Category Archives: Technology

Weapon I-D: The Happy MiniGunner

Video May 7, 2021 Hutchins AAron

XM196 and M134 (U.S. Army), GAU-2 and GAU-17 (U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy), all General Electric/Dillion Aero/Garwood Industries 7.62mm x 51mm (7.62-NATO, 308 Winchester) miniguns. Minigun pods M18 for U.S. Army(USA), and SUU-11 for U.S. Air Force(USAF), are essentially the same.

In 1964, the USAF units in Viet Nam began experimenting with C-47 Dakotas, arming them with machine guns firing out the side of the fuselage.

This was due to successful state-side testing of a C-131 gunship. Originally, single barreled Browning machine guns were tried but quickly abandoned in favor of the minigun.

Each AC-47D Spooky unit experimented with their own mounting systems for the SUU-11 gun pods, eventually a standardized system combining SUU-11s with MXU-470 ammo-drums was settled on.

A prototype A-37 Dragonfly (YAT-37D) firing its GAU-2 minigun.

A production A-37 Dragonfly.

Silent U.S. Army film by last name Sandri, 17th Air Cav minigun armed OH-6A Cayuse (the OH-58A Kiowa could also be armed with similarly mounted minigun), somewhere in Viet Nam, January 1967. The side mounted minigun itself could be elevated and slightly traversed by the pilot:

U.S. Air Force photo.

In September 1967, the first AC-130A gunship was sent to Nha Trang Air Base in Viet Nam. Most ‘official’ sources say it had two miniguns, but this photo clearly shows four miniguns, two above the forward wheel-well sponson, and two above the rear mounted 20mm Vulcans.

Silent U.S. Army film by last name Lambert, AH-1G Cobra gets its chin mounted minigun, as well as wing mounted M18 gun pods, loaded for Operation Delaware, Viet Nam, May 1968:

U.S. Army silent film by last name Hansen, 10OCT1968, Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) minigunner, Mekong delta area of Viet Nam:

Another silent U.S. Army film by last name Hansen, ACV armed with minigun on search & destroy mission. Most Army operated ACVs did not have miniguns, having a second M2 .50-cal mounted where the minigun is mounted on this ACV (Navy ACVs had a single gun position on the roof, while Army ACVs had two gun positions on the roof):

Photo via Dick Detra.

UH-1C Huey ‘Satisfaction’ (66-15179) stationed on Dau Tieng and LZ Sally, Viet Nam, from April 1967 through June 1968, and armed with dual miniguns.

Bell Helicopter photo.

M134 mounted on Huey. The gun could be remotely aimed by the pilot/gunner. When mounted on the opposite side of the helicopter the ammo feed chute was strung over the top of the M134.

General Electric photo.

Huey armed with two door/pintle mounted miniguns.

Bell Helicopter photo.

Royal Australian Air Force 9 Squadron UH-1H Bushranger over Viet Nam. Notice the M134 is mounted forward of the the rocket launcher.

Photo via Australian War Memorial.

A better view of the Bushranger gunship set-up.

U.S. Marine Corps photo.

In 1969, while waiting for their AH-1J Cobras, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) got some AH-1Gs. This one is still waiting for its chin turret guns, but does have the M18 minigun pod.

USAF photo.

In 1969, as a stop-gap while waiting for C-130 Hercules to be converted to the new AC-130A Specter, the USAF converted C-119 Boxcars to AC-119G Shadows and AC-119K Stingers.

USAF photo.

The four miniguns, mounted using the SUU-11/MXU-470 system, were located above and in between the forward and rear 20mm Vulcans.

U.S Army silent film by last name Lambert, AH-1G gets ammo-upload August 1969, Viet Nam. In contrast to the AH-1G in the film from 1968, this Cobra has the chin mounted 40mm grenade launcher as well as chin mounted minigun, and M18 minigun pods:

U.S. Air Force photo.

Photo dated March 1970, A-1H Skyraider nicknamed Bubbles’n Bust, no location given. It carries two external fuel tanks and a single SUU-11 minigun pod.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Andy Sarakon.

USAF HC-130P refueling a HH-3 Jolly Green Giant, and a HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant, over Viet Nam, 16JUN1970. Both rescue helicopters could carry window and ramp mounted miniguns.

USAF photo.

1970, a South Viet Nam Air Force (VNAF) UH-1D with door mounted minigun.

USAF photo.

Late 1970s, a USAF Opposition Forces minigun armed UH-1N over Hurlburt Field, Florida.

