Russian Paratroopers
War Is Boring: Russian Paratroopers Could Totally Mess Up the Baltic States
Airborne soldiers bring the element of the surprise
In February 2016, the influential RAND Corporation — a think tank closely aligned with the U.S. Air Force — published a paper in which it warned that a Russian invasion of the Baltic States could reach the capitals of Latvia and Estonia in less than three days even with a week of warning.
But that might underestimate how quickly Russia could overrun the region, were the Kremlin to send the bulk of its airborne forces and seize the element of surprise. It’s possible a Russian victory could come within hours, not days.
How would such an invasion unfold? A missile barrage and air strikes at dawn, crippling the Baltic States’ defenses, would precede a large-scale airborne operation supported by a small-scale land intrusion into Lithuania from Russia’s enclave in Kaliningrad.
Before the alliance could understand — let alone react to — what was happening, it’d be over.
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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 18, 2017
What Happens Next In The Baltics? -- Claude Schmid, The Bridge
Russian military conducts successful test launch of Topol-M ballistic missile (VIDEO) -- RT
Russia test-fires Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile -- UPI
Russia's Lethal Su-35 Was Just Spotted Armed with a New Missile NATO Should Fear -- National Interest
The Smart and Sneaky Way Russia's Military Is Getting Stronger -- James Mugg, National Interest
Russia, Military Modernisation and Lowering the Nuclear Threshold -- Malcolm Davis, The Strategist
Pentagon Chief Says Russia’s Actions Constrain Cooperation -- Bloomberg
Why the New Japan-Australia Military Pact Matters -- The Diplomat
Japan’s F-35B stealth fighters likely to fly to Korea during ROK-U.S. joint drills -- The Dong-A Ilbo
Leak of information about shipbuilding plans behind removal of senior Canadian military officer, sources say -- National Post/Ottawa Citizen
Canada's military vice-chief removed from post over alleged leak of shipbuilding data -- Globe and Mail
Lithuania signs agreement with U.S. on troop deployment -- AP
McCain proposes $640B defense budget for 2018 -- The Hill
The U.S. Army's New Super Missile Could Dominate the Land Wars of the Future -- Kris Osborn, National Interest
The US Air Force is beefing up cybersecurity for the F-22 and F-35 -- Business Insider
Digital Light Engine technology to illuminate F-22 Head-Up Display -- BAE Systems
The F-35 Amazingly Has Even More Problems Than We Thought -- Gizmodo
If Trump Wants Lower F-35 Costs, He Should Compete F135 Engine -- Breaking Defense
Top Navy leader: F-35 'on a completely different level' from the Super Hornet -- Washington Examiner
Military jet crashes at Naval Air Station Meridian; 2 eject -- Navy Times
Trump and Boeing CEO Look to Downscale Requirements on Air Force One Replacement -- Defense News
Air Force-SpaceX Relations ‘Excellent,’ Air Force Sec James Says -- Bloomberg
Russia Jammed Your Satellites? US Military Develops Undersea Network as Backup -- Space.com
In the 1970s, the U.S. Navy Tried to Talk Like Whales -- Atlas Obscura
The US Army successfully flies its hoverbike prototype -- Endgadget
CIA makes 12 million declassified pages available online -- DW
Obama commutes Chelsea Manning's prison sentence, pardons Gen. James Cartwright -- Military Times
The US Air Force spent $387,000 to make the lobby outside a 3-star general's office look nice -- Business Insider
Mattis Is Right. Here’s Why NATO Is Not Obsolete -- Task & Purpose
NATO’s Future – Grim or Hopeful? -- Jaroslaw Strozyk, Thew Cipher Brief
Air Superiority: Autonomy, Survivability, and Getting to 2030 -- Alex Grynkewich, War on the Rocks