ICM

The main burden of the full-scale war that began in February 2022 fell on the Ground Forces of Ukraine. These include mechanized, motorized infantry, mountain, tank, and artillery brigades. However, the most active participation in combat operations is...

The Stugna-P anti-tank missile system was developed by the Ukrainian design bureau Luch. The system is designed to engage tanks and other armored targets with a high level of protection, and it can also engage helicopters. The range of fire on ground...

The modern Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were created in 2016 on the basis of existing units and subunits, most of which already had some combat experience. As of the summer of 2023, the Ukrainian Special Operations...

In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as in other armies of the world, the tasks of sapper units include conducting engineering reconnaissance of the area, equipping and removing minefields. Ukrainian sappers also provide engineering support to their units...

The Air Assault Forces of Ukraine were created in 2017 on the basis of the existing Highly Mobile Landing Troops, which at that time already had its own separate command. According to their purpose, the units and subunits of the Air Assault Forces are...

As of October 2023, there were almost 43 thousand female servicemen in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukraine has one of the highest rates of women in the armed forces among the armies of the world, including NATO armies. In the past, women primarily...

The Armed Forces of Ukraine boast a variety of tanks, both domestic and Western-made. Despite the abundance of modern anti-tank weapons, tanks remain a formidable force on the battlefield. They are utilized by the Ground and Air Assault Forces, the...

Combat units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine operate different types of tanks. Until recently, most of them were tanks of Soviet design (T-64, T-72, T-80 and their modifications). Starting in 2023, Western-made combat vehicles began to enter the tank...

In the first days after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, firefighters fought the blaze by pouring water over the fire and sprinkling the ignition chambers with sand and pebbles. This helped to prevent potentially terrible consequences...

The aviation of Imperial Japan during World War II were organizationally part of the ground forces and navy. In 1940, the army’s aviation units numbered 36 fighter, 50 bomber, and 29 reconnaissance squadrons, and their personnel numbered 33,000...

On the eve of the Second World War, the Royal Air Force was organizationally divided into Nome Command and Overseas Command. The Overseas Command, in turn, included the Air Forces of the Middle East, Palestine, Transjordan, Iraq, Aden, the...

In the period between the two world wars, the development of the British Air Force was primarily focused on developing defensive capabilities. However, with the adoption of the rearmament programme in October 1938, the strike component of the air force...

The Soviet I-153 biplane fighter, also known as “Chaika,” was created in 1938 by the Polikarpov Design Bureau. It was an advancement of the I-15 fighter line, featuring retractable landing gear (unlike the fixed gear of the I-15), and was...

The Mistel Strike Aircraft Complex was a high-powered guided attack aircraft. The combat component of the complex was the Ju 88 bomber, which was fitted with a large warhead with an explosive material weighing between 1,800 and 2,000 kg instead of a...

The Ki-21 bomber, also known as the Sully during World War II, was developed by Mitsubishi designers in accordance with the requirements set by the General Aviation Directorate. The first prototype of the aircraft took off on December 18, 1936, and...

The Ki-21 pre-production bomber made its first flight in late 1936. Serial production of its first modification, the Ki-21-Ia, began in 1938, the same year the aircraft made its combat debut. Air units of the Imperial Japanese Army, which were equipped...

The Army Aviation of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II was tasked with supporting ground unit operations and engaging enemy aircraft. The strike force of the aviation included bombers of various types, among which were the Ki-21, known to...

The main short-ranged reconnaissance and artillery fire correcting plane of the German Luftwaffe on the initial stage of WWII was Henschel Hs 126. The Hs 126 was designed by Dipl. Ing. Fr. Nicolaus of the Henschel Flugzeugwerke. The first prototype...

Difficulties encountered in the use of cargo gliders and a shortage of aircraft to tow them led to the creation of a motorised version of the Go 242, the Go 244 transport aircraft. These medium-sized transport aircraft were converted Gotha Go 242...

After successful airborne operations at the beginning of World War II, the Luftwaffe decided to develop amphibious transport gliders with increased capacity and payload. One of them was the Go-242 glider designed by Gotha. It could carry 21 paratroopers...

The Go 242A1 amphibious transport glider was designed to deliver military units to the rear of the enemy. It could carry 21 fully equipped soldiers, and as a transport – military cargo, for example, an army car or a field gun. The cargo...

