Tag Archives: europe

International, Technology

Cold War relics get digital upgrades: Serbia’s new 2S1-M21 SPG & KOT1-V2 command post.

Video

Notice the anti-drone cage, and the remote controlled machine gun on the rear of the command post.

“The improved KOT1 V2 command post armored vehicle receives orders from the observation post, processes them and, in a split second, forwards them to the self-propelled howitzer, which, in a short time, computes firing data and is ready for all fire missions.”-Sergeant Major Mladen Miletić, Command Sergeant Major of the 23rd Self-Propelled Howitzer Artillery Battalion

Externally the ‘M21’ Gvozdika looks like any other Gvozdika.

Serbia spent the past few years upgrading their 2S1 self-propelled 122 millimeter (122mm) artillery system with the latest digital targeting and communications electronics.

U.S. Army vehicle I-D training image from the Cold War.

During the Cold War, NATO referred to the 2S1 as the ‘M-1974 SAU-122’.  The ‘M-1974’ refers to when NATO observers first noticed the SPG (Self-Propelled Gun), during a July 1974 parade in Warsaw, Poland. The SAU-122 refers to the diameter of the gun bore.

Side note; both NATO and former East Bloc countries call the 122mm gun a ‘howitzer’.  Technically this is incorrect as howitzer refers to short tubed, easily transportable by infantry, artillery guns.  Guns that had barrels which were much shorter than that of the old Soviet 122mm.

During the Cold War, NATO referred to the KOT1 V2 command post as the ‘M-1976’ command post, or as the MTLB-u.  Both the 2S1 and the command post are based on the MTLB chassis.

Serbian Defense Ministry video:

This has video of Serb 2S1s launching rounds: Serbian 2S1 Gvozdika

International

1944, U.S. sends B-17s to Soviet Ukraine!

Video

The U.S. Army Air Force’s 15th Air Force ‘Frantic Joe’ Task Force used Poltava Air Base, in Soviet Ukraine, to conduct what they called ‘shuttle bombing’ of Germany.  It was called Operation Frantic.

The U.S. Army Air Force’s Combat Camera Unit put together this propaganda film showing the first time use of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers from Soviet Ukraine. Prior to that, Consolidated B-24 Liberators had been used. What the film doesn’t show is the 21JUN1944 German attack which destroyed the B-17s on the ground, in fact, the U.S. kept that loss a secret until July 1949!

Part one:

Film also shows North American P-51B Mustangs, Bell Airacobras, Yaks (Yakovlevs) and Douglas C-47s.

Part two:

Part three:

Part four:

Germany bombs the shit outta Poltava: Germany destroys U.S. bombers in Ukraine, kept secret until 1949!

International, Technology

No more NATO-România MiG-21 ‘Fishbed/Lancer’!

Video

Romania retired its last active Cold War era Mikoyan & Gurevich (MiG) 21s on 15MAY2023, officially replacing them with new versions of the Cold War era General Dynamics F-16s: “Decommissioning of the MiG-21 LanceR aircraft and the accelerated transition to the operation of the F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force.”–Forțele Aeriene Române

Romanian Ministerul Apararii Nationale retirement video report:

Romanian F-16s; I edited this from a NATO video, non-disclosed location over Europe, released July 2023:

I edited together several NATO ‘walk-around’ videos (mostly silent videos) recorded between 2016 and 2020:

Serbian Armed Forces video from September 2018’s International Air Tactical Exercise Air Solution (involving Ohio National Guard, Romania and Serbia):

2020: NATO’s MiG-21 (with more videos of Romanian MiG-21s, including a report about Romanian pilot’s last flight in MiG-21)

For more MiG videos go to my ‘Forever Wars’ playlist on my YouTube variety-show channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkZrLGwZbnj93-HZy9E6tQvyrXyMi_-x7

International, U.S.

United States + NATO-Poland, 14FEB2025.

Video

Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister/Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, conduct press conference and report that their main concern is increasing taxpayer funding for the purpose of supporting the U.S. military industrial complex, and expanding Poland’s military industrial complex.

Video via U.S. Department of Defense, 14FEB2025, Warsaw, Poland:

Gaza? Lebanon? Syria? It has always been about Iran!

Technology, U.S.

Uncle Sam preps for War: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

Video

Curtiss XP-40 Warhawk tested in the NACA wind tunnel, Langley Research Center, Virginia, 1939.

I edited together videos from United States Army Air Corps/Forces (USAAC/USAAF) newsreels, released in 1941. Curtiss P-40 Warhawk:

Before the U.S. entered the Second World War, ‘volunteers’ were being paid by the U.S. government to fly P-40 ‘Flying Tigers’ for China, against the Japanese.  However, after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor the Flying Tigers became an official USAAC/USAAF unit, along with some of their pilots being transferred to the Navy/Marine Corps, and the Chinese began flying their own P-40s.  Here is a poor quality, silent film of Chinese operated P-40s:

Here are some photos of various versions of P-40s throughout the war:

P-40 tied down on Iceland, 23SEP1941.

P-40E being tested by NACA, 20MAY1942.

Warhawk lands at Burg-el-Arab, Egypt, October 1942.

Somewhere in the Caribbean, December 1942.

25DEC1942, “…SSGT J.A. Muller, CPL John W. Coleman, and CPL L.B. Thomas of the 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, consume their Christmas dinner on the field at a base somewhere in China.”

