FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017. Issue 01

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017. Issue 01.
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2 armadainternational.com - february/march 2017
THE USA
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017
www.armadainternational.com
08air power
cost versus
credibility
Andrew Drwiega examines
maritime patrol aircraft
procurement, and the
options available for air
forces and navies on a budget.
14
LAND warfare
20
TURING
26
STIRLING
CLASS WAR CATCH-22 VEHICLES FOR CHANGE
Stephen W. Miller examines how the designs of Thomas Withington examines the Link-22 tactical Andrew White uncovers some of the latest
light armoured vehicles are changing around data link, its workings and what it heralds for advances in vehicle technology to help
the world. tomorrow’s naval operations. commandos reach their objectives.
32
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
38
SEA POWER 44
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH WHAT LIES BENEATH LAND warfare
Parachute technology is over a century old and is Warship definitions are becoming increasingly PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
being continually refined, thanks to advances in blurred due to technological advances. Are we Claire Apthorp explores some of the innovative
design and manufacturing, Peter Donaldson moving towards the multipurpose combatant, asks methods being adopted for military vehicle
finds out. Dr. Alix Valenti? maintenance, repair and overhaul.
armadainternational.com - february/march 2017 3

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
AAR COVER 2 Gulfstream 5

ON THE COVER:
Maritime patrol aircraft such Astronics 21 IDEF 52
as Saab’s Swordfish design
fall under our spotlight in BIDEC 45 IMDEX 54
Andrew Drwiega’s Cost
Versus Credibility article in
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017. Issue 01. this issue.
Border & Security 51 IMDS 53
Armada Consultancy COVER 3 ISDEF 25
Armada Subscription 19 Kongsberg 13
Armada Website 41 LAAD 35
Volume 41 , Issue No. 1, February/March 2017

Datron COVER 4 Rosoboronexport 7,11
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Editorial
Blood Will Have Blood
“ AD
Her husband’s to Aleppo gone,” thus ar- cal facilities. Under the Geneva Convention: “in-
ticulates one of the Witches in the first tentionally launching an attack in the knowledge
act of Shakespeare’s masterpiece Macbeth. The that such attack will cause incidental loss of life
northern Syrian city is mentioned several times or injury to civilians” is a war crime.
by the Bard. It appears once more in Othello, and Aleppo now joins Grozny, devastated from
has the distinction of being one of the oldest the air during the First (1994 to 1996) and Second
continually-inhabited cities in the world. (1999 to 2000) Chechen Wars. Like the aftermath
Much of that city now lies in ruins. The Bat- of the air attacks on Grozny, television pictures
tle of Aleppo concluded on 22nd December 2016 from Aleppo are adorned with the same evis-
when forces loyal to the Syrian President Bashir cerated buildings and smouldering wreckage; a
al-Assad captured the city from rebels ending a macabre trademark of Russia’s application of air
battle and siege which had raged in the city since power in the urban environment. While the use
2012. Mr. Assad’s victory was helped in no small of such intense levels of force may have helped
part by military assistance from the Russian achieve the Russian government’s objectives in
Army and Russian Air Force. As television pic- both Syria (shoring up the support of Mr. Assad,
tures relayed around the world, the level of de- and battling his opposition) and Chechnya
struction that four years of war had visited upon (re-asserting Russian control over the Chechen
Aleppo was palpable. Republic in southwest Russia), Moscow’s
The actions of the Russian Air Force in par- actions in Syria could ultimately prove counter-
ticular have been singled out for criticism. The air productive.
force has been accused of indiscriminately target- Far from defeating the Islamist insurgency
ing civilians by the United Nations (UN), which opposing Mr. Assad, Russia’s actions may in the
in mid-November 2016 condemned air attacks on long run embolden it. The ruination visited on
five Syrian hospitals. While the UN stopped short Aleppo could become a powerful recruiting ser-
of apportioning blame, Human Rights Watch, a geant for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and
New York-based non-governmental organisa- other extremist elements in the Middle East and
tion, on 1st December 2016 accused both Russian beyond: Aleppo may yet play Banquo’s Ghost to Thomas Withington,
and Syrian forces of deliberately targeting medi- Moscow’s Macbeth. Editor

air Power
cost versus
credibility
While a maritime patrol capability is important for many

countries, not all can afford aircraft than provide a full spectrum of
capabilities. However, inexpensive but effective is a difficult goal to
attain in what is often a multi-mission domain.
Andrew Drwiega
W
hen the British to scrap the ongoing Hawker-Siddeley/BAE in the SDSR. This appears to be a clear
government announced Systems Nimrod MRA4 MPA programme, example of the need to make large savings
that it was to buy nine an act which was expected to save the overriding the strategic security of the
Boeing P-8A Poseidon Ministry of Defence (MOD) more than UK and the capability requirements of the
Maritime Patrol Aircraft $2.4 billion over the following ten years, armed forces.” It went on to underline that
(MPA) from the United States government according to media reports. the Committee “(is) not convinced that UK
through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) However, a report issued by the House armed forces can manage this capability gap
process during the 2016 Farnborough of Commons Defence Select Committee, within existing resources.”
air show held in southwest England, it which examines MOD expenditure, Since the cessation of the Nimrod
signalled the end of a very embarrassing administration and policy on 11 August 2011 MR4A programme on 19 October 2010,
gap in Britain’s national defences. The stated: “We deeply regret the decision to the UK, a historically world renowned
United Kingdom’s 2010 Strategic Defence and dispense with the Nimrod MRA4 and have maritime power since the formation of the
Security Review (SDSR), which stipulates serious concerns regarding the capability Royal Navy in 1660, faced the ignominy of
the UK government’s strategic and defence gaps this has created in the ability to having to rely on French naval aviation on
procurement priorities made the decision undertake the military tasks envisaged occasions to help support the monitoring

air Power
US Navy
Saab
Saab has developed its Global-6000
based MPA designs in a response
to an increase in global submarine
procurement anticipated by the firm.
class nuclear-powered ballistic missile had been considered by some members of

submarines are home-ported. The Daily the UK defence community as a potential
Telegraph revealed on 9 January 2016 that late addition to the UK’s options, with
foreign assistance had again been called other possibilities discussed by the UK
upon to assist the hunt for the errant defence community including refurbished
submarine, on this occasion using two Lockheed Martin C-130J turboprop
Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion MPAs, also freighters configured for maritime patrol or
deployed to RAF Lossiemouth, from the the Airbus C-295 Persuader MPA.
US Navy. However, the MOD would only Nevertheless, not every nation can
state to the media that: “We can confirm afford to go with the expense of buying a fleet
that the UK recently requested assistance of P-8As. As an example of the aircraft’s cost,
from allied forces for basing of maritime the UK government estimated a price tag for
patrol aircraft … The aircraft have been the nine aircraft of $4 billion over the first
The UK’s airborne maritime patrol conducting maritime patrol activity with ten years of their acquisition and subsequent
capabilities which have atrophied since the Royal Navy; we do not discuss the detail service life. By contrast the Norwegian MOD,
the cancellation of the Nimrod MR4A of maritime operations.” In contrast to media reports during November 2016 have
will receive a much-needed shot in the
the taciturn statement of the MOD, the noted, intends to buy five P-8As at a cost of
arm with the acquisition of the P-8A.
Russian Navy has been more forthcoming $1.1 billion. This gives the aircraft a unit price
about its sub-aqua machinations, with its of between $300 million to over $400 million.
then commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov The UK MOD expects the first P-8As to be
articulating in a statement in April 2015 delivered to the RAF from 2019.
of Russian submarines. For example, that: “For the period from January 2014
in November 2015, the Daily Telegraph to March 2015 the intensity of patrols by MPA Alternatives
reported that an Aeronavale (French submarines has risen by almost 50 percent Just how broad a subject is maritime patrol?
Naval Aviation) Breguet/Dassault ATL-2 as compared to 2013.” The Johns Hopkins University’s Applied
Atlantique MPA had been requested by Therefore, it was with some relief Physics Laboratory’s Technical Digest
the Royal Navy to be deployed from RAF that the UK’s then Prime Minister journal provided a useful definition of the
Lossiemouth airbase in northern Scotland, David Cameron announced at the 2016 MPA’s role in the current era. John Keane
to assist the search for a Russian Navy Farnborough air show that the MOD would and Alan Easterling’s article ‘Maritime
submarine which the former had detected acquire nine P-8As for the Royal Air Force. Patrol Aviation: 90 Years of Continuing
in the seas off the north of Scotland. The MOD has announced that the aircraft Innovation’ published in 2003 stated that
This submarine may have been will be based RAF Lossiemouth, and will “maritime patrol aviation has recognised
gathering intelligence regarding the Royal be acquired as an off-the-shelf purchase. the importance of long-range, persistent,
Navy’s HMNB Clyde naval base on the Interestingly, Japan’s Kawasaki P-1 MPA and armed intelligence, surveillance and
River Clyde on the west coast of Scotland flew to the UK to participate in the Royal reconnaissance in support of operations
where the Senior Service’s ‘Vanguard’ International Air Tattoo in July 2016 and afloat and ashore,” since 1912 when the US

air Power
Swordfish MPA mission system on two new
Diamond
platforms: Bombardier’s Q400 turboprop
and Global-6000 business jet. The option
of a turboprop or turbofan platform with
the Swordfish system brings an element
of flexibity for countries with varying
defence budgets. Jonas Hjelm, head of
Saab’s support and services business area
said that the choice between turboprop or
turbofan platform gave potential customers
the option “to select the platform that best
serves their operational needs.” Saab’s
understanding of defence, the firm revealed
during its presentation of this new offering,
has led it to the conclusion that submarine
numbers will continue to increase from the
current estimate of 600 deployed globally to
a corresponding need for specialist MPA to
detect them. The company suggests that up
to 100 submarines will be operating in the
Asia-Pacific alone by 2020.
Maritime patrol can be an expensive According to Saab, the Swordfish
business, although Diamond’s DA- mission system combines: “proven,
42MPP design promises a platform
operational COTS (Commercial Off-The-
which can perform many surveillance
tasks. An example of the aircraft’s finding a submarine, then tracking it takes Shelf) sensors from several suppliers,
ground station is shown here. both technology and skilled aircrew who with Saab’s own specialist electronic
are well trained for the task, again not an warfare and command and control mission
inexpensive option. management systems,” the firm’s official
Navy performed its first experiments flown literature states, with tactical information
from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to visually Swordfish Duo presented on interchangeable work
locate submarines from aircraft. Following Recent events such as the Royal Navy’s stations. Mr. Hjelm added that not only
the end of the Cold War in 1991, Messrs. experiences with an alleged Russian was the company a systems integrator,
Keane and Easterling argued that the focus submarine in 2015 underscore the but its traditional understanding of
of the work of MPAs moved from the “high continuing need for MPAs. Back in aviation through its own historic aircraft
seas to the littoral environment,” with February 2016 at the Singapore air show manufacturing programmes gave Saab: “a
the emergence of threats such as political Saab announced that it could install its deep understanding of how to design and
violence and illegal weapons proliferation
which MPAs are called upon to counter.
Gary Shand, an Anti-Submarine
Warfare (ASW) solutions specialist at Saab
Airbus
argues that: “ASW will always be a complex
challenge. Searching for a dynamic target
under the surface that you can’t physically
see is a difficult task. Factor in variable
oceanographic conditions, which alter
the submarine’s sound propagation path
and the ocean’s own ambient noise and
the job gets even tougher. However things
like improved small target detection
radar modes (to help spot submarine
periscopes), multi-static sonobuoys (where
several acoustic projectors and receivers
are dispersed over a large area to detect a
target) and better situation awareness via a
(command and control) system and acoustic
processors (to provide accurate target With the world’s tenth largest EEZ to
patrol, the Portuguese air force has been
discrimination) mean greater detection
an avid user of the C-295 Persuader MPA.
ranges and ultimately a higher possibility of
detection.” Therefore, the airborne task of

ALEXANDER MIKHEEV
ASSUMES THE POSITION OF CEO
OF JSC ROSOBORONEXPORT
10.01.2017
JSC Rosoboronexport (a unit of the Rostec State Corporation) informs the public
and associates about the inauguration of its new CEO Alexander Mikheev.
On January 10, 2017, during a meeting held at Rostec offices, Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov officially intro-
duced Alexander Mikheev as the new CEO of JSC Rosoboronexport to the Rostec and JSC Rosoboronexport
leadership.
Earlier, on December 26, 2016, Rostec State Corporation, the sole shareholder of JSC Rosoboronexport,
passed a resolution to appoint Alexander Mikheev CEO of JSC Rosoboronexport.
Alexander A. Mikheev
CEO of JSC Rosoboronexport.
Born on November 18, 1961 in Moscow
Education
● graduated in aeronautical engineering from the Moscow Institute of
Civil Aviation Engineering in 1985;
● obtained a master’s degree from the Military Academy of the General
Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in 2005;
● graduated from the Russian Government Financial Academy in
2006, with a degree in finance and credit. Holds a candidate degree in
economics.
Career
● From 2001 to 2013, he served in various positions at JSC Roso-
boronexport. Prior to his appointment to the position of Deputy CEO
of Rosoboronexport (then a federal state unitary enterprise) in 2007,
he was head of the company’s export department for special property
and services for the Air Force;
Alexander A. Mikheev
● In September 2013, he was appointed CEO of JSC Russian Helicopters;
● In January 2017, he became CEO of JSC Rosoboronexport.

