About 40 soldiers from the British Army took part in Exercise Hunter 22 in Lithuania, using state-of-the-art Javelin and NLAW anti-tank weapons systems alongside their Lithuanian allies.
According to a statement from NATO:
“This was a pre-planned bilateral exercise focusing on shared anti-tank capabilities. The soldiers from Black Horse Troop, the UK contribution to the US-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Poland, is formed from B Squadron The Royal Dragoon Guards.
Black Horse Troop are equipped with Jackal and Coyote vehicles as well as NLAW and Javelin anti-tank weapons. These two anti-tank systems have been employed by the British Army for a number of years and are a significant force multiplier for lightly armoured troops.”
In neighbouring Estonia, British F-35 jets have landed as they prepare to undertake air patrols over Eastern Europe to deter Russia from taking any aggressive actions against NATO members.
British F-35 stealth fighters arrive in Estonia to deter Russia
According to a statement from NATO here:
“The F-35 Lightnings from RAF Marham, UK joined other Allied 5th Generation fighters provided by the US Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force who are taking part in air patrols over Eastern Europe. This activity provides air policing of NATO airspace ensuring a robust and integrated shield for Allied airspace and contributing to the security of Europe.
This new deployment will see the aircraft based alongside Belgian F-16s where they will be better postured to support the ongoing NATO mission. They will join other Allied 4th and 5th Generation fighters carrying out patrols over Polish and the Baltic States’ airspace.”
Importing weapons into Ukraine is beginning to make a significant improvement in resisting Russian armour. So much so, Putin is apparently considering a number of options from chemical to out of theater operations. For just how much longer will this confrontation be confined to Ukraine? We are just weeks away from either a Russian victory, defeat, or an expanded war involving possibly non-Nato members, or terrorism, over a broader scale than just Europe?
I would like to say no chance…
But with Putin, i think there is every chance….
NATO don’t need to worry about the Russian military service if the Ukraine is anything to go by poor equipment in the hands of poor soldiers is pointless having
Sorry but, IMHO, NATO have everything to worry about… A psychopath in charge is more of a worry that the poorly trained soldiers at te front..
But they attack civilian housing and hospitals with ruthlessness. I would be very worried about that.
If Putin and his forces get “dirty” I hope that they can be hit even harder by whatever can be thrown at them! He needs to be utterly defeated. The unbelievable arrogance and evil of the little man.
Who would have thought that another Hitler would emerge in the 2020’s
Totally agree that Ukrainian resistance is spectacularly successful and is only improving as they are gaining confidence in their tactics and familiarity with their weapons and understand how to use them to their best advantage in a hot war situation.
Out of theatre would give him a wider stage to display Russia’s military incompetence?
I am not seeing how that is helping?
It might help the Ukrainians as the resources and focus would be more diffuse?
I am afraid that the most likely think is for Putin to resort to some absolutely appalling weapons.
I wonder if NATO would feel able to take down a weapon in flight with THAAD or Patriot or misdirect it?
Or if the system gets wheel 10 meters over the Ukrainian border and a Ukrainian service person get to push the big green button?
Containment will become increasingly difficult and will test NATOs command discipline. Putin could choose to create a distraction that could take the focus away from Ukraine, just long enough to enable a brutal resolution?
Looks like he is already trying something, reports in Ukrainian media of Russian jets flying out of Belarus in to Ukraine air space, turning round and launching an attack on a Belarusian village.
Typical actions of an evil mind is to always look at unsavoury get-outs to deflect blame. Al Capone, Hitler, you name them, and they all behaved in the same way. As Putin closes in on free Ukraine and meets serious resistance, despicable Russian acts can’t be ruled out. As I always say, only the Russian people can stop Putin.
He can only hide the truth for so long until he and band of nobody’s are exposed to the Russian people
I don’t think he cares who finds the truth as he is of the eastern mindset.During the nineteenth century Russian Generals advised underlings during colonial wars,when in doubt eliminate.
Who now believes in the Tianimin square massacre . And even if irrefutable proof is presented of massacres for how long will it be talked about .
I think he is really obsessed with the restoration of the Russian empire and so all this talk of him wanting to go down in a nuclear Holocaust idiotic,just the standard Khrushchev shoe banging we will bury you talk while wearing two shoes.
A false flag operation to justify invasion of Belarus troops to attack the west of Ukraine- Lviv?
Why would Russians attack Belarus – they are allies.
As Paul.P said above, false flag operation.
Very possible. Did that story get confirmed? Surely the Russians would be trumpeting the story.
Haven’t picked up any more on it, may be once it was publicised the plan was dropped as no longer believable?
Putin is now saying arms shipments to Ukraine are legitimate targets. Interesting. Does he mean if they are on the NATO side of the border? If so that’ll be a war he cannot win. Ukranian drivers taking the arnaments from the border too Kyiv or other distribution hubs have little to fear. Russia hasnt acheived air superiority. Therefore drive in the day. Hide at night.
The performance of Russias airforce must be a big disappointment. They havent practiced combined arms tactics or a strategic bombing offensive. The largest formation attacks seem to be pairs or double pairs. Piecemeal formations that are easily targetted and defeated.
The situation is hideously dangerous for the World. The reinstatement of Ukraine into the Russian stable, is the objective, and it is gaining support with many of the Russian population. I would imagine the war will now bog down around Kyiv and outlying areas, possibly for weeks? The key question must be China’s role in persuading Putin to cool it and look at alternative options. I say China, because they hold all the cards with respect to Russia’s future economy.
I would drive in the night, hide by day. There are some Russian aircraft and artillery hitting targets, more so at daytime than nighttime.
Yes, I see the Russians have hit a training camp near Lviv with missiles. And the long Russian convoy near Kyiv has dispersed into wooded areas. They are worried by the ATMs. I read in the NY Times that 30 of Kyrill’s bishops have written to him to ask him to ask Putin to halt the war. The Russian people and I dare say the soldiers on the ground want it to stop. I think this week will see either awful escalation or Putin negotiate.
If Russia struggles massively to seize Ukraine, is it likely that Putin will invade another country?
Pre planned exercise….planned two weeks ago….
Given the carnage (of unknown proportions) being visited on the invaders, this sort exercise is just what’s needed. Comforting for the Lithuanian people/ armed forces. Perhaps a bit of MANPAD training as well?
AA
I hope we can purchase some of these in future? A real force multiplier.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/29679/european-missile-maker-and-polish-defense-giant-join-forces-on-new-tank-destroyer-concept
When coupled with loyal footmen! Together they would make very short work of Russian military convoys.
That’s a lot more firepower than the Ajax based “Overwatch” which I believe only has 4 launchers!
Another useful bit of kit from Rheinmetall.
Rheinmetall unveiled a Mission Master XT UGV with an MBDA Brimstone missile launcher at DSEI 2021.
Rheinmetall unveiled a Mission Master unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) with an MBDA Brimstone missile launcher at Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2021, being held in London from 14 to 17 September.
The four-cell missile launcher is mounted on a 4×4 Mission Master XT (Extreme Terrain) hybrid UGV, which has larger wheels than the other vehicles of the type and has a continuous tyre inflation system allowing it to operate with 2 cm holes in its tyres on ice, snow, and sub-zero weather conditions in sandy, rocky, and mountainous terrain. The fully amphibious platform can float and swim with a 1,000 kg payload, according to Rheinmetall.
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/dsei-2021-rheinmetall-integrates-brimstone-into-mission-master-ugv
https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/systems_and_products/unbemannte_fahrzeuge/mission_master/index.php
Don’t know why we didn’t go for the MML. If it can fire Hellfire and Sidewinder there’s no reason it couldn’t fire CAMM and Brimstone. At least they’re not just CGI.
While much is up in the air, it’s certain that the launcher that will ultimately be part of the IFPC program won’t be the multimission launcher, or MML.
“It’ll be something different that we will develop,” Brig. Gen. Brian Gibson, who is in charge of the Army’s air and missile defense modernization effort, told Defense News at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference.
As of 2016, the Army had spent $119 million to build MML prototypes, which included owning the technical data rights. The cost of developing the system outside of the Army would have been about three times as much, the service said at the time.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/ausa/2019/10/15/army-developed-multimission-launcher-off-the-table/
So the US Army developed the MML in house, then it’s being rejected in favour of…something the US Army will develop in house? Right…
This was a concept from the cold war.
A giraffe with teeth!
There are examples of similar concepts
If they were fitted with Brimstone on Spear 3 they would be awesome
So… the British army has 40 blokes who can operate javelin missile systems. Wow the MOD just keeps on giving!
However, there are 72,460, including 750 (!) Braid who have not possibly had the pleasure 🙂
750ish starred rank and people ask – where does the money go!
Huh??
🤔👍
Where does it say that only 40 men can operate the Javelin?
More NLAW orders coming from Baltic states. Great news for UKPLC as manufactured in Belfast.
A video of the latest tank ambush in the Ukraine, I have to ask from the close proximity of the launcher, and the lack of cover in which to retreat, do you think it was remoted controlled
Key regards black arrows from the left
1st : Launch site
2nd : Missile in flight
3rd; The target.
Intresting to watch how the Russians react. Also I think there is an MG in use as a number of infanty end up in the middle of the road
So watched that video again, there are at least 3 missile launches,
1) The first is just before the first one, slightly in front and just above (small back blast)
2) The second is the main one which hits the tank, which looks like it was launched from a vehicle
3) The third hits the tank above just after it fires its main gun.
4) Not so sure on what I presumed was return/covering fire from the BMPs,
So I’ll take back that remote control launch angle.
I only saw 2 launches. The infantry obviously dismounts because it is safer to be in field than inside a coffin.
You don’t see the third launch only the hit on the front of the first tank to open fire.
Cancel my last, watch the area where the tank shell hits, immediately just below it, you see a missile launch., followed by the hit on the front of the tank
That’s what armoured Infantry are supposed to do, but on the target with the IFV providing fire suppression. Although in an ambush you either turn straight into it and go hard or move to the opposite of the ambush to get your shit together. But if this was a pre-planned ambush and not a snap ambush the other side of the road, where the Russkie cannon fodder ran to could have/should have been miner or have obstacles set up to prevent movement.
Mined not miner…..
Agree or better still a hidden MG with clear line of sight on the ditch they all jumped into.
However the effect on the convoy is immediate. Stopped in its advance 1 tank 2 other armoured vehicles destroyed. Good result for a few NLAWS. I hope the Ukranian operatives got clear.
Russia has just announced arms shipments into ukraine are now viable military targets.
Lets hope Russia makes the mistake of hitting shipments the wrong side of the NATO border.
Nato needs just 1 excuse to smash the Russian army back into the stone age.
Group of Challenger tank transporters headed in the direction of Europe spotted today in southern UK at 1.30pm
Lets hope theyve scrapped the idea of reducing tank fleet from 300 current to 220 then 148.
Those machines are going to prove exceptional lethal to Russia and an absolute nightmare to stop.
Agree. CH3 will be a very good tank: top drawer.