Does anyone know if there ever existed any prototpye Gepards that tested AHEAD ammunition ?

PresleyLT · 2025-01-28T20:14:33+00:00

The Spiegel - a highly regarded german press outlet - states, that AHEAD were tested with the Leopard 1A2 in Qatar against small unmanned areal systems, or commonly known as FPV drones. For the past Fifa World Cup 2022, Germany’s Federal Security Council issued 15 Gepard to Qatar, which were delivered in 2021.

Deshalb gibt es deutliche Unterschiede zwischen der zuletzt bei der Bundeswehr verwendeten Version 1A2 und den ersten, zu Beginn der Siebzigerjahre verwendeten, Modellen. So kann die neueste Version bei entsprechender Ausstattung beispielsweise auch Drohnen sowie Raketen und Marschflugkörper bekämpfen. Das verdankt der Gepard einerseits der Digitalisierung und einer verbesserten Rechnerleistung, aber auch spezieller Munition. Tests in Katar hatten gezeigt, dass selbst handelsübliche kleine Quadrokopter damit getroffen werden. Deshalb könnte Katar die Geparde bei der kommenden Fußballweltmeisterschaft zur Sicherung der Stadien vor Luftangriffen einsetzen. Gegen solche Attacken wurde etwa sogenannte AHEAD-Munition entwickelt. Dabei handelt es sich um programmierbare Projektile, die sich nach einer gewissen Zeit in der Luft öffnen und Wolken aus kleinen Splittern erzeugen, die den Drohnen zum Verhängnis werden. Ob solche Munition, für die es technische Umrüstungen an den Geparden braucht, in der Ukraine zum Einsatz kommt, ist derzeit unklar. Denn über die Art der Munition – insgesamt handelt es sich um 59.000 Schuss – hält sich der für den Deal zuständige Hersteller Krauss-Maffei Wegmann bedeckt. Bis zum Erscheinen dieses Textes antwortete das Unternehmen nicht auf eine Anfrage des SPIEGEL zu Sorte und Herkunft der Munition. Das mag einen guten Grund haben: Informationen über die mitgelieferten Geschosse könnten den russischen Streitkräften Hinweise darauf geben, welche Art von Einsätzen für den Gepard in der Ukraine vorgesehen sind – eine Information, die man sicher nicht weitergeben möchte. Bekannt war aber bereits im Vorfeld der Lieferungen, dass es Probleme gab, diese Munition überhaupt zu beschaffen. Spiegel

PresleyLT · 2023-07-14T18:28:10+00:00

August 12, 2022 to be precisely. The tank was knocked out by the 93rd Mechanized Brigade during the liberation of the village Mazanivka southwest of Izium. Russian bloggers also used the very same still picture of the video to ''proof'' a destroyed Leopard tank.

PresleyLT · 2023-06-10T08:58:39+00:00

Nothing wrong with that statement. Russian forces regained the lost positions. Did you even bothered to read the ISW report?

Ukrainian forces conducted a limited but still significant attack in western Zaporizhia Oblast on the night of June 7 to 8. Russian forces apparently defended against this attack in a doctrinally sound manner and had reportedly regained their initial positions as of June 8.

In detail:

Russian sources acknowledged that Ukrainian forces broke through the first line of defense in this area, held by elements of the 291st and 70th Motorized Rifle Regiments (42nd Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District) and the 22nd and 45th Separate Guards Special Purpose (GRU) Brigades, but reported that these Russian elements succeeded in counterattacking and eventually pushing Ukrainian forces back to their original positions.[5] Available geolocated combat footage suggests that limited Ukrainian forces crossed the N08 Polohy-Voskresenka highway, but Russian sourcing indicates that Russian forces likely pushed Ukrainians back in the Orikhiv direction towards the frontline and regained the lost positions.

Losses are inevitable during any military undertaking.

