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30 May 19. Oshkosh Defense, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced today that the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) has awarded Oshkosh Defense and partner, Broshuis B.V., a contract to produce semitrailers for the Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET). The contract award is in response to an Operational Needs Statement (ONS) from the U.S. Army Europe for a semitrailer that can deliver increased payload capability while gaining European road permissions.
The contract, initially awarded at $13.3m, has a maximum value of $109.8m and calls for 170 semitrailers to be delivered between FY20 and FY21. The HET was designed by Oshkosh Defense to provide rapid movement of mission-critical equipment including tanks, armored vehicles, and recovery vehicles. Oshkosh Defense has been producing the HET for the U.S. Army since 1976. Broshuis B.V., has over 130 years of experience providing innovative semitrailers for specialized commercial and military transport.
“Oshkosh Defense and our partner, Broshuis B.V., each bring a unique set of skills and experiences to this program,” said Pat Williams, Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “As the OEM of the HET, not only do we understand this vehicle inside and out, but we also have a proven record of success delivering critical vehicle accessories and upgrades that our troops rely on. By combining our experience with the trailer expertise of our partner, Broshuis B.V., we were able to provide the U.S. Army with an efficient, durable semitrailer that can be relied upon to ensure heavy equipment arrives in mission-ready condition.”
The U.S. Army’s selection comes after two prototypes successfully completed a 3-month test and evaluation phase at Aberdeen Test Center in Maryland. The semitrailers were evaluated on their payload capacity, transportability, loading and unloading efficiency of operational and disabled vehicles, and overall logistics capability.
“We are proud that the U.S. Army has trusted us to produce the HET ONS semitrailer, and we look forward to getting these fielded with our Soldiers in Europe,” Williams continued.
About the Semitrailer
- (8) hydraulically controlled power steered independent PL2 pendular axles
- Compensating hydraulic gooseneck for optimal weight distribution
- Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) provides independent power
- Provides storage for tractor and trailer Basic Issue Items (BII) and spare tires
About the HET
- 700 Horsepower Caterpillar® C18 engine
- Allison® 4800SP transmission
- Single-speed Oshkosh 30000 transfer case
- Two 55,000 lbs. winches
30 May 19. Arquus reveals more development details of its Scarabée armoured vehicle. Key Points:
- More details of the secretive Scarabée armoured vehicle have emerged
- Manufacturer Arquus believes the vehicle could be ready for production within three years
A year to the day from its formation from what was Renault Trucks Defense, France’s Arquus has revealed more details of the largely hidden development of its Scarabée armoured vehicle.
At a select innovation-focused event on 23/24 May, held at the historic Linas-Monthlery autodrome 30 km south of Paris, Arquus confirmed to Jane’s that, since the Scarabée was unveiled as a running prototype at the Eurosatory 2018 defence exhibition in Paris, a dedicated team of six engineers have been focusing on its mobility, handling/behaviour and hybrid aspects. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
29 May 19. Milrem Robotics and ST Engineering demonstrated a BVLOS combat UGV at a live fire exercise. Milrem Robotics and ST Engineering demonstrated a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) combat UGV armed with a 40mm AGL and a 12.7mm HMG in April during a live fire exercise held in Tapa, Estonia. The joint warfare system consists of the THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle and the ADDER DM Remote Weapon Station and is intended as a force multiplier for dismounted troops that can be utilized in both urban and rural areas. The combat UGV is a tracked all-terrain system with ground clearance up to 60 cm that can negotiate 60% slopes and pass 61 cm deep water obstacles. Its top speed is 20 km/h and it’s powered by a diesel-electric drive that, depending on the mission, can offer 15 hours of constant operations without re-fuelling.
The Combat UGV can be armoured up to STANAG 4569 level 3 while keeping all of its dynamic capabilities mentioned above.
“Our joint combat UGV is one of the first armoured UGVs in the world that’s especially well suited for urban conflict areas,” stated Jüri Pajuste, Director of the Defence Programs Department in Milrem Robotics.
The system is equipped with an advanced medium-calibre weapon system armed with a 40mm AGL and a 12.7mm HMG. Both weapons passed live fire tests conducted in April in cooperation with the Estonian Defence Forces.
