Iran has emerged as an unexpected trailblazer in the world of sniper rifles with a one-of-a-kind anti-materiel rifle of unparalleled firepower named after the legendary Arash, the Archer.
This weapon wields 20-millimeter high-explosive rounds, the same caliber as the lethal M61 Vulcan gun found on many of today’s modern aircraft. It can tear through armored vehicles and enemy emplacements with devastating force.
Iran's tests reveal the Arash in action, the operator carrying the 45-pound rifle, which is as long as he is tall. The colossal muzzle brake is barely enough to tame the ferocious recoil of its 20-millimeter cartridge, and the shooter must use the bipod to even keep the weapon and himself in place.
Appearances, however, can be deceiving. Despite its imposing stature, the Arash adheres to the tried-and-true Iranian doctrine of "shoot and scoot," specifically devised for deployment by nimble two-man motorcycle teams.
But while Iran's brainchild surpasses the American rifle it drew inspiration from—the Barrett M82—in both power and sheer devastation, the question remains whether its size works against it and how it compares to the world’s top sniper rifles…
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Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.
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They said he couldn’t fly.
But as he soars over Maryland at the controls of a Bell UH-1 “Huey” helicopter, Robert Preston is determined to prove them wrong.
Skillfully maneuvering his way through the night sky, the 20-year-old US Army private smiles as he imagines himself on a daring mission over with the boys in Vietnam.
But on this cold February night in 1974, Preston isn’t dodging the Viet Cong - he’s dodging the cops. Having stolen the Huey from an unguarded airfield, he’s taking it for a wild joyride. Now, two different police departments and the Secret Service are out to stop him.
Yet with masterful changes of velocity, direction, and altitude,Preston outsmarts the helicopters and squad cars on his back time and time again.
Grinning to himself, the young private changes course once more.
Next stop: The White House…
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Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.
,1,On April 5, 1968, Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock took his 4.4-million-pound Hawker Hunter on an unauthorized detour to downtown London. The roar of jet engines echoed through the streets of Britain's capital as Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock pushed his aircraft to its limits. Below him, the Thames snaked through the city, its waters reflecting the morning sun. Pedestrians stopped in their tracks, heads turning skyward at the thunderous sound of a military jet flying near street level.
He had already broken every rule in the book - abandoned his squadron, flown without authorization, and descended to dangerous altitudes over one of the world's busiest cities. He knew this flight would end his career, but he didn't care - some messages must be sent at any cost.
As he rounded the river bend at 700 miles per hour, a colossal structure loomed ahead through the morning haze, its gothic towers piercing the sky. His hands tightened on the controls as an irresistible idea formed: [QUOTE] "I'd forgotten it was there! Until this very instant I'd had absolutely no idea that Tower Bridge would be there. It was easy enough to fly over it, but the idea of flying through the spans suddenly struck me."
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Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.
,1,The war in Ukraine, raging since February 2022, has drained both Ukraine and Russia's economic reserves, forcing each side to commit every available resource to the conflict.
Despite these efforts, the Russian military finds its arsenal woefully inadequate. With armored vehicles dwindling, Russia initially turned to Soviet-era cars to transport troops into battle. When even these proved insufficient, they adopted more desperate measures.
In a stunning display of improvisation, Russian Army personnel are now seen storming enemy trenches not in heavily armored vehicles but in Beijing-manufactured Desertcross 1000-3 all-terrain vehicles—machines that more closely resemble golf carts.
These vehicles offer no armor, no machine guns, and no protection. Yet, they drive directly into enemy lines in a desperate bid to bridge the gap between them and Ukrainian forces.
This unconventional tactic has been met with global ridicule, even from military analysts. In a twist of irony, Ukrainian forces have also been spotted using these identical vehicles.
The real question now looms large: What will happen when both sides exhaust their effective war assets? Will they be driven to even more drastic measures?
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Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.
,1,The skies were clear, or so it seemed, until NORAD, conceived to protect the US and Canada from Soviet bombers with state-of-the-art radars, satellites, and navigations systems, detected unidentified aircraft breaching the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone during an early morning of May 2024.
Communication operators at NORAD HQ were puzzled by the sudden alarms and the beeping of the systems detecting unidentified aircraft flying toward territorial airspace. As the seconds passed, the men in the comms room realized what was coming their way.
Fully loaded with nuclear ordnance, a pair of Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear Strategic Bombers were closing in fast, and they were not alone.
Escorting them were two Sukhoi Su-35 Flankers, supermaneuverable air superiority fighters, ready to defend their bombers at all costs. NORAD, without hesitation, swiftly dispatches a pair of fast and reliable F-16s to intercept them.
A backup of other fighters and several tankers were ready to answer the call if things went sideways. As the F-16s made their way to the Russian aircraft, their orders echoed through the communications network: Engage the enemy if it breaches American airspace.
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Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.
,1,Iran has emerged as an unexpected trailblazer in the world of sniper rifles with a one-of-a-kind anti-materiel rifle of unparalleled firepower named after the legendary Arash, the Archer.
This weapon wields 20-millimeter high-explosive rounds, the same caliber as the lethal M61 Vulcan gun found on many of today’s modern aircraft. It can tear through armored vehicles and enemy emplacements with devastating force.
Iran's tests reveal the Arash in action, the operator carrying the 45-pound rifle, which is as long as he is tall. The colossal muzzle brake is barely enough to tame the ferocious recoil of its 20-millimeter cartridge, and the shooter must use the bipod to even keep the weapon and himself in place.
Appearances, however, can be deceiving. Despite its imposing stature, the Arash adheres to the tried-and-true Iranian doctrine of "shoot and scoot," specifically devised for deployment by nimble two-man motorcycle teams.
But while Iran's brainchild surpasses the American rifle it drew inspiration from—the Barrett M82—in both power and sheer devastation, the question remains whether its size works against it and how it compares to the world’s top sniper rifles…
---
Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.
