Yopez ( Йопез :)

What happened to the advanced tanks Putin sent to Ukraine?
Story by Zeleb.es



The Russian T-14 Armata is the Kremlin's most advanced main battle tank and it made its first battlefield debut in April 2023. But what happened to the tank and did it even make a difference in the war?
n April 2023, Russian state media reports suggested that Vladimir Putin and his military commanders were planning to deploy the T-14 Armata for the very first to the frontline of the war in Ukraine.

On April 25th, RIA Novosti reported that the Russian Armed Forces had begun using the T-14 Armata in combat operations in Ukraine according to an "informed source" who spoke with the state media news outlet.
"Russian troops have begun to use the latest Armata tanks to fire on Ukrainian positions," the source explained, adding that the tank's battlefield role was limited.

"They have not yet participated in direct assault operations," the source continued before going on to mention that the new tanks had been outfitted with additional armor.

Russian tank crews had allegedly spent all of 2022 learning how to use the T-14 Armata at a training ground somewhere in the Donbas according to RIA Novosti's source.

In January 2023, the British Ministry of Defence noted that Russia was likely considering sending a small group of T-14 tanks to Ukraine after they received satellite imagery of several Armatas at a training site known for its "pre-deployment activity" to Ukraine.



The British Ministry of Defence concluded that any deployment of the T-14 was likely to be a "high-risk decision" that would only be undertaken by Moscow  for "propaganda purposes."

The main argument behind the British Ministry of Defence's assessment was that Russia lacked a significant number of T-14 tanks to make a real difference. 

The British report also mentioned that the larger size of the vehicle would add additional logistical and supply chain issues for Russian forces, which was a major issue at the time for the Russian military.

"Production is probably only in the low tens, while commanders are unlikely to trust the vehicle in combat," The Defence Ministry wrote, and that might explain why the advanced main battle tank had not been sent into direct assault operations at the time.



The T-14 Armata made its first public appearance at the 2015 Victory Day Parade in Moscow according to Newsweek's Jon Jackson and was billed as Russia's answer as the main competitor to the American M1 Abrams battle tank.

Armed with a powerful 125mm cannon, the T-14 employs an unmanned turret design that keeps its crew safe inside the vehicle's hull according to Insider's Michael Peak, though he noted that the tank's thinner turret armor could make it more vulnerable.

Popular Mechanics noted that the T-14 has an unparalleled range of fire and can reach upwards of 7.4 miles, this would come in useful for the combat role the tank is currently being employed for but it's unlikely to make a difference if the T-14 was used offensively.

Did it help?

If the war in Ukraine has taught us anything, it's that main battle tanks are just as important as they've always been in modern war. But they're also a lot more vulnerable to modern anti-tank weapons.

Anti-tank arms like the American Javelin and the Ukrainian-made Stugna-P have shown that multi-million dollar pieces of advanced technology can be lost in a matter of seconds if they're not able to properly combat incoming missiles.

The effectiveness of the Armata on the battlefield, and the tank's ability to make a difference in the war, would have probably come down to its ability to defend itself, something that the tank's Afganit active protection system does well according to RIA Novosti.

"I don't understand how many of them there are, in what capacity Russia's newest tanks might be used... but I guess in any case we'll soon see how Armata... will stand up to Leopards and Abrams," wrote German Kulikovsky on Telegram at the time the T-14 was deployed in Ukraine according to a Kyiv Post translation.

In July, several T-14 Armata tanks were reportedly withdrawn from the fight in Ukraine according to The Russian News Agency (TASS), which spoke to a source who explained that the tanks were only used by armored forces from Russia's Southern Military District to see how they performed in combat.

"Members of [battlegroup] South actively used Armata in combat. Several vehicles participated in combat to see how the tank would perform. After that, they were withdrawn from the frontline," the source told TASS reporters.

TASS also noted there was no official information on the T-14's use in the war against Ukraine and that there had been no accounts in Western media detailing any battles in which the advanced Russian tank made a difference.

However, it is unclear if any of the T-14 tanks deployed to Ukraine were in any battles. In September 2023, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, the Head of the Ukrianian Main Directorate of Intelligence, said at a press conference that the T-14 hadn't been seen in Ukraine.

