the future of oz army

I posted this on the other thread, but decided to also post it here as it is very important, as it relates directly to MST I believe, especially where they are talking about the latest round of CTD's and things like light weight, increased lethality,very suited to Urban warfare,or where they are talking about non lethal/lethal being able to fire at close range or over long distances.

I also liked the fact that they were talking about fast tracking!

. Asia Pacific Defence Reporter Magazine 12 Nov 2008 ... The spiral nature of Land 125 is currently focused on the lethality package Soldier Enhancement Version Two (SE v.2). Land 125 Phase 3C has ...
www.asiapacificdefencereporter.com/issues/november08.php - 69k - Cached - Similar pages

The Future of Army
The future state of Defence remains in flux thanks to the ongoing deliberations regarding the new White Paper and the detailed work behind capability development progresses. The White Paper is to be approved by Government early next year and then feed into the Federal Budget 2009/10 deliberations. While everything is on the table the necessity for forward planning has resulted in considerable progress being achieved by the Capability Development Group’s (CDG) Land Development Branch (LDB). Briefing industry at the Land Environment Working Group(LEWG) at the Land Warfare Conference 2008 LWC 08) the LDB has outlined the current state of land projects.

Importantly several key officers in the LDB, including the Director General Land Development (DGLD) Brigadier Stephen Dunn, have returned from operational tours in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). Brig. Dunn speaking at the LEWG related how impressed he was by the US military and defence companies ability to rapidly deliver new equipment to operational units to meet emerging demands. This eye opening experience is likely to drive land systems requirements - particularly in the equipment of soldier systems.

The key drivers for soldier systems are, according to Brig. Dunn, reduced weight, increased power and seamless system integration. These considerations will drive the LDB's investment in Capability Technology Demonstrator (CTD) projects (moose here, remember the new CTD for the AICW???)
. Battlefield energy generation and storage, sensors and weapons for the urban environment are the priorities and the reduction in CTD funding in this years Budget has resulted in very close scrutiny of the latest 13th round of proposals.

With the next budget to start implementing the outcome of the White Paper, another Defence Capability Plan (DCP) is unlikely before Jun 2009 and the Defence Materiel Organisation’s (DMO) Defence Plus Industry (D+I) Conference. One item of consideration for the DCP 2009-19 is to remove the funding estimates from the document and replace them with an Acquisition Categorisation (ACAT) grading of one to four. ACAT 1 projects are high cost, high complexity and so on. The removal of the funding brackets would provide considerable difficulty for industry as they use them to predict future work levels and plan their enterprise accordingly. However the Government feels political pressure when the forward estimate brackets are used to claim that projects run over cost when they are actually fleshed out and gone to contract.


Artillery Modernisation
The modernisation of the Armys artillery system under Land 17 will go to second pass in June 2009 with a range of recommendations and developments already having been made. Government is due to consider the DMO's tender evaluation of the Self Propelled Howitzer (SPH) component of Land 17 before the end of the year. Competing for the SPH is the KMW PzH2000 offered by BAES Australia and the Samsung Techwin K-9 with Raytheon Australia. Between 12 and 24 systems for two to four batteries will be acquired.

For the lightweight 155mm artillery system Defence has recommended a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) acquisition option from the US Army for the BAES M777A2 155mm lightweight, networked artillery system. The key driver in this down select was its ability to be carried by a CH-47D fitted with internal armour in the hot and high conditions of Afghanistan. Up to 57 systems (six batteries) will be acquired if the Government decides not to acquire the SPH through the White Paper process. Otherwise between 18 and 35 (two to four batteries) systems will be acquired.

Defence has also recommended the acquisition of the Raytheon AFATDS [Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System] Battle Management System Fires (BMS-F) by FMS. Enough BMS-F will be acquired to also equip the Army Reserve batteries. The Battle Management System Forward Observer (BMS-FO) acquisition has been transferred from Land 17 to Land 146 Phase 2 the combat identification project. This acquisition will acquire a Joint Fires system for ADF providing digitised target acquisition and location information to provide precise targeting and the avoidance of fratricide. Reequipping the ADF with a new BMS-FO system will cost between $100-150 million with second pass in fourth quarter of 2009 and in service delivery (ISD) in 2010.

