Sponsored by Arnold Defense www.arnolddefense.com
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04 Sep 19. Arnold Defense launches their new MLHS high-capacity rocket launcher. Arnold Defense, the St. Louis based manufacturer of 2.75-inch rocket launchers, will be unveiling their sensational new high-capacity rocket launcher, the Multiple Launch Hydra System (MLHS) at DSEi London, 10-13 September 2019. Prior to the MLHS debut, Arnold Defense will also be attending the 27th International Defence Industry Exhibition, MSPO, taking place in Poland, 03-06 September 2019.
The MLHS is a new surface-based, 23-round, 2.75-inch/70mm precision-guided rocket launcher. When coupled with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), the most accurate precision guided weapon in its class, the MLHS is set to transform the surface defence world by delivering a low-cost, high-capacity surgical strike capability. Whilst the MLHS is a new system, it represents a significant product development of Arnold Defense’s exceptional FLETCHER surface-based, laser-guided rocket launcher. Prior to the development of FLETCHER, the delivery of precision weapons in support of land-forces necessitated the deployment of air or aviation assets; assets that are expensive and not guaranteed to be available when needed. MLHS offers the same organic surface-to-surface precision effect with the versatility and utility demonstrated by FLETCHER, coupled with significant additional delivery capacity. Both systems meet the demands of modern surface-based, asymmetric warfare, optimized for use by both special and conventional forces.
Jim Hager, President and CEO of Arnold Defense said “It is always great to be exhibiting at DSEi, where we had the privilege to reveal the FLETCHER concept in 2017. This year we take that concept a step further with our newest rocket launcher, the Multiple Launch Hydra System”. He added “Both DSEi and MSPO offer a fabulous opportunity to engage with our European and wider international partners and customer base; where Arnold Defense will be showcasing our continued innovation and dedication to providing only the best weapons systems to today’s modern warfighters”.
At MSPO, Arnold Defense will be exhibiting the LWL-12, another of their core products, at the Works 11 booth, E 38- E42. Meet the Arnold Defense team on their stand, F-47 in the USA Pavilion.
Arnold’s unveiling of the MLHS will take place at DSEi, where the system will be mounted on the UNIMOG LTTV on the Jankel Stand N6-350. Their FLETCHER rocket launcher will also be on display on BAE Stand S4-200, S4-240, mounted on the Level Peaks M205 tripod, with Capco mount plate.
05 Sep 19. Indian Government Clears Over Rs 5,000 crore Akash Missile Project for Air Force. In a bid to boost to Air Force’s capability to take down enemy fighter aircraft, the government has cleared the procurement of six squadrons of the indigenous Akash air defence missile systems worth Rs 5,000 crore to be deployed on the borders with Pakistan and China.
“The Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently cleared the project for the Air Force. The Defence Ministry informed the Air Force about the government decision today,” government sources said here.
The three-year-old proposal for the acquisition of the Akash missiles is being seen as the whole-hearted acceptance of the indigenous missile system among the armed forces as this clearance would increase the number of Akash systems ordered for the Air Force to 15, the sources said. The initial order for the Akash by the Air Force was for two squadrons and the increased orders show the faith it has in the system, they said. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Economic Times)
04 Sep 19. PGZ unveils missile carrier vehicles for Ottokar Brzoza programme. PGZ has unveiled two new missile carrier vehicle concepts with four different possible base platforms for the Polish Ottokar Brzoza tank destroyer programme at the 2019 International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO being held in Kielce, Poland, from 3 to 6 September.
The two missile launcher types on display are a box-shaped missile turret housing 12 missiles developed by Wojskowe Zaklady Motoryzacyjne (WZM) and two individually elevating launch stations with four missiles each developed by Wojskowe Zaklady Uzbrojenia (WZU). The former is shown on the modified BWP-1, the Polish domestic variant of the BMP-1, and the universal modular tracked platform (UMPG) chassis developed by OBRUM.
The eight-missile launcher arrangement is only shown on a modified K9P chassis built by HSW, but a representative of WZU, part of the PGZ consortium, stated that it was also being offered on the Opal chassis, the Polish domestically produced variant of the MT-LBu carrier with a modified hull. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Sep 19. MBDA brings MESKO into global missile supply chain. MBDA, Europe’s leading missile manufacturer, has today partnered with MESKO S.A. to bring the Polish firm into its global missile supply chain. Contracts from MBDA to MESKO S.A. were signed today at MSPO 2019 in Kielce, Poland. The scope of work includes components within multiple missiles including the CAMM air defence missile family and the Brimstone strike missile.
Warren Devine, MBDA Head of Industrial Co-Operation Poland, said: “These contracts validate our assessment that MESKO can provide quality missile components to MBDA’s exacting standards whilst enhancing our global competitiveness. MESKO will become a valuable part of MBDAs supply chain and a strong partner for deep cooperation.”
Gabriel Nowina-Konopka, Vice CEO of Mesko S.A. said: “Today’s agreement confirms our capabilities in manufacturing and delivering advanced missile systems. We are now included in the supply chain of components for one of the largest global manufacturers, and we are working on expanding this partnership on other ambitious projects.”
The contracts between MBDA and MESKO S.A., a PGZ company, follow on from the signing of a strategic co-operation agreement between MBDA and PGZ on missiles in February 2017. Since then, detailed assessments have been undertaken between both parties, which recognise the benefits and strengths of co-operation between each other.
CAMM and Brimstone are also offered to Poland for the Narew and Tank Destroyer programmes. In addition to global supply chain opportunities, MBDA’s co-operation with PGZ involves unprecedented depth of missile technology and know-how transfer to Polish industry.
06 Sep 19. ZMT offers UKM-2000PE machine gun to Norway. Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów (ZMT) unveiled the final export version of the second generation UKM-2000PE machine gun at the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO being held in Kielce, Poland, from 3-6 September.
The company is offering the short-barrelled variant of the weapon in the ongoing tender in Norway for a new Light Weight Machine Gun (LWMG) to replace the MG3s currently in use, Jane’s has learned.
The upgraded UKM-2000PE variant shown at MSPO is chambered in 7.62×51 mm with a 440 mm or 540 mm barrel. The weapon weighs 9-10 kg and is 1,070/1,156 mm long with retracted stock or 1,170-1,256 mm with extended stock.
The UKM-2000PE is offered in various configurations with different stocks, Picatinny/NATO Accessory Rail system, folding bipods, and soft and hard ammunition boxes.
ZMT also manufactures an upgraded UKM-2000C variant for tanks with an electric trigger to replace the existing MG3 machine gun on Polish Land Forces’ Leopard 2A4/A5s. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
06 Sep 19. PIAP unveils ASBOP-Perkun autonomous air defence system. The Łukasiewicz Research Network’s PIAP Institute, teamed with the CRW Telesystem-Mesko company, unveiled a demonstrator of the ASBOP-Perkun autonomous air defence system at the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO being held in Kielce, Poland, from 3-6 September.
The system is intended for special operations and protection of critical infrastructure such as airports, refineries, and ports.
ASBOP-Perkun is based on the PIAP Ibis six-wheel unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) equipped with two Grom or Piorun man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) launchers mounted on a manipulator arm. The UGV has a thermal and day sight for threat detection and identification friend-or-foe system. Targets can be set from a command centre, radar station, or the robot’s own sensors. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
05 Sep 19. SIG SAUER Expands TREAD Brand with Introduction of M400 TREAD Pistol. SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to introduce the M400 TREAD Pistol, a premium entry-level rifle-caliber pistol, that’s fully compatible with existing TREAD branded accessories.
“The hallmark of the TREAD brand is to deliver premium products at a moderate price point, that are designed, engineered, and built with the same quality and innovation consumers demand from SIG SAUER,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer, Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, SIG SAUER, Inc. “Right out of the box the M400 TREAD pistol delivers on features and performance. Both the factory-installed, aluminum, free floating M-LOK™ handguard, and the KAK Industry Shockwave 2.0 Brace are features of our base M400 TREAD Pistol that are included to improve accuracy, and reduce the weight of the pistol. For the consumer that wants to expand the pistol’s capabilities, SIG already offers the freedom to grow with a full line of TREAD branded accessories to choose from.”
