Browsing: Technology & Weapons

In the public domain, you can find a story about how the USSR in the 1960s worked on the OTRK project based on the V-611 naval anti-aircraft missile. Although this project was not implemented, here we are talking about the de facto predecessor of the Tochka-U complex, and the contractor of the work was the Fakel Design Bureau, which is now the main developer of anti-aircraft missiles in the Russian Federation. Among other things, this story can show us how long ago a technical solution was born that allowed the ruscists to use S-300 and S-400 air defense systems in…

Another product of ad hoc combining naval and land weapons was noticed near the russian-occupied Sevastopol, this time in an attempt to make additional air defense equipment. They mounted an AK-630 anti-aircraft gun on a KamAZ truck, as shown in a photograph shared by the Crimean Wind community on Telegram. Previously, russian engineers also had created other chimeras like 2M-3 or 2-UK-T shipborne guns, or А-22 Ogon naval MLRS installed on MT-LB armored vehicles, although the last recorded sighting dates back to 2023. Among more recent are russian experiments with RBU-6000 anti-submarine bomb launchers on various platforms.* The AK-630 anti-aircraft…

An examination of guided rockets from russia’s Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system, used in its war against Ukraine, has uncovered the simultaneous use of two fiber-optic gyroscopes for improved targeting accuracy. One of these is the TIUS500 unit, manufactured by russian Optolink company, while the other is an unmarked foreign device with indicator seals in Chinese, resembling products from China’s BWSENSING. Both gyroscopes utilize three Sagnac ring interferometers arranged along orthogonal axes, paired with electronic control boards. However, their electronics differ: russian module is built around the American Altera Cyclone’s FPGA, while foreign one uses Swiss STMicroelectronics’ microcontroller. Swiss DC/DC…

Turkish defense company Aselsan has announced a successful live-fire test of its Gözde guidance kit for free-falling bombs. The trial, concluded on February 27, 2025, showcased the system’s capability to track and neutralize a moving target using a combination of inertial, satellite guidance, and terminal semi-active homing head. Target designation was done by an F-16 multirole fighter. A joint development by Aselsan and Tübi̇tak SAGE research institute, the Gözde guidance kit applies to a standard Mk 82 bomb, effectively turning it into a smart weapon. In that respect, Gözde is conceptually similar to the American Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)…

Kremlin propagandists from the TASS agency, citing “two sources in the military-industrial complex,” wrote that the Russian Federation is allegedly developing a medium-range ballistic missile designed to strike aircraft carrier groups of the US Navy under the code name “Borshchevyk”. And that the racist “Borshchevyk” will seem to be similar to the corresponding Chinese ballistic missiles under the DF-21 and DF-26 indexes, writes Naval News. If such news had been heard in pre-war times, such data could be taken into account, assuming that the Kremlin wants to get a “high-tech” replacement for anti-ship cruise missiles of the Kh-22 and Kh-32…

Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko said that in Kyiv “for the first time the fact of using the latest weapons – shells that descend on parachutes was recorded.” He also added that this is the most brutal weapon. At the same time, there was no explanation for why – from the adviser and News Hub decided to close this gap. To put it very simply, parachutes are used in only two of the most common types of ammunition – lighting and cluster munitions. There is also an unlikely option that these are “mountain” rockets. Lighting, in…

Despite the fact that a number of Western media outlets have come out with news that Donald Trump has ordered to completely stop providing weapons to Ukraine, it should be noted right away that this information has not yet been confirmed and voiced only by unnamed officials from Washington. Of course, there is always the most pessimistic scenario, according to which the United States really suspends absolutely all assistance to Ukraine, directly playing into the hands of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the structure of American aid is quite extensive and it may be difficult even for Trump…

Previously in the fall of 2024, russian media showcased military experiments with a new method to counter Ukrainian uncrewed boats: by launching armed FPV drones from aboard a helicopter to guide them towards toward enemy vessel in a suicide attack. However this tactic turned out to be not as successful as the russians expected, says Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU). Because, why not: Special Forces of the Russian Black Sea Fleet training to destroy kamikaze USVs from helicopter using FPV drones. pic.twitter.com/Y34I8jFtP6 — Clash Report (@clashreport) September 30, 2024 “They actually tried to use the…

The developer of the Toloka unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) series has unveiled an updated model of the TLK-150 kamikaze underwater drone, marking its first public appearance in two years. The drone was showcased during a demonstration of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex’s latest advancements to Western partners at the Support Ukraine summit. The TLK-150 is featured in a video published by Volodymyr Zelenskyi. TLK-150 Toloka, rear view / Still frame credit: Office of the President of Ukraine The last time this UUV was shown dates back to 2023 during its first-ever public display at Brave1. Since then, based on available photos…

russia’s shortage of machine guns has been evident for quite some time. Despite the so-called “legendary Kalashnikov,” russian troops have begun receiving rather unusual models. Notably, in November last year, North Korean Type 73 machine guns were documented in enemy hands, and now, Soviet-era TKB-521s from the late 1950s have appeared on the battlefield. One of Ukraine’s Defense Forces units captured a TKB-521 as a trophy, directly confirming that the enemy has been using these machine guns for some time. Until now, the TKB-521 could primarily be seen in the exhibition of the Tula Museum of Weapons. The TKB-521, also…