Serge

I found it funny :
 
 

According to this article (about weight growth of modern vehicles and the impact in Czech specific conditions) the weight of IFV contenders (in specification from Czech tender) is following: CV-90 Mk4 37 metric tons, ASCOD 2 42 tons, Lynx KF-41 44 tons. The article mentions that AS-21 has 42 tons (presumably in Australian configuration). 
https://www.czdefence.cz/clanek/armada-ceske-republiky-versus-hmotnost-obrnene-techniky

Army Recognition is starting Turkish companies promotion. 
 

I found it funny :
 
 

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TBH it looks like one of the design requirements was as high center of gravity as possible. 

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Some photos from the same event that vid was taken at
 

 

To keep moving when the chassis is lowered. The track tension can be kept. 

To keep moving when the chassis is lowered. The track tension can be kept. 

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Some stills:

Cage armour. 

 

 

 

 
cheers. 

Removable modular special armor packages (NERA/SLERA) of hull side of Merkava Mk4 MBT.

 

 

 

I’m not sure we can regard Pereg Rakham as gormless vehicles.
They developed a generic architecture for Merkava rebuild platform to perform different tasks. 
What is your proposal to provide a repair vehicle ?
 
A new batch of photos at work :

 

Elbit's new SPH replacement finally breaks cover.
 
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/elbit-systems-progressing-new-sigma-155-mm-artillery-system
 

By having the capitalist Americans build all your factories and bureaus? Yeah, that is one way.

This is a couple of months old but in all the Ajax shenanigans I forgot to post it:

British Army ‘reviewing’ MRV-P options
 
Multirole Vehicle-Protected is a British Army program to replace the myriad of mine resistant vehicles acquired during the "War on Terror" with a common platform for all force elements.

MRV-P Requirements


 
Variants required would be split into 3 groups:

Group 1 - General Purpose
Group 2 - Troop Carrier, Ambulance
Group 3 - Recovery

Fast forward to 2016:
In classic British Army fashion the whole point of the program was defeated when the L-ATV was chosen for Group 1 without competition. Bushmaster and Eagle V 6x6 would compete for Group 2.
No choices were selected for Group 3 but the Recovery variants of Penman Metras, Supacat HMT 600 and Eagle 6x6 were known bidders.

Group 3 Candidates

 
The Army tried to justify this decision saying that the L-ATV was closet to the requirements (wut?), could be acquired quickly and it's low base price meant that even with the necessary modifications (convert to right-hand drive) no other could compete. A unit was acquired and multi-year testing commenced.


 
It should be noted that all this came shortly after the Brexit Referendum. In the wake of the vote the Government announced a new Industrial Strategy and prosperity agenda. Basically, buy British.

It was pointed out that an L-ATV buy would go against this and any UK content/involvement would be limited.
Further a couple of years after the decision rumours began to circulate that the Army had totally miscalculated the extent of modifications needed and the price of a British spec'd L-ATV would not only be comparable to other platforms but might even be more expensive. A price bandied about was £750k per for a deployment ready unit.

Group 2 trials were only mentioned as ongoing and Group 3 disappeared, seemingly cancelled.

Final decision and buy was supposed to happen in 2020.

After MRV-P again failed to appear in the 2021 White Paper the British Army said it was reviewing the programs options:

https://www.army-technology.com/news/mrv-p-review/

As was stated when first announced, L-ATV does not meet Government prosperity requirements and the MoD has refused the buy.
Notoriously the Army often sees US equipment as the "gold-plated" option and is still pushing for L-ATV.
 
 
This review may simply be for show.

However if it's not there are a few options that have confirmed British production line:

Thales - Pushing Bushmaster and a Hawkei recently turned up at their Glasgow facility. But 2 different platforms and Hawkei is unproven.

Penman - Metras is built on the Mercedes UNIMOG chassis and meets basically all requirements. 4x4, 6x6 and many variants built and tested. Composite crew module and higher than average agility due to competing for Protected Patrol Vehicle that saw Foxhound win.
Small company and so originally bid with BAE but Rheinmetall merger and Boxer production line may mean they will have to look for a new partner.

General Dynamics - Eagle V also mostly meets requirements and is built on the In-UK-Service DURO platform. On going tensions between Army and company won't help.

There are also the two in-service platforms in General Dynamics's Foxhound and Supacat HMT to consider. Both have proposed required variants, modular design and are currently being used to test hybrid drive.
Adding to the fleet would theoretically be much faster if only new modules needed to be tested rather than the entire platform.
 



 
 

Lol.
The good old soviet time. Always better when unknown. 

Lol.
The good old soviet time. Always better when unknown. 

Lol.
The good old soviet time. Always better when unknown. 

Some detail on the hull faults on AJAX:

- inconsistent lengths
- hull sides not being parallel 
- substandard welding 
- etc 

Lance 1.0 maturity continues to evolve. Still no mobile firing, still no firing of service 30mm ammunition.