MiG-31K with Kinzhal, February 2022. Russian Defense Ministry photo.
Production of the Cold War era MiG-31 (NATO reporting name Foxhound) began in 1979, in February 2022 it was used to launch what the Russians call a hypersonic ballistic missile. MiG-31s converted to carry the ballistic missile are called MiG-31K.
MiG-31BM, Central Military District photo.
Russian Ministry of Defense video, MiG-31K hypersonic ballistic missile ‘Kinzhal’ (dagger) launch, February 2022:
To confuse you, Kinzhal-dagger is also a name applied to other Russian missile systems.
MiG-31K, Russian Defense Ministry photo June 2021.
MiG-31K with Kinzhal, in 2018. Russian Ministry of Defense photo.
In July 2021 I revealed U.S. President Biden’s SECRET NEW AFGHAN-AFRICAN REFUGEE OPERATION. I understood the Afghan part, after almost two decades of not really getting anywhere, spending a hell-of-a-lot of tax dollars and shedding a lot of blood, Biden had approved a sudden withdrawal of U.S./NATO forces from the Central Asian country, but what did the continent of Africa have to do with it?
For almost a decade, NATO Europe has been dealing with a tsunami of migrants coming from Africa. Ironically, it is precisely the European, Canadian and United States NATO ‘peacekeeping’ operations that have ramped-up volatility in central and Northern Africa, to the point that people would rather risk dying during an escape to Europe, than to stay in their home countries. African migrants are even traveling to Colombia, in South America, before starting their long caravans North to the United States.
Since January of this year, it appears that NATO is losing control of the Central African region of the second-largest and second-most populous continent on this planet, with new found resources and potentially the largest economy in the world.
In the past couple of days, NATO France announced it was unassing the African country of Mail, literally telling the government of Mali it was on its own. This involves other NATO European members and NATO Canada.
The area of Africa that NATO is unassing is known as The Sahel. It has long been part of the so called War on Terror against ‘extremists’, but since the beginning of the Gregorian year several countries in that area have experienced military coups.
It also turns out that Russia has increased its operations in The Sahel.
Does this mean Biden is thinking of a sudden pull-out of U.S. personnel? Recent news releases by the U.S. Department of Defense makes it look like the U.S. is making its Africa operations a permanent deployment.
On 18FEB2022, the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa released a video, by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Charest, explaining Cutlass Express 2022:
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Helen Brown, 09FEB2022.
On 17FEB2022, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command concluded International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 2022, which included African countries Egypt and Kenya.
On 17FEB2022, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa released this promotional video, by Staff Sergeant Andrea Salgado Rivera, showing a multi-national exercise held in Côte d’Ivoire, called Flintlock:
USA photo by Sergeant Kacie Benak, 17FEB2022.
Besides military units from Côte d’Ivoire, units from Cameroon, Ghana and Niger took part in Flintlock, as well as NATO personnel from Canada, France, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom and United States.
U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Stephanie Longoria, 08FEB2022.
On 08FEB2022, in the country of Niger, U.S. Air Force’s 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron constructed new guard towers on Nigerien Air Base 201: “When we got here two months ago, the last rotation complained about the towers. We wanted to make the towers better, so we looked at the configuration of the towers and started brainstorming ideas.”-Technical Sergeant Tyler Carlson, 409th ESFS
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Michael Battles, 21JAN2022.
From 24 to 28 January 2022, U.S. Air Forces Africa co-hosted the 11th annual African Air Chiefs Symposium in Kigali, Rwanda. Apparently 38 African countries attended (looks like they had fun dancing).
Even the USAF-Europe band took part. USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Michael Battles, 21JAN2022.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Lynette M. Rolen, 17JAN2022.
From 17 to 20 January 2022, U.S. Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa conducted a ‘medical knowledge exchange’ with the Gendarmerie (militarized police) of Djibouti.
Nebraska Army National Guard photo by Specialist Gauret Stearns, 22DEC20121.
In December 2021, the Nebraska Army National Guard helped repair the water supply line for the village of Chabelley, in the Arta region of Djibouti.
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Major Carmen Daugherty, 07DEC2021.
Also in December 2021, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force-Africa went to Niger to help set-up an ‘enhanced’ basic training program as part of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership Program Act, authorized by U.S. Congress. The Indiana Army National Guard is also involved with training and certifying Nigerien basic training instructors.
I’ve been following the deepening involvement of the U.S. in Africa, things got hot under President Obama, starting in 2013. There are links below to some of the articles.
On 17FEB2022, Health Canada approved for use the U.S. made Novavax protein-based Pandemic vaccine, it is not an mRNA vaccine. Health Canada official explains why Novavax is better:
This is just the tip of the complicated iceberg of international natural gas shenanigans that could plunge the globe into a new World War:
On 11FEB2022, the U.S. Army Recruiting Command announced new bonuses for recruits who can quickly ship-out for basic training: $5-thousand if you can ship-out within 90 days, $9-thousand if you can ship-out within 30 days, and somewhere in-between for those who can ship-out within 60 days!
On 11FEB2022, Japanese news media reported that the United States and Japan made a deal so that Japan could sell any surplus natural gas (LNG) to NATO Europe/European Union, in case Russia cuts off NATO Europe’s gas supply. 40% of NATO Europe’s LNG comes from Russia. The Japanese news media said Japan’s LNG shipments to Europe are set to start in March. Is that when the shit hits the fan in Europe?
