VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 FEB/MAR 2018 A SHEPHARD MEDIA PUBLICATION

Bringing out the big guns US Army speeds up modernisation

IN THE CROSSHAIRS FRIEND OR FOE? BULLET PROOF PLA modernisation Soldier protection

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LWI-01-18_IFC_Shephard.indd 2 3/5/2018 4:57:45 PM CONTENTS

Editor 3 EDITORIAL COMMENT FEATURE Grant Turnbull [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2583 Learning from experience 24 SHAKING THINGS UP Asia-Pacific Editor Under President Xi Jinping, China is making Gordon Arthur [email protected] 4 NEWS significant alterations to the operation of the North America Editor • US continues Iraqi Abrams support, People’s Liberation Army, and while its Ashley Roque [email protected] despite Iranian militia use participation in UN peacekeeping missions Staff Reporter Alice Budge • US Army funds HK417 as appears laudable, more discomfiting

Contributors marksman motivations are beginning to appear. E Gerrard Cowan, Erwan de Cherisey, • tests upgraded S-125M SAM Peter Donaldson, Scott R Gourley, Krassimir Grozev, Helmoed Römer Heitman, • accelerates SCORPION FEATURE David C Isby, Ian Kemp, Neelam Mathews, modernisation programme 31 SEEING THE LIGHT Stephen Miller, Alexander Mladenov, Andrew White •US Army weighs next-gen combat Light systems have recently fallen out Production and Circulation Manager vehicle acceleration of favour against more powerful equivalents, David Hurst • Analysis: what happened to Russia’s new and while fewer than half of NATO countries Production Editor armoured vehicles? still utilise them, those that do value light guns Elaine Effard as a highly mobile capability for airborne, Sub-editor Georgina Smith FEATURE amphibious and rapid reaction forces.

Digital Development Manager 8 PRECISION DECISIONS Adam Wakeling Today’s bazaar boasts a plentiful FEATURE Graphic Designer selection of products, from bolt- to semi- 36 SAFEGUARDING SOLDIERS Kam Bains automatic examples. A high level of modularity Protection systems for dismounted soldiers Commercial Manager is now common, and this alongside other are continuously evolving in response to Peter Rawlins [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2590 advances, promises to maintain the sniper’s environmental factors and the changing nature Junior Sales Executive feared accuracy and lethality. of threats on the modern battlefield. Industry Mark Knops [email protected] is currently focusing on weight issues and Head of Advertising Sales FEATURE new materials, with the aim of optimising Kevin Bethell [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2587 14 ON WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW the effectiveness and reducing the burden of VP Business Development Following several unsuccessful attempts to such equipment. Mike Wild introduce next-generation combat vehicles to its Editor-in-Chief fleet, the US Army is finally moving forward with PARTING SHOT Richard Thomas comprehensive upgrades for its legacy vehicles 40 ACTIVE DUTY VP Content Tony Skinner and acquiring new platforms. Military leaders Active protection systems are becoming

CEO are hoping that this will be enough to meet increasingly important to combat intensifying Darren Lake emerging threats. threats from antitank . Ronald Meixner, Chairman pre-sales engineer at ADS, part of Rheinmetall Nick Prest FEATURE Group, spoke to Shephard about the Subscriptions 18 REVAMPING THE development of the ADS Gen-3. Annual rates start at £90 Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2592 Maintaining the technological currency Email: [email protected] Web: shop.shephardmedia.com of existing AFVs is a critical element of modernisation. Upgrades in place of new Land Warfare International is published six times per year by The Shephard Press Ltd, construction predominate for MBTs in particular, Saville Mews, 30 Saville Road, , W4 Front cover: A recently delivered Carrier 5HG, UK. Subscription rates start at £90. PCM which have been a key element of combined- Vehicle – Dragoon (ICVD) 8x8 in . CitySprint is acting as mailing agent. Articles arms warfare for decades. Light AFVs, while less This variant is being deployed with 2nd Cavalry and information contained in this publication in Europe as part of efforts to increase the expensive to replace, are also being upgraded are the copyright of The Shephard Press Ltd lethality of deployed Stryker brigade combat teams. and may not be reproduced in any form without as nations contend with constrained budgets. the written permission of the publishers. (Photo: Orbital ATK)

Print by Buxton Press, Derbyshire, UK © The Shephard Press Ltd, 2018. ISSN 2042-5317 The Shephard Press Ltd SUBSCRIPTIONS Saville Mews, 30 Saville Road, London, W4 5HG, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2570 8 industry-specific magazines (print and digital) 14 definitive data sets/handbooks (print and digital) The Professional Publishers Association Member Shephard Plus online – in-depth news, analysis and intelligence To subscribe to our print and online services visit www.shephardmedia.com

WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM 1

LWI-01-18_p01_Contents.indd 1 3/5/2018 5:35:17 PM THE th

, 2018 , 2018

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LWI-01-18_p02_Sofex.indd 2 3/5/2018 4:08:12 PM COMMENT

In the next issue

• Light tactical vehicles • Asian land procurement Grant Turnbull, Editor • Night vision part 1 Learning from experience • Vehicle survivability

In the last issue of LWI, I stressed the and Iranian-supplied antitank weapons still dispense a countermeasure and tell the importance of training and equipping in circulation. crew where the enemy position is is vital western forces to prepare for urban combat – During the Syrian conflict, propaganda for today’s vehicle crews. using recent operations in Syria and to videos of missiles bobbing and weaving After years of indecision, the US Army is illustrate my point. For this edition, the first through the sky towards a distant vehicle finally moving forward with fielding the of 2018, I once again return to the Syrian have been extremely common. Israeli-developed APS for at least conflict as an example of where we can It is no surprise then that the Turkish one armoured brigade’s worth of M1A2 learn lessons for future warfare. Army has recently bolstered its vehicle fleet Abrams MBTs. Plans are also afoot to equip On 20 January, entered northern in Syria with upgraded M60T Firat , both Bradley and Stryker with APS, though Syria to begin Operation Olive Branch, an which are equipped with new antitank the US continues to play catch-up when it attempt to secure its borders and purge the protection systems. On 13 February, comes to soft-kill and hard-kill APS Afrin region of Kurdish militants belonging and for several days after, photos and compared with other countries including to the YPG. This was Turkey’s second cross- videos appeared online showing the China, and Russia. border operation into the region following platforms arriving in Turkey’s Hatay Although one of its primary functions, Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016-17. province, close to the Syrian border. the benefit of these systems is not just For Olive Branch, the Turkish Army The tanks feature a new laser warning defeating ATGMs. The sensors that form committed a mix of heavy armoured vehicles system from indigenous company Aselsan. part of these protection systems – whether including Leopard 2A4 and M60 MBTs, Considering the army’s past experience in radar- or EO/IR-based – can provide wider alongside M113 troop carriers and ACV-15s Syria, it is surprising that more vehicles situational awareness for crews, and that in both APC and IFV variants. Wheeled haven’t received such upgrades. information can then be shared across the vehicles were also utilised, including Cobra That could soon change, with some battlespace as part of networked light armoured platforms and Kirpi . reports even suggesting that Turkey will operations. Videos posted on social media suggest field a Ukrainian-developed active New vehicle programmes – especially the service has once again had to contend protection system (APS) as part of its plans. those to procure key AFV platforms – with the threat of ATGMs, with several will likely incorporate these features as casualties being attributed to such strikes Smarter solutions standard, but, as Turkey has decided to do on vehicles. Independent monitoring groups Turkey’s experience in Syria, as well as with the M60T, more and more countries and official government sources have other examples, including Ukraine’s fight should look to incorporate missile protection suggested Turkish casualties amount to against separatists in the country’s east, is sensors and intelligent countermeasures around 40, the circumstances surrounding a clear sign that vehicles deploying to war for their legacy fleet of vehicles. which is not clear. zones today – particularly those on the The challenge will be cost and potentially During the 2016 Euphrates Shield, it is front line – require not just physical armour, the need for deeper architectural believed that Turkish Land Forces lost but also must have some kind of electronic modifications, as well as determining how around ten tanks and at least protection linked in with either an intelligent many and what class of vehicles warrant one M60 – several to ATGMs and others to soft-kill or hard-kill countermeasure system the added protection. However, if no IEDs. ATGMs remain one of the most to protect against threats. protection is added at all, the result could dangerous threats in the country for ground A system that is able to detect being be catastrophic for deployed land forces forces, with vast numbers of Russian-, US- targeted by an ATGM, automatically and their fielded armoured vehicles. ▪

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LWI-01-18_p03_Comment.indd 3 3/5/2018 5:26:25 PM NEWS

efforts to push the group out of Iraq. In these US continues Iraqi Abrams operations alongside the ISF, the militia has acquired of a range of US-origin equipment, support, despite Iranian militia use including tanks, some even recovered from ISIS during fighting. maintain the Iraq Security Forces’ (ISF) ‘PMF units had obtained as many as nine M1 Photo: US DoD fleet of 140 Abrams, but acknowledged Abrams tanks,’ according to a report released the influence of Iran and the possible on 2 February by the lead inspector general for illegal activities of PMF units. Operation Inherent Resolve. ‘The Abrams maintenance programme By Alice Budge, London for the ISF is still currently active and there is no plan to discontinue this programme in the near future,’ the Ukraine tests US support for Iraq’s fleet of official said in a written statement. tanks is continuing despite government ‘We understand, however, that some of upgraded acknowledgement from the former that the the PMF are especially close to Iran, vehicles have been deployed and used by responsive to Iran’s directives and have a an Iranian-backed militia. history of criminal activity and terrorism.’ S-125M SAM Recent reports in Iraqi media outlets US-based General Dynamics Land Ukraine’s Luch state design bureau has suggested that the US had suspended its Systems, which manufactures and successfully tested an extended-range maintenance support for the tanks at the maintains the tanks, declined to S-125M Pechora (NATO designation SA-3 end of 2017 after some were found in the comment. It stated that it is the US Goa) surface-to-air system, which utilises a hands of a militia known as the Popular government that controls decisions modernised missile. Mobilisation Forces (PMF). relating to support of the programme. According to information released by A State Department official confirmed to Since the emergence of ISIS in 2014, the Kiev-based company, the upgraded Shephard that the US is continuing to help the PMF has been at the forefront of 5V27D-M2 missile uses an active radar seeker as well as new rocket fuel. The development was undertaken in cooperation with another Ukrainian US Army funds HK417 company, Radionics, which supplies the new radar seeker. During the initial phase of flight, the as squad marksman rifle upgraded missile follows a ballistic trajectory, The US Army has announced funding for role will effectively be an acquisition of without receiving guidance cues, in order to the acquisition of over 5,000 rifles as part the H&K HK417 (known in German extend range. of its Squad Designated Marksman Rifle Army service as the G28) that was The new combined guidance method – (SDMR) programme, which will utilise the selected for the CSASS programme, using the ballistic trajectory aimed at the Heckler & Koch (H&K) HK417. where it is designated the M110A1. calculated point for hitting the target, with a The FY2019 budget revealed the SDMR The company was awarded a $44.5 subsequent lock-on of the target while as a new-start programme for the next million contract in 2016 for the in flight by the jam-resistant active radar fiscal year, with $46.2 million currently manufacture of 3,463 rifles for the seeker – enables the upgraded S-125M to assigned. This funding will support the CSASS programme. destroy air targets at up to 40km range procurement and fielding of 5,180 7.62mm A spokesperson for the US Army’s compared to 25km for the non-upgraded off-the-shelf rifles, according to Program Executive Office Soldier system dating from the 1970s. documentation. confirmed to Shephard that the SDMR The maximum altitude is now Unit cost will be close to $9,000 a will be a CSASS-derived weapon that 82,000ft compared to 59,000ft for rifle accounting for the hardware itself, has a different optic and is optimised to the non-upgraded system. programme management, training and fire the Advanced Armor Piercing The maximum range of the active radar logistics support. Round, or ADVAP. seeker against fighter-size targets is The new-start programme could be The developmental ADVAP is advertised to be 15-20km; according to overlooked as it is filed as a Compact Semi- currently designated the XM1158 and Luch, it enables more accurate guidance and Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) line item, has also seen initial FY2019 funding to is deemed effective against manoeuvring not as the SDMR. the tune of $25 million for over a targets. The system can engage up to four However, this reflects that the acquisition million rounds ($15 dollars per round). targets simultaneously with a total of eight of a new 7.62x51mm rifle for the SDMR By Grant Turnbull, London missiles – two launched on each target. By Alex Mladenov, Sofia

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LWI-01-18_p03-06_News.indd 4 3/5/2018 5:39:50 PM NEWS

France accelerates Scorpion Photo: Nexter modernisation programme Deliveries of the ’s new with new battle management equipment, armoured vehicles, being procured under known as the Scorpion Combat Information its ambitious Scorpion modernisation System, developed by Atos. programme, will be accelerated by the The army is also modernising a total of government under new defence plans. 200 Leclerc MBTs, with 122 refurbished According to the Military Programmes units scheduled to be completed by 2025. Law released on 8 February, half of the The acceleration of the programme was ‘With this contract Nexter is reinforcing French Army’s VBMR Griffon, EBCR Jaguar followed by the announcement that Nexter its presence within the Scorpion and as yet unnamed ‘VBMR Light’ will now had been selected by the DGA procurement programme and strengthening its position be delivered by 2025. agency for the design, production and as the reference player in the field of land The document suggests that the army support of the VBMR Light. armament,’ Stéphane Mayer, CEO at the will take on an additional 156 Griffons and Announced on 12 February, the 4x4 company, said in a statement. 40 Jaguars by 2025. A total of 936 VBMR vehicles will be deployed with the army’s Fears that the programme could be hit Griffons, 150 Jaguars and 489 VBMR Light intelligence and reconnaissance units, and by further defence spending cuts have vehicles will be received by French units will be produced in a number of variants been allayed by the bill, which reverses a over the next eight years. including troop transport, command post, decade of diminishing budgets. The platforms, which are part of the artillery fire control engineering, President Macron approved spending of army’s Scorpion project, will be equipped and ISTAR. almost €300 billion ($364 billion) for the French armed forces by 2025, which will increase the country’s defence spending to the NATO spending target of 2% of GDP. US Army weighs Next-Gen However, only €198 billion of the funds will be available before 2023. Combat Vehicle acceleration If funding remains in place, Phase 2 of prototype phase next year, Army the Scorpion programme will begin in the Photo: US DoD Undersecretary, Ryan McCarthy, said the next decade and will expand its focus to service is evaluating ways to speed up this incorporate land and air robotics. phase and get the tank into the field quicker. This phase is also expected to involve ‘One of the challenges you’ll have to look the amalgamation of the currently separate at with [NGCV], is if you introduce manned- FELIN soldier modernisation programme unmanned teaming,’ he told reporters during with Scorpion to create the ‘Scorpion a 13 February round table. ‘That’s what Infantryman’ and develop the French Army’s we’re going to make the determination on.’ fledgling ‘collaborative combat’ doctrine. The Pentagon’s FY2019 budget might still As part of its stepping up of a new The DGA first awarded the contract for be hot off the press but the US Army is Futures Command this summer, the army the production and delivery of 319 Griffon under pressure to determine if it can has established so-called cross-functional and 20 Jaguar 6x6 armoured vehicles to accelerate its Next-Generation Combat teams (CFTs) that will concentrate on key a temporary consortium consisting of Vehicle (NGCV) to ensure adequate dollars modernisation areas, including NGCV. Nexter, Defense and make it into the FY2020 request. McCarthy explained that the NGCV CFT Thales in April 2017. When the army delivered its FY2019 leader’s examination goes beyond materiel The first Griffon vehicles, which are budget request to Congress on 12 February, considerations and ‘just bending iron’. currently undergoing industrial and DGA it included various NGCV development line Manned-unmanned teaming would, for testing, are on track to be delivered in late items like $119.3 million (£86 million) for a example, impact the CONOPS as well as 2018, followed by initial Jaguar deliveries in prototyping phase. impact training and doctrine. 2020. In total the government is expected Another line asks for $6 million so that ‘How would the concept change?’ the Army to acquire 1,722 Griffon VBMRs and 248 engineers can conduct ‘autonomous and semi- Undersecretary posed. ‘So the experimental EBCR Jaguars. autonomous mobility, countermobility and test regime would be as much about whether By Alice Budge, London construction missions’ for the future tank’s or not you had the appropriate horsepower manoeuvre robotics and autonomous systems. and the transmission [and] is the weapon For more news, visit Although tentative plans are in place for going to hit targets?’ he added. www.landwarfareintl.com the service to move forward with the NGCV By Ashley Roque, Washington, DC

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LWI-01-18_p03-06_News.indd 5 3/5/2018 5:33:32 PM NEWS ANALYSIS What happened to Russia’s new armoured vehicles?

