Beer

11 hours ago, N-L-M said:

That's ARAT 2, which is also ERA. Covers the hull ARAT 1 and the bare turret side, thus again suggesting that the turret side is equivalent to the ARAT 1 skirts.

Yes but we know from Iraq and Yemen that the turret side can be penetrated with quite a lot of weapons when hit from the sides. Hence why I said that having there an era (like in T-90M) is an advantage even if it doesn't cover 100% of the turret side (for whatever reason). 

42 minutes ago, Karamazov said:

This problem is completely solved by the use of TUSK II and PSO kits. 

Who is using PSO kit? Are there any ARAT-2 equipped Abramses anywhere outside Iraq? Never saw any in photos from Europe but I may have missed them. 

1 hour ago, LoooSeR said:

 Abrams and modern Leo 2s tend to have more armor on turret side in the first place. This gap in ERA coverage doesn't look like it is really needed, it is easy to cover it with ERA tiles. Are they trying to save cost on amount of ERA tiles? IDK.

Their stronger side turret armor is effective enough only under angles for which the Turret of T-90M is covered by frontal ERA. If hit directly from the sides it's not strong enough and the ERA on T-90M definitely offers more protection even if placed strangely high. Isn't it like that because if placed lower the turret could not rotate 360°? The ERA adds a lot to the turret size. 

It's still 100% more ERA covered than Abrams M1A2 or Leopard 2A7. Isn't it? 

Some curiosity. Czech Ministries of internal affairs and defence started a massive airlifting operation to carry medical supplies from China because the local production is way too small for the current demand due to COVID-19 spread (funily part of the stuff is produced by Czech companies having production lines in China). Such an operation has never ever happened in our history. At the moment it looks like around 10 planes take part in the operation to carry hundreds of tons of equipment stored on three Chinese airports (Shen-Zen, Shanghai and I forgot the third one). Antonov Airlines An-124, army Airbus A-319, two Czech Airlines A-319, China East B-747F and possibly up to five SmartWings B-737. The smaller planes fly through Novosibirsk where they refuel. An-124 refuels in Baku as it looks like the Ukraineans can't enter the Russian airspace (or maybe it would take too much time to arrange it). Most of them will land in military airport in Pardubice which can take even the An-124. Some in Prague Kbely (military Airbus), some in Prague Ruzyně (China East). 

At the moment the situation is that one army A-319 landed in Prague Kbely yesterday with COVID-19 speed-tests and some protective equipment. One ČSA A-319 is currently in Novosibirsk refueling on the way to China. Another one will start from Prague in one and half hour. The An-124 is on the way from Kiev to Baku.  

The COVID-19 spread seems to be relatively under control here due to early implemented very strict measures but we'll see how it evolves further. Most of the cases have connection with skiing in Italy and Austria in late February and early March. 

Anyway this situation shows that even small country like ours need to have proper airlifting capacity. Currently our army has only one A-319 and several CASA-295 planes but those are useless for cargo flights to China. In my opinion we shall have at least one or two planes like KC-390 (which is moreover partially produced here in Prague).

Slovakia selected Spike LR2 as the new standard ATGM. The first batch of 10 launchers and 100 missiles was ordered but more will follow. 

https://www.armadninoviny.cz/slovensko-kupuje-protitankove-strely-spike-lr2.html

14 hours ago, Gripen287 said:

 

A little off topic, and something I've tried to bring up in another thread, but before we go about haraming all belt-fed SAWs, I think there is at least one part of the belt-fed design space that could use a little more exploration, i.e., something inspired by the HK21/23, OTS-128, or Czech URZ with quick change "belt-mags."  Maybe throw in a little XM248 DNA too.  The HK21/23 proves that belt-fed levels of suppressive fire and a useful semi-automatic capability are not mutually exclusive if firing from a closed bolt.  The HK21 also easily integrates variable-power optics (and potentially clip-on night sights with an extended rail/mount).  Secret squirrel types value the HK21E for these reasons. 

 

If I were Sheikh for a day, I'd declare spare barrels haram within the rifle squad since the squad can't carry enough ammo to the point that they're required anyway.  I would however retain one or two belt-fed SAWs, chambered in the standard rifle caliber, within the rifle squad.  If chambered in 5.56 or 5.45, the SAW gunner probably gets two 200 round "belt-mags" for when close ambushes are likely and for covering the guys trying to throw grenades into a defensive position, but otherwise, the SAW gunner mostly fires on semi-auto from 60-100 round "belt-mags."  The old "belt-mag" would retain that pesky empty link from the expended belt, and the new "belt-mag" would present the first round in feed position, so the SAW gunner can just extract the old one, retain it (or not), and insert a new one, including at night and while moving.  Conceptually, the "belt-mag" is like attaching the HK21 feed mechanism and feed tray cover to each ammo box/drum and rocking the whole thing in like an AK drum. 

 

I've always been intrigued by these inverted belt feed systems, but I've never been able to find much information on the OTS-128 or URZ.  There doesn't seem to be much out there on the XM248 either, apart from the Weaponsman series, a few patents, and the technical manual.  Any idea why these inverted belt feed systems haven't received more attention? 

A little info about URZ with some drawings and photos. It's in Czech but maybe you can get something out of it. The weapon was never intended for domestic use. All the development was done with some export intentions because there was no requirement for such weapon from our army at that time. Hence why it was designed for NATO ammunition. I think the prototype was in Prague Žižkov muzeum but that is closed now due to a reconstruction. 

http://www.vhu.cz/utocna-puska-urz-univerzalni-rucni-zbran/

https://www.valka.cz/CZK-URZ-t38624

One Russian soldier and two civilians died in a traffic accident.

It's getting hot in Iraq again. Two US soldiers and one Brit died in a rocket attack on Camp Taji. Around a dozen of wounded is reported as well. 

This incident happend just few days after two US marines died in a firefight with IS. 

2 minutes ago, Sturgeon said:

If only we had something roughly 12mm in caliber with loads of existing guns and ammunition laying around to support it. 

I guess you mean Browning M2... 

You can't omit the economial side of the game. Sure there are better ammunition types available BUT you have to buy tenths of thousands of new weapons and billions of new bullets and scrape huge stock you have and which cost you fortune to buy some time a go. Hence why more special types of ammo are used basically only in limited number of specialized units. 

After the terror attacks in Paris the French GIGN units ordered ČZ-806 in 7.62x39 to replace the 5.56x45 weapons. We can see that FSB units in Russia frequently use 9x39 weapons and it looks like they start using even 12.7x55 round for urban fighting. These units typically fight on very short distance with enemies often barricaded or equipped with ballistic vests. Hence why I would agree that there is a good reason why larger infantry calibers exists and it's up to the user to use them effectively. 

On 3/6/2020 at 10:17 PM, LoooSeR said:

 

Allegedly that was just an evacuation of a sick Turkish soldier from one of the surrounded observation posts and not any kind of patrol. 

On 3/6/2020 at 10:09 PM, LoooSeR said:

Radars for FCS, measure deviation of shells speed and i guess trajectory.

On 3/6/2020 at 10:11 PM, Sovngard said:

 

Looks like a bulky muzzle velocity radar.

Don't know if it's true but a long time a go I read that the radars were supposed to track shells equipped with remotely controlled speed brakes for enhancing range accuracy without a need for terminal guidance or barrel elevation adjustment. The speed brake kit was supposed to be simply a new balistic tip for a standard ammo, so allegedly very cheap solution. 

Anyway where did the table come from? Is that from Thailand? 

Also any idea why only several features of VT-4 are deleted from the table and nothing from Oplot-M? The selection of what was deleted is also pretty weird for me (such as engine dimensions - why would that be secret?)

1 minute ago, LoooSeR said:

   Problem is that Turkey have now a chance to secure rest of Idlibostan with their jiahdists scumbags for much longer, which will give more headache in the future, there is even risk of giving Turkey ability to make their "safe zone" buffer.

They would do that anyway. The only difference would be a lot more blood spiled. 

