Russo-Ukrainian War: The Gentex HGU-56/P Rotary Wing Helmet System

Source: inukraine_official on Instagram

     A Ukrainian WSO (Weapon Systems Officer) seated in the forward cockpit of a Mil Mi-24 (NATO reporting name Hind) helicopter gunship. He is wearing a decorated Gentex HGU-56/P Rotary Wing Helmet System, a popular flight helmet for Ukrainian Mi-24 pilots and WSOs rather than the vintage Soviet-era ZSH-3B helmets from the 1980s.

     The HGU-56/P has a weight of 2.95 pounds and features a Gentex attenuating liner within a graphite/aramid fiber shell. The liner not only reduces the effects of impact forces but is also shaped in such a way that the wearer's head is kept forward, increasing the field of view by 3 degrees (in comparison to similar helmets). While seemingly a very small number, the boosted view arc can mean the difference between spotting or not spotting a threat to the helicopter. The HGU-56/P uses a lightweight retention system the allows it to be compatible with HMD (Helmet Mounted Display) units, communication systems, and even oxygen delivery systems.

     The WSO has added the Gentex Maxillofacial Shield (MFS) for the HGU-56/P which is an optional add-on. The MFS weighs only 5 ounces but protects the wearer's lower face from flying debris (such as that kicked up by rotor wash) and can even resist fragmentation traveling at no more than 550 feet per second. Another benefit to the MFS is that the helmet's microphone (fitted to the left side of the helmet) is placed behind the MFS which reduces the ambient noise thereby enhancing clarity.

     Another piece of optional kit the WSO has on his helmet is a Wilcox DPAM (Dual Powered Aviation Mount) utilized for NVGs (Night Vision Goggles). On the back is a quick release plate which fits to the helmet. The DPAM uses a Lemo 4-pin connector which allows the NVG connected to the mount to run off the helicopter's power or, if need be, the DPAM has its own power supply via batteries to operate the NVG. The Lemo connector can be seen on the right side of the DPAM while the lever in the center of the mount is the switch for external power or battery power.

     While the “MILF Operator” patch and the other morale patches need little explanation, the WSO has drawn the chemical symbol for epinephrine on his helmet, better known as adrenaline.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Sukhoi Su-25M1 Grach

Source: UKR_Air_Patrol on Instagram

     Another Soviet-era aircraft seeing heavy use in the Russo-Ukrainian War is shown here, the Sukhoi Su-25 Grach (“Rook”; NATO reporting name Frogfoot). Currently, all of the Su-25 aircraft in the Ukrainian Air Force are operated by the 299th. Tactical Aviation Brigade “Vasyl Nikiforov”. The particular aircraft in the photograph (which is not recent) is “Blue 08”, a Su-25M1, that was flown by Captain Vladyslav Voloshyn until the aircraft was shot down on August 29, 2014 by a MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense System) or a SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile) system during the Battle of Ilovaisk which ran from August 7 to September 2, 2014. Voloshyn successfully ejected and it took him four days to make his way back to Ukrainian lines. The Su-25M1, and variants of it, remain the mainstay of the brigade's attack aircraft. The Su-25 is a dedicated ground attack/close air support aircraft, analogous to the U.S. Air Force's Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. Production started in 1978 with the first Soviet Air Force units fielding the Su-25 beginning in 1981. The last Su-25 rolled off the manufacturing line in 2017.

     The Su-25M1 (which is a Ukrainian modernization of the standard Su-25) is powered by two Tumansky (Gavrilov) R95Sh axial-flow, non-afterburning turbojets with each engine providing a maximum of 9,037 pounds of thrust. This is enough to provide the Su-25M1 with a maximum speed of 590 miles per hour at sea level. Maximum range is around 620 miles though with 9,700 pounds of war load and two external fuel tanks, a combat range of 470 miles can be achieved. The engines provide for a rate of climb of 11,400 feet per minute and the Su-25M1 has a service ceiling of 23,000 feet.

