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04 Sep 20. Japanese GSDF Moves to Truck Mounted Artillery. The 2019 Japanese Ground Self Defense Force officially unveiled its new Type 19 155 mm Wheeled Self-Propelled Howitzer (Hitokyuu-shiki-sourin-jisou-155mm-ryuudan-hou) at the defense demonstration at the East Fuji Maneuver Area.
The vehicle is designed to replace its FH-70 towed artillery systems. Procurement of seven at JPY 5.1bn were included in the 2019 Defense Budget with an JPY4.5bn (USD42.3m) for an additional seven in the 2020 line items.
The Type-19 features an L52 155 mm gun as used in the Type 99 tracked self propelled howitzer now mounted on the back of a RMMX MAN HX 8×8 truck chassis. It also incorporates increased automation of many emplacement and laying functions as well as digital networked fire controls.
Compared to the towed FH70, the wheeled howitzer is able to perform rapid shoot-and-scoot tactics to enhance survivability while delivering more responsive and effective fires. (Source: AMR)
04 Sep 20. Hanwha Defense gets exclusive RfT for Australian self-propelled howitzer requirement. The Australian government announced on 3 September that will release a sole-source request for tender (RfT) to Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA), the local subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, to build and maintain 30 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and 15 K10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles (AARVs) under the Australian Army’s Project LAND 8116 Phase 1 Protected Mobility Fires (PMF) requirement.
The 46-tonne K9 Thunder is a 155 mm/52-calibre SPH that can offer a sustained fire capability of three rounds/minute and a rapid-fire rate of eight rounds/minute. It is operated by crew of four or five personnel depending on the configuration and has ammunition capacity of up to 48 projectiles and associated modular charge systems.
Besides being the primary SPH platform for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA), the K9 Thunder has been exported to countries including Estonia, Finland, India, Norway, and Turkey, with local manufacture undertaken within India and Turkey. The ordnance will be designated the K9 Huntsman in Australian Army service.
In contrast, the K10 AARV is designed specifically to provide battlefield sustainment of the K9 SPH and is based on the same hull. It is understood that the K10 can carry as many as 104 projectiles and accompanying charges, either as offboard replenishment for the K9 SPH or as an extended ‘magazine’ during a fire mission to conserve the SPH’s onboard ammunition. The K10 AARV is a version of the K10 ARV with improved armour protection.
“The acquisition of this capability will provide the ADF with the mobility, lethality and protection required to support Joint Force operations in the land domain,” Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said in a statement, noting that the SPHs will be built and sustained in the Geelong region.
“This is a tremendous outcome for our company and we very much appreciate the Commonwealth placing their trust in Hanwha for this opportunity,” said HDA Managing Director Richard Cho.
“By beginning this journey with Hanwha, the Commonwealth will reap the benefits of being part of a global community of more than 2,400 K9/K10 SPH systems worldwide with all of the sustainment, training, and global supply opportunities that this will bring,” Cho added, noting that the company will implement its plan to construct the necessary facilities and train the local workforce.
HDA also said the project is expected to create up to 350 jobs as well as opportunities in other areas including component manufacture and repair, and transport and warehousing. (Source: AMR)
03 Sep 20. Hanwha Defense shortlisted for Australian SPH project.
– Assessment for 30 K9 SPHs, 15 K10 AARVs to proceed ahead of final contract.
– Vehicles to be produced in Geelong in support of Australian industrial capability.
The K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH), developed by South Korea’s Hanwha Defense, has been selected as the preferred solution for the Australian Army’s Protected Mobile Fires project. On September 3, the Australian Government announced it will release a request for tender to preferred supplier Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) to build and maintain 30 K9 SPHs and 15 K10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles (AARVs), along with their supporting systems. The K10 AARV is an enhanced version of the existing K10 ARV in terms of armour protection. HDA is set to submit a tender in response to the SPH procurement program, codenamed Land 8116, which has a budget of up to AUD $1.3bn.
“This is a tremendous outcome for our company and we very much appreciate the Commonwealth placing their trust in Hanwha for this opportunity,” said Richard Cho, managing director of HDA. “By beginning this journey with Hanwha, the Commonwealth will reap the benefits of being part of a global community of more than 2,400 K9/K10 SPH systems worldwide with all of the sustainment, training, and global supply opportunities that this will bring.”
As part of efforts to help expand the Australian defense industrial base, Hanwha Defense is committed to building the vehicles in the Geelong region and growing local skills, Cho said, adding the envisioned Geelong facility is expected to serve as an alternative sustainment and supply chain base for the global K9 family of vehicles.
“This is a different approach to just building and exporting, which given the increasing trend of localization being demanded globally,” the managing director said. “With this Government announcement, work will commence immediately to implement our plan for the building of facilities and skilling of the local Geelong based work force.”
The project is expected to create up to 350 jobs to build and maintain the new vehicles, providing significant opportunities in other areas such as transport and warehousing, as well as component manufacture and repair. The transfer of IP and know -how to enable Australian Industry to, in the long term, allow for local design, engineering and manufacturing will be the most essential part of plans focused on developing the industrial base required for a sovereign capability. Hanwha plans to develop the “Huntsman” family of vehicles comprising of the K9 SPH and K10 AARV to deliver a complete mission. The SPH is a 52 calibre, 155 mm platform capable of taking advantage of current and emerging 155mm munitions technologies. It has a crew of 4 or 5 depending on the configuration with an ammunition capacity of up to 48 rounds and accompanying modular charge systems. The K10 AARV is a largely robotized system built on the same chassis as the K9. It holds 104 rounds of 155mm ammunition and is designed to provide ammunition resupply under armour and forward to the Artillery unit.
“The latest decision by the Australian Government to consider acquisition of K9 SPHs as the preferred solution is evident of the systems excellent performance around the world and the faith that the Commonwealth of Australia has placed in Hanwha Defense Australia to deliver this new capability to the Australian Army,” Hanwha Defense CEO Lee Sung-soo said. “In close cooperation with the Commonwealth of Australia, we intend to establish a significant manufacturing base in the Geelong region which will build the K9 and K10 fleets and provide a sovereign support capability for the whole life of the Huntsman fleet.”
Leveraging its accumulated knowledge, experience and competitiveness in key technologies, Hanwha Defense has set new standards for the global defense industry by offering a huge lineup of products ranging from world-renowned artillery systems; armored vehicles with outstanding mobility and adaptability; air defense systems with state-of-the-art technology; and unmanned ground systems utilizing innovative technologies to deliver optimized solutions for future battlefields.
03 Sep 20. Australia announces request for tender for Army Protected Mobile Fires. Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds and Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price have announced the request for tender to locally-build 30 self-propelled howitzers as part of the Protected Mobile Fires project.
The ‘K9 Thunder’ SPH will provide significant capability enhancement for the Australian Army. As the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the K9 Thunder, Hanwha is ready to build and assemble 30 K9 Thunder SPHs and supporting systems in Australia.
The request for tender will be released to preferred supplier Hanwha Defence Australia, to build and maintain 30 self-propelled howitzers and 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles, and their supporting systems.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said it marks a key step in progressing the project that was a key election commitment.