During World War I, the belligerent sides used enemy aircraft as fully functional combat units. In addition to purely combat use, the captured technology helped assess the technological development level of the enemy and identify its strengths and...

In early 1942, the Luftwaffe command became obvious the need to create an anti-tank aircraft that could hit the armor of Soviet medium and heavy tanks. In the summer of 1942, a decision was made to convert a small batch of Ju 88A-4 bombers into...

The Luftwaffe relied heavily on bomb-armed aircraft in its concept of naval warfare. However, over time, the need for aircraft with torpedo armament became apparent, which made it possible to effectively perform missions to hit sea targets. As of 1941,...

During the WWII balloons with steel cables were used in the air defense system of Great Britain to protect against German air raids. Such barriers prevented the free passage of aircraft and were dangerous for Luftwaffe pilots. To combat such barriers,...

In the beginning of 30s it was appeared in the world an idea of high-speed bomber that could outstrip contemporary fighters. One of the objectifications of this conception became the twin-engine bomber Ju 88 designed by a German Junkers Flugzeug –...

In the beginning of 30s it was appeared in the world an idea of high-speed bomber that could outstrip contemporary fighters. One of the objectifications of this conception became the twin-engine bomber Ju 88 designed by a German Junkers Flugzeug –...

In the beginning of 30s appeared the conception of high-speed bomber that could outstrip contemporary fighters. One of these bombers was a German aircraft Dornier Do 17. The first flight of the Do17V-1 that was announced as passenger plane, took place in...

In the beginning of 30s it was appeared in the world an idea of high-speed bomber that could outstrip contemporary fighters. One of the objectifications of this conception became the twin-engine bomber Do 17 designed by a German Dornier Flugzeugwerke...

One of the most numerous and famous aircraft in the world aviation history was the Polikarpov U-2. It was designed as basic training aircraft. The maiden flight was in June 1927. Since early 30s U-2 became the real “flying deck” for...

One of the most numerous and famous aircraft in the world aviation history was the Polikarpov U-2. It was designed as basic training aircraft. The maiden flight was in June 1927. Since early 30s U-2 became the real “flying deck” for...

One of the most massive and famous aircraft in the history of world aviation was the U-2, designed by N.N. Polikarpov. It was designed as an initial training aircraft. The first flight took place in June 1927. At the beginning of the 1930s, the U-2...

In the beginning of 30s it was appeared in the world an idea of high-speed bomber that could outstrip contemporary fighters. One of the objectifications of this conception became the twin-engine bomber He 111 designed by a German Heinkel Flugzeugwerke...

In the beginning of 30s it was appeared in the world an idea of high-speed bomber that could outstrip contemporary fighters. One of the objectifications of this conception became the twin-engine bomber He 111 designed by a German Heinkel Flugzeugwerke...

In the beginning of 30s it was appeared in the world an idea of high-speed bomber that could outstrip contemporary fighters. One of the objectifications of this conception became the twin-engine bomber He 111 designed by a German Heinkel Flugzeugwerke...

In July 1940, the Battle of Britain began. This was the name given to the German military operation aimed at conquering the airspace over southern England. According to the German command, this was to undermine the morale of the British people. To...

One of the He 111H-20 aircraft has a remarkable history. Built as a transport variant of one of the Luftwaffe’s most widely produced bombers, it was manufactured in 1944 with factory number 701152. During the final days of World War II in Europe,...

In 1914, renowned German airship manufacturer Count Zeppelin established a special design bureau within his company, led by Claudius Dornier. This bureau later evolved into Dornier—one of the Third Reich’s leading aircraft manufacturing...

The development of the Do 217M-1 bomber was driven by a shortage of BMW 801D engines, which were originally intended for the Do 217K-1 variant. By 1943, the territory of the Reich was already under heavy bombardment by Allied air forces, and the BMW...

Before their appearance in Vietnam, the B-26K Counter Invader strike aircraft managed to fight in another part of the world – in the Congo. In the 1960s, this Central African country found itself in a state of civil war. The United States of...

The B-26K Counter Invader aircraft began entering service with the US Air Force in the spring of 1964. Until April 1965, the USAF received all ordered copies. By this time, the American armed forces in Vietnam were in dire need of an anti-guerrilla...

