[DevilDog#1]

D-30: Artillery
An all-purpose, towed artillery piece, the 122mm Russian D-30 is the standard armament for the mechanized forces of both Russia and China. Essentially the same weapon in both countries -- since China adopted the weapon in the 1980s and made little or no changes -- it is capable of firing both Chinese and Russian ammunition. The D-30 is an ideal weapon for taking out enemy troops and field shelters as well as clearing the way for a ground assault. Once in firing position, its revolving mount permits a full 360-degree traverse and high- and low-angles of fire, making the D-30 an effective anti-tank weapon. The D-30's maximum effective range is 15,000 meters.

First fielded in 1963, the Russian D-30 is used by more than 50 different countries including China, Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran.
Unlike most towed artillery, the D-30 is towed muzzle first; its unique three-leg carriage is folded under its barrel.
The D-30 can be equipped with infrared or night vision sights to enhance its use as an anti-tank gun.
HJ-8 (Chinese): Anti-tank missile
In the early 1980s, PLA doctrine dictated a need for a defense against US, European, and Russian tanks which, at that time, were far superior to China's. The PLA wanted a weapon that could be mounted on vehicles or aircraft or fired by a single infantryman using a tripod. In 1988, they introduced the HJ-8 "Red Arrow" anti-tank missile. Designed to seriously cripple and destroy armored vehicles, specifically main battle tanks, the HJ-8 is a tube-launched infrared tracked wire-guided missile. Comparable to the US TOW missile, the HJ-8 has a maximum range of over 3 km and packs a 3 kg warhead; it can easily pierce the strongest 800mm armor.
The HJ-8 is one of the few Chinese weapons that have been combat tested. Several missiles were used with great success by Muslim forces during the conflict in Bosnia.
The potential for a Soviet invasion along China's northern border became a real possibility in the early 1980s. Cold War politics helped China procure limited access to US and European anti-tank technologies, which hastened the development of the HJ-8.
IGLA: Stationary AA
The Russian SA-18, or "IGLA," is a short-range anti-aircraft defense missile designed to seriously damage or destroy low-flying aircraft and helicopters. Developed in the early 1980s, the IGLA is a more sophisticated missile than its infamous SA-16 predecessor. It has better resistance to infrared countermeasures, a wider engagement envelope, and a higher peak velocity when it closes the distance to its target. The IGLA can be fired from a man-portable tube launcher or a fixed battery. Its solid-propellant 12.5 kg missile has maximum range of 5,200 meters and a highly accurate infrared targeting capability, making it a definitive threat to any enemy aircraft in proximity.
The IGLA has been used extensively by Chechen rebels in their conflict with the Russian army. The Russians have lost at least two Mi-8 helicopters to the missile.
In late 2003, FBI counter-terrorist agents intercepted an IGLA man-portable launcher smuggled into the US. The missile was intended to be used in an attack against Air Force One.
Aircraft of the Middle East Coalition

Mi-17 Hip: Transport Helicopter
The workhorse of the Russian Army, the Mi-17 is a multi-role helicopter capable of transport, attack, air support, electronic warfare, and medical evacuation. Originally manufactured as the Mi-8 throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, the helicopter later received extensive upgrades and was renamed the Mi-17 in 1981. It is fitted with state-of-the-art electronics for safe operation in darkness or inclement weather, as well as more cargo space for equipment and personnel. It can carry up to 8,000 lbs of cargo or 30 armed troops. With six external mountings, the Mi-17 can be loaded with various combinations of missiles, rockets, or bombs -- or carry twin 23mm cannons.
The Russian Army has relied on the Mi-17 throughout its conflict with Chechnya, which began in 1994. It has been particularly successful at suppressing enemy radar and electronic armaments, such as guided air-to-air missiles.
More than 12,000 Mi-17 helicopters have been produced and more than 2,500 have been exported to nations worldwide. The helicopter is in service with more than 50 air forces.
Mi-28 Havok: Attack Helicopter