The first batch of 144 rounds of GIWS SMArt 155 DM702 155mm munition with an autonomous anti-tank capability have been delivered to Australia under Joint Project 2085 Phase 1B. Each DM702 contains two sensor fused submunitions designed for autonomous target acquisition and engagement by an Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP). After being base ejected over the target area by the 155mm carrier shell each each submunition slows down by using a ballute and scans a specific sector in a spiral pattern as it auto-rotates under a parachute. It scans with three independent sensors; a passive infra red (IR) camera and both active and passive millimetre wave (MMW) radars. Targets are identified and compared to an onboard database to ensure only threats are engaged.

Growth options for the DM702 include new targeting algorithms to add new threat systems, each submunition can be reprogrammed before use. The submuntition could also use its trimode sensors to communicate with the target to activate an identification friend or foe (IFF) system to reduce the risk of fratricide. New warhead options include replacing the EFP with 100 tungsten pellets for an area weapon or a developmental selectable single or multiple penetrator EFP able to select between anti-tank and anti-soft skin vehicle with a wider area effect. GIWS are also working with BAES to develop a laser seeker mode for the DM702’s sensor suite enabling target indication by forward observers.


Air Defence Enhancement or Replacement
The LDB has defined an acquisition approach for Land 19 Phase 7 RBS-70 Enhancement or Replacement to acquire a new air defence system for the Army to include counter rocket, artillery, mortar and missile (CRAMM) and medium range air defence (MRAD). The new systems will be required to shoot down fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, fixed and rotary-wing uninhabited air vehicles (UAVs) and uninhabited combat air vehicles (UCAVs), rockets, artillery and mortars, stand-off weapons and cruise missiles.

The new system will be acquired in three stages, firstly a new ground based air and missile defence (GBAMD) command control communications and intelligence (C4I) and situational awareness system will be acquired. This will also include a multi-role radar system for target detection and the ability to network with other ADF and coalition air battle systems like the Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and ballistic missile defence (BMD) systems. The GBAD C4I system is likely to be a shelter mounted radar system with appropriate battle management system. It would be used to detect and target the various air threats and control whatever CRAMM and MRAD system is acquired. LDB are very interested in a multi-mission radar that can also locate firing points of ballistic trajectory weapons like mortars.

Stage 1 will also look at enhancing the legacy RBS-70 missile system to provide increased performance. The most likely option is to acquire the Saab Systems/Rheinmetal ASRAD-R [Advanced Short Range Air Defence System â€" RBS] launcher that combines the Saab Microwave Systems (formerly Ericsson) HARD 3D radar with the RBS-70’s legacy Bolide missile. These launchers are containerised or fitted to an armoured vehicle and are in service with Finland, Germany and Greece (though the last two use a different missile).

Stage 2 of Land 19-7 will acquire a new CRAMM system designed to destroy incoming munitions. CRAMM has been a newly emerging requirement arising out of counter insurgency conflicts in the MEAO and Hezbollah’s bombardment of Israel with artillery rockets during the 2006 Summer War. Stage 3 will acquire a MRAD system to provide area defence against aircraft and UAVs. Stage 3 is dependent on funding and could also include further enhancement of the legacy RBS-70 system.

Land 19 Phase 7 will also be the trial project for combining industry with Defence to create a pre tender integrated project team (IPT). This approach in accordance with the Kinnaird Review recommendations was originally conceived for Land 400 but has been delayed by the DMO until the later Land 19 Phase 7. Defence received a total of 18 responses to their pre tender capability study solicitation for Land 19-7 including three from Australian companies. First pass decision for Land 19-7 will be in 2012, followed by second pass in 2015 and ISD between 2018 and 2020.


2012 Infantry Firepower
In March 2008 competitive trials were conducted for Land 40 Phase 2 Light Weight Automatic Grenade Launcher (LWAGL) to equip the manoeuvre support sections of the new 2012 Infantry Battalion. Each platoon will have a new section with three four soldier teams each equipped with a direct fire support weapon (DFSW). The weapons in the trial were the General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (GD ATP) Mk 47 Mod 0 Styrker being offered by Nioa Defence and the Point Trading as˜Redback™ (not MST) development of the Heckler & Koch GMG, both being 40x53mm automatic grenade launchers (AGL). Both AGLs had to demonstrate their ability to be broken down into easily carried loads and an integrated fire control system (FCS) able to support firing of pre-programmed air burst grenades. Defence will recommend a down select to Government sometime in the next year with the winner expected to be announced in November 2009 with an ISD in 2010.

The Mk 47 AGL utilises an integrated Raytheon Lightweight Video Sight (LVS) and is a very lightweight weapon with the entire system, including tripod, FCS and ready ammunition weighing only 44 kg. It can be so light because the recoil of the 40mm grenades is managed by having the barrel attached to the recoiling mass (achieving the required recoiling weight without duplication) and by using a hydraulic buffer. The later is a small tube about the size of deodorant spray can mounted inside the receiver above and to the left of the bolt.

Point Trading Group is an Australian small to medium enterprise (SME) mostly known as a vendor and support agent for Israeli weaponry has entered a new stage by developing a solution to the Land 40-2 requirement. The Redback, named by the trial soldiers because it looks like a spider, takes the H&K GMG AGL and adds a new one piece cradle to which the appropriate FCS elements are mounted. The level of the ITL gun sight is matched to the barrel so the operators are instantly aware of any obstructions to firing. The sight image is connected by wireless to a head up display (HUD) worn by the gunner enabling firing from under cover. The weapon commander can also view the same sight image through their HUD allowing for high level of control over the weapon’s engagement. The various elements of the integrated fire control system (FCS) have their own power sources for backup but run of a radio standard battery (two BAE 9560) easing energy management. The Redback can break down into four loads, the Point Trading cradle with ITL sight, the AGL, the Vingfoot tripod and the battery pack and ammunition, for each soldier in the manoeuvre support team.


Soldier Combat Systems
The spiral nature of Land 125 is currently focused on the lethality package Soldier Enhancement Version Two (SE v.2). Land 125 Phase 3C has contracted Thales Australia as part of a three stage process to develop an open architecture version of the F88 known as the Enhanced F88 (EF88) infantry combat weapon (ICW). The contract will deliver the initial design and production prototypes for the EF88 with design qualification and production upon successful completion of each stage. Thales's plan for the EF88 is to develop and design an open architecture assault rifle that meets the functional performance specification. This requires a standard variant and three specialised variants for the commander, marksman and grenadier. The open architecture system will enable the weapon to support a range of computerised and power drawing systems like a new fire control system (FCS) sight and a human machine interface (HMI) on top of legacy capabilities like night fighting equipment (NFE).

SE v.3 will be provided by Phase 4 of Land 125 and will focus on C4I, survivability against the environment and CBRN [Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear] threats, improving lethality via network access, improving mobility by reducing worn weight and provide power supply. SE v.3 will be an integrated solider systems of systems and will resemble the original concept of Project Wundurra (which preceded Land 125). The new scoping of Land 125-4 has attracted the interest of the special force’s Project Redfin Joint Project 2097 Phase 2 which is looking at leveraging SE v.3 for the special operators individual equipment.

Land 53 Phase 1BR has been re-scoped and pushed back to a year of decision in 2013 and ISD in 2014-15. The reasoning being that this timeframe can leverage new innovations in NFE and in particular sensor fusion. The current NFE suite is based on Image Intensifier (II) technology and Land 53-1BR will primarily replace the night vision goggles (NVG) capability as night weapon sights are being provided under Land 125. LDB hopes to leverage new fused technology like the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Multi-Spectral Adaptive Networked Tactical Imaging System (MANTIS) program that provides the soldier a helmet mounted NVG system providing fused image combining II, shortwave IR (1-2 micrometres) and longwave IR (8-12 micrometres).

LDB has defined a small arms replacement project Land 159 that still hasn’t received Government approval for incorporation in the DCP. Land 159 aims to replace all ADF small arms by 2020 with a year of decision in 2019. Three types of weapon will be acquired and ICW for combat arms units, a support weapon (light machinegun) and a personnel defence weapon (PDW) for the balance of the ADF. The objective is to acquire a weapon system with new small arms technology rather than just another conventional assault rifle. The effect Land 159 will have on the existing Land 91 Phase 6 Small Arms Life of Type Extension remains to be seen.


Non Lethal Weapons
Another new DCP entry is Joint Project 3011 to field a joint non lethal weapons (NLW) family for the ADF. JP 3011 will acquire NLW across all technology classes with a year of decision in 2013-14 and ISD in 2015. Technology types to be acquired include acoustic, chemical (ie irritants), electrical, electromagnetic, kinetic and mechanical. The types of NLW will also include those cover near to far engagement ranges.

Significant work needs to be completed before acquisition of NLW to develop a concept of use with particular attention on the complex legal issues of applying less than lethal forces. NLW are used for a range of roles in contemporary conflict including intent determination, riot control, force protection and against an enemy combatant when incapacitation is required or collateral damage risk is too high.

Determining intent enables a soldier to use NLW against an ambiguous target like an approaching civilian vehicle which is not stopping at a check point. Engagement by NLW usually results in civilians quickly complying with the orders of soldiers or fleeting the scene. A suicide bomber or enemy combatant disguised as a civilian will continue to advance requiring a lethal response. Kinetic and audio NLW are ideal in this role.

