What makes Israel’s Namer one of the world’s best-protected armoured personnel carriers? 20th November 2023 at 11:59am
Weighing in at approximately 62 tonnes, Israel’s Namer heavy armoured personnel carrier (APC) is massive – but it is also seen as one of the world’s best-protected.
It has been developed for the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) after lessons learned in past conflicts, with an estimated 270 by 2021 having been delivered to the IDF.
Sam Cranny-Evans, an associate fellow from the defence and security think tank Rusi told Forces News that “the big difference between Namer and a conventional Western main battle tank is in the West we still haven’t really let go of the idea that a tank needs to be best protected from the front”.
He added: “Any kind of additional protection around the sides is nice to have but not always essential.
“The Namer is designed to carry much more equal levels of protection around the entire vehicle. It’s designed to withstand a lot greater punishment from any angle that it is attacked.”
Mr Cranny-Evans added: “It probably means that maybe it’s a bit easier to penetrate a Namer than it is a frontal arc of a main battle tank, but it means you have to work quite hard from any angle to penetrate it.”
In the video above, Forces News take a closer look at Israel’s Namer.
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Why the trusty Land Rover is still vital to the Army after 74 years David Sivills-McCann 20th November 2023 at 11:20am
It has been a sturdy servant of the British Army for more than 70 years.
The Land Rover has been a vital part of the force since it first came into service in 1949.
Simple, dependable and a workhorse of the British military, it’s a vehicle that still has a key role to play after all these years.
Many other more sophisticated vehicles have come and gone in that time, but it remains a key part of the Army’s fleet of vehicles.
Major Donald Urquhart from 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps said: “They are used in liaison roles as communications vehicles, transport vehicles.
“Currently they are used very much in a training role for deploying and operations. On operations, we generally try and go for an armoured vehicle, so these are training platforms normally carrying radios and command posts.
“In summary why they’re good for the job currently, they’re very, very basic and straightforward. These vehicles are still very successful because they don’t have any electronics on them.
“There’s no electronic control unit so a very straightforward to fix and that’s probably the biggest single strength.”
The vehicle’s simplicity has been a big part of its longevity in service – something that can be fixed easily and is not too complicated.
However, the soldiers need to know what they are doing to use the Land Rover properly.
The Army tests the skills needed to use these vehicles to their full potential every year in Scotland.
For more than 30 years, Exercise Mudmaster has been putting the Land Rovers and their drivers through their paces.
Officer Cadet Rhona Duncan from Aberdeen Officer Training Corps said: “I’ve always been interested in Land Rovers from a young age.
“If you know it drives properly – it can go everywhere.
“The Mudmaster off-road driving exercise helps with learning all the gearings and when to use low-range, high-range, all the different gears.
“If you’re able to use them effectively and you’ve practised it before then you’ll be more likely to be able to carry out your operations effectively and you’ll be able to know when things might go wrong and mitigate that happening.”
The Land Rover was inspired by the military jeeps of the Second World War, but was initially designed for farming and industrial use.
But with some changes, these vehicles became a key part of the force and after seven decades of service they are still valued by the soldiers who use them today.
Lieutenant Tim Johnston from 157 (Welsh) Regiment RLC said: “They are a great platform for training. Great off-road and easy to repair.
“All soldiers have been trained in basic training how to use the vehicle off-road and Mudmaster offers a great opportunity to put those skills to use and develop them further for operations.”
The Land Rover, with a few modifications over the years, has been a constant in the British Army.
It’s a simple and durable bit of kit that is difficult to replace – even after 74 years.
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Australia accuses China of unsafe conduct after RAN divers injured – 20 NOVEMBER 2023 | By: Robert Dougherty
HMAS Toowoomba returns to Fleet Base West in Rockingham, Western Australia after returning from deployment. Photo: CPOIS Yuri Ramsey.
The federal government has accused the People’s Republic of China of unsafe and unprofessional conduct after Royal Australian Navy divers were injured by a People’s Liberation Army-Navy destroyer in international waters.
The crew of Anzac Class frigate HMAS Toowoomba suffered minor injuries after being exposed to sonar pulses from hull-mounted sonar on the Chinese destroyer operating within international waters, inside of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, on 14 November.
HMAS Toowoomba had been undertaking operations in support of United Nations-sanctioned enforcement when it stopped to begin diving operations in order to clear fishing nets that had become entangled around its propellers.
