Russo-Ukrainian War - 2022 Edition - Part 8

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Mirai

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MiW said:

F-16 jets ‘four or five times’ more effective than MiG-29: Ukraine​

A Ukrainian air commander said Kyiv is in dire need of F-16 fighter jets, which he described as “four or five times” more effective than the Soviet-era planes currently being used.
Serhiy Holubtsov, one of the most senior commanders in the Air Force, said that while donations of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets by allies were an “important step,” the planes did not fully meet Ukraine’s battlefield requirements.
“The F-16 is a fighter that has become a multirole aircraft which can fulfil the entire spectrum of airborne tasks. The MiG-29 unfortunately, is (an aircraft) from the last century,” he said on national television.
Poland and Slovakia recently began to hand over MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.
But any coalition of F-16 donors would likely rely on backing from the US, which is by far the largest operator and builder of the planes.
However, Washington has ruled out sending F-16 jets to Ukraine for now.
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There may be logistic constrains. F-16s need smoother runways. Also the Russians would probably try to bomb them. And there is also brand prestige. Hence the Americans are weary to give Abrams. Those Abrams will only get to Ukraine in 2024. By that time the war may be over. Why brand prestige, because without all the other systems, lone Abrams tanks will be sitting ducks for the Russians. They're not that invincible.

Western kit is usually superior but it has to work in a system. Americans first get air superiority by destroying SAM sites and enemy aircraft with F-15s and F-22's. They strike with cruise missiles at enemy concentrations. Then send their tanks backed by A10 Warthogs and Apaches as well as mechanised infantry.
In such a scenario the Abrams or other Western tanks shine.
But if you don't have air superiority. If you don't have the Apaches and Warthogs, you just don't have the full complement of force. Some of these Western tanks will be lost and the Russians will use them for propaganda and the West is weary of lost prestige.
 
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Mirai

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Dave said:
I think these days the US refer to the F-22 and F-35 as the day 1 aircraft with the F-15 being a day 2 aircraft.
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It's not really relevant. I see you don't agree with my earlier assessment.
 
Dave

Dave

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Mirai said:
It's not really relevant. I see you don't agree with my earlier assessment.
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What gave you that idea?

I was just commenting that since the F-35 became combat ready the US deem those two to be the day 1 aircraft. F-15 still has a place but that is more after the other two take out the adversary's air power and ground AD (as you described).
 
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MiW

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Another Russian high-ranking executive of an energy company died under mysterious circumstances

Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, a series of mysterious deaths of Russian high-ranking managers and businessmen began. Over the past 15 months, more than 40 top managers, businessmen, and other Russian executives have died under unclear circumstances.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1644043845682753539
 
M

Mirai

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Dave said:
What gave you that idea?

I was just commenting that since the F-35 became combat ready the US deem those two to be the day 1 aircraft. F-15 still has a place but that is more after the other two take out the adversary's air power and ground AD (as you described).
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Not that. That's not relevant. I think the West is concerned about the brand image of the Western tanks. Specifically countries of manufacture. So Germany, UK and US, in this case.

Inevitably, I hope I'm wrong, but very likely these tanks will not perform near their full potential, because of the lack of what was mentioned ealier. Hence probably part of the reluctance to provide Ukraine with Western tanks by especially Germany but also the US. I suspect the F-16 thing is part of that as well. The Americans don't want to drag their equipment through the mud. Because a handful of F-16s will also end up being shot down here and there and Russians will exploit that. Western equipment has thus far been used either against the likes of ISIS or Taliban or against sanctioned, poorly developed, Soviet equipped, almost Third World armies, eg Iraq. But against the Russians, as kuk as they are right now, they still have decent planes and SAMs. Ukraine may lose out there.

That's why the West should not pussy foot the way it does. Long range HIMARS, F16s even F15s, Western tanks in larger numbers, etc would help prevent such problems.
 
airborne

airborne

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MiW said:
Another Russian high-ranking executive of an energy company died under mysterious circumstances

Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, a series of mysterious deaths of Russian high-ranking managers and businessmen began. Over the past 15 months, more than 40 top managers, businessmen, and other Russian executives have died under unclear circumstances.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1644043845682753539
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Yakutsk, the coldest city in the world, literally you just need to ask the guards not to give them enough blankets and they’ll die. It’s -28 deg there currently.
 
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