Images

Technology

Cold War & Beyond: China’s ‘Finback’

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Cold War, approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union):

Shenyang J-8, NATO reporting name Finback.  The ‘J’ means Jianjiji, which is the equivalent of the word fighter in English.

People’s Liberation Army-Eastern Theater Command photo, 30AUG2020.

PLA-Eastern Theater Command photo, 30AUG2020.

J-8DF. Photo by Yang Pan, 18APR2018.

Photo by Yang Pan, 18APR2018.

PLA-Western Theater Command photo by Wang Xiaofei, March 2018.

Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution display. Photo by Max Smith, August 2007.

The first J-8 looked like a twin engined Sukhoi 9 (NATO reporting name Fishpot), and first flew in 1969.

Beihang (Beijing) Air & Space Museum.

J-8II01

The J-8II (J-8B) radically changed the forward fuselage in order to house a new bigger radar system. It first flew in 1984.

This J-8II has the U.S. English F-8II on the opposite side of the fuselage.

Vehicle I-D: CHINA’S JH-7A, COLD WAR AND BEYOND

Technology, U.S.

U.S. Disaster 2022: Hurricane Hunters going ‘Back to the Future’

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09 April 2022  (15:08-UTC-07 Tango 06) 20 Farvardin 1401/07 Ramadan 1443/09 Jia Chen 4720

Just in time for another early/busy hurricane season?

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sergeant Jessica Kendziorek, 05APR2022.

The Hurricane Hunters (53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron) based on Keesler Air Force Base, in Mississippi, decided to ‘go back to the future’ by painting their new WC-130J Super Hercules in retro Cold War through early 2000s style.

WC-130 Hercules, July 1977. USAF photo by Master Sergeant Curt Eddings.

A USAF WC-130 Hercules from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, ‘Hurricane Hunters’, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. USAF photo dated 1995.

About to drop a DropSonde during the 1995-96 Hurricane Season. USAF photo by Technical Sergeant John K. Mcdowell, December 1995.

On the right you can see a bare metal WC-130J waiting for its new retro ’90s look, on Robins AFB, Georgia. USAF photo by Kisha Foster Johnson, 05APR2022.

The 53rd WX Recon Squadron WC-130Js are undergoing depot level maintenance on Robins AFB, Georgia, and are being painted in the retro 1990s look before being sent back to Keesler AFB.

USAF photo by Senior Master Sergeant Jessica Kendziorek, 05APR2022.

USAF photo by Senior Master Sergeant Jessica Kendziorek, 05APR2022.

You can compare the current paint scheme to the new retro look. USAF photo by Joseph Mather, 05APR2022.

In the background, the first WC-130J with the retro paint-job about to land at Keesler AFB. In the foreground, the modern Hurricane Hunters’ tail colors. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Kristen Pittman, 05APR2022.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Kristen Pittman, 05APR2022.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Kristen Pittman, 05APR2022.

This light grey Hurricane Hunter is being used as a MedEvac during a Homeland Security ‘Life Saver’ training event, in May 2004. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Ramon Reynaldo.

Light grey WC-130J about to hunt down Hurricane Katrina, 04OCT2005. FEMA photo by John Fleck.

Hurricane 2021: WC-130J WX HUNTERS DEPLOY

Hurricane 2020: ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS EARLY, AGAIN,1ST WC-130J HURRICANE HUNTER LAUNCHED!

Bare Metal: C-130 PAINT PREP, OR THE EMPEROR GETS SOME NEW CLOTHES

Hurricane Dorian: WC-130J & WP-3D

Hurricane Harvey: WHAT IS A DROPSONDE?

Cold War Battle Damage: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FLY YOUR C-130E THROUGH A HAILSTORM?

AIRBORNE HURRICANE HUNTERS, WHEN DID IT ALL START?

Disaster Warnings: TORNADO FORECASTING, IT STARTED WITH THE USAF IN 1948!

Disaster Prep Idaho: 1989 7.3IDI DIESEL AMBULANCE COLD START

Idaho, International, U.S.

Biden’s War: Idaho about to deploy hundreds of troops, yet again! First time use of Javelin missiles!

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05 April 2022  (15:22-UTC-07 Tango 06) 16 Farvardin 1401/03 Ramadan 1443/05 Jia Chen 4720

Idaho’s 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team/2nd of the 116th Combined Arms Battalion training on the Orchard Combat Training Center, 30MAR2022. Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.

