Monday Video: Syrian Opposition Armor

Following the recent capture of a Syrian Army base outside of Damascus, the Syrian opposition is starting to field their own armored force.
h/t Rex
By: Brant

UK In Action: Challenger Go BOOM

Video screengrab of Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank live firing of main armament.

img from UK MoD By: Widow 6-7

Random Friday Wargaming: Tankattack

Not much more succinct than Tankattack

It's a computer-driven tank combat table-top game... yep, that's a mouthful

This game advertises itself as "the first computer based Tank game in the world". It is a board game 'controlled' by an electronic handset which serves as a randomizer for combat actions. According to the instructions, the computer "has counters, gates, oscillator clock, programming, read out and execute functions. The 'brain' is made of three miniature TTL logic chips containing over 300 transistors, diodes, and many other components giving a vast computing capacity with a wide range of probabilities for conflict purposes."

In essence, this is a straightforward hex-map based battle game for up to four players playing individually or as teams. It contains plastic miniatures and a rectangular game board with pre-marked battlefield features. There are no battle cards or other modifiers apart from the handset. The game depends entirely upon the handset to determine the amount of movement and the result of any attack. The handset therefore replaces dice, but serves much the same function. However, players have the freedom to select position, and direction of movement, and the miniatures are marked with values that determine their firing power, and this has a bearing on the result of combat actions (see below).

Each team deploys a regiment of 8 of tanks (slow moving, high fire power) and 4 armoured cars (fast moving, low fire power) in a pre-mapped fictive country on the game board (Kazaldis, Armania, Sarapan and Calderon) separated by marked national borders (which are red) and terrain features such as a river (with bridges), forests, mountains, and buildings. Each country also has a major city marked by a blue border. Inside the blue border several buildings are marked, into which tanks cannot move, meaning they must navigate the city to get to the enemy HQ or get out of their service/repair area and back into combat.

The objective is simple: to win by occupying the opponent or opponents' headquarters by moving a tank (or armoured car) into the HQ space (pre-marked on the board), or by destroying all enemy tanks.

Though the mechanic is therefore a fairly standard hex and counter skirmish, the computer in the handset ultimately drives the game.

Master links/images from Boardgamegeek.com; message boards linked to Consimworld. Other links to the actual game pages...


By: Brant

Congress Authorizing Continued M1 Abrams Purchases, Despite Army Needs

The Army says they don't need them. Congress doesn't care, and is continuing to fund purchases of M1 Abrams tanks beyond what the Army needs.

Despite the U.S. Army’s insistence that its tank fleet is in good shape, congressional support for additional funding for the M1 Abrams tank is growing, with 173 members of the House of Representatives asking Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to sustain tank production in the 2013 budget.

In an April 20 letter, lawmakers from both political parties say the new strategic guidance, which the Pentagon released in January, ignores the combat vehicle industrial base, which “is a unique asset that consists of hundreds of public and private facilities across the United States.”

For the M1 Abrams tank, the most important facility is the General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) production line in Lima, Ohio.

Every House member from the Ohio delegation, with the exception of Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat, signed the letter.

The Army has told Congress that it would like to finish its Abrams buy in 2014 and then not begin upgrading its current fleet until 2017. Senior Army officials testified this spring that the decision was made to stop buying tanks it doesn’t need and instead to invest in higher priorities, such as aviation and providing a battlefield network.

So our force it too heavy, and it costs too much to train, and tanks have proven less-than-practical in current conflicts. But we're going to keep buying more. Yay, government budget (non)cuts!

By: Brant

New Life for Decommissioned Tanks

Although it's very cool that a New Zealand company lets tourists drive tanks over junk cars, let's not expect to see a branch office open in San Diego.

In a country regarded as the adrenaline-pumped home of adventure sports, one New Zealand company is offering frustrated drivers the chance to squash a car with a Centurion tank.

Tanks for Everything in Christchurch has a fleet of eight tanks, armoured personnel carriers and Jeeps, the largest of which can easily crush a family sedan pancake-flat in a crescendo of squealing metal and shattering glass.

"I think it maybe releases repressed frustration, to go and crush something with a tank," owner Jonathan Lahy-Neary said.

"If you've had a bad day, it's a pretty good stress reliever."

The pride of the operation is Maximus, a British-made Centurion battle tank, weighing 52 tonnes and powered by a V-12 Rolls Royce engine, which saw service with Australian forces in Vietnam in the early 1970s.

There's also a Soviet-era T-55, an incongruous sight in New Zealand's rolling green hills, which Tanks or Everything's Matthew Sandland said was surprisingly easy to purchase from an arms dealer in Hungary.

By: Brant

What's in a Name?

The Army is changing the name of their "HBCT" to "ABCT".
This does not in any way affect tomorrow's sunrise. As far as we can tell.



