Laser Shark

Boxer gets a(nother) remote 30mm turret. 
 
 

Yes, it is still in the tender although there was no noise whatsoever about it for months. Only KMW left the competition due to the change of requirements. 
 
The final trials shall start any day and will finish on 6th June. 
 
Few more photos of the CV-90 CZ here: https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/nato/bvp-testovani-ascod-lynx-cv90-armada-zakazka-obrana.A210426_155418_zpr_nato_inc/foto/nahledy#INC8afde1_IMG_4472red.jpg

Quite a lot of similarities with the dutch MLU.
 

Since this is the defacto Australia thread.
 
https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/australia-heavy-armored-combat-systems
 

Ugh. I’d rather that Körner claim all of the kills than the quislings of that regiment.
 
--------------
 
But anyway, it looks like FFG has finally added a page on the ACSV G5 to their website. There is some info there, as well as higher quality versions of photos which have already showed up here and elsewhere + some new ones I haven't seen before.
 
Production of the ACSV G5 is set to start next year, with system integration and final assembly being carried out at Ritek in Levanger. By then they should be mostly finished with the 12 additional CV90RWS combat engineering vehicles and 8 multi-role vehicles, which were ordered last year. The initial contract is for 44 vehicles, but this number is expected to grow to several hundreds over the next years.

I’m unsure if the 12 Wisent 2 and 6 AVLB are based on the hulls of Norwegian Leo 2A4NO*, surplus hulls acquired by the manufacturer or if they are completely new ones, but whatever the case may be, additional hulls should become available as completely new tanks (there’s going to be some even if Norway end up with a Leo 2A7NO fleet) start rolling in.  
 
* Reportedly, the Norwegian Army only has 38 operational tanks, so that leaves between 14-20 tanks/hulls unaccounted for.

Textron may have formed a team of its own. 

Both GDLS and SAIK contracts were devoted to technology demonstrators. 
Here, we can see something Textron can reach without help. A dedicated page is opened on there site.
https://www.textronsystems.com/capabilities/innovations/cottonmouth
Been the first to announce something about the ARV can be a pressure to save the whole programme regarding the changes into the USMC. 

Love to see old Leopard 1 vehicles getting what they deserve. Easy and smart to do some enhancements and they still do a very good job.
 
I would guess that additional Leo 2 support will mean that the 2A4 hulls will be used for that since there is almost nothing else available.
But most interesting part will be to see if there will be some K2NO.

I have to correct myself here. As it turns out this website was actually created by “Kavaleriklubben”, an association of former and currently serving Norwegian cavalry personnel, and it’s only now that the website is being transferred over to KMW. I guess we can expect the quality of website to improve in the future referring back to @Rico’s complaints.
 
Also, as predicted, there are now projects with the goal of extending the life of both the Leo 1 based ARVs and AEVs (Project 1043), as well as acquiring additional support vehicles on Leo 2 hull (SUP LTP M-15). Interestingly, the latter project also mentions an assault breacher vehicle ("gjennombrytingspanservogn" in the Norwegian version of this document). The Norwegian Army had plans of acquiring such vehicles back in the 90s, initially taking the form of a turretless Leo 1 with a new  superstructure, a mine plough and a MICLIC launcher, but unfortunately it never got past the drawing board. If a MICLIC launcher can be fitted to the Wisent 2 Mine Clearance variant, it would probably satisfy the requirements, I think.

I have to correct myself here. As it turns out this website was actually created by “Kavaleriklubben”, an association of former and currently serving Norwegian cavalry personnel, and it’s only now that the website is being transferred over to KMW. I guess we can expect the quality of website to improve in the future referring back to @Rico’s complaints.
 
Also, as predicted, there are now projects with the goal of extending the life of both the Leo 1 based ARVs and AEVs (Project 1043), as well as acquiring additional support vehicles on Leo 2 hull (SUP LTP M-15). Interestingly, the latter project also mentions an assault breacher vehicle ("gjennombrytingspanservogn" in the Norwegian version of this document). The Norwegian Army had plans of acquiring such vehicles back in the 90s, initially taking the form of a turretless Leo 1 with a new  superstructure, a mine plough and a MICLIC launcher, but unfortunately it never got past the drawing board. If a MICLIC launcher can be fitted to the Wisent 2 Mine Clearance variant, it would probably satisfy the requirements, I think.

I have to correct myself here. As it turns out this website was actually created by “Kavaleriklubben”, an association of former and currently serving Norwegian cavalry personnel, and it’s only now that the website is being transferred over to KMW. I guess we can expect the quality of website to improve in the future referring back to @Rico’s complaints.
 
Also, as predicted, there are now projects with the goal of extending the life of both the Leo 1 based ARVs and AEVs (Project 1043), as well as acquiring additional support vehicles on Leo 2 hull (SUP LTP M-15). Interestingly, the latter project also mentions an assault breacher vehicle ("gjennombrytingspanservogn" in the Norwegian version of this document). The Norwegian Army had plans of acquiring such vehicles back in the 90s, initially taking the form of a turretless Leo 1 with a new  superstructure, a mine plough and a MICLIC launcher, but unfortunately it never got past the drawing board. If a MICLIC launcher can be fitted to the Wisent 2 Mine Clearance variant, it would probably satisfy the requirements, I think.

Ugh. I’d rather that Körner claim all of the kills than the quislings of that regiment.
 
--------------
 
But anyway, it looks like FFG has finally added a page on the ACSV G5 to their website. There is some info there, as well as higher quality versions of photos which have already showed up here and elsewhere + some new ones I haven't seen before.
 
