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11 Dec 23. BAE Systems announces team for the UK’s future artillery programme. ARCHER Artillery Alliance announces its approach for the UK’s Mobile Fires Platform and to revitalise critical UK artillery capabilities.
BAE Systems, Babcock and Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) are joining forces to offer the ARCHER wheeled mobile artillery system to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) as the replacement for the legacy AS90.
The ARCHER Artillery Alliance will offer the proven, advanced technology system which presents the lowest risk solution for the Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) programme, as the UK aims to modernise its 155mm capabilities. The three companies, each with a well-established supply chain in the UK, plan to work with other UK businesses as plans progress.
“The ARCHER, already in service with the British Army as its interim solution, is one of the most advanced, fielded artillery systems in the world today. Working with our strategic partners in the UK, we believe that an ARCHER-based solution would allow the British Army to significantly accelerate the delivery of the Mobile Fires Platform programme,” said John Borton, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Weapon Systems UK business, based in Barrow-in-Furness. “Our aim is to deliver a long-term homegrown artillery solution for the UK, which will safeguard, sustain and grow a critical, specialised British industrial capability and an opportunity for exports.”
BAE Systems will provide and integrate the weapon system, including the barrel, as well as the gun control system. In addition, BAE Systems will set up and manage the Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) facility. Babcock International Group will hold responsibility for the consolidation of the superstructure and ammunition resupply system, sharing its significant manufacturing and maintenance capabilities.
Chris Spicer, Managing Director of Engineering & Systems Integration at Babcock said, “In line with the MoD’s Land Industrial Strategy, Babcock is pleased to be working with BAE Systems to bring to the UK and the British Army this market-leading capability. Our skilled teams and facilities in the South-West and West Midlands will deliver important elements of the engineering expertise, system integration and innovative technology required for system assembly that will enable the ARCHER Artillery Alliance to provide the British Army with this exciting capability.”
RBSL will be the UK lead for the RMMV HX 8X8 truck chassis, and prepare the cabin for integration with the ARCHER artillery system.
BAE Systems, which recently secured a contract for an additional 48 ARCHER systems for the Swedish Army, plans to transfer technology from its existing production line in Sweden to the UK to establish a UK-based MFP production line. The work across the Alliance and its supply chain would create more than 350 new high-skilled jobs in the UK.
The Alliance’s proposal would ensure a significant amount of UK industrial content once the programme enters full-rate production. As part of the bid, BAE Systems plans to use its expertise in Sweden and the UK to re-establish sovereign barrel manufacturing in the UK, which would provide an opportunity to generate operational independence and security of supply through a sovereign artillery manufacturing solution.
ARCHER is a fully automated system, purpose-built to keep pace with fast-moving land forces. It is designed for rapid deployment to quickly respond to threats and deliver superior mobility, lethality and survivability. Operators control the entire gun system from the safety of ARCHER’s armoured cabin. In only 20 seconds, the vehicle can stop and fire its first round. After completion of the fire mission, ARCHER is on the move again within 20 seconds. In less than two minutes, ARCHER can fire six rounds, displace and move 500 metres, making the ARCHER the ultimate shoot-and-scoot system for soldier and platform survivability.
As well as being selected by Sweden and as the UK’s interim solution, Switzerland recently down selected ARCHER for the country’s procurement of new artillery. Sweden has also donated a number of systems for use by Ukrainian armed forces.
BATTLESPACE Comment: The announcement that the base chassis will be the RMMV 8×8 chassis confirms our comment that the current 6×6 Volvo chassis is not robust enough to handle the upgrades or
Winter muddy terrain such as that experienced in Ukraine. As Rheinmetall is a partner in the BAE Archer Consortium, we await developments form RBSL as to the offering of the RCH 155 as part of the ongoing Boxer Programme. The RCH 155 is not currently on the OCCAR list for the UK but could be added.