"We haven't seen a single instance of this machine being used," Lt. Gen. Budanov said according to Business Insider, later pointing out that he believed Russia feared using the tanks since their capture or destruction of the tanks could hurt Moscow's future export markets.

отправили обратно, tuning делать.
скоро вернутся, упакованные, со всеми делами : спойлеры на корме, фэнси колпаки на ведуших шестернях, бирка "мерседес" на башне прилеплена.
я бы посоветовал такие колпачки на шины, которые давление показывают, но не уверен, что резьба совпадает...

These Are The Hammer Rocket Assisted Bombs Headed To Ukraine
Story by Joseph Trevithick



France will start supplying Ukrainian forces with up to 50 Hammer precision-guided bombs, a unique rocket-boosted munition, every month. A new stream of dozens of these French-made bombs every month would be a boon for Ukraine's Air Force for getting at Russian forces at longer ranges while also reducing the risks to its pilots and aircraft.

The baseline 500-pound-class version of Hammer has a stand-off range of around 43 miles (70 kilometers), similar to that of Ukraine's U.S.-supplied winged Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range bombs, or JDAM-ERs, However, the French munition gets there in a different way that offers distinct advantages.

Sebastien Lecorn, France's Minister of the Armed Forces, disclosed his government's plans to send Hammers, which are also sometimes described as missiles, on a monthly basis to the Ukrainian military earlier today. In addition, Lecorn confirmed that at least 40 more SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles would be heading to Ukraine. He also said that France would be bumping up deliveries of badly needed 155mm artillery shells from 2,000 to 3,000 every month.



Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron had announced the planned delivery of the SCALP-EG missiles and "hundreds" of then-unspecified bombs to Ukraine.

Development of the original version of Hammer dates back the late 1990s. Hammer is actually an acronym standing for Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range and the weapon is also known by the French name Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM; Modular Air-to-Ground Armament). French firm Safran now produces these weapons.



Hammer is also more of a conversion kit for existing dumb bombs, similar in many broad respects to the U.S.-designed JDAM. The baseline variant includes of a nose-mounted guidance section and tail-mounted range-extension kit (REK) attached to a NATO-standard 500-pound (250-kilogram) class iron bomb.

Hammer bombs on display. Killersurprise64 via Wikimedia

Hammer kits have also been developed for use together with 276-pound (100-kilogram), 1,100-pound (500-kilogram), and 2,200-pound (1,000-kilogram) bombs. Safran notes that Hammers can built around bunker buster type bombs like the 2,000-pound-class U.S. BLU-109/B, as well as general purpose high-explosive types.

A graphic showing the core components of the Hammer weapon. Safran A French Rafale fighter carrying two 2,200-pound (1,000-kilogram) class Hammer bombs during a test. French Ministry of Defense.

The range extension section consists of a solid-fuel rocket. This gives 500-pound/250-kilogram class version, at least, a range of around 43 miles (70 kilometers), if not more, depending on the release envelope, according to Safran, but more on that later. Hammer munitions can also employed in an unpowered mode, with much reduced range, if desired.

The main form of guidance used on Hammer bombs of all types consists of a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) package that is designed to strike specific fixed target coordinates. Safran also offers multi-mode guidance options with either imaging infrared or semi-active laser homing added in, which enables the engagement of moving targets and helps improve overall accuracy. This also offers alternative guidance options in GPS-denied environments.

A display depicting different guidance options for the Hammer. Safran Safran

Hammer is currently in service with France's armed forces, as well as the air arms of Egypt, India, Morocco, and Qatar. French forces have employed these bombs in combat in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya.

During NATO-led intervention against Libya in 2011, a French pilot at the controls of a Rafale fighter demonstrated the versatility of the weapon when they destroyed one of the Libyan Air Force's Soko G-2 Galeb jet trainers shortly after it landed. A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft reportedly tracked the Libyan jet as it returned to its base in Misrata. The pilot of the French fighter then used their onboard targeting capabilities to determine the Galeb's position on the ground and launched a Hammer at it.



