Now it seems all but certain that the Ukies will be getting F-16's this year along with possibly Gripens, I was wondering what the best munitions for CAS runs against trenches would be, as the only real option you have is a very risky boom and zoom one, so you won't have enough time on target to properly use smart munitions to get the bombs into the trenches instead of just scattering them around them.
Would Napalm make for a good trench clearer because of this, or are their better options out there?
>or are their better options out there?
bombs
But how would bombs be any different to the artillery that is already in use?
a 500lb bomb has significantly more impact than a 155mm shell thanks
but F-16s can carry the 1000lb and 2000lb bombs as well, which are more powerful still
a single strike mission can replace entire batteries of artillery and since it drops it all in a single pass rather than over a period of time, the enemy has no time to dig in
napalm has literally no advantages whatsoever over conventional explosives for tactical use
Air blast versus shrapnel. Today 155mm is used because it's a solid all-around logistical choice but it began as needing a 15-20lb amount of explosive to reliably wreck a certain class of WW1 bunkers on a direct hit. It'll ruin a house, but the blast itself is a little on the small side once you accept you're only using a single shot due to precise guidance along with counterbattery preventing you from doing the everlasting dumb round spam of WW1.
500lb is a better size for killing a small fortification without worrying about needing to check for survivors. It's big enough for conventional war but not so big it reduces your shots per plane under ~4-6.
Correct. That’s why Russia took Avdiika so quickly once they started sending in air power slinging actual bombs. Although those glide kits aren’t as accurate or capable as JDAMs they’re carrying MUCH larger payloads a lot close to target than arty can and results speak for themselves.
F-16s will struggle because I don’t think those are being equipped with advanced EW systems so they’ll have to rely on traditional protection against AD, ie, flying low and using terrain masking as much possible but that also makes flying CAS basically impossible. They CAN use them to spam JDAM-ERs if the US is willing to supply them in decent quantities which could be very bad for the Russian frontlines. Maybe with actual air support Ukies can attempt a minefield assault. Even if they can’t exploit a breakthrough it could be enough of a win to motivate the West into providing greater support, ie, showing the world that they CAN win.
Ukraine retreated from Avdiivka because they ran out of shells to stop the Russian wave attacks that were walking across the fields. They had to engage those waves with infantry, which drove up the K:D ratio to a level they considered unsustainable. Jury rigged bombs didn't do shit.
>That’s why Russia took Avdiika so quickly
4 months, 16k Kia and over 1000 vehicles lost
>once they started sending in air power slinging actual bombs
Maybe you should improve your reading comprehension. Russia took months to take a square inch of ground, with massive losses. Then they started using glide bombs, and they captured Avdiivka quite quickly (compared to the previous blyatkrieg manoeuvres), although that did cost them a couple of Su-24s.
>4 months
10 years. 8 years on the front lines after the Clankening, then two years of near-daily attacks, then 5 months of siege/strategic focus.
It is time to bring back the 240mm Black Dragon
They would be pretty useful thanks to all the trenches, same thing with anti-personnel white phosphorus.
You stupid idiot, napalm is used as the load of bombs. You thought they were doing what, dumping jellied gasoline onto the ground?
It never got phased out. It was used in the 2003 Iraq War even, it was even dropped on bridges.
you have to be +18 to post here.
Well, the russians are quite fond of thermobarics, aren't they? Reckon they'd be good for trench whacking. Plus, they'll be instantly cubeable.
My Dad was in Vietnam & he said it wasn't actually as effective as most people think in open combat environments. Believe it or not, it's much more effective in urban warfare, but has been banned for areas where civilians might still be. Beyond that, there are better compounds available to use now than Napalm. Despite the pop culture of the Vietnam war in the movies & the use of napalm, it's just simply not worth the effort to get the results wanted.
We don’t need you or or homosexual dad who went to Vietnam to know that an area covered in burning gasoline is very deadly and destroys structures. He is moronic and napalm is cheap and covers a lot of area. The only thing it can’t do well is defeat armor. Incredible weapon which is only not used because of cultural Marxism lawyer nonsense. You’re like that homosexuals who say full auto is bad because they’re moronic alcoholic uncle who shoots one deer a decade says so.
Unnecessarily rude
and no that is not why napalm got phased out, moron
That’s exactly why it got phased out. The photos of children from Vietnam caused a congressional vote. No more flamethrowers or napalm.
It ain't me.
Napalm on Moscow...
Larger 1000 and 2000lbs bombs are much better, forget clearing people from the trench, clear the trench from the map. Also there are significantly more spicy cluster munitions than you can get from an artillery shell.
Probably. I should ask one of the EOD guys I know how dumb it would be to start putting plastic bags full of diesel in front of the cones of some PG-7v warheads. or maybe do the same thing with some spg-9 rounds.
It'd probably just make it really front heavy and unstable in flight.
Yes and flame tanks; they were good with dealing with trenches in Vietnam.
>napalm against trenches
Pretty much useless compared to conventional explosives.
Could be effective against vatniks hiding in ruins and cities, but for some reason that seems to be an actual warcrime
Not really but it is funny
>Would Napalm Be Useful in Ukraine
If it was modernized guided bombs, then HELL YES
Napalm would be most useful in Moscow....say, 13,000,000 gallons of it.
napalm sticks to zigs
I want to see Moscow burn as Neapolitan seen it