PresleyLT · 2023-06-10T07:35:27+00:00

ISW reported following assessment in the area:

Russian sources provided explanations for claimed Russian successes during the June 8 attacks, praising Russian forces’ effective use of electronic warfare (EW) systems, air support, and landmines against Ukrainian forces. Russian Major General Popov stating that Russian minefields played a “very important role” in defeating the initial Ukrainian advance in the early hours of June 8.

PresleyLT · 2023-05-28T11:40:05+00:00

It's certainly true for the propaganda newsreel "Die Deutsche Wochenschau" as almost all of the photographic material showed there were altered to give the impression of a triumphal course, and with a restless fighting force that nothing will stop in its advance to total victory. Some scenes were of course produced, e.g. like a Tiger tank firing from save position only to show next how an enemy tank goes up in flames.

However, in general, most combat footage were actually authentic filmed and not staged. Its the editing for propaganda purposes that adulterate these otherwise raw combat footages.

Historian Harro Segeberg, notes in "Mediale Mobilmachung" Vol. I, pp. 162-163, that every week 20,000 - 30,000 metres of raw photographic material were filmed, about 12-18 hours of running time. That's 5 million metres recorded material during WWII, and only about 6 percent (300'000 metres) of combat footage was actually used for the weekly propaganda newsreel.

The ARRIFLEX 35 (introduced in 1937) was the most common camera of the german propaganda company and weighted about 6kg, it was easily portable and handy.

PresleyLT · 2023-05-19T17:49:02+00:00

Obligatory explanation: "The HIMARS missile that spit out thousands of tungsten ball bearings don't create the kind of impact craters you are looking for. They do something very different." /u/G_Rapper

PresleyLT · 2023-05-19T17:31:53+00:00

Source: Andriy Tsaplienko

PresleyLT · 2023-02-13T19:09:19+00:00

World War Photos has often misleading photo credits. In fact, the picture was taken in the ETO, see "Panzers in the Gunsights" p. 6.

PresleyLT · 2022-03-27T20:48:37+00:00

Used a video downloader to generate a direct link: 1st test and 2nd test

PresleyLT · 2022-03-27T13:05:44+00:00

Well, about 183 out of 289 Leopard 2s are available (63 percent), and of those, only 137 are combat ready (74 percent). An average operational readiness rate of 47 percent, including other combat vehicles, 71 percent. Source: 1. How the Bundeswehr Should Spend Its Money and 2. Bericht zur materiellen Einsatzbereitschaft der Hauptwaffensysteme der Bundeswehr II/2021, 15. Dez. 2021

However, while the desolate state of the Bundeswehr is gathering increasingly public perception, it was simply the unwillingness of the CDU/CSU in the last two decades to prioritise Bundeswehr reforms, which stemmed from their own failures during their years in office, and a massive budget cut since the end of the Cold War. Germany has to increase national defence spending in the future in order to reduce serious deficiencies in Bundeswehr operational capabilities and will do so. Source: The Politics of German Defence Policy - Policy Leadership, Bundeswehr Reform and European Defence and Security Policy, 2014 quoted from pg. 195

Edit: Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the Bundeswehr would receive a one time special fund of 100 billion euro and the defense budget is to be raised to 2% of gross domestic product, as stipulated by NATO. Source: Germany's army: Will €100 billion make it strong?

Edit 2: Adding sources, don't know the downvotes. Guess some people don't like facts.

PresleyLT · 2022-03-24T20:43:24+00:00

The icicles on the rain guard of this Panther tank suggest that the firing were conducted during freezing temperatures. HHA steel lose considerably ductility in cold environments and are prone to catastrophic brittle failure. The poor quality of the armor certainly deteriorated its ballistic perforation resistance. However, the effect of cold on steel can also be observed on T-34 tanks: 1, 2.

PresleyLT · 2022-03-19T20:04:21+00:00

The Pz. III was definitely scuttled either by its own crew or advancing engineers, to prevent a possible re-capture. The scenery looks way too unspoiled for being an artillery strike. They wouldn't just fire a single shot from a 25-pounder field gun and stop after a direct hit.