To incapacitate a potential lethal threat a system with more assurance than kinetic and audio is needed. Electromagnetic NLW like the Taser cause neuromuscular incapacitation (NMI) through electro-shock and involuntarily ‘knock out’ the target. They are not dependent on pain compliance making them one of the few solutions for non-lethal incapacitation of highly motivated enemy combatants.

Riot control is the classic mission for NLW and is usually meet by area weapons using chemical irritants or area fire less than lethal kinetics. Direct energy NLW like the Raytheon Silent Guardian use a MMW beam to create the sensation of internal body fluids boiling to create an unbearable sense of pain. They can be used repeatedly so make in ideal riot control NLW.


Armour Expansion
LWC08 was used as an avenue to announce several new armoured vehicle orders to fully equip the expanding Army under the Hardened and Networked Army (HNA) and Enhanced Land Force (ELF) initiates. To equip the new 7 RAR battalion an additional 81 M113AS4 upgrades and conversions of existing M113A1s was ordered from BAES Australia (formerly Tenix). M113AS4s are currently being delivered at a rate of two per week and the additional order will keep the Defence owned Bandiana production line operating until July 2011. M113AS4 work will also be conducted at BAES facilities at Williamstown and Wingfield (SA).

While the M113AS4 upgrade adds internal spall curtains and liners and ad additional steel plate to the exterior for armour protection standards are below those found on vehicles in the armoured personnel carrier (APC) or infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) role used by allied Armies in the MEAO. The original Land 106 project included a more substantial up-armouring project and the upgraded vehicle has a weight margin to carry extra armour. Tenix originally selected a British up-armour solution for the M113AS4 but this part of the project was cancelled in cost cutting.

Ironically the British in recent years have sourced their armour upgrades to Israeli firm Rafael who have provided hybrid armour kits to their Bulldog FV432 APC and Warrior IFV. For a weight penalty of 2.5 tonnes the Bulldog has been fitted with an armour suite able to defeat ballistic threats to STANG 4569 Level IV (14.5mm armour piercing) and shaped charge threats to RPG-7V. The hybrid armour includes passive plates and reactive armour tiles. Rafael delivered 116 Bulldog kits to the British within four months of contract award.

The replacement for the M113AS4 and ASLAV vehicles will be acquired under Land 400 Phase 1. The scope for this project has gone to Government for consideration under the White Paper but the Army is asking for up to six battlegroups of vehicles. This will acquire between 300 and 600 IFVs to equip the two armoured cavalry regiments and two mechanised infantry battalions plus the two motorised infantry battalions currently using the Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicle (IMV). Land 400 Phase 2 will effectively replace the Bushmaster by acquiring a range of armoured support vehicles tailored for specialist support roles within the mechanised battlegroups.

The operational requirement for the IFV remains fluid but is increasingly looking like requiring a large 30 tonne class 8x8 armoured vehicle like those offered for the British FRES [Future Rapid Effects System] utility vehicle contest. Much of the protection for the IFV will be provided by the new Land 112 Phase 4 defensive aid suite (DAS) so the physical armour requirement can be lower. Primary armament is likely to emerge as an automatic cannon able to fire air bursting ammunition in the 30mm class. However the fluid state of the project means that until the request for tender (RFT) is issued a wide range of options will be explored.


Force Protection
The new DCP entry Joint Project 154 Phase 1 will provide a Joint Counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) capability to the land force through electronic counter measures (ECM). JP154-1 will focus on software and hardware upgrades of existing rapidly acquired ECM systems. This will allow them to be refreshed every year until 29012. Phase 2 will continue the refresh but role out more systems to increase the IED ECM capability across the army.

JP 2010 Phase 1A is a high priority acquisition of off the shelf (OTS) CBRN detectors for the ADF currently running with a very tight schedule. Phase 1B will acquire a new lighter type of CBRN protection ensembles from the legacy system. JP 2010 is a rapid response to the increasing threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).


Army Navy
The request for proposals (RFP) for a new landing craft mechanised (LCM) to operate from the Navy’s Canberra class LHDs [Landing ship, Helicopter Dock] was issued to industry in early 2008. LCMs are operated by the Army and previously combined the role of ship to shore operations with independent long range coastal and riverine missions. JP 2048 Phase 3 will only acquire 12 ship to shore LCMs stripping the Army of the important independent role unless they can remediate the previously acquired six Thales Australia LCM2000s. Ordered under JP 2048 Phase 1A as an LCM suited to the Kanimbla class LPA [Landing Platform, Assault] the LCM2000 are yet to be accepted into service but include the fuel supply and crew sustainment fitout needed for independent tasking. JP 2048-3 is scheduled to achieve first pass in February 2009, second pass in October 2010 and an ISD of 2012-2014.

