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The Other Chris

@TotherChris

Sep 23, 2024

⚙ CAVALRY, TURRETS & CANNONS

The KNDS team very kindly provided an in-depth tour inside the RCT30 equipped Mission Module pictured below. Within was held an invaluable, and frank, discussion about both the equipment and the roadmap moving forward.

The Mission Module is currently configured for the Bundeswehr requirement. As such there is much similarity with their latest Puma S1 including turret equipment itself and the "office" where the commander and gunner sit. The uncrewed turret approach provides more room inside the cell for dismounts and equipment.

To move from Puma S1 standard to RCT30, with features such as dual land and C-SAT target engagement, the turret's modularity was intentionally matured and here's where the conversation deepened.

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Sensors

The optical and optronic sensors, together with the MUSS tower, can easily be replaced with alternatives.

At the moment, Challenger 3 and Ajax both share Thales Catherine and Orion sights. These are GVA enabled for the British AFV's and the RCT30 turret can accommodate.

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Cannons

KNDS themselves are in deep discussion as to which cannon would best suit the British Army in a Cavalry or an IFV configuration, whether Mechanised or Armoured.

Three cannons dominate the conversation:

The Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM is the most seen on Puma and RCT30 (PuBo). It has a growing user base with German Puma's and Boxers being joined by Australian and now Netherland Boxers. It is considered proven the most accurate of the three. Compatible ammunition is made solely by Rheinmetall for now, but UK selection would also see cannon, barrel and ammunition production licenses.

It is not widely known but the Mk44 Bushmaster II has been confirmed as already integrated with the RCT30. Bushmasters advantage is it can fire a range of 30x173mm including the MK30-2/ABM natures.

Finally CT40 is also a possibility though would take longer, the RCT40 not being as mature as the RCT30. Ammunition (below) is produced in the UK and France.

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Read 6 tweets

The Other Chris

@TotherChris

Sep 22, 2024

⚙ BRITISH ARMY BOXER VARIANTS

At DVD this week we learned more about the official Build Configurations for the Boxer's Mission Modules that will plug into the Boxer Drive Module (currently A3 standard) via the Boxer Strategic Pipeline.

🟠 BC01 Infantry Carrier
🟠 BC02 Command & Control
🟠 BC03 Specialist Carrier
🟠 BC04 Ambulance
🟠 BC05 Repair & Recovery
🟠 BC06 Armoured Mortar Vehicle
🟠 BC07 Bridging (TYRO)
🟠 BC08 RCH155
🟠 BC09 C-SAT
🟠 BC10 Radar (SERPENS)
🟠 BC11 Overwatch (MCCO)

All pictures below for illustration purposes only and not necessarily the final configurations.

BC01 Infantry Carrier

The primary carrier of mechanised infantry.

BC02 Command & Control

Deliberately similar to other Mission Modules.

Read 13 tweets

The Other Chris

@TotherChris

Feb 21, 2024

The Bundeswehr have ordered 19 Skyranger 30 air defence systems.

1 x Prototype
18 x Skyranger 30 on Boxer
8 x MAN 15t armoured resupply vehicles
8 x Workshops
18 x Training systems

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Like Gepard before it, Skyranger is a sensor and communications heavy system. German package is the "Skyranger 30 A3" including:

AHEAD ammunition
Stinger missiles with proximity sensors
IR search and track
Hensoldt AESA

€650M

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Prototype delivery this year. Delivery to units in 2026. Further order of 30 Skyranger 30 systems expected.

Part of the wider NNbS air defence programme.

Several export customers evaluating:

Denmark - Piranha
Austria - Pandur
Hungary - KF41 Lynx

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Read 5 tweets

The Other Chris

@TotherChris

Oct 24, 2023

The penny-wise pound-foolish Apache/JAGM saga continues.

The UK is now buying 3,000 JAGM missiles for $957.4M.

