Category Archives: Technology

From Cold War to the Battle for Ukraine: ZU-23-2 (2A13) ADA

Video September 22, 2024 Hutchins AAron

The ZU (Зенитная Установка/Zenitnaya Ustanovka-antiaircraft installation)-23-2 is a Soviet-Cold War era twin gunned towed Air Defense Artillery (ADA) system using 23mm-by-152mm rounds.

The ZU-23-2 is also known as 2A13.

The ZU-23-2 was developed in the late 1950s from a prototype known as ZU-14. It entered service with the Soviet Union in 1960, and is still in production in Russia (upgraded to launch missiles and be remotely controlled), including licensed production in several former Warsaw Pact countries which are now part of NATO. Even Israel has helped Viet Nam develop its own version of the ZU-23-2, known as the 23-2M.

Sometime during the Cold War, a Yugoslavian(?) ZU-23-2.

Interestingly, during the Cold War most books about Soviet weaponry, published in the NATO West, never mention the ZU-23-2. Yet, today the ZU-23-2 is being used by at least 74 countries, by both ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’. It has also been mounted on all sorts of military and silly-vilian (civilian) vehicles.

U.S. Marines check-out a captured ZU-23-2 on the island of Grenada, 28OCT1983. U.S. Navy photo by Photographers Mate Second Class David Wujcik.

Iraqi ZU-23-2 during the early years of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).

Iranian ZU-23-2 during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).

Operation Praying Mantis; the U.S. attacks the Iranian navy during the Iran-Iraq War. U.S. marines check-out a ZU-23-2 on a captured Iranian offshore oil rig, 18APR1988. USMC photo by Corporal John Hyp.

Afghan ZIL-131 truck with ZU-23-2, under tow on Kandahar Airport, 17JAN2002. USMC photo by Captain Charles G. Grow.

Iraqi MTLB armed with ZU-23-2. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Jennifer A. Krusen, 11APR2003.

Iran loves the ZU-23-2 so much that in 2010 an eight barreled radar guided version (ZU-23-8?) entered production, it’s called the Mesbah-1.

In 2013, NATO-Greece modified their Soviet era BMP-1s by mounting ZU-23-2s on them.

November 2016, U.S. Army video (by Sergeant Jacob Holmes) of Ukrainian troops training with their ZU-23-2:

August 2017, U.S. Army promotional video (by Sergeant Anthony Jones) explaining the Ukrainian ZU-23-2:

On the left is a NATO-Romanian ground mount (towed) Oerlikon GDF 35mm guns, on the right is a NATO-Polish truck mounted ZU-23-2. U.S. Army photo by Gary Loten-Beckford, 06DEC2017.

NATO-Bulgarian ZIL-131 with ZU-23-2, during U.S. Army sponsored wargame Shabla 19. USA photo by Sergeant Thomas Mort, 12JUN2019.

Interestingly, during the false flag ‘Arab Spring’ rebellions that swept across North Africa and the Middle East, rebel/extremist groups were magically supplied with Toyotas equipped with ZU-23-2s. This photo (supposed taken in 2021) shows the new Libyan National Army with brand new ZU-23-2 equipped Toyotas.

Russian armored Ural ‘Tornado’ truck armed with ZU-23-2 (2A13) somewhere in the battle for Ukraine, April 2022.

In August 2022, the Houthis paraded their ZU-23-2 armed Toyotas in Sanaa, Yemen.

Russian remote controlled ZU-23-2 (2A13), June 2023. Photo via Russian Union of Mechanical Engineers.

Moldovan troops pose with their ZU-23-2, 13SEP2023. North Carolina Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Brendan Stephens.

NATO video from March 2024, showing NATO-Poland’s upgraded ZUR-23-2, which can also launch anti-aircraft missiles:

Cold War to Battle for Ukraine: ROMÂNIA Gardienii Cerului Gepard

End of the Cold War: Those decades when U.S. taxpayers supplied Russia with USAID!

Business/Economics, Technology

Vehicle I-D: NATO Romania’s Mowag Piranha-5

Video September 5, 2024 Hutchins AAron

The ‘Class-5’ Piranha prototype was completed in 2008.

Hawaii Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Theresa Gualdarama, 04MAY2023.

The production Mowag/General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) Piranha-5 was revealed to the public on 15JUN2010.

Hawaii Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Theresa Gualdarama, 05MAY2023.