While diving operations were underway, a PLA-N destroyer (DDG-139) operating in the vicinity closed towards HMAS Toowoomba. HMAS Toowoomba communicated its intention to conduct diving operations on normal maritime channels and used internationally recognised signals. It advised the PLA-N destroyer that diving operations were being conducted and requested the ship keep clear.
The Chinese vessel approached at a closer range and was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in an unsafe and unprofessional manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water.
Medical assessments conducted after the divers exited the water identified they had sustained minor injuries likely due to being subjected to the sonar pulses from the Chinese destroyer.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles said safety and wellbeing of Australian Defence Force personnel continues to be of the utmost priority.
“The Australian government has expressed its serious concerns to the Chinese government following an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a People’s Liberation Army Navy destroyer,” he said.
“The interaction with HMAS Toowoomba occurred in international waters, inside of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
“The safety and wellbeing of our ADF personnel is our utmost priority.
“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a professional and safe manner.
“Defence has for decades undertaken maritime surveillance activities in the region and does so in accordance with international law, exercising the right to freedom of navigation and overflight in international and airspace.”
Shadow Minister for Defence Andrew Hastie also condemned the actions of the People’s Liberation Army-Navy after the Royal Australian Navy divers on HMAS Toowoomba were injured in international waters.
“While the responsibility is solely on the Chinese PLA Navy, the Albanese government also has some serious questions to answer,” he said.
“Reports that the Prime Minister knew about this incident and deliberately withheld information until after leaving for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit are, if true, outrageous and unacceptable.
“The Prime Minister must explain why he chose to wait until after he left the country to disclose this information, and whether he raised it directly with President Xi Jinping at APEC.
“What we continue to see from the Prime Minister and his Labor government is a lack of leadership and a lack of action.
“In a week in which the government has failed its most basic task – to keeping Australians safe – the Albanese government has again proved that it can’t be trusted on national security.
“We have always said that we will judge the Chinese Communist Party on their actions rather than their words, and this provocative behaviour contradicts the government’s belief they are witnessing a stabilisation of the relationship with China. This incident is evidence to the contrary.
“The Prime Minister must immediately disclose whether he raised this matter with President Xi, or whether it was withheld for expedient political purposes. Any failure to do so would rightly raise questions around Anthony Albanese’s ability to lead our nation.”
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Why One of Japan’s Newest Carriers Is Headed to America in 2024 Japan’s new carriers are a win for everyone—except for China, that is. Headshot of Kyle MizokamiBY KYLE MIZOKAMIPUBLISHED: NOV 17, 2023
- One of Japan’s two new aircraft carriers will travel to the U.S. in 2024.
- The ships are Japan’s first real aircraft carriers since World War II.
- Japan was once the world leader in carriers, but swore them off after the disastrous war.
More than 80 years after Pearl Harbor, a Japanese aircraft carrier is scheduled to make a visit to the East Coast of the United States—this time, as one of America’s strongest allies.
The visit, set for 2024, will see one of the country’s two new carriers, Kaga or Izumo, validate its compatibility with American F-35 fighter jets. They’ll become the first Japanese carriers since the end of WWII, part of a long-planned naval expansion meant to keep pace with a growing Chinese navy.
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East Coast Visit
An F-35B from Marine Corps Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) flies to the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier in the Western Atlantic, October 11, 2023.
The compatibility tests will take place with the U.S. Marine Corps on the East Coast; they’re meant to confirm that the ship can operate the F-35B, the vertical takeoff and landing version of the F-35 Lightning II. The F-35B is a one of three versions of the F-35 and was designed to operate either from ground bases with minimal runways or aircraft carrier-type ships that lack catapults for launching aircraft.
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The light cruiser HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (C802) of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[
HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (C802)
In 1962, the cruiser was upgraded to carry the RIM-2 Terrier missile system, which replaced the three rear turrets.
De Zeven Provinciën in 1956
De kruiser Hr.Ms. De Zeven Provinciën
HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën was a De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Laid down in 1939, construction was interrupted by World War II and the ship was only commissioned in 1953 with the identification number C802. She served until 1976 when she was purchased by Peru and renamed Aguirre. With the Peruvian Navy she served until 1999 and was scrapped in 2000.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HNLMS_De_Zeven_Provinci%C3%ABn_(C802)
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