Defence’s previous attempt to acquire a Lightweight Automatic Grenade Launcher system soured after extended contract negotiations with the preferred tenderer were terminated. Now seven years later, there’s a hurry-on to acquire even more of them.
An RFT released in 2007 under Land 40 Phase 2, sought the provision of 60 Lightweight Automatic Grenade Launchers (LWAGL) with an option to subsequently purchase up to 90 additional units and their in-country support. These were to enhance infantry battalions’ direct firepower in the conduct of close combat.
The current RFT, released in July 2014, is for the supply of up to 182 LWAGL systems to achieve an in-service date of 2016, with an option to acquire an additional quantity of 40 within three years from the effective date of the contract.
Land 40/2 capability requirement According to the current RFT, the ADF has a direct fire capability requirement that has the required range and target effects to adequately support manoeuvrability of dismounted close combat forces. This need was articulated in the 2004-2014 Defence Capability Plan (DCP) and a LWAGL system is now required that will provide this capability to ADF Land Combat Force Elements.
The capability sought comprises a man portable, systems integrated, MOTS 40mm LWAGL System which can provide precise engagement of point targets out to 1200m and area targets out to 1500m, by day and night with a load carriage component that interfaces with the Soldier Combat Ensemble when carried in its primary dismounted role.
The current in-service Mk.19 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher weapon weighs 34.3kg. The weapon element is the heaviest component of the system requiring carriage by operators. The acquisition of the LWAGL System is required to address this weight characteristic by procuring a system that is lightweight and enables dismounted portability and use. The Mk.19 first entered service in 1968, and features no fire control system in its present package. The Mk.19 is in service with elements from the Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force, and the Australian Special Operations Command (SOCOMD), and the LWAGL selected is expected to be evaluated for use by each of these elements as well.
The ADF requires the equipment solution to be employed alongside its extant Direct Fire Support Weapons capabilities together with the indirect 81mm F2 Mortar capabilities. Defence requires the LWAGL System to be certified to use the in-service 40mm M430A1 High Velocity ammunition and to have the potential to employ programmable ammunition. The LWAGL System is required to include a simulation system and to be able to be transported via defined ADF vehicles.
In accordance with the approved project scope, LAND 40 Phase 2 will deliver a vehicle transportation solution via a constrained number of Bushmaster PMVs and the upgraded M113AS4 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).
Two LWAGL systems were shortlisted for the original L40/2 requirement. They were the General Dynamics Mk.47 LAGL with a Raytheon sighting system offered by NIOA Defence, and the Heckler & Koch 40mm GMG, with a unique sighting system developed for the ADF requirement by proposer Point Trading.
This time round we suspect that the primary contenders will be NIOA offering the GD-OTS Mk.47, and BAE Systems Australia offering the HK GMG with the Rheinmetall/Vingmate FCS.
GD-OTS Mk.47 AGL The Mk.47 is a portable belt fed 40mm grenade weapon system suited for light infantry vehicles and tripod applications, capable of launching smart programmable 40 mm shells in addition to various unguided rounds. The Raytheon AN/PAS-13 fire control system integrates sensing, targeting and computer programming technology to assist in the detection, recognition and first-round engagement of targets.
The Mk.47 fires all NATO standard 40mm rounds, providing devastating firepower against soft and lightly armoured targets. GD-OTS and Nordic Ammunition Company have collaborated to produce the programmable Mk.285 airburst ammunition programmed to air burst after a set distance. The computerised sight allows the user to set this distance. The gun weighs 18kg, which is considerably less than the 34kg of the current in-service Mk.19 AGL. The Mk.47 is fully qualified with air burst ammunition. The system can fire the chamber-programmed Mk.285 ABM, or add an RF or IR programmer to fire both RF and IR programmed ammunition – the new LVS2 sight has an output to send the programming signal to these devices.
The Crew Served Weapons Next Generation Fire Control System (NGFCS) is an integrated module that gives the operator the ability to detect, recognise, identify and engage targets in both day and night conditions through day colour video and night thermal imaging cameras. The system includes the Raytheon Lightweight Video Sight (LVS) optimised for the Mk.285 Programmable Pre-fragmented High Explosive (PPHE) round, developed by Nammo AS of Norway.
General Dynamics has also developed the LVS2 – a new sight that retains the same human interface, but incorporates a high resolution thermal imager, colour day camera, laser range finder, ballistic computer in a lightweight package. The system allows operators to engage targets using the most sophisticated fire control available for crew served weapons. The system is operated by controls mounted to the back plate of the host weapon, which allow the operator to navigate a graphical user interface presented on the video display.
A laser range finder enables the operator to quickly and accurately determine distance to target. This information, combined with data from integrated sensors (air temperature, atmospheric pressure, sight pitch and sight cant) and various user inputs (such as ammunition type, range wind, and cross wind) are fed into a ballistic solution algorithm (BSA) and used to calculate the ballistic solution.
The solution is presented to the operator as a corrected aim-point on the colour LCD flat panel. The FCS is fully compatible for use with AN/PVS-7 or equivalent night vision goggles.
