Defence and Freedom

A blog (mostly) about defence policy and military affairs.
Some humour, German politics and economic stuff is in between.

[F15sRdaBest🇺🇸 @F15sRdaBest]

The latest official figures are from GAO's June 2026 sustainment report, covering fiscal 2025.

Across the U.S. F-35 fleet, the mission capable rate fell from 66.8 percent in fiscal 2021 to 44.1 percent in fiscal 2025. The full mission capable rate fell from 38.1 percent to 24.6 percent.

By variant in fiscal 2025: Air Force F-35A, 38.6 percent mission capable and 28.5 percent full mission capable. Marine F-35B, 53.9 percent and 16.2 percent. Navy F-35C, 54.2 percent and 15.3 percent. Marine F-35C had the highest mission capable rate at 64.2 percent, with 22.0 percent full mission capable.

None of the variants met the services' minimum goals. The Joint Program Office's reset target is 80 percent mission capable and 65 percent full mission capable by 2030. The Air Force has said it wants 80 percent full mission capable.

For context, Air Force data for fiscal 2024 put the F-16C mission capable rate at 64 percent, the F-15C at 52.9 percent, and the F-15D at 63.7 percent. Those figures are a year older than the F-35 numbers above. The F-35A itself was at 51.5 percent mission capable in fiscal 2024, before the drop in fiscal 2025. 2/4

[ithaca rising 🇫🇷 🇬🇧 @ithacarising]

The French figured out centuries ago that a leader with a mistress is harder to blackmail than a leader terrified of being caught with one. Anglo-Saxon politics runs on the fear of exposure. French politics runs on the assumption that everyone already knows and has decided it doesn't matter. One of those systems is considerably more robust.

[Korovyev @Lucius_J_Brutus]

Если украинцы сохранят нынешний темп, примерно через 2 недели в европейской части 🇷🇺 может не остаться мощностей для выпуска бензина и дизеля. Топливо придется завозить, а денег в бюджете нет. Из крупных заводов еще работают Пермский, Куйбышевский и ТАНЕКО в Татарстане,- Крутихин

[Rodrigo A. Rettig V. 🇨🇱 @RodRettig]

Xq eran puro humo. Y lo advertimos hasta el cansancio.

Descubrieron q bastaba con golpear la mesa, poner cara de enojados, decir 4 estupideces con tono de autoridad y prometer soluciones mágicas para ganar elecciones.

El problema es e gobernar exige algo + q gritar fuerte y encontrar culpables. Exige conocimiento, equipos, capacidad de gestión y resultados.

Y cuando se acaba el espectáculo y empieza la realidad, queda al descubierto lo que siempre fueron, esto es, mucho ruido, poca sustancia y una incompetencia monumental.

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

@Lva_Sc @GrumpyBadger5 @tempest_books The Soviets planned to invade Sakhalin with two infantry divisions (Soviet ones were rather small) at Rumoi, but success was very unlikely.
Look at a map - artillery observers at Oshike and Obira would have had a great view at all transport ships off Rumoi.

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

@Lva_Sc @GrumpyBadger5 @tempest_books The Soviets would have needed to take a port or natural harbour for logistical reasons and they had almost no ships available for such an operation and their Transsiberian Railway would be busy supporting occupation of Manchuria & Korea.

[tt_125 @tt12514]

Κινέζικοι πυροσωλήνες και κεφαλές για αναχαιτιστικά ντρον που πωλούνται στο "εμπόριο"

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

@GrumpyBadger5 @tempest_books The Soviets had almost no navy and almost no merchant marine, also almost no marines with any beach assault training by 1945.
They conducted some amphibious assaults in the Black Sea, with rather poor results.
Japan could have held Hokkaido by placing one division at major ports.

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

The worst thing is: About half of it makes sense.

The person, btw, is incompetent at understanding what I wrote. He's still in that job and delegates his work to some 'AI' service.

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

'AI' is starting to annoy me.

Now it's giving me tasks to do.

I sent writing to someone, that person used AI to process it and AI devised a long lists of changes it wants from me.

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

@KTB_500 1) Why would the drone not be able to see through the smoke (thermal camera) if your drivers can do?

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

Or even better, don't negotiate with such powers.

Send them an offer, don't pay attention to any other reaction than unconditional agreement.

They need to deliver first before you deliver anything.