He pointed out that the Armata, two of T-14s and one of T-15s, Photo: Vitaly Kuzmin/Wikimedia Commons Kurganets-25 and Bumerang have new possibly the test platforms. systems, armaments and structures, and do not rely on off-the shelf technology solutions. Uncertainty reigns This, in turn, has caused difficulties and In mid-January, TASS also reported that the delays during the developmental phase T-14’s full-scale production is set to begin because it has also required exhaustive after 2020, which tends to indicate that it testing at system and sub-system level, in would not start before the conclusion of field addition to the end-production testing effort. testing efforts. There is no information yet on At the same time, as Frolov noted, the any specific problems encountered during the Almost three years after the high-profile financial situation of the companies T-14’s testing. public debut of Russia’s new armoured dealing with the development of these new- There is even more uncertainty surrounding platforms – the Armata, the Kurganets-25 generation armour platforms is varied. the T-15 IFV, with elements such as the turret and Bumerang families – their large-scale Some of the companies are experiencing configuration still unknown. procurement for the Russian military still financial difficulties or have suffered from It has been demonstrated so far only with appears to be a distant prospect. poor management, which has only served to the Bumerang-BM turret armed with a 30mm In May 2015, when the new armoured compound issues. and ATGMs, but it had been expected vehicles became the stars of Russia’s Red Furthermore, the initial technical that the production-standard vehicles would Square Victory Day parade in Moscow, they specifications from the Russian MoD were feature a more powerful armament. were touted as almost complete products, very stringent and subsequently had to The Kurganets-25 medium-class tracked ready to be launched into production. At the undergo several amendments that caused platform, developed by Traktornye Zavody, time, observers noted that these vehicles an adverse effect on programme schedules. appears to have the most criticism levelled would give Russia a significant The Armata heavy tracked platform, against it among all the new generation technological edge over NATO forces. developed by UralVagonZavod, is the platforms in development. However, this now appears to have been flagship of the Russian armour It was used as the basis for the B-11 IFV presumptuous. The vehicles have suffered recapitalisation effort. It covers a family of and B-10 APC, both criticised by Russian from funding problems, technical issues three combat vehicles using a common military officers during 2015 for their and conceptual changes that have caused tracked platform – the T-14 MBT, T-15 significant size, much larger than today’s serious delays to the development effort, heavyweight IFV and the T-16 armoured BMP-2 and BMP-3 used by the Russian the follow-on launch into production and recovery vehicle. Land Forces. A redesigned platform was fielding into regular service. The T-14 has been described as a expected to begin testing in 2017, but revolutionary combat vehicle with unmanned there is little evidence that this test effort A new focus turret and crew accommodated in an has started. According to Andrey Frolov of the Moscow- armoured capsule in the hull for better In the spring of 2017, Russia’s Deputy based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and protection. The tank has new sophisticated Minister of Defence responsible for Technologies, the previous State Armament active and passive protection systems and is procurement, Yury Borisov, said that Programme in Russia (2015-20) prioritised equipped for network-centric operations. Kurganets-25 production had been air force and navy modernisation, while land Officially, the T-14’s development effort postponed until 2021. forces renewal had secondary importance. is proceeding forward on schedule, and In August that year, the project’s This changed with the new State this has been claimed by the Russian Land reputation suffered a serious blow when Armament Programme, covering the period Forces commander-in-chief, Col Gen Oleg one of the retired designers of the until 2025, which called for massive Salykov, in November 2017. successful BMP-1/2/3 IFV family, Danil investments in purchasing new-generation He also reconfirmed previously released Ralin, claimed, in front of Russian media armour equipment for both land forces and information that an experimental batch of outlets, that the Kurganets-25 was a flawed airborne troops. However, as Frolov hinted to 100 vehicles is set to be delivered for field project and should be abandoned. Shephard, the development funding so far testing, with that effort slated for Meanwhile, little is known about the allocated by the Russian MoD for new completion by 2020. Russia’s TASS news development and testing of the Bumerang programmes has proved insufficient for a agency reported in February 2018 that wheeled 8x8 platform developed by VPK. normal development tempo. Russian officials had confirmed an order for By Alex Mladenov, Krassimir Grozev, Sofia

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LWI-01-18_p03-06_News.indd 6 3/5/2018 5:39:09 PM LWI-01-18_p07_IndoDefence.indd 7 3/5/2018 4:10:12 PM WEAPON TECH today can choose from a variety of rifles, with semi-automatic examples such as the FN SCAR-H offering rapid follow-up shots and quicker engagement of multiple targets. (Photo: FN Herstal)

PRECISION Today’s sniper rifle bazaar boasts a plentiful selection of products, from bolt-action to DECISIONS semi-automatic examples. A wading bird species has lent its name to the powder and telescopic sights, a high level of modularity is now most highly skilled and extensively trained combination that defined the sniper rifle common and this, alongside shooters in the world: snipers. through the wars of the 20th century and Soldiers practised in targeting individuals which is still common today. other advances, promises to with firearms at extended ranges and from Throughout, sniper rifles were either the maintain the sniper’s feared concealed positions can be traced back to standard infantry rifles of the day, with a accuracy and lethality. the earliest use of rifled long guns. The term scope added – perhaps carefully ‘sniper’ emerged in the 1820s, and the fitting assembled and accurised examples – or By Peter Donaldson of telescopic sights that enabled exploitation were derived from civilian weapons; the US of weapon accuracy at long range began in Army’s M24, for example, is based on the t is doubtful whether they would the Crimean War of 1853-56. Remington 700 hunting rifle. appreciate the compliment, but because The Second Boer War of 1899-1902 Weapons designed from a scratch for I of their elusiveness – thanks to excellent saw the first major combat use of sniping were first fielded in significant camouflage and evasive flight patterns – a -fed bolt-action rifles, smokeless numbers surprisingly recently, the Soviet

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LWI-01-18_p08-13_Sniper.indd 8 3/5/2018 4:34:27 PM WEAPON TECH

Union being an early adopter, with the semi- possible and may be looking to engage a specified distances and an equivalent automatic Dragunov SVD entering service in target at distances up to 3km. The majority minute of arc (MoA) figure calculated over 1963. Despite its bespoke origins, however, of law enforcement weapons engagements multiple sets of shots. The AMR is the the SVD would now be considered more of a occurs at much lower ranges of up to calculated average distance of all the designated marksman rifle (DMR) or sniper 100m,’ said Craig Taylor, marketing impacts from the centre of the group of support rifle (SSR), more of which later. communication manager with UK sight impacts. The MoA figure is the angle manufacturer Qioptiq. subtended by the AMR. The required AMR Specialised tools He cited several key reasons for this, for the M24 at 183m is 3.3cm, at 274m it is Today, there are many dedicated sniper including different rules of engagement 4.83cm and at 200m it is 3.56cm, while rifles on offer, both bolt-action designs and that, for example, require police snipers to the required MoA is 1.086. semi-automatics. They are: chambered for identify themselves to the target and the Maintaining accuracy over time and a growing range of rounds; constructed need to identify an individual, along with as the number of shots fired builds up from advanced aerospace-grade alloys, having to operate in confined, congested demands a firm, rigid fit between the major plastics and composites; and offer well- and potentially contested urban areas. components of the rifle, particularly thought-out ergonomics and previously between the barrel, action, stock and sight undreamed-of levels of adjustability to fit Pursuit of accuracy to prevent them from creeping and individual shooters. Most obvious among sniper rifle attributes loosening under recoil. Furthermore, instead of the traditional is consistent accuracy, which means the Bedding a barrelled action into a stock combination of barrel, action and stock, ability to place every shot on or sufficiently was, and remains, one of the key skills of many are based on a chassis to which close to the point of aim, when fired by a craft gunsmiths, but it does not lend modules such as stocks, barrels, actions, trained sniper. This starts with the accuracy itself very well to mass production trigger groups and accessory rails can be required of the basic rifle with specified techniques. Innovators such as the UK’s attached. Improvements such as increased ammunition, which can be either dedicated Accuracy International changed all this modularity, the facility to change calibres in sniper fodder or ‘match-grade’ competition with the invention of the chassis rifle, the field and the ability to fit an expanding rounds, fired on a test range from an which typically consists of a steel- range of optics and other accessories make approved machine rest. barrelled action machined to fit into the sniper rifle an advantageous weapon. For example, the US Army specifies both an aluminium alloy frame, often with The sniper scope, always a precision average mean radius (AMR) figures at composite furniture. instrument, is now commonly used in combination with laser rangefinders and handheld computers running software that An example of McMillan Firearms’ makes ballistic calculations for particular Alias CS5-Q rifle, with match-grade barrel threaded for suppressor, rifle and ammunition combinations. along with muzzle brake. The latest report on the sector from (Photo: McMillan Firearms) Mordor Intelligence, ‘Sniper Rifle Market – Opportunities, Trends and Challenges’, which covers the 2018-2023 period, indicates that the US market may be saturated, while other countries, including Russia, are manufacturing the weapons in large numbers, which is thought likely to balance sales. China, and the Middle East are expected to drive the sector over the next few years. Russia is reportedly planning to deploy more than 1,000 snipers with motorised rifle and tank brigades, while other countries are looking to replace older weapons and issue them in significant quantities for the first time, both with military units and law-enforcement organisations. The major operational difference between the military and law enforcement markets is the required range. ‘A military sniper will look to place as much range between themselves and the target as

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LWI-01-18_p08-13_Sniper.indd 9 3/5/2018 4:34:37 PM WEAPON TECH The US Army has trialled technologies such as the Ballistically Optimized Sniper Scope, which uses an integrated suite of sensors, including a laser rangefinder, an inclinometer, environmental sensors and a ballistic calculator. (Photo: US Army)

Some manufacturers are beginning barrel’s resonance characteristics between the late 19th century. They are simple, to go further in their use of composite shots, with the same result. Some rifles robust, reliable and efficient, if a little slow materials. For example, US company with this design have an exposed barrel, to operate. Semi-automatic weapons CheyTac has re-engineered its while others feature a hand guard that goes provide more rapid follow-up shots and .408in/.375in calibre M300 Intervention around it, without touching, to which quicker engagement of multiple targets, with a carbon-fibre chassis to produce a accessories can be attached. and have been in use since the Second rifle with an effective range of more than Naturally, the trigger is also a critical World War in the form of standard service 2,280m and a weight of 9.53kg. element in accuracy terms and is rifles with scopes, with examples including Accuracy International’s AT308, a engineered always to release at the same the Russian Tokarev SVT-40, US M1-C/D development of the original L96A1 and the pressure after the same travel. Pull weights Garand and the German Walther G-43. later AW308, has a flat-bottomed steel are usually adjustable, and two-stage While semi-automatics were once action that is bolted and bonded to the triggers are common. The first allows the considered less accurate, modern full-length aluminium chassis for rigidity. shooter to adjust the force required to manufacturing techniques mean that there To cope with the shock of firing the personal preference, while the second is little significant difference between them 12.7x99mm (.50 BMG) ammunition, the allows the marksman to take up the slack and bolt-action rifles today. However, semi- larger AT50’s action features a full-width and then apply a little more pressure to autos eject spent cases as part of the cycle, recoil lug to prevent relative movement release the shot. This avoids the use of a and this can give away the sniper’s position, between the action and the chassis. safe, but accuracy-spoiling heavy trigger or particularly if the sun glints off them. They At the same time as preventing unwanted a potentially dangerous ‘hair’ trigger. can throw the cases some distance, making movement, the design has to allow for rapid Snipers also need rifles that fit them, it more difficult for snipers to remove barrel changes in the field. In the AT308, so the latest examples are often highly evidence of their presence if necessary. again the barrel screws into the action with adjustable with different pistol grip back Most modern semi-automatic sniper rifles a 27mm diameter thread and is locked into straps, butts that can be extended to suit are based on service assault rifles, with a place with a 4mm Allen screw. different lengths of arm, butt pads that few exceptions such as the . Another feature that is increasingly can be fixed at different angles, adjustable Most more powerful rounds such common in very accurate rifles is the free- cheek pieces and even butt spikes that as the 7.62mm NATO, some are deployed as floating barrel, which makes contact with work with a to provide a third point DMRs or SSRs – although that has more to the action only, rather than being supported of support. do with the role than the technology – and by the fore end of the stock. In rifles with some have design details that emphasise wooden stocks, expansion, contraction or Semi-automatics the dedicated sniper role, such as longer warping of the wood can affect the position The archetypal sniper rifle has a manually barrels and larger optics. of the barrel enough to reduce accuracy, operated , no different in While snipers operate alone or in and contact with the stock can change the principle from the originals that appeared in shooter/spotter teams from static locations,

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designated marksmen are typically is fluted to ease extraction when firing less armour at long ranges and the additional an integral part of infantry and powerful subsonic ammunition through the potential for use as anti-materiel rounds. provide them with precise, long-range fire standard OSS baffle-less suppressor. The These include the Finnish .338 Lapua support, using rifles that can also provide controls are ambidextrous and the trigger Magnum (case dimensions 8.6x70mm), close-range defence. has been improved. which, until recently held the world record The US Army’s new Compact Semi- Weighing 3.9kg unloaded and without for the longest range confirmed kill in Automatic Sniper Rifle is in this mould, optics or accessories, the rifle crept under combat when sniper Craig being a sniper-optimised derivative of the the 4.1kg limit in the requirement and is Harrison killed two machine Heckler & Koch (H&K) G28 used by the substantially lighter than its predecessor. gunners near Musa Qala in ’s in the DMR role. Known as The optic is a 3-20x50 PMII Ultra Short Helmand Province in November 2009 at a the M110A1, it is lighter and more compact scope from Schmidt & Bender. range of 2,475m with an Accuracy than the incumbent Knight’s Armament International L115A3. It took nine shots to M110 SASS that it is due to replace Increasing range find the range, after which Harrison killed following a competition that H&K won in Sniper rifles are available in a broader the two machine gunners with successive April 2016 for a maximum of 3,643 rifles range of calibres than is typically available shots. The bullets used were LockBase worth up to $44.5 million. for assault rifles. The emphasis is on B408s. As a G28 derivative, it uses a short- larger calibres and longer ranges, although His record was beaten in May 2017 by a stroke gas piston and operating rod 5.56x45mm is used, the 7.62x51mm Canadian sniper from 2 in instead of direct gas impingement on the NATO is a very common chambering in Iraq using a McMillan TAC-50 and Hornady bolt, which means improving reliability of sniper rifles and DMRs/SSRs, and the A-Max .50 ammunition to kill an ISIS the action and reducing the amount of 12.7x99mm round practically defines the member 3,540m away. The sniper, whose cleaning required. upper end of the precision rifle market. identity has not been published, took the The 16in barrel is made using H&K’s However, weapons chambered for shot from an elevated position. patented cold hammer forging process and intermediate rounds are increasingly The .338 Lapua Magnum penetrates body has a chrome-lined bore, while the chamber popular, offering penetration of body armour at ranges up to 1,000m and has a