(See: BATTLESPACE UPDATE Vol.25 ISSUE 47, 20 November 2023, Archer 155mm Guns Now in Ukraine) (See: BATTLESPACE UPDATE Vol.25 ISSUE 49, 04 December 2023, Hanwha all set for MFP) This announcement confirms the rumours that an RfP for MFP will be issued around March 24 and will include wheels and tracks, suggesting that a split buy between a Govt-Govt contract with Hanwha for K9A1/2 and a wheeled version such as the BAE Archer offering on an 8×8. It is possible that the existing 14 Archer turret systems on the 6×6 chassis will be placed on new RMMV 8×8 chassis, saving time and money.
06 Dec 23. TITAN targeting contract to be awarded soon, Army officials say. The U.S. Army expects to choose a single provider for its Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node, a battle-management system, early next year, according to program officials.
The program, dubbed TITAN, has been moving through a 14-month rapid prototyping phase, during which RTX, formerly Raytheon, and Palantir Technologies demonstrated competing systems. That effort culminated this summer with a demonstration — called a soldier touchpoint — and acceptance test, aimed at assessing the two systems’ technical performance and usability.
Brig. Gen. Ed Barker, the service’s program executive officer for intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors, told reporters Dec. 5 that those summer demonstrations will inform which of the prototypes the Army chooses to field. That decision, he added, is expected between January and March.
“The selected vendor will further mature their prototype through more soldier touchpoints,” he said during a media briefing. “And then we intend to have some of this capability issued to designated units to allow them to refine the feedback and the [tactics, techniques and procedures] in which it would be employed.”
TITAN is an intelligence ground system, designed to help the Army connect data-gathering sensors to shooters in the field to support advanced beyond-line-of-sight targeting. In 2021, the Army chose designs from RTX and Palantir and in 2022 awarded $36 m to both companies to turn their plans into prototypes.
The winning contractor will develop two variants of the system: advanced and basic. The former will integrate with tactical trucks, such as the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle fleet’s M1083, and will have the ability to ingest sensor data from space systems. The basic variant will be installed on the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and won’t have the space downlink package, but Barker noted that it will have access to data from space sensors.
Northrop Grumman is developing the space kit through a partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit.
Northrop Grumman demonstrated and delivered the semi-autonomous, mobile TITAN pre-prototype system to the U.S. Army and provided support during Project Convergence 2022. (Northrop Grumman)
The chosen prototype will be deployed to an Army unit that will familiarize itself with the system and provide feedback on potential changes, Barker said. By 2026, he noted, the service hopes to have a decision on whether the capability will transition into a formal acquisition program, a phase referred to as a major capability acquisition pathway.
As the Army eyes the upcoming TITAN decision point, it’s also considering how the system might be integrated within its portfolio and how that could impact other modernization initiatives.
“We’re going through a lot of different exercises from a network standpoint in understanding where things are going to go at echelon and what that means for our existing modernization efforts,” Barker said, adding that the process could help determine how many basic and advanced TITAN systems the Army will need.
“A lot of that is going to depend on the various efforts that are going on right now to really flesh it out . . . as well as the different tabletop exercises that are going on within the Army to determine what that network will look like and then essentially where things will fall form a functional standpoint.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
06 Dec 23. China inducts new anti-tank guided weapon system. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has inducted a new anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) system developed by China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco) known as TS-01.
According to footage released by state-owned China Central Television (CCTV), the 78th Group Army of the PLA’s Northern Theater Command inducted an unknown number of TS-01 ATGW systems.
The footage also showed the service launching some anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) from the systems.
According to the company specifications, the TS-01 is a shoulder-fired infrared imagery guidance multi-purpose weapon system. It can be used both individually and in groups. The TS-01 is a third-generation fire-and-forget ATGW system.
The system features uncooled infrared imaging guidance, lock-on before launch, and automatic target tracking following launch, Norinco said.
