panzersaurkrautwerfer

Here's really your options when assessing the Armata:
 
1. Learn virtually everything about modern tank systems, spend hours gazing at the photos released of the platforms, reviewing claims, learning Russian and come to your own conclusions based on a well balanced technical perspective.
 
2. Ignore virtually everything.  Wait until the tank actually comes out and enters duty.
 
The Armata has gone beyond being simply a tank in Russia and it's now a propaganda tool.  The Russian government and the government owned media has made some pretty dubious claims....and then Russian fanboys have added onto those claims to a positively insane level of performance well beyond what engineering, science, and human technology is capable of at the moment.  So from that all we have is fairly modest estimates made by outside professional sources that paint a picture of what could be a pretty good tank (assuming you overcome a lot of technical and economic hurdles)....or the Russian version which is a little short  of being the personal chariot of the god-emperor putin's warthrone that is immune to all HATO nuclear weapons and will bring the Russian people to their rightful place ruling over the American eastern seaboard with no losses.
 
It's fairly reasonable to assume the Armata is still going to react poorly to most modern 120 MM sabot type projectiles given the current state of the art in ERA, APS, and passive armor arrays.

armata can be anywhere in the world in less than 7 hours
 
only hato fanboy with malicious intent would hide this crucial fact

Here's really your options when assessing the Armata:
 
1. Learn virtually everything about modern tank systems, spend hours gazing at the photos released of the platforms, reviewing claims, learning Russian and come to your own conclusions based on a well balanced technical perspective.
 
2. Ignore virtually everything.  Wait until the tank actually comes out and enters duty.
 
The Armata has gone beyond being simply a tank in Russia and it's now a propaganda tool.  The Russian government and the government owned media has made some pretty dubious claims....and then Russian fanboys have added onto those claims to a positively insane level of performance well beyond what engineering, science, and human technology is capable of at the moment.  So from that all we have is fairly modest estimates made by outside professional sources that paint a picture of what could be a pretty good tank (assuming you overcome a lot of technical and economic hurdles)....or the Russian version which is a little short  of being the personal chariot of the god-emperor putin's warthrone that is immune to all HATO nuclear weapons and will bring the Russian people to their rightful place ruling over the American eastern seaboard with no losses.
 
It's fairly reasonable to assume the Armata is still going to react poorly to most modern 120 MM sabot type projectiles given the current state of the art in ERA, APS, and passive armor arrays.

Here's really your options when assessing the Armata:
 
1. Learn virtually everything about modern tank systems, spend hours gazing at the photos released of the platforms, reviewing claims, learning Russian and come to your own conclusions based on a well balanced technical perspective.
 
2. Ignore virtually everything.  Wait until the tank actually comes out and enters duty.
 
The Armata has gone beyond being simply a tank in Russia and it's now a propaganda tool.  The Russian government and the government owned media has made some pretty dubious claims....and then Russian fanboys have added onto those claims to a positively insane level of performance well beyond what engineering, science, and human technology is capable of at the moment.  So from that all we have is fairly modest estimates made by outside professional sources that paint a picture of what could be a pretty good tank (assuming you overcome a lot of technical and economic hurdles)....or the Russian version which is a little short  of being the personal chariot of the god-emperor putin's warthrone that is immune to all HATO nuclear weapons and will bring the Russian people to their rightful place ruling over the American eastern seaboard with no losses.
 
It's fairly reasonable to assume the Armata is still going to react poorly to most modern 120 MM sabot type projectiles given the current state of the art in ERA, APS, and passive armor arrays.

Think it's a little between sburke and Apocal's perspective.  The Russians wanted a lot more out of the Ukraine than simply not-in-NATO.  That's where this whole conflict kicked off, closer ties to Russia via the not-really good at representing Ukrainians government.  The results of the follow-on repression by the Russian friendly government, and the "insurgents" totally undermined ANY likely future cooperation between the Ukraine and it'll likely be decades before you see anything resembling a Russian-friendly* political stance in the larger Ukraine (which is a contrast to the previous sort of trying to exist in both the east and the west stance).  On the other hand Russia had clearly gunned for what it assumes it can get through limited conventional warfare and walk away with.  It has succeeded in some ways, taking the Crimea, and having successfully sustained the rebels, but what they've clearly sought in terms of more solid land connections to the Crimea, or more leverage against Kiev has not panned out.
 
