Hello everybody! Just a short one for today, because something is now officially out, and thus there’s a good opportunity to briefly talk about it. As reported by the Ukrainian military journal Defence Express, yesterday, the PSU has received its Boeing- (USA) and/or SHOAL-made (i.e. Australian-made*) JDAM-ER kits.
You Austrian may try to breed a new kangaroo: the mountain marsupial. It may an additional tourist attraction to add to the currently nice Austria already have (hope my joke don’t start something about Austrian yodelei kangaroos...)
Their range is about the same, but a JDAM kit costs about 10k USD, a GMLRS rocket for the HIMARS about 170k. Risking the plane is indeed an extra cost, but if they use it for artillery hunting they can stay a good 30-50 km away from the frontline. Not perfectly safe i agree, but if they can lob real-time the bombs on the targets, then it probably worths.
Cheaper, much more simple to operate and, due to the jet's speed, 'more flexible in deployment'.
Essentially, the PSU's fighter-bombers are deployed whenever and wherever the artillery 'cannot react and/or reach intermediately' (within next 1-2 hours).
When I went to Austria I did not see a single kangaroo - and heard not a bar of Mozart - but waaaaay too much Strauss (I doubt too much Mozart is possible). But apparently, the Australian Tourist Agency fields questions about the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Spanish Riding School.
Hi Tom, quick question. I have the book on the Rhodesian war(1966-1980) from the Africa at war series and going to read it. Is there one you'd recommend that covers Zimbabwe period between 1980-1987 as Mugabe consolidated power over the former Zipra guerrillas? I am primarily looking for the history of how he managed to consolidate his grip on the security forces after coming to power.
Sadly, right now, we do not have any books covering Zimbabwe of that period. There was a project proposal for Zimbabwe of 1980-1981, incl. infighting between different of the former guerrillas, and how the Brits managed to 're-organise' them into a coherent army. But, that was not realised.
It's an interesting - and massively under-published - period, so I hope we're going to cover it soon, nevertheless.
Jul 9, 2023·edited Jul 9, 2023Liked by Sarcastosaurus
Yes I read it. It was very well written and detailed. I would say one of my all time favourite books. I got to find out just how helpful the ZDF were to Mzee Kabila(Gen. Michael Nyambuya was the star of the book for me). Thank you so much for writing this book. As a kid in 90s Uganda I remember this war but the details were not clear and it brought us a lot of sadness when Laurent Kabila eventually died. He had his flaws but really loved his country. My grandfather was a guerrilla in the NRA in the 80s and my dad was working in the Ugandan state house in the 90s where a lot of funds to support the UPDF/RPF Congo mission passed through. Even he doesn't know a lot of the details from your Congo book(and would never tell me most of what he knows). I also liked your book on the Ugandan insurgencies just that there are alot of very crucial missing things that I dont think you found out about what the NRA/RPF really was or how it formed or how the war really went. But in all thank you. I am finishing up a book on the 1964 EA army mutinies and will read the book on the Rhodesian war from your series.
Thank you for all the writing on the topic, Tom! I've been following this for almost as long as this invasion lasts and you never disapoint either on the quality of your writing or on the level of sarcasm inside. Thanks!
One question from my side: would these mythical F-16s make more sense now as platforms for JDAM-ER? I'm guessing having a few of them could allow Ukraine to fly more sorties and score more kills against arty, sams and those pesky ecm stations? And then gradually push towards some sort of air superiority?
You Austrian may try to breed a new kangaroo: the mountain marsupial. It may an additional tourist attraction to add to the currently nice Austria already have (hope my joke don’t start something about Austrian yodelei kangaroos...)
Helping our rare Waldfee survive, and maintaining our famous forest cities, is keeping us too busy for anything else... ;-)
Great reporting Tom
In this particular case (with 4 Msta) you are certain that this was not Himmars ?
Thx
Yup. Visible detonations are much too small for HIMARS' warheads.
Why is JDAM any better than HIMARS? Are they cheaper (the risk of losing the plane considered)?
Their range is about the same, but a JDAM kit costs about 10k USD, a GMLRS rocket for the HIMARS about 170k. Risking the plane is indeed an extra cost, but if they use it for artillery hunting they can stay a good 30-50 km away from the frontline. Not perfectly safe i agree, but if they can lob real-time the bombs on the targets, then it probably worths.
Cheaper, much more simple to operate and, due to the jet's speed, 'more flexible in deployment'.
Essentially, the PSU's fighter-bombers are deployed whenever and wherever the artillery 'cannot react and/or reach intermediately' (within next 1-2 hours).
