2S7 Pion/ Malka

 The 2S7 Pion ("peony") or Malka is a Soviet self-propelled gun. "2S7" is its GRAU description.

It was known for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO (the 2S4 Tyulpan also received the M-1975 designation), whereas its official designation is SO-203(2S7). Its design is based on a T-80 chassis carrying an externally mounted 2A44 203 mm gun on the hull rear.

It takes the crew of 7 men 5–6 minutes to come into action and 3–5 minutes to come out of action. It carries 4 203 mm projectiles for immediate use while the remainder is carried by another vehicle and it is capable of firing nuclear ammution of the same caliber. The gun has a range of 37,500 m but the range can be extended to 55,500 by using PAP (Rocket Assisted Projectiles). The Pion has been the most powerful conventional artillery piece since its introduction and it remains so today.

Military LANTIRN Missile Info

           Military LANTIRN Missile Designated as the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night, LANTIRN is a system for use on the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C/D Falcon and the F-14 Tomcat. LANTIRN significantly increases the combat effectiveness of these aircraft, allowing them to fly at low altitudes, at night and under-the-weather to attack ground targets with a variety of precision-guided and unguided weapons. The LANTIRN system consists of two externally mounted pods, an AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod and a AN/AAQ-14.The navigation pod provides high-speed penetration and precision attack on tactical targets at night and in adverse weather. The navigation pod also contains a terrain-following radar and a fixed infrared sensor, which provides a visual cue and input to the aircraft's flight control system, enabling it to maintain a pre-selected altitude above the terrain and avoid obstacles. This sensor displays an infrared image of the terrain in front of the aircraft, to the pilot, on a head-up display. The navigation pod enables the pilot to fly along the general contour of the terrain at high speed, using mountains, valleys and the cover of darkness to avoid detection.

      The targeting pod contains a high-resolution, forward-looking infrared sensor (which displays an infrared image of the target to the pilot), a laser designator-rangefinder for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions, a missile boresight correlator for automatic lock-on of AGM-65D imaging infrared Maverick missiles, and software for automatic target tracking. These features simplify the functions of target detection, recognition and attack and permit F-16 pilots to attack targets with precision-guided weapons on a single pass.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Information & Description

             The MiG-21 is a single-engined jet fighter aircraft able of supersonic flight. The MiG-21 has a delta wing. The sweep angle on the leading edge is 57° with a TsAGI S-12 airfoil. The angle of incidence is 0° while the dihedral angle is −2°. On the trailing edge there are ailerons with an area of 1.18 m², and flaps with an area of 1.87 m². In front of the ailerons there are small wing fences.

A semi-monocoque with an elliptical profile with a maximum width of 1.24 m. The air flow to the engine is regulated by a cone in the air intake. Up until the MiG-21PF it is three staged. On speeds up to M=1.5 it is fully retracted, between speeds of M=1.5 and M=1.9 it is in the middle position, and with speeds higher than M=1.9 it is in the maximum forward position. However, on the MiG-21PF it adapts to the actual speed, according to the UVD-2M system aboard the aircraft, which monitors the pressure in front and behind the compressor of the engine. On both side of the nose there are gills to supply the engine with more air while on the ground and during takeoff. In the first variant of the MiG-21, the pitot tube  is on the bottom of the nose; after the MiG-21P, every version of the −21 has this tube situated on the top of the air intake.

The cabin is pressurized and air conditioned. The canopy up until the MiG-21PFM opens on a hinge on the front of the canopy. When ejecting, the SK-1 ejection seat connects with the canopy making a capsule to enclose the pilot and protect him from the airflow, after which it would separate and the pilot would parachute down. However, the canopy took too long to separate and some pilots were killed after ejecting at low altitudes. On the MiG-21PFM the canopy opens on a hinge on the right side of the cockpit.

KC-10A Extender Military Aircraft Description-Info

The KC-10A Extender is an Air Mobility Command advanced tanker and cargo aircraft designed to provide increased global mobility for U.S. armed forces. Although the KC-l0A's primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carry the fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments. The KC-10A can transport up to 75 people and nearly 170,000 pounds (76,560 kilograms) of cargo a distance of about 4,400 miles (7,040 kilometers) unrefueled.

