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The Focus Must Be on What Is Fundamental to the EU

Bleak forecasts about the future of the talked down. As the tip of the iceberg, it European Union are nothing new. They is the most serious crisis the EU has had were there right from the very first to overcome since the Treaties of Rome. moment. A temporary highlight came in Previously unquestioned certainties are 2005 when the citizens of France and the shaken. Is the gradual transition from a Netherlands – contrary to all expectations community of states into a federal state – rejected the ratification of a European really reasonable, feasible and are there constitution in a referendum, whereupon no other alternatives? What happens some commentators already stated the if the majority of citizens in various EU’s demise was on the horizon. They member states no longer want it and vote were wrong. The EU decided – and this accordingly in their parliamentary elections? was not meant ironically – to take a Should their vote be simply respected or “period of reflection“. Two years later – at should an attempt be made to convince the end of this phase – came the Lisbon them that they made a mistake? Or treaty which did (almost) everything the should one look for new ways of elegantly constitution was to do in a somewhat excluding them from joint decision-making more complicated form. The consent of the powers? – such incredible things can be Dutch and the French to this agreement heard in the democratic community of was no longer needed, and a change to values that is Europe, as they obviously fail the constitution was even made in Paris to grasp what the era needs. in order not to have to go down the The following question can be answered referendum path again. The Irish were far more simply with a far larger not given this opportunity, yet after the consensus: what is really fundamental to slip-up in the first referendum, Dublin the EU? In answering this, one encounters was also able to accept the ratification the achievements in earlier decades of with a second vote. Unquestionably, this European integration which have become ratification process had not been beneficial so self-evident that many citizens can to the EU’s credibility in attempting to no longer see them– starting with a finally put to bed the common accusation peaceful reconciliation of interests on a that it lacked democracy. continent shattered by war in the first half As the global financial crisis broke out over of the last century, to the convenience the continent just after Lisbon, which was of the internal market from which every followed by the Euro crisis, more Cassandra individual and company benefits on a calls became louder. But once again, the EU day-to-day basis. And one also comes did not break down under the weight of up against policy areas, where some these new problems. On the contrary. We work is still needed (and nobody would may not have come through the crisis even blame “Brussels” for arbitrarily claiming though it has taken something of a back competences) – from an easier way seat in public consciousness. Nevertheless, for citizens and companies to enforce the EU has shown (to use a new buzzword) their rights in other member states to a “resilience” during this crisis. harmonisation of defence policy. The call Dark prognoses which stubbornly refuse for the EU to limit itself to that which can to come true ought at some point to only be regulated on a European level become obsolete. However, this is not and leave everything else to the member the case. Scepticism about whether the states is nothing new. The principle of path the EU has chosen is the right one, subsidiarity has been invoked again or is even achievable, has grown across and again over the past few decades. Europe. In some countries, it has been Upon taking office, Jean-Claude Juncker possible to mobilise votes sufficiently to get declared that the EU must concentrate representation in parliament or even enter on “big issues“. In a new “period of government. In Great Britain, these votes, reflection“ which would be appropriate even if “Brussels” had nothing to do with after the Brexit vote, they would do well some issues, led to the Brexit vote. to follow these words with deeds. Great Britain‘s pending exit – whenever it may happen – can neither be sat out nor Peter Bossdorf

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 1 In Memoriam of Professor Peter Tamm

faring history the Senate of Hamburg appointed him to Hon- orary Professor in 2002. “Hamburg has lost an institution”, Hamburg’s First Mayor Olaf Scholz said in his address. “As a manager and collector he has always been someone who could stay on course, even if he had to sail close to the wind.” Peter Tamm’s first impressive career ended 25 years ago. Far more than two decades, from 1968 to 1991, he had been a member of the top management of the Publishing Group Axel Springer, mostly as the single Chairman of the Board. During that time he could quadruple the turnover of the publishing group, from 860 million German Mark to finally 3.5 billion German Mark, as Springer’s current Chairman Mathias Döpfner recalled. “We have owed very much to Photo: Michael Zapf him until this very day”, Döpfner said. Though following Professor Peter Tamm, publisher and founder of the Interna- a comprehensive approach he had never lost his view for tional Maritime Museum Hamburg, passed away at the age detail. “But he has not only generated physical values, he of 88 in the presence of his family on 29 December 2016. has also left us intellectual values. ” His funeral was honoured by many distinguished guests Peter Tamm‘s career as a manager started at the age of 20 and celebrities. with the newly founded “Hamburger Abendblatt” newspa- Peter Tamm was a publishing house manager, a passionate per in 1948. The war had just been over for three years, and collector and an “institution” of the German City and State of Peter Tamm had had to face the dread of war; he was con- Hamburg. His long and successful life expired shortly before scripted by the Navy when he was 17. He did his short military the turn of the years. In order to pay their last respect to the service aboard the “Gorch Fock” sail training ship. He started museum founder and patron members of his family, friends, as a freelance journalist, primarily to finance his study in Eco- colleagues and companions attended a memorial cermony nomics. Instead, he became an editor for seafaring matters with the former chief reverend of Hamburg’s “Michel” at the and met publisher Axel Springer, a fateful encounter which Nienstedten Church on Hamburg’s Elbchaussee, among them made him change for the publishing business. publisher Friede Springer, Mathias Döpfner, the Chairman of In 1958 he was appointed as managing director of the Ber- the Board of the Springer Group, and the First Mayor of Ham- lin-based publishing house Ullstein – which had just been burg, Olaf Scholz. Peter Tamm had peacefully passed away in adopted by Springer – and helped leveraging the “Berliner the evening of 29 December in the presence of his family. He Morgenpost” and “BZ” newspapers. Based in Hamburg he leaves behind his wife, five children and eight grandchildren. was the Publisher of the “Bild” newspaper and Deputy Pub- Peter Tamm was a descendent of one of Hamburg’s oldest lisher of “Bild am Sonntag”, the newspaper’s Sunday edition, seafaring families, his ancestors were captains on the “Wap- between 1962 and 1964, following which he was appointed pen von Hamburg” (Crest of Hamburg). He was cradled Chairman of the Management of the publishing house Axel with his passion for seafaring and the maritime domain, Springer in Berlin, and in 1968 he became the Chairman of and he preserved and cultivated that spirit throughout his the Board and later single Chairman of Axel Springer AG and entire life. Later, he became an unmitigated Hanseatic citi- remained in this position until 1991, even after the death of zen, both in terms of his character and as a businessman. Axel Springer. “Straightforward”, “persistent” are the terms used by all Under the aegis of Peter Tamm the company grew to be- who knew him. It is no coincidence that his nickname was come the largest European publisher of newspapers. “Op- “Admiral”. But also “humane” and “generous”, an example portunities are there for everybody, but everybody has to take for many of his contemporaries. advantage of them individually” was the life motto of the Peter Tamm occupied many appointments in business associa- determined and assertive manager. “Peter Tamm has made tions, foundations and clubs. He was granted many honours; something of his life, something that remains”, Springer boss in 1998 he was awarded the Order of the Merit with star of Döpfner honoured him. “That is how we will remember him the Federal Republic of Germany. To honour his work in sea- as an example.”

2 European Security & Defence · February 2017 When his first career came to an end in 1991, Peter Tamm ther as the head of the Peter Tamm sen. Foundation and will pursued other objectives. Ships, seafaring and trade had continue to participate in all board meetings. The place of always fascinated him, a passion throughout his life. First, his father at the meeting table, where he used to smoke his his mother had spawned his interest, when she gave the beloved Monte Christo cigars, will remain vacant in honour. then six year-old boy a five centimetre-long cargo ship made The family will carry on with the grand heritage. “He was from lead. That made a connection that had never been not only a manager and publisher, father and a family per- loosened again. son, he was also a friend and adviser – and we will miss He was and became a collector, a patron and sponsor of the him a lot”, Peter Tamm junior said. “As a family we will maritime heritage. “Although he has never been a man for take his credo into the next generation, in the museum, the limelight or a big audience”, his year-long companion with the publishing house Mittler Report and its magazines and friend Wolfgang Müller said. During many decades “Europäische Sicherheit & Technik” and “European Security and with significant expertise Peter Tamm extended and & Defence”, as well as at the publishing houses Maximilian completed a unique private collection of items referring to and Schifffahrts-Verlag “Hansa”. seafaring and naval history. Because he believed that history Ships and the reconstruction of the country had always was indispensable to understand the past as a basis for the been his guiding principle during the years after the war, generation of something new. and he had always considered the magazines as important He founded his own „Scientific Institute for Seafaring and instruments, as a “reflexion of history”. Since the 1980s and Naval History“ in a house on the Elbchaussee in Hamburg- already when he was the single Chairman of Springer, Peter Othmarschen. However, that was soon bursting at the Tamm had a share in the publishing houses Schiffahrts- seams. He searched for a new home for the museum for Verlag “Hansa” C. Schroedter & Co. and Herforder Verlag years. He found it with the help of the City of Hamburg für Verwaltung und Wirtschaft. He became the sole owner which prepared the “Kaispeicher B” dockside magazine, in the 1990s. Hamburg’s oldest building of its kind, to accommodate the He was also engaged as a manager in the publishing International Maritime Museum, which was solemnly inau- houses E. S. Mittler & Sohn, Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft gurated by the then Federal President Horst Köhler in 2008. (both established in 1789), Maximilian Verlag (est. 1937) “He has made history a thing to experience”, Vice-Admiral and Verlag Offene Wort, with the latter tasked with the Schimpf, the German Chief of Staff, Navy, between 2010 publication of the Bundeswehr’s troop magazines, among and 2014, said in honour of the museum founder. others. In 2008 his son Peter Tamm junior acquired the For Peter Tamm a dream had become reality; the museum publishing houses and merged them under the roof of was his second lifetime achievement. “Hamburg’s maritime Tamm Media. Since then, the portfolio has been subject soul”, the Senator for Economics, Frank Horch, called it. to dedicated enhancements, among them the acquisition There are thousands of ship models, paintings, logbooks, of the publishing house Report Verlag in 2011. As a result navigation devices, uniforms and weapons displayed on of the concentration of all publications in the area of se- the building’s nine decks, all of which had been collected curity and defence in what is today Mittler Report Verlag, by Peter Tamm in the course of his long life and donated to this publishing house became Germany’s leading specialist his home city. Even at a global scale it is the largest private publisher in this segment. collection of its kind, which has since been maintained and Professor Tamm’s particular affinity for the German Navy is preserved by a non-profit endowment. also exposed by the year-long publishing of the “MarineFo- After the funeral at the Nienstedten graveyard, which was rum” specialist magazine on order to the German Maritime reserved to a small selected group of attendants, family Institute and the Naval Officers Association. The salute of members and numerous guests met for a reception at the the German Navy at his funeral has to be interpreted as ap- International Maritime Museum. “The spirit and the char- preciation of his lifetime achievement. acter of our father is most present in this house”, said Peter In his preachment Reverend Adolphsen found the right Tamm junior in his remarks. words for a day in honour of the farewell to Peter Tamm: When he felt his physical power disappear, Peter Tamm set- “Let us not grieve for having lost him; instead, let us be tled his succession in accordance with his straight character. thankful for his having been with us.” His son, who had already been appointed as a member of We, too, commemorate Professor Peter Tamm with great the board the year before, will assume the position of his fa- gratitude and with respect for his lifetime achievement.

Publishing House and Editorial Department Mittler Report Verlag GmbH with the magazines “Europäische Sicherheit & Technik” and “European Security & Defence”

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 3 Content

Austrian Federal Army REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Photo: Bundesheer Photo: NIMR

• Security Policy

• Armed Forces After decades of steadily declining military • Defence Industry Pages 17-28 expenditures a respective annual budget will be provided until 2020. Page 29

2 In Memoriam of Professor Peter Tamm 59 Shootout in Virtual Reality Tamir Eshel SECURITY POLICY 64 The Whys and Wherefores of Precision Guided Munitions 10 NATO on its Way from the Warsaw to the Tim Guest Brussels Summit – A Polish Perspective Tomasz Szatkowski INDUSTRY & MARKETS 15 Russian-Turkish Convergence and the Black Sea 68 Future Markets and Trends for the Defence Eugene Kogan Business Interview with Giovanni Soccodato, EVP Strategy, REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Markets and Business Development, Leonardo 71 International Demonstration Day at EXPAL United Arab Emirates – Good Times at the 17 Waldemar Geiger Crossroads? Thomas Bauer 73 Shared Burden to Gain the Most Modern Air Defence System 40 45 The United Arab Emirates Defence Environment 21 Interview with Joe DeAntona, Vice President and countries VIPs David Saw Business Development Executive, Raytheon Integrated represented attending 25 Sharpening the Falcon’s Claws Defense Systems United Arab Emirates Strengthens Its Defence 77 Collaboration, Organisation, Communication – Heiko Borchert and Shehab al Makahleh We Are Learning Interview with Kelly Ortberg, CEO, Rockwell Collins 80+ 3 days ARMED FORCES The Global Event for Undersea exhibiting of high-level companies briefings 29 Operation "Alpenglow...?" – Austrian Federal Army 2017 VIEWPOINT FROM … Defence and Security Georg Mader 14 Kiev Join us at UDT 2017 in Germany 34 ASW Capabilities of the Italian Armed Forces Denys Kolesnyk Giulia Tilenni 1,400+ 41 Islamabad visitors expected 36 Indian Air Force: Grand Ambition Zafar Khan at UDT 2017 Jay C. Menon Register now at www.udt-global.com ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY COLUMNS 42 Filling The Firepower Gap: Mortar Developments 3 Editorial David Saw 6 Periscope 49 Satnav and Inertial Sensors Team to Guide the Soldier 47 Masthead Image source: Crown Copyright / Royal Navy Doug Richardson 75 Firms & Faces 53 Clear the Battlefield and Let Me See 80 Preview Doug Richardson Visit www.udt-global.com to register or book a stand Supported by Organisers of Organised by 4 European Security & Defence · February 2017 @UDT2017 www.udt-global.com/linkedin Index of Advertisers Index of Advertisers IAV Special AIM INFRAROT MODULE GmbH 57 ARTEC 3 ASDA 2017 33 boger electronics GmbH 53 ATM 27 EW Europe 2017 70 BIDEC 3rd cover FMV 63 GEROH GmbH & Co. KG 58 Bren-Tronics, Inc. 13 Hirtenberger Defence Systems 43 IDEF 2017 19 FNSS 4th cover InfraTec GmbH 55 Future Indirect Fires Conference 31 ISDEF 2017 37 ITEC 2017 62 General Dynamics European Land Systems 5 LAAD 2017 48 GuS Glass + Safety 25 Leonardo 4th cover

Mercedes-Benz 2nd cover HOMSEC 17 NAVDEX 2017 7 NITEC17 23 Renk AG 11 Sensonor AS 51 Rheinmetall Defence 15 TTS Theissen Training Systems GmbH 61

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Air-To-Ground Capability which has so far been integrated into the and IR requirements, these textiles have of IRIS-T ENSDORF class (class 352). The project will built-in NIR/SWIR reflectance capability as (df) Diehl Defence announced the exten- be completed by 2020. well as resistance to sunlight UV fade and sion of its proven state-of-the-art short- strength degradation. Focusing on light- range air-to-air missile IRIS-T (Infra Red Vehicle Mounted Mortar weight comfort, NYCO Tactical fabric is Imaging System Tail/Thrust Vector-Con- for the Swedish CV90 the latest innovation: This optimized fabric trolled), that has already been selected for (df) BAE Systems has received a €60.5M is a comfort blend of INVISTA T420 fiber the combat jets Eurofighter TYPHOON, contract for the installation of vehicle and cotton. It is engineered to provide F-16, EF-18, TORNADO and GRIPEN. Now mounted mortar systems on Swedish Army protection for warfighters and their equip- the missile is also usable in air-to-ground CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles. “The in- ment through US Mil-Spec performance engagements, a capability that has been stallation of the company’s mortar system, at a lighter weight and exceptional dura- tested successfully by the Norwegian Air known as MJÖLNER, on 40 CV90s will con- bility. The newest FR-coated CORDURA Force. After its initial optimization for air- siderably increase the indirect fire capabil- nylon 6,6 fabrics are premium protective/ to-air use, it has already been procured for ity of the vehicles to support mechanised ballistic vests for soldiers. These fabrics are short-range (IRIS-T SLS) ground-based air battalions,” the company stated. CV90 is a tested to meet DIN EN ISO standards for defence. Now the functionality has been protection against heat, flame and ther- enhanced with an air-to-surface engage- mal propagation in protective apparel and footwear.

Reliable Non-Detectable Off-Grid Power for Armoured Vehicles Photo: Diehl Defence Photo: BAE Systems Hägglunds (ck) SFC Energy, a producer of silent, non- detectable, lightweight off-grid power sup- ment capability. This basic air-to-ground family of Swedish tracked combat vehicles plies for portable and stationary defense capability provides the ability to acquire, designed for the Swedish Defence Mate- applications, has been cooperating closely track and engage individual ground targets riel Administration (FMV) by BAE Systems with the German Bundeswehr and the US like boats/ships, small buildings and vehi- Hägglunds and BAE Systems Bofors, which Army for over 10 years. SFC developed the cles and has been successfully verified in a provides the vehicle’s turrets with over 500 new fuel cell EMILY. Electronic systems on test firing from a Norwegian F-16. As part in use with the Swedish Army. “The deliv- board of armoured vehicles, e.g. audio and of full aircraft integration, IRIS-T supports a ery of the Mjölner solution to the Swed- video surveillance, communication, op- configuration with various sensor systems ish Army allows it to field a capability well tronic and weapon equipment, are becom- including radar and Helmet Mounted Cue- adapted for the CV90 while enhancing the ing ever more power-hungry. They must ing Systems (HMCS) ready to use in existing fleet’s firepower,” said Tommy Gustafsson- be reliably powered at any time, also in a aircraft systems. Rask, managing director of BAE Systems standing vehicle. This calls for lightweight, Hägglunds. First deliveries are scheduled to reliable, portable off-grid power sources. Modernisation of German take place in the first quarter of 2019. As conventional solutions are limited, SFC Mine Hunters fuel cells are a silent, lightweight, non-de- (df) ATLAS ELEKTRONIK received an order INVISTA Introduces New tectable alternative. Fuel cells are connect- from the Federal Office of Bundeswehr CORDURA Products ed to batteries, which they automatically Equipment, Information Technology and (ck) INVISTA is producing a range of versa- recharge on demand. Thanks to the high In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to modern- tile fabric technologies, including CORDU- energy density of their fuel (30 times higher ise three FRANKENTHAL class (class 332) RA Dyed Nylon technologies with built-in than that of lead acid batteries and 7 times mine hunters of the German Navy. The con- NIR/SWIR reflectance capabilities, light- higher than that of Li-ion batteries), they tract is worth €78.5M. The project, under weight comfort NYCO Tactical uniform enable much power at minimum weight the designation MJ 332 CL, aims to equip fabrics and FR (flame retardant)-coated and volume. This ensures long power au- the ships with the new IMCMS (Integrated brand polyamides for protective vests. tonomy and makes them the ideal power Mine Counter Measure System) and the “We are constantly evolving our technolo- source in vehicle-based and stationary de- unmanned underwater system SEAFOX of gies to address the unmet needs of future fense missions. SFC Energy’s EMILY fuel cell ATLAS ELEKTRONIK. In addition, the mine soldier programs around the world,” said provides reliable mobile or fielded power hunters receive the steering capability for Anthony Green, global CORDURA brand in multi-day missions. It recharges batter- the unmanned surface system SEEHUND, business director. “Ultimately, our goal is ies automatically on demand, 24/7, with to develop reliable, innovative fabric solu- minimum user attention and almost zero tions that help equip soldiers to meet the thermal or noise emissions. The EMILY fuel battlefield challenges of today and tomor- cell is also ideal for fielded surveillance mis- row.” For 50 years, CORDURA has been sions. It can be either used as standalone driving textile innovation with fabrics used power source or in hybrid operation with ATLAS ELEKTRONIK in combat gear, such as CORDURA SDN other power generators, i.e. solar modules. yarn technology. These fabrics are used in Intelligent power management ensures the Photo: carriage equipment, boots, body armour fuel cell will only start operation, when the covers, knee/elbow pads and other similar other power generators do not produce gear. Available in a palette of six military enough power any more. An additional colors that meet both lot-to-lot shade benefit of fuel cells is their small size.

6 European Security & Defence · February 2017 job number client contact

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Enhanced Control and strong position.” Kongsberg has supplied L-3 Warrior Systems to Display System for NATO the anti-surface and anti-submarine war- Deliver Precision Targeting Missile Firing fare systems based on the company’s com- System to US Army (df) IDE (INTRACOM Defense Electron- bat management system architecture and (ck) L-3 Warrior Systems – Insight Technol- ics) has completed the delivery of the En- integrated with the Aegis combat system. ogy (L-3 Insight Technology) has won a hanced Control and Display System (ECDS) Kongsberg has also conducted update and €18,6M production contract from the US to the NATO Missile Firing Installation maintenance activities regularly since the Army for its Small Tactical Optical Rifle- class was introduced. Mounted (STORM) SLX system, a smaller and lighter version of its current STORM

Photo: IDE Weaponised UGV precision targeting system. The STORM (gwh) Milrem, the Estonian defence solu- system is a battery-operated laser range- tions provider, and ST Kinetics, the Asian finder (LRF) with integrated multifunction land systems company, jointly developed the first weaponised fully modular un-

manned ground vehicle (UGV), the THeMIS Photo: L-3 ADDER (Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System). In November they performed (NAMFI). ECDS supports exercises with real ammunition of ground-to-air and ground- to-ground weapon defence systems by us-

ing state-of-the-art technologies for data Photo: Milrem processing and the display of geographical information. The system interfaces with a lasers and a digital magnetic compass large number of peripheral systems and (DMC). The LRF and DMC can be used in unmanned flying targets. It provides in real combination to obtain accurate location time a consolidated and reliable tactical im- details for precision aiming, target acqui- age of the field of operations to the NAMFI sition, target/area illumination and other operators. The new system has already successfully first live fire test with the co- tactical applications. The STORM SLX has been tested with excellent results during operation and supervision of the Estonian seen a size and weight reduction of more the joint air defence exercise conducted Defence Forces. The UGV was equipped than 30% which allows the system to be by the Armed Forces of Germany and the with a CIS 50MG but can be outfitted applied to numerous weapon platforms. Netherlands on October 5 and 6, 2016. The with smaller and larger calibre weapons as For customers the three most important users have expressed full satisfaction with well. The TheMIS has a payload of 750- factors are performance, weight and size: the high quality of the work delivered, both 1,000 kg, speed of 24 km/h and up to ten “We continuously improve our products in technology and in time frame level and hours operation time. to ensure we are pushing the limits of also for the organisation and effectiveness technology with their priorities in mind,” of IDE in the various stages of the ECDS IEE Upgrading Passive said Todd Stirtzinger, President of L-3 In- project implementation. Attack Display (PAD) for sight Technology. F-15C/D­ Kongsberg Wins Contract (ck) Industrial Electronic Engineers (IEE) is a Situational Awareness for the FRIDTJOF NANSEN provider of enhanced displays for military, Even of Small Drones Frigates industrial and retail applications and cur- (df) During the latest Unmanned Aircraft (df) Kongsberg has won the order of the rently under contract with Boeing Defense, System (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) Norwegian Defence Material Agency Space & Security to develop an upgrade flight tests, which were conducted by the (NDMA) to update the combat manage- to the F-15 Passive Attack Display (PAD) NASA, the Location Information Service of ment system and the active sonar system for compatibility with the Advance Display Frequentis provided situational awareness of the FRIDTJOF NANSEN class frigates. The Core Processor (ADCP) II. The PAD uses an for ground control stations. The Frequen- value is €2.8Bn and will be delivered over ARINC 818 fiber optic interface to receive tis’ Location Information Service (LIS) is at the next four years. “Kongsberg is pleased video from, and exchange messages with the core of the company’s UTM client soft- to be part of the upgrade programme the ADCP II. The ADCP II facilitates the ware and provided accurate geo-location extending the lifetime of the systems on centralization of a number of critical dis- and telemetry data received from Drone board the FRIDTJOF NANSEN class,” said play functions, such as the consolidation Co-Habitation Services LLC (DCS) drones Eirik Lie, Acting President of Kongsberg of multi-window configurations into one and other UAS detected by the LIS service. Defence Systems. “Kongsberg is a leading complete screen image for distribution to The LIS service read the data, transformed combat system supplier for ships and sub- display units. This addresses the need for it into structured messages, and submitted marines delivered to eleven nations around the ever-increasing amount of information it for processing to the central UTM service the world, and this contract confirms our available to operators to improve situational operated by NASA’s Ames Research Cent- awareness. The F15-PAD upgrade features er. Multiple teams flew their drones beyond twelve programmable discreet interfaces, the line of sight of their operators in order each of which can be provisioned by the to test the planning, tracking and alert- ADCP II to three different types of inputs ing capabilities of NASA’s UTM platform.

Photo: Kongsberg and outputs. These discreets can be used NASA’s “out of sight” tests, conducted in for other aircraft functions, giving the PAD coordination with the Federal Aviation Ad- a built-in service life extension. ministration and several partners, were the

8 European Security & Defence · February 2017 tecting adversary spoofing of power grid includes the number of shots, its base loca- data collection and communication. This tion, whom it is issued to and its operation-

Photo: NASA will also maintain situational awareness al condition. The FN SmartCore can collect in the immediate aftermath of an attack. information automatically or upon request The company will also examine methods with no impact on the user’s mission. Any to maintain secure emergency communi- data is transmitted wirelessly at short-range cation networks in the aftermath of an at- only and upon request, ensuring it is unde- tack. Raytheon’s approach seeks to isolate tectable and there is no unintentional emis- affected organisations from the Internet sion. The FN SmartCore can be housed in and establish a secure emergency network. any rifle in the FN SCAR family.

latest waypoint in solving the challenge of New FN SmartCore Tatra Trucks for Czech drones flying beyond the visual line of sight Provides Enhanced Shot Armed Forces of their human operators without endan- Counter Technology (gwh) The Czech Ministry of Defence re- gering other aircraft. Frequentis is actively (ck) Belgium-based FN Herstal has launched ceived a delivery of 26 Tatra T-810 flatbed participating in research activities and co- its new, self-powered FN SmartCore shot trucks. They will be followed by 40 T-815 operates with Air Navigation Service Pro- counter for the FN SCAR family of rifles heavy and medium trucks with container viders (ANSP) around the globe to integrate based on breakthrough technology. With loaders and 41 T-815 transporters for small UAS into the airspace as the number this device for the first time electronics is PRAM 120-mm-mortars by may 2017. of drones is expected to exceed the num- integrated into a product and generates Since 2008 the Czech military has been re- ber of aircraft in approximately five years. its own power. The new FN SmartCore placing older logistical Tatra vehicles modi- At the moment, small UAS flight operations fied according to the requirements of the are only permitted in uncontrolled airspace Czech Armed Forces. The Czech inventory

up to 400 feet, and respectively 500 feet Photo: FN contains about three thousand T-810 and depending on national regulations, within T-815 trucks in various configurations, in- visual line of sight of the pilot. This exempts cluding vehicles with protected cabins that them from classic air traffic management, are generally earmarked for international which raises major safety concerns. operations. Tatra trucks are equipped with the time- tested chassis platform which allows for the Cyber Defence Contracts attachment of a variety of superstructures. Awarded to Raytheon Between 2008 and 2009, the military pro- (df) The Defense Advanced Research Pro- cured 588 Tatra trucks with eight design jects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Ray- modifications which comply with specifica- theon multiple contracts to research and tions agreed upon two years earlier. develop technologies that will detect and is a no-battery device located inside the respond to cyber attacks on the US power lower receiver of the weapon and detects

grid infrastructure. The contracts, which firing of the weapon by using the rearward Photo: CTK total €8.4 million, were awarded under movement of the moving parts – hence, DARPA‘s Rapid Attack Detection, Isolation requiring no battery and no maintenance. and Characterization Systems programme. The FN SmartCore shot counter uses fully “During the last two decades, industrial automated software to provide precise control systems have evolved so that most information about a firearm. It acts as a are now connected to the Internet, mak- firearm’s life memory or electronic logbook of the maintenance history of the firearm and other user-defined information. This

Photo: US Army CHALLENGER 2 Contracts Awarded to BAE Systems and Rheinmetall (df) The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence has awarded the contracts for the CHAL- LENGER 2 Life Extension Programme (CR2 LEP). The agreements with BAE Systems and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH are worth €26.6M each and signal the start of ing them vulnerable to cyber attack,” said the competitive Assessment Phase. “We are building the most adaptive force to meet Jason Redi, Vice President Raytheon BBN the threats of the future and this phase will enable the companies to develop innova- Technologies Networking and Communi- tive upgrades which will keep the formidable CHALLENGER 2 Main Battle Tank, crucial cations unit. “A significant power disrup- for the delivery of a modern ground manoeuvre warfighting capability as part of Joint tion would have profound economic and Force 2025, in service with the British Army until 2035,” the British MoD stated and human costs in the U.S, so our goals are continues: “The MOD’s investment will allow BAE Systems and Rheinmetall to under- to prevent attacks and to reduce the time take technical studies, produce detailed digital models and consider how upgrades required to restore power after an attack.” will be integrated onto the current platform.” At the end of the two year assessment Under the terms of the contract Raytheon phase the companies will present their solutions to the MoD for consideration. The will create technologies to provide early Demonstration and Manufacture Phases of the project will then follow. warning of an impending attack and de-

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 9  SECURITY POLICY NATO on its Way from the Warsaw to the Brussels Summit A Polish Perspective Tomasz Szatkowski

The developments that have taken place in Europe over the past decade have significantly lowered the threshold of using force. This development became visible to all in Georgia in August 2008 – when Russian armed forces invaded deep into Georgian sovereign territory – and since then has continued in multiple places in Europe.

everal Central and Eastern The transatlantic commu- ensure its ability to provide command and SEuropean (CEE) states – nity has understood that a control functions for the reformed NRF, if with Poland playing a key role continuation of permissive deployed to the region. It is worth noting – discerned this development policy may lead to a pan- that since 2014 the number of MNC NE already in 2007 and 2008 European disaster not unlike flags has grown from 13 to 24. This is a and were alarmed by its grim that of 1939–1945. significant signal of Alliance solidarity. consequences. But the threat Thirdly, a network of small command and perception was not imminent Concrete Steps control cells, known as NATO Force Inte- to the Alliance as a whole. Taken by NATO gration Units, has been set up across the The “quiet days” between territories of eight allies on the Eastern the Alliance and Russia lasted A few concrete steps taken flank. Increased situational awareness has only a few months, although by NATO are of particular also been ensured by NATO’s intelligence

Moscow has never fully deliv- (Photo: MoD Poland) importance. Firstly, the en- and surveillance assets. All the above- ered on its commitments from the ceasefire hancement of the NATO Response Forces mentioned measures have considerably in- agreement struck in 2008. (NRF) both by a larger size and increased creased the ability of NATO to react to any Essentially, one significant actor of the Eu- readiness level. Within this element, a Very potential threat and, if required, to deploy ropean security architecture has returned to High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) has reinforcements to allies in need. a philosophy based on spheres of influence been created. But the Wales decisions, although a step and a zero sum game, rather than coop- Secondly, the Multinational Corps North- in the right direction, still lacked some erative security and a win-win approach. Its East (MNC NE) in Szczecin has been up- necessary elements that would ensure a tactics based on intimidation, use of force, graded to high readiness level with signifi- proper deterrent posture of the Alliance. and blatant violation of international law, cantly strengthened personnel in order to It has become clear that even the fastest both overt and covert, have re-awakened the ghosts of the past. Times of heightened uncertainty have arrived. When closely ana- lysing the developments, the following years between 2008 and 2014 only exemplified the Russian path to a revanchist state, and fi- nally in the run up to the Wales Summit it be- came obvious to the entire Alliance that the European security landscape has changed significantly. As a result, NATO has started to adapt to those challenges with some deci- (Photo: Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Tarr/US Army) sions at the Wales Summit, after all. The assurance and adaptation measures approved at the Summit in Wales, in con- junction with EU and global sanctions, have shown resolve and determination. Author Tomasz Szatkowski, Undersecretary of State and responsible for defence policy in the Ministry of National De- fence of the Republic of Poland. A US soldier jumps from an armoured vehicle during suppressive fire train- ing with Ukrainian counterparts in Yavoriv, Ukraine, in November 2016.

10 European Security & Defence · February 2017 SECURITY POLICY  (Photo: NATO)

The Ministers of Defence at the NATO summit in Warsaw 2016 reinforcement may not be sufficient if the sulted in an unprecedented wave of migra- allied forward presence for the southern adversary’s attack is rapid and concealed in tion flowing into Europe. Unfortunately, part of the eastern flank. Here the Polish- form of a hybrid action, making it difficult contrary to Russia's announcements, its Romanian mutual commitment made to assess the real origin and magnitude of engagement in that region has only exac- at the Summit serves as a key symbol of danger. Moreover, Russia has continued erbated the situation in Syria. the consolidated and mutually supporting its aggressive policy towards Ukraine and eastern flank against any threat emanating began an irresponsible and potentially Warsaw Summit Outcomes from the East. dangerous campaign of military demon- strations in the Baltic region, both at sea The main goal of the Summit was to ad- Support of and by its and in the air. dress this deteriorating security situation in Eastern Members Finally, Moscow has further developed its NATO’s eastern and southern neighbour- anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities hoods. In order to effectively accomplish The creation of battle groups constitutes a which, when activated, would also cover that goal, we needed to ensure that the fundamental correction to the philosophy significant parts of Alliance territories, de- decisions that were about to be taken of how the Alliance would support its East- creasing NATO’s ability to provide effective were concrete, timely and universal. In ern members in a time of need. Since the reinforcements. The most recent concealed other words, they were to offer specific, NATO enlargement of 1999, it was to fulfil deployments of its ISKANDER missiles to well-tailored solutions for current and Article 5 commitments for its new mem- the Kaliningrad Oblast on civilian ferries foreseeable challenges and they were to bers by sending reinforcements rather than are not helpful, either, for the creation of address concerns of all allies, regardless of establishing a long-term presence there. a conducive and predictable international their geographic location. We managed to The eventual result was an imbalance in security environment. accomplish that, and simultaneously we the distribution of NATO commands and In light of these developments, the NATO manifested strong allied coherence and forces between old allies and those that Summit in Warsaw has been crucial for the solidarity. have since joined NATO. The battle groups future security in Europe. Decisions taken From Poland’s point of view, the key result will complement the reinforcement strat- by the heads of states and governments of the Summit was the decision to strength- egy which, as mentioned above, has been were to significantly strengthen the NATO en the security of NATO’s eastern flank. The strengthened since the Wales Summit in deterrence and defence posture in order to Alliance agreed to establish an enhanced 2014. Although the battle groups may send a decisive signal to Russia: first, that Forward Presence (eFP) of multinational be perceived as a modest force, they will the Alliance is coherent; second, that its NATO forces in Poland and the Baltic States. play a multitude of functions, as they will freedom of action across the Eastern Allies Four battle groups will be deployed with send a strong political message (practical is not undermined; and third, that it has Canada, Germany, Great Britain and the example of allied commitment), possess an adequate set of necessary capabilities United States as framework nations. The robust combat capabilities reinforcing the and procedures to ensure that any Russian US declared to be a framework nation for host-nations’ forces, deter possible hybrid incursion on Alliance territory, both con- the battle group to be positioned in Po- threats by decreasing the deniability factor ventional and hybrid, would be costly for land. We welcome the British, Romanian and, last but not least, be ready to engage the adversary and would be met with a and potentially other nations’ declarations in a potential crisis situation from its very proper response. to additionally strengthen our security by outset. These decisions alone would already be a deploying their troops to Poland as well. We also stand ready to provide a Multina- significant agenda for the Summit. In ad- Likewise, from our side, we have made a tional Division North-East headquarters, dition, however, NATO needed to adapt to decision to support Canada in the battle which would exercise command and con- challenges emanating from the southern group in Latvia with an armoured com- trol over the eFP elements and some other strategic direction. The overall instability in pany. In addition, we have also offered, on forces in the region, and act as an inter- the Middle East and North Africa caused a reciprocal basis, to deploy a company- mediary command & control (C2) structure by civil wars and terrorist activities has re- sized element to Romania as part of the between the eFP and the MNC NE HQ in

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 11  SECURITY POLICY

Polish F-16 (Photo: AJFCB) Szczecin. Such a multinational HQ at a tacti- the current security challenges in Europe, eral training areas and firing ranges across cal level is militarily required for effective C2 gains even more meaning. Steadily, while Poland. in the region, being a linchpin between the Poland is becoming a centre of gravity for In sum, the allied presence on Polish terri- corps and the battle groups. US reinforcements in CEE, we are bringing tory, together with our engagement in the Although the security challenges on the the mil-to-mil cooperation to a higher and enhanced Forward Presence (eFP), creates Eastern flank are of vital importance to us, mutually beneficial level. additional opportunities for further bilateral Poland perceives its security interests in a cooperation with our partners from Great wider perspective. We value the decisions Other Formats of Allied Britain, Romania, Canada and Latvia. concerning strengthening NATO’s posture Presence in Poland on its southern flank and we are determined Polish Engagement in to contribute to the current and future allied Concurrently, a number of Allies will com- Assurance Measures activities in that strategic direction. Hence, mence or strengthen their support to our in the spirit of solidarity with other allies, we region conducted on a bilateral basis but Apart from our readiness to actively par- took a decision to participate in the allied maintaining coherence and unity of effort ticipate in eFP, Poland has been engaged operation in the Aegean Sea. By conduct- with the deployments under the NATO flag. in activities aimed at increasing the secu- ing reconnaissance, monitoring and surveil- Up to now, this presence has focused on rity of the region as a part of assurance lance, the mission is set to support efforts to joint exercises and training. Two allies have measures. We already deployed (from May tackle the refugee and migrant crisis. Simul- already been continuously present since till August 2016) a motorised company to taneously, we have strengthened our ef- 2014 under the assurance measures: most the Baltic States. We decided to continue forts in the Counter-ISIL (C-ISIL) coalition by notably US forces in the form of consecu- this cooperation throughout the next year deploying for the first time in Poland’s his- tive company-size detachments (armoured, within the Visegrad Group format. We have tory our F-16 aircraft and providing Special mechanised, and airborne) and the Cana- also been engaged with six deployments in Operation Forces (SOF) training and advice dian forces (Maple Detachment). Others the past years in the Baltic Air Policing and in theatre. We also made significant efforts were being deployed to Poland for shorter we will continue such activities in the years to support Jordan in its C-ISIL endeavours. periods, just to mention forces from Great to come. We are also ready to deploy our Britain, Germany, France, The Netherlands, fighters to conduct air policing missions in Special Role of Polish-US and Belgium. Their troops were provided the southern part of the eastern flank. Relations with many opportunities to train with Pol- ish forces and other allies during numerous Partnerships on the The new, reinforced allied presence will be exercises on our territory. The most signifi- Eastern Flank larger and more deterrent in nature. In this cant of them was this year’s multinational respect, we particularly welcome the US ANAKONDA-16 exercise with the overall The defence and deterrence of the Alliance decision to deploy to Central and Eastern participation of over 30,000 troops at sev- is a key NATO task. We cannot, however, Europe (CEE) an Armoured Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), starting from January 2017. The ABCT elements and headquarters will be deployed to Poland, which will serve as a hub for the ABCT, from where it is to move to other places in CEE. Together with our American ally we aim to fully use the potential created by the US European Reas- surance Initiative, including, but not limited to, the ABCT. We continue our coopera- tion in missile defence via the construction of the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) site in Redzikowo which commenced in May 2016, but also advance our air force train- ing through the Aviation Detachment and deepen the cooperation of our special op- (Photo: Ministry of National Defence the Republic Poland) erations forces. All these endeavours are a visible proof of constantly growing Polish- 30,000 soldiers from 23 countries participated in ANAKONDA-16, the big- US defence cooperation which, in light of gest exercise conducted on Polish territory since the end of the Cold War.

12 European Security & Defence · February 2017 SECURITY POLICY  weaken our support towards eastern part- Defence Spending and Armed in the first quarter of 2017, which will ners: Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The Forces Modernisation draw new guidelines for the Polish Armed Warsaw Summit sent a strong message, Forces’ development. This SDR, conducted confirming NATO’s solidarity with these Poland, along with the United States, Great with a new methodological approach, is to countries. Now we need to carry on with Britain, Greece and Estonia, is currently take into account the current, new security this policy. Poland will continue her support among a group of five NATO members ful- environment in Europe, particularly with a for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, both on filling the allied Defence Investment Pledge sober view of the potential threats. the bilateral and the multilateral levels. We (DIP) of 2% GDP expenditures on defence. will also aim at sustaining good neighbour- If international circumstances require, we Territorial Defence Force hood relations with Belarus. are ready to consider even further increas- es in defence spending. It is worth noting In retrospect, the deteriorating security The Future of the Alliance that, along with six other allies, we devote situation has an obvious impact on the the recommended 20% of our budget on structure and posture of the armed forces. Given the Warsaw decisions, we now ex- modernisation. Luckily, there are already We are in the process of forming a robust pect nothing less than solid engagement some harbingers announcing an upward Territorial Defence (TD) force, which is from the allies in order to properly imple- trend and soon the list of NATO allies meet- becoming an entirely new service. It will ment the decisions taken at the Summit. ing the DIP is to grow. Naturally, we are complement the already existing regular We actively take part in the political pro- cess and await decisions to be transferred into concrete military mechanisms as soon as possible. The NATO Brussels Summit in 2017 should constitute a milestone in this regard. In short, following the announce- (Photo: MoD Poland) ments, the Alliance now needs to walk the walk. There are, however, other issues to be addressed in the foreseeable future. The three essential core tasks of NATO: col- lective defence, crisis management and cooperative security, should be properly redefined, according to the new security environment. The discussion will help to better identify our priority defence policy goals, including the direction of the dia- logue with Russia. Another important process that needs to be managed is the assessment of the effec- tiveness of the NATO Command Structure (NCS). Similarly to the Strategic Concept, the NCS was laid out to operate in the for- 155 mm howitzer KRAB mer security environment. However, since 2014 the NCS has been given a multitude cognizant of the essence of the NATO Trea- armed forces. The first three of a number of new tasks. This altogether creates sig- ties’ self-help clause (Article 3) requiring Al- of planned TD brigades are to be estab- nificant challenges for its effectiveness. A lies to develop their own defensive capabili- lished and positioned in North-Eastern bottom-up analysis viewing both the NATO ties. Therefore, Poland systematically devel- and Central Poland by the end of 2016. A Force Structure (NFS) with its Corps HQs ops its own defence forces and capacity to more detailed layout and posture of those and the NCS is needed in order to deter- resist armed attack. Additionally, we are brigades will follow after the publication mine a suitable fit for purpose NCS meet- looking at bilateral ties and mechanisms to of the SDR. Overall, we have an ambitious ing the military requirements in the new further enhance the security and defensive plan to raise the number of troops from realities. fabric of our country and region. the current level of around 100,000 to a The evolving security environment has also Currently, we are reviewing the armed number well above that in the near future. shown a need for an organised and coher- forces modernisation plan with the aim Again, a thorough analysis ensuing from ent regional situational awareness centre. of its subsequent publication. Our priori- the SDR should specify the scope of this Poland is in favour and capable of estab- ties include air and missile defence, navy, enlargement – predominantly of the TD lishing an entity in order to provide robust cyber defence, armoured and mechanised Forces – of our force layout. intelligence, surveillance, and reconnais- forces as well as territorial defence. The fi- In sum, the adaptation of NATO is a work in sance for the eastern flank. We also strive nal decisions will be mainly based on the progress. In order to make the 2017 Brussels to strengthen maritime cooperation in the assessment of operational capabilities, the Summit another realistic step forward, Allies Baltic Sea by establishing a Baltic Maritime scope of the Polish defence industry’s par- need to show continuous political, financial Force HQ. In this respect we envision that ticipation in the development and produc- and military commitment. In this respect, these two projects will be developed in a tion, transfer of technology and naturally Poland’s ambition is to be an example to be multinational format. Hence, in the latter the price. Additionally, we have started an- looked up to. Also, while stepping up to the two cases we count especially on close co- other – the third – iteration of the Strategic plate, we are ready to actively contribute to operation with our neighbours. Defence Review (SDR), to be concluded the shaping of NATO’s future. 

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 13 Viewpoint from Kiev

Ukraine: Reforming the Security Sector

Denys Kolesnyk Political Analyst and Senior Partner at Defence Blog

or the first time since 1991 Ukraine faced real security chal- to set up new SWAT units in Ukraine and just recently a new Flenges related to Russian military aggression and the annexa- SWAT unit (KORD in Ukrainian) has been set up in the war-torn tion of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014. Before that, Donetsk region. Kiev focusses on small, rapid reaction forces, Kiev had been gradually decreasing its military personnel, and the which is why in the framework of defence reform the Special standing army figure had dropped from roughly 800,000 in the Operations Forces have been created; something that the old early 1990s to 192,000 in 2012. That figure should have dropped post-Soviet Ukrainian army did not have. The new SOF units even further, down to 70,000, in 2017, but everything changed. were established in May 2016 and are currently fully opera- Taking into account that Ukraine is not a NATO member state, tional, dealing with the most difficult missions. the Ukrainian government cannot count on foreign powers in It is true that the defence sector reform is considered to be the terms of boots on the ground to fight the Russians. That is most successful among other sectors' undergoing reforms, but why Kiev quickly abandoned its neutrality and proclaimed once we cannot overestimate the remaining requirements: a lot more again its course towards NATO membership. Nonetheless, it is remains to be done. clear that despite the official declarations that the “doors are Ukraine’s military industry is an important asset both in terms opened”, they, actually, remain “closed”. of national security capabilities and as a source of foreign cur- Ukraine has drastically increased the numbers of its armed rency. However, quite some people are unhappy that Ukraine forces and their capabilities. In the recent years the Ukrainian sells new armaments such as OPLOT-M main battle tanks and defence budget saw an increase from 0.96% of GDP in 2013 to modern BTR-4 armoured personnel carriers to foreign countries, 5% in 2016, with even more foreseen for 2017. This allowed the instead of massively procuring them for the needs of national Ukrainian Armed Forces to increase their personnel to 250,000 defence. and to repair huge quantities of military equipment: even the According to a recent poll, 67% of Ukrainians believe that their monstrous 2S7 PION self-propelled howitzer has been restored country is not moving in a good direction, in other words the and brought back into service. government is not very popular. On the other hand, the citizens The USA, the UK and Canada have launched Operation UNIFIER of Ukraine show strong support and trust in defence institu- to bring some assistance to the Ukrainian security sector. Even tions, such as the Armed Forces and the National Guard. though the operation does not transfer lethal armaments arma- In terms of international cooperation, it seems that Ukraine’s ments to the Ukrainian army, it still helps to increase capacity defence industry will see an increase in cooperation with Po- and improve training. Over the course of last year some 2,600 land, as was announced in 2016, and with the UK, especially in Ukrainian soldiers received training. This year may bring positive the aerospace industry. This assumption was reinforced by the news to Ukrainians, since the US Congress has unanimously ap- visit of British Defence Minister Sir Michael Fallon to Ukraine’s proved the supply of lethal armaments to Ukraine and military aviation manufacturer “Antonov”, which took place on 20 Janu- assistance for 2017 at the level of some US$600M. ar y 2017. It is also worth noting that not only the Ukrainian army ben- In 2017 there are many events and challenges ahead: there is a efitted from the increased budgets and training, but also the clear understanding in Kiev that the fate of the country remains national police and the National Guard as well. The US helped solely in its own hands.

14 European Security & Defence · February 2017 SECURITY POLICY  Russian-Turkish Convergence and the Black Sea

Eugene Kogan

It needs to be remembered that the Russian-Turkish rapprochement exposed weakness in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who backed down from his uncompromising stand versus President Vladimir Putin's clearly orchestrated policy of stick-and-carrot, namely severe economic sanctions imposed by Putin on Turkey that hurt the Turkish economy. And the end result was clear: the chill in bilateral relations demonstrated that Turkey was more dependent on Russia than vice versa.

he economic carrots were offered to Tur- Tkey after Erdogan asked Russia to “ex- cuse us”, thus bringing to an end the seven

months of being on hold. In other words, (Photo: Kremlin) the precedent in bilateral relations was set and can then be repeated. Thus, the same policy of stick-and-carrot can be imposed on Turkey again, if and when Erdogan tries to support NATO’s policy of strengthening Alliance involvement in the Black Sea region that Russia considers its sphere of influence. In the case of NATO strengthening its posi- tion in the Black Sea region, Erdogan's Tur- key is likely to remain neutral even though verbally Erdogan will reiterate Turkey’s com- mitment to the Alliance. In other words, two other NATO member states in the region, Bulgaria and Romania, need to redouble Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia's President both financial and military efforts in order to Vladimir Putin, a new partnership and cooperation? substitute Turkey’s implicit neutral position. It appears that NATO realised this point and ing the Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen – dis- London was concerned about military build- is ready to come to their assistance. The de- tract the Turkish government from the Black up in Crimea “and indeed the militarisation tails pertaining to that assistance will be re- Sea region. of the Black Sea region generally”. “Both vealed in lateJanuary or early February 2017. What is more, the Black Sea region was not Bulgaria and Romania feel very threatened” and it is not a top priority for the Turkish and vulnerable to the Russian economic and Russian Economy government foreign and security policy. military intimidation. The latter point is likely Embracing Turkey Finally, the Turkish focus primarily on the to be dismissed out of hand by the Russian economic agenda with Russia underscores officials. We also need to remember that the failed the short-sightedness of the Turkish govern- military coup of 15 July 2016 in Turkey has ment and thus further puts Turkey under the Lacking Interest in the weakened the Turkish military in general control of Putin’s Russia. The ever mentioned Black Sea Region and the Turkish Air Force in particular and, Turkish analysts and commentators claim as a result, its willingness to participate in that Russian-Turkish relations constituting a We also need to remember and emphasise actions in the Black Sea region. It also needs strategic partnership is based on sand and that Romania alone has been pushing for to be emphasised that a large part of the not on a realistic assessment. It can be said a formal NATO presence on the Black Sea Turkish Navy’s bases are located away from without exaggeration that the Russian eco- since early 2016, while Bulgaria and Tur- the waters of the Black Sea region. In addi- nomic noose has brought Turkey into a Rus- key remained unenthusiastic in their sup- tion, Turkish military engagements in Syria, sian embrace and it would be very difficult port. Mihnea Motoc, Romanian Minister the fight against the PKK and the fight at for Turkey to extricate itself from this. of National Defence, said on 27 October home against the Gulenists – those follow- On the other hand, Russia is free to pur- 2016 that: “the political decision is to task sue its policy of strengthening its position in the allied forces to come up by the end of Author the Crimean Peninsula with its significantly January 2017 with proposals on two basic upgraded naval presence in the Black Sea elements for the maritime component – a Dr Eugene Kogan is a defence and and thus directly put pressure on Bulgaria strengthened training framework and a security expert based in Tbilisi, Georgia. and Romania. Michael Fallon, UK Minister coordination body for the Black Sea that of Defence, said in September 2016 that reports to the specialised NATO command.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 15  SECURITY POLICY

[Unidentified] countries for the first time ex- pressed a willingness to financially partici-

pate to supporting security arrangements (Photo: picture alliance/abaca) on the north-east flank [of NATO] as well as the Black Sea region.” Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, said after the 27 October meeting of the ministers of defence that six NATO mem- bers – Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Turkey and the US – have “indicated their willingness to contribute to our pres- Turkey has quite some concerns aside from the Black Sea region or ence in the Black Sea region, on land, at sea the Ukraine conflict: Turkish army commanders, ministers and family and in the air. Other Allies are also looking members attend funeral prayers for eight of the 28 victims of the into how they can contribute.” It remains to explosion in Ankara on 19 February 2016. be seen what exactly “willingness to con- tribute” is likely to entail. provocation by Lavrov but rather business Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania, said Furthermore, any Turkish military contribu- as usual. Well, we cannot expect Lavrov on 27 September 2016: “We believe that tion should be carefully scrutinised since Er- to admit that Russia is indeed strength- during 2017 we will be in the situation to de- dogan’s words are not likely to be matched ening its position even if General Valery clare the initial capacity of the multinational by deeds as a result of the aforementioned Gerasimov, Russia’s Chief of the General brigade and in the most optimistic option in Russian constraints. Staff, acknowledges that point. General 2018 this brigade will be functional.” Gerasimov highlighted on 24 August 2016 Whether or not NATO’s limited actions in No Serious Naval Capabilities several of the Russian fleet’s new acquisi- the Black Sea region will deter Russian hos- in Georgia tions, including submarines capable of fir- tile actions against NATO member states as ing KALIBR LACM, new aircraft and the well as NATO partners, such as Georgia and Two other countries in the region, Georgia BASTION coastal defence missiles. Gerasi- Ukraine, remains to be seen. At least, after and Ukraine, that aspire to become NATO mov said that: “There are three submarines initial hesitance NATO, prodded by Roma- members in the foreseeable future are dif- in the Black Sea. One more will join soon. nia, decided to step in. The end result of ferent in terms of naval capabilities and Another two will arrive in 2017.” In other NATO stepping in remains to be seen. their potential contribution. For instance, words, render unto Caesar the things that On the other hand, Russian-Turkish rap- the Ukrainian Navy commissioned two are Caesar’s and do not dare to incur the prochement limits the Turkish place of ma- GURZA-M missile-capable patrol boats Caesar’s wrath, to say the least. noeuvre in the Black Sea region and puts on 6 December 2016. Furthermore, Olek- Thus, it can be said that Russia is indeed Bulgaria and Romania in a tight spot. The sandr Turchynov, Secretary of the Ukrain- interested in reducing NATO's influence in enhanced military co-operation between ian National Security and Defence Council the region by all available means including Bulgaria and Romania is required, but lead- (NSDC), said on 30 November 2016: even military. The latter point can no longer be ers of the two countries have slightly differ- though “we do not have many ships we are disregarded. As presented above, the bal- ent views and opinions about the nature of ready to participate in joint projects, such ance of power in the region has shifted in the enhanced military co-operation. as joint patrols.” favour of Russia, something that the Rus- In conclusion, Russian-Turkish rapproche- Mikheil Janelidze, Georgian Minister of For- sian officials would consistently deny since ment put extra constraints on any potential eign Affairs, was rather diplomatic by saying they live in their own created world, while Turkish involvement in the Black Sea region on 27 October: “Georgia participates in the NATO actions in the region are as usual security agenda. Whether or not the au- NATO discussions regarding the Black Sea coming late but fortunately not too late for thor’s assertion is dismissed out of hand by security in all relevant formats.” It should the countries in the region. the Turkish officials is irrelevant since the be stressed that Georgia lacks serious naval analysis presented above supports the au- capabilities aside from the small number of Limited Actions by NATO thor’s assertion. the Coast Guard ships. Besides the Crimean On the other hand, NATO officials need to Peninsula, Russia also holds a naval base in Still, NATO involvement comes with rather understand that NATO’s strengthening in Ochamchira, Abkhazia (part of Georgia) limited actions such as the creation of a mul- the region is indeed perceived as provo- from where it dominates the Black Sea all tinational naval brigade of about 5,000 sol- cation by Russia. However, NATO has to the way to the Turkish border. diers. Nikolai Nenchev, Bulgarian Minister of stand its ground and not to give an inch As expected, Russia has strenuously ob- Defence, said on 26 October 2016 that “So- to what Putin and his officials say loud and jected to NATO’s already heightened activ- fia and Bucharest would work together and clear, namely ‘this region is ours and you, ity in the Black Sea. Sergei Lavrov, Russian define their takes on the increased NATO NATO, have nothing to do and/or perhaps Minister of Foreign Affairs, said in mid-De- deployment in the Black Sea by December.” seek here. Leave the region to the six litto- cember 2016 that “the proposed Ukrainian December is over and no joint definition ral states’. This basically gives Russia a free and Romanian idea to create a permanent of the two countries was reached since in hand to dominate the region. active NATO Group in the Black Sea we early January 2017 a new government in Ro- It should be emphasised that Putin’s Russia perceive as provocation.” mania was inaugurated, while the current respects strength and NATO has ultimate- The fact that Russia has responded to government in Bulgaria remains an interim ly to speak to Russia from the position NATO's late decision by strengthening its government with elections due in spring. of strength. Therefore, what this author position in the Black Sea with Russia’s re- Nevertheless, Bulgaria has agreed to partici- suggests that NATO do is no longer a tall armament and the expanded range of ex- pate with 400 soldiers in the multinational order but a sober-minded and realistic ap- ercises and naval patrols is not considered brigade in Romania. proach. 

16 European Security & Defence · February 2017 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES United Arab Emirates – Good Times at the Crossroads?

Thomas Bauer

The Arab region has been at the focus of international security policy for many years. The conflicts motivated by religion and power-focussed politics in the region as well as the expansion of terrorist forces associated with this instability to the rest of the world constitute a real threat to international stability and security.

his is topped by the endless stream of third of the gross national product attained cent of the imported goods. This also af- Trefugees seeking to flee a life without in 2012, amounting to just on US$380Bn, fects high-level technologies in the arma- much future in the states of the Near and derived from dealings with this natural re- ments sector. This is the dilemma of the Middle East and trying to get a foothold source. The UAE are among the most oil- UAE, because the income from mineral oil in the societies of the western world, with rich states in the world, but only three of business cannot be invested simultaneously their perceived standards of safety and the seven Emirates actually produce the in a modernisation of the armed forces to security. The increasingly reticent com- black gold. The inequality in gross national strengthen the country’s position in terms mitment by the USA is creating a growing product associated with this is equalised of security policy, and at the same time be sense of uncertainty. by a solidarity income compensation ar- invested in the building up of its own in- rangement between the seven Emirates. dustrial and technological capacities in the The Initial Situation The dependency on income from mineral armaments sector. oil demand makes the UAE, like many other The United Arab Emirates (UAE), in the countries in the Gulf region, dependent in Demands for Defence Still on south-east of the Arabian peninsula, are turn on stable political conditions in the the Rise composed of seven autonomous Emirates, neighbourhood. This also applies to the which, after the Second World War, inten- strategically important seaway through the Despite the efforts of the world’s eighth sified their co-operation in the light of the Strait of Hormus. There is the direct tension largest mineral oil exporter to develop increasing significance of the region due to with Iran regarding the island of Abu Musa other sources of income, the sharp fall in the rising demand for mineral oil. In 1971, and the Tunb Islands, from which the Strait crude oil prices has put a substantial damp- with the introduction of a provisional con- of Hormus and maritime trade in the Per- er on the attempts by the UAE to achieve stitution, the UAE were established. Prior sian Gulf can be controlled. a stronger competitive position. While a to this, Great Britain had withdrawn from At the same time, the potential ending of barrel of crude Brent oil in 2011 exceeded its military bases in the region as part of the resources of oil and gas in the region the 100 US Dollar mark for the first time in a general de-colonialisation policy in the means that the country needs to create 2011, and by February 2014 had risen to Arab world. 1996 saw the unification of an additional basis for economic develop- a new peak of more than 110 US Dollars, the Supreme Dynasty with Abu Dhabi as ment in the future. For this purpose, the thereafter it was downhill all the way. In the capital city and the implementation of Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 was February 2016 the price had fallen to 30 the provisional constitution in its final form. developed, which aims to reach a greater US Dollars. At year end 2016/2017, a barrel The form of the state corresponds to that of diversification of the economic base and was fluctuating at around 55 US Dollars. a constitutional monarchy. therefore less dependency on imports from The state income of the UAE is stagnating, The main sources of income are the pro- abroad. To date, components of machines and economic growth can no longer attain ceeds from mineral oil exports. About one and transport vehicles account for 30 per- the high targets set from the years 2011 to 2014. At the same time, the needs for United Arab Emirates defence are constantly increasing as a reac- tion to the growing tensions in the region, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Emirates from US$2Bn in 2001, US$6.3Bn in 2008, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain to a present US$15.7Bn, corresponding to Capital Abu Dhabi a share of 7.3 percent of GNP. The entire Total population About 6 million budget is made up of payments from the individual Emirates, with Abu Dhabi and Total armed forces of the UAE 65,000 Dubai providing the main share. This means Land forces 59,000 they also play a key role in the decisions on procurement. The joint involvement of Naval forces 2,500 the individual Emirates in the command Air forces 4,000 structure is represented by division among Annual budget US$15.7Bn (2015) regional commanders, despite the estab- lishment of a central Ministry of Defence Share of budget in GNP 7.3 percent and headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 17 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The country is based on a purely profes- In terms of modern APVs, the UAE have In the air force sector, the UAE are pursuing sional army. Some 30 percent of the total of opted for the AMV 8x8 from the Finn- a modernisation model oriented towards 65,000 military personnel come from other ish manufacturer Patria. In a first lot, 40 involvement in international coalitions. In countries of the Middle East or from the area of southern Asia. Maintaining these forces, however, is becoming increasingly difficult for the UAE. On the one hand, the Photo: MBDA efforts by the Emirates to achieve greater diversification in employment have opened up new, and for the most part better paid, opportunities in the civilian sector. On the other, the increasing threat posed by ideo- logical and religious radicalisation of the local population is incurring increased res- ervations towards foreigners in the armed forces, who, due to their originating from areas of unrest in the Arab region, are seen as a potential means of Islamic fundamen- talists penetrating the ranks.

Armed Forces in a State of MBDA has proposed BRIMSTONE for the GHANNATHA Class fast patrol Change boat. The origins of the United Arab Emirates vehicles of this type are scheduled for pro- February 2009, Boeing succeeded in con- Army (UAEA) go back to the 1950s, with curement. cluding a contract for the supply of four the “Trucial Oman Scouts”, a unit of some In the sector of reconnaissance and com- C-17 III GLOBEMASTERs to the UAE. At 2,500 men responsible for internal security mand vehicles, the UAE have decided on the same time, Lockheed Martin received tasks and patrols in the hinterland, com- the NIMR type, a 4x4 off-road. These were orders for the delivery of 12 tactical trans- manded by a British officer. Following inde- originally developed and produced by the port aircraft of the C-130J-30 HERCULES pendence in 1971, these well-trained forces Jordanian branch of Advanced Industries type. By taking these steps, the UAE are represented the foundation in terms of per- of Arabia (AIA). With the arrival of Tawa- seeking to develop their capacities in the sonnel for the individual armed forces of zun Holding in 2010, the former main air transport sector in order to take part the Emirates, before they were integrated owners, the Bin Jabr Group Ltd (BJGL), worldwide in rescue missions and humani- into the joint armed forces of the UAE. agreed on a relocation of production in tarian operations. The majority of the equipment of the 2011 to a newly established plant in Abu The M-346 Alenia deal is also intended present land forces is made up of French Dhabi. Order books are well filled. The to bring the entire training programme systems. The backbone is represented by corporation, renamed NIMR Automo- for local combat pilots up to the level of some 370 MBTs of the LECLERC type. Add- tive LLC, is in the meantime developing operations in fourth-generation combat ed to these are large numbers of armoured a whole family of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles aircraft. At the same time, the country on personnel and transport vehicles, such as for the military sector. In 2012, based on the Persian Gulf is going to be the first the AMX-10 or PANHARD. There are also a co-operation agreement with Algeria, customer in the Arab world for the new other older systems of Russian origin in use, additional production capacities were es- C-7 version of the Advanced Medium- such as the BMP-3. tablished in North Africa. Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). The United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) operates 80 F-16 E/F Block 60 and some 70 MIRAGE 2000 units from Dassault in different versions. The F-16 of the UAE is

Photo: David Pin superior to the FALCON in use with the American air forces, in the Block 50 ver- sion, which makes the UAEAF one of the most potentially powerful air forces around, even in comparison with Eu- ropean countries. The UAEAF has been able to demonstrate its effectiveness in sorties flown together with the USA and European partners against Islamist groups in Libya and engagements against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. In the combat helicopter sector, the coun- try is based on 30 units of the AH-64 APACHE LONGBOW. On transport helicop- ters the UAEAF operates different types, several from Airbus Helicopters, such as the The wealth of the UAE is built almost exclusively on oil. AS-332 SUPER PUMA or the AS-565 PAN-

18 European Security & Defence · February 2017 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

THER, but also from other manufacturers Fincantieri (similar to the Italian CIGALA- ernisation, however, the country’s own in- like some 40 UH-60 BLACK HAWK. FULGOSI class), two further corvettes have dustrial policy goals also have an important been ordered from Etihad Ship Building to role to play. To name an example, there Development of the make up this deficit, especially in the light of have been local capacities for maintenance Naval Forces the Iranian submarine programmes. in the aviation sector available for many years, in the form of the Gulf Aircraft Main- The country’s naval forces, with a relatively Industrial Capacities tenance Company (GAMCO), a subsidiary modest number of personnel, have been of the state-run Mubadala Corporation. based since 2003 primarily on 12 GHANNA- The Stockholm International Peace Re- The company, now renamed ADAT, is de THA high-speed patrol boats, developed in search Institute (SIPRI), in its latest annual facto responsible for all the types of air- Sweden, and a number of torpedo boats. edition, lists the UAE, with a share of 4.6 craft in use with the UAEAF. Based on an The first three GHANNATHA units were still percent, at fourth place in worldwide ar- investment programme costing US$500M, produced in Sweden, but the other nine maments importers, behind India (14%), ADAT is seeking to secure international came from a shipyard of Abu Dhabi Ship Saudi Arabia (7%), and China (4.7%). With customers too in the ever more important Building (ADSB). The small number of ves- regard to the widespread efforts in mod- business sector of Maintenance, Repair sels have undergone an extensive modernisation programme since 2009, while at the same time an order has been placed with ADSB for the construction of a further nine high-speed craft. Together with three further units produced in Sweden, the UAE can now de- ploy a total of 24 GHANNATHA high-speed units, equipped with more powerful diesel engines and a modern weapons guidance sys- tem, as well as with a 27 mm can- non from Rheinmetall, 120 mm mortars from Patria, and MARTE Mk 2/N guided missiles from Oto Melara. In addition to the high- speed vessels, the naval forces also operate patrol boats of the FALAJ-2 class, which are based on the Italian DICIOTTI class, in use with the Italian navy for coast- guard services. The BAYNUNAH project is the biggest modernisation project of the naval forces. Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) are building six corvettes of the BAYNUNAH class for the United Arab Emirates Navy (UAEN), which are based on an uprated concept from French manufacturers Constructions Mé- caniques de Normandie (CMN). The ships are equipped with mod- ern guided missile systems, among them EXOCET and RAM Block 1A. This project also aims to en- hance the UAE's future effective- ness in the sectors of monitoring sea space, mine warfare, and the conducting of surface naval op- erations. By 2015 four of the six vessels planned had already been handed over to the UAEN. One problem of the vessels is the short- fall in submarine hunting capacity, leading to the solution that in ad- dition to the two corvettes of the ABU-DHABI class ordered from

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 19 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

early as during the period from 1995 to 2005, a comprehensive programme was launched, costing US$15Bn.

Photo: US Coast Guard The Outcome

The armed forces of the UAE are re- garded as a dynamic army in a time of change. Equipment and weaponry are almost on a par with those of western forces. In comparison with many Euro- pean armed forces, they are in fact even better equipped. The main deficits, how- ever, are shortfalls in the training of mili- tary personnel, in handing the modern systems, resulting in the current priority of procuring simulation systems and new training programmes. In 2010 and 2011 the first two satellites produced for the UAE by EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space were sent into space, catapulting the country into the age of Network Cen- tric Warfare (NCW). The UAE is set on a path which aimes to guarantee its safety and security in an environment becom- ing increasingly difficult. To reach this United Arab Emirates soldiers in US Coast Guard training goal the country is prepared to show a higher degree of international participa- and Overhaul (MRO). With Al Talif Techni- other western allies in the Afghanistan tion and involvement. However, whether cal Services, in 2006 Mubadala planted the campaign in 2001, as well as in the course quality and sustainability in the areas of ADAT pendant in the land system sector as of the preparations for the invasion of training and MRO can keep pace with the well. Al Talif is responsible for more than Iraq in early 2003, the UAE were clearly improvements in armaments technology 20,000 of the UAEA’s vehicles. positioned in the pro-western camp. In- will also depend on the financial resourc- Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADAB) is trying deed, as early as 1991 the country had es given to the armed forces in the years to establish itself in the Naval Support Ser- participated within the framework of the to come. The further development of vices sector with the hope to be the main Gulf Co-operation Council in the cam- oil prices could therefore play a decisive contractor for all the naval forces in the paign to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi part in the success of the comprehensive Gulf Region in the future. Added to this invaders. modernisation efforts in the Persian Gulf. are numerous agencies in the Research and With the deployment and provision of The same applies to the efforts made in Development sector, as well as an arrange- helicopters and small forces following the the industrial armaments sector. ment with Caracal International LLC, the NATO engagement in Kosovo in 1999, a The greatest risk for the country must only manufacturer of hand-held firearms period began of increasing involvement be seen in the networks and derivates in the region. The main owner of Caracal, in humanitarian and peace-keeping op- arising from the power struggles in the Tawazun Holding, recently entered into erations by the United Nations. neighbour countries. In particular, the a joint venture with Rheinmetall and the The country provided aid to the popu- entanglements of Saudi Arabia in the Saudi Al Jabr Group for the construction of lation of Lebanon after the intervention conflicts in Yemen and Syria, together a local production plant for munitions up to by Israeli troops in summer 2006 with with Russia’s intervention in the Syrian artillery shell level. a number of transport resources. There conflict, have brought a partially contra- In December 2014 the Emirates Defence were two major reasons for this com- dictory mixture of security policy interests Industries Company (EDIC) was estab- mitment. On the one hand, the country to the states of the Near and Middle East. lished, a State-owned corporate group in wished to show itself as a reliable partner, The hopes of the USA that Iran, too, the armaments sector. This group unites a both in respect of western allies such as might assist in bringing stabilisation in considerable number of armament-specific the USA as well as towards the mem- Syria and in the region would scarcely organisations of the Mubadala Develop- bers of the Arab League, in which the simplify this confused situation, in view of ment Company, Tawazun Holdings, and UAE play an important role. The second the selective support by religious splinter the Emirates Advanced Investments Group reason was that involvement in foreign groups during the respective individual (EAIG). EDIC has taken over, among other engagements are the best opportunities conflicts in the Arab world. While the things, control of NIMR Automotive Hold- for the country’s armed forces to gain UAE are likewise compelled to ally them- ing, managed by Tawazun. practical experience. The issue here is to selves with a regional stabilisation offen- develop co-operation with other armed sive, there is no desire to be dependent International Commitment forces during the engagement. The in- on the goodwill of outside forces such as tention was to be introduced to the tech- the USA or Russia, for the restoration and Since the provision of airfields, ports, and nical potential and strike capabilities of maintenance of security and prosperity in other military installations to the USA and the western forces. For this purpose, as the Persian Gulf, in the long term. 

20 European Security & Defence · February 2017 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES The United Arab Emirates Defence Environment

David Saw

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) finds itself at the nexus of an extremely complicated foreign policy and security situation. The issues it faces include dealing with threat from state actors and diverse groups of non-state actors. Furthermore it has to do this while prices from its primary export commodity, hydrocarbons, are at a low level and are not delivering the necessary revenue. In addition the government also has to confront internal challenges in terms of developing more equitable social outcomes and providing a stable long-term future for the country.

t is important to briefly discuss the history to take an interest in the emirates and this lationship between Abu Dhabi and France Iof the seven Emirates that make up the led Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras that expanded to become a critical security UAE, as this helps to provide context for the Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain to sign relationship for the UAE. In 1962 the first oil foreign policy and security decisions being an 1892 treaty under which they became a from Abu Dhabi was exported. Dubai also made today. From the 1500s onwards the British protectorate. The British would guar- struck oil in 1960, though its finds were far Ottomans were the major power in the Gulf antee their borders and protect them from less extensive than those of Abu Dhabi. area, there was also a Persian presence due external aggression. The last of the seven The arrival of oil revenues allowed both Abu to geographic proximity and as time went emirates that would eventually become the Dhabi and Dubai to invest in development, on the Europeans, in particular the Portu- UAE, Fujairah, would only become part of unfortunately elsewhere less positive things guese, became a regional factor. No one the British-led security structure after sign- were happening. By the mid-1960s the Brit- major external power became dominant for ing a treaty in 1952. ish government had determined that they any extended period of time though, but as For many years the main source of revenue should no longer have any security respon- British control in India grew and their naval for the emirates was pearl fishing, but as sibilities east of Suez and in 1968 the Trucial presence increased they became concerned pearl fishing lost its utility, a potentially new States, plus Bahrain and Qatar with whom about securing the maritime trade routes source of revenue appeared. Oil strikes in Britain also had a security relationship were to India. Iraq, Kuwait and elsewhere indicated that informed that Britain would be withdrawing In 1820 the Emirates signed their first treaty there might be oil in the Emirates. Initially from these relationships and that the British with the British, with subsequent treaties efforts to find oil had little success. Then at military presence in the Gulf would end on signed in 1843 and 1853. By this point the the end of the 1950s that changed, with 1 December 1971. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Emirates started to be referred to as the Tru- oil being discovered off Abu Dhabi under al Nahyan, the then ruler of Abu Dhabi (later cial States, reflecting their treaty relationship a pearl bed. It is worth noting that one of the first president of the UAE), offered to with the British. The treaties recognised Brit- the companies involved in the exploration pay the costs of keeping British Forces based ish influence over the Trucial States. By the and successful discovery of this oil was Total in the region but this offer was rejected. 1890s other colonial powers were starting of France, this marked the start of the re- In the face of the British withdrawal, Abu Photo: US Army

A United Arab Emirates BMP-3 IFV participating in a joint exercise with US forces on the Udairi range in Kuwait. The exercise took place in November 2016 and was designed to test armoured vehicle manoeuvre and reaction capabilities. The UAE acquired nearly 600 BMP-3 from the early 1990s onwards and now intends to modernise some of the vehicles.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 21 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

According to the “BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2016” proven oil reserves in the UAE were 97.8Bn barrels, equivalent

Photo: US DVIDS to 13Bn tons, which in turn is equivalent to 5.8% of proven world oil reserves. In 2015 oil production in the UAE was 4% of the world total. In terms of natural gas, total proven reserves at the end of 2015 amount- ed to 6.1 million cubic metres or 3.3% of proven world reserves. Natural gas produc- tion in 2015 was 1.6% of the world total. In previous years hydrocarbon exports would provide the UAE, primarily Abu Dhabi in this case, with enormous financial returns. In 2011 the spot price per barrel of oil in Dubai was US$106.18, in 2012 it was US$109.08, in 2013 it fell to US$105.47, it fell again in 2014 to US$97.07, followed by a massive fall in 2015 to US$51.20. At the end of December 2016 the price per barrel was US$51.76. As far as the UAE is concerned the United Arab Emirates (UAE) troops took part in a humanitarian minimum oil price that they can cope with assistance mission near Bagram, Afghanistan, in 2010. The UAE was the is US$70 a barrel, but unless circumstances only Arab nation to take an active role in Afghanistan. in the oil marketplace change dramatically achieving an oil price of over US$70 a barrel Dhabi and Dubai had decided to join to- tential of a country. There is no doubt that looks highly unlikely in the near term. To an gether and invited the five other emirates, the UAE is a wealthy country, although re- extent the UAE is also cushioned by the fact plus Bahrain and Qatar to join them. Both duced income due to the decline in oil prices that it has enough financial reserves to cover Bahrain and Qatar refused the invitation, is a concern. An Emirate like Abu Dhabi has the next 30 years. leaving Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, vast economic possibilities; on the other Mention should be made of the sovereign Fujairah, and Umm al-Quwain to form the hand, the majority of the other Emirates do wealth funds established by Abu Dhabi. UAE and achieve independence on 2 De- not have the ability to call on that level of These were funded by budget surpluses cember 1971. Ras al-Khaimah would join financial strength creating the potential for and transfers of profits from the Abu the UAE in 1972. However, the vulnerability unequal economic development. Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). In of the new state was made plain on the eve of independence as Iran invaded and cap- tured Abu Musa Island and the Tunb Islands in the Gulf on 29 and 30 November 1971. The UAE still regards these islands as occu- pied and this occupation is one of the many factors that complicate relations with Iran. Photo: Arne Hückelheim The UAE was a founder member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), along with Bah- rain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Ara- bia. It also contributes to the GCC Peninsula Shield joint military force that was estab- lished in 1984. Apart from regional security structures the UAE has looked to build se- curity relationships with powers external to The economy of the UAE could cope with €65 a barrel, but not less. the region. The UAE has allowed the US to Actually the price is around €53, therefore concerns are quite high. operate out of its territory, for example using the Al Dhafra Airbase, with France also oper- Our first task will be to take a brief look at total 70% of this funding was transferred ating out of Al Dhafra and having a separate the economic structure of the UAE and then to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority naval base in Abu Dhabi. While investing in provide an analysis of the key indicators, as (ADIA) and 30% to the Abu Dhabi Invest- its own defences, the UAE has always seen well as related factors. We will then go on ment Council (ADIC). ADIA is the largest value in external security guarantees that is to look at the population of the UAE and sovereign wealth fund in the Middle East why they wanted the British to stay in 1971 the impact that the size of the population and is thought to have some US$800Bn and that is why they are content to provide has in particular on the military possibilities under management. The ADIA mission facilities for the French and the US today. open to the UAE. The key point to remem- statement is to sustain the long-term pros- ber is that the UAE like the other Gulf sheikh- perity of Abu Dhabi by prudently growing Economics and Influence doms has a small population of citizens; the capital. The smaller fund, ADIC, is believed majority of the residents of the country are to have US$111.8Bn under management. Population size and economic resources are expatriates which means that the potential Abu Dhabi has looked to diversify its econ- critical factors in developing the military po- military personnel pool is not that deep. omy away from dependence on oil and this

22 European Security & Defence · February 2017 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES has made a significant contribution to allow- development and extend economic op- tary forces the Libyan Nation Army (LNA) ing it to deal with the decline in oil prices. portunity in the other Emirates. The UAE led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Apart Dubai on the other hand started off with government was obviously very concerned from financial support to the Tobruk govern- much smaller oil reserves and has been plan- about the Arab Spring that started in Tu- ment, the UAE is taking a more hands-on ning for a post-oil economy, primarily based nisia in December 2010 and the result- approach to assisting its clients in Libya: UAE on service industries, for many years. Dubai ing anti-government protests that spread Air Force (UAEAF) IOMAX AT-802U AIR suffered greatly in 2008/2009 due to the across the Arab World from 2011 onwards. TRACTOR COIN aircraft have been deployed international financial crisis and a property Although the UAE did not face the wave to Libya. Amongst other locations they have price collapse, but took the necessary steps of anti-government sentiment that was ex- operated out of Al Khadim air base. They are to recover and was also helped by invest- perienced in other countries, these events flown by contract pilots on combat missions, ment from Abu Dhabi. demonstrated the need to systematically not by UAEAF pilots. In support of this force The fact that Abu Dhabi has such significant focus on social cohesion within the UAE. other UAEAF assets are also deployed to financial resources is in itself an important The financial resources of the UAE buy it a Libya in the shape of UH-60 BLACK HAWK contributor to supporting the foreign and lot of influence, but sometimes influence is helicopters and UAVs. As such the UAE is us- defence policies of the UAE, as well as be- not enough and more concrete steps need ing hard power as well as soft power tools to ing important in terms of dealing with inter- to be taken. In recent years the UAE has advance its foreign policy interests. nal security threats in the UAE. The UAE is taken a more assertive stance internation- a major supporter of the current Egyptian ally, often in concert with its fellow Gulf People and Advisors government and had provided a €4.6Bn Cooperation Council (GCC) partner states. aid package in October 2013 to stop Egypt For example in 2011 the UAE participated According to the World Factbook pub- from falling into chaos. The UAE has, along in the GCC-led force that was requested by lished by the US Central Intelligence Agency with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, continued to Bahrain to aid against local anti-government (CIA) the UAE has an estimated population support Egypt since that point. Elsewhere protests. As we shall discuss the UAE is also of 5,927,482 as of mid-2016. Of this total UAE funding has helped Somalia in terms part of the GCC force that first intervened in only 19% are Emirati, 23% are other Arab of improving its security forces and through the Yemen in March 2015. and Iranian, 50% South Asian and 8% economic development. The UAE is also following its own foreign Westerners, East Asian and others. Accord- Domestically there has been significant in- policy interests in Libya. Here it is support- ing to a United Nations (UN) estimate, the vestment in infrastructure outside of Abu ing the Tobruk-based government of the population of the UAE in July 2016 came to Dhabi and Dubai, in an effort to promote House of Representatives (HoR) and its mili- 9,267,000 people. The UN noted in 2015

24 - 26 April 2017 Ottawa, Canada

Sharpening NATO’s Technological Edge: Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry

The NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International, in collaboration with the Department of National Defence, Canada

NITEC17 will o er a unique opportunity to address NATO's innovation agenda through strategic dialogue with Industry partners and to discuss the applicability of advanced and emerging technologies in the military domain and fresh approaches on how to implement them. Featured theme tracks: - Trends in the defence innovation landscape; - How global challenges are driving the need for NATO-Industry cooperation on innovation; - Innovation as a process: case studies in new approaches to defence challenges; - Accelerating innovation; - Innovating defence acquisition: a case study in streamlining NATO cyber capability elding processes; - Cyberspace as a domain of operations: implications for capability priorities.

For questions on sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, contact Mandy Rizzo at [email protected] or +32 2 705 4384.

Registration and event updates: www.nitec.nato.int

Event in cooperation with : NCI Agency AFCEA Europe [email protected] [email protected] AFCEA Tel: +31 (0) 70 374 3090 Tel: +32 (0) 2 705 2731

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 23 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES that immigrants make up 85% of the UAE population. Although the Emiratis control the levers of political, economic and coercive (police and military) power, they are a mi- nority in their own country. This represents Photo: US Air Force a security issue; however the UAE has suc- cessfully found a suitable methodology to manage a multi-ethnic state. Where the limited number of Emiratis be- comes problematic is when one is looking to create security forces for the state. Small population size acts as a ceiling on the size of the military; it also makes it extremely diffi- cult to meet requirements in terms of highly BLACK HAWKs taking off. specialised positions such as fast jet pilots for example. In addition the military can find by the military; in the main the real benefit helicopters, as well as the FENNEC in the itself in competition for high quality candi- of national service will be to encourage a scouting role. Mechanised units operate the dates with the government, local institutions sense of national identity and social cohe- LECLERC tank and BMP-3 IFV, with access to and companies as well. Emirati commanders sion. the full range of UAE Army equipment. Well in the field must also be sensitive as regards The UAE is also employing the services of trained, well equipped and motivated, the this small population size, consequently they foreign at advisors to boost the perfor- PG provides the UAE with a military force will be casualty adverse, which might limit mance of their military forces. In 2010 Major that can be rapidly deployed to meet strate- their operational flexibility. General Mike Hindmarsh, who had retired gic objectives. PG units have been deployed The senior political and military leadership from the Australian Army in 2009, was ap- to the Yemen as a part of the GCC force are aware of these constraints and have pointed Special Advisor-National Security in sent to support the government of Abdrab- taken steps to reduce their impact. In 2014 the UAE, as well as commander of the Presi- buh Mansur Hadi in the Civil War against the UAE government introduced a man- dential Guard. According to the US State the Houthi. datory national service law under which Department, “in early 2010, the Presidential More recently the UAE has looked to reduce all Emirati men aged between 18-30 who Guard (PG) was formed. The PG is com- active involvement by its military person- have finished secondary school will serve prised of Marines, Reconnaissance, Aviation, nel in military operations in the Yemen. It for a year, those who did not finish sec- Special Forces/Amiri Guard and Mechanised has taken casualties most notably after the ondary school will serve two years, there is Brigades.” Apart from the recruitment of Houthi launched a TOCHKA TBM strike that also a reserve liability. Emirati women can military advisors/trainers from Australian hit a logistics base at Maarib, east of the volunteer for a nine-month national service and British sources, amongst others, the PG Yemeni capital Sanaa, in September 2015, commitment. The national service obliga- also benefits from a training agreement with where 45 UAE soldiers were killed. As previ- tion covers service with the UAE Armed the US Marine Corps under which US per- ously noted they are very sensitive to casual- Forces, the Ministry of Defence, the Min- sonnel under Marine Corps Training Mission ties. However, the UAE has employed other istry of Interior, the State Security Service – United Arab Emirates (MCTM-UAE) are on tools to participate in combat operations. and other officially identified government site to provide training assistance. In November 2015 the New York Times institutions. National service will help to al- The PG aviation group operates Boeing noted that the UAE had deployed a unit leviate some of the personnel issues faced CHINOOK and Sikorsky BLACK HAWK of 450 contractors, primary of Colombian origin, although there were also contrac- tors from Chile, El Salvador and Panama, to the Yemen. The article alleges that the UAE has raised a force of 1,800 troops from Co-

Photo: US DVIDS lombia and other Latin American countries, these have been under training in the UAE for a number of years, with the Yemen as their first combat deployment. Command- ers in this unit appear to be drawn from Australia and Europe, though increasingly UAE officers are involved. Recruiting and de- ploying such a unit makes eminent good sense as far as the UAE is concerned. As regards its conventional ground forces, the UAEAF and the navy, the objective re- mains to equip and train these units to the highest standard possible and to deploy them for missions focused on the defence A United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) Lockheed Martin F-16 Block of UAE territory. Recognising that it needs 60 DESERT FALCON refuels from a US Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft as other tools in support of its strategic goals, part of mission to engage targets in Iraq in December 2016. Increasingly the UAE will also emphasise the use of the the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become involved in regional PG and where necessary units based on security missions. contractors. 

24 European Security & Defence · February 2017 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Sharpening the Falcon’s Claws United Arab Emirates Strengthens Its Defence

Heiko Borchert and Shehab al Makahleh

Events matter as they shape national security policy. From the perspective of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) three events perfectly capture the country’s evolving security and defence role. Since 2007, when the UAE first deployed troops to support the international stabilisation mission in Afghanistan, the country’s leadership has been steadily working on strengthening its defence capabilities.

his ambition culminated in com- tion of the UAE’s security and defence the world’s ten most important container Tbat operations of the UAE Air Force policy. Past clichés such as the belief that terminals. In 2015 Dubai airport handled against targets in Iraq and Libya in 2014. “glitter” matters more than real capa- the world’s 3rd largest passenger turno- But the growing international footprint bilities no longer hold true. The UAE has ver and 6th largest cargo turnover. Etihad of the UAE also took its toll. In September emerged as a serious regional power that and Emirates are world-leading airlines 2015 the UAE lost 45 soldiers in an attack is gradually projecting power beyond the and strategic customers of Airbus and against a military base of the Saudi and Arabian Gulf into the Eastern Mediter- Boeing. DP World is one of the world‘s leading port operators managing ports in over 60 countries around the world. By mid-2016 the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority was the world’s 5th largest

(Photo: Izfumbles) sovereign wealth fund by assets under management. The success of the UAE is most impressive given the country’s vulnerable geostra- tegic setting. Four strategic vectors are important in understanding the current trajectory of the Emirates' security and defence policy: First, the ongoing pan-regional power struggle sets the scene. The power strug- gle results from a plethora of different trends such as the overall reshuffling of political loyalties across the region in light of a perceived US retreat, Russia’s re-emergence as a key strategic player in the region, ideological differences be- The UAE is heading toward a modern army, in equipment, training and tween the members of the Gulf Coop- structure, with female soldiers also serving in the army. eration Council (GCC) and neighbouring Iran, and the growing economic footprint UAE-led forces fighting Houthi rebels in ranean as well as Northern and Eastern of Asia-Pacific countries in the region. Yemen. One year later, in October 2016, Africa. The country‘s growing economic Second, because of the pan-regional the same conflict caused another blow ties with trade partners in the Asia-Pacific power struggle, ideological radicalisa- for the UAE. This time Houthi rebels fired region drive its strategic interests east- tion and terrorism flourish. The UAE and missiles at the HSV-2 naval vessel operat- wards, thus outlining the future geostra- Saudi Arabia have stepped up efforts to ing off the coast of Yemen and severely tegic trajectory of the UAE. fight terrorism, but diverging policy pref- damaged the platform. erences among the GCC nations render These events and the underlying devel- Geostrategic Setting coherent action very difficult. opments have accelerated the matura- Third, as a global transportation hub, The development of the UAE since 1971 the UAE depends on the safety and se- Authors is remarkable. Today, the country ranks curity of global air and sea corridors that 16th in the 2016 World Economic Forum integrate the country into global trade Dr Heiko Borchert is Managing Direc- Global Competitiveness Index ahead of flows. As a consequence, cyber security tor of Borchert Consulting & Research all Gulf neighbours and international and maritime security have risen in im- AG, a strategic affairs consultancy. heavyweights such as China, France, portance and led the UAE to set up rele- Shehab al Makahleh is a Middle East India or South Korea. The UAE is a key vant authorities and launch national pro- expert and works as a senior policy oil and gas producer and has positioned grammes to deal with these challenges. advisor in Abu Dhabi. itself as a global transportation hub. Finally, food security is an emerging top Dubai is the only non-Asian port among security challenge. Harsh climatic condi-

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 25 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The UAE’s Geostrategic Setting (Source: Authors)

tions are detrimental to local agriculture. The first shift results from ongoing op- troops. This explains the growing interest That is why the UAE is importing almost erations in Yemen. The increasing op- in supplementing existing strategic airlift all agro products. In 2014 the food im- erational tempo absorbs the leadership‘s capacities (e.g., C-17, tanker aircraft) with port bill stood at around €94Bn and is attention and puts the military equip- additional naval transport assets. likely to grow to €375Bn over the next ment under stress. As Abu Dhabi is fast- ten years. Food import dependence has tracking material urgently needed at the Established Defence Industrial led to UAE land investments in Egypt, frontline, logistics support and life cycle Capacities Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Sudan issues come to the fore. and South Sudan as well as Zimbabwe. Second, the operation in Yemen is not Under the leadership of Sheikh Moham- As the strategic relevance of these coun- only land-based but also involves air force med bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince tries increases, it is hardly surprising that and navy assets. The Air Force has been of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Com- the UAE is taking a closer look at their at the core of Emirati force development mander of the UAE Armed Forces, the geostrategic environment in order to en- for the past decades. The Navy clearly UAE has established a local defence in- sure its own food supply security. emerges as a new priority, because the dustry as a means to diversify the national UAE have come to acknowledge that na- economy. During the first phase, joint National Defence Priorities val support from strategic partners can ventures with international defence com- no longer be taken for granted. As a con- panies were crucial to provide access to The UAE has used strategic partner- sequence, the Emirates are stepping up knowledge and technology. For example ships to offset regional risks. In 1991 it significant naval procurement projects. the Advanced Military Maintenance, Re- signed a security and defence coopera- The third shift refers to the UAE’s grow- pair and Overhaul Center emerged from tion agreement with the United States ing strategic footprint outside the Ara- cooperation between Abu Dhabi Aircraft followed by a similar agreement signed bian Peninsula. In late 2016 news reports Technologies, Sikorsky and Lockheed with France in 2008. More recently, the revealed that the UAE had been building Martin; Burkan Munition Systems resulted UAE has ramped up cooperation with an air force base in Libya as well as air from the teaming of Mubadala, Bin Jabr Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea. force and navy bases in Eritrea and So- Grup and Rheinmetall; Tawazun Dynamics In addition, the UAE leverages the GCC maliland. These bases play a role in the is a joint venture by Tawazun and Denel; to advance its own military ambition and GCC’s efforts to forge diplomatic allianc- and Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding (ADSB) and stabilise the region. es with these regions. In addition, the former Selex-SI established Abu Dhabi With regard to the UAE’s defence and UAE donates defence material and funds Systems Integration. Joint ventures were military ambition three shifts are note- defence procurement to strengthen­ the preferred way to fulfil offset obliga- worthy as they drive the country‘s pro- strategic partners in these regions (see tions, which led to a very large and diversi- curement and defence industrial priori- Figure). Overseas bases also reinforce fied portfolio of companies that started to ties: the need for logistics support to sustain become inefficient.

26 European Security & Defence · February 2017 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The time was ripe for consolidation. The second phase was launched in 2014 by reorganising most of the subsidiaries of

Tawazun Holding, Mubadala, and Emir- (Photo: Imre Solt) ates Advanced Investments Group un- der the newly established Emirates De- fence Industries Company (EDIC). The International Golden Group serves as an additional defence technology hold- ing company. In addition, Mubadala and Tawazun cooperate on knowledge transfer and potential offset projects. So far, results are mixed. The reorganisation seems to have accelerated the develop- ment of technology capabilities. But in- fighting between EDIC and Tawazun has emerged. This is detrimental to setting up and implementing strategic guidance Under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown for the national companies as well as pro- Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed cessing offset projects worth several bil- Forces, the UAE has established a competitive local defence industry. lions. So far, a proper defence industrial strategy is missing. corvettes. French partner Constructions recently also made inroads into the UAE. Against this background the current UAE Mécaniques de Normandie built the first Keen to broaden the expertise in this seg- defence industrial base looks as follows: vessel. ment, the Emirates are using locally built armoured vehicles in ongoing operations Naval Systems Land Systems in Yemen to assess their performance. The Emirati defence industry is highly The UAE land systems industry develops, The UAE Armed Forces are also looking advanced in the naval sector, with ADSB manufactures, and maintains armoured into the possibility of buying 4x4 and 8x8 as the key player. ADSB sees itself as the vehicles mainly through NIMR Auto- vehicles for the new overseas bases. prime contractor that also engages in motive and Emirates Defense Technol- through-life support, whereas subcon- ogy. Finland’s Patria and Renault Trucks Air Systems tractors are mainly in charge of design- Defense of France, a division of Volvo The Emirates strive to establish the most ing, manufacturing, and testing naval Group Governmental Sales, are impor- potent air power in the region. As a con- platforms. Among other projects, ADSB tant international partners. Rosomak of sequence the country has set up mili- has built five of the six BAYNUNAH Class Poland, working together with Patria, has tary aerospace companies focusing on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to complement the vibrant commercial aerospace sector. In addition, the UAE has ambitious plans to establish the first truly national defence industrial base in

(Photo: US Air Force) the field of UAV/UCAV with companies like Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments (ADASI) and ADCOM Sys- tems. ADASI has teamed with Schiebel to locally manufacture the CAMCOPTER S-100. ADCOM has been working on its UNITED-40 platform, which can also be armed. Among the different international partners involved in setting up ADCOM, Ukraine was pivotal to transfer technol- ogy. Reportedly ADCOM is also in the process of exporting UAVs, in particular to Russia and Nigeria.

Missiles and Electronics In the missiles and electronics business Emirati ambitions have faced more obsta- cles. In October 2016, Tawazun Dynamics completed the delivery of 600 AL TARIQ guided weapons for the UAE’s MIRAGE 2000 fighter jets. This programme suf- fered significant delays due to technical An Emirati MIRAGE 2000 aircraft during an international training challenges to develop the new weapon exercise systems. In the electronics segment, Abu

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 27 REGIONAL FOCUS: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Dhabi Advanced Radar Systems, a joint forms are being envisaged. Whereas fast capacities and relies on partners. Suppli- venture formed in 2013 between Saab patrol craft, frigates, and rescue vessels ers from the United States and Germany and Tawazun, was meant to establish the seem within reach of the local naval ship- are said to be of interest in these seg- first radar maker in the region. The com- building industry, helicopter carriers and ments. pany failed, leaving a gap hard to close specific types of logistics ships likely go Finally, there are long-held plans to fur- for local actors like Emirates Technology beyond currently available capacities. In- ther strengthen the country’s air power. and Innovation Center. ternational partners will thus be needed Here, too, new priorities emerge. Ad- in all of these programmes. The UAE is ditional fighter jets would complement Defence Procurement Priorities interested in talking to different partners the portfolio, with the F-35 Joint Strike like Italy for helicopter carriers, the UK for Fighter being a particular priority. Mari- The shifts in the UAE’s defence priorities frigates, and Turkey for fast patrol craft. time patrol aircraft, by contrast, are a become most visible in current and fu- In addition, maturing undersea threats new priority, in particular as they are to ture procurement priorities. Today‘s fo- have prompted the UAE leadership to be used to patrol coastal areas, notably cus on supplying ongoing missions does establish a need for different types of along the coasts of Aden, the Horn of not mean that the UAE should cut back undersea assets such as submarines and Africa and the Arabian Gulf, and for anti- on its long-term priorities. But reshuf- autonomous underwater vehicles. submarine operations. fling funds and rescheduling projects Of great interest to industry is the emerg- is needed to stabilise the procurement ing C4ISR priority of the UAE Armed Forc- Outlook portfolio. In addition, defence contrac- es. This clearly reflects an urgent need tors interested in cooperating with the from ongoing operations, but this is also The UAE’s military capabilities are a force UAE must be aware of existing and en- an area where the UAE significantly relies to be reckoned with. In order to balance visioned defence industrial capacities as on foreign partners and suppliers. The operational requirements and long-term the Emirates design future procurement same can be said for Saudi Arabia. Thus it strategic ambitions, the UAE will need to projects with an eye on expanding the is not surprising that both countries seem strengthen defence industrial capacities local defence industry. to have a common interest in joining forc- that have hitherto not been prioritised: First of all, increased investments in MRO and supply chain management for all military services will be needed as a consequence of current operations. Pro- fessional service contractors are impor- tant, but the UAE Armed Forces would be well advised to beef up indigenous capabilities in order to improve agility and sustainability to uphold the operational tempo and sustain overseas bases. Second, the Emirates’ new emphasis on C4ISR is testimony of the fact that warfighting assets need to be seamlessly integrated in order to provide maximum effect. Systems integration, however, is still in its infancy in the UAE. Therefore future procurement projects should help close this gap. In addition, tailored pro- grammes for national capacity building in this domain are needed. Finally, state of the art defence technol- ogy is only as good as the concepts of operations driving them. Because the Against this background, Table 1 provides es to establish the respective capacities in Emirates are tech savvy, military concepts an overview of selected Emirati defence the region. development must be strengthened in procurement projects: Along similar lines, the UAE considers order to fully leverage the options provid- Unmanned systems continue to reign setting up a GCC coastal air surveillance ed by modern defence equipment. This high on the UAE’s priority list. Most re- network. This would partly play into the requires dedicated attention to doctrine cently, Northrop Grumman has emerged hands of the national UAV industry, but development. In addition, the Emirates as a key partner to further develop local segments like sensor development, sen- would benefit from creating an environ- capacities. The UAE also wants to embark sor data management, and communica- ment where concept developers, opera- on developing unmanned systems for the tion and data links to set up a federated tors as well as national and international land and sea domain. Thus the expan- solution would most likely require sup- defence suppliers interact to analyse the sion of the unmanned systems segment port from international partners. country’s lessons learned from ongoing at the 2017 IDEX defence exhibition can Operation-driven demands clearly operations. This would help address ex- be seen as an indicator of future develop- emerge in fields like CBRN protection, ac- isting capability gaps while at the same ments. tive protection systems and optronic sys- time producing defence equipment that Given the country’s growing naval ambi- tems for armoured vehicles. In all three truly reflects the needs of the UAE’s tions, several different naval surface plat- segments the UAE lacks local industrial Armed Forces. 

28 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMED FORCES  Austrian Federal Army 2017 Operation "Alpenglow...?"

Georg Mader

Still, it is not clear whether an obvious trend-reversal in Austria‘s security policy, accompanied by a visible revaluation of the Federal Army, is no more than an alpenglow. Like that splendid alpine natural phenomenon, which rapidly disappears after dawn or dusk, the significant budgetary upsurge and subsequent military procurement projects could still fade away after the next elections. Because, as far as the sustainability of this turnaround is concerned, it remains to be seen whether this is just due to the survival will of the ever military-sceptic chancellor party SPOE, which – reluctantly – got wind of a changing security climate also around the neutral Alps and Danube. Nevertheless, what is happening right now can only be described as a stunning upheaval for the positive.

ntil 2015, Germany‘s southern neigh- service until their last possible day. But ness has lately also changed the Alpine Ubour‘s constitutional commitment even these men admit that this climate- republic. Suddenly the soldiers are the fo- to comprehensive national defence had change did not originate from wisdom out cus of an internal policy, where even in manifested itself in a steady decline of of the country itself, but that the trend the SPOE (a party historically sceptical of military-expenditures since the fall of the reversal has been imposed upon politics militant pacifism) a right wing in favour wall in 1989. Measured by the economic output, the funds for the Austrian Army in this period had fallen from 0.99% to 0.55% or clearly below €2 billion in 2015, the lowest figure of all compara-

ble nations. While a cautious approach (Photos: Bundesheer) to the NATO Alliance – obviously without achieving the self-imposed 2% of GDP in defence expenditure – by the centre-right government in 2006 has since ideologi- cally been pushed back into a distant cor- ner, the defence-budgets were further reduced and between 2007 and 2014, under the SPOE ministers Norbert Dara- bos and Gerald Klug, in fact an annual budget was deleted as a whole.

Imposed Turnaround...