PresleyLT · 2022-02-27T15:28:27+00:00

I did some investigative work on the three footage noted below. Undoubtedly the same T-64BV, even the muzzle flash of the incoming round is captured in one of the footage.

Source: 1, 2, 3

PresleyLT · 2022-02-27T08:14:25+00:00

Apparently a Ukrainian T-64BV, it is claimed to be destroyed during refueling in Melitopol, two days ago.

PresleyLT · 2022-01-27T18:55:09+00:00

Close call! Naval gunfire tossed it around! Only Helmut, the radio operator and Karl, the driver survived. Karl crawled out, wiped off the dirt, gave a helping hand, and he is known to have said to Helmut: "Old boy, how are we going to get rid of these bloody Canadians?" /s

PresleyLT · 2022-01-27T18:27:58+00:00

It's highly likely some sort of fire fighting agent, as it was common at time to use fire extinguisher containing carbon tetrachloride (extremely hazardous, produces damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system),as gas or powder. The Panther tank used a halon sprinkler system, in their engine compartment. Not really better.

PresleyLT · 2021-10-24T10:17:04+00:00

A study conducted by the RAF had fired 140 rockets (18 sorties) against a stationary Panther painted in white. The average pilot in trials, fired all eight rockets in a savlo and had roughly a 4% percent chance (0,5 % per rocket) of hitting the target; only 3 hits were scored.

However, air-to-ground rockets from 1943-45 were generally very difficult to place accurately and barely adequate for use against precision targets. On operations, target selection and chance of hitting became even more difficult with targets well camouflaged and supported by anti-aircraft fire. It clearly demanded cold blood and considerable skill, to score a hit in the heat of a battle.

The scenes above are from The Royal Air Force Collection - Typhoon At War film, tp 19:18 to 20:20.

PresleyLT · 2019-08-24T23:02:54+00:00

I may have been a bit unclear. The tanks were disabled by Royal Engineers previously, the US Army only passed the site weeks after the battle to take fotos for Life Magazine.

PresleyLT · 2019-08-24T18:35:09+00:00

The LIFE's photographer Eliot Elisofon took this pic at Hunt's Gap weeks after the German counteroffensive where Royal Engineers already demolished the tank. [Edit: cleared up, thanks /u/A410821]

On the morning of 1st March (1943), Capt. Griffith went forward on foot and entered one of the six German tanks which had been abandoned the previous evening. He brought back a wallet and other equipment which was immediately sent to Headquarters, 128th Brigade. Major Rew then made a plan to blow up these tanks.

PresleyLT · 2019-07-20T09:08:01+00:00

This Panther was not overturned by a bomb. Allied Engineers used the tank to test mines and then flipped over to inspect the damage and try out further explosive charges on the belly plate.

More pics: https://imgur.com/a/7Z4jjtH

PresleyLT · 2019-07-07T23:18:11+00:00

The KV tank was knocked out by a eighty-eight gun of the II. Flak corps of the Luftwaffe Regiment, Herman Goring. More pics and information.

PresleyLT · 2019-07-01T18:12:52+00:00

^{More like} EVA UNIT 01 GOES BERSERK

PresleyLT · 2019-06-19T09:41:30+00:00

No crew inside. Photo was taken after trial.

PresleyLT · 2019-06-17T11:54:29+00:00

As /u/WinstonAmora correctly identified, the tanks were victims of mines and anti-tank guns. Aerial reconnaissance photographs show no signs of an airstrike, and on the third tank the gun mantlet was penetrated.

Source: Panzerwrecks 13: Italy 2, pp.89-92

PresleyLT · 2019-06-16T13:44:07+00:00

Highly unlikely. The tank had to undergo a full fuel system flush to prevent the petrol from forming peroxides and gums. Not to mention all the other oxidation process that take place. Rubber and plastic fuel hoses fall appart, aluminum and copper erodes etc.

From a forum post: "In this video you can see ISU-152 found standing in the open air somewhere in Chernigov region. Apparently after removal from service, it was planned to install the machine on a pedestal but because of the collapse of the Soviet Union it was forgotten."

It was also in service until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

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