“Through this project, this government is delivering the capability Army needs while creating local jobs in and around Geelong that will grow our highly skilled workforce. The acquisition of this capability will provide the ADF with the mobility, lethality and protection required to support Joint Force operations in the land domain,” Minister Reynolds explained. (Source: Defence Connect)
31 Aug 20. NATO bears down on ASW. Exercise Dynamic Mongoose strengthens anti-submarine warfare skills and wider trans-Atlantic naval team building. The strategic, operational, and technological impact of the return of state-based naval rivalry in the Euro-Atlantic theatre is perhaps nowhere more acutely evident than in the underwater domain.
Submarines have always been regarded as enabling their operator to deliver a ‘bigger bang for the buck’. Australian analyst Andrew Davies has argued that possession of a submarine enables the navy and the country concerned to “jump the queue” in terms of developing strategic influence.
So it was that a return of submarine activity across the Euro-Atlantic theatre – from the high North to the Eastern Mediterranean – was one of the first and most prominent military manifestations of Russia’s return to the world stage from 2008. Across the Euro-Atlantic region, Russian boats have become increasingly active in projecting power at sea and ashore and generating presence likely intended to reduce NATO naval freedom of manoeuvre or even to deny the alliance access to particular waters.
Consequently, a high-end NATO exercise in the North Atlantic such as the recent Dynamic Mongoose anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise is a significant tool in the alliance’s toolkit for reassuring regional allies and partners and deterring Russian activity, as well as re-building core ASW skills and capabilities.
Underlining another significant factor in the current strategic balance – the increasing presence of US Navy (USN) assets in North Atlantic waters once again – Dynamic Mongoose was based around Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), with the group led by the USN.
As NATO seeks to rebuild capacity in core capability areas such as ASW through exercises, while concurrently maintaining presence to provide influence in the ‘real world’ of operations, running a major ASW exercise in the North Atlantic reinforced to exercise commanders the essence of the alliance.
“As I speak to people on the importance of the alliance and the connections, I remind them that the alliance itself isn’t named after a nation or a body of land or a place where a people live: it’s named after the North Atlantic; it’s named after that bridge that connects the continents and the [countries] and the members of the alliance,” Rear Admiral Edward Cashman, Commander SNMG1, told Armada.
Talking to Armada from SNMG1 flagship USS Gravely (an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer) during the exercise, RAdm Cashman said “A navy’s role is to maintain that bridge and maintain the freedom of movement and the security of that connection. So the North Atlantic itself is by definition a strategic waterspace that we need to be able to operate in, and we need to be able to assure allies and deter potential adversaries.”
SNMG1 Assembles
For the exercise – held off the Norwegian coast in early July – Gravely was joined by two UK Royal Navy (RN) Type 23 towed-array sonar-capable frigates, HM Ships Sutherland and Westminster, the Royal Danish Navy’s Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes, the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate HNoMS Otto Sverdrup, and the Turkish Naval Forces Command’s Gabya-class frigate TCG Gokova. Together, these platforms brought three Sikorsky MH-60 Romeo, one Leonardo EH-101 Merlin, one Lynx, and one SH-70 Seahawk helicopter in their organic air ‘orbat’. Two more Merlins also joined the exercise, operating in the maritime patrol role.
The helicopters were joined in the air by two USN Boeing P-8A Poseidon, two Royal Canadian Air Force Lockheed CP-140 Aurora, two French Breguet Atlantique, and three Boeing P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs).
Below the surface, the ASW threat came from four submarines, provided by France, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Subsurface Threat
The importance of exercises like Dynamic Manta in providing a trans-Atlantic bridge in terms of training, capabilities, and operations is underlined by the level of sub-surface threat in the North Atlantic. The submarine presence on the exercise demonstrated the extent of the problem for naval commanders in the North Atlantic, with the three submarines exploiting the advantages of the deep, cold waters off Norway and Norway’s own boat using its deep knowledge of Norway’s fjords and other littoral regions to provide the shallow-water threat.
These two challenges provided a combined threat, said Rear Adm Cashman. Submarines operating in deep water or shallower, more constrained waters present different ASW challenges for surface ships and aircraft, he continued, adding “that’s why it’s important to continue to stress all of those different environments”.
Reflecting the focus across NATO on building exercises that add a greater level of complexity to training, RAdm Cashman said the exercise design and planning for Dynamic Mongoose had enabled participating assets to maximise operational benefit in terms of understanding the operating environment, especially below the surface. “The challenge for us at the task group level and for the aircraft – and for the submarines, frankly, as well – is to assess and evaluate their operating area – the water column, the temperature at depth, what the sound is going to do in various areas, what the non-acoustic detection possibilities could be – and design a set of capabilities and how to employ them to achieve their objectives.” One such objective, he added, is “understanding the adversary and how the submarines are likely to use that environment to their advantage”. A particular new capability that may address this is the USN’s P-8A MPA.
Alongside the other MPAs present, RAdm Cashman pointed to the P-8A’s speed, reach, and ability to create stand-off capability in a submarine operating area. “Their endurance [and] their length of time on station is invaluable,” he said. “To go out [and] find, track, either sanitise an area, put up a barrier, [or] make sure no-one is in an area we’re headed to next, there’s various tactics and techniques they can employ,” the admiral continued. “The capabilities are pretty special.”
Norway and the UK are also investing in a P-8A capability, and the three countries are working closely together on basing, logistics, maintenance, and operational concepts to maximise coverage across what is a very busy submarine operating environment in the Euro-Atlantic theatre.
Broadly, the purpose of an exercise like Dynamic Mongoose is to provide complex, advanced, multi-unit operational training in a relevant operational environment.
In the search for submarines, the exercise’s serials covered events using surface ships, aircraft, or surface ships and aircraft combined. Missions for the task group included protecting a high-value unit or convoy in transit between two points, or sanitising a particular area.
RAdm Cashman said the scenarios and serials were designed very well to help the assembled forces achieve the training and wider operational objectives. “The operating area, the number of forces, four different submarines …, MPAs, and helos enabled us to really fuse air and surface operations together, and I think the exercise design enabled us to really test our ability to understand the environment and to design a plan to execute event by event,” the admiral explained.
Mix of Capabilities
Regarding the combination of capabilities an SNMG brings and the impact it has on such an exercise, “the critical thing is to have the right mix of capabilities”, said Rear Adm Cashman, with such capabilities including both platforms and people. “To have hull-mounted sonars operating in various frequencies and levels, to have towed array variable-depth sonars, to have embarked helos … but also controllers and the ability to work with MPAs that will flow in from the outside” all combine to bring this right mix of capabilities in the exercise. “The units themselves bring whatever they’ve been nationally fitted with,” the admiral explained, with these capabilities “[playing] different roles depending on the mission and the water-space and the potential adversary”. On top of this, he continued, “it’s really [the] communications, the command and control (C2), the data links, and the procedures to be able to integrate units [that] is the core capability the group brings.”
While noting that exercises such as Dynamic Mongoose often validate the experience and best practice established over time, rather than necessarily exposing any new lessons, he said there remains much value in such validation, particularly in training the people.