By: Brant

How To Start A Tiger Tank

By: Brant

Leopards In the Sand

The Saudi Arabian government has finalised a deal to purchase up to 200 Leopard 2 A7+ main battle tanks.

Probably not since the Second World War will the world witness the appearance of so many German battle tanks in a desert setting. But instead of the descendants of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, the tanks will be manned by Saudi military personnel.
That’s because Saudi Arabia will soon become the proud owners of up to 200 German Leopard tanks when the recent $2.5 billion deal negotiated with the German government is finalised. The Leopards the Saudis will receive are the latest model (2A7+) in the German arsenal and the best that country’s robust armaments industry can produce.

The German tank purchase is just part of the $60 billion the Saudi Arabian government has spent on an impressive array of weaponry the past couple of years. The United States has also contributed to this Saudi military build up, as the desert kingdom seeks to protect itself from what it perceives as a threat from Iran. Last year, the Saudi military bought 84 US F-15E two-seater warplanes, a special version, at about $100 million per aircraft.

Getting their hands on the German Leopard has always been a long-held, Saudi desire. In past years, the German government had always turned down Saudi requests to purchase the tank, as they could pose a danger to Israel.

“The Saudis have been asking for Leopards for quite a long, long time and the Germans keep saying no,” said Nick Brown, editor in chief of Jane’s International Defense Review, in the New York Times.

For its part, Israel has been noticeable for its silence on the sale. In the past, Israel has protested similar arms deliveries to the Saudis or issued cautionary warnings. The German publication Der Spiegel, which broke the story, said the deal was actually cleared by both Israel and the United States before Germany would proceed. For the United States, the long-desired tank sale could also be serving as means “to placate the Saudis,” who were furious when President Obama withdrew his support for Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, allowing a long-time ally to fall.

The probable reason for the lack of Israeli objections to the Leopard purchase is that Israel has become a silent associate of Saudi Arabia’s against the looming Iranian threat to both countries. In Israel’s view, any weapon that strengthens the Saudi kingdom and does not jeopardise Israeli security, such as 200 modern German tanks, also indirectly adds to its strength in regard to the Iranian danger. Besides, the Saudis have never represented a direct military threat to Israel, having taken only a very limited role in the Arab wars against her.

By: Shelldrake

German Tanks to Saudi Arabia? Cue the Ignorant Commentary!

So the Germans are selling tanks to the Saudis. Big whoop. Oh, what's that? You're protesting? How about this, come up with a reasonable protest, instead of babbling like a reactionary moron.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing growing criticism from across the political spectrum here after news of a multibillion-dollar deal for the secret sale of 200 tanks to Saudi Arabia leaked from the national security council that approved it.

The government has responded with what the German news media have called an “iron silence,” which has fueled rather than dampened the furor over a sale that experts estimate would be worth roughly $2.5 billion.

Germany strained ties with its NATO allies when it abstained in the United Nations Security Council on the resolution authorizing military action to protect Libyan civilians. Now the government has approved the shipment of the 68-ton tanks to Saudi Arabia even as the image of Saudi tanks rolling into Bahrain to help suppress the protests there remains fresh in the public’s mind.

According to the Web site of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, which produces the tank, the latest version, the Leopard 2A7+, includes “nonlethal capabilities” and an “obstacle clearance blade” almost like a plow in the front that can clear debris and roadblocks.

“This would be a perfect tank to drive into Bahrain and crack down on any uprising,” said Jan Grebe, a researcher at the Bonn International Center for Conversion, a nonprofit research institute that deals with security and development issues. “It’s also a good tank to fight any demonstrations in Riyadh.”

"A perfect tank to drive into Bahrain and crack down on any uprising" eh? Really? You ever actually use a tank in urban combat? Ask the Russian how it worked out in Budapest in '56. Or better yet, ask them about Grozny. Go talk to the Americans, who quit shipping tanks to Baghdad and instead starting walking the beat. Ever notice that the only footage of tanks putting down the Tianenman Square uprising is a guy standing on a highway overpass blocking them? Did the French use them in the banlieus in '05?

Tanks don't work in cities, folks. They just don't. They can blow the shit out of a building and create a fantastic pile of rubble for someone else to clean up, but all that does is make it less likely they'll be used domestically, because someone (usually the government) still has to clean up the mess, and tanks make a big f'n' mess.

More likely, the Saudis are looking to put tanks to use in the desert, where you've got great fields of fire, long engagement ranges, sight lines, and plenty of space around you to keep some crunchy from popping up with a grenade or Molotov cocktail and ruining your day.

