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07 Sep 18. Tier 2 of the VT4 program confirmed for ARQUUS. The Ministry of the Armies announced on Thursday, September 6th, the signature of the second tier of 1.200 Standard 2 VT4. A total of 3.700 ARQUUS’ will be equipping the Army by 2025, replacing the P4 liaison vehicle. Delivered by ARQUUS’ industrial plant in Saint-Nazaire, the VT4 is a light and versatile, non-armored, 4×4 vehicle for command and liaison purposes, designed to transport 5 soldiers or 4 operators equipped with the FELIN fighting system. With its payload of 900kg, it is designed for domestic operations (Anti-terrorism Sentinelle operation, or training purposes), or foreign operations in stabilized conflict zones. Versatile, the VT4 masters all kinds of grounds, both on and off-roads. It is equipped with a 160hp engine and benefits from a wide autonomy, thanks to its large fuel tanks. To answer the Army’s demands, ARQUUS undertook many adaptations on the VT4 to militarize it and make it meet all demands in terms of payload, weapon integration, notably FAMAS and HK416, and communication equipment. Moreover, the vehicle has been fitted with many security systems, as well as all comfort equipment needed to save the soldiers’ strength in operations (air conditioning, comfortable seating, sound-proof compartment. The VT4 thus matches the latest generation of civilian vehicles, guaranteeing optimal conditions for the soldier, even after a long journey. The services package is fully integrated and innovative. It includes a firm commitment of 90% of operational technical availability on the whole fleet. ARQUUS will be delivering 500 vehicles by the end of 2018. Production of standard 2 will begin as soon as 2019.
06 Sep 18. Kaplan MT ready for mass production, says report. The Kaplan MT Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT) has passed the required qualification tests with the Indonesian Army (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Darat: TNI-AD) and is now ready for mass production, Nail Kurt, the general manager of Turkey’s FNSS Savunma Sistemleri (FNSS), was quoted by the Anadolu Agency (AA) as saying on 5 September. The tank successfully underwent almost three months of trials designed to test its durability and lethality, Kurt told the media outlet, adding that FNSS, which is developing the Kaplan MT in collaboration with Indonesia’s PT Pindad, is now looking to move on to the production phase.
“A five-year budget is coming after 2019. The total need is between 200and 400 units, we are talking about very serious quantities,” said Kurt, adding that the company expects to sign an export contract by 2019, with Turkey and Indonesia expected to contribute equally to the manufacturing process.
He also said that a “small order” of 20–25 tanks “could be taken even in 2018”.
The announcement comes after PT Pindad said in July that it expects to start mass-producing the Kaplan MT in 2019. Ade Bagdja, PT Pindad’s director of technology and development, said at the time that he expects the company to produce at least 100 MMWT units for the TNI-AD. As Jane’s previously reported, the MMWT programme is supported by an inter-government agreement between Indonesia and Turkey that was signed in November 2014. Work on the project started shortly after, with two prototypes and one hull for mine testing being produced by 2017. FNSS unveiled the first MMWT prototype at the IDEF exhibition in Turkey in May 2017. Intended to provide direct fire and tactical mobility to the Indonesian forces, the rear-engined Kaplan MT has been designed to meet the TNI-AD’s requirement for a medium-weight tank and is set to replace the service’s depleted fleets of French-made AMX-13 light tanks, which originally numbered more than 300. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Sep 18. Rheinmetall sells Australia over a thousand more trucks – order worth €430m. Rheinmetall has won another major order in Australia. The Duesseldorf, Germany-based tech enterprise has been selected to supply the Australian Defence Force with more than a thousand additional military trucks and modules. Just signed, the contract is worth €430 m. The Commonwealth of Australia has thus acted on a procurement decision already announced in July 2018. Delivery is scheduled to commence in 2019 and be complete in 2024. The latest purchase forms part of Australia’s Land 121 Phase 5B project. Rheinmetall has already proved its mettle in earlier phase of the project, 3B, under which it is currently supplying Australia with 2,500 medium- and heavyweight military trucks worth a total of €1.2bn. The trucks ship out from the Group’s plant in Brisbane, where final integration and acceptance testing takes place before delivery to the Commonwealth.