In effect the Russians had to succeed a lot faster and use the time in which the Ukrainian forces were very poorly equipped, lead and trained.  Russia has reached the extent of what they can do short of putting large scale ground forces into theater, and that much is doubtful at the moment.  The provocations that were relied upon to justify sending in "peacekeepers" frankly have not borne fruit, and the situation on the ground is now known enough that fait accompli "trust us the Ukrainians were eating Russian babies!" inspired invasion just is not going to wash.
 
Which brings us to now, where more investment is unlikely, but progress is doubtful without said investment.  
 
Re: Soft Power
 
The odd thing about Soft Power is you really need to be a carrot sort of person to make it work.  US loans, aid, guarantees and Chinese business investment both are great examples of those carrots.  The problem is the Russian economic soft power is very tightly tied to oil....which isn't worth so much and comes with less strings from elsewhere.  In terms of non-financial means, Russia hasn't really been a good partner to anyone so outside of folks with literally no one else to turn to (like a certain Syrian guy) it's not going to win friends.
 
Which therein makes hard power a more reasonable choice to "solve" Russia's problems.  Which THEN makes soft power even less viable (even the US suffered greatly in terms of soft power resulting from the War on Terror, and that's something that had SOME appeal overseas, as opposed to the Russian route which really only resonates with the anti-US/EU circles as a middle finger to the west of sorts).
 
*This also assumes Russian policy that's conciliatory or at the least, less of how Russia has treated its neighbors since the Czars.  

There's a sort of logical fallacy assuming that because there's two sides to a debate (or more!) that those viewpoints have equal weight.
 
The Russian argument for the various republics it carved off of Georgia, and is trying to carve off of the Ukraine doesn't hold water.  There might even be legitimate Russian concerns....but they do not excuse or warrant the conflict Russia started (again, there's no practical denial there, Russia started the current crisis, and it sustains it).  
 
Which is inherently why I find some claims of being unbiased to be dishonest.  You either think there's enough of a justification for Russian behavior, or you don't at this point.  There's no middle ground of "Russia deserves SOME of what it's trying to carve off, but not all!"

I come to Russian military forums, it's a circle-jerk of bouncing similar opinions on a one side loop. I come to US oriented forums like this one, and it is exactly the same circle-jerk of high an mighty opinionated posting, just the other way around. Such a shame mp.net has died. It felt like the only place where two camps would actually meet and have a discussion. 

Why would Russia be dishonest about anything?  It's not like they've ever concealed facts for their own benefit?  I imagine if that callsign or transponder code was not in service, Russia could easily show the US as lying sneakmen of green wearing nature.  

I am merely concerned his hometown is unaware of his whereabouts, any insults you might have seen are simply on vacation with their transponders turned off.  
 
Also my town is well aware of my location thank you!  I filled out the proper forms several weeks ago when I moved.  
 
While totally off topic, did you ever find real numbers concerning the "5,000" Serbian civilian deaths during the NATO air campaign you claimed?  I was genuinely surprised not to have heard your follow up.  

Why would Russia be dishonest about anything?  It's not like they've ever concealed facts for their own benefit?  I imagine if that callsign or transponder code was not in service, Russia could easily show the US as lying sneakmen of green wearing nature.  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/world/two-days-of-russian-aircraft-intercepts/1422/
 
Please explain to me how Portugal, England etc are just right around the corner from Russia?
 
 
Apparently it was on, according to the very thing you posted.

Literacy?

 
 
I'm curious to what the Russian interest in maritime patrols carried out over Western Europe were.  The B-1 can also do a variety of other missions, I imagine if they were zipping up and down off Russia we'd be getting marginally more nuclear threats to Denmark than usual.
 
 
Again, picture if it was B-52s buzzing along, and the US DoD had just mentioned pointing more nuclear weapons at Russia because the US has secretly not invaded but actually invaded parts of Mexico to make the new US state of Baja.  It's a needlessly stupid penis waving moment that's on par with Russian foreign policy choices on a whole at this moment.
 
 
 
Said the person comparing P-3s to nuclear bombers, and who thinks Russia has a right to fly nuclear capable bombers through crowded airspace unannounced.
 
Who also doesn't apparently read his own articles posted.
 
Who thinks the UK is next door to Russia.
 
Does your village know where you are?

