Monday, May 22, 2023

5/19 Special Warfare Training Detachment - Airborne train in extreme cold weather & Arctic Edge 23

Posted by at 0 comments

The US Navy has no choice if it wants to catch up to China...we've got to use S. Korean and Japanese ship yards

 

S. Korea and Japan have the capability to fill the huge gap we have in our ship building. If we're gonna build a Navy capable of challenging China on the high seas then we need to leverage their production power.
Posted by at 0 comments

Ukrainian Special Ops reported to have attacked Belgorod border guards

 

Interesting. I've beat around the bush on this subject but the warhawks have been incapable of following the bouncing ball.

Ukraine has conducted a number of crossborder attacks.

What happens when they hit a target that actually hurts?  What happens when an attack can't be ignored by the Russian leadership (I contend we've already reached that point but Putin has proved me wrong)?

I contend that this can escalate to a war of survival.

If I'm right and battlefield nukes come into play then how does NATO respond?

Would NATO declare war if a nuke were used on Kyiv?  Would the world risk nuclear retaliation?

If a nuke were used and say Poland were to rush in and annex Kyiv would they still be covered by NATO?  Would NATO protection extend if they were to begin launching air/ground/sea attacks against Russian forces inside Ukraine?  What about forces inside Russia?

Weapons are being given freely to Ukraine.  My only ask is that a BIG leash be put on the Ukrainians as far as their use.
Posted by at 0 comments

Open Comment Post. 22 May 23

 



Posted by at 0 comments

Neville Chamberlain reassessed...

 

History needs to be better taught.


Posted by at 0 comments

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Bravado is a terrible thing when you're talking war...

I know many are cheering this "diss" but the question was serious, the Russian statement was serious and the response of our President was a joke.

"It is for them".

One liners might be good if you're picking up a brain dead, drunk and drugged out chic at the club.  Might be good if you're fighting a brain dead and drugged out idiot on the street but in international diplomacy especially at a time of war?

By giving the Ukrainians F-16s they now have the capability to strike large swaths of Russian territory.  Add the Storm Shadow to that equation and its easy to see that this thing will get bigger real soon.  Let's rotate back to the question and the President's statement.
"How would you respond to the [claims of Russian Foreign affairs ministry] that supplying F-16s is a colossal risk?" - @POTUS was asked in Hiroshima at the G7 Summit.

"It is for them" he replied.

Naw bro.

You're being led by impassioned fools.  Giving Ukraine F-16s is a risk for us all. 


Posted by at 0 comments

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Wonder what the SAS were doing when they were running loose after the helicopter crash in Chile during the Falklands war...

Always heard that the SBS & SAS were running ops on the mainland of Argentina during that war. Has anyone ever written an account of what they did or were tasked to do.
Posted by at 0 comments

I guess the Army ain't for everybody...

Probably the worst NCOER i've ever seen lol
by u/chairman-mao-ze-dong in army
Wow. This is crazy. I hope its a gag but if it ain't then someone has failed this Soldier (including himself). I wonder, if its true, what the real story is behind this.
Posted by at 0 comments

Wagner claimed Saturday the total control of the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut

 

Posted by at 0 comments

Does the US Army need to be cut?

 Note 1.  Don't worry Soldiers in the audience.  The USMC is up next and the Navy/Air Force will both get their times in this hot seat.

Jon, a reader of the blog made this comment...

None of the national security challenges, except Europe, require a 32 active Brigade force structure, plus another 27 in the National Guard. That's the equivalent of 19 divisions. By using US Army equipment to delete the Russian Army, the justification for that many Brigades disappears, especially if the EU steps up.

Taiwan is not an Army scenario, we aren't going to put ground forces in there, the risk of them becoming cut off is too high.

The US is largely done with the ME, geography precludes a major ground war with Iran and you don't need 32 Brigades to help the IDF fight Hezbollah, the US has never needed to provide Israel with direct military combat support. The US population wouldn't support helping the Saudis.