“From the sonar operators, the aircraft commanders and pilots, the sensor operators, the ASW evaluation teams, the principal warfare officers (PWOs), and decision-makers. That’s a never-ending process,” he explained. “People grow and evolve, people change jobs, so the need to continue to train and work together and integrate the people, the way that they communicate and the way that they operate, is really critical. That experience set is one of the critical things we build when we do these exercises.”
With those PWOs set to become commanding officers in the future, the commanding officers to become squadron or task group commanders, and the sensor operators needing to pass on the experience to those who follow them, “it’s the training and the continuity of the people involved that I see as one of the critical values of these exercises”, said Rear Adm Cashman.
Set against concerns in some quarters that the post-Cold War years of NATO maritime operational focus on lower-end maritime security tasks to support expeditionary operations at distance had seen core naval war fighting skills such as ASW atrophy, Rear Adm Cashman argued that the returning focus on ASW in exercises like Dynamic Mongoose and Dynamic Manta (the alliance’s Mediterranean ASW exercise) are seeing NATO’s navies re-generate and maintain the required expertise. This has been enabled, he said, by the alliance’s well-established communications, datalink, and common operating procedures. “I’ve been incredibly impressed by the readiness, by the experience, of the operators across the force. The non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and the PWOs across the NATO nations are incredibly well trained, experienced, and interoperable. They know NATO procedures and NATO doctrine, and they’re able to integrate quickly, form a unit based on the forces that are available, and almost immediately start operating together.”
“An exercise like Dynamic Mongoose proves the ability for the core of the SNMG to take additional forces, … integrate them quickly based on common doctrine, common understanding, and well-established NATO interoperability, [and] to scale the force to what we need for the mission,” the admiral added.
With its own increasing presence, the USN also is re-growing the experience of its own personnel in operating in the region. Alongside bringing highly capable platforms into play, including new capabilities like the P-8, RAdm Cashman said USN personnel are also benefiting from working with allies and partners from countries across the North Atlantic region. “The regional expertise is invaluable, and the USN units learn a lot whenever we come over, and it’s great professional development and training experience for everyone from folks like me all the way down to [the sailors] sitting in sonar and operating on the plot.”
The importance of that established experience amongst sailors themselves also relates to the alliance as a whole. While the numbers of platforms in an SNMG may change as ships ‘chop in’ and ‘chop out’ of the group over time, an SNMG’s task group staff exists “24/7, 365”, said RAdm Cashman; “the staff, the procedures, and the ability to conduct C2 of that operation is continuous.” As a result, he continued, an SNMG can “build and maintain readiness on a continual basis, to be able to respond if there’s a crisis or conflict, primarily … to deter any sort of actions”. (Source: Armada)
02 Sep 20. US Army pursues new mid-range missile, as tactical missile upgrade hits delay. U.S. Army is pursuing a new mid-range missile prototype capable of going after moving targets at land and at sea, an Army spokesperson has confirmed to Defense News. The effort is meant to fill a gap in the service’s long-range precision fires portfolio that includes the future Precision Strike Missile and hypersonic weapons capabilities.
Another anti-ship missile effort — a cross-domain upgrade to the Army Tactical Missile System — has been delayed due to technical problems, the Army’s Public Affairs Office confirmed in separate correspondence. The Army would not disclose the Cross-Domain ATACMS technical issues, citing operational security, but the service did say a new timeline for delivery is under review. The CD-ATACMS was an upgrade effort initiated by the Strategic Capabilities Office in 2016.
The decision to pursue a new mid-range missile was born out of a strategic fires study conducted by Army Futures Command’s Research and Analysis Center based at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
The study was completed earlier this year and designed to “examine future strategic fires capabilities and provide emerging insights to inform procurement options and future materiel capability requirements,” said Robyn Mack, a command spokeswoman.
The study used combatant commander input, tabletop exercises with experts in key theaters, optimization modeling, cost and schedule analysis, and mobility and logistics considerations, she added. It recommended both near-term and long-term investment strategies for fires capabilities that would enable the U.S. to measure up against near-peer competitors.
The Army decided to pursue a mid-range capability to fill a near-term need that will “complement other critical systems” in the service’s LRPF portfolio in support of multidomain operations, Mack said. She could not offer more details on the prototyping effort, as it is still “pre-decisional.”
Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville mentioned at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event in July that the Army would pursue mid-range capabilities.
“We’re going to have mid-range missiles that can sink ships — we think that’s very, very important for the anti-access, area denial capabilities that we may need to face,” he said.
The service planned to pursue a mobile medium-range missile, or MIRM, in fiscal 2020, but canceled that effort in its fiscal 2021 budget request, saving the Army $90m.
The Army originally planned over the next five budget cycles in FY20 to spend nearly $1bn on MIRM, which was meant to be a land-based cruise missile with potential use in the Asia-Pacific region to address the medium-range (1,000-kilometer) gap in capability there. The plan was to move into a technology-maturation and risk-reduction phase in FY21.
The Precision Strike Missile — ultimately the ATACM replacement — will address the need to defeat maritime targets at long ranges (currently a range of 499 kilometers), but the Army is first developing a base missile as part of the program. The Precision Strike Missile effort was competitive, but when Raytheon exited the program, it left only Lockheed Martin in the mix. Lockheed has had three successful live-fire test events this year.
The weapon should reach a full-rate production decision in the third quarter of 2024. A critical design review is due in the first quarter of FY22. (Source: Defense News)
02 Sep 20. RAN guided missile destroyers set for Aegis combat system upgrade. Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has confirmed that the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart Class guided missile destroyers will receive an Aegis combat system upgrade, which will increase the Australian Defence Force’s air and missile defence capability.
As part of the upgrade, the Hobart Class will also have an Australian developed interface installed to integrate the Aegis combat system with the rest of the ship’s systems.
Minister Reynolds said the Hobart Class are the most capable and lethal warships Australia has ever built, increasing our interoperability with the US and allowing us to work even closer with our allies and partners.
“The Aegis combat system is the brain of Navy’s integrated air and missile defence capability. In the face of compressed timelines and to protect Australian forces, Defence requires the agility to sense, decide and take action against contemporary and future threats,” Minister Reynolds explained.
As part of the government’s enterprise approach, the Australian Interface will be designed and developed by Saab Australia, leveraging their combat management system experience gained across the rest of Navy’s surface fleet. The Australian Interface will also be common across both the Hobart and Hunter Classes.
Minister Reynolds added, “As part of the Morrison government’s $270bn investment outlined in the 2020 Force Structure Plan, we recognise that advanced long‑range and hypersonic missiles and directed energy weapons require the ADF to continuously build robust air and missile defence capability options.”
The investment in upgrades will ensure our Navy is equipped and jointly networked to protect the nation from future air and missile threats, while growing jobs in key Australian combat system development and integration areas.
“By installing the latest Aegis combat system and developing the Australian Interface here in Australia, we are guaranteeing the development of a long‑term Australian combat management system capability,” Minister Reynolds said.
Defence will commence industry and state engagement to inform government consideration in 2021 on the shipyard location to deliver these upgrades.
