From September the 2nd to the 13th, the live part of the international exercise Ample Strike 2019 for Joint Tactical Attack Controllers (JTAC) will take place across the Czech Republic.
NATO say that more than 500 service members from the Czech Armed Forces will host approximately 250 international participants from JTAC teams from the Czech Republic will join other Allied teams from Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and the United states.
“The JTACS will be coordinating and cooperating with more than 20 aircraft and helicopters. The air forces of the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and the united United States ensure the training takes place in in a realistic training environment involving complex Air-Land-Integration scenarios.”
“Ample Strike offers an opportunity for our own and Allied JTACs to maintain critical JTAC skill sets and capabilities,” says Lieutenant Colonel Jan Suchý, the Czech Air Force Exercise Director for Ample Strike 2019.
“The fighters and helicopter and a USAF B-52 strategic bomber will simulate Close Air Support assets that the JTACs will call in to assist Army commanders on the ground,” he added.
“Our aim is to offer complex live-fire simulations and demanding scenarios based on extant NATO standards,” Gabriel added in a release.
Looking at the blokes helmet just shows how far we have come regards head protection. I like many here will lovingly recollect was issued with the Mk5 steel one. If you were lucky you got your hands on the far superior Mk76 Para one. Then from the 90s onwards we started receiving the Mk6. But what really got my goat was how it took to around 9 years ago with the issue of the Mk7 for the British to adopt the raised rim the Germans had in WW2 which allowed you to see straight whilst in the prone position. Don’t even get me started on the DMS short.
Wirh the elastic chin strap and “spider” for the middle! Ah those are the days! Don’t forget putty’s lol but maybe a little before your time. When I got out a couple of years ago, also having been a JTAC in my time, the changes in personal kit, communications, ISTR and weapons, while necessary, made me think how much cannon fodder we were in the 80s and 80s lol (tho you cannot beat the SLR)
Oops, 80s and 90s!
You’re talking about tradition and heritage. The current pattern Mk7 UK army helmet is an evolution of the airborne style helmet of the British army in late WW2 (World War 2). It was a distinctive look that marked the person wearing it as a British Paratrooper.
Or a Israeli soldier as Israel seemed to have adopted the same style helmet as well…
I’ve heard that the Ukranian army like the Mk7s and have put in massive orders for them. The Mk7 was definitely more comfortable than the earlier Mk6. The suspension system was much better and the knot didn’t press into the top of your head when wearing NVG.
JTACs are a pain in the ass, they “MUST” have self purchased plate carriers because they need to attach radios, they don’t, you can to that with Virtus but a plate carrier looks more alley. They “MUST” have self purchased Crye trousers and UBACS, they don’t, issue trousers are fine but Crye looks more alley.
If you look at the picture, no cam cream (no one like that stuff), no helmet cover (looks alley) hero sleeves (looks alley) all within a few Ks or less from an enemy position. Ally worked in afghan where Terry knew where you were anyway, you would be cammed up to the max if it was a conventional conflict most probably sub surface, why not train as you fight?
BV
Correct, and as a JTAC I wouldn’t leave the FOB without checking my “allynes” is top notch, as god forbid getting into a contact without being able to look the part lol. Seriously however you are correct, as in Afghan no matter what the situation, we could generally dictate what happens on the ground, and usually overmatch the Taliban quite effectively.
But peer on peer, you would be looking at possibly sub surface OPs, stay behind forces, same concept the SAS (R) and RA stay behind OPs were tasked with in the cold war. As an organisation we do need to get back to the concept of train as you fight, and while always have an expiditionary aspect and capabilty, getting back to basics again and possibly having to do heavy on heavy once more, in Germany, or now the Baltics, Ukraine, depending where Putin sees an opportuntiy. Cheers.
Sub surface is stinking, laying in your own piss because you missed the Lucozade bottle you use to piss in because you have a small (ish) dick, you don’t see that on the recruiting vids.