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An increasing number of rifles, including the Accuracy International AXMC, are being offered in calibres such as .338 Lapua Magnum or the Swedish .338 Norma Magnum, which offer increased performance. (Photo: Accuracy International)

quoted maximum effective range of about Armament Company is also available as a adjustments or the use of alternative 1,750m, although Harrison’s shot proves its match-grade round, offering performance aiming marks for hold overs, depending on effectiveness significantly beyond this. between that of the 5.56 and 7.62mm doctrine and training. Most sniper rifle manufacturers now NATO rounds and comparable or superior The need to switch from day to night optics chamber rifles for the .338 Lapua Magnum, to that of the 7.62x39mm Russian round. without affecting the weapon’s zero has although it faces competition from the It can be fired from 5.56mm AR pattern created a market for clip-on night sights that directly comparable Swedish .338 Norma rifles with appropriate barrels, feeds from attach to the rail in front of the day sight. Such Magnum, the venerable .300 Winchester standard AR magazines and can be devices are now available with a choice of Magnum and the .375 and .408 in rounds loaded to subsonic velocities to suit core sensors. These include: image from CheyTac. Some manufacturers offer suppressed weapons. intensifiers, which provide excellent image rifles that can fire two or more of these Even the best rifle will not be able to quality for target identification; IR that is very rounds thanks to interchangeable parts achieve its accuracy potential without strong in target detection and is continuously such as barrels, bolts and magazines. the best ammunition, hence the use of improving in image quality; digital CMOS competition-standard – match-grade – sensors that are beginning to rival image Calibre interchangeability rounds. The emphasis here is on quality intensifiers at night and work well through Remington’s Modular Sniper Rifle, for control in manufacture to ensure dawn/dusk transitions and during the day; example, is a modern chassis rifle offered in consistency, mass distribution and shape of and non-thermal shortwave IR (SWIR), which the .338 Lapua, .338 Norma and .300 bullets, and both the internal and external is particularly good at penetrating obscurants Winchester magnum rounds, and the .308 dimensions of the case. such as fog, smoke and dust, and providing a Winchester (7.62x51mm NATO) cartridge, Powder charges have to be as similar as natural-looking black and white image. adapting to each with a change of barrel, bolt possible and primers have to be reliable face and magazine. The idea is to meet and consistent in their performance. The Refining sensors medium- and long-range requirements in a goal is to produce muzzle velocities as Rochester Precision Optics (RPO), for single package. near identical as possible from shot to example, offers the CMOS Night Observation The .408 CheyTac (10.36x77mm) round shot and bullets that spin smoothly and Device (CNOD) that can be used: as a was developed for anti-personnel, counter- generate a minimum of drag. Inevitably, standalone device for handheld use; on a sniper and anti-materiel tasks out to 2,000m match-grade ammunition tends to be more weapon; or as a clip-on night sight ahead of and beyond as a competitor to .338 rounds expensive than regular small arms fodder, a scope. Being digital, it can also take still and the .50cal round. Besides CheyTac, other round for round. shots or video for sharing via RS-232 or USB manufacturers offer sniper rifles in this Given the need to identify and select interfaces. It meets MIL-STD-810G calibre, including Thor Global Defense with individual targets, and to compensate for environmental standards, says the company, the M408. range, elevation and wind and, at longer and withstands firing shocks from rifles up to While Barrett makes rifles in a number of ranges, even spin drift and coriolis effects, .30cal (7.62mm). calibres, it is best known for its big .50cal the scope is essential sniper equipment, With spectral coverage from 500- weapons. However, it has also developed its with the additional requirement to operate 1,080nm, the 510g CNOD works by day and own medium calibre in the form of the .416 by night as well as by day. night and can see visible and IR battlefield Barrett (10.6x83mm), with a case based on Critical requirements include: light- lasers and 1,060nm (1.06μm) lasers used that of the .50 BMG. Because of the similarity gathering power; magnification; a in JTAC operations. in case dimensions, the Model 82A1 semi- minimum of image distortion; and a reticle One current weakness with such CMOS automatic sniper rifle can be converted that as well as providing a clear aiming devices is their power consumption. RPO between them with interchangeable upper mark also has aids such as mil dots or quoted a battery life of four hours, although conversion kits that include barrels. similar graduations that help with range this is somewhat offset by their low cost. The increasingly popular .300 AAC and windage calculations, and the SWIR is still regarded as something of a Blackout developed by the Advanced application of compensating click niche night vision capability, but it is

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increasingly common in high-end aircraft smart phones offered by leading which there are two basic approaches. One is targeting pods and is starting to make its ammunition manufacturers. embodied in DARPA’s Extreme Accuracy way into sniper optics. Hornady, for example, launched an app Tasked Ordnance programme that Northern -based Brolis Photonics, for Apple and Android devices that features demonstrated a laser-homing, fin-steered for example, offers the S250, which an advanced four-degrees-of-freedom .50cal projectile fired from a smoothbore gun. withstands recoil shocks from .50cal rifles (4DoF) calculator as well as standard The other, which seems more applicable and is compatible with day scopes with up to ballistic computation technology in early to existing rifle and ammunition inventories, 8x optical zoom lenses. Based on an indium November. The company says it is based on is exemplified by the US Army’s Ballistically gallium arsenide sensor and an indium the projectile’s drag rather than its ballistic Optimized Sniper Scope (BOSS) programme. phosphide laser diode for illumination when coefficient and uses an exact physical This uses an integrated suite of sensors needed, the product can see battlefield model of the projectile including its mass in the 1.6kg sight, including a laser lasers and illuminate targets while remaining and aerodynamic properties. rangefinder, an inclinometer, environmental invisible to other night vision technologies. ‘Current ballistic calculators provide sensors and a ballistic calculator, to The company says that it enables detection three degrees of freedom in their approach: generate a corrected aim point that the of human targets at 9.4km and recognition windage, elevation and range, but treat shooter places over the target, before at 2.9km, with respective figures for the projectile as an inanimate lump flying pulling the trigger. standard NATO targets at 12.7 and 3.9km. through the air,’ said Dave Emary, Hornady’s According to the US Army, BOSS has chief ballistician. ‘This program incorporates proved its effectiveness in testing out to Advancing fire control the projectile’s movement in the standard beyond the effective ranges of current rifle As an adjunct to their sights, whether day three degrees, but also adds its movement and ammunition combinations, increasing or night, snipers and their spotter partners about its centre of gravity and subsequent first-round-hit probability progressively and are now commonly provided with laser angle relative to its line of flight, which is the reducing engagement times by 50%. rangefinders and ballistic calculators, which fourth degree of freedom.’ Some may regret the loss of human skill can be standalone devices or any one of The future for sniper rifles seems to lie in that such systems represent, but that is manyEurenco_DESEI_182x125_VA_Mise software applications for tablets en or page 1 05/09/2017turning them 09:27 into guided Page1 weapon systems, to unlikely to bother military planners. ■

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Following several unsuccessful attempts to introduce next-generation combat vehicles to its fleet, the US Army is finally moving forward with comprehensive upgrades for its legacy vehicles and acquiring new platforms. Military leaders are hoping that this will be enough to meet emerging threats posed by increasingly advanced peer adversaries. By Grant Turnbull

The US Army’s new M109A7 will incorporate a new vehicle hull and powertrain, but utilises the same turret and gun. The next phase could see ‘turret-up’ modifications that would effectively create a brand new system. (Photo: BAE Systems)

he US Army remains one of the best equipped in the world, largely as a T result of its massive budget of $170 ON WITH THE OLD, billion per year. Not only can the service research, develop and field advanced technologies, but it can do so in quantities IN WITH THE NEW that make other armies green with envy. This is something that the Pentagon has higher-tech forces for the future. This non-state actors, including the Taliban in been able to rely on for several decades – progress has largely been driven by the Afghanistan and Al Qaeda across several retaining capability and equipment prospect of inter-state conflict with an countries. overmatch against near-peer advanced opposing force. In the Middle East, the latter eventually or peer adversaries. Unlike the US and NATO armies over the last morphed into ISIS, which the US and its decade and a half, these countries have not allies have been fighting in both Iraq and Current climate been embroiled in counter-insurgency conflicts Syria since 2014. Russia joined the fight However, that is slowly changing, as that have shaped (or even skewed) acquisition, against ISIS in late 2015 on the side of competitor states – namely Russia and training, tactics and overall strategy. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, which China – continue to invest in modernisation For the US, the past two decades has turned the tide against the Jihadi group and and reform their militaries to create leaner, seen the principal threat centre around brought about its collapse.

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Its intervention in Syria, along with its annexation of Crimea in 2014, has strengthened the view that Russia is becoming increasingly aggressive and interventionist, a posture that involves the growing use of its military to achieve foreign policy aims. Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory and its assistance to separatists in the country’s east – principally with highly trained personnel and advanced equipment (including EW assets) – has western military planners worried. In a similar vein, China is growing more assertive in Asia-Pacific, particularly over disputed islands in the South China Sea. The US released its new National Defense Strategy in January 2018, a An example of the US Army’s new ICVD, equipped with a Kongsberg MCT-30 unmanned turret armed document that effectively draws a line with a MK44 Bushmaster 30mm cannon. (Photo: Orbital ATK) under the country’s period of counter- insurgency operations and once again focuses on major power conflict. as a number one priority. As part of this, the programmes. However, it is a fine balancing In this context, legacy equipment US Army will establish a Futures Command, act between thinking about near-term upgrades, from MBTs to Patriot missile which aims to bring modernisation ‘all under modernisation (to maintain readiness and systems, are now being viewed with much one roof’. The new organisation is expected capability overmatch) and investing in greater urgency. Over the last several years, to be stood up later this year. revolutionary technology for the long term. especially during the height of the Afghan In preparation, the service has set up ‘It really can’t be an “either-or” – it has got war, modernisation ultimately suffered as eight cross-functional teams that will to be both. We can’t ignore the future, but senior leaders weighed up whether to concentrate on six key areas: long-range we don’t want to put too much money into spend a constrained budget on high-tempo precision fires; next-generation combat the future at the risk of not having ready operations and near-term readiness or vehicles; Future Vertical Lift platforms; army forces now,’ said Roper. invest in future equipment. networking; air and missile defence Since the failure of the Future Combat ‘With the severe budgetary cuts that capabilities; and soldier lethality. According Systems manned vehicle programme and have been imposed since around 2011… to Mark Esper, Secretary of the Army, the the follow-on , army [the army] had to accept risk somewhere, introduction of this new modernisation- leaders have had to ensure that legacy and it wound up being the future, aka focused command will reduce the platforms fielded in the 1980s can remain modernisation,’ said Daniel Roper, director requirements development process from effective through affordable incremental of national security studies at the Institute 60 months down to 12 or fewer. upgrades, and that capability gaps in of Land Warfare, part of the Association of In its FY2018 budget, the US Army mobility, protection and lethality are the US Army. requested $27.9 billion for modernisation, addressed. This has essentially placed the ‘But what people are realising is, the future with around $2 billion assigned to land need for the Next-Generation Combat is now,’ he added. ‘You could say that the US vehicle programmes such as M1 Abrams, Vehicle (NGCV) on the back burner, but Army, and a lot of others, took their eye off the Stryker, M2 , the officials are keen to make it clear that even ball and was myopically focused on Iraq, Armored Multi-purpose Vehicle (AMPV) and today’s upgraded vehicles represent a new Afghanistan and terrorism writ large.’ howitzer fleets. Money has also been breed of capability. Senior army leaders, including Chief of invested in enhancing mobility and lethality ‘I would describe ourselves right now as Staff Gen Mark Milley, have stressed that of light infantry with vehicles such as Mobile on the cusp of an entirely new generation the service must ‘adapt or die’, as 40-year- Protected Firepower, as well as expediting of ground combat systems for our army,’ old institutions such as Army Materiel the fielding of active protection systems. Maj Gen David Bassett, the former Program Command, Forces Command and Training The recently-published FY2019 budget Executive Officer for Ground Combat and Doctrine Command struggle to meet has once again increased the amount spent Systems (PEO GCS), said last year. ‘We’ve the acquisition demands placed on them to on modernisation to $32.1 billion, with 18% made a pretty good investment here in meet emerging threats. allocated to ground manoeuvre capabilities what has been described as [incremental] (compared with 16% for aviation). capabilities but really are significant Shifting focus Ultimately, the focus is shifting to capability additions to our fleets, which With peer threats once again the strategic leveraging existing technologies rather than lay the foundation for even greater focus, modernisation has cemented its place pursuing high-risk developmental improvements in the future.’

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most likely the longer-range 155mm/58cal system that is under development as part of the army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery programme. The aim of the project is to create a system that can fire projectiles out to 70km, doubling the range of existing systems. ‘Right now, we have a 39cal cannon that we’ve had since the ’80s – we are range-limited. The Russians have systems that outgun and shoot further,’ said one army official.

