AMPV, M2A4 and Stryker-A1. Build or upgrade?
In recent years, the command, together with industry, has been implementing several projects for the renewal of the fleet of armored vehicles. One of them provides for the future replacement of obsolete armored vehicles. Others still offer only upgrades to existing equipment. In parallel, the procurement of new samples of a number of classes continues. Consider the main plans of the US Army for the most common protected infantry vehicles.
Replacement for M113
The tracked armored personnel carrier M113, despite all recent upgrades, has long been morally obsolete and can no longer meet modern requirements. In this regard, the AMPV program (Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle - “Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle”) was launched a long time ago, the purpose of which was to create a new tracked armored vehicle. By 2014, a number of proposed projects from various organizations dropped out of the program, which predetermined its results.
The winner of the competition was the RHB project (Reconfigurable Height Bradley - “Bradley Variable Height”) from BAE Systems. She proposed to build a new BTR based on the M2 Bradley serial BMP. The project of an armored personnel carrier provides for the removal of a regular tower, the restructuring of the internal hull volumes, as well as the refinement of external units. The enlarged troop compartment was proposed to be used to transport people or to accommodate special equipment.
At the end of 2014, BAE Systems was awarded a contract for the 52 month-long design phase. As part of this contract, it was necessary to complete the development of the project, and then build and test 29 RHB machines in five versions with different equipment. At the end of this stage, an order should appear on almost 300 serial armored vehicles. It is expected that such a contract will be concluded no later than 2019-2020.
After 2020, BAE Systems will have to start full-scale mass production of RHB. The new equipment will be rebuilt from the M2 BMP and the M3 BRM removed from storage or output from front-line units. Production will continue 10 years, and during this time the army wants to get 2897 vehicles of all modifications - armored personnel carriers, command and stationary, ambulance and evacuation vehicles, as well as 120-mm self-propelled mortars. In all cases we are talking about replacing outdated samples on the M113 platform.
Currently, the contracting company continues AMPV / RHB development work. This stage of the program should be completed soon with the desired results. Thus, a complete rejection of M113 can already be considered a matter of the foreseeable future.
Update for M2 Bradley
A significant share of the US armored vehicles fleet accounts for the M2 Bradley tracked infantry fighting vehicles and their modifications for various purposes. While the command is not planning to abandon such technology, but in its current form, it no longer suits the military. So, immediately after the completion of active hostilities in Iraq, there was an intention to upgrade equipment. In the future, "Bradley" was updated several times, including with the formation of new modifications. Now another project of this kind is being implemented.
In June last year, BAE Systems received a contract worth $ 347 million for a deep upgrade of the Bradley 473 family of machines. As part of this order, several hundred BMPs such as M2A2 and M2A3, as well as the fire support machine M7A3, will be updated. Updated technology gets the letters "A4".
In the course of previous upgrades made after the Iraq war, the M2 infantry fighting vehicle received additional reservations and new radio-electronic devices. The growth of part of the characteristics led to an increase in mass, and at the same time to an increase in the load on the engine and the chassis, which adversely affected mobility. The new project M2A4 provides for the revision of systems and units, "affected" by previous upgrades.
The proposed appearance of the BMP M2A4. Photo BAE Systems / baesystems.com
The M2A4 BMP and the M7A4 fire support machine get a more powerful engine and the corresponding transmission. The increase in mass is compensated by the installation of reinforced torsions. The caterpillar has a smaller mass with the same strength and contact area. An updated electrical system with modern control devices is used. It provides a more efficient distribution of energy between the onboard systems. The on-board electronics complex is proposed to be updated using modern components.
Work on the serial modernization of armored vehicles launched in the last year. Probably by now the contracting company has managed to rebuild and improve a number of machines M2 and M7. So far, the command plans to upgrade less than 500 armored vehicles - a smaller part of the fleet. It is possible that after receiving the ordered equipment under the current contract, the Pentagon will place a new order for the M2A4 and M7A4. However, we can not exclude the possibility of creating a new modernization project, which will update the equipment in the distant future.