It's unclear what Ukrainian aircraft might be in line to carry Hammer bombs and how long it might take before Ukraine's pilots are ready to start employing them. Hammer is similar in size and gross weight to JDAM-ER, and is another weapon made by a NATO member. As such, it is possible that Ukrainian MiG-29 Fulcrum and Su-27 Flanker fighters that are already configured to drop JDAM-ERs could be set up to employ Hammers with relatively limited additional time and effort. The JDAM-ERs for Ukraine have notably come along with specialized pylons that incorporate features that look to be tied to the weapon's guidance system, as you can read more about here.



A JDAM-ER loaded under the wing of a Ukrainian MiG-29 with the help of a specialized pylon. via X

At least some of Ukraine's Su-24 Fencer swing-wing combat jets have also received some level of modification to be able to employ French-supplied SCALP-EG cruise missiles, as well as virtually identical Storm Shadows from the United Kingdom. Ukraine's foreign allies and partners have helped with the integration of other guided air-launched munitions and specialized stores onto its aircraft in the past two years or so, too.

Safran has also already integrated Hammer onto versions of Lockheed Martin's F-16 Viper. Ukraine's Air Force is now in line to receive dozens of these fighters and could start flying them operationally later this year. The War Zone has explored in detail in the past about how the Vipers will be very valuable for Ukraine just in terms of the more modern missiles and bombs could come with them or be more easily integrated with them.

Regardless of the specific launching platform, Hammer, like JDAM-ER before it, would give Ukraine's Air Force a very valuable way of precisely engaging Russian targets, including those situated further back from the front lines. The stand-off range that Hammer would allow Ukrainian pilots to prosecute their targets while staying further away from enemy defenses, as well.

Hammer's rocket booster also gives the bomb unique benefits compared to JDAM-ER, which is unpowered and relies heavily on release altitude to reach its maximum stated stand-off range of around 45 miles (72 kilometers). Safran says the 500-pound/250-kilogram class version can still hit targets at least up to nine miles away (15 kilometers) when released from a lower altitude.

JDAM-ER also follows a downward slanting trajectory to its target, regardless of the release altitude. Safran says Hammer's guidance package and rocket booster mean that it can be fired up and over "rough terrain," which the launching platform can use to further shield itself from hostile forces.



This graphic gives a very rudimentary look at the different employment options for Hammer, including launching it up and over terrain at its target. Safran



If France sends versions of the Hammer built around larger bomb, this would also give Ukraine the ability to engage different kinds of targets than it can currently with 500-pound-class JDAM-ERs. For instance, versions built around larger penetrating bombs like the BLU-109/B could be employed against more hardened targets, including bridges.

Its worth noting here that Russia has been working on expanding its own arsenal of wing kit-equipped glide bombs, including with a new 1,500-kilogram (3,300-pound) class type.

Beyond Hammer's specific capabilities, the French pledge to supply 50 of these bombs every month starting at some point in the near future is very significant. In recent months, there have been concerns about foreign military aid for Ukraine from certain sources, including the United States, slowing or even coming to a halt completely, at least for a time.

A new avenue to acquire hundreds of additional precision-guided bombs can only help Ukraine's Air Force continue to keep up the pressure on Russian forces. It could also increase the willingness of commanders to employ these weapons against a wider array of target types knowing that more bombs are on the way.

All told, the French government's plan to start sending significant numbers Hammer bombs to Ukraine looks set to give the country's air force a major boost in firepower while also helping keep its valuable pilots and aircraft away from Russian threats.

от так прикинуть, сколько умственной энергии и производственной мощности человечество тратит на создание оружия для уничтожения этого самого человечества - могли бы уже Марс облюдить с постройкой олл-инклюзив курортов

Луиджи - Янв. 19, 2024, 09:20 amот так прикинуть, сколько умственной энергии и производственной мощности человечество тратит на создание оружия для уничтожения этого самого человечества - могли бы уже Марс облюдить с постройкой олл-инклюзив курортов

Я и говорю, нужно по этому списочку, вдумчиво, ракетками.

Рашка - Иран - Сев.Корея - Китаёзы

Когда с этими ублюдками закончим, освободится баблишко на Марс.

