Bringing out the big guns - US Army speeds up modernisation - Shephard Media
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VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 FEB/MAR 2018 A SHEPHARD MEDIA PUBLICATION
Bringing
out the big guns
US Army speeds up modernisation
IN THE CROSSHAIRS FRIEND OR FOE? BULLET PROOF
Sniper rifles PLA modernisation Soldier protection
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CONTENTS
Editor 3 EDITORIAL COMMENT FEATURE
Grant Turnbull grant.t@shephardmedia.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2583 Learning from experience 24 SHAKING THINGS UP
Asia-Pacific Editor Under President Xi Jinping, China is making
Gordon Arthur gordon.a@shephardmedia.com
4 NEWS significant alterations to the operation of the
North America Editor • US continues Iraqi Abrams support, People’s Liberation Army, and while its
Ashley Roque ashley.r@shephardmedia.com
despite Iranian militia use participation in UN peacekeeping missions
Staff Reporter
Alice Budge • US Army funds HK417 as squad appears laudable, more discomfiting
Contributors marksman rifle motivations are beginning to appear. E
Gerrard Cowan, Erwan de Cherisey, • Ukraine tests upgraded S-125M SAM
Peter Donaldson, Scott R Gourley,
Krassimir Grozev, Helmoed Römer Heitman, • France accelerates SCORPION FEATURE
David C Isby, Ian Kemp, Neelam Mathews, modernisation programme 31 SEEING THE LIGHT
Stephen Miller, Alexander Mladenov,
Andrew White •US Army weighs next-gen combat Light artillery systems have recently fallen out
Production and Circulation Manager vehicle acceleration of favour against more powerful equivalents,
David Hurst
• Analysis: what happened to Russia’s new and while fewer than half of NATO countries
Production Editor armoured vehicles? still utilise them, those that do value light guns
Elaine Effard
as a highly mobile capability for airborne,
Sub-editor
Georgina Smith FEATURE amphibious and rapid reaction forces.
Digital Development Manager 8 PRECISION DECISIONS
Adam Wakeling Today’s sniper rifle bazaar boasts a plentiful FEATURE
Graphic Designer selection of products, from bolt-action to semi- 36 SAFEGUARDING SOLDIERS
Kam Bains
automatic examples. A high level of modularity Protection systems for dismounted soldiers
Commercial Manager
Peter Rawlins peter.r@shephardmedia.com
is now common, and this alongside other are continuously evolving in response to
Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2590 advances, promises to maintain the sniper’s environmental factors and the changing nature
Junior Sales Executive feared accuracy and lethality. of threats on the modern battlefield. Industry
Mark Knops mark.k@shephardmedia.com
is currently focusing on weight issues and
Head of Advertising Sales FEATURE new materials, with the aim of optimising
Kevin Bethell kevin.b@shephardmedia.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 3179 2587 14 ON WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW the effectiveness and reducing the burden of
VP Business Development Following several unsuccessful attempts to such equipment.
Mike Wild introduce next-generation combat vehicles to its
Editor-in-Chief fleet, the US Army is finally moving forward with PARTING SHOT
Richard Thomas
comprehensive upgrades for its legacy vehicles 40 ACTIVE DUTY
VP Content
Tony Skinner and acquiring new platforms. Military leaders Active protection systems are becoming
CEO
are hoping that this will be enough to meet increasingly important to combat intensifying
Darren Lake emerging threats. threats from antitank missiles. Ronald Meixner,
Chairman pre-sales engineer at ADS, part of Rheinmetall
Nick Prest
FEATURE Group, spoke to Shephard about the
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Web: shop.shephardmedia.com of existing AFVs is a critical element of
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are the copyright of The Shephard Press Ltd expensive to replace, are also being upgraded lethality of deployed Stryker brigade combat teams.
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VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL 1
LWI-01-18_p01_Contents.indd 1 3/5/2018 5:35:17 PM
th
THE
, 2018
, 2018
www.sofexjordan.com
LWI-01-18_p02_Sofex.indd 2 3/5/2018 4:08:12 PM
COMMENT
In the next issue
• Light tactical vehicles
Grant Turnbull, Editor • Asian land procurement
• Night vision part 1
Learning from experience • Vehicle survivability
In the last issue of LWI, I stressed the and Iranian-supplied antitank weapons still dispense a countermeasure and tell the
importance of training and equipping in circulation. crew where the enemy position is is vital
western forces to prepare for urban combat – During the Syrian conflict, propaganda for today’s vehicle crews.
using recent operations in Syria and Iraq to videos of missiles bobbing and weaving After years of indecision, the US Army is
illustrate my point. For this edition, the first through the sky towards a distant vehicle finally moving forward with fielding the
of 2018, I once again return to the Syrian have been extremely common. Israeli-developed Trophy APS for at least
conflict as an example of where we can It is no surprise then that the Turkish one armoured brigade’s worth of M1A2
learn lessons for future warfare. Army has recently bolstered its vehicle fleet Abrams MBTs. Plans are also afoot to equip
On 20 January, Turkey entered northern in Syria with upgraded M60T Firat tanks, both Bradley and Stryker with APS, though
Syria to begin Operation Olive Branch, an which are equipped with new antitank the US continues to play catch-up when it
attempt to secure its borders and purge the missile protection systems. On 13 February, comes to soft-kill and hard-kill APS
Afrin region of Kurdish militants belonging and for several days after, photos and compared with other countries including
to the YPG. This was Turkey’s second cross- videos appeared online showing the China, Israel and Russia.
border operation into the region following platforms arriving in Turkey’s Hatay Although one of its primary functions,
Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016-17. province, close to the Syrian border. the benefit of these systems is not just
For Olive Branch, the Turkish Army The tanks feature a new laser warning defeating ATGMs. The sensors that form
committed a mix of heavy armoured vehicles system from indigenous company Aselsan. part of these protection systems – whether
including Leopard 2A4 and M60 MBTs, Considering the army’s past experience in radar- or EO/IR-based – can provide wider
alongside M113 troop carriers and ACV-15s Syria, it is surprising that more vehicles situational awareness for crews, and that
in both APC and IFV variants. Wheeled haven’t received such upgrades. information can then be shared across the
vehicles were also utilised, including Cobra That could soon change, with some battlespace as part of networked
light armoured platforms and Kirpi MRAPs. reports even suggesting that Turkey will operations.