Don't GBU-38 and M31 GMLRS both have a 90kg warhead?
The weapon used by the PSU is the GBU-62. 250kg warhead (Mk.82).
Also, in Australia they do not have Mozart Balls...
Thanks, Austria!
When I went to Austria I did not see a single kangaroo - and heard not a bar of Mozart - but waaaaay too much Strauss (I doubt too much Mozart is possible). But apparently, the Australian Tourist Agency fields questions about the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Spanish Riding School.
You have Mozart we have 'tree kangaroos' yes kangaroos that live in trees. A wonderful place :)
And drop bears! Don't forget them!
Thank you Tom. It is quite timely delivery. I hope Ukraine would have more planes to drop them.
And more launchers to launch them from the ground.
Thanks as always, Tom!
Do you know if their releasing platform is the Su-24 as it happens to be with Storm Shadow?
As obvious from photos: MiG-29. That's also as far as I dare talking about this topic.
Thanks Tom
Thanks Tom this was a good report, so good to see the UAF has some up to date weapons and of course they are putting them to good use
Аustralia = honorable far away country that help Ukraine
Austria = cowardly EU member country, that will sell it`s soul for some oil and gas
Sorry could not hold myself
NP. I would go even further: Austria = country ruled by shamefully corrupt gang of Pudding-fans.
This is good news. The more ground artillery pieces get destroyed the better.
"Austria, no kangaroos (except a few in a zoo)"
https://noe.orf.at/stories/3203528/
-> you liar :D
Hi Tom, quick question. I have the book on the Rhodesian war(1966-1980) from the Africa at war series and going to read it. Is there one you'd recommend that covers Zimbabwe period between 1980-1987 as Mugabe consolidated power over the former Zipra guerrillas? I am primarily looking for the history of how he managed to consolidate his grip on the security forces after coming to power.
Sadly, right now, we do not have any books covering Zimbabwe of that period. There was a project proposal for Zimbabwe of 1980-1981, incl. infighting between different of the former guerrillas, and how the Brits managed to 're-organise' them into a coherent army. But, that was not realised.
It's an interesting - and massively under-published - period, so I hope we're going to cover it soon, nevertheless.
Okay looking forward to reading the one I have and will be buying that one if it ever comes out.
If you're interested in Zimbabwean Defence Forces, you might find this book about the II Congo War interesting:
https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/great-lakes-conflagration-second-congo-war-1998-2003.php?sid=71143a07d3c64c1c4c79ed00a3f5e428
It's containing lots of details extracted during interviews with ZDF veterans.
Here one of 'classic' excerpts from it:
https://warisboring.com/bomb-the-other-side-of-the-runway/
Yes I read it. It was very well written and detailed. I would say one of my all time favourite books. I got to find out just how helpful the ZDF were to Mzee Kabila(Gen. Michael Nyambuya was the star of the book for me). Thank you so much for writing this book. As a kid in 90s Uganda I remember this war but the details were not clear and it brought us a lot of sadness when Laurent Kabila eventually died. He had his flaws but really loved his country. My grandfather was a guerrilla in the NRA in the 80s and my dad was working in the Ugandan state house in the 90s where a lot of funds to support the UPDF/RPF Congo mission passed through. Even he doesn't know a lot of the details from your Congo book(and would never tell me most of what he knows). I also liked your book on the Ugandan insurgencies just that there are alot of very crucial missing things that I dont think you found out about what the NRA/RPF really was or how it formed or how the war really went. But in all thank you. I am finishing up a book on the 1964 EA army mutinies and will read the book on the Rhodesian war from your series.
Austria=Gösser
Australia=Fosters
What about GLSDB with 150km range which can be fired from HIMARS and M270 launchers? Ukrainians said that Himars have hit these MSTA-S on video.
The ZSU is said to have GLMRS, but haven't seen them in use yet. The detonations on these MSTA-S were much too small for HIMARS or MLRS warheads.
Austria: I believe there is a crazy kangaroo in St.Anton...
When the Dutch come, there are multiple of those all across the Alps 🙈
Thank you for all the writing on the topic, Tom! I've been following this for almost as long as this invasion lasts and you never disapoint either on the quality of your writing or on the level of sarcasm inside. Thanks!
One question from my side: would these mythical F-16s make more sense now as platforms for JDAM-ER? I'm guessing having a few of them could allow Ukraine to fly more sorties and score more kills against arty, sams and those pesky ecm stations? And then gradually push towards some sort of air superiority?