South America and Africa aren't conventional military problems.

I would fully support moving at least half of the active Brigades into the Guard. You've still got them in crisis, but they cost 1/3 the price tag. National Guard served well in I raq. The saving could be used to rebuild US ship building to pump out the new Frigate and whatever the new Destroyer is, and Amphibs for crisis response and the Pacific.

Posted by at 0 comments

Open Comment Post. 20 May 23

 

Imagine riding into battle on the back of this absolute unit of a horse!  Mega fauna indeed.

Posted by at 0 comments

Wealthy interests are buying up farmland in Ukraine. The farm/country boys are dying and their land/homes are being sold from underneath them/their family

 off-guardian.org

“Despite being at the centre of news cycle and international policy, little attention has gone to the core of the conflict — who controls the agricultural land in the country known as the breadbasket of Europe. [The] Answer to this question is paramount to understanding the major stakes in the war.”

The report shows the total amount of land controlled by oligarchs, corrupt individuals and large agribusinesses is over nine million hectares — exceeding 28% of Ukraine’s arable land (the rest is used by over eight million Ukrainian farmers).

The largest landholders are a mix of Ukrainian oligarchs and foreign interests — mostly European and North American as well as the sovereign fund of Saudi Arabia. A number of large US pension funds, foundations and university endowments are also invested in Ukrainian land through NCH Capital – a US-based private equity fund, which is the fifth largest landholder in the country.

President Zelenskyy put the land reform into law in 2020 against the will of the vast majority of the population who feared it would exacerbate corruption and reinforce control by powerful interests in the agricultural sector.

Here 

To paraphrase something I heard a long time ago.  "Wars are for the little people to fight and the rich to get richer".

It's happening in spades here.

I have to wonder what else Zelensky has done that reeks to high heaven but is being ignored.

The worst thing?

At least Ukraine has a war to blame for this nonsense.  The Biden admin is going after farmers here in the US and I believe (have nothing to point to) they're doing the same in other countries too.

I never really believed in the great reset, but yeah I get it now. They really do want us eating bugs.  Fortunately I'll probably be dead by the time they get close to making it happen but who would have every thought we'd be on this piece of road.

Posted by at 0 comments

Friday, May 19, 2023

Accounting error means the Pentagon can send more money to Ukraine? BULLSHIT! The argument that the Ukraine war is paying for modernization just died!

 via AP

The Pentagon has overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by at least $3 billion — an accounting error that could be a boon for the war effort because it will allow the Defense Department to send more weapons now without asking Congress for more money.


The acknowledgment Thursday comes at a time when Pentagon is under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the billions of dollars it has sent in weapons, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine and as some lawmakers question whether that level of support should continue.


It also could free up more money for critical weapons as Ukraine is on the verge of a much anticipated counteroffensive — which will require as much military aid as they can get. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously said the offensive was delayed because they did not yet have everything they needed.

Here 

THE LIES ARE BECOMING OUTRAGEOUS!

First we were told that the aid to Ukraine was in essence paying for our modernization.  That just evaporated.  Take the Army for example.  They give the Ukes HUMVEES or M113s they get JLTVs or AMPVs in return.  Why?  Because they were accounting for it as NEW items.  Now?  Now they've reversed that so Ukraine can get more gear.

What happens now?

The US military is giving up gear that it won't be able to efficiently replace.  Which means that the US defense budget just WENT UP.  

Additionally our Pentagon has stated that the Ukes had all the gear they needed to start their offensive.

Now apparently they don't.

Which means?

The war isn't going as well as our leadership would have us believe.

Additional data point?

Everytime the Ukes start screaming for a particular weapon they're dealing with a particular tactic that is slamming them in the nuts.

We've seen it with the demands for Turk Drones, Fighters, a NATO no fly zone, HIMARs, loitering drones, anti-tank missiles (especially the Javelin)...the list goes on.