State decorations
Awarded the Order of Honor, the Medal for Services to the Fatherland (2nd class),
the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Duslyk (Friendship) Order of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Honored with a letter of commendation of the President of the Russian Federation.
Speaks fluent English.
Married with one son
ARMADA Marketing Promotion

air Power
Members of the C-295

Persuader owner’s club
include the Chilean Air
Force which has acquired
a variant of the aircraft
optimised for ASW with
the addition of two under-
wing hard points.
build for the air domain.” He added that Fischer, Diamond’s sales director for special the firm adds that the aircraft can make
the company’s further knowledge of the missions aircraft explained: “The concept use of Diamond’s Kopernikus Satellite
maritime domain through its submarines, of the Guardian is to provide a full maritime Communications (SATCOM) system which
surface ships and underwater systems airborne solution to a fixed price against transmits across the Inmarsat and Thuraya
gave it: “total familiarity with the air and illegal fishing and piracy.” SATCOM networks. A ground station
maritime environment.” The aircraft can be fitted an Automatic for the DA-42MPP can receive live video,
Identification System (AIS) receiver. telemetry and voice communications.
Small Diamonds Mandated by the International Maritime With an endurance of up to twelve hours,
The Diamond Aircraft Industries DA- Organisation (the United Nations agency according to the company, the DA-42 MPP
42MPP Guardian is perhaps a surprising responsible for regulating shipping) could operate offshore to a range of around
aircraft to find included among the more under the International Convention for 150nm (277.8km) where it could remain on
renowned MPA mentioned elsewhere in the Safety of Life at Sea, the AIS transmits station for several hours. In November 2016,
this article, albeit designed more for coastal details of a vessel’s position, course Alexander Hauthaler, Diamond’s technical
surveillance rather than long-endurance and speed using a Very High Frequency director revealed that the company
deep ocean coverage. The platform is fairly (30 megahertz/MHz to 300MHz) radio had: “successfully tested Neptun and
unique in that it comprises elements from frequency link, and is required for all Kopernikus over the Mediterranean Sea for
several of the company’s own divisions vessels on international passage displacing about 200 hours.”
into one package. Based on the firm’s over 300 gross tons. An AIS receiver,
in-house designed carbon composite DA- which has a range of 36 nautical miles (66 The Persuaders
42NG airframe. The aircraft is powered kilometres) for the Neptun system used One of the more attractive aspects of the
by Diamond’s AE-300 Austro turbo diesel onboard the DA-42MPP can depict this C-295 Persuader would be its cheaper
engine, and the DA-42MPP also features information on its screen denoting the operating costs compared to a more
sensing technology from Diamond’s position and identification of vessels in the complex platform such as the P-8A. A report
airborne sensing division. As Markus aircraft’s locale. For sharing information, published in 2015 by the RAND Corporation

think tank entitled Metric to Compare increased surveillance demand within
Aircraft Operating and Support Costs in New Zealand’s maritime domain, and
the Department of Defence, stated that the represents a highly valued contribution to
hourly operating costs for a P-8A were in the international coalition operations”
region of $4200. Meanwhile, in 2014, Airbus As part of this, the paper further
stated that its operating costs for the C-295 underlines the requirement to maintain:
Persuader solution it was offering for the “air surveillance operations beyond the
UK’s maritime patrol aircraft requirement in withdrawal of the current (Lockheed
the wake of the Nimrod MR4A cancellation Martin) P-3K2 Orion based capability,
was circa 25 percent of that of the P-8A, planned for the middle of the next decade.”
resulting in an hourly operating cost of A request for information to this end
approximately $1050. was issued by the MOD on 17 August 2016
The C-295 Persuader, being a turboprop and closed barely one month later on KONGSBERG
aircraft is slower than the bigger turbofan 30 September. The RNZAF (Royal New
platforms such as the P-8A which has a Zealand Air Force) currently operates six KONGSBERG creates and delivers
cruising speed of 440 knots (815km/h), P-3K2s that have been regularly upgraded high technology solutions for
while the C-295 has a cruising speed of 260 but now their remaining airframe hours people that operate under very
knots (480km/h), with Airbus claiming are low. Platforms that the RNZAF may challenging conditions – on the
an endurance of over eleven hours and consider include the P-1, P-8A and C-295 oceans, in the deep subsea, in
a maximum range of 3040nm (5,630km). Persuader. It is interesting to note that defence, in space
The company has installed six under-wing the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
hard points on the C-295 Persuader which deployed a P-1 to the Royal New Zealand
make it a multi-mission aircraft capable Navy’s 75th anniversary celebrations in
of not only maritime patrol, but also ASW November 2016, and during the RNZN’s
and anti-surface warfare (ASuW). The multilateral Exercise SEA LION naval
hard points can support torpedoes, air-to- exercise performed that same month.
surface missiles, mines and depth charges. P-1 aircraft, media reports noted, also
Users of the C-295 Persuader include the supported damage assessment following
Força Aérea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air the major earthquake that struck the
Force) which possesses five examples Kaikoura region of New Zealand’s south
that are used to patrol Portugal's huge island on 14 November 2016.
Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). EEZs, Away from New Zealand, the Philippines’
prescribed by the UN’s Convention on Department of National Defence (DND)
the Law of the Sea, denote national rights has been looking for new MPA to monitor in
regarding exploration and exploitation of particular its vulnerable maritime territories
marine resources. Canada’s Sea Around Us in the South China Sea. The Philippines and
maritime research organisation states that the People’s Republic of China dispute the
Portugal has the tenth largest EEZ in the sovereignty of maritime claims made by the
world with a size of 503,631.5 square nautical latter in the South China Sea. The Japanese
miles (1.7 million square kilometres). government has already stepped in to fill
The aircraft’s surveillance activities are the Philippine’s shortage of MPA with the
performed using the company’s Fully lease of up to eight Beechcraft King Air TC-
Integrated Tactical System (FITS) mission 90 turboprop MPAs which was announced
system, which can be installed in either a by the media in October 2016. Media reports
permanent or palletised fashion. have stated that the DND has a budget of
circa $120 million to purchase two MPAs. As
Asia-Pacific the Philippines Air Force currently operates
Both New Zealand and the Philippines three Airbus C-295M turboprop freighters,
are in the market for new MPAs. The New Airbus has revealed that it is proposing its
Zealand Defence Capability Plan 2016 C-295 Persuader for this requirement. In
published in November 2016, articulates fact, the Philippines’ and New Zealand’s
the New Zealand government’s planned requirements for new MPA is illustrative of
investments into the country’s defence the potentially bullish nature of the global
capabilities reflecting the nation’s strategic maritime patrol aircraft market with Mordor
and defence procurement priorities Intelligence, a market research company,
disclosed in the New Zealand MOD’s 2016 claiming in its Maritime Patrol Aircraft
Defence White Paper. The former stipulates Market 2015-2025 report that the value of
www.kongsberg.com
the need for: “a future air surveillance such acquisitions could reach $46.5 billion by
and response capability that meets the the end of the forecast period.
LAND WARFARE
CLASS WAR
It is said that vehicles, like humans, gain weight as they get older. This is certainly the case for Light
Armoured Vehicles (LAVs). This appellation becomes less and less relevant with the latest models of
‘light’ armoured fighting vehicles, as this article will explain.
Stephen W. Miller
P
latforms ostensibly desig- grades which have increased their combat Increasing Lethality
nated as Light Armoured weight. For example, the Canadian Army’s For the most part LAVs have been
Vehicles by the defence media General Dynamics Land Systems’ (GDLS) synonymous with ‘light’ weapons. The heavy
and by their manufacturers LAV-III eight-wheel drive family has a machine gun being the typical armament,
tip the scales at relatively high combat weight of 16958kg (37307lb) ac- there are exceptions to this rule, such
weights, such as the Krauss-Maffei Weg- cording to the force. It is therefore valid to as the Daimler-Benz Spähpanzer Luchs
mann/Rheinmetall Boxer which, accord- ask what are the characteristics of today’s eight-wheel drive reconnaissance vehicle
ing to publicly available figures, weighs LAVs? A review of some current ‘lighter’ which was equipped with Rheinmetall’s
36500 kilograms/kg (80300 pounds/lb) armoured fighting vehicle programmes Mk.20 Rh.202 20mm auto-cannon. The US
when carrying its full combat load, while offers some insights into where things are Marine Corps broke the rules regarding the
Patria’s Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV), and what we might anticipate in the near adoption of heavy machine guns on their
its manufacturer states, has a fully-loaded future, and this article will also focus on AFVs by using the Alliant Techsystems/
weight of 27000kg (59400lb). Even previ- the evolution of ‘light’ Armoured Fighting Orbital ATK M-242 Bushmaster 25mm auto-
ously-fielded LAVs have been given up- Vehicle (AFV) armament and lethality. cannon their GDLS LAV-25 eight-wheel
14 armadainternational.com - febuary/march 2017

LAND WARFARE
US Army
USMC
The US Army M-1126 was

introduced with the 12.7mm
heavy machine gun. Its use of the
Protector RWS though meant this
weapon could be fired without
exposing the gunner.
the Mk.44 Bushmaster-II’s programmable
multi-purpose round. As explained to
Armada by Orbital ATK, the General
calibres such as 12.7mm were still generally Dynamics/Orbital ATK PGU-32U
viewed as adequate. Semi-Armour Piercing High Explosive
Incendiary-Trace ammunition has three
US Army Stryker modes; Point Detonation (PD), Delayed
Despite the selection of the Kongsberg Detonation (PD-Delay), and airburst.
Protector-M2 combination, the US Army’s PD is typical of most projectiles. PD-
acceleration of its 2016 programme to Delay detonation allows the projectile to
up-gun the M-1126 vehicles of 2nd Stryker penetrate light armour, a bunker or a wall
Cavalry Regiment, based Vilseck, southeast before bursting. Airburst explodes before
Germany, is indicative of the push to or above the target spraying fragments on
increase lethality and the challenge of to the target and is well-suited for engaging
doing so within the design parameters personnel, crew-served weapons, and
The US Marines chose to fit their
of an existing platform. A GDLS Stryker targets behind walls. The gunner selects the
LAV-25 with the M-242 Bushmaster
auto-cannon giving it substantial point team spokesperson told Armada that their mode prior to firing and their selection is
target effectiveness. The two-person selection process was driven by “must have” automatically programmed as the round
turret previously had reduced its troop requirements from the US Army. Foremost enters the chamber. The MCT-30 has the
carrying capacity. was greater range and maintaining the advantage of the crew accessing the turret
eight-troop capacity of the vehicles. The through a hatch inside the vehicle, allowing
Kongsberg MCT-30 30mm Medium-Calibre them to reload ammunition and service
drive AFV. Other designs followed suit Remote weapons Station (MCRWS) was the guns without leaving the vehicle. The
including the Iveco/Leonardo Freccia with chosen to replace the existing Kongsberg US Army plans to outfit between 61 and 81
its Oerlikon/Rheinmetall KBA 25mm auto- Protector-M2 combination. Using the (sources differ) M-1126s with the MCT-30,
cannon. However, the US Army’s selection Mk.44 Bushmaster-II 30mm auto-cannon with the first fielding expected in mid-2018,
in 2002 of the Kongsberg Protector remote provided significantly increased armour according to media reports.
weapons station for its GDLS M-1126 Stryker penetration with its fin-stabilised AP
eight-wheel drive Armoured Personnel (armour-piercing) ammunition, compared HITFIST
Carriers (APCs), equipped with the General to the erstwhile turret. Comparatively heavy armament calibres
Dynamics/US Ordnance M2 Browning However, of perhaps as great an furnish Patria’s AMV family which has had
12.7mm machine gun, has demonstrated that advantage are the capabilities provided by a string of successes having been selected by
armadainternational.com - febuary/march 2017 15

