[fullmetal]

Given that Musk shut down Ukrainian Starlink terminals at some point early since the 2022 invasion (I assume they were reactivated?), I would say that Musk probably doesn't care if Russia is using Starlink outside the Terms of Service agreement...

[fullmetal]

Given that Musk shut down Ukrainian Starlink terminals at some point early since the 2022 invasion (I assume they were reactivated?), I would say that Musk probably doesn't care if Russia is using Starlink outside the Terms of Service agreement...

[GK3]

Given that Musk shut down Ukrainian Starlink terminals at some point early since the 2022 invasion (I assume they were reactivated?), I would say that Musk probably doesn't care if Russia is using Starlink outside the Terms of Service agreement...

From what I have been told Russia has no agreement with Starlink to use its services.  They are believed to have captured some Starlink equipment in Ukraine and try to use it.  This link lists countries etc where Starlink offers services or is allowed to offer them.
https://www.google.com/search?q=In+what+...fQ&csuir=1

Apparently Starlink is nasty bee in the Chinese Government.  According to this article, Chinese efforts to compete with Starlink are having hardware and engineering problems.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025...lites.html

The fact that the Falcon 9 engine section is reusable gives Starlink a brobdingnagian advantage.  Starlink has had this ability for a number of years, China apparently still can't get it to work. So if you want to put 10,000 satellites in orbit How many complete rocket systems do you have to pay for and build?  The Falcon 9 has apparently carried 140 something one time. 

The need of China to meet its requirements to keep its frequencies may be a challenge.  Lots of interesting stuff in all this.

Living in an area in the far NW corner of California with one internet provider I took a serious look at Starlink.  At the time their hardware costs were high, those have now gone down significantly and their download speed is very competitive with the sole local supplier who reaches where I live.  I have friends who spend a great amount of time in their motor home all over the Western USA and have a Starlink roaming system that isn't necessarily cheap but provides decent speed almost anywhere.

[GK3]

Given that Musk shut down Ukrainian Starlink terminals at some point early since the 2022 invasion (I assume they were reactivated?), I would say that Musk probably doesn't care if Russia is using Starlink outside the Terms of Service agreement...

From what I have been told Russia has no agreement with Starlink to use its services.  They are believed to have captured some Starlink equipment in Ukraine and try to use it.  This link lists countries etc where Starlink offers services or is allowed to offer them.
https://www.google.com/search?q=In+what+...fQ&csuir=1

Apparently Starlink is nasty bee in the Chinese Government.  According to this article, Chinese efforts to compete with Starlink are having hardware and engineering problems.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025...lites.html

The fact that the Falcon 9 engine section is reusable gives Starlink a brobdingnagian advantage.  Starlink has had this ability for a number of years, China apparently still can't get it to work. So if you want to put 10,000 satellites in orbit How many complete rocket systems do you have to pay for and build?  The Falcon 9 has apparently carried 140 something one time. 

The need of China to meet its requirements to keep its frequencies may be a challenge.  Lots of interesting stuff in all this.

Living in an area in the far NW corner of California with one internet provider I took a serious look at Starlink.  At the time their hardware costs were high, those have now gone down significantly and their download speed is very competitive with the sole local supplier who reaches where I live.  I have friends who spend a great amount of time in their motor home all over the Western USA and have a Starlink roaming system that isn't necessarily cheap but provides decent speed almost anywhere.

[M T]

An entirely different use of a drone on the Ukrainian battlefield:
  Wounded soldier escapes battlefield using e-bike delivered by drone

Footage released by the Rubizh Brigade, part of the national guard of Ukraine, shows the wounded soldier, known as Tanker, receiving the e-bike by drone, which he says he couldn't ride at first [because it was tangled in the ropes from the drone].
Tanker managed to ride away but only to about half-way to where he needed to go, before he hit a mine, destroying his bike, but not injuring him.
His colleague Mykola watched his friend finish the rest of the journey on foot, before he reached an area where he could be evacuated

[M T]

An entirely different use of a drone on the Ukrainian battlefield:
  Wounded soldier escapes battlefield using e-bike delivered by drone

Footage released by the Rubizh Brigade, part of the national guard of Ukraine, shows the wounded soldier, known as Tanker, receiving the e-bike by drone, which he says he couldn't ride at first [because it was tangled in the ropes from the drone].
Tanker managed to ride away but only to about half-way to where he needed to go, before he hit a mine, destroying his bike, but not injuring him.
His colleague Mykola watched his friend finish the rest of the journey on foot, before he reached an area where he could be evacuated

[fullmetal]

Very Hunger Games-esque.  Glad Tanker made it out, whew.

[fullmetal]

Very Hunger Games-esque.  Glad Tanker made it out, whew.

