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☆ Russia's armored trains are a valuable tool with some big vulnerabilities
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Hope Seck | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Russia has used armored trains for military purposes for more than a century. Russia's use of armored trains for transport, mine-clearing, and resupply, however, has drawn particular scrutiny and criticism. Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesHowever, as details have emerged about these new armored transport trains used in Ukraine, observers have expressed bemusement. A video by the YouTube channel EngineerReact summarizes the primary problems with train warfare in the 21st century, calling Russia's armored trains "a terrible idea." "That was probably the best use of [military trains] in an offensive operation, in combat, in the recent wars," he said.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, luxuriously, trainspotter, Maksim Konstantinov, Richard Killblane, Scott Sturkol Killblane, Killblane, Taji, Jerome Bishop The, it's, there's Organizations: Service, Red Army, Russo, Museum of Russian Railways, Getty, YouTube, Ukraine's Territorial Defence Force, Army Special Forces, Army Transportation School, Army, US Army, Jerome Bishop The US Army, 757th Expeditionary Railway Center Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Japanese, Germany, Soviet Union, Afghanistan, Russian, St . Petersburg, McCoy, Wisconsin, Iraq, Mosul, Taji, Sadr

☆ Even the US Navy's best submarines couldn't get anywhere near the wreck of the Titanic
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

A search is on for a civilian submersible that went missing while trying to explore the Titanic. The wreck of the Titanic is under about 12,500 feet of water in the North Atlantic Ocean. The US Navy's submarine fleetVirginia-class sub USS North Dakota during sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean in August 2013. Reuters/US Navy HandoutThe United States Navy operates some of the most advanced and capable submarines ever to sail, commonly split into three operational categories: ballistic-missile subs, guided-missile subs, and attack subs. Guided-missile submarines are the same platforms as the Navy's boomers, but were converted to launch conventional munitions and deploy special-operations troops.

Persons: —, submersibles, Amanda Gray America's, Patrick Tyler's, Janes, Ashley, it's, HY Organizations: Service, OceanGate Expeditions, Polar, US Coast Guard, Reuters, US Navy, United States Navy, Los, Anadolu Agency, Washington Post, Naval Submarine Base, OceanGate Locations: Virginia, North Dakota, Ohio, Los Angeles, Angeles, Los, Amanda Gray America's Los Angeles, Tennessee, Bay, Georgia, America's Ohio

☆ Ukraine wants to work with Western countries to create another 'sea of NATO' on the border with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Doing so would help turn the Black Sea into another "sea of NATO," the foreign minister said. "It's time to turn the Black Sea into what the Baltic Sea has become, a sea of NATO," Dmytro Kuleba said. "The Black Sea can never be a NATO sea," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to Kuleba's comments. The Black Sea region is "a strategically important area for Euro-Atlantic security," Geoană said in April. At the conference in April, Romania's foreign minister said a strong NATO presence in the Black Sea was a "must."

☆ The Russian air force's struggles in Ukraine reveal glaring problems in now Moscow trains its pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +35 min

Despite being bigger and more advanced than its enemy, Russia's air force has struggled in Ukraine. It's commonly said that Russian fighter pilots are not as well trained as their Western counterparts, particularly those from the United States. But however ineffective you may think Russian pilot training is compared to the West, the truth seems to be … much worse. A Russian air force pilot prepares to take off in an Su-35 fighter jet at Hemeimeem air base in Syria in September 2019. Put simply, the Gulf War air campaign creates a damning juxtaposition when compared directly to Russia's air campaign over Ukraine.

☆ The story behind North Korea's wacky homegrown version of the AK-74 rifle
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Travis Pike | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

North Korea's military uses the Type 88-2 assault rifle, which is based on a clone of the AK-74 series. But other features of the Type 88-2 rifle raise questions about what the designers were thinking. North Korean troops during an exercise in August 2017. North Korean helical magazines seem to be primarily aimed at the much longer rifle calibers and likely hold anywhere from 100 to 150 rounds. It seems only certain North Korean units carry these magazines, and this includes the bodyguards of Kim Jong Un.

☆ There are more F-35s flying today than all other stealth aircraft combined
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But with over 890 F-35s delivered, there are more of them flying than all other stealth aircraft. With more than 890 F-35s delivered to date, there are more of these advanced fighters flying for nations around the world today than all other stealth aircraft on the planet ... combined. Jerod Harris/Getty ImagesAlthough the world's first stealth aircraft to enter operational service, the F-117 Nighthawk, began flying four decades ago now, the number of different stealth platforms in service today remains relatively small. There are about twice as many F-35s today than all other stealth aircraft combinedBritish Royal Air Force F-35s and a US Air Force B-2 fly along the English coast near Dover. Here are the tallies of stealth aircraft in service today, from most to least:

☆ The US military has 6 new air-to-air missiles in the works
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The US military has at least six new air-to-air missiles in active development. The US's current air-to-air missiles are effective, but they aren't designed for the newest US jets. Russia and China are fielding missiles with incredible rangeChinese-made PL-9C, left, and PL-5E air-to-air missiles at the Airshow China exhibition in November 2000. Peregrine Air-to-Air missileRaytheon's Peregine air-to-air missile has actually been around for a few years already. Modular Advanced Missile (MAM)The Modular Advanced Missile (MAM) is among the newest additions to this list.