I have deep reservation about stay behind OPs, looking at how fast the Russians pushed into Ukraine, OPs could potentially be 200-300km behind the FLET in no time, zero fire support from arty or rotary. This only leaves one option, the fluffy light blue chaps, and they will be too busy bouncing bombs into dams with their F35s.
The last thing the RAF is going to do is push through a complex integrated air defence system, dodging S400, S-19, trebuchet launched dead cows, spears and arrows to drop a £250k weapon on a broken down green truck containing blue and white stripy t-shirts and budget vodka.
Then there is the exfil, not many options, I would be in favour of selling my designator to a local farmer and buying a second hand Lada from Autotrader-ski and driving out, med plan should be sorted, I have a EHIC card.
BV
You have a point in regard to the stay behind OPs as thinking about it, we have feck all depth fire Arty any more, just a few clapped out 155mm AS90s, and the good old 105mm. But I do think the russkies won’t be moving as fast as in the Ukraine. Although we would have 2 big ifs, if the shit hit the fan, first would NATO actually use the collective defence nowadays, and secondly, how long would it take the Europen NATO allies to stop bickering, get their finger out and go for mobilisation.
I get Ukraine was an acceptation to the rule, little green men making it easier for the Russians to advance. They would be hard pressed to copy and paste over Latvia with its anti Russian population (ish).
The high intensity warfare problem is what has me worried, soon we could be down to 2 CR2 regiments and 4 WR battalions, that’s not far off an old 80s armoured brigade, that’s your lot, hardly a deterrent.
It would be forgivable if the units had all top of the range gear but they don’t, CR2 would be useless against T-90, warrior is completely out dated, AS90 is out ranged by a huge margin by 2S-19, no more grid square removal from MLRS. Even things like the service rifle needs replacing.
Do we have anything in service that can be considered as top of its class that is available in relevant numbers?
I’m being grumpy because its Sunday, better get the iron out.
BV
I don’t think Chally will be overmatched by T90s, going on the reports by anti-Assad fighters on the performance of the tank. A captured Turkish M60 managed to punch holes in one. Granted the T90 may be the expert version, but I think the M60 still had 105 main gun. The Chally with Charm3 seriously overmatches the old 105.
I agree that we have fallen behind significantly with our heavy weapons capability. The problem was Afghan, where all the funding was diverted, so projects were either cancelled or pushed further to the right. The consequences are that the majority of our heavy weapons need urgent replacement.
The main difference between the end of the cold war and now is we have Brimestone instead of cluster munitions. The old MLRS with the cluster warhead was a game changer. However, we now have the guided rockets that have a range of over 70km. Its the AS90s that are seriously outdated and under-ranged compared to its counterparts. We still don’t have the 120mm mortar – why?
I won’t knock crye gear as I loved mine, especially with the built in knee pads. I must admit I used a Canadian plate holder with the Osprey on my last tour. It was much more comfortable and fitted to the body, especially the sides. Ok, I admit we had the smaller cut down helmets which did look proper street. The problem we had was that we were attached to the Canadians, so we stood out anyway due to the different camo pattern.
This is going to sound really winey but its not intended to be, just to spark debate.
You would be surprised at how bad CR2 is and how far it lags behind other nations including the Russians. Without going into detail, the performance of the guns and fire control system are similar but with the T-90 having a far better TI. The protection levels on the turret and hull front are about the same (ish) but use different methods of protection, CR2 has a slight edge there. Mobility wise, its clear cut, the T90AM has the same HP as a CR2 but weighs over a third less, its so much quicker to accelerate. If it was a 1 on 1 fight we could rely on better training but its not, it will be more like a 10 to 1 fight.
A 105 can penetrate a CR2 if you hit the right spot, without knowing the details its hard to judge. Looking at some of the vids coming out of a Syria the APSs the Russians are using will again give them the edge.