     Befitting a ground attack/support aircraft, the Su-25 has a number of features to enable it to survive and operate. In the nose is a Kylon-PS laser rangefinder/target designator, a DISS-7 Doppler speed/drift sensor beneath the cockpit (paired to the KN-23-1 [see below]), SSP-2I fire warning system with two UBSh-4-2 fire extinguishers, ASO-2V chaff/flare dispensers, SPO-15 Beryoza (“Birch”) radar homing warning system, AKS-5 gun camera, SO-69 transponder, SRZO-2 Khrom-Nikel IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) interrogator with a SRO-2M Khrom IFF transponder, KN-23-1 navigation suite (which includes the RSBN-6S short-range radio navigation system, ARK-15M automatic direction finder, RV-15 radio altimeter, UUAP-72 angle-of-attack indicator/accelerometer, SVS-1-72-18 air data computer, PVD-18G-3M and PVD-7 pressure probes, and a MRP-56P marker beacon receiver), R-862 transceiver, R-828 VHF transmitter-receiver, and a ASP-17BTs-8 computing gun sight.

     The pilot sits within a tub made of ABVT-20 titanium alloy armor plates which range between 10mm to 24mm thick. The pilot is provided with a K-36L ejection seat and just behind the headrest is a 6mm thick plate of steel armor secured to the bulkhead. The canopy windshield is made of 65mm thick TSK-137 triplex bulletproof glass. To see behind him, the pilot has a rear facing periscope (atop the canopy) and two rear-view mirrors in the canopy frame. Because the Su-25 is not meant for high altitude flight, the cockpit is not pressurized. The cockpit is, however, NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) protected by an overpressure system and dust filters. The pilot wears a KP-52M oxygen mask, the aircraft's oxygen system providing a oxygen mix at altitudes of 1.2 to 4.3 miles and over that, up to the Su-25's ceiling, the pilot breathes pure oxygen. In case of ejection, the seat includes a BKO-3VZ emergency oxygen system.

     Other protective systems in the Su-25M1 include 20mm thick protective material around the fuel tanks while the fuel tanks themselves are fitted with explosion-suppression polyurethane foam. The Su-25M1 has two independent hydraulic systems that operate flight controls, braking, and the landing gear and this provides for redundancy in case of damage. The engines are capable of surviving, and will continue to operate, after taking a direct hit from a 23mm cannon shell. Despite this, armor plating is fitted on the underside of the aircraft, forward of the engine cowlings, as well as around the engine exhaust zone and rear parts of the engine nacelles. Armor is also added to the rear fuselage sides as well as armor fitted to the underside of the main service fuel tank within the fuselage. Flight controls, namely the elevator control rods, are duplicated to enhance survivability. In the tailcone are two PTK-25 cruciform brake parachutes.

     The main weapon of the Su-25M1 is the VPU-17A cannon installation that consists of a single Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-2-30 twin-barrel 30mm cannon which is provided with 250 rounds of belted ammunition. The cannon has a maximum rate of fire of 3,000 rounds per minute with a range of 1.1 miles. There are eleven hardpoints (four on each wing and three centerline) on the Su-25M1 which enables the aircraft to carry up to 8,800 pounds of stores. Common weapons carried include the S-5 55mm unguided rocket, the larger S-8 80mm unguided rocket, FAB-250 (550lb.) and FAB-500 (1,100lb.) free-fall bombs, and more recently, French-made AASM HAMMER guided bombs. If available, the Su-25M1 can utilize the SPPU-22 cannon pod which is equipped with a Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 twin-barrel 23mm cannon and 260 rounds. Auxiliary fuel capacity can come from either the PTB-800 (176 gallons) or PTB-1150 (253 gallon) drop tanks. Up to four tanks can be carried.

     Specifically, the Ukrainian modernization program was carried out by MiGremont and included adding a new GPS receiver, upgrading the radio communication systems, enhancing the gun sight, and adding a digital flight data recorder. The modernization has allowed the Su-25M1 to fire the S-13 122mm unguided rockets.

