I needs pictures.
Oh really when?Sounds very similar to this actually Only with the engine upfront.
Garcon: It looks like a BMP-3 with a 57mm gun. :P
edited 10th Sep '15 1:11:05 PM by TuefelHundenIV
Who watches the watchmen?Oh nice. The choice of armament makes sense; the BMP-3's 100/30 turret is quite large, and the space inside would be necessary for all that ammunition (which is, for comparison, about the size and power of the famed WWII-era six-pounder). I suppose it's not hard to hang a pod of Kornets off the side, either.
Changing the engine layout is filed under "I fucking well hope so"; the BMP-3's old layout was a disaster and a half. Getting rid of those utterly unnecessary bow machine guns and the seats for the gunners would free up the space.
Overall, a much-needed change to a much-overrated machine.
Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.Just getting rid of the carousel ammo loader alone should do wonders for the BM Ps survivability.
Funny that UVZ is still ploughing forward with the ATOM concept. The new-shape BMP is a step in the right direction for Russia too, since one suspects it might be more affordable than the T-15 and Bumerang.
Schild und Schwert der ParteiI heard that ATOM was pretty much scrapped in 2014, with the budget being cut down to miniscule levels.
edited 10th Sep '15 2:47:44 PM by KnitTie
Oh? Heard it was going to be at RAE this year. Must be dead since the sanctions, and it's completely redundant next to Bumerang, but perhaps not.
Schild und Schwert der ParteiIt's not completely unknown for random Russian companies to showcase stuff that'll never hit the markets anyway; there's that Il-102 that popped up randomly at an airshow, to widespread puzzlement. (Alternatively, ATOM might be intended as a private venture for export, but I agree that Bumerang would render it redundant.)
Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.It could have also served as a developmental project with possible prospects for production and export.
Who watches the watchmen?MANILA, Sept. 20 (PNA) — The Philippine Army (PA) will be testing before the media on Monday the .50 caliber-remote controlled weapons system (RCWS) of its six newly-acquired M-113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) in Capas, Tarlac.
Col. Benjamin Hao, PA spokesperson, said on Sunday the demonstration will take place at the rifle range of the Mechanized Infantry Division in Camp O'Donnell, Capas.
The six APCs were transported to Tarlac on July 8 after arriving in the Philippines last June 18.
They were part of the 28 APCs ordered from Israeli defense manufacturer Elbit Systems Ltd. The contract, worth Ph P 882 million, was signed on June 22, 2014.
Fourteen of the M-113s will be configured as fire support vehicles, four as infantry fighting vehicles, six as armored personnel carriers, another four as armored recovery units.
Upgrades include installation of 25mm unmanned turrets, 12.7mm (.50 caliber machine guns) RCWS, and fire control systems (FCS) for 90mm turrets.
The PA operates 343 AF Vs (armored fighting vehicles) and APCs.
Around 85 percent of these AF Vs are on green status (fully mission capable) while another 10 percent are on yellow status (undergoing repair) and five percent are on red (beyond repair).
A total of 150 AF Vs are of the United Kingdom-built GKN "Simba," with the others consisting of US-designed V-150 and V-200 APCs, M-113s, Turkish-made ACV-300s and British Scorpion CVR Ts.
These vehicles give the PA its armor capability and are organized into a 14-vehicle mechanized infantry companion for deployment with regular units. (PNA) SCS/PFN
edited 19th Sep '15 10:09:34 PM by entropy13
I'm reading this because it's interesting. I think. Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot, over.DSEI 2015: UK's Scout SV renamed Ajax as first turreted prototype unveiled
The British Army has 589 Ajax-family vehicles on order under a GBP 3.5 billion (USD 5.4 billion) manufacturing contract awarded to General Dynamics UK (GDUK) in September 2014 to replace its old CVR(T) family of vehicles.
The Ajax name applies to the entire family as a whole and specifically to the turreted version of the vehicle armed with the CTA International 40 mm Case Telescoped Armament System (CTAS) in a Lockheed Martin UK turret. This is the most numerous of the variants, with 245 on order.