Putin won on two fronts in one battle... 

A lot of airstrikes against the jihadists in Idlib

1 minute ago, LoooSeR said:

   That is farting against the wind. 200+ SAA soldirs died, 25-30 AFVs were destroyed by Turkish AF and most of we done is to put MP closer to frontline.

So did 61 Turkish soldiers, yet Turkey achieved exactly zero of its declared objectives while SAA achieved all of its aimed targets (M4 + M5). All areas captured by SAA (2000+ km2) stay with SAA despite being very clear that in an all out war (which could happen if situation further escalated) Turkey would have an upper hand over Syria. Russia clearly neither want nor need a war with Turkey because Turkey moving back closer to NATO would be far worse outcome for Russia than few towns left in the hands of jihadists in Syria. By all means this is a victory for Syria but of course a partial one. 

Let's just leave this here...

Big new of today is the result of Putin - Erdogan meeting in Moscow. 

My take:

1) Erdogan admitted he lost 

2) SAA will not retreat an inch

3) Syria to win basically what was the aim of the ongoing offensive (opening of M4 and M5 highways) - but that may happen only on paper

4) The jihadists are theoretically fucked because according to this agreement they have to retreat 6 km north of M5 (technically they can stay cut off south of it but that makes no sense whatsoever)

5) Opening of the M4 and M5 highways was to be arranged by Turkey already accroding to the previous agreements but it never happened, same can be expected again 

6) The jihadists won't adhere to the agreement so the fighting will continue

By the way the safe corridor includes Jisr al Suqur or Ariha. I can't imagine TIP leaving Jisr al Suqur without a fight. 

Meanwhile TSK lost another two fallen soldiers for nothing.

Can you tell me how to understand even the information alone (if we let the exact ammo type aside). How can the armour protection be rated to 1100 mm for an ammo with 500 mm penetration? I understand that these values are more or less relative due to the nature of the armor being no RHA at all but still what does it mean? That it needs 2+ hits into the exactly same place to penetrate or what is the meaning of such value? I understand simple protected/non-protected but not to this. 

3 hours ago, Pardus said:

4) Slat armour is supposed to break up HEAT warheads, so yes ofcourse it should also work against some ATGMs, it depends entirely on warhead type and hit location. Against a top attack only ATGM system side mounted slat armour obviously doesn't really matter.

I don't comment on armour because my knowledge is too limited but this statement is incorrect. Maybe the prehistoric Malyutka is an exception but against most of the ATGMs the slat armor is rather useless because it can't cut the fuze in them unlike with the old RPG/LAW warheads. Even against those it's far from being 100% effective in not initializing the warhead. 

Unfortunately I can't find the video now but I remember that there was one on youtube where they test fired now already dated and pretty light RPG-26 on a slat-armoured APC and the slat armour failed to achieve anything. The warhead detonated and penetrated the vehicle completely in and out. Maybe someone who can write in cyrilic may find it. 

2 hours ago, Beer said:

SAA captured one a bit used F9 Panthera today

Sorry, old video and bullshit info. 

1 minute ago, LoooSeR said:

   I see second twitter post on my screen with screenshots.

Aha, IMHO by the original he meant the first video. 

4 minutes ago, LoooSeR said:

   People have doubts about that one as well

What kind of doubts? I can't find them in your post. For me this one looks like the KamAZ version with older radar, i.e. something what SAA definitely has. The reason why the system didn't detect the attacking UAV is most likely heavy EW. I don't think that Syrian AD units operate in a true multi-layer network but rather as a bunch of lone batteries or even single vehicles. As such they must be rather vulnerable to EW if used against well eqipped enemy. Turks definitely are well equipped. 

Today SAA took Afes and pushes back to Nayrab. Maybe the jihadists took Sheikh Aqil at the northern sector of the front but we have to wait for some evidence. Map from @suriyakmaps

SAA captured one a bit used F9 Panthera today and claims to have recaptured the lost T-90, however it's clearly a different tank. Therefore they either lost more T-90 previously or it's bullshit claim.