SuperComrade

1. Tochka in St.Petersburg museum of artillery. Adopted in 1975. Firing range - 15-70 km ("Tochka-U" - 150 km), the total weight - 16 tons, the rocket - 2t, crew - 3 people.

 
   The launcher is mounted on a three-axle amphibious automobile chassis BAZ-5921. Near it (on the ground) - 9Ya234 container for storage of rockets.

 
   2. Luna-M. 9P113 launcher with a 9M21 missile, accepted into service in 1964. Firing range - 15-70 km, the overall mass - 16.4 m, the rocket - 2.5t, crew - 5 people.

 
   Launcher - on the chassis ZIL-135LM, transport vehicle - chassis ZIL-135LTM.

 
   Transport vehicle of the Luna system, ZIL-135LTM.

 
   3. 2P16 (based on PT-76) with unguided 3R9 rocket, put into service in 1960. 

 
   Range: with 3R9 rockets (high-explosive warhead) - 45 km, with the 3R10 (special warhead) - 32 km, the mass installation - 15.5 tons, rocket - 2.3 tons crew - 5 people.

 
 
   4. 9P120 launcher with a missile 9M76 tactical missile system 9K76 "Temp-S", put into service in 1968. Firing range - 300-900 km, total weight - 29.9t, rocket - 9.4t. On the INF Treaty, December 8, 1987 between the Soviet Union and the United States, system was eliminated.

 
   MAZ-543 was used as the chassis for the launcher unit, chassis is similar to that used in the 9K72 "Elbrus» ("Scud"), but a rocket, located inside of the launcher, was covered in a special container, that opened along the longitudinal axis of the launcher unit after verticalization of the missiles before start.

 

 
   To control the missile during the boost phase, deflectors were installed on the nozzles. The control system used gyrostabilized platform with gyro units of pitch, yaw and rotation

 
   9M76 - two-stage solid-fuel ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead. Warhead separated from final stage during flight.

 

 
 
   5. 9P71 launcher with a 9M714 tactical missile of the 9K714 "Oka" system, put into service in 1980. Range - 50-400 km, weight of whole system - 24.6 t, the missile - 4.36 t. On the INF Treaty on December 8, 1987 between the Soviet Union and the United States system was eliminated.

 
   The complex was intended to replace the 9K72 "Elbrus" (Scud) missile system.

 
   Flight tests of the complex began in 1978, with missiles launches at Kapustin Yar. State tests were carried out in the 1977-1979, during which 26 launches of missiles were made. The complex was put into service in 1980.

 
   Solid-fuel 9K714 missiles was deisgned as a single-stage and equipped with separatable warhead. The rocket used inertial control system. To improve the accuracy, radar homing was used to correct trajectory. The missile could have been equipped with conventional warheads, or nuclear (10-50 kt).

 
   Replacement of warheads at launch site could have been done within 15 minutes. At the end of the active portion of the trajectory, the missile reached 4M speed. Missiles trajectories were controled by means of a lattice aerodynamic tail rudders. The height of the highest point of a ballistic trajectory - 120 km. The missile was equipped with a complex of overcoming missile defense ("KSP PRO" KSP - complex of overcoming PRO - anti-air defence). Using KSP PRO reduces the probability of interception of the 9K714 missiles by anti-air systems.

 
   Self-propelled launcher (SPL) 9P71 was based on 4-axle amphibious BAZ-6944 chassis, with a V-shaped UTD25 engine (400 HP). The chassis was manufactured at the Bryansk automobile plant. SPL was developed by SKB-221, prototypes were produced at the "Barricades" plant and engaged in mass production at Petropavlovskiy heavy engineering plant named after Lenin (Kazakhstan). As SPL 9P71, transportation and loading vehicle (TLV) 9T230 was based on the  chassis of BAZ-6944. TLV transported the two missiles.

 
   The complex "Oka" was liquidated by the Soviet Union after the signing of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range with the USA (1987), although formally under the terms of the agreement Oka was not to be included into list, because it had a launch range of up to 400 km. In accordance with this standard criteria set, Oka system was not to be affected by agreement.
    In 1987, after the signing of the contract, an improved complex "Oka-U" testing and development was terminated. After the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, 18 missiles remained in Germany (by then already united), the same amount - in Bulgaria, about a dozen - in Slovakia and four - in Romania. US readily agreed with Germany on systems destruction. Negotiations with Romania and Slovakia tightened. Until the fall of 1998, while in Bratislava remained under power of Vladimir Meciar, Slovakia did not want to abandon its missile ambitions. Only after the change of leadership and the announcement of the intention to join NATO, sysems were destroyed by 2002. In 2003, Bulgaria has destroyed the last 8 SPL and 24 missiles.

