Nordic thunder

In the US FLIR has developed the Recon V, a cooled system working in the MWIR band. © FLIR

The uncooled offer by FLIR is the Recon V Ultra Light, UL in short, which thermal channel is based on the latest 12 µm pitch 640x480 focal plane array developed by the company. © FLIR

While US Armed Forces are close to get the new JETS (Joint Effects Targeting System) developed by Leonardo DRS, and dedicated to specialised elements, numerous companies are producing hand held targeting systems. Recently the US Marine Corps assigned two contracts, respectively to Northrop Grumman and Elbit Systems of America for the development of prototypes of the Next Generation Handheld Targeting System. BAE Systems developed the HAMMER (Handheld Azimuth Measuring, Marking, Electro-optic imaging & Ranging) that includes also a Celestial compass for accurate location even in GPS-denied areas. FLIR latest developments are the Recon V and Recon V Ultra Lite, respectively cooled and uncooled. The thermal channel is fitted with a 10x zoom allowing a FoV ranging from 20°x15° to 2°x1.5°, an e-stabilisation system being

fitted to the Recon V. No performance data are provided, however the LRF range being of 10 km it is safe to say that this is at least the range for a vehicle-size object. The Recon V has a hot-swap mode allowing to change batteries without shutting down the system. An internal memory allows storing up to 1,000 images. The Recon V Ultra Lite exploits the latest 12 µm pitch 640x480 FPA from the company, hence the system compactness and low weight, while the day channel has a 5 MP resolution. A 12.2°x6.9° Super Wide FoV, a 6°x3.3° Wide FoV and a 4.5°x1.6° Narrow FoV are available on the thermal channel, a 6°x3.3° and a 3°x1.7° FoVs being those of the day channel. The LRF range is in excess of 10 km, a laser pointer working on 850 nm being also part of the system. A digital video output as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC connectivity are also embedded in the Recon V Ultra Lite.

A high degree of automation enables the BAE Systems Bofors 155 mm/52 cal SPH to operate with a crew of only three who remain within the protection of the armoured cab. © Swedish Army

By Ian Kemp

The four armies – Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish - represented in the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) organisation operate the same CV90 infantry fighting vehicles and Leopard 2 main battles tanks, albeit acquired in separate acquisition programmes, but despite Swedish efforts to encourage a collaborative effort the four nations chose different solutions to meet their needs for 155 mm/52 cal self-propelled artillery systems.

The origins of the Swedish Archer 155 mm/52 cal wheeled self-propelled howitzer date back to the mid-1990s when Bofors Defence (now BAE Systems Bofors) was contracted by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to conduct a technology demonstration programme for the Swedish Army. The demonstrator mounted the 155 mm/45 calibre ordnance of the Bofors FH-77B towed howitzer on a modified Volvo VME A25C 6x6 all-terrain chassis fitted with a fully armoured cab to protect both the crew and engine compartment. After conducting extensive trials in 1996 the Swedish Army stipulated that the crew should be able halt, conduct a fire mission and move off again without having to leave the protection of the cab. The rebuilt demonstrator, equipped with a 24 rounds magazine, was returned to the Artillery School for a new round of testing in 1999. In parallel with this development effort the army also conducted extensive trials of two tracked 155 mm weapons - the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann PzH 2000 and the BAE Systems AS90 Braveheart - before deciding that a wheeled solution was a more cost-effective option.

BAE Systems Bofors has built 48 Archer 155 mm/52 cal SPHs for the Swedish Ministry of Defence although the final 12 are being offered for sale. © Swedish Army

operated by a driver and one other crew member. The automated 20 rounds magazine can handle all 155 mm projectiles which do not exceed 1,000 mm in length and 50 kg in weight. A further 20 rounds of ammunition are carried on the vehicle to replenish the magazine manually. The Archer can fire 20 rounds in 2.5 minutes achieving a rate of fire of 9 rounds per minute.

In late 2003, Bofors received a contract from FMV to build two prototype Archer Artillery System 08 155 mm/52 calibre weapons, the first of which began trials in June 2005. Denmark was an early partner in the Archer project, with both countries expected to order 36 weapons, but subsequently withdrew. A new partner was found in Norway which signed a cooperation agreement with Sweden in November 2008 for development of the Archer, and in March 2010 BAE Systems Bofors received a contract to build 24 weapons for each country. The Swedish Army received its first four pre-serial production in September 2013. However, in December 2013, Norway cancelled its Archer buy citing delays in the development schedule and concerns about the Archer’s mobility in extreme terrain. In September 2016, the Swedish government announced that it would buy the 24 Archers originally planned for Norway, for an overall cost of SEK 900 million, and retain 12 for the Swedish Army and offer the final batch of 12 to export customers.

