Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
How does Portugal cancel an order that they never placed? 🤔
Confirmation bias is a hell of a drug.
How does Portugal cancel an order that they never placed? 🤔
Confirmation bias is a hell of a drug.
Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
❗🇺🇸🇺🇦 Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs are once again on the way to Ukraine
Following 19 test flights in recent weeks, Boeing, Saab and the DoD are evidently confident that they have resolved the issues that were plaguing it. Hardware changes have been made, and likely extensive software changes too, to mitigate the EW vulnerability that the weapon suffered due to the unique circumstances of its employment, which were not present with regular SDBs.
Via Reuters. https://twitter.com/ColbyBadhwar/status/1793760000306782519#m
❗🇺🇸🇺🇦 Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs are once again on the way to Ukraine
Following 19 test flights in recent weeks, Boeing, Saab and the DoD are evidently confident that they have resolved the issues that were plaguing it. Hardware changes have been made, and likely extensive software changes too, to mitigate the EW vulnerability that the weapon suffered due to the unique circumstances of its employment, which were not present with regular SDBs.
Via Reuters. https://twitter.com/ColbyBadhwar/status/1793760000306782519#m
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Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
RT @MalcontentmentT: FACT CHECK: Did Nuno Melo, Minister of Defense of Portugal, announce the F-35A order with the U.S. was canceled?
No. This is what he said: "The F-16s are at the end of their cycle and we will have to think about their replacement. However, we cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices. The recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO and in the international geostrategic plan, must make us think about the best options because the predictability of our allies is a greater asset to take into account."
When pressed by Publico if "the replacement be made by French aircraft, for example?"
Melo replied, "I won't have that discussion here."
At no point in the interview did the Defense Minister explicitly state that Portugal's F-35 order was canceled.
Media literacy matters - read more than the headlines.
The truth matters.
Link to full article 🔽
RT @MalcontentmentT: FACT CHECK: Did Nuno Melo, Minister of Defense of Portugal, announce the F-35A order with the U.S. was canceled?
No. This is what he said: "The F-16s are at the end of their cycle and we will have to think about their replacement. However, we cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices. The recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO and in the international geostrategic plan, must make us think about the best options because the predictability of our allies is a greater asset to take into account."
When pressed by Publico if "the replacement be made by French aircraft, for example?"
Melo replied, "I won't have that discussion here."
At no point in the interview did the Defense Minister explicitly state that Portugal's F-35 order was canceled.
Media literacy matters - read more than the headlines.
The truth matters.
Link to full article 🔽
Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
@the_engi_nerd: Right, that's standard procedure for any prospective customer that shows even the slightest bit of interest. Hence Lockheed Martin saying that they have hundreds of potential F-16 orders, for example.
@the_engi_nerd: Right, that's standard procedure for any prospective customer that shows even the slightest bit of interest. Hence Lockheed Martin saying that they have hundreds of potential F-16 orders, for example.
Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
@Benito_Llan: Right, and this is a very academic discussion because there is no universe in which any aircraft procurement contract is going to be signed by Portugal any time soon. Once they move to a formal RFP, they will probably find that the F-35 is the only aircraft that can meet operational requirements. You can't beat the Russian Air Force with 4th Gen aircraft.
@Benito_Llan: Right, and this is a very academic discussion because there is no universe in which any aircraft procurement contract is going to be signed by Portugal any time soon. Once they move to a formal RFP, they will probably find that the F-35 is the only aircraft that can meet operational requirements. You can't beat the Russian Air Force with 4th Gen aircraft.
Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
🇺🇸🇮🇱 "Total reliance on US" is an odd characterization of the relationship. Israel's FMF and missile defense grants accounted for ~16% of their 2022 defense spending. Losing all of that overnight would be extremely bad but 16% is hardly "total reliance".
It's an important debate to be having but as usual it's a debate divorced from what the facts are.
🇺🇸🇮🇱 "Total reliance on US" is an odd characterization of the relationship. Israel's FMF and missile defense grants accounted for ~16% of their 2022 defense spending. Losing all of that overnight would be extremely bad but 16% is hardly "total reliance".
It's an important debate to be having but as usual it's a debate divorced from what the facts are.
vxTwitter / fixvx
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Morgan Phillips (@_phillipsmorgan)
Heritage explains new Israel report calling for phasing out US aid: "reduce US leverage"
FDD's @JSchanzer backed up the idea: "There is a legitimate debate about whether this is healthy for Israel to continue down the path of total reliance on the US"
…
FDD's @JSchanzer backed up the idea: "There is a legitimate debate about whether this is healthy for Israel to continue down the path of total reliance on the US"
…
IgorGirkin (Twitter)
Tuapse debris situation update https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1900344406810464603#m
Tuapse debris situation update https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1900344406810464603#m
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Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
Ukraine is withdrawing from Kursk because Russia has been interdicting their logistics for weeks. Has nothing to do with the US.
This has been more or less inevitable since their attack into Kursk culminated.
Le Monde hasn't got a clue about what's going on there. https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPR/status/1900311225025626399#m
Ukraine is withdrawing from Kursk because Russia has been interdicting their logistics for weeks. Has nothing to do with the US.
This has been more or less inevitable since their attack into Kursk culminated.
Le Monde hasn't got a clue about what's going on there. https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPR/status/1900311225025626399#m
Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (Twitter)
Witkoff isn't a tough negotiator that will dismiss Putin's absurd demands out of hand.
Witkoff isn't a tough negotiator that will dismiss Putin's absurd demands out of hand.
vxTwitter / fixvx
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Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss)
What he means by this is: We can’t roll him like we can Witkoff. “Kellogg is a former American general, too close to Ukraine. Not our kind of person, not of the caliber we are looking for.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-urkaine-war-kremlin-keith…