E-Mail.

This is coolbert:

Here from the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter the Israeli take on those hacked e-mails of the Democratic National Committee that has caused a degree of havoc

1. "Email revelations haunt day one of US Democratic Convention"

26 July.

"Although Hillary Clinton's nomination as party candidate for president was warmly endorsed Monday night by her rival Bernie Sanders and First Lady Michelle Obama, the Democratic Convention's unity motto was undermined by the 20,000 DNC emails - whose release by WikiLeaks was attributed to Russian hackers"


2. "The DNC emails were not hacked by Russian GRU"

GRU the main intelligence directorate of the Russian army General Staff.

26 July.

"On July 25, as the Democratic Party's convention got underway in Philadelphia, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton found herself struggling to unite the party behind her nomination as the party's presidential nominee after the shock release of 20,000 emails through WikiLeaks, which exposed top party officials as campaigning to discredit her rival Bernie Sanders. The culprit was quickly named as Russia's military intelligence service, the GRU, by 'experts close to the examination'"

"But an analysis by DEBKAfile's intelligence and cyber defense sources has determined that the hacking and leak of the emails was almost certainly not carried out by the GRU's cyber warfare branch, but may well have been the work of party opponents of Clinton.a"

3. "Obama hints Moscow responsible for leaking DNC e-mails"

27 July.

"US President Barack Obama on Tuesday made his first comments regarding the disclosure of 20,000 Democratic National Committee e-mails on the WikiLeaks website."

"DEBKAfile's sources and experts in the fields of intelligence and cyber warfare say that there is no chance that the hacking was carried out by Russian intelligence, and that it was rather an attempt to rescue Clinton from her political troubles. The clearest signs of this conclusion were signatures in Russian that were intentionally left in the malware planted in the DNC servers."

An intelligence service would NOT have left behind a trail of evidence indicating their presence? Such is what DEBKAfile is suggesting?

coolbert.

Aggressive.

This is coolbert:

Within the context of that previous blog entry consider this item as seen at the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter:

1. "Netanyahu phones Putin about the drone intrusion from Syria"

23 July.

The Kremlin issued a communique Saturday on the phone conversation between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu: The two leaders discussed issues relating to the war on terror . . . Netanyahu made the call to Putin out of concern over a drone from Syria which penetrated Israeli air space on July 17. Some IDF intelligence and air force officers believed the intruder was Russian - not Iranian. In either case, the incident was a breach of the Russian-Israeli military-air force coordination agreement."

2. "Russian arms for Hizballah cross Israel's red line"

24 July.

"President Vladimir Putin turns aside all of Israel's complaints about Russian arms supplies to Iran's Lebanese proxy, Hizballah, whenever he talks to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - roughly every week-to-ten days. Nonetheless, Netanyahu persisted in complaining again about the Russian arms reaching the Lebanese terrorist group in his latest phone conversation with Putin on Saturday, July 23. He made the call, DEBKAfile military sources say, primarily to raise another topic at issue, the UAV flights from Syria into Israeli airspace on July 17. Our military sources report that the conviction gaining ground now among IDF intelligence and Air Force chiefs is that the drone was not Iranian or Hizballah's but Russian . . . the unmanned aircraft, which hovered for some hours over the Golan and northern Israel, appears to have been a reconnaissance drone developed by Israel and manufactured by Russia under Israeli license."

3. "Syrian-Russian provocations could spark Golan clash"

28 July

"For four days since July 25, the Syrian army has been continuously firing artillery batteries - moved close to Israel's defense lines on the Golan border - in a manner that comes dangerously close to provoking an Israeli response . . . It is the first time in the six years of the Syrian [civil] war that Bashar Assad has ventured to come near to provoking Israel. But now he appears to be emboldened by his Russian ally. The IDF is holding its fire for the moment."

RIGHT AT THAT EXACT MOMENT WHEN ASSAD SEEMS TO BE HOLDING THE UPPER HAND IN THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR INCIDENTS OF A PROVOCATIVE NATURE ARE BEING DIRECTED TOWARD THE ISRAELI?

PROVOKING AN ISRAELI RESPONSE IS HARDLY IN THE INTERESTS OF ANYONE!

coolbert.

Intruder UAV.

This is coolbert:

We need to place this all in context of the Syrian civil war but even beyond that.

As originally reported on 18 July by the Sheldon Adelson Internet newsletter Israel Hayom a drone intrusion of Israeli airspace occurring the previous day..

ISRAELI RESPONSE NOT SUFFICIENT!

"Drone infiltrates Israeli border with Syria, interception fails"

"Two Patriot missiles and a third air-to-air missile fail to intercept unidentified drone, which returned to Syrian territory • A Hezbollah associate reportedly claims the drone was an attempt 'to test the alertness of the Israeli military.'"

This event an occurrence of grave concern to the Israeli authorities. A red line of some significance again crossed?

More to follow!!

coolbert.

LRA Kony.

This is coolbert:

Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army [LRA] we have not heard about for some time. Until now!

Even after a CONCERTED and DETERMINED effort lasting several years the purpose of which was to eradicate the African terrorist/insurgent group Lord's Resistance Army we find that the group as commanded by Joseph Kony is not only still active but apparently "resurgent"?

Thanks to Voice of America [VOA] and Jungle Trader.

"Ugandan-led Rebel Group Steps Up Attacks in Central Africa"

Joseph adept in using a perverted and corrupted form of Christianity, psychological mind-control and traditional African juju, LRA wreaking havoc over a wide swath of central Africa for DECADES!!

"KAMPALA, UGANDA — A Ugandan-led rebel group operating in Central Africa abducted 498 civilians and killed 17 others in the first half of this year, a watchdog organization said Wednesday, suggesting a resurgence of the group whose leader is the target of an international manhunt."

Diminished in numbers LRA remains a threat albeit more of a nuisance?

Still, that the "concerted and determined" effort to capture Joseph and put an end to the LRA once and for all not succeeding must give us pause for concern?

See those previous and most up-to-date blog entries regarding Joseph and the LRA:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/01/brigadier-binani.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/05/major-general.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/05/advanced.html

coolbert.

Talat Pasha.

This is coolbert:

The "smoking gun" Turkish style!! 

This blog entry too can raise hackles in some quarters!!

" The Talat Pasha Telegrams"

"The most well-known of many fabrications on the Armenian Question are the famous 'Talat (Pasha) Telegrams,' in which the Ottoman interior minister and other officials supposedly telegraphed instructions to murder the Armenians. These conclusively have been proven to be forgeries"

"Forgeries are too common in history to be considered impossible. Referring to writer Gwynne Dyer, Dadrian says that 'the British eventually ignored the document.' They chose to ignore it while they were searching the whole Ottoman archives for a single reliable document to be used against Turkish leadership and moreover reaching to other archives in search for similar material"

The Armenian Question. Massacre of the Armenians during the Great War [WW1] ] as part of a PLANNED GENOCIDAL CAMPAIGN the subject at question here. THE OTTOMAN WAS GUILTY AND THE DOCUMENT THAT PROVES IT HAS BEEN FOUND?

THE ENGLISH IN THE AFTERMATH OF WW1 FOR A FULL YEAR SEARCHING FOR THE "SMOKING GUN", THAT INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE TO BE FOUND IN THE OTTOMAN ARCHIVES SOUGHT BUT NONE FOUND!

EVIDENCE when brought forward [the Talat Pasha telegrams] DEMONSTRABLY FORGERIES?

Historians adhering to the Rankeian school of historiography in mind do indeed have a hard time!

coolbert.

Smoking Gun.

This is coolbert:

From the BBC History Magazine issue # 200 the type of item that can raise hackles in some quarters:

"What historical mystery would you love to solve?"

And the response from Richard Overy, professor of history, University of Exeter:

"One of the historical mysteries that still remains unresolved after decades of research is the question of whether Adolf Hitler ever did given an order, written or verbal, for the genocide of the Jews. it was a puzzle that I thought I could solve more than 20 years ago, when a German count offered the 'The Observer' exclusive rights to a set of Hitler documents that had apparently lain hidden in a bank deposit box in Vienna since the end of the war."

"It was an exciting moment: there were pages, allegedly by Hitler, explaining the decisions he reached in 1941 about the Jews, about declaring war on the United States, even, if I recall well enough, about Rudolf Hess and his zany flight. A quick glimpse showed that were all forgeries. And comparison of the handwriting showed that they were very poor forgeries."

". . . But finding that genocidal smoking gun is still something that historians of the Holocaust hope might be out there somewhere."

The "smoking gun" has yet to be fund! See at this Internet web site article a discussion of the topic , the yea and the nay, the pro and the con, the importance of "an order, written or verbal" or lack thereof and why this matters!!

Devoted readers to the blog take it from there!!

coolbert.

AG600.

This is coolbert:

China now # 1! At least with regard amphibious aircraft!

"China unveils 'world's largest amphibious aircraft'"

"Crowd gathers at a ceremony to unveil the AG600 amphibious plane"

    "The Chinese-built AG600 seaplane has a maximum range of 4,500 km and is intended for fighting forest fires and performing marine rescues" ABOUT THE SIZE OF A COMMERCIAL BOEING 737.

Fire fighting and marine rescues. AND I MIGHT WELL IMAGINE MILITARY AVIATION OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA!!

Prior this the largest amphibious aircraft were experimental and prototype versions only that never went into production?

I am thinking of the Howard Hughes "Spruce Goose" and those Soviet ekranoplans such as the "Caspian Sea Monster"!

The "Spruce Goose" from the era of the Second World War. A one-of-a-kind!

Soviet "Caspian Sea Monster". To get some sense of scale you can see persons on top of and along side the aircraft!

Does anyone doubt even for a second the potential military application of the AG600?

See my previous blog entry the topic of which was heavy-lift seaplanes:

 http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/05/seaplanes-v.html

coolbert.

Barneo.

This is coolbert:

The "parachute psychosis" continues??

As seen at The Barents Observer!

Russian and Chechen paratroopers to the far north. Military use of the Arctic regions now at an accelerated pace?

1. "Chechen special forces instructors landed on Svalbard"

Chechen special forces used Longyearbyen airport on Svalbard for transportation of personnel and equipment for an airborne drill close to the North Pole.

“'Flying Squad' – a combat group of Chechen special forces, has recently finished an exercise close to the North Pole, and are on their way back to the homeland

"The paratroopers were dropped onto the ice from an Il-76 airplane on March 29. They jumped out from a height of 2500 meter, and started their exercise, which included a 20 kilometer long hike and an attack on an ‘enemy command post'"

2. "Russian paratroopers trained on North Pole"

"Some 100 paratroopers from the Airborne Troops based in Pskov and a unit from the CSTO Collective Rapid Response Force from Belarus jumped onto the ice on Thursday."

"The airdrop was done from Il-76 airplanes at a height of 1,500 meters. The troops used 'Arbalet-2' parachutes, which are designed for extreme conditions"

Possession is nine/tenths of the law. Russian claims to the far north solidified by the camp of Barneo located almost at the North Pole itself!

3. "Barneo ice floe cracking up"

"The ice floe where Russia's ice station Barneo is under construction has cracked up, and technicians are now looking for a new place to put up camp."

"Only 650 meters are left of the 1200 meters long runway which Russian technicians finished preparing on Sunday, Barneo’s Facebook profile reads."

"Helicopters have taken off to search for another ice floe, and the technicians are preparing to airdrop tractors to a new location. 'We start it all over,' the message on Facebook reads."

Barneo an occupied camp near the North Pole and not to be confused with the Drift Stations that were an aspect of the Cold War. Warfare in the expanses of the arctic region as thought to be a possibility if the Soviet Union and the United States became engaged in mortal combat!!

 Regarding the term "parachute psychosis" consider what the Soviet era defector Suvorov has to say:

"The parachute is not just a weapon and a form of transport. It also acts as a filter which courageous soldiers will pass through, but weak and cowardly men will not."

coolbert.

Churchill WW1.

This is coolbert:

From Professor Al Nofi and his CIC # 453 as seen at Strategy Page that Great War saga of Winston Churchill detailed.

ChurchilL even as a PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE BRITISH CABINET AND AS A CIVILIAN SEEKING AN ACTIVE COMBATANT ROLE!

• "Although, as First Lord of the Admiralty, he was a civilian member of the British cabinet, for several days in early October of 1914 Winston Churchill assumed command of the forces defending Antwerp, helping to hold the enemy back for about a week or so, while angling for a commission as a lieutenant general [three stars]."

"In mid-August First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill decided to use eight battalions worth of surplus reservists and volunteers plus a brigade of excellent Royal Marines to form the Royal Naval Division. The division initially had no field artillery and only rudimentary engineer, medical, or other standard services. The division did, however, have an unusually high proportion of machine guns for the times, and in Belgium acquired an armored train with four 4.7-inch (120 mm) quick firing naval guns plus a contingent of armored cars. . . . On October 3rd the two naval brigades were rushed to support the defense of Antwerp . . . they helped hold off the Germans for nearly a week . . . By the time Antwerp was evacuated on October 10th, the naval brigades had lost nearly half their personnel . . . The whole experiment had been a failure, which even Churchill would later admit"

Continued failure as the First Lord of the Admiralty [Gallipoli most prominent] mandating resignation from office, CHURCHILL SUBSEQUENTLY SERVING AS A BATTALION COMMANDER IN THE TRENCHES ON THE WESTERN FRONT!!

