How Hot is Ukraine Gonna Get?

[Vet 0369]

On 3/24/2023 at 6:43 AM, Kinophile said:

"UKR Air Force to allow Foreigners as Pilots".

YES!!! Flying Tigers reborn!

[Haiduk]

General Zaluzhnyi personally awarded the soldier of 22nd mot.inf. battalion of 92nd mech.brigade Ruslan Zubarev ("Predator") for his epic fight. He received Golden Cross - honorable sign of Chief-in-Command. Also Zaluzhnyi gifted him with name weapon - AR-15 rifle. "Predator" said this was his dream to buy this rifle, but he couldn't do this, because according to the law it could be possibly only in 25 y.o., but he has 22 only.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Haiduk

[NamEndedAllen]

Not much on the sort of drone challenge discussions here, but doubling down on their new term “spectral warfare” and “spectral dominance”:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/big-emphasis-on-spectral-warfare-in-air-forces-next-generation-air-dominance-plans 

Concepts described as "spectral warfare" and "spectral dominance," and related technologies, are emerging as key factors in work related to the U.S. Air Force's multi-faceted Next-Generation Air Dominance program, or NGAD. 

Budget documents point to a central goal for the service to be able to 'dominate' in a future aerial warfare battlespace defined on all sides by things like infrared search and track systems and missiles with multi-mode seekers, as well as advanced radars and electronic warfare systems. This is already having impacts on the design of a future sixth-generation stealthy crewed combat jet and that of advanced drones called Collaborative Combat Aircraftall being developed under NGAD.

 

 

[Vet 0369]

On 3/24/2023 at 12:16 PM, Battlefront.com said:

A couple of new videos from Hromadske about Ukrainian artillery operating in the Avdiivka area.  There's a lot of good details here for anybody that wants to know more about how these systems work.
 

First one is from a 59th Mech mortar position.  A lot of older, long serving crew.  The 82mm Mortar looks like it's been around for a very long time, but it still does the job.

well, since mortars are smooth bore, except I believe the U.S. Army 4.2 inch which was rifled, they don’t tend to “wear out” as cannon barrels do. Our USMCR 60mm tubes in the late 1970s were M2’s from WWII, and my gunners could still hit a pile of junk on the range out to 1,000 yards (and the accuracy spec was stated as within 30 yards).

[Fenris]

3 hours ago, danfrodo said:

Yeah, I concur.  I am picturing UKR 'unintentionally' having leaks about locations of units w western MBTs & AFVs.  This would signal to RU where the new offensive is coming while it's all just a show.  Hopefully RU would bite on this trick and move their reserves away from the real offensive.

And some talk of logistics here today, detailing why we won't see abrams in combat anytime soon.   

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/27/2160465/-Ukraine-Update-Why-sending-31-M1-Abrams-tanks-is-harder-than-just-sending-31-tanks

It seems we might see some western IFVs in May/June, but it sounds like that MBTs are probably later in summer or autumn.  While logistics will decide the outcome, the quality of soldiers & weapons will decide how far & how fast UKR can push and at what cost.  Still gotta dig folks outta trenches.  Still gotta take villages and overrun roadblocks.

I also hope that that factory in Poland is working overtime producing lots of blow up copies of all these new vehicles.  Keep RU guessing.

[Battlefront.com]

Because we haven't had a "tank is dead" discussion for a few days, here's something to look at.  This is a German vehicle designed to replace the Weisel airborne support vehicle.  Small, highly maneuverable, light weight, and yet significantly armed.  In theory vehicles like this can be produced quickly and cheaply (compared to heavier MBTs) armed with a variety of weaponry, including SPIKE or Javelins, to take on pretty much anything out there.  Now picture this slightly smaller and controlled remotely.

As I've said about the Sherman for more decades than I can count... I'd much rather have a lot of something and know I can always count on it being there than something that's technically better but much less likely to make it to the fight.

 

[billbindc]

Looks like Ben Hodges has been reading a post or two around here.

[hcrof]

5 minutes ago, Battlefront.com said:

Because we haven't had a "tank is dead" discussion for a few days, here's something to look at.  This is a German vehicle designed to replace the Weisel airborne support vehicle.  Small, highly maneuverable, light weight, and yet significantly armed.  In theory vehicles like this can be produced quickly and cheaply (compared to heavier MBTs) armed with a variety of weaponry, including SPIKE or Javelins, to take on pretty much anything out there.  Now picture this slightly smaller and controlled remotely.

As I've said about the Sherman for more decades than I can count... I'd much rather have a lot of something and know I can always count on it being there than something that's technically better but much less likely to make it to the fight.

 

You mean like this?

https://community.battlefront.com/topic/142139-new-armoured-vehicle-concept-lessons-from-ukraine/#comment-1973330

 

[Fenris]

Speaking of the Tank is dead - two view of the same vehicle firing - it's a bit odd looking at it from this angle, comments suggest a T-80U... So ex-russian?

 

[Fenris]

13 minutes ago, Battlefront.com said:

Because we haven't had a "tank is dead" discussion for a few days, here's something to look at.  This is a German vehicle designed to replace the Weisel airborne support vehicle.  Small, highly maneuverable, light weight, and yet significantly armed.  In theory vehicles like this can be produced quickly and cheaply (compared to heavier MBTs) armed with a variety of weaponry, including SPIKE or Javelins, to take on pretty much anything out there.  Now picture this slightly smaller and controlled remotely.