The combat UGV is configured for wireless BVLOS control from a distance of 1000m and 2500m in urban and rural areas, respectively. The operator can command the system from an ergonomically-designed mobile or stationary crew station that is matched with a Graphical User Interface for intuitive workflow and task execution. The system significantly decreased the cognitive workload on the operator, reducing operator fatigue and improving combat performance. The weaponized system uses an Unmanned Network Control System consisting of a general L-Band datalink and a dedicated Fire Control UHF-Band datalink embedded Fire Control System to ensure a secured firing. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
29 May 19. Sensor Carrier Nerva For Canada. Nexter has been contracted by the Canadian government to supply and logistically support Nerva-LG and Nerva-XX multi-purpose robots. A team of Nexter Robotics and ECA Robotics in France will supply the robots and the Canadian Deltic Group will provide logistical support for the contract, which is endowed with €4m. The Nerva multi-mission robot systems are robust and waterproof (IP67) and can be thrown over obstacles. They can be controlled from any standard PC, tablet or smartphone and offer semi-autonomous functions to relieve the operator.
The device weighs 4.5kg and at 15cm in height is smaller than a DIN A3 sheet. With a maximum speed of 15km/h, the Nerva can operate for up to two hours. In built-up areas, the distance between operator and device may be 300 m (in clear visibility up to 1,000 m). As standard, an HD camera provides an image with a forward view supplemented by camera images all around. In addition, a number of sensors (e.g. thermal imaging camera, observation tower, NBC reconnaissance) are available. (Source: ESD Spotlight)
29 May 19. JLTV For Special Forces. At the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC), Oshkosh unveiled the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) with a special forces mission package.
The vehicle was equipped with a Kongsberg Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS), a Javelin Integration Kit (JIK) and a .50 Caliber Machine Gun. The high firepower is complemented by an electronic architecture designed for integration into tactical networks. Despite the high weight of the weapons, the JLTV remains so mobile that it can be used in combat together with the other combat vehicles. The combination of scalability and flexibility makes the JLTV suitable for the unpredictable and evolving mission requirements of special forces.
“The JLTV is a disruptive force booster that enables operators to achieve escalating and de-escalating effects in military operations – from environmental and peace missions to dangerous enemy conditions,” George Mansfield, Vice President and General Manager Joint Programs at Oshkosh Defense. (Source: ESD Spotlight)
29 May 19. Unprotected Military Transport Vehicles. The Bundeswehr calls for the 2nd batch of unprotected military transport vehicles UTF mil worth €96m as part of the framework agreement between the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Utilization of the Armed Forces (BAAINBw) and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV). The order covers 161 trucks of the 5t payload class (ZLK) and 91 trucks of the 15t payload class (ZLK) and navigation equipment.
In July 2017, BAAINBw and RMMV concluded a framework agreement for the delivery of 2,271 UTF mil with a financial volume of 900m euros and immediately called off the first batch of 558 trucks – 339 trucks in the ZLK 5 t (6×6) and 219 trucks in the ZLK 15 t (8×8). The complete delivery of the first batch will be completed within the next few months.
Production of the second batch is to follow immediately and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019. A further 1,461 trucks can be ordered under the framework agreement. A period up to 2024 has been agreed for this. Fielding of the UTF mil is an important component in the renewal of the Bundeswehr‘s vehicle fleet. Since 2000, the protected command and multipurpose vehicles (GFF), the first renewals of which are now pending, have been fielded. The protected transport vehicles have been in operation since 2012. Since 2002, BwFuhrparkService GmbH has been providing commercial trucks with special military equipment as a mobility service. www.bmvg.de(Source: ESD Spotlight)
29 May 19. GDELS presents Spanish Army’s new Engineering Combat Vehicle. General Dynamics European Land Systems – Santa Bárbara Sistemas (GDELS-SBS) announced in a press release on 24 May that it is presenting the Spanish Army’s new Engineering Combat Vehicle (ECV) for the first time at the Feria Internacional de Defesa y Seguridad (FEINDEF), being held in Madrid on 29–31 May.
The tracked armoured vehicle is the latest version of the ASCOD/Pizarro family being built for the Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD) and complements the 225 Phase I and II vehicles already delivered under the programme, GDELS-SBS said.
The company added that the ECV was designed from the outset to integrate engineering equipment for specific missions – dozer blade, track-width mine plough, mine roller, obstacle marking systems, and winch – as well as for future growth requirements, such as a battery supervision system, battle management system, communications, and further protection. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
28 May 19. Mack Defense announced JWF Defense Systems (JWFDS) will provide the armored cab system for the M917A3 Heavy Dump Truck (HDT) contract the U.S. Army recently awarded to Mack Defense. JWFDS will be responsible for fabricating and painting the complete armored cab system, which will then be installed by Mack Defense.