That equates to $319,000 per missile for a system already integrated onto our AH-64E's, that the UK has already trained on, which the UK has already paid for and received examples of for handling, from an Ally who is supposedly covering all extra costs of development, leaving little to no NRE expectations for the UK to bear.

Even if we go with the highest Brimstone 3 cost of £175,000 per missile which is meant to include Brimstone 3 R&D amortisation, even if we go with double the integration cost the UK was meant to "save" at £150M, the UK would have saved £110M by sticking with our own developed and proven system.

This does not even go into details such as re-investment in industry via procurement, tax recovery to Treasury or potential for exports (Poland's own AH-64E purchase is a vast missed opportunity). The UK already knows how to use and handle Brimstone eliminating most of the NRE with the system, and we have heard from defence ministers on the record in Parliament of the superior and battleproven hit rate of the Brimstone in active Operations compared to Hellfire based systems such as JAGM repeatedly over the years.

If we do take the lower of the purchase price per missile that is known for Brimstone and the £70M quoted as being "saved" by not integrating Brimstone on Apache, then for integration and purchase of 3,000 Brimstone on British AH-64E's we would expect to see a lower end cost, using DE&S own figures, of around £385M, saving almost £400M on this purchase compared to JAGM.

Even the £110M saving at the higher prices is desirable right now and would lead to further savings in future.

It is quite clear that the promised JAGM price reduction has not occurred.

BS was called at the time of the claims and these calls have clearly, demonstrably, been borne out.

This huge expense on an unproven foreign supplied missile with variations in reliability of supply, when a higher performing and perception-busting lower cost British missile exists and is in production, does not meet the claims at the time that JAGM would save the taxpayer money and should be both questioned and investigated.

@FTusa284 @JohnHealey_MP @nicholadrummond @Gabriel64869839 @thinkdefence @jedpc @JonHawkes275

Article on the purchase here:

Meanwhile the Army is at great pains to show us WOLFRAM and the Mounted Close Combat Overwatch (MCCO) money being spent on Brimstone 3 integration onto their ground vehicles. With so much effort in Brimstone on Ajax, Boxer and Coyote, it is reasonable to expect the AAC to follow.

With the first of the planned 16 Protectors arriving, the RAF already has faith in the Brimstone missile and has not signalled that they do not intend to use it.

As an aside, Protector aircraft cost "just" £15M a piece based on the last contract, again with NRE mostly paid for now. By saving money integrating Brimstone on AH-64E instead of JAGM, the RAF could have the funds to double the number of Protector aircraft and integrate more equipment onto them while still having cash to spare.

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The Other Chris

@TotherChris

Sep 19, 2023

⚙️ An approach to improving both Fleet Husbandry and Industrial Capability Husbandry for Army.

⏺️ Low Rate Production
⏺️ RESET Programme

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⚙️ It is no secret that the Army's fleets have not received adequate TLC. Vehicles left outside in the British climate, insufficient spares ordered, vehicles cannibalised routinely.

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⚙️ Similarly, it is no great secret that the very industrial base that the Army relies on has withered due to lack of engagement and orders. Infrastructure, sites, facilities, plant and skills have been allowed to erode.

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Read 13 tweets

The Other Chris

@TotherChris

Sep 6, 2023

⚙️ How the US Army's RESET program interacts with the M2A3 Upgrade and M2A4 Acquisition Programmes.

Oversimplified for illustration:

RESET rebuilds an M2 to pre-combat condition.

M2A3 upgrade takes rebuilt subsystems/parts and assembles/integrates them with new subsystems.

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Red River Army Depot handles most of the RESET program for Bradley.

RESET restores to pre-combat condition, the work does not extend to zero-mile.

A Bradley is stripped into parts bins. Parts are refurbished and only replaced if defective or overly worn.

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These parts are then passed to BAES in Pennsylvania where they go through Final Assembly, Integration and Testing before being returned to inventory in a pre-combat condition.

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