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24 Oct 24. Engine maker Renk opens shop in Italy ahead of armor spending frenzy. German propulsion firm Renk has announced it is setting up a subsidiary in La Spezia in Italy, a week after defense giants Rheinmetall and Leonardo said they would be build tanks and infantry fighting vehicles for the Italian army in the city.
The move will put Renk in “a strategically important region,” close to “Italian customers and partners,” said the firm, which already makes gearboxes for Rheinmetall in Germany.
Opening for business in La Spezia, which is the historical home to Leonardo’s tank building operation, suggests the firm is aiming for a slice of the Italian army’s massive €23bn ($25bn) order for vehicles.
“With our local presence, we are moving closer to Italy’s technological and industrial base – one of the pillars of European defense. Thus, Renk is ideally positioned to meet existing and future requirements of Italian customers and partners,” says Susanne Wiegand, CEO of Renk Group AG.
Last week, Leonardo and Rheinmetall announced the creation of a joint venture with an operational base at La Spezia which would build 1,050 new infantry fighting vehicles based on the Rheinmetall Lynx and 132 main battle tanks based on the German firm’s under-development Panther KF51.
Leonardo will take 50 percent of work share, Rheinmetall in Germany is taking 40 percent with the remaining ten percent taken by Rheinmetall’s Italian facilities.
Managers have said there is ample space to build production lines at Leonardo’s La Spezia facility, which once built Ariete tanks and was run by Oto Melara, a former unit of Leonardo which has now been integrated into it.
Renk, which saw revenue of €926 million in 2023, has a product line including gear units, transmissions, power-packs and hybrid propulsion systems.
It has hired Sergio Rizzi, a former executive at Germany’s Hensoldt, as CEO of its new Italian operation and retired Adm. Pier Federico Bisconti, a former Italian deputy national armaments director, as chairman.
(Source: Defense News)
25 Oct 24. Indonesian-Turkish collaboration pursues next-generation APC development. Indonesian state-owned company PT Pindad – a key member of the DefendID defence industry consortium – has partnered with Türkiye military vehicles specialist FNSS to collaborate on the development and production of a new tracked armoured personnel carrier (APC) for the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD).
The proposed new 30 tonne vehicle is named the Kaplan APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) and will be the latest entry in FNSS’ Kaplan tracked armored vehicle family, the company announced during the Saha Defence and Aerospace Exhibition 2024 in Istanbul on 22 October.
FNSS stated that the new Kaplan APC will be able to accommodate up to 13 personnel including driver, commander, and a gunner. It will also feature an open electronics architecture to facilitate integration of battlefield management systems as well as other advanced mission systems.
FNSS noted that the Kaplan APC will leverage on the company’s experience in tracked armoured vehicle design and will also incorporate improvements made during the development of the Kaplan Medium Weight (MT) tank, which has been acquired for the TNI-AD as the Harimau medium tank.
Manufacturing of the Kaplan APC is expected to commence in 2025 with the first vehicle produced at FNSS facilities in Türkiye, while the second and subsequent APCs will be manufactured by PT Pindad following technology transfer from the latter. Deliveries are expected by the end of 2026.
FNSS earlier delivered Kaplan MT hulls to PT Pindad, which then performed integration of the CMI Defense Cockerill C3105 turret as well as associated equipment at the latter’s facility. Unlike the Leopard 2RI main battle tanks (MBTs) used by the army, the Harimau tank’s combat weight of approximately 35 tonnes enables it to access less-developed road and bridge networks, potentially expanding its operating areas.
(Source: AMR)
24 Oct 24. Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle in ford trials. The UK is progressing through trials of the Boxer armoured vehicle, which will form a key element to the British Army’s Brigade Combat Teams.
The British Army’s Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle (MIV) has completed its sea water fording trial at Instow Beach in North Devon, UK, the latest milestone in an ongoing effort to deliver the service’s new armoured vehicle.
In a social media post on 24 October 2024, the British Army’s Programmes department stated that the 38.5 tonne (t) platform has “performed excellently” and show “stability and control”, in an exercise it says proves Boxer can ford water unprepared.
The ability of the Boxer MIV to ford water obstacles is well understood, with the platform in service with a range of European countries for several years. Indeed, the UK was one of the inaugural partners of the Boxer programme but dropped out before subsequently rejoining in 2018.
According to the UK government, although the Boxer MIV is not a direct replacement for the outgoing tracked Warrior infantry fighting vehicle, the platform “will become the Army’s primary mechanised infantry platform working with Ajax and Challenger 3 in the Brigade Combat Teams”, stated Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard in mid-October.
