Interesting Links for 19-03-2023

[andrewducker]

1. Scientists develop a 'cosmic concrete' that is twice as strong as regular concrete, made with potato starch. Even better than the one they made from blood and urine

(tags:materials mars concrete viaDanielDWilliam blood potato wtf )

2. 'Mutual free movement' for UK and EU citizens supported by up to 84% of Brits

(tags:polls UK Europe migration )

3. Russia Wants a Long War: The West Needs to Send Ukraine More Arms, More Quickly

(tags:Russia Ukraine )

4. Across the world, politicians are scapegoating LGBT people to distract from their own failures

(tags:LGBT bigotry )

Comments

[danieldwilliam]

1 US armoured division = 3 armoured brigades = 5,000 soldiers, approx 100 tanks, 200 other armoured vehicles each, plus 3 other brigades doing other jobs like air cover, artillery and logistics. Those tanks are $10m each and you probably need to start your campaign with the same in spares. So, about, my guessimate would be an all in cost to stand up a US sized armoured division at $20bn.

I've no idea how many US sized armoured divisions the Ukrainians would need to push the Russians firmly out of Ukraine in one summer's campaign.

I do think we, in the West, are more likely to be able to afford several lots of $20bn over the next 5 years than the Russians.

[andrewducker]

I wonder how fast Ukraine can generate an armoured division, and we can produce the kit.

I thought that the comment about the Defense Production Act above was interesting.