но это ж нереально

Луиджи - Янв. 19, 2024, 11:06 amно это ж нереально

Но стараца нада.

Ukraine hasn't lost a single US Himars system to Russia
Story by Zeleb.es



The United States has provided Ukraine with more than seventy-five billion dollars in aid since Vladimir Putin ordered his invasion of the country. Most of the money was given in the form of weapons and there's been one system that's made a big difference.

Throughout the war, the M142 American High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which is often abbreviated to Himars, has been key to Ukraine's success on the battlefield. But that begs the question: why? What makes the Himars so useful for Kyiv?

When Washington first announced it planned to provide Himars to Ukraine, the decision was met with a wide range of speculation in the media about how the systems would be a game changer for Ukraine in its struggle to defeat Russia in battle.

One Department of Defense official explained that they believed Himars would alter the situation on the frontlines since the systems would give Ukraine the ability to target and destroy key logistical hubs and supply caches they could hit before.

"I think there has been a significant impact on what's going on, on the front line... they're spending a lot of time striking targets like ammunition, supplies, other logistical supplies, command and control," the official said before explaining the impact. 

"All those things have a direct impact on the ability to conduct operations," the unnamed official said, and their assessment was right. Over the next year and a half, Ukraine used its Himars to wipe out Russian supply and logistics.

One of the most important roles Himars played in the conflict was the impact they had on the liberation of Kherson, something The Institute for the Study of War's George Barros told Time was only possible because of the Himars the US provided.

The extended strike capabilities the Ukrainians gained when they were given the rocket artillery systems allowed Kyiv to degrade the Russian brigades defending the right side of the Dnipro River, and Ukraine's strikes ultimately forced a retreat. 



"HIMARS have liberated strategically significant Ukrainian cities and territory that likely otherwise wouldn't have happened... It's a glowing report card," Barros said. However, what can the rocket artillery systems actually do on the battlefield?

The M142 Himars can fire up to six basic rockets as far as 20 miles according to Military Today, but more advanced rockets with extended range can hit targets as far as 43 miles away and specialized rockets can fly up to 93 miles.

When outfitted with the American MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), Himars crews can strike targets nearly 200 miles away, making the system a powerful tool for taking out vital military installations and equipment.



When the first US-supplied Himars arrived in June 2022, they nearly doubled the range at which Ukraine could operate according to Time. This made the Himars a prime target on the battlefield. But they have proven to be a slippery foe.

Of the 39 Himars that Ukraine currently operates, not a single one has been destroyed by Russia according to Forbes. But that's not for a lack of trying on Moscow's part. The Himars are just extremely good at launching their rockets and moving.

However, that doesn't mean that Russia isn't trying. In January 2024, images posted to social media showed that Russia had spotted a Himars out in the open for the first time since the systems were shipped to Ukraine. But it got away.

"After firing its rockets, the vehicle scooted into a treeline," explained Forbes' David Axe. about the encounter. "When Russian rockets targeted the same treeline sometime later, there was no secondary explosion--likely proof that the HIMARS no longer was there."

How long it will be before Russia takes out a Himars is not known, nor is whether or not Moscow can accomplish such a feat at all. What we do know is that as long as Ukraine has its Himars firing rockets, Russia will continue to suffer major losses.

побольше Химарсов хороших и разных,
чтоб жизнь роиссян превращалася в празьник! (нар.)

Луиджи - Янв. 25, 2024, 03:52 pmпобольше Химарсов хороших и разных,
чтоб жизнь роиссян превращалася в празьник! (нар.)

Лядь, да уж, Залужный в начале 2022го просил 200 химарсов для наступления, а дале всего 39 (и как их берегуть).

А у роисси 1000 РСЗО Ураган и Смерч, и есчо 2000 на хранении.
Аналоги, хатя неточные, "бьют по площадям".

Ukraine's drone war spells the end for the US Army helicopter force
Story by David Axe

For wartime missions, the helicopter is dead. Well, mostly.

The US Army - the world's biggest helicopter force - dramatically took a budgetary axe to its multi-billion-dollar portfolio of rotorcraft programs last week, canceling a next-generation scout helicopter as well as an effort to upgrade hundreds of decades-old transport helicopters.



