re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Sweden announces $419 million military aid package for Ukraine, including Archer artillery system
by The Kyiv Independent news desk
January 19, 2023 2:26 pm

Sweden will provide Ukraine with additional military assistance worth 4.3 billion Swedish krona ($419 million), which includes long-requested Archer self-propelled guns, the country's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Jan. 19, as cited by SVT. Under the three-part package, Sweden will also deliver about 50 of its Stridsfordon 90 infantry fighting vehicles, NLAW anti-tank weapons, mine-clearing equipment, and assault rifles, according to Reuters.

Archer is one of the world's most advanced artillery systems, capable of firing projectiles at a distance of up to 50 km. The Swedish government didn't specify how many Archer self-propelled guns will be supplied to Ukraine.

According to Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson, cited by Expressen, the government aims to transfer the weapons and conduct training for the Ukrainian military within the next few months.

Politico article supporting tweet

Poland and the UK taking over European power in Germanys absence.

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I'm also seeing German media reports of the same thing. This is a big embarrassment for both Germany and the US. The main point of this Ramstein conference was to organize Leopard 2 deliveries to Ukraine.

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Still think we should spend millions protecting those European socialists?

Frick the damn Germans to hell.

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Most of the left was all about how bad Ukraine was with Nazis. Many of them flipped after Biden didn't side with Russia. The far left still supports Russia.

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I’m sorry but I don’t know where this is coming from. I heard nothing about “nazis” until the Russian propaganda at the time of the invasion. It doesn’t matter that we disagree on this.

The more pertinent issue is that the next Ramstein meeting is tomorrow. With all of this posturing leading up to it, there could be some surprises.

Holy cow is this Ramstein shaping up to be huge.

Cypher already mentioned above that Estonia is giving artillery and lots of ATGMs and other stuff totaling 1% of their GDP, which would be the same level of sacrifice as if the US gave $233 billion.

Cypher also mentioned above that Sweden is giving an undetermined number of Archer SPGs (they have 24 in storage, so likely most of those), and they are giving 50 CV90s. These things have a 40mm autocannon, the most powerful gun on any NATO IFV. This is a really powerful IFV, and some other European countries have this vehicle as well, so Ukraine could possibly get more of them by the time Ramstein is over.




Continuing with the donations:


Lithuania's defense minister tweets:

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Lithuanian new lethal support package for UA consist of dozens of L-70 anti-aircraft guns, ammunition and two Mi-8 helicopters. Total value of Lithuanian upcoming support package is approximately 125 million euros.

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Like Estonia's gift, $125 million is an extraordinary number for such as small country as Lithuania.


From Denmark:

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Minister of Defense Jakob Ellemann-Jensen announced that they will provide Ukraine with 19 CAESAR SPG's According to the plan, Denmark will receive 19 artillery pieces from a French manufacturer within the next six months, and they will all be donated to Ukraine.

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From Latvia:

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Latvia reportedly to transfer Ukraine 2 Mi-17 helicopters, dozens of Stinger MANPADS, dozens of machine guns, UAVs and train 2,000 Ukrainian servicemen.

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The UK announced a massive aid package last week, but today, they added:

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The UK is sending 600 more Brimstone missiles to Ukraine, - Defense Minister Ben Wallace.

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On the Leopard tank issue, the latest twist to the soap opera is that France might send some Leclerc tanks to Ukraine as part of a deal with Germany.

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We will end up sending a sizable number of Bradleys and Strykers but the Leopard is the obvious choice to send to Ukraine.

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The Leopards are the obvious choice, but they are not the best choice. Germany controls their distribution and as you say Germany enjoys being a stick in the mud. Germany is not going to let Ukraine get more than 100 or so Leopards tops because they still have a lot of mid level bureaucrats that are sympathetic to Russia. Ukraine and NATO would be better off if we just said screw trying to get Leopards to Ukraine because it’s too politically cumbersome and there are only 3600 of them total. Even though the Abrams is heavier, more complicated to work on, and uses more fuel there are 3700 hundred of them in US storage. It would be much easier to pull out 300-500 Abrams from storage and get them to Ukraine. If Ukraine had 1500 or so Soviet tanks and 500 NATO MBTs they would run the Russians out of Ukraine before the Russians have time to open their vodka ration.

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Even though the Abrams is heavier, more complicated to work on, and uses more fuel there are 3700 hundred of them in US storage. It would be much easier to pull out 300-500 Abrams from storage and get them to Ukraine. If Ukraine had 1500 or so Soviet tanks and 500 NATO MBTs they would run the Russians out of Ukraine before the Russians have time to open their vodka ration.

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I think that's going to happen eventually, but it's likely several months down the road, because the logistics chains of all the new systems that Ukraine is getting now are already overwhelming. The Abrams engine is unlike anything else on the battlefield, and I think that the US DoD doesn't think that it's feasible right now to maintain. I mean, I've read that today's announcements mean that Ukraine will be operating 18 different artillery systems, which is crazy. I don't understand how Ukrainian logistics teams have done what they already have accomplished -- it's incredible.

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Without increased manufacturing capacity, I'm hesitant to give them any M1's. We have those in storage in case we need them. I am not for sacrificing our readiness.

It boils down to the fact that the US and NATO need more defense production capacity.

This one-year-long regional war is depleting US and NATO stocks, what would happen in a much larger and longer intense conflict? We'd probably run out of ammo and equipment.

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The Army needs to greenlight the Abrams X tank. There's already a prototype, and production could start soon. Instead, the Army is still working on a futuristic unmanned system, and who knows how long the delays will be on that thing, before it's actually produced?

This article makes that point in much more detail.

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Isn’t the fuel burn on an Abrams like 20 gallons to the mile? Maybe that’s a reason we think it’s not best for Ukraine

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We would roll all day and take on averages of about 120 gallons of JP-8. Not bad. You have to really be humping to ever get to the point of needing to transfer fuel from the 2 front reserve tanks to the rear.