Tactical advantage: Russian military shows off impressive new gear
Tanks-to-troops modernization
Elite
Russian troops are displaying a new arsenal of body armor, individual
weapons, armor-piercing ammunition and collar radios — a menu of
essential gear that gives them a big tactical advantage against a
lesser-equipped Ukrainian army.
If President Vladimir Putin orders an invasion, the new-generation body armor, in particular, would provide exceptional protection against small arms if Russian troops go street by street to capture Kiev and other cities.
“What we saw and what was dangled in front of the West was a clear indication that Putin is on a roll,” retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert Scales said. “It just seems to me from watching the films that their arrows are pointing up and ours are sadly pointing down.”
Weapons specialists such as Gen. Scales have been studying images of Spetsnaz, Russia’s ubiquitous special forces, and airborne troops since they conquered the Crimea region and mobilized to strike eastern Ukraine.
What they see are the fruits of a modernization plan begun in 2008, not just in tanks and vehicles but all the way down to the individual warrior. Russia now has the world’s third-highest defense budget, at over $70 billion.
“They’ve got better equipment than they had five years ago,” said Scott Traudt, an executive with Green Mountain, a Vermont gun manufacturer. “They’ve got new grenade launchers that are awesome. The helmets are better than our helmets. The body armor is better than our body armor. They’re doing a lot of things right. I’m pretty amazed at it.”
Mr. Traudt is paying special attention to the body armor because it presents a big challenge to rifle and munition makers. It might be able to deflect NATO’s basic 5.56 mm rifle round. If so, Ukrainian soldiers face a daunting task because their AK-74 assault rifles fire a similar munition.
The Russians, in their new 6B43 model body armor, issued chest and back plates made of titanium and hard carbide boron ceramics.
“The stuff they have is impervious to 5.56, whereas our body armor is not completely proven against their weapons,” Gen. Scales said.
Gen. Scales said the Russians carry AK-74s whose magazine is loaded with 5.45 “steel core” ammunition — a round that on April 8 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives banned from importation because the agency deemed it armor-piercing.
Gen. Scales described the 5.45 as “extremely lethal against any kind of body armor.”
While some national leaders focus on big defense issues, Mr. Putin has taken a personal interest in one of the smallest: the rifle. Last year, his government consolidated rifle manufacturing into one new firm, the Kalashnikov Corp., named after the AK’s famous inventor, Mikhail Kalashnikov.
“Putin actually goes out and shoots these things,” Gen. Scales said.
U.S. soldiers have complained that their main rifle and round, the M4 carbine and its 5.56, lacked lethality in Afghanistan against a Taliban enemy that does not often wear body armor. Without a shot to the head, the enemy could take several 5.56 hits and keep going, soldiers said in surveys.
“If the Russians are coming across mechanized, with airborne and infantry units wearing their body armor, it basically means the Ukrainian rifles have no ability to penetrate the body armor worn by the Russian troops, meaning you’re talking about having to shoot somebody six, seven, eight times, in the chest,” Mr. Traudt said. “They’re going to get bumped, but there’s no lethality involved.”
If President Vladimir Putin orders an invasion, the new-generation body armor, in particular, would provide exceptional protection against small arms if Russian troops go street by street to capture Kiev and other cities.
“What we saw and what was dangled in front of the West was a clear indication that Putin is on a roll,” retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert Scales said. “It just seems to me from watching the films that their arrows are pointing up and ours are sadly pointing down.”
Weapons specialists such as Gen. Scales have been studying images of Spetsnaz, Russia’s ubiquitous special forces, and airborne troops since they conquered the Crimea region and mobilized to strike eastern Ukraine.
What they see are the fruits of a modernization plan begun in 2008, not just in tanks and vehicles but all the way down to the individual warrior. Russia now has the world’s third-highest defense budget, at over $70 billion.
