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As the title states, this is heavy on speculation. I put on the blindfold, spun around until dizzy, and then threw a dart at a spinning dart-board. Not really but, not having firm data, I did some guessing. The recently announced 2.5 billion dollar sale of Ukrainian arms to Iraq only accounts for 550 million dollars of the sale. A review of Ukrainian weapons production limits the likely exports planned for the remaining 1.95 billion dollars. The Ukraine primarily builds and refurbishes transport aircraft, wheeled armored personnel carriers, and tanks. The initial orders are for 10 AN-32 transport aircraft and...

Peru to purchase Chinese tanks and Brazilian fighter planes Peruvian president Alan García defended his government’s decision to purchase Chinese tanks and Brazilian fighter planes just a few weeks after accusing Chile of an arms race and proposing an initiative to limit military expenditure in the region. García who presented his anti arms initiative to the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, argued that the purchase of Chinese tanks is not incoherent with his country’s policy, since it is only geared to replenish an obsolete military arsenal. “This does not contradict our commitment to stop an arms race in the...

Smart armor being developed by scientists and engineers at U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center in Michigan can not only predict its own failure, but also identify the size of bullets shot at it and even generate electrical power upon impact. "As a kid, everyone played those video games that showed you how much armor you had left as a percentage bar," said John Wray, a TARDEC contractor. "That's exactly what we're working on here and more." WATCH VIDEO: See the amazing body armor that can stop the AK-47's 7.62mm rounds. Intelligent armor is based on...

Taliban -led insurgents in Afghanistan have devised ways to cripple and even destroy the expensive armored vehicles that offer U.S. forces the best protection against roadside bombs by using increasingly large explosive charges and rocket-propelled grenades, according to U.S. soldiers and defense officials. At least eight American troops have been killed this year in attacks on so-called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, and 40 more have been wounded, said a senior U.S. military official who, like others interviewed on the issue, declined to be further identified because of the issue's sensitivity. The insurgents' success in attacking the hulking machines, which...

RPG's are cheap, lethal, and they're everywhere. They operate by focusing a jet of explosive gas on one tiny point of armor, piercing it with a tiny stream. Currently, heavy "birdcage"-type armor serves to prematurely detonate that gas stream, diminishing it to a level that proves comparatively harmless --but cage armor is HEAVY. This new armor concept is like a car air bag; the incoming warhead detonates, emitting a recognizable flash. The special light flash is picked up by the vehicle receiver, causing micro-second release of the airbag on the vehicle area of interest. The lightweight but sturdy airbag meets...

There have been significant changes in the reporting on the Iraqi Army's 14th Motorized Division in Basrah province. These changes indicate the 14th Division is the first to get armored battalions transferred from 9th Armored Division as the 9th upgrades to M1A1 armored battalions.

Cunning new UK technology will see British troops' vehicles in Afghanistan protected from armour-piercing rocket warheads - by cloth. The MoD was pleased yesterday to unveil its new TARIAN "textile based" vehicle protection system, which will see lightweight cloth attached to the sides of military vehicles in Afghan combat. TARIAN is expected to resist strikes from RPGs*, shoulder-fired antitank rockets in common use among the Taliban. That might seem to be impossible, as an RPG warhead can blast a hole through thick armour plate. But in fact TARIAN, already on trial in Afghanistan, apparently works well. That's because it's actually...

Since 2005, it has been the Iraqi Army’s stated policy to keep the Soviet-designed tanks in one division, the 9th Division based at Taji. New, non-Soviet design tanks would go to upgrade other divisions. That policy has colored all analysis and projections of where the new M1A1 tanks and M1126 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) were likely to go first. That policy has changed according to an 18 August 2009 comment by Jack Winters: "On another topic about the M1 and where they're going to go, that question was asked by reporters to the defense minister; and he said they're...

The recent discovery of the armor of Silla Dynasty cavalrymen has provided proof of the existence of these mythical men. GYEONGJU - The warrior’s body and bones are long gone, decayed into the soil. But the armor that once protected him from enemy swords and arrows has survived the passage of time and has been revealed for the first time in 1,600 years. The armor of the heavily protected cavalrymen of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. - A.D. 935) - proof of which has previously existed only in paintings - was discovered in the ancient tombs of the Jjoksaem District...

