Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: kp74615@nokikana.tut.fi (Karri Tapani Palovuori)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Finnish arms
Message-ID: <15574@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 14 Apr 90 04:11:05 GMT
References: <15491@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: Tampere University of Technology, Finland
Lines: 39
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: kp74615@nokikana.tut.fi (Karri Tapani Palovuori)

In article <15491@cbnews.ATT.COM> SHUEE%IUCF.BITNET@UICVM.uic.edu writes:
>
> Could our friends in Finnland please tell us about the reliablity and over-
>all impresions of the Soviet made weapons they use? I have heard lot's of
>stories, but not from anybody who has gotten to use or be around a wide cross
>section of both eastern and western equipment.         Thank's
>SHUEE@IUCF

The sole reason for buying Soviet weapons is politics. That should say it
all.

Soviet equipment are VERY robust. The idea: the guns fire every time,
where the grenade hits isn't so important. Well actually they don't fire
every time ;-)

Typically Soviet arms, vehicles etc. are both designed and constructed
poorly. One example I learned to know during my army time, was Soviet
'armoured' (what a joke) attack vehicle BTR-60. The armour stops rifle
bullets - sometimes. The only exits are on the roof (and it was designed
for fast commando transportations). The engine(s) deliver 180 horse powers.
You can figure out how much that is when the vehicle weights 11 tons!!!
Imagine your car (let's say 1000 kg) with 16 horse powers. Oh yes, and
it consumes 200 liters of 92 oct gasoline per 100 km. When driving on
road!

And that was only one example. Very often Soviet equipment are modified
HEAVILY by us to make them usable. After all, we didn't get them free.

For defence purposes we have western (including Finnish) equipment.

Karri

P.S. Read the book 'Cold Will' by (some NATO general, can't remember the
name) and find out what makes us strong. We have beated the Soviets
two times now. We will beat them the third time, if necessary.