This might be a little tougher than Putin thought...

[Tenacious E]

Full of winning for Ukraine and us: "Before the Ukrainian Air Force received its first batch of F-16 Viper fighters, the U.S. Air Force helped optimize the electronic warfare (EW) systems on those jets to defend against Russian threats. As part of ongoing collaboration on this front, the Ukrainians will pass data they collect in real combat back to the United States to help further refine and improve electronic warfare capabilities available to both countries, as well as other allies and partners."

Electronic Warfare Systems On Ukraine’s F-16s Getting Specially Tuned To Russian Threats By USAF

Before the Ukrainian Air Force received its first batch of F-16 Viper fighters, the U.S. Air Force helped optimize the electronic warfare (EW) systems on those jets to defend against Russian threats. As part of ongoing collaboration on this front, the Ukrainians will pass data they collect in...

www.yahoo.com

 

[seminole97]

He made the same comments about South Korea, and they spend 2.8 percent of their GDP on defense. Of course, he made those comments after Kim Jong Un whispered them into his ear. Trump is a stupid, malleable man.

South Korea Government debt accounted for 45.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Mar 2024.

As of August 26, 2024, the U.S. debt to GDP ratio was 123%.

In 2023, South Korea's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) reached approximately 2,401 trillion South Korean won, while North Korea's amounted to about 40.2 trillion South Korean won. Consequently, South Korea's nominal GDP was approximately 60 times larger than that of North Korea during that year.

In FY 2024, the Department of Defense (DOD) had $2.09 Trillion distributed among its 6 sub-components.

USAspending.gov

www.usaspending.gov

Over 2 trillion spending by the DoD is just over 7% of U.S. GDP.

Why, when South Korea has 2x the population of North Korea and a 60x larger economy, do we have to borrow money to protect South Korea from North Korea?

To feed the MIC.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[lucas80]

Please don't report me, but I cannot be the only person who has driven past a tank farm and thought about how easy it would be to crash a drone into one and start a massive fire. I would like to think people in the US are thinking about this. Oh, for sure the Russkies had nukes aimed at them, but, no gasoline would have been the least of our problems in a full scale nuclear war. Just think of the damage a dozen well coordinated strikes around the US could do to our petroleum distribution systems. They creak whenever there is a hurricane, or a computer glitch.

 

[h-hawk]

Please don't report me, but I cannot be the only person who has driven past a tank farm and thought about how easy it would be to crash a drone into one and start a massive fire. I would like to think people in the US are thinking about this. Oh, for sure the Russkies had nukes aimed at them, but, no gasoline would have been the least of our problems in a full scale nuclear war. Just think of the damage a dozen well coordinated strikes around the US could do to our petroleum distribution systems. They creak whenever there is a hurricane, or a computer glitch.

Decades ago I read about a US weapon that (IIRC) used wires to short circuit electrical substations. Since then I've wondered what bare wires wrapped around a lit M80 would do if tossed in there (It appears the "pros" shoot the transformers to drain the oil at these sites to great effect.)

 

[h-hawk]

 

[Torg]

If true I hope it is vague enough trump telling Putin won't hurt.

View embedded media

View embedded media

Or tell traitor Trump that they are parking F-16s in this hangar here and wait for Trump to tell Putin. Then wait for Putin to send bombs to that empty buildings.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

I like the translation

 

[h-hawk]

 

[lucas80]

Support for Lukashenko is soft. He will fall if Putin falls. And, maybe without Putin falling first.
Interesting note that despite the bluster, Belarus has moved very few troops to a position 30 miles from the border with Ukraine. Not the 1/3 of all forces and right to the border.

Belarus playing "dangerous game" on Ukraine's border, opposition says

"It's a desperate attempt to kiss up to Putin," a Belarusian opposition member told Newsweek as the country's troops assemble.

www.newsweek.com

 

[lucas80]

View embedded media

I feel for the natives. Laughable that Russians are still being encouraged to go there for vacations.