Proposing change The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is also undergoing comprehensive upgrading as part of its step-up to the M2A4/M2A5 variants – previously known as the Bradley One of the US Army’s six key modernisation areas will be air and missile defence, with a VSHORAD- Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) – configured Stryker vehicle being proposed by industry. (Photo: General Dynamics Land Systems) which includes updating the platform’s automotive parts, such as suspension, For Bassett and the new PEO GCS Brig Trophy by the end of driveline and track systems. This will Gen Brian Cummings (inbound from PEO the decade, after successful installation and address the Bradley’s loss of mobility over Soldier), the big focus was, and will be characterisation was carried out in 2017. its lifetime, primarily because of the bulk going forward, ensuring that in the years Another platform that has had a complete created by additional armour and systems leading up to the introduction of the ‘turret-ring down’ refresh is the M109 integrated as operational add-ons. NGCV – which could be at least another Paladin tracked self-propelled howitzer, The M2A4 will also feature greater decade – the service maintains its now being rolled out in its A7 iteration. This power-generation capabilities, which will aid readiness and combat effectiveness includes a newly designed hull, suspension technology insertions in the future, and through its existing capabilities. and powertrain (with a new 675hp VTA-903 testing is expected to be completed by engine from Cummins), which provides September 2018.. Enhancing a legacy increased protection and mobility as well In addition, a future A5 ECP upgrade that The army has taken initial deliveries of its as commonality with the Bradley and AMPV. concentrates on lethality is in the works, newest M1A2 Abrams variant, known as The A7 will also integrate a new digital which is receiving funding of $600 million the System Enhancement Package Version backbone with 600V onboard power up to FY2024. This would see the army 3 (SEP V3). The first of six vehicles was generation. upgrade the Bradley’s sighting systems with delivered in October 2017 as part of an The legacy Paladin is considered one new third-generation forward-looking IR initial production batch from the Joint of the slowest platforms in a modern (3GEN FLIR) for the commander and Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, armoured combat brigade team (ABCT) gunner, along with improved laser Ohio, where production is taking place. formation, which has presented challenges rangefinders for better target engagement. For the programme manager of the when it comes to providing support fire for However, as Shephard understands from Abrams, Lt Col Justin Shell, the idea that the manoeuvre force. The power boost for several sources, army officials met with current platforms are at their limits of the Paladin, as well as a growth potential senior leaders on the Army Requirements modernisation is not accurate: ‘Anything of up to 50t from the current 36t, will Oversight Council (AROC) on 26 January to that could be brought in for the NGCV we ensure that it is now one of the more discuss additional options for the A5 ECP could adopt with the inception of SEP V3, capable vehicles in the ABCT. upgrade within current funding targets. One with its updated power and distribution.’ On 22 December last year, BAE Systems option presented was a turret-ring down- On 21 December last year, the Pentagon announced that it had received a $413.7 modification that would introduce a brand announced that it had awarded Abrams million contract to execute the final option new (larger) hull and transmission to the manufacturer General Dynamics Land for low-rate initial production of the M109A7, platform, addressing a common criticism Systems (GDLS) a $2.6 billion contract to as well as put in place additional options for that the Bradley is too small. upgrade 786 vehicles to SEP V3 standard. 60 units per year for full-rate production. The Army officials have previously hinted at a Work is expected to be completed by the army plans to carry out initial operational possible hull replacement programme for end of 2020. testing and evaluation in Q1 2018. the type, which would offer significantly Although not currently part of SEP V3, an Future upgrades for the M109A7 could more growth potential than is possible now. entire brigade’s worth of Abrams tanks will include a ‘turret-ring up’ modification that ‘If you look at a combat vehicle, particularly also be fielded with the Israel-developed would see the integration of a new gun, a Bradley, the hull itself is not really a big

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cost driver – you almost pay more money For the Stryker lethality initiative, original flat bottom. A GDLS spokesperson for a transmission than you pay for that Europe-based 2CR is expected to carry out told Shephard that the A1 variant hull,’ said Lt Col Chris Conley, the US Army’s an end-user test and evaluation phase at also includes a 910A alternator and an program manager for the Bradley, at AUSA Hohenfels Training Area, southern Germany, inter-vehicle network. 2017 in Washington DC. in April 2018. Upgunning the platform with The army is also moving forward with the ‘Rather than go spend a ton of money a 30mm cannon is part of an ongoing effort acquisition of a 105mm-weapon-equipped trying to cram something [into the existing to increase the lethality of Stryker BCTs ‘’ for infantry BCTs. Known as hull], it might just be a new hull and then (SBCTs), which was identified as a Mobile Protected Firepower, this programme capture the LRUs [line-replaceable units], the capability gap by 2CR in a March 2015 will leverage existing, non-developmental engine, the power distribution system [and] urgent operational needs statement. technologies and an expedited acquisition other things we’ve developed already and The US Army’s concern is that the approach. Industry will submit bids this rehost that in a larger hull,’ he explained. vehicles, especially those stationed in spring (following the release of an RfP in This will not come as a surprise to Europe, lack the firepower to engage November 2017), and contracts will be industry, especially the Bradley’s OEM BAE effectively at long ranges, and that enemy placed around Q1 FY2019 for a batch of Systems. In 2016, the company pre-empted forces – namely Russian land forces – prototypes from two contractors, to be such a move and put forward a vehicle could outgun them during engagements. delivered 15 months after. concept that incorporated a new hull, A total of 83 ICVDs are expected to be ‘Industry has got to bring us mature showcasing it to army leaders during AUSA. delivered next year, with the army also designs that are capable of moving rapidly In order to bring down cost and boost considering rolling out 30mm cannon into this prototype development phase,’ vehicle commonality further, the army could across the rest of the eight SBCTs, which said Bassett. ‘This is “put up or shut up” utilise the hull and chassis structure of the will be discussed in a February AROC. That time – give me a bid sample this spring and incoming AMPV, which already shares parts decision will likely be influenced by 2CR’s be prepared to deliver vehicles within 15 commonality with the Bradley. experience with the system once it is months of contract.’ Another option put forward for the M2A5 fielded, said Col Glenn Dean, project After years of combat in Iraq and lethality initiative is to ‘upgun’ the platform manager of SBCT. Afghanistan, the army is finally waking up to with a 30mm weapon system, which would Along with the ICVD, 2CR will also receive the need to expedite the modernisation of retain the current turret but replace the equipped with a new Common its legacy combat vehicle fleet. Despite existing 25mm gun. The upgraded 30mm Remotely Operated Weapon Station being fielded in the 1980s, modernisation turret would have a redesigned structure (CROWS) that integrates a Javelin launcher, focusing on mobility, electronics, protection and integrate gigabit ethernet as part of a known as CROWS-J. and firepower will ensure that these digital architecture upgrade. However, to In other Stryker developments, the army platforms have the capabilities needed to keep in line with current funding, plans to is now taking delivery of a new double-V address a peer threat today. upgrade the vehicle’s optics to 3GEN FLIR hull (DVH) A1 variant of the vehicle and That said, army leaders have to ensure would be ditched, and the gunner and building a fourth DVH brigade. The A1 they are ready for the fight that comes in commander’s sight configuration would includes a bigger 450hp Caterpillar engine several decades time, which will require a stay the same. and heavier-duty suspension to address brand-new vehicle that incorporates performance issues that arose from technologies currently in early Within striking distance transitioning to a heavier DVH from the development. ■ This would align with the army’s current flagship lethality effort of upgunning Both the Abrams MBT and Bradley Fighting Vehicle are going through a comprehensive set of around 80 Europe-based Stryker vehicles upgrades to retain the future potency of armoured brigade combat teams against near-peer with a new 30mm-equipped turret. The threats. (Photo: US Army) first of these vehicles, known as the Infantry Carrier Vehicle – Dragoon (ICVD), was delivered to 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR) at Rose Barracks in Germany in December 2017. As part of that upgrade, the Stryker is fitted with a Kongsberg Protector MCT-30 unmanned turret incorporating an MK44 30mm dual-feed cannon (currently designated the XM813) from Orbital ATK. An upgunned Bradley could also feature the same weapon, although this would depend on the space available inside the existing turret.

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n the post- era, the inventories of land forces across Europe and elsewhere I were dramatically reduced, and AFV replacement programmes curtailed. However, Revamping Russian aggression in Eastern Europe and ongoing wars in the Middle East have renewed interest in achieving the capabilities needed to defeat a full spectrum of threats. the tank For many countries, this means investing in AFVs that have not been considered as defence priorities for several years. Even the US military will be Maintaining the technological currency of existing AFVs operating a largely 1980s-vintage AFV force for the is a critical element of modernisation. Upgrades in foreseeable future, and will ‘require significant resources and time to train to become ready for full- place of new construction predominate for MBTs spectrum operations again’, General Joseph Lengyl, in particular, which have been a key element chief of the Bureau, said in of combined-arms warfare for decades. Washington on 14 December 2017. Upgrade programmes can be as limited as adding Light AFVs, while less expensive to a single bolt-on onboard system or may involve a replace, are also being upgraded as nations contend with constrained budgets for new vehicles. By David C Isby

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complete remanufacturing transformation. connectivity, both among internal systems without the type of changes envisioned for The latter generally involves the and across platforms. This type of work is the M1A3 configuration. incorporation of more effective, more often associated with large-scale rebuilds, The US Army has followed a similar reliable and lighter-weight systems and inserting a digital backbone that offers approach for its M2/ IFVs, components within the parameters of the an opportunity for future modular implementing a series of engineering original basic chassis and internal volume. upgrades using open architectures. Such change proposals rather than a A broad spectrum of approaches and enhancements are also often designed to comprehensive overhaul. technologies are currently available – the provide commonality with new-design AFVs. Improvements to vetronics (vehicle international market for AFV upgrades is The USMC is using this approach to electronics) are integral to many vehicle extensive and highly competitive – to develop its Amphibious Assault Vehicle architecture upgrades, providing display meet challenging operational needs with (AAV), manufactured by BAE Systems. ‘We and interfacing capabilities. Vetronics limited resources. need to be able to reach out and connect standards define human-machine interface an analogue system into a digital, requirements that are applicable to both Structural strength networked marine corps,’ said Tim new-build and enhanced AFVs. These Upgrading a vehicle’s integrated architecture McLaughlin, product manager at Marine include the US Army’s VICTORY (Vehicle enables it to access information-age Corps Systems Command. Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability), technologies and provides enhanced Intended to maintain the operational NATO GVA and British LSOA. The US Army is battlefield performance through improved viability of an AFV first introduced into integrating VICTORY-compliant vetronics situational awareness and network service in the 1970s, the AAV’s onto its fleet of AM General High Mobility comprehensive Survivability Upgrade Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs). Program (SUP), currently in progress with SAIC as prime contractor, will allow the Tactical intelligence US marines with a French VBCI USMC to use the vehicle effectively in Meanwhile, there is an increasing need IFV, which is to be upgraded to networked warfighting until 2035. for AFVs to operate as part of networked ensure compatibility with the upcoming SCORPION family In the UK, the MoD’s Land Systems operations, for which advanced battle of IFVs. (Photo: USMC) Open Architecture (LSOA) – and the management and C4I capabilities are Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) that required. One example is the French falls under that – is being applied to Scorpion Combat Information System, ongoing upgrade programmes. For being developed by Atos Technologies. example, the British Army’s Warrior This is a key element of the SCORPION Capability Sustainment Programme (a French acronym for ‘synergy of contact (WCSP) that is intended to keep this family operations enhanced by versatility and of IFVs and associated designs operational information’) family of AFVs under until the 2040s, will use the Warrior development. The system will also be Enhanced Electronic Architecture, which fitted as an upgrade to the Nexter VBCI is designed to be compliant with GVA. 8x8 wheeled IFV in French service, Other vehicle architecture upgrades are enabling connectivity and commonality. incremental, comprising the integration of Similarly, the new force-wide German BM/ new onboard systems. Most of the world’s C4I networks known as MoTaKo (mobile land forces are relying on these to tactical communication) and MoTIV (mobile enhance their MBTs. For example, the US tactical information network), will also require Army’s System Enhancement Package retrofits to current AFV designs, starting with (SEP) V2 for the General Dynamics Land 50 Puma and Boxer command vehicles. The Systems (GDLS) M1A2 Abrams MBT was systems are planned to achieve initial introduced in the 2000s and fully digitised operational capability in 2023. the tank and its onboard architecture. Many US Army AFVs were not originally It was originally intended to be an designed for BM/C4I network connectivity, interim measure pending a force-wide but value was found in the networked major upgrade to M1A3 standard. situational awareness provided by the GPS- Shortage of funding and resources led connected Blue Force Tracker (BFT), which instead to the modular SEP V3, which will displays a near-real time picture of friendly provide new diagnostic systems integrated and threat forces on a detailed map. In with a GVA that is designed to accept combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, the system future electronics, upgrades and became standard throughout US and associated software. This means that coalition forces and was retrofitted to many extensive new capabilities are possible types of AFV.

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and 7.62mm co-axial and capable of mounting Javelin ATGMs. This is a quick-response upgrade programme, with 81 ICV-Ds ordered in July 2015 within weeks of an operational requirement being issued. The US Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment will conduct the ICV-D end-user test and evaluation at Germany’s Hohenfels Training Area in April 2018. Other potential armament upgrades to Europe-based Stryker vehicles include a short-range air defence capability and a counter-UAV system, which is currently being tested. Options to add anti-armour capability are also offered by the Nexter ARX25 RWS, armed with a 25mm M811 cannon, and The Joint Battle Command-Platform includes a multimedia reporting system that digitally captures, the Norinco U4WA RWS with a 30mm main reports and retrieves data about incidents and the operating environment. (Photo: US Army) armament. The M1A2 Abrams SEP V3 upgrade will provide that MBT with a new Building on that experience, the US Army Among the many upgrade programmes low-profile version of the CROWS (Common is now incrementally retrofitting its new using this approach is the UK’s WCSP, Remotely Operated Weapon Station). Joint Battle Command-Platform (JBC-P) under which the 1980s-era turret is being vehicle-mounted system to replace BFT- superseded by a new structure from On the safe side based AFV installations. Lockheed Martin UK, which incorporates The aim of armour and protection Upgrades in BM/C4I systems – integrated a stabilised 40mm Cased Telescoped upgrades is to increase AFV survivability with vehicle architectures – can enable AFVs Armament System developed through a while limiting the amount of additional to make use of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT). JV with BAE Systems and Nexter. weight. Modular armour designs offer This can include smart batteries that report Upgraded weapons mounts and mission-specific configurations, adding their charge level and contact a central node integrated RWS were added to many AFVs or removing protective bricks of steel, via a wireless connection if they need during the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. composites or other advanced materials. recharging or replacing. The development of this equipment is This approach is used on the USMC’s AAV In Europe, Scania operates a predictive currently being driven by countries SUP and offers a level of protection maintenance programme for 200,000 responding to their own emerging against IEDs that is currently achievable trucks that has allowed some to drive operational requirements with indigenously only by specialised designs such as 150,000km before changing their remotely manufactured bespoke systems. MRAPs. Another example is the modular monitored engine oil, achieving savings in Examples include Ukraine’s Taipan protection system developed by Roketsan operations and maintenance costs. IoT combat module and the UAE EVPU Turra for Turkey’s Altay MBTs. connectivity has been offered both as 30 mounted on its indigenous JAIS Other protection upgrades are designed integral to new-design AFVs (such as the mine-protected vehicle. These have also into the AFV’s basic structure. The US British Army’s Ajax family) and as an been offered for export. -based Army’s Stryker 8x8 platform is receiving a upgrade to existing designs. Military Kongsberg has been a pioneer in RWS double-V hull (DVH), intended to deflect IED applications have been limited by concerns development, and its Protector system blasts, through a comprehensive over cyber attacks and proprietary systems is suitable for upgrades as well as remanufacturing programme. The first that lack a common standard. integration on new vehicles. production vehicles of the new DVH A1 There has been interest post-2014 in configuration were delivered in September Lethal weapon increasing AFV anti-armour capability 2017. The A1 includes a bigger 450hp AFV turret and weapons station upgrades through new medium-calibre RWS and Caterpillar engine and heavier-duty often introduce new armaments, sights, turrets – many of them designed to be suspension to address performance issues sensors and fire control systems that are operated unmanned in combat. This can that arose from transitioning to a heavier usually compatible with a range of vehicle be seen in the US Army programme to DVH from the original flat bottom. architectures and vetronics. These can upgrade its Europe-based Stryker APCs Further protection is offered by explosive provide increased firepower without to Infantry Carrier Vehicle-Dragoon (ICV-D) (ERA), which deflects the requiring more extensive changes. configuration. This will be achieved by explosive jet formed by a shaped charge However, some lethality upgrades can retrofitting a Kongsberg-designed RWS before it can penetrate an AFV’s armour. involve replacing the entire turret structure. armed with a stabilised 30mm cannon The return of US armoured brigade combat