Now, a respective annual budget will be added until 2020. Measured against the previous status of 'bleeding-to-death' that accompanied the nation's pacifist ap- proach, a true 'revolution' has occurred. Hans Peter Doskozil, the Minister of Defence and Sport, in a C-130 Officers who were disillusioned to the extent that they already calculated the (and media) so far sceptical of or disin- of the Bundesheer has established itself. months before slipping into retirement are terested in military matters and security This led to the unprecedented process of now highly motivated to assume newly policy by the international stage. Begin- parliamentarians from all six Viennese par- created functions and want to remain in ning with the change of state borders ties deciding to re-open the last austerity- by military force in Ukraine, through the package of Gerald Klug, the ex-defence Author various forms of terrorism from the Middle minister of the ruling coalition. Georg Mader is a defence corre- East to even Central Europe (to the extent spondent and freelance aerospace that many Austrians perceived a massive Phenomenon Doskozil journalist based in Vienna, Austria, loss of control by the authorities during and a regular contributor to ESD. the meanwhile tempered migration-crisis), Hans Peter Doskozil is the visible face of the mood towards more security aware- the change and was appointed Minister

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 29  ARMED FORCES

understood that the 22-year long assis- tance-mission to the police to monitor the border with Hungary and Slovakia after the opening of Eastern Europe was not legally covered. The Ministry of the Interior was only allowed to call the Bun- desheer to help when it did not have the necessary capacities available. Over such a long period, however, it would have been quite possible to develop respec- tive capabilities. In the future a capability will have to be provided to seal off and guard some 190 defined elements of so- called 'critical infrastructure' (transport, electricity, water, hospitals, communica- tion) over an undefined period of time. This can only be provided by the Army with its militia forces – and for this rea- son such an order should also be legally correct. As a first step, there is the recent A PINZGAUER 716 1.5-ton personnel carrier, for which a replacement is decision to guard 24 foreign embassies in required Vienna with soldiers, to relieve policemen for counter-crime or street-presence. of Defence a year ago; formerly he was technical means or simply by available police-commander of the Burgenland- manpower strengths. In light of the new Anti-terrorism operations: In the event province bordering Hungary. Suddenly threat threat perception, these legal and of a terrorist attack or even in case of used by his Party SPOE as the 'shadow constitutional 'grey areas' have also be- longer-lasting power-failures, the police minister of interior', for the taste of many come subject to legal consideration and might quickly reach their personal limits he meanwhile pushes too much 'military' into the 'civil' areas of internal security and migration. Within the defence arena as well as most of the boulevard press he has been pictured as a lightning-rod with unexpectedly positive decisions. With the support of Chancellor Kern he has be- come the first political executive to imple- ment the first net increase in budgeting since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, despite heavy objections from the con- servative Minister of Finance. As a result of the additional €1.7Bn, entire military units will be set up again, 3,800 profes- sional soldiers will be hired and 1,400 service posts affected by retirement will be re-assigned and not left vacant. With about 300 soldiers signing-in for longer periods after compulsory service, almost 10,000 new functions are created as a whole. Just two years ago, such ideas The Austrian armed forces operate a fleet of 22 LMV HUSARs which is to would have been answered with the be increased to 200 vehicles. offer of psychiatric treatment for 'acute militarism'… clarification – reluctantly, as could be and need to call the Army to preserve expected. In parliament the majority of 'classical' internal security. In some cases, Visible Shift in the parties are signalling their approval the Bundesheer has already been called Responsibilities of a so-called 'security package', which to support in the scope of the so-called was 'laced-up' by the constitutional ser- migration/asylum-crisis in 2015/16. A Like in most European constitutional vice in the federal chancellery including General Staff paper tabled to the par- states, the police has been responsi- the following 'adjusted competences' of liament now defines internal threats ble for the internal security for decades a so-called security cabinet consisting of by large-scale demonstrations directed while military forces were assigned to six ministers: against Austria, violent acts between counter external threats (or at least at- hostile groups of immigrants and clashes tempted to do so by order). Neverthe- Longer or permanent internal assis- of extremist formations. This was used less, there have always been so-called tance missions: This is regulated for the to push for more modern protective 'overlapping' areas, justified by available first time, since it has become commonly equipment and squad vehicles for so-

30 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMED FORCES  called crowd and riot control operations. vis-à-vis the employer, for obvious rea- (Question: What has prevented the lead- Forces deployed to such missions should sons of union alignment. The more in- ing politicians from doing that on a per- include rapidly available infantry compa- teresting was the statement last August manent basis? Answer: A Europe-wide nies, but also heavier materiel resources by its president (an opposition MP of the 'peace-dividend' since 1989, mixed with for assisting both in internal and/or in ex- right-wing Strache FPOE) Manfred Haid- national 'protection' considered to be en- plicitly corresponding solidarity-missions inger: “Even tanks have to be considered, sured just by neutrality alone – if it is only abroad. and even in the Vienna area again. As an spoken out loud enough…!) ultima ratio, tanks are also to be deployed In the new structure, four brigades are Air space control: In theory, the air in urban combat. Therefore the armoured assigned dedicated tasks: force is responsible for countering air- battalion in the area of Vienna (Zwölfax- • The 3rd Panzergrenadierbrigade in space violations by military aircraft, while ing) has to be activated again. New heli- Mautern (Lower Austria) becomes the the Ministry of the Interior is in charge of copters are to be procured quickly, in or- 'Command of Rapid Reaction forces'. countering threats or violations caused der to make our initial forces airborne and The troops are specialising in “missions by civil aircraft. In reality however, the to support the police. Federal Minister at home and abroad and operations in Bundesheer and its QRA aircraft have al- Doskozil is absolutely right when he says urban environments.“ ways been deployed in the past, since the that the Army constitutes the ultimate • The 4th Panzergrenadierbrigade in MoI has no active air defence means. Re- defensive element!“ Haidinger signalled Hörsching (Upper Austria) becomes the spective re-assignment of responsibilities to the minister “full support, if it contin- 'Heavy Brigade'. It inherits and centra- has now formally been executed. Accord- ues in this direction. For the first time in lises all the former tank battalions of the ing to Minister Doskozil, the change now a long period, we are no longer moving Bundesheer, which are used for “robust includes the so-called 'hot pursuit' into towards the abyss...“ missions at home and abroad“. the air spaces of neighbouring countries • The 7th Jägerbrigade in Klagenfurt (Switzerland, above all), as well as exclu- Structure 2018 (Carinthia) forms the so-called 'Light Bri- sive decisions at military levels down to gade'. These forces are “responsible for the worst case of a potential shoot-down. Inevitably with all those changes, a re- stabilisation missions abroad and are also This is accompanied by an increased air form of the army structure comes along capable of airborne landings“. force budget to raise the previous limit of 1,070 annual flying hours for the 15 EU- ROFIGHTER Tranche-1 / Block 5 to 1,500, Initially planned Additional budget as well as the growth from so far 12 to 15 or 16 supersonic pilots. +388* +246* +273* +206* +192*

Faster emergency and disaster aid: (Graphics: mawibo-media) The objectives include more independ- ence of the Bundesheer in disaster re- lief and emergency operations. If, for example, emergency-aid reaches its 2,318* 2,368* 2,330* 2,352* 2,584* limits at the local fire brigades, the ma- jority of which is composed of voluntary servicemen, the military should be able to prepare faster and to stay in theatre 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 for a longer period. For this, separate agreements with the Austrian provinces *= Million Euro are pursued. But the Army will also be formally empowered to assist other (Eu- Development of the budget for the Austrian Bundesheer in the years ropean) states in the protection of the 2016 to 2020 EU‘s external borders (as is currently the case with 60 troops along the Hungarian- again, hopefully one which will not be • The 6th Jägerbrigade in Innsbruck (Ty- Serbian border). To this end, the Austrian eaten up by the next one before becom- rol) will become the 'Mountain Warfare Government aims to help relevant third ing established, as could be experienced Command'. The troops "are globally rec- countries to build appropriate facilities, previously. On 01 October 2016 the ognised and will be dedicated to the fight such as asylum- and migration-centres. Austrian Army began to apply the new in medium and high mountains.“ For this purpose a number of laws need- large-scale order of battle. All brigades • The nine provincial military commands ed to be clarified, such as the Military are specialising and are also strength- (in the nine Austrian provinces) are “gain- Posting Act. If necessary, the Army also ened with regard to crisis reaction opera- ing in importance by the new structure, stands ready to carry out deportation- tions. “With the new structure, the Army each will have its own battalion and is flights with its three (ex-British) C-130Ks, should be able to respond faster and responsible for the militia in the province which are also to be equipped with NVG more effectively to modern threats in the and training the local conscripts.“ and EW-self-protection. future. Austria needs a strong Army to The Joint Forces Command (JFC), which be prepared for the security challenges“ had been set up in Graz 10 years ago to Things so far Unheard of... Minister Doskozil said and stressed that lead all troops, was dissolved. Instead… “we must continue to constantly develop • A 'Land Forces Command' leads the In the past, the union of all military per- the Army in the face of ever changing aforementioned brigades and provincial sonnel often assumed a critical position security threats…“ Commands. This is complemented by the

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 31  ARMED FORCES sole Army Troops School and the base in charge of preparation and operation of all foreign deployments. • So far subordinate to JFC-Graz, the Aus- trian air forces are gaining back their dedi- cated Air Force Command, leading the Air Support Command (Hörsching) and the Air Space Surveillance Command (Salz- burg), as well as the Air- and Air Defence School at Langelebarn (Lower Austria, near Vienna). • A Logistics Command is superior to all departments responsible for logistics and supplies. • The Leading Support and Cyber Defence Command is responsible for all areas of information and communication technol- ogy and the protection of networks. Hack- The transition from the Saab DRAKEN to Eurofighter TYPHOON was ers in uniform have already won awards, achieved without any problems. and there are still vacancies… • The newly established Military College -trucks and special-purpose vehicles for components similar to those in the €70M conducts the training of all officers and the counter-NBC and medical troops as avionics/NVG and self-defence upgrade NCOs, it assumes the agendas of the well as for the military police are planned. of 23 AB-212s completed just recently Military Academy (Wr. Neustadt), of the Due to the technology implemented, the by Agusta. Also expecting a solution in Army’s NCO School (Enns) and of the Na- financial lion‘s share of future procure- 2017 is the long-awaited successor to tional Defence Academy (Vienna). ment efforts might go to the air sec- the SAAB-105 jet trainers (introduced in • Related to all these new organisational tor. For the whole year of 2016 the RfPs 1970!) that in the past were even assigned elements is a cross-sectional element of for an armed multi-purpose helicopter to a Fighter Bomber Wing (JaBoG) at Linz- the Federal Chancellor‘s office which ex- was awaited, now anticipated for 2017 Hörsching. Meanwhile 12 (out of originally ercises the general authority over all public to replace the obsolete OH-58Bs and 40) are being or will be modernised with servants at the federal level. The latter is to ­ALOUETTE IIIs. Also affecting the rotary NAVAID/GPS equipment, because until be staffed with as many civilian personnel share is the fact that reportedly only five 2020 they still have to alternate in QRA as possible. Against the background of the of the nine S-70A42 BLACK HAWKs are every fortnight with the 15 'never enough‘ purely military nature of these institutions, ready for use at any time, as after 13 years EUROFIGHTERs. Among the alternatives this is expected to provoke resistance. the cockpit MFD screens are defunct. the Italian T-346 seems to be a favourite, An ongoing discussion waged between also because Austrian flight students and Largest Procurement-Share (late) attaching oneself to the large UH- a flight instructor are already embedded for the Air Sector... 60L cockpit-upgrade of the US Army by in the Italian training-model at Lecce on Honeywell versus ideas by the MoD to use the MB-339. There are T-346s there, but Until 2020 the Bundesheer will invest no Austrian instructors. While not much approx. €1.2Bn in new equipment and has been heard of BAE Systems as the vehicles as well as around €500M in in- Defence Budget manufacturer of the HAWK, some 'low- frastructure. While the procurement According to the federal budget re- cost‘ ideas around the Czech-built AERO package covers all areas from personal- lease for 2017, funding for the Aus- L-39NG might circulate in the MoD. This equipment and vehicles through to the re- trian Federal Ministry of Defence and has to be considered against the back- quired IT-infrastructure for cyber defence, Sport (BMLVS) amounts to around ground that this latest version of the glob- the focus is on the immediate protective €2.3Bn. It thus increases by €246.4M ally distributed ALBATROSS is currently equipment for the soldier and hardened/ or 11.9%, compared to the Federal only a single prototype and its expectable armoured vehicles. Beginning in 2018, a Budget for 2016. In addition, a special climb is possibly below that of the twin- replacement programme for hundreds of investment programme was agreed engined SAAB 105. previously auctioned 4x4 Steyr PINZGAU- back in 2015 with 'ÖBH 2018‘, which ERs is to commence. The beginning of comprises a total of €350M as spe- A note on the Austrian interceptors 2017 saw the service introduction of 35 cial financing for the years 2016 to in Zeltweg: Many professional observers new PANDUR APCs (without these the 2019. Of this a total of €96M is to mocked the Austrian attempt to skip the traditional GDELS plant in Vienna would be invested in 2017, with a similar whole third jet generation to jump from reportedly have been without any order distribution of the remaining funds the 1950s SAAB-35 DRAKEN to the EF- backlog) and IVECO‘s LMV HUSAR IFVs (€254M) planned for the years after. 2000 EUROFIGHTER. But it was mastered (initially 22, later up to 200) as well as 18 From 2020 onwards – though there superbly. The new type was, however‚ new DINGOs. Units of the new Mountain are elections in-between – a second 'mutilated' of its DASS self-protection (in- Warfare Command (Battalions 23, 24, 25, tranche of €266M is earmarked to be cluding even the radar warning receivers) 26 and Engineer Battalion 2 are equipped invested. This amounts to additional as well as the PIRATE IR sensor, when with 72 fast quads as well as 32 BvS10 investments for the Bundesheer to during the so-called 'collation' of 2007 universal terrain vehicles from Hägglunds. the tune of €616M. between SPOE minister Darabos and the In addition, 440 regular road-vehicles and manufacturers in Hallbergmoos savings

32 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMED FORCES  had to be achieved. But these were only by the media, but it was again Austrian maybe elsewhere. For the Austrian Army, political ones, because it will cost more 'shadow-minister' Doskozil who in late there now is the necessity to 'grab it with than formerly saved to bring back the lost 2016 pointed to still hundreds of migrants both hands'. In 2017 or 2018, this window abilities to the Tranche-1/Block-5 airframes. per week attempting to get to Austria could close quickly and plans could fall According to the manufacturer, this can and Germany supported by structures of apart if a Red-Black-Green triple coalition definitely be done. But this could only criminal human-smugglers. The so-called – at present the two traditional parties are be imaginable in the light of today’s ever Balkan Route might not be as tight as pic- 5 to 10% behind the right-wing FPOE in closer European cooperation and integra- tured, but such matters should normally every poll – suddenly sets totally different tion, especially when there are ideas venti- not condition military procurement. Well, priorities.  lated of 'hot pursuits' over borders or participation in exercises like TLP (Tactical Leadership Programme). Most pressing on the list would be the so-called 'all-weather radar- weapon', which normally should complement the exceptional CAP- TOR radar. Today approximately 60 'Alpha'-QRA-sorties are flown an- nually with just one analogue IRIS-T IR-missile. In the changing or chal- lenging security climate, any dele- tion of software lines for abilities the Austrians are 'not allowed to have' – like EW/DASS – is likewise nonsense, and has absolutely noth- ing to do with Austria‘s (remaining) neutrality in the event of a war or a NATO negatively connoted by the Kronen-Zeitung. According to the author‘s opinion, there should or could well be some 'help' or political 'persuasion' around the EUROFIGHTER by or from the of- ficial German partner. Here, too, a historical window remains open...

Conclusion: "Grab it!"

At the moment, security and sub- ordinately the military are 'fashion- able' along the Danube and Alps. That even applies to the tabloids and boulevard papers, which were previously notorious for reporting the scandals of any large procure- ment. Like the cited alpenglow, however, this moment also can get out of vision again, given that the further fate of all those plans and decisions is closely connected with public perception and impres- sions conveyed to the electors by the media. In this respect, the whole question of Ukraine – closer to Vienna than Switzerland – re- mains particularly exciting with the new US President Donald Trump, as well as the ongoing European demographic alteration as a result of the migration crisis – which ac- tually triggered the turnaround in public opinion on security in 2015. Compared to 2015, it is now held under the perception threshold

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 33  ARMED FORCES ASW Capabilities of the Italian Armed Forces Current Status and Perspectives

Giulia Tilenni

Maritime surveillance is a relevant task for the Italian defence. After decades of service, the BREGUET ATLANTIC­ fleet faced the end of its operational life. Italy has chosen to replace them with the ATR72 MP. Yet, today’s geopolitical scenarios and the difference between past and present tasks could lead to the conclusion that this choice might not be the most appropriate.

taly considers the Mediterranean a top domino effects relatively far from home missions by performing long range ASW Istrategic priority theatre. First, it is a major can hamper seriously the country’s core missions with a joint crew of 13 specialists source of income due to fishery, trade, and interests. In effect, a crisis involving Bab- from the navy and the air force. energy security. Furthermore, it represents el-Mandeb or Hormuz Straits, or the Suez Maritime patrol missions have been carried a source of instability right at the gates. Be- Canal, would have a heavy impact on the out since the 1970s from Sigonella AB, Sicily cause of its geographic position, Italy has tra- strategic interests of Mediterranean coun- (41° Stormo/Wing) and, until 2002, from El- ditionally been at the forefront of anti-sub- tries. As a consequence, the Italian White mas, Sardinia (30° Stormo/Wing). After the marine operations thanks to specific assets. Book (Libro bianco della Difesa) released end of the Cold War and the subsequent Moreover, during the Cold War, submarines in 2015 broadens the geopolitical space reduction of submarine activities in the were a major threat to NATO countries and of Italian interest that has to be secured. Mediterranean, Italian Br.1150s have been performing mainly maritime surveillance operations and a few ASW NATO exercises only. During the last decade, given the im- minent phase-out of the Br.1150 (expected in 2012, but begun two years later), the Italian government was forced to ensure at least some maritime patrol capabilities. Due to widespread disagreement amongst (Photo: Marina Militare Italiana) the relevant stakeholders about the future Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the govern- ment decided to purchase a “gap filler” to be used until 2020. In 2008 Italy signed a €360M deal with Alenia Aermacchi The Italian White Book (Libro bianco della Difesa) defines an “extended (now Leonardo’s Aircraft Division) for four Mediterranean” area that broadens the geopolitical space of Italian ATR72 MP (Maritime Patrol) aircraft to be interest. delivered by 2017. The first two, renamed P-72A, were delivered to the 41° Stormo Italy was in charge of leading Anti Submarine Namely, it introduces the concept of “ex- in December 2016, the others will follow. Warfare (ASW) efforts in the Mediterranean. tended Mediterranean”, an area including The aircraft feature the latest version of the After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the threats Northern African countries, the Mashreq, Leonardo ATOS (Airborne Tactical Obser- shrank, thus performing anti-submarine the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Per- vation and Surveillance) system, which is warfare missions became increasingly less sian Gulf. On paper, future military capabili- able to transmit/receive information in real relevant. More recently, instead, irregular ties would shape up accordingly. time from C2 centres. The P-72A operates flows of immigrants, as well as political in- three main sensors: the Leonardo Airborne stability in several Mediterranean countries, Atlantic and ATR, Who Does & Space System Division’s SEASPRAY 7300 have been representing major challenges for What? AESA surveillance radar; the FLIR Systems’ Europe in general and for Italy in particular. Star SAFIRE HD electro-optical turret; the Therefore the Italian attitude towards the The air component to safeguard Italian in- ESM Elettronica ELT 800 V2 system. P-72A Mediterranean has been changing. The terest in the Mediterranean is delivered by can fly 6 to 8 hour-long missions with a Ministry of Defence is today aware that the air force and the navy. In order to ac- 200 nm maximum range from the base, complish the related tasks, the armed forces and it is suited for several kinds of missions Author have been using maritime patrol aircraft fea- – e.g. green water surveillance, search and turing dedicated ASW, Anti Surface Warfare rescue, monitoring, transport – yet not for Giulia Tilenni is an analyst for inter- (ASuW), and Maritime Patrol (MP) suites and ASW operations. In fact, the ATR72 MP national affairs based in Paris, France. weapons. In particular, 18 BREGUET Br.1150 version is, somehow, a “downgrade” of ATLANTICs have been accomplishing these the ATR72 ASW purchased by Turkey.

34 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMED FORCES 

In the meantime, Saudi Arabian interven- tion in Yemen demonstrates growing as- sertiveness. This is further confirmed by the ongoing debate about the purchase of a submarine fleet, which should be deployed in the area of Bab-el-Mandeb and Hormuz in order to oppose Iran. NATO's most recent anti-submarine excercise showed the importance of these assets to the Alliance. Future Perspectives

(Photo: MARCOM) Italy has preferred the purchase of a small Although it is possible to install an ASW issues (see ESD, issue 6/2016). A 2016 study P-72A fleet in MP configuration to reduce suite on the aircraft, it will be difficult to by the Joint Air Power Competence Centre costs. However, this is a false cost-oppor- do it promptly in case of need. If this suite shows that NATO capabilities in this do- tunity choice. The ongoing instability in the will not be mounted/used, Italy will likely main will further decrease by 2025, as a Mediterranean region and the Italian ambi- lose its ASW capabilities, and this will nega- number of assets from different countries tions expressed in the White Book suggest tively affect Italian capabilities in general. (i.e. Germany, France, Spain) will reach the Italy will be forced to fill the ASW gap al- The country would not be fully able to end of their service life. If the current trend ready in the mid-term. The country would protect its national interest in operational will not be reversed, MP/ASW Alliance’s ca- therefore need to invest in new assets and scenarios requiring ASW aircrafts – namely pabilities will likely lose credibility. in training, even though it could have main- malicious submarine activities in the Medi- Keeping these facts in mind, tracking sub- tained the ASW capability by purchasing a terranean, especially in the proximity of marine activities in the Mediterranean will less complex and more economic platform. strategic choke points. Moreover, Italian represent a relevant capability in the near The acquisition of the P-72A proves the Armed Forces would be unable to provide future: maintaining the capability to track Italian government is often slow and short- ASW assets when participating in joint in- submarines in peacetime provides the op- sighted when deciding on defence issues. ternational operations. Finally, the number portunity of detecting potentially malicious Probably, two main issues have been under- of aircraft is risible, as the maintenance and activities around the choke points, next estimated during the procurement phase. training circles will further constrain the to high value targets and sea-based strike First, the likely loss of ASW capabilities, number of available airframes for opera- capabilities. Furthermore, the strategic con- which have on the contrary been recognised tions. Thus, to some extent, this decision cept of the "extended Mediterranean” as as essential in the Mediterranean. The rising will further reduce the military support Italy the Italian White Book defines it requires number of submarines in the Mediterranean could offer to its allies. In addition, without a broader assessment of future submarine has probably been underestimated: several ASW capabilities in service, there will be no scenarios that Italy might have to deal with. European countries have not been working specific training any longer, thus worsening In fact, the Persian Gulf provides several fu- to keep credible MPA/ASW capabilities, and today’s gaps. The shortfall of capabilities ture developments on this issue. A number this will worsen the capability shortfall that will therefore be severe, as ASW expertise of countries are developing their military un- already exists. Second, the gap between cannot be rebuilt easily in case of need. derwater capabilities in the Middle East, and ambition and real capabilities: Italy affirms Conversely, in the near future the Mediter- it is well known that the region lacks politi- the will to operate in the extended Medi- ranean might be populated with foreign cal stability. Strategic competition amongst terranean, but acquires MPAs developed submarines – and today some 40 countries Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey adds further for sub-regional uses. The P-72A has been own 500+ submarines. concern. Hence, current geopolitical trends developed starting from the regional carrier in the areas the Italian MoD has indicated ATR 72-600, so its range is limited, as well Are ASW Capabilities Still as strategic for the country clash with the as its overall performance. For example, to Important? decisions on ASW capabilities. Following the protect its interest in Bab-el-Mandeb or Hor- nuclear deal, Iran (which is already deploying mutz Straits, Italy would have to redeploy its The Br.1150 has served the Italian Armed submarines in the region) should diminish assets closer to the operational area. But the Forces for forty years. When the phase-out its belligerency – but the loosening of eco- limited number of aircraft (4) would seriously began, it was clear they would need to be nomic sanctions could lead to an increase in affect real operational capabilities and rota- replaced. When the contract for the new military spending. tions.  MPA was awarded, ASW capabilities were considered of secondary importance. The temporary absence of credible submarine threats led to the setting that the Br.1150

has not been replaced by other ASW assets, (Photo: Leonardo) and programs like the ATLANTIC 3 were not taken into proper account. But this decision is already proving its short-sightedness. In fact, potential submarine threats are arising both in the Central and the Eastern Mediter- ranean, and NATO is emphasising again the importance of ASW capabilities. The boost of submarine fleets and the related traffic across the Central Mediter- Leonardo delivered the first two P-72As to the Italian Air Force in ranean represent crucial regional security December 2016.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 35  ARMED FORCES Indian Air Force: Grand Ambition

Jay C. Menon

Handicapped by diminishing numerical strength and a troubled force structure, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is in a crisis. As the fourth largest air force in the world marked its 84th anniversary last October the only noises booming between the ears of the authorities were the frantic calls for augmentation and rejuvenation of force levels. At nominally 33 squadrons, the IAF is well short of its sanctioned strength, and many of its frontline aircraft are obsolete.

he IAF has projected a requirement 2000s, six squadrons of MiG-21 BISONs, combat capabilities to transform itself into Tof at least 45-47 fighter squadrons by five squadrons of JAGUARS, and five a leading modern networked airforce. A 2027 to face a two front threat. At pre- squadrons of MiG-27s. decade-long modernisation plan is being sent, the strength is down to 33 Squad- prepared by the IAF to identify services and rons. From 2017 to 2022, there will be The Road Ahead technologies that it would also share with a drawdown of 11 squadrons of MiG- the private sector. 21s and MiG-27s on completion of their The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has The MoD has prepared an ambitious plan Total Technical Life. This would amount created a comprehensive roadmap for but- to spend some €217Bn over the next 11 years on buying or producing new equip- ment, including fighter jets, aircraft carriers and some 500 helicopters.

Photo: G4sp The sum of Euro 217 Billion is projected as part of the financial requirements for the Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) for the period 2012-2027. Under this ambitious plan the MoD has set a target, in- cluding the induction of an additional 200 fighter jets for the IAF, 500 various types of helicopters and another indigenous sea- borne aircraft carrier.

Fight for Fighters

According to the former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha the IAF is working towards the target of inducting around 400 warplanes by 2030. “Over the An Indian Air Force Su-30MKI next 10 years, we must have 200-250 air- craft,” Raha, who retired on Dec. 31, 2016, to a reduction of 220 aircraft. Without tressing the IAF’s diminishing force levels said. “Various options are being considered replacements, the IAF strength would de- and is trying hard to make steadfast pro- by the Ministry of Defence to augment the plete to 22 squadrons of fighter aircraft,” gress towards achieving the necessary force strength. To start with, the deal for warns Air Marshal (retd) Padamjit Singh Ahluwalia. The IAF fighter squadrons nominally con- sist of 18 aircraft each – sixteen fight- ers plus two combat-capable trainers. Photo: Dassault At least three more are kept for Main- tenance Reserve and Strike off Wastage (MRSOW). Currently, the most capable components of the IAF consist of 10 squadrons of Su- 30MKIs, three squadrons of MiG-29s, two and a half squadrons of MIRAGE Author

Jay C. Menon is a senior journalist based in India. India has signed a contract for 36 RAFALE aircraft from France.

36 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMED FORCES  procurement of 36 RAFALE aircraft from Though the RFI released by the MoD and single seat fighters will be econom- France has been signed and it will greatly is for a single-engine fighter, Boeing is ics,” says Air Marshal (retd) Muthumani- enhance the operational capability of the hopeful that there will also be a request kam Matheswaran. IAF. We should receive the first aircraft in for a twin-engine fighter at a later date. 36 months and delivery of all aircraft would Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG says it Procurements Across All be completed by 2019.” will offer the IAF its latest MiG-35, which Categories The IAF is buying the RAFALE Medium it claims “will be the only aircraft with Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) un- which the Indian military should not have The IAF plans to distribute the combat air- der a government-to-government basis any issues”. craft procurements over the entire spec- and the first contractual payment of 15% It is expected that all the aircraft in con- trum of heavy, medium and lightweight was made in November 2016 to seal the sideration will cost somewhere between categories, as well as weaponry for various deal. “RAFALE is an excellent aircraft. But €75M-€93M apiece – so a requirement for air campaigns and twin/single engine con- we have just 36 aircraft; we require more 200 aircraft will add up to a bill of €19Bn- figurations. In the heavyweight category, aircraft in the medium-weight category,” €22Bn at the very least. “Ultimately, the the IAF continues to rely on a large number Raha said. balance in selecting a mix of twin-engine of Su-30MKIs. Indian authorities are on the lookout for single-engined and a twin-engined fighter – but the condition they are demanding is “the line of production should be in-country”. “Various options are THE RIGHT place being considered for induction through the ‘Make in India’ route. THE RIGHT time Suitable aircraft will be selected based on certain guiding princi- THE RIGHT people ples that will govern manufactur- ing of these aircraft in the country and meet the IAF’s operational requirements,” Raha said. The IAF has already issued a glob- al request for single engine com- bat jets under the government’s “Make in India” programme, and manufacturers are jostling to sell their products. While American defence majors Boeing and Lockheed Martin are offering their F/A 18 SUPER HOR- NET and F-16 (Block 70), Saab from Sweden is pushing hard to establish a production line of its GRIPEN E in the country. Not to leave out Dassault Aviation, whose CEO Eric Trappier offered to manufacture RAFALE fighter jets in India if the plane is short- listed for a bigger order. TH Britain, which is part of the Eu- THE 8 INTERNATIONAL DEFENSE & HLS EXPO ropean consortium producing the Eurofighter TYPHOON, has also offered to develop the twin- engine, multi-role canard-delta JUNE 6-8 air-superiority fighter aircraft in India. The Eurofighter TYPHOON and 2017 Dassault Aviation RAFALE were TEL- AVIV short-listed by the IAF in 2011 VISIT OUR WEBSITE as part of its MMRCA competi- tion, but RAFALE was finally an- nounced as the preferred bidder in 2011, following Head-of-State Military Police Special Forces Homeland Security Counter - Terrorism level support. But the MMRCA Request For Proposal (RFP) was For details on exhibition space & sponsorship opportunities contact: [email protected] scrapped eventually last year. For general information on ISDEF 2017 contact: [email protected] T. +972-3-691-4564 | F. +972-3-691-4567 February 2017 · European Security & Defence 37 WWW.ISDEFEXPO.COM  ARMED FORCES

Trainers in Demand

The IAF modernisation plan poses a great challenge to its leadership to suitably de-

Photo: Rahuldevnath ploy, adapt and sustain the force levels required to operate the sophisticated sys- tems. The IAF has been trying for years to purchase suitable Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) to ease the transition to high per- formance aircraft. India is at an advanced stage of discus- sion in considering the acquisition of an additional batch of BAE Systems HAWK advanced jet trainers. “Talks are under- way between HAL and the government TEJAS was exclusively designed by HAL and ADA for India’s Air Force. for a third contract of about 30 trainer air- craft,” reported an official. HAL license- So far, the IAF has placed orders for 272 combat responsibilities until next year. The manufactures BAE‘s HAWK Mk132, and aircraft, of which 50 were delivered by Rus- specifications derived for design and devel- the new deal would build upon previous sia in 2002-2004 and 2007. Another 222 opment of LCA MK 1-A are based on the orders of 66 aircraft in 2004 and another are to be supplied by the HAL Corporation; applicable international military standards: 57 in 2010. Of the first batch off 66 air- production under Russian license began at the new specifications were agreed upon craft, 24 HAWKS came in fly-away condi- HAL’s Indian facilities in 2004. So far, more and the IAF accepted 43 modifications that tion. The remaining 42 were built under than 200 aircraft have been delivered, and could be carried out without changing the license by HAL in India. The second order the Su-30MKI is the most numerous of the existing design. On the list of modifications of 57 units are all being made in India by multirole fighters currently in service with are five major improvements, including an HAL. the IAF. AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) Meanwhile, India has decided to soft-ped- Besides buying 36 RAFALE aircraft from radar, which HAL will co-develop with the al on the development of a combat variant France, the country’s Defence Acquisition Israeli firm Elta; air-to-air refueling facility; of the HAWK AJT as there has been no Council (DAC) has recently approved a externally fitted self-protection jammer demand for it from the IAF. India had con- proposal to acquire 83 home-made Light to prevent incoming enemy missiles from tracted 123 HAWK Mk-132 AJT aircraft Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS Mk 1-A for homing in using radar signature; and a new from BAE Systems of the UK for the IAF the IAF at a cost of €6.9Bn as part of its layout, involving 27 modifications of inter- and the Navy, and another order for 20 efforts to replace the ageing fleet of MiG nal architecture to iron out maintenance is- aircraft to equip the Surya Kiran aerobatics fighter aircraft. sues. An RfP has recently been sent to ELTA, team is at an advanced stage. HAWK has This is in addition to the 40 TEJAS fight- Airbus, Saab and possibly some other com- been named as India’s primary advanced ers that the IAF has ordered. The IAF has panies. ELTA is already sup-plying many of trainer since the country lacks intermedi- indicated the requirement for 100 of these the on-board electronics. The aircraft will ate jet trainers, which are needed to train 4.5-generation aircraft, being made by be 1,000 kg lighter than the existing ver- the country’s combat pilots. state-owned HAL. HAL plans to manufac- sion, which currently weighs 6,500 kg, but In November 2015, the Indian Air Force ture and complete the project from 2018 will use the same engine – General Elec- issued a task directive for the Design to 2022-2023. tric‘s 404. T Suvarna Raju, Chairman and and Development of HTT-40. The IAF The IAF has already started inducting Managing Director of HAL says he is hope- will acquire at least 68 Hindustan Turbo TEJAS, but the aircraft will not take up ful of expediting the process. Trainer-40 (HTT-40), India’s indigenous basic trainer aircraft (BTA), which made its first flight, powered by a Honeywell TPE331-12B turboprop engine, last year. The acquisition of these aircraft will be in addition to the 75 Swiss-made Pilatus PC-

Photo: Hemant Rawat 7 MKII BTAs that IAF currently operates. India has been relying on the Pilatus PC7 Mk2 trainer aircraft that were bought un- der an emergency purchase from Switzer- land after the older fleet of HPT 32 trainers was grounded. ARDC also touts HTT-40 as the first ever prototype to be manufactured completely based on a digital mock-up and also by using laser-tracked jigs and metal tool- ing during the prototype phase itself. The ARDC has sought active participation of the Aircraft Division, Bengaluru which has India will spent some €2Bn on additional PINAKA multiple rocket been identified as the production agency launchers. for HTT- 40.

38 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMED FORCES 

More Radars “These budgetary trends will negatively India is also likely to sign a contract with impact India’s defence posture, particularly Airbus Defence and Space for 56 C295 HAL has floated global bids to procure with respect to air power,” says a report by military transports, by July 2017. Six C295s around 100 state-of-the-art AESA radar the Washington DC-based Stimson Centre. will be purchased separately for an Indian systems at an estimated contract value of Coast Guard requirement. Both orders will €1.72Bn for the improved variant of Mark-I Tanker Contest be delivered by the Tata-Airbus partnership TEJAS. that is India’s first-ever private sector air- “The tender, in the form of an Expression India’s hunt for a new tanker aircraft con- craft devel-opment enterprise. of Interest (EoI), was floated to five global tinues. The IAF has a requirement for at The IAFs need for a new medium airlifter firms,” according to HAL. Bids have report- least six new multi role tankers with the has become urgent, as the service grapples edly been issued to US defence contrac- ageing fleet of Russian-origin IL 78 aircraft with ageing An-32s. In the past two dec- tors Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, limited in their capability to meet needs for ades 15 have crashed, the most recent one the French company Thales, the Israeli Elta, long distance deployment. last year with 29 people on board. Swedish aircraft maker SAAB, and Russia’s Boeing has set its eyes on the decade-old Rosoboronoex-port. requirement for six multi-role tanker trans- Upgrade Route port (MRTT) aircraft, after India terminated Shopping Spree the tender for the second time. Boeing Since the acquisition process in India is was not in contention for the previous two very exhaustive, the IAF is also taking the India recently also approved the procure- tanker tenders of the IAF, as it did not have economically-viable path of upgrading its ment of 15 indigenous light combat heli- any aircraft that fitted the Indian require- existing aircraft. copters—10 for the IAF and five for the Indian army at a cost of €398M. The other proposals cleared by the DAC included an Acceptance of Necessity for buying 598 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles under Buy In- dian category at a cost of €150M, and Photo: US Air Force opening the path for issuance of a Request for Proposal for six additional regiments of PINAKA rocket launchers at a cost of €2Bn. The IAF has a long list of projects planned for implementation. This includes JAGUAR re-engineering, additional Helicopters, Me- dium Lift Helicopter upgrade, additional AEROSTATS (radars), additional DORNIER (light utility, mainly transport aircraft), ad- ditional Flight Refuelling Aircraft (FRA), additional Airborne Warning and Control System(AWACS), more attack helicopters, heavy lift helicopters, modernisation of Boeing KC-135 STRATOTANKER lined up as part of an exercise Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) phase II and very short-range air defence systems (VS- ment. However, Boeing now has the KC- The IAF continues to remain in a situation HORAD). 46A PEGASUS, the tanker aircraft it devel- of a strong and unhealthy dependence on In addition, design development of a Fifth- oped to replace US Air Force’s (USAF) older Russian combat types, which are poorly Generation Fighter Aircraft together with KC-135 STRATOTANKERS. supported by Russian OEMs despite India Russia is in progress. India is also devel- The previous two attempts to purchase being one of the largest buyers of Russian oping a Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft these tankers did not take off. The first defence equipment. Presently, out of 33 called Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft tender, in 2006, was won by Airbus with combat fighter squadrons, 24 IAF fighter (AMCA). India also decided to buy S-400 its modified 330-200 aircraft with compe- aircraft squadrons are made up of the TRIUMPH, the most advanced anti-aircraft tition from Russia with its Ilyushin-78. But MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI. defence system available from Russia. India the tender was withdrawn in 2010 citing However, according to MOD figures, 11 and Russia also finalised the joint produc- high cost. In the next global tender the squadrons of MiG-21s and MiG-27s (ap- tion of 200 Kamov Ka-226T helicopters in Airbus A330 MRTT was yet again selected proximately 200 aircraft) will be retired by India. in 2012, but the government terminated 2024, on completion of their Total Techni- Taking stock of the threat perception over the tender in July 2016, citing conflict be- cal Life (TTL). the border, the IAF has prepared a 10 year tween procurement cost and life cycle Talks are continuing between India and modernisation plan detailing its require- cost. Russia to upgrade the existing and eventu- ments – from aircraft to aircraft tyres to ally the entire fleet of 272 Su-30MKI to a rotor blades and 3D printing technology at Transport Aircraft near fifth-generation level to increase their an estimated cost of €34.2Bn. combat effectiveness. Though India’s defence budget has been The government has approved the pur- One highly-placed Defence Ministry official growing over the years, the allocations chase of one more Boeing C-17 GLOBE- opines that even though the Su-30MKI is have been increasingly skewed away from MASTER heavy-lift transport aircraft. The one of the most advanced of the Genera- procurement and toward salaries, allow- IAF currently operates 10 C-17s, which it tion 4+ fighters in service with the IAF, the ances, and pensions for the three services. began inducting in 2013. need for its upgrade is becoming ever more

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 39  ARMED FORCES obvious since the first of the planes built to an extended lifespan,” said the official. early warning radars mounted in domes on the current specification were delivered to An initial batch of 60 JAGUARs is planned top of IL-76 aircraft. India back in 2004. “Upgrading the aircraft to undergo the Darin III upgrade. According The warning system, developed by Ben- and retrofitting them with new technolo- to estimates the IAF has 100 to 120 opera- galuru’s Centre for Airborne Systems and gies can make them much more potent,” tional strike and maritime strike versions of integrated on Brazilian-made Embraer-145 he adds. the JAGUAR aircraft. aircraft at a cost of Euro 301 Million, has The IAF has also proposed to upgrade As a big relief to the IAF, HAL has also start- completed tests and certification. some 100 1970s-generation JAGUARs ed upgrading the MIRAGE 2000 fighters. The DAC in March 2016 cleared building with more powerful Honeywell engines HAL Chief Raju said: “This upgrade for the of two AWACs. This will involve mount- and better avionics to extend their lives MIRAGE 2000 gives additional capabilities ing 360-degree cover-age radars on by 10 to 15 years. Late last year, the IAF of air to ground weapons, training, hel- wide-body Airbus A-330 jets. The €700M awarded initial operational capability met mounted display etc. The system has project seeks to induct eight such aircraft (IOC) to the upgraded SEPECAT JAGUAR the unique feature of integrating different under AWACs India in seven years. ground attack aircraft. The twin-seat types of data bus for Initial Operational aircraft has been upgraded to DARIN III Configuration, and Final Operation Con- Compelling Task standard to incorporate new avionics ar- figuration is achieved without any degra- chitecture including mission computer, dation. The total design and development Ashley J. Tellis, senior associate at the engine and flight instrumentation system, was done by HAL which includes mission Carnegie Endowment for International solid state digital video recording system, computer hardware, OFP software, system Peace specializing in international secu- solid state flight data recorder and addi- design, aircraft modification etc.” rity, defence, and Asian strategic issues, says the IAF’s desire for 42–45 squadrons by 2027—some 750–800 aircraft—is compelling. “The IAF’s likelihood of reach- ing its 2027 goal with a high proportion of advanced fighters is poor. It is stymied by serious constraints on India’s defence Photo: Antônio Milena budget, the impediments imposed by the acquisition process, the meagre achieve- ments of the country’s domestic develop- ment organisations, the weaknesses of the higher defence management system, and India’s inability to reconcile the need for self-sufficiency in defence production with the necessity of maintaining technological superiority over rivals,” he says in a report. According to a report submitted by a de- fence panel in India’s Parliament, the De- fence Ministry acknowledged that “the money allocated for capital acquisition is not in accordance with the requirements Formation flight of IAF JAGUARs at the Republic Day Military Parade, of the Services (...).While the Ministry of New Delhi Finance argues that the services have to make do with what they are given, the In- tional functions in inertial global position- The IAF is already pursuing the upgrade of dian military is already feeling the pinch of ing system, autopilot, radar and RWR. its fleet of Soviet-vintage MiG 29 fighters declining capital budgets.” The upgrade, which was carried out indig- and IL 76 airlifters with the Russians. In the May 2016 report, the Lok Sabha’s de- enously by HAL, also covers modern navi- The air force has embarked on a Euro 581 fence committee focussed on the decline in gation, EW and weapon delivery system, Million project for upgrading and enhance- the capital budget, the underutilization of with INGPS using primary and reversionary ment of its IL 78 and 76 aircraft fleet to in capital funds, and how these two trends modes, man-machine interface, with two increase their service life by up to 20 years will affect India’s procurement ambitions. smart multi-function display and head-up and give them enhanced avionics. The up- The ageing fleet of its fighter planes has display, according to an HAL spokesman. grade will also involve fitting new engines been a matter of concern for the IAF. A The Darin III allows the JAGUAR to be to six of the IL 78 midair tankers that will number of older generation aircraft like equipped with new-generation weapon give the aircraft a longer range as well as MiG-21 have been in operation in the IAF systems such as the latest air to air mis- the capability to carry extra fuel. since 1963 and have been involved in a siles, he added. “The upgrade will help in spate of crashes in the recent years. major operational improvement with re- Eye in the Sky Over the past over four decades, India had gard to all weather air-to-ground, air-to- lost more than half of its MiG combat fleet sea and air-to-air capabilities through the The first indigenously developed all weather of 872 air-craft. According to a MoD offi- incorporation of multimode radar (...).The airborne early warning and control system cial, about 500 MiG aircraft accidents took Darin III upgrade, with re-engining and – Eye in the Sky – is expected to be inducted place In India till December 2016 since their change over to higher capacity alterna- into the force this year. India currently has induction. Not to mention the SUKHOIs, tors can make Jaguar one of the most po- three PHALCON airborne warning and con- JAGUARs and HAWKs that go down once tent aircraft in the arsenal of the IAF, with trol systems (AWACS), which use the Israeli in a while. 

40 European Security & Defence · February 2017 PREPRINT FOR European Security & Defence January 2017 International Security and Defence Journal ISSN 1617-7983

Armoured Vehicles www.euro-sd.com • ESD Special on the Occasion of the International Armoured Vehicle Conference January 2017 •

Politics · Armed Forces · Procurement · Technology LAZAR 3 MULTIROLE ARMORED VEHICLE

MULTIROLE FAST PATROL BOAT 155 mm / 52 cal. NORA-B/52 Armored Truck-Mounted Gun-Howitzer Fake News, Social Media, and Heavy Metal

s 2016 descended into the mists of time it became clear that OCCAR has not even been approached about this, but Athat some degree of ”opinion engineering” had been the quivers running through the armoured vehicle community going on. The sudden failures of opinion polls to get close to were very real – and the outrage on social media was, too: the final answer was simply a reflection of the fact that we Perfidious Albion… had all become preoccupied with looking at our peers, our But has Perfidious Albion got it right? Many observers equals and our navels, and we were merely reinforcing this castigate the UK for having joined the programme and then failure through our tweets, posts, comments and opinions left it again, thereby saving its own development silver until a on social media. The fact that we were in a minority was no propitious moment arrived, and leaving its former team-mates longer recognized – by us. And the fact that in a functioning to carry the can, and the bill – until now? (The fact that the democracy the wishes of the majority are what counts? – Well, budget saved has been frittered away as per UK tradition is that no longer mattered either, other than for a little reverse entirely irrelevant, of course.) schadenfreude. The relevance of this for the global armoured vehicles industry, But the main result of the ARMATA unveiling was the new observers, military users and practitioners is two-fold. First; Western enthusiasm for heavier guns and heavier armour, the distressing news about the new Russian armour and drawing everyone away from the lightweight, protected 4x4 armaments, as flaunted on the T-15 ARMATA IFV, tilted the liaison and scout vehicles of yore and pushing everyone, and armoured vehicle balance wildly away from the West and Uncle Tom Cobley, and the kitchen sink, into ever-larger, heavier, re-informed everyone with an opinion about the Crimea and less tactical and more protected 8x8 vehicles. At some point, Ukraine – unless it was fake news. But of course, we can all tell much like the wheeled MRAP families, modern 8x8, 30-tonne- the difference between real and fake – nyet? plus vehicles are too big and have too many of the family jewels in them. Too many eggs in one basket, you might say. Are we Second, matter-of-fact statements in the mainstream media there yet? that the UK would select / had selected the BOXER 8x8 vehicle, and would use OCCAR to run the programme, hence avoiding any legal niceties such as a competitive tender – were really quite successful in creating the fait accompli that the originators wanted. Unhappily, a simple conversation reveals Stephen Barnard

Content Index of Advertisers 2 Wheels in Combat Paolo Valpolini ARTEC 3 Meeting and Managing Challenges and Requirements 10 ATM 27 Interview with Général de Brigade Charles Beaudouin, Commander of the Section Technique de l’Armée de Terre (STAT) BIDEC 3rd cover

12 The ACCDC – Holistic and Effective Bren-Tronics, Inc. 13 Interview with Brigadier General Bernhard Liechtenauer, Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander, (German) Army Concepts FNSS 4th cover and Capabilities Development Centre (ACCDC) Future Indirect Fires Conference 31 14 Protection Solutions for Ground Vehicles Michael Horst General Dynamics European 5 Land Systems 22 Transparent Protection Michael Horst GuS Glass + Safety 25

26 Armoured Vehicle Turret Weapon Trends HOMSEC 17 David Saw 32 No Mere Coincidence Renk AG 11 Interview with Amar Karia, Head of Armoured Vehicles Portfolio, Defence IQ Rheinmetall Defence 15 33 Tank-killing Missiles for the Modern Battlefield Tyron Runflat Ltd 23 Doug Richardson YUGOIMPORT-SDPR J.P. 2nd cover 29 Masthead

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 1  ARMOURED VEHICLES Wheels in Combat

Paolo Valpolini

As the fight between the track and the wheel goes on, and will never platoon ready to deploy), and full deliv- ery of the 204 planned vehicles by 2023. end, numerous requirements for both types of vehicles are coming These, along with refurbished AAV7s, will up in the world. Once mostly “battle taxis”, wheeled vehicles have be deployed into six battalions in 1st Ma- rine Expeditionary Force (MEF) (California), considerably evolved, some nations, such as France, having even 2nd MEF (North Carolina) and 3rd MEF (Ja- decided to abandon tracked infantry fighting vehicles in favour of pan), as well as training entities in the US. The BAE Systems/Iveco DV contender is wheeled ones. heavily based on the original Iveco DV Su-

owever, most armies tend to main- tential to a dual mount 40 mm/.50 calibre Htain a mix, with wheels being used RWS or a 30 mm cannon RWS; provide in “Medium” formations while tracks are carrying capacity to include three crew the backbone of “Heavy” ones. Most and 10 embarked troops as the thresh-

wheeled infantry fighting vehicles are old, 13 embarked troops as the objective, Photo: Paolo Valpolini based on an 8x8 chassis, due to payload while carrying mission essential equip- considerations, although some 6x6 are ment and vehicle ammunition; and have also being proposed. the ability to integrate a command, con- trol and communications suite provided as Amphibious Combat Vehicle government furnished equipment.” BAE (ACV) Programme Systems, GDLS, Lockheed Martin, SAIC and AVDS submitted their proposals and Some major bids are currently ongoing for on November 24 2015 BAE Systems and 8x8 vehicles. One is very specific and deals SAIC were awarded two contracts, worth with amphibious vehicles, the customer respectively $ 103.8 million and $121.5 A close up of the Iveco DV ACV 1.1 being the US Marine Corps. Part of the million to develop and build 13 EMD ve- prototype showing the serrated disk Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) pro- hicles each, to be delivered by mid-2017 located on the propeller hub to clear gramme, the Phase 1 Increment 1 (ACV with three further vehicles on option. In it from possible entanglements 1.1) inherited most of the requirements fact each team will deliver 16 vehicles, the of the previous Marine Personnel carrier option having been confirmed although perAV, which has been adapted to USMC (MPC) programme and looked for an 8x8 the extra funding was never announced. requirements. With an empty weight of platform vehicle capable of ship-to-shore An RfP is awaited by late 2017, selection 26,000 kg and a 4,000 kg payload, it is movements. According to the Request for being expected in mid 2018, for an Initial 8.8 metres long, 3.1 metres wide and Information released on April 23 2014, the Operational Capability in late 2020 (one 2,8 metres high, and can host a crew of ACV 1.1 should operate in a significant wave height of two feet with sufficient reserve buoyancy to enable safe opera- tions; provide a high level of survivability and force protection; operate in four to six

feet of plunging surf with ship-to-shore Photo: Paolo Valpolini operations and launch from amphibious ships as an objective; in terms of land mo- bility, operate on 30% improved surfaces and 70% unimproved surfaces; have the ability to integrate a .50 calibre remote weapon station (RWS) with growth po- Author

Paolo Valpolini is a freelance defence journalist who has reported for over 30 years for numerous defence magazines. Specialised in land warfare, he has been deployed many times downrange to report on multinational operations. The BAE Systems/Iveco DV contender for the AVC programme is heavily based on the original Iveco DV SuperAV.

2 European Security & Defence · January 2017 Photo: via author Vehicles of ST Kinetics' TERREX family

three plus 13 dismounts. Powered by an turer provided detailed data; the vehicle Science Applications International Cor- Iveco CURSOR 16 multifuel engine pro- features a floating floor, which decouples poration (SAIC) teamed with ST Kinetics viding 700 hp, it can reach over 105 km/h occupants from the V-shaped hull, while of Singapore, which developed an am- on roads and over 5.8 knots at sea, being ballistic protection fitted to the hull con- phibious version of its TERREX 8x8 vehi- able to sail in sea state 3+. Fitted with 16” tributes to buoyancy. In June 2016 BAE cle, known as TERREX 2. With a GVW tyres rather than usual 14” ones, when Systems started welding seven hulls at its of 30,000 kg and 9,000 kg of payload hitting the beach both wheels and pro- York facility (Pennsylvania), while Iveco DV (which includes the add-on armour), it is 8 pellers help it to exit the water. The two built a prototype on company funding, metres long, 3.6 metres wide and 2.8 me- propellers axles are fitted with a serrated which started amphibious validation with tres high, a three-man crew and 12 dis- disc used to cut branches or other de- the Italian Navy and Army in Fall 2016. mounts being transported. It is powered bris that might hinder their movement. The vehicle has a 25% residual buoyancy, by a Caterpillar C9 providing 600 hp and Its 14m3 internal volume allows it to host which would allow adding further sub- can travel at over 90 km/h on road, while the three-man crew plus 13 dismounts systems, such as a remote control turret, in the water the platform is designed to with two days of supplies. As for protec- which underlines a considerable growth reach 6.3 knots. As usual, no details have tion, neither the USMC nor the manufac- potential. been provided about protection, except

Designed and qualified according to meet British requirements and standards. Proven in operation and under contract with 3 NATO countries. In series production in various versions. Benefits from co-operation with allies Germany, The Netherlands and Lithuania. Establishing sustainable significant industrial footprint in Britain.