USMC photo by Sergeant Bennett.

USMC GAU-2 minigun (notice the muzzle brakes on the barrels), Camp Pendleton, California, February 1981.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Carl Hawkins.

USAF pilot checks the nose mounted GAU-2 minigun on this A-37 Dragonfly during wargame Team Spirit 1985, in Republic of Korea. There is a red dust cover over the gun barrel port.

USAF photo by Dennis Carlson.

Kirkland Air Force Base (AFB) in New Mexico, Airman Vanessa Dobos is a happy minigunner, she became the first female minigunner for the USAF, in August 2002.

Canadian Forces photo by Master Corporal Robert Bottril.

Dillon Aero 7.62mm M134 Minigun mounted on a Canadian CH-146 Griffon (modified Bell 412), 13FEB2009, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Canadian Forces photo by Master Corporal Robert Bottrill.

Canadian Forces pepper a target-range with their new Dillon Aero 7.62mm M134 Minigun, 13FEB2009, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

USMC photo by Corporal Ryan Rholes.

USMC ‘higher-ups’ check out a USA CH-47 armed with a window mounted M134 minigun, Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, June 2010.

USMC photo by Corporal Ryan Rholes.

GAU-17 armed UH-1Y Venom somewhere in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, September 2010.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer First Class Dustin Q. Diaz.

Minigun on a patrol boat during the U.S. Navy’s (USN) Riverine Crewman Course on Cape Fear River, North Carolina, September 2013.

New York Army National Guard video, by Sergeant Harley Jelis, minigun used on United Kingdom Royal Navy ship (Royal Fleet Auxiliary Cardigan Bay) somewhere in the Persian Gulf, June 2014:

Video by Lance Corporal Christopher D. Thompson, USMC minigun live-fire training near Yuma, Arizona, 01APR2016:

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Frank Cordoba.

Even robots are happy minigunners, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 2016.

USMC photo by Sergeant Royce Dorman.

Future happy minigunners, onboard USS Anchorage during Seattle Seafair, Washington, August 2017.

Alaska Air National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña.

Alaska Air National Guard HH-60G with GAU-2 minigun, March 2019.

Alaska Air National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña.

Alaska Air National Guard HH-60G Pave Hawk armed with two GAU-2 miniguns, March 2019.

Alaska Air National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña.

GAU-2 barrel spin check, March 2019.

Weapon I-D, 2019: GERMANY FINALLY ADOPTS THE MINIGUN!

USMC photo by Corporal Eric Tso.

The MV-22B Osprey uses a remote controlled GAU-17 minigun, protruding from its belly, Oahu, Hawaii, April 2020.

USMC photo by Corporal Matthew Kirk.

The R/C GAU-17 gunner uses a video game controller to aim and fire the weapon.

USMC photo by Corporal Matthew Kirk.

USMC video by Corporal Matthew Kirk, GAU-17 remote operated minigun onboard MV-22B Osprey, April 2020:

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Hayden Legg.

USAF’s new HH-60W Jolly Green Giant-2, which can carry .50-cals or miniguns in its currently vacant pintle mounts, November 2020.

USN photo by Michael Williams.

March 2021, a happy Swedish special forces soldier fires the minigun during USN special ops training on Stennis Space Center, Mississippi.

Heritage Flight’s O-2 Skymaster with rocket pods and SUU-11 gun pods.

Weapon I-D: DOOR GUNNER .50 CAL

Technology

Robot Wars: Beware the Zombie Kiowa!

Video May 4, 2021 Hutchins AAron

In the past several years, versions of the OH-58 Kiowa have been retired from U.S. Army (USA) service.

U.S. Navy photo.

The U.S. Navy plans on retiring their aged fleet of TH-57 Sea Rangers (Kiowas and Sea Rangers both based on the Bell 206 JetRanger) next year, but it turns out that since at least 2013 the U.S. Navy (USN) has been using a zombified (robot) version of the Kiowa/Sea Ranger looking Bell 407, called MQ-8C Fire Scout (not to be confused with the MQ-8B, also called Fire Scout).

Northrop-Grumman-Bell photo.

In September 2010, Northrop-Grumman-Bell(Textron) completed the Fire-X electrical systems power-on sequence at the Xworx conversion operations in Fort Worth, Texas.

Northrop-Grumman-Bell photo.

Originally called Fire-X by Northrop-Grumman-Bell, in December 2010 it flew over Yuma Army Proving Grounds (YAPG, sometimes YPG), in Arizona.

