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02 Mar 23. JLTV back on track? Sources close to BATTLESPACE suggest that the UK MoD JLTV Requirement is back on track for 800 trucks under an FMS deal. Details will emerge in due course. In other news sources, suggest that following Ben Wallace’s Statement on Challenger 3, the numbers are expected to increase beyond the current number of 148.
01 Mar 23. AM General makes comeback as top prime in US military trucks. AM General not only unseats Oshkosh in manufacturing US light tactical vehicles, but the company consolidates its primacy by supplying different forms of trucks for military operators. The top two primes of US military light tactical vehicles have been shoulder to shoulder for over a decade, with Oshkosh Defense seemingly in the lead as the incumbent producer of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) since 2015.
Since then, Oshkosh was assured it was the company that would be tasked to deliver these JLTVs, which were set to replace AM General’s legacy Humvee fleet, well into the future.
However, almost out of nowhere, AM General gained the lead on 9 February this year when it was awarded a contract to manufacture over 20,000 JLTVs. With this, AM General is now set to produce Oshkosh’s own JLTV A2 design for the US Armed Forces.
In a competition-based contract environment that is designed to provide the most efficient and cost-effective service for the US Army, bidders do not have a guarantee for programme success when contesting a tender issued by the US Department of Defense (DoD).
But it does not end there. To leave no question as to the prime contractor in this industrial competition, AM General has expanded its operations to provide different forms of light tactical vehicles for a range of different purposes.
On the heels of winning the follow-on production contract for JLTVs, AM General showcased another design at the 2023 International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) held in the UAE: the Humvee Saber Blade Edition concept.
Meanwhile, Oshkosh says it is currently “pursuing a debriefing from the [US] government on the basis of the source selection decision”.
Oshkosh added that it “remained committed to designing and delivering the world’s most capable light, medium, and heavy tactical wheeled vehicles for the US Armed Forces now and for many years to come”.
The company remains true to this commitment, having acquired a contract worth $11m for wheel and tire assemblies on 14 February for the JLTV A1 vehicles it has produced for the US Army in the past.
As well as this, on 27 February, Oshkosh also received a $10m contract to provide Joint Light Tactical Vehicle regional field service representative support. Its continued efforts in supporting the JLTV family of vehicles demonstrates Oshkosh’s sustained presence as a competitor in this industry, and as a major consultor on JLTVs.
What gave AM General the edge?
In discussion with Army Technology, John Chadbourne, AM General’s EVP in business development, provided several reasons to explain the company’s selection for the follow-on production contract.
“We believe we are the only Department of Defense OEMs [original equipment manufacturer] that have been IATF [international automotive task force] certified for quality at the factory. It’s a standard that you see in commercial automotive… that proves the level of quality in your production process,” Chadbourne said.
This certification served the company well considering that part of the DoD’s evaluation criteria for this recompete was the quality of the production process. Since Oshkosh has been producing this vehicle for so long, “we had to show them and prove to them that we could do it as well”.
Chadbourne added that AM General went beyond the proof of capacity for the programme by looking at what enhancements it could make to the JLTV.
“To make the JLTV better, the government was very clear on some things they want to work on. They focused in on about seven areas that we had to show how we would meet them.”
Another aspect that gave them an edge is believed to be its supply chain.
“We have a tremendous supply chain that we have developed over years and years of producing the Humvee… and we leverage that supply chain to show how we could make the JLTV as cost effective as possible,” detailed Chadbourne.
This goes a long way considering the purpose of the competition-based contract, which is to give the DoD the means for price determination of the platform in the future.
Diverse portfolio
What has benefitted AM General, beyond superseding Oshkosh, is its plan for the range of services and capabilities it provides the operators today.
“The JLTV and the Humvee are both great vehicles, and they are complimentary to each other. The JLTV is perfect for certain mission sets, certain countries, and the Humvee is a proven enduring vehicle for other missions.”