Work in Australia to install the new Aegis combat system and Australian Interface in Navy’s destroyers and frigates is planned to commence in 2024.
Australia’s Hobart Class guided missile destroyers (DDG) are based on Navantia’s F100 Alvaro De Bazan Class of frigates and incorporate the Lockheed Martin Aegis combat management system with Australian-specific equipment to ensure that the RAN is capable of defending Australia and its national interests well into the next two decades.
The Hobart Class’ Spanish counterparts entered service with the Spanish Navy beginning in the early 2000s, working alongside key NATO and US maritime assets.
When deployed to the Persian Gulf, the F100s became the first foreign Aegis-equipped ships to fully integrate into a US Navy Carrier Strike Group, while the class has also successfully deployed as the flagship of NATO’s Maritime Group Standing Reaction Force, highlighting the individual and interoperable capabilities of Navy’s new destroyers.
The vessels will be capable across the full spectrum of joint maritime operations, from area air defence and escort duties, right through to peacetime national tasking and diplomatic missions.
The Hobart Class Combat System is built around the Aegis Weapon System, incorporating the state-of-the-art phased array radar, AN/SPY-1D(V), will provide an advanced air defence system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 150 kilometres.
The vessels carries a range of weapons systems, including a Mk41 Vertical Launch System containing SM-2 Standard Missiles and Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, a Mk 45 five-inch main gun, Phalanx close-in weapons system, two 25mm Typhoons guns, and MU90 and Mk 54 light-weight torpedoes for subsurface defence.
HMA Ships Hobart, Brisbane and Sydney are based at Garden Island in Sydney. (Source: Defence Connect)
02 Sep 20. Turkey starts developing first surface-to-surface, laser-guided missile: TRGL-230. Turkey’s state-controlled weapons manufacturer Roketsan has begun a programme for the production of the country’s first surface-to-surface, laser-guided missile, Defense News website reported on Wednesday.
The TRGL-230 missile, expected to complement Turkey’s unarmed TB2 Ak?nc? drone fleet, will mostly be used in Turkey’s overseas military operations, it said, citing officials. The missile will launch from the ground to hit the target designated by the UAV.
Work on the missile began in April 2020 and it will be developed locally without foreign involvement, it cited Roketsan officials as saying.
The TB2, which has been used by the Turkish Armed Forces and Turkey’s Security Directorate since 2015, is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, tactical UAV developed and built by Kale-Baykar, a joint venture of Baykar Makina and the Kale Group.
A total of 75 TB2 drones are currently used by the Turkish military, mostly in northern Iraq and Syria, where it is fighting Kurdish forces linked to a decades-long insurgency on Turkey’s own soil led by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Turkish drones are also widely used in the conflict in Libya, Defense News said, where Turkey’s throws its’ weight behind the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).
Turkey has seen a dramatic expansion in its defence industry in recent years, with a shift from arms procurement to arms manufacture and sales.
From 2003 to 2020, the number of Turkish defence and aerospace companies rose from 56 to 1,500, according to a Defense News report published last month. (Source: Google/https://ahvalnews.com/)
03 Sep 20. Australia announces request for tender for Army Protected Mobile Fires. Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds and Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price have announced the request for tender to locally-build 30 self-propelled howitzers as part of the Protected Mobile Fires project.
The ‘K9 Thunder’ SPH will provide significant capability enhancement for the Australian Army. As the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the K9 Thunder, Hanwha is ready to build and assemble 30 K9 Thunder SPHs and supporting systems in Australia.
The request for tender will be released to preferred supplier Hanwha Defence Australia, to build and maintain 30 self-propelled howitzers and 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles, and their supporting systems.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said it marks a key step in progressing the project that was a key election commitment.
“Through this project, this government is delivering the capability Army needs while creating local jobs in and around Geelong that will grow our highly skilled workforce. The acquisition of this capability will provide the ADF with the mobility, lethality and protection required to support Joint Force operations in the land domain,” Minister Reynolds explained. (Source: Defence Connect)
02 Sep 20. Army 2020: Kronshtadt unveils small air-launched munitions for UAVs. Russia’s JSC Kronshtadt unveiled its new range of small air-launched munitions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the Army 2020 defence exhibition held in Kubinka near Moscow on 23-29 August. These weapons have been developed by a wide range of companies, including the Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV) and the Central Research and Scientific Institute of Chemical Machine-building (TsNIIKhM).
KTRV director general Boris Obnosov told Janes on 26 August, “The corporation is designing new missiles and bombs for UAVs and upgrading existing ones. KTRV is now developing [small] 50–100 kg weapons for the blossoming UAV market.” He said his company is working with Kronshtadt and the Sukhoi Design Bureau on weapons for their UAVs.
At Army 2020, a range of [small] 20–100 kg air-launched weapons was showcased alongside the Orion reconnaissance UAV. The first Orion unmanned aerial system (UAS) comprising three vehicles was delivered to the troops last spring for operational evaluation and is now capable of performing both reconnaissance and combat missions.
KTRV’s 50kg Kh-50 guided missile can engage small soft skinned ground and surface targets. It is 1.8m long and has a diameter of 180mm. The munition has 300mm fins and carries a 10–20kg high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) warhead.
TsNIIKhM’s KB-20 guided bomb weighs 21kg and carries a 7kg HE-FRAG warhead and a satellite receiver or laser guidance unit. It is 900mm long and has a diameter of 130mm and has 350mm fins. The munition is designed to engage personnel and soft skinned targets. (Source: Jane’s)
02 Sep 20. Denel sees strong potential for its T5-52 self-propelled howitzer. Denel Land Systems (DLS) says it has strong interest from a foreign customer in its T5-52 self-propelled howitzer. This is according to Reenen Teubes, General Manager: Combat Systems at Denel Land Systems. He said the company was “really excited” about the potential sale.
Denel Land Systems officially launched its T5-52 truck-mounted self-propelled artillery system at the Africa Aerospace and Defence 2018 exhibition, although the system had been under development for a number of years before.
Pakistan has expressed interest in the T5, with Denel Land Systems in 2016 promoting the self-propelled howitzer at the IDEAS defence show in Karachi in response to Pakistan Army requirements. Pakistan’s interest in the T5-52 came after India in mid-2016 approved the roughly $750m purchase of 145 M-777 howitzers from BAE Systems in the United States. Although Pakistan has in the last decade bought 115 M109A5s from the United States, it is on the lookout for additional artillery.
In 2013, South Africa sold six G5 towed 155 mm guns to the United Arab Emirates from South African Army stocks. These were modernised before delivery. The South African Army was due to take six T5-52s from Denel as replacements, but an agreement has not yet been reached. Teubes said Denel still hopes to supply the T5-52s to the South African National Defence Force.
The T5-52 is a 155mm, 52 calibre, artillery piece mounted on a Tatra 8×8 T815-7 truck, which has a range of 600 km and speed of 85 km/h. The combat mass of the system is less than 30 tons. Denel Land Systems brochures say that the indirect fire flexibility of the system ensures that it can be employed in the traditional gun, howitzer and mortar roles.
