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EUROPE
04 Sep 18. Iveco Defence Vehicles delivers the hundredth Trakker GTF 8×8 to the Bundeswehr. With its latest generation of tactical military trucks, CNH Industrial subsidiary Iveco Defence Vehicles is reconfirmed as a privileged supplier for the German Armed Forces. The 100th Trakker of a total order of some 133 tactical military trucks has been delivered by Iveco Defence Vehicles to the German Bundeswehr, the German Armed Forces – represented by BAAINBw (Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support). The handover ceremony was held at the Iveco Defence Vehicles’ site in Germany, Ulm, attended by military and Ministry of Defence representatives as well as industrial partners. The 133 tactical military trucks, which are renowned for their high mobility capabilities and outstanding protection level, belong to a contract signed in 2015 as part of the German Army GTF (Geschützte Transportfahrzeuge) procurement programme, with delivery over four years. The vehicles are equipped with a protected cab, which currently offers the highest levels of ballistic, mine and IED protection in five different configurations, including various types of ISO-container transport body work, some with hydraulic crane and winch systems.
“This 100th vehicle seals the already strong relationship between Iveco Defence Vehicles and the German MoD, one of our most important customers”, commented Vincenzo Giannelli, President & CEO of Iveco Defence Vehicles. “We are proud to continue providing best-in-class solutions to current and future requirements of the German Armed Forces, on the basis of a solid mutual trust and satisfaction built over the years through our German branch, which continues to stand out for the quality of services rendered to the customer”. Over the last decade, the company has delivered nearly 1,000 vehicles to the German Army from its wide product range, which have already been extensively fielded in operational areas such as Afghanistan and Mali. Recent contract awards with the Bundeswehr also include 280 Eurocargo 4×4 trucks to be delivered in 2018.
07 Sep 18. Tier 2 of the VT4 program confirmed for ARQUUS. The Ministry of the Armies announced on Thursday, September 6th, the signature of the second tier of 1.200 Standard 2 VT4. A total of 3.700 ARQUUS’ will be equipping the Army by 2025, replacing the P4 liaison vehicle. Delivered by ARQUUS’ industrial plant in Saint-Nazaire, the VT4 is a light and versatile, non-armored, 4×4 vehicle for command and liaison purposes, designed to transport 5 soldiers or 4 operators equipped with the FELIN fighting system. With its payload of 900kg, it is designed for domestic operations (Anti-terrorism Sentinelle operation, or training purposes), or foreign operations in stabilized conflict zones. Versatile, the VT4 masters all kinds of grounds, both on and off-roads. It is equipped with a 160hp engine and benefits from a wide autonomy, thanks to its large fuel tanks. To answer the Army’s demands, ARQUUS undertook many adaptations on the VT4 to militarize it and make it meet all demands in terms of payload, weapon integration, notably FAMAS and HK416, and communication equipment. Moreover, the vehicle has been fitted with many security systems, as well as all comfort equipment needed to save the soldiers’ strength in operations (air conditioning, comfortable seating, sound-proof compartment. The VT4 thus matches the latest generation of civilian vehicles, guaranteeing optimal conditions for the soldier, even after a long journey. The services package is fully integrated and innovative. It includes a firm commitment of 90% of operational technical availability on the whole fleet. ARQUUS will be delivering 500 vehicles by the end of 2018. Production of standard 2 will begin as soon as 2019.
16 Aug 18. Poland relaunches Mustang programme. Poland’s Armament Inspectorate has launched a tender with revised requirements for the procurement of 4×4 multipurpose vehicles. Poland is seeking to purchase 859 soft-skin vehicles and 41 armoured variants in 2019–22. The contract includes an option for an additional 812 unarmoured vehicles to be delivered until 2022. The deadline for submitting offers is 28 September. The selection criteria are price (65%), warranty period (5%), ground clearance (10%), engine power (10%), and monocoque design (10%).
