News & Technology

From the Journal of Military Ordnance, DJ reproduces some news of reader interest

USMC Firepower Enhancement Programme

With M1A1 expected to be the Marines primary tank through at least 2015, they are in the process of evaluating a series of firepower enhancements. Following numerous responses to the original Request for Information (RFI) in April, the Phase 0 concept exploration approval letter was expected in June. The next step will be the programme definition and risk reduction which is expected around March of 2000. A Request for Proposals (RFP) would then follow, perhaps as early as the fall of 2000.

JoMO spoke with Lt. Col. John Bryant, who is overseeing the programme for the Marines. When asked about the importance of the modifications, Col. Bryant explained that the overmatch capability in night fighting and reduced visibility conditions during the Gulf War were our major advantages. This ability to see and engage out to greater distances than our enemy has been eroded over recent years. The hoped result of the enhancement programme would be to restore the overmatch capability in the 2005-2015 timeframe. The RFI asked industry sources to seek improvements in three broad areas. The first is an improved thermal sight that will offer greater detect, identify, and engagement capabilities (but at a lower cost than currently fielded second generation FLIR systems). Second, a far target location capability that, at a minimum, constantly displays turret azimuth (with an error no greater than +/- 10 mils rms) and displays the target's grid location (eight-digit coordinate) after the crew inputs range-to-target and own location. Finally, an auto target tracker that follows a target selected within the field-of-view of the visible image sensor and provides target/rate/positional information to automate a portion of the target engagement process, improve probability of hit, and shorten the target service time. All three of the capability enhancements must fit within the space and power budget (24vdc) of the M1A1 and its analogue components.

The USMC currently has 403 M1A1 and this programme is scheduled to impact the entire inventory. For affordability reasons, the marines do not plan to acquire any M1A2 (or M1A2 SEP), therefore the M1A1 is expected to serve with the marines until a replacement is available. Under concept evaluation is the Expeditionary Family of Fighting Vehicles, one of which is envisioned to be a tank-like replacement for M1A1. This new vehicle will be dependent on leap-ahead technologies in propulsion, weapons systems, and armour to produce a lighter, lower logistic footprint vehicle for the 2015-2020 timeframe. When asked about whether there was any cooperation or coordination with the largest user of the M1 series, the US Army, Col Bryant explained that for this particular modification, the USMC was the lead and that they, and not the army were funded for the programme. However, the army is very interested in the results as they will have a large number of M1A1s in the fleet after the M1A2 SEP and M1A1D programmes are complete. Col. Bryant is keeping his army counterparts with the Abrams programme up-to-date so there is little duplication of effort. There has even been some suggestion from the army that they tie-in to the RFP expected in 2000.

New Russian Anti-Ship Missile

Deputy Designer Vyacheslav Gorbarenko of Novator Experimental Design Bureau recently announced that the ZM-54E1 anti-ship missile could be available for export within the year. The relatively small missile (6.2 meters long, 0.533 meters in diameter, and weighing 1,570 kg) has a range 300 kilometers and carries a 450 kg warhead. It can be fired from a standard submarine torpedo tube or launched vertically from a surface ship.

Once shedding the first stage, the stub wings and tail deploy and the missile flies to the target at an altitude of 10-15 meters above the surface. Onboard inertial guidance systems monitor the pre-loaded coordinates and flight path and make the necessary corrections. The final tracking path of the missile, once the homing head becomes active, is at an altitude of only five meters.

Japan to Develop Own Maritime Patrol and Medium Transport

Pursuant to their 1996 defence plan and goals, Japan's Defence Agency recently announced their intent to develop a new maritime patrol aircraft and a medium-size, long-range transport aircraft. Funding for the development appears to be authorized for the year 2000 and is expected to take more than ten years to design and build the new aircraft. The initial concept is for both types to share many of the same airframe and mechanical components, as well as other powerplant, control, and hydraulic systems.

The P-3C patrol and C-1 transport aircraft are expected to serve throughout the development and construction period. It is thought that there is a need for fifty of the transport airframes and eighty of the patrol. The project is expected to cost 100-200 billion yen.

In other news, Japan is expected to acquire one mid-air refuelling aircraft sometime after April of 2000 and as many as three more shortly thereafter. The first aircraft is expected to be operationally deployed by 2003 and the remaining by 2005.

New German Loading System

Rheinmetall of Germany has designed a belt-feed system for large calibre gun systems. Apparently suitable for the main gun of main battle tanks, it would also seem applicable for self-propelled artillery. The concept centres around two (although one is also mentioned) vertically aligned belt arrangements on either side of the breech-end of the the main gun.

The company cites two major disadvantages to having turret stowed ammunition racks and loading systems - safety and larger turret size. Their system as shown also seems to eliminate the need for a manned turret and places all but a very small number of rounds below the hull line. The information that JoMO has obtained also shows the belt system itself as fully enclosed. This would offer some additional protection against those rounds 'cooking off' in case of a turret penetration. This is pure speculation, as the level of protection offered by the enclosure panels is not known.

Although it seems to further cramp the turret, the system has also been designed to accommodate two-part ammunition. The device is said to be capable of handling 'large ammunition' including 140mm. The Germans have long been trying to interest the US Army in the Pzh2000 self-propelled artillery system as a bridge SPG between Paladin annd Crusader. The lack of an auto-load system has been cited in the past as a 'no-go' item for future SPGs.

