Land Warfare Vol5 #5

8/10/2019 Land Warfare Vol5 #5

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Inside knowledgeManned turret developments

COURSEOF ACTIONUS Army training

www.landwarfareintl.com

SEEINGTHE SIGHTSNight vision equipment

Volume 5 Number 5October/November 2014

HIGHCALIBREArtillery systems


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16

3 EDITORIAL COMMENT

Export experience

4 NEWS

UK nally signs 3.5 billion Scout SV contract Belgium to retire Leopard 1 MBTs Denel unveils new light turret New Zealand pushes ahead with rie replacement

8 HIGH CALIBRE

First widely used during the Second World War, self-propelled guns maintain a core long-range precisionre capability for many armies worldwide. David Sawreviews the current market, and nds a broad mixtureof products old and new.

12 REBALANCING ACT

Following US President Barack Obamas announcedstrategic shift to Asia-Pacic, the USMC has beensteadily returning to full strength in the region.Gordon Arthur provides an update.

16 IN SAFER HANDS

While grenades can provide lethal force at closerange, they also can cause signicant collateraldamage. Anthony Hall examines efforts by industryto lower the potential danger to friendly forces whilestill creating a deadly weapon.

19 SEEING THE SIGHTS

The ability to see and engage targets effectively atnight is critical to modern military operations. IanKemp examines recent night weapon sightdevelopments in the US.

1Volume 5 Number 5 | October/November 2014 | LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL

CONTENTS

www. landwarfareintl .com

Front cover: Denels LCT 20 turret isa two-man model for installation onIFVs, mounting a 20mm cannon.(Image: Denel Land Systems)

Editor

Tim Fish.

[email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)1753 727036

North America Editor

Scott R Gourley.

[email protected]

Tel: +1 (707) 822 7204

European Editor

Ian Kemp. [email protected]

Contributors

Claire Apthorp, Gordon Arthur,

Mike Bryant, Anthony Hall, Liza Helps,

Helmoed-Rmer Heitman,

Neelam Mathews, Stephen Miller,

David Saw

Production Manager

David Hurst. [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)1753 727029

Sub-editor

Adam Wakeling

Advertising Sales Executive

Brian Millan. [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)1753 727005

Editor-in-Chief

Tony Skinner

Managing Director

Darren Lake

Chairman

Nick Prest

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25 OCCUPANCY RATES

Despite the recent proliferation of remote-controlledweapon stations, the manned turret still has a future,nds Tim Fish.

33 COURSE OF ACTION

Following a decade of counter-insurgencyoperations, the US Army is now putting greateremphasis on traditional direct action in its trainingscenarios, discovers Scott R Gourley.

PARTING SHOT

36 STRATEGIC SHIFTS

During a visit to the headquarters of the 2nd InfantryDivision of the US Army in South Korea at Uijeongbu,Gordon Arthur spoke to the commander, Maj Gen Thomas Vandal, about the challenges ahead.


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5/403www. landwarfareintl .com Volume 5 Number 5 | October/November 2014 | LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL

EDITORIAL COMMENT

Every defence company claims to bepushing hard to secure exports, but what

does this mean in practice?North American and European firms will

firstly have to come to grips with the fact thatbusiness in other parts of the world is donevery differently than on home shores, wheredemocracy and the law are relatively strong,and there are serious cultural considerationsthat need to be taken into account.

Speaking at Rheinmetalls Berlin Defence Talks in August, Michael Kerwin, programmemanager for the Leopard 2 sale to Indonesia,highlighted some key issues about how thecompany secured that export order, the lessonslearned and the continuing uncertainty.

He said that from a cultural perspective, it washarder to read people, because seeing someonewith a friendly and positive demeanour couldmean very little. There would be lots ofsteps backwards and forwards and it was notuncommon to make progress in contractualnegotiations before the Indonesians would take astep back and start all over again. Furthermore,there were in-depth discussions about relativelyminor issues that could take days.

MORE POWER

Kerwin cited an issue with power packs, which aresurplus materials: Two days before finalising thenegotiations, they said they wanted new powerpacks. We had just started two-day marathonnegotiations it was not necessary to have newpower packs and finally they accepted it. But theywere excellent fighters and negotiators.

Undoubtedly, this is a strong negotiatingtactic and Kerwin said that it was somethingthat the German team needed to take account

of. The streamlined and process-drivenacquisition timeline that they were used to withformal steps and focused negotiations were adifferent ball game to the one they were in.

For the users point of view, they did anexcellent job, Kerwin continued. We had tosuffer, but we stayed in the negotiations.

Recent changes in the country meant thatthere were also some new experiences for theIndonesians. There was regular coverage in thelocal press and the deal faced a lot of criticism thatRheinmetall had to manage neutrally. In addition,the company found that large contracts neededfinancing through loan agreements. We learnedthat this could take up to one year, noted Kerwin.

MOD DECISIONS

One major change was that for the first timethe Indonesian MoD was making theprocurement investment decisions and notthe army. As a result, there were internaldisputes between the organisations involvedin the decision-making process. This hascreated continuing uncertainty.

In October 2014, for the first time thecountry will have an elected civilian president.Joko Widodo has no military background, anda cabinet re-structure is expected. To date, allIndonesian decision-makers have been two- orthree-star generals. The Chief of the Army hadbeen the prime decision-maker, but this role isshifting to the MoD.

In countries such as Indonesia, which has agrowing economy and a government looking tobecome a more significant regional power, thereare requirements to involve state industries. Somealready have infrastructure and capability, butthese are not the decision-makers and operate

under their own state ministry. Kerwin said thiswill be critical over the next few years.

There was also a need for large militaryparades. This may be difficult for the West tounderstand, but in a country like Indonesia thepopulation needs to be able to see and touchthe vehicles to appreciate the value.

This was a problem for Rheinmetall becauseit needs export licences to take two vehicles toIndonesia in order to display them at the IndoDefence exhibition in Jakarta later this year.

The company has to negotiate stringentGerman export regulations that are alsoliable to change, particularly where non-NATOcountries are concerned.

There is a significant amount of risk involvedin dealing with regions of the world that areunfamiliar. Companies with experience inthis area will recognise some of the hurdlesthat Kerwin has highlighted and will now bebetter prepared to manage them.

However, exporting further overseas will benew for some firms and it remains to be seenhow they will take to this challenge. It certainlyrequires an open mind and flexibility as wellas the patience and determination to stay thecourse. Unfortunately it seems there is littlesubstitution for experience, and most thelessons will be learned by doing.Tim Fish, Editor

l Sniper riflesl Training equipmentl Future wheeled fleetsl Vehicle-mounted AGLs

EXPORTEXPERIENCE

IN THE NEXT ISSUE


6/40LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL | October/November 2014 | Volume 5 Number 5 www. landwarfareintl .com

NEWS

Some thought it would never happen, butGeneral Dynamics UK (GDUK) has been awardeda 3.5 billion ($5.72 billion) contact to deliver 589Scout Specialist Vehicle AFVs to the British Army.

The company announced the deal on3 September after a considerable effort by thearmy, which has been trying to get Scoutapproved before the lead-up to the UK generalelection in May 2015 when purdah hits and alldecisions are pushed back.

Deliveries are due from 2017 to 2026 butthere is still some way to go before all thedifferent variants are developed, tested andapproved. This is due to take place in 2014-15.

An MoD spokesperson told Land WarfareInternational that about half the fleet willbe based on the turreted Scout SV platformwith: 198 used for reconnaissance and strikemissions; 23 conducting joint fire control forartillery forward observers; and 24 variants doingground-based surveillance.

Each of these medium-weight vehicleswhen fully loaded are approximately 30-40t inboth Major Combat Operation configurationand Peace Support Operation configuration. They have a crew of three drawn from 15 units,have a top speed of 70kph and a range ofapproximately 500km, the spokesperson said.

The remainder of the fleet will be basedon the Protected Mobility ReconnaissanceSupport (PMRS) variant. Of these, 59 will beAPCs carrying two crew and four passengers(illustrated above), while there will also be: 51engineer reconnaissance vehicles; 34 formationreconnaissance overwatch vehicles; and 112command and control variants.

These vehicles will all have a crew of twoplus four passengers (except for engineer recce,which only has two crew), and the same speedand range as the Scout.

Support for the fleet will be provided byspecialised variants, including 38 Scout SVRecovery vehicles for towing damaged unitsand 50 Scout SV Repair vehicles. The latter havea crew of four with the Recovery model hostingthree (plus one spare seat).

The vehicles will become the mainstay ofthe British Armys armoured infantry brigades asenvisaged in the Army 2020 reforms. The firstunit to get the vehicles will be the Royal Lancers.

