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Military Bulletin 01/2016 – Russia’s anti-tank multicopter concept.

Russia has revealed a new concept in anti-tank warfare, using a multicopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

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The multicopter can be seen here carrying a probable RPG-26 Aglen light anti-tank weapon. In this instance, it has been positioned for a vertical shot, aiming for the top cover of an armoured vehicle.

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The concept was demonstrated in a video at the Russian Armed Forces Robotics conference, near Moscow. It was demonstrated engaging a  number of simulated armoured targets. Although a number of firings were shown, it is only a one-shot solution and obviously needs to land after each firing to be reloaded.

The RPG-26 fires the 72.5mm armed with a HEAT warhead. It has an effective range of 250m and can penetrate 400mm of rolled homogenous armour. It is naturally still undergoing testing.

Post copyrighted to Harvey Black

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Force Majeure (2) – Paralysis.

Paralysis_Advance Information Sheet Paralysis2

The second in my new Apocalyptic series, Force Majeure (2)- Paralysis. Kindle version due out tomorrow, 17 July 2015, Paperback within a few days after.

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Following the catastrophic events of Purgatory, the UK has been thrown into confusion and chaos. As the country is ravaged by ferocious winter storms, food shortages and outbreaks of deadly disease, survival seems less and less likely. Some groups carry on, determined to find shelter, food or even just answers.

In London, the Bravo troop head underground, seeking out a government that may no longer exist. Headstrong Judy leads a group of survivors from the M4 in search of civilisation and along the way learns the horrific depths that humanity can sink to.

Tom, Andrew and their families are building their new lives in Exmoor National Park when they stumble into an unexpected discovery that could change everything…

In this chilling, dystopian story of disaster, endurance and human nature, Harvey Black expertly weaves together the lives of his characters as they struggle to withstand the hardships of a nuclear winter. Will anyone make it out alive? Should they even want to…?

Harvey Black (24)

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What would happen if the UK was hit by over 300 megatons of nuclear missiles/bombs? What plans are in place to deal with the aftermath?

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A typical Regional Government Headquarters – Chillmark

Harvey Black Force Majeure-Purgatory (1)

The Chilmark RGHQ.

The Chilmark Regional Government Headquarters served the eastern zone of the Number 7 South Western Home Defence Region, covering the counties of Avon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset. It was designated as RGHQ 7.1.

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Harvey Black Force Majeure-Purgatory (3)

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Some great additional information can be found at Steve Fox’s, Struggle for Survival, site below.

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/features/sfs/new_page_1.htm

Site and content is copyrighted to Harvey Black.

 

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Military Bulletin 09/2015 – Ukraine’s laser-guided artillery projectile.

Regardless of the fight along the border with Russia, the Ukrainian Defence Industry is still targeting overseas customers with a range of defence products. One of those is the Kvitnyk-E.

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The Kvitnyk-E, laser guided projectile  (LGP) alongside a standard, smaller, (grey) 152mm round.

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The Kvitnyk-E has been developed by the Progress Scientific Industrial Complex and has been specifically been designed to be fired from the 152mm towed and self-propelled artillery systems, the 2S3 and 2S19.

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The LGP is not a replacement for the conventional 152mm high-explosive round, which is predominantly used for suppressive fire. The laser seeker is mounted in the nose with a fragmenation-type warhead along with 8kg of high-explosive.

Although the LGP was accepted into service with the Ukrainian Army in 2012, full scale production has not yet started.

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The Kvitnyk-E would primarily be used for high value targets, such as command posts, bridges, artillery rocket systems, tanks and IFVs. Once the LGP has been launched, four fins will unfold at the rear of the projectile and four control surfaces will unfold at the front.

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The maximum range is expected to be in the region of 20,000 metres.

But, Ukrainian industry isn’t stopping just there. An LGP that can be fired from the more widely used Western artillery systems, such as the M109, a 155mm calibre weapon, is being marketed. Although this weapon does offer greater accuracy and target selectivity, careful coordination would be required between the weapons platform and the forward observer and designator. The FO would have to have line-of-sight of the target.

Post copyrighted to Harvey Black

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Military Bulletin 08/2015 – NATO’s Baltic Sea exercise.

Unsurprisingly, Russian warships and aircraft have been following, and approaching, the multinational warships participating in the annual exercise in the Baltic Sea. This is an extremely large NATO exercise, consisting of 49 ships from 17 NATO, and partner countries. The ‘Baltic Operations’ (‘BALTOPS’) 2015 left Gdynia, Poland, on June the 8th.

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BALTOPS 2014

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The Russian interest started with a ship shadowing the fleet as it left port, followed by a flypast by two SU-24, making two passes above the formation of ships.

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The SU-24, NATO reporting name Fencer, with shoulder-mounted variable geometry wing, is an all-weather attack aircraft. It has a maximum speed of 1,315kph and a combat radius of around 650km. It is armed with an onboard 23mm cannon and has 8 hardpoints for radio-command and laser guided missiles. It can also carry the Kh-31A anti-ship missile.

As well as the flypasts, two Russian Corvettes came up on the flank of the BALTOPS fleet. NATO command were far from concerned and actually welcomed the Russian interest. Senior commanders felt it was a good thing that the Russians knew they were there. The senior command was quoted as saying it was a good thing that NATO was broadcasting a message of unity and solidarity and a commitment to ensure the safety and security of the Baltic Sea.

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Russian Advanced Corvette, Stoikiy (Steadfast).

The Russian SU-24s later made more than a dozen passes of an Arleigh Burke-class, the USS Ross (DDG-71).

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Arleigh Burke-class, the USS Ross (DDG-71).

“USS Ross (DDG-71) (2)” by U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg. – Source. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons –

Around 60 aircraft will also participate.  A combined landing force of 700 Swedish, Finnish, US, and UK amphibious troops will embark from four amphibious ships off the coast of Sweden to conduct a joint landing operation off the Polish Baltic coast.

The Bear continues to growl…..

Post copyrighted to Harvey Black