New moroccan contract

....

Algerian Pilot AW 101 merlin

SAAF in Mozambique

Watch how the pilot hovers the Oryx above water, just below a power line while the tail is close to a signboard to rescue people. This is skilful piloting at its best.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykdkW4dWvPk

frumentius:


Wot vid?

The 12.7 mm UGV tactical demo you mentioned.

kikuyu1:


The 12.7 mm UGV tactical demo you mentioned.

Oh! Mate, I wasn't there. I'm told that 12.7mm RCWS were deployed where saengine highlighted [pics below:the UGV was disassembled into a static 12.7mm post].
Hence I mentioned the scenario of which I know where "unamnned" suppressive fire, indirect/direct fire support and "unmanned" medics were deployed.

I'm not a Luddite, just think current unmanned ground systems don't belong in combat fields. Rear deployment and logs, yes. Better AI systems, yes yes!

So vids? The guys at African Defence Review and others probably shot a few and those shall surely surface.

frumentius:

Oh! Mate, I wasn't there. I'm told that 12.7mm RCWS were deployed where saengine highlighted [pics below:the UGV was disassembled into a static 12.7mm post].
Hence I mentioned the scenario of which I know where "unamnned" suppressive fire, indirect/direct fire support and "unmanned" medics were deployed.

I'm not a Luddite, just think current unmanned ground systems don't belong in combat fields. Rear deployment and logs, yes. Better AI systems, yes yes!

So vids? The guys at African Defence Review and others probably shot a few and those shall surely surface.

Ah, now I fully understand your previous reply.

ACD2019


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR1Hq17HFsE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNNqRuTNn74

Algerian1,you earlier mentioned anti-Bouteflika riots. Now the army commander himself has publicly told him to take a hike!

In a speech broadcast by private television station Ennahar on Tuesday, General Ahmed Gaid Salah called the protesters' demands "legitimate" and[b] invoked a provision in the constitution stating that if the health of the president does not allow him to carry out his function then the office is to be declared vacant.[/b]
"To resolve the crisis [in the country] right now, the implementation of article 102 is necessary and is the only guarantee to maintain a peaceful political situation," he said.
"These protests have continued up till now in a peaceful and civilized way ... and could be exploited by parties with bad intentions inside and outside of Algeria," the general added.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/26/africa/abdelaziz-bouteflika-algeria-intl/

On one level its good the army follows the constitution but then again its a universal problem whenever they interfere in politics,however noble their intentions-what's the latest on this situation?

Slightly O/T including all the racial minorities that served with The Germans in WW2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYmjQzpS434

As you see at least 2 Blacks are known to have served with the SS and I do know one was KIA outside Moscow. Idk,if he was a non German or one of the surviving Black Catholics. Btw,none of the Africans who served with the Brits in the hottest theatres like Burma or Ethiopia,or even in non combat service units got their pension. Johnnie Brit escaped all financial responsibilities to his colonial 'allies' slyly deferring all promises til after Uhuru at which point he absolved himself OF ALL AND ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR PAYING PENSION AND BENEFITS saying the newly independent countries would take over.
Every year a dwindling band of desperate survivors would gather to see the serving Brit def attache on Remembrance Day to be warded off by security. The last Kenyan vet to demand his benefits thusly was in 2006,IIRC. The Arab,Indian and Black German soldiers were trained and paid equally to white Germans serving in unsegregated units.

kikuyu1:
Algerian1,you earlier mentioned anti-Bouteflika riots. Now the army commander himself has publicly told him to take a hike!


https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/26/africa/abdelaziz-bouteflika-algeria-intl/

On one level its good the army follows the constitution but then again its a universal problem whenever they interfere in politics,however noble their intentions-what's the latest on this situation?

This is one of the reason why nigeria politicians re refusing to fund the military and especially the army.
Imagine the the Algerian army chief telling the president to step down.
No matter how bad the president is, am sure there re other legal means to unseat a president.

Some info on Denel's M-8 mortar and new PFF 60mm and 81mm ammo.
Pretty impressive stuff. A lot less 60mm ammo needed for your section to slog around the bush.
It would also effectively turn something like Thales's 81mm Toyota mounted tube into a 120mm equivalent.

The Recces should buy some of these for protected long range patrol/peacekeeping ops.
Their Caspirr's must be getting old by now.

Some pics from RDM demo day at OTB.

UGV SF vehicles

New products and demo pics.

T-7 and Plofadder

Recce Hornets

New PGM's etc.
Looks like the Denel developed Sajeel PGM kit is integrated on Hawk now.

Some info on Asagai family of 155mm ammo. Those little squares on the shrapnel kill zone pics are football fields btw! Dont f with 155mm.
Info here : https://www.edrmagazine.eu/modular-improvements-for-assegai-artillery-ammunition

Would NOT want to be close to that G-5 muzzle brake when it goes boom.
Blew my eardrum and got pretty bad concussion from being next to a Olifant when it fired.

61mech:
Some info on Denel's M-8 mortar and new PFF 60mm and 81mm ammo.
Pretty impressive stuff. A lot less 60mm ammo needed for your section to slog around the bush.
It would also effectively turn something like Thales's 81mm Toyota mounted tube into a 120mm equivalent.

Some of us have been asking the question for some time now: what does this all mean for the 120mm and where they're located in the ORBAT?

interesting to note that the SANDF Arty guy there gave a speech explaining that the T-5 battery they acquired will be used for doctrine evaluation. but is fully supported by the SANDF, so they could deploy operationally.
They are also evaluating upgunning the old G-6's to 52cal.

