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04 Jan 24. Hanwha’s Arion-SMET Successfully Completes Foreign Comparative Test with US Military. Hanwha’s multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), the Arion-SMET, has completed a week-long field test conducted by the US Marine Corps and US Army. This accomplishment marks a significant milestone for the robotic vehicle, positioning it as a potential contender in the global UGV market.
The field tests were carried out as part of the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) run by the US Marine Corps Systems Command. Representatives from III Marine Expeditionary Force (III-MEF) and Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) also joined the testing held in Marine Corps Training Area Bellows (MCTAB), located on the eastern edge of Oahu, Hawaii, from December 14-22, 2023.
This remarks the first instance of a South Korean UGV participating in the US Department of Defense FCT, a program designed to assess, evaluate, and verify cutting-edge technologies developed by defense contractors from the US allies, aimed at enhancing the defense capabilities of the US military.
Prior to the actual FCT, a group of Marines had three days of user training sessions to operate the 2-ton electric robotic vehicle on challenging terrains, such as turf-covered packed sand beach course, soft sand, sand clay, bumpy and rutted roads. The tests were focused on evaluating the vehicle’s various mission capabilities, including heavy equipment transport, remote-controlled driving, waypoint navigation, exploratory maneuvering, soldier following, and physical tether following.
Youngwoo Seo, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace’s Land Systems Business Group, expressed his confidence in the Arion-SMET’s advanced hardware and software, emphasizing the global attention the UGV is receiving.
“Arion-SMET’s participation in the US FCT program as evidence of its potential success, positioning it as a strong contender in the UGV markets of the US and other countries in the future,” said Dr. Seo.
Meanwhile, Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), an American defense business affiliate of Hanwha Aerospace, is planning to compete for the second increment of the US Army’s Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) program, dubbed the S-MET Increment II.
John Kelly, President and CEO of HDUSA, said, “HDUSA is interested in the S-MET Increment II and is preparing a partnership with US prime contractors and suppliers to compete for the unmanned ground vehicle contest.”
The Arion-SMET, an acronym for Autonomous and Robotic Systems for Intelligence Off-road Navigation – SMET, is one of the most advanced UGVs for the perspective of fully integrating HAEMOS (Hanwha Aerospace’s solutions for robotic and autonomous systems) with 6X6 fully electric unmanned vehicle for supporting infantry operations, including ammunition transport, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, and close combat support.
With a maximum payload capacity of 550kg (1200 lb), the UGV can cover up to 100km (62 mi) on a full charge, boasting a top speed of 43km/h (26.7 mi/h) on paved roads, and 22km/h (13.6 mi/h) on unpaved roads. In addition, the Arion-SMET can be additionally equipped with an advanced Remote-Controlled Weapon System (RCWS) that can automatically track and aim at targets through gunshot source localization, featuring a 5.56mm RCWS extendable to 7.62mm machine gun.
The Arion-SMET can be operated in various modes including remote-controlled driving, autonomous off-road driving, exploratory maneuvering, physical tether following, and leading soldier and vehicle-following.
Hanwha Aerospace is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services. These include land combat vehicles such as the world-renowned K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer and the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle, various other weapons systems, munitions, aircraft engine parts, and technology products and services. As South Korea’s largest aerospace and defense company, Hanwha Aerospace is engaged in the research, development, and manufacture of advanced technology systems and is spearheading the country’s space projects. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Hanwha Aerospace)
04 Jan 24. Finland to purchase more Patria 6×6 armoured vehicles. The Finnish Defence Forces purchases more Patria 6×6 armoured vehicles by redeeming the additional purchase option related to the agreement signed in June 2023 when Patria signed an agreement for 91 vehicles with the Finnish Defence Forces Logistic Command. The agreement also included a purchase option up to 70 vehicles of which the Finnish Defence Forces now redeems 40 vehicles. Vehicle deliveries are currently underway.
“The purchase is part of the multinational CAVS (Common Armoured Vehicle System) programme which in addition to Finland includes Latvia, Sweden and Germany. During 2023 deliveries commenced also to Sweden and deliveries to Latvia have been underway since 2021. With close and excellent cooperation between the countries and Patria, the programme has proceeded quickly. The joint programme’s research and development agreement was signed at the end of 2020 and since the deliveries have already taken place in three countries in three years,” says Jussi Järvinen, Executive Vice President of Patria’s Finland Division.
