Serge

Iron Fist warnings modules are not fitted.

Translation : « The U.S. Army is looking for a 155 mm self-propelled gun to replace the towed howitzers of the forces present in Europe. A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued last July for evaluations conducted in early 2021 in the United States, a request to which Nexter will respond with versions 6×6 and 8×8 of its CAESAR. BRUTUS vs CAESAR Will CAESAR rewrite history by going to defeat BRUTUS on its own turf? Designed by the Americans AM General and Mandus Group, the latter hoped for a duel with the Archer system produced by the British group BAE Systems. This was without counting on the French troublemaker, which is about to begin negotiations with the US Army. In issuing this RFP, the U.S. Army is considering the acquisition of a "more mobile, lethal and durable 155 mm system to replace its current fleet of towed howitzers." Lacking such capacity, the U.S. military wants to probe the market and gather the data needed to guide future needs issued by the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A-A). The assessments will take place at the Yuma, Arizona test field, which includes an 89 km deep artillery firing range. Each selected candidate will be assigned a test window of approximately three months between January and May 2021. Several companies will be able to be selected for this initial phase, but only one will be awarded a production contract for a batch of 18 pieces for further experimentation. The first deliveries are expected, at best, in the first half of 2023. These guns will primarily equip the Stryker Combat Brigades (SBCT). A combined force centered on the Stryker wheeled vehicle, an SBCT is designed to maximize the balance between mobility and firepower. Its fire support capability is based on an artillery battalion consisting of three six-piece M777A2 155 mm batteries. The limited range of this howitzer, as well as increased mobility requirements, contributed to the launch of a replacement program as early as February 2018. Since 2016, the U.S. Army has been studying the introduction of an improved version of this howitzer that could double the maximum range. The resulting lengthening of the tube nevertheless affects the system's mobility in difficult terrain, leading to the emphasis on self-propelled artillery. Too heavy, too slow, a tracked tracker is excluded in favor of a wheeled vehicle, the most able to accompany as closely as possible the manoeuvring units in their progression. In the event of a generalization of the self-propelled gun to all TSCs, the initial target will evolve to typically "American" proportions. That is, several dozen copies, several years of workload for the selected industrialist and a potential springboard to other prestigious customers, the US Marine Corps in the lead. The legacy of TF Lafayette and Wagram Self-propelled guns on wheels, many armies want them, few have them and only one regularly deploys them in OPEX: the Army. Of the three candidates currently in the running, CAESAR is the only one that can claim to be "fight come" for more than a decade. It was through joint operations that he was able to demonstrate his capabilities to the U.S. military. In Afghanistan, first, where the artillery of GTIA Surobi and Kapisa of TF Lafayette will have been regularly used by American troops. Then in Iraq, where the French gunners of the TF Wagram carried out more than 2500 fire missions between 2016 and 2019 alongside their American counterparts. Two different operational environments, but in which caesar's agility and firepower will have made a strong impression on foreign partners. With a corolaire that, on the American side, holds in five words: "We want it too." It is also this SOUTEX "in contact" with the Army that will weigh in the balance when the JPEO A and A has to decide. Apart from its operational results, CAESAR is the only one to tick virtually all commercial and technical boxes. Heavier and more complex due to the automatic loading system, the Archer is also much more expensive and has so far only been adopted by Sweden. The first of 48 systems ordered did not enter service in the Swedish Army until 2016. The Archer's main advantage ultimately is the ability to take advantage of the strike force of the powerful U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems, a long-time supplier to the U.S. Army. When the Archer is still looking for a first export customer, the CAESAR is a proven commercial success with more than 300 copies sold worldwide. And this customer book has expanded further this year with the 36 pieces acquired by Morocco and the contract negotiations underway with the Czech Republic for the delivery of 52 copies. As required in the RFP, the French gun is fully compatible with the BONUS and Excalibur guided munitions of the American portfolio, the first being the product of a co-development between Nexter Munitions and Bofors (BAE Systems). As for the BRUTUS, it is certainly the only one to be a 100% American product and has already been evaluated by the US Army. But if it plays the card of simplicity by relying on the combination of an FMTV 6×6 truck and a tube identical to that of the M777A2, its development is not yet complete. The use of this 155/39 caliber gun still limits its range to 22 km with standard ammunition, compared to up to 38 km for Caesar. The FMTV does not include crew protection, loading system, or built-in ammunition locker, when CAESAR carries 18 fire-ready rounds for version 6×6 and 30 for chassis 8×8. The BRUTUS must therefore be accompanied permanently by a second FMTV to transport the five to seven gunners needed for its implementation and to supply it with shells. With the consequences of battery life, mobility and battery time. The U.S. Army will potentially have to choose between protectionism that means less capacity and pragmatism that is more conducive to a foreign solution. Start of response, if Nexter is selected and the schedule met, in about six months. Copyright © 2011-2020 FOB - Forces Operations Blog - All Rights Reserved. »

Nexter will answer the US Army RFP with its CAESAR. https://forcesoperations.com/le-caesar-de-nexter-tente-laventure-americaine/?fbclid=IwAR2yO7KltHtTUdyNZEJxxywA7FJWaDEHxXzBZIxLnvagwvee6kIYy_Vv-rs

Something new ?

So, closer to the Leclerc or Type-90.

A new video about the Griffon APC.

I found this on the Solomon’s blog. Photos of the new SuperAV Land from Iveco.

Both sizes are the same. https://i0.wp.com/militaryleak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/general-dynamics-land-systems-unveils-new-light-tank.jpg?ssl=1 The MPF hull structure is by no means an ASCOD one. Both Griffin 2 and MPF are very different.

Yes. Air bust is far more effective.

The Biho can do it too.

Very nice job. The Ajax looks like tiny.

This is not a complex task. The problem is the cost of such a capability.

At the end of the 90’s.

ZAHA flotation tests. https://www.defenseworld.net/news/27862/Turkey_Begins_Testing_ZAHA_Armored_Amphibious_Assault_Vehicle#.X2UJRK6-jYU

With a 3 men crew and no Turkish components, wich is a little bit different. The gun mount is the same.

No. It’s the ICV roof.

Similar to the former Hornet.

Interesting. https://www.targikielce.pl/en/about-us/news/south-korean-technology-showcased-at-mspo-2020,15244

This one was the very last.

Made my day.

To solve a problem of protection.

When it starts to be hot, a few bath...