Wars & Rumours of Wars

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
US is asked to join search for British F-35 stealth fighter that crashed in the Mediterranean in race to stop Russia from recovering secret American tech

The US has been asked to help locate and salvage a crashed British fighter jet, in order to prevent the top-secret American technology from falling into Russian hands. The Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning II, one of 24 such aircraft that America has delivered to the UK, crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday after the RAF pilot safely ejected.

The top-secret technology on board the stealth jet is now believed to be more than a mile below the surface, and the British military has requested assistance from US teams in the area, according to The Times of London.

The Pentagon referred a DailyMail.com inquiry about salvage efforts to the UK Ministry of Defence, which could not be immediately reached after UK business hours on Thursday.

The $130 million F-35B short-take-off, vertical-landing jet was one of eight British aircraft deployed on the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, where 10 US Marine F-35B jets are also deployed.

The race is now on to locate and recover the wreckage of the advanced stealth fighter before it can be located by Russia, which maintains a Mediterranean naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus.

The Russian Navy's 5th Operational Squadron which operates from the base is believed to include both nuclear and diesel-powered submarines.
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RAF F-35 crash was SEVENTH time jets have malfunctioned in 7 years

June 23, 2014: A USAF F-35A had a catastrophic engine fire caused by a fractured rotor which saw it turn into a blaze as it took off in Florida.

October 27, 2016: A US Marine Corp F-35B set alight mid-flight due to a fire in its weapons bay before the pilot landed safely in Beaufort, South Carolina.

September 28, 2018: All operational F-35s were grounded while a probe was launched into why a fuel tube failed in flight after a horror crash at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina.

April 9, 2019: Parts of the tail of a Japanese F-35 were found in the sea around 85 miles east of Misawa during a training mission.

May 19. 2020: This F-35 crash on landing was caused by a tired, distracted pilot and unresponsive tail glitch.

September 20, 2020: A F-35 stealth fighter jet fell out of the sky and exploded on the ground after hitting a KC-130J tanker in a mid-air collision near the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California.


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There are international laws regarding maritime salvage that apply here.

This is an interesting incident that brought to light early US deep recovery capability - which in 1966 were still a clusterfuck. But they got what they were after. 1966 Palomares B-52 crash - Wikipedia

I'd be surprised if Russia or anybody else has the capability to retrieve this thing. But, who the hell knows. Even if they find it first I bet we have ways of destroying it

Incidentally, the takeaway from the Palomares link would be the name John P Craven. He has passed away, but if you were ever looking for the government's Chief Scientist Who Knows Things - really Knows Things, that would have been the man.
 

Dejan Corovic

As above, so bellow
There are international laws regarding maritime salvage that apply here.

This is an interesting incident that brought to light early US deep recovery capability - which in 1966 were still a clusterfuck. But they got what they were after. 1966 Palomares B-52 crash - Wikipedia

I'd be surprised if Russia or anybody else has the capability to retrieve this thing. But, who the hell knows. Even if they find it first I bet we have ways of destroying it

Incidentally, the takeaway from the Palomares link would be the name John P Craven. He has passed away, but if you were ever looking for the government's Chief Scientist Who Knows Things - really Knows Things, that would have been the man.

;-) :) :)

Russians don't have tech to recover their own stuff from the bottom of the sea, never mind somebody else's.
 

Dejan Corovic

As above, so bellow
art.memes__All Wars fought in the World.jpg

An interesting view on human history. The chart above shows all the wars that humankind ever fought.

By comparison with Europe, America and China are civilised regions.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
 

Dejan Corovic

As above, so bellow


No country in its right mind should be messing with China. China has 1.5 B people, US only 0.35 B and China is growing faster, even when adjusted for biased GDP reporting.

US is hard to reach, but China is impossible to surround. China will always have back-country from which it can re-group.

In a hypothetical war across the Pacific US would need to maintain military logistics across wast distances. This ultra-long logistics distance is Achilles heal of the US. Chine can keep attacking these supply lines. Overstretched logistic lines were what killed both Napoleon and Hitler when they attacked Russia. Its almost better for US to let China attack West Coast and than US can harass China's overstretched logistic lines. Remember US general Paton's words "I don't know what logistics is, but sure I need some". He said that when his tanks run out of fuel while chasing Nazis.

US is completely wrong to constantly keep poking at Chinese. Things can turn nasty by a pure misjudged accident and then nobody will be able to stop the escalation into a full nuclear war. Only sensible policy is perusing mutual benefit and peaceful progress of both nations. US can keep its own advantage for very long into future by simply out-spending China on science.