On 05NOV2021 KLIX News Radio reported that even more 116th Cav militia personnel will be sent to relieve other military units in Southwest Asia, in Summer of 2022, now we have more details.

An Idaho M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, 30MAR2022. Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.

According to Idaho Army National Guard’s Major Robert Taylor, Idaho’s 2nd of the 116th Combined Arms Battalion recently completed M1A2 Abrams and M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle Table-6 crew qualifications, and will be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, for deployment training.

Idaho M1A2 SEPv2, 24MAR2022. Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez.

Their destination is probably Kuwait/Iraq as they are deploying for Operation Spartan Shield.

Families were invited to watch the training and a live fire on 27MAR2022. Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez.

27MAR2022, Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez.

That’s more than 7-hundred 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team National Guard personnel to deploy later in 2022! They are to relieve hundreds of fellow 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team personnel from Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Oregon, as well as National Guard troops from Florida, who deployed to The Middle East in 2021.

Pre-deployment training also included the use of Javelin anti-tank missiles, for the first time in Idaho! 27MAR2022, Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez.

Javelin homing in on target. 27MAR2022, Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez.

Target! First time use of Javelin in Idaho, 27MAR2022, Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez.

MedEvac training, 30MAR2022. Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.

Cavalry is pronounced Cav-All-Rie, not Cal-Va-Rie.

Idaho Army National Guard Aviation Group deployment, 23FEB2022. Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.

Don’t forget, Idaho deployed C-12 Huron crews to an undisclosed location in Africa on 23FEB2022!  Also, more than 4-hundred Idaho Air National Guard personnel deployed to The Middle East in Summer of 2020!

In 2017, Idaho National Guard might have set a record for yearly deployments!  In 2016, I discovered that Idaho was one of only 11 states supplying the most cannon fodder (people), per capita, for combat deployments!

Biden’s War, November 2021: ‘REBELLIOUS’ SNAKE RIVER (IDAHO, OREGON) DEPLOYS! POLITICIAN BEGS IDAHOANS TO RESIST THE WILL OF BIDEN!

Mother of all Money Pits, 2022: YOUR TAXES BRIBE IRAQI ARABS & KURDS TO PLAY NICE TOGETHER! NEW IRAN VS ISRAEL PROXY WAR OVER NATURAL GAS!

Pandēmus Totalitarian, 2022: IDAHO DEPLOYS NATIONAL GUARD INTO PRISONS!

ALARM BLACK! IDAHO OFFICE WORKERS REPORT TO WORK IN FULL PROTECTIVE GEAR! IS IT THE PANDEMIC, OR WAR?

Cyber Dome, 2022: IDAHO JOINS ISRAEL IN NEW GLOBAL CYBER DOMINANCE OPERATION?

New Cold War, 2022: IDAHO AIR NATIONAL GUARD TRAINS WITH USMC F-35!

Vehicle I-D, 2022:  IDAHO GETS NEW UH-60M

U.S. ARMY GETS NEW VERSIONS OF ABRAMS AND BRADLEY

Battle Damage, 2016: TURKEY DEPLOYMENT REVEALS IDAHO A-10S ARE A BUNCH OF DIRTY PIGS!

Deployment Hell, 2012: IDAHO SUICIDE RATE 4TH HIGHEST IN UNITED STATES! IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD DEMANDS SUICIDE HOTLINE!!!

Business/Economics, U.S.

U.S. Food Crisis: “..food shortages….it’s gonna be real.”-Joe Biden. Hell, the people of the U.S. have been struggling with food shortages for more than 2 decades!!! 

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Incomplete (tip-o-the iceberg) list of main stream news links announcing United States food supply shutdowns, emergencies, outbreaks and recalls as of 02 April 2022:

Peanut butter recalled due to being contaminated with pieces of steel!

Chocolate eggs recalled due to being contaminated with tree bark!

Salad dressings, salad kits, sauces, noodles and pasta recalled due to being contaminated with plastics!

Pancake mix sold at Walmarts recalled due to contamination with parts from a tool used in the pancake mix production line!

3.74-million bottles of Airborne Gummies vitamins now recalled due to eye injuries?

Time to Drive Out Hunger with the annual Harvest Regional Food Bank Golf Tournament (it’s become, like, a regular thing).

ALASKA:

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher B. Dennis, 10MAR2022.

Is the U.S. Army hording food in Alaska? This is what they call an Intermediate Staging Base for food and fuel, near Fort Greely.