Northrop-Grumman-Bell photo.

In 2012 the USN decided to buy it, and towards the end of 2013 the $262.3-million robot helicopter first took flight as the MQ-8C Fire Scout.

Northrop-Grumman-Bell photo.

In August 2014, the MQ-8C successfully conducted ‘slope landing’ tests on Point Magu, Naval Base Ventura County, California.

Northrop-Grumman-Bell photo.

USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Zachary S. Eshleman.

In March 2017, the MQ-8C began testing onboard the USS Montgomery (LCS 8), the first time it was tested on a Littoral Combat Ship:

USN photo by Command Master Chief Jacob A. Shafer.

USN photo by Ensign Jalen Robinson.

In June 2018, the USN conducted final Initial Operational Test and Evaluations (IOTE) of the MQ-8C Fire Scout, a year later it was declared ‘mission ready’.

Silent video by Petty Officer First Class Charles White, final IOTE flight around USS Coronado (LCS 4), 28JUN2018:

The mission of the MQ-8C is basically the same as that of the USA’s manned Kiowas; scouting and target identification, with the additional cargo hauling mission.

USN photo by Ensign Alexandra Green.

12APR2021, MQ-8C leaves the USS Jackson (LCS 6).

USN photo Petty Officer Third Class Casey Trietsch.

16APR2021, the MQ-8C Fire Scout was on display at the UxS IBP 21 robot wargame on Naval Base San Diego, California.

USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Sara Eshleman.

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron-3, Naval Base San Diego, get introduced to the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, 29APR2021. Notice this MQ-8C has a different windshield and nose compared to the one seen at UxS IBP 21.

UxS IBP 21 stands for Unmanned Systems (not sure why there is an ‘x’ in the acronym) Integrated Battle Problem 2021. UxS IBP 21 is the first ‘classified’ USN wargame involving robot vehicles and weapons competing against people operated systems, apparently spurred by doubts coming from the U.S. Congress: “With the recent acquisition failures on the last several ship classes, those of us on this committee are skeptical of the Navy’s ability to shepherd this new technology into employable assets that contribute to the lethality of those forces.”-Representative Elaine Luria of Virginia

IBP 21 took place from April 19th to the 26th.

Final Flight:

OH-58D KIOWA WARRIORS

FINAL FLIGHT OF THE FORT POLK KIOWAS

Robot Wars:

JUNK HEAP THAT FLOATS?

Technology

Robot Wars: Junk Heap that floats?

Video May 4, 2021 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Second Class Brandon T. Williams-Church, April 2021.

One of the ‘robot’ ships at the U.S. Navy’s UxS IBP 21 looks like something ‘boat people’ from Cuba would make.

USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Brandon T. Williams-Church.

This floating target is based on the Low-Cost Modular Target (LCMT) system. The LCMT system was designed to replace all previous different towed target systems. At UxS IBP 21 all kinds of radar, sat-com, and other electronics were piled onto the LCMT. The triangular things are radar reflectors designed to mimic a much larger ship.

Perhaps the hi-tech LCMT was the ‘beyond the line of sight’ target sacrificed to a Standard Missile-6 launched by USS John Finn (DDG 113), on 25APR2021: “We are going to do a live-fire offensive exercise. We are going to use the unmanned surface, unmanned air and manned air and surface to provide a targeting solution…. It will be an offensive missile, and we’re going to strike a target well beyond line-of-sight.”-Rear Admiral Jim Aiken, Carrier Strike Group 3

IBP 21 took place from April 19th to the 26th.

Robot Wars: SEAHAWK & SEA HUNTER

Technology

Robot Wars: Seahawk & Sea Hunter

Video May 2, 2021 Hutchins AAron

On 20APR2021, a couple of composite trimaran hulled robots sailed around San Diego, California. One is called Sea Hunter, the other Seahawk.

U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe.

This one is called Seahawk.

USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe, 21APR2021.

Seahawk.

USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe, 21APR2021.

USN video of Seahawk and Sea Hunter, by Petty Officer First Class David Mora, 20APR2021:

USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Thomas Gooley.

This one is Sea Hunter. It is already five years old, with more than 30-thousand miles of sailing.

USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe.

Sea Hunter is the result of a DARPA Anti-Submarine Warfare challenge. Anybody old enough to remember when the activities of DARPA were considered nothing more than ‘conspiracy theories’?

USN video by Aaron Lebsack, Sea Hunter’s arrival (by barge) in San Diego, May 2016:

USN video report announcing the DARPA Sea Hunter:

USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Thomas Gooley.