The soft-skin variant with a gross vehicle weight of under 3,500kg should be capable of carrying seven personnel and 1,000kg. The armoured variant should be able to carry five crew members and 600 kg of cargo and is to feature STANAG 4569 Level 1 ballistic and mine protection. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Aug 18. Bulgaria details armoured vehicle procurement. The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 25 July placed details online of the project to procure 150 armoured vehicles for the Bulgarian Land Forces (BuLF). The 17-page document was approved by Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers on 16 May. The BGN1.224bn (USD722m) BuLF modernisation project calls for BGN810m to be spent on the acquisition of at least 90 armoured combat vehicles, and BGN414mi on at least 60 special and support vehicles. In addition, BGN240m is planned for the acquisition of related equipment, documentation, personnel training, training and simulation equipment, an automated fire control system for a self-propelled mortar battery, and related communication and information systems. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
USA
30 Aug 18. BAE to Compete for Army’s New All-Terrain Vehicle. BAE Systems has announced its intention to compete for a joint Army and National Guard program seeking an all-terrain vehicle that can operate in the most rugged off-road conditions and “swim” across rivers and lakes. The Army released a request for information document in June for the “all terrain all weather support vehicle,” which will replace a diminishing number of the Guard’s small unit support vehicles. The military had about 1,100 of the small unit support vehicles, which were first fielded in the 1970s, but their numbers have dwindled to only a few dozen, Jim Miller, director of combat vehicle business development at BAE, told reporters Aug. 30. They are used in cold weather operations in Alaska by Guard and active duty units.
“Those vehicles are really at the end of their life expectancy. … They’ve got parts issues, resupply issues, they are just aging vehicles so not many of them are actually being used,” Miller said.
The Army Contracting Command in Warren, Michigan, and the product director for medium tactical vehicles issued the RFI seeking a vehicle capable of performing four missions: transporting a combat-loaded infantry-like squad element; emergency medical evaluation; command and control; and general cargo transportation.
“The JAASV shall be a tracked vehicle that has excellent on- and off-road mobility in extreme cold temperatures, deep snow, rugged uneven terrain, thick brush or forest, soft wet ground, rivers, streams and lakes, and mountainous terrain,” the RFI said.
The infantry squad configuration must carry nine soldiers plus a driver. The vehicle should be transportable by CH-47 and UH-60 helicopters and C-130 aircraft, the RFI stated.
“It’s a pretty unique vehicle that they are describing,” Miller said. While it was not mentioned in the RFI, it will most likely also have a disaster response/humanitarian relief mission as it will be used by the National Guard during fires, floods and blizzards, he added. It is also an articulated vehicle — it comes in two parts — which allows it to operate in all the conditions described in the RFI, he said.
Miller said the Army may post a request for proposals in the late summer, early fall time frame. BAE plans on offering its armored BvS10, which has been around since 2004 and is in service with several militaries. It also has a new unarmored version, the Beowulf.
The company was the contractor in the 1970s for the small unit support vehicle, which was designed by its Swedish business unit. BAE considers the BvS10 the “son of the small unit support vehicle,” as it is also tracked, articulated, and traverses rivers and lakes, Miller said.
It was designed in Northern Sweden, so it performs well in Arctic conditions, he added. Five countries use the vehicle and it has seen action in Afghanistan, he said.
The Army and National Guard have not revealed how many of the all-terrain vehicles they will purchase, Miller said. It is also unknown whether they will use a traditional acquisition contract or a nontraditional means such as other transaction authority, which would allow them to speed up the process. (Source: glstrade.com/National Defense)
REST OF THE WORLD
07 Sep 18. Orders for 100 Turkish-Indonesian Medium Battle Tank. The Philippines and Bangladesh have put an order for 100 KAPLAN medium tanks which are co-produced by Turkish defense contractor FNNS and Indonesia’s PT Pindad, said Windu Paramata, the head of the medium tank project at Pindad. Paramata said the two countries had expressed willingness to buy 40 to 50 units each.
“In October, we will be demonstrating medium tanks there, as a condition for the procurement of defense equipment in their countries,” Paramata told Anadolu Agency on Friday.
Paramata said the Indonesian Ministry of Defense also mulled purchasing the KAPLAN tanks but the ministry was still evaluating the number of units to be procured. Paramata said the Indonesian Army’s Research and Development Agency had certified the medium tank earlier this year. Paramata praised the Turkish-Indonesian battle tank as featuring the most recent technology in the global defense industry. Poland followed suit in producing a similar tank, Paramata said, adding, however, that the country was still at the concept stage.
Paramata said the medium tank is suitable for use in countries with only two seasons in Southeast Asia, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines as well as in four-season countries as it can operate at a maximum temperature of 50 degrees Celsius, and at a minimum temperature of – 30 degrees Celsius. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Anadolu Agency; published Sept 07, 2018)
02 Sep 18. LAND 400 Phase 3 contenders show up for Land Forces ’18. With the government’s recent announcement of the LAND 400 Phase 3 request for tender (RFT), Land Forces ‘18 is providing the perfect opportunity for the contenders to showcase their unique systems and capabilities to key decision-makers as the race to secure the lucrative contract begins to speed up. Three main industry partners are preparing to showcase their contenders for the LAND 400 Phase 3 at Land Forces ’18 drawing from three companies, with three different vehicles to compete for the approximately $10-15bn project to recapitalise Army’s M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) force, with an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and APC.