LAND WARFARE
US Army
Bigger is better?
Dan Lindell the platform manager for BAE
Systems’ CV-90 tracked armoured vehicle
family told Armada that: “the Swedish
Army customer believes the 40mm (calibre)
has advantages with the size of the round
offering explosive power, added range
and versatility of ammunition and fusing
including programmable rounds.” The
Swedish CV-90 (locally designated as the
Strf-9040) can carry 24 40mm rounds in
The Polish Rosomak the magazine, 32 ready and 232 stowed,
licence-produced according to publicly available information.
Patria AMV is In contrast, when equipped with a 30mm
equipped with the
gun the vehicle has 160 rounds ready and
KBA 30mm auto-
cannon Hitfist-30P 400 stowed, this information continues.
turret and saw Indeed 40mm auto-cannons could
successful service in potentially equip other customers. The 40
Afghanistan. CTAS auto-cannon is the result of a joint
project by BAE Systems and Nexter which
are working together on the initiative in a
consortium called CTA International. The
40 CTAS utilises telescoped ammunition
which has the projectile enclosed in the
propellant base, resulting in a shorter round,
seven armies since its production debut in employs the Bushmaster-III 35mm auto- which allows more to be carried in the
its APC configuration with the Maavoimat cannon. In December 2015, the Lithuanian vehicle. Secondly, the design uses a unique
(Finnish Army) in 2003. Polish licence government selected the Boxer outfitted rotating breach allowing mounting on lighter
production followed in 2004 of the APC and with Rafael’s Samson Mk.2 remote weapons combat vehicles and smaller turret stations.
Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) variants, station, equipped with a 30mm weapon, and As Craig Fennel, CTA managing director
with the family locally designated as the launchers for the Spike-LR SSM. According explained to Armada: “Together these allow
KTO Rosomak (Wolverine). The IFV variant to media reports, the deal is worth $440.7 for minimising the intrusion inside the turret
is equipped with the OTO Melara/Leonardo million, and the first deliveries of these and contribute to a lower overall weight. This
Hitfist-30P turret which contains the Mk.44 vehicles are expected by late 2017, with permits a more compact station yet we are
Bushmaster-II auto-cannon. During the deliveries concluding in 2019. able to provide the power and effectiveness of
2016 Eurosatory exhibition held in Paris, the 40mm calibre.”
the Iveco/Leonardo consortium which The 40 CTAS’ APFSDS-T (Armour-
The Boxer eight-wheel drive AMV has
produces the Freccia showcased its Italian Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding
been selected by Lithuania with the
Army variant equipped with the Hitfist-Plus Samson 30mm turret. This is the first
turret outfitted with the KBA autocannon fielding of a larger calibre armament
and launchers for Rafael Advanced Defence on the Boxer. Lithuanian MOD
Systems’ Spike-LR optically-guided Surface-
to-Surface Missiles (SSMs), with the Italian
government ordering the Freccia as of 2006.
Boxer
The Koninklijke Landmacht (Dutch Army)
uses the Boxer family (see above). This AMV
concept employs a common chassis which
is fitted with various mission modules,
according to the vehicles’ tasks. The Dutch
have fielded 200 Boxers in a number of
versions with the latest in 2015. The Heer
(German Army) also has it in service but
neither the Dutch nor German Boxers
have a weapon beyond the Protector RWS.
During the 2014 Eurosatory exhibition,
Rheinmetall unveiled a version of the Boxer
equipped with the firm’s Lance turret which

LAND WARFARE
Sabot-Tracer) ammunition, the company
BAE Systems
noted, can penetrate over 140mm of steel
armour at a range of 1.5 kilometres/km (0.9
miles). Its General Purpose Round Point
Detonating-Tracer ammunition is designed
to punch through walls and light armour
giving high interior fragmentation. The
GPR-AB-T, meanwhile, is a programmable
high explosive munition allowing
detonation after a selected time delay to a
maximum range of 2.5km (1.6 miles). Finally,
there is the A3B (Anti-Aerial Airburst)
which is particularly effective against
unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and
low speed aircraft, the firm added.
The 40 CTAS, and the turrets for
two different vehicles, were developed
together. Nexter’s Jaguar six-wheel drive
In 2016 Norway began replacing its CV-90 vehicles

with the CV-9035N; an improved model with more
protection, situational awareness, and Protector
remote weapons station.
www.fnss.com.tr
www.fnsssocial.com
armadainternational.com - febuary/march 2017 17

LAND WARFARE
Puma tracked IFV, potentially also outfitted
BAE Systems
CTA International
developed the 40 with the Lance turret discussed above, BAE
CTA using telescoped Systems’ CV-9035 equipped with the Mk.44
ammunition to allow Bushmaster-II turret, GDEL’s ASCOD-2
for a shorter 40mm which might be offered with the Lockheed-
round. The gun also uses
Martin turret outfitted with either the 40
a unique rotating breech
that reduces the space
CTAS or Mk.44 Bushmaster-II auto-cannon
needed in the turret. and Rheinmetall’s Lynx with the firm’s
Lance 30mm turret. All of these designs are
tracked IFVs, and their line-up suggests
that 30mm and 35mm calibres may become
the new standard armament for AFVs in
Western forces.
Russian Efforts
Russia’s armament choices for their AFVs
seem to be mirroring those of the Western
designs discussed above. For example, the
Kurganmashzavod Kurganets-25 family
of tracked AFVs uses the KBP Bumerang-
BM turret outfitted with a 30mm auto-
cannon, according to available reports.
The same turret, open reports suggest, is
also available on the Russian Army’s new
Bumerang family of eight-wheel drive AFVs,
with two versions; the K-16 APC equipped
with a 12.7mm machine gun turret, and the
K-17 IFV, the latter of which is equipped
with the Bumerang-BM turret. Meanwhile,
reports have noted that the People’s
reconnaissance vehicle is replacing the Down Under Republic of China Type-86 tracked AFV
Armée de Terre (French Army’s) GIAT/Nexter The Australia Department of Defence’s family, itself a development of the Russian
AMX-10RC six-wheel drive reconnaissance (DOD) Land-400 programme is, according Kurganmashzavod BMP-1 amphibious AFV
vehicles and Panhard/Nexter ERC-90 to the DOD, replacing the Australian family, experienced an upgrade in 2011 that
Sagaie six-wheel drive armoured vehicles, Army’s armoured vehicle fleet. It includes substituted a 25mm auto-cannon turret.
and uses a two-person turret built around a component which will provide the
the 40 CTAS. Deliveries of the first Jaguar army with a “new mounted close combat Consensus?
vehicles are expected by 2020, according capability,” according to the DOD’s website. As this article has illustrated, the
to reports in May 2016, with a total of 248 In August 2016, the DOD announced that differences between various ‘light’ and
planned for delivery. The other vehicle which it had selected two candidates to enter the ‘heavy’ AFVs are narrowing. In no case is
the 40 CTAS will equip is the British Army’s risk mitigation phase of the programme, this more clearly illustrated than in the
BAE Systems FV-510/511 Warrior IFV via notably BAE Systems and Rheinmetall armament that they are being equipped
an upgrade being conducted by Lockheed which are offering the AMV-35 and with. Either through upgrades or in new
Martin as part of the ongoing Warrior Boxer eight-wheel drive AFVs. Reports designs larger calibres with significantly
Capability Sustainment Programme. state that the Boxer is being offered with improved range and at-target performance
Commencing in 2011, this initiative is Rheinmetall’s Lance 30mm auto-cannon are being introduced. The maturing
intended to extend the vehicle’s service turret, with BAE Systems offering a turret of remote weapon system designs and
life beyond 2040, according to the prime equipped with a Mk.44 Bushmaster-II advances in optronics, allow the gunner
contractor. As well as outfitting the FV- 30mm auto-cannon. Phase-4 of the Land- to remain inside the vehicle, rather than
510/511, the 40 CTAS is equipping the British 400 initiative will see the procurement of a placing them in the turret. Improvements
Army’s forthcoming General Dynamics’ new IFV to replace the Australian Army’s in ammunition effectiveness, particularly
European Land Systems’ (GDELS) Ajax United Defence/BAE Systems M-113AS3/4 in projectiles/warheads, have also provided
tracked AFV family, the deliveries of which tracked APCs. The Australian DOD has increases in lethality. The combination
are due to commence from 2017, according to yet to announce when this phase of the of tactical and operational desires by
the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). In the Land-400 initiative will commence, the militaries for enhanced capabilities, and the
Spring of 2016 the first Ajax prototypes were potential value of the contract and how realisation of technologies that allow for
unveiled and began testing. The MOD has many vehicles will be procured. Potential these to be achieved indicate that weaponry
also stated that up to 245 Ajax vehicles will be candidates for this initiative include the may no longer be a defining aspect for the
delivered with the 40 CTAS weapon. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann/Rheinmetall classification of various AFVs.

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TURING
Thomas Withington
catch-22
A quiet revolution is occurring in naval communications. The
stalwart Link-11 Tactical Data Link (TDL) is being replaced by
Link-22. How does this new communications architecture work,
and what might it offer to naval operations?
Thomas Withington
Maritime patrol aircraft, such as

this French Navy Breguet/Dassault
ATL-2 Atlantique may carry a
number of TDLs including Link-16
for air operations, and Link-11 to
support maritime operations.
T
he title of Joseph Heller’s question is the fact that NATO’s Link-11, Digital Information Link-A (TADIL-A), as
seminal novel published in can receive or transmit, but cannot do Link-11 is also known. Military Standards
1953 refers to a double bind, both simultaneously, and is limited in the (Mil-Std) are published by the DOD to help
the dilemma of pilots from quantity of data it can handle. achieve standardisations of equipment,
the United States Army Air To understand the limitations of Link- protocols and practices. Although
Force’s (USAAF) fictitious 256th Squadron 11, one must first examine the provenance of Mil-Std-188-203 was drafted by the DOD,
deployed to Italy during the Second World this TDL. According to the 2006 publication Link-11 has since proliferated throughout
War. The ‘Catch-22’ is the dilemma that Tactical Digital Information Link-Technical NATO, and allied nations. For example, the
any pilots who appeared insane were not Advice and Lexicon for Enabling Simulation, Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) ‘Canberra’
obliged to fly missions, while any pilot who published by ASRC Communications, a class amphibious assault ships are outfitted
petitioned to stop flying out of a concern firm providing US government military with Link-11 compatible communications,
for their safety was performing a rational and civilian agencies with intelligence, according to the RAN, as are the ‘Baynunah’
act and therefore deemed sane by USAAF surveillance and reconnaissance support, class corvettes operated by the United Arab
medical staff and fit to fly. Link-22, the Link-11 can trace its lineage back to 1982 Emirates Navy, open source reports note.
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s when the US Department of Defence (DOD)
(NATO’s) future naval TDL is an attempt published Military Standard-188-203. The Workings
to solve a similarly vexing quandary for This specified the interoperability and The raison d’etre of Link-11 is fairly
communications at sea. The quandary in performance standards for the Tactical uncomplicated, while its operation is

TURING
Link-11’s range dramatically reduces to circa 25.8nm (47.8km) given
Thomas Withington
the inability of UHF transmissions to bounce off the ionosphere,
restricting them to line-of-sight communications. Unsurprisingly,
HF Link-11 can be used for long-range communications, with UHF
Link-11 being utilised for short range communications, such as
between ships in a naval task group.
As Link-11 is used for the exchange of tactical messages it works
as a computer-to-computer link. As computers form the heart
of the network, messages must have the same meaning to the
stations transmitting tactical information, as those receiving it.
For example, a civilian cellphone receives a stream of data which
contains information that this data should be presented to the user
as a SMS (Short Message Service) text message and hence depicts it
thus on the users’ cellphone screen. Digital information contained
in this message informs the phone that the data traffic is a text
message and not a ‘tweet’, for instance. Link-11 communications
work in a similar fashion by employing messaging standards.
Fundamental to Link-11 communications are the ‘M’ series
messaging protocols used by the system, with 43 different M-series
codings corresponding to the message’s function. According to the
ASRC Communications publication, M3 messages will relate to
the position of a radar surface track, while M6D messages relate to
electronic warfare command and control. Fundamental to a Link-
11 system onboard a ship (or any platform, or at any installation,
for that matter) is the Tactical Data System Computer (TDSC).
The TDSC collects data from a ship’s equipment, such as its naval
surveillance radar or electronic warfare sensors and converts this
information into the M-series messaging format. As an official
statement provided to Armada by BAE Systems notes: “Within
NATO, Link-11 is primarily used (to) support the exchange of air,
surface and subsurface tracks.”
Roll Call
The modus operandi of managing the Link-11 network uses a so-
At the heart of the Link-11 and called ‘roll call’ approach, according to BAE Systems’ statement.
Link-22 TDLs is their ability to Each Link-11 network is controlled by a Data Net Control Station
exchange tactical information,
(DNCS) which is embedded in a Link-11’s communications ensemble.
particularly radar track
information, between platforms.
anything but. Essentially, Link-11 provides a communications

network across NATO and allied forces, predominantly in the naval
domain for the exchange of tactical information. According to
the ASRC Communications publication, Link-11: “employs netted
communications techniques and standard message formats for the
exchange of digital information among airborne and land-based,
submarine and shipboard tactical data systems.” These netted
communications are performed using High Frequency (HF) and
Ultra High Frequency (UHF) wavebands of two megahertz (MHz)
to 29.9MHz, and 225MHz to 400MHz respectively. These two
frequency choices serve two distinct purposes: Openly available
information regarding Link-11 has stressed that when using the
TDL for HF communications, it provides a range of circa 860
nautical miles/nm (1592.7 kilometres/km), thanks to the ability of
HF transmissions to ‘bounce’ off the ionosphere; an area of the
atmosphere at an altitude of between 40.5nm (75km) to 540nm
(1000km). The ionosphere acts as a naturally-occurring ‘satellite
dish’ across which transmissions can skip to reach intercontinental
ranges. When being used for UHF communications, however,

TURING
Thomas Withington
on the Link-11 network. For the reception
of this transmission, the process works in
reverse. Once the Participating Unit has sent
its message, it’s intended recipient, perhaps
another ship, receives the intended message.
This message is received by the ship’s radio,
converted from its audio tone into a digital
signal using the DTS, decrypted by the KG-
40/A and processed using the TDSC, which
will recognise this message, due to the M
series format used, as detailing radar track
information, and then update the displays of
the ship’s combat management system with
Link-22 will be able this new information regarding the hostile
to host an increased aircraft track.
number of users on a
As noted above, Link-11 has been
single network, including
air assets such as naval going strong since the early 1980s.
support helicopters, Over that timeframe, a large number
compared to the legacy of companies have become involved in
Link-11 TDL. the provision of equipment to enable
Link-11 communications. These include
DRS Technologies, Wavecom, Northrop
Grumman, Thales, Data Link Solutions
and Ultra Electronics to name just a
A network is comprised of the DNCS, and Put simply, when a Participating Unit few. Several of these companies are now
each Link-11 equipped platform, be that a with Link-11 communications joins a Link- involved in the provision of equipment
surface ship, submarine, aircraft or shore 11 network it is given a particular ‘slot’ by for Link-11’s successor, Link-22. Despite
installation known as a Participating Unit. the Link-11 Net Control Station (NCS), Link-11’s all-important role of handling
When the network is running, the DNCS which manages the overall network, for the tactical messages between platforms, it has
‘polls’ each Participating Unit, requesting transmission and reception of information. weaknesses. The statement provided to
it to transmit any data that it may wish to The NCS allocates a particular timeslot Armada by BAE Systems stressed that Link-
share with other Participating Units on the to the Participating Unit once it joins the 11 is “based on 1960s technology.” As noted
network. After each Participating Unit has network. A Link-11 network can host up to 61 above, no more than 61 Link-11 transmitting
transmitted its data, they switch to a receive units capable of transmitting and receiving and receiving Participating Units can be
mode, allowing them to then receive data Link-11 messages at any one time, but an hosted on a single network. Moreover,
which has been transmitted by other units, unlimited number of Link-11-equipped the network has a single point of failure,
for which they are the intended recipient. platforms operating in a receive-only mode should the platform hosting the NCS be
As long as the network is running, the can be hosted on the network. lost or cease to function, the “entire link
DNCS continues to poll the Participating A thesis published in 1992 by Thor A. goes down.” It is possible to reconstitute
Units and they continue to transmit their Simensen, a student at the US Navy’s Naval the network by configuring another DTS in
information, before switching to receive Postgraduate School in Monterey, California that network to act as the NCS should this
information. However, this roll call system provides a simple description of how Link-11 eventuality occur, and despite this process
has shortcomings: One confidential source messaging works: A ships’ sensor, such as taking seconds, it could result in precious
highly familiar with the workings of Link-11 her naval surveillance radar, generates some seconds lost during high tempo naval
and Link-22 told Armada that the roll call information, such as a track for a potentially operations.
systems means that “technically there is hostile aircraft. This information is sent
no congestion (on a Link-11 network), but from the radar to the TDSC and converted Enter Link-22
the net cycle turnaround (the time taken into a Link-11 format message, in this case Link-22 commenced life in the 1980s as the
to transmit and receive by all Participating an M2 message relating to an air track NATO Improved Link-11 (NILE) initiative
Units) is extremely long, so the tactical position. This message is then encrypted which, you’ve guessed it, aimed at bettering
data refresh rate is unacceptably long and using a KG-40/A encryption device. This the performance of Link-11. Six nations
you endanger the mission.” Furthermore, now-encrypted message is sent to the Link- stepped up to the mantle regarding the
Link-11 is a point-to-point communications 11’s Data Terminal Set (DTS), essentially a development of Link-22; Canada, France,
system which means that it cannot perform modem allowing computer-to-computer Germany, Italy, the UK and the US and,
ad hoc networking by which a transmission communications, and is changed from although the Netherlands was an original
can reach its intended recipient by hopping binary information into audio tones. These member, it was replaced by Spain. In 1992,
across several Participating Units acting audio tones are then transmitted through a NATO drafted the baseline agreement and
as relays to get the transmissions to their standard ship-borne HF/UHF tactical radio requirement for Link-22’s interoperability,
intended recipient. when it is that Participating Unit’s turn and on 26 January 2006 NATO’s

TURING
Standardisation Agency in Brussels, Link-11 network enabling it to act as the
Thomas Withington
which synthesises equipment and network manager, in a Link-22 network,
procedure standards across the alliance, one NU is assigned to act as the Network
published STANAG (Standardisation Managing Unit (NMU), should the NMU
Agreement) 5522 which articulated be lost for whatever reason, a standby
the basic requirements for Link-22 NMU, assigned when the network is
communications. All NATO members activated, is ready to take up the task.
are now obliged to ensure that their A Link-22 so-called ‘super network’
naval communications will handle can split itself into eight specific
Link-22 traffic over the coming decade radio frequency channels which form
as Link-11 is progressively phased out. networks and each NU can be a member
Nevertheless, as Thomas Bogel, head of several of these networks and hence
of technologies and studies at Rohde act as a gateway between them. The net
and Schwarz’s secure communications effect of this, notes BAE Systems is that
division noted “Link-11 is not only up to 125 NUs can be hosted on a Link-22
used by nations which have or will super network; a major improvement
have access to Link-22. Therefore it from the 61 Participating Units which
is expected that Link-11 will stay in can be hosted on a Link-11 network.
service for many years and a continuous Whereas the Link-11 architecture uses
process of moving from Link-11 to Link- M series messages (see above), Link-22
22 will happen.” The Link-22 initiative Major activity is now underway across employs, according to the BAE Systems
is managed by the NILE Programme NATO navies, led by the US Navy, to ensure statement, ‘F’ series messages: “which
that their respective platforms are ‘Link-
Management Office (PMO) based at the US have been designed for Link-22 and which
22 ready’ for the new TDL’s entry into
Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems service early next decade. have no exact counterpart in other data
Command in San Diego, California. Beyond links (these messages) provide the same
the NILE PMO, the NILE Communications dictionary elements and 70 percent message
and Interoperability Working Group messages at speeds of 1.8 kilobits per format commonality to Link-16, in order to
ensures that Link-22 communications second (kbps). As BAE Systems’ statement facilitate data forwarding.” Link-16 is a NATO
equipment provided by industry meets articulated: “Data rates are slow and in a and allied TDL primarily used for supporting
NATO cryptographic and interoperability military environment where data must be air operations by the exchange of track and
standards. kept from the opposition, there is a lack of other tactical data between aircraft, vessels
jam resistance.” This resistance to jamming and land platforms/installations. This TDL
Advantages forms an integral component of Link-22’s is examined in more detail in the author’s
Publicly available reports speak of Link- architecture, and regarding data rates, these Let’s Get Linky article in the October/
11 remaining in service until circa 2023. increase to four kilobits-per-second for November 2016 edition of Armada.
The chief advantages offered by Link-22 HF Link-22 messages and up to 12.6kbps for
include its ability to employ the same HF/ messages transmitted across UHF. Theory into Practice
UHF tactical radios utilised for Link-11 Moreover, unlike the roll call In development terms, Mr. Bogel notes
communications, despite requiring a new architecture at the heart of Link-11, that: “the development of the components
Data Link Processor (DLP) to generate and discussed above, Link-22 uses a Distributed of the tactical data link itself (are)
receive Link-22 messages, and a new System Time Division Multiple Access (DTDMA) already finished. Beyond that, there is
Network Controller (SNC); a computer approach. Whereas the Link-11 architecture individual work to be done to integrate
employing either the Linux or Windows-XP depends on a DNCS this is not the case with Link-22 as a system,” at the heart of
operating system to view and draft Link-22 a Link-22 network. This means that there is this will be ensuring that both legacy
messages. Both the DLP and SNC are linked “no single point of failure,” the confidential and new vessels, and other air and land
to a Link Level Communications security source continued. Each of the Participating platforms/installations, are equipped
system which handles all of the Link-22 Units or NILE Units (NUs) are assigned a with the Link-22 ensemble as part of their
encryption and decryption. In fact, this unique address on the Link-22 network. communications. The hard work now
latter point is an understandable area of Put simply, the DTDMA approach takes a focuses on rolling Link-22 out across
concern. One confidential source close to channel which has a specific HF or UHF NATO and allied nations. A statement
the Link-22 programme told Armada that frequency. Each of these channels is divided provided by Thales, which is heavily
the Link-11’s KG-40/A cryptographic unit into specific timeslots and each timeslot is involved in Link-22, noted that the full
is no longer considered secure enough for assigned to a specific NU, with the specific commissioning of the Link-22 architecture
current and future military operations. NUs all transmitting in their assigned time is expected to occur in 2020/2021, with
Furthermore, a Link-22 network will be slots one after another. This allows a large the United States planning to perform
able to host 125 Participating Units (as number of users to inhabit a specific channel interoperability testing with in-service
opposed to 61 for Link-11). Finally, Link-22 without using it the whole time, and hence Link-22 equipment in the 2020 timeframe
offers major improvements in bandwidth. making it unavailable for other NUs. and France expected to perform similar
Presently, Link-11 can handle written Much as each NCS possesses a DTS in a work a year earlier in 2019.

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STIRLING
Andrew White
RTD’s HSFV was
unveiled to the
international market
at the 2016 Eurosatory
VEHICLES FOR
exhibition. As of
September 2016 the
vehicle is understood
to have been deployed
CHANGE
to assist French
special forces in
north and west Africa.
Current counter-insurgency operations are occurring in vast theatres in North Africa and the
Middle East, often in semi-arid and desert conditions. This is spurring requirements for reliable
vehicles which can be used by special forces to rapidly and safely cover such distances.
Andrew White
S
ince August 2014, the Armeé a significant understatement. The World environment of the Sahel, means that
de Terre (French Army) has Wildlife Fund (WWF) states that the entire reliable, hardwearing and rapid transport
been deployed in the Sahel Sahel spans a total of 5400 kilometres/km is essential for the special forces operating
region of south-central North (3360 miles) west-to-east from the Atlantic there. As this report will indicate, France
Africa as part of Operation Ocean to the Red Sea. Although it varies and Austria are notable in beefing-up
BARKHANE. This effort comprises an in depth, the same WWF document states their special forces vehicle fleets to ensure
eight-nation coalition (Burkina Faso, Chad, that it can be up to a 1000km (620 miles) that their commandos remain effective in
France, Germany, Mauritania, Mali, Niger thick in some areas. This adds up to a region operations in the Sahel.
and the United Kingdom) to combat the which has a surface area of over 3 million France’s special forces are receiving 241
Al-Mourabitoun, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic square kilometres (1.1 million square miles). Renault Trucks Defence (RTD) Vehicle Leger
Maghreb and Ansar Dine Islamist insurgent Thrown into this is a topography covered des Forces Speciales (Light Special Forces
organisations operating in this area. To by savannah, grassland, woodland and Vehicle/LSFV) four-wheel drive patrol
say that the Sahel region is vast would be shrubs. The sheer size, and the challenging vehicles, local media reports disclosed in

STIRLING
early-August 2016. These vehicles will be
Andrew White
supplied to the Brigade des Forces Spéciales
Terre (French Army Special Forces Brigade/
FASFB) where they will replace the existing
Panhard/RTD VPS four-wheel drive
patrol vehicle, 51 of which were ordered
by the French Ministry of Defence (MOD)
in 2005, reports continue, as part of an
urgent operational requirement. A report
published by the French Senate, the upper
house of the French Parliament, disclosed
in 2014 that the VPSs were not sufficiently
numerous to support French special forces
operations, and had suffered significant
wear and tear, while experiencing
“calamitous” support. As a consequence,
in December 2015, France’s Direction
Générale de l’Armement (General Armament
Directorate) which oversees defence
procurement on behalf of the French MOD,
ordered the 241 VLFS platforms as part
of a wider order which also includes the
supply of 202 RTD Vehicle Lourds des Forces
Speciales (Heavy Special Forces Vehicles/
HSFV), 25 of which, local media reports
noted, would be delivered to the French
Army by the end of 2016. The total value
of the HSFV and LSFV is reportedly $278
million. Deliveries of the latter vehicle,
reports continue, are expected to occur
between 2018 and 2019.
During the June 2016 Eurosatory
defence exhibition held in Paris, RTD A scale model of RTD’s LSFV
special operations vehicle
unveiled a concept demonstrator of
which will equip French special
the LSFV design. According to Thierry forces in the coming years.
Duquesne, light tactical vehicles director at
RTD, the LSFV scale model exhibited at the
event is representative of the four-wheel
drive vehicle the company has designed,
which is based upon the firm’s Sherpa four- RTD has disclosed. Local media reports LSFV vehicles will be used extensively,
wheel drive vehicle family and capable of have noted that circa 25 HSFVs had been following an increase in counter-
carriage inside a Boeing CH-47F Chinook delivered to the French Army with a total of insurgency duties globally in the aftermath
heavy-lift helicopter. Furthermore, Mr. 202 HSFV vehicles planned to be delivered of the attacks perpetrated by the Islamic
Duquesne explained how the vehicle would to the FASFB as of September 2016. During State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) insurgent
be capable of achieving a top speed of 120 Eurosatory, Mr. Duquesne explained to organisation in Paris during November 2015.
kilometres-per-hour (74.5 miles-per-hour) Armada how this first batch of 25 vehicles At that time, the French government took
while carrying four fully-equipped troops. will be delivered to French special forces the decision to deploy a team of 300 special
Additionally, he stated that the LSFV can deployed in Africa as an urgent operational forces troops to the Democratic Republic
be armed with light, medium and heavy requirement for Operation BARKHANE of Congo to train local security forces
machine guns depending upon mission (see above). Alongside the VPS (see above) in counter-insurgency while Operation
requirements. the HSFV and LSFV platforms will replace BARKHANE (see above) continued.
several other vehicles in use with the Additionally, media reports have stated that
HSFV FASFB, including the ACMAT/RTD VLRA since June 2016, French special forces have
As noted above, the December 2015 DGA four-wheel and six-wheel drive vehicles, been supporting US-led coalition efforts
order with RTD includes the supply of up to and Auverland/RTD A3 and Peugeot P4 against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. As Armada’s
202 HSFVs. Like the LSFV, this vehicle was four-wheel drive general purpose vehicles, sources continued, all of these operational
unveiled during the Eurosatory exhibition, the company told Armada. theatres (Africa, Iraq and Syria) will benefit
and like the LSFV, its heavier sibling is also FASFB sources have explained to from the deployment of the HSFV and
based on the company’s Sherpa platform, Armada how the new fleet of HSFV and LSFV, where French commandos require

