Army G uide monthly # 9 (180) September 2019 UK company pioneers autonomous hybrid vehicle for extreme off road operations Supacat, Rheinmetall and SCISYS partnership showcases new High Mobility Integrated Fires Capability MBDA SHOWCASES TANK DESTROYER VEHICLE WITH PGZ AT MSPO 2019 Otokar offers solutions with technology transfer and local manufacturing models General Dynamics UK selected for Army Warfighting Experiment 2019 General Dynamics Land Systems–UK showcases adaptable Foxhound vehicle at DSEI 2019 IVECO DEFENCE VEHICLES AWARDED CONTRACT TO DELIVER A NEW GENERATION OF MEDIUM MULTIROLE PROTECTED www.army-guide.com Army Guide Monthly • #9 (180) • September 2019 Future Technologies The ‘optionally manned’ demonstrator utilises: UK company pioneers autonomous • a terrain detection and response system for enhanced mobility and optimised endurance, hybrid vehicle for extreme off road • an object categorisation and response system for operations obstacle clearance or avoidance during technical off road driving, which can be tailored to the capabilities of the vehicle, driver or a remote operator, and • a path planning and motion behaviour system using simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) for the navigation of lead and follow on vehicles. “Few autonomous vehicle projects focus on highly technical off road terrain. The challenge here is to manage and reduce the volume of data needed about the unpredictable non-linear environment around the vehicle to assure effective, safe and predictable performance At DSEi 2019 the world leading Special Forces without having to import and export masses of data from vehicle developer, Supacat, is unveiling its it”, notes Austen. Technology Demonstrator for hybrid and optionally The Technology Demonstrator uses the Supacat manned operations, developed to keep pace with battlefield logistical requirements on extreme workhorse, the All Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP), terrain and unpredictable routes. as its base vehicle as ATMP is a mature, battle proven and relatively simple product, enabling the development The Technology Demonstrator has been developed by programme to focus on the new technologies and UK headquartered Supacat in collaboration with the capabilities and subsequently allowing rapid University of Exeter as part of an Innovate UK-supported development. It retains the renowned mobility and class Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). leading payload of the original vehicle (up to 1600g). “Electric Hybrid propulsion and autonomous Supacat is welcoming potential users and customers to technologies are two important innovations that will demonstrations at its Devon facility over the next six enhance the capabilities of users of our in service high months and is actively seeking new mission challenges mobility platforms. We have focussed our efforts on that enable them to benchmark the performance of the designing open system architectures, allowing extensive vehicle and level of autonomy achieved during continued use of commercial off the shelf (COTS) components, development in conducting realistic tasks. Use of which we see as key to a successful and sustainable Machine Learning, supported by Neural Networks will military solution in a rapidly evolving technology continue to allow the system to develop and be adapted sector”, explains Steve Austen, Engineering Director of to different off road vehicles and applications. Supacat parent, SC Group. “It is in Supacat’s DNA to tailor its platforms and solutions to each customer’s requirements. Our approach uses a common electric drivetrain, each of which can be customised through different powering options depending on mission, range, payload and operating environment. For example, a customer may have a mission profile with a mixture of on road and off road operations, with a need for silent operation for a percentage of time – the proportion of these components will determine whether series or parallel hybrid options are employed or if full electric propulsion is needed. As battery or fuel cell technology advances and diesel engine development responds to legislation, these Exhibitions options will inevitably change and we must provide Supacat, Rheinmetall and SCISYS vehicle architectures that can accommodate such partnership showcases new High evolution”, Austen comments. Mobility Integrated Fires Capability “We are exploring, developing and incorporating autonomous technologies in a way that will permit the Supacat, Rheinmetall Defence and SCISYS have level of collaboration and control from human to vehicle partnered to showcase a new capability for light forces, the ‘High Mobility Integrated Fires or from vehicle to vehicle to be altered depending on the Capability’, at DSEi. The partnership