What matters is the ability to accurately detect and track low level fast moving objects, which ARTISAN should be perfectly capable of doing. Artisan may not be at the cutting edge of panel technology, but its signal processing reportedly is, which potentially gives extra seconds because it can ide...

By weird & wonderful I meant not only the massive AMG (no, not from the Merc division :D ) artillery turret that has been fitted, but also the GMLRS toned-down rocketry cassette, which does not seem to be a Rheinmetall proposal as their website knows nothing about it... or my browser :( is sub-std

In a modern peer battle you need MBTs to take on an opponent's MBTs as they are the best tool for the job. The airspace above the battle is likely to be contested and so air support cannot be guaranteed , and Infantry with their ATGW are vulnerable to artillery and missiles are vulnerable to both a...

I haven't heard of anything about Type 26 getting anything comparable to PAAMS, and its radar is a massive drop off by comparison. Lacking long ranger missile defence is a huge downer for the vessel. Escorts wandering about without that themselves require escorting. + But as of right now, it's a pu...

I remember that painfully well "Remember that time the influential, 2nd largest EU economy, with the world's largest financial hub and EU's most/second largest armed forces, exerted it's influence during the appointment of the last Commision president....that's how influential we were in the EU...

rather than sticking to the (mostly US based) mass produced standards. How many US rounds do the Germans use on the 120 mm as they veered away from depleted uranium starting end of the 80's (how did they know the Wall was going to fall) and only started a serious catch-up effort in this decade (due...

Plus allows for larger UAVs without infringing on the helo space at all A good point: put the 'remotes' in water or up in the air... or simply send some (small numbers) of Green Death onto shore. - once we have had sight of all three t-31 designs, we can then score them on this aspect (as well) Ano...

What was notable in the Commission '2-mini-deals paper' is that it is driven by the original [amendable] time frame in the Cooper-Boles amendment... which effectively relegates the May Gvmnt to a care taker status ;) . Bad news for the Commission, too: how would they know who to talk to? - we have f...

the types of mini deals you told me weren't possible? Being able to move people and goods and utilising the return trips fully, too ( even if it means allowing cabotage) cuts both ways - and stops the EU environmental policies from becoming a laughing stock. - the third deal mentioned (for consider...

RetroSicotte wrote:maybe they'll do a CT40

'True caseless' has turned out to be difficult with rifles (carried by grunts), but may be not so inside a vehicle... with an autoloader?
- a 'conventional' one-piece 130mm round is already quite a challenge, not to mention a 140

RetroSicotte wrote:It's probably the best "internal space" escort in the world.

What's this based on when there are navies that routinely design in the carrying of two helos?

Whereas... I have always thought that Asahi was the best beer in Japan. And now, with the addition of the Fullers range to "Asahi has already expanded in Europe by buying the Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev, and in another deal bought eastern European brands such a...

tie the gun performance in a definitive way together with the alternative rounds: DM 63 and DM 53 A1 (the latter is an upgraded version of the DM 53) T the above to muddy the waters even further :) ... however, the manufacturer's statement that the best of the three, tested with the new version of ...

Brett McGurk takes stock and sets the scene against which Op Shader will now need to be assessed (in a piece to Carnegie and WP): "The strategic consequences of Trump’s decision are already playing out: The more Turkey expands its reach in Syria, the faster our Arab partners in the region move ...

First two mini-deals emerging (and looks like the Commission tries to avoid pre-guessing for what duration the Cooper-Boles amendment will ;) be passed): "The European Commission has proposed "bare bones" arrangements on aviation and road haulage if there is no deal. The legislation w...

Ian King has contributed a good opinion piece to Sky News, on how the soon-to-be new EU Commission will need to be a countervailing power to French-German domination, rather than an errand boy. He does not mention defence industries (so I will, at the end): "There is a growing concern among som...

If 2.7 -3.7 trillion [in defence spending] translates to 4-5% [of Russian GNP], will have to take the calculator out, again, to see what this translates to: "Police spending rose from 1 trillion, 487 billion in 2013 to 1.898 trillion in 2016, 1.977 trillion in 2017, 2.108 trillion in 2018, and...

There were plans to build 1400 ltr tanks, which I assume is the largest that could be fitted, although they were cut as overall costs rose. I don't think any were actually built. they were bidding as part of the German/Belgium future orders bid. Maybe it’s proved not so. Larger tanks, driven by Ger...

Together with new ammunition, the L55A1 is claimed to provide about 20% more performance than the current version. DTR mag and Janes are pointing in the same direction... the thing is that the the older round also has got a newer version, too, so never sure without a specific mention, about which o...

I do like how the B2 Rivers look Detect the similarity: https://www.forces.net/sites/default/files/styles/inline_image/public/HMS_Arrow_%28F173%29_underway_c1982.jpg?itok=CBBVLuR8 ? They are even serving the same function, as fillers - being the least capable - for the two other types: "By the...

There's no reason why the inners of the pod could not be built into the Protector, but the question is how much of all this ( a quick comparison to Reaper by Janes) would we lose and would those -whatever number - airframes become dedicated wide-area recce assets: "Protector is the United Kingd...

One was from the UK. Sorry, now I remember. Might that be the same that was actually exported to Malesia and Indonesia (on Stormers) and proposed to be put onto Warriors? - we have, of course heavier bridging unit on tracks, but there might be cases where these mobility enhancers tagging along beco...

SW1 wrote:option to be fitted across the entire a/c fleet max efficient use of cash

A clear plus.

The linked article has a piccie that shows how sizeable one of those plus 2 x SS are, compared to the a/c itself.

I would be looking at the 1800ltr fuel tanks first. When extended range is required for the mission, one could, more often than not, expect SS to be carried. I wonder how much their drag alone shortens the range, so the 2 x 1500ltr conformals that do not take any weapon points and have the connecti...

the karldoorman JSS we see with a small rearangement to in internal lay out ( reducing the lane metrege to 1500 from 2000 ) they could of met everything Canada wants yet give far more in aviation and unloading for amphibious and HADR with the steal beach and LCVP set up. It's a shame really just th...