Greece DEFENCE CORRUPTION - PART I

The development of Greek weapons programs during the past two decades has significantly contributed (either directly or indirectly) to the fact that presently the country is in a difficult economic situation. Greece proved to be incapable not only to resist the growing poverty, but also to manage its military prowess (in comparison with the sums, which they spent between 1990's and 2000) all by the increasing military tension, caused by the actions of Turkey both in the Aegean sea, and in the eastern Mediterranean.

Read More

Chinese Prototype For Electromagnetic Catapults For Aircraft Carriers

The designer of the system - Ma Weiming (马伟明),  graduated from Naval Engineering Institute in 1982; in 1996 received his doctorate at the University of Tsinghua. Known primarily as a specialist in electric power systems, and submarines. He is currently a professor at the Naval Engineering University of PLA.

Read More

Russia's Biggest Question: "Floating Airfields"

Russia, perhaps will get a few carriers. In any case, the representatives of the United Shipbuilding Corporation have repeatedly asserted that the design of a new heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser must begin. It is true that the Russian military has repeatedly insisted that the creation of such ships are planned. Whom to believe - it is not clear.

Read More

Russia’s Maritime Power Of 2nd Grade

June 17 in St. Petersburg was signed an agreement, as a result of which the Russian Navy a few years later supplemented with four amphibious assault ship of the "Mistral". Two of them will be built in France, the rest - in Russian shipyards. This event led me to some reflections.

The author does not intend to enter into polemics with those who support the signed agreement or rejects it.

Read More

Sevmash: Russian Pride Of Ship-Building

"Information that Russia does not have stocks to build ships such as French helicopter carrier Mistral is untrue. At least Sevmash has such features, "- said the representative of the Northern Machine-Building Enterprise (Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region), Alexander Kholodov.

President Dmitry Medvedev with the submarine Yuriy Dolgorukiy in the background

Read More

Beijing's Blue-Water Navy-Image Gallery

Is China building an empire on the sea?

From Somalia to the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca, Beijing is increasingly seeking to project naval power, a sharp break from its traditional, narrower strategy of patrolling the Chinese coast. Military leaders in China maintain that the Chinese navy is purely a self-defense force, but this definition has now expanded to encompass broad maritime and economic interests. "With our naval strategy changing now, we are going from coastal defense to far sea defense," Rear Adm. Zhang Huachen, deputy commander of the East Sea Fleet, said in an interview with Xinhua, the state news agency. According to experts, the Chinese navy receives more than one-third of the country's overall military budget, reflecting the priority Beijing places on maintaining open sea lanes for resources and manufacturing as a vital element of national security.

Read More

U.S. Navy Is Preparing To Beat Off The Russian Missiles

U.S. Army specialists are not convinced that the American ships will be able to repel the attack of Russian missile family Klub . To test the ship's defense systems USN ordered additional 7 supersonic targets, such as GQM-163A Coyote SSST, each of which is worth 3.9 million dollars.

Read More

Ship-Board Phase Array RADARs

Plain & a simple document discussing the role & evolution of Phase Array Radars. Writer elaborates with infographics couple with basic physics to let the reader know of the working principle of PESA RADARs. Various US, European & Russian examples also are discussed.

Read More

World Wars Camouflage Technique Could Have Benefits in Modern Warfare

Painting army vehicles with high contrast geometric patterns -- 'dazzle camouflage' -- affects the perception of their speed and thus could make them less susceptible to rocket propelled grenade attacks, according to new research from the University of Bristol.

Examples of dazzle camouflage used in the First and Second World Wars. From top left: HMS Argus, SS Empress of Russia, Mauretania (World War One); USS Inaugural, HMAS Yarra (World War Two). (Credit: Images from Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia article on Dazzle camouflage, all in the public domain except SS Empress, which is Copyright: National Museums Liverpool (Stewart Bale Collection, Merseyside Maritime Museum))

Read More

Chinese Aircraft Carrier: The History Of Discovery And Development Prospects

by Vedernikov, Y.

Modern China, successfully implementing a programme of economic development, known as the "programme of four upgrades", begun in 1978. Realizing the mark of the first decade of the 21st century strategy "Go outside" [1], the country goes to the level of world powers.

Read More

CIWS Systems Worldwide

Document describes the various Close-in weapon systems operational worldwide. It describes the respective qualities, lethality & ease of integration of each weapon. In the case of lethality Russian CIWS namely Tulamashzavod AK-630 stands unchallenged; in the case of cross-platform ability & as a totally independent system with modern FAPDS rounds the German Rheinmetall 35 x 228 DM 33 stands unchallenged…lastly the most widely used system US Phalanx with its seamless integration with onboard naval machinery  is the most economical system on the scene; but wait Chinese have come up with a decent CIWS system ready to influence the defence market!!