The crew consists of a driver and three operators carried in a fully armoured cab which provides protection equivalent to ‘at least STANAG 4569 Level 3’ and protects against a 6 kg mine detonation under one of the wheel stations. The computer workstations for the three operators are identical while the driver has a more basic computer station optimised for driving; in extremis the Archer can be The Archer can fire extended range full bore – base bleed (ERFB-BB) projectiles to a range of about 40 km and the BAE Systems Bofors M892 Excalibur rocket-assisted precision guided munition to approximately 60 km. For close protection the Swedish Army’s Archers are equipped with the Lemur remote weapon station, armed with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, which was also designed and produced by BAE Systems Bofors in Karlskoga. The Volvo Construction Equipment A30E articulated chassis can obtain a top speed of 70 km/h on roads and a road range of about 500

To boost export sales the BAE Systems Bofors International Archer 155 mm/52 cal SPH is being offered on a range of 8x8 trucks such as the RMMV HX2. © BAE Systems

BAE Systems Bofors is proposing the International Archer 155 mm/52 cal SPH on the RMMV HX2 8x8 truck for the British Army’s Mobile Fire Platform project. © BAE Systems

km. With a weight of about 30 tonnes the Archer can be carried by an Airbus Military A400M transport aircraft. Each Archer is accompanied by an Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV) which consists of a modified standard container fitted with a hoist mounted on an armoured Rheinmetall Man Military Vehicles (RMMV) 8x8 truck. Ammunition resupply takes about 10 minutes and this is the only time a member of the crew has to leave the system.

The original 24 weapons ordered by Sweden were delivered to the Swedish Army’s only remaining artillery unit, Artilleriregementet 9 (Artillery Regiment 9) at Boden, in 2016-17. The regiment trains personnel for the 91st and 92nd Artillery Battalions which are each equipped with 12 Archers organised into three batteries. The deployment of the additional 12 Archers, six of which had been delivered by the end of 2019, will be announced in the 2021-25 defence plan, scheduled for publication by the end of 2020. “With regard to the upcoming defence decision that will be valid from 2021 onwards, it is extremely gratifying that we see a growth for the Swedish Armed Forces. A growth that we have not seen before in modern times. The Defence Committee proposes, among other things, that the artillery should go from today’s two artillery battalions to a total of six artillery battalions and two artillery combat groups,” Colonel Magnus Ståhl, commander of A9, told the regiment in December.

International Archer

In January 2020, BAE Systems Bofors began firing trials with the complete Archer elevating mass mounted on an RMMV HX2 8×8 cross country truck. The modular Archer combination, first shown at DSEI in September 2019, is intended to boost the appeal of the Archer to potential exports customers including the British Army which plans to acquire up to 135 wheeled 155 mm/52 calibre Mobile Fire Platforms (MFP) to replace its 155 mm/39 calibre AS90 tracked SP artillery systems which have been in service since 1993. Basing the first international Archer on the HX was an obvious choice as the British Army was the launch customer for the HX range and operates a fleet of more than 7,000 RMMV HX and SX series vehicles.

The International Archer retains the weapon performance characteristics of the Swedish Archer. Mounted on the HX2 the Archer can achieve a road speed of up to 90 km/h with a road range of up to 650 km with on-board fuel. The cabin provides the three strong crew with full protection against artillery fragmentation,

Finland has ordered 48 Hanwha Defense K9 Thunder 155 mm/52 cal tracked SPHs from Republic of Korea Army stocks. © Finnish Defence Forces

mine attacks and blast overpressure, and NBC threats. “This new international version of the Archer can be easily integrated onto a variety of different chassis, allowing the customer to specify the vehicle best suited to their needs,” said Ulf Einefors, director of marketing and sales at BAE Systems Weapon Systems business in Sweden.

Under the British Army 2020 Refine force structure, announced in 2016, four close support artillery regiments will be reequipped with MFPs to support the Army’s two armoured infantry and two new Strike brigades. The Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) procurement agency released the key user requirements for the MFP project on 27 January 2020. The Strike brigade concept depends upon a high level of strategic and tactical mobility so the MFP system must be capable of going straight into action after travelling 520 km in 24 hours. The weapon must be capable of responding within 60 seconds of receiving a call for fire and exceed the AS90’s burst rate of fire of three rounds in 10 seconds, intense rate of 6 rounds per minute for three minutes, and sustained rate of 2 rounds per minute for one hour. Firing unassisted ammunition the MFP must achieve a minute range of 30 km with an objective range of 40 km. Precision fire and extended range will be achieved through the Tactical Guided Munition (Indirect) and High Explosive Base Bleed munition projects within the Close Support Fires Programme.

