Friday, February 04, 2022

83 Battalion Tactical Groups near Ukraine now...14 MORE are in transit.

Geez. He's really gonna do it. Just plain wow.

Wanted to pop this out based on a few comments from the Rob Lee blog post...

 AssKicker47

replied in SNAFU!

The crippling sanctions didn't break Iran and North Korea, they will certainly will not break Russia.

Totally agree.  We've reached for the same hammer over and over again when we probably need some other tool to accomplish our goals.  We've damn near created a black market/alternative market due to over using sanctions.  If China backs Russia (and they appear to be headed in that direction) then we're gonna have painted ourselves into a very uncomfortable corner.  Congrats globalist.  You screwed us all.  Thanks hawks.  We've defaulted to only two options in our foreign policy.  Either sanctions or military action.  You fuckers suck.  Business community?  You can kick rocks too.  Greed and idiot politicians with a jacked up economic policy helped you create a great enemy.  I hope you all roast in hell.

 elportonative77

replied in SNAFU!

Where is your line, Sol? When do you decide when enough is enough? How much do we (the West) surrender or barter away in order to avoid conflict? I'm genuinely curious. I don't believe there are any easy answers.

I have no idea.  I do know that I don't think Ukraine is worth it. I'd bet big money that alot of those weapons being rushed to them end up on the black market, will cross the Mexican border into the US and we eventually have a terror attack from hell with some shit we gave them.

What I also think is that they're pulling shit out of their ass.  Typical academics.  They think they're so smart cause they sit in ivory towers but when it comes to dealing with the real world with real powers all the theory suddenly becomes a bucket of warm spit.  

So no.  There is no easy answer but its obvious that the answer they're coming up with is pure bullshit.  

 TommyAtkins

replied in SNAFU!

Russia can't afford significant sanctions. Their economy is the size of Italy. The west has always held back, banning Russian LNG and USD transactions will crush the ruble giving all Russians a substantial pay cut. All indications are that the Ruble will continue to fall, making already poor Russians poorer.

I've heard that over and over again everytime they pull the sanction shit.  Iran was supposed to have collapsed by now and we should be dealing with a new regime.  They're ok.  Maybe not great but they ain't going no where.  Oh and did you pay attention to China?  They'll easily fill the void.  They'll buy Russian oil like its no ones business.  They'll probably buy other natural resources too.

 TommyAtkins

replied in SNAFU!

As Russia moves its borders West eventually it will come into conflict with NATO.

Old thinking bro.  Quite honestly NATO should not exist anymore!  The WARSAW Pact is gone!!!!  NATO should only exist if there was a real threat.  The entire Western Europe shaking like frightened school kids when facing ONE (1) nation with supposedly the economy of Italy (according to you). 

IT MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE!

If Russia didn't exist NATO would have to invent one just to justify its existence.  NATO is a fossil from a bygone era that does nothing to benefit its members except to have them on a damn near continuous wartime footing FOR NOTHING! 

As far as Russian moving its borders its ACTUALLY been the other way around.  NATO MOVED EAST.  The whole thing has been badly managed and the reason behind this whole dance eludes me but this seems more like a made for TV movie (by both sides...RUSSIA, USA and NATO) than some real shit that should have both sides damn near ready to cross swords.

Don't have anything else.  Maybe more Sat.

Rob Lee is covering the flow of forces to the Ukrainian (future) battlespace. Things are going from bad to worse...

Rob is right. When the Russians decide to go they'll go hard, fast and will accomplish all objectives before the US/NATO can even mount diplomatic protests.

What is worrying is the new unity between China and Russia.

If Biden actually follows thru with the "sanctions from hell" that will wreck the Russian economy (which I seriously doubt...sanctions have been used so often that they're practically useless now), that will only push the Russians into a new China-Russia block.

We will bring on a new cold war with threats that eclipse that of the old Soviet Union.

Can you imagine a fully funded Russian military development program?

Can you imagine Russian tech/know how married to Chinese industrial capability along with their zooming tech?

Can you imagine what will happen when we have the Chinese and Russia both actively playing in the Middle East in an attempt to starve the West of oil?  The mayhem in Africa?

This could be the moment that we see the beginning of a new cold war, a serious recession that destroys the standard of living in the West coupled with being the seeds of WW3.

This will not end well.

If there is an off ramp the Biden admin should RUSH to take it. This is not the time to be graveyard brave.