The TS-01 weapon system comprises a missile-in-container, an observation-aiming and launch control device, and supporting equipment, Norinco added. (Source: Janes)
06 Dec 23. Wing Loong II UAV being developed for diverse roles. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is improving the capabilities of its Wing Loong II unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to handle multiple applications.
During a recent flight demonstration of the UAV for the state-owned newspaper, Global Times , Li Yidong, chief designer at AVIC Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), said the applications of the Wing Loong series of UAVs “are still expanding”.
The demonstration showed the Wing Loong II’s ability to climb, cruise, and operate at low altitude. Li said, “In the future, the [UAVs] will integrate with new technologies, including 5G+, industrial internet, artificial intelligence, and big data, and promote more highly efficient applications in more fields together with the whole industrial chain, such as scientific investigation, mapping, and logistics”.
The demonstration was conducted at AVIC’s Zigong Aviation Industrial Park, according to state-owned media. (Source: Janes)
06 Dec 23. Lockheed Martin tests JAGM target discrimination tri-mode seeker. Using near-infrared sensor technology, the JAGM missile can “lock onto the selected target even when there are multiple targets in the field.”
US defence prime, Lockheed Martin, announced it has successfully conducted a guidance flight test for the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile Medium-Range (JAGM-MR), demonstrating the target discrimination capability of the missile’s tri-mode seeker, according to a 5 December press release.
The flight test occurred at the US Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake Test Range in California’s Mojave Desert on 2 December.
Joey Drake, programme management director of air-to-ground missile systems at the company, stated: “[T]he enhanced tri-mode seeker provides a new level of precision guidance and defence capabilities, allowing JAGM-MR to lock onto the selected target even when there [are] multiple targets in the field.”
JAGM-MR’s tri-mode seeker uses a near-infrared (IR) sensor, a low-cost imaging sensor incorporated into the missile guidance system, which uses a dual-mode sensor system. The IR sensor improves target tracking and guidance over a range of conditions and target sets.
Lockheed Martin had previously tested the sub-system in the same range on 16 November 2022, where it collected data to have it “functionally ready” this time around.
Meanwhile, this year’s guided flight test demonstrated the maturity of the fully functioning tri-mode seeker while concurrently highlighting its ability to target engagement at an increased stand-off range.
Using IR for discriminated tracking
Drake champions the JAGM missile, with its functioning tri-mode concept, as a “turnkey solution” for the missile sector. This imaging concept is being widely developed across the defence industry recently; it is also seen in similarly layered systems.
Ahead of the Defence Security Exhibition International (DSEI) in London earlier this year, Army Technology spoke with Chess Dynamics, a British sensor technology provider and subsidiary of the pan-European Cohort Group, to discuss its land-based Hawkeye and sea-based Sea Eagle sensor systems.
“The key thing from the Chess perspective is the modularity of the system. So, you can have a range of vehicles that have different roles,” Dave Eldridge, Sales and Marketing Director at Chess Dynamics, stated.
The electro-optical capability has built-in video tracking and target classification through Vision4ce’s CHARM modules and AI technology. The system effectively filters the information and only flags objects that are deemed genuine risks or threats to the operator – in a similar way to Lockheed Martin’s tri-mode seeker.
GlobalData intelligence tells us that the global military ‘Electro-Optical and Infrared Market’ was valued at $10.1bn in 2022, which it expects to reach $13.6bn by 2032. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
06 Dec 23. Switchblade 600 Loitering Munition Set to Reach Lithuanian Military Next Year.
On December 1 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas had a visit to an AeroVironment factory in California where he viewed the production and discussed opportunities for further cooperation.
Lithuania signed a contract on procurement of the kamikaze drones from the United States Government in the end of last year. Head of AeroVironment Wahid Nawabi affirmed to Minister the equipment would be presented in 2024.
“We are the first nation worldwide to acquire the new combat drone Switchblade besides the United States. It will be a really significant redeploy able capability enhancement to our Armed Forces which will add an up to 40 km effective range against enemy equipment. We are watching its effect in Ukraine,” said A. Anušauskas.
