SP, MLRS and SPAA Developments

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

It's good to see we can get it right, M-SHORAD is no more; the system is now officially called the Sgt. Stout as of Saturday 15 June 2024.

From Ref. 2
"The first two SGT STOUT battalions are in Germany and at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the Army recently fielded its third battalion at Fort Cavazos, Texas, in February. In April of 2024, six SGT STOUT vehicles and more than 40 Soldiers provided effective short-range air defense during live-fire exercises as part of DEFENDER 24's Saber Strike exercise in Poland, demonstrating the ability to protect Soldiers like its namesake."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ar...85886340&ei=48
https://www.army.mil/article/277291/...onor_recipient
https://crsreports.congress.gov/prod.../IF/IF12397/11
(I used this source as a primary reference dealing with TRICARE For Life.)

I had posted on this system early but quite frankly haven't tracked it for a while. I only knew the Army was fast tracking the system since it's using both an existing platform and weapons. What's new is the Radar and FCS.

As supported by Ref. 3
". In April 2021, the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment received the first four of its M-SHORAD systems, becoming fully equipped by late 2022."

If we go with the above and Ref. 2 using the word "fielded" that mean START JAN 2023.

But others are saying 2025 for full fielding. The refs. are in line that the only system out there is the Sgt. Stout increment 1 systems of which Ref. 3 goes into detail on that and more.

I think the safe bet here is to "split the difference" and use START JAN 2024.

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

We have the Taiwanese CM-32 however it seems like we missed both the CM-33 and CM-34. along the way.

Not so much worried about the CM-33 but, the CM-34 though sharing the same chassis as its predecessors; comes in at 2 tons heavier part of that is due to the turret but the rest has to be I suspect due to some kind of applique armor upgrade as well.

They are in service as APC/IFV and 120mm mortar carrier in regard to the CM-34.

Track for 120mm/82mm mortar carrier for the CM-32 and likewise in regard the CM-34 also with the 81mm mortar carrier.

Starting with the CM-32 tests and a PROTOTYPE(s) were built for a "Fire Support" version with both a 105mm and 120mm.

This did not materialize for the CM-32. For the CM-34 PROTOTYPE testing should've been completed by the end of last year or very early this year.
https://www.janes.com/osint-insights...v-for-delivery
"The vehicle is derived from the common 6.35 m long, 2.7 m wide, and 2.2 m high welded steel hull also used by the in-service CM-32 and CM-33 Cloud Leopard armoured personnel carriers (APCs), although the CM-34 has a combat weight of 24 tonnes as opposed to the 22 tonnes of the earlier variants."

What perplexes me is why there are no AT versions.

They have the following NOW for their helos they wouldn't to modify them much also they've been operating TOW for decades.
TAIPERS as noted is in the field and placing TOW in the process.
"Comprising four major sub-sections (seeker, propulsion, control mechanism, and battery) and the optical fibre cable at the rear, the missile has a smokeless solid-propellant rocket motor, which gives it a cruise speed of about 200 m/s and a maximum strike range of 8 km. Hanwha has said the missile can penetrate up to 1,000 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA).

The DAPA spokesperson said the missile will arm the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) and MUH-1 Marineon helicopters of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (RoKMC) from 2024."
https://www.janes.com/osint-insights...-tank-missiles

Yeah, just realized I got this in the wrong thread @^!-****!

Regards,
Pat