     The 299th. Tactical Aviation Brigade started the Russo-Ukrainian War with twenty-four Su-25 of various models (to include two-seat trainers) operational. Since April 2023, mothballed Su-25s have been withdrawn from storage and refitted to replace losses. Another two Su-25 were obtained from Macedonia. Speaking of losses, there have been 10 confirmed Su-25 losses (based on their fuselage numbers) with nine pilots killed and one captured by Russian Federation forces. Another ten aircraft have also been reported lost (though what their fuselage numbers are isn't known) in combat and on the ground with the loss of four pilots as confirmed killed with another two pilots probable KIA. One pilot, Roman Vasyliuk, was shot down on March 14, 2022 and captured but later released on April 24, 2022 in a POW swap.

     As for Russian losses, to date, the Russian Air Force has lost thirty-eight Su-25 aircraft as confirmed by the Oryx website.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon

Source: inukraine_official on Instagram

     The road to Ukraine receiving the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a story all to itself, mainly in the politics that held up the process. Ukraine formally requested the F-16 in late February 2022 in order to quickly update the Ukrainian Air Force's (UAF) air defense capability. Although the F-16 entered service in 1980, three years before the Mikoyan MiG-29, the F-16 has been in continual improvement cycles since its introduction which have allowed it to surpass the abilities of the MiG-29s of the UAF. Former President Joe Biden finally approved the supply of the F-16 to Ukraine in August 2023 but the UAF would not receive its first jets until July 2024. The specific model of F-16 the UAF is using is the F-16 Block 15 MLU (Mid-Life Update), designated the F-16AM, and they are not coming from the United States but from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway. The pledges include thirty aircraft from Belgium (none delivered yet), nineteen from Denmark (none delivered yet), twenty-four from the Netherlands (a portion have been delivered), and twelve (plus 10 more for parts) from Norway. To date, only seven F-16s are operational with the UAF.

     The F-16AM is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbojet that can generate 23,830 pounds of thrust when on full afterburner. This provides for a maximum speed of 1,345 miles per hour and a cruise speed of 577 miles per hour. The service ceiling is 55,000 feet and a operational range of 1,407 miles.

     The majority of the MLU improvements are in the avionics. The biggest of these was upgrading the radar to the AN/APG-66(V)2 model. The AN/APG-66, designed by Westinghouse, first appeared in the 1970s and is the primary fire-control radar system for the F-16. The radar is of the X-band, pulse-Doppler type and uses a planar array, consisting of six LRUs (Line Replaceable Units) to ease repair/maintenance. Operating frequency range is between 6.2 to 10.9 gigahertz. The (V)2 variant boosts the detection range to 52 miles by incorporating enhancements that help in filtering out the effects of chaff, ground clutter, and jamming. The AN/APG-66 is a look down/shoot down system which means it uses a PRF (Pulse-Repetition Frequency) which allows the radar to sift through ground clutter, locate targets, and enable the engagement of targets below the F-16AM. Likewise, the radar has look up/shoot up capability. The search cone is 120 degrees by 120 degrees.

     Other updates included an improved IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) which permits the F-16 to utilize BVR (Beyond Visual Range) munitions that exceed the onboard radar's range. Additional changes include redesigned cockpit displays, updated EW (Electronic Warfare) systems, new communication sets, updated flight controls to improve low-altitude handling, and the ability to integrate with U.S. AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation & Targeting Infrared for Night) and AN/AAQ-28 Litening targeting pods. Ukrainian pilots are equipped with the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System)

     The only built-in armament of the F-16AM is the General Electric M61A1 Vulcan 20mm, 6-barrel rotary cannon. A total of 511 rounds is carried. Hydraulically operated and electrically fired, the M61A1 can spit out 6,000 rounds per minute. The typical ammunition load is the reliable M56A3/A4 HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary) round. The M56 can create a blast radius against ground targets out to 6.6 feet with a shrapnel hazard out to 66 feet. Against armor, the round can penetrate 13mm of rolled homogeneous armor at 0 degrees slope at a range of 341 feet. The effective range of the M61A1 is 1.9 miles.

     For hardpoints, the F-16AM has two wing-tip rails, a total of six under-wing hardpoints, and three centerline hardpoints for a total war load capacity of 17,000 pounds. The F-16 can utilize a whole host of ordnance and so to go through all of them would make for a short novel. As such, ordnance seen in use by the UAF's F-16AM jets include: AIM-9 Sidewinder (infrared guided, short range AAM [Air-to-Air Missile]), AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile), and the GBU-39 250 pound glide SDB (Small Diameter Bomb). Other equipment seen on hardpoints include the AN/ALQ-131 ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) pod, Sargent Fletcher manufactured 370 gallon drop tanks, and Terma (a Danish company) built PIDS+ (Pylon Integrated Dispensing System Plus) and ECIPS+ (Electronic Combat Integrated Pylon System Plus). The latter two systems are defensive packages that include MAWS (Missile Approach Warning System), chaff dispensers, flare dispensers, radar warning system (alerting the pilot when his aircraft is “painted” by a radar system), and a homing receiver warning system (again, alerting the pilot when his aircraft is being targeted by a homing radar). As a note, the specific models of the Sidewinder seen include the AIM-9L, AIM-9M and AIM-9X while the AMRAAM has been seen in the AIM-120B and AIM-120C variants.

     In the photograph, visible are AIM-120C missiles on the wing-tip rails and AIM-9M on a wing hardpoints along with what appears to be a Terma ECIPS+ on the plane nearest the viewer. The aircraft also have drop tanks. Also, at least two of the F-16AMs retain their Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) paint and on the furthest F-16AM, the rectangle on the vertical stabilizer is the painted over RNLAF tail code. The same plane shows a lot of carbon scoring around the gun port for the M61A1.

     So far, the UAF has primarily deployed their F-16AM fighters in the air defense role, combating Russian cruise missiles and the 9K720 Iskander (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone) short-range ballistic missiles. More rarely, the F-16AM is sortied for ground attack missions due to not having air superiority and the risk to the pilot and plane from anti-aircraft fire (MANPADS, mobile SAM systems, and the like).

     To date, the UAF has lost one F-16AM along with its pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Oleksii Mes, call sign Moonfish. He was killed on August 26, 2024 during a mission to combat a Russian mass aerial attack consisting of some 120 missiles and over 100 drones. According to Ukrainian sources, Mes destroyed three cruise missiles and one drone before being downed and killed. How he was downed was initially unknown. A U.S. official said it was pilot error, something that the UAF refuted. Ultimately, it was found that Mes was shot down by friendly ground fire during the attack, the weapon having been a MIM-104 Patriot missile.

Portrait: Chasseur Alpins Caporal, 1902

Source: Author's Collection

     At the thrift was this picture, measuring 14” x 16”, of a soldier. It looks to be heavily retouched and is on thick board. The only writing is the date, 1902, on the back. So, down the rabbit hole I went. My best, educated guess, is that the man is French and belongs to a chasseurs alpins (“Alpine Hunters”) unit. Formed in 1888, the chasseurs alpins are the French Army's mountain infantry, specifically trained to operate in mountainous terrain.

     My guesswork is based on a few things. The first is the tunic, which bears a resemblance to the French Army Modèle 1893 jacket. This one looks to have four front pockets, evidenced only by the flaps. Some searching shows the pocket count tended to vary but the overall cut was the same. It has the nine buttons as typical for the type. Now, chasseurs alpins enlisted jackets tended to have a broad lapel collar while officers usually had the collar as seen here. Of course, it is possible that this soldier had a jacket with a smaller lapel that could be upturned and closed at the throat. Now, the most telling evidence is the chevrons on the sleeves. They are dead ringers for the enlisted rank chevrons used by the chasseurs alpins. Although hard to see, this soldier has two stripes per sleeve, giving him the rank of “caporal” or Lance corporal. The final item that swayed my opinion is the mustache, a facial hair fashion readily worn by chasseurs alpins soldiers at the time.

     The visible handle and hilt of the bayonet appears to be that used with the French Berthier Modèle 1982 rifle.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum

Source: Reddit

     A Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) of the 40th. Tactical Aviation Brigade “Ghost of Kyiv” sporting an impressive tally of bombing missions, 69 in all. The MiG-29 is the most numerous fighter in the Ukrainian Air Force and the majority of them are operated by the 40th. The most numerous version in Ukrainian service is the MiG-29 (Product 9.13) Fulcrum C which appeared in 1989.