Read More

The Chinese Are Coming!

by Douglas H. Paal

In 1966, Hollywood produced a Cold War comedy about a Russian submarine becoming stranded on the shoals of a small New England town. It was a good movie and it nicely captured the misplaced hysteria of the era about Soviet military intentions. It was calledThe Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!and I recommend you get it from Netflix.

Read More

The Battle of Hood and Bismarck

These two battleships were the largest that ever sailed the seas for their countries. They were also engaged in a naval battle that decided the ate of the Bismark and condemned the HMS Hood to the bottom of the North Atlantic where it still lies to this day.

Bismarck in 1940

HMS Hood, 17 March 1924

 

Read More

Weapons Races: Nuclear Submarine

The Race for the Nuclear Submarine From the very first nuclear powered sub, USS Nautilus to the latest nuclear attack sub, USS Virginia (representing the cutting edge of modern naval warfare); a race has ensued to develop a new kind of warship that would change naval warfare forever. Look at the way in which both the technology and the tactics of submarine warfare were adapted and developed during the Cold War, and how boats like the USS Virginia and the Russian Akula are today's most powerful and deadly naval units.

Read More

"Your victory - this is our achievement"

 

by Vadim Levashko

Russian Broken Translation; made understandable by GarryB

"Supplies of arms and military equipment under Lend-Lease were not decisive for the victory of the Soviet Army and Navy in the Great Patriotic War and the war with Japan"

The interrelations of the participating countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, until now, cause by no means academic disputes. Anglo-Saxon and German historians often substantially exaggerate the value of that aid, which the western allies rendered the USSR. But how was matter in actuality? Answer can be found on the pages of history, including dedicated to the deliveries of armament and technology to Naval fleet.

Read More

BBC Cold War Episodes 07-15

Previous Part

The Greater Resource of Modern History Research:The BBC Gives: "Cold War"
An in-depth documentary series in 24 parts
In 24 episodes, each about an hour long, we will go through every little inch of the Cold War; how it started, how it developed and how it finally came to an end.
This BBC production is above outstanding in many aspects. It is without bias, and it doesn't take any sides. It clearly sticks to facts and does not venture in to speculations or even gray areas. Narrator is Kenneth Branagh, a well-known voice that speaks clearly and with great empathy. The over all tempo of the series is well balanced and it never gets boring, slow or too fast. This is the way school should have been like! Kenneth for president!

Episodes Lists »

Read More

Demise of Hydro-Aviation_Russia

by Mikhail Barabanov

Taganrog Aviation Scientific-Technical Complex (Beriev) them. Beriev - the world's only major design office specializing in the creation of amphibians. Meanwhile, world practice shows that the development direction hydroaviation today is unpromising, obviously unprofitable occupation, and only with the direct support of the state. From an economic point of view, a more expedient reorientation Beriev and its production plant - JSC "Taganrog Aviation" on the design and construction of the "land" (not amphibians) special aircraft. This reorientation process has begun in the USSR, but was suspended in the post-Soviet period.

Read More

Hitler's Last Deadly Secret: The Hunt For U-864

Deep in the icy waters off Norway lies one of the last great secrets of the Second World War. In February 1945, the German submarine U-864 disappeared without trace during its clandestine journey to Japan. On board: eighteen of the Reich’s leading aeronautical scientists, two of Japan’s leading experts on aerodynamics, stacks of blueprints for the Nazi’s Me 262 fighter jet as well as some of the latest Messerschmitt jet engine parts and missile guidance systems. Had the German submarine arrived at its destination, the Nazi’s revolutionary jet technology might have changed the course of the Second World War, tipping the balance in favour of the Japanese Air Force in its desperate struggle against the U.S. Navy.

Read More

Weapons Races - Aircraft Carrier

Documentary describes the evolution in the aircraft carrier design & its implication in the pre & post WWII. The radicalization of carriers had brought misery upon the once great Japanese Imperial naval force & it had helped the US to control whole of the Atlantic during the Great War.

However, difficulty emerges with the the start of Cold War & Western carriers proved to be sitting ducks for the nuclear powered Soviet submarines. Antiship cruise missiles can now completely deny the use of oceans to carriers & urged US to partner carriers with its own nuclear submarines; thereby increasing costs manifolds. British with the introduction of STOVL capable Harriers totally antiquated the need of enormous carriers & miniaturized versions of carriers with formidable Harriers upon them proved to be more cost-effective than gigantic US fleet of carriers..

Read More

Soviet Famous Weaponry Timeline [1941-45]

This is a 3D animation by most post popular Russian News Source namely Ria Novosti describing in a beautiful way the evolution of technology in Soviet sphere & how the resulting military machines helped the comrades in their War against Nazis. This timeline entails all the military aspects starting from personal infantry Rifles up to the giant Submarines!!

Read More