Internationale pantservoertuigen APC IFV ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

Greek Marine Corps to get former USMC AAV-7A1 Assault Amphibious Vehicles

According to a tweet from Leonidas, Greece will acquire 76 AAVP-7A1 Assault Amphibious Vehicles from the USA to equip its Marines brigade and battalions. The Procurement has been approved by the Council of Joint Chiefs of the Hellenic Army General Staff. The batch will include 4 AAVR-7A1 recovery variants and 14 AAVC-7A1 command post variants.

As reported by Savvas D. Vlassis in Torine Horse, on February 21, the Council of Chiefs of General Staff (SAGE) approved the program for the supply of AAV-7A1 Assault Amphibious Vehicles for the equipment of the 32nd Marine Brigade. The program was previously approved, on December 21, 2021, by the Supreme Military Council (SSC) after months of staff processing, had preceded.

Two alternatives for the program were presented: the first concerned the supply of a total of 76 vehicles to equip the three Marine battalions of the 32 TAX PN; the second would be limited to 52 vehicles to equip two Marine battalions. Savvas D. Vlassis assumes that the second option was based on the fact that, according to the New Force Structure, the third is to be differentiated in terms of the degree of manning and readiness.

Each Marine Battalion will be equipped with a total of 24 vehicles, of which 21 of the personnel transport version AAVP-7A1, two AAVC-7A1 command posts, and one AAVR-7A1 recovery vehicle. The remaining four vehicles are intended for the Brigade and specifically, three AAVC-7A1s for the Tactical Headquarters, and one AAVR-7A1 for the Support Battalion (TYP) of the Brigade.

Deliveries should start one year after the expected award of the contract, as by then the preparation of the relevant infrastructure to be created for training, etc. will have preceded.

The vehicles, as analyzed by the Torine Horse, will come from those currently in service with the US Marine Corps (USMC), which means that they will incorporate all the latest improvements made to these vehicles. Prior to delivery, the US proposal stipulates that the vehicles will be subjected to an extensive repair and maintenance program under the responsibility of the USMC. The cost of the program is expected to be around € 150 million.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_february_2022_global_security_army_industry/greek_marine_corps_to_get_former_usmc_aav-7a1_amphibious_assault_vehicles.html

[Harald]

Polish defense industy proposes Borsuk IFV infantry fighting vehicle for Slovak and Czech armies

The Slovak Ministry of Defense received four bids in the process of acquiring new infantry fighting vehicles (BVP) for the ground forces of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic. A big surprise is the offer of BVP Borsuk from the Polish industry, Armadny Noviny writes.

As recalled by Armadny Noviny, the project of the New Amphibious Combat Vehicle of the NPBWP (Nowy Bojowy Pływający Wóz Piechoty) Borsuk is implemented by a consortium led by HSW (Huta Stalowa Wola), Armadny Noviny writes. The Borsuk program was scheduled to begin in 2013, but competition No. 4/2013 announced by the National Center for Research and Development (NCBiR) was canceled. The decision was made only after competition No. 5/2014, which enabled the signing of a contract for research and development work with a budget of PLN 75 million on October 24, 2014 (PLN 82 million at today's prices; CZK 438 million).

In 2016, research and development work reached the second phase, ie the creation of a conceptual design and technical and economic analysis. Afterwards, the initial tactical and technical assumptions (WZTT) were handed over to the contractor, which enabled the development of a preliminary version of BVP Borsuk in May 2017 and the construction of a demonstrator. This demonstrator, also called a model, was first seen at the construction of MSPO 2017 defense exhibition in Kielce. The basic hull of the demonstrator corresponded in material and shape to later prototypes.

The first real prototype Borsuk was created in 2018 and was equipped with the Polish unmanned combat module ZSSW-30 (Zdalnie Sterowany System Wieżowy). The ZSSW-30 program ran (and is running) independently of the Borsuk program. Prototype tests confirmed its navigability and good traction properties.

Experience with tests of the first prototype enabled the development of the final version of Borsuk, i.e. the second prototype (the third copy of BVP Borsuk). This second prototype is used for further test research and was introduced at the Deba polygon during the Dragon-21 exercise. The previous specimen, the first prototype, as expected at the time of the start of development work on the NBPWP, was used to verify ballistic and mine protection during rigorous testing.