The projectiles are the extended range type and when using base bleed projectiles, the weapon has a range of 43.4 km. The range when firing the Velocity enhanced Long range Artillery Projectile (V-LAP) is 57 km at sea level. The gun can also fire other NATO standard ammunition types.
The system carries 24 projectiles and 24 full charges. A crew of five is needed to bring the gun into or out of action within 50 seconds. In the event that the power unit of the hydraulic system fails, another T5-52 can be used as a back-up system, enabling the crew to bring the T5-52 into and out of action.
The Command and Control System comprises automatic laying, inertial navigation, telecommunication, muzzle velocity radar and gun management systems. These are used to navigate and lay the gun for indirect fire under all weather conditions. A telescopic sight gives a direct fire range of up to 3 000 metres. (Source: Google/DefenceWeb)
01 Sep 20. RAN Excels During Live Missile Firing. The Royal Australian Navy has proven its warfighting capability with devastating effect at Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC). Anzac-class frigate HMAS Stuart successfully fired two Harpoon missiles and coordinated the missile firings of three other ships during one of RIMPAC’s best-known serials called the SINKEX, where participants sink a decommissioned warship.
Two of the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm MH-60R Romeo helicopters embarked in HMA Ships Hobart and Arunta also fired Hellfire missiles during the training serial on August 29.
Gunnery officer in Stuart, Lieutenant Naomi Muir, said live-fire training was critical to ensure Australia maintained a highly capable, agile and lethal fleet.
“It is critical we test our systems to their full capacity,” Lieutenant Muir said, “not only to ensure we are familiar with how our systems operate but also how we operate those systems with other navies.
“Simulation is a critical part of our training but there is nothing better than to conduct live-fire training to ensure our systems work effectively with other nations, and that our people know how to use them.”
Able Seaman Electronics Technician Callum Fox is the Fire Control Officer in Stuart, responsible for pushing the button that ultimately launches the missile.
AB Fox said Stuart had trained to fire the missile since leaving Australia in July.
“Events like these allow us to prove that we are capable of high-end warfare with allied nations. They also allow us to prove our systems and training, and prove to the Australian Government and public that we are a professional and capable navy,” he said.
Ten nations, 22 surface ships, one submarine, multiple aircraft, and about 5300 personnel have participated in RIMPAC this year.
Alongside HMA Ships Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius, the exercise has included forces from Brunei, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and the United States.
Participating forces have exercised a wide range of capabilities including multinational anti-submarine warfare, maritime intercept operations and live-fire training events. (Source: ASD Network/MoD Australia)
01 Sep. 20. US Army Wants Industry Input For Reliable Exoskeleton (Not Iron Man, Yet!) SOCOM couldn’t build a bulletproof Iron Man. But Army experiments with more modest lower-body exoskeletons have shown real-world potential to help overburdened foot troops.
US Army Futures Command is drafting a formal requirement for a military exoskeleton and will seek feedback from manufacturers at a November industry day. The Army’s top priority, officials told me: rapidly prototyping a system that helps the wearer “move faster, travel further, and carry heavier loads” – without breaking down in the heat of battle.
“Reliability is a huge issue that needs to be resolved,” said Ted Maciuba, deputy director of robotic requirements for Futures Command.
Now, don’t expect a full-body bulletproof suit that can fly and access huge databases out of science fiction. “We are not going after the Starship Troopers/Iron Man system right off the bat,” said Rich Cofer, a former infantry soldier who’s now the Army’s lead “capabilities developer” on the exoskeleton project. “We’re not going to jump right in and expect Tony Stark… Expectation management is key.”
(That’s a stark contrast to Special Operations Command’s highly publicized TALOS program, which explicitly compared itself to Iron Man but produced nothing of the kind).
So instead of Iron Man, think Iron Leg. In a “soldier touchpoint” last December at Fort Drum, NY, Army soldiers from more than two dozen Military Occupational Specialties — ranging from infantry to supply — tried out various types of “lower-body exoskeletons,” including the Lockheed Martin ONYX that our own Paul McLeary tries out in this video. In essence, these are motorized knee braces and other wearable reinforcements for the legs that lighten the load on overburdened soldiers as they march for hours with heavy packs, manhandle artillery shells and such. The goal isn’t to give the wearer superpowers, but to reduce fatigue and risk of injury.
During the Fort Drum trials, “there were significant increases in the effectiveness of soldiers,” Maciuba told me. “The soldiers were able to do more with the exoskeleton than they could without.”
That said, “we learned [that] there needs to be enough reliability engineered into our systems so that there is a very high probability they will not fail in use,” Maciuba continued. “It’s one thing to be wearing a boot whose sole flips off. You can always take some 100-mile-an-hour tape and tape that back on your foot. It’s another thing to be wearing an exoskeleton” that requires specialized training and tools to fix. So reliability will be a high priority when the Army speaks to potential vendors in mid-November.
By that point, Maciuba & co. expect to have a draft Abbreviated Capabilities Development Document for industry to review and offer comment on. (Army Futures Command officially gave them the go-ahead to write the ACDD on Aug. 14th; the exoskeleton project falls under the command’s Soldier Lethality team, with input from PEO-Soldier acquisition officials, Natick Soldier Systems Center researchers, and capability managers for infantry, armored, and Stryker units). While unclassified, the document will be considered sensitive and only released to qualified contractors.
While the ACDD is formally considered a requirements document, Maciuba told me, it’s not going to set rigid technical specs as would a traditional Army requirement. The technology is advancing way too fast to get that detailed at this early stage. Instead, he said, it will outline “desirable characteristics” but leave industry plenty of leeway to innovate on specific ways to achieve them – and the Army is open to revising those desires based on what industry says is actually achievable.
“We want industry to grade our work,” Maciuba said. The industry day – which will be held online unless there’s some miraculous breakthrough with COVID-19 – will include both a general session open to all contractors and one-on-one meetings with specific contractors so they can discuss their technology without competitors listening. Afterwards, Maciuba, Cofer, & co. will compile the feedback from all the companies, revise the ACDD, and send it to Army leaders for approval.
The final Abbreviated Capabilities Development Document should be out by the end of 2021, Cofer estimated. The next step? Use a streamlined acquisition process known as Section 804, intended to field a working prototype within five years – that is, Maciuba cautioned, if the Army can find the funding. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense)
01 Sep 20. MUSS 2.0 offers a number of improvements. “We have fundamentally revised and repositioned our technology,” explained Dr Oliver Rudow, Head of Business Line Countermeasures & Ground Protection Systems. The Multifunctional Self-Protection System (MUSS) is a soft kill-based active protection system (APS). It offers infantry fighting vehicles and main battle tanks efficient protection against enemy laser and armour-piercing threats. These can be effectively countered by warning sensors that detect the threat from missiles or lasers and initiate appropriate countermeasures. The MUSS self-protection system is already in series production and has so far been delivered more than 350 times.
The improvements include a new laser detector that covers all modern laser threats. MUSS 2.0 now offers improved and extended sensor technology, significantly improved software and modern countermeasures. MUSS is being further developed into a layered system and offers modern interfaces, which, among other things, enable the integration of a hard kill effector. “In addition, MUSS 2.0 will be even smaller and lighter than before”, said Dr Oliver Rudow.
