Warnings over Russia's new tank Armata

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Catfish

But Brexit.

So be it. We'll look after our tiny island and mainland Europe can look after itself. We all know how that has panned out over the last century.

@Oberon

Good insightful post Jamie. Tis a pity we only got to visit the Yorkshire Air Museum together and not the likes of Bovington.

[Catfish]

^ I just wonder how cooperation or teamwork will look like, after the Brexit.
After all it was England (i prefer not to say the UK) who voted for leaving.
But I guess where's a will there's a way.

[Skybird]

In Finland, in a region where they have temps of -30°C, for months the central heating of several towns and villages was targetted by massive hacker attacks that prevented the central core installations from starting to work. For months. Quite a problem with -30° around you. They had to fall back to the dratsic solution of almost cutting all internet and computer wires into the network controlling these heatings.

As long as Britain does not cut the comourer and communicaiton wires leading from and to its island, all the talkign of the likes of "the continent looks for itself, Britain stays for itself" is pointless. Even more when considering that without said wires the British finance industry is toast. During the 60s, 70s, 80s, any Sovjet invasion of NATO Europe would have been opened by a massive volley of nuclear atacks on NATO'S airfield and CCCI.network. Any Russian attack today would be opened with a massive Russian cyber-attack that already would have started months before the conventional military actions begin.

And the Geneva convention and Hague Convention never have had something like cyberwar on mind at all.

Its impossible for Britain to not care for the continent. Whatever happens on the continent, will find britain too. Geographic isolation does not have the same meaning anymore like it used to have.

Have a volley of EMP bombs shattering the fundament of modern civilization and taking electricity out of the equation - then we talk again.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Skybird

In Finland, in a region where they have temps of -30°C, for months the central heating of several towns and villages was targetted by massive hacker attacks that prevented the central core installations from starting to work. For months. Quite a problem with -30° around you. They had to fall back to the dratsic solution of almost cutting all internet and computer wires into the network controlling these heatings.

I'm aware of only three publicly confirmed attacks on temperature control systems: two in Lappeenranta against general heating on two residential flats and one in Rauma against cooling system of indoor ice rink. If there are any others I would like to read about them, not saying they didn't happen or could not happen.

Threat is certainly there and consequences especially during colder months maybe quite severe. Ofcourse you can disconnect your systems from internet after attack is deteected, but how much physical damage can be done before it?

Originally Posted by Skybird

Have a volley of EMP bombs shattering the fundament of modern civilization and taking electricity out of the equation - then we talk again.

You don't need EMP bombs to disable or distroy critical distribution systems. This can be done either remotely with cyber attacks or locally with certain tools (no, I'm not telling which ones) most likely available from local hardware store.

Critical components such as high voltage transformers are not readily replaceable which often means repair times in excess of twelve months. Another major issue in grid design is that over years it has been driven by economics rather than security and redundancy. Therefore electrical grids in many western countries including Finland and the United States are dependent on small number of critical electrical substations (in practice transformers) and loss of too many of them (three in case of Finland) will cripple the grid.

[Rockstar]

Anyone know the number of warbirds in Russia's arsenal? IMO without flyable/operational aircraft to support the Russian wonder tank that tank isnt much more than a target from above. Observing the last several conflicts in the Middle East it seemed to me that air superiority conqueured all just like it did in the Battle of Raseiniai.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

So be it. We'll look after our tiny island and mainland Europe can look after itself. We all know how that has panned out over the last century.

@Oberon

Good insightful post Jamie. Tis a pity we only got to visit the Yorkshire Air Museum together and not the likes of Bovington.

Thanks Jim, I'd love to visit Bovington sometime, see that Tiger in action. Honestly though, our military as it stands at the moment is only strengthened by European co-operation, and if not through the EU then through NATO which...depending on todays events, will hopefully continue to survive even after we leave the EU. Thus, as NATO nations use STANAG, so should they consider other standardized equipment, which if planned right could also help to reduce costs and increase inter-nation co-operation in military matters.

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Anyone know the number of warbirds in Russia's arsenal? IMO without flyable/operational aircraft to support the Russian wonder tank that tank isnt much more than a target from above. Observing the last several conflicts in the Middle East it seemed to me that air superiority conqueured all just like it did in the Battle of Raseiniai.

Current estimates are around 3,000 airframes, although how many of them are actually serviceable at the moment is debatable.
Russian doctrine has always factored in heavy acceptable losses, as well as a liberal scattering of Surface to Air units. NATO attrition would be heavy, but aerial dominance is definitely achievable as it stands.

[Rockstar]

Current estimates of Russian airframes are from what I've read are no more than 3000. Sounds scary but with no budget I suspect the operational number is quite low.

The U.S. alone has a little over 5,000 airframes with an incredibly larger budget to support them.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by kraznyi_oktjabr

I'm aware of only three publicly confirmed attacks on temperature control systems: two in Lappeenranta against general heating on two residential flats and one in Rauma against cooling system of indoor ice rink. If there are any others I would like to read about them, not saying they didn't happen or could not happen.

I read it in German news today, which referred to this article:
http://metropolitan.fi/entry/ddos-at...-amidst-winter
There also was an original Finish article linked, but I do not find the german one anymore. It dropped down the headline lists.

The problem is that all this is another little piece of a picture that shows that the so-called internet-of-things is beign systemtically used and tested for its usability to commence cyber attacks. There have been several such Ddos attacks been reported in past weeks and months, the attack on the Dyn-server being the most prominent one. all these attacks were staged by botnets basing on small computers linked to the so-called internet-of-things: "smart" refrigerators, "smart" TVs, "smart" technological gadgets of the modern near-future household.

The individual vulnerability of apps and app-depending technological gadgets in houses and households, has been demonstrated meanwhile - on every occassion such tests were run. Why people think it is a "smart" idea to have their living sphere, their living place, their household, their house door, their car, being exposed in such critical ways against which so far nobody has outlined trustworthy defences, is beyond me. To me it is like all of a sudden ripping out housedoors, and windows, throwing away locks and keys, and inviting raging punks and drunk junkies into my home to demolish the installation and furniture, and publicly announcing my banking account data so that everybody can have me paying his bills.

You don't need EMP bombs to disable or distroy critical distribution systems. This can be done either remotely with cyber attacks or locally with certain tools (no, I'm not telling which ones) most likely available from local hardware store.

Critical components such as high voltage transformers are not readily replaceable which often means repair times in excess of twelve months. Another major issue in grid design is that over years it has been driven by economics rather than security and redundancy. Therefore electrical grids in many western countries including Finland and the United States are dependent on small number of critical electrical substations (in practice transformers) and loss of too many of them (three in case of Finland) will cripple the grid.

EMP is the weapon of choice to destroy the whole electronic basis of a society, state or nation in no time. Denying electricity in the developed world is a weapon of mass destruction. It can kill millions and dozens of millions in very short time. The production and logistic chains that have been established due to computers and globalization, are insane and make us highly vulnerable and dependable - with multiplied risk levels, compared to the old fashioned ways of the past. For many inhabitants of the first world, elemental, most basic and profound competences for survival and food production have been lost. Most of us are not psychologically fit for this kind of elemental survival. Nor are we prepared to face and defend ourselves against physiala violence, and use physicla force against others ourselves. Really. Loss of electricity is a weapon of mass destruction, like nuclear bombs and biological weapons.