BTW, lasers in space do not dissipate as quickly as lasers on the ground. Atmosphere, dust, clouds, fog etc do not exist in space. Ballistic missiles reach space or the edge of space. Put a laser in space, it does not need to be as powerful, and solar power gives constant power. But still need a nuke power plant to provide the rapid electrical generation to shoot quickly, repeatedly. Space let's you quickly dissipate heat (generated to fire laser). The space station uses radiators to expell excessive heat in the space station, which has big solar panels.
Once the launchers are destroyed, then the number of missile launches fall to zero. Of course the trick is getting someone on the ground to prevent anything lingering around or allowing other forces to land and destroy in place.
“Iran, thus, became the latest country after Syria and Venezuela to feel firsthand what partnership with Russia does, and doesn’t, mean.” Exactly. Russia and China don’t need Iranian oil and Iran is/was an Islamic Caliphate and therefore not exactly a comrade in Communism. They had mutual enemies in the US and China liked having Iranian oil. But, neither needs Iran.
17% of supply and now massive cost to receive shipments is significant to China GNP. Might not need it but two major suppliers, over 20% of their supply, removed. Major internal disruptions.
We have always had one-way drones. They are called Tomahawk. Why expensive? Had to fly a long way to hit Soviet targets with good air defense systems. Ukraine has about an 85% success rate in hitting one-way drones. But Ukraine has worked hard to integrate all types of systems to locate, track, target, and destroy drones.
Lasers? These are 60,000-watt emitters. Your whole house generator can do maybe 20,000 watts. Lasers are short range anti-drone/rocket defense system. Why? Laser beams dissipate over distance. The higher power, the farther you can shoot. Can we mount a 600,000-watt laser with a SMR pumping out the power? Cost? Much higher. I think we rather use Microwave emitters to fry drones. Better power to distance cost structures.
All you have to do is put an electronic device in a microwave and hit it with 1500 watts and see the sparks fly. More economical solution.
But you all need to understand, there are many practice limitations to these defensive weapons. Just look at Ukrainian FPV drones hitting Russian soldiers. How do you fly these things through forests, in the fog, or rain etc. Can a laser fire through forest canopies? Microwaves are better.
As we destroy more and more of Iranian air defense systems and communication systems, their ability to interdict cheap one-way drones falls. Notice that these drones used by the US have Starlink. Now young easily trained individuals living and working at US domestic military bases can fly these drones to a specific target, launched from anywhere and flown to anywhere. We just need fewer troops close to the target to deploy the drones.
Understand Falcone 9. It can launch every week (probably sooner-not sure the turnaround time) and send 24 1500-pound objects into orbit that can be deorbited to any specific location on the planet. Suppose we have a facility at Wallops Island VA, Cumberland Island, GA, and Cape Canaveral FL, each launching daily with the ability to launch multiple times a day and turnaround a Falcone 9 for relaunch in days. What do you need? 21 Falcone 9s that can fly 20 plus times before replacement? If we wanted, we could send a salvo or 75 1500 orbital drones hitting at hypersonic speed (gliding in from orbit) on any target nation we choose. Send two salvoes a day? every day?
What happens when Starship is online and can launch a salvo of 250 1500-pound deorbiting drones? And can turn around in a week?
When Hegseth says we have not really hit Iran, does that mean B52s are loaded and ready once we are sure we have completely reduced Iran's military to dismounted infantry with rifles? OR is he just trolling Iranian forces to convince them to give up? For three weeks we hit Iraqi forces in Kuwait. When US ground forces advanced, they all gave up. So, in another week of pounding. we will see how many IRGC troops are willing to fight, if they are still alive.
If you really want to talk about lethality, let's have a real conversation about the huge divided between US capabilities and other nations.
Reading about current capabilities with drones today I can’t help but chuckle when I recall the firsthand stories from a Master Chief Boatswain mate, who was stationed aboard the battleship Wisconsin during the Gulf War . He told the story of how the Iraqi would surrender to the spotting plane – remote controlled with a TV camera – Used for gunnery, because they knew from experience when that showed up shells the weight of Volkswagen‘s were about to arrive. What’s old is new again.
Seems that any president prior to Trump COULD have prevented Iran from building the power and weapons that they did. Because they did not, and Obama aided Iran even more, it takes a lot more to put an end to the regime. Sadly, if we let the democrats have power back in their hands, with radical islamists and "democratic socialists", aka communists being the majority, it will all be for nothing.
Some of the Dems' more Omnicause-loyal candidates are definitely kicking own goals for the Dems. Bad looks everywhere.