STIRLING
Andrew White
Austria’s Jagdkommando
force has been equipped
with the OTV in order to
support ongoing missions
in Mali with French and
coalition special forces.
the capability to remain mobile, heavily- internally in a CH-47F or Lockheed Martin warhead flattens against armour plating
armed and self-sufficient for weeks at a C-130J turboprop freighter. In terms of and explodes, creating a potentially lethal
time working beyond forward operating performance, the OTVs provides teams with shock wave) protection kit, sand tyres,
bases, sometimes hundreds of miles away a maximum operational range of 2000km a cable cutter, two spare wheels and anti-
from other force elements. (1243 miles) and top speeds of 180km/h blast seats.
(111mph) according to open sources. Reports
Austria continue that the vehicles can accommodate Sweden
Staying in Africa, it was reported in June 12.7mm, 7.62mm and 5.56mm machine guns. Similar requirements to France’s need
2016, that the Landstreitkräfte (Austrian With a maximum vehicle weight of two for heavy and light special forces vehicles
Army) had deployed a reconnaissance team tons, it has the capacity to carry payloads have also been satisfied for Sweden’s
in preparation for a 20-strong deployment weighing an additional 1500 kilograms (330 Särskilda Operationsgruppen (Special
of Jagdkommando (Austrian Army Special pounds) which could include a team of three Operations Task Group/SOTG). During
Forces) in support of ongoing counter- soldiers, weapons, personal equipment, the 2016 Eurosatory exhibition, industry
insurgency efforts in Mali to reinforce fuel, food and water, and recovery sources explained to Armada that the
the French deployment there (see above). equipment. Regarding protection, the Swedish government had signed a contract
There has been no official confirmation vehicle has NATO (North Atlantic Treaty worth an undisclosed sum to procure a
from Vienna, although as of early 2017, these Organisation) STANAG (Standardisation fleet of ACMAT Bastion four-wheel drive
Jagdkommando soldiers are believed to Agreement) Level One ballistic protection, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs). As of
have been deployed. Industry sources have safeguarding against 7.62mm ammunition at late-2016, Armada sources noted that these
shared with Armada that the Jagdkommando a range of 30 metres/m (98 feet/ft) travelling vehicles were currently in the process of
have been deployed with four Valentin at 833m (2732ft) per second. Additional being delivered in several tranches to the
Tusch (VT) Hunter Open Tactical Vehicles ammunition boxes can be carried on the special forces headquarters in Karlsborg,
(OTVs), which the force had been scheduled vehicle attached to weapons mounts, in the southern Sweden, where they will begin to
to receive as an overall improvement to its hold as well as in four lockable ammunition receive undisclosed specialist equipment
capabilities. VT has developed the OTV, boxes around the sides of the vehicle. In while integration and familiarisation
the company has disclosed, by using the addition, the OTVs have a pair of floating on the vehicle is performed for members
Mitsubishi Pajero four-wheel drive sports chambers for amphibious operations. Other of the Särskilda Skyddsgruppen (Special
utility vehicle as its base. The resulting standard equipment includes an anti-spall Protection Group) and Särskilda
OTV is capable of being transported (the process by which a relatively soft Inhämtningsgruppen (Special Intelligence

OCTOBER 25-27, 2016
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Unmanned Systems Defense is an inclusive forum, bringing

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information sharing and networking.
Each day is dedicated to a specific domain — maritime, air and

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and networking opportunities. thedefenseshow.org
STIRLING
models, the officials continued.
Andrew White
Finally, the United States Marine Corps
(USMC) will commence fielding its new
Polaris Defence MRZR-D4 four-wheel
drive general purposes vehicles from
April 2017, as revealed in Dr. Alix Valenti’s
USMC MRZR-D4 Expected to be fielded in
April 2017 article which appeared on the
armadainternational.com website in late
November 2016. The USMC announced that
it would be taking delivery of 144 MRZR-
D4s, following the unveiling of the vehicle
at the Special Operations Forces Industry
Conference held in Tampa, Florida in
May 2016. The MRZR-D4 will be deployed
with all USMC active infantry regiments,
the company told armadainternational.
com. Publicly available sources state that
the USMC currently has ten infantry
regiments in its order of battle. This
means that between 14 and 15 MRZR-D4s
will be deployed with each regiment. The
vehicle boasts a versatile design and can
be configured to perform a number of
missions, the company noted, from casualty
evacuation to logistics support and the rapid
deployment of personnel. The MRZR-D4 is
also air-portable in a Bell-Boeing MV-22B
Osprey tilt-rotor or Sikorsky CH-53E/K
ACMAT’s Bastion, on show at
Sea Stallion/King Stallion heavy-lift
Eurosatory, is available in several rotorcraft; both aircraft which are operated
variants which are in the process by the USMC. This diesel-engined vehicle,
of being delivered to Sweden’s the company’s official literature states,
special forces for internal security has a weight of 952.5kg (2100lb) and can
and international missions. accommodate a payload of 680kg (1500lb).
Polaris Defence
Gathering Group); both constituent parts
of the SOTG. The vehicles will be used for
domestic operations and international
deployments with soldiers trained to use
them for troop transport, fire support,
surveillance and reconnaissance tasks,
and direct action missions particularly in
urban terrain. The Bastion APC has a gross
vehicle weight of 14.5 tons, ACMAT officials
explained to Armada. The APC can be re-
rolled for a variety of tasks ranging from
logistical support; command and control;
engineer, troop transport and fire support
Polaris Defence’s MRZR-D4 will commence delivery

to the USMC in February, with the supply of up to 144
examples expected to be completed by April. These
vehicles will equip the Marine Corps’ infantry regiments.

www.SeaAirSpace.org SeaAirSpaceExpo
@SeaAirSpace
April 3 - 5, 2017
Gaylord National Convention Center
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FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
Sonitus
Sonitus has turned its
attention to developing
methods by which
parachutists can
communicate with one
another during their
descent, realising the
ATAC system to this end.
THE MAN
WHO FELL TO EARTH
Parachutes have been providing soft landings for people who have needed to leave flying objects, either
in an emergency or by design, for more than a century, enabling escape from damaged aircraft and the
delivery of troops behind enemy lines during airborne assaults or special forces insertions.
Peter Donaldson
S
tronger, lighter and more Parachutes based in California, describes as they are aerodynamic surfaces for which
durable materials coupled “wild variation” in the market, particularly the lift-to-drag ratio is important, as is
with advances in aerodynamic in the United States, leading many customers predictable behaviour when the shape of
design have enabled parachutes to ask for individually-tailored parachutes. the parafoil is warped by the parachutist’s
to evolve from simple drag- As with any air vehicle, and a parachute control lines.
producing devices designed to slow the must be considered as such, gross weight is
airspeed of the descending person or a key determinant of the descent rate, which Trade-Offs
object, to fully steerable parafoils (a non- itself is a compromise between a highly As with any product, the principal trade-
rigid textile airfoil with a wind-inflated desirable soft landing and the tendency of offs affecting parachute design are form, fit,
aerodynamic cell structure) that skilled the parachute to drift: A simple rule-of- function, cost, schedule and performance,
parachutists can guide with precision to thumb is that the lower the descent rate, Mr. Butler emphasised, but because the
a chosen landing spot. Although simple the greater the parachutes’ drift from its company’s primary products are emergency
in principal, there has always been what intended landing spot. Things are more parachutes it is very conservative in its
Manley Butler, the owner of Butler complicated with steerable parachutes, as recommendations of the most appropriate

FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
equipment for particular applications and
USAF
conditions, when approached by a customer.
In addition to gross weight, defined as the
user’s body weight including their clothes,
the parachute and harness system along
with any other equipment that leaves the
aircraft with that person, Mr. Butler factors
in the wearer’s height to help determine the
size of the pack and harness, alongside the
aircraft type and its performance envelope to
determine parachute strength requirements,
plus the aircraft’s seating arrangements
to help determine the configuration of the USAF Survival, Evasion,
entire rig (the parachute, harness and pack) Resistance and Escape
to ensure that it is safe and comfortable to (SERE) specialists
wear inside the aircraft. The company’s conduct a training
conservatism generally manifests itself jump on 25 May 2016
in recommendations for larger and more at Fairchild airbase,
Washington State. SERE
rugged equipment than can be expected
specialists are the USAF’s
from companies that specialise in skydiving experts in emergency
equipment. parachute training.
In the United States, the Federal approved. This standard introduced A, B
Aviation Administration (FAA), which and C strength categories in ascending
has overall responsibility for regulating sets no legal limits on parachute gross order and mandatory labels showing weight
aviation, regulates parachute equipment weight or deployment speed, manufacturers and speed ratings. Mr. Butler emphasises
under its Technical Standard Order (TSO) specify reasonable physical limits, Mr. that category B is the minimum for
process, specifically the TSO C23 and C23B Butler says. He notes that even though emergency use, with ratings of 150 knots
criteria, with performance standards based standard category systems are often (277.8km/h) Indicated Air Speed (KIAS)
on the Society of Automotive Engineers called ‘high-speed’ parachutes, that is not for deployment and a 254 pound/lb (115.5
(SAE) Standard 8015A. This latter document officially recognised nomenclature. He kilogram/kg) gross weight, although some
sets the minimum performance standards continues that low speed parachutes are category B parachutes specify lower limits
for personal parachutes. Most emergency limited to use at under 129 knots (238.9 to minimise shock on opening and/or to
parachutes are certificated under the FAA’s kilometres-per-hour), but that there is still moderate the descent rate.
TSO C23B regulations, and FAA standards no limit on parachute gross weight.
are widely recognised and emulated around Higher performance testing standards Heavier Pilots
the world. arrived in 1984 with the TSO C23C Responding to the fact that an unexpectedly
The TSO C23B regulations cover regulations, under which few traditional large proportion of parachute users
standard and low speed parachute round parachutes, but many high- exceeded 254lb (115.5kg) in weight, in
categories (see below), while the standard performance gliding parachutes, were 1988 the FAA and SAE began revising
their performance standards upwards ,
eventually resulting in FAA’s publication
Airborne Systems
of TSO C23D, which placed no limits on

deployment speeds or gross weights,
instead mandating that manufacturers
specify those parameters on their products
and test them with a safety margin, while
parachute opening time and descent rate
requirements are linked to gross weight.
Mr. Butler argues that it is best if the
parachute is the type the aircraft designer
had in mind, with seat size, shape, angle and
layout among the key factors along with
New parachute products from the wearer’s size, which also affects canopy
Airborne Systems include selection.
the firm’s Hi-5 parachute Most emergency parachutes have a
which includes the its Glide
round shape; a term that encompasses
Modulation System to provide
more control to the user. three dimensional ‘flat’, conical and tri-
conical shapes; the latter generally having
the highest drag coefficients (a result

FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
USAF
Having learned from designing both
parachutes, we thought we could bridge the
gap between the two.”
Giorgio Piatti, Airborne Systems’ design
manager, emphasised that the Hi-5 achieved
a glide ratio very close to that of the Hi-Glide
with a canopy that is both simpler to build
and more intuitive for riggers to pack and
jumpers to handle; the latter thanks in part
to the GMS: “The glide modulation changes
A USAF loadmaster the airfoil section. You maintain the ability
practices being dragged to control your heading, but instead of
by a parachute at Fairchild gliding with a five-and-a-half-to-one glide
airbase, Washington State. ratio, you are descending with a one-to-one
Training is provided to glide ratio, so you are essentially falling out
all aircrew members who of the sky under a round parachute. That
could potentially have to
measure of size is the drag area, which is the will allow you to really sink the canopy into
bail out of their aircraft.
finished canopy area multiplied by the drag an extremely tight spot with a very easy
coefficient, according to the company. manoeuvre as you can steer and change
the glide ratio at the same time.” Vincent
of calculating drag force, the size of the Glide Ratio Mignot, Airborne Systems’ international
object, the object’s speed and the mass of On 3 October 2016, Airborne Systems business manager added that the reserve
the medium it is moving through). Most introduced its new Hi-5, the latest in its line parachute has the same characteristics as
modern round parachutes are steerable, of high performance ram-air parachutes, the main, which is rare in canopies with high
according to Mr. Butler. Although originally emphasising its combination of high gliding glide ratios: “During a mission, even if the
made of silk, hence the Second World performance and the ability to allow the jumper cuts away and has to get rid of their
War aircrew slang of ‘hitting the silk’ as a parachutist to modulate the glide to descent main, under their reserve they will have the
reference to bailing out of an aircraft, most quickly and to land accurately. Glide ratio same performances and will be able to carry
parachute canopies today are woven from is a flying object’s horizontal distance out their mission with their team mates.”
artificial fibres, principally polyamide divided by change in altitude. Airborne
variant nylon-66, according to a 2005 Systems claims a glide ratio of 5.5:1 that can Clearer Communications
presentation by parachute expert Dr. Dean be reduced to 1:1 with the company’s Glide As with most other high risk operations,
F. Wolf. Porosity to airflow affects several Modulation System (GMS) which equips military parachuting puts a premium on
factors including the drag coefficient, the Hi-5. Unlike conventional methods of clear communications whilst also making
opening shock (the jolt experienced by angle control such as front riser trim tabs them difficult to achieve. In this case, the
the user when the canopy fills with air), outfitting the parafoil, GMS uses additional noise of engines and rushing air at an open
stability and filling time; the time taken toggles on the front risers and does not door or ramp, and when in freefall, present
by the canopy to fill with air after the increase the total speed of the canopy, thus obvious problems for voice communication.
parachute is opened, with standard military providing a safe transition for the stages of What is more the need to minimise the
parachute cloth generally letting through flight discussed above from any altitude. risk of equipment getting entangled in
between 2.2 cubic metre per minute (cmpm) Glide modulation can be performed with suspension lines or webbing means that
to 3.3cmpm (80 cubic feet per minute/cfpm the steering toggles still in hand, says the anything that can eliminate bulky radio
to 120cfpm), while military cloth classed company. Further, the company states headsets and their associated wiring but
as low porosity flows between 0.8cmpm to that this eliminates the need for multiple still enable jumpers to talk to each other, the
1.4cmpm (30cfpm to 50cfpm), although zero spirals or ‘S-turns’ at low altitude for glide aircraft and to comrades on the ground is
porosity cloth is also available, according to control, and allows for extremely accurate likely to be welcomed. This is what Sonitus
Butler Parachutes. landings from safer straight-in approaches: Technologies and distributor PCMG found
Higher porosity increases filling time, “The process of designing the Hi-5 first when it introduced its Advanced Two-way
reduces opening shock and improves came with trying to solve a problem,” said Acoustic Communicator (ATAC) system,
stability but reduces drag, meaning the JC Berland, chief technology officer in which in October 2016 completed a trial
terminal descent rate is likely to be higher one of the company’s videos discussing with US Air Force (USAF) Pararescue
with more porous canopies. Stretchier the new parachute: “We had a really high- operators, also known as Para Jumpers
fabrics are used in parachutes and are performance canopy, which was the Hi- (PJs), from the USAF’s 131 Rescue Squadron
intended for use with ejection seats as they Glide, but this parachute was not for every at Moffet Federal Airfield in California.
tend to be deployed at high speed and the jumper. On the other hand, we just came up The heart of the system is a module that fits
fibre elongation lets more air pass through with the Intruder, which was … selected by inside the user’s mouth and incorporates
to reduce shock loads, Mr. Butler adds. the US Army … which is a parachute that has a microphone and a bone conduction
While canopy sizes are frequently expressed fairly high performance, which is extremely transducer linked wirelessly to a standard
in terms of diameter, the most important docile and has very mild behaviour … personal radio, effectively isolating both the

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FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES
Sonitus
sensor that picks up the user’s voice and the frees the outer surfaces to be shaped for
path along which sound reaches the inner aerodynamic requirements. This makes
ear from ambient noise. Chatter occurring canopies more efficient and easier to deploy
during the October 2016 tests illustrated and control. The ARC design has been
the fidelity of the communications: “Radio tested successfully in extreme performance
check, we’re all freefalling.” The PJs started skydiving canopies, says the company.
their freefall at around 10000 feet/ft (3048 Meanwhile, CIMSA’s Synchronised
metres/m): “Loud and clear. How me?” Inflow Control System (SICS) is designed
asked the controller on the ground. The to synchronise the inflation sequence
PJs responded with “we copy.” “Awesome, The ATAC’s Invisiline mouth guard forms of highly elliptical ram-air textile wings
dude,” the controller replied. an integral part of the ensemble, with to ensure constant deceleration and on-
developments ongoing into technology which heading deployment. Introduced into high
That reaction is typical from operators
can be exchanged between users rather than
who have used the ATAC device in the performance skydiving canopies, the SICS
being constructed in a bespoke fashion.
field or anyone who has experienced allows for very soft and straight canopy
bone conduction hearing, according to deployments even under very high wing
Alexander Konowka, business development groups right now,” he continued. ATAC loadings.
manager at PCMG. The microphone, the systems are sold as complete kits for around Beyond the SICS effort, the Ultra High
bone conduction transducer, the wireless $14000 each, a high price that is expected Aspect Ratio Ram-Air Wing (UHARAW)
transceiver, a rechargeable battery and a to fall as sales volumes pick up, the largest project is investigating the feasibility of
USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector are order so far has been for just ten units, he very high aspect ratio (which compares a
all embedded in a custom-moulded module continued. The fact that the in-mouth device parachutes’ span and its chord) ram-air
that fits around the rearmost two molars on is encapsulated in a personalised moulding textile wings capable of deployment at
one side of the wearer’s lower jaw. Vibrations that only fits one user is a major cost driver as high wing loadings. Key technology areas
from the transducer pass though the jaw it can only be used by the operator to whom include extreme wing planforms, critical
and into the tiny stirrup, hammer and anvil it is issued. Sonitus, however, is developing a parafoil sections and wing structures with
bones in the ear. Intended for use in a wide new generation in-mouth device for the ATAC emphasis on internal pressure control
variety of noisy environments, the ATAC that will fit into a custom-moulded Invisiline through standard manoeuvres. Finally, the
needed no special modifications for use in mouth guard from which it can be removed firm’s Enhanced Ram Air Stabiliser (ERAS)
parachuting, Mr. Konowka told Armada: and passed on to another user who will have effort is looking at wing tip vortex control
“Every device is tailored to each user, so their own personal mouth guard; obviously by inflating the wing tip with pressurised
once the dental moulds are complete every meaning that the electronic components will air to eliminate the drag and noise caused by
device is the same whether it’s in the jump have to be sterilised. the stabilisers used in traditional parafoil
community or (issued to) joint terminal designs. CIMSA says that the ERAS will give
attack controllers who are on multiple Future Directions the wing tip a much more effective shape
radios calling in air strikes,” he said: “We also CIMSA classifies its personnel parachutes with better continuity, and increases the
work with a lot of clandestine, low visibility as tactical systems for special forces, effective aspect ratio.
operators that just need low visibility and systems for airborne troops and emergency
can’t have wires over their ears.” The PJs in parachutes and offers a wide range of Dark arts
the above exercise did not use oxygen for the products for use from low altitudes up Mr. Butler said that core parachute
jump, so their mouths were exposed to the to 25000ft (7620m) along with reserve technology has changed little over the
airflow but the audio quality was still very parachutes. The Spanish company is also last decade, following big improvements
clear, Mr. Konowka emphasised. advancing parachute technology through a resulting in modern textiles that
In addition to the in-mouth device, the number of research and development efforts. became available two decades ago, such
kit contains a charger and a carrying case, a ARC, for example, is a project to of zero porosity nylon ripstop fabric,
pair of 3M Peltor noise-cancelling earbuds, improve control of upper and lower surface Dupont’s Dacron used in parachute
the neck loop wireless antenna and the deformation in ram-air textile wings lines, Dupont’s Kevlar used in various
antenna peripherals interface that connects (ram-air parachutes have a self-inflating areas including lines and webbing, and
with up to two radios or one radio and a airfoil which the parachutist uses to control Honeywell’s Spectra used in lines for
mobile device. The PJs from the 131 Rescue their speed and direction) under extreme high-density packs, although refinements
Squadron during the test discussed above manoeuvring loads. Instead of traditional to designs continue to improve the flight
used Harris AN/PRC-152 Very/Ultra High cross-bracing designs that control the characteristics of gliding parachutes.
Frequency (30 megahertz to three gigahertz) upper surface through span (the side-to While computer aided design has become
handheld radios, but the ATAC system is side-width of the airfoil) wise tension, important, he argued that computational
also compatible with Motorola and Thales which can deform aerodynamic surfaces, fluid dynamics remains a dark art in
transceivers: “Currently we are selling into vary the local angle of attack and generate parachute design because there are far
the United States special forces community uneven chord (the distance between the too many variables to manage. For the
and eventually, conventional forces could leading and trailing edges of the airfoil) time being at least traditional trial and
obviously benefit from this technology. loads, the new system carries flight loads error will remain the bread and butter of
However, the cost is too high for those user with an internal structural membrane that military parachute design.

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sea power
WHAT LIES
BENEATH?
Ship categories are changing: As navies are required to respond to an ever-increasing

spectrum of traditional and non-traditional threats, the lines of classification between
corvettes, frigates and destroyers are growing increasingly blurred.
Dr. Alix Valenti
W
riting in his 2011 paper Violent Conflict: Causes, Consequences, States, in addition to the Royal New Zealand
Ecological Security: a and Addressing the Challenges, argued that: Navy) assisted Operation AHWINA which
Framework for Analysing “Food insecurity, especially when caused by provided HADR to New Zealand in the wake
Non-Traditional Security a rise in food prices, is a threat and impact of an earthquake which struck the nation’s
Issues, published by the multiplier for violent conflict.” South Island on 14 November 2016.
National Bureau of Asian Research, a think Traditional and non-traditional threats Nevertheless, the last decade has seen
tank based in Seattle, Washington State, are faced by navies around the world. global defence spending reduce. Figures
Dennis Pirages, professor of government at From force projection in areas of contested published by the Stockholm International
the University of Nevada stated that: “These territorial claims, to fighting piracy and Peace Research Institute note that between
last two decades have been punctuated by providing Humanitarian Assistance and 2010 and 2015, average military expenditure
increasing numbers of (acts of political Disaster Relief (HADR), the spectrum of around the world as a percentage of gross
violence), state failures, deadly epidemics, missions carried out by navies has signifi- domestic product has reduced from circa
rapidly fluctuating world energy and food cantly increased. For example, in October 2.6 percent in 2010 to 2.2 percent in 2015.
prices, a global economic meltdown, and 2016, the US Navy performed freedom of These general reductions have resulted
intense storms and flooding that are very navigation exercises in the South China in navies: “designing ships from a needs
likely early effects of global warming.” Non- Sea in the vicinity of the People’s Republic perspective, evaluating the mission sets
traditional in nature, unlike conventional of China’s maritime and territorial claims that the next generation vessel is expected
state-versus-state conflicts, such threats to uphold the UN’s Conventional on the to perform, and then deciding on the ‘real
nevertheless have the potential to increase Law of the Sea. Similarly, the European estate’ needed to house all (the capabilities
inter- and intra-state tensions on a global Union continues its Operation ATALANTA required),” observes Keng Hoe Toh, product
scale. Interestingly, a 2011 paper published naval deployment to the Horn of Africa line manager for maritime security in the
by the United Nations (UN) World Food and the Red Sea, while navies from several Asia-Pacific for Thales. As a result of this
Programme entitled Food Insecurity and nations (Australia, Canada and the United reality, distinctions between categories

