PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE: MAY 2015 • 3 Added • 12 Updates • 3 Completed
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www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 27 PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE MAY 2015
Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
Australia Land 125 Phase 3 Phase 2 completed. Includes Elbit Craig International Ballistics Phase 3C, focus on Phase 3 being Systems, has secured a major long- “Lethality” continues. acquired; 3A C4I, Harris, Thales term contract under Land 125 3B Soldier Combat & Selex. Phase 3B to supply advanced This last phase is focused Ensemble and 3C is protective body armour to the on an upgrade of the UPDATED Enhanced Austeyr and Australian Defence Force. Austeyr F-88 bullpup STA. assault rifle to EF-88 The contract involves the specification overseen by manufacture of around Thales, which is now in 20,000 sets of body armour the process of selecting for the Australian Army at a suppliers for a range of value of approximately $49 accessories that must fit million. The contract is for the weapon’s STANAG four years with a three year 4694 rail system. extension option. Australia Land 125 To be managed TBC All personnel in Land 125-4 Strategy has not been fully Phase 4 (Army by Diggerworks. will already have L53-1BR scoped. Cost estimated at High Priority Equipping the - Night Fighting Equipment A$500m-$1500m although Capability Gaps soldier after 2020. technology re-fresh L125- expected to be towards - Next Soldier Programme likely to 3B – Survivability – the the lower end. $7.5 Enhancement) be renamed. Broad Soldier Combat Ensemble million of Phase 4 funding cuts to defence (Protection, Platform, allocated to new DMTC to budget have seen First Pouches, Packs) L125- develop new technology. Pass Delayed by a year 3C – Enhanced F88 with to 2015 and the whole ‘open architecture’ Army Phase 4 programme Minors, Force Protection due to complete in Review, Sustainment – 2023. F88SA2 and 3, 7.62mm MG, 7.62mm Marksman Rifle. In December 2013, Elbit Systems announced a $229 million pair of Australian contract modifications for Risk Reduction Activities, and additional Battle Management Systems. The exercised options and risk reduction survey and quote were separate items, but both fall within the existing contract. Work will be performed over the next 3 years. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Australia Land 200 LAND 200 Tranche Elbit Systems LAND 200 Tranche 2 was LAND 200 will undergo 1 was endorsed endorsed by Government its greatest challenge LAND 200 by Government in in August 2013 and will between 2013 and 2018 nomenclature is November 2009. New continue with PMV and in delivering a holistic the combination NEW! radios and systems G-Wagon installations, as well Land Networking solution of the following commenced delivery as installation of radios and to two Army formations, projects/phases: across Defence in May systems into the M113AS4s, enabling Brigades, • LAND 75 Phase 2011. LAND 121 Medium Heavy training establishments, 3.2 & Phase Trucks, and PMV-Light. Special Forces and 3.3. Battlefield LAND 200 Tranche other Services. LAND Command 1 is due to reach full 200 Tranche 3, planned Support System operational capability for 2017 – 2021-22, will (BCSS) in 2014 with the complete deliveries to the • LAND 75 final delivery of all remainder of Defence and Phase 3.4. Battle equipment. Under provide technical refresh Management this Tranche, Army will of equipment previously System – Mounted receive digital Battle delivered in Tranche 1 (BMS-M) Management Systems and 2. • LAND 125 for the soldier, Phase 3. Battle Protected Mobility Management Vehicles, Unimog and System – G Wagon. Dismounted (BMS-D)
28 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
Austria Soldat der Concept Phase TBC The Rheinmetall Group The new modular Gladius System, Zukunft concludes 2011. has been awarded an which provides soldiers with high- Acquisition €84 million (US$112 tech protective gear backed by a The system postponed to now million) contract to networked array of communication – originally begin from 2015. supply a further sixty and navigation equipment, is known as of its Gladius “future currently being used by German “Infanterist Der soldier” systems to the troops in Afghanistan. Zukunft” or German Federal Defense “Future Soldier” Force. NO NEW INFO – is now called SINCE LAST UPDATE “Gladius” (Latin for sword) Austria Soldat 2015 Near term TBC Madritsch delivered first Brigadier General Norbert procurement of batch of its AG77 A1/ HuberHead of Force Development radios, hearing ML40. Division, Austrian Army spoke at protection and The Infantry Weapons and Support head subsystem. Systems 2014 conference, held September 2014 in London, UK. He