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:
Idaho’s 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’ F-15E somewhere over the Middle East.
Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB) 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’ F-15E Strike Eagles are currently patrolling the Central Command area of responsibility (Middle East).
Idaho’s 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’ F-15E somewhere over the Middle East.
B-52H somewhere over the Middle East.
Video by Technical Sergeant Philip Bryant, recorded 08DEC2024 (Middle East time, 07DEC2024 U.S. time), showing launch of North Dakota’s Minot AFB 23rd Bomb Squadron B-52H Stratofortresses (MT tail code, red stripe on tail) from a non-disclosed location in the “CentComarea of responsibility”:
“[The prison camp situation] presents a significant security concern in the sense that, were ISIS able to affect some type of breakout of any detention facility, that would be a significant setback and something that would be very concerning. [That’s] why we continue to work very closely with the SDF [Kurds] to ensure that those detainees can continue to be held, [and we’re also] working with the international community to attempt to repatriate many of those detainees; that is something that we’ll continue to communicate very closely with the SDF to ensure…”–Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder, 16DEC2024
These videos are via Master Sergeant Raymond Boyington, recorded on the days of the 12th and 14th of December 2024, at a non-disclosed U.S. base in Northern Syria, showing the activities of Task Force Wolverine:
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 June 2024, the Yankee Air Museum (now called Michigan Flight Museum) sold the Boeing Flying Fortress B-17G “Yankee Lady” to a secret buyer; they refused to say who it was, or where its new home would be.
During the afternoon of 20OCT2024, Yankee Lady flew over my head while I was mowing the lawn in my backyard, in Chubbuck, Idaho. It was heading towards the Pocatello Airport (which is actually not in the City of Pocatello), and now so was I.
My video from the evening of 20OCT2024:
I can only assume that the new owner(s) of Yankee Lady were on their way to California.
According to Air Classics, once Yankee Lady gets a thorough rebuild by Avspecs Limited it is supposed to end up back in the U.S. of A. It should be noted that Avspecs also has operations in California, so is Yankee Lady actually going to Kiwi-land, or just the land of fruits-n-nuts?
Prop-spinners:
Ready for take-off! 21OCT2024, Pocatello Airport, Idaho.
Start your engines:
21OCT2024, taking off for destinations not known:
On the night of 21OCT2024, I was informed the bomber had landed at the Redmond Municipal Airport, in Oregon.
More B-17 stuff:
U.S. Army Air Force crewmen stand next to a Soviet soldier, the day after the German airstrike.
Iranian news media are reporting that Iran used three types of missiles in their latest attack on Israel. Also, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG) claims 90% of the Israeli military targets were hit during the barrage.
The IRCG controls the strategic missile systems of Iran.
Purportedly an Emad ballistic missile being launched against Israel on 01OCT2024.
The liquid fueled Emad (Pillar) ballistic missile is based on the older Ghadr/Qadr missile. It can steer itself all the way to the target after reentry into the atmosphere. It is considered Iran’s first precision guided ballistic missile.
Fattah-1 on public display.
The two stage, solid fueled Fattah (The Opener)-1 is a ballistic missile with a top speed between Mach 13 and Mach 15. It has a variable position exhaust to aid in steering. Hypersonic missiles cannot be intercepted. Iran already considers the Fattah-1 obsolete and is now producing the improved Fattah-2.
Ghadr/Qadr ballistic missile on public display.
The two stage, liquid fueled, Qadr (Intensity) ballistic missile has been upgraded with a lighter weight and longer fuselage (allowing for more fuel for longer range), and an improved guidance system. The IRCG admits this missile is still not accurate.
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.
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.