Upgraded Stryker
The Stryker family of wheeled armored combat vehicles continues to serve, but the operation of such equipment in its original configuration is no longer considered possible. Since 2011, there has been a massive modernization of armored vehicles under the ECP (Engineering Change Proposal - “Technical Change Plan”) and DVH (Double V-Hull - “Double V-Shaped Body”) programs. Also last year, we launched the process of equipping equipment with new devices. The result of the current upgrades are machines called Stryker-A1.
Current Strayker modernization projects provide for the finalization of the armored hull with the installation of new elements that increase the overall level of protection. Also installed a new engine with power 450 hp instead of the base 350-strong, and with it using an improved transmission. A more powerful electric generator is used, capable of supporting the operation of all modern and future onboard systems. The suspension of the wheel chassis is enhanced with a margin that allows you to bring the combat weight to 25-27 t.
The composition of equipment and weapons upgraded Stryker-A1 are determined in accordance with the role of a particular machine. At the same time, new communication and control devices are being introduced. In some cases we are talking about rearmament. Thus, the “Strikers” in the configuration of an armored personnel carrier can be equipped with an 30-mm automatic cannon and a launcher for Javelin anti-tank missiles.
Last year, a new project was launched, which envisages the creation of another machine of the Stryker family. On the basis of the universal chassis in its modern configuration, it is proposed to build an M-SHORAD anti-aircraft complex (Maneuver-Short-Range Air Defense - “Maneuverable short-range air defense”). In the future, such equipment will have to supplement the AN / TWQ-1 Avenger complexes and strengthen the air defense of the troops in the near zone.
In the summer of 2018, it was announced that under the M-SHORAD program, the Stryker-A1 chassis would be slightly modified and equipped with an RIwP combat module (Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform) from the Italian company Leonardo DRS. The RIwP product can be equipped with automatic cannons and machine guns, as well as carry guided missiles of various types. The army plans to get 144 self-propelled self-propelled guns in different configurations, and the delivery will be completed in 2022 year.
Build or upgrade?
There are several tens of thousands of protected infantry vehicles in the US Army, and armored vehicles of the M113, M2 and Stryker types constitute a significant part of this fleet. In terms of their number, they are inferior to modern MRAP armored cars, but they are of great importance and must remain in service. At the same time, the command takes into account current problems, as a result of which it updates the fleet of vehicles, implementing the optimal solutions.
The old and well-deserved armored personnel carriers M113 no longer meet modern requirements, which is why it was decided to replace them with a new model. In the near future, such a machine type AMPV / RHB will go into full-scale mass production, which will launch the process of the final abandonment of obsolete armored personnel carriers.
Newer M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and equipment based on them are not without problems, but they want to keep it in service due to regular modernization. It is curious that this time the project of updating M2A4 provides for the restructuring of the power plant and chassis, but almost does not affect the protection and armament. The same applies to the M7A4 fire support machine.
The Stryker family of cars are the newest of those reviewed, but in their case it is necessary to organize upgrades. From the very beginning of operation, such equipment faced serious problems, and to correct the identified deficiencies it was necessary to organize various programs for repairing and updating machines. Another such project, ECP / DVH, was completed in the recent past. While new upgrades are not planned, but the Stryker family will be replenished with another sample on the modified chassis.
As you can see, the Pentagon intends to abandon only hopelessly outdated armored vehicles, which in principle cannot be brought into line with all current requirements. In other cases, repairs and upgrades are used to ensure the growth of characteristics and the introduction of new features. Such an approach, in general, justifies itself. It allows you to do without unnecessary spending on the construction of a completely new technology, but at the same time bring the material part into the desired form.
It is worth noting that similar approaches are used in other areas. So, multipurpose army vehicles are systematically replaced with modern armored cars, and in the past, MRAPs were widely used. Moreover, in the field tanks only modernization projects are being implemented, while the development of new designs is still considered impractical and therefore has long faded into the background.
The US military believes that such principles of renewal of the fleet of military equipment are optimal and with their help make plans for the future. This means that in the medium and long-term, the fleet of armored vehicles of the US Army will noticeably change, but a significant proportion will still be well-known samples - even if they have undergone deep modernization.
On the materials of the sites:
https://army.mil/
http://globalsecurity.org/
https://defenseindustrydaily.com/
https://armyrecognition.com/
https://janes.com/
https://breakingdefense.com/
http://thedrive.com/
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