gave a brief on developments and progress of SOLDAT 2015 to this point, and discussed: • Austrian infantry support systems; shoulder launched munitions now and in the future • Austrian efforts to integrate non- lethal weapons and their potential benefits • The future direction of the Austrian infantry; modernization developments over in the next 5 years NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Belgium BEST R&D and market Sagem The commissioning of Smart vest is approaching final studies. the new modular combat phases, including integrated helmet has been delayed head gear and the E-lighter. The until 2016 and a three- commissioning of the new modular year contract with Fokker combat helmet has been delayed UPDATED Aerostructures for the until 2016 and a three-year contract further development of with Fokker Aerostructures for the the E-lighter was signed further development of the E-lighter in September 2011. was signed in September 2011. Brazil Combatente 2007 Army General TBC $14m award for Harris The contract involves the supply of Brasileiro Staff endorsement. Falcon II&III radios in radios to the Brazilian army’s center (COBRA) R&D and testing RF-7800V in Feb. 2011. for communications and electronic and evaluation First 86 VBTP-MR Guarani warfare. phase until 2013 6x6 IFVs delivered Both the RF-7800V and RF-7800S linked to AFV work. in December 2013, systems are essential to the COBRA requirement for 2130. modernization program, as they NO NEW INFO SINCE will provide secure voice and LAST UPDATE high-bandwidth data applications, including video combat chat. Canada Integrated Project restarted in Companies The successful bidder will By December of 2014, the Canadian Soldier System February 2013, with expressing receive two contracts. government expects to award Project (ISSP) a formal RFP for interest The first will cover a the first phase of a program to new bids reissued include: period of about four purchase a new integrated system in August of 2013. Elbit Systems years and will see the of computers, communications and UPDATED with L-3, delivery of Integrated sensors for individual soldiers. Thales Canada, Soldier Systems (ISS) Rheinmetall for qualification. If the Canada with systems pass review, Saab, General then the government Dynamics will purchase systems in Canada, batches, totalling 1,600 Sagem with in all. Raytheon, DRS Technologies and Selex.
www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 29 PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE MAY 2015
Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
Croatia ‘Future Soldier’ EDA/LCG/1 Procurement New uniform and load New sniper rifles demo-ed: Berta participation only for carriage procured. First 1000 Projekt BP 08 M in .338 Lapua on C4I. Afghanistan VHS 5.56mm assault rifle and .300 Win Mag and Agencija deployment delivered. NO NEW INFO Alan’s MACS M4 12.7mm. inc. Motorola SINCE LAST UPDATE Program is almost an end, should GP300, Kroko be fully implemented by the end ballistic vest, of 2015. Sestan Busch helmet. Czech Voják 21 ‘V21’ V21 2004-6 single VOP-026 New Ceska Zbrojovka assault Plans to acquire 10,000 CZ 805 Republic or Soldier 21 demonstrator led V21 and rifle postponed in 2011 due Bren assault rifles, 7,000 CZ 75 Squad level ‘Sesedak’’ to funding. NO NEW INFO Phantom pistols and 500 CZ ‘Sesedak’ SINCE LAST UPDATE Scorpion SMGs from 2014-2020. experimentation in 2007-9. Denmark ‘Danish Army Work on integrated As Recent funding of Aimpoint Contracted with Harris for 3500 Network SMP ended equipment. laser light module, ballistic SPRs with INVISIO V60 ancillaries Enabled Soldier’ 2005 in favour eye protection, first aid kit, in October. (DANES) of incremental combat vest and Personal The Royal Danish Army acquisition. May Role Radio. NO NEW INFO announced in March 2014 it procure systems SINCE LAST UPDATE has selected the U.S. Ordnance from 2015-20. M60E6 as its new General Incremental Purpose Machine Gun. The procurement in M60E6 was chosen for the meantime for benefits it holds over the current Afghanistan. M/62 MG3 which has been in use Move to acquire with the Danish Army since 1962. dismounted BMS Additionally, the Danish Army is 2009-14. also in the process of obtaining an optics and sensor package for the new MG, including unspecified daylight optics, thermal optics, red dot optics, tactical lights, tactical lasers, and laser range finders. Finland Now known as Technology TP2010 Tactical Headgear for The ‘future soldier’ program Warrior 2020 Programme 2010 includes Operational Requirements for the Finnish Army known (TP2010) until 2014. Savox as (THOR) has been adopted by as ‘Warrior 2020′ is currently Fielding from 2017. integrator the Finnish Defense Forces conducted on a parallel and Millog, as the helmet component of path, under