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A0181e0117_Boxer_210x150.indd 1 12.01.17 16:35  ARMOURED VEHICLES

late July and saw the Rheinmetall and the BAE Systems offers being selected for the following 12 months risk mitigation activ-

Photo: via author ity. Announcing the downselection on 28 July 2016, Mr. Kim Gillis, Deputy Secretary Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, stated that “when introduced into service [the] Army will have a capability which represents a quantum leap in pro- tection for our soldiers while providing enhanced sensors and weapon systems for the crew.” The announcement follows an extension to the Request for Tender (RFT) evaluation period to conduct a re- view of Australian industry involvement in elements of the LAND 400 Phase 2 Risk Mitigation Activity (RMA), to ensure Aus- The BOXER vehicle has been developed and is produced by Rheinmetall tralian industry involvement can be opti- in conjunction with KMW (now part of KNDS following the merger with mised. The production contract should be Nexter) under the ARTEC joint venture. worth some Euros 2.5 Bn. In 2015 Rheinmetall set up Rheinmetall for the fact that the TERREX 2 is fitted “close combat high survivable lift”. Mini- Defence Australia to improve its commer- with a V-over-V underbelly. Production of mum lift is for three crew members and cial activities in the country and to build the prototypes has started at the SAIC four dismounts, eight dismounts being strong relations with Australian SMEs. The facility in Charleston, South Carolina. the preferred capacity. According to the German company is proposing the BOXER Once the ACV 1.1 gets into service, the latest document from the Australian De- vehicle, developed and produced in con- US Marine Corps will then move to the fence Materiel Organisation the expected junction with KMW (now part of KNDS next phase, the ACV 1.2, which will aim number of vehicles is 225, split into seven following the KMW merger with Nexter) at improving the vehicles’ capabilities, es- variants; reconnaissance and counter re- under the ARTEC joint venture, although pecially in the amphibious domain. connaissance (129), command and control the Rheinmetall share is nearly two thirds (26), joint fires (8), surveillance (17), ambu- of the total. The BOXER CRV is fitted with Australian Mounted Combat lance (15), repair (20) and recovery (10). the company’s LANCE turret armed with a Reconnaissance Programme The bid calls for a military off-the- shelf Rheinmetall 30 mm Mk30-2/AMB 30 mm vehicle and Australian industry participa- cannon and SPIKE missiles, the command Another major bid is the Land 400 Phase tion should be maximised. Four bidding and reconnaissance system being pro- 2 Army’s Mounted Combat Reconnais- teams have lined up for the Australian pro- vided by Northrop Grumman. Following sance capability, which aims at replac- gramme, comprising 1) BAE Systems Aus- deliveries to Germany and the Nether- ing the Australian Army M113s, ASLAVs, tralia with Patria, 2) Rheinmetall Defence lands, the remaining two countries that and PMVs (Bushmaster) around 2021. Australia, 3) GDLS Australia and Thales originated the programme, the BOXER ac- The 8x8 platform known as the Combat Australia, and 4) Singapore Technologies quired its first export customer in Decem- Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) should Kinetics with Elbit Systems Australia. The ber 2015 when it was declared preferred provide capabilities such as close combat shortlisting, which was due to be carried bidder for the Lithuanian Infantry Fighting reconnaissance, intimate fire support and out in March 2016, was postponed until Vehicle Programme, which foresees the delivery of 88 vehicles between 2017 and 2020. Most of those vehicles will be in the IFV configuration, fitted with an Elbit Systems UT30 Mk2 overhead unmanned turret armed with a 30 mm cannon and

Photo: Paolo Valpolini two SPIKE missiles, while four vehicles will be in the command post configuration. The programme is managed through OC- CAR. The 272 German vehicles of the first batch have all been delivered; an order for a second batch of 131 vehicles was signed shortly after the Lithuanian decision, and all of these will be delivered in the A2 con- figuration. A1 vehicles of the first batch will be upgraded to the A2 standard from 2017 on. As for the Netherlands, in May 2016 the Dutch Army changed the mix of its requirement, which now consists of 36 command post, 92 engineer group/ For the Australian programme Patria teamed with BAE Systems Australia, APC, 52 ambulance, 12 cargo and 8 driver and proposed its AMV35. training vehicles, all at the A2 standard. In

4 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES 

early 2017 all driving training vehicles, am- bulances and command posts had been delivered, three cargo vehicles and 62

engineering/APC vehicles still being un- Photo: via author der manufacturing, latest deliveries being awaited in February 2018. Both Germany and the Netherlands are considering an infantry fighting vehicle version fitted with a medium calibre turret. The other remaining contender for the Land 400 Phase 2 is Patria’s Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV). For the Austral- ian programme the Finnish company has teamed with BAE Systems Australia, and proposes a modified version of its AMV XP, unveiled at DSEI 2015, which has in- creased payload, protection and perfor- mance. The vehicle, which is a slightly shorter version of the XP, is fitted with a BAE Systems Hägglunds two-man turret armed with an Orbital ATK BUSHMAS- The PIRANHA 5 from GDELS is a contender for the British Army's MIV TER III 35 mm cannon – hence the name programme. AMV35 and currently the only competitor proposing such a calibre. Beside passive tries: Poland, which recently acquired the which might become a plus in numerous protection it is fitted with the Saab LEDS turreted mortar version of what is known countries. Beside Finland and the afore- 50 soft-kill system, with provision to adopt as ROSOMAK; South Africa, where it is mentioned nations, the original AMV has also the hard kill element, and it can be known as BADGER and is fitted with a been acquired also by Slovenia and Swe- fitted with RPG-nets. If the AMV35 is se- Denel turret; and Croatia. The Finnish den, and lately by the United Arab Emir- lected it will be mostly built locally, as per company now only produces prototypes ates, which filed a contract for 40 hulls Patria strategy; AMV series production is in house. Patria has thus acquired consid- with an option for 50 more last January. currently ongoing in three customer coun- erable experience in technology transfer, One of the UAE requirements was the

Highest Protection Levels for Tracked and Wheeled Platforms

ASCOD

EAGLE PIRANHA Defense Solutions for the Future gdels.com  ARMOURED VEHICLES

Elbit Systems of Australia to form Team Sentinel, the Israeli company providing the MT30 unmanned turret, an updated ver- sion of the UT30, armed with an Orbital

Photo: Paolo Valpolini ATK Mk 44 BUSHMASTER II 30 mm can- non, with integrated SPIKE antitank missile twin-launcher. Dubbed SENTINEL II (the SENTINEL was a cruiser tank designed in Australia during World War II) the vehicle was proposed with Israel Military Indus- tries’ IRON FIST active protection system. As for passive protection, STK declared a Level 4a/b for anti-mine while the TERREX 3/SENTINEL II can be fitted with ballistic packages up to Level 6. General Dynamics Land Systems Austral- ia (GDLS-A), which teamed with Thales Australia, was proposing an Australian- optimised version of its LAV 6, fitted with the Kongsberg PROTECTOR MCT-30 tur- ret armed with the Mk 44 BUSHMASTER Another strong competitor for the MIV programme is the VBCI from II 30 mm automatic cannon. Probably the Nexter (now part of KNDS following the merger with KMW). lighter and smaller vehicle among the contenders, the LAV (CRV) is fitted with a ability to install a BMP-3 turret, to main- moured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) in the IFV double-V hull. Its vetronic architecture is tain commonality with its tracked fleet, so role.” Again, tracks versus wheels; to what based on Thales’ SOTAS which integrates it is possible that the stretched version of extent commonalities with the CRV might Elbit Systems TORCH BMS. In different the AMV might be the one selected. Patria overcome preferences for tracks remains configurations both solutions are also is looking at further developments in the to be seen, but this will not be known proposed as competitors in other bids, firepower and protection domains, as well before 2021. such as that the one emerging in the UK. as to cost reduction while maintaining cur- As for the two other bidders, at Eurosa- rent capabilities. tory 2016 Singapore Technologies Kinetics UK Demands Wheeled vehicles in the 8x8 configuration unveiled the third member of its TERREX might also have a say in the next step of family, the TERREX 3. Bigger and heavier The British 2015 Strategic Defence and Land 400, Phase 3, which aims at replac- than the TERREX 1 and 2, at 8.5 metres Security Review marked an evolution in ing M113s. Although documents state long, 3.4 metres wide and 2.8 metres high British Army organisation, two of the three that “Ideally, Defence seeks an IFV with with a GVW of 35,000 kg and a 12,000 kg existing mechanised brigades remaining the following characteristics: Tracked and payload (which includes add-on armour), it while one is disbanded and in its place Turreted” they also add “Defence also carries a two-man crew and 11 dismounts two “Strike Brigades” are being formed, seeks information on Tracked Armoured and is powered by a Caterpillar C13 engine equipped with AJAX tracked vehicles and Personnel Carriers (APC) and Wheeled Ar- providing 711 hp. STK joined its forces with with a new wheeled vehicle as troop carrier, the “planned” Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV). The requirement seems to be for an APC, the RCWS being GFE, specialised ver-

Image: FNSS sions being also needed such as command post, ambulance, repair and recovery; a total of around 300-350 vehicles is fore- casted. Beside the APC the variant with the highest priority seems to be the Command Post; how much the MRV-P (Multi Role Vehicle – Protected) programme, which includes 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles, will take over some of the variants remains to be seen. As for the roadmap, answers to the PQQ (Pre Qualification Questionnaire) were collected in mid-November 2016, a deci- sion being expected by Q2 2017, with IOC (Initial Operational Capability) being esti- mated around late 2022. Two companies proposed their products, one being GDLS, which deployed its LAV demonstrator in the United Kingdom in October 2015, one month before the publication of the UK PARS 8X8 IFV with 25mm SHARPSHOOTER turret from FNSS MoD document. Two options are given to

6 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES 

sential” for the British Army. The electri- cal output was augmented to cope with the increasing number of power-hungry Photo: Otokar subsystems, ergonomics having also been improved thanks to lessons learned from “down range”. The British military have al- ready tested Nexter’s VBCI during a visit to France. Other potential contenders showed up at DVD 2016, among them Patria AMV XP, ST Kinetics TERREX 3, GDELS PIRANHA 5, and Artec’s BOXER. Rumours echoed by the press reflected worries of some competing companies of a possible single- source contract being awarded without a competition, the potential beneficiary being Artec’s BOXER, which would be acquired via OCCAR. However, no official source ever confirmed that possibility. ARMA 8x8 with MIZRAK-30 unmanned turret system from Otokar Requirements of the the potential customer, the latest iteration to Afghanistan, Mali and the Central Afri- Qatari Army of the STRYKER, adopted by the US Army, can Republic, in 2015 the company intro- and the LAV 6.0, currently being produced duced the VBCI 2, a 32-tonne version with Most of the aforementioned companies are for the Canadian Army. As protection will a 13-tonne payload, more internal space also involved in the bid for the Qatari Army; definitely be a priority, both options feature and improved protection, with Level 4a/b numbers should not be high, with 82 as the a double-V hull and modular armour pack- against mines and IEDs and Level 5 bal- supposed requirement, and the RfI is appar- ages. Another strong contender is the VBCI listic. A new powerpack was fitted, based ently slipping to the right due to defence ex- proposed by the French company Nexter on the Volvo D13, providing 600 hp and penditure prioritisation following the sharp (now part of KNDS following the merger replacing the 550 hp Volvo D12, which also fall in the price of oil. Qatar maintains close with KMW). With 630 vehicles in service ensures quick field replacement – not part ties with Turkey, so both Turkish champions in the French Army, which deployed them of the original French requirement but “es- in the armoured vehicle domain, FNSS and

Bren-Tronics Introduces the New 6T 24 V Light-Weight Lithium-Ion-Battery

ilitary vehicles and equipment such ternal protection and CANBus communi- For silent watch missions, the goal is to Mas telecommunications or optronics cation protocol access. The charging and provide as much energy as possible, al- are increasingly energy intensive. Previ- discharging process and status are moni- ways keeping in mind the reserve power ous solutions are now too heavy and tored at all times and can be conveyed in requirement. With the CANBus connec- inefficient, prompting Bren-Tronics to in- real time to the user. tion the user has the complete battery troduce the new, innovative light-weight Today’s requirements are ever more chal- status on display inside the vehicle and Lithium-Ion battery, the 6T 24 V. lenging, especially when it comes to can confidently concentrate At 2.7kWh, Bren-Tronics has developed performance, logistics and on his mission. Also, the the most capacitive 6T Lithium-ion bat- storage. The Bren-Tronics days when vehicles had tery on the market, addressing the three goal is to provide the to be run for hours to basic requirements of military vehicle most effective long-term charge and recharge manufacturers and customers: energy, solution with zero mainte- their batteries are gone: weight and space. This 24 V battery re- nance requirement – and the Bren-Tronics 6T 24V places two current batteries for one quar- the state-of-charge LCD on Lithium-Ion battery can ter of the weight and half the space and the battery itself will greatly be safely and completely provides all the power needed for starting assist operators and logisti- charged in less than two hours. the vehicle and for silent watch missions. cians. Comparing Lithium-Ion Today’s missions require a high Building a safe and capacitive battery technology with lead acid, it has been level of energy and security and needs real expertise, and Bren-Tronics clearly proven that Lithium-Ion batteries Bren-Tronics provides the solution that has been designing and manufacturing can deliver one hundred times more of customers can rely on, with a light-weight, Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries for cycles: with these figures in mind, the military-compliant, high-capacitive, safe, military applications since 1973. Their 6T logistic burden can be significantly re- monitored system, a new-generation 24V Lithium-ion battery was designed with in- duced. Lithium-Ion 6T format battery. (sb)

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 7  ARMOURED VEHICLES

Division (formerly Selex ES), and hosts six radio sets on UHF/VHF/HF bands as well as Satcom. Unveiled at Eurosatory 2016,

Photo: via author the configuration is now frozen and the official launch took place on 19 October, prior to the start of qualification trials by the Italian MoD. The aim is to replace leg- acy CENTAUROS in the Italian Army cav- alry regiments, the Iveco DV – Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) looking of course also at export opportunities.

Worldwide Demands

Brazil has launched a programme known as VBR-MR (Viatura Blindada de Recon- hecimento – Media de Rodas). The chassis will be a derivative of the GUARANI 6x6 and it will feature a manned turret armed with a 105 mm rifled gun, the four options Malaysia is producing the AV8 (the first prototype is shown here); being CMI Defence’s CT-CV 105 HP, Denel a development of the PARS 8x8 from FNSS. Land Systems’ MT 105, Leonardo Sistemi di Difesa HITFACT 105 and NORINCO ST1. Otokar, might well be in a good position to 2018. Six different versions are on order, With the GUARANI programme drastically propose their PARS and ARMA 8x8 APC/ infantry, command, ambulance, engineer, slowed down due to financial problems, it IFVs. FNSS is developing the PARS 3, which mortar and repair. Options contained in the remains to be seen how much the VBR- includes new automotive components and contract will allow Denmark to increase the MR programme will move to the right. allows carriage of an increased number of final number up to 450, which is neces- Russia showed for the first time its new dismounts without changing the outside di- sary to meet the Army’s needs. Beside the BUMERANG 8x8 at the Red Square Pa- mensions. Both companies are also awaiting PIRANHA 5, GDELS has launched the PIRA- rade in 2015, armed with a 2A42 30 mm news of a special-purpose vehicle for the NHA 3+, which secured its first order from cannon, a coaxial machine gun and two Turkish Army. How much the recently failed Switzerland in the mortar carrier version, KORNET-EM missiles. No detailed infor- coup d’état will impact the Turkish defence fitted with RUAG’s COBRA 120 mm mortar mation on its production is yet available. industry and the Turkish military is still to system. In Ukraine Ukroboronprom is actively be seen. marketing its BTR-4 APC, which is pro- Italy’s 8x8 Family posed with different turret solutions up to 8x8 Vehicles for Spain 30 mm calibre, and its BTR-3E1, the latter Italy continues to develop its 8x8 family heavily based on original BTRs. Leverag- Spain is in the process of acquiring an 8x8 based on the CENTAURO H-drive. The lat- ing lessons learned in operations, it has vehicle that will be developed in infantry, est addition is the CENTAURO II armoured been upgraded to the BTR-3DA configu- reconnaissance, recovery, engineer, com- car, which is based on an improved chas- ration with improved protection, optron- mand post, antitank and forward observer sis developed by Iveco DV from that of ics, and with a new Deutz 360 hp engine. versions, although overall there will be 12 the Freccia IFV, fitted with a wholly new Numerous potent options are to be found different configurations. The GDELS PIRA- turret armed with a 120 mm smoothbore in Ukraine. India is looking for an 8x8 IFV NHA 5 has been selected as the vehicle, full pressure gun. With a 30 ton GVW, it and is developing an indigenous solution SAPA Placencia providing the powerpack is powered by a militarised Iveco VECTOR with Tata cooperating with DRDO on the while Indra is in charge of vetronics. A risk 8 engine providing 720 hp – a consider- KESTREL, both Russian and western tur- reduction phase is being initiated, the con- able improvement over the other family rets having been seen on the prototypes. tract including the manufacturing of five members. The all-electric turret is fitted High numbers are considered, over 2,500 platforms. It is not clear which variants will with the latest version of the Leonardo being the Indian Army requirement. Ma- be included in the five, but at least one Sistemi di Difesa 120/45 mm gun which laysia is producing the AV8, a develop- will be in the IFV version to allow testing provides improved accuracy over those ment of the PARS 8x8 from FNSS of Turkey of the various turret and armament op- used in previous ARIETE and CENTAURO being built locally by Deftech. Following a tions. Currently five turrets are known to 120s, the pepperbox muzzle brake allow- lengthy selection process the South Ko- be competing for the contract, Leonardo ing the use of all types of round, including rean Army has finally selected the Hyundai Sistemi di Difesa (formerly Oto Melara) HIT- full-bore fin-stabilised varieties. The tur- Rotem KW2 and KW1 (K808 and K806 FIST, Elbit Systems UT30 and Rafael SAM- ret bustle holds 12 rounds. Six are in a in the Korean Army) as its wheeled vehi- SON MkII, while two remain undeclared. revolver magazine aligned to the breach, cles, its competitors having been Doosan Tests will continue until late 2017, the ac- permitting semi-automatic loading, the BLACK FOX and Samsung Techwin MPV. quisition contract being planned for 2018, only manual operation being opening the Powered by a 420 hp Hyundai engine, the with delivery of the first vehicles forecast breach. Nineteen more rounds are hosted 8x8 KW2 has a combat weight of less than for 2020. The PIRANHA 5 has also been in the rear part of the hull. The CENTAURO 20 tons and some amphibious capacity. It recently ordered by Denmark, which will II adopts 3rd generation all-digital optron- hosts 11 personnel, the armament rang- receive 309 vehicles with first deliveries in ics by Leonardo Land and Naval Electronic ing from a light RCWS up to a medium

8 European Security & Defence · January 2017 calibre turret. Overall the South Korean Army should acquire around 600 vehicles, although the split between 6x6 and 8x8 is not yet defined. First deliveries are ex-

pected in 2018. Photo: Paolo Valpolini China has made inroads on the export market, with Venezuela having acquired some VN-1 amphibious armoured ve- hicles, the export version of the ZBL-09, fitted with 30 mm turrets and Norinco HJ- 73D antitank missiles. Argentina has also ordered 110 8×8 VN 1: the vehicles are to be assembled locally, fitted only with a 12.7 machine gun.

Conclusion

Numerous acquisition programmes for 8x8 vehicles are up and running, these armoured platforms ranking at the top of the wheeled systems in terms of protec- tion and firepower, and obviously cost. The CENTAURO II from the Iveco DV-Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) was European manufacturers are very active unveiled at Eurosatory 2016. in this field. However other continents are appearing as strong market contend- by systems costs, a certain overcapacity from active solutions, especially against ers. The fact that the USMC programme in this field must be recognised, although RPG-type threats, while exotic propulsion shortlist includes one vehicle designed in most manufacturers are also active in systems should soon allow greater design the Old Continent and the other in Asia lower tier productions, such as more af- flexibility. As for the fight between tracks shows well this trend. With China very ac- fordable 6x6 vehicles as well as in 4x4. and wheels, this will still go on, few na- tive in Latin America, and Russia in many With most vehicles now over the 30-tonne tions having decided to use 8x8 together former Soviet states and not only, and limit in terms of combat weight, further with main battle tanks, France being one with potential customers being limited improvements in protection should come example. 

ESD Spotlight

Published by New Fortnightly Newsletter

Issue 2 / 2015 European Security & Defence is escorted by the new bi-weekly newsletter ESD Spotlight which is distributed by email. ESD Spotlight is available free of charge. You can order your subscription by Procurement programmes in Sweden sending an informal email message to [email protected]. Sweden not only chairs the Nordic Defense genera- Cooperation (NORDEFCO), the Swedish Ar- tion sub- med Forces have also several procurement marines projects on schedule for 2015. The largest (NGU) Alternatively, there is a subscription order form on the magazine’s website at www.euro-sd.com. three programmes comprise the develop- for Swe- ment of the next generation of the JAS Gripen den. Content fighter system (JAS E), the development of The new the next generation submarine (NGU) and the subma- • Sweden modification of the Leopard main battle tank rines will base on the Type 612 submarines, Issue 2 / 2015 system. that Saab Kockums has built for the Royal Aus- Issue 2 / 2015 • Defence Issue 2 / 2015 tralian Navy. 2 7 • Technology Next generation of the JAS Gripen But there will be changes, since the Australi- The Swedish government ordered 60 JAS Gri- an submarine has 4,000 tonnes and the Swe- 3 • Industry pen E (plus 10 as option) with scheduled de- dish NGO programme is heading for a 3,000 defence • IDEX Preview livery from 2018 to 2027. Contrary to initial tonnes submarine with some elements of the technology plans all the future JAS Gripen E will be new- cancelled A26 programme included. gressive dive/ decisions to strengthen NAtO built fighters and not upgrades of existing Gri- The first of the five Swedish submarines is The second firing was at very close range - pull-up evasi- the size and scope of a new very high rea- The defence ministers also decided to IRIS-t SL demonstrates to the launch point to prove the missi ve manoeu- Defence) Diehl (Photo: (df) The defence ministers of the NATO diness force or Spearhead Force. “We deci- immediately establish six command and MAStheAd pen C. The first flight of the pre-production planned to be operating by 2023. full performance le´s short range engagement capabilities. vres. countries have taken several decisions to ded that this very high readiness force will control units in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, JAS Gripen E is expected within this year. During this firing, IRIS-T SL jettisoned its IRIS-T SL is strengthen the Alliance’s collective de- consist of a land brigade of around 5,000 Lithuania, Poland and Romania. (df) With system validation completed Roketsan eSd Spotlight The JAS Gripen E will be slightly larger than Modification of the Leopard last year, Diehl Defence´s IRIS-T Surface - aerodynamic cover shortly after launch the missile fence. NATO Secretary General Jens Stol- troops. These will be supported by air, www.nato.int Email newsletter of the bimonthly magazine Launched (IRIS-T SL) SAM system demons immediately initiating a hard turn-over of the new tenberg said the decisions would “ensure sea and special forces”, said Stoltenberg. (df) Roketsan will display several new and/ the predecessors. Giving place to an increase The Swedish version of the main battle tank “European Security & Defence” (ESD) trated its full performance. All of the jet - manoeuvre towards the low flying target. IRIS-T SLM that we have the right forces, in the right He explained the Spearhead Force would or enhanced products at the IDEX 2015. tegrated and used by AH-1W Cobra helicop- of the fuselage tank with the new and bigger Leopard has additional protection, including target drones of different sizes, which per The entire engagement lasted less than 10 air defence place, at the right time”. The ministers be backed up by two more brigades “as a Very interesting is the 2.75” Laser Guided ter, AT-802 Arc Angel Border Patrol Aircraft editor-in-Chief: Dr. Peter Bossdorf system and NATO) (Photo: Missile, so called “CIRIT”, an all-up round nose bearing most of the main gear. The com- overall coverage, mine protection, an extra formed a large variety of realistic evasive seconds with a direct hit. agreed on the implementation of a so rapid reinforcement capability in case of and on EC635 Light Combat Helicopter. weapon stations, autonomous stationary/ deputy editor-in-Chief: Henning Bartels manoeuvres, were directly hit. The third firing was carried out against is planned to called Spearhead Force. a major crisis. Altogether, the enhanced missile designed to eliminate light armored, CIRIT is also integrated on vehicle mounted mobile weapon platforms, stabilized naval Managing editors: Dorothee Frank (newslet- pany Saab stated, that the new fighter has an bomblet protection for the turret, a modern The first target was engaged at a distance of a very small, fast and agile target drone - be a compo- Also the NATO Response Force will be en- NATO Response Force will count up to stationary/moving opportunity targets with weapon platforms for patrol boats and Tac- ter) and Stephen Barnard (magazine) increase of 40% in internal fuel capacity. command system and an improved fire-con- more than 30 km. The IRIS-T SL missile flight featuring high agility and extreme mano nent of the future German Air and Missile hanced. The Defence Ministers agreed on around 30,000 troops.” high precision and affordable cost. CIRIT, tical UAV. The combat proven CIRIT has a editors: Gerhard Heiming (gwh), Yuri Laski (yl) Defence System. designed as the main weapon system of Apart from this two additional weapon sta- trol system. time was about one minute reaching an alti- euvrebility. A direct hit was achieved at a quite long range with 8 km, MEMS Based tude above 12 km. Despite an evasive mano- range of 12.5 km range at an altitude of 1.5 www.diehl.com/en/diehl-defence.html T-129 ATAK Turkish attack helicopter, is in- IMU, restriction-free components, Type V Layout: davis creativ media GmbH, Bonn, tions have been installed. The JAS Gripen E At the moment the Swedish Armed Forces euvre involving changing direction and alti- km even though the drone performed ag- NORdeFCO plans more cooperation border defence cooperation. Also Sweden from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania insensitive munitions characteristics for Germany tude, a direct hit of the target was achieved. (Photo: Roketsan)warhead and rocket motor against bullet im- Photo front page: Matthias Kabel will also have a new landing gear, modern sen- plan further improvements and uses of the (df) The Nordic Defense Cooperation is pushing forward an initiative to form and Norway. te Connectivity nes and IED, which will be completed by pact and liquid fluid fire and smart launcher. sor configuratuions like the Selex Skyward-G Leopard. Especially the communication sys- (NORDEFCO), consisting of Denmark, Fin- a modular Nordic-Baltic battle group The aims of the Swedish initiatives are to guarantor of basic protection against small mine-protection-seats and spall-liners. A (df) TE Connectivity will display it’s latest www.roketsan.com.tr Published by land, Iceland, Norway and actual chaired (NBBG), that could be seen as a counter- give more protection to areas, such as Arc- infrared search and track (IRST) turret or the tems and a weight reduced armour system are Protected Bulat 6x6 for the fire and shell splinters. The V-shaped bel- remote weapon station may be fitted to electrical interconnect solutions that provi- vehicle must carry. The result of networ Mittler Report Verlag GmbH by Sweden, wants to improve the collec- part of the EU Nordic Battle Group (NBG), tic region or Baltic Sea. Russian Army ly provides protection against blast of mi- the roof. Kamaz contributes subsystems - de connectivity and high-speed data trans- king is an overall reduction in the size and A company of Tamm Media Group advanced interrogation friend-or-foe suite. in the focus. Elements of the Leopard 2A7, in tive border defence by installing a cross- that is led by Sweden with soldiers coming www.government.se (gwh) The Russian Army has ordered 50 like the Diesel power train with 191 kW in mission for networking in armored vehicles weight of systems within each vehicle, less - space savings, and a variety of options in service at the German Armed Forces, will be cluding transmissions and suspensions for - in electronic warfare and C4ISR applications. redundancy in the network, and yet great Mittler Report Verlag GmbH protected type Bulat SBA-60-K2 armoured The equipment fit inclu gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) con Next generation submarine included. personnel carriers for a crew of ten from axles and wheels. Goldstein new General Manager A system of networked ground vehicles ability for vehicles to share data and elec- nectivity to help meet tough application

Baunscheidtstrasse 11 Khlopotov) A. (Photo: Improved HAWK Officer Course at the GAF Manager des a central tire inflation system (CTIS), air NAMeAdSMA provides situational awareness for troops tronic warfare capabilities. challenges. Also on display at the booth, - 53113 Bonn, Germany The first programme on procuring modern sub- Additionally Sweden purchased three Leguan the manufacturer Zashcita. The first 15 are Air Defense School, Ft. Bliss, Texas, in 1981. & Director to be delivered before the end of 2015. conditioning, fire suppression system and on the battlefield, as well as reduces the TE will feature several rugged and flexible TE will be showcasing its compact, high- Phone: +49 228 350087-0 (df) Col. Michael T. Goldstein of the Ger- Later, Goldstein served as a platoon leader Technical In- marines to replace the four Walrus serving in bridge layers on Leopard 2 chassis. In this vari- With less than 20 tons gross weight the racks for personal weapons. number of independent systems that each end-to-end solutions that offer design speed CeeLok FAS-T connector. The CeeLok Telefax: +49 228 350087-1 man Air Force was assigned the position Hawk at the 4th Battery SAM Battalion 34 tegration on NAMEADSMA) (Photo: the Swedish Navy, known as the A26 program- ant, the Leguan is capable of laying a 26 metre vehicle features a payload of 3.5 tons www.zashchita.ru engineers modularity for easy integra- FAS-T connector among the most rugged, Email: [email protected] of General Manager of the NATO Medium in Manching, later Head of Patriot Scena- 01 July 2014 depending on the protection level. The tion, advanced components for weight and 10 GbE, field terminable I/O connectors in www.mittler-report.de me, has been cancelled in February 2014. Then bridge or two 14 metre bridges independent Extended Air Defense System Manage- rio Generation Seciton, GAFADS, Ft. Bliss, and now Ge- FN herstal all-welded steel monocoque hull is the the defence marketplace. going to test the containers with regard to ment Agency (NAMEADSMA) on 01 Febru- Texas. Other assignments included Deputy neral Mana- Managing Directors: Thomas Bantle, Dr. Peter in December 2014 an agreement between of each other, whose MLC 80 (approx. 70 ton- (df) FN Herstal will show several of it’s www.te.com ary 2015. He took over the responsibili- System Manager Patriot at the Federal Mi- ger & Direc- Bossdorf and Peter Tamm Saab and Damen Shipyards was announced nes) load capacity can be used by even heavy ners from Multicon Solar and can be used if and how solar power can be integrated modern weapon systems and firearms at fence, this highly modular system gives Smart energy container ties from Gregory Kee, who had been the nistry of Defence for almost three years. On tor Technical The company is located in Bonn as power plants for military camps and bi- with the energy supply of military camps. IDEX and also be hosting a variety of exhi- naval ships and coastguards the armament to jointly develop, offer and build the next equipment. Dorothee Frank agency‘s General Manager since Novem- 01 August 2012 Goldstein became Director Integration District Court of Bonn – HRB 18658 (gwh) The German Armed Forces have - vouacs. They are designed to replace or to - www.multicon-solar.de bits that allow attendees to view up close to be in control at all times. It can be moun- ber 2008. Goldstein joined the German Air Technical Integration at NAMEADSMA, fol- NAMEADSMA. Identification number DE 811 223 089 procured mobile containers with high per bolster fuel-operated generators. The Ger www.aleo-solar.de its equipment. On display for the first time ted on a variety of vessels, from fast patrol formance photovoltaic modules from Aleo man procurement agency BAAINBw is now Force on 01 July 1975 and completed the lowed by the position as Deputy General http://meads-amd.com/ in the Middle East will be FN Herstal’s Sea boats up to large ships, and its universal Solar. The modules are integrated in contai- deFNder remote weapon station. cradle can house an extensive range of FN Whether intercepting smugglers, running Herstal weaponry. It support for Norwegian logistics (Photo: FN Herstal) fitted to a number of the Volvo Group‘s civil 1999 for military logistics including con- repair, overhaul (MRO), and supply chain. anti-terrorism operations, or for self-de- Packed with several new features, the Sea hybrid drive system vehicles that have demonstrated pollution (gwh) The Swedish International Financial figuration management, document and The Navy’s recent decision to cover addi- deFNder also has a sight module (CCD + pad control handle, and 2-axis gyroscope reduction and consumption qualities, and Services company (IFS) has rolled out the spare parts management, maintenance, tional users means that IFS’s industry solu- (gwh) As part of an advanced design plan Defense) Trucks Renault (Photo: IR uncooled or cooled), one-hand or game to provide rock solid stability on any naval Savox Communications assigned to Renault Trucks Defense, the could now be used for military applications. IFS applications to cover additional Navy tion will empower more personnel working operation. Electer demonstrator fitted with a parallel The features of the hybrid drive system are: personnel, now supporting 2,500 users deployed on one of its vessels or on land. (df) Savox Communications will be unvei- www.fnherstal.com hybrid drive system and developed on the Booster with more than 170 kW additional Large generator delivering power of up to in the Armed Forces with mission-critical The solution is distributed between vessels ling at IDEX a new future infantry soldier nally in the Middle East, where Savox alrea- (Photo: FMV) (Photo: basis of a VAB MK III has been delivered to electrical power, thereby reducing its tac- - 15 kW for mobile internal and 70 kW for configuration management, MRO, and lo- and onshore sites, also offering integration modernisation headgear system that has dy has a number of Special Forces custo- static external use. the French defence procurement agency tical “leap forward” time. Stealth mobili gistics. with the government finance and HR sys- major applications for soldiers on tomor mers, and globally. system, IMP, on which CPIC is based. The www.renault-trucks-defense.com (DGA) on 13 January 2015. ty to move silently over more than 10 km The Norwegian Armed Forces (Air Force, tem. row’s battlefield, as well as for homeland Savox will also show the compact intercom new intercom system is suited to applica- Combining an electric machine and a Diesel through the sole use of the electric motor. Army, and Navy including the Coast Guard) www.forsvaret.no security and special ops forces, both regio-- system, CPIC. The system broadens the tions on land, for the widest B-vehicle in engine, the parallel hybrid drive system is have been using IFS Applications since www.ifsworld.com C3 capabilities of Savox’ software-defined ventory, and at sea, aboard smaller vessels, lightweight, rugged command and control such as RIBs, as well as the largest, such as - destroyers and aircraft carriers. www.savox.com

MITTLER REPORT VERLAG GMBH Baunscheidtstraße 11 · 53113 Bonn · Germany Fax: +49 228 35 00 871 · [email protected] · www.mittler-report.de

9  ARMOURED VEHICLES Meeting and Managing Challenges and Requirements

Interview with Général de Brigade Charles

Beaudouin, Commander of the Section Photo: STAT Technique de l’Armée de Terre (STAT)

ESD: Please explain the function of the the “use” stage, to adapt graduates, take part in STAT, and where it fits into the overall these capabilities to the conferences in strategic Army acquisition structure. context of overseas oper- planning institutes where Beaudouin: As part of the armament op- ations and operations in they can highlight their erations process, as defined by a French the national territory. This experience in the field ministerial instruction, the first two capacity to gather lessons of armament operations, stages, called initiation and orientation learned in the field allows the STAT to but also put into perspective the changes are the responsibilities of the Staff of the continuously refine specified military re- in war through the translation of require- armed forces, in other words the user of quirements into new capabilities. ments into military capabilities. the future military capabilities. The DGA We are interested in exhibitions and – French procurement agency – is re- ESD: You attend certain key events (ex- shows as we can meet engineers as well sponsible for the subsequent two stages, positions, conferences) across the year: as soldiers from the other services who design and development of chosen solu- what are you doing at these events? share their understanding of the new tions, before their use by the forces. The Looking for something specific or look- conflicts and their responses to them on DGA acts as an interface between the ing for new ideas/inspirations/solutions? both the technical and doctrinal levels. defence company and the customer, in Beaudouin: Firstly, the STAT, as an in- Through these exchanges of ideas, we this case the Army. The STAT represents trinsic part of the Army, shows the com- can enrich the technical and operational the Army and is the preferred interlocu- mitment of our land forces in overseas ways we address the challenges faced by tor of the DGA. Firstly, the STAT has to operations and operations in the national the French forces deployed in theatres of translate the military requirement stated territory. As such, during the Eurosatory operations. into operational characteristics and has exhibition, the STAT shares its experience to make sure, all through the develop- on the use and operation of French Army ESD: When you find what you are look- ment stage, that the industry solution equipment on the Ministry of Defence’s ing for, what happens next? meets the needs of the land forces. But stand. The STAT is also called upon dur- Beaudouin: Besides my simple task of above all, after the DGA has carried out ing demonstrations of equipment in sup- advising the commander, new technolo- its technical tests, the STAT conducts all port of export support missions by French gies or new pieces of equipment can be the operational evaluations to verify that defence companies. The expertise of our promoted and put into operational con- the solution is adequate to the need ini- personnel is recognised as they were able, text as part of what we call “reactive tially stated by the land forces in particu- during equipment evaluation, to extend it experimentation operations”. In associa- lar, and by the armed forces in general. to the operational limits required in thea- tion with the DGA, new capabilities are Once equipment has been fielded to the tres of operation. Furthermore, STAT pro- evaluated with the defence companies forces, the STAT is still active, all through gramme officers, all of them war college and we can thus find new potential and Graphics: STAT

“The succeeding generation of armoured vehicles, among others the JAGUAR (left) and GRIFFON (right), will be fielded to the forces by 2021-2022.”

10 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES 

vehicles together using a more modern communication system, but indeed about providing the theatre commanders with a global command system that allows the optimisation of all joint actions: command, decision support, intelligence, logistics in- formation, 3D fire support, identification friend or foe, interactive mapping. For the STAT, this tactical change raises two major issues. On the one hand, the interoperabil- Battlespace digitisation is one of the major challenges facing the STAT ity of all these systems has to be ensured and the French armed forces. in terms of data exchange and computer security. On the other hand, the ergonom- meet the evolving needs of the land forc- eliminate the need for take-off runways, ics have to be adapted to the whole range es. Furthermore, new pieces of equip- seems now to be less relevant in view of of users, from the fighter, however trying ment may fulfil some needs known in the dimensions and low ranges of such the conditions of use may be, to staff sen- the theatres of operations and quickly platforms. ior officers, who have to be convinced of lead to off-the-shelf purchases through the validity to use these new tools. the DGA or other procurement govern- ESD: What are your biggest challenges You can now see the volume of work await- mental agencies. at present, and what would you wish to ing us in the years ahead: evaluating major have as your legacy at STAT? pieces of equipment, integrating them into ESD: Can you share any examples / case Beaudouin: The Army is facing two major a new digitised environment, and having studies? For example, most unlikely suc- challenges now and in the future. Firstly, them adopted by all levels, from the soldier cesses, or biggest surprises? in the next five years, the Army will ex- to the general. As is the case in the civilian Beaudouin: One example comes to my perience a change in generation of its world, the Army will have to meet the digi- mind … I don’t remember how many major pieces of equipment. The vener- tal challenge for its combat systems. types of drones we have seen, purchased, able VAB armoured personnel carrier as Lastly, as I come from the armour and cav- evaluated, or whether they were nano, well as the ERC 90 SAGAIE and AMX 10 alry branch, my spur is to make sure that all micro, mini and of any other size, or had RC armoured cars are being progressively our fellow soldiers deployed in very harsh fixed or rotary wings. Or indeed how withdrawn from service. They have been conflicts in overseas operations know that many companies either my teams or I have employed by the Army for 40 years and we work tirelessly to help them carry out met. All of them have confirmed that the generals leading the Army have used all their mission, that the pieces of equip- trend today appears to be towards drones of them in operations. The succeeding ment on which we are working in France of between 10 cm and 1 metre. These generation of armoured vehicles, among will meet their actual need and be deliv- drones can be seen everywhere, on TV or others the JAGUAR and GRIFFON, will be ered without delay. My men are continu- in the toy departments at Christmas, or fielded to the forces by 2021-2022. The ously focussed on these objectives, asking they have actual applications on railways STAT has to carry out their evaluations. themselves the same question over and or for crop monitoring. However, the per- But all associated command structures will over: “What did I do today for my fellow formance and needs analyses rather guide be introduced at the same time and are soldiers on operations?” us towards very light and compact drones expected to result in a tactical change in measuring less than 10 cm – although that network-centric land warfare. This is the ESD: Mon Général, thankyou. does not mean that we won’t evaluate a second major challenge facing the STAT drone about 1 metre long. Lastly, the ro- and the armed forces: battlespace digiti- The interview was conducted by tary wing, that we saw as the solution to sation. It is not just about linking combat Stephen Barnard.

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Interview with Brigadier General or major organisational element has a com- Bernhard Liechtenauer, Chief of Staff parable agency.

and Deputy Commander, (German) Photos: ACCDC ESD: With reference to your motto „Fo- Army Concepts and Capabilities cussed on the Future“, let me ask how you manage to do this, knowing that the future Development Centre (ACCDC) is all but clearly mapped out. What is your view on this? ESD: Brigadier, the Army Concepts and Ca- Liechtenauer: No doubt, we don‘t have a pabilities Development Centre, activated in crystal ball either! This means that you can 2013, is subordinate to the German Army never be sure that the conclusions you draw Headquarters: what is its mission? from what is ultimately a subjective look Liechtenauer: The Army Concepts and into the future are the right ones. Therefore, Capabilities Development Centre (ACCDC), any future analysis will imply a risk. What located in Cologne, is one of the more re- we can do, however, is to make a crystal cently formed agencies of the German clear estimate of the situation and as pre- Army. The core mission of our Command Brigadier General Bernhard cise an analysis as possible of the tactical is to actively and proactively contribute to Liechtenauer wears the cap badge and operational missions, as well as of the enabling the German Army to meet the re- of the Armoured Infantry. He possible operating environment. To this end, quirement of providing operational forces joined the Bundeswehr in 1976. we draw on civilian expertise from research today, tomorrow and beyond. In doing so, He underwent German and Italian institutes and universities, we assess interna- we pursue an holistic approach to Army general staff officers‘ training tional findings and experience gained during development, which addresses the Ger- and has a wealth of experience exercises, and we employ, for example, the man Army as a whole – that is, the Army in command, staff and ministerial Operations Research and Concept Develop- System as a subsystem of our armed forces assignments. In 2012 he was ment and Experimentation methods. In this – instead of focussing on the individual appointed project manager for respect we are pretty much up-to-date, too. arms or services, for example. We are very the establishment of the ACCDC. This is the basis from which we develop ca- systematic in our efforts to continually build Since May 2015 he has been Chief pability profiles that are subsequently trans- up capabilities that allow us gradually to of Staff and Deputy Commander lated into requirements which ultimately have a better-postured, better-equipped, of the ACCDC in Cologne. result in projects and products. In my opin- better-organised and better-trained Army ion, this methodology places our Command to accomplish all our operational missions to accomplish our mission flexibly and rap- in a good position to address future chal- now and in the future. This goal is very well idly. This calls for team spirit and construc- lenges. But let me be clear: some residual reflected in our motto „Focussed on the tive cooperation, communication and co- risk remains since forecasts have, by nature, Future“. ordination and it requires each member of always been difficult to make. the staff to contribute their share to the ESD: That sounds rather rigorous. To that overall effort. What is needed is holistic ESD: With that in mind, the ACCDC has end, how is the Centre organised? thinking and support of project manage- become the fulcrum of Army development; Liechtenauer: Headed by a Commander ment activities. This is both challenging the Arms and Service Schools will hence no in the rank of Major General, the AC- and innovative. CDC is broken down into five divisions Special-to-Arm work is coordinated and di- responsible for Army development and rected horizontally by Division I (Policy/Inte- a headquarters section for administrative gration) which has a pacemaker function for matters. The five divisions of the ACCDC the matrix to promote an holistic approach include: Division I – Policy/Integration; within the Army System. Division II – Combat Development; Divi- In addition, the ACCDC has been assigned sion III – Intelligence & Reconnaissance the lead in the fields of Explosive Ordnance and Support Development; Division IV Disposal, Joint Fire Support and Bundeswehr – Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices; Human Intelligence. Division IV, Counter- and Division V – Organisation. Let me Improvised Explosive Devices, also performs draw your attention to a particular fea- its tasks as an inter-service function. Being ture of the ACCDC: its structure is unique assigned the lead means that one major or- inasmuch as Divisions I to III and, in terms ganisational element, which in this case is of Army development, also Division IV the German Army, performs a task not only (Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices), for itself but also on behalf of other major work together in what is referred to as a organisational elements of the Bundeswehr. matrix organisation. This organisation re- To conclude my answer to your question, let quires and promotes an holistic approach me stress that the ACCDC is one-of-a-kind The Main Building of the ACCDC in to solving complex problems: it allows us in the Bundeswehr: no other armed service Cologne, Germany

12 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES  longer play a part in Army development. Does this form of force development actually work? Liechtenauer: This is clear and easy to answer. The integration of the further development of the arms and services into the ACCDC and the concomitant establishment of a single-tier system that you mentioned – which is not applicable to the Special Operations Forces for whom the two-tier system continues to exist – has proven suc- cessful. Let me explain this by reference to the command and control 24V Lithium capability of combat troops. This issue not only concerns the ar- moured forces and the infantry but also the combat support troops, and, in particular, the Army Signals Corps. Their interests require 6T BaTTery comprehensive coordination and harmonisation, which can only be achieved by taking an overarching view, and that is why we have the capability domain of command and control. In this context, it is invaluable that all users and all capability domains are co-located at the ACCDC, thus allowing the coordination process to be managed from a single source. This prevents redundant and resource-intensive staff work, helps bridge communication gaps and avoids duplicate or even undesirable developments. This may sound as if Army devel- opment was a detached, ivory-tower endeavour and tantamount to some academic navel-gazing exercise. But it certainly is not. Irrespec- tive of the fact that all Army development capabilities are grouped together under the roof of the ACCDC, we rely on maintaining an intensive dialogue with the Army Training Command, its training establishments, the units, the capability coordination commands of the other major organisational elements, the Bundeswehr Office for Defence Planning and the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equip- ment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, and – last • Reduce vehicle weight but not least – with the defence industry. You see, we have both feet planted firmly on the ground, developing capabilities that are • high PoweR and eneRgy actually needed for training, exercises and operational deployments. • high cRanking ESD: Brigadier, you are attending the IAV conference in London to give a presentation. What is your presentation about and what PeRfoRmances is your personal position on Army cooperation between Germany [-40°c +70°c] and the UK? • smaRt communication/ Liechtenauer: At the IAV conference I am going to present our holistic approach to the further development of the German land PeRmanent BatteRy forces, especially in the light of the recently-issued 2016 White Paper statu s and the requirements resulting from the decisions taken at the NATO • mitigate logistics summits in Wales and Warsaw. With a view to implementing the Readiness Action Plan and, in particular, establishing an Enhanced BuRden Forward Presence in the Baltic states, the ongoing close coopera- tion with the United Kingdom is of great importance. In my eyes, it is one of the most crucial and successful pillars of bilateral Army cooperation. In many fields, it is beneficial for both sides. In addition, it provides a capability gain for NATO‘s Readiness Action Plan. I may remind you that our two nations have agreed to act as framework nations for NATO‘s Enhanced Forward Presence. This offers a good basis for further cooperation in the areas of interoperability and capability development among our Baltic NATO partners. But let me add one important aspect in this context. On balance, I must say that the cooperation between the Armies of our two coun- tries has significantly intensified, now covering almost all levels of command. On routine duty, this is illustrated by the German-British Army Staff Talks, the assignment of exchange officers, cooperation between 1 (DEU) Armoured Division and 3 (UK) Division, and coop- eration in the field of future/capability development, to mention but a few examples. Maybe it went largely unnoticed by the public that both the new British National Security Strategy and the latest German White Paper refer to our countries as strategic and/or important partners. I think that says it all!

The interview was conducted by Stephen Barnard.

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 13

kakemono-6T-echelle1quart.indd 1 12/01/2015 10:50  ARMOURED VEHICLES Protection Solutions for Ground Vehicles

Michael Horst

Protecting military tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles is a particular challenge given the current threat level.

ehicles with tactical ground mo- areas. Generally speaking, shaped charg- from materialising; direct protection con- Vbility have a decisive role to play es achieve very high penetration against sists of both active and passive protective in the success of military operations. all armour materials, achieving their ef- measures. Protected and armoured tracked and fectiveness through particle speed of a Active protection focusses on preventing, wheeled vehicles enable the application shaped charge of around 10,000 m/s. A thwarting, or removing the effectiveness of force upon a target. It is necessary PG 7 V shaped charge, for instance, has a of the measures taken by enemy forces. Photo: KMW Photo: German Army

Results of an IED attack

to protect the vehicle crew and the ve- hicle itself in order to assure its sustain- ability, survivability and tactical mobility.

The Threat

In the completely new range of mis- sions, ground vehicles are threatened by FENNEK scout vehicle after RPG 7 hit weapons including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Explosively Formed Pen- penetration depth of around 320 mm in The aim of „passive protection“ is to re- etrators (EFPs), mines, splinters, and direct armoured steel. To protect a surface area strict the effectiveness of an attack or its fire weapons including handheld anti- of one single square metre, armour weigh- impact, which for the most part is achieved tank weapons. The threat has increased ing more than 2.5 tonnes is needed. A ve- with training, using personal protective through weapons (guns, RPGs and incen- hicle with such a level of protection retains equipment, tactical agility, and material diary devices) being fired from roofs and hardly any tactical mobility, so innovative protective measures (including protected high-rise buildings, especially in urban defensive solutions are needed. platforms). The different dimensions of terrain. CBRN/NBC weapons, electronic A Military Understanding of “Protection” protection are interdependent and must warfare and cyber attacks upon the digital From a military perspective “protection” therefore be considered holistically. The infrastructure of systems make responsive includes all measures and means for ad- following aspects of protection primarily and flexible defensive measures and pro- dressing threats, in order to preserve free- involve „material protection“ and associ- tection systems necessary. dom of action including deploying forces ated material protection measures. In current missions the threat posed by and equipment. The focus is on preventing The first principle is that the vehicle‘s hull mines, IEDs or handheld anti-tank weap- enemy forces from seeking, identifying, will not rip apart. Heat and pressure from ons, such as the RPG 7, is especially acute. engaging and destroying friendly assets. an explosion must not get into the interior The danger posed by the RPG 7 comes The concept is divided into “indirect” and of the vehicle, so securely sealed doors from its high penetrative capability; it is “direct” protection. Indirect protection and hatches, specialised seating (feet also an inexpensive weapon built in very comprises measures, procedures and the off the floor) and restraint systems and high numbers and is available in all conflict organisation in advance to prevent threats detonation-resistant mountings are all

14 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES 

the start of development, during which it is important that the vehicle is also sub-

Photo: Iveco jected to extreme simulated conditions to identify weaknesses and ensure high overload resistance. Even if injury cannot be prevented, the risk should be reduced to the greatest possible extent. Simulation can expose potential protective weakness- es without time-intensive and costly live explosive work.

Protection – Possible Solutions Protection requirements have significant- ly increased over recent years, but higher protection levels cannot be attained sim- ply by adding additional protective ele- ments. Even with the most modern mate- rials (such as nano-materials), the weight Protected cab with additional armour limits of the platform are quickly reached, and since significant improvements in required, as well as securing internal fit- in external storage boxes. Considerations material properties are not likely, alterna- tings that could cause injury. Architects of must also include personal weapons and tive approaches must be explored. Pro- the interior of the vehicle‘s hull must take their stowage within easy reach. tection should therefore be considered into account storage space, equipment A potential enemy is not limited to pre- in the concept phase of vehicle develop- and functions, and the safety and secu- designated quantities of ordnance, so ment, especially in the hull/cabin; shaping rity attributes of the interior. The stow- threats are simulated through “overload” the hull or cabin can allow a significant age concept determines which items are tests. To ensure the survivability of the ve- proportion of the energy from ballistic to be housed in the cabin and in which hicle‘s crew, it is important that the over- and mine attacks to be dispersed or ab- positions, and what needs to be placed load situation is taken into account from sorbed.

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loads: a cab with a higher level of protec-

Photo: Horst tion can mean up to three tonnes more weight on the front axle. Cabs with built-in protection are heavy, expensive and create unnecessary wear during peacetime operations. A solution is to use replaceable cabs which allow the vehicle to be operated with protected or unprotected cabs as required. Cabs can normally be switched relatively quickly. For ground vehicles with built-in pro- tection housings are manufactured by specialist firms from materials with high protection attributes. Production requires special know-how, in particular when bending and joining. The raw cab arrives at the manufacturer with attachment points for supplementary protection ele- ments and with some of the basic cable equipment which can be installed later, Conceptual and current protection solutions from IBD Deisenroth but only at significant expense, which will Engineering GmbH on an Iveco LMV

As a general rule, ground vehicles can be

protected in three different ways. Photo: DND Traditional wheeled vehicles can be ret- rofitted to a higher protection level using protection modules. The crews of logistic vehicles have been given extensive pro- tection since the 1990s. In the German Army, for example, protection elements have been attached to existing vehicles as a quick solution. Undesirable effects in- cluded axle loads close to limits, additional vehicle width, more difficult handling and overloading of vehicle suspension, hinges and fixtures. Industry offers solutions which are laid out for „add-on“ protection packages. They consist of a reinforced chassis and adapted hinges and fixtures. In any case, the sus- pension and the attachment points for the cab must be modified to cope with higher Reactive elements in boxes

then add additional equipment to the cab. This includes fitting equipment packages to meet the required protection level. In recent years, IBD Deisenroth Engineer- ing GmbH has developed concepts and Photo: Canadian Army solutions that are applied to numerous ve- hicles. The form and construction of the hulls, plus the use of modern materials, play an important role in optimised en- ergy management. In particular, the pro- nounced V form of the underbody offers high stiffness and deflects a large propor- tion of the energy from the blast. This kind of design also reduces the volume to be protected. However, there are also flat un- derbodies which offer similar protection. If these measures are insufficient to meet the protective requirements, further pas- sive or active protection solutions, or a LEOPARD 2 MBT of the Canadian armed forces with slat armour protection combination of protection systems, are

16 European Security & Defence · January 2017 Photo: Horst

10 YEARS CONCERNED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DEFENSE

Transparent protection system after multiple engagements

needed, including modular designs: based on requirements and costs, the user will decide on which solution to pursue.