Nuclear WW3 with China would be at least SIX times more devastating for the planet than war with the Soviet Union, simply because China's GDP is approximately that many times bigger than CCCP's.
 
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pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
The phrase may be apocryphal but 'amateurs talk tactics and professionals talk logistics'

China is pushy but not suicidal and is a regional entity, incapable of projecting power globally. The Russians sure can't anymore - they'll do well to fail to take a bite out of the Crimea because they probably can't digest it properly. The Red Army ain't no more but popular opinion in the West fueled my nonsensical media makes them out to be more of a boogeyman than they really are.

But China likes to push where it perceives weakness and is persistent and just wants to see what sticks.

Chinese salami slicing strategy - Wikipedia

They've done this with India and Vietnam and more recently to the Philippines. They rightfully perceive weakness and division and incompetence in US leadership and that explains their aggressive rhetoric - Taiwan is something they want very much and is tantalizingly close to their grasp. With our current administration plus Gen. Miley at JCS I expect some sort of low level confrontation to escalate. They're not tied to a four year political cycle like we are and take a longer view - I wonder if they see the changes coming and will decide to act sooner than later.
 

Dejan Corovic

As above, so bellow
Yeah, Taiwan is in trouble long term, because China will attack it at some point in future. Currently China is just testing the water and waiting.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
This is terrible and it's all because of Biden, their suffering and blood is on his hands...

Heartbreaking images from Afghanistan food crisis: How to help

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Nearly four months since the Taliban seized power and the United States pulled its troops from Afghanistan, the country is facing numerous humanitarian crises, including a critical food shortage that some aid groups say could kill a million Afghan children this winter.

The New York Times reported this week that an estimated 22.8 million people — more than half the country’s population — are expected to face potentially life-threatening food insecurity. According to an analysis by the United Nations World Food Program and Food and Agriculture Organization, 8.7 million people are nearing famine — putting Afghanistan on the brink of a mass starvation. And children are among the most vulnerable.
The crisis has been triggered in part by an economic collapse since the Taliban takeover, as U.S. sanctions against the militant group have isolated the country and made it harder for international relief organizations to deliver aid.

At the same time, Afghanistan’s health care system is on the edge of collapse, with more than $600 million in health care aid frozen after the Taliban swept into Kabul.

There are, however, several ways to help. In October, the United States issued two general licenses, clearing the way to allow the U.S. government and certain international organizations, like the U.N., to engage with the Taliban to provide humanitarian assistance.


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nivek

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Taliban pleads with Washington to show 'mercy and compassion' and release $10bn in funds frozen when it seized control of Afghanistan



Speaking in a rare interview, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said the funds would help millions of the country's citizens that are in desperate need. He also claimed Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers are committed in principle to education and jobs for girls and women, a marked departure from their previous time in power which saw a history of oppression and human rights abuses. Speaking to the Associated Press, Muttaqi said the new government wants good relations with all countries and has no issue with the United States. He urged Washington and other nations to release the funds that were frozen when the Taliban took power on August 15, following a rapid military sweep across Afghanistan and the sudden, secret flight of US-backed President Ashraf Ghani.

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nivek

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Vladimir Putin says eastern Ukraine is RUSSIAN and demands NATO 'security guarantees' amid invasion fears - but plays down talk of war and welcomes peace talks with US at press conference

Vladimir Putin today claimed eastern Ukraine is Russian and demanded NATO give 'security guarantees' amid fears he is poised to invade the country - but played down talk of war and said he welcomed peace talks with the US.

Putin, speaking during his annual end-of-year press conference, described Ukraine as 'historical territories' that fell outside of Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

He said Donbass, a Ukrainian region on the Russian border, 'never thought of itself as anything other than part of Russia' and that he was 'forced to do something about it in 2014'.

The remarks were some of Putin's strongest ever on the history of Ukraine and are a possible indication of just how far the Russian strongman may be willing to go.

Putin also demanded NATO provide 'guarantees' that the organisation will not expand 'further eastward' and insisted the buildup on Ukraine's border was a defence force assembled for 'security' reasons, downplaying the prospect of an invasion.


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pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
It wouldn't be quite so importantly Russian if it had no strategic value. But this isn't the exactly South China Sea, they might have a good reason to be annoyed with the West. We've been pressuring former Soviet Republics to join NATO.



Russians in Cuba espousing commie brotherhood emplacing deadly weapons didn't sit too well with us either and almost triggered WW3. No way Russia will have it's demands met by NATO but I would hope actual war will be averted. Russia might then have an opportunity to demonstrate it isn't as scary as we like to think it still is.
 

nivek

As Above So Below

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
The Ukraine certainly wants our help, it's definitely a sticky situation thst could very well lead to war if we aren't careful...What if Russia does invade and tries to take eastern Ukraine, do we sit idle by and let it happen?...Would that embolden Russia to take more?...