The first tens of vehicles have already been handed over to Pori brigade where the vehicle operation training for conscripts will start in the beginning of 2024. Patria 6×6 offers unprecedented mobility and user comfort in its class. The controls are very clear and simple to use and independent suspension increases user comfort. The steering of the Patria 6×6 is similar to any automatic car, making the use easy to learn.
04 Jan 24. USMC amphibious combat vehicle variants will arrive. New command and control and a separate 30 mm-cannon equipped variant of the Marine Corp’s amphibious combat vehicle are expected to arrive at units in early 2024. That variant is one of four designs either fielded or under production by BAE Systems out of its York, Pennsylvania, facility, Defense News reported. The amphibious combat vehicle personnel variant arrived at Marine units in 2021 to replace the legacy amphibious assault vehicle, which has been in service since the 1970s. More than 200 amphibious combat vehicle personnel variants had been built by mid-2023, and 139 of those had been delivered to either operational or training units. Planners expect the command and control version, dubbed the ACV-C, to reach initial operational capability by March 2024, Col. Tim Hough, program manager for Advanced Amphibious Assault, told Defense News. The ACV-C began production in 2022 but stalled following testing and design review problems. Defense Department officials noted in a January 2023 report that the variant was “not operationally effective as a mobile command post.” They cited a lack of “enough secure beyond-the-line-of-sight (BLOS) voice and data nets to support” the command and control mission. But by July 2023 the manufacturer, BAE Systems, had resolved concerns and the vehicle was in full-rate production. The same Pennsylvania production plant at the time was building three ACV-30 vehicles. The ACV-30 is equipped with a 30 mm cannon. Those three vehicles will be used for operational testing as the Corps decides the final details of the ACV-30′s design. Mark Brinkman with BAE Systems’ told Defense News that the company will deliver ACV-30 vehicles to the Marines in early 2024 for testing. Officials expect the ACV-30 to reach initial operational capability by mid-2026. That means a minimum of one Marine unit will be equipped with enough vehicles, parts and training to conduct an overseas deployment. Marines operating with any of the ACV variants will still need to keep at least one version of the old AAV in the inventory for at least a few more years. That’s because the new recovery variant, or ACV-R isn’t expected to reach its initial operational capability until late 2027 or early 2028. Marines must rely on the AAV recovery variant for field maintenance until its replacement arrives. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
03 Jan 24. Indian Army deploys Armado light vehicles near LoC. The Indian Army has deployed an unknown number of 4×4 Light Specialist Vehicles (LSVs) known as Armado in the Rajouri-Poonch sector near the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal, the Indian Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Jammu region, told Janes on 3 January.
“The vehicles have been inducted and deployed in the service [Indian Army] in the Rajouri-Poonch sector,” Lt Col Bartwal said.
However, Lt Col Bartwal did not specify the number of vehicles inducted and deployed, citing security issues. The vehicles are manufactured by Indian company Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd (MDSL). In June 2023 Colonel Manish Kumar (retd), MDSL head of sales and marketing for land systems, told Janes that the first batch will comprise 40 Armados. (Source: Janes)
22 Dec 23. Boxer prototypes arrive in UK ahead of British Army trials. The first two UK Boxer prototypes have arrived in the UK ahead of joint army-industry trials. Boxer is the British Army’s new state-of-the-art armoured fighting vehicle. The vehicles will form a core part of the Army’s new Armoured Brigade Combat Teams, where it will be paired with Ajax and Challenger 3 to form the cornerstone of the Army’s ability to fight and win wars on land. The arrival of the vehicles will allow troops from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers to begin getting up-close and trialling Boxer, marking a major success milestone in the programme. The Boxer platform sets an unprecedented standard for armoured vehicles. From its ground-breaking power to weight ratio and mobility to its cutting-edge threat detection technology, Boxer will be a step change for manoeuvre for the British Army. Boxer is modular by design to meet these requirements – the same vehicle base can be rapidly reconfigured to fill different roles on the battlefield, from carrying troops across a range of terrain, to treating severely injured service personnel on the journey to hospital using the Ambulance variant. The UK and Germany have worked closely together on the programme, with the vehicle build in the UK benefitting from German expertise, data and collaboration.