Videos posted on social media suggest field a Ukrainian-developed active New vehicle programmes – especially
the service has once again had to contend protection system (APS) as part of its plans. those to procure key AFV platforms –
with the threat of ATGMs, with several will likely incorporate these features as
casualties being attributed to such strikes Smarter solutions standard, but, as Turkey has decided to do
on vehicles. Independent monitoring groups Turkey’s experience in Syria, as well as with the M60T, more and more countries
and official government sources have other examples, including Ukraine’s fight should look to incorporate missile protection
suggested Turkish casualties amount to against separatists in the country’s east, is sensors and intelligent countermeasures
around 40, the circumstances surrounding a clear sign that vehicles deploying to war for their legacy fleet of vehicles.
which is not clear. zones today – particularly those on the The challenge will be cost and potentially
During the 2016 Euphrates Shield, it is front line – require not just physical armour, the need for deeper architectural
believed that Turkish Land Forces lost but also must have some kind of electronic modifications, as well as determining how
around ten Leopard 2 tanks and at least protection linked in with either an intelligent many and what class of vehicles warrant
one M60 – several to ATGMs and others to soft-kill or hard-kill countermeasure system the added protection. However, if no
IEDs. ATGMs remain one of the most to protect against threats. protection is added at all, the result could
dangerous threats in the country for ground A system that is able to detect being be catastrophic for deployed land forces
forces, with vast numbers of Russian-, US- targeted by an ATGM, automatically and their fielded armoured vehicles. ▪
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NEWS
US continues Iraqi Abrams efforts to push the group out of Iraq. In these
operations alongside the ISF, the militia has
support, despite Iranian militia use acquired of a range of US-origin equipment,
including tanks, some even recovered from
ISIS during fighting.
maintain the Iraq Security Forces’ (ISF) ‘PMF units had obtained as many as nine M1
Photo: US DoD
fleet of 140 Abrams, but acknowledged Abrams tanks,’ according to a report released
the influence of Iran and the possible on 2 February by the lead inspector general for
illegal activities of PMF units. Operation Inherent Resolve.
‘The Abrams maintenance programme By Alice Budge, London
for the ISF is still currently active and
there is no plan to discontinue this
programme in the near future,’ the Ukraine tests
US support for Iraq’s fleet of M1 Abrams
tanks is continuing despite government
official said in a written statement.
‘We understand, however, that some of upgraded
S-125M SAM
acknowledgement from the former that the the PMF are especially close to Iran,
vehicles have been deployed and used by responsive to Iran’s directives and have a
an Iranian-backed militia. history of criminal activity and terrorism.’
Recent reports in Iraqi media outlets US-based General Dynamics Land Ukraine’s Luch state design bureau has
suggested that the US had suspended its Systems, which manufactures and successfully tested an extended-range
maintenance support for the tanks at the maintains the tanks, declined to S-125M Pechora (NATO designation SA-3
end of 2017 after some were found in the comment. It stated that it is the US Goa) surface-to-air system, which utilises a
hands of a militia known as the Popular government that controls decisions modernised missile.
Mobilisation Forces (PMF). relating to support of the programme. According to information released by
A State Department official confirmed to Since the emergence of ISIS in 2014, the Kiev-based company, the upgraded
Shephard that the US is continuing to help the PMF has been at the forefront of 5V27D-M2 missile uses an active radar
seeker as well as new rocket fuel.
The development was undertaken in
US Army funds HK417 cooperation with another Ukrainian
company, Radionics, which supplies the new
as squad marksman rifle
radar seeker.
During the initial phase of flight, the
upgraded missile follows a ballistic trajectory,
The US Army has announced funding for role will effectively be an acquisition of without receiving guidance cues, in order to
the acquisition of over 5,000 rifles as part the H&K HK417 (known in German extend range.
of its Squad Designated Marksman Rifle Army service as the G28) that was The new combined guidance method –
(SDMR) programme, which will utilise the selected for the CSASS programme, using the ballistic trajectory aimed at the
Heckler & Koch (H&K) HK417. where it is designated the M110A1. calculated point for hitting the target, with a
The FY2019 budget revealed the SDMR The company was awarded a $44.5 subsequent lock-on of the target while
as a new-start programme for the next million contract in 2016 for the in flight by the jam-resistant active radar
fiscal year, with $46.2 million currently manufacture of 3,463 rifles for the seeker – enables the upgraded S-125M to
assigned. This funding will support the CSASS programme. destroy air targets at up to 40km range
procurement and fielding of 5,180 7.62mm A spokesperson for the US Army’s compared to 25km for the non-upgraded
off-the-shelf rifles, according to Program Executive Office Soldier system dating from the 1970s.
documentation. confirmed to Shephard that the SDMR The maximum altitude is now
Unit cost will be close to $9,000 a will be a CSASS-derived weapon that 82,000ft compared to 59,000ft for
rifle accounting for the hardware itself, has a different optic and is optimised to the non-upgraded system.
programme management, training and fire the Advanced Armor Piercing The maximum range of the active radar
logistics support. Round, or ADVAP. seeker against fighter-size targets is
The new-start programme could be The developmental ADVAP is advertised to be 15-20km; according to
overlooked as it is filed as a Compact Semi- currently designated the XM1158 and Luch, it enables more accurate guidance and
Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) line item, has also seen initial FY2019 funding to is deemed effective against manoeuvring
not as the SDMR. the tune of $25 million for over a targets. The system can engage up to four
However, this reflects that the acquisition million rounds ($15 dollars per round). targets simultaneously with a total of eight
of a new 7.62x51mm rifle for the SDMR By Grant Turnbull, London missiles – two launched on each target.
By Alex Mladenov, Sofia
4 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM
LWI-01-18_p03-06_News.indd 4 3/5/2018 5:39:50 PM
NEWS
France accelerates Scorpion Photo: Nexter
modernisation programme
Deliveries of the French Army’s new with new battle management equipment,
armoured vehicles, being procured under known as the Scorpion Combat Information
its ambitious Scorpion modernisation System, developed by Atos.
programme, will be accelerated by the The army is also modernising a total of
government under new defence plans. 200 Leclerc MBTs, with 122 refurbished
According to the Military Programmes units scheduled to be completed by 2025.
