this is critical. the f-16 needs a clean runway (big air intake and engines don't like asphalt and rocks) with good pavement (landing gear isn't made for hard landings). it will be obvious to everyone where the f-16's being sent will be based as the ukranian runways will require repair. Russia can hit a runway or two to keep planes out of sky. if Ukraine can't protect the runways, the f-16's will be useless
Your laugh for the day: Pro-war pensioner Russians are tricked into setting fire to military enlistment offices, by Ukrainian scammers. You never know in Russia when you might be called on for a secret mission. Pro-War Russians Duped Into Torching Kremlin Military Offices (yahoo.com) Ukraine doesn't need a James Bond to defeat Russia--just a wise ass with a computer. I can't imagine how you would convince an old guy that burning down a military enlistment office would help the war effort.
I’m afraid I have to come down with Chem on this one. The benefits well outweigh the risk in my opinion. First, we don’t know if F35s have been flying electronic reconnaissance missions in vicinity of the battle area. The U.S. has only admitted to flying them over NATO countries, which is completely within our rights as non-belligerents. I have received a couple of classified briefs on the war, and I don’t know either because I don’t need to (if I knew, then I wouldn’t comment at all). But all of the unofficial noise in the system, strongly suggests to me that this is the case. Maybe it’s all just part of a deliberate disinformation plan on our side to make the Russians paranoid about aircraft they cannot detect (because they aren’t there). What I think is telling is the lack of commentary from Russia on the matter. If they really could see our planes, why aren’t they demonstrating it? I would. What better way to keep the U.S. out? If it’s all a deception on our part, then why aren’t they saying that? The word around the campfire is that all intercepted Russian communications on the subject indicate panic that the Russian IADS has performed so poorly against the Ukrainian Air Force in the close fight and that they now know they are extremely outclassed in the air against our top-tier fighters.
Even easier than you think. In 2009-2010 (when I was still with the Marines), I was in charge of a detachment of expeditionary airfield repairmen. It would blow you away how fast and well they can fix a runway.
Only peripherally related to Ukraine, but related to war tensions between Russia and the U.S.: Russian planes over Syria appear to be trying to bait American planes into dogfighting. Russians seem to be baiting US jets to dogfight in Syria, general says (yahoo.com) They're just throwing kindling on the woodpile, and waiting for a spark. It's doubtful that Russia's best pilots are in Syria when they are desperately needed for the Ukraine fight.
Some more info on the U.S. aircraft & Russian air defenses: F-35 Patrols Near Russia Highlight Case For Cognitive Electronic Warfare (yahoo.com) It seems possible that Russia is fairly certain that the F-35's are flying near the battlefield, and are searching for new ways to adjust their systems to locate them, but have not found the right adjustments yet. Seems like it might be fun to send out a drone that emits a faint signal that the Russian IADs could lock in on, and the Russians would think they discovered a way to track F-35's.
Russian society is starting to break down, with police and security agencies going after each other. Putin set up a very corrupt system of government where bribes were routinely given and taken to make things happen. This eventually filtered down to lower levels of government, and police officers are now selling information on various people in government and private citizens to Ukrainian partisans. This has resulted in a few assassination attempts on various people, some of which were successful. One of Putin’s Biggest Mistakes Is Finally Catching Up With Him (yahoo.com)
All hail, Caesar! Ukraine gets a danish (or 19). Denmark has delivered 19 Caesar self-propelled artillery units to Ukraine. Denmark's Caesar self-propelled howitzers arrive in Ukraine (yahoo.com)
Russia starts moving military equipment out of Crimea in anticipation of defeat. They don't want Ukraine to capture all of the equipment. Russia has emptied out a Crimea base of weaponry, with officials worried Ukraine could target the region in a possible counteroffensive (yahoo.com)
There is going to be some interesting tv watching in a couple of weeks. The revolution will be televised.
This has been one of the better threads on TH in a long time. Too many good posts for me to keep hitting "informative" or "like". So your posts are appreciated, even if I don't rate them all. Of course, a couple of key ignores makes the thread way more readable and enjoyable.
The Russian economy is facing a record shortage of workers. This is being blamed on the Ukraine War, the rise of the gay economy, and an exodus of Russians. Russia's economy is facing a record worker shortage amid losses in Ukraine and mass exodus (yahoo.com)
Ukraine war: Crimea oil tank set ablaze by reported drone Ukraine war: Crimea oil tank set ablaze by reported drone
The Great Clown Putin announces that he is building a museum to commemorate Russia's defeat by Ukraine. All ministries are instructed to put together teaching materials of the special military operation in Ukraine, as long as no one mentions the truth. All manner of heroically captured appliances are expected to be represented ("this dishwasher put up a helluva fight, but our brigade did not give up"). No comments on the rumor that Ukrainian children will be on display in cages at the museum as war prizes. Putin announces museum of war against Ukraine, expected to display "suitable artefacts" (yahoo.com)
Wow. I really thought they would contest Crimea intently. From everything I have read Crimea geographically as a peninsula is easy to defend but also easy to prevent resupply for the same reasons. Very interesting