The main industry contenders are: BAE Systems, Hanwha Defense Systems and Rheinmetall.
BAE Systems CV90: The CV90 family of vehicles give unrivalled performance in the 20-35 tonne class and have been deployed by national forces, the UN and NATO in missions across the globe, including in Afghanistan.
With more than 25 years’ experience in enhancing and developing the CV90 family, we have maximised the availability and cost-efficiency of these vehicles throughout their life cycle. Customer priorities and affordability are key, with future- proof designs leading to further advances.
According to BAE Systems, the CV90 will provide a number of key advantages over its competitors, including:
- Designed for mobility;
- Flexible firepower packages;
- Survivability focus;
- Industrial collaboration and commitment;
- Through-life commitment;
- Ability to control the battlefield; and
- Operator-centric focus.
A BAE Systems Australia spokesperson said, “The CV90 is a combat proven in operation infantry fighting vehicle. It is a versatile and modern vehicle using the latest technology and innovation to help keep soldiers safe. As always, we look to support the Commonwealth to protect and enable our military forces where we can offer value for money, high performance system solutions that meet their needs. We are assessing the RFT and will make a decision in due course.”
CV90 has room for a crew of 11 (three crew, eight troops), a top speed of 70km/h, with an operational range of 320 kilometres and can be armed with a 30mm Bushmaster Cannon, a secondary 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and six 76mm grenade launchers.
Hanwha Defense Systems AS21 Redback: An evolved variant of the in-service K21 the AS21 builds on the basic platform of the K21. The K21 infantry fighting vehicle is described by Hanwha as the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) that introduced the concept of “transport for infantry troops with combat capability”.
K21 features 20 per cent lighter weight and 50 per cent lower price competitiveness than other countries. The K21 IFV has achieved a high localisation rate and is expanding the line-up into 105mm turret loaded medium tanks and medium recovery vehicle. It is the top-of-the-line armored fighting vehicle in service with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.
A Hanwha spokesperson was confident the company could adapt the K21 platform to meet requirements outlined by the ADF: “Hanwha Defense Systems is able to customise its armoured solutions to a variety of specifications in order to meet future warfare requirements of any country.”
The AS21 will include the capability to integrate active protection systems into an evolved turret system, the Redback will, like its BAE competitor, be capable of hosting a crew of 11 (three crew, eight troops), a top road speed of 70km/h, cross country speed of 40km/h, an operational range of 500 kilometres, with an armament consisting of a 40mm autocannon and a single 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
Rheinmetall Lynx KF41: The Lynx KF41 is a tracked, highly protected IFV designed to meet the stringent military requirements of LAND 400 Phase 3, which was officially unveiled at Eurosatory 2018.
The Lynx, described as highly survivable, adaptable to diverse environments, extremely agile, hard hitting, and with huge payload reserves, is a next-generation combat vehicle designed to confront the challenges of the future battlefield like no other.
Gary Stewart, Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director, said, “Rheinmetall has developed this vehicle so it is positioned at an ideal level of maturity when Australia needs it to enter service in 2026 – and it will have a growth path to extend these capabilities through its 40-year life.”
The Lynx KF41 has been designed to meet the following operational needs from inception:
- Combined arms capabilities at the platoon level so that commanders can adapt while in contact;
- Combined arms fighting systems to conduct operations across the spectrum of conflict;
- High mobility to enable tactical flexibility in contact;
- Adaptable vehicle systems that can be upgraded or modified in theatre; and
- Survivability that forces the enemy to operate above the detection threshold.
This has resulted in a vehicle with:
- High levels of inherent capability;
- Modularity to tailor protection and achieve rapid upgrades;
- Open electrical, electronic, software and mechanical architectures; and
- Growth in payload and electrical power.
The Lynx KF41 will include the capability to support a crew of 12 (three crew, up to nine troops), have a max road speed of 70km/h, a road range of more than 500 kilometres, with an armament consisting of the Lance 2.0 30-35mm autocannon, a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and a variety of additional close in weapons systems.
LAND 400 Phase 3 will acquire and support the next generation of Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) with the firepower, protection and mobility to defeat increasingly adaptive adversaries well into the future.