It's no secret what motivated the Army leadership to take such drastic measures. "We are learning from the battlefield - especially in Ukraine - that aerial reconnaissance has fundamentally changed," said General Randy George, the Army's top officer.

An absolute bloodbath among helicopter pilots on both sides of Russia's two-year wider war on Ukraine explains the US Army's sense of urgency. Inasmuch as the helicopter is dying, the Ukraine war is killing it.

Most likely, rotorcraft will endure into their second century: but in very different roles.

In the months leading up to Russia's further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it was mostly business as usual in Russian and Ukrainian helicopter regiments. They scouted ahead of the front lines, prepared for close-air-support missions directly attacking enemy forces and also transported troops along the front.

But after the Russians attacked, a whole lot of old ways proved virtually suicidal. Ground-based air-defenses - guns and missiles - were always a serious threat to slow-flying rotorcraft. As it turns out, they're a much bigger threat than almost anyone realized.

Helicopters have dropped like flies on both sides. According to a running tally by the analysts at the intelligence collective Oryx, the Russians have lost around a hundred of their pre-war force of 800 or so attack and transport helicopters. The Ukrainians have, for their part, lost half of their 60 or so helicopters - although they've gotten, from their allies, more than 80 helicopters as replacements.

The devastating loss of helicopters and, more importantly, their crews compelled the Russian and Ukrainian air forces to radically change what they use their helicopters for. Put simply, helicopters no longer fly anywhere near the front line unless the circumstances are truly extraordinary.

One extraordinary circumstance was the Russian army's encirclement of the port of Mariupol in southern Ukraine in the spring of 2022. In a desperate bid to resupply the city's besieged garrison and retrieve the wounded, Ukrainian transport helicopters flew scores of miles mere feet off the ground in order to reach Mariupol without tipping off Russian air-defenders.

At least three of the helicopters didn't make it in, or back.

Mariupol was the exception. By mid-2022, the closest a helicopter got to the front line under normal circumstances was a few miles. Russian and Ukrainian rotorcraft continued to haul troops and supplies - but not too close to the fighting. They also continued to launch attacks on enemy troops - but usually from miles away, using unguided rockets they lobbed at high angles like artillery.

And yet rotorcraft still fell from the sky in startling numbers. Russian attack helicopters were especially vulnerable as they hovered for 30 seconds or longer while their crew tried to steer command-guided anti-tank missiles. The Russians have lost perhaps a third of their best Ka-52 attack 'copters.

The US Army isn't willing to risk its own helicopters over the front line of some future war. So it simply canceled the helicopter whose mission would have required it to fly close to enemy forces: the futuristic Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft scout helicopter. The American ground-combat branch also axed an effort to upgrade 700 or more older Blackhawk transport helicopters.

US Army leaders soothed their aviators - and the United States' sprawling rotorcraft industrial base - by promising to reinvest billions of dollars in savings in other helicopter programs, including expanded production of a new Blackhawk model as well as the latest version of the twin-rotor Chinook heavy-lift helicopter.

Notably, neither of these types would have to fly very close to the front line in order to remain relevant. If there's a big open question, it's what America plans to do with its hundreds of Apache attack helicopters, which do have to fly close to the front line.

The likely answer has been apparent for a while now. The US Army is upgrading its Apaches to the new "Block E" version, which includes controls and radio links in the cockpit that allow the crew to control drones that operate 30 miles or more ahead of the helicopter. "This combination results in increased survivability of Apache aircrews," Army colonel Steven Van Riper explained.

Unshockingly, drones are the solution to a lot of the US Army's rotorcraft problems. As it grounds more and more helicopters, the Army is launching more and more drones. One of the things the service said it would do with its rotorcraft savings is "increase investments in research and development to expand and accelerate the Army's unmanned aerial reconnaissance capability."

Again, the Ukraine war is showing how it's done. Today the air over the 600-mile front line in Ukraine might be mostly devoid of manned helicopters. But it's practically teeming with drone helicopters, especially small reusable quadcopters, hexacopters and octocopters as well as single-used quadcopters packed with around a pound of explosives.

