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13 Oct 23. UK research into mine detecting drones could change land warfare.
Drones equipped with cutting-edge sensors to detect ground mines and explosives are being researched by UK scientists and could alter the face of land warfare.
Drone flying above ground.
- New drone technology could significantly reduce the threat and effectiveness of ground mines.
- Potential to greatly increase protection for Armed Forces personnel on the battlefield.
- Trials took place in conjunction with NATO allies.
Scientists and engineers at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) are conducting crucial research into the new drone technology, which would see mined areas cleared faster and more safely, ramping up protection for Armed Forces personnel.
Maintaining freedom of movement and mobility at pace for the Armed Forces is vital for safety and mission effectiveness and this is significantly reduced by surface laid mines, explosives or buried munitions.
The Dstl team with industry partners participated in trials with NATO allies in Spain and at the Suffield Research Centre in Canada. Advances in uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and low size, weight and power (SWaP) sensing have led to the development of innovative concepts for explosive threat detection by combining these technologies and systems.
Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge MP said:
We’ve all seen the threat to safety and military advancement that mines can still pose.
The UK and our NATO allies are spearheading research into this technology, which has the potential to not only enhance protection for our Service Personnel, but also speed up battlefield progress.
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Chief Delivery Officer, Matt Chinn said:
Converging the latest drone and sensing technologies could give us the ability to detect and destroy deadly mines and explosives without putting lives at risk.
It could also give us the ability to clear mined areas better, quicker and cheaper – allowing military operations or humanitarian missions to proceed.
Researching technologies such as mine-detecting drones has the potential to change the approach to land warfare, by significantly reducing the threat and effectiveness of ground mines.
Technologies that can be used to detect these threats in advance can be vital in determining the next course of action on the battlefield.
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Chief Executive, Dr Paul Hollinshead said: “This is Dstl working with UK industry and international partners at its best. Highly innovative, developing new concepts, sharing expertise, and harnessing cutting-edge science and technology to save lives.
The two-week NATO trials aimed to give international and academic organisations the opportunity to showcase their UAV-mounted sensor concepts and to share ideas, knowledge, and solutions. The resulting experiments demonstrated a range of modified, novel and bespoke sensing technologies.”
The UK system performed well under the trials, and the intention is to use the results of the assessments to prioritise the next stages of research and development. As part of an overarching research project commissioned by MOD’s Chief Scientific Advisor, it will be developed over the next decade into the front-line command funded equipment programmes, such as the Ground Area Reconnaissance and Assurance (GARA) project. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
13 Oct 23. New Artillery System: Mobility Tests in Switzerland. As part of the new artillery system project, the next stage is looming with the mobility tests to be carried out in Switzerland. After the establishment of the shortlist retaining two candidates for three candidate systems in 2022, practical tests will take place on a first system in Switzerland, from mid-October to the end of November.
In the Army 2026 message, it is planned to propose the acquisition of one of these three systems to replace the M109 armored howitzers, which were purchased over 50 years ago.
The M109 armored howitzer currently in service must be replaced by a modern system. At the end of the preliminary evaluation, the Federal Armament Office armasuisse in 2022 selected the Archer wheeled howitzer from Sweden’s BAE Systems Bofors and the RCH 155 AGM howitzer from Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (with two mobility options, tracked and wheeled) for the rest of the procedure.
Mobility trials in Switzerland
The technical mobility tests with the vehicles aim to demonstrate and test their mobility capabilities on Swiss terrain. Organized under the leadership of armasuisse Science and Technologies (S+T), these tests will evaluate numerous aspects for deployment and training, such as mobility on Swiss roads and off-road, maneuverability, crossing obstacles, driver instruction, navigation, ergonomics, safety and certain other criteria.
In addition to the mobility trials, which will be mainly carried out in the Thun area, various other sites will take part in these trials in the cantons of Valais, Vaud, Jura and Fribourg. During the test phase, the systems will also be used on public roads.
The first system will be tested in Switzerland from mid-October to the end of November (weeks 42 to 47). Mobility testing of the other two systems is planned for the coming year.
Current progress and next steps
The project “Artillery Wirkplattform und Wirkmittel 2026” (Artillery Platform and Effectors) (Art WPWM) aims to ensure the maintenance and development of capabilities related to indirect fire support at medium distance with range, precision and improved mobility.
Since the beginning of 2023, technical, operational and logistical aspects have been thoroughly tested and analyzed in Switzerland and abroad using operational prototypes. The evaluation is carried out with industry prototypes in the configuration planned by the candidates. It includes logistical clarifications, main weapon technical tests, mobility technical tests, troop tests and various instruction, clarifications and demonstrations.
Official requests for offers relating to contractual and commercial aspects as well as ownership costs are taking place in parallel.
The acquisition of the chosen system must be proposed as part of the message on the Army 2026 armament program.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Swiss Dept of Defence, Civil, Protection and Sports; issued Oct 12, 2023) (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)
11 Oct 23. US Army seeks proposals for XM919 Individual Assault Munition. The US Army is moving ahead with a long-planned effort to consolidate and update its shoulder-launched munitions (SLMs) and issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the XM919 system in September 2023, Janes learnt at the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2023 symposium in Washington, DC.
The service’s Project Manager Close Combat Systems’s (PM CCS’s) Individual Assault Munition (IAM) system consists of the XM919 weapon and training devices such as the XM922 subcalibre trainer. The IAM requirement has been simmering at least since 2016.
“The XM919 IAM will be a lightweight Shoulder Launched Munition (SLM) capability for combat units at the individual Soldier level,” the army said in its fiscal year 2024 (FY 2024) budget request. The XM919 is meant in part for urban operations “to defeat adversaries protected by field expedient structures and light armored vehicles while providing behind-the-wall lethality effects”, the request said. (Source: Jane’s)
10 Oct 23. Hirtenberger integrates ArcFire with C2 and simulation systems. Hirtenberger Defence Technology has continued to make progress with its ArcFire indirect fire-control system (FCS), including integrating it with both command-and-control (C2) and simulation systems.
Speaking to Janes, Ian Garnett, Hirtenberger’s CEO, said the relationship with Mandus Group, which produces the Hawkeye high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle (HMMVW)-mounted 105 mm artillery system, continued to develop since its inception in 2019. Hirtenberger had taken over all fire-control software development, including pointing, aiming, test and analysis software, and integration with onboard systems, he added.
