Military Versions.
The first military version of this one plus nine passenger aircraft appeared in 1971. Capable of carrying an assortment of bombs and MATRA 68-mm rocket pods along with two 7.62mm guns in the Counter Insurgency role on four wing pods. It was closely followed by the Maritime Defender , which was modified to house a search radar in its nose.
It also carried a parachute dingy rescue pack, loud speakers, flares and alternative weapons points. Both the speed and range of the aircraft remained similar to its civil version, the Islander. Range was increased with the options of two fuel tanks in place of the two inner 750Ib (317.5Kg) bombs to 1,723 miles (2, 772Km's).
Sales and exports were world-wide Angola, Ghana, Guyana, Israel, Jamaica, Malagasy Republic, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Thailand and Turkey.
Showing posts with label Angola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angola. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Gunboats to Fast Attack. Part-One.
The Smaller Navy?
One would like to think so, because big nations that have access to the seas or large lakes have Frigates, Corvettes and Minesweepers? But this is not so, the development of the Gunboat has matured into the FAC (Fast Attack Craft), these newer vessels are now usually armed with the latest missiles, radar and sonar.
The orgins of the FAC comes from the Cold War years, when the Soviet navy required their patrol boats to work against mini-subs in shallower waters and also to intercept at speed unidentified targets. The patrol boats of World War II were good up to a point, but they were limited compared to what is available today. Many countries initially received these new FAC Soviet boats, such as Angola, Cambodia, China, Vietnam, North-Korea and Cuba and from their on they made their own adaptions to meet their own requirements.
It was the rich Persian Gulf nations in the middle-east that preferred the FAC ability to change platforms and this opened the door to both the United States and Great Britain, with a few other countries to provide the latest versions.
One would like to think so, because big nations that have access to the seas or large lakes have Frigates, Corvettes and Minesweepers? But this is not so, the development of the Gunboat has matured into the FAC (Fast Attack Craft), these newer vessels are now usually armed with the latest missiles, radar and sonar.
The orgins of the FAC comes from the Cold War years, when the Soviet navy required their patrol boats to work against mini-subs in shallower waters and also to intercept at speed unidentified targets. The patrol boats of World War II were good up to a point, but they were limited compared to what is available today. Many countries initially received these new FAC Soviet boats, such as Angola, Cambodia, China, Vietnam, North-Korea and Cuba and from their on they made their own adaptions to meet their own requirements.
It was the rich Persian Gulf nations in the middle-east that preferred the FAC ability to change platforms and this opened the door to both the United States and Great Britain, with a few other countries to provide the latest versions.
Tuesday, 12 January 2016
Military Trucks. Part-Two.
Ever Changing World.
Most of the trucks that we looked at in Part-One of this series of articles have all over the years been in the process of standardisation for their compatibility to fit the NATO Lockheed Hercules C-130 transport aircraft.
But now we will take a look as what is available around the world and how they have either been exported or licensed built in other nations since, the break up of the old Soviet Warsaw Pact block in the 1990's.
The Czech Tatra T815 Kolos has been exported to India, while the 6X6 Tatrapan Armoured car was developed for the Slovak army.
Brazil is to soon replace its ageing Engesa EE-50 truck and variants, while it is still in Service in Angola. Western Star is the main producer for the Canadian armed forces, while the Austrian Styr is built in Canada under licence.
Most of the trucks that we looked at in Part-One of this series of articles have all over the years been in the process of standardisation for their compatibility to fit the NATO Lockheed Hercules C-130 transport aircraft.
But now we will take a look as what is available around the world and how they have either been exported or licensed built in other nations since, the break up of the old Soviet Warsaw Pact block in the 1990's.
The Czech Tatra T815 Kolos has been exported to India, while the 6X6 Tatrapan Armoured car was developed for the Slovak army.
Brazil is to soon replace its ageing Engesa EE-50 truck and variants, while it is still in Service in Angola. Western Star is the main producer for the Canadian armed forces, while the Austrian Styr is built in Canada under licence.
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