The combat module Hitrole Light from the Oto Melara company on the Lince vehicle in Afghanistan. The Italian army has ordered 81 combat module Hitrole Light
The need for enhanced protection and all-round surveillance played a major role in the development of a lightweight remotely controlled weapon station (RCWS) for light vehicles intended for patrol, reconnaissance and combat missions. Thus, these modules represent a winning alternative to weapons on the pivot axis, which tend to "expose" the shooter to enemy fire. They are also an alternative to single-seat turrets - too heavy for most light vehicles
In addition to the above, the threat to supply routes in asymmetric scenarios has led to a new potential market for such systems, that is, to their installation on logistics vehicles. In addition, obsolete wheeled or tracked armored personnel carriers, originally equipped with installations on a pivot axle, found a solution in the DBM to maintain their combat effectiveness, of course, provided that there was sufficient protection and mobility.
The need to protect numerous forward operating bases and combat posts (which is characteristic of the Afghan mission) led, however, to the use of the DBM also to protect these facilities. This is where module stabilization becomes redundant and, thus, some companies seek to offer cheaper solutions in an era of budgets shrinking like pebbled skin. As already noted, DBMS provide not only firepower, but also, thanks to their opto-electronic sighting systems, they play a useful role in situational awareness, observation, and when connected to a recording device, they collect intelligence data. Thermal imagers that are part of the optoelectronic units definitely have their own and considerable cost (especially uncooled ones), but now their prices are decreasing.
Another cost issue is the ability to decouple weapons and scopes. Today, observation from a vehicle without turning the weapon on civilians is considered more tactful, that is, the ability to maintain a machine gun at the maximum elevation angle while rotating the observation device can definitely be a diplomatic advantage. Another issue that causes much controversy is loading ammunition under the protection of armor, as this leads to a heavier structure and a corresponding high cost, but guarantees maximum safety in combat.
Medium-caliber systems armed with automatic cannons of 20-50 mm caliber are installed in manned or uninhabited towers or in remote combat modules. The advantage of towers is that they protect weapons and ammunition from both bad weather and enemy fire. Manned turrets need ballistic protection, the same as the main body, which makes them relatively heavy. Also, as the caliber increases, the fierceness of the debate over whether to leave the commander and gunner next to the cannon or plant them inside the hull grows.
The main advantage of the remote control tower is the absence of a basket, which increases the volume of the fighting compartment and reduces the need for high levels of ballistic protection (Level 2 is more than sufficient) and, thus, contributes to a decrease in mass. A controversial issue from the experience gained in the lower echelons is that the presence of a hatch allows the commander to have a direct view of the terrain. And while the lighter DUBM can be installed so that one of the hatches on the car opens freely, medium-caliber towers do not allow such a solution. Thus, as in the case of manned towers, a hatch on the roof of the tower itself is required. This determines the presence of a hole in the roof of the vehicle for access to the turret (a decision often made for maintenance and reloading of ammunition from under the armor), as well as the presence of an open passage for the commander to access the hatch on the turret roof. However, the absence of a basket can lead to limitation of the movement of the system, since for safety reasons the tower usually stops when personnel moves up and down. Aiming systems increase the range of weapons and provide better observation capabilities; in addition, medium-caliber turrets are often equipped with panoramic sights for the commander - a privilege that until recently was only available to main battle tanks.
The experience gained has clearly confirmed the importance of observation and target detection. Therefore, many armies install sighting systems for such tasks rather than for obtaining search and strike capabilities. Another often considered solution can be called a "tower on a tower", when a lightweight DBM is installed on a medium or large-caliber turret to provide not only observation (although with inferior performance compared to long-range devices, such as panoramic sights), but also for protection on short distances.
Advances in materials and improved recoil systems have made it possible to manufacture turrets armed with 105-mm and 120-mm high-pressure tank guns for chassis weighing 25 tons and above. While wheeled platforms on which such towers could be installed are available in relatively limited quantities, most tracked platforms can withstand the mass and recoil forces of the main battle tank's gun, thus transforming them into full-fledged light tanks. As noted in a recent review of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers (December 2013), the trends in terms of platform mass are quite contrasting: who until recently was a supporter of "heavyweights", for example, Israel, are currently looking at solutions in the average weight category, while how those who advocated mobility and operational deployability, such as the United States, seem to be moving in the opposite direction - towards heavier platforms. However, the truth remains that MBTs are not the most vital solution for those armies that do not rely on military action across the entire spectrum, and the abundance of towers of various masses, calibers and configurations can satisfy many of today's needs.
In its Bright Arrow module, Israel Military Industries combined an active defense system with automatic weