July 10, 2020
The U.S. is helping to beef up Ukraine's naval forces to defend against the Russians.
From the article:
The Kerch Strait became a flashpoint when Russian coast guard vessels first rammed a Ukrainian tugboat, then later fired on two accompanying gunboats, attempting to transit the strait. The incident resulted in 24 Ukrainian service members, along with their three boats, being taken into Russian custody. Both the sailors and boats were returned to Ukraine last fall after months in Russia.
In June, the U.S. State Department announced it had approved the sale of up to 16 Mark VI Patrol Boats to Ukraine. The Mark VI is the same heavily armed boat used by the U.S. Navy’s Riverines. The U.S. version packs two stabilized, remote-operated, optically guided MK 50, .50-caliber Gun Weapon Systems; two MK 38 Mod 2 (25mm) Gun Weapon Systems (also remotely operated with an advanced optics system); and two crew-served .50-caliber machine guns.
The boat can sustain a firefight for up to 45 minutes, an operator told
Defense News in 2019. The deal is worth about $600 million. The sale
includes 32 MSI Seahawk A2 gun systems; 20 electro-optic/infrared
radar, or FLIR systems; 16 Long Range Acoustic Device 5-kilometer range
loudspeaker systems; 16 identification, friend or foe systems; 40 MK44
30mm cannons; and unspecified communications and support equipment.
But the pending Mark VI sale isn’t the only improvement to Ukraine’s maritime capabilities. The move follows two Mark VIs that were given to Ukraine as part of a recently announced $250 million aid packageand the recent transfer of two Island-class patrol boats from the U.S. Coast Guard. Those generally come equipped with a 25mm gun and two .50-caliber machine guns. A further three Island-class boats are in negotiations.
The U.S. Navy is also helping Ukraine develop an intelligence and reconnaissance program for increasing their ability to surveil the waters in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, according to a source familiar with the program who spoke on background. The program would also help Ukraine work through procurement and training issues for their maritime forces.
Ukraine in June took on the status of a NATO "enhanced opportunities partner,†which means "Ukraine will benefit from tailor-made opportunities to help sustain such contributions. This includes enhanced access to interoperability programmes and exercises, and more sharing of information, including lessons learned,†a NATO press release said.
This is risky business, and will only accelerate rising tensions between the United States and the Russian Federation. The looming Cold War just got a lot chillier.
It's why I never advocated accepting Ukraine into NATO; the Russians see that as a direct provocation.
We need to be seriously de-escalating tensions with Moscow; we have to pry Russia and China apart. China is our TRUE enemy. If we keep pushing we give Putin what he wants - more justification for a war footing and a way to embrace the Chicoms. We need to take that away from him.
China and Russia are natural enemies and competitors. The Chinese want Siberia; they want to move their excess population into that vast uninhabited land. They believe Asia should be for the Asians. They see Russia as an old imperialist power. The Russians know this, and know they cannot settle the land themselves so the Chinese will simply reach out and take it at some point. There is already a serious illegal immigration problem, with huge numbers of Chinese settling in Siberia without permission. Whole towns exist that were created by Chinese invaders. Russia has every reason to fear China.
But our blundering American policy over the years has given the Russians more reason to fear US, and has made it clear China was the coming power. The Russians figure it's better to back the winning horse, and especially when the ultimate losing horse is pooping on your shoe in the process. We owe much of our vast national debt to China, and we've promoted their slave labor camps to provide cheaper goods then can we. Meanwhile we continue to educate Chinese in American schools, lend and even give money to China to relend as part of their "belts and roadways initiative" which is empowering China with money borrowed from - China! We're paying interest on money we are giving the Chicoms! (And we ARE giving to them; we still provide them financial aid as a "developing country".)
Russia would be foolish to ally with America against China.
So now we are giving ships to the Ukrainians, further driving a wedge between ourselves and the Russkies, and helping to further a Sino-Russian alliance.
The people running America are morons.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at
08:34 AM
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What guarantee do I have of this? Sadly, nothing; but it sounds good, doesn't it?
Posted by: Dana Mathewson at July 11, 2020 09:33 PM (LVmqo)
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at July 12, 2020 07:43 AM (n9KKM)
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