ARIZONA: Industrial farm recalls ‘sweetened’ strawberries for containing a chemical preservative that it forgot to list on the ingredient label!

ARKANSAS: Dollar Tree recalls all products, including food, after discovering more than one thousand rats in their warehouse!

CALIFORNIA: Industrial farm recalls mushrooms sold across the country for being contaminated with disease!

CONNECTICUTT: Fourteen Kiwanis clubs joined forces to package 27-thousand meals for hungry residents!

FLORIDA: 11th Annual Outrun Hunger 5K in Hollywood Beach (11 years and people are still struggling with lack of food).

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Gabriel B. Kotico, 22MAR2022.

During the week of 20-25MAR2022, U.S. Navy sailors assisted the Feeding Tampa Bay event.

GEORGIA:

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Alec Kramer, 16MAR2022.

USN sailors volunteer to help stock a food pantry in Savannah, 16MAR2022.

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Zachary D. Behrend, 07MAR2022.

USN sailors volunteer to operate a mobile food pantry in  Saint Mary’s, 07MAR2022.

HAWAII: Homesteadin’ Hawai’i discusses U.S. President Joseph R. Biden Junior’s admission that his sanctions against Russia will cause a food crisis everywhere, including the U.S.:

KANSAS: 27th annual Take a Swing at Hunger golf tournament (27 years of trying to end hunger in the U.S.).

Liberty Fruit company issues recall after government testing found a fruit sample tested positive for Salmonella!

MICHIGAN: Goshen Prepping ranks the supposed official Mormon one year stockpile of food list as a “crazy” fail, as it is heavy on grains and sugars, extremely low on water, and zero meats, fruits or vegetables (grains don’t count as vegetables):

MINNESOTA: 13th annual Empty Bowls food rally in Eagan (13 years and people a re still struggling with food shortage).

MISSOURI: 80s ToyHunter checks her local Walmart for possible food shortage and price increases on 23MAR2022:

NEW HAMPSHIRE: What is ConVal End 68 Hours of Hunger?

NEW JERSEY: Move For Hunger and Altair Global renewed their partnership to fight hunger across the United States.

For the first time in U.S. history, pet foods made by a New Jersey based company are now banned by the FDA for disease ridden dog food!

Somerset County Department of Health warning that school lunch milk is contaminated a peroxyacetic sanitizer, after 25 children were hospitalized!

NEW YORK: 30th annual National Association of Letter Carrier’s #StampOutHunger Food Drive (30 years of trying to end hunger in the U.S.).

Fruit & veg sold at local grocery chain recalled to being contaminated with disease!

NYC-ers are urged to prep for Biden’s Russia sanctions caused food crisis:

SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina Retailers Association donates a paltry $120-thousand to help feed hungry people.

TENNESSEE: Nonprofit Hunger First gets evicted by Kingsport Housing & Redevelopment Authority, has list of police recorded complaints that number in the thousands over the past five years.

VIRGINIA: Doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU said they’re seeing between 18% and 20% of patients who are facing food insufficiency!

Perhaps the increase in people going to the children’s hospital for malnutrition is because for the past two years the Arlington Food Assistance Center halted their food operations, supposedly to protect people from The Pandemic!

Washington DC: Senators use Biden’s Russia sanctions caused food crisis to ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture to relax regulations governing the agricultural industry.

U.S. Food Crisis, June 2021:  “EXPONENTIALLY BIGGER”, “GHOSTS IN THE LAND.”

Food Crisis, March 2019: “NOBODY HAS ANY MONEY”

Technology, U.S.

Disaster Warnings: Tornado forecasting, it started with the USAF in 1948!

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According to an April 1998 article written by a former historian with the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, James Crowder, tornado forecasting began in 1948, after two tornadoes touched down on Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), Oklahoma.

At one time Tinker AFB was used to store more than 2-thousand World War Two aircraft. The Twin Twister hit several of the P-47 Thunderbolts.

The first tornado struck on 20MAR1948, the second on 25MAR1948.  The U.S. Air Force (USAF) weather (wx) forecasters on duty that day were new to the area, and were using an early form of wx radar that was actually a cannibalized bombing/navigation radar (AN-PQ-13) off a B-29 bomber!  They had forecasted gusty winds, but 30 minutes after their forecast a storm popped-up on their bombing radar, and it produced a tornado.

