Russo-Ukrainian War: The Repkon Defence RDS-40 AGL

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     A soldier of the 95th. Air Assault Brigade “Polesia” operating a Repkon Defence RDS-40 40mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL). Another unit known to use the RDS-40 is the 3rd. Assault Brigade. It remains unknown exactly where the grenade launchers were sourced nor how many are in service. Turkey, the country Repkon is based in, has not reported such a transfer nor has the Ukrainian Army reported receiving the weapons from Turkey. Thus, it is thought they were purchased or obtained by another country and distributed to Ukraine as part of a military aid package.

     If the RDS-40 looks familiar, that is because it is a variant of the U.S. Army's Mk.19 40mm AGL. The Mk.19 is currently built under license in Turkey by MKE (Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi; Mechanical & Chemical Industry Corp.) and information is scant on if Repkon Defence has picked up the license or if MKE has contracted with Repkon for a modernized version. As Repkon's name can be found on the RDS-40, the former might be the case. Repkon utilizes flow forming in its metal manufacturing. In simple terms, flow forming involves using rollers to shape a metal preform against a mandrel (a support for the preform as it is shaped by the rollers). The end result is the ability to manufacture seamless components to minimize the need for welding with the components benefiting from a higher tensile strength at a lower weight as well as mitigating variance in thickness in the components.

     Differences in the RDS-40 compared to the Mk.19 is the usage of flow forming manufacturing to reduce the number of components needed to construct the weapon. According to TurDef Global Defence News, the rear sight of the Mk.19 was redesigned so as to produce it with fewer parts but what other aspects of the Mk.19 were reworked to take advantage of Repkon's manufacturing process hasn't been stated. Another change noted by TurDef is a redesign of the feed mechanism to lessen the chance of jams or other ammunition related stoppages. Finally, the spade grips and trigger have been ergonomically shaped to improve handling and firing.

     How much the RDS-40 weighs in comparison to the 73 pounds of the MKE built Mk.19 isn't specified. The cradle and tripod (21 and 44 pounds respectively) are the same as the Mk.19 as is the performance. The RDS-40 is fed either by a 32- or 48-round belt of 40x53mm grenades, held in an ammunition can on the left side of the weapon. Based on the coloration of the grenades in the photograph, it appears the operator is firing the M430A1 HEDP (High-Explosive Dual Purpose) grenade. This means the grenade can be fired against soft and hard targets. The grenade is armed after traveling at least 18 meters upon firing and has an effective range of 1,500 meters (.9 of a mile) though the RDS-40 can fling the M430A1 out to 1.5 miles. The M430A1's Composition A5 explosive payload has a kill radius of 16 feet with a wound radius of 50 feet. Armor penetration is 76mm of standard steel (not rolled homogenous armor as used on tanks) which makes the RDS-40 a threat to light armored vehicles. The M430A1 uses a M549A1 fuze and M55 detonator. The RDS-40 has a cyclic rate of fire of 325 to 375 rounds per minute but the more practical is the sustained rate of 40 rounds per minute. The RDS-40 uses iron sights but the RDS-40s in use by the 3rd. Assault Brigade are fitted with a panoramic sight to permit more accurate indirect fire.

     Of interest is the paint brush the operator has tucked onto the front of his plate carrier vest.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The DOK-ING MV-4

Source: ArmyInform

     In August 2023, the Estonian Rescue Association (Päästeliit) donated a single DOK-ING MV-4 demining vehicle to Ukraine along with other equipment such as metal detectors to help civil Ukrainian sappers in locating and destroying Russian mines. DOK-ING, a Croatian company, specializes in remote controlled vehicles and was founded in 1992. The MV-4, shown here, is one of two mine clearing vehicles the company offers with the other being the larger MV-10. As of January 2024, Ukraine had fourteen MV-4 vehicles in service.

     Power for the 6-ton (base weight) MV-4 comes from a Perkins 1106 C-E70 TA 6-cylinder, water-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine. The motor produces 250 horsepower but the MV-4 is not built for speed. Maximum speed is 4 miles per hour and for this reason, the MV-4 is transported to the work area by a trailer truck. During demining operations, the speed varies based on the conditions but ranges from as slow as .3 miles per hour to a little under 1 mile per hour. Fuel capacity is 18 gallons of fuel though fuel consumption depends on what the MV-4 is being used for and the terrain it is working on. As such, the consumption can be as little as 1.8 gallons per hour up to 6.6 gallons per hour.

     The MV-4 can be fitted with an array of mine clearing equipment but here, a segmented roller is being used. The apparatus consists of 12 individual rollers whose weight causes mines to detonate when the roller passes over them. The clearing width is 6.8 feet. The reason for having multiple rollers is that when a roller (or rollers) is damaged by a mine, it can be easily (and less expensively) replaced rather than having to replace the entire roller had it been a single roller drum (such as those found on steam rollers).

     Other demining apparatus include a flail and a tiller. The flail consists of a rotating drum to which are attached 34 chains ending in metal balls. As the flail spins at 900 revolutions per mine, the ends of the chains strike the ground and upon hitting a mine, cause the mine to detonate. Like the rollers, damaged chains can be individually replaced. The flail can clear a path 5.9 feet wide and trigger mines buried up to 11 inches deep.  The tiller, like a garden tiller, churns up the ground and will either unearth buried mines or detonate them. Like the flail, the tiller clears a 5.9 foot wide path but can reach down to 1.1 feet. Mines not detonated but exposed are dealt with by sappers.

     Being remote controlled, the operator can be just under 1 mile away from the MV-4 though this is the maximum and assumes an unblocked line of sight to the vehicle. Atop the MV-4 is the fully controllable camera system which includes low-light capable cameras, a infrared light, and regular lights to give the operator the best view possible. Other cameras are located on the hull to further provide views during operation. One of them can be seen in the photograph, just under the side light.

     To provide a measure of protection, the entire hull is built using Hardox® 450 steel produced by SSAB (Svenskt Stål AB) with thickness ranging from 6mm to 20mm. This protects the engine and other critical systems from mine blasts and low caliber small arms.

     The MV-4 is used by the Russian Federation as the Uran-6 and the U.S. Army deploys the MV-4 as the M160.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Tula TOZ-34 Shotgun

Source: Reuters

     The case can be made, and successfully, that the wide-scale usage of drones in the Russo-Ukrainian War has changed the modern battlefield. The Ukrainians have totally embraced drones as they have a low production cost, can be produced in relatively large numbers, and in many cases, the monetary cost of what they destroy far outweighs the money and materials that went into the drone. Ukraine makes use of drones in the air, on sea, and on land. In fact, Ukrainian naval drones have pretty much turned Russia's Black Sea Fleet into a useless entity as what ships remain have to operate at ranges that exceed their ability to provide any meaningful support to ground units. Of course, Russia is also making heavy use of aerial drones, to include the deadly ZALA Lancet loitering munition. As such, like Russian troops, Ukrainian troops have to be constantly aware of any drone activity and this photograph illustrates that.

     Often, Ukrainian front-line troops are supplied not by large military logistical trucks but much smaller vehicles such as civilian pick-up trucks. The crews of these supply vehicles are always on the watch for enemy drones and rely on reports from other units in the area of drone activity. Also, they take steps to protect themselves and on the roof of the cab of the pick-up are at least two drone jammer domes. This allows the crew to jam more than one frequency though it is a near constant issue of frequencies being changed to mitigate jamming and the jammers having their frequency spectrum changed to allow them to jam the latest drone frequencies being used. Jammers are not fool-proof and so while two of the crew work to unload supplies, the third crewman keeps his eyes skyward. A weapon of choice to combat drones is the shotgun and here, the soldier looks to have a Tula TOZ-34 over-under shotgun.

     The TOZ-34 first appeared in 1964 and is one of the most prolific and popular civilian hunting weapons made by the Russian Tula Arms Plant (TOZ; founded in 1712) with over 1 million having been built. The 7 pound shotgun is typically chambered for 12 gauge shells but it was also produced in 20, 28, and 32 gauge at one time or another. The TOZ-34 uses a break action and the rate of fire depends on how skilled and quick the firer is with reloading. The TOZ-34 only has iron sights but later variants had provisioning for optical sights. 

     As the typical 12 gauge shotgun has an effective range of around 150 feet, it means a very close fight with a drone. The operator relies on the spread of the buckshot to inflict damage on the drone though at maximum range, the spread pattern is such that a hit is a 50 percent prospect. As such, to increase the odds of downing a drone, the operator would engage at 75 feet or less. At such close quarters, there may be no second chances if the drone is not destroyed with one or two shots from the TOZ-34. This is because there may be no time to reload.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Ukrainian Triple-Mount RPK-74

Source: Global Images Ukraine.

     One of the main components of Russia's aerial raids against Ukrainian infrastructure (power plants, factories, electrical distribution centers, etc.) and civilian targets is the Geran-2, the Russian version of the Iranian HESA Shahed 136 loitering munition. The Geran-2 is relatively cheap at a single unit cost of no more than $80,000 for the current model. As such, they can be launched enmasse (and  usually in combination with other weapons, such as cruise missiles) in order to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses and ensure successful strikes. A component of Ukrainian air defense comprises rapid response anti-drone units which, upon receiving the flight paths for Russian drones, deploy in or near the flight paths to engage them with an array of light, medium, and heavy machine-guns mounted on trucks. Given the 115 miles per hour top speed of a Geran-2, utilizing machine-guns to shoot down the drones is a viable (and cost effective) method. In some cases, static anti-drone defenses are set up around valuable targets or as a secondary layer of defense against any drones which get through the mobile anti-drone units as illustrated here. One of the techniques to increase the chances of a successful hit against drones is to simply throw as many bullets as possible into the path of the drone and hope one or more of the rounds strike the drone to such a degree as to down it. And so this anti-drone mount holds three RPK-74 light machine-guns.