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teams (ABCTs) to Europe in 2017 saw the War years, but first saw combat with Israeli 2020 or sooner,’ said Col Glenn Dean, in use of M19 Abrams Reactive Armour Tiles forces in Gaza in 2011. charge of the US Army’s APS efforts, in (ARAT) and M32 ARAT-2 ERA kits. Rafael is currently marketing its Trophy Washington on 9 October last year. However, the extra weight (3t of ERA is APS, which is currently operational on A decision on whether to procure required to protect an Abrams), the risk of Israel’s Merkava Mk 3 and Mk 4 MBTs Trophy for the entire force is expected premature explosions from small arms fire and Namer APCs. The OEM has adapted to be made this year. Other NDI APS and the need to provide protection for Trophy as an upgrade to a range of upgrades being evaluated are the Israeli exposed crewmen when ERA detonates current MBTs, including the German- Military Industries Iron Fist system on have all made the army reluctant to designed Leopard 2 and the Soviet- the Bradley and the Artis Iron Curtain consider it as a long-term solution. designed T-72 series. on the Stryker. The US has been pushed to use such The rising post-2014 threat from states The US Amy’s Modular APS is a technology as an AFV protection upgrade such as Russia (which has developed its developmental open-architecture system before. Although an ERA system was own APS technology) has pushed the US that can be integrated with onboard designed for it in the 1980s, the M2/M3 Army and USMC to invest in both near- equipment on a range of AFVs, from MBTs Bradley fighting vehicle was not fitted with a term non-developmental items (NDI) and to the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. It will capability to use ERA until 2004, when it longer-term APS developmental solutions be able to use technologies from different was introduced to meet urgent operational for AFV protection. sources to meet rapidly emerging needs in Iraq, while the Stryker APC The two services are looking at the potential threats. received this armour even later. combat-proven Trophy as an NDI approach Other countries are also pursuing Active protection systems (APS), to improving MBT active protection. On modular APS concepts as part of integrated with on-vehicle sensors, are 28 September 2017, the army announced integrated protection architectures. able to intercept and defeat incoming a $9.9 million contract with GDLS to install China’s Norinco GL5 system uses four threats with kinetic energy hard-kill the system on one ABCT’s upgraded M1A2 directional radar arrays. The British Army projectiles pre-impact. This concept has SEP V2 MBTs. ‘Trophy for Abrams will start is developing an upgraded defensive been under development since the Cold with a brigade for deployment to Europe by architecture for its Challenger 2 MBTs

SMi Group Proudly Presents the Third Annual… 11th - 12th APRIL 2018 Copthorne Tara Hotel, London, UK

CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN: BENEFITS OF ATTENDING: • Brigadier (ret’d) Ian Cameron-Mowat, Former Head of Force Protection, Defence • Exclusive Situational Awareness Military Equipment and Support, British Army briefings from the , the MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT EXPERTS INCLUDE: , Germany, the , • Lieutenant Colonel Andy Simpson, SO1 Land Systems, Platforms Division, DSTL and NATO • Major Warren Brennan, SO2 Communications and Vehicle Systems, Armoured Trials and • System Integration presentations from Development Unit, British Army RFEL, BAE Hägglunds, Patria, QinetiQ, and • Lieutenant Colonel Gunter Chladek, Land Section Chief, NATO JEWCS Thales • Major Sebastian Paradis, C4ISR Capability Insertion Project Lead, Canadian Armed • Hear communication and systems Forces updates from the following platforms: • Major Wouter Samson, Doctrine C4I Manoeuvre Centre of Excellence, the Royal AJAX, Challenger II, PUMA, CV90, Fennek, Netherlands Army BOXER, LAV III, US Army Abrams Bradley; • Mr Hans Josef Maas, Chairman of MILVA and SENECA Programme Leader, German MoD Stryker, AMPV, GMV, NGCV • Mr. Ulrich Faxel, Technical Director, Deputy Programme Manager PUMA, German MoD • Gain an insight into the latest • Mr. Ted Maciuba, Deputy Director of Capabilities Development, Next generation Combat technologies enabling enhanced vehicle, Manoeuvre Centre of Excellence, US Army vetronics, vehicle architectures, sensor • Colonel (ret’d) Mike Smith, TARDEC Science & Technology Advocate at the Manoeuvre development and integration, CIS and Centre of Excellence, US Army battle management

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An upgraded Iraqi T-72 tank – identifiable by its protective manned weapons station retrofitted to its commander’s hatch – participates in a live fire training exercise at the Besmaya Gunnery Range. (Photo: Joint Combat Camera Center, Iraq)

as part of a research programme known Army’s M1A2 SEP V3, with fielding to maintain mobility. Users want high as Icarus. The Multifunction Self-protection start in late 2020, and the T-72M1 MBT reliability, low sustainment costs and System developed by Hensoldt and used upgrade package being offered for export commonality with current engines. To on the German Puma IFV has been by Russia. achieve this, the AAV SUP will fit a adapted to the Challenger design. On 8 July 2017, India’s Defense Cummins VT903 diesel engine with Last year, then UK defence minister Sir Acquisition Council approved a INR2,400 675hp, a new power take-off unit and an Michael Fallon announced a £10 million ($36 million) programme to improve the improved transmission.This ensures that ($13.9 million) contract with Leonardo night-fighting capabilities of the country’s the vehicle’s MRAP-like enhanced level of that could pave the way for UK forces to AFVs by integrating an enhanced sensor protection will not have a detrimental utilise APS for new builds and upgrades. suite manufactured by indigenous effect on its land speed, while its speed The vulnerability of ‘buttoned-up’ AFVs government-owned industry. in water is increased through the use of and exposed crew members was repeatedly A similar approach is being examined axial-flow water jets. demonstrated in combat in both world wars as part of the US DARPA Ground X-Vehicle Ukraine’s upgraded BTR-4MV1 APC and and in Middle Eastern conflicts. Upgrades Technology program, which is looking to , manufactured by are therefore aimed at enabling vehicles incorporate sound, light detection and Morozov Design Bureau and publicly to ‘see’ better by increasing situational ranging and IR technology to generate a shown for the first time on 10 October awareness and target acquisition and multispectral picture inside an AFV. Proof- 2017, maintains the mobility and speed – engagement capabilities. of-concept testing started in 2016. 110km/h on roads, 10km/h swimming – EO and imaging IR sensors, linked to of earlier versions, despite upgraded onboard image processing, provide drivers Worth its weight protection and additional onboard and commanders with 360° visibility in all Elsewhere, new powerplants, with a systems increasing its weight by 3t. This weather, covering the blind spots that diesel engine and upgraded transmission, is due to its new Deutz diesel engine and otherwise surround an under-armour have been one of the most significant AFV US-built Allison transmission. vehicle crew. One system that offers these upgrades since they started to replace However, advanced AFVs may require benefits is the RFEL Trailblazer, marketed petrol engines in 1940s and ’50s more power than can be provided by the in a UK GVA-compliant version, and similar designs, starting in the 1960s. Since engine alone. integrated capabilities are widely offered. many enhancements result in increased Technologies such as electricity- Improved thermal imaging sights are vehicle weight and power consumption, generating hybrid drives and improved at the heart of designs such as the US additional engine power is necessary to battery and energy storage are among the

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approaches being considered for upgrade manufacturer of heavy vehicle tracks, that still offers access to information-age applications. announced a new line of improved lighter- technologies at the ‘sharp end’ of The US Army and Marine Corps have weight tracks for Soviet-designed MBTs combined-arms mechanised warfare. tested DRS Technologies transmission that offer a reduced manpower This is particularly pertinent for MBTs, integral generators on command-post requirement for maintenance. which despite their reduced numbers HMMWVs, and have reportedly True ‘rubber band’ track designs remain crucial to such warfighting and demonstrated that one upgraded vehicle provide less rolling resistance, noise and will dominate future battlefields until can provide the power previously vibration and up to twice the service life 2035-50 thanks to upgrade programmes. generated by two HMMWVs each towing of steel tracks, benefits which have led to Although new lighter AFVs will be a 15kW generator. their selection for the British Army’s developed, there is little desire or The effects of higher vehicle weight Warthog AFVs deployed to Afghanistan. capability among the majority of the may be mitigated by developments in Modern tyres for military wheeled world’s militaries to procure a complete suspension, tracks and tyres, which vehicles have been designed to range of new-generation AFVs using also address vibration issues and accommodate increased weight and common architectures and onboard minimise road damage. For example, power. The US Stryker series is one of systems, evidence by the US Army’s to accommodate its improved protection several AFVs to use the improved Michelin cancelled Ground Combat Vehicle and larger engine, the AAV SUP upgrade XML tyres. The Wheeled Combat Vehicle programme. required a new suspension system with Demonstrator prototype, built by GDLS Although the money and time required rotary dampers and upgraded torsion and incorporating a range of potential for upgrades may make them difficult to bars that raise hull ground clearance Stryker-series upgrades, uses new-design accomplish for many countries, they do by 76mm. 365/80 R20 run-flat tyres with protective offer an avenue to achieving vital For tracked vehicles, alternatives to the Hutchinson shields to reduce radar returns operational readiness. As Lengyl said: traditional all-steel design are becoming and thermal signature. ‘We have failed to modernise our force as more readily available. In October 2017, AFV upgrades are providing land forces we should have. Our qualitative military Omsktransmash, Russia’s only with an alternative to new construction edge needs to be regained.’ ■

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SHAKING Elite members of the Hong Kong Garrison of the PLA perform a counter-terrorism demonstration, holding QBZ95 assault rifles of 5.8mm calibre as they THINGS UP rappel down a building facade. (All photos: author)

Under President Xi Jinping, technology and military mechanisation by Richard Bitzinger, senior fellow and 2020. Follow-on aims are to become a coordinator of the Military Transformations China is making significant ‘modernised army’ by 2035, and ‘one of Programme at the S Rajaratnam School of alterations to the operation of the world’s greatest armies’ by 2050. International Studies in , told Shephard why the PLA is being overhauled: the People’s Liberation Army, Tough talking ‘Xi needs to modernise and restructure the and while its participation in Alarming, however, is the level of militaristic PLA for its own sake, but he is also trying to UN peacekeeping missions talk emanating from China. Xi solemnly assert his own control over the PLA to declared at last July’s massive parade: ensure that it is completely subservient to appears laudable, more ‘Today we are closer than any other the party – ie Xi,’ he explained. discomfiting motivations are period in history to the goal of the great The President exerts a tight grip over rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and we the Central Military Commission (CMC), beginning to appear. need – more than any period in history – to which oversees the PLA. Unveiling its new By Gordon Arthur build a strong people’s military… I firmly membership on 25 October, the CMC believe that our heroic army has the dramatically shrank from 11 members he People’s Liberation Army (PLA) confidence and capability to defeat all down to seven, the smallest size ever in continues to undergo radical enemies who dare to offend.’ the PLA’s history. A Xinhua editorial T restructuring as the country’s Then in January, he addressed personnel, noted: ‘With the announcement of a new leadership moulds it into a fighting force telling them they should fear ‘neither hardship CMC, the PLA is entering a new era under better suited to modern conflicts. According nor death’ as they obeyed Communist Party Xi Jinping’s leadership. The army is to its Commander in Chief, President Xi orders: ‘All attention should be paid to already the world’s biggest, and now it is Jinping, the military’s first goal is to achieve [making preparations] for war, and all the aiming to become the best. Changes will a major upgrade of capabilities, information work should be directed towards war’. continue to unfold, as the military

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improves its capabilities under the new Five of the PLA’s 18 group armies were reserves for the other three services rose command structure.’ slashed in April 2017, leaving 13 renamed as emphasis shifts to building up China’s China’s 2017 defence budget was designations as detailed in Table 1. Eastern naval, aerial and missile forces. RMB1.044 trillion ($151.5 billion), an increase Theatre Command, facing , was of 7% compared to the year before, although unaffected by the reorganisation, indicating International engagement debate rages over to what degree China that Taiwan remains Beijing’s highest China is now the leading UN Security deliberately underreports its expenditure. external security priority. Additionally, the Council personnel contributor to army maintains sizeable formations in the peacekeeping operations, with 2,650 Restructuring plans Tibet and Xinjiang military districts. Notably, soldiers and police currently serving in the The PLA is undergoing a string of reforms, in June-August 2017 Indian and Chinese Democratic Republic of Congo, , the most wide-ranging and ambitious troops faced off at Doklam in the Himalayas Liberia, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan. In since the country’s founding in 1949. One in the worst border confrontation in years. 1990 there were only five Chinese significant change was cutting 300,000 A year ago, the PLA possessed an personnel involved, illustrating the troops from the 2.3 million-strong force by estimated 21 divisions (20 infantry and one massive growth. the end of 2017. Consequently, the ground armoured), 65 brigades (48 infantry and 17 A Center for Strategic and International force now accounts for less than 50% of the armoured), 12 aviation units (seven Studies report noted: ‘The United PLA, and more than 1,000 units at the brigades and five ) and 11 special Nations, therefore, provides China with regiment level or above and 30% of forces units (nine brigades and two a collaborative forum through which to commissioned officers were cut. The PLA regiments). The cuts in group armies exert global influence. It also provides has suffered lower morale because of these directly affected 16 infantry brigades and valuable training to its military through layoffs, with considerable frustration five armoured brigades, but their fate is peacekeeping participation while amongst veterans who have not received unclear, whether dissolution, reassignment, promoting a positive image of China… their promised compensation. Xi’s energetic transformation or allocation to the reserves. China’s participation in UN operations anti-graft campaign has also punished As part of the reforms, the number of offers the Chinese leadership a low-cost more than a hundred PLA officers at or ground force reserves was cut, while means of demonstrating their above the corps-level since 2012. On 1 February 2016, the seven military Theatre New group army Headquarters location Previous group regions were abolished and replaced by five command designation (city, province) army designation joint theatre commands to create an agile force able to respond quickly to Eastern 71st Xuzhou, Jiangsu 12th contingencies with a streamlined command 72nd Huzhou, Zhejiang 1st hierarchy. Joint warfighting is facilitated by having all four services at the theatre 73rd Xiamen, Fujian 31st commander’s disposal, meaning he does Southern 74th Huizhou, Guangdong 42nd not need to go through a clumsy chain of command to request assets. 75th Kunming, Yunan 41st It will not be easy for the PLA to create 14th disbanded a joint force, however. Bitzinger noted: ‘Few militaries are able to engage in joint Western 76th Xining, Qinghai 21st operations. The PLA needs to create a C2 structure that puts the PLA Navy (PLAN) 77th Chongqing 13th and PLA Air Force (PLAAF) on an equal 47th disbanded footing with the ground forces. Given the historical primacy of the ground forces, this Northern 78th Harbin, Heilongjiang 16th will not be easy to implement.’ 79th Shenyang, Liaoning 39th Restructuring also killed off the four army-dominated general departments. A 80th Weifang, Shandong 26th new army HQ equal in stature to existing PLAN and PLAAF headquarters was formed, 40th disbanded doing away with the advantages the ground Central 81st Shijiazhuang, Hebei 65th force once enjoyed. Functions of the four general departments were taken up by 15 82nd Baoding, Hebei 38th new offices directly subordinate to the CMC. In addition, the Second Artillery 83rd Xinxiang, Henan 54th Corps was elevated to the Rocket Force on 20th and 27th disbanded 31 December 2015.

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power at greater distances.’ However, China will face headwinds in creating a global network of bases for it ‘may be constrained by the willingness of countries to support a PLA presence in one of their ports’.

