23 hours ago23 hr 50 minutes ago, IKnowNothing said:I don't understand why we still have so many assets at a place that's had so many successful strikes on it. Billions in assets, hundreds of lives.Because as we played at ACE for the past decade and laughed as Russia got hundreds of strategic assets destroyed by $100 UAVs it turns out that no one learned shit. This is quite literally our version of a "3 day special military operation." Maybe it wasn't the smartest move to appoint a part timer Major to lead the dod.
23 hours ago23 hr come on now...who could've possibly guessed Iran would attack ships in the Hormuz?! 😂
22 hours ago22 hr Why does anyone think this is some sort of surprise. Seriously I sometimes wonder if some of you really aren't just random civilians that found this forum. Or has the military gotten so pathetic that the members have forgotten exactly how a war works?People die. Things get blown up. Planes crash and economies get hit.Iran needed to be dealt with. It was never going to be easier to deal with them than shortly after they got their dick kicked in following October 7th. So we could have waited like a lot of you seem to wish we had, and lost more planes in people when we inevitably had to clean up this mess. Or we could just done it now. I'm glad we're doing it now. I would rather not wait until we rationalize ourselves into irrelevance like Europe has.
21 hours ago21 hr 25 minutes ago, Lord Ratner said:Why does anyone think this is some sort of surprise.Seriously I sometimes wonder if some of you really aren't just random civilians that found this forum. Or has the military gotten so pathetic that the members have forgotten exactly how a war works?People die. Things get blown up. Planes crash and economies get hit.Iran needed to be dealt with. It was never going to be easier to deal with them than shortly after they got their dick kicked in following October 7th. So we could have waited like a lot of you seem to wish we had, and lost more planes in people when we inevitably had to clean up this mess. Or we could just done it now. I'm glad we're doing it now.I would rather not wait until we rationalize ourselves into irrelevance like Europe has.I have no desire to be lumped in with ppl like dayman, but I'm getting concerned we didnt adequately prepare for contingencies (the straight being closed comes to mind). Not having a valid strategy and thought out plans for contingencies to accomplish an actual objective is my concern, and its not without reason based on the last 20 years. Holding judgement and trying to give the benefit of the doubt though. Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by Boomer6
21 hours ago21 hr Seems like the Republicans in the Legislature also aren't happy with how it's going and/or the "objectives" we've been told. (https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/25/politics/iran-war-gop-lawmakers-trump-administration-briefing)Seems like an overall lack of planning for second and third order effects. Most here spent at least 20 years of GWOT, we know people die, things get broken, and the enemy gets a say. The lack of strategic preparation is...concerning. The President declaring victory already...concerning. The Sec Def crashing out at journalists because they're asking hard questions and not writing propaganda...concerning. But you wanna rah rah around the flag pole? You're in the minority (unless your MAGA) on this "limited operation" going into its second month.
20 hours ago20 hr 35 minutes ago, Boomer6 said:I have no desire to be lumped in with ppl like daymanappreciate the compliment, you didn't have to say that 🫂
17 hours ago17 hr Houthis are throwing their hat in the ringWhere do people expect all these tankers to base out of? I think we've gotten off pretty light with the drone/missile threat. Thought it was going to be worse.
17 hours ago17 hr 1 minute ago, uhhello said:Houthis are throwing their hat in the ringWhere do people expect all these tankers to base out of?I think we've gotten off pretty light with the drone/missile threat. Thought it was going to be worse.The Ukrainians offered to help the U.S. out with drone defense, much on brand, Trump told them to fuck off.PBS NewsUkraine’s drone defense tech reshapes combat as warfare e...Earlier this month, President Trump told journalists he didn’t want Ukraine’s assistance with drone defense, saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the last person he’d ever ask for help.
14 hours ago14 hr PSAB attacked. Odd that it wasn’t protected by air defenses.Air & Space Forces MagazineUS Forces at Saudi Air Base Suffer Iranian AttackMultiple U.S. service members were wounded and some aircraft were damaged in a March 27 Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.We’ve used approx 800-850 Tomahawks in the last month, or 20% of our inventory. The 2026 budget procures 57. Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by gearhog
12 hours ago12 hr 9 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:Seriously I sometimes wonder if some of you really aren't just random civilians that found this forum. Or has the military gotten so pathetic that the members have forgotten exactly how a war works?People die. Things get blown up. Planes crash and economies get hit.Ironic coming from a civilian.War is an extension of politics and diplomacy. We all understand that killing people and breaking things is the business. But without a clear strategy, the military doesn’t accomplish anything. In some cases, it’s counterproductive to our grand strategy (Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam).
