Sponsored by TEK Military Seating Limited
http://www.tekmilitaryseating.co.uk/
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18 Oct 22. INEOS Automotive begins production of Grenadier 4×4 ~ the first INEOS Grenadiers have come off the assembly line in Hambach.
INEOS Automotive has reached a significant milestone as it starts series production of the Grenadier 4×4 at its facility in Hambach.
Pre-production INEOS Grenadier at DVD 2022 [© Bob Morrison]
“We’ve come a long way since the project kicked off in 2017 and this is a landmark moment for INEOS Automotive as a vehicle manufacturer,” said Mark Tennant, INEOS Automotive Commercial Director. “To get to this point is a testament to the resilience and hard work of the entire INEOS Automotive team, our development partners and our suppliers – for which we thank them all as we now look forward to making our first deliveries to customers.”
Global supply chain issues continue to constrain output, but customer deliveries in volume are expected from early December. (Source: www.joint-forces.com)
BATTLESPACE Comment: INEOS had its defence debut at DVD on the Hobson Industries Off Road Stand. The ladder chassis configuration and 4000kg payload makes the vehicle ideal for armoured and non-armoured police, paramilitary and UN applications. For defence applications BATTLESPACE believes that INEOS is looking at new engine configuration away from the current BMW Powertrain.
20 Oct 22. Ajax trials resume following safety concerns over noise and vibrations. Minister confirms eight days of trials on troubled Ajax have taken place this month. Trials of the Ajax light tank have resumed after tests were halted again earlier this year over noise and vibration issues.
A minister previously said that the Ministry of Defence “cannot determine a realistic” timescale for the introduction of the armoured vehicle into operational service.
Alec Shelbrooke, Minister of State for Defence Procurement, has now said, in a written statement to Parliament, that User Validation Trials, which aimed to test modifications to address a number of noise and vibration problems that left dozens of troops needing urgent hearing assessments after taking part in earlier trials of the vehicles, had now resumed.
He said there had been eight days of trials so far since Monday, 10 October.
Ministers publicly acknowledged last year that the programme was in trouble and have been making regular updates to Parliament on the situation.
General Dynamics UK was contracted to supply the British Army with 589 Ajax vehicles – they were originally due to enter service in 2017 but the troubled programme is now more than four years behind schedule.
General Dynamics UK has received more than £3bn and, as of June this year, only 26 vehicles had been delivered.
In his written statement, Mr Shelbrooke said: “I wish to provide an update on the Ajax equipment project that is part of the Armoured Cavalry Programme. My first concern is the safety of our personnel, which has been at the forefront of the work that has been ongoing over the summer. I am pleased to be able to inform the House that, following agreement from the Ajax Safety Panel, this work has led to resuming the User Validation Trials paused earlier this year and since Monday 10 October there have been eight days of trials. Successful completion of User Validation Trials will allow progression toward Reliability Growth Trials. I will continue to ensure that the House is kept updated on these matters,” he added.
User Validation Trials aim to establish the effectiveness of the modifications to address the noise and vibration problems so that troops could work safely under the next stage of testing.
The aim of the next stage of testing under Reliability Growth Trials is to test the vehicles over an extended period to ensure the Ajax meets the Army’s contractual requirements.
The Defence Procurement Minister yesterday said that a decision on the troubled Ajax programme would be made by the end of the year.
In an earlier response to a written question for the MOD, Mr Shelbrooke said the department was working with manufacturer General Dynamics to “resolve the challenges” on Ajax.
He added that work was being done to “validate the effectiveness of proposed modifications” to address the issues with noise and vibration “in line with the contract”.
He added: “We expect to be in a position to consider the way forward for the programme by the end of the year. The Ministry of Defence will not accept a vehicle until it can be used safely for its intended purpose.”
In June this year, Jeremy Quin, who was the then Minister for Defence Procurement before he was appointed to the Home Office in September, revealed how trials had been paused for a third time in May this year after what he described as “transient subtle anomalies” were detected during checks on the hearing of service personnel.
He said the hearing of all individuals concerned returned to their pre-existing recorded levels and added that the transient anomalies detected were being followed up by the Army, supported by the Surgeon General, working with external experts to understand their significance. (Source: forces.net)
19 Oct 22. US Army readies to select tactical truck builders.
The Army is slated to select early next year multiple vendors to build prototypes for its Common Tactical Truck competition.
The service received “multiple” bids to compete, Brig. Gen. Luke Peterson, the Army’s program executive officer in charge of combat support and combat service support, told Defense News in a recent interview.
“We are on track for a January award, and it’ll be more than one company,” he said, “as a part of that prototyping effort to really allow the Army to evaluate current commercial technology in a military-type application, modified off-the-shelf for military purposes.”
The Army hopes the new trucks, set to replace its Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles, will address a reliability issue, as the service is struggling to sustain its legacy trucks, Peterson said.
“We are going to really learn what industry can offer us and affordability is going to be the key driver here for the Army to make those informed decisions,” Peterson added.
The service in late June released a request for proposals to build prototypes. The prototyping phase is meant to help the Army define requirements.
Following the prototyping phase, the Army plans to again open the competition, allowing vendors to submit bids for the engineering and manufacturing development phase. The service expects to enter EMD in the fiscal 2024 time frame and is targeting the end of FY26 to enter the production phase with a single winner.
Initial production could total about 5,700 vehicles valued at around $5bn.
At the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference earlier this month, hulking tactical trucks were hard to miss on the exhibition floor.