“JWFDS has an excellent reputation in the industry when it comes to working with armor fabrication to support military vehicles,” said David Hartzell, president of Mack Defense. “We’re pleased to be able to partner with JWF, and we look forward to delivering reliable Mack vehicles that meet and exceed the Army’s high standards.”
Mack Defense was awarded the U.S. Army contract in May 2018 to provide up to 683 HDTs. Mack’s winning bid was based on the company’s commercially available Mack® Granite® axle forward model. A key differentiator between the commercial offering and the HDT is the latter requiring a force protection capability.
The armored cab was designed by Tencate Advanced Composites of Morgan Hill, California and will be manufactured by JWFDS in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and will be fitted with Jankel BLASTech seating. Work has already begun and is expected to continue through May 2025.
“We are pleased to enter into this agreement and work with Mack Defense, another Pennsylvania-based defense contractor,” said Chief Operating Officer John Polacek, of JWFDS. “This represents another long-term contract for vehicle builds and extends JWFDS’ capability in manufacturing armor-based vehicles.”
JWF Defense Systems is part of JWF Industries, a process-based contract manufacturer with a wide array of capabilities in metal manufacturing
28 May 19. South African armoured vehicles: a menagerie of land systems. South Africa is one of the top nations in terms of its production and supply of armoured vehicles to the rest of the world. What types of armoured vehicles has South Africa produced and where are they currently being used?
South Africa ranked 32nd out of 137 modern nations in terms of military strength, according to this year’s Global Firepower Index. The highest comparable ranking the nation achieved was 29th for its number of South African armoured fighting vehicles, of which it owns 2,500 units.
South African armoured vehicles carry out one of two main roles: either a direct combat role that incorporates a variety of weaponry, or a personnel carrier function that protects troops and delivers them to and from the battlefield.
Army Technology takes a look at some of the most prevalent designs of South African armoured vehicles and what foreign militaries currently use them.
The Rooikat
The Rooikat, created by South African defence major Denel, is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle with a primary attack function and fire support role. While it has several variations, the original Rooikat 76 is most recognisable by its Denel GT4 76mm high-velocity gun for anti-tank and fire support.
Additionally, it can be armed with two MG4 machine guns and eight smoke grenade dischargers for evasion purposes.
To keep it moving over rough terrain, the 8×8 wheeled 28t Rooikat is powered by a 563bhp, ten-cylinder diesel engine.
It is currently solely in use with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), having been used in operations in the Lesotho intervention of 1998-9 and the Namibian War of Independence since it entered into service in 1989.
The Ratel
The Ratel – an alternative word for the honey badger – is known as the first wheeled infantry fighting vehicle to enter military service worldwide. It is currently in use with 13 militaries across Africa and the Middle East. The SANDF has more than 500 Ratels in its in arsenal while the Jordanian Armed Forces own around 300 Ratels.
Armaments differ depending on the variant, but Ratels can be fitted with a turret, anti-tank guided missiles, anti-aircraft platforms, mortar systems and machine guns. The Ratel’s secondary weapons are its Browning M1919 machine guns at the front and rear.
It is powered by a six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine and can travel over a distance of 1,000km at speeds of 105km/h.
The RG-34
The RG-34 is a South African mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) light armoured vehicle, which is part of BAE Systems South Africa’s RG series.
Its welded steel hull offers all-around protection against armour-piercing rounds from 30m away, air burst fragments, and anti-tank mines.
While many of its variants can be equipped with an armament such as a mounted turret or machine guns, the main weapon on the original RG-34 was replaced with a remote tactical turret or 90mm Gun Model anti-tank weapon.
The Malaysian military uses around 200 RG-34s while Nigeria and the UAE have some RG-34 as part of their ground force.
The Casspir
Another MRAP, the Casspir developed by South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been in service with the South African Army for more than 30 years, which has around 370 in service. It is also a popular model with the Indian Army and the US Army.
The Casspir is armed differently depending on the variant but can carry three Rheinmettal machine guns or a 20mm autocannon. It is larger than the RG-34 and has the capacity to hold 14 people in total – including an operating crew of two.
In 2016, Denel upgraded the new generation Casspir NG2000 to include mortar systems, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry.
The Mbombe
South African defence firm Paramount Group launched the Mbombe mine-protected, high-mobility armoured fighting vehicle in 2010.
Mbombe’s hull can reportedly withstand a 10kg explosive even if it is placed underneath the hull or wheel arch. It also offers rocket-launched grenade protection and additional modules can withstand up to 50kg of explosives from a range of 5m away.