US Military Personnel Summary

These figures represent full-time personnel comprising both regular and reserve components on active duty, as well as cadets from the three service academies. Excluded from these numbers are approximately 65,000 full-time personnel who are paid from other than active duty military personnel appropriations. They also do not include Selected Reserve strength ordered to active duty by the President under Title 10, United States Code 12304. All figures represent current as of May 31, 1999.

South Africa Army Acquisition Programme

The South African Army could hardly hide its disappointment when the main battle tank (MBT) purchase was dropped from the larger acquisition scheme that culminated in equipment selections for a number of major equipment types made at DEXSA in November of 1998. Chippy Shaikh of ARMSCOR, recently explained the implementation of a new acquisition system would allow the army to fill its critical equipment need requirements. He also rationalized the reasons that the MBTs were removed from the November announcements were due mainly from a radically altered army force structure and a dramatic reduction in the number of tanks required (as previously reported in JoMO as less than 100).

The timetable for the new plan is run out over fifteen years, from 2000 to 2015, and divided into three equal segments of five years each. During the first trimester, the Army would seek to acquire specialized equipment for the special forces and airborne units. During the second phase, the Army would elect to acquire either an MBT or a combat infantry vehicle (ICV). During the last phase, they would select either the MBT or the ICV, dependent on what they selected in the second phase.

The actual process for the fifteen year acquisition cycle would also be managed under a new system called stokvel. Basically this system allocates money to each cost centre to be spent within the calendar year and removes previous limitations on its reallocation to different cost centres within each branch of service.

Shaikh affirmed to ranking Army officers that the Cabinet accepts the need for an MBT in the SANDF and that it is only a matter of when, not if a new one is acquired.

New Contracts for General Dynamics

General Dynamics Armament Systems has signed a contract with the US Army's Tank Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) and the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) for fifty-six sets of reactive armour tiles for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. A 'set' contains twenty-six M3A1 tiles, nine M4A1 tiles, fifty-five M5A1 tiles, seven M6A1 tiles, and eight M7A1 tiles. Total value of the contract is $ 14.4 million. the tiles were developed by Rafael Ordnance Systems of Israel and are designed to defeat hits from a range of anti-armour munitions including shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenades.

The company has also been awarded a $ 1.268 billion contract to supply the Army with the Hydra-70. The 2.75-inch Hydra-70 is the most widely used helicopter weapon system in service today according to General Dynamics. The rockets are fired from a variety of fixed and rotary-wing platforms and is used by more than fifteen countries besides the United States. The contract includes the rockets, warheads, motors, and incidental engineering services associated with the munitions. General Dynamics is the prime contractor and is teamed with PRIMEX and Alliant Techsystems. The contract is due to be completed by June 30, 2006.

Merkava Out of Turkish Tank Programme

One of the few major tank acquisition programmes that is still outstanding is currently ongoing in Turkey. The programme is for as many as 1,000 new tanks and the modernization of about 1,300 M60s currently in service in Turkey. Known to have responded to the initial Request for Proposal (RFP) are manufacturers from the US, Israeli, Germany, France, Russia, and the UK.

There have been recent published reports that, under pressure from the United States and General Dynamics Land Systems Division (GDLS), Israel has withdrawn the Merkava III from the competition. JoMO spoke with Peter Keating of GDLS who wanted to clarify the information.

Earlier this year, the Turkish Under Secretary of Defence Industries decided that tenders for the Third Generation main battle tank (MBT) programme would only be accepted from Turkish firms. By doing so, he ensured that the manufacturing nations would have to partner with a local firm to compete in the programme. Notification of the partnerships had to be submitted by April 30. For reasons unknown, and according to Keating, not from pressure by GDLS or the US government that he is aware of, the Israelis' did not submit a partnership proposal. Keating would also not comment on the Turkish firm that GDLS plans to ally with. There are some agreements in place that would result in US-Israel cooperation on the M1A2 proposal in the programme. These new agreements between GDLS and some Israeli firms would allow the sharing of technology as it might apply to the requirements of the Turkish tank. The M1A2 would be 'customized' to fit the requirement package which is expected to be finalized and issued by the end of summer. One piece of Israeli technology that Keating mentioned would be the inclusion on the M1A2 of an automatic target tracking system.

The earlier reports speculated that for Israel to withdraw the Merkava III and Israeli cooperation on the M1A2, the US would let Israel take the lead, with US cooperation, on the M60 modernization programme. Again, Keating said there were no such arrangements in place.

Pakistan and China to Jointly Develop Fighter

The News a Chinese independent daily, has reported that Pakistan and China recently signed four agreements, including the much-awaited deal to develop indigenous Super Seven (S-7) fighter aircraft, during a visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's to Beijing. An unidentified source was quoted as saying, 'The agreements will further enhance defence ties, besides cooperation in the economic field between the two time-tested friends.' Defence Secretary Lt. Gen. (Retd) Iftikhar Ali Khan and other senior defence officials will accompany the Prime Minister during his visit to China. Pakistan and China had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) about the S-7 in 1997. The S-7 project is planned to meet the fighter requirements of both the air forces as well as to offering the aircraft for sale for on the international market.