American Rheinmetall Vehicles and GM Defense, who earlier this summer agreed to partner in the CTT competition, displayed Rheinmetall’s MAN Military Vehicles HX tactical military truck at GM Defense’s two-story booth. The truck was hauling one of the Infantry Squad Vehicles GM Defense is building for the U.S. Army.
“The Army customer says they want modern, advanced technology based on commercial investments made so that we can deliver the best capability to the warfighter as quickly as possible,” GM Defense President Steve duMont told Defense News in August. “That’s what this team is preparing to do.”
Mack Defense brought to the conference its M917A3 Heavy Dump Truck, based on the commercially available Mack Granite model. In 2018, the Army awarded Mack Defense a $296 m contract to provide over seven years dump trucks to replace decades-old Army trucks. Mack began building those vehicles in 2021 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Just ahead of AUSA, Dave Hartzell, the company’s chief executive, told Defense News it had submitted a bid for the prototyping phase of the CTT program.
The company is taking its base design and technology from the Granite family of vehicles, and militarizing it.
“We made some performance enhancements to it to meet the Army’s requirements for off-road capability, or mobility requirements, and then they have a force protection requirement, there’s an armoring requirement, so obviously, we had to design that to provide that capability as well,” Hartzell said.
Roughly 80% of the parts are shared with Mack’s commercial vehicle platforms. The Army wants “a commercial base vehicle platform that can still meet the mission roles that are required for the military application, but with a degree of commonality with commercial industry as much to the extent possible,” he said.
AM General also announced at AUSA it submitted a bid to compete for the CTT. AM General is teaming with Italian Company IDV Iveco Defense Vehicles, which previously partnered with BAE Systems to supply the U.S. Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle.
AM General has long supplied Humvees to the U.S. Army and is planning to compete again for a chance to build the service’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle after losing to Oshkosh Defense in 2015. The Army is recompeting the contract and plans to select a winner early next year.
“The team’s High Mobility Range Vehicle architecture for CTT will be based on a newly launched highly modular range of trucks, specifically designed for military use,” according to AM General’s statement.
(Source: Defense News)
19 Oct 22. Lithuanian contract signed on acquisition of additional 300 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. Additional 300 JLTVs (Joint Light Tactical Vehicles) have been acquired for the Lithuanian Armed Forces according to a contract signed by the Defence Materiel Agency under the Ministry of National Defence with the United States Government earlier this week.
“The additional procurement of 300 items of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle from the U.S. is one of the most important steps in the process of modernization of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Our military cooperation with the United States is expanding and we are capable of contributing to the security of the eastern flank of NATO together. This sends a strong signal to our Allies that Lithuania not only assists Ukraine in its struggle with everything we have but also takes care to invest in its own defence and the defence of the whole Alliance,” said Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces will receive the total of 500 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, the current amount and the 200 items contracted for with the U.S. Government in 2019. The new vehicles will substantially strengthen the current capability of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, add mobility, personnel protection and combat power.
According to Vice Minister Vilius Semeška, since Lithuania has negotiated the JLTV delivery ahead of the planned schedule, according to the new contract, the first vehicles will reach Lithuania in 2023 and all the remaining amount – gradually through 2024.
The acquired vehicles are manufactured by U.S. Oshkosh Defense, have additional turrets, are armed with 12.7mm M2 QCB machine-gun, accommodate the crew of 5 and arms.
The first shipment including 50 JLTVs arrived in Lithuania last summer and is now successfully used by the Lithuanian military. The next batch of 50 will be delivered in a month or two this year, and another 100 – in 2023, with the remaining to come gradually as well.
The JLTVs will be assigned to battalions of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Iron Wolf and Griffin Brigades, and to the national Rapid Response Force in order of priority.
The JLTV is an advanced all-terrain vehicle with high crew protection. They will keep our troops safer and our reconnaissance, artillery and support operations more effective. The light armored vehicles will not only improve our armed capabilities but also the interoperability of U.S. and Lithuanian forces.
20 Oct 22. Defexpo 2022: L&T focuses on UAV development. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Defence has developed a rotary-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can support the Indian Armed Forces in surveillance and logistics operations.
Discussions are under way for the UAV to be tested by the Indian Armed Forces in the coming months, a source familiar with the matter told Janes at Defexpo 2022 being held at Gandhinagar from 18 to 22 October. L&T has been collaborating with an undisclosed foreign company for developing the UAV. Janes understands that this foreign partner could be Swedish aerospace company, CybAero. Janes analysis of the airframe design and specifications indicates that L&T’s rotary-wing UAV is likely based on CybAero’s ‘APID One’ UAV. The source said that L&T has been collaborating with the foreign partner since a year. According to specifications provided by L&T, the rotary-wing UAV has a range of 100km, an endurance of 4 hours, a maximum speed of 120km/h, a payload capacity of 40kg, and an operating altitude of 3,000m. (Source: Janes)
20 Oct 22. Defexpo 2022: India unveils Arjun Mk-1A MBT. India’s state-run Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL) has unveiled the Arjun Mk-1A main battle tank (MBT) at Defexpo 2022, held in Gandhinagar from 18 to 22 October. According to AVNL, the Arjun Mk-1A has been designed and developed indigenously by incorporating numerous improvements over the Arjun Mk-1 MBT, which is in service with the Indian Army.
The modern technologies fitted onto the Arjun Mk-1A give it an edge over other contemporary battle tanks, said AVNL. The new MBT is fitted with a computer-controlled integrated fire-control system incorporating a ‘day-cum-night’ stabilised sighting system that guarantees a “very high first round hit probability“ and reduced reaction time to bring effective fire on targets, said AVNL.
