It's The Weekend! 9/10/11

Video Credit: YouTube

Joint Air To Ground Missile Test Video

Video Credit: Boeing & Raytheon

More Libyan Rebel Weapons Pictures

     Defense Tech spotted these photos showing 5 tubes for launching S-5 rockets mounted to an ATV chassis. Defense Tech also spotted a video showing some rebels reloading old rifle ammo, and an early 1900s rifle, possibly a Mauser 98 or a Caracano, but due to technical difficulties I was unable to upload the video.

Photo Credit: Defense Tech

The Dutch Attack Fort Hood

     Sometime between July 9th and 10th a Dutch AH-64 conducting training at Fort Hood, accidentally fired two rounds of live 30mm ammunition, as Ares reports.

     Apparently, the Dutch have been using Fort Hood (which is between Austin and Waco in Texas) as a training ground for their Apache pilots. However, what is really concerning is that someone on the ground crew messed up so badly that they accidentally put live ammo in the gun. To really understand how big a 30mm round is, take a look at those rounds below.

     Personally, I'm just glad no one was hurt.

Photo Credit: U.S. Navy, U.S. Army

Predator Drone Nails Terrorist Car

6 Terrorists VS. A Predator Drone

     Get a load of this encounter between 6 terrorists vs. a Predator drone.

5 out of 6, not bad.

Video Credit: LowellGuy 

Why The Libyan Rebels Can't Win The War

     With all the talk about the Libyan rebels beginning to win the civil war, I would like to explain why the rebels can't win the war.
     First, the rebels have no real chain of command, strategic or tactical. One of the most important things needed to win a war is a chain of command and a leader who can win. There is a so-called commander in chief (CINC) named Abdul Fatah Younis, but there is no real command structure above company sized units if any.
     Secondly, most of the rebels have little or no military training or discipline which is essential to have an effective military force. A military unit without training or discipline is at a serious disadvantage as evidenced by the numerous British victories during the American Revolution prior to to the stay at Valley Forge. Due to the fact that most of the rebels are former civilians they obviously would not have any military training.
     Thirdly, the rebels have an extremely disorganized distribution of weaponry. It has been reported that the rebels have had to use 100 year old Lee-Enfield and Mosin-Nagant  bolt-action rifles, not only those, but World War II-era Mauser K98 and Carcano bolt-action rifles. On top of this those weapons only scratch the surface of what the rebels are using, and the list goes on.
     Fourth, the rebels have no heavy weapons like tanks, armored personnel carriers or artillery. The rebels are reported to have a few T-55 main battle tanks (MBTs), but have not used them en masse. The rebels are also reported to have small amounts of Type 63 and other types of rocket artillery, but no real artillery. But until the rebels can deploy armored vehicles and true artillery in sufficient numbers to support their infantry, their ability to fight Gaddafi's military is severely impaired.
     The reasons I have just listed above are vital to the rebels winning the war, and until they can fix these problems their chances of beating Gaddafi are slim at best.


Photo Credit: Voice Of America

Taiwan Buys 30 AH-64D Apaches

     Flightglobal reports that a U.S. Army official has announced that Taiwan will purchase 30 AH-64D Block III Apache  attack helicopters.
     With China rapidly expanding it's Air Force and Navy, Taiwan in the last few months has been calling on the U.S. to release the promised F-16 C/Ds. However, this is a new development in the Taiwan vs. People's Republic of China, with Taiwan buying state of the art attack helicopters. One possibility why Taiwan is doing this, is that it is a response to the new Chinese Z-10 which is reported to have gone operational. Another possible reason the Taiwanese purchased the Apache is to deter any Chinese landings on the island, as just 4 or 5 Apaches can really hurt, especially against landing craft and amphibious armored vehicles.
     However, in reality these new arrivals will not have much affect on any Chinese plans to take over Taiwan by force, because the first thing the Chinese would do is achieve aerial superiority. Even if the Apaches get off the ground and to the front line, they would be shot down quickly by either Chinese aircraft or surface-to-air missiles, like the HQ-10 which is the Chinese version of the S-300.
     With Taiwan receiving the first of the new Apaches sometime next year, it will be interesting to see how Beijing reacts to this news.


Photo Credit: U.S. Navy
   
   
 

Two New Videos Showing Libyan Rebels Weapons Plant & Rocket Truck

     Thanks to Defense Tech for finding these videos. First off is a news video showing a rebel weapons plant in a converted schoolyard.

   
     Next up is a video showing the rebels firing what looks like a UB-32 rocket pod from the back of a truck.

Video Credit: Defense tech and two unidentified photographers.

Libyan Rebels Use APC Turret On Pickup Truck

     That's right folks, the Libyan Rebels have done it again by welding a BMP-1 turret to the back of a pickup truck, as the video below shows.

     I have not really covered the war in Libya very much as the only reason to do so is because our president overstepped his powers, but thats politics. However, what is I do like to cover is they way the Libyans on both sides can improvise as I have written about before, but it is the Rebels that can really improvise as the photo below shows.

     To get back to the video above the photo the Rebells welded a BMP-1 turret to a pickup truck, the turret in question is armed with a 73mm 2A28 Grom soomthbore semiautomatic gun. The Grom fires a RPG-like projectile that can penetrate up to 11in of armor or with newer versions up to 16in, and has a battlefield range of 500 meters. However, as the men operating the turret in video show, they are not trained professionals and probably won't hit much except air. 

     Moving on to the photo, the rocket pod in question is a UB-16 rocket pod that fires S-5 series unguided rockets. S-5 rockets weigh about 5kg depending on warhead and fuse and have a range of 3 to 4 kilometers and are about 1.4 meters long. 

     With the war in Libya dragging on it will be interesting to see how both sides continue to make improvise weapon systems that defey standard logic.

Photo Credit: Department Of Defense, and 2 unidentified photographers