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[Loud Whispers]

I find it especially amusing that we are starting to see triple\quad maxims used as AA weapons against slow-moving drones like Shahed and this vintage setup is way more effective than using modern infantry machineguns for this role. (sure, something like Oerlikon would be better but...)

BTW, Russia produced this abomination to fight drones and I actually think that it is a really smart idea to use old naval AA turrets for this.

Ah yes the premium MT-LB

It might actually be a good idea to mount naval AA on a mobile platform. One can imagine a world where CIWS is mounted on a truck and bussed around everywhere to provide cheap anti-drone/anti-missile coverage

[Jopax]

The C-RAM Centurion already does that, tho I'm not sure if those will ever be considered for aid, one would think such a system would offer a much better cost efficiency when shooting down drones and the like.

And while macgyvering a ship turret onto a tracked platform sounds cool and like a good idea in theory the example linked there looks like a tipping accident waiting to happen. To say nothing of how much strain is being put on the chassis with weight that most probably was not taken into consideration when it was first built.

One would think they'd be better off scrounging up their remaining stock of Shilkas for the role as those were purpose built for a fairly similar role, but it's doubtful there's many of those left around if the rest of their vehicle stocks are any indication.

[Strongpoint]

Of course, a proper modern army will never bother doing anything like that MTLB from hell, I just dislike when people ridicule actually smart ideas that use limited resources. Not everything that Russians do is laughable

Cope cages are stupid, putting reactive armor on BMPs is idiotic, and digging trenches on Crimean beaches is brainless. Doing such a low-tech solution against slow-flying drones is actually a good idea.

[King Zultan]

They can't be wrong 100% of the time, they were bound to get it right eventually and it appears they have with that thing.

[ChairmanPoo]

Iirc Italy has something similar, the Oto Melara. But theirs actually doubles as naval artillery changing the ammo

[Jopax]

See, as smart as the idea might be, the execution IMO turns it into a terrible waste of resources. You've made the vehicle a much bigger and slower target, as well as moved it's center of gravity significantly (and not in a good way, leading to both worse handling and higher chances of it just breaking). The turret itself comes from a ship, which means it most likely needs an outside power source if you want it to have a usable rate of traverse against aircraft. Compare this to just welding on a heavy MG mount, something that's been proven to work and has been a staple of of soviet armored vehicles for decades and this seems like going with the rule of cool without thinking trough the actual effectiveness and practicality of the modifications.

[Loud Whispers]

Cope cages are stupid, putting reactive armor on BMPs is idiotic, and digging trenches on Crimean beaches is brainless. Doing such a low-tech solution against slow-flying drones is actually a good idea.

Trenches in crimean beaches might be a show meant to discourage NATO from launching a marine assault from the black sea. Or it could be the work of mobiks who want to look busy so they have a reasonable excuse for why they aren't fighting on the front lines, doing important "fortification work"

[jipehog]

few quick news updates that haven't seen been mentioned:
* First Challenger 2 tank has arrived in Ukraine.
* Russia has attempted to surround Avdiivka and lost tanks.
* Belarus to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons.
* Talk of USA providing new type of weapon Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (which I believe has better reach and cost than current HIMARS GMLRS ammo)

Cope cages are stupid, putting reactive armor on BMPs is idiotic, and digging trenches on Crimean beaches is brainless. Doing such a low-tech solution against slow-flying drones is actually a good idea.

Trenches in crimean beaches might be a show meant to discourage NATO from launching a marine assault from the black sea. Or it could be the work of mobiks who want to look busy so they have a reasonable excuse for why they aren't fighting on the front lines, doing important "fortification work"

It could have been used to signal NATO its determination, or internally to scare its own people to get them mobilize to fight on the front. Or maybe just used for training purpose, were there any news of anyone actually using them?

[Lord Shonus]

GLSDB was officially announced a fair bit of time ago, so this would merely be the first example in theater if Russia isn't lying.

GLSDB isn't much more capable than existing GMLRS munitions (the main utility is that they have greater terminal maneuverability, which could help against some targets), but does have a significant advantage nonetheless. GMLRS is fairly new, and part of a capability that the US has kept on the backburner for a long time. This translates to extremely limited quantities in the magazine. GLSDB mates surplus MLRS motors (which the US has in vast numbers from decommissioned cluster rockets) and mates them to the aircraft-launched Small Diameter Bomb (which the US been building in huge numbers as part of a "the skies will rain fire and steel" warfighting strategy). The only new component is the mating collar. Functionally, this means that there is no longer a worry of the US having to stop supply due to running out.

