Des nouvelles de la British Army

[Invité Rob]

Belles photos, merci.

Danemark? Je ne sais pas, peut-etre. J'ai seulement lu que le Royaume-Uni (202 vehicules maintenant) et 3 autres pays (dont Australie) ont commandes le Jackal. Il y a aussi un version 6x6, le Jackal Extended.

[Invité Rob]

Je "update" mon post de page 2.

Les commandes pour le British Army en moment sont enormes.

Des chooses qui le British Army a achete nouveaux pour l'Afghanistan et l'Iraq.

    * Achat de environ 250 Force Protection Mastiffs --> pour l'infantrie

    * Achat de environ 157 Force Protection Cougars --> pour l'infantrie

    * Achat de environ 24 Bushmasters --> pour SAS/SBS?

    * Achat de 18 Tellars --> pour les Royal Engineers

    * Achat de ca. 166 BAE Pinzgauers --> pour l'infantrie

    * Achat de 202 Supacat Jackals --> pour des special forces et des patrols

    * Achat de 24 Supacat Meonics

    * Modernisation de 900 BAE FV432 a standard Bulldog MKIII --> pour l'infantrie

    * Modernisation de 2700 Land Rovers

    * Modernisation de quelques Spartan AFVs avec une tourelle de AEI Systems

Ce sont environ 853 nouveaux vehicules et 3100 qui vont avoir une modernisation.

En plus des commandes/livraisons qui ne sont pas directement pour les operations actuels.

    * Achat de 408 BAE/Iveco Panthers --> pour l'infantrie (217 en service, ISD maintenant)

    * Achat de 143 BAE Hägglunds BvS10 --> pour les Royal Marines et Royal Artillery

    * Achat de 66 BAE Terrier --> des chars pour les Royal Engineers

    * Achat de 33 BAE Trojans --> des chars pour des Royal Engineers

    * Achat de 33 BAE Titans --> des chars pour des Royal Engineers

    * Achat d'envrion 7277 trucks pour le British Army, le RAF et les RMs

Encore une fois 7925 nouveaux vehicules.

Et des commandes qui vont faire en l'avenir.

    * Achat de 47-202 BvS10 Vikings ---> pour les Royal Marines

    * Achat de plus de MRAPs

    * Modernisation des Challenger II, Warrior et autres

Probablement encore une fois 400-700 vehicules.

Total: Environ 13000 nouveaux vehicules ou des vehicules avec une modernisation.

[Invité Rob]

Babcock a produit deja 100 Jackals et ils produissent un Jackal par jour maintenant.

Link.

http://www.babcock.co.uk/newsdocs/20080626_Jackal_Contract_26.6.08.pdf

[Invité Rob]

La militaire britannique va avoir un "ward" a un nouveau l'hopital qui est sous construction a Birmingham.

Link.

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/NewMilitaryWardToBeCreatedAtBirminghamHospital.htm

[alexandreVBCI]

On range pas bien ses affaires dans l'armée britannique....  =)

Courrier International, 3 juil. 2008

Merci de jeter vos explosifs dans le bac prévu à cet effet

Les soldats qui jettent des munitions dans les bacs à ordures ménagères, ça suffit. Cette pratique a provoqué vingt incidents ces trois dernières années, a reconnu la hiérarchie militaire britannique, qui a ordonné que des mesures draconiennes soient prises contre la mise à la décharge de matériel dangereux – grenades, munitions et fusées éclairantes. Des documents à usage interne du ministère de la Défense mettent en garde les officiers supérieurs contre “l’habitude dangereuse et très peu professionnelle de jeter à la poubelle des munitions ou du matériel dont on n’a plus besoin”, écrit Jonathan Owen dans The Independent on Sunday. Le rapport signale que, si le problème perdure, l’armée s’expose à des poursuites de l’Agence de veille sanitaire (HSE) et de l’Agence de l’environnement. Le dernier rapport sur la question, “Army Safety and Environment Matters” (Problèmes militaires liés à la sécurité et à l’environnement), fait apparaître de nombreux manquements aux règles de sécurité. C’est ainsi qu’à Wallsend, près de Newcastle-upon-Tyne, une importante usine de traitement des déchets a dû fermer pendant cinq jours après la découverte dans un bac à ordures ménagères de plusieurs centaines de bandes de cartouches pour mitrailleuses. Le bac venait du camp d’entraînement d’Otterburn, dans le comté de Northumberland. Le rapport révèle que l’armée à dû verser 27 930 livres (35 300 euros) d’indemnisation à l’entreprise propriétaire de l’usine.