the Technology UPDATED Nethawk and their Soldier Modernization Programme 2010 (TP2010) Insta. Program: Warrior 2020. framework spanning four years A multi-year contract was of evaluation and development recently let by the Finnish of advanced soldier systems for Defense Forces Logistics the Finnish Army, scheduled to Command, with initial be fielded by 2017. deliveries being used for acceptance testing. Savox is the prime contractor of the consortium behind THOR, along with industry partners, Millog Oy (night vision) and Fy-Composites Oy (ballistic protection). France FELIN Total of 22,588 Sagem On 3 April 2015, The French COMPLETED (Fantassin à equipment defense procurement A total of 18,552 FELIN systems Equipements sets ordered agency DGA (Direction will be delivered to the French et Liaisons est. $1billion Générale de l’Armement) army according to the 2014-2019 Intégrés) Completing fielding announced a contract defense program law. At the end UPDATED in 2015. with Sagem (Safran) for of 2014, Sagem had fully outfitted “FELIN V1.3” concerning 17 regiments with FELIN systems. the integration of several The system has already been operational improvements deployed in Afghanistan and in the FELIN infantry soldier African theaters of operation. modernization system The program is being conducted already in service with the under the management French army. responsibility of French defense procurement agency DGA.
30 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
France FELIN V.2 Technology Sagem See NEW Programme Below Probable Point at which FELIN Roadmap/ integrated into Scorpion. Concept phase. Initial upgrade for FELIN is planned for 2015 followed by a significant boost in 2020. France Arme Procurement for Expressing A total of 90,000 weapons The bid request requires the Individuelle new assault rifle interest are: are to be purchased, AIF standard to be integrated Future (AIF) Belgium-designed comprised of 45,000 assault with the other aspects of FN Herstal rifles and 45,000 carbines, France’s FELIN future soldier FN SCAR-L (as all chambered in 5.56 mm system modernisation UPDATED already used x 45 NATO ammunition. programme. by French The tender includes all Of those who have submitted special forces), additional accessories, spare rifles for consideration, HK Germany’s parts, maintenance kits, and Heckler & Koch 416 remains Heckler & Koch instruction and technical in the group of favorites. As HK416A5, Italy’s support, as well as the does the FN SCAR Belgian Beretta ARX160, provision of under-barrel 40 Fabrique National Herstal also the CZ 805 BREN mm grenade launchers, 38 the AXR160 of Italian Beretta, of the Czech million training cartridges, the SIG SG 550 and 553 of Republic, and 21,000 training rounds, Swiss Arms AG, the Austrian the Thales F90 92,000 40 x 46 low velocity AUG A1 Steyr männliche and adopted by grenades, 13,000 smoke its cousin, the F90 Thales rifle Australia. grenades, and 51,000 dual developed by its Australian purpose anti-personnel/ subsidiary. anti-tank cartridges. DGA has estimated on Croatian firm HS Produkt awarding the contract has submitted its new December 2016, and the first VHS-2 rifle to the French deliveries are expected to government for testing begin in 2017. under this programme Germany ‘Gladius’ IdZ-2/ES Rheinmetall Rheinmetall The German government formally ordered a first lot of thirty transferred systems in 2012, which its new IdZ-ES Rheinmetall is currently future soldier delivering according to plan. system to NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST the German UPDATE Bundeswehr on 7 March 2013. IdZ-ES is also known as the “Gladius”. Greece Future Soldier Studies linked to TBC Call for new proposals for Programme postponed System EDA. EDAs Combat Equipment indefinitely. for Dismounted Soldier Feasibility Study Programme (CEDS-FSP) issued in April 2013 Hungary Future Soldier Joined EDA work TBC Call for new proposals for Programme postponed System in 2007. EDAs Combat Equipment indefinitely. for Dismounted Soldier Feasibility Study Programme (CEDS-FSP) issued in April 2013
www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 31 PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE MAY 2015
Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Activity Notes Name Team
