Ukraine Update 21 September 2022: Putin Ups The Ante

Vladimir Putin has upped the ante in Ukraine and made it clear that he is determined to end the war on terms favorable to Russia. In an address to his nation Putin announced the call-up of approximately 300,000 reservists. The Russian leader cited Western material support for Ukraine as the primary reason for the mobilization. …

Ukraine Update 14 June, 2022

I want to touch on Ukraine briefly before diving into D+23. It has been some time since my last Ukraine post. Since then, the military situation and politics of the war have undergone a photosynthesis of sorts. As is the case with all wars, the 2022 Ukraine-Russia conflict has not gone according to plan for …

Observations on the Ukraine Conflict- 28 March, 2022

After 30+ days of war, the situation on the ground in Ukraine is nothing short of a stalemate. The much-vaunted Russian land offensive built around maneuver and superior firepower never came to fruition. Instead, a poorly equipped, poorly-led Russian army crossed the border with minimal close air support and inferior communications backing it up. Then …

Ukraine-Russia Conflict 2020 Update: Russian Convoy North of Kiev Dispersing

 Interesting developments from Ukraine in the last six hours or so. The 40km+long military convoy that had been stalled north of Kiev for a considerable amount of time appears to be breaking off and moving into assault positions. Recent satellite images reveal the convoy has dispersed and redeployed.  New Russian armor units have arrived around …

Ukraine-Russia Conflict 2022: Observations From The First Week

I thought I’d kick things off with a handful of personal observations about the war in Ukraine. We’re at a point in the war where an accurate, in-depth analysis is just not possible. The media, along with the legions of self-described ‘experts’ on social media platforms are painting incomplete and inaccurate portraits of what’s happening …

Germany ’87 vs Ukraine ’22: Airmobile Forces

Here we are almost three days into the 2022 Russia-Ukraine War and similarities between the Soviet Army in 1987 and the Russian Army of 2022 are already appearing. Some of the problems facing Russian air and ground forces in Ukraine today closely resemble the challenges that the Red Army and its Warsaw Pact allies would’ve …

The North Atlantic D+9 (18 July, 1987) Part I

Following the destruction of the Victor II late on the previous night, Strike Fleet Atlantic’s commander (COMSTRIKFLTLANT) ordered a course change for Task Force 21.3. The carrier battlegroups that made up the task force turned southwest on a modified reverse course, hurriedly putting as much distance between the wreckage of the Victor II and the …

The North Atlantic D+8 (17 July, 1987) Part III

1030-1200 Hours- Following the emergency broadcast from the stricken Tu-95 Bear, and the ill-considered acknowledgements by other Soviet aircraft, the search for signs of the enemy surface action groups intensified. USAF F-15 Eagles did locate and dispatch the second Bear, but the Helix remained airborne and undetected. As time went on, radio traffic between Soviet …

The North Atlantic D+8 (17 July, 1987) Part I

Reconnaissance efforts were underway as D+8 began. As the hours crept by, more platforms and assets joined the respective searches that were in progress. The Soviets started the day with three Tu-95 Bears, and an equal number of Il-38 Mays patrolling the Norwegian Sea.  They searched passively with radars off, unwilling to reveal their own …