The broader LAND 400 project will deliver enhanced levels of survivability to the Joint Land Force, including sensors, weapons and information systems that will be networked to strategic intelligence platforms, and is made up of four of key capability development phases:
- LAND 400 Phase 1 – Project Definition Study (completed);
- LAND 400 Phase 2 – Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability, primarily enabled by the Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) mission system (the ASLAV replacement);
- LAND 400 Phase 3 – Mounted Close Combat Capability, primarily enabled by the Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) (the M113 APC replacement) and MSV mission systems; and
- LAND 400 Phase 4 – Integrated Training System.
Land Forces 2018 will provide a number of opportunities for industry engagement, including:
- LAND 400 Phase 3 RFT Industry briefing session – Wednesday, 5 September 2018
- LAND 400 Phase 3 RFT one-on-one meetings – Wednesday, 5 and Thursday, 6
September 2018
- LAND 400 Phase 3 RFT classified briefing registration: The project will hold a classified briefing to vehicle OEMs and primes that intend to submit a response to the RFT to detail classified technical requirements, specifically the protection requirements listed in the Technical Requirements Matrix (TRM), shortly after release.
The full tender can now be downloaded from the AusTender website at www.tenders.gov.au. Submissions will close at 5:00pm AEST on Friday, 1 March 2019. (Source: Defence Connect)
06 Sep 18. Rheinmetall sells Australia over a thousand more trucks – order worth €430m. Rheinmetall has won another major order in Australia. The Duesseldorf, Germany-based tech enterprise has been selected to supply the Australian Defence Force with more than a thousand additional military trucks and modules. Just signed, the contract is worth €430 m. The Commonwealth of Australia has thus acted on a procurement decision already announced in July 2018. Delivery is scheduled to commence in 2019 and be complete in 2024. The latest purchase forms part of Australia’s Land 121 Phase 5B project. Rheinmetall has already proved its mettle in earlier phase of the project, 3B, under which it is currently supplying Australia with 2,500 medium- and heavyweight military trucks worth a total of €1.2bn. The trucks ship out from the Group’s plant in Brisbane, where final integration and acceptance testing takes place before delivery to the Commonwealth.
Commenting on the contract, Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, stated that, “This follow-up order is of great strategic significance to us, providing an excellent reference for other important international projects. It reflects Australia’s satisfaction with our performance and the quality of our vehicles. Rheinmetall’s latest success in the Asia-Pacific region proves that our products are at the cutting edge of technology, and that the customer see in us a proven and reliable partner, fully capable of carrying out sophisticated large-scale projects.”
Michael Wittlinger, head of Rheinmetall Logistic Vehicles and a member of the Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH board of directors, emphasizes the company’s commitment to making its trucks the high-performance logistic backbone of the Australian Defence Force.
“We’re very proud to be able to continue our outstanding cooperation with the ADF”, declares Wittlinger. “We’ll be working closely with our network of Australian partners and subcontractors to make sure the ADF can count on these high-mobility trucks and build-ons in deployed operations.” By including Australian defence contractors and helping to create local production capacity, Rheinmetall is helping Australia establish an independent military vehicle industry, significantly augmenting the nation’s defence technology capabilities.
Rheinmetall AG’s Defence arm is a globally leading supplier of military hardware, including tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles, weapon systems, ammunition, simulation solutions, command and control technology, force protection systems and state-of-the-art sensors.
The Group’s in-country truck specialist, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA), has more than 150 employees at five locations. It supports the Australian military in a variety of ways, including project management, system engineering and integration, lifecycle support, maintenance and repairs, and spare parts management.
28 Aug 18. Ashok Leyland wins tender for Indian Army’s tracked combat vehicles. India-based Hinduja Group firm Ashok Leyland has won a tender for developmental works for the Indian Army’s defence tracked combat vehicles. Under the deal, the automobile company will work in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE). The two organisations will jointly carry out the production, assembly and testing of a lightweight clutch in order to design and develop weight-optimised 1,500hp automatic transmission for the army’s main battle tanks.
Ashok Leyland Defence head Amandeep Singh said: “For over three decades, Ashok Leyland has been a vital part of our defence forces through our mobility solutions.
“For over three decades, Ashok Leyland has been a vital part of our defence forces through our mobility solutions.”
“As part of our strategy to enhance our contribution to our defence forces and to expand our business scope within our focus area of ‘Solutions for Mobility on Land’, we have been working on tracked vehicles. With this win, we mark yet another milestone where we start working on the tracked vehicles that our soldiers use.”