It should be noted that Japan has to import LNG and/or refine it from imported oil. Recently Japan has cut back on LNG imports due to the skyrocketing cost of LNG, which is caused by the saber rattling in Europe. As a result, Japan’s stockpile of LNG is actually dropping. So is Japan’s offer to send (sell?) Europe LNG just a Paper Tiger?
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Third Class Edward Wargo.
In May 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard approved the ship Marvel Crane to carry LNG/Natural Gas. It is one of several LNG export projects planned for Louisiana in the next five to ten years.
This is a 2019 U.S. Defense Logistics Agency video, by William J. Miller, revealing how involved the military is in supplying your petroleum products like LNG:
2016 U.S. Coast Guard video, by Petty Officer Second Class Jonathan Lally, explaining why the Department of the Navy supported the creation of the LNG facility in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, the first such port in the U.S.:
On 10FEB2022, the join Russian-Belarusian wargame known as Union Courage 2022 ‘officially’ began (many activities had been taking place earlier).
Russian Defense Ministry video released on 10FEB2022:
Combat exercises will be carried out at the Domanovsky, Gozhsky, Obuz-Lesnovsky, Brestsky and Osipovichi areas of Belarus. They are expected to last until 20FEB2022. Officials say the wargame complies with the Vienna Document of 2011.
On 09FEB2022, TASS reported that Su-35S fighters took part in interceptor training. Su-25 ground attack aircraft played the role of invaders to be intercepted.
Russian Defense Ministry video, posted 09FEB2022, Eastern Military District S-400 missile system on patrol in the area around Brest, Belarus:
In December 2021, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said that they would continue air policing of the sky over the area of Belarus and Russia, along with Russian aircraft, for 2022. Both Russian and Belarusian aircraft use the Red Star as their insignia.
On 08FEB2022, a joint Belarusian/Russian air patrol was flown, supposedly for the second time this month.
Russian Defense Ministry video, dated 08FEB2022, showing Tu-22M3 bombers, Su-30SM two seater and Su-35S single seater patrolling the sky over Belarus:
Another video dated 08FEB2022, shows Russian army bakers making bread for the troops now in Belarus:
“This year, we conducted 11 joint exercises through the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.”-Colonel General (U.S. equivalent Lieutenant General) Alexander Lapin, Central Military District, December 2021
In Russia’s Central Military District there were 11 wargames held in 2021. They spread across Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The wargames also included military units from Armenia, Belarus, China, India and Pakistan.
This covers some of what went down in Tajikistan.
Russian Defense Ministry video, January 2021, first Mi-24P & Mi-8MTV5-1 operations of the year:
Russian Defense Ministry video, January 2021, first live-fire gunnery of the year; T-72s (notice the T-72 T-C is wearing a damn Pandemic face mask!) & BTR-82As:
Russian Defense Ministry video, February 2021, live-fire gunnery for mechanized infantry:
Russian Defense Ministry video, March 2021, all those BTRs and T-72s are thirsty:
A full-on wargame was held in Tajikistan, at the end of April 2021, involving more than 3-thousand-5-hundred Russian and Tajik personnel.
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, Sukhoi 25s arrive for the games:
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, BM-21 Grad rocket launchers (the Russian word translates to ‘flamethrower’):
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, load, aim and fire your BM-21:
Mi-8MTV5-1s were busy working training sorties along with Mi-24Ps. Central Military District photo.
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, Mil 24P (NATO reporting name Hind-F):
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, BTR-82A:
BTR-82A, in the Khatlon region at the Kharb-Maydon training ground. Central Military District photo.
1-thousand targets were set-up for the August 5-10 wargame in the Khatlon Region, on the Kharb-Maydon training ground.
Anti-tank rocket launchers. The Russian word translates as ‘flamethrower’, this is confusing because in English a flamethrower is a different type of weapon.
The scenario of the August Tajikistan wargame was that the Central Asian country was invaded. About 2-thousand-5-hundred personnel from Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan took part, with about 5-hundred vehicles.
T-72, Central Military District photo.
In November, Russian troops from the 201st Military Base in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, got to try out their new 5.45mm AK-12 assault rifles during the Cobalt 2021 wargame. Central Military District video:
On 02FEB2022, Colonel-General Alexander Lapin, Commander of Russia’s Central Military District, reported that “Since the beginning of the year, 76 company tactical exercises have been conducted with the part of motorized rifle and tank units, including 11 ostentatious ones, during which the number of practical tasks performed has been increased by 12%, and the number of group tasks has been increased by 24%.”
On 31JAN2022, Russia’s Southern Military District reported that crews operating BTR-82A and BMP-3 armored vehicles began warming up their guns with live-fire drills.
The vehicles are armed with guns of 100mm, 30mm and 7.62mm calibers.
Southern Military District video, BTR-82A live fire gunnery:
Southern Military District video, BMP-3 live fire gunnery:
Western Military District photo.
On 31JAN2022, a NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) competition began in the Kursk Region, as part of the 2022 Army International Games.
Western Military District photo.
On the same day, in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the first qualifying stage of the communications competition ended.
Russian Western Military District photo.
On 30JAN2022, Western Military District engineers took part in the 2022 Army International Games, in the Voronezh Region.
BTR-80 undergoes NBC decontamination. Russian Southern Military District photo.
On 28JAN2022, Southern Military District reported that NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) competition had begun, as part of the 2022 Army International Games taking place in the Volgograd Region.
MIG-31 SPACE BOUND DOGFIGHTER?