"Churchill at the Front"

"Rather than sit by while the world tore itself apart, he resigned his post (though he remained a member of Parliament) and decided to rejoin his regiment in November 1915 at the age of 41"

"In any case, due to political pressures, he was given a battalion (less than a 1,000 men) and made a Lieutenant-Colonel instead of a Brigadier-General [one star]".

Churchill as evidenced FOND OF THE FRENCH ADRIAN HELMET. His ability as a battalion commander unremarkable, the man able and competent but nothing more!!

That Great War experience of Winston Spencer Churchill merits a book unto itself!!

coolbert.

Goltz Pasha.

This is coolbert;

"To make war means to attack." - - von der Goltz

NOT in all  circumstances. Thanks here to the tip from Al Nofi and his CIC entry # 453.

Colmar von Der Goltz [Goltz Pasha] while in dual command [?] of Ottoman forces during the Great War [WW1] most momentous victory as a result of siege techniques while fighting simultaneously A DEFENSIVE BATTLE!

"Battles - The Siege of Kut-al-Amara, 1916"

The Battle of Kut-al-Anara [in modern day Iraq] a trapped British force able to thwart Ottoman frontal infantry assault.

Von der Goltz resorting to siege, FIGHTING IN THE MANNER OF A CAESAR AT ALESIA. Having to fight in two directions simultaneously. Overland relief columns of the British Army attempting to lift the siege repelled!!

"Consequently Nur-Ud-Din and von der Goltz attempted to pierce Kut's defences on three separate occasions in December; all however failed.  Thus the Turks set about blockading the town while dispatching forces to prevent British relief operations from succeeding in reaching Kut"

"In due course the first British expedition to raise the blockade was set underway from Basra in January 1916 . . . Their efforts were repeatedly repulsed however with heavy loss, at Sheikh Sa'ad, the Wadi and Hanna in January 1916 and again two months later in March at Dujaila."

"April  [1916] brought a further relief operation, this time led by the sceptical Sir George Gorringe.  Despite meeting von der Goltz and his Turkish Sixth Army, piercing their line some 30km south of Kut, the expedition ran out of steam and was abandoned on 22 April."

British defeat inevitable with catastrophic losses, Colmar at the high point of his military career a great success the man shortly thereafter however succumbing to disease.

coolbert.

Muqtada.

This is coolbert:

Finally from the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter this item:

"Leading Iraqi Shiite cleric al-Sadr threatens attack on US forces"

21 July

"One of the leading Shiite clerics in Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr, said Wednesday that 'the forces of the American army that are helping the army of Iraq liberate Mosul from ISIS are the target that we must hit'. The head of the Saraya al-Salam militia made the comment in response to questions from followers on his Internet site . . . al-Sadr, who is supported by Tehran, made the threat because he wants two pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite militias, the Badr Corps and the Popular Mobilization Forces, to join the fighting against ISIS in Mosul"

Just at the exact moment when some momentum if building against the Islamic State we find this Shia cleric in Iraq shooting his mouth off in a manner that is hardly conducive to coalition warfare.

Militias including those of the Shia persuasion so far having been included in operations to capture Ramadi and Fallujah from ISIL!

Coalition warfare as noted by Eisenhower very difficult. Often results if diffused and unfocused energy not helpful to the overall effort.

coolbert.

Incirlik.

This is coolbert:

American and Turkish cordial relations and military cooperation in jeopardy?

As reported by the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter:

"Erdogan locks US airmen, nuclear arms in Incirlik"

20 July.

"Some 1,500 US airmen and their families have been locked in the southern Turkish air base of Incirlik together with a stock of tactical nuclear bombs since President Reccep Erdogan crushed an attempted coup on Saturday, July 16. In the four days up until Wednesday, July 20, therefore, no air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq had been staged from the base. This extraordinary situation . . . whereby a large group of American military personnel are held virtual captive by an allied government, was almost certainly raised in the phone call that took place Tuesday between President Barack Obama and Erdogan. But the most outlandish aspect of this affair is that no American official has raised it in public."

THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ISLAMIC STATE WILL SUFFER AS A RESULT? THIS IS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN? AND AS FOR THOSE NUCLEAR WEAPONS?

coolbert.

 

Helicopters.

This is coolbert:

We have heard of the strange case of the missing Turkish warships.

NOW we have the additional strange case of the missing Turkish helicopters.

From the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter:

"Does the disappearance of 42 Turkish helicopters mean the coup is not over?"

18 July.

"DEBKAfile reports that 42 Turkish Air Force helicopters have vanished with their crews and ordnance - and so has the pair of F16 warplanes which bombed parliament in Ankara and nearly intercepted the incoming flight carrying President Reccep Erdogan back home Saturday. Their disappearance appears to be prompting the president and prime minister to urge citizens to continue turning out in town squares support of the government, in case the coup threat is not over"

I might well imagine the helicopters set down in some open field the crews just donning civilian dress and taking off into the night. Seeking sanctuary where ever they can find it?

coolbert.

HMS Ambush.

This is coolbert:

First there was Astute and now there is Ambush.

British nuclear powered attack submarines both of which [the entire class now indeed?] that are gaining a reputation as hard-luck vessels!

Thanks to the Daily Mail and the tip from Freeper.

"Britain's newest... nuclear submarine is forced to dock... after CRASHING into a merchant vessel"

"Britain's newest and most advanced £1.1billion nuclear submarine limped into Gibraltar yesterday after she crashed into a merchant ship during a training exercise."

"HMS Ambush was submerged when it suffered a 'glancing' collision with a tanker as it surfaced at around 1.30pm, the Ministry of Defence confirmed."

"Its submariners looked grim and had their heads bowed as they stood next to its badly dented turret as it was towed into Britain's key Mediterranean port on Wednesday afternoon."

HMS Astute the first in the class at time or another: 1. Run aground. 2. Inside of the ship shot up by a lunatic. 3. Found not to able to achieve top speed as was designed for.

See previous blog entries HMS Astute the topic:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/10/royal-navy.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2011/04/maniac.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/11/astute.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/02/jinxed.html

That saga of the Astute class submarine continues much to the chagrin of the Royal Navy. And regrettably so too!

coolbert.

Fourteen.

This is coolbert:

More Turkish stuff!

The strange case of the missing Turkish warships!!

Fourteen Turkish naval vessels have failed to return to port and remain at sea in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt.

Officers and enlisted crew afraid of arrest. They were among the coup plotters and now face imprisonment?