WASHINGTON — House lawmakers on Thursday blasted a White House decision not to provide money next fiscal year for upgrades to combat-worn equipment, and promised a fight to put billions back into the defense budget. The House version of the fiscal 2010 defense authorization bill already contains about $20 billion for the repair of equipment worn down by desert conditions and purchase of new gear to replace items destroyed in combat. About $11 billion of the total is for the Army alone. But that’s down more than $2 billion from previous years’ requests, and doesn’t include any funds for things...

Report: Indian Army to test Israeli defensive system suite on battle tank www.chinaview.cn 2009-03-29 NEW DELHI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Army will evaluate an advanced laser-based defensive suite designed by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in collaboration with Israel, on the Arjun battle tank this summer, reported the local daily The Tribune on Sunday. Designated as the Advanced Laser Warning and Countermeasure System (ALWCS), the suite comprises a laser warning system, infra-red jammer and an aerosol smoke grenade system. The sensors of these systems are mounted on the front sides of the turret, said the...

World just not into U.S. battle tanks anymore WASHINGTON — The end of U.S. dominance over the main battle tank market has been projected. A leading U.S. consultant asserted that non-U.S. MBTs were expected to dominate the global market over the next decade. In a report, Forecast International asserted that MBTs from China, Pakistan and Russia would account for most of the market through 2018. "In terms of sheer numbers, Forecast Internat ional expects Pakistan's Al Khalid, the Type 98 of the People's Republic of China, and the Russian Federation's T-90 — including India's licensed T-90S production program — to...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — May 11, 2005 in Iraq was just one of the many days in the past that proved why Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles are necessary for marine forces. Aaron Mankin, who was a Marine combat correspondent at the time, would probably agree after his experience that day when an improvised explosive device destroyed the 26-ton amphibious assault vehicle he was in. The blast inflicted second- and third-degree burns over 25 percent of then-Lance Cpl. Mankin’s body, also permanently damaging his lungs after he inhaled the heat, flames and debris. He has since...

Concerned that U.S. troops are already saddled with too much heavy gear, military officials will not require them to wear improved body armor until manufacturers cut the weight of the new protective plates. The Army plans to buy 120,000 sets of the advanced bullet-blocking plates this year. This initial purchase of the plates, known as "XSAPI," will be stocked in Kuwait and be available if commanders need them, service officials said at a congressional hearing Wednesday.

BAZAR-E PANJWAII, Afghanistan - After more than a year of rumbling across the bomb-scarred roads and dusty plains of southern Afghanistan, positive reviews are coming in on the 62-tonne Leopard 2 tanks used by the Canadian Forces. The Canadian army borrowed 20 Leopard A6Ms from the Germans in the summer of 2007 to quickly replace its own nearly 30-year-old Leopard tanks which were not suited for use in Afghanistan. ... The military has since completed a deal to buy an additional 100 surplus tanks from the Dutch, and will return the loaners once the newer tanks are delivered. The Leopard...

December 11, 2008: The remote control turret changed the battlefield more than you might think. It all began three years ago, when the U.S. Army realized that new remote control gun turret designs actually worked, and suddenly they could not get enough of them. The army ordered over 9,000 CROWS (common remotely operated weapon stations), but for a while could only get 15 a month. By the end of 2006, there were about a thousand CROWS in service by the end of the year. The main issue was that the enemy was no longer able to knock out the turret...

The U.S. Army is carrying out an aggressive development program to produce a new, lightweight composite armor for its next generation tank. This vehicle, part of the FCS (Future Combat System) series of vehicles, will weigh under 30 tons. The current U.S. tank, the M-1, weighs 70 tons. Composite armor was invented in Britain during the 1980s. The British developers had found that layers of different metals and ceramics made the armor lighter, and more resistant to penetration by solid shot or HEAT shells. The U.S. added a layer of depleted uranium to its composite armor, and produced the most...

The Iraqi Government has been ordering substantial numbers of weapons this year. These orders, combined with known training plans, and existing force structure, provide insight into the eventual planned force structure of elements of the Iraqi Security Forces. The Air Force, Iraqi Army light infantry, and light armored forces already have been addressed in The Long War Journal. The focus of this article is on the announced arms purchases and what they indicate for developments in the Iraqi Security Force's heavy mechanized and armored forces.

Things may be getting a little more stylish up on the DMZ (the Korean Demilitarized Zone) when Republic of Korea troops don their new high-tech battle uniforms. Accessories could include bulletproof helmets and a new assault rifle. The Agency for Defense Development will begin the two-phase development on a new combat uniform beginning next year, according to The Korea Times. "The agency has completed studies on the concept of the future combatant uniform and equipment,'" an unnamed official told the newspaper. "From next year, we plan to begin developing related technology and equipment after getting approval from the Defense Acquisition...

