MBT's

[DRG]

Hmmm.... that looks like a scenario just waiting to be created.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

This next in NO WAY means the ARMANTA is operational. However, the Russian Correspondent that has made the claim he's seen "some" of them near the front in the Donbas region.

Some can't be many as "across the board" even from Russian sources indicate that Russia has ONLY 20 units still undergoing testing and NOT even at IOC AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

If true, I agree with this article that this can be seen as a further operational test of its capabilities much as has been reported that around 4 units did last year in Syria.

I'm just a little skeptical ONLY because I really don't think Russia would risk the capture of this tank after as we know (Or should know.) at least 2 pristine operational at time of capture T-90M tanks are the hands of the Ukraine and by default NATO (If you don't believe the NATO part, I would suggest you stop drinking the "Kool-Aid" .

It should be remembered the T-90M shares many "SUBSYSTEMS" of the T-14.

The video supplied indicates nothing except that could be anywhere in Eastern Europe.

I don't openly dismiss this off hand. It's NOT operational, it's NOT unusual for a country to OPTEST new military equipment when there's a "convenient" war somewhere, Israel does this ALL THE TIME and this might be news, Germany is about to do the same in sending the Ukraine 18 units of the BOXER 155mm/L52 SPA. The BUNDESWEHR doesn't even have them.

Let's just ALL wait and see what happens here BEFORE, we OURSELVES.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...as_region.html

The following is verified that they're moving West...
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...ern_front.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...o_ukraine.html

Regards'
Pat

[DRG]

Yeah..... a tank driving in the fog on a muddy road means nothing. Russia has thousands of miles of that and IF some actually did make it to the front they would be at the top of the "must do" target list.

OTOH, The T-90 Proryv had a lot of hype and expectations put on them that have not exactly panned out.

Time will tell.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

The following is somewhat a "MIXED BAG" of news. First the good news...
Poland has received the first of S. Korean K2 tanks. However, the unknown is it the same tank that S. Korea operates armor wise is still unknown.

To my mind based on what we've seen from other foreign sales (With exception of some older models i.e., the LEOPARD 2A4.) I'm still leaning towards the armor values for the K2PL to fall on average between the K1 and K2 which is exactly what we did in essence with the M1A2PL (And Taiwan's.) tanks. S. Korea had more than enough time to modify the armor and remove any "proprietary" armor enhancements and replace them with other very effective armor products.

This the normal "business practice" for more advanced weapons systems worldwide for a foreign buyer in the RL but also in ours as demonstrated MANY times over the recent years in here in particular.

For some time now and due to the silence on this issue over the last 3 months or so, I was starting to wonder whether or not the deal to but the M1A2PL was possibly cancelled or postponed due to the increased M1A1 buy and the very large K2 and K9 buy as well.

Well, the ref below indicates the buy is still on! This will make Poland the largest operator of modern tanks in Europe.

The possible downside for us as reported by the AP is...
"The deal follows last year's $4.7 billion agreement for the acquisition of 250 upgraded M1A2 Abrams tanks that will be delivered in 2025-26."

We'll have to see how many, how fast they arrive, and crews get trained. And finally, when Poland actually fields them.

We'll have to watch this very closely even if it goes into 2026 in the last Patch.

The good news is Don, and I got this tank built last year and put into the last Patch.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...5b142b6e018c78

Regards,
Pat

[blazejos]

And now this happens
https://twitter.com/shashj/status/16...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

The plans were to give all T-72 what already happens then PT-91 which goes to Ukraine now probably Leopards first 2A4 then 2A5 and as last 2PL version. After that Poland will have only Abrams 1A2 + 1A1 as heavy tanks and K2 and than only K2PL as medium tanks. So finally there will be no logistical nightmare with different parts for each tank.

[DRG]

For now lets just wait and see........

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Poland or any other country using foreign bought or donated tanks or other WILL NOT be able to just send that equipment to another country of their choosing without the permission from the country that sent that in the first place.

Poland can do what they want with their PT-91 tanks as they wish.

As it concerns "their" LEOPARD 2A4/5 and PL, that won't happen without prior approval of the Government of Germany

So as not to have someone think I'm picking on Poland here, the goes for any foreign operator of the ABRAMS as well "and on and on again" etc.

We wait now for Germany, however as you point out that won't happen for at least 2-3 years when Poland has decided they have enough K2PL, M1A1 and M1A2PL ABRAMS tanks in country with fully trained crews and Maintenace support staff and facilities in place.

