M1 Abrams Tanks In U.S. Inventory Have Armor Too Secret To Send To Ukraine

10 days ago The Drive

President Joe Biden formally announced plans to send 31 M1 tanks to the Ukrainian armed forces today. A satellite image showing rows of M1 Abrams tanks and other armored vehicles at Sierra Army Depot in California. The development of the original version of this armor, often referred to simply as "heavy armor" or "special armor," was conducted under a top-secret Special Access Program (SAP) nicknamed Green Grape. This is a complex process, as evidenced by recent publicly available contract documents related to the sale of Abrams tanks to Poland. DODSome sort of covert transfer arrangement might be possible, but would only add the complexity of actually getting any Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
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China’s Spy Balloon Over Montana Is Part Of A Larger, More Troubling Pattern

"We are confident that this high-altitude surveillance balloon belongs to the PRC [People's Republic of China]," the senior U.S. defense official said. Monitoring of the balloon has been conducted using crewed aircraft and other unspecified means, according to the senior U.S. defense official. "Clearly they're trying to fly over sensitive sites," the senior defense official said. National Park Service"We have engaged PRC officials with urgency through multiple channels," the senior defense official said. Whether or not another less risky opportunity to shoot down the apparent Chinese balloon will appear and be taken advantage of remains to be seen.

1 day ago The Drive

Ukraine Situation Report: Just 13% Of Russia’s Iskander Ballistic Missiles Left, Kyiv’s Intel Chief Claims

Russian troops reportedly attempted to burn sensitive documents before retreating from the command post but were unsuccessful. The photos below show the boiler in which Russian troops tried to incinerate intelligence before being overrun. One such member of the Wagner private military contractor group was wounded and interrogated by Ukrainian forces, as seen in the video below. The footage, which includes exterior shots of the building, was enough for Ukrainian forces to geolocate the unit’s position and hit them with HIMARS. Kh-29T TV-guided air-to-surface missiles, as well as R-73 heat-seeking short-range air-to-air missiles, are seen in the clips, too.

3 months ago The Drive

Still No Western Tanks For Ukraine After Allies Meet At Arms Summit

(Bundeswehr photo)Neither the U.S. nor Germany have yet decided to provide tanks from their own supplies. “Poland, for example, continues to offer tanks and will provide tanks if other countries will offer some type of tank capability as well,” he said. Allies have debated the issue of providing Western tanks to Ukraine for months, but the concept became a reality last week when the U.K. announced it will provide Challenger 2 tanks. Allies have already agreed to provide Ukraine with a mix of armor. France is providing Ukraine an as yet undetermined number of AMX-10 RC light tanks.

15 days ago The Drive

Russia’s Growing Dirty Bomb Threat Narrative Is Highly Concerning

"Ukraine has got a motive to use the ‘dirty bomb’, as well as scientific, technical and production capacities to create it," said Kirillov. Russia's chief of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons protection troops Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, said Russian troops have been alerted to operate amid radioactive contamination. The Pentagon on Monday pushed back on Russia’s claims about a Ukrainian dirty bomb but did not specifically comment on Kirillov’s comments that Russian troops were alerted about working amid radioactively contaminated areas. That official categorically denied Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb. “The parties carried on discussing the situation concerning Ukraine's possible use of a 'dirty bomb,’” according to the Russian MOD.

3 months ago The Drive

China’s Manmade Island Fortresses Like You’ve Never Seen Them Before

Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPhoto by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPhoto by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesA similar setup is seen on another structure that does not feature the large dome on the other end of the small island. Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPhoto by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPhoto by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesA wider view shows all these features and a large helipad. Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPhoto by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesThe harbor and part of the living and admin section of Mischief Reef. Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPhoto by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPort facilities are visible in the below photo of an artificial island built on Subi Reef. Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesPhoto by Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesAnother angle shows the extent of the support buildings and antennas farms.

3 months ago The Drive

Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Says It Has No Defense Against Russia’s Kh-22 Missiles

That's another reason, they said, why Ukraine needs more advanced air defense systems like the Patriot PAC-3 and the Aster SAMP/T. Previous reports about Ukrainian air defense shooting them down, he added, were erroneous. The Klitschko brothers told Reuters that they urge Ukraine's Western allies to speed up deliveries of air defense systems capable of downing Russian missiles. “The air defense and the Black Sea Fleet shot down 10 out of 10 Ukro-pilots over the sea,” Razvozhayev claimed. Ukrainian air defense troops aren't the only ones receiving training outside their country.

18 days ago The Drive

Ukraine Situation Report: Russia’s Kherson Pontoon Bridge Attacked

Ukrainian forces struck at a key crossing on the Dnipro River late Thursday night local time and may have tried to hit it again on Friday. The LatestEarlier Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called his counterpart, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu for the first time in months. Russian sources indicated that Ukrainian troops have advanced in northern Kherson Oblast as Ukrainian forces continued their interdiction campaign. Russian forces continued to conduct ground assaults in Donetsk Oblast but Russian sources contradicted their own claims on control of Bakhmut. In Kherson, Ukraine destroyed a Russian BM-27 Uragan 220mm MLRS and captured its 9T452 transporter.

3 months ago The Drive

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