Can't think of where else to post this, but that was one heck of a fireworks display in DC tonight.

God Bless America.

I hope I make it to our 300th Birthday.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Sunday, July 05, 2026 - 07:15 am: Edit

The one in Toyko was worth watching also....

There were several Drone displays across the country
just saw some snippits, sorry I missed the whole shows
probably catch them from time to time

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Monday, July 06, 2026 - 08:02 am: Edit

Someone posted (fairly lengthy) AI video describing a drone attack on S-400 Batteries around the airfield on Crimea....
Talked about the drone tactics and responses of the SAM crews.....
Don't know if it was about an actual attack or not...

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 01:43 am: Edit

Ukraine hit the Omsk oil refinery with drones yesterday. Omsk is the most advanced oil refinery in Russia, producing ten percent of gasoline and up to 50 percent of some products. Omsk is 2500km from Ukraine and the drones may have had to fly3000km to zigzag through defended areas.before this strike, Russias gasoline production was not meeting interior demand. The refinery was seen burning in several parts.

By Kosta Michalopoulos (Kosmic) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 01:47 am: Edit

So I have seen a story on the web that Ukraine has struck a Russian refinery in Omsk, some 2,500 kilometres from Ukraine. Omsk happens to be to the east of most of Kazakhstan. I don't know how to fact check this, but if true, practically nowhere of any value in Russia (except maybe Vladivostok) is now safe from a Ukrainian attack.

By Kosta Michalopoulos (Kosmic) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 01:48 am: Edit

Note: I was just typing that up as SVC posted. We must have seen the same story.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 06:06 am: Edit

The Ukrainians are exploiting a technological gap in the Russian air defense system. The S300 and S400 are designed to hit high-flying combat jets, not low-flying drones, which slip in at 20-50 meters above the deck. The drones are routed to avoid the low-level flak and to use low ground and valleys and hills and forests to avoid detection.

Just a rough note, the "front line" of the war is about 1000km wide, counting the areas where a drone might fly through it. If you just put one Tunguska gun every 5km across the front to create a flak belt, it would take 200 of these guns (Russia owns 240, builds 20 a year, and loses 60 a year to Ukrainian attacks), but there are problems. The 30mm cannons only have ammo on board for about six bursts of cannon fire before reloading, which takes a few minutes. So if Russia built a "Tunguska Belt" across the front, it would be easy to penetrate the belt by just sending a lot of drones through one spot. Worse, there are other places that Tunguska is needed, and the Ukrainians could target the Tunguskas (as US satellites find them) with ballistic missiles that the Tunguskas cannot shoot down.

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica_Orsini) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 10:41 am: Edit

Three more tankers have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz today, one of which is now on fire.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 12:17 pm: Edit

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica_Orsini) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 01:37 pm: Edit

NATO Sec-Gen Rutte announced today that NATO has selected the Saab GlobalEye as the preferred replacement to their aging Boeing E-3 Sentry fleet.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 03:00 pm: Edit

They need to ramp up production then. In 2018 the build rate was three systems a year.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 04:00 pm: Edit

It was pointed out to me that another reason Russia knows better than to build a "Tanguska Belt" is that Ukraine would identify at least some of the individual guns and just send eight or ten kamikaze drones each after a few of them and blow a hole that Russia could not patch.

There is also that "oh, they put them all in a row where we can kill them. Swell. Let's do it."

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 04:49 pm: Edit

Counter-Terrorism: Pakistan Creates Female Islamic Terrorist Unit
July 7, 2026: In late 2025, Pakistani Islamic terrorist group JeM/Jaish-e-Mohammed announced the formation of a women’s wing called JuM/Jamaat-ul-Muminat, translated as the Organization of Female Believers. The announcement was made in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. In mid-October, JeM organized a recruiting effort in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to persuade women to move from their usual terrorist-supporting efforts to front-line combat activities that include the likelihood of injury or death.
JeM was founded in 2000 in Pakistan for the purpose of carrying out Islamic terrorist attacks against Indian targets. JeM also wants to make the disputed districts of Jammu and Kashmir part of Pakistan, an effort that has been underway for 80 years. JeM seeks to carry out attacks inside India and has managed to do that a few times. In addition to being condemned by nations worldwide, JeM makes regular use of social media and information warfare to recruit naïve people to become Islamic terrorists with a death wish.
JuM is an attempt to replace growing losses of male JeM members with radicalized women. This is nothing new, as Arab Islamic terrorist groups have previously recruited women and young girls to be suicide bombers. The women were reluctant to do this, and the young girls didn’t understand. In both cases, the women and girls were equipped with a suicide bomb vest and then instructed to go to a particular location. They would be followed by handlers who had remote control devices to detonate the explosive vests. It is not known if JuM is going to adopt these tactics, and that is why new JuM recruits undergo over a month of training and indoctrination. It will be known how this worked out if Pakistani women are found to be exploding near Indian targets.
FYEO