Expeditionary expansion The army-centric PLA had traditionally prepared for an old-fashioned, conventional land war, but Xi is seriously boosting the military’s mobility and expeditionary capacity. For example, whilst group armies were being slashed, plans were simultaneously afoot for the PLAN Marine Corps (PLANMC) to snowball from its present strength of about 20,000 troops to potentially six brigades in total. Some media These special forces personnel are disembarking from an army Z-9B helicopter during a reports predicted the PLANMC would reach counter-terrorism demonstration. 100,000 marines, but this figure seems greatly overinflated since current brigades are approximately 6,000 troops strong. commitment to global stability, thereby despite a sustained decline in piracy- The traditional purpose of the marine allaying concerns over China’s growing related incidents off the Somali coast. corps was to conduct amphibious military and economic strength.’ Furthermore, the presence of at least six operations against Taiwan and/or its Significantly, in 2015 China passed a ZBD09 IFVs and an unknown number of outlying islands, and certainly this task controversial counter-terrorism law that ZTD11 tank destroyers seems unwarranted remains central. The service also performs permits the PLA or People’s Armed Police purely for base protection, thus reinforcing ongoing rotations on China’s network of (PAP) to conduct counter-terrorism the notion that China has stationed a full reclaimed South China Sea islets to protect operations overseas. This legal precedent expeditionary force in Djibouti. both its territorial claims and military helped establish China’s first overseas With aircraft and helicopters infrastructure. However, the PLANMC’s military base in Djibouti, with Beijing strategically stationed in Djibouti, and with current size is wholly inadequate for the negotiating an initial ten-year lease. It naval vessels plying the Gulf of Aden, ‘new missions’ and ‘far-seas’ operations officially opened on 1 August 2017. China has a significant military force on that China envisions as the country projects What China initially called a ‘logistical the periphery of the Middle East. In interests and investments overseas amidst support base’ has already transformed addition, the PLA has easier access to Xi’s ambitious One Belt, One Road initiative. into a site for ‘escorting, peacekeeping, Africa, where China has significant The PLANMC initially possessed the 1st humanitarian aid, military cooperation, investments, infrastructure projects and and 164th Marine Brigades, but latterly two joint exercises, evacuations, emergency its aforementioned peacekeepers. extra brigades purportedly transferred to rescue and maintaining security of The Pentagon released its annual the marines. One was the 77th Motorised international strategic seaways’, according report entitled ‘Military and Security Infantry Brigade of the 80th Group Army. to official sources. Developments Involving the People’s Located in Haiyang, Shandong, it is The facility is adjacent to the Doraleh Republic of China 2017’ last June. As the strategically located on the edge of the multipurpose port. The heliport features latter’s global economic interests expand, Yellow Sea across from the Korean seven aircraft hangars, a maintenance the report predicts it will establish Peninsula. Although not confirmed yet, it hangar, a control tower and 400m of additional overseas bases ‘in countries would be logical for existing amphibious tarmac that can accommodate a dozen with which it has a longstanding friendly formations of the ground force (1st helicopters. China doubtless has access to relationship and similar strategic interests, Amphibious Mechanised Infantry Division the international airport for military flights such as , and in which there is a based in Zhejiang Province; 124th as well. The 36ha site is protected by four precedent for hosting foreign militaries’. Amphibious Mechanised Infantry Division rings of fences and is big enough to Indeed, Gwadar in Pakistan is touted by in Guangdong Province; and 14th accommodate a brigade’s worth of troops. many as the likely location of a second Amphibious Armoured Brigade in Fujian An adjacent wharf will allow the docking of Chinese base. Province) to be earmarked to change their a four-ship flotilla at least. The Pentagon document adds: ‘A more allegiance to the PLANMC. China is ostensibly using the base to robust overseas logistics and basing Four 18,000t Type 071 landing platform support its naval anti-piracy task force infrastructure would also be essential to dock (LPD) ships are already operational, operating in the Gulf of Aden since 2008, enable China to project and sustain military one is being fitted out and another is under

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construction. These 210m LPDs can This reorganisation also signals a Assault Brigade (part of the 83rd Group accommodate helicopters, armoured major expansion in the size of the airborne Army, Central Theatre Command) and vehicles, hovercraft, landing craft and unit. Previously estimated to have 121st Brigade (75th Group about 1,000 soldiers each. Such platforms approximately 30,000 troops, it is not Army, Southern Theatre Command) were are crucial to China’s sealift and power clear what its final roster will be, however. created last year. projection capabilities. Furthermore, China The Airborne Corps has its own armour in In summary, the CMC is creating a is presently building the first Type 075 the form of air-droppable vehicles such as substantial and formidable joint rapid helicopter assault ship. This class of flat- the 8t tracked ZBD03. reaction force that could fight a high- tops will displace around 40,000t, thus After the May 2008 earthquake in intensity, small- to medium-scale rivalling Wasp-class vessels operated by the Sichuan, the PLA was able to mobilise engagement. The CMC will have six marine USN. It is unclear how many Type 075s 81,000 troops within 48h. However, a brigades, six airborne combat brigades, two China will build, but commentators shortage of strategic transport assets is a air assault brigades and the heavy 112th estimate anywhere from three to six. bottleneck for the army for overseas Mechanised Infantry Division (this division Existing PLANMC brigades are well deployments. Nevertheless, as Y-20 heavy in the Central Theatre Command serves as equipped with an estimated 350 ZBD05/ airlifters and more Y-9 medium transports a strategic asset available to the CMC) ZTD05 amphibious assault vehicles, but enter service, the PLAAF’s ability to move directly at its disposal. more will obviously be needed for new troops rapidly over longer ranges will Another major transformation was the brigades as they are stood up. The marines improve considerably. creation of the Strategic Support Force also have an amphibious PLZ07B 122mm As a rapid reaction unit, the Airborne (SSF) on 31 December 2015. Supporting self-propelled howitzer. The 8x8 family of Corps is held in readiness for expeditionary the PLA’s ‘information umbrella’, the armoured vehicles – including the ZBD09 or mobile tasks within China and, as the PLASSF is responsible for space, cyber and ZTL09 – are also fielded by the service. country increasingly looks outwards, for offence and defence, technical One area where the marine corps is overseas contingencies. Additionally, this reconnaissance and EW domains. The deficient is the absence of its own aircraft restructuring is a logical progression of the PLASSF consists primarily of army and helicopters, meaning it must rely on PLA’s desire to do away with the old corps- personnel, but a small number of air force the PLAN and PLAAF. It would therefore not division-regiment structure towards an and navy staff serve in it too. be a surprise if, at some future juncture, organisation that is more flexible and A RAND Corporation report observed China gives the PLANMC its own air arm. self-sufficiently deployable. that the PLASSF is a work in progress. ‘The While the PLA is definitely adopting a Aside from the PLAAF’s Airborne Corps, significance of the SSF’s establishment more expeditionary approach, Bitzinger the army is also developing airmobile units. should not be underestimated, however. noted, its ‘expeditionary capabilities are still The PLA has experimented with helicopter The pathway provided by the SSF to further nascent; it will take a decade, perhaps, assault tactics for some time, but it now develop the PLA’s information warfare before they are truly capable of projecting has its first major heliborne formations. By forces, including its space forces, opens large numbers of sustainable forces far combining aviation brigades with organic the door for these capabilities to be from China’s shores. That said, China could light infantry detachments, the 161st Air further integrated into PLA warfighting certainly begin to increase its capacity for power projection in the South and East China Seas. The PLA could use these forces These parading EW vehicles, of the Type 09 8x8 family, are fitted with SATCOM antenna and to push other countries out of these areas’. telescopic masts.

Getting radical The PLAAF has also radically restructured the 15th Airborne Corps. On 19 April 2017, it was rebadged simply as the PLA Airborne Corps. Its six regiments (previously distributed across three divisions) expanded into six brigades (namely the 127th, 128th, 130th, 131st, 133rd and 134th) that fall under a corps HQ. Additionally, other stronger formations were created – a special operations brigade, support brigade (featuring services such as communications, engineering and chemical defence) and aviation brigade (merging fixed-wing and helicopter assets). This gives the Airborne Corps a total of nine brigades.

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through the development of both doctrine and personnel.’ Readers interested in a detailed examination of the PLASSF may refer to a corresponding feature in the January- February 2018 edition of Digital Battlespace magazine.

Ensuring survival The strength of the PAP is estimated at about 660,000 personnel, the largest internal security force in the world. It is primarily responsible for border defence, counter-terrorism, maintaining domestic order and fire-fighting. It will continue to fulfil these key missions and, during times of war, it would act as an auxiliary to the ZBD05 amphibious assault vehicles are used by both the PLANMC and the ground forces. PLA. In May 2014, Xi described the PAP as This 26.5t IFV variant is armed with a 30mm cannon, coaxial 7.62mm machine gun and HJ-73 antitank missiles. ‘first and foremost a fighting force’ that must ‘steadfastly follow the core demands of safeguarding state security and social stability’. resources to more mundane internal fighter jets, transport aircraft, diesel- On 1 January 2018, ‘centralised and security issues rather than purely military electric submarines, destroyers and unified command’ of the PAP was ones. This appears to be in sharp ballistic missiles).’ transferred from the State Council to the contradiction to Xi’s expressed desire to It is challenging trying to assess the CMC. Snr Col Ren Guoqiang, Ministry of make the PLA more ‘combat ready’. overall warfighting capability of the PLA, National Defense spokesman, said it was a During reforms implemented in 1996, however. Bitzinger observed: ‘This is ‘major innovative measure in optimising 14 PLA infantry divisions transferred to difficult since the PLA has not been in a and developing the socialist military system the PAP to create mobile divisions. There war since 1979 (when it attacked with Chinese characteristics, a significant is reason to believe that the above Vietnam). However, most regional political and institutional arrangement to command transfer is being accompanied militaries have also not been engaged in strengthen the absolute leadership of the by a major restructuring of these conflict for as long or longer. In a strict party over the PLA and other people’s divisions. One source claimed the 14 comparative sense, therefore, China has a armed forces, as well as to ensure the good existing mobile divisions – which possess growing qualitative edge in its equipment, governance of the party and the country in their own helicopters, artillery and IFVs – matched by its longstanding quantitative the long run’. are being downsized to just four, a superiority. What is unknown is how good Certainly, the PAP’s previous command process to be completed by the end of is the PLA’s command and control system, where it reported to both the State 2018. It is speculated that these mobile structure, the quality of its officers, its Council and CMC, was clumsy. However, the divisions might take on a stronger training, morale, etc.’ armed police force is now more firmly under domestic counter-terrorism role, for The Pentagon’s 2017 report on China’s Xi’s control as he centralises power and example, thus releasing PLA special military warned: ‘Over the last decade, breaks up political blocs. While the PAP will forces to focus more on military China has increased its capability to not be added to the PLA’s order of battle, it operations. address regional and global security now takes orders directly and solely from objectives beyond its continued main the CMC. Warfighting capability emphasis on Taiwan contingencies. PLA Communist regimes generally collapse The PLA is inducting a host of new ground, naval, air and missile forces are because of domestic opposition, not equipment and Bitzinger assessed that increasingly able to project power through through external armed struggle. Well ‘much of it is increasingly quite good, of peacetime operations and are expanding aware of this, the Communist Party of higher quality and capabilities than older capacity to contest US military superiority China thus needs a strong PAP to ensure equipment (some of which had their in the event of a regional conflict.’ regime survival. Reading between the origins in designs from the 1950s and With such an expansion in military lines, this transfer of command authority 1960s). To a certain extent, therefore, any capability and a bevy of bewildering ensures the party’s absolute control over new equipment is going to be a significant martial proclamations from Xi and various the PAP and seeks to guarantee political improvement. But some equipment (not Chinese officials, there is ample reason for security. Nevertheless, a downside is that all, but pieces here and there) is even neighbours and the global community to the CMC will now divert time and approaching the global state of the art (eg be alarmed by the PLA’s growing might. ■

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SEEING THE LIGHT

Light artillery systems have pulled by a five-man crew for survivability The crew of an M119A3 105mm howitzer with moves or to tuck into tree lines,’ wrote two the US Army’s conduct recently fallen out of favour artillery officers in theFires bulletin, live-fire training at Grafenwoehr, Germany. (Photo: US Army) against more powerful published by the US Army’s Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. equivalents, and while fewer ‘Moreover, the 105mm ammunition is airborne, amphibious and other rapid than half of NATO countries less than half the weight of the 155mm reaction forces, or because they lack the still utilise them, those that ammunition used by the M777 and money to completely replace it with contains charges with the projectile for 155mm weapons. do value light guns as a highly ease of use, making it a more desirable For the past few decades, the market for mobile capability for airborne, system,’ they continued. modern 105mm towed artillery has been dominated by two weapons – the BAE amphibious and rapid Dealing with deficiency Systems 105mm Light Gun and the Nexter reaction forces. By Ian Kemp Although valued for their adaptability Systems LG1. A new weapon, the Boran and mobility, 105mm artillery systems 105mm from Turkey’s MKEK, is poised to ersatility is a key word used by are characterised by two significant enter production in 2018. However, the G7 many commanders when deficiencies – lack of range and lethality. from South Africa’s Denel, which offers the V describing the 105mm towed That is especially the case when compared promise of greater range and lethality, has howitzer. For some US officers, the ‘most to 155mm products, which have long been stalled due to a lack of funding. versatile cannon artillery system’ in army the choice in NATO and many other armies The BAE Systems 105mm Light Gun was service is the M119A3. ‘It is a versatile that field Western equipment. designed in 1965-74 by the UK’s Royal system that can be dropped with prime Only 11 of 28 NATO countries continue Armament Research and Development movers, air assaulted with prime movers, or to use 105mm towed artillery, usually for Establishment to meet a British Army

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requirement to replace the OTO Melara production, and a yet-to-be-chosen 8x8 proven, cost-effective 105mm artillery 105mm Pack Howitzer. The army required a mechanised infantry vehicle. Two Light Gun system. robust weapon, light enough to be carried regiments will re-role to support the strike The Colombian Army has become the internally by the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, brigades and will initially consist of an HQ latest user of the L119 following an order and able to fire both US/NATO-standard M1 battery, two gun batteries and three tactical for 18 weapons. The service publicly 105mm ammunition, as well as the longer- group batteries, which will provide forward- displayed the first battery on 4 December range British round initially developed for deployed fire support teams. It is the army’s 2017, and two additional batteries are the Abbot 105mm tracked self-propelled intention to equip these regiments with a planned to be equipped in 2018. howitzer (SPH). new 155mm medium wheeled gun from The US Army – impressed by the As the two types of ammunition are not 2025 to provide the necessary range to performance of the British Army’s Light interchangeable, the solution developed support the dispersed operations at the Guns during the Falklands War, particularly was to change barrels. In L118 heart of the strike brigade concept. their ability to be easily underslung by configuration, the weapon fires British helicopters – bought several L119s for separate loading rounds, while the L119 Widespread use evaluation as a potential replacement for configuration uses M1 semi-fixed Over 1,600 105mm Light Guns, including the US-designed M102 105mm towed ammunition. The L118 can achieve a range local production, were built for customers in howitzers used by its light divisions. The of 17,500m using the current generation of 19 countries including Australia (under the army subsequently bought 147 weapons, BAE Systems rounds, which can be local designation Hamel), , designated the M119, directly from BAE extended to 21,000m using rocket-assisted , , Ireland, Kenya, Malawi, Systems and licensed production began at projectiles (RAP), whereas the L119 fires (Hamel), , , two US-government-owned facilities, the M1 ammunition to a range of 11,600m and , the UAE and the UK. The figure also Rock Island Arsenal (carriage), Illinois, and RAPs to 19,500m. includes more than 800 M119s produced the Watervliet Arsenal (ordnance), New BAE Systems began serial production of for the US Army, with additional M119s built York, in 1987. the L118 in 1975 to equip the Royal for FMS customers including Morocco and The first M119s were deployed in 1989 Artillery’s light regiments and was first used . and were followed two years later by the operationally during the 1982 Falklands After the replaced its M119A1. Improvements included: a cold War. The L118 was later utilised by the L119 Hamel guns with the BAE Systems weather recuperator, enabling operations in British Army in Afghanistan, Iraq and the M777 155mm Lightweight Howitzer from temperatures as low as -45°C with reduced former Yugoslavia, where it was the only 2010-15, BAE Systems bought 92 Hamels maintenance; a more robust sight; and cannon artillery system the UK deployed. and is refurbishing these weapons to offer brake modifications to allow towing behind From 1999, the British Army upgraded them to customers. Company officials an AM General HMMWV. its L118s with the Selex (Leonardo) Laser predict the guns will interest armies in Latin In 1998, the service launched the Light INertial Automatic Pointing System America and the Middle East seeking a Artillery System Improvement Programme, (LINAPS), and in December 2011 the company received a contract to integrate a new Layers Display and Control Unit, the Development of the Denel Land Systems G7, which can achieve a range of 35km, remains stalled main man-machine interface of the LINAPS due to a lack of funding. (Photo: Denel) system. The latter enables rapid and accurate artillery engagement in all weather conditions, day and night. The L118 now equips four regular regiments, including: 7th (Parachute) Regiment; Royal Horse Artillery; 29th Commando Regiment; and Royal Artillery, which supports the UK’s two rapid reaction formations – 16 Air Assault Brigade and 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines. The Light Gun also equips three Army Reserve regiments. Central to the Army 2020 Refine structure, announced in December 2016, is the formation early in the next decade of two new medium-weight ‘strike’ brigades. These will be equipped with the General Dynamics UK Ajax tracked armoured reconnaissance vehicle family, now in

