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Found this outside when I was taking a break from machining.

LEARN THIS ONE COOL TRICK

The optics for both gunner and pilot include thermal imagers made by Safran (based on their Iris product line). The Osiris mast-mounted sight also includes other optics, a laser-rangefinder and an automatic tracking functions. Still the gun pod requires the whole helicopter to turn/depress for aiming. Germany uses the HMP-400 gun pod from FN Herstal, which holds only 400 rounds, which (given that you cannot reload it without landing) seems to be lackluster. In the very first firings, the system was criticized for poor accuracy, but supposedly that was fixed via better calibration. It's quite a shame. The UHT was originally meant to be "the best anti-tank helicopter" and then the most expensive/capable variant of the Tiger, but ended up being cut down to be currently being useful for nothing (excluding carrying HOT missiles and Stinger MANPADS). After the decision was made to switch the UHT from an anti-tank to a general combat support role, the German MoD founded the development of the RMK 30 recoilless automatic cannon. The French gun was previously considered as being not precise enough and being expensive to integrate... the RMK 30 ended just being "too expensive to integrate". So, next logical step would be IMO to buy another gun turret, maybe a smaller 20 mm calibre that will cause less issues with recoil. More than 6,000 Rh 202 guns have been used on combat vehicles, static mounts and naval vessels, but apparently it's still much cheaper to buy new HMP-400 gun pods. The HMP-250 RMP with 250 rounds machine gun ammunition + three 70 mm FZ rockets would probably have been a better choice, because one 70 mm FZ rocket should provide more punch than 50 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition. (that's a weapon mount for the Wiesel, the Tiger would have the gun mounted below the center) The situation wouldn't be as bad, if the development of the LFK NG was continued. The LFK NG was meant to replace all vehicle mounted Stinger systems (i.e. the Stinger on Tiger and Wiesel), being based on the very capable IRIS-T missile (which is can be used in essentially any role). Unlike the Stinger, the LFK NG was capable of engaging ground targets, including armor vehicles (thanks to a penetrating warhead - probably a "small" shaped charge). So the UHT would have at least four missiles + MG pod + CFT, even though wasting a LFK NG for defeating terrorists with AK-47s sitting in a mud hut. But apparently the LFK NG was canceled, at least the manufacturers have deleted it from their websites, it was last mentioned in a press release in 2010. Meanwhile the industry is now pitching the French Mistral SAM as replacement for the Stinger... Australian, French and Spanish Tiger helicopters have no issues carrying rockets on the outer hardpoints, because somebody was clever enough to put cables there! Wow. To enable the UHT of carrying rocket pods on the outer hardpoints, the THOR (Tiger Helicopter Outer Rockets) program has been started; however it has been postponed to be part of the Tiger Mk. 2 upgrade, which will first happen after all German Tigers have been delivered (even though it already has been decided to reduce the number of Tigers several years ago; essentially we are buying outdated systems, that will immediately be upgraded, as well as surplus systems which will be sold or used for spare parts most likely). Great business... A Tiger Mk. 3 upgrade is also planned for the German aircrafts, it might include a laser illuminator for guided 70 mm FZ rockets/missiles, although it might be possible to use them at an earlier time. The only upside of the THOR upgrade might be the ability to carry the large rocket pod with 19 missiles at the outer hardpoints, at least FZ believes this might be possible. The German military procurement office is currently investigating the situation. The German Tiger variant could have been a clear contender to being the best attack helicopter in the world: The RMK 30 would offer advantages in accuracy and range (although trading some ammo capacity for it), the PARS 3 LR (Trigat) missile system is probably class-leading (159 mm diameter, tandem warhead, top-attack mode, thrust vectoring, salvo firing mode, pre-cooled thermal imagers, ability to engage helicopters), while the LFK NG would have been an advantage over all Mistral/Stinger (thanks to not being limited to a man-portable size) and over the Sidewinders (thanks to being based on the more capable IRIS-T family and also having ground attack capbility). Even the unguided rockets are top-notch (Germany is using the FZ 90 rocket with wrap-around fins made by the Belgian company Forges de Zeebrugge, which has a range of 9,100 metres compared to only ~5,000 m of the French 68 SNEB system from TDA Armaments - ironically both companies are nowadays owned by Thales). Interesting side note: The Wiesel suffers from the Tiger program. The Wiesel 2 Ozelot was meant to receive the LFK NG using a vertical launch system, while the Wiesel 1 MK was meant to receive the RMK 30. But that's another story, Wiesel upgrades and replacements are currently being developed.

SH members, being entirely male and thus unable to enjoy the breast-related benefits of citrus, actually grow a specialised organ over time due to exposure to internet radiation. This grapefruit organism serves to excrete the bitter, bitter bile we produce while arguing with whehraboos or about the correct way to slice fruit.

*Laughs maniacally*

2S4 Tulpan 2S5 Giatsint-S 152 mm SPG

Hmmm, where have I heard this before? Oh yeah, that's right. Also, it's a little creepy that they ask which human organ I will eat next at the end of the video. How did they know?

My take on Trump's international/trade strategy is that he sees the US in a great bargaining position that it's simply not taking advantage of. From his point of view, the US is essentially subsidizing the cost of defense of its allied nations and not getting anything in return. If he can instill the idea that the US is owed some sort of compensation for this service he could conceivably fund the enormous infrastructure and reform projects he has in mind without increasing domestic taxes. From a negotiation stance it's shrewd. The US is primarily a goods consuming nation, not a goods producing one. So it is possible, for instance, to raise tariffs on imported goods without risking retaliation. It would be a radical shift, but one I think Trump has a decent chance of implementing. Whether that's running a protection racket or simply re-negotiating bad deals depends on where you sit, I suppose.

Ran by my uncle's a bit ago, will have this guy waiting for me when I'm done with classes this semester. The thing's got a full choke and my uncle seemed fairly confident that they used 2 3/4" shot with it to blast birds. Will doublecheck with a fired shell regardless. I'll probably replace the butt plate too since that rubber is all cracked and dry, but the gun otherwise seems just fine. Found this handy link through google, and I feel safe saying that the 1897 I've got is indeed damascus steel. Link for in depth site over damascus steel here I did find out that double barreled 12 guage shotgun is actually damascus steel, or more specifically, the laminated steel sort (third pic). I don't plan to ever shoot that one or the damascus 1897. I'm wary of the condition of the double barrel regardless and if I've got two 1897s, I'd rather use the one of lesser value.

Re-barreling the Lady of the Lake. Sadly, reaming the chamber is a two handed job, so I couldn't get pictures of that. The nice part is, even through I don't have my headspace gauges in yet, that is largely irrelevant for rimmed cartridges. The reamer will cut the seating surface for the rim, I pulled all the measurements of the action, and I know the thickness of the rim on the Go and No Go gauges. All I had to do was make sure that the breech sits the correct distance away from the bolt face. The barrel was finished at 23" and I am planning on profiling it down to something more reasonable. 1 3/8" OD was the only size they had in a 24" long .310 bore. I still need to cut the extractor groove.

Anti-Saudi coalition protest in Sanaa on the 2nd anniversary of the start of the Saudi intervention. Lol @ the gender divide. President Hadi, the Saudi-backed impotent in Aden, has been sentenced to death for treason against Yemen by the Yemeni courts.