Russian Ground Forces: News #2

GarryB wrote:Because US soldiers and the US army seem fixated with believing their assault rifles are sniper rifles and that if they can shoot people at 600m or 800m they will be safe from any return fire.

Of course as shown in Afghanistan... when you come up against an experienced military force they will recognise you superior short range fire power and try to work around it... in this case a group of foreign soldiers on foot patrol... set up a Kalashnikov 900m away and fire bursts at them and they wont have much on hand that can effectively return fire. Fire a few bursts and then move to a new position and fire some more and then move again.

Would also ask about which soldiers you are comparing... Russian soldiers in Syria all seem to have some form of optic on their weapons...

par far wrote:

GarryB wrote:Because US soldiers and the US army seem fixated with believing their assault rifles are sniper rifles and that if they can shoot people at 600m or 800m they will be safe from any return fire.

Of course as shown in Afghanistan... when you come up against an experienced military force they will recognise you superior short range fire power and try to work around it... in this case a group of foreign soldiers on foot patrol... set up a Kalashnikov 900m away and fire bursts at them and they wont have much on hand that can effectively return fire. Fire a few bursts and then move to a new position and fire some more and then move again.

Would also ask about which soldiers you are comparing... Russian soldiers in Syria all seem to have some form of optic on their weapons...

Thanks for the reply GarryB, this was just a general comparison, I was looking through pictures.

Every Russian soldier gets a kit which has some form of optics. Sometimes old Soviet optics. Sometimes newer stuff. May depend on the department you are in

Until recently, these multiple launch rocket systems were armed only with army artillery brigades. But in the near future, the latest modular MLRS Uragan-M1 will displace them from artillery brigades, which, unlike their predecessors in the M1 arsenal, have a whole set of high-precision munitions. Due to the released “simple” “Hurricanes”, the firepower of artillery of motorized rifle and tank divisions will be significantly increased. Even a single battery of such MLRS is an impressive force that can create serious difficulties for the enemy.

In addition to the individual protection gear, it will include completely new munitions and small arms

GarryB wrote:

In addition to the individual protection gear, it will include completely new munitions and small arms

Awesome... so new munitions and new fire arms... for Ratnik 3 called Sotnik.

So from what I can tell... Ratnik means Warrior, while Sotnik means Centurion... meaning Sentry rather than 100 years old...

Drones, robots, lasers, supersonic gliders & other high-tech arms: Putin wants Russian military to be up to any future challenge

The Russian military will be going all out sci-fi, with Vladimir Putin saying the plan for boosting the Armed Forces until 2033 should focus on AI and weapons based on ‘new physical principles.’
With the introduction of a whole range of state-of-the-art arms in recent years, Russia has been “able to make a step forward compared to the world’s other military powers,” Putin said during a meeting of the Russian Security Council on Friday.

The tally of the newest weapons and hardware in the possession of the country’s Armed Forces and Navy is currently over 68 percent, he said, adding that they must be increased to at least 70 percent and maintained at that level.

The program for the development of the Russian military-industrial complex until 2033 will be approved next year for Russia to remain ahead of its rivals, the President said.

The emphasis in the plan must be put on “advanced high-precision weapons and means of aerospace defense; the active use of artificial intelligence in the production of military hardware,” the President said.

Russia requires these futuristic arms because “the world is facing serious challenges and threats,” while military technologies are developing rapidly, providing for tougher competition in the area, Putin explained.

“The US withdrawal from the INF treaty [banning the US and Russia from fielding in Europe ground-based missiles with a range of between 500km and 5,500km] under an invented pretext has become a significant blow for the arms control system.” Russia must be able to forecast the effect that this move will have on the international situation and to adjust its military potential accordingly.

NATO's buildup near the Russian borders and “attempts to militarize space” are also a cause for significant concerns, the head of state said.