 

[Tenacious E]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

With the way Sullivan has deferred to Putin I suspect China doesn't care about anything he says.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

FWIW - drone gone rogue?

"Belarus used aviation for the first time to shoot down the Russian "Shakhed":"

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

Even though much of this has been in storage for awhile, I bet Ukraine could find a use for a lot of this stuff. The US military has turned into a hoarder who just can't let anything go.

 

[h-hawk]

Any chance that Ukraine is sucking Russia in deeper and deeper so that they will not be able to get out? I am hoping the Kursk attack and the expansion of area controlled in Russia in someway is go to eventually make it hard for Russia to supply their forces in Ukraine..I hope.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

Within the U.S. Air Force fighter pilot community, the term "throw a nickel on the grass ..." embodies an expression of mutual respect and good luck from one warrior to another.

Nickel On The Grass​

Nickel On The Grass

 

[Tenacious E]

View embedded media

Within the U.S. Air Force fighter pilot community, the term "throw a nickel on the grass ..." embodies an expression of mutual respect and good luck from one warrior to another.

Nickel On The Grass​

Nickel On The Grass

are there more details on what happened with the f16? shot down? bad luck?

 

[Tenacious E]

Looks the f16 crashed due to pilot error. There is a reason why we insisted on the rigorous training, I suppose, even if the pilots were wizards with different aircraft.

"The fighter, one of six that arrived in Kyiv earlier this month, is not believed to have been shot down by enemy fire but rather crashed as a likely result of pilot error, the official told the Wall Street Journal."

US-made F-16 jet destroyed in crash after Russia launches missile barrage across Ukraine

A Ukrainian F-16 jet was destroyed in a crash following the American-made fighter’s first successful mission against Russia on Monday, according to a US official.

nypost.com

 

[h-hawk]

Looks the f16 crashed due to pilot error. There is a reason why we insisted on the rigorous training, I suppose, even if the pilots were wizards with different aircraft.

"The fighter, one of six that arrived in Kyiv earlier this month, is not believed to have been shot down by enemy fire but rather crashed as a likely result of pilot error, the official told the Wall Street Journal."

US-made F-16 jet destroyed in crash after Russia launches missile barrage across Ukraine

A Ukrainian F-16 jet was destroyed in a crash following the American-made fighter’s first successful mission against Russia on Monday, according to a US official.

nypost.com

FWIW in one thread it said the plane was caught on the ground refueling.

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

Some needed good news (if accurate).

 

[Joes Place]

Please don't report me, but I cannot be the only person who has driven past a tank farm and thought about how easy it would be to crash a drone into one and start a massive fire. I would like to think people in the US are thinking about this. Oh, for sure the Russkies had nukes aimed at them, but, no gasoline would have been the least of our problems in a full scale nuclear war. Just think of the damage a dozen well coordinated strikes around the US could do to our petroleum distribution systems. They creak whenever there is a hurricane, or a computer glitch.

REPORTED

 

[h-hawk]

 

[h-hawk]

FWIW in one thread it said the plane was caught on the ground refueling.

And another theory.

 

[seminole97]

are there more details on what happened with the f16? shot down? bad luck?

Accidents like this happen. I also imagine the Ukrainian crews are dealing with much more confusing airspace.

https://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/10/iraq.friendlyfire/

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Navy pilot killed during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was shot down by U.S. Army soldiers who mistakenly believed an enemy missile was heading their way, according to a military investigation.

The Army battery violated proper firing procedures when it launch two missiles as two U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets returning from a mission in central Iraq on April 2, 2003 approached their position, according to the report.

Lt. Nathan White, was killed when both missiles hit his jet. The other pilot returned safely to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, according to the report.

…

Two British pilots were killed in March 2003, when their fighter was shot down over Iraq. U.S. investigators found the the plane had not sent a signal that it was part of the coalition force and the Army crew was cleared of wrongdoing.

A British military investigation came to the same conclusion but found weaknesses in the operation and procedures of the Patriot anti-missile system.