NATO-Romania placed an order for 227 of the Mowag/GDELS Piranha-5 in 2017. Part of the deal includes production of most of the Romanian Piranha-5s to be done in Romania by a company called Uzina Mecanică București.

During NATO wargame Anakonda23, 06MAY2023. Hawaii Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Theresa Gualdarama.

Romania began receiving their new Piranha-5 in October 2020. In the beginning of 2023, it was reported that Romania had ordered an additional 150 Piranha-5s.

Hawaii Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Theresa Gualdarama, 06MAY2023.

So far Romania has shown-off the Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) version of the Piranha-5, but it is also being produced as a mortar carrier, ambulance and Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) vehicles.

During NATO wargame Anakonda23. U.S. Army photo by Private First Class Jason Klaer, 15MAY2023.

Here is some video I edited together from U.S. Army videos recorded between April 2022 and June 2023:

The IFV Piranha-5 is armed with a 30-millimeter gun.

Hawaii Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Theresa Gualdarama, 15MAY2023.

More Romanian military equipment: MLI-84M1 Jder, not your father’s BMP!

BMP Ambulance, ROMÂNIA style.

Gun Boats; guardians of the Danube.

Idaho, Technology

Full scale kit-bash? The builder claims it is a Chevy Truck!

Video August 16, 2024 Hutchins AAron

Actually, the builder says it is the remains of several 1980s Chevy trucks, which were rotting away on his property. Plus, wherever else he could add from his junk collection.

This is the front.

Seen at one of the biggest free car shows and food feed in Bannock County, the 17th Annual Client Appreciation Car Show & BBQ!

Special custom air cleaner? I thought the builder was trying to keep the rain off the motor, but no, he just needed somewhere to put an abandoned trash can lid.

It took place in O.K. Ward Park, on the northwest side of Pocatello, on 08AUG2024.

The rear steering requires somebody to sit in the back and operate with a crank handle.

Here’s my video:

Rear steering gearbox and rear axle are from the front of an old 1980s pickup.

Here’s another video:

17th Annual Client Appreciation Car Show: Is it actually a 4×4 Chevy Impala?

Idaho, Technology

10AUG2024: Pocatello Air Tanker Base

Video August 12, 2024 Hutchins AAron

The last time I observed DC-10 air tanker operations (ops) on the Pocatello Airport was in July 2021 (in August 2022, I observed BAE-Avro-RJ85, MD87 and Air Tractor ops).

Sometime between 11 and Noon, flying eastward over the Chubbuck Days Festival.

On 10AUG2024, I was alerted to the DC-10’s presence when they flew low over the Chubbuck Days Festival in Cotant Park.

Ex-NASA DC-8 now serving as Idaho State University’s aviation maintenance aircraft, and further down is another DC-10 being ‘bombed-up’ at the U.S. Forest Service’s air tanker base.

DC-10s and a retired DC-8 (the wind has picked up and is messing with the audio):

The Pocatello Air Tanker Base is one of several U.S. Forest Service operations covering the western United States. Upgrades to the base were completed by Summer 2022, however, the upgrades actually resulted in “minimized capacity”:

The ‘new-to-me’ location of the U.S. Forest Service’s air tanker base, on the eastern end of the airport runway. Near the dirt racing track and skeet shooting range.

The new U.S. Forest Service air base ops building versus the old building, and apparently there was a new fire near the Soda Springs area of Idaho (according to the wildfires.gov website):

Pocatello Air Tanker Base, July 2021:

K-Max & 10 Tanker, waiting for the call

DC-10 & B-17 Sentimental Journey

Wildfires 2019:

Idaho’s 911

SMOKE ’EM IF YOU GOT ’EM, 2017!: POCATELLO AIRPORT FIRE BOMBERS ARE BACK! Air Tractors, RJ85s, old outdate Neptunes, and of course DC-10s.

U.S. WILDFIRES 2016: DC-10 POCATELLO AIRPORT

IDAHO WILDFIRES 2015: POKEY AIRPORT DC-10 WATER BOMBER

Idaho Wildfires 2012, the year it got real bad: Canadian BAe 146 (RJ85) join the fight on Pocatello Airtanker Base

POCATELLO BURNING! EVACUATIONS! SOUTHEAST IDAHO BURNING! BANNOCK COUNTY BANS FIREWORKS, DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY!