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 04:50 pm: Edit

Drone Ship Rescues Downed Pilots
July 7, 2026: Last month, an American Navy Saronic Corsair naval surface drone rescued two Army gunship pilots who crashed off the coast of Oman near the entry to the Persian Gulf. The AH-64 helicopter had been patrolling near the Strait of Hormuz and was shot down by Iranian forces.
The Corsair is an 11-meter vessel that can carry a ton of cargo up to 2,000 kilometers at a top speed of more than 60 kilometers an hour, with a cruising speed of less than half that.
Saronic has a related larger 82-meter Marauder naval drone that can carry 150 tons of cargo up to 7,300 kilometers at a top speed of 45 kilometers an hour and a cruising speed of 22 kilometers an hour. This drone can accommodate four 40-foot containers, eight 20-foot containers, or any other combination of cargo that will fit.
As usual, a lot of this new naval drone technology can be traced back to the Ukrainian experience two years ago. Its three operational Ukrainian marine drones are Sea Baby or Malyuk in Ukrainian, Mother or Mamai, and MAGURA, which means Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus. Sea Baby and Mother were developed by the SBU/Ukrainian Secret Service and the Navy. They are used by the 385th Separate Brigade, which specializes in naval warfare. MAGURA was developed by GUR/Main Intelligence Directorate and SpetsTechnoExport, a state-owned enterprise. At the end of 2023, the SBU unveiled an updated Cossack Mamai with a claimed top speed of 100 kilometers an hour. Manufacture of these drones is done in underground production facilities to avoid Russian missile and guided bomb attacks.
Malyuk was used in the mid-2023 Kerch Bridge attack and was carrying 850 kg of explosives to inflict sufficient damage. MAGURA carries 320 kg of explosives while Mamai carries 450 kg. These marine drones are no longer used just for delivering explosives against a target. They can also be used for reconnaissance when equipped with video cameras that broadcast what they see back to the drone operator. Some marine drones have been armed with small rocket launchers. Malyuk has a range of over 700 kilometers, which means it is suitable for operations on the high seas. Endurance is about 60 hours, and top speed is over 70 kilometers an hour. MAGURA has similar characteristics. Mamai was used in the long-range attack at the distant naval base at Novorossiysk on Russia’s eastern Black Sea coast, which is a thousand kilometers from Crimea.
Ukraine has been developing subsurface marine drones, and in early 2023 the first one, the Toloka2 TK-150, was introduced. This Drone was 2.5 meters long and equipped with a sensor mast that remained above the surface for navigation and to identify targets. Toloka2 can also carry a small explosive warhead. More recently, Ukraine developed the larger Marichka marine drone that is 6 meters long and one meter in diameter. Ukraine has planned for a Western manufacturer to build and weaponize Ukrainian marine drones.
Ukrainian marine drones have been quite successful in attacking and sinking or disabling Russian navy ships. Eventually, the Ukrainian marine drones destroyed most of the Russian Black Sea fleet. The longest-range raids have been against targets in the Kerch Strait and the more distant naval base at Novorossiysk.