“They’ve got better equipment than they had five years ago,” said Scott Traudt, an executive with Green Mountain, a Vermont gun manufacturer. “They’ve got new grenade launchers that are awesome. The helmets are better than our helmets. The body armor is better than our body armor. They’re doing a lot of things right. I’m pretty amazed at it.”
Mr. Traudt is paying special attention to the body armor because it presents a big challenge to rifle and munition makers. It might be able to deflect NATO’s basic 5.56 mm rifle round. If so, Ukrainian soldiers face a daunting task because their AK-74 assault rifles fire a similar munition.
The Russians, in their new 6B43 model body armor, issued chest and back plates made of titanium and hard carbide boron ceramics.
“The stuff they have is impervious to 5.56, whereas our body armor is not completely proven against their weapons,” Gen. Scales said.
Gen. Scales said the Russians carry AK-74s whose magazine is loaded with 5.45 “steel core” ammunition — a round that on April 8 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives banned from importation because the agency deemed it armor-piercing.
Gen. Scales described the 5.45 as “extremely lethal against any kind of body armor.”
While some national leaders focus on big defense issues, Mr. Putin has taken a personal interest in one of the smallest: the rifle. Last year, his government consolidated rifle manufacturing into one new firm, the Kalashnikov Corp., named after the AK’s famous inventor, Mikhail Kalashnikov.
“Putin actually goes out and shoots these things,” Gen. Scales said.
U.S. soldiers have complained that their main rifle and round, the M4 carbine and its 5.56, lacked lethality in Afghanistan against a Taliban enemy that does not often wear body armor. Without a shot to the head, the enemy could take several 5.56 hits and keep going, soldiers said in surveys.
“If the Russians are coming across mechanized, with airborne and infantry units wearing their body armor, it basically means the Ukrainian rifles have no ability to penetrate the body armor worn by the Russian troops, meaning you’re talking about having to shoot somebody six, seven, eight times, in the chest,” Mr. Traudt said. “They’re going to get bumped, but there’s no lethality involved.”
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/20/tactical-advantage-russian-military-shows-off-impr/#ixzz2zZRfrOHA
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I would definitely NOT bet against the Russians not only on prophecy grounds concerning the USA but also on empirical grounds.
ReplyDeleteThe СПЕЦНАЗ ГРУ (Spetsnaz GRU) are among the best SOFs in the world. They train in Сиберия (Siberia) and their guns though they aren't precise, will always fire. Their newer planes are quite good too, especially their ПАК ФА, (PAK FA) not to mention their C-300 (S-300) missiles.
Not to mention if this story is true, they would run roughshod over Europe in less than a month...while they would need more than a month just to get to the outskirts of Moscow.
The only thing that they have going against them are their tanks, they need a serious upgrade.
I have simply got to tell you of an experience I had will I was in the Air Force.
ReplyDeleteOne week we (air crews) were told we were going to have a briefing on the Russian Air Force.
When we arrived at the squadron there were all sorts of "men in suits - carrying bricks" (bricks are large walkie-talkies for those who don't know military slang). Our normal briefings were done by Intel. There didn't seem to be an Intel officer anywhere.
An individual walked to the podium, pit with down his "brick", and said in English with a very heavy Russian accent, "I'm here to brief you on the Russian military". The briefing was conducted by a Russian MIG15 pilot that defected to Japan.
After the briefing we were allowed to ask questions... none personal. One of the questions which was asked was, "If Russia and the United States got into a war, who would win?" The answer to this question was quite Telling.
He said that if the United States attacked Russia, Russia would win.
He said if Russia attacked the United States, the United States would win.
His reasoning was as follows:
(1) Russia would win an attack on them because they had superior numbers of equipment and superior forces, and the United states would have logistic problems getting equipment and troops there;
(2) the United States would win because a Russian military ground commander would be committing suicide for himself and his troops trying to do a house to house search for weapons in the United States... NOT BECAUSE they could not overpower our military.
He said that it is the 2nd Amendment which keep us Alive and Free... THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS.
Bro B