Thanks once more to the Daily Mail and Freeper.

"Mystery of 14 Turkish navy ships 'still missing' after failed coup(tr)"

"More than a dozen Turkish navy ships are reportedly still at sea and remain unaccounted for following the botched military coup. The commander of the Turkish navy Admiral Veysel Kosele also remains missing, having been out of contact since Friday evening."

Devoted readers to the blog please be aware this image NOT of the missing and still steaming Turkish warships. Is an image of Wrangel's Fleet, circa 1920!!

THE DAILY MAIL SEEMS TO BE VERY WELL INFORMED REGARDING EVENTS IN TURKEY!

What are we to make of this? Those naval vessels endlessly steaming in an aimless fashion, officers and crew sympathetic to the coup now not knowing what to do? \

Crew determined to find sanctuary but where? There is precedent. That Czarist navy contingent in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution and the victory of the Reds finding a safe haven in Tunisia. Or the South Vietnamese navy during the Evacuation of Saigon [1975] having their warships re-flagged and able to dock in the Philippines.

Men without a country sooner or later needing to find a friendly port or just surrender.

coolbert.



Turkey II.

This is coolbert:

Conclusion!

Every you ever wanted to know about Imam Gulen but did not even know to ask!

From the Steve Sailer blog all the entries concerning Imam Gulen.

The man accused by the Turk as being an instigator/advocate/ fomenting armed rebellion.

Imam Gulen an enigma? Runs charter schools in the United States that specialize in math and science.

Even Imam Gulen an American citizen? I am not sure.

This is all big mystery.See those Steve Sailer blog entries regarding Gulen:

 http://www.unz.com/isteve/turkish-attempted-coup-background/?highlight=gulen+turkey

http://www.unz.com/isteve/deep-state-v-peak-state/?highlight=gulen+turkey

http://www.unz.com/isteve/whats-going-on-in-turkey-anyway/?highlight=gulen+turkey

http://www.unz.com/isteve/the-genius-of-turkeys-test-prep-cult/?highlight=gulen+turkey

http://www.unz.com/isteve/the-economics-of-gulen-cults-american/?highlight=gulen+turkey

http://www.unz.com/isteve/fbi-raids-19-charter-schools-why/?highlight=gulen+turkey

That term Imam usually signifies a religious or prayer leader.

Gulen more an educator than a coup plotter? That connection to the Turkish coup remains to be seen. Expect a long legal process. Gulen not a stranger to the judicial process either!

Gulen if an when extradited to Turkey at the request of the Turk his future very grim!

coolbert.

Turkey I.

This is coolbert:

From the Daily Mail thanks to the tip from Freeper:

"Police search Turkish air base used by US military that houses NATO's largest nuclear weapons storage facility after commander was arrested by Erdogan over coup"

   * "Turkish police have started a search of the Incirlik air base following coup"
   * "Base is used by US military and is largest store of NATO nuclear weapons"
    * "Commander of the base General Bekir Ercan Van has been arrested"
    * "Reports suggest fighter jets carrying out the coup used the base to refuel"

Question # 1.

How is the Daily Mail WITH ANY DEGREE OF CERTAINTY ABLE TO KNOW THAT INCIRLIK IS THE LARGEST NATO NUCLEAR WEAPONS STORAGE FACILITY??

Question # 2.

Does this mean that nuclear weapons indeed if present have been COMPROMISED? Compromised as defined as a non-availability IF AND WHEN THE WEAPONS NEEDED??

coolbert.

Tallies II.

This is coolbert:

As extracted from an Internet web site forum that PERSPECTIVE OF THE ENGLISH REGARDING THE TANK ACE:

"All scores are very subjective. The claims by British tank crews are no less credible than those by the Germans and Americans both of whom are much more likely to award decorations by statistical claims. Abandoned tanks, shared victories and the differences between the phrases 'k.o'd' [knocked-out] and 'brewed up' [on-fire] also come into the mix when talking of the successes of one crew or another. German tanks aces made multiple claims in the target rich environment at Kursk so the El Alamein battles surely presented the same opportunities. Many of Nicholls' kills were against the lighter armoured vehicles of the Italian Army but he also was successful against the Panzers of the Africa Korps and German army in Italy. I doubt there will ever be a definitive list of British tank aces, as has been stated the method of keeping score was very unofficial, but individuals do stand out and deserve mention alongside the more well publicised tankies of other nations"

"The biggest problem is that they [English] rarely kept scores but going of memoirs, regimental histories and Diaries it is quite feasible that there were many Desert veterans who clocked up very large scores of Tanks by VE day . . . Unlike the Germans the keeping of scores was thought un-British [not sporting or chivalrous?] and counterproductive to morale and unit cohesiveness. The British pushed the team aspect . . . Tanks don't have an operational logbook like a pilot does so there were little in the way of records to base it on other than War Diaries and Int [intelligence] Summaries"

ALFIE NICHOLLS "KILLS" WERE AGAINST INFERIOR ITALIAN ARMOR? TALLIES IF INDEED COUNTED SEEN AS NOT ANYTHING TO BRAG ABOUT?

The English too stressing the TEAM ASPECT of tank warfare. A tank crew that crew  commander/gunner/driver/loader ALL  HAVING TO WORK IN CONCERT!

coolbert.

Pierre & Alfie.

This is coolbert:

More Western Allies TANK ACES from the era of the Second World War [WW2].

Frenchman and English.

1. Pierre Billotte. Frenchman.

"Pierre Armand Gaston Billotte . . . was a French Army officer and politician. He was the son of General Gaston Billotte, who commanded parts of the French Army at the start of World War II. Pierre Billotte was himself notable for his combat actions during the Battle of France."

ONE COMBAT ACTION ALONE MOST MEMORABLE!

"Billotte is known for his extraordinary actions as a French Tank Commander on 16 May 1940 during the battle at the French village of Stonne . . . Billotte and his B1 Bis managed to break through the German defences and to destroy two German PzKpfw IV tanks, eleven PzKpfw III tanks and two enemy guns."

2. Alfie Nicholls. English. Alfie serving as a tank gunner and not as a commander.

"Corporal Alfie Nicholls of the 9th Lancers made at least 13 kills in the Western Desert during the 1st battle of El Alamein (9 in one day in 1942), and once source states he may have had 40 kills in total . . . this would make him the highest scoring British tank crewman of WW2"

Pierre Billotte had an unfair advantage? That French B1 Bis almost totally impervious to any and all German anti-tank fire of the period. German tanks also at the time of the Battle of France [1940] generally considered to be INFERIOR to the French adversary.

And regarding Alfie Nicholls many of his "kills" were achieved against inferior Italian armor?