If it weren't for Mr. Tangerine Man's tariff scheme and the wackos in his Cabinet being incompetent, the GOP would be running away with the midterms. They still might, in spite of that.
Post 1943 allied planes had stripes painted on the wings and bodies after a friendly fire incident during the Sicily invasion.. planes carrying paratroopers passed over the fleet andvwere mistaken for German planes.
Fighters fly pretty close together low and slow as they prepare to land. I’m wondering if a single SAM damaged all three by exploding nearby. If there had been one or more direct hits, I doubt if all six aircrew would survive.
We really need to find a way to identify hostile foreign actors on social media. We're getting played by them and I think they are the biggest sources of all of the antisemitism spouting up online, trying to turn the American public against Israel and saying the Joooooooz are behind everything Trump is doing.
Well I learned sometime ago to download the app Behold Israel and when you open the App at the top is instructions on how to access Amir Tsarfati’s account on Telegram which has 626,352 followers in which he he reports everything that is happening with the War in Iran. I could barely keep up last night.
Europe's problem is domestic unrest that might be triggered if they get too hostile towards any part of the Islamic world, especially the extremist parts.
We're already seeing the batching and complaining here stateside.
Better training and integration of forces. Remember, oil was discovered in Saudia Arabia in 1934 less than 100 years ago. before that they were largely illiterate Bedouins.
A friend flew for Delta. Saudis do not view being a commercial pilot as a worthy career. Thus, most pilots working for Arab airlines are not native citizens. They are usually British pilots with British maintenance crews. Maybe after getting hammered by Iranian forces, natives will see the worth in being professional pilots, technicians, and military professionals
I think it’s ingrained trauma with him at this point because of what support he was offered after the Soviet Union collapsed, when he was almost overrun at KGB headquarters by the angry mobs about to descend upon him.
1812: "We're going to invade Canada. This will be easy. What could go wrong?"
1861: "It will be a grand adventure, Billy. This will be over in a few months. Johnny Reb will easily crumble."
1914: "Don't you fret. We'll be home by Christmas, boys!"
1941: "Stalin will be defeated in 8 weeks, possibly up to 4 months. We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down!"
1964: "Vietnamese are just simple peasants, unable to resist modern armies."
All depends on the Iranian. Military, irgc, and us military lethality. If we are now sending B1s and maybe B52s each carring 50 or more jdams, how many sorties before the majority of the irgc and military run home?
But what do you do about non Iranian members of the itgc/security forces? Let them return to Iraq? Syria? Or are they now hunted down by iraninas seeking retribution.
I think people forget the reason Iraq and Afghanistan went on for so long is because of the Iran weapons, training, and support that was flowing into those countries. There's not another Iran backing up Iran.
One can hope. At the end of the day I for one don’t want another Sha or son- of- Sha leading to the same issues that fomented the Islamic revolution that started almost 50 years ago. Let’s not have history repeat itself in that regard.
Communists and islamists teamed up after about a decade of a bad economy. The reason it was bad? He was implementing a lot of socialism type ideas that trashed many industries.
There are only so many targets. We just need to destroy facilities meqsured in days (8-16 or lower if b52s have freedom to operate) and equipment (3 to 4 weeks since they are smaller, more of them, and can move) and then keep a sufficent air cover to respond to any issues. Drones can do that quite nicely.
BTW, lasers in space do not dissipate as quickly as lasers on the ground. Atmosphere, dust, clouds, fog etc do not exist in space. Ballistic missiles reach space or the edge of space. Put a laser in space, it does not need to be as powerful, and solar power gives constant power. But still need a nuke power plant to provide the rapid electrical generation to shoot quickly, repeatedly. Space let's you quickly dissipate heat (generated to fire laser). The space station uses radiators to expell excessive heat in the space station, which has big solar panels.
If Dan Pfeiffer actually believes the BS he pushed on that tweet, he’s more of an idiot that I previously thought.
Once the launchers are destroyed, then the number of missile launches fall to zero. Of course the trick is getting someone on the ground to prevent anything lingering around or allowing other forces to land and destroy in place.
Mossad was on the ground during the 12-day war, so I assume there are still some there, even after the purges.
Dan Pfeiffer🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
So happy to hear that our pilots were able to eject safely. Looks like Kuwait owes us $$ for three fighter jets. Send them a bill Hegseth.
“Iran, thus, became the latest country after Syria and Venezuela to feel firsthand what partnership with Russia does, and doesn’t, mean.” Exactly. Russia and China don’t need Iranian oil and Iran is/was an Islamic Caliphate and therefore not exactly a comrade in Communism. They had mutual enemies in the US and China liked having Iranian oil. But, neither needs Iran.
