Breaking US will not stand in the way of F16 transfers to Ukraine from NATO. 100 miles more stand off range. BIG!
Inevitable that we also provide fighters in that case. As the overwhelmingly most powerful and wealthy member of NATO, we cannot allow another partner’s risk or generosity to exceed or own.
Read some analysis that said Europe has more enough stock for available pilots. Frees us up to focus on redoubling effort wrt munitions supply.
I'm wondering what Putin's logic was in holding back his hypersonic missile until Ukraine got anti-missile defense systems in place. They would have done a lot of damage early in the war. Either he: Didn't think he would need to use them; They weren't ready to be used; Or he didn't think there was any defense against them.
What makes you think he was holding them back? My understanding is that he has been using them for months against civilian apartment complexes and other high value targets.
I watched a Ukranian pilot "break-down" the DOD report on Ukrainian pilot "trainees' - (yes they are currently being evaluated) Exceptional abilities and very adaptable. The biggest issue according to the report is the ability to communicate in English and read/understand the technical manuals of the aircraft. And, one must always remember that the maintenance and support personnel must also be trained and prepped, those folks are every bit as valuable as the pilots themselves. Regrettably I cannot link the report but in summary it says, that for the Ukranians already in the program, they need a 3 to 4 month training regime (including English classes) to gain mission ready status. Considering the British PM's comments of Britain training Ukrainian pilots and with what the US is doing, it is almost inevitable that F16's will be released to Ukrainian forces albeit it probably in the Fall of 23.
Considering the Patriots are "shooting them down" and the Russian Engineer and Scientist whom developed those weapons just got arrested (perhaps for technical misinformation about the true capabilities of that weapons system?) perhaps those "hypersonic" missles are not the boggyman that Western analysists believed them to be?
I think I commented on this months ago, but that doesn’t surprise me one bit. If I were to send the top Blackhawk pilots who work for me to learn how to fly their Russian equivalents, then they would nail it in no time. The biggest obstacle, as you indicate later, would be language.
According to Ukrainian sources … Ukraine shot down six of two Kinzal hypersonic missiles which hit twelve targets. 200,000 Russian soldiers have died which, when you apply the usual 1:3 killed to wounded ratio, means that twice as many Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded as ever set foot in theatre.
they are what he has been suing to destroy power stations, rail hubs, hospitals, and community centers being used as shelters.
From the looks of it, if he hit what he was aiming it, then it was only through shear volume, like a line of musketeers firing ball.
not the modified Kinzhal as they seem to lack avoidance capabilities, but they have more advanced ones with better tech if they are to be believed. I believe the Avangard missile incorporates greater speed and collision avoidance capability but perhaps they are not ready for deployment.
“If they are to be believed” is the key language here. Before this war started their army was an irresistible juggernaut, ministers of death, praying for war, etc. Their tanks were impregnable to Western missiles. Their IADS had cracked the code of American stealth and EW technology. Their long-range artillery and radar rendered the American MLRS obsolete. And, of course, their “hypersonic” … … missiles could not be intercepted. I’m still waiting for one single Russian boast to be proven true. And I don’t mean “We won’t quit even if it means military rebellion and revolution.” I mean a technological one.
A description of life for the Russian soldiers in Bahkmut. No armour, no shoes, no hope – the daily life of a Russian soldier (yahoo.com)
Evidence of Russian defeat appears to be stacking up. I will remain cautiously optimistic. Was this the week Ukraine turned the tide in the war with Russia?
Ukraine uses a Patriot missile to shoot down a Russian bomber. Russian bomber shot down by Patriot system (yahoo.com)
I guess that will put the line of available air support even further to the east and/or further reduce the advantage of being able to target Ukrainian positions on the ground from high altitude (outside of the maximum effective altitude of man-portable systems, for instance). I simply cannot wait for the pro-Russian spin on this …
Obviously I know Kasparov's past positions but still this is strong language. He would not use this language in so public a forum unless he knew the sentiments were shared by many in Russia in positions of power that cannot speak publicly
The fighting in Ukraine would seem to justify every point you are making. I was listning to a British Military scholar whom said that Russia can't seem to hit "mobile or moving targets" with any precision whatsoever as compared to NATO systems. Command and Control / information exchange issues. Once the proper tracking information is recieved (30- minutes late) the targets are long gone. Think that sequence in "Black-Hawk-Down" when the Humveee's were trying to get out of Mogodeshu - By the time information reached the coordinators whom relayed it to the troops - the information was generally too late for the convoy to utilize it.