Production of the ACSV G5 is set to start next year, with system integration and final assembly being carried out at Ritek in Levanger. By then they should be mostly finished with the 12 additional CV90RWS combat engineering vehicles and 8 multi-role vehicles, which were ordered last year. The initial contract is for 44 vehicles, but this number is expected to grow to several hundreds over the next years.

Ugh. I’d rather that Körner claim all of the kills than the quislings of that regiment.
 
--------------
 
But anyway, it looks like FFG has finally added a page on the ACSV G5 to their website. There is some info there, as well as higher quality versions of photos which have already showed up here and elsewhere + some new ones I haven't seen before.
 
Production of the ACSV G5 is set to start next year, with system integration and final assembly being carried out at Ritek in Levanger. By then they should be mostly finished with the 12 additional CV90RWS combat engineering vehicles and 8 multi-role vehicles, which were ordered last year. The initial contract is for 44 vehicles, but this number is expected to grow to several hundreds over the next years.

KMW has established a new website to promote the Leopard 2A7NO for Norway.

KMW has established a new website to promote the Leopard 2A7NO for Norway.

KMW has established a new website to promote the Leopard 2A7NO for Norway.

One is free to appreciate the AFVs of WW2 Germany as far as I’m concerned, but it is annoying when certain people just handwave away all of the criticism directed towards tanks like the Panther and engage in all sorts of mental gymnastics when presented with overwhelming evidence against their position. I suspect it’s because many people just can’t deal with the fact that their favourite thing is flawed, but as someone who enjoys plenty of flawed things, like the Star Wars prequels and The Room, and, yes, even the Panther, which IMO is one the better looking tanks of WW2 with plenty of options for modellers, I would like to stress that it’s not only possible but (usually) completely fine as well.
 
But anyway, onto something different…
 

 
This is a Leopard 1A1NO, a tank that was based on Leopard 1A1A2s acquired from Germany after the Cold War had ended, It was only in service for a few years before, ironically, they too had to be retired in accordance with the CFE-treaty. Next to the housing of the PZB 200 image intensifier, we can also see an interesting feature of this tank, the Simrad LV3 laser range finder, which was probably repurposed from retired NM116s.

One is free to appreciate the AFVs of WW2 Germany as far as I’m concerned, but it is annoying when certain people just handwave away all of the criticism directed towards tanks like the Panther and engage in all sorts of mental gymnastics when presented with overwhelming evidence against their position. I suspect it’s because many people just can’t deal with the fact that their favourite thing is flawed, but as someone who enjoys plenty of flawed things, like the Star Wars prequels and The Room, and, yes, even the Panther, which IMO is one the better looking tanks of WW2 with plenty of options for modellers, I would like to stress that it’s not only possible but (usually) completely fine as well.
 
But anyway, onto something different…
 

 
This is a Leopard 1A1NO, a tank that was based on Leopard 1A1A2s acquired from Germany after the Cold War had ended, It was only in service for a few years before, ironically, they too had to be retired in accordance with the CFE-treaty. Next to the housing of the PZB 200 image intensifier, we can also see an interesting feature of this tank, the Simrad LV3 laser range finder, which was probably repurposed from retired NM116s.

One is free to appreciate the AFVs of WW2 Germany as far as I’m concerned, but it is annoying when certain people just handwave away all of the criticism directed towards tanks like the Panther and engage in all sorts of mental gymnastics when presented with overwhelming evidence against their position. I suspect it’s because many people just can’t deal with the fact that their favourite thing is flawed, but as someone who enjoys plenty of flawed things, like the Star Wars prequels and The Room, and, yes, even the Panther, which IMO is one the better looking tanks of WW2 with plenty of options for modellers, I would like to stress that it’s not only possible but (usually) completely fine as well.
 
But anyway, onto something different…
 

 
This is a Leopard 1A1NO, a tank that was based on Leopard 1A1A2s acquired from Germany after the Cold War had ended, It was only in service for a few years before, ironically, they too had to be retired in accordance with the CFE-treaty. Next to the housing of the PZB 200 image intensifier, we can also see an interesting feature of this tank, the Simrad LV3 laser range finder, which was probably repurposed from retired NM116s.

U.S. Ordnance M2A2N with the new HMG-M softmount from Rheinmetall Norway. It will replace the older .50 cals (the oldest ones are from 1940) in the Norwegian Armed Forces.
 

They’ll still be around for at least a handful of years, perhaps even a decade.
 
The project that has produced this G5 based ARV, Project 2592 “tracked recovery capacity”, contains two parts:
A new light ARV (class 1) that will be based on the M113 (now ACSV G5). Exploiting the remaining service life of the current medium ARVs (class 2). Of course, it’s possible that the switch from the M113 platform to the much more powerful G5 has reduced the need for maintaining the NM217/Bergepanzer 2, but I still don’t think they will be fully retired until Norway has acquired another batch of Wisent 2s ARVs, which probably won’t happen before the future MBT has been chosen. The same might also hold true for the Leo 1 based AEVs and AVLBs as 6 Wisent 2 AEVs and 6 Leo 2 AVLBs aren’t really enough to support five mechanized battalions either.

A new render of the AS9 for the Aussies from DTR Magazine (https://defencetechnologyreview.partica.online/defence-technology-review/dtr-feb-2021/flipbook/8/).
 
Sadly cannot find a higher resolution image at the moment so this'll have to do.
 

Before I'll start ranting about WW2 tanks and why using different/modern standards to judge them might not make much sense, here are a few more recent news from IAV 2021:
 

HiMoLaP all-terrain vehicle developed by FFG; apparently this is not the Wiesel 1 replacement, but a testbed meant for the multi-national Bv206 replacement.
 
 
Slide showing the PMMC G5: