• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

The War in Ukraine

I keep hearing that all the Sierra M1's and Bradleys are in such disrepair from longterm storage that they cannot be economically restored and sold/sent to Ukraine.

So why not auction off a batch lot of 300 or so for scrap/destruction. No liability, no cost to US government. Then perhaps some Ukrainian company with financial support/backing from ?? will buy them all and rapidly ship then to Europe somewhere where they can be made into 200 or so working copies. Which will eventually be turned into scrap in a field somewhere. Thus fulfilling any technicalities in the terms of sale.

Ditto the 48 A10's about to be scrapped.
 
I keep hearing that all the Sierra M1's and Bradleys are in such disrepair from longterm storage that they cannot be economically restored and sold/sent to Ukraine.
The farce is that they aren’t. They where all out into long term protective storage.

Now some no doubt need some parts and maintenance to bring to working order, but it’s nothing like is claimed.



So why not auction off a batch lot of 300 or so for scrap/destruction. No liability, no cost to US government. Then perhaps some Ukrainian company with financial support/backing from ?? will buy them all and rapidly ship then to Europe somewhere where they can be made into 200 or so working copies. Which will eventually be turned into scrap in a field somewhere. Thus fulfilling any technicalities in the terms of sale.

Ditto the 48 A10's about to be scrapped.
There seems to be a goal in the Biden White House that sees Ukraine being able to mostly hold, but not advance.
 
The farce is that they aren’t. They where all out into long term protective storage.

Now some no doubt need some parts and maintenance to bring to working order, but it’s nothing like is claimed.
Back for the OctoberFest in 1970 we were issued brand new 3/4 ton and 2 1/2 trucks out of war stocks in Montreal. They had been in preservation since 1952 to 1954 when they had been built. Most had less than 50 miles on the odometers. They worked fine but started leaking as the engine seals had deteriorated in those 16 - 18 years. I expect something similar would take place with the Sierra stock after some time. Most of the metal parts are protected by paint and "bare" surfaces, like barrel bores with some form of preservative to prevent rusting.

Between Anniston, Alabama and Lima Ohio, the US has tremendous M1 refurbishing facilities. Some statistics that I saw for about five years ago when they did some 200+ tanks for Morocco, said it took roughly 230 days to refurbish an M1 and, once up to speed, they could turn out roughly 30 per week. But that's a complete overhaul and bringing them up to a given standard. A quick, as it is, reactivation to running status would probably take less time.

🍻
 
The farce is that they aren’t. They where all out into long term protective storage.

Now some no doubt need some parts and maintenance to bring to working order, but it’s nothing like is claimed.




There seems to be a goal in the Biden White House that sees Ukraine being able to mostly hold, but not advance.
I think this summer will again be limited, localized, gains for the Ukrainians at best. The Crimean bridge is now less of a priority 1 target thanks to the new rail corridor running from Rostov into Russian controlled Ukraine.
The Ukrainians will have to make a major decision, are they willing to roll the dice and take on major causalities in order to try and achieve some sort of breakthrough and drive a wedge to the coastline. Failure means, no adequate reserves of men/material to hold the Russians when they counter, success potentially means the exact same thing. Sitting back and doing nothing is another option, but in reality, this suits Russia more than it suits the Ukrainians.
 
The farce is that they aren’t. They where all out into long term protective storage.

Now some no doubt need some parts and maintenance to bring to working order, but it’s nothing like is claimed.




There seems to be a goal in the Biden White House that sees Ukraine being able to mostly hold, but not advance.
Yup. Biden is unable to overrule the 'advice' from the state department apparently.
 
I think this summer will again be limited, localized, gains for the Ukrainians at best. The Crimean bridge is now less of a priority 1 target thanks to the new rail corridor running from Rostov into Russian controlled Ukraine.
The Ukrainians will have to make a major decision, are they willing to roll the dice and take on major causalities in order to try and achieve some sort of breakthrough and drive a wedge to the coastline. Failure means, no adequate reserves of men/material to hold the Russians when they counter, success potentially means the exact same thing. Sitting back and doing nothing is another option, but in reality, this suits Russia more than it suits the Ukrainians.
There best option may be to double down on supporting Budanov with more troops/assets/hardware/funding and ramp up deep strikes all over Russia including power plants/distribution and all refineries as well as ongoing sabotage of rail and bridges everywhere.

Their only military expenditures should be what is required to maintain a slow attritional withdrawal while husbanding new troops, weapons and ammo. And all the drones, anti-air defenses and long range missiles they can get and use.
 
Last summer, Ukraine seemed to attempt their advances into the teeth of the strong(est?) Russian defenses.

The previous fall, they did 'end around' advances, looping lighter forces around through poorly defended sections, enabling large, quick gains.

I think this year, they should attempt to replicate the 'end around' - if they can. I'm not sure there are any easy or lightly defended spots. That said, last summer's advances against long prepared positions was not a recipe for quick success.
 
Last summer, Ukraine seemed to attempt their advances into the teeth of the strong(est?) Russian defenses.

The previous fall, they did 'end around' advances, looping lighter forces around through poorly defended sections, enabling large, quick gains.

I think this year, they should attempt to replicate the 'end around' - if they can. I'm not sure there are any easy or lightly defended spots. That said, last summer's advances against long prepared positions was not a recipe for quick success.
I think massed fires and crushing them near and far would be my go to, if only they had the equipment and the munitions...
 
Friends should help friends, but everyone needs to carry their share of the burden. I don't fault the US.
I fault America for failing Ukraine, they are doing more than their fair share against Russia.

Then again, I fault the entire West for failing Ukraine. We are too busy eating ourselves from within to notice the barbarians are through the first wall, and banging on the gates of the inner wall.
 
I fault America for failing Ukraine, they are doing more than their fair share against Russia.

Then again, I fault the entire West for failing Ukraine. We are too busy eating ourselves from within to notice the barbarians are through the first wall, and banging on the gates of the inner wall.

I dunno, the US has definitely given lots to Ukraine. The taps can't stay open forever. It was going to end sometime.

As for the barbarians and the gates, we moats that the barbarians need to cross for NA to be worried yet. Europe, well they should be concerned.
 
I dunno, the US has definitely given lots to Ukraine. The taps can't stay open forever. It was going to end sometime.

As for the barbarians and the gates, we moats that the barbarians need to cross for NA to be worried yet. Europe, well they should be concerned.
America tried that in two world wars already, and we all know how that ended...
 
Back
Top