To enhance firepower, AVNL also equipped the Arjun Mk-1A with commander’s panoramic sight, an Mk-Il automatic target tracker, a remotely controlled weapon station, and a muzzle reference system. (Source: Janes)
17 Oct 22. Airbus’ Multi-mission “Cargo Copter” is Put to the Test During a Robotic Military Exercise. A sub-scale demonstrator of a future Airbus multi-mission unmanned aerial vehicle demonstrated its capabilities during a large robotic exercise organised last month by the Portuguese Navy and NATO, which brought together military forces, universities and selected industry partners. By taking part in this exercise, the “cargo copter” operated in a dense robotic environment, validating the concept’s usefulness – particularly its modular design for easy, flexible and rapid swap-out of payloads and batteries.
The demonstrator was developed by Airbus’ UAS New Programmes group in collaboration with the company’s X-Works rapid prototyping team. A system-of-systems approach was applied with the goal of meeting military mission requirements that range from cargo transportation and ISR duties (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) to serving as a communications relay and a combat force multiplier.
Its validation occurred in highly realistic operational conditions during the REP(MUS)2022 military exercise, which was conducted in Portugal’s Troia Peninsula region from 12-23 September. Overall, REP(MUS)2022 brought together some 1,500 personnel to test the coordination of unmanned systems and experimental mission scenarios above the water, on the water and under the sea.
A challenging environment during REP(MUS)2022
“This was a great opportunity to trial our small-scale demonstrator in realistic conditions,” explains Jens Federhen, who leads the X-Works rapid prototyping team. “Performing the demonstrations in such a demanding environment – surrounded by six research ships, 11 warships and 120 uncrewed systems around us – was extremely challenging, and at the same time very productive, as we have been able to learn and create useful collaboration links.”
The sub-scale demonstrator of the future Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS is a 35-kg vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) multicopter. Sized to accommodate a range of payloads, the “cargo copter” is equipped with the Airbus-developed DeckFinder™ all-purpose landing aid for automatic landings on ship decks.
Valuable guidance for the next step
According to Johannes Pittermann, UAS PORTFOLIO MANAGER and REP(MUS)2022 PROJECT MANAGER, Airbus’ participation also helped to answer some open questions for the multi-mission cargo drone’s full-scale concept, providing valuable guidance in follow-on design and development work.
For the full-scale version, Airbus UAS New Programmes envisions a drone capable of carrying payloads of more than 250 kg payload over a range of 300-plus km. Beyond the military applications, Airbus foresees a role for the Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS in civilian use for, e.g. humanitarian and/ or disaster/crisis management. (Source: ASD Network)
17 Oct 22. Major order for new Jackals for Supacat, up to 165 required. A VTN has now been released and closed on 18 Oct for 75 new Jackals with a possibility of a further 165 over the next 18-months or so. This is great news for Supacat and its supplier base.
Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2022/S 000-028118/EN)
Nature of contract: Supply contract
Procedure: Negotiated without a call for competition
Type of bid required: Not applicable
Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Supplies
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Ministry of Defence
Postal address: Vehicle Support Team, Cedar 1A #4110, MOD Abbey Wood South
Town: Bristol
Postal code: BS34 8JH
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Ian Hamblin
Telephone: +44 3067988244
Email:
Internet address(es):
Main address:
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.5) Main activity
Defence
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: Procurement of 75x High Mobility Truck Variant (HMTV) Platforms and associated support items
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 35410000
II.1.3) Type of contract Supplies
II.1.4) Short Description:
This contract will cover the procurement of additional High Mobility Tactical Vehicle (HMTV) platforms and associated support items to mitigate shortfalls against the current fleet as well as Future Soldier structures.
II.1.6) Information about lots
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement(excluding VAT)
Value:60000000.00
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: Main site or place of performance:Supacat Limited
The Airfield
Dunkeswell
Devon
EX14 4LF
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority intends to award a contract to Supacat Limited for the procurement of additional HMTV Platforms and associated support items to mitigate shortfalls against the current fleet as well as Future Soldier structures. The Contract shall include options for additional quantities of platforms, noting that there is no obligation to invoke these. Estimated value excluding VAT: Range £60m and £250m Ex VAT covering the procurement of 75x platforms across FY22/23 and 23/24 and associated support items, such as Complete Equipment Schedule (CES) and Training Support. It is estimated that the initial contract for the 75x platforms and support will total between £60m – £100m Ex VAT. This may potentially increase by a further 165x platforms and therefore have a potential total value of £250m Ex VAT if contractual options are invoked, noting that the Authority has no obligation to do so, therefore increasing the Total Fleet Requirement to 240x platforms. Any future procurements would be subject to separate Business Case approval.