Commenting on the contract, Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, stated that, “This follow-up order is of great strategic significance to us, providing an excellent reference for other important international projects. It reflects Australia’s satisfaction with our performance and the quality of our vehicles. Rheinmetall’s latest success in the Asia-Pacific region proves that our products are at the cutting edge of technology, and that the customer see in us a proven and reliable partner, fully capable of carrying out sophisticated large-scale projects.”
Michael Wittlinger, head of Rheinmetall Logistic Vehicles and a member of the Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH board of directors, emphasizes the company’s commitment to making its trucks the high-performance logistic backbone of the Australian Defence Force.
“We’re very proud to be able to continue our outstanding cooperation with the ADF”, declares Wittlinger. “We’ll be working closely with our network of Australian partners and subcontractors to make sure the ADF can count on these high-mobility trucks and build-ons in deployed operations.” By including Australian defence contractors and helping to create local production capacity, Rheinmetall is helping Australia establish an independent military vehicle industry, significantly augmenting the nation’s defence technology capabilities.
Rheinmetall AG’s Defence arm is a globally leading supplier of military hardware, including tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles, weapon systems, ammunition, simulation solutions, command and control technology, force protection systems and state-of-the-art sensors.
The Group’s in-country truck specialist, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA), has more than 150 employees at five locations. It supports the Australian military in a variety of ways, including project management, system engineering and integration, lifecycle support, maintenance and repairs, and spare parts management.
05 Sep 18. Bumerang IFV to finish preliminary trials in 2018. The K-17 Bumerang infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), which is being developed by Russia’s Military-Industrial Company (VPK), will finish its preliminary trials before year’s end, a source from VPK told Jane’s.
“We will finish the preliminary tests of the Bumerang platform this year and build a prototype of the vehicle for state trials. Once the state trials have been finished, the Russian military will start to receive the first vehicles,” the source said. The Bumerang IFV weighs 25 tonnes. The vehicle has three crew and it transports eight personnel. The platform is powered by a YaMZ-780 turbocharged diesel engine with a maximum power output of 750hp, producing a road speed of up to 100km/h, a swimming speed of up to 12km/h, and a range of 800km. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
04 Sep 18. Arquus trials unmanned 4×4 Dagger. French company Arquus has developed an unmanned version of its 4×4 Dagger light protected vehicle (LPV) using internal research and development funding. The vehicle was demonstrated at the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) Summer Seminar, which took place at the HEC Business School at Jouy-en-Josas in late August. MEDEF is essentially a think-tank and union of French company directors that aims to advance French business interests. The Dagger unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is regarded by the company as a technology demonstrator with potential production vehicles being customised to meet the end users’ specific operational requirements. These include deployment by security or Special Forces operating in hazardous areas. Arquus launched its robotisation programme in 2017, with the Dagger UGV being the first initiative under this effort. The vehicle was tested for the first time in May this year, although the company declined to disclose its details. The prototype UGV is currently operated using a hand-held controller but the eventual aim is to develop a fully autonomous vehicle. The baseline Dagger LPV is the export version of the Petit Véhicule Protégé (PVP), which was originally developed to meet the operational requirements of the French Army by the then-Panhard Defense. The French Army took delivery of 1,113 PVPs while international customers include Chile, Romania, and Togo. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
04 Sep 18. No more exposure: This forward unit is getting an upgrade that lets Strykers fire missiles remotely. Upgraded Stryker arrives in Germany. A new tech solution being fielded to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Germany this month will remove a long-standing vulnerability to dismounted troops working with Strykers. Until now, if a soldier needed to fire a Javelin missile from the light-armored vehicle, the Stryker would have to stop, the soldier would get out and hit the target with the shoulder-fired missile, and then jump back on board. It’s kind of a 20th Century method for shooting small missiles that leaves the soldier too exposed for modern combat, where troops are required to fight fast-targeting enemies with advanced sensors and shooters. So, researchers with Project Manager Soldier Weapons at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, adapted the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, which has been used for years to fire crew-served weapons from the interior safety of the Stryker, to fire Javelins. PEO Soldier staff said that 86 systems are part of the initial fielding. A follow-on upgrade will begin fielding in late 2020 that will replace 240 existing remote fire systems on a variety of Strykers within a not-yet-identified Stryker BCT. Stryker upgrades got a lot of attention last year when the program beefed up their firepower with a 30mm cannon to replace the two .50 caliber machine guns it previously carried.