FYEO

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 04:51 pm: Edit

Attrition: Implications Of Deserting The Russian Army
July 5, 2026: In the fifth year of war in Ukraine, Russia is running out of soldiers and 50,000 of those that remain have left. The number of deserters is increasing, which threatens Russia’s ability to man the thousand kilometer front line. So far this year, Russia has lost over 600,000 troops dead, wounded, missing, and deserters.
There are also defectors comprised of Russian soldiers who flee to a country bordering Russia and ask for asylum as refugees from the unpopular war in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian soldiers are also deserting and simply migrating to NATO countries and, if necessary, asking for asylum. Many of these defectors have served in the Ukrainian military for years and have documents and photos to prove it. Ukraine is aware of these defectors and doesn’t go after like the Russians do with their defectors.
The Ukrainian response to defectors is to upgrade the conditions of service for their soldiers. Now soldiers are in the military for a fixed period and have the option to remain in the army if they want to. Ukraine is implementing this fixed term of service for existing soldiers, hoping that enough of them remain to finish off Russian forces in Crimea and the few other areas in Ukraine where they remain. Most current Ukrainian soldiers are willing to consider extending their service as long as they have the option to leave soon.
The Ukrainian military is also attracting more women, who usually serve in support jobs or as drone operators and, in a few cases, as snipers. Ukrainian female snipers were common during World War II and after the war as Ukraine once more fought for its freedom from Russia. This rebellion was over by the mid-1950s and the descendants of these rebels sometimes remarked that hunting and killing Russian soldiers was an ancient family tradition.
The 1.4 million casualties in Ukraine have caused Russian recruiters to be more creative, and deceptive to obtain new soldiers. The recruiters usually dress in civilian clothes and travel in pairs. Large groups of recruiters if the recruiting is going to be done at a large public event attended by lots of young men. Recruiters approach the men, show their ID and ask if the man would like to make some good money serving in the army. The war is still consuming half the government budget and the economy is struggling. Jobs are hard to find, and unemployed men can often be persuaded to sign a lucrative contract to serve in the army for a number of years. If men refuse, the recruiters can put them under a form of arrest and take them to an army mobilization center to begin their training. Men kidnapped like this often go along with it because it is a job and service in Ukraine is not a certainty.
Several million Russians have been recruited for the Ukraine War since February 2022. More than a million additional men fled Russia to avoid mobilization. Ukraine has mobilized half that number but trains its soldiers thoroughly before sending them off to war. Ukraine also provides far better medical care for its wounded and suffers less than half as many casualties as the Russians.
Russian deserters are subject to as many as 15 years in prison, but that sentence is rarely imposed. If the deserter agrees to resume his military service, he will not be bothered anymore, although the government will retain a record of the desertion. Russian leaders are currently figuring out how to explain their defeat in Ukraine while also planning future military adventures. Russia expects to have its new army formed and ready to go by the end of the decade. Next to Ukraine, Russia is the only other country with experience using drones. Ukraine, which invented drone warfare, has turned this knowledge into a profitable export item. Ukrainian drone manufacturers are establishing relationships with similar firms in other countries and showing these foreigners how to build, package and sell military drones. Ukraine also provides assistance in training foreign troops to teach drone operation and tactics.
Drones have become a big business for Ukraine, as well as arms manufacturing in general. By the end of 2026 Ukraine was manufacturing most of the weapons, munitions and military equipment it needed. Ukrainians are the current experts in conducting modern warfare. While Russia shares its expertise with North Korea, Iran, Cuba and a few other nations, Ukraine has the rest of the world, especially the NATO nations.