Hirtenberger had supported the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) at the interoperability event Exercise ‘Bold Quest 2023′ at Camp Pendleton, Garnett said, and claimed that ArcFire had shown “the highest compliance with variable message format [VMF] standards” amongthe eight countries taking part. VMF is used by the US Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) to exchange information with other systems. (Source: Jane’s)
11 Oct 23. Sig Sauer details toxic fume fix for NGSW. As the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) programme enters its limited-user test phase, Sig Sauer says its XM7 and XM250 meet the army’s requirements for toxic fumes.
The replacement for the M4/M4A1 carbine weapon, the XM7, and the replacement for the M249 squad automatic weapon, the XM250, both had pressure built up in the chambers of the weapons that led to toxic fumes being pushed out, Jason St John, senior director of government products at manufacturer Sig Sauer, told Janes at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2023 annual conference.
Design upgrades to baffle and to the propellant formula in the new 6.8 mm ammunition fixed the issue, St John said. Toxic fumes mitigation, dispersion, and reliability have improved “three to four times” since the contracts were awarded in 2022, he said. “The gun is done,” St John said.
He said the suppressor design was influenced by the SURG suppressor programme for Special Operations Command, which first identified toxic fumes as a problem, St John said. (Source: Jane’s)
12 Oct 23. Lockheed Martin provides in-flight target updates for interceptor missiles. The defence prime has proven the concept of in-flight target updates, using the RIG-360 uplinker communication system.
The American defence prime Lockheed Martin has demonstrated proof-of-concept for missile communication that allows operators to respond to target relocation with in-flight updates.
During a recent test, the company’s Remote Interceptor Guidance – 360 (RIG-360) uplinker prototype provided target updates to a data link being evaluated for experimental use on MLRS Family of Munitions (MFOM).
Integrating the MFOM and RIG-360 would enable long-range precision fires to receive in-flight target updates to accurately engage relocated or mobile targets.
The RIG-360 prototype is an internally funded development activity to demonstrate emerging capabilities. The contractor designed the communication technology to leverage target data from several sensors and offer a 360-degree engagement capability to an interceptor.
This technology makes the US Army’s Joint Fires programme more agile in responding to adversarial missile threats. This capability is an evolving concept that will join a network of advanced sensors, radars and command, control, battle management, and communication components that all provide target detection, tracking and discrimination of countermeasures to assist the interceptor missile in placing itself in the path of the hostile missile, destroying with hit-to-kill technology.
In November 2022, Lockheed Martin has used the RIG-360 system to uplink to an in-flight Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) missile to intercept a cruise target. (Source: army-technology.com)
11 Oct 23. Norway Picks Kongsberg for $405m Next-Gen Unmanned Minehunters. Modern Unmanned Minesweepers for the Navy. “Work is now starting to replace the current minesweeping vessels with new autonomous systems. We are setting aside funds in the state budget for next year to expand the operation of the mine-clearing vessels and prepare for the phasing in of the driverless vessels that have been developed by FFI, the Norwegian Armed Forces and Kongsberg Gruppen,” says Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp).
“It is important for the Norwegian Armed Forces to be able to detect and neutralize mines and explosive devices in the sea. The capacity is important to be able to sail own vessels, but also so that Norway can receive allied reinforcements. In recent years, there has also been increased attention to the protection of critical infrastructure on the seabed,” says Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram.
The government proposes to allocate approximately NOK 36 m in next year’s budget. The funds will be used to expand the operation of the minesweeping vessels and prepare for the phasing in of future maritime mine countermeasures capability.
Environmentally friendly and more independent autonomous systems
The Norwegian Navy has wanted the job to be done without personnel having to enter the mined area, when the Norwegian Navy acquires new equipment to clear sea mines. FFI has developed technology that enables clearing to be carried out with autonomous systems that cooperate effectively with the rest of the maritime force. They are equipped with new advanced systems for the detection and neutralization of sea mines. The system forms the basis for being able to introduce more autonomous systems in the Armed Forces.
The vessels will have hybrid propulsion, and will be able to run purely electrically in certain operations. This means that they are more difficult to detect, and that they have lower emissions. FFI’s preliminary calculations show that the CO2 emissions from the system correspond to less than 10% of the emissions from the equivalent capacity of traditional mine clearance vessels.
“Technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, autonomy, space technology, hypersonic technology and quantum technology will be important for Norwegian security and defense capability going forward. The ability to hit underwater infrastructure gives particular cause for concern. It is therefore important that the defense sector develops and adopts new technology, such as autonomous vessels,” says the Minister of Defence.
The government is presenting the new project to the Storting, which involves a transition from the current concept of mine-clearing and mine-hunting vessels to a concept where future mine-clearing operations are to be carried out with unmanned vessels from manned support vessels outside mine-dangerous areas, or operated from shore.
Two measures with property construction are also being carried out at Haakonsvern and Ramsund. The Kongsberg group has been chosen as the main supplier for the procurement, which has a total cost framework for the material procurement of NOK 4,412m. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: Defense-Aerospace.com/ Norwegian Ministry of Defence)
11 Oct 23. M109-52 Self-Propelled Howitzer at AUSA. American Rheinmetall supports successful test of M109 Self-Propelled Howitzer modified with Rheinmetall’s combat-tested 52-caliber cannon
- Rheinmetall and BAE Systems have successfully proved compatibility of L52 cannon and M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer
- The M109-52 system provides tactical fires overmatch to U.S. Army in a capability assured, timely, low risk manner
- Full scale M109-52 system at AUSA on BAE Systems booth (#925), with Rheinmetall’s systems house solutions for platform, cannon, projectile and propellant technology at booth (1603)
Rheinmetall and BAE Systems have successfully completed a live fire test of the M109 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) modified with Rheinmetall’s L52 155mm, 52-caliber cannon. The M109-52 is a significant, low-risk, high-performance upgrade to the current 39-caliber cannon and provides additional range required in large-scale operations. The test, conducted at Camp Ripley, MN, proved the compatibility of the L52 cannon with the M109A7 platform during the live fire exercise.
“Integrating Rheinmetall’s world-class, battle-tested L52 artillery cannon system into the M109 platform will return tactical fires overmatch to the U.S. Army in a capability assured, timely, low-risk manner,” said Joe Chan, VP of Business Development at American Rheinmetall Munition.
