War Mechanic

Marietta GA (SPX) Dec 15, 2005 Lockheed Martin's F-22A Raptor, the world's only 5th generation fighter aircraft, surpassed a monumental milestone Thursday when the United States Air Force declared that the Raptor has reached initial operational capability. General Ronald E. Keys, Commander of Air Combat Command, made the historic announcement at Langley Air Force Base, Va., from a Raptor hangar near his headquarters. "The F-22A fulfills a long quest to bring 5th generation capabilities of stealth, supercruise, and precision to the warfighter today and for decades to come," said General Keys in an Air Force news release. "If we go to war tomorrow, the Raptor will go with us." The Air Force is now capable of deploying and supporting 12 F-22A Raptor aircraft anywhere in the world to execute air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The Raptor is also qualified to perform homeland defense missions when required. "It's another great day for ou

NORINCO Type 69 MET   DEVELOPMENT Type  69 series  is a  further development by NORINCO  (China North  Industries  Corporation )  of the  earlier Type 59  and  was first seen in public during 1982. It has been exported insignificant num bers to Iraq. Layout is conventional, with driver front left, some ammunition to his right, turret centre, engine and transmission rear. Commander and gunner sit left of turret, loader right Both loader and commander  have  a  cupola. Type  69  1  has a smooth  bore gun .Type  69  II has a rifled gun. Both  have  powered  elevation  from - 5°  to + 18°  with  turret traverse  through 360 ° .Types  of ammunition  for Type 69  II include HEAT , HE , A P D S and APFSDS . A 7 . 62 mm  MG  is mounted coaxial  with  main  armament  and  a  similar ,  driver -operated weapon is fixed in glacis plate  firing  forward s. The 12.7 mm  AA MG is manned  by loader. Type  69 lays its own smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into its exhaust  pipe