     The MiG-29 is powered by two Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines fitted with afterburners and each engine is capable of 11,110 pounds of thrust without afterburner and 18,340 pounds of thrust at full afterburner. This provides for a maximum speed of 1,520 miles per hour (just at Mach 2). The airframe is rated for +9 g forces. With 998 gallons of onboard fuel (excluding drop tanks), the MiG-29 has a maximum combat range of 560 miles when loaded out with six AAMs (Air-to-Air Missiles). With just internal fuel and no munitions, the range is 890 miles. Ferry range, with three drop tanks, is 1,802 miles. Rate of climb is 1,082 feet per second which means the MiG-29 can attain it's 60,000 foot service ceiling in a little under a minute.

     The only onboard armament is a single Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 30mm autocannon which is provided with 150 rounds. A short recoil operated weapon, the GSh-30-1 has a maximum rate of fire of 1,800 rounds per minute with an effective range of 1.1 miles. The autocannon can fire ammunition to allow the pilot to engage ground targets but in the Russo-Ukrainian War, such an attack is too great a risk with the prevalence of MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) and other anti-air weapons. As such, it is likely Ukrainian MiG-29s carry ammunition suitable for air combat and such rounds have distance-armed, delayed action fuzes.

     The MiG-29 has seven hardpoints, one underneath the fuselage and three per wing. All together, the MiG-29 can carry 8,818 pounds of war load. Common AAMs used by Ukraine include the Vympel R-73 (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) and the older Vympel R-27 (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo). Interestingly, because of the lack of air-to-air combat between Ukrainian and Russian fighter jets, many R-73 missiles are being repurposed as SAMs (Surface-to-Air Missiles) for use by air defense ground forces. Befitting the bomber role, the MiG-29 can carry four of the common Soviet-era FAB-250 550 pound bomb or the larger FAB-500 1,100 pound bomb. Likewise, Russia is making heavy use of both types of bombs against Ukrainian targets. In some instances, the Russians have created wing packages that allow the bombs to glide, extending their range. However, the Ukrainians are using primarily non-Soviet munitions but offering similar glide capacity. The first is the JDAM-ER fitted to GBU-62 bombs. The Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range is a kit that turns a regular free-fall 1,000 pound GBU-62 bomb into a guided weapon. The kit consists of a tail unit affixed to the rear of the bomb that contains an inertial navigation system, GPS module, steerable fins, and a autopilot. Around the bomb's body is a series of strakes that provide a measure of lift to extend the glide range. At a optimal release altitude, the JDAM-ER can attain a range of 46 miles. Another tool in the Ukrainian Air Force's arsenal is the similar French AASM 250 HAMMER (see the link below for more information).

     Other systems of the MiG-29 include a Phazotron NO19E Rubin airborne radar for target tracking and engagement (maximum search range of 93 miles), OEPrNK-29 series optronic Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system (9 mile range), digital fly-by-wire flight controls, SPO-15LM Beryoza RWR (Rear Warning Radar), Gardeniya-F1U jammer, SRZP-1 IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe), SRO-1P transponder, SN-29 navigation system, SUO-29M weapon selector, ILS-31 HUD (Heads-Up Display), FKP-EU gun camera, and the Schchel-3UM-1 helmet-mounted target designator.

As a side note, the MiG-29 Fulcrum C is nicknamed the “Gorbatov”, or “Hunchback”, due to the expanded and extended spine of the airframe to accommodate additional fuel capacity. It is also sometimes called the “Fatback”.

     From the opening of the Russo-Ukrainian War in February 2022 to date, the 40th. Tactical Aviation Brigade has lost ten MiG-29 fighters during combat sorties at the cost of eight pilots. The most notable non-combat unit loss was Major Andrii Pilshchykov, call sign “Juice”, who was killed during a mid-air collision with another jet during training on August 25, 2023. He was flying a Aero L-39M1 Albatross trainer. Pilshchykov was a very public advocate for the push for Ukraine to receive General Dynamics F-16 fighters and he was also a philanthropist in obtaining equipment to outfit Ukrainian pilots.