This isn't the "perfect tank to drive into Bahrain and crack down on any uprising". Why? Because there is no perfect tank to drive into Bahrain and crack down on any uprising. There are plenty of armored cars, APCs, and other lighter vehicles with smaller armaments and more crew members. But they aren't tanks. Nor will they be.

This level of reactionary hysteria is common among those who have no clue what the hell they're talking about, but are perfectly happy protesting for the sake of protest. Enough already.

By: Brant

US Army Armor School Cases Colors at Ft Knox

BRAC strikes again, as the US Army Armor School says goodbye to Ft Knox.

After 71 years at Fort Knox, the U.S. Army Armor School cased its flags Friday at Brooks Parade Field, marking the transition of the last remaining Armor School elements to Fort Benning, Ga.

Fort Knox’s longtime identity as the home of Armor and Cavalry changed with the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure announcement that directed Fort Knox to lose its armor and cavalry training mission by September 2011.

Col. Marshal Dougherty (left), 16th Cavalry Brigade commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Edward Mitchell (middle) cased the colors at the casing ceremony Friday, June 10, 2011. (Photo courtesy of Fort Knox)

My grandmother's younger brother was a member of the 7th class of the Armor Officer Course back in WWII. I graduated the same course about 53 years later.

By: Brant

Libyan Rebels Adapt, Improvise, Overcome

I'd hate to see what the crew drill looks like for this...

DefenseTech reports:

Ok, this is wild. Libyan rebels have taken their Mad Max technical pickup trucks to a new level. The video above show rebels firing what appears to be the turret-mounted 2A28 Grom gun of a Soviet-designed BMP-1 armored personnel carrier from the back of a pickup. Yes, the entire gun turret has been mounted on crude metal supports in the bed of the truck. Note the office swivel chair that has replaced the original gunner’s seat. Also watch the guy standing next to the truck reach inside the turret to fire the gun. Classic.

h/t Greg

By: Brant

Drug-Running in a Freakin' Tank?!

OK, it's not really a "tank" in the truest sense of the word, but the Mexican drug cartel that's sporting it's own armored fighting vehicle is a bit of challenge for the local constabulary.

The war in northern Mexico between drug cartels and the Mexican government has raged for 4 1/2 years, with little end in sight — especially with the cartels starting to build tanks like this one, nicknamed "El Monstruo 2011."

From jungle-built submarines to ultralights hauling marijuana, drug cartels have found ingenious ways to transport their goods. But the tanks of the northern Mexico cartels represent something different; a paramilitary response to a government crackdown that has made little progress in staunching the violence.

The Blog Del Narco reports that the tank was captured two weeks ago after a firefight outside Ciudad Mier in northern Mexico. The vehicle had a top speed of 68 mph, and could carry 12 people — but had no side shielding for its tires, which ultimately led to its end.

h/t Dan!

By: Brant

1AD Folds the Flag in Germany

The came ashore in 1943, and now 1AD is going home.

The U.S. 1st Armored Division lowered its flag this month in a ceremony that signaled the quiet return home of a unit whose tanks first rumbled onto the continent through Italy during World War II.
The Wiesbaden casing of colors ceremony also marked a milestone in the ongoing transformation of the American military. The sending off of the last division deployed in Europe at the height of the Cold War symbolizes the shift in favor of smaller, lighter units that planners say are better poised to meet today's threats.
But the question now being raised is whether the Army's plan to keep some 37,000 soldiers in Europe will survive growing budgetary pressures in Washington. There are increasing concerns in the U.S. Congress that the United States is footing too much of the bill for European defense at a time when some European countries have reduced defense spending.

By: Brant

First Fight Between Tanks

A nice computer-based animation of the WWI engagement between the Brits and Germans.



For a boardgame of the fight, check out the upcoming issue of Battles Magazine, which includes a free game of the engagement.

By: Brant

Decorated WWII Canadian Tank Officer Dies

Rest in peace BGen (retired) Ned Amy.

One of Canada’s highest decorated and respected tank officers of the Second World War has died.

Retired brigadier-general Ned Amy, 94, died Wednesday in the Camp Hill hospital, said several members of the military.

[snip...]

Amy received the following awards during his military career:

•Distinguished Service Order during the Second World War from Canada for his part in the liberation of the Netherlands.

•The Military Cross during the Second World War from Canada for determined and gallant leadership while holding a vital bridgehead over the Moro River when he was serving in Italy.

•The Order of the British Empire for his service during the Korean War.

•The United States Bronze Star for his service in Korea.

In July 2007, Amy received the highest order France bestows, the Legion d’honneur, for helping liberate that country during the Second World War.

Amy retired from active service in 1972.

By: Shelldrake

North Korea Boosts Special Forces Numbers

A recent South Korean defense report downplays the chances of outright conflict but notes that the Norks have increased their special forces.