“Our MUSS is a popular solution in Germany, but we are also in discussion with armed forces in a number of other regions,” says Franck Friedlander, Sales Director Self-Protection at HENSOLDT. “In order to achieve our ambitious goals, we are expanding our highly qualified team across locations.” The new system will be available for the upcoming second lot of PUMA and similar platforms.
01 Sep 20. Two hypersonic weapons just completed a new milestone in development. The U.S. Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have wrapped up captive carry tests of two hypersonic weapon variants that will perform their first free-flight tests later this year, the organizations announced Sept. 1.
Both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have designed scramjet-powered hypersonic missiles as part of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) program run by the Air Force and DARPA.
The companies have validated that their separate air vehicle designs can achieve and sustain flights in excess of five times the speed of sound. Upcoming flight tests will evaluate that the weapons’ propulsion and thermal management systems will be able to withstand hypersonic cruise speeds, DARPA said in a news release.
“Completing the captive carry series of tests demonstrates both HAWC designs are ready for free flight,” said Andrew Knoedler, DARPA’s HAWC program manager. “These tests provide us a large measure of confidence – already well informed by years of simulation and wind tunnel work – that gives us faith the unique design path we embarked on will provide unmatched capability to U.S. forces.”
In its release, DARPA made no mention of whether one of the missiles had been destroyed when an accident occurred during captive carry tests, as Aviation Week reported in June. At the time, DARPA declined to comment to Defense News about the report, citing the classification of the tests.
The completed captive carry tests put the Air Force one step closer to fielding a hypersonic cruise missile. In April, the service issued a request for information about technologies that would enable an air-breathing hypersonic cruise missile small enough to be launched from a fighter or bomber. HAWC is likely validating many of the technologies that would be applicable to that weapon.
Until recently, the Air Force had focused its prototype efforts on boost glide hypersonics which fly just below space. But as scramjet propulsion has matured, air-breathing hypersonic missiles — which can fly through the thick atmosphere and engage different targets than boost glide systems — have become more technologically feasible to produce.
“In the case of how fast we could go with the scramjet technology getting into cruise missile and missionizing it, I think we can go fast,” Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper told reporters April 30. “I don’t know how fast — that’s why we’re reaching out to the street. But given how far scramjet technology has matured, I’d expect that we’ll be able to go pretty quickly on this.”
On Aug. 12, the Air Force released a separate solicitation for an air-breathing hypersonic weapon it is calling Mayhem. It would be able to carry three distinct payloads of a larger combined weight over longer distances than current systems, the request for information stated. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
01 Sep 20. Indian MoD orders six regiments’ worth of Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers. India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a INR25.8bn (USD353.5m) contract with two domestic private-sector companies and a public-sector enterprise for the supply of six regiments’ worth of indigenously developed Pinaka Mk I multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) systems to the Indian Army (IA).
A Pinaka MBRL system. The Indian government announced on 31 August that it placed an order for six regiments’ worth of the system for the Indian Army. (BEML Limited)
The Indian government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) announced on 31 August that the deal includes procuring 114 launchers with automated gun alignment and positioning systems (AGAPSs) and 45 command posts from Tata Power and Larsen & Toubro.
A total of 330 high-mobility vehicles – worth a combined INR8.42bn – will be manufactured by BEML Limited at its Palakkad plant in Kerala, with deliveries expected to be completed within three years. The majority of these vehicles, however, will not be fitted with launchers, but will instead be used to carry additional rockets for the Pinaka systems.
Meanwhile, the rockets, which have an estimated range of 38-40 km, will be manufactured by private-sector company Economic Explosives Limited in Mumbai. The rockets had previously been made by the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).
The PIB stated that deliveries of the recently ordered Pinaka systems are to be completed by 2024, adding that all six regiments’ worth “will be operationalised along the northern and eastern borders to further enhance the armed forces’ operational preparedness”. This region includes the disputed 4,057km-long Line of Actual Control (LoAC) with China. (Source: Jane’s)
01 Sep. 20. Northrop Grumman Developing Ground Station Prototypes for US Army’s TITAN Program. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by the Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Army Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) office to develop two prototype ground stations for the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) system.
The TITAN system will be a scalable and expeditionary intelligence ground station that will leverage space, high altitude, aerial and terrestrial layer sensors to provide targetable data that allows commanders at all echelons to quickly assess threats to their forces. In this prototype effort, Northrop Grumman’s deployable and semi-autonomous ground station prototypes will demonstrate the value of space assets in improving battlefield awareness and tactical intelligence in Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2AD) environments.
The system will also help connect the joint force by providing near real-time intelligence using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to rapidly deliver fused data from multi-domain sensors to weapon platforms, such as artillery, jammers, and airborne systems.
“Our ground station prototypes will integrate existing software and hardware capabilities to showcase a unique ability to provide access to multi-domain actionable intelligence from commercial and military space systems,” said Troy Brashear, vice president, integrated national systems, Northrop Grumman. “As a proven provider of multi-domain intelligence capabilities, we give the warfighter the ability to complete critical missions in far-reaching and highly-contested areas in a safe and deployable environment.”
By leveraging commercial and military space assets, the system will facilitate deep-sensing, reduce sensor-to-shooter (S2S) timelines, and maximize the effectiveness of Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF).
A separate TITAN acquisition will provide mobile ground stations that link to terrestrial, high-altitude and airborne sensors to provide targeting data to the Army. Northrop Grumman teams recently demonstrated a software architecture to the Army that is capable of fusing multi-domain sensor data and reducing the sensor-to-shooter timelines. This common software architecture is the basis of the Northrop Grumman space-to-ground TITAN prototype system, potentially enhancing the integration of space-based data systems with the mobile ground stations in later phases of the TITAN program. The prototype phases are expected to support multiple demonstration exercises in 2022 and 2023.
02 Sep 20. SMART SHOOTER Integrates the SMASH Hopper on Plasan Re’em Armored 4×4 Technical Vehicle. SMASH Hopper was mounted on an Armored 4×4 technical vehicle modified by Plasan Re’em and successfully hit moving ground and air targets from more than 300 meters.
SMART SHOOTER, a world-class designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems that significantly increase the accuracy and lethality of small arms, announces that it has successfully completed another step in testing the SMASH Hopper in different configurations. SMASH Hopper, SMART SHOOTER’s Light Remote-Controlled Weapon Station (LRCWS), was mounted on Plasan Reem’s Armored Toyota Hilux and successfully shot and hit several moving ground and air targets from more than 300 meters.
Weighing approximately 15kg, SMASH Hopper is a modular and rapidly deployable LRCWS that provides “One Shot – One Hit” capability while controlled by an operator from a safe distance or from inside a protected vehicle.
Best in weight class, SMASH Hopper is ideal for deployment on various lightweight manned and unmanned vehicles & platforms, with a wide range of applications. Offering day and night capability with automatic scanning and target detection, SMASH Hopper is ideal for multiple mission scenarios including force protection, border security, anti-drone, remote ambush, as well as low profile operations at complex urban environments.
