Well I wasn't going to do much around here but I'm coming out of my hole a little sooner then some. However recently some eye surgery "my team" has been putting off for a couple of plus years can no longer be pushed back. I'll be out of commission from the end of next month to the mid-point+ of Sep.
So take care of them and get them checked yearly. I know that'll break a couple of my co-workers hearts
. But well-they better just enjoy the break while they can
. So here's what I'll working/tracking with some news.
What if...
Well a lot of new tanks and designs post cold war died on the vine simply because of the massive goult of tanks that flooded the market or were just given away after the Cold War. These are for you designer folks.
France...
http://www.military-today.com/tanks/mars_15.htm
This might be a case of when or how soon vs. what if due to the continued crisis in the Ukraine. The BTMP-84 would be only the second tank in the world to be troop capable in transporting 5 fully armed troops vs the 8 the MERKAVA IV can hold.
http://www.military-today.com/tanks/btmp_84.htm
First off I've only done a cursory check of the OOB's so let's just call this
"the official/unofficial work list" for the time being. If it's on here it's ready or very close within a couple of years to be fielded/or modified.
Light Tanks...
China...
http://www.military-oday.com/tanks/n...light_tank.htm
Medium Tanks...
Iran...Let's take something old and make it better but still obsolete. The SABALAN.
http://www.military-today.com/tanks/sabalan.htm
Israel...MEGACH SPIKE NLOS.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/weapo..._with_12_spike
Engineering...
Finland I didn't see this in the OOB so here you go...
http://www.military-today.com/engine...atria_hmbv.htm
They now have added an engineering section to the website that might be worth a look for some.
Changes...
Canada/Denmark...Vision upgrade: "Canada’s Leopard 2A6CANs and Denmark’s Leopard 2A5s will install ATTICA in both commander and gunner’s sights, creating the ability to seamlessly pass views from commander to gunner with no change in quality." ATTICA is a game changer as used on the LEO 2A7+. I thought I still had the article, but, the German later model LEO 2A6 tanks have already received the ATTICA system as well. That article I suspect is within this thread. These tanks will have TI/GSR 50.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...8/#2011–2014
India...ARJUN MKI with LAHAT start date moved to 2017. Might effect MKII as well. Gun vs. LAHAT issues that DRDO hopes to have resolved by early 2016.
South Africa...Minor tweaks remain for OFILANT tanks some corrected in last patch.
Turkey...Remember this? 
Well I made the comment in this thread or elsewhere I thought that the whole Turkish tank issue was as easy as this diagram showed with minor tweaks for the later tanks entered about 2 or 3 Patches ago. Well it is and I have the documentation from SIPRI to prove it. Mostly from the import of tanks from Germany and the USA. This situation is in this thread and or the FB Patch Page thread.
I'll finish out the TI/GSR updates I started work on a couple of years ago. We managed to get some tanks addressed in the last Patch I believe it was. Tanks of note for the next batch will be @50 TI/GSR: UK-CHALLENGER 2 latest mod, Russian ARMATA (If ready.), Italy CENTURO TD and Ukraine OPLOT-M (Though this might have been fixed already.).
45-50 TI/GSR 45-50: France LECLERC again latest mod. This tank has really vexed me on this issue and it art of 2 yrs to resolve it's FCS capabilities. This is why I'll say now and based on some ups done in the last couple years I'd go with 50 as noted on the lead in (And you think this is easy.)
TI/GSR 45: Italy refuses to upgrade the ARIETE to the C2 upgrade (This would be @50.) The current ARIETE C1 can only be rated at TI/GSR 45 at best. Why? It only uses certain components of the GALILEO FCS, whereas the CENTURO TD uses the full GALILEO FCS. I thought the LECLERC was bad, this took the cake in trying to track down which components of the GALILEO FCS it used. It would be a generous 45 and still might be a "game day decision" when all said and done. The Italians again in the current defense budget shot down the C2 upgrades but did decide to buy ~250-300 each of the CENTURO series (Heavy on the TD model.) and the VBM FRECCIA IFV.
http://www.military-today.com/tanks/ariete.htm
http://www.military-today.com/apc/vbm_freccia.htm
News...
China designing a new MBT...
http://www.armyrecognition.com/july_...s_2907146.html
Germany... As a continuation of the German/Saudi tank deal posted earlier here's the primary source I didn't have at the time.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...-saudis-06993/
India also moving forward a new MBT sometime in our lifetime. However have heard the active protection system discussed here will be on the ARJUN MKII.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/july_...n_2907142.html
Indonesia got the first of the "now again" LEO 2A6 and MARDER 1A2 upgraded IFV. Might need a date change here not sure. Thought we settled on Oct. this year, if so, we're in the 6 month "swag" we've discussed in the past. Leaving the tank alone as I'm not chasing the 2A4 (Which were reportedly upgraded to the 2A6 level anyway.) vs. the 2A6 as is in the game now after much discussion.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/june_...v_2706142.html
Israel was to have have sold the MERKAVA IV to Columbia a couple of years ago making them it's first export customer, however the deal fell through. Now it appears there's another player out there as yet unidentified. Tracking this "tightly" but I think Columbia might be back in it. Though another country "lingers" in my mind as well.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/july_...y_0707142.html
USA improvements coming to the M1A2 SEP V2 to include an IED ECM device and a new armor package for practical game purposes first of them will be in the field in 2017.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/weapo...m_0411121.html[/b]
Please remember I never single source these are representative of others I use. Enough said and back to work later today.
Regards,
Pat