India F-INSAS Phase 1 2012 BEL expected to Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) According to officials (Futuristic Infantry weapons, be prime. is reportedly in the process with the OFB, the Soldier As a body armour, of developing a weapon with first soldiers will System) clothing and interchangeable barrels that would be equipped with individual be capable of firing 5.56mm, F-INSAS full integrated equipment 7.62mm and 6.8mm caliber system within 3 years. Phase 2 ISTAR ammunition. According to sources, 2015. Phase 3 The OFB, along with ARDE has also eight to 10 infantry C4I 2020. developed a carbine for the Army battalions are likely that is undergoing user evaluation to be equipped with at the moment. According to the F-INSAS system by officials, this should be ready by 2015. All infantrymen 2015. are set to be covered NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE by this system by 2020. Israel Israeli Advanced First deliveries Elbit Systems Elbit Systems’ Dominator scored Israel’s Defense Soldier / ’Shakhar’ of ‘Dominator’ prime contractor. a considerable success as some Ministry announced (Dawn) system in 2009. of its components are now part of that it had signed a programmes not only in Israel, but $100 million, 15-year Finland, Australia and soon to be contract with Motorola UPDATED India. Solutions that will see The key element of the new system the Israeli defence is the Raptor, an all-in-one wearable forces being equipped computing unit specifically designed over the next several for soldier use. Weighing only years with encrypted 285 grams the Raptor features smartphones. These a 4.3-inch 800×480 resolution small, hand-held resistive touch screen that can be devices will offer not operated with gloves and be read only the ability for in sunlight up to 600 cd/m2. It runs individual soldiers to on an ARM Cortex A8 720MHz CPU make encrypted calls and has a 512MB DDR2 SDRAM, and receive emails, storage coming in the form of a 16 but they will also come GB SD card. The Raptor supports equipped with a built- both Android and Linux operating in GPS system and be systems. It features a built-in GPS capable of sending and a digital compass while two and receiving digital USB ports are available, radio media (the phone interface being provided by two RS- will have an eight- 232 synchronous and asynchronous mega-pixel camera) ports. as well as navigation information. Italy Soldato Futuro Testing Selex Selex has been awarded two completed of Communications, contracts worth €60m for the the ‘Precursor Larimart, Selex supply of SWave software defined systems’ Galileo, Beretta & radios (SDR) and tactical mobility AeroSekur. night vision goggles (TM-NVG) for the Italian Army’s Soldato Futuro programme. Under the first contract, the company will supply 2,726 radio SDR hand-helds to the Italian Army’s light infantry troops. This first batch is part of the lot envisaged for the next five to six years. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Japan ACIES Evaluation Hitachi prime; NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE 2005-8. Delivery HMD by of first system Shimadzu, NEC in 2012. IR camera and Brentronics power solution.
32 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 Country Programme Schedule Contractor Team Recent Procurement Notes Name Activity
Jordan ‘Future Soldier Completed Phase Led by Army and Selecting which items can FMS case for new C4I System’ I studies. Entered KADDB. Selex and be developed produced system using C2PC family Phase II. Sagem amongst locally or sourced including dismounted international internationally. Trialled element expected to partners. weapons optics from conclude in 2012. Aselsan and Jels Polly & Norinco, Night Optics and STS. Also trialled gunshot location systems from QinetiQ, Raytheon and Ultra. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Malaysia Soldier Advanced Study phase Sapura has NO NEW INFO SINCE SAKTI – section exercise Kombat unfunded made proposal. LAST UPDATE in November as part of Technology programme. May Supporting SAPURA a wider exercise. A new Integrated (SAKTI) be included in in the development uniform with fractal Network Centric of SAKTI is the geometry designed Operations Phase KEMENTAH’s to replace the current 1B in next Five Year Science and Harimau Belang pattern Plan. Technology is also being developed Research Institute by STRIDE as part of the for Defence better program. known as STRIDE. Netherlands VOSS (Improved Pre-Study Phase Smart Vest, power E-Lighter prototypes Trials continue for a Operational completed late Supply, Load trials in 1Q 2013 with supplier of the VOSS Soldier System) 2010. Study Phase Carriage and series production 4Q Smart Vest System. passed in 2011 RFP Protection. 2014. Smartvest pre Potential suppliers for Smart Vest in serial production and Sagem, Cassidian (part of Dec. 2011. Contract evaluation in 2013-2014, EADS) and Elbit / Thales is scheduled in the serial production and Netherlands have been beginning of 2013. implementation in 2014- asked to make further 2017. adjustments to their NO NEW INFO SINCE proposals. A requirement LAST UPDATE for integrated head protection has been added to the programme. Netherlands VOSS 2 Scoping Includes NO NEW INFO SINCE Requirements enhancement for SF LAST UPDATE requirements.