A series of tests began in 2020 - preliminary tests ended in 2021, the end of qualifying is planned for this year. In 2023, the first 14 Borsuk production vehicles will be taken over by the Polish Armed Forces.


BVP introduced Borsuk during the Dragon-21 exercise. This is the "second prototype". The side module is clearly visible, which is probably the biggest puzzle of the construction. The method of mounting the interchangeable modules is also visible. This increased the width of the vehicle to the required 3,400 mm and improved the buoyancy volume for amphibious operations.

The design of the Borsuk corresponds to typical modern vehicles of this class. In the front, there is an L-shaped engine compartment for a power-pack unit - a German MTU 8V199 TE20 engine with an output of 530 kW (720 hp) (known from the Boxer transporter) and a Perkins X300 automatic transmission.

BVP Borsuk uses hydropneumatic (HP) suspension instead of torsion bars. 12 Horstman InArm suspension modules from the British-German concern Horstman were used. The Horstman InArm suspension is not very widespread in the world, Armadny Noviny writes. The only mass-produced combat vehicle using this particular type of HP suspension is the new Singapore BVP Hunter. This type of HP suspension was designed for canceled projects of the American BVP GCV (Ground Combat Vehicle), and for the British reconnaissance combat vehicle FSCS (Future Scout and Cavalry System).

Detailed information on ballistic protection solutions is confidential, Armadny Noviny underlines. The basic and most important information is that Borsuk mainly uses high-strength armor steel (class 500) in the form of plates with a thickness of 10 mm. This thickness was "calculated" by an enthusiast on a demonstrator presented at MSPO 2017, which was later rebuilt into the first prototype. The hypothesis of the use of steel of this class and thickness is confirmed by the fact that the same steel plates (and the same thickness) are used for the production of Opal III (LPG) vehicles, which occur in the Polish army in the form of artillery command vehicles for howitzers Krab and mortars Rak (all manufactured by HSW). The use of steel grade 500 itself is a solution specific to the Polish defense industry. In the West, steel grade 450 is used to build BVP, which has a better hardness-to-plasticity ratio and is easier to weld.

The MIL-DTL-46100 standard is unambiguous, in accordance with which we can specify the ballistic resistance of a 10-millimeter thick ballistic plate H500. The resistance of the armor is tested at a breakthrough at an angle of 30 °, while the result itself is a minimum impact speed meeting the requirements for 50% of interventions. For a 10mm-thick plate, this speed exceeds the muzzle velocity of the 7.62 mm M2 caliber projectile.

According to the manufacturer, such additional ballistic protection meets the requirements of level 3, i.e. it protects against 7.62 mm piercing ammunition. In reality, however, due to the performance of rifle cartridges with a carbide core, this shield also protects against rifle cartridges of larger calibers. A shield meeting the minimum requirements of level 3 also protects against 12.7 × 99 mm incident hitting at a right angle from 100 meters, and against 14.5 × 114 mm incident at an angle of 30° from a distance of 200 meters. It is known from publicly available studies that in the case of 14.5 mm projectiles, such ballistic protection can be achieved with 50% of hits even when firing from a distance of 100 meters at an angle of 20°. However, given the use of a spatial arrangement where the steel plates are 80mm apart, the actual effectiveness of this armor may be even higher - the above results are possible when the distance between the steel plates is 30 mm.

There may be another thin steel plate in the side module - for example a perforated plate made of high hardness H550 / 600, which can improve the impact resistance and increase the probability of destruction of the projectile during penetration. However, in the case of protection against penetrating ammunition from 23 and 30 mm automatic cannons, the indication of resistance to hits at an angle of at least 60 ° should be used for the time being.


The Borsuk is fully amphibious and propelled by water jets mounted at the rear of the hull

The currently presented Borsuk is 3,400 mm wide - in accordance with the requirements of the army. However, the originally designed vehicle was 3,200 mm wide. This 200mm difference can give an idea of the overall lateral resistance of BVP Borsuk. In the case of 3UBR6 missiles (30 × 165 mm), there is a real possibility that the Borsuk side armor protects against hits at an angle of 60° at a distance of 500 to 700 meters - which is a typical shooting distance from 20 to 30mm guns, Armadny Noviny writes.