We don't use NATO spec ammo, so theoretically the SANDF could opt for the full bore/high chamber volume "Losfoor" guns that they developed, but did not meet NATO spec because they were too much daka-daka.
That would give them the best 155mm SPA system on the planet, by a large margin!

61mech:
The Recces should buy some of these for protected long range patrol/peacekeeping ops.
Their Caspirr's must be getting old by now.

I agree. In 2013 for the 1st FIB mission, they deployed with Hornets, which proved completely inadequate. Mambas and Casspirs were then used, which invalidates their light-footprint, covert role. At some point there was serious thought about Denel's RG-32, but personally I'd rather opt for the 4X4 Light Casspir the CSIR and Denel are working on. For 2 reasons: cheaper than RG32 and similar logs with the Mamba and Casspir family.

61mech:
Recce Hornets

Your favourites!

61mech:
New PGM's etc.
Looks like the Denel developed Sajeel PGM kit is integrated on Hawk now.

Integrated and fired from the Hawk at ACD2019. Interesting how many weapons systems have been integrated on the Hawk.
Validates the planning towards an operational Hawk squadron.

61mech:
Some info on Asagai family of 155mm ammo. Those little squares on the shrapnel kill zone pics are football fields btw! Dont f with 155mm.
Info here : https://www.edrmagazine.eu/modular-improvements-for-assegai-artillery-ammunition

Would NOT want to be close to that G-5 muzzle brake when it goes boom.
Blew my eardrum and got pretty bad concussion from being next to a Olifant when it fired.

Australia screwed up their 155mm arty procurement, but they now buy ammo from us!

61mech:
interesting to note that the SANDF Arty guy there gave a speech explaining that the T-5 battery they acquired will be used for doctrine evaluation. but is fully supported by the SANDF, so they could deploy operationally.
They are also evaluating upgunning the old G-6's to 52cal.

We don't use NATO spec ammo, so theoretically the SANDF could opt for the full bore/high chamber volume "Losfoor" guns that they developed, but did not meet NATO spec because they were too much daka-daka.
That would give them the best 155mm SPA system on the planet, by a large margin!

I know absolutely nothing about the intricacies of arty. More info, please?

I'd keep the 120mm in Mech Bns. and use the 81mm truck mounted tubes in Mot. units.
Generally speaking, you can shoot 120mm mortars closer to advancing infantry, because of the higher trajectory and shorter range, so they are still very useful. Shooting 155mm "danger close" can get hairy.
RDM is no doubt developing 120mm PFF ammo that might even outperform 155mm HE.

Also use 81mm PFF for airborne/SF units.
Buying the ammo is a no brainer. Its ballistically matched, so they can train with the old stocks and deploy with the PFF ammo.
This ammo could have made the difference in Bangui as its particularly devastating against light infantry. Not so much against armoured formations, but even there , it'l do a lot of damage to equipment like optics/tyres etc.

Getting the 60mm is essential though as ammo needs to be manprotable, so double the effect on target means half the ammo.(in theory)

frumentius:


Some of us have been asking the question for some time now: what does this all mean for the 120mm and where they're located in the ORBAT?

The 'shorty" Casspir can also carry 23/14.5mm guns and mortars/rockets the Recces seems to love so much.
Ignoring budget, i'd go for the RG-33 SOCOM variants and a log. support flatbed to each patrol. Should give them long range and lots of protection if they have to fight their way out of trouble.

frumentius:


I agree. In 2013 for the 1st FIB mission, they deployed with Hornets, which proved completely inadequate. Mambas and Casspirs were then used, which invalidates their light-footprint, covert role. At some point there was serious thought about Denel's RG-32, but personally I'd rather opt for the 4X4 Light Casspir the CSIR and Denel are working on. For 2 reasons: cheaper than RG32 and similar logs with the Mamba and Casspir family.

I suspect the SAAF is moving towards Hawks toss bombing with ground designation as their go-to PGM deployment. Hawks are also 2 seaters , so you could "window lase" like they did with the Cheetahs.

Not enough Gripens to do both CAP mission in contested airspace and do air to ground. We probably only have enough to keep 2x two ship sorties in the air for CAP with the numbers we have. Drop tanks and AA loadout only.

frumentius:


Integrated and fired from the Hawk at ACD2019. Interesting how many weapons systems have been integrated on the Hawk.
Validates the planning towards an operational Hawk squadron.

They also should have gone for Rooivalk instead of Tiger. The Tiger has been an absolute disaster.
They had to rely on other countries for attack heli support in Afghanistan.
Rooivalk was built for hot-and high work from the get-go and its also much more FOB supportable. It's actually the Grippen of Attack helis, because you don't need a dedicated airbase to re-arm/refuel.

frumentius:


Australia screwed up their 155mm arty procurement, but they now buy ammo from us!

52Cal refers to the length of the barrel compared to the caliber of the ammo. A 155mm round can fit (sideways ,so 155x52=barrel length) 52 times in a 52cal barrel.
Nato MOU specs for 52cal has a 23 liter camber. That refers to the volume you can use for you charges. Denel developed the project Losfoor ammo and guns in the 90's. They were looking at higher chamber volume for even more range.
It's actually not all about range. A 52cal Asagai round has a much shorter flight time at lower elevation/range. This means less time for the environment/airpreasure changes etc. to have an effect on accuracy. It also allows for better multiple rounds simultaneous impact performance.

MRSI firemissions can resemble a B-52 strike.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65S19yldP0

frumentius:


I know absolutely nothing about the intricacies of arty. More info, please?