Law released on 8 February, half of the The acceleration of the programme was ‘With this contract Nexter is reinforcing
French Army’s VBMR Griffon, EBCR Jaguar followed by the announcement that Nexter its presence within the Scorpion
and as yet unnamed ‘VBMR Light’ will now had been selected by the DGA procurement programme and strengthening its position
be delivered by 2025. agency for the design, production and as the reference player in the field of land
The document suggests that the army support of the VBMR Light. armament,’ Stéphane Mayer, CEO at the
will take on an additional 156 Griffons and Announced on 12 February, the 4x4 company, said in a statement.
40 Jaguars by 2025. A total of 936 VBMR vehicles will be deployed with the army’s Fears that the programme could be hit
Griffons, 150 Jaguars and 489 VBMR Light intelligence and reconnaissance units, and by further defence spending cuts have
vehicles will be received by French units will be produced in a number of variants been allayed by the bill, which reverses a
over the next eight years. including troop transport, command post, decade of diminishing budgets.
The platforms, which are part of the artillery fire control engineering, ambulance President Macron approved spending of
army’s Scorpion project, will be equipped and ISTAR. almost €300 billion ($364 billion) for the
French armed forces by 2025, which will
US Army weighs Next-Gen
increase the country’s defence spending to
the NATO spending target of 2% of GDP.
However, only €198 billion of the funds will
Combat Vehicle acceleration be available before 2023.
If funding remains in place, Phase 2 of
prototype phase next year, Army the Scorpion programme will begin in the
Photo: US DoD
Undersecretary, Ryan McCarthy, said the next decade and will expand its focus to
service is evaluating ways to speed up this incorporate land and air robotics.
phase and get the tank into the field quicker. This phase is also expected to involve
‘One of the challenges you’ll have to look the amalgamation of the currently separate
at with [NGCV], is if you introduce manned- FELIN soldier modernisation programme
unmanned teaming,’ he told reporters during with Scorpion to create the ‘Scorpion
a 13 February round table. ‘That’s what Infantryman’ and develop the French Army’s
we’re going to make the determination on.’ fledgling ‘collaborative combat’ doctrine.
The Pentagon’s FY2019 budget might still As part of its stepping up of a new The DGA first awarded the contract for
be hot off the press but the US Army is Futures Command this summer, the army the production and delivery of 319 Griffon
under pressure to determine if it can has established so-called cross-functional and 20 Jaguar 6x6 armoured vehicles to
accelerate its Next-Generation Combat teams (CFTs) that will concentrate on key a temporary consortium consisting of
Vehicle (NGCV) to ensure adequate dollars modernisation areas, including NGCV. Nexter, Renault Trucks Defense and
make it into the FY2020 request. McCarthy explained that the NGCV CFT Thales in April 2017.
When the army delivered its FY2019 leader’s examination goes beyond materiel The first Griffon vehicles, which are
budget request to Congress on 12 February, considerations and ‘just bending iron’. currently undergoing industrial and DGA
it included various NGCV development line Manned-unmanned teaming would, for testing, are on track to be delivered in late
items like $119.3 million (£86 million) for a example, impact the CONOPS as well as 2018, followed by initial Jaguar deliveries in
prototyping phase. impact training and doctrine. 2020. In total the government is expected
Another line asks for $6 million so that ‘How would the concept change?’ the Army to acquire 1,722 Griffon VBMRs and 248
engineers can conduct ‘autonomous and semi- Undersecretary posed. ‘So the experimental EBCR Jaguars.
autonomous mobility, countermobility and test regime would be as much about whether By Alice Budge, London
construction missions’ for the future tank’s or not you had the appropriate horsepower
manoeuvre robotics and autonomous systems. and the transmission [and] is the weapon For more news, visit
Although tentative plans are in place for going to hit targets?’ he added. www.landwarfareintl.com
the service to move forward with the NGCV By Ashley Roque, Washington, DC
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NEWS ANALYSIS
What happened to Russia’s
new armoured vehicles?
He pointed out that the Armata, two battalions of T-14s and one of T-15s,
Photo: Vitaly Kuzmin/Wikimedia Commons
Kurganets-25 and Bumerang have new possibly the test platforms.
systems, armaments and structures, and do
not rely on off-the shelf technology solutions. Uncertainty reigns
This, in turn, has caused difficulties and In mid-January, TASS also reported that the
delays during the developmental phase T-14’s full-scale production is set to begin
because it has also required exhaustive after 2020, which tends to indicate that it
testing at system and sub-system level, in would not start before the conclusion of field
addition to the end-production testing effort. testing efforts. There is no information yet on
At the same time, as Frolov noted, the any specific problems encountered during the
Almost three years after the high-profile financial situation of the companies T-14’s testing.
public debut of Russia’s new armoured dealing with the development of these new- There is even more uncertainty surrounding
platforms – the Armata, the Kurganets-25 generation armour platforms is varied. the T-15 IFV, with elements such as the turret
and Bumerang families – their large-scale Some of the companies are experiencing configuration still unknown.
procurement for the Russian military still financial difficulties or have suffered from It has been demonstrated so far only with
appears to be a distant prospect. poor management, which has only served to the Bumerang-BM turret armed with a 30mm
In May 2015, when the new armoured compound issues. cannon and ATGMs, but it had been expected
vehicles became the stars of Russia’s Red Furthermore, the initial technical that the production-standard vehicles would
Square Victory Day parade in Moscow, they specifications from the Russian MoD were feature a more powerful armament.
were touted as almost complete products, very stringent and subsequently had to The Kurganets-25 medium-class tracked
ready to be launched into production. At the undergo several amendments that caused platform, developed by Traktornye Zavody,
time, observers noted that these vehicles an adverse effect on programme schedules. appears to have the most criticism levelled
would give Russia a significant The Armata heavy tracked platform, against it among all the new generation
technological edge over NATO forces. developed by UralVagonZavod, is the platforms in development.
