Tanko'pedia

Perhaps no vehicle of the Iraqi Armoured Corps is as iconic as the mystical T-55 "Enigma". Other than a handful of remaining samples in museums, and in both military and private collections, most appear to have been destroyed in 1991.  With an unexpectedly hostile international response to the Invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the Iraqi Army found it had led itself into a corner. With only a few Republican Guard Divisions being well-equipped with somewhat modern military equipment, the rest still depleted since the Iran-Iraq war, desperate measures would be taken. Since by 1991 the T-55s and Type 59s which were the bulk of the Iraqi Armoured Corps were grossly outmatched by the Coalition's Abrams and Challenger tanks, yet new more modern tanks could not be obtained due to the massive debts incurred during the Iran-Iraq war, more crude solutions were undertaken.  Disabled Iraqi T-55 tank at the Jalibah Airfield (link 4) It is not known exactly how many T-55's were converted ...

It's now 26th of January, 2022. 26th of January was also the same date that, in 1950, the Republic of India was formed and where the Constitution of India came into effect. More  here . As such, it would be a pity to not respect and celebrate the birth of one of the militarily strongest in Asia, with an undoubtedbly long and interesting history and culture. With at least 8 races as a multiracial country, a 9000-year long history, etc, etc. As such, happy 73rd Republic Day to the Republic of India!

The MILES, standing for "Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System" is a Western training system made first by Xerox Electro-Optical Systems in the US Army's Engineering Development program, first entering service in 1979. Surely this could not be the only one? And that is right. The USSR had also developed a similar system starting 1986, in the "Tochpribor" Design Bureau (ЦКБ «Точприбор») which specialised in sighting systems and optical instruments for the Army. This development was intended to provide the Soviet Army with three systems for two types of units; the regular infantry and the armoured corps. The regular infantry received the 9F824 "Besstrashiye", or "Fearlessness". For heavy armoured fighting vehicles like tanks and for IFVs, they received two systems - the 1K77 "Radar" and the "Zorkiy" respectively. A BMP-1 mounting the "Zorkiy" system, seen atop its main gun, whilst the infantry beside it bears...

 Taken from:  "Between The Lines" Между Строк Cleaning the barrel. Loading an inert high-explosive training shell 3OF26IN. (Original) (Edited) 2A46M gun without thermal shroud.

In June 2021, 12 companies supplying MBTs received RFIs (requests for infromation) from the Indian government. The RFI was related to India's ongoing  FRCV (Future Ready Combat Vehicle) project. The plan was to supply a number of 1770 FRCV tanks to the Indian Army to replace the aging T-72S tanks (export T-72Bs). Only last week, the French government had informed the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, that they supported Nexter's industrial proposal for India. The FRCV project had envisioned manufacturing with a so-called "strategic partner". On the 28th December, 2021, lawmaker and National Assembly deputy Nichlas Dupont-Aignan queried in response to question regarding India's FRCV (Future Ready Combat Vehicle) project. Mentioning the fact only 200 Leclerc MBTs were being upgraded for use into the 2040s, “During the next 20 years, nothing is planned to properly augment the French Army’s heavy land combat means,” he said. He had also mentio...