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Posts posted by David Moyes
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Spoiler
The British Army’s Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) has developed a new Challenger 2 MBT demonstrator to highlight modifications that could be made to the platform for urban operations.
The RTR will be demonstrating the vehicle during the Army Warfighting Experiment held in December 2018.
Speaking to Shephard, 2nd Lt Nicholas Warren-Miller, 3 Tp Ldr RTR, said that the team has worked over the past two months to add ‘low-level...low-cost modifications that can be done very quickly’ on the tank.
One of the key areas of modification was to enhance situational awareness in urban environments which Warren-Miller said was particularly limited in the Challenger 2 during urban operations when in close-down and inside the tank.
Infantry-tank cooperation is another key area of focus for the RTR, which will make the Challenger 2 'more effective' in the urban environment, according to Warren-Miller.
‘We’ve essentially increased the firepower of the tank and we have created a local area network into the tank which streams camera feeds. So in theory the infantry can use an Android tablet or phone and actually view what we are seeing and what our cameras are seeing,’ Warren-Miller explained.
This has been achieved through the use of fixed cameras and panoramic 360˚ thermal imagers, barrel cameras to see left and right at junctions without exposing the platform and camera feeds streamed to dismounted soldier systems.
The RTR has worked with an industry team, led by Ultra Precision Control System (PCS), to carry out the improvements. Warren-Miller emphasised that this project has been completed completely outside of the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme which is currently being competed between BAE Systems and Rheinmetall.
‘It comes from the Hobart committee…when everyone in the regiment gets to make recommendations for Challenger 2. And we’ve been given as a squadron the urban environment to adapt our vehicle to,’ Warren-Miller explained.
Through the Hobart committee the team has been given funding to carry out the work. Ultra PCS lead a team that includes FN Herstal UK, Mildef, Esterline, Istec and Ultra Lynx.
Other modifications include external storage for breaching tools and dismounted equipment; turret mounted mortar; commanders GPMG and loaders HMG.
Warren-Miller suggested that this will be an ongoing project as the RTR has more ideas for long-lasting modifications. For now though these technologies will only be demonstrated on the one experimental platform.
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17 hours ago, LoooSeR said:
That "Streetfighter" is rather sad, no side armor, no equipment to go through baricades/ruins, MG positions have no protection. Even crappy T-72B urban kit is somewhat better in that regards.
It's just a demonstrator created by Ultra Electronics, mainly to test their UltraLynx system.
https://www.ultra-electronics.com/uploads/business-documents/media-brochures/Ultra_Land_Bro_A4_Nov_17_Spreads.pdf
RTR's Ajax Squadron are experimenting in Urban Tank combat:
https://www.facebook.com/RoyalTankRegt/posts/urban-tanks-ajax-have-just-taken-delivery-of-their-latest-tanks-these-have-been-/697637010435834/
It is by no means a finished article. -
Challenger 2 Streetfighter Concept Demonstrator
External Storage for Breaching Tools
External Storage for dismounted equipment
Turret mounted Mortar
Commanders GPMG and Loaders HMG
Enhanced Situation Awareness (Fixed Cameras, and Panoramic 360 Thermal)
Barrel cameras to see left and right at junctions without exposing the platform
Camera Feeds streamed to Dismounts Soldier Systems
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6476755319853764608 -
Even without a gun upgrade Rheinmetall is almost certainly going to win.
The only thing that BAE's bid has going for it is that General Dynamics would do the actual work. Offering Iron Fist is bizarre as the UK has two separate APS programmes going and any acquisition would go through them.
No gun upgrade seems like a cynical way to lock the Army into BAE's munitions ecosystem.Recently the MOD has signed contracts with several companies to test their ammunition in preparation for BAE's sole supplier deal ending in 2023. Rheinmetall is one of them, specifically for artillery.
Offering free guns in exchange for an exclusive supply deal would be smart.
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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-defence-equipment-plan-2018
Ajax is £25m under-budget and 6 months ahead of schedule.
Warrior upgrade is £231m over-budget and 4.4 years behind schedule.If you include the original planning then it's actually about £700m and 11 years for double the vehicles.
Even if it hits current targets then it will only have a service life of about 15 years.
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Eitan uses Horstman suspension:
https://horstmangroup.com/horstman-products/horstman-shock-coil/ -
2 hours ago, skylancer-3441 said:
to best of my ability
- Integrated loitering UAS (ST / Lethal munitions)
- Designed to operate in complex urban and restrictive terrain
I think. -
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Concept vehicle for NGCV.- Serge, skylancer-3441 and Ramlaen
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2 minutes ago, Mighty_Zuk said:
It is in my understanding that SAAB no longer offers the LEDS-150 because their partnership with Denel ended.
Whoops. -
4 hours ago, Mighty_Zuk said:
So that basically nails down the APS contenders to Elbit and Rafael, offering the Iron Fist and Trophy respectively.
Or Saab's LEDS-150:
https://saab.com/globalassets/commercial/land/force-protection/active-protection/leds/leds-product-sheet.pdf -
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AJAX animation - Land 400
AJAX trials - DVD2018 -
Archer 155mm artillery system on a MAN HX. -
Challenger 2 has always had an all-electric turret.
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Turret uses regenerative braking. Friction caused by the turret slowing down gets converted into electricity that then recharges a battery. Formula 1 cars use something similar - KERS/ERS. -
DVD 2018
Ajax, Ares, Apollo and Atlas production models.
Indirect fire Brimstone. -
On 9/13/2018 at 5:44 PM, SH_MM said:
Based on photographs, there appear to be three different armor configuration for the AJAX/ARES hull - there might be more when accounting for facts like the location of screws etc. on the different prototypes, but that shouldn't matter. They can be identified by the different thickness of the frontal glacis plate of the hull in relation to the height of the headlights.
From the General AFV thread:
Spoiler
Naked:
Spoiler
Base Armour (Spaced Steel?):
Spoiler
Side Storage
Diffrent side storage:
Expanded Armour (Composite?) & Blocks
SpoilerBolted on-top ofReplaces base armour at the front. Comes as standard at rear and bottom(?):
Turret slabs:
Bar/Mesh:
Barracuda camo:
Spoiler
Testing Ballast Weights:
Spoiler
There's only one thickness type of base armour for production models. Any others are a result of test armour or optical illusions.
The MCO armour seems to use the base config.
I doubt Permali make all the armour. The contract is only for £15 million, which seems too little for nearly 600 vehicles. In an older blog post you mention that RUAG provided some armour but I can't find any other reference to this:
https://below-the-turret-ring.blogspot.com/2017/08/which-new-ifv-for-czech-army.html
I wouldn't focus too much on the known armour configs anyway. Whenever the Army sends vehicles into a hostile environment they send out a Urgent Operational Requirement and buy a bunch of armour to bolt on (like Chobham Warrior). I'm expecting to see armour modules on the front glacis one day. -
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1 hour ago, Serge said:
Can someone confirm the following :
When the Challenger 2 was introduced, I understood the loader front episcope is able to be changed by a second independent sight.
Was I right ?
The Enforcer RWS replaces it when on operation.
http://www.leonardocompany.com/en/-/enforcer_rws-1
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David Brown offered a 1500hp upgrade of the power pack in the early 2000's.
Option is listed on TN54 website:
https://dbsantasalo.com/industries/defence/land-defence/tn54-tracked-vehicle-transmission/
The CV-12 engine was used in generators rated at 1500hp. The cooling would probably need to be overhauled.
Britons are in trouble
in Mechanized Warfare
Posted
I doubt it's a mortar. More likely an electronic device that's been moved from the top to make way for other things.