Update: Israel Changes Rules in Gaza, Targets Terror Activist Affiliated with al Qaeda

By

-

Nov 3, 2010

Israel claimed responsibility of the killing of Muhammad Jamal al-Namnam, resident of Shati-suburb of Gaza. According to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announcement Namnan, age 25 was a senior leader

of the “Army of Islam”, (AOI) an extremist militant organization operating in Gaza and East Sinai. He was killed when his car exploded in front of the police headquarters in Gaza, around noon. The explosion wounded three more persons. By evening Israel confirmed Namnam was ‘targeted’ in a coordinated operation that involved the IDF and Israel’s Internal Security Agency (ISA). According to Hamas sources the explosion was caused by a missile strike.

According to a source in Gaza quoted by Ynet, Namnam was killed while travelling in a new Hyundai vehicle which recently arrived in the Gaza Strip from Israel, as part of the easing of the blockade. Israel has allowed dozens of such vehicles to enter Gaza. Hamas interior ministry had called

on Palestinian buying the new cars, but to have them checked thoroughly, “for fear that Israel could have planted listening devices or even booby-trapped them.”

On 17 November Israel acted again, targeting a senior AOI operative – 30 year old Aslam Yasin, a resident of Jabelia Palestinian refugee camp located near the city of Gaza. Yasin was a close assistant of Mumtaz Durmush, the current leader of AOI.

This Salifist terror organization was identified with the cause of “Global Jihad” and believed to be affiliated with Al Qaeda. Al Namnan was personally involved in directing several terror attacks against Israeli targets in recent years. More recently, he was involved with conspiring and directing a terror attack against American and Israeli targets throughout the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and along the Egyptian-Israeli border, in cooperation with Hamas elements in the Gaza Strip. Otherwise, his organization, “Army of Islam” is known to be hostile to Hamas, as its members have already clashed with Hamas forces in the past. The Army of Islam has been involved in several high-profile abductions, including involvement in the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit and the kidnapping of British reporter Alan Johnston in 2007. Schalit is still being held, while Johnston was released after nearly four months in captivity.

In past years Israel has diligently ‘targeted’ Palestinian militants as part of its anti-terror campaign. Air attacks were often used, as well as direct assaults by special operations squads. Targeting terror leaders, particularly in Gaza, managed to suppress terrorist activity but has, so far not achieved ‘decapitation’ of these organizations, as new leaders rapidly took charge and continued to fight, alas less effectively.

In the Palestinian West Bank, targeting terror activists has successfully diminished these organizations to a level where most of the activists who managed to remain alive agreed to cease fire and abandon terror only to be removed from the ISA’s ‘most wanted’ list.

Israel ceased such targeting operations in the West Bank and Gaza in recent years, and maintained this policy despite the continuous armed conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The recent act is considered a warning to Hamas and other Palestinian activists in Gaza, meaning that Israel can be setting new rules in pursuing extremist activists in Gaza and beyond.

Distributed Aperture System Tracks Ballistic Missiles from 1,300 km Away

By

Noam Eshel

-

Nov 2, 2010

Manned and unmanned aircraft equipped with omni-directional ‘Distributed Aperture System’ (DAS) imaging infrared systems could be used effectively to provide early warning on missile launches. Such systems covering a full hemisphere, can spot missiles as they break over the horizon and automatically track their hot flame from long distance, throughout their ascent phase. With such capability the system could offer early warning advantages beyond current ‘non traditional ISR’, in missile defense and counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) defense. The only aircraft currently equipped with Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-37 DAS is the F-35 Lightning II. However, other platforms could get such capabilities if their missile defense capabilities are proven, to provide early warning triggering other sensors to track ballistic missile after their launch.