Why would Russia be dishonest about anything?  It's not like they've ever concealed facts for their own benefit?  I imagine if that callsign or transponder code was not in service, Russia could easily show the US as lying sneakmen of green wearing nature.  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/world/two-days-of-russian-aircraft-intercepts/1422/
 
Please explain to me how Portugal, England etc are just right around the corner from Russia?
 
 
Apparently it was on, according to the very thing you posted.

Literacy?

 
 
I'm curious to what the Russian interest in maritime patrols carried out over Western Europe were.  The B-1 can also do a variety of other missions, I imagine if they were zipping up and down off Russia we'd be getting marginally more nuclear threats to Denmark than usual.
 
 
Again, picture if it was B-52s buzzing along, and the US DoD had just mentioned pointing more nuclear weapons at Russia because the US has secretly not invaded but actually invaded parts of Mexico to make the new US state of Baja.  It's a needlessly stupid penis waving moment that's on par with Russian foreign policy choices on a whole at this moment.
 
 
 
Said the person comparing P-3s to nuclear bombers, and who thinks Russia has a right to fly nuclear capable bombers through crowded airspace unannounced.
 
Who also doesn't apparently read his own articles posted.
 
Who thinks the UK is next door to Russia.
 
Does your village know where you are?

Would you care to idenfify the nuclear payloads carried by recon planes, or the P-3?  The P-3 is especially hilarious considering they're largely flying in that area so they can be aware of Russian submarine activity as they pass into Norwegian waters.
 
This is a stark contrast to nuclear bombers some hundreds, if not thousands of miles away from Russian airspace flying through some of the busiest commercial airspace with transponders off.  You can take issue with US/NATO recon assets bopping a little closer to Russia than you'd like, but that's different from Russian threats, and indeed plans to employ nuclear weapons against the west, and then waving said weapons systems around.
 
 
It's perfectly reasonable that you could see my car as it darted across six lanes of traffic so it is in no way reckless. So please stop complaining about my driving.  

P-3 Orions may be employed in several different missions - both ASW and maritime surveillance. ESM equipment carried by them effectively makes them SIGINT capable.
Also there have been cases of USAF RC-135U being intercepted:
 
http://theaviationist.com/2015/04/13/su-27-aggressively-intercept-rc135/
 
As you can read in the article, the american spyplane was flying with its transponder off.
 
As for nuclear payloads, the Tupolev-95 is nuclear capable, but also in some version it carries the same kind of equipment the P-3 Orion carries, and in those versions is employed pretty much the same way as the Orion, ASW and maritime surveillance. Ofc the press reports are kinda sketchy about which kind of "Bears" were intercepted, although one may surmise that in the various cases, different kind of planes may have been interested (I didn't read anything about which unit they were from, but again, I wouldn't entrust the general press to single out the difference between, say, a Bear-H and a Bear-F).
 
Moreover, I would find it very unlikely that the airplanes spotted in the baltic sea were actually carrying any nuclear payload, but being this imho, I understand it's difficult to accept.
 
The baltic sea isn't thousands of mile away from russian airspace - in fact Kaliningrad is a port city on that sea, without citing St. Petersburg.
 
 
Yeah, metaphors always are tempting, yet this one is pretty much apples and pears.

I'm thinking it's pretty rubbish.  The Korean part is a whole mess of wrong, the highest leading cause of T-34/85 losses was US Armor, with Shermans making the slim majority of kills (I'd have to look up the specs, but it's something like 55% knocked out by Shermans, 45% M-26/M-46 kills).  The T-34/85 was about on par with the late model Shermans (worse surviability, marginally better firepower, etc), but it was handily outclassed by the Pershing and Patton.  I am fairly certain the author also could not tell a Chaffee from a tractor too.  Also Task Force Smith didn't have armor, their only AT was the smaller early model bazookas, and 105 MM howitzers.  
 
Let's see....uh the only armor at the Bay of Pigs was Cuban government, none was landed by the Americans, let alone the 30+ AFVs described, the Arab-Israeli stuff is only right if you accept fictional "we totally didn't lose this one guys!" Syrian numbers.....and actually yeah pretty much the whole thing is crap.  Sorry man.  

I am shocked, positively shocked at this.  Novorussian troops of Donbass have been so good about avoiding shameless Ukrainian provocation conducted by Ukrainian-Polish-US Navy SEAL NAZI militia forces.  It's a shame so much of the Russian military is on vacation or else perhaps they'd be there to help the attacking defense of Donbass!