“Warrior will remain effective until new capabilities are introduced throughout the decade,” Pollard added.
The UK government has also reiterated that the British Army has conducted operational analysis, lethality, and survivability studies, to include the potential for turreted gun system options for the Boxer programme.
“The Army will continually review the capabilities, priorities and affordability choices that will be provided by Boxer and other platforms to ensure that its armoured fighting vehicle fleet best meets defence and Nato’s needs,” Pollard added.
A total of 623 Boxer vehicles across four distinct variants are on contract in the following amount: infantry carrier (146 units), command platform (212 units), specialist carrier (200 units), and ambulance (65 units).
Additional variants in the pipeline
At the DVD 2024 event at UTAC Millbrook in September, the British Army stated the first UK production Boxer was expected to begin its build process in Q4 2024, while the first of the ambulance variants will be delivered in November or December the same year.
Meanwhile, information revealed that the DVD event also showed Boxer programme’s so-called strategic pipeline, which included variants not among the original four that could be acquired in the years ahead.
This strategic pipeline includes the Boxer-based RCH 155 self-propelled artillery platform, with the UK recently signing a deal to undertake the co-development of the capability with Germany, as well as the introduction of an Amoured Mortar Vehicle (AMV) variant.
While the RCH 155 is well-known, the public detailing of the prospect of the AMV variant and a proposed timeline is rare. British Army officials indicated the AMV variant would have an IOC of 2030, compared to an anticipated 2029 for the RCH 155 platform.
Other Boxer types being considered as part of the strategic pipeline include the SERPENS radar platform, which appeared to have a 2031 IOC, a ground-based air defence C-SAT variant (2032 IOC timeframe) that would feature something like a SkyRanger turret, and a TYRO combat support bridging vehicle reaching IOC a little earlier, around 2029.
Operational timeline doubts
However, it was revealed in September that Boxer may not reach its scheduled initial operating capability (IOC) deadline due to incomplete technical documentation, effectively the British Army’s paperwork that is required for vast swathes of training intended to familiarise personnel with the new platform.
All told, it is understood that over 16,500 pages of technical documentation have to be completed, which are used in the development of series training manuals that provide guidance to maintainers, operators, and their trainers. The British Army’s Boxer IOC is due to be met by Q4 2025, more than seven years after it rejoined the pan-European programme.
(Source: army-technology.com)
23 Oct 24. Allison Transmission has made significant strides in the global Defense market, achieving key program wins that will significantly expand Allison’s installed base and revenue in the wheeled defense vehicle segment. Allison is experiencing continued growth in this vehicle segment as a result of strategic partnerships with vehicle manufacturers to support defense programs outside North America.
The Allison Specialty Series™ (SP) transmission has been selected for several wheeled defense vehicles. The Canadian Department of National Defence recently announced it will receive Mercedes-Benz Zetros four-axle 8×8 vehicles with the Allison 4500 SP automatic transmission in partnership with GDLS-Canada as part of the Logistics Vehicle Modernization (LVM) project. Production is slated to begin in 2025.
Over the past year, ARTEC, a consortium of KNDS company Kraus-Maffei-Wegmann and Rheinmetall, chose Allison’s 4800 SP transmission for the British Ministry of Defence’s Boxer armored vehicle program. Initial transmissions have been delivered in the U.K. for use in the 8×8 Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle, part of a larger order for new Boxer vehicles intended for the British Army.
Additionally, the German Federal Armed Forces are set to receive Boxer vehicles, with deliveries starting in 2025. Over 700 Boxer vehicles have been delivered in recent years to countries including Australia, Germany, Lithuania and the Netherlands. The U.K. Ministry of Defence has also placed an order currently in production with Supacat for Allison 2500 SP transmissions for the Jackal High Mobility Truck Variants (HMT 400s), also known as Jackal 3.
In Poland, a contract with AMZ-Kutno has been signed to supply Bóbr-3 Light Armored Reconnaissance Carriers equipped with the Allison 3000 SP transmission as part of the Kleszcz program, with deliveries spanning 2025 to 2035. Furthermore, Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV) has renewed its contract to provide the Romanian MoD with defense logistic platforms, including a variant based on the Astra 8×8 chassis equipped with the Allison 4700 SP transmission.
“Allison has the distinct advantage of leveraging our commercial vehicle experience and relationships as we grow our wheeled defense business,” said Heidi Schutte, Vice President of EMEA, APAC and South America Sales, Allison Transmission. “With decades of proven reliability and durability, we offer a wide range of propulsion solutions that meet the diverse application requirements for tactical wheeled vehicles for the defense industry.” (Source: PR Newswire)
21 Oct 24. TurnOnGreen, Inc. Secures $2.2m in Defense Orders and Expands Market Presence with Advanced Power Solutions. TurnOnGreen, Inc. (OTC:TOGI) (“TurnOnGreen” or the “Company”) today announced that its power electronics division, Digital Power Corporation (“DPC”), has successfully developed a new line of defense-grade power conversion modules (“PCMs”) and power control systems, including a proprietary power distribution unit (“PDU”) for off-road tactical vehicles and military ambulances. These innovations have already resulted in $2.2m in orders from a leading global defense contractor for integration into mobile strategic defense assets.
In addition to this order, TurnOnGreen has secured a strategic contract with an Israel-based defense corporation to design, develop, and manufacture custom PCMs and PDUs for tactical vehicles. These cutting-edge products are designed for deployment by the Israel Defense Forces in all-terrain armored fighting vehicles and first-response military ambulances, showcasing the Company’s capabilities in providing mission-critical, high-reliability solutions.
Building on this momentum, TurnOnGreen continues to expand its portfolio by supplying custom-designed, uninterruptible power solutions to a major global aerospace and defense firm. These products are integral to Transportable Tactical Command Communications systems used across several military organizations. The demand for these specialized solutions underlines TurnOnGreen’s positioning in the high-margin defense sector.
“Digital Power Corporations’ growth trajectory continues to accelerate across multiple sectors, including aerospace, defense, and telecommunications,” said Amos Kohn, Chairman and CEO of TurnOnGreen. “Securing long-term, high-value contracts for engineering, design, and manufacturing is a testament to the strength of our advanced power solutions.”
“TurnOnGreen is focused on long-term value creation by pursuing growth-oriented verticals, such as electric vehicle charging and advanced electronics for aerospace, defense, and telecom sectors,” said Marcus Charuvastra, President of TurnOnGreen. “These high-margin segments position us for continued financial growth and shareholder returns.”
TurnOnGreen offers scalable custom power solutions and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to homes, businesses, and commercial fleets across North America. The Company’s subsidiary, TOG Technologies, Inc. leads its efforts in developing cutting-edge technologies for fast-growing industries, ensuring sustained value creation for stakeholders.
For more information on TurnOnGreen’s product line, please visit www.TurnOnGreen.com.
About TurnOnGreen
TurnOnGreen Inc. (OTC: TOGI) designs and manufactures innovative, feature-rich, and top-quality power products for mission-critical applications, lifesaving and sustaining applications spanning multiple sectors in the harshest environments. The diverse markets we serve include defense and aerospace, medical and healthcare, industrial, telecommunications and e-Mobility. TurnOnGreen brings decades of experience to every project, working with our clients to develop leading-edge products to meet a wide range of needs. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
21 Oct 24. Ajban Mk2 enters UAE service. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) released a video showing locally made Nimr Ajban Mk2 4×4 armoured vehicles in service with its forces for the first time on 18 October. All the vehicles appeared to be in the 442A configuration, which Nimr said can be used as observation, command, or communications vehicles. They were fitted with what appeared to be Lacroix Galix smoke grenade launchers and mounts for manually operated machine guns that were not fitted. Launched at the IDEX show held in Abu Dhabi in February 2021, the Ajban Mk2 is a completely new design with a monocoque hull rather than an evolution of Nimr’s existing Ajban family. The current brochure puts the Mk2’s gross vehicle weight (GMV) at 13,500 kg without giving a payload figure. The company has previously said the Mk2’s GMV is 11,500 kg with a 2,900 kg payload. (Source: Janes)
21 Oct 24. The Babcock General Logistics Vehicle or GLV is being developed as a potential replacement for the UK Forces TUM and TUM(HD) fleet, reports Bob Morrison.
Primarily a family of private venture conversions of the Toyota Land Cruiser, the Babcock GLV was conceived as a potential replacement for the Land Rover Defender Truck Utility Medium batch ordered in 1996 and the Pinzgauer Truck Utility Medium [Heavy Duty] batch ordered in 1994, as well as other currently in-service variants of both vehicle types.
The UK MoD 1990s Land Rover TUM 4×4 (aka Wolf) and Pinzgauer TUM [HD] 4×4 procurements were originally envisaged as having a 15-year service life before being replaced and relegated to rear echelon or reserve stocks (like the pre-Defender MoD coil sprung Land Rover fleet from the mid to late 1980s) but since the middle of the last decade both vehicle types have had their OSD (Out of Service Date) extended to 2030. Hopefully the 2030 OSD will not be further extended, especially as sourcing OEM spare parts is becoming increasingly difficult, but with another Strategic Defence Review expected in early 2025 from the new UK Government nothing can be ruled out.
The Land Rover and Pinzgauer replacement project, what was formerly the General Support Utility Platform or GSUP programme, is now the first of three Category A Sub-Programmes of the UK Land Mobility Programme. The latest designation for this sub-programme is the Light Mobility Vehicle or LMV programme and as of September 2024 this sub-programme specified trucks with a gross vehicle mass of less that 3,500kg to allow them to be driven on a Class B licence; however it is expected that heavier variants may need to be procured for certain roles or future requirements.
According to the Babcock GLV Brochure (V1) of October 2023: “After 75 years of service, the British Army’s relationship with the iconic Land Rover is nearing its end. The search is now on to find a worthy successor that will help the MoD to deliver its mission well into the 21st century.
“This is an opportunity to transform the combat support vehicle capability to reflect the needs of the modern military force, increasing performance, comfort and safety, and reducing cost and environmental impact.
“As a company, Babcock is uniquely placed to help the MoD with this programme, combining specialist vehicle design and development, modern, UK-based production facilities, and the experience of delivering in-service support throughout the UK’s Armed Forces.
“We are now ready to work with you to create a platform specifically tailored to the needs of the military. One that soldiers can rely on, and become a new icon for the British Army.”
The new platform Babcock propose entails reworking the Toyota Land Cruiser 70-Series, but it is not a simple coachbuilder bodywork conversion and the specialist Babcock Land team at Walsall has both uprated the mechanical side, using COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) Toyota components, and reworked the body to better suit UK MoD requirements. Company publicity material states: “Although it’s based on a Japanese platform, around 70% of the GLV’s value is delivered by UK industry. This includes vehicle design, all the specialist military components, and the final vehicle assembly.”
Rear suspension is converted from leaf to coil springs using standard Toyota parts and with no need to drill or alter the factory-supplied chassis [©BM]
For the first three or so decades of its existence the Land Rover was the iconic military utility vehicle in the light and medium payload categories but, as just a small part of first British Leyland and then the Rover Group, from the 1980s onwards its Government & Military Ops sales team was never really able to secure sufficient funding to undertake a major engineering rework of the standard civilian model to better meet evolving military requirements. The 1990s ‘Wolf’ version, as still in regular use by UK Forces, was able to build on the computer design programme conceived for the chassis of the 1994 P38A Range Rover rework, but the commercial success of the 1989 Discovery and 1997 Freelander models, plus the reluctance of new owners BMW (from 1994-2000) to be deeply involved in military markets, plus the UK Government not placing any Defender batch orders between 1996 and production stopping in 2016, ruled out major company investment into keeping the defence side of the marque evolving.
Babcock Land, on the other hand, are not focussed on producing hundreds of thousands of vehicles every year to keep civilian dealer showrooms around the country and the world full of the very latest in fashionable automobiles, but they are keen to keep their hundreds of specialist mechanics and vehicle assemblers in the West Midlands and the Southwest working on Government & Military vehicle contracts. It therefore makes sense to them to take a well-proven, widely available, mass-produced commercial off-road vehicle and modify it specifically to suit potential UK MoD requirements. Now I appreciate I might be sounding a little bit like a sales rep, but having both quietly observed the evolution of the GLV for over a year and then discussed it in detail with the Babcock Land Head of Mobility Solutions and Head of R&D, as well as visiting the team at their inner sanctuary on the Walsall site, I can see exactly where they are coming from.
Several prototypes in different body configurations on medium and long wheelbase chassis have already been manufactured for testing, with no less than six examples having been displayed at DVD 2024 in September, and a short wheelbase version is also on the drawing board. Both 6×6 and WMIK-type prototypes have also been built and displayed, though these have a different chassis to suit specific requirements but share maximum Toyota parts commonality to maximise fleet spare parts availability; we will no doubt return to these partner company vehicles a little further down the line.
This three-door high roof configuration GLV could be used as a comms vehicle or personnel carrier ~ side glazing is pixelated as interior has an experimental fit for an interested potential non-UK client [©BM]
To keep this feature comfortably readable across all device types without having to endlessly scroll I have split it into two parts; I propose to cover dimensions and specifications etc. in Part Two. Although Babcock are well down the road to developing and testing their GLV, it must be underscored that until UK MoD finalise their precise requirements for the LMV sub-programme and then call forward manufacturers to submit vehicles for trials, what you see here is just a glimpse of what might be rather than what will be replacing the Defender Wolf and Pinzgauer.
(Source: www.joint-forces.com)
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Contact: Paul Fleming
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