Macron announces Mirage 2000 fighters for Ukraine.
In French

The French have a good history of follow through on military contracts and will no doubt allow the Ukrainian pilots and ground crews to train on them. Unlike the fiasco in #10972 above where the American political-military complex is delaying F16 training until a pro-Putin president is in the White House.

Slowly and ponderously the American Military Industrial complex is losing its attraction as a supplier of choice. Support can be removed on the political whim of a minority in their government.

'The Conversation' update;
Ammunition, Kharkiv, and Asian views

https://theconversationuk.cmail19.co...-nirulyukid-r/

I am very puzzled by the situation re US F-16 training (assuming the article above is accurate). It reads rather like a scene from Yes Minister.

What is going on? Why are the Americans dragging their feet on this? I doubt the real reason is Trump/MAGA - they are not in power, and I doubt they could bring to bear such influence over the DOD. A large aid package was recently passed despite their opposition!

Contractual obligations to train other nation’s pilots as well. Somehow that’s interpreted in some odd ways.

Sounds like it could be either the UAE or Greek jets, or both.

The UAE jets have rumoured to be heading towards Ukraine for over a year, the Greek since they recently announced their retirement, but government sources dismissing the idea.

Hopefully more Ito be revealed later today.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024...-train-pilots/

France to supply Mirage 2000-5 jets to Ukraine, train pilots

PARIS — France plans to supply Mirage 2000-5 jets to Ukraine and begin training pilots this summer, with the first training completed by the end of the year, French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday.

France is building a coalition with other countries to provide the jets, similar to the coalition by several other European countries to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters, Macron said in an interview with broadcasters TF1 and France 2. The French president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were in Normandy for D-Day commemorations.

We’ll be launching a new cooperation program and announcing the transfer of Mirage 2000-5s — French fighter jets that will enable Ukraine to protect its soil and airspace,” Macron said. “From tomorrow, we’re going to launch a pilot training program, followed by the transfer of these aircraft.”

Dassault Aviation produced about 600 Mirage 2000 jets, of which half were exported to eight countries including Greece, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.

The Mirage 2000-5 is an updated air defense variant with improved radar. It’s compatible with the Mica air-to-air missile as well as the Scalp cruise missiles that France has supplied to Ukraine, which is fighting off a Russian invasion.

Macron declined to say how many jets France will provide, noting details will follow on Friday when Zelenskyy is in Paris.

“The key factor is pilot training time, and so we’re going to propose to President Zelenskyy that pilots be trained as early as this summer — it normally takes five to six months — so that by the end of the year they’ll be able to fly these aircraft,” Macron said, adding that the Ukrainian pilots will be trained in France….

I suspect the delays and other nonsense are more to do with the American election.
The US may, in the background be saying to Ukraine that it needs to accept a negotiated settlement before the US election incase the Orange Random Factor gets in.
With no likely Ukrainian Offensive on the horizon this year or a successful push from the Russians, then we are at a stalemate.
The war could be unlocked with Ukraine being given the ability to Himars (its a new verb I just invented) deep into Russian territory and a large number of F16s.
However that wouldn't bring a ceasefire that Biden needs this summer.

🇷🇺BSF: NOVOROSSIYSK🇷🇺
0.5m📷 from 5 June 2024. Appears to have been a bit of an exodus from Novorossiysk

GONE - 2x Pr. 22160 | 2x Pr. 21631 | 2x KILO | Alexandrit | 2x Natya | Ivan Gren | All Ropuchas | Alligator

What's Ivan up to?…….

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....cfb9440559.png


🚨Update🚨
🇷🇺BSF: NOVOROSSIYSK🇷🇺
Sentinel 2 📷 from 6 June 2024 (08:37 UTC) indicate the COMPLETION of the exodus of the BSF from Novorossiysk

Hard to be certain given resolution, but I think even the KILOs have left

This is getting stranger by the minute

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....878742b7ed.png

​​​​​​​

Are Kilo’s able to fire ICBM’s or are they not considered to be boomers?

"Your ad can be here"
...Ukrainian drone pilots are marketing geniuses 😅👌

Bombers live in Murmansk and Vladivostok. Kilo's aren't ICBM carriers.

.... tho I think they can lob Cruise Missiles about. Let's hope they are picked up and dealt with!

:sad:

​​​​​​​

I suspect you mean 'boomers'.

I get 'page doesn't exist'.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news...in-sevastopol/

Russian Submarine Hit By Missiles Now In New Hiding Place In Sevastopol

The Russian Navy Kilo Class submarine which was hit by Storm Shadow / SCALP cruise missiles has been moved. The Rostov on Don is now in a new hiding place further inside the Crimean port of Sevastopol. It is camouflaged but has not gone unnoticed.

No, he means "Bombers". Heaven knows why gthe USN calls them boomers when they launch bombs not booms...

Winemaker.:(:sad:

Images from the none existent link, that shows on my PC.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....506567e2a.jpeg


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ee26818b1.jpeg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1fe5bd280.jpeg[​​​​​​​

What’s that on his back?