For more information on the AASM 250 HAMMER, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/01/russo-ukrainian-war-aasm-250-hammer-asm.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The FV101 Scorpion

Source: Reddit

     Usually, the rank and file consumer of news about military aid to Ukraine only knows of the aid packages sent by the U.S. and other NATO nations. However, this is not the only source of military equipment that is being deployed by Ukrainian ground forces. There are a number of non-profit organizations which utilize crowdfunding to collect monies with which to make purchases of surplus equipment, including vehicles. The largest of these is the Serhiy Prytula Foundation whose funding drive efforts allowed for the purchase of 101 former British Army armored vehicles in 2023. Likewise, since demilitarized British Army vehicles (to include armored ones) are available on the open market, other organizations or even groups of individuals can obtain such vehicles. One of these is shown here in this photograph, belonging to the 1st. Operational Battalion “Forpost”, 1st. Presidential Operational Brigade “Bureviy”. The vehicle is the FV101 Scorpion. Entering British service in 1973, the FV101 is just one of a number of vehicles within the Alvis Vehicles designed and built Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), CVR(T), family. The FV101 was classified as a light tank and also served as a reconnaissance vehicle and while it was withdrawn from British Army service in 1994, the FV101 remains in service with a number of countries. The largest current operator is Oman, with some 120 in service.

     Power for the 8-ton FV101 comes from a Cummins BTA series diesel engine that develops 190 horsepower and this is paired to a TN15 transmission manufactured by Self-Changing Gears Limited. The TN15 has a 7-speed gearbox, a Merritt-Brown triple-differential, and a electro-hydraulic, semi-automatic control system. This provides for a top road speed of 45 miles per hour and enough fuel is carried to give a maximum cruise range of 470 miles.

     For a main gun, the FV101 was normally fitted with either a 76mm L23A1 gun or the 90mm Cockerill Mk.3 gun along with a L43A1 7.62mm coaxial machine-gun. However, since this FV101 was demilitarized, the main gun and coaxial machine-gun were not present. So, the men of the 1st. Operational Battalion installed a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine-gun. The KPV, designed in 1944 and entering Soviet service in 1949, continues to see combat and is the primary armament of vehicles such as the BTR-70 and BTR-80 8x8 armored personnel carriers and the BRDM-2 4x4 armored scout car. The KPVT is a variant of the KPV meant for installation in vehicles. With a rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute, the KPVT is fed from 40-round belts. Two of the main rounds are the B-32 API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary) and MDZ HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary). The B-32 uses a full metal jacket with a tungsten-carbide core which is capable of penetrating 32mm of rolled homogeneous armor at a 90 degree slope (RHA) at a range of 500 meters. At further ranges, the penetration value is reduced until it is ineffective against even the lightest armored vehicles. The MDZ round has an effective range of 1.8 miles with a maximum range of 2.5 miles. Assuming the original gun mounting remained, this would allow the KPVT to be elevated to a maximum of 35 degrees and a maximum of 10 degrees of depression. The turret can be traversed a full 360 degrees but as standard, it is not powered. This means the gunner uses a crank to turn the turret.

     The three man crew (commander, driver, and gunner) is protected by 7059 aluminum-zinc-magnesium alloy armor. The front hull supports 13mm of armor but due to the slope, the effective armor is 25mm thick. The sides and turret also support 13mm of armor but lack the sloping to increase the protection. Thus, from the front, the FV101 is resistant to some 14.5mm ammunition at 200 meters while the remainder of the FV101 can protect against shell fragments and some 7.62mm rounds. The standard FV101 was NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) protected but this was likely removed as part of the demilitarization along with the smoke grenade launchers. Likewise, the standard thermal night sights, communication systems, and navigational systems were also certainly removed as well. However, the commode underneath the commander's seat and the boiling vessel (with its internal water tank) were probably left installed.

     In addition to the KPVT, the crew has added at least three drone jammers to the turret. The white smudge on the hull side looks to be a censor, masking some sort of emblem, tactical symbol, or other identifiable insignia. Another photograph of this same FV101 shows the crew posing with their vehicle but they, too, are blocking the view of the hull side.