The KC-10A's boom operator controls refueling operations through a digital fly-by-wire system. Sitting in the rear of the aircraft, the operator can see the receiver aircraft through a wide window. During boom refueling operations, fuel is transferred to the receiver at a maximum rate of 1,100 gallons (4,180 liters) per minute; the hose and drogue refueling maximum rate is 470 gallons (1,786 liters) per minute. The Automatic Load Alleviation System and Independent Disconnect System greatly enhance safety and facilitate air refueling. The KC-10A can be air-refueled by a KC-135 or another KC-10A to increase its delivery range.

In addition to the three main DC-10 wing fuel tanks, the KC-10A has three large fuel tanks under the cargo floor, one under the forward lower cargo compartment, one in the center wing area and one under the rear compartment. Combined, the capacity of the six tanks carries more than 356,000 pounds (160,200 kilograms) of fuel -- almost twice as much as the KC-135 Stratotanker.

Using either an advanced aerial refueling boom, or a hose and drogue refueling system, the KC-10A can refuel a wide variety of U.S. and allied military aircraft within the same mission. The aircraft is equipped with special lighting for night operations.

The large cargo-loading door can accept most tactical air forces' fighter unit support equipment. Powered rollers and winches inside the cargo compartment permit moving heavy loads. The cargo compartment can accommodate loads ranging from 27 pallets to a mix of 17 pallets and 75 passengers.

The KC-10A's crew includes a pilot, copilot, flight engineer and boom operator. The sophisticated avionics of the aircraft are designed to improve crew efficiency and reduce crew workload. On certain missions, additional seats and bunks can be added to provide accommodation extra crew members.

KC-10A Extender Military Aircraft Description-Info

The KC-10A Extender is an Air Mobility Command advanced tanker and cargo aircraft designed to provide increased global mobility for U.S. armed forces. Although the KC-l0A's primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carry the fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments. The KC-10A can transport up to 75 people and nearly 170,000 pounds (76,560 kilograms) of cargo a distance of about 4,400 miles (7,040 kilometers) unrefueled.

The KC-10A's boom operator controls refueling operations through a digital fly-by-wire system. Sitting in the rear of the aircraft, the operator can see the receiver aircraft through a wide window. During boom refueling operations, fuel is transferred to the receiver at a maximum rate of 1,100 gallons (4,180 liters) per minute; the hose and drogue refueling maximum rate is 470 gallons (1,786 liters) per minute. The Automatic Load Alleviation System and Independent Disconnect System greatly enhance safety and facilitate air refueling. The KC-10A can be air-refueled by a KC-135 or another KC-10A to increase its delivery range.

In addition to the three main DC-10 wing fuel tanks, the KC-10A has three large fuel tanks under the cargo floor, one under the forward lower cargo compartment, one in the center wing area and one under the rear compartment. Combined, the capacity of the six tanks carries more than 356,000 pounds (160,200 kilograms) of fuel -- almost twice as much as the KC-135 Stratotanker.

Using either an advanced aerial refueling boom, or a hose and drogue refueling system, the KC-10A can refuel a wide variety of U.S. and allied military aircraft within the same mission. The aircraft is equipped with special lighting for night operations.

The large cargo-loading door can accept most tactical air forces' fighter unit support equipment. Powered rollers and winches inside the cargo compartment permit moving heavy loads. The cargo compartment can accommodate loads ranging from 27 pallets to a mix of 17 pallets and 75 passengers.

The KC-10A's crew includes a pilot, copilot, flight engineer and boom operator. The sophisticated avionics of the aircraft are designed to improve crew efficiency and reduce crew workload. On certain missions, additional seats and bunks can be added to provide accommodation extra crew members.

KC-767 Military Aircraft Info - Description

                        The capability of the KC-767 greatly goes beyond those of its predecessor. The original aircraft is capable of offloading 40,000 pounds more fuel at a 1,200 NM radius. It provides 20 percent more fuel offload than the KC-135E tankers. The KC-767 can itself be refueled in flight. It also has the capability to refuel Air Force, Navy, Marine and allied aircraft on every mission. It provides larger cargo and passenger capability than the KC-135E -- 19 versus 6 pallets, 200 versus 57 passengers.