Passive Protection Solutions

In defending against the effects of handheld anti-tank weap- ons, mines, and IEDs, an early attempt was made to neutral- ise them by exploiting the characteristics of certain materials. 6th InternatIonal exhIbItIon Some very good results were achieved with the use of materials of ecurity & efenSe echnologieS with the same or better performance than steel, such as titanium, S D t which have a lower density or offer more resistance to hydrody- Conferences & Tech Days namic penetration (glass, ceramic, composite armour). However, such advantages come at the expense of greater mass and high International Delegations price. The weight savings available are usually maximised at around National Authorities 50%. When it comes to armoured steel, the objective is to improve the Business Point available material. With armoured steel, configuring the material Product Presentations to withstand point-based penetration can lead to inadequate pro- tection against an impact over a wider area. Weight savings are March 14-16, 2017 achievable along with a higher safety factor, no matter whether armoured steel, new kinds of composite materials or ceramic com- MaDriD, Spain posite systems are used. When using composite armour, ultra-tough special material, such as ceramics is used on the external surface to break up projectiles. Photo: DND

www.homsec.es/en [email protected]

The function of reactive protection in an X ray record- ing; the blast of the spike is deflected and broken  ARMOURED VEHICLES

Armoured steel absorbs the kinetic ener- Naturally, the overall size of the structure gy. A liner is adhered or screwed into the and the amount of explosive is driven by inner part of the protection cell to capture the threat. Usually, the protection must be

Photo: Rheinmetall fragments or reduce the fragment cone. laid out to provide a certain ‚overmatch‘ Active Defence System (ADS) from Solutions such as slat armour or nets are vis-à-vis high-capability threats. IBD Deisenroth/Rheinmetall on the lightweight, easy to attach and are fitted In current solutions, reactive armour el- FUCHS armoured transport vehicle to diminish the warhead effect either by ements in boxes are used. Usually, their preventing ignition or by creating as large effectiveness is limited to one box in the a distance as possible between the projec- event of a hit. The boxes contain a suit- tile and the vehicle: the penetrative capa- able arrangement of a specific number of Photo: IDF bility of a shaped charge diminishes very active elements within a weight limit to quickly over distance. This does not apply allow them to be fitted/replaced by the in all cases, however, which is why these vehicle‘s crew. measures are regarded as „statistical pro- For the practical application in vehicles, tection“. Solid slat construction offers bet- the weight and the construction volume ter performance, being less susceptible to of such a protective arrangement is of vehicle vibration and damage from off- course of interest when compared with road movement. armoured steel: the use of reactive pro- Transparent passive protection is espe- tection may lead to a weight reduction of TROPHY from Rafael has been cially important in vehicles. Driving and up to 90% when compared with a pure used successfully with the Israeli reconnaissance both require a large field steel solution. MERKAVA MBT. of view, but the window panes are a pri- Only extremely insensitive explosives are mary target of attack as the operators can used for active protection systems. They clearly be seen. Providing the same qual- only detonate on the impact of a shaped ity of transparent protection as in non- charge and remain passive when hit with

Photo: Artis transparent protection is a challenge, and machine gun fire, powerful KE ammuni- both legal requirements and costs need tion or IED elements: adjacent boxes do to be addressed. Special glass, plastics or not react, either. transparent ceramics and combinations of The protection is assessed not only in these materials are used. terms of its ballistic effectiveness: system As a rule, transparent ceramics and com- compatibility and compliance with exist- posite solutions are based on excellent ing safety requirements must also be ac- materials with top-level optical and bal- counted for. Reactive protection must be listic capabilities. The modern customer is able to withstand different environmental offered a relatively lightweight, dense, du- rable product at an acceptable price point that provides protection against gunfire IRON CURTAIN from Artis and rocks/stones. Development work is still necessary – for example to protect the Photo: Hutchinson adhesion of transparent ceramic tiles from the effects of the weather, or the size of tiles and the associated road traffic challenges.

Photo: Ereshkigal In the USA efforts are being invested in a transparent monocrystal solution – so- called sapphire glass from the mineral Co- rundum, but currently this solution is very expensive and very time-consuming.

Active Protection Solutions Painting flame-retardant IRON FIST from IMI Systems polyurethane coating Reactive armour primarily does not use ar- mour to counter a shaped charged blast. conditions, as must the vehicle itself, and It is based on the principle of self-defence, must do so without losing its effective-

Photo: Diehl rather than destroying the threat. The ness or sensitivity without a change to its system needs to react very quickly as the properties. This form of assessment in- processes happen at very high speed after cludes standard methods for temperature the impact of the round. Again, explosives changes, rain, sand, lightning protection, are used as an active element: a layer of vibration and fire from various weapon explosives is placed between two plates and munitions types. (made of metal or composite material). a Fear of collateral damage has been the AvePS (Active Vehicle Protection shaped charged beam triggers the explo- main reason why reactive protection is System) is a launcher-based sive which accelerates the plates against met with scepticism, as the plates in the protection system, shown here on the threat at an angle, which leads to a sig- explosive modules use metals which can a MARDER AIFV. nificant reduction in depth of penetration. cause a considerable shrapnel hazard.

18 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES  Photo: Horst Photo: TenCate

The Active Blast Countermeasure System (ABDS) from Tencate was functionally tested by the IABG. Shown here is a functional module for ground vehicles on display at Eurosatory. The Active Blast Countermeasure System undergoing tests

This concern can be alleviated by us- als (steel, ceramics, composites), as well as proaching threats. Combined radar and ing composite plates and plastic screws active protective elements using explosive IR sensors are used to detect and track which are destroyed when the explosive materials are very difficult to integrate with- the threat at a distance of several hundred detonates in the immediate vicinity of the out significant effect on the vehicle‘s mo- metres, also covering close ranges. vehicle under attack without producing bility because of their volume and weight. When using active protection hard kill pro- any dangerous fragments. The amount These kinds of threats – especially the RPG tection systems, the remaining kinetic en- of explosive used in response to the war- 7 – can be countered with active protec- ergy of the approaching warhead must be head does not result in a significant ad- tion systems working according to the absorbed by a sturdy vehicle hull. Deflect- ditional burden on the vehicle or crew. hard kill principle. ing quick KE fire and additional protective During qualification for two German Active protection systems are offered measures required by IED/EFP effects and Army vehicles, concerns could be over- across the world by a few companies and the dependency on sensors and electron- come, leaving an effective, safe product are already in use on certain combat ve- ics remain a challenge. for protecting military vehicles. This reac- hicles. TROPHY from Rafael uses radar to Active hard kill systems offer the poten- tive protection system is manufactured by identify, trace and neutralise threats with a tial to improve the protection of forces in Dynamit Nobel Defence GmbH. series of small metal projectiles, supported missions. New solutions are available and Reactive protection systems have been by a fire control computer. TROPHY has must be evaluated with regard to their po- used by numerous countries in vehicles for been used successfully with combat ve- tential implementation. some time. In Germany, the dedicated use hicles, such as the MERKAVA Main Battle of non-fragmenting material and special, Tank in Israel. Special Protection Solutions insensitive explosive material has recently IRON CURTAIN by Artis uses radar and gained acceptance. optical sensors to capture targets and Vehicle Light Protection Kit engage them with counter-munitions af- The number of armoured and protected ve- Standoff Active Protection ter calculating the threat. Targets can be hicles in service is limited. Sometimes, un- Systems (Hard Kill) countered at a distance of a few centi- protected vehicles must be deployed which metres. are a particular risk in threat situations. Guided and unguided handheld anti-tank IRON FIST from IMI Systems uses electro- With the Vehicle Light Protection Kit for weapons usually operate at relatively low optical jammers, smoke screens and a lightweight retrofit, Hutchinson offers a speed (150 m/s to 330 m/s), thus provid- hard kill effector. The system has already new product, providing the user a choice ing a window of opportunity during their been tested with heavy and lightweight of the protection level according to the time of flight to actively counter them. The vehicles in motion and in urban environ- threat. basic premise of Hard Kill systems is to ments. The following components can be in- detect and track an approaching threat The Active Defence System (ADS) from stalled: and to engage it using countermeasures IBD Deisenroth/Rheinmetall has redun- • The vehicle glazing is replaced by a (blast or projectile) so it does not cause dant electro-optical sensors which acti- specially-developed, lightweight polycar- any significant damage. The effect is cre- vate a protection sensor when a threat bonate glass. The newly-tested ECE R43 ated at some distance from the protected is identified. Threats are destroyed by py- glass can be used to implement protec- vehicle. Hard kill systems require multiple rotechnic energy. The system is especially tion against gunfire and stones through sensors together with launchers and/or effective in multi-hit scenarios and can be to class VR6 ballistic protection against the active warheads. adapted to all vehicle sizes. 7.62 x 51 mm NATO Standard. Protecting combat and transport vehicles AVePS (Active Vehicle Protection System) • The vehicle surface is painted with from shaped charge warheads is a particu- from Diehl is a launcher-based protec- polyurethane. The enormous resistance lar challenge. Traditional protective materi- tion system for the engagement of ap- attained prevents the vehicle from catch-

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 19  ARMOURED VEHICLES ing fire, while the insulating capability of measured are far below the known critical Camouflage and IR Protection the polyurethane prevents a quick tem- limits for human stress. The development Camouflage nets, -paint and -systems perature rise in the interior of the vehicle. and test phase of the system is advancing to reduce vehicle signatures and can also The crew is not forced to leave the vehicle the level of manufacturing maturity. have limit the effectiveness of thermal even if it completely goes up in flames, for imaging devices with a focus on opti- example from a Molotov cocktail. Electrical Armour cal reconnaissance: they also offer pro- • The wheel assemblies are equipped Electrical armour is still at an early stage of tection against intense sun damage. with emergency running systems so that testing. This protection system is expected ROSY L is a 40 mm rapid-obscuring sys- the mobility of the vehicle is retained un- through high voltage to generate a failure tem for military vehicles from Rheinmetall, der all circumstances, even if the tyres are of the hollow charge spike of a handheld which provides protection against unex- destroyed. anti-tank weapon. Lab tests have been pected attacks during recce or convoy • The wheel assemblies are equipped successful; the implementation of the lab missions. Unlike traditional screen protec- with tire saver shields to protect the tyres results for a military vehicle is required via tion systems, ROSY L generates dynamic from damage and fire. an application-based demonstrator. smoke screens as well as spontaneous, • Optionally and if so desired by the cus- large-area, multispectral interruption to tomer, fire-extinguishing systems can also Multifunctional Self- the line of sight, thus providing sustain- be integrated for the under-floor chassis, Protection System (Soft Kill) able protection for mobile objects. This is wheel housings and the engine compart- a basic system with an operator’s station ment. The MUSS active standoff protection sys- and one to four ROSY launchers per vehi- • Tailor-made ballistic protection ele- tem has been developed for armoured ve- cle. Using a one-click adapter, the system ments which protect the interior of the hicles, and has been integrated with the can be mounted to the vehicle quickly, vehicle are integrated with the vehicle PUMA AIFV. The system works on the soft without tools, and can be dismounted structure. kill principle. Approaching guided missiles for reloading. ROSY L can be integrated with the vehicle‘s onboard information systems. The munitions variants can be individually chosen and fired selectively so

Photo: Horst that smoke- or screening measures can be optimally positioned. ROSY L can make a significant contribu- tion to force protection. The new ROSY Mod version has been developed espe- cially for small weapon stations and light- weight vehicles. ROSY Mod is directly in- tegrated with the vehicle.

Fire Protection

The integration of a fire-extinguishing sys- tem in the engine compartment and a fire suppression system in the crew cabin fur- ther reduce the risk of fire: and a further fire protection measure is the avoidance of Camouflage nets and possible camouflage paint on the LEOPARD MBT hydraulic fluids, mostly through the intro- duction of electric turret drives. With this solution, an adaptive passive are brought off course by jamming their protection solution is offered which can flight controls, or the target is camouflaged Protecting IT Systems be used to close the capability gap in the against target acquisition so that hits are protection between entirely unprotected prevented. MUSS protects against laser- Today, electrical and electronic vehicle and armoured vehicles. and wire-guided missiles and is suitable for control systems use standardised bus sys- use against fire-and-forget weapons. tems (for example CANBus), and IT plays Active Blast Countermeasure System The MUSS system was developed by a an increasing role in weapons systems. The detonation of very large amounts of consortium of EADS Defence & Security IT systems are used to transmit, gather, explosive materials deeply burrowed or in- (DS) (today Airbus Defence and Space), analyse and display all relevant informa- stalled underground mines leads to global Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and tion, and to make it available to operators. rotational movements of the vehicle. Ten- Buck (a subsidiary of Rheinmetall De- Crucial data streams must be protected Cate‘s Active Blast Countermeasure System fence). KMW carried out system integra- against electronic faults, espionage/fal- (ABDS) reduces this rotation through an tion. Buck contributed the pyrotechnic sification and spoofing. Standards are appropriate counter reaction. The protec- countermeasure elements. currently being developed for making tive impact is attained by „force transfor- MUSS was developed in the middle of the changes/modifications to open architec- mation“ whereby the place of installation 1990s. It was first tested on the LEOPARD tures, with one stated aim of the German of the countermeasure elements can be on 2 MBT in 2003. The system was developed armed forces being to integrate all func- either side. Company tests are being car- for integration with the BOXER APC and tional elements through to the individual ried out with the Danish procurement au- the FENNEK scout vehicle as well as the soldier into the command and information thorities, and the biomechanical load values PUMA AIFV. networks to increase the effectiveness of

20 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES 

with a 30 mm calibre and weight of Photo: Rheinmetall around 500 kg. These weapons stations are bolted to the roof, and control ele- ments are connected electrically through the hull. The controller offers the crew a stabilised image of the environment, with variable zoom sizes used to iden- tify and engage targets. The ZETROS protected transport vehicle from Mer- cedes-Benz was the first logistic vehicle to be equipped with a remote-controlled weapon station, as a result of which it was designated as a combat vehicle by the German Army.

The Future

The optimum design of protective systems ROSY launcher unit on a vehicle in military vehicles is dependent on the threat situation and can only be imple- the armed forces and – not least – to in- agents are also useful, allowing the crew mented using an integrated system ap- crease their safety. to respond autonomously and without de- proach. The multitude of possible threats lay to local toxic threats. from incendiary devices via IED effects Protecting Interior Systems through to KE rounds require that indi- Self-Protection and Arming vidual protective components be optimal- The entire crew must be in a position, with ly aligned in order to attain the highest or without personal protective equipment, For many years, the gun mount for an possible survivability for the soldiers and to fulfil their tasks quickly and reliably – as anti-aircraft machine gun – accessible the vehicle. Individual protection solutions per the tactical requirements – inside and via a roof hatch – was the only piece of only have an impact on part of the threats. outside the vehicle. Seats need to offer equipment for accommodating weapons In order to resolve the conflict between settings which take into account different on military vehicles other than combat technical mobility, weight and cost, set- body sizes and weights and various dress vehicles. Under current threat perception, ting priorities, using modular solutions options, including body armour. Typically, remote-controlled weapon stations have and modern technology, plus search- designs work on to a 150 kg norm, includ- become prevalent for providing crews ing for innovative solutions is required. ing equipment. Cross-sectional seating with self-protection day and night. De- To align the protective system optimally, systems can be integrated into protected pending on the design of the weapon early integration of necessary protec- vehicles without restrictions: high mission station, weapons ranging from 7.62 mm tion requirements in the procurement- flexibility is at the fore. to 40 mm calibre can be fitted. relevant documents are of importance. Dynamic load-bearing capacity of seats is Many modern vehicles can bear roof Total, 100% protection for all imponder- subjected to rigorous stress tests, particu- loads between 100 and 200 kg. New ables in combat is not possible, but the larly in the case of blast tests with mines weapon stations such as the FLW500 residual risk must be kept as small as pos- and IEDs. COTS seats adapted to military made by KMW use automatic cannons sible.  requirements are sometimes used, and special attention is paid to the compat- ibility of the soldiers’ personal equipment. Photo: Zwilling NBC Protection/Air- Conditioning System When NBC protection is required, the cabin atmosphere is overpressured, which prevents the ingress of gaseous agents. In modern combat vehicles the NBC protec- tive ventilation system is positioned up- stream of the air-conditioning system, and delivers breathable air, free of chemical or biological agents, dust and suspended sol- ids. The use of a modern NBC protective ventilation system in combination with a powerful air-conditioning system and the ability to remove the COX risk based on active catalytic mechanisms is an impor- tant component of the overall protective FLW remote-controlled weapon station on a ZETROS protected strategy. Sensors for identifying aerosol transport vehicle

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 21  ARMOURED VEHICLES Transparent Protection

Michael Horst

For transparent armour manufacturers, keeping pace with the protection levels of opaque armour solutions, countering the threat and maintaining situational awareness in modern, complex operational scenarios is a greater challenge than ever before.

actical ground mobility has a decisive driver‘s / commander’s optics and elec- ments under road traffic law and envi- Trole to play in the success of military tro-optics. For protected logistic vehicles ronmental effects. operations, but a prerequisite for tactical the requirements are more demanding agility is to maintain visibility of the thea- than for combat vehicles, because the Threats to Visual Systems tre of operations from the driver’s sta- areas to be protected are larger, which tion and from the commander’s, crew’s means engineering attachment to the The effectiveness of visual systems can and combat compartments of armoured main structure is harder to solve. High be influenced by a number of aspects: vehicles. Today these compartments are weight and volume plus resistance to across the entire task spectrum, vision used as control and switchgear centres, impacts, scrapes and falling rock have systems are exposed to potential dam- work stations, rest areas, survival rooms always been a problem for transparent age and degradation from point impacts for crews – and of course, fire bases. armour systems. (gunfire, fragments, splinters) as well as Unlike civilian vehicles, military vehicles Numerous specialist technologies must to the shock effects of IEDs/EFPs explo- must be provided with armoured or pro- work together holistically in order to sives, mines, pyrotechnics, fire and so tected transparent protection using safe- achieve the required capabilities in all on. Environmental influences (heat, cold, ty glass panes, cameras or mirrors and threat situations, as well as the require- damp and dust) in the theatres of opera- Photo: KMW Photo: IVECO

Comparing the size of transparent surfaces of unprotected (right) and protected (left) cabs of a logistics vehicle from Iveco

Photo: KMW Dust and sand can be extremely abrasive. Photo: KMW

Protecting the windscreen against Transparent protective surfaces of the FENNEK dust is a particular challenge.

22 European Security & Defence · January 2017 Transparent STANAG Level 3 Protection Graphics: Horst

e TYRON develops the t

Ceramics super lightweight t Glass arbon a Glass e n c ol y Polycarbonates P anspa r r T

100 mm 50 - 60 mm ATR 210 kg/m² 120-140 kg/m² CARBON Structure and performance comparison of armoured glass for transparent protection The lightest rubber tion have a crucial impact on the visual sion of the edges are likely which would system. lead to a significant extension to current runflat in the world warranty times. Military Requirements Plastic Solutions Transparent protection is of particular im- portance for military vehicles. Driving, self- Window panes made of plastic can be protection and reconnaissance require a manufactured flat or arched. They do not large field of view. However, the windows shatter under fire, and have already proven are a primary target, so the challenge lies their ballistic properties against the effects in providing the same level of protection as of blast and splinters. For the assembly of offered by non-transparent protection sys- the pane, frame and vehicle structure over- tems and to comply with legal roadworthi- all protection against the effects of a blast ness requirements, costs and weight. It is to the structure has to be preserved, and particularly challenging to balance weight, the very wide range of thermal fluctuation, protection and tactical mobility and to especially under fire in arctic conditions, for achieve a growth potential which is always example, and the consequential expansion The patented metal needed for military purposes yet seldom and contraction cycles have to be accom- spine in our rubber achieved, as well as cleaning/heating of modated in the design, engineering and runflat has been the windows. manufacture phases of each vehicle. re-designed in The trade-off between protection, permis- carbon fibre which sible overall weight/air-transport weight Transparent Ceramics and mobility requires as small a surface has reduced the total area as possible for the transparent pro- Transparent ceramic tiles offer consider- runflat weight by over tection solutions and a manageable con- able weight and volume savings. With a 50% struction volume given identical or similar poly-crystalline ceramic material such as capabilities. PERLUCOR® from CeramTec-ETEC, the positive attributes of monocrystals (high Technical Solution Options levels of hardness, strength, and a high melting temperature) are combined with Special glass (armoured glass), plastics or glass (visual and mechanical isotropy). transparent ceramics and various combina- CeramTec-ETEC is known as a manufac- tions are used. turer of transparent protective ceramics based on aluminium-magnesium spinels– Armoured Glass and Multi- a mineral with similar optical properties to Layer Glass Composites glass. This is the first European company to develop transparent ceramics to series Armoured glass panes have been tried and production which has built an appropri- tested with the majority of the vehicles de- ate series production facility. With the aid ployed. They generally offer sufficient pro- of these transparent ceramic parts, various tection. However, they have the disadvan- European and international transparent tage of high weight and volume and a loss protection manufacturers have developed of transparency under fire, especially when more lightweight solutions meeting STAN- hit multiple times. They also abrade easily AG 4569 Level 2 to 4/ATPD which have and suffer under environmental effects. also been awarded ballistic certification. However, we can see optimisation po- Composite armouring has been in use tential in terms of weight, construction with the armed forces for more than 20 volume and performance. For example, years. Thanks to intensive research and www.tyron.com considerable improvements in the adhe- development work, it has been possible to  ARMOURED VEHICLES combine the benefits of ceramics with the properties of other transparent materials. Replacing several glass layers in a tradi-

tional transparent protection system with Photo: CeramTec a thinner layer of the transparent ceramic PERLUCOR® up to 50% savings can be achieved on the weight and build volume. Contemporary systems have an average surface weight of around 210 kilogrammes per square metre, meeting NATO STANAG Level 3 (NATO Standardisation Agreement) 4569. PERLUCOR® can achieve weight sav- ings of 70 to 100 kg/m2. Savings of up to 150 to 170 ­kg/m² are possible with Level 4 systems. The system also offers efficient protection against multiple hits. By building a sight window out of tiles, the required resist- ance versus multiple adjacent hits (multi- hit) is achieved. Using modern adhesives with the same fracture index, it is also possible to protect large vision apertures without visible seams. Ceramics for optical protection Another possible use was found on mis- sions in stony, sandy conditions in Afghani- windscreen against damage, thus increas- thus protecting fragile, sensitive parts. stan. The window panes of the vehicles ing the service life of the panes by three Also in Germany, GuS – working with Cer- were heavily affected by the tough envi- to ten times. amTec – has developed an innovation for ronmental conditions. Stones and dust PERCULOR® offers the same protec- periscopes and driver‘s optics especially for on the windscreen lead to increased wear tion to optical equipment such as tel- use in desert regions. These devices have when cleaning. Scratches reduced mission escopes, camera lenses, infrared devices been manufactured with an external trans- capability, sustainability and the service life or other kinds of sensors. This makes parent ceramic layer. This provides good of the panes. By laminating the front pane this material an alternative to conven- visibility in areas with a high degree of dust with PERCULOR® – less than a millimetre – tional materials. The transparent ceramic and sand. The external ceramic layer offers it was possible to successfully protect the can be used on flat and curved surfaces high resistance to wear. Compared with a periscope or driver`s optics with standard glass, the resistance against abrasion is in- creased up to four times (as per MIL-STD- 810G 510.5), furthermore the remaining visibility after a hit is increased as well.

Composite Solutions

The combination of technical protection benefits offered by plastic composite panes (high performance against IED/EFP effects, multi-hit capability and transpar- ency after fire) and the benefits of trans- parent ceramics (high performance against KE rounds and low weight) – compared to armoured glass panes – makes it possible to achieve considerable weight benefits for a given assembly depth. The first results were presented at Eurosatory 2016, but further studies are necessary in which the cost of development of these possible so- lutions must also be taken into account.

Additional Visual Systems

Heated and partly curved mirrors give the vehicle driver the view towards the rear but also to the area immediately in front of

Photo: Horst and next to the vehicle. The mirrors can be Level 3 transparent protection on a vehicle door adjusted from the seating position and the

24 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES  driver‘s size with numerous, often electri- cal settings. The mirrors extending from Find us on facebook! the vehicle‘s signature in the field are at risk from narrow passages, shrubs/trees. Now that the first vehicles have been reg- istered with cameras instead of the mirrors previously specified for use in road traffic – and now that powerful, rugged, compact  cameras are available, camera-monitor systems have come under consideration and indeed been offered for military lor- ries and combat vehicles. Such systems can also be used for reconnaissance as well as Daily News – Upcoming Events steering the vehicle – in particular, when manoeuvring in a constrained space; blind spots can be seen safely, and for tactical www.facebook.com/eurodefence purposes the exterior lights of the vehicle can remain switched off in combination impact and wear with less weight and con- weathering or matching the size of the with IR cameras or thermal imaging de- struction volume and a longer service life tiles to acceptable road traffic risks – but vices. at a reasonable cost level. Development is progress is being made all the time, and still necessary- for example to protect the the next new breakthrough may be just Outlook adhesion of transparent ceramic tiles from around the corner. 

The optimum design of visual systems in military vehicles can only be effectively im- plemented as part of an overall system. Photo: GUS The high number of military vehicles re- quiring protected visual systems, whether optical or electro-optic – from small, highly agile special forces vehicles to heavy logis- tics trucks, armoured vehicles and up to Main Battle Tanks – means that optimal coordination of individual components in- to an overall protective system is required. Setting priorities and using modern tech- nologies and innovative solutions are nec- essary to overcome the conflict between tactical mobility, weight, cost and battle- field awareness. In general, transparent ceramics and com- posite solutions have proven to be excel- lent materials with very good transparent and ballistic capabilities. A product is now presented to the military customer which Tank periscope with unique ceramic outer layer for higher resistance to offers comparable protection against fire, abrasion

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 25  ARMOURED VEHICLES Armoured Vehicle Turret Weapon Trends

David Saw

The objective of this article is to survey the current turret systems for and supplies. Then, as vehicles developed further, the possibility emerged of having armoured vehicles, specifically Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) and a protected vehicle. Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) platforms, with the main emphasis on The first true armoured car was the Aus- turrets mounting medium-calibre gun systems. tro-Daimler PANZERWAGEN of 1904, a fully armoured 4x4 vehicle with a turret capable of 360-degree traverse mount- ing a single machine gun and 4 mm of ar- mour protection. A second turret variant o assist us in this objective, we will look dition, we will look at a number of other that was open at the back and mounted Tat a major ongoing LAV/IFV procure- turret options and vehicle programmes, two machine guns was also developed. It ment programme to investigate some of both new-build and upgrade. is believed that only two PANZERWAGEN were completed. The vehicle was evalu- ated by the Imperial German Army in the 1905 summer manoeuvres and then in 1906 by the Austro-Hungarian Army. Neither was impressed enough to further Photo: Rheinmetall explore the possibilities. Elsewhere others were more open mind- ed. The French Charron company had integrated a Hotchkiss machine gun in a protected mounting with their vehicle chassis in 1902, but their first true ar- moured car would emerge in 1906. Not only was this the first true production armoured vehicle, it was also the first international collaborative armoured ve- hicle programme! In 1905 Russian Army officer M.A. Nakashidze developed an armoured car design, featuring armour with a thickness of 4-8 mm, and a fully rotating turret: the Russian Army was very interested but there was no suitable manufacturing capability for a vehicle of this nature in Russia and so the work of making the design a reality was sub-con- tracted to Charron in France. Under LAND 400 Phase 2 and Phase 3, the Australian Army is engaged The armoured car, later called the in a major update of its light armoured vehicle fleet. Under LAND 400 NAKASHIDZE-CHARRON, was built on a Phase 2, Australia hopes to acquire 225 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles Charron chassis. Eventually, 12 were built (CRV) to replace the existing ASLAV vehicles. The Rheinmetall BOXER for the Russian Army, and these were de- is one of two contenders chosen to contest the next phase of this livered in 1908. An additional four were programme. built and remained in France and were used by the French Army in 1914. While the turret choices available and explore The armoured vehicle and turret combi- Charron pulled out of military work, oth- the question of manned or unmanned nation has been around for a long time; er French companies entered the field turret/weapon station solutions. In ad- it actually predates the arrival of the tank. and benefitted from a torrent of orders in Karl Benz is credited with the first pro- 1914. These companies included Hotch- Author duction car in 1888, after which auto- kiss, Panhard, Renault and Peugeot. motive advancement was rather rapid, The earliest tanks did not have turrets, David Saw is a specialist defence and it soon became clear that this new mounting their weapons in sponsons or writer based in Paris, France and a automotive technology had significant at the front of the vehicle. The British regular contributor to ESD. military applications. Initially, the obvious were the first to test a turret on a tank, application was in transporting personnel but the first to get a tank with a turret

26 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES  into service were the French in the shape of the Renault FT tank in 1917. Initially the FT turret mounted a Hotchkiss machine gun, but later variants were equipped with an SA19 Puteaux 37mm gun. The next step was to fit a long-barrel 37mm gun in the FT, but the end of the war put paid to those plans. The arrival of the internal combustion en- gine, the need for mobility, the need for protection and the need for firepower all conspired to make the turret system a reality. Now 112 years after the design of the first armoured vehicle turret, the tur- ret remains a critical factor in armoured vehicle design. For our purposes of de- scribing current turret requirements, a

useful place to start is with a look at the Photo: US Army turret aspects of some current Australian The GDLS bid for LAND 400 Phase 2 offered the Kongsberg Protech armoured vehicle programmes. MCT-30 unmanned turret mounting the Orbital ATK XM813 30x173 mm cannon. This turret has been selected by the US Army, with 83 turrets Selection Scenarios to be delivered to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Germany to upgrade their STRYKER vehicles. According to the Australian Army: “Pro- ject LAND 400 aims to enhance the in the contemporary and future opera- (the Australian version of LAV-25) com- mounted close combat capability of the tional environment.” Under LAND 400 prising 250 vehicles. Contract signature is Land Force by providing armoured fight- Phase 2, Australia is looking to acquire expected in quarter 4 of 2018, with Initial ing vehicles with improved firepower, 225 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles Operating Capability (IOC) from 2022. protection, mobility and communication (CRV) to replace the current Australian The 225 CRV are to fulfill seven combat characteristics to enable tactical success Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) fleet roles: Reconnaissance and Counter Re-

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connaissance (129 vehicles), Command and Control (26), Joint Fires (8), Surveil- lance (17), Ambulance (15), Repair (20) and Recovery (10). Competitors for the CRV programme were BAE Systems with the AMV 35, a variant of the Patria AMV with the E35 turret of the CV9035 IFV as used by Den- mark and the Netherlands. This manned

Photo: BAE Australia turret mounts an Orbital ATK BUSHMAS- The BAE Systems AMV 35 is the other contender selected to contest the TER III cannon in 35x228 mm calibre. next phase of the Australian LAND 400 Phase 2 programme. Australia Another contender was the Elbit SENTI- decided not to further evaluate proposals from Elbit and GDLS. The AMV NEL 2, which comprises the Singapore 35 is a combination of the Patria AMV with the BAE Systems Hägglunds Technologies Kinetics TERREX 3 vehicle E35 turret of the CV9035 IFV mounting a 35 mm cannon. fitted with the Elbit MT30 turret mount- ing the Orbital ATK Mk44 30x173 mm BUSHMASTER II cannon and two Rafael SPIKE-LR anti-tank missiles. The MT30 is a manned development of the current UT30 Mk 2 Remote Controlled Weapon Photo: Rheinmetall) station (RCWS). Rheinmetall offered the BOXER vehicle with the LANCE turret, which is a modular two-man turret sys- tem that can mount either a 30 mm or 35 mm cannon; for this application the 30x173 mm MK30-2/ABM cannon was fitted. The MK30-2/ABM has a program- mable munitions capability including air burst rounds. Thales and the Australian arm of General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS-A) proposed the LAV 6.0 vehicle from GDLS Canada with the Kongs- The Rheinmetall LYNX armoured vehicle family made its public debut at berg Protech MCT-30 unmanned tur- Eurosatory 2016. Available in two versions, KF-31 and the larger KF-41, ret mounting the Orbital ATK XM813 the LYNX is being offered to meet the requirements of the Australian 30x173 mm cannon. This was the only LAND 400 Phase 3 programme. Australia is looking for a total of 450 totally unmanned turret option offered. Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and 18 Manoeuvre Support Vehicles As General Dynamics were the supplier (MSVs) to replace their old M113AS4 vehicle fleet. of the incumbent ASLAV vehicle in Aus- tralia, many believed that they were a very strong contender. The decision by GDLS-A to offer the MCT-30 turret for the Australian pro- gramme had sound reasoning behind it. Photo: CMI Defence The US Army has selected the MCT-30 turret for its STRYKER LAV, purchasing an initial quantity of 83 systems that will be fitted to existing vehicles deployed by the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Germany, with an additional eight prototype sys- tems to be delivered from the end of 2017. The MCT-30 has 156 ready rounds of 30x173 mm ammunition and a coax M240 7.62x51 mm machine gun with 400 rounds. The XM813 is a version of the Mk 44 BUSHMASTER II fitted with a slightly longer barrel (25.4 mm) and the ability to use programmable rounds, in- cluding the Mk310 air burst ammunition. The CMI Defence stand at Eurosatory featured two members of the In addition to its STRYKER application the new modular Cockerill 3000 Series turret family. On the left is the 3030 MCT-30 turret has also been suggested turret mounting a 30 mm cannon, while on the right is the 3105 turret as a possible upgrade for the M2A3 mounting a 105 mm gun for Fire Support Vehicle (FSV) applications. For BRADLEY vehicle. medium-calibre applications, the 3000 Series turret can also support This segment of the LAND 400 pro- 35 mm, 40 mm and 50 mm cannon. gramme has taken a significant step for-

28 European Security & Defence · January 2017 Masthead EuropeanARMOURED Security & Defence VEHICLES  Issue 1/2017 – IAV Special ISSN 1617-7983 · www.euro-sd.com ward. At the end of July the Australian The-Shelf (MOTS) solutions – existing sys- Published by Department of Defence announced that tems that could be adapted to Australian MITTLER Mittler Report Verlag GmbH it had selected two designs to go for- requirements. The Phase 3 requirement A company of the Tamm REPORT Media Group ward into the next stage of the LAND calls for systems that offer a technology 400 Phase 2 procurement process. The growth path throughout their service life. Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Peter Bossdorf (pb) vehicles in question are the AMV 35 and An important point to note is that while Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Henning Bartels (hb) the BOXER. Australian thinking on the Phase 2 re- Managing Editor (Magazine): Stephen Barnard (sb) Managing Editor (Newsletter): Dorothee Frank (df) quirement seems to favour a manned tur- Industrial Editors: Waldemar Geiger (wg), Jürgen Hensel (jh), ret solution, for Phase 3 they seem happy Gerhard Heiming (gwh), Dieter Stockfisch (ds) IFV Solutions Correspondents: Rolf Hilmes (Army Technology), Peter Preylowski to look at both manned and unmanned (Airborne Systems) If the Australian LAND 400 Phase 2 turret solutions. Apart from the 312 tur- Regional Correspondents: Tamir Eshel (Israel), Tim Guest (UK), Jaime programme was impressive, the follow- reted IFVs, 85 of the specialist variants Karremann (The Netherlands), Beka Kiria (Georgia), Shinichi Kiyotani (Japan), Yury Laskin (Russia), J. Bo Leimand (Denmark), Jay Menon on phase LAND 400 Phase 3 can be will be fitted with a Remote Weapon Sta- (India), Chet Nagle (USA), Luca Peruzzi (Italy), David Saw (France) described as extremely ambitious and tion (RWS) mounting either a 12.7 mm or Supported by the editorial team of “Europäische Sicherheit & Technik” expensive. The key element here is the 7.62 mm machine gun, or alternatively Publishers: Rainer Metzner, Henning Bartels replacement of the current fleet of 431 a 40 mm Automatic Grenade Launcher Layout: M113AS4 Armoured Personnel Carri- (AGL). davis creativ media GmbH, Germany Production: Lehmann Offsetdruck GmbH 22848 Norderstedt, Germany Office address: Mittler Report Verlag GmbH

Photo: via Author Baunscheidtstraße 11, 53113 Bonn, Germany Phone.: +49 228 3500870, Fax: +49 228 3500871 Email: [email protected], www.mittler-report.de Director of Marketing Jürgen Hensel (jh) Baunscheidtstraße 11, 53113 Bonn, Germany Phone: +49 228 3500876, Fax: +49 228 3500871 Email: [email protected] Advertising Representatives: Dipl.-Betrw. Uwe Nemeyer, optiproject GmbH – Agentur für sicherheitspolitische und wehrtechnische Kommunikation Von-Imhoff-Weg 5, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany Phone: +49 2226 909637, Fax: +49 2226 909653 Email: [email protected], www.optiproject.de France/Italy Diana Scogna Phone: +33 6-6252-2547, Email: [email protected]

Israel Tamir Eshel P.O.Box 2696, Qadima 609200, Israel Phone: +972 54-450-8028, Email: [email protected]

Turkey Özkilinc Consulting A KMDB BTR-3E1 of the Royal Thai Army (RTA), equipped with a SHKVAL Korhan Özkilinc, General Manager Overhead Weapon Station (OWS). This mounts a 30 mm ZTM-1 cannon, mobile: +49 (0) 163 6930925, Email: [email protected] 7.62 mm coax, 30 mm AG-17 AGL and two SKDB Luch BARYE anti-tank UK/Ireland/Eastern Europe missiles. The SHKVAL is being offered as the turret solution for a new Stephen Barnard, c/o Mittler Report Verlag GmbH Phone: +49 228 35 00 886, Email: [email protected] BMP-1 upgrade being proposed by Ukrainian industry. USA/Canada Black Rock Media, Inc., Diane Obright, ers with 450 Infantry Fighting Vehicles As far as the IFV is concerned, Australia is 810 Val Sereno Drive, Olivenhain, CA 92024, USA (IFVs), with first deliveries of the replace- looking for a vehicle that can carry eight Phone: +1 858-759-3557, Email: [email protected] ment system in 2025. Also included in dismounts with “full combat ensemble”. Russia & CIS LAND 400 Phase 3 is the acquisition of Protection against KE threats over 30° Laguk Co., Yury Laskin, General Director Krasnokholmskaya Nab., 11/15, 132, RF-109172 Moskau, Russian 18 Manoeuvre Support Vehicles (MSVs). of frontal arc should be STANAG 4569 Federation, Phone: 007-495-911-1340, Fax: 007-495-912-1260, The 450 IFVs requirement includes; 312 Level 6, while protection against mine Email: [email protected] turreted IFVs, 26 Command variants, 16 blast should be STANAG 4569 Level Subscription/Reader Service: Joint Fires vehicles, 11 Engineer Recon- 4a/b. In terms of lethality, the IFV must PressUp GmbH, Postfach 70 13 11, 22013 Hamburg, Germany, Phone: +49 40 38 66 66-319, naissance vehicles, 39 Combat Engineer have a weapon capable of dealing with Fax: +49 38 66 66-299, Email: [email protected] vehicles,14 Ambulances, 14 Recovery IFV/AFV target frontal armour at 2,500 European Security & Defence © 2017 Mittler Report Verlag GmbH variants and 18 Repair variants. The MSV metres. This requirement can be met by The views expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or is an armoured engineer vehicle: capa- a 30x173 mm calibre system or larger. publisher. bilities would include minefield clearance The IFV must also be capable of a ‘sin- All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced and safe-lane marking, plus obstacle con- gle lift’ in a Boeing C-17A transport air- without prior written permission of the publisher in Bonn. struction and clearance, amongst others. craft (eight of these aircraft are in ser- Cover Photo: Oshkosh With LAND 400 Phase 2, Australia was vice with the Royal Australian Air Force). Annual subscription rate (8 issues): €49.80 incl. postage looking at what it called Military-Off- The ballpark requirements for the IFV

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 29  ARMOURED VEHICLES

space penalties than a manned system. As far as contenders for the programme are concerned, the situation for Phase 3 is not clear-cut at this point. Some potential candidates have emerged in the shape of the BAE Systems Hägglunds CV9035 with the E35 turret. Another contender is the General Dynamics-European Land Systems (GDELS) ASCOD II, which is the basis for the British Army AJAX vehicle.

Photo: US Army In the variants used by Austria and Spain, Indian Army BMP-2 vehicles on exercise. Uralvagonzavod produced the SP-30 turret mounts a 30x173mm 14,000 BMP-2 vehicles in the 1980s, with the vehicle also produced in MK30-2 cannon, whereas the British the then Czechoslovakia, and still in production in India as the SARATH. AJAX has the 40 mm CTA cannon in a The 2A42 30x165mm cannon of the BMP-2 is reaching its limits these Rheinmetall-designed turret. days, opening the way for future potential BMP-2 turret upgrades. At Eurosatory 2016 in Paris, Rheinmetall unveiled their new LYNX armoured vehi- cle family. This is available in two versions: the KF-31 (three crew and six dismounts); and the larger KF-41 (three crew and eight dismounts), with the turret system being the Rheinmetall LANCE turret as

Photo: Paramount Group offered for LAND 400 Phase 2. It should be noted that a twin-round launcher for the SPIKE-LR anti-tank missile can be fit- ted to the LANCE turret. Apart from the IFV version, specialist variants of LYNX are also available, such as command and control, repair and recovery and ambu- lance.

Alternatives

The Australian LAND 400 programme is, The 8x8 version of the MBOMBE armoured vehicle from the Paramount without a doubt, an ambitious undertak- Group of South Africa was displayed in Kazakhstan in June mounting the ing and will certainly be very expensive. Russian AU-220M BAIKAL unmanned turret system. This has a 57x347SR It will be fascinating to see how much of calibre cannon, originally used in the S-60 anti-aircraft system, that offers the original Phase 2 and Phase 3 require- significant performance against both hard and soft targets. ments survive to the point where vehicles actually come into service. On a different presented above bring us to another level, this Australian programme provides critical set of considerations: size and us with some important insights with weight. Keeping within those parameters regard to turrets. For example, to meet

Photo: via Author will have a direct impact on the choice lethality requirements the 30x173 mm of turret. To get eight dismounts and all round, whether used from the BUSH- of their kit into a vehicle requires a cer- MASTER II, XM813 or the MK30-2, ap- tain amount of space; to give the vehicle pears to meet the outlined lethality re- an acceptable level of mine protection quirements. This reinforces suggestions will cost weight; to give the vehicle the that the common 25x137 mm calibre may desired level of protection against KE have reached its limits in many vehicle and similar threats also costs weight. applications. Sensors, communications, other sub- One could also make the case for a larg- systems and the automotive elements er calibre, as offered in the E35 turret all carry a weight penalty. Finally, the as proposed with the AMV35 and the turret, whether manned or unmanned, CV9035, in the form of the Bushmaster of course also incurs a weight penalty. III in 35x228 mm calibre. The downside That being said, an unmanned turret of a larger calibre is that the rounds re- solution will be lighter and have fewer quire more space in an already space-

The old BMP-1 with its 2A28 73mm smoothbore gun is of limited utility these days, forcing operators to look for new solutions. Here a Syrian Army BMP-1 has had a somewhat rough and ready upgrade with a ZU- 23-2 twin 23x152 mm anti-aircraft gun being fitted on turret mount on the vehicle roof.

30 European Security & Defence · January 2017 FUTUREARMOURED VEHICLES  constrained environment. On the other hand, the increased lethality of the larger rounds should mean fewer rounds are required to successfully engage a target. Others have opted INDIRECT for larger calibres from the start; for example the Swedish CV90 uses a 40 mm gun, as does the Korean K-21 in the form of the S&T Dynamics K-40 system. And of course there is the 40 mm CTA system selected by the British for the AJAX ve- hicle. Indeed, growth opportunities exist for BUSHMASTER II operators, as the gun can be upgraded from 35 mm to 40 mm FIRES calibre to use the SUPER FORTY 40x180 mm ammunition. For the BUSHMASTER III there is an upgrade path in prospect to CONFERENCE 50 mm calibre, with the 50x330 mm SUPERSHOT round cur- . rently in development. BRISTOL UK Others are looking at larger calibres still. For example, the Russian AU-220M BAIKAL unmanned turret system mounts TH a 57x347SR cannon, as originally used in the old S-60 anti- 28 FEBRUARY aircraft artillery system, and a 7.62 mm coax. In June the Para- ST mount Group of South Africa unveiled an 8x8 version of their & 1 MARCH 2017 MBOMBE LAV at the Kazakhstan Defence Expo (KADEX) in Astana. This 28-tonne vehicle mounts the AU-220M turret and could be produced by a joint venture, Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), in Kazakhstan as the BARYS 8. A larger calibre cannon might not be the optimal solution at this point though. The 30x173 mm calibre still has plenty of growth potential left, as illustrated by the fact that the US Army Arma- ment Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) have partnered with CMI Defence of Belgium in a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to develop an unmanned medium-calibre turret that will integrate the 30 mm XM813 gun with a linkless ammunition handling system. The turret will also receive a new precision fire control system with new user interfaces to allow for rapid and successful target en- gagement. The new turret is due to be delivered to ARDEC by mid-2017 and can potentially be used in future Stryker vehicle upgrades. CMI has re-emerged as a major turret supplier. For example, in January Indonesia ordered 50 BADAK 6x6 Fire Support Vehicles (FSV) from local company Pindad and the vehicles will have a CMI turret mounting a 90 mm medium pressure gun. The recent massive Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) order for the GDLS Canada LAV 6.0 will mount a substantial number of CMI turrets including an FSV variant with a 105 mm gun sys- tem. At Eurosatory 2016, CMI unveiled a new option, whereby their 3105HP turret, mounting a 105 mm gun, is integrated with a Thales Optronique SPY’RANGER UAV system. This will provide a forward observation capability for indirect fire, a reconnaissance capability and increased situational awareness. The current primary turret offering from CMI is their 3000 Series modular turret system that was first unveiled at IDEX in 2015. This has four variants for medium-calibre weapons in 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm and 50mm calibres. For FSV ap- plications, the 3090 turret has a 90 mm medium pressure gun with an optional Gun-Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile (GLATGM) capability. Then at the top of the spectrum is the 3105 turret with a 105 mm gun with optional GLATGM. The GLATGM is the FALARICK, which was developed by SKDB Luch in the Ukraine. In the final analysis it is plain that there is no shortage of suit- able turret wapon solutions, either manned or unmanned, for operators to consider. In the medium-calibre segment, weapon options extend from 30 mm up to 57 mm, accommodating most operational requirements. However, weight and space constraints in armoured vehicles will continue to act as a limit- ing factor for operators as they seek firepower solutions. 

www.dset.co.uk  ARMOURED VEHICLES No Mere Coincidence

Interview with Amar Karia, Head of Armoured Vehicles Portfolio, Defence IQ Photo: Defence IQ

ESD: What is the UK‘s global standing Karia: That’s a tough question, given how when it comes to Armoured Vehicle tech- little we know just yet about the MIV. What nology, design, manufacturing and opera- we do know is that the Army has identified tional experience? an enduring requirement for this 8x8 – as Karia: The UK is, for good reason, still held well as for the concept of multirole func- in the highest regard among international tionality – and so there is a certain urgency armoured vehicle designers and manufac- to ensure the capability is filled on time and turers. There is of course a wealth of nations ESD: What is there for interested par- within budget. How this programme devel- now rapidly building local industries in this ties – both national and international – to ops may well shed light on the government’s field, especially in the emerging markets, learn from the CHALLENGER upgrade pro- adherence to its commitments to UK industry but in terms of engineering, expertise and gramme? and jobs, but sometimes sacrifices are made experience – owing much to the UK’s in- Karia: Above all else, I would say that it simply to guarantee that the best equipment vestment in mechanical engineering and underlines the current commitment and re- gets into the field, a very difficult balancing its culture of promoting innovation and sponsiveness of the defence industry when act. Making those decisions is never easy and, entrepreneurship – British products, on it comes to meeting what are very high-level as the rumours circling MIV have certainly the whole, continue to carry with them demands for modern day military systems. been contentious thus far, I would at least a stamp of quality. It’s the reason why so We’re seeing numerous multinational com- anticipate more contention. Let’s just hope many UK vehicle suppliers and OEMs are panies joining forces to bid on the LEP (Life that the experts involved in the programme seeing strong business globally and why Extension Programme), and often, even if are doing all they can to balance the impact British proprietary designs are frequently those bids are not secured, the processes the contract will have on the wider industry acquired by bigger foreign manufacturers and connections formed can lead to fur- with the real needs of those on the front line. (for example General Dynamics’ purchase ther opportunities down the line on other of Force Protection). This is good news be- programmes. European cooperation is still ESD: And finally: the IAV series of confer- cause the UK market for armoured vehicles happening regardless of Brexit worries. The ences has matured into a well-established is obviously not as strong as it used to be, LEP itself echoes what we are hearing from and effective event with ever-increasing in- ternational potential: would you regard it as an essential piece of professional develop- ment a) for the Armed Forces, and/or b) for industry? If yes, why? and if not, why not? Karia: You only have to ask those in at- Photo: BAE Systems tendance what they think in order to un- derstand the significance of the IAV events. Professionals are getting tired of huge ex- hibitions offering lots of people traffic, tyre kickers, but not really returning enough quality in customer leads. The IAV confer- ence and exhibition series ensures that the audience is already filtered down to the right people. IAV offers unrivalled business networking options, first-hand updates on where land forces are investing their time and money, and the chance for military RG41 with Tactical Remote Turret (TRT) leaders to sit down beyond their normal schedules. In other words, it’s become criti- so engaging with foreign markets is key to the community – that the MBT is still very cal for many in this global market – industry survival. Our military also boasts a trove of relevant to modern operations, in spite of and end-user – to stamp these events in operational experience in every type of en- recent trends toward LAVs and MRAPs. Its their calendars. It’s no mere coincidence vironment, so recent government-funded role is changing but the tank remains a sig- that we have the most powerful figures in projects – such as the research and work nificant force multiplier in many situations. the armoured vehicles world converging in being accomplished in blast protection or the same room this year.  survivability – have outstripped many other ESD: And what should we anticipate – and nations. Partnerships like that cannot be un- indeed expect to learn – from the MIV pro- The interview was conducted by derestimated. gramme, up to today and going forward? Stephen Barnard.

32 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES  Tank-killing Missiles for

the Modern Battlefield Doug Richardson

Around 50 different types of antitank missile are currently in service or under development, too many to document in a single article. The text that follows will focus primarily on the most significant recent developments in this field, new products from lesser-known manufacturers, weapons that enjoyed significant export success, and the advanced weapons likely to replace the tried and tested systems of yesteryear. It will concentrate on missiles used by infantry, or fired from vehicles, rather than specialised gun-launched or air-launched weapons.

he first generation of antitank mis- and HOT introduced semi-automatic com- has been used in seven wars (eight if the Tsiles were wire-guided weapons of the mand to line-of-sight (SACLOS) guidance. current civil war in Syria is included). command-to-line-of-sight type. These re- Following missile launch, the task of the The main current versions are the TOW-2A lied on having a trained operator with the operator is to keep his aiming mark aligned (fitted with a tandem HEAT warhead able to skill needed to fly a newly-launched missile with the target. A sensor at the launcher penetrate with first and second generation onto the sight line between the launcher tracks the missile via an on-board bea- ERA [explosive reactive armour]) and TOW- and the target, then keep it there through- con, or tail-mounted flares, allowing the 2B (carrying two top-attack warheads). out its flight to the target. launcher electronics to automatically com- There is also a bunker-busting variant. The maximum range of TOW was limited to 3,750 m by the amount of wire that could be carried within the missile, but in 2006 Raytheon was awarded a US Army contract Photo: US Army to deliver a wireless version of TOW 2A to the US Army. Use of an RF link increased the maximum range to 4,500 m. The last wire-guided TOW rounds were delivered in 2009. Initially the wireless version was fielded as a ground-launched weapon, but in 2010 Raytheon announced that it would develop a suitable airborne launcher for RF-guided TOWs. Tested in 2014, this is aimed at the export market. Originally developed by Euromissile, and now manufactured by MBDA, the MILAN (Missile d´Infanterie Léger ANtichar) was accepted for service in 1972. Like TOW, it enjoyed major export success, being or- dered by more than 40 nations. The current A US Army soldier mans a BGM-71 TOW system in Kunar Province, production version is the MILAN 3, which Afghanistan, in May 2009. is armed with a tandem HEAT warhead and carries a flash lamp rather than a flare During the 1970s, missiles such as the Ray- pute and transmit the corrections needed to provide a bright source for the tracking theon (formerly Hughes) BGM-71 TOW to keep the round flying along the sight line system built into the MILAN 3 firing post. (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire- to the target. Operator training is simpli- MBDA anticipates a strong demand from guided) missile, and Euromissile’s MILAN fied, but the system still faces the tactical existing MILAN operators for an improved limitation that the operator needs to track variant, and so has developed the MILAN Author the target throughout the entire missile ER (Extended Response). This is based on flight, and cannot switch to a new target a fully digital firing post, and uses a rede- Following an earlier career in engineer- until the first engagement has been com- signed missile with a new rocket motor of ing, Doug Richardson is a defence pleted. A planned TOW-FF (TOW-Fire and increased performance, a new jet deflec- journalist specialising in topics such Forget) version fitted with an IIR seeker was tor subsystem, and a new warhead. It has as aircraft, missiles, and military elec- cancelled in 2001. greater in-flight manoeuvrability than ear- tronics. Since entering service in 1970, TOW has lier MILAN variants, and a maximum range seen service with around 50 countries. It of 3,000 m.

