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Marines Evaluate New Ultra-Light Tactical Vehicle

Tuesday, June 8th, 2021

The Marine Corps’ new Ultra-Light Tactical Vehicle (ULTV), currently undergoing evaluation aboard Camp Pendleton will replace the current Utility Task Vehicle (UTV). Both are manufactured by Polaris Government and Defense and incorporate Diesel engines. However, the UTV is maintained by contractors and the new ULTV will be maintained by Marines.

The Marines expect to purchase about 500 ULTVs to replace their 248 UTVs as they hit the end of their five-year service lives in 2022 and 2023.

The ULTV is modular, off-road utility vehicle which can be quickly configured to provide logistical support for infantry units, and perform casualty evacuation, command and control, and electronic warfare missions. Like the older UTV, it can be internally transported in the MV-22 and CH-53E/K.

Posted in Mobility, USMC | 3 Comments »

Jankel Delivers ‘Next Generation’ Guardian Counter Terror Assault Vehicle-Urban (CTAV-URBAN)

Tuesday, May 18th, 2021

Jankel, a world-leader in the design and manufacture of high-specification defence, security and NGO protection systems, has delivered the first of their ‘next generation’ Guardian Counter Terror Assault Vehicle-Urban (CTAV-URBAN) to an undisclosed customer. Based on the latest 2020 Ford F-550 platform, the Guardian CTAV-URBAN features a new Mobile Adjustable Ramp System (MARS) from long-standing partners Patriot 3 who work exclusively with Jankel in the UK.

Firmly established as one of the premier global suppliers of armoured counter terror adapted vehicle systems, Jankel, with Patriot 3, have developed and integrated a new version of the MARS ramp system for Guardian CTAV-URBAN that delivers a narrower, lighter, single ramp, fully hydraulic variant that will allow counter terror teams to effectively operate in tighter spaces and more restricted city environments. Retaining the Ford OEM aluminium body, Jankel engineers have developed an armour suite that mounts within the vehicle without compromising structure, rigidity or durability. The integration of the new MARS ramp onto the Jankel Guardian CTAV-URBAN includes the flexibility to remove the MARS system, if needed, as well as the development of numerous other innovative enhancements in platform protection and tactical systems.

Jankel has a history dating back to the early 2000’s of providing the very best tactical counter terror platforms. With this new CTAV-URBAN variant, Jankel has customised the platform to meet the exact customer needs and tactics. The vehicle has been fully tested to prove the durability, reliability and maintainability but also to validate the advanced handling and performance characteristics expected of a truly tactical counter terror assault platform. Working closely together with Patriot 3, the CTAV-URBAN ladder system has been developed and refined to retain all of the MARS standard functionalities yet deliver additional options packaged in a single ramp configuration.

Charlie Fuqua, Elevated Tactics Sales Manager from Patriot 3 said: “we have had an ongoing working relationship with Jankel since the mid-2000s and have supplied numerous multi-mission vehicle solutions to defence and law enforcement end users around the world.” He went on to say: “Patriot3 looks forward to continuing our Jankel partnership with the introduction of the new CTAV-URBAN (complimenting the CTAV), as well as future developments to meet our customers ever evolving operational requirements.”

Andrew Jankel, Chairman at Jankel Group said: “we’ve worked with Patriot 3 for many years on a number of successful specialist vehicle-based projects so delivering the first of this next generation Guardian CTAV vehicles to an exceedingly important customer is a continuation of an already strong partnership”. He added: “Effective partnering is one of our key strengths here at Jankel and our partnership with Patriot 3 is another fine example of how we bring capability, innovation, flexibility and agility together to deliver and support the very best products and services, driving mission success”.

www.jankel.com

Posted in International, Mobility, Press Release, SOF | Comments Off on Jankel Delivers ‘Next Generation’ Guardian Counter Terror Assault Vehicle-Urban (CTAV-URBAN)

American Rheinmetall Vehicles Accelerates Growth with Opening of New Sterling Heights Facility

Thursday, May 13th, 2021

American Rheinmetall Vehicles (ARV), a subsidiary of leading defense industry giant Rheinmetall, recently opened a new facility in the DC3S complex in Sterling Heights, Michigan to accommodate the rapid growth associated with their offering for the U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle Program (OMFV).

This expansion increases ARV’s capacity to almost 28,000 square feet, and features ample room for the 30+ new team members brought on board to support the OMFV offering. Also included in the new space are two high bay areas that will be used for a hardware and software integration lab and prototype build area as the program progresses. Driven by strong and consistent growth, this early investment initiative demonstrates ARV’s commitment to the OMFV program and the U.S. Army.

“The investments we are making in our operations are a strong reflection of American Rheinmetall Vehicle’s position in the marketplace and positive outlook for the future,” said Matt Warnick, ARV’s Managing Director. “I’m excited that our team and new facility are well-positioned to fully support the Lynx OMFV offering and look forward to continuing to change the landscape of the U.S. defense industrial base by introducing next-generation manufacturing capabilities and creating new, quality U.S. jobs.”