II.2.5) Award criteria
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: yes
Description of options:
The initial contract will be for a 2-year period and shall contain options for additional quantities of HMTV platforms. Options shall be included for the Authority to procure additional platform quantities, noting there is no obligation on the Authority to invoke these. This will also require separate financial approval.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
II.2.14) Additional information:
Estimated value Ex VAT: Range £60m and £250m Ex VAT for procurement of 75 platforms in FY22/23 & 23/24. It is estimated that the initial contract for the 75 platforms and support will total between £60m-£100m Ex VAT. This may increase by 165 platforms and therefore have a potential total value of £250m Ex VAT if contractual options are invoked, noting that the Authority has no obligation to do so.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice(in accordance with Article 28 of Directive 2009/81/EU)
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no
IV.2) Administrative information
Section V: Award of contract/concession
Contract No: 705131450
Title: Procurement of 75x High Mobility Truck Variant (HMTV) Platforms and associated support items
V.2) Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:2022-10-06
V.2.2) Information about tenders
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Official name: Supacat Limited
Postal address: The Airfield
Town: Dunkeswell
Postal code: EX14 4LF
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1404891777
Email:
Nuts code:
The contractor is an SME: yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession(excluding VAT)
for framework agreements – total maximum value for this lot
for contracts based on framework agreements, if required – value of contract(s) for this lot not included in
previous contract award notices
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties
Section VI: Complementary informationVI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: Anj Cooke DES LE VS-Comrcl-Exec
Postal address: Vehicle Support Team, Cedar 1A #4110, MOD Abbey Wood South
Town: Bristol
Postal code: BS34 8JH
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail:
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:
2022-10-06
Justification for the award of the contract without prior publication of a call for
competition in the Official Journal of the European Union
1.Justification for the choice of the negotiated procedure without publication of a call for competition in accordance with
Article 28 of Directive 2009/81/EU
The products involved are manufactured purely for the purpose of research, experiment, study or development under the conditions
stated in the directive(for services and supplies only)
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
absence of competition for technical reasons
3.Explanation
Please explain in a clear and comprehensive manner why the award of the contract without prior publication in the Official Journal of the European Union
is lawful, by stating the relevant facts and, as appropriate, the conclusions of law in accordance with the directive:
The Vehicle Support Team (VST), as part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), intends to place a contract with Supacat Limited for the procurement of additional HMTV platforms and associated support items such as CES and training support. In accordance with regulation 4 of The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/697) this procurement falls to be regulated under the provisions of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 as amended (in particular by SI 2019/697 and SI 2020/1450). Prior publication of a contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union is no longer appropriate. It is considered that the award of the contract without prior publication of a contract notice in the UK e-notification service (as required by the relevant legislation) is lawful in accordance with Regulation 16(1)(a)(ii) of the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for Technical Reasons. This is because procuring an alternative HMTV platform solution is not considered reasonable in this instance due to the significant additional technical and interoperability complexity that would be introduced, including but not limited to platform interoperability issues, including safe recovery procedures, safe transport procedures and safe integration with weapon systems, all of which are currently established for the current in-service Supacat Limited HMTV platforms and would introduce a level of risk that is not acceptable to the Authority. In addition, it would not meet the Authority’s requirement to introduce different platforms with different support solutions when deployed on contingent operations. Existing modifications and theatre specific role fits would not be compatible with an alternative platform without significant effort to integrate. Increased training burden associated with a mixed fleet of platforms which would include new training material to ensure safe operation of platforms does not meet the User’s requirement and set pre-deployment training activities. Supacat Limited are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for the HMTV platform(s) and they are the sole manufacturer of the HMTV vehicles and owners of the IPR. The Authority does not own or have a right to obtain or provide to third parties the proprietary information and documentation regarding these platforms. Manufacture of these platforms by a third party is not considered possible without direct OEM support and access to the proprietary information Therefore, as the OEM, Supacat Limited are the only economic operator capable of manufacturing this capability and meeting this requirement. This vehicle is currently deployed on multiple Operations around the world and further procurement is required to mitigate shortfalls against the current fleet as well as Future Soldier structures. As such, procurement of anything other than the HMTV model from Supacat Limited would fail to meet the Authority’s requirement and would introduce a level of risk that is not acceptable to the Authority.
17 Oct 22. Rheinmetall hands over first Lynx infantry fighting vehicle to NATO member Hungary. On 15 October 2022, Rheinmetall handed over the first of a total of 209 Lynx infantry fighting vehicles to the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF). Just two years after the order was placed, Rheinmetall AG CEO Armin Papperger presented the key to Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. The handover took place during an oath-taking ceremony of new military service volunteers of the Hungarian Defence Forces at the Petöfi Sándor Barracks in Budapest. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also attended the ceremony. Lynx will become the backbone of Hungary’s mechanised infantry forces.
“We are very proud to be able to deliver the first Lynx infantry fighting vehicle to our partner Hungary today,” said Armin Papperger. “This is an important milestone. Lynx is the most versatile fighting vehicle of its class. In making this forward-looking procurement decision, Hungary’s top political and military officials have demonstrated leadership in moving Hungary at the forefront of European army technology and underlining the Hungarian government’s commitment as a reliable partner of its NATO allies, a policy which it is pursuing with systematic energy.”
In September 2020 the Hungarian Ministry of Defence has awarded Rheinmetall an order to supply infantry fighting vehicles and related products and services with a total value of more than €2 bn. The holistic delivery package includes ammunition and logistics, as well as nine modern Buffalo armoured recovery vehicles, nine armoured vehicle launched bridges (AVLB) and 16 trucks. Hungary is the first NATO and EU member nation to receive Rheinmetall’s newly developed Lynx modular medium weight combat system. This important contract represents a major breakthrough in the global defence market for the Düsseldorf-based technology group’s innovative new combat vehicle.
The Lynx KF41 for the HDF is delivered in seven variants including standard infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), command post, reconnaissance, joint fire observer, mortar carrier, field ambulance vehicles and driver training vehicles. The contract also includes additional Rheinmetall products and services such as simulators, training and instruction, plus an initial supply of spare parts as well as maintenance support.
The Lynx IFV is equipped with a manned 30mm Lance turret, as well as the integrated active protection system StrikeShield, both likewise developed by Rheinmetall.
