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.

Wiki states the MK3 had surface to surface capability.

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

Though dates on the missile remains indicate possible Mk1

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


..

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Alas close enough to cause some casualties and possibly damage to the M777, as the second Tweet points out.

Have to say those drones are an effin' menace. One features here, tracking an ITV news crew:

Interestingly the MOD update today as to the state of play map wise is still showing Mariupol as contested, and the briefing avoids mentioning the city having fallen.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f725619dc.jpeg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....119a6c194.jpeg

The Telegraph is reporting that not all of the Ukrainian forces have left the plant.

With Ukranian resistance in the steel works apparently tying up a lot of Russian forces, it makes sense to maintain some presence (albeit at huge risk to the individuals involved). Shipping out everyone they can manage without removes them from harm's way (hopefully); make sure it's well-publicised in the hope that stops the Russians from disappearing them, and there's a reduced demand on whatever resources remain within the works.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....31489a1c59.png

NutLoose, I find the "441 UAV" figure to be very significant (to me) as a data point, given how drones have been changing warfare for about two decades. Any idea on how many drones Ukraine has lost (they use them a lot) or is that number not well understood?

General Petraeus thoughts on the war

Oryx found visual confirmation for 61 Russian UAVs and 22 Ukrainian UAVs (captured or destroyed). A week ago Russia was claiming they destroyed 821 Ukrainian drones.

Russian losses verified from photo evidence they give, but i would bet a lot are not recorded

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/0...equipment.html

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (61, of which destroyed: 34, captured: 27)

Ukrainian

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/0...ukrainian.html

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (22, of which destroyed: 18, captured: 4)

Thank you, Mike.
The difference in reported 'confirmed' versus 'estimated' in my experience was about a factor of 3 (that was human casualties) which looks similar to the delta here (at least in terms of order of magnitude). One should make considerable allowance for estimation/error/dual reporting during an ongoing conflict.

NutLoose: thanks for the video link, the General offered a pretty sober assessment.

Nuttoose, any idea where those photos are located? That's slot of graves, more than 3100 recent or prepped by a rough count.

Looks similar to a Maxar satellite image of a cemetry near Mariupol:

Yes one of the new grave sites around Mariupol :(