Originally Posted by
Beamr
....
Problem for Russians is that mobilization takes time. It takes at least months to make any real effect in the front unless they just drive the fresh troops to the border by trains and leave them there, WW2 style, some have the rifles and others have the ammo. And this delay would be the opportunity for Ukraine to make a breakthrough, but it would require the West to disregard the NBC thteats and make a big boost on arms deliveries to Ukraine: MBTs, long range missiles, even thise A10's or vipers if Ukraine has some pilots as rumoured, anything and everything they need. Make the Z-forces current forces annihilate so that some 100k new troops won't make a difference....
The A-10 has some measure of survivability in contested airspace. They are not dealing with the VVS, they would be subject to AAA, small arms, and MANPADS, which are still plentiful . The S-300/400 seems really good at shooting S-300/400 sites, or being used to shoot down schools and apartment blocks, but less effective at present against high speed targets. No one has ever suggested that the A-10 is "high speed", after all it gets bird strikes from the rear, but the Su-25 has been employed fairly well, and while faster than the A-10, it's systems are so-so for taking damage and keeping on trucking. Would think that there are a number of FGA drivers sitting around right now that would be quite prepared to strap on the gun and go plinking Putin and his uninvited guests that are in their home land. The A-10 does fly down low well. The ballistic release path that has become fashionable as a technique should be well within the skills of the UF drivers, and the targeting systems of even the A models was upgraded over time, and there is always china graph pencils. With the threat environment, the Predator type drones are great for drawing fire, but are not likely to last very long, a shorter life cycle than the smaller Bayraktar I would expect. The A-10 risks the guys, but they are motivated, and are able to operate in the weeds. Pretty certain they will have a number of volunteers prepared to go shoot the gun at Vlad's team.
The hardest thing about going from a Soviet design to the western design is the ADI, it takes a self brief to make sure that there isn't a subconscious roll in response to a quick glance of the A/I. Soviet cockpits were surprisingly standard in layout, not that much different to the west, if one discounts the shotgun scatter system employed by British HMI systems designers pre the Typhoon (EFA, saved by French input, n'est-ce pas vrai? )
