This video recently was posted in the tank videos thread at tank-net.com. It shows a Japanese Type 10 and Type 74 tank performing for a crowd. Early in the video, both tanks use their hydropneumatic suspensions to bow to the audience. The rest of the video consists of the new Type 10 tank demonstrating it’s superior mobility against the much older Type 74.
Engineering version of Namer APC
April 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The site IsraelDefense has posted about a new version of the IDF Namer intended for combat engineering forces. According to the post, operational testing of the vehicle has begun at the Bahalatz 14 Military Combat Engineering School. Three versions of the engineering Namer have been developed, one with a bulldozer scoop, one with breaching abilities, and one with towing and bridging abilities. The post notes that all new Namer APC’s are equipped with the Trophy active defense system, providing protection against anti-tank missiles. Currently, IDF engineering vehicles include the Puma,which is based on the venerable British Centurion tank.
Iranian Tiam battle tank
April 13, 2016 by 1 Comment
Defense Blog has posted about a new Iranian tank called the Tiam. This tank is described as an optimized version of the Sabalan tank. The Sabalan is a heavily modified US M47M tank. The M47M was a version of the M47 never used by the US military but only offered as an export vehicle. It consisted of an M47 with the engine and fire control elements of an M60A1. According to the website Military-Today, 400 of these tanks were provided to Iran, of which almost 170 are still operational. The Sabalan has a heavily modified or new turret mounting a 105mm gun, whereas the original M47M had a 90mm gun. The new Tiam appears to have a similar hull to the Sabalan but a smaller, different shaped turret. The Defense Blog post notes that the Tiam is armed with the M68 105mm gun and a new fire control system. It also appears from the available photos that it is equipped with some sort of ERA.
Tiam tank
Sabalan tank.
Video: T-90 SM
April 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This video appeared on youtube today. It contains some rather nicely shot footage of the Russian T-90 sM in action.
Armata Video
April 9, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Sputnik International has posted an article about a video showing the new Russian T-14 Armata MBT being driven and the main gun fired. According to the article, in early March 2016, Sergey Chemezov, head of the Russian state corporation Rostec, confirmed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that the T-14 is already being mass produced.
It seems the video we had originally linked to has been pulled from youtube due to copyright issues. Here is a different, relatively recent Armata videos.
Video of the Day: PzH 2000 & M109A6
April 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This video from Daily Military Defense & Archive showed up on youtube earlier this week. Featured in the video is footage of the German PzH 2000 and the US M109A6 Paladin SPG’s firing their guns.
Poland to order 96 Rak 120mm mortar vehicles
April 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
IHS Jane’s is reporting that Poland is to sign a contract worth approximately 320-375 million dollars for 96 self-propelled 120mm Rak mortar systems. The contract with Huta Stalowa Wola is reported to cover a five year time frame.
According to Janes:
The contract will cover the fitting out of eight mortar companies with the new Rak 120 mm mortar system, which is mounted on the Rosomak 8×8 chassis (a Polish-variant of the Patria AMV). In total the order includes 64 Rak M120K mortar vehicles and 32 AWD command post vehicles (also based on the Rosomak chassis). These are divided into two mortar platoons per company, each equipped with four M120Ks and an AWD, plus an extra two AWD vehicles for the company commander and deputy commander.
The first company set of equipment due to be delivered before the end of the year, with the Polish Land Forces expected to receive a further two company sets a year until the eight are delivered in 2020.
IDF Friendly Fire accident?
April 1, 2016 by 3 Comments
Over at the SH forum, regular poster “LoooSeR” has posted some images and a link to a video that claim to show damage to an Israeli Merkava 4 caused by “friendly fire”.
This incident with caused this damage is supposedly shown in this video (click on the image below to go to the page hosting the video.)
Book Alert: AFV Photo Album Vol. 2
April 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The new book “AFV Photo Album Vol. 2: Armored Fighting Vehicles on Czechoslovakian Territory 1945” is available. This hardcover book comes in at 176 pages and is authored by Marek Solar, Petr Dolezal and Vladimir Kos. The book is published by Canfora Grafisk. Copies are available through third party vendors on Amazon or through the website for Canfora Grafisk.
Publishers Description:
In the second volume in our series we continue the journey through the Czech lands, where a tremendous number of vehicles were knocked out, blown-up or simply left behind by retreating German forces during the final momentous weeks of World War 2. Among them were also vast amounts of Red Army machines, knocked out in the many tank battles that raged along the retreat route.
Few historians and modellers know the full facts about the units and their hardware, which were involved in some of the last battles of the war. Now we revisit many of the places covered in Volume 1, revealing new facts and in many cases unpublished photos to illustrate the journey, accompanied by highly detailed captions.
The book will take a closer look at what happened to the vehicles after the war, when they were collected systematically and transported to the melting plants. King Tigers, Panthers, Pz.IVs, StuGs. Hetzers, SPWs, T-34s and IS-2s were among them, as well as more rarely seen vehicles such as Möbelwagens, Marders and L/70As. We will also glance at a few of the surviving vehicles that went on to serve in the post- war period.
This work is aimed at the modeller and historian alike and although mainly a photographic examination, detailed accounts of the units’ strength, and details about vehicle production variants are also included. Modellers will also benefit from the highly realistic colour profiles, printed in large format.
US Army female tank mechanics
April 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The Fort Hood Herald has posted an article about female US army soldiers serving as tank mechanics in South Korea as part of the 1st Cavalry Division.
The Army job of “M1A1 tank system maintainer” — also known under its military occupational specialty as 91 Alpha — opened up to women in 2013.
It was previously closed to women; not because it’s a front-line job that involves shooting directly at the enemy, but rather because it involves being in a front-line unit, repairing the tanks in quick fashion so they can return to the fight.
Pfc. Evelyn Gomez and Pfc. Kelley McKeon are both tank mechanics in 1st Brigade’s 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment — a combat unit outfitted with battle tanks. Years ago, women in the unit were unheard of.
“I was the only female in my platoon,” said Gomez, 23, recalling when she arrived to the unit last year.
Now, Gomez and McKeon, 19, are both part of the battalion’s Charlie Company, which has about a dozen tanks, dozens of tankers to operate the vehicles and a handful of maintenance personnel. That’s where Gomez and McKeon fit in.
Tank and AFV News 