Putin wants to destroy Ukraine: Ukrainian leaders beg West for weapons and say army and civilian population will combine to fight against any invasion as 104,000 Russian troops stand ready on border

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They have modernized and reorganized their Western Military District considerably in the past 10 years or so. They have the local combat capability but I am not sure they have the staying power necessary. They can probably take Ukraine but keeping it is another matter. Kind of weird but reading about conflict from 150 years ago the differences between 'regulars' and 'volunteers' and/or 'conscripts' still exist and as I understand it their ability to keep large numbers of people under arms deployed is difficult and expensive for them as they rely on conscription and relatively short term service.
 

Dejan Corovic

As above, so bellow
They have modernized and reorganized their Western Military District considerably in the past 10 years or so. They have the local combat capability but I am not sure they have the staying power necessary. They can probably take Ukraine but keeping it is another matter. Kind of weird but reading about conflict from 150 years ago the differences between 'regulars' and 'volunteers' and/or 'conscripts' still exist and as I understand it their ability to keep large numbers of people under arms deployed is difficult and expensive for them as they rely on conscription and relatively short term service.

Putin is just bluffing. Ukraine has unlimited staying power because it's western border is direct contact with NATO so it can receive unlimited supplies. Putin knows that.

Putin only counts on Europe's need for natural gas. Comes the spring and his plan will melt away.

But in a long term, all that NATO needs to do is to switch to EVs and Russia will go bankrupt. Probably Iran as well :)
 
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nivek

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Iran Revolutionary Guards commander says 'revenge' coming for Soleimani strike from 'within' US

The leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that revenge for Lt. General Qassem Soleimani’s death will come for the United States from "within" the country itself. Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Forces, was killed in a Jan. 3 U.S. strike in Baghdad, days after Iranian-backed militia supporters stormed the U.S. embassy in Iraq.

Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, who replaced Soleimani, spoke during the second anniversary of Soleimani’s death, which Iran has labeled as "martyrdom." Ghaani underscored the republic’s dedication to avenging the general’s death, saying that the "ground for the hard revenge" will come from "within" the homes of Americans.

"We do not need to be present as supervisors everywhere, wherever is necessary we take revenge against Americans by the help of people on their side and within their own homes without our presence," Ghaani said, according to Tasnim News.

He urged the United States to "deal" with those involved in Soleimani’s "assassination" itself before the "children of the Resistance Front" need to take matters into their own hands. "This revenge has begun," Ghaani added. "Americans will be uprooted from the region."

The Tasnim News Agency is a private agency owned by the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization, which claims to defend "the Islamic Revolution against negative media propaganda campaign and providing … readers with realities on the ground about Iran and Islam."

The Iran Foreign Ministry also added more American individuals to its Counter-Terrorism Designation over their "participation in decision-making, organizing, financing and carrying out the terrorist act against General Soleimani and his company," according to Abas Aslani of the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies.


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nivek

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Undersea cable connecting Norway and Arctic satellite station is mysteriously damaged

An undersea fiberoptic cable which provides vital internet connection and communications links between mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean has mysteriously been put out of action.

The outage on the subsea communications cable, which is the northern most cable of its kind in the world, first occurred on January 7 but was only revealed to the public yesterday by Space Norway, who owns and maintains the technology.

The disruption, which occurred on one of two fiberoptic cables, could prove disastrous as it means there is now only one connection between the mainland and Svalbard with no backup. The cables provide essential power for Space Norway to run the Svalbard Satellite Station (SvalSat), and also enable broadband internet connection on the islands.

Should the second cable fail before repairs are made, Svalbard's citizens and SvalSat will be effectively cut off from Norway.

It comes as Britain's newly appointed chief of the defence staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, warned that Russia may look to cripple such vital undersea communications wires supporting the UK.

In an interview at the weekend, Radakin said there had been 'a phenomenal increase' in Russian submarine activity over the past 20 years, adding: 'Russia has grown the capability to put at threat those undersea cables and potentially exploit them.'


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nivek

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pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
The Arctic has long been recognized as the new 'strategic high ground' and climate change has accelerated that.

We were tapping and recording metallic undersea cables in the 1960s right under their red commie noses. In various other threads I've droned on about deep submergence capability and when stories like this pop up along with Arctic Strategery it sounds like another chapter in the same old book to me.
 
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