17% of supply and now massive cost to receive shipments is significant to China GNP. Might not need it but two major suppliers, over 20% of their supply, removed. Major internal disruptions.
We have always had one-way drones. They are called Tomahawk. Why expensive? Had to fly a long way to hit Soviet targets with good air defense systems. Ukraine has about an 85% success rate in hitting one-way drones. But Ukraine has worked hard to integrate all types of systems to locate, track, target, and destroy drones.
Lasers? These are 60,000-watt emitters. Your whole house generator can do maybe 20,000 watts. Lasers are short range anti-drone/rocket defense system. Why? Laser beams dissipate over distance. The higher power, the farther you can shoot. Can we mount a 600,000-watt laser with a SMR pumping out the power? Cost? Much higher. I think we rather use Microwave emitters to fry drones. Better power to distance cost structures.
All you have to do is put an electronic device in a microwave and hit it with 1500 watts and see the sparks fly. More economical solution.
But you all need to understand, there are many practice limitations to these defensive weapons. Just look at Ukrainian FPV drones hitting Russian soldiers. How do you fly these things through forests, in the fog, or rain etc. Can a laser fire through forest canopies? Microwaves are better.
As we destroy more and more of Iranian air defense systems and communication systems, their ability to interdict cheap one-way drones falls. Notice that these drones used by the US have Starlink. Now young easily trained individuals living and working at US domestic military bases can fly these drones to a specific target, launched from anywhere and flown to anywhere. We just need fewer troops close to the target to deploy the drones.
Understand Falcone 9. It can launch every week (probably sooner-not sure the turnaround time) and send 24 1500-pound objects into orbit that can be deorbited to any specific location on the planet. Suppose we have a facility at Wallops Island VA, Cumberland Island, GA, and Cape Canaveral FL, each launching daily with the ability to launch multiple times a day and turnaround a Falcone 9 for relaunch in days. What do you need? 21 Falcone 9s that can fly 20 plus times before replacement? If we wanted, we could send a salvo or 75 1500 orbital drones hitting at hypersonic speed (gliding in from orbit) on any target nation we choose. Send two salvoes a day? every day?
What happens when Starship is online and can launch a salvo of 250 1500-pound deorbiting drones? And can turn around in a week?
When Hegseth says we have not really hit Iran, does that mean B52s are loaded and ready once we are sure we have completely reduced Iran's military to dismounted infantry with rifles? OR is he just trolling Iranian forces to convince them to give up? For three weeks we hit Iraqi forces in Kuwait. When US ground forces advanced, they all gave up. So, in another week of pounding. we will see how many IRGC troops are willing to fight, if they are still alive.
If you really want to talk about lethality, let's have a real conversation about the huge divided between US capabilities and other nations.
Reading about current capabilities with drones today I can’t help but chuckle when I recall the firsthand stories from a Master Chief Boatswain mate, who was stationed aboard the battleship Wisconsin during the Gulf War . He told the story of how the Iraqi would surrender to the spotting plane – remote controlled with a TV camera – Used for gunnery, because they knew from experience when that showed up shells the weight of Volkswagen‘s were about to arrive. What’s old is new again.
You write some very interesting things that I never knew about.
Seems that any president prior to Trump COULD have prevented Iran from building the power and weapons that they did. Because they did not, and Obama aided Iran even more, it takes a lot more to put an end to the regime. Sadly, if we let the democrats have power back in their hands, with radical islamists and "democratic socialists", aka communists being the majority, it will all be for nothing.
Obama has demonstrated sympathy for peoples who adhere to the Shia branch of Islam, so.
I’m really hoping to never hear either of the Obamas spew their opinions again.
Pallets of ordnance >> pallets of cash
Some of the Dems' more Omnicause-loyal candidates are definitely kicking own goals for the Dems. Bad looks everywhere.
If it weren't for Mr. Tangerine Man's tariff scheme and the wackos in his Cabinet being incompetent, the GOP would be running away with the midterms. They still might, in spite of that.
Re: "Friendly-Fire Incident Over Kuwait"
The F-15 first entered service in January 1976.
Two were lost in the 1991 Gulf War, one was lost in the 2003 Iraq War, and now, three have been lost due to Kuwaiti friendly fire.
All six of these aircraft were lost to ground fire.
To date, not one F-15 has been lost in air-to-air combat, making it one of the most successful air-superiority fighter jets in history.
Friendly fire incidents are always a fear.
Post 1943 allied planes had stripes painted on the wings and bodies after a friendly fire incident during the Sicily invasion.. planes carrying paratroopers passed over the fleet andvwere mistaken for German planes.