However, this now appears to have been flagship of the Russian armour It was used as the basis for the B-11 IFV
presumptuous. The vehicles have suffered recapitalisation effort. It covers a family of and B-10 APC, both criticised by Russian
from funding problems, technical issues three combat vehicles using a common military officers during 2015 for their
and conceptual changes that have caused tracked platform – the T-14 MBT, T-15 significant size, much larger than today’s
serious delays to the development effort, heavyweight IFV and the T-16 armoured BMP-2 and BMP-3 used by the Russian
the follow-on launch into production and recovery vehicle. Land Forces. A redesigned platform was
fielding into regular service. The T-14 has been described as a expected to begin testing in 2017, but
revolutionary combat vehicle with unmanned there is little evidence that this test effort
A new focus turret and crew accommodated in an has started.
According to Andrey Frolov of the Moscow- armoured capsule in the hull for better In the spring of 2017, Russia’s Deputy
based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and protection. The tank has new sophisticated Minister of Defence responsible for
Technologies, the previous State Armament active and passive protection systems and is procurement, Yury Borisov, said that
Programme in Russia (2015-20) prioritised equipped for network-centric operations. Kurganets-25 production had been
air force and navy modernisation, while land Officially, the T-14’s development effort postponed until 2021.
forces renewal had secondary importance. is proceeding forward on schedule, and In August that year, the project’s
This changed with the new State this has been claimed by the Russian Land reputation suffered a serious blow when
Armament Programme, covering the period Forces commander-in-chief, Col Gen Oleg one of the retired designers of the
until 2025, which called for massive Salykov, in November 2017. successful BMP-1/2/3 IFV family, Danil
investments in purchasing new-generation He also reconfirmed previously released Ralin, claimed, in front of Russian media
armour equipment for both land forces and information that an experimental batch of outlets, that the Kurganets-25 was a flawed
airborne troops. However, as Frolov hinted to 100 vehicles is set to be delivered for field project and should be abandoned.
Shephard, the development funding so far testing, with that effort slated for Meanwhile, little is known about the
allocated by the Russian MoD for new completion by 2020. Russia’s TASS news development and testing of the Bumerang
programmes has proved insufficient for a agency reported in February 2018 that wheeled 8x8 platform developed by VPK.
normal development tempo. Russian officials had confirmed an order for By Alex Mladenov, Krassimir Grozev, Sofia
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WEAPON TECH
Snipers today can choose from a variety of rifles, with
semi-automatic examples such as the FN SCAR-H
offering rapid follow-up shots and quicker engagement of
multiple targets. (Photo: FN Herstal)
PRECISION
Today’s sniper rifle bazaar
boasts a plentiful selection of
products, from bolt-action to
semi-automatic examples. A
DECISIONS wading bird species has lent its name to the powder and telescopic sights, a
high level of modularity is now most highly skilled and extensively trained combination that defined the sniper rifle
common and this, alongside shooters in the world: snipers. through the wars of the 20th century and
Soldiers practised in targeting individuals which is still common today.
other advances, promises to with firearms at extended ranges and from Throughout, sniper rifles were either the
maintain the sniper’s feared concealed positions can be traced back to standard infantry rifles of the day, with a
the earliest use of rifled long guns. The term scope added – perhaps carefully
accuracy and lethality.
‘sniper’ emerged in the 1820s, and the fitting assembled and accurised examples – or
By Peter Donaldson of telescopic sights that enabled exploitation were derived from civilian weapons; the US
of weapon accuracy at long range began in Army’s M24, for example, is based on the
I
t is doubtful whether they would the Crimean War of 1853-56. Remington 700 hunting rifle.
appreciate the compliment, but because The Second Boer War of 1899-1902 Weapons designed from a scratch for
of their elusiveness – thanks to excellent saw the first major combat use of sniping were first fielded in significant
camouflage and evasive flight patterns – a magazine-fed bolt-action rifles, smokeless numbers surprisingly recently, the Soviet
8 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM
LWI-01-18_p08-13_Sniper.indd 8 3/5/2018 4:34:27 PMWEAPON TECH
Union being an early adopter, with the semi- possible and may be looking to engage a specified distances and an equivalent
automatic Dragunov SVD entering service in target at distances up to 3km. The majority minute of arc (MoA) figure calculated over
1963. Despite its bespoke origins, however, of law enforcement weapons engagements multiple sets of shots. The AMR is the
the SVD would now be considered more of a occurs at much lower ranges of up to calculated average distance of all the
designated marksman rifle (DMR) or sniper 100m,’ said Craig Taylor, marketing impacts from the centre of the group of
support rifle (SSR), more of which later. communication manager with UK sight impacts. The MoA figure is the angle
manufacturer Qioptiq. subtended by the AMR. The required AMR
Specialised tools He cited several key reasons for this, for the M24 at 183m is 3.3cm, at 274m it is
Today, there are many dedicated sniper including different rules of engagement 4.83cm and at 200m it is 3.56cm, while
rifles on offer, both bolt-action designs and that, for example, require police snipers to the required MoA is 1.086.
semi-automatics. They are: chambered for identify themselves to the target and the Maintaining accuracy over time and
a growing range of rounds; constructed need to identify an individual, along with as the number of shots fired builds up
from advanced aerospace-grade alloys, having to operate in confined, congested demands a firm, rigid fit between the major
plastics and composites; and offer well- and potentially contested urban areas. components of the rifle, particularly
thought-out ergonomics and previously between the barrel, action, stock and sight
undreamed-of levels of adjustability to fit Pursuit of accuracy to prevent them from creeping and
individual shooters. Most obvious among sniper rifle attributes loosening under recoil.
Furthermore, instead of the traditional is consistent accuracy, which means the Bedding a barrelled action into a stock
combination of barrel, action and stock, ability to place every shot on or sufficiently was, and remains, one of the key skills of
many are based on a chassis to which close to the point of aim, when fired by a craft gunsmiths, but it does not lend
modules such as stocks, barrels, actions, trained sniper. This starts with the accuracy itself very well to mass production
trigger groups and accessory rails can be required of the basic rifle with specified techniques. Innovators such as the UK’s
attached. Improvements such as increased ammunition, which can be either dedicated Accuracy International changed all this
modularity, the facility to change calibres in sniper fodder or ‘match-grade’ competition with the invention of the chassis rifle,
the field and the ability to fit an expanding rounds, fired on a test range from an which typically consists of a steel-
range of optics and other accessories make approved machine rest. barrelled action machined to fit into
the sniper rifle an advantageous weapon. For example, the US Army specifies both an aluminium alloy frame, often with
The sniper scope, always a precision average mean radius (AMR) figures at composite furniture.
instrument, is now commonly used in
combination with laser rangefinders and
handheld computers running software that An example of McMillan Firearms’
makes ballistic calculations for particular Alias CS5-Q rifle, with match-grade
barrel threaded for suppressor,
rifle and ammunition combinations.
along with muzzle brake.