The capability of these staring sensors to detect and track ballistic missiles distances beyond a thousand kilometers was demonstrated during a test flight of the BAC-111 test-bed aircraft. During a test flight conducted earlier in 2010, the sensors detected a two-stage target missile from a distance of 1,300 kilometers (800 miles). “DAS is an omni-directional infrared system that can simultaneously detect and track aircraft and missiles in every direction, with no practical limit on the number of targets it can track. DAS truly revolutionizes the way we think about situational awareness,” said Dave Bouchard, program director for F-35 sensors at Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector. “In recent testing, DAS has proven to have applications and capabilities beyond its initial requirements for the F-35, including ballistic missile detection and tracking, and counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) capabilities.”

The video generated by DAS during the flight test has been magnified 10 times to allow clearer viewing of the rocket. Unlike other sensors, DAS detects and tracks the rocket at horizon-break without the aid of external cues. DAS algorithms continuously track the rocket through first-stage burnout, second-stage ignition, across DAS sensor boundaries, and through the rocket’s second-stage burnout at a distance of more than 800 miles. The video also shows DAS’ detecting and tracking the rocket’s first-stage re-entry.

Head of Israel’s ‘Shin Bet’ Outlines Israel’s Joint Counter-Terror Strategy

By

Tamir Eshel

-

Nov 2, 2010

yuval_diskin — Yuval Diskin, Director General, Israel Security Agency (ISA). Photo: ISA

Israel’s security services required time to adjust and develop new and effective countermeasures to combat the new threat of suicide bombers. The results were remarkable: Compared to 452 suicide attacks carried out by the Palestinians in 2003, only two such attacks occurred since 2007. (Read the full article… )

According to Yuval Diskin, Director, Israel Security Agency (ISA – Shin Bet), the winning formula developed by Israel’s security services is based on jointness – the ability of all services to work together, sharing operational concepts (CONOPS), with a clear definition of the combined objective for all the organizations engaged in homeland security and defense. Multidisciplinary intelligence activity, based on advanced technological and human intelligence, tailored and channeled through processing and dissemination, means to turn intelligence from raw data into an operationally valuable, real-time asset. “Operational systems must be adapted and learn to operate as efficiently as possible with such real-time intelligence assets” said Diskin.

Such adaptation is enabled by introducing technological means to improve connectivity, interoperability and joint operations by combined task forces, composed of elements from different organizations, such as ISA, National Police, Army and Air Force. Under such a cooperation umbrella, different organizations must share common counter-terror techniques, tactics and procedures (TTP), optimizing for rapid response, based on real-time intelligence. According to Diskin, the main advantage of the joint-operating concept is by combining the unique capabilities and characteristics of each of the participating organizations. “The main challenge is not integrating the technologies, but overcoming leadership and human nature obstacles” Diskin added. One of the keys to establishing jointness was the setup of inter-service command posts, manned by representatives from all the services and organizations involved in operations.

Diskin considers the legal infrastructure a critical element in the success of Israel’s counter-terror campaign. “It took Israeli lawmakers 14 years to agree on the legal framework for the ISA, until the so-called ‘ISA Law’ was completed in 2002. Once implemented, this legal foundation became instrumental for the success of Israel’s counter-terror campaign.” Said Diskin.

Diskin warns that cyber terrorism is becoming a growing challenge. Since such activities are performed over cyberspace, the location of the perpetrators is irrelevant to their ability to cause harm, get support or access their targets. The global internet provides terrorists with many advantages, including recruitment, indoctrination, and training tools. Terrorist’s cybernetic capabilities also exploit the information services made available for peaceful purposes, such as GPS and geospatial intelligence, real-time communications via Internet, cellular phones or messaging devices, powerful encryption devices etc. These capabilities are added to the determination and willingness of terrorist organizations to carry out ‘mega-terror’ actions, regardless of the casualties or damage they cause.