Rheinmetall’s L52 artillery cannon system is currently the backbone of nine NATO and allied partner nations’ tactical artillery forces. By integrating this world class, combat proven system on the M109 platform, the US will achieve expanded interoperability on day one with battlefield partners. Notably, the cannon system has become a favorite for Ukraine due to its accuracy, range and durability in combat.
The M109-52 offers a low-risk pathway to rapid development, putting this significantly improved capability in the hands of our warfighters quickly to ensure overmatch on the battlefield. By combining two mature systems, Rheinmetall and BAE Systems avoid many of the technical risks associated with similar lethality upgrade efforts. The criticality to deliver improved artillery capabilities is underscored by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and is a key part of the Army’s number one modernization priority – long-range precision fires.
The team plans to conduct additional testing in 2024, which will highlight extended range across a variety of ammunition combinations.
Rheinmetall will feature their systems house solutions for platform, cannon, projectile and propellant technology across the Artillery “eco-system” at this year’s AUSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Washington, DC, with a display at the Rheinmetall booth (#1603). A full-sized M109-52 system will be featured on the BAE Systems booth (#925) for attendees to view throughout the show. (Source: ASD Network)
11 Oct 23. Germany, nine other nations push ahead with joint air defence procurement. Germany and nine other countries on Wednesday took the next step in their efforts to jointly purchase air defence systems such as Patriot, IRIS-T and Arrow 3 as NATO allies scramble to plug gaps created by Russia’s war on Ukraine.
On the sidelines of a defence ministers’ meeting at NATO’s Brussels headquarters, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and the Netherlands signed an agreement that will build the legal foundation necessary for purchases.
Together with Germany, Slovenia and Latvia, who signed up earlier, they make up a group of ten countries that aims to spearhead joint procurement within the wider German-led, 19-nation European Sky Shield Initiative.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said he expected the first deals to be struck within three to four months.
Ground-based air defence systems such as Raytheon’s (RTX.N) Patriot or IRIS-T, which is produced by German arms maker Diehl, are built to intercept incoming missiles.
After the Cold War, many NATO allies scaled down the number of air defence units to reflect their assessment that they faced only a limited missile threat, from countries such as Iran.
This perception changed drastically with Russia’s invasion last year of Ukraine, which sent NATO allies scrambling to tackle air defence shortfalls while at the same time supplying Kyiv with the coveted systems.
Set up one year ago, the European Sky Shield Initiative groups 19 nations including Britain, the Baltic states and several eastern European countries who aim to buy air defences mainly off the shelf instead of developing new systems, to cut down on procurement times.
With the move, Germany upset France, which favours the development of European systems and has declined to join the initiative. France has said the initiative creates new dependencies on the countries and companies that make the defence systems. (Source: Google/Reuters)
09 Oct 23. US Army’s upcoming artillery strategy has ‘a big menu’ to choose from. Decisions on the way forward for one of the U.S. Army’s top long-range fires priorities — the Extended Range Cannon Artillery program — won’t come until a new conventional fires strategy is complete, the service’s acquisition chief said.
“It really becomes a fiscal year 2025 budget decision, if we were to go in a different direction,” Doug Bush confirmed to Defense News in a recent interview. “I think, though, that the requirement is still there. We still need longer range in a more affordable way, which is an important caveat.”
Of the 24 new Army systems slated to make it into the hands of soldiers by the end of 2023, only the Extended Range Cannon Artillery program might miss that goal, Bush said when the Army unveiled its fiscal 2024 budget request this year.
The ERCA system uses a service-developed, 58-caliber gun tube mounted on the chassis of a BAE Systems-made Paladin Integrated Management howitzer.
The Army was building 20 prototypes of the ERCA system: two for destructive testing, and the remaining 18 for a battalion. The Long Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team declined an interview request ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference, and did not respond to questions submitted in writing by press time.
The operational evaluation of ERCA revealed “engineering challenges,” Bush said this year. Observations in early testing of prototypes showed excessive wear on the gun tube after firing a relatively low number of rounds.
Army Futures Command leader Gen. James Rainey told Defense News this summer the service is working on a new conventional fires strategy expected by the end of the calendar year. The strategy will determine both capability and capacity of what exists and what the Army may need, Rainey said.
The strategy will also consider new technology to enhance conventional fires on the battlefield, such as advances in propellant that make it possible for midrange cannons to shoot as far as longer-range systems.
Depending on the artillery strategy’s conclusions, there are a variety of options the service could consider to fulfill the Army’s requirement for an extended-range cannon, Bush said.
“We’ve got Excalibur [munitions], we’ve got systems that can shoot that far,” Bush said. “I think an important goal for the ERCA program was to do it at scale and cost that’s lower than exquisite precision munitions.”
Another option, Bush said, could involve a shorter, 52-caliber gun tube — versus the 58-caliber one used in ERCA. The Army could, however, choose to continue the ERCA program with a 58-caliber gun tube but shift it into longer-term research and development instead of fielding it according to the previous plan.
Different munitions in various stages of development within the science and technology community as well as research and development organizations could also extend the range of current cannon systems, according to Bush.
Additionally, the service could reconsider how conventional fires capabilities are fielded to formations, such as giving wheeled or towed artillery to different units for different capabilities, he added.
Several years ago, the service assessed readily available 155mm mobile howitzers in search of ones that might offer an improvement in range, rate of fire and mobility over the artillery systems used within Stryker brigade combat teams. The Army evaluated at least four foreign companies’ offerings in a shoot-off, but did not move forward with a new capability.
The strategy was looking at various wheeled howitzers, Bush said, “but I don’t want to prejudge their conclusions. From an acquisition standpoint, if I get a requirement, we’ve got some options to go pretty fast — if it’s acceptable, for example, to take a foreign system rather than building a new one from scratch.”
The Army is also looking at a variety of auto-loading technologies. “It’s a big menu,” Bush said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
09 Oct 23. US Army pursues faster, more survivable Stinger missile replacement. The U.S. Army is pursuing a Stinger missile replacement for short-range air defense that can go faster, survive jamming and more easily hit tougher targets like drones, according to the service’s program executive officer for missiles and space.
The service last month awarded RTX and Lockheed Martin with contracts to competitively develop the Stinger replacement. The RTX-manufactured Stinger missiles are currently used in the Army’s interim Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense system and also in a man-portable configuration to provide air defense.