A P-40F is presented to a French air force chaplain in northern Africa, 1943.

May 1943, Dobodura, New Guinea.

A bullet riddled British Royal Air Force P-40 ‘Kittyhawk’ somewhere in northern Africa, 1943.

Port Moresby Air Depot, Papua, New Guinea. A P-40 converted into a two seat observation plane, sometime in 1943.

Sometime in 1943, Burma-India Theater of Operations.

Sometime in 1943, Abadan, Iran, Soviet pilots play chess before flying their U.S. taxpayer funded P-40Es to the Karelian Front.

P-40 lands on a new airfield on Baker Island (aka New Nantucket), 11SEP1943.

Apamama Island, Gilbert Islands, January 1944.

February 1944, Upper Assam, India.

A Curtiss C-46 lands while a Curtiss P-40K watches, somewhere in China, sometime in 1945.

Chinese anti-air spotters are taught not to shoot down a Warhawk, sometime between 1945 and 1946.

Final flight outta the U.S.?: Yankee Lady, the last take-off? Does anybody know what is going on?

International, Technology, U.S.

NATO-Poland’s 1st F-35s arrive in Arkansas!

Video

“The arrival of Poland’s first F-35s is a significant milestone for our state, the nation, and our allies who will train on this fifth-generation fighter at Ebbing Air National Guard Base. I’m extremely proud of the whole team in the 188th Wing, and the staffs at Razorback Range and Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center for the planning and work that has resulted in the sound of freedom returning to the River Valley today. They’ve partnered with the active-duty Air Force to go from concept to jets being parked on the ramp in a compressed timeframe. We are thankful for the dedicated teamwork of those in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, our entire Congressional delegation, and state elected officials who have moved mountains to make this mission possible in Arkansas.”–Brigadier General Chad Bridges, Arkansas National Guard

Polish F-35A flybys, edited from videos via Airman First Class Miles Chrisman, of the Air National Guard’s 188th FW:

On 23DEC2024, a couple of ‘firsts’ took place; the first of several Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning-2 (named after the P-38 Lightning) for NATO-Poland were delivered, and secondly, the training for Polish pilots will take place on an Air National Guard base.

In July 2024, the United States Air Force (USAF) 85th Fighter Group (FG) was re-activated by the 33rd Fighter Wing (FW) specifically to train Polish pilots to fly the F-35A.  The 85th FG will conduct the training on Ebbing Air National Guard Base (ANGB), in Arkansas. When the 85th FG was deactivated, in 2006, its last assignment was in Iceland. The 85th FG is now part of the 33rd Fighter Wing (FW), which is part of the USAF’s Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

In May 2024, officials with the U.S. Foreign Military Sales, USAF and NATO-Poland, met on Ebbing ANGB, on Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Polish F-35A gets hosed, edited from videos via Airman First Class Miles Chrisman, Air National Guard 188th FW:

Ebbing ANGB is also home to Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Wing.

The decision to use Ebbing ANGB to train foreign pilots was made in 2023, after almost three years of comparing eligible air bases, both USAF and National Guard. Future F-35 training will include pilots from NATO-Finland, NATO-Germany, Singapore (one of several East Asian countries being wooed by NATO) and Switzerland (a NATO ‘partner’ but not a full member).

In November 2024, the USAF admitted it was all about supporting taxpayer subsidized Foreign Military Sales.

NATO-Belgium: First F-35A arrives in Arizona!

International, Technology, U.S.

NATO-Belgium’s 1st F-35A arrives in Arizona!

Video

“It’s a historic day for the Belgian air force. Our first jet just landed at Luke Air Force Base, marking the start of our training period. A lot of work has gone into making this moment possible and we are excited to begin flying and complete our training.”-Lieutenant Colonel Pierre-Yves Libert, 312th Fighter Squadron, 03DEC2024

The first Belgian Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning-2 arrived on Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona,  03DEC2024.

Video interview by Senior Airman Mason Hargrove recorded on 03DEC2024, released for public use on 19DEC2024:

Video van Senior Airman Mason Hargrove opgenomen op 3DEC2024, uitgezonden op 19DEC2024:

Vidéo du Senior Airman Mason Hargrove enregistrée le 03DEC2024, diffusée le 19DEC2024:

More F-35As for Belgium are expected on Luke AFB as it will be where the Belgian Air Force/Air Component will build its new ‘5th generation’ F-35 Lightning-2 squadron, eventually replacing their Cold War era F-16s.

NATO, December 2024: New U.S. MLRS arrives in NATO-Europe

F-35-I ADIR: “TOGETHER, WE WILL DOMINATE THE SKIES!” IS THE U.S. COMPLICIT IN GAZA GENOCIDE?

International

NATO: Finland’s 155 PsH K9 Moukari SPG

Video

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:

Vehicle I-D: KOREAN 대한민국 K9 Thunder

Finland’s SP guns 155 PsH K9 & 122 PsH 74

NATO: Sweden’s Archer pounds Finland!

International, Technology

NATO: Sweden’s Archer pounds Finland!

Video

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).

First shots:

Reload:

Evening shots:

Slow-mo:

NATO Vehicle I-D: The Archer from Sweden pounds Indiana!

International

Ohio digs Serbia!

Video

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:

Forever Wars 2023: Russian ally Serbia allows NATO wargame? Ohio sends troops!