It has emerged that the UK will shortly provide artillery directly to Ukraine.
The information came from the following exchange.
Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, asked:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what artillery support has been provided to the Ukrainian military.”
James Heappey, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, responded:
“The UK has not yet delivered any UK artillery systems or ammunition from our stockpiles. The UK has, however, been encouraging other countries to provide ammunition for existing Ukrainian systems and we’ve been facilitating the movement of that ammunition to Ukraine. The UK will provide artillery directly to Ukraine, details of these donations will be notified to the House once completed and the operational security situation allows.”
What else has Britain sent?
Britain has so far sent more than 6,900 new anti-tank missiles, additional consignments of Javelin anti-tank missiles, air defence systems including Starstreak anti-air missiles, 1,360 anti-structure munitions and 4.5 tonnes of plastic explosives.
The information was provided by Leo Docherty, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (jointly with the Ministry of Defence), you can read the information below.
“The United Kingdom strongly condemns the appalling, unprovoked attack President Putin has launched on the people of Ukraine. We continue to stand with Ukraine and continue to support its right to be a sovereign, independent and democratic nation. The United Kingdom and our allies and partners are responding decisively to provide military and humanitarian assistance. This includes weapons that help Ukraine’s heroic efforts to defend itself.
We have sent more than 6,900 new anti-tank missiles, known as NLAWs—next-generation light anti-tank weapons—a further consignment of Javelin anti-tank missiles, eight air defence systems, including Starstreak anti-air missiles, 1,360 anti-structure munitions and 4.5 tonnes of plastic explosives.
As Ukraine steadies itself for the next attack, the UK is stepping up efforts to help its defence. As we announced on 26 April, we will be sending 300 more missiles, anti-tank systems, innovative loitering munitions, armoured fighting vehicles and anti-ship systems to stop shelling from Russian ships. The United Kingdom has confirmed £1.3 billion of new funding for military operations and aid to Ukraine. This includes the £300 million the Prime Minister announced on 3 May for electronic warfare equipment, a counter-battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment and thousands of night-vision devices.
The Ministry of Defence retains the humanitarian assistance taskforce at readiness; its headquarters are at 48-hours readiness, and the remainder of the force can move with five days’ notice, should its assistance be requested. The UK has pledged £220 million of humanitarian aid for Ukraine, which includes granting in kind to the Ukraine armed forces more than 64,000 items of medical equipment from the MOD’s own supplies. We are ensuring that the UK and our security interests are secured and supporting our many allies and partners, especially Ukraine.”
Good news, more artillery the better.
Australia, Canada and US donated a combined total of 100 M777 155mm howitzers to Ukraine.
The Government here in Oz just donated another 20 Bushmaster PMV (on top of the previous 20 Bushmasters), plus 14 M113AS4 APCs.
Looks like some more very long delivery flights for RAAF C-17As.
https://adbr.com.au/australia-to-send-more-armoured-vehicles-to-ukraine/
The attrition in Ukraine on both sides is ramping up. Rus claims to have taken out a battery of M-777.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/eurasiantimes.com/russia-annihilates-american-m-777-howitzers-as-ukraine/
Attrition on manpower too – Russia has just scrapped the law that limited fresh recruits to the military to those under 40 years of ago. Looks like they’ll be sending grandfathers to fight alongside all those teenage tank commanders….
…I think that has turned out to be fake news. They cobbled different clips together.
Yeah it was confirmed fake, stitched various videos together
Oh it is the same one then yes clearly not from the same camera system the authentic but only shows a miss ironically which only shows desperation on their part to counteract what’s shown from the other side.
That website is so shit the page won’t even load.
If that’s the the previous one that’s been circulating ( can’t see it for some reason on the link) it’s very suspect and heavily cropped.
Given the current line of MOD thinking that is more kit we will never see replaced …. the bean counters win again.
It does kinda feel like we are emptying the cupboard. On one side it’s a positive, the only realsitic threat to the UK is Russia and if they come out of the war a shadow of themselves then there is no threat left. On the flip side no doubt we will get involved in other people’s wars going forward and our troops need the gear to protect themselves.
Yep well analysed and had we sensible leaders one might have confidence in replacement but we know the chancer in control might see it differently and over commit and under supply for (short sighted) personal benefit.
Unless they disarm the nuclear weapons they have they will always be a threat sadly.
So when will the UK order the UK design and already partly UK manufactured M-777.
I would have put out the begging bowl for the ex USMC M777.
That is what the US sent.
On the same tangent John Hartley, why doesn’t the British Army have the M777? The AS90 is old & needs replacing, the M777 changed the traditional downsides that towed pieces have. Do you or anyone else know why we don’t use it?
Quite we could actually start to have a fierce RA again. The likelihood is peer warfare will go WW1 style but with robo killers and drones.
By 1918 Britain had the best Artillery in the world and it destroyed the German Army.
Ukraine is showing what can be done to the Russians.
MOD Civil servants are looking at your request. ”What, what… Order a UK designed and partly built platform… proven in service… when we can procrastinate.. then do something different!!”
Perhaps we should have ordered some M-777s (2 regiments at least) about 15 years ago, when 105mm Light Gun was 30 years old.
We could have phased out one or two regts worth of Lt Gun to help offset the cost of fielding M-777 – just retain one regt of Lt Gun for 3 Cdo Bde and one regt for 16 AA Bde.
We have had a 155mm towed artillery capability gap since 1999 when FH70 was withdrawn. Yet another tragic army equipment story.
Indeed Graham. And given the range M777 munitions can achieve it can stay further back. Whole things just needs to be sponsored by Nike ‘just do it’. I can understand commonality hesitancy with US technology. I fail to understand why UK IP used by almost every major partner isn’t procured and operational.
That is the strange thing, everyone else uses UK 155mm tech so the Not Invented Here thing doesn’t ally.
Can’t figure it out at all on a rational basis.
Was always surprised the towed 155mm was deleted as it was a cheap and effective weapon. OK self propelled looks better on paper and operationally but is factors more expensive to procure and maintain.
We need a mix of towed artillery (105 and 155mm), truck-mounted artillery and SP Guns – in addition to light and heavy rocket artillery of course….and a heavy vehicle-mounted mortar for the infantry in addition to the 81mm.
Spot the capability gaps!
If we look very closely we might spot some artillery capabilities?
You are clearly a glass half-full man!
105 LG had a renaissance in Afghanistan because it causes lower collateral damage and can be precisely targeted. Even the US reintroduced 105mm light gun battteries alongside M777.
Maybe but with the right ammunition the M777 has recorded the longest most accurate hit of any gun. It can do so with about a 10m error over 25 KM or so. Everyone seems to see 155mm as a necessity other than UK and I doubt it’s for operational reasons.
You need both in your inventory.
I had not heard of better precision targeting of the 105 over the 155 – interesting.
On Sky news
“ New Zealand sends troops to UK to train Ukrainian soldiers
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said her country will deploy an extra 30 defence force troops to the UK to help train their Ukrainian counterparts.
Ms Ardern said the soldiers would help train the Ukrainian armed forces in how to operate a L119 105mm light field gun.”
So it looks like 105mm then?
Yep. 40 of them by the sounds of it… The NZer’s are also sending 40 gun sights…which could mean the UK is stripping off more advanced sights (LINAPS) and replacing them with old style sights from NZ for ease of use. 230 Ukrainian personnel. Which sounds right for 40 guns… But….there is also a possibility that these could be the L119 variant that uses US ammunition…we retired some in 2005 and it is used by other countries…New Zealand use this…and Australia has over 100 in reserve….not sure if the NZ sights would be compatible with L118…there might be more to… Read more »
I doubt the Ukrainians will care provided they get an effective system.
It is a great example of cooperation from US/UK/AUS/NZ/UKR
Unless we are sending them AS90 we don’t have anything to actually send them. I can’t imagine 105mm L118 guns are going to be any use in an artillery dual with 152mm Russian guns. I don’t think we have any spare M270 as we will be increasing our own deployable numbers. It’s kind of ironic that the UK makes the best 155mm howitzer in the world and it’s about the only entire weapon system we ever exported to the USA and it’s the one thing we don’t use.
B
Where are the FH70? Were scrapped?
Went out of service in 1999. Were sold off 20 years ago.
Other then the 105’s being more mobile and easier to deploy short notice perhaps?
The US uses the British designed M777 155mm, M119 105mm (the Light Gun) and the 81mm Mortar…
I do wonder if we have any FH-70 knocking around….
We had 67 x FH-70 until they were withdrawn in 1999 – I could not believe we would have kept any in storage after 23 years. We have had a 155mm towed artillery capability gap for all this time.
We sold some off…but some have been retired by the new users…wonder if we’re trying to get them back…
But it sounds like 105mm now…
My point is that anything that has been out of service for some time will long ago have been disposed of, whether by sale or scrapping.
