The first of two C-141A prototypes flew in December 1963. The type entered service in October 1964 and reached initial operational capability in April 1965, soon providing impressive confirmation of its capabilities on the air bridge service to South-East Asia.

During the 1970s, 270 of the surviving 274 C-141s were cycled through an upgrade programme that added a fuselage stretch of 7.11 m (23 ft 4 in) and in-flight refueling capability for true global airlift capacity. The overall cargo capacity of the resulting C-141B was increased by over 30 per cent, and the programme thus added the equivalent of 90 new aircraft in terms of capacity at low relative cost. The YC-141B prototype conversion made its first flight on 24 March 1977, and Lockheed completed the final C-141B on 29 June 1982.

Throughout its career the StarLifter has been a workhorse of the USAF, flying regular supply missions around the world in addition to undertaking special requirements. Of inestimable value to the USAF is the StarLifter's sheer versatility; it can be rapidly reconf ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

The L-29 Delfin is powered by a Czech Motorlet M701 turbojet engine. It was a simple, rugged, easy-to-build, operate and fly aircraft. This trainer could operate from unprepared airfields. It also had an impressive safety record for the type. Both instructor and pilot had ejection seats.

The Delfin also served for weapons training role. It was equipped with hardpoints and could carry 200 kg of various weapons, including gun pods, bombs or rockets. In fact Egyptian L-29s were used in combat against Israeli tanks.

The Aero L-29 Delfin was succeeded by the L-39 Albatros, which also appeared to be an extremely successful design.

The F-2 features a new wing of 25 per cent greater-area and co-cured, all-composite construction, with radar absorbent material on the leading edges. In order to house additional mission avionics that include an integrated electronic warfare system, the F-2's fuselage has a lengthened forward section when compared to the F-16C. Other features include a longer nose to accommodate an active phased-array radar, a larger tailplane, a brake chute and a strengthened canopy.

Mitsubishi is the prime contractor responsible for airframe assembly as well as manufacture of the forward fuselage section, while the other major assemblies are produced by Lockheed Martin, Kawasaki and Fuji. With either wing tip-mounted AIM-9 or Mitsubishi AAM-3 air-to-air missiles, the F-2 still has 11 hardpoints available for other stores, including the ASM-2 anti-ship missile as one of the principa ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

The BTR-3U is armed with Shkval armament module. It is fitted with a 30-mm dual-fed cannon, 7.62-mm coaxial machine gun, 30-mm automatic grenade launcher and Konkurs anti-tank guided missiles. Weapons on the Shkval module can be replaced, fitting it with different anti-tank missiles and so on.

Armor of the BTR-3U provides protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters. It is fitted with NBC protection and automatic fire suppression systems.

The BTR-3U has a crew of three, including commander, gunner and driver. Vehicle provides accommodation for 6 troops. Troops enter and leave the vehicle through the side doors or roof hatches. A number of firing ports are provi ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

The Golan MRAP provides protection against mines, improved explosive devices, RPGs, small arms fire and artillery shell splinters. Rafael claims, that Golan's design accounts approximately 50% of weight for protection. This MRAP vehicle has a V-shaped hull and floating floor. Suspension is linked directly to the armored structure to absorb the deformations generated by mines and IEDs. The Golan is fitted with passive and explosive reactive armor, depending on protection level. The same modular ERA armor is used on the Bradley vehicles. An interesting feature of the Golan is that it has an external rather than internal spall liner. It is used to prevent penetration rather than to minimize damage, once a penetration has accrued. An additional internal liner is optional. Windows are covered with slat armor. Vehicle is fitted with automatic fire suppression system. An NBC protection system is offered as an option.

There are three protection levels of the Golan. Base protection level provides mine resistance and protection against 7.62-mm armor-piercing rounds. It is claimed that the Golan MRAP can withstand 7 km mine blasts under belly and 14 kg unde ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

The Sikorsky S-65/H-53 Sea Stallion was designed to meet a USMC requirement for a heavy-lift troop transport helicopter. The twin-engined CH-53D has been in service since 1968 and currently equips four heavylift units. The CH-53D can carry 37 troops or 3.6 -5.4 t of cargo.