New Zealand Soldier Includes, BAE Elbit Incorporates Australia’s The first thousand sets of survivability Systems, Harris, Land 125 Phase 3B Load Carriage Equipment programme of Thales & Selex, contracts, which have are expected to be equipment (SSPE). been awarded to delivered in May 2015 Bendigo-based Australian with packs and pouches to UPDATED Defence Apparel (ADA) be supplied to more than for the supply of load 20,000 ADF personnel in carriage equipment, a staged roll-out over the including ballistic plate next several years. carriers, packs, basic pouches and equipment bags.
33 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 33 PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE MAY 2015
Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Activity Notes Name Team
Norway NORMANS Successful C4I Thales, Teleplan COMPLETED Norwegian trials in Oct. 2008. and Kongsberg. Thales has, in collaboration Modular Arctic Further small with Teleplan Globe, Network scale de-risking developed and Soldier trials in 2010. industrialised the UPDATED Selection of NORMANS Soldier System Thales-Teleplan according to the needs announced and specifications of Oct 2011. The the Norwegian Defence system has Research Establishment been thoroughly (FFI) and the Telemark tested, and units Battalion (TmBn). Thales began to be has integrated existing deployed in 2013. soldier equipment with state-of-the-art information terminals and provided the soldier with a complete and integrated system. The solution is a lightweight modular configuration in two levels – NORMANS Light and NORMANS Advanced, where users can add functionality as required Pakistan Concept TBC TBC but inc. POF Not part of “Future Soldier” phase on lethality. Program, however, in July NO NEW INFO 2013, QinetiQ North America in SINCE LAST Waltham, MA received a $7.8 UPDATE million sole-source, firm-fixed- price Pakistani contract for Talon IV robots external link, spares, and training. The Talon IV is used by US military EOD (explosive ordnance disposal technicians), using their remote cameras and robotic arm to investigate potential land mines. Philippines ‘Future Procurement Various suppliers. Under the programme in NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST Soldier’ under AFP Recently March 2014, sources confirmed UPDATE Modernization procured new a purchase of 63,000 new Law and Battalion GPS, Comms, Remington M4 carbines and of Excellence EOD Bomb Suits, plans call for all M4s issued to programme. AFVs and LMGs. rifle platoons to be fitted with infrared laser aiming devices, and soldiers to receive image- intensified monocular devices that work with the lasers, plus handheld radios. The assault rifle procurement closely followed an order for 400 US-built Airtronic RPG-7 rocket launchers to replace obsolete M18 and M67 recoilless rifles. On the survivability front, an order for a reported 44080 force protection equipment sets is in the offing, each comprising a ballistic vest, plate inserts and a soft ballistic panel and weighing between six and seven kilograms (13–15 lb).