We don’t keep obsolete kit for 30 years for no purpose.
Turns out keeping some FH-70 would have been a good idea…they’re still able to use current stock ammo. Hopefully the Ukraine War will make MoD look differently at getting rid of working kit for peanuts…and how obsolete was FH-70? Still in use in Japan and Italy amongst others…
Now weve denuded the Army of its ant tank , anti air Missiles et al and now artillary what left for the Army to foght with
Anti tank wise there will still be stocks of Javlin and NLAW’s though the stockpiles will need replenishing…. We have Challenger2’s and Apache;s plus I’m sure other bits and bobs that will be good against tanks…. I read somewhere the Americans have supplied about 1/3rd of their Javlin inventory… I suppose the question will be, who will we be fighting that we require all the equipment against? The Russians are doing a good job of removing their frontline armour/MBT’s from service… as for the anti air, I think the RAF/NATO Airforces would fairly quickly have air superiority/supremacy over the battlefield… Read more »
You only have to mission kill an MBT etc once…..
I agree NATO AirPower would make short work of the remains of Russia’s heavy armour.
Well in theory if it’s a well designed tank and you have the recovery infrastructure you can drag it back and fix it. But Russian MBTs seem to just suffer catastrophic secondary explosions and they don’t seem to be bothered much with recovery….either of their soldiers or damages equipment ( we have a family friend in Ukraine and he described in email how a Russian armoured formation was destroyed outside his village and in the end he was forced out of his cellar buy the smell and had to bury all the bodies of the Russian soldiers as they had… Read more »
With Russian forces dies in ukraine who are we fighting tank battles with? Serious question. Don’t say China the U.K. would be crazy to try and get tanks to mainland China. Can’t really think of anyone else. Somewhere in Africa? The U.K. main enemy is getting smaller everyday.
Who are we fighting with our surface ships, submarines and fighter jets?
The fighter jets are for Making the sky safe and bombing what ever terrorist is flavour of the month. The ships are supposed to protect commercial shipping and enforce freedom of navigation etc. don’t get me wrong the army are very valuable but trying to work out what to do with them is becoming for difficult. Should they be super mobile to far flung quickly resolved conflict zones? to protect local populations and hold land from bad guys? Reinforce nato allies for a large land war? If it’s all of the above they need the kit to do it. Some… Read more »
My riposte was in frustration that some don’t get that the army actually gets used in combat (and takes casualties), yet still gets ranked 3rd out of the 3 services for priority, and gets its manpower and equipment cut back time and time again – and very little kit gets upgraded or replaced in a timely manner. I have never had a problem working out what the army is for – it is for all of the roles and tasks you mention and a whole lot more – including Counter-terrorism, Military Aid to the Civil Community/Power/Authorities, state ceremonial, training and… Read more »
The army really has loads of roles and it the first to be asked to help in a crisis in the U.K. In an ideal world the army would something that could be expanded quickly when needed and be retracted when not needed. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. So it comes to needing a force constantly. Training is what makes it good. I would say the army needs to grow but to do what. It has to have kit. Maybe it needs to have some top tier kit and some not so top tier. Example K9 artillery and some… Read more »
The army can expand quickly, up to a point. The Regular Army can be beefed up by a mobilised Army Reserve (was the TA) and then by Individual Reservists. There already has been the concept of several tiers of kit. Infantry: top tier – armoured Infantry with Warrior IFV middle tier – mechanised infantry with Protected Mobility (PM) wheeled vehicles lower tier – Light role infantry with soft-skinned vehicles (LandRovers and Bedfords to use old but familiar parlance) Artillery: top tier – batterys with SP Guns (AS90) or GMLRS or Sky Sabre AD/Rapier AD lower tier – batterys with Lt… Read more »
On the subject of who we will fight with MBT’s. According to an audio recording, reportedly leaked out of a recent high-level meeting that took place in Beijing, China, among senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Guangdong Military Region of the Southern Command, as well as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is actively preparing to put the country on a war footing. Plans discussed at the early May meeting focused on a surprise military attack against Taiwan and seizure of the first island chain of archipelagos out from the East Asian mainland… Read more »
Security at that meeting must have been poor, or that info was deliberately leaked. Hard to see that China (if they invaded Taiwan) would want to risk the same kind of western backlash (sanctions, trade war) that Russia is currently experiencing.
73,000 tanks in the world. A direct threat is diminishing but we don’t know where we’ll want to be next. No offence (you’re not necessarily saying this but it’s a continuation of my thoughts) the “we’re an island, don’t need an army. Only need to defend ourselves” message people use seems to overlook some basic facts and history. Was Iraq a threat to us before they invaded Kuwait & destabilised the region & threatened our oil supply? Yugoslavia? ‘War is a continuation of politics through other means’. One of the facets of this is that political power and influence over… Read more »
Stu, I am afraid you are wrong. There’s an axis of China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Cambodia, Pakistan, Djibouti, Laos, a few of Central Asian Republics (the Stans) and a few African countries who may take sides with or join in action should China and/with Russia start a war elsewhere. They are currently buying the Philippines and it’s only time before the US has to take action. The UK is badly lacking in it’s Solomon Islands relationship, which will result in Australa being forced to do something at some point. The Chinese are all but putting Navy and Army bases… Read more »
Not sure what I you’re saying I was wrong about. I pretty much agree with everything you’ve said. The point I was making was; just because one threat (Russia) is apparently failing/fading, does not mean we can be complacent. We don’t know where we’ll potentially be needed next (your China axis is likely) AND when we look at why such countries are pivoting to China, they’re looking at Chinas money and (military) power.
Stu, sorry mate. I don’t know why I put your name, it was a reply to Monkey Spanker. I am a total numpty.
😆 I was thinking ‘eh!? We agree though!’ No worries dude.
According to an audio recording, reportedly leaked out of a recent high-level meeting that took place in Beijing, China, among senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Guangdong Military Region of the Southern Command, as well as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is actively preparing to put the country on a war footing. Plans discussed at the early May meeting focused on a surprise military attack against Taiwan and seizure of the first island chain of archipelagos out from the East Asian mainland that includes territory belonging to Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and… Read more »
Yet they know that would start a major war we would all be dragged into.
Oh dear, it’s over a decade until I’m 60!
Americans who understand the deep seated “pay to play,” bribery and corruption of the Biden family. Call the current president Beijing Biden for good reason. His son and brother are intertwined with high level CCP leaders and spymasters. To the tune of millions perhaps even billions by now. They will make lots of noise (already started) and posturing but eventually do everything they can to either stay out of the war OR …. The deadline for invasion is therefore November 2024. Unless some other event intercedes. Which is very likely given the regional hatred of the CCP. Australia, India, Japan,… Read more »
Military spending is like house insurance. The less comprehensive your insurance the worse it will be if you have a disaster. Disasters are hard to predict, who knows what land battles we might be a part of in the next few decades. Iran, Korea, Russia, China, Middle East, unknown threat?!
We need to replace what we donate, start production lines and get prepared for the unknown.
Oh yes that’s should be happening already. Replacements are needed and paid out of treasury budgets not general defence. It’s government decision to send the kit not defence.
With all the donations done and being done let’s sure hope replenishments have been ordered already and planning for more and newer is in the pipeline for the UK forces. Ukraine is getting quite a diverse mix of bits of everything and the operational experience with it. Hope it all holds up well and really helps them to push the Russian’s back to the border and as soon as. The war is really bloody awful and you’ve got to admire Ukraine’s 🇺🇦 tenacity and doggedness. Hope they can also sink or even damage in port any Russian ships that could… Read more »
Russia has already been stealing both grain and agricultural equipment from the parts of Ukraine it illegally occupies.
There’s a case for a UN task force to provide a protective escort to grain ships into and out of Odesa given the serious food shortages the war is likely to cause in North Africa and the Middle-East. Putin could end up killing as many there through starvation as he has killed in Ukraine with his barbaric military.
Russia itself is among the largest exporters of grain, especially wheat, with its markets primarily in the ME. Putin said this week that they will be prioritising those markets in forthcoming shipments. As I understand it a large amount of Ukraine’s food exports goes to the West.as animal feed and sunflowers. The bulk normally goes by ship which is affected by the Russian blockade, Odessa port mining by the Ukrainians and no insurance for ships in the Black Sea. They were able to get at least one shipload of 92,000 tons of grain out by sending it by train to… Read more »
Russia is a large exporter of grain, and it’s probably now also selling and exporting all the grain it’s stolen from Ukraine. (I imagine they’ll be keeping all the modern combine harvesters and tractors it’s stolen from Ukraine.) Grain from Ukraine goes to Middle East and especially Egypt and North Africa, not the West. They will suffer now that Putin has cut off that supply – more deaths at his cloven feet. To the main exports to the West, sunflower oil and animal feed have diminished, but we’ll survive. We won’t starve like those in the Middle East. There is… Read more »
Think the main issue now is that there was a much reduced spring crop planted in Ukraine so there won’t be much available to export till peace breaks out.
Well there’s currently huge amounts of grain sat in Ukrainian warehouses going nowhere thanks to Russia’s invasion.
But you’re right that not just exporting has been disrupted, but planting future crops has also been severely disrupted. So even if Russia was defeated tomorrow the effects on agricultural production would be felt for a long time to come.
Why can’t all this grain be transported by train to Poland and exported from there?
Rail capacity I think?
First you need the train path capacity, the specialist trains and then you need the rail heads to load and unload the grain in a semi automated manner.
The grain is transported from the farms to the ports in Ukraine, by road or rail? Either way, there must be options to move it….maybe at a slower pace, but moving some is better than none….
A big issue is the change of rail gauge at the border meaning the contents have to be unloaded. There was talk of a new rail line up into Lithuania but it stalled partly on this.
Yes unfortunately Ukraine is stuck with the old nonstandard USSR gauge 🤦🏻♂️
Another example of Russian paranoia…
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/royal-navy-could-escortgrain-ships-through-odesa-blockade-6cdp626xq
Guess what? Any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of 🇺🇦?
Airborne, I have to agree. For JohninMk to carry on posting, I want to see an unreserved denouncement of that vile, Evil little fu**er and the invasion from him.
If he won’t ( hasn’t yet) then he has no business posting here, I’m not interested in anything a Putin groupie has to say…
Come on George, deliver the ultimatum.
With you on this….👍
Lesser posts have been flagged as hate speech.
Troll or delusional hippie?…I’m not sure.
Keep trying.
Lithuania use the same gauge… there were nightly trains from Rīga, via Vilnius and… Belorus.
Is Belarus not the main problem?
Yes read that the Baltic States railway system is practically bankrupt and needs State support as business has halved with bans on products from Belarus that used to go to the ports. They were planning considerable upgrades before all this.
Shipping is just the only way to actually move bulk products like food across the world a bulk cargo ship can move 70,000 tons of grain, with a standard shipping container taking 20 tons of grain, you need 3500 lorry loads. In Europe a train can carry a max load of 50 containers so your looking at 75 trains to fill a single ship.
Hi. Can you explain your maths?
UK can accommodate 750m trains… Iirc, Latvia and CZ, SVK do1500m.
Your point stands that shops are needed.
Hi Barry yes The rules that govern the European and U.K. rail system only allow 700meter trains + the locomotive which gives you a tot total length of 750 meters allowed. European railways do not allow double stacking ( weight and high of bridges). The smallest well car you can get is 15.2 meter ( they range from 50 to 54 ish feet) so in a 750 meter train the most well cars you can get in it is 50 ( if you use the smallest well cars) and at 1 40 foot shipping container per well care 50 is… Read more »
Sheer volume of a grain ship compared to the fraction a train can carry. Bearing in mind also the trains are being used to evacuate refugees, move munitions and redeploy troops, and the Russians keep targeting the rail infrastructure.
And the Russians are attacking the rail nodes.
22 million tons just sitting there apparently
That 1+ million container loads
India has now turned around and said it will not export any grain this year to protect its own food security so that’s another huge exporter of food out the picture, food scarcity is really going to be brutal in the second and third world, with the first world suffering increased prices….. so much to answer for from one man.
Before Ukraine grew much of the grain for the Middle East and Africa, the West’s grain mostly came from Canada and the US. Africa at that time benefitted from the fantastic job done by Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Without a doubt, there will be a famine in Africa as they have another year of drought and cannot compete with the West and China when it comes to purchase power for grain.
I Remember ( not literally) when the collapse of the Roman Empire was put down to the progressive loss of North Africa which was described as the breadbasket of the Empire. What the hell happened there over the centuries?
Any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine yet? You still think uniformed Azov fighters will and should get “special treatment” ie torture and execution? You still think Russia wasn’t going to invade Ukraine and it’s Ukraines/NATOs fault? You still think the war is about de-Nazification of Ukraine? You still think Russia is doing well and do you still support the rape, torture, looting and murder of civilians? Why do you never answer the main question of condemnation? Simple, as you are a troll and you cannot condemn this illegal invasion, and never reply why you can’t/won’t or do support… Read more »
A 1-year-old boy died after being raped by 2 Russian soldiers, Ukraine says Business Insider
FFS!!!!!
My reaction too. 👹👹
I’m not sure the Geneva Convention is applicable to the Russia Army as it only covers human treatment not animals. That’s probably harsh on animals, not even animals do some of the despicable things the Russians are doing at the moment…
Agreed. I think something is deeply, deeply wrong inside the Russian Army.
Well, they are Russians and having lived with them nothing surprises other than the quality of their ballet, music and literature; mostly they are scum.
Animals are so much better than HUMANS in everyway possible, they only take what they need and also keep the others healthy. We only burden ourselves.
Putin will go sooner than expected, unrest over there is growing and soon they will have had enough, they too enjoyed their little western treats no longer on them shelves. Putin is just another MAD HUMAN that should be put down to protect the all others.
It IS harsh on animals. We humans as a species are destroying this planet and commit evil an animal does not. A cat plays with a mouse not because it is evil.
There are of course many many exceptions amongst us.
Expertly exposed by your good self.
Please provide a unreserved denouncement of Putin and his illigal invasion of a sovereign nation JohninMk.
If you aren’t prepared to do this as a Russian, then please stop posting here. There must be plenty of Russian forums contribute too and pretend everything is rosy in the garden.
We await your response….
John, it won’t happen. But keep at the good work.
He even ignored me, and I try to stay civil for the most part. That says something about him I fear.
Sorry didn’t mean to and you do. Life took over.
And yet still no response, denounce or just go away John…
Thank you John, so, in your mind saying you believe in something is a prerequisite before any comments made on it are acceptable here? With many of the comments here against an assumed ‘unbeliever’ like me are just trashed with ad hominem or irrelevant to that particular post attacks. With anyone expressing a different view accused of being a Russian troll. There is surely plenty enough cynical brainpower here to see through not just what I say but more importantly what we are being told by the MoD and UK Gov for example, after all, do you believe without question… Read more »
But you still despite the neutral evidence from Ukraine will not condemn the invasion and the massive damage to people and infrastructure this has caused! You parrot the Kremlin line,will not reveal your sources with your ‘factual’ posts so is it any wonder you are called a troll?
Yet again you ignore the subject matter and go off an a “oh dear im sorry for me” blah blah. Why do you not have the balls to answer ANYONES QUESTIONS to you? You are a troll, a mouthpeice for rape, murder and torture, you support illegal acations and you do not have the BALLS to even stand up for yourself and say so. Coward, in the same mould as the cowards who are currently raping and murdering their moronic way in the East of Ukraine. No balls, no brains, no future. Coward.
I’m amazed the Kremlin thinks this works….
I’ve been entirely reasonable, a simple prerequisite of denouncing a hateful regime, filled to the brim with war criminals is all it takes..
I feel sorry for your total ignorance of the facts.
Please just stop corresponding on here.
But you wont question the Putin narrative!?
“Ex-US Marine”? If he’s an ex-US Marine, I’m General Montgomery! His accent, inability to pronounce certain words because he is used to speaking another language (almost certainly Russian), his use of the words “Ukrainian Militants” words, you, yourself have used to describe Ukrainian Troops. His reports of what’s going on mirror yours. The M777 destruction, something proven to be faked is a case in point. I am going to start ignoring anything you now put as “fact”. For me, I thought you were a Russian troll, your excuse of a link using the words you did just confirmed it. The… Read more »
FFS just watched it, hilarious, friggin hilarious if that’s the best the Russkies can put out! So many mistakes in vocabulary and terminology! More amateurs trying to be real! You must try harder, but events are proving you cannot, and that’s why not only will your Nazi leader end up dead, you will lose this war and end up with a large number of your rapists and murderers in the international court!
But still no answer eh johnskie? More deflection and ignorance.
God bless you John, you’ll never know how many people on here are either laughing with you…or laughing at you.
Keep it coming though as it wouldn’t be the same without you.
Sadly none of this is funny.
I’m sure most on here can easily make the distinction between the two.
There are reports of a coalition of the willing navies to run the blockade of Odesa. Better get those AShM on those RN frigates then….
UN task force in Ukraine….Ill have a pint of what you are drinking
Been done before, or don’t you bother studying history? I forgot, you’re too busy thinking everyone is corrupt simply because you are 🤷🏻♂️
Interestingly reports of the US being keen to Supply Harpoons and reports that one European nation is keen to allow theirs to be supplied if only a ground based rig can be created. Hmm wonder who that might be what with the US seemingly considering ripping one off of a ship… maybe they will do that from one of ours even as we rarely have much use for them. Can’t see any other European power being the one keen to stick their head above water myself.
Use the red flag if you feel you are being victimised on here and keep posting, different opinions open up the chance for further discussion on any given military subject which is what this forum is supposed to be for?
The well known tourist parks over the former Welsh steel works: such as where? I think they are used for sunbathing in Johnski’s lurid imagination.
I just chuckle as I read JohninMK he is so obvious.
Many of the UK’s steel works have been redeveloped for different uses. I could have expressed it better but in the UK we don’t have the luxury of large amounts of land to make parks of.
Good to hear I make you smile, put them in your ‘smile bank’ you and I along with most others here are going to need them in a few months time.
Any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine yet?
I admire your persistence mate. This guy just won’t face up to reality.
I know but every time I grip him and he refuses to answer its yet more confirmation that he is a troll. Plus I find his bullshite rather amusing, sad, but amusing. It’s good to see other commentators ripping him a new arsehole as well.
Actually, very effective. Makes any new comer realise what’s going on if they haven’t seen through the ‘JohninMK’ operation by now.
That last post was in the slightest… amusing… able bodied soldiers are having well built criminal cases built up against them… make RMP look professional 😉
‘I could have expressed it better …‘
No, you betray yourself very well in every sentence.Nigel has point; at least we can see through you.
SB, the UK used to have 5 large integrated steel producing plants when I joined British steel in 1989… now there’s only one…. My plant was Ravenscraig in Scotland, the most efficient integrated hot mill plant in the world… demolished and grassed over in the early 90’s and now slowly having housing/light industrial built over the less polluted areas…
I think the only steel producing plant left is Port Talbot in Wales…large parts of Llanwern steelworks have been demolished and grassed over, which is what I think Johninmk is referring to…
I think Scunthorpe still makes raw steel as well as Port Talbot. Llanwern is down to a pickling line now I believe .
So the greedy can import cheap rubbish from China and see us all off. At least the QE and POW were made with British Steel all purchased at the same time. Importing Chinese steel means already your starting your new construction off with RUST built in. About time the British woke up and actually saw what is happening here in the UK. No wolves here in the UK only sheep from the top down. Will they replace the weapons stocks? even if they did are there enough in Uniform to actually use them should actual conflict come? Answer is NO.… Read more »
Andrew, the ‘JohninMK’ team don’t give a toss. Read the long first comment again. It’s pure trolling for Vlad’s Army. The nonsense about creating a park over the ruins and dead bodies Russian aggression has created is part of the wind up.
Thanks for the suggestion Nigel and I agree, the more data the better. The reality often lies somewhere between two views of a situation but if only one view is allowed no-one can make a judgement for themselves. This is perhaps especially true now when one side is using what is probably the finest PR capability and information control ever seen, whilst the other doesn’t appear to care about PR, just results. I post stuff, some of it hard to find, as I see and interpret it. There are posters here who analyse it and sometimes call me factually to… Read more »
finest PR capability and information control ever seen, whilst the other doesn’t appear to care about PR, just results ???? so I take it you mean Russia just cares about results?? cant think of any major successful results recently , I think you Russians live in a parallel universe symptoms of believing your own propaganda like Putin thinking he could take Kiev in 3 days 😂😂
Agreed 👍
All that happens is you are asked to condemn an illegal invasion of Ukraine by Putin, an invasion which has been condemned by ever single respected international organisation! Over to you!
JIMK wrote: This is perhaps especially true now when one side is using what is probably the finest PR capability and information control ever seen, whilst the other doesn’t appear to care about PR, just results. I take it you refer to the many videos coming out of the Ukraine showing huge Russian losses, which have made Moscow a laughing stock and set back its arms export industry for donkeys. As for Moscow not caring just results really, on the 24th of Feb Moscow invaded the Ukraine on 3 fronts from the North towards Kiyv, Chernihiv and Sumy (its 190… Read more »
Social media is the scourge of the 21st century. It preys on the majority of people that have little to no common sense and trust what they read on Twitter, FB, ect.
Thanks from me and I suspect any Ukrainians who pass through.
I always find it ironic when you and your fellow pro Putin little bitches start whining about a perceived lack of plurality either here or elsewhere when you’re called out on the false narratives and blatant Kremlin lies you peddle. That plurality and opposite views are something that Russia denies to its population and has done for generations. Dissent in Russia is punishable by murder or imprisonment, that’s the reality of the regime you support. Just ask the families of the murdered and imprisoned dissidents if they would like their viewpoints heard and broadcast, ask the thousands of Russiian anti… Read more »
Bravo!
Most excellent reply!
Straight from the Putin Bunker. It’s the fake sincerity I like most. Takes me back to last century and listening to similar tripe coming out of the mouth of a PR goon in the East German Worker’s Paradise. Oh, how we laughed!
However Nigel do take half an hour to read his previous posts and you will see his thought process and reasoning! He is not a genuine commentator unfortunately!
Any ideas about what we will be sending to Ukraine? AS90 perhaps?
I wonder why there has been a deafening silence. UKR needs this kit and training now – Wallace can’t even say what is going to be shipped out there.
“I wonder why there has been a deafening silence”
He’s sending Ajax!
The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations 😆
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eab_beh07HU
Maybe we should send John?…seems to have all the answers..
I do hope that the government sets aside a special budget, that exists outside of the normal defense budget, which is exclusively used to replace everything which has been donated.
Obviously the UK shouldn’t have to help Ukraine at the expense of its own defense.
As an added bonus, such a move would be a way to acquire newer equipment.
Yes, It’s called the Oligarch fund John, we could mount a few 57mm on some of their superyachts for coastal defence and MK41s.
A great way to increase the number of new RN recruits!
https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/04/07/the-forbes-ultimate-guide-to-russian-oligarchs/
Already been done, part of the extra £3billion coughed up by the Treasury from emergency contingency budget.
The UK Government is donating as much as it can from the stockpiles, yet it won’t announce any increased spending. Where’s the money for the replacements? Or, will the Army be throwing rocks? This is fast becoming a “look at me, how generous am I” project from Boris Johnson. I am all for helping Ukraine, in the event, it becomes more widespread, our cupboards will be bare. When that happens, you start seeing a rise in casualties. At some point, the headsheds need to start telling the politicians “no more, no more unless you give us an increased budget to… Read more »
It comes out of Treasury contingency funds.
Thales in belfast and MBDA in Bolton are busy…
Dear HMG.
Can you also supply artillery to the British Army. You’ve cut most of it the last 20 years, and the remainder is obsolete, needing updating, and lacking modern precision rounds of every kind.
Oh yes, and our air defence is so small it’s almost non existent, no matter how much grandstanding you do concerning Skysabre.
Thank you.
Put in a parliamentary petition I will sign….I’m still pissed I did not get a response from my last “what are you playing at” letter I sent to the chair of the defence select committee and sec of state for defence.
‘<i>I did not get a response …</i>’
That means he read it.
Another desperate smug opinion by you johnski , I suppose you Russians have to take what little good news you get , the fact that , 4,000 Ukraine troops tide up 20,000 Russians for two months , not a very good show from your peasant army as usual , and then we get to Russia losing Kharkiv , and Russia losing a whole battalion in one day 😅 peasant army indeed.
Calling the Russian Army peasants is insulting to peasants! 😆
Exactly, most peasants have a value set and are decent human beings.
Peasants just get on with growing dinner and not bothering other people. The world would probably be a nicer place if it was run by a bunch of peasants.
Agreed!
Precisely. She Who Must Be Obeyed has met nomads who were kindness itself.
“Ukrainian Nationalists”?
Why not just Ukrainians? Are we “Nationalists” in the UK too if we had to defend our country?
Nationalists as in “ we want our own country vs Russian imperialists you’re country belongs to us….I know which side I’m alway cheering on.
Don’t suppose there’s a couple of long forgotten warehouses sitting around full of decommissioned FH70s we could dip into?
I’ve often wondered what actually happened to those once they were cut.
Apparently 15 went to Malaysia and another 15 went to Oman. We originally bought 67. I don’t know where the remaining went, though there are some in museums arounds the country.
The 67 x FH70s were withdrawn from service with the TA in 1999. Do you really think the army would keep any of these for 23 years for no reason? The Wikipedia article shows a photo of one of them in the North Cornwall Tank Museum Collection.
I do not believe they were sold to a foreign army, but probably disposed of by auction to museums and collectors.
You mean “1,908 Ukrainian soldiers“ have been taken prisoner by Russian Facisct Stormtroopers.
God help the 1.4 million civilians forcibly deported from Ukraine and sent to gulags or towns in Siberia.
Avistal will probably be turned into a memorial park by the Ukrainians once they retake the city, and dedicate it to the brave defenders that died there resisting Russian Facism.
👍
Rescued?🤣
In for a penny ……. Some of you here have a clear vision of what is happening above the tank versus artillery etc level, but some here seem to have a problem elevating your view of what is happening up to a strategic level. Russia was always going to strategically win a war in eastern Ukraine for the same reason the United States would win a war in Mexico. The scale of a determined military capability eventually wins, even with a strong resistance, specifically in this case because Ukraine is connected to a common border with Russia, and many citizens in… Read more »
Ah the mask slips as you get agitated! The world has seen the reality of a very embarrassing Russian action! It has galvanised the west into defence security, strengthen NATO, made defence a hot topic in every country and showed to the world that Russia in fact is ran by Nazis! Talking of Nazis, don’t ignore the question, any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine yet?
Come on johnskie answer some of the rather reasonable questions and queries that commentators have asked you. They have challenged and responded to your comments and agenda yet you never, ever answer. Why? A coward? A troll? A bot? A sad rapist supporting nonce, probably all of the above.
👍
Maybe people would take your comments in good faith if you were just honest-you think all Ukrainians are Nazis you hate zekensky and you want Russia to win. There simple, nothing wrong with picking a side or position even if it is wrong.
You are beneath contempt with your endless streams of unfactual, baseless Kremlin propaganda and deflection, you’ve been proven wrong here on countless occasions. No one here thinks that you don’t support Russia, your condescending and sneering tone towards Ukraine juxtaposed with your open gloating and worship of any Russian advantage gives you away. If you are English, then your outlook is a mixture of moral cowardice and useful idiocy. That nazi mafia gangster state that you are so enamoured with doesn’t care about you, or anyone else, they don’t need to , they have stolen the wealth of the Russian… Read more »
I find it very interesting how the narrative that the Ukrainians are all far right Nazis who went out of their way to bomb and shell civilians across the Dombass (Note the OCSE 14k figure they cite is a figure for death from both sides and not just the separatists, why it even includes the 298 poor souls on flight MH17) haven’t launched any missile attacks on civilian targets in the Crimea , Belarus or even Mother Russia. Can’t say the same for Russian strikes from those locations on civilian targets across the Ukraine. Heres the latest such endevour from Moscow
JIMK wrote: “Some of you here have a clear vision of what is happening above the tank versus artillery etc level, but some here seem to have a problem elevating your view of what is happening up to a strategic level.” And it is exactly that mind-set which is costing the Russians so dearly. I mean when you have the time do explain how the Russians on trying to carry out a river crossing, lost an entire BTG to artillery fire, meaning that area had been zeroed in, and what did the Russians do, they tried again in the very… Read more »
Seen it as well mate, to say I was confused at what the tank commander was doing is an understatement!
Sources are needed. You did it the other day when you posted info and that was greatly appreciated. If you post stuff that nobody else has seen or heard you need to put where you got it from. Most of discussions on here don’t need it as they are talking about what has been on here or main news. You were right when you posted about the steel works surrender and it was before I heard it else where. I may not agree with the way you write things sometimes or what you say but it’s a discussion all the… Read more »
In reality Ukraine has a lot of land to swap for blood and I don’t think for a minute it’s a forgone conclusion that Ukraine will run out of land to swap for Russian blood before Russia losses the will to fight, the Ukrainian are not going to loss the will as they have very little to lose, russia has a lot to lose. If you take it a steep beyond that Ukraine Russian theatre geopolitically russia has pretty much set itself on a path of national destruction and it going to end up crushed by geopolitical forces it’s unequipped… Read more »
If you arenot a Putin bot how come you seem to have a reasonably accurate picture of what the Kremlin is told is happening in Ukraine vs the reality. Told broad Russisn advances. Russian army grinding Ukranians down. Reality= Little to no advances against an enemy that isnt as well equipped despite NATO support.
Russia is not going to win. Ukranian army will get stronger with time as some of the 2 million plus volunteers emerge from training and become more battle experienced and equipped.
Soon Ukraines army will locally outnumber Russias and grind Russia down.
JIMK wrote: In case you have not noticed, the area held by Russia in the east of the county is relentlessly increasing everyday. If the Russians are crap at fighting, as many here say, how is that possible? From 2000 to 2020 Ukraine spent $55.44 Billion on its military which works out as an average of $2.7 billion a year In contrast Moscow spent over $1060 billion (aka 1 trillion) on its armed forces, which comes in at an average of $53 billion a year. Meaning that Moscow has spent as much on its military yearly what the Ukraine has spent… Read more »
JIMK wrote: I might be called a troll but I am as English as most of you. I hold no candle for Russia, I am just trying to see what is actually happening as opposed to what we are being told. You post on a virtual daily basis about how good Moscow has been doing, you have been caught out time, and time and time again by people who have brought actual facts to the table. You keep parroting this line that somehow we have all been brainwashed by some sort of new world order and that actually Moscow is… Read more »
Mmm now do we believe your usual bullsh1t or the MOD daily briefings🤔
post your sources if you really want us to believe your crap!
This is a very good example of someone who has learned English but not how English people write or how to write as normal people speak.
Congratulations in being made a city. Are you going to level it and build a nice park over the bodies of women and children now?
Something wrong with your analysis if you think I don’t write normal English.
Yes, much to our surprise we are now a city, certainly big enough to be one and we have a large amount of area that is parkland including the stretch of the GJ canal. Why would I want to level it?
“A clear vision….”
That’s got to be your best line yet 😂😂😂
Really? I’ve seen NATO do everything but to step upto the plate and enabling the Ukraine to mallet the invaders.
And the malleting will continue.
Russians will fall when hit; b@stards the lot of them.
Maybe restrain your propaganda pal! Maybe question why you will not condemn this illegal invasion and maybe wonder why you know so much about the invasion yet struggle to know if an RFA ship is in Portland alongside?
JIMK wrote:
“”So far 1,908 Ukrainian nationalists””
Help me here JIMK, you refer to Ukrainians inside the Ukraine defending their country from an outside invasion as nationalists in a negative way. So how would you describe Russians coming to the so called rescue of Russians in another country by the use of overwelming force outside the area (by hundreds of miles) of that so called Russian popualtion, the .last I looked Odesa is nowhere near the East.
So when will HM government be sending kit to the British Army? We await with baited breath…
Do we have any fires to give away ? One really big lesson from this conflict is clearly artillery is still king of sculpting the battlefield and there needs to be some serious look at the British armies fires. I think we have all come to the understanding that we are not having an army more that 70,000 to 80,000 and at a push our max effort is 2-3 brigade sized groups..but at least we could make sure we proved the best level of fires and other requirements of combined arms to make those troop as effective as they can… Read more »
I don’t much disagree, although I hope the human race has the ability to not use nuclear weapons.
The UK is woefully under strength in any sort of artillery at the moment and has absolutely nothing that it can supply to Ukraine short of old 105 mm guns.
And therefore we assist in many other ways, thank you for your concern but its not required.
I know it’s him, but sadly he’s right!!
Agreed mate!
AS90? Surely they can’t all be knackered?
That is true. But it was the U.K. even before the invasion that supplied the weapons that the dauntless Ukrainians used to destroy an entire army outside Kiev when others were mulling over whether to bother sending even condolences.
What and who would start a nuclear war?
“the next war the UK has will involve nuclear weapons” then all the istar, drones and submarines in the world will not make a blind bit of difference will it?
My position too.
Combined arms? Not much of that in future soldier and it goes against the armies own conceptual force 2035.
We of course are good at that at the battle Group level, I’m talking of institutionalised hostility to change.
Daniele, I must have missed that the army does not envisage combined arms operations from 2035 – or is this really your comment on some of the poor brigade structures, those which lack CS and CSS?
Can you say a bit more please?
Hi Graham.
Yes. There is no sign of combined arms regiments in Future Soldier. Which the 2035 plan discusses, including a “Corps” of 3 Divisions! 😆 Smaller of course.
The CS CSS structures are also non existent.
FS does not seem to be visionary just moving the deck chairs, which is how I described it when it was released.
Thanks Daniele, The British Army has never constructed combined arms regiments ‘in barracks’. All is Task Org’d for a particular mission. A Coy/Sqn Groups(used to be called a Combat Team) – a sub-unit commanded by a Major, a BattleGroup commanded by a Lt Col and a deployed brigade – will all be Task Org’d to suit the mission. I would be very surprised if FS suggests combined arms regiments ‘in barracks’ as there are huge problems with doing that. The Corps of 3 small Divisions! I must read up on that. I recall you describing the lack of CS and… Read more »
You’d hope so. Actually, another gun regiment is being cut and swapped for slightly expanded GMLRS, and another RLC Regiment, 3 CSR RLC, is being chopped.
Increase in CS CSS? Deary me no the army are more concerned with retaining miniscule infantry battalions as they are names and the cap badge mafia would go ballistic.
Far easier to shave off yet more supporting enablers.
Economically it has for over 20 years, a long term plan which will at some point no doubt once they feel confident enough, will involve military adventures small and niggly to start with involving implied threats (that stage is already here) but expanding as confidence grows along with others fears to exert increasing power over its neighbours and even others far and wide. So eventually I guess what happens when they come up against serious powers? It’s why Ukraine is a vital ingredient in how that all works out what with Russia terrified it’s being squeezed out in the new… Read more »
Jonathan, you are bang on with your modern terminology (fires) but it sounds strange for an old boy like me. Anyway, I agree that our max effort is 2-3 brigade groups for a one-shot operation. It saddens me to say that I doubt we could deliver a brigade group (from a 73,000 army) for an enduring op (as per Op HERRICK), unless we called up a few thousand members of the Army Reserve. A phrase used years ago (Options for Change, probably) by those awful politicians was that we would have a ‘smaller but better’ army (ie when it went… Read more »
How many tourist are they planning on visiting !!!!
I live in the NE and can tell you the Teesside steel works is no Tourist attraction it’s still standing even though production stop some years ago.
The UK should just put an emergency order into a korean industry for K9A2 Thunder. We could then pass some AS90 to Ukraine, with an acceptable gap until delivery of their replacements.
That would be an acceptable upgrade on our 155mm artillery
105mm doesn’t seem to be much use, it would complicate UKraine supply line.
Not sure the UK kept any older M109 or towed 155mm guns in storage.
After all, the British military doesn’t care about the budget.
So, why should buy a k-9?
Buy BAE Archer or Germanic 2000
Australia has become so obsessed with domestic production that performance and cost have been lost. Is there notything to learn from there?
Bae Archer looks fine on flat terrain. It’s a big system, but potentially not as manoeuvrable as hoped. Boxer and 155mm would be a good system. But if wheeled is good but not quire as good as tracked from going over all terrain then K9A2 may be a good option to keep up with C3 on the battlefield. Certainly more survivable than towed or truck mounted systems . You would probably get production share for Korean systems, and a flow of close co-operation. Other countries are buying it, its cutting edge. AUKUS compatibility with the aussies would be possible if… Read more »
Redbacks are a bunch of shit that even the Korean military doesn’t buy.
Should we spend twice as much effort transporting heavy molten scrap metal like the K-9 for the cost of deploying Challenger on the battlefield?
MOD has already decided to purchase 16 MQ-9Bs. This is the power equivalent of Bayraktar’s 90 times, and a decision worth over 2000 times that of k-9.
Why should buy junk that no one cares about and whose reliability has not been proven?
At the very least, BAE’s Archer has room to improve its performance as a low-cost mobile air defense interception platform.
Protector drones are likely to get shot down, just as TB2 drones get shot down.
Turkey at least builds its own TB2 and can replace them
We will have no capability of replacing that 16 without depending entirely on US production capability.
Not sure your claims of magnitude are realistic , in fact maybe…. nonsense?
MQ drones have been active in almost all conflict zones, military and paramilitary interventions in Libya and Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and US conflicts. Has an MQ drone been shot down? Of course, war presupposes uncertainty. However, even Bayraktar is known as can jamming to the Russian SAM Moreover, the Protector operated at a higher area than Viraktar and was equipped with Brimstone missiles. I don’t think Russia’s air defense system, which has recently suffered a sharp decline, will not dare to shoot down it. First of all, the search range of the protector is wider than that of Panchir –… Read more »
A predator was shot down over Syria. The Houtis downed a reaper over a Yemen and a Global Hawk was downed by Iran.
The reason why the US is investing heavily in the RQ series is that non stealthy drones are not survivable.
Protector is a far bigger platform than TB2.
Just because Russia is showing levels of ineptness, don’t assume China or some other opponent would make the same mistakes.
I often watch the news of China’s new military weapons and new technology developments. They are clowns doing comedy shows with military news. Russia also has a lot of false advertising and hype, but China is a pathetic clown. The Communist Party’s fascist regime and their society rotten by corruption are bound to repeat the same mistakes. China and Russia are incompetent fools who want others to fear by exaggerating themselves. Should we be afraid of China’s stealth fighters without stealth capabilities, and Chinese-made weapons that have been ridiculed even earlier than today’s Russia for their poor performance in West… Read more »
The F-35 has been purchased by many countries.
Most of them can’t even overhaul the F-35 in their own country.
Countries that have purchased the f-35 cannot replace the F-35.
If Britain can’t replace the mq drone, should it give up the f-35 as well?
really nonsense
So, should Britain produce and replace the shit Redbeak and replace the protector with it?
Even if there are 10000 Red Becks, they cannot replace 10 protectors.
You are talking about replacing aircraft carriers with a large number of armed kayaks
Personally, I find it shocking that Turkey can knock out some very good and cheap drones and we don’t. By all means, have the all singing and dancing jet-powered drones from the US, but how about manufacturing several hundred smaller drones that could be attached at the regimental level fulfilling a swam type job? There would be export orders that Turkey won’t get for various reasons. The only fully British drone with any anticipated capability is the Mosquito and that’s still on the drawing board. The Bayraktar is only $1m per unit compared to the $22m Protector. The 16 Protectors… Read more »
We should not need to buy K9s to free up some AS90s for Ukraine.
We bought 179 AS90s and probably have about 70-73 in service so should have over 100 spare, some of which should be in good order and releasable to Ukraine.
We withdrew M109 from service in 1994 (sold to Austria) and FH70 in 1999 – we really don’t keep ancient equipments in storage 25-30 years after they went out of service – what would be the point? They are sold asap, as MoD wants the cash – if no buyers, they are scrapped.
” should be reusable” is hopefully what they are. Guns have limited life, rounds through the barrell might be limited to 2000? The British army has a history of cannibalising one vehicle for spares for another.. Hopefully there are loads in climate controlled conditions ready to pull out of reserve. But I doubt it.
You just re-barrel a Gun whose barrel is shot out – REME do it all the time, except if spare barrels are not in stock. You don’t scrap the SP Gun for a worn-out barrel.
You are right about cannibalisation, which is controlled, and used as the last resort.
Barrels are lifecycle to EFCs, equivalent full charge, so if the barrel of a 105mm is lifed to say 4000 rds, it can fire the 4000 if the charge used is charge super, equivalent to 1 EFC, but can fire more rounds if a lower charge, maybe Ch 1-4 and therefore it is a lower equivalent EFC, and more rounds can be fired……”gasp take a breath”! My bro says the main problem with Arty will be the seals within the recoil system, the recuperator and buffer etc! They dry out over time and leak, and need regular servicing weekly/monthly to… Read more »
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced the complete take over of the territory of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol as of 20.05.2022.
“The territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant in Mariupol, where groups of Ukrainian soldiers including the Azov formation has been blocked since April 21, has been completely liberated,” the report says. The underground structures are now under the full control of the Russian Armed Forces.
Today, the last group of 531 surrendered giving a total of 2,439 Ukrainian military and Azov laying down their arms and surrendering.
https://www.rt.com/russia/555848-azovstal-surrender-liberated-military/
You would do yourself a favour by not quoting from RT, notorious for misleading or inaccurate propaganda.
Liberated?
Yes it’s Russian for mass murder.
Ahh yes that bastion of truth and honesty 😂
Any condemnation, yet, of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine?
He’s probably part of it so do t hold your breath.
👍
Going to turn it into a flash holiday resort apparently, no doubt for all those Oligarchs and politicians who can’t go to the South of France or Florida for their holidays now. The marina will no doubt be a busy place, may not wish to leave their boats indeed as soil on reclaimed industrial sites is notoriously toxic so the beaches might be full of glowing Russians true, if not in health terms not that the relevant authorities will care much I suspect..
The Russian Invader has lost a lot of equipment & manpower against a well armed & motivated Ukrainian Defence but something does not sound right as far as the Russian military tactics are concerned?. Russia has not done a full national mobilization yet. They have thousands of tanks etc in reserve & in storage. Both sides may win Battles but no one has won the war. UK New Labour & Tory Governments have decimated UK Army Numbers shrinking to dangerous levels, thinking there was a peace divided after cold war. Peace dividend was a government mantra to excuse the cut… Read more »
Personally I think European countries should provide that mass.
A large uplift isn’t going to happen. The public wouldn’t countenance cuts to the NHS to fund it..
Push comes to shove.? Your relative needing experimental cancer drugs or an extra APC that never gets used. What will you choose?
We are one of the biggest spenders in defence on the planet.
Russian tanks in storage will be junk. And after seeing their ” best ” tanks killed, even the Russian conscripts will revolt if they mobilise.
