Is Ukraine about to have a war?

[NutLoose]

[MAINJAFAD]

According to the UAF, Brimstone's first example of Tank turret throwing on display on the target at the rear of the two struck.

Twitter

[NutLoose]

Reported to be released tapes of the Moskva distress calls

Twitter

[NutLoose]

Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09

(10) Intel Air & Sea on Twitter: "Ukrainian forces training on Brimstone missiles recently https://t.co/0R4CYanyne" / Twitter

it would appear they simply bolted an aircraft triple launcher to a frame to make it vehicle mounted, simple, efficient, quick to develop and easily hidden in a myriad of vehicles.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...ges-in-ukraine

With the fit being relatively simple to build into the back of a truck, it does make one wonder if it would take much fettling to nail a couple of triple launchers on the pylons of something like an SU-25

[Richard W]

Originally Posted by NutLoose

With the fit being relatively simple to build into the back of a truck, it does make one wonder if it would take much fettling to nail a couple of triple launchers on the pylons of something like an SU-25

That's not where the problems arise. There are two major issues:

1. Getting the lay-on information from the aircraft sensors to the launcher. The Russians were apparently concerned at how much the Indians had leaked when integrating ASRAAM onto their Russian-built aircraft.
2. Whether they're safe to launch. Air-launched missiles are perfectly capable of colliding with their launch platform just after launch, and each aircraft type is different. By contrast, there is plenty of experience with the ground-based rig.

[NutLoose]

Thanks, more consequences of Russias invasion

https://www.defensenews.com/global/a...l-with-russia/

NEW DELHI — India has halted negotiations with Russia for the former to acquire 10 Kamov Ka-31 airborne early warning helicopters for $520 million, following uncertainties in arms supplies amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Indian government indefinitely suspended the negotiations with Rosoboronexport and original equipment manufacturer Russian Helicopters, an Indian Defence Ministry official told Defense New on condition of anonymity. The official, who was not authorized to speak to the press, said the government-to-government deal added that the suspension is due to concerns over Moscow’s ability to execute orders as well as issues related to payment transfers.

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/...n-helicopters/

India has scrapped a planned procurement of 48 Russian Mi-17 V5 helicopters in favor of local production, India Today revealed, citing sources.

The outlet underlined that the decision was made before the war broke out in Ukraine and is not connected with it.

However, Indian publication Economic Times reported earlier that there were concerns in India that the war would have a “medium to long term” impact on the aircraft’s maintenance, as most of its “key engine parts” are sourced from Ukrainian manufacturers.

[Cat Techie]

Originally Posted by Richard W

That's not where the problems arise. There are two major issues:

1. Getting the lay-on information from the aircraft sensors to the launcher. The Russians were apparently concerned at how much the Indians had leaked when integrating ASRAAM onto their Russian-built aircraft.
2. Whether they're safe to launch. Air-launched missiles are perfectly capable of colliding with their launch platform just after launch, and each aircraft type is different. By contrast, there is plenty of experience with the ground-based rig.

Certainly with the second. The missile that doesn't accelerate properly isn't going to fly into its launcher on the ground that is not going forward. Believe the ground launchers are using the millimetric seekers so aimed as your target is over there, it looks like that so go and hunt it. MainJafad will be up to speed on the system. And a Truck is not likely to be shot down by the MEZ that all the SAM assets about has made UKR.

[ORAC]

Reputedly out for what they thought was some bedroom gymnastics. No indication of ranks….

Ukraine's Military: High-ranking Russian military officials killed by Melitopol guerrillas. Russian occupying forces are “trying to hide this situation,” the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration reported on its Telegram channel on May 17.

Yesterday, Russians discovered two bodies in the morning hours in the area of house No. 52 on Heroes of Ukraine St. in Melitopol, a hotbed of Ukrainian resistance. The deceased were two high ranking Russians that have met a timely end by the hands of local partisans.

[ORAC]

[BEagle]

Reported to be released tapes of the Moskva distress calls

I don't believe that recording to be authentic. Background klaxon is probably an audio file and the voices are describing Moskva damage information freely available from the Internet.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by ORAC

The deceased were two high ranking Russians that have met a timely end by the hands of local partisans.

I bet they were glad it wasn't an untimely end ...

[NutLoose]

Originally Posted by BEagle

I don't believe that recording to be authentic. Background klaxon is probably an audio file and the voices are describing Moskva damage information freely available from the Internet.