The Ukrainians, who retain a robotics advantage over the Russians, are building and launching as many as 50,000 small drones a month. Who needs to risk a $25-million helicopter and its crew when you can fill the air with thousands of drones, none costing more than a few thousand dollars?

Истребители 5-го поколения: что известно о самолетах KAAN, которые Украина хочет покупать у Турции



Что известно о турецких самолетах KAAN
KAAN (TF-X) - проект турецкого истребителя пятого поколения, производством занимается компания Türk Havacılık ve Uzay Sanayii (TUSAŞ).

Он должен заменить старые американские самолеты F-16, которые сейчас фактически составляют основу ВВС Турции.

Обратите внимание! Для Турции этот проект - не только амбиции, но и вынужденный шаг. Из-за заигрывания Эрдогана с Путиным и покупки С-400, США отказали Анкаре в приобретении самолетов 5 поколения F-35 и вообще наложили на Турцию авиационный бан. Именно поэтому Эрдоган выкручивал руки Швеции, блокируя вступление страны в НАТО - после длительных переговоров США все же разрешили туркам приобрести F-16, однако, F-35 они получат только при условии передачи российских систем ПВО Украине.

Напомним, что Турция потратила на них миллиарды долларов. Таким образом, создание собственного истребителя 5 поколения становится для Турции стратегической задачей. Собственно, сам проект KAAN начинался как сотрудничество с США в разработке F-35, но затем турки вынуждены были уйти в свободное плавание.
Первоначально самолет назывался MMU (Milli Muharip Ucak), но в мае 2023 года получил новое официальное название - KAAN.
Официально разработка стартовала в августе 2016 году, а на 2026 год планируется создание трех полноценных прототипов. При этом макет будущего самолета уже демонстрируют на выставках и внимание к нему приковано огромное.
Весной 2023 года стартовали наземные испытания прототипа и прошли они успешно. Дебют самолета на взлетно-посадочной полосе состоялся 16 марта. Самолет запустил двигатели и некоторое время двигался за счет тяги реактивных двигателей.

В декабре 2023 года был запланирован первый тестовый полет самолета KAAN, однако, он был отложен из-за необходимости провести дополнительные тесты.

При этом сейчас самолет будет иметь характеристики 4++ (как российский Су-57) и именно новый двигатель позволит разогнать характеристики KAAN до таких, которые соответствуют стандартам истребителя 5-го поколения.
Сейчас точные тактико-технические характеристики самолета KAAN (TF-X) неизвестны, это перспективный проект, которым турки очень гордятся, однако, о какой-то конкретике говорить пока нельзя.

Что известно об истребителе 5-го поколения

Это термин, которым обозначают современные реактивные истребители и определяют требования к ним. В такие требования входят:

высокая эффективность при поражении воздушных, наземных, надводных и подводных целей;
наличие круговой информационной системы;
высокоэффективные двигатели;
возможность крейсерского полета на сверхзвуковых скоростях без использования форсажа;
высокие скоростные показатели (максимальная скорость на форсаже - не менее 2 Махов);
сверхманевренность;
кардинальное уменьшение радиолокационной и инфракрасной заметности;
способность осуществлять всеракурсный обстрел целей в ближнем воздушном бою, а также вести многоканальный ракетный обстрел во время боя на большой дальности;
автоматизация управления бортовыми информационными системами и системами выставления помех;
повышенная боевая автономность;
возможность изменения угловой ориентации и траектории движения самолета без каких-либо ощутимых опозданий, не требуя при этом строгой координации и согласования движений управляющих органов;
автоматизация системы управления на уровне решения тактических задач, которая имеет экспертный режим "в помощь летчику".
В настоящее время полноценными истребителями 5-го поколения являются только американские F-22 и F-35, они прошли испытания и были запущены в серийное производство.

Все другие разработки истребителей 5-го поколения от других стран, включая Китай, Россию, Индию, Индонезию, Японию, Турцию и Южную Корею - это прототипы, находящиеся на разных стадиях реализации.
При этом российский Су-57, который на вооружении россиян находится с 2018 года и даже якобы использовался в боевых действиях в Украине, имеется только в количестве 12 штук (11 прототипов и 1 серийный).