A first batch of 46 Lynx vehicles will be delivered from Rheinmetall’s plants in Germany. By end of next year, Rheinmetall will start to deliver the remaining vehicles from their Hungarian plant. To this end, the Hungarian government and Rheinmetall agreed in August 2020 to establish a joint venture responsible for creating a Lynx production facility in Hungary. The state-of-the-art production facility for the innovative combat vehicle is currently being built in Zalaegerszeg as part of the ZALAZone industry complex.
The modern facility not only contributes to the preservation and further expansion of Hungarian capabilities in the development and production of modern combat vehicles, but also strengthens the local economy. The new Hungarian Rheinmetall colleagues are already working on the new Lynx vehicles in Germany, gaining valuable knowledge and skills that will support the transfer of know-how and technology.
Lynx – modular, flexible, future-proof
The Lynx concept embraces a complete vehicle family, consisting of a chassis module and flexible mission kits in numerous variants. This means that the basic vehicle can be configured as an infantry fighting vehicle, an air defence system, a command vehicle or field ambulance. Moreover, switching from one configuration to another can be accomplished in a matter of hours. Thanks to the uniformity of the basic vehicle, the system will result in substantially lower lifecycle costs, while simultaneously letting military users adapt to changing tactical requirements and/or leverage new capabilities. Outstanding survivability, mobility and lethality characterize the Lynx, as do excellent growth potential, including in terms of its total weight.
The Lance turret operates enhanced sensor systems to fully exploit the capabilities of the integrated 30mm firing next generation programmable kinetic energy time fused (KETF) ammunition and the modern Spike 2 LR anti tank missile system. It provides a comprehensive engagement capability for symmetric and asymmetric threats.
Lynx and Lance are fully digitised built on the NATO generic vehicle architecture (NGVA) enabling integration of the crew, the dismounts, and the vehicle into the wider battlefield network. Enhanced situational awareness enable rapid target detection or target handoff. Furthermore it supports the integration of multi-spectral sensing capability including UAVs and loitering munitions for beyond line of sight target detection and engagement.
The Lynx combines the modularity of passive and active protection systems providing layered protection capability against the prevalent battlefield threats. Lynx shields its occupants from the full spectrum of battlefield threats, including explosions, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), direct and indirect fire, cluster munitions and antitank guided missiles, as well as CBRN. With its hard-hitting combat effectiveness and excellent off-road mobility, the Lynx will give tomorrow’s armed forces a decisive edge in complex military operations at every level of intensity in all kinds of environments, overcoming multiple threats and securing favourable outcomes.
Its spacious interior is unsurpassed by any vehicle in its class, assuring the operational effectiveness of its three crew members and up to eight infantry dismounts.
The digitalisation, as well as the modern physical design of the Lynx ensure maximum performance against the threats of today and growth capabilities against the threats of tomorrow. The modular architecture offers growth capacities for payload, electrical power and processing capacities of the vehicle to enable seamless integration of enhanced mission equipment or realisation of special to role variants within a single vehicle family.
17 Oct 22. Hoefyster’s future in the hands of control board and steering committee. A resuscitation plan for the Badger ICV is said to be on the way. Next in line for the seemingly never-ending saga that is the SA Army’s new infantry combat vehicle (ICV) to replace the ageing Ratel is a Department of Defence (DoD) project control board (PCB) which will, apparently, decide whether or not Project Hoefyster gets a red or green light.
This came to the fore in an Armscor presentation to Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) last week.
Parliamentarians heard Project Hoefyster phase one – for the design and development of five variants – was “activated” more than 15 years ago in June 2007 with a contract value of just over a bn Rand (at 2006 Rand value) with delivery expected in May 2012. This was to be followed by phase two – industrialisation and production of 238 ICVs (Badgers) – with a completion date of November 2023 set.
That not much of this happened is common knowledge, with blame variously laid at the doors of mismanagement at Denel, the State-owned defence and technology conglomerate awarded the contract by Armscor, and what is called state capture in South Africa.
Examples of positive developments in the latest Armscor presentation are development of 33 Camguns and associated 30×173 ammunition, 60 mm long-range mortars, 15 Patria (the Finnish vehicle on which Badger is based) platforms, 64 training simulators as well as delivery of 137 Patria “goods packages”.
Armscor and Denel agree development of phase one common product systems (hull and turret items common to all variants) stands at 72.7%; while the lead Section variant is 83.9% complete; the Fire Support variant 83.09%; Command variant 72.6%; Mortar variant 44.5%; and Missile variant 53.61%.
The Armscor presentation has it the State-owned defence and security acquisition agency engaged with the Infantry Formation of the SA Army as the end-user of Badger on “relaxing” identified specifications. Other developments are a PCB and a project steering committee (PSC), asked for by Director: Army Acquisition. The PSC is a reality and all proposals from Armscor as regards project continuation are supported and recommended to the PCB. No timelines are given in the presentation. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
16 Oct 22. The Jeep J8, based on the Wrangler JL and a potential UK GSUP contender to replace the Land Rover Defender, appeared at DVD 2022, reports Bob Morrison. First displayed for potential military sales in 2007 at DSEi in London, after a redesign of the then Chrysler-owned Jeep Wrangler which had been unveiled as the JK model in the United States the previous year, the militarised J8 has proved popular with Central and South American military markets as well as being in use in quantity with both Egyptian and Taiwanese armed forces.
More recently, in October 2020, the Italian Ministry of Defence ordered the Jeep J8 as the replacement for its 1997-vintage fleet of AR 90 (Autovettura da Ricognizione 90) Land Rover Defenders and first examples are believed to already be in service, though neither Carl nor myself have yet had the chance to photograph any in the field. In July AADS announced that five US-funded J8 Jeeps, two armoured variants and three command vehicles, have now been supplied to the Croatian MoD for use on peacekeeping operations so at least three European NATO nations are now users.