Now, as the provider of both vehicle families, AM General has enabled itself to rise to become a top prime contractor for military trucks. The producer has already leveraged its product portfolio at IDEX, where they have showcased their new Humvee Saber.
Chadbourne told Army Technology that “the Humvee Sabre is very unique, we feel that it perfectly fits in between the upper armoured Humvee and the JLTV. For the right amount of transportability, mobility, but protection as well. It’s more protected than the armoured Humvee. But it’s more mobile and more transportable than the JLTV”.
Controlling the output of these two different vehicle families will establish the company as a formidable contractor. It will not only bolster its position as a top choice as DoD contractor, but also tap into wider channels of the JLTV supply chain. It will also gain a larger consumer base for different services, on top of its existing consumers in over seventy countries.
AM General seems to have consolidated a prominent place in this industry going forward.
Production so far
AM General has begun to put up the new assembly line for the JLTV A2, but the two buildings would be side-by-side producing JLTVs and Humvees.
Chadbourne was assured that AM General’s ability to produce the same or more quantities for modern Humvees will not change as “there is a huge demand for the motorised Humvee”.
The company has already made progress, with the latest contract received in relation to the JLTV production programme awarded on 24 February. The DoD provided $20m for 108 packaged kits to support JLTVs in conjunction with the follow-on production contract.
(Source: army-technology.com)
02 Mar 23. Boxer Update – Positive news. In last week’s issue we said (See: BATTLESPACE UPDATE Vol.25 ISSUE 09, 27 February 2023, ‘Boxer, one foot longer, three engines, £1m more and 2 years late?) We would like to clarify an error in this piece in that Boxer certainly has a new and bigger engine a 600hp MTU engine vs. the original choice of a 500hp MTU engine. Sources inform BATTLESPACE that the new and more powerful engine and associated gearbox and cooling system fits neatly into the existing engine compartment. The good news is that the 60hp engine allows the payload to increase from 36-38.5 tonnes to accommodate new and heavier fits. The Boxer nations are expected to standardise on the bigger engines as are the Australian Army which needs a heavier engine to accommodate the heavier Rheinmetall Lance turret. The 600hp is common to the Ajax engine, therefore both vehicles will have a common Rolls-Royce support facility in the UK. In other news the price has not increased as the UK has procured its Boxer’s through the OCCAR procurement process which does not include VAT and thus there are savings of £1m per vehicle. The numbers expected are 367 with an IOC of March 2025. More variants including a turreted version based on the Rafael Lithuanian solution, as one option, are expected from 2027 onwards. These updates are reflected in PQs this week.
Boxer Vehicles
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Boxer Armoured Personnel Carriers built for the British Army are the same size as those built for the armies of (a) Germany and (b) the Netherlands.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 2 March 2023
All British Army Boxer vehicles are based on the same dimensions of the common base vehicle, which are shared with our partner Nations. Minor variations in overall dimensions between Nations occur due to the equipment integrated to the vehicle dependent on the role or capability being undertaken.
Boxer Vehicles
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many engine types the Army’s Boxer vehicles are equipped with.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 2 March 2023
All British Army Boxer vehicles will be equipped with the same Rolls-Royce engine type.
BATTLESPACE has accepted the invitation to see the RBSL Boxer facility later this month, where we will be updated on what is becoming a model procurement.
02 Mar 23. Poland to procure Borsuk IFVs. Poland will procure 1,400 Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and specialised variants from a consortium of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa companies led by Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW), the Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) and the Armaments Agency (AA) announced on their websites on 28 February. Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak approved a framework agreement between the AA and the consortium at the HSW headquarters on 28 February for the delivery of the 1,400 vehicles.
The AA said on its website that the specialised variants include Żuk reconnaissance vehicles, Oset command, Gotem medical evacuation, Gekon recovery, and Ares chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear reconnaissance vehicles. The agency estimated the value of the contracts to be awarded under the agreement at several tens of billions of Polish zlotys, with deliveries of the prototypes by mid-2023 and the first-production vehicles in 2024–25. (Source: Janes)
01 Mar 23. Significant progress at MOD Ashchurch for the Vehicle Storage and Support Programme. The Vehicle Storage and Support Programme (VSSP) at MOD Ashchurch has reached a significant milestone with the start of ground preparation. Structural piles have been inserted to form the base of the building which will be the first of the new workshops. Meanwhile, demolition on site is continuing at pace.
The VSSP is a two-phase programme that will deliver modern, sustainable, and effective storage and maintenance solutions for the British Army’s vehicle and equipment fleet. It will provide Controlled Humidity Environment (CHE) storage for vehicles, reducing maintenance costs and unnecessary deterioration caused by extreme drops or rises in temperature, ensuring that the Army’s fleet is operationally ready at all times.
While visiting Ashchurch for the start of ground works, Belinda Lunn, Senior Responsible Owner for VSSP said:
I am delighted to see first-hand the impressive progress on site since the start of works in September 2022. Seeing the foundations being prepared is an important milestone and means that we remain on target to have a state-of-the-art storage facility in Ashchurch. Sustainable construction methods will also support the Army’s contribution to Net Zero targets for Defence.
The multi-m-pound project was awarded to Skanska by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to meet the enduring requirements for the Army’s fleet of vehicles. The project has been designed to protect and preserve the vehicles as well as provide essential office space.
Warren Webster, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, MPP Programme Director – Army, said: “The milestone we have reached today is testament to the excellent working relationship of the project delivery team, consisting of Skanska, Mace and DIO, with the Army to meet their requirement for specialist storage facilities and supporting infrastructure. I look forward to seeing the site develop further over coming years”.
Skanska is carrying out the piling works, construction, and mechanical and electrical engineering for this complex programme. This includes demolition of 58 buildings, construction of 12 new buildings and refurbishment of one existing facility, plus renewal of site-wide infrastructure. The project will employ up to 400 people and will also support 10 apprenticeships.
Katy Dowding, Executive Vice President, Skanska UK said: “We’re excited to have reached this significant milestone on the way to transforming the site into a facility that will protect and futureproof the British Army’s vehicle fleet – and we’re really proud to be a part of that. With sustainability as a guiding principle, we’re also proud to continue driving greener solutions as part of this complex project, using modern methods of construction and productivity improvements to drive down carbon emissions.”
As well as providing CHE storage for military vehicles, VSSP will also provide dedicated inspection and maintenance spaces. All buildings will adhere to the latest sustainability standards and reaching DREEAM (Defence Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) Excellent is the sustainability target for the programme. Solar installation on site will also generate green energy. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
01 Mar 23. Armscor making little headway on Hoefyster and A-Darter projects. There has been little forward movement on the Badger and A-Darter projects for the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), which is still in the dark as to when it will receive its new infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and air-to-air missiles from Denel.
Armscor, in a briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) on 15 February, gave an update on Project Hoefyster. The state defence materiel agency told committee members that a Project Control Board (PCB) meeting was scheduled for 25 November 2022 to decide on the way forward with the project, but could not continue because the meeting did not quorate and so it was converted to an Information Brief to the Army Council.
Armscor has requested a new date for a PCB while the SA Army has asked for a briefing on the “non-compliance to specification” of the Badger project. Armscor is awaiting confirmation of these dates.
At the request of the SA Army, Armscor arranged for four different variants of the Badger vehicles to participate in the Armed Forces Day parade in Richards Bay on 21 February as well as to participate in live firing demonstrations during Armed Forces Day events. A total of seven Badgers took part in Armed Forces Day events.
“A further mobility and firepower demonstration of the vehicles is being arranged to take place at Potchefstroom or Alkantpan subsequent to the Armed Forces Day celebrations,” Armscor noted. The Badger was also displayed at Exercise Vuk’uhlome in November last year at the SA Army’s Combat Training Centre.
