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No successful air assault? How about Panama or Grenada? Even russia was able to secure hostomel despite losses. To be sufficiently vulnerable to MANPADs you ne

No successful air assault? How about Panama or Grenada? Even russia was able to secure hostomel despite losses. To be sufficiently vulnerable to MANPADs you need enough of them in enough trained hands. If there is the element of surprise this does not happen. I envision a surprise air assault they flies below radar and establishes the coup before the army can get out of their barracks. The Taiwanese are not the 'rifle behind every blade of grass' type of people who have embraced total defense.

ggm 2y ago
You cannot seriously compare the Taiwanese defence forces to Grenada or Panama. But I agree surprise could get them a lot. A long way. Assuming there is no edge defence radar doing over the horizon, nor satellite Intel, nor RF chatter, no other signs.
- throwaway48476 2y ago
  You seclude the troops and do it at night under clouds with EMCON. All of these challenges are overcomeable.
defrost 2y ago
> Even russia was able to secure hostomel despite losses. The first air assault failed outright. The second was a not quite success that held on for two weeks and was a definitive failure to meet objectives after a month. If you define "success" as they had a fortnight they held out for prior to being killed or forced to withdraw then yes, that was a success . . . Big picture wise .. not the game planned by Russia that was intended to seize and hold control of the airport while taking the capital. That was a definite face plant.
- throwaway48476 2y ago
  If russia had planned an invasion and brought more weapons instead of dress uniforms and riot shields they may well have been successful. The initial air assault did meet its objectives regardless of failures later and elsewhere. This success is likely instructive for a potential Taiwan invasion. They need to take it more seriously and build a network of remote control turrets.

ggm 2y ago

You cannot seriously compare the Taiwanese defence forces to Grenada or Panama. But I agree surprise could get them a lot. A long way. Assuming there is no edge defence radar doing over the horizon, nor satellite Intel, nor RF chatter, no other signs.

throwaway48476 2y ago
You seclude the troops and do it at night under clouds with EMCON. All of these challenges are overcomeable.

defrost 2y ago

> Even russia was able to secure hostomel despite losses. The first air assault failed outright. The second was a not quite success that held on for two weeks and was a definitive failure to meet objectives after a month. If you define "success" as they had a fortnight they held out for prior to being killed or forced to withdraw then yes, that was a success . . . Big picture wise .. not the game planned by Russia that was intended to seize and hold control of the airport while taking the capital. That was a definite face plant.

throwaway48476 2y ago
If russia had planned an invasion and brought more weapons instead of dress uniforms and riot shields they may well have been successful. The initial air assault did meet its objectives regardless of failures later and elsewhere. This success is likely instructive for a potential Taiwan invasion. They need to take it more seriously and build a network of remote control turrets.