A une autre occasion, une équipe de déminage a dû intervenir pour faire exploser une grenade trouvée dans une décharge, tandis qu’à Aldershot l’explosion de matériel pyrotechnique enfoui parmi les déchets d’un camion à ordures a provoqué un incendie. Le règlement veut que toute munition non utilisée soit comptabilisée et renvoyée dans des dépôts sécurisés. Pourtant, le ministère de la Défense reconnaît que, sur les vingt infractions enregistrées depuis 2005, trois au moins ont eu lieu cette année, des incidents qui lui ont valu des lettres de réclamation de l’Agence de l’environnement, de l’Agence de veille sanitaire et d’entreprises de traitement des déchets. L’armée ayant signalé que, faute de mesures, ses prestataires pourraient refuser de collecter ses déchets, y compris ses ordures ménagères, le ministère de la Défense a annoncé l’investissement de 500 000 livres [630 000 euros] dans la mise en place d’un système de tri des déchets militaires sur six grands camps d’entraînement.

[g4lly]

http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2008/07/10/les-soldats-britanniques-ont-le-moral-en-berne_1068390_3214.html?xtor=RSS-3208

Les soldats britanniques ont le moral en berne

Près de la moitié des soldats de l'armée britannique pensent à quitter les forces armées, selon une grande enquête (Armed forces continuous attitude survey 2007) publiée mercredi 9 juillet par le ministère de la défense. Cette enquête intervient alors que l'armée britannique est confrontée à des problèmes de fatigue des troupes, avec environ 7 800 soldats stationnés en Afghanistan et 4 000 en Irak.

Selon l'étude, 47 % des soldats et matelots britanniques interrogés ont déclaré qu'ils "ressentaient régulièrement l'envie de quitter l'armée définitivement", alors que 44 % des membres de la Royal Air Force (RAF) et 37 % des Royal Marines qui ont répondu à l'étude ont fait part du même sentiment. Patrick Mercer, un député conservateur interrogé par le Times, indique que cette étude souligne les difficultés dans lesquelles les troupes opèrent. Elles se plaignent aussi sur le Web de l'état de leurs matériels et sa disponibilité.

LOIN DE LEURS FAMILLES

Au total, 45 % des militaires britanniques questionnés ont indiqué qu'ils n'étaient pas satisfaits de leur situation qui les oblige à passer beaucoup de temps éloignés de leurs familles et de leurs amis. 38 % d'entre eux ont indiqué que cette situation les poussait à considérer un départ, contre 47 % qui ont assuré que cela leur était égal.

Interrogé sur le moral à l'intérieur de leurs unités, 72 % des membres de la RAF ont indiqué qu'il était, soit "faible", soit "très faible", contre 64 % ayant les mêmes opinions dans la Royal Navy et 59 % dans l'armée de terre. Dans les Royal Marines, toutefois, seulement 38 % des soldats interrogés ont donné les mêmes réponses. L'enquête, au cours de laquelle 8 857 membres des forces armées britanniques ont répondu (sur un échantillon de 24 760), a été réalisée entre juillet et octobre 2007.

[Alskandre]

Et pour cause ...

LeMonde.fr, 10/07/08,

"Afghanistan: 9 soldats britanniques blessés par des tirs "amis" (MoD)"

Neuf soldats britanniques ont été blessés dans de "probables" tirs "amis" en Afghanistan, a indiqué jeudi soir le ministère britannique de la Défense (MoD).

Un hélicoptère Apache de l'armée de l'Air britannique, appelé pour soutenir une unité de l'infanterie, "a engagé une position ennemie puis fait feu sur une autre position que l'équipe croyait ennemie", a précisé le MoD dans un communiqué.

"Cependant, dans la confusion d'une situation rapidement changeante et dans ce qui est un environnement difficile, il semble que des forces amies ont été prises pour ennemies", selon le MoD.

Six soldats n'ont été que légèrement blessés et sont retournés dans leur bataillon. Deux autres militaires sont encore hospitalisés au centre médical de Camp Bastion, base militaire britannique en Afghanistan où ils sont maintenus "en observation", selon le MoD.

Un soldat a été rapatrié au Royaume-Uni et se trouve dans un "état stationnaire", selon le MoD.

"Une enquête est en cours sur les circonstances de l'incident", a ajouté le ministère, se refusant à plus de commentaires.

L'incident est survenu mercredi dans la province méridionale d'Helmand, où les soldats britanniques sont en opération contre des talibans.

