Attacks In The Philippines

[Simon Tan]

I think you'll find they are draping belts over themselves for stylistic purposes since they are no more than a few hundred meters from trucks and other transport. In any case, it's ridiculous to say they have no satchels etc. suitable. The SAA is much better, their infantry have no problem carrying their ammo in 250 round cans or in packs. Carrying your belted ammo in that way is a known reason for stoppages, especially with disintegrating push trhough links.

[Roman Alymov]

I think you'll find they are draping belts over themselves for stylistic purposes since they are no more than a few hundred meters from trucks and other transport. In any case, it's ridiculous to say they have no satchels etc. suitable. The SAA is much better, their infantry have no problem carrying their ammo in 250 round cans or in packs. Carrying your belted ammo in that way is a known reason for stoppages, especially with disintegrating push trhough links.

I am not sure it is “their” trucks, that they would stay with unit and not leave for other transportations or just in case battle going wrong, and soldiers do not know how long (and far) the battle going to last. Yes carrying mg belts this way is bad for belts, but it was done for long time, probably right from introduction of this belts.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Roman Alymov

[Simon Tan]

In the case of canvas belts like above, they were ersatz bandoleers for the infantry who could in a pinch loose load their rifles or magazines (in the case of the SVT). M13 links.....not so much.

[Roman Alymov]

In the case of canvas belts like above, they were ersatz bandoleers for the infantry who could in a pinch loose load their rifles or magazines

Not always – like in this case where we see marines armed with PPSh (using other ammo) and one sniper rifle, but with both belts and ammo boxes for Maxim

[Simon Tan]

In other news, the PAF had a column shot up doing a Grozny. They are predictably sucking at street fighting.

[JasonJ]

Duterte cancels trip to Japan.

 

 

MANILA -- Military operations on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao targeting militants aligned with the Islamic State group have approached their second week amid rising numbers of casualties. The country's armed forces said nearly a hundred had been killed as of Sunday night. On Monday, the deteriorating situation prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to cancel a visit to Tokyo next week, a source said.

 

Marawi City in central Mindanao has been in lock-down since May 23, when a clash between government troops and fighters affiliated with the Maute group began. The same day, Duterte declared martial law for the entire island, parts of which are controlled by other armed Islamic groups such as Abu Sayyaf and communist guerrillas.

 

Duterte last week said the 60-day period of martial law could be shortened, prolonged, or expanded nationwide depending on the situation, fueling fears of human rights abuses and summary killings, which were rampant during martial rule from 1972 to 1981.

 

Little sign of improvement has been seen on the island. Army spokesperson Restituto Padilla on Monday said sympathizers in Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city, and some of the over 100 prisoners who escaped after a jail was set alight by militants may have joined Maute, complicating the operations.

 

It has been announced that 61 militants, 15 government troops, and 19 civilians have been killed amid the clashes. Marawi residents have been evacuated to cities nearby, while the army has conducted "surgical air strikes" targeting the groups.

 

Padilla added that the siege is expected to end soon, but could not give a precise timeline. "Our ground commanders have assured [us] that the end is almost there so we hope to get clear results, we have complete control of the city," Padilla said in a televised briefing.

 

He said the army is still assessing whether or not martial law should be extended.

 

Given the intensifying situation, the president was urged to cancel his trip to Tokyo. Duterte has remained in Mindanao since cutting short a trip to Russia last Wednesday.

 

Duterte was supposed to deliver the closing speech at Nikkei's 23rd Conference on the Future of Asia on June 6. A meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a promotional event for Duterte's infrastructure program, dubbed "Dutertenomics," were also being worked out.

 

It would have been Duterte's second visit to Tokyo after making the first in October. Abe made a reciprocal trip last January.

 

http://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Duterte-s-Philippines/Duterte-cancels-Japan-trip-as-Mindanao-siege-continues

[mnm]

M113A2 or A3:

 

I could swear this was a Gav!n, but is in fact a Torres !!!

 

The tracks look suspiciously rusty and uniformly, a parade ground queen?

[Dark_Falcon]

 

ETA:- They need to stop carrying belts a la Rambo and leave them in ammo holders or ammo cans.

Usually people carrying belts like this (it started long before Rambo) are not members of MG team but regular soldiers loaded with extra ammunition for their platoon \company MGs when there is little hope of proper supply. So they do not have ammo holders, and ammo cans would prevent them doing their main tasks.

Note part of ammunition missing for some reason in belt carried by Asian-looking Marine

 

 

Maybe he was carrying his ammo on stripper clips for easier loading. That would make sense given the SVT-40 rifle he is shown carrying. He had a rifle with twice the ammo capacity of the Mosin-Nagant and a higher rate of fire, being semi-automatic. Loading single rounds would reduce his rate fire and thus remove a key advantage of the SVT.

