2S31 Vena Multipurpose Amphibious Vehicle

The 2S31 Vena is a multipurpose, amphibious self-propelled tracked artillery system, developed by OAO Motovilikhinskiye zavody for export markets as well as for the Russian Armed Forces.

The self-propelled gun provides direct fire support for the mechanised infantry divisions. The 2S31 Vena was developed in 1996. It is the latest in the Nona family of self-propelled tracked artillery systems. The system is designed to meet the requirements of the army, navy and marine corps.

The 2S31 Vena is armed with a 2A80 120mm rifled gun. The gun can fire all types of Russian and foreign 120mm mortar shells as well as Nato standard mortar mines. It has a maximum rate of fire of 8 to 10 rounds a minute.

The gun can be elevated from a -4º to +80º angle. The ammunition includes high-explosive anti-tank projectiles, HE-fragmentation mortar bombs, Kitolov-2 guided projectiles, smoke bombs and mines.

The gun delivers powerful closely-grouped high-explosive fire on a target with significant destruction impact in comparison with 152mm and 155mm artillery.

The gun can achieve a maximum firing range of 13km with high-explosive plastic (HEP) projectile and 7.2km with high-explosive bomb.

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Trojan Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE)

The bulk of British military operations in Afghanistan are concentrated in central Helmand. But Royal Engineers have spent the past two months lending their awesome capabilities to Afghan and US forces clearing a key area of Kandahar province.

Since September, 5 Armoured Engineer Squadron, part of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault), have provided close engineering support to the 2nd Battalion of the US Army's 502nd Regiment, and their partnered Afghan National Army kandak, in Kandahar's Zharay district.

Zharay district contains the Horn of Panjwai, an insurgent stronghold from where attacks on Kandahar City have been enabled and supported, and Sangsar, the Taleban's spiritual birthplace and former home of Mullah Omar. Under this effort, known as Operation HAMKARI - or as the soldiers call it "The Battle of Kandahar" - the intent has been to defeat insurgent elements and increase Afghan government influence across the area, as well as enable development west of Kandahar City.

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Russia Deliveries S-400 to China in 2017

Russia will start exports of the S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems to China no earlier than 2017, a source in the defense industry told RIA Novosti on the condition of anonymity.

“An export version of the S-400 Triumph air defense missile will have been developed by 2017 with the Chinese to be the first clients,” the source said.

Russia currently has four S-400 regiments - two in the Moscow region, one in the Baltic Fleet and one in the Eastern Military District.

By 2020, Russia is to have 28 S-400 regiments, each comprised of two battalions, mainly in maritime and border areas.

In early June, Russian Defense Ministry said there were no plans to export the S-400, which will be produced only for the Russian Armed Forces.

The S-400 Triumph, which succeeds the Soviet-era S-300, is a medium- to long-range surface-to-air missile system that can effectively engage any aerial target, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise and ballistic missiles at up to 400 kilometers and an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.

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T-80U Soviet Main Battle Tank

The T-80 main battle tank has been in production since the late 1970s. KBTM of Omsk, Russian Federation, manufactures the T-80U for general use in infantry and tank units and the T-80UK command tank and XKBM, Kharkov, Ukraine, manufactures the T-80UD and the T-84, the Ukrainian variant of the T-80UD.

The T-80 was the first Soviet operational tank to be powered by a gas-turbines, with a GTD-1000 gas-turbine engine developing 1100 hp. The road wheel spacing is not identical, with distinct gaps between the three pairs of road wheels. To extend the operational range of the T-80, additional fuel tanks can be mounted at the hull rear, which can be quickly jettisoned if required. A large circular container mounted on the turret rear carries two snorkels for deep fording operations. The larger one provides an air intake for the gas-turbine, with the other being fitted onto the radiator grill.

The T-80U carries the 9M119 Refleks (Nato designation AT-11 Sniper) anti-tank guided missile system which is fired from the main gun. The range of the missile is 100m to 4,000m. The system is intended to engage tanks fitted with ERA (explosive reactive armour) as well as low-flying air targets such as helicopters, at a range of up to 5km. The missile system fires either the 9M119 or 9M119M missiles, which have semi-automatic laser beamriding guidance.

The tank is fitted with a 125mm 2A46M-1 automatic smoothbore gun with thermal sleeve, which can fire between 6 and 8 rounds/minute. Loading is hydro-mechanical with a 28 round carousel container. 45 rounds are carried. The gun fires separate loading projectiles which have semi-combustible cartridge case and sabot. Ammunition can be AP (armour piercing), APDS (armour piercing giscarding sabot), HEAT (high-explosive anti-tank) and HE-FRAG (high-explosive fragmentation).

The latest version of the T-80U is the T-80UM2, also called Black Eagle or Chiorny Oriol, which is designed to engage targets while stationary or on the move. The demonstration of the prototype tank was held in Omsk in September 1997. The tank has a new all-welded cast steel turret with ERA on the hull front and turret, an automatic loading system and relocation of the ammunition to the turret bustle for improved survivability.

