I wonder what Joe will do about it. Twit Brigade are all over it though:
Odd comment out:
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The Black Sea Grain Corridor is not formally locked in.
On 13 March, the UN noted a Russian statement that it would extend the corridor for 60 days.
There are two agreements - the Black Sea Grain Initiative ( Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and UN); a separate MOU between Russia and the UN to facilitate the export of Russian food and fertilisers.
On 14 March, the UN advised that there had been meaningful progress on the grain corridor, but that some obstacles remained, notably the payment system of the Initiative.
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Yes, it could happen to any tank.
The Russian tanks are more susceptible due to their design (munitions arranged around the circumference of the turret. The Leo 2 is better protected, but any AFV is going to be at risk from anti tank munitions.
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I am not a tank expert but as mentioned by others before, it would be helpful to have the tanks embedded in a combined-arms force and screened with infantry rather than out there alone on the frontier with their ā ā ā ā ā swinging in the wind. Some air cover might help as well.
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For the experts on war toys, the Eurasian Times seems to have left the Eurasian region, instead concentrating its reporting on new toys and their use in the Ukraine War , by so called defence experts.
I leave it to the Blitz military experts to determine its worth.
Isnāt Ukraine and russia in the Eurasian area by definition? Eurasia is a pretty big area, but not as large as Uranus.
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I understood Eurasia as east of the Caucasus.
Turkey is part Eurasia, part Europe.
I once flew home from Vienna , flight over the Caucasus in daytime. The southern sun shining on it made it golden, like Christo had wrapped it.
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I donāt quite have the right words to clearly describe the following idea.
There is understandably a lot of hate throughout the world - on this thread - directed towards Putin and his regime.
In the US - our very close allies and āprotectorsā of the free world - there are very powerful decision makers and influencers who are campaigning loudly to allow Russia a free run to invade and ultimately absorb Ukraine. These US friends of Putin seem to share some values in common with Russian values.
Enabling (being complicit with) the Russian regime in allowing them to commit genocide in Ukraine would be in my view an enormous moral failing. It seems quite possible these same people could come to power and exert significant influence over us given our alliance with the US.
Sometimes I feel we are too close to the US and its amoral failings. I prefer NZās national security policy and position in the world.
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Bizarre claim that Russia has generated some āmomentumā:
Moving meat into meat grinder generates mince meat, not momentum.
Shaking off defensive mindset has produced quivering paralysis rather than movement.
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Political polarisation in the US has started to have some insane consequences. Biden is against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which means the GOP instinctively takes the opposite stance.
The Russians are also very cunning in pitching this as a fight ato protect conservative Christian values. Itās a completely insane bit of propaganda, but for conservatives in the US it fits what they want to hear and believe.
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yeah, not likely
However, strictly speaking, maybe; what they are showing is having the initiative - for now
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NZ is so different, itās a large Pacific Island, whose natural resources are largely agriculture and fisheries.
AFAIK, it never attracted Chinese or Japanese settlers as elsewhere in the Pacific.
Apart from its Polynesian population, it practised a White NZ policy until the late seventies, by restricting migration from the the UK and later the Netherlands.
Because of its location, it has not had to deal with contentious domestic political issues of boat people.
It doesnāt need much of a defence industry, its agenda is more limited and relies on others to protect its wider interests.
After the Rainbow Warrior, it eventually succumbed to the French in allowing its citizens to leave.
And after being shut out of Five Eyes because of its insistence on being informed of nuclear carrying US ships, with consequences for its export trade, it rolled over
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NZās defence strategy is to not annoy anyone and to hide behind Australia and America.
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Ok, well those are the limits of my imagination and understanding of actual resources available without enhancement of electronics to minimize exposure of Drone Force personnel operating small drones over the semi-static front lines while maximizing ISTAR tempo.
Current artillery shortage on both sides may reduce urgency of both minimizing exposure and maximizing ISTAR tempo.
Improved EW on Russian side, especially if China sells supplies may increase urgency of electronics enhancements to counter jamming of C2 and precision guidance.
Meanwhile, in absence of those factors I believe at least at Bakhmut Ukraine has moved a step further than described by shifting the drone operators from taking shelter a safe distance from RF transmitters but close enough to high bandwidth for video from drones with limited transmission range.
That step is to an enhancement to put a satellite uplink there instead of a drone operator. Presumably connected locally to multiple separate data links for multiple remote drone operators at the other end of the satellite link.
For future tank offensives I believe a necessary further step is making that uplink hub with the multiple radios talking to multiple drones able to move with the tank force to keep within range of small drones that are providing it with screening and ISTAR including laser guidance to extend range of tank munitions as it moves.
That should be straightforward adding antennas and radios to OpenVPX chassis on vehicles that are part of the tank force.
Putting Launch and Recovery teams onto vehicles is even more straight forward. They can leap frog each other when they pause to launch or recovery and then catch up.
So I expect it to be feasible, and currently planned, for a higher density of small drones to accompany the tank forces now being generated than has been familiar in previous operations.
This is both necessary and feasible because of the advances in technology and the nature of the Ukraine war, both of which are quite distinctive from what NATO procurement and force generation were prepared for.
Do you agree with above as a starting point?
I would like to take it as a starting point for considering what enhancements could be added to the OpenVPX chassis that would, together with appropriate TTPs etc enhance the combat power of the tank force by improving Measures of Effectiveness for the following capabilities:
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Increase in speed of force movement and reduction in exposure of dismounted infantry by drone detection and Target Acquisition of concealed enemy forces that might remain close enough to use Anti Armour weapons such a shoulder launched missiles. MOEs for proportion suppressed by danger of detection and proportion that can be detected and subsequently degraded or destroyed both increase with density of surveillance by cheap low altitude drones.
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Increased range of fire from both tanks and SPGs due to high density of laser guidance from ISTAR drones. MOEs for increase rate of destruction of enemy forces, including vehicles fleeing that would otherwise be out of range.
I believe there are Jetson Orin OpenVPX cards available COTS now and software already developed for Moving Target Indication, tracking etc using higher end drones that could be implemented very rapidly if decision to do so was taken rapidly.
Hopefully that is already happening. But in case it isnāt I would like to make sure the possibility gets drawn to the attention of people who can take those decisions.
Can I get you on board?
Good analysis.
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Sometime, IIRC in the sixties, NZ had severe BOP problems. Australia bailed it out.
A journo asked a prominent Kiwi if NZ would consider taking the option under the Oz Constitution to join. The Kiwi responded that NZ could not compromise its higher standards.
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New Zealand is already part of Australia, they just havenāt acknowledged it yet. I love this.
Per the Australian constitution:
āThe Statesā shall mean such of the colonies of New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia, including the northern territory of South Australia, as for the time being are parts of the Commonwealth, and such colonies or territories as may be admitted into or established by the Commonwealth as States; and each of such parts of the Commonwealth shall be called āa State.ā
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Term has multiple meanings
Eurasian Times covers other regions from Indian perspective but seems to regard Eurasian Region as roughly corresponding to Eurasian Economic Union
Eurasia landmass is both Europe and Asian landmasses together.
Most relevant to Ukraine invasion is Eurasianism:
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