11 hours ago11 hr 1 hour ago, gearhog said:We’ve used approx 800-850 Tomahawks in the last month, or 20% of our inventory. The 2026 budget procures 57.You are looking in the wrong place, Tomahawk is not the best game in town because they are old, outdated and EXPENSIVE ($2.5M-3.5M each).USAF in particular has shifted it's standoff munitions strategy and is finally putting their money where their mouth is. Multiple wargames focused on China showed the U.S> needs roughly 10X our current stocks to defeat/deter ChinaThey have three phase approach with a new class of "affordable, low-cost munitions”: the Extended Range Attack Munition, or ERAM, and two variants of the Family of Affordable Mass Munitions (FAMM). ERAM entered production just 14 months after the first contract was awarded.There are currently eight companies in flight test on the Low Cost Cruise Missile (LCCM), with Leidos (Black Arrow) and Anduril (Barracuda), leading the fight. LCCMs have a target price of $100kl-$200K thanks to 3D Printing. Lockheed Martin entered the fight late but they are making progress. The FAMM program was fully funded by the Big Beautiful Bill with $650M to acquire 3000 munitions.Audndril's approach is a family of cheap missiles. Smaller Barracuda M100 is slightly bigger than a Hellfire, can be launched by an Apache and has a range of 85NM. The M250 is about the same size as an AMRAAM and has a range of 200NM. The M500 has a range of 500NM with a 100lb warhead...basically a VERY cheap JASSM-ER.Black Arrow has entered its second year of flight test completing a CRADA with AFSOC which has successful launched multiple missiles out of an AC-130J. They can fit 90 in an MC-130J and the AFSOC commander has openly talked about launching them from the SkyRaider II. The idea is focused on China but has applications for other theaters. A flight of four Skyraiders can pop up from a dirt strip 500 miles away, launch 40 Black Arrows from an attack vector no one saw coming and disappear before the munitions even hit. A flight of four MC-130s can flood the straights with hundreds of cheap missiles to counter a threat. Finally changing dogmatic thinking, even if it was cost that forced them to do it.Aundril is well into flight test as well, this video is over a year old.
9 hours ago9 hr Author 7 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:The Ukrainians offered to help the U.S. out with drone defense, much on brand, Trump told them to fuck off.This is a very legitimate criticism, his personal dislike of Zelensky is getting in his own way. 2 hours ago, Negat0ry said:without a clear strategy, the military doesn’t accomplish anything. In some cases, it’s counterproductive to our grand strategy (Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam).Another legitimate critique. If POTUS had an Oval Office address, listed objectives 1,2,3, etc… and give the why we fight reasons would have started off better (domestic and international support building)Seek an AUMF, call the leaders of a coalition we could reasonably assemble, keep it real but the realistic strategy to achieve that what must happen, the end of the revolutionary Islamic government of Iran I think is:Cut off the Islamic government from oil revenues, no money no nukes; no money no power, this gives space for a new political movement in Iran to form.Invade and seize territory in Iran that is less loyal to the regime, give the opposition a base to operate from, don’t try to take the whole country yourself. No march to Tehran, form a new Iranian army and government, support train and assist in combat as appropriate.
8 hours ago8 hr 15 hours ago, IKnowNothing said:I don't understand why we still have so many assets at a place that's had so many successful strikes on it. Billions in assets, hundreds of lives.Because our Dear Leader stepped in it without either realizing the whole problem set or ignored it and did it anyway.
7 hours ago7 hr Summation of the last page: several people with not a lot of actual SA acting like they’ve got it all figured out. Par for the course I guess.
5 hours ago5 hr 1 hour ago, brabus said:Summation of the last page: several people with not a lot of actual SA acting like they’ve got it all figured out. Par for the course I guess.Are you saying Trump et al played this thing 20 moves out and made their decisions? Please enlighten the masses oh-mr-bigly-SA-dude. Please share why you have great confidence that this is going well and will be the best thing Trump ever did.
4 hours ago4 hr 5 hours ago, gearhog said:Recent satellite images show the strait of Hormuz isn’t straight at all.It has been outed as gay.Edit: The Gay of Hormuz. Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by Biff_T Afterthought
4 hours ago4 hr @disgruntledemployee First, you put words in my mouth that I didn’t say. There are several things to be frustrated with on the tactical and operational level. That said, there is no war or great achievement without frustrations. So, yeah, there are actually sensible and good objectives with plans and contingencies addressed. Also, it was never all going to get done in 2-3 weeks. That was a dumb timeline from the beginning, but that doesn’t mean we barged in without a plan or zero thought put towards contingencies, off-ramps, etc.Bottom line: it’s a lot better than the MSM and you would like it to be. The red line for me would be mass ground invasion for longterm “nation building” (aka the last 25 years). I don’t support that one bit, and would view it as a leadership failure. Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by brabus
4 hours ago4 hr Author Ground war discussion https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/03/a-u-s-ground-invasion-of-iran-would-face-1-million-troops-4000-tanks-and-mountains-that-favor-the-defenders/Background material
1 hour ago1 hr 2 hours ago, brabus said:The red line for me would be mass ground invasion for longterm “nation building” (aka the last 25 years). I don’t support that one bit, and would view it as a leadership failure.What is the desired end state? No one seems to be able to explain it. If no one knows what the desired end state is, how can the American people define the cost they are willing to pay?
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