Lieutenant General Simon Hamilton, Director General Land at Defence Equipment and Support said: “The delivery of these prototypes to the Army for trials is not only positive news for the future of the British Army, it also boosts our commitment to investing in the UK’s defence industry and supply chains, meaning we can retain critical engineering and manufacturing skills in the UK.”
While the first 117 vehicles are being built on German production lines, UK facilities in Telford and Stockport are ramping up their manufacturing capabilities for the remaining 506. The overall programme protects up to 1,000 jobs nationally, enhancing skill sets and creating an ambitious UK apprenticeship scheme. UK production is focused in Telford through Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), and Stockport through KNDS, with supply chain sub-contracts across the UK, including in Glasgow with Thales.
Lt Gen Hamilton added: “The delivery of Boxer vehicles ensures warfighting remains at the heart of the British Army and today’s milestone reaffirms our threat-led approach; delivering the Army the capability it needs to meet the challenges of the battlefield as outlined in Future Soldier.” (Source: U.K. MoD desider)
03 Jan 24. Finnish Defence Forces expands fleet of Sisu 4x4s. Earlier deals with Oy Sisu Auto Ab in 2020 and 2022 saw the procurement of dozens of 4x4s as part of a domestic equipment acquisition drive. The Finnish Defence Forces have ordered 13 Sisu GTP 4×4 off-road vehicles from Oy Sisu Auto Ab, with the overall value of the procurement around €9.7m ($10.6m), according to Finland’s Ministry of Defence (MoD). The MoD stated that the deal was prepared “together with Sweden” as part of cooperation “focusing on the countries’ vehicle systems”, and follows earlier Finnish deals in 2020 and 2022 for 31 Sisu GTP 4×4 vehicles.
“By procuring domestic vehicles, we develop the Army’s mobility and secure military security of supply. In addition, the procurement has a significant regional employment effect in Western Uusimaa,” said Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen in a statement.
Although relatively minor, the latest deal is part of an ongoing build up of defence equipment in Finland, despite a fluctuating budget that has seen overall spending from 2021–22 decrease by $0.3bn, according to GlobalData analysis. However, GlobalData’s current forecast holds that the 2024–28 period will see a total of $37bn spent on defence instead, for a compound annual growth rate of 7% for this period. This growth is primarily attributed to the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which has seen most European countries redouble defence modernisation efforts, particularly those that share a border with Russia. Finland itself applied to join Nato in May 2022 and formally joined in April 2023, with its forces now being integrated into the overall command and control structure of the multinational defence alliance. Notable ongoing procurement programmes for Finland across the domains are the F-35A stealth fighter, the Pohjanmaa–class corvettes, and the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) project. (Source: army-technology.com)
27 Dec 23. New Chinese equipment for Zimbabwe Defence Forces. What Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa calls “the unparalleled strategic partnership” between his country and the People’s Republic of China saw him accept a consignment of new Chinese military equipment, including armoured personnel carriers (APCs). The “donation”, as it was billed in some reports, took place at Inkomo Barracks, home to 1 Mechanised Battalion of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) earlier this month (December). Photographs were released of at least eight Norinco WMA301 6×6 self-propelled guns, an unknown number of WZ551 6×6 APCs in at least three configurations, and trucks. Some WZ551s are fitted with a single operator turret while others have the older 12.7 mm machine gun turret, Janes reported. In addition to the military hardware the “donation” included ambulances, water purifiers, patrol boats, minibuses, sniper rifles, machine guns and pistols as stated by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC). Mnangagwa, like other African leaders, is commander-in-chief of his country’s defence force, and is quoted as saying the “delivery of military gratis equipment valued at US$28 m will go a long way toward consolidating our ongoing quest to modernise the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF)”. The new equipment will “ensure the ZDF remains an indomitable and efficient force” able “to play its part as enshrined in our Constitution and in line with regional, continental and global expectations” a Zimbabwean newspaper reported Mnangagwa saying at the handover. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
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Contact: David Parkman
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