     Introduced into Soviet Army service in 1974, the RPK-74 is chambered for the Soviet 5.45x39mm round and all three of the RPK-74 weapons are secured to a metal frame which permits a high degree of elevation (very useful for anti-air duties) which in turn is fitted to a heavy tripod. To the right of the central RPK-74 is a shoulder stock which the gunner can use to stabilize the mount, assist in absorbing recoil, and guide the mount when traversing and elevating. Below the shoulder stock is a trigger which permits the gunner to fire all three RPK-74s at the same time. Between the center and outer right RPK-74 is a ring sight and given the electrical cord, it is possible that a night sight or a spotlight is connected to the gun mount to aid the gunner in acquiring his target. The basket, though empty, is likely for keeping additional magazines to speed reloading. Speaking of magazines, the RPK-74 can utilize either a 30- or 45-round box magazine.

     Using a gas operated, rotating closed bolt action, the RPK-74 is capable of firing up to 600 rounds per minute. Assuming the 45-round magazine, a single RPK-74 can empty the magazine in 3.5 seconds. So, with three RPK-74 weapons firing in unison, this means the gunner can send 135 rounds towards the target in those same 3.5 seconds. With a muzzle velocity of 3,149 feet per second, the 5.45x39mm round has an effective range of .6 of a mile (1,000 meters) if using saturation fire. The bullet itself can travel as far as 2 miles but accuracy is about nil at such a distance. Given the short effective range, this particular anti-drone weapon arrangement relies on the Geran-2 to be flying at low altitude (it can fly as low as 197 feet) and close to the gun emplacement for a realistic chance of the gunner being successful in his engagement. Otherwise, it really does become a “fill the sky with lead” in the direction of the drone and hope to get a very lucky hit. Fortunately, some Geran-2 do fly at low altitudes to make detection more difficult and to lower the window of time the defenders have to engage before the drones move out of range or lines of sight get blocked by terrain and terrain features.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Russian T-80BVN, Central Military District

Source: Evgeny Biyatov, Sputnik Media Bank

     A Russian T-80BVN belonging to a unit within the Central Military District, operating somewhere near Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast on September 28, 2024. One of five such military districts in Russia, a good number of its subordinate units have been deployed to Ukraine. This includes elements from the 2nd. and 41st. Guards Combined Arms Army and the 25th. Combined Arms Army.

     The crew of this particular T-80BVN have added a sizable anti-drone cage to the turret, portions of which overhang the front and rear hull. The camouflage netting obscures much of what comprises the cage though through the gap, one can see lengths of chain hanging down. These have become a common method for anti-drone defenses as the chains, with their weight, have the capability of breaking the rotors and/or rotor pylons of FPV drones. The cage uses fencing elsewhere with the chains forming a portion of the cage that allows the commander and gunner to enter and exit the tank. Shorter lengths of chain hang down from the bottom edges of the front facing portion of the cage (visible in another photograph of the same tank).

     Along the sides of the tank is a long strip of rubberized material (most often conveyor belts) which is a simple form of appliqué armor which provides a small measure of protection to the turret ring. The T-80BVM does have rear mounted slat armor as standard but here, the crew has added more slat armor panels and it appears that they have created a raised anti-drone cover over the engine deck but the camouflage netting covers much of it. Barely visible are rubber panels, with heavy netting, secured to the edges of the turret's front mounted Relikt explosive reactive armor panels.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Knocked Out Russian BTR-82A

Source: Reddit.

     A knocked out Russian BTR-82A IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle), photographed sometime in the late spring or early summer of 2024. Of note is the Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks placed as best possible on the turret, hull front, and sides of the vehicle. ERA is not something the BTR-82A is normally fitted with, hence the haphazard placement. The crew also added slat armor, a single (and scorched) panel seen on the right side and another just visible on the left side near the driver's hatch. Despite all the added defense, it did not stop the BTR-82A from being put out of action. The BTR-82A is an improved version of the similar looking BTR-80A and it first appeared to the public as a prototype in 2009. By 2013, the Russian Ministry of Defense officially accepted the BTR-82A for service.

     Power for the 16-ton 8x8 wheeled BTR-82A comes from a KamAZ-740.14-300 diesel engine that develops 300 horsepower and is paired to a fixed-ratio, manual transmission. This permits the BTR-82A to obtain a top road speed of 50 miles per hour. Off-road, the speed is lower though cross-country performance is assisted by a central tire inflation system (CTIS) and heavy duty shock absorbers. The BTR-82A is amphibious and can achieve a top water speed of 6 miles per hour in calm water. Rear-mounted water jet provides propulsion. Enough fuel is carried to permit a maximum cruise range of 435 miles.

     The primary armament is a 30mm 2A72 automatic cannon mounted in a unmanned turret. The 2A72 uses a dual-feed and typically has a combination of AP-T (Armor-Piercing Tracer) and HE-I (High-Explosive Incendiary) ammunition to permit the gunner to engage different target types. Total ammunition capacity for the cannon is 300 rounds. The HE-I ammunition has an effective range of 1.2 miles (and against slow, low-flying aircraft,  2.5 miles) while the AP-T ammunition can defeat up to 25mm of armor at a 60 degree slope from a maximum range of .6 of a mile. Fitted co-axially is a 7.62mm PKTM machine-gun which is provided with 2,000 rounds. The weapons are fitted to a 2-plane, electro-mechanical stabilizer with the turret providing 360 degrees of traverse while the gun mount offers 70 degrees of elevation and 5 degrees of depression. Traverse speed of the turret is up to 6 degrees per second. The gunner is provided with a TKN-4GA-01 day/night sight and FCS (Fire Control System) which permits engagement from the halt or on the move. The commander is provided with a TKN-AI surveillance camera, that includes a laser rangefinder, for locating targets out to a maximum range of 1.9 miles. On each side of the BTR-82A's hull are three firing ports for the crew and/or passengers to utilize their small arms.

     The BTR-82A has improved laminate armor over the BTR-80A's hardened steel but what thickness (or equivalent) it has isn't fully known. It is very likely on par with STANAG 4569 Level III armor protection which means it can defeat up to 7.62x54Rmm API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary) ammunition at 30 meters and 155mm shell fragments at 60 meters. As for mines, it can protect the vehicle's occupants from mines with up to 18 pounds of explosive. Additional protection to the crew of  three (commander, driver, and gunner) and passengers (up to 7 infantrymen) is provided by interior spall liners and a reinforced, multi-layer floor along with blast resistant seats. Finally, an automatic fire suppression system equips the BTR-82A as well as a 902V Tucha 81mm smoke grenade launcher system with six launchers mounted on the turret front. 

     Other equipment includes a R-168-25-U2 digital radio system with encryption, Trona-1 topographic orientation system (which taps into independent satellites for navigational data) to enhance the vehicle's navigation system which uses the Russian GLONASS global positioning system (and can also use the NavStar GPS), APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) to permit the BTR-82A to function with the engine off, heating/air-conditioning system, bilge pump, and a NBC system (using over-pressure).

Russo-Ukrainian War: T-80BVM obr. 2022

Source: Reddit.

     A Russian T-80BVM obr. 2022 belonging to the 67th. Motorized Rifle Division (the unit's tactical symbol is on the side of the turret), displaying a rather extensive array of passive and active defenses. It is being transported by what looks to be a KamAZ-65225 tank transporter and was photographed sometime in January 2025. The T-80BVM is a modernization of the T-80BV which first appeared in service with the Soviet Army in 1985. The first T-80BVM made its public debut in 2017.

     Power for the 46-ton T-80BVM comes from a GTD-1250TF gas turbine engine that develops 1,250 horsepower and can propel the T-80BVM along roads at a maximum speed of 43 miles per hour and off-road, up to 34 miles per hour terrain depending. The GTD-1250 consumes fuel at a very high rate and had a much higher production cost in comparison to a standard diesel engine. Thus, the T-80BVM has a maximum cruise range of 208 miles (via 290 gallons of onboard fuel) and as such, the tank is often equipped with two external fuel tanks (total of 195 additional gallons) to increase the range to 310 miles. The engine is paired to a manual planetary transmission with a 6-speed gearbox (5 forward, 1 reverse). The external fuel tanks are secured to racks on the rear of the tank and here, they are not present.

     The main armament is a 2A46M-5 (or 2A46M-4 in some sources) 125mm smoothbore cannon which is mounted to a 2-axis, electro-hydraulic 2E26M stabilizer. The turret provides for 360 degrees of traverse while the gun mount allows for a maximum of 14 degrees of elevation and up to 5 degrees of depression. As with most Russian tanks, the cannon is provided with a updated Korzina automatic loader which is fed from a carousel that sits beneath the turret at the bottom of the hull. It holds 28 rounds of ammunition and with it, a rate of fire between 4 to 6 rounds per minute is possible. A further 17 rounds of ammunition are carried, kept both in the turret and hull, along with 6 Refleks-M missiles (see below). Accuracy is aided by a 1A45T Irtysh fire control system (FCS). The gunner is provided with a stabilized Sosna-U sight which incorporates a day sight, thermal sight, laser rangefinder, and a ballistic computer. Some late T-80BVM may utilize the PNM-T sight which is Sosna-U alternative built from wholly Russian components. Typical ammunition used includes APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot), HE (High-Explosive), and HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) rounds plus the 9K119M Refleks-M tube-launched, laser guided anti-tank missile (NATO reporting name AT-11 Sniper). The 3BM59 “Svinets-1” APFSDS round can penetrate around 315mm of RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor) at a 60 degree slope at 1.2 miles. At a 0 degree slope, the 3BM59 can penetrate 540mm of RHA at the same range. The 3BK31 HEAT round can penetrate 350mm of RHA at a 60 degree slope at a range of 1.9 miles.   The 3OF26 HE round can be fired out to a range of 2.5 miles while the Refleks-M can attain a range of 3 miles and drill through a maximum of 700mm of armor at a 90 degree slope after ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) thanks to its tandem charge warhead. The gunner provides the guidance to target using a modulated laser beam. Secondary armament consists of a coaxial PKT 7.62mm machine-gun while mounted on the turret near the commander's hatch is a NSVT 12.7mm heavy machine-gun. 1,250 rounds of ammunition are available for the PKT while a total of 300 rounds are carried for the NSVT of which 50 rounds is ready ammunition.

     For protection, the T-80BMV uses composite armor on the hull and turret with the cheeks of the turret having additional defense called Combination K which consists of a cavity filled with ultra-porcelain ceramic rods arranged in a matrix. This gives the turret front the equivalent of 550mm of steel armor. The front glacis plate uses a sandwich-style of composite armor consisting of an outer layer of 80mm thick steel which is backed by 105mm of glass-reinforced plastic then a 20mm thick base layer of steel armor. This gives the front hull of the T-80BMV the equivalent of over 500mm of armor. In addition to the base armor, the T-80BMV utilizes Relikt explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks on the upper front hull, turret front, hull sides, and the top of the turret. Cage armor is fitted to the rear of the tank hull, offering a measure of protection to the engine compartment from HEAT munitions. The T-80BVM can be fitted with 4S24 Karkas ERA and this is the case here in the photograph in the form of large metal blocks on the turret sides and here, unusually, on top of the side Relikt ERA. The crew has added rubber and mesh appliqué armor to the turret sides and front plus ad-hoc bar armor to the rear area of the turret. In addition, the crew has created a large anti-drone cage consisting of metal framing with what looks like chicken wire. Additional defense comes from a 902B Tucha smoke grenade launcher system consisting of two banks of four launcher tubes on the turret sides. The T-80BMV can also be fitted with active protective systems such as Arena but it is not standard. Atop the anti-drone cage are antenna for drone jammers, added there by the crew rather than it being standard.

     Other systems of the T-80BVM include a TVN-5 night sight for the driver, internal crew intercom system, TKN-4S Agat-MR day/night sight & TKN-3M day sight for the commander, automatic fire suppression system, PDT-7151 auxiliary sight, DVE-BS turret roof mounted meteorological sensor, R-168 series VHF radio station, and a ZETS-11-2 NBC protection system (Nuclear Biological Chemical). 

     The T-80BVM obr. 2022 specifically uses Kontakt-5 ERA on the turret roof to provide for more protective coverage and cage armor is added to the rear of the hull and turret (though only the rear hull piece appears intact). Another feature of the T-80BVM obr. 2022 is the removal of the rear side cage armor and replacing it with Relikt ERA panels. Finally, Relikt ERA is built into the tank's front mud guards. Some T-80BVM obr. 2022 tanks may have elderly 1PN96MT-02 thermal gun sights due to shortages of the Sosna-U.

Russo-Ukrainian War: VCC-2 APC, "Donechchyna" Battalion, National Police of Ukraine

Source: National Police of Ukraine.

     Operating somewhere in Donetsk Oblast is this VCC-2 armored personnel carrier (APC), in service with the special forces “Donechchyna” Battalion of the National Police of Ukraine. Such units are, more or less, similar to SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) teams within many police forces in the U.S. Such personnel are trained to deal with high risk threats that regular police officers are not equipped to handle. Like SWAT teams, Ukrainian National Police special forces units receive additional training in heavy weapons, usage and deployment of armored vehicles, and other tasks and skills which are above the regular training of rank and file policemen. The VCC-2 is an Italian variant of the U.S. M113 APC and to date, a little over ten VCC-2 have been received from Italy as part of the country's military aid packages.

     The biggest modification was replacing the M113's Chrysler 75M engine and Allison TX-200-2A transmission with a more powerful General Motors 6V53 Model 5063-5299 6-cylinder, water-cooled diesel engine and paired it with a Allison TX-100-1 transmission with a 8-speed gear box (6 forward, 2 reverse). This drive train is the same as used in the M113A1. This gives the VCC-2 a top road speed of 40 miles per hour and in being amphibious, the top water speed is 3 miles per hour in calm water. Propulsion in water is via the VCC-2's tracks. 95 gallons of internal fuel provide for a maximum cruise range of 317 miles. The VCC-2 uses fiberglass fuel tanks in the rear of the vehicle with dual fuel lines into the engine for a measure of redundancy if there is a problem with one of the fuel tanks. The fuel system, along with rearranging the interior of the troop compartment, reduces the troop capacity to six men (instead of eleven). The crew of the VCC-2 consists of the commander, driver, and the gunner.

     For protection, the VCC-2 retains the welded hull consisting of the same rolled 5083/5086 H32 aluminum armor of the M113. From the front, armor thickness is 38mm at a slope between 30 degrees (lower front) and 45 degrees (upper front). The sides, which have no sloping, support between 31mm to 44mm while the rear of the VCC-2 has 38mm of armor with a 9 degree slope (upper rear) and 8 degrees of slope (lower rear). The top of the hull has 38mm thick armor while the bottom has 28mm of armor. To boost the level of protection, the VCC-2 has appliqué steel armor between 5mm to 6mm thick fitted directly onto the front and sides of the vehicle. The VCC-2 can shed up to 12.7mm ball ammunition (which is not armor-piercing) at 200 meters.

     For armament, the gunner is provided with a open-topped turret which, here, supports a Browning M2A1 12.7mm heavy machine-gun. On each side of the VCC-2 are two firing ports which allow soldiers within the troop compartment to utilize their small arms. Just above the firing ports are bullet-proof vision blocks. A fifth firing port is located in the drop-down rear ramp which makes up the majority of the back of the VCC-2.