The current Jeep Wrangler JL model is produced in Toledo in the United States by what is now the Dutch-based Stellantis multinational corporation, formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA (Peugeot) last year, but final assembly of J8 Jeeps on the European side of the Atlantic is undertaken by AADS (African Automotive Distribution Services) based in Gibraltar. The earlier Egyptian-assembled J8 Jeeps were produced as the TJL model by AAV or Arab American Vehicles, a joint venture with Chrysler, which commenced production in Cairo in November 2008.
At DVD 2022 both Babcock International (a contractor which publicly states it is currently annually delivering over 800,000 hours of vehicle maintenance, repair and overhaul to the British Army) and Supacat / SC Group (a specialist Devon-based company in the design and development of high mobility defence vehicles field) had J8 Jeeps on their stands. Babcock, which was also promoting versions of the Land Cruiser 70-Series as supplied through Toyota Gibraltar, had an interesting gloss green five-door soft top Utility variant on their stand on the Millbrook Steering Pan and Supacat had a sand coloured five-door LPV or Light Patrol Vehicle on their Off-Road Exhibition Area stand. The Utility and Command (i.e. Station Wagon) versions of the Jeep J8, plus the three-door Troop Ambulance version which were not present at DVD 2022, all look like they could potentially meet UK MoD GSUP (General Support Utility Platform) requirements. The J8 LPV, on the other hand, might well be a contender for a separate UK MoD requirement for a Land Rover Defender WMIK (Weapons Mount Installation Kit) replacement, and of course if J8 was also selected by MoD for the GSUP requirement this would bring the benefits of commonality of spares.
Note: Although I do have AADS spec sheets for different Jeep J8 versions I am not quoting these here, at least for the moment, as there are a number of inconsistencies and they may not apply to actual models/s proposed for future UK tenders. However it is worth noting that the J8 is available with various body lengths and heights and in both three-door and five-door configurations to suit different roles. (Source: www.joint-forces.com)
17 Oct 22. Boxer CRV project achieves IOC. The Australian Army’s next-generation combat vehicles have been certified for deployment.
LAND 400 Phase 2 — a $5.2bn Rheinmetall-led project involving the delivery of Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles (CRVs) to the Australian Army — has officially achieved initial operational capability (IOC).
This follows a test and evaluation process, which included deploying the Boxer during Exercise Sea Raider.
The Boxer CRV will now be operated by the Australian Army’s 7th Brigade.
“Exercise Sea Raider demonstrated the important capability boost provided by the Boxer, and its place as part of the land force and joint operations,” Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart said.
LTGEN Stuart reflected on the importance of the new capability in support of critical Army operations.
“The Boxer will protect our soldiers in high-threat environments as they seek information about an adversary. This information will then help direct our combined arms fighting system for best combat effectiveness,” he added.
“The Boxer can fight its way out of trouble using its 30mm cannon, and as we have just seen during Exercise Sea Raider, can be deployed from amphibious ships. The Boxer improves our ability to succeed on operations and survive in battle.”
Rheinmetall has been tasked with delivering a total of 211 Boxer CRVs and a further 490 trucks from the company’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE), based at Redbank, south-east Queensland.
“Australia has a reputation for building high-quality military vehicles. The Boxer will build on this established national industrial expertise,” LTGEN Stuart added. “This project is a great example of the way Defence and industry work together to deliver large-scale and complex capabilities.”
Gary Stewart, managing director of Rheinmetall Defence Australia, welcomed the IOC declaration, adding the Boxer CRV would increase protection, lethality and digitisation for the Australian Army.
He went on to describe the capability as a “game changer”, allowing Army to operate safely in hostile environments and on peacekeeping missions.
“The Boxer’s journey to IOC has included extensive testing and live exercises with the Australian Army,” Stewart observed.
“I am proud of the global Rheinmetall team who have worked in partnership with Defence to deliver this important capability milestone.
“Following this IOC declaration, Rheinmetall continues our work in supporting the path to final operational capability.”
The Rheinmetall managing director said the company would continue to leverage its local workforce of 730 employees and over 30 Australian industry partners to support the Boxer CRVs.
“As the company continues to design, manufacture and deliver the remaining 186 Boxer CRVs, Rheinmetall’s commitment to Australian industry capability will provide enduring jobs, skills and opportunity in Australia for many years to come,” Stewart said.
LAND 400 Phase 2 is scheduled to achieve final operational capability in 2027, after which Rheinmetall would continue delivering sustainment services from its local facility. (Source: Defence Connect)
17 Oct 22. Australian Army Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle achieves Initial Operational Capability. Rheinmetall is proud to acknowledge the Australian Army’s declaration of the Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) Initial Operational Capability (IOC).
Announced on Saturday 15 October, by The Honourable Richard Marles, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Boxer IOC declaration reflects the vehicle’s success in meeting the Australian Army’s stated operational needs; paving the way for the Boxer to be deployed on operations.
Speaking of the Boxer CRV IOC declaration, Mr Gary Stewart, Managing Director Rheinmetall Defence Australia explained the importance in providing a protected capability to the Australian Army’s soldiers.
“The Boxer CRV is the most advanced combat reconnaissance vehicle now in service with the Australian Defence Force. It offers increased protection, lethality and digitisation, and is a game-changer to safely operate in hostile environments and on peace keeping missions.”