The latest report on the sector from (Photo: McMillan Firearms)
Mordor Intelligence, ‘Sniper Rifle Market –
Opportunities, Trends and Challenges’,
which covers the 2018-2023 period,
indicates that the US market may be
saturated, while other countries, including
Russia, are manufacturing the weapons in
large numbers, which is thought likely to
balance sales. China, India and the Middle
East are expected to drive the sector over
the next few years.
Russia is reportedly planning to deploy
more than 1,000 snipers with motorised
rifle and tank brigades, while other countries
are looking to replace older weapons and
issue them in significant quantities for
the first time, both with military units and
law-enforcement organisations.
The major operational difference
between the military and law enforcement
markets is the required range. ‘A military
sniper will look to place as much range
between themselves and the target as
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The US Army has trialled technologies such as the Ballistically
Optimized Sniper Scope, which uses an integrated suite
of sensors, including a laser rangefinder, an
inclinometer, environmental sensors and
a ballistic calculator. (Photo: US Army)
Some manufacturers are beginning barrel’s resonance characteristics between the late 19th century. They are simple,
to go further in their use of composite shots, with the same result. Some rifles robust, reliable and efficient, if a little slow
materials. For example, US company with this design have an exposed barrel, to operate. Semi-automatic weapons
CheyTac has re-engineered its while others feature a hand guard that goes provide more rapid follow-up shots and
.408in/.375in calibre M300 Intervention around it, without touching, to which quicker engagement of multiple targets,
with a carbon-fibre chassis to produce a accessories can be attached. and have been in use since the Second
rifle with an effective range of more than Naturally, the trigger is also a critical World War in the form of standard service
2,280m and a weight of 9.53kg. element in accuracy terms and is rifles with scopes, with examples including
Accuracy International’s AT308, a engineered always to release at the same the Russian Tokarev SVT-40, US M1-C/D
development of the original L96A1 and the pressure after the same travel. Pull weights Garand and the German Walther G-43.
later AW308, has a flat-bottomed steel are usually adjustable, and two-stage While semi-automatics were once
action that is bolted and bonded to the triggers are common. The first allows the considered less accurate, modern
full-length aluminium chassis for rigidity. shooter to adjust the force required to manufacturing techniques mean that there
To cope with the shock of firing the personal preference, while the second is little significant difference between them
12.7x99mm (.50 BMG) ammunition, the allows the marksman to take up the slack and bolt-action rifles today. However, semi-
larger AT50’s action features a full-width and then apply a little more pressure to autos eject spent cases as part of the cycle,
recoil lug to prevent relative movement release the shot. This avoids the use of a and this can give away the sniper’s position,
between the action and the chassis. safe, but accuracy-spoiling heavy trigger or particularly if the sun glints off them. They
At the same time as preventing unwanted a potentially dangerous ‘hair’ trigger. can throw the cases some distance, making
movement, the design has to allow for rapid Snipers also need rifles that fit them, it more difficult for snipers to remove
barrel changes in the field. In the AT308, so the latest examples are often highly evidence of their presence if necessary.
again the barrel screws into the action with adjustable with different pistol grip back Most modern semi-automatic sniper rifles
a 27mm diameter thread and is locked into straps, butts that can be extended to suit are based on service assault rifles, with a
place with a 4mm Allen screw. different lengths of arm, butt pads that few exceptions such as the Barrett M82.
Another feature that is increasingly can be fixed at different angles, adjustable Most chamber more powerful rounds such
common in very accurate rifles is the free- cheek pieces and even butt spikes that as the 7.62mm NATO, some are deployed as
floating barrel, which makes contact with work with a bipod to provide a third point DMRs or SSRs – although that has more to
the action only, rather than being supported of support. do with the role than the technology – and
by the fore end of the stock. In rifles with some have design details that emphasise
wooden stocks, expansion, contraction or Semi-automatics the dedicated sniper role, such as longer
warping of the wood can affect the position The archetypal sniper rifle has a manually barrels and larger optics.
of the barrel enough to reduce accuracy, operated bolt action, no different in While snipers operate alone or in
and contact with the stock can change the principle from the originals that appeared in shooter/spotter teams from static locations,
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designated marksmen are typically is fluted to ease extraction when firing less armour at long ranges and the additional
an integral part of infantry squads and powerful subsonic ammunition through the potential for use as anti-materiel rounds.
provide them with precise, long-range fire standard OSS baffle-less suppressor. The These include the Finnish .338 Lapua
support, using rifles that can also provide controls are ambidextrous and the trigger Magnum (case dimensions 8.6x70mm),
close-range defence. has been improved. which, until recently held the world record
The US Army’s new Compact Semi- Weighing 3.9kg unloaded and without for the longest range confirmed kill in
Automatic Sniper Rifle is in this mould, optics or accessories, the rifle crept under combat when British Army sniper Craig
being a sniper-optimised derivative of the the 4.1kg limit in the requirement and is Harrison killed two Taliban machine
Heckler & Koch (H&K) G28 used by the substantially lighter than its predecessor. gunners near Musa Qala in Afghanistan’s
German Army in the DMR role. Known as The optic is a 3-20x50 PMII Ultra Short Helmand Province in November 2009 at a
the M110A1, it is lighter and more compact scope from Schmidt & Bender. range of 2,475m with an Accuracy
than the incumbent Knight’s Armament International L115A3. It took nine shots to
M110 SASS that it is due to replace Increasing range find the range, after which Harrison killed
following a competition that H&K won in Sniper rifles are available in a broader the two machine gunners with successive
April 2016 for a maximum of 3,643 rifles range of calibres than is typically available shots. The bullets used were LockBase
worth up to $44.5 million. for assault rifles. The emphasis is on B408s.