The Army has long-planned to pursue a next-generation interceptor for short-range air defense, but the effort has become paramount as Stinger missiles were sent to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion of the country.
The Army no longer builds new Stinger missiles; it refurbishes old ones. To replenish its own stockpile, the Army would like to replace the old missiles with new ones.
But the service still plans to take five years to develop and qualify the new interceptor and move into low-rate production, Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, who runs Program Executive Office Missiles and Space, told Defense News in a recent interview.
The Army will break up the five-year effort into two phases, he said. In the first two years, each of the two companies will develop missiles and then build a “very small quantity” of them. Then at the end of the period, the service will have a “fly-off,” Lozano said.
If both missiles perform well, then the Army would carry both vendors into the second phase of the rapid prototyping effort. During that phase, the Army will ask the teams to tweak and improve their missiles “in a few key areas” and have them build another round of prototypes, according to Lozano.
The competitors would go through another fly-off round. Then the service would select one vendor to move into production.
Of course, Lozano said, the Army plans to be flexible. “If one vendor does very well and the second vendor does very poorly, then we have that decision there at the end of the two-year time period to off ramp one of the vendors and just proceed with a single vendor for the final three years of the program. We’d really not prefer to do that; we really want to keep that competition as long as possible.”
The next-generation interceptors will have to go into two Stinger Vehicle Universal Launch systems on the Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense system turret, Lozano said, and into a man-portable system.
The Army wants an interceptor that can still fit into the Stinger Vehicle Universal Launch system and into the man-portable system but has a “shorter time to target,” Lozano added, which translates to having an advanced rocket motor.
The interceptor will also feature countermeasures so that it can repel electronic warfare threats the service has seen emerging on fixed-wing aircraft, Lozano noted.
Additionally, the new missile “needs to be more effective against [unmanned aircraft system] threats,” he said, which are more challenging to hit because they don’t give off a significant heat signature like fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft.
“They can be very difficult to target for some systems, so we need to have an advanced seeker,” Lozano explained.
Meanwhile, the Army is gearing up for a first user assessment for its Stryker-based Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense system in Germany. The service rapidly fielded an interim system nearly two years ago to address a rising need to provide air defense capability that can keep up with maneuver formations in the European theater. The capability gap was first identified by then-U.S. Army Europe Commander Gen. Ben Hodges in 2016.
The Army outfitted a platoon within the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment in Europe with the interim short-range air defense systems, which Lozano said he visited last month.
The unit is gearing up to conduct a user assessment in the spring of next year, after it was delayed from earlier this year due to scheduling conflicts, according to Lozano.
“It’s important to us to perform that user assessment to build the body of test data that will support eventually taking the systems to a milestone C [production phase],” he said.
“Once the Army makes a decision on whether or not we’re going to buy more battalions, then that will allow me to better shape what the initial operational test and evaluation looks like,” he added, which is forecast for the fiscal 2025 or fiscal 2026 time frame. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
09 Oct 23. Industry, Army hit range records in tests of new artillery projectiles. The Army and industry teams have hit new distance records in recent tests as part of an effort to develop advanced projectiles for artillery weapon systems, according to company announcements at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference.
BAE Systems, which partnered with the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, shot the XM1155-SC guided projectile from an M109 Paladin howitzer the farthest distance any guided projectile has been fired from the system, the company announced in an Oct. 9 statement.
The projectile also hit its target area at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, using GPS, the firm added.
In addition, a Boeing and Norwegian-based Nammo team recently set a new record for the longest indirect fire test of a ramjet-powered 155mm artillery projectile from the Army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototype, also at Yuma Proving Ground, the team said in an Oct. 9 statement.
The efforts come ahead of an artillery strategy the Army expects to complete by the end of the year that will guide the service’s plans for its artillery formations as it modernizes.
The Army has been developing the ERCA system for nearly five years, which takes the BAE-manufactured M109A7 Paladin Integrated Management howitzer chassis and replaces its 39-caliber gun tube with an Army-developed 58-caliber gun tube. The Army dramatically boosted artillery ranges out to 70 kilometers (44 miles) with the ERCA cannon, which combines a 30-foot gun tube with RTX-made Excalibur munitions and an XM1113 projectile using supercharged propellant.
Meet the XM1155-SC
BAE Systems grew the XM1115-SC out of its Hypervelocity Projectile to “get after and defeat a fixed or moving target in a GPS-degraded or -denied environment,” Jim Miller, the company’s senior director of business development for combat mission systems, told Defense News in an interview.
BAE fired the projectile from the ERCA cannon in December 2022 and, at the time, “had shot farther than anybody else has ever shot that gun,” Miller said.
The ERCA test occurred 14 months after BAE received an initial $14.8 m prototype development award in October 2021, the company said in a statement.
While Miller couldn’t discuss exact ranges, this recent test broke the record for distance from a Paladin, showing the fielded howitzer can achieve “ERCA ranges,” Miller said.
The Hypervelocity Projectile round has a “releasable” range of 110 kilometers when fired from artillery, according to Miller. “That gives us some hope, some kind of a reality, that we can probably go farther than that,” he added.
Ramjet munition
The Boeing-Nammo team a year ago broke the range record for an indirect Ramjet 155mm munition. During the June 28 test at the Andøya Test Center in Norway, the Ramjet 155mm munition was fired from an L39 cannon and its engine successfully ignited, Boeing said at the time. The engine draws in air to bolster the forward motion of the projectile.
“Our objective was to demonstrate the ability to safely operate from the ERCA system and validate our performance. Both objectives were met,” Gil Griffin, executive director of Boeing’s Phantom Works division, said in an Oct. 9 statement.
According to a Boeing spokesman, despite the physical range limitations on the test, the team was able to beat “by more than a third” the previous record, set during last year’s Ramjet 155mm munition test, which was from a legacy 39-caliber towed artillery cannon with no range restraints.
The Army awarded a contract in July 2019 to the team under its XM1155 program, an effort to further develop extended-range artillery munitions. The duo was awarded a Phase II technology contract nearly two years later.
Following the most recent test, “this program now has a thoroughly tested propulsion system that guarantees enormous range increases for all artillery cannons,” Nammo CEO Morten Brandtzæg said in the statement. “We believe the major development hurdles have now been cleared and production is viable within a relatively short timeframe.”