Michal Mor, Smart Shooter CEO: “We were happy to collaborate with Plasan Re’em for the development of capabilities in this market segment, and appreciate the professional work they did in the integration and installation of the SMASH Hopper on their modified armored 4×4 vehicle. This is another step in a series of trials for different configurations and applications of the SMASH Hopper, and once again, we were thrilled to see how every bullet finds its target.”
Yaakov Ben-Ari, Plasan Re’em CEO: “Integrating SMART SHOOTER’s SMASH Hopper lightweight RCWS that provides “One Shot – One Hit” capability on Plasan Re’em modified armored 4X4 vehicle creates a tiebreaker solution that dramatically increases accuracy, lethality, and survivability of small arms. Ideal for Special forces, law enforcement units, and border security, this integrated solution brings essential added value to its users, especially in scenarios where weight, time, and precision play an indispensable role.”
31 Aug 20. ARRW To Mayhem To The Future Of Hypersonic Operations. The Air Force is still trying to craft its concept of operations (CONOPS) for hypersonic missiles — with the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) providing the service’s first opportunity for real-world assessment.
Air Force Global Strike Command envisions a rolling wave of various hypersonic missile types hitting service inventories over the next few years as the service figures out how to employ such capabilities — with the ARRW leading as an “early to the fight” demonstrator, says Maj. Gen. Mark Weatherington, commander of the 8th Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center.
“Obviously, they’re competing systems out there right now and I think everybody’s competing for the dollars that might be in this hypersonic capability area. But I think we will see kind of an uneven development. We’ll see some systems that are early to the fight — ARRW may be one of those to demonstrate some capability,” he told the Mitchell Institute today. “I think right now we’re learning. I think the ARRW is going to give us that first opportunity to learn.”
ARRW, a boost-glide powered missile, would be the first wave of hypersonics, followed by air-breathing missiles — including the Air Force Research Laboratory’s latest concept for a scramjet-powered missile to be carried on fighter jets. It’s being developed under the new Expendable Hypersonic Multi-Mission Air-Breathing Demonstrator (Mayhem) Program.
AFRL released a Request for Information (RFI) two weeks ago seeking industry responses by Sept. 25 outlining their interest and capabilities. AFRL is “interested in the design, fabrication, integration, and necessary research needed to enable a larger-scale expendable air-breathing hypersonic multi-mission flight demonstrator. The Mayhem System Demonstrator (MSD) will need to be capable of carrying larger payloads over distances further than current hypersonic capabilities allow. The payload bay will be modular and capable of carrying/delivering at least three distinct payloads in order to execute multiple Government-defined mission sets.”
The solicitation explains that Mayhem will bounce off earlier AFRL research activities under “the Enhanced Operational Scramjet Technology effort (Broad Area Announcement BAA-12-07-PKP), Enabling Technologies for High-speed Operable Systems (BAA-FA8650-17-S-2002), High Speed Strike Weapon Program, and Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept Program.”
As Breaking D readers know, the Hypersonic Air-breaking Weapon Concept (HAWC) is a DARPA effort with the Air Force as the ‘customer’ for the transition into a program of record.
Weatherington said that the rolling delivery of multiple types of hypersonic weapons is a “good thing” because it will allow the Air Force to figure out the best mix of those optimized for delivery by bomber aircraft and those optimized by fighters. There are, he said, a whole host of questions to be answered:
“How are we going to employ hypersonic weapons? What do they bring to the battlefield? What are our considerations for planning and executing and integrating them in a fight? … How do we understand the target, where it’s at, where it may be going, and make sure we can close that kill chain on a particular target?”
As Sydney and I reported back in April, the Air Force wants $554m in research for its various hypersonic missile efforts: $172m in an S&T pot (where Mayhem funds lie); and, $382 m for ARRW.
As with other senior Air Force leaders, Weatherington refused to be pinned down on just how many next-generation B-21 stealth bombers the Air Force believes it needs or the optimum size of the overall bomber force. A key issue is budgetary uncertainty and costs vs. benefits questions that he said will certainly require “a national debate.”
As Breaking D readers know, senior leaders including the head of Air Force Global Strike Command Gen. Timothy Ray, have been pushing for some time for the service to increase the officially planned buy of 100 B-21s, perhaps to as many as 145.
“But I would say my sense is the current force is too small to meet all the demands we place on it,” Weatherington added. “Air Force Global Strike Command is building decision points into the B-21 ramp … that would permit growth if required. And I think we’ll have to seriously look at it as we get farther down the stream of being bringing the B-21s online.”
While he wouldn’t be drawn on the expected initial operational capability (IOC) date for the B-21, he did reiterate that the Air Force does not see first flight before 2022.
Weatherington also noted the importance of the planned upgrades to the venerable B-52 Stratofortress fleet, which he said the service expects to cost around $3.5m each. The goal is to keep the elderly bombers functioning until at least 2050. This includes the fierce contest for re-engining the aircraft — which pits Pratt & Whitney, GE Aviation and Rolls Royce against each other for a contract expected in 2021. While the service has not revealed the expected amount of the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), it is considered by the engine makers a high-stakes fight that will help prop up commercial sales lagging due to the COVID-19 pandemic and provide an income based for the next 17 years. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
28 Aug 20. Axon’s TASER 7 Conducted Energy Device Approved for Deployment Across UK Police Forces. UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel grants approval to use next-generation TASER device for increasing officer efficiency and community safety. Axon (Nasdaq: AAXN), the global leader in connected law enforcement technologies today announced the approval for police forces in the United Kingdom (UK) to purchase and deploy its latest TASER Conducted Energy Device (CED). The TASER 7 is Axon’s most effective less-lethal weapon to date and was built to equip officers with the power to de-escalate dangerous situations. Following the approval to deploy the TASER 7 by the UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel, police forces can begin training on the TASER 7 before the end of the year. To learn more visit: https://uk.axon.com/taser-7-launch/.
The TASER 7, Axon’s seventh generation Conducted Energy Device
The TASER 7 is Axon’s first truly connected CED with services that are completely integrated into Axon Evidence (Axon’s digital evidence management solution). These capabilities include wireless device management, self-reporting and general visibility into the health of the device or a full fleet of CEDs. The TASER 7 also provides enhanced reliability by offering optimized close-quarter and stand-off cartridges.
“We’re excited to watch the adoption of this innovative device across the UK,” says Axon UK Country Manager, Mike Ashby-Clarke. “We built this tool with community and officer safety in mind. With high-tech features such as automated usage logs and device management, officers will be able to spend less time physically managing their CED and can instead focus on what matters – protecting the public.”
The TASER 7 features dramatically improved effectiveness, including adaptive cross connect and improved spiral probe design, and is fully integrated with Axon Evidence. Other features will allow officers to:
* De-escalate with confidence: Officers will have the confidence to de-escalate dangerous situations with the most effective CED ever. New Rapid Arc technology outperforms previous CEDs with a refined pulse output designed to be safe and more effective. In addition, spiral darts fly straighter and faster towards a daylight green laser with nearly double the kinetic energy to compress loose and hanging clothing.
* Connect to save time: Rechargeable batteries and inventory management automation will tap the power of the Axon network and improve workflows – including the same “dock and walk” process currently used for Axon Body cameras – so officers can spend more time policing.
