UK: Testing direct energy weapons regards UAV defence.

(Thorny Island) The war in the Ukraine has seen the UAV (of all sizes) come of age, initially with larger UAVs, but as the air defence of both sides have become more proficient, then the larger UAVs have been replaced by the much smaller, much cheaper and certainly much more numerous First Person View (FPV)drone which are basically hobby drones fitted with an explosive device and their effectiveness has resulted in cages been built around vehicles to protect them with the latest iteration the Russia turtle tank where instead of a cage, the Russians have built a complete layer of armour around a tank , which has proved to be a very effective form of defence from FPV drones, problem there is, it does limit and degrade spatial awareness.

Video of an armored assault by Russia's 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade on Krasnohorivka, and another appearance of a tank with a massive counter-FPV shelter and EW jammer, which continues to driving after a DPICM strike. It looks like the lead tank in the first video has a… pic.twitter.com/fQk3FN6ymx

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) April 16, 2024 

Whilst the above may be effective against FPV drones, it isn't against other tanks, anti armour missiles and only protects that lone vehicle (Russia is using such as the lead element in armoured thrusts in the Donbas) meaning those following are still vulnerable. But as stated, the Russians have used such a modification to great effect, so at this moment of time it is working No doubt the threat from FPV drones has become a cause for concern around the world and a lot of time and effort has been expended in which to try and nullify the threat. The British army set up Project Ealing where they aim to disrupt the electronics on the FPV by using directed energy in the form of radio waves and the other day they revealed  the set up they have been testing with:

Project EALING unveiled: the Radiofrequency "cannon" in development for the British Armed Forces seen with 7 Air Defence Group at Thorney Island. A lot different from the early concept art, it is shown carried on a smaller HX60 truck rather than an HX77 and is visibly demountable pic.twitter.com/C8HRsL0x89

— Gabriele Molinelli (@Gabriel64869839) May 7, 2024

The interesting thing here is the British Government started this project in Sept 2021 when it handed over £75 million for 3 such projects , 6 months before the war in the Ukraine started, so it appears the Uk was somewhat ahead of the game here.

Uk: KC 155 Self propelled gun selected as British next generation mobile fires platform

(London) The Uk has selected the German Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) 52 calibre Wheeled Artillery Systems

to replace the 32 year old AS90 it currently employs in the self propelled artillery role.  The RCH 155 is based on the wheeled Boxer APC , of which the Uk has purchased 623

The Boxer is based around a modular design where the rear compartment  can be switched out with different modules as the mission demands 

The artillery gun module of the RCH 155 is unmanned and provides automated navigation and fire control, features fully automated gun laying, projectile and charge loading. It can fire up to 9 rounds per minute to a range of up to 40km with standard ammunition  An increased range of up to 54km is possible with Very Long Range Artillery Projectiles (VLAP). This allows for a reduced crew of 2 (driver/operator, commander). 

Mali: British troops using mini UAVs which are deployed from grenade launchers

(Mali) The British have recently deployed the Light Dragoons and Royal Anglian Regiment in support of French led Operation Barkhane, its regional counter-terrorism effort in the region. 

One interesting snippet that has come out in the wash is that the British troops have been equipped with a mini drone which is deployed from a 40mm grenade launcher:

 

Drone 40 was created by Melbourne-based defence technology firm DefendTex as a solution to the problem of a range disparity between the infantry weapons carried by Australian infantry, which are accurate to about 500 meters, and the AK-74s carried by adversaries, which can reach out to 800 meters but not one that required changing the gun or adding a lot more weight to what soldiers were already carrying. in a nutshell,  Drone 40 is a multi purpose UAV able to be fitted out to a spy in the sky or a loitering munition, which can be remotely disarmed allowing the drone to land inert for later recovery. 

In spy mode, the drone’s video streaming can transmit 10 km over direct line of sight. with the ability to record video and retransmit it when it comes within range, or it can take still images. Using GPS, the drone can follow a waypoint plotted course to a target, or it can use its own synthetic aperture radar to identify and track a target

UK: What the word SCRAN means

So as somebody who spent a lot of years in uniform, I got used to a load of bespoke words which only the military used. One such word was SCRAN which is used to describe going for a meal :

"I'm off to scarn?"

Well today I found out, that actually it isn't a verb, but rather an acronym:

SCRAN is a Navy word, it comes from the sailing ship days when sailors would augment their diet with sacks of dried fruit and nuts that came in bags marked: Sultanas Currants Raisins And Nuts, SCRAN. 😬

— On This Day RN (@OnthisdayRN) October 26, 2019

UK: Infantry Platoon Sgts course

(Brecon Beacons)  The northern hemisphere is currently under the grip of a little cold spell and even with the central heating on, you can still feel the cold. Currently on top of Pen y fan (Penny Fan)  a wee mountain in the Brecon Beacons  it is -4 degrees centigrade (24 degrees Fahrenheit)

So spare a thought for the candidates on the British Armys Infantry Platoon Sgts Battle course who are currently out on Exercise: (As in living out in the field for a week) on the Sennybridge Training area.

UK: Now this is what you call Army Recruiting

We inspire ordinary people to exceptional achievements. We are the British Army. #britisharmy #british #army #military #teamwork

A post shared by British Army (@britisharmy) on Feb 9, 2018 at 8:12am PST

UK: 4 British soldiers arrested for belonging to neo-Nazi group

(London) Four serving British soldiers are among those arrested for belonging to banned extremist group. National Action which is described by the British Home Office as "virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic", and became the first extreme right-wing group to be banned under terrorism laws in December 2016.

The oldest and most senior member of the military among the group is understood to be a 32-year-old fitness instructor One of the men belonged the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to whilst at least two are members of the Royal Anglian Regiment. One of the five arrested is a civilian.

No time for Nazis especially in the military. throw the bloody book at them, no suspended sentences and all their time to be spent inside the Military prison at Colchester.

UK: Liberals cry racist at picture of a soldier wearing camouflage paint

(UK) Liberals are a stain on humanity, they find fault with anything and everything, which is why they have found fault with the British Army after it tweeted a picture of a soldier in the jungle wearing a black (actually it's dark brown) camouflage cream.

Now, before somebody thinks the above is racist, here is a video from the same Exercise:

The Irish Guards demonstrate their firepower whilst on exercise in #Belize pic.twitter.com/fHFwALo7IV

— British Army (@BritishArmy) 17 October 2016

British Army to receive new Israeli made body armour

(London) The British Military has been using Osprey Body armour since 2006, currently on the Mk4 version. Osprey, whilst very good, has been criticised (like most body armour kits) for being far too heavy, bulky and restrictive. (But then soldiers always moan about everything). However, for once, the British MOD actually listened to the troops and has come up with a new set of body armour which is superior to the Osprey and weights half as much.

Say hello to the Israeli Virtus Soldier system designed by Tirat-Carmel (Israel) based company. Set up by Yoki Gill and Daniel Benoziliyo in 1989, the company won a competition in 2015 to provide the British Army with its next generation body armour.

But rather than listen to me, here's a video:

Here's a clip of the first unit to receive this kit:

Watch a British Reaper drone destroy an ISIS armored column

(IBT) A video released by the U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) earlier this week shows a British RAF Reaper drone tracking down an armored vehicle used by the Islamic State group in Iraq and destroying it with a Hellfire missile. The video also shows the drone blowing up an armored personnel carrier.

The footage shows an ISIS vehicle moving along a dusty Iraqi road before the driver stops it under a palm grove and flees. Moments later, the vehicle explodes into flames as it is hit by a Hellfire missile fired from an unmanned Reaper drone operated from a control center at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, England, the Daily Mail reported Thursday.

“Although the terrorists attempted to conceal their vehicle in a palm grove, this proved no defense against the Reaper,” a MoD spokesman told the Daily Mail. “The Reaper subsequently destroyed an armored pick-up truck, which had been converted to a large car bomb.”

Reaper drones, which have proven highly effective in tracking down ISIS installations, can hit targets on the ground from an altitude of up to 50,000 feet and can carry an explosives payload of up to 10,000 pounds.

British warplanes, including drones and Tornados, have reportedly killed nearly 250 ISIS militants in Iraq between October and May. In January, 50 ISIS militants were killed by the UK military, followed by 11 in February, 31 in March, 38 in April and 37 in May, according to the Daily Mail. Britain has deployed eight Tornado GR4 jets in Iraq, which have carried out 300 strikes during more than 1,000 missions against ISIS in the region since October.

Earlier this week, Afghanistan’s top ISIS leader Shahidullah Shahid was killed by a US. drone strike. And, last week, a U.S. drone strike in Syria killed a senior ISIS leader, named Tariq bin Tahar al-'Awni al-Harzi, who was responsible for recruiting foreign fighters, securing arms and raising funds for the militant group.

You can watch the video below:

Suicide bomb plot in London foiled

(London) Saturday the 27th of July is Armed Forces Day in the UK. It is celebrated in late June to commemorate the service of men and women in the British Armed Forces. So today, you will find displays the length and breadth of the country where the public can meet the military, the equipment they use and get to see what they do.

Well, it appears that Islamic idiots don’t want the public to appreciate the British Armed Forces, and so they hatched a plot to set off an IED at a military parade in London in which to utter ‘Allah Ackba’ and spill some more blood for their moon god.

Unfortunately for Allah’s finest, they recruited an undercover reporter and when he heard what was planed, he tipped off the police:

It is alleged that a figure in Isis, whom is named as Junaid Hussain from Birmingham, told the investigator: “It will be big. We will hit the kuffar (unbelievers) hard InshAllah. Hit their soldiers in their own land. InshAllah. Soldiers that served in Iraq and Afganistan will be present. Jump in the crowd and detonate the bomb. “They think they can kill Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan then come back to the UK and be safe. We’ll hit them hard InshAllah.” The newspaper said the plot to bomb the parade in Merton, south west London, was thwarted when it informed police and security services.

The parade was targeted because it was closest to the barracks in Woolwich, south east London, where Fusilier Rigby, 25, was murdered by Islamist extremists in 2013.

British Muslim convert in court over plot to behead British soldier

(London) 21-year-old Brustholm Ziamani presumed he saw the light a few years ago and left the Christian faith in which to become a follower of... Mohammed. As a Muslim, he quickly became angry with the British for all the killings going on in... Syria. (Err, what part of we voted to keep out of Syria didn't you understand yer racist bigot?) In a hate filled diatribe to his Christian parents he vented his spleen:

To my beloved parents. Wat im about to do is an obligation."Syrah 2:216 'Jihad holy fighting in Allah's cause is ordained for you Muslims though you dislike it and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you Allah knows but you do not know'."Forgive me for all the stress ive caused you in the past im so sorry but im a changed person but now with the current situation in Iraq and Syria and neighbouring countries my brothers and sisters are being raped killed, tortured."Women losing their kids and husbands and it really pains me that people just stand and do nothing and this country has a big role to play in this they know exactly was they r doing they don't care and it's a duty to help my brothers and sisters because I have no means ov gettin there I will wage war against the british government on this soil the british government will have a taste ov there own medicine they will be humiliated this is ISIB Islamic States of Ireland and Britain...."Now we will take a thousand ov yours then ten thousands and send you all to the hell-fire you want war you got it British soldiers heads will be removed and burend u cannot deafet the muslims we love to die the way you love to live my fellow muslim brothers these people want war lets kill them slaughter them and implement sharia in our lands and UK. Kill every gay, every Shia, every Les. Die the nonbelievers enuff iz enuff remove evil implent good. [sic]"Don't be there friends HAHAHAHAHAHA Looool!! Lee Rigby is burnin in hell woow im dying good for him this is what you get for voting Cameron and democracy my brothers who are lee rigby's killers are in prison gettin food clothes and shelter and its being paid for by lee rigby's family HAHA this world is our prison and your paradise our God Allah promised us paradise you's goin to the hell-fire brothers pick up your swords gins bombs take off there limbs we should do a 9/11 and 7/7 and Woolwich all in one day everyday for 8 yrs to dz people don't try n feel sorry for them this is 2 ALL Muslims fight dz people n be a mujahid may Allah give us victory.Anyway after the above diatribe, he carried out an internet search of Army cadet units in his neighbourhood. (Note he was willing to attack children and not men who would kick his arse) and after packing his bag with a 12-inch knife and a pick hammer wrapped in an Islamic flag he  boasted to his ex-girlfriend how he was going to ‘kill soldiers and government people’ in ‘another Lee Rigby’. Silly thing to do as she informed the police and they picked him up as he walked to the nearest cadet unit for Allah.