"Many of Nicholls' kills were against the lighter armoured vehicles of the Italian Army but he also was successful against the Panzers of the Africa Korps and German army in Italy."

The achievements of these two men in my opinion hardly is diminished by any and all nay-sayers.

"Those with the loudest voices are often found furthest from the scene of the action!!"

coolbert.

War-Daddy & Rad!

This is coolbert:

Tank aces American and Canadian.

I would be remiss not to mention those TANK ACES of the Western Allies during the Second World War.

1. Lafayette G. Pool. American. War-Daddy!

"Lafayette G. Pool . . . was an American tank-crew and tank-platoon commander in World War II and is widely recognized as the US tank ace of aces credited with over 1,000 kills [enemy soldiers killed], 250 German prisoners of war taken, 12 confirmed tank kills and 258 total armoured vehicle and self-propelled gun kills, all of which took place in a combat career that covered only 81 days in action from 27 June to 15 September 1944"

2. Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters. Canadian. "Rad".

"Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters CMM, DSO, MC, CD, nicknamed 'Rad' . . . was a tank commander in the Canadian Army."

"By the end of the war, he was the top tank ace, the ace of aces of the western Allies (and therefore, of Canada), with a total of 18 tank kills and many other armoured vehicles."

Destroyed enemy vehicles in both cases not confined to merely tanks. Soft-skinned vehicles, anti-tank guns, self-propelled guns and artillery also! Very outstanding combat records for both men.

coolbert.

Tallies!

This is coolbert:

Those impressive tallies of Soviet armor destroyed on the Eastern Front by German tanks and assault artillery [SP guns] during the Second World War [WW2] indeed so "startling" and remarkable the figures to an extent hardly believable.

From James Lucas "WAR ON THE EASTERN FRONT"

As always I recommend this book highly, without qualification or reservation!

Claims of SP gun crews thought to be suspect but on the contrary when scrutinized by the higher command echelons:

"The startling number of kills claimed by SP crews [and Tiger tank crews for that matter] were met with skepticism until certain senior officers carried out personal inspections of battlefields and were convinced that the tallies had indeed been accurate."

"That SP guns [alone not counting Tiger tank tallies] were successful cannot be doubted and their achievement in the German service can be assessed in the number of kills which were claimed. By the end of May 1944, more than 20,000 'kills' had been logged and this figure rose to 30,000 by the end of the war."

"during a fifteen month period [one SP gun brigade] in Russia destroyed more than 1,000 Soviet machines. When it is considered that the average daily strength of the brigade was twenty 'runners' [active and fighting SP guns]  . . . the full measure of the fighting ability of the gun crews can be gauged."

At least from May 1944 onward the Soviet had assembled those massive tank divisions, tank armies and groups of tank armies. Lots and lots and lots of targets for the German tank and SP gun crews to shoot at !!

coolbert.

Cossack T-34.

This is coolbert:

Soviet stuff!

To war with Cossack by tank!

For comparison sake!

"The best allied tank ace Dmitriy Lavrinenko"

   "WWII Soviet Tank Aces"   

"From the web site author: "This aces list of world war II is incomplete, because in Red army almost weren't statistics about personal victories of tankers. Destroyed SPGs [self-propelled guns and armored cars also] were counted as tanks. In many cases I had to use fragmental sources for this aces rating, so some scores may be actually bigger."

"Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko . . . was a Soviet tank commander and Hero of the Soviet Union. He was the highest scoring tank ace of the Allies during World War II."

"Lavrinenko destroyed 52 tanks in just 2 1/2 months of fierce fighting in 1941. This was an outstanding result in the Soviet Army, and no single Allied tank officer surpassed him during the whole war."

Dmitry commanding a T-34/76. Far [?] superior to German tanks of the period and year [1941]. Even exceedingly superior! Dmitry had an unfair advantage? That number of German armor destroyed to include self-propelled guns and even armored cars?

See that entire listing of Soviet tank aces from the Second World War [WW2].

Soviet tankers during 1941 also having lots and lots and lots of targets to shoot at!!

German T-34.

 This is coolbert:

Yet more German stuff!!

From that pervious blog entry we have this extract:

"19. Emil Seibold – 69 Kills (Das Reich)–Pz IV+ Captured T-34s"

Emil a German "tank ace" all the while OPERATING A CAPTURED SOVIET MACHINE!! 

Large numbers of Soviet tanks as falling into the hands of the German put to good use on the battlefields of the Eastern Front during WW2??

My instantaneous thought was too much danger from fratricide. YOU WOULD BE LIKELY TO BE KILLED BY YOUR OWN TROOPS WHEN OPERATING A CAPTURED SOVIET T-34. It seems that certain remedies did mitigate this problem.

"Germans were always more than happy to employ as many captured examples as they could and many served with various units. T-34/76 employment by German formations was not always temporary but sometimes permanent until the end of the war . . . Although it was considered to utilize captured T-34/76 tanks dangerous because many gunners fired on silhouette instead of markings. In order to prevent such mistakes to take place, crews painted large-dimension crosses or even swastikas. It was very common to paint a cross or swastika on top of the turret in order to prevent the Luftwaffe from attacking. Another way to overcome this problem was to use captured T-34/76 in an infantry support role where recognition problems were not that common"

Soviet T-34 tank in German service with German crew. Captured/abandoned/rebuilt tanks put to good use against the original master. Entire units of such tanks existing!! That appears to be a T-34/76. Equipped with the 76 mm gun. Later versions of the T-35 having an 85 mm gun.

Indeed! German efforts to employ Soviet machines rather institutionalized!! Considering the T-34 normally rated as the # 1 medium-tank of WW2 the German must have rather grateful to have entire units consisting of this particular enemy hardware.

"Since late 1941, captured T-34/76 tanks were transported to a workshop in Riga for repairs and modifications, while in 1943, Mercedes-Benz . . . were also repairing and modifying T-34s as well. Captured T-34/76 tanks were modified to German standards by installation of commander’s cupola, radio equipment along with other non-standard field modifications made during service by the their new owners. Spare parts were never much of a problem and some 300 captured vehicles were maintained on long term bases [sic?]."

Those grateful German T-34 tank commanders to include Emil Seibold TANK ACE!

coolbert.

StuG III.

This is coolbert:

More German stuff!!

Thanks to an Internet forum:

"Here with a listing of the top twenty German assault gun commanders of the Second World War [WW2] by number of 'kills'." Enemy armor destroyed.

Assault guns in the German parlance also accounting for prodigious number of Soviet tanks destroyed on the Eastern Front during WW2. Assault guns an artillery pieced fitted into a lightly armored tracked vehicle. Having a major anti-tank role

NOT ALONE WERE THE TIGER TANK CREWS ABLE TO "KILL" EXTRAORDINARY NUMBERS OF SOVIET ARMOR!

