Military review - geopolitics, expert opinions and reviews

Last modified

Use of captured German pistols in the USSR

Use of captured German pistols in the USSR

2025-06-01 06:06

It is no secret that for many Soviet officers it was very prestigious to own a captured pistol. Most often, German short-barreled weapons could be at the disposal of the infantry commanders of the platoon-battalion level and the military personnel of the reconnaissance units. That is, those who

The basics of shipbuilding policy: a large and strong navy is inexpensive

The basics of shipbuilding policy: a large and strong navy is inexpensive

2025-06-01 06:06

A rare photo - two identical Russian warships of non-Soviet construction together. But that should stop being rare. Photo: defenceimagery.mod.uk Having decided on the principles that should underlie the sane shipbuilding policy of Russia, you need to subject them at least

Tula novelties at the parade and on the front line

Tula novelties at the parade and on the front line

2025-06-01 06:06

The High-Precision Complexes holding (part of the Rostec state corporation) was formed in 2009. Judging by the brand's popularity in Russia and abroad, the consolidation of the scientific and technical potential of specialized enterprises was successful. Not every integrated structure can boast

Remembering Damansky: how not to forget the "forgotten battles"

Remembering Damansky: how not to forget the "forgotten battles"

2025-06-01 06:06

About spilled blood - as a general to a general In February 2021, shortly before the next anniversary of the armed conflict on Damansky Island, a very lengthy and, to put it mildly, somewhat strange material was published in Nezavisimaya Gazeta. It was a big interview with a retired major general

Chinese civilization and Great Scythia

Chinese civilization and Great Scythia

2025-06-01 06:06

In the minds of the majority of Europeans, and even the citizens of Russia, the expanses of Southern Siberia, Altai, Mongolia, Northern and Central China have always been an area of settlement for the peoples of the Mongoloid race, but this is far from the case. Already in 3000 BC, Southern Siberia was inhabited by the clans of the Indo-European

Popular for the month

Soviet post-war anti-aircraft machine gun installations

Soviet post-war anti-aircraft machine gun installations

In the postwar years, the Soviet Union continued to improve the means of fighting the air enemy. Before the mass adoption of anti-aircraft missile systems, this task was assigned to fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft machine gun and artillery installations

Domestic anti-tank self-propelled artillery installations. Part 1

Domestic anti-tank self-propelled artillery installations. Part 1

Before the war in the USSR, numerous attempts were made to create various self-propelled artillery installations (ACS). Dozens of projects were considered, for many of them prototypes were built. But it never came to mass adoption. The exceptions were: 76-mm anti-aircraft

IL-28 front-line bomber

IL-28 front-line bomber

July 8, 2013 marks the 65th anniversary of the first flight of the Il-28 jet bomber. The creation of an aircraft of this class became possible due to the fact that in 1947 in the USSR, a reliable, with a large resource, English turbojet engine with a centrifugal compressor was launched into licensed mass production

Combat use of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile system

Combat use of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile system

The creation of the S-75 anti-aircraft guided missile system began on the basis of the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 2838/1201 of November 20, 1953 "On the creation of a mobile anti-aircraft guided missile system to combat enemy aircraft." During this period in the Soviet Union

"Irreplaceable Mohawk"

"Irreplaceable Mohawk"

Bell UH-1 Iroquois is an American multipurpose helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, also known as Huey. This is one of the most famous and mass-produced aircraft in the history of helicopter engineering. The history of the UH-1 began in the mid-fifties, when it was announced

"Silt" against tanks

"Silt" against tanks

One of the main tasks of the Il-2 armored attack aircraft, which was put into service at the beginning of 1941, was the fight against armored vehicles. For this, cannons of 20-23 mm caliber, rockets of 82-132 mm caliber and aerial bombs with a total weight of up to 600 kg could be used

China's military installations on Google Earth satellite imagery

China's military installations on Google Earth satellite imagery

Traditionally, the PRC authorities very harshly censor information regarding their armed forces. Unauthorized leaks in this area are suppressed by the most stringent methods. For example, a few years ago, a Chinese blogger was convicted for posting a photo of the new Chinese J-10 fighter on the Internet