This photo is dated 20MAR1948. C-54 transports now fraternizing with B-29 bombers.

Final damage cost estimate of the 20MAR1948 tornado was  $10.25-million (in 1948 dollars), six people injured. The based commander, Major General Fred S. ‘Fritz’ Borum, was outraged at the lack of warning. The Major General was an armchair scientist, and known as an innovator and experimenter.  Major General Borum ordered the creation of the first official tornado disaster preparedness plan, then he ordered the two top wx officers on base to do something never done before; forecast tornadoes.

Major Ernest J. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller, the first to predict a tornado on 25MAR1948. Photo by April McDonald.

Major Ernest J. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller were literal veteran wx-men, serving in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War.  Going by what James Crowder wrote, they seemed obsessed with the idea of formulating a way to determine if a thunderstorm would produce tornadoes.  They worked almost non stop gathering as much data as they could, their ‘shop’ became the first severe wx warning research center in the United States.  Then on 25MAR1948, while having lunch Fawbush and Miller noticed the wx changing much like it did five days prior, they notified their ‘higher-ups’.  They, and the base commander, watched on that former B-29 radar as the storm system grew bigger.  The Major General demanded a definite prediction about a possible tornado, “Are we going to have another tornado or not?”, they responded by giving the first ever tornado alert by simply saying “Yes; yes, sir. We are.” 

However, almost two hours went by without a tornado, the USAF wx forecasters thought for sure their careers were over, then another hour went by and boom, the second tornado hit. While everybody was sheltering, the base commander stood in the doorway of his living quarters and watch the twister tear through even more aircraft.

Altus AFB, Oklahoma, a tornado shoved two massive C-5A Galaxy into each other. 49 buildings damaged, 27 people injured. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Philip Schmitter, 11MAY1982.

Major Fawbush and Captain Miller were soon flooded with data from private sector wx-men, the Oklahoma City Weather Bureau, the National Weather Bureau, as well as the USAF’s Air Weather Service, and the U.S. Navy’s weather organizations. In February 1951, they established the USAF’s Severe Weather Warning Center on Tinker AFB.  Of the 75 tornado predictions they made, 67 of them actually happened.  They both had long careers predicting wx for the U.S. military/government.  Major General ‘Fritz’ Borum retired from the USAF in 1954.

One of several Langley AFB, Virginia, F-15 Eagles after getting swiped by a tornado. USAF photo, August 1993.

Disaster 2022: FEMA PREPS LOCAL POLICE FOR SOCIAL COLLAPSE!

Disaster 2021: IDAHO MILITIA & BOISE FD TRAIN FOR SWIFT WATER RESCUES, WITHOUT WATER!

VERMONT & CONNECTICUT VALKYRIE FIGHT FIRES IN KOSOVO!

U.S. MILITARY DEPLOYS TO HAITI, MORE THAN 2000 DEAD!

Hurricane Prep 2021: ‘NEAR SHORE EXPERIMENT’ PROVES SCIENTISTS STILL DON’T HAVE A CLUE!

Hurricane History: AIRBORNE HURRICANE HUNTERS, IT ALL STARTED WITH THE USAF…ON A DARE!

2017: USAF SPEEDS UP WEATHER TRAINING COURSE, BLAME CLIMATE CHANGE?

TEXAS SPECIAL FORCES ‘WEATHERMEN’ PARA-DIVE INTO LAKE WORTH!

Government Incompetence 2012: “FEMA CENTER CLOSED DUE TO WEATHER”

Technology

NACA’s ramjet F-82 Twin Mustang, 1949 crash & burn? Reborn more than 60 years later!

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National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) acquired three F-82E (P-82E) Twin Mustangs between 1947 and 1950.

NACA photo, 01APR1949.

The first F-82E (PQ-887) was used to test ramjet missiles over NACA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory (now called NASA Glenn Research Center).

NACA photo, 1948.

With the creation of the U.S. Air Force in September 1947, the ‘P’ for pursuit was dropped for ‘F’ for fighter, and PQ-887 became FQ-887.

NACA photo, 1948.

The info that came with this photo says the ramjet tests took place over Wallops Island (Wallops Flight Facility), Virginia. NACA photo, 1948.

A 28MAY1951 Aviation Week article revealed the once secret Wallops Island operations, but stated that the ramjet craft were scale models of bigger things to come.

U.S. Army Air Force photo, XP-82 44-83887, 1945.

