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The MiG-23ML/MLA (NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a Soviet third-generation fighter jet. Designed to address the shortcomings of the previous MiG-23M/MF, the MiG-23ML variant features a lighter airframe, an improved and more powerful engine, additional countermeasure dispensers, enhanced avionics, and more effective weaponry when compared to the standard MiG-23s. The MiG-23ML is functionally identical to the German MiG-23MLA, and the MLA will be referred to as the ML in this article.
The Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon (Block 10 Tranche 2), Typhoon FGR.4, and F-2000A are 4.5th generation fighter jets with exceptional versatility and advanced technology, found in the German, British, and Italian tech trees. Equipped with AIM-120B AMRAAMs and AIM-9M Sidewinders, they excel in both long-range and close-quarters air combat. On the ground attack side, the Typhoons boast an impressive arsenal, including advanced guided bombs and missiles, making them equally devastating against ground targets.
The Mirage 5BA aircraft were procured by Belgium in the late 1960s to replace the outdated (R)F-84Fs, which were serving primarily as fighter-bombers in the Belgian Air Force. The Mirage was selected from a range of options, including the F-5A, A-4E, and Draken. Belgium became the largest user of the Mirage 5 in history, with over 100 of the type in its inventory.
In the early 1960s, the West German Bundeswehr used the aging M41 Walker Bulldog as their primary reconnaissance tank. There was a clear need for a more modern, capable tank to fulfill this role. As a result, the Spähpanzer Ru 251, a light reconnaissance tank based on the Kanonenjagdpanzer 4-5 tank destroyer, was developed as a potential replacement. The Ru 251 was a fast, agile light tank, but it never reached full production, as it was overshadowed by the emerging Leopard 1 main battle tank.
The Merkava Mk.4M "Meil Ru'ach" is an Israeli indigenous MBT, designed and manufactured by Mantak and the IDF Ordinance Corps. Prioritizing crew protection and survivability over all other aspects, the tank has a frontally mounted engine to shield the crew and a well-balanced armor layout. When compared to the preceding Merkava Mk.4B/LIC, the Merkava Mk.4M is upgraded to use the venerable Trophy APS to protect the tank from ATGMs and other guided munitions. The Merkava has the potential to be a formidable weapon in the hands of a skilled player, but it demands more expertise from players to achieve success compared to other MBTs, primarily due to its weak armor.
The Finnish Air Force (FAF) has never impressed with its quantity of vehicles or personnel. However, as with any small military force, quality of equipment, training, and doctrine has thus been priority. The Bf 109s acquired during the Continuation War, and the lessons they taught, are a prime example of this. The following article aims to open the history behind this acquisition, its effects and aftermath: overall, what the “Mersu” did for Finland.
During the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the unexpected appearance of the Russian-built Tupolev SB-2 bomber in Chinese skies caught the Japanese Army off guard. The SB-2's speed at altitude was nearly equal to that of the Nakajima Ki-27, which had only just been introduced to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF). This performance gap rendered the SB-2 almost impervious to Japanese fighter interception, leaving a significant impression on Japanese military planners. Thus, the Kawasaki Ki-48 was conceptualized in 1937 as a Japanese equivalent of the Soviet-built bomber.