Archive for category: Land Systems

Microflown Avisa is now offering UAV acoustic sensors to equip miniature UAVs. At ISDEF Microflown highlights the sensor integrated on a Aerovironment Raven, offering effective situational awareness for small units operating the miniature drone. According to John Bremner, business development manager at Microflown, the sensor weighing about 200 grams can be best integrated in the mini UAVs employing pusher propellers, as it offers a clean environment for the system. The sensor can also be integrated on aerostats, typically operated on force protection missions.

A new robot at the show is new weaponized version of the Amstaf from Automotive Robotic Industries (ARI). The company has already displayed the security guard version in the past, and the system is currently being evaluated for airport security missions. The combat support vehicle represents ARI’s concept of a vehicle combining the fire support and load carrying platform (mule), supporting dismounted infantry teams.

Quantum 3D displayed here the ExpeditionDI wearable simulator, also known as ‘immersive dismounted infantry training platform’; the system was recently ordered by the U.S. Army to help preparing U.S. forces for missions to foreign theaters. The $50 million contract was awarded to Intelligent Decisions, where Quantum as a subcontractor, is expected to deliver several thousands systems over 18 months. The evaluation of the trial batches is scheduled to begin at Ft. Bennings in January 2012, supporting the Army’s Force Generation (ARFORGEN) cycle.

General Dynamics was awarded $367 million to deliver 177 Stryker combat vehicles equipped with double-V hulls (DVHs). Combined with previous orders for DHVs, this production order will provide the U.S. Army with vehicles to equip two Stryker brigade combat teams by July 2013. GDLS delivered the first vehicle Stryker DVH in May 2011, following 14 months of development.

The British Ministry of Defense has finally launched the billion pound (US$1.6 billion) worth Warrior Capability Sustainment Program (WCSP) that will extend the vehicles’ service life to beyond 2040, ensuring that Warrior continues to play an essential role in future land operations. The upgraded Warriors are expected to enter service by 2020, with the first deliveries beginning in 2018.

The “Iron Dome” anti-rocket active defense system was first used by Israel in April 2011 with great technical success. The study concludes that the Iron Dome system has succeeded in saving lives and reducing damages, thus providing more flexibility to the political leadership for containing the fighting with the Hamas government in Gaza. This success has prompted Israel’s defense officials to publicly set strategic objectives and limitations of the system, which, until then, had not been divulged.

Bowing under economical burden the german Government plans deep cuts in defense spending, dramatically reducing planned procurement of main weapon systems and platforms. Overall the personnel level in military services will be reduced from 185,000 to 65,000, to include only professional service members. Among the hardest hit industry group will be EADS, with its Eurofighter Typhoon, NH90, Tiger helicopters and Euro Hawk drones affected, all programs are managed by EADS subsidiaries.

General Dynamics Awarded $1 Billion to Upgrade LAV III Vehicles by Government of Canada. The LAV III Upgrade Project will modernize 550 vehicles, significantly enhancing their survivability, mobility and firepower and extending the fleet’s lifecycle to 2035.

The latest Army-Marine Corps solicitation for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) replacement of the Humvee isn’t a refinement of the previous approach, it’s a whole new competition. The terms contained in the solicitation rearrange contractor incentives in a way that is likely to lead to the breakup of existing [...]

Navistar Defense introduced today the Saratoga light tactical vehicle at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Symposium today. The 10 ton vehicle has a payload of 3.2 tons including the four-passengers, plus an optional gunner accommodated in the armor and blast protected cab.

ATK, IMI Highlight Air Burst System at AUSA 2011. The U.S. system, developed by ATK is currently undergoing operational evaluation in Afghanistan. The Israeli system is being tested by the Israeli Army. The XM25 weighs 6.35 kg with a loaded four-round magazine while an M-16 with MPRS totals 6.70 with the same load of ammo. The XM25 offers the benefit of an automatic loading and rapid burst, the Israeli can be fielded more quickly and benefit from existing logistics suport, training and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP).

Elbit Systems is demonstrating several new systems providing ground forces with better, safer air support. Among the systems displayed at the AUSA exhibition are the Rattler and Serpent-M, an ultra-light, battery-powered laser target designator and marker is small enough to be carried by foot-mobile war fighters, enabling soldiers to designate targets for laser-guided bombs, missiles and other munitions.

The U.S. Marine Corps plans to deploy the unmanned K-MAX to Afghanistan in November 2011. K-MAX will be the Navy’s first-ever cargo unmanned aircraft system to deploy in an operational environment. The deploying team consists of active duty mission commanders, air vehicle operators and company employees has recently concluded training and flight tests at its base in Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., and is currently preparing the aircraft for shipment into theater.

The U.S. Army has just published its long-anticipated Request for Proposal (RFP) for the next phase of its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program. The JLTV was intended initially to replace the venerable Humvee while improving on that system’s survivability and performance. At the same time, the JLTV was supposed [...]

ATK and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems are teaming to offer a full-up solution for the U.S. Marine Corps’ requirements for the rifled, 120mm Precision Extended Range Mortar (PERM). The new guided munition will provide the Corps’ Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS) towed-mortar the option to engage point targets from ranges of 16 – 20km.

The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command has released the draft request for proposal (RFP) for the for the next phase of the Army/Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program. According to the current schedule, the Army plans to select the preferred teams for the Engineering and manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, by May 2012 with contract award to the winner expected by 2015.

Oto Melara is developing a family of extended range, guided and unguided 76mm projectiles designed for the popular 76/62 naval gun system. The weapon addresses new operational requirements evolving from modern littoral warfare missions; as reflected in the Second lebanon War (2006) and the Libyan campaign in 2011.

DARPA awarded two contracts worth $13 million, to Raytheon Vision Systems, and BAE Systems, for the development of these low-cost, miniature thermal cameras within two years

MBDA Germany successfully tested a 10kW laser illuminator designed for use with future Counter Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) laser weapon system.

Saudi Arabia is seeking to buy M777A2 lightweight, air-mobile howitzer guns from the U.S., three artillery battalions (53 guns) and associated target acquisition and fire locating radars, in an arms package worth about $886 million

Lockheed Martin has submitted its contract proposal for full-rate production of the AN/TPQ-36 (EQ-36) Counterfire Target Acquisition Radar, slated to replace legacy AN/TPQ-36 counter artillery and AN/TPQ-37 mortar locating medium-range radars now in the Army’s inventory.

This photo, released today by the Pentagon, shows a member of a security force securing the Dahla Dam in the Kandahar province. Spc. Marshall carries what seems to be a backpack carried IED jammer, one we haven’t spotted before…  

Lockheed martin has outlined new activities in the field of Ground Combat Vehicles it is developing as a prime contractor or under cooperation with other primes. Among these activities are the developments of lethality and electronic architecture for the British Scout Specialist Vehicle, and Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) on both [...]

Singapore Technologie’s Kinetics (ST Kinetics) has teamed with AmSafe, the developer and producer of Tarian RPG protection system, to offer the lightweight, textile-based RPG protection system on its Warthog all terrain armored vehicles.

Oshkosh Defense has unveiled today the Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV), a new class of vehicle designed to meet the military’s new trend toward lighter, deployable yet highly protected tactical vehicles. Based on its extensive experience with and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) and the medium weight variant, (M-ATV), [...]

In a briefing at the recent Land Warfare conference held in Latrun, Israel earlier this month, the commander of the IDF Northern Command, Major General Gershon HaCohen, examined maneuver and fire alternatives and their role against the evolving hybrid warfare challenges. “It is obvious land maneuver is not a goal in itself. Classic maneuver should shake an enemy force out of balance, however, maneuvering against irregular, ‘disappearing’ forces is difficult due to the lack of clear center weights” said HaCohen.

Following successful firing trials MBDA is preparing to deliver the first Fire Shadow firing units to the British Army. The new loitering weapon could be deployed to Afghanistan by early 2012, significantly extending the reach, coverage and persistent of current artillery fires.

A robotic load carrier developed by Boeing UK in cooperation with utility vehicle manufacturer John Deere and Boeing UK is unveiled today at DSEi 2011. The robotic vehicle called R-Gator A3 Assisted Carriage System (ACS) is based on John Deere’s R-Gator robotic utility vehicle.

The evolution of the Syrian, Iranian armies and guerrillas into semi-irregular formations, challenging the Israeli domination of the battlefield with hybrid warfare concepts. Defense Update covers this topic in two parts, one outlining the transformation of the Syrian land forces.

A new, lightweight, super agile military variant of the Rally Raid proven Wildcat is introduced for military and special operations applications at DSEi 2011 as part of the Supacat special purpose vehicle family. The new Wildcat offers a high performance, off road vehicle for special forces, border patrol, reconnaissance, rapid intervention and strike roles.

Despite the LPPV setback Supacat continued to develop the SPV400 light protected patrol vehicle to meet international demand for this new class of vehicle in military and non-military markets.

Zephyr protected vehicle designed by Creation is displayed at DSEi 2011 in a new configuration, reflecting the latest upgrade variant. The vehicle is now available in two- and three-axle configurations. Zephyr’s protection architecture features a composite ‘occupant survival cell’ employing a V-form belly plate and an integral blast mitigation system.