[scriver]

Ground Mounted Large Rectal Solution

[Starver]

few quick news updates that haven't seen been mentioned:
* First Challenger 2 tank has arrived in Ukraine.

First I'd heard of that actually happening (haven't heard any news today, though)... But the Leopard 2 was about to arrive, if you meant that, also on the promisary list. It'll be hopefully good to see them all in use, though, and all the rest.

(And the fact that the Challenger was to arrive bundled with DU ammunition was seized upon by Putin that we were delivering "nuclear materials" to Ukraine - despite DU being far from what he was implying as Ukraine can probably scrape together actual useful amounts of far more radiological substances just from the various actual nuclear power stations they are still operating/in control of, should they so desire. And it was no shock to me when the announcement of tactical nukes being installed in Belarus came. That likely was already happening, but they of course leapt upon this very flimsy excuse to justify the action and 'sell' the necessity.)

[Loud Whispers]

Ukrainian defence minister looked very happy when he inspected the challenger IIs

[Lord Shonus]

(And the fact that the Challenger was to arrive bundled with DU ammunition was seized upon by Putin that we were delivering "nuclear materials" to Ukraine - despite DU being far from what he was implying as Ukraine can probably scrape together actual useful amounts of far more radiological substances just from the various actual nuclear power stations they are still operating/in control of, should they so desire. And it was no shock to me when the announcement of tactical nukes being installed in Belarus came. That likely was already happening, but they of course leapt upon this very flimsy excuse to justify the action and 'sell' the necessity.)

Note also that the Soviet Union was pretty big on Depleted Uranium penetrators, and it is near certain that both Ukraine and Russia have been using them extensively already.

Much of the panic over DU is based on fairly weak evidence. It is certain that inhaling large quantities is not good for you (chemical toxicity is the only real hazard other than the immediate "flaming spear of death" effect - radiation emissions from DU are extremely low), but this is true of all heavy metals including tungsten and lead.  Long-term deleterious health effects on soldiers from handling or getting shot at with such ammunition have no support at all (the link to Gulf War Syndrome was a red herring - that disease was almost certainly caused by the experimental nerve gas vaccine the troops were given before deployment), and claims that civilians are being harmed by long-term contamination from DU specifically are only supported by vague epidemiological studies that are unable to separate DU from all the other contaminants you find around a battlefield.

[Duuvian]

How is the pilot training going? I haven't seen much in the news since it began.

[Loud Whispers]

How is the pilot training going? I haven't seen much in the news since it began.

America has started training Ukrainian pilots, Poland is keen to get started ASAP, Ukraine is ready to send more pilots. This RAF chappy says it takes 4 years to train a pilot from scratch, 6 months for an experienced pilot to learn how to fly a western jet, and weeks if you want to "cut corners" to teach basics that would get a pilot combat ready at a "high risk." So even at the most gungho expedited training program I wouldn't expect a legion of Ukrainian fighter pilots announced yet

In a related note I also found this rather positive press release from February:

President Zelenskyy will visit the UK today to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and address parliament as the UK steps up its delivery of lethal aid into the country, and prepares to train fighter jet pilots and marines.                                                                                 
The leaders will discuss a two-pronged approach to UK support for Ukraine, starting with an immediate surge of military equipment to the country to help counter Russia’s spring offensive, and reinforced by long-term support.

The Prime Minister will also offer the UK’s backing to President Zelenskyy’s plans to work towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
As part of today’s talks, the Prime Minister will offer to bolster the UK’s training offer for Ukrainian troops, including expanding it to fighter jet pilots to ensure Ukraine can defend its skies well into the future.

The Prime Minister will also offer to provide Ukraine with longer range capabilities. This will disrupt Russia’s ability to continually target Ukraine’s civilian and critical national infrastructure and help relieve pressure on Ukraine’s frontlines.

The President and his team will also meet defence and security chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of the Air Staff, to discuss the details of the training programme.

I think it bodes well for Ukraine for the PM to just casually drop "oh yeah we are giving Ukraine long range weapons that we expect to be used to strike Russia." It'll hopefully set a precedent for more anxious allies to do likewise since this quiet announcement hasn't started WWIII yet