David
Tue February 11, 2003 12:53pm
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LG-118A Peacekeeper
Function: The Peacekeeper missile is America's newest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Its deployment fulfilled a key goal of the strategic modernization program and increased strength and credibility to the ground-based leg of the U.S. strategic triad. Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been revising its strategic policy and has agreed to eliminate the multiple re-entry vehicle Peacekeeper ICBMs when Russia ratifies the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II.
Description: The Peacekeeper is capable of delivering 10 independently targeted warheads with great accuracy. It is a four-stage rocket ICBM system consisting of two major sections: the boost system and the post-boost vehicle system that includes the re-entry system.
The boost system consists of four rocket stages that launch the missile into space. These rocket stages are mounted atop one another and fire successively. Each of the first three stages exhausts its solid propellant materials through a single movable nozzle that guides the missile along its flight path.
Following the burnout and separation of the boost system's third rocket stage, the fourth stage post-boost vehicle system, in space, maneuvers to deploy the re-entry vehicles in sequence.
The post-boost vehicle system is the Peacekeeper Stage IV that has a guidance and control system and re-entry system. The post-boost vehicle rides atop the boost system. Stage IV weighs about 2,500 pounds (1,333 kilograms) and is 3.5 feet (1.07 meters) long.
The top section of the Peacekeeper post-boost vehicle is the re-entry system. It consists of the deployment module, up to 10 cone-shaped re-entry vehicles and a protective shroud. The shroud protects the re-entry vehicles during ascent. It is topped with a nose cap, containing a rocket motor to separate it from the deployment module.
The deployment module provides structural support for the re-entry vehicles and carries the electronics needed to activate and deploy them. The vehicles are covered with material to protect them during re-entry through the atmosphere to their targets and are mechanically attached to the deployment module. The attachments are unlatched by gas pressure from an explosive cartridge broken by small, exploding bolts, which free the re-entry vehicles, allowing them to separate from the deployment module with little disturbance. Each deployed re-entry vehicle follows a ballistic path to its target.
History: The Air Force successfully conducted the first test flight of the Peacekeeper June 17, 1983, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. The missile traveled 4,190 miles (6,704 kilometers) before dropping six unarmed test reentry vehicles to planned target sites in the Kwajalein Missile Test Range in the Pacific Ocean.
The first two test phases consisted of 12 test flights to ensure the Peacekeeper's subsystems performed as planned, and to make final assessments of its range and payload capability. The missile was fired from aboveground canisters in its first eight tests. Thereafter, test flights were conducted from test launch facilities reconfigured to simulate operational Peacekeeper sites.
The Air Force achieved initial operational capability of 10 deployed Peacekeepers at F.E. Warren AFB, WY, in December 1986. Full operational capability was achieved in December 1988 with the establishment of a squadron of 50 missiles.
The former Ballistic Missile Office began full-scale development of the Peacekeeper in 1979. This organization, formerly located at San Bernardino, CA, integrated the activities of more than 27 civilian contractors and numerous subcontractors to develop and build the Peacekeeper system.
General Characteristics, LG-118A Peacekeeper
Contractor:
Boeing Aerospace and Electronics
Assembly and Test:
Lockheed Martin and Denver Aerospace
Power Plant:
First three stages - solid propellant; fourth stage - storable liquid (by Thiokol, Aerojet, Hercules and Rocketdyne)
Thrust:
First stage, 500,000 pounds
Length:
71 feet (21.8 meters)
Weight:
195,000 pounds (87,750 kilograms) including re-entry vehicles
Diameter:
7 feet, 8 inches (2.3 meters)
Range:
Greater than 6,000 miles (5,217 nautical miles)
Speed:
Approximately 15,000 miles per hour at burnout (Mach 20 at sea level)
Warheads:
10 Avco MK21 re-entry vehicles
Guidance System:
Inertial; integration by Boeing North American
IMU: Northrop and Boeing North American
Inventory:
Active force, 50
ANG, 0
Reserve, 0
Date Deployed:
December 1986
Unit Cost:
$70 million
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:15pm
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BTR-60 APC
Function: Soviet 1950 era wheeled APC.
