Su-57 Felon.

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Once more the Russian air force the Ukraine Conflict caught with pants down. 

Embarrassment -  humiliation - mortification.

State-of-the-art Russian stealth combat warplane Su-57 Felon gone. Warplane evidently sheltered on the tarmac hit by a drone.

"Ukraine Says it Has Destroyed an Advanced Russian Stealth Fighter"

From BREITBART LONDON | 9 Jun 2024 |  https://tinyurl.com/4f9uk65u

"KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukraine on Sunday said its forces hit an ultra-modern Russian warplane stationed on an air base nearly 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the front lines, after its Western allies allowed Kyiv to use their weapons for limited strikes inside Russia."

"Kyiv´s main military intelligence service shared satellite photos it said showed the aftermath of the attack. If confirmed, it would mark Ukraine’s first known successful strike on a Su-57 fighter plane, a twin-engine stealth fighter lauded as Moscow’s most advanced military aircraft."

Go see the twitter X post with images the before and after of the attack. Personally difficult for me to pick out any details. Scratch one FELON?  https://tinyurl.com/mujmt34w

FELON too expensive and time consuming. Exists but only in small numbers. The loss of even a single FELON will not be taken lightly.

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2S7 Pion.

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See Strategy Page article the use of the 2S7 203 mm howitzer the Ukraine Conflict.

"Artillery: Russian 2S7 Big Guns"

"June 7, 2024: Russia and Ukraine both use the same heavy artillery weapon, the 2S7 Pions 203mm (eight inch) self-propelled howitzer, which weighs 51 tons and does not have a turret, but an open deck for the twelve meter long 203mm gun barrel."  https://tinyurl.com/ydskn3w

Interesting article but SORELY LACKING in one respect. Does not mention the 2S7 an atomic-capable weapon system. Can deliver a nuclear munition on target. For shame on Strategy Page!

Nuclear rounds [if still in the inventory] as can be fired from the Pion to include:

* 3BV2 Kleshchevina:

"Nuclear shell, introduced in 1977. Derived from 3BV3 designed for 152mm guns. Plutonium based weapon with yield of about 0.5 to 1 Kt. Could be fired from the towed B-4M and 2S7 Pion."

* Sazhenets:

"Nuclear shell. Improved design over Kleshchevina, with similar yield. Actual improvement unknown, but guessed to be shaped more like 3OF43 for improved accuracy and range, but losing compatibility with B-4M."

* Perforator:

"Nuclear shell, developed but reportedly never adopted. Unknown whether development was ever concluded. The name suggests that this nuclear shell was designed to strike hardened targets instead of troops in the open."

See before there was 2S7 there was B-4.  https://tinyurl.com/297454rk

See another evaluation of the 2S7.  https://tinyurl.com/msfrsyku

Recall also the previous blog entry the Soviet/Russian 2S4 240 mm mortar.  https://tinyurl.com/f4rzd3xt

Soviet era defector Suvorov claiming that the 2S4 mortar possibly having an atomic munition capability. For technical reasons a mortar to be preferred as opposed to conventional tube artillery in the battlefield atomic war scenario.

coolbert.

  

Beholden.

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"The mercenaries are not actually Turkish, although they are supplied by Turkey. They are Syrians, Turkish-allied proxy militias, remnants from the Syrian Civil War. While in May 2024 there have been several articles about the arrival of these Syrian mercenaries in Niger . . . [it is] reported that up to 3,500 fighters from the Turkish-controlled Sultan Murad Division in Northern Syria would eventually be sent to Niger."

If this don't beat all! Not only Russians in the Sahel region of Africa. The Turk too? SADAT PMC? Turkish mercenaries!

"Turkey's Syrian Mercenaries Come To The Sahel In Africa"

May 17, 2024 | By Amb. Alberto M. Fernandez* [VP MEMRI]  https://tinyurl.com/y3uhufp3

"Long a sinecure [?] of former colonial powers, large parts of Africa have in recent years become a wide-open marketplace for new foreign players. While much of the focus – and hysteria – in the West has been about the resurgence of China and Russia in Africa, there is also a raft of ambitious middle or rising powers – Turkey, UAE, India, Israel, Egypt, Brazil – looking forward to project either economic or military or political power onto the continent."

Turkish mercenaries but nary a Turk in sight? Syrian Arabs a proxy force of the Turk as aligned against Assad the Syrian dictator feeling obligated and greatly indebted to Angora and the Sultan.

Great is the mineral wealth of the Sahel? That is what is in question here?

See further an entire War on the Rocks article devoted to SADAT PMC!  https://tinyurl.com/2t2j6jtd

coolbert.

Unarmed.