[GK3]

Very Hunger Games-esque.  Glad Tanker made it out, whew.

To say the least, get wounded, finally hop on an ebike, ride over a mine which destroys the ebike but not the rider then walk.  My hats off to the guy. Someone up there likes him.

[GK3]

Very Hunger Games-esque.  Glad Tanker made it out, whew.

To say the least, get wounded, finally hop on an ebike, ride over a mine which destroys the ebike but not the rider then walk.  My hats off to the guy. Someone up there likes him.

[M T]

It seems even this group has given up interest in this war.  A Russian refinery was recently attacked with good video but none posted here.  Continual attacks by Russia on the Ukraine population.  And yet again a deadline by the US administration.

But it seems the US administration is getting around to making more threats: Threats to India for buying Russian oil (but it seems China isn't being threatened).  Vague threats to Russia, but more smiles and handshakes and "great progress" (Trump's words) when the US talks with Russia.

In the action part, I see

Meanwhile, the US administration approved $200m (£150m) of additional military sales to Ukraine on Tuesday following a phone call between Zelensky and Trump, in which the two leaders also discussed defence cooperation and drone production.

That seems a dribble, and unlikely to contain anything (like aircraft) that could seriously help.

[M T]

It seems even this group has given up interest in this war.  A Russian refinery was recently attacked with good video but none posted here.  Continual attacks by Russia on the Ukraine population.  And yet again a deadline by the US administration.

But it seems the US administration is getting around to making more threats: Threats to India for buying Russian oil (but it seems China isn't being threatened).  Vague threats to Russia, but more smiles and handshakes and "great progress" (Trump's words) when the US talks with Russia.

In the action part, I see

Meanwhile, the US administration approved $200m (£150m) of additional military sales to Ukraine on Tuesday following a phone call between Zelensky and Trump, in which the two leaders also discussed defence cooperation and drone production.

That seems a dribble, and unlikely to contain anything (like aircraft) that could seriously help.

[TrumpCard]

It's not that we don't care.  It's that it's depressing to stay actively invested when our own country is abandoning Ukraine, despite the moral and strategic rightness of Ukraine's position.

[TrumpCard]

It's not that we don't care.  It's that it's depressing to stay actively invested when our own country is abandoning Ukraine, despite the moral and strategic rightness of Ukraine's position.

[Hurlburt88]

I care, and this is my favorite Cardboard thread.   Important!

[Hurlburt88]

I care, and this is my favorite Cardboard thread.   Important!

[GK3]

I care, and this is my favorite Cardboard thread.   Important!

I found the next link very interesting, thinking back to my days in the Army in the 1960s versus now. Watching guys sitting in some kind of CP watching the whole fight on big screen TV's. At one point they mention laying mines by drones, both air and ground type. If you are a Russian sitting in one of those tanks or other vehicle you have to know you are being watched all the time.  I do not see how one can launch an attack under these conditions without everyone knowing it is coming, where it is coming from and what is the make up of the attacking forces. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgXuDOrYMew

The next link is obviously biased towards Ukraine, but it doesn't mean there isn't something there to learn.
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-clai...s-footage/

It makes me wonder how well prepared we are to fight a war like this. I have also seen reports that Russia is reverting to motorcycles to move its ground forces rather than expensive armored vehicles.

[GK3]

I care, and this is my favorite Cardboard thread.   Important!

I found the next link very interesting, thinking back to my days in the Army in the 1960s versus now. Watching guys sitting in some kind of CP watching the whole fight on big screen TV's. At one point they mention laying mines by drones, both air and ground type. If you are a Russian sitting in one of those tanks or other vehicle you have to know you are being watched all the time.  I do not see how one can launch an attack under these conditions without everyone knowing it is coming, where it is coming from and what is the make up of the attacking forces. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgXuDOrYMew

The next link is obviously biased towards Ukraine, but it doesn't mean there isn't something there to learn.
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-clai...s-footage/

It makes me wonder how well prepared we are to fight a war like this. I have also seen reports that Russia is reverting to motorcycles to move its ground forces rather than expensive armored vehicles.

[dabigv13]

It makes me wonder how well prepared we are to fight a war like this. I have also seen reports that Russia is reverting to motorcycles to move its ground forces rather than expensive armored vehicles.

Russian use of civilian cars, motorcycles, mopeds, bikes, and even electric scooters during assaults is well documented.

[dabigv13]

It makes me wonder how well prepared we are to fight a war like this. I have also seen reports that Russia is reverting to motorcycles to move its ground forces rather than expensive armored vehicles.

Russian use of civilian cars, motorcycles, mopeds, bikes, and even electric scooters during assaults is well documented.