To protect itself, the Mbombe can be fitted with machine guns or an autocannon and has both day and night vision equipment for improved situational awareness. The Mbombe is currently in services with the Jordanian and Kazakh Armed Forces.
Paramount Group recently showcased the latest generation Mbombe 4 at IDEX 2019 in Abu Dhabi, the UAE.
The Badger
Denel Land Systems’ Badger infantry combat vehicle is part of a new generation of South African armoured vehicles, which is designed to replace the ageing Ratel model within the SANDF. Completion of delivery of 264 Badgers to the SANDF should occur by 2022, according to the Project Hoefyster contract.
The Badger is a South African-grown variant of Finland’s Patria Armoured Modular Vehicle. It is unique in that it is equipped with an underfloor armour package developed by Land Mobility Technologies, as well as Denel’s modular combat turret.
Sub-variants offer fire support, mortar, and command and missile applications.
The Husky 2G
Last but not least on the list of South African armoured vehicles is DCD Group’s Husky 2G, a two-seater variant of the Husky vehicle mounted mine detection range.
Primarily a mine-detection vehicle, the Husky 2G benefits from the integration of enhanced sensors including ground-penetrating radar, video optics suites, and a remote weapon station – hence the need for the second crew member.
Around eight militaries currently use the Husky 2G including the Iraqi, Turkish and Spanish land forces, while the earlier version – the Husky Mk III – is in service with the US Army, US Marines, Canadian Army, Australian Army, and the SANDF. (Source: army-technology.com)
27 May 19. Chile set to procure Canadian Coyote LAVs for marines. The Chilean government has given green light to the procurement of a dozen second-hand Coyote 8×8 armoured scout vehicles for the navy’s Marine Corps, military sources in Santiago told Jane’s.
Deliveries are expected to take place during 2020, but could start in late months of 2019. The value of the transaction for the light-armoured vehicles (LAVs), coming from Canadian Armed Forces surplus, has not been publicly disclosed, as it is still being negotiated to include new engines and other spare parts. A derivative of General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha II that anticipated features of Piranha III, developed to fulfil Canadian requirements, Coyote is a fast, 7.6-tonne armed scout vehicle aimed for reconnaissance of territory where opposition is expected. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
23 May 19. US Army picks 5 companies to study Stryker weapon system integration. The U.S. Army has picked five companies to come up with designs to integrate a new weapon system on the Stryker combat vehicle, according to a May 23 announcement. The service awarded design integration study contracts — no more than $150,000 each — for the Stryker Medium Caliber Weapons System (MCWS) lethality program to General Dynamics Land Systems, Kollsman Inc., Leonardo DRS, Raytheon and Pratt & Miller Engineering and Fabrication Inc.
Defense News first reported earlier this month that the Army had decided, after upgunning some of its Stryker vehicles with a 30mm cannon, that it would proceed to outfit at least three of its six brigades of Double V-Hull A1 Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles with the more powerful guns and would hold a competition to acquire that weapon system.
The companies have to come up with integration designs using a government-furnished XM813 gun on a government furnished Stryker DVH A1 hull. The MCWS program will be carried out in two phases that will culminate in equipping a Stryker DVH A1 brigade in fiscal year 2022, according to the Army.
As part of the design study, competitors will build a production-representative vehicle, the statement notes.
The second phase will be a full-and-open competition to award a production contract. Draft requests for proposals will be released to industry beginning in the fall of 2019.
Entries into the second phase should include a production-representative bid sample, the Army states.
The two phases, as well as fielding, are expected to take 39 months total — a short timeline.
While the Army plans to initially procure three brigade sets of the Stryker MCWS DVH A1 — a total of 83 vehicles per brigade — the service could procure systems for additional brigadesat future decision points, according to the statement.
The decision to outfit Strykers with a 30mm cannon was based on lessons learned during the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Europe’s evaluation of the Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicle Dragoon, built rapidly to fill an urgent operational need in that theater.
The Army received $300m to develop and field a Stryker with a 30mm cannon — supplying eight prototypes to the Germany-based regiment. The funding also covered upgrades to 83 production vehicles plus spares.
The service spent 18 months to put together its Stryker Dragoon using off-the-shelf solutions such as the remote turret from Kongsberg in Norway and the 30mm cannon from Orbital ATK, now owned by Northrop Grumman.
The vehicles were shipped off to Europe for a year-long evaluation.