Col Nick Hunter, deputy programme leaderon Scout SV, said at the DVD exhibition in Junethat the army expects an in-service date in Q22020 five years later than originally planned.

The Scout is based on GDs ASCOD 2 chassisand will be built and tested in Spain by General

Dynamics European Land Systems before beingdelivered to the UK for final fit-out. The vehicleswill replace the ageing CVR(T) fleet that cameinto service in 1972-73.

GDUK said the contract will underpin 1,300 jobs, which is significantly down on the 10,600British workers that the company initially saidScout would support in a press release in 2010.

GDUK is working under an existingdemonstration phase contract awarded in2010 worth 500 million beating BAE SystemsCV90 proposal that will see seven prototypesbuilt with testing expected to begin in 2015.

The first pre-production example of theScout PMRS an APC variant was displayed atthe DVD exhibition in June.

A test readiness review is expected by theend of the year to prepare it for army tests in2015. Three Scout SVs fitted with turrets will befollowed by an equipment support and recoveryvehicle, an equipment support and repairvehicle, and a command and control vehicle.

Attempts by the army to acquire amedium-weight tracked armoured capabilityhave taken a long and tortuous route thatgoes back to initial efforts in the 1980s underthe Future Family of Light ArmouredVehicles programme, followed by the Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle and the TacticalReconnaissance Armoured Combat EquipmentRequirement in the 1990s that were cancelled inthe early 2000s.

The latest iteration was the Future RapidEffects System (FRES) programme, which sawthe SV launched in 2009 with an in-service dateslated for 2015.

FRES-SV, as it was then, was supposed tobe a family of 1,200-1,300 vehicles, with theprocurement of 589 Scouts to be the first of fiverecce blocks. FRES never made, it but the ScoutSV element was retained.By Tim Fish, London

UK FINALLY SIGNS 3.5 BILLIONSCOUT SV CONTRACT

Image: UK MoD

The army expectsan in-service date forScout SV in Q2 2020 five years later thanoriginally planned.


7/405Volume 5 Number 5 | October/November 2014 | LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL

NEWS


The Belgian militarys land componentconducted a final live-fire exercise with theKMW Leopard 1 MBT on 10 September, it hasemerged. One of the last NATO membersto operate the 43t tank model, Belgiumpurchased 334 Leopard 1A1s in the late1960s, 132 of which were upgraded to 1A5 (BE)standards in the 1990s by installing a new firecontrol system and thermal sight.

Being surplus to requirements after the ColdWar, most Leopard 1s that were not upgradedwere sold to Brazil. While the Belgian militaryofficially still has an inventory of 112 Leopard1A5 (BE)s, only a handful of vehicles wereoperational by the time the tanks 105mm L7A3gun fired its last round at the Bergen-Hohne Training Area in Germany, and the last areto bow out in 2015. In August, the Belgian MoDannounced that it would sell off 56 tanks with

Denel Land Systems (DLS) launched its new LCTMC (Light Combat Turret Medium Calibre) atthe AAD exhibition in Pretoria on 17 September.

Stefan Burger, CEO of DLS, told reportersthat the company saw a gap in its portfolio foran affordable one-man turret that has goodprotection and sighting systems.

He said that the LCT MC is not stabilised orautomated in order to reduce cost, but thecompany has retained the day and night camerawith narrow, intermediate and wide field of viewand a thermal sighting system.

The thermal imager has a range of 1km atnight and the spotlight has a range of 1-1.5km. The turret has windows covering a 360 field ofview and a top hatch for the gunner to look outof when conditions are safe. The weapon candepress to -12 and elevate to +45.

With a base weight of 650kg, the turret isdesigned to be light. The version on display had

the remainder to be used for target practice onfiring ranges or handed over to museums.

For the time being, Belgium will continue tooperate the armoured recovery and armouredengineer vehicle versions of the Leopard 1. Inrecent years, the Belgian land component hasmoved away from operating tracked vehicleswhich included the British-made CVR(T) series.Instead, it has fielded an all-wheeled force thatnow consists of Iveco LMV, KMW Dingo 2 andGDELS-Steyr Pandur and GDELS-MOWAGPiranha III vehicles. Having been procuredin seven different versions, most of the newPiranhas have replaced the tracked M113s andAIFVs, all of which have now been withdrawnfrom service. Belgium is replacing its Leopard 1swith Piranha DF90s which are equipped with a90mm Cockerill LCTS 90 turret.By Pieter Bastiaans, Breda

6+4mm armour but this can be increased ifrequired. The turret will fit on any 6x6 APC.

It also has a drop-in weapon system. The12.7mm gun shown can be taken out easily,along with its magazine, and a smaller calibreweapon can be fitted instead. According toDenel, the mounting can accept a 7.62mm SS77,12.7mm heavy MG, 20mm GA1 low-recoilcannon or GLI40 automatic grenade launcher.

Burger said he had a launch customer inSoutheast Asia but DLS is present in 11 Africancountries, and this is where the potential lies.

He added that many armies there needadditional capability, particularly as regardssights and night operations, and the LCT MCprovides this without additional costs. Theturret can fire from a stationary position by dayor night at much greater ranges than existingunstabilised guns.By Tim Fish, Pretoria

BELGIUM TO RETIRELEOPARD 1 MBTS

DENEL UNVEILS NEW LIGHT TURRET

NEWS ON THE WEB

Norway set to upgrade night/daysoldier systems19 September 2014

Rippel showcases upgradedgrenade launcher

19 September 2014

DCD unveils new Oribi truck19 September 2014

Badger missile variant displayedat AAD 2014

18 September 2014

Countdown begins forRheinmetalls VingPos

18 September 2014

Chaiseri approaches Africanmarket with flats18 September 2014

BAE launches new RG-21series APC

17 September 2014

Saab wins first LEDS-50Mk 2 contract

17 September 2014

Brazil details armouredrecce requirement

17 September 2014

DongFeng unveils new 6x616 September 2014

First CV90 engineering vehicledelivered to Norway

15 September 2014

All these stories can be found

at www.landwarfareintl.com



NEWS

The NZDF is open tobullpup and traditionalrifle designs, but theymust be capable ofengaging a static target

out to 600m by day.

New Zealand released a request for tender(RfT) for the countrys Individual WeaponReplacement Programme (IWRP) on 14 August.

The IWRP was officially initiated in March,following cancellation of the IW Steyr UpgradeProject, and will instead replace the ageing Steyrrifle that was first introduced in 1987.

Fourteen companies responded to the initialRfI, and those bidding for the contract have until16 October to respond to the RfT.

Once the RfT has closed, a downselectionfor physical evaluation will take place inDecember 2014, with trials following in Februaryand March 2015 and a contract is expected tobe signed in June. Deliveries of the new rifle tothe New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) will takeplace from the end of 2016 through to 2017.

The original Steyr upgrade programme wascancelled because the tendered responseswere out of scope for the project the details ofthis are still commercially confidential.

The plan is to deliver a stock of 8,800 riflesfitted with 7,000 individual weapon sights (IWS),bayonet lug and suppressor. The breakdownfor rifles across the NZDF is: 4,000 for the New

Zealand Army; 700 for the Royal New ZealandNavy; and 1,000 for the Royal New Zealand AirForce, with the remainder divided across variousreserve stocks.

The contract will include logistics and sparesto support the rifle for two years plus technicaltraining and support. The selected weapon isexpected to remain in service out to 2035.

Maj Shane Ruane, programme manager forIWRP, told Land Warfare International that thecurrent rifle is reaching the end of its lifespanand that the main issue (apart from its age andassociated service/repair considerations) withthe Steyr is its closed architectural design.

This precluded the use of in-line nightsights or more powerful day optics and thefitting of other accessories/ancillaries to thestandard weapon, allowing it to be configured tosuit the mission profile, he said.

The NZDF is open to bullpup and traditionalrifle designs, but they must be capable ofengaging a static target out to 600m by day and300m by night.

Ruane said that the generic requirements forthe new rifle are that it must be military-off-the-

shelf; chambered for 5.56x45mm 45 NATO (andcapable of firing all current in-service 5.56mmnatures); open architecture in design with top,side and bottom rail configurations to accept avariety of mission-specific accessories/ancillaries;and able to fit an underbarrel, detachable 40mmlow-velocity grenade launcher and associatedsighting system.

The RfT stated that Trijicons AdvancedCombat Optic Gunsight (ACOG) 4x32 TA31NZ-5.56 will continue to be the standardIWS.