Five turretless vehicle variants formerly known as the Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) family have also been renamed: the reconnaissance support variant is now known as Ares (with 93 on order); the command-and-control (C2) variant is now called Athena (112); the equipment repair vehicle is known as Apollo (50); the equipment recovery variant is called Atlas (38); and the engineering reconnaissance variant is called Argus (51). Some of the vehicles also provide additional functions through carriage of equipment for dismounts - for example 23 joint fires and 24 ground-based surveillance have been purchased for dismounted use from the 245 Ajax vehicles.
The first Ajax prototype (P1) will now enter a period of validation trials, and is one of seven prototypes on order from General Dynamics as part of the Scout SV demonstration phase programme. Although initially planned to be the fourth prototype (P4), a PMRS prototype was actually the first to be completed and has been conducting validation trials since it was unveiled at Defence Vehicle Dynamics in June 2014.
In total there will be three Ajax prototypes, scheduled to be delivered by 2016 - of these two will be in configuration optimised for Major Combat Operations (MCO), with one configured for Peace Support Operations (PSO).
Think Defence has also updated the series: From CVR(T) to FRES to Ajax
Keep Rolling OnCross-posted/Stolen from The Military Thread:
That vehicle looks like a joke. Like a BMP-1/BMD-1 would whup the shit out of it joke.
The Germans have been using it for a while now. It's a light recce vehicle rather than a full-on IFV - it's not designed to take on Bimps.
, I regard the Wiesel as more of a Spiritual Successor to the Universal Carrier than anything else.
edited 25th Sep '15 9:14:40 AM by Greenmantle
Keep Rolling OnIt's an ultra-light tracked recce vehicle. Universal Carrier is a good comparison.
I think that UGV'ing it would really give the US something to work with.
Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.It's cute
Oh really when?THAT'S THE PROBLEM! A guy with a Browning .50 cal or a Mk 19 on a tripod can take out a BMP-1. And the Wiesel is weaker than that?
You can't even use the COIN mission anymore given that modern insurgents like ISIS can field things like tanks and Humvees.
You mean a guy with a Browning machine gun or a Mk-19 can take out a BMP from ambush. Trying to defend from a frontal BMP attack with a dug-in .50cal or Mk-19 frontally is going to end badly.
Wiesel isn't a fighting vehicle, the Germans have the Marder series and the Americans have Bradley for that. It's a light scout and, latterly, a helicopter-portable packmule that can lug around some heavy weapons. Given how US troops love air assaults, I can see Wiesels being helpful in providing mobility and heavy fire support after the troops have been landed.
Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.It's only difficult when you have that attitude. You need to believe you can win against all odds!
Victory comes to those who have bigger cojones!
That's the problem. The days of pack mule and non-combatant type vehicles are over. They've been over since 1939.
That effectiveness will last for all of about 15 seconds. Once Timmy Taliban or Ibrahim ISIS picks up an RPG...Pop goes the Wiesel.
The Stryker has better protection than that. The Sheridan Light Tank an air droppable tank has better protection than that. The freaking BMD series has better protection than that and they burn like a motherfucker!
How is Wiesel better?
No fan of the Boring, but Practical Universal Carrier (if you know what one of them is) then?
Keep Rolling OnThe Bren Gun Carrier was useful in that it could do more than be a pack mule. Slap a Bren gun or Vickers onto it and it could be used as anti-infantry. Slap on some TOW's and it could be used for anti-tank.
Of course given the fact the Bren Gun Carrier is the size of a golf cart compared to many vehicles gives it a lot of advantages in simplicity, light weight and difficulty for the enemy to hit it.
You just described everything the Weasel does.
Inter arma enim silent legesExcept Wiesel didn't have 100,000 of them made. And is a lot bigger. And is German so naturally it sucks and is overpriced.
And worst of all, it's ugly!
edited 25th Sep '15 2:49:49 PM by MajorTom
So they finally took the cues from western IFV designs to prevent to turn the BMP-3 from an explodey metal coffin into an IFV that is safer to ride inside rather than outside.
Inter arma enim silent leges