A closer look at the newer $35.5-million Seahawk, departing Naval Base Point Loma, 20APR2021. Construction of Seahawk began after a contract was signed at the end of 2017. Delivery of Seahawk was made just days before the U.S. Navy’s (USN) UxS IBP 21 in San Diego, California.

USN photo by Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe.

Another look at Seahawk during UxS IBP 21. Seahawk and Sea Hunter are made by a company called Leidos.

IBP 21 took place from April 19th to the 26th.

Robot Wars: MANTAS DEVIL RAY

DOG ROBOTS AND BREATHALIZERS CAN TELL IF YOU HAVE CANCER?

DON’T HAVE A HEART ATTACK, BUT SOON ARMY ROBOTS WILL SAVE YOUR ASS!

ROBOTS TO KILL 80-MILLION JOBS!

IDAHO ROBOTS REVEAL FUKUSHIMA RADIATION LEVELS TOO HIGH FOR HUMANS

Technology

Vehicle I-D: Soviet armor of the U.S. Marine Corps

Image May 2, 2021 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer First Class Paul Self.

MTLBs operated by 3rd Amphibious Armored Vehicle Battalion, 1ST Marine Division, acting as opposing forces (OpFor) during wargame Kernel Blitz in June 1997, Camp Pendleton, California.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sergeant Ryan Ward.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Timothy Reynolds.

USMC photo by Sergeant Ryan Ward.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Timothy Reynolds.

USMC photo by Sergeant Ryan Ward.

ZSU-23-4 during Kernel Blitz ’97.

USN photo by Petty Officer First Class Paul Self.

BRDM during Kernel Blitz ’97.

USMC photo by Lance Corporal Timothy Reynolds.

T-72 during Kernel Blitz ’97.

Vehicle I-D: MORE U.S. ARMY FAKE-NEWS TANKS, TIGER STRIPES ANYBODY?

Technology

Robot Wars: MANTAS Devil Ray

Video May 1, 2021 Hutchins AAron

On 17APR2021, the Maritime Tactical Systems‘ ManTAS (Man-Portable Tactical Autonomous Systems) T38 Devil Ray robot boat was demonstrated just prior to the U.S. Navy’s (USN) UxS IBP 21, in San Diego, California.

U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Michael Jones, 17APR2021.

According to an article published in March 2021, the T38 (38 feet long) Devil Ray is a combat resupply boat able to carry up to 4-thousand-5-hundred pounds in a single load. It is the latest in a line of unsatisfactory attempts to create a compact robot logistics system.

USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Alexander P. Perlman.

Video, by Petty Officer 3rd Class Casey Trietsch, of the Devil Ray tooling around San Diego:

The Devil Ray looks like a racing boat because it is a racing boat. According to BlueZone Group (Maritime Tactical Systems’s dealer in Australia and New Zealand) “The MANTAS USV vessel is a catamaran hull design based on a powerboat racing vessel that set world speed records.”

USN photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Michael Jones, 17APR2021.

IBP 21 took place from April 19th to the 26th.

Robot Wars 2020: USN’S NEW ROBOT GUN BOAT, OR CUSV

Technology

Texas turns to robots to wash F-16

Video May 1, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Texas Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Ryan Mancuso, 28APR2021.

In 2021, the Texas Air National Guard revealed their latest autonomous system, a robot that washes airplanes.

Texas Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Ryan Mancuso, 28APR2021.

The 149th Fighter Wing, on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, sacrificed one of their F-16s for the demonstration.

Texas Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Ryan Mancuso, 28APR2021.

Texas Air National Guard video by Senior Airman Ryan Mancuso, 14JAN2021:

The robot washer is part of a project funded by AFWERX. The Texas Air National Guard claims the robot will save taxpayers some money. The switch to robots is part of the Air Force 2025 program, which was the result of U.S. Air Force planning, originating in 1995.

Robots: PANDEMIC PANIC-ATTACK HITS CAT LITTER? BLAME LOGISTICS COMPETITION AND ROBOTS!

ROBOTS STRIP AN A-10 NAKED!

U.S. Navy’s NEW ROBOT GUN BOAT, OR CUSV

Wash: WASH YOUR HAWK!

KC-135 STRATOTANKER BATH

Business/Economics, Idaho, Technology

Pandemic Logistics Shenanigans: Canned Pet Food? Conspiracy to jack-up prices? Blame China?

