[THREAD]
Russian Pantsir-S1 in camouflage for Iraq, March 2024, Eastern Ukraine.
Whether these Pantsirs are spare from allegedly cancelled Iraqi order or were redirected from the Iraqi deal is not known. But rumours and data might suggested...
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
In October 2012, Iraq ordered some 42-48 Pantsirs from Russia, however later on information came out about alleged corruption and that the deal had been canceled. Then information that the deal is ongoing, in 2015 first public reveal of Pantsirs and by 2016 the deal was finished.
But with the deal being closed came also statement that "more than 20 Pantsirs have been delivered to Iraq." And to this day only 24 Pantsirs S-1 have been confirmed to be in Iraqi service.
Despite this, pic released in November 2014 from production line featured Pantsir No.47.
So what happened to the rest that has not been delivered? Iraq likely indeed cancelled part of the deal and Russia then tried to sell them elsewhere, like with Egyptian Su-35s that ended up in Iran. These probably never sold and due to losses in Ukraine became very handy.
Although that's just my speculation, it might take years before we know the full story of how Pantsir-S1s in this attractive sandy camouflage made their way to Russian forces and subsequently to Ukraine.
Nevertheless, this isn't the first time they were spotted in Ukraine.
Photo of crew reloading Pantsir in the exact same camouflage somewhere in Ukraine made rounds on the internet already in December 2022, though judging by the foliage it is slightly older, likely from September/October 2022 or maybe even older.
Note that unlike the radar on Iraqi Pantsir-S1s, the Russian example at the start of the thread has a different colour on its radar.
By the way, these aren't the only sand colored Pantsirs in Ukraine, Wagner operates theirs brought from Africa.
This will be 2 part series. Part 1 will look at my thought process on why I think T-72B is the least original tank in the world and some of the criteria. Part 2 will briefly focus on unoriginality of T-72B tanks around the world.
Disclaimer: This thread is a satire, it's meant to be a complaint on unoriginality from modeler's perspective, so don't take it too seriously :))
Just because I say T-72B is unoriginal doesn't mean I hate the tank. Quite the opposite actually...
First the criteria:
It's not about the design of the tank itself... that would make too much sense!
I'm autistic about camouflages, tactical numbers, markings, stowage, foliage, camo nets, attachments, battle damage... so like your average plastic modeler, except I prefer paper.
Okay, I'm surprised no one proposed this earlier.
There is a number of new upgraded T-80 tanks that I believe are being misidentified as T-80BVM Obr.2022g.
I believe these tanks should be called T-80BV Obr.2022g instead and here is why:
One of the most significant parts of BVM upgrade is Sosna-U, however these tanks have instead 1PN-96MT-02 2nd gen thermal sight.
The T-80BV Obr.2022g also retains 1G42 gunner's sight (T-80BVM has PDT next to Sosna-U).
This indicates these tanks were actually made from T-80BV.
Thus T-80BV Obr.2022g, similarly how T-72Bs with 1PN-96MT-02 are called "B1 Obr.2022g" and not "B3 Obr.2022g."
To further prove my point, here is one captured. You can see in the video the 1G42 gunner's sight and display of 1PN-96MT-02 thermal sight.
https://t.co/AVqMK0DKlp
Slightly different topic than my usual focus but still closely related to military vehicles...
Klin-1 robotic complex used in 1986 Chernobyl disaster:
Disaster at Chernobyl power plant saw need for many specialised vehicles. Of those many were civilian, some military repurposed for a different task and some even from programme to land on Moon. And somewhere in between fits remotely-operated Object 032 and 033 of Klin-1 system.
The Klin-1 was developed in record 44 days (April-June 1986) and was deployed from 8 July till at least 1987. Purpose was to be deployed to areas with very high levels of radioactivity that were determined to be way too dangerous for any human. Thus need for control via radio/TV.
@CzechTV@oryxspioenkop@Rebel44CZ@JTBcz@praisethesteph However, in the description of the video is stated that this tank was provided half a year ago. There is no public information on when the tanks were first sent to Ukraine. Only thing known is that there was crowdfunding campaign for one of these tanks in October by @DarPutinovi
Numerous news sites reported that the crowdfunded T-72 Avenger named "Tomáš" (Thomas, after first Czechoslovak president) was already sent in October. Back in October numerous photographs of at least 4 tanks standing on the property of company making these were released as well.