The Iraqi Military Industrialization Authority announces the end of the works related to the project to develop and modernize the heavy armored military vehicles and the T-72 and T-55 tanks.
According to the released pictures, they planning to use Ukrainian and Czech technologies to upgrade the T-55 and T-72 tanks and BMP-1 IFVs.
The research and development organization tackling future capabilities for the Army’s tactical network team has several efforts underway with millimeter wave technology, a frequency channel that could allow for improved communications in the future. The Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command’s C5ISR (Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) Center is exploring new capabilities that could allow for more secretive communication.
The first area the service is exploring is WiGig, essentially the latest version of Wi-Fi that uses the 60GHz frequency band. According to Dan Duvak, chief of the C5ISR Center’s Radio Frequency Communications Division, the service is attracted to WiGig because the advanced technology allows narrow beams that point in a specific direction. In the future, this will help the Army’s command posts evade detection.
“They’re like laser beams being pointed from your router to each user,” Duvak said. “So what we see on the battlespace is ..... click to continue
The auxiliary fire control instruments are designed to complement the direct-fire control system in providing the tank crew with a 24-hour capability of delivering effective fire. The instruments are primarily used to obtain and apply range card data for the tank's armament and searchlight. If the tank is used in the artillery role then the instruments are used to apply firing data from the fire direction center. The instruments used in this system consist of a gunner's quadrant or elevation quadrant and an azimuth indicator.
This instrument (fig. 1) is OEM on all standard tanks. It is used to measure and apply angles of elevation on those tanks without mounted elevation quadrants. On main battle tanks this quadrant is used primarily to check and adjust the mounted elevation quadrant. In measuring and applying angles, it is possible to interpolate the reading of this quadrant to the nearest one-tenth of a mil. There are two scales on this quadrant: the elevation scale graduated in 10-mil increments, and the micrometer scale graduted in increments of two tenths of a mil. Each scale has an index to designate readings. A level vial is mounted on the index arm. To measure or apply plus angles of elevation, the black line-of-fire arrow must be pointed to the muzzle end of the main gun. Minus angles are measured or applied with the black line-of-fire arrow pointing to the breech end of the gun. To use the quadrant to measure or apply angles of elevation, the quadrant shoes are placed on the seats or scribed marks provided on the breechring of the main gun. The index arm and micrometer knob or the gun controls are manipulated to obtain the proper reading. The quadrant must be checked periodically for accuracy by the end-for-end test. If the correction is greater than 0.4 mil it must be turned in to Ordnance.
This instrument (fig. 2) is found only on the main battle tanks and is used to measure and apply gun elevation angles. Elevation angles can be measured and applied to the nearest 1 mil. It is mounted on the ballistic drive cross shaft or on the recoil guard of the main gun. The elevation quadrant has two scales: the elevation scale graduated in 100-mil increments and the micrometer scale graduated in 1-mil increments. Black figures indicate plus readings and red figures minus readings. Each scale has an index to designate readings. The quadrant has a level vial and a reflector to aid the gunners when centering the bubble. Elevations are applied or determined by rotation of the micrometer knob and use of the gun controls. The elevation quadrant is checked and adjusted by using the gunner's quadrant.
Elevation Quadrant (fig. 2)
The azimuth indicator (fig. 3) is used to lay the gun for direction and to measure horizontal angles. It is mounted so that its gear meshes with the turret ring gear and is located on the right side of the turret where it can be viewed by the gunner. The azimuth indicator has three scales: an azimuth scale graduated in 100-mil increments, a micrometer scale graduated in 1-mil increments, and a gunner's aid scale graduated in 1-mil increments. There are three pointers: an azimuth pointer (middle) and a micrometer pointer (outer), both of which are adjustable, and a directional pointer (inner). The directional pointer indicates the amount of turret traverse measured from the front center of the tank and is nonadjustable. To use the azimuth indicator, the gun is laid on a reference point by use of the direct-fire sights. The resetter knob is pushed down and rotated to move the azimuth and micrometer pointers to zero, then released. Any subsequent turret rotation will be measured by the azimuth and micrometer scales. For small shifts (50 mils or less) in deflection, the gunner's aid is rotated to index the zero of its scale opposite the micrometer pointer; then the turret is traversed in the desired direction until the micrometer pointer indicates the required deflection angle on the gunner's aid.
b. Azimuth indicators must be checked peri-odically for accuracy and slippage. As no error is allowable, inaccurate instruments must be repaired by Ordnance.
The azimuth indicator (fig. 3)
Source: FM 17-12 TANK GUNNERY (1964)
"As part of the contract for serial delivery, the first two advanced Mi-28NM helicopters were recently handed over to the army aviation, the corresponding acceptance certificates were signed," the source said.
Under the current defense order Russian Helicopters will provide to the Russian Army 98 helicopters by 2027.
An upgraded version of the Mi-28N under development since 2009. The helicopter has redesigned nose hull due to removal of its nose antenna, new H025 radar station for all-round visibility, more powerful VK-2500P engines with FADEC instead of the previous Klimov TV3-117VMA engines and improved rotor blades to increase its maximum speed by 13% and cruise speed by 10%. Besides that, it has an upgraded fire-control system and new "Izdeliye 296" onboard radio-electronic data processing system. It will be equipped to carry the 9M123 Khrizantema-V and 9M127-1 Ataka-VM anti-tank missiles. It is also planned to be equipped with the new "Izdeliye 305" or LMUR (Light Multi-role Unified Missile) multi purpose missile, designed for use against air and ground targets, and fitted with inertial guidance in initial flight, with mid-course updates by an operator before the target is acquired by the missile's own seeker, giving a range of 25 km (16 mi). The Mi-28NM made its maiden flight in October 2016 and the state trials of the upgraded VK-2500P engines were completed in October 2020.
