Gearing up for World War Three: Nato tanks put on massive show of strength in Germany

dailymail.co.uk ^ | 13 May 2017 | Rebecca Taylor For Mailonline

[Chode]

NATO tanks have put on a show of their strength during a competing exercise in Germany, testing offensive and defensive operations to see who can prevail.

Austria took first place in the Strong Europe Tank Challenge 2017 as six nations and partner nations battled it out in Grafenwoehr, beating France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and the USA in the exercise.

The second annual challenge, which was won by Germany last year, tested soldiers on vehicle identification, battle damage assessment and precision manoeuvres.

According to Stars and Stripes, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the commander of U.S. Army Europe, said the challenge was designed to foster both a competitive and cooperative spirit among the tankers. After trying their best during the day to outperform their competitors, each night they exchanged professional knowledge, he said.

The partnership event took place over five days at Grafenwoehr's military training ground in Germany.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin's troops have been practising dropping armoured tanks into the battlefield by parachute.

A BMD-4M amphibious infantry fighting vehicle strapped to parachutes was dropped from the back of an Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane at an altitude of 800m, during trials at Dyagilevo Air Base, Ryazan Region.

[archy]

It’s my recollection/understanding that the tank was dropped “unoccupied”.

The Sheridan was very new in 1967, and at the time it wasn't known what was possible, and what was a really, really bad idea. We knew the Russians could drop their then-new BMDs with the crews inside [they used corrugated cardboard for interior padding, among other novelties; I don't know if that was official Russian VDV science at work or some NCO hedging his bets, but it worked better than nothing.] In 1975 the Russians came up with improved [multiple; see pic below] parachutes, a retro-rocket system attached to the crushable landing pallet and limited the crew inside to two, the driver and gunner. I understand that now the other crewmen have radio trackers to find a transponder for their individual vehicle, even in the dark or rain. And we went to LAPES.

The BMD was only 7.5 tons versus the M551s 15-tons plus. LAPES was a LOT better way to go with the Sheridan.

[archy]

Italy had about 36 actual tanks ready about a year ago; Germany and France about 400 combined.

As of March 2015, Germany was operating about 250 Leopard tanks, mostly Leo 2A6s. The number is expected to increase to around 350 vehicles by 2020, depending on the success of the Rheinmetall 140 mm smoothbore cannon meant for the next-generation Leopard 2-140, which may or may not be fitted with an automatic loader, and which may or may not be built either as new vehicles or as a rebuild program for existing Leo 2 A6, A6M and A7 tanks- or some of both, or, unlikely, all of the above.

[archy]

“...After trying their best during the day to outperform their competitors, each night they exchanged professional knowledge,...”

in 1 liter mugs

Yours, maybe. My old panzerschutze krug holds every bit of 3 liters, plus a bit. Those Limey Centurion and Chieftain gunners from the British Army of the Rhine with their little one-pint glasses were seriously outgunned.

[archy]

I have the graphic but I lost the Treadhead ping list.

Snippy_about_it was the Treadhead List keeper, last I recall.

[PLMerite]

I heard that the Soviets tried the spam-in-a-can method but had dropped/pun it after too many mishaps. I didn’t know they Russians had resurrected it. They used to use braking rockets on the pallets, don’t know if that involved crewed vehicles.

Me, I don’t fly well with a window seat; no way anybody is sealing me inside an AFV.

[snippy_about_it]

Hi . The Ping list remains for everyone as needed on my home page/profile. Not updated in ages. Some duplicates. Here it is:

Freedom Poster;Delta 21;mostly cajun ;archy; Gringo1; Matthew James; Fred Mertz; Squantos; colorado tanker; The Shrew; SLB; Darksheare; BCR #226; IDontLikeToPayTaxes; Imacatfish; Tailback; DCBryan1; Eaker; Archangelsk; gatorbait; river rat; Lee’sGhost; Dionysius; BlueLancer; Frohickey; GregB; leadpenny; skepsel; Proud Legions; King Prout; Professional Engineer; alfa6; bluelancer; Cannoneer No.4; An Old Man; hookman; DMZFrank; in the Arena; Bethbg79; neverdem; NWU Army ROTC; ma bell; MoJo2001; The Sailor; dcwusmc; dts32041; spectr17; Rockpile; Theophilus;humblegunner;Spktyr;onedoug;snippy about it;samwolf;SZonian

[central_va]

Like the air craft carrier, armored vehicles and tanks are obsolete. /sarcasm

[archy]

Me, I don’t fly well with a window seat; no way anybody is sealing me inside an AFV.

The idea of night drops bothered me a good bit. I did not care for the idea of possibly coming down in a lake. Or a pond. Or a swamp or bog. Or an ocean....

After 388 jumps, my Airborne days are over. I would have liked to have quit with an even 400, but then I'd have said *Oh, petunias!* and gone for 500 even....

[archy]

Hi . The Ping list remains for everyone as needed on my home page/profile. Not updated in ages.

Thank you very much, snips! Strike Swiftly! Target, cease fire!

[PLMerite]

I’ve only got two jumps but that’s enough for me.

[Rebelbase]

“Given that the German Army is only allowed to work 41 hours per week because the nut-job Defense Minister is applying EU labor laws to the Bundeswehr, I would not get too excited about the proficiency of the modern Panzerwaffe. “

I just had the mind image of a German tank company engaged in a firefight with the Russians. 41 hours hits and they all abandon their tanks for home.

[archy]

I’ve only got two jumps but that’s enough for me.

I was not as smart when I had two jumps in as you were.

[Chode]

some here swear that as gospel

[snippy_about_it]

Love you guys!

[vooch]

panzerschutze !

good on you