Wednesday 30 November 2016

New photos show one of 3 long-range radars to improve #NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System in Lithuania. Info: "The radars, which are in compliance with Nato standard, are aimed at improving and strengthening air defence surveillance and control of Lithuanian airspace."
Video: Russian S-300 and Pantsir-S1 in Crimea. Info: The S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) is a series of initially Soviet and later Russian long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz, based on the initial S-300P version. The S-300 system was developed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defence Forces. 2) Pantsir-S1 (Russian: Панцирь-С1, NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) is a combined short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system produced by KBP of Tula, Russia.
Video: Several #Russia|n military vehicles including anti-ballistic missile system S-300VM 'Antey-2500' - Kerch, #Crimea. Info: The S-300VM "Antey-2500" (NATO reporting name SA-23 Gladiator\Giant) is a Russian anti-ballistic missile system. The system is designed to defeat short- and medium-range ballistic missile, aeroballistic, and cruise missiles, fixed-wing aircraft, as well as loitering ECM platforms and precision-guided munitions.

Tuesday 29 November 2016

This is not the first time that devices with the marking "US government property" have been recovered in anti-terrorism operations in Kashmir. An officer who was deployed near Machil last year has told NDTV that his unit, which eliminated four terrorists in an encounter at the time, had recovered an identical device. Other than the night vision device, there are other clear indicators of a Pakistani hand in the attacks. A medical gauze recovered in Machil is marked "Pakistan Defence Forces" while medicines have markings of Lahore, Karachi and Multan on them. Other equipment recovered includes a tactical radio-set, several ammunition cartridges, wire cutters, food items, binoculars and sleeping bags. Source: http://m.ndtv.com/india-news/soldier-beheading-pak-terrorists-left-behind-us-government-night-vision-device-1631429

Monday 28 November 2016

OPINIONS: The recent cooperation between Russia and Turkey is becoming shaky because of the unclear incident(s) happened between Turkish/FSA and Syrian forces near al-Bab. Assad is clearly tired of the massive military deployment ordered by Erdogan and it could also interfere with the solid Russian-Syrian relation. Considering the latest reports: We can't rule out the possibility that Turkey will declare/create a "Soft" (low flying fighter jets and helicopters) No-Fly Zone in the areas occupied by Euphrates Shield forces. The New York Times: "Turkey called on the United States and other nations to rethink its proposal for a no-fly zone in northern Syria..." "Turkey has long called for a no-fly zone to protect Syrian opposition forces from President Bashar Assad's air force."
Report: Turkey gives MANPADS to Euphrates Shield forces in Northern Syria - Source: http://bit.ly/2fEY9MY
General Samir Suleiman, political chief of the Syrian Army, underlined that there is no coordination between Syria, Turkey and United States. "These two countries are interfering in our internal affairs and we will oppose any invasion attempts". Faisal Mekdad, Deputy-Foreign Minister and former Permanent Envoy to the United Nations, has also stressed that Ankara should "immediately withdraw its troops" from the Syrian Arab Republic - Source RIA
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri underlined the need for boosting the country’s deterrent power by setting up overseas naval bases, saying Iran might need naval bases in Syria and Yemen in future. In an address to a gathering of senior Navy commanders in Tehran on Saturday, Major General Baqeri said one of the country’s main military strategies, which needs to be developed, is blocking the enemy’s access to the Iranian territories and forcing their vessels to stay away from the country’s coasts. Iran’s Navy should have a fleet in the Indian Ocean, similar to the one stationed in the Sea of Oman, he underlined. “One day, we may need (naval) bases on the coasts of Yemen and Syria, and we need the necessary infrastructures for it under the international maritime law,” the senior commander explained. Highlighting the great deterrent effect of overseas naval bases, which could be ten times more efficient than nuclear power, Major General Baqeri added, “We can set up fixed platforms in the Persian Gulf, and have floating platforms elsewhere.” He further emphasized the need for broader intelligence activities by the Navy, urging hard work on satellite technology, cyber-space and naval drones for voyages, as the Iranian Navy has embarked on naval missions in the Atlantic Ocean. Source: https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2016/11/26/1250918/iran-s-top-general-stresses-deterrent-effects-of-overseas-naval-bases
Video shows Turkish multiple launch rocket systems 'T-122 Sakarya' targeting enemy positions in Syria.

Saturday 26 November 2016

Turkey reportedly sends several Air Defence Systems to the border with Syria ready to be deployed around Al-Bab's countryside.
Updated map that shows Ukraine missile-firing exercise area.
China is moving troops and military vehicles towards the border with Myanmar/Burma - http://defence-blog.com/army/china-troops-deployed-to-myanmar-border-area.html

Friday 25 November 2016

The imagery shows eight Russian Federation Navy Su-33 jets alongside various Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) aircraft at Humaymim Air Base in Latakia province on 20 November.

Source: http://viid.me/qq2Qez
Video shows US Black Hawk helicopters flying around Raqqa's countryside - Syria

Source: http://viid.me/qq1gLY
Photo shows Houthis fighter with MANPADS '9K32M Strela-2M' in #Yemen - http://viid.me/qqVbUM

Thursday 24 November 2016

Turkish Leopard 2A4 tanks seem ready to join military operations in Syria.
Urgent: #Turkey media reports that some Turkish/FSA fighters have been killed by #Syria|n airstrikes this night.

Full Story Here: http://viid.me/qqDIlt

Wednesday 23 November 2016

Polish “Twardy” Main Battle Tanks Headed to Latvia

Antoni Macierewicz, Polish Minister of Defence, announced that the Polish Army is going to deploy a company of the PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks to Latvia. The vehicles in question are to become a part of the battalion group stationed there.
During his visit to Israel, the Polish Minister of Defence confirmed the fact that the PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks are to constitute the core equipment of the company which is expected to become a part of the battalion combat team, the presence of which is maintained by NATO within the territory of Latvia. The aforesaid joint unit is going to be commanded by the Canadians, and it is to involve, besides the Poles, soldiers hailing from Italy, Albania and Slovenia as well.
PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks are a deeply modernized variant of the T-72M1 platform, developed and manufactured by the Polish defence industry. They have been fitted with the new ERAWA-1/2 reactive armour, Drawa fire control system (including Drawa-T system with a FLIR sight), improved S-12U powerpack (850 HP), and Odra laser warning receiver.
PT-91 tanks have been developed at the Bumar-Łabędy facility, both as vehicles manufactured from scratch, as well as in a form of modernized T-72M1 tanks. As the first platform used within the Polish Army, Twardy tanks have been fitted with thermal vision observation systems. The tank has also received the enhanced protection offered by the reactive armour system, which keeps the crew safer from the anti tank weaponry, also from the weapons that are using the tandem warheads, at least to some extent.
When Drawa fire control system was being developed, experience and expertise gathered during the R&D works implemented by the Polish defence industry, related to the Merida FCS for the T-55AM tanks, modernized back in the 1980s, has also been taken into account. Similarly to the Obra system, the solution mentioned above has been delivered by the PCO company.
PT-91 tank’s disadvantages included lack of accuracy, when the cannon was being fired on the move, due to the fact that obsolete stabilizer unit has been applied within the turret. Another disadvantage has been seen in relatively weak mobility (acceleration dynamics or low speed in reverse, making it more difficult to carry out defensive manoeuvrers).
After the process of introducing the Leopard 2A4 tanks into the inventory of the Polish Army (with the 2A5 platform to follow) was finalized, the modernization, regarding the upgrades of the T-72M1 tanks up to the PT-91 standard, has been completed too. Soldiers of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, the first users of the Leopard tanks, when they compared the new platform to the Twardy vehicle, mentioned, above all, the accuracy of the rounds fired on the move or manoeuvrability of the German tank, as the main advantages Leopard had, over the Twardy platform. Leopard tanks have much more effective base armour at their disposal too. The German vehicle is also tailored to be used as a hunter-killer platform, with independent targeting system for the commander available.
On the other hand, even though the Leopard 2 tanks have been delivered in large quantity (mostly in 2A5 variant), the Polish Army still utilizes a certain number of unmodified T-72M1 tanks, operated by the 21st Highland Rifle Brigade, or by the 15th “Giżycka” Mechanized Brigade. Twardy main battle tanks are being used by the 1st “Warszawska” Armoured Brigade, 9th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, and by the 2nd “Legioni” Mechanized Brigade.
Several variants of the Twardy main battle tanks were developed, with enhanced combat capabilities. One of the derivates, fitted with the French SAVAN-15 fire control suite and S-1000/ESM-350 powerpack were being exported to Malaysia (48 such vehicles have been sold). During the MSPO 2016 exhibition, a new, PT-16 standard demonstrator of the Twardy tank has been showcased. This variant is dedicated, predominantly, for the export sales.
Ammunition is also a relevant issue here. The available information suggests that most of the ammunition stored, dates back to the times of the Warsaw Pact, while the quantity of modern rounds is critically limited. Within the scope of modernization works, PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks are receiving the KLW-1 “Asteria” thermal vision systems, nonetheless, deeper upgrade has not been planned. Ultimately, PT-91 tanks are going to be replaced, but they are destined to be still used operationally for quite some time in the future.
Hence, the Polish Twardy tanks would join other NATO armoured assets of the battalion groups gathered on the Eastern Flank – British Challenger, French Leclerc main battle tanks stationed in Estonia and German Leopard 2 tanks, stationed in Germany. Poland has also detached its Leopard 2A4 and Leopard 2A5 tanks (in 2015 and 2016 respectively), to become a part of the so called “NATO Spearhead”.
PT-91 tanks are going to be involved in the deployments abroad for now. It shall be noted that deployment of deeply modernized equipment as a part of NATO operations is not unusual, as it has been exemplified by the German Marder IFV, playing an important role within the NATO VJTF composition of the year 2015.


Source: http://www.defence24.com/496118,polish-twardy-main-battle-tanks-headed-to-latvia