The Mi-28 Havok is the latest Russian Army Air Force innovation to replace an older aircraft; in this case the Mi-24 Hind, which has been in service for nearly 25 years. An all-weather, night-capable attack helicopter, the Havok can engage aerial targets in addition to mechanized infantry and main battle tanks, the helicopter's primary foe. The Havok is armed with wire-guided Ataka anti-tank missiles and Igla infrared-targeted air-to-air missiles, and can also carry up to four containers carrying twenty 80mm unguided rockets each. The pilot uses a helmet-mounted target designator to communicate targets to the navigator, who fires the appropriate weapon.
The Mi-28's prototype first flew in 1996. The first production version flew in early 2004.
The Havok's twin 2,200hp engines permit extreme aerial maneuvers such as loops and inverted pushovers. The Havok can also fly backwards or sideways at speeds up to 62 mph.
MiG-29 Fulcrum: Fighter

The MiG-29 Fulcrum is the newest and most technologically advanced fighter in Russia's inventory. Developed to counter Western fighters such as America's F-15 Eagle and F/A-18 Hornet, the Fulcrum has proven itself an equal to these planes in terms of maneuverability and firepower. Its twin turbofan engines provide it with excellent acceleration and climbing power, as well as superior low-speed turn rates in comparison with the American planes. The Fulcrum's most important advantage, however, is its infrared search and track system (IRST) used in conjunction with the pilot's helmet target designator. The IRST can track and lock a target, and the Fulcrum's missiles will follow the pilot's line of sight to the target.
Western intelligence analysts first sighted the MiG-29 in 1977, when it was photographed by a US reconnaissance satellite during one of the plane's early test flights.
In 1997, the United States purchased 21 MiG-29s from the Republic of Moldova in order to prevent their sale to Iran. The MiGs were flown to the National Air Intelligence Center in Ohio for adversary training and evaluation.
The MiG-29 was heavily exported by the Soviet Union and, currently, the Russian Republic. Among the countries flying the Fulcrum are Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, India, Iraq, and Iran -- though these last two countries fly the less-advanced models.
SU-34 Flanker: Fighter/Bomber

The SU-34 Flanker is a two-seat, long-range fighter/bomber built to replace earlier Soviet-era attack aircraft. Appearing in 1991, the Flanker was originally designed as a carrier-based aircraft. However, since the Russian navy no longer operates a ship capable of carrying the plane, the Flanker was re-designated as a land based strike fighter -- a role it fills with much success. Fitted with ten weapons stations under its wings, the Flanker can carry a range of missiles including air-to-air and air-to-ship, as well as guided and unguided bombs and rockets. The aircraft's distinctive flattened nose houses a terrain-avoidance, phased-array radar that allows the Flanker to fly safely even at very low altitudes.
Pilots sit side by side in the Flanker's nose and have access to a lavatory and small galley in the fuselage of the aircraft.
The Flanker is stabilized during low altitude missions with an automatic pitching oscillation suppression system, which keeps the aircraft's nose level with the terrain.
SU-39 Frogfoot: Attack Aircraft

To ensure the safety and success of Russian troops involved in post-Cold War local and regional conflicts, the SU-39 was developed to provide "surgical," low-level close-in air support. A heavily armored attack platform, the SU-39 can deploy a number of precision weapons and countermeasure systems against its targets. It can carry various combinations of 16 guided air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles or rockets -- or a full complement of the powerful Russian Vikhr anti-tank missile, which is capable of hitting a moving target at 10 km. A computer-assisted weapon system allows the plane to automatically track and fire on fixed or moving targets and produces electronic countermeasures (ECM) to protect itself and friendly aircraft or tanks from guided missile attack.
The SU-39 went into full production in 1990 and first saw action in Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
In addition to its ECM capability, the SU-39 can dispense infrared decoy projectiles which jam infrared-targeted missile systems.
The SU-39's rugged airframe allows it to safely take off and land -- even with a combat payload -- from poorly paved or earthen runways.