Fighters fly pretty close together low and slow as they prepare to land. I’m wondering if a single SAM damaged all three by exploding nearby. If there had been one or more direct hits, I doubt if all six aircrew would survive.
So far, I haven't been able to find any details on exactly what happened... although they did say it was due to friendly ground fire.
Yeah, I’m totally speculating. I just can’t see three two person crews all surviving three direct hits.
We really need to find a way to identify hostile foreign actors on social media. We're getting played by them and I think they are the biggest sources of all of the antisemitism spouting up online, trying to turn the American public against Israel and saying the Joooooooz are behind everything Trump is doing.
hell, we got a problem with hostile domestic actors.
Well I learned sometime ago to download the app Behold Israel and when you open the App at the top is instructions on how to access Amir Tsarfati’s account on Telegram which has 626,352 followers in which he he reports everything that is happening with the War in Iran. I could barely keep up last night.
Europe's problem is domestic unrest that might be triggered if they get too hostile towards any part of the Islamic world, especially the extremist parts.
We're already seeing the batching and complaining here stateside.
I guess Kuwait will be gifting us a few F-15s, huh?
Let’s hope so. Send cash.
Better training and integration of forces. Remember, oil was discovered in Saudia Arabia in 1934 less than 100 years ago. before that they were largely illiterate Bedouins.
A friend flew for Delta. Saudis do not view being a commercial pilot as a worthy career. Thus, most pilots working for Arab airlines are not native citizens. They are usually British pilots with British maintenance crews. Maybe after getting hammered by Iranian forces, natives will see the worth in being professional pilots, technicians, and military professionals
You Sir are a wealth of information.
Methinks Putin's words of support are evidence of just how broke Russia is.
I think it’s ingrained trauma with him at this point because of what support he was offered after the Soviet Union collapsed, when he was almost overrun at KGB headquarters by the angry mobs about to descend upon him.
Will we see a scenario where the Omnicause Loyalists retreat to Canada, much as the Tories did after the US Revolution?
If you want to understand Canada, this is very helpful. https://fortissax.substack.com/p/loyal-she-began-loyal-she-remains
This is good stuff, but I haven’t finished it yet.
Conflict was originally going to last days, now saying 4 to 5 weeks, wonder if it will soon become months / years...
"two weeks to stop the spread / flatten the curve" anyone? anyone? Bueller?
we're 2 days in. Give it a rest.
Let’s pray it doesn’t go on for months.
Yep...
1812: "We're going to invade Canada. This will be easy. What could go wrong?"
1861: "It will be a grand adventure, Billy. This will be over in a few months. Johnny Reb will easily crumble."
1914: "Don't you fret. We'll be home by Christmas, boys!"
1941: "Stalin will be defeated in 8 weeks, possibly up to 4 months. We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down!"
1964: "Vietnamese are just simple peasants, unable to resist modern armies."
2022: "We will defeat Ukraine in 10 days."
All depends on the Iranian. Military, irgc, and us military lethality. If we are now sending B1s and maybe B52s each carring 50 or more jdams, how many sorties before the majority of the irgc and military run home?
But what do you do about non Iranian members of the itgc/security forces? Let them return to Iraq? Syria? Or are they now hunted down by iraninas seeking retribution.
I don't know. I only hope this thing won't drag on for months.... or years...
I think people forget the reason Iraq and Afghanistan went on for so long is because of the Iran weapons, training, and support that was flowing into those countries. There's not another Iran backing up Iran.
One can hope. At the end of the day I for one don’t want another Sha or son- of- Sha leading to the same issues that fomented the Islamic revolution that started almost 50 years ago. Let’s not have history repeat itself in that regard.
Communists and islamists teamed up after about a decade of a bad economy. The reason it was bad? He was implementing a lot of socialism type ideas that trashed many industries.
There are only so many targets. We just need to destroy facilities meqsured in days (8-16 or lower if b52s have freedom to operate) and equipment (3 to 4 weeks since they are smaller, more of them, and can move) and then keep a sufficent air cover to respond to any issues. Drones can do that quite nicely.
1941: "Stalin will be defeated in 8 weeks...
Stalin? Don't you mean Hitler/Nazi Germany and/or Japan?
That's what Hitler assumed about the Soviet Union... that Stalin could be defeated before the Winter set in.
Ok, you jumped from American and British viewpoints to Hitler's. That's what threw me.
Sorry, they're not exclusively American viewpoints.... just "famous last words" uttered by a few nations over the years.
Yeah, the Ukraine one was obvious. The '64 was either us or France.
Re: '41, Mother Russia's winter sank a 2nd army... Good for the world.