The defense of Kyiv has resulted in a Ukrainian victory over the invading Russian forces in northern Ukraine. Russian units have pulled out of most of northern Ukraine and have repositioned into eastern Ukraine in the Donbas region. Both Ukraine and Russia are massing their units for a protracted battle in this area of Ukraine and artillery is playing a key role on the battlefield.

Russian tactics have always had artillery and rocket fire as a key ingredient in both offense and defense. The Ukrainians need to match their adversary’s artillery capabilities. Numerous shipments of M777 155 mm howitzers (Wikipedia) by the United States and other countries are helping Ukraine respond to the firepower of Russia’s artillery and rocket systems.

On May 19, 2022, the Pentagon announced (DoD) that another shipment of 18 155 mm howitzers are heading to Ukraine. In addition, 18 tactical vehicles to tow those howitzers are part of the shipment. Other field equipment and three AN/TPQ-36 counter-artillery radars are also going as part of the weapons shipment. This equipment is part of yet another tranche of presidential drawdown support for Ukraine. The 18 artillery tubes are basically the equivalent of a U.S. artillery battalion.

Photo: Marines fire a M777 howitzer at Twentynine Palms, California. Marine Corps Sgt. Jose E. Guillen.

The howitzers have left several different locations within the United States. They are usually transported by Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs to Europe. Members of the Ukrainian military have received training on the artillery tubes in Germany and a few other locations in Europe. The training is about a week long. The transition to the M777s should not be difficult by the Ukrainians. Their standard artillery weapons are the D-30 122 mm howitzer and 152 mm Msta-B howitzer. By the end of April over 50 of the howitzers had arrived in Ukraine along with 155 mm rounds. With this latest shipment of 18 howitzers and the 90 already shipped or enroute, the total M777 howitzers delivered to Ukraine will be 108 or the equivalent of six U.S. artillery battalions. The U.S. is also providing the tactical vehicles to tow the howitzers.

The artillery is a critical element for the Ukrainians in the Donbas region where the opposing forces are heavily reliant on long-range fires and artillery and have massed many motorized infantry and armor units. Many of the 155 mm howitzers are already on the frontlines and being used effectively by the Ukrainians.

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Photo: Marine Corps 155 mm M777 towed howitzers are staged on the flight line prior to loading them into an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on March Air Reserve Base, Calif., April 23, 2022. The howitzers are included in U.S. and allied efforts to identify and provide Ukraine with additional capabilities. Photo by Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Royce H. Dorman.

A lot a special operations forces (SOF) news today. British SAS selection, combat divers, book by a Ranger sniper, SOF vehicles, Ranger Hall of Fame, and some neat videos.

Seahawks Spend Day with Combat Divers. A few players from the NFL team got to spend a day with Combat Divers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The favor was returned when the Special Forces team members spent a day at the Seahawks training camp. Read “Doug Baldwin, Seahawks Pay Tribute to Combat Divers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord”, Seahawks.com, July 31, 2016.

Proposed Law to Limit British PM in Use of Special Forces. According to a news report Jeremy Corby – the Labour leader – thinks that Britain should have a US-style war powers act to prevent secret missions without a paramilitary vote. Read “Jeremy Corbyn calls for law to limit PM’s powers to deploy special forces”, The Guardian, August 1, 2016.

Interview – “Way of the Reaper”. Former Army Ranger Nicholas Irving has written a book about his experiences serving with the Ranger Regiment in Iraq and Afghanistan as a sniper.
http://taskandpurpose.com/ex-army-ranger-nicholas-irving-becoming-reaper/?

Special Operations Vehicles. The past several years, with combat campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations – have seen major advancements in the design and fielding of vehicles for special operations forces. Read an in-depth article on the topic in “Special Operations Vehicles”, Special Operations International, July 19, 2016.

SOCEUR Hosts Jump Week. The Special Operations Command Europe hosted the 2^nd Annual International Jump Week in Stuttgart, Germany from July 25-29, 2016. Jumpers from Belguim, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Lativia, and the UK joined US paratroopers to conduct HALO and static line parachute jumps. Read more in “Paratroopers reinforce bonds during IJW2016”, DVIDS, July 29, 2016.

Description of British SAS Selection. The selection process for the SAS lasts over 5 months and has a 90 per cent fail rate. The “Special Forces Aptitude Test” is required for entry into the 22 SAS, the Territorial Army’s SAS reserve units, and the Special Boat Service (SBS).  There are two courses a year – winter and summer. Read more in “Tested to destruction: the terrifying selection process for British SAS”, Special-Ops.org, August 1, 2016.

Top Ten. A recent news report lists the top ten SF units around the globe. Read “The Top Ten Special Forces Units in the World”, Gazette Review, July 30, 2016. Hmmmm.

New Members of Ranger Hall of Fame. Fifteen retired Rangers were inducted into the 2016 Ranger Hall of Fame class in a recent ceremony. Read “Ranger Hall of Fame welcomes 2016 Inductees”, Army.mil, July 20, 2016.

Mandatory Military Service – Not Needed. Retired Green Beret Scott Mann provides us some reasons why we don’t need the draft in a short video posted by Business Insider (August 1, 2016).
www.businessinsider.com/why-military-doesnt-need-mandatory-service-2016-7

Memorial for Navy SEAL. “A memorial for slain Navy SEAL and “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle has been unveiled in the West Texas city where he was born in 1974”. See a news report by Army Times, July 29, 2016.

Video of MARSOC Individual Training Course. Watch a 3-min long video of MARSOC training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJjFJXfca04

Technology and SOF. Special operators operate in many challenging environmental regions of the world. Technology can assist the SOF personnel in the performance of their mission. The United States Special Operations Command is constantly updating the uniforms and equipment that SOF operators wear. Read more in “Wearable Technology Could Change How Special Operations Forces Fight”, National Defense Magazine, August 2016.

USASOC Jumpmaster School. Learn how tough it is to graduate from the three-week long jumpmaster school run by USASOC at Fort Bragg in “USASOC Paratroopers strive to be leaders in the sky”, DVIDS, August 1, 2016.

Secret Aussie Commandos Honored. Surviving members of a secret Australian command unit – “Z Special Unit” – sent into occupied Asia to fight the Japanese during World War II were recently honored. Read “After 7 decades, memorial of Z Special commandos”, The Australian, August 2, 2016.

Video of Artillery Training. Watch an 8-minute long video of artillery training by 1^st Battalion, 101^st Field Artillery Regiment of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. They are conducting their annual training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Video by SSgt Caitlin Jones, and posted by DVIDS.
www.dvidshub.net/video/477284/massachusetts-national-guard-field-artillery-training