The M400 TREAD pistol is an optics ready, aluminum framed pistol that features an 11.5” nitride coated, cold hammer-forged barrel, with a free-floating M-LOK handguard, a single-stage polished trigger, ambidextrous controls, a KAK Industry Shockwave Blade 2.0 brace, a carbine-length gas system, and is available in 5.56 NATO.
M400 TREAD Pistol Specs:
Total Length: 27”
Height: 7.5”
Barrel Length: 11.5”
Width: 2.5”
Weight (incl. magazine): 6lbs
Barrel Twist: 1:7”
The M400 TREAD Pistol is compatible with the full-line of existing TREAD accessories. Additionally, a lightened 10.5” M-LOK handguard accessory has been introduced to the TREAD accessory line-up to be utilized with the M400 TREAD Pistol.
Current TREAD accessories include: a 3-chamber compensator; an ambidextrous charging handle made of aircraft grade aluminum; a ROMEO5 optic featuring a 2MOA dot with ten illumination settings, MOTAC, and 50k hour battery life; flip-up front and rear iron sights that are easy to install, adjustable, and deploy quickly; an M-LOK front sight adapter with co-witness height made of lightweight aluminum; multiple configurations of M-LOK grip kits made of high-strength polymer; and a factory upgraded 2-stage trigger.
M400 TREAD Branded Accessories Specs*:
M-LOK Handguard 10.5”: $149.00
M-LOK Handguard 13”: $149.00
M-LOK Handguard 15”: $149.00
ROMEO5 1x20mm Optic: $179.00
Adjustable Flip-Up Sights: $149.00
2-Stage Match Trigger: $119.00
Ambidextrous Charging Handle: $49.00
3-Chamber Compensator: $49.00
M-LOK Front Sight Adapter: $29.00
M-LOK Hand Stop Kit: $29.00
*all prices MSRP
The M400 TREAD pistol and TREAD accessories are currently shipping and now available in retail stores. Additionally, the full-line of TREAD accessories and TREAD branded apparel can be purchased at sigsauer.com.
04 Sep 19. JSC Gromov unveils hypersonic testbed. Russia’s JSC Gromov Flight Research Institute took the opportunity at MAKS 2019, which was held from 27 August to 1 September, to reveal a new system for testing hypersonic flight technologies.
The 6 m long, 3,000 kg test object vehicle, referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by the company, is attached to universal booster rockets developed by the company and carried on board an Ilyushin IL-76 LL mothership aircraft.
The mothership carries a manipulator arm that aids in the launch and recovery of the test aircraft, which is deployed from its stern cargo bay door. The manipulator arm lowers the vehicle into the aircraft’s slipstream prior to launch.
The rocket booster is ignited after the test vehicle is released from the mothership, and is utilised for accelerating the test object aircraft to velocities between Mach 3 and Mach 4 before separating from the aircraft.
The supersonic airflow entering the inlet of the vehicle enables its scramjet engine to start, which subsequently accelerates it to hypersonic velocities.
Instrumentation on board the test vehicle transmits telemetry data that can be processed by the Il-76 LL mothership or suitably placed ground-based processing centres. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
04 Sep 19. Textron to provide CT technology for US Army NGSW effort. Textron Systems has been selected by the US Army to deliver next generation squad weapons (NGSW) derived from the company’s cased telescoped (CT) technology. Contracted by the army’s Project Manager Soldier Weapons, Textron will deliver 43 6.8mm CT NGSW automatic rifles and 53 NGSW rifles, as well as 845,000 rounds of CT ammunition, over a 27-month period.
For its involvement in the NGSW prototype programme, Textron leads a team including Heckler & Koch and Olin Winchester, the former providing its small arms design, research and development experience and the latter its small calibre ammunition production capabilities.
‘We have assembled a team that understands and can deliver on the rigorous requirements for this US Army programme with mature and capable technology, reliable programme execution, and dedicated user support,’ Wayne Prender, Textron Systems’ senior VP for applied technologies and advanced programmes, said.
‘Together, we are honoured to support America’s soldiers with the next-generation capabilities they need in their most dangerous missions.’
Textron 6.8mm CT system features improved accuracy and greater muzzle velocity for increased performance, as well as weight savings of both weapon and ammunition over current army systems, the company says.
It also incorporates suppressor technology that reduces the firing signature and improves controllability.
Under earlier development programmes, Textron scaled its CT technology into numerous calibres and configurations, demonstrating the scalability it has for future growth.
Two other contracts were awarded for NGSW, namely to Sig Sauer and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. (Source: Shephard)
04 Sep 19. During the MSPO International Defence Industry Exhibition, PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT) displayed an S-70i™ Armed Black Hawk® helicopter fitted with a single-station external stores pylon. Designed at PZL Mielec as a lighter weight, lower cost alternative to currently fielded dual-station external wings, a single-station pylon attached to one or both sides of the aircraft will be compatible with the advanced weapon system that allows Black Hawk pilot gunners to support battlefield operations using forward firing guns, rockets and air-to-ground missiles.
“We’re developing the single-station pylon in response to requests by militaries across Europe, Latin America and Asia for a battlefield support helicopter that can be armed for different types of missions that may not always need four weapons stations,” said Janusz Zakręcki, president, general director of PZL Mielec. “Operators can arm the aircraft for suppressive fire, surveillance, armed reconnaissance, armed escort and air assault missions, and still carry out other utility roles whenever pylons and stores must remain on the aircraft.”
At a quarter the cost and weight of a dual-station wing, a pylon can be removed or attached by two people in 15 minutes, produces less drag during flight, offers a wider field of fire to window or door gunners, and opens more space to hoist a litter into the aircraft while in a hover.
For large targets, a pylon will be able to carry HELLFIRE™ or Spike air-to-ground missile launchers. A pylon also can extend aircraft range with an 80-gallon external fuel tank.
As a complementary option for the S-70i / S-70M Armed Black Hawk with dual-station wings, the single station pylon will integrate with the aircraft’s weapons management system that calculates the range and complex ballistics required for pilot gunners to engage targets with high accuracy and reliability from stand-off distances during day and night operations. PZL Mielec expects to begin airworthiness flight testing of the prototype pylon design in 2020.
04 Sep 19. Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), SK Group Member – a leader in the production of combat-proven small arms for law enforcement agencies, governments, and armies around the world – announces the new lightweight, multi-caliber assault rifle, a highly efficient and modular battle rifle ‒ the ARAD 5.56X45mm and 300 Blackout, based on the AR15 platform.
It will be on display at Defense and Security Thailand and Milipol (Paris) France, November 2019.
According to Ronen Hamudot, VP Marketing and Sales at SK Group, “IWI strives to continuously adjust its products to the needs that arise from the field. Today’s complex arenas have created a demand for assault rifles adapted to different types of ammunition for different types of missions. For this reason, for the past two years, we have invested considerable resources in expanding our range of products so that every customer can find the weapon that precisely meets their requirements.”
He added, “In addition to ARAD, a lightweight, multi-caliber assault rifle, we also recently developed the CARMEL ‒ a multi-purpose, modular, 5.56X45mm caliber assault rifle for modern warfare, ideal for maneuvers between different combat zones and for extended combat duration ‒ which has been supplied to many customers around the world.”
The ARAD was designed to address the needs of Special Forces as well as the various infantry forces. It includes several advanced features that enable operational flexibility. Fully ambidextrous, the rifle consists of a short-stroke gas piston with a regulator in two positions, which allows proper operation in all environmental conditions. A two-step enhanced trigger ensures both comfort and shooting accuracy. Additional features include a hard-anodized monolithic aluminum MIL-STD 1913 rail in the upper receiver. The lightweight ARAD, weighing only 2.85 kg, is available with barrel lengths of 292mm (11.5”) and 368mm (14.5”) and will soon be offered with barrel lengths of 419 mm (16.5″) and 508 mm (20″). The ARAD will also soon be available in additional calibers.