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which introduced a number of be developed in the future, which will dispersed IBCTs and the lack of a precision- enhancements to improve reliability, enhance the accuracy of conventional guided munition (PGM). The M777A2 is able maintenance and operation. Completed in 105mm ammunition.’ to fire the BAE Systems-Raytheon M982 2004, upgraded howitzers were designated The upgrade also includes the M20 Excalibur 155mm PGM and standard the M119A2. The M119A1/A2 was used breech and a new recoil system designed to 155mm projectiles fitted with the Orbital ATK extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq, and make the howitzer safer, simpler and more M1156 Precision Guidance Kit. production of the M119A2 was resumed in reliable, while also reducing the cost. The The authors of the aforementioned Fires 2007 to replace the remaining M102 army plans to upgrade all of its M119A2s to article argued that the range and howitzers in service with Army National the A3 standard. effectiveness of the M119A3 could be Guard (ARNG) units. The M119 now equips all regular army improved by adopting a longer barrel and and ARNG infantry brigade combat teams improved propellant similar to those used Recent upgrade (IBCTs), including those of the 10th on the British Army’s L118. The article In April 2015, the 3rd , 319th Mountain, 82nd Airborne and 101st notes: ‘The L118 compared to the M119 Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne divisions, and the 173rd Airborne has a range advantage of 5.6km for Airborne Division became the first operational Brigade Combat Team. standard range. That’s right, the same unit to be equipped with the M119A3. In 2013, the army began reorganising system as the US Army slightly modified, This variant features a new Digital Fire the organic field artillery battalions within the L118 has a standard range of 17.2km Control System (DFCS), which includes an IBCTs into composite battalions that to our 11.5km standard range and with inertial navigation unit, fire control consist of two M119A3 batteries and one RAP they are able to increase range to computer, gunner’s display and power 155mm M777A2 battery instead of three 20.6km, where we can range out to supply. About 90% of the software for the M119 batteries. 19.5km using RAP.’ package was taken from the M777A2 The new organisation overcomes two Although the army is investing heavily in DFCS. The army’s FY2018 budget request shortcomings of the M119 that became providing PGMs and other ammunition notes: ‘The digitised M119 howitzer will be apparent during recent operations – the lack improvements for both its 155mm artillery capable of firing precision fuzes that may of range to provide direct support to widely and various calibre systems, it

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has allocated no funding for a 105mm export market to meet the perceived The Singapore Army has since phased its PGM. Nevertheless, the service is needs of rapid deployment units, and LG1s out of service following the continuing to seek improvements to the about 175 have since been built. The LG1 acquisition of the ST Kinetics Pegasus M119 itself. can be towed by any light all-terrain 155mm Singapore Light Weight Howitzer In 2017, engineers from Watervliet vehicle or underslung by light helicopter, from 2005. The improved LG1 Mk II was Arsenal displayed a low blast overpressure and four guns can be carried in a C-130 bought by (14 guns), Canada (LBOP) muzzle brake they had developed transport aircraft. (28), (20) and (24 in for the M119. ‘It is important to the The current production-standard LG1 army and 30 in marine corps service), warfighter because it allows them to be Mk III is fully digitised, equipped with a and Nexter is hoping that Indonesia will more lethal by sustaining [a] higher number ballistic calculator and can be integrated order a second batch of LG1s. of rounds fired per day,’ said Alan Ng, LBOP with various artillery C3I systems. It is Colombia became the launch customer programme lead, ‘because the blast equipped with a 105mm/30cal barrel that for the LG1 Mk III when it received 20 guns overpressure from this new muzzle brake fires Nexter’s ERG3 ammunition to a range in 2009-10. In December 2015, the that is experienced by the artilleryman is of more than 17,000m, and is also National Army of Colombia launched a significantly lower.’ compatible with standard M1 rounds. project – with the assistance of local Singapore became the launch companies Multiservice Center Meccanic Meeting need customer for the LG1 Mk I in 1990 when and Formaq – to mount an LG1 Mk III on a Nexter developed its LG1 105mm it ordered 37 weapons after an evaluation 6x6 M923A2 5t cargo truck to provide its howitzer in the 1980s specifically for the of the LG1 and the 105mm Light Gun. first self-propelled artillery system. The

reinforced. The KH178 can fire production-ready system under the ROKA rocks standard US M1 HE projectiles to a designation K105HT. The M101 modernisation range of 14,700m using an M200 ordnance, equipped with a new saddle super-propellant charge, while the and a modified elevating and traverse The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) is M548 RAP can reach 18,000m. With a mechanism, is mounted on a turntable poised to award Hanwha Land Systems weight of 2,650kg, the KH178 – like on the cargo bed of a Kia Motors a contract to modernise several the M101 – is typically towed by a 6x6 KM500 6x6 5t truck. hundred M101A1 105mm towed 2.5t cargo truck. The K105HT is equipped with a howitzers almost 70 years after the Serial production of the KH178 computerised FCS, similar to that used weapon was used by the US Army, began in 1984, but neither the in Hanwha Techwin’s K9 SPH, coupled USMC and ROKA during the 1950-53 company nor the ROKA has ever to an automatic gun-laying system. An . disclosed how many M101s were electric joystick enables the gunner to Although Hanwha’s K9 155mm/52cal converted to the improved standard. elevate (-5 to +65º) and traverse the self-propelled howitzer is the most Hyundai WIA reportedly exported weapon (90º left and right of centre) potent cannon artillery system in South sufficient KH178s to Indonesia to equip with manual back-up controls available. Korean service, the ROKA has the three artillery battalions each with Stowage is provided for 60 rounds. The world’s largest inventory of 105mm 18 weapons, and also a battery of K105HT requires a crew of only five, towed howitzers – about 1,700 guns to , and continues to market including the driver, compared to the US-supplied M101s and the locally built the KH178. nine soldiers who operate the towed KH178 upgrade – and an estimated At the request of the ROKA, Hanwha M101, and the weapon can be brought stockpile of three million 105mm Techwin developed the EVO-105 into action within one minute. rounds. Given the significant cost of Evolved Wheeled Self-Propelled The ROKA is expected to order up to replacing its 105mm weapons and Howitzer which was unveiled as a 800 systems, which will partially replace ammunition with 155mm systems, the concept demonstrator in early 2014. the towed M101 howitzers that now ROKA intends to modernise a portion of ’s Defense Acquisition equip its infantry divisions. Hanwha its 101/KH178 inventory. Program Administration announced Techwin, with an eye to the export Developed by South Korea’s Hyundai on 28 June that the EVO-105 ‘was market as well as the ROKA, has WIA, the KH178 upgrade replaced the assessed as fit for combat by meeting proposed a number of potential original M101’s 105mm/23cal barrel all required operational capabilities in upgrades, including using the KH178 with a longer CN78 105mm/38cal a recent test. Accordingly, mass ordnance. The company has also barrel fitted with a double-baffle muzzle production will begin in 2018 for use suggested that larger weapons such as brake, and introduced the RM78 recoil by our military units.’ its own KH179 155mm or the Soviet- mechanism as well as a new FCS. The At the October 2017 ADEX exhibition built M46 130mm towed howitzers trails on the CG78 carriage were also in Seoul, Hanwha Techwin displayed a could be mounted on an 8x8 chassis.

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stated requirement at present is for only autonomous turret system armed with six weapons to equip a single battery. US Army UH-60 Black Hawks transport two the 105mm LEO, for integration on the M119A2 105mm howitzers to a landing zone Firing trials began in mid-2017. during an air assault artillery raid at Fort company’s 8x8 LAV III/Stryker chassis. Turkey is the only NATO member to have Drum, New York. (Photo: US Army) However, T7 development stalled when developed a new 105mm artillery system the US Army decided to equip its Stryker in recent decades. State-owned Makina brigade combat teams with the M777. ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu (MKEK), Since then, Denel has continued to working with Aselsan, developed the promote the potential of the G7, as the Boran 105mm to meet a Turkish Land towed version of the 105mm LEO is now Forces Command (TLFC) requirement for known, and has developed a new an air-portable light towed howitzer to conceptual 105mm turret, an updated replace the approximately 75 M101A1s version of the T7 system that will fit on still in service. 25t platforms such as the Patria 8x8 MKEK developed two different AMV, a modified version of which Denel Boran 105mm prototypes, one to is now producing for the South African meet the TLFC’s requirement and the Army. It has also suggested developing a other specifically for the export truck-mounted G7. market. Prototypes of both were A Denel spokesperson told Shephard displayed for the first time at the May that ‘development and marketing of the 2015 IDEF exhibition. The TLFC design 105mm artillery system is currently very features a bow-type trail, similar to low profile due to funding restrictions and that of the 105mm Light Gun, while other engineering priorities. Denel is the export design is equipped with the currently looking for a funding partner more common split trail carriage as and will be participating in the SANDF used on the M101 and the LG1. Both requirement for a new field gun.’ versions have a 105mm/30cal Although South Africa’s 2015 defence ordnance equipped with a vertical review promised to ‘arrest the decline’ of sliding breech mechanism, hydro- the SANDF, there has yet to be a pneumatic recoil system, and a triple current 155mm light guns’ such as significant increase in procurement baffle muzzle brake. the M777 and the Pegasus, then in spending. Denel, which is strapped for The Boran 105mm is equipped with the development. Using a systems approach, cash, as became painfully clear when it was 105mm HTHÇO (105mm Havadan the company launched development of unable to pay its employees in December Taşınabilir Hafif Çekili Obüs) FCS, the 105mm/58cal Light Experimental 2017, is prioritising work on systems such developed by Aselsan, which includes a Ordnance (LEO) and the associated as the 155mm T5-52 Mounted Gun fire control computer, an inertial projectile and propellant systems, System, which are likely to lead to contracts navigation system, a leveraging the company’s work on in the near-to-medium term. radar, a laser rangefinder and a digital long-range 155mm ammunition. Prime contractor General Dynamics radio. Firing an MKEK HE base-bleed The first 105mm LEO prototype was Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), in projectile, the Boran 105mm can achieve completed in 2001 and has since been partnership with RDM, developed the 105mm a maximum range of 17,000m, an extensively tested. It originally weighed M1130 base-bleed and M1131 Boat Tail increase of more than 50% over the 3,800kg, although Denel is confident that projectiles for the US Army on the basis of the range of an M101 firing a standard M1 it can reduce this to 2,500kg and has Igala M0125 insensitive high-explosive (HE) HE projectile. A trained crew can achieve even proposed an ultra-lightweight pre-formed fragment projectile developed for a rate of fire of six rounds per minute. version of about 2,000kg. It can fire the LEO project. The projectiles provide both Qualification trials of the TLFC variant standard rounds to a maximum range of improved range and lethality, and their effect were conducted from May-October 2017 24.6km, which can be increased to on semi-hard targets is comparable to that of and serial production of 106 weapons is 29.3km with base-bleed ammunition and a 155mm HE shell. expected to begin shortly. 36km using the Rheinmetall Denel The M1130 and the M1130E1, which Munition (RDM) Velocity-enhanced Long- combines the M1130 projectile with the Challenge accepted Range Artillery Projectile, part of its Igala optimised six-zone M350 propelling In 1995, the South African National munitions family. charge, replaces four types of in-service Defence Force (SANDF) challenged Denel When government funding was HE projectiles – the M1 HE, M760 HE, Land Systems to ‘develop the technology exhausted, Denel continued developing M927 HE-RA and M1130 Pff-BB. GD-OTS for a light gun with a light logistic load the 105mm LEO and in 2003 signed an completed the project with the delivery that will equal or better the range and agreement with General Dynamics Land of the last of 30,000 rounds to the army equal or better the terminal effect of Systems which led to the T7 light in 2016. ■

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Revision Military has designed the Caiman combat helmet to satisfy future demands of the armed forces for the integration of augmented reality and other situational awareness devices. (Photo: Revision Military)

Protection systems for dismounted soldiers are continuously evolving in response to environmental factors and the changing nature of threats on the modern battlefield. Industry is currently focusing on weight issues and new materials, with the aim of optimising the effectiveness and reducing urvivability remains a key the burden of such requirement for armed forces equipment. By Andrew White S operating across a variable environment where protection from lethal and non-lethal effects can be critical to the successful completion of a mission. Requirements are generally satisfied by a fusion of personal protection equipment (PPE), C4ISR technology and TTPs that Safeguarding allow soldiers to avoid more dangerous situations. adversely affect performance Weight lifting on the battlefield by impeding soldiers PPE is essentially the base layer in soldier mobility, encouraging fatigue and protection, comprising a mix of armour hence increasing cognitive failures. Furthermore, weight carried in the DCC plates, carrier vests, combat helmets and a With average combat loads totalling environment can vary tremendously variety of accessories, including mandible anything up to 54kg (according to depending on combat roles. For example, visor, groin, neck and limb protectors as DoD figures), PPE can amount to nearly DoD doctrine stipulates the average load well as eye and ear protection, according to 25% of a DCC soldier’s total equipment carriage of an infantry rifleman to be US DoD doctrine. load. Typically, weight carried can be 43.5kg, compared to 49.4kg for a team However, such a mix of equipment broken down into a 1.4kg combat helmet, leader, 51.7kg for a squad leader and provides ‘significant bulk and weight’ to 3.9kg plate carrier with integrated soft 58.5kg for a machine gunner. cumulative loads carried by dismounted armour and 5kg in ballistic small arms According to a report focusing on PPE close combat (DCC) personnel, which can protective inserts. published by the US Government

