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Mar 23, 2023 5 tweets 4 min read Read on X
New Iteration of #Whatwerethedesignersthinking! This time it is the Zulfiqar class frigate from #Pakistan. #IndianNavy presently maintains a massive advantage in fleet size over the #PakistanNavy. The advantage was even more so in the 2000s. These frigates have just 8 SAMs.. Image
For comparison, the 3 #IndianNavy #Delhi class destroyers that were in service before the #Pakistani Zulfiqar class have more Kh-35s than the 4 Zulfiqars have SAMs. The AD is made worse by the considering that these are 15 km range missiles vs 120 km - 300 km ranged Kh-35s. Image
The Zulfiqars are based on the #Chinese Type 053H3 base design which shares the same SAM but are late 1990s vintage compared. These vessels are finally getting much needed backup in the form of the 4 Type 054APs which are infact better than their Indian contemporaries in SAMs Image
Link to my thread on #PakistanNavy Type 054APs and how they are finally a potent adversary for the #IndianNavy
Do visit my blog battlemachines.org for more long form articles.

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More from @battle_machines

Apr 20, 2023
Hot Take: Strategic Bombers are obsolete!!
#USAF & #Indianairforce engaged in #Copeindia2023 & the former bought #B1B and are making #B21. The #Chinese are building new H-6Ks. The #Russians are building new #Tu160. You ask, #εpsilon why do you think bombers are obsolete? Image
Coz, in a peer conflict, none of these will be used as strategic bombers as that role is behind them. These will be used as #Cruisemissile carriers that will never do old school bombing until all enemy AD is down. Pic credits: #Indianairforce Image
Look at #Russians for eg. In #Syria, they used #Tu22M as old school bombers as the AD threat was very low. In #Ukraine, these are launching missiles from well inside #Russian and #Belarussian territories. Image
Read 6 tweets
Apr 19, 2023
Lets list in my opinion the worst decisions taken or nearly taken by largest navies around the world. #εpsilon Image
The #USNavy #Zumwaltclass destroyers were supposed to have #AGS capable of firing ultra long range 155mm shells, have no shells as they were canceled. Now, to re-add the X-factor the #USN is replacing AGS guns with VLS for upto 12 hypersonic missiles. Costing a lot of $$$$$$$$$s Image
Once the greatest #Navy on Earth, decided it was too great and powerful to have a ship mounted AShM. The #Brits decided #RoyalNavy could retire its #Harpoons without procuring a replacement anytime soon. Luckily , it didnt happen. This is why I feel #UK will cause #AUKUS to fail? Image
Read 9 tweets
Apr 17, 2023
Lets do a short #T90 vs #T72 visual diff thread. #T90 is an evolution of the #T72 & was originally supposed to be called T-72U or T-72BU. Also, remember that early #T90S exported were actually #T72 turrets on #T90 hull. The pic is a T-90A Mod 1992 (feel free to correct) #εpsilon Image
But first, how do you know it is a #T90 or #T72 in the first place? Look at the wheels, it should have 6 road wheels with these spoke & cavity type design. If there are 6 cavities (pic 1), it is a newer #T72, if there are 8 (pic 2) older #T72. If there are 8, then confirmed #T72. ImageImage
#T90M's wheel cavities (also called indentations on all #T72 and #T90) extend till the rim edge instead of just short on older #T90A, #T90S and all #T72
Pic 1: #T90M without skirts, identations till wheel rim edge
Pic 2: #T72B3, identations just short of wheel rim edge. ImageImage
Read 13 tweets
Apr 15, 2023
BOY! The amt of disinfo here can make it difficult for anyone to decide true & false. Given the conflicts that are raging & political posturing between #US & #China #US & #Russia #UkraineRussiaWar #RussiaUkraineWar #India & #China I have a unique thread #εpsilon Image
No. 1, The event eg. something happens btw 2 countries, trust in this order and identify overlaps. The overlap is usually true.
1: Unedited videos of same event, multiple angles
2: Unedited pics of same event, multiple angles
3: Directly or indirectly corroborated by both
eg.... Image
Eg 1. Moskva sinking
3a: #Ukraine claim, Moskva sunk by AShMs
3b: #Russsia claim, Moskva sunk by fire & storm
2: Pics of Moskva with sooty hull, big black marks/holes on the hull near water line away from openings.
1: Video of Moskva showing all in pt 2.
Conc: Moskva sunk by AShM Image
Read 7 tweets
Apr 14, 2023
While the #IndianArmy has #Arjun in production, why isnt there a large scale commitment to replace ageing #T72M in service. These tanks are terrible for their crews and not well protected. Image
While the plan is to add #T90 turrets on #Indianarmy #T72 and there are prototypes going around test areas. But #T90 is now a known quantity, the #US has a few to test on and develop anti-tank munition tech. #India needs to get away from the turret popping design to gain a....... ImageImage
Qualitative edge as all #Chinese tanks and all #Pakistani tanks which are not Type 59 derivatives rely on the same carousel auto-loader design. The #Chinese ZTZ-99 and #Pakistani Al Khalids are essentially #T72 derivatives, how do I know? I looked at the road wheel identations. ImageImage
Read 5 tweets
Apr 5, 2023
This is a opposite #whatwerethedesignersthinking thread. The #Russians built a 5,000 tonne frigate that has more missiles than several larger contemporaries. It has 16 AShMs VLS (2 3S14 8 cell UKSK modules) and 32 Redut SAM VLS for 9M96E 40 km and 9M96E2 120 km missiles. #εpsilon Image
My very scientific metric 115 tonne per missile (I know it is not scientific, just a fun metric). For eg. #Indian #Kolkataclass is 154 tonne per missile, #British #Daringclass is 168 tonne per missile. But, those are destroyers and have larger stores for longer deployments Image
It is funny that these frigates have the same peer armament as #IndianNavy MF-STAR destroyers with equally potent AD & AShMs at 2/3rds the displacement which limits endurance for this #Russian ship. The Gorkys are based on elongated Krivak/#Talwarclass/Admiral Grigorovich hulls.. Image
Read 5 tweets

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