Aircraft performance is significantly greater than the older tankers as well. The new jets will be able to take off from an 8,000-foot runway, allowing fully loaded operations from four times as many runways roughly the world. The KC-767 also has a modern, state-of-the-art digital cockpit.

Marine Protector-class Patrol Boat Info

             The Marine Protector-class of 87-foot costal patrol boats (WPB) was initiate in 1993 to substitute the existing fleet of Vietnam-era 82' Point-class patrol boats. The 87' WPBs would offer improvements in crew habitability, electronics, communications, and sea handling. Most notably, the 87' WPBs are capable of deploying and recovering a 5.5m RIB (Rigid hull Inflatable Boat) while underway (with the 82' WPBs, deploying the RIB required the patrol boat break off operations to winch the RIB over the side with a hoist.) The design of the 87' WPB is based upon the Damen Stan Patrol 2600 then in service with the Hong Kong Police. The production contract was award to the Bollinger Shipyards out of Lockport, LA. With the first production model, the USCGC Barracuda (CG 87301), entering service in Eureka, CA. in January 1998. Construction would be split between Bollinger, which was responsible for construction of the hull in addition to final assembly, while the superstructure would be assembled by VT Halmatic.

The Marine Protector-class patrol boats are powered by two MTU 8V396TE94 twin-turbo V8 diesel engines, producing 2,680 horsepower combined.  Propulsion is provided by two shafts fitted with fixed pitch 5-bladed screws.

A total of 65 have been produced, with the previous, USCGC Terrapin (CG 87366), commissioned in January 2005 and assigned to Bellingham, WA. Unit cost was $3.5 million per boat.

T-38 Talon Aircraft Info

         The T-38 has swept-back wings, a streamlined fuselage and tricycle landing gear with a steerable nose wheel. Two independent hydraulic systems power the ailerons, flaps, rudder and other flight control surfaces.

The instructor and student sit in tandem on rocket-powered ejection seats in a pressurized, air-conditioned cockpit. Critical components are waist high and can be easily reached by maintenance crews. Refueling and preflight inspections are easily performed.

The T-38 needs as little as 2,300 feet (695.2 meters) of runway to take off and can climb from sea level to nearly 30,000 feet (9,068 meters) in one minute.

Student pilots fly the T-38A to learn supersonic techniques, aerobatics, formation, night and instrument flying and cross-country navigation. More than 60,000 pilots have earned their wings in the T-38A.

Test pilots and flight test engineers are trained in T-38A's at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Air Force Materiel Command uses T-38A's to test experimental equipment such as electrical and weapon systems.

Pilots from most North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries are trained in the T-38A at Sheppard AFB, Texas, through the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration uses T-38A aircraft as trainers for astronauts and as observers and chase planes on programs such as the space shuttle.

Air Education and Training Command uses a modified version, the AT-38B, to prepare pilots for fighter aircraft such as the F-15, F-16 and A-10. and F-111. This model carries external armament and weapons delivery equipment for training.

An ongoing program called Pacer Classic, the structural life extension program for the T-38, is integrating 10 modifications, including major structural renewal, into one process. As a result, the service life of T-38s should extend to the 2010. Additionally, the introduction of the T-1A Jayhawk significantly relieved the T-38's work load.

Yugo class submarine

                           The Yugo class submarine is a class of four midget submarines used primarily for infiltration and espionage by North Korea. The class is so named because it was build to plans supplied to North Korea by Yugoslavia in 1965. In fact this class submarine is a family of midget submarines for that not all are identical. The displacement is either the standard 90 tons of the original Yugoslavian design for the early units, or 110 tons for the later units, while armament is either a pair of 400 mm torpedo tubes (early units) or a pair of 21 in short torpedo tubes (later units), however, all units have the same range: 550 nautical miles (1,020 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) on the surface and 50 nautical miles (93 km) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h) submerged. Their final example was built in the 1980s, after which they were superseded by the Sang-O class submersibles. In 1998 one out of the 6 submarines was captured by the South Koreans. In July 2007, 4 were given to Iran to pay back some of North Korea's debts to Iran; the last one was retired but kept by the North Koreans.

