Chrom exactly my point.Years ago most people from the west and even some from Russia from “independant” media denied the usefullness of ERA and Arena/Drozd.Now afrer Iraq they learned the hard way how much value such systems have.Everyone can see that the main enemy of the tanks right now are small groups armed with RPG or ATGM’s.To have better protection western tanks “gained” much weight and are close to WW2 Mouse tank…So in my opinion Russian tanks have better strategy to deal with ATGM danger.From WW2 they use screens to protect against shaped charge warheads.



This is the most simple and cheap protection agaist ATGM’s.It have it’s drawbacks but nobody can bring death tank crew back.Here is more modern version.

This is from Chechenia

Version with ERA

Strv-103

Israeli version,developed after 1982 Lebanon war.But this concept protect in lesser degree the tank compared to other ones.

But the best protection in my view is the ERA/Shtora-1/Arena combo.That is one of the reasons why my top rated tank is T-80U-M1 “Bars”

Btw Jack can you tell me what you mean with “I hate to be the one defending the Russians”.And also “RPG-18….second one is a Russian copy of the US M72 LAW”.In concept yes,but if you just look over the dimensions it’s totally different.

Given the fact that S-300PMU-1 cover 1800 sq.km. against aerial targets and the size of Venezuela is 882 050 sq.km. he will need just….490 coplex 🙂
Depends on how much money he want to spend,and which S-300 model he wants to buy.I just hope that he also aquire short range coplex like Tor or Tunguska(like Algeria).

Is it just me that think that this “revolutionary” missile is just modernized Granit?
I’m not coming with the “russians was first” crap,i just think that missile using better engine and electronics with the overall shape of Granit is just a modernization.And the article just forget missiles like P-35,P-500 and P-1000.Also one thing bother me.They are so proud what speed the missile will achieve but the fact that the cruise altitude is 21 km and the missile “vary” it’s speed just don’t impress me.Cruising in high altitude that will help to reach 800 km range,and diving for final low level stage is nothing new(again).Here is the stupid part.They are so proud of this MILESTONE,the ability to change it’s speed,that they say that missile like Brahmos are maybe obsolete.Well Brahmos and Sunburn just use the same principle.In high altitudes they have more range,dive for final stage and that is it.Russian use the same thing since P-6(nearly 50 years ago).

“3000 mph at sea level with a turbine engine”
Back in 1967 the original engine for Granit was designed for M4 speed,later with the use of KR-93 engine redused to M2,2.But all this speeds are in medium cruise altitude,in sea level with KR-93 the speed is M1,5.

And they are now in mockup stage,so soon they will expirience the real difficulties in making this missile ready.In that time if there is not enough support the part that disturbes sferrin(and me) will come to light.Somebody will come up with “there is no need and bla bla” and the only place for the project will be museums and i-sites…

The promised pictures and some info.

This is the route from Russia to Venezuela:

One of the pilots said to the photographer that the back flight was 19 hours long from Brazil,then Azores islands,Malta,Varna(Bulgaria,where the pictures was taken)and the final target Ramenskoe(Russia).The most important part.The pilot said that 24 planes was sold,with future option for 50 Su-35’s.
Tomorow i will post link for short movie.

“Hezbollah infrastructure”
You mean that they OWN the roads?Or they build the ports?
And can someone tell me what is the point of destroying oil and water depos,civil buildings and highway roads?

“The French reportedly have ferries with the capacity for 1,000 people, but are only taking French nationals, New York City architect Naji Moujaes told FOX News. Moujaes was on a business trip but brought along his wife and infant child.
“If your wife is a French national and your son, then they will take you,” Moujaes said. “

BS.I know for sure that there is Bulgarian women and children on the board.

CIA:Strict measures will be taken to prevent Flex Al Hater from doing an terrorist attack

Sens i’m well aware of that,and how limited(to airshows mainly) is this.The thing is that JFrazier say that russians lack engine with “the envelope of the F119’s”.
Correct me if i’m wrong but isn’t supercruise determinant by T/W ratio with engine in dry trust?So for exampe Al-31FM equiped Yak-130( 😉 ) will be capable of supercruise.And this fictional plane will be with 0 km/h to 1.7 M flight envelope?Russians lack high trust engine for fighters….nothing new.Back to reality P-42(Su-27 record plane)is capable of supercruise and high alfa numbers.Can i say that R-32 is better than F119?No,F119 is superior to any present russian engine,but your statement is just anti-russian BS.The thing that impress me in F119 is different.You can see in this post by Vortex:
“i’ve heard that the F-104 can reach ~M1.05 without the use of AB..guys, you gotta keep in mind that the TYPE of engine also matters a lot….most turbojets should be able to achieve supercruise for a decently designed supersonic fighter, but for turbofans to achieve supercruise means that the aircraft design needs considerable effort. The reason is that the exhaust velocities of turbojets are usually much higher (equating to more thrust at that flight speed) than turbofans. That said, it’s not surprising that Mig25s can supercurise (probably at above 50kft and ~M1.2 without AB). But the importance for the F22 here is the fact that it’s a turbofan that’s doing supercruise (ok, actually a very very low bypass turbofan)…meaning that it’s endurance in every corner of the flight envelope is better than any aircraft out there.”