The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) was a creation of the Cold War, going into service in 1983. It wasn’t until 2005 that the first big upgrade took place, creating the Alpha-1 MLRS (M270A1). In 2019, the Alpha-2 (M270A2) upgrade began.
U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Grafenwöhr, NATO-Germany.
Preventive Maintenance Checks Services (PMCS) and loading rocket packs on new M270A2 MLRS, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Grafenwöhr, NATO-Germany, 16DEC2024 (I edited together videos from Specialist Hunter Carpenter and Private First Class Sar Paw).
Bravo Battery-1st Battalion-77th Field Artillery Regiment-41st Field Artillery Brigade conduct PMCS:
Rocket loading:
1st Battalion-6th Field Artillery Regiment’s M270A2 MLRS during NATO’s Dynamic Front wargame, Ravajärven Training Area, Rovaniemellä, Finland, 17NOV2024 (I edited videos from Specialist Elijah Magaña and Senior Airman Joshua Fontenot), intermittent audio:
In 2017, Finland began buying ‘surplus’ Korean K9 Thunder SPGs (Self Propelled Gun). Finland calls it the 155 PsH (Panssari-Haupitsien) K9 Moukari (Sledge-Hammer). In April 2023, Finland became a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Dynamic Front is a NATO wargame involving at least 28 countries, taking place across Finland, Estonia, Germany, Poland, and Romania.
I edited U.S. Army/Air Force videos (via First Sergeant Jacob Conner, Private First Class Jolene Cintron & Senior Airman Joshua Fontenot) recorded during NATO’s Dynamic Front wargame for November 2024, on the Ravajärven training area near Rovaniemellä, Finland:
In March 2024, Sweden became a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
I edited down a U.S. Army video (recorded on 18NOV2024, via Sergeant First Class Kyle Larsen) of Swedish made autoloading Archer SPG (Self Propelled Gun) during NATO’s Dynamic Front wargame in Finland (wargames also in Estonia, Germany, Poland, and Romania).
In August 2024, the Ohio Army National Guard deployed a unit of engineers to the Borovac Training Area in Serbia.
According to the Serbian Ministry of Defense, engineers with the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) trained with the Ohio Guard unit in such things as removing obstacles, constructing shelters, and building and maintaining roads.
In 2006, the U.S. Department of Defense tasked the State of Ohio with the job of mentoring the SAF, under the State Partnership Program.
In 2021, the Ohio Army National Guard issued this 15-year-anniversary video report:
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:
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.
During the never officially declared Cold War, Sweden decided that its fighter aircraft should be able to use silly-vilian highway systems as runways. In May 2024, the Gripen took part in landings and take-offs from a highway near Gothenburg. Video via NATO:
Taking part in Bomber Task Force Europe, May 2020. Försvarsmakten photo.
JAS 39C Gripen during the 2019 Royal International Air Tatoo, over the United Kingdom. U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Aaron Thomasson, 20JUL2019.
JAS 39D Gripen, on Kallax Air Base, Luleå, Sweden, during the Arctic Challenge wargame in May 2019. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist John M. Hageman.
June 2014, a U.S. Air Force (USAF, 100th Air Refueling Wing) KC-135 refuels a Swedish Gripen during NATO wargame BaltOps (Baltic Operations), video by Senior Airman Laura Yahemiak:
Normally a U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier instructor pilot, Major Eric Grunke (hometown Weiser, Idaho) straps into the back seat of a Gripen-D for a FAC training mission over Malmen Military Base, Linköping, Sweden. USMC photo by Sergeant Tatum Vayavananda, 21AUG2013.
In January 2013, Sweden sent their Griffins to take part in the USAF Red Flag wargame over Nellis, Nevada. I edited this take-off video from videos recorded by the USAF:
I edited this landing video from videos recorded by the USAF:
Artilleristystem 08, aka Archer, using the Bofors FH77 155mm gun. Supposedly, as of March 2023, Ukraine received eight of these auto-loading wheeled self-propelled gun systems.
Near Tolga, Norway, during wargame Trident Juncture, 31OCT2018. Svenska Armén photo by Marcus Nilsson.
Camp Atterbury, Indiana, 15NOV2021. Virginia Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Bryan Myhr.
Virginia Air National Guard video report (by Staff Sergeant Bryan Myhr) of Archer artillery system being demonstrated during wargame Bold Quest, on Camp Atterbury and Mascatatuck Urban Training Center in the U.S. state of Indiana, 15NOV2021:
Camp Atterbury, Indiana, 15NOV2021. Virginia Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Bryan Myhr.
Camp Atterbury, Indiana, 15NOV2021. Virginia Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Bryan Myhr.
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.