According to Diskin, successful counter-terror strategy must rely on international cooperation among intelligence agencies, establishing an agreeable legal framework among nations to eliminate potential loopholes that are exploited by terrorists. Formulating cooperation among homeland security and counter-terror organizations from different countries is also imperative, for joint operational capabilities. “The is a growing understanding and openness to these cooperative principles among the countries facing terror threats” Diskin concluded. Read the full article

Suicide Bombers as Weapons

By

admin

-

Nov 1, 2010

A scene from the Paradise Now describing a dispatcher preparing a suicide bomber for his mission. (a Warner Brothers film)

Tel Aviv, November 1, 2010: About 1,200 Israelis were killed and almost 8,000 wounded during the 2000-2003 ‘Intifada’ Palestinian terror campaign. Almost half of these casualties were caused by suicide bombers, wearing explosive vests under their clothing, or carrying bombs cached in bags. In addition, 80 were killed by suicide attacks conducted by one, or more terrorists that went on their missions knowing they will not survive.

Suicide terror of the scale of the Islamic terror is relatively a new phenomenon. According to Dr. Lt Col (res) Anat Berko, Criminologist from the Institute for Counter Terrorism (ICT), the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, the Palestinian terror groups developed a sophisticated method for identifying, recruiting, and indoctrinating potential suicide bombers by exploiting personal hardships and cultural weaknesses of traditional Arab society.

“We are looking for sad people” Berko quoted one of the dispatchers she interviewed for her research. Berko claims that suicide bombers are not acting like anarchists, religious zealots, nor are they motivated by poverty, injustice or revenge, but manipulated by their dispatchers to carry out their act. “The suicide bomber does not act out of suffering or inferior economic status, but rather out of a desire to win social recognition” Berko explains, “These are likely to be socially marginalized people, lacking self-esteem and power to resist. “They are easily spotted by recruiters, considered figures of authority” Berko added.

The reasons driving suicide bombers to their acts are less glamorous – an attempt to redeem clan’s honor, sometime they are totally obsessed by ‘shohada’ thoughts, leading them to seek those who can help them do such an act. Typically, suicide bombers are ‘launched’ to their targets like robots. Sometime the obsessive thoughts turn such a person to perform such a despicable act almost automatically. However, if the process is disrupted – they can ‘wake up’, and regret their act.” Berko added. However, as dispatchers are aware of such ‘risk’, suicide bombers are often equipped with backup communications, enabling the activation of the explosives they carry by remote control.

Dr. Anat Berko works on the subject of Palestinian Suicide Terrorism (Male and Female Suicide Bombers and their Dispatchers). Alongside this, Dr. Berko studies imprisonment and the imprisonment process in both military and civilian prisons. Furthermore, Dr. Berko also researches on women in the IDF, as well as criminology. Dr. Lt. Col. Anat Berko spoke at the First International Homeland Security Conference held in Tel Aviv Israel this week.

Photos: Profiling potential suicide bombers is difficult. Recruiters don’t hesitate to exploit women and children, willingly manipulated to carry out suicide terror acts. The woman above shows the explosive belt, below, a young boy wearing explosive belt intercepted at an Israeli road block north of Jerusalem.

Aerospace Israel 2010

By

admin

-

Nov 1, 2010

Aerospace Israel 2010 will take place in November 2010 in Jerusalem, joining together top defense and aerospace decision makers and officials from Israel, with leading international participants. The event will also include an exhibition demonstrating Israel’s breakthrough in Air and Space technologies.

Aerospace Israel 2010

Location: ICC Jerusalem International Conference Center, Israel

Event’s dates: 15th November 2010

The Israeli International Aerospace Conference & Exhibition is an annual event that brings together global exhibitors, business and professional attendees from around the world. The event will feature discussions dedicated to major trends and changes facing the global Aviation Industry. The Israeli International Conference for Aerospace Technologies provides an opportunity for defense officials, military personnel, aviation industry leaders, and academics from around the world, to meet and exchange ideas and views on current concerns. The conference will be held during the Israeli Aerospace exhibition.

The upcoming event named ‘Aerospace Israel 2010’ will take place on 15 November 2010 at The International Convention Center (ICC) – Binyanei HaUma, Jerusalem. The event will include an exhibition of air and space technologies, and a conference on Space and Aviation technologies.

The upcoming event follows the successful International Aerospace Conference & Exhibition 2009. The conference hosted industry exhibitors and over 2,500 industry participants. It was opened by Israel’s Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, and was closed by the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the event, PM Netanyahu chaired a closed-door session about the Technological answers to the ballistic threats facing Israel, with 30 leaders of the Israeli Air & Space Industries.

Conference main topics:

Air & Space technologies
Air Defense
Active Defense
Civil Aviation

Conference Chairman: Col. (res.) Amnon Ben-David
Tel (int.): +972-52-5208111 or email: [email protected]

Japan Completes Upgrading Four of its Destroyers for Ballistic Missile Defense

By

Tamir Eshel

-

Oct 29, 2010

Kirishima_200 — Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block IA missile is launched by JS Kirishima, the 4th Japanese AEGIS BMD destroyer, to intercept a target missile outside the Earth's atmosphere, during a ballistic missile intercept test conducted in the Pacific Ocean, October 28, 2010. Photo: U.S. NavAir, Pt. Mugu.

Japan has completed testing of its upgraded AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system with the 4th Kongō class destroyer, JS Kirishima, equipped with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system, successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile target above the atmosphere during an international test event.

The Kirishima detected and tracked the separating medium-range ballistic missile target. It then developed a fire control solution and launched and guided a Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block IA missile to intercept outside the Earth’s atmosphere. In another test earlier this month, Kirishima demonstrated her ability to interoperate with the Navy for BMD operations. In a test event, Kirishima acquired a separating target passed from the U.S. destroyer with her own sensors and performed a simulated engagement against the target.
Two U.S. Navy Aegis BMD ships, the USS Lake Erie (CG 70) and USS Russell (DDG 59) also participated in the test. Russell, a BMD equipped destroyer, tracked the target and performed a simulated engagement. Lake Erie, equipped with the second-generation Aegis BMD Weapon System — which provides greater on-board discrimination capability — tracked the missile target and post-intercept debris using its advanced signal processor.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Navy are jointly developing Aegis BMD as part of the United States’ Ballistic Missile Defense System. Currently, a total of 25 Aegis BMD-equipped warships – 21 in the U.S. Navy and four in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force – have the certified capability to engage ballistic missiles and perform long-range surveillance and tracking missions. Twelve additional ships have been identified for modification to perform BMD capabilities by 2014.

Lockheed Martin Gyrocam Wins Additional Order for VOSS

By

Tamir Eshel

-

Oct 29, 2010

voss — VOSS mast mounted EO payload installed on a MRAP vehicle.

Lockheed Martin has received delivery orders totaling $138 million from the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command Acquisition Center for additional 200 Vehicle Optics Sensor Systems (VOSS). These delivery orders are new releases against a multi-year Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity contract awarded to Gyrocam in 2008. The company was acquired by Lockheed Martin in 2009.

The vehicle-mounted sensor system, can be mast-mounted on virtually any land vehicle or expeditionary system for remote surveillance needs, and it provides high-resolution color, night vision and thermal sensors in a 15-inch class gyro-stabilized gimbal. Sofar more than 800 VOSS camera systems are operational on Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles throughout Afghanistan and Iraq. These systems provide Warfighters with crucial capabilities to conduct threat surveillance missions in the harshest environments.

“The Lockheed Martin Gyrocam VOSS is a field-proven solution that provides the Warfighter with capabilities to identify and engage in the fight against threats and insurgents,” said Jay Pitman, general manager of Lockheed Martin Gyrocam Systems, LLC. “With the rugged design of the Gyrocam VOSS and our strong in-theater support team, we have sustained a 99 percent operational readiness rate that supports the U.S. Army in its Warfighting mission.”

