Whirring Into Action in Ukraine's Skies

[ancianita]

Source: New York Times

On a snowbound field, three Soviet-era helicopters were being readied for battle. Pilots and crew checked the flight plan for their next target, while technicians loaded slim gray rockets into launcher pods and stacked flares into racks behind the exhaust.

One year into the war, against all the odds, Ukraine’s helicopter brigades are still operational. Every day of the week, multiple times a day, they go into battle against enemy forces, launching rocket attacks along the front lines in support of ground troops and occasionally slipping under Russian air defenses to fly covert missions into enemy territory.

Far from being knocked out in the first days of the invasion, Ukraine’s helicopters and jets have kept flying, remaining an inspiring and useful element of the war effort.

In a rare opportunity, the 18th Sikorsky Brigade, the foremost of Ukraine’s four helicopter brigades, gave reporters access to a combat unit for two days recently. Officers and pilots described how the Ukrainian brigades moved their aircraft at the onset of the war to evade Russian strikes, and how they adapted their tactics to fighting a much more powerful and better equipped adversary.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/04/world/europe/ukraine-helicopters-russia.html

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[Deuxcents]

1. Glory to Ukraine 🇺🇦

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. There's that western military training being used to great effect. nt

[ancianita]

3. Sure is. Only thing they need now are ""Black Hawks," said one.

“Apaches,” said another, “a lot of them." NATO should be getting that kind of air power to them. They need to weaken whoever and whatever's planned for them in the spring.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

4. Apache Longbows, the baddest of the bad attack birds.

Black Hawks, perfect for moving troops to and from the battlefield.

I agree, give them all they need to defeat this illegal invasion.

[Evolve Dammit]

5. x1000!

[PortTack]

6. ☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️

[wnylib]

7. .

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

14. Maybe a few A-10s

I just love them...almost as much as the AC-47.

[Aristus]

16. When I was in the Gulf in 1991, We watched a lot of Apaches fly over King Khalid Military City

on their way to the front. They were intimidating as hell, and they were on our side. They looked like the biggest, meanest, deadliest insects in the world. If we could get a bunch of Apaches over to the Ukrainians, those Russians would shit their pants and surrender on the spot.

[Brother Buzz]

8. Those helicopter pilots have testicles made out of brass

I watched a video of them in action a few weeks ago, describing their ground hugging tactics with a ride along film crew. Pilot struck a tree and damaged a blade, but was able to return to base. The damaged blade was replaced within hours, and he went back into the thick of it.

[ancianita]

10. I saw some footage, too. Hell yeah, they're hardass.

[Brother Buzz]

11. The reporter asked the pilot if he was ever afraid

He responded, "If you're afraid, you should stay home". He was lying because he was terrified every time he went out; Fear and love of one's country is one Hell of a motivator.

Hardass, indeed

[ancianita]

12. Great question to ask directly to those who fight.

Last edited Sun Mar 5, 2023, 09:16 PM - Edit history (2)

The whole training and relentless practice of channeling fear into fight is a high warrior and soul skill when you're protecting the innocents and larger freedoms of your people. It's a warrior love many don't understand.

[niyad]

9. Slava Ukraini! Thank you for the update.

[gademocrat7]

13. Slava Ukraini!💙💛

[electric_blue68]

15. 🌻🇺🇦🌻 Slava Ukraini! Ty for the update.

[Martin68]

17. It was a huge military failure that Russians never achieved air superiority. In addition to the

Ukrainian success in moving and hiding their assets, I've seen a couple of explanations for that. One is that Russian pilots had not been trained in the extremely difficult tactics required to attack ground-based anti-air defenses. Another is the they didn't want put their most advanced jets at risk, which suggest they are in short supply, or they needed to hold them in reserve for a possible fight with NATO.

[ancianita]

18. Yes, great point and analyses for it. Thank you.

Also, I'm not sure if they had inferior satellite intel, or what.

But Ukraine has had good internet (Google Earth and comms) and satellite help from us. Plus, Ukraine had all the US's superior military intel (Microsoft, Oracle, Apple and AmazonAWB are cyber war room subcontractors with the US Military) at its disposal to know in advance what Russian forces were doing and at what multiple locations.

Russia's militarily failed on the ground and in the skies. They warn of a spring offensive. But Ukraine, having the home field advantage, will be prepared. Russia's feeling greater impact of sanctions now; tank production has slowed; ammunition supply is getting low; China's not buying Russian oil and gas; and there are at least two more months of winter for Russians to suffer. We have often overestimated Russia's nuke deliveray capability, but even they know that a limited nuke drop will be the end of them.

Ukraine might not win along that 600 mile border, but we and NATO allies are seeing to it that the Russians definitely lose, and look that way to the world, so that the pressure continues to come to the table and not make their state terrorism record any worse than it is.

[Martin68]

20. Nicely said, ancianita! Ukraine will prevail! Fuck Russia and their barbaric approach everything.

[Hekate]

19. 🌻🌻🌻🌻Best wishes to Ukraine and its people🌻🌻🌻🌻