This ain't ending and it is affecting OUR OWN SECURITY NOW!

If our general had a single ball between all of them then they would be honest with Congress and more importantly the American people.


Posted by at 0 comments

UK Defense Committee conducting an inquiry to determine whether their military is capable of "sophisticated operations"

Just laying the groundwork for increased defense spending. The real problem is the push and pull between developing forces that will aid Europe (the British Army) or being a global partner with the US (the Royal Navy). The Royal Air Force is good either way but that's really the battle lines. The British Army and Royal Navy are having a battle over funding. The problem for UK? If they pick a side then they're incapable in the other arena. If they split the baby then they're incapable in BOTH arenas. They're in a bit of a pickle.

I know what you're thinking.

They can go the USA route, team with us and rest assured that the US will back Europe if Russia goes insane.

Not sure.

A quick and dirty scenario that I'm sure keeps the Pentagon awake is what if this war in Europe drags on till late 2023 or even 2024?  

What does the US do if China makes a run at Taiwan?  Do we pivot full force to blunting that attack?  If we do then our aid to Ukraine dries up.  If we continue on with Ukraine aid and try and make it a long war with China (even though they'll want to make it sharp and short) while funding/equipping both theaters then Taiwan is toast.

The Brits are trying to be players on the world stage but their forces are just too small.  They punched above their weight in the 70s, 80s, and 90s but now?  I just can't see it.  Not with their current force structure.
Posted by at 0 comments

MQ-9Bs can operate off LHD/LHA?

 

Posted by at 0 comments

China's loans are pushing the worlds poorest countries to brink of collapse

 

Interesting. Chinese don't take a shit without a plan. I'm sure this was planned for so what will be the "if you can't pay then you" on this deal? Resources? Land? Naval bases? Annexation? The weird thing is that once the UN made loans for infrastructure and such but they've faded into the background since BEFORE covid struck.

In personal life if you default on a loan then they own you.  I guess China owns alot of properties in Africa and S. America now.
Posted by at 0 comments

ASCOD 120mm mortar variant

 

Story here
Posted by at 0 comments

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Kharkov region

Thanks to Duke 7 for the link! When you see a trend you gotta make note of it. I'm seeing a trend of the Russians systematically going after these ammo depots and they appear to be having a degree of success.

I have to assume that the Ukrainians aren't crazy so they're running all kinds of deceptions and have dozens of smaller ammo points but it sure doesn't look that way.

Additionally the Russians seem to be getting better at locating them too.

Makes nothing but sense too.  I thought the attacks against the power grid was the way to go (that's how we've done it) but we weren't up against a nation being supplied by over 30 nations.

If we were then we'd go after ammo points and fuel depots.  We'd go after them hard.

You can have a million launchers/cannons but if you don't have the rounds for them then they're useless.

So I get it.

But back to attacks on the power grid.  Why didn't the Russians shut down that power plant when they had control of it?  Not causing a meltdown but simply shutting it down and making sure it couldn't come back online easily?  Plus after all that fear mongering about another Chernobyl, we haven't heard jack about that plant for ages now.

This is weird war.  Neither side seems to be pushing for victory.  It's almost like everyone has fallen into the trap of the USA...perpetual war.  War for the sake of war.

That is disturbing.

Which is why I would love to see China and the Non-Aligned nations making a major push at the UN to turn this thing off.

Everyone fears that Russia will rearm.  SO WILL UKRAINE!  But at least the dying and destruction will end (assuming a ceasefire while they talk).

The weird thing?  

We've reached a point where being a cheerleader for continued warfare is the easy thing.  Asking that you turn the war off will lead to ridicule.  Weird war, weird times we're living in.
Posted by at 0 comments

SOCOM @ Arctic Edge 23

Posted by at 0 comments

Redut PMC

These dudes are very low profile compared to Wagner. Kinda controversial too. Supposedly, don't know for sure, they're owned by a Finn.
Posted by at 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )