John Kettler

Here's a very good TOS-1A weapon system description, specs, organization and more. One thing I note with interest is that the range for TOS-1 and TOS-1A is way within the range limits for 152 mm and 155 mm tube artillery, both of which are in the game. Believe some maps are long enough to allow on-board firing to full TOS-1A range, a measly 6 kilometers. Here is a research paper analyzing thermobaric weapons. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322553927_Use_of_Thermobaric_Weapons Regards, John Kettler

This article is coming up on two years old, but it does have information on the place of flame and thermobaric weapons in the Red Army's structure. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/cruel-and-unusual-meet-russias-new-flamethrower-battalion-189028 Regards, John Kettler

Am aware of the Beast of Kandahar mishap/takeover and force down. But I think the S-70 design derives from the X-47B. In any event, ours is way ahead of theirs, to include autonomous in-flight refueling and CTOL (Carrier Takeoff and Landing). Also, would note that the S-70 is very much in the same size and payload class as the S-70. If I recall, the X-47B can carry a pair of 2000 pound class bombs, and a similar payload would be what I'd expect to see on the S-70. https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/x-47b-ucas/ Regards, John Kettler

This T-14 Armata vs M1A2SEPV3 Abrams article is apparently a few years old, but I'd not seen it before. It's well worth a read. The big surprise to me is how relatively flimsy the T-14's turret is, relative to the Abrams's. As I expected, the writer gives the Abrams the edge on first detection, and we all know the implications of that! https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/does-russia’s-armata-tank-have-reason-fear-m1-abrams-192386?page=0%2C1 Regards, John Kettler

DerKommissar, Tremendous video for a song with pretty profound lyrics! Regards, John Kettler

Though Russian language only, this video is a treasure trove ref primarily the BMP-2 but secondarily, the BMP-3. You can see the original BMP-2, the upgraded Afghanistan version I'd not seen before, turret face up armoring I say during the Cold War that was intended to defeat 25 mm Bushmaster fire, slat armor, drastically upgraded fire control, aftermarket upgrade paths, sensors, ammo and more. This is a great informational resource and image reference. One thin I noticed is that unditching beams are now painted the same color as the AFV, because contrast kills. The natural logs used to stand out sharply against the paintwork on the AFVs using them. Unlike the keyframe, almost all the BMPs shown are not just intact, but in some cases, factory fresh. Regards, John Kettler

IMHO, Loved the SO vid and note with interest there is a Russian SOFLAM either fielded already or in trials. Revelation of the American version via CoD got some SEALs in deep trouble here in the US. Ref kamikaze drones, I understand the Turks are world class in this emerging important weapon category. Sgt.Squarehead, That was a very good and meaty report, so meaty am practically in shock. During the Cold War, something like the S-70 would've been picked up on recon sat coverage, and the analysis mill would've started churning. There would've been detailed engineering analysis contracts let to top aerospace firms and so on. Consequently, for the reporter not just to be allowed on the base and watch from afar but instead climb on it, sit in the control van, talk to the chief engineer and more just blows my mind. Would also note that if the serious RAM was applied, she'd be in something like a Tyvek body suit, because the RAM, at least, ours, is big time toxic and even a scratch can cause major problems. Have spoken to someone who worked on various US Stealth birds, so was speaking from experience. I Think FSB-GRU did quite a lot of unauthorized US technology transfer (how's that for a euphemism?) to make the S-70 possible. Regards, John Kettler

Unless major fixes have been implemented, it appears that Russia's effort to shift strongly to UGVs ran badly aground in Syria when the URAN-9 in combat trials there ran into a host of difficulties that make normal teething troubles seem like small potatoes in sensors, suspension, FCS, data links and more. If they can get URAN-9 to work properly, then they may be able to shift, as planned in 2015, as much as 30% of their DF firepower by 2025 to UGVs (URAN-9 costs 1/5 of a T-90). URAN-9 is almost contemporaneous with CMBS. This article first appeared in January 2019. URAN-9 was in Syria in 2017, the same year as this video was posted. In the vid, URAN-9 is covered in depth starting at 4:45. The coverage is amazing, including man-portable control and dedicated multi-station UGV control vehicle, factory visit and more. Unfortunately, it's in Russian, and there are no English subtitles. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/russias-uran-9-robot-tank-was-disappointment-syrian-combat-testing-192048 Regards, John Kettler