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

RE: AMX-10RC


https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidax...h=3ce4d34f38bd

The interesting aspect of adding the AMX is it complements the capability of the BTR's and adds significant additional firepower. Speed, armour, amphib ability is similar for both vehicles

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

The current updated model is also being thrown out there is the AMX-10RCR which should be in the French OOB.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...ian_tanks.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/fren...icle_data.html

Uses the 105mm F2 DU munition developed in the mid 90's and supposedly there is a more very recent HEAT round it now has either exclusively or in combination to the F2 round.

Is NOT amphibious so they could mount the add on steel armor you see in the pictures for protection against RPG's and similar HEAT weapons.

Has an extended turret bustle which is plain to see for "storage" of some kind.

"Infra-Red Counter Measure System (LIRE), mounted on the forward part of the left side of the turret that has been designed to decoy and confuses anti-tank guided missiles (ATGW) with semi-automatic command-to-line-of-sight guidance (SACLOS) system."

"A bank of four Gallix grenade launchers is mounted to each side of the main armament, in front of the turret. This can launch a wide range of series of grenades such as smoke, anti-personnel, and decoy." (I know I know but this is a newer ref. than when Gallix "bounced back into our universe a few years back again.)

There's more in the "Tech Data" section certainly is better than the base AMX-10RC.

Other tanks or if you will "I like it when I'm right once in a while."...
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...o_ukraine.html
(Just read the last para.)
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...tle_tanks.html
(Para 5 covers BOTH of these issues.)

We're going to see much more of this "stuff" for a long while.

For now, I'm just happy I beat these guys by 2 or 3 days.

Maybe I should apply for a job as an Anal-list

To the other thing, three of the last five tanks that Russia "donated" (Articles are even using that term but I believe they're being in doing so!?!) I came across a "linkage issue" as all military equipment has a "hierarchy"

I've been chasing a "ghost tank" as it appears to be in the OOB but shown as a T-72B1M.
That tank was the T-72B2 you might remember as the T-72 Rogatka which was how it was named I believe at the time when we rightly DELETED it.

Sites show it "now" as the T-72B2 Rogatka. One of my sites says Russia has 300 of them. But EVERYONE else is saying this tank was just too expensive to build.

So, the Russians decided to come up with a new tank the T-72B3.
This tank incorporated many subsystems of the T-72B2 but on systems such as the FCS especially it wasn't as good (On B3).

Unless you still have that data for the T-72 ROGATKA, my intention is now to rename the two T-72B1M (Closest match from a couple of sites was the T-72B1MS "White Eagle" export tank.) to the T-72B3.

Currently on my screen I have the OPLOT-M, T-90, T-90A, T-723(M), T-72BM, T-72B1M, T-80BV and T-80BVM up on it as I've had for 3 days now.

The numbers and hierarchy with a couple of minor tweaks just looks right to me now and the "mystery" is to my mind solved.

But this is where I was before myself and my partners, ME and I were before we together realized something wasn't making sense.

RUSSIA/CHANGE/T-72BM/UNIT 037/RENAME/T-72B3/START/JUN 2013 VICE JAN 1997/VISION 40 VICE 30/MG 125mm 2A46M-5 VICE 125mm GUN 91(?)//A very easy comparison against the current Russian T-73B3 UNIT 697 should “clear up” any doubts along with the below ref. of this change.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/russ...act_sheet.html
UKRAINE/ADD/T-72B3 (83) +/COPY/RUSSIAN REVISED UNIT 037/PVR MAR07-DEC01 2022/START AUG 2022/NEAR PEER/UKRAINIAN UNIT 042 & 043. //

How wrong "we" were.

Half measures are unacceptable to me.

If you need answers, look to what happened at NAS Corpus Christi, Tx about 2-3 years ago.
https://news.usni.org/2020/05/21/sho...er-neutralized

But don't worry I have "fun" at work though another guard on the shift has compared me to a "CYLON CENTURIAN" from the original Battlestar Galactica with the "roving" red eyes constantly scanning. I think that's a compliment!?! Too bad we don't have one of those EM-ME-G-MOES out here.

Since I didn't get to bed until 0400 this morning after work and our grandson was with us for a couple days before starting his sophomore year at SCAD I'll get back to it tomorrow now that the path forward is clear.

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

Right now I have the Amphibious AMX-10RC entered. IF the French send the RCR I will change it but the RC is a better fit to complement and add fire support to BTR formations.