The higher ups can't read the tea leaves cause they are too scared to drink the tea.
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The higher ups can't read the tea leaves cause they are too scared to drink the tea.The Russians know it's coming. The question is whether they can read the tea-leaves right.
It's Stalingrad all over again. There was no reason for Paulus to ignore his flanks and the greater mission
and grind his forces into nothingness. It's supposed to be a blitzkrieg, not a sitskreig.
Yep, Stalingrad all over again and target fixation.Target-fixation is a thing, and has been for a long time. The Ukrainians are, I think, being adroit in taking advantage of this. If Russia wishes to persist in its illusion of this being a strategic requirement -- and that's what it is, an illusion -- the any sound general would of course continue letting them entertain that.
It's a big weakness of authoritarian countries, that they tend to grow yes-men. Or as my dad told me once when I was young, "a friend is not someone who tells you what you want to hear, a friend is someone who tells you what you need to hear." But in an autocracy such as Putin's, friends like that are hard to come by, I imagine.
One extra reason to fight climate changeVladimir Putin is betting big on developing a viable alternative to the Suez Canal
For the past decade, Vladimir Putin has been quietly pursuing his goal of transforming Russia's frozen northern coast into a global shipping hub to rival the Suez canal. It's a bet that appears to be paying off at a key moment.www.abc.net.au
That's the problem with fanatics - they always forgot that little detail. Or they chose to ignore it. That's also the danger if someone kills Putin - you'll never know who gets control of his boombox.These idiots wave nukes around like they have something special - they fail to realize that a nuclear weapon is like a boomerang: you toss one out and it'll come right back...
I think the one advantage a modern F16 would have is in up to date ECM. If they can negate the long range S300/400 SAMS then things could change very quickly. Control of the sky's would be with Ukraine even if its a local air superiority.The F-16 is a better fit because it can also do air-superiority missions. That doesn't, however, mean the A-10 couldn't perform its own mission-profile. Remember that low-altitude flight works to reduce the range advantage of enemy SAMs; the lower the plane, the closer the SAM battery must be, and the SAM batteries are going to be thinking about HIMARs at a certain point.
Those F-16s will be subject to the same SAM systems up high, but are generally more vulnerable to local counter-air down low. The big advantage they offer is countering Russian missile/drone strikes of the subsonic variety, and providing some CAS/BAI.
I'd give 'em both airframes, and let them work out for themselves how they might be used.
If only the world was this united and supportive of Ukraine a hundred years ago.Japan has not yet sent weapons to Ukraine because its (post war) legislation forbids so, however ....
Japan weighs weapon exports to nations under invasion
Push comes as PM Kishida prepares to flex diplomatic muscle while hosting G-7 summitasia.nikkei.com
Just like the original, It is one cool looking MFRemember, kids, Ukraine plays it's cards close to it's vest - last summer, the U.S. approved funding for training Ukrainian Pilots and English speaking pilots were sent to the U.S. for training, including A-10 flight school.
And in other news...possible German Panthers in Ukraine.
Nooo, not those Panthers, these Panthers:
Rheinmetall from Germany negotiates with Ukraine construction of tank
According to information published on March 4, 2023, by the German newspaper website "Spiegel" the German company Rheinmetall is negotiating the constructiwww.armyrecognition.com
An EC-130 would be far more effective with its ECM than an F-16.I think the one advantage a modern F16 would have is in up to date ECM. If they can negate the long range S300/400 SAMS then things could change very quickly. Control of the sky's would be with Ukraine even if its a local air superiority.
The question is would the USA let them have it
Tactically I don't think so. Ukraine will still be heavily outnumbered in the air and an EC130 would be both target No 1 and very vulnerable. F16's would be flying frequently and often in small numbers and would need protection every time. An Ec130 may well be better for a pre-planned mission as part of a package but for every day, all day. The F16 (or F18) with its own ECM is likely to be of more benefitAn EC-130 would be far more effective with its ECM than an F-16.
The output power (ERP= Effective Radiated Power) of an EC-130 is enormous. Moreover it carries a large amount of SIGINT/ELINT equipment and trained operators as a payload. An F-16 has some ECM, but TOGETHER with EC-130 support and a coordinated attack with A-10s, this would be devastating to armor.Tactically I don't think so. Ukraine will still be heavily outnumbered in the air and an EC130 would be both target No 1 and very vulnerable. F16's would be flying frequently and often in small numbers and would need protection every time. An Ec130 may well be better for a pre-planned mission as part of a package but for every day, all day. The F16 (or F18) with its own ECM is likely to be of more benefit