The Scorpion Tank - once the mainstay of the Indonesian Army Cavalry Corps

The Scorpion Tank is a light tank manufactured by the British company Alvis Vehicles, purchased by Indonesia in the 1990s. Indonesia has approximately 100 Scorpion tanks (specifically the Scorpion-90 variant) operated by the Indonesian Army Cavalry Corps.

Main Specifications (Scorpion-90)

Armament: Uses a 90mm Cockerill Mk III M-A1 cannon, unlike the standard British version, which only uses a 76mm cannon.

Weight & Dimensions: Very light for an armored vehicle, weighing only around 8.07 tons, with a length of 4.9 meters and a width of 2.2 meters.

Speed: Capable of maneuvering at speeds of up to 76–80 km/h.

Crew: Operated by a crew of three (Commander, Gunner, and Driver).

Material: The tank's hull is made of a special aluminum alloy, making it rust-resistant and extremely lightweight.

Advantages & Mobility

Its compact design makes this tank perfectly suited to Indonesia's geography. The Scorpion tank can cross small bridges, maneuver through narrow roads, and is air-transportable for rapid inter-island mobilization.

The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) procured the Scorpion tank during the New Order era in the mid-1990s as part of the Army Cavalry Corps' primary weapons system (alutsista) rejuvenation and modernization plan.

President Soeharto officially approved this purchase project on September 20, 1994. The purchase of this light tank, manufactured by Alvis Vehicles (UK), was carried out in two main phases.

Phase I (1995 Contract): The first contract was signed on January 13, 1995, between the Indonesian Army (on behalf of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense) and Alvis Vehicles Limited, UK, with a contract value of £78.93 million. The first batch of tanks arrived in waves from July 1995 to September 1996.

Phase II (1996 Contract): Indonesia continued the second phase of procurement for the 1996–1997 fiscal year using an Export Credit (EC) facility worth USD 125 million. The tanks in this second phase were delivered between January 1998 and February 1999.

International Controversy and Domestic Scandal

Embargo: The British government sold these tanks with a written condition that Scorpion tanks could not be used for internal security operations or to suppress domestic separatist movements. When the Indonesian Army deployed Scorpion tanks to Aceh during the 2003 Military Operation against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the UK lodged a strong protest, which disrupted diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Markup Issue: After the fall of the New Order regime, this procurement was highlighted by international media (such as The Guardian) and investigated in Indonesia. Allegations of bribery and price inflation for defense equipment amounting to millions of pounds sterling have surfaced, implicating the Cendana family, the purchasing agent at the time.

Despite political and diplomatic controversy, the Scorpion-90 tank has remained a reliable mainstay of the Indonesian Army's cavalry since the late 1990s, before the arrival of more modern tanks.

"M10 Booker: When Billions of Dollars End in Failure"

The M10 Booker is the latest armored fighting vehicle or assault gun developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) for the United States Army. Although visually and physically very similar to a light tank, the US Army officially categorizes it as a Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) vehicle, not a Main Battle Tank (MBT).

Primary Functions

Infantry Support: Specifically designed to support Infantry Brigade Combat Teams.

Obstacle Destruction: Tasked with suppressing and destroying enemy fortifications, bunkers, trenches, and weapons systems.

Supplementary Protection: Provides secondary protection for infantry troops against enemy light armor.

Main Technical Specifications

Armament: Equipped with a 105 mm main gun (modeled after the M35) and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun.

Fire Control System: Uses a sophisticated system similar to the M1A2 Abrams tank, providing high accuracy and nighttime thermal vision capabilities.

Weight & Mobility: Weighing approximately 38 to 42 tons, this is significantly lighter than the Abrams, allowing two M10 Bookers to be transported simultaneously on a single C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft.

Speed: Capable of speeds up to 60 km/h (36 mph) with an operational range of approximately 560 km.

History and Development.

The M10 Booker stemmed from the US Army's need to fill a gap in its post-Cold War infantry combat capabilities, but the program underwent significant changes until its surprise cancellation.