34 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
Poland Tytan/Polish Three-phase Led by Bumar Will use R35010 personal Individual R&D stage begin Group includes radio and MSBS-5.56 Battlesystem 2011. Operational FB Lucznik, weapons family. and technical PCO, PSO A new NBC protection mask requirements Maskpol, purposely developed for the completed in Spring, Radmor, Tytan programme has been 50 prototype systems CNPEP Radwar, developed by Maskpol, An to be acquired in 2016 OBRSM initial batch of kits to equip and 800 production Tarnow, WB a reinforced platoon might set in 2018. Electronics and be acquired, but not earlier ZM Tarnow. than 2016, while the first battalion-size unit should not receive the Tytan before 2018. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Portugal Soldado do TBC NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST Futuro UPDATE
Romania Romanian Initial trial with TBC Integrated with Romanian Harmonised with EDA CEDS. Individual demonstrator. C4I systems based on RF- Using the Quandtum3D Fighting System NO NEW INFO SINCE 7800S,M, R5800V& H. Expedition DI systems with (RIFS) LAST UPDATE VBS2. Russia RATNIK Added the new assault Ratnik, Russia’s “soldier rifles, the AK-12 and the AK- of the future” system is 103-4, Kalashnikov Concern. expected to include about KRET is developing a 40 items, including weapons, battlefield identification protection, sighting, UPDATED system as part of the Ratnik communication, navigation, combat equipment system. and targeting equipment. The new system has been designed to completely eliminate the possibility of friendly fire. Serbia Vojnik Demo Phase. Yugoimport M21BS-v10 5.56mm& M77 In June 2013, Serbian Buducnosti-10 SPDR product/ 7.62mm weapons, new PBB Yugoimport SPDR Company (Future Serbian MoD. VB-10 body armour and offered Azerbaijan direct Soldier-10)/ M21 uniform. sale or joint production of VB-10 equipment. Currently the Azerbaijani military is studying this system. VB-10 meets requirements of Azerbaijan Armed Forces in terms of weapon set and other elements. Several other Arabian countries and Pakistan have expressed interest in the Serbian system. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Singapore Advanced Singapore reports ST Engineering, NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST Combat Man three battalions fully ST Electronics, UPDATE System (ACMS) equipped with the ST Kinetics and Advanced Combat DSTA. Man System (ACMS), Slovakia Prokrocily Last ten man squad PIBS Programme in limbo Individualny trials in 2009. Funding due to budget concerns. Bojovy System halted after Concept NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST (PIBS) Development and UPDATE Experimentation Phase. Original plan was to equip brigade from 2012.
35 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 35 PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE MAY 2015
Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
Slovenia 21st Century Pre-study Various Not Participating in EDA NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST Warrior or phase 1998. suppliers. work. UPDATE Slovenian Warrior Study phase 1999-2005 procurement from 2002. South Africa African Warrior Requirement TBC Defence budget increased by Operational 10 percent for 2012-13. Capability NO PROGRESS DUE TO was approved BUDGETARY CONCERNS. NO in 1999 NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Functional User Requirement Statement and the Logistic User Requirement in 2003 Project Study Report and the Customer Selection 2004. Now phased procurement. South Korea Future Soldier Concept and ADD leading DSM Dyneema has International R&D co-operation development Applied been named to provide sought in Energy Supply, phase. Research the ballistic protection Sensor Fusion and Virtual Acquisition from Phase; June material and key solution Simulation. 2016 to field in 2009-Dec. 2011. for enhanced lightweight NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST 2020 Now concept armor for the Republic of UPDATE phase until Korea (South Korea) Army 2013 at earliest Multi-purpose Body Armor conclusion led Program. The Multi-Purpose by Samsung Body Armor Program is part Thales of South Korea’s efforts in soldier modernization, seeking to equip defense personnel with lightweight armor that provides enhanced protection over a large area of the body, thus increasing protection and survivability. Spain Combatiente Cassidian prime Operational trials of Futuro (COMFUT) contractor plus prototypes started at the end Indra Sistemas, of September 2011 and May Iturri, Amopack 2012. SL, Fedur and Due to Spain’s economic woes, GMV. the programme is currently in limbo. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Sri Lanka Special Infantry Continuation of Various Requirement for additional Operations Team counter-LTTE suppliers NV sights and navigation (SIOT) strategy. equipment per Team and two new under barrel GLs per team. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE
36 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
