🧵So a few weeks ago, I got to try out IWI's Arbel, a computerised electronic fire control system, that unlike other FCS', does not rely on a electro-optical based solution.

https://twitter.com/JakOSpades/status/1775779044841197614

The Arbel system exists in two forms: a lower receiver for the Arad (and other AR pattern rifles) and a pistol grip module for the Negev family of MGs.

🧵Some stuff I've picked up from the 🇰🇵 parade yesterday (will be adding to it progressively). Starting off with this thing. Some kind of magazine fed self-loading grenade launcher perhaps ? Grappling hook rifle grenade (actually pretty cool ngl)

The rather bulky design of the ERA solution highlights the challenges of integrating ERA to lightly armoured vehicles. Its not quite a simple as slapping some Kontakt-1/5 on the sides of the hulll and calling it a day. In fact doing just that can make things worse.

https://twitter.com/TheDeadDistrict/status/1627959692763836416

How ? Well first of all here is a short primer on the fundamentals of how ERA works by @JonHawkes275

https://twitter.com/JonHawkes275/status/1372118140046413826?s=20

The AK-12M1, allegedly will enter production next year. Introduces some changes based on feedback from 🇺🇦. Features the new stock/ cheek rest combo and ambi fire selector from the AK-12SP. An AK-19 style, fixed flash suppressor replaces the earlier pattern brake. The traditional rear AK sight, or the 2nd Gen diopter, have been replaced by a flip-up aperture. A 'П' battle sight (0.5 - 200 m, with additional night sight) and 600 m apertures are available. The 🇫🇮 and 🇮🇱 did this decades ago...

The recent-ish procurement by 🇫🇷 and the 🇳🇱 of Hirtenberger's M6C-640 Mk1 60 mm commando mortar, examplifies, I think, why NATO standardisation in ammunition is often less straight forward in practice than in concept. A little🧵: It took the 🇳🇱 almost 4 years to qualify the M6C, with deliveries of 155 weapons having taken place in 2015. Ammunition qualification was completed in 2018, with the DMO granting full qualification for use with the Army, Marines and SF in early 2019. Why so long ?

Wanted to do a follow-up on the SPO Varna 'flamethrower' as there isn't much written about in either English or Russian. Introduced circa 2005, it was designed to compliment the RPO Schmel' and RPO PDM-A Priz line of launchers. Its RKhBZ code is MO.1.09.00 The launcher is the same as the RPO-A (marked with a red cross on the end caps), but inside, they are very different. The RPO fires a fin stabilised projectile filled with thermobaric, incendiary or smoke producing mixtures. The SPO houses a canister with a fixed launch motor.

Been pouring over some Sig patents for the their LMG, and thought I'd highlight some minor design changes from the production MX250 compared to the first prototype I saw in 2019. These are external changes of course, not much has been publicly disclosed about the internals so far The production model (left) now has a continuous length M-LOK interface on the underside, and the profile of the upper portion has been tweaked. The prodution XM250 has lost its side folding stock capability, due to the necessesity of a battery pack for the powered rail.

The recently published @RUSI_org co-published by @Jack_Watling & Nick Reynolds is very much worth a read. I wanted to highlight some passages of the first chapter, focussing on the battle of Kiev, as these snippets do provide some worthwhile insights 1/x

bit.ly/3MsVSUW Especially in the context of the Ukrainian experience of the battle, viewed through Twitter, something we don't to get a lot of. So first, caveats: Twitter is an echo chamber, like all social media. A lot of commentators are pro-Ukrainian, and a lot of the media coming out 2/x