04 Sep 19. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is offering a boosterless version of its SkyCeptor® interceptor to Poland to fulfill the country’s Narew short-range and Wisla medium-range air defense requirements.
SkyCeptor defeats short- to medium-range ballistic and cruise missiles and other advanced air defense threats. Raytheon is also offering SkyCeptor with a booster for the second phase of Poland’s Wisla air and missile defense program.
“Providing SkyCeptor for the Narew and Wisla programs underscores Raytheon’s commitment to collaborate with Polish industry and create advanced technology jobs for the Polish people,” said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president.
SkyCeptor for Wisla Phase II offers as much as 60 percent Polish industrial workshare, with the potential to grow should the interceptor be designated for the Narew program.
SkyCeptor’s infrared and active guidance for targeting makes it effective in all weather conditions and doesn’t need a warhead. The interceptor is a derivative of the Stunner missile that destroys threats with sheer force of impact. Stunner is in full-rate production for the Israeli Defense Forces and is proven to defeat all short-range ballistic missiles, representing 92 percent of the world’s theater ballistic missile threat inventory.
04 Sep 19. MBDA, PGZ showcase CAMM air defence solution on Jelcz vehicle. MBDA and PGZ have unveiled at MSPO 2019 an air defence solution that features MBDA’s CAMM iLauncher integrated with a Polish Jelcz 8×8 truck chassis. The two parties also re-confirm the will expressed in the Strategic Partnership Agreement for Missile Technology signed 2 February 2017 between PGZ-MBDA for co-operation on missile programmes.
Based around the CAMM family of interceptors, the MBDA proposed co-operation contains a very high level of Polish content and will see extensive transfer of technology and know-how with both the missile and iLauncher being progressively built in Poland. If selected the joint PGZ-MBDA solution offers the best solution for Polish industry and sovereignty.
Sebastian Chwałek, Deputy CEO of PGZ, said: “Implementation of the Narew programme by PGZ is fundamental for our future and the security of Poland. This is why we are demonstrating that there are no limitations for us in foreign co-operation. By joining our competences in communication and command systems, which are key for air defence, with our foreign partners’ missile technologies, we are ready to deliver a final product to the contracting party in a short time.”
Jan Grabowski, MBDA’s Delegate in Poland, said: “This further deepening of the relationship between PGZ and MBDA is a great success for European defence co-operation. CAMM provides the Polish military and Polish industry with the best capabilities and technologies available on the world market, and the benefits of a true, European, partnership on missile technologies. Co-operation on CAMM is key to enabling deep co-operation on further missile programmes.”
The CAMM family represent the latest generation of air defence technology. Utilising a next-generation active radar seeker and soft-launch technologies, CAMM is able to rapidly defeat large numbers of the most challenging modern air threats and is suitable for both land and maritime applications.
03 Sep 19. MBDA showcases Tank Destroyer vehicle with PGZ at MSPO 2019. MBDA and PGZ have unveiled at MSPO 2019 a Tank Destroyer armed with the Brimstone precision strike missile. PGZ Companies and MBDA also signed a statement of co-operation at MSPO to confirm readiness to co-operate on offering this solution to Poland and export markets, recognising the combination of MBDA’s Brimstone missile with PGZ’s armoured vehicle expertise offers the best solution for Poland’s Tank Destroyer requirement from a military capability, sovereignty and industrial perspective.
Sebastian Chwałek, Deputy CEO of PGZ, said: “We are growing our co-operation with MBDA into new areas. We have agreed on the ways of offering those solutions in export markets. By combining our competences with the experience of our British partners, we are able to achieve a lot and deliver the most modern solutions to both Polish and allied armed forces.”
Adrian Monks, MBDA Sales Director in Poland, said: “Pairing the combat-proven MBDA Brimstone missile with the diverse range of current and future Polish platforms provides the ability to deliver rapid military capability for Poland and for wider markets, whilst strengthening our co-operation with PGZ Group on missiles.”
The most important part of the Joint Statement of Co-operation is MBDAs’ declaration that Brimstone missile technology and know-how will be transferred to PGZ, with MESKO SA responsible for missile production. This co-operation is another field of the business relationship developed on the strategic co-operation between PGZ companies and MBDA.
The flexibility of the integration solution and ease of integration with the existing Polish targeting systems makes it flexible to be installed onto or within multiple Polish platforms, including those from WZM SA, HSW SA and Obrum, in any configuration and number of missiles.
The development comes in response to Poland’s requirement for a Tank Destroyer able to counter massed armour formations. With its long-range, all-weather performance, ability to defeat active protection systems (APS), salvo-firing and moving target capability, Brimstone is uniquely able to meet this challenge.
03 Sep 19. MBDA ready to cozy up to state-run firm to win Polish air-defense contract. Missile-maker MBDA is pursuing Poland’s short-range air defense contract with its Common Anti-air Modular Missile, or CAMM. The European joint venture aims to convince decision-makers of its readiness to cooperate with Poland’s defense industry through a joint product developed with the state-run defense group PGZ, according to company representatives.
“We have an active collaboration with PGZ, and at this year’s MSPO, we’re presenting for the first time our new product, a CAMM missile launcher mounted on a Jelcz eight-wheel drive vehicle,” a spokesperson for MBDA told Defense News at the MSPO defense industry show.
The spokesperson said MBDA has “set a number of partnerships in Europe, and that’s what we’re continuing to do here. Poland has strong industrial capacities.”
“It’s not only a commercial offer we’re proposing. Several years ago, the U.K. and Poland signed a defense treaty that would allow MBDA UK to transfer an unprecedented amount of technology under this program,” the spokesperson added.
Poland’s purchase of a short-range air defense system, to be developed under the country’s Narew program, will complement ongoing efforts to secure missile defense capacities through the Wisla program. In 2018, Poland signed a deal with the U.S. to acquire Raytheon’s medium-range Patriot system. Poland’s military is scheduled to acquire two Patriot Configuration 3+ batteries in 2022. (Source: Defense News)
03 Sep 19. Bradley integration of Iron Fist APS back on track, deliveries expected by end of 2020. Integration work to fold in Elbit Systems’ Iron Fist Light Decoupled (IFLD) system into the US Army’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle is back on track, with deliveries of production-rate variants of the active protection system (APS) to the service beginning in 2020.
Programme officials with IFLD prime contractor Elbit Systems and subcontractor RADA Electronic Industries, which provides the Compact Hemispheric Radars (CHRs) for the system, have largely overcome the systemic and technological hurdles that delayed production of the Israeli-built APS, said RADA CEO Dov Sella.
“It is not a secret that the Iron Fist was allocated for the Bradley … and the whole process was delayed. At the end of last year, the US Army decided to continue with Iron Fist and gave a time frame of about 9 [to] 10 months to sharpen the needles, tighten up all loose ends, and come back to testing with a more mature system,” Sella told Jane’s on 22 August. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Sep 19. Kongsberg reveals planned bid for Hungarian air defense contract. In response to Hungary’s plan to purchase a medium-range missile system to upgrade its air defense capabilities, Kongsberg plans to offer the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, jointly developed with Raytheon. Kongsberg hopes its previous sale of the system to Lithuania will help it secure a contract from Budapest.
In May, Hungarian Defence Minister Tibor Benkő told local broadcaster Radio Kossuth his ministry planned to invite bids from MBDA with its Aster systems, Israel Aerospace Industries with the Arrow missile, the MEADS international consortium with the Medium Extended Air Defense System, and Kongsberg and Raytheon with the NASAMS.
“We have an ongoing activity in Hungary, and we are pursuing a contract there by offering the NASAMS,” Dag Løvås, the senior manager for business development at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, told Defense News at the MSPO defense industry show.
The NASAMS has been supplied to the Eastern European country of Lithuania, and earlier this year that deal was expanded to include additional missiles.