Sudan Future Soldier The Sudanese military has selected the Chinese QBZ-97 bullpup for their Future Soldier System. The Sudanese military has been using Chinese weaponry for some time now including: Type 96 main battle tank, HJ-8 anti-tank missile, Type 56 and Type 81 rifles, CQ rifle (copy of the M16A1), QJZ-89 50-cal heavy machine gun, M99 50-cal sniper rifle and the QLZ-87 automatic grenade launcher. NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE Switzerland IMESS (Integriertes Airbus won a In July of 2014, Airbus The next stage of the project will Modulares contract for Defence and Space has see the Swiss Army conduct field Einsatzsystem the prototype announced it has completed trials of IMESS over two years, Schweizer Soldat) phase of the the development of the with Airbus Defence and Space IMESS project Swiss Army’s planned new providing logistical support for from defence future soldier system and it the test phase. procurement is now ready to enter serial Subsystems of the IMESS system agency production. include: the Kongsberg TacLAN Armasuisse tactical high-capacity radio in 2007, then system (including the SR600 received a hand-held and vehicle-mounted CHF20 million VM600 short range radios); and (USD22 million) Sagem optics, including the advanced Sword T&D (Thermal and Day) production weapon sight, as used in the engineering French FELIN system. contract from NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST it in 2011. The UPDATE latter contract also included an option for series production of IMESS, valued at around USD160 million. Sweden MARKUS Plans finalised TBC Acquired AeroVironment RFIs submitted in Sept for Markstridsutrustad in 2010. Puma AE SUAV in June. New Sweden’s IGR programme, Soldat (Swedish Integrated small arms family is planned replacing/supplementing IGR Project for Capability for from 2017. 1 the PRR, Motorola LMR and Development and MARKUS V1 IGR 2 Harris 7800 SPR. The IGR Acquisition of from 2014. comprises 17,000 group radios Equipment for Foot New small and 8,000 platoon radios. NO Soldiers) arms family NEW INFO SINCE LAST UPDATE from 2017. Thailand SFT 21 Concept TBC NO NEW INFO SINCE LAST phase. UPDATE
37 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 37 PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE MAY 2015
Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Notes Name Team Procurement Activity United Future DC3 Thales PCMO Deliveries are on FIST 1a- COMPLETED Kingdom Integrated completing for Assessment track and well Soldier Commanders Phase. FIST underway, as Technology Lightweight IA equipment over 50% of the (FIST) 1a/ DCC Radio sourced from equipment was Inc 1 (CLR) and ELCAN, Shield, handed over to the Commander’s Qioptiq, military. The last Locating Uniscope, subsystem accepted Beacon Vectronix, in late 2012 was the (CLB) being Olympus and Vectronix/Wilcox deployed. Istec. grenade launcher fire control system. United DCCS/FIST 2 New home for Currently Thales Major R&D thrust on No New Info Since Last Update Kingdom FIST 1b from PCMO. burden reduction 2015. Goal to reduce burden to 40Kg by 2020 In mid-March 2013 Roke Manor Research Ltd, part of the Chemring Group, was awarded a three-year research contract under the Dismounted Close Combat Sensors (DCCS) Research Programme. Roke is leading a team that also includes SEA (Systems Engineering & Assessments) and QinetiQ to assess, mature and integrate innovative sensor technology for the dismounted close combat infantry soldier. United FIST 3/DCC Inc 3 Continuing Meggitt secures FIST enhancements to 59 of the MoD’s Kingdom Procurements £13 million UK MoD 154 DCCTs include three simulators: an and Contract small arms simulator underslung grenade launcher sight, a awards upgrade thermal sight and a commander’s target locator, for which Meggitt will provide associated ballistics and round effects for SA80/UGL rifle simulators, modifying them to accommodate new thermal sights. No New Info Since Last Update
38 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Notes Name Team Procurement Activity United Marine Continuing Soldier NA Program Milestone Status: States Expeditionary as a System Integration efforts during 2014 Rifle Squad approach include: (MERS) • refinement of a metric for mobility utilizing MCLEAP; • integration of the Joint Battle Command – Platform (JBC-P) and centralized power for the Marine rifle squad; • improvements in the weight distribution and load carriage methodology within the squad using metrics for mobility; • ergonomic enhancements to the infantry system; • thermal strain and physiological studies in the tropical environment; • research into efficient power generation and power/data distribution on the Marine; • integration and anthropometry of the Marine in mobility platforms under development such as JLTV or the Amphibious Combat Vehicle; • integration of the unique infantry items carried in the billet positions within the rifle squad. United Nett Warrior LUT in November ADS Provides PEO Concepts tested at NIE PEO Soldier continues advanced States 2010. Designs Soldier PM GS 13.2 development on the Nett Warrior considered too ongoing assistance system. Most recently, PEO Soldier heavy and bulky. and support for has included a Samsung Galaxy Going for ‘Cellular Nett Warrior Note II smart phone as the chest- type device’ with ADS is a Prime on mounted “end-user device” that UPDATED apps linked to AN/ the DLA SOE TLS serves as the centerpiece of the PRC-154 Rifleman Contract, allowing system. Radio. us to provide PEO DOT&E found Nett Warrior merited Soldier PM GS with a full-rate production decision much of the C4ISR review in 2015. equipment they require to increase mission readiness. United Land Warrior Development COMPLETED States complete.