Gyrocam Systems was recognized during the “Army Top 10 Greatest Inventions of 2007” program as part of the Reconnaissance Vehicle System and was also nominated by Defense Update Magazine as a “Most Innovative Defense Technology of 2008.”

1st Israel HLS Conference

By

Tamir Eshel

-

Oct 29, 2010

Over 600 participants, of whom 250 senior experts, are expected in Israel next week for the First Israel HLS International Conference, a two-day seminar organized by the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute to be held 31 October – 2 November, 2010. Among the highlights are introduction of innovative methods and technologies for the protection the safety of cities (safe city projects) and airports security.

Yuval Diskin, director of Israel’s Security Agency (Shin Bet) will be the keynote speaker on the first day, followed by a discussion of the international terror threat, opened by a keynote by Federal Minister Thomas De Maziere – Ministry of Interior, Germany. Another session will address the challenges of suspect identification, covering an analysis of suicide bombers’ origins and development, the threat of air terror and optimal response from the regulator’s point of view. This topic will be addressed by the ISA head of Direction & Regulation department.

A session on airport security will focus on the current and future security strategy guiding the evolving security system at the Ben Gurion International Airport. Israel Airport Authority officials will cover plans for implementing new baggage screening systems and self-service biometric security systems being implemented at the airport.

Another session will cover evolving new technologies for applications in security and homeland defense. The second day will focus on ‘Safe Cities’, with keynote speech by Mr. Roberto Maroni, Minister of the Interior, Italy, and Riccardo de Corato, Seputy Mayor of Milan, introducing plans for the hosting of Expo 2015 in Milan. Another session will cover opportunities in Brazil.

Defense Update will attend the event and provide news updates from selected sessions. To get the updates please sign up for our email news feed.

Click here for the Conference Program

KMW to Deliver 20 Dingo-2 Vehicles to Equip Norwegian Forces in Afghanistan

By

Tamir Eshel

-

Oct 29, 2010

The Norwegian Army has ordered 20 Dingo 2 vehicles to equip its forces operating as part of NATO forces in Afghanistan (ISAF). The manufacturer, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) will deliver the first 10 vehicles will be delivered by the end of November 2010 with the remaining 10 to ship to Afghanistan in February 2011.

ATK Offers Miniature Precision Guided Weapon for Unmanned Aerial Systems

By

Tamir Eshel

-

Oct 29, 2010

atk_maw — The miniature guided weapon from ATK weighs about six pounds. Fitted with three folding air surfaces and moving tail fins for flight control, the weapon uses laser and GPS to home in on targets designated by the UAV or by supported ground forces. Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense Updatets,

ATK is developing a lightweight precision guided munition, compact and light enough to be carried by the dozens or even hundreds by unmanned aerial aircraft. The new glide weapon is packed into a conformal container launcher carried under the wing of the Shadow, fitted on top of the strut root. Upon release the weapon’s fins are extracted and three airfoils pop into place, as the weapon glides on its path to the ground. As the three laser detectors are activated, they seek laser signals reflected from the designated target. Once the laser spot is detected, the weapon’s flight control processor computes the necessary corrections and activates the tail fins to point the weapon on the course homing in on the spot, hitting the target with high precision.

The weapon weighs about six pounds (2.7 kg). Its hand-grenade size warhead makes more than half that weight (about four pounds or 1.8 kg). The resulting effect offers maximum lethality against exposed targets, with minimal collateral damage to their surrounding.

Persistence and immediate response close air support based on such weapons has the potential to transform combined air/ground operations, as UAVs loitering above a ground combat element could continuously support ground forces through sustained combat engagements, without the logistical and operational burden when rotating through rearmament or replenishment cycles. Brigades could rely on their own Small UAVs assets like the Shadow, each carrying four weapons in addition to the standard ISR and radio relay payloads. Larger drones will employ multiple ejector racks packing 12 weapons or more, each loaded rack could be carried under a pylon currently carrying Hellfire missiles. Therefore, an MQ-1A Predator currently carrying two Hellfires will carry 24 of the new weapons. A similar load will be carried by the MQ-5B Hunter, while the MQ-1C Grey Eagle will be able to carry twice that load. The Air Forces’ MQ-9 Reaper will be able to carry 72 units and the A-160 destined for the Special Operations Command will haul over 200 such weapons.

