Noticias Sistemas Terrestres

[Carlos Martín]

COMPRA DE VEHICULOS MWMIK 4x4 PAR EL EJERCITO BRITANICO:

The MOD will buy new weapons-mounted patrol vehicles under an Urgent Operational Requirement for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan it was announced today, Monday 25 June 2007.

The new MWMIK 4x4 vehicles, described by one serving officer as 'like a Land Rover on steroids', will deliver a new level of power to the WMIK (Weapons Mounted Installation Kit) fleet, with more firepower and a better range and mobility. It will be fast for a four tonne vehicle, with a potential top speed of 80mph (130km/h).

The vehicle can be fitted with a range of firepower including a .50 calibre machine gun or an automatic grenade launcher and a general purpose machine gun, as well as carrying up to four troops with their own individual weapons.

Welcoming the decision to purchase MWMIK, Lord Drayson, Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support, said:

"These vehicles are well armed, swift, and agile and will boost our capability with some serious firepower. MOD and the Treasury have worked hard to get these powerful vehicles to our troops in quick time, and they will start going out to theatre early next year."

The vehicle can operate across a whole range of terrain, something which will be particularly useful in the desert, especially in Afghanistan where much of the terrain does not have roads.

It is expected that the new vehicles, 130 in total, will begin deploying out to operational theatres early in 2008. The new MWMIK vehicle will include the following features:

Longer range
Greater payload
Greater mobility
A top speed of up to 80mph (130km/h)

Fuente: Ministerio de Defensa Británico (www.mod.uk)



Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

EL US ARMY ORDENA MAS M1117 ASVs:

Textron Marine & Land has announced a $255.5 million contract modification to its firm-fixed-price, sole source contract initiated on May 9, 2005 with the U.S. Army's Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) in Warren, MI. Textron will build an additional 369 M1117 ASVs (W56HZV-05-C-0470). With this award, the total number of ASVs produced or under contract is now at 1,729 vehicles, with firm production contracts through at least October 2008.

Fuente: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com



Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

MODERNIZACIÓN DE RADARES FINLANDESES POR PATRIA:

Patria has today received an order from the Finnish Defence Forces Materiel Command (DFMC) for modernising a series of target acquisition radar platforms. The value of the purchase order is approximately EUR 10 million. Deliveries are scheduled for 2008-2010. The work is performed by Patria Vehicles.

Target Acquisition Radar 87 is an independent mobile radar station mounted on a Patria XA-180 armoured transport vehicle.

The maximum height of the target acquisition radar is 15 m. Its surveillance height is 4-5 km and the range depending on the size of the target is 75 km. The radar is capable of simultaneous automatic monitoring of 20 targets as well as 10 countermeasures actions.
Patria has today received an order from the Finnish Defence Forces Materiel Command (DFMC) for modernising a series of target acquisition radar platforms. The value of the purchase order is approximately EUR 10 million. Deliveries are scheduled for 2008-2010. The work is performed by Patria Vehicles.


Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

MODERNIZACION DE LOS FV430 DEL EJERCITO BRITANICO POR BAE SYSTEMS:

NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom --- BAE Systems has been awarded a £70 million contract amendment by the UK Ministry of Defence to upgrade the power train of 400 FV430 series vehicles for the British Army. The original £85m contract, signed in October 2005, included the upgrade of the engine, transmission and other systems to 500 FV430 series vehicles. The upgraded vehicles are designated FV430 Mark 3.

Conversion of the additional quantity is scheduled to commence in September 2007 and extend the contract completion until March 2011. This will require an initial increase in output from 20 to 30 vehicles per month.



Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

NUEVO IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) AUTOCTONO DEL EJERCITO SUR COREANO:

South Korea unveiled its first indigenously built amphibious heavy infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) June 29 after eight years of research and development.
A modified variant of the K200 armored personnel carrier, the K21 will take a lead role in tank operations with mechanized infantry troops, said Kim In-woo, head of the Mechanized Armament Systems Department at the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the main developer.