China upgrading tanks for export to Africa By Andrei Chang Hong Kong, China — China has recently exported T85IIM main battle tanks to Uganda, according to a military industry source. But the tanks may be more for display than for defense. “This is a very small batch, intended for a military parade only,” the source said. This would be the first instance for the Ugandan army to employ China-made tanks. The same type of main battle tank made an appearance at Sudan’s National Day military parade last year. Yet according to the source, the tanks were exported from China much...

Iraq's arms purchases provides insight on the potential distribution of armor in the Iraqi Army.

The U.S. Department of Defense approved up to $10.7 billion in arms sales for Iraq over the past week, including a $2.16 billion sale of M1A1 Abrams tanks built by General Dynamics Corp. The proposed tank sale would also include some equipment built by Honeywell International Inc and General Motors Corp, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales, said in a notice to Congress dated July 31 but posted on its website on Friday. Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sales from the day they are notified, but such action is rare since big weapons...

Russia to develop new generation of tanks by 2020 Russia’s armored troops will consist of T90 tanks and tanks of the new type by 2020. The Director of the Federal Service of the Russian Defense Order, Sergei Mayev, did not disclose the name of the new armored machines, but unveiled some of their constructive differences. “The new tank will have better fire and range capabilities and a higher weapon yield. In addition, it will be outfitted with 7-kilometer range missiles,” the official said. An average Russian tank develops the speed of 30-50 km/h, whereas the tank of the new generation...

Indian Army sounds indigenous battle tank's death knell The Indian Army seems to have sounded the death knell for an indigenous main battle tank (MBT) that has been in the development for nearly 36 years, saying it would purchase no more than the 124 it had signed a contract for. "The Arjun (as the MBT has been named) can, at best serve us for another five or maximum 10 years. What we need is a tank that can serve us for the next 20 to 25 years," an officer said. "I'm not saying it is a bad tank. It's just...

Israel recently rejected a request by the US security coordinator to the region to allow Palestinian security forces to receive personal armor kits, night-vision goggles and electronic communication systems that the PA planned to use to set up a military communications network, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The request was made to the Defense Ministry by Lt.-Gen. Keith Dayton, the American security coordinator to the Palestinians and Israel. Senior defense officials said Wednesday that Dayton made the request on behalf of the Palestinian Authority several weeks ago and that it was immediately rejected, since some of the items had the...

The U.S. military is reinforcing the sides of its topline mine-resistant vehicles to shore up what could be weak points as troops see a spike in armor-piercing roadside bombings across Iraq, The Associated Press has learned.

Nazi tanks, half-buried for decades along Bulgaria's south-eastern border as a Cold War defence against a NATO invasion, will be auctioned next week, military officials said on Thursday. The 97 rusty World War Two relics, which have lain forgotten since communism collapsed in 1989, came into the spotlight in December when police arrested thieves who stole a rare model and reportedly smuggling it into Germany. The theft prompted a recovery operation to save the remaining machines, some of which will go to the national military history museum, while others will be sold at auction. The first auction is due on...

Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS). In addition to battling insurgents in the cities of Iraq, the soldiers assigned to the armored support vehicle have had to fend off attacks from critics back home, including some in the military itself. The 2008 Pentagon Authorization bill included language to limit funds for MGS until the Army drafts a report detailing fixes to the vehicle. In an annual report that the Army disputed, the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation described the MGS as “not operationally effective.” Media reports quoting crews unhappy with some design elements also surfaced this year, further diminishing...

I would of gotten to this earlier but IÂ’m on day one of a three day training cycle, better late then never I suppose. Obama has been making a few mistakes recently, enough to make you think the Messiah is indeed beatable seeing as how he hasnÂ’t even had to face a Republican yet in this race.First mistake, bring up faith as a reason to justify something which is obviously against ones faith: Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) told a crowd at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, Sunday that he believes the Sermon on the Mount justifies his support for legal...

Pfc. Andrew Gordon, from Westerly, R.I., Company C, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, hands a soccer ball to a young boy during a visit to the Al Ashbal primary school in Khadra, Jan. 9. Photo by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU -- It’s a cold winter day at Al Ashbal primary school in the Khadra District of Baghdad. The broken windows and lack of electricity mean coats have to be worn inside the classrooms. Despite the cold, warm smiles appear as students see U.S. Soldiers...