The miniature guided weapon currently under development could, potentially, replace current cluster weapons banned by international treaties. When employed in weapon systems, individually targeted guided weapons could be directed to scatter over the area to focus on specific target location, guided by GPS – or disperse over a specific area in a pattern maximizing the desired effect. Optional carriers such as new cruise missiles, or loitering weapons, will be able to employ such guided submunitions to attack multiple targets along their flight path, on a single mission.

U.S. Army to Demonstrate Full Manned-Unmanned Operations Next Year

By

Tamir Eshel

-

Oct 29, 2010

The U.S. Army is planning to test a combined operation of manned and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), as part of the demonstration of advanced capabilities enabled with current and future systems and technologies.

The demonstration called ‘Manned Unmanned Systems Integration Concept’ (MUSIC) will take place at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, in September 2011. MUSIC will demonstrate the interoperability between manned and unmanned systems, including ‘level-4’ UAS interoperability enabling air crews of AH-64D Apache Block III Attack helicopters to control, and monitor the video captured by the EO payloads of RQ-7 Shadow UAS.

During the exercise, the MQ-1C ‘Gray Eagle’, MQ-5B ‘Hunter’, RQ-7 ‘Shadow’, RQ-11B ‘Raven’ and the AH-64D ‘Apache’ Block III will all be exchanging information and exchanging command and control while in flight. The images will also be transferred over One Station Rover Video Terminal (OSRVT) video datalink to other participants, including OH-58D Kiowa warrior and ground control stations.

GDLS Selected to develop Namer Armored Personal Carriers for Israel

By

Noam Eshel

-

Oct 27, 2010

namer_top_view — The 13th Infantry Battalion of the Golani Brigade was the first Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit to convert from the T-55 based Achzarit armored infantry carrier to the new Infantry Combat Vehicle – the Namer.

Israel’s Defense Ministry has awarded General Dynamics a contract to build 600 Namer (leopard in Hebrew) armored personnel carriers (APC) over the next eight years.
The competitive procurement process was for the production of Merkava APC hulls, material kit sets and integration of the kits to the vehicle chassis. General Dynamics expects to complete contract negotiations by the end of this year.
Production will be performed at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio. The base contract will be completed by March 2015 or extend to November 2019 if all options are exercised.

Battalion 13 of the Golani Brigade has already been outfitted with the Namer and a senior Defense Ministry official said that the remaining three Golani battalions would receive the APC over the next three years.

The decision to issue the Namer tender in the US was made due to budgetary constraints.

If the Namer is made in the US, the IDF will be able to pay for the production with the foreign military financial aid it receives annually from the US and most of which needs to be spent in America.

The Namer has advanced defensive systems and an internal air-conditioning unit which enables the vehicle to continue operating in areas contaminated by nonconventional weapons. The Namer carries a number of machine guns, missile launchers, and reconnaissance equipment.

The IDF plans to equip the Namer with a locally built active protection system. The IDF has already fielded the Trophy APS on it’s Merkava 4 tanks. System comes as an integral part of the tank and the IMOD plans to follow the same path with the Namer.

namer_weapon_carrier — The vehicle is equipped with a 0.5" heavy machine gun mounted on the weapon station; a secondary, manually operated 7.62mm machine gun and a 60mm mortar are also included.