The companies will also soon test the integration of a Joint Direct Attack Munition mission computer onto the Ramjet 155mm munition, the statement noted.
“The demonstration will evaluate the system’s maturity and effectiveness against stationary and moving targets, and readiness to transition into the next phase of development,” according to the statement.
(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
09 Oct 23. Uncertain fate for active protection on Army’s combat vehicles. The Army installed an active protection system on the M1 Abrams tank and fielded it in Europe, but the fate of other plans to equip similar defense measures on the service’s combat vehicles remains unclear.
In 2016, the Army determined it needed an interim solution to protect the Abrams, Stryker combat vehicle and Bradley fighting vehicle. The service decided to rapidly assess off-the-shelf active protection systems to fulfill the urgent operational need.
Ultimately the Army fielded the Trophy APS, made by Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, in a short period of time to Europe. The APS-equipped tanks have operated there over the last three years.
But even the Trophy on Abrams tanks has been challenging.
While the Army is “very happy with what it brings to us in terms of performance, it’s a little bit of a challenge to operate and really deploy and sustain it because installation on tanks is a little bit of a burden,” Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the Army’s program executive officer for ground combat systems, told Defense News in an interview ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington.
Finding the right APS for Bradley and Stryker vehicles has been exponentially more challenging than putting the Trophy on Abrams. Efforts to install systems to protect both of those combat vehicles have come in fits and starts.
Iron Curtain was the first system considered a candidate for the Stryker. The APS is developed by Virginia-based company Artis. Army leaders decided in 2018, after working to characterize the system on the Stryker, that while Iron Curtain generally worked in concept, it would take too much time and money to mature the system.
The Army spent several years looking at other candidates for combat vehicles, such as a lighter version of Trophy. According to Dean, the service recently wrapped up an assessment of Unified Business Technologies’ StrikeShield, a product from the Michigan-based company partnered with German firm Rheinmetall.
Testers are still analyzing data from the assessment, conducted “with an eye toward Stryker, but not solely Stryker,” Dean said. “We’ll see what we’ve learned from that.”
He noted the Army is also watching some other APS efforts by the Marine Corps, as well as science and technology work within the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command. Dean declined to further discuss the command’s efforts.
The Army has long held that Iron Fist, an APS capability from Israeli firm Elbit Systems, is right for the Bradley vehicle, but technical and fiscal hurdles have prevented its fielding.
The Army said in January 2023 that following a redesign of Iron Fist, now called Iron Fist Light Decoupled, it is now ready to field the capability to a full brigade.
“Iron Fist Light Decoupled, that is essentially ready for production,” Dean said, and “when allocated funds to produce, we will go into production.”
But there isn’t yet planned funding, and Dean would not speculate when money might become available.
In the meantime, he said, the Army is continuing to work with Elbit on electronic upgrades in preparation for possible production approval and funding.
The service wants active protection that not only defends the sides of a vehicle but also the top, which would address threats like loitering munitions and drones.
The service is “working continuously on our ability to defeat hemispheric threats all around the vehicle against a range of threats with a range of technical approaches. So not looking for one system that is one-size-fits-all and does everything, but beyond that I’m not going to go into any more detail,” Dean said, noting the information is classified.
Additionally, the Army’s newest Abrams variant, the M1E3, will include APS that is integrated from the beginning of development. The service announced in September it would pursue an entirely new variant while scrapping its latest SEPv4 upgrade plans.
And the service’s pursuit of a vehicle — currently referred to as the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle — to replace the Bradley by 2030 will use a similar strategy to integrate protection systems into the design from the beginning. Two companies — General Dynamics Land Systems and American Rheinmetall Vehicles — are competing to design vehicle prototypes. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
09 Oct 23. A Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Nammo team set a record for longest indirect fire test of a ramjet-powered artillery projectile alongside officials from the U.S. Army — firing a Ramjet 155 munition from a 58-caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. The test advances development efforts for the Army’s top modernization priority, Long Range Precision Fires.
“Our objective was to demonstrate the ability to safely operate from the ERCA system and validate our performance. Both objectives were met.” said Gil Griffin, executive director of Boeing Phantom Works. “The team is working to deliver a superior, affordable precision strike weapon that can neutralize critical targets at long distances.”
The success follows last year’s Boeing-Nammo test recording the longest-ever indirect fire test of a Ramjet 155 munition. That test was completed using a 39-caliber towed artillery cannon at the Andøya Test Center in Norway.
“This program now has a thoroughly tested propulsion system that guarantees enormous range increases for all artillery cannons,” said Morten Brandtzæg, Nammo CEO. “We believe the major development hurdles have now been cleared and production is viable within a relatively short timeframe.”
The Boeing-Nammo solution is being developed under the Army’s XM1155 program. Considered a powered guided artillery munition, Ramjet 155 utilizes an air-breathing engine design that uses the cannon firing to provide the speed needed for combustion.
In an upcoming test, Boeing and Nammo will integrate a precision guidance system, leveraging a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) mission computer onto the Ramjet 155. The demonstration will evaluate the system’s maturity and effectiveness against stationary and moving targets, and readiness to transition into the next phase of development.
“Our successful tests demonstrate that ramjet projectiles — a real collaborative achievement of Boeing and Nammo — offer the range and precision desired by the Army,” said Brandtzæg. “Ramjet technology heralds a revolution in artillery, significantly extending range and delivering strategic advantages to our users.”
10 Oct 23. X-Bow Systems Inc Announces DoD Contract for Hypersonic Solid Rocket Motor Development. X-Bow Systems Inc (X-Bow) announces its selection by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, for a $64 m contract to provide large solid rocket motors (SRM) to the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army. This contract establishes X-Bow as a new supplier of SRMs and strengthens the Defense Department supply chain in a critical period for the United States. The introduction of X-Bow’s new methods for manufacturing SRMs and energetics will lead to a significant increase in SRM production capacity and cost for production of SRMs.
X-Bow’s SRMs will provide boost propulsion for the Navy-designed hypersonic All Up Round (AUR) utilized by the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system and the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon System. X-Bow’s world-class team includes Leidos Dynetics and Karman Space & Defense.