“We hope that what we have accomplished in Lithuania will strengthen our position,” Løvås said.
Løvås added that, to date, 11 states have acquired the NASAMS, and Kongsberg is “pursuing different countries within Eastern Europe” for further contracts. Within the region, the company has also delivered its Naval Strike Missile systems to neighboring Poland. (Source: Google/Defense News)
03 Sep 19. SIG SAUER Selected by U.S. Army for Next Generation Weapons with New Ammunition Technology, Lightweight Machine Gun, Rifle, and Suppressors. SIG SAUER, Inc. is proud to announce the official award of a contract by the U.S. Army in the down-select process for the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW). The award encompasses the complete SIG SAUER system consisting of 6.8mm hybrid ammunition, a lightweight machine gun, rifle, and included suppressors. SIG SAUER will provide single source manufacturing for ammunition, weapons, and suppressors allowing for less risk and increased capability for the U.S. Army.
“The U.S. Army is leading the world in the first significant upgrade to small arms in decades to meet the growing demands of soldiers on the battlefield. We are honored to have been selected for the Next Generation Squad Weapons program bringing increased lethality to the warfighter over the legacy weapons,” began Ron Cohen, President & CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc. “At the core of our submission is our newly developed, high-pressure, 6.8mm hybrid ammunition that is utilized in both weapons, and is a significant leap forward in ammunition innovation, design, and manufacturing.”
The SIG SAUER 6.8mm hybrid ammunition is designed for increased penetration at greater distances. Cohen continued, “using patent-pending technology the SIG SAUER Ammunition division has engineered a completely new cartridge resulting in a more compact round, with increased velocity and accuracy, while delivering a substantial reduction in the weight of the ammunition.”
The primary objectives set forth by the U.S. Army for the NGSW-AR was a weapon with the firepower and range of a machine gun, coupled with the precision and ergonomics of a rifle. The SIG SAUER NGSW-AR submission is an ultra-light, medium caliber machine gun with AR ergonomics, and chambered in 6.8mm hybrid ammunition. Features include quick detach magazines, side opening feed tray, increased available 1913 rail space for night vision and enablers, folding buttstock, and suppressor.
Additionally, the Prototype Project Opportunity Notice (PPON) requirements were inclusive of an NGSW-Rifle. The SIG SAUER NGSW-Rifle submission, also chambered in 6.8mm hybrid, is lightweight and features a free-floating reinforced M-LOK™ handguard, side-charging handle, full ambidextrous controls, folding buttstock, and suppressor.
“The U.S. Army challenged the industry to bring forward significant improvements to the legacy weapons. The SIG SAUER NGSW-AR is lighter in weight, with dramatically less recoil than that currently in service, while our carbine for the NGSW-Rifle submission is built on the foundation of SIG SAUER weapons in service with the premier fighting forces across the globe. Both weapons are designed with features that will increase the capabilities of the soldier,” commented Cohen. “The final component of the SIG SAUER Next Generation Weapons System is our suppressor, which through exhaustively researched design enhancements, reduces harmful backflow and signature.”
As outlined in the recent award issued by the U.S. Army, SIG SAUER will deliver a complete SIG SAUER system inclusive of the SIG SAUER 6.8mm hybrid ammunition, lightweight machine gun, rifle, and suppressors.
“SIG SAUER has designed the most comprehensive solution to meet the requirements of the Next Generation Squad Weapons to enhance mission effectiveness. We are looking forward to partnering with the U.S. Army throughout this process and ensuring our soldiers are equipped for the demands of the modern battlefield,” concluded Cohen.
03 Sep 19. Tor-E2 SAM system breaks cover. Russia’s Izhevsk Electro-Mechanical Plant Kupol, a subsidiary of the Almaz-Antey Concern, has unveiled the latest iteration of the Tor ‘SA-15 Gauntlet’ short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system: the 9K331E Tor-E2.
Kupol promotes the Tor-E2 as “a new generation of the Tor family”. The Tor-E2 is armed with 16 9M338KE ready-to-launch effectors in two eight-cell launch canisters, all of which can be replaced in 25 minutes.
Like other Tor family SAM systems, it is designed to engage fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, various missiles (including cruise and anti-radiation ones), guided and gliding bombs, and unmanned aerial vehicles round the clock. The Tor-E2 system can simultaneously detect and process up to 48 targets at a range of up to 32,000 m, analyse the air picture and automatically select the most immediate threats, track 10 targets, and simultaneously engage four. The Tor-E2’s combat vehicle (CV) can share target information with other CVs.
According to Kupol, the integration of the new missile has reinforced the system’s combat performance: the Tor-E2 can engage an aerial target flying at a distance of up to 16,000m and at an altitude of up to 12,000m. Like the Tor-M2E, the Tor-E2 is based on a tracked vehicle, producing a top speed of 65km/h and a cruising range of 500km. The system weighs 37 tonnes and is operated by a three-strong crew. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Sep 19. UK artillery has nearly 15% personnel shortfall. Frontline units of the British Army’s artillery branch are nearly 15% short of their regular and reserve personnel, according to data released to Jane’s under the UK’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act on 30 August. The data shows that the Royal Artillery only had about 6,640 trained personnel in its 17 frontline regular and reserve regiments on 1 April, against a workforce requirement of about 7,784 personnel. This shortfall of 1,144 personnel represents 14.69% of its personnel requirement. While the 12 regular or active duty regiments were about 562 personnel or 9.6% short of their required number of soldiers and officers, the five reserve regiments were 582 or 29.36% short of personnel. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Sep 19. MBDA unveils surface-launched Brimstone platform concepts. European missile systems house MBDA has unveiled two new high load-out, salvo-fire, surface-to-surface missile platform concepts designed to exploit the anti-armour capabilities of the Brimstone precision strike missile. Equipped with dual-mode (millimetric wave radar – MMW/ semi-active laser – SAL) – seeker, Brimstone is a 180 mm 50 kg class effector originally conceived to engage static and manoeuvring targets in an air-to-surface role. MBDA has subsequently extensively trialled the weapon system for surface-launched applications from land and naval platforms in line with its ‘one missile, multiplatform’ initiative.
Brimstone is the primary air-to-surface armament on the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 swing-role combat aircraft, and will also be integrated on the RAF’s future Protector RG Mk1 remotely piloted air system (RPAS); additionally, the missile is a candidate for the primary air-to-ground munition to equip the British Army’s AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter. The Brimstone capability for all platforms will be drawn from a common stockpile in line with the provisions of MBDA’s Portfolio Management Agreement (PMA) with the UK Ministry of Defence.
MBDA, using internal research and development (IRAD) funding, has now developed a cassette of six Brimstone missiles on a modular elevating launcher for use with unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), to provide an autonomous, all-weather, all-terrain, high-volume precision effects capability against all known defensive aid suite (DAS)-equipped heavy armour. The company is expected to showcase this solution at DSEI installed on a Milrem Robotics Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) unmanned ground vehicle (UGV).
The integration, which adds an approximately 400 kg payload to the UGV, is the intended advantage of the high off-boresight agility of the Brimstone missile to avoid the complexity of rotating turrets. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Sep 19. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) will build and deliver the control, actuation and power-conditioning subassemblies that control flight of the U.S. Army’s new Common-Hypersonic Glide Body program. The work will enhance the system’s flight performance and will be performed under Dynetics Corporation contracts. The Army is leading a team with the U.S. Navy and Air Force to deliver hypersonic weapons that are launched from land, sea or air and will travel at speeds greater than Mach 5.
“Raytheon is at the forefront of hypersonic technology development,” said Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon Advanced Missile Systems vice president. “We will bring our years of advanced weapons development experience to rapidly transform the government’s initial concept into a producible design.”
Hypersonic weapons will enable the U.S. military to reach out farther and strike faster compared to current weapons. Raytheon is developing both offensive and defensive solutions as part of its expanding hypersonic portfolio. Raytheon will also help assemble and test the new glide body under the Dynetics Corporation contracts.