“The Boxer’s journey to IOC has included extensive testing and live exercises with the Australian Army. I am proud of the global Rheinmetall team who have worked in partnership with Defence to deliver this important capability milestone. Following this IOC declaration, Rheinmetall continues our work in supporting the path to Final Operational Capability,” said Mr Stewart. Rheinmetall is the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force, with over 2,900 Rheinmetall trucks already in service with the Australian Army. Rheinmetall is delivering a total of 211 Boxer CRVs and a further 490 trucks from the company’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE), based at Redbank, South East Queensland.
“At Rheinmetall, we believe that what we do, matters to those who serve. This is a shared purpose between our staff, now over 730 here in Australia, and the over 30 Australian companies that directly contributed to the manufacture, delivery and support of the initial Boxer CRV capability.”
“As the company continues to design, manufacture and deliver the remaining 186 Boxer CRVs, Rheinmetall’s commitment to Australian Industry Capability will provide enduring jobs, skills and opportunity in Australia for many years to come” said Mr Stewart.
14 Oct 22. What comes after Abrams tanks? The Army is working on possibilities. The Army is evaluating what it will need beyond the latest version of the M1 Abrams tank, according to Army leaders overseeing ground combat systems and next-generation combat vehicle development.
The upgraded version of the tank is due to be delivered to the service next spring.
“It’s time to look at what happens after SEPV4, [the latest version of the Abrams tank]. Is it SEPV5? Is it something more dramatic?” Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the service’s program executive officer for ground combat systems, said in an interview with Defense News ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual exhibition here.
“We started to put money into the budget to deliberately support studies, evaluation and experimentation,” Dean said, and the Army has been “doing quite a bit to bound what’s the art of the possible, what should we be considering?”
The new NGCV cross-functional team lead, Brig. Gen. Geoffrey Norman, spent the last seven months in Poland with the 1st Infantry Division. “We had a great opportunity to work not only with Poles, but with the Lithuanians and other European partners on the Eastern Front, see what was happening in Ukraine very closely day in and day out,” he said during the same interview.
His observations there reinforced the “necessity of having operational mobility, the ability to get your vehicles where they need to be on the battlefield,” he said.
Weight is a major inhibitor of mobility, Norman said. “We are consistently looking at ways to drive down the main battle tank’s weight to increase our operational mobility and ensure we can present multiple dilemmas to the adversary by being unpredictable in where we can go and how we can get there,” he said.
The Army is also considering “what are tanks most vulnerable to on the battlefield of today … and in the future,” he said.
The service is finding opportunities to experiment, he added, taking a look at “a range of alternatives, putting soldiers in virtual prototypes and getting their feedback, not only on the physical platforms but also operationally, how would they fight [with] systems that have different characteristics than what they have right now? … How would they fight formations differently if their tanks had different characteristics?”
There are many technologies and concepts considered feasible for a derivative of the current Abrams, Norman said. “But there are certain things that we would want to do with a clean sheet tank design.”
The Army is shaping its recommendations for new requirements “as new facts come into focus” gained from Ukraine or other battlegrounds.
“We’re in a space where we will likely have information that could be presented to senior leaders within the next year about what the range of alternatives are,” Norman said. “We’re looking forward to tee that up and they may have enough information to make a decision within the next year or they may tell us to continue to experiment and explore the range of options.”
Dean noted that funding to pursue what could be next for Abrams would likely not appear in a budget cycle until fiscal 2025 at the earliest.
General Dynamic Land Systems, which manufactures the Abrams tank, is bringing what it’s calling AbramsX to AUSA this year. AbramsX is a technology demonstrator with reduced weight and the same range as the current tank with 50% less fuel consumption, the company told Defense News ahead of the show.
The AbramsX has a hybrid power pack that enables silent watch capability and “some silent mobility,” which means it can run certain systems on the vehicle without running loud engines.
The tank also has an artificial intelligence capability embedded in the system that enables “lethality, survivability, mobility and manned/unmanned teaming,” GDLS said.
Norman said the war in Ukraine has shown the tank remains needed.
“Tanks are in certain instances vulnerable, no doubt about it, but trucks are even more vulnerable and soldiers without any protection are the most vulnerable,” Norman said. “So what we need to do is not figure out what we’re going to do without tanks, without Bradley [Infantry Fighting Vehicles] or without armored fighting vehicles, but figure out how to best protect them and give them the best mobility possible to present those strategic and operational and tactical dilemmas to our adversaries.” (Source: Defense News)
14 Oct 22. Latest generation NIMR vehicles set for 2023 delivery. NIMR expects the first Ajban Mk 2 vehicle to be delivered in January 2023, Abri du Plessis, the company’s chief executive officer told a media briefing, adding that an initial Hafeet Mk 2 could be handed over as little as six months later. The launch customer for the vehicles was not disclosed. The Ajban Mk 2 is a 4×4 protected patrol vehicle and has been developed to offer increased levels of ballistic and blast protection compared with the Ajban Mk 1, as well as an increased payload capacity.
Major design changes compared with the earlier vehicle include a monocoque hull with a V-shaped underside, new axles, ABS brakes, and a choice of two engines – 300 hp as standard or a 360 hp unit if required. (Source: Janes)
14 Oct 22. GDLS displayed TRX Breacher, weighs path ahead for RCV-L competition. General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) showcased its second-generation Tracked Robot 10-Ton (TRX) with a breaching capability at the Association of the US Army (AUSA) 2022 conference in Washington, DC.