The acquired Switchblade 600 loitering munition is next generation long-range combat drones with high precision optics, up to 40-minute flight time and an anti-armor warhead effective against heavy armored vehicles, including tanks. The kamikaze drone can trike to neutralize targets vertically.
Lithuania is also purchasing launching and control equipment, simulation system for personnel training and a maintenance package from the U.S.
The United States is one of Lithuania’s key partners in defence acquisitions and one of the key Allies for the security of the Baltic region. Lithuania has over 60 acquisition projects underway with the United States alone. Security assistance funds granted to Lithuania and the other Baltic states annually additionally facilitates Lithuania’s defence capability development.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Lithuania Ministry of Defence)
05 Dec 23. New mortar AMPV variant prototype to make exhibition debut mid-2024. The newly designed 120 mm mortar variant of the Armoured Multi Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) will make its debut at the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA’s) Warfighter conference in July 2024, Bill Sheehy, AMPV programme director at BAE Systems told Janes on 30 November.
BAE Systems first told Janes in September that it was delivering the prototype for Patria’s 120 mm New Mortar (NEMO) and Kongsberg turret programme in January 2024. The prototype is still on track for first delivery, and the army plans to perform a live-fire demonstration at the July conference to show off its progress, Sheehy said in an interview. The prototype represents BAE System’s first official foray into broadening AMPV configurations, which the company hopes will highlight the flexibility of the platform. The turret is attached to the vehicle using the Ex-MEP (Mission Equipment Package), which can accommodate most remotely operated weapons stations. (Source: Janes)
05 Dec 23. DASA launches new £1.6 m competition to get missiles talking. DASA has launched a new Themed Competition to identify and develop novel technologies that could be exploited in the development of a new category of missile – cooperative missiles.
• DASA has launched a new Themed Competition: “It’s Good for Missiles to Talk” (Phase 2)
• Funding provided by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and forms part of the Cooperative Missile Project
• Up to £1.6m (ex VAT) is available with an expectation to fund multiple proposals between £100,000 to £300,000 (ex VAT) over a maximum project duration of 12 months
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Themed Competition: It’s Good for Missiles to Talk Phase 2. The aim is to identify and develop novel technologies that could be exploited in the development of a new category of missile – cooperative missiles.
Cooperative missiles can communicate with each other, share situational awareness and organise themselves to ‘work together’ efficiently, during an engagement and within operator-set constraints, to achieve a common objective. The aim of the work is to:
• Develop technologies to deliver cooperative missiles
• Demonstrate how the capability could be integrated into future systems
The implementation of cooperative missiles will offer UK armed forces’ enhanced capability, providing a significant advantage in comparison to current capability. There are many benefits that can be realised. For example, considering collateral damage during missions or live safety data updates if non-combatants enter the battlefield post-launch. Cooperative missiles can share this vital information to ensure an abort function is carried out live during a mission, under human operator authority.
It is important to note that the operation of UK missile systems will always remain under human control and we are only interested in technologies that could enable cooperation between missiles within this context.
Key Dates and Funding
• Up to £1.6m (ex VAT) is available for this competition with an expectation to fund multiple proposals between £100,000 to £300,000 (ex VAT) over a maximum project duration of 12 months
• Submission deadline is midday (GMT) on Tuesday 20 February 2024
• A Q&A webinar will take place on Tuesday 12 December 2023 with 1-2-1 sessions taking place on Tuesday 19 December and Tuesday 16 January 2024.
Can you deliver an innovation which could aid in the development of cooperative missiles? Read the full Competition Document
The Challenge Areas
This competition has five challenges:
1. Distributed target detection and identification
2. Data processing on board and between missiles
3. Enhanced navigation though cooperation
4. Finding and engaging multiple targets distributed over a wide area
5. Novel Missile Communication Systems
Read more about the challenge areas in depth and the competition requirements in the full Competition Document
Phase 2 of this DASA competition builds on Phase 1 with more focused challenge areas. Proposals from innovators that seek to expand on their Phase 1 work are welcome, as well as innovators that are new the competition. Successful submissions into phase 2 will identify and increase the maturity of novel technologies to enable exploitation in future cooperative missile programs.