     The commander's cupola is on the left side of the roof, behind the driver's hatch, and even with the gunner's cupola/turret on the right. He is provided with five M17 periscopes but the gunner's cupola limits the commander's field of view. The driver has four M17 periscopes and a single, fully traversable M19 infrared periscope for night driving. All of these vision devices are as the M113. Further Italian modifications include two roof-mounted exhaust fans to evacuate smoke from the interior and updated electrical systems.

     Ukrainian modifications include a rather intricate camouflage paint scheme and fitted to the roof towards the left rear are five antennas for drone jammers.

Sources:

http://web.tiscali.it/stefano67/vcc2.htm

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m113.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The PARS-S "Stepashka" EW Rifle

Source: Telegram

     Serhii Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian electronic specialist, poses with a trophy Russian PARS-S “Stepashka” anti-drone rifle. This example was captured from Russian forces late in 2024. Designed and built by the Russian company RUSGEOCOM, the PARS-S is just one of a number of Russian drone jamming EW (Electronic Warfare) apparatus. The PARS-S is meant for deployment by infantrymen, giving them a measure of defense against Ukrainian FPV drones. Beskrestnov was involved in the dissection of the captured PARS-S in order to determine the EW rifle's capabilities. A similar looking EW rifle (made by LokMas), the “Ступор” (“Stupor”), entered the market in 2017 and some found their way into Russian service though in at least one 2022 encounter with drones operated by the Ukrainian 30th. Mechanized Brigade “Konstanty Ostrogski”, the “Stupor” failed to down any of the drones.

     The PARS-S first appeared in 2023 and has a combat weight of 21 pounds and it can be deployed with mobile infantry, being carried via a nylon strap by a EW operator, or set up in a static position using a tripod. RUSGEOCOM promotional material states the PARS-S can jam any consumer drone model out of the box but can be upgraded to tackle FPV drones. In fact, the rather large size of the PARS-S is because inside, there is enough internal space to fit up to four additional antennas which could operate against multiple drone frequencies. Output of the power supply is 50 watts which permits an endurance of up to 2 hours of operation. This capacity is assumed to be with a single antenna. Maximum range, in ideal conditions, is 7 miles.

     However, when the large outer casing was opened to examine the PARS-S' innards, it was found that some of the internals had been built in China and was evidence that Chinese manufacturers were (and are) supplying Russian military industry with components despite sanctions. This is proof that despite them, China is circumventing sanctions. Another discovery was the poor quality of the installation of the internal parts. Beskrestnov noted that instead of utilizing more robust and secure means to install critical components, voluminous amounts of polyurethane construction foam (that has adhesive properties) was utilized to secure parts such as the battery packs and the antenna. In addition, the placement of the components was without rhyme or reason. With such shoddy internal construction, there is some question on how well the PARS-S can withstand the rigors of the front line battlefield over a period of time. In addition, it casts some doubt on RUSGEOCOM's claims on the capabilities of the PARS-S.

Photograph via Telegram. 

Russo-Ukrainian War: The VSSM Vintorez Suppressed Sniper Rifle

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

     A soldier of the 46th. Airmobile Brigade posing with captured Russian VSSM Vintorez 9mm sniper rifle. VSSM is the romanized abbreviation for Vintóvka Snáyperskaya Spetsiálnaya Modernizirovat (Special Sniper Rifle Updated). Interestingly, the Ukrainian Army ceased using the original VSS (introduced in 1981) in 2014 due to the lack of ammunition but the VSS and VSSM remains in service with Russian Spetsnaz (special forces) units.

     As mentioned, the VSSM falls into the 9mm caliber rifle class but it uses a uniquely Russian rimless 9x39mm round. The round is derived from the Soviet 7.62x39mm cartridge case. To put it simply, it is the 7.62x39mm case resized to fit a 9.2mm bullet. It is specifically designed to be subsonic and used in suppressed weapons, such as the VSSM. The VSSM is usually fired using the 9x39mm SP-5 subsonic round which uses either a hardened steel or tungsten tip in order to defeat body armor. The SP-5 round has a maximum muzzle velocity of 1,050 feet per second and can defeat NATO standard body armor at a range of 400 meters (.2 of a mile) which is the weapon's optimal engagement range. The integral suppressor of the VVS and VSSM works by having a dual-chamber arrangement where propellant gasses from the fired round are both cooled down and their pressure lowered within the chambers until the sound signature of the exiting gas is greatly reduced to the point that it does not have the sound signature of regular caliber battle rifles. Usually, the VVSM is fed from a 10-round box magazine but here in the photograph, it uses the 20-round box magazine of the similar AS Val (Avtomát Spetsiálny; Special Automatic). The VSSM is select fire with a 30 rounds per minute effective rate of fire in semi-automatic and double that in full automatic. Without a scope and ammunition, the VSSM has a weight of 5.7 pounds.

     The VSSM differs from the VSS in that the latter's wooden stock is replaced with a metal stock which has adjustable cheek and shoulder pads. Another difference is that the VSSM uses a integral picatinny-style rail for mounting optics whereas optics for the VSS need to be fitted using side mounts. Speaking of optics, the VSSM can use most of the Soviet/Russian military scopes to include the PSO-1, PSV, PSO-1-1, and PO 4X34 daytime sights or the MBNP-1 and NSPU-3 night scopes. Finally, it can mount the KOP-2 daylight/low-light scope. The night scope here, however, appears to be a civilian make rather than military issue. With a PSO-1-1 scope, the weight of the VSSM goes up to 7.5 pounds (without ammunition).