* Focus on communities: As part of the TASER 7 program, Axon developed Virtual Reality Empathy Training to help strengthen a police officer’s power to de-escalate. While not yet rolled out in the UK, Axon is actively engaging with UK police services on how best to implement this training in the future. This VR training complements the existing national College of Policing curriculum for which Axon helps drive content and courses.
The TASER 7 is now available for purchase in four countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US. (Source: PR Newswire)
28 Aug 20. BrahMos Missile Developments Coming. Tests of several modifications to the BrahMos cruise missile to extend its range are planned for 2020, one of Russia’s top defence industries officials announced at the ARMY-2020 Forum. India, with whom Russia developed the missile, is among the top exhibitors at the show, having a strong national pavilion.
In June, the BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) received the first ever fleet release clearance (FRC) issued by the certifying agency. The supersonic and advanced ALCM (designated as BrahMos-A) with its proven capabilities for the Indian Air Force (IAF), became India’s first indigenous weapon to get the critical FRC. This paves the way for IAF squadrons to use the BrahMos ALCM during various combat missions, marking an important milestone for the manufacturers.
The IAF gained an unmatched capability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) when it inducted its Sukhoi Su-30MKI armed with BrahMos ALCMs. The stand-off distance of BrahMos (300 km) and the range of Sukhoi (3000-plus km) along with refuelling, have given the IAF a great advantage during its missions in the IOR. The missile has caught the attention of countries from South America to ASEAN nations, as well as some Eastern European countries.
“A lot of countries have shown great interest in [purchasing the missiles of] BrahMos. We are now working with our Russian colleagues. We have already received [export] permits from Russia and the Indian government, and we really hope that as soon as the pandemic is over, we will be able to act on it,” BrahMos Chief General Manager Praveen Pathak said on the sidelines of the Russian-hosted Army 2020 forum, where a full size mock-up of the BRAHMOS-A missile has been displayed. (Source: ESD Spotlight)
28 Aug 20. The Research institute (VNII) Signal used ARMY-2020 to reveal Planshet-A, a man-portable automated artillery fire control system. The brain of the system is a lap-top sized computer using the Russian national elementary base, although the computer itself can be placed in the breast pocket of a military field uniform. The batteries and charges can be carried and transported in the attache-case size boxes.
Planshet-A is intended to optimise artillery fire, diminishing the time needed for preparation and extend precision in addition to mission performance for any type of self-propelled and towered artillery, including howitzers, mortars and MLRS. The Planshet system includes several computers (which link using a sixth generation system) and means of communication distributed among the battery/ battalion commanders and their sub-units including platoons and separate guns/vehicles. The system can obtain data from upper headquarters, UAVs and GPS in addition to being connected with the AMK-01 automated meteorology-ballistic complex. It will come into regular service with the Russian Army by the end of 2020 and will be ready for export from early 2021.
VNII Signal is based in the city of Kovrov, Vladimir region and is a subsidiary of the High Precision Weapons Holding (HPW). Other HPW enterprises include the Tula-based Shipunov KBP Design Bureau, Kolomna-based KBM Design Bureau, Kurgan machine building plant (Kurganmashzavod) and Degtyarev plant. HPW is responsible for electronic system for tri-service application to equip Russia’s best-sellers including PANTSIR SHORADs, KORNET ATGW, the BMP IFV family, MSTA and SMERCH MRLS, etc. (Source: ESD Spotlight)
28 Aug 20. Octopus ISR Systems Unveils Artillery Fire Adjustment Software Upgrade. Octopus ISR Systems announced the release of a new and unique optional software upgrade for all Epsilon ISR payloads to support advanced image-aiding features: an Artillery Fire Adjustment plugin.
The newly released feature enables coordination of artillery battery fire by providing gun target corrections. The operator marks the impact point with a simple click of a button or joystick, and the software automatically calculates deviations in reference to the gun target line. The feature supports several artillery batteries, as well as mean point of impact (MPI) calculations if necessary. The operator points the cross-hairs on the impact point and marks a shot which is added to the defined target. The software calculates the deviation between the target location and shot position (or MPI). The artillery, target and shot positions can be entered in decimal degrees or in MGRS, and the operator reports GT line (gun target line) corrections in meters.
All Epsilon high-performance gimbals houses a dedicated onboard video processor which provides additional image processing functions and software features. These advanced capabilities significantly improve usability and performance for end users.
“As one of the world’s leaders specializing in the design and manufacture of cutting-edge non-ITAR surveillance solutions, we are proud to innovate not only in new product hardware design but also in software development, “ said Konstantins Krivovs, Business Development Manager of Octopus ISR Systems. “Octopus ISR Systems’ intelligent sensing solutions now provide an even wider selection of capabilities which will help our customers to achieve successful mission outcomes.” (Source: UAS VISION)
03 Sep 20. USAF tests unarmed Minuteman III ICBM with test re-entry vehicle. The US Air Force (USAF) has test-fired an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) equipped with a test re-entry vehicle. The test launch from the Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB) in California, US, was conducted by a team of US Air Force Global Strike Command airmen. It is said to showcase that the nuclear deterrent of the US is safe, secure, reliable and effective in deterring attacks on the country and its allies. During the operational test, the re-entry vehicle of the missile travelled around 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. This test was aimed at validating the operational capability of the ICBM system and was not conducted in response or reaction to any current world events.
USAF 576th Flight Test Squadron commander colonel Omar Colbert said: “This operational test launch is the culmination of months of hard work and preparation that involve multiple partners.
“I couldn’t be more impressed with the team that we partner with to successfully execute this mission.
“The men and women from the 90th (Missile Wing), 91st (MW) and 341st MWs, 576th FLTS, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, and the 30th Space Wing here at Vandenberg, among other mission partners, made this look easy, but it was far from that.
“Our phenomenal results are a testament to the dedication and professionalism of these proud organisations, and their hard work sends a visible message of deterrence to the world.”
The test launch was carried out after many months of preparation involving various government partners.
Earlier this week, Science Applications International (SAIC) won an order to support the USAF’s 414th Supply Chain Management Squadron’s ICBM LGM-30 Minuteman III missile system.
In February, USAF announced the launch of an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM during a developmental test from the Vandenberg AFB. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
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Arnold Defense has manufactured more than 1.25 million 2.75-inch rocket launchers since 1961 for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and many NATO customers. They are the world’s largest supplier of rocket launchers for military aircraft, vessels and vehicles. Core products include the 7-round M260 and 19-round M261 commonly used by helicopters; the thermal coated 7-round LAU-68 variants and LAU-61 Digital Rocket Launcher used by the U.S. Navy and Marines; and the 7-round LAU-131 and SUU-25 flare dispenser used by the U.S. Air Force and worldwide.
Today’s rocket launchers now include the ultra-light LWL-12 that weighs just over 60 pounds (27 kg.) empty and the new Fletcher (4) round launcher. Arnold Defense designs and manufactures various rocket launchers that can be customized for any capacity or form factor for platforms in the air, on the ground or even at sea.
Arnold Defense maintains the highest standards of production quality by using extensive testing, calibration and inspection processes.
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