This collaboration adds a key capability to domestic sources for large diameter SRM production. Jason Hundley, X-Bow CEO and Founder said “This breakthrough collaboration with the Department of Defense further accelerates X-Bow’s existing commitment to provide new, affordable hypersonic solutions. Our team understands the critical nature of this effort and has made this collaboration a key priority. X-Bow is in a unique position to apply our advanced manufacturing for energetics and our revolutionary approach to solid rocket motor development to add much needed production capacity quickly and efficiently.”
“This effort is a key component of the Defense Department’s strategy to accelerate the development and fielding of hypersonic systems to deliver cutting-edge capabilities and options to our armed forces,” stated Dr. James Weber, DoD’s Principal Director for Hypersonics. “X-Bow will be a critical partner in building our enduring advantage in the national defense mission.”
The establishment of robust and resilient supply chains supporting hypersonic systems is an outlined priority for the DoD as stated in Executive Order 14017, “Securing Defense-Critical Supply Chains.” “This award represents another vital step by the Department of Defense to expand the defense industrial base and pursue novel processes that will ensure the United States remains a leader in manufacturing capabilities,” stated Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, ASD (IBP). “We look forward to working with our partners at X-Bow and delivering new capability to the Conventional Prompt Strike and Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon programs.”
About the Department of Defense’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy
Industrial Base Policy is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment for developing Department of Defense policies for the maintenance of the United States defense industrial base (DIB), executing small business programs and policy, and conducting geo-economic analysis and assessments. The office also provides the USD (A&S) with recommendations on budget matters related to the DIB, anticipates and closes gaps in manufacturing capabilities for defense systems, and assesses impacts related to mergers, acquisition, and divestitures. IBP monitors and assesses the impact of foreign investments in the United States and executes authorities under sections 2501 and 2505 U.S.C. Title 10.
ABOUT X-BOW SYSTEMS
X-Bow Systems is disrupting the aerospace industry with innovative and cost-effective additively manufactured energetics for the solid rocket motor and launch vehicle market. X-Bow is also designing and building a suite of modular solid rocket motors and small launch vehicles for both orbital and suborbital launch services. X-Bow is led by CEO Jason Hundley, Chairman Mark Kaufman, CTO Max Vozoff, CRO Maureen Gannon, General Counsel John Leary and a growing team of seasoned industry veterans and new space entrepreneurs. X-Bow is a dual-use technology company with investment from Crosslink Capital, Razor’s Edge Ventures and Lockheed Martin Ventures. Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, X-Bow has additional presence in California, Alabama, Colorado, Texas, and Washington, DC. X-Bow is actively recruiting talented and determined individuals to join its team. For more information visit www.xbowsystems.com. (Source: PR Newswire)
09 Oct 23. BAE Systems successfully fired 155 millimeter projectiles from a M109 Self-Propelled Howitzer modified with the Rheinmetall L52 155mm, 52-caliber cannon. The M109-52 is a significant, low-risk, high-performance upgrade to the current 39- caliber cannon and provides the additional range required in large-scale combat operations. “We’ve demonstrated that the integrated system of the M109-52 is a viable solution for long[1]range precision fires modernization needs,” said Dan Furber, director of Ground Vehicle Production for BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems business. “Integrating these two highly capable and proven artillery systems provides stable designs and predictable performance.” The test, conducted at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, proved the compatibility of the L52 cannon with the M109A7 platform during the live fire exercise. BAE Systems plans to conduct additional testing in 2024, which will highlight extended range across a variety of projectiles. BAE Systems’ ability to integrate the proven M109 with proven cannon platforms like the L52 will quickly deliver expanded interoperability on day one with battlefield partners. The L52 artillery cannon is used by nine NATO and allied partner nations’ tactical artillery forces.
09 Oct 23. BAE Systems, in partnership with the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM AC), fired the XM1155-SC guided projectile the furthest distance an M109 Paladin has ever fired a guided projectile. The projectile successfully guided to and impacted the target area using GPS, demonstrating the added capability the round can deliver to the U.S. Army’s current howitzer fleet. The test at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona was conducted using a Modular Artillery Charge System (MACS) Zone 5, proving XM1155-SC’s compatibility with current artillery systems. “Our XM1155-SC solution adds additional capability to current and future U.S. Army artillery systems,” said Brent Butcher, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems. “We’re just getting started showing the advanced capabilities that this round brings to the warfighter. This projectile delivers a leap forward in performance and modernization. This successful firing and previous test results show that our concept is on[1]track to provide range and lethality overmatch to the U.S. Army brigade and division artillery units.” In December 2022, in partnership with the U.S. Army, BAE Systems held the first XM1155-SC test fire where the projectile was successfully fired from a 155 mm XM907E2 Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) test bed and impacted a fixed target beyond ranges previously demonstrated by other precision guided projectiles fired from the same type of cannon. The successful firing event occurred just 14 months after the company received an initial $14.8 m prototype development award in October 2021. BAE Systems’ concept for the U.S. Army’s XM1155-SC program is an advanced, cannon[1]launched projectile under development for the defeat of fixed and moving targets in contested environments at more than double the range of existing cannon launched precision guided munitions. The concept was developed to penetrate and destroy adversary defenses through increased range, advanced guidance, lethality, and survivability. The projectile addresses the Army’s modernization goals for a long-range precision fires munitions solution. BAE Systems is currently under contract to demonstrate navigation and control, networking, and payload technologies that enable precision fires at very long ranges for 155mm projectiles.
06 Oct 23. UK’s first Archer howitzer arrives, demonstrating the MoD’s agility in procurement. As the second largest military equipment donor to Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defence is keen to demonstrate its agility to avoid depriving its inventory.
Britain’s first Archer wheeled artillery system has arrived after only six months since the UK Government agreed to acquire 14 guns from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration for the Royal Artillery.
The agreement also includes the delivery of an Ammunition Resupply System, an initial ammunition suite, a training package and an initial support package.
The Archer 6×6, 155mm self-propelled howitzer is a fully autonomous 52 calibre gun with a 40km range using standard ammunition, but 60km range with M982 Excalibur rounds. The system carries 20 projectiles in the magazine and an additional 20 munitions for reload.
Having donated 32 of its 39 calibre AS90 Braveheart howitzers to Ukraine – artillery systems that are only expected to be operational until 2032 – the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) acquired the 14 Archers as an interim replacement to balance its inventory. (Source: army-technology.com)
06 Oct 23. What’s the firepower like for the US Army’s new rifle? The Army’s new rifle, automatic rifle and fire control provide a more accurate, farther reaching and deadlier combination of weapons than a squad or platoon currently carries.