HK Grenade Machine Gun The HK GMG (Grenade Machine Gun) is a belt-fed automatic grenade launcher that fires high impulse 40mm grenades in a variety of applications. The HK GMG can be transported in a ‘backpack’ configuration by a two-man team and can also be mounted on a vehicle or helicopter.
The GMG uses an aluminium receiver for reduced weight and manufacturing costs. The HK GMG upper mount (gun cradle) readily mounts to standard US tripods, various vehicle mounts, or the lightweight, adjustable HK aluminium tripod. The HK GMG claims to be available at a unit cost below the purchase cost of competing systems. The gun weighs 29 kg and the tripod is an additional 11 kg.
The Vingmate FCS has been used with a variety of 40 mm AGLs, .50 cal., and other heavy machine guns with impressive accuracy and functionality. Its capabilities include direct fire for point targets and improved area suppression and indirect fire with target acquisition out to 4500m. An important feature is a Battle Management System interface. Other features include airburst programming, LRF and day camera with thermal camera as an option,
Writing in the Small Arms Defense Journal, NR Jenzen-Jones notes that the Mk.47 is a mere 18 kg, with the LVS weighing an additional undisclosed amount (known to be heavier than the Vingmate), whilst the GMG E weighs in at 29 kg plus an additional 5.8kg for the Vingmate FCS. Both systems are notably lighter than the 35 kg of the current Mk.19 Mod 3. Whilst the Mk.47 is certainly the lighter of the two contenders, both are expected to be frequently deployed as vehicle-mounted weapons, which may limit the Mk.47’s weight advantage.
Need for Direct Fire Weapons With the introduction of indirect fire capabilities through the current and near term acquisition of new long range artillery systems under Land 17, the Australian Army now has formidable firepower. The new M777A 155mm lightweight towed gun provides close support to manoeuvre units and fire supremacy on the wider battlefield.
Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan highlighted the versatility and dependability of indirect fire and the success of the indirect fire system in these operations is said to be attributable to the range of new generation munitions, networked command and control technology and the increased autonomy and enhanced mobility of platforms within the system.
But direct fire support weapon (DFSW) capabilities, an equally important component of Army firepower, are also being re-assessed, encouraged by operational lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the need to equip combat manoeuvre support companies within infantry battalions, under the Infantry 2012 concept.
To conduct effective close combat operations, direct fire weapon systems are required to neutralise, suppress or destroy designated targets to a range of at least 2000 metres. This is to allow manoeuvre groups to close with the enemy in the assault, or to prevent the enemy from either closing with or standing off and engaging the company in defence.
In the past there has been a lack of dedicated organic direct fire assets with the necessary range and effect to adequately support manoeuvre at infantry battalion and company group level. A weakness had existed at the rifle company/combat team level, whose principal weapons systems were limited to small arms with an effective range of 400m.
Now under the platoon fireteam structure, the platoon comprises 40 men organised into ten four-man fire teams or bricks. Six teams will be standard fire teams each generally equipped with three F88 Austeyr (one with advanced optics for DMR role and one with M203 40mm grenade launcher) and one F89 Minimi LMG.
It appears that the teams can be ‘plug and played’ across the company level with basic fire teams combining by twos to equate to standard UK/Commonwealth-style sections, while the manoeuvre support teams may be tasked from a third element to a section pulled out of all the company's platoons to form their own weapons platoon.
The earlier acquisition of the Javelin direct fire guided missile under Land 40/1, and the introduction into service of the lighter, harder hitting M3 version of the 84mm Carl Gustav anti-armour weapon, will be followed, hopefully in 2016, by new, lightweight automatic grenade launchers which will equip infantry battalions and be fitted to the remote weapons stations of some vehicles such as Bushmasters and ASLAVs.
Javelin was procured primarily to enable the Army to defeat a modern, well-equipped armoured threat and the system provides a credible and lethal stand-off ‘fire-and-forget ‘technology. For operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Australian special forces were equipped with Javelin - an invaluable weapon in defeating armoured adversaries and reinforced positions. While primarily designed for use against armour, Javelin is increasingly being employed in a direct-fire support or assault role in urban battlespace.
However due to the missile’s cost, Javelin is reserved for high value targets and the weapon is not issued as a matter of course to the manoeuvre support companies equipped with a range of direct and indirect fire support weapons. Land 40/1 also included the provision of mobility support to Light Infantry Battalions that don’t have organic transport to move the Javelin crew, personal equipment, the Command Launch Unit and first line ammunition around. Perhaps this will see the birth of mobile Javelin/AGL direct fire units under battalion rather than manoeuvre support company command.
The next DFSW layer of capability is provided by the 84mm Bofors Carl Gustav, a medium range anti-armour weapon effective against light armour and fortified bunkers at ranges up to 700 metres. A good step below the Carl Gustav is the 66mm M72A6 LAW, now largely superseded by more modern and effective variants of the shoulder-fired ATW. However even this largely superseded weapon is again finding favour for close-quarters combat in urban surroundings.
Now Defence requires some 182 LWAGL plus possibly another 40 to be employed alongside the Direct Fire Support Weapons capabilities described above.