An initial gate decision for the MFP project is scheduled for 2021 with a main gate decision in 2024 leading to an initial operational capability in 2026. Other companies interested in the MFP project include Nexter (offering CAESAR), Elbit UK (ATMOS), Hanwha Defence (K9) and KrausMaffei Wegmann (RCH155 module mounted on Boxer 8×8 armoured vehicle).

The Finnish Army will achieve initial operational capability with the Hanwha Defense K9Fin Moukari 155 mm/52 cal tracked SPH in 2020. © Finnish Defence Forces

With the arrival of the K9 the Norwegian Army will phase out its remaining 155 mm M109A3GNMs after 50 years of service. © Norwegian Army

Double win for K9

Sweden’s immediate neighbours to both the east and west - Finland and Norway - are now fielding the Hanwha Defense K9 Thunder 155 mm/52 cal tracked self-propelled howitzer originally developed in the 1990s to meet the Republic of Korea Army’s requirement for system that would provide greater firing range, faster firing rate and better mobility than the locally-produced variant of the US M109 155 mm system. Operated by a crew of five - commander, driver, gunner, and two loaders – the K9 is armed with a locally produced Hyundai WIA 155 mm/52 cal ordnance. The bustle rack carries 48 rounds of four different types. A high degree of automation enables the K9 to fire a three-round burst within 15 seconds and fire six to eight rounds for three minutes. The standard K9 is equipped with an MTU MT 881 Ka-500 with a 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) engine and a hydropneumatic suspension unit, enabling the K9 to achieve a maximum road speed of 67 km/h and a road range of 360 km. The K9 is supported by the K10 ammunition resupply vehicle built on the K9 chassis to enable it to keep pace with the Thunder in the field. The K9 carries 104 rounds which are automatically transferred through a munition bridge to the K9’s bustle rack at a rate of 12 rounds per minute. By 2019 the RoKA had received 1,136 K9s and 179 K10s. The service plans to upgrade its K9 fleet to the K9A1 standard by 2030. In response to a Finnish Army requirement for a 155 mm self-propelled artillery system South Korea offered to supply used K9s from the RoKA’s inventory. Following an extensive in country evaluation of the K9 in November 2016, Finland signed a €46 million agreement in February 2017 for 48 K9s. The contract also includes training, spare parts and maintenance systems, and the option to buy additional K9s.

Finland received its first K9Fin Moukari (Sledgehammer), as the weapon is designated by the Finnish Army, in 2018 and in September 2019 the Jaeger Artillery Regiment of the Armoured

In December 2019, Norway received the first of 24 Hanwha Defense K9 Vidar (for Versatile Indirect Artillery) systems now on order. © Norwegian Army

The Hanwha Defense 155 mm/52 cal K9 Vidar will equip the Norwegian Army’s Brigade North by late 2021. © Norwegian Army

The Hanwha Defense K10 ammunition resupply vehicle is able to replenish the K9’s bustle rack with 48 rounds in less than five minutes with the crews having to leave the protection of either vehicle. © Norwegian Army

Brigade, one of the Army’s three high readiness brigades, began training the initial intake of conscripts selected to operate the K9 who will serve for 347 days. “The control features and reliability of the K9 Thunder are well suited for the purposes of conscript training and operations. Due to its engine power, automatic transmission and steering, the operation of an armoured howitzer is easily covered as part of driver training. This means that we are capable of focusing on safe training yet effective firing position activity,” said Lieutenant Colonel Aku Antikainen, commander of the Jaeger Artillery Regiment. In 2020 the Karelia Artillery Regiment, which supports the Karelia Brigade, another of the Army’s high readiness brigades, will begin training personnel to operate the K9Fin.

In December 2019, the Norwegian Army received its first K9s, which are known locally as the K9 Vidar for Versatile Indirect Artillery System. Norway signed a NOK3.2 billion contract with Hanwha on 20 December 2017, for 24 new K9s and six K10 resupply vehicles, with an option for a 24 additional K9s. The decision followed a three-week evaluation of four 155 mm systems in demanding Norwegian winter conditions in January 2016: the Hanwha K9 Thunder, the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann PzH2000, the Nexter CAESAR, and the RUAG M109 KAWEST upgrade.