Environ 7.800 soldats britanniques sont stationnés en Afghanistan. Leur nombre doit être porté à 8.030 d'ici au début de l'année prochaine, soit son niveau le haut depuis le début des opération fin 2001.

Depuis 2001, 110 soldats britanniques y ont trouvé la mort."

[Will]

L'army est interesse par des mortiers de 60mm et a mis un tender pour achat de 630 tubes

http://www.eda.europa.eu/EbbWeb/ViewNotice.aspx?EBBVersion=1&Noticeid=1795

Modern armies, particularly the US and British armies are reevaluating the role of the light mortar, recognizing its contribution to provide close, accurate and self-sustained support at company and battalion level. These small caliber weapons, including 60, 81 and 120mm tubes offer mechanized and dismounted units effective, accurate firepower capable of hitting targets at 'non-line of sight' engagement, particularly in urban, mountainous and densely vegetated areas, including jungle or forest. Self propelled mortars operated by the US Army in the Stryker brigades are operated as a self-propelled fire bases, fielding 120, 81 and 60 mm tubes. The British Army is also considering using this concept with its FRES IFS mortar carrier variant, which will include a 60mm and 81mm tubes, with a growth option to 120mm.

The 60 mm mortars are becoming a popular weapon of choice among peacekeeping forces, engaged in war against terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, where they are rapidly fielded as low-cost, highly effective defensive or offensive weapon to improve the integral fire support of small contingent forces fielded by contributing NATO members. Old generation tubes, including 60mm and 51mm tubes were quite popular in the past, but in recent years were practically shelved due ammunition obsolescence. The British Army already decided to phase out its 51 mm tubes in favor of 60 mm mortars, while the US Army is currently considering a similar move. The Israeli army fields 60 mm tubes with all tanks and heavy APCs as a lesson from the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

As one of the innovators in this field, Israel's mortar expert Soltam Systems introduced a new, lightweight C-06 60mm mortar system offering 20% weight reduction by utilizing forged aluminum base plate, lightweight bipod and highly efficient tube, capable of firing mortar bombs with M-38A1 proximity fuzes, dramatically increasing the lethality of the weapon against unprotected targets, while minimizing collateral damage by using smaller caliber bombs. In fact, a two man firing team can rapidly generate continuous fire for effect within very short time, in direct support of their units. Mortars are usually operated manually at targets visible by a fire director or the firing team. Firing at high precision at a specific GPS location can achieved within less than 30 seconds with this weapon, using Soltam's hand-held fire control computer, which supports the entire range of tubes, including 120, 81 and 60mm.

DARPA and BAE Systems have more ambitious plans for the 60 mm mortar. At AUSA 2007 BAE Systems displayed the latest model of the Optically Directed Advanced Munition (ODAM), developed under a $9 million program awarded in 2005 by darpa. Under this initiative, BAE Systems is planning to demonstrate a laser-guided, low cost optical seeker for the 60mm mortar. The guidance kit will be designed to replace the current 60mm mortar fuse to improve firing precision. Additionally, research will be done with explosives to improve the effectiveness of 60mm explosive rounds. Accroding to DARPA, the goal is to develop a 60mm projectile with the effectiveness of a 105mm high explosive projectile. If fielded, such systems could improve the effectiveness of small dismounted units, employing precision indirect munitions that can operate across multiple environments, including urban and mountaneous terrain.

One of the major displays by Lockheed Martin was an operational prototype of the U.S. Army's new Enhanced AN/TPQ-36 radar, known as the EQ-36 Counterfire Target Acquisition Radar. In January 2007 Lockheed Martin was selected as prime contractor of on this program. EQ-36 will be able to detect, classify, track and determine the location of enemy indirect fire such as mortars, artillery and rockets in either 90 degree or 360 degree modes. The 360 degree mode is of special advantage for force protection in a modern, asymmetric warfare. Such performance poses more challenging task for current artillery location radars, covering a limited 90 degrees sector.

http://www.defense-update.com/events/2007/summary/ausa07fires.htm

[Will]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/2518671/More-troops-may-be-sent-to-Afghanistan-hints-Des-Browne.html

Le Telegraph parle de un renfort des soldats en Afghanistan avant l ete 2009 pour arrive a un niveau de ~14 000 soldats (pour le moment ~8200). Ceci est nie par Des Browne pour le moment.