“The K21 will greatly enhance the Korean Army’s independent combat capability with its increased fire power, mobility and survivability,” Kim said after a demonstration of the infantry vehicle at an ADD test site in South Chungchong province. “Most of all, the vehicle will be very effective in operating in hilly and river-covered terrain, such as that found in Korea.
“We believe the K21 is more competitive than existing top-class IFVs, such as the M2A3 with the U.S. Army and the BMP-3 of Russia, in capabilities and price,” he said.

The estimated cost for a K21 unit is $3.5 million, cheaper than the U.S. Bradley and Germany’s Puma IFV, whose per-unit prices are between $4 million and $4.5 million, he said.
Kim said a few foreign countries already have shown interest in purchasing the K21. Mass production is to start in 2009 after vehicle trials.

The Korean Army plans to deploy about 900 K21s beginning in 2008, part of an effort to bolster its ground forces.
The 25-ton tracked vehicle, which holds a crew of 12, is armed with a mounted, stabilized 40mm auto cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun.
The 40mm gun can fire three munitions, including the tungsten Armored Piercing Fin-Stablized Discarding Sabot ammunition, at a rate of 300 rounds per minute, enough to shoot down slow-moving helicopters and aircraft seven kilometers away, according to an ADD press release.
The vehicle will also be armed with third-generation anti-tank guided missiles now under development, which will be able to hit an enemy vehicle up to three kilometers away.
The 750-horsepower turbo-diesel engine enables the K21 to move as fast as 70 kilometers per hour on paved roads and 40 kilometers per hour on unpaved fields.
Equipped with the water-jet propulsion system, the K21 can cross a river at a speed of 7.8 kilometers per hour. Pontoons will allow the vehicle to float with the help of airbags attached to both sides of the hull.
The K21 can engage in C4I warfare using digital communication, GPS receivers and inter-vehicle digital links. Its laser and heat sensors warn of imminent enemy attack, and a nuclear-bioligical-chemical defense system. The vehicle can conduct missions day or night.
The K21 also is equipped with in-arm suspension units and an advanced fire-control system that allows the vehicle to accurately engage targets on the move. It has a built-in simulated training system for maneuvering, gunnery and command-and-control tactics.

[Carlos Martín]

IRAK SOLICITA A LA OTAN TANQUES T-72:

NATO is considering a request to supply Iraq with 70 Russian-made T72 tanks, an official said on June 29, while Iraqi state television said an offer for 120 T72 tanks was already on the table.
A public information officer for the NATO training and equipment mission in Iraq said no decision had yet been taken.
"That request has been sent to the (NATO member) nations. Now we are awaiting their response. No offer has been finalized," said Herdis Sigurgrimsdottir of the NATO mission.

The Iraqi Army has been completely reorganized since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein, but complains it is still short of equipment, particularly heavy armor.
Saddam’s army had over 4,000 mainly T72 tanks before the first Gulf war in 1991. But this number had been reduced to around 500 by the end of that conflict, according to U.S. Defense Department estimates. Those that remained were extensively destroyed in the second Gulf war in 2003.



Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

EL U.S. ARMY INTERESADO EN LA COMPRA DE VEHICULOS BUSHMASTER:

An Australian company is close to signing a multimillion-dollar deal to supply the U.S. Army with armored vehicles, a report said June 29.
Defense manufacturer Thales Australia is expected to announce it will provide 1,500 Bushmaster armored personnel carriers to the U.S. within days, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said without citing sources.
Bushmasters are specially built to withstand the impact of land mines and improvised explosive devices and are currently used by the Australian and Dutch armies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In May, the Australian government placed an order for an additional 143 Bushmaster vehicles worth 99 million dollars ($84 million U.S.) to be delivered by March 2009.



Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

PAKISTAN REALIZA PRUEBAS DEL MISIL BABUR:

(Source: ddi Indian Government News; issued July 26, 2007)

Pakistan today tested a cruise missile named the Babur or Hatf VII, a terrain-hugging, radar avoiding cruise missile which has a range of 700 km and a capacity to carry nuclear warheads.