According to the RfT, the weapon must becapable of accepting the following accessories:the IWS; an AN/PVS-22 inline weapon sight;an AN/PEQ-15 night aiming device; a WMX-200illuminator; iron sights; and a folding foregrip, aswell as the grenade launcher.

The rifle should be capable of semi-automatic,automatic and burst modes. Barrel length mustnot exceed 521mm or be less than 356mm andit must have a service life of over 10,000 rounds.

The current in-service 40mm grenadelauncher will not be retained and 500 newmodels will be procured in conjunction withthe IWRP. The original Grenade LauncherReplacement (GLR) was initially conceived as aseparate project.

Requirements in the RfT state that the GLRmust be capable of firing the following low-velocity 40mm grenades: HEDP M433I; IllumM583A1; Prac M781; Smoke; 60Cal Stinger LL;and CS RP707. It should also be capable of beingoperated as a standalone launcher and have itsown sighting system.

As part of the IWRP, there are plans forprocurement of a number of accessories, theseinclude: 1,000 suppressors; 7,000 blank firingattachments; 35,000 magazines; 7,000 slings;7,000 cleaning kits; 200 bulk transit cases; and2,000 blue weapons for training purposes.By Tim Fish, London

NEW ZEALAND PUSHES AHEADWITH RIFLE REPLACEMENT

Photo: NZDF


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ARTILLERY SYSTEMS

T here is no better place to start an analysis ofthe self-propelled artillery market than bylooking at the M109 a system that has definedthe sector as far as the West is concerned formore than 50 years.

Dissatisfaction with existing equipment inthe early 1950s led the US Army to sponsorthe development of new systems. The processstarted in 1952, and by the middle of 1954 two

gun designs had emerged and it was decidedthat both would feature common elements. This resulted in the T195, a self-propelled 105mmsystem, and the 155mm T196.

The T195 later became the M108 and the T196became the M109. The former entered US Armyservice in the early 1960s but did not stand thetest of time and was withdrawn in the 1970s. TheM109, by contrast, entered service in 1962 and is

still there some 52 years later, with the latestversion, the M109A7, making its debut in May2014 with the US Army.

NO SUBSTITUTES

As far as the army was concerned, the longevityof the M109 was never planned. At the end of the1980s it started working on a successor to theweapon and its attendant M992 Field ArtilleryAmmunition Support Vehicle (FAASV) in theshape of the XM2001 Crusader.

Crusader offered long-range precision fires,automatic ammunition loading and handlingfor high rates of fire, increased survivability andmobility compared to the M109. The systemwould be supported by dedicated resupplyvehicles, providing automated delivery ofammunition and fuel.

In terms of performance, the XM2001 hadmuch to offer, so when the programme got intodifficulties the US Army was quick to point outthat three Crusaders offered more firepowerthan six M109A5/M109A6s. The problem wasthat Crusader was very expensive and at 40t inweight was considered too heavy to deploy inmany operational contingencies. Eventually,in May 2002 the DoD announced that it wasterminating the programme.

This was not the end of the M109replacement effort. The next challenger to thevenerable weapon was the XM1203 Non-line-of-Sight Cannon (NLOS-C), part of the US Armys

HIGH CALIBRE

First widely used during theSecond World War, self-propelled

guns maintain a core long-rangeprecision fire capability for manyarmies worldwide. David Saw

reviews the current market,and finds a broad mixture of

products old and new.

The KMW PzH 2000 was designed to meetthe needs of the German Army for an M109replacement. (Photo: KMW)

France deployed the Nexter

Caesar to Afghanistan in2009. One is shown hereduring a firing exercise atBagram. (Photo: US Army)



ARTILLERY SYSTEMS


While tracked systemsdominated the self-

propelled artillery scenefor many years, wheeled

options are becoming

more popular.Future Combat Systems Manned GroundVehicle (FCS-MGV) programme. NLOS-C hada crew of two, with automation beingincorporated into the vehicle to provide highrates of fire, and as with Crusader great emphasiswas put on precision fires.

The XM1203 was an 18t air-transportabletracked vehicle that would fit into the networkedground forces structure envisaged by the army. The first prototype was rolled out in May 2008,and more followed to allow for an extensivetesting programme. Then, in 2009 the overall FCSeffort was cancelled and NLOS-C was dead.

With both successor systems having fallen bythe wayside, the standard US Army self-propelledgun is now the M109A6 Paladin. This was a

major upgrade of earlier systems, featuringautomotive, reliability and maintainabilityenhancements, better protection, increasedonboard ammunition capacity, digital fire controland improved communications and navigationsystems. All of this translated into a significantimprovement over earlier variants, but yet moreperformance was needed, hence the PaladinIntegrated Management (PIM) programme thathas led to the latest M109A7.

For the latter, prime contractor BAE Systemswill be providing a new chassis, engine,transmission and steering system derived fromthe M2/M3 Bradley. The same upgrades will beapplied to the M992A2 FAASV, turning it into theM992A3 Carrier, Ammunition Tracked.

Both the M109A7 and M992A3 have increasedprotection compared to earlier variants. Theformer has greater on-board power generationcapability and a new electric gun drive derivedfrom that used in the NLOS-C. The fire controlsystem is further enhanced and the M109A7 willbe able to utilise Raytheons M982 Excalibur andATKs M1156 PGK rounds. The M109A7/M992A3represents a significant enhancement to earlymodels of both systems, and will be in US Armyservice for many years to come.

FOLLOWING THROUGH

Other countries looked elsewhere for solutions. In1993, the British Army brought the VSEL AS90into service, ordering 179 units to replace its

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12/400 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL | October/November 2014 | Volume 5 Number 5 www. landwarfareintl .com

ARTILLERY SYSTEMS

M109 fleet. It has been a successful weapon thatis still in service, but no export orders weresecured. However, its turret system, mounting155/52 ordnance, was acquired by Polandfor integration with an indigenous chassis tobecome part of the Krab self-propelled gunsystem manufactured locally by HSW. A totalof 72 systems are being acquired initially bythe Polish Army.

Germany was another major M109 user, andit replaced its fleet with the KMW PzH 2000,ordering 185 in 1996. The vehicle mounts aRheinmetall 155/52 turret and was first usedin combat by the Royal Netherlands Army inAfghanistan in 2006, with the Germans alsodeploying the gun to this theatre four years later.

Currently, Germany has 185 systems, Greecehas 24, Italy 70 and the Netherlands 57. Croatiaplans to acquire 12 surplus PzH 2000s, whichcould be sourced from German or Dutch stocks,while KMW is expected to supply Qatar with 24as part of a larger defence contract.

Another self-propelled solution from Germanyis KMWs Artillery Gun Module (AGM). UtilisingPzH 2000 components, this is a 155/52 systemmounted in a 12.5t remote turret containing 30projectiles and 145 charges. At Eurosatory 2014 aversion of the AGM mounted on a Boxer wheeledAFV was displayed. Previously the AGM wasthe centrepiece of KMWs Donar system, initiallymounted on an MLRS rocket launcher chassis,but more recently a variant using the GeneralDynamics ASCOD 2 chassis has been proposed.

Samsung Techwin has built over 1,000 155/52calibre K9 Thunder systems for the Republicof Korea Army since the award of a productioncontract in 1998. In addition, the T-155 Frtnabuilt by MKEK for the Turkish Army is essentiallya licence-produced K9 with locally specifiedelements attached. Turkey has an eventualrequirement for 350 T-155s and Azerbaijanintends to buy 36.

Both Russia and China field an extensive rangeof tracked self-propelled systems. The 2S19Msta is in service with the Russian Army in largenumbers, and also with Belarus and Ukraine.Export customers include Ethiopia, Morocco and

Venezuela. The Chinese PLZ45 has 155/45ordnance and has been exported to Bangladesh,Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Singapore produced itsown gun system in the form of the ST KineticsSSPH-1 Primus.

ROUNDING UP

While tracked systems dominated the self-propelled artillery scene for many years, wheeledoptions are becoming more popular, driven by adesire for reduced system weight and increaseddeployability. Wheeled solutions are not new, asin the late 1970s the then-Czechoslovakian Armytook the DANA system into service.

This was based on a rear-engined Tatra815 8x8 chassis and included a fightingcompartment with an open turret mountinga 152mm howitzer in the centre. The crewcompartment was situated at the front, withthe total system weighing around 29t. Some450 were built in total.

The concept was further developed for theSlovak Army by Kerametal, leading to the Zuzana,mounting 155/45 NATO ordnance. This enteredSlovak service in 1998, with 16 being delivered,and the Cypriot National Guard has acquired 12.A version mounting 155/52 ordnance is available,and Kerametal also offers the Zuzana A40 which is the same turret system mounted on a T-72 tank chassis.

Serbia has designed and built the Nora B-52wheeled system that has a configurationreminiscent of the Zuzana. It fires 155/52 calibreordnance and is mounted on an FAP 2832 orKamaz truck chassis. The system entered servicewith Serbia in 2007 and has been purchased byMyanmar (30), Bangladesh (18) and reportedlyKenya (30).

The South African Denel G6 gun systemmounting 155/45 ordnance entered service in1987, making its combat debut in Angola the

same year. South Africa acquired 43 systems,with Oman buying 24 and the United ArabEmirates 78. It is a highly effective weapon thatevolved further in 2003 with the developmentof a version mounting 52cal ordnance (theG6-52), and the availability of effective long-rangeammunition is also a major plus.

INDIAN EPIC

Both the G6 and Zuzana played a part inthe frustrating saga of the Indian Armysartillery modernisation plan, which calledfor the acquisition of a new generation oftowed, wheeled self-propelled and trackedself-propelled artillery.

The programme started in the early 2000swith a requirement for 100 tracked and 180wheeled guns. Denel looked to be winning thetracked competition with its Bhim system (theG6 turret mated with the Indian Arjun tankchassis) and it was the only contender left in theprocurement contest. Unfortunately Denel wasblacklisted by India in 2005 after being accusedof corruption, charges which were thrown outin 2014. But at the time the net effect was to killoff the tracked competition.

In 2007, New Delhi attempted to reinvigoratethe tracked and wheeled procurements, invitingbids from BAE Systems Bofors, BAE Systems LandSystems, IMI, Kerametal, Nexter, Rheinmetall,Rosoboronexport, Samsung Techwin and Soltam(now Elbit Systems). The competition stumbledon until only two contenders, Kerametals Zuzanaand Rheinmetalls RWS-52, were left, and wasthen cancelled in November 2010.

Matters then took a new direction, withthe wheeled requirement being resurrected inAugust 2012. At the end of that year, Tata PowerSED unveiled a truck-mounted 155/52 systemunder the name of Mounted Gun Project, whilein February 2013 Elbit announced a joint venture

The M109A7 features a new chassis, engine,transmission and steering system derivedfrom the M2/M3 Bradley plus enhanced firecontrol and protection. (Photo: US Army)



ARTILLERY SYSTEMS


with local company Bharat Force covering gunsand mortars that includes Elbits ATMOS wheeledartillery system.

June 2013 saw the Indian Army issue an RfIfor a programme known as the Mounted GunSystem (MGS). The next stage in the unfoldingsaga saw a consortium led by Larsen & Toubrooffer Nexters Caesar system mounted onthe Ashok Leyland Super Stallion truck. Othercontenders for MGS will likely be Bharat Forgeand Mahindra.

ON THE TRUCK

Nexters Caesar has really come to define truck-mounted 155mm artillery. Developed in the1990s, it received its first order from the French

Army, who went on to acquire 72. In 2006 theRoyal Thai Army ordered six systems and laterthat year the Saudi Arabian National Guardordered 80, although these were mounted onMercedes-Benz Unimog chassis rather than thestandard Renault Trucks Defense Sherpa.

The next export order came in 2012 fromIndonesia, which ordered 37 systems withdeliveries commencing at the end of the year.French Army Caesars have seen combat inAfghanistan, with the Thailand using its guns inborder fighting against Cambodia.

The BAE Bofors Archer system uses theFH77 BO5 155/52 ordnance mounted on a VolvoA30E truck. It initially started as a Swedishprogramme before Norway decided to join in

May 2007. Both were to purchase 24 systemseach, but this was a complex and costly processand the first Archer was not delivered toSwedens FMV procurement agency untilSeptember 2013. In December Norwayannounced that it was pulling out of theprogramme, and in June 2014 the FMV signed anamended contract covering final delivery of all 24systems to the Swedish military.

There is no shortage of tracked or wheeledartillery solutions to meet all conceivable needs ina multiplicity of calibres, NATO or otherwise. Whatis certain is that mobile tube artillery has thecapability to deliver precision engagement atgreater ranges than ever before. As such, it still hasa vital role to play on the modern battlefield. LWI

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USMC UPDATE

US Pacific Command (PACOM) coveringthe distance from Hollywood to

Bollywood faces an enormous range ofsecurity challenges and natural disaster zones.

The USMC is a useful tool for PACOM due to itsability to react to contingencies, but a decadeof operational commitments in Iraq andAfghanistan severely eroded the servicespresence in Asia-Pacific.

However, President Barack Obamas strategicrebalance to the region means the USMC hasnow almost returned to full strength. Lt Gen JohnWissler, commander of III Marine ExpeditionaryForce (III MEF), headquartered in the southernJapanese island of Okinawa, confirmed this toLand Warfare International .

The marine corps is almost complete with therebalance to the Pacific, he said. We now haveregained all the ground combat capability weactually had here in the Pacific prior to 2003. Westill have some aviation units that will becomplete by the end of this fiscal year or earlynext fiscal year, [and] well be back to roughly30,000 marines in III MEF.

STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS

The major land component of III MEF is the 3rdMarine Division. Its commander, Maj Gen StaceyClardy, told LWI : The marine corps is adjusting itsforce lay-down in the Asia-Pacific region tosupport the presidents strategic guidanceTherebalance efforts in the Pacific are focused oncreating and strengthening partnerships withother nations militaries to ensure the ability torapidly respond to all contingencies and crises inthe region, be they natural or man-made.

Clardy has 5,500 marines stationed inOkinawa, 1,000 in Australia and 3,500 in

Hawaii. This array of locations ensures wereable to train in multiple environments, withmultiple allies, and ensures we can respond toany and all situations quickly and efficiently,he continued.

He added that the USMC will have balancedcapabilities strategically located across Hawaii,Guam, Japan and Australia, with Guam set tobecome a strategic hub in the next decade. Withrising tensions in the East and South China Seas,the commander carefully highlighted that USMCactivities dont reflect a response to any countriesor activities taking place currently.

BETTER CAPABILITIES

Nevertheless, years of conflict in Iraq andAfghanistan have improved the USMCswarfighting capabilities. In addition to the urbanenvironment and security tactics weve broughtback with us, our units returned stronger, withcombat veterans who now have the opportunityto mentor and mould the new, eager generationof marines, said Clardy.

The Unit Deployment Program (UDP), whereunits rotate six months at a time to train innew terrain with various partners, backs up theUSMCs regional capability.

As an expeditionary force, the service hasbeen fielding new land, sea and air assets toincrease its combat capabilities, and there is atrend towards prioritising the region whenallocating new equipment in support of thestrategic rebalance.

Attention has been focused on rotorcraft,but in terms of ground equipment, the LAV-A2,an upgrade of General Dynamics Land Systems(GDLS) Canadas 8x8 Light Armored Vehicle(LAV), arrived in the Pacific early last year. The

USMC has ordered 253 of the vehicles since2007, featuring a ballistic protection upgradepackage, automatic fire suppression system,second-generation suspension, electric turretdrive and mine protection.

The most recent 13-vehicle contract wassigned in January 2013, and in May 2014 GDLSreceived a $52.3 million contract to developitems such as replacement power packs,suspension and driveline for the LAV Mobilityand Obsolescence Upgrade and IntegrationProgram, with work continuing until mid-2017.

SHIP TO SHORE

The Assault Amphibian Vehicle Personnel Model7A1 is the ageing workhorse of the fleet andhugely important in the Pacific thanks to its ship-to-shore capacity. However, the 40-year-old fleetwill remain in service until the AmphibiousCombat Vehicle (ACV), the successor to the GDLSExpeditionary Fighting Vehicle programmecancelled in 2011, replaces it.

We now have regainedall the ground combatcapability we actuallyhad here in the Pacificprior to 2003.

REBALANCINGFollowing US President Barack Obamas announced strategic shift to Asia-Pacific, the USMC hasbeen steadily returning to full strength in the region. Gordon Arthur provides an update.


15/4013Volume 5 Number 5 | October/November 2014 | LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONALwww. landwarfareintl .com

USMC UPDATE

ACT

In March, it was announced that theprogramme was being split in two, with callsfor 200 COTS ACV Increment 1.1 wheeledvehicles (with limited amphibious capacity),and 470 high-speed tracked amphibiousACV 1.2 vehicles.

In April, the USMC issued an ACV 1.1 RfIstipulating 16 prototypes within nine monthsof contract signature in April 2016, with adownselect due in FY2018. However, there is notyet an attendant timeline for the ACV 1.2. Later,the USMC will also seek a more advanced ACV2.0 sea-going amphibious design.