As I've said about the Sherman for more decades than I can count... I'd much rather have a lot of something and know I can always count on it being there than something that's technically better but much less likely to make it to the fight.

 

Like you say, take the human out of it and you can either add more 'stuff' or make it smaller/cheaper.  I think we are going to see more and more remote control vehicles over the coming decades.

[sburke]

Thank god we are done with Trump discussion. That can’t impact Ukraine until at earliest Jan 2024 and by then we are hopefully in a whole different place militarily. The big discussion then will be (I hope) the financial support for reconstruction. 

[Fenris]

Another interesting clip posted today

 

[kevinkin]

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230327-depleted-uranium-shells-the-armour-busting-munitions-heading-to-ukraine

Miss this before, but there are several other reports. Numbers not discussed from what I have read. The question is "What was the hold up?" Compatibility with Ukrainian tanks I suppose. 

 

[Vet 0369]

On 3/25/2023 at 10:28 AM, cesmonkey said:

https://tass.ru/politika/17367387

 

Yes, however, the “pardons” were delivered by Ukrainian ammunition!

[Battlefront.com]

31 minutes ago, hcrof said:

You mean like this?

https://community.battlefront.com/topic/142139-new-armoured-vehicle-concept-lessons-from-ukraine/#comment-1973330

 

Yup   The concept is pretty straight forward and is already actively being explored by several nations, though not necessarily to its logical conclusion (yet).  I posted this specific vehicle as an example of something that is bigger than the current small UGVs (like Titan), but still way smaller than pretty much anything else.

Steve

[kevinkin]

Part of the specs better include:

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/leopard-2-a-tank-that-can-carry-a-beer-without-spilling-a-drop/

What's a victory celebration without suds? 

[Sojourner]

53 minutes ago, sburke said:

Thank god we are done with Trump discussion. That can’t impact Ukraine until at earliest Jan 2024 and by then we are hopefully in a whole different place militarily. The big discussion then will be (I hope) the financial support for reconstruction. 

2025, unless he's planning another coup.

[Vet 0369]

On 3/26/2023 at 12:17 PM, poesel said:

I'm pretty sure that thing will end up as a CM scenario or even a small campaign.

Sure, but it will need to be “Blue only vs AI,” because no one is going to play as “Red.”

[dan/california]

 

[chuckdyke]

32 minutes ago, Vet 0369 said:

Sure, but it will need to be “Blue only vs AI,” because no one is going to play as “Red.”

In BS at present Russia is completely overrated. The reason I got rid of BS on my machine. Crossing the Dniepr was the last straw Ukrainian BMP2's and their T64 acting like complete morons. The only scenarios I enjoyed was playing as Ukrainian and as Russia too when we played on Hotseat. Not many scenarios in BS and in my opinion BF needs to overhaul the game before I consider re installing it again. Back to WW2 for us. 

[Offshoot]

In an intercepted private conversation, Russian elite freak out, cry into their cups and wonder about an uncertain future and how they can save their own skins and as much wealth as possible. They have some choice things to say about Putin along the way.

And some analysis of the conversation and the wider context (it has good closed captions)

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by Offshoot

[chrisl]

2 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:

Because we haven't had a "tank is dead" discussion for a few days, here's something to look at.  This is a German vehicle designed to replace the Weisel airborne support vehicle.  Small, highly maneuverable, light weight, and yet significantly armed.  In theory vehicles like this can be produced quickly and cheaply (compared to heavier MBTs) armed with a variety of weaponry, including SPIKE or Javelins, to take on pretty much anything out there.  Now picture this slightly smaller and controlled remotely.

As I've said about the Sherman for more decades than I can count... I'd much rather have a lot of something and know I can always count on it being there than something that's technically better but much less likely to make it to the fight.

 

If they leave it that size to get the gun elevation it might make a nice little drone carrier/charger.  Little ports like a beehive for little drones and a rear ramp or roll up door for the bigger ones.  The first step towards a Borg cube.  Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

 

[chuckdyke]

8 minutes ago, chrisl said:

If they leave it that size to get the gun elevation it might make a nice little drone carrier/charger.

Tanks will be launching kamikaze drones like they did with HE in WW2. 

[cesmonkey]

Somewhat informative, 26 minute video, by the UK MoD on the training given to the Ukrainians on the Challenger 2

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by cesmonkey

[dan/california]

2 hours ago, hcrof said:

You mean like this?

https://community.battlefront.com/topic/142139-new-armoured-vehicle-concept-lessons-from-ukraine/#comment-1973330

 

hcrof is dead on here. In particular a 120mm breach loading mortar makes more sense by the day vs 120mm smoothbore designed to send APFSDS down range. You have to show most of the turret to shoot APFSDS, that seems ever less healthy even with the best armor and APS on the planet. 

I am mildly concerned that some wrong lessons could be drawn from this war if the late model NATO tanks show up, and just shreds giant gaps in in the crumbling and corroded mess that currently passes for the Russian army. Not that  would be unhappy about the Russians getting shredded, but it would reduce pressure to rethink things as much as I think the Pentagon and various other defense ministries need to rethink them. I mean the Chinese could be as stupid as the Russians have been even after watching the Russian's disaster, but I don't find it likely.