Его соответствие стандартам истребителей 5-го поколения довольно сомнительно, а после того, как на Россию наложили санкции, будущее проекта вообще безрадостное. В это же время в США уже разрабатывают прототипы истребителей 6-го поколения.

Когда KAAN станет реальностью

Поставка истребителей воздушным силам Турции запланирована на 2028 год. Это будут 20 самолетов в версии Block 1. В 2029 году турки планируют выйти на темпы производства 2 самолета в месяц.

Для таких амбициозных планов Турция нуждается в надежном партнере, поскольку сама не может изготавливать авиационные двигатели - это дорого, технологически сложно и будет занимать много времени (без каких-либо гарантий на успех).

Турции нужен надежный партнер, поскольку они уже несколько раз сталкивались с проблемами - сначала они планировали поставить на самолет американский двигатель GE F110, впоследствии отказались от этого и думали над двигателем турецкого производства. Но быстро поняли, что не потянут, а потому в Анкаре решили не наступать больше на грабли, на которые уже наступил Китай, и пошли по пути поиска партнеров в проекте. Таким может стать Украина.

Роль Украины в разработке самолета
Украина ведет переговоры об участии в проекте и желает взять на себя ответственность за двигатель. Наше государство исторически имеет большую компетенцию и соответствующие мощности в этом вопросе. Это не первое подобное сотрудничество. Всем известна роль украинских двигателей в создании знаменитых турецких беспилотников из семьи "Байрактар".

Работа над проектом современного истребителя - это совершенно новый уровень. При этом предложение Украины не единственное, заинтересованность выразили и крупные международные концерны. Сейчас продолжаются переговоры.

Есть своего рода консорциум украинских компаний, конкурирующих за этот двигатель с другими международными и отечественными производителями... Мы можем быстро изготовить технику с теми характеристиками, которые так необходимы для этого самолета,
- посол Боднар о возможностях украинской оборонной промышленности и заинтересованности Украины в сотрудничестве.

Также посол Боднар заявил, что Украина готова приобрести турецкие самолеты и поставить их на вооружение собственных ВВС.

Украина также приобретет KAAN. И мы не ограничимся их покупкой, мы их будем использовать, и знаем, где именно,
- украинский дипломат о планах по турецким самолетам.

Это может быть неплохим аргументом для Турции, чтобы выбрать украинских производителей. Также это сигнал от Украины для американских производителей боевых самолетов, что их позиции штурмуют конкуренты.

🇫🇷France will soon hand over new kamikaze drones to 🇺🇦Ukraine, -- the French Minister of Defense.

France has been developing new kamikaze drones for some time and this technology is currently in the experimental phase, but in the coming weeks Ukraine will receive these UAVs and the opportunity to test them in combat

Air Force: Ukraine transitions to F-16 in emergency manner, unlike any other country
Story by VALENTYNA ROMANENKO  •
6h



The Ukrainian Air Force says it is unclear exactly when Ukraine will receive the F-16 fighter jets, but they are eagerly anticipated as soon as possible.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, in an interview with Ukrinform

Quote: "Pilots are undergoing retraining, infrastructure is adapting, temporary shelters are being constructed, and improvements are being made to the take-off and landing strip. Given the wartime conditions, we cannot build F-16 infrastructure on a large scale according to NATO country standards, but the planes can still operate from what we have. Currently, no one knows exactly when Ukraine will receive the F-16s. We are eagerly anticipating their arrival as soon as possible.

I want to emphasize that Ukraine is transitioning to the F-16s in an emergency manner, unlike any other country. There is an expectation that the planes will arrive, and that's it - it's victory. However, you understand that initially, a small group of pilots will arrive, and begin working in the sky, and, of course, Russia will react accordingly. But the process of training pilots and increasing their numbers in Ukraine will gradually unfold."

Details: Ihnat emphasized that Ukraine will not receive 40, 70, or 120 aircraft simultaneously. Moreover, they will not be the latest modifications. However, the process is underway, pilots are already flying the fighters, conducting flights with instructors, Ihnat stressed. And all of this is also being done in an accelerated manner.