The following is a chronological timeline of the vehicle's development:

1. Background (2013–2015)

Fires Gap: Since the retirement of the M551 Sheridan light tank in 1996, US light infantry and airborne forces have lacked an armored vehicle with a large, maneuverable gun.

New Strategy: In September 2015, the US Army released a combat vehicle modernization strategy document. They identified that Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) lacked protected direct fire support to penetrate enemy fortifications and bunkers.

2. Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) Program (2016–2017)

Program Launch: To address this issue, the US Army launched a competitive program called Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF).

Initial Specifications: Key criteria initially included high air mobility (carryable by cargo aircraft), adequate artillery protection, and carrying a large-caliber weapon to penetrate enemy defenses.

3. Fierce Competition Between Two Giants (2018–2022)

Selected Candidates: In late 2018, the US Army selected two defense giants to build prototypes: BAE Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS).

Field Trials: Beginning in 2020, prototypes from both vendors were tested live by soldiers to evaluate their performance.

Contract Award: In June 2022, GDLS's proposal, based on the Griffin II combat vehicle platform, was officially awarded the contract. The US Army ordered an initial batch of 96 vehicles.

4. Name Announcement and Initial Production (2023–2024)

On June 9, 2023, coinciding with the US Army's anniversary, the MPF vehicle was officially named the M10 Booker.

Origin of the Name: The name "Booker" honors two U.S. Army soldiers who died in battle: Private Robert D. Booker: Killed in World War II (1943) and received the Medal of Honor. Staff Sergeant Stevon A. Booker: Killed in the Iraq War (2003) during Operation Thunder Run in Baghdad and received the Distinguished Service Cross.

First Deliveries: Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) units began being delivered to the U.S. military for further operational testing in February 2024.

5. Technical Issues and Program Cancellation (2025)

Operational Challenges: Several critical issues emerged during testing. These included toxic gas leaks from the cannon into the turret after firing, as well as engine overheating under high-performance conditions.

Deviations from Concept: The biggest challenge centered on the vehicle's weight. Originally envisioned as an agile, airdroppable "light tank," the M10 Booker has ballooned to a nearly 42-ton vehicle (close to a heavy tank).

Official Termination: In May 2025, the US Secretary of Defense took the decisive step of officially canceling the M10 Booker project through a weapons procurement reform memorandum. The multibillion-dollar project was halted due to its perceived inefficiency, overburdened design, and overly overlapping duties with the Abrams main battle tank. The approximately 80 vehicles that had already been produced were eventually reclassified.

The world's first military submarine

 The world's first military submarine used in combat was the Turtle, designed by American inventor David Bushnell in 1776. This vessel was used by American colonial forces to attack British warships during the American War of Independence.

Here's a timeline of the evolution of military submarines over time to get a more complete picture:

The First Military Submarines in History

The Turtle (1776): Uniquely shaped like a walnut or egg, this vessel was manually propelled using paddles and designed for a single crew. Its mission was to secretly attach explosives to the hulls of enemy ships underwater.

It was launched on September 7, 1776. The target was the British warship HMS Eagle. The mission failed due to the inability to attach the explosives to the hull.

The Turtle

Nautilus (1800): Designed by Robert Fulton for the French Navy, it was one of the first submarines to use an internal steering system and carry advanced explosives.

Nautilus

The First Modern Military Submarine

If the benchmark is a modern military submarine officially adopted into a structured naval fleet, then that status is held by:

USS Holland (SS-1)

USS Holland (SS-1): Officially commissioned by the United States Navy on October 12, 1900. Designed by John Philip Holland, this vessel was the world's first modern military submarine, combining an internal combustion engine (gasoline) for surface propulsion and a battery-powered electric motor for submersion. This submarine became the forerunner of the design of today's global submarine fleet.

The BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fellow) - B-52

The largest and heaviest bomber currently in service with the United States military is the Big Ugly Fat Fellow—the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.