Feedback from the evaluation suggested some improvements are needed, particularly related to situational awareness. The turret for the cannon takes up a lot of roof and hatch space and also affects how equipment is stowed, for instance. (Source: Defense News)
23 May 19. Players gather for robotic combat vehicle competition. A demonstration in Texas this month is setting the U.S. Army’s expectations ahead of a major prototyping competition for robotic combat vehicles. The Army has acquired a number of ground robots to give it an edge in Iraq and Afghanistan, but as it looks beyond war in the Middle East to possible conflict with peer adversaries, it’s reviewing its modernization efforts surrounding robotic combat vehicles. Those RCVs are likely to look different than what’s previously appeared on the battlefield.
Army Futures Command’s Next-Generation Combat Vehicle Cross-Functional Team, or NGCV CFT, is tasked to rapidly prototype new manned and unmanned vehicles suited for operations against near-peer adversaries. Those vehicles would need to handle the beatings that come with operating on the front line while keeping up with the maneuver force.
The Combat Capabilities Development Center’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center (CCDC GVSC) is working with the NGCV CFT to harness what industry has to offer and identify the Army’s future requirements for a light-, medium- and heavy-weight robotic combat vehicle.
Who was at the competition?
The week-long demonstration, from May 13-17, was organized by CCDC GVSC and the National Advanced Military Consortium.
Six teams with a total of eight vehicles descended on a course on the Texas A&M University, RELLIS campus as the Army prepares to release a request for whitepapers, followed by a request for prototype proposals, Kevin Mills, the Army CCDC GVSC’s associate director for ground vehicle robotics, told Defense News in an interview.
The competitors are:
- A Polaris, Applied Research Associates and Neya Systems team
- A Textron and Howe & Howe team
- Pratt & Miller
- HDT Expeditionary Systems
- AM General
- QinetiQ North America
Pratt & Miller as well as the Textron and Howe & Howe team each brought two systems.
Three out of the four platforms under consideration for the Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) competition participated in demonstrations. They included vehicles from HDT, Polaris, and Howe & Howe.
AM General and QinetiQ both had vehicles in the running for the SMET program prior to the downselect.
The Army kept the demonstration requirements broad: “Basically the go/no-go threshold requirement was the vehicle has to be a robot. You have to have the ability for it to be controlled remotely,” Mills said.
The focus of the demonstration was on small and medium platforms, as the service is already preparing to use robot versions of the M113 armored personnel carrier to evaluate large ground robotic capabilities. That effort will focus on manned-unmanned teaming in a robotic wingman formation, with a manned Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle serving as the platform for the robotics operators.
The Army wants a light and medium RCV in fiscal 2020, and it plans to build four platoons worth — two of each — to demonstrate capabilities, Mills said. The focus across all three weight classes is on the chassis rather than the vehicle as a whole. The idea is to integrate mission systems onto a common chassis for each weight class.
Another requirement for RCVs under evaluation, Mills said, is the ability to carry at least 1,000 pounds for a light vehicle and at least 4,000 pounds for a medium variant.
“What turned up was a nice selection of platforms,” said Mills, adding that they ranged from traditional four-wheel platforms to tracked, multi-wheel variants to tweels, which have airless tires.
Despite the simplicity of the requirements, participants brought a variety of sensors and weapon systems on the platforms.
“Pretty much every one of them did something with their platform,” Mills said. “They had one or two things that they wanted to highlight” from sensors for targeting to pairing unmanned aircraft systems (either tethered or untethered) to weapons integration such as tube-launched unmanned vehicle missile systems, he added.
What were the takeaways?
Over the course of three days, the Army ran a structured evaluation of the systems, followed by a VIP day and a seperate day where each participant had one and half hours to show off whatever they wanted, including speed, off-road capabilities or stealth, Mills said.
Mills said the Army learned that it might make sense to mandate a single radio solution because all of the platforms at the demonstration used different communications links, which required a level of deconfliction.
Some of the mobility performance shown during the demonstration will likely help the service articulate the base platform mobility requirements, Mills noted.
One factor that may play into the service’s plans is that none of the vehicles at the demonstration fit in the medium class.
“That might also shape the strategy moving forward,” Mills said, because the timeline for such a platform is very short at the moment — the winning vendor would have 11 months after contract award to supply the Army with prototypes for safety testing, “which doesn’t give a ton of time for our contractor, that doesn’t have a mature system already, to work out the kinks and build something.”
Because of the short notice of the demonstration, industry didn’t have much time to put together platforms. “Basically, it’s what folks had; be it through another government effort or through their own internal development,” Mills said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News
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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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