North Korea has increased its investment in tanks and special forces, a South Korean defence review has reported. The paper, written every two years, notes the North has trained at least 20,000 more special forces. It said the North remained capable of a "massive surprise bombardment" of the South's capital, Seoul. Tensions on the Korean peninsula this year have resulted in cross-border artillery fire and calls for new talks.

The total size of the North's military remained unchanged at about 1.19 million, the paper said, but the number of special forces within that had risen to 200,000. These are soldiers trained to carry out assassinations, and the infiltration and disruption of key facilities, the paper said.

It said the North had deployed its new battle tank, "Pokpung-ho" (or "Storm Tiger"), which reportedly made its debut in 2002. This design is believed to be based on the Soviet Union's T-72 tanks, but most of the newly added tanks used some of the older equipment, the defence report said.

North Korea is "presumed to have secured about 40 kilograms" of weapons-grade plutonium by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods four times by 2009, the paper said.

Although North Korea has previously been designated the "main enemy" of the South, this year's report calls the North simply the "enemy", apparently for diplomatic reasons.

"Not using the expression 'main enemy' does not mean that we softened our stance," Deputy Defence Minister Chang Kwang-il told reporters.

It added that the North intended to rely on its nuclear programme, special forces, cyber-warfare, submarines and long-range artillery in any conflict with the South. However, it concluded an outright attack from the North was unlikely, given the presence of about 28,000 United States forces in South Korea.

The defence report was issued a day after the South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak said there was no choice but to try to dismantle North Korea's nuclear programme through diplomacy.

By: Shelldrake

IDF Tests Trophy Defense System For Tanks

Israeli tank crews now have active protection against anti-tank missiles in addition to the conventional passive protection provided by armor.

The Trophy system creates a hemispheric protected-zone around armored vehicles such as the Merkava tank, which has operated prominently in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Using advanced radar, the system is designed to detect and track a threat and counters it with a projectile that intercepts the anti-tank missile.

On Tuesday, Ashkenazi revealed that two weeks ago a Russian-made Kornet antitank missile – one of the most sophisticated in the world – hit an Israeli Merkava tank and penetrated its hull. As a result, the IDF has decided to deploy Battalion 9 of the 401st Armored Brigade (the “Tracks of Iron” Brigade) along the Gaza border since its tanks are equipped with the Trophy active protection anti-tank-missile defense system.

On Wednesday, the IDF Ground Forces Command tested the system by firing a dud missile, which impersonated some of the advanced anti-tank missiles in Hamas and Hizbullah hands. The Trophy successfully intercepted the enemy missile.

Defense sources said that the Trophy had been tested hundreds of times by Rafael but that what was significant in the latest test was the presence of soldiers and commanders inside the tank which was fired at.

By: Shelldrake

GrogNews Daily Headlines, Bonus Edition

There's just a lot of news today...


As the US is now following the lead of the Canadians and sending M1-series tanks to Afghanistan it's amazing what we are still learning about the Afghans. Turns out most of them have no idea about 9-11 or why we're at war there. In fairness, there's probably a lot of Americans that are pretty ill-informed, too.

While the US and Israel are having a hard time hammering out a settlement pact the People's Republic of Jihadistan in Gaza launched a long-range Grad rocket at their neighbors. Religion of Peace, indeed.

How was the cybersabotage of Iran's nuke plant supposed to work? By overloading commands to the centrifuge.

With capsizing safely off the table as a danger for the military relocation to Guam, lawsuits have taken center stage, as a live-fire range is apparently too close to some endangered sand or something.

Lockheed is going to shut down a plant in Minnesota, and probably blame Congress for it.

The US is trying to cut off access to drug money for the Norks, and hopes that sanctioning some of their "commercial" entities will keep other nations from working with them as well.

By: Brant

Order Of Battle: US Army Tank Company

Kicking off our new ORBAT series of current US Army company-level combat units, which will alternate weeks with ORBATs from other places around the world.

Here's a tank company. Why are the tanks up first? Because I said so!


Click image to enlarge

image extracted from FKSM-71-8

By: Brant

Canada In Action: Armoured Overwatch

A Canadian Forces Leopard2A6M main battle tank provides combat overwatch in Afghanistan. Canada originally leased 20 Leopard 2A6M mine-protected tanks from Germany as an interim measure to replace its Leopard 1A5/C2 tanks that were deployed to Afghanistan but were found to suffer from a lack of air conditioning and insufficient armour protection. Canada later purchased 100 older-model surplus Leopard 2 tanks from the Dutch. The first of 20 Leopard 2 A4M CAN modernized battle tanks was delivered by the German firm Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to the Canadian Forces on October 7th 2010.

Image: militaryimages.net

By: Shelldrake