• Tankiedesantski [he/him]
    ·
    6 months ago

    When you find out that your opponents made their paper tigers out of the flimsiest toilet paper imaginabe.

    Though, on the other side of the coin articles like this never acknowledge Russian tactical or strategic competence. The West is so used to kicking over underarmed does in a lopsided match that when it takes combat losses against a peer adversary people lose their shit and start looking for hidden flaws. Like yeah the export model Abrams models probably suck, but maybe the Russians just got really good at tank hunting as well.

    • Tunnelvision [they/them]
      ·
      edit-2
      6 months ago

      I think more importantly is the realization that the conscript army is well and truly over. It’s probably been over since the 80’s but Ukraine is the definite end if there was any doubts. The equipment used is just straight up too complicated to be operated by anyone who hasn’t spent their adult life training on it. Being an infantryman is just about the only thing a conscript could theoretically be. Move here, shoot there is about all you can do. It’s the exact reason Russias mobilization was so successful because they wanted people with relevant experience. Then when you compound the problem with US tank design needing a jet engine instead of diesel and you end up with a hunk of steel waiting to be annihilated.

        • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
          ·
          6 months ago

          Diesel fuel and jet fuel are very similar. All military vehicles that can be deployed to combat zones can burn either diesel or jet fuel. It greatly simplifies logistics when you can burn the same fuel in everything. Now you only need one type of fuel in theater, and every fuel tanker you have can refuel any vehicle.

          The M1 Abrams differs from pretty much every other ground vehicle in that it uses an actual jet engine - a turboshaft- rather than a piston engine. It is still capable of burning either diesel or jet fuel.

        • D61 [any]
          ·
          6 months ago

          JP8- Diesel kerosene mix, its standard for ALL vehicles used. Not just the M1 chassis.