Sang-O class submarine

                 The Sang-O class submarines are in use by North Korea, and are the country's largest home-built submarines. A single unit was captured by the Republic of Korea Navy after it ran aground on 18 September 1996 in the 1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident. The class is based on the Yugoslavian  Heroj class submarines, albeit much stripped down, with vintage radar and sonar systems.

Whiskey class submarine Info

Whiskey-class submarines (known in the Soviet Union as Project 613, 644, and 665) are a class of naval submarines that the Soviet Union built in the near the beginning Cold War period.

The initial design was developed in the early 1940s as a sea-going follow on to the S-class submarine. As a result of war experience and the capture of German technology at the end of the war, the Soviets issue a new plan requirement in 1946. 

The revised design was influenced by the German Type XXI submarine and was developed by the Lazurit propose Bureau based in Gorkiy.

Walrus class submarine Info

 The Walrus-class submarine is the only submarine class at this time in operation in the Royal Netherlands Navy. They have been in use since 1990 and are all named after sea mammals.

The Walrus-class submarines are strange in that instead of a cross-shaped assembly of stern diving planes and rudders, they mount four combined rudders and diving planes in an "X" configuration. This tail configuration was first tested in 1960 on the United States Navy's USS Albacore (AGSS-569), but has since been used only by the Walrus class, all Swedish Navy submarines since the Sjöormen class, the Royal Australian Navy's Collins class and the German Type 212A.

The submarines were in high command by NATO during the Cold War since they combined a highly skilled crew with a very silent boat. At that time the majority of NATO submarines were either nuclear or Brown water subs. After the cold war, the subs have been tasked for many intelligence gathering operations (still classified) in the Yugoslavian region, Iraq and Caribbean.

In 2007, the cabinet approved an upgrade of the four operational subs and recruitment of additional crew to improve overall operational availability. The upgrades are focused on near-shore operations and integration with new weapons. It will include the US migration from the current MK 48 mod-4 torpedo to the mod-7 version.

In June 2010, Netherlands agreed to deploy one submarine to help combat piracy in the waters off Somalia. Possible missions could include, signals intelligence; going close to shore and intercepting pirates' radio signals, and the tracking of Pirate Vessels.

Zwaardvis class submarine Information

                 The Zwaardvis class submarine is a conservative assault submarine that replaced the Dolfijn class in the Royal Netherlands Navy. Zwaardvis is based on the U.S. Navy Barbel class with the teardrop hull design. In September 1981 the state of China (Taiwan) ordered two modified Zwaardvis class submarines, the Chien Lung/Hai Lung class. In 1992 a replicate order for another 4 boats was turned down by the Netherlands Government because of pressure from the People's Republic of China. The two Dutch boats have been replaced by the Walrus class.

The two decommissioned Dutch boats, Zwaardvis and Tijgerhaai, were weighed down on a ship and transported to PSC-Naval Dockyard, Lumut, Malaysia in expectation of purchase by the Malaysian Navy in 1997. However, the Malaysian Navy declined the offer and chose the French Scorpène class instead. The two boats are still in Lumut awaiting a buyer and potential refurbishment.

T-AK - LASH Type Cargo Ships

                    The lighterage on board ships are assigned to Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program. SS Green Valley, SS Green Harbour, SS Austral Rainbow and MV Jeb Stuart are all stationed out of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The LASH ships are capable to transport both barges and containers. All four ships are self-sustaining, meaning they are capable of unloading themselves in areas without developed harbor infrastructure.

The Green Valley was chartered by MSC in 1992. Central Gulf Lines owns and operates the Green Valley. The Austral Rainbow and Green Harbour are also owned and operated by Central Gulf Lines. The Austral Rainbow was first acquired by MSC in 1987 and has had severed successive charters with MSC. The Green Harbour was acquired in 1985. The Jeb Stuart is owned and operated by Waterman Steamship Company under contract to MSC. The Jeb Stuart was chartered in 1992.