ITS YOUR FAULT I HAVE TO INVADE YOU AND TAKE PARTS OF YOUR COUNTRY AND ANNEX THEM TO MINE.  BUT I AM NOT AT WAR WITH YOU. I AM PEACEFUL.  PLEASE SURRENDER TO THOSE GUYS THAT ARE TOTALLY NOT MY TROOPS, JUST HAVE MY GUNS. 
 
While the "World without America" is an alarmist self important book designed to make yankee imperialists feel good about themselves, a "World without Russia" book would rather be a utopian novel in which Eastern Europe actually gets to thrive, and various tin pot dictators find themselves out of friends, time, and Russian guns.

I am shocked, positively shocked at this.  Novorussian troops of Donbass have been so good about avoiding shameless Ukrainian provocation conducted by Ukrainian-Polish-US Navy SEAL NAZI militia forces.  It's a shame so much of the Russian military is on vacation or else perhaps they'd be there to help the attacking defense of Donbass!

It'd depend on the resolve of the rest of the nuclear powers...but there's no distinction between "tactical" and "strategic" nuclear weapons in terms of deterrance.  Official US policy is a weapon of mass destruction is a weapon of mass destruction and will be retaliated against in kind.  So perhaps it wouldn't be full on Dr Strangelove, but matching the Russians nuke for nuke seems likely.  

Not to mention alone of all countries on Earth, Russia is actively drilling to use manned bombers to deliver nuclear weapons on targets that would kill literally tens of thousands at best, and furthermore in recent wargames included launching nuclear strikes on Warsaw as an acceptable outcome for ensuring Russian interests were kept.
 
There's no justifying that, compliance with aviation agreements (Which there is not) be damned.  

Not to mention alone of all countries on Earth, Russia is actively drilling to use manned bombers to deliver nuclear weapons on targets that would kill literally tens of thousands at best, and furthermore in recent wargames included launching nuclear strikes on Warsaw as an acceptable outcome for ensuring Russian interests were kept.
 
There's no justifying that, compliance with aviation agreements (Which there is not) be damned.  

Sadly there's folks who still believe violence is a means to an end.  War is always universally terrible.  Just sometimes it's marginally less so than the consequences.  
 
I always took George Orwell's essay looking back on the Spanish Civil War (I forget the title, it's not Homage to Catalonia, it's just a little essay reflecting on conflict, war, and propaganda) to heart in that once the struggle has started you're effectively supporting one side, or the other.  Even refusal to become involved becomes defacto support for one side or the other.
 
While I'm not advocating conflict as the first and primary means, and having scooped up my fair share of body parts, I hold intervention to conclude a conflict, or prevent further loss of civilian life to be moral.  It will never be perfect/easy/straight forward, but the stacks of skulls in Rwanda, the ditches of Srebrenica, and the drifting ashes of the Jewish population of Eastern Europe all tell a story of what happens when we declare war too terrible to ponder.
 
War is terrible.  War is hell.  Having merely been a passing visitor to it I will say if I never saw it again I would be quite content.  But too often we've looked at the price of intervention and asked "what have we done?" while ignoring the question of "what if we did not?"
 
And looking at Kosovo, and looking at the men who led Serbia and their prior contributions to the butcher's bill, and looking at numbers not made up by apologists, it's clear it was not going to end especially well unless you were Serbian and liked ear necklaces.  Was it perfect?  Hell no.  Was the fate of thousands of Serbs in Kosovo justified?  No a thousand times over.  But they're lesser evils compared to the last time the world sat back and let it rain artillery on children, or watched folks herded off like cattle to fill ditches in Bosnia.  

Nah.  What I said was the situation escalated to the point where it was starting pose a danger beyond Serbian inability to conduct COIN.  Then the then recent Serbia concentration camps and the like brought back some uncomfortable memories.  The Serbian right to shoot folks in Kosovo ended once it started pouring over the borders, and started looking like 1993 all over again.
 
 
Logistical node, enemy ability to conduct information operations.  Pretty legitimate targets.
 
 
Take your case to the ICC if you feel you can get some folks for war crimes, sounds like you have some great cases in mind.  Plenty of Croats and some Bosnian folks have wound up prosecuted too.  Just happens Serbians were the ones that went that extra mile in terms of atrocities.    

I've never understood the almost lust for the Nazis and their adult words I cannot use here.  They lost.  Handily.  Got dug out of their holes and turned into good Nazis.  Good guys won life went on.

That said if we're picking out better songs in German: