Thanks for the link Jonathan!
via Janes.
Additionally, no matter what you say about the Russians, they obviously have one thing we don't. Check out the vid below....
The Russians have a plan. They're not wandering from crisis to crisis. They're focused on a set of goals that might not seem clear at present but we can get inklings. I've already talked about how they appear to be making real moves on the Arctic. It appears that the issues in Crimea and Ukraine are aimed at creating a buffer against NATO. They're making investments in Chechnya to quiet the rebellion there and they're solidifying alliances around the globe.
China is stumbling (economics is there Achilles heel....when the global recession is acknowledged they're in for a terrible time) and might be a long term threat at best...Russia is who we should really be watching in the short term.
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| All pics via http://nevskii-bastion.ru/ |
The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to acquire a large batch of GAZ-3344 tracked articulated all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), the civil and military versions of which were demonstrated on 4-5 August at the Russian MoD's Innovation Days 2014 exhibition at the Alabino test range near Moscow.Canada better watch out. Russia isn't just talking about moving on the far north, they're acquiring vehicles to make it a reality.
News of the acquisition was revealed to IHS Jane's by Valentin Kopalkin, director-general of Zavolzhsky Caterpillar Tractor Manufacturing Plant (ZZGT), which will manufacture the vehicles.
The GAZ-3344 is conceptually a new vehicle type for Russia, although Western manufacturers such as Hägglunds and Sisu have produced tracked articulated ATVs for some time, the distinctive characteristic of which is their extremely high offroad mobility. Such vehicles comprise a forward drive module and rear mission module, the tracks of the latter also being powered by an articulated drive coupling.
While touring the Innovation Days exhibition, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu tested the GAZ-3344, after which he said the MoD would buy a large batch. Shoigu said the MoD was interested in procuring five GAZ-3344 variants: logistics vehicle, troops carrier, weapon carrier, ambulance, and firefighting vehicle.
The GAZ-3344 is due to complete trials by the end of this year and by February 2015 is scheduled to enter service with the Russian armed forces.
According to Kopalkin, the ZZGT plant will start producing 600 GAZ-3344s a year as early as January. The plant will manufacture the vehicle chassis and weapon carrier module, and will assemble the vehicle, ordering other modules and components on a co-operative basis.
Additionally, no matter what you say about the Russians, they obviously have one thing we don't. Check out the vid below....
The Russians have a plan. They're not wandering from crisis to crisis. They're focused on a set of goals that might not seem clear at present but we can get inklings. I've already talked about how they appear to be making real moves on the Arctic. It appears that the issues in Crimea and Ukraine are aimed at creating a buffer against NATO. They're making investments in Chechnya to quiet the rebellion there and they're solidifying alliances around the globe.
China is stumbling (economics is there Achilles heel....when the global recession is acknowledged they're in for a terrible time) and might be a long term threat at best...Russia is who we should really be watching in the short term.
Resources, this is the only thing keeping that country afloat and give them money to stay that way. Russia for solid good years show that want to control Arctics and they do a lot of things to make this dream real. Special Arctic combat teams, large investment in to military infrastructure, moving of large search & extraction operations there. They know where the money is and they will do everything to get that cash in to own pockets.
ReplyDeleteWho knows, maybe the future battlefield will be the cold snow desert of the North.
Yes, you are right.
DeleteTo be more specific, I believe they have their eyes on methane clathrate.
If Canada has to watch out for Russia then the USA has to watch out for Russia!!!
ReplyDeleteCanada and the US signed a mutual defense agreement in January 2012.
Is the Obama administration up to the task given its history?
The Canadian Prime Minster Stephen Harper is one solid leader, but against the Putinites he will have no option but to call on his Southern Neighbor for assistance.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/01/24/new-canada-us-defence-agreement-to-be-signed-Wednesday
By Daniel Proussalidis ,National Bureau
First posted: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 09:15 PM EST
OTTAWA - Canada and the U.S. are set to finalize a new Combined Defence Plan on Wednesday to defend North America from outside threats.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay delivered the news Tuesday evening to a high-level meeting of Canadian and American military officials behind closed doors in Ottawa.