This RfI dramatically resurrects theamphibious-capable Marine Personnel Carrier(MPC) programme designed as a dedicatedinland vehicle. The MPC had been suspended inJune 2013 because of budgetary pressures.

In July 2014, GDLS was awarded a $7 millioncontract extension to determine the bestoption for an ACV solution. Because of theACV 1.2s uncertain time frame, some 392 of

1,062 existing AAV7A1s will be updated withlimited survivability/capability upgrades anda new transmission. Both BAE Systems andScience Applications International Corporationwere awarded initial engineering designand development contracts in May, with adownselect expected in mid-2015.

FILLING THE GAP

Other new equipment recently fielded in thePacific includes the Expeditionary Fire SupportSystem (EFSS) from General Dynamics Ordnanceand Tactical Systems (GD OTS). The V-22 Osprey-transportable EFSS comprises Growlersdiminutive M1163 Prime Mover that tows anM327 120mm rifled mortar (TDAs MO-120-RT).

First fielded in 2009, this weapon fills a majorgap between 81mm mortars and 155mmhowitzers. A total of 12 such mortars are stationedin Okinawa and Hawaii on the former site, fourEFSS systems (four mortars and four 36-roundammunition trailers) create a composite batteryalso equipped with six M777A2s. However, whileit is a capable system, marines have expressedconcern about the vehicles reliability.

The USMC is seeking a Precision ExtendedRange Munition permitting a 17km range for itsmortar, with both ATK/GD OTS and Raytheon/Israel Military Industries competing. Related tothe EFSS is the M1161 Light Strike Vehicle atotal of 209 M1161 and 144 M1163 vehicles havebeen produced.

The 155mm M777A2 towed howitzer replacedthe M198 some time ago in the Pacific, andcompleting the USMCs artillery triad is the M142High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System. Earlier thisyear, it was temporarily deployed to South Koreafor training its first time in the region.

Furthermore, the M224A1 60mm mortar (20%lighter than the legacy type) was issued to theUSMC in 2012, and it features a new tube and bipodthat does not require readjustment. The upgradedM252A1 81mm mortar is also expected soon.

RARE SIGHT

USMC M1A1 AIM Abrams MBTs are rarelyseen in Asia, although they did make a cameoappearance at Exercise Ssang Yong 2014 in SouthKorea. These pristine-condition tanks are keptaboard three maritime prepositioned shipslocated at Guam, along with M88A2 Herculesarmoured recovery vehicles that accompany theAbrams on deployments.

Tactical vehicle fleets have been progressivelyupdated by introducing up-armoured HMMWVsand MTVR trucks. The US Army/USMC Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme will replacethe HMMWV.

The winning design should be selected nextyear, with the USMC to take delivery of 5,500units. The army could equip its first brigade withJLTVs in 2018, but the USMC has not yetdelineated its delivery schedule. The LogisticsVehicle System Replacement (LVSR) heavy truckis used at higher unit levels in Okinawa.

First fielded in 2009, Oshkosh is building 1,592LVSRs under a $740.2 million contract. Theoriginal LVSs novel pivot-steer system is replacedby a regular 10x10 configuration.

One flow over from the Iraq/Afghanistan era isthe wider introduction of MRAP vehicles tomarine units. The USMC is thought to possess theOshkosh M-ATV and Force Protection Cougar inOkinawa, deployed at the divisional level theyrarely deploy for exercises owing to their size andweight. Arriving later will be some of the

An old faithful, and indispensable inthe Pacific region, is the AAV7A1 family.This AAV7PA1 is seen coming ashore inSouth Korea. (All photos: author)

The M1A1 AIM Abrams MBT is kept onmaritime prepositioned ships in Guam readyfor any serious regional combat contingency.



USMC UPDATE

101 BAE Systems Modernized M9 ArmoredCombat Earthmovers (ACE) due for delivery bythe end of FY2015.

CALL TO ARMS

Small arms are brought by units billeted underthe UDP, but there are many magazine-fed5.56mm M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles (IARs) thatare replacing the M249 Squad AutomaticWeapon. With over 4,000 units delivered to date,the IAR is based on the Heckler & Koch (H&K) 416.

In 2011, H&K was awarded a five-year indefinitedelivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract worthup to $23.6 million. Each infantry battalion isallocated 84 IARs, one per four-man fire team.Also coming on stream is the .45cal Colt M45A1

Close-Quarters Battle Pistol (CQBP) that replacesthe Beretta M9/M9A1. The company was given afive-year IDIQ contract potentially worth $22.5million for up to 12,000 CQBPs in July 2012. Thefirst order covered 4,036 pistols.

Elsewhere, an RfP for the next-generationShoulder-Launched Multipurpose AssaultWeapon Mod 2 is expected in November. Inrecent years, Nammo Talley tested a designpossessing a Raytheon sight and which permitsrocket firing from enclosed spaces.

Disaster relief is an important regional dutyand one of the USMCs most recent missions wasafter Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines inNovember 2013. Airports and port facilities wereout of action and the marines could employ their

expeditionary capabilities reverse-osmosiswater units are crucial in this kind of situation,with the newest being TerraGroups LightweightWater Purification System able to produce over800l per hour from a freshwater source.

The USMC has clearly been growing strongerin the Pacific with new equipment. Clardy said:Upcoming changes in force size, alignment andequipment that will assist in accomplishing ourmission of being the right force in the right placeat the right time include integration of the F-35BJoint Strike Fighter [slated for deployment toJapan in 2017], the continued development ofa Pacific reorientation and the continuedempowerment and prioritisation of our mostvaluable asset, our marines.

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USMC UPDATE


ELSEWHERE IN ASIA

The US Army, despite budget and personnelcutbacks, is also being prioritised forconventional warfare on the Korean Peninsula.Maj Gen Thomas Vandal, commander of about12,000 soldiers in the 2nd Infantry Division(2 ID), confirmed South Koreas importance:As part of the strategic shift to the Pacific,weve seen a corresponding effect on ourreadiness here on the Korean Peninsula. We asa division are fully funded to maintain ourreadiness. Weve gone through upgradesand modernisation. (See also interview on p36.)

Equipment upgrades are significant, with 2 IDboasting the latest M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams MBTs(featuring Kongsbergs Common Remotely

Operated Weapon Station, or CROWS II) and BAESystems M2A3/M3A3 Bradley IFVs.

Furthermore, six Assault Breacher Vehicles(ABV) arrived in-theatre last year. Boeing CH-47FChinooks are now operational, while the BoeingAH-64D Apache fleet has been upgraded.

Vandal revealed that M-ATVs will eventuallybe added to the inventory, and told LWI that2 ID has grown by 2,300 personnel, primarily viatwo rotational units an OH-58D helicoptersquadron and combined-arms battalion thatarrived in February.

The balance in troop numbers is accountedfor by the 23rd Chemical Battalion. Equippedwith GDLS M1135 Stryker NBC ReconnaissanceVehicles, the unit arrived in South Korea last

year. With three combined-arms battalionscontaining the armys most sophisticatedarmoured vehicles, 2 ID is clearly a muchstronger division now.

As our army is increasing the capacity ofbrigade combat teams, were one of the firstdivisions to make that transition to having threemanoeuvre battalions, Vandal explained.

Further evidence of the US Armys readiness inthe Korean Peninsula is eight Patriot batteries.On a recent visit to Osan AFB, LWI witnessedPatriot PAC-2 GEM/T and PAC-3 launchersarrayed in a northerly direction. A fifth of USactive-duty Patriot brigades are deployed inSouth Korea, representing a major commitmentto the region. LWI

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GRENADES

F or 100 years, the high-explosive fragment-ation grenade has held its place as thesoldiers personal support weapon. From theMills No 5 of 1915 to the US Armys M67, theBritish Armys L109 and the BundeswehrsDM51, their simple technology, tacticaladaptability and destructive power have keptthe weapon by the infantrymans side.

In the US Army, correct and safe use of theM67 is regarded as so essential that trainingbegins at the initial entry stage. For the BritishArmy, a spokesperson for the Small Arms SchoolCorps (SASC) told Land Warfare International : AllInfantry personnel are trained with grenades, andmost if not all infantry soldiers will carry grenadesdepending on the operation.

For procurement authorities, this meanssupplying grenades in large numbers. A $78million contract awarded to manufacturer Day &Zimmerman in 2010 for the production of M67sfor the US Army specified a minimum of 250,000grenades a year, with an option for 780,000 peryear in 2013-14.

Even in the midst of the retrograde fromAfghanistan in late 2013, US Army ContractingCommand was looking for new suppliers andestimated its future requirements at anywherebetween 35,000 and 400,000 M67s a year.

