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
Imagine 1940s French Tanks With Soviet-era Howitzers
WIB land March 22, 2018
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
The M-60 “Patton” tank is one of the most iconic tanks of the Cold War. While it did not see use in the Vietnam War, it saw extensive use by Israel and Iran in the various hot wars of the 20th century, and comprised the vast bulk of the... Read more
What Moscow Thinks About When It Thinks About War Robots
WIB land March 17, 2018
Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu made a significant announcement in mid-March 2018 at a domestic technology forum. “The serial production of combat robots for the Russian armed forces may start already this year,” he stated. Shoigu also implied, in response a question about whether remote-controlled unmanned systems would be... Read more
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
On Dec. 20, 2017, the U.S. State Department publicly announced it was finally issuing an export license for Ukraine to purchase lethal military weapons. Pres. Donald Trump personally approved the move after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis briefed him. Curiously, the only specific form... Read more
The West Sold Tanks to the Middle East, And Now It’s Frustrated
WIB land February 27, 2018
Ten years ago, the United States approved an arms deal supplying 140 M-1A1 main battle tanks to Iraq. Turkey, another Middle East user of Western armor, relies heavily on German-made Leopard tanks. But in recent weeks, both the United States and Germany have expressed growing wariness over how Iraq... Read more
The Terminator Is Russia’s Ultimate Fighting Vehicle
WIB land February 27, 2018
One of the more interesting parts of the most recent Russian “State Defense Order” is the adoption of the BMPT infantry fighting vehicle. Twelve BMPT armored fighting vehicles have been ordered, marking the first time the Russian military has actually ordered a dedicated heavily armored infantry-suppression vehicle. Such vehicles have been... Read more
The Ecclesiastically-Named Howitzers of the British Army
WIB land February 21, 2018
In 1940, the United Kingdom went to war with the Axis in North Africa and quickly encountered an unnerving tactical problem. The nature of warfare in the flat, open desert inevitably favored tanks, which could easily outrun the range of supporting artillery that could not move unless towed. Limbering... Read more
Marcel Mitzakis’ Giant Tank-Mounted Lamp Blinded German Troops
WIB historyWIB land February 16, 2018
In March 1945, the rapidly advancing U.S. Army’s 9th Armored Division — to its surprise — found itself at Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine at Remagan; one of the two surviving bridges into the heart of Germany. The bridge was a considerable prize and its capture would shorten the... Read more