Russo-Ukrainian War: Ukrainian Modified T-80U

Source: 12th. Brigade Public Affairs

     A T-80U main battle tank belonging to the Tank Battalion, 12th. Special Forces Brigade “Azov”, National Guard of Ukraine. An evolution of the T-80A, the T-80U first entered service in 1985 and through 1999, received modernization to keep it competitive. The T-80U was, for the most part, a brand new tank rather than being an upgrade to existing T-80 tanks as was the case with the earlier T-80B and T-80A which appeared in 1978 and 1982 respectively.

     Power for the 50-ton T-80U comes from a GTD-1250 3-shaft gas turbine engine that develops 1,250 horsepower and can propel the T-80U along roads at a maximum speed of 43 miles per hour and off-road, up to 30 miles per hour terrain depending. The GTD-1250, while powerful and reliable (as long as maintenance is rigidly followed), consumes fuel at a ravenous rate and has a much higher production cost in comparison to a standard diesel engine. Thus, the T-80U has a maximum cruise range of 208 miles (via 290 gallons of onboard fuel) and as such, the tank is often equipped with external fuel tanks (total of 195 additional gallons) to increase the range to 273 miles. The engine is paired to a manual planetary transmission with a 5-speed gearbox (4 forward, 1 reverse). To conserve fuel but still power the tank's systems, a GTA-18 auxiliary power unit (APU) is provided.

     The main armament is a 2A46M-1 125mm smoothbore cannon which is mounted to a 2-axis, electro-hydraulic 2E42 stabilizer. The turret provides for 360 degrees of traverse while the gun mount allows for a maximum of 14 degrees of elevation and up to 5 degrees of depression. As with most Russian tanks, the cannon is provided with a Korzina automatic loader which is fed from a carousel that sits beneath the turret at the bottom of the hull. It holds 28 rounds of ammunition and with it, a rate of fire between 4 to 6 rounds per minute is possible. A further 17 rounds of ammunition are carried, kept both in the turret and hull, along with 6 Refleks missiles (see below). Accuracy is aided by a 1A42 or 1A45 Irtysh fire control system (FCS), 1V517 or 1V528-1 ballistic computer, 1G46 laser rangefinder, and a GPK-59 azimuth indicator. The gunner is provided with a TPN-4S day sight and a T01-K01R Buran-PA stabilized night sight. Typical ammunition used includes APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot), HE (High-Explosive), and HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) rounds plus the 9K119M Refleks-M tube-launched, laser guided anti-tank missile (NATO reporting name AT-11 Sniper). The older 3VBM20 APFSDS round can penetrate around 300mm of RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor) at a 60 degree slope at 1.2 miles. The 3VOF36 HE round can be fired out to a range of 2.5 miles while the Refleks-M can attain a range of 3 miles and drill through a maximum of 700mm of armor at a 90 degree slope after ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) thanks to its tandem charge warhead. The gunner provides the guidance to target using a modulated laser beam. Secondary armament consists of a coaxial PKT 7.62mm machine-gun while mounted on the turret near the commander's hatch is a 12.7mm heavy machine-gun (either a DShK or NSVT). 1,250 rounds of ammunition are available for the PKT while 300 rounds are carried for the heavy machine-gun.

     For protection, the T-80U uses composite armor on the hull and turret with the cheeks of the turret having additional defense comprised of semi-active, filled cells (NERA or Non-Energetic Reactive Armor) backed by steel plate and resin. The effect is that upon penetration by a shaped charge jet, the shock wave is disrupted by the filler, reducing the effectiveness of the penetrator. In addition to the base armor, the T-80U utilizes Kontakt-5 ERA blocks on the upper front hull, turret front, hull sides, and the top of the turret. This layered protection gives the T-80U's front hull the equivalent of 620mm thick armor against kinetic rounds and 1,100mm of armor against HEAT rounds. The turret front, with its additional defense, provides for 780mm of equivalent armor against kinetic rounds and 1,320mm of protection against HEAT. Additional defense comes from a 902B Tucha smoke grenade launcher system consisting of two banks of four launcher tubes on the turret sides. The T-80U can also be fitted with active protective systems such as Shtora-1 and Arena.

     Other systems of the T-80U include a L-2AG Luna infrared spotlight, OU-3GKU infrared searchlight, ZETS-11-2 NBC protection system (Nuclear Biological Chemical), R-173 radio, R-174 and GRR-5 radio receivers, and a snorkel kit for fording water obstacles.

     The T-80U pictured here has undergone some modifications with the main change being the removal of the Kontakt-5 ERA and replacing it with Ukrainian designed and produced Nizh (“Knife”) ERA blocks. This has necessitated some changes, namely the removal of the Luna spotlight (normally to the right of the gun on the turret face) and the shifting of the Tucha launch tubes towards the rear of the turret sides. Another difference from the T-80U is the usage of what look like side armor from a T-80BVM tank. If so, then it would consist of Relikt ERA. The crew has added heavy netting around the turret which serves as appliqué armor, providing a small measure of defense against HEAT munitions. Interestingly, the turret modifications give it the appearance of a T-90 tank turret. No heavy machine-gun is fitted but the mount can be seen near the commander's hatch.