As a G28 derivative, it uses a short- larger calibres and longer ranges, although His record was beaten in May 2017 by a
stroke gas piston and operating rod 5.56x45mm is used, the 7.62x51mm Canadian sniper from Joint Task Force 2 in
instead of direct gas impingement on the NATO is a very common chambering in Iraq using a McMillan TAC-50 and Hornady
bolt, which means improving reliability of sniper rifles and DMRs/SSRs, and the A-Max .50 ammunition to kill an ISIS
the action and reducing the amount of 12.7x99mm round practically defines the member 3,540m away. The sniper, whose
cleaning required. upper end of the precision rifle market. identity has not been published, took the
The 16in barrel is made using H&K’s However, weapons chambered for shot from an elevated position.
patented cold hammer forging process and intermediate rounds are increasingly The .338 Lapua Magnum penetrates body
has a chrome-lined bore, while the chamber popular, offering penetration of body armour at ranges up to 1,000m and has a
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An increasing number of rifles, including the Accuracy International
AXMC, are being offered in calibres such as .338 Lapua Magnum
or the Swedish .338 Norma Magnum, which offer increased
performance. (Photo: Accuracy International)
quoted maximum effective range of about Armament Company is also available as a adjustments or the use of alternative
1,750m, although Harrison’s shot proves its match-grade round, offering performance aiming marks for hold overs, depending on
effectiveness significantly beyond this. between that of the 5.56 and 7.62mm doctrine and training.
Most sniper rifle manufacturers now NATO rounds and comparable or superior The need to switch from day to night optics
chamber rifles for the .338 Lapua Magnum, to that of the 7.62x39mm Russian round. without affecting the weapon’s zero has
although it faces competition from the It can be fired from 5.56mm AR pattern created a market for clip-on night sights that
directly comparable Swedish .338 Norma rifles with appropriate barrels, feeds from attach to the rail in front of the day sight. Such
Magnum, the venerable .300 Winchester standard AR magazines and can be devices are now available with a choice of
Magnum and the .375 and .408 in rounds loaded to subsonic velocities to suit core sensors. These include: image
from CheyTac. Some manufacturers offer suppressed weapons. intensifiers, which provide excellent image
rifles that can fire two or more of these Even the best rifle will not be able to quality for target identification; IR that is very
rounds thanks to interchangeable parts achieve its accuracy potential without strong in target detection and is continuously
such as barrels, bolts and magazines. the best ammunition, hence the use of improving in image quality; digital CMOS
competition-standard – match-grade – sensors that are beginning to rival image
Calibre interchangeability rounds. The emphasis here is on quality intensifiers at night and work well through
Remington’s Modular Sniper Rifle, for control in manufacture to ensure dawn/dusk transitions and during the day;
example, is a modern chassis rifle offered in consistency, mass distribution and shape of and non-thermal shortwave IR (SWIR), which
the .338 Lapua, .338 Norma and .300 bullets, and both the internal and external is particularly good at penetrating obscurants
Winchester magnum rounds, and the .308 dimensions of the cartridge case. such as fog, smoke and dust, and providing a
Winchester (7.62x51mm NATO) cartridge, Powder charges have to be as similar as natural-looking black and white image.
adapting to each with a change of barrel, bolt possible and primers have to be reliable
face and magazine. The idea is to meet and consistent in their performance. The Refining sensors
medium- and long-range requirements in a goal is to produce muzzle velocities as Rochester Precision Optics (RPO), for
single package. near identical as possible from shot to example, offers the CMOS Night Observation
The .408 CheyTac (10.36x77mm) round shot and bullets that spin smoothly and Device (CNOD) that can be used: as a
was developed for anti-personnel, counter- generate a minimum of drag. Inevitably, standalone device for handheld use; on a
sniper and anti-materiel tasks out to 2,000m match-grade ammunition tends to be more weapon; or as a clip-on night sight ahead of
and beyond as a competitor to .338 rounds expensive than regular small arms fodder, a scope. Being digital, it can also take still
and the .50cal round. Besides CheyTac, other round for round. shots or video for sharing via RS-232 or USB
manufacturers offer sniper rifles in this Given the need to identify and select interfaces. It meets MIL-STD-810G
calibre, including Thor Global Defense with individual targets, and to compensate for environmental standards, says the company,
the M408. range, elevation and wind and, at longer and withstands firing shocks from rifles up to
While Barrett makes rifles in a number of ranges, even spin drift and coriolis effects, .30cal (7.62mm).
calibres, it is best known for its big .50cal the scope is essential sniper equipment, With spectral coverage from 500-
weapons. However, it has also developed its with the additional requirement to operate 1,080nm, the 510g CNOD works by day and
own medium calibre in the form of the .416 by night as well as by day. night and can see visible and IR battlefield
Barrett (10.6x83mm), with a case based on Critical requirements include: light- lasers and 1,060nm (1.06μm) lasers used
that of the .50 BMG. Because of the similarity gathering power; magnification; a in JTAC operations.
in case dimensions, the Model 82A1 semi- minimum of image distortion; and a reticle One current weakness with such CMOS
automatic sniper rifle can be converted that as well as providing a clear aiming devices is their power consumption. RPO
between them with interchangeable upper mark also has aids such as mil dots or quoted a battery life of four hours, although
conversion kits that include barrels. similar graduations that help with range this is somewhat offset by their low cost.