Below article has several embedded vids, and here's one of them. Lots to see here! Should be useful to the skin makers. https://youtu.be/g4tYqQuikYo https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/24906/russia-uses-these-crazy-antique-jet-engine-equipped-trucks-to-blast-away-chemical-agents Regards, John Kettler

For decades on the Forums, we have seen discussions rage about effective range vs maximum range for rifles with iron sights. As luck would have it, FB served me a tasty info plum, in the form of a guy who, using hand-loaded ammo and high ballistic coefficient bullets, hit a full size buffalo silhouette metal target from an astronomic 2.24 statute miles. This wasn't any sort of one shot, one kill situation. Quite the contrary. But it does show what can be done, and had there been a rifle squad standing in the area, several people would almost certainly have been hit, with bullets arriving sans any supersonic popping sounds because they were only going about 700 fps. The only clue, until the firing report eventually was heard (if it could be heard under the battlefield conditions, wind, etc., would've been a dust puff, splat sound in mud or a ricochet off something hard. Am not arguing this should be incorporated into CM, just that it gives a whole new level of meaning to those warnings on ammo boxes. The ammo used was more like sniper ammo, and the iron sights fitted were modern ones on an old Swiss 6.5 mm rifle. It may look like he's shooting from a bench rest, but the man is crippled in the right arm. He is supporting the front of the rifle with his left hand, while the apparatus, known as the Lead Sled, substitutes for being able to hold the rifle butt to his shoulder. https://www.fieldandstream.com/guns/world-record-open-sight-rifle-shot/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR009vYkcGdmeHUlCwLmpBhnpM_msv2QnYH9XD5m96y89A9XCypIROZzGfY Regards, John Kettler

My first question: What is a timid mouse doing in a tank? Didn't know the Red Army had females in tank crews. Had only seen women as pilots or infantry, in terms of combat roles. That said, provided they can hack the various demands, women are great because they easily fit into and can get out of a tank rapidly, as shown by analogy with the tiny Chinese male tinkers at the Tank Biathlon. Small in stature and build as they are, their tanks look like heavy tanks. Wish I could've seen what preceded the refusal to reload in the vid you shared. Years ago, I read a great ISU-122 story. The komandir was female, and her husband was the driver mechanic. The comms got crossed up, so their argument got broadcast. They were in Berlin during the Battle of Berlin and were arguing over which street to get to the Reichstag! Regards, John Kettler

Erwin, You're most welcome. BornGinger, That would've been something, especially with better quality footage. Aragorn2002 and Sgt.Squarehead, From what I've read, Russians urgently needing footgear could and did take boots from newly captured German and other POWs. Accounts I've read talk of worn out Russian boots with gaping holes in the bottom blocked with cardboard from within. And just yesterday, I read of a partisan who showed up at a destitute aged couple's home with his footwraps (Russians don't wear socks) in such tatters that the woman took the cloth off the icon and gave it to him. At war's end, there were Russian soldiers still in their 1941 uniforms! Regards, John Kettler

For sure some of this is Operation Bagration footage, but other parts may or may not be. Even so, there is much to see and learn here, including camouflage methods used, clearing out German dugouts, extremely primitive footbridges, Il-2 bombing technique (surprising to me) and my personal favorite, German troops fighting mountsd with handheld weapon from an 250 halftrack. Big brass ones seem to have been standard issue on both sides! Regards, John Kettler

Call it memorable! Regards, John Kettler

Was looking for Russian/Soviet training films on DailyMotion, and this got kicked up when I used KW "battalion". The IDF approach to having female infantry is not the same as the way the US trains female soldiers and Marines. Unlike the US, where both genders must meet the male standards, their loads are lighter, their marches shorter to accommodate the physiological differences. IDF brass, at least back then, were taking serious heat but stood to their guns because of the huge leverage afforded by having a much larger pool of potential soldiers to draw upon. There are female combat infantry commanders who command men as well as women. Something I found remarkable was the extraordinary heterogeneousness of the troops. As a bonus, there's some great imagery of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitznefet_(Israeli_military) and other IDF kit. Regards, John Kettler