30 Aug 19. US Army Tests Dispersed THAAD; Beginning Of Modular Missile Defense? The potential threat from Chinese batteries will only grow as Beijing continues to militarize small islands outside of its territorial waters, claiming them as their own. In a test with serious implications for the protection of US forces at remote bases, the Army today successfully intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile with the radar and other command and control systems well separate from the missile launcher.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, operating on remote Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, was able to detect and track the target while an interceptor from a remotely-located THAAD launcher destroyed the target’s reentry vehicle.
The remote test is especially significant at a time when Pentagon leaders are working to spread US forces throughout the Pacific region more widely, often to smaller and austere bases. Those bases would often be within the range of Chinese medium-range missiles.
Location of Reagan Test Site on Kwajelein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
That potential threat from Chinese batteries will only grow as Beijing continues to militarize small islands outside of its territorial waters, claiming them as their own.
“We are proud of this success and the US Army soldiers who executed this flight test,” MDA Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill said in a statement. “This test demonstrates the expanding capabilities of the THAAD weapon system and its ability to intercept and destroy ballistic missile threats in defense of our nation, deployed forces and allies.”
Army THAAD launch
Friday’s test points the way toward what could be more of a mix and match approach to missile defense, including potentially using a THAAD radar to track targets for a Patriot interceptor, since THAAD radars can see farther than the Patriot system, allowing ground units to use PAC-3 missiles in scenarios where they would not have been used in the past.
The Missile Defense Agency said that soldiers from the E-62 Battery conducted radar operations, launcher and fire control operations while unaware of the target-launch timing, giving the test a more combat-like feel.
This was the 16th successful intercept in 16 attempts for the THAAD system. Several countries have already committed to buy it, including the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, while the US Army has operated the system in Poland, Romania, South Korea and Japan. (Source: glstrade.com/Breaking Defense.com)
02 Sep 19. Russia plans additional missile defense buildup on Kuril Islands. Russia is planning to deploy additional missile systems on two islands in the northern portion of the Kuril Islands chain off Japan’s Hokkaido in a bid to strengthen its defense capabilities in the region, an internal Russian government document showed Monday.
The document, obtained by Kyodo News, revealed that new land-to-ship missile systems called the Bastion, with a range of more than 300 kilometers, would be deployed on Paramushir and Matua in the chain, which includes four Japan-claimed islands.
The plan indicates Russia places strategic importance on the Kuril Islands in defending the Sea of Okhotsk and its nuclear force stronghold against the United States.
It also means a defense line stretching from the Kamchatka Peninsula to Hokkaido, which falls within the range of the missile defense systems, will be completed soon.
The development is likely to hinder progress on talks on a postwar peace treaty between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who are scheduled to meet Thursday in Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East on the sidelines of an economic forum.
With the United States seeking to deploy intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region following the demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia last month, tensions continue to heighten.
The document dated December showed that the missile defense systems would be moved from the Kamchatka Peninsula to Paramushir and Matua islands this year based on a presidential order.
It said a vessel-detection radio base and an air fleet would also be installed on Matua.
Regarding the deployment of the missiles systems on the two islands, a Russian government official said, “They have already been moved, and are now being prepared for operation.”
Tokyo has expressed opposition to a military buildup in the region surrounding the Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands off Hokkaido, which are known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia.
A separate document obtained by Kyodo News late last year, thought to have been drawn up sometime after the summer, showed Russia’s plans to set up a “unified defense system” along the islands chain with the deployment of additional missiles to Paramushir and Matua in 2020.
Missile systems were deployed in 2016 on Etorofu and Kunashiri, two of the four disputed islands. Along with Shikotan and the Habomai islet group, they were seized by the former Soviet Union following Japan’s surrender in World War II in 1945.
“Despite Russia strongly criticizing the United States for building a missile defense network, they themselves are steadily strengthening their own defense systems,” a Japanese government official said.
Abe and Putin agreed in November to step up talks based on a 1956 agreement that mentioned the handover by the then-Soviet Union of Shikotan and Habomai to Japan once a peace treaty was signed.
Putin, however, has expressed concerns over the possibility of U.S. military expansion and Tokyo’s plan to deploy a U.S.-developed missile defense system, saying it would be difficult to conclude a peace treaty unless Japan explains its future security policy. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/https://english.kyodonews.net)
02 Sep 19. KTRV nears completion of development of KAB-250LG-E guided bomb. Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV) subsidiary GNPP Region is completing the development of the first Russian 250 kg guided bomb unit, KAB-250LG-E, the company’s director, General Igor Krylov told Jane’s at the MAKS 2019 aerospace show held in Zhukovskiy near Moscow from 27 August to 1 September.
“KAB-250 trials are nearing completion, with some final tests remaining. Development of this air-launched munition is completed, and industry is preparing serial production to begin in 2020,” he said. The KAB-250LG-E with a laser seeker will be the first KAB-250 family weapon to enter production, according to Krylov.
The KAB-250LG-E is 3.2m long, weighs 256kg, and carries a 165kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead linked to a contact fuse with three time delay modes. It can be dropped by a fixed-wing aircraft flying at an altitude of 1-10 km at a speed between 200 and 350m/s. The manufacturer claims that the KAB-250LG-E has a circular error probable of 5m. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Sep 19. Russian corvette fires Kalibr cruise missile in Black Sea for first time. A Russian Federation Navy warship has carried out its first live firing of a NPO Novator Kalibr cruise missile in the Black Sea region, according to an announcement by the Moscow Ministry of Defence.
A spokesman from the ministry said in a statement that the Project 21631 Buyan-M class guided missile corvette, Vyshny Volochek, fired Kalibr missiles at surface targets in an area of sea closed to maritime and air traffic, the state news agency TASS reported on 30 August.
“In accordance with planned naval drills of the Black Sea Fleet, the Vyshny Volochekguided missile corvette has for the first time fired high precision Kalibr missiles at a target in the Black Sea,” said the spokesman. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
02 Sep 19. Japan displays new SPH prototype, more elements of road-mobile EW system. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) unveiled a prototype of the Type 19 155 mm/52-calibre wheeled self-propelled howitzer (SPH) at this year’s edition of the ‘Fuji Firepower’ exercise conducted from 22-25 August, a JGSDF spokesperson told Jane’s on 2 September.
The long-range howitzer, which is integrated into an 8×8 MAN tactical military truck, is expected to replace the JGSDF’s ageing fleet of FH-70 towed artillery systems, said the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD)’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), adding that the new system will be operated by five personnel.
The JGSDF spokesperson said that the service will take delivery of the first seven Type 19 SPHs from domestic manufacturer Japan Steel Works, which has already delivered five Type 19 prototypes to the ATLA, by the end of fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019) ending on 31 March 2020. The designation ‘Type 19’ means that the system is expected to be delivered to the JGSDF during FY 2019. The JGSDF has already requested JPY4.7bn (USD44.3m) from the government to procure a second batch of seven Type 19 SPHs for FY 2020, following the acquisition of the first batch for JPY5.1bn. Meanwhile, the ‘Fuji Firepower 2019’ exercise, which was held at the East Fuji Maneuver Area (EFMA) near Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, saw the JGSDF displaying more elements of its road-mobile Network Electronic Warfare System (NEWS), which has been developed for analysing electronic waves and conducting electronic warfare (EW). The NEWS system is made up of several, specially equipped EW vehicles designed to perform electronic reconnaissance while degrading the command, control, and communications networks of adversaries. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
30 Aug 19. US Army Picks Gunmakers for Next Test Phase of Future Infantry Weapons. The U.S. Army has selected three firms to advance to the next phase of testing to select the service’s Next Generation Squad Weapon. The Army chose General Dynamics-OTS Inc., AAI Corporation Textron Systems and Sig Sauer Inc. — which makes the service’s new Modular Handgun System — to deliver prototypes of both the automatic rifle and rifle versions of the NGSW, as well as hundreds of thousands of rounds of special 6.8mm ammunition common to both weapons, according to an announcement posted Thursday night. The service awarded all three companies with other transaction authority (OTA) prototyping agreements but did not specify the award amounts. The companies are scheduled to deliver both versions of the NGSW and ammunition within 27 months, according to the announcement. OTA is a spending authority designated for research and prototyping efforts.
Army Contracting Command did not respond to a query by press time.
The Army’s goal is to select a final design for both weapons from a single company in the first quarter of 2022 and begin replacing both M4s and M249s in an infantry brigade combat team in the first quarter of 2023, Brig. Gen. David Hodne, director of the Army’s Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team, told Military.com in July.
The service down-selected from several companies that participated in the Army’s second prototyping opportunity notice, released in January, that directed gunmakers to develop prototypes of both the rifle and auto rifle versions of the NGSW to ensure both work with the common 6.8mm projectile.
Army officials have not released the names of the companies that participated in the second prototyping effort.
The new prototyping agreements call for each vendor to deliver 43 NGSW automatic rifles and 53 NGSW rifles, as well as 845,000 rounds of 6.8mm ammunition, according to the original solicitation.
Textron announced Friday that it will lead a team that includes Heckler & Koch for its small-arms design, research and development, and manufacturing capabilities; and Olin Winchester for its small-caliber ammunition production capabilities, according to a Textron news release.
“We have assembled a team that understands and can deliver on the rigorous requirements for this U.S. Army program with mature and capable technology, reliable program execution and dedicated user support,” Wayne Prender, Textron Systems’ senior vice president for Applied Technologies and Advanced Programs, said in the release.
Military.com reached out to Sig Sauer and General Dynamics OTS for comment but did not receive a response by press time. Once a single vendor is selected, the follow-on production award may include an order of 250,000 total weapons systems and 150,000,000 rounds of ammunition, according to the original January solicitation, which estimates the deal’s value to be $10m in the first year and up to $150m a year during higher production rates. (Source: Military.com)
30 Aug 19. Dynetics and Lockheed Martin awarded prized US Army hypersonic weapon contracts. The US Army is racing to field a hypersonic missile battery by 2023 and has tapped Dynetics Technical Solutions and Lockheed Martin to help build and integrate a Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) prototype. Pentagon leaders have deemed hypersonic weapon development as imperative to preparing for a military conflict with China and Russia. In a bid to field such a capability, on 29 August the army awarded Dynetics with a USD351.6m contract to produce the first set of Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) prototype and Lockheed Martin with a USD347.0m contract to be the LRHW prototype system integrator.
“Delivering hypersonics to a unit of action will provide a critical combat capability for the army in support of the National Defense Strategy,” Lieutenant General Neil Thurgood, the director of army hypersonics, directed energy, space and rapid acquisition, wrote in an announcement. “With a collaborative effort by our partners in industry and the Department of Defense, we will advance this strategic weapon system and fulfill a critical mission for our nation.”
If all goes as planned, the army will begin a series of flight tests next year before fielding a battery in fiscal year 2023 (FY 2023). Under the Pentagon’s Conventional Prompt Strike initiative, the army is teaming up with the US Navy (USN) to develop a hypersonic missile launcher, while the US Air Force (USAF) develops its own. The three services are also combining efforts and dividing work to transition the C-HGB into production. For this effort, the USN will oversee the glide body design starting in FY 2020, while the army is in charge of C-HGB production. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
30 Aug 19. Dynamit Nobel Defence to begin RGW 110 firing trials in 2020. Dynamit Nobel Defence (DND) is expected to begin preliminary firing trials of its prototype 110 mm calibre Recoilless Grenade Weapon (RGW) 110 shoulder-fired disposable single-use weapon system in 2020, following achievement of the full system- integration milestone at the end of this year.
“We are currently nearing the end of full system prototype development phase of the RGW 110,” Sebastian Bent, regional sales director, DND, told Jane’s. “We are ready on the component level: development of the launch tube is finalised, the 110 mm calibre warhead is in final development, and by the beginning of next year we will have an all-up baseline weapon prototype that is ready for firing trials,” he added.
The RGW 110 extends the calibre of the RGW family – currently in 60 mm and 90 mm warhead variants – to a 110 mm calibre variant which, in its baseline offering, will be furnished with a high-explosive anti-tank/high-explosive squash head (HEAT/HESH ) warhead. The RGW 110 development also signals the beginning of the transition of DND’s 110 mm calibre warhead-variant offerings away from the Panzerfaust model and into the RGW design.
Weighing 10kg, measuring 100cm in length, and with an effective range of between 600m and 800m, the RGW 110 is essentially an ergonomically improved and performance-upgraded evolution of, and direct successor to, the DND 110mm Panzerfaust 3 family of single-shot shoulder-launched weapon systems. “We’ve taken the 110 mm Panzerfaust HEAT/HESH warhead, shortened and upgraded it – while maintaining its performance – and put it inside an ergonomically enhanced 110 mm launch tube. So essentially you have a Panzerfaust in its newest version, which is more than 3 kg lighter [and] more balanced, with greater accuracy and longer range,” said Bent. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
30 Aug 19. Viridian Weapon Technologies is offering an E Series™ red laser sight for the newly introduced Taurus G3 pistol. The E Series laser (SKU 912-0003) is designed exclusively to fit the new handgun and is also compatible with the Taurus PT111, G2, G2C and G2S models. Viridian weapon-mounted accessories for the G3 and other Taurus® pistols can be purchased online at ViridianWeaponTech.com.
“We’re extremely proud to offer a gun-specific sighting solution for the brand-new Taurus G3,” said Viridian President and CEO Brian Hedeen. “We work closely with Taurus to give customers the most dependable and powerful accessories for some of its most popular handguns. And now Taurus G3 owners can immediately upgrade the next-gen pistol with a Viridian E Series red laser.”
E Series Laser
The Viridian E Series laser sight is essential gear for everyday carry. Designed specifically for the conceal and carry owner who demands the most powerful red laser sight allowed in the United States, it delivers rapid target acquisition when it’s needed most—at an affordable price point. The trigger-guard-mounted E Series red laser for the Taurus G3 attaches to the pistol seamlessly, allowing users fast target acquisition for personal defense. Additional features include:
- Easy installation onto pistol trigger guard
- Ambidextrous on/off button with 5-minute auto shutoff
- 25-yard range in daylight and 1 mile at night
- Constant laser with 6+ hours battery life
- Easy windage and elevation adjustment
Taurus G3
The new G3 9mm semi-auto represents the next generation in the Taurus G-series polymer-frame handguns. The full-frame, four-inch barreled pistol boasts a 6-pound trigger with a short reset and is available in numerous configurations. Options on slide finish and magazine capacity (two 10-round mags, two 15-round mags, or one 15- and one 17-round) put G3 MSRPs at $345.23 or $360.70, depending on the model.
Highlights include generous stippling patches across the grip for maximum control and retention
in any shooting condition, as well as an ergonomic palm swell and side-frame Memory Pads for
quick, positive, and repeatable hand positioning. A manual safety and slide release lever are optimally positioned above the thumb for easy manipulation and the gun features an integral Picatinny rail. Although full-frame in size, the G3’s profile makes it well-suited for concealed carry. On August 29, the U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a contract at an estimated value of $347mi as part of a multi-year hypersonic weapons development in support of the Army’s focus in long-range precision strike missiles.
30 Aug 19. Pakistan Army tests Ghaznavi surface-to-surface ballistic missile. The Pakistan Army has announced that it has test-fired the Ghaznavi surface-to-surface ballistic missile from an undisclosed location. In a statement on his official Twitter account, Pakistan Military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director-general major general Asif Ghafoor confirmed the night training launch and shared a video. ISPR stated that the launch marked the culmination of the Pakistan Army Strategic Forces Command’s (ASFC) field training exercise.
Indian media sources reported that Pakistan ordered the closure of three aviation routes of Karachi airspace until 31 August before carrying out the test. It is believed that the launch could have been conducted from Sonmiani flight test range in Balochistan. The missile ballistic was tested on 29 August. It is believed to have the ability to deliver multiple types of warheads up to a distance of 290km.