To see more of my past coverage just do a search using Idaho Wildfires, or Pocatello Tanker Base, or Pocatello Airport.

Idaho, Technology

Is it actually a 4×4 Chevy Impala?

Video August 11, 2024 Hutchins AAron

Seen at one of the biggest free car shows and food feed in Bannock County, the 17th Annual Client Appreciation Car Show & BBQ!

It took place in O.K. Ward Park, on the northwest side of Pocatello, on 08AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

Here is another video:

Was it something I ate?: Bad Gas at the free car show and B-B-Q feed fest!

Technology, U.S.

Oregon: F-15EX Eagle-2 has landed!

Video July 4, 2024 Hutchins AAron

On 05JUN2024, the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing received its first Boeing F-15EX Eagle-2 (aka Super Eagle).

Oregon Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Nichole Sanchez, 05JUN2024.

Tail number 008 arrived at Portland Air National Guard Base, just in time for lunch. I edited this together from video recorded by Steven Conklin and Technical Sergeant Kyle Mergeler:

Tail #008 was built in Berkeley, Missouri.

Berkeley, Missouri, 05JUN2024. Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins.

It is the first of 18 Super Eagles heading to Oregon’s 142nd Wing.

#008 departs Berkeley, Missouri, on its way to Portland, Oregon, 05JUN2024. Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins.

More about the F-15EX, 2021: F-15EX HAS ARRIVED! COMMANDER SAYS “IT’S AN EX-CITING DAY!”

F-15EX-CITEMENT!

Oregon Eagles in Finland: OREGON KOTKAT LENTÄÄ SUOMEN YLI

International, Technology

Can a Leopard change its spots?

Video June 30, 2024 Hutchins AAron

Strv = Stridsvagn (battle wagon).

Swedish Strv 122 smashed a passenger car during Strong Europe Tank Challenge, on Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, 04JUN2018. Svenska Armén photo via Christian Marquardt.

The Strv 122 is an up-armored version of the German Leopard battle tank, with more advanced electronics, and designed specifically to fight in arctic conditions.

During wargame Baltic Operations (BaltOps) on the Tofta Training Area, Sweden, 08JUN2022.
U.S. Navy photo by Robert L Kunzig.

I edited this from various U.S. Army and NATO videos of Swedish Strv 122 battle tanks, during wargames, between 2018 and 2023:

Gunnery during Strong Europe Tank Challenge on Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, 07JUN2018. U.S. Army photo by Gertrud Zach.

The Rheinmetall ammo does not use a metal case, it is a combustible plastic case, the silvery color is the explosive powder inside. At the end of the case is a metal ‘afcap’ containing the primer. USN photo by Robert L. Kunzig.

U.S. Army video (by Kevin S. Abel) of timed track repair during Strong Europe Tank Challenge, in June 2018:

U.S. Marines get an introduction to the Strv 122, 08MAR2018. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Raul Torres.

NATO vehicle I-D: SWEDEN’S CV-90

Technology, U.S.

Oregon: “Smoke ’em if you got ’em!”

Video June 28, 2024 Hutchins AAron

Oregon Army National Guard photo by Major Wayne Chris Clyne, 22JUN2024.

On 22JUN2024, the Oregon Army National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, conducted M82 smoke grenade launching with their M1127 Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV) Strykers.

Oregon Army National Guard photo by Major Wayne Chris Clyne, 22JUN2024.

Apparently, this was the first time for such training since 2016.

Oregon Army National Guard photo by Major Wayne Chris Clyne, 22JUN2024.

I edited this video together from a couple of Oregon Army National Guard videos (by Major Wayne C. Clyne):

It was part of weekend training on the Biak Training Center, in Powell Butte, east of Redmond, in the center of Oregon.

Oregon Army National Guard photo by Major Wayne Chris Clyne, 21JUN2024.

Oregon National Guard: OREGON GETS NEW WEAPONS, PROOF THE U.S. MILITARY IS OWNED BY FOREIGNERS!

International, Technology

NATO Vehicle I-D: Sweden’s CV-90

Video June 19, 2024 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sergeant Andy O. Martinez, 15JUN2024, Gotlands Län, Sweden.

12-17JUN2024, Swedish CV-90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), and mortar tracks (named Mjölnir, Thor’s hammer), take part in combat training during NATO’s Baltic Operations (BaltOps) 24.