[fullmetal]

Definitely still interested in this topic: it dominates my Twitter feed, and the news from Ukraine is not altogether inspiring, although it is good to see US aid and materiel begin to move again.  It's also good to see Europe begin to pick up the pace in delivering aid to Ukraine, although Russian advances bolstered by Iranian/North Korean supplies are depressing to read about.  I could repost developments from my Twitter feed here as newsworthy bits, but I think we're all here for analysis rather than notifications.

[fullmetal]

Definitely still interested in this topic: it dominates my Twitter feed, and the news from Ukraine is not altogether inspiring, although it is good to see US aid and materiel begin to move again.  It's also good to see Europe begin to pick up the pace in delivering aid to Ukraine, although Russian advances bolstered by Iranian/North Korean supplies are depressing to read about.  I could repost developments from my Twitter feed here as newsworthy bits, but I think we're all here for analysis rather than notifications.

[dabigv13]

Ukraine destroyed a lot of Russian air defense equipment amongst other targets in Crimea with FPV drones launched from drone boats.

https://www.twz.com/news-features/uncrew...uthern-tip

https://x.com/prestonstew_/status/1953406791473086739

The video has some good music. Also includes some FPV footage from some drones that were seemingly intercepted. Pretty novel, you don't usually see the ones that don't get through.

[dabigv13]

Ukraine destroyed a lot of Russian air defense equipment amongst other targets in Crimea with FPV drones launched from drone boats.

https://www.twz.com/news-features/uncrew...uthern-tip

https://x.com/prestonstew_/status/1953406791473086739

The video has some good music. Also includes some FPV footage from some drones that were seemingly intercepted. Pretty novel, you don't usually see the ones that don't get through.

[M T]

In case you’re wondering why you see the drones approaching the target but the video cuts out just before impact, presumably that is due to the video being buffered before being transmitted off the drone. 

Also I realized that the swerving of the drone is not bad piloting or over-correction but is to make it a bit more difficult for defensive fire to hit the drone.

[M T]

In case you’re wondering why you see the drones approaching the target but the video cuts out just before impact, presumably that is due to the video being buffered before being transmitted off the drone. 

Also I realized that the swerving of the drone is not bad piloting or over-correction but is to make it a bit more difficult for defensive fire to hit the drone.

[GK3]

It makes me wonder how well prepared we are to fight a war like this. I have also seen reports that Russia is reverting to motorcycles to move its ground forces rather than expensive armored vehicles.

Russian use of civilian cars, motorcycles, mopeds, bikes, and even electric scooters during assaults is well documented.

I recently read an article on our replacement for the Humvee.  Apparently it is a 9 passenger dune buggy based on on a chevy truck chassis, no doors, no top, just a roll cage.

Mining approaches on the fly is also intriguing.

[GK3]

It makes me wonder how well prepared we are to fight a war like this. I have also seen reports that Russia is reverting to motorcycles to move its ground forces rather than expensive armored vehicles.

Russian use of civilian cars, motorcycles, mopeds, bikes, and even electric scooters during assaults is well documented.

I recently read an article on our replacement for the Humvee.  Apparently it is a 9 passenger dune buggy based on on a chevy truck chassis, no doors, no top, just a roll cage.

Mining approaches on the fly is also intriguing.

[dabigv13]

I think we are at a bit of a turning point in combat medicine and survivability. For a long time the trend has been one of faster evacuation, quicker treatment, increased survivability.

But we see the Navy abandoning their elite combat SAR helicopter formation, likely due to concerns about the survivability of those helos against developing air defenses. Too bad if your jet gets shot down, we probably won't try to rescue you.

We see transport vehicles like GK3 points out that are modified dune buggies, with pretty much no armor. Undoubtedly drones play a role in this, even if the US seems to discount their importance in more "peer" conflicts. Medevacs become much more dangerous when FPV drones roam the frontline.

I would suspect that if the trend of combat survivability does start to reverse it's long era of improvement, that would only hasten adoption of drones and diminishment of human roles.

[dabigv13]

I think we are at a bit of a turning point in combat medicine and survivability. For a long time the trend has been one of faster evacuation, quicker treatment, increased survivability.

But we see the Navy abandoning their elite combat SAR helicopter formation, likely due to concerns about the survivability of those helos against developing air defenses. Too bad if your jet gets shot down, we probably won't try to rescue you.

We see transport vehicles like GK3 points out that are modified dune buggies, with pretty much no armor. Undoubtedly drones play a role in this, even if the US seems to discount their importance in more "peer" conflicts. Medevacs become much more dangerous when FPV drones roam the frontline.

I would suspect that if the trend of combat survivability does start to reverse it's long era of improvement, that would only hasten adoption of drones and diminishment of human roles.