According to The Week, Ghaznavi could be a derivative of China’s M-11 missile. The short-range Ghaznavi missile is designed and developed by Pakistan’s National Development Complex. Code-named Hatf III, Ghaznavi is a road-mobile missile capable of long-range strikes targeting military bases, airfields and production facilities.
Hatf III entered operational service with the army in 2012. The launch of the nuclear-capable missile comes at a time of escalating tensions between Pakistan and its neighbouring country India, after the latter revoked special status for the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
In May, Pakistan conducted a training launch of Shaheen II surface-to-surface medium-range guided ballistic missile that can hit targets at a range of 1,500km. ASFC launched the Nasr short-range, surface-to-surface missile in January. Nasr can carry nuclear and conventional warheads and has a range of 60km. (Source: army-technology.com)
30 Aug 19. On August 29, the U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a contract at an estimated value of $347m as part of a multi-year hypersonic weapons development in support of the Army’s focus in long-range precision strike missiles. As the prime contractor for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) systems integration project, the Lockheed Martin-team will develop and integrate a land-based hypersonic strike prototype in partnership with the Army Hypersonic Project Office, part of the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. The team includes: Dynetics Technical Solutions (DTS), Integration Innovation Inc. (i3), Verity Integrated Systems, Martinez & Turek, and Penta Research.
“Lockheed Martin is driving rapid technical development for these national priority programs,” said Eric Scherff, vice president for Hypersonic Strike Programs for Lockheed Martin Space. “There are natural synergies with our industry teammates. We believe our relationships offer the Army unmatched expertise and puts us in the best position to deliver this critical capability to the nation. Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the Army in integrating the common hypersonic glide body and the land-based hypersonic strike weapon system prototype. We are committed to combining the best of what our companies have to offer to deliver on this national priority program.”
The Army also awarded a contract to DTS at an estimated value of $352m to produce the first commercially manufactured set of Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) systems. DTS selected Lockheed Martin to support integration and prototyping of this new C-HGB. The C-HGB will be available across military services to provide commonality to air, land and sea platform needs and requirements.
“Dynetics Technical Solutions is pleased to partner with Lockheed Martin on this national defense priority. The Common-Hypersonic Glide Body and Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon programs will modernize our national capabilities and will counter the threat from our foreign adversaries. We are looking forward to the progress our teams will make as we deliver this combat capability to the warfighter,” said Steve Cook, DTS president.
The Army LRHW prototype will leverage the C-HGB and introduce a new class of ultrafast and maneuverable long-range missles with the ability to launch from ground mobile platforms. The LRHW system prototype will provide residual combat capability to soldiers by 2023.
Hypersonic strike weapons, capable of flying speeds in excess of Mach 5, are a key aspect of the long-range precision fire modernization effort for the Army and the national security strategy to compete with and outpace potential threats.
LRHW program work will be performed at Lockheed Martin’s Alabama, Colorado, California and Texas facilities.
Lockheed Martin is an established industry leader in the development of hypersonic strike technology and our experience will serve as the cornerstone for hypersonic defense systems. Lockheed Martin’s hypersonic strike awards exceed over $2.5bn across the corporation. We are proud to partner with the Army, Air Force, and Navy on the technology development and demonstration for multiple capabilities that span all hypersonic flight disciplines.
30 Aug 19. Lockheed Martin’s THAAD System Successfully Demonstrates Remote Launcher Capability During Intercept Test. Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system successfully intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) target today in a missile defense test led by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency with critical support provided by the U.S. Army.
During the test, designated Flight Test THAAD (FTT-23), the THAAD system located at U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands successfully detected, tracked and intercepted a threat representative target using a THAAD launcher that was positioned at distance from the other THAAD end items.
The THAAD radar detected, acquired and tracked the target. The THAAD system then developed a fire control solution and launched an interceptor from a remotely-located THAAD launcher that destroyed the target’s reentry vehicle.
This was the 16th successful intercept in 16 attempts for the THAAD system since 2005. The THAAD system now has the capability to physically untether a THAAD launcher from the battle manager and launch interceptors remotely, greatly enhancing launcher emplacement options and increasing the defended area.
“The enhanced THAAD system performed flawlessly in today’s test, and we are proud to support the Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Army as they continue to demonstrate the system’s unmatched capabilities,” said Richard McDaniel, vice president of Upper Tier Integrated Air and Missile Defense Systems at Lockheed Martin. “This successful test paves the way for delivery of an urgent need capability that will enhance THAAD’s emplacement options resulting in greater asset protection.”
THAAD is highly effective at defending against a host of ballistic missile threats to include mass raid scenarios. The system uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy a threat with direct impact neutralizing lethal payloads before they reach protected assets on the ground. The system is rapidly deployable, mobile and interoperable with all other Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) elements, including Patriot/PAC-3, Aegis, forward-based sensors and the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications system.
30 Aug 19. In first, MDA remotely launches a missile. The first-ever test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system’s ability to remotely fire an interceptor was deemed a success by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. Following the test in the early hours of Aug. 30, the Lockheed Martin-made THAAD has now had 16 successful intercept tests in a row. But the significant milestone is proving the ability to remotely engage the system with a government-developed remote launcher kit. The capability provides extended range of a defended area, an MDA statement notes.
“Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved and the target was successfully intercepted by the THAAD weapon system,” the statement reads.
“This test demonstrates the expanding capabilities of the THAAD weapon system and its ability to intercept and destroy ballistic missile threats in defense of our nation, deployed forces and allies,” MDA Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill said in the statement.
THAAD operators from the E-62 Battery conducted radar operations as well as launcher and fire control operations employing a procedure used in combat and were unaware of the target-launch timing.
The ability to launch an interceptor remotely achieves a more layered — and ultimately less stove-piped — approach to regional ballistic missile defense and to increase the battlespace. The U.S. Army is also working to integrate the Patriot medium-range air-and-missile defense system with THAAD in response to an urgent operational need on the Korean Peninsula.
That effort uses some of the same principles of decoupling launchers and radars so an operator can, for instance, use a THAAD radar (which can see farther than a Raytheon-made Patriot radar) but decide to engage a Patriot interceptor depending on the threat picture.
The ability to use the THAAD radar also gets more out of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) missile fired from Patriot units, which outperforms the organic Patriot radar.
Earlier, in an Aug. 29 Army test also at White Sands Missile Range, a PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative interceptor took out an air-breathing threat “at a record distance,” according to a Lockheed Martin statement. The company builds the missile as well as the PAC-3 MSE.
The test also showed it can be integrated into the Northrop Grumman-made Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System, the command-and-control system of the Army’s future air and missile defense architecture. The test demonstrated the Northrop system’s ability to detect, track and engage a low-flying threat at a distance that exceeds the range of the current Patriot system, according to a Northrop Grumman statement. (Source: Defense News)
30 Aug 19. Here’s who will build and integrate the first hypersonic weapon system prototype. Dynetics Technical Solutions will be the first to manufacture a set of hypersonic glide body prototypes while Lockheed Martin will serve as the weapon system integrator, according to a U.S. Army announcement.
The other transaction authority, or OTA, contract awards mark an important step forward in getting a prototype of the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, or LRHW — capable of flying at five times the speed of sound — that will launch from a mobile ground platform fielded by fiscal 2023.
An OTA is a congressionally mandated contracting mechanism that makes it easier to prototype capabilities.
The Army’s No. 1 modernization priority is Long-Range Precision Fires, and hypersonic development falls into that category.
“Delivering hypersonics to a unit of action will provide a critical combat capability for the Army in support of the National Defense Strategy,” Lt. Gen. L. Neil Thurgood, director of hypersonics, directed energy, space and rapid acquisition, said in an Aug. 30 statement. “With a collaborative effort by our partners in industry and the Department of Defense, we will advance this strategic weapon system and fulfill a critical mission for our nation.”