I had a little doubt too, but the Daily Mail also ran the story, not that it's a guarantee of anything.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...t-Ukraine.html

[dead_pan]

Originally Posted by MAINJAFAD

According to the UAF, Brimstone's first example of Tank turret throwing on display on the target at the rear of the two struck.

Could someone enlighten me as to how these weapons would operate in this situation i.e. are they pre-programmed with the general target location and then use their MMW seeker for terminal guidance? Also, is the seeker capable of discriminating between say a tank and something like a truck?

[ORAC]

For Brimstone 1 - yes, yes and no. Which was known as the minibus full of nuns problem. Brilliant for the designed battle against massed tanks in the Fulda Gap. Not so much in places such as Afghanistan.

Which is why Brimstone 1 was updated to Brimstone 2 and then 3.

But the antitank and armour role in Donbass is exactly what Brimstone 1 it was designed for…

Then again, I’m not sure what the shelf-life was and it’s probable those being delivered are all Mk 2 or 3.

[dead_pan]

Originally Posted by ORAC

For Brimstone 1 - yes, yes and no. Which was known as the minibus full of nuns problem. Brilliant for the designed battle against massed tanks in the Fulda Gap. Not so much in places such as Afghanistan.

Which is why Brimstone 1 was updated to Brimstone 2 and then 3.

But the antitank and armour role in Donbass is exactly what Brimstone 1 it was designed for…

Then again, I’m not sure what the shelf-life was and it’s probable those being delivered are all Mk 2 or 3.

Many thanks.

[NutLoose]

Wiki states the MK3 had surface to surface capability.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brimstone_(missile)

Brimstone 3

In March 2019, MBDA successfully tested the latest Brimstone 3 version in Sweden, now including surface-to-surface firing, plus new hardware allowing future enhancements.[

Though dates on the missile remains indicate possible Mk1

https://armourersbench.com/2022/05/15/brimstone-missiles-in-ukraine/


..

[MAINJAFAD]

Originally Posted by dead_pan

Could someone enlighten me as to how these weapons would operate in this situation i.e. are they pre-programmed with the general target location and then use their MMW seeker for terminal guidance? Also, is the seeker capable of discriminating between say a tank and something like a truck?

Millimetric radio frequencies are not that far off those of infra red, so the seeker can basically see an image of the target which it will then compare with a target list of "Radar" images in its memory. If the weapon was anything like the 81mm Merlin Guided Mortar bomb that was developed around the same time, it would then attack what it saw in an order of priority of anything moving first, Tank top of the list, Truck at the bottom, followed by anything static in the same order. Problem with that weapon (From somebody I know who was involved in its trials) was the mortar bombs seeker couldn't tell if the target had already been hit or not, thus after all the tanks had been stopped or everything was static, bombs would only home on the tanks that had already been taken out and ignore everything else. It was one of the reasons the weapon was canned from my source. I suspect Brimstone can be programmed before launch to attack a specific type of vehicle.

[MAINJAFAD]

Originally Posted by ORAC

For Brimstone 1 - yes, yes and no. Which was known as the minibus full of nuns problem. Brilliant for the designed battle against massed tanks in the Fulda Gap. Not so much in places such as Afghanistan.

Which is why Brimstone 1 was updated to Brimstone 2 and then 3.

But the antitank and armour role in Donbass is exactly what Brimstone 1 it was designed for…

Then again, I’m not sure what the shelf-life was and it’s probable those being delivered are all Mk 2 or 3.

From the info dates on the data plates, most likely Mk 1's, though they are very likely almost life ex or have had an extension or two.

[peter we]

Originally Posted by ORAC

For Brimstone 1 - yes, yes and no. Which was known as the minibus full of nuns problem. Brilliant for the designed battle against massed tanks in the Fulda Gap. Not so much in places such as Afghanistan.

Which is why Brimstone 1 was updated to Brimstone 2 and then 3.

But the antitank and armour role in Donbass is exactly what Brimstone 1 it was designed for…

Then again, I’m not sure what the shelf-life was and it’s probable those being delivered are all Mk 2 or 3.

Shelf life for Hellfire was 10 years with 3 year extension (according to an Internet document))

Brimstone 2 was for replenishment.

Photos of a supposed Brimstone posted a few days ago must have been hellfire. Too old (2004) and the seeker was the wrong shape.

[NutLoose]

Russia claim to have taken out Ukrainian M777 Howitzers......... and they have film to prove it....... the only flaw is the film shows them as all appear to be missing the targets.
However

Twitter

It appears a Russian armoured train may have been hit by saboteurs in Melitipol and also high ranking officers have been killed elsewhere in the town