Was the M2 Carbine America’s First Assault Rifle?
Germany is generally credited with developing the first assault rifle with the MP-43, which entered service with select units towards the end of 1943. Later renamed the Sturmgewehr 44 — literally “assault rifle 44” — this used an intermediate-strength kurz cartridge that balanced the long-range accuracy of heavy, slow-firing bolt-action rifles... Read more
In a Second Korean War, U.S. Troops Will Fight Underground
U.S. Army war planners and weapons developers have been increasing efforts to fast-track networking technologies for soldiers operating underground in tunnel complexes and in dense urban environments. While the Army created entities such as its Rapid Equipping Force to address fast-emerging threats, the prospect of major ground war on... Read more
Russia’s Sniper Rifles Have Gotten Better at Punching Through Body Armor
The Russian involvement in Syria and Ukraine has provided a wealth of experience to the Russian military. One of the hallmarks of these engagements is the continued use of sniper tactics. As a result, the modern Russian sniper has evolved far beyond the relatively primitive technology used during the... Read more
Russian Tanks Can Roll Toward Battle on an ‘Iron Carpet’
The Eastern Front during World War II brought the enduring image of tanks bogged down in seas of thick, sticky mud. While it might come as a surprise, the twice-annual Russian mud is still a major military problem. So, Russia has developed a road-laying truck for its engineering troops... Read more
The 101st Airborne Division Is the First to Get the U.S. Army’s New Sidearm
Soldiers with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division have been the first to receive the service’s’ new nine-millimeter pistol. Weapons developers and soldiers say the new M17 and M18 pistol, designed as a followup handgun to the Army’s current M9 Beretta, is expected to change combat tactics and techniques.... Read more
El Ejército de Tierra ruso acaba de modernizar sus gigantes morteros de 240 milímetros
Las Fuerzas Terrestres Rusas acaban de recibir el primer lote de morteros autopropulsados 2C4 Tulip de 240 milímetros modernizados. La modernización de estas armas de la década de 1960 incluye enlace de datos, equipos de comunicaciones y sistema de control de fuegos nuevos. Con el tiempo Rusia pretende modernizar... Read more
Say Goodbye to Russia’s Nuclear-Armed Doomsday Train
In 2013, the Russian military announced it would bring back rail-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles. In other words, trains with big nukes crammed inside, capable of darting around Russia, raising their launchers and firing at a moment’s notice. It was called Barguzin and would begin testing in 2019. That was... Read more
The U.S. Army Still Loves Its Long-Range Rockets
The U.S. Army plans to shoot off prototypes of a new long-range land rocket designed to destroy targets as far away as 500 kilometers, nearly three times the range of existing weapons. The anticipated “shoot-off,” to include weapon prototypes from both Raytheon and Lockheed, is slated to take place... Read more
The Russian Army Is Inflating Giant Dummy Tanks
Before the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II, the American and British armies constructed armies of dummy tanks and landing craft in the south of England to confuse the German high command of their intent. Imagine a Sherman tank in the form of a bouncy castle —... Read more
La Justificación de la Munición Embutida Sin Vaina [Caseless Telescoped Ammunition]
Últimamente se le ha prestado mucha atención al estado del arsenal militar estadounidense de armas portátiles. Tras el anuncio y posterior cancelación del proyecto 7.62 Interim Combat Service Rifle del Ejército de Tierra estadounidense, muchos se quedaron con la pregunta de cuál era... Read more