02 June 11. UK Scout SV turret undergoes live firing tests five months ahead of schedule. Less than 11 months after the UK Scout/Specialist Vehicle (SV) Demonstration Phase contract was signed, the Industry Team led by General Dynamics UK has demonstrated impressive progress on the programme. The Team has conducted live-fire tests of the new Cased Telescoped (CT40) cannon system integrated in the very first Scout SV Turret, five months ahead of schedule. This key maturity milestone was achieved with the firing of the integrated CT40 main weapon system on Wednesday 18th May at the Rheinmetal Landsysteme facility in Gersthofen, Germany as part of the SV programme for which General Dynamics UK is the overall Prime contractor and Lockheed Martin UK is the Turret system Design Authority. The live firing was attended by Roddy Malone, Scout SV Team Leader at MoD, Steve Rowbotham, Vice President of General Dynamics UK, and representatives from CTA International, Rheinmetal Landsysteme, Curtiss Wright, Lockheed Martin UK and General Dynamics UK. The Turret system will now be delivered to Lockheed Martin UK in June 2011 for further system integration and testing at Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
Roddy Malone said “This was a very impressive event so soon after contract award. It is of value not only to the UK MoD but also to the French Government as the CTAI Cannon is being jointly qualified for both nations. The efforts of all involved have been magnificent.”
Brigadier Mike Riddell-Webster, Head of Capability for Ground Manoeuvre welcomed the news, commenting, “The Army is very pleased to note such progress on one of its highest priority equipment programmes.”
“The successful live-firing of the fully integrated CT40 cannon system into the first Scout SV Turret is yet another example of the SV Demonstration phase moving forward at pace,” said Steve Rowbotham.
BATTLESPACE Comment: Given the relative immaturity of the Lockheed turret we have assumed, pending confirmation from GDUK that this firing was unmanned. The number of rounds fired was revealed by Andrew Chuter of Defense News as being 20. If the British Army wants the WCSP so badly, and they do, the most rational move would be to dump CT40 given its immature status and expense and buy the ATK Mk. 44 with the ADVS turret as supplied to Kuwait.
01 Jun 11. IMI reduces grenade sensitivity. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has purchased an improved fragmentation hand grenade developed by Israel Military Industries (IMI) that features safety mechanisms to prevent the grenade detonating if shot or set on fire. The company’s corporate vice-president for R&D and business development, Danny Peretz, told Jane’s that the new grenade, designated M26IM, has two safety measures in addition to the standard pull-pin, but remains the same size and shape as standard IDF-issued M26 fragmentation grenades. (Source: Jane’s, IDR)
27 May 11. India’s DRDO test-fires Astra air-to-air missile. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired its Astra beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile three times on 20 and 21 May ahead of deployment with the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) front-line fighter fleet. “The main purpose of these trials was to gauge the performance of the motor, propulsion system and the configurations of the vehicle,” said a DRDO scientist. (Source: Jane’s, JDW)
27 May 11. US to retain SLAMRAAM for emergency use. The US Army is to retain several Surface-Launched Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (SLAMRAAM) air-defence systems for emergency use after deciding not to take the programme into production. The system combines the fire-and-forget AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) with several vehicle launcher options, the ThalesRaytheonSystems Sentinel radar and a fire distribution centre. (Source: Jane’s, JDW)
01 Jun 11. Scout Export sales? Sources close to BATTLESPACE suggest that the MoD is pinning its hopes on a numbe