Deal like that with RUS, DPRK, USA, BLR, IL. None of them are trustworthy.

[Ivana Stradner @ivanastradner]

Have 🇺🇸 negotiators ever consulted serious CIA experts to understand the Kremlin’s negotiation tactics and culture?

1. First and foremost: NEVER smile unnecessarily, especially fake smiles. They signal insincerity.
2. Never display submissive or impressionable behavior.
3. You represent the USA, THE SUPERPOWER. Even your handshake and body language should communicate strength.
4. Never raise your voice and smile loudly . Putin Speaks calmly. The quieter you speak, the more authority you project.
6. In American negotiations, the traditional approach is often win-win and splitting the difference. Putin’s approach is different: if he has to lose, he wants the other side to lose even more.
7. Never allow artificial deadlines to dictate your decisions. Strategic patience is power. Don’t rush into a bad deal because Russia creates urgency.
8. Never reveal how badly you need an agreement. The moment the Kremlin believes you need a deal more than they do, your urgency becomes their leverage.

[Josh Barzon @JoshuaBarzon]

Election maps need to be 3D in order to show population density for true accuracy.

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

https://t.co/fGUuEdoHt3

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

In Brazil there are men who get paid to watch out for your car while it's parked on public roads.

Wait for it:

They have a labour union that regulates and sends demands to municipalities.

[BUCHANAN: Dublin Time Machine @RobLooseCannon]

The "Lock Hard Men" were the unofficial parking attendants and "car minders" in Dublin city. They hung out at the edges of public car parks and along roads, sometimes in improvised uniforms with a cap and badge.

Their hustle was simple. Spot someone looking to park, find a space before anyone else, step into the road and wave a driver in. It was this overly theatrical way they guided the car often with a rolled up newspaper shouting “Lock her hard there now,” they got their nickname. The implication was I`ve done a (often uneccesary) job for you. Pay me a few bob to make sure your care is "safe" or take your chances it might experience an "accident"

The lock hard men had a reputation for being extremely territorial and taking advantage of "culchies" or anyone they deemed snobby and they charges varied accordingly. A regular Dub with a banger might be asked for a few coppers. A flashy motor or country accent might demand a higher extortion rate.

Many were older men on the margins but there were also gangs of streetwise kids who were far more likely to be scoping out your jammer for gear than protecting it.

The increasing amount of women driving led to further accusations of intimidating behaviour. The majority of Dubs viewed them as a nuisances, a reminder of the city’s chaos and corruption. By the late 20th century, official parking enforcement, more meters and wardens and clampers began to push them out.

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

I once saw a business plan draft by an Iraqi businessman. He wanted to set up a factory in UAE. His plan was stupid, but more importantly he already knew all the managers. They were relatives. 80% of personnel budget was allocated to (IIRC) seven managers.

[Elhanan Miller إلحنان ميلر @ElhananMiller]

בפעם הראשונה שביקרתי באיחוד האמירויות הרגשתי מוזר. משהו לא היה במקום. כל הפועלים והעובדים הפשוטים היו עובדים זרים, בעיקר מתת היבשת ההודית, וכל המנהלים -- או סתם האנשים שישבו במסעדות או בתי הקפה ונהנו מהחיים -- היו אמירותים, ערבים. >

[DJ P.R.  @djpr]

Das dürfte spätestens jetzt allen klar sein.

„Die haben ein Sondervermögen von 500 Milliarden Euro und kriegen es trotzdem nicht hin mit dem Haushalt. […] Und dass sie das jetzt so verzocken, das zeigt: Konservative können nicht mit Geld umgehen.“

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

@PosiTroll @KTB_500 Nets are yesterday already. They're countered.

I have criticised the Western focus on autocannons and small missiles for a while, for it's mostly useless below treetop altitude.

IMO we need

drone bubble
https://t.co/FdPZ9ibqQ5
with RCWS
https://t.co/FdPZ9ibqQ5
as CIWS

[Defence and Freedom @DefenceFreedom]

@PosiTroll @KTB_500 Brief IR obscuration is easily done with red phosphorous, and the Bundeswehr traditionally likes RP, while U.S. forces prefer WP.
Longer duration requires aerosols afaik.

Neither Bw nor anyone else has IR-SMK obscuration capability to support of a 20+ km march to breakthrough.