Russian military potential on Google Earth satellite imagery

Russian military potential on Google Earth satellite imagery

Our country has always been the focus of Western intelligence services. In addition to undercover intelligence, much attention was paid to the collection of information using technical means.In addition to electronic scanning, from the end of the 40s, mass flights began over the territory of the USSR

Google Earth - the exposer of military secrets

Google Earth - the exposer of military secrets

About ten years ago, the Google search engine launched a unique project called Google Earth. Many parts of the earth's surface were available for viewing in high resolution using images taken from space. With the advent of information technology, we got at our disposal

"Tsar Cannons" of Soviet aviation

"Tsar Cannons" of Soviet aviation

At the time of the German attack on the USSR, our aviation was armed with two types of aircraft guns: 20-mm ShVAK (Shpitalny-Vladimirova large-caliber aviation), the design of which was in many respects similar to the 7.62-mm ShKAS aircraft machine gun and 23-mm. VYa (Volkova-Yartseva) .20 mm ShVAK cannon

German medium and large caliber anti-aircraft artillery in World War II

German medium and large caliber anti-aircraft artillery in World War II

During World War II, medium and large-caliber anti-aircraft artillery acquired particular importance for the defense of Germany. Since 1940, British long-range bombers, and since 1943, American "flying fortresses" have systematically erased German cities and factories from the surface of the earth. Fighters

German anti-tank artillery in World War II. Part 1

German anti-tank artillery in World War II. Part 1

Contrary to popular belief, formed by feature films, literature and computer games such as "World of Tanks", the main enemy of Soviet tanks on the battlefield was not enemy tanks, but anti-tank artillery. Tank duels, of course, happened regularly, but not so often

Large-caliber machine gun Vladimirov. History and modernity

Large-caliber machine gun Vladimirov. History and modernity

Created in the USSR at the end of the 30s, the 14.5x114-mm cartridge was successfully used throughout the war in the anti-tank guns of the PTRD and PTRS. The BS-41 bullet with a metal-ceramic core fired from these guns had armor penetration along the normal: at 300 m - 35 mm, at 100 m - 40 mm. This made it possible to hit light tanks

German anti-tank artillery in World War II. Part 2

German anti-tank artillery in World War II. Part 2

During the first months of the war on the Eastern Front, the Germans captured several hundred Soviet 76-mm F-22 divisional guns (model 1936). Initially, the Germans used them in their original form as field guns, giving them the name 7.62 cm F.R.296 (r). This weapon was originally designed

Long-range unmanned reconnaissance aircraft RQ-4 Global Hawk

Long-range unmanned reconnaissance aircraft RQ-4 Global Hawk

The RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV program was launched in May 1995, when the Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (TRA) project was declared the winner in the competition for the best UAV under the Tier II + program. The competition lasted 6 months, five firms - applicants took part in it. New drone among

T-33A Shooting Star two-seater trainer aircraft

T-33A Shooting Star two-seater trainer aircraft

The LOCKHEED T-33A two-seater trainer aircraft is one of those long-lived pilots that began the careers of several generations of pilots. It was based on the F-80 Shooting Star first-generation jet fighter, but managed

A-36A Unknown "Mustang"

A-36A Unknown "Mustang"

Aircraft R-51 "Mustang" during the Second World War were used almost everywhere. In Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, the aircraft was primarily known as an escort fighter due to its long range. In England, "Mustangs" were used as interceptors

Night war in the skies of Korea

Night war in the skies of Korea

On July 27, 1953, full-scale hostilities were completed in Korea. According to experts, this conflict of the Cold War period can be viewed as a war between the United States and its allies on the one hand and the forces of the PRC and the USSR on the other. Sixty years have passed since the ceasefire

Project 183 boats

Project 183 boats

At the end of the 40s, the Special Design Bureau (OKB-5) of the NKVD, headed by P.G. Goinkis, began work on the creation of large torpedo boats. They were supposed to replace pre-war planing boats, which were not very successful

Deck fighter F-14 "Tomcat"

Deck fighter F-14 "Tomcat"

In the late 60s, the United States began designing a long-range carrier-based interceptor to replace the F-4 Phantom-2. In the final of the competition were projects McDonnell Douglas and Grumman. The McDonnell-Douglas firm had a fixed-wing design, and Grumman's wing sweep changed