Edited June 10, 2017 by Dark_Falcon

[Dark_Falcon]

In other news, the PAF had a column shot up doing a Grozny. They are predictably sucking at street fighting.

 

Actually, they aren't doing badly. MOUT is a hard skill set and the Philippine Army does need to avoid excessive civilian casualties. That said, that loss of some of a column's vehicles has been verified by Daesh photos:

 

 

[Simon Tan]

The worst thing you can do is fail. Slowly. You dont channel on streets but mousehole through buildings. Walls can be repaired. Buildings rebuilt. Dominate with observation and bring crew serveds up. So far...a solid D.

[Corinthian]

I think you'll find they are draping belts over themselves for stylistic purposes since they are no more than a few hundred meters from trucks and other transport.

 

This. A lot.

 

The Philippine military is big in style. Unfortunately.

[Corinthian]

The worst thing you can do is fail. Slowly. You dont channel on streets but mousehole through buildings. Walls can be repaired. Buildings rebuilt. Dominate with observation and bring crew serveds up. So far...a solid D.

 

They won't do that. Because, many reasons. All stupid ones.

[Roman Alymov]

 

In other news, the PAF had a column shot up doing a Grozny. They are predictably sucking at street fighting.

 

Actually, they aren't doing badly. MOUT is a hard skill set and the Philippine Army does need to avoid excessive civilian casualties.

 

Chechens were among 8 foreigner ISIS fighters killed https://ria.ru/world/20170601/1495529571.html?utm_source=smi2&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=rian_partners

[Roman Alymov]

The worst thing you can do is fail. Slowly. You dont channel on streets but mousehole through buildings. Walls can be repaired. Buildings rebuilt. Dominate with observation and bring crew serveds up. So far...a solid D.

What you propose is not slow but very slow, and require lots of boots on the ground. I am not sure Philippines got both of this assets – time and trained manpower. Situation seems very difficult.

[Simon Tan]

As with all armies, they have not been paying attention when other people are working. I watched a FIBUA exercise here and asked where the ladders, picks, crowbars and sledgehammers were. The officer looked at me like I was insane. Perhaps I was to suggest that he might want to smash holes in the training buildings.

 

You can never lose quickly enough.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Simon Tan

[Panzermann]

The deer-in-headlights stare is always funny, when you confront people with obvious ideas.

 

 

 

Did philippine officers ever attend an urban course in the USA? Or soemwhere else? I mean for twenty years the theoretics have talked about the city as the future battelfield. That should have been heard even in the philipines.

[Simon Tan]

How many places anywhere allow you to mousehole and wreck their facilities?

[Roman Alymov]

As with all armies, they have not been paying attention when other people are working. I watched a FIBUA exercise here and asked where the ladders, picks, crowbars and sledgehammers were. The officer looked at me like I was insane. Perhaps I was to suggest that he might want to smash holes in the training buildings.

 

You can never lose quickly enough.

It heavily depend on infrastructure – making hole in wall in Syria is one thing, making hole in wall in Russia is completely different, most likely sledgehammer will not work against concrete with lots of steel bars inside, demolition charges are needed (see how pro-Russians were progressing through Donetsk airport). As far as I remember WWII memoirs, Soviets discovered the weakest spot to blow through walls in German multi-floor houses were stoves\chimneys.

And if not having enough men, braking walls is useless – mobile enemy groups will just encircle your unit while you are making your way through houses. I do not think rebels got any strategic points to defend in Mindanao – they just circle around killing soldiers where they can, retreating where they can’t – the same way as Chechens were doing.

[Simon Tan]

It's all masonry. Rebar is expensive and used sparingly. The Phillipines Army has a significant preponderance of manpower even in the area but much of it is of indifferent quality and of dubious leadership. Abu Sayyaf and the Maute expect the Filipino troops to come up the roads and prepare accordingly. Then they obliged.

[Josh]

Terrorist attack underway at a hotel in Manila.

[Dark_Falcon]

Terrorist attack underway at a hotel in Manila.

 

Unsure about that. The Chief of the National Police is now saying it looks more like a robbery.

[Corinthian]

Yep, more like a robbery. Had me personally worried as my new pretty coworker lives just walking distance from the hotel.

 

The Philippine Army hasn't had much training and experience with MOUT. Hence the weakness. This despite previous incidents (e.g., Zamboanga siege). But that should be no excuse.

[Simon Tan]

​M113 with Elbit -25 remote weapon station. Iligan.

[Simon Tan]

37 dead in RW Manila, apparently from smoke inhalation after fire. Pinoy Whitey criminals are deadlier than DAESH.

Edited June 2, 2017 by Simon Tan

[Panzermann]

​M113 with Elbit -25 remote weapon station. Iligan.

 

the turret is probably better protected than the hull... a slight up armouring to make them at least bullet proof would have been nice imho. Any full size rifle cartridge with AP bullets is going to penetrate them.

 

Interesting that the ACAVs in the back do not have smoke launchers installed.