These systems are probably mainly surplus and/or ex Afghanistan related vehicles aren't they? Its not the company (Alvis?) whos supplying them is it? Don't they actually come from the UKs already ridiculously small reserves?
"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (5 Viewers)
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These systems are probably mainly surplus and/or ex Afghanistan related vehicles aren't they? Its not the company (Alvis?) whos supplying them is it? Don't they actually come from the UKs already ridiculously small reserves?
Its all a bit vague and creatively imprecise, isn't it? I don;t know if Alvis or its successor companies have capacity to take on that kind of work on hulls as old and clapped-out as most of those must be, but it would be a difficult thing to try and hide, given we're not a nation at war. And to date, I haven't heard of huge inbound shipments of armoured vehicles, large convoys to and from the docks moving along motorways, or desperate recruitment campaigns by Alvis to get the necessary mechanically skilled manpower together to do it.
I know all is fair in love and war, but I think it will be a great shame if 'our side' is starting to indulge in a regular speculative massaging of facts. If its done subtly, its great. But if its clunky enough that armchair warriors like myself can see how unlikely it is, I very much doubt Ivan is going to be any more taken in than I am. Besides, the Western democracies need to remain scrupulously fact based and credible rather than risk being dragged into Russia ever more ludicrous 'Comical Ali' style of rhetoric and propaganda. Credibility is going to be one of the most strategically important assets of the (mis)information war when it comes to wider world opinion on how this whole mess plays out in the long run.
RogerdeLluria
Staff Sergeant
- 1,324
- Jul 5, 2015
Glider
Captain
Clearly they are surplus, but they seem to be a company that works with the government. They did supply Latvia with 120 scorpions so they would have to have access to the basic hulls in significant numbers and have the ability to refurbish and supply them. They have already supplied about eighty vehicles to Ukraine so it would seem achievable.These systems are probably mainly surplus and/or ex Afghanistan related vehicles aren't they? Its not the company (Alvis?) whos supplying them is it? Don't they actually come from the UKs already ridiculously small reserves?
When did the supply of 'Scorpions' take place? As I said, Scorpion has been out of production for decades... ?
aha, I think I might have an answer to my own question - this organisation seems to specialise in refurbing old CVRTs for both military and private collectors - CVR(T) Modernisation & Enhancements | Military Vehicle Solutions Ltd
I can't imagine the numbers will be large. But at least its a project realistically within reach of a crowd funder. But does Ukraine really have a need for penny-packets of light armoured reconnaissance vehicles with no indigenous supply chain, training, or, presumably, compatible up to date military kit installed? Munitions and ammo would also appear to be a major potential issue - who still makes 76mm ammo for the Scorpions low pressure gun> Perhaps they'd be better off with Scimitars - but even them, most of the other operational limitations and difficulties still apply...
Fascinating story
Jabberwocky
Staff Sergeant
Scimitars? That means 30mm RARDEN for Ukraine! My favourite weird autocannon.
Very high velocity, low rate of fire, three round clips, hand cranked, extremely accurate.
Great article on the gun, written by Major Percy Hobart, of 'Hobart's Funnies' fame from WW2:
APDS is supposedly enough to penetrate any Soviet era IFV beyond 1000m, most beyond 2000m.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
As I've mentioned before, I would pay good money to see Russia provoke Finland (and Sweden, for that matter).
'Legitimate target': Sweden summons Russian ambassador after threats over NATO membership
Sweden summons the Russian ambassador after he said it and neighbouring Finland would become a "legitimate target" of "retaliatory measures" -- including military ones -- if they join NATO.www.abc.net.au
Russia's inability to remember history will be a hard lesson when they summon the founding member of the "f**ck around and find out" club from it's slumber.
Glider
Captain
The initial order for Latvia was about 116 tanks was delivered from the 1980's. A further order for 82 was delivered recently with the final examples being delivered in 2022.
As I said it seems achievable.
You are right saying that ammunition is likely to be a problem, but a lot of these are in use around the world so presumably ammunition and spares are available. One advantage of the CVR(T) range is how good they are in difficult ground which is important in Ukraine where the going can be very difficult
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Thumpalumpacus
Major
I think the Russians have their hands pretty full at this time -- it's like 7 PM on a Friday night at Sonic for 'em. "Good lord, another order?!" said every Russki soldat.
buffnut453
Captain
Here's another brave Russian man:
Dmitry Muratov: The Russian journalist refusing to be silenced
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov is looking for hope in his country's younger generation.
www.bbc.com
ThomasP
Senior Master Sergeant
Aside from use as Reconnaissance and FO (Forward Observer) platforms, the Scorpion and Scimitar are quite useful as infantry fire support vehicles, and both are capable of taking out light armour vehicles and/or ruining buildings and bunkers. They are also fast enough and armed/armoured well enough that they could be useful for exploitation after successful breakthrough operations. The only thing better than artillery strikes and air strikes on rear area marshaling, supply, and HQ units - is direct fire.
ThomasP
Senior Master Sergeant
re 76mm and 30mm ammunition for the Scorpion and Scimitar.
I do not remember what the company was, but as of 5 or 6 years ago there was still someone manufacturing 76mm ammo for the guns on the Scorpion.
The RARDEN 30mm gun is still in frontline service with the UK on their Warrior IFV, and ammunition is still being manufactured.
I do not remember what the company was, but as of 5 or 6 years ago there was still someone manufacturing 76mm ammo for the guns on the Scorpion.
The RARDEN 30mm gun is still in frontline service with the UK on their Warrior IFV, and ammunition is still being manufactured.
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RogerdeLluria
Staff Sergeant
- 1,324
- Jul 5, 2015
That is not going to happen. It's all blah blah blah for internal consumption. Or most probably, as mentioned in this other post, they play mad as protection insurance.
I would assume those in the Russian military who have studied their history are also hoping it doesn't happen.
RogerdeLluria
Staff Sergeant
- 1,324
- Jul 5, 2015
The 3-day dash to Kiev turned out to be a forever warThis sentence caught my eye:
Putin prepares Russia for ‘forever war’ with west as Ukraine invasion stalls
The Russian president has managed to rally people around the flag with talk of a fight for national survivalwww.theguardian.com
The diplomat also said it was not clear that Putin could accept a defeat in the conflict because it did not seem that Putin "understands how to lose".
RogerdeLluria
Staff Sergeant
- 1,324
- Jul 5, 2015
There are photoshoped western tanks with ERA circulating around. But I think this one is legit.
View: https://twitter.com/ItsArtoir/status/1641148623399288864
View: https://twitter.com/ItsArtoir/status/1641148623399288864
Thumpalumpacus
Major
Interesting, russia claims destruction of a non-existant GLSDB that was suposedly launched from a HIMARS that Rusia already claimed to be destroyed (several times).
Russian defence ministry announces destruction of non-existent US GLSDB missile with 150km launch range
The Russian Ministry of Defence has announced the successful interception of a Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB). But there is a nuance.gagadget.com
Pretty sure it was actually a Russian pilot who took out the Death Star.
michaelmaltby
Colonel
That is the question, Greg.
The following in no order
- arrogance
- underestimate
- lack of preparation
- doctrine
- wrong doctrine for terrain and type of conflict
- unreliable 'associates'
- over-reliance of special forces - spez and paras - impossible tasks
Sound like something we are watching now - different scale but same WW2 winning ways ....
michaelmaltby
Colonel
Doctrine ...,.,. again
torontosun.com
Female Russian Army medics forced into sex slavery by officers
Russian officers are using the euphemism "field wives" to describe their sickening sexual arrangements with female combat medics.
