Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!rutgers!att!cbnews!military From: kiravuo@kampi.hut.fi (Timo Kiravuo) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Low Tech Warfare (1 of 5) Message-ID: <11971@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 5 Dec 89 03:55:09 GMT References: <11729@cbnews.ATT.COM> <11823@cbnews.ATT.COM> Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Computing Center Lines: 54 Approved: military@att.att.com From: kiravuo@kampi.hut.fi (Timo Kiravuo) Finland is not exactly a low-tech country, but neither are we as machinebound as the US. A big difference is that we have a conscript army, so manpower is more plentiful and not as trained as in some professional armies. Transport is maybe most interesting thing. Each man is usually issued a bike and skis. At least in peacetime, when stores are plentiful. At winter you can go anywhere with skis and at summer a bike can get you to places where no four-wheeled machine will go. Also both are rather silent and simple to use. In case of war farm tractors are most likely to used for transport, trucks also. But those things are never counted on. They are used if available, but the war is supposed to go on without. Myself I was in coastal artillery, and though we sometimes had to transport heavy ammuniton, I can't remember ever seeing a forklift. If it is heavy, use two men, if it is really heavy, use more men. :-) A six-inhcers's grenade weighs about 100 lbs and those were loaded by hand, by one man. Especially strong men were selected for that job. It is faster that way, too. Some of our more modern guns have automatic loaders, but who can afford to modernize everything? These Russian (not Soviet, Russian really) guns have worked well for over half a century, no need to change something that works. Winter fighting is also quite low tech. Sleeping bags are too expensive and require too much care. Not to mention having individual tents. Just take one big tent and a wood burning stove. Wood is plentiful in most parts of the country and you need only a blanket for each man. (And hope that the enemy does not have infrared equipment.) Getting cold? Well, there are usually always old newspapers available, put those under your clothes. We is currently planning to renew our fighters. Every US fighter has palyed itself out by being too high-tech. We need a plane that can use country roads as airfield and does not require too much ground crew. Swedish JAS has about the right idea, but it won't be ready in time, I'm afraid. French Mirage (don't know the model) is quite likely to be selected. A small country with a limited budget and few professional people can not afford to be too technical. Also there are many advantages in that. Not as many things to break or cause trouble. If you stay low-tech, you don't have such a high fall, when everything breaks. -- Timo Kiravuo Helsinki University of Technology, Computing Center work: 90-451 4328, home: 90-676 076 kiravuo@hut.fi sorvi::kiravuo kiravuo%hut.fi@uunet.uu.net