The OMFV program is the priority ground-modernization program for the U.S. Army that will replace nearly 3,800 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles. The program begins with digital design phases that continue through early 2023, followed by development of prototype vehicles in 2024 and government testing beginning in early 2026.

www.rheinmetall-arv-us.com

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, Mobility, Press Release | Comments Off on American Rheinmetall Vehicles Accelerates Growth with Opening of New Sterling Heights Facility

Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle Turns 50 – Tried-and-Tested Warhorse of Germany’s Mechanized Infantry

Sunday, May 9th, 2021

The Marder infantry fighting vehicle celebrates its 50th anniversary today: it was a half a century ago, on 7 May 1971, that the German Army took formal deliver of the first serially produced vehicles. This took place at simultaneous ceremonies in Kassel and Kiel – the corporate seats of the legendary IFV’s original manufacturers, Thyssen-Henschel and Krupp MaK. Both companies have belonged to Rheinmetall since 1999 and 2001, respectively.

At the time of its inception, the prime mission of the new IFV was to defend the national territory in Central Europe: teamed with the Leopard 1 main battle tank, the Marder was supposed to play a pivotal role in the mobile operations of the Bundeswehr. But fate had different plans in store for the vehicle. During the Cold War, the Marder infantry fighting vehicle’s role was confined to the major exercises held by West Germany and its NATO partners to demonstrate in no uncertain terms their readiness to defend themselves. In the meantime, the Leopard 1 has long since vanished from the Bundeswehr inventory. The same is true of other systems of that bygone era, among them the Luchs armoured reconnaissance vehicle, the Starfighter F-104 fighter-bomber, and the BO 105 and Bell UH-1D helicopters. The Marder, on the other hand, went on to prove its mettle in foreign deployments, including in Kosovo and Afghanistan. As part of the Quick Reaction Force, it has engaged in firefights in around Kunduz and Mazar-e Sharif. The vehicle continues to serve the German military to this day. Nor is Germany the only Marder user nation: the vehicle also features in the armies of Chile, Indonesia and Jordan.

Rheinmetall has accumulated vast experience and expertise in the Marder domain. On behalf of the Bundeswehr, in recent years the company has carried out various measures aimed at boosting the combat performance and extending the service life of part of Germany’s Marder fleet.

This includes the installation of air conditioning in the fighting compartment; new vision equipment for the driver, gunner and commander; integration of the MELLS multirole lightweight guided missile system; and a new drivetrain. Thanks to measures currently underway to extend its service life, the Marder is likely to remain operational until the end of the decade.

Battle-tested and extremely reliable, the Marder is destined to remain an important asset of Germany’s mechanized infantry forces for some time to come, even now that the branch is on the verge of epochal change: on 18 March 2021, the Chief of Staff of the German Army confirmed the battle-worthiness of “System Panzergrenadier”.

In essence, System Panzergrenadier consists of an upgraded version of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, supplied by PSM GmbH, a joint venture of Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, and the VJTF2023 version of the Future Soldier – Expanded System (IdZ-ES), a state-of-the-art soldier system developed by Rheinmetall. Its mission is to increase the firepower and combat effectiveness of the VJTF 2023, which will be led by Germany. By fielding System Panzergrenadier, the formation will be equipped for the first time with a digitized vehicle platform – the Puma IFV upgraded to VJTF status – plus a soldier system featuring digital radio technology. Close-meshed networking of the soldiers’ sensors and effectors with those of the infantry fighting vehicle minimizes the time between target detection and target engagement. This melding of capabilities into one total system enables effective tactical interaction between the troops and their infantry fighting vehicle, in turn enhancing the combat effectiveness of mechanized infantry formations.

Posted in Advertiser, History, International, Mobility, Press Release | 6 Comments »

Desert Fox 6L Overland Gas Bag

Sunday, May 9th, 2021

Designed as an alternative to Jerry cans, these fuel bags are flexible and come with a fuel spout which stores inside a dust-proof integrated pouch.

Also available in 3 and 20 Liter sizes. Get yours here.

Posted in Mobility, Power | 4 Comments »

Textron Systems Unveils Its Cottonmouth Purpose-Built Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle

Tuesday, May 4th, 2021

HUNT VALLEY, MD. – Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced the unveiling of Cottonmouth, a vehicle purpose-built for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) program. Cottonmouth is a next-generation Naval Sensor Node as an amphibious scout vehicle that offers cutting-edge sensor technology.

Leveraging Textron Systems’ history and range of specialty military vehicle experience, Cottonmouth delivers advanced maneuverability and a synergized sensor system to enhance reconnaissance operations.

Cottonmouth has a 6×6 compact build that allows four vehicles to fit on a single Ship to Shore Connector, or SSC, enhancing the Marine Corps’ ability to support Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. Textron Systems’ vehicle is equipped with multi-spectrum sensors, providing seamless communication between the Navy and Marine Corps to employ unmanned systems and joint-warfighting weapons systems. This provides the next-generation decision dominance needed to defeat threats beyond line of sight. Among the integrated sensors is teammate Elbit Systems of America’s IronVision™, which uses “see-through” technology to provide the vehicle with advanced visibility and 360 deg situational awareness.

