Sensor-fuzed munition enters German service
German ammunition company GIWS (Gesellschaft für Intelligente Wirksysteme mbH) has begun deliveries of the DM 702 sensor-fuzed munition to the German Artillery and is close to securing its first two export sales, one of them believed to be to a NATO Army.
The DM 702, also known as the SMArt 155, is a 'fire and forget' anti-armour weapon containing two autonomous sub-munitions designed to attack the top armour of main battle tanks and other moving and stationary battlefield targets such as artillery pieces, APCs and air defence missile units. Fired from a standard 155m gun, the round has a maximum range of 28km. The German Army has ordered 9,000 rounds from GIWS, which is a joint venture between German ammunition and ballistics firms Diehl and Reinmetall; deliveries should be complete in 2003.
The round incorporates a multi-channel radar/radiometer/infrared sensor with an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warhead. The multi-sensor system is designed to detect camouflaged and non-camouflaged targets accurately in all environments and under all weather conditions. The company chose to incorporate three separate sensors in the design to cope with anticipated improvements in vehicle and other target signatures and emerging counter-surveillance technologies, the company says.
According to Diehl's Australian representative, Rosebank Engineering, if a SMArt 155 round doesn't detect a target within its sensor 'footprint', the sub-munitions self-destruct to leave no unexploded ordnance on the battlefield.
The range and accuracy of the DM 702 means that gunners can engage in rapid 'shoot and scoot' manoeuvres without sacrificing accuracy, while fewer rounds are required to destroy a target, the company says. This in turn reduces ammunition inventories, including fuzes and propellants, the number of guns and crews required and the risk of collateral damage caused by using traditional artillery ammunition against armoured and mobile targets.
Cummins Australia, United Defense team for M-113 upgrade - Cummins Australia has signed a teaming agreement with United Defense, the original manufacturer of the M-113 Armoured Personnel Carrier, to bid for a key role in the upgrade of 350 Australian Army M-113s.
A dedicated project team at Cummins Australia has spent three years developing and testing a new generation power pack for the M-113. United Defense and Cummins have submitted a joint bid to Tenix Defence, which is prime contractor on the M-113 upgrade. The partners are offering Cummins' 276kW QSC370 engine, mated with the Allison X200-5Afour-speed transmission. A source selection for the power pack is expected in the near future.
"The Cummins powerpack sets a new benchmark for M-113 operating efficiency," says Cummins project director Ian Wood. "Extensive testing in a broad spectrum of extreme Australian conditions has shown its performance and fuel efficiency exceeds Australian Army requirements. The low-emissions design of the Cummins engine is also critical. This provides a tactical advantage in combat because there's no visible smoke under any operating condition. Additionally, noise 'signature' is significantly reduced because the engine is a four-cycle design."
If Melbourne-based Cummins Australia is selected as the power pack supplier, the local content component will be worth some $65 million and generate an estimated 164 fulltime equivalent jobs. Purchases from up to 23 local suppliers are anticipated in Victoria, depending on a final decision over plant location.
The partners are also pursuing a wider global market for M-113 upgrades. More than 80,000 vehicles are in service worldwide, the majority fitted with the original two-stroke Detroit Diesel engine. This produces high smoke and gaseous emissions, excessive noise, and delivers poor fuel consumption.
"An enormous number of M-113s around the world need upgrading, and a large amount of the componentry for these upgrades could be sourced from companies in Victoria," says Wood. "The prospect of that happening will be significantly underscored if we are successful in winning the Australian M-113 upgrade business.
Cummins Australia has already established long-term supply agreements with Australian companies to ensure continuity of component supply, he added.