Background: Introduced in 1963 as a replacement for the fully tracked BTR-50, the BTR-60 represents the first of a series of 8x8 wheeled APC that are still in production in the former Soviet Union. In terms of numbers produced, the BTR-60 was the most important vehicle in the Soviet Army and was issued to the Soviet naval Infantry. In addition, the BTR-60 has been supplied to most Warsaw Pact countries in addition to North Korea. The BTR-60 has also been manufactured in Czechoslovakia and Poland.
Initial BTR-60s were equipped with a single 12.7mm DShK machine gun and two PKT 7.62mm machineguns, all mounted forward of the personnel compartment. Later models used the standard Warsaw Pact APC weapons turret equipped with one KPV 14.5mm machine gun and one PKT 7.62mm machine gun. Power is supplied to all eight wheels by means of a unique twin engine/transmission arrangement. The BTR-60 uses two V-8 90hp gasoline engines and two separate transmissions; one supplies power to the 1st and 3rd axles and the other supplies power to the 2nd and 4th axles.
The BTR-60 is fully amphibious and does not require any preparation time. Steering, both on land and in the water, is provided by the forward two axles, which are also power assisted. Water propulsion is provided by a single rear mounted water jet.
Although the BTR-70 began to replace the BTR-60 in 1978, the BTR-60 has never been retired, and continues to serve in Russian reserve formations and numerous countries world-wide.
Description: The BTR-60 an all-wheeled 8x8 fully amphibious armored personnel carrier. The boat shaped vehicle is divided up into three sections: crew compartment, personnel compartment, and engine compartment. In early versions the personnel compartment is open topped; in later versions the entire vehicle is fully enclosed. The BTR-60 may be readily distinguished from the later 70/80/90 series by the presence of a single "automotive-type" muffler exhaust located on either side of the hull rear.
The BTR-60 "P" and "PA" variants are equipped with a single 12.7mm DShK machine gun and two PKT 7.62mm machineguns. These MGs are mounted forward of the personnel compartment, and require the gunners to be exposed while firing. Because of the size of the gunner's position, only two of the three MGs can be manned at any given time. The "PB" model is equipped with a small, one man, turret, mounted over the second axle that contains one KPV 14.5mm machine gun and one PKT 7.62mm machine gun.
In all models, the personnel compartment can only be accessed from the roof of the carrier. There are three infantry mounting steps on each side of the vehicle, mounted between the road wheels, and three additional mounting rails located on the hull above the steps. There is a large personnel compartment access hatch located on each side of the hull.
General Characteristics, BTR-60 Armored Personnel Carrier
Manufacturers:
Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and Poland.
Transmission:
2x manual
Engine:
2x 90hp V-8 gasoline
Length:
23.47 feet (7.22 meters)
Width:
9.17 feet (2.82 meters)
Height:
6.7 feet (2.06 meters)
Combat Weight:
10.1 tons
Cruising Range:
500 kilometers
Speed:
Maximum: 50mph ( 80kph)
Off-road: 38mph (60kph)
Fording:
Fully amphibious without preparation
Crew:
Two (driver, gunner-commander)
12 passengers
Armament:
Main:
One 12.7mm DShK HMG (BTR-60P)
One 14.5mm KPV HMG (BTR-60PB)
Secondary:
Two7.62mm PKT-T MG (BTR-60P)
One 7.62mm PKT-T MG (BTR-60PB)
Introduction Date:
1961
Variants:
BTR-60P: Initial production model. The BTR-60P was open topped and armed with a single 12.7mm DShK machine gun.
BTR-60PA: Modified "P" model. Incorporates overhead cover for the personnel compartment. Because of space restrictions in the gunner's hatch, no more than two of the weapons can be manned at any given time.