The problem with Brimstone is you have to be able to fly in the environment in the first place, S400 would put an end to that, we have all these great systems that worked so well in Afghan but would be severely limited in a real war. Even things like 5.56, we have gotten away with it for years, shooting at chaps in robes it works very well, swap them out for a Russian ballistic plate and 5.56 wont take them down, hence the USMC 6.8mm (off the top of my head). GMLRS is great for putting a hole in a compound roof 70kms away but is useless ad breaking up an armoured advance, good old scatmin and bomblet is the go to for that.
I agree with you on the 120mm, I worked with the French a while back and it was awesome, not prepared for how loud the F***ing thing was, not when you are used to an 81. it surly cant be that expensive to bring a similar system online, are we not one of the only countries in NATO not using 120mm?
I don’t mind Virtus to be honest, a lot of people slate it but its a step up from what we had and a rolled up copy of Razzle jammed down your smock is better then ECBA.
BV
Isn’t that the main area that the BAE bid is targeting on the Chally upgrade. i.e. sensors and self defence. A friend of mine who is an ex-tanky and has his own armour blog, was scathing about the cancelled mid-life upgrade. This would have put the sensors on par with the latest Abrams, but got chined off. The current upgrade program jumps ahead using more modern sensors, but again we are just catching up due to lack of investment.
I have heard that there is a separate program to update the engine and part of the gearbox. I believe they are looking at converting it a common rail diesel, which should put it up to 1400hp.
Today’s APS can either make or break your chances of survival in a tank. Watching the clips of Israeli Merkava 4s, is quite shocking how good the Trophy system is when operating in an Urban environment.
So, personally I would prefer a new blank sheet design for a replacement MBT, but its not going to happen any time soon. With what money is available the Army are rightly targeting the main weaknesses of the tank i.e. sensors and self-protection. The main gun’s Charm3 round will theoretically still knock out a T90 even with ERA and the armour is better shaped to counter Russian sabot rounds than Leopard.
I know DSTl have developed a new armour superior to the current Dorchester, if only there was the funds!
We did a comparison test between the Canadian ballistic plates and our Osprey, ours won! We managed to test a plethora of rounds against them from only 30m. It was only multiple hits from 7.62 NATO and larger that made a real mess of them. Against 5.56 short they took multiple hits, where the Canadian plate started cracking up.
The BAE bid was a bit of a joke, Black Knight (named after a 90s condom) was a bodge job of COTS sensors and a basic laser warning system, none of which was integrated properly but it was painted black. They done it on the cheap which seemed like the correct route for a number of reasons. Firstly they know their target audience, in the MOD penny pinching is the name of the game. Secondly, they were under the false illusion that the gun was competitive with a new KE upgrade which, theoretically an upgrade may bring it in line with the current L-44 + ammo combo, but there is no future growth in the gun.
The RMLS bid was outstanding, they invested tons of their own cash in the project and produced a very effective tank. They changed the turret to a new build/copy/hybrid but importantly fitted an L-55. They are offering the updated engine along with lots of other things but the bid was way more expensive than the BAE bid.
“The main gun’s Charm3 round will theoretically still knock out a T90 even with ERA” You will notice there is very little hard data available on the Challenger2s 120mm gun, there is a reason for that, its just not that good. If you read press releases on the old CR2 smoothbore project it states that the new gun out performs the old one in all areas by a significant margin. To prove the point still father, when RMLS offered their upgrade, the MOD jumped on it even if it was the most expensive, BAE land had a convenient merger with RM to keep their hand in.
I heard osprey plates were the best around, yes they were also the heaviest but they would stop most practical stuff.
Agree with you on APS, Trophy has an impressive record and has a long list of munitions it is effective against that is getting longer. Would it render Hellfire obsolete? Javelin? APFSDS? NLAW? what else do we have left to kill a tank? Its an interesting counter to peoples arguments of tanks being out dated.
BV