So after packing his bag with an ISIS flag,knife and a hammer he walked in the direction of the nearest Army camp in search of a child cadet victim, thankfully for everyone, his ex girlfriend had tipped off the police and they picked him up.

Well, in court, it has come out in the wash, that this jihadist, had been arrested just days before on terrorism charges, but had been released on bail. (Way to go, British justice system.) Anyway, his court case continues. However, dick-spalsh is currently pleading his innocence.

Muslim terrorist Michael Adebolajo says he's a changed man

(England) Infamous Michael Adebolajo, currently serving a sentence at Her Majesty's pleasure, which will see him die in prison, is contesting his indefinite sentence by claiming he's a changed man.

Yes, the Muslim convert who last year decided to behead a British soldier on the streets of London is saying out loud that he is no longer a “soldier of Allah”, in which to appeal against his whole-of-life sentence. However, rocket scientist Adebolajo doesn't seem to accept the fact that he was moved only last month from London to the North of England after he tried to radicalise Muslims at Belmarsh prison. Oh, how he bitched at the time. And now, in order to be a free man, he is saying weeks later that he is a changed man.

That, people is how Muslims, are taught to lie in the Koran.

60 British jihadists are arrested after attempting to sneak back into the UK

(Daily Star) Defence Secretary Michael Fallon last night said the jihadis had posed a “very direct threat to this country”.

And he vowed those detained would be “brought before the courts”.

IS is a banned terror organisation and being a member is a crime, which carries a maximum 10 years in jail.

Intelligence experts are monitoring the movements of 500 Brits who travelled to Syria and Iraq to join the terror network.

But it is the first time that it has been revealed so many of them have slipped back into the country.

Some of the Brit jihadists in Syria are known to have contacted the UK authorities asking if they can come back after being shocked by the violence displayed by IS. Yesterday House Of Commons leader William Hague, 53, warned of a “mushrooming” threat from IS as more trained fighters may now try and head back to Britain to dodge an aerial bombardment.

Mr Fallon, 62, told BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend: “We have toughened up now on the issue of passports and the watch on our ports and airports for returning fighters.

“Over 60 returning fighters have now been arrested. There are continuing threats to this country from returning fighters.”

More...

British Army signs deal for new armour

(UK) The UK yesterday signed a £3.5 billion deal for 586 vehicles to replace the ageing Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR (T)) fleet which it has been using in the light armour role for almost 40 years. Out go the Spartan, Sultan and Scimitar and in comes the Austrian Spanish Cooperation Development Specialist Vehicle (ASCOD SV).

Based on the successful Austrian and Spanish light armoured fighting vehicle designed by General Dynamics, the Pizarro (as it is known in Spain) and the Ulan (as it is known in Austria) is a 28 tonne Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) which entered service in 2002. Sporting a 30mm stabilised cannon, steel armour, which provides protection against 14.5mm armour-piercing incendiary rounds over the forward 60° arc and complete against 7.62mm weapon attack, it is designed to allow infantry to support armour on the battlefield. Aka 'Battlefield taxis.'

Austrian Ulan

Spanish Pizarro

Well, as mentioned, the British are looking at finally replacing their CVR (T) vehicles which, while they have given sterling service, are getting a little long in the tooth. However, their requirements are a little different from their European mainland allies. Which is why the British version is going to be 4 tonnes heavier (34 tonnes) and come with a 40mm cannon. (Most light vehicles are now designed to survive 30mm cannon hits.) It will  have the latest in situation awareness equipment, be fully wired to accommodate the modern digital battlefield and will be fitted with a silent Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) for use when the vehicle isn't moving. The Brits will (in this tranch) be using their version of the ASCOD (SV) primarily in the armoured reconnaissance role, which is why they are going to call the vehicle... Scout. As you can see from the concept pictures below and the picture of the first pre-production prototype, it's a slightly different beast from its parents. The Scout is expected to enter service next year.

Scout Recce Vehicle

Scout Recce Vehicle

Pre-production SCOUT Specialist Vehicle prototype