The Mysterious Last Battle of Soviet Tank General Alexander Lizyukov
On Sept. 17, 1942, Gen. Mikhail Katukov was sitting in a meeting with other Soviet generals — and dictator Joseph Stalin. The situation at the front was grim, coming months after the devastating Soviet defeat at the Second Battle of Kharkov, and as German armies pushed into urban Stalingrad... Read more
Russian Commandos Speed Around in Jeeps, Armed With Mines
The Russian military prizes disruption and deception to overcome foes which may be technologically more advanced — a practice dating back to before World War II. Today, the Russian army is increasing training in the old-fashioned art of planting mines behind enemy lines. One Russian formation in particular is... Read more
In Somalia, Al Shabab Is Stronger Now Than in Years
During the morning of April 1, 2018, a car drove up to an Ugandan army base in Bulamarer, Somalia, and blew up — the beginning of an Al Shabaab attack that, in combination with another suicide attack on a convoy of reinforcements, left at least 46 Ugandan soldiers dead.... Read more
Tomorrow’s Technicals Will Be Chinese
The world’s largest automobile market is China, which also has one of fastest-growing auto industries. Likewise, higher-quality Chinese pickup trucks are spreading globally, which means they’re winding up in the hands of rebel groups. It’s only inevitable. This comes as China, seeking a growth market, has aggressively expanded its... Read more
One of the Best AK-47 Variants Is Polish
On March 28, 2018, two arms companies — Polish and Nigerian — announced that Nigeria would begin manufacturing Beryl rifles under a technology transfer agreement, Jane’s reported. It is a pretty good deal for the Polish Armaments Group, a holding company that controls Fabryka Broni, the rifle’s Radom-based manufacturer.... Read more
North Korea Would Target U.S. Tanks With Lots of Artillery
A war with North Korea would involve the mobilization of that country’s entire population and the activation of at least 1.2 million active-duty soldiers and 7.7 million reservists. North Korea would then implement plans which the regime designed to fight — and defeat — U.S. forces on the battlefield.... Read more
I Invaded Grenada in ‘The Operational Art of War IV’
It was one of the most lopsided scenarios I could pick. It was 1983 and the military government of Hudson Austin had only a token force of Grenadian troops and Cuban advisers facing down my incoming force of U.S. Marines, Rangers, SEAL teams and a follow-on Caribbean peacekeeping contingent... Read more
Imagine 1940s French Tanks With Soviet-era Howitzers
France built the 14.5-ton AMX-13 tank in the 1940s as a combat vehicle light enough to be air-transportable to support paratroopers. France produced and exported thousands of them, which saw action in several Cold War conflicts. They’re still in service in a handful of countries, mostly in South America.... Read more
In a First, a Finnish Fighter Pilot Lands on a U.S. Aircraft Carrier
On March 17, 2018 in the Atlantic, a fighter jet landed onto the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. The only difference this time was that the pilot was Finnish, not American. Capt. Juha “Stallion” Jarvinen’s landing was the first landing on an aircraft carrier by a Finnish air... Read more
Russian Precision-Guided Artillery Shows Off — With Helper Drones
A recent video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense shows Msta-S howitzers firing precision-guided shells. While the technology is hardly new, it has been less common in the Russian army compared to standard shells used en masse — which still holds a pride of place in Russian doctrine.... Read more

Robert Beckhusen

Managing Editor