Russia invades Ukraine - 3 - from 23 Oct 2022

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According to an article in the Kyiv Independent, the Czech Defence Minister issued a statement denying media reports that Czechia and Slovakia were ready to supply Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
He said no-one had asked or invited the Czech to do so and that nothing of the sort had been discussed at Ramstein.
ADD
Seems the ring swap by Germany is in exchange for T-72 tanks sent by them to Ukraine.

There’s a lot of countries hesitant to stick their heads up first. I think the Poles are trying to force the pack to move, but they need everyone to announce together.

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Cannot respond now but don’t agree - remains to be seen whether Germany has succeeded in accelerating delivery of both Leopards and Abrams. Elaborate theories that they were doing the opposite and why are unhelpful.

Meanwhile I have fixed the link to start of Theiner interview at 9’50" which I failed to check before rushing out.

He’s on the right side in pushing for Ukraine to get everything it needs as fast as possible.

But curiously omits Abram tanks despite Ukraine needing at least 300 heavy tanks right now while expecting only 100 Leopards and claiming that nobody can rely on spare parts from Germany for Leopards and the countries donating them want to get rid of them.

I did like the Theiner thread also recommended by @elfm on self-propelled and his thread on M777 towed artillery linked within it.

Link re full details of the most sophisticated system, Archer from a comment was the most useful for me.

I also liked this article linked by a comment in the thread Capturing the inspirational quality of ukraine’s fight…

That inspirational quality is central but the enthusiasm it attracts can get in the way of analysis.

That could also explain the counter productive claim that Ukraine has already won at the start of the interview.

Edit add: I see from @Benny40 post immediately above that there may not be long to wait to see whether Germany has succeeded in accelerating delivery of both Abrams and Leopards…

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Free the Bushmasters - Now!!!

Bushmasters
Should Australia agree immediately to deliver all the Bushmaster’s Ukraine has asked for?

  • Yes
  • No
  • No opinion
  • Disagree with question or range of options

0 voters

Free the Artillery Now!

Should Australia agree immediately to deliver all the artillery Ukraine has asked for?

  • Yes
  • No
  • No opinion
  • Disagree with question or range of options

0 voters

I find the language in these polls to be confusing because countries can’t talk, only people can ask for stuff, and my dog when he’s hungry
:upside_down_face:

ps my dog’s hungry and he asked me to vote yes.

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It’s happening.gif

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Finally.

But I’m sure I read/watched that the tank era is past us, and they’re deathtraps…

RIP Ukraine

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Or he ‘resigned’, according to the BBC.

On the other end of the scale:

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The Triumphs and Tribulations of Peter the Great: What Putin’s View of 18th-Century Warfare Can Tell Us About Ukraine - War on the Rocks

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UK reveals capture of Russian equipment, instructs industry to develop new countermeasures - Breaking Defense

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WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is racing to boost its production of artillery shells by 500 percent within two years, pushing conventional ammunition production to levels not seen since the Korean War as it invests billions of dollars to make up for shortfalls caused by the war in Ukraine and to build up stockpiles for future conflicts.

The effort, which will involve expanding factories and bringing in new producers, is part of “the most aggressive modernization effort in nearly 40 years” for the U.S. defense industrial base, according to an Army report.

The new investment in artillery production is in part a concession to reality: While the Pentagon has focused on fighting wars with small numbers of more expensive precision-guided weapons, Ukraine is largely relying on howitzers firing unguided shells.

Before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the U.S. Army’s production of 14,400 unguided shells a month had been sufficient for the American military’s way of war. But the need to supply Kyiv’s armed forces prompted Pentagon leaders to triple production goals in September, and then double them again in January so that they could eventually make 90,000 or more shells a month.

The Defense Department will fund new facilities to make artillery ammunition and is spending roughly $1 billion a year over the next 15 years to modernize government-owned ordnance production facilities in an effort to increase automation, improve worker safety and ultimately make munitions more quickly. Just since August, Congress has allocated $1.9 billion to the Army for the effort.

“We are really working closely with industry to both increase their capacity and also the speed at which they’re able to produce,” Christine Wormuth, the secretary of the Army, said last month, adding that this includes identifying “particular components that are sort of choke points” and “sourcing those to try to be able to move things more quickly.”

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https://twitter.com/saintjavelin/status/1617956859360718849
The reference, if unfamiliar, is to the ‘Pepe Silvia’ sketch Lol:

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This will be hard and won’t go smoothly. Good summary of the mistakes US forces make with Abrams and the dangers they cause.

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