Quote: "Ukrainian pilots must fully master the technology, and operate independently without instructors. Training flights are underway. They are learning tactical maneuvers to conduct interceptions of airborne targets, primarily. Since it is a multi-role aircraft, they must also practice tasks involving ground and surface targets. Therefore, our pilots are doing this in an emergency manner, as I mentioned - in an accelerated mode, because the usual retraining course takes 2 years. And we are doing it much faster.

We have a clear plan of action, and according to it, the training of pilots and engineers is progressing."

Хмм, тест в 2018 не показал явных преимусчеств новейшох F-35 по сравнению с почти списанными А-10 во время выполнения реальных задач.

Получается рано списывать А-10 и не зря генерал Сырский хочет их для ВСУ?

Тота я предположил шо придет Трампушка, похерит программу F-35 и заставит модернизировать старые Ф-16 и А-10 ис 80х.

2018 Pentagon Fly-Off: F-35 and A-10 Show No Clear Winner, Suggesting Combined Strengths in Combat Roles
Story by Emma Taylor

ЦитатаIn a dramatic revelation, a hidden report from a 2018 Pentagon fly-off pitting the F-35 Lightning II against the A-10 Thunderbolt II in their respective combat roles has finally come to light. Released following a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the document illustrates the complexities and constraints of modern air support without declaring a definitive victor, suggesting instead that a combination of the F-35's advanced technology and the A-10's robust capabilities could offer the best solution in combat scenarios.

The fly-off, conducted to determine if the F-35 could effectively replace the A-10's traditional roles, particularly focused on Close Air Support (CAS), Forward Air Controller Airborne (FAC(A)), and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR). Despite the ambitious intent behind the comparison, the results, heavily redacted for national security reasons, left no clear impression of superiority for either aircraft. It appeared the tests did not fully realize the envisioned head-to-head matchup, especially considering the absence of ground troops, which prevented a genuine assessment of the F-35's support capabilities in an engaged-combat context.

The secrecy surrounding the report - it wasn't written until four years after the tests and only disclosed following legal action - fueled speculation that the results were not in favor of the F-35. If the fifth-generation stealth jet had indeed outperformed the A-10, it stands to reason such findings would have been heralded rather than obscured.As POGO asserts, that the "results were apparently not what the Air Force's leaders expected, because they fought to hide them completely for years."
From what could be discerned in the unredacted sections, the A-10C demonstrated its well-known strengths. Designed with a large ammunition capacity to support ground forces, its ability to carry 16 GBU-39 small diameter bombs and deliver 1,350 rounds from its GAU-8 cannon starkly contrasts with the F-35A's capacity for only eight bombs and 181 rounds from its less accurate 25mm cannon. Tactics allowed A-10C pilots to fly closer to targets, leveraging the aircraft's armored protection and redundancy to withstand damage - a clear advantage over the F-35A's reliance on high-altitude flight and stealth.

The F-35's challenges extend beyond the fly-off. A September 2023 Government Accountability Office report painted a grim picture of the F-35 fleet's readiness rates, with a full mission capable rate of less than 50%. This raises concerns about the F-35's ability to maintain a consistent presence in the skies compared to the rugged and reliable A-10.

In an enlightening yet redacted glimpse into pilot preferences, the report mentioned both F-35A and A-10C pilots acknowledging the potential synergies of operating in tandem during contested missions. It intimates a recognition that combining the F-35's advanced systems with the A-10's proven capabilities could enhance mission outcomes - a far cry from the initial Air Force narrative of the F-35 as a solitary successor to the A-10.

"A frequent comment by both F-35A and A-10C pilots during debriefings was the synergies that would occur if A-10C formations operated with F-35A escort during contested CSAR missions. This would combine the strengths of both platforms while mitigating their limitations to improve the likelihood of mission success," the report states.

Despite the substantial obfuscation of the report's content, the underlying message is clear: no solitary winner emerged from the 2018 fly-off. As the Air Force continues to plan the A-10's retirement, this report adds a layer of complexity to the decision, suggesting that the future of effective combat air support may well rest on the wings of both these diverse aircraft working in concert rather than in competition.