     As a side note, the group Armored Turtle: International Volunteers has been attempting to crowd fund for a FV101 Scorpion that is for sale in Britain which is not demilitarized as of March 2023. It has the L23A1 gun and the gun sights but it appears that the group has not been successful in obtaining it. Of course, one has to consider how available ammunition would be for it. Also, even the British Army did not like the gun as it lacked a fume extractor and so the turret tended to fill with fumes from firing.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The 2S7 Pion 203mm SPG

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     Artillery in the Soviet Army is said to have earned the label the “God of War” from Iosef Stalin in a speech he gave some time in 1944. Even the U.S. Army's artillery branch considers itself the “King of Battle”. In the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, the undisputed “king” of artillery is shown here, the 2S7 Pion (“Peony”) 203mm self-propelled gun (seen here in service with the 43rd. Artillery Brigade “Taras Triasylo”). The 203mm 2A44 gun is one of the most powerful pieces of artillery currently in operational service in the world while the 2S7 itself is the largest self-propelled gun in theater. Both belligerents in the conflict operate the 2S7 with Russia also using the upgraded 2S7M Malka. Ukraine only operates the 2S7 because the 2S7M is exclusively a Russian modernization. Originally known in the West as the M1975, the 2S7 started full service with the Soviet Army in 1976 with production of the 2S7 ending in 1990. Sources differ on how many 2S7 rolled off the line but it ranges as few as 250 all the way up to 1,000.

     The 51-ton 2S7 is built upon a chassis (designated originally as Obiekt 216) that makes use of T-80 tank components and for an engine, it utilizes a V-46-1 turbocharged, liquid-cooled V-12 diesel motor that develops 840 horsepower. The engine is paired to a manual transmission with an 8-speed gearbox. The top road speed of the 2S7 is 32 miles per hour and enough fuel is carried to provide a maximum cruise range of no more than 404 miles.

     The heart of the 2S7 is its 2A44 203mm L/56 gun. With a weight of 8 tons, the barrel sits in a hydraulically powered cradle which permits a maximum of 60 degrees of elevation down to 0 degrees. The gun can be traversed 15 degrees to the left or right of center but any more requires the entire vehicle to turn. The 2A44 uses a 2-cycle screw-type breech. As the photograph shows, there is no gun shield to protect the crew when in operation. Speaking of crew, the 2S7 carries seven men (commander, driver, gunner, and the remaining being loaders) while another vehicle (typically carrying additional ammunition) contains another seven men who assist with transferring ammunition to the 2S7 when in action. The loaders are provided with a powered ammunition handling system that includes a rammer. This is positioned on the right rear of the vehicle. In the photograph, the soldier by the gun's breech is standing in the control platform for the system. The 2S7 only carries four rounds of ready ammunition which is the reason it is accompanied by a vehicle with additional projectiles and powder bags. A skilled crew, using the ammunition handling system, can maintain a rate of fire of 1.5  to 2 rounds a minute. The 2A44 barrel has a service life of 450 rounds before it should be replaced. If need be, the 2S7 can be loaded manually though the rate of fire is far less.

     The gunner is seated on the left side, also near the breech, but lower than the loader's station. At his position, he uses a PG-1M panoramic telescope to sight the gun for indirect fire and also has a K-1 collimator at his disposal. If forced to engage in direct fire, the gunner has a OP4M-87 telescope to aim with. The basic round for the 2S7 is the ZOF 43 HE-FRAG (High-Explosive Fragmentation) and the 2S7 can lob this 243 pound projectile to a maximum range of 23 miles. However, the Ukrainians have shot about all of their Soviet made ammunition and so most Ukrainian 2S7s are firing U.S. M106 HE projectiles that were used by the M110 8” self-propelled howitzer (which was retired in U.S. service in 1994). If provided with a RAP (Rocket Assisted Projectile), the 2S7 can achieve a range of 29 miles though this projectile is much lighter at 227 pounds. The 2A44 uses a pneumatic recuperator and has hydraulic recoil brakes. To help absorb recoil and assist with stabilization, a spade at the rear of the 2S7 is deployed. Due to the massive concussive shock wave when the gun fires, the 2S7 has a siren that sends out warning tones for five seconds before the gun fires. This gives soldiers near the 2S7 that do not have hearing protection or are near the muzzle area to protect their ears and/or get clear of the muzzle. A trained crew can have the 2S7 in action, from the halt, within 6 minutes and can have the 2S7 in traveling order within 5 minutes.