Here is a list of the top StuG III commanders:

Sturmgeschütz

Spranz, Bodo - 76 kills
Primozic, Hugo – 68 kills
Brandner, Josef ("Sepp") - 66 Kills
Sauer, Konrad - 65 kills
Timpe, Heinz - 59 kills
Rohrbacher, Josef - 56 kills
Witte, Albert - 56 kills
Kochanowski, Johann - 55 kills
Engelmann, Richard - 54 kills
Arnold, Friedrich - 51 kills
Fiebig, Walter - 50+ kills
Adamowitsch, Felix - 50 kills
Spielmann, Johann (Johannes) - 48 kills
Zillmann, Erich - 48 kills
Höper, Ahrend - 47 kills
Lutz, Waldemar - 47 kills
Ohler, Kurt - 47 kills
Deutsch, Heinz – 46 Kills
Przedwojewski, Felix ("Sched") - 45 kills
Bose, Georg - 44 kills

The StuG III not a tank. NO turret the gun having only a very limited traverse and elevation. The entire vehicle needing to be turned to allow the gun to be brought to bear on an adversary.

German gunners JUST PLAIN SUPERIOR TO THE SOVIET COUNTER-PART? Long-range shots a hit with the first round fired usually deciding a duel [two machines fighting it out].

coolbert.

Tigers!

This is coolbert:

German stuff!!

From the Alan Hamby Internet web site we have this article:

"Tiger Aces"

German tank commanders during the Second World War [WW2] with extraordinary numbers of "kills" Enemy armor destroyed.

"Listed here are Tiger I commanders and gunners with the highest number of enemy tank kills."

TANK KILLERS [almost exclusively so manning and commanding Tiger tanks]

 1. Kurt Knispel –168 Kills
 2. Otto Carius – 150+ Kills
 3. Johannes (Hans) Bolter-- 139 Kills (possibly 144)
 4. Michael Wittman – 138 Kills
 5. Hans Sandrock – 123 Kills
 6. Paul Egger – 113 Kills
 7. Fritz Lang– 113 Kills
 8. Arno Giesen – 111 Kills
 9. Oberfahnrich Rondorf—106 kills
 10. Feldwebel Gaetner ( Gartner?)– 103 Kills
 11. Karl Koener – 100+ Kills
12. Albert Kerscher – 100+ Kills
 13. Balthazar (Bobby) Woll–100+ Kills, 81 as Gunner
 14. Helmut Wendorff—84 Kills
 15. Ernst Barkmann—82+ Kills
 16. Eric Litztke—76 Kills
 17. Hermann Bix – 75+ Kills
 18. Hans Strippel – 70 Kills
 19. Emil Seibold – 69 Kills
 20. Wilhelm Knauth—68 Kills

[Kurt Knispel the preponderance of his enemy armor destroyed as a gunner. Bobby Woll also the same.]

Different listings giving slightly different results. In all instance [?] we must understand we are speaking of enemy tanks destroyed. NO anti-tank guns, artillery, self-propelled guns or soft-skinned vehicles included in those totals.

See this modern perception of the German tank aces. In several cases that perspective less than FAVORABLE!

THE SUGGESTION MADE THAT TIGER TANK COMMANDERS AND THEIR CREWS SHOULD HAVE HAD A LOT OF ENEMY ARMOR DESTROYED! THEY HAD AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE THE TIGER TANK WITH HEAVY ARMOR AND ENORMOUS AND POWERFUL GUN OUTCLASSING THE SOVIET COMPETITOR!!

coolbert.

Gone!

This is coolbert:

Red Beard now swims with the fishes? Abu Omar the Chechen. A senior ISIL military commnander. So the Islamic State has confirmed.

"ISIS confirms death of senior militant Omar Al Shishani"

Gotten by an American airstrike. For a while Omar was the face of the Islamic State. One of those idealistic young foreign nationals able and quite willing to take up arms on behalf of ISIL.

"The Islamic State has confirmed the death of Omar al-Shishani, a senior ISIS commander who was mistakenly reported dead in March."

"In a posting on its Amaq newswire, the militant group said Shishani was 'martyred in #Shirqat as he participated in clashes to repel the campaign against the city of #Mosul.'”

"Shishani, whose real name was Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili and dubbed the Islamic State’s 'Minister of War,' was the target of a U.S. airstrike back in March. At the time, U.S. officials believed they had killed him, but ISIS claimed days later that he had survived with serious injuries."

THE CHECHEN BOYS WHERE EVER YOU FIND THEM INVOLVED IN THE CAUSE OF INTERNATIONAL JIHAD OR THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR VERY DANGEROUS. IN ALMOST INSTANCES DEDICATED TO THE CAUSE UNTO DEATH AS WAS OMAR.

See previous blog entries regarding Omar:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2014/09/red-beard.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2014/08/abu-omar.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2015/09/tarkhan-batirashvili.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/02/tarachanomar.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/03/omar-chechen.html

coolbert.

Otto 150+.

This is coolbert:

ONLY until several days ago this man I had not heard of.

Otto Carius. German tank ace of the Second World War [WW2].

"Otto Carius . . . was a German tank commander within the German Army who fought during World War II."

"The news coverage around his death [2015] described him as a 'panzer ace credited with destroying more than 150 enemy tanks, mostly on the Eastern Front.'"

By comparison, that foremost American TANK ACE from the era of the Second World War [WW2] credited with having destroyed a dozen German tanks in battle. For comparison sake!

The ACE! German military man credited with extreme heroics on the WW2 battlefield [land, sea, air].

The fighter pilot, the submarine captain, the tank or assault gun commander, the sniper, etc.
AN ACE! Multitudes of the enemy destroyed!

Otto his battlefield career also inextricably linked to the deployment of the Jagdtiger. Assault gun with very heavy armor [seventy ton behemoth] and long-range big-bore gun [128 mm]. More or less impervious to anti-tank fire of whatever type while able to destroy an enemy armored vehicle with impunity. The Jagdtiger only existing in limited numbers and subject to breakdown.

That combat record [enemy tanks destroyed] of Otto exceeded only by this man? Kurt Knispel. Otto credited with 150+ "kills".

As with all the German "aces" Otto having fought on the Eastern Front during WW2, lots and lots and lots of targets to shoot at. An overwhelming number actually.

coolbert.

Sturm!

This is coolbert:

Some observations as gleaned from a variety of sources regarding the German Ardennes Offensive of 1944.

1. As early as September 16, 1944 Hitler having discussions with his senior commanders and more or less mandating a massive and overwhelming attack directed against the Western Allies when the German at that point in time of the war seemingly on the ropes and not able to take offensive action. HITLER THINKING GRAND STRATEGY AND STRATEGY WHEN THE CONCERNS OF THE GERMAN COMMANDER IN THE FIELD MUCH MORE MUNDANE. Hitler was fond of big ideas!

2. Goal of the Ardennes Offensive to create conditions for truce talks and negotiated settlement of the war between the German and the Western Allies.

3. The German achieving surprise in an almost totally absolute manner. Allied intelligence their appreciation of the situation that the GERMAN TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF SUCH AN OFFENSIVE OPERATION. THE VERY NOTION PREPOSTEROUS! WHAT WAS DEEMED AS IMPOSSIBLE MADE THE ARDENNES OPERATION A POSSIBLE! AND WAS SO!!

4. American logistical response to the Ardennes Offensive most impressive. "On December 17 alone, 11,000 trucks and trailers carried 60,000 men, plus ammunition, gasoline, medical supplies, and other material into the Ardennes. In the first week of that battle, Eisenhower was able to move 250,000 men and 50,000 vehicles into the fray."

5. American general officers unaccustomed to be on the defensive having a learning curve to overcome but able to do so with alacrity most admirable. "the American generals in the Allied camp had no experience of defending against a German offensive".

6. Those German shock units of armor finding their route to the Meuse river crossing impeded by mines and mine fields as STREWN BY THE GERMANS THEMSELVES!

7. More American battlefield casualties during the German retrograde operation from the Bulge sector than during the initial phases of the Ardennes Offensive. German general officers good on both the offensive and defensive.

coolbert.

Mr. Lincoln.

This is coolbert:

A debt of gratitude to Freeper, Mr. Wayne G. Barker and the Aegean Park Press for insight into this matter.

MORE CRYPTO! From that era of the American Civil War.

Secret and enciphered messages from the American President to his immediate subordinates. One would assume issues of the highest priority discussed. Messages in cipher but never "read". Until NOW we hope!

"Crowdsourcing a modern means to crack code on Civil War texts"

"The Wall Street Journal reported on a trove of Civil War era telegrams — many of them to and from Abraham Lincoln — that have never been decoded."

"The telegrams are owned by the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino. They have started a project, 'Decoding the Civil War,' to transcribe and decipher their collection of nearly 16,000 Civil War telegrams between Lincoln, his Cabinet and Union Army officers. About a third of the telegrams were written in code."

"The library is crowdsourcing the project through the largest online platform for collaborative volunteer research, Zooniverse. They hope about 75,000 volunteers will sign up and make quick work of the deciphering"

Those Federal cryptographic systems of the American Civil War the nature of which for the most part well understood..

What is called route transposition ciphers. Entire words transposed rather than individual letters and characters. Route ciphers with random groups added to make more difficult the task of the enemy to "read" secure messages That highest level echelon [Lincoln in direct communication with his immediate subordinates in the field] also having embedded CODE within the messages to guarantee security and further the difficulties as would be the case for the eavesdropper and unintended recipient.

Cryptographic system as deemed ADEQUATE!! AND WERE!

Leopold von Ranke and those who adhere to his school of historiography would be greatly pleased with this concerted effort of the Zooniverse? Original source documents might allow for a new perspective on events as they occurred during the American Civil War? Messages the content of which was to be seen only by concerned parties and at the highest echelon of command of most significant importance in all cases!

Mr. Lincoln himself I would be impressed? You bet!

coolbert.

Raqqa.

This is coolbert:

Yet more from the latest edition of the DEBKAfile:

Forget about Mosul. Go for broke! Now we take Raqqa? Raqqa the "capital city" of the Islamic State.

"If you want the tiger's cubs you must go into the lair" - - Yamamoto.

"Canadian, German commandos deploy in northern Syria near ISIS capital"

7 July

"Special forces troops from the ground forces of Germany and Canada landed early Thursday morning in the town of Tel Abyad in northern Syria near the Turkish border as part of the US military's war against ISIS. If and when a ground assault to capture the terrorist organization's capital of Raqqa begins, the troops are expected to help ensure the flow of supplies, ammunition and troops via Turkey, while protecting Route 712 leading to the neighboring country. Tel Abyad is about 90 kilometers north of the ISIS capital in Syria."

Troops of the "hunter class" to be used as mere infantry? Guarding supply lines? That is the intent?

The capture of Raqqa with the consequence that the Islamic State will become as a flailing snake the head cut off? Wait and see!

coolbert.

Hokum-B.

This is coolbert:

More from the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter.

"Russia revamps air force array in Syria and Mid East"

6 July

"Moscow has decided to send additional advanced aircraft, including K-52 helicopter gunships, to Syria 'in order to strengthen the Russian military grouping that takes part in anti-terrorist operations' . . .  The new consignment, he said, would replace the bombers and Su-25 fighter jets which will be recalled to Russia. The Ka-52, 'Alligator'- NATO codename 'Hokum-B' - is a two-seat attack helicopter which fits the requirements of the different battle sites in Syria. Rated one of the world's most sophisticated of its kind, it is highly maneuverable, capable of abruptly altering flight directions and angles without prior adjustments . . . Russia has shifted its reliance in Syria and the Middle East on helicopters rather than on bombers and fighter planes."

The kinder and gentler Russian approach to the Syrian Civil War? A more nuanced approach to air power as applied in the conflict. NO MORE Su-24 or cruise missile attacks. Reliance now on the helicopter gunship.

coolbert.

Dhakha.

This is coolbert:

Here from the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter the type of report you would not ever find in the main stream media.

The villainous terrorist attack  in Bangladesh the work of the Islamic State AND THE TARGETS SPECIFICALLY ITALIAN NATIONALS!!

"Bangladesh: ISIS pays Italy back for role in Libya"

3 July.

"The Islamic State struck the West again on June 1, when it activated a local Bangladeshi cell for a murderous, hostage-taking attack on the Artisan Bakery and O'Kitchen Restaurant, a favorite haunt of foreign visitors near the diplomatic zone of Dakha, the capital. A large contingent of Italian businessmen dining there that night was specifically targeted by ISIS in revenge for the Rome government's military intervention in the campaign to eject the Islamists from Libya . . . intelligence and counter terror sources note that the long Islamist arm reached into the Indian subcontinent, 7,000km away, to settle its score with Italy, rather than sending its killers by the obvious route from the ISIS capital Sirte in Libya to Italy across 1,200km of Mediterranean Sea."

See previous blog entries the topic of which was Italian military action in Libya:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/05/is-libya_8.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/01/mnf-libya_9.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/01/libya-mnf.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/01/cyrenecia.html

coolbert.