United Air Warrior COMPLETED States
United Air Soldier Strategy changed in TBC Air soldier goals: Picking up where Air Warrior, States Dec 2011. Changed Reduce bulk and ended, no new info since last from three to weight. update two increment Integrate Aviation Life approach. RFP Support Equipment. issued in March Improved operations 2012. Currently in degraded visual in EMD phase, environments. Increase procurement operations in full of Sub-Inc 1a in MOPP and extreme FY2014 and Sub-Inc temperatures. 1b in FY2017.
39 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015 www.soldiermod.com SoldierMod 39 PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE MAY 2015
Country Programme Schedule Contractor Recent Procurement Notes Name Team Activity
United PM Soldier R&D and On-Going. TBD The Maneuver Center of Status Soldier Protection States PEO Protection Excellence and U.S. Army System (SPS) Soldier Soldier and Individual Natick Soldier Research, Protection System (SPS) Equipment Development and Engineering replaces the capability of Center, are working together multiple current systems and to find “evolutionary and has achieved a 10% weight revolutionary” approaches to reduction. lightening the Soldier load. No New Info Since Last UPDATE United Web Warrior The Wyss Institute for No New Info Since Last States Biologically Inspired UPDATE Engineering at Harvard DARPA University announced that it has been awarded a first-phase $2.9 million follow-on contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to continue development of its Soft Exosuit. SEE SOLDIER MOD FOR DETAILS! United Joint Effects On Going General Dynamics Information States Model (JEM) Technology has been awarded Increment 2 the Joint Effects Model (JEM) US Space Increment 2 contract by the and Naval Space and Naval Warfare Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR). Systems JEM is the U.S. Department Command of Defense’s primary system for modeling the effects of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) material releases. UPDATED The cost plus fixed-fee award has a potential value of $23.5 million over five years if all options are exercised. United Armored Multi- On going BAE Systems The initial $382 million award, At AUSA Global Conference, States Purpose Vehicle granted in December 2015, 2015, April, Col. Mike Milner, (AMPV) called for BAE to deliver 29 the AMPV program manager, vehicles in five variants in said he expects 180 vehicles a a 52-month engineering, year from BAE, Added Since manufacturing and That’s enough vehicles to Last Update development phase that will modernize 1.3 armored lead to a contract to replace brigades a year. With 12 such all of the obsolete 2,897 brigades in the Army, the last M113 vehicles in the Army’s would replace its M113s in the Armored Brigade Combat “late 2020s”. Teams (ABCT). United Enhanced Night The fully integrated BAE Systems The U.S. Army has awarded States Vision Goggle ENVG III/FWS-I BAE Systems a five-year III and Family solution is being contract worth up to $434 of Weapon developed and million for the company’s Sight-Individual integrated night vision and (ENVG III/FWS-I) manufactured at thermal targeting solution, Added Since the company’s Last Update which improves the speed recently completed and accuracy of targeting by 47,000 square foot dismounted soldiers. The state-of-the-art new offering helps troops to facility in Hudson, rapidly and covertly acquire New Hampshire. targets in all weather and lighting conditions.
40 Volume 15 Spring/Summer 2015