sea power
Thomas Withington
destroyers displacing between 5000 and and advice to governments and refugees,
10000 tons. Such a ship carries: “all the sen- over 1 million refugees arrived in Europe
sors, combat systems, and weapons needed in 2015, with 96 percent of those arriving by
to operate in a high-threat environment,” sea. In 2016, these flows decreased to 374,802
AMI International’s website indicates. Less arrivals, according to the IOM; neverthe-
used, but still operated by the navies of Peru, less, 93 percent continued to arrive by sea.
Russia and the United States in the form of In addition to the strains these refugee
the respective ‘De Zeven Provinciën’, ‘Slava’ flows have put on European navies vis-à-
and ‘Ticonderoga’ classes are cruisers, all of vis search and rescue missions, Russia’s
which displace over 9000 tons, according to increasingly muscular strategic posture in
open sources. Ukraine and Crimea; the latter of which it
Yet the relevance of these categories is annexed in 2014 has raised significant con-
questionable. Over the past decade the naval cerns for European countries. According to
shipbuilding market has seen an increase in the Defence IQ report, European navies are
the number of ships that appear to transcend now focusing: “on core naval roles like sea
such pre-established categories. Philippe denial and sea control in high intensity war
Darche, responsible for corvettes and off- fighting environments.”
shore patrol vessels marketing at DCNS, says
that: “the naval ambitions and the maritime Universal Warship
environment are key factors for customers Denmark was perhaps the first country
in determining the displacement and size of to have developed a truly multipurpose
a ship.” Navies that will send ships for longer surface combatant: “In the mid-1980s,
missions in diverse maritime environments, Denmark had to replace 22 different small
typically blue and littoral waters, or which vessels,” indicates the Danish Defence
are required to regularly navigate between Acquisition and Logistics Organisation
deep and shallow waters, and yet require (DDALO), which overses defence pro-
armament and Command and Control (C2) curement in the country, and Naval Team
The US Navy is one of the few capabilities to perform a wide spectrum of Denmark (NTD), an industry body of sup-
forces to operate cruisers such operations will need to find compromises, pliers to the Søværnet (Royal Danish Navy/
as the USS Shiloh seen here. Mr. Darche continues. RDN). Constrained by tight budgets and
Technological improvements
Budgetary constraints are also blur- high crew costs, the Danish Navy developed
are enabling more capability
to be packed into increasingly ring the distinction between the categories: the Standard Flex (StanFlex) concept: “It
smaller vessels. According to Mr. Toh, there are four types consisted of fourteen hulls/platforms, 105
of naval mission: “force projection, force different containers to accommodate guns,
protection, HADR and policing/sovereignty Boeing RGM-84 Harpoon family Active-
enforcement.” Moreover, the Surface War- Radar Homing (ARH) Anti-Ship Missile
of warship are slowly fading, paving the ships Market Report 2016-17, published by (AShM) launchers, Raytheon RIM-162
way for more cost-effective multipurpose Defence IQ, a London-based defence events Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) family
surface combatants. and research company, specifies that de- Semi-ARH (SARH) guided Surface-to-Air
stroyers can cost as much as $1.5 billion and Missile (SAM) launchers and other weap-
Blurred vision above, if fitted with all their accompanying ons, one C2 and one platform management
Mr. Toh argues that: “corvettes, frigates and weapons and sensors, whereas a corvette IT (Information Technology) bus system,”
destroyers were categories of warships that generally costs between $100 million and the DDALO and NTD continue. The first
originated throughout history … these cat- $350 million. For Mr. Toh: “the choice of ‘Flyvefisken’ class offshore patrol vessel,
egories were used to ascribe different roles labels is now really more a matter of fact of itself part of the RDN’s Standard Flex-300
to the warships, and are now used to broadly signaling to your competitors or would-be (SF300) family was commissioned in 1989,
categorise different sizes of ships.” Accord- adversaries that you are building ships of a with the final ship in the 13 ship class being
ing to AMI International, a naval consul- certain size (with) implied capabilities.” sold to Portugal in October 2014. A single
tancy based in Bremerton, Washington State, vessel, the KDM Søløven, is continuing her
these categories can be defined as follows: Europe service with the RDN as a surveillance and
corvettes, displacing between 700 and 2000 Today, Europe’s security environment is diving support ship. However, the concept
tons, are best suited for littoral, rather than shaped in large part by climate change’s of StanFlex container lives on: “the total
blue water, operations and are capable of increasingly damaging effects on people’s inventory of Standard Flex containers now
operating in a medium threat environment. livelihoods across the African continent, amounts to more than 100, and the latest
Frigates, with a displacement of between as well as ongoing conflicts in Libya, Syria version includes intelligence collecting
2000 and 5000 tons tend to be configured for and Iraq, which have triggered a significant systems and space for a few operators, thus
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) or Anti-Air refugee crisis. According to the Interna- providing a superior operational ELINT
Warfare (AAW) and can conduct blue-water tional Organisation for Migration (IOM), an (Electronics Intelligence) capability”, the
missions in a high threat environment, with intergovernmental body providing services DDALO and NTD conclude. For example,

sea power
Thomas Withington
The RDN’s ‘Flyvefisken’ class of offshore patrol vessel
were seminal in that they used a modular approach to
their subsystems; an approach which is in vogue once
again amongst the world’s naval architects.
the RDN’s ‘Iver Huitfleft’ class frigates can has a live piracy map which, for 2016, shows a 2016 report entitled The State of World
also make use of the StanFlex containers. that Indonesia and the Philippines report Fisheries and Acquaculture published by the
Meanwhile, the seven multipurpose off- amongst the highest levels of piracy-related Food and Agriculture Organisation, a UN
shore patrol ships that the Marina Militare incidents in the world. Illegal, unreported body tasked with fighting global hunger.
(Italian Navy) is procuring from Fincantieri and unregulated fishing is also a significant Finally, the rising number of extreme
will rely on a similar container design. These issue in a region comprising 84 percent of weather events, such as Typhoon Haiyan/
ships displace approximately 4500 tons, and the global population engaged in the fisher- Yolanda, which devastated the Philippines
have been conceived to be suitable both as a ies and acquaculture sector, according to on 8 November 2013 or the 11 March 2011
surface combatant and as a support ship: “In
the middle of the vessel, the PPA has large
MarEx
spaces to accommodate various containers to

be fitted on the ship according to the mission
set,” says Stefano Ferraris, head of platform
development at Fincantieri. Personnel from
the Republic of
Singapore Navy
Asia-Pacific celebrate the
Away from Europe, navies have key defence commissioning
and security roles in the Asia-Pacific. The of the fleet’s first
number of non-traditional security threats eponymous-named
has been increasing in the past decades. For ‘Independence’
example, the International Maritime Bu- class Littoral
Mission Vessels.
reau, the part of the International Chamber
of Commerce which fights maritime crime,

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sea power
able Boats (RHIBs) and a helicopter, or HADR,
Thomas Withington
by installing medical modules instead.
Middle East and North Africa

Unlike Europe and Latin America (see below),
budget concerns are not necessarily the
driving factor for ship design in the region,
particularly given the price of oil which,
according to the data analysis firm Knoema,
is expected to rise in 2017 from its current (De-
cember 2016) price of circa $50 per barrel of
Brent Crude. Rather, according to Mr Darche:
“(regional) navies’ primary mission is that of
patrolling, with ships that tend to carry out
much shorter missions compared to countries
that send their ships overseas for months at
a time.” Illustrative of the trend towards the
multipurpose combatant in the Middle East/
The Royal North African area has been the interest that
Malaysian Navy’s the Royal Saudi Navy has shown in Lockheed
forthcoming SGPV/
Martin’s ‘Freedom’ class Littoral Combat Ship
LCS vessels will
have a design based
(LCS). In October 2015, it was reported that the
closely upon the force had requested the sale of four examples
‘Gowind’ class of of this design. Further reports in May 2016,
corvette pictured however, stated that the Royal Saudi Navy
here which equips had instead opted to procure a conventional
the French Navy. frigate design which will not have the recon-
figurable mission module spaces possessed by
the ‘Freedom’ class vessels.
The Americas
The US Navy’s ‘Freedom’ and Austral
‘Independence’ class LCSs arguably best
exemplify the trend towards the multipur-
pose surface combatant. At the heart of both
vessels is their modular mission capability,
which includes three types of mission pack-
Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which accommodating multiple mission modules ages: The Surface Warfare Module for both
occurred off the eastern coast of Japan’s to meet operational requirements as they ship classes includes a pair of Alliant Tech-
Honshu Island, is putting increasing de- emerge: “The ability of ships to be fitted systems/Orbital ATK Mk.44 Bushmaster-II
mands on regional navies to provide HADR. with different mission modules is a charac- 30mm auto-cannon and Lockheed Martin
Meanwhile, the region is witnessing the teristic that is increasingly specified by our AGM-114L Hellfire SARH/ARH guided
resurgence of traditional security threats customers, primarily as a cost-saving mat- surface-to-surface missiles, the latter of
with the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) ter,” says Mr. Darche. The SGPV-LCS will which is a planned capability. Meanwhile
maritime and territorial claims in the East therefore not only perform patrol missions, the mine countermeasures module will
and South China Seas. but its 3000 ton displacement will allow for include the Northrop Grumman Airborne
Regional naval procurement pro- a significant weapon array, including MBDA Laser Mine Detection System, Raytheon
grammes, developed in response to these VL-MICA Infrared/ARH-guided SAMs and AN/ASQ-235 Airborne Mine Neutralisation
varied threats, arguably best exemplify the their Sylver launch cells and eight MBDA System (AMNS) used by the ships’Sikorsky
blurred distinction between categories. Ma- MM-40 Exocet Block-III radar guided MH-60R Romeo naval support helicopter,
laysia, for instance, signed a contract with AShMs mounted topside. Lockheed Martin’s Remote Mine-Hunting
French shipbuilder DCNS, under a transfer Singapore faces a different challenge com- System, Northrop Grumman’s AN/DVS-1
of technology agreement with Boustead pared to a number of its regional neighbours: Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and
Naval Shipyard (BNS), for the construction its defence budget is less constrained. The Analysis system and General Dynamics
of six Second Generation Patrol Vessels/ ‘Independence’ class Littoral Mission Vessels Mission Systems’ Knifefish unmanned un-
Littoral Combat Ships (SGPV/LCS). The (LMVs), built by Singapore Technologies Ma- derwater vehicle, to name just four systems.
SGPV-LCS is based on the design of DCNS’ rine displace 1250 tons and can be configured This concept for the two US Navy LCS ship
‘Gowind 2500’ class corvette, which was to either carry out maritime security opera- classes follows closely in the footsteps of the
developed as a multipurpose ship capable of tions, thus accommodating Rigid Hull Inflat- StanFlex concept, developed 25 years ago.

increasing much faster than defence bud-
gets, so multi-mission ships are becoming
a common answer thanks to their designs
that are ‘designed for but not fitted with’
specific equipment.” Meanwhile: “a new cat-
egorisation (for surface combatants) could
therefore focus more on the armament and
the sensors, which are limited by the size
of the ship and therefore would determine
the threat-level the vessel can endure,”
observes Hervé Boy, responsible for frigate
marketing at DCNS. For example, large
ships such as destroyers or frigates are typi-
cally required to accommodate SAMs such
as MBDA’s Aster-30 ARH guided weapon
The US Navy’s ‘Independence’ class LCS uses a modular which weighs up to 990 pounds (450 kilo-
concept regarding some of the classes’ mission systems, grams) and is 4.9 metres (16 feet) in length,
as does the ‘Freedom’ class LCS design. according to the manufacturers’ figures. Mr.
Boy’s conclusion, however, may not hold for
much longer; “increased automation means
that the space once used to accommodate
Onwards and upwards ingly transcending the boundaries of the crew members is now available to increase
From the Asia-Pacific to the Americas, categories their labels ascribed them to. weapons and sensors, resulting in smaller
passing through Europe, navies the world According to Mr. Toh, “the world is very ships that still pack the same punch,”
over are procuring ships that are increas- unsafe and demands on the navies are argues Mr. Toh.
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EW EUROPE 2017 r t
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LAND WARFARE
US DOD
US Army M-113 family
tracked armoured
personnel carriers
are benefiting from a
BAE Systems-led reset
programme which is also
adding new capabilities
to these vehicles.
PREVENTION IS
BETTER THAN CURE
The military vehicle maintenance market is in a state of transition: The model that came into play over a
decade of US-led combat operations in the Middle East was focused on keeping vehicle fleets that were
often acquired under Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) programmes maintained.
Claire Apthorp
F
or the US, and its allies operations in Afghanistan and Iraq in circa Army between 2012 and 2014. The company
deploying vehicles to the 2011, US and allied militaries turned their was tasked with partially tearing down,
Afghan and Iraqi theatres, attention to resetting and overhauling rebuilding and testing each vehicle to restore
saw the most urgent levels vehicles that had seen deployment capability and extend their service life. The
of Maintenance, Repair and throughout these respective campaigns. level two reset, carried out at the Red River
Overhaul (MRO) prioritised; servicing, Vehicles that had been acquired under Army Depot in Texas, and BAE Systems sites
day-to-day preparation, maintenance disparate UORs, such as the Force Protection across the US, saw key vehicle components
by replacement, and minor repair and Mastiff, Ridgeback and Wolfhound Mine- removed for reset, then returned to the depot
modifications. Meanwhile, depth repair Resistant/Ambush Protected vehicles that and BAE Systems for rebuild and testing. As
services, such as reconditioning, special were acquired by the British Army to assist part of this initiative, L-3 Communications
modification, major conversions, reset or their deployment in Afghanistan, or that was tasked with resetting the M2 Bradley
base overhauls, were delayed; often until had been upgraded with new equipment fleet’s transmissions.
vehicles returned from deployment. throughout operations to different levels Meanwhile, in February 2010, the US
also needed to be brought up to a common Army awarded BAE Systems a contract
Battle Damage standard. For example, BAE Systems ran modification worth $32 million to cover
This took its toll on the vehicle fleets of a multi-year programme to reset United the rest of 417 United Defence/BAE Systems
US-led coalition forces. Following the Defence/BAE Systems’ M2 Bradley family M-113 tracked armoured personnel carriers.
draw-down of troops and equipment from tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles for the US A BAE Systems press release announcing