Il est attendu que a un moment en 2009 la pluspart des 4000 soldats de Basra vont revenir et il restera juste des instructeurs pour l armee iraquienne qui a montre que elle est capable de gere la situation plus ou moins. Aussi les missions en Bosnie et Irlande du Nord sont finie (il reste juste les soldats de la garrison locale, plus les hommes du reste du UK), donc une certaine pression sur l'army sera enleve. Surtout si on quitte l Iraq la pression sur la logistique sera plus bas, et avec de la chance ceci va librer plus des helicopteres. A suivre.

[Will]

Peut etre un signe de ce que on projet comme guerre pour les annees a venir  :P , le "faux" village a Stanford utilise pour l entrainement en guerre urbain va etre transforme en village "moyen orient" dans un contract de £18 millions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/puffbox/hyperpuff/audiovideo/england/norfolk/7557441.stm (video)

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED12%20Aug%202008%2021%3A15%3A12%3A370

£18m plan to revamp battle training area

13 August 2008

Defence chiefs yesterday said they were justified in spending £18m at a Norfolk military base to transform it into the Middle East and a “centre of excellence” for training.

Ministry of Defence officials revealed more details for the major development of the Stanford Train-ing Area (Stanta), near Thetford, which will see troops better prepared for deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nearly 300 new buildings will be erected at the 30,000-acre site over the next nine months, including homes, factories, a mosque, and market place to recreate an environment to match modern warfare conditions.

Preliminary work is set to start next week, which will see the creation of a Middle Eastern urban and rural settlement on the site that will be used by more than 30,000 personnel a year before deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lt Col Simon Lloyd, commander of Defence Training Estates (East), said the development, which should be completed by May, aimed to make military training as realistic as possible.

“It is £18m, but if it saves one soldier's life, it is worth it. This will revolutionise training for the boys going to Afghanistan and Iraq and they will be better prepared. It is a constantly evolving process to try and meet the soldiers' needs. We now find ourselves in a very complex multinational, high-intensity, urban-orientated conflict,” he said.

The plans, which were unanimous-ly approved by Breckland councillors on Monday, will see the creation of single-storey village buildings surrounded by up to 11ft walls on five hectares of land at Bridge Carr at Stanta.

The Eastmere training village, which was created at the height of the cold war and adapted for later conflicts in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, is set to be enhanced and extended for the urban settlement. The roads infrastructure will also be improved to handle Warrior and Mastiff tracked vehicles.

The complexes will be used for a range of scenarios designed by the MoD's Operational Training Advisory Group, including mine awareness, public disorder, convoy and enhanced house assault operations. Troops will learn to deal with properties designed with Taliban escape holes and pre-built “murder holes”.

The live-fire combat training area was created during world war two and displaced the residents of six villages in the process.

Lt Col Lloyd stressed that the improvements would not change troop numbers using Stanta and the MoD was still committed to opening the base up for tours and for former villagers and their families. He added that mitigating habitats would be created on the site to compensate for the impact on the Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Area.

[Will]

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/UsAntonovDeliversFirstRidgbacksToBrize.htm

5 premiers de 157 Ridgebacks arrivent a Brize Norton

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Le grand challenge version UK se passe:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/GrandChallengeFinaleGetsUnderway.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7560300.stm (video) <- certain s amusent avec ses jouets  =D

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Jane's: le watchkeeper UAV a passe ses test de "take off/landing" automatique.

[Will]

specification du Operational Utility Vehicle System, qui va remplace les Land Rovers dans les prochaines annees.

Project Overview

Mrs Annelies Look, Project Manager OUVS then gave a Project Overview. Major Paul Loader, Directorate of Equipment Capability in the MOD, then outlined the requirements for the new fleet of vehicles which will take the British Armed Forces for the next twenty five years up to 2030 at the earliest. Key User Requirements include:

1. Larger cab areas to accommodate the 95th percentile soldier/5th percentile female soldiers and their equipment.

2. A reduction in the vehicle variants - no more than 2-3 variants should be offered.

3. New safety and emission specifications to include extra crashworthiness and fewer emissions.

4. Vehicles to be ‘fitted for’ not ‘with’ physical protection such as armour. Crew compartment protection is the minimum requirement.

5. A payload which does not include mission support equipment (such as protection) – to position OUVS to fill the payload requirement below the Support Vehicle fleet. This would give useable payload with all mission equipment fitted of 4-4.5 tonnes at the top end and 2-3 tonnes at the lower end.6. The vehicles would be NVG capable with 24/7 capability. An NVG compatible dashboard is required.

7. A NATO Standard pallet would have to be carried.

8. Airportability by C130/A400M was mandated.

9. The ability to operate with runflat tyres.

10. Given the large amount of sophisticated electronic equipment including BOWMAN radios and IED detectors, the vehicle would be ESM optimised to prevent reduce interference. ECM fits would be GFE by the MoD, but the ability fit ECM is mandated.

11. The vehicles must have good cross-country capability - electric drive has been ruled out at this stage.

12. Alternator and power requirements must accommodate 24/7 usage of a number of electronic systems – outline continuous power requirements have been set.

13. Bidders should look at powered trailers or the addition of an additional axle to provide extra space and payload without reducing mobility.

14. The vehicle should be capable of a Battlefield Mission of up to 96 hours.

All this would have to be achieved at the same budget as 2003 and could involve up to 16,000 vehicles. The motorbike fleet is being renewed through another project.

The Assessment Phase would last another year with manufacturers returning to Warminster for a second brief in 2009. An Invitation to Tender (ITT) would be issued in 2009 and a Design Authority for the current fleet established prior to any upgrades. Main Gate is expected in 2012.

A key part of the OUVS Requirement might include keeping part of the existing fleet, mainly Land Rovers, in service through to 2017. This could include redistributing some of these vehicles for non-warfighting roles. This would be achieved by the use of a Through Life Support Programme

It was emphasised that the OUVS requirement is different and those platforms would then not be optimised as protected patrol vehicles to participate in front line operations but would have enough flexibility and protection to participate in lower risk areas of the battlefield.

In his Closing Brief, Major General Tim Tyler CB, Director General Land Equipment, stated that any bidder must be required to be agile and to respond quickly to Requirements. OUVS would not be a ‘Big Bang’ approach but an incremental acquisition.

Delegates were then split into different groups to attend more detailed briefings.

Power and Mobility

Julian Bryan of Millbrook and Alan Cooper of Dstl gave an overview to the Power and Mobility Requirements for OUVS. Millbrook would be the testing centre for all OUVS vehicles and would be made available to those manufacturers wishing to trial their offerings. Rob Ward of Millbrook outlined the Safety Case Requirements whilst Robin Warwick of Dstl gave a brief on Mobility Modelling and the Requirement for NATO Mobility Standards.

* Power is not deemed to be an issue; there are a number of power generation devices currently available which are able to produce significantly more than the predicted power required for OUVS. However, the more power that can be supplied to the platform the better. It would be sensible to incorporate growth potential into the platform, as throughout the service lives of these vehicles, additional electronic equipment is likely to need to be installed. If the power is already available, then this will reduce costs in the future.

* The ability to export power is also considered to be beneficial as it can reduce the number of generators that need to be deployed/managed and maintained.

Weight

* The payload range for the OUVS capability is 0-6 tonnes. However, Support Vehicle has recently come into service which has a 6 tonne payload, and so is able to provide this element of the overall capability. The IPT is not looking for a 6 tonne payload vehicle, indeed the Support Vehicle has replaced a number of 4 tonne trucks and it should be borne in mind that the 6 tonnes is the maximum payload capacity of the SV 6 tonne truck.

* The current working assumption is that the kerb weight of the vehicle includes all communications equipment, physical protection including armour, full fuel tank and other liquids, electronic countermeasures (ECM), stowed CES items, and driver and co-driver. Assumptions will be refined further during the assessment phase.

* The Bedford M Series 4000kg truck has the required mechanical strength of a candidate OUVS platform, but is too large and is no longer manufactured as is the Leyland DAF. The IPT said that the Reynolds Boughton RB44 represents the appropriate physical size of an OUVS vehicle, but that vehicle lacks the mechanical strength to carry a payload of 4 tonnes and is unprotected.

* The current working assumption of the worst-case requirement for transportation of heavy equipment is a single 155mm Ammunition Unit Load Container (ULC) for the light variant of the OUVS fleet, and two 155mm ULCs for the heavy variant. This will be refined during AP1. Each ULC weighs approximately 1.8 tonnes, and has a footprint of approximately the same area as a standard NATO pallet.

* Some off-road vehicles have excellent off-road mobility, but do not perform well on the road. The IPT does not want this situation to arise with OUVS. The vehicle must drive well on roads, as well as achieving the necessary level of off-road mobility.

* The suspension system must be suitably sophisticated to provide good ride quality and mobility when both unladen and fully laden (including any armour variations).

Volume

* The volume research to date has considered the cabin, rear stowage area, and also any trailer (if used). The limitations of the existing vehicles e.g. Bowman racking in Land Rovers has also been noted.

