Short clip of the new version of the VT4 tank made for export markets that has an integrated UAV.

From the tweet:

A new Chinese 500 tons displacement Combat USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) arrived at Doumen, Zhuhai. This USV is armed with 4 vertical launch cells (VLS), close in weapon system (CIWS), advanced radars and Electronic Warfare censors and a landing pad at the rear supporting a VTOL UAV.

In other words, this is a unmanned missile boat, of which 24 equals one magazine's worth of an Arleigh-Burke Destroyer. Probably just tech demonstration or intended for export at the moment.

From globaltimes:

China to display HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system with ballistic missile intercepting capabilities at airshow for 1st time

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Nov 07, 2024 09:37 PM

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force is set to display for the first time the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system at the Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province to be held from November 12 to 17, 2024.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force will for the first time display the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system at the upcoming Airshow China 2024, to be held in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province from November 12 to 17.

Featuring large combat-protection coverage, strong defense penetration and countermeasure capabilities, the HQ-19 is China's new-generation surface-to-air missile system, and is mainly used to intercept ballistic missile targets in a region, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Thursday.

The launch vehicle

Lostarmour currently counts two Leopard 2s, though more will inevitably will accumulate as the counteroffensive goes on.

Military Watch Magazine's article on Beijing's Aviation Museum

I have a strong urge to watch youtubes with lines moving on maps.

There's some dude in my city that works by blacksmithing knives, so I thought I could tell him to do a specific one and it'd be nice to have one from a communist country, but I'm having a hard time finding some online. I've only found the NR-40 and NR-43 Soviet ones but they're not so pretty, to be honest.

How the workhorse of US imperialism works

Took some time today to flip through the 2024 Pentagon budget proposal, the unprecedented $842B budget.

1. Production isn't being dramatically increased
2. Increased $ topline comes from inflation and switch to more advanced variants

Something basic, like the JLTV will not only cost more for fewer vehicles (3108) but will likely miss production goals in 2023 (3311 out of 3721 projected).

Same story for the AMPV, which instead of the 72 for $380m will only see 43 deliveries this year. 2024 has 91 projected.

Certain systems like the M1 Abrams and the PIM sp-arty production will be increased but seem to be capped out at a production capacity limit. Note the increasing costs over last year's projections. 2024 budget reduces order numbers substantially, though additional upgrades slated

As for defensive systems, no new Patriots complexes, but research on the next iteration of the system has been funded with a dramatically larger R&D budget. As for interceptors, fewer will be bui

This is also by the same think-tank who claimed that in their wargames the US would be able to win a confrontation with China over Taiwan around 2027 so don't get your hopes up that they would be able to connect what the data says for future prognostications.

Title says all