Is Ukraine about to have a war?
The doctrine was to deploy to prep-prepared positions covering killing zones and attempt to destroy Soviet tanks at a rate between 5-10:1.
To achieve this, the Commander is able to swivel his sighting and target designation cupola - independent of where the turret / main gun is pointing - and store future targets so that, as soon as the Gunner has fired at the current target, at the press of a button the turret rapidly traverses onto the next designated target. The requirement was for the main gun to be capable of destroying all then current MBTs at a range of 2,000 metres.
Infantry support was more of a thing post DESERT STORM / GRANBY to recently and probably switching back to tank vs tank (or equally important) in the design of Challenger 3.
All explained in this excellent video from experts at the UK Tank Museum.

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Swiss U-turn on providing amm7nition and support to Ukraine….
https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/wende-bei...eiz-ld.1722731
https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/wende-bei...eiz-ld.1722731
For Russia that's bad news: If even the Suisse decide there will be no business to be made in the foreseeable future that is a devastating verdict even for the midterm prospects.
Seems all but Vlad have read the wiriting on the wall...

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing -
Germany should know it best to stand up to bullies...and if not where it can lead. Poland, Estonia,Latvia, Lithuania have stood up against putins nuclear blackmail and escalation threats, and they have land borders.
Germany should know it best to stand up to bullies...and if not where it can lead. Poland, Estonia,Latvia, Lithuania have stood up against putins nuclear blackmail and escalation threats, and they have land borders.
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle" Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents (1770) E.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". JFK (1961) JFK attributed it to Burke.
2023... "ve haf tanks, but you cannot use them. Ve don't want to upset our bilateral relations with the wonderful Mr Putin to which so many western politicians and oil companies have had their noses in the slops trough of".
There is only one response to a bully, and that is to stand firm and give them defined boundaries of acceptable behaviour. Our glorious leaders failed to do that in Crimea, 2014, and 24 Feb 22 was the foreseeable outcome. Whether Leopards, Le Clercs, Challengers or Abrams are used now or not, they will be used, unless Putin gets the message clear and plainly. As the west hasn't the fortitude to place boots on the ground, then perhaps the Estonian lead should be emulated, they are providing all of their 155s to assist Ukraine who has the need, and moral fortitude to stand up.
[1] 1867 March 16, Littell’s Living Age, [Inaugural Address at University of St. Andrews: 1867 February 1], Page 664, Number 1189, Fourth Series, Littell and Gay, Boston.
[2] 1770, Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents by Edmund Burke, [Third edition], Page 106, Printed for J. Dodsley in Pall-Mall, London

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The New York Times is reporting Abrams tanks will be sent to Ukraine:
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/01...-officials-say
The Biden administration plans to send M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, in what would be a major step in arming Kyiv as it tries to seize back its territory from Russia.
The White House is expected to announce a decision as early as Wednesday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. One official said the number of Abrams tanks could be between 30 and 50. It could take years before the U.S. tanks reach Ukraine, but would meet a request Berlin had made and clear the way for Germany and other countries to send their battle tanks.
The White House is expected to announce a decision as early as Wednesday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. One official said the number of Abrams tanks could be between 30 and 50. It could take years before the U.S. tanks reach Ukraine, but would meet a request Berlin had made and clear the way for Germany and other countries to send their battle tanks.

Putin is a Judoka. He will throw his opponent, or his opponent will throw him.
If he is thrown, he will bow and accept defeat, go home and practice for the next round.
This is proper etiquette.
IF he understands Martial Arts the way he tells everyone he does.
If he is thrown, he will bow and accept defeat, go home and practice for the next round.
This is proper etiquette.
IF he understands Martial Arts the way he tells everyone he does.

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Rifling doesn't work well for high speed projectiles. Max projectile speed (and thus kinetic ernergy) with rifled barrels is limited due to increased friction. It is good for accuracy of slower rounds, though. Re-active armor generally works better against HE than against APFSDS. Thus, APFSDS have become the preferred choice for tank2tank battle. That's why in general the smoothbore guns are preferred in modern tank design.

How long would a rifled tank barrel hold up being fired endlessly, morning, noon and night, compared to a smoothbore?

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidha...h=1d6030361c10

Since been apparently beaten by a Ukrainian T64BV that doubled the distance.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidha...h=1d6030361c10
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidha...h=1d6030361c10
Indirect fire not sure if can be compared to direct fire. If indirect fire counts than some SPG has the record

On the one hand that's really good news, because the Gepards can be fed quickly with suitable ammo. On the other hand there is a bit of a smell to it. Rheinmetall is currently setting up a production of 35mm munitions. Seems Oerlikon got nervous...
For Russia that's bad news: If even the Suisse decide there will be no business to be made in the foreseeable future that is a devastating verdict even for the midterm prospects.
Seems all but Vlad have read the wiriting on the wall...
For Russia that's bad news: If even the Suisse decide there will be no business to be made in the foreseeable future that is a devastating verdict even for the midterm prospects.
Seems all but Vlad have read the wiriting on the wall...

Ecce Homo! Loquitur...


The T14, based on information available, is essentially another T72 with its autoloader setup. Except more unreliable. And most probably the rest of the technology really isn't anything ground breaking by any means either.

Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Iron Fist Light Decoupled - not sure if the Bradley’s for UKR will get it - might fall into Russian hands. But it would be a good combat test….
https://www.defensenews.com/land/202...ection-system/
But if the ammo is still stored there, without blow-out panels, the turret will still get thrown - and even in front the crew won’t survive the kinetic effect or the shock wave.
https://www.defensenews.com/land/202...ection-system/
except the turret is unmanned and the crew sit in the front.

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Therefore, it is unlikely that any deployed T14 tanks will have met the standards for new equipment to be deemed Operational


I thought Matt excelled himself in the Daily Telegraph today -- topical as ever!
PS for those ex-UK: tens of thousands of parcels are stuck in transit due to postal workers' strikes pre-Xmas, cyberattack on Royal Mail, sheer incompetence in certain delivery companies
Last edited by Geriaviator; 25th Jan 2023 at 11:13. Reason: PS

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