The Army was provided more than $300m in emergency congressional funding in late 2015 to rapidly develop and field the upgunned Stryker as a counter to Russian aggression on the European continent.
“This capability that is coming to 2CR is directly attributable to Russian aggression,” Lt. Col. Troy Meissel, the regiment’s then-deputy commander, told reporters in 2017. The previous Stryker version was outmatched by Russia’s BMP-3 tracked infantry fighting vehicles, used in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Source: Defense News)
05 Sep 18. OTT Technologies expands M36 MRAP vehicle family. South African company OTT Technologies has expanded its range of mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) 4×4 vehicles by introducing a latest-generation Puma M36 Mk 6C-2 with independent suspension, and a Puma M36 Mk 6C with a German Mercedes-Benz Zetros drive line. These MRAPs are to be shown for the first time at the African Aerospace and Defence exhibition at Air Force Base Waterkloof, which opens on 19 September. The Puma M36 Mk 6C-2 has an all-welded steel armour hull, with the lower half in a traditional V shape for enhanced protection against mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). OTT Technologies said the Puma M36 Mk 6 hull was certified at the US Army Aberdeen Proving Ground for STANAG 4569 blast protection. The mine and IED protection is the same for all models, but the upper level – for example, the crew compartment ballistic protection – can be tailored to the end users’ requirements. External stowage boxes are designed to blow away in the event of an IED or mine explosion, and bullet/splinter-proof windows are provided for 360-degree situational awareness. External cameras can be also fitted to improve vision. As well as the commander and driver, the vehicle can carry 10 dismounts and all seats are provided with a 4-point safety harness. For a higher level of cross-country mobility and improved ride for the occupants, the Puma M36 Mk 6C-2 is fitted with independent suspension consisting of progressively wound coil springs with double-acting telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers. Left- and right-hand drive versions are available, and tyres are 14.00×R20 with run-flat inserts and a central tyre inflation system fitted as standard. The powerpack is a Mercedes-Benz OM 926 LA 6-cylinder common rail diesel developing 322hp at 2,200 rpm, coupled to an Allison 3500P automatic transmission with six forward and one reverse gears and a two-speed transfer case. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
04 Sep 18. Iveco Defence Vehicles delivers the hundredth Trakker GTF 8×8 to the Bundeswehr. With its latest generation of tactical military trucks, CNH Industrial subsidiary Iveco Defence Vehicles is reconfirmed as a privileged supplier for the German Armed Forces. The 100th Trakker of a total order of some 133 tactical military trucks has been delivered by Iveco Defence Vehicles to the German Bundeswehr, the German Armed Forces – represented by BAAINBw (Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support). The handover ceremony was held at the Iveco Defence Vehicles’ site in Germany, Ulm, attended by military and Ministry of Defence representatives as well as industrial partners. The 133 tactical military trucks, which are renowned for their high mobility capabilities and outstanding protection level, belong to a contract signed in 2015 as part of the German Army GTF(Geschützte Transportfahrzeuge) procurement programme, with delivery over four years. The vehicles are equipped with a protected cab, which currently offers the highest levels of ballistic, mine and IED protection in five different configurations, including various types of ISO-containertransport body work, some with hydraulic crane and winch systems.
“This 100th vehicle seals the already strong relationship between Iveco Defence Vehicles and the German MoD, one of our most important customers”, commented Vincenzo Giannelli, President & CEO of Iveco Defence Vehicles. “We are proud to continue providing best-in-class solutions to current and future requirements of the German Armed Forces, on the basis of a solid mutual trust and satisfaction built over the years through our German branch, which continues to stand out for the quality of services rendered to the customer”. Over the last decade, the company has delivered nearly 1,000 vehicles to the German Army from its wide product range, which have already been extensively fielded in operational areas such as Afghanistan and Mali. Recent contract awards with the Bundeswehr also include 280 Eurocargo 4×4 trucks to be delivered in 2018.