According to Singh, the company sees a potential opportunity to upgrade and repower the BMPs or tanks in service with the Indian Army.
In addition, Ashok Leyland is engaged in building indigenous solutions for power packs and running gear that would help overhaul both the service’s existing fleet of infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) and the new future infantry combat vehicles (FICVs).
Singh added: “We are proud that we are the only vehicle manufacturer in India having indigenously designed, developed and manufactured power packs beyond 350HP.
“The tracked combat vehicle opportunity also exists in several other countries which use Russian-made combat vehicles.” (Source: army-technology.com)
24 Aug 18. Australian LAND 400 Phase 3 tenders now open. The multibillion-dollar project to replace Army’s M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers has taken another step forward with the formal release of the request for tender for LAND 400 Phase 3 – Mounted Close Combat Capability. Defence is placing greater emphasis on a co-ordinated and programmatic approach to Army’s biggest project ever. A new Armoured Vehicle Division will been created to consolidate large programs like LAND 400, LAND 907 – Main Battle Tank Replacement and LAND 8160 – Enhanced Gap Crossing Capability into a programmatic ‘mega project’.
When fully delivered, the LAND 400 program will allow Army to successfully sustain mounted close combat operations against emerging and future threats as part of a joint force.
Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne encouraged Australian industry to get behind the project, saying, “I actively encourage Australian small and medium sized enterprises to take advantage of the significant opportunities arising from this project.”
Opportunities for industry to participate in the process are outlined in the tender documents and include industry briefing sessions scheduled for September this year.
Assistance to industry is available through the Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC) for Australian businesses entering or working in the defence industry.
Minister Pyne indicated that during this tender process, Defence will work closely with industry to optimise Australian industry capability content.
“This project is another exciting opportunity for Australian industry to deliver leading-edge technology in support of the Army,” he said.
Minister for Defence Marise Payne said the project will see Army’s capability significantly enhanced with a fleet of up to 450 modern Infantry Fighting Vehicles and 17 Manoeuvre Support Vehicles.
“This will be the largest investment in Army’s capability ever undertaken and will provide our troops with a modern close combat capability,” Minister Payne said.
This announcement follows a fortnight of announcements made by government and industry regarding LAND 400 Phase 2, with the announcement of the joint venture between Varley and Rafael and the confirmation of the Spike LR2 Anti-Tank Guided Missile for Army’s future 211 Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles as part of the $5.2bn project.
The LAND 400 program is broken down into four distinct phases:
- LAND 400 Phase 1 – Project Definition Study (completed);
- LAND 400 Phase 2 – Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability, primarily enabled by the combat reconnaissance vehicle (CRV) mission system (the ASLAV replacement);
- LAND 400 Phase 3 – Mounted Close Combat Capability, primarily enabled by the Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) (the M113 APC replacement) and MSV mission systems; and
- LAND 400 Phase 4 – Integrated Training System.
Rheinmetall has been selected to deliver Australia’s new Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, the Boxer 8×8 CRV, for LAND 400 Phase 2.
The full tender can now be downloaded from the AusTender website at www.tenders.gov.au. Submissions will close at 5:00pm AEST on Friday, 1 March 2019. (Source: Defence Connect)
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American Panel Corporation
American Panel Corporation (APC) since 1998, specializes in display products installed in defence land systems, as well as military and commercial aerospace platforms, having delivered well over 100,000 displays worldwide. Military aviators worldwide operate their aircraft and perform their missions using APC displays, including F-22, F-18, F-16, F-15, Euro-fighter Typhoon, Mirage 2000, C-130, C-17, P-3, S-3, U-2, AH-64 Apache Helicopter, V-22 tilt-rotor, as well as numerous other military and commercial aviation aircraft including Boeing 717 – 787 aircraft and several Airbus aircraft. APC panels are found in nearly every tactical aircraft in the US and around the world.
APC manufactures the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Large Area Display (LAD) display (20 inch by 8 inch) with dual pixel fields, power and video interfaces to provide complete display redundancy. At DSEI 2017 we are exhibiting the LAD with a more advanced design, dual display on single substrate with redundant characteristics and a bespoke purpose 8 inch by 6 inch armoured vehicle display.
In order to fully meet the demanding environmental and optical requirements without sacrificing critical tradeoffs in performance, APC designs, develops and manufactures these highly specialized displays in multiple sizes and configurations, controlling all AMLCD optical panel, mechanical and electrical design aspects. APC provides both ITAR and non-ITAR displays across the globe to OEM Prime and tiered vetronics and avionics integrators.
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