* Some users like trailers, others don’t. There are benefits and drawbacks to their use. One of the major drawbacks is their reduction in the off road mobility of the platform. It may be possible to negate this effect through the use of a powered trailer (initial findings presented elsewhere on the day). Also, when withdrawing from a situation, trailers can jack-knife if reversing at speed, therefore imposing a significant reduction in the manoeuvrability of the vehicle; methods to prevent this would be of interest.

* When considering positioning of people within the vehicle, it should be noted that side-facing seating is no longer acceptable for transportation on roads. Seats must be forward or rear facing (unless as seen on some military vehicle the seats are fitted with special headrests). However, users like side facing seats as they allow a rapid exit from the vehicle. Therefore, some kind of mechanism to allow alteration of the seating configuration quickly and easily so suit the legal aspects and users needs would be beneficial.

* The IPT referred to the Manekin Comparison Laminate1 panel, it is clear to see the difference in the size of the people who will need to operate this vehicle. This will apply to both the positioning of seating, as well as controls for the driver.

* When positioning people within the vehicle, it is important to consider the stowage of additional military items such as personal weapons. These items can become come into contact with personnel if a poor stowage location is chosen or become secondary projectiles if not properly secured in the event of an accident, and can create avoidable injuries.

* A Crash Image laminate showed stills from a video taken during a crash test conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory. This was a low speed crash, and it is possible to see how the aftermarket bulkhead is deformed by the mass of equipment in the rear of the van. This highlights the importance of stowing all equipment securely, the consequences of having a mix of payload and personnel in the rear compartment of a vehicle needs careful consideration.

* When considering packaging within the vehicle, it is not only the person who needs to be transported, it is also their personal equipment (Refer to Infantryman’s Load Laminate). This laminate shows the equipment that the average Infantryman must carry, although this will alter depending on their specific role.

* A ‘quick-win’ for increasing the volume of the vehicle may be to add a double fold out tail-board; where the tail-board folds down, with another section which folds up to prevent equipment sliding off the rear of the bed.

Other Considerations

* These vehicles need to be as flexible and versatile as possible, to enable the vehicle to re-role easily. Hence, efficient use of space within the vehicle is essential. This may be through fold-away racking, stowable seating, or other flexibility and modularity measures.

* Some RB-44s have role-specific vehicle fits, which would need to be mounted on the rear of the OUVS vehicle as a unit e.g. mortar. There is also a requirement to accommodate legacy box bodies, it may be possible to fix these bodies using ISO twistlocks to enable easy exchange and common interfaces the locations may not be suited to a current ISO container footprint, so this aspect will need to be developed during the AP for the SRD.

All dimensions stated are for a 5th Percentile nude female (i.e. wearing minimal hot weather clothing), and a 95th percentile male in full wet and cold weather clothing including helmet. Dimensions were taken from DEF STAN 00-25 Part 17, 30th July 2004. Consideration will also need to be included to take account of recent developments such as Osprey body armour.

Signature Management

Robin Stiggear of the BATCIS IPT gave a brief as to ESM Requirements and Robin Marston of the Special Projects Search and Countermeasures IPT, gave briefs for the ESM and ECM Requirements.

Signature management (acoustic, visual, and heat) is also important, efficient signature management is easy to implement at the design stage.

As stated above secure ESM systems are a key factor for any vehicles submitted for OUVS given the increasing requirements for electronic systems on the vehicles and the growing use of engine management systems.

Bowman

Max Steele of GDUK gave a brief as to the requirement for the BOWMAN fit, based on the existing fit design. In another brief by Alan Cooper of Dstl, he said that innovative Bowman fits would be welcomed if they reduced weight and space requirements.

CSS TDU

Mike Potter of the Combat Service Support Trials and Development Unit (CSS TDU) and Captain Dave Hammond gave a brief on the ILS Requirements.

OUVS vehicles would have HUMS fitted as standard and be required to interface with the MoD’s James Logistics system.

In addition a full 25 year Through Life Support package would have to be provided.

Si je resume: Decision d achat en 2012, entre en service avant 2017 quand les LR seront retraite

*jusque 16 000 vehicules a achete.

*2 ou 3 versions, payload jusqu'a 6t avec armure/arme/equipage/etc

*protection de la cabine en standard, capacite d ajjoute de l'armure si besoin.

*capable de porte une palette OTAN ou 1/2 container de ammo 155mm.

*night vision compatible, protection contre ECM, digitalise.

*peut opere 96h independant

*pas de "electric drive" encore - doit etre aussi bon sur et hors la route.

*taille du RB44 est considere bon.

*discret avec chaleur, bruit...