Turkey and the United States have started talks to form a joint working group regarding U.S. sanctions imposed over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.
Turkish officials have agreed to a US proposal of setting up a joint working group on its sanctions imposed against Turkey's defence industry over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defence system.
Such a working group, advocated by Turkey, could point the way forward to lifting the sanctions, imposed earlier this month, if compatibility issues between the S-400 and NATO weapons systems are addressed.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey had itself had earlier proposed a joint working group on the sanctions, which target Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency (SSB), including SSB head Ismail Demir and three other officials.
“Now the proposal came from the US. As we naturally always favor dialogue, we said yes, and negotiations began at the level of experts,” Cavusoglu said during a meeting reviewing foreign policy developments in 2020.
Underscoring that opinions differ as to whether the sanctions are heavy or not, he said imposing sanctions is a misstep both politically and legally.
“It is an attack on our sovereign rights,” he stressed.
Washington slapped the sanctions on NATO ally Turkey’s Defence Industry Directorate (SSB), its chief Ismail Demir and three other employees this month following its acquisition of the S-400s.
The sanctions come at a delicate moment in the fraught relationship between Ankara and Washington as Democratic President-elect Joe Biden gears up to take office on Jan. 20, replacing Republican incumbent Donald Trump.
In April 2017, Turkey signed a contract with Russia to acquire the state-of-art missile shield.
US officials have voiced opposition to their deployment, claiming they would be incompatible with NATO systems and would expose F-35 jets to possible Russian subterfuge.
Turkey, however, stressed that the S-400s would not be integrated into NATO systems, and poses no threat to the alliance or its armaments.
Turkey says its purchase of the S-400s was not a choice but a necessity as it was unable to procure air defence systems from any NATO ally on satisfactory terms.
Cavusoglu also said on Wednesday that Turkey was ready to take steps to improve ties with the United States and hoped the incoming Biden administration would do the same.
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Aircraft Refueling Squadron, participates in an air-to-air refueling exercise with Qatar Emiri Air Force Rafale aircraft over Qatar, Dec. 28, 2020. The exercise was designed to build familiarity with the air-to-air refueling process with both U.S. and Qatar forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Trevor T. McBride).
According to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence report "Departmental Overview 2019-20" - IOC of Ajax AFV is expected in June 2021, but in-service date has been moved to January 2021. Original IOC of Ajax was expected on 31 July 2020.
In 2014 MoD gived approval for AJAX to proceed with an expected Initial Operating Capability (IOC) date of 31 July 2020.
In 2020 MoD reports that IOC is now expected in June 2021, with a separate in-service date of January 2021, and that there has been no increase in the firm contract price of £3.5 billion.
The AJAX, formerly known as the Scout SV (Specialist Vehicle) was renamed in 2015 and is part of a family of Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs).
AJAX will be a fully-digitised, tracked, medium weight core of the British Army’s deployable ISTAR capability and will providing a full suite of medium-armoured vehicles and capabilities.
There are six variants of AJAX which fulfill nine roles and the name can be applied to all of them but specifically to the turreted version.
Lockheed Martin delivered the 123rd F-35 aircraft of the year last week.
The 123rd aircraft is an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, built at the Cameri, Italy, Final Assembly and Checkout (FACO) facility and delivered to the Italian Air Force. In 2020, 74 F-35s were delivered to the United States military, 31 to international partner nations and 18 to Foreign Military Sales customers.
In response to COVID-19 related supplier delays, in May the initial annual delivery goal was revised from 141 to 117-123 aircraft to strategically avoid surging, which would increase production-related costs and create future delays and disruption.
Year.....Annual Rate...Total Units
2011...........9.................9
2012..........29...............38
2013..........35...............73
2014..........36..............109
2015..........45..............154
2016..........46..............200
2017..........66..............266
2018..........91..............357
2019........134..............491
2020........123..............614
With more than 600 aircraft operating from 26 bases and ships around the globe, the F-35 plays a critical role in today's global security environment. More than 1,200 pilots and 10,000 maintainers are trained, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 350,000 cumulative flight hours. Nine nations have F-35s operating from a base on their home soil, nine services have declared Initial Operational Capability and six services have employed F-35s in combat operations. The United States Air Force deployed the F-35 for 18 consecutive months from April 2019 until October 2020 in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility with hundreds of weapons employments in support of U.S. servicemembers and their allies.
The year also included initial fielding of the Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN), the follow-on to the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), with excellent initial results. The system will be fully operational in 2022. Mission capable rates for the aircraft continued to improve in 2020 with rates greater than 70% across the fleet, and even higher for deployed units. The F-35 also proved its value in Joint All-Domain Operations with multiple exercises that highlighted the aircraft’s ability to gather, interpret and share information with various platforms.
The KF-X (Korean Fighter eXperimental) is a next-generation stealth aircraft that combines elements of a 5th-gen fighter jet.
KAI says the KF-X is one of the most important national projects to replace current air force fighters and to introduce the next generation fighter that can satisfy the future operation concept of force battlefield. Also, KAI is under localization of major avionics part for product improvement by domestic technology. Mission and flight control computer, equivalent to its brain, will be installed to KF-X for ground test and test flight after performance test this year.
KAI started system development in 2015 Dec, went through PDR(Preliminary Design Review) in 2018, began the first detail part machining on February 2019 and passed the CDR(Critical Design Review) on September 2019.
On video you can see the Russian Artillery Units that have integrated UAV Orlan-10 in KRUS Strelets (Reconnaissance, Control and Communications Complexes). The video showed all cicle of work inegrated networkcentric artillery system, from recognocing to destroying the target.