Note.  I stand by my earlier.  Ukraine is not worth the looming danger that is being built into its defense.  

History is repeating.  Instead of Germany annexing Austria, Russia will annex a portion of Ukraine. 

*Platoon Essentials* “These are the guys you need for an effective infantry platoon via Battle & Beers...

This AH-1W Super Cobra is the coolest model I've ever seen (mini)

Coolest mini model I've seen. I've also seen some pretty cool freaking big motorized tank models that are absolutely BEASTS!

Road rage idiocy...

eFP Estonia Battlegroup @ Exercise Winter Camp

I know I have small boat guys in the audience. Quick question...

I've been seeing a bunch of small boat exercise and I'm wondering. How far out can they launch? I'm not talking about flying end, dropping the boat off the ramp and going to the beach. I'm talking about launching from a ship and getting there. Also does anyone know the max distance possible? Those are small motors and I don't know if they carry extra fuel onboard (I would tend to think not). Now for the million dollar question. If its shorter than over the horizon then how does this fit in to the EABO concept?

Open Comment Post. 4 Feb 2022

Air Force, Marine Corps, Army WTC Fast Rope Training...by 1st Lt. Katie DuBois

Thursday, February 03, 2022

Reconnaissance Training Company: BRC 2-22 on the pistol range...

 

The Russians might not invade...but with almost 150K troops in the vicinity it sure looks like via Rage.Ex

 

I don't know what's going on over there. Things seemed to quiet down quite dramatically on open sources. But this announcement by the NATO Sec is a bit ominous. We're looking at a quite potent force poised for action. Sending the 82nd? That's just PR (in hindsight so would sending the Marines at this point). They need to send the 1st Armored Division if they want a credible deterrent.

I believe this reveals another flaw in our "forward deployed" scheme.

Against a real foe it doesn't work.

Against a foe that is credible its overkill.

The US should just bite the bullet, pull forces back from the frontier (speed bumps just get run over) and invest in some modern High Speed Transport Ships, rebuild the pre-positioned fleet and get back into the business of Reforger style deployments/reactions instead of having forts all across the world.

How long does it take for institutional knowledge to fade? If we need the Army to provide us tanks will we need advisors along with it?

How long does it take for institutional knowledge to fade?

When tank battalions were disbanded we were told its no problem because the Army could provide them.

Fair enough but will they also have to provide advisors?  Will we need our Battalion Commanders to get a quick and dirty from the Tank Company Commander on how to employ his force?

Is the Marine Corps continuing to keep up to date as the Army's Armor evolves?

Its just not tanks either.  Assault Breacher Vehicles are gone.  So is bridging equipment.  Quite honestly combat engineers in the "legacy" version of things is no longer part of the Corps.  Breaching fortifications/minefields, getting formations across rivers is out.  Going thru a wall?  All about that shit!

I get it that "assaults" are no longer part of the mission set but what happens if the Marines are called on to conduct one? Will it by necessity become a case where the Commandant says "we can't do that" and "you better call the Army"?

US Marines, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers conduct waterborne ops...Video by Cpl. Carl Matthew Ruppert

25th DivArty "Best By Test"

Note. I've never seen an Army unit so focused on water ops (outside of Rangers/Special Forces) as the 25th currently is. Jungles, Water Ops and Helos. Once they get their anti-ship missiles up and running along with their Long Range Fires solution...and maybe their future vertical lift (or whatever they're calling it now), they're gonna be for all practical purposes the Army's "Marines". They're really only missing one thing and I'm on the lookout for it. If they can start taking up space aboard the big deck amphibs...filling them up with AH-64s, UH-60s, CH-47s and a few drones then we might not make it back aboard. Weird thing is that we might be stuck on those Light Amphibious Warships. But maybe that's the plan. The Pacific is a big place afterall.

Israeli Air Force CH-53 Yasur

 

U.S. Marine Corps amphibious combat vehicles assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) assault amphibious vehicles assigned to 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, prepare for waterborne operations during bilateral amphibious assault training as part of exercise Iron Fist 2022

 


11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), load a Polaris MRZR light tactical all-terrain vehicle onto an MV-22B Osprey...by Sgt. Jennessa Davey

Does anyone remember that the MRZR was evaluated by the USMC and found incapable of performing the Fast Attack Vehicle role? I wonder how they determine what is and isn't suitable. Bonus. How many of you remember this rig~! The OG FAV!