The three-engined CH-53E Super Stallion equips six USMC units and can transport 55 troops or 16 tons of cargo internally; it can can carry the 11 794-kg Light Armored Vehicle externally. It is armed with two 7.62-mm machine-guns for self-defense, and can be refuelled in flight from a KC-130. The CH-53E is expected to remain in service until 2025, the USMC plans a two-phase service-life extension programme that will comprise an airframe overhaul followed by an avionics upgrade with new cockpit systems compatible for night operations.

The US Navy operates a derivative of in the mine countermeasures (MCM) role. The three-engined MH-53E Sea Dragons tows a variety of MCM and side-scan sonars and equips two joint active/reserve HM squadrons, plus an HC squadron in the vertical onboard delivery role.

The USAF has operated a variety of twin-engined MH-53 variants in the combat search and rescue and special operations roles. The current MH-53J Pave Low III variant is comprehensively equipped for low-level night/all-weather insertion of special forces troops ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

The SH-60B Seahawk deploys the LAMPS III anti-submarine warfare system and functions as an extension of the shipboard weapon system of the warship on which it is deployed. With radar, electronic surveillance measures, magnetic anomaly detector, infra-red, and sonobuoy sensors, the SH-60B can detect and track submarines and surface ships and attack with torpedoes and missiles. The Navy received 93 SH-60Bs upgraded to Block I standard with expanded weapons capability.

SH-60F Ocean Hawk anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters are embarked on US Navy supercarriers to provide inner-zone defense of a carrier battle group; they also serve in plane guard, rescue, and logistics roles. The HH-60H Ocean Hawk has the primary role of conducting combat search and rescue (SAR), and insertion and extraction of special warfare forces.

The Navy's SH-60R Strikehawk replaced both the SH-60B and SH-60F as well as the HH-60H. The SH-60R lost the magnetic anomaly detector but will features many improvements, including an increase in gross operating weight; two additional stores stations; and AYK-14 mission computer; improved cockpit displays; an AQS-22 dipping sonar; a UYS-2 acoustic pr ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

The original Italian requirement had been for 100 Mangustas in distinct anti-tank and scout versions, but as the threat of all-out war in Europe receded, the final order was cut back to 60 A 129s. In the event, a total of 45 A 129s was delivered to AVES (Aviazone Escercito - Italian army aviation) between October 1990 and 1992, when production was stopped.

Funding problems, and changing operational needs, forced the Italian army to re-evaluate its requirement for dedicated anti-tank helicopters. The need for a more multi-role helicopter was reinforced when Mangustas were deployed on UN peacekeeping duties to Somalia between 1992 and 1994. The Mangusta's primary TOW missile armament left it inflexible where combat against tanks was not a ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

Several abortive projects were started, including the 1973 design for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of 85 000 tons which would be capable of accommodating 60 to 70 aircraft. In the early 1980s, two less ambitious projects began to make serious progress, the Project 1143.5 which was to become the Kuznetsov and the 75 000-ton Project 1143.7 which, had it been built, would have been the Ulyanovsk. This nuclear-powered ship with twin catapults was proposed to carry the upgraded Su-27KM and Yak-44 AEW/ASW fixed-wing aircraft within its complement of 60-70 aircraft.

Initially, Western analysts anticipated that the ships would have a combined nuclear and steam (CONAS) propulsion plant similar to the Kirov battle cruiser and the SSV-33 support/command ship. However the class was in fact conventionally propelled with oil-fired boilers.

Although superficially similar to American carriers, the 60 000-ton Soviet aircraft carrier was always intended to be subordinate to missile submarines operating in their bastions in the Arctic. It is capable of engaging surface, subsurface and ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »

The Rheinmetall Wisent fills the gap between the Dingo 2 MRAP and Boxer APC. Vehicle has a payload capacity of 6 000 kg. It can be fitted with various removable mission modules. This armored vehicle can be customized as troop transport, ambulance or command vehicle. Wisent has a crew of 2 - 3 men, seated inside the cab and provides accommodation for up to 10 troops inside the mission module.

Forward cab and mission module have a high level of protection against various threats, including direct fire, artillery shell splinters, mine blasts and improvised explosive devices. It provides protection against 7.62-mm armor-piercing rounds and can withstand 8 kg mine explosion under the hull. Cab is fitted with NBC protection system.

Vehicle can be fitted with remote ... კითხვის გაგრძელება »