Ironically a Russian University academic on their State tv is still adamant that this is merely a preamble to a conflict with NATO so that they can judge how superior their weapons are would you believe, well I guess they are certainly more adept at launching tank turrets into orbit than we are*. There is delusion and there is clearly a Russian University Lecturer who’s job relies on kissing Putin’s ass. And with the successful launch of a US hypersonic missile that can be launched even from F15s I suspect even their momentary advantage in hypersonics (though in reality currently… Read more »
Hi Gemma, Many on here would agree with you on the size of the British Army. However, another large uplift in defence spending is not going to happen anytime soon not with the cost of living crisis just getting going. On the plus side the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force look like they are going to do OK over the next few years provided there are no cuts to defence given the economic situation. The British Army needs to sort its procurement system out as it has wasted £5billion or more on armoured vehicles over the last 20 years… Read more »
Agreed. I certainly think we could (and should) get better value for money and that all branches need need more mass. Hate ‘top trumps’ as it’s usually too simplistic but compare numbers with other developed nations that spend less and get more. Solution as you stated (in addition to spending smarter!) is a commitment to a longer term national strategy. Instead of saying ‘here’s 2% gdp each year, what can we get?’, we should be asking ‘what capabilities to we need’ & then find the most cost effective way of making it happen without obsessing over annual spend. One of… Read more »
You missed out the our army needsa complete new lot of AFVs and artillery.
‘In the days prior, 177 people were rescued, including 85 women and 47 children. He also said that just under 1.4M refugees have entered Russia, a figure that is still rising.‘
Worthy of Goebbels. What a piece of work you are. Rescued from your artillery and rapists? 1.4M kidnapped survivors taken away by thugs to God knows where having lost everything at your army’s hands? You creep.
The rest of the post is vile triumphalism and downright lying. From the off kilter grammar and style I’d say ‘JohninMK is team effort. Yes the moderators should do something. Shut you down.
You may not have noticed but there are two major groups in Ukraine, Ukrainian speakers and Russian speakers and they don’t seem to like each other much. It seems to me entirely logical that the civilians of the former group flee west to escape the violence whilst the latter group flee east. Quite why you think those escaping east are kidnapped is beyond me. Pray tell us how that might be achieved logistically, say around 20,000 a day, in greater secrecy than military movements? The truth, or something closer to it than the western propaganda you seem to swallow hook,… Read more »
In the good old days people such as your team were described in the Law Courts as ‘plausible’. One of the cleverer – not brilliant, but even so – ideas your team has deployed is the ‘conversational’ manner; a reasonable bloke who is only trying to ‘understand’ or to be ‘given a chance’ to understand; the feigned innocence of the practised liar. This is familiar to those of us who have engaged with Islamists. One or two around here have fallen for this. On the substantial matter you have declined to denounce the unprovoked massacres of Ukrainian people. You refuse… Read more »
OK so you can’t explain why and how 1.4M people are kidnapped in under 3 months. You’d rather hide behind another attack on me.
will we have any weapons left, and I bet this is a good excuse to hollow out an already hollowed out military, I bet loads are pleased with us losing lots of military gear… on the plus side I witnessed a shoulder launched Martlet missile taking out a tiny high flying drone in Ukraine, was impressive…
When the government says it will be donating artillery to Ukraine I wonder whether they aren’t ours, as we don’t really have any to give. There’s been talk of the government trying to buy soviet kit from other countries, and there’s been a number of eyebrow-raising international cargo flights. There’s plenty of stuff like D-30s about in Africa/Asia.
The D-30, as a 122mm, could well have too short a range. Ukraine should have plenty of them already.
Do stop trying to be reasonable, the vast majority of us here know your agenda, can you yet condem Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine?
We don’t know how much artillery Ukraine has lost; probably a fair bit, especially in the early days of the war. Yes, ideally you’d want something with more range than a D-30, but every little helps.
This is the best Youtube analysis I have seen to date on the Ukraine and it includes the M-777. The guy doing it is an ex US Marine so not obviously pro Russian and he is using a pro Ukrainian mapping site and the Pentagon Press Office as his sources.
It only takes 20 minutes and is definitely worth watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfsTJo9SkQ8
Yaaaaaaaawn come on Johnskie answer the questions people are posing to you! Alas I see you are to scared to jutsify your position, so a coward in all respects it seems.
JIMK wrote: This is the best Youtube analysis I have seen to date on the Ukraine and it includes the M-777. The guy doing it is an ex US Marine so not obviously pro Russian and he is using a pro Ukrainian mapping site and the Pentagon Press Office as his sources. So I had a butchers at that vid and for somebody who isn’t pro-Russian , I was kind of surprised at how he referred to Ukrainians inside the Ukraine fighting off a Russian invasion as…Militants which as we all know is the revised Politically correct noun for ‘Terrorist’ I was… Read more »
What a surprise 😀
Well it’s the best he has seen because it suits his prejudices and fan boy sensibilities no doubt. Truth is sad to say you can find an ex ( assuming he is) US marine to say practically anything, hell you can’t stop them mouthing off even when enlisted sadly. It’s an American characteristic generally leading to them being told to shut up in recent weeks. Anyone who spends any time on YouTube will see any and everyone saying practically anything for their 15 minutes of fame and a few dollars more, so we pick and choose carefully there as in… Read more »
Well, together with your follow up post below, that really tore it apart, hat off to you that was an excellent piece of work well up to your normal standard. You might have missed your true vocation, CID or financial fraud investigation. However, it was my “not obviously pro Russian” comment and he made no claim re that. I would suggest that discrediting me and the messenger with his sources does not alter the basics of what he was saying, that the Russians were concentrating their forces in DNR and LDR and were continuing to move pretty much unstoppably forward.… Read more »
Now that was one hell of a desperate excuse, hilarious! You are so RT owned you must have a fucking collar on!
Many thanks. That saved me from having to watch more Vlad’s Army propaganda.
Sounds like a call needs to be made to the FBI.
Ha I see Farouk just ripped your shite link to shreds! He is far more patient and constructive than me, but the end result is the same, I call you a nob, he proves your a nob!
You and others can attack the sometimes inadequate way I go about things but what cannot be denied is that military might matters and Russia has it here. To believe otherwise is just delusional. If the Ukrainian Army with all its NATO support is so good how come, in your words a bunch of “rapists and looters” complete with turret popping T-72s, is steadily pushing them back? Even, for want of a better word, crushing them in Mariupol. As I keep saying, it’s not useless to know what the other side thinks. Its just that if some here don’t want… Read more »
Your cynicism has now morphed into grievance. You have had facts placed before you that contradict your comments. You respond by alleging victimisation; can you wonder as I do how civil people on this blog are towards you considering the vileness you condone.
I invite you once again to state your position clearly. Do you support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or do you not?
The floor is yours.
He won’t as he can’t as he is a bought and paid for troll!
Another desperate and weak response, still with no condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine! But as your now answering me (with desperate excuses however) now you can do what every reasoned and decent person and organisation has done and condemn it! Ah but you can’t can you! Bought and paid for, collar and lead fitted by your master, walkies! Coward! And yes they are rapists and looters and if you do not condemn, then you are supporting them by your cowardly silence!
And for the record I’m fully aware that it’s not useless to know what the other side thinks, however there is a difference between knowing, understanding and using it to your advantage on the battlefield, to supporting and justifying it, as you do in every post! So now we are talking, about that condemnation you continue to refuse to consider due to fear!
JIMK so I did a little more digging into the geezer behind your so called “best YouTube Analysis seen to date” and i find that whislt he claims to be an ex grunt he has refused to substaniate that claim with even a photo of himself in uniform. (I can provide hundreds but then I did a little more than 5 years) So i did a little more searching and found he claims to have joined the marines at age 17 (1999) and left in 2004. he claims he was in the Marines equivilant of our REME and was trained… Read more »
You are a bit of a ninja Farouk, I’m always impressed by your effort and general analysis, so much better than my lazy ways! And your dits are great also 👍
One of the very few of your comments that I agree with.
Self deprecating and honesty with oneself is very important, certainly knowing your capabilities and limits! It’s something you and your Russkie clowns should try! Methinks they have believed there own press and are now burning for it! And, for the record would you like to condemn Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine yet? No?thought not, dog collar and masters lead still fitting the lap dog I see!
Oh dear! TARGET fire for effect👍😂😂
Geez brilliant work. So the David Icke of war reporting then as I suspected above. Does one laugh or cry at the usual Syrian claims in particular so often spread by Russian and other apologists completely ignoring or rewriting the Russian role in Syria that’s going on of course in all its brutality to this very day boasting mass murder as it’s prime accomplishment. Of course the further irony there is the excuse used in that conflict that they are merely supporting the incumbent and rightful Govt, pretty much would give NATO Carte Blanche to do the very same for… Read more »
Excellent work Farouk.
