The Military Thread

I got some news regarding military stuff:

https://www.armyrecognition.com/march_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/canada_to_deploy_troops_in_mali.html

Canada made their announcement to deploy troops to Mali.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/march_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/turkish_forces_to_replace_us_in_qatar_military_base.html

And straight outta Turkey... They're info that Turkish forces will head to Qatar and replace American troops there after the announcement of moving from al-Udaid Base.

U.S. Special Ops and Lithuanian Reservists Practiced Waging Guerrilla War Against Russia

Interesting article. Thanks.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-march-20-2018-1.4583785/should-canada-risk-soldiers-lives-in-its-peacekeeping-mission-in-mali-1.4583883

The CBC posted an article on whether Canada's ready for peacekeepers to get back to Africa, considering the fiasco in Somalia.

Ex-Misawa jiujitsu instructor faces attempted manslaughter charge after on-base fight

Somewhere in here is a joke about military dependents causing problems for military folks. Short version is, jiu-jitsu instructor (married to a female officer on base) got into a fight at a coffee shop which quickly escalated to him and his son putting an airman in a leg lock while trying to break his neck, choke him, and hit him in the head. Security Forces arrived on scene and got him out of there, but not before he attacked two other airmen in the shop.

"Gomez’s 20-year-old son, who was also at the café, put the airman in a leg lock while Gomez attempted to snap the immobilized man’s neck by twisting his head violently up and to the side, the overview states. He then punched the man in the neck and face and stomped on his head several times."

May he rot in prison. Asshole.

The Army is continuing its commitment to railgun technology as the Navy falters. [1]

The scaled-down truckbed versions they show are pretty cool.

What are the advantages of railguns over traditional artillery?

Range, in the case of indirect-fire munitions. In the case of direct-fire, increased velocity, which also enables projectiles made of materials that aren't as long-term hazardous as, say, the depleted uranium currently used in the Abrams and the like, if they can make a version that's 'light' enough to be carried by its successor, whatever that ends up being.

edited 21st Mar '18 11:01:27 AM by math792d

Not only range, but accuracy as well. The rounds fly on a very flat trajectory and move quickly, which makes them suitable for intercepting small drones, aircraft, and possibly even missiles. That’s the main roles the army wants to examine them for.

Meanwhile, Vice reports on the Japanese military

After so many decades of taking a pacifistic stance, they are trying to build it's army again. I know some people in Japan are wary, but I do think it could be at least be used for defense.

The problem to me is not what they're doing, it's who is doing it and how. Bit of a political mess all arounds.

The problem is that the present government is at least partially propped up by attempts to rehabilitate Imperial Japan and...no.

Just no.

Say no to putting an enhanced military budget in the arms of those types of people. We have enough maniacs juggling highly sophisticated armed forces right now.

Yeah, I knew that some of Japan's far right might have something to do with it. I hope people keep a close eye on this move, because no one wants to go back to dark roads in their past.

For most of Southeast Asia, having those fanatics bear arms would be an utter nightmare.

Nobody bloody wants them to ever return to that path.

edited 21st Mar '18 11:31:51 AM by TheWildWestPyro

Railguns for the army would still have ballistic trajectories but since the muzzle velocity and terminal velocity of the railguns are stupidly high, the main advantage would be not only a time on target that is significantly faster than both missiles and conventional artillery but the task of counter battery fire would also be much better compared to conventional artillery.

Since the combination of shorter time on target and larger range envelope would allow the counter battery fire missions to engage enemy artillery outside their effective range or drop some super sonic metal love before they can relocate.

Yeah, nobody wants Neo-Imperial Japan.

If there was a call for recruits to destroy the damn thing I'd go and sign up immediately.

Nobody ever wants Imperial Japan back except a bunch of fanatics who cannot comprehend human suffering.

Why does it like the far right are taking control in every country?

Correction, in Japan they never gave up control. Leading to an awkward reality of it essentially being a one-party state, but that party has official factions that do not get along. Any real opposition has crumbled due to infighting and outright incompetence.

Abe is essentially part of the very hawkish wing of his party and a member of a far-right organisation (along with most of his cabinet). If the current scandal ends up removing him, there's no telling who will replace him.

edited 21st Mar '18 12:17:15 PM by TerminusEst

So the army wants the truck bed sized rail gun more seriously now.

I wonder how they will compact the plethora of support equipment like the generator and capacitor banks? I know there is the advertisement or concept for the "Blitzer" but that thing had a fairly sophisticated set up for a single arty gun.

My impression was that those larger setups would be used for more particular tasks like air and missile defense.

Forget that, I wanna know when we can start putting them on tanks.

Before that it’ll make a better alternative than Patriot for taking down small drones.

I don't mind the idea of them having a military again, however, I would hope that some sane members of the government only use this as a way to defend themselves instead of going back the warpath. I wonder what Miyazaki would think of this. I know it sounds weird bringing him up, but he's very anti-War and probably would be very critical of this move especially since I think he lived during World War 2 and knows the cost of his country's past imperialism.