During a September media event held at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland by Program Executive Office Soldier, participants shot both the Next Generation Squad Weapon XM7 rifle and the XM250 automatic rifle — the Army’s replacements for M4 and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon for the close combat force. That group includes infantry, scouts, combat engineers and special operations forces.
At the event, officials announced a unit in the 101st Airborne Division had received the weapons that week and would undergo initial training on the weapons later in the month, followed by limited-user tests in October. A squad from the 75th Ranger Regiment will also participate in testing the weapons.
Primarily, they’ll be evaluating how small units and soldiers employ the weapons, what adjustments they make to their kit and procedures, and how mobile they are in a side-by-side comparison with the legacy M4 and M249 SAW, said Lt. Col. Micah Rue, the product manager for weapons at PEO Soldier.
The first unit equipped will also be in the 101st Airborne Division. That’s happening in the second quarter of fiscal 2024.
The XM250 is a belt-fed, air-cooled, lightweight, gas-operated, select fire, suppressed light machine gun that fires from the open-bolt position.
The XM7 is a piston-driven, modular, select fire, magazine-fed, suppressed rifle. The M4 is a carbine version of the original M16 rifle. The new rifle has ambidextrous controls, an AR-style charging handle and a left-side charging handle. It comes with a two-position adjustable gas valve, collapsible folding butt stock, match-grade two-stage trigger, free-floating MLOK handguard and a full Picatinny rail system.
The trigger requires extra pull for firing — a safety feature.
The MLOK handguard and Picatinny rail allow for accessories to be added to the weapon such as aiming lasers and foregrips.
Both weapons include quick-detach suppressors that reduce visible flash and sound and also decrease gases released that flow back to the weapon user, according to PEO Soldier.
The weapons fire a new 6.8mm “intermediate caliber” round, and both use the 1-8x magnified XM157 fire control, or rifle optic, that comes equipped with a ballistics computer to provide aiming assistance to the shooter.
The optic runs on two CR132 batteries and operates for 250 hours on the low power mode setting.
While the aiming assistance provided by the fire control is evident, as seen by participants on the range, it doesn’t eliminate the need for marksmanship training.
“The fundamentals of marksmanship remain the same, even with this new weapon,” said Lt. Col. Trond Ruud, product manager for small arms fire control at PEO Soldier.
The XM1186 general-purpose ammunition in 6.8mm builds on enhanced-performance round work done over years with the 5.56mm. Soldiers will also receive the reduced range, blank, tracer and marking rounds.
The reduced range rounds are made so soldiers with the Next Generation Squad Weapon can fire on existing ranges designed for the 5.56mm. The marking rounds provide force-on-force shooting, like the chalk rounds used with weapons for decades.
According to PEO Soldier, some of the improvements of the 6.8mm over 5.56mm include:
- Dramatically improved hard target performance.
- Improved, consistent effects against soft targets and close-quarters battle performance.
- Significant increase in range of consistent effects against all targets.
- Extremely effectiveness against a wide range of targets — a true general-purpose round.
- Maintains a lead-free projectile.
On a range dotted with reactive, human silhouette targets at intervals between 50 meters and 500 meters, participants shot magazines in seated and standing positions from the XM7 and seated on a bench with the XM250.
The optics setup and 6.8mm trajectory meant the weapons fired flat with little to no optics adjustments out to 300 meters. Beyond that distance, the shooter could simply press a button on the XM157 optic or on a handrail accessible control that would instantaneously provide three dots to adjust the aim point.
The 10-year contract for the Sig Sauer weapons systems has a ceiling value of $4.5bn; the cost ceiling for the Vortex Optics/Sheltered Wings optic is set at $2.7bn.
The XM157 is a magnified, direct-view optic with an integrated laser-range finder, digital compass, environmental sensors, visible and infrared aiming lasers, ballistics solver, and digital display overlay with wireless communication, according to PEO Soldier. The device can be loaded with any ballistics configuration in the Army’s arsenal or future ballistics data to provide the same capabilities on other small caliber weapons systems, officials said.
Both weapons were suppressed. Shooters had the option to fire the XM7 suppressed or unsuppressed.
In a demonstration prior to participant shooting, a soldier fired the XM250 on bursts through cinder blocks and struck the target behind the blocks at about the 300-meter range. Rounds pierced the cinder blocks and struck the target.
In a side-by-side comparison, the SAW shooter fired at the blocks; only one round partially penetrated the cinder block but didn’t have an effect on the covered target.
That demonstration is an example of one of multiple efforts that drove the push for a new round for squad-level shooters — a more lethal round on target with further reach. Or what Rue called “turning cover into concealment.”
The capability will deny protection in certain terrain, meaning adversaries can’t consider themselves safe simply by hiding behind a wall.
The 6.8mm is built around a government-designed bullet, which the Army Marksmanship Unit helped create, in a casing that provides considerably more powder for greater velocities than the existing 5.56mm. The 5.56mm round was brought into the force to provide a higher volume of fires with an easier recoil for closer engagements, a shift of more than half a century of .30-caliber rounds dominating the squad firepower from World War I through the Korean War.
But the round, designed out of the .223-caliber varmint hunting round, was originally intended for small game shooting and has had its critics, as has the M16 and its variants since its adoption in the 1960s.
Feedback from soldiers during combat operations in Afghanistan and a 2017 small arms ammunition configuration study provided support for an intermediate caliber option.
According to PEO Soldier, key takeaways from that study include:
- Aim error reduction has the highest impact on performance.
- Caliber isn’t as important as once believed; it is a secondary performance driver.
- Fire control is key.
- Advanced bullet technology matters.
- Ballistic energy on target provides better lethal effects.
In the early 1900s both the British and Japanese militaries used a 6mm-range caliber, which is most comparable on the civilian side to .270-caliber ammunition. The weapon is heavier — 3 pounds more than the M4 — and the felt recoil is slightly more than the M4. But even with minimal familiarization, the accuracy was as good at close range and better at ranges beyond 300 meters than with the M4.
But the M250 is 2.7 pounds lighter than the SAW. Troops will carry fewer rounds with both new systems — 140 for the XM7 compared to 210 for the M4, and 400 rounds for the XM250 compared with the 600 rounds for the SAW.
