Despite the pandemic: the Ministry of Defense is preparing the largest forum

From 23 to 29 August 2020, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is holding one of the world's largest exhibitions of weapons and military equipment - the International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2020". It will become the sixth in a row. Despite the fact that the event is taking place in the context of an ongoing pandemic, this year the forum will be the largest in its history.

“This year, in addition to traditional sites (the Patriot Exhibition and Convention Center, the Alabino training ground, the Kubinka airfield, all military districts and the Northern Fleet), events will also be held in the Astrakhan region at the Ashuluk training ground, where a unique program of countering unmanned aerial vehicles will be demonstrated. apparatuses, ”Major General Andrei Goncharov, Head of the Main Directorate of Research and Technological Support of Advanced Technologies (Innovative Research) of the Ministry of Defense, told TASS.

In total, according to the general, the events of the forum this year cover 43 sites located in various regions of the country - this applies to training grounds, airfields and branches of the Patriot park. The events of the scientific and business program also claim a wide geography. A distinctive feature of the forum will be that it will be held simultaneously with the International Army Games.

Traditionally, the events of the forum will be organized both for distinguished guests and specialists and for the general visitor.

On the first day of work, on August 23, a joint opening of the Forum and the Army Games will take place, the official part, the work of the first persons of the state, heads of state authorities, delegations of foreign states. The next three days - from 24 to 26 August - the site will be open for specialists, and from 27 to 29 August everyone will be able to visit the Forum.

Within the framework of the forthcoming Army-2020 forum, exhibition, demonstration, scientific and business programs, as well as protocol and cultural events are envisaged.

The use of a new Chinese guided missile was filmed

A video of the firing of a new extended-range guided missile was presented in China. The shooting was carried out from a Z-10 attack helicopter.

In the video, presented by CCTV 13, you can watch how long-range missiles are suspended from a helicopter and the very process of their launch. The missiles successfully hit all ground targets. As dambiev writes, presumably, this is a rocket designated Blue Arrow 21 (BA-21), which was first presented at the Zhuhai air show in 2018.

The video with the launch of a guided missile from an attack helicopter and in the Janes edition did not go unnoticed. Here, it is assumed that the range of its action is somewhere around 18 kilometers, and it is equipped with a two-channel millimeter-wave guidance system.

However, the publication notes that the rocket is probably slightly different from the one shown in 2018 in Zhuhai. It has a slightly different configuration. It is concluded that this missile will be used to arm Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles.

In Ukraine, the final decision was made to replace the problematic "Hammer" with a mortar "Buchard"

In Ukraine, they said that the mortars produced in the country "are increasingly pushing foreign-made mortars from the Ukrainian market." It is noted that 82-mm UPIK-82 mortars, which were put into service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2017, and 60-mm MP-60 mortars are becoming more widespread in the domestic market.

It is argued that the new 82-mm mortar "is not a copy of Soviet weapons" and "has improved operational characteristics, including through the use of new guidance mechanisms and optics.

It is added that after numerous unsuccessful attempts to get rid of the problems of the M-120-15 "Hammer" mortars, which are notable for their low reliability (including due to the use of unsuitable steel grades for such weapons), it was decided to replace these mortars with other versions. The "hammer" has been produced in Ukraine since 2015, and during this time the troops managed to make a lot of noise. There is a whole series of examples when the Hammer mortars exploded directly at the positions and wounded the Ukrainian military personnel.

In total, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were supposed to receive a batch of 280 Molot mortars, but then (due to unreliability) in Ukraine, the process of arming with mortars was revised. In particular, the possibility of equipping the Armed Forces of Ukraine with 120 mm "Buchard" mortars from the Starokramatorsk Machine-Building Plant (SKMZ) is being considered.

Now the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has made a final decision that it is the "Buchard" that will replace the problematic "Hammer" mortars, the development and creation of which were actually in vain tens of millions of hryvnias. It was noted that the "Bouchard" mortar "performed well when tested at low temperatures." What specific temperatures are in question is not reported.

Ukraine is looking for a replacement for its lethal mortar "Hammer"

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have decided to finally abandon the 120-mm Molot mortar. Over the past few years, it has repeatedly exploded directly during the shooting, as a result of which the number of dead and wounded soldiers already goes to dozens.

According to the Voennoye Obozreniye portal, the Hammer will also be replaced by the Buchard 120-mm mortar produced by the Starokramatorsk Machine-Building Plant. Little is known about this weapon so far - it is allegedly being developed from scratch and "proved itself well when tested in low temperatures."

In addition, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively purchasing 82-mm UPIK-82 mortars, which were put into service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2017, and 60-mm MP-60 mortars.

We will remind, "RG" has repeatedly written about the tragic incidents with mortars "Molot". And although their operation seems to have ceased, the last such incident occurred in mid-June. According to Ukrainian media reports, from 2016 to 2018 alone, 13 soldiers died in the country because of the Hammer explosions, 30 were injured.

"Grendel", "Beowulf" and others

The famous M16 rifle, which was adopted by the US Army more than half a century ago, as it turned out at the beginning of the 21st century, was not ready for new challenges - and above all, in terms of the characteristics of its cartridge. Both arms giants and small firms and even lone enthusiasts have joined in the search for a solution.

Temporary temporary rifle cartridge

In October 1962, 42 American arms companies were informed about the SPIW project (Special Purpose Infantry Weapon). By December, 10 firms had submitted formal proposals. After a two-month study, four projects were identified: the best were AAI and Springfield Arsenal samples, the other two were proposed by the former M14 rifle manufacturers - Harrington-Richardson and Winchester firms. Contracts were signed with them in February 1963.

The SPIW project was supposed to cost $ 21 million and was to be completed within a year. In 1964, the US Army adopted the XM16E1 rifle as a limited weapon to fill what was then thought to be the gap between the discontinued 7.62mm M14 rifle and the forthcoming SPIW weapon. However, in November 1966, the SPIW program was closed, and on February 28, 1967, the US Army officially adopted the XM16E1 rifle under the designation "US Rifle, 5.56 mm, M16A1".

In general, the SPIW program and its predecessors, as well as other tricks performed by the US Department of Arms, as well as its relationship with Congress and especially Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, deserve a separate story. For now, just remember that the M16 rifle was put into service more than half a century ago as a temporary replacement. The 5.56 × 45 mm cartridge, which was adopted along with it, was to become just as temporary. Created on the basis of the hunting .222 Remington, it had a good flatness of the trajectory of a bullet, a small recoil impulse, and also a good lethality on a bio target. Due to the high velocity, the bullet, when it hit the body, fell apart, causing extensive damage to the internal organs both by the wound cavity and by numerous fragments.