Dumb war question

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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I get that we don't want to go fight Russia because I saw War Games in the 80s and I know how it will end. I don't have time to track down Joshaua's dad on that island and get the tic-tac-toe game going.

BUT why couldn't we "accidentally" ship the Ukrane a bunch of A-10s.
I get my neighbor's mail al the time.

The Ukraine could be all "Oops I accidentally opened these because I thought it was for me"
The Ukraine's wife sees the planes on the counter and the envelope is in the trash so she also assumes they are theirs and decides to paint them in that weird blue and white cammo that they like over there.

Then we go on facebook and say "Has anyone seen our planes? It shows they were delivered but we ever got them. and the photo in the delivery notification looks like a different front porch"

Then the Ukraine is like "Oh crap, we accidentally used them. Thanks. It saved our lives, we will send them to you right away"

Then we would be like "Ya know what, nevermind we were going to try to retire them a few more times plus we are working on the A-11 anyway."
 
Except we'd need to accidentally ship them pilots too, and I think A10s are only useful when you have complete air superiority. But I get where you're coming from.
 
The other thing is, while air assets are a huge asset to ground forces, they don't replace them. We learned that in Vietnam, and the Soviets learned that in Afghanistan.
 
I am more support of combat drones because they could train Ukraine teens to operate them in about a day and Ukraine would never run out of pilots for them.
 
It is supposed to be Ukraine. I think "the Ukraine" is a holdover from when it was part of the Soviet Union and was referred to as a region, not a country, sort of like "the Midwest". But as a country, it is known as Ukraine. I had a hard time switching over, too.

I agree with the IPs sentiment. Every time I see pictures of that convoy, I think of A-10s.
 
Tantalum said:
Why do people say "the Ukraine" but not "the Canada" ? Is it me?
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Same reason certain phobias aren't actually a phobia. People are idiots and use incorrect terms and names all the time.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
BUT why couldn't we "accidentally" ship the Ukrane a bunch of A-10s.
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We have already deployed some A-10s to Germany.... just in case...

Sac Arrow said:
The other thing is, while air assets are a huge asset to ground forces, they don't replace them. We learned that in Vietnam, and the Soviets learned that in Afghanistan.
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As did we... Afghanistan that is.
 
Last I heard the plan was to supply our aircraft to other European countries that already fly them so that they can in turn send airplanes that Ukraine already owns to bolster their efforts. Sending A10's and F35's to a country that has no pilots with flight time in them and no maintenance or equipment to maintain them is a waste. I think Poland already has a few US fighters in their fleet so they will be sending Mig's to Ukraine.

Edit: Did a little research, seems they do have F16's along with Mig-29 and Su-22 with a bunch of F-35's on order or already delivered. They will likely take some F35's from us and in exchange send some Mig-29's to Ukraine.
 
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We do a lot of that kind of thing just not with anything as big as a plane. It has on occasion come back to bite us.
 
While I don't think it will result in WWIII it certainly is playing out just like it. US is trying not to get directly involved but our actions can/will be seen as acts of War just like Japan did back then.
 
Ventucky Red said:
We have already deployed some A-10s to Germany.... just in case...



As did we... Afghanistan that is.
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We didn't make the mistakes of the Soviets - we weren't defeated militarily. We just severely overestimated the will and desire of the local people to be free of the Taliban.
 
judypilot said:
I Every time I see pictures of that convoy, I think of A-10s.
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Be a little difficult for an A-10 to get in and out of there... I am sure that there were some Tunguskas in and around that convoy to protect it, not to mention Vlad and Urie having some shoulder launched AA weapons. Now, would a B-52 or a F-15 be a better hammer with some stand-off smart bomb capability, yeah...

As you know, if they can get a picture, that can get some very accurate GPS cords and poof, there goes your convoy..
 
Sac Arrow said:
We didn't make the mistakes of the Soviets - we weren't defeated militarily. We just severely overestimated the will and desire of the local people to be free of the Taliban.
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Point taken...
 