Defense Focus: India buys T-90s -- Part 1 Published: Jan. 15, 2008 at 5:36 PM WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- India's decision last month to purchase a huge new order of 347 Russian T-90 Main Battle Tanks has many profound lessons to teach arms industry analysts and military strategists in the United States and around the world. The decision was neither unexpected nor unprecedented. Nearly seven years ago, in 2001, India purchased 310 T-90 MBTs from Russia. And that points to the first lesson: The T-90 is a very good tank. It has its problems, as Russian analysts acknowledge, but...

Zetix is a fabric so strong it will resist multiple car bomb blasts without breaking. It absorbs and disperses the energy from explosions thanks to an inner structure so adamantiumtastic it can be used in body armor, window covering, military tents and hurricane defenses—it might even be able to fend off my ex-wife. When not shielding from explosions, it can be used as medical sutures that won't damage body tissue. All of this is thanks to a property that apparently defies the laws of physics: Zetix is built around the principle of auxetics: objects that actually get fatter the more...

A Bartlesville High School junior is reaping rewards for improving the body armor of United States troops. Melissa Carvell was awarded an $8,000 scholarship from the U.S. Navy and $1,500 from the U.S. Air Force for her efforts in reinforcing ceramic plates in body armor with carbon fibers. She was recognized during a State Board of Education meeting November 29, receiving a certificate from State Superintendent Sandy Garrett in Oklahoma City. The body armor currently used by U.S. forces is basically comprised of ceramic plates placed inside of Kevlar sleeves. Through her research, Melissa Carvell determined the strength of the...

Indian Army seeks next generation battle tank New Delhi, Nov 13 - The Indian Army has sought a new generation main battle tank (MBT) even as it reluctantly prepares to receive the homegrown Arjun tank that has been over three decades in the making. 'What we have today is mid-level technology. What we need is a tank of international quality,' Indian Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor said Tuesday. 'I have no doubt that the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) will be able to develop indigenous capabilities for coming up with a better answer and more versatile armoured fighting vehicle...

'200 suicide bombers await the Merkava' By JPOST.COM STAFF 200 female suicide bombers are awaiting the Merkava tanks, Hamas senior Dr. Nizar Rian told the Kuweiti Al Jareeda Friday. Hamas says Israel will pay a heavy price Rian also said his organization had more than 50,000 armed fighters, who were endowed with "courage and are able to fight in the relevant territory." Reportedly, Rian was appointed commander of Hamas's military units whose mission is to beat back an expected Israeli ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. "They sleep and walk about armed with explosives, ready to attack Israeli tanks and...

Diggers fired up as new tanks roll Andrew McGarry | September 12, 2007 THERE was no red carpet, just a thick layer of dust coating the gibber plain at Cultana Training Area yesterday. But there was a big, excited crowd of soldiers in the hills outside Port Augusta to look on and take a few pictures of an action premiere: the first big hit-out for the Abrams tanks that have recently arrived to bolster Australia's military armoury. For the next few weeks, the crews of 30 Abrams will be part of a huge influx of personnel at Cultana, on the...

Army News video: Leopard 2A6M: World Class ProtectionMUNSTER, Germany - WO John Harju explains features of new Leopard 2A6M tank for Afghanistan

August 10, 2007: Crews of the latest model (M1A2) Abrams tank can't help but notice that, while their workspace is well protected, air conditioned and a smooth ride, it also resembles the inside of a space ship. The current generation of recruits grew up with video games and spectacular science fiction films. The number of gadgets inside a tank has just kept increasing over the last decade. And all the new computers, and their software, have been redesigned to make them faster and easier to use. That's handy when you are under a lot of stress, or tired from being...

Soldiers Defend Body Armor FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Soldiers are volunteering dramatic personal accounts of lives saved and injuries avoided thanks to the Army's body armor. Their first-hand accounts of what happens demonstrate confidence in what the Army is doing to protect them. Interceptor Body Armor is a modular system that features an outer tactical vest with hard protective plates. Spc. Gregory T. Miller, 101st Airborne Division, told Congress at a hearing last month that this body armor saved his life while he was on patrol in Kirkuk in preparation for Iraqi elections in December 2005. He was hit in...

MUNSTER, Germany – "I think this is the best tank in the world," states Master Corporal Patrick Lepage, of 12e Régiment blindé du Canada (12 RBC). He shares his sentiments on the Leopard 2A6M tank that Canada has leased from Germany echoing the thoughts of all the troops at the training centre in Munster Germany. Capt Pascal Croteau (on right) and WO Yves Curadeau both from 12 RBC measure the distance between the 120mm holes to ensure that the tank that fired the rounds is functioning correctly. MCpl Lepage is the crew commander of 32C; his crew is comprised of...

