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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   445 thread views

Transnational Thursday for October 1, 2026

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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I had some interesting discussions about whether or not the US was really using a lot of bombs (as opposed to stand-off weapons) in Iran. Now TWZ has a story tallying expenditures of a single Super Hornet squadron based on a photographed munitions board. Based on their numbers:

  • 331 unpowered bombs, mostly some type of JDAM
  • 41 JSOW glide bombs (longer-ranged than the JDAM)
  • 10 cruise missiles (true stand-off weapon)
  • 39 air-to-air missiles(!)

A Super Hornet squadron is not a microcosm of the entire US forces involved in the conflict, but I think the ratios tell you something.

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