The increasingly popular .300 AAC and windage calculations, and the SWIR is still regarded as something of a
Blackout developed by the Advanced application of compensating click niche night vision capability, but it is
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increasingly common in high-end aircraft smart phones offered by leading which there are two basic approaches. One is
targeting pods and is starting to make its ammunition manufacturers. embodied in DARPA’s Extreme Accuracy
way into sniper optics. Hornady, for example, launched an app Tasked Ordnance programme that
Northern Ireland-based Brolis Photonics, for Apple and Android devices that features demonstrated a laser-homing, fin-steered
for example, offers the S250, which an advanced four-degrees-of-freedom .50cal projectile fired from a smoothbore gun.
withstands recoil shocks from .50cal rifles (4DoF) calculator as well as standard The other, which seems more applicable
and is compatible with day scopes with up to ballistic computation technology in early to existing rifle and ammunition inventories,
8x optical zoom lenses. Based on an indium November. The company says it is based on is exemplified by the US Army’s Ballistically
gallium arsenide sensor and an indium the projectile’s drag rather than its ballistic Optimized Sniper Scope (BOSS) programme.
phosphide laser diode for illumination when coefficient and uses an exact physical This uses an integrated suite of sensors
needed, the product can see battlefield model of the projectile including its mass in the 1.6kg sight, including a laser
lasers and illuminate targets while remaining and aerodynamic properties. rangefinder, an inclinometer, environmental
invisible to other night vision technologies. ‘Current ballistic calculators provide sensors and a ballistic calculator, to
The company says that it enables detection three degrees of freedom in their approach: generate a corrected aim point that the
of human targets at 9.4km and recognition windage, elevation and range, but treat shooter places over the target, before
at 2.9km, with respective figures for the projectile as an inanimate lump flying pulling the trigger.
standard NATO targets at 12.7 and 3.9km. through the air,’ said Dave Emary, Hornady’s According to the US Army, BOSS has
chief ballistician. ‘This program incorporates proved its effectiveness in testing out to
Advancing fire control the projectile’s movement in the standard beyond the effective ranges of current rifle
As an adjunct to their sights, whether day three degrees, but also adds its movement and ammunition combinations, increasing
or night, snipers and their spotter partners about its centre of gravity and subsequent first-round-hit probability progressively and
are now commonly provided with laser angle relative to its line of flight, which is the reducing engagement times by 50%.
rangefinders and ballistic calculators, which fourth degree of freedom.’ Some may regret the loss of human skill
can be standalone devices or any one of The future for sniper rifles seems to lie in that such systems represent, but that is
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WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL 13
LWI-01-18_p08-13_Sniper.indd 13 3/5/2018 4:34:51 PMUS ARMY VEHICLE MODERNISATION
Following several unsuccessful attempts to introduce
next-generation combat vehicles to its fleet, the US Army
is finally moving forward with comprehensive upgrades
for its legacy vehicles and acquiring new platforms.
Military leaders are hoping that this will be enough
to meet emerging threats posed by increasingly
advanced peer adversaries. By Grant Turnbull
The US Army’s new M109A7 will
incorporate a new vehicle hull and
powertrain, but utilises the same
turret and gun. The next phase could
see ‘turret-up’ modifications that
would effectively create a brand
new system. (Photo: BAE Systems)
T
he US Army remains one of the best
equipped in the world, largely as a
result of its massive budget of $170
ON WITH THE OLD,
IN WITH THE NEW
billion per year. Not only can the service
research, develop and field advanced
technologies, but it can do so in quantities
that make other armies green with envy.
This is something that the Pentagon has higher-tech forces for the future. This non-state actors, including the Taliban in
been able to rely on for several decades – progress has largely been driven by the Afghanistan and Al Qaeda across several
retaining capability and equipment prospect of inter-state conflict with an countries.
overmatch against near-peer advanced opposing force. In the Middle East, the latter eventually
or peer adversaries. Unlike the US and NATO armies over the last morphed into ISIS, which the US and its
decade and a half, these countries have not allies have been fighting in both Iraq and
Current climate been embroiled in counter-insurgency conflicts Syria since 2014. Russia joined the fight
However, that is slowly changing, as that have shaped (or even skewed) acquisition, against ISIS in late 2015 on the side of
competitor states – namely Russia and training, tactics and overall strategy. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, which
China – continue to invest in modernisation For the US, the past two decades has turned the tide against the Jihadi group and
and reform their militaries to create leaner, seen the principal threat centre around brought about its collapse.
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Its intervention in Syria, along with its
annexation of Crimea in 2014, has
strengthened the view that Russia is
becoming increasingly aggressive and
interventionist, a posture that involves the
growing use of its military to achieve foreign
policy aims. Russia’s annexation of
Ukrainian territory and its assistance to
separatists in the country’s east – principally
with highly trained personnel and advanced
equipment (including EW assets) – has
western military planners worried.
In a similar vein, China is growing more
assertive in Asia-Pacific, particularly over
disputed islands in the South China Sea.
The US released its new National
Defense Strategy in January 2018, a
An example of the US Army’s new ICVD, equipped with a Kongsberg MCT-30 unmanned turret armed
document that effectively draws a line
with a MK44 Bushmaster 30mm cannon. (Photo: Orbital ATK)
under the country’s period of counter-
insurgency operations and once again
focuses on major power conflict. as a number one priority. As part of this, the programmes. However, it is a fine balancing
In this context, legacy equipment US Army will establish a Futures Command, act between thinking about near-term
upgrades, from MBTs to Patriot missile which aims to bring modernisation ‘all under modernisation (to maintain readiness and
systems, are now being viewed with much one roof’. The new organisation is expected capability overmatch) and investing in
greater urgency. Over the last several years, to be stood up later this year. revolutionary technology for the long term.
especially during the height of the Afghan In preparation, the service has set up ‘It really can’t be an “either-or” – it has got
war, modernisation ultimately suffered as eight cross-functional teams that will to be both. We can’t ignore the future, but
senior leaders weighed up whether to concentrate on six key areas: long-range we don’t want to put too much money into
spend a constrained budget on high-tempo precision fires; next-generation combat the future at the risk of not having ready
operations and near-term readiness or vehicles; Future Vertical Lift platforms; army forces now,’ said Roper.
invest in future equipment. networking; air and missile defence Since the failure of the Future Combat
‘With the severe budgetary cuts that capabilities; and soldier lethality. According Systems manned vehicle programme and
have been imposed since around 2011… to Mark Esper, Secretary of the Army, the the follow-on Ground Combat Vehicle, army
[the army] had to accept risk somewhere, introduction of this new modernisation- leaders have had to ensure that legacy
and it wound up being the future, aka focused command will reduce the platforms fielded in the 1980s can remain
modernisation,’ said Daniel Roper, director requirements development process from effective through affordable incremental
of national security studies at the Institute 60 months down to 12 or fewer. upgrades, and that capability gaps in
of Land Warfare, part of the Association of In its FY2018 budget, the US Army mobility, protection and lethality are
the US Army. requested $27.9 billion for modernisation, addressed. This has essentially placed the
‘But what people are realising is, the future with around $2 billion assigned to land need for the Next-Generation Combat
is now,’ he added. ‘You could say that the US vehicle programmes such as M1 Abrams, Vehicle (NGCV) on the back burner, but
Army, and a lot of others, took their eye off the Stryker, M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the officials are keen to make it clear that even
ball and was myopically focused on Iraq, Armored Multi-purpose Vehicle (AMPV) and today’s upgraded vehicles represent a new
Afghanistan and terrorism writ large.’ howitzer fleets. Money has also been breed of capability.