'EFPs' a big threat to U.S. forces in Iraq Copper-plated explosives that pierce armored vehicles are proving so deadly that the military is advocating foot patrols instead.

Overall, the article "U.S. Strykers take beating in Iraq" by Robert H. Reid and Anne Flaherty (World, June 6) presents a fairly balanced view of what some critics view as shortcomings of the Stryker Brigade Combat Team and the Stryker family of combat vehicles. However, as I read through the article, several thoughts occurred to me. First, the Army did more than hope to create a faster, more agile armored unit than those equipped with tanks but with more firepower and protection than light-infantry units -- it did exactly that. The Army's Stryker Brigades are the fastest, most agile, most...

In terms of news stories, why do we continue to share what perhaps should not be shared with the entire world (which also means the enemy)? Case in point, yesterday's piece on MRAPs, Controversy over military vehicles for Iraq heats up, by Renee Schoof with McClatchy Newspapers. (MRAP, as I recently explained in a piece for The Washington Times, is “a U.S. Defense Department acronym for the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle design that soldiers want and contractors are bidding on to build in great numbers.” It is not, as Senator Joe Biden described it, a Humvee “with a V-shaped thing.” But...

The Marine Corps wants its Marines and sailors to know that the body armor it issues is the best available for combat despite recent inquiries concerning replacement gear. The armor the Marine Corps issues has met government test standards, and in many cases, the standards exceed civilian testing, said Maj. Bradford W. Tippett, infantry advocate for Headquarters Marine Corps in a recent interview with reporter Lance Cpl. David Rodgers.

The Army plans to brief Congress about test failures of Dragon Skin body armor after recent news reports touting the vest's capabilities prompted calls from lawmakers for an official explanation. The service's top soldier equipment buyer, Brig. Gen. Mark Brown, said he plans to meet with lawmakers and staff this week after NBC News broadcast an investigative report Sunday claiming Dragon Skin - which uses a series of interlocking ceramic disks to stop armor-piercing bullets - outperformed armor currently issued by the Army. "Since the report, we have gotten a flurry of interest" from Capitol Hill, Brown said at a...

Sword, armor found buried inside remains of James Fort Archaeologists Mary Anna Richardson, left, and Luke Pecoraro carefully begin excavating a potential cache of arms and armor that so far includes a broad sword with a basket hilt and blade, armor that protects the thigh and a rapier hilt, discovered recently at Historic Jamestowne. PHOTO BY MICHAEL LAVIN / APVA PRESERVATION VIRGINIA By DIANE TENNANT, The Virginian-Pilot © May 9, 2007 | Last updated 1:49 PM May. 9 JAMESTOWN – A cache of armor from the early 1600s has been discovered by archaeologists excavating a trash pit inside the remains...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

On April 28, 1918, the 1st Light Tank Battalion was organized at Bourg, France, with Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton, Jr., in command. Patton had been the first soldier assigned to the fledgling Tank Corps in November 1917. Shortly afterwards, he established the first Army Tank School at Bourg. The first two companies (200 men) reached the school on February 22, 1918. Because no American-made tanks had reached France, Patton had to rely on twenty-five borrowed French Renault tanks in training his men. Two of Patton's staff officers received orders to create a new patch for his men to wear...

An Iraqi Army officer (left) with the 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized) shows tankers from Troop D, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, which is attached to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, the insides of an Iraqi T-72 tank April 2 at Camp Taji, Iraq during a partnership day event. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. CAMP TAJI — Iraqi Army tankers took the lead on their first real mission by conducting a mounted patrol in their T-55 tanks on a major highway near Kem, Iraq Thursday.IA Soldiers from the1st...

U.S. military develops Robocop armour for soldiers By MATTHEW HICKLEY, Defence Correspondent 22:21pm on 9th April 2007 We may have seen it all before in science-fiction films. But the bionic warrior is in fact a vision of real-life warfare in the 21st century. U.S. defence chiefs hope to have their troops kitted out in the outlandish combat gear as soon as 2020. Included in the Pentagon's Future Warrior Concept are a powerful exoskeleton, a self-camouflaging outer layer that adapts to changing environments and a helmet which translates a soldier's voice into any foreign language. Armour-clad and armed to the teeth,...