We’d have to send them aircraft that they already know how to fly. That means Migs and Sukhois. That’s why Poland is in talks for sending them aircraft. Albeit reluctantly now because I think they believe it would draw them into the conflict. A slippery slope we’re going down right now.
 
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Sac Arrow said:
We just severely overestimated the will and desire of the local people to be free of the Taliban.
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While history books tend to be written as very black or white as far as how the people of a country felt, I think if we should learn anything from the past few decades it's that there is rarely, if ever, a unanimous feeling about an issue from a group of people. The world response to Russia in this case is perhaps the most significant I've seen in my lifetime, second to the feeling by most of the world of retaliation for the attacks of September 11th. However, neither are still universal.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I get that we don't want to go fight Russia because I saw War Games in the 80s and I know how it will end. I don't have time to track down Joshaua's dad on that island and get the tic-tac-toe game going.

BUT why couldn't we "accidentally" ship the Ukrane a bunch of A-10s.
I get my neighbor's mail al the time.

The Ukraine could be all "Oops I accidentally opened these because I thought it was for me"
The Ukraine's wife sees the planes on the counter and the envelope is in the trash so she also assumes they are theirs and decides to paint them in that weird blue and white cammo that they like over there.

Then we go on facebook and say "Has anyone seen our planes? It shows they were delivered but we ever got them. and the photo in the delivery notification looks like a different front porch"

Then the Ukraine is like "Oh crap, we accidentally used them. Thanks. It saved our lives, we will send them to you right away"

Then we would be like "Ya know what, nevermind we were going to try to retire them a few more times plus we are working on the A-11 anyway."
Click to expand...
We could just paint them with Chinese flags, then say the Chinese did it! (not my idea)
 
It’s definitely a target rich environment for the ADA guys on both sides. MI-35 (exhaust placement) is a vulnerable aircraft for MANPADs but I wouldn’t want to be flying any sort of RW in that mess. :(

 
My son says we need to start a fund to save as many "smoking hot Ukrainian chicks" as possible.
His best friend, Mike (my son from different parents), Came home in February from an overseas assignment with a Ukrainian girlfriend.
She claims to be just average among her friends.
If she is average, then ....... dang!

Sorry, no pictures. :)
 
If Europe and the West would just nut up and shut off the Russian oil & gas (which Russia has blustered would be a "sign of war"), Putin would be dealing with his own countrymen knocking down his door. Drop his regime into financial despair (not that they aren't close to ruin as it is) and let the Russian citizens rectify the problem.
 
SoonerAviator said:
If Europe and the West would just nut up and shut off the Russian oil & gas (which Russia has blustered would be a "sign of war"), Putin would be dealing with his own countrymen knocking down his door. Drop his regime into financial despair (not that they aren't close to ruin as it is) and let the Russian citizens rectify the problem.
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Yup And that worked in North Korea, China, Canada
 
Morgan3820 said:
Yup And that worked in North Korea, China, Canada
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I'm not sure how well armed the NK and China people were compared to their government. Russian citizens, like Americans, have plenty of guns. In any case, Russia wouldn't have the finances to continue much of a military operation with 40% of the GDP disappearing overnight. Unfortunately, I'm sure there is plenty of corruption in Russia/Ukraine government/oligarchs to go around.
 
Tantalum said:
Why do people say "the Ukraine" but not "the Canada" ? Is it me?
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Country Flier said:
My mom calls Google, "the google"...as in, "did you search on the google?" Drives me nuts.
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I think it comes from Californians. Everywhere else it would be "interstate 5", or "interstate 405" or "us highway 101", but in California it's "the 5", "the 405", and "the 101."
 
Just as we helped the Mujahideen, I'm sure we're helping Ukraine. Under the table of course. Probably just this side of legal.
 
Bill said:
I think it comes from Californians. Everywhere else it would be "interstate 5", or "interstate 405" or "us highway 101", but in California it's "the 5", "the 405", and "the 101."
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Like, totally...

And by the way it isn't limited to SOCAL.
 
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