Russia and Ukraine

[Thumpalumpacus]

The A-10 is  overrated. The F-111 Aardvark was better at the A-10's job as a tank hunter  and a ground attack plane during desert storm.

Disagree. F-111 has low loiter time, less-robust frame, granted higher-speed ingress and egress, but it's a bigger and more fragile target. More expensive to maintain and operate too, plus it lacks design features specifically tuned to ground attack such as armor around the cockpit, separated engines, twin tails, and so on. Fewer hardpoints too.

In Desert Storm, most F-111s were EF-111s providing ECM for strike packages, while the others were mainly doing airfield suppression, dropping Durandals to wreck runways, rather than providing direct ground support.

[The Architect Of Fate]

The A-10 is  overrated. The F-111 Aardvark was better at the A-10's job as a tank hunter  and a ground attack plane during desert storm.

Disagree. F-111 has low loiter time, less-robust frame, granted higher-speed ingress and egress, but it's a bigger and more fragile target. More expensive to maintain and operate too, plus it lacks design features specifically tuned to ground attack such as armor around the cockpit, separated engines, twin tails, and so on. Fewer hardpoints too.

In Desert Storm, most F-111s were EF-111s providing ECM for strike packages, while the others were mainly doing airfield suppression, dropping Durandals to wreck runways, rather than providing direct ground support.

I'll concede my argument at it being better in a general ground attack role. But it was a better tank hunter then the A-10 as it did destroy more armored vehicles then the A-10.

[The Architect Of Fate]

The A-10 is  overrated. The F-111 Aardvark was better at the A-10's job as a tank hunter  and a ground attack plane during desert storm.

So send them the F111s. Oh, wait - there aren’t any. So maybe send them the Warthogs, which are due to be retired anyway.

A so-so A10 is a more useful plane than an F111 that doesn’t exist.

Boru

I didn't say we should  send them F111s. I said F111s were better tank hunters. This is a whole different point.

[Thumpalumpacus]

But it was a better tank hunter then the A-10 as it did destroy more armored vehicles then the A-10.

Source?

[Leonardo17]

US Buys Soviet-Era Fighters At Bargain Prices

The US has acquired 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan, the Kyiv Post reported.


Kazakhstan, which is upgrading its air fleet, auctioned off 117 Soviet-era fighter and bomber aircraft, including MiG-31 interceptors, MiG-27 fighter bombers, MiG-29 fighters, and Su-24 bombers from the 1970s and 1980s.

The declared sale value was one billion Kazakhstani tenge, or $2.26 million, said the Post.

Given Ukraine's continued reliance on Soviet-era weapons, the aircraft could either serve as a source of spare parts or be strategically deployed as decoys at airfields, said the Post.

Boru

That’s what I wanted to comment on. Business Insider says the Kazakh government is denying this. But if it happened, it’s such a smart move. It is said that they paid 20,000 $ for each plane. I would readily buy one if I knew about the auction
 
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-buys-81-so...27813.html
 
Still I am thinking in terms of munition for their soviet era howitzers. Has the munitions that are available in all ex-Soviet republics been completely depleted? I think this could be another angle of approaching the problem. I think these could be available in large numbers in places like Iraq, Syria, Libya and even Pakistan and India (I’m only speculating)

[Thumpalumpacus]

Still I am thinking in terms of munition for their soviet era howitzers. Has the munitions that are available in all ex-Soviet republics been completely depleted? I think this could be another angle of approaching the problem. I think these could be available in large numbers in places like Iraq, Syria, Libya and even Pakistan and India (I’m only speculating)

The Czech Republic says it is on the verge of delivering thousands of extra artillery shells to Ukraine, just weeks after it announced an initiative to source the much-needed supplies from outside the EU.

Its foreign minister, Jan Lipavský, said it had so far secured 300,000 shells and that the ammunition would provide a vital “few months’ breathing space” on the frontline. Sources added that the first deliveries would come before June.

“We have a direct experience with 40 years of being a satellite of Moscow, being a country which was invaded in 1968 by Russian tanks to curb the Prague Spring,” said Lipavský, adding that his country could not stand by and watch Ukraine go without help. “No one really wants to bring back those [Soviet] times, and I have to say that the population is very sensitive to that.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/m...to-ukraine

[Fake Messiah]

Russian commander's motivational speech to his new batch of cannon fodder before they are sent to certain death on the front lines in Ukraine "All of you will die" - some motivation

[ShinyCrystals]

Russian commander's motivational speech to his new batch of cannon fodder before they are sent to certain death on the front lines in Ukraine "All of you will die" - some motivation

I know what country it is we are talking about here, which is a big one, but this is no good way to win a war, too.

It seems to me that Russia is not trying much, if at all to win this war.

[pocaracas]

It seems to me that Russia is not trying much, if at all to win this war.

And yet, Ukraine is asking for more weapons, more tanks, more planes...

[ShinyCrystals]

It seems to me that Russia is not trying much, if at all to win this war.

And yet, Ukraine is asking for more weapons, more tanks, more planes...

I knew that. Still, last time I checked, the war was at a standstill, so I can't say Russia was doing any better.

In fact, there is at least one person on this forum who said Russia is not going to win this.