Image April 27, 2021 Hutchins AAron

26 April 2021 / 23:50-UTC-07 Tango 06 (07 Ordibehesht 1400/15 Ramadan 1442/16 Ren-Chen 4719)

Photo by AAron Hutchins, 25APR2021.

A recent visit to the Pocatello, Idaho, Fred Meyer revealed that not only are they still out of cat litter, but now they are out of canned cat food! Notice the blue stickers all over the shelf fronts, they say “Sorry for the inconvenience”.

Across the street at Winco, they are still low on the top selling cat litters, but are also showing fewer stock of canned cat and dog food. Fred Meyer is also showing a declining stock of canned dog food, but they’re not out of stock, yet.

It doesn’t help that in the past month several brands of pet food, in the U.S., were recalled due to salmonella.

A quick check of the inter-web and I discovered that shortages of pet food is making way more international news than shortages of cat litter, and this time most of the international news media isn’t blaming the pandemic (except for a Fox TV station and other news outlets in New York).

India: Government orders pet food makers to boost production.

New Zealand: Global supply issues and shipping delays hit the family cat’s dinner plate.

Whiskas among big-brand pet foods hit by global shipping issues.

United States: Cat Food Shortage Leaves Pet Owners in a Bind.

Pet food shortage: Fancy Feast, Friskies and 9 Lives.

These Three Beloved Pet Food Brands Are About to Skyrocket in Price.

I also checked for news regarding the logistics industry.

An interesting report out of India revealed that several India airline companies are now contracting to be CoViD-19 oxygen and vaccine cargo haulers in Hong Kong, India and for “private entities” in the United States. Also, Singapore government-owned Temasek has partnered with Air India and Amazon to airlift oxygen concentrators.

The fact that so many shipping companies are shifting to more profitable CoViD operations can only negatively affect the supplies of everything else.

Siddharth Jain of Inox Air Products, revealed in a recent interview why the current craze of shipping liquid oxygen to CoViD hospitals is screwing up the supply chain, at least in India: “….this has never been done anywhere in the world. Liquid oxygen is not designed to travel thousands of kilometers. Usually, plants are set up where there is a requirement…”

In New Zealand, University of Auckland Centre for Supply Chain Management director Tava Olsen said supply chains were supposed to flow smoothly like water, but the whole chain had become ‘lumpy’….blames it partly on China.

Covenant Logistics Group just revealed they’ve been restructuring their operations, and admitted that “…supply chain disruptions, and an intensifying national driver shortage, all of which have continued into the second quarter.”

Crain’s New York Business interviewed an ‘expert’ who stated that the pandemic shift to more e-commerce revealed that there is not enough warehouses (believe it or not) dedicated to stocking merchandise for e-commerce sales. The expert also said the logistics industry is ramping up its use of A-I and robots.

A new article by Logistics Manager says the advent of the pandemic, Brexit, China trade problems, and the recent blockage of the Suez Canal, revealed that the shift to a logistical system operated more with A-I and robots, and less humans, doesn’t work! It also agrees with the Crain’s New York Business ‘expert’ who says there just aren’t enough warehouses to support the new logistics system.

Photo by AAron Hutchins, November 2013.

At the end of last year the Pocatello, Idaho, Fred Meyer began operating as a ‘fulfilment’ center for their e-commerce and pandemic ‘pick-up’ sales. The brick-n-mortar store is now serving double duty as an e-commerce warehouse, but that doesn’t mean they’re carrying more stock.

I’ve written several times in the past that the so-called pandemic panic attack buying is actually a major problem with the globalized supply system, in which bigger logistics companies were taking over and shutting down smaller competitors, and switching to a new A-I system with robot workers instead of humans, just before the pandemic hit.

March 2021: PANDEMIC PANIC-ATTACK HITS CAT LITTER? BLAME LOGISTICS COMPETITION AND ROBOTS!

February 2021: GLOBAL SUGAR CRISIS, BETTER STOCK UP NOW!

U.S. Food Crisis: MILITARY DISTRIBUTION SUCCESS PROVES THE MARKET SYSTEM HAS FAILED!

Operation CoViD-19: COVERT OP TO CONTROL THE GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY?

Technology

Vehicle I-D: Stryker M-SHORAD

Video April 26, 2021 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Army anti-aircraft units in Germany are the first to be upgraded with the new Stryker Mobile Short Range Air Defense (M-ShoRAD) system.

U.S. Army photo by Captain Jordan Allen, 21APR2021.

On 21APR2021, the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, unveiled their new Stryker M-ShoRAD.

