Russia - threadbanned users in OP

That's what threw me ,

I wonder if the su35 wasn't preped for air combat ,If they hadn't got archers or similar on board they would have been left with cannon but no guarantee they had ammunition either,

Even Early on we seen Ukrainians shooting down su35s that didn't even try to evade the Ukrainans

I think it is more subtle than that. Rather than being provoked they were given an excuse to attack. And they need very little excuse.

I think it may have something to do with the mindset of the pilots and their commanders. I read a book recently called "The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command" by Andrew Gordon. Whilst it mostly deals with naval matters, he makes a point about the change in caliber of Royal Navy officers in the long period of naval dominance that followed Trafalgar. Basically, Gordon argues that in an organisation that finds itself in a long period of peace, particularly one imposed by its own dominance, over time, the "rogues" & "rat-catchers" would be sidelined by more cautious officers who are better able to navigate the demands of a peacetime world.

Basically, as the memory of the last conflict fades away, square-bashing on the parade ground, well-rehearsed maneuvers, polished brass & spit-shined boots become more important than tactical skills, ship-handling prowess and leadership skills. Officers that challenge this status quo are often sidelined as troublemakers. Of course that means that, once war starts, said organisation will find itself with a cadre of officers unsuited to the quick-changing and chaotic environment of a battlefield and over time, the "rogues & rat catchers" gain the ascendancy. Gordon argues that this is one of the major reasons why the Royal Navy's early performances in WW1, particularly at Coronel & Jutland, were so dismal.

I think that we're seeing both sides of this paradigm play out in and over Ukraine at the moment. On one side, we have the Russian military which, whilst a shadow of its former Cold-War self, entered the conflict essentially undefeated and after a series of seeming successes in Georgia and the Donbas in 2014. In my eyes, the Russian Armed Forces are a textbook example of an armed force affected by a long period of peace: Emphasis of appearance over tactical skills (Victory Day Parades in Moscow, fleet parades, etc.) widespread, ahem, "patronage", as well as an aging and inflexible officer's corps.

Compare that to the Ukrainian armed forces. Whilst noticeably smaller, their forces have been involved in an ongoing major conflict since 2014 and have recognized that the "old way" of doing things no longer works. Also, a lot of the old peace-time officers have been either killed or washed out of the services over the years, leaving a corps of officers that are tactically astute, flexible, and not afraid to play dirty if the need arises.

With regards to pilots in particular, I remember coming across a number of articles that outlined joint exercises between the US Air Force and Ukrainian Air Force, with the US pilots often stating that they were surprised at the skill and aggression that the Ukrainian pilots showed. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Ukrainian pilots had developed tactics that nullify or at least reduce the BVR advantage of aircraft like the Su-35.

Time for a snack😄

Interesting piece on the RTE. Some small cracks appearing in RuSSian politics. Two politicians from Eastern RuSSia publically urging Putler to withdraw troops. I have a feeling Eastern RuSSia are disproportionately providing bodies for Putler's war.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ukraine/2022/0527/1301604-russia-ukraine/

This shot gives a good indication of the Combat Air Patrols currently conducted by NATO fighters, with their transponders off. The activities of the KC-135's ( there are two operating near the Moldovan border at the moment) give a hint towards these flights as they fly "racetrack" patterns around predetermined points on the globe. Fighter jets will join up with these tankers to refuel during their CAP'S.

These operations have been constant, day in, day out, since the start of the war.

True. Its thrust-to-weight ratio is extraordinary. Little wonder the US shipped nearly 20 of them out of Moldova when the USSR collapsed so they could discect them ( not literally!) And they have actually been used in asymmetric warfare training in Red Flag.

I'll never forget the Polish Mig-29 display in RIAT many years ago, one of the few times it had appeared in the West.

That's 2 x su-25 Frogfoots firing rockets before breaking right.

This conflict has been an intelligence bonanza for the the US and NATO. Getting to test systems against Russian peer equivalent platforms, with little risk. I'd expect quite a few iterative improvements being fielded in short order

Great Post. The F-35 ( currently on CAP over Romania) takes the principal one step further. External cameras plus a Helmet Mounted Display allows the pilot to "see through" the plane, giving the pilot 360 degree situational awareness.

A scrap between 4th Gen Russian and 5th Gen Western would be a thing.

Statement from todays event

Today, on May 27, at about 2 pm in the skies of Kherson region, a MiG-29 fighter of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter from the 23rd Fighter Regiment of the Eastern Military District of the Russian Federation.The Ukrainian MiG-29 covered a group of attack aircraft - Su-25 attack aircraft of the Air Force, which struck at enemy troops in the Kherson region. As a result of this air attack, a company-tactical group of occupiers with equipment and manpower was destroyed.

A Russian Su-35 fighter jet took off from Belbek airfield to intercept Ukrainian attack aircraft. In fact, he was met by a Ukrainian fighter…

The intercepted radio exchange indicates that the Russian pilot was ejected, and a characteristic explosion erupted near Kherson.In the Kharkiv region, servicemen of the 95th separate assault brigade from the Perun MANPADS shot down another combat helicopter of the Russian occupiers, the Ka-52 Alligator.And in the Donetsk direction the air defense of the Land Forces destroys another UAV "Orlan-10".

The problem with that is its not the poor people's consumption that's sinking this world. Its the rich.

It's been said that if everyone had the energy and resource usage of the average American the world could only support 1.5bn people. So killing off billions of Africans and Indians doesn't solve the problems.

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