Project Hoefyster phase one – for the design and development of five main variants – came into effect in June 2007 with a contract value of just over a billion Rand (at 2006 Rand value) with delivery expected in May 2012. This was to be followed by phase two – industrialisation and production of 238 Badgers – with a completion date of November 2023. 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 state capture.
As for the A-Darter missile, Armscor reminded the committee that due to funding and skills constraints at Denel Dynamics it has developed a viable alternative model for further development and production of the A-Darter for the SA Air Force (SAAF). The viability of the proposed model has been tested against affordability, availability of resources and status of development, Armscor stated, and has found to be “completely viable”.
Armscor’s plan is to have other local defence companies work with Denel Dynamics to industrialise and manufacture the missile. “The principle of workshare with identified entities in industry to assist with the completion of the industrialisation and production of the missile, has already been agreed with Denel. Denel has already performed an assessment of areas where insufficient expertise or capacity exists within Denel.
“Armscor has already engaged with potential role players in industry who could participate in a workshare arrangement with the industrialisation and production of identified sections of the missile where Denel doesn’t have the requisite expertise or capacity. Armscor is awaiting a PCB to be convened to obtain the authority to execute the proposed model to meet the requirement of the SA Air Force for the A-Darter missile. A number of PCBs have been scheduled to date, but all were cancelled prior to the meetings taking place,” Armscor stated.
The SAAF has only received eight inert practice A-Darter missiles from Denel Dynamics, and manufacture of the full complement of trainer and operational missiles is still outstanding.
Denel was in March 2015 contracted to industrialise and manufacture the A-Darter fifth-generation air-to-air missile for the SAAF. All missiles were supposed to be delivered by October 2017, but development and qualification was only completed by November 2019. Primarily due to reasons of liquidity and subsequent resignation of key personnel at Denel Dynamics, execution of the programme has been completely halted over the last three years.
The A-Darter was developed jointly with Brazil under Project Assegai, with Denel Dynamics to deliver eight practice missiles, 21 trainer missiles, and 41 operational missiles to the SAAF. Continued delays mean the A-Darter, which should have been completed in 2015, is already seeing some obsolescence in certain areas. Limited re-engineering will be required before production can commence. In the meantime, the South African Air Force continues to use the interim IRIS-T missile, which was acquired from Germany in 2009. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
28 Feb 23. US Army greenlights Electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle prototype buy in 2024. Both fully electric vehicles and hybrid-electric contenders will be considered for program. Army leaders have approved the requirements to buy Electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle prototypes next year, but despite their name, those vehicles may not be fully electric at all, according to a senior service official.
The Army has been eyeing ways to field EVs to soldiers for several years and even tested out potential eLRV candidates. While challenges remain for acquiring such vehicles, the service is now ready to move forward with the eLRV prototyping competition and the forthcoming fiscal 2024 budget request includes funds to pay for the program, according to Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainment Timothy Goddette.
“There is money for prototyping and working the early stages of the program, the requirement was approved,” he told reporters at a National Defense Industrial Association conference.
“I don’t think the requirements says it has to be pure electric…it says a range from hybrid through electric, depending on where the technology is,” Goddette added. If lawmakers approve that funding and the project stays on track, the Army expects to begin receiving eLAV prototypes in 2025, and then, based on testing with those vehicles, decide how to proceed.
Additional details about this upcoming competition will likely emerge once the service issues a solicitation to industry and companies offer up their prospective vehicles.
Meanwhile, Goddette said the Army plans to leverage findings from initiatives like eLAV and other efforts such as the hybrid-electric Joint Light Tactical Vehicle to influence its path ahead for larger vehicles.
“On the tactical wheeled vehicle side, it’s probably unlikely that we’re going to have EVs until 2050 and that’s not just because the technology is not ready, we also have the reality of how long it takes to turn the fleet over,” he added.
For such larger vehicles, he added that it simply does not make sense to have a 5-ton electric truck weighed down with 4.5 tons of batteries because that “doesn’t leave a lot of room for cargo.” The other part of the equation revolves around recharging these batteries in austere environments. Both parts, he said, are going to take more time to sort through, leaving the shift toward hybrid-electric more realistic near term.