Key Specifications of the B-52 Stratofortress

Wingspan: 56.4 meters (185 feet)

Fuselage length: 48.5 meters (159 feet 4 inches)

Empty weight: Approximately 83,915 kilograms

Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW): Up to 221,353 kilograms

Weapons payload capacity: Up to 31,751 kilograms (70,000 pounds) of bombs and missiles.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress was designed in the late 1940s as a long-range, nuclear-capable strategic bomber to replace the B-36 Peacemaker.

Origins and Cold War Era 1948 (Early Design Sketch):

Boeing initially proposed a turboprop-powered bomber design. However, the US Air Force (USAF) demanded greater speed. Over the course of a single weekend at a hotel, a team of Boeing engineers completely transformed the design into a swept-wing jet with eight jet engines.

1952 (First Flight): The YB-52 prototype first flew on April 15, 1952.

1955 (Entering Active Service): The B-52 officially entered service under the US Strategic Air Command (SAC) to serve as a key pillar of nuclear deterrence during the Cold War.

Variant Evolution and Modifications: Variants A through G:

Initial upgrades focused on increased fuel capacity, radar systems, and tail modifications.

B-52H Variant (Current Variant): This was the last variant produced (1961–1962). The H variant switched to using the much more efficient Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofan engine and was equipped with a more modern electronic defense system. Role Conversion: Entering the Vietnam War (1960s), the B-52's function shifted from a high-altitude nuclear bomber to a conventional bomber conducting large-scale carpet bombing attacks from low and medium altitudes.

21st Century Modernization Program

Despite its age, the US continues to update the B-52H fleet to maintain its relevance into the 2050s through several key programs:

New Engine Replacement (CERP): The US replaced the aging TF33 engines with new Rolls-Royce F130 engines. This upgrade changed the aircraft variant's name to B-52J.

Radar Modernization: Installation of a new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system to improve long-range target detection.

Digital Weapon Systems: Modification of the internal bomb bay to accommodate the latest GPS-guided smart weapons (JDAM) and future hypersonic cruise missiles.

Here is a list of the major combat missions carried out by the B-52:

1. Vietnam War (1965–1973)

Operation Arc Light (1965): The B-52's first combat debut. The aircraft were deployed from Guam to carpet bomb Viet Cong bases and supply lines in the jungles of South Vietnam.

Operation Linebacker II (1972): Known as the "Christmas Bombings," this was the largest aerial bombing campaign after World War II, in which B-52s intensively attacked vital targets in North Vietnam (Hanoi and Haiphong) for 11 days to force them back to the negotiating table.

2. Gulf War / Operation Desert Storm (1991)

Major Psychological Impact: B-52s dropped approximately 40% of all bombs dropped by coalition forces during the war. Their massive carpet bombing raids were particularly effective in destroying the morale of the elite Iraqi Republican Guard troops in the desert.

Operation Secret Squirrel: Seven B-52s flew 35 hours non-stop, covering 22,500 km from Louisiana (USA) to the Middle East, only to launch secret laser-guided cruise missiles at targets in Iraq before returning home.

3. NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia / Operation Allied Force (1999)

B-52s were deployed from air bases in the UK to launch conventional cruise missiles. This mission aimed to disable Serbia's military infrastructure and air defense systems to halt the ethnic cleansing campaign in Kosovo.

4. Afghanistan War / Operation Enduring Freedom (2001)

Close Air Support (CAS): The role of the B-52 shifted dramatically in this era. Thanks to the adoption of GPS technology and modern targeting pods, the B-52 was able to loiter at high altitudes and drop precision-guided smart bombs like JDAMs to destroy Taliban defense lines and mountain bunker complexes.

5. Counter-ISIS Operations in Iraq and Syria (2016)

After a decade-long absence from the Middle East, B-52s returned to service and flew approximately 1,800 combat sorties, delivering precision strikes that contributed significantly to the collapse of ISIS's territorial power in the region.

6. Operation Epic Fury in Iran (2026) 

Latest Campaign: Under the command of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), B-52s deployed alongside B-1B and B-2 Spirit bombers. In their opening missions, these bombers struck more than 1,700 air defense targets, ballistic missile facilities, and command posts in Iran in less than 100 hours.