Deliveries are currently underway on JP 2088 Phase 1A the Air Drooped Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat (ADRHIB) from the US. For use by Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) the ADRHIB is parachute deployable from a specially modified C-130H airlifter. The solution is the US SOCOM standard USMI 11m long Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boat (NSW RIB).


Land C3 Development
LDB has formed a new sub-branch to focus on the $2.58 billion worth of C4I and electronic warfare (EW) projects for the brigade and below land force being progressed in the DCP. The key focus of the C4I effort will be the development of the networked battle group (NBG) by equipment deliveries and use of a trials battalion to be based on 6 RAR at Enoggera (Qld.).

The Block I NCW land force will be trialled up to 2010 followed by Block 2 to 2014 and Block 3 in 2013-15. Each block will add new capabilities with Block 3 connecting a brigade level formation until milestone four (at the end of Block 3) is reached proving the networking of two brigades and higher level ISTAREW [Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Electronic Warfare] capabilities.

The NBG (6 RAR) will be deployed with a battle management system (BMS) in 2010-11 to develop a common operating picture (COP) from fire team level (four soldiers) up to the battle group headquarters. An important role of the NBG will be to develop operating procedures and tactics to leverage the new BMS equipment. Equipment roll out will be through “Land 200� the combined Land 125 Phase 3 BMS-Dismounted (BMS-D) and Land 75 Phase 3.4 BMS-Mounted (BMS-M) awarded to Elbit Systems with their Dominator system and JP 2072 for the communications systems.

Rollout of the initial BMS will also go to the Army’s two new battalions 7 RAR and 8/9 RAR that are currently forming. The focus on the NBG is to learn by doing and ensure the Army knows how to get the most out of the system rather than just issuing new equipment before the operational units are reequipped.

Despite the DMO rejecting the original JP 2072 Phase 1 architecture provided by General Dynamics Systems Australia (GDSA) the project remains active and progressing. GDSA remains the authority for designing the networked architecture to develop the BCS(L) [Battlespace Communisations System (Land)]. LDB expect that the DMO and GDSA will soon be entering into contract for JP 2072 deliverables. The BCS(L) will provide the combat network radios (CNR), the brigade level networks and the tactical data systems to support the higher level command systems. Second pass for JP 2072-1 is expected before June 2009.


Sustaining the Land Force
The Military Integrated Logistics Information System (MILIS) will receive high priority upgrades to the deployable capability as well as an improved in-transit visibility under JP 2977 Phase 2D. The RFT will be released in 2009-10 for an ISD of 2012-15. JP 2085 Phases 2 and 3 first pass is expected in 2009-10 for a continuation of Phase 1. This project will continue to ensure the operational viability of the land force through acquisition of explosive warstock munitions. The scope of these phases will be heavily dependent on the White Paper. JP 2060 Phase 3 aims to improve the deployable health infrastructure capability of the ADF. Phase 2B had focused on hard shelter systems and Phase 3 will improve prevention, treatment and evacuation and provide a medical information system.


What's Missing
Pre DCP entry work is progressing on developing the capability requirements for several new systems. They include aviation refuelling trucks for the Forward Refuelling and Arming Points (FRAP) of Army helicopters, operational personnel tracking (OPT) and enhanced gap crossing. Army engineers have missed the boat in recent years in DCP entries and have developed a modular engineer force (MEF) concept to rectify this shortfall.

The MEF proposal has developed the need for a Protected Work Platform (PWP) based on the Bushmaster vehicle to provide enhanced protection and communications for engineers during close support operations in the face of the IED threat. The lack of rapid bridging capability to support large and heavy platforms like the M1A1 AIM main battle tank (MBT) and Land 400 IFV hampers flexibility. Dry Support Bridges (DSB) can be rapidly rolled out from a launcher vehicle to cross most gaps. The engineers have also recognised the need for a Manoeuvre Support Vehicles like an armoured bulldozer or combat engineer tractor (CET). Also the engineering explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) capability is being addressed through various minor projects rather than a large integrated approach for a future system. Considering the importance of the counter IED battle the absence of these projects in the DCP is perplexing. HMMMMM!