Given the fact that in the "bare" version (i.e. without additional floats), the Borsuk is 3,200 mm wide - which means that it is one of the few BVPs that will fit into the very strict Czech standards for rail freight (maximum vehicle width must be 3,290 mm). At the same time, the maximum width of the vehicle does not limit the installation of additional armor. It is possible to transport much wider vehicles on Polish railways - the width of Borsuk can be 3,550 or even 4,000 millimeters. Railway wagons intended for the transport of heavy military vehicles were designed for the transport of T-72 series tanks, which are 3,550 mm wide and Polish regulations allow the transport of vehicles up to 4,000 meters wide.

The real "bottleneck" of any BVP design is the suspension. The 14 InArm suspension modules were to enable the BVP GCV to reach a maximum combat weight of 76 tons. The same suspension is currently also designed for the BVP M2 Bradley - 10 modules are designed to provide a load capacity of up to 45 tons. The advantage of this type of suspension is that it does not interfere with the design of the hull of the combat vehicle and at the same time, the process of replacing the suspension modules is simpler compared to the process of replacing the torsion bar-based suspension. In addition, the chassis parameters can be changed by selecting the pressure of the compressed nitrogen in the dampers. So there are really no limits to the possibilities of the HP suspension used.

In fact, the only significant limitation in adding additional armor to the BVP Borsuk is the currently used 530 kW MTU engine. However, there is a variant of the same engine with an output of up to 618 kW, which ensures satisfactory mobility for vehicles up to 38 to 40 tons.

A great advantage of Borsuk is that, as a vehicle designed from the ground up in the second decade of the 21st century, it already incorporates advanced solutions (e.g. HP suspension) and concepts (easy-to-replace, customizable modular armor, a powerful power source for sophisticated communication systems) and potential APS installation). Other manufacturers are trying to adapt these solutions to existing designs. BVP Borsuk, therefore, has a large reserve for the development of derived variants and future development.

HSW is a manufacturer of both the vehicle and the ZSSW-30 combat module. This fact allows HSW a highly flexible approach to the possible joint production of vehicles for the Slovak army. A modern turret system costs half, if not more, the price of a whole vehicle. As a vehicle and module manufacturer, HSW can more easily personalize the appearance of the requested BVP according to Slovak requirements than those interested in offering a vehicle and turret from two different manufacturers, Armadny Noviny states. Another option is to leave the choice of combat module to the customer. It is worth mentioning here that, in addition to Borsuk, HSW has to produce modules for Rosomak wheeled vehicles - there are currently 340 of them, Armadny Noviny concludes.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_february_2022_global_security_army_industry/polish_defense_industy_proposes_borsuk_ifv_infantry_fighting_vehicle_for_slovak_and_czech_armies.html

[Harald]

Live firing demonstration XM813 30mm automatic cannon on EMAV-MCA UGV

The American company Northrop Grumman has released a video on February 2, 2022, showcasing a Bushmaster® XM813 30x173mm Chain Gun® mounted on the EMAV-MCA (Expeditionary Modular Autonomous Vehicle-Medium Caliber Armament) from the American Company Pratt Miller during live firing demonstration.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/international_global_defense_security_news_web_tv/video_live_firing_demonstration_xm813_30mm_automatic_cannon_on_emav-mca_ugv.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIJsZvrLAGI

[Harald]

Croatia awaits 89 Bradleys

Croatia will pay $145.3 million for 89 Bradley M2A2 IFVs, with the US donating $51.1 million.

After receiving the green light from the Defence Committee of Croatian Parliament, the national MoD announced on 27 January an agreement with the US government to receive 89 Bradley M2A2 IFVs for the Croatian Armed Forces.

According to a press release issued by the MoD, the total value of the deal is $196.4 million, of which Croatia will pay $145.3 million and the US will donate $51.1 million.

The agreement includes the delivery of vehicles, weapons, ammunition, communication equipment, tools and training for maintenance.

Defence minister Mario Banožić pointed out that the acquisition confirmed the strategic co-operation with the US and reinforced the Croatian commitment to NATO by contributing to the alliance's 'efforts of deterrence and collective defence'.

Shephard Defence Insight notes that, in December 2020, the US State Department announced that it had approved an FMS of 76 refurbished or modernised M2A2 ODS IFVs and associated equipment to Croatia.