We encourage proposals where the innovation should output over a range of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-5.
Successful proposals will present credible plans for progressing new, advanced technologies which could underpin a future cooperative missile.
Please note that throughout this competition UK missile strategic partners MBDA and Thales will provide technical support to the MOD competition team.
Supporting events
Tuesday 12 December 2023 – dial-in Q&A webinar. This session will provide further detail on the problem space from the MOD competition team and provide a chance to ask questions in an open forum. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page.
Tuesday 19 December 2023 and Tuesday 16 January 2024 – a series of 20 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions to the MOD competition team. If you would like to participate, please register on the below Eventbrite page. Booking is on a first come first served basis.
1-2-1 Session Tuesday 19 December 2023 – Eventbrite link
1-2-1 Session Tuesday 16 January 2024 – Eventbrite link
Submit a proposal
Do you have a novel technology that could be exploited to help develop cooperative missiles? For full details and to submit a proposal, read the full Competition Document: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/competition-its-good-for-missiles-to-talk-phase-2 (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
05 Dec 23. Greensea IQ is the first to successfully complete a demonstration of a prototype Autonomous EOD Maritime Response Vehicle (AEMRV) for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and US Navy. Utilizing the advanced capabilities of OPENSEA Edge, the system provides the computing resources needed to power edge perception systems and advanced autonomous behaviors of EOD Workspace, allowing human-on-the-loop autonomy and untethered command and control over the ROV platform.
The demonstration took place over several days in the open ocean off the coast of San Diego, featuring a fully integrated OPENSEA Edge-driven untethered ROV, a VideoRay MSS Defender modified by Greensea IQ to include batteries and an acoustic modem. During the demonstration real world tasks were demonstrated by autonomously searching the environment for threats utilizing acoustic communications.
This groundbreaking demonstration highlighted the autonomy system for EOD Workspace, Greensea IQ’s robot agnostic software platform for Mine Countermeasure (MCM) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operations. It also showcased Safe C2, Greensea IQ’s communication platform for long-range standoff command and control of autonomous ocean robots, both integrated within the OPENSEA Edge modular, hardware-agnostic system.
Ben Kinnaman, CEO of Greensea IQ, shared his thoughts on the technology “Autonomous intervention technology is the key to increasing our persistence in the ocean, and for making the work we do there safer and more effective. There is no better example of this technology at work than what we have demonstrated to the US Navy and DIU. This software package will make the neutralization of subsea threats safer and scalable using ocean robots.”
Kinnaman went on to say “Working with the Defense Innovation Unit has been amazing. DIU has leaned in hard on finding an urgent solution for subsea threat intervention. This program has combined the rigors of engineering with the possibilities of emerging technologies through a program that is equal parts contracting and venture funding to field a prototype in a very short amount of time.”
Greensea IQ has worked under contract with the DIU since 2021 to develop a fully autonomous and untethered software platform for ROVs used in MCM and EOD operations. This exercise was the final demonstration of the successful prototype delivered to the US Navy for further evaluation.
04 Dec 23. Poland Orders 146 Additional S. Korean K9PL Self-Propelled Howitzers in $2.6bn Deal. Additional Self-Propelled Howitzers for the Polish Army. On December 1 this year a contract was concluded for the acquisition of self-propelled howitzers for the Polish Armed Forces.
The subject of the executive agreement, worth USD 2.6bn net, concluded between the State Treasury – Armament Agency and Hanwha Defense, is the acquisition of another 6 self-propelled howitzers of the K9 family, K9A1 version, in 2025, and 146 self-propelled howitzers of the K9PL version, in 2026-2027.
The contract also includes a training and logistics package and the delivery of a significant stock of 155 mm ammunition, including several dozen thousand pieces. The logistics package includes a stock of spare parts, spare parts and consumables, as well as equipment for the operation of howitzers.
In addition, as part of the technology transfer, technical documentation will be transferred, industrial potential will be established for the army and industry, including the implementation of maintenance, renovation and modernization works, as well as the production of selected howitzer structural elements in entities of the Polish defense industry. The above-mentioned activities will enable the rapid achievement, within a few years, of the operational capabilities required by the Polish Armed Forces by supplying them with modern military equipment.
The K9PL version is expected to equip the howitzers with, among others: a laser radiation warning system with an OBRA-3 smoke grenade launcher, as well as an automatic explosion extinguishing and suppression system, filtering and ventilation systems, air conditioning, additional displays for the crew and relocation of the power generator to the chassis.
On July 27, 2022, a framework agreement was concluded with Hanwha Defense, the aim of which is to acquire a total of 672 K9A1 and K9PL self-propelled howitzers, as well as a training and logistics package, ammunition supplies and technical support from the manufacturer.
The training package includes simulator equipment and staff training in Poland, as well as service support, which has been provided since the arrival of the first K9A1 self-propelled howitzers. The agreement also provides for technology transfer, as a result of which existing industrial capabilities in the area of barrel artillery technology will be maintained and developed, which will allow for the acquisition of service competences in the first stage and the target launch of the production of K9PL howitzers in Poland, and thus the Polonization of spare parts supply chains. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Polish Armament Agency; issued Dec. 01, 2023)
04 Dec 23. Croatia to Join European Defence Agency Ammunition Purchasing Program. The Government Approved Procurement of Ammunition Through EDA. The damaged European security architecture emphasizes the importance of raising the readiness and developing the defense capabilities of the EU states in order to strengthen European and transatlantic security, said Minister Ivan Anuši.
At the 267th session held on Thursday, November 30, 2023, the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the Decision on giving consent to the Ministry of Defense to assume obligations at the expense of the state budget of the Republic of Croatia in 2024 for the procurement of ammunition through the European Defense Agency (EDA).
On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ivan Anuši? emphasized that the damaged European security architecture caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine further emphasizes the importance of increasing the readiness and further development of the defense capabilities of the EU member states in order to strengthen European and transatlantic security.
Also, Minister Anuši said: “Based on the needs of the member states of the European Union, the European Defense Agency (EDA) proposed the launch of projects for the joint procurement of defense products. The European Defense Agency has accepted the role of a procurement agency, which conducts tenders, evaluates bids and procures defense products on behalf of the member states of the European Union. Such treatment enables faster delivery of defense products, more favorable unit purchase prices due to a larger joint order, as well as exemption from paying value added tax.”
In this context, Minister Anuši pointed out that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia have identified the joint procurement of defense products as extremely important for replenishing stocks and maintaining readiness and implementing NATO Capability Goals.
“The European Defense Agency conducted a tender and concluded a framework contract for the procurement of 155mm ammunition for PzH 2000 howitzers. The obligation of the Ministry of Defense for this procurement in 2023 amounts to 3,118,200 euros, which will be paid in advance, and for 2024 it amounts to 7,625. 800 euros,” said Minister Anuši.
The aforementioned financial resources are planned in the State Budget of the Republic of Croatia in the section of the Ministry of Defense.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Croatia Republic Ministry of Defence;)
03 Dec 23. US, Australia eye joint hypersonics experiments in 2024. The U.S. Defense Department plans to conduct joint hypersonics experiments with the Australian military as soon as next year, according to the Pentagon’s chief technology officer.
Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, told reporters Dec. 2 at the Reagan National Defense Forum here that the countries have been deepening their partnership on hypersonics over the last year.
In May, Australia observed DoD’s Technology Readiness Experiment, or T-REX, which was held at Camp Atterbury in Indiana. Following that experiment, members of Shyu’s team traveled to Australia to watch the Autonomous Warrior exercise.