HELD UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA
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BIDEC
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LAND WARFARE
the news detailed that the work would worth $4.6 million covering twelve vehicles, in, chiefly highly flexible, mobile, medium-
include the replacement of old and damaged with a further contract awarded by the US to-light weight vehicles that can be easily
components, and returning the vehicles Army in October 2011 worth $19.8 million to supported in the field as opposed to heavy
to a “pre-combat condition.” The award of cover the reset of 392 vehicles with two tracked vehicles with complex logistics
the February 2010 contract followed the one-year options covering the reset of a support requirements. In this regard,
award to the company, by the US Army, of a further 225 examples. the British Army’s forthcoming General
$91.4 million contract extension by the US Dynamics Ajax family of tracked armoured
Army in February 2008 to perform similar A new model fighting vehicles, of which the force is
reset work on 1074 M-113s. The US Army Similar reset work has been performed expected to receive circa 589 examples in
took the opportunity of the M-113 reset by allied militaries around the globe. The several variants between this year and 2019,
work to also outfit these vehicles with new current focus of many armies is deciding according to MOD figures, is an instructive
add-on armour and nuclear, biological and what vehicle fleets in the coming decade example. The Ajax variants feature a high
chemical warfare protection equipment, will look like, and how they will be degree of commonality, reducing their
the company disclosed in a press release. supported. This includes looking at the mix maintenance and logistics burden in the
Away from the M-113, BAE Systems has also of uniformed and contractor personnel field. Such procurements are also spurring
received contracts to reset the US Army’s carrying out MRO work, considering new change in the way the MOD allocates
BAE Systems’ M-777 towed howitzers, models for how vehicles can be supported support resources.
collaborating with the force’s Anniston in the most cost-effective manner possible, In January 2015 the MOD awarded
Army Depot in Alabama to this end. and putting into place processes that can Babcock International a ten year contract
According to an official US Army statement, cope with the operations which may involve worth $1 billion for the maintenance of the
the reset effort includes the rebuilding of the Western militaries in the coming decades. British Army’s land vehicles. The contract
gun’s recoil and hydraulic systems. A major influencing factor when was awarded as part of the sale of the land
Away from BAE Systems, Textron has looking at how vehicle fleets will be portion of the MOD’s Defence Support
been tasked to perform the reset of the supported is to consider what the military Group (DSG), which had been tasked with
firm’s M-1117 Guardian Armoured Security campaigns of the future are likely to look the MRO of British land and air materiel
Vehicles used by the US Army’s Police like. In the UK, defence commentators to Babcock for $170 million, and aims to
Corps to reverse the effects of combat stress such as Professor Michael Clarke, the “transform the way the army’s vehicles
on the fleet while also giving the army former director general of the Royal United are maintained, repaired and stored,”
the ability to apply vehicle survivability, Services Institute, a London-based think according to an official MOD press release
safety and mobility enhancements, reports tank, have used the term ‘strategic raiding’ announcing the news. According to the
noted. An initial contract worth $4 million to describe the short, sharp, quick tempo announcement, Babcock will be responsible
was awarded to Textron as part of a pilot operations the UK government may focus for the maintenance, repair, overhaul, key
programme to this end in October 2007, to on in the future, rather than the long, drawn engineering and fleet management, and
cover the reset of an initial six vehicles. out operations recently witnessed in the storage of vehicles and light weapons in the
A further contract was awarded in 2008 Middle East. army’s fleet to optimise availability.
This model has already arguably begun The handover of the services performed
to influence the types of vehicles that the by DSG to a private company is expected
A substantial reset programme is UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) is investing to generate significant savings over the
also ongoing for the M-777 howitzers life of the contract, estimated at around
used by the US Army. This includes $606.8 million over the contract’s term;
US DOD
the rebuilding of the gun’s recoil and

deliver value for money to the MOD,
hydraulic systems.
and allow MOD resources to focus on
operations, rather than support, the MOD
press release continued. The MOD added
that the DSG land business staff have
transferred to Babcock, and the company
is leading an improvement programme
over several years in order to optimise the
output performance of the business, giving
the DSG the potential to provide vehicle
maintenance to other existing heavy vehicle
customers which it was unable to do while
owned by the MOD. According to the MOD
Babcock is already working to identify
commercial opportunities for the DSG
elsewhere within the Babcock group.
Babock adds that around thirty
percent of the MOD’s vehicle inventory,
is supported by the firm, including the

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UK MOD
type glasses that can give technicians a
simulated x-ray vision for maintenance
and repair work. These systems work by
overlaying computer graphics and diagrams
on to the wearer’s natural field of vision to
show what components need attention, how
The British Army’s they can be accessed and fitted. Companies
forthcoming
including NGRAIN, Fieldbit and Accenture
Ajax family of
vehicles has been
have developed these smart glass type
designed to possess systems with an eye to using computer-
a high degree of aided design to simplify logistics and
commonality maintenance processes in the industrial
across variants sector, with agencies such as the US Defence
to reduce their Advanced Research Projects Agency
logistics and
(DARPA) showing interest in applying the
maintenance
burden in the field. technology to the military sector.
Elsewhere, researchers at Purdue
University’s Centre for Systems Integrity in
Indiana, working with Honeywell and the
US Army, has developed a ‘diagnostic cleat’,
army’s 14000 strong so-called ‘white’ fleet, it takes the work of vehicle MRO out of the a speed bump-type system that contains
comprising vehicles such as coaches and MOD’s hands and ensures that the latter sensors that military vehicles can be driven
cranes, alongside armoured platforms. The has access to the vehicles they need when over to detect damage to critical suspension
firm adds that the support model is based they need them in a cost-effective way. components. The idea is to help operators
around ensuring asset availability and save time and maintenance costs by
efficiency, covering vehicle procurement A Growing Market identifying damage before it leads to failure
and rental assets, while providing services Integrating private sector innovation and in the field.
including maintenance, repair, breakdown know-how with core military activities
recovery assistance and incident allows defence ministries and departments HUMS
management. Babcock also works with to more accurately see how effectively During the Eurosatory defence exhibition
Amey under the ALC joint venture on the services are being provided, and puts the held in Paris in June 2016, Thales and
MOD’s Construction Vehicle (‘C-Vehicle’) onus on industry to deliver a service that Soframe launched a new service product
capability. Under the terms of this initiative, can be measured in order to maximise designed to optimise military vehicle
ALC provides the MOD with construction cost-effectiveness and channel resources to fleet management called MILFLEET. The
and field mechanical handling equipment areas where they are most needed. This shift set of fleet management services offered
operated by the Royal Engineers and Royal toward contracting industry for military by MILFLEET is based on predictive
Logistics Corps, both constituent parts support requirements is also driving maintenance concepts made possible by
of the British Army, the joint venture has significant growth in the global armoured the increased digitisation of the latest
articulated. Under a fifteen year $728.6 vehicle MRO market. In its Global Armoured generation of military vehicles. The
million Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Vehicles and MRO Market 2016-2026 report, service ensures that the right vehicles are
contract that will run until 2020, the former Strategic Defence Intelligence (SDI), a available in the right place at the right time
MOD legacy C-Vehicle fleet of some 4000 London-based research firm, estimated and in the best possible configuration
assets was purchased by ALC, with the that the market, valued at $22.5 billion in for the customer. The platform-agnostic,
exception of some specialist militarised 2016, will grow to reach $32.4 billion by MILFLEET provides an optimal vehicle
equipment, and is being replaced with a 2026. Within this market, SDI expects the support organisation with bespoke
significantly smaller fleet (around 2100) of infantry fighting vehicle segment to be management and maintenance of vehicle
commercial specification. the best performer with 32.2 percent of the equipment and systems tailored to the exact
Under the terms of the PFI, ALC is market share, with main battle tanks (25.8 requirements of each customer. A Health
responsible for ensuring optimal use of percent) and armoured personnel carriers and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS)
the fleet, providing global visibility of the (17.4 percent) following behind. Growth, collects data from embedded in-vehicle
fleet’s availability through a management the report argues, is being driven by the sensors to allow predictive maintenance
information system operated within requirements of international conflicts and to detect and rectify potential faults before
the defence information infrastructure. insurgency, and vehicle modernisation and they occur.
Moreover, it provides training, technical acquisition programmes being undertaken HUMS has become a central aspect
publications and commercial equipment by armed forces across the globe. of effective MRO for platforms deployed
to optimise the fleet holding, spares Industry is developing new and across the battlefield, and increasingly
provision and inventory management. This innovative ways to approach the readiness new generation platforms with high levels
contracting for availability approach is a big challenge. One area of development is using of digitisation are having monitoring
shift with big benefits for the customer as virtual reality headsets and ‘Google Glass’ capabilities built in from the design stage.

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LAND WARFARE
Management Commands, depots, arsenals,
Rheinmetall
and ammunition plants. As part of the LMP,
the commercial off-the-shelf integrated
Enterprise Resource Planning system
manages the process of delivering items and
equipment from the home-front to soldiers
in the field faster and more efficiently than
predecessor systems.
Under the LMP Increment-2
implementation, the LMP architecture will
British Army platforms
expand. As an example, typical overhaul
such as this BAE Systems
FV-4034 Challenger-II work on an army platform can require
main battle tank will around 30000 pages of documentation,
benefit from new MRO whereas LMP Increment 2 will see most
arrangements which the of that paper replaced with technology,
UK MOD has concluded including the use of handheld tablets that
with the private sector. support automation. Key to the system
is its ability to predict what materiel will
be required when and where to support
mission requirements. With the final wave
In addition to recording the status and seek a next-generation HUMS system to fit of LMP Increment-2 rolled out in June
operation of mobile platforms, sensors to approximately 3000 vehicles (potentially 2015, the army has since reported that
can measure operational conditions, rising to 5000) in its fleet consisting of readiness has improved, and the AMC’s
performance parameters and system status. 15 different types with sub variants. The ability to forecast materiel requirements
Originally developed for the helicopter MOD has stipulated that the HUMS-Next has increased by 20 percent, while the US
market, ground vehicles are increasingly Generation (HUMS-NG) system must Army’s TACOM (Tank and Automotive
benefiting from this technology. For enable the collection of data through Command) Life Cycle Management
example, the MOD selected General automated processes that do not require Command, and Aviation and Missile
Dynamics’ UK division to supply British human intervention, manipulation or Command have improved item forecasting
Army vehicles with Systems Information manual data input, with the HUMS-NG rates by 6.5 percent and 5.7 percent,
Exploitation/HUMs devices. Delivered in provider to analyse this data to allow the respectively. While the army notes that
2012, the system is designed to optimise user to make timely through-life fleet these percentages may seem small: “the
availability and minimise maintenance via management decisions. multiplier is the hundreds of millions of
the monitoring of a vehicle’s systems. Taking this to the next level, the concept dollars these commands use to manufacture
Meanwhile, the US Army Research of predicting component failure weeks or and remanufacture tanks, helicopters, and
Laboratory (ARL), headquartered in even months in advance is gaining traction other major end items and equipment used
Maryland, is exploring technologies that in the MRO market. GE has developed by soldiers,” notes an army publication
replace time-scheduled maintenance with a system called SmartSignal that goes discussing the LMP programme. Looking
a process used to repair parts and systems beyond the basic HUMS capability that ahead the army expects further benefits
only when they need to be fixed, removed uses algorithms to monitor equipment to its overall readiness posture, with
and replaced. Known as Condition Based behaviour in order to identify impending the improvements set to optimise force
Monitoring (CBM), this approach gives failures early and provide actionable readiness through enhanced equipment
the army a more effective way of knowing notifications. The idea is that such tracking and management, balancing the
when a part or component is in trouble. technology can reduce maintenance costs army’s missions, contingency response
When matured, the science will be used to and damage to critical equipment in order capability, and available resources, which
diagnose problems, predict the potential to keep operations safe and productive, all rely on equipment and materiel managed
failure of those parts and determine their essentially helping the user avoid and tracked by the LMP.
remaining useful life. The research involves unplanned downtime on assets. The most marked change in the
developing analysis technology to translate MRO sector at present is the shift from
data from existing sensor capabilities. Modernising Readiness providing a reactive response to a
The CBM approach sees sensors placed The US Army is currently in the process predictive and preventative service. The
strategically around the platform which of rolling out new capabilities as part of key to minimising downtime for vehicle
then generate critical information, such as its Logistics Modernisation Programme fleets is to know in advance what issues
vibration levels or damage characteristics, (LMP) via the LMP Increment-2 initiative. have to be dealt with, planning that work
that are recorded in real time by the HUMS The LMP is responsible for enabling Army by having the right materiel in the right
device. This data is then analysed by the Material Command (AMC) readiness, place at the right time, and giving users as
maintainer to determine the condition of providing business processes and advanced much information as possible on how best
the components being monitored. capabilities that track and manage to manage fleets to maximise availability
In 2014 the MOD announced that it will production and MRO orders at Lifecycle and minimise costs.

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Image source: Crown Copyright / Royal Navy

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