Blub blub blub

http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/yemeni-army-committees-strike-fourth-saudi-warship-on-mocha-coast/

In 1944 the Red Army began looking for a replacement for the battle proven T-34. Their initial action was to simply up-gun the T-34 again, this time with the 100mm D-10T from the SU-100. However deficiencies in the transmission prevented this plan from coming to fruition. As a result the Red Army turned to the T-44. Relying on experience gained from the T-44's own up-gun project they created what was called the T-44B. Given the major changes compared to the current T-44 they later changed the name to the T-54. Designed by A.A. Morozov between October 1944 and December 1944 it had reached sufficient development by November 1st 1944 that People's Commissar of Tank Industry of the USSR V.A. Malyshev ordered Factory №183 to produce a prototype. The factory built the original prototype by January 30th 1945 where until mid-February it underwent testing. On February 22nd it was sent to a NIBT training ground to undergo government testing. Despite identifying several flaws such as a lack hydraulic shock absorbers for the road wheels the T-54 was deemed superior to all existing domestic designs and recommended for eventual adoption.
 

T-54 (first prototype)
 
They had reason for their claim; with a transverse mounted engine and a torsion bar suspension the T-54 was much smaller than the T-34. This size decrease allowed the Soviets to significantly up-armor the tank without greatly increasing the weight. The front hull was 120mm thick angled at 60 degrees, the turret was 150mm thick. Despite the armor increases the T-54 only weighed 35.5 tons. Despite the wishes of of the Soviets (who wanted a 700hp engine on their T-34 replacement) the venerable V-2 sill powered the T-54. With an output of 520hp the T-54 was capable of 43.5 km/h. In addition to the increased armor the T-54 was armed with the 100mm D-10T-K gun which was capable of 7-4 rounds a minute. Like other Soviet tanks the turret design limited gun depression with only -3. So despite only being 35.5 tons the T-54 had comparable firepower and armor protection to the 45 ton IS-2.
 
 
 

 
Armor of the T-54 (first prototype)
 
 
In response to the deficiencies identified by the Red Army Factory №183 created another T-54 prototype. Still designated T-54, though by this point in time it would receive it's GABTU designation of Object 137. The tank was produced in July 1945 with government testing beginning in July and ending in November of that year. The T-54 second prototype had many changes, the hull and turret were redesigned, the transmission was replaced with a different one, the gun was replaced with the 100mm LB-1, among other changes. The new turret was up-armored to 200mm thick. In combination with the new gun and turret the T-54 second prototype had increased gun depression compared to the original with -5. All of these modification caused a weight spiral to 39.15 tons, which with the same V-2 engine as before the speed was reduced to 42.5 km/h. As before the Soviet Government recommended it for Red Army service along with the corrections of some defects.
 

T-54 second prototype (Object 137) 

Time to make y'all jelly.
 

Gotta go fast

Want a Draken?  You can have one if you have $425K.
 
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/for-sale-1964-saab-grey-import-425-000-1740305368

Word has it that CRS-2 contract decisions have been postponed, but there are rumors that Boeing is out and NASA was pleased with Sierra Nevada's proposal.

Welp, I might not have voted for his party, but Trudeau made an interesting pick for his defense minister.  A Lt. Col. in the Canadian Army (Still serving, he's supposed to be separated this week).  He offered to resign to run for Parliament, but the Army wanted to keep him because he's apparently really good at his job.  Harajit Singh Sajjan is an interesting guy from what I've read about him so far. First Sikh Canadian to Command a regiment. Combat experience in Bosnia, and 3 tours in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan.  Known for having skill in dealing with inter-tribal relations in dealing with the Afghan people.  I'll be writing this guy an extensive email in the near future. 
 