They’re in the army now

Russia has already successfully tested its Avangard hypersonic glider, which is launched by silo-based ICBMs. Some sources claim this technology is about to be put in service by the end of the year. Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which are fired from aircraft, have also been shown to the public. Those weapons are said to be able to bypass any existing air defences, due to traveling five times faster than the speed of sound. Work on the ship-based Zircon hypersonic system is currently underway.

One of the weapons, based on new physical principles, is the Peresvet laser system, which began trials with the military last year. The hardware is highly classified, but experts believe it can be used as a jamming device or to neutralize enemy targets, including cruise missiles and satellites in orbit.

The assembly of serial Su-57 fifth generation fighter jets began earlier this year. The cutting-edge aircraft actively employs AI and was even described as “a flying robot.” A few months ago, a trial version of Su-57 performed a spectacular joint flight with Russia’s new Okhotnik heavy drone, with can be used for both surveillance and attack missions.

https://www.rt.com/russia/474119-putin-laser-drone-robot-hypersonic/

Mine Hardware to Reach New Level in 2020's

Mines constitute a simple, though highly effective measure to gain advantage over the enemy. This is especially relates to the remote-planting devices allowing for rapid change of operational environment. The current trend is that mines and their planting facilities are getting more sophisticated, with increasing effectiveness and application flexibility. In 2020's, the works on development and commissioning of such systems will speed up, which is seen in Russia, the US and Europe.

Visitors of the Army-2019 forum had an opportunity to estimate the special mine-planting systems (SPEMPS) developed under the Klesch-G research project. The multirole minelayers can be mounted on tracked vehicle, on wheeled chassis of Astais-70202-0000310 or Typhoon-VDV armored rovers.

Apart from improved protection, the vehicles are equipped with an advanced geolocation system helping to plot detailed mining maps and send the online mine-planting data to superior command.

In the future, these minelayers, in addition to clusters of PFM-1 antipersonnel HE mines, POM-2 stake mines, and PTM-3 antitank mines, will plant the 'smart' POM-3 mines unveiled by the media in 2015. Using sensors, the mine detonates without direct contact with the enemy, reports Zvezda TV channel.

In December 2019, the Twelfth Central Research Institute of the Russian Defense Ministry is to complete preliminary tests of prototype samples of special mine-planting sets developed under the Klesch project. Along with that, the state trials of Typhoon-VDV rover, being the base for a multirole minelayer, come to the end.

A Russian lieutenant colonel, veteran of the counterterrorist operation at the North Caucasus and the Syrian campaign told in the face-to-face interview to Mil.Press Today that mounting of launchers on the said armored rovers increases mobility of systems and protection of crews, as compared to the old multirole minelayers based on the ZIL-131 trucks. As for the officer, such systems can be used for prompt closure of hazardous sectors, lateral protection of defending troops, and enemy's movement correction.

"If the scouts did a good job and learned about some enemy's action, it is a good chance for rapid consolidation. Another case, when you can direct the enemy wherever it is planned. If the route of the enemy's troops is known, the recon unit may call for a minelayer and mine the certain terrain sector. You can block the planned route or close the retreat lines, if it was decided to set an ambush", explained the veteran.

In addition, the officer told about how effective the minelayers are: "I had a chance of seeing these systems in action. Fragmentation mine POM-2 impresses much. First, the mines are thrown, and then they shoot wired target sensors. What we finally get is a tripwire, making lots of troubles for the enemy. There's plenty of such mines on the area, so the enemy's personnel won't be very anxious to clear the field. Sure, POM-2 mines make no harm to armor, but for that purpose you can 'seed' antitank ones".

In designing of mines and planting systems, Russian military and industry have vast room for maneuver, as Russia did not joined the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (a.k.a. Ottawa Treaty).

Neither did the US, though in 2014 the then-president Barack Obama announced a new policy regarding the anti-personnel landmines. According to the fact sheet, the United States planned to halt production and procurement of anti-personnel mines. It was also announced that the national armed forces waived the use of all "non-detectable" and "persistent" mines.

However, the US authorities admit that using mines helps to gain advantage over the enemy at the battlefield. It is especially relates to the systems analogous to Russian minelayers, known in the US Army as Volcano mine system.