“Even if you have an electric vehicle, you still have to ask the question under the concept of the operation… Where do batteries have to go so that I can now have that right balance? And how am I going to recharge an electric vehicle in the places that we’re going to be?” Goddette said.
(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)
28 Feb 23. Poland eyes 1,400 new fighting vehicles to replace Soviet-era rides. In a major push to modernize the Polish land forces’ tracked vehicle fleet, Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak today signed a deal with a consortium led by Huta Stalowa Wola, a subsidiary of Poland’s defense giant PGZ, to acquire some 1,400 Borsuk (Badger) infantry fighting vehicles.
“The approval of our contract, the framework contract to order 1,400 Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles for the needs of the Polish military was described by one of the online news services as the largest project of the Polish defense industry in 50 years,” Błaszczak said at the official signing ceremony.
The government is expected to announce pricing information once individual task orders are negotiated with suppliers.
Błaszczak said the military will get the first four vehicles by the end of this year.
The Borsuk is fitted with a ZSSW-30 turret armed with a Mk44 Bushmaster II S 30 mm chain gun. The vehicle also carries a UKM-2000C 7.62 mm machine gun, among other weaponry, according to data from the Polish Ministry of National Defence.
The forthcoming procurement will enable the country’s military to replace its fleet of outdated BWP-1 vehicles, a variant of the Soviet-designed BMP-1. The move comes as Poland is intensifying efforts to replace Warsaw Pact-era gear with new weapons and equipment in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor Ukraine.
On the battlefield, the new IFVs are expected to closely cooperate with the South Korean K2 Black Panther tanks Warsaw ordered for the nation’s armed forces last year. In total, the Polish Army is to receive some 1,000 tanks, of which 180 units will be produced by Hyundai Rotem in South Korea, and a further 820 tanks in the K2PL variant are to be jointly manufactured by the two countries’ defense industries. The first batch of the ordered K2s was delivered to Poland in late 2022.
In addition to South Korean tanks, in the coming years, Poland also intends to base its modern tank fleet on U.S. M1A2 Abrams. Huta Stalowa Wola will lead the industry efforts to develop a second IFV model, which will be heavier than the 28-ton Borsuk, that is specifically meant to cooperate with those tanks, according to Błaszczak. (Source: Defense News)
28 Feb 23. Lack of maintenance funds hits Rooivalk and Oryx serviceability. Major underfunding means that two of the most important helicopter types in the South African Air Force – the Oryx transport and Rooivalk attack helicopter – are largely grounded, with only a handful serviceable at present. Cuts to the defence budget mean there is little prospect of the situation improving.
The Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) on 15 February reported to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) on the maintenance status of the fleets.
For the Rooivalk, Armscor told the committee that two types of contracts are in place with Denel Aeronautics for the Rooivalk: a fixed cost contract and an on-demand work contract. The fixed costs contract is in place until 30 September 2023, with R51 m provided. However, there is a shortage of R155 m on the contract, Armscor stated.
With regard to the on-demand contract, this is in place until 31 March 2023. This was not funded in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years and there is currentlt a shortage of R564 m for this contract. “Unavailability of funding is negatively impacting aircraft availability. Armscor and Denel are in negotiations with regards the further extension of the contracts,” Armscor stated, adding that no funding has been approved for an imminent 15-year major engine overhaul.
Of the 11 airframes in the Rooivalk fleet, only four are serviceable, with seven either unserviceable or undergoing maintenance, and of the 23 engines in the fleet, only 13 are serviceable.
The situation for the Oryx is not much better, with just seven serviceable out of a total of 39 in the fleet. Thirteen are at Denel for servicing while 19 Oryx are at squadrons awaiting servicing.
A maintenance order valid until 31 March this year is valued at R133 m, but only R110m has been paid to date; Armscor is currently negotiating to have the order extended to 30 September 2023.
