Lord_James

An updated design of the Hyundai Rotem Next Generation Main battle Tank was showcased recently at the autumn conference of the Korean Institute of Military Science and Technology. Don't have much other in the way of info.
 

 

depends on the specific gun, but typically you have a normal rifle fire control group in the rear which the trigger is connected to by a long (and frequently unfortunately flexible) rod.

some bullpups are different, however, like the RDB, which has the fire control group close to the trigger, and actually telescopes the entire hammer around the bolt group.

Dozer blades mounted on the prototypes of both the K21s and K2s. The Dozer blades were (most likely) inspired by the T-72M and T-80Us the ROK studied, but as far as I have found while reading the dozer blades were unpowered and needed the crew to dismount to lower and raise them.
 
K21
 
K2
 

More from Razvedos from Kazan tank school.

A rare picture: an overhead shot of the M1 Thumper, used to test the XM291 ATAC gun (sometimes referred to as LW120) in conjunction with the XM91 cassette autoloader.
 

 
The Thumper, which was built out of a M1A1 at Anniston Depot, used a 120mm XM291 in three different barrel lengths, one 265in/6.75m long (the standard, "long tube" XM291), a second one cut the same length as the M256 ("short tube", 5.3m) and a third, intermediary one ("medium tube") that stands somewhere between 6.75m and 5.3m.

On-the-move test fires done at speeds of 10, 15 and 20mph showed that the target impact dispersion (TID) was bigger (read: lower accuracy) with the "long tube" XM291 compared to the "short tube" or EVEN the M256, which was problematic. To support the increased barrel length, Benét Labs also had to create a 415lbs and 22in-long extension for the gun cradle...which was later reused in the proposed installation of a XM360E1 inside the notional M1A3...and, quite likely, inside the M1 AbramsX demonstrator showcased at AUSA 2022.
 
 
 
The 1988 M1 Thumper was only fitted with the 120mm ATAC gun, but the XM291 installed on the 1993 M1 CATTB, on the other hand, went on to trial a 120mm and a 140mm barrel. At one point, the ATAC prototype pool was noted to have successfully fired 1,300 rounds, 150 of which were of the 140mm variety. The latter (at least the KE part) was even judged capable of defeating the armor of what was tentatively described as the FST-3 (Future Soviet Tank 3, essentially a Obj.477/477A); there are no known numbers for the 140mm XM964's performance, but the 140mm ATAC itself was expected to produce a great maximum of 25MJ of muzzle energy. The ammunition for the ATAC was developed by Valentec International and Hercules.
 
 
 
While the Thumper was originally meant to trial the 120mm ATAC, some of the official literature indicates it may have also undergone the 120-to-140mm tube conversion and done static test firings at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where it showed precision equal to a M1A1 but "with greater penetration".
 

>> Source document for the two above scans <<
 
Also, a common mistake (one I've also been guilty of, mea culpa) I often see around in forums and milblogs is that the Thumper is a derivative of the CATTB, which is false, as the Thumper (AKA the ATAC Demonstration System) predates the CATTB Phase I by at least five years.
 
M1 CATTB Phase I (using a M1 hull as basis), in 93/94, about to be shipped to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for testing:
 

 
Picture of the CATTB Phase II (ATTD?) hull under construction, completed in 1994. Note the closed back with no exhaust grille, the absence of apertures for torsion bars (replaced by a hydro-pneumatic suspension system) and the smaller engine compartment designed to receive a Cummins XAV-1000 AIPS instead of a Honeywell AGT-1500. The freed-up volume between the XAV and the turret basket was reclaimed to accept two vertically-stacked non-ready cassettes housing a total of 22 rounds (either single-piece 120mm or two-piece 140mm), which would have given the CATTB Phase II a maximum loadout of 39 rounds (either 120mm or 140mm), just five less than a M1A2. The huge tradeoff, of course, was that all this made the CATTB massively overweight.
 

 
Apparently, at least one of the two CATTB testbeds is currently sitting at the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong, California, but one has to wonder if it's not a case of mistaken identity; the Thumper was, after all, spotted in 2010/09/30, in Ohio, as it was being relocated by train to parts unknown. Here's to hoping any of these big bois shall make their way to a museum one day, as did the TTB, the Crusader and many others before them.
 
XM291 ATAC with its 17-round Benét Labs XM91 bustle autoloader:
 

CATTB turret

Mujaheeds of Jaish Al-Sudaplatov (volunteers unit) in Zaporozhie region got pickup trucks. I demand Jihad Design Bureau to work on them to make proper technicals, like in Mad Maxud: Roads of Levant.
 

 
 

Stayed up late to get pictures of Artemis 1 going up. This is the first time I've ever used my phone camera at night, so some of the pictures didn't come out very good. All the pictures are at 4x zoom. 
 

 
It's very impressive to see a second sun coming up from the north. This intensity didn't last long though. 
 
 
@Ramlaen @Sturgeon

72B turret after test fire. Note Drozd launcher unit piece laying near

Stayed up late to get pictures of Artemis 1 going up. This is the first time I've ever used my phone camera at night, so some of the pictures didn't come out very good. All the pictures are at 4x zoom. 
 

 
It's very impressive to see a second sun coming up from the north. This intensity didn't last long though. 
 
 
@Ramlaen @Sturgeon

1:04 in the morning is what I just read on NASA’s site. If it doesn’t launch soon after, I’m going to bed. 
 
Edit: yes, I’ll take pictures if applicable. It just stopped raining here so more likely. Will post when I wake up. 

UAF attempting to JDB problems with Shaheds

 
 

Ah this clarifies that the cage you sometimes see is in fact a wire guard.
 

 

AFAIK it's just an extension rod linked to the trigger

155 mm PLZ45A4 SPG

*Which is one of rules for object in Solar system to be called a planet, for those who didn't catch where it is going to.

Or sell books.
 
I think it would have been a lot more honest to simply say objects in the Asteroid and Kuiper belts are not planets than selectively applying the rules used to define a planet. Mercury is not in hydrostatic equilibrium.
 
https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/d8-nk9a-yn73/download

I detect a hint of salt in there. But people like to (if not love to) draw lines in arbitrary places to make them feel special, and science is no different. 

interesting Rheinmetall patent i found, in which part of the frontal turret armour is attached to the gun, and recoils with it, to reduce the recoil path.
An additional patent shows a more complicated version of this that is supposed to also manage the vertical component of recoil when the gun is elevated. But honestly i am to dumb to understand that version.
i find it interesting that there seems to be a bunch of patents from around this time about reducing the required space for recoil and elevation of an MBT gun. I would guess with a perspective of integrating larger calibre guns without increasing turret volume.

The Northern Army just held the 7th division Tank Shooting Competition a few days ago. Type 90s and Type 10s from the 7th Division Northern army directly competed against each other. The 2nd Division and 5th Brigade also participated, but was not earn placements as this was a 7th division event. A total of 144 tanks and 450 soldiers participated in the competition.
 
Events included shooting perpendicular firing of 2 tanks with 2 stationary tanks supporting, marching firing, and stationary firing all taking place >2km. Gunnery was scored using the 120mm and 7.62mm cannon.
During the competition points are added for each target hit, missed targets don't count, and during movement drills if a tank is out of position the target wont appear at all and score is deducted. Bonus points are additionally awarded if all targets are hit during a segment.
The maximum number of points that can be awarded without bonus points is 1000, but that has seemingly caused an issue this year.
 
The 72nd regiment frequently scored 100% accuracy in sections racking up bonus points and finished with a total score of 1270/1000 (Really the total score of 1000 just ignores bonus points and exceeding it was always a possibility). The more shocking part is the 72nd regiment exclusively operates Type 90s. It was a clean sweep of Type 90s though the competition at company and platoon levels, however a Type 10 platoon from the 2nd division also scored over 1000 points when counting bonus points, but was not included in placements.
 
The overwhelming victory of the 72nd regiment is attributed to the 72nd regiment being the most frequent unit to travel overseas to the Yakima Training Grounds and National Training Center in the US to participate in live fire events alongside their US counterparts.
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20221028/k00/00m/040/257000c
https://trafficnews.jp/post/122605
4K video of the competition
 

B-18 spotted, probably somewhere in Kurgan during testing. B-18 is BMP-2 modernisation with Epokha turret and few other things.

KMW has showcased that a software update to the Puma's turret and a RF sensor (direction finder) allows it to engage micro-UAVs. I have posted earlier about this in this topic.
 
Below is a marketing photo from Eurosatory 2022, showcasing a Dedrone RF360 sensor on a RCT-30 turret mounted on a Boxer. The sensor would detect radio signals as used to control (micro-)UAVs within a 5 kilometres range and determine the direction from which the UAV is approaching. The software updated to the FCS would then allow (probably automatically) tracking the drone and engaging it.

 
  
 
That is MBDA's Multi-Purpose Combat Vehicle (MPCV) turret, which can be configured for anti-tank use or air-defence use by integrating different missile. It was not proposed by Rheinmetall for the NNbS program, only by MBDA.

Khrizantema, training. Autoloader is visible on one of photos.

 
 

From tank-net:
 
A 2001 precursor to the XM1299, the M109A6+ with its 52-caliber, 155mm M284 gun.
 


 
EDIT: the M109A6+ was also dubbed "International Howitzer" and boasted several improved capabilities. Aside from its 52-caliber, JBMOU-compliant and Watervliet Arsenal-built M284 gun, it also sported a semi-automatic rammer, an automatic fire control system and a modified suspension.