However, lethality experts in the Army have repeatedly said the increased effectiveness and accuracy of the weapons and round will mean soldiers can fire fewer rounds with the same or better results.
A standard XM7 load will include seven magazines. The reduced rounds will free up space on soldier kit. The Army has produced new gear carriage systems compatible with the weapon. That’s another piece of what developers will be watching as soldiers test this out — how does it affect the rest of their kit and how they perform, Rue said.
During the recent range shooting event, an Army Times editor successfully hit targets with the XM7 on mostly first, sometimes second shots, both seated and standing.
As units continue to test the weapons, the Army has scheduled a cold weather test for early next year, followed by a tropics test, then a hot weather test. Operational assessments of the systems are planned for early fiscal 2025. (Source: Army Times)
06 Oct 23. Rocket Lab sees rapid demand for its HASTE hypersonic test vehicle. In the six months since Rocket Lab revealed its hypersonic test vehicle, the California-based launch company has flown its first mission, signed deals for at least five more and been selected to demonstrate high-speed test capabilities for the Defense Innovation Unit.
The Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron vehicle, or HASTE, is a modified version of Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket and is designed to support high-speed test efforts — an area of particular focus for the Defense Department as it looks to validate and field its first hypersonic weapons in the coming years.
Brian Rogers, senior director of global launch services, told C4ISRNET that because of the Pentagon’s hypersonic flight testing push, he expects demand for HASTE to continue to grow as the company logs more flights.
“Leadership across DoD has talked about this as a problem that needs solving,” he said in a Sept. 28 interview. “I don’t see the threat environment changing much and so I think from a demand signal, it is only increasing.”
Hypersonic vehicles can travel and maneuver at or above Mach 5, and the Defense Department is investing in 70 different efforts across the military services to field the high-speed weapons and the enabling technology to support them. Testing infrastructure has been a significant limiting factor in the development process, with most major programs conducting only a few trials each year.
Rocket Lab decided to pursue HASTE last year, after the Pentagon’s then-Principal Director for Hypersonics Mike White called for the testing community to expand the number of flight test opportunities available to programs and set an ambitious target of one event per month.
The company’s workhorse Electron rocket was already matching or exceeding that once-a-month launch cadence for orbital launch missions, and Rocket Lab saw an opportunity to take advantage of its pace and existing production line to get after the department’s challenge. The team worked fast to understand what hypersonic environments HASTE could achieve and make what Rogers described as “minor modifications” to Electron.
Its first flight in June was for the Pentagon’s Multi-Service Advanced Hypersonic Testbed, MACH-TB. The effort is led by the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Crane Division with Leidos as the prime contractor. Just days after that launch, Rocket Lab secured a contract with a “confidential” customer and in September the company announced Leidos had selected HASTE to fly four more MACH-TB launches.
The Defense Innovation Unit also selected HASTE for its Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Test Cadence program, or HyCAT — another effort to boost the department’s flight test enterprise.
Rogers noted that while the path to HASTE’s first flight was relatively short, the vehicle will require further modifications to support future launches, depending on the type of payload it’s carrying and the demands of the mission. He characterized the initial mission as a pathfinder, proving the company could modify Electron, jump through regulatory and contractual processes and prepare for launch on rapid timelines.
“That launch was really to prove to everyone that we could do it,” Rogers said.
The company has a plan to further modify HASTE over time, he added, depending on what needs its customers have.
“There are some test payloads coming nearer term that require minor modifications and then some later that require more,” he said. “It’s sort of a waterfall where we incorporate more capability over the next couple of years.”
While he wouldn’t specify the price of a HASTE rocket, Rogers said it’s in the range of $10 m depending on a customer’s requirements, which is a fraction of the cost of a full-up DoD test, which can be as much as $100m.
Rogers said he thinks that price point and Rocket Lab’s ability to move quickly will give HASTE will broad appeal in the commercial market, as companies seek platforms to test hypersonic payloads for non-defense missions. The rocket could also help meet NASA’s need for launch support for suborbital experimentation.
“It leverages everything that we do already — what I’ll call ‘mass production’ of launch vehicles, having regulatory frameworks in place to go fast and, frankly, just a price point that is more commercial than the old way of doing it,” he said. “[It’s] a huge enabler for these programs that are used to spending orders of magnitude more.”
(Source: C4ISR & Networks)
06 Oct 23. SIG SAUER exhibited at AUSA. SIG SAUER displayed a board depth of innovative products to support the mission readiness of the United States Army to include:
- Next Generation Squad Weapons, XM7 and XM250 (NGSW): the SIG SAUER Next Generations Squad Weapons is currently undergoing initial fielding at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The XM7 Rifle, XM250 Automatic Rifle will replace the M4, M4A1 and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. The NGSW system will be displayed at the SIG SAUER AUSA Booth.
- SIG 6.8mm Hybrid Ammunition: the 6.8mm SIG Hybrid ammunition designed and engineered to fill a capability gap requiring increased energy on target at range to defeat near peer threats. The SIG 6.8mm Hybrid Ammunition will be featured at the SIG SAUER AUSA Booth.
- SIG SAUER MG 338: a belt-fed, lightweight, medium machine gun chambered in 338 Norma Mag, 7.62, and 6.8×51 NGSW Hybrid. The SIG MG 338 is a man-portable platoon level battlefield solution with a similar effective-range to the M2.
- Remote Weapons Station (RWS): SIG SAUER recently acquired General Robotics, one of the world’s premier manufacturers of lightweight remote weapon stations and tactical robotics for manned and unmanned platforms and anti-drone applications. The RWS system and system capabilities demonstration will be featured at the SIG SAUER AUSA Booth.
- Modular Handgun System (MHS): SIG SAUER is proud to be the official provider of the handgun of all branches of the U.S. Military with the M17 and M18. Currently there are over half a m MHS handguns fielded. The MHS system will be featured at the SIG SAUER AUSA Booth.
- ROMEO-M17 Optic: a direct pistol mounted red dot sight designed to fit the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System. The fully sealed ROMEO-M17 is the next revolution in red dot optics and answers the call to withstand the rigors of the battlefield. The ROMEO-M17 will be featured at the SIG SAUER AUSA Booth.
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Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams. Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019. Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield. Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.
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