Los

Remember internally Russia is defended by REMFs. Versuss Wagner troops any particular engagement wont go well for them.

It's the Horus Heresy all over again...

It shouldn't come as the slightest surprise that there would be something akin to a significant SF presence in Ukraine. One of the core published missions of most SF are Foreign Internal defense and unconventional Warfare in the service of Host nation assistance. (Basically training and advising) in particular in high risk environments. Likewise general support of the intel and diplomatic personnel in the country. These are mundane but vital tasks.

The Ukrainians will deploy this capability faster than anyone expects because the fate of their nation depends upon it. Just like everything else they have done.

Guys don't be perplexed because some planes looked unscathed from satellite photos. A few small holes in the side of any aircraft, or even suspected blast pressure damage will require maintenance teams to go over them with a fine tooth comb. And what's the status of the maintenance facilities, I saw a lot of blown up hangars in other pictures.

The farther in the rear, the poorer and more lax the security, the more targets open up for competent special operations. Los

They are using Rocket toss, it allows them to fire off the rockets without getting as close as normal more-accurate rocket delivery. The downside is greater dispersion as opposed to the more accurate point delivery of rockets. Also implied on all this is that the main armament of the attack helo. Right off the bat the main and most accurate weapon system available to Russian attack Helos, the ViKhr ATGM has been in almost no usage, (Again we have seen the Russians didn't have large stocks of expensive weapons) the next most accurate system, their 30mm autocannon requires getting in close. The rockets(s-13) are being used in a manner that results in the least risk (and the least amount of effectiveness). They are essentially using this weapon system as very expensive artillery.

Agree 100% w Steve...too much focus on this or that system. It's the integration of capability, tactics, logistics and resolve of the army that makes the difference. Had the U.S. traded equipment with the Iraqi Army in Desert Storm, the outcome would have been essentially the same, total defeat for the Iraqi army. Los

I don't think so. If Russians are defending Russia is one thing, defending Ukrainian objectives not so much, especially with all the firepower that can be brought to bear on them. Add that to the fact that the Russian officers themselves at all levels don't really now what they are doing, a complete lack of professionalism from top to bottom, trashed/incompetent logistics. Russia spent the past ten years building the wrong military to fight this war.

It's getting to be the part of Crimson Tide where the president dies and a new more unstable hard liner takes over....

In case this isn't posted yet. https://nypost.com/2022/05/02/vladimir-putin-to-undergo-cancer-surgery-transfer-power/

It's becoming likely full on war between Russia and the West is right around the corner no matter how much we try and noodle around the logic of it not happening. Better now to grab a hose, squat down and wash the sand out from between our legs and put ourselves in a position to ensure Russia is defeated. The world will either blow up or not blow up, but until such time we should be focusing on destroying Russian capabilities as quickly as possible once the balloon goes up. I think this means, for instance, war on the high seas, and hopefully the various fleets already realize this and are ready for the hair trigger notice they will receive that fighting has become general. I think a massive escalation of losses of Russian ships would be difficult to hide from the public. Is the Russian Navy in any better shape than the Army when it comes to sorting itself out? Probably not. Los

Any political decision that does not directly result in the destruction of as many Russian forces as possible is a waste of time at this point. The maximum effective range of Condemnations, proclamations, hopes, and prayers...is zero F'ing meters.....

The M60 should very much have a tripod. I was an m60 gunner and the AG carried the tripod. It’s a basic part of the kit. Los

A quick point, there were 82d brigade-level deployments to reforger occasionally. If for whatever reason the situation dictated deploying part of the brigade to Europe, then that’s where they would have gone. It’s the definition of having a rapid deployment force.