Occasional contributor to @livefist, @newslaundry, @swarajyamag. Distinguished (Armch)air Marshal. V-Dem Certified® Astronomer of Social Science.
Dec 20 • 13 tweets • 3 min read
Thread on "Human Error" or "Pilot Error". These are widely misunderstood terms, and that lack of understanding is being used to float unhinged conspiracy theories. 🧵
People often see "human error" as an indictment of the pilot, an accusation that he or she made a mistake that could have been avoided. That is not so. It’s more about the limits of human interaction with fast-moving machines in high-pressure situations.
Jul 8 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
My #OSINT analysis of images from the Modi-Putin summit suggest that the India-Russia is at a nadir. #thread 🧵 [1/n]
Patio furniture procured from Home Depot demonstrates how dependent the two countries are on the US for critical needs despite their professed independence.
Apr 7, 2022 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
This is an interesting thread in that it illustrates how the Russian ground forces are set up very differently from US forces.
In short, the Russians treat indirect fires as the primary element, with maneuver forces only helping artillery get into position and seizing an objective after it has been devastated.
Feb 25, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Practically every great power has developed their own unique doctrines for war, and their equipment designs have flowed from that. Strange that a son-of-the-soil type gets it, but our intelligent, highly educated scholars don’t.
Assault Breaker is a prime example, but history is littered with several examples.
Feb 17, 2022 • 15 tweets • 2 min read
I wish to make a few points with respect to Adm. Prakash and Maj. Gen Hukku's conclusion in this piece. Qiuck thread.
The authors state that in confronting China, "The last option would, obviously, be to maintain the status quo — with 50,000-60,000 troops deployed at high altitudes..."
Feb 15, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
1. Airlines have very stringent safety rules. Attendants can move people elsewhere from the exit row if they deem them unfit to carry out emergency duties in case of a crash. Individual passengers' convenience does not trump that.
2. Walking off the plane "all sprightly" is no sign of fitness to open the exit door in case of a crash landing.
Oct 8, 2021 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
Why is HAL—a company with 50+ years in the aero industry—being denied the opportunity to take over and rebuild Air India? Why is the crown jewel of Indian hospitality being sold to a private company whose name literally translates to “bye-bye”?
Reached for comment, strategic expert Patanajali Varadarajan said, “This is a disturbing breakdown in India’s values-based governance system. It speaks to the moral fiber of the United States that it has not nationalized a single government-owned airline.”
May 17, 2021 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
The mayor of Mumbai had said, “They've to install their cold storage if needed … We'll not give any advance payment. We will fine companies if they fail to deliver vaccines on time.”
Do people still think that importing vaccines on short timelines is easy, or even feasible?
You know what’s *really* anti-Muslim? Low-key defending this guy because of his religion or deliberately concealing the girl’s age to peddle a certain narrative. Because in doing so, you’re essentially suggesting that Muslims should be granted a “right” to commit certain crimes.
Dec 22, 2020 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Saw a video of Thermocline Mitra wondering why the army needs "three" different types of artillery (towed, truck-mounted, ultra-light, and tracked—clearly three) in one caliber (155 mm).
Next, he'll ask why we need trucks, jeeps, and ATVs, when they are all "4-wheeled vehicles".
Oh lordy, it doesn't end there. Here's some more pearls of wisdom.
"Why not buy towed, truck-mounted, and tracked howitzers from the same OEM? Do you even commonality bro?"
Wonder what commonality, aside from the barrel, there is to be had between three unique platforms🤷🏻♂️
Dec 16, 2020 • 29 tweets • 6 min read
Random thread on sea power, aircraft carriers, submarines, etc. Sorry if this comes across as a little jumbled—I’m trying to put some disjointed thoughts on paper.
1. Yes, I wrote an article arguing that a third aircraft carrier might be unnecessary. That does not mean that (a) carriers are useless, (b) submarines and shore-based missiles can make up for the absence of a carrier fleet. swarajyamag.com/defence/dont-k…
Oct 24, 2020 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
I’ll throw a thought out there: ISPR didn’t “run circles around the Indian machinery”. It’s “info war” was incompetently run even by its own poor standards.
The narratives themselves were a mess of contradictions. “India missed. Only a tree and crow were felled, but we’re condoning off the site for 45 days anyway.” “We have three pilots in custody. No wait, two pilots, and one is undergoing treatment at CMH.” And so on...
Sep 22, 2020 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
India sticking to her guns. Interesting bit about the commitment not to bring more troops to the front. Is it possible that the Chinese got spooked by how quickly the IA brought in multiple divisions of infantry, and are looking for a face-saving exit?
Of course, "stop sending more troops" is just the kind of commitment that is easy to make but very difficult for the other side to verify. Note that at this point, no one really knows how many soldiers India has deployed in the theatre.😈
Sep 11, 2020 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
Very good thread. To me, the coddling of the Pakistani establishment and the abrupt pivot towards Iraq were the most baffling parts of the American response to 9/11.
Also, while everyone around me was gobsmacked by the loss of thousands of civilian lives, there was a noticeable undercurrent of "so-they-finally-realize-what-it-feels-like" to the effusive (and genuine) sympathy.
Jul 24, 2020 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
I have a small joke on @Firezstarter1, but I don’t have the time to write a 600-tweet thread referencing multiple sources.
I️ have a joke on @ShaunakSA. I’ll send you a Telegram message and invite you to a Teams chat to discuss. Following which, we may post it to Substack.
Jul 4, 2020 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Ashok Swine, Vidya Krishnan, and gang must be furiously analyzing this video frame-by-frame to determine how exactly it was “faked”.
Krivak: Solid, reliable platform.
Tunguska: Mediocre. Only a handful bought.
T-90S: Underwhelming. And the Russians went back on important ToT commitments.
Tu-22M3: Expensive, single-purpose platform. There’s a good reason it wasn’t bought. P-8I > Tu-22M3.
Oh, @AltNews, you dumbfucks. You complete and utter dumbfucks.
🤣🤣🤣
No, @AltNews, I don’t write for “Livefest”, whatever that is. And I️ didn’t “clarify” that the post was sarcastic. You got called out for falling for what obviously was satire 🤦🏻♂️
Jun 30, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
The excuse now is that banning apps doesn't immediately change things on the ground in Ladakh. And that the response isn't "massive" and "unbearable" for China. As if the Chinese incursion is "massive" and "unbearable" for India. 🤷🏻♂️
Restricting Chinese digital companies from operating in one of their largest markets is not “effective”. But removing embassy security barriers is. Shows how much we’ve come to value symbolism over substance.
Looks like while our side was recovering from the fight/celebrating a tactical victory/preparing for talks, the Chinese quickly came in an consolidated their position at PP-14. Its incredible how quickly they built the road and these fortifications.
Jun 19, 2020 • 12 tweets • 4 min read
“IW ops” don’t happen without a pliant media that follows the states directives. Are Indian journalists willing to sacrifice their so-called “independence” and “objectivity” and toe the governments line?