The Babur or Hatf VII missile can carry conventional as well as non-conventional nuclear warheads.

"The test will consolidate Pakistan's strategic capability and strengthen national security," a defence statement in Islamabad said.

President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz congratulated scientists for the successful launch.

Pakistan officials said the test-firing was a routine one.

Babur missile, flaunted by Pakistan's military as rival to Indo-Russia joint venture Brahmos cruise missile, was first tested in 2005 with a range of 500 km.



Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

M-777A2 LISTO PARA EL COMBATE:

(Source: BAE Systems; issued July 25, 2007)

ARLINGTON, Va. --- The latest version of BAE Systems' M777 Lightweight 155mm Howitzer is now cleared to fire a longer-range and more accurate projectile following official approval.

The receipt of a Full Material Release for the A2 version from the Commanding General of the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command means that the necessary upgrades can be issued to U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps units.

Full Material Release means that the system meets all safety and operational requirements for fielding. This is achieved only after thorough testing of the system and its software to strict test regimes.

The A2 version of the howitzer incorporates a software update that enables the howitzer to program and fire the M982 Excalibur Guided Projectile. The Excalibur brings precision fire to field artillery at all achievable ranges. The Excalibur projectile will give the M777A2 howitzer a maximum range of 40km with accuracy on target within 10 meters. This is an increase over the current range of the howitzer of 30km using unguided munitions.

The M777A2 version of the howitzer will be the version issued to all U.S. Army and USMC units and previously-equipped M777A1 howitzer units will receive a software upgrade to bring their systems to A2 standard. Both the 11th Marine Regiment and the 10th Marine Regiment have received the A2 version. The 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is currently undergoing initial fielding of the M777A2 for the U.S. Army. The 2nd Battalion 11th Field Artillery Regiment at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii was equipped with M777A1 howitzers in January 2007. They will be converted to the A2 version later this year.

The M777 was designed and developed by BAE Systems to replace the aging M198 howitzers in both the USMC and U.S. Army with a system that is more capable than the M198 and about half the weight. The Canadian Army has purchased 12 M777 howitzers through Foreign Military Sales and has had a battery of M777s in Afghanistan since February of 2006. The M777 has proved to be a much-used and effective fire support system in the harsh Afghanistan environment.




Un saludo.

[Carlos Martín]

TELEVISIÓN CROATA ANUNCIA LA COMPRA DE VEHÍCULOS PATRIA:

(Source: STT Finnish Government news; issued July 24, 2007)

Hrvatska radiotelevizija (HRT), the Croatian public broadcaster, reported late on Monday that Finnish arms maker Patria had won the Croatian tender for 126 wheeled armoured vehicles.

Patria told the Finnish News Agency (STT) that no decisions had been made and refused to comment further.

HTV quoted unofficial information as saying that the order, worth an estimated 200 million euros, was for Patria's Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV) range.

Patria's competitor in the final stage of the tender is Austria's Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge.



Un saludo.

[ICBM44]

Concluyen ensayos del paracaídas para el cañón antitanque Sprut


En las Tropas Aerotransportadas de Rusia concluyen los ensayos del sistema de paracaídas para el cañón antitanque autopropulsado Sprut-SD, informó el portavoz de las Tropas Aerotransportadas, el coronel Alexandr Cherednik.

"Se trata de un paracaídas de 14 cúpulas para hacer aterrizar una pieza de artillería considerada la más pesada en las Tropas Aerotransportadas -señaló-. El último lanzamiento, número treinta, será efectuado desde el avión de transporte militar IL-76".

Explicó que el cañón se denomina 2S25 Sprut, va montado en orugas, puede desplazarse por agua y es todo un carro de combate para los paracaidistas. Su peso completo junto con la tripulación alcanza 18 toneladas.

El Sprut (Pulpo) está destinado a batir tanques, piezas autopropulsadas, vehículos blindados y otros, y apoyar en tierra a las unidades de las Tropas Aerotransportadas.

El cañón puede disparar cualquier tipo de proyectiles, incluidos los cohetes, con una cadencia de siete tiros por minuto. Fue incorporado a las Fuerzas Armadas de Rusia en 2005.