[TrumpCard]

Dune buggy with 9 Robocops inside makes sense to me.  I don't understand putting 9 humans in there, but I know nothing.

[TrumpCard]

Dune buggy with 9 Robocops inside makes sense to me.  I don't understand putting 9 humans in there, but I know nothing.

[BostonCard]

https://www.wsj.com/world/putin-russia-u..._permalink

I wouldn’t trust what Putin says any further than I could throw it, but it is worth reporting.  Apparently Trump will meet with Putin next week in Alaska, per a headline that just flashed on my screen as I was typing this.

BC

[BostonCard]

https://www.wsj.com/world/putin-russia-u..._permalink

I wouldn’t trust what Putin says any further than I could throw it, but it is worth reporting.  Apparently Trump will meet with Putin next week in Alaska, per a headline that just flashed on my screen as I was typing this.

BC

[Mick]

https://www.wsj.com/world/putin-russia-u..._permalink

I wouldn’t trust what Putin says any further than I could throw it, but it is worth reporting.  Apparently Trump will meet with Putin next week in Alaska, per a headline that just flashed on my screen as I was typing this.

BC

Today is supposedly the deadline for Putin, right?

[Mick]

https://www.wsj.com/world/putin-russia-u..._permalink

I wouldn’t trust what Putin says any further than I could throw it, but it is worth reporting.  Apparently Trump will meet with Putin next week in Alaska, per a headline that just flashed on my screen as I was typing this.

BC

Today is supposedly the deadline for Putin, right?

[GK3]

https://www.wsj.com/world/putin-russia-u..._permalink

I wouldn’t trust what Putin says any further than I could throw it, but it is worth reporting.  Apparently Trump will meet with Putin next week in Alaska, per a headline that just flashed on my screen as I was typing this.

BC

Apparently current news says Trump wants Ukraine to give Russia a good portion of Eastern Ukraine to end the war.  That is a no go if i am voting;.

Today is supposedly the deadline for Putin, right?

The current situation is somewhat analogous to the Spanish Civil War where Germany had a chance to test equipment, tactics etc. I hope Ukraine says Nyet!

---

I think we are at a bit of a turning point in combat medicine and survivability. For a long time the trend has been one of faster evacuation, quicker treatment, increased survivability.

But we see the Navy abandoning their elite combat SAR helicopter formation, likely due to concerns about the survivability of those helos against developing air defenses. Too bad if your jet gets shot down, we probably won't try to rescue you.

We see transport vehicles like GK3 points out that are modified dune buggies, with pretty much no armor. Undoubtedly drones play a role in this, even if the US seems to discount their importance in more "peer" conflicts. Medevacs become much more dangerous when FPV drones roam the frontline.

I would suspect that if the trend of combat survivability does start to reverse it's long era of improvement, that would only hasten adoption of drones and diminishment of human roles.

You are absolutely correct about the impact of drones on things like Medivac flights.  Back in the day, the guys who flew to Medivac flights all deserved the the big one. Your points are very well taken. Homo Sapiens will not be the ones who make first contact.

[GK3]

https://www.wsj.com/world/putin-russia-u..._permalink

I wouldn’t trust what Putin says any further than I could throw it, but it is worth reporting.  Apparently Trump will meet with Putin next week in Alaska, per a headline that just flashed on my screen as I was typing this.

BC

Apparently current news says Trump wants Ukraine to give Russia a good portion of Eastern Ukraine to end the war.  That is a no go if i am voting;.

Today is supposedly the deadline for Putin, right?

The current situation is somewhat analogous to the Spanish Civil War where Germany had a chance to test equipment, tactics etc. I hope Ukraine says Nyet!

---

I think we are at a bit of a turning point in combat medicine and survivability. For a long time the trend has been one of faster evacuation, quicker treatment, increased survivability.

But we see the Navy abandoning their elite combat SAR helicopter formation, likely due to concerns about the survivability of those helos against developing air defenses. Too bad if your jet gets shot down, we probably won't try to rescue you.

We see transport vehicles like GK3 points out that are modified dune buggies, with pretty much no armor. Undoubtedly drones play a role in this, even if the US seems to discount their importance in more "peer" conflicts. Medevacs become much more dangerous when FPV drones roam the frontline.

I would suspect that if the trend of combat survivability does start to reverse it's long era of improvement, that would only hasten adoption of drones and diminishment of human roles.

You are absolutely correct about the impact of drones on things like Medivac flights.  Back in the day, the guys who flew to Medivac flights all deserved the the big one. Your points are very well taken. Homo Sapiens will not be the ones who make first contact.

[BostonCard]

How long until the evacuation is carried out by a drone?

BC

[BostonCard]

How long until the evacuation is carried out by a drone?

BC