The system's feature is that the used mines have a programmed operational term: 4 hours, 48 hours, or 15 days. This option enables coordination of the use of anti-personnel mines and the new American policy targeted at alignment with the Ottawa Treaty. However, the convention makes no exception for the 'temporary' mines though.

American military call Volcano systems obsolete but still relevant. Reports on their use for training and combat purposes occasionally emerge in official informational sources of the US Army.

Moreover, the system will see development. With this in view, the US defense budget for 2020 and 2021 fiscal years includes $20 mln allocated for creation of the Standoff Activated Volcano Obstacle (SAVO) system, a Volcano-based ground launcher postured as a measure for rapid obstruction to enemy's vehicles. The system will utilize smart technologies capable to fuse the mines without direct contact with the enemy.

Given that the SAVO launcher is based on Volcano system, it will be able to apply anti-personnel mines, too.

Advanced European mine-planting systems are to gain momentum in 2020's as well.

For instance, Poland, that ratified the Ottawa Treaty, by 2022 plans to obtain a prototype of home-made minelayer designed under BAOBAB-K project. The system is to be developed by Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW). The company has already offered its minelayer in the past, but it failed to meet the set requirements.

The development contract was signed by the Polish defense ministry's weaponry inspection. The tender was announced in 2017.

According to the specifications, the vehicle must have wheel arrangement 8x8, six launchers, armored cabin (level I ballistic protection under STANAG-4569), high-tech launch control system, laser radiation detector OBRA-3 linked to 81-mm smoke grenade launchers, loading equipment (launchers must be removable, with an option for a standard 20-feet container), and a combat module with 12.7-mm machinegun.

Reportedly, BAOBAB-K system will use only antitank mines.

Therefore, development of mine-planting hardware can be treated as the worldwide trend. In this area, with already available solutions on mine-protected chassis, Russia holds leading positions.

Russian Military Wants Two-Section ARV for Arctic

Russian defense ministry has recently ordered designing of an armored recovery vehicle (ARV) for operation in Arctic. The tender for a corresponding R&D project was won by Uralvagonzavod, an insider in defense industry shared with Mil.Press Today.

"Indeed, the Arctic version of the ARV codenamed Evacuator GM will be designed by Uralvagonzavod. The vehicle will be ready by the end of 2020", explained the source.

Totally, 169.4 mln rubles will be allocated for the project, to be divided in three parts: in 2018 it is planned to grant 18.5 mln rubles, in 2019 – 148 mln rubles, and over 2.9 mln rubles in 2020.

Being interviewed by Mil.Press Today, a military expert Viktor Murakhovsky said it was too early to specify how the project would look like, though the creation of the arctic ARV was logical.

"Many efforts are applied to develop two-section hardware. The arctic force grouping has an air defense system, a transporter with combat module, and so. Naturally, this family needs technical maintenance vehicles", summed up the expert.

The new rover is designed for recovery of damaged military vehicles in arctic conditions, including under enemy fire, to disabled vehicle collecting points or shelters. Also, the ARV will be used for unditching operations and assistance to crews in repairs and maintenance in field conditions.

Uralvagonzavod has wide experience in designing of armored recovery vehicles. For instance, BREM-1M based on the T-72A tank chassis, armed with antiaircraft machinegun NSVT-12.7, and equipped with observation sensors for battlefield technical reconnaissance. The vehicle has a hydraulic crane and electric welding equipment to perform repair and maintenance in field conditions, a haulage winch to evacuate trapped tanks, and accessories for earthworks and bulldozing operations. Technical characteristics of the arctic version have not been disclosed so far.

that round at the front of the table bottom right is hard to make out...

kvs wrote:These structures need proper ventilation. They trap to moisture which is bad for tanks, jets and whatnot.

JohninMK wrote:

kvs wrote:These structures need proper ventilation.   They trap to moisture which is bad for tanks, jets and whatnot.

This one has it, the big tubes behind the lights.