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En attendant OUSV, Ricardo Vehicle Engineering a eu une commmande de 200 nouveau WMIK du MoD depuis 2007, et "upgrade" 200 WMIK autres

Aussi 33 "snatch" vont etre upgrader en une nouvelle version qui va s'apelle "Vixen" (la femelle renard)

John Lake of Ricardo told the Editor, “The RDV was conceived as an adaptation kit to enable the conversion of standard Land Rover Defender transports - already strengthened to include chassis outriggers and roll-cage mounts - into peacekeeping and other specialist role vehicles in just a few hours. Following ten years of exceptional service, a fleet of 200 WMIK-equipped Land Rover Defenders is undergoing a major upgrade by Ricardo Special Vehicles.”

The programme, which is already 50 per cent complete, involves significant enhancements to crew protection systems as well as a significant increase in vehicle payload, enabled by in-depth re-engineering of the chassis and suspension systems. These are just the latest improvements to the original WMIK product, which has been sold to a number of customers from other NATO and Commonwealth countries. It has also produced a range of optional modules and products, including infra-red lighting systems and lightweight seating systems, which are compatible with many vehicle types.

In addition to the standard Land Rover Defender WMIKs used by the British Army, Ricardo has developed similar RDV concepts based on other platforms, such as the Ford F350 and the SUPACAT/Babcock MWMIK.

Paul Tarry, operations director of Ricardo Special Vehicles told BATTLESPACE, "We are proud to have supported the peacekeeping roles of the British Army over the past ten years with the WMIK-equipped Land Rover Defender product. The latest upgrade contract is a further demonstration of the way in which we are able to leverage the very latest in automotive processes and technology to develop state-of-the-art defence vehicles."

It was interesting to note from John Lake that since the MWMIK was brought into service, the MoD has continued to order the WMIK and some 200 have been supplied since last year.

Ricardo also showed details of its Vixen SNATCH Land Rover which is an uparmoured version of the original SNATCH vehicle. The vehicle has the same Land Rover chassis but with uprated axles giving a 4.1 tonne payload to accommodate increased armoured protection 33 Vixens are being supplied into theatre, with better mine protection, from a concept to final design produced in less than three weeks.

[Will]

OK, la rumeur est que apparament le plan de remplace le canon L30 "rifled" du challenger II par le L55 "smoothbore" est abbandon...je ne vais pas en perdre du sommeil =D

EDIT: merci Loki

source Jane's:

Challenging question: UK faces dilemma as prospects of MBT upgunning recede

Funding shortfalls may compel the abandonment of a central plank of the planned capability support package (CSP) for the British Army's Challenger 2 main battle tank (MBT) fleet: its upgunning with the Rheinmetall L55 Hybrid 120 mm smoothbore gun. Any further loss in lethality could also compel the tank's early withdrawal from service, which would not otherwise be expected to happen until 2035.

---

Dans des autres nouvelles, depuis fin 2007 un programme existe pour ammeliore les challenger II et s'appelle programme "streetfighter". On avait deja parle un peu de ceci il y a quelques mois:

*Ajjoute de Dorchester 2G sur avant du hull (toe armour) et cote de la tourelle et ajjoute de "belly armour" sur le bas.

*Ajjoute de station RWS pour 7,62mm, 50 cal ou meme il parait un 40mm GMG

*camera CCTV a l arriere.

*nouveau "thermal sights" pur le conducteur.

*IED jammers.

il semble ceci va etre standar pour tous les CR2.

on remarque aussi le nouveau armure WRAP2 sur le Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle(CRARRV)

[Will]

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/LatestUavSpreadsItsWingsInSouthernAfghanistan.htm

les soldats en Afghanistans recoivent une nouvelle version du Desert Hawk "mini UAV" et commencent a l utilise.

des "spin-off" du programme FIST (le FELIN britannique) sont en route aussi (nouveaux radios personnels, systeme Miltrak pour savoir ou sont les soldats de un groupe a chaque moment, nouveaux "weapons sights ACOG", jumelles thermiques, "laser rangefinders").

http://www.defense-update.com/events/2008/summary/soldiertech08_fist.htm

Fire Shadow en service en 2011?

http://www.defense-update.com/features/2008/august08/loitering_weapons_uk.html

[Will]

Jane's: Thales UK a gagne le contract pour Mounting Weapon System Under Armour (MWSUA), pour des armes RWS (avec le Konsberg Protector) pour certains des nouveaux Panthers, FRES et les peut etre Bushmasters (on se demande si la commande est vrais)

[Philippe Top-Force]

Jane's: Thales UK a gagne le contract pour Mounting Weapon System Under Armour (MWSUA), pour des armes RWS (avec le Konsberg Protector) pour les peut etre Bushmasters (on se demande si la commande est vrais)*

*A hereford, le 22 SAS ne communique pas ?