USA photo by Captain Jordan Allen, 21APR2021.

It turns out that your typical ShoRAD (Short Range Air Defense) system requires the user to stop their vehicle (like the HMMWV Avenger system) before firing any one of their anti-aircraft weapons (guns, missiles). The M (for Mobile) ShoRAD allows vehicles to keep moving while tracking and shooting at enemy aircraft (shoot on the move).

USA photo by Captain Jordan Allen, 21APR2021.

The M-ShoRAD has been in development for several years (officially since 2018 via a ‘directed requirement’, unofficially since 2017 as revealed by IM-ShoRAD Project Manager Colonel Chuck Worshim). It was developed under the acronym IM-ShoRAD (Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense). In February 2021, the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, attended an ‘IM-ShoRAD University’ in Germany, the class was taught by personnel who spent time at the end of last year learning the new system in New Mexico.

USA photo by John Hamilton, December 2020.

In December 2020, personnel with the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, traveled to White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, for familiarization with the new M-ShoRAD.

A video, by John Hamilton, recorded on 01DEC2020 showing the launching of a missile, and striking of an aircraft target, but it does not show the Stryker firing on the move:

17SEP2020, video by John Hamilton, how to load your Hellfire onto the M-ShoRAD:

USA photo by John Hamilton, 17SEP2020.

Personnel with the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, learn how to operate the M-ShoRAD system at White Sands, New Mexico, 17SEP2020.

A John Hamilton video from 26FEB2020, showing all weapons being fired during what’s called a ‘safety test’, but alas, the Styker is not firing on the move:

The M-ShoRAD system is made by Italian owned Leonardo DRS (Leonardo is the name of the Italian owner, DRS used to be known as DRS Technologies). M-ShoRAD uses Hellfire missiles, Stinger missiles, XM914 30mm gun, and the M240 7.62mm NATO gun.

April 2021: U.S. taxes pay for new USMC vehicle built by Italian and British companies!

March 2020: HOW TO WELD YOUR TANK

January 2019: 1st U.S. Cavalry Regiment Strikers invade Idaho!

Technology

Desert Storm: Aircraft Graveyard

Image April 26, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Operation Desert Shield/Storm can be considered the last battle of the undeclared Cold War. It was totally one sided, and can’t be considered a ‘war’. The battle annihilated the Iraqi air force.

U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) photo.

What’s left of a Sukhoi 25, NATO reporting name Frogfoot.

DoD photo.

From this angle it appears the Su-25 made an emergency landing on the dirt. Notice the tracks in the dirt indicate the right main tire was blown as the track is deeper and rougher cut that the left main and nose wheel-tires.

DoD photo.

Sukhoi 22 found in a hardened hanger.

DoD photo.

In a hanger hit by airstrikes, is this what is left of a MiG-25?

DoD photo.

Definitely a MiG-25.

DoD photo.

What’s left of British Airways flight 149 Boeing 747, on the Kuwait International Airport. The U.S. DoD reported it as destroyed by retreating Iraqi troops, however it has never been proven. Flight 149 just happen to arrive on the airport the day the Iraqis invaded, passengers and crew were taken hostage.

DoD photo.

An aerial view showing the British Airways 747 and a smaller Kuwaiti Air Force DC-9 cargo aircraft. It should be noted that the information that came with this DoD photo said “…coalition bombing of a transport aircraft and a small jet at Kuwait International Airport in the final days of Operation Desert Storm”, contradicting statements that retreating Iraqis did it.

DoD photo.

Staff Sergeant Lee Corkran stands in front of KAF320, the destroyed Kuwaiti Air Force DC-9. The photo’s original DoD information claimed this was the tail section of a Kuwaiti Air Force 747!

DoD photo.

Abandoned Iraqi Mil 8, NATO reporting name Hip.

DoD photo.

Remains of a helicopter.

DoD photo.

Was this a Hind or a Hip?

DoD photo.

U.S. Army soldiers check-out a Mil-24, NATO reporting name Hind.

DoD photo.

General Norman Schwarzkopf uses his foot to check-out the pieces & parts of an abandoned Hind.

DoD photo.

Captured by U.S. Marines, a U.S. made Bell 214ST.

DoD photo.

An Iranian F-4E was destroyed during Desert Storm. The interesting story is that the Iranian pilot defected to Iraq in 1984, in the middle of the Iran-Iraq War. The back seat Weapon System Operator (WSO) was not part of the defection and became a Prisoner of War. Later the WSO was released to NATO Turkey, where he was assassinated.