This newest robotic combat vehicle is based around the previous iteration of the tracked, flat-top unmanned ground vehicle that the company unveiled in 2020 and used in several army experiments. The company used “lessons learned” from these service events to build the TRX Breacher, which includes an obstacle-reduction mission package from Pearson Engineering, Tim Reese, the GDLS director for US business development, told Janes in a 7 October email.
“It uses a large pusher blade, an articulated lifting arm, and a MICLIC [mine-clearing line charge] to push or knock down obstacles, to pick up debris and move it, and to clear a path through minefields, respectively,” he wrote. “This configuration of TRX and the obstacle-reduction package was successfully used in August at Fort Hood for the army’s robotic combat vehicle experiment.”
Army officials used the TRX Breacher, along with the initial Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light (RCV-L) and Robotic Combat Vehicle-Medium (RCV-M) prototypes, at this event. (Source: Janes)
13 Oct 22. BAE Systems launches new Viper MLV II capability for F-16 aircraft. Production of Viper MLV II will be carried out at the company’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, US. BAE Systems has introduced a new maintenance capability to protect the onboard systems of F-16 fighter aircraft from potential cyber-attacks.
Known as Viper Memory Loader Verifier II (MLV II), the new system helps increase the aircraft’s defence against cyber threats.
It is an updated version of Viper MLV maintenance aid.
BAE Systems F-16 product line director Carl Huncharek said: “Our first-generation Viper MLV has 20 years of proven reliability and durability in challenging flight line environments.
“This new version of the product will include cyber-hardened aircraft mission capabilities, with an open system architecture that reduces lifecycle costs.”
The Viper MLV II version can provide flight-critical ability to install and verify various software and mission data files onto the aircraft.
It can also support downloading of flight and fault data along with third-party application software.
The company claims that this new version can support over 100 mission and flight critical systems onboard F-16 aircraft. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
13 Oct 22. US Army seeking AI for targeting, navigation aboard Bradley replacement. The U.S. Army will lean on artificial intelligence to assist two fundamental abilities aboard the forthcoming Bradley infantry fighting vehicle replacement, officials said.
Brig. Gen. Geoffrey Norman, the director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross-Functional Team, said both AI-enabled targeting and navigation are “absolutely essential” for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, or OMFV.
“What we’re seeking initially is well within the realm of the feasible. We’ve demonstrated those capabilities in the field in really rigorous environments,” Norman said Oct. 12 at the Association of the U.S. Army annual conference. “But as we look toward the future, and what we want to see downstream, we want to be able to accept maturing technologies.”
The Army this summer published a request for proposals to design and build prototypes of the OMFV. Bids are due next month, according to Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the Army’s program executive officer for ground combat systems.
The service tapped five companies for preliminary designs: Oshkosh Defense, BAE Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems, American Rheinmetall Vehicles and Point Blank Enterprises.
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Underpinning the needs of OMFV is work already underway “in the sensor space, the work that’s going on in developing algorithms, and developing that AI stack,” Norman said. Digital engineering — construction of virtual models that account for every inch of a complex product — is playing a key role in development, as well.
The Pentagon has for years recognized the value of AI, both on the battlefield and backing its infrastructure, and is investing significantly; the department’s public spending on AI, including autonomy, mushroomed from a little more than $600 m in fiscal 2016 to $2.5 bn in 2021.
More than 685 AI projects, including several tied to major weapons systems, were underway as of early 2021, according to a Government Accountability Office inventory. At least 232 projects are under the Army umbrella.
Norman on Wednesday said the near-term AI focus for the Bradley replacement is driven by soldier feedback and other hands-on experimentation.
“We believe,” he said, “that there are solutions available now to meet our needs for OMFV.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
13 Oct 22. Royal Navy’s Wildcat helicopter completes SHOL trials at sea. The UK Royal Navy’s (RN) Wildcat HMA Mk 2 helicopter has successfully completed the ship helicopter operating limitations (SHOL) trials. It was carried out under the supervision of Wildcat Delivery Team, under Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) procurement arm. The DE&S’ team contracted QinetiQ and Air Test and Evaluation Centre (ATEC) for the execution of the SHOL trials, which involved participation of over 30 people.
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The trials were conducted aboard Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel Argus in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions.
During the trials, a specially instrumented Wildcat helicopter conducted 894 deck take-off and landing operations and was flown for 87 hours continuously for 19 days.
The tests involved evaluating seven different weapon configurations, including missiles under ‘weapon wings’, with the helicopter.
Wildcat also proved its capability to efficiently operate as part of a Carrier Strike Group in challenging weather conditions and deck motions.
Furthermore, the helicopter proved its operational flexibility by using heavy calibre machine-gun, while its one side was loaded. (Source: naval-technology.com)
14 Oct 22. Royal Netherlands Army commences armed robot trials in first among Western militaries. The Royal Netherlands Army has become the first Western military to begin operational trials with armed unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), Janes has learned.
Four armed THeMIS UGVs were deployed with the Netherlands’ 13th Light Brigade to Lithuania on 12 September, Lieutenant Colonel Sjoerd Mevissen, commander of the Royal Netherlands Army’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) unit, told Janes . The UGVs are currently undergoing trials with a view to developing and refining doctrine at the platoon level.
“We have deployed four weaponised [unmanned] machines within an operational experiment”, Lt Col Mevissen said. “To my knowledge, we have not seen this before in the West”.
He continued, “The machines have been handed over for experimental use in an operational unit in a military-relevant environment. These are not simply tests on a training ground. We are under the direct eyes and ears of the Russians, and as such in a semi-operational environment.”
An announcement by the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirming the deployment was released on 14 October. (Source: Janes)
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