03 Sep 18. Jankel celebrates 15 years of success in Australia at Land Forces 2018. Jankel, a world-leader in the design and manufacture of high-specification defence, security and NGO vehicles and protection systems, is celebrating 15 years of success in Australia at the Land Forces 2018 event. Land Forces 2018 is taking place 4-6 September in Adelaide, where Jankel will be exhibiting their capabilities on stand number 4L11. Since entering the Australian market in 2003 with sales of Civilian Armoured Vehicles (CAVs) based on a Toyota chassis, Jankel has delivered a wide range of projects. Jankel has won contracts as a direct prime to the Australian MoD’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) and, formerly, the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO). In addition, Jankel is a key supplier to a number of other prime contractors and key partners including Supacat and JCB. Jankel’s Australian defence and security projects have included the provision of bespoke armour systems and up-armouring solutions for: Perentie; JCB 535-95; REDFIN 1A and REDFIN 1B SOV programmes. Through their business activity in Australia, Jankel has also secured contracts in New Zealand, again, working directly to the MoD and as a supplier to their partners. Jankel has been active in supporting Australian Industry Content (AIC) compliant programmes including the establishment of locally manufactured product lines. For instance, in support Supacat’s REDFIN programme, Jankel partnered with Tectonica who manufactured Jankel’s range of BLASTech mitigation seats directly in Australia under a sub-contract. In total, Jankel’s Australian business has generated over AUD $35m across a 15-year period.
Looking ahead, Jankel is focused on the continued expansion of their Australian business footprint. Specifically, in addition to marketing their wide range of protection system capabilities, Jankel is targeting the provision of specialist seating and survivability systems for Land 400 phases 2 & 3 as well as a number of opportunities to deliver specialist tactical, counter-terror and civilian armoured vehicle fleets for specialist user groups.
Dan Crosby, Commercial Director at Jankel said: “Australia continues to be an important market for Jankel. We’ve enjoyed a significant amount of success to date which has further underlined the credibility of the products and services we are able to offer. Our protection systems, many manufactured locally in Australia, are in service across multiple platforms saving Australian lives today and into the future.” He added: “We’ve successfully developed and broadened our business model in recent years to become a company that delivers a wider range of fully engineered tactical and military vehicles with the benefits of highly capable and certified COTS chassis systems. In addition to our protection system business, we’re winning complete vehicle programme contracts in Europe – something we’re also keen to expand in Australia and across the wider Asia Pacific region”.
31 Aug 18. Taking Low-Risk Approach to Amphibious Combat Vehicle. Instead of grasping for leap-ahead technologies that might derail efforts to acquire a new amphibious combat vehicle, the Marine Corps is pursuing a low-risk path that could deliver a big win for the acquisition community. In June, the program reached Milestone C and the service awarded a $198m contract to BAE Systems for 30 vehicles for low-rate initial production and live-fire testing. The company beat out a team led by SAIC for the final downselect. BAE partnered with Italian firm Iveco for the competition.
“They had a proven platform” that was developed for the Italian military, said John Swift, BAE’s program director for amphibious combat vehicles. “We believed it was low risk, and then fortunately we were able to prove to the Marine Corps that it was indeed low risk.”
The drive train and suspension performed well in reliability testing, he noted. Additionally, the vehicles delivered for the engineering and manufacturing development phase were built in “a production-like environment,” he said. That demonstrated the company’s ability to plan for and then execute the manufacture of the vehicle, and then deliver it on or ahead of schedule, he said. The LRIP contract award was a big win for the company and reestablishes it as the leader in the amphibious vehicle sector, Swift said. It “makes us really the only manufacturer of ground combat amphibious vehicles in the U.S.,” he added. “As far as our strategic portfolio opening for us, this is very profound.”
BAE’s platform is an 8×8 wheeled vehicle that can swim up to 12 nautical miles at speeds of 6 knots. On a paved road, it can drive 65 mph with a range of up 325 miles. It can carry 13 Marines plus a crew of three, with a payload capacity of 7,280 pounds, according to the company.
“It’s a design that has been around a while, it’s just customized for the Marines,” said Jim Hasik, a defense analyst at the Atlantic Council.
The ACV is intended to replace aging amphibious assault vehicles. The Marine Corps wants a platform that can carry seaborne troops onto the beach and then operate ashore. Increment 1.1 will consist of 204 personnel vehicles. Increment 1.2 is expected to consist of approximately 490 platforms to include personnel, command and control, recovery and gun variants.
“We have hit every milestone and every knowledge point that was levied upon the program … and we hit them on schedule,” Col. Kirk Mullins, program manager for advanced amphibious assault in program executive office land systems, told National Defense in an interview.
Dakota Wood, a senior research fellow for defense programs at the Heritage Foundation who served 20 years in the Marine Corps, said the ACV program is in a good place today.
“The recognition of needing to go with something that was low risk — meaning relatively commercially available — so that you could get a new vehicle into the fleet sooner … was a very good decision,” he said.
Hasik said the underlying automotive technologies for armored vehicles aren’t advancing rapidly, and it was prudent for the Marine Corps not to swing for the fences when it comes to capability.
“When you’re faced with that it makes a whole lot of sense to bunt — to use a baseball analogy — in your efforts to develop a new weapon system … which is what the Marines have done” with the ACV program, he said.
The pursuit of the new platform began after the expeditionary fighting vehicle project was canceled in 2011 due to concerns about cost overruns and reliability. Approximately $3bn had already been spent on the ambitious program when it was terminated.
The Defense Department released a draft request for proposals for the ACV in 2014. In 2015, it awarded BAE and SAIC contracts to develop prototypes, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Angelo Scarlato, the Marine Corps’ ACV product manager, said program officials took note of problems in previous vehicle efforts as they pursued the new platform.
“One of the most important lessons learned … is having stable and achievable requirements,” he said.
Swift said the Marine Corps has done a commendable job in structuring the program and executing it to plan.
“If you look at the other programs [that failed in the past], the requirements weren’t necessarily stable or testable,” he said. “In this program the requirements have never changed or altered, and they tested to what they said they would test to. … That and the open communication with the vendors I think was critical.”
The first iterations of ACV will have a remote weapon station that can carry a .50 caliber machine gun or a Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher. The service is looking at potentially adding a 30 mm cannon to increase lethality, Mullins said.
The ACV has about 15 percent growth margin, he noted. “We have the ability to add a capability to the vehicle as the requirements develop and still maintain its full amphibious capability,” he said.
Swift said BAE will unveil a model of a new variant at the Modern Day Marine conference in September. “We’re kind of looking at what we can do in regards for lethality,” he said. Swift declined to elaborate.
Survivability against explosive devices was a key Marine Corps requirement for the ACV.
“If I’m coming across a beach … anti-vehicle mines are absolutely a significant potential problem,” Hasik said. “It gets to be a bigger problem when you are looking for long distance road mobility because I can mine the roads. … So protection against landmines is pretty damned important.”
Mullins said the ACV will have comparable, and in some cases greater levels of protection than what is provided by the mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles that were widely used in Iraq to defend against insurgents’ improvised explosive devices.
The Marine Corps is also looking to add active protection systems to thwart enemy projectiles.
“We’re working and aligned hand in hand with the U.S. Army to see if we can realize some of that” on the ACV, Angelo said. “We are committed to that capability.”
Observers of the program have noted that the amphibious combat vehicle is unable to swim long distances, which creates operational challenges against adversaries with anti-access weapons.
“If you’re needing to operate farther away from shore to enhance force protection for your amphibious fleet, you’ve got to have some means of getting your landing force from those ships across a lot of water,” Wood said. “ACV is not going to do that.”
The vehicles will have to be transported via a ship-to-shore connector such as a hovercraft or landing craft utility ship, he said.
Critics of the program have questioned the survivability of the platform when it approaches a heavily defended beach.
“This thing is not designed for Iwo Jima, no question about that,” Hasik said. “It is a vehicle that does allow you to get ashore against comparatively light opposition but it would be a vehicle in which you would not want to embark if you were assaulting a shore against comparatively heavy opposition.”
Nevertheless, choosing that type of platform was the right choice for the Marine Corps because developing something with both heavy armor and an advanced amphibious capability “probably was going to be impossible” to achieve, Hasik said.
Wood noted that the military could use its other weaponry to degrade the enemy’s forces and open up opportunities for the ACV to come ashore safely.
“The critics aren’t accounting for the tactics that would be involved in preparation of the battlefield,” he said. “On land that’s really where [the ACV] hits its stride and … it’s going to be a pretty good asset,” he added.
Mullins touted the vehicle’s ability to operate in a variety of terrains that Marines might encounter, including littorals, forests and urban environments.
“Whether it’s major conventional operations or it’s the low-intensity humanitarian [mission]… it’s going to give the Marine Corps a lot of decision space in how it employs the ACV,” he said.
The service will receive the first deliveries of the LRIP platforms in the spring and summer of 2019. That will be followed by reliability testing, initial operational test and evaluation, and “full-up” system live-fire test and evaluation, Angelo said. The service hopes to achieve initial operating capability in 2020.
Program officials expect to have a critical design review for increment 1.2 in fiscal year 2019.
“We’re not envisioning any structural changes to the ACV 1.2,” Angelo said. “There’s not going to be changes to a lot of the subsystems or components, the electrical systems, the suspension — things like that are going to remain common. It’s just those unique attributes of the mission role variants is really where we need to focus our energy on.”
Mullins noted that the 1.1 and 1.2 personnel variants will have 95 percent commonality.
Planned upgrades include adding an environmental control unit, an inertial navigation system and improved situational awareness for operations in the water. Mullins said he is “100 percent sure” that the modifications will be made successfully.
The Marine Corps expects ACV 1.1 to enter full-rate production in mid-fiscal year 2020. The plan is to have no break in production between increments 1.1 and 1.2, Angelo said.
Full operational capability for increment 1.1 is slated for late-2022. Both increments are expected to be fully fielded by 2027.
Program officials are trying to control costs as they buy large numbers of platforms. The current affordability cap is a $6.5m average unit cost. “We are coming in much lower than that,” Angelo said.
Hasik said the program has realistic goals. “This is a very doable project,” he said. “It’s not a very expensive vehicle and they are buying them over time.”
Wood said a successful ACV program could have major implications for the Defense Department’s acquisition community.
Lawmakers are tired of hearing about program failures, he said, adding that the services need to “post a win” with a successful acquisition program. If BAE is able to deliver the vehicle on time and on cost, and it gives the Marine Corps a better capability than the 40-year-old AAV, it could heavily influence how the services pursue new equipment, he added.
“Do you shoot for the stars and try to get something that is at the outer reaches there of what’s technologically feasible?” Wood said. “Or do you … go with something that’s a little bit less advanced but more technologically achievable, and make these incremental advances in force capability instead of trying to bet on revolutionary leaps?” (Source: glstrade.com/National Defense)
02 Sep 18. LAND 400 Phase 3 contenders show up for Land Forces ’18. With the government’s recent announcement of the LAND 400 Phase 3 request for tender (RFT), Land Forces ‘18 is providing the perfect opportunity for the contenders to showcase their unique systems and capabilities to key decision-makers as the race to secure the lucrative contract begins to speed up. Three main industry partners are preparing to showcase their contenders for the LAND 400 Phase 3 at Land Forces ’18 drawing from three companies, with three different vehicles to compete for the approximately $10-15bn project to recapitalise Army’s M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) force, with an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and APC.
The main industry contenders are: BAE Systems, Hanwha Defense Systems and Rheinmetall.
BAE Systems CV90: The CV90 family of vehicles give unrivalled performance in the 20-35 tonne class and have been deployed by national forces, the UN and NATO in missions across the globe, including in Afghanistan. With more than 25 years’ experience in enhancing and developing the CV90 family, we have maximised the availability and cost-efficiency of these vehicles throughout their life cycle. Customer priorities and affordability are key, with future- proof designs leading to further advances. According to BAE Systems, the CV90 will provide a number of key advantages over its competitors, including:
- Designed for mobility;
- Flexible firepower packages;
- Survivability focus;
- Industrial collaboration and commitment;
- Through-life commitment;
- Ability to control the battlefield; and
- Operator-centric focus.
A BAE Systems Australia spokesperson said, “The CV90 is a combat proven in operation infantry fighting vehicle. It is a versatile and modern vehicle using the latest technology and innovation to help keep soldiers safe. As always, we look to support the Commonwealth to protect and enable our military forces where we can offer value for money, high performance system solutions that meet their needs. We are assessing the RFT and will make a decision in due course.”
CV90 has room for a crew of 11 (three crew, eight troops), a top speed of 70km/h, with an operational range of 320 kilometres and can be armed with a 30mm Bushmaster Cannon, a secondary 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and six 76mm grenade launchers.
Hanwha Defense Systems AS21 Redback: An evolved variant of the in-service K21 the AS21 builds on the basic platform of the K21. The K21 infantry fighting vehicle is described by Hanwha as the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) that introduced the concept of “transport for infantry troops with combat capability”.