FYEO

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 04:52 pm: Edit

Warplanes: Looking For A New European Fighter Aircraft
July 5, 2026: Current European jet fighters include the French Rafale, the German, Italian, Spanish and British Eurofighter Typhoon, and the American F-16 and F-35. The F-16 is used by Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands while the F-35 is used by Britain, Italy and Norway.
The 24-ton French Rafale is a twin engine, single seat, supersonic combat aircraft with a combat range of 1,000 kilometers and a ferry range of 3,700kx. Ceiling is 15.8 kilometers. Armament is one 30mm autocannon with 125 rounds and 9.5 tons of bombs and missiles.
The 23-ton British/German/Italian/Spanish, Typhoon is a twin engine, single seat, supersonic combat aircraft with a combat range of 1;389 kilometers and with a of 1,000 and a ferry range of 3,700 kilometers. Ceiling is 16.7 kilometers. Armament is one 27mm autocannon with 150 rounds and 9 tons of bombs and missiles.
European countries have had a more difficult time developing a next generation jet fighter. These include the Franco, German, Spanish FCAS/ Future Combat Air System, which was cancelled last month. The British Tempest, already in development, then became the new contender as a 6th Generation European fighter. Tempest is a joint development of Britain, Japan and Italy. It is to be in service by 2035. First flight is supposed to take place sometime between 2026 and 2032. Few specifications have been released other than the aircraft is 17 meters long and has a max speed of 3,000 kilometers an hour. Service ceiling is 20 kilometers
Other Sixth generation aircraft in development include the American F-47, the Chinese J-36 and J-50.
The F-47 specifications are unknown. No data has been released on how much it weighs, what weapons it carries, max altitude or much else besides a top speed of Mach 2 and a range of 1,900 kilometers. The air force plans to buy up to 200 aircraft that will enter service before 2029. The F-47 will cost three times as much as the F-35.
China also has sixth generation aircraft. The J-36 is a tailless three engine fighter
The J-50 is smaller and, like the J-36, still in development
China has also developed carrier based aircraft and is seeking to adapt the J-36 for use on aircraft carriers.
Russia has been busy in Ukraine, where it used its not-quite 6th Generation Su-57, a failed attempt to develop a fighter equal to the F-35. The Russian MiG-41 is a true 6th Generation aircraft and successor to the Su-57 but, like the American F-47, neither aircraft have been built or flown yet.

FYEO

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 04:53 pm: Edit

Air Weapons: Ukraine Attacks KronStadt
July 4, 2026: Last month, a fire at the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, 20 kilometers west of St. Petersburg, was obvious through much of the surrounding area, including the city. The more significant target was Kronstadt Island, where Ukrainian drones attacked military facilities. Recently the Ukrainian military has carried out a sequence of successful long-range strikes in far northwest Russia, attacking the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal and a military base on Kronstadt. Ukrainian long-range drones were used for this surprising and spectacular attack. Among the witnesses to this attack were those attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, including pro-Russia diplomats, economists, military officials, and journalists. All witnessed the Ukrainian drone attack that destroyed, in a dramatic fashion, several oil storage tanks. This temporarily disrupted Russian oil exports from Baltic oil ports with Russia losing a billion dollars in oil revenue as oil exports from Baltic ports fell 40 percent.
The strikes on military targets on Kronstadt have received far less public attention despite potentially greater military significance. Ukrainian press releases were not quick to report the extent of the damage, and the Russians are downplaying the importance of the attack, despite all the visible explosions and sustained fires on Kronstadt Island.
It is known to the outside world that Kronstadt Island contains a large number of military activities. Among these is the Kronstadt Marine Plant, one of Russia’s major ship repair and refurbishment centers. Here Russian warships from all the four fleets are worked on, including a corvette that entered the facility in 2023. The shipyard has also carried out complex overhauls of Kilo-class submarines from the Baltic and Black Sea fleets. Kronstadt continues to be the primary base for the Baltic Fleet, as well as the 3rd Separate Submarine Division and the 105th Brigade of Water Area Protection Ships.
As important as Kronstadt is, to the west there is the Russian port and military base of Kaliningrad. This base came about when Germany's province of East Prussia disappeared after World War II. Most of it went to Poland, but Russia retained the city of Konigsberg and its environs. They renamed the city Kaliningrad and made it a major naval base. When the Soviet Union fell apart, Russia kept Kaliningrad, and today a million Russian inhabitants live there. Currently, the Kaliningrad question is a political matter concerning the status of Kaliningrad Province as a part of Russia, and its isolation from the rest of the Baltic region following the 2004 expansion of the EU/European Union.
In Western media, the region is often discussed in relation to the deployment of missile systems, initially as a response to the deployment of missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia views the region as a crucial part of its ability to militarily influence or dominate the Baltic Sea’
A minority opinion calls for the annexation of Kaliningrad by Germany, which could make a financial offer Russia would find difficult to refuse. German public and political opinion of this was decidedly negative and nothing more came of it.
FYEO