Conducting joint experiments, she said, is a clear next step for the countries.
“We’re already in the process of working very closely with them to figure out who do we integrate some of our experimentations in Australia,” Shyu said.
Hypersonic vehicles can travel and maneuver at speeds of Mach 5 or higher. The technology is a focus of the second phase of the trilateral pact between the Australia, the U.S. and the United Kingdom, known as AUKUS. While Pillar I focused on nuclear submarine development, the second pillar is geared toward advanced technology efforts like hypersonics as well as quantum computing, autonomy and electronic warfare.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin convened an AUKUS technology summit Dec. 1, where he and leaders from Australia and the U.K. launched several technology collaboration initiatives.
Australia and the U.S. have been conducting hypersonic research together for more than 15 years. In 2017, they culminated a secretive decade-long effort known as the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation, or HiFiRE. Through the program, they explored future high-speed weapons and subsystem designs and conducted a series of flight tests.
In 2020, the two nations launched a follow-on effort called the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment, or SCIFiRE. The program aimed to develop a Mach 5 precision strike missile powered by an air-breathing scramjet engine that would be carried by a tactical fighter aircraft.
That work has fed into the U.S. Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile program.
The Pentagon is also discussing opportunities for the countries to integrate their air and missile defense capabilities. This summer, Shyu and Pentagon acquisition chief Bill Laplante traveled to Australia to discuss potential collaboration, and in September Shyu met with Australian officials to discuss the partnership further.
Shyu told reporters in August she’s had discussions with the U.S. Army and Missile Defense Agency about how the two countries might work together on the Integrated Battled Command System, which will play an important role in connecting sensors and shooters for air and missile defense in Guam.
The Army is the acquisition lead for the effort and is working with MDA to get the first wave of equipment for the architecture to the island in 2024. Northrop Grumman is developing the system.
Australia is in the midst of its own effort to develop an integrated air and missile defense capability through its Joint Air Battle Management System. The agency on Aug. 28 selected Lockheed Martin as its “strategic partner” on the program. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
01 Dec 23. Australian Army test fires new AS9 Huntsman during SA demonstration. The Australian Defence Force has conducted a test firing of the new AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer during a stakeholder demonstration at Port Wakefield in South Australia.
The Australian Army artillery system was fired during a showcase for project stakeholders at the Proof and Experimental Establishment in Port Wakefield on 21 November, as part of LAND 8116 Protected Mobile Fires project.
The event was overseen by the Joint Proof and Experimental Unit, as Australia seeks to confirm the AS9 in a protected mobile fire systems role alongside in-service M777 155mm lightweight towed howitzer artillery.
Australian-variant AS9 Huntsman are expected to be constructed at a new Hanwha Defense Australia factory near Avalon in Victoria late next year, with 30 AS9 Huntsmen and 15 AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles to be built in Victoria.
Elphinstone, a company on the north coast of Tasmania, will manufacture the hulls and turrets; with the first AS9 to be completed in Australia and expected to roll out the door by the end of 2025.
Further testing will be conducted in Australia, focused on protection of the vehicle from small arms fire and shrapnel.
The South Korean-developed self-propelled howitzers officially made their Australian debut at Exercise Talisman Sabre at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in July this year.
Gunner Max Hood of 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, said while it was the first time they’d seen the tracked howitzer, they had already begun practising drills based around self-propelled artillery.
“We’re moving away from the traditional gun line towards operating on our own with less camouflage and concealment,” Gunner Hood said.
“We drop, shoot and get out of there to avoid counter battery.”
The AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer has also previously undertaken testing of three-round burst and automated loading capabilities in South Korea earlier this year.
Major Brendan Kelleher of the project team under LAND 8116, said the tests ensured the combination of Australian ammunition and a Korean cannon were safe for service.