The Bradley has been at the forefront of US Army operations since the first unit was equipped in 1983, and the M2 version equips mechanised infantry battalions. The Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) is intended to be the M2 Bradley replacement.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/croatia-announces-deal-with-the-us-for-the-supply/

[Harald]

AUSA 2021: Rheinmetall on Lynx design for OMFV competition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQgpdZ9W8_I&t=267s

[pz]

Op het eerste oog gewoon grote M113's maar het zijn dus niet veel beter maar Bradley's zonder torens. Die Yanks houden toch zo graag vast aan oude meuk.

Voor deze aanbesteding kwam General Dynamics met een interessant voorstel ; een Stryker op rups, misschien nog een idee voor onze Boxers ?  (sarcasme uit)

Voordat ik het artikel hier deelde even op Wikipedia gekeken, daar stond deze foto als vergelijk met een M113. Vond het een groot verschil.Ze hebben delen van de Bradleys hergebruikt, dat klopt. 



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armored_Multi-Purpose_Vehicle

[Parera]

The first batch of AMPVs from BAE Systems already on station and ready for initial operational testing. The 2nd Armored Brigade, 3ID at Fort Stewart, will begin training this month to use and maintain the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV).



via Twitter RonKainen (@Ronkainen7k15)

Op het eerste oog gewoon grote M113's maar het zijn dus niet veel beter maar Bradley's zonder torens. Die Yanks houden toch zo graag vast aan oude meuk.

Voor deze aanbesteding kwam General Dynamics met een interessant voorstel ; een Stryker op rups, misschien nog een idee voor onze Boxers ?  (sarcasme uit)

[pz]

The first batch of AMPVs from BAE Systems already on station and ready for initial operational testing. The 2nd Armored Brigade, 3ID at Fort Stewart, will begin training this month to use and maintain the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV).



via Twitter RonKainen (@Ronkainen7k15)

[Harald]

Estonia to modernize its CV90 tracked armored IFVs with Protector RS4 Remote Weapon Station

According to information released on December 17, 2021, Estonia recently acquired the PROTECTOR RS4 Remote Weapon Station (RSW) variant from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG), as part of their CV90 upgrade program, and is with that the 28th nation to join the PROTECTOR RWS user community.

The Estonian CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles were acquired from the Netherlands back in 2016 to broaden the capabilities of the Estonian Armed Forces. Earlier this year, Go Craft and Scania Estonia were awarded the contract for a modernization and upgrade program that will run over the next two years. To meet future roles, the refurbished CV90 vehicles will be equipped with the PROTECTOR RS4 from KONGSBERG.

The PROTECTOR RS4 Remote Weapon Station (RWS) is a highly flexible system designed for small and medium caliber weapons including mounting of coaxial weapons and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. An advanced and modular sensor suite enables unique and tailorable situational awareness. The fully stabilized 2 + 2 Axis system enables the gunner to keep his sights on target, independent of ballistic solution for the weapon and ammunition in use.

The PROTECTOR RS4 RWS is a mature and proven product based on millions of hours of operational experience in combat zones and close cooperation with Defence Forces worldwide.

The PROTECTOR RS4 RWS variant that Estonia has acquired includes the capability to fire the #Raytheon #Lockheed Martin Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile. The Javelin is developed in a Joint Venture between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin and is the world's premier one-person-portable anti-armor missile. Javelin is a highly capable fire-and-forget missile defending against emerging near-equal threats. Integrated with the PROTECTOR RS4, the Javelin is extended to a remote-fired platform-based capability.

The combined KONGSBERG PROTECTOR RWS-Javelin system has already demonstrated itself as an accurate and reliable solution. Several successful live-fire demonstrations in Europe and USA have proven great capability on a wide range of platforms, ranging from smaller robotic vehicles to armored 8x8 platforms.

The PROTECTOR family of Remote Weapon Systems is suitable for any mission - on land or at sea, on mobile or static platforms. They can integrate effectors for remote operation of payloads ranging from small caliber weapons to medium caliber automatic cannons. The PROTECTOR RWSs are continuously evolving to defeat future threats and meet the customer's operational requirements.

PROTECTOR RWSs have an unprecedented Operational Readiness Rate of 99% and low life cycle costs. More than 20,000 PROTECTOR Remote Weapon Systems have been produced to date and by adding Estonia to the list, the total number of 28 nations have acquired systems from the PROTECTOR RWS family.



https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_december_2021_global_security_army_industry/estonia_to_modernize_its_cv90_tracked_armored_ifvs_with_protector_rs4_remote_weapon_station.html

[Huzaar1]

Tja... kan wel "oude zooi" zijn, maar wel 1200 ! stuks en ja ze zijn niet meer nieuw, maar wel goed ingereden. De oudsten zullen ca. 20 jaar oud zijn.