☆ The biggest problem with Russia's tanks in Ukraine is the way Moscow tried to use them
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

By September, the tally of lost and captured Russian tanks reached 1,000 — more than all the tanks in the British, French, German, and Finnish militaries combined. The first time these British tanks found a fight, only 25 of the 49 of them actually moved when ordered to commence the attack. Nonetheless, before the conflict was over, Churchill himself would decide tanks had, once again, run their course, declaring, "we have too much armor — tanks are finished." And that is the real lesson we can glean from the performance of Russian tanks in Ukraine over the past year. Maxim Shemetov/ReutersThis point becomes evident when you look at Russian tank losses recorded by the Oryx Blog between February and April 2022, when Russian tank losses were at their absolute worst.

☆ B-52 crews are getting special brain training to help them fly the US Air Force's oldest bomber
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Hope Seck | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

US Air Force B-52 crews are going through a special brain- and body-conditioning program. The program is part of an effort to find the best way to enhance the performance of Air Force crews. Other airmen could get access to similar programs in the future, an Air Force official said. Officers on the lower deck of a B-52 at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota in August 2006. A B-52 bomber drops cluster bombs over Afghanistan on October 7, 2001.

☆ The US Navy is offering its most experienced special-operations sailors up to $100,000 to stay in uniform
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Steve Balestrieri | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Now the Navy is offering experienced Naval Special Warfare sailors with bonuses up to $100,000. Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia in July 2010. Phase Two of the program targets NSW sailors that are E-8s who have between 24 to 26 years of service. They can earn up to $50,000 in retention bonuses, with $25,000 offered each year. Phase Three of the program targets NSW sailors that are E-9s and have between 26 to 28 years of service.

☆ The F-22 is headed for retirement, but it's getting some major upgrades first
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

That means the Raptor will be need some upgrades in order to maintain its aerial advantage. Among them were new stealthy underwing fuel tanks and associated pylons, missiles, and what could be new electronic warfare or infrared search-and-track (IRST) pods. Today, the Raptor has 600-gallon fuel tanks it can carry underwing, but these tanks reduce its observability to a degree. The new fuel tanks intended for the F-22 are meant to offset some of that reduction. An F-22 Raptor over McEntire Joint National Guard Base in November 2017.

☆ What's the deal with the new B-21 bomber's weird windshield?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Few of the new B-21 bomber's features have gotten as much attention as its unusual windshield. What's the deal with the B-21 Raider's windscreens? US Air ForceThe B-21 Raider's unusual windscreen layout has been the subject of lots of discussions, but there has been very little in the way of formal statements regarding it. The unusual shape of the B-21 Raider's front two windscreens seems to prioritize visibility directly ahead and above the aircraft most of all. Glass windscreens and cockpits can have a pronounced effect on an aircraft's radar return.

☆ Smart bombs were a game-changer for militaries. Smart bullets may be next.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Travis Pike | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Smart bullets aren't new, but they're still early in development, and they have some drawbacks. If DARPA, aka the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has its way, smart bullets will become a very real thing. Beyond offensive combative measures, guided smart bullets can be used to defeat future threats from swarming UAVs to incoming missiles. Smart bullets currently availableAs of this writing, smart bullets aren't being deployed. Regardless, smart bullets could provide a new surgical option for snipers, infantrymen, and naval personnel.

☆ Why Russia accused China of copying its stealth fighter design
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

China is often accused of stealing plans for the US F-22 and F-35 to design its J-20 stealth jet. A Chinese J-20. Russia called out the J-20's similarities with the MiG 1.44 immediately after the Chinese fighter was revealedRussia's Su-47 Berkut forward-swept wing aircraft. REUTERS/StringerMikoyan has denied providing any kind of support for China's stealth fighter development which dates back to well before the J-20 was officially unveiled. "It looks like they got access … to documents relating to the Mikoyan — the aircraft that the Ministry of Defence skipped over in its tender to create a stealth fighter," he said.

☆ The US military is getting a 2-for-1 replacement for its vaunted Hellfire missile
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

This results in one missile that can do the job of both Hellfire missiles currently in service. This results in one missile that can do the job of both Hellfire missiles currently in American and allied inventories. Living up to the legacy of the HellfireA YAH-64 Apache prototype armed with AGM-114A Hellfire missiles in March 1982. Today's primary family of Hellfire missiles includes the AGM-114R Hellfire II, commonly known as the Hellfire Romeo, and the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire. An SH-60 helicopter armed with AGM-1148 Hellfire missiles aboard USS John F. Kennedy in March 2002.

☆ Ukraine's troops have been highly effective with the M777 howitzer, but US troops can turn it into a 'giant sniper rifle'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

US troops also have a new targeting system that makes the M777 even more precise. LCpl Samantha L. Jones/USMCIn 1979, the M198 155mm medium-towed howitzer entered service for the United States. While it would take two C-130s to deliver an M198 artillery system to the battlefield, the entire M777 setup could arrive in just one. That's more than all of the 155mm artillery rounds fired by the entire US military in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. US soldiers with the Joint Effects Targeting System Target Laser Designation System at Fort Greely in Alaska.

☆ The B-52 was designed in a hotel room over a weekend in 1948, and it may still be flying 100 years later
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

That design emerged from a hastily arranged work session in a Dayton hotel over a weekend in 1948. The B-52 started flying when America was still relying on P-51 MustangsUS Air Force F-51D Mustang fighters during the Korean War. Spanning wars and altitudesA US Air Force B-52F dropping 750-pound bombs over Vietnam in the 1960s. US Air ForceIn July 1948, Boeing received a contract from the still-new US Air Force to design and build a new heavy bomber. By late Friday night, the new B-52 bomber was already coming into focus.

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