U.S. Air Defense System: Stryker A1 IM-SHORAD

During World War II, US Army anti-aircraft systems were quite competent. Their smaller tactical needs were filled with four M2 (.50 BMG|.50 caliber) machine guns linked together (known as the "Quad Fifty"), which were often mounted on the back of a half-track to form the Half Track, M16 GMC, Anti-Aircraft. Although of even less power than Germany's 20 mm systems, they were at least widely available. They were also used to help suppress ground targets. Their larger 90 mm M2 gun would prove, as did the eighty-eight, to make an excellent anti-tank gun as well, and was widely used late in the war in this role. Also available to the Americans at the start of the war was the 120 mm M1 gun stratosphere gun, which was the most powerful AA gun with an impressive 60,000 ft (~18 km) altitude capability. The 90 mm and 120 mm guns would continue to be used into the 1950s.

Stryker A1 IM-SHORAD

The first effective self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon (SPAAG) in U.S. Army service was the all-manual M42 Duster. While relatively capable for the era it was designed in, by the time it reached widespread service in the late 1950s it was clear that it was ineffective against high-speed jet-powered targets. The Duster was completely removed from service by 1963, only to be re-introduced briefly during the Vietnam War when its replacement never arrived.

Also, read: Airborne Troops of Ukraine Fire ZU-23 Anti-Aircraft Gun

At one point the Army started to become concerned about developments in sensor technologies that would allow attacks by fixed-wing aircraft at night or in bad weather. They developed a requirement for a weapon system able to operate using FLIR and a laser rangefinder in order to counter these threats. However, the rest of the military establishment pooh-poohed the idea; even the US Air Force carried out only limited operations in bad weather, and the Soviets had a considerably less capable force in this regard. The idea gained little traction and died.

Stryker A1 IM-SHORAD

Stryker A1 Initial Maneuver Short-Range Air Defence (IM-SHORAD) system is being developed by General Dynamics Land Systems and Leonardo DRS for the US Army. Stryker A1 IM-SHORAD is installed on General Dynamics’ Stryker A1 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle that is outfitted with a 450hp Caterpillar C9 engine and a 60,000lb suspension system. The Hellfire missile, which incorporates a millimeter-wave guidance system and fire-and-forget system, offers superior firepower.

Video source: Incredible Equipment Youtube Channel

The Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense System(IM-SHORAD) is a Stryker-based air defense platform to replace the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger system. The M-SHORAD integrates existing 30 mm autocannon, missiles, and sensors onto a Stryker A1 vehicle. The IM-SHORAD is more mobile, flexible, better protected, and according to the Soldiers, more comfortable to use than the Avenger.

There’s really no comparison to anything I’ve operated in my career, Said Sergeant Andrew Veres, a member of The 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery. "Everything in these systems is an improvement – the survivability, mobility, dependability, off-road ability – it gives us the ability to stay in the fight longer."

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The addition of the Stryker-based M-SHORAD system will provide better protection of maneuver forces at increased ranges and with improved mobility, allowing a stronger defense of U.S. forces, Allies, and partners against adversary air threats.

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Airborne Troops of Ukraine Fire ZU-23 Anti-Aircraft Gun

ZU-23-2/ ZU-23 Towed Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) 1960

Ukrainian airborne troops of the 1st Battalion, 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade engaging ground-level targets with a ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft weapon. Ukrainian forces defending the northeastern region of Kharkiv have clawed back territory from Russian troops, Kyiv says.

ZU-23-2 Anti-aircraft Autocannon

The ZU-23-2 is a light, towed anti-aircraft/ air defense system developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s. Design work began in the latter part of the decade and culminated with the system achieving operational status in 1960. Amazingly, the weapon has proven so sound that it is still in operation throughout the world and production continues to this day. To date, tens of thousands of weapon types have been delivered across the globe and evolved into other useful variants, and modernized when possible. 

The excellent portability of the ZU-23-2 means that it can not only be towed by a mover vehicle but also mounted onto a variety of vehicle types - particularly flatbed trucks (even improvised fighting vehicles known as "Technicals") and similar wheeled instruments capable of handling the weapon weight and recoil.

Video source: Incredible Equipment

The design of the ZU-23 is based on the earlier ZPU-2 anti-aircraft gun, from which it can be distinguished by the positioning of the ammunition boxes and different armaments. Instead of the two 14.5mm KPV autocannon on the ZPU-2 two 23mm 2A14 autocannons. In the firing position, the two wheels are raised and the firing platform rests on three outriggers. An optical-mechanical sight aids in aiming. The ZU-23 is manually operated by two men that are seated on the weapon.

The ZU-23 is fitted with two 2A14 autocannons firing the 23x152mm round. Each 2A14 is fed by a 50-round belt. The cyclic rate of fire is 2.000 rpm, but a short burst must be fired to allow the barrels to cool down. The maximum effective range against air targets is 2.5 km. Ground targets, including lightly armored vehicles, can be engaged up to 2 km.

See also: This is a Versatile and Deadly Fighter Jet

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F-16 Fighting Falcon: A Versatile and Deadly Fighter Jet

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon dropped a 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) in a designated area of Fort McCoy’s impact area throughout exercise Northern Lightning. The North Lightning exercise is centered every year at Volk Field, Wis., which is about 30 miles from Fort McCoy.

F-16 Fighter Jet

The first F-16A rolled out on 20 October 1976 and first flew on 8 December, and the initial two-seat model achieved its first flight on 8 August 1977. The initial production-standard F-16A flew for the first time on 7 August 1978 and its delivery was accepted by the USAF on 6 January 1979. The US Air Force, including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard, flew the F-16 in combat during Operation ‘Desert Storm’ in 1991 and in the Balkans later in the 1990s.

Also, read: ZU-23-2 Anti-aircraft Autocannon

The F-16s also patrolled the no-fly zones in Iraq during Operations ‘Northern Watch’ and ‘Southern Watch’ and served during the wars in Afghanistan (Operation ‘Enduring Freedom’) and Iraq (Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’) from 2001 and 2003 respectively and Air Force F-16s took part in the intervention in Libya. Part 1 of the F-16 story looks at the origins of the aircraft and its service with the US Air Force and US Navy, as well as the different variants, proposed versions, test platforms, and sub-types.

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The Fighting Falcon's key features include a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, a side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, an ejection seat reclined thirty degrees from vertical to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of the relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system, that helps to make it an agile aircraft. The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and eleven locations for mounting weapons and other mission equipment and can carry fuselage-mounted conformal fuel tanks and a variety of targeting pods and ECM equipment.

Source: crecy.co.uk

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U.S. Deploys Cruise missile to Taiwan For Fight Beijing in South China Sea

Taiwan has embarked on a procurement drive to buy cutting-edge technology and assets from the US and France, while Chinese deputies and generals from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) up their rhetoric about defending their country’s territorial integrity.

The U.S. Deploys Cruise missile to Taiwan For Fight Beijing in the South China Sea

Powerful torpedoes, missiles, coast defense systems, and kits to upgrade existing frigates are among the items on the self-governing island’s shopping list announced in recent weeks. The Taiwanese military says talks with suppliers are ongoing and progressing.

The U.S. Deploys Cruise missile (Incredible Equipment)

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