UNCERTAIN FUTUREHowever, the potential requirement is not thesame as receiving firm orders and sight of futurecontracts. The trade-offs and strains on defencebudgets are forcing some munitions companiesto consider their future in grenade developmentand production.

In April, Chemring Group took the decision tofocus its efforts on defence electronics andcountermeasures, selling its European Munitionsbusinesses after it saw profits in the sector dropby 25 million ($40.5 million) in under three years.Order volatility was one of the reasons it gave forthe sale, that and the fact it described itself as arelatively small player in a highly competitiveinternational market place.

The companies Chemring sold Mecar basedin Belgium and Italys Simmel Difesa are known

INSAFERHANDS

While grenades canprovide lethal force at closerange, they also can causesignificant collateral damage.Anthony Hall examinesefforts by industry to lowerthe potential danger to

friendly forces while stillcreating a deadly weapon.

A USMC squad leader throws atraining grenade during an ambushexercise in Al Quweira, Jordan, in June 2013. (Photo: USMC)



GRENADES


Researchers are trying tofind less poisonous

alternatives to activecompositions such as red

phosphorous and

hexachloroethane.not only for their manufacture of grenades,fuses and pyrotechnics, but developmentand design.

The new owner, French armamentsmanufacturer Nexter Systems, views theseacquisitions as a strengthening of its core skills,and considers the purchase a strong strategicmove. Philippe Burtin, chairman and CEO,described the 138 million deal as confirmingthe key role of the group in the momentum ofEuropean consolidation.

PRIORITY ORDER The Nexter purchase is indicative of the prioritybeing placed on R&D and developmentalpartnerships across the munitions sector, and inparticular with regard to hand grenades thatare currently building on a series of technicalinnovations.

The basic design of the fragmentationgrenade steel body filled with high explosive,pyrotechnic delay fuse of about five seconds,safety pin and lever, all weighing about a pound has not changed much since the first close-combat trench assaults on the Western Front.What was required then was a hand-thrownbomb that was reliable and simple to use. Thetactics of the time required such a weapon andaccelerated its development.

Today, there are new tactical imperatives. Theincreasing prevalence of close-quarters combatin urban areas among civilian populations isdriving the need for hand grenades that target anenemy while avoiding harm to civilians andfriendly forces. The SASC spokesperson explainedthat when clearing an enemy from rooms inbuildings the potential presence of civilians andproximity and cover available to friendly troopsare primary considerations.

In these operations, the fragmentationgrenade can be too powerful a weapon. In theopen, an exploding M67 can kill within a 5mradius, produce casualties to a distance of 15mand send fragments out to 230m. Consequently,it can be as lethal to the assaulting forces as thedefenders inside there is no guarantee walls willoffer protection.

OFFENSIVE ACTIONAn answer to the problem has come in the formof the concussion or offensive grenade, suchas the US MK3A2 and types produced bymanufacturers including Rheinmetall, Diehl andNammo. They rely on the shockwave of the highexplosive alone to cause casualties. Rheinmetallstates that its type 08, for example, is capable ofgenerating up to 28psi.

While there is no shrapnel from a steel shell toworry about, the blast radius still restricts thetactical manoeuvrability of attackers to a safezone. Manufacturers have supplied atechnological answer by creating a modulargrenade that the soldier can adjust to explodewith different levels of blast.

Known as a scalable hand grenade, theinnovation has proven so successful that in 2013Norway-based Nammo through its Arizonasubsidiary Nammo Talley was awarded a five-year $40 million contract to supply US SpecialOperations Command. Production will take placeat the companys Vihtavuori plant in Finland.

Sampsa Kainulainen, marketing and salesmanager at Nammo, explained that a user canuse the fuse with one, two or three separategrenade bodies, and the difference of effect willbe significant. The user needs to have only one

offensive hand grenade that can be adjusted tothe needed performance.

Changing the configuration is as simple aslocking one grenade body into the base ofanother. Kainulainen added: With two bodies,the effect is at the same level as our normaloffensive hand grenade.

FRAGMENTED APPROACHDiehl has adapted this modular idea to thefragmentation grenade. It produces theBundeswehrs DM51 in two parts: explosivebody with fuse and detonator; and a separatecylindrical fragmentation jacket. Attaching the jacket over the body changes the weapon fromconcussion to fragmentation, and allows severalgrenade bodies to be added together toproduce a cluster charge for combat demolition.

Given that this was the hand grenades originalpurpose in World War I not anti-personnel it ishardly surprising the capability is being exploitedonce again, but this time with a modern twist.Rheinmetall is developing a shaped cuttingcharge for its expandable grenade (the HG 08),which it says will be able to punch a 30mm holethrough 15mm of armour plate.

Swedens Defence Materiel Administration(FMV) has acquired the HG 08 during its

Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers usegrenades to simulate a compound clearanceat an Afghan village training facility inNorfolk, UK. (Photo: Crown Copyright)



GRENADES

replenishment of its grenade stocks. As part ofthat renewal process, the FMV, working withSwedens Defence Research Establishment (FOA),has also gone into hand grenade development,producing a weapon that the administration callsthe biggest news in the hand grenade area sinceWorld War I.

The new weapon, known as the AB HGr, isdesigned to defeat an enemy protected behindcover. Once thrown, pyrotechnic charges set thegrenade the right way up on the ground, firingthe body up to 2m into the air, which thenexplodes, concentrating shrapnel downwards ina cone pattern.

EARLY INNOVATIONS These innovations are not new in themselves.Enabling a hand grenade to detonate aboveground is a well-known combat technique theUS Army has strict instructions on cooking offseconds from a grenades fuse delay beforethrowing it, and jumping munitions such asthe German S Mine or Bouncing Betty werefirst developed in the 1930s and used duringWorld War II.

Where the AB HGr innovates is in targetingthe shrapnel, a feature designed to limitcollateral damage and injury to civilians. FMVproduct manager Ian Kinley told LWI : Thereduction of collateral damage was alwaysa central feature. This is not necessarily inopposition to military efficiency. As all thefragments are directed in one desired direction[in this case downward from the point of airburst] the fragmentation density increases, thusincreasing hit probability. No fragments willbe directed in other directions, thus reducingcollateral damage.

To further reduce the risk, the grenade addsanother feature. Kinley continued: The fragmentsare given a special shape in order to air-brakequickly outside of the target area of 5m radius. At30m distance skin will not break.

The FMV has also made the point that itsairburst grenade is also cost-effective. Betterefficiency means less need to be carried, leadingto simpler logistics and training requirements.

Kinley added: This jumping technique isinexpensive and well suited for hand emplacedordnance. It might well find its way to othersystems. A variation of the jump mechanism hasbeen considered for a new smoke hand grenade.Also the technique of directed fragmentationdownward has been discussed for a small mortargrenade in order to minimise collateral damage.

From the prototype stage, development of thelive AB HGr took two and a half years, Kinleyexplained. Rheinmetall was awarded the contractto take the grenade to full production standard in2010, with first deliveries in 2011. FMV still holdsthe patent, but Kinley said that industry hasexpressed interest in acquiring it and discussionsare now under way.

INSENSITIVE MUNITIONS The efforts being made to reduce collateraldamage are being matched by the workdeveloping grenades that comply withinsensitive munitions standards, such as NATOsSTANAG 4439. Australian Munitions, a subsidiaryof Thales Australia, is currently working inpartnership with Diehl to develop a new handgrenade for the Australian forces that will resistunintended detonation due to impact or fire.

Hand grenades also pose a risk in storagebecause some of their constituent parts canbe poisonous. In the UK and US, researchestablishments are undertaking work toreplace toxic chemicals in the weapons withwhat US Army Research, Development andEngineering Command (RDECOM) refers to asenvironmentally benign materials.

RDECOM is currently seeking workablereplacements for the active chemicals in theM67s M213 detonator that include toxiccompounds of lead.

Problems have also been found with smokeand signalling grenades. After years ofoperational use, the smoke from those in UK andUS service are now regarded as carrying apotential toxic risk. Both the UKs DefenceScience and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)and the US Armys Armament ResearchDevelopment and Engineering Center (ARDEC)are trying to find less poisonous alternatives toactive compositions such as red phosphorousand hexachloroethane.

Progress is being made however. The DSTL isnow working with industry to find suitablealternatives, while at ARDEC Anthony Shaw haswon plaudits for researching the use boron oxide(BC), a chemical that has more to recommend itthan lack of toxicity, he explained.