As with the Rooivalk, there is insufficient funding to complete the 15-year major overhaul of engine and transmission systems, which will cost R692m. Armscor stated that the only funds received are sufficient to carry out the major overhaul of four engines.
The status of the SAAF’s rotary wing fleet is unlikely to improve as the helicopter capability has had its budget for the 2023/24 financial year cut by 30%, to R758m (down from R1.1 bn in 2022/23). It will remain roughly the same in 2024/25 (R768m) and 2025/26 (R821m). The SAAF’s total budget allocation for 2023/24 is R7.1bn.
Armscor also updated the Committee on the maintenance status of the C-130 Hercules fleet. A contract for the maintenance of these transport aircraft runs from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025. Of the five aircraft in the fleet, one is operational, two are undergoing maintenance and repair, and two are awaiting major overhaul. Additional funding to the tune of R1bn has been made available in the 2023/24 financial year for medium air transport. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
28 Feb 23. Sudan’s MIC markets UAE-designed protected mobility vehicles. Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation (MIC) introduced its Rhino and Rhino 2 protected mobility vehicles at IDEX 2023 held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February. Both vehicles appear to be renamed identical copies of protected mobility vehicles designed and manufactured in the UAE. This was particularly apparent in the case of the Rhino 2, which was shown at the MIC stand with placards from Harrow Armoured Vehicles. On 17 February 2023, prior to the opening of IDEX 2023, Harrow Armoured Vehicles published a video on its YouTube channel introducing its Merkava protected mobility vehicle, which appeared to be the same vehicle as displayed by MIC under the Rhino 2 name. MIC is not the only company to be marketing the Merkava under a different name, with UAE-based SchutzCarr Global offering the product as the APC Mono-Q 4×4. (Source: Janes)
28 Feb 23. GM Defense outlines electrification road map. GM Defense displayed its vehicle electrification technology, including a ‘skateboard’ chassis and its Next Generation Light Tactical Wheeled Vehicle (NGLTWV) at IDEX 2023, held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.
Speaking to Janes , Steve duMont, president of GM Defense, explained how the company’s approach will be to ‘take commercial technology and minimally adapt it’, building on the strategy it used for the US Army’s Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). This offers the benefits of being able to rapidly design and produce platforms, while also taking advantage of commercial economies of scale.
Aligned with this approach, GM Defense plans to invest USD35 bn into electrification so that its entire portfolio below the heavy-duty truck level will be made up of battery electric vehicles by 2035.
One of the products of this investment is the skateboard chassis, which is purpose-designed to incorporate battery technology and has been demonstrated on GM’s Hummer EV Edition 1 Pickup. (Source: Janes)
24 Feb 23. New Rabdan variants expected for UAE Army. The Al-Jasoor joint venture company expects to produce new variants of the Rabdan 8×8 amphibious armoured vehicle for the UAE Army, Janes learnt at IDEX 2023 being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February. Jasem Alzaabi, CEO of Al-Jasoor, told Janes that the company anticipates the production of hundreds of vehicles in several new variants. These are to include the ambulance variant, which debuted at the World Defense Show held in Saudi Arabia in March 2022, as well as an armoured recovery vehicle (ARV), command vehicle, and reconnaissance vehicle. This would follow the completion of an earlier order for 400 Rabdan infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are equipped with a turret taken from the UAE Army’s fleet of BMP-3 tracked IFVs. (Source: Janes)
22 Feb 23. Milanion NTGS, through its UK entity, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with UAE-based Streit Group to explore strategic opportunities to supply, market and fulfil the growing interest in ALAKRAN, the lightest mobile mortar system in the world.
The agreement was signed by Julio Estrella, CEO of Milanion NTGS, and Ahmed Raza, Deputy Chairman of Streit Group at IDEX 2023, held at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, where the ALAKRAN, integrated on two vehicles, is being showcased on Streit Groups stands.