By April 1949, FQ-887 became XFQ-887, and a NACA press release claimed the ‘X’ represented that this F-82E was actually one of the two North American prototype XP-82s (#44-83887)!

Skidded off the paved runway, and down into the mud. NACA photo, 14DEC1949.

XFQ-887 then suffered a ‘runway incident’ in December 1949 and was ‘transferred’ after that.

NACA photo, 14DEC1949.

NACA photo, 14DEC1949.

Jacked-up out of the mud. NACA photo, 14DEC1949.

In 1950 two more F-82E came onboard. By the end of 1951, a new designed F-4 ramjet missile was tried-out.

NACA photo, 01DEC1951.

NACA photo, 01DEC1951.

The new F-4 ramjet missile was mounted in the center of the aircraft, instead of on the outboard wings.

NACA photo, 01DEC1951.

NACA photo, 1951.

NACA photo, 01DEC1951.

NACA photo, 1952.

NACA photo, 1952.

NACA photo, 1952.

Compare to wing mounted ramjet missile.

NACA photo, 1953.

Interestingly, these air-launched ramjet missiles look like the successful surface-to-air RIM-8 Talos missile used by the U.S. Navy, but with much fewer fins. The Talos ramjet project began in 1944, with its first flight in February 1945.

What happened to XFQ-887?  It was removed from military records in 1950, then ended up in the hands of an aircraft collector in Ohio, from 1965 to 1985.  It rotted away in a junkyard until 2008, when Brooks Aviation got a hold of it, restoration work began the same year, airworthiness was certified in 2011 even though the left fuselage still needed restoration. In 2019, XFQ-887 (XP-82) made its debut at the Fun-n-Sun Air Show in Florida.

https://www.facebook.com/169791783063916/videos/1815465248496553/

See and read a whole lot more about the return of XFQ-887 (XP-82) at XP-82 Twin Mustang Project.

Crash Landings:

USAAF photo.

USAAF P-51 MUSTANGS, ENGLAND, 1944-45

TRIPLE ENGINED F-106B DELTA DART; MORE TAXPAYER FUNDED SUPPORT FOR THE AIRLINER INDUSTRY

SALVAGING F4U CORSAIRS

Technology

Cold War & Beyond: China’s JH-7A

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Cold War, approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union):

JH-7 (aka FBC-1 Flying Leopard, NATO reporting name Flounder) first flew in 1988, but entered service after the Cold War, in 1992.

People’s Liberation Army- Eastern Theater Command photo by Ge Shuwei, 25NOV2021.

The current JH-7A has a lighter and stronger airframe than the JH-7, allowing it to carry heavier weapon loads.

PLA-Eastern Theater Command photo by Ge Shuwei, 25NOV2021.

The Chinese strike aircraft uses engines that are license built version of NATO United Kingdom Rolls-Royce turbofans.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Liu Xuhong, 07SEP2021.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Liu Xuhong, 07SEP2021.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Liu Xuhong, 07SEP2021.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo.

PLA-Southern Theater Command photo by Zhuo Lingpeng, 17AUG2021.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo, August 2021.

PLA-Southern Theater Command photo by Nie Haifei, 29JUL2021.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Wang Limin, October 2020.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Wang Limin, October 2020.

PLA-Southern Theater Command photo by Ou Kaixu, 21JUL2020.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Yang Pan, 25APR2019.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Yang Pan, 25APR2019.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Yang Pan, 25APR2019.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo by Yang Pan, 25APR2019.

PLA-Southern Theater Command photo by Liu Huanhuan, 01NOV2018.

PLA-Northern Theater Command photo, 12JUN2018.

PLA-Western Theater Command photo by Wang Xiaofei, March 2018.

Vehicle I-D: CHINA’S H-6K

Technology

Vehicle I-D: How does the National Guard go hunting for recruits in Alaska?

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Photo by Benjamin Wilson, 13MAR2022.

The U.S. Army/Marine Corps calls it the Small Unit Support Vehicle (SUSV), an all-terrain Arctic vehicle.  It is a NATO Norway made Bandvagn (Bv) 206.  Here in the U.S. any tracked vehicle designed for snow is commonly referred to as a Snow Cat (there is even a brand called Sno-Cat).

U.S. Army photo by Major Jason Welch, 13MAR2022.

In March 2022, the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, borrowed an Alaskan Army National Guard recruiter’s SUSV.

USA photo by Major Jason Welch, 13MAR2022.