[Will]

probablement pas, mais il est bizarre que on achete juste 20-25 vehicules de un type que on a pas alors que on a beaucoups d autres la.

L'army cherche aussi un nouveau radar artillery locator:

http://www.eda.europa.eu/EbbWeb/ViewNotice.aspx?Noticeid=1903

[Philippe Top-Force]

We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go

Always a little further: it may be

Beyond the last blue mountain barred with snow,

Across that angry or that glimmering sea,

White on a throne or guarded in a cave

There lives a prophet who can understand

Why men were born.

We are fools, but surely we are brave,

Who make the Golden Journey to Samarkand

C'est un peu comme avec la commande à l'époque de l'acquisition en petit nombre à ACMAT, des VLRA ACMAT SAS avec les canons 20 mm NEXTER. les autres régiments de la BA n'étant pas équipés.

[Tiger]

L'army cherche aussi un nouveau radar artillery locator:

je ne comprends pas bien l'anglais économique, mais que recherchent ils exactement ? Les britanniques font partis du programme COBRA, ils l'auront leur "radar artillery locator".

[Dadou]

Salut

Oui et les RM n'avaient pas achetés des radar Arthur ?????

[Will]

Oui, il y a ARTHUR et COBRA. Je ne suis pas un expert en ce genre de chose, je peut juste "speculate" que soit on trouve que ceux-ci ne sont pas adapte (pas bon au chaud/desert/trop lours a transporte, trop vieux? etc), soit il y a eu des progres dans cette technologie particuliers qui merite un achat nouveau.

Je ose espere que il y a une logique dans ce decision, mais avec le MoD on doit toujours faire attention  :lol:

[Invité Rob]

Tout materiel du British Army.

Link.

http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/ARMY_VEHICLES_EQUIPMENT.pdf

[Will]

La longue attendue Defense Industrial Strategy 2 du Ministere de Defense, DIS2, qui va donne a l industrie une vue long terme du UK sur ses besoins en vehicule blinde, va bientot etre revele.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3701430&c=EUR&s=TOP

Comme avec DIS1 il y a quelques ans (pour la industrie navale), ceci est cense donne aux industriels un "road map" sur ce que veut le MoD sur le moyen/long terme pour que ils savent quoi faire: quelle capacite garder, quelle capacite supprimer, quelle nouvelle capacite investir.

Quelques "Big Ticket" items sur la liste: FRES UV, FRES scout, OUSV (remplacant land rover), WFLIP (modernise des warriors).

Remarque interessant, mais chose que je soupcon depuis un moment, le chiffre de 2000 FRES UV semble peut etre trop grand (entre temps achat de 400+ MRAPs, modernise de 900 FV430 jusque 2025...), la question est combien au final il faut.

FRES scout doit aussi etre choisit, le choix est il semble entre des CV-90s de BAE-Hagglund, et le "ascod II" de GD. Le ascod II aura le meme moteur et certain pieces que le Piranha V (FRES UV) on peut note.

Autre chose, je pense la partie remplacement de cannon rifled par cannon smoothbore pour le Challenger 2 dans son programme de modernise (programme CLIP) est maintenant "belle et bien" annule: Jane's le specullait dans un article, et maintenant BAE a gagne un contract de £2 milliards pour des munnitions - y compris pour MBT -. On attends un confirmation officiel.

Note que pour mettre le nouveau smoothbore (un hybride entre le L55 et des pieces deja sur le L30) il aurait du etre construit un nouveau tourelle entierement...et le MoD n a pas un budget infini  :O

[Service de semaine]

L'army est interesse par des mortiers de 60mm et a mis un tender pour achat de 630 tubes

http://www.eda.europa.eu/EbbWeb/ViewNotice.aspx?EBBVersion=1&Noticeid=1795

C'est normal, les mortiers de 51 mm actuellement en service sont à cours de munitions (GWOT oblige) et ces munitions ne sont plus fabriquées !

[Will]

je pense le probleme est aussi que on pensait se debarasse du 51mm avec le introduction des lanceurs de grenades 40mm sous les L85A2 a un moment apres 2003-2004.

Finalement il y a eu encore un place pour cet arme jusque au final (vive les politiciens et les "compteurs de harricots" au MoD avec leurs prevision pour l avenir  =()