Exhibition AUSA 2017
Stryker ICVD (Infantry Carrier Vehicle Dragoon), that is, an M1296 vehicle with a Kongsberg MCT-30 remote-controlled turret.
This year's Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting & Exposition 2017, held October 9-11 in Washington, DC, was marked by the expansion and modernization of military air defense units and short-range missile defense. An important place there was occupied by multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicles.
Perhaps the most interesting was the presentation of the Bell Helicopter V-280 Valor rotorcraft, or rather its 1:1 scale model. During AUSA 2017, it was confirmed that all ground tests, including engine operation, were successful, and flight tests (on October 8 there was a short hitch) are scheduled for the end of the year. However, the remaining ground tests, including onboard systems, will be completed first at the Bell Helicopter plant in Amarillo, Texas. According to the manufacturer, the initial production readiness of the B-280 can be achieved around 2025-2026, and the initial operational readiness - around 2030, that is, several years ahead of the dates assumed by the US Army. Bell Helicopter said the unit price of the V-280 is expected to be roughly equivalent to that of an unarmed AH-64 Apache, roughly $35 million. That's half the price of the V-22 Osprey, a company spokesman said.
The rival of the Bell Helicopter group, a team led by Boeing and Sikorski, did not exhibit the model of its Valor competitor, the SB-2017 Defiant, at AUSA 1. Its estimated cost has also not been disclosed. At the same time, it was confirmed that ground tests of the prototype should take place in the next few months. Both projects participate in the JMR-TD (Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator) technology demonstration program. The US Army plans to test both designs and only on the basis of comparative tests will clarify the requirements for the next generation helicopter program (Future Vertical Lift). The US Army is expected to order up to 2000 vehicles starting in the 30s, with the FLV program expected to launch in 2019. The winning project is scheduled for completion in 2025.
Air defense
A lot of space has been given to the concept of M-SHORAD (Maneuver SHORAD), i.e. short-range mobile air defense systems. As acknowledged at the AUSA 2017 conference, the US Army does not currently have advanced airborne cover systems that can accompany troop movements. Currently, the only system in operation in this category is the Boeing AN / TWQ-1 Avenger with Raytheon FIM-92 Stinger missile launchers on the HMMWV chassis, which should be withdrawn and replaced with a new design in the near future (before that, however, not much went to Europe less than 50 such machines). The US Army emphasizes that medium-range systems such as the Patriot are not mobile enough. Second, the US Army is looking for a closer range solution that works below Patriot range. This applies, for example, to the system for countering unguided rockets, artillery and mortar shells (C-RAM). The US Army plans to equip each division with an M-SHORAD battalion, and each brigade battle group with a battery. After the needs of the US Army are met, the M-SHORAD may become part of the National Guard equipment. However, much depends on the available funds, because 18 divisions (10 US Army and 8 National Guards) and 58 brigades (31 US Army and 27 National Guardsmen) should be equipped with such equipment. There are currently two SHORAD battalions in active service in the US Army and seven in the National Guard.
The Boeing concern presented a comprehensive proposal in this category of weapons. Regarding the idea of replacing the current AN / TWQ-1 Avenger configuration, Boeing introduced the M-SHORAD system on JLTV wheeled vehicles. The Boeing concept was based on the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire (Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman) and Raytheon AI-3 (Accelerated Improved Interceptor) missiles, which are the AIM-9M Sidewinder variant for C-RAM operations. In the future, such a vehicle could also be equipped with a variable power laser for both C-RAM and anti-drone (C-UAS) operations. Another proposed armament is a 30mm automatic cannon. As part of the modernization work, Boeing has developed a universal launcher Maneuver SHORAD Launcher (MSL).
In conjunction with General Dynamics Land Systems (GDELS), a circular Stryker in the M-SHORAD configuration was also introduced, integrated with a new version of the Avenger system (designated Avenger-3), equipped with an optoelectronic head with a thermal viewing channel, as well as a laser range finder / target designator . The machine received the designation Stryker MSL. The Avenger-3 turret has four AGM-114L (or future JAGM) launchers on one side and four FIM-92s on the other, although GDELS claims it is compatible with any type of missile used by the US Army. Company representatives said that in the future it will be possible to integrate a 30-mm gun and a laser into this machine, but now - as a result of a clear threat in Central and Eastern Europe and the urgent operational need arising from this - GDELS and Boeing offer a proven temporary option. solution.