[ICBM44]

EL EJERCITO INDIO REALIZARA LAS PRUEBAS EN EL TERRENO DEL TANQUE ARJUN.


El ejército indio acordó recibir 14 tanques principal de batalla (MBT) Arjun, desarrollado en el país, para las pruebas en el terreno antes del 30 de septiembre. La decisión fue tomada después de la demostración acertada de todas las modificaciones incluyendo el sistema de vadeo o para el cruce de ríos, realizada ante la presencia del ministro de defensa y a otros altos funcionarios en la planta de Avadi en Tamil Nadu donde se está construyendo el tanque. Informaron a Antony, que estaba en la visita de un día al establecimiento de investigación y de desarrollo del vehículo del combate (CVRDE) y a la fábrica pesada de vehículos (HVF) en Avadi, de las varias capacidades del Arjun que ha llevado 34 años en la fabricación. Mientras que no se informó oficialmente, existe un expediente donde se conoce que el ejército estaba bastante desconforme con el Arjun, y donde se enumeraban 14 defectos que necesitaban ser rectificados. Estos incluyen un sistema deficiente de disparo, inexactitud de sus armas, velocidades bajas en las áreas tácticas, principalmente en desiertos y su inhabilidad de operar en temperaturas superiores a los 50 grados centígrados. El ejército indio solicitó su requisito cualitativo (QR) para el Arjun en 1972. En 1982, el DRDO había anunciado que el prototipo estaba listo para las pruebas en el terreno, sin embargo, el tanque fue mostrado al público en 1995. Arjun fue desarrollado originalmente para ser un tanque de 40 toneladas con un cañón de 105 milímetros. Ahora ha llegado a un ser un vehículo de 50 toneladas con un cañón de 120 milímetros. El tanque fue construido para suplir y sustituir eventualmente a los T-72 MBT soviéticos incorporados al ejército a comienzos de los años 80. Sin embargo, el retrasa del proyecto Arjun, y la decisión de Pakistán de comprar el T-80 a Ucrania, a incitó a la India a pedir 310 T-90, una versión mejorada del T-72, en el 2001. De éstos, 186 fueron construidos en la fábrica de vehículos pesados en Avadi en tamil Nadu. Un acuerdo también fue firmado para la producción bajo licencia de otros 1.000 tanques T-90. Con el desarrollo del Arjun retrasado aún más, la India firmó el año pasado un contrato con Rusia por la compra de otros 330 tanques T-90.

[Antonio Quintanilla]

Holanda vende 18 de sus 57 Pzh 2000. Han sido ofrecidos en primera instancia a Australia, que ha rechazado la oferta. Si hubiese dinero (que no lo habrá), sería un buen momento para iniciar la sustitución de nuestros M109 a un buen precio, con piezas que son completamente nuevas.

Australia turns down surplus Dutch PzH2000 howitzers

Julian Kerr JDW Correspondent
Sydney
The Australian Defence Force ( ADF) has declined a Dutch offer of 18 Kraus-Maffei Wegmann PzH2000 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) to meet a major part of the ADF’s Land 17 artillery replacement programme.

The Royal Netherlands Army has declared 18 of the 57 PzH2000s it has on order as surplus to requirements. The guns, offered to Australia at what is understood to be an advantageous price, have yet to be built.

Brigadier Stephen Dunn, Director-General Land Development, told an industry briefing that a compelling case for purchasing the PzH2000s had not been established. This was largely due to the absence of accurate in-service support costs.

An open Request for Tender (RfT) for no less than 18 52-cal 155 mm protected SPHs to replace the ADF’s 36 M198 towed howitzers will be released no later than the last quarter of 2007, said Brig Dunn. Contenders include the PzH2000, the Samsun Techwin K9 Thunderer, Denel’s G6-52 and the Bofors FH-77-BW Archer.

Raytheon’s Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) has now been mandated as the required digital Battlefield Management System – Fires (BMS-F) for Land 17. It will be procured by the government via the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.