Creation is displaying the ‘LifeSeat One’ blast protecting seats at DSEi 2011. The new seats isolate the passenger from extreme body shock and skeletal injury potential resulting from IED and mine blasts. According to the developer, the latest iteration of the seat shown at DSEi, installed in the two-axle Zephyr MRV have performed exceptionally well in trials.

A joint venture between recovery vehicle specialist EKA, and Penman is introducing at at DSEi 2011 the new Lightweight Recovery Vehicle (LRV), based on a 6×6 GDLS Europe Duro chassis.

IAI is introducing a small robotic mule platform called REX, designed to support infantry teams in dismounted operations. The robotic platform employs a simplified, specially developed method to recognize the path of its leading soldier, following the team’s path with high accuracy using ‘virtual bread crumbs’ the leading soldier leaves behind him.

Israel’s primary land conference and exhibition opened today at Latrun, featuring the country’s leading defense industries showing a wide range of weapon systems, command and control and logistics support hardware. The theme of this year’s event is War’s Changing Environment, with day one focusing on the logistics aspect of warfare [...]

BAE Systems has recently tested an ‘invisibility cloak’ that allows a vehicle to blend into its surroundings, effectively becoming invisible to thermal imaging systems.

The Tactical Armored Patrol vehicle (TAPV) program of the Canadian Army is picking steam as the deadline for proposals nears. Force protection announced yesterday its offer submission for the program. The company is offering the ‘Timberwolf’, a 6×6 variant of the battle proven Cougar. A contract award to the final selected bidder for the TAPV requirement is currently expected by the second quarter of 2012.

The U.S. Army has awarded AeroVironment a contract worth almost $5 million for the first deliveries of Switchblade agile munition, the company announced today. The contract was awarded two month ago, on June 29, 2011, culminating a selection process for a loitering light weight munition. The procurement is part of [...]

The Australian Government has approved spending A$550 million on four major Defense programs. When complete, these projects are estimated to involve expenditure of around $3 billion.

Raytheon Company and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd have teamed to market the combat proven Iron Dome weapon system in the United States. Rafael developed the original Iron Dome to provide protection against rockets, artillery and mortar attacks. “Iron Dome complements other Raytheon weapons that provide intercept capabilities to the [...]

The U.S. Army awarded two contracts for the technology development (TD) of the Ground Combat Vehicle Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The winners are General Dynamics Land Systems GDLS, awarded $440 million and an industry team lead by BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman (awarded $450 million). “These contractors have been selected to [...]

IAI Malat is unveiling the Ghost and Mini Panther, two new vertical take-off and landing miniature unmanned vehicles currently undergoing test flights, both are expected to be ready for marketing soon. Both vehicles will be displayed at the AUVSI exhibition in Washington next week. The Ghost, 145 cm long (4.76 [...]

38 U.S and Afghan military personnel were killed tonight when a U.S. Army A Special Operations MH-47G Chinook was downed in Eastern Afghanistan. The tragedy is the worst combat loss event related to aviation operations, recorded in the Afghan war since 2001.

GIAT Industries is developing a modular countermeasure kit designed for mounting on modern armored fighting vehicles. The system was developed by the French Army. The system utilizes the DAL laser warning system and DDM missile launch detection system, smoke countermeasures and electro-optical IR jammer modulated to jam the missile operator’s [...]

Israel’s surveillance specialist ESC Baz is displaying its range of perimeter surveillance, mast-mounted, mobile and man portable surveillance systems at Combat 2011. At the exhibition the company provides a peek into the new lines of products, including man portable surveillance systems utilizing standard multi-sensor binoculars already available with the user [...]

Security Israel 2011 and Combat 2011 – Israel’s military and security event se taking place in Tel Aviv for the 25th year (security) and 4th time (Combat) are providing a unique opportunity for Israeli companies to showcase innovative developments before they reach the world market. Medi-T Offers Clean Space for [...]

Plasan are showing two new models of the SandCat, designed for paramilitary and police missions. Plasan has already delivered a special version of the SandCat to the Israeli border security corps, as well as the Israel police special response units. Plasan has recently delivered 78 SandCats to Israeli homeland security [...]

Supporting field deployments of for medical teams, in response to emergency operations, military operations or response to mass casualties emergencies, SYS Technologies is offering the new Medi-T inflatable ‘clean room’, providing rapid response clean space for surgical work, According to Dr. Shalom Zilbershmidt, who innovated the design, along with his [...]