A benefit of the new BC smoke composition isthat they may be tuned to release a smoke cloudover a wide range of times, he said. We canproduce a very thick cloud rapidly for immediateobscuration, or we can release the smoke moreslowly to obscure a larger area for a longer time.Another important benefit is that they are veryinsensitive to unintended ignition. This is a veryimportant factor in munitions safety.

Furthermore, there is a new class of handgrenade to which none of these concerns apply.As combat changes, so does the hand grenadeand its tactical utility has now been recognised bythose who wage electronic warfare.

Israel-based Netline Communications Technologies has developed a portableelectronic jammer, the size of a hand grenade,and weighing just over 0.9kg, which can bedeployed to suppress signals to IEDs, particularlyin urban areas.

While Netlines device is defensive, reportsin 2011 indicated that the US Army wasinvestigating the feasibility of a high-powermicrowave grenade that could defeat IEDs bygenerating a short but powerful electromagneticpulse to short their circuits. LWI

Testing of the AB HGr grenade by SwedensFMV shows the effect of the shrapnelcoverage designed to hit targets takingcover. (Photo: FMV)



Among the characteristics of militaryoperations since 9/11 has been the abilityof US and other coalition dismounted troops tooperate effectively at night. Our night vision [NV]and precision targeting devices are providingunparalleled capability for our soldiers to see inlow- and no-light conditions with accuracy andat greater ranges, Brig Gen Paul Ostrowski of theUS Armys Program Executive Office Soldier toldthe House Armed Services Committee.

The AN/PAS-13 Thermal Weapon Sight (TWS),introduced into US Army service in 1998, providessoldiers armed with individual and crew-servedweapons with the capability to see deep into thebattlefield. It increases the surveillance and targetacquisition range day or night.

The TWS systems use uncooled, FLIRtechnology and provide a standard video outputfor training, image transfer or remote viewing.Furthermore, they are lightweight and can bemounted on a weapon rail to make use of themaximum weapon range.

FAMILY MEMBERS

The battery-powered TWS family comprisesthree variants: the AN/PAS-13(V)1 Light Weapon Thermal Sight (LWTS) for use on the 5.56mmM4 carbine, 5.56mm M16 rifle and M136 LightAnti-Armour Weapon; the AN/PAS-13(V)2Medium Weapon Thermal Sight for use on the5.56mm M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW)and 7.62mm M240B-series medium machineguns; and the AN/PAS-13(V)3 Heavy Weapon Thermal Sight for mounting on squad leadersM4/M16 weapons, 7.62mm M24 and 7.62mmM110 sniper rifles, the .50cal M2 HB heavymachine gun and 40mm MK19 automaticgrenade launchers.

Product Manager Soldier Maneuver Sensorsis now fielding TWS systems incorporating17-micron (17m) technology that providesimprovements in SWaP over earlierconfigurations. Compared to the 25m sights,the 17m TWS will provide an average 15%reduction in weight, 41% increase in range

performance across all variants, and a battery lifeimprovement of 7%, said Ostrowski.

For example, the 25m LWTS weighs 862g,operates for ten hours using four lithium AAbatteries and is able to recognise a target at550m. In comparison, the new 17m LWTSweighs 794g and operates for 20 hours using thesame number of batteries.

The sights are manufactured by BAE Systems,DRS Optronics and Raytheon, with cumulativeorders reaching over $1 billion. TWS systems havebeen sold through the FMS programme to theCzech Republic, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Thailand, as well through direct commercial salesto other US allies. According to the US ArmysFY2015 budget request, the service will completefielding of the TWS in that financial year.

The army plans to fund the procurement of anew Family of Weapon Sights-Sniper (FWS-S)from FY2019, and states that this will utiliseadvances in thermal and image intensificationtechnology to provide a sniper weapon sight

SEEINGTHE SIGHTS

NIGHT VISION

The AN/PSQ-20 ENVG combines the visual detailin low-light conditions that is provided by imageintensification with the thermal sensors abilityto see through fog, dust and foliage that obscurevision. (All photos: PEO Soldier)

The ability to see and engage targets effectively at night is critical to modern military operations. Ian Kemp examines recent night weapon sight developments in the US.



NIGHT VISION

operable in line with a day optic sight or in astandalone mode. The FWS-S includes fusedmulti-band imagery and rapid target acquisitionwith ballistic equations providing the sniperwith improved capabilities during day andnight operations.

CLIP-ON CAPABILITY

Clip-on NV devices can be used in conjunctionwith weapon-mounted day sights to provide alightweight night engagement solution. Thiscapability eliminates the dangerous loss of zerothat results when users are forced to switchbetween day scopes and night sights.

Knights Armament Company, whichmanufactures the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper

System, also produces the AN/PVS-30 Clip-onSniper Night Sight (CoSNS) for use with theweapon and the newly fielded M2010 EnhancedSniper Rifle.

Combined with the rifles day optic sight, itenables personnel-sized target recognition atquarter-moon illumination in clear air to a rangeof 600m. It employs a variable-gain image tubethat can be adjusted by the sniper depending onambient light levels. One AA battery provides 30hours of operation.

The CoSNS has an integrated adapter thatinterfaces directly to the MIL-STD-1913 rail forquick and easy mounting/dismounting from theweapon. The AN/PVS-30 weighs less than 1.59kgand allows a sniper to maintain the current level

of accuracy with the M110 and deliver precise firewithin one minute of angle. Use of the SNS doesnot affect the zero and allows the M110 andM2010 to maintain boresight throughout thefocus range of the SNS, and the M110 and M2010day optical sight. In service since FY2011, fieldingwill soon be complete.

IN COMMAND

US Special Operation Commands (USSOCOMs)Improved Night/Day Fire Control/ObservationDevice (INOD) programme is intended to fielda family in four blocks of sniper sights usingimage intensification (I2), thermal and fusiontechnology. The command is now fielding INODBlock 3, an inline, clip-on device.

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MissionNight Vision

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The AN/PAS-13(V)3 Heavy TWSs 17mtechnology enables snipers to identifytargets at ranges of up to 2,200m.



NIGHT VISION


According to the solicitation, the INOD Block 3offers an improvement over the in-serviceAN/PVS-26 and AN/PAS-31 by providing sniperswith a true all-weather, all-condition, low-light/no light long-range capability.

In September 2012, the Naval Surface WarfareCenter Crane Division selected DRS Imaging and Targeting Solutions to develop and produce theINOD Block 3. USSOCOM could order up to 1,500sights, potentially worth up to $48 million, for thefive-year period of the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract.

In Q4 2014, the Program Executive OfficeSpecial Operations Forces Warrior is expectedto release an RfP for the Clip-on VisualAugmentation Device Sensor Fused (CVAD-SF),

a next-generation clip-on device which willfuse near IR and thermal capability withadjustable intensity.

The CVAD-SF must be compatible with currentUSSOCOM day scopes, and will be mounted onthe 7.62mm Mk17 Combat Assault Rifle andM4 carbine. The device must operate under alllighting conditions to 400m without detection. The threshold weight is 1.13kg with an objectiveweight of 0.68kg. The command plans to awarda five-year, $50 million IDIQ contract in Q4 2015.

This year, the US Army has achieved fulloperational capability with the AN/PVS-14Monocular Night Vision Device. Produced byExelis and L-3 Warrior Systems, it features a Gen 3F9815 I2 tube with a variable gain control to

achieve an optimum balance in the images seenby both eyes.

According to Exelis: The dark-adaptedunaided eye provides situational awarenessand vision of close-range objects, while thenight vision-aided eye provides long-range visionof potential threats and targets. This visualflexibility enables the soldier to move quietly andeffectively under all night conditions.

The AN/PVS-14 can be worn on the head,mounted on a helmet or used as a handhelddevice. It can also be mounted on a MIL-STD-1913weapon rail behind a standard collimated dotsight. To extend the sights effective range, it canbe fitted with a 3x magnifier. One AA batteryprovides at least 20 hours of use.

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VEHICLE SUBSYSTEMS

T he proponents of manned turret systemsargue that, on the battlefield, there is nosubstitute for direct human observation, andthat using video and optical surveillancesystems from inside the hull can only go so farin this role.

The fact that there are still companies producingmanned solutions, and that new armouredvehicles and upgrades developed for high-end warfighting armies, such as the UKs WarriorCapability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) andScout SV, will be fitted with manned turrets are atestament to their enduring capabilities.

DIVIDING LINE

However, the turret market is a complex one andBelgian manufacturer CMI believes that there is adivide between the richer NATO countries thatcan afford more complex technological systemsand the rest of the world. CMI focuses on thelatter market and has been engaged in securingexports for a long time.

James Caudle, executive vice-president,commercial at CMI, told Land WarfareInternational that in non-NATO countries there

are a few signs of growing interest in remotesystems, but because of faith in the Mk 1 eyeballand a lack of trust of an image on a screen,manned systems remain essential.