The Land 17 requirement for up to four batteries (35 platforms) of lightweight towed 155 mm howitzers has specified a maximum gun weight of 5,040 kg to allow transportation by a ballistically protected Boeing CH-47 heavy-lift helicopter. This is understood to leave the BAE Systems M777A2 ultra lightweight howitzer, weighing 3,745 kg, as the only contender. The M777A2 features hardware and software upgrades enabling it to fire the XM922 Excalibur extended-range precision unitary munition.

In a related development, Australia has requested the purchase of an unknown quantity of Excalibur projectiles from the US for its existing M198 155 mm towed howitzers. The breeches on at least 18 M198s are being modified to enable them to fire the Excalibur rounds. This is understood to be a precaution against the possible deployment of M198s to support Australian troops in Afghanistan should the current artillery support provided by Dutch-manned PzH2000s be withdrawn.


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© 2007 Jane's Information Group

[ICBM44]

Con fecha del 27 de Agosto proximo pasado, se conocio un faxsimil de la DSCA, o Defense Security Cooperation Agency del DoD de EE.UU en el cual formalmente se comunica al Congreso de la posibilidad de vender a Egipto via FMS, unos 125 kits para fabricar los tanques M1A1 Abrams, mas servicios y equipos por un valor aproximado a los 847 millones de U$S.

Dentro de este monto se encuentran los siguientes equipos:

*camara termal independiete para el comandante
*Blindaje adicional
*125 M256
*125 M2 calibre50
*250 M204 7.62mm
* partes de recambio
* Equipos asociados
*Logistica

Esto aumentara la flota de tanques de Egipto, que desde 1988 coprodujo el M1 llegando a tener 880 de estos tanques, cifra que se ira a 1005, con esta nueva produccion. El contratista principal es General Dynamics of Sterling Heights, de Michigan y la nota de color de esto es que no hay por lo menos en los acuerdos, ningun tipo de contraprestacion industrial.

[ICBM44]

EL EJERCITO DE LA INDIA HA RECIBIDO 181 TANQUES T-90


La fábrica de vehículos pesados de la India ha provisto hasta ahora 181 tanques T-90 al ejército. Actualmente no se ha observado ningún problema técnico. El problema que presentaban de estallar el cañón fue notado anteriormente en el tanque T-72. El mismo problema ocurrió en los T-72 de origen ruso así como de origen indio. Esto fue analizado en consulta con los expertos rusos y la solución fue llevar a cabo una modificación de la composición del material. En 2001, la India compró 310 tanques de T-90 de Rusia, de la cual 120 fueron entregados completos, 90 en semi-ensamblados y 100 en ensamblado bajo kits en la India. Los T-90 fueron fabricados por Uralvagonzavod y los motores reforzados 1.000 HP fueron entregados por la planta de tractores de Chelyabinsk. El T-90 fue seleccionado por ser un desarrollo directo del T-72 que la India emplea ya, simplificando de esta manera el entrenamiento y el mantenimiento. La India compró el T-90 por la falta de producción del tanque batalla principal Arjun desarrollado en el país y para contrarrestar el despliegue paquistaní del T-80UD/T-84 ucraniano entre 1995 y 97. También por la fabricación prevista del tanque MBT-Al Khalid, desarrollado en conjunto por Pakistán/China/Ucrania. El contrato entre la India y Rusia, estimado en 750 millones, también incluyó la transferencia completa de los sistemas tecnológicos T-90 y del arma. Con la ayuda rusa y francesa, la India desarrolló una versión mejorada de T-90, conocida como el Bhishma. Sin embargo, la India ha divulgado que los problemas se han presentado con los visores termales diseñados en Francia usadas en el T-90 debido al intenso calor del desierto. El gobierno indio concedió Ordnance Factory Board un contrato valuado en 2.5 mil millones de dólares para la fabricación de 1.000 tanques T-90 Bhishma para el ejército. El 26 de octubre de 2006, la India firmó otro contrato con Rusia valuado en 800 millones de dólares por 330 tanques T-90.