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/harjit-singh-sajjan-new-defence-minister-a-canadian-military-veteran-who-knows-reality-of-war

Paging Toxn:
 
http://imgur.com/gallery/a0WIB

Sumeragi is the one that put M18 in Wargame RD. He(NOT she) was kicked from several Korean internet communities including the WOT forum last year, but seems he's still spreading false and biased information on other forums...

http://sovietguns.blogspot.ca/2013/12/molotov-cocktails.html
 
2-3 bottles brews up a moving vehicle, 1 bottle if it was stopped by something like a grenade to the tracks or a mine since you can properly aim at a weak spot. They were no wonder weapon, but they worked well enough.

Here is what a proper Molotov looks like:


 
Note the large "matches" (in this case, it looks like they may be rolled paper filled with gunpowder), and the big pads of paper attached to the side to help sustain ignition. I've seen Molotovs with the ignition ends pointing either "up" (towards the neck) or "down" (towards the base); I think this probably depends on how you throw it. If you want to chuck it like a potato masher, then you probably want the matches pointing "down", but I usually threw mine from the bottle's center of gravity, so I had them point the other way.

They have even gone the extra mile and sealed the neck with wax, which means you could have these sit around for quite some time, as long as you kept the igniters dry.

I've made them before. They tend to be more dangerous to the person using them than the target, because some extremely smart and clever ally of authoritarian governments everywhere popularized the method of making them where you stick a gasoline-soaked rag into a bottle, light it, and go. That tends to just put the user at risk of getting set on fire, and it makes him very vulnerable as he's trying to gingerly light a rag that's dripping gasoline everywhere without getting any on himself.
 
The correct way to make a mollie is to get a large bottle - like a wine bottle or an empty handle - and fill it partly with gasoline, then cork it. Wipe it down, and let it sit for like half an hour to get all the gas on the outside to evaporate. Now get some of those loong camping matches that burn for a while, or sparklers, and duct-tape them to the side, with the tips pointing up and sticking up past the neck of the bottle. Then tie a rag around the neck of the bottle (this is your sustainer, essentially; you need something that will catch fire long enough to reach the gas in the bottle, and then keep burning to ignite as much gas as possible). You can soak the rag in something flammable, but you want it dry when you come to throw it. There are a bunch of things that make rags more flammable even after they've dried, and you can use paper, or something else very flammable instead of a rag. Don't use flash paper, it doesn't burn long enough. You can also use a flammable grease or oil and soak the rag in that. In my experience, gasoline is a very poor choice, since it drips everywhere and evaporates.

When it comes to throw it, you simply light the tip of the sparkler/match, and chuck it towards the target. The match/sparkler should ignite the gasoline and rag, and that will set fire to some things. Car upholstery, for example.

As a serious weapon? There are other things you can make that are probably more useful, but if you're going to make Molotovs, you can at least do it correctly.

BMP-1

 

 
 
UR-77 "Meteorit" minefield clearing vehicle

RE: hornandy
This goes to show that just because it's a big company doesn't mean that it has the best and brightest working there.
Also: I love that these guys 'dove into' polymer science and discovered that phenolic resin exists.
Edit: whoops, wrong quote. Has been removed.

It's has more specific impulse, so you need less propelant to get the same delta-V. That means your spacecraft can be a lot smaller (most of the mass of spacecraft/launch vehicles is propellant).
 
Of course, since it's an ion engine, you can't use the most efficient trajectories (such as Hohmann transfers), which somewhat reduces the delta-V advantage. Also, you need a shitload of power for large ion engines, which means either all the solar panels or a reactor.

Well, it's only the prototype, so it's to be expected about the weight

Wow, holy shit they actually have an automatic form for sending letters to all the congresscritters and the president petitioning them to preserve LRS-B.

LRS-B is an interesting program, because A.) there seems to be even less information about it publicly available than there was for NGB, B.) it could make or break Northrop Grumman for defense contracts, C.) the requirements are rumored to be more conservative than previous bomber programs, relying more heavily on fewer precision bombs, D.) "optionally piloted" is getting thrown around a lot, E.) it's reportedly not intended to replace the B-2, F.) the technology is supposed to be all stuff that was proven out in the F-35 program.
So basically, the Air Force is hinting that their next bomber will be medium-sized, stealthy, and based on technology proven in the F-35 program. Is this the medium bomber revenant? More importantly,

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They won. Good job NG, now don't screw it up. 

The ridiculous list of "what not to do" booklet I got when I was there during a deployment was fucking hysterical.  I'm going to poke around in my storage trunk and see if I still have it. Backwards isn't even a strong enough word to accurately describe that place. 

Iran would be a better ally than Saudi Arabia