Senior army leaders, including Chief of invested in enhancing mobility and lethality ‘I would describe ourselves right now as
Staff Gen Mark Milley, have stressed that of light infantry with vehicles such as Mobile on the cusp of an entirely new generation
the service must ‘adapt or die’, as 40-year- Protected Firepower, as well as expediting of ground combat systems for our army,’
old institutions such as Army Materiel the fielding of active protection systems. Maj Gen David Bassett, the former Program
Command, Forces Command and Training The recently-published FY2019 budget Executive Officer for Ground Combat
and Doctrine Command struggle to meet has once again increased the amount spent Systems (PEO GCS), said last year. ‘We’ve
the acquisition demands placed on them to on modernisation to $32.1 billion, with 18% made a pretty good investment here in
meet emerging threats. allocated to ground manoeuvre capabilities what has been described as [incremental]
(compared with 16% for aviation). capabilities but really are significant
Shifting focus Ultimately, the focus is shifting to capability additions to our fleets, which
With peer threats once again the strategic leveraging existing technologies rather than lay the foundation for even greater
focus, modernisation has cemented its place pursuing high-risk developmental improvements in the future.’
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most likely the longer-range 155mm/58cal
system that is under development as part
of the army’s Extended Range Cannon
Artillery programme.
The aim of the project is to create a system
that can fire projectiles out to 70km, doubling
the range of existing systems. ‘Right now, we
have a 39cal cannon that we’ve had since the
’80s – we are range-limited. The Russians
have systems that outgun and shoot further,’
said one army official.
Proposing change
The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is also
undergoing comprehensive upgrading
as part of its step-up to the M2A4/M2A5
variants – previously known as the Bradley
One of the US Army’s six key modernisation areas will be air and missile defence, with a VSHORAD- Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) –
configured Stryker vehicle being proposed by industry. (Photo: General Dynamics Land Systems)
which includes updating the platform’s
automotive parts, such as suspension,
For Bassett and the new PEO GCS Brig Trophy active protection system by the end of driveline and track systems. This will
Gen Brian Cummings (inbound from PEO the decade, after successful installation and address the Bradley’s loss of mobility over
Soldier), the big focus was, and will be characterisation was carried out in 2017. its lifetime, primarily because of the bulk
going forward, ensuring that in the years Another platform that has had a complete created by additional armour and systems
leading up to the introduction of the ‘turret-ring down’ refresh is the M109 integrated as operational add-ons.
NGCV – which could be at least another Paladin tracked self-propelled howitzer, The M2A4 will also feature greater
decade – the service maintains its now being rolled out in its A7 iteration. This power-generation capabilities, which will aid
readiness and combat effectiveness includes a newly designed hull, suspension technology insertions in the future, and
through its existing capabilities. and powertrain (with a new 675hp VTA-903 testing is expected to be completed by
engine from Cummins), which provides September 2018..
Enhancing a legacy increased protection and mobility as well In addition, a future A5 ECP upgrade that
The army has taken initial deliveries of its as commonality with the Bradley and AMPV. concentrates on lethality is in the works,
newest M1A2 Abrams variant, known as The A7 will also integrate a new digital which is receiving funding of $600 million
the System Enhancement Package Version backbone with 600V onboard power up to FY2024. This would see the army
3 (SEP V3). The first of six vehicles was generation. upgrade the Bradley’s sighting systems with
delivered in October 2017 as part of an The legacy Paladin is considered one new third-generation forward-looking IR
initial production batch from the Joint of the slowest platforms in a modern (3GEN FLIR) for the commander and
Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, armoured combat brigade team (ABCT) gunner, along with improved laser
Ohio, where production is taking place. formation, which has presented challenges rangefinders for better target engagement.
For the programme manager of the when it comes to providing support fire for However, as Shephard understands from
Abrams, Lt Col Justin Shell, the idea that the manoeuvre force. The power boost for several sources, army officials met with
current platforms are at their limits of the Paladin, as well as a growth potential senior leaders on the Army Requirements
modernisation is not accurate: ‘Anything of up to 50t from the current 36t, will Oversight Council (AROC) on 26 January to
that could be brought in for the NGCV we ensure that it is now one of the more discuss additional options for the A5 ECP
could adopt with the inception of SEP V3, capable vehicles in the ABCT. upgrade within current funding targets. One
with its updated power and distribution.’ On 22 December last year, BAE Systems option presented was a turret-ring down-
On 21 December last year, the Pentagon announced that it had received a $413.7 modification that would introduce a brand
announced that it had awarded Abrams million contract to execute the final option new (larger) hull and transmission to the
manufacturer General Dynamics Land for low-rate initial production of the M109A7, platform, addressing a common criticism
Systems (GDLS) a $2.6 billion contract to as well as put in place additional options for that the Bradley is too small.
upgrade 786 vehicles to SEP V3 standard. 60 units per year for full-rate production. The Army officials have previously hinted at a
Work is expected to be completed by the army plans to carry out initial operational possible hull replacement programme for
end of 2020. testing and evaluation in Q1 2018. the type, which would offer significantly
Although not currently part of SEP V3, an Future upgrades for the M109A7 could more growth potential than is possible now.
entire brigade’s worth of Abrams tanks will include a ‘turret-ring up’ modification that ‘If you look at a combat vehicle, particularly
also be fielded with the Israel-developed would see the integration of a new gun, a Bradley, the hull itself is not really a big
16 LAND WARFARE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 1 WWW.LANDWARFAREINTL.COM
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