"This agreement provides a framework for the combined defence of Canada and the U.S. during peace, contingencies, and war," said MacKay in his prepared remarks to the Permanent Joint Board on Defence.
"The plan describes the authorities and means by which the two governments would approve homeland military operations in the event of a mutually agreed threat, and how our two militaries would collaborate and share information."
Canada and the U.S. already collaborate arm-in-arm for the defence of North American air space through NORAD.
But this agreement goes beyond that, tightening military cooperation and information sharing despite fears a recent spy scandal involving a Canadian naval intelligence officer would rattle Washington's confidence in Canada.
MacKay's remarks also indicated Canada will increase its defence cooperation with the U.S. in space, cyber security, and the Arctic.
He said the existing civil assistance plan for military cooperation during natural disasters will be renewed Wednesday as well.
all mutual aid treaties are probably situational now. i don't see anyone rushing to aid us when there interests aren't involved and i wonder if we'll rush to defend them if its not in our best interests. its just the new world we live in.
DeleteSolomon, have you ever seen this images about "Arctica" vehicle platform?
ReplyDeletehttp://topwar.ru/uploads/posts/2012-10/1350074725_113.jpg
http://mil.in.ua/forum/download/file.php?id=3068
just adding a remote weapon station to the vehicle we see above. not really that impressive.
DeleteI wonder that it is anti-personnel accent and all this "coarticulated" schemes look like too unstable to mount good caliber
DeleteI can't understand what is wrong with goog-old MTLB "motolyga" with 20 mm cannon
http://www.voiska.ru/mkportal/modules/gallery/album/a_312.jpg
The problem is having the ability to cross ice cracks and chasms. You either need a very long trench-crossing vehicle, or two that are 'hinged' in such a way (as above) that they can act as one body when crossing the gaps.
DeleteA proper arctic tank would probably look a lot like the old WWII British TOG, which was designed for the battlefields of WWI.
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/79/213153533_f0a25136bb_z.jpg
I would rather get in to more sf department for Arctic warfare. Hovercrafts, ground effect vehicles, screw drive vehicles. To do some classic maybe wide tracks or track system from Object 279, it had insanely low ground pressure. All or those had been tested or build by Soviets so plans and data are there.
DeleteOf course, the ultimate Arctic vehicle would be AT-AT :D
Info' a little off topic but I have a question. You have knowledge about some solid book's about Imperial Russian Army before WWI and in times of Revolution. Also some good historic materials of White Movement, something besides Denikin memoirs?
ReplyDeleteI know that probably most of existing ones in Russia are rather publications controlled and edited by former Regime. But do you have info about some solid historic works without sin's of political bullshit, you know what I mean. Of course it would be awesome if they had translations in English or Polish.
Not just for going to the Arctic, but also the sub-Arctic taiga of Siberia and Eastern Russia. This is going to be important for staving off the Chinese.
ReplyDeleteor just the swampy Pripet marshes of Western Russia, Belorus and NW Ukraine.
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ReplyDeleteSince we are talking Russia:
Deletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11032732/Russian-convoy-vanishes-on-road-to-Ukraine.html
I wonder what will be Russia's reaction if Ukraine refuses to accept the huge amount of aid it's sending.
They already refuse that if the convoy will be not controlled by Ukrainians and OSCE. It's already highly suspicious why Kreml refuse reload the cargo on Ukrainian border in to Red Cross trucks... like they have something to hide. Now it's "vanished", I would say it turn to the region of border NOT controlled by Ukraine but terrorists.
DeleteThe next hours will show.
Weren't there reports of them simply not reloading because it would be more costly and OSCE guys being in at least part of these trucks?
DeleteThem again, they'd be there only upon moving inside Ukraine.