“We listened to the customer and have invested in developing and producing Cottonmouth as a purpose-built vehicle to give the U.S. Marine Corps the amphibious mobility they need for quarterbacking the future fight,” said Senior Vice President David Phil lips of Textron Systems.

“Along with Textron Systems’ extensive experience designing, producing, fielding and supporting high-performance armored vehicles, our Cottonmouth offers the Marine Corps a low-risk, mission-oriented solution. It is representative of a revolutionary, not evolutionary, system” Textron Systems’ Cottonmouth began USMC requirements validation testing at the National Automotive Test Center in February 2021. This testing continues in Q2 with a validation of the amphibious capabilities.

www.textronsystems.com/capabilities/innovations/cottonmouth

Posted in ISR, Mobility, Press Release, USMC | 3 Comments »

L3Harris Technologies and American Rheinmetall Vehicles Team to Pursue US Army’s New Fighting Vehicle

Wednesday, April 14th, 2021

L3Harris Technologies and German integrated technology group Rheinmetall’s subsidiary American Rheinmetall Vehicles have signed a teaming agreement to jointly develop the U.S. Army’s new Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV), which will replace the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

The agreement combines L3Harris’ open system design and equipment manufacturing leadership with the maturity and modularity of American Rheinmetall Vehicles’ Lynx next-generation fighting vehicle for an OMFV offering that is low-risk and easily upgradable.

American Rheinmetall Vehicles, the prime contractor, selected L3Harris to provide vehicle mission systems, cybersecurity and its modular open systems approach (MOSA) for the Lynx. L3Harris’ MOSA can enable cross-platform and cross-domain commonality of parts and subsystems to allow for easy and affordable upgrades.

“We have a long history providing similar support to multiple platforms using our MOSA approach for mission systems and electronic warfare,” said James Gear, Vice President, L3Harris Domestic Business Development. “We look forward to working with American Rheinmetall Vehicles to further expand into the ground defense vehicle market.”

“We are excited to have L3Harris join our growing team to support the U.S. Army’s OMFV program,” said Mathew Warnick, Managing Director for American Rheinmetall Vehicles. “Their experience in open architecture, communications, and cybersecurity bring tremendous capability to the American Rheinmetall Vehicles team as we prepare our digitally engineered OMFV to provide our Soldiers overmatch now and for the future.”

The design approach is grounded in the reuse of technologies and lessons from the family of L3Harris programs and engagements around the Army’s modular open aviation and ground endeavors.

Posted in Advertiser, Armor, Army, Mobility, Press Release | 2 Comments »

Leader–Follower Vehicles to Offer Army Increased Operational Capability

Wednesday, April 14th, 2021

DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich — Modernization is the buzz word floating around the Army currently and with good reason. To keep ahead of our near-peer adversaries, we must develop better technologies faster to dominate the battle space.

“We’ve done a good job at keeping up with developing current technologies,” said Maj. Gen. Darren Werner, Commanding General U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command. “However, we need to get it to the Soldiers in the field for it to matter.”

Werner, along with other officers and civilian leaders attended a Leader–Follower demonstration on Apr. 5 at the Detroit Arsenal. The event was led by the Ground Vehicle Systems Center on the arsenal to highlight the effectiveness of semi-autonomous robotic Tactical Wheeled Vehicles.

Bernard Theisen, Division Chief Combat Support Robotics and Safety for GVSC, briefed the capabilities of the Leader-Follower vehicles and stated that they had some similar on-road capabilities to some current high end luxury vehicles and other off-road capabilities unique to the military.

“The vehicles have the capability to be driven independently, remotely, or in this instance, made to follow a lead vehicle,” said Theisen.

The Leader–Follower vehicles offers field commanders better options when operating in a combat zone by providing manned and unmanned capabilities.

According to Alfred Grein, Acting Director GVSC, by installing robotic kits to vehicles, a lead “manned” vehicle can lead a convoy of one or more follower “unmanned” vehicles accurately and safely.

Outside of Leader–Follower option, the Program Executive Officer Combat Support and Combat Service Support is looking at fielding the technology as GVSC continues developing further ways to leverage and improve the capabilities at a later time.

“Now that the hardware is in place, we can look at ways to enhance the remote and semi-autonomous capabilities in the future,” said Grein. “All we have to do is update the software.”

There are currently 60 Leader–Follower systems issued to the 41st Transportation Company at Fort Polk, Louisiana with their next software upgrade currently undergoing safety testing at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. GVSC Agile Development, Security, and Operations approach through the Software Foundry allows for Soldier to provide constant feedback to the developers and to deliver better products to the user faster while supporting both PEO Ground Combat Systems and PEO CS &CSS operational needs.

By Scott Wakefield

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Mobility, Robotics | 3 Comments »