Motivation.

This is coolbert:

From the article at the New York Times by KAREN YOURISH and JASMINE C. LEE and thanks to the tip from Steve we have:

"What the Americans Drawn to ISIS Had in Common"

The Islamic State combatants often characterized by the incorporation of significant numbers of foreign nationals not indigenous to that particular region of the Middle East [Iraq and Syria]. VOLUNTEERS the attraction to the Islamic State rather strong.

INCLUDING AMERICANS!

Motivating factors among American volunteers as discerned to include:

"The nearly 100 United States residents accused of trying to help the Islamic State share certain characteristics that may have made them more susceptible to radicalization, according to a report from the Center on National Security at Fordham Law."

- "U.S. citizens [vs.] Permanent residents, refugees or other …"
- "At least a quarter of them expressed a desire for martyrdom. …"
- "Many were strongly influenced by al-Baghdadi or al-Awlaki. …"
- "Many lived with their parents, some of whom tried to intervene. …"
- "Many used social media to become involved with the Islamic State. …"
- "Some of them sought links to ISIS through marriage. …"

That figure of one-hundred probably way too low. That number includes those that are KNOWN! Also a pretty high percentage of the American volunteers [and other foreigners too for that matter] highly idealistic persons in a manner that is a SHOCK to many!

This world-wide phenomenon of foreign volunteers to the cause of ISIL something no one would ever have anticipated?

coolbert.

Insects.

This is coolbert:

Here with some images of micro-drones! Swarms of such micro-drones able to be reproduced by 3D printing on a massive scale and with the potentiality as a weapon of war.

Swarms of micro-drones on the attack the numbers of which awesome and overwhelming.. Locust-like and a plague of Biblical proportions, MICRO-DRONES IN MANY CASES EVEN HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF AN INSECT!!

That is the finger tip of a person for the sake of scale!

Micro-drone with a quarter [American currency] as the background for the sake of scale. That quarter the diameter is 0.955 inches [24.26 mm]. 

Once more the finger tip of a human juxtaposed with a micro-drone for a sense of scale purpose.

I cannot tell if this a real insect or a man-made micro-drone! Resembles that type of biting insect in the natural world a spreader of disease in a variety of manifestations.

A cyborg. Cyber-organism. A real live beetle with the back-pack of electronics and remotely controlled. This particular specimen not autonomous however, apparently tethered to a control mechanism. Tethered at least for now. Note the marker on one centimeter for scale purposes.

Micro-drones in the manner of a "biting insect" as a delivery system carrying biological agents and  able to induce sickness or disease in an individual fatal or otherwise? Biological warfare vectors as deemed?  One application alone?

coolbert.

Chemputer 3D.

This is coolbert:

Once more the topic of Rise of the Machines. Drones of all sizes with a military application, 3D printing combined with Artificial Intelligence [AI] making for a formidable combination.

BAE Systems a firm part and parcel of the world-wide military-industrial complex surely things so. Thanks to Freeper:

"BAE Systems reveals plans for Chemputer 3D printer that chemically grows military drones"

"This futuristic concept was unveiled ahead of this year’s Farnborough International Airshow. The Chemputer sounds like something that is coming straight out of science fiction, but this is molecular-level 3D printer that grows everything from wings to electronic systems is really under development. The idea, of course, is to quickly build military equipment close to the battlefield and adapt it to overcome any geographical, technological or numerical disadvantages an army might have. What’s more, the drones are envisioned to be highly functional, flying at ultra-fast speeds and high altitudes to even outpace missile systems and provide a rapid response behind enemy lines"

The self-replicating 3D printer robots, drones, mini-drones and micro-drones. The latter specifically so deployed in enormous swarms as if a Biblical scale infestation!! Locust-like and unstoppable!!

The future is almost now? And if that AI becomes self-aware, sentient and developing an antipathy toward the human race, watch out!! Arnold, we need you now!!

coolbert.

Lorenz.

This is coolbert:

Lorenz has been found! At least half of it!

German "code" machine from the era of the Second World War considered to be MUCH MORE secure than the Enigma cryptograph. Used the Germans for high-level secure communications as would be the case direct from Hitler to his immediate subordinates. Personal and of the highest priority! From A.H to . . .!

A portion of such machine [Lorenz} purchased from eBay on line auction.

"'Hitler's code machine' snapped up off eBay for £9.50 after discovery in Essex shed"

"Part of a covert code machine used by Adolf Hitler has been snapped up off eBay for £10 after being discovered in an Essex shed."

"Lorenz was a key tool in the use of strategic communications and was far more complicated than the highly publicized Enigma machines."

Lorenz a COMPLICATED contraption and apparatus as can be seen from the image of the assembled machine. You can see the keyboard/printer on the far right for comparison/scale sake.

WITHIN A PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS THE FAMOUS SWEDISH MATHEMATICIAN ARNE BEURLING ABLE TO PROVIDE A GENERAL SOLUTION TO LORENZ. A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT!

Anyone know of a history of the Second World War based on decrypts of messages enciphered with the Lorenz machine?:

coolbert.

Metz II.

This is coolbert:

From that prior blog entry:

"second-rate German troops fighting strictly defensively with second-rate equipment but occupying formidable fortifications and commanded by superior commanders who knew their battlefield savvy a tough combination to beat."

IT WOULD SEEM IN THIS REGARD TO "SECOND-RATE" TROOPS I AM INCORRECT.

The German defender at Metz [1944] consisting for the most part of ad hoc units lacking any sort of unit cohesiveness of integrity but the personnel for the most part anything but second-rate.

German ad hoc units formed and consisting predominantly of soldiers of proven and demonstrable ability and in the process of matriculating from officer and non-commissioned officer courses.

Feeble and second-rate troops in the minority!

That order of battle of the German 462 Division during the defense of Metz consisting of:

*  "One regiment was formed by the Officer Candidate  Regiment, Military District XII – Oberst von Siegroth."

* "One regiment was formed around the 1010. Sicherheits Regiment – this regiment had retreated from France and was comprised mostly of weak, elderly and convalescents -  Oberst Richter."

* "One regiment was formed out of the NCO School of Military District XII – Oberst Wagner."

Again, according to the  calculations of Trevor Dupuy those fortifications of Metz acting as a significant force multiplier. Increase the combat capacity of the ad hoc German defender by 60 %!! Under such circumstances even troops described as "weak, elderly and convalescent" can give a good account of themselves when fighting strictly defensively!!

Such was the performance of the German defender at Metz and recognized at the time a special award what seems to be analogous to the American Presidential Unit Citation awarded to participants in recognition of their three-month effort. Metz 1944. Thanks to the info from COL Scott Pritchett.

coolbert.