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 33  ARMOURED VEHICLES

In the US, the Army Missile Command’s Advanced Anti-tank Weapon System – Me-

Photo: MBDA dium (AAWS-M) programme explored the potential of IIR-based fire-and-forget guid- ance. Full-scale engineering development of what would become the JAVELIN com- menced in 1989, and in 1994 the US DoD had enough confidence in the weapon to authorise an initial Low-Rate Initial Produc- tion (LRIP-1) batch. Work on JAVELIN is divided between Ray- theon and Lockheed Martin. The missile is delivered in a sealed launch-tube assembly that the operator attaches to a Command Launch Unit (CLA) incorporating a day/ thermal sight. Once the missile’s seeker has been locked onto a suitable target, the weapon can be launched. It can fly in direct-attack or top-attack mode, deliver- The MILAN ADT firing post was developed for the MILAN ER (Extended ing a tandem HEAT warhead intended to Response), a system developed by MBDA for use by armed forces that defeat targets protected by ERA. do not require a fire-and-forget antitank weapon. Officially the missile is stated to have a max- imum range of 2,500 m. However, it has In 2014, MBDA qualified the MILAN ER Although many sources report that KOR- the performance needed to engage targets weapon system, and completed a firing NET uses SACLOS guidance, information at longer range. The basic limitation is that campaign intended to validate series pro- released by KBP indicates that it uses a of locating and identifying targets at longer duction. By that time, three export custom- laser beam-riding system. Once the firing ranges. During trials of vehicle-mounted ers had already chosen the system. post has been aimed at the target, a laser systems, JAVELIN has successfully engaged Two European weapon systems have ap- is activated. The missile uses rear-mounted targets at a range of more than 4,000 m. plied SACLOS to a shorter-ranged weapon. sensors to detect the laser energy and steer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ SPIKE- MBDA’s ERYX has a maximum range of itself onto the centreline of the beam. It MR (medium range) is similar in general 600 m, and is armed with a tandem HEAT maintains this position in the beam until concept to JAVELIN, and has a maximum warhead intended to penetrate more than impact with the target. range of 2,500 m. But while the US missile 900 mm of rolled homogeneous armour The latest version of the system is known has an IIR seeker, the Israeli weapon has a (RHA) plate protected by ERA. The missile as KORNET-EM. Its firing post can be used dual-mode seeker with CCD and IIR chan- entered French service in 1993, and export with a new generation of missiles, or with nels. Optional day-only CCD and night/ad- sales have included at least six customers. the earlier KORNET-series missile. The verse conditions IIR seekers were offered at A contract signed by Turkey in 1999 was re- 9M133M-2 has a maximum range of 8,000 an earlier stage in the Israeli programme. ported to have been cancelled in 2004, but the weapon was still listed in the 2011 cata- logue of Turkey’s Mechanical and Chemical Industries Corporation (MKEK). Serbia’s BUMBAR short-range antitank missile system is similar in concept to ERYX and is in the same performance class. How- Photo: Doug Richardson ever, its development has been protracted; by the time that a small batch of low-rate production systems was delivered in 2012- 13, some of its subsystems were already considered near-obsolete. As a result, the firing post had to be redesigned, and the new configuration offers improved capa- This cutaway model of the BUMBAR was displayed at the 2012 Eurosatory bilities and a lighter weight. exhibition. The KBP 9K111 FAGOT (AT-4 “SPIGOT”) and 9K113 KONKUS (AT-5 “SPANDREL”’) m and carries a tandem HEAT warhead, SPIKE LR is based on the MR version, but systems were the first SACLOS antitank while the 9M133FM-2 has a thermobaric has an improved guidance system that weapons fielded by the former Soviet Un- warhead. The 9M133FM-3 missile has a gives the missile an effective range of more ion, but neither enjoyed the degree of ex- maximum range of 10,000 m and carries than 4,000 m. A trailing optical fibre data port success attained by the later KORNET a much smaller warhead. It is intended for link allows the operator to observe seeker (AT-14 “SPRIGGAN”). The latter is avail- use against slow-moving air targets such imagery, refine the missile’s aim point or able in ground-based or vehicle-mounted as helicopters. A KORNET-EM firing post even switch to an alternative target, or forms, and uses 9P163-1 (tandem HEAT allows a two-missile salvo to be fired at steer the missile to a safe impact point warhead) and 9M113-1 (thermobaric war- what KBP terms "extra dangerous targets if the engagement needs to be aborted. head) missiles. including those protected by ERA". SPIKE NLOS is a heavier missile that uses

34 European Security & Defence · January 2017 ARMOURED VEHICLES 

mum range is 4,000 m, and its tandem HEAT warhead was designed to penetrate 1,000 mm of rolled steel armour protected by ERA. China has had some limited success in ex- porting its antitank missiles. The HONGJI- AN-8 (RED ARROW-8) and RED ARROW-9 used SACLOS guidance, but in 2014 its first fire-and-forget system was revealed. Des- ignated HONGJIAN-12 (RED ARROW-12),

Photo: Raytheon this uses an uncooled IIR seeker to provide A ready-to-fire JAVELIN system consists of a sealed launch-tube attached all-weather day and night capability, but a to a Command Launch Unit (CLU) incorporating a day/thermal sight. less expensive day-only version based on a television imaging seeker is also being of- fered. The launch-tube and missile weigh 17 kg,

Photo: MBDA while the total system weight is 22 kg. Its maximum range is 4,000 m, and the missile can fly either an arched top-attack trajectory, or a direct low-level flight path to the target. Its tandem HEAT warhead is reported to be able to penetrate 1,100 mm of conventional steel armour protected by ERA. In recent years, several countries have joined the ranks of those offering modern antitank missiles. In Ukraine, State Kyiv De- sign Bureau Luch has developed three sys- tems – SKIF, BAR’ER and CORSAR. The SKIF infantry-operated system is based on the R-2 missile, a SACLOS guided weap- on that receives steering commands trans- Like many modern antitank missile systems, the MBDA Missile Moyenne mitted from the firing post via a laser beam. Portée (MMP) uses a soft-launch technique that allows a missile to be Luch is responsible for the R-2 missile and fired from inside buildings or bunkers. Once the missile has cleared launcher tripod, while the Belarusian com- the launch-tube and flown a safe distance from the launcher, the main pany Peleng supplies the PN-S optronic motor then ignites. guidance system. The SKIF operator can choose between firing modes; the missile an encrypted radio frequency (RF) two-way launched in fire-and-forget mode, but a can fly directly along the line-of-sight (LOS) data link instead of an optical fibre, and trailing fibre-optic link allows seeker im- to the target, or a trajectory above the LOS. has a maximum range of 25 km. Designed agery to be sent to the firing post, allow- The BAR’ER vehicle-mounted system is an- to be launched from ground vehicles, it is ing the missile to be retargeted in flight, or other application of the R-2 missile. In this powered by a dual-thrust rocket motor. steered to a harmless crash location if the case, Belarus supplies the PN-K1 guidance Originally fielded by the Israeli forces, it engagement needs to be aborted. Its maxi- system. was ordered by the UK and fielded as the EXACTOR Mk 1. Still mounted in an M113 APC (a vehicle not normally in UK service), it saw combat during British operations in

Iraq and Afghanistan. This use of a US vehi- Image: NORINCO cle by the UK forces made the system easy for opposition forces to recognise. The UK has since fielded EXACTOR Mk2, which us- es a four-round trolley mounted launcher. In 2013 France ordered the MBDA Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP) as its next-gener- ation antitank missile system. Formal quali- fication trials are due to be completed by the end of 2016, but serial production is already under way to allow first deliveries to the French armed forces to begin in 2017. 400 MMP firing posts and 2,850 missiles have been ordered. The missile’s dual-mode seeker combines an uncooled thermal imaging and a day- NORINCO’s HONGJIAN-12 (RED ARROW-12) is a fire-and-forget antitank light television channel. Missiles can be missile for infantry use.

January 2017 · European Security & Defence 35 marking “Customer: Ministry of Defense of Syria”. The use of Iranian TOOPHAN missiles

Photo: Doug Richardson was also reported. During the fighting between Israel and Ha- mas in Gaza in the summer of 2014, most of the 15 antitank missiles fired at Israeli tanks are believed to have been KORNETs. All are understood to have been intercepted by Is- rael’s TROPHY active protection system. KORNET missiles have also been used in the 2014-15 fighting in eastern Ukraine. That country is not a known operator of KOR- NET, so it is likely that these systems were supplied to Ukrainian separatists by Russia as part of its intervention in the conflict. A video released by the so-called Islamic State in April of this year showed a member of this militant group firing a KORNET missile at a Turkish M60T tank. The missile hit the The SKIF infantry-operated system is based on the R-2 missile. tank, but apparently did not penetrate the vehicle’s upgraded frontal armour. Luch is the overall design authority for the India’s NAG (SNAKE) had a protracted de- By April 2014 there was video evidence that CORSAR system and its R-3 missile, while velopment as the programme was started in TOW had been supplied to some anti-Assad Beltech Holding of Belarus is responsible for the 1980s. This 42 kg weapon did not begin forces taking part in the Syrian civil war. In the PN-K1 electro-optical firing and guid- user trials until 2008. The initial version to February of the following year, there were ance system. The basic version is a man enter production uses a mercury cadmium reports that 23 armed groups within the portable system, but CORSAR could be inte- telluride (MCT) IIR sensor. A day-only variant Southern Front of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) grated onto tracked and wheeled platforms. with a charge coupled device (CCD) seeker had used the system. Larger-scale deliveries The R-3 missile uses the same guidance is also planned, as is a version fitted with a to factions affiliated with the FSA had taken technique as the R-2. Its tandem high explo- millimetric wave (MMW) active radar seeker. place in the first half of 2015. sive antitank (HEAT) warhead has a claimed penetration of not less than 550 mm behind ERA. The manufacturer has also offered a high explosive fragmentation (HEF) or ther- mobaric warhead. Belarus seems to be the lead partner of the SHERSHEN (HORNET), a further evolution Photo: Doug Richardson of SKIF. It retains the PN-S optronic guid- ance module and R-2 missile, but the firing post has a lighter-weight tripod made from composite materials, and incorporates modifications intended to increase system reliability. Iran used TOW as the basis for its TOOPHAN (HURRICANE), a weapon whose existence was first reported in 2000. The first version was TOOPHAN 1, which is similar to the basic BGM71A TOW. TOOPHAN 2 is com- The basic version of India's NAG antitank missile is fitted with a nose- parable to the BGM-71C Improved TOW, mounted imaging infrared seeker. and carries a 4.1 kg tandem HEAT warhead fitted with an extendable nose probe. Both So far, however, NAG has attracted only a When Russia attempted a rescue operation variants use SACLOS guidance, but the modest order from the Indian armed forces. following Turkey’s downing of a Russian TOOPHAN 5 is reported to use a laser-based Guided antitank missiles have traditionally Su-24M at the Syria–Turkey border on 24 guidance system. been operated only by the regular or reserve November 2015, a video released by the Speaking at a 2014 conference on equip- armed forces of states, but recent years have 1st Coastal Division of the Free Syrian Army ment for ground forces held in Tehran, seen them being used by insurgent or ir- showed a TOW missile being used to de- General Mehdi Farahi, Iranian Deputy De- regular forces in several conflicts. stroy a disabled Russian helicopter. In Febru- fence Minister and Head of Iran’s Aero- During the 2006 Lebanon War, Hezbollah ary 2016, a video showed FSA rebels firing space Organisation stated that TOOPHAN combatants used KORNET missiles against a TOW missile at a Russian T-90 tank, and existed in seven versions (presumably in- Israeli MERKAVA tanks. Four tanks are re- scoring a hit. There was no evidence that the cluding TOOPHAN 3, 4, and 6), and re- ported to have been destroyed, and a fur- vehicle’s SHTORA soft-kill active protection vealed the existence of further new and ther 24 hit. The likely origin of these missiles system responded to the incoming missile, planned variants up to and including TOO- became clear when KORNET storage boxes but its Kontakt-5 ERA seems to have blunted PHAN 11. captured by the IDF were found to bear the the effects of the TOW warhead. 

36 European Security & Defence · January 2017 LAZAR 3 HELD UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA MULTIROLE ARMORED VEHICLE

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Peaceful and Stable South Asia Should Be in the Interest of the International Community

Zafar Khan Assistant Professor at the Department of Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Islamabad

espite claims from some sections of the world – India gaging and working closely with Pakistan should be the choice Din particular – that Pakistan is becoming isolated, I think of all international actors. it is not wrong to argue that Pakistan remains as vibrant a Pakistan has quickly emerged as a responsible nuclear state state as it deserves to be in the international political system since it tested its nuclear capability in 1998, only after India test- of the 21st century. Pakistan wants to be well connected in ed its nuclear weapons. It is generally argued in Islamabad that if the economically growing and diplomatically interconnected India has not tested its nuclear weapons first, Pakistan could not world, and continues to work both for the betterment of its have gone nuclear. Nevertheless, it has successfully institution- people and the international community. It wishes to have alised its nuclear weapons capability. It has already declared a productive social, political, diplomatic and economic relations nuclear moratorium that it will not carry out more nuclear tests. with all the major powers, including those countries in its im- It follows minimum deterrence and strictly avoids a nuclear mediate neighbourhood. Pakistan has recently achieved great arms race. It believes in deterrence balance rather than parity. successes in the fight against terrorism in order to bring its In short, Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme remains India- house in order. specific, as it acquired deterrent forces for deterrent purposes Pakistan’s democracy is getting back on track as the elected only, rather than for military use. Whatever the deterrent force representatives of major parties have completed or are complet- Pakistan develops in response to India, that remains consistent ing their prescribed terms of service to the nation. Apparently, within the parameters of its policy of minimum deterrence. It the civil-military leadership is working to become integrated and makes sure that prospects for deterrence are not eroded. work for the success of Pakistan. The economic indicators are India continues to put strategic pressure on Pakistan as it plans gradually improving, particularly after the remarkable initiatives to carry out surgical strikes against Pakistan through its Cold between China and India by making sure that China-Pakistan Start Doctrine (CSD). The new Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Economic Corridor (CPEC) becomes a success story. As Russia Rawat, publically confirmed the existence of the CSD for waging and other countries become part of the CPEC, Pakistan can in- limited strikes against Pakistani territories. Moreover, India itself vite India to become part of the growing package of the CPEC. gradually erodes stability in South Asia as it develops nuclear The political as well as economic engagement and integration submarines, aircraft carriers, multiple-independently-targeted of all these players increases cooperation and diminishes the reentry vehicles, inter-continental ballistic missiles, and ballistic possibility of war in the Asian region. missile defence systems. The growing US-India strategic part- It is rational for both India and Pakistan to reconsider a peaceful nership helps India to modernise its conventional force capabil- resolution to all major issues, including the core issue of Kash- ity, that in turn enhances conventional force differences in South mir, with India. Pakistan wants to hold a composite dialogue Asia. Arguably, the more a conventional asymmetry increases process with India to discuss all major issues, including the issue between India and Pakistan, the more it increases the effect of terrorism. In the growing interdependent world where the of reliance on nuclear weapons in South Asia, and the more it demise of one state could directly affect others, Pakistan can- could increase the risk of miscalculation. not go in isolation. The more one may think of keeping Pakistan The international community, particularly the US, can play a isolated, the more complex issues one gets into and the worse central role in South Asia in terms of managing a balancing it gets for international peace and stability. Therefore, Pakistan role, engaging both India and Pakistan for both crisis manage- remains relevant, significant and essential for the South Asian ment and conflict resolution processes, to prevent future crises peace and stability in general and international security in par- between India and Pakistan. A peaceful and stable South Asia ticular. It is important to ask why it is essential for major players should be in the interest of both India and Pakistan in general, to work and engage with Pakistan. For a variety of reasons, en- and the international community in particular.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 41 HDS_Anzeige_Eurosatory_A4.pdf 1 25.01.17 10:49

ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY  The Mortar Company. Filling The Firepower Gap: Mortar Developments

David Saw

The purpose of this article is to look into the subject of mortars, with the low-end of the spectrum from 60 mm, to the widely utilised 81 mm and up to the 120 mm calibre. The utility of mortars is not in doubt, there are however distinct differences between operators on what is the best mix of mortars to have and what is the most effective way of deploying mortar assets.

here is no universally accepted right precise, the lack of people. Europe and 60 mm mortar since 1940 is the US Army Tor wrong way to acquire, deploy and other parts of the world are experiencing and some 77-years later their interest in utilise mortar systems. As with so many a demographic deficit, meaning a decline employing this category of weapon has other areas in the military equipment in the military age population. Therefore not diminished. choices are driven by doctrine, operation- militaries will have to husband their per- Originally each infantry company in the al capability and, usually most important, sonnel resources very carefully, especially US Army had three rifle platoons and by the availability of appropriate fund- those in combat roles, seeking to max- a weapons platoon containing a mor- ing. In mortars as in so many other areas, imise firepower to make up for the lack tar section with three mortar squads what the user community would like to of people. and three M2 60 mm mortars. With a have and what they end up receiving usu- weight of 19.05 kg this was far heavier ally remain somewhat distant from each 60 mm Mortars than the British two-inch mortar system, other, but there is nothing unique about but the M2 had advantages including a that in a military context. Our look at mortars will commence with maximum range of 1,815 metres and a Another factor that must be considered 60 mm calibre systems, seen by many higher rate of fire. Ammunition natures IDEX, these days when trying to develop doc- as exceptionally useful pieces of equip- included HE M49A2 (weight: 1.23 kg), Abu Dhabi, UAE, trine, to build an operational capability ment for the infantry, while others see HE M49A3 (weight: 1.38 kg), WP Smoke 19-23 February 2017, in line with the doctrine and acquire the indirect fire weapons of this nature at pla- M302, Illuminating M83, Target Practice equipment necessary to make the doc- toon and company-level as unnecessary. M50A3 and M69. Soon after taking the Booth No. 07-D05 trine work, is people. Or, to be more One military that has been operating the M2 into service the US decided that it actually needed a lighter weapon and this saw the development of the M19 60 mm mortar system, with the M19 using the same ammunition as the M2. Both of Photo: US Army these systems would remain in use for many years, with the US eventually re- placing them at the end of the 1970s with the M224 mortar. The objective of the M224 was to replace legacy US Army mortar systems and THE COMPRHENSIVE equip light infantry, air assault, airborne, ranger and mountain infantry units with a mortar system that offered increased 60 MM COMANDO MORTAR SYSTEMS. range and rate of fire compared to earlier generation weapons. The M224 was also adopted by the US Marine Corps. Am- The 60 mm Cdo systems is the consequent realization of a highly mobile and effective fire sup- munition types include HE, smoke and port weapon system for infantry units, which can make a different on the battle eld, by providing both visible and infrared illumination. The M242 weighs in at 21.1 kg, it has a crew high angle 60 mm fire support from within. Operated, aligned and commanded by the group of three, with minimum range 70 metres commander, the quick and easy usability of the weapon is combined with the high performance and maximum range 3,489 metres. The M224 is now being replaced in US of the different types of the Commando mortar ammunition family like high explosives, smoke or Army service by the new M224A1 60 mm illumination. Every element of the 60 mm Cdo system was designed to maintain the high mobility Lightweight Company Mortar Systems Soldiers from the Able Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (LCMS) with first deliveries having been by lowering the man burden and accomplish supremacy in fire power. Regiment, 173rd Airborne Regiment, US Army, with their M224 60 mm made to the 1st Special Forces Group in mortar during a training exercise at Rukla, Lithuania in October 2016. Fort Lewis, Washington in June 2011. The The M224 came into service at the end of the 1970s, since June 2011 it is M224A1 uses new materials and this re- With the 60 mm Cdo system every infantry group became one´s own 60 mm fire support team. being replaced by the lighter M224A1 60 mm mortar. duces the weight of the mortar by 20%

42 European Security & Defence · February 2017 hds.hirtenberger.com HDS_Anzeige_Eurosatory_A4.pdf 1 25.01.17 10:49

The Mortar Company.

Abu Dhabi,IDEX, UAE, 19-23 February 2017, Booth No. 07-D05

THE COMPRHENSIVE 60 MM COMANDO MORTAR SYSTEMS.

The 60 mm Cdo systems is the consequent realization of a highly mobile and effective fire sup- port weapon system for infantry units, which can make a different on the battle eld, by providing high angle 60 mm fire support from within. Operated, aligned and commanded by the group commander, the quick and easy usability of the weapon is combined with the high performance of the different types of the Commando mortar ammunition family like high explosives, smoke or illumination. Every element of the 60 mm Cdo system was designed to maintain the high mobility by lowering the man burden and accomplish supremacy in fire power.

With the 60 mm Cdo system every infantry group became one´s own 60 mm fire support team.

hds.hirtenberger.com  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Increasing the lethality of mortar ammu- nition is also the objective of HDS of Aus-

Photo: Saab tria who have developed a new range of HE ammunition for 60 mm commando, 60 mm, 81 mm and 120 mm mortars (HDS manufacture mortars in all of these calibres) using what they call ConFrag technology. This Controlled Fragmenta- tion (ConFrag) technology is designed to increase the lethality of HE ammuni- tion through controlling fragment size and quantity, fragment velocity and the spatial distribution of fragments. With on-target effects significantly enhanced, fewer rounds are necessary to neutralise a target.

The British Experience

The British Army adopted the two-inch A Danish Army mortar crew prepare to load a Saab MAPAM mortar mortar in 1938 and retained it in service round into their 60 mm Expal commando mortar during a firing for more than 40 years. The successor demonstration in Sweden. The MAPAM round provides the same system was the L9A1 51 mm mortar effect as an 81 mm mortar round in its 40-metre lethal zone. First system, this was a light mortar system used in combat by the Danish Army in Afghanistan, the MAPAM was weighing 6.275 kg and capable of fir- subsequently adopted by the US Army as the M1061. ing HE, smoke and illumination rounds out to a range of 750 metres. Unlike the compared to the standard M224, with 60 mm mortars, as used by the Danish US 60 mm mortars neither of the Brit- it now weighing under 17 kg. The new Army in Afghanistan. Other sources of ish systems had a baseplate or a bipod, mortar can utilise all current and legacy 60 mm systems include Denel Land Sys- they were handheld mortars also known 60 mm mortar rounds. In addition, the tems in South Africa and Elbit Systems in as commando mortars. This explains the new mortar has reduced maintenance Israel who had acquired the artillery and range limitation in comparison with their requirements compared to the M224. mortar house Soltam. US counterparts, plus the British mortar The fact that the US Army has introduced rounds weighed less and in the context two 60 mm mortar systems since the late 60 mm Ammunition of HE therefore had less effect. However, 1970s to meet its LCMS requirement, they were very useful pocket artillery for demonstrates that they believe that the Mention should also be made of the en- the infantry platoon and a skilled mor- light mortar still has an important role to hanced 60 mm ammunition types that tar operator could accurately utilise the play in providing indirect fire for the in- are available. A case in point being the capability of the mortar through its full fantry company. The US Army will stand- Saab Bofors Dynamics Switzerland MA- range envelope. ardise on the newer M224A1, with the PAM 60 mm round, which was first used The British Army found itself in intense reduced weight of this system being a in combat by the Danish Army in Afghani- combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, and by significant response to concerns over the stan. This is an insensitive munition, but the time it had focused all of its atten- excessive weight burdens imposed on the the key characteristic is behind the liner of tions on Afghanistan it was becoming infantry during operations in Afghanistan the round, where there is an epoxy matrix very aware of the fact that it was running and Iraq. When you consider the fire- containing steel-ball fragments. When out of ammunition for the L9A1 mortar power options available to the US Army the round detonates 2,400 fragments and had no means of acquiring any more. the fact they continue with the 60 mm are distributed evenly over the 40-metre This led to a debate on whether British mortar is a powerful endorsement of this lethal zone of the round in a controlled Army infantry actually needed a weapon type of system. pattern, providing the same effect as like the L9A1 at the platoon-level, and Elsewhere there are plenty of options an 81 mm mortar round. The MAPAM whether the two men who were re- in the 60 mm mortar area internation- round can be used with all NATO stand- sponsible for the mortar might be better ally, both in terms of commando and ard mortar fuses, on charge one to four employed elsewhere. It was determined conventional mortars. Hirtenberger ranges are 100 to 3,500 metres, with the that after more than 60 years of having Defence Systems (HDS) of Austria has extended range round capable of 4,500 a platoon-level mortar there was no real a commando mortar (M6C 640 Mk1), metres on charge six. The MAPAM round requirement to have one, as the job could plus the conventional M6-895 and M6- was given full materiel release in the US in be performed by the L85A2 assault rifle 1000 mortars in 60 mm calibre. The Brit- October 2016, with the round being clas- with the L123A3 40x46 mm Low Velocity ish Army purchased HDS systems as an sified as the M1061. Thus far Orbital ATK Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL). Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) has produced over 12,000 M1061 rounds Each four-man infantry fire team (two in for Afghanistan, which we will discuss for the US Army and other customers. an infantry section) has the UBGL. Anoth- below. Another European 60 mm mortar The MAPAM round is also available in 81 er factor was the manpower shortage of supplier is Expal of Spain who offer both mm calibre with a range of 5,500 metres the British infantry. If you have a platoon conventional format and commando on charges one to four. with a headcount of 20 or less, getting rid

44 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY  of the mortar and gaining two bodies to mortar systems are to be acquired, of Elsewhere in the US as a part of the use at fire team level has its attractions. which 37 will only be in the commando Enhanced Expeditionary Engagement The 40 mm UBGL is a wonderful thing, configuration, with an initial ammunition Capability (E3C), the US Navy Office but it is most certainly not a mortar, and requirement of 22,400 rounds, service of Naval Research (ONR) is working to the effectiveness of the smoke, illumina- entry is anticipated by 2020. provide the US Marine Corps with the tion or blast produced by a 40 mm LV 81 mm Advanced Capability Extended grenade is significantly less than that of a 81 mm Developments Range Mortar (ACERM) round. This is mortar round. You then have the range designed to provide a precision indirect issue; a 40 mm LV grenade reaches out The standard US Army 81 mm M252 fire capability to battalion commanders, to some 350 metres, the L9A1 works out mortar is a derivative of the British L16 via the provision of a round with a 100% to 750 metres. The end result was that mortar acquired during the 1980s. As to 200% increase in range compared to the British Army issued a UOR for new they did with their 60 mm mortars the a standard 81 mm round and a CEP of mortar systems which was won by HDS US Army is now using a new version of one to five metres. The aim is to give the of Austria. This saw the acquisition of the system that is considerably lighter. 81 mm mortar a 120 mm mortar level of M6C-640 commando mortar as the pla- The legacy M252 had a system weight effectiveness. The ACERM round is cur- toon-level replacement for the L9A1 and of 41 kg, the new M252A1 model is 14% rently in development. the acquisition of the M6-895 mortar lighter with a 35 kg system weight, ac- ACERM has an aerodynamic body with that could be used conventionally with a cording to Picatinny Arsenal. Apart from wings and tail surfaces, it has a combined baseplate and bipod or converted into a using new materials to reduce weight, GPS and Low-Cost Semi-Active Laser commando configuration. The rationale the new M252A1 also has reduced main- Seeker (LCSS) that provides an afford- behind acquiring a 60 mm conventional tenance requirements. The new M252A1 able precision guidance capability and it mortar was that the standard L16A2 81 was first delivered in December 2014 and has what is described as an “optimized mm mortar was far too heavy to employ will replace the old M252 in US service. warhead design” to provide improved away from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) and forces in the field needed an on-call mortar capability that they could deploy with. With Afghanistan now behind the British Army, post-conflict operational analysis and studies appear to have found no real

role for the 60 mm mortar. One justifica- Photo: UK Ministry of Defence tion is that the handheld mortar is inaccu- rate, which is an extraordinary admission when you consider that the British have been using similar configuration systems since 1938. Perhaps the explanation be- hind the inaccuracy issue might be lack of training rather than the equipment. After all, we are not in the realms of super high sophistication with a handheld mortar. As far as the conventional M6-895 mor- tars are concerned it appears that they will remain for the moment with lighter units such as the Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines.

German Opts for 60 mm

While Britain seems to be moving away from 60 mm mortars, Germany is in- volved in a procurement programme for a new 60 mm system. Initially the require- ment was generated by the KSK (Ger- man Special Forces), who wanted a light indirect fire system and then the German Army infantry identified a need for a simi- lar weapon. In effect, they are looking for a mortar system that could be used in a comman- Soldiers from D Company, 5th Battalion, The Rifles, on patrol in do configuration, achieving a range of December 2011 in Nahr-e-Saraf, Afghanistan. Note the L85A2 assault 100 to 1,000 metres, or once converted rifle with the L123A3 40x46 mm Low Velocity Under-Barrel Grenade into a conventional configuration with bi- Launcher (UBGL). Once the L9A1 51 mm mortar was withdrawn from pod and baseplate, achieve a range of out service, it was thought that the UBGL could perform the role of the to 3,500 metres. A total of 159 60 mm mortar. Unfortunately, it could not.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 45  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY on-target effects. Also part of the sys- tem is the Miniaturised Mission Setter (MMS). This is an Android-based tablet computer that is a handheld ballistic com- puter and fuze setter weighing 0.902 kg. Photo: Michael Horst The ACERM could be used in conjunction with miniature UAVs that would act as a forward observation capability. Future developments include a rocket-assisted ACERM that would dramatically increase the system range. ONR is also working on a precision-guided 60 mm mortar round. Another innovative 81 mm mortar devel- opment is from Expal of Spain in the form of the EIMOS integrated mortar system, EIMOS can also utilise a 60 mm mortar if so desired. The system is mounted on a URO VAMTAC light utility vehicle, with the mortar mounted on a turntable, it has powered elevation and full 360-degree traverse, plus a recoil attenuation system that reduces recoil force by 90% allowing integration on light vehicles. The vehicle The electrical drive of the COBRA makes the system highly accurate, has a minimum crew of two, though four while ballistic computing enables MRSI firing (Multiple Rounds would be more usual and carries in excess Simultaneous Impact). of 50 mortar rounds on the vehicle. Also stored on the vehicle is a mortar base- as a fire control system and integrates decision to acquire the TDA 120 mm RT plate and bipod if it is necessary to dis- data from sensors and the navigation sys- mortar as part of its Expeditionary Fire mount the weapon. EIMOS is designed to tem, as well as external sensors such as Support System (EFSS), with the mortar get rapidly into action, accurately engage Expal’s SHEPHERD-MIL mini-UAV system designated as the M327. With a range a target and then moving to a new loca- that can be used in a forward observa- of some eight kilometres the M327 pro- tion before any counter-fire is received. tion role. Techfire also acts as a command vided a very useful capability, but more On top charge the 81 mm mortar has a and control system for multiple EIMOS was required and this led to the Precision range of 6,900 metres, while the 60 mm fire units. Extended Range Mortar (PERM) require- mortar has a range of 4,900 metres on ment. The PERM programme started in top charge. Another characteristic of the Guided 120 mm Options 2011 and in December 2015 a team of system is that high rates of fire can be Raytheon Missile Systems and Israel Mili- achieved. The needs of the US Marine Corps for a tary Industries (IMI) was awarded a US$ Another part of EIMOS is the Techfire fire capability to fit in between smaller calibre 98 million contract to deliver 4,300 PERM support information system which acts mortars and 155 mm artillery lead to the munitions which will enter Marine Corps service in 2018. Having PERM will vastly increase the operational utility of the M327 EFSS, maximum range will increase

Photo: EXPAL from 8 to 16 km. Higher accuracy will reduce collateral damage and increase lethality by a factor of three times. The US Army has also been very inter- ested in precision-guided 120 mm mor- tar rounds, operational experience in Iran and Afghanistan led to a number of operational needs statements calling for a new mortar round that was far more accurate. This led the US Army Arma- ment Research, Development and Engi- neering Center (ARDEC) to develop a GPS guided-round known as the Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI). The first APMI rounds were deployed to Af- ghanistan in March 2011. APMI rounds had a CEP of 10 metres, in contrast, ac- cording to ARDEC, the CEP for a conven- tional 120 mm round at maximum range is 136-metres, while a 120 mm mortar A Spanish Legionnaire operates the EXPAL 60 mm Commando Mortar. with advanced pointing and positioning

46 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY  systems could achieve only a CEP of 76 metres. The APMI is an integration of a standard HE 120 mm round with the Orbital ATK Masthead XM395 precision guidance kit. European Security & Defence ARDEC’s next 120 mm mortar venture was a programme known Issue 1/2017, February 2017 ISSN 1617-7983 · www.euro-sd.com as the Guided Enhanced Fragmentation Mortar (GEFM). Here the aim was to develop a GPS-guided mortar round that sur- Published by passed the APMI in terms of range, lethality and reliability. The Mittler Report Verlag GmbH A company of the Ta mm GEFM has been described as the government solution to the US Media Group Army 120 mm High Explosive Guided Mortar (HEGM) require- ment, in fact ARDEC GEFM work was to be made available to Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Peter Bossdorf (pb) industry as a technical data package to provide the basis for Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Henning Bartels (hb) Managing Editor (Magazine): Stephen Barnard (sb) their proposals to meet the HEGM requirement. The HEGM Managing Editor (Newsletter): Dorothee Frank (df) Request for Proposals (RfP) is to be issued in the first quarter of Industrial Editors: Waldemar Geiger (wg), Jürgen Hensel (jh), Gerhard Heiming (gwh), Dieter Stockfisch (ds) FY 2017, with the 18-month Design Demonstration Phase to get Correspondents: Rolf Hilmes (Army Technology), Peter Preylowski (Airborne Systems) underway in FY 2018. An initial production contract for 14,000 Regional Correspondents: Tamir Eshel (Israel), Tim Guest (UK), Beka Kiria (Georgia), rounds is to be awarded in FY 2021. Shinichi Kiyotani (Japan), Yury Laskin (Russia), J. Bo Leimand (Denmark), Jay Menon (India), Chet Nagle (USA), Luca Peruzzi (Italy), David Saw (France) The fact that the US Army and the US Marine Corps are so Supported by the editorial team of “Europäische Sicherheit & Technik” enthusiastic about 120 mm mortars and guided-mortar rounds Publishers: Rainer Metzner, Henning Bartels is an excellent endorsement of the utility of these systems. Layout: There are numerous guided-options developed by companies davis creativ media GmbH, Germany such as General Dynamics-OTS, Elbit, Expal, IAI, IMI, Norinco of Production: China and KBP of Russia amongst others. In the end widespread Lehmann Offsetdruck GmbH 22848 Norderstedt, Germany utilisation of guided-mortar rounds will only occur once the procurement cost per unit is reduced and that has yet to occur. Office address: Mittler Report Verlag GmbH Baunscheidtstraße 11, 53113 Bonn, Germany Phone.: +49 228 3500870, Fax: +49 228 3500871 120 mm Systems Email: [email protected], www.mittler-report.de In the 120 mm calibre it is not all about guided-rounds there Director of Marketing Jürgen Hensel (jh) is also activity in terms of new mortar developments. In 2015 Baunscheidtstraße 11, 53113 Bonn, Germany RUAG of Switzerland unveiled COBRA, a 120 mm mortar sys- Phone: +49 228 3500876, Fax: +49 228 3500871 tem designed for vehicle-based applications. The system was Email: [email protected] designed as a private venture with the idea that it could be Advertising Representatives: mounted on a diverse range of tracked and wheeled vehicles, Dipl.-Betrw. Uwe Nemeyer, optiproject GmbH – the mortar feature semi-automatic loading and can be into ac- Agentur für sicherheitspolitische und wehrtechnische Kommunikation Von-Imhoff-Weg 5, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany tion firing the first round less than a minute after the vehicle Phone: +49 2226 909637, Fax: +49 2226 909653 halts. All standard 120 mm rounds can be fired, with ranges of Email: [email protected], www.optiproject.de between 7,000 and 9,000 metres being achieved. The Swiss France/Italy Army is reported to have selected COBRA and will install the Diana Scogna system in its 8x8 PIRANHA 3+ vehicles with 32 systems report- Phone.: +33 6-6252-2547, Email: [email protected] edly to be acquired. Israel Elbit in Israel has built on the success of their CARDOM Recoil Tamir Eshel P.O.Box 2696, Qadima 609200, Israel Mortar System (RMS), introducing a new system called SPEAR Phone: +972 54-450-8028, Email: [email protected] (HANIT). While CARDOM was mainly employed from wheeled Turkey or tracked armoured vehicles, Spear offers a much wider set of Özkilinc Consulting vehicle installation options including 4x4 light tactical vehicles. Korhan Özkilinc, General Manager This is achieved due to the fact that the recoil load of the system mobile: +49 (0) 163 6930925, Email: [email protected] is now under 10 tons from the 30 ton recoil force previously UK/Ireland/Eastern Europe: Stephen Barnard, c/o Mittler Report Verlag GmbH encountered in vehicle applications. Phone: +49 228 35 00 886, Email: [email protected] Finally, the Patria NEMO system has grown in capability. Initially USA/Canada: the system, capable of both direct and indirect fire modes, was Black Rock Media, Inc., Diane Obright, turret-mounted on the Patria AMV, the turret is light enough 810 Val Sereno Drive, Olivenhain, CA 92024, USA to be installed on both 6x6 and 8x8 armoured vehicles, with Phone: +1 858-759-3557, Email: [email protected] Slovenia being the first customer. Then the United Arab Emirates Russia & CIS: Laguk Co., Yury Laskin, General Director (UAE) purchased the NEMO turret for a naval application where Krasnokholmskaya Nab., 11/15, 132, RF-109172 Moskau, Russian Federation it was integrated on to patrol craft. Phone: 007-495-911-1340, Fax: 007-495-912-1260, Email: [email protected] According to the media in Finland there is now a third NEMO Subscription/Reader Service: version mounted on top of a standard 20-ton ISO freight con- PressUp GmbH, Postfach 70 13 11, 22013 Hamburg, Germany tainer. This container could be mounted on the back of a truck Phone: +49 40 38 66 66-319, Fax: +49 38 66 66-299 or on a ship, or even left on the ground. In this application there Email: [email protected] is a crew of three who are located in the air-conditioned crew European Security & Defence compartment of the container, ammunition located within the © 2017 Mittler Report Verlag GmbH container is said to be 100 rounds. The containerised NEMO The views expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. will be displayed at the IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi and its is All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior writ- ten permission of the publisher in Bonn. believed that the UAE will be the first customer.  Cover Photos: Hirtenberger Defence Systems, Antonio Milena, Blighter Surveillance Systems, FNSS Annual subscription rate (8 issues): €49.80 incl. postage 2017

04 - 07 | APRIL RIOCENTRO RJ | BRAZIL

THE LEADING LATIN AMERICAN DEFENCE AND SECURITY EXHIBITION

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ASSOCIATION SUPPORT CERTIFIED BY OFFICIAL PUBLICATION ASSOCIATED WITH ORGANISED BY ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY  Satnav and Inertial Sensors Team to 2017 Guide the Soldier

04 - 07 | APRIL Doug Richardson RIOCENTRO RJ | BRAZIL During his later years, the great American pioneer and frontiersman Daniel Boone was once asked if he’d ever got lost during his exploration of what once had been the yet-uncharted US West. The old man thought for a few moments, then replied “I can’t say as ever I was lost, but I was bewildered once for three days.”

n modern combat, ground forces cannot mate measure of distance travelled can be the crew to manually input a correction Irun the risk of being bewildered as to their obtained by linking the transmission of the factor in order to compensate for errors in current location. Not knowing where you vehicle (and thus the wheels, or in the case the odometer’s output due to factors such are, and where other friendly units are lo- of a tracked AFV, the drive sprocket) to an as terrain slope, track slippage or due to cated, is the stuff of which “blue-on-blue” odometer, so that the number of turns re- mud and snow. Dead-reckoning can also be adapted for infantry use, with a pedometer being used to estimate the distance walked. But while a pedometer may be useful for someone Photo: US Army walking or marching on a level surface such as a road, it is of limited use when the walker is on rough terrain, or is moving in an irregular manner. One possible solution is to fit a sensor on the soldier’s boots, so as to measure the size and height of each step taken. Thirty or more years ago, inertial naviga- tion might have seemed an obvious so- THE lution, but posed problems of cost and complexity, given that the technology of the day involved mechanical gyroscopes LEADING and accelerometers. As a result, they were used largely in roles where their high cost and complexity could be jus- LATIN Knowing where you, your allies and the enemy forces are has always tified. However, one problem remained been key for military success. – the tendency of inertial navigation systems (INS) to drift with passing time. AMERICAN incidents are made. The history of the Is- corded can be related to distance. Vehicle Once mission duration rises above a few raeli Army tells of several occasions when heading can be measured either by means hours, errors due to drift become signifi- friendly forces have fired on one another in of a magnetic sensor or a north-seeking cant, and simple INS are no longer an DEFENCE AND the heat of battle. gyroscope. acceptable solution. Navigation aids (navaids) are important to With the arrival of laser gyro technology, modern land, sea and air platforms. But Unreliability of the Travelled followed by fibre-optic laser technology, SECURITY given the number of systems currently in Distance the bulk, weight and cost of INS were dra- offer or in service for ground forces, only matically reduced, and ruggedness was im- a small number of systems can be looked For a long time, dead-reckoning systems proved. The same technology also allowed EXHIBITION at in detail in order to give representative of this type were the only practical form the creation of better dead-reckoning sys- examples for the technology used. of land navaid, but given the limitations tems. The Northrop Grumman LITEF (NG The simplest form of land navigation for ve- of the technique, it is hardly surprising that LITEF) LLN-GY is a dead-reckoning naviga- hicular use is dead-reckoning. An approxi- such systems were not widely adopted. tor based on one fibre-optic gyro (FOG) The weakest link in any dead-reckoning and two accelerometers, but can receive /LAADExhibition /in/laadexhibition /LAAD_Exhibition Author system is the unreliability of the estimated automatic position updates from a Global distance travelled. In the case of a wheeled Positioning System (GPS) receiver if the lat- Following an earlier career in engi- vehicle, changes in tire diameter due to ter is available. It weighs less than 2.8 kg, neering, Doug Richardson is a de- wear and other factors will introduce er- and consumes less than 12 W of electrical fence journalist specialising in topics ror. The former Soviet Union equipped power. The LLN-GZ Hybrid Land Navigator such as aircraft, missiles, and military its T-62K command tank with the TNA-3 is similar in concept but incorporates a six electronics. ASSOCIATION SUPPORT CERTIFIED BY OFFICIAL PUBLICATION ASSOCIATED WITH ORGANISED BY land navigation system, but this required degrees of freedom IMU.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 49  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

where it is used in our cars, and even our cameras are expected to take note of our exact location every time we take a photo. Unfortunately, while civilian SPS receiv- Photo: US Air Force ers are consumer items manufactured on a large scale, PPS receivers are traditional items of military hardware, and are pro- cured in much smaller numbers. As a result, the US DoD faced a shortage of military GPS systems during the runup to the 1991 war to liberate Kuwait. Procurement of more than 10,000 civilian GPS units, mostly from Trimble Navigation and Magellan Systems allowed GPS capa- bility to be fielded on a much larger scale. Almost 90% of the receivers used in that conflict are reported to have been civilian.

Civil GPS Systems Vulnerable to Jamming The problem with using SPS in a military operation is that the GPS system is vulnera- Navstar-2F satellites were among the first to transmit the new M-code ble to enemy jamming. The signal strength GPS signal. at the surface of the Earth is extremely weak, and has been described as compa- GPS as Prime Navaid for cise time and frequency to military com- rable to viewing a 25 watt light bulb from Soldiers munication systems. a distance of around 18,000 km. So it can The GPS satellite constellation transmits easily be jammed by a signal of the same Given its global coverage, relatively inex- a Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for or similar frequency but greater strength. pensive receivers, and high accuracy, GPS civilian users, and a Precise Positioning SPS receivers are also vulnerable to has now become, and will remain a primary Service (PPS) used by the military forces spoofing (an electronic-warfare tech- navaid for soldiers, sailors, and airmen. GPS of the US and its allies. PPS is more ac- nique which mimics a legitimate signal also has a secondary role of providing pre- curate, but uses an encrypted signal use- in order to introduce erroneous posi- Graphic: Novatel Photo: Rockwell Collins

As with most types of electronic This artwork shows the operating concept of the “smart” controlled- hardware, the size and weight of reception pattern antenna (CRPA), which is able to maintain contact hand-held GPS receivers shrink with the GPS constellation, while blocking the unwanted signal from an from generation to generation. enemy jammer (indicated here by the letter “J”). The AN/PSN-11 Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver (PLGR) able only by dedicated military receivers. tion and time information intended to seen on the left towers over The first GPS systems for army use during make the targeted receivers give mis- the later AN/PSN-13 Defense the 1980s were manpack sized, but mod- leading co-ordinates). A PSP receiver Advanced Global Positioning ern technology has shrunk the size, weight, will recognise the presence of jam- System Receiver (DAGR). and cost of GPS hardware to the point ming, warn the user, and has a good

50 European Security & Defence · February 2017 chance of continuing to provide good-quality positional data. In 1998, the US selected the SAASM (Selective Availability Anti- Spoofing Module) as a future capability, and since 2006, all newly- fielded US military GPS systems have been SAASM-compliant. SAASM uses cryptography to prevent authorised users from being deceived by false satellite signals generated by an enemy. In a future conflict, the (C/A) code signal may be intentionally jammed GYRO by the US and its allies to allow only SAASM receivers to access TACTICAL GRADE the GPS service. By 2003, the US Army had forbidden the use of SPS by infantry, forward observers, and other front-line personnel, but some British infantry units taking part in the invasion of Iraq in that year were issued with civil GPS units such as the Garmin 12XL. The most basic countermeasure to jamming is to use an SPS re- ceiver. This will provide some protection and navigational integrity in low and moderate risk threat environments.

New M-Code Introduced to Improve Security

GPS signals are transmitted on two frequencies: L1 (1,575.42 MHz) and L2 (1,227.60 MHz). The SPS service is provided by the Coarse/ Acquisition (C/A code) on L1, but the PPS service uses Precision (P/Y code) signals on both L1 and L2. A new M-code signal intended to 1:1 scale further improve the security of military GPS signals was introduced in 2005. Most PPS receivers initially lock onto the C/A code and then transfer to the P(Y)-code, but the M-code is autonomous, so is the only signal that military users will require. Transmitted on the same L1 and L2 frequencies as the existing PPS service, M-code is radiated not only from a wide angle satellite- STIM210 is a small, lightweight Three Axis mounted antenna that provides full earth coverage, but also from a high-gain directional antenna whose spot beam can be aimed Gyro Module for accurate pointing and at a specific region several hundred kilometres in diameter. Users within that footprint will enjoy a signal strength that has been stabilization, fl ight control and guidance boosted by 20 dB. However, the usefulness of this extra M-code applications. power is limited, given that a sophisticated enemy will respond by boosting the strength of his own jammer signal to increase the jammer-to-signal ratio. • ITAR free • Small size, low weight, power and cost New Military Receivers Reduced in Size • Insensitive to magnetic fi elds The steady reduction in size, weight and power demand seen in • Low gyro bias instability (0.5°/h) civil receivers is being matched by newer PSP receivers. For exam- • Low gyro noise (0.15°/√h) ple, the Rockwell Collins AN/PSN-11 Precision Lightweight GPS • Excellent performance under vibration and shock Receiver (PLGR) weighed about 1.2 kg, but the same company’s • Available in 1, 2 or 3 axes AN/PSN-13 Defense Advanced Global Positioning System Receiver • Fully calibrated and customer confi gur able to the (DAGR) weighs less than 500 grammes. In March 2015, Rockwell Collins signed a contract to provide 5,000 specifi c application MicroGRAM GPS embedded receivers to Harris Corporation, • Weight 55 grams, volume <2cu.in, power 1.5 W which will use these to provide secure, jam-resistant GPS capabil- ity to tactical radio systems such as the Falcon III AN/PRC-158 and STIM210 is fi eld proven in Missile systems, Target AN/PRC-117G. acquisition systems, Airborne surveillance, DIRCM, The DAGR Distributed Device (D3) is mechanically interchangeable Remote Weapon Systems, Launch vehicles, Military with the DAGR. Several devices that require Positioning, Naviga- tion, and Timing (PNT) data can be plugged into the D3, and all Land navigators and Satellites. will enjoy the same facilities as if they had been plugged into their own dedicated DAGR receiver. A D3 can be updated by installing the Rockwell Collins GB-GRAM-M Type II receiver, which fits within the volume of the D3, and is able to acquire, track and navigate using C/A, P/Y and M-code. When size, performance and robustness matter Adding GPS to a combat radio, either as an embedded system or via an external interface, allows each voice or data mes- sage to automatically include position information. Some ra- [email protected] • www.sensonor.com dios, such as the Elbit CNR-9000, offer built-in GPS as an op- tion, while in others such as the Selex Soldier System Radio

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 51  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

(SSR) Plus it is integrated into the radio. PSEUDOLITES (the word is a combination is claimed to produce accurate data quicker For the AN/PRC-148 Joint Tactical Radio of “pseudo” and “satellite”) are located than any other inertial navigation system System (JTRS) Enhanced MBITR, Thales on the ground or on a low-flying aircraft. as a result of using what the company de- Defense & Security offers a GPS-equipped These act as extra GPS satellites, and being scribes as an innovative alignment method. Remote Control Unit which replicates the closer to the user than the orbiting constel- It weighs 4.5 kg, consumes less than 28 W front panel of the radio. Another possible lation, have a much higher-powered signal of power, and is advertised as having an configuration adopted by some manufac- that is harder for the enemy to jam. They MBTF of more than 50,000 hours. Both turers integrates a civil receiver into the ra- also provide GPS coverage in terrain such systems have a NMEA-0183 protocol GPS dio but allows qualified customers to plug as forests, valleys, canyons, or city streets – interface. in an external military GPS. regions were it is hard for a ground-based Kearfott’s LANDNAV system uses a Mono- When faced with a higher risk, the use user to see the satellites. lithic Ring Laser Gyro (MRLG) and MOD of anti-jam antennas will help to guaran- Where the risk of jamming or spoofing is VIIA pendulous accelerometers to provide tee signal availability. A conventional GPS severe, GPS systems will have to be aug- accurate heading, attitude, velocity and receiver uses an antenna with full hemi- mented by a second navaid able to monitor position information. It is available in two spherical coverage, and so can “see” the heading and distance travelled. The same configurations weighing around 7 kg and 9 kg respectively, and can be integrated with an embedded or external GPS receiver and a Vehicle Motion Sensor (VMS). NG LITEF developed its LLN-G1 to meet Photo: US Army the environmental conditions within the LEOPARD 2 MBT, and is promoting it for use on all types of wheeled or tracked com- bat vehicles. Described as a hybrid/inertial navigator, it is based on a full six degrees of freedom IMU that uses FOG technol- ogy. When teamed with a GPS system, it typically provides a position accurate to less than 5 m, says the company. The KVH product range includes the TAC- NAV 3D, an inertial navigation system that incorporates an embedded GPS subsystem. Designed for use in turreted and non-turret- ed vehicles it is based on an IMU that com- bines the company’s DSP-1750 FOGs and As this US Army photograph of various types of “smart” controlled- micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) reception pattern antennas shows, these are small units that can easily accelerometers. The system can provide be substituted for normal omnidirectional antennas. heading, pitch, and roll as well as altitude, distance and bearing to waypoint in all ter- jammer as well as the GPS satellites. A technique is also useful in urban warfare, rains. It uses a built-in Iridium transceiver to “smart” controlled-reception pattern an- where the presence of high buildings may transmit vehicle position, waypoint, and tar- tenna (CRPA) has the ability to steer mul- prevent a receiver from picking up signals get location data to a command centre or tiple narrow beams towards the satellites, from a sufficient number of satellites. If the other vehicles, and to receive tactical data while steering a no-reception zone (known satellite signal is lost, a navaid that com- from these. TACNAV 3D can interface with as a null) towards the jammers. bines GPS with another system will pro- battlefield management systems (BMS), in- vide positional data until the signal is re- tegrated turret data systems, laser range- Anti-Jam Systems acquired. finders (LRF) and laser warning receiver sys- tems (LWRS), and can use an external GPS in Installed on more than 30 platforms world- Combination of GPS and INS place of its own internal receiver. wide, Raytheon UK’s GPS Anti-Jam Sys- As its name suggests, Israel Aerospace In- tem-1 (GAS-1) consists of a multi-element The most common solution is to combine dustries’ PENS (Personal Navigation System) CRPA and a separate Antenna Electronics GPS and INS, either by providing INS with is a navaid for use by the individual combat- (AE) unit. GAS-1 uses analogue electronics, a connection for an external GPS receiver, ant. It is made up of two main units – the but the company’s LANDSHIELD is a digi- or by integrating the inertial navigation sys- Navigation and Computation Unit (NU) and tal product that combines a multi-element tem and GPS receiver into a single system. the Sensors Unit (SU) – and weighs 2.2 kg. antenna and the anti-jam processing in a Sagem’s SIGMA 10 and SIGMA 20 are be- Based on a strap-down inertial navigation single unit that directly connects to the RF ing marketed as non-GPS dependent nav- system with six degrees of freedom, 3-axis input of the GPS receiver. According to the aids. SIGMA 20 is an inertial system based magnetometers, a baro-altimeter, and with manufacturer, the 1 kg unit “works against on RLG technology, and has a cited mean an input for GPS, it consumes less than 1 A a full range of hostile jammers – including time between failures (MBTF) of more of 28 V DC power. narrowband, broadband, continuous wave than 15,000 hours. It weighs less than With such a wide range of navaids available pulse, swept and spectrally matched – and 7.5 kg, consumes less than 30 W of power, to the modern army, the era of lost soldiers can protect L1 and L2 GPS frequencies and is combat-ready within 2 minutes of should for all practical purposes be over, simultaneously for enhanced situational switch-on. Sigma 20 uses the company’s even when in poorly-mapped or featureless awareness.” Hemispheric Resonator Gyros (HRGs) and terrain. Daniel Boone would have loved it! 