demonstrates complexity of the work being undertaken. Allowing Supacat’s 6×6 HMT platform mounted with vehicles to be `optionally manned` will remove users Rheinmetall’s MWS81 mortar system in its first from the `dull, dirty or dangerous` tasks wherever integration on a light vehicle. The target acquisition and integrated fire support platform is networked possible and create a real operational advantage for the with SCISYS GVA compliant platform and mission end user”, says Austen. software. www.army-guide.com 1 Army Guide Monthly • #9 (180) • September 2019 Supacat’s highly mobile HMT platforms with their we are able to achieve a lot and deliver the most modern superior off road performance allow users to perform solutions to both Polish and allied armed forces.” high tempo operations delivering indirect fire for light Adrian Monks, MBDA Sales Director in Poland, said: role forces while the MWS81 mortar capability allows “Pairing the combat-proven MBDA Brimstone missile for rapid ‘into action time’. The Vingmate sight provides with the diverse range of current and future Polish target acquisition and location during day and night platforms provides the ability to deliver rapid military operations, with targets being shared over the battlespace capability for Poland and for wider markets, whilst data network enabling Support Weapon effects to be strengthening our co-operation with PGZ Group on directed precisely onto targets. missiles.” The most important part of the Joint Statement of Co-operation is MBDAs’ declaration that Brimstone missile technology and know-how will be transferred to PGZ, with MESKO SA responsible for missile production. This co-operation is another field of the business relationship developed on the strategic co-operation between PGZ companies and MBDA. The flexibility of the integration solution and ease of integration with the existing Polish targeting systems makes it flexible to be installed onto or within multiple The SCISYS developed GVA compliant platform and Polish platforms, including those from WZM SA, HSW mission software shares data and video around the SA and Obrum, in any configuration and number of platform to each crew member’s display and into the missiles. battlespace networks, enhancing shared situational The development comes in response to Poland’s awareness and speed of decision making. The displays requirement for a Tank Destroyer able to counter massed are supplied by Leonardo. armour formations. With its long-range, all-weather “This enhanced capability is a first for light forces and performance, ability to defeat active protection systems offers a solution to a number of potential requirements (APS), salvo-firing and moving target capability, among the green army and Special Forces”, said Phil Brimstone is uniquely able to meet this challenge. Applegarth, Head of Supacat. The system is capable of engaging line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight targets, with a choice of engagement modes using digital targeting data provided over standard Exhibitions secure military networks fully interoperable with NATO. MBDA SHOWCASES TANK DESTROYER VEHICLE WITH PGZ AT MSPO 2019 Exhibitions Otokar offers solutions with technology transfer and local manufacturing models MBDA and PGZ have unveiled at MSPO 2019 a Tank Destroyer armed with the Brimstone precision strike missile. Otokar, a Koç Group company, will PGZ Companies and MBDA also signed a statement participate in the 20th edition of DSEI on 10-13 of co-operation at MSPO to confirm readiness to September 2019 in London, UK. Otokar, which co-operate on offering this solution to Poland and export offers solutions with transfer of technology and local manufacturing models for land system markets, recognising the combination of MBDA’s requirements of its customers, exhibits TULPAR Brimstone missile with PGZ’s armoured vehicle armoured tracked vehicle and COBRA II wheeled expertise offers the best solution for Poland’s Tank armoured vehicle at DSEI 2019. Destroyer requirement from a military capability, sovereignty and industrial perspective. Otokar, serving more than 30 countries with Sebastian Chwałek, Deputy CEO of PGZ, said: combat-proven products, is participating at DSEI, the “We are growing our co-operation with MBDA into new world leading defence industry and security event. At its areas. We have agreed on the ways of offering those stand, Otokar is exhibiting the TULPAR armoured solutions in export markets. By combining our tracked vehicle with Mızrak-30 turret system and competences with the experience of our British partners, also, wheeled armoured vehicle COBRA II is being displayed with Keskin turret system in the Land Zone 2 www.army-guide.com Army Guide Monthly • #9 (180) • September 2019 Static Display Area. In addition