The A-26 Invader, produced in 1942-1945, was one of the best American twin-engine bombers of World War II. It was used during the fighting in the Pacific, and in the fall of 1944 the US Air Force began its combat use in Western Europe. In 1945 he also...

The AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter undoubtedly became one of the symbols of the Vietnam War. Created as a specialized attack helicopter, it began combat operations in the spring of 1967 and immediately demonstrated its high combat capabilities. Equipped...

The OV-10A Bronco was designed as a light multipurpose attack aircraft. Its missions were to strike at ground targets, provide close air support to its troops and reconnaissance. It could also serve as a forward observation and guidance aircraft. The...

The aircraft was a deeply modernized version of the OV-10A aircraft. The main difference was the installation of a forward-looking night vision system with a rotating camera under an extended nose. In the tail booms were mounted devices for shooting...

The intense nature of the fighting in Vietnam required a quick response from the aviation, which was involved in the direct support of the troops. Bronco light attack aircraft and AH-1G attack helicopters fully met these requirements. Thus, the OV-10A...

In 1970, two OV-10A Bronco aircraft were modified to evaluate their nighttime combat capabilities. The modification was designated NOGS—Night Observation Gunship System. The aircraft received an extended nose section with a turret housing a...

The Bristol Beaufort torpedo-bomber, which was widely used in the RAF Coastal Command, was also a part of the air units of the British Dominion countries. Thus, in August 1941, the 489th squadron was formed from pilots of the Royal New Zealand Air Force...

The Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber began to arrive at the RAF Coastal Command in late 1939, and the following spring they began to see combat. The aircraft carried out aerial mining of sea harbors, conducted day and night torpedo attacks, and bombed...

The supply of Bristol Beaufort Mk.I torpedo bombers to the Coastal Command of the RAF began in November 1939. They were immediately utilized in combat operations during the early stages of World War II. In addition to their primary role of torpedo...

The Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber was developed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was a four-seat, twin-engine aircraft with a mid-wing configuration and an all-metal structure. Its defensive armament included a rearward-facing machine gun turret...

American twin-engine medium bomber B-26, manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company, was designed and created in 1939 under the requirements of the US Army Air Corps for a new high-speed medium bomber. Initially, the project was called Model 179. The...

On April 26, 1943, the B-26B-25-MA bomber with serial number 41-31773 rolled off the assembly line at the Glenn L. Martin Company plant in Middle River. By the end of May that year, the aircraft and its crew arrived in England, where they were assigned...

American twin-engine medium bomber B-26, manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company, was designed and created in 1939 under the requirements of the US Army Air Corps for a new high-speed medium bomber. Initially, the project was called Model 179. The...

The B-26G Marauder modification was produced by the Glenn L. Martin Co. in Middle River, Maryland, and became the final variant in the Marauder line. The aircraft featured a modified wing angle—raised by 3.5 degrees. This change was intended to...

At the beginning of World War II, U.S. aviation possessed aircraft of varying types and sophistication levels. While American fighters initially lacked significant advantages over enemy aircraft, designers soon created outstanding combat planes to...

The B-26F Marauder’s most significant modification was its redesigned wing structure. By increasing the angle of attack by 3.5 degrees, the engines gained a slight upward tilt. This change shortened the takeoff run by about 90 meters, reduced...

At the end of 1968, the U.S. Army awarded contracts to several companies for the development of a multi-role tactical transport helicopter. This program was called UTTAS (Utility Tactical Transport Air System), and the following requirements were set: a...

In 1976, Sikorsky won a competitive program to create a multi-role tactical transport helicopter, which later received the military designation UH-60 Black Hawk (the model’s series designation was Sikorsky S-70). Starting in 1979, the helicopter...

Before February 2022, the Ukrainian army and other security forces primarily operated Soviet-made helicopters, with the majority consisting of Mi-8 transport helicopters and Mi-24 combat helicopters. However, in February 2023, photos and videos emerged...

Operation Gothic Serpent In 1988, civil war erupted in Somalia, plunging the country into terror and chaos while combat operations triggered widespread famine. Early 1993 negotiations between warring parties failed to achieve peace. The American command...

In 1948 the USAF (United States Air Force) signed a contract with the Ryan company to develop a jet-powered unmanned aircraft intended as a target for training purposes. The prototype drone, named XQ-2, made its first flight in 1951. Following...