Fort Greeley, Alaska, is conducting a multi-national combat readiness wargame called Joint Pacific Readiness Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) rotation 22-02.

USA photo by Major Jason Welch, 13MAR2022.

USA photo by Major Jason Welch, 13MAR2022.

Another Alaskan Army National Guard Bv 206, I mean SUSV, this time in normal colors.

Vehicle I-D: USMC SNO-CATS FLEE California’s SLINK FIRE

Technology

Cold War to Ukraine Crisis, Vehicle I-D: MTLB, used by U.S., NATO, and still used by Russia!

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Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).

The MTLB is a direct descendant of the PT-76 amphibious tank, as is the BTR-50, ASU-85, ZSU-23-4, and the 1S91 SURN-2K12 Kub antiaircraft missile system.  However, all those other PT-76 relatives are rear engine/rear drive, the MTLB is mid-engine/front drive.

Photo dated March 1983, no other information.

The later MTLBu (also called M1976 by U.S./NATO) artillery command tank (mid-engine/front drive), 2S1 SP gun (front engine/front drive), and UR-77 (2S1 chassis) are based on a stretched MTLB chassis (with seven roadwheels instead of six, per side).  The even later BMP-23 is based on the 2S1 chassis.

Photo I took one California National Guard drill weekend on NTC, California, in 1984. There were about a dozen MTLBs working with OpFor.

For some reason, NATO likes to add a dash between MT and LB, I have not found this to be the case with Russian sources.  The MTLB comes from the Latinized Russian nomenclature;  Mnogotselevoy Tyagach Legky Bronirovanny.  In Russian Cyrillic it is Многоцелевой Тягач Легкий Бронированный, МТЛБ which is MTLB.  In English it means Multipurpose Tractor Light Armored (MTLA).  Light armored is for sure, I’ve checked out the MTLBs on Fort Irwin and the armor is so thin that I would not be surprised if 12.7mm (.50 cal) ball ammo could make Swiss cheese out of it.

Photo my father took of MTLB engineer vehicle at USAF air show in California, Summer 1986.

One of my Cold War era books on Soviet vehicles claims the MTLB was an armored version of the MTL (this claim is currently also being made by a internet ‘encyclopedia’).  I haven’t found anything about an MTL, what I found is that the predecessor of the MTLB was the ATP, which has no relation to the PT-76 or MTLB.  It’s not the first time NATO/U.S. was wrong about anything Soviet (COLD WAR BOATS: MOSKVA CLASS SUBMARINE HUNTERS, STOP CALLING THEM AIRCRAFT CARRIERS!).

During the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force managed to get their own Soviet MTLB. This one was seen on Bolling Air Force Base (now Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling), Washington DC. Photo by Don S. Montgomery, October 1986.

Photo by Don S. Montgomery, October 1986.

U.S. Army Opposition Forces (OpFor) MTLB on Fort Irwin National Training Center (NTC), California, 31MAR1988.

Anti-aircraft MTLB Strela from one of the last parades under the Soviet Union, November 1989.

An Iraqi MTLB damaged during the last battle of the Cold War; Desert Storm, March 1991. Photo by Staff Sergeant Dean W. Wagner.

U.S. Marines test drive a captured Iraqi MTLB during Desert Storm. Photo by Chief Warrant Officer-4 J.M. Rodriguez, February 1991.

Since the end of the unofficial Cold War, the MTLB has been continually modified by the many countries that still use it.

Several years after the end of the unofficial Cold War, the U.S. Marine Corps was using MTLBs in wargame Kernel Blitz ’97. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Timothy J. Reynolds, 21JUN1997.

USMC MTLBs, June 1997. USMC photo by Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Mobley.

See more here: SOVIET ARMOR OF THE U.S. MARINE CORPS

A USA (U.S. Army) AH-64 Apache versus a USA MTLB armed with Strela antiaircraft missiles (NATO reporting name Gopher missiles) during an All Service Combat Identification Evaluation Test (ASCIET), on Fort Stewart, Georgia, March 1999.

The remains of another Iraqi MTLB, but this time it is 2003, and it is a ZSU-23-2 antiaircraft gun version. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Jennifer A. Krusen, 11APR2003.

An Iraqi MTLB, near that infamous prison, 11MAY2005. Notice the use of wide ‘snow’ tracks. U.S. Army photo by Specialist Ronald Shaw.