BTR-60PB: Most widely fielded varient. Has increased overhead protection for passengers and crew and incorporates the standard Warsaw Pact APC weapons turret. This one-man turret houses one KPV 14.5mm machine gun and one PKT 7.62mm machine gun.
BTR-60PBK: Command variant with additional communications equipment.
BTR-60 PU: Armored command vehicle (ACV) variant for battalion level. The "PU" is open-topped and can be identified by its canvas roof, additional communication equipment and lack of weapons turret. The "PU" also has an easily recognizable dipole antenna that runs nearly all around the top of the vehicle.
BTR-60 PU-12 and -12M: "U" and "PU" variants used by air defense controllers and configured for ground to air communication.
BTR-60 R-975: Forward Air Control Vehicle (FACV). A modified BTR-60PB with sighting optics and laser designator installed in the turret in place of the weapons. Can also be identified by the large portable generator mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
MTP-2: Armored recovery vehicle.
R-145BM: ACV used ad Brigade level. Has increased radio range and communications capabilities.
ACRV 1V18: Artillery command and reconnaissance vehicle. The 1V18 is a command and observation vehicle (COP) while the 1V19 variant serves as an artillery fire direction center (FDC).
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David
Fri November 12, 2004 8:12am
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Smoke billows over a buil
Smoke billows over a building topped by an Iraqi in the center of Fallujah, Iraq, as U.S. Army and Marine units, along with Iraqi forces, pounded the city with air strikes and artillery, Nov. 9, 2004.
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frisco-kid
Sun December 4, 2005 9:13pm
Rating: 10
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100_0089
The only disturbing place for me on the whole trip was the War Museum in Saigon. I went there after stopping at the Buddhist temple, "U.S. PARATROOPER" hat and all. You pay less than a buck to get in. You then enter a gallery depicting the war in pictures. One of the first displays is of unit patches of all of the American units involved in the war. You then meander through a hall lined with blown-up pictures of U.S. forces in kinda chronological order. The first thing I noticed about them was that they were all taken from Life Magazine, newswire agencys, etc., many of them famous pictures. They were given usually slanted captions. Their museum; I guess they can say whatever they want. Some of them were wrong, also. They had several of the 101st dated when I was with them and the location stated wasn't accurate. They did have one cool picture of us making the jump at Kontum, taken from inside the plane as we exited the door. I don't think I was in it, though. I don't recall a photographer on my plane.
As you exit the building, you go through an outside exhibit of U.S. military equipment. These are the one's I have pictured.
When you cross the exhibit, you enter another building. This is the one I really had a problem with. The whole theme of the exhibit inside is depicting us a s barbarians and war criminals. It starts out with an exhibit explaining Agent Orange; pictures of planes spraying it; topped off with a couple deformed fetuses in jars claiming to be caused by the effects of AO. It then flows into pictures of napalm drops on villes and countryside; pictures of burnt victims; and the centerpiece,.....the little naked girl running down the road away from a napalm strike. The caption conveniently doesn't mention that this was an ARVN Air Force drop. I set the record straight with several Europeans that were near me. It then, of course, went into pictures of My Lai. As I moved through the pictures, I noticed one of the uniformed security guards was watching me. I stopped and locked eyes with him until he looked away. Phuck him. Did the same thing with a couple Europeans that I caught giving me side glances. It then went through a group of pictures of us handling prisoners and dead bodies. One of them was a picture of an APC dragging three bodies down a road. The caption said that the three was dragged to death but, upon a closer look, you could see that one had an obvious GSW to the head. There were others with prisoners being led by ropes around their necks with the caption reading that we treated prisoners worse than we would animals. On the way out of the building there was another room with a sign above it saying something like "Children Remember The War Through Drawings And Writings," or something like that. I could only imagine what half-truths and lies were being presented in there. I was too pissed to go in. I walked out and told my driver lets get the phuck out of here. It might be their museum, but I don't have to like it. I'm sure my body language told them so, too.
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