⚙ 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.

1/ 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.

3/

⚙ 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.

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

1/ 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

2/

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.

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

⏺️ Low Rate Production
⏺️ RESET Programme

1/ ⚙️ 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.

2/

⚙️ 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.

1/ 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.

2/

⚙️ Napkin process for introducing a common hulled Heavy APC, Heavy IFV and MBT to the British Army.

STEP 1: Start with the latest Namer 1500. It forms the foundation of your common hulled fleets.

Israel are open to licensed production and further partners. ⚙️ GDLS are currently contracted by the IDF to manufacture their Namers. Merthyr in Wales could be a route.

Another is Rafael's purchase of Pearson in Newcastle, an existing MBT factory recently undergoing re-investment including an MBT-grade 800t press.

pearson-eng.com/news/pearson-e…

⚙️ An approach to the Land Mobility Pipeline

OUVS, MRV-P, GSUP, existing fleets of HMT, Foxhound, Mastiff, Wolf and other families.

Managing existing fleets, transitioning to replacements, developing families.

Pipeline is a very important part of the new Programme.

1/ We're going take a look at a sound approach to husbandry of these category of vehicles and will do so through the lens of a couple of placeholder vehicle fleets. The fleets are candidates, but do consider the approach more than the vehicles themselves.

2/

⚙️ Amongst the news that a Ukrainian PzH 2000 has fired a record-breaking ~20,000 shots through a barrel is the more important detail that the PzH 2000's L52 is rated for a barrel life of 4,500 Equivalent Full Charge.

EFC is an interesting measure:

1/

rnd.de/wirtschaft/rhe… ⚙️ Equivalent Full Charge (EFC) is considered the equivalent use of firing a shell using the "full" 7 standard NATO charge modules to propel it.

Now, there's a curve and more variables than Twitter limits can handle, but it's a standardised measure.

2/

⚓️ Albion-class Replacement. A lot can be done, if you are willing to rely on the RFA for heavy duty Landing Craft.

An Army/Navy crossover thread 🧵 ⚓️ The three main (there are others, e.g. airlift) ways to land equipment from a ship to the shore by the Royal Navy are the LCU Mk.10 for AFV's.

⚓️ Type 26 and Type 31 have the main armament the wrong way around, by Role. T31 is a GP ship for NGFS. T26 is an ASW escorting the CSG or "doing a TAP(N)".

The 57mm and 40mm are also "yet two more calibres" for the MOD.

Swap the Mk.45 and go all-in 57mm, scrap the 40mm plans. ⚓️ Be bold! Ditch the Mk.45 and go all-in on the 57mm if NGFS is a dead duck.

We're making the T31 Gucci anyway, so why not a 3x 57mm Broadside?

The 57mm has deck-penetrating with deep magazine and non-deck-penetrating with 120 rounds-in-mount versions making placement easier.

⚙️ MLRS and the UK
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The Future Artillery Conference this week released new information on the UK's rocket artillery programmes as well as provided more information we can intuit from.

An M270, HIMARS and PULS thread 🧵
#artillery #M270 #PrSM #LPS ⚙️ As well as 155mm and 105mm artillery replacement programmes, both considered Close Support Fires, the UK has three funded Deep Fires programmes originating in work for Deep Fires Rocket System, Land Precision Strike and the Weapons Sector Research Framework.

✈︎ A thread on spending towards the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) and whether the UK should persevere.

🧵 ✈︎ This thread is partly in response to an article by RUSI. Be sure to read this article, we're on the same side, and challenging / Red Teaming thoughts are what drives a better outcome. I do recommend following the author @Justin_Br0nk as well.

https://twitter.com/RUSI_org/status/1651680873324900376?s=20

💂‍♀️ This is the KAC KS-1.
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A direct gas operated AR in 5.56 made by Knights Armament Co of Titusville, Florida.

Scuttlebutt says this is Project HUNTER's selection to equip the Rangers and Royal Marines.

This is a colossal error, but not for the reasons some may think.

🧵 💂‍♀️ Right off the bat, the weapon itself is... fine. It almost certainly ticks all of HUNTER's requirements. I know genuine hard work is here. Pats on backs, wets and brews all round.

The worst thing to say about it is Soldier Systems have no opinion.

soldiersystems.net/2022/10/12/aus…

🛠️ Quick observation on the recent CAESAR production increase, as opposed to CAESAR itself.

Nexter managed to keep CAESAR production running at a level that can be described as Low Rate Production. 🛠️ The context is a recent announcement that production of CAESAR, a 155mm semi-portée howitzer, has been successfully increased to 6 per month or about 70 per year.

⚙️ Tracked Boxer and the UK
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Continuing yesterday's thread looking at some options for medium tracked vehicles that can be:

a) introduced "immediately" to the British Army; and
b) How that slots into the British Industry and Army.

Video © @KM_GmbH used without permission. ⚙️ Unlike M2 Bradley, there are no desert storage depots for the in-development Tracked Boxer.

There are, however, 5 production lines for the wheeled Boxer MRAV and a pooled supply chain run through OCCAR:

2 lines in Germany
1 in the Netherlands
2 in the UK
~1 in Australia also

⚙️ M2 Bradley and the UK
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A thought experiment exploring M2 Bradley's introduction to the British Army. How, why and what next. ⚙️ At time of writing the British Army's medium tracked fleets are not in a great shape. The Warrior IFV upgrade programme has been cancelled with the fleet now in sunset years and the Ajax programme is struggling to deliver, and won't provide an IFV even if it does.

People forget that all Challenger 2 tanks in service or in storage use a still-classified armour called Dorchester (see Chobham). This family of armour was kindly shared with NATO allies and can also be seen on the M1A2, albeit with a different mix.

1/ Chobham/Dorchester, alongside the puissant skill at arms of its crews and employment by its Generals, is one of the reasons for the Challengers formidable reputation to survive and keep on coming.

2/

1. Ukrainian Antonov An-225 Mriya/ Dream. NATO reporting name Cossack.

Until the last aircraft was destroyed by a Russian attack on its home airport it was the largest conventional load aircraft in service.

Note the six Progress D-18T turbofan / gas turbine engines. 2. Progress D-18T turbofans are a gas turbine engine that were designed and manufactured at the Motor Sich plant in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, and develop around 51,000lbs of thrust each.

Puma VJTF, German politics and the German press.

Just before Christmas, it was reported that 18/18 Puma's working up for NATO deployment has suffered "total failure" (Der Spiegel) and that Marder IFV's would cover the next deployment instead (good Janes follow up article).

1/ In to the new year and we now know the full detail:

One Puma suffered a genuine issue: A cable fire. This is serious and rightly being treated as such by Rheinmetall and KMW. The fire was detected and extinguished quickly by the crew and onboard systems (Tageschau).

2/

BAE's APKWS turns any Hydra 70mm into a (laser) guided munition. BAE have added proximity fuzing and recently demonstrated engagement of a drone.

1/🧵 L3Harris' VAMPIRE system tracks and guides munitions onto UAS targets. APKWS supported but not exclusive.

2/