“While we know in isolation the K9’s cannon (Korean K9 Thunder artillery) is safe, and in isolation the ammunition is safe, this testing makes sure they are compatible,” MAJ Kelleher said.
Blast testing was also recently conducted in Israel involving a full-size AS9 hull fitted with crash test dummies, cameras, and sensors inside. During that testing, an explosive charge was detonated at the base of the vehicle to imitate the effects of a land mine. Those results will inform design changes to ensure the vehicles provide the required protection and survivability for soldiers.
“The feedback we’re getting from other users is they are impressed by the maturity and ease of use of the platform,” MAJ Kelleher said.
“It is a big increase in range and lethality from the in-service towed howitzer, made possible by the longer cannon and higher rates of fire.
“For junior gunners and non-commissioned officers, it’s going to be a challenging but exciting step up to manage both a cannon and an armoured vehicle, likely with greater autonomy than they might have on a normal gun line.” (Source: Defence Connect)
01 Dec 23. Sea Ceptor Firings Mark End of New Zealand Frigate Upgrade Tests. Frigate Systems Upgrade Project Completes Operational Testing. Area Air Defence System on HMNZS Te Mana has been successfully tested off the coast of Australia. This is the final test for the capability release of the Anzac Frigate Systems Upgrade project.
“The success of the two missile firings this week is a major milestone for the project. It means both HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Te Kaha will achieve full capability release and the frigates move from a solely ‘defend self’ position to a ‘defend others’ capability which allows for the localised missile defence of other platforms the frigates are operating with,” Jon Finderup, Director Maritime Domain at the New Zealand Ministry of Defence said.
The tests took place in the Eastern Australian Exercise Area and involved the identification, evaluation, tracking and destruction of an inbound target simulating a missile, which took the form of a two-metre-long aerial drone. All other aspects of the ANZAC frigates surveillance, counter measures, self-defence capability and Combat Management System have successfully completed testing. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ New Zealand Ministry of Defence)
01 Dec 23. Performance analysis and design of loitering munitions.
Performance analysis and design of loitering munitions: A comprehensive technical survey of recent developments is a report by Mark Voskuijl.
Loitering munitions are becoming increasingly prevalent in armed conflicts, prompting the development of a comprehensive database derived from publicly available information. This database encompasses various attributes such as dimensions, weights, and performance metrics, including flight endurance and communication range. Utilizing this dataset, six distinct categories of loitering munitions are identified, and statistical trends, represented by equations, are established for each category. These statistical trends find support in aircraft performance theory customized for the specific applications of loitering munitions.
The integration of the database, statistical trends, and aircraft performance theory facilitate the analysis of flight performance and design considerations for new loitering munitions, particularly those with limited non-technical information accessible in the public domain, such as images and news articles. Drawing on the statistical trends and aircraft performance theory, it is deduced that, for long-range applications, the conventional configuration stands as the preferred design solution. Meanwhile, the cruciform configuration proves advantageous when precision flight path control is paramount. The tandem wing configuration combines the advantages of canister launch with relatively high aspect ratio wings suitable for extended-range flight. Lastly, the delta wing design offers a substantial internal volume and high terminal attack airspeed.
To illustrate the flight performance capabilities of two types of loitering munitions currently employed in the Yemen conflict—a long-range conventional design and a delta wing configuration—two case studies are included. These examples showcase the practical applications of statistical trends and aircraft performance theory in assessing and understanding the performance of loitering munitions in real-world conflict scenarios.
Publication Date– March 2022
Performance analysis and design of loitering munitions: A comprehensive technical survey of recent developments contains the following major sections:
• Introduction
• Aircraft performance and design criteria
• Sizing correlations
• Example case studies
• Conclusions and recommendations
Open Access Paper. This article is distributed under the terms of the Attribution-Non-Commercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
C-UAS Hub does not own this content and provides a link for users at the bottom of the page to access it in its original location. This allows the author(s) to track important article metrics related to their work. All credit goes to its rightful owner. Author– Mark Voskuijl (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
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