‘The guy doing it is an ex US Marine so not obviously pro Russian …’
For a troll operation, whoever is pulling the strings here is as about as effective as a Russian tank assault.
Does uk still have abbot 105spg I know this would complicate supply but could be used on secondary fronts releasing better equipment elsewhere.
😆 Not for decades and decades 700 GM.
Unless the “Strategic Reserve” really exists and they are hidden in it.
The Abbot was it?
Yes mate. Each BAOR Division had 2 regs worth, and 1 of M109s.
The Abbot?
Yes would be comparable to ukraine and Russia 2S1 with a similar range, was on the 432 chassis so there should still be plenty of spare parts etc and NATO would still have loads of 105mm he rounds
105mm SPG based on the 432, I worked on them in the early 80’s and they were old then.
Ah, good. You’re still here. You’re needed, and I respect your experience. 👍
Cheers Daniele
As a former Equipment Support Manager (I covered CR1, CH, CRARRV and BARV), I am entertained by questions such as do we have any Abbots, FH70s etc lolling about at Ashchurch. Why would there be any obsolete out-of-service vehicles still held decades later? Abbot was replaced by AS90 from 1993 (c.30 years ago). Some might have been supplied to India and some went to museums but a lot were sold to private collectors. I bet they were all gone by 1995-6. There is a need to sell obsolete equipment asap to get the best price or to scrap if there… Read more »
Graham thanks for the reply , I know that Saxon remained after it had been withdrawn , used them in Colly in 87. I suppose my reasoning was how would the UK find sufficient weapons in the event of mass mobilisation if there was not a store of weapons that are not front line use, I see from Ukraine they have reissued soviet maxim guns from ww2 amongst others, and bmp1 stems from 1960s , SLR would still be a viable weapon on modern battlefield or on secondary front, I also see 105mm L118 are being donated
Thanks mate. Saxon was deployed to 24 Inf Bde units from 1983/84 and a variant to NI units in 1992. All were withdrawn to storage in 2008. Most were sold or donated to foreign armies 2013-2016 including 75 vehicles to Ukrain in 2013/14.
I am unaware as to what vehicles (and other equipment) is made available in the event of mass mobilisation, but they would not be FH70s or Abbot SP Guns, that had ben stored for 30 or more years.
I don’t think it would even be possible save small arms and individual kit.
Saxon also served in 6 battalions in 3 Division in later years. Each of those brigades, 1st, 12th, 19th, had 2 Saxon, 1 Warrior Bn, plus an armoured regiment and AS90 regiment and all the CSS.
All that and not even including 1 Division in Germany.
There were 9 Warrior and 6 Saxon battalions.
Unthinkable numbers now.
Thanks Daniele. I only referenced 24 Inf Bde as I served with them. Saxon got a bad press from those who compared it unfavourably, from a mobility viewpoint, to the old Saracen (which was a purpose built 6×6 APC rather than a truck-based 4×4).
Saxon GS was procured to get 24 Inf Bde from UK to Germany in the Cold War at speed and with some degree of protection – and to deliver the troops to a point from which they could dismount and establish a defensive position, and redeploy them when necessary. It did that job rather well.
Interesting. Did you remain with them when they went from Motorized to Airmobile with 80 odd Milan posts to stop armoured breakthroughs?
As with all officer postings it was just for 2 years,1985-86. I was just with 24x when they were an Inf Bde, equipped with Saxon and lots of Milan FP (24 or 42 per Bn?), the only reg bde in 2 Inf Div. 2xx role was Corps rear area security, but 24x’s uniquely was to act as an operational level reserve for the Corps Commander and to be prep to conduct counter-moves against enemy armoured breakthroughs. Plenty of exercises in Germany to go to, and of course Ex Brave Defender in the UK in Sep 85 – great exercise to… Read more »
Thanks, I enjoy reading these stories.
I remember reading of Brave Defender in my Combat Survival magazines in the 80s when I was a wee boy.😆
I recall there was a HSF Home Service Force? About 5000 Overage TA members who would just guard a KP. Scary if Spetznatz had struck….or maybe not.
Another part of our home defence is the civil defence side, most of the RSG regional bunkers have also been got rid off in the early to mid 90s..idiots.
Thanks Daniele. Given that we are often told that the first duty of Government is to ensure the safety/security of its people, it seems odd that Military Home Defence (MHD) of the UK is not practiced (except by the RAF on intercepting those pesky Russian strategic bombers). Hope we at least have a few contingency plans!
For certain, you know MoD/Cabinet office will have a contingency plan for everything from nukes to the little greys landing in Hyde Park.
Hi Daniele, when I was serving I had a job that had (as one small task) the updating of MACA/C/P plans for REME content. The updating was done regulalry. However I was nt involved in other contingency plans. I did hear that MoD had a contingency plan to deal with an Argentine invasion of the Falklands (before it actually happened) – but I think it was outdated. I’d love to know something of our contingency plans for MHD – in all of West and East Sussex there is only one regular unit (gunners at Thorney Island) and they would be… Read more »
Morning Graham, I’m nearby, in Surrey. Yes, I’d guess as far as military goes reserve units, like 3 PWRR for our area. Yes, such plans will be very outdated on the military front, with CBRN probably excepted. When could one ever envisage such a military contingency being activated for defence against a conventional sort of attack, such as invasion? There are several regular light infantry battalions in the UK orphaned from any CS and CSS ( that old bugbear ) that could be moved to Sussex if needed. Given that the greatest threat is actually terrorism, espionage, or cyber attack,… Read more »
Morning Daniel, yes, for sure MHD plans and training exercises such as I described were in the Cold War, when Russia was a threat to NATO, and the scenarios were more so attacks (raids) by Spetznatz on British KPs than full invasion. Granted that is very unlikely but it was considered a serious possibility had the Cold War gone hot. We should at least have contingency plans (I agree with you that we surely must have) and to have periodic training exercises to demonstrate deterrence and capability to the opposition – and the cynics would add – to give UK-based… Read more »
Possibly what the mod/army is waiting for when the as90 is retired? https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/rheinmetall-readies-new-155-mm-self-propelled-artillery-system
“Donate!” Why, have they gone soft in the head?
Lend lease at the very least. Sell at top prices would be considerably better as they can’t afford to say no. Remember there are no good guys and bad guys in this Ukraine v Russia shindig. We should be milking it for all it’s worth, just like Uncle Sam.
Really ? It is your view, why not just sell to both sides
I would if I could. It’s not the first time that has been done. The French have turned the practice into an art form.
New Zealand has just announced its sending 30 troops to train Ukrainian troops on the M119 in the UK. Guess thats one answer on the question of artillery, 105mm.
Just came here to post the same.
I assume for hit and run tatctics? M118/9s are very easy to move about.
Why do NZ troops fly all the way to the UK to train Ukraine Army on a British gun. Why don’t our own gunners train the Ukrainians?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/russia-ukraine-war-nz-to-train-ukrainians-to-use-howitzer-sending-30-defence-force-personnel-to-britain/WVBJ67NRDOAMKOJD5BFZIBYORE/
We probably have none to spare. The army is running on empty.
We have the artillery ranges to do it is probably the answer, I imagine the ones in Poland are booked solid at the moment.
My query was not about the location of the training but as to why NZ troops (rather than British Gunners and REME) are coming here to train the Ukrainians.
Saves the Ukrainians having to go to New Zealand to be trained on their donation. The UK L118 guns use two piece ammunition while the M119 uses two piece ammunition.
More important help for Ukraine
https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2022/05/23/ukraine-to-get-harpoon-anti-ship-missiles-from-denmark-amid-russian-black-sea-blockade/
Sure hope everything being sent to Ukraine is really helping to push the Russian’s back to their side of the fence. This invasion and carnage especially on the civilian population is really outrageous. Long live 🇺🇦!
Any update on Mariupol, do we know if there are any remaining fighter still in the steel plant?
Some 8 days on from this report, do we yet know whether HMG is supplying Light Gun or AS90? How many and when? The Ukrainians needed this kit yesterday!
No idea. I’d suspect AS90 most useful to them.
Good question. From what I’ve heard, the majority of our AS90 are in a sorry state, so unless they started overhauling them a few weeks ago, I can’t see it being them, or certainly not many of them. Poland recently announced theyre sending 12 KRAB SPGs, I don’t know how much commonality they still have with the AS90 turret and handling systems.
The members of NATO, especialy UK and US knowingly have failed the Ukrainians, because they are knowledgeable enough to know that that the weapons provided to ukrainians were insufficient. further more they knew tat russia would responde the same way they responded in cuban missle crisis, the united states has increased world stability while claiming to accommodate peace. they wouldn;t have to provide artillary so late in the game unless to criticized the competency of their intelligence agency’s competency.