     The chassis of the 2S7 supports only 10mm of welded steel armor and this protects the cab, crew compartment, and other hull components such as the engine. This is only proof against some small arms calibers and artillery shell splinters. In the forward cab sits the commander, driver, and the gunner and the front windows can be covered with armored shutters. There are two cab roof hatches and the commander and driver have periscopes for vision when “buttoned up”. Behind the cab is the engine then behind that, a crew compartment where the loaders ride in with access by two hull top hatches. There is a overpressure-type NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) system along with anti-radiation liners for the cab and crew compartment along with a heater system for cold weather operations and crew comfort. To power systems with the engine off, the 2S7 has a 24-horsepower 9R4-6U2 APU (Auxiliary Power Unit). For communications, the 2S7 uses the R-123M and R-173 radio systems and a 1V116 crew intercom system.

     The 2S7 has no defensive armament outside of small arms carried by the crew though the 2S7 usually carries one to two 9K32 Strela-2 (NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense System) to defend against aerial attack.

     The 2S7M Malka (a species of corydalis flower found in the Caucasus) appeared in 1983 with the main modifications being the ability to carry 8 rounds of ready ammunition, an improved ammunition handling system which can permit a sustained rate of fire up to 2.5 rounds per minute, usage of the V-84-B multi-fuel engine (which provided for more cruise range), updated R-173 radio systems, digital fire control system, and a reduction in crew to six.

     To date (April 7, 2025), the Russians have lost thirty-two 2S7/2S7M vehicles while the Ukrainians have lost thirteen 2S7 vehicles.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Tokarev TT-33 Pistol

Source: The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     Some small arms simply refuse to disappear into history and the Russo-Ukrainian War has seen a multitude of old infantry weapons being used by both sides. From pre-WW2 PM1910 Maxim machine-guns to WW2 Soviet PTRD-41 anti-tank rifles, both the Ukrainian forces as well as Russian Federation forces are using vintage weapons that have seen conflict for decades. In part, this is simply due to the vast quantities these weapons were made in which has seen them remain in use. For example, the Mosin-Nagant M1891 bolt-action rifle seen in use by pro-Russian separatists had been produced from 1891 to 1973 with over 37 million rifles having left Soviet factories. Another venerable small arm which was built in very large numbers and remains in service around the world is shown here in the hands of soldiers belonging to the 118th. Mechanized Brigade: the Tokarev TT-33.

     The TT-33 was accepted for service by the Soviet Army in 1933 and it was a modernization of the earlier TT-30 pistol. The primary changes were to simplify manufacture (for example, using a one-piece frame) and reduce the production cost. However, the hammer/sear firing mechanism was updated to be easier to both construct and maintain. All told, some 1.6 million pistols (TT-30 and TT-33 combined) were built by Soviet manufacturers from 1930 to 1955.

     Empty, the TT-33 weighs 1.9 pounds and it is chambered for the 7.62x25mm Tokarev round. However, there is a Russian civilian variant of the TT-33 chambered for the non-lethal 10x33mm self-defense cartridge. The TT-33 is a single-action pistol and uses a short recoil operated, locked breech action. There is no external safety on the TT-33 which makes keeping a round in the chamber a risky proposition. Thus, the TT-33 requires the firer to pull the slide back to chamber a round though this is not easy thanks to a stiff recoil spring. The muzzle velocity is 1,378 feet per second and the effective range is 50 yards. The TT-33 is fed from a 8-round detachable box magazine. Standard sights is a front blade and a rear notch.

     The TT-33 was replaced by the 9x18mm Makarov pistol (PM) in 1951 as the Soviet military's standard pistol.