Ik vraag me af of dergelijke aankopen / investeringen het gevolg zijn van het grijpen van een kans of bepaalde strategie. De grieken hebben een wildgroei aan voertuigen. Instandhoudingskosten van hen Strijdkrachten moet gigantisch zijn.

[Harald]

Nog meer oude zooi

Tja... kan wel "oude zooi" zijn, maar wel 1200 ! stuks en ja ze zijn niet meer nieuw, maar wel goed ingereden. De oudsten zullen ca. 20 jaar oud zijn.

[Huzaar1]

Update: US Army donates M1117 armoured security vehicles to Greece

The first 44 M1117 wheeled armoured security vehicles (ASVs) donated by the US Army to Greece arrived in Athens on 26 November.

The vehicles are part of a total of 60 stationed in Germany that were audited by a Hellenic Army committee. They were sent to Greece by rail via central Europe and Bulgaria. The official acceptance ceremony for the vehicles took place on 2 December at the 301 Military Factory in Agioi Anargyroi near Athens.

The ASVs, which were donated without weapons and communication equipment, will be fitted with TRC 92000 radio sets already possessed by the Hellenic Army. They will be armed with M2HB 12.7 mm, M85 50-cal or M-60A1/A3 7.62 mm machine guns.

A second batch of M1117 ASVs will be sent to Greece from the United States. A total of 1,200 vehicles are being audited by Hellenic Army officers and around half are expected to be accepted for Greece.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/land-forces/latest/update-us-army-donates-m1117-armoured-security-vehicles-to-greece

Nog meer oude zooi

[Harald]

StrikeShield APS serial production for Hungarian Lynx IFVs to begin in 2022



Serial production of Rheinmetall's StrikeShield active protection system (APS) for Hungarian Lynx infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) will begin in the first quarter of 2022, the German company has confirmed to Janes.

Rheinmetall announced in May that Hungary had signed a EUR140 million (USD158 million) contract for StrikeShield systems for 209 of the 218 Lynx IFVs ordered. Hungary will have a hybrid version of the system combining passive armour with the active protection elements of StrikeShield.

Rheinmetall has not disclosed the exact configuration of StrikeShield for the Hungarian IFVs, but a company presentation showed a typical configuration for Lynx can consist of up to 15 radar sensors, 35 electro-optical sensors, and 33 effectors. Two modules are also located at the rear of the hull to protect against top attack munition.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/land-forces/latest/strikeshield-aps-serial-production-for-hungarian-lynx-ifvs-to-begin-in-2022

[Harald]

Update: US Army donates M1117 armoured security vehicles to Greece

The first 44 M1117 wheeled armoured security vehicles (ASVs) donated by the US Army to Greece arrived in Athens on 26 November.

The vehicles are part of a total of 60 stationed in Germany that were audited by a Hellenic Army committee. They were sent to Greece by rail via central Europe and Bulgaria. The official acceptance ceremony for the vehicles took place on 2 December at the 301 Military Factory in Agioi Anargyroi near Athens.

The ASVs, which were donated without weapons and communication equipment, will be fitted with TRC 92000 radio sets already possessed by the Hellenic Army. They will be armed with M2HB 12.7 mm, M85 50-cal or M-60A1/A3 7.62 mm machine guns.

A second batch of M1117 ASVs will be sent to Greece from the United States. A total of 1,200 vehicles are being audited by Hellenic Army officers and around half are expected to be accepted for Greece.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/land-forces/latest/update-us-army-donates-m1117-armoured-security-vehicles-to-greece

[Huzaar1]

Misschien is het een idee voor de Britten om de T40 toren van Nexter aan te kopen (of de productie rechten ervan) en deze op de Boxer te plaatsen. Dit is de toren die geplaatst is op de Franse en Belgische Jaguars met ditzelfde 40 mm kanon. De toren is al eens getest op een Franse 8x8 (VBCI 2).

https://www.nexter-group.fr/sites/default/files/fichiers-catalogue-produit/TOURELLE%2040%20CTA%202%20MANNED_0.pdf

Ook dan moet dat gebeuren. Je kunt niet zomaar een huls pakken en er een module van maken.