52 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY  Clear the Battlefield and Let Me See

Doug Richardson

Military units operating close to a front line or border need to be able to monitor activity taking place at distances ranging from a short distance in front of their own position to long ranges limited only by the line of sight. Commanders will want to have a good idea of what enemy forces are arrayed against them, and what those forces are doing, but units tasked with peacekeeping operations may also need to monitor an area of terrain in order to detect unauthorised activities.

nmanned aerial vehicles can provide Uairborne surveillance, but may not al- ways be available, particularly during ex- tended deployments or peace-keeping operations. So the demand for sensors di- rectly under the control of front-line units has spurred the creation of a wide range

of products. Photo: Arkadiusz Dwulatek/SHAPE The basic solutions available to front-line units are: • binoculars, telescopes and similar day- only vision aids, • hand-held or tripod-mounted image- intensifiers, • hand-held or tripod-mounted thermal imagers, • short-range ground-surveillance radars. Most of the types of equipment described here are available from a wide range of manufacturers, so in each case only a handful of systems are described in order to serve as typical examples. The simplest surveillance aid remains the traditional telescope or binocular. But, once darkness falls, these basic daylight-only aids are near useless, so more sophisticated sen- Seeing – and the improving systems for seeing – are of major sors are needed. Night-Vision (NV) systems importance in warfare.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 53  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

nia, Iraq and Kosovo, it has a good reputa- tion for reliability. The company has since marketed two improved versions known as LION Advance and LION Advance XP (ex- tended performance). Selected by the US Department of Defense (DoD) as the AN/PAS-22, Elbit’s EMERALD- LRTI is based on a cooled InSb focal plane array, and offers wide and narrow fields of view (FOV). Options offered by the Is- raeli company include a built-in magnetic fluxgate compass and GPS, or even a laser pointer. These allow the unit to be used as an integrated targeting system.

(Photo: AIM INFRAROT-MODULE GmbH) Combining day and NV sensors into a single AIM's HuntIR MKII mounted on an assault rifle unit allowed the operator to select whichev- er viewing mode provided the best imagery, based on either thermal-imaging or image- is a second generation, the HuntIR MKII, on or to switch quickly from one mode to the intensification technology are an obvious the market. other to exploit the data from both sources. solution. Based on cooled or uncooled de- Other armed forces have different ap- Such a group of complementary sensors tectors, these can be hand-held or tripod- proaches: Thales Nederland’s LION (Light- can be tripod-, vehicle- or mast-mounted. mounted. weight Infrared Observation Night) sight With the future soldier system “Infanterist was originally developed for the Royal Neth- Observer and Reconnaissance der Zukunft“ (basic version) Germany in- erlands Army by what were then Signaal Systems troduced AIM’s HuntIR in the Bundeswehr. USFA and Delft Sensor Systems (both now HuntIR is a cooled thermal imager and part of Thales Nederland), and is a classic The Rheinmetall Defence Electronics BAA targeting sight combined in one system. example of a hand-held, uncooled thermal (Beobachtungs- und Aufklärungsausstat- Mounted on a high powered rifle it allows imager. Operating in the 8-12 micron band, tung) observation and reconnaissance to engage targets in a complete dark envi- it offers magnifications of X3 and X6. Used system installs a sensor package that in- ronment up to 1.500 m. Meanwhile there in operational service in Afghanistan, Bos- cludes a thermal imager, CCD camera and

utsec17_210x150_INT_EN_EuropeanSecurityDefense.indd 1 08.11.16 07:19 WWW.INFRATEC.EU

an eye-safe laser rangefinder, mounting More than 3,500 have been delivered to this on a pan-and-tilt head. This package is the US Army. linked to a control and display unit. A simi- lar array of sensors is used on Elbit’s ATLAS Next Step Image Fusion PRO and MINI ATLAS systems, and a laser designator can be added if required. The next stage beyond multi-band sen- Adopted by the Norwegian and Swed- sors that allow the operator to switch from ish armed forces, the FOI 2000 forward one type of image to another are sensor observer system is marketed by Vinghøg systems in which the two or more image AS. It combines an LP 10TL Target Locator sources can be merged into a single more- and a FLIR Systems Forward Observation useful image. This technique is known as Thermal Imager. The target locator can be image fusion, and can be achieved either 30× Zoom handheld or tripod/monopod-mounted, by allowing one sensor to inject its output and combines a dual magnification tele- into the imagery created by another, or by scope and eyesafe laser rangefinder with using hardware that has been custom-de- a digital magnetic compass (DMC). signed to create a fully fused image. FLIR Systems' AN/PAS-26 Recon III Lite Several clip-on devices have been devel- combines an uncooled long-wave infrared oped to inject a thermal image into the Photo: ITT Professional Infrared Systems for Ambitious Security Applications

„ More than 25 years of thermal imaging expertise in investi- gation and surveillance activities „ A wide range of handheld and fixed mount infrared camerasfor Targets that are invisible in the image-intensified view (left) are easily the ranges of LWIR (7.5 ... 14) μm spotted when the thermal image is added to the output of the AN/PSQ- and MWIR (3 ... 5) μm 20A (right). „ High resolution Full HD infrared images with detector formats (LWIR) thermal camera, a colour visible- image-intensified output of a standard up to (1,920 × 1,536) IR pixels light camera, a laser pointer, and an inte- NVG such as the ITT AN/PVS-14 Monocu- gral digital magnetic compass into a single lar Night-Vision Device. These include the „ High-performance 30× IR super hand-held unit weighing less than 2.3 kg. Optics 1 Clip-On Thermal Imager (COTI) zoom lenses Controp’s SPIDER (Stabilised Panoramic originally developed for the US Special Op- „ Detection range up to 18 km automatic Intruder Detection and Rec- erations Command. „ Water and dust-proof housing ognition) and SPIDER-LR are stabilised Thermoteknix’s ClipIR Thermal Imager is an electro-optical (EO) packages offer- add-on uncooled thermal module that is ing automatic detection of movements compatible with NVGs such as the AN/PVS- across a wide panoramic area. They com- 7, -14 and -18. It provides a thermal overlay 1,920 × 18 bine a thermal imaging camera, daylight for a 40 degree FOV, and when fitted with 1,536 IP67 km TV camera, and an eye-safe laser range- a Quick-View accessory eyepiece can be Detector finder. The panoramic scan mode is used used as a stand-alone thermal imager. for automatic intruder detection, while The AN/PAS-29 COTI (Clip-On Thermal Im- an observation mode provides live video ager) was developed by the Swiss-based for intruder identification. Vectronix Group. When attached to legacy Able to operate in vehicle-mounted and NVGs, it provides an optically-fused ther- demounted tripod-based configurations, mal image generated by a 320 x 240 focal- the Raytheon AN/TAS-8 Long-Range Ad- plane array. vanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) Developed by Thales Angénieux, the MI- teams a thermal imager, a day TV camera, NIE-DIR is a modular night-vision system an eye-safe laser rangefinder, and com- which adds an infrared module to the mon aperture optics, and a GPS subsystem. standard MINIE-D.

Made in Germany

utsec17_210x150_INT_EN_EuropeanSecurityDefense.indd 1 08.11.16 07:19  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY Photo: Thales Deutschland The GROUND OBSERVER 12 of Thales Deutschland can be manpacked by a single soldier, and has a setup time of less than two minutes.

The logical step after this sort of add-on tion, while the I2 sensor provides target A variant of the AN/PSQ-20 designated accessory is to combine the channels into a identification. For the second round of the Super Enhanced Night-Vision Goggle single EO system custom-designed around US Army procurement, ITT Night Vision is available for export to selected countries the fusion concept. This was done by ITT, (later Exelis, and now Harris) created the such as Australia, Canada, Japan and the whose AN/PSQ-20 Enhanced NVG (ENVG) improved AN/PSO-20A Spiral Enhanced UK, but sales require prior US Government entered US military service in 2008. The IR NVG (SENVG). This combines the output of approval. sensor (reported to be an 8 to 12 micron a Gen 3 standard image intensification (I2) long-wave device) provides target detec- tube with that of a LWIR microbolometer. “Hardening” Radars Against Detection Surveillance radar is the main moderate- COMINT and SIGINT Systems resolution all-weather sensor. Typically these will operate in I-band, or J-band. In from BOGER most cases, the RF power is generated by a travelling-wave tube (TWT), but in the (wg) On their booth at the IDEX exhibi- Furthermore BOGER COMINT/SIGINT most recent designs, a semiconductor tion in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Boger Electron- systems are providing a seamless over- power source such as a solid-state ampli- ics will present their common solutions view of the rf-spectrum, enabling the fier is used. for ­COMINT and end-user to detect In order to make the radar as hard to detect SIGINT systems in unauthorised emit- as possible, and reduce the risk that it will the field of border ters or targets (e.g. betray the presence of the unit that is using control and border crossing unauthor- it, and to reduce the risk of being targeted surveillance appli- ised the border). by enemy jamming, the output power of cations. Systems can consist the radar must be minimised. The use of Boger Electronics is of single receiv- low-sidelobe antennas and low probability designing, manu- ers up to powerful of intercept (LPI) modulation are also advis- facturing and inte- remote-controlled able. grating the systems solutions contain- Potential secondary roles are the detection according to current requirements. The ing of antenna systems, signal-distribu- of low-flying aircraft and helicopters, the offered systems are covering all relevant tion, decoders, receivers, workstations control of artillery and mortar fire, or even communication frequency ranges, from etc. sea surveillance. HF up to V/UHF and communication net- At IDEX Boger Electronics is presenting A classic radar of this type is the Thales works – always customized according cur- on booth 08-E07 their latest develop- RASIT E. More than 700 of these X-band rent requirements and end-user needs. ments and projects. pulse-Doppler sets have been delivered in 20 countries, where they served in tripod-

56 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY 

mounted and vehicle-mounted forms. When first fielded, they introduced the then-unique feature of allowing the op- erator to define an area of interest, so that targets appearing outside of this zone did not trigger automatic alarms. A more modern example is the Thales Deutschland BOR-A 550 and its more powerful BOR-A 560 variant. These are solid-state pulse Doppler sets which fea- ture pulse compression, spread spectrum technology, frequency agility, and pulse repetition frequency stagger. A neural net- Graphic: Ukrainian Advanced Research Project Agency work is used to provide automatic target classification, and data are presented to the operator on a liquid crystal display. The BOR-A 560 is similar to the 550 but has a 40 W transmitter, double the power of the latter, and so has a longer range. It also The artwork on the left shows the planned configuration of the offers a wider bandwidth and a greater Ukrainian Advanced Research Project Agency’s sniper-detection system. number of frequency channels. The image on the monitor screen on the right shows how laser energy The same company’s GROUND OBSERVER striking the lens of an enemy optical system produces a visible ‘bloom’. 12 radar operates in Ku-band (12.5-18 GHz) and uses a laptop man–machine interface. of up to five sectors can be set up by the tripod- or vehicle-mounted system that The complete system (including a tripod, operator. The unit offers automatic target weighs only 25 kg. It has a maximum range cables, and batteries for up to six hours of classification, and track-while-scan capabil- of about 6 km against an individual, or 12 operation) weighs around 30 kg, and can ity for up to 40 targets. km against a vehicle. Like many of these be manpacked by a single soldier. Setup Ku-band is also the operating frequency small radars, it can also be used to detect time is less than two minutes. A sector scan of the Thales Deutschland LYNX, a mast-, helicopters or small boats.

Performance without compromise - small - lightweight - low power HuntIR Mk2 Thermal weapon and observation sight

Force protection and superiority 24/7 situational awareness, in asymmetrical warfare multi-purpose mission support

AIM INFRAROT-MODULE GmbH . Theresienstraße 2 . D 74072 Heilbronn / Germany . Tel.: +49 71 31 62 12 - 0 . Fax: +49 71 31 62 12 - 939 . [email protected] . www.aim-ir.com

2015_06_19_AIM_anz_huntIR-MK2_176x126mm_4c_engl_final.indd 1 15.09.2015 09:01:22 February 2017 · European Security & Defence 57  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Examples of New And/Or (LPI) radars with a peak output of 10 kW liberately-released, accidental or natural Proven Systems and an average output of 1 W. Their track- obscurants, an EO system can be teamed while-scan capability can cope with up to with a radar. Sometimes this is done by The Pro Patria Electronics PGSR-3i 200 targets. combining a radar with an EO sensor “­BEAGLE” is an X-band frequency-mod- Elta’s EL/M-2129 X-band radar can auto- package. For example, the Czech SNEZKA ulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar matically detect moving targets at ranges tracked recce vehicle has a mast-mounted with low probability of intercept features. of up to 30 km, with a track-while-scan sensor system that combines a 360 de- It has a maximum transmitted power of capability against up to 100 targets simul- gree radar with a night charge-coupled 2 W, and can detect personnel at 8 km, taneously. If greater range is needed, this device (CCD) camera, a near-IR CCD cam- vehicles at 15 km and heavy vehicles at 24 can be obtained by using a power amplifi- era, a day CCD camera, a thermal imaging km. According to its Hungarian manufac- er and/or a larger antenna. If used in port- camera, and a laser rangefinder. turer, digital signal processing is used to able rather than vehicle-mounted form, it One novel sensor for tactical surveillance differentiate between fixed and moving can be deployed in less than ten minutes. is what is often marketed as a sniper-de- targets, and to cope with changing en- LYRA 10 is one of the Lyra series of coher- tection system. These use a low-powered vironmental conditions. A man-portable ent pulsed radars marketed by Selex Sis- laser to scan the terrain within their cover- load for two soldiers, it weighs 30 kg. temi Integrati. A man-portable set suitable age area, and a detector able to respond When vehicle-mounted, it can be com- for battlefield surveillance applications, it to the laser energy reflected by optical sys- bined with a mast-mounted EOSA-4 ther- offers sector surveillance, automatic tar- tems such as telescopic sights and surveil- mal sight and daylight camera, the con- get classification, target tracking, and lance systems. Modern optics invariably figuration used in Pro Patria Electronics' audio/video target-detection alarms. Its have anti-reflective lens coatings similar MGS3 SCOUT mobile ground surveillance maximum ranges are 10 km for person- to those used on the lenses of cameras system. nel, 16 km for light vehicles, 18 km for and binoculars, but these are not good Elta Systems’ EL/M-2105 X-band helicopters, and 24 km for heavy vehicles. enough to defeat laser-based detection 8-12.5 GHz) ground surveillance radar is Developed by Thales Nederland, the systems. offered in three variants – the ELVM-2105 Squire series are J-band FMCW radars of- Examples include the CILAS SLD 500, baseline model, the EL/M-2105ER extend- fering LPI. The power output is selectable which has been used by US forces in Iraq ed range variant, and the EL/M-2105LR between 10 mW and 1W, levels that the and Afghanistan, and by the UK forces. configurations. Suitable for tripod-, tower- company says make the system virtually This tripod-mounted system incorporates and vehicle-mounted applications, all are undetectable by enemy ESM receivers. a day camera, as well as a thermal imager solid-state low probability of interception At the higher power level, personnel are that can also be used hand-held. As soon detectable out to as a threat is detected, the system will pro- 10 km, and tank- vide an alarm, and indicate the position sized vehicles out of the threat and exact distance, allowing to 48 km. counter-sniping teams to respond quietly CNPEP’s Observa- and quickly. The system can be combined tion and Warning with various thermal imagers for night op- Land (OWL) tripod- erations. There is also an SLD 500 LR (Long mounted K-band Range) version with higher-performance (18GHz to 26.5 day and thermal cameras. Both versions Visit us at IDEX GHz) radar tips the use the same detection and localisation Booth # 08-E08 scales at only 8 kg, unit, which has a maximum range of 2 km. a weight that most According to the Canadian company soldiers would con- NEWCON-OPTI, its LAS 1000 Sniper De- sider very man-port- tection System detects lenses even if these able. The radar head are located behind bushes, windows or is tripod mounted, windshields. If an optical system is de- and is linked to a tected, its position is marked with a red tablet-style display. dot visible through the eyepiece, and an Such a small system optional audible alarm can be given. The cannot rival the de- unit weighs 2 kg, and can be handheld or tection ranges of mounted on a tripod. heavier equipment; The Ukrainian Advanced Research Project the manufacturer Agency has developed a 5 kg system that cites a range of uses an automatic scan mode to detect 2.4 km. optical surveillance systems at ranges of up to 1.5 km, then determine their exact All Weather position and range. Surveillance A RAND report published in 2000 warned that laser-based anti-sniper systems could Where surveillance use antireflection filters that selectively must be maintained block the wavelength of the laser, but under all weather noted that tunable lasers might prove an conditions, or in effective method of reducing the effec- the presence of de- tiveness of this sort of blocking filter. 

58 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY  Shootout in Virtual Reality

Tamir Eshel

Using weapons and firearms is a basic skill for law enforcement officers and soldiers. It requires to master the technical functioning of the weapon along with instinctive and intuitive use of different techniques with proper judgement about when and what technique should be used.

raining soldiers and policemen in us- Sometimes small technical improvements ers to act in the virtual world as they will Ting firearms is a methodical process can assist personnel to achieve better per- in the real world. that begins with technical orientation, formance – for example, getting feedback repeatedly performed with the weapons and corrective advice on weapon handling Effects in Simulation or props simulating the actual weapon, as during live firing. Such guidance is ena- Scenarios trainees learn to assemble and disassem- bled using electronic sensors and track- ble the weapon, maintain it and overcome ers that measures the shooter’s aiming To meet such goals Virtual Simulation Sys- common problems. Shooting practise be- and tracking prior and on the trigger pull. tems (VSS) uses an ultra-fine tracker meas- gins once trainees get familiar with their Such systems, developed by Targetize for uring a sniper tracking and synthetically weapons. This is a complex and dynamic commercial use, are adaptable for law generated targets in the virtual scenes. It process, limited by exhaustive but neces- enforcement and military training. When is part of a sniper training simulator de- sary safety rules that often limit training such sensors attach to a handgun they veloped by VSS for the Australian military. effectiveness. In the past, trainees had to can record the user’s activity on the firing The simulation uses a panoramic display go through many “dry” runs until they range, providing corrective feedback to projecting the scene on a wide screen dis- could perform individual “wet” training, trainees. The shooter’s posture, weapon playing the wide “big image” and injecting let alone “wet” unit drills that included movements, locations of hits and misses part of this “virtual world” into the train- blanks or live fire. Despite the significant are clearly depicted on Targetize’s associ- ees’ scope, to deliver a combined, realistic risk and many safety restrictions, these ated app. experience. The MK2 Sniper Simulator can be used individually with the sniper rifle, or Infantry Training Simulation by the sniper team, comprising the sniper and observer (viewing through binoculars). Firearms training is a basic element in Compensating the instinctive reaction to the qualification of infantrymen. Infantry the weapon’s dynamic recoil effect is a training simulation often requires oper- critical parameter in fire accuracy. Soldiers ating individual, crew served or special must shoot hundreds of bullets until they weapons following certain procedures, get used to the effect. Therefore, simulat- Photo: Theissen Training Systems and through coordination with other team ing such a recoil effect is essential to cre- members. Using virtual scenes to simulate ate realistic and cost effective “dry” firing. such activities would improve the trainees’ Various haptic devices are used to create proficiency and skill over endless repetitive such effects – using compressed air, CO2 drills. Elbit Systems’ Infantry Gunner Train- or electromagnetic actuation. Weight and ing System (IGTS) provides such a service size often limit the use of haptic devices in supporting all operational standard-issue untethered weapons, but recent develop- weapons such as handguns, assault rifles ments in electromagnetic devices, intro- and machine guns, and even mortars. 3D duced by Haptech, utilize three core motor Range Control System by Theissen audio-visual scenes add to the realism, to provide scalable force feedback, ena- Training Systems. with environmental effect, communica- bling variable levels of recoil from hand- tions and ability to use optics. Simulated guns to heavy machine guns. According “wargames” are essential phases in train- by firing effects that include muzzle flash to the developers, the new recoil simula- ing and are often the most exciting phases and recoil the IGTS tracks the trainee’s tor can generate up to 2,000 shots per of training. performance by recording the weapon recharge. Long practise in the live firing range is movement during the firing process, and essential and cannot be replaced by vir- uses laser-based aiming to scores hit ef- Realistic Live Training with tual props. Shooters and marksmen must fectiveness, by counting hit/miss and hit Simulation Aids acquire the fine techniques of firearms locations. operation to acquire lifesaving and effec- While laser simulation provides the tech- Training aids and simulation systems shape tive instincts; they must be familiar with nical layer that recreates the firing effect the training of warfighters beyond these handling weapons in different situations it is not designed to perfect the shoot- basic skills. The introduction of compact, and postures, use different ammunition ing skills of trainees. Firearms training and man-portable laser technology added new types, against stationary or moving tar- specifically snipers require extensive train- dimensions to “live” training, using laser gets, operate in extended range, under ing with the actual weapon and use high shot simulation and laser engagement various weather conditions etc. definition immersive scenes to enable us- techniques. Laser shot simulation replaced

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 59 moving targets can travel at up to 30 km/h training realism inside the structures. It and can be combined with pop-up or pop- is designed to train and practice complex up rotary functions to present complex tar- combat skills that involve extensive use get action. Automatic electronic marking of firearms, such as indoor combat, in- and scoring are also supported, for preci- dividual tactical movement, breeching sion shooting and zeroing. Since shooting and room clearing procedures, fire team skills must be maintained not only in the manoeuvres, close combat marksman- training base, live-fire training should sup- ship etc. port military forces in contingency or at near the combat zones. That’s why some Law Enforcement Training of those targets are deployable, along with

Photo: Theissen Training Systems their control systems. Law enforcement officers and other The Tank and Infantry Range in Alaska agents that operate among civilians expands over a huge territory and fo- Digital Shoot Houses should turn to the use of arms as a last cuses mainly on infantry and tank train- option. However, mishandling stressful ing. Especially challenging for Theissen A different approach uses “shoot hous- situations could lead officers and agents Training Systems were the extrem low es”: specially designed close-quarter fir- to using lethal force prematurely, in situa- temperatures in this area and the wil- ing ranges equipped with video scenery tions that should not require such actions. derness in which the range is set up. and targets recreated by Computer Gen- To familiarize them with emergency situ- erated Images (CGI) showing live scenes ations police departments often turn to live ammunition in pistols and rifles. While overlaid with computer generated “en- “Use of Force Firearms Trainers”. These trainees fire blanks to simulate the weap- emies” that pop up in certain places to devices project pre-recorded scenes of on’s effects, actual hits are measured by simulate threats. Also known as “digital various situations challenging officers to the target that senses the laser beam sent shoot houses”, these facilities allow indi- respond to. from the weapon and simulates the hit ac- vidual trainees or small teams to use all The system uses pre-recorded video or curacy. their combat equipment, including real computer-generated scenarios from li- Force-on-force training exercise, enabling weapons and live fire. Fully immersed in braries provided by the supplier or created commanders and troops to practise tactics a 4D virtual world that can be enhanced by the user. A live scene is projected on a in realistic environment against a human adversary, are much more challenging and less predictive than any computer-simu- lated game. Laser engagement systems expand this formula over whole units, enabling large groups to roam free in the training area, engaging in a force-on-force exercise that fully simulates shooting ef- fects, hits and casualties. Other methods of training are using paintball technology derived from adventure gaming. Although paintball is challenging and exciting for the Photo: Samantha A. Barajas/US Marine Corps trainees, its value as a training aid is ques- tioned, since participants are restricted to use special protective equipment and special-purpose weapons specifically de- signed to shoot paintballs. Ultimately, soldiers must leave the safety and security of the virtual world to test their skills and prove capabilities with real weapons, against real targets. Military us- Visit Us At idex 2017 ers are making great efforts and spend lots Inside the Shoot House: Royal Netherlands Marines practice room Booth #09-A02 of money to make this training activity as clearance during a shoot house exercise on the US Marine Corps base at realistic and challenging as possible. Theis- Camp Lejeune. sen Training Systems (TTS) is among the leading providers of such advanced com- with special effects such as voices, heat, video wall or panoramic display covering bat shooting ranges, providing an array of humidity, dust, wind etc., these facilities up to 300 degrees, the weapons are usu- sophisticated range systems that comprise can replicate all the tactical and environ- ally provided as part of the system, and anything from basic field and indoor firing mental factors of real life close quarters simulate standard issue weapons, fitted ranges, to complex marksmanship training battle. with laser aiming systems and recoil gen- and Military Operations in Urban Terrain For example, a Modular Digital Shoot erator that simulate the weapon opera- (MOUT) Close Quarters Battles (CQB) live House from Shooting Range Technolo- tion. In addition to determining the point firing facilities. gies (SRT) uses an armoured exterior of impact, such systems also collect key These ranges are equipped with remotely construction with interior bullet traps. parameters such as sight picture, trigger controlled stationary and moving targets The walls and ceiling provide screen- control, posture and stance to determine simulating realistic threats. For example, ing area to display live targets to create the shooter’s technique in real time.

• • • 60 European Security & Defence · February 2017 • • • • • • • • • For simulated training exercises to be re- alistic and have valid psychological im- pact, the trainee must consider the peo- ple in the scenario to be “human”. The human brain is exceptional at detecting a “fake” person when they are closer than about 30 meters. The look and move- ment of people is perfectly captured by high quality video, but CGI creates “ap- proximations” of people. Even with the latest CGI technology, “generated” CGI humans do not look and move like real people when viewing them at distances

closer than about 30 meters. Photo: Thales Deutschland When dealing with potential threats at Sagittarius Evolution of Thales Deutschland is a small arms trainer closer ranges, military and law enforce- that covers all areas of marksmanship training from law enforcement ment personnel look for threat cues to applications, close quarter combat up to full military battlefield make split-second life-and-death deci- engagement training. sions. This is usually best simulated using actors and high resolution video. For law enforcement officer training most customers prefer the realism of human actors using high-resolution video for close range training. However, for some military applications users would opt for the flexibility and rich content ena- bled by CGI scenarios, particularly when Photo: Meggitt Training Systems “fought” at extended range of 10-30 meters or more. The PRISim Suits from the Cubic Cor- poration uses HD interactive videos and game engine technology to create a re- alistic training theatre for all aspects of firearms handling. Training simulators are available for live firing or laser fire, us- ing modified weapons fitted with coded laser inserts. The PRISim Judgment Trainer from Cu- Meggitt Training Systems is constantly improving and renewing their bic Corporation is an example of such core product FATS. a trainer. The judgment calls, indecision, sudden fear, partial understanding, blind Training realism can be enhanced with The cannon synchronizes with the video side surprise and eye-blink response “ShootBack” effect, utilizing Cubic’s sceneto fire .68 caliber polyurethane are all part of the training experience patented cannon that enables on-screen pellets when the suspect on the screen that conditions the trainee for survival. threats to “create” fire back at trainees. shoots at the trainee.

Visit Us At idex 2017 Booth #09-A02

• • • • • • • • • • • •  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

3D Firearms Training with external air tank or compressor. The instruc- Virtra uses high fidelity video and animat- Tethered Weapons tor can also initiate various weapon jams to ed graphics, 3D audio and special effects. test the trainee. The tether also transfers Training weapons have realistic recoil and A different system is the FATS – an ad- expansive sensor data to the control unit, the enemy can even shoot back, in case of vanced reality training simulator from Meg- where real-time assessment is processed being hit, a small electric shock will indicate gittTraining Systems. FATS implements an for after-action review where instructors the soldier about his “injury”. advanced 3D game engine for marksman- can provide feedback to trainees about The range of firearms and tactics trainers ship training, and man-machine coaching how they performed and handled the situ- developed by Virtra include high-accuracy functions. FATS can support unit sizes up ation.Features include butt pressure sensor, marksmanship range that has dozen of to a full infantry squad (15 trainees) concur- trigger squeeze sensor, cant sensor and built-in environments and scenarios with rently handling up to 30 weapons. These muzzle trace, reinforcing the fundamen- hundreds of combinations of weather, al- weapons use advanced firing simulation tals of marksmanship training. Optics can titude and 175 different sizes and shapes techniques using tethered or tetherless ef- be mounted on rails to maximize training of targets. Users can move around, shoot fect generation and mimic direct or indi- potential. with handguns or rifles at any angle. The rect effects.Common types include M&P For free roam operation Meggitt also offers company offers flat screen, panoramic 40, Beretta M9, Glock 17, M4 (AR15 type), the BlueFire wireless weapon simulatorion or an immersive trainer design covering Steyr AUG, Browning M2, Remington 870 technique using Bluetooth communica- 300-degree experience. and Accuracy International sniper rifles, X26 tions, providing the same level of control Through the system’s control panel in- Taser and chemical spray simulators. as tethered weapons but with full range of structors can activate audio distractions, Tethered weapons provide the highest motion. The After-Action Review (AAR) al- such as barking dogs, orbiting helicop- degree of weapon control and feedback. lows engagement and shot assessment in ters, or environmental noises such as They are built with form, fit and function a 3D virtual environment, while providing thunder storms. Different branches and in mind, depicting real weapons within detailed trainee diagnostics for skill rein- outcomes of scenarios can be chosen to 10% of the live weapon weight and center forcement or correction. This technology is prevent predictability and anticipation. of gravity. Weapon recoil is achieved with currently available for Glock 17, Glock 19, Instructors can change the scenario in compressed air or CO2 gas, that generate Sig P226, Sig P229, Beretta M9, Walther real-time, based on verbal commands recoil sufficient to activate the autoloading P99, S&W M&P in .40 and 9mm, H&K G36, or trainee’s actions. During the session cycle and disturb the trainee sight picture, M4 and SRS Rifle (M16 type) simulators and the instructors can instantly activate the requiring the trainee to reacquire the target Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle. threat-fire that simulate an injury to the after each shot. Air is delivered through a Simulation realism is an important factor trainee, adding stress and realism to the tether connected to an air source such as an for successful training. To gain such realism scenario. Threat-fire activation can also

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es VR gaming development technology to train soldiers and first responders to respond to emergency situations. Unlike firearms training simulators that focus on the use of the weapon, Teta.tech exposes the individual to complex, unexpected sit- Photo: Samantha J. Whitehead/US Army uations that require instinctive response, where the use of weapons is only one of many other options that should be consid- ered by trainees. The principle uses specially designed props that integrate into the virtual scene, using miniature sensors that turn any object into a VR controller – from simple batons or fire extinguishers, handguns, radio sets or loudspeakers, all become fully functional in the VR scene. Teta.tech enables adapta- The Dismounted Soldier Training System (DSTS), a virtual reality trainer tion of the real equipment, by attaching at Fort Leonard Wood. The DSTS translates soldiers’ movements into a the sensors with application kits, or use simulated training environment where soldiers can conduct foot patrols special props that simulate the equipment and clear buildings. in virtual reality to deliver realistic opera- tion in the virtual world. be combined with the video recording so tion. Trainees can practise individually, Military and law enforcement training has a trainee understand why the instructor with virtual soldiers filling the squad, or in gone a long way since implementing la- activated such penalty. a group of trainees forming the squad. In- ser training systems and video generated structors can inject threats, obstacles and scenery in the 1980s. Today, trainees can Domes for Increasing Reality buildings, use various distractions, such as practice in live fire, in fast paced, life-like, dogs, birds, vehicles, non-combatants or immersive scenarios, fighting computer The latest trend in immersive training rely IEDs and other combat effects to distract generated adversaries that can even shoot on “Virtual Reality” (VR) by recreating the trainees and add more realism to the un- back for maximum realism, and this is only combat scene in 360-degrees, with sur- folding scene. the beginning. Stay tuned for more…  round audio and other visual effects. To At a cost of $12M per enter the virtual scene trainees don VR system DSTS is relatively headsets and use special props that mimic expensive and, since its their weapons in the virtual world. Using operation requires expe- an actual weapon is not a must, since rienced instructors and props designed to ‘feel’ like the real thing technicians, some of the will operate just as well in VR. bases that already have The US military deployed several systems the system are not fully of this type, known as the “Dismounted utilizing them. Part of Soldier Training System” (DSTS). The sys- the problem is the com- tem can simulate various environments, plex and unique equip- topographic, climatic or combat effects ment the system uses. and insert various entities – hostile, non- DSTS uses ExpeditionDI combatant or friendly forces – to the sce- from Intelligent Deci- narios. sions Inc. The system operates in a hangar where VR technology has made each soldier is allocated an area of 100 significant progress since square foot to move freely. The nine-per- ExpeditionDI emerged son system is completely portable and can on the scene in the late be used anywhere electricity and about 2000s. Today, VR sys- 1,600 square feet of space are available. tems designed for enter- The DSTS application of this system is used tainment are becoming to enable a small group of soldier to follow available, including HTC the leader’s commands, repetitively going Vive, Oculus Rift, OSVR through procedures. The system can dis- and Intel Alloy, which is play the position and performance of each expected to become the of the squad members at any time, provid- first high fidelity wireless ing corrective feedback to bring them in VR headset in the mar- line with the group. ket. This gear is devel- Each soldier uses a wearable PC that runs oped for use by gamers the game-based graphics engine and VR but is also suitable for displays. The entire group is controlled by certain training applica- instructors from the exercise control sta- tions. Teta.tech harness-

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 63  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY The Whys and Wherefores of Precision

Guided Munitions Tim Guest

Precision-guided munitions (PGMs) have firmly established themselves as key components in the artillery arsenals of modern armies. While many new developments in precision and near-precision systems are underway, a handful, including some already operationally proven are, for now, leading a field that is likely to become more crowded in the years ahead.

Setting the Scene

When Copperhead and the US Army’s APGM Programme rubbed shoulders dur- ing the 1980s, it became clear that new technologies were opening up a world of precision-guided possibilities for artillery.

The future would not simply be massed Photo: US Department of Defense joint fires using dumb ammunition to achieve a sometimes “eventual” target destruction, but a combined portfolio of systems that could be called on at a mo- ment’s notice to handle different targets in different scenarios and in different theatres. In today’s geopolitically unstable world, hotspot conflicts, often in urban settings and inextricably involving civilian premises, houses, apartments and the like, have meant traditional artillery usage has given way to more targeted procedures where the use of PGMs is more appropriate US Marines fire an M982 EXCALIBUR round from an M777 155 mm in terms of taking out high-value targets howitzer during a fire support mission at Fire Base Fiddler's Green, with as little collateral damage as possible. Helmand province, Afghanistan on 1 October 2011. These systems have now evolved to enable engagement of point targets, with the and the PzH2000 and is also compatible versus the potential of having to send many US leading the way in terms of usage and with the AS90, K9 and G6 howitzers. With conventional rounds over the battlefield manufacturing, through the development its flight dynamics system, EXCALIBUR ex- to achieve the same end result, has to be and uptake of the M982 EXCALIBUR and tends the range of 39-calibre artillery to considered. Not only that – the cost of the the course-correction fuse system – the 40 km and 52-calibre artillery to more than logistics required to transport and load a Precision Guidance Kit (PGK). The latter is 50 km. single PGM versus the same process of effectively a simple, cost-effective way of The PGK, on the other hand, while not a delivering many traditional HE rounds to a increasing the accuracy of existing dumb true PGM, allows conventional ammuni- gun position has also to be taken into ac- rounds, though not the range. Both have tion to be converted cost effectively from count. Also factored into the overall “cost- been developed largely for use in Iraq and traditional dumb HE rounds into near- effectiveness-of-PGMs” equation has to be Afghanistan, with lessons learned through precision shells. Huge cost reductions are the effect of barrel wear – a single PGM their operational deployment and use feed- the major aspect of this solution – the cost fired will not deteriorate a rifled barrel as ing back to drive further development and factor and differentials are significant in the much as 10 HE rounds. Furthermore, be- improvements to such technologies. Other development and use of PGMs. Accord- yond effects on the weapon system itself systems are being developed, as we shall ing to industry sources, EXCALIBUR rounds is, is the aspect of collateral damage, such see. currently cost about US$68k, while a con- effects on the innocent population and For its part, EXCALIBUR is a true precision ventional HE round costs around US$2k. political fall-out from such; traditional ac- weapon and enables precision engage- Fitted with a PGK the cost rises to around curacies of artillery have often led to unin- ment of targets up to 42 km away with US$12k. Leading industry analysts see the tended casualties and collateral destruction a radial miss distance of under 2 m. As a costs for PGMs coming down as demand on the ground, particularly when engaging result, its first round effects are devastating increases – new/old threats in Europe – and an enemy located in urban areas. PGM use and further rounds on target are unlikely as manufacturing processes evolve. is a way of avoiding this. Even the near- to be needed. The system has undergone However, straight unit cost comparisons precision Orbital ATK PGK, which incorpo- full qualification tests for use by the M777, are deceptive, as the potential for dispatch- rates technology to correct the trajectory all M109 series guns, the M198, ARCHER ing a high-value target with a single PGM of the round in flight, though without the

64 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY 

indirect fire requirements for the two na- tions’ armed forces. “These requirements include range, precision, engagement of single point targets and compatibility to Photo: Orbital ATK existing weapon platforms and command structures. Other aspects are avoidance of collateral damage and a mission-abort capability.” He added that depending on the mission required, both VULCANO mu- nitions can be equipped with different sen- sors for precise terminal homing. “The sys- tem’s Semi-Active Laser (SAL), is used for man-in-the-loop missions against station- ary and moving, single-point targets and/ or infrastructure. The Far Infrared (FarIR) sensor is the right choice for autonomous missions against stationary and moving sea and air targets. GPS is used for both mid-

The Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) for 155 mm artillery from Orbital ATK transforms conventional 155 mm artillery projectiles into a near precision weapon, reliably reducing normal artillery dispersion of more than 200 metres to less than 30 metres. Photo: Diehl Defence winged element of a PGM like EXCALIBUR Raytheon and BAE Systems Bofors, in this to increase the range, can have a dramatic article, prime contractor Raytheon is appro- effect on minimising collateral damage. priately the spokesperson for the system. Outside the US, PGM developers include BAE Systems' role has been to develop the Leonardo-Finmeccanica together with warhead, the spinning base with fins and Diehl offering the VULCANO 155 mm base-bleed and participates in the overall PGM, part of a family of systems for both system integration – the company supplies land-based (155 mm) and naval gunnery the complete bases from its production and (127 mm) applications, as well as offering a assembly facility in Karlskoga, Sweden.] 120 mm guided mortar round. VULCANO, which will compete directly with EXCALI- PGMs in a World of BUR, is, according to Ben Goodlad, Prin- Changing Threats cipal Weapons Analyst, IHS Aerospace & Defence, expected to enter service with the Tom Pfenning, Business Development Di- Italians in the 2016 timeframe. It will likely rector for the Weapon Systems business be acquired by “several other navies” after at BAE Systems, told ESD that, “The role that. According to Goodlad, the German of PGMs is evolving, including a significant Army is intending to evaluate both EXCALI- need for greater range (> 70 km) 155 mm BUR and VULCANO in head-to-head tests howitzers, lower collateral damage and the Precision Guided Munitions and shoot offs in the future. ability to address multiple missions. For in- VULCANO 127 mm (V127GLR; stance, the US Navy’s large guns have his- vertical) and VULCANO 155 mm Vendor Views torically been able to address only Naval (V155GLR; horizontal) Surface Fire Support (land attack) at ranges For their qualified views on some of the to 13 nmi from a destroyer or cruiser when course guidance and as a back-up mode to latest developments in the PGM world, ESD fired from the Mk 45 5-inch guns. The guide the ammunition to a programmed spoke with the top PGM people at certain ZUMWALT class of destroyers will be ca- coordinate.” He emphasised the fact that leading manufacturers: BAE Systems, with pable of firing out to over 60 nmi with pin- VULCANO munitions are “sub-calibre its Hyper-Velocity Projectile (HVP), Stand- point accuracy. PGMs will be capable of ad- projectiles for extended ranges of 80 km ard Guided Projectiles (SGPs) and the Sil- dressing land, maritime, and anti-air targets (V127GLR) and 70 km (V155GLR)” and ver Bullet PG kit; Diehl Defence – in joint with the addition of seekers and data-links. are equipped with high-performance, pre- collaboration with Leonardo-Finmeccanica Low-cost precision guidance and seeker fragmented warheads. – with VULCANO; and Raytheon with EX- technologies have enabled rounds to fly Sharing his thoughts on PGM develop- CALIBUR.. farther with significantly more accuracy.” ments to meet a world of changing threats, [Ed note: this is by no means an exhaus- At Diehl Defence, VULCANO Product Paul Daniels, business development lead tive list, with other players, such as Nexter Manager, Dr. Jürgen Bohl, echoed such for EXCALIBUR programmes at Raytheon, in France, working on precision-guided thoughts on the evolution of PGMs, cit- told ESD that EXCALIBUR had been fielded systems, including its SPACIDO course- ing VULCANO V127GLR and VULCANO to “make artillery fires relevant again on the correction fuse. V155GLR, the two PGMs being developed modern battlefield”. He said this had large- It should also be stated that while EX- collaboratively under the umbrella of a Ger- ly involved recognising insurgent forces or CALIBUR is a joint development involving man/Italian government agreement to fulfil terrorists were using urban terrain more

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 65  ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY

and more to conduct operations while co- and offer state-of-the-art capabilities to ex- only detonates after penetrating the tar- mingling among civilian populations. “EX- pand the relevance of ground-based artil- get infrastructure, such as bunkers, walls CALIBUR‘s extended range (33% increase lery and naval fires. The SGP’s solid rocket of buildings, ships, or command vehicles. over conventional rocket-assisted projec- motor extends the range of 155 mm how- “Operation is possible under all weather tiles), its pinpoint accuracy and its ability itzers to 85 km and naval 5-inch guns to conditions due to the combination of GPS to penetrate reinforced concrete structures over 54 nmi while providing rapid time of mid-course guidance and terminal hom- have given the Army, the Marine Corps flight. The SGP’s 4-canard guidance system ing sensors for the final flight path, Jürgen and its allies an all-weather precision-strike provides pinpoint accuracy at all ranges, in Bohl told ESD. “Even under low cloud ceiling capability immediately available to the sup- GPS-denied environments and in all weath- conditions SAL and FarIR sensor guidance port manoeuvre commander.” He added er conditions. The SGP modular payload is is applicable due to adapted flight profiles that the US military is again focusing on capable of delivering an HE or non-kinetic for the terminal homing phase. Smoke has near-peer threats, such as Russia, China, payload. The imaging seeker is capable no counter effects on FarIR and GPS-guided flights and only minor effects – if at all – for SAL terminal homing.” He added that, “GPS jamming is limited due to the sensor-based terminal homing (without GPS being in the loop). For a limited timeframe, mid-course

Photos: Diehl Defence guidance is possible without GPS data, by just relying on the inertial navigation system to meet the rendezvous point where the terminal homing phase takes over.” When it comes to mission planning, Bohl said that “mission planning happens at the upper command level coordinating the battlefield, or directly on the theatre [of war] at the weapon site, depending on the combat situ- ation. The Fire Command Solution is based on NABK (NATO Armament Ballistic Kernel Different sensors for precise terminal homing of the VULCANO include the – formerly NATO Artillery Ballistic Kernel), Semi Active Laser (SAL; left) and the Far Infrared (FarIR) sensor (right) either at upper command level or directly at the weapon/weapon site.” Iran, and Korea. “EXCALIBUR‘s capabilities of detecting lasers or autonomous target On EXCALIBUR, Raytheon’s Paul Daniels will be critical in these scenarios as well; recognition against stationary or moving had this to say about the weapon’s capabil- its first-round effects against time-critical targets.” ities and innovations: “EXCALIBUR is an all- targets will be extremely important. EX- Diehl’s Dr Bohl said of VULCANO, that the weather weapon. Unlike close air support, CALIBUR is also the only precision guided ranges for the V127GLR and the V155GLR which may not be available due to weather, projectile with a robust anti-jamming capa- are greater than 80 km and greater than other priorities, or because of inappropri- bility and the army is investing in improv- 70 km, respectively. He added that the ate weapons load out, EXCALIBUR is a ing its resiliency against evolving near-peer accuracy of the munition equipped with weapon employed by artillery units directly threats to GPS-aided navigation.” the SAL Terminal Homing Sensor is less answering [requests] to support manoeu- than 3 m against stationary and moving vre commanders. Its range is 40 km from Capabilities and Technical single-point targets, operating in semi-au- US-made howitzers (with 39-calibre tubes) Innovation tonomous mode; using the FarIR Terminal and 50 km from howitzers equipped with Homing Sensor accuracy is less than 10 m 52-calibre tubes. Excalibur Ib – the latest When it comes to the capabilities of these against targets with an infrared signature variant in full-rate production since 2014 latest systems, Tom Pfenning told ESD that like sea and air targets, when operating in – is averaging less than two metres impact the BAE Systems’ HVP and the SGP rounds autonomous mode. When using GPS guid- from its intended target, regardless of are capable of accurately addressing ance only, he said the ammunition is “guid- range. Its near-vertical angle of fall ensures threats to “beyond 50 nmi in all weather ed to a programmed coordinate – where optimal effects from its fragmentation and operating environments”. He said that the target is expected to be!” warhead and mitigates the risk of collateral the HVP and SGP are capable of address- In terms of munition effects, Bohl explained damage. Foreign customers include Can- ing rapidly moving targets to expand the the various “Warhead Events” that can ada, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, effectiveness of PGMs over a wide range be achieved using the high-performance and an undisclosed critical ally in the fight of missions, while “significantly reducing VULCANO warhead with pre-fragmented against ISIS.” In terms of technological in- the cost of prosecuting these missions by tungsten splinters. They include: selectable novations beyond those already described, reducing reliance on higher cost missiles, or “heights of burst”, with heights depending Daniels said, “EXCALIBUR’s shaped trajec- firing multiple projectiles to achieve desired on the type of target, e.g. soft targets in tory allows a fly-out that extends range. target effects”. the open. Point impact, where single-point This means there is no need for rocket “Our SGP is compatible with 155 mm how- targets such as vehicles, field fortifications, motors.” He said that the round’s “robust itzers,” Pfenning continued, “and 5-inch, or missile launch sites can be engaged anti-jamming capability is unique” claiming as well as 155 mm naval guns; it employs with the projectile detonating on contact. that, “anti-jamming capability is not avail- a solid rocket motor, a 4-canard guidance Finally, impact delay, where different “de- able on other solutions, such as course-cor- system, a modular payload and an imaging lay times” can be selected depending on rection fuses, or non-US-produced, sub- seeker. All of these systems are low cost the type of targets, ensuring the round calibre, guided projectiles”. He added that

66 European Security & Defence · February 2017 ARMAMENT & TECHNOLOGY 

these in-development systems, Pfenning said, “The SGP and HVP are development programmes and have not been fielded. We are under contract with the US Navy for the development of the HVP and there is interest in the SGP from the US and other international countries. Discussions contin- ue to proceed.” One of the key elements in any such discus- sions will be cost, about which Tom Pfen- ning had this to say in conclusion to ESD: “While the unit cost of the SGP is higher than traditional artillery ammunition, PGMs like the SGP offer single-shot defeat

Photo: US Navy of targets at ranges four times greater than The EXCALIBUR N5 naval variant will soon be fired from ships like the traditional conventional artillery and naval ARLEIGH BURKE Class guided-missile destroyer USS DEWEY ammunition. Single-shot defeat of targets provides the ability to protect our troops EXCALIBUR’s manoeuvrability in flight and Bohl said that the V127GLR is compatible who are in harm’s way while reducing the modular design allow “capability growth”, with all 127 mm / 5-inch guns , such as logistics burden (fewer rounds needed) such as the future integration of a terminal the OTO Melara 127/54-cal and 127/64- and significantly reducing reliance on con- seeker to attack moving/re-located tar- cal guns and also with the 5-inch MK45 siderably more expensive missiles, such as gets, or poorly located targets. guns. The V155GLR, on the other hand, is TLAMs, MLRS and others.” One of Pfenning’s colleagues at BAE Sys- compatible with all 155 mm gun systems, tems, David Harrold, who’s the director including the PzH2000/52-cal, FH70/39- Precision Guidance Solutions at the compa- cal, CAESAR, AS-90, M109 all variants ny and involved with BAE Systems ROKAR and more. SILVER BULLET developments – similar in scope to the PGK from Orbital – said, Photo: BAE Systems “SILVER BULLET’s roll-controlled guidance section provides a better platform for in- ertial sensor and seeker integration. Under a contract through the US The solution has experienced over Office of Naval Research (ONR), 150 firing tests, of which 50 were As BAE Systems is developing a guided flights. Testing in December of for EXCALI- Hyper Velocity Projectile (HVP) for 2015 on the M795 shell demonstrated BUR, Daniels told the US Armed Forces and its allies. a three-round grouping of less than five ESD that, “All US-made metres from the target.” howitzers (M109 series, M777, M198) can fire EXCALIBUR. The Ger- On VULCANO tests, Diehl’s Jürgen Bohl Compatability: man-made PzH2000 and the Swedish said that performance requirements like PGMs and Guns ARCHER are fully qualified to employ EX- range, sensor-based terminal homing CALIBUR and it has also been tested in the (SAL, FarIR), GPS guidance and various Harrold added that SILVER BULLET can G6, the K9, and the AS90. The bottom line warhead event modes have been “suc- now be fired from all M109 variants and is that EXCALIBUR has been compatible cessfully demonstrated during regular K9 THUNDER and is also compatible with with every howitzer in which it has been firing trials under supervision of the Ital- M777 and other systems. The system first tested.” ian and German authorities”. He con- entered development in 1997 and, like the cluded, saying, “Currently, both calibres Orbital ATK PGK, can be fitted rapidly to Performance, Results, are under joint qualification, scheduled standard 155 mm projectiles as a screw- Customers for delivery/fielding beginning in 2018. in fuse, effectively changing conventional First customers [for VULCANO] will be rounds into cost-effective near-precision “Our SGP has completed over 175 gun the Army and Naval Forces of Germany guided solutions and making the solution tests and has been demonstrated to Tech- and Italy.” compatible with the fullest 155 mm how- nology Readiness Level (TRL) 6”, Tom When it comes to operational use, how- itzer/gun inventory. Pfenning to ESD. “Leveraging a saboted ever, EXCALIBUR is the benchmark and BAE Systems' Pfenning added that the variant of SGP, we are preparing to con- Raytheon’s Paul Daniels stated that US company’s SGP is compatible with 155 mm duct additional tests fired from a 155 mm forces continue to employ EXCALIBUR in howitzers and 5-inch and 155 mm naval gun system. Our imaging seeker recently active combat theatres with nearly 1,000 guns, while the HVP is compatible with successfully completed closed-loop au- rounds fired against enemy forces to date. 155 mm howitzers, 5-inch naval guns and tonomous target detection and guided to He concluded: “Raytheon expects to de- the electro-magnetic rail gun, scenarios in a moving target. Our HVP is progressing to liver its 10,000th projectile late in 2016. which they provide the capability of ad- mature all components and is on track with This number includes all variants – Ia-1, dressing a wide range of targets, including our US Government programme schedule Ia-2, and Ib – and also includes projectiles fast-moving maritime and air threats. to conduct an intercept of an air-target used in development, testing and for sale On VULCANO’s compatible gun systems, in flight.” As for potential customers for to foreign customers.” 