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Accountability Office (GAO) in May 2017, Weight directly careful consideration in order to understand the US Army and USMC are seeking to the changes this may bring across the whole reduce the amount of PPE and weights affects soldier soldier system and ensure that the soldier carried into combat, in order to improve mobility and is an still achieves operational effectiveness.’ soldier efficiency. According to Bedford, soldier solutions ‘Recognising that the weight of PPE important consideration should be light, modular and, where there and other equipment could have negative for survivability. is a power/data requirement, provide effects on personnel performance, the signature protection: ‘Identifying and army and the marines have coordinated adapting to changing threats from the and developed goals for PPE-related weight opposition quickly and effectively whilst reductions and are pursuing some efforts he said. ‘Contemporary operating maintaining operational effectiveness will to reduce overall load burdens on environments are likely to be urbanised, require the adoption of novel and evolving personnel,’ the report stipulates. with congested and cluttered terrain with technologies. Technology should also ‘Army and marine corps officials stated engagements potentially over shorter address interoperability issues and ensure that while they prioritise protection and ranges. This means that protection compliance and compatibility with pre- operational capabilities when developing requirements can change quickly as existing systems and standards applicable PPE, they have overarching goals of soldiers move from one area to another.’ to the soldier.’ reducing weight, in addition to improving ‘The current marketplace has begun to the form, fit and function of equipment. reflect this by allowing protection systems Material benefit These goals have led to reductions in the to be tailored to suit the environment, the Manufacturer DSM Dyneema recognises weight of some PPE,’ it continues, identified threat and operational risk,’ that a rapidly evolving operating and highlights multiple strategies to Bedford added. ‘Commanders are environment continues to drive PPE reduce the weight of hard armour plates empowered to make decisions regarding requirements into the short, medium by 20% with the elimination of excess protection levels based on their and long term. Dirk Louwers, global ballistic protection. assessment of the risk and operational marketing manager of life protection at the Furthermore, the report describes benefit, allowing them to equip what is right company, told Shephard that many modularity requirements in PPE, stating: and fitting for the operation at hand.’ in-service PPE suites currently involve ’In addition, [the army and marines] are He also described how the proliferation of equipment that enables quick deployment pursuing other efforts to reduce the weight IEDs, as witnessed in recent operations in for short operations or high mobility for of PPE, such as by giving commanders the the Middle East, has forced the global rapid response. option to employ varying levels of PPE at market to integrate enhanced blast ‘DSM Dyneema [is witnessing] an their discretion and studying the effects of protection systems for lower limbs, as well as increased desire for protective equipment integrating PPE with overall combat loads.’ increased resilience to small fragmentation. that helps lighten the load on the individual ‘Whilst this is still an area under dismounted officer, now often tasked with Modular designs development, improvements to materials many more responsibilities than in the past. According to Laurence Bedford, head such as ballistic silks mean that the With that increased workload comes more of research at UK-based company SEA, marketplace is increasingly able to adapt gear, making the requirement that all survivability of DCC personnel is driven by protection systems to readily suit operational equipment be as lightweight and efficient the integration of protection systems and requirements,’ he told Shephard. as possible,’ he explained. other elements of the wider soldier system. However, highlighting current trends Dyneema’s Force Multiplier Bedford explained to Shephard that SEA for scalable and modular PPE systems Technology material has been designed remains responsible for the development designed to satisfy multiple mission to reduce weight by as much as 30% of soldier system architecture and Future requirements now being witnessed across versus legacy ceramic armour systems, Soldier Vision concepts on behalf of the the contemporary operating environment, the company claims. British Army in order to better understand Bedford reiterated the DoD’s concerns ‘We see personal and vehicle protection issues of survivability and the future about weight burden issues. He described continuing to grow in importance. protection requirements for the dismounted this as an important question for the Continued focus on mobility and the ability soldier. This includes support of the Virtus individual soldier: ‘Weight directly affects to rapidly respond to significant threats load carriage and personal protection soldier mobility and is an important in various theatres of operation is likely. system, supplied by Source Vagabond consideration for survivability, since a Demands for armour systems that provide Systems, which continues to be issued faster-moving soldier is less likely to be hit. better protection, while reducing weight, across the UK’s armed forces. ‘Burden needs to be considered, mean that materials innovation will continue ‘The drive for modular and scalable particularly as power- and data-enabled to be of utmost importance,’ Louwers said. protection systems reflects key drivers equipment is fielded on the man,’ he Force Multiplier Technology, he continued, identified through both operational continued. ‘There remains a drive to reduce is designed to further ‘evolve’ protection feedback and operational analysis tasks,’ equipment mass. However, doing so needs levels associated with ballistic and

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Layered effect Soldier protection comprises a more holistic suite of measures beyond just hard and soft armour plate, with products that integrate load-transfer technologies to allow the soldier to carry more equipment, as well as electronic signature management solutions and suitable TTPs. According to Bedford, signature management has become even more relevant to current operations, with near-peer adversaries such as Russia continuing to execute so-called ‘next-generation warfare’ including The ‘survivability onion’ represents the multiple layers of soldier protection, ranging from offensive actions across the armour solutions to TTPs and signature-reduction technologies. (Graphic: SEA) electromagnetic spectrum. ‘Protection systems are often thought contactless payments and personal to carry more PPE if required. Options of as the bullet stoppers,’ he said. identification systems. Whilst this is include tactical ground vehicles such as ‘However, these comprise only the inner unlikely to filter through to soldier Polaris Government and Defense’s layers of the “survivability onion”. technology in the short term, issues family of MRZR all-terrain vehicles, Protection can be delivered through all present with the commercial which have a maximum payload layers of the onion, and this includes technologies are likely to be capacity of 680kg, as well as ongoing avoiding detection and acquisition by accentuated once applied to the development of UGVs such as DARPA’s hostile forces.’ military domain,’ he said. Legged Squad Support System. Bedford explained that the growing In terms of future development in According to agency documents, the use of data on the man is adding to these areas over the next five to ten UGV is designed to carry a payload of this issue: ‘The increase in man-worn years, Bedford predicted that the up to 453kg to support DCC squads technology upon the battlefield means market is likely to witness many of and fire teams, although it was that soldier signatures are becoming the capabilities on offer within the conceded by the GAO report that increasingly difficult to manage. civilian marketplace outpacing neither the army nor marine corps are ‘Additionally, the rapid spread of military technologies. currently pursuing this specific system. cheap sensor technologies allows ‘The advancement of smart materials The GAO report lists other suitable threat forces ready access to may offer improvements to protection. courses of action to lessen the load, capabilities to enhance the detection, [SEA’s] Future Soldier Visions work including the reduction of battery usage recognition and identification of [has] identified some candidate and the development of lighter polymer- targets. It is therefore key that systems, such as fabrics to act as case ammunition (designed to reduce enhancements in the power- and auto-tourniquets upon detection of conventional weight of 5.56mm, data-enabled soldier be conducted injury to the wearer. This has also 6.5mm, 7.62mm and 12.7mm cognizant of the signature included development of dynamic cartridges by up to 35%). management issues,’ he added. colour-changing fabrics capable of ‘The [US Army] and USMC are SEA is one of multiple companies enhancing camouflage in response to researching potential hardware and already considering the integration of the operating environment.’ software changes that could reduce these thought patterns into future the energy demand for some development road maps in the medium Taking action commonly carried electronics and to long term, which could include cyber Elsewhere, the US Army and USMC thus reduce energy usage and weight protection on the man to prevent continue to consider the development associated with batteries,’ the GAO potential compromise by enemy forces, of both manned and unmanned ‘load report reads. Options cover energy- Bedford speculated. transfer’ technologies to support DCC harvesting devices, capable of ‘In the civilian world, this is a current personnel. According to the May 2017 generating power from movement issue which is becoming increasingly GAO report, such technology types and solar sources, and technology prevalent through the rapid spread of could allow personnel to ‘offload food, developments to reduce the weight wireless technologies, such as water or ammunition’, providing options of batteries by 20%.

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anti-stab performance standards with The material is therefore far less likely to develop capabilities to meet these higher ‘significantly lighter, more comfortable and distort than standard body armour, which threats,’ the spokesperson said. more ergonomic solutions than are possible generally bends inwards when a bullet ‘Movement towards offering a full with aramids, ceramics or other materials’. strikes, preventing death, but causing spectrum of helmet protection levels in The solution, according to company considerable pain.’ both shell technology as well as modular literature, fuses ‘breakthrough polymer The integration of these two materials attachments like ballistic appliqués, visors science; next-generation fibre technology; could provide a number of benefits for wider and mandible guards, provides the user and unique uni-directional engineering’ to applications, according to a JV statement: the ability to tailor the level of protection deliver V50 performance standards. This will ‘Liquid armour could offer our troops based upon the mission and threats. provide increased levels in performance, increased protection but be lighter, allowing ‘Beyond attachments, we are seeing trauma protection, flexibility, comfort, agility, for greater manoeuvrability.’ more demand for helmets that offer payload and function as well as 25% in It goes on to describe how the technology enhanced integration capabilities with weight reduction across both hard and soft could also provide ‘reduced mass, wider area existing and future headborne devices, and armour inserts. coverage, greater manoeuvrability and easy users seeking solutions that lack parasitic Considering next-generation solutions, BAE integration with other systems’, in addition to weight and optimise the balance between Systems and Helios Global Technologies the previously stated weight reductions. lethality, protection and mobility,’ the signed an MoU in June 2017 to ‘further BAE was unable to provide Shephard spokesperson continued. develop liquid armour technology’, which with further information regarding the This, the company added, could could provide a significant step-change in the development road map of its JV with Helios. include the integration of augmented development of PPE. reality technology, biometrics and A joint announcement published by Capability integration communications suites into ground-based both companies at the time explains how a According to Revision Military, which helmet platforms, with the US Army’s ‘custard-like’ substance had already been specialises in head protection and load- Program Executive Office for Soldier proven in laboratory tests to ‘stop’ projectiles carrying systems, global trends in PPE Sensors and Lasers already considering more effectively than in-service hard armour continue towards capabilities that maintain such a move with a newly established options, especially when added to Kevlar. overmatch against near-peer competitors, ‘Futures Cell’. ‘In studies, when combined, the two including movement towards higher Defence sources associated with the materials offer superior freedom of motion rifle-rated levels of head protection. effort told Shephard that former team and a reduction in overall thickness of up to A company spokesperson explained that members from the US Special Operations 45%,’ a BAE Systems statement claims. ‘typical’ helmet standards have traditionally Command’s Joint Acquisition Task Force for ‘When a projectile impacts the material at been based upon non-theatre threats like the TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator speed, it hardens very quickly and absorbs legacy performance requirements, which Suit) had been recruited with the ‘intent of the impact energy. When combined with are subsequently based on the capability of integrating technologies into conventional Kevlar, the reduced flow of the fluids in the the available raw materials. ‘Now, there force helmets’. liquid armour restricts the motion of the seems to be a switch to mandating Although the Revision Military fabric yarns. This means an increase in area particular high threat protection levels, spokesperson did not provide specific over which the impact energy is dispersed. forcing the material industrial base to details regarding the company’s future growth strategy, they did confirm that the While protection remains the priority, industry is striving to reduce the weight and improve the company remains ‘highly cognizant’ of form, fit and function of PPE. (Photo: US DoD) requirements to extend the capabilities of in-service and future materials to provide additional protection levels against so-called ‘higher threats’ while achieving seamless integration of advanced technologies into head protection solutions. As the soldier PPE market continues to dynamically respond to emerging requirements from the battlefield, industry parties are positioning themselves to react accordingly. However, the market appears set to remain dominated by plate carriers and protective inserts, with the wider proliferation of next-generation technologies including liquid armour unlikely to penetrate the market for a number of years. ■

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Active protection systems are becoming increasingly important to combat intensifying threats from antitank missiles. Ronald Meixner, pre-sales engineer at ADS, spoke to Alice Budge about the development of the ADS Gen-3. Active duty

hile the first active protection real programmes… We believe this is an troops,’ Meixner explained. ‘It is the first systems (APS) were developed issue of confidence, because it’s the first time the army will have deployed W almost four decades ago, the time the army will have an automatic automatic weaponry… It’s a big step, and growing availability of powerful RPGs and weapon system on the battlefield,’ they need to deploy it with all the benefits.’ improvements in armour-piercing munitions Meixner said. ‘The benefit of the distributed approach technology are now leading Western He explained that certain considerations is that if you wait to the very last second militaries to procure off-the-shelf solutions may be affecting adoption of APS: ‘First and you make sure it is a missile and to protect their armoured vehicles. of all, you have to make sure that it is a it needs to be destroyed, when you do Meixner is confident that the sector is reliable defence, and that’s related to destroy the missile you use the armour on entering a period of high demand for hard- the performance of the system. Second the vehicle to absorb the final bit of kinetic kill APS, particularly across Europe, North is concern for the infantry or for the energy that is left over,’ he continued. America and Southeast Asia, where bystanders – this is what I would call The distributed system is capable of geopolitical tensions are mounting. ‘What external safety. Then, there is also internal detecting a threat at a range of 10-30m, we are seeing is those people that have to safety: inside the system and the safe before destroying it within 0.5-1m of the deploy now into combat situations are far operation of the system.’ vehicle. This means the ADS Gen-3 is able more interested in this solution,’ he told to protect against close-quarter attacks in Shephard. Distributed benefits a way that launcher systems cannot. ‘It ‘There are a few combat situations going Making users more confident in the safety means you are now able to defend… in on around the world, and those countries of the system has therefore been a priority an urban environment where there are are far more receptive to this discussion. for ADS, part of the Rheinmetall group. terrorists on the third floor, 10m away with They get it because they have to get it, With funding from the German Armed an RPG,’ Meixner said. ‘Traditionally, they haven’t got a choice. You’ve got this Forces, the company developed its Gen-3 launcher systems would struggle to defend big expensive tank or APC, and one guy system from the ground up, in order to against that because they need 30-60m to with an RPG can take you out. That is not satisfy the necessary requirements to detect and destroy.’ good for your strategic objectives.’ achieve IEC 61508 standard and NATO With the system already deployed with Early APS were developed and deployed STANAG certification. a customer in Southeast Asia, the ADS by Israeli and Russian forces in the The system’s distributed hardkill Gen-3 has been integrated onto a range of 1980s – the first, Russia’s Drozd system, system is designed to protect civilians armoured vehicles, including the Leopard was deployed in 1983. However, Western and dismounted crew by reducing the 2 MBT, and has undergone live fire testing military leaders have proved more hesitant danger zone to a minimum area around on the RG32 and Fuchs 6x6. to adopt the system. the vehicle, facilitating freedom of The US Army is another nation seeking ‘The Russians have deployed it, the manoeuvre for dismounted infantry and to rapidly procure and field a modular APS Israelis have deployed it, but now 40 reducing the risk of collateral damage. system for combat vehicles. Meixner told years after the first development of the ‘The core issue is having the confidence Shephard that ADS is currently involved in system we are just talking about the first that it won’t kill civilians or your own discussions with the service to have the Gen-3 included in the next phase of testing for its modular APS. ‘There were three systems on the test The core issue is having the confidence that and at least two of them have shown to be research rather than ready. They need it won’t kill civilians or your own troops. something they can deploy. Discussions are continuing in a positive direction,’ he said. ▪

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LWI-01-18_p40_Interview.indd 40 3/5/2018 5:05:41 PM Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 March 2018 | Chatham House | London

Speakers include: Security and Defence 2018 General Philip Breedlove New realities, new rules Supreme Allied Commander Europe NATO (2013-16).

The annual Chatham House Security and Defence Elena Gomez Castro conference will bring together senior policy-makers, Director General of Policy and Strategy, industry leaders and academic experts to assess the Ministry of Defence, Spain

security implications of recent political transitions. Sir Julian King Discussions will focus on the changing security landscape Commissioner for the Security Union and nature of conflict, the shifting significance of different European Commission actors and the future of multilateralism in defence. Tacan Ildem Assistant Secretary General for Public Registration and information: Diplomacy www.chathamhouse.org/security2018 NATO [email protected] +44 (0) 20 7314 2785 Wendy Sherman Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs US Department of State (2011-15)

Rear Admiral Alan Goh Group Chief of Policy and Strategy Singapore Ministry of Defence

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