Dynetics, based in Huntsville, Alabama, will get $351.6m to produce the “first commercially manufactured set of prototype Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) systems,” according to the statement.
This means the company will get the first crack at building the C-HGB, but it is likely others will subsequently receive awards to learn how to manufacture the C-HGB developed by the federally funded Sandia National Laboratories in an effort to build up the currently nonexistent hypersonic industrial base in the United States. Dynetics and future award winners will work with the lab to learn how to build the C-HGB.
As hypersonic missiles become a reality, industry must relearn how to effectively, efficiently and economically produce them. While companies have developed warheads, glide bodies and other components, there is no industrial base equipped to manufacture hypersonic weapons.
By giving multiple companies a chance to learn how to build the glide body, the hope is the process will build that vital industrial base.
Lockheed Martin will integrate a launcher that can accommodate the C-HGB onto a mobile truck. That contract is worth $347m.
The OTA awards cover the design, integration and production work that will bring about a series of flight tests starting in 2020, which will lead to a fielding of a prototype LRHW battery, consisting of four trucks, launchers, hypersonic missile rounds and a command and control system.
The Army is in charge of producing the LRHW C-HGB as part of a collaboration with the other services.
“Dynetics has been developing enabling technologies for many years,” Steve Cook, the company’s president, said in a statement. “Our team is pleased the Army saw that our highly-skilled engineers and technicians can bring this technology rapidly and affordably to the warfighter.”
DTS will lead “a world-class team for the project, including established and proven defense industry contractors” like General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
“Each of these companies will bring decades of experience and will join science and technological capabilities to make a modern prototype and eventually become a program of record,” Cook said.
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems will provide cable, electrical and mechanical manufacturing. Lockheed will support the manufacturing, assembly, integration, testing, systems engineering and analysis.
And as a principal subcontractor, Raytheon will provide its “extensive experience” in advanced hypersonic technology to build control, actuation and power-conditioning sub-assemblies that control flight, and it will help assemble and test the prototype.
Lockheed Martin’s integration team also includes Dynetics, which will develop launchers with hydraulics, outriggers, power generation and distribution for the ground platform.
Other members of Lockheed’s team are Integration Innovation Inc., Verity Integrated Systems, Martinez & Turek, and Penta Research.
“We believe our relationships offer the Army unmatched expertise and puts us in the best position to deliver this critical capability to the nation,” Eric Scherff, vice president for hypersonic strike programs for Lockheed Martin Space, said in a statement. Lockheed Martin’s hypersonic strike contract awards already exceed $2.5bn. (Source: Defense News)
30 Aug 19. South Korea completes development of upgraded 81 mm mortar system. South Korea has completed development of an upgraded 81 mm mortar system, according to a 29 August statement by the country’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA). Referred to as the ‘81 mm mortar-II’, the weapon, development of which began in December 2014 and was led by South Korean company Hyundai WIA, has successfully met all the requirements set by the South Korean military.
DAPA said that compared with its previous version, the new system, which is fitted with “state-of the-art digital technologies”, is not only 20% lighter, thus enabling greater mobility, but also requires fewer personnel (four instead of five) to operate. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Sep 19. Textron Preps For Mass Production Of New US Army Rifle. Textron is not just betting it will win the Next Generation Squad Weapons contract: It’s betting the Army will want to start buying in bulk ASAP. That’s not a bad bet. Textron has partnered with global gun-maker Heckler & Koch to mass-produce new rifles for the Army and with ammunition giant Olin Winchester to churn out the high-powered yet lightweight 6.8 millimeter rounds.
Textron still has to beat both General Dynamics and Sig Sauer for the right to build the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NSGW). All three companies won awards last Thursday to build prototypes for troops to test, starting this coming spring and continuing through late 2021. No follow-on production contract is guaranteed. But Textron is watching the Army’s urgent push to modernize across the force, from assault rifles to hypersonic missiles and wants to be ready to sprint to mass production if it wins.
Textron could do everything in house, senior VP Wayne Prender said. But, he told reporters this morning, by working with Olin Winchester and H&K, which are experienced with largescale manufacture of ammo and weapons respectively, “we are preparing ourselves for a high rate of production.”
The Army wants to start fielding two variants of NGSW to tens of thousands of close combat troops — infantry, scouts, special operators, and so on — in 2022. Support troops and vehicle crews will stick with the current M4 carbine for the indefinite future. But frontline ground combatants will get more than just a gun.
Linked wirelessly with electronics all over the soldier’s body, including Microsoft HoloLens-derived targeting goggles called IVAS, the Next Generation Squad Weapon is meant to be just one lethal component of a larger, high-tech system. It’s like the Hellfire missiles on an Apache helicopter or the 120 mm Rheinmetall smoothbore cannon on an M1 tank, except this “weapons platform” moves on foot. This approach is part of a wider push, begun by former Defense Secretary (and Marine Corps rifleman) Jim Mattis, to improve the Close Combat Lethality of the military’s most exposed members.
The American grunt has accumulated more and more high tech over the last two decades. Designing a new weapon from scratch is a chance to streamline the scopes, cables, batteries, and other impedimenta festooning modern foot troops.
The timeline of Leonardo DRS’s 50 years of innovation is peppered with notable technologies and capabilities that have given militaries around the world a warfighting edge. Here’s a look.
“All of those are now part of an integrated weapon system, versus a rifle that then has something else strapped onto it with wires hanging off,” Prender told reporters. “We can make some smart decisions early in the design process that enable it to be cleaner.” That should make the new weapon easier to use, lighter, and even better balanced, since the center of gravity is now calculated with installing add-ons in mind.
Three Contenders, 27 Months
While troops will test the first prototypes this spring, each contender has 27 months to deliver a total of 53 NGSW assault rifles — potential replacements for the M16/M4 family in service since Vietnam — and 43 automatic rifles — replacing the M249 SAW — along with 850,000 rounds of 6.8 mm ammunition.
Like the M16, M4, and M249 with the 5.56 mm cartridge, the new NGSW family will all share a common 6.8 mm round, which is supposed to deliver longer range and greater body-armor-penetrating power without increasing weight much. Each competitor has their own spin on how to deliver the new rifle bullet.
- Sig Sauer, which already builds the Army’s standard 9mm pistol and a host of other limited-issue weapons, has taken what seems to be the most conservative approach. It offers what the company calls a “hybrid” cartridge, which is still made of metal like traditional brass casings, but significantly lighter.
- General Dynamics’s Ordnance & Tactical Systems (OTS) division has partnered with a Texan firm, True Velocity, to build “composite” rounds out of polymers. In layman’s words, the bullet is packaged, not in brass, but rugged plastic. Again, the goal is to save weight.
- Textron’s approach is arguably the most radical, to the point it doesn’t even look like a bullet, just a cylinder that’s equally blunt on both ends. That’s because it’s a cased telescoped round, sheathing the entire bullet in a polymer shell, surrounded by its propellant instead of sitting on top of it. (The resulting case looks like a folded-up telescope, hence the name). Textron says this method cuts weight per shot by 40 percent, a potential boon for overburdened foot troops.
The Army’s new modernization strategy — after decades of cancelled programs and incremental changes to aging weapons — is to try such great leaps forward but then test prototypes ASAP with real troops in the field.
The service has been “opening the doors of the Army to the contractors to get that feedback early and often,” Prender said approvingly. Each round of user feedback is meant to help the contractors improve their product, and the military to refine their specifications, until the service can confidently choose a refined design.
Now, the Army isn’t locking itself in. Whoever does best in testing, the Army hasn’t promised the winner a production contract. But Textron is betting they can convince an eagerly modernizing Army that their product is not only superior but ready to field without further R&D.
“Whether [to] move right into an initial Low-Rate Initial Production, followed by fielding and first unit equipped, or [to do] additional prototyping and maturation of the weapon system… all that will be determined by the Army,” Prender told reporters. “We have high confidence that our weapon system will meet all of the requirements that the Army has laid out… so we’re looking forward to at the end of those 27 months to move into production.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense)
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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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