reuters.com

Exclusive: India asked by sanctions-hit Russia for parts for key sectors

Moscow has sent India a list of more than 500 products for potential delivery including parts for cars, aircraft and trains, as sanctions squeeze Russia's ability to keep vital industries running.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com
Click to expand...

Ukraine should be asking India for the same military parts and saying that post war they will only purchase goods from companies (or better countries) that aid them and not Russia during the war.
 

Nov 30 (Reuters) - Russia will pay special attention to building infrastructure for its nuclear forces in 2023, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday.

Shoigu said in televised comments that the Russia would also work to improve the combat capabilities of its missile forces and that facilities were being built to accommodate new missile systems. Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, with close to 6,000 warheads.

President Vladimir Putin has placed territory seized by Russia in Ukraine under Moscow's nuclear umbrella, warning that he is ready to defend Russia's "territorial integrity" by all available means. The United States says it has warned Russia over the consequences of any use of nuclear weapons.

www.reuters.com

Russia says it will focus on building nuclear arms infrastructure in 2023

Russia will pay special attention to building infrastructure for its nuclear forces in 2023, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com

It makes me wonder even more if current Russian threats aren't bluff? Perhaps they did a review and found problems?
 
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