Under the newly inked MoU, both companies commit to expand their collaboration and establish a framework for exploring potential opportunities in existing and new markets for rapidly deployable mobile fire support assets, namely ALAKRAN, tailored to local operational requirements.
ALAKRAN mobile mortar system is an effective, combat-proven system providing superior mobility, accuracy, speed, and high firepower on the battlefield. With automatic aiming and re-aiming functions, ALAKRAN provides 81/120 mm mortar capabilities while transmitting all recoil force to the ground. Its patented barrel cooling system allows for sustained firing, solving operational problems faced by current mortar carriers. The system is user-friendly and can easily be integrated onto almost any 4×4 vehicle with the ability to adapt to all types of terrain including deserts, mud, snow, and forests, and is heliborne-capable due to its lightweight design.
Julio Estrella said “We look forward to expanding our working relationship with the Internationally renowned Streit Group, to unlock exciting business development opportunities. We are confident that leveraging the combined knowledge, experience and expertise of both companies will identify new markets for business.”
“The cooperation with Milanion NTGS is a key relationship for Streit Group,” said Ahmed Raza, Deputy Chairman of Streit Group. “With this opportunity, we will be able to incorporate the ALAKRAN system into our existing global supply chain for our broad range of defence products. We are committed to fulfilling the needs of our prestigious clients under one roof, which is in accordance with the mission of our company.”
(Source: www.joint-forces.com)
25 Feb 23. Ajax armoured vehicle project back on track, says defence secretary. The Army’s “troubled” programme to build the new Ajax armoured vehicle “has turned a corner” according to the defence secretary.
Ben Wallace said he was confident recent fixes had put the project back on track after a series of embarrassing setbacks and delays.
The £5.5bn Ministry of Defence (MoD) project has been running for 12 years.
It promised to deliver 589 armoured vehicles, with the first ones due to enter service in 2019.
However, the Army is still waiting for testing to be completed.
The aim was to provide a family of hi-tech vehicles for battle, including reconnaissance, troop carrying and recovery and repair.
Ajax is armed with a 40mm cannon, which can be fired on the move, and carries a suite of sensors to identify targets.
The defence secretary hailed the progress made during his visit to the Dorset military base
Initial trials were plagued with problems, including excessive noise and vibration. Some of those testing the vehicle complained of hearing loss and others suffered injuries like white finger – a numbness linked to the use of heavy machinery.
More than 300 individuals taking part in trials had to be assessed for hearing loss, with some found to be suffering longer term damage.
Trials have had to be halted twice and the MoD said at the time it could not determine a realistic timescale for the introduction of Ajax. There was even speculation the programme might be cancelled.
But this week, Mr Wallace said the MoD, the Army and the main contractor, General Dynamics UK, had been working hard to resolve the issues.
He hailed the progress on a visit to the British army’s Bovington Camp military base in Dorset.
After going for a drive in one of the vehicles, he told the BBC: “It’s performing very well and I’m confident we’ve turned the corner. We’ve done the remedies.”
Ajax can reach speeds of up to 70mph (112km/h) and has been tested to withstand blasts, to fire on the move and carry additional armour weighing up to 50 tonnes.
The fixes include remounting hand controls to avoid excessive vibration
and a redesign of seat mountings and cushions.
Noise has been reduced thanks to dual-layer hearing protection for soldiers operating the vehicle, with an inner ear piece for communication covered by noise-cancelling headphones.
The vehicles are being assembled by General Dynamics UK in South Wales.
Some 414 hulls have already been built and 116 turrets are ready to be fitted once trials are completed.
The final stage of trials is expected to last for 18 months but it could be another two years before Ajax finally enters service with the Army.
(Source: BBC)
BATTLESPACE Comment: Time will tell whether the fixes to the seating area and the floor will lessen the vibration issues. The next stage is firing on the move and whether the gun will obtain second round on target at speed which it cannot obtain at the moment. The next stage of Trials are due to last 18 months, so it will be for a new administration, most likely Labour, to endorse an In Service Date of around 2028-30.
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