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 67  INDUSTRY & MARKETS Future Markets and Trends for the Defence Business

Interview with Giovanni Soccodato, EVP Strategy, Markets and Business Development, Leonardo

ESD: Leonardo is not only a new brand – ESD: What is Leonardo today? How many the rebranding stands for the transition to a people do you employ at how many fa- new structure and a new corporate identity. cilities and where, what commercial re- What are the main features and objectives sult did you achieve in 2016, how did you of this restart? integrate former brands like Oto Melara, Soccodato: The new name – Leonardo – is AgustaWestland and Alenia into your new the “final seal” of the transformation project company structure and what are the com- & Naval Defence Electronics, Defence Sys- the company has undertaken in the last cou- pany’s main technology fields? tems, Security & Information Systems. We ple of years. We are now a single, stream- Soccodato: Today Leonardo is among the have developed an “integrated” presence lined and efficient industrial company: an top ten global players in aerospace, de- strategy, which leverages on the strengths integrated entity with a coherent and con- fence and security and has about 47,000 of each division to obtain a much more at- sistent approach both internally and towards employees. The company is headquartered tractive and competing overall presence our customers. in Italy with more than 200 sites worldwide and market offering. The new organisation and new name give and with a significant industrial presence in When it comes to commercial results us a single, unique voice when talking to four domestic markets – Italy, UK, the US achieved in 2016, I can mention the out- customers and other stakeholders, and pro- and Poland – as well as strategic partner- standing EUROFIGHTER success in Kuwait, vide a new image that represents our new ships in the most important high potential which represents the largest contract ever way of operating. It is important to note international markets. signed by the company; the new ships for that we are not changing the core business: The former companies have now become Qatar for where Leonardo will be respon- we are doing the same things that we did the seven divisions through which Leon- sible to deliver the whole integrated com- before, but more effectively and efficiently, ardo operates – Helicopters, Aircraft, Aero- bat system; the supply of Air Traffic Control using an improved operating model. structures, Airborne & Space Systems, Land (ATC) radars in Canada, the largest ATC con- Photos: Leonardo

Last years’ Eurofighter contract with Kuwait has been the largest contract ever signed by the company.

68 European Security & Defence · February 2017 INDUSTRY & MARKETS 

Soccodato: This is on top of the domestic markets: besides the recent NEES helicop- ter and M345 trainer aircraft new devel- opments mentioned before, I need to re- call the new Italian naval programme. This important and huge programme shows the Italian Navy’s trust in our advanced technologies, which have now taken shape. You could experience them first hand during Euronaval 2016. We are glad to say that once again we are at the very forefront of naval technologies which we are ready to export to international mar- kets to address the most demanding re- quirements of any navy around the world. We are also working on the largest digi- talisation programme for the Italian Army, Forza NEC, for which Leonardo is the prime contractor, design authority and lead sys- The AW159 is Leonardo's latest generation helicopter for maritime and tem integrator. The project, initiated in utility missions. 2006 by the Italian defence administration, has the objective of modernising the Italian tract award for Leonardo in the last 10 years, al microelectronics for advanced radar Armed Forces. The contract covers manu- besides networked weather radars to the sensors, unmanned surveillance and facture and integration of command posts Canadian Department for Environmental environmental monitoring activities, in shelters and vehicles, communications, Policies and Programmes. advanced materials – are autonomous C4I devices for soldiers, combat and tactical Additionally, Leonardo achieved several sig- decision making and controls, big data platforms, unmanned vehicles, offering full nificant successes in the helicopter sector analysis and internet of things applied to interoperability between the Italian Armed ranging from military and parapublic to civil improve capabilities and performance in Forces and the forces of other countries. markets. Among them are AW139s for Paki- our product domains. These are some of stan’s MoD and another six units for the Ital- the fields in which we operate to improve ESD: What are the company’s most impor- ian Guardia di Finanza (Customs and Border and enhance our technological capabili- tant export markets today and from a strate- Protection), two AW159 naval helicopters ties looking at the future with dual use gic perspective in the near future? to the Philippines. In China we sold a total applications in aerospace and electronics Soccodato: Beyond our domestic mar- of 55 helicopters, the AW119, AW169 and for defence and security. kets – Italy, UK, the US and Poland – we AW189 models set to establish the largest are more and more a global company Emergency Medical Service across the na- ESD: What major programmes of the Ital- which needs to position itself to pursue tion. We are the only European company ian Armed Forces are you currently working opportunities in those markets showing able to provide a complete “unmanned” on? solid trends in their defence and security system including ground control station, aircraft and sensors and 2016 saw indeed great activity in this domain. Our FALCO EVO has been selected by two customers in the Middle East and the Gulf region while the European MALE RPAS programme – assigned to Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo – took off and we conducted test campaigns for our remotely piloted SW-4 “Solo” helicopter. 2017 got off with a good start with a five year support and training contract for the UK’s AW159 WILDCAT fleet, the launch of the new exploration and escort helicopter (NEES) for the Italian Army and a contract for an initial batch of five Aermacchi M-345 trainer aircraft for the Italian Air Force. Fi- nally, we are pursuing interesting develop- ments in the cyber security domain where we are building effective alliances with pri- vate companies and institutions to promote common policies and strategies to face the One of the high technology systems from Leonardo is ATHENA increasing cyber threats. (Architecture & Technologies Handling Electronic Naval Applications), a Main technological fields of the new solution for advanced Combat Management Systems (CMS) from patrol Leonardo – besides the more tradition- vessels up to aircraft carriers.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 69  INDUSTRY & MARKETS

budgets. First and foremost I would men- political preconditions to initiate and to fos- ESD: What are the future technologies tion the Far East and Middle East: in both ter a process like this? in the focus of Leonardo’s R&D invest- these areas we have a good starting point Soccodato: The most recent defence ments? which we achieved in the recent past with budget dynamics and overall political and Soccodato: Leonardo constantly works our helicopters, radars and electronic sys- security landscape in Europe definitely push on innovation investing 11% of revenues tems or aircraft. And we see opportuni- towards further consolidation of the indus- in Research & Development. The company ties to expand our presence exploiting trial base, reducing the current duplications invests in and focuses on many innova- dual use, critical infrastructure and cyber and overcapacity in the individual countries. tion-related themes for the future, which security solutions. Other areas that we The EU Commission's recent approval of the include key areas such as cyber security, are looking at with interest are the entire European Defence Action Plan, with all the unmanned systems as well as the potential Caucasian region, including Turkey, and related actions and measures is a first step of new digital technologies such as the South America, starting with Brazil, where in this direction, foreseeing for the first time Internet of Things and digital manufactur- we see notable signs of recovery from the funding for defence related R&D and spe- ing, with a view also to Industry 4.0. recent crisis. cific projects at EU level. We have ongoing research projects with In North Africa we see significant oppor- In any case, this is just the beginning of a Italian and international universities and tunities in countries like Algeria, Morocco, long journey towards common stand- research centres and are convinced that Egypt. These countries have immediate se- ards for interoperability, harmonised re- these are key factors of competitiveness curity and defence requirements which we quirements across the different armed for our product portfolio innovation to believe are common to broader areas of forces and, finally, more cooperative pro- face international competition. the African continent, as demonstrated by jects – also through joint procurement. some recent successes with our maritime All of this is needed to foster and enable ESD: Looking ten years ahead, what will domain awareness, helicopters, tactical greater integration at the industry level. be the status and perspectives of Leon- transport and security solutions in Sub- From a Leonardo perspective, we now be- ardo? Saharan countries. lieve to have established solid grounds from Soccodato: I see a leading global player the economical, financial and industrial in selected business areas, based on core ESD: Giuseppe Bono, the CEO of Leon- perspective to pursue appropriate alliances technology capabilities an innovative and ardo’s Fincantieri shipyard, has recently ad- which will enable us to strengthen our lead- affordable product portfolio and service vocated the creation of a “Naval Airbus” ership areas in Europe and increase our ef- excellence.  in Europe. What is your attitude towards fectiveness on the export market where the an overall consolidation of the European competition with global players becomes The questions were asked by defence industry? What are the essential stronger and stronger. Peter Bossdorf.

the conference at www.eweurope.comRegister for

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A INDUSTRY & MARKETS  International Demonstration Day at EXPAL

Waldemar Geiger

For the first time, the Spanish defence company EXPAL showcased can highlight potential areas of danger on a digital map while on the move, in its range of mortar systems in the scope of a demonstration day on which case EIMOS then automatically aim 15 November 2016. The event took place at the firing range of the acquires the target while in motion. Fire support can be provided immediately af- Álvarez de Sotomayor military base in Almeria (southern Spain), the ter the vehicle has come to a stop. If the home base of the Spanish Legion, Spain’s Rapid Reaction Force. vehicle breaks down or troops have to dis- mount for deployment, the mortar barrel can be removed without any special tools ith the live demonstration sup- The weapon system is self-directing after and can also be used outside the vehicle Wported by the Spanish Legion, the command to fire. It can, however, also in the conventional way using the bipod, customers and national and interna- be directed manually with a joystick, if re- base plate and periscope carried on-board tional journalists had been invited to quired. The weapon system (max. 16 shots the vehicle. observe a static and dynamic display of per minute) is loaded manually. Combined EXPAL’s mortar systems. The presenta- with TECHFIRE – the company’s own fire TECHFIRE tion provided comprehensive informa- control and guidance system – a mortar tion about the company’s portfolio of team equipped with EIMOS can conduct The fire control element is the core of services in the field of infantry indirect fire missions independently of an observ- indirect fire support. Only fire control fire systems. er or fire direction element. The operator enables the troops to engage a target A part of the Spanish defence group Maxam, EXPAL specialises in the produc- tion of ammunition for land, air and naval forces and in the disposal of all kinds of

the conference at (Photos: EXPAL) www.eweurope.comRegister for explosive ordnance. The product range was extended a few years ago, when the firm decided to amend its portfolio of ammunition with more complex weapon systems and associated services. Today, EXPAL’s strategy is to provide a one-stop shop for mortar systems. Beside ammu- nition (high explosive, insensitive high explosive, smoke, illumination and IR il- lumination), fuses and mortars (bipod and commando versions incl. conver- sion kit) in all relevant NATO calibres, the firm offers suitable fire control/guidance EW EUROPE 2017 systems, drone-based observer systems Europe’s Leading Event in Electronic Warefare and training resources. It also provides decommissioning services, system inte- gration and integrated logistics support In 2017, join us and connect with: (ILS) services. Worldwide, 60 armies are taking advantage the company’s prod- ucts and services. delegates attending GET IN TOUCH 750+ [email protected] EXPAL Integrated Mortar +44 (0) 20 7384 8102 System (EIMOS) 50+ exhibiting companies REGISTER AND EIMOS is the peak of the evolution of FIND OUT MORE the mortar systems developed by EXPAL. countries represented WWW.EWEUROPE.COM Regardless of platform, the system can 40+ be integrated with every military vehicle with a payload of at least 2.5 t and pro- credit: images.defence.gov.au vides pinpoint-accurate fire support in During the firing demonstration, a conventional 60 mm mortar was 60/81 mm calibres within a few seconds. employed by the Spanish Legion.

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A  INDUSTRY & MARKETS without direct visual contact. However, TECHFIRE offers even more capabilities. The software is platform-independent and can be operated with military lap- tops, tablets or handheld devices. The system, comprising the sub-systems for the observer, the fire control element and the ballistic calculator for the mortar team, has a common interface and can process external weather data and posi- tion information. The system architecture is well thought-through and provides for intuitive operation. Messages indicating the location of an objective can be en- tered by hand using established observer means via data transfer (e.g. laser range finder) or can be generated by point-and- click on the digital map and sent to the remainder of the data-sharing network at the click of a button. When GPS is available, the computer with the TECHFIRE software can comple- The mortar crews of the Spanish Legion can conduct fire missions within ment the command and control function seconds with EIMOS. with the generation of bearing for mor- tar teams. In the scope of the live firing may not provide every conceivable func- open spaces without additional techni- demonstration, data transfer and com- tion, but they do operate more stably and cal aids. It can either be controlled via munication were conducted using the can more easily be connected to other remote control or operated based on a Spanish armed forces’ radio equipment. systems. pre-programmed flight path. According Communication was stable without any to the manufacturer, it has a range of up backup systems. Similar presentations of SHEPHERD-MIL to 20 km. The drone is equipped with competitive products already in use by three cameras: a control camera in the the German military were performed by As well as new weapons and fire control wings showing the view ahead, and two the German armed forces using multiple systems, the SHEPHERD-MIL mini-drone observer cameras (one optical, another backup systems. As with battle manage- was also displayed. The drone weighs thermal) in the bird’s body. The observer ment and military training, it would ap- 2.8 kg and is shaped like a bird of prey. cameras have a tilt of 45° and can return pear that there is a trend towards “the The electrical drive is relatively quiet and target data with a precision of +/- 20 m KISS concept” (keep it short and simple) the drone can perform observer missions by means of the UAV’s position com- in the field of software development. of around 60 minutes. At launch, the bined with a vector projection. Compact command and control systems drone is thrown by hand and can land on One-Stop Shop

The company’s additional services were also introduced. SIMOX is an indirect fire training simulator providing training for the whole mortar network. It combines simulation-based training of fire control elements with multiple forward observ- ers and mortar crews. Depending on the customer’s requirements, observer equipment, fire control and mortar sys- tems produced by other manufacturers can also be integrated. Apart from the product displays, the event focussed on customer support and the strategy to provide a one-stop shop solution. EXPAL cited its collaboration with the Spanish armed forces as an ex- ample for such productive cooperation. There is an active exchange of informa- tion between the two parties, combined with customer support, from which both sides profit. Ultimately, continued prod- Among the advantages of the TECHFIRE command and fire control uct development and improvement pro- system is its intuitive handling. vides better value for the armed forces. 

72 European Security & Defence · February 2017 INDUSTRY & MARKETS  Shared Burden to Gain the Most Modern Air Defence System

Interview with Joe DeAntona, Vice President and Business Development Executive, Photo: Raytheon Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

ESD: Patriot has been a mainstay of air R&D. This was on top of additional invest- defence for many nations for a number of ments made by individual countries, such years. Let’s talk about efforts to modernise as the U.S. PATRIOT. Which PATRIOT users have decid- With that said, in the past three years we ed in favour of a modernisation of their air have seen a large number of PATRIOT part- defence systems? Which measures are ap- ners incorporate those advancements made plied in the scope of these programmes, and from that R&D. Space doesn’t permit me to what is the status of the individual efforts? cover them all, but here are a few highlights: €209.3M and €558.1M respectively to DeAntona: The short answer is all of them. • The US has committed to PATRIOT acquire additional PATRIOT capability The threat is constantly evolving, so if an through 2048 and is in the process of and enhance their existing systems. Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) modernising its PATRIOTs to Configura- system – regardless of who makes the sys- tion 3+, the most modern configuration ESD: We have heard a lot about Gallium tem – does not continue to evolve, then in currently available. Nitride-based AESA radar technology tech- a very short while that IAMD system will be • The Netherlands committed to PATRIOT nology. What is the status, what the advan- incapable of outpacing the threat. However, through 2040 and a few weeks ago tages and will it be integrated into PATRIOT? this continual evolution is very expensive – started the process by procuring the DeAntona: GaN-based AESA is a mature frankly if one country were to have to go it Modern Man Station user interface. technology already in use in the US Navy’s Next Generation Jammer and Air and Mis- sile Defence Radar programmes. We are now bringing that technology to PA- TRIOT. Our GaN-based AESA PATRIOT tech-

Photo: Raytheon nology provides unmatched performance, unprecedented operational readiness and the lowest maintenance cost. The radar is ready. We showed it at the AUSA tradeshow in the US in March 2016. We could go into engineering and manufac- turing development tomorrow, and have it fielded in just a few years.

ESD: Are there already clients for Raytheon’s GaN-based AESA 360-degree capable PA- TRIOT? Which countries have indicated an interest in the system? DeAntona: We anticipate that we will have a customer for our 360-degree capable GaN-based AESA PATRIOT very soon. Ger- many is very interested in this capability, as evidenced by the fact that TLVS-PATRIOT is the alternative TLVS solution. This capability Raytheon’s GaN-based PATRIOT AESA radar with a 360-degree capability is also an important part of our WISLA offer to Poland, and as we discussed earlier, Po- alone, I am not sure how they would be able • Germany has committed to moderniz- land selected PATRIOT and negotiations are to afford it. ing its PATRIOTs in order to keep them ongoing between the US and Polish govern- Because there are 13 PATRIOT partner na- fielded until at least 2035. ments on the specifics of that arrangement. tions, the cost of research and development • The Republic of Korea and Kingdom of We have also briefed our 360-degree ca- for those upgrades and improvements Saudi Arabia are upgrading their entire pable GaN-based AESA PATRIOT to a is shared by all members. To give you an inventories to Configuration 3+. number of other international Patriot part- example: in 2016 the partnership invested • In the last quarter of 2016, two undis- ners who I am not at liberty to disclose, more than €186M in modernisation-related closed countries invested more than and some of them are keenly interested.

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 73  INDUSTRY & MARKETS

DeAntona: I was quite happy with the re- by 13 nations which contribute to its future port, because if you read the report in its growth and evolution. PATRIOT already entirety, it shows that for the most part, outpaces the threats of today, and thanks PDB-8 is doing exactly what it’s supposed to the investment of current and future PA- to be doing. The testing process identified TRIOT partners, it will continue outpacing a few problems and that is exactly what we the threat of tomorrow for decades. In con-

Photo: Peter Müller/Bundeswehr want to find during the testing process. For trast, the MEADS development project was Bundeswehr PATRIOT launch during instance, in the example you gave in your rejected by the US Army, has yet to be flight the exercise RAPID ARROW question, precisely because we identified tested, much less built, and not a single cus- these problems during testing, we were able tomer has procured it. Based on the broad interest we have seen, to fix a number of critical issues. It is well known that the most optimistic pro- it is really not a question of “if” and “who” And that is the true value of a test pro- jections are that MEADS won’t be fielded for but of “when” and “who gets to be the first gramme. Think about it – we have conduct- almost a decade. Assuming that holds true, to reap the benefits”. ed more than 3,000 ground tests and 1,400 and assuming that it works as advertised, it live fires. We have learned something from will still be obsolete the moment it is built. ESD: The US Government Accounting Office each and every one of those events, and This is because there are no other MEADS recently published a report on PATRIOT that we used those findings to improve PATRIOT. partner nations to help fund the continual cited a number of issues with the system. One thing that is important to understand is modernisation necessary to ensure MEADS The report stated that the currently fielded that we do not really do demonstrations in stays ahead of the evolving threat. PATRIOT has problems with performance in the PATRIOT programme. A demonstration The other thing to consider is that from a Eu- areas such as accurately classify, identify, and lacks realism and rigor, and provides little ropean security perspective, interoperability discriminate between all aircraft, missiles, opportunity to learn. The MEADS develop- is critical. Last year German and Dutch air and objects and also has reliability issues. ment project has a small handful of flight defenders conducted a major PATRIOT live How do you respond? demonstrations to date, but has yet to do a fire exercise. The Airmen from both coun- DeAntona: If someone were to quickly single flight test. tries were able to use each other’s equip- skim the report, or, as our competitors have I find that troubling because I do not know ment, practice fighting together, and learn done – to selectively share small portions of how you find defects, much less improve a from each other. This would have been im- the report out of context – it would be pos- system if you do not rigorously test it. And possible to do with MEADS. sible to draw a number of erroneous conclu- as a former soldier, I wouldn’t be here today Finally, let’s look at the industrial and tech- sions. But anyone who is willing to spend the if PATRIOT did not work as advertised. And nological benefits of why someone should time to read this document in its entirety will the reason PATRIOT works in combat is be- choose PATRIOT. For many years, German come away with two important conclusions. cause it was rigorously tested during peace. industry has benefitted from being a PATRI- First, since 2013 the Army invested signifi- So I am proud to say that we are going to OT partner. For example, a few weeks ago cantly in PATRIOT and will continue to do so continue to test PATRIOT, and we are going Jenoptik was awarded a contract from the through 2021; when all is said and done, the to stress PATRIOT and we will find and fix US Army for PATRIOT components. US Army will have spent more than €2.7Bn issues during these tests. Because testing it TLVS-PATRIOT represents an even bigger on modernisation. So the US Army is com- give us the information we need to make opportunity for German industry. There are mitted to PATRIOT. They intend to keep it the system better. And that’s how you en- more than 220 PATRIOT fire units owned through 2048. sure Patriot works when lives are on the line. by 13 countries around the world. So, as And secondly, yes, there are some improve- German industry builds TLVS-PATRIOT for ments that need to happen with the cur- ESD: How do you think PATRIOT compares Germany, they will potentially have the op- rently fielded version of PATRIOT. But the to other IAMD systems or better, why should portunity to export and sell that capability to billions of dollars the US Army – and the someone choose PATRIOT? the rest of the PATRIOT community. This is 12 other PATRIOT partner nations – are DeAntona: As a retired soldier who the sort of benefit that any PATRIOT partner investing in PATRIOT address those issues. spent his entire 30-year Army career in air can potentially enjoy.  PATRIOT Post Deployment Build 8 is cur- defence, my initial reaction to that ques- rently undergoing Operational Testing, and tion is there really isn’t a comparison. The questions were asked by Juergen is scheduled for fielding in 2018. PATRIOT is a combat-proven system owned Hensel. The report is available, in its entirety at “http://bit.ly/2goOafd” and I would encour- age all readers to take the time to get the

facts for themselves. Photo: NATO

ESD: Yet the US Department of Defence’s operational test and evaluation directo- rate identified some problems with PDB- 8. For example, the report states: “During the ground test portion using simulated interceptors and mostly simulated targets, PATRIOT did not always properly transmit messages; detect, classify, and discrimi- nate targets; or select the preferred in- terceptors against targets.” How do you PATRIOT missile training in Poland with US and Polish forces following respond? the completion of exercise PANTHER ASSURANCE

74 European Security & Defence · February 2017 Firms & Faces

Airbus DS sells its share of ATLAS technology and Boeing’s surveillance and at Boeing, said: “When you put it to sea ELEKTRONIK reconnaissance solutions will help to ad- it’s good for six months without a human (df) Airbus Defence and Space has entered dress maritime challenges. Liquid Robotics touching it.” SHARC applications might in- into an agreement to sell its 49 percent integrated Boeing sensors and C4ISR ca- clude situations where navies need to keep share in ATLAS ELEKTRONIK Group to thys- pabilities on the Sensor Hosting Autono- a low profile, where long-term persistent senkrupp AG based in Essen, Germany. mous Remote Craft (SHARC), a version of surveillance is required, or where potential With this acquisition, thyssenkrupp, which the WAVE GLIDER that generates its own undersea threats such as submarines have to date has held a 51 percent share in the power and propulsion using solar arrays to be monitored. company, will become the sole owner of and water currents. It requires no fuel. On ATLAS ELEKTRONIK. The sale of its shares completion of the acquisition Liquid Robot- DCNS Opens Australian in ATLAS ELEKTRONIK,­ a supplier of cutting- ics will become a subsidiary of Boeing, in Headquarters edge maritime technology, is part of Airbus an arrangement similar to that with Insitu, (df) In late December DCNS Australia cel- Defence and Space’s divestment program manufacturer of the SCAN EAGLE military- ebrated the founding of their Australian which will allow it to focus on its core busi- grade UAS. Just as the fixed-wing SCAN headquarters in Keswick, Adelaide, which ness. Closing of the transaction is subject to EAGLE can gather and transmit data while will be dedicated to delivering the Future customary regulatory approvals. airborne, SHARCs can monitor maritime Submarine Programme. “We are plan- operations and send information to their ning from the beginning to maximize the Bell and IAR Team for Romanian handlers – via satellite if necessary. Refer- participation of Australian business in this Helicopter ring to the SHARC, Egan Greenstein, Di- €50Bn project,” said Sean Costello, CEO (df) Bell Helicopter announced the sign- rector of Autonomous Maritime Systems of DCNS Australia. “This is an important ing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Romanian IAR – Ghimbav Brasov MILITARY GO FREE Group. This MoU aims to enhance the UNDERWATER already existing close ties between Bell DEFENCE & SECURITY Helicopter and IAR just for the case that Romania might choose to purchase the Official Partners AH-1Z VIPER attack helicopter, one of the 6th - 8th March 2017 Portsmouth, UK

Enabling the Shift to Multistatic ASW and MCM Operations Photo: Bell Helicopter

Senior Navy Speakers Confirmed Include:

Rear Admiral P G Philipose Commander Mark Savage OBE ACNS (Air), Indian Navy Maritime Capability – Minor War Vessels, most advanced anti-tank attack helicop- Royal Navy ter. It is designed in partnership with the Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad United States Marine Corps and carries a Commander Patrol & Reconnaissance Captain Claudio Carrasco wide range of precision weapons and ad- Group, US Navy Chief of Staff Naval Aviation, Chilean Navy vanced sensors. The VIPER has a combat Commodore Andreas Vettos Commander Eric van Pabst radius greater than 240km when carrying Representative Hellenic Navy, Deputy Head of Underwater Warfare Technology, 16 HELLFIRE missiles, 2 AIM-9’s, and 650 Chief of Staff, NATO Maritime Air Netherlands Defence Material 20 mm rounds. Command Organisation “The potential for the AH-1Z VIPER in Ro- Air Commodore Khaled Aljuhani Commander Narunat Panckam mania is exciting, and the AH-1Z should Head of Supply Wing for Aviation Group, Staff Officer to Commander in Chief, Royal be a very strong candidate in addressing Saudi Armed Forces Thai Fleet the Romanian government’s need for an advanced, reliable platform for security and defence”, said Lisa Atherton, Bell Heli- Lead Sponsor copter Executive Vice President of Military Business.

Boeing to Acquire Liquid Robotics Conference Sponsor (ck) Boeing will acquire Liquid Robotics, a market leader in autonomous maritime sys- tems. Liquid Robotics was founded in 2007 and soon introduced the WAVE GLIDER, Focus Day Sponsor the first wave and solar-powered ocean robot. Since its introduction the WAVE GLIDER has travelled more than 1 million nautical miles. Combining Liquid Robotics’ Day 1 Lunch Sponsor Day 1 Drinks Reception Sponsor Organised by

Secure Your Place Today www.underwater-defence-security.com Firms & Faces

initial milestone in DCNS’ decades-long Safran to Buy Zodiac Aerospace commitment to the design and construc- for €8.4Bn tion of 12 regionally superior submarines (ck) The French defense manufacturer in Adelaide,” said Herve Guillou, Chair- Safran Electronics and Defense will ac- man and Global CEO of DCNS Group. quire Zodiac Aerospace for €8.4Bn. The

The facility will become operational in Photo: NIMR Automotive deal will create the world’s third-largest early 2017 to support DCNS’ activities aircraft equipment provider, which will around Australia, including the transfer have a presence in over 60 countries. of technology from France to Australia, “The acquisition of Zodiac Aerospace the development of the Australian supply represents a unique opportunity at chain and the design of a new shipyard in this point in Safran’s development, just Adelaide. manufacturing and services platform. a few months after initiating the refo- At the International Armoured Vehicles cus of the group on our core activities FLIR Acquires Prox Dynamics (IAV) Conference in London NIMR intro- of aerospace and defense,” Safran CEO (gwh) FLIR Systems has acquired the duced its most recent and highly capable Philippe Petitcolin said. “Our industrial Norwegian Prox Dynamics AS, the de- armoured and non-armoured platforms expertise will also accelerate the re- veloper and manufacturer of nano-class that are tailored for harsh environments, turn to their historical levels of profit- unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for mili- across a diverse scope of mission require- ability in the seats and cabin activities.” tary and para-military intelligence, sur- ments. NIMR also announced that in the By purchasing Zodiac Aerospace, Sa- veillance, and reconnaissance applica- future it will cooperate with the Czech fran gains access to the company’s as- tions, for approximately €125M in cash. manufacturer VOP CZ in order to support sets, which include seats, cabin interiors, the company’s growth opportunities in power distribution, and fuel equipment. the European market. NIMR and VOP will Safran says it will use its new capabilities sign an agreement of partnership in the to push for the development of “more Photo: FLIR coming months. electrical aircraft”.

NCI Agency Releases NITEC17 Agenda (ck) The NITEC17 conference will take place on 24-26 April in Ottawa. It is a 3-day event, organised with AFCEA Europe (the Association for Communications, Electron- ics, Intelligence and Information Systems Professionals) and in collaboration with the host nation Canada. NITEC17 – a collaboration of the NCI Agency Industry Confer- ence and AFCEA TechNet International – is an annual conference that focuses on in- novation, government-industry collaboration and business opportunities with NATO. Prox Dynamics develops, manufactures, This year, NITEC17 will focus on the topic, “Sharpening NATO’s Technological Edge: and distributes aerial sensors that are Adaptive Partnerships and the Innovative Power of Alliance Industry.” NITEC17 will revolutionarily small, light, and covert bring together more than 800 high-level defence experts from across NATO, the Allied surveillance systems like the BLACK HOR- militaries, industry and academia. The conference will offer a unique opportunity to NET, a system that is pocket sized and act on NATO’s innovation agenda. hand-launched by a soldier in the field. Speakers include high-level NATO officials, defence and cybersecurity industry lead- The Black Hornet aerial sensor utilises ers, and policy experts. Day 1 will include discussions on the global challenges that are among others FLIR‘s Lepton micro ther- driving the need for NATO industry collaboration on innovation. On Day 2, speakers mal camera. will present new approaches to accessing innovationand how they could apply in the The addition of the Prox Dynamics busi- NATO context. The final day will feature the results of a study on NATO cyber acquisi- ness will augment FLIR‘s Surveillance seg- tion reform and a discussion about the implications of recognizing cyberspace as a ment by extending FLIR‘s Airborne sensor domain of operations for NATO capability priorities. product line and fully leveraging Lepton NITEC17 Highlights: technology. The business will become • Discussion with senior decision makers of trends in the innovation landscape, how FLIR‘s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) they are re-shaping traditional government-industry collaboration, and implica- line of business operating within the Sur- tions for NATO. veillance segment. • Forum to discuss with industry NATO business opportunities in cyber, air and mis- sile defence, and advanced software, worth €3Bn. NIMR Wants to Grow in Europe • Interaction with senior NATO programme and project managers (ck) NIMR Automotive is one of UAE’s • Break-out sessions to consider challenges and opportunities of re-fashioning NA- premier manufacturer of armoured ve- TO-industry collaboration to speed innovative solutions. hicles. It is among the leading manu- • Defence Innovation Challenge and SME Mentoring Programme, aimed at acceler- facturers of light and medium-weight ating transformational, state-of-the-art technology solutions from small business wheeled military vehicles in the Middle and academia in support of NATO C4ISR and cyber capabilities. East and North Africa region. The com- • Launch of the Next Generation Innovators Programme. pany is based in Abu Dhabi, the United • AFCEA TechNet International exhibition, B2B meetings and networking opportuni- Arab Emirates. NIMR is a subsidiary of ties. the Emirates Defence Industries Compa- www.nitec.nato.int ny (EDIC), the UAE’s integrated defence

76 European Security & Defence · February 2017 INDUSTRY & MARKETS  Collaboration, Organisation, Communication – We Are Learning

Interview with Kelly Ortberg, CEO, Rockwell Collins. During one of his frequent European visits to his daughter companies around the world, ESD had the opportunity to meet Ortberg in Berlin together with Claude Alber, Vice President and Managing Director, Rockwell Collins Europe, Middle East and Africa.

ESD: Mr. Ortberg, some people subscribe a certain country can work on that. So making timing. Talking about the GPS to the view that the European security we develop common technology and use environment and all the networks today and defence market – highly-competi- our in-country resources to apply to the requiring precision timing, GPS is prob- tive, with relatively stable but relatively local market. ably more important for timing than it is minor growth and challenging in terms actually for navigation these days. And of profitability – is “boring”. What do you ESD: Is there any sense as far as you’re we are able to provide those advanced think? concerned of a “push back” against capabilities – anti-jam communications Ortberg: I think the European Market is American technology, or technology that waveforms, signals intelligence capabili- not boring. There are a lot of opportuni- the Americans push into foreign markets? ties – things that you need in this kind of ties, particularly in a budget environment Ortberg: I think it depends where and environment that fit really well with our in which our overall economies globally what the environment is: I think that is portfolio. We are seeing increased mar- are not as robust as anybody would like: probably true in the European market, ket opportunities in those areas. there continue to be great challenges to but in the Middle East there are areas defence spending and allocating suffi- where it is pushing American technology ESD: As far as exploiting signals security, cient funds for defence projects, and it is – particularly as the US has pulled back and in particular UAV command and con- going to require force multiplication ideas from some activities and has left some trol, where does Rockwell Collins stand? to do leverage. And that’s where technol- ogy and the types of things we do really can help, with advanced communication, dealing with the new threat environment Photo: ESD and being able to bring commercial tech- nology that has been developed for the commercial market and then applying that into military applications. You are going to see more and more civil platforms being reapplied for military missions, and we really specialize in do- ing that, having a common technology base across our company. In Europe – in Germany, France and the UK particularly, where we have subsidiaries – we focus on taking common core technology and applying that to the local market. Usually, it requires some customisation; sometimes it requires applying the re- quirements into our core technology de- Claude Alber, Vice President and Managing Director Rockwell Collins velopment so that our core product incor- Europe, Middle East and Africa; Kelly Ortberg, CEO of Rockwell Collins, porates the needs of the local market as and Stephen Barnard (from left to right) meeting in Berlin. opposed to a purely US-based product. We really transition from a US company countries to fend for themselves. A good Ortberg: Well, we are working in tech- trying to sell nationally to a much more example would be an advanced targeting nologies to ensure that control links are global company providing tailored solu- system; it is fundamentally based in the available, secure and can’t be spoofed, or tions. We do that tailoring with boots- US but it is not a US product. access denied, or worse yet, taken con- on-the-ground engineering expertise trol. Fundamentally the technologies to within the region, usually through soft- ESD: Has the pivot to Asia driven any of keep UAV control links safe are the same ware – with advanced communications your strategy as a company? technologies associated with communi- the waveforms that are required in dif- Ortberg: It has. The pivot to Asia and cating and not being able to be detected ferent countries are different and may be what we call A2/AD – anti-access / ar- and have that communication compro- classified in a way that only people within ea denial – drives things like decision- mised. So things like encryption technol-

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 77  INDUSTRY & MARKETS ogy, new waveforms that are very robust clude the work we do in Toulouse where cessing architecture, the basic software and can communicate through a jammed EuMEA headquarters are, for Airbus architecture – we utilize open system environment, for example, are ways that commercial aircraft. It also includes all the standards across our baselines – which you can deal with that. work we do for military transport, air- allows us to move that common technol- craft, helicopter and UAV systems. Most ogy from one platform to another is the ESD: Is hiding a communication link part of the work we do out of our German same. For instance, the display system for of that strategy? operations, and out of our work in the the 787 is fundamentally the same that Ortberg: Yes. In any communications UK, would focus on the military market. we do for corporate business jets, which link part of the signature of that commu- Probably just because of Airbus being is also very common to what we do on nication is what makes it susceptible. Any in Toulouse we do a lot more civil work the KC-390 programme in Brazil. We are time you can make that communication there. So most of our rotary wing, which very successful in being able to develop link low probability of intercept or low is dual use – military and civil – is head- a core platform and apply it to multiple probability of detection, sitting “below quartered out of Toulouse. end markets. It sounds easy but it is really the noise” without some special author- hard and requires a lot of collaboration ity to extract that signal out of the noise ESD: Does the structure of the compa- and organisation and communication. It level makes it a much more robust line. ny lend itself well to conveying the real requires us to spend a lot of time working breadth of the company in terms of tech- to make sure that we are collecting all the ESD: Why are you here? nology and areas of operation? requirements and we are servicing all the Ortberg: Europe represents an impor- Ortberg: Yes, we call it the shared- end markets in a balanced manner. tant market for us. Roughly 20% of our services model, and it is kind of what Fundamentally our success is driven by corporate revenues are delivered out of I talked about earlier. We try to have our ability to understand the customers’ needs, convert those into requirements and sometimes to anticipate unstated re- quirements – logical but unstated at the time because these projects can be mul- tiple-year projects. You have to be pretty good at understanding that. Now, a lot

Graphic: Rockwell Collins of the requirements are fundamentally as- sociated with compliance safety and civil airspace. We very much understand what that takes to do that for our customers and to gain certification from whomever you try to gain certification from.

ESD: Is it easier to work on the civil aspect or military aspect? Ortberg: I don’t know if I can say it is easier or it is radically different working in those two environments, and I think it is something to think about for our company. You’d think we would take the money we get out of the DoDs or MoDs Going ahead with modern technology, like the F-35 Gen III helmet- of the world to develop a product and mounted display system then apply that to the commercial mar- ket: we usually do just the opposite! We our European operations. I am not just common technology platforms, to get define a product for the commercial mar- in Germany but in the UK as well as in all the requirements for the markets we ket, develop it for the commercial market France, and I do this on an annual basis. serve and then develop the core technol- and then apply it to the military market. Two reasons: One is we have a lot of em- ogy – because that is where 80% of the This lowers the risk, lowers the devel- ployees here – it is important that I under- cost comes – and then apply that into opment costs, and allows us to be very stand how they are feeling and help them the market. Examples are where we are successful in these new programmes. As understand where the company’s going. providing cockpit systems that are very I said before, many of the programmes It’s always good to talk to employees, but common between commercial and mili- are using a civil platform as a baseline then also to talk to important customers. tary applications, between a big jet or air anyway, so being able to bring that tech- We have a lot going on. We do a lot of transport or rotary wing application. nology over is important. business with Airbus on the commercial A lot of the fundamentals that apply in side because we balance 60:40 or 50:50 civil airspace are the same, but then the ESD: We’ve found recently that the tech- between commercial and government, business units will tailor them a little bit: nological lead in certain areas such as and we tend to cycle the commercial- we might put night-vision goggle capa- simulation and training has gone away government split. So we have a nice mix- bility on one type that is not on the com- from the military, and the commercial ture of civil customers whether it is busi- mercial platform. Certainly, rotary-wing world has taken over. Does that apply ness aviation or larger transport aircraft. platforms require different applications to you? The 20% out of Europe is a mix of de- – software applications – than fixed-wing Ortberg: Absolutely, but I would say the fence and commercial, so that would in- platforms. But fundamentally the pro- military is looking at “How can I leverage

78 European Security & Defence · February 2017 INDUSTRY & MARKETS  that big investment they are making in the gaming industry and figure out how to apply that to the military problem?” We do that in our simulation and train- ing business, but we do it in our aviation business as well. Graphic: Rockwell Collins The reality is that governments can no longer afford to always develop a unique military product and sustain it for a 20-year life cycle when the technology is fundamentally rooted in civil commu- nications and civil aviation, where cycles move much faster. So you are able to bring technology upgrades in faster, we are able to manage the life support and licensing technology in a much more pro- Rockwell Collins’ TruNet network communications solution was active fashion. launched at the 2015 LAAD Defence & Security Exhibition. In the US, when we sell to the military and we derived it commercially, we can or in Germany, and now we are selling cause historically, particularly for defence sell it to our government in a commercial that to a third market application. business, the US government budget is so contracting fashion which is also much An example of that is where our UK much larger than international budgets more streamlined and allows us to gain a facility is a centre of excellence for our that international business has tended to higher return on that product so that we targeting systems and they support our be a lower priority, and we knew that if can drive further investment, which helps Asia-PAC for selling targeting systems we were going to grow we had to pull it in getting to export. into Australia. We have a pretty nimble up and make sure that it is getting equal Commercially-developed usually means organisation to work across boundaries. attention from our leadership. a much easier route to export and allows But generally, if it’s Europe, Middle East us to export the technology to ourselves or African programme opportunities, ESD: What’s happening for you in Brazil and our subsidiaries, so that we can apply they’re pursued by Claude. and India? that technology to end-markets. Ortberg: Well, we’ve had some success ESD: That is interesting because it re- in Brazil. The Brazilian budget and politi- ESD: Is that becoming easier? Is there quires an understanding of international cal environment are pretty difficult, but a sign that export restrictions are being relations that many US executives don’t we won a position on the KC 390 down made at least more flexible? have. there, which is a major position for us on Ortberg: Yes, I think if I look over the Ortberg: And that is to my point: many a new airplane that I think is going to be last four or five years, as the US defence companies – we were at one time – tend really successful. budget went through its cycle I think we to be US product houses trying to sell In India it’s more about communications did see more flexibility in recognition that US products on the international market (network communications), which is a US defence contractors need to look to – and that can get you only so far. So real growing need. Whenever you go to more global market opportunities. I think we centralised our international organi- these emerging markets it takes time and we did see a real, sincere effort to make sation: we always have someone at the you’ve got to be very patient and learn that process more streamlined and more table raising the customer voice from the that not everything you are pursuing will open to exports. Having said that, we still international community, to make sure turn into business. India can be frustrat- sell to certain people and with the type of that’s considered in what we do. That has ing at times, in terms of the process, and work we do we have to comply with all allowed us to think a lot differently, be- revisiting decisions. We’re learning. the export regulations that are out there. And that’s not just for the US; it is for ex- porting to many of our subsidiaries.

ESD: Do you direct the activities of your subsidiaries geographically or is it tech- nology-specific? Graphic: Rockwell Collins Ortberg: We have organised our go-to- market in the international market in ge- ographical regions. Claude, for example, runs all of EMEA – all of Europe, Africa and the Middle East. We prosecute those business opportunities from Europe. He has a partner that covers the Asia Pacific region. We prosecute those opportuni- ties out of Japan. Sometimes it’s a prod- uct whose core was developed in the United States, but the expertise to tailor that to a unique market was in Toulouse “Our company is well-positioned for the future and I’m excited about it!”

February 2017 · European Security & Defence 79  INDUSTRY & MARKETS

Having said that, I don’t think we’re going ESD: Your background is as a mechani- We also navigated our government busi- to run away from our traditional markets: cal engineer: how did you end up where ness through a pretty tough cycle, and these markets offer long-standing, stable you are? are back to a growth trajectory in our business for us. And we’re typically plan- Ortberg: I’m a mechanical engineer, government portfolio which I am really ning up to five years ahead – the 5-Year yes, but I’ve always had a passion for proud of, because we were able to man- Strategic Plan, and then we do an annual aerospace, and a mechanical engineering age that and keep profit margins very operating plan, updated each year. background helps with problem solving. good through some pretty tough times, With some technologies we plan much Most of our engineers are either systems yet still invest in future capabilities and longer horizons. New airborne platforms, or software, but they’re proud to have a come out of that cycle poised for growth. for example, we may start planning way CEO who is a mechanical engineer. And last year we had record revenue beyond the 5-year window. levels for the company – revenues and These are the perils of going into new ESD: Three and a half years since you profits. markets: you have to be patient, you have were appointed CEO: what are your main As I look at the next three years we con- to have boots on the ground; that’s the achievements for the company? tinue to grow our international defence only way it’s going to work, and you can’t Ortberg: One of the first things we did footprint – we actually have grown that do it from afar, and you have to under- right was to acquire ARINC. The largest for the last several years – and I expect stand the local environment. acquisition we had ever done, it created to continue to do that. Our portfolio is a new business segment for the company well-positioned for the new defence en- ESD: What’s your level of R&D? called Information Management Servic- vironment, so we’ve got some exciting Ortberg: We do about 20% back into es, primarily focused commercially – at things ahead! R&D – a very high level! Innovation is at least initially – around connecting with The European market is important to us: we the heart of what we do because we’re the airplane and moving information on have opportunities to go and prosecute, either providing a new capability, or size/ and off the airplane. The military got that and we’re driving employment levels in our weight/power improvements for existing for a long time, but in civil airspace we European operations; I think we’re impor- capabilities to our customers. Our elec- see a big growth opportunity. tant to local communities here as well. So tronics, our software-based architecture, I am very pleased with that. We are our company is quite well-positioned for are really moving at a very rapid pace, so through the integration; we are through the future and I’m excited about it!  the reason we’re spending so much is to all the growing pains of merging a com- be able to bring these technologies and pany, and we are seeing that revenues The interview was conducted by apply them to the markets that we serve. are as expected. Stephen Barnard.

Preview ESD 2/2017 · March 2017 • Country Focus: Belgium • Technology Focus: Guides Missiles • The Baltic Sea Geostrategic Challenge • NSPA • The Croatian Armed Forces • Eurofighter TYPHOON Programme Update • Protection Concepts for Naval Vessels • Ground-Based Radar • Energy Generation & Storage • The Brazilian Air Force • Defence Programmes and Requirements in Malaysia • Defence Industry in the Netherlands • Vehicles for Special Forces • Decontamination Technologies

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80 European Security & Defence · February 2017 INTELLIGENCE FOR THE INTELLIGENT

INDUSTRY & MARKETS Russian Defence Industry in

the Era of Putin

Eugene Kogan

There is a preconceived and very inaccurate perception in the West at large that the Russian Military- Industrial Complex (MIC) has and will continue to have difficulties in the coming years because Russia faces domestic economic challenges caused by the low price of oil, continuing economic sanctions imposed by the EU and the US and the breakdown of defence industrial relations with Ukraine.

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Phot D European & Security & Defence ES & Defence 6/2016 • Politics International Security and Defence Journal • Armed Forces COUNTRY FOCUS: SPAIN KURGANETS-25 armoured personnel carriers with medium-category caterpillar chassis at the military here is very little understanding in MIC financially even if Anton Siluanov, parade in Moscow on 9 May 2016 Tand by the West at large that for • Economy President Vladimir Putin the issue of Minister of Finance, continues to baulk. Author rearmament and, as a result, the cor Furthermore, Putin and his ambitious rectly-functioning MIC enabling the - agenda are tacitly supported by the Rus sian population, that perceives the West- Dr Eugene Kogan planned delivery of weapons systems to is a defence and at large as its major adversary. And the security expert affiliated to the Tbilisi- the armed forces are of crucial impor - Russian population is ready to tighten based Georgian Foundation for Stra tance, and that the Russian president is its belt further and at the same time fi SPAIN tegic and International Studies (GFSIS).- not ready to yield an inch in tenaciously COUNTRY FOCUS: nancially to support MIC operations. To - • Technology The author would like to thank Ilya Zhi pursuing his ambitious domestic agenda. a Western audience the sacrifices made tomirsky, USC Communications Direc- What is more, as Alexandra Suslina, an Close-In Ship - economic analyst said: “The economy is by Russians for the sake of the MIC op tor, for assistance in the preparation of - far from the government’s priority. They erations may sound like a paradox: how this article. - The Spanish Armed Forces do not even pretend it is”. Putin is also ever, for Russian patriots sacrifice and ready to back up a properly functioning support are one and the same thing. in the 21st Century It also needs to be remembered that the Defence November 2016 · European Security & Defence Fernando García Sánchez 63

During the last decade the security frameworkumbr_ESD_06_2016.indd has undergone 63 profound changes inside and outside Spain which have had important implications for the nature and the use of military power, causing changes in the

14.11.16 14:55 capabilities, organisation and modes of action of our Armed Forces. ment for external security work, while on the other hand, still maintaining more traditional approaches but ones that are- - hus, the global geo-strategic situation used against threats of various kinds, ca- Thas been changing around three fun pable of combining procedures of regu damental realities: -

Photo: Spanish MoD Spanish Photo: lar and irregular combat and making the - 1. Globalisation and its complexity, the most of the easy access to new technolo growing role of non-governmental ac gies. tors, the variety of conflicts, terrorism, Therefore Western armed forces have to the impact of mass migration, climate face two types of scenarios that require change, the importance of cyberspace different strategies and approaches: as a new security environment, and • Those where superiority is essential other factors shape an environment in confrontation and ability to deny of “operational uncertainty”. or open access to common areas not - 2. Changes in the global geo-economic subject to sovereignty, such as mari - - and geopolitical order, translated into time and international air routes, out a substantial increase in military budg er space or cyberspace; - ets in many emerging or recovering • Those where irregular operating en - countries, in some regions have laid vironments, mostly urban, take prec

ISSN 1617-7983 the foundation of a worrying arms edence, with no defined battle fronts race. and with a civilian population that will- - 3. The persistence of internal crises and be unintentionally involved in the con ESD – conflicts, the disintegration of tradi - flict. tional power structures in some areas, has continued its transformation, show Not least due to the pressure of public the growing strategic importance of opinion both will definitively determine areas without government control as - ing an innovative side with the growing - the planning and conduct of operations. a logistical base or safe haven of hos recourse to military tools for carrying out tile non-state actors and the spread of tasks of internal security or law enforce urban areas as essential elements of a zone or theatre of operations have for the step led to the birth of a new and complex archives ESD Photo: type of threat. - From there, Western countries have de veloped, since the beginning of the 90s, successive military strategic models that

www.euro-sd.com • have been separating the dynamics of • the Cold War to enter a scenario that is first marked by the deployment of a large beyond thought number of troops during long periods of- time, leading to more selective opera tions and an easily sustainable and more ARMED FORCES discreet footprint. Meanwhile, the operating environment Author Keeping NATO Connected , Training and Simulation A Fighter for the Information Age García Sánchez leadership Admiral Fernando Current trends and international programmes F-35 LIGHTNING II status report is the Chief of the Defence Staff As Chief of Staff RAdm. Thomas Daum, Ph.D., is responsible for the administration and staff of one of November 2016 Major sensor and weapon elements of the F-110 design. The (Spanish: Jefe del Estado Mayor de NATO’s largest organisations – the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency, the mission of la Defensa, JEMAD) of the Spanish multimission bay can accommodate unmanned vehicles, special Armed Forces operations vessels or containerswhich for different is to design, use. procure and operate NATO’s IT infrastructure in partnership with Industry, including advanced systems such as air, missile and cyber defence. He also holds the function of Chief Operating · November 2016 Officer, responsible for overall programme and project performance. He acts as Deputy and as Senior 18 European Security & Defence Military Adviser to the General Manager, Maj. Gen. (ret'd) Koen Gijsbers. Politics · Armed Forces · Procurement · Technology 14.11.16 14:54 ESD: The NCI Agency started in 2012, umbr_ESD_06_2016.indd 18 how has it positioned itself in NATO in titel_ESD_06_2016.indd 1 14.11.16 14:53 these years? Daum: We are NATO’s ICT and advanced

technology provider and operator. I stress Photo: NCI Agency the word operator. We have some 2,900 staff (both civilian and military) located across 30+ locations – basically wherever NATO is– from Norfolk to Afghanistan, from Stavanger to Naples operating and defending NATO’s networks. Our per sonnel is also regularly deployed in sup - - some €3Bn worth of business opportu port of operations and exercises, in part - nership with the NATO CIS Group. Our - nities to the market. work is done in very close partnership with industry. Over 80% is done through ESD: What role and importance has the NCI Agency for the NATO nations respec contracts with national industries. In the - next three years, we will be bringing tively what impulses or programmes can it create? Daum: While our primary responsibility is to support the Alliance’s institutions

TO

A – the NATO HQ, the military command

N structure and NATO’s Agencies – under

Photo: our charter we can and do provide ser vices directly to nations. This includes - both NATO members and – when ap proved by the North Atlantic Council - – partner countries. There are two ad EUROPEAN SECURITY & DEFENCE is a specialist magazine vantages to this: first, nations can re-use- solutions they already paid for in NATO for their own national use. This allows nations to save money Several nations are doing this, for example, with ad vanced, combat-proven command and - control software that was developed for tracking events and developments in the defence and security arena. use in Afghanistan and is an excellent platform for coalition operations. This is the second advantage: by re-using solu tions that were developed in NATO – and- therefore were “born interoperable” – we boost interoperability.

ESD: Does the NCI Agency fill more the role of a standardisation organisation or “My ‘operational understanding’ of interoperability was built on the does it deliver more practical and techni cal solutions? - One of the magazine’s objectives is to describe, explain and interpret European use of NATO’s Tactical Data Link Systems, NATO’s Maritime Broadcast Daum: We perform both. We work to and NATO’s ship-shore and tactical communication systems. However, - already for some decades, military off-the-shelf solutions have been no gether with the NATO C3 Board and longer the pace-maker of technological innovation.” NATO’s Allied Command Transformation to define standards for interoperability. For example, any industry selling C4ISR 34 European Security & Defence and transatlantic security policy – which extends far beyond conventional · November 2016

umbr_ESD_06_2016.indd 34

defence with military forces – in all its complex and sophisticated correlations. 14.11.16 14:54

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