Posted on 02/09/2006 4:43:25 AM PST by Cannoneer No. 4
Yet another European nation is replacing its Cold War era armored vehicles, with wheeled vehicles similar to the American Stryker. Belgium has ordered 241 Piranha IIIC vehicles. This vehicle is based on the Piranha III LAV, long used by the U.S. Marines. These vehicles were designed by Mowag of Switzerland, a company now owned by General Dynamics. The 14 ton, 8x8 vehicle has a maximum road speed of 100 kilometers an hour. Belgium is getting several variants of the vehicle, (99 infantry carriers, 32 armed with a 30-mm autocannon, 40 with a 90-mm cannon., 24 command vehicles, 12 ambulances, 17 recovery and repair, and 18 engineer vehicles.) Deliveries begin late next year. These vehicles cost about a million dollars each. This is much cheaper than the U.S. Stryker (which go for about $1.8 million each), and has raised questions if the additional features (sensors and computers) in the Stryker are worth the cost. The troops using Stryker are very much in favor of a vehicle they "boot up" instead of start up. Since the European wheeled armored vehicles are unlikely to see combat, the controversy will continue.
However today in America we got some nice choices...Colt (gas piston), Leitner-Wise gas piston,SIG 556 gas piston,POF gas piston,and FNs SCAR and FN2000 program...maybe even Robinson Arms..Wouldn't be surprised to see LaRue Tacitcal and LMT enter this arena as well..at least in the monolithic upper dept as did VLTOR..
Steyr Aug may now be built in Mississippi...(if they quit selling sniper rifles to Iran)
There is still lots of room for DI gas systems like the AR family..mine ran just fine throughout a Monsoon season many years ago..9ID/MRF..
SHOT show is presenting piston driven 308,6.8SPC,556, and maybe 6.5 Grendel..(wolf ammo Gold will be arriving this spring)
Give it a few months to shake out the ones that have problems is my advice...but get on a list for the one or more you may want :)
-imo
Yeah, I bet you have.
For some reason some people across the ocean are beginning to think they are part of "Europe" just because they have been barraged by propaganda. "Let us all bow down to Brussels, let us all bow down to the superior and gracious French." The Germans have sure gone for this stuff.
Makes you wonder if that old crypto-racist insult is true - "The Germans are either at your throat or at your feet." Bet your bottom dollar that the French big shots think that the Germans are beneath contempt.
Having established your level of expertise, are there any other eggs you would like to teach me to suck?
KLUNK!
Thank you for pointing this out to me. (IS my face red?)
BTR-60.
I will hang my anti-tank head in shame!
In 1960 Romania develops the armored troop transport TAB-71, a modified version of the BTR-60. It was followed by the model TAB-77 that is based on the Russian model of wheeled armored vehicle BTR-70. The vehicle is equipped with a locally constructed turret and motor. The gasoline engine of the BTR-70 was replaced by a Diesel motor manufactured locally. The vehicle commander and the driver sit as in the previous vehicle, just behind them is placed a single-seat turret armed with a machine gun of 14.5 mm and a machine gun of 7.62 mm. The turret totates 360° and can budge in elevation - 5° to 85°. The TAB-77 is completely amphibious, it is propelled in the water thanks to a hydrojet.
I have responded to you on another threat.
Replacing the MOGAS engine with a desiel would appear to be a nor brainer. (Seen a MOGAS powered M-114 burn to ash once). Enjoy this, have been out a few years but will always learn from those who teach.
A couple of other possibilities come to mind. One involves water bombing of forest fires, which in the past has caused ex-USAF B-model birds bailed to contractors to snap their wings off.
The other involves the Golden Knights.
Except, hopefully, we'll be shooting the Islamists this time.
Yeah, I remember seeing the videos. I was sitting in the C-130 Ops counter when it came on. We used to fly B models. They were dragged off the desert made some what flyable and given to us to rebuild (maintainer training as we used to fly RF-4C's) then we flew the wings off them. They were in such great shapw when we got our H2 models that they were sold overseas. Our first B was an old satellite retriever from the 'Corona' missions. All the old radars and recovery equipment was long gone but the patches showed where it used to be.
The B had longer legs and was slightly faster than the E model which is still used in the active and reserves ( not guard).
Sad ti see the old girl auger in. Broken main wing spar. the wings literally fell off. God bless the crew and thier familys.
The Euros will see combat on their soil before we will!
BTW, the stryker was tested for air tansportability in the C-130 by the Kentucky Air Natinal Guard representing the USAF.
Little know piece of usless trivia.
Unless, hopelessly, Weasley Clark ever realizes his dream of achieving the presidency. Unfortunately, I can think of a couple of scenarios in which that might come to pass.
The KY ANG got their C-130H Herks after parking one of their old C130-Bs in the JoJo's restaurant and Drury Inn hotel at the Evansville, IN airport on 06 February 1992, killing 16, including the aircrew and civilians in the buildings.
Among my other recent projects: swapping out the MOGAS straight-six and 5-speed powerpack in a BTR152 for a nice new GMC Diesel and slushbox. Beats an unarmored Humvee....
Not a chance in hell that self-promoting/aggrandizing bureocrat of an ex-military-bureocrat gets elected to dogcatcher somewhere.
I was under the impression that Weasley was a political nobody. Are you saying he still has a chance to become president? You're joking, aren't you?
Is that your beater?
On axles meant for ten tons.
Oh, don't be silly. Those things can stop on a di
[Ugly squishing sound in background. Sound of retreating tyres. Silence...]
His campaign financing arrangements are...interesting. And probably, though illegal, international.
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