The first K9s were delivered to the Norwegian Army Weapons School at Rena where training for gun commanders will begin in May and be then followed by training for conscript crew members in the third quarter of 2021. Before the arrival of Norway’s K9s, Norwegian instructors received valuable training in Finland. The artillery battalion with Brigade North, the Army’s only artillery unit, now equipped with 18 M109A3GNMs, is scheduled to become operational with the K9 before the end of 2021. “The most important thing is that we can achieve longer range. This means that we can influence the enemy before they meet Brigade North. The K9 also has far better mobility than the old gun,” said Aleksander Jonassen, the chief artillery instructor at the Army Weapons School, at the delivery ceremony for the K9. “The

Danish personnel conduct proof firing of the Nexter Systems CAESAR 8x8 155 mm/52 cal SPH in November 2019. © Danish DALO

guns have fully autonomous firing which makes the work far easier for the soldiers. When the guns change position, the system calculates the new course and firing range. This allows the guns and units to move much faster than today’s M109 system.” Both the Norwegian and Finnish K9s are fitted with an auxiliary power unit.

CAESAR takes Denmark

On 22 January 2020, the first two Nexter Systems CAESAR 8x8 (CAmion Equipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie) 155 mm/52 cal SPHs were delivered to Oksbøl Camp, the home of the Danish Artillery Regiment (DAR). The two weapons were used for proof firing at Sweden’s Karlskoga ranges in 2019 and will undergo additional tests over the next several months as well as being used for training instructors. The first CAESARs will formally be transferred to the DAR in mid-2020.

Following Denmark’s withdrawal from the Archer project, the Danish Army’s search for a 155 mm/52 cal replacement for its remaining M109A3 SPHs was a tortuous saga. In 2013, Denmark after evaluating responses from nine companies, invited Elbit Systems (offering its Soltam Autonomous Truck MOunted howitzer System, ATMOS), Hanwha (K9 Thunder) and Nexter (CAESAR 6x6) to submit bids to supply for between nine and 21 weapons with an expectation that a contract would be awarded before the end of 2014. Elbit was selected to meet the requirement but the project was cancelled on 30 April 2015, before contract award, in order to free funds for a more urgent project. The cancellation saved the government some embarrassment as the Danish Social Liberal Party, a signatory to the multi-party defence agreement, was opposed to awarding a contract to an Israeli company because of concerns over the Israeli government’s Palestinian policy.

A new competition was launched in December 2015 when seven companies were asked to submit proposals for 15 weapons with an option for a further six. The Soltam ATMOS and the

The Danish Army is the launch customer for the Nexter Systems CAESAR 8x8 155 mm/52 cal SPH which builds on the success of the CAESAR 6x6. © Nexter Systems

CAESAR were again the finalists in the second competition although Nexter was able to offer the new CAESAR 8x8 which features several improvements compared to the 6x6 model which was evaluated for the previous competition. In March 2017, the Danish government announced its intention to become the launch customer for the CAESAR 8x8 and in May 2017 it awarded Nexter a contract to supply 15 weapons, with an option for another six, with deliveries to begin by mid-2020. In October 2019, Denmark exercised the option to buy another four weapons bringing the total to 19. The first 15 weapons will be delivered in mid-2020 and the additional four in 2023.

Nexter unveiled the CAESAR 8x8 at Eurosatory 2016 building on the success of the CAESAR 6x6 which has been sold to the French Army and four export customers. Denmark chose the Tatra platform displayed at Eurosatory, but the system can be integrated on suitable 8x8 chassis from other manufacturers including Iveco, Renault, RMMV and Sisu. The CAESAR 8x8 weighs between 28 and 32 tonnes depending on configuration. Denmark selected an armoured four-door cab which offers up to Level 3 ballistic and Level 2 mine protections and is equipped with air conditioning and an NBC defence system. The CAESAR 8x8 can achieve a road speed of 90 km/h and a road range of 600 km.

The CAESAR 8x8 is equipped with a computerised fire control system, muzzle velocity radar and inertial navigation system which enables the crew to dismount and bring the weapon into action in less than one minute. This shoot and scoot capability reduces the crew’s exposure to counter battery fire. In the Danish configuration the CAESAR 8x8 carries 36 complete rounds, compared to the 18 rounds carried by the 6x6 variant. The Danish weapons are equipped with a semi-automatic ammunition handling system which enables a rate of fire of six rounds per minute; Nexter also offers a fully automated system, although this reduces the number of rounds carried to 30. The CAESAR can fire all NATO standard 39/52 cal ammunition. In a separate project Denmark plans to acquire extended range and precision guided munitions to fully exploit the capabilities of its new CAESAR 8x8s.