See more of Iraqi MTLB in IRAQI ARMOR, AFTER THE INVASION.

Ukrainian MTLB towing artillery into the disputed Donbas area, sometime in 2015.

Bulgarian MTLB mortar track. U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Corporal Justin T. Updegraff, 07JAN2016.

Bulgarian MTLB mortar track. U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Corporal Justin T. Updegraff, 07JAN2016.

See video of Bulgarian MTLB mortar tracks launching rounds in SOVIET ERA ARMOR USED BY NATO: BULGARIA, PLUS THE BULGARIAN BMP-23.

Russian Northern Fleet photo of artic MTLB (notice wider snow tracks), dated March 2016.

Pink camo MTLB mortar carrier, during artillery competition in Kazakhstan. Photo dated April 2017.

Convoy of artillery towing Ukrainian MTLB, sometime in 2018.

April 2018, Ukraine shows off its new MTLB ambulances to the public.

Finnish MTLB during wargame Arrow 18, on Pohjankangas Training Area near Kankaanpaa, Finland, 18MAY2018. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sergeant Averi Coppa.

Polish MTLB, NATO’s Forward Presence Battle Group Latvia, during Operation Reassurance at Camp Ādaži, Latvia, 26JUL2018. Photo via Canadian Armed Forces.

Bulgarian Army MTLB during NATO Exercise Platinum Lion. North Carolina Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Jamar Marcel Pugh, 02AUG2018.

Video from Kazakhstan, 2021‘s International Army Games-Masters of Artillery Fire competition, showing the Russian team’s MTLB mortar carrier action:

September 2021, Russian Black Sea Fleet MTLB-9A35 launch their 9K35 Strela-10 (NATO reporting name SA-13 Gopher) missiles:

‘Z’ marked MTLB, Donbas AO, end of February 2022.

Russian MTLB in the Donbas Area of Operation, March 2022.

An abandoned/captured Ukrainian specialized MTLB, March 2022.

The 2S1 self propelled artillery gun is based on a stretched MTLB chassis:

2S1, FROM COLD WAR TO UKRAINIAN BORDER CRISIS!

NATO Bulgaria’s BMP-23 is based on the 2S1 chassis: BULGARIAN SOVIET ARMOR, PLUS THE BULGARIAN BMP-23

Cold War Vehicle I-D: BRDM-2, NOW BEING USED AS TAXIS?

IDAHO’S 1:1 SCALE FAKE NEWS RUSSIAN MTLB BASED 1S91 SURN TANK

RUSSIA INVADES FLORIDA with 2K12 KUB

International, U.S.

Peacekeeper ’95: Russia invades NATO United States! Red Dawn for reals?

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U.S. Air Force personnel de-ice a Russian Il-76 on McChord Air Force Base, Washington, before its flight to Kansas, 24OCT1995. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Steve Thurow.

Russian troops off-load their gear on McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, 24OCT1995. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Steve Thurow.

Russia’s 27th Guards Motorized Rifle Division troops march on McConnell AFB, Kansas. USAF photo by Senior Airman Steve Thurow, 24OCT1995.

In October/November 1995, Russian Ilyushin 76 cargo aircraft landed in Illinois, Kansas and Washington, loaded with Russian troops!

A Russian IL-76 takes off from McChord AFB, Washington, heading for McConnell AFB, Kansas, 25OCT1995. USAF photo by Senior Airman Steve Thurow.

A Russian Il-76 sits on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. USAF photo by Senior Airman Steve Thurow, 01NOV1995.

Russian officers try to explain to the local news media in Kansas why they are on U.S. soil. USAF photo by Senior Airman Steve Thurow, 01NOV1995.

Russia’s 27th Guards, Motorized Rifle Division board their IL-76 transport at McConnell AFB, Kansas, United States. USAF photo by Senior Airman Tony Jergens, 01NOV1995.

It was the first time the Russian military set foot on the United States.  According to a Los Angeles Times article, Peacekeeper ’95 was about preparing U.S. and Russian personnel to work together during their joint deployment to the former Yugoslavia/Bosnia-Herzegovina for peacekeeping duties.

Two Russian IL-76 transports on McChord AFB, Washington. USAF photo by Senior Airman Steve Thurow, 01NOV1995.

Russian troops going home, unload their souvenirs of their ‘invasion’ of the U.S., before boarding the Il-76 waiting to take them back to Russia. USAF photo by Senior Airman Tony Jergens.

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