Off Topic WW3 How Close?

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I think the Kazak leadership is already a Putin ally, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a future "closer partnership" with Russia, just like Belarus now.
Exactly. Joint military exercises then Kazakhstan will find itself held hostage within its own borders.

I don't know much about Kazakhstan but I don’t think they have a clue about democracy so the people aren't likely to cause too much of a problem, unlike those in Belarus who get democracy filtering over the borders with Ukraine, Poland and the three Baltic republics.
 
Same plane back again today.

What has been puzzling me is that whatever the Swedish can do NATO will also be able to do.

NATO probably using a bigger aircraft that has more sensors that are also more accurate, has more staff to man the terminals, can carry more fuel so can stay on station longer and has air to air refueling capability.

So why have this non-NATO, Swedish ELINT plane flying in NATO airspace?

Suggestions anyone?
Nato have had planes around Kalingrad a few times. I'd guess that since the Russian fighters entered Swedish airspace they've stepped up their patrols leaving transponders on so the Russians know they're there
 
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To be fair though, Belarus had to fall in behind Russia because their army couldn’t take ****ing Fellgate by itself. I hate these cock waving puny bastards
 
Putin and Russia are ****ed for the foreseeable, the mighty nation have been shown up for the bully’s (and **** ones at that) that they are.
Ukraine are doing the democratic world a massive favour the way they’re defending their land against scum.
And the rumour is(from a trusted guardsman) the Ukrainian lads point the anti tank weapon get the range pull the trigger and shout ‘God save the Queen’ when they set the ****er off at the bastard invaders. Because British lads have been training them for the last 2 years in situations like they’re in. GTFI.
 
Germany can **** off as well...
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Problem with giving them Marders is the same as for any piece of kit - they aren't trained to operate it or maintain it plus they don't have any stocks of spare parts. Also, they would have to strip out anything security sensitive to Germany and to NATO - which could render them useless.

However, Germany have approved the transfer of about 350 BMP-1'S to Ukraine.

These come from a batch of East German BMP-1 vehicles they inherited at unification and that they subsequently sold to Sweden. Sweden received about 420, but they broke up about 60 for spare part stocks. They sent the remaining vehicles to the Czech Republic to have stripped of asbestos, given lights, etc to make them road legal plus making them safer inside (whatever that means). Some were also converted to command vehicles.

Sweden hardly used these (about 160 of them had only 120 km on the clock) and subsequently sold the whole lot to the Czech company that did all the work on them previously. It is the transfer of vehicles from this company to Ukraine that Germany have just approved.

I don't know when Sweden sold the BMPs to the Czech firm - as far as I know the sale to the Czech firm could have been done this week as a massive administrative con-trick to fool Russia.

I also don't know who is footing the bill for their sale to Ukraine - could be Germany, could be USA or could be Ukraine using money donated by another country.
 
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Same plane back again today.

What has been puzzling me is that whatever the Swedish can do NATO will also be able to do.

NATO probably using a bigger aircraft that has more sensors that are also more accurate, has more staff to man the terminals, can carry more fuel so can stay on station longer and has air to air refueling capability.

So why have this non-NATO, Swedish ELINT plane flying in NATO airspace?

Suggestions anyone?

Some aircraft have unique capabilities depending on the kit they're using. Many years ago now, but my lot had an American made sensor onboard that was supposed to be for the U2 that didn't work because it wasn't stable enough in the air. It did work when we used it.
 
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Depends. Flight trackers usually work on ADS B rather than transponder data. There are still some areas with no SSR (the radar that reads the transponder data) coverage. If the E3 is using its radar it has to be visible to controllers so they can avoid it. Presuming it's operating outside the restricted area of course....
Sorry, just seen this now. there is definitely coverage across that area - I tracked the same E3 across that area previously and in the area later on that day.
 
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Sorry, just seen this now. there is definitely coverage across that area - I tracked the same E3 across that area previously and in the area later on that day.

There's every chance there's a bit of jiggery pokery going on. The only way to know for sure is to see the primary radar feed. Old school :)
 
Some aircraft have unique capabilities depending on the kit they're using. Many years ago now, but my lot had an American made sensor onboard that was supposed to be for the U2 that didn't work because it wasn't stable enough in the air. It did work when we used it.
I can get that some aircraft have unique capabilities but what could it have that was lacking among the constellation of US E-8C Joint STARS airborne battle management, RC-135 Rivet Joint Elint, Beechcraft RC-12 Guardrail Sig-int and E3 Sentry AWACS planes?

Personally I like the idea that they are doing it to give a massive two-fingers to Putin.
 
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Interesting news in the attached video re extra Growler Electronic Warfare aircraft arriving in theatre, together with a good appraisal of their capabilities
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