Nonetheless, he believes that the advantagesof remote weapon stations (RWS) in termsof weight efficiency are so great that the trendtowards unmanned is unstoppable in thelong term.

Weight is a critical factor in less developedcountries, where infrastructure and terrain meanthat there would be difficulty supporting aLeopard 2 MBT with a gross vehicle weight(GVW) of 60-70t. Therefore, the emphasis is ontactical mobility.

Caudle said that CMI wants to offer highlethality at lower weight, and has developed theXC-8 turret system that has a gun in the 105-120mm calibre range and can be put on an 8x8vehicle such as the General Dynamics Piranha IIIor Patria AMV.

At Eurosatory this year, the XC-8 was seenfitted on a CV90 tracked IFV and the broadlysimilar Korean Doosan DST K-21, so althoughCaudle said that in Asia interest has been

almost exclusively wheeled, there is clearly aninitial interest in putting the turret on trackedsystems too.

They are interested in having somethingmuch lighter than an MBT but with firepower,Caudle said.

HISTORICAL INTEREST

He added that, historically, 90mm gun turretshave been most popular among the largercalibres and, although some may have writtenthem off there is still demand and CMI are stillmaking them. Also at Eurosatory, CMIs CSE 90LP(low-pressure) 90mm gun turret was seenfitted to a Textron Commando 6x6 vehicle, whichthe manufacturer is exporting to Colombiaand Afghanistan.

The CSE 90LP has also been fitted to theBTR-3E 8x8 APC as a demonstration to approachthe retrofit market and see if customerswant more firepower in the mix with lightervehicle variants.

CMI has already delivered a batch of CSE 90LPturrets, and there is continuing forward demand. The installation is in service with the

OCCUPANCYRATES

Despite the recentproliferation of

remote-controlledweapon stations,

the manned turretstill has a future,finds Tim Fish .

The LCTS 90MP uses a digital, stabilised,day/night weapon control system to fire the90mm gun. (Photo: CMI)



VEHICLE SUBSYSTEMS

Indonesian Army, mounted on Doosan Black Fox6x6 APCs, and was formally accepted into serviceearlier this year. I can guarantee you will see it onmany more vehicles in the coming year or two,Caudle said.

In the same calibre, CMI also offers the LCTS90MP (medium pressure) turret with the maindifference being muzzle energy, as the latter canfire armour-piercing fin-stabilised (APFS) rounds.That capability can be mounted on a Pandur6x6 or the Piranha II 8x8 with a GVW of 15t butwith the ability to kill a T-55 with an APFS round,Caudle said.

However he admitted that 90mm turretsare not a massive market: It is not the sort ofthing where the likes of GD are going to develop

a 90mm turret, so it is pretty much a nichein which CMI has a monopoly. It is goodbusiness for us but too small for a new entrant oranyone else.

FULLY LOADED

Caudle added that as countries are getting richer,they are interested in something bigger: 120mm

is overkill for a lot of the rest of the world, so mostof the focus is on 105mm.

In terms of turret technology, the criticalenabler to reducing weight is the autoloader.According to Caudle, to produce a 105mm turretthat can deliver a low enough GVW for tacticalmobility, then the manual loader needs to bereplaced with an automatic system.

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The Lancer turret has been fitted to the Boxer 8x8 IFV in recent trials. (Photo: Rheinmetall)



VEHICLE SUBSYSTEMS


Autoloaders are not new, but in the contextof a sellable 105mm system, I think we are thefirst. There have been other experimentalsystems. But the difference is we build to sell forthe user to use, he said, noting that CMI hassecured a launch customer for its CT-CV 105HPturret system. In the lower-calibre divisions, thereis still scope for manned medium turrets in the

25-40mm range and CMI has developed a two-man turret that can also be operated remotely.

We have not formally launched itpublicly, but it has pretty much completeddevelopment and it does exist, it fires,Caudle said, although he would not be drawnon whether CMI had a launch customer forthis particular product.

NEW BUILDS

He added that while CMI is approaching theretrofit market with the BTR-3E, most of itsbusiness is new-build.

With 105mm it does not make sense to put anexpensive new turret on an old vehicle the costof one is going to greatly outweigh the other andthere will be a mismatch in capability. If you lookat whole turrets, the arguments for upgrade arenot that strong, Caudle said.

CMIs biggest market areas are the Middle Eastand Asia, with South America and Africa alsoof importance. Caudle said that these marketareas outside the West are concerned at thecomplexity of the user interfaces that advancedsystems are using.

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The 105-120mm XC-8 turret has been displayed on platforms including this CV90. (Photo: CMI)



VEHICLE SUBSYSTEMS

A modern weapon control system can besimple to use, but the problem often comeswhen an unforeseen fault develops and thebehaviour of the system changes completely. The crew then has to figure out what wentwrong. In the First World, it is why they buy

big and expensive simulator systems, so theinstructor can simulate a fault on the systemwhen the crew is in the middle of theengagement. But in a lot of other countriesin the world that represents a challenge, anentirely new paradigm, with the training and

the ability of the operator to cope with it,Caudle said.

A lot of the world market is looking for simpler,less complex control interfaces between themen, and the system and I dont think that is asmall issue.

The most essential part of the turret isits fundamental raison dtre the gun.CTAI, a joint venture between BAE Systemsand Nexter, is in the process of qualifyinga weapon for the UK MoD and French

DGA that will fit their next-generationarmoured vehicles.A spokesperson from CTAI told LWI that

the companys 40mm cannon has achievedfull safety certification from the UK MoD forarmour-piercing and target practice roundsand it is now qualifying a high-explosivepoint detonation round that is due forcertification by mid-2015, with an airburstnature to follow. This will be in time fortest firings by the UKs WCSP and later theScout SV.

KEY COMPONENTCTAI is working with the MoD on ITT for

series production. The plan is to have vehiclesdelivered in the 2017 time frame and we needto have weapons ready for integration forLockheed Martin and General Dynamics to do

their work, he said. The company will be ready next year for aseries production contract, then around 2018-19CTAI starts on French EBRC vehicle deliveries.

An assessment in 2008 by the UK MoDfound that a 40mm calibre weapon is requiredagainst large target threats. The spokespersonsaid the problem is that when a weapon ofthis size is installed in the turret there not muchspace for crew. Even with a 35mm gun, such asthat fitted to the CV90 turret, the gunners bodytouches the turret on one side and the weapon

on the other and he cannot see the other manunless the barrel is elevated, putting the breechfurther down into the turret.

The spokesman said that CTAI has overcomethis space issue by effectively removing the backend of the breech, rotating it and putting theinductor at the side.

Advances in gun design meanthere is more space in the turret

for the crew. (Photo: CTAI)

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VEHICLE SUBSYSTEMS


INCREASED CAPABILITY

For Western and other modern military markets,there are longer-running complex programmesafoot, and companies are competing to addtechnologies that increase the capabilities of turrets.

German manufacturer Rheinmetall producesthe Lancer turret. Andreas Riedel, head of thecompanys turrets product division, told LWI thatit uses a state-of-the-art fire control system (FCS)with a third-generation thermal imager, high-resolution camera and laser rangefinder to 10kmwith a fully stabilised line of sight for commanderand gunner. Automation of the FCS incorporatesadditional situation awareness systems andtarget recognition and tracking.

Lancer uses digital and electrical drivesystems there are no hydraulics in the turretany more and armour to STANAG level 4 thatcan be increased to level 5 or 6 for more frontalprotection. It can also integrate an anti-tankguided missile (ATGM) system to increasefirepower and provide a capability to engagestronger armoured targets.

Lancer has been fielded by the SpanishMarines on four vehicles in their Piranha IIIC fleetthat were delivered at the end of 2012.

Initially the programme said the four medium-calibre variants of this fleet of vehicles wouldbe fitted with the OTO Melara Hitfist turret, butthey looked at what Hitfist offered in terms ofperformance and state of the technology andthen the Spanish Marines decided to move to theLancer, Riedel said.

MINOR MODIFICATION

Lancer was offered for the Canadian CloseCombat Vehicle programme before it wascancelled, and Riedel said Rheinmetall ispromoting it on the ARTEC Boxer platform,although it is compatible with other 8x8 chassis.

Upgrades are possible on older IFVs likeRheinmetalls Marder and will fit on otherarmoured vehicles.

You dont need to modify the vehicle, exceptmaybe the space that you need for the turretB-ring and the basket, Riedel said. Mardervehicles carried a 20mm turret and you can easily

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Land Warfare Vol5 #5