Other improvements include a computerised fire control system, thermal imaging sights for commander and gunner, and the Arena active countermeasures system. The T-80 UM2 is planned for exports but production has not yet started.

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Ivar Huitfeldt Class Picture

The Ivar Huitfeldt Class frigates are being built by Odense Steel Shipyard for the Royal Danish Navy. Three frigates are appointed to access account amid 2012 and 2013. The chic is preceded by Niels Juel corvette. It is the navy's better accretion activity to date.

The keel for the aboriginal address in the class, Iver Huitfeldt (F 361), was laid in June 2008 and launched in March 2010. The frigate was transferred to the Defence Accretion and Logistics Organisation (FMT) in January 2011 for testing. It is accepted to access operational account in 2012. The additional frigate, Peter Willemoes (F362), was laid in March 2009 and launched in December 2010. The third and final ship, Niels Juel (F363), was laid in December 2009.

The frigates will be able with the Terma C-flex command and ascendancy system. The C-flex arrangement integrates Commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) units including a server, a animate computer, an interface computer, a LAN about-face and an UPS assemblage in an environmentally adequate 19” rack. It is based on the T-Core accessible architectonics platform.

The C-flex receives advice from address lath sensors and distributes the abstracts to weapon systems afterwards evaluation. The computer creates an cyberbanking angel of the real-time bearings about the frigate.

The frigate can barter advice with added units based at sea, air or land. The communications are conveyed through abstracts links and added computer networks.

The frigate will be adapted with Lockheed Martin mk41 multimissile vertical barrage arrangement (VLS) for the acquired Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM) and SM-2 IIIA missile.

The mk41 arrangement can blaze anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-ship missiles. Ivar Huitfeldt will aswell be armed with the Boeing Harpoon block II anti-ship missile arrangement and the Eurotorp MU90 failing abate accursed from a accompanying or amateur abate launcher.

The frigate's capital gun will be an Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun. The Oerlikon Millennium 35mm argosy gun arrangement will onboard accommodate close-in air defence. It is based on the new Oerlikon 35mm blaster cannon land-based air defence system. A 12.7mm apparatus gun will aswell be accessible aboard the ship.

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A319 Spain Maritime Patrol Aircraft

The A319 MPA is a long range maritime patrol and ASW aircraft developed by Airbus Military. The aircraft can be deployed in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence, assay and surveillance missions.

The low-altitude amble or seek capability, beyond range, ability and fast alteration acceleration accomplish the A319 the best amphibian convoying aircraft in its range.

Weapon systems

The A319 MPA is adapted with anti-submarine and anti-surface weapon systems. The aircraft can backpack a array of weapons internally and on wing-pylons. The centralized bomb-bay can abode eight weapon stations for torpedoes, abyss charges, mines and added ASW weaponry. Four under-wing credibility can authority missiles to advance argosy or land-based targets.

Sensors / radars

The accessible architectonics mission arrangement of A319 MPA integrates a set of multi-mission sensors. The sensors accompanying with avant-garde advice systems accredit the aircraft to conduct operations in a arrangement axial operations (NCO) environment.

The complete apartment of ASW sensors advance and identifies beneath sea and apparent targets.

The mission systems cover a surveillance radar, IFF interrogator, IR/EO turret, acoustic arrangement and alluring aberration detector (MAD).

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Bv206S Sweden Armoured Personnel Carrier

The Bv206S is an armoured personnel carrier adaptation of the tracked articulate all-terrain vehicle, Bv206, of which 11,000 accept been produced and are operational in over 40 countries worldwide.

The car can backpack 12 combat-equipped soldiers through difficult area and acute acclimate conditions. The car operates in temperatures from -32°C to +46°C, from Arctic to arid and boscage conditions.

The car provides top advancement and ballistic aegis and is accessible as an armoured cadre carrier, burden carrier, battlefield ambulance, adhesive carrier, command column car and accretion vehicle.

The Bv206S car was developed accordingly by Alvis Hagglunds (now BAE Systems Land Systems Hagglunds) and the Swedish Army Materiel Command, initially for use by the Swedish armed forces. It is in account with the armed armament of France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Sweden. The Bv206S is aswell beneath appraisal by added armies. Orders accept been accustomed for 479 Bv206S vehicles.

The engine and manual are installed in the foreground cabin. The Steyr M16 six-cylinder in-line, 3,200cc, absolute bang agent engine provides 130kW ability at 4,000rpm and 350Nm torque at 2,300rpm. The ability to weight arrangement is 19.42hp/t.

The Mercedes Benz W5A-580 automated manual has 5 advanced and one about-face gear. The gearbox is affiliated by a shaft to a alteration gearbox bogus by Hagglunds Car AB. A disc anchor is installed advanced of the alteration gearbox and is adequate central the car body. Ability is transmitted via cardan shafts to the final drives at the foreground ends of the advanced and rear chassis.

The car is able with hydrostatic articulate and damped steering. Council is accomplished by a change of administration amid the foreground and rear chassis. The hydraulic arrangement uses bartering off the shelf components.

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