K21 features 20 per cent lighter weight and 50 per cent lower price competitiveness than other countries. The K21 IFV has achieved a high localisation rate and is expanding the line-up into 105mm turret loaded medium tanks and medium recovery vehicle. It is the top-of-the-line armored fighting vehicle in service with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.
A Hanwha spokesperson was confident the company could adapt the K21 platform to meet requirements outlined by the ADF: “Hanwha Defense Systems is able to customise its armoured solutions to a variety of specifications in order to meet future warfare requirements of any country.”
The AS21 will include the capability to integrate active protection systems into an evolved turret system, the Redback will, like its BAE competitor, be capable of hosting a crew of 11 (three crew, eight troops), a top road speed of 70km/h, cross country speed of 40km/h, an operational range of 500 kilometres, with an armament consisting of a 40mm autocannon and a single 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
Rheinmetall Lynx KF41: The Lynx KF41 is a tracked, highly protected IFV designed to meet the stringent military requirements of LAND 400 Phase 3, which was officially unveiled at Eurosatory 2018.
The Lynx, described as highly survivable, adaptable to diverse environments, extremely agile, hard hitting, and with huge payload reserves, is a next-generation combat vehicle designed to confront the challenges of the future battlefield like no other.
Gary Stewart, Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director, said, “Rheinmetall has developed this vehicle so it is positioned at an ideal level of maturity when Australia needs it to enter service in 2026 – and it will have a growth path to extend these capabilities through its 40-year life.”
The Lynx KF41 has been designed to meet the following operational needs from inception:
- Combined arms capabilities at the platoon level so that commanders can adapt while in contact;
- Combined arms fighting systems to conduct operations across the spectrum of conflict;
- High mobility to enable tactical flexibility in contact;
- Adaptable vehicle systems that can be upgraded or modified in theatre; and
- Survivability that forces the enemy to operate above the detection threshold.
This has resulted in a vehicle with:
- High levels of inherent capability;
- Modularity to tailor protection and achieve rapid upgrades;
- Open electrical, electronic, software and mechanical architectures; and
- Growth in payload and electrical power.
The Lynx KF41 will include the capability to support a crew of 12 (three crew, up to nine troops), have a max road speed of 70km/h, a road range of more than 500 kilometres, with an armament consisting of the Lance 2.0 30-35mm autocannon, a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and a variety of additional close in weapons systems.
LAND 400 Phase 3 will acquire and support the next generation of Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) with the firepower, protection and mobility to defeat increasingly adaptive adversaries well into the future.
The broader LAND 400 project will deliver enhanced levels of survivability to the Joint Land Force, including sensors, weapons and information systems that will be networked to strategic intelligence platforms, and is made up of four of key capability development phases:
- LAND 400 Phase 1 – Project Definition Study (completed);
- LAND 400 Phase 2 – Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability, primarily enabled by the Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) mission system (the ASLAV replacement);
- LAND 400 Phase 3 – Mounted Close Combat Capability, primarily enabled by the Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) (the M113 APC replacement) and MSV mission systems; and
- LAND 400 Phase 4 – Integrated Training System.
Land Forces 2018 will provide a number of opportunities for industry engagement, including:
- LAND 400 Phase 3 RFT Industry briefing session – Wednesday, 5 September 2018
- LAND 400 Phase 3 RFT one-on-one meetings – Wednesday, 5 and Thursday, 6
September 2018
- LAND 400 Phase 3 RFT classified briefing registration: The project will hold a classified briefing to vehicle OEMs and primes that intend to submit a response to the RFT to detail classified technical requirements, specifically the protection requirements listed in the Technical Requirements Matrix (TRM), shortly after release.
The full tender can now be downloaded from the AusTender website at www.tenders.gov.au. Submissions will close at 5:00pm AEST on Friday, 1 March 2019. (Source: Defence Connect)
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Millbrook, based in Bedfordshire, UK, makes a significant contribution to the quality and performance of military vehicles worldwide. Its specialist expertise is focussed in two distinct areas: test programmes to help armed services and their suppliers ensure that their vehicles and systems work as the specification requires; and design and build work to upgrade new or existing vehicles, evaluate vehicle capability and investigate in-service failures. Complementing these is driver and service training and a hospitality business that allows customers to use selected areas of Millbrook’s remarkable facilities for demonstrations and exhibitions.
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