Tag Archives: Vietnam

Tanks In The Vietnam War: What Role Did They Play?

The struggle in Vietnam would see the deployment of America’s most superior tank but: the M48 Patton. The Patton was a part of a large Army tank modernization challenge to confront Soviet tanks extra successfully (in any case, it was additionally the Cold War). The M48 was armed with a 90mm most important gun and .30 and .50 caliber machine weapons. The tank was wrapped in armor that ranged from 120mm thick within the entrance to 44mm within the rear and will obtain a prime velocity of 30 mph. The U.S. would deploy the primary M48s to Vietnam in March 1965 at Da Nang with over 600 finally discovering their method to the struggle.

The M48 Patton and all of its variants weren’t alone in Vietnam. Though not a tank, the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) was the counterpart to the M48 and a necessity for U.S. troops within the struggle. Developed within the Nineteen Fifties, the M113 had mild armor of between 12mm and 38mm thick with a .50 caliber Browning machine gun. It was manned by a crew of two and will transport as much as 11 troopers. The APC would first arrive in Vietnam in 1962 with many variations showing throughout its service to fill varied wants. These included the addition of M60 machine weapons, flamethrowers, and even Vulcan 20mm Gatling weapons.

How The MIG-19 Inspired China’s Nanchang Q-5 Ground Attack Aircraft

During the Vietnam War, the MIG-19 didn’t ship on its excessive price ticket. Analyzing its reception on the time, Michael Peck of The National Interest observes, “Intensive maintenance requirements and difficult handling characteristics proved unpopular with the Soviets and many of their allies, such as North Vietnam.” Yet, China had a special opinion. Peck writes, “Strangely, China proved quite fond of the MIG-19.”

China purchased a whole bunch of MIG-19s and even had its personal manufacturing facility. It’s nearly sure that China wasn’t simply shopping for and constructing the MIG-19 for fight service. At the time, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s finest house designs could not match the pace and low-altitude efficiency of the MIG-19. Many different international locations have been additionally counting on the MIG-19’s superior engineering, similar to North Korea where it’s still used today

With conflicts in Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan raging within the mid-Twentieth century, the PRC wanted one thing extremely maneuverable for floor assaults and shut air help. The MIG-19 was the proper mannequin. Plus, if China might get its title on a contemporary supersonic jet (albeit one which “borrowed” its tech from Soviet engineers), it will be a logo of its world energy.

Overview: United States Air Combat Victories from Vietnam to Present

Over the past 50 years, the number of air combat victories against manned aircraft has significantly decreased since the United States’ withdrawal from Vietnam. Examining the types of conflicts the country has been involved in sheds light on the reasons behind this decline. Despite ongoing armed conflicts, the prevalence of air combat has diminished due to various factors. In previous major conflicts, such as World War II, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam, the United States and its allies faced the air power of entire countries like Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, North Korea, and North Vietnam. However, recent conflicts primarily involve non-state actors like ISIS or Al-Qaeda, as well as smaller forces with limited air power, such as the U.S. Invasion of Panama. Additionally, the utilization of drones and the introduction of modern technologies like Chinese surveillance balloons have significantly reduced manned air combat. These developments have contributed to fewer instances where U.S. aircraft have engaged in combat.

Despite having the world’s most advanced fleet of aircraft, only a small fraction of these jets have participated in combat. Nevertheless, in rare instances where U.S. pilots have engaged in combat, they have consistently emerged as victorious.