New Entries
♆ 28/11/2024
MBT-70/KpfPz-70 (1965-70)
Two of the world's most iconic main battle tanks today, the Abrams and Leopard 2, originated in a 1960s joint US-West German program, known either as the MBT-70 and the Kpz-70. It was developed to counter the latest generation of Soviet main battle tanks among other reasons brought by Robert McNamara in 1961. It was technically ambitious, a true departure from the M48 and M60, with advanced features: Hydropneumatic suspensions, full crew in turret, 152mm XM150 gun/ATGM launcher, autoloader and combustible cases, 20mm remote autocannon, new advanced armour and NBC protection, amazing performances... But this program met many challenges from the start with communication and coordination issues, diverging requirements and practices left unresolved until the project advanced too far to be revised, and spiralling costs. West Germany withdrew in 1969 but the US persevered with the austere XM-803, cancelled also in 1971.
♆ 20/11/2024
MAR-290 MLRS (1973)
The MAR-290 is an Israeli 290 mm (11.4 in) single-stage, ground-to-ground, multiple launch rocket system manufactured by Israel Military Industries, introduced in 1973. It was based on the Soviet-made 240 mm (9.4 in) BM-24 MLRS which many were captured in 1967. Its maximum range is 42 km (26.1 mi) either HE "Eivri" or cluster "Chaviv" warhead. Three vehicles were used as base successfuly, the first being M4 Sherman chassis updated by IMI. The Centurion was created later in 1982 and another base on the M548. The launcher is called "Episkopi". both being tested by the Israeli Defence Force in the late 1970s. They saw combat in Lebanon in 1982 and afterwards.
♆ 11/11/2024
Serge CDS
The vehicle possibly called "Serge" is a coastal defence system (CDS) operating the KN-01 (Kumsong-1) antiship cruise missile. The vehicle had been seen in regular yearly parade always showing between 9 and 12 vehicles and is firing a missile derived from the Chinese HY-2 Silkworm, itself based on the early Soviet P-15 Termit (SSN-2 Styx), now long reformed. The coastal mobile missile defence system is well developed by North Korea betwen at least two main vehicle, as a conventional deterrent towards the ROKS (South Korean Navy). The missile has indeed a comfortable range of 300 up to 450 km depending on estimates.
WW1 Tanks & Armored Cars
Born in the Trenches, when the front became static, the idea of the tank was a resurgence of ...science fiction, when some looked at HG Wells' "land battleships" novel. In UK, development was stirred by Wintson Churchill and the Navy. In France, by an artillery officer, J.B. Estienne. And soon the world took notice. Tanks were rare and few in between still, with grand plans in 1918 that never were realized. When the front was not static, armored cars reigned supreme.
WW2 Tanks & Armored Cars
In 1939, thanks had nearly two decades to evolve at peacetime rate, though the boiling of new ideas of tactics and combined arms, with some armies more acute of these than any others. Ground combat proved absolute masters of these new ideas, the Wehrmacht, with luck and opposite incompetence. After moving to USSR, the fight moved to Africa, then to Italy and back to Western Europe at large, driving fast-paced innovation in a deadly food chain contest.
Cold War Armoured Fighting Vehicles
The atomic age started with the opposition of two superpowers, which developed deterrence but at the same time, always considered conventional warfare. Far from peaceful, this second half century, until 1991, saw gradual improvement, with a gap of twenty years before generations, towards 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation main battle tanks and a cohort of armoured personal carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and many specialized variants, wheeled and tracked.
Modern Armoured Fighting Vehicles
As the recent conflict in Ukraine shows us, the tank is still useful in the frame of a conventional war. However drones unexpectedly showed deadlier as well as artillery. Between 1991 and 2024are we really seeing a radical transformation of ground warfare ? One thing is sure through for all generals: The main battle tank is still king of the battlefield, when well used and accompanied. From city scapes to desert, steppe, rolly hills and mountains, even coming from the sea, the tank adapted and is there to stay.