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"An unarmed Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launches during an operational test at 1:46 a.m. Pacific Time 6 June, 2024, at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. ICBM test launches demonstrate that the U.S. ICBM fleet is ready, reliable and effective in leveraging dominance in an era of strategic competition,"

"US Conducts Second Minuteman III ICBM Test in A Week"

From Sputnik | 06.06.2024 |  https://tinyurl.com/bdzb84uu

"WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States launched a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday, marking the second such test in a week, the Vandenberg Space Force Base said."

Two tests in one week unprecedented? Routine "audit" merely a delayed launch and nothing out-of-the-ordinary should be inferred! See previous blog entry as germane:  https://tinyurl.com/bdzft9sb

Товарищи офицеры ГРУ. Теперь вы понимаете, что США не имеют в виду никакой злой воли или злого умысла!

coolbert.

Niger.

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The Russians arrive! Russian Africa Corps but not Wagner!

"Russian Specialists Arrive in Niger to Train Local Forces on Combating Terrorism"

11.04.2024 |  https://tinyurl.com/54fnxc58

"NIAMEY (Sputnik) - Russian specialists have arrived in Niger to train local forces on combating terrorism, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene."

Click on images to see an enlarged view. Click https://tinyurl.com/chs5h8kt also to see the X web site entry in the original with audio.

See all previous blog entries [some with additional embedded links]  the American-built airfields Niger:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/05/airbase-201.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/03/linking.html

coolbert.

Motorway.

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Everybody making ready. Do I need to tell you what for!! 

As was previously announced has now become an accomplishment.  https://tinyurl.com/38am5hyx

"Swiss F/A-18s Practice Highway Operations During ‘Alpha One’ Exercise"

From https://theaviationist.com | June 7, 2024 Military Aviation | STEFANO D'URSO |  https://tinyurl.com/yv48pwc6

"For the first time in three decades, the Swiss Air Force operated fighter jets from a highway, and the operations were also broadcast live on TV."

"On Jun. 5, 2024, the Swiss Air Force executed the pre-announced 'Alpha One' exercise, with four F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets landing on the A1 motorway between Payerne and Avanches. This is the first time in more than 30 years, as the last time was in 1991 when Hunters and F-5s landed on the A2 motorway near Lodrino."

"The goal of the operation was to assess the ability of the Swiss combat aircraft to operate in case airfields are unavailable or a decentralization of air defense is required."

Air defense as needed by the Swiss in case of a general war in Europe. Russia versus everyone else.

Preparations if this type I think with pretty good justification not a good sign. Expedient and dispersal air strips and an ability to continue aerial war-making capability. 

See all previous blog entries the air forces of various nations practicing highway take-off and landing:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/09/dispersal.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/05/de-nial.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2021/09/gripen.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2021/09/highway.html

coolbert.

Brik.

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Doom and gloom the Third Temple? The Jewish state of Israel often referred to as the Third Temple.

Brik speaks II. General Itzhak Brik.

1. "Terrible destruction, collapse on the horizon for 'Israel': Ex-General"

From Al Mayadeen | EnglishSource | Israeli media | 28 May 2024 |  https://tinyurl.com/3h5n9whb

"Israeli Reserve Major General Itzhak Brik confirms that if the Israeli government does not end the war, the battle will turn into a long war of attrition."

In contrast to the length of other Israeli wars the Gazan War ALREADY is a war of attrition.

"Israeli Reserve Major General Itzhak Brik confirmed that unless the Israeli government ends the war, then the battle will turn into a war of attrition that will last for years, led by Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in the North, and eventually lead to the collapse of 'Israel'."

Indeed, if Hezbollah enters the fray and does so in a maximum that two-front war will present a particularly hard problem for the Israeli.

2. "Opinion | Don't Believe the IDF and Israeli Analysts. There's No Solution to Hamas' Tunnels"

From https://www.haaretz.com | Dec 25, 2023 |  https://tinyurl.com/bdeffn6y

"Based on the information I [Brik] have received from soldiers and officers fighting in the Gaza Strip since the war started, I [Brik] have reached the following conclusion: The spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces and the military analysts in television studios are presenting a false picture of the thousands of Hamas dead and the face-to-face fight being waged between our forces"

You need to be logged into Haaretz to read the entire article!

3. "'Israel cannot win against Hezbollah or Hamas': Israeli general"

From Al Mayadeen |  English Source | Israeli media7 Jun 2024 |   https://tinyurl.com/2un2vey8

"Israeli Major General Yitzhak Brik says the Israeli occupation is doomed to fail in the face of Hezbollah and Hamas due to its ever-growing weakness."

Best the Israeli going to get is a stalemate? Neither adversary defeated to the point where they are unable to reconstitute themselves?

coolbert.