Russo-Ukrainian War: AASM 250 HAMMER ASM

     Secured to one of the four wing pylons of a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25M1 Grach (“Rook”; NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a AASM 250 HAMMER ASM (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire 250 Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range Air-to-Surface Missile). More simply called Hammer, the AASM is a French designed, all-weather smart weapon which first entered service with both the French Air Force and Naval Aviation in 2007. The AASM is actually a kit which is fitted to existing free-fall bombs, turning them into guided missiles. The AASM kit can be fitted to 125, 250, 500, and 1,000 kilogram bombs (hence the number in the designation). France, as part of its military aid to Ukraine, has provided Ukraine with around fifty AASM systems per month in 2024.

     The standard AASM (and likely the type provided to Ukraine) consists of a hybrid guidance system which combines a inertial navigation system (INS) with a global positioning system (GPS). This system is held within the finned nose-cap that is secured to the head of the bomb. The INS utilizes motion/rotation sensors whose input goes into a computer which constantly calculates the AASM's position, orientation, and speed. As such, it is essentially a fire-and-forget munition. However, the AASM can be fitted with a enhanced guidance suite which adds infrared homing. Without the infrared capability, the AASM can hit a target within 10 meters of the aim point. With the infrared homing, this improves to a single meter. A third option replaces the infrared homing with laser guidance system that permits on-target hits and can even allow the AASM to strike mobile targets. The second set of nose fins can rotate their angle, permitting the AASM to maneuver.

     Attached to the back of the bomb body is a  “range extension kit” which consists of a solid-fuel rocket motor and a “aerodynamic unit” consisting of four fins. When dropped at altitude, the AASM can achieve a maximum range of 43 miles but if dropped at low altitude, the range diminishes to a maximum of 9 miles.

     Assuming the usage of a U.S. Mk. 82 250 kilogram bomb (which the AASM can be fitted to), the payload is usually 196 pounds (89 kilograms) of Tritonal explosive. This results in a blast radius of 80 meters by 30 meters with a lethal area stretching out to 2,400 square meters with fragments having speeds of between 1,700 to 5,458 miles per hour.

     To date, in Ukrainian service, the Hammer is being launched from not only the Su-25 but also from Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) using modified pylons.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The FGM-148 Javelin

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

     The ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) shown here in the hands of a soldier of the 5th. Detachment, Special Operations Center “Omega” was an absolute game changer during the opening months of the Russo-Ukrainian War which commenced on February 24, 2022. The weapon? The FGM-148 Javelin. The effectiveness was so great that it spawned the image of “Saint Javelin” (the Virgin Mary cradling a Javelin) and saw Russian tanks sprout the so-called “cope cages” (raised slat armor over the turret top) in a vain attempt to deal with the missile. Ukraine had received over 8,000 Javelin systems by February 2023 with the majority being delivered by the United States. The FGM-148 entered service with the U.S. military in 1996 and was the replacement for the M47 Dragon ATGM.

     What makes the Javelin effective is two-fold. The first is that the missile is capable of using what is called a “top attack” engagement profile. This means the missile strikes the target from above. On most tanks, the armor thickness of the top of the hull (front and rear) as well as the top of the turret is thin and thus relatively easy to penetrate. The second is that the Javelin is a fire-and-forget weapon. Once the gunner obtains a target lock, upon launch, the missile guides itself to the target.

     The Javelin is a two-part system. The main part, which is reusable, is the CLU (Command Launch Unit). The CLU is fitted with a day sight which provides 4X magnification but for night operation, the CLU has a 4X magnification thermal sight which is very sensitive to infrared radiation. The night sight also has a 12X magnification to enable the operator to identify the potential target. Once the target is identified and is to be engaged, the operator switches to a 9X magnification FOV (Field of View) for the missile's seeker. Here, the operator sets his aim and the target information is transmitted to the missile's guidance system. Once the operator sets the lock after depressing a launch trigger, the missile fires after a very short delay. The CLU has a weight of 14 pounds and a loaded missile tube is 35 pounds. The tube is single-shot and once fired, the CLU is detached from the spent tube and secured to a new one.

     The 127mm missile uses a solid fuel rocket motor which permits an effective range of 1.6 miles when used by a dismounted tank hunter team (usually two men) or, if the launcher is mounted on a vehicle, up to 2.95 miles of effective engagement range can be achieved. The 19 pound, contact fuzed warhead consists of a tandem-charge HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) payload. The first charge is designed to defeat ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor), permitting the second charge to strike the target's armor underneath. The Javelin is said to be capable of penetrating at least 760mm of RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor) after ERA. This is well able to defeat nearly all modern main battle tanks. Though the Javelin often uses its top attack ability, it can be fired directly at targets such as fortifications or if a armored vehicle is too close to permit a top attack. Maximum altitude for a top attack is 490 feet and for direct attack, 200 feet.