The Hoplite

Small Arms Survey Issue Brief: Profiling ammunition in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia

ARES Director N.R. Jenzen-Jones has co-authored an Issue Brief for the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based research institute, published in late July. With an aim to inform measures for reducing illicit proliferation, the paper discusses small arms ammunition found in the holdings of non-state armed groups within Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia. An excerpt from the

Continue Reading

Small Arms Survey Research Note 43: Producers of Small Arms, Light Weapons, & Ammunition

The Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based research institute, have released their latest Research Note, authored by ARES Director N.R. Jenzen-Jones. Examining the producers of small arms and light weapons and ammunition worldwide, this brief information sheet identifies 30 states which comprise some of the world’s major manufacturers. The note also identifies various countries producing guided

Continue Reading

Improvised MANPADS batteries employed in Syria

Michael Smallwood The above video, posted on the 24th of June, shows combatants near Syria’s western city of Hama firing a 9K32M (NATO reporting name: SA-7b) man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) with a non-standard battery attached. Other instances of improvised batteries being used with MANPADS have previously been documented in Syria, with one video released

Continue Reading

9K333 Verba MANPADS now in service with Russian military

Boris Karpa (MicroBalrog) The newest Russian man-portable air defence system (MANPADS), the 9K333 Verba (“Pussy Willow”) has been finally issued to the Russian armed forces, having made its appearance with the Ivanovo VDV division after passing Army testing in the summer of 2011 and being confirmed for production in late 2011. The Verba is an

Continue Reading

ZRP-2 mine-clearing line charges captured from Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine

Yuri Lyamin Amongst various arms and munitions recovered from pro-Russian separatists by Ukrainian forces in recent days, were ZRP-2 Tropa (‘Path’) man-portable mine-clearing line charges. ЗРП stands for ‘заряд разминирования переносной’, or ‘portable mine clearance charge’. The ZRP-2 is designed to create a breach in an antipersonnel minefield under combat conditions. Some modern mines have

Continue Reading

9M27K series cargo rockets used in Ukraine

N.R. Jenzen-Jones Armament Research Services (ARES) was provided earlier today with images showing the remnants of several artillery rockets in Slavyansk, Ukraine. These images show the nose cones and cargo sections belonging to 220 mm 9M27K series cluster munitions. Remains of 9M27K type rockets have previously been photographed in Syria, as identified by ARES here.

Continue Reading

IDF recover various weapons including improvised firearms in Nablus

Jonathan Ferguson Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldiers from the Yahalom (“Diamond”) special unit, recovered hundreds of weapons as well as quantities of ammunition and explosives during a raid in Nablus, West Bank, on 17 June. Prominently featured is an AR-15 with A1 style 20” barrel, A2 style handguards, and fitted with what appears to be a

Continue Reading

Pro-Russian separatists with 9K35 Strela-10 in Lugansk

Boris Karpa (MicroBalrog) Pro-Russian separatists in Lugansk have in their possession a 9K35 Strela-10 launch vehicle, likely captured from Ukrainian stores. In the below videos we can see the vehicle moving through Lugansk along with several BMP infantry fighting vehicles (IFV). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tk4Miv7EwU The Strela-10 (NATO reporting name: SA-13 Gopher) is a vehicle-based short-range surface-to-air missile

Continue Reading

9M55K cargo rockets and 9N235 submunitions in Ukraine

N.R. Jenzen-Jones Video and images circulating on social media networks and in various online forums suggest that 9M55K cargo rockets containing 9N235 fragmentation submunitions may have been used in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Armament Research Services (ARES) has previously documented these munitions in Syria. The 9M55K rocket is fired from the the 9K58 Smerch (Смерч; ‘Tornado’) 300

Continue Reading

Ukraine alleges Russian supply of 9M39 MANPADS missile to separatists

N.R. Jenzen-Jones & Michael Smallwood In a statement released yesterday, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs alleged proof of the illicit transfer of Russian produced Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) into the hands of pro-Russian separatist fighters in Ukraine. According to the Ministry, outer packaging for a 9M39 MANPADS missile was recovered on 6 June

Continue Reading