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 04:53 pm: Edit

Surface Forces : Fires Aboard Warships At Sea
July 4, 2026: After there was a minor fire on the American aircraft carrier Ford, it was discovered that there was an average of 53 fires annually on American Navy vessels. Most of this occurs during maintenance operations while a ship is in port or a drydock but there are outbreaks, generally minor, of fire on deployed ships. The most common location for fires is in the laundry space. Dealing with laundry fires is the most practiced fire drill at sea because it’s the most common fire event.
From lithium-ion battery cargoes to engine room accidents, fire hazards at sea are more complex than ever before. Shipowners, operators, and insurers are compelled to reconsider the usual solutions. Consider the most common reasons for such fires. Several fires on large car carriers, container ships, and tankers have underlined weaknesses in both cargo handling and onboard systems. Many of these fires originate from a small number of repeatable points of failure. These include mislabelled or incorrectly stowed hazardous goods, electrical malfunctions, fuel system leaks, and contractor or crew error during maintenance or welding. The rise of electric vehicles and lithium-ion battery cargoes has made it difficult to create ways to extinguish such fires that standard fire suppression systems are often unable to handle.
The most frequent events causing onboard fires are hazardous materials not properly described, particularly lithium batteries, flammable liquids, or oxidizers. Then there are engine room fires caused by leaking fuel, lube oil, or hydraulic fluid contacting hot surfaces, plus lack of insulation or maintenance. Electrical failures include overloaded circuits, short circuits, corroded wires, or unsealed connections in humid conditions. Other frequent cause are crew quarters fires and hidden smoldering events in reefer areas or control rooms. These are difficult to detect before ignition while inspection cycles often overlook deteriorating wire conditions
Shipboard work accidents include welding, grinding, or cutting without fire watch, permits, or isolation of flammable materials. Human error leads to expansive claims and delays where training and permit-to-work enforcement are crucial. Then there is poor cargo arrangement with inappropriate dangerous goods placed too closely, as when oxidizers are near items that ignite readily. Improper stowage contributes to rapid spread of fires aboard container ships and RoRo/Roll On-Roll Off vessels.
Galley and crew quarters fires are caused by unattended cooking, grease build-up, or malfunctioning galley appliances. This is especially common on cruise ships and mixed-use vessels with passenger living spaces. These are typically localized but still dangerous; many disable ventilation or spread via ductwork.
While no vessel can eliminate risk entirely, the most effective systems start with improved cargo scrutiny and more intelligent stowage decisions. With real-time monitoring, modern tools and practices are giving shipowners more control than ever before. The strategies below reflect proven methods drawn from incident reports, safety audits, and regulatory best practices.
Fire emergency response exercises include sustained fire containment exercises for the cargo spaces, engine room, and crew or passenger quarters. There should be monthly documented onboard drills. Then there are fire suppression systems; carbon-dioxide fire suppression, water mist systems and foam/water-spray equipment. All this has had an impact on insurance premiums which have gone up fifteen to thirty percent for ships carrying cargoes containing a lot of lithium-ion batteries in electric or hybrid vehicles.

FYEO

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandar) on Tuesday, July 07, 2026 - 07:04 pm: Edit

Fires aboard ships.

I repair navy ships. We are constantly being pushed on about safety. Fire safety, 4inches of paint,12 inches are more of insulation. Hot work tickets and fire watches. Then the ship is always doing fire drills. Normally once a month they do a big drill. The Fire department shows up and everyone evacuates the ship.

A fun time is had by all.

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica_Orsini) on Wednesday, July 08, 2026 - 07:26 am: Edit

President Trump said this morning that the MOU / ceasefire is over; all waivers et al have been revoked, and both sides are shooting again.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, July 08, 2026 - 08:06 am: Edit

Oh, goodie. Housecat by the tail.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, July 08, 2026 - 08:07 am: Edit

Mr. Trump called Iran's leaders "sick" and declared it "a waste of time dealing with them."

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica_Orsini) on Wednesday, July 08, 2026 - 11:38 am: Edit

President Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today that the United States would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air defense systems to protect itself from Russian missiles.

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica_Orsini) on Wednesday, July 08, 2026 - 11:44 am: Edit

President Trump renewed his calls for U.S. control of Greenland today during the NATO summit. "Greenland is a big problem for us," Trump said. "We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States, and it’s very important."

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, July 08, 2026 - 02:20 pm: Edit

Surprises me about the Patriot missiles. I thought he would compromise on a factory in Poland.

Now, we just need FirePoint to build a factory in Texas.