Relevant posts:

Stryker Turns Stealthy with Armorworks’ TactiCam 3D camouflage

By

Noam Eshel

-

Oct 26, 2010

ArmorWorks is introducing at AUSA an innovative 3D camouflage applique called TactiCam that has the potential to reduce vehicle signature in radar, infrared and visual spectrum.
The new material has already demonstrated effective signature reduction in tests and is undergoing optimization. The outer layer of the TactiCam material is shaped in randomly generated three-dimensional pattern displaying varying geometric shapes, in different depth levels.
This digitally generated random pattern surface reflects energy from the vehicle in an irregular pattern, disrupting the detection of the vehicle by electro-optical and millimeter-wave radar sensors.
The material can be applied with infra-red or radar absorbing suppressing materials, and be filled with insulation that can both suppress emissive spectral frequencies, while reducing solar heat gain.

tacticam_520 — The outer layer of the TactiCam material is shaped in randomly generated three-dimensional pattern displaying varying geometric shapes, in different depth levels.

According to Gary Sopko, Director of vehicle programs at ArmorWorks, the new, lightweight material operates passively, and as an insulating layer, also contributes to reducing the thermal signature emitted by the vehicle’s surface, wheels and engine.
Visual camouflage can be applied over the outer layer matching camouflage patterns used by the military or adapted to operational requirements. Sopko added that the TactiCam could eventually be integrated into armor panels in production, or as retrofit to any ground vehicle.
The company plans to include the material with a ceramic basis layer, providing additional ballistic protection to the vehicle. TactiCam was displayed at AUSA 2010 applied onto the improved Stryker wheeled armored vehicle at the General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) stand.

Industry Preparing for the HMMWV recap

By

admin

-

Oct 26, 2010

Among the heavier tactical vehicles on display were new versions of the BAE Systems’ Caiman Multi-Terrain Vehicle (MTV), configured to support Command and Control On-the-Move (C2OTM) assignments and ambulatory operations. Oshkosh displayed the latest reconnaissance version of the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (MATV) . This vehicle carries crew of six plus gunner. The recce variant is equipped with mission specific technologies designed for missions such as route, zone and area reconnaissance. Recent models introduced with the M-ATV family of vehicles also includes SOCOM, Utility and Ambulance variants.

As the U.S. Army establishes its right mix of vehicles across the light, medium, and heavy vehicle fleets, new acquisition programs and recapitalization (recap) programs are weighed, assessing a cost effective mix that could meet the services’ planned budget cuts. As light vehicles are concerned, the army is still moving on two parallel paths,acquisition long term strategy developing the joint light tactical vehicle (JLTV) while pursuing low-cost recap of existing High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) for the near term.

Several companies at AUSA are addressing the planned HMMWv Recap opportunity, among them BAE Systems and Oshkosh. BAE is offering the application of it’s ‘Integrated Smart V’ (ISV) program coupled with lightweight monocoque V-hull and mine protection improving survivability through relatively cost high investment in modernizing the fleet of high-mobility multipurpose vehicles expected to remain in service for the long term. Oshkosh is also seeking HMMWV recap opportunities, offering the TAK-4 independent suspension for improved mobility. the new suspension also contributes to increased payload capacity needed for the survivability enhancement. In addition to its advanced suspension, Oshkosh incorporates a V-shaped hull and engine and powertrain upgrades to improve soldier survivability as well as off-road mobility and payload capacity.

AM General also displays he an armored HMMWV variants designed in association with Plasan. Unlike other upgrade designs that use monocoque capsules, Plasan designed the vehicle with a ‘kitted armor’, which does away with unused structures and material, therefore reducing the weight of the protected vehicle. As many of the components previously spliced in the center body are now moved from the protected cabin, significant weight sis offloaded from the frontal wheels and moved back, and well below the axles’ load level, enabling the armor protected vehicle to demonstrate very high protection while retaining the efficient off road mobility of early HMMWVs.

Defense-UpdateMilitary Technology & Defense News

Defense-UpdateMilitary Technology & Defense News

Aerospace Israel 2010

Relevant posts:

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY