Sponsored by TEK Military Seating Limited
http://www.tekmilitaryseating.co.uk/
————————————————————————-
05 Aug 22. UK MoD Land Rover Wolf Parts Supply Framework Agreement. The MoD named the Companies selected for the 3 year Land Rover Wolf Parts Supply Framework Agreement worth £5m. The companies include: BAE Systems, NP Aerospace, BAE, TVS, AME Auto and CMCK. One notable absentee was incumbent Hobson Industries.
25 Jul 22. British Army Light Vehicle Programme Update. The Requirement is believed to be divided into several parts, 1000 JLTV vehicles built in the UK, up to 600 light vehicles to replace the Pinzgauers used by the 16th Air Assault Brigade and the Royal Marines, with a new fleet for the Ranger Battalions, 200 armoured civilian pickups, with 200 vehicles required in the current financial year. The announcement of an RfP is likely to be made during DVD in September. Other demos in 2022 will be live firing from a Robotic Vehicle in September and a Light Mobility Squad vehicle, similar to the US GM Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle in 2023.
04 Aug 22. Turkey completes MEMATT mine clearing vehicle deliveries to Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijan Armed Forces have received 13 additional Mekanik Mayın Temizleme Teçhizatı (Mechanical Mine Clearing Equipment, MEMATT) remote-controlled mine-clearing vehicles from Turkey’s Military Factory and Shipyard Operations (ASFAT), bringing the total number of vehicles delivered to 20. Azerbaijan signed the contract for the vehicles with ASFAT in December 2002 and the first pair was delivered in February 2021. This was followed by the delivery of two vehicles to Burkina Faso in May 2021 and two units to Togo in October 2021. Six more MEMATT vehicles will be delivered to the Turkish Ministry of National Defense’s National Mine Action Center (MAFAM). Azerbaijan uses the vehicles mainly in Nagorno-Karabakh to clear minefields in the Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Agdam, Kalbajar, and Khojavend districts. (Source: Janes)
29 Jul 22. North Macedonia donating T-72s to Ukraine and disbanding tank battalion. North Macedonia is donating its T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs) to Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to Janes on 29 July, the day after Macedonian television showed a column of eight trucks carrying tanks passing through Kriva Palanka on the motorway to Bulgaria.
The donated MBTs belong to the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia’s (ARSM’s) tank battalion, which the MoD said in a statement will be disbanded as the T-72s are “third generation tanks that technological developments will, in a few years, make uncompetitive and incompatible with North Macedonia’s demands for the supply of a Western platform”.
“Based on analysis, recommendations, and plans adopted for equipping the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia in the coming period, the transformation or disbandment of the tank battalion will be carried out and modern anti-tank capabilities will begin to be established in the army, with the implementation of these plans already under way,” the MoD said, adding that no additional funds would be invested in modernising tanks, in line with Long Term Defence Capability Development Plan (LTDCP) 2019–2028. (Source: Janes)
02 Aug 22. China commissions Y-20 air refueller. China has formally commissioned the air refueller variant of the Y-20 Kunpeng jet-powered strategic transport aircraft.
Senior Colonel Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), said during a press conference on 31 July that the tanker has started combat-readiness training. “The aircraft recently carried out aerial refuelling exercises with the J-16 strike fighter above the sea, and the operations helped to improve combat training,” he said.
Images by the state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) show the aircraft using a probe-and-drogue system to refuel two Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-16D fighter aircraft.
Col Shen added during the press conference that the aircraft has been designated as the YY-20. Similar to the Y-20, the new tanker is manufactured by Xi’an Aircraft Company (XAC), which is a subsidiary of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). (Source: Janes)
02 Aug 22. US FRCSW to perform F/A-18E/F aircraft service life modification. The budgeted cost for performing SLM procedure per aircraft is $5.5m. Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) has been assigned to perform the service life modification (SLM) on the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. The first aircraft, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106, has already been inducted for the procedure.
Inducted on 29 June, the Super Hornet E/F has been in service with the US Navy since 1999 and has completed approximately 6,200 flight-hours.
The SLM process is conducted after an aircraft achieves 6,000 flight hours to extend its service life to 15,000 flight hours.
FRCSW F/A-18 legacy and E/F programme manager Ehren Terbeek said: “The SLM will involve over 20 direct artisans and a team of MRO and Fleet Support Team (FST) engineers and other support groups.
“They have been tasked with a 17-month turn-around time (TAT) but will work in earnest to complete the project earlier than that.
“The SLM will be comprised of a series of inspections that can drive repairs and incorporate technical directives and standard dispositions that have been created for event.”
According to Terbeek, Super Hornet SLM will not involve replacement of major structural components and will take less time to complete than other procedures such as centre barrel replacement or high-flight-hour modifications.
The initial procedures for SLM have already been established by F/A-18 & EA-18G Programme Office (PMA-265) and Boeing.
Terbeek added: “Eventually Block III upgrades or avionic type modifications, will be added to existing SLM workload.
“The upgrades include an advanced cockpit system with a touch screen display, enhanced networking and a reduced radar signature.”
Currently, the budgeted cost for performing SLM procedure per aircraft is $5.5m. The second SLM Super Hornet will be inducted in second quarter of next fiscal year. (Source: naval-technology.com)
02 Aug 22. Ajax vibration issues update. As our readers know, we have questioned whether the extra weight of the Ajax turret and C4I package which alone weighs 3 tonnes is the cause of the vibration issues, along with the enlarged turret ring to accommodate a possible 120mmtank killer fit. A well informed BATTLESPACE Reader has commented: The turret weight combined with GD’s weight saving measures on the hull (taking strength out of the hull structure) is the issue, the hull therefore flexes. Interestingly, when Vickers first put an Improved Fire Control System on Challenger 1, way back in the last century, they discovered a similar problem – the turret ring flexed in certain scenarios – not a problem with the previous fire control system, but the new system then could not create a firing solution, CR2’s turret ring is therefore much larger.
Rumours persist that the government will use the press surrounding the new Prime Minister in September to announce that Ajax has been cancelled. One suggestion being that on assessment of the logistics and production problems associated with multiple ammunition types in Ukraine, the MoD will drop CT40 as a one gun, one (non-NATO approved) round.
————————————————————————-
TEK Military Seating Limited
TEK Military Seating Limited is a UK based designer and manufacturer of ProTEK military vehicle seating which offer the highest standards of safety and protection. The ProTEK brand is well respected across the globe for its robust construction, innovative design, built in modularity and cost effectiveness. Our superior products are supported by our experienced team who endeavor to offer unrivalled service to our customers from enquiry, through design and acceptance, to through life support.
From its inception ProTEK seats have been designed around a family of innovative seat frames onto which tested and certified modules can be fitted to create a bespoke solution for the user. These include Blast protection to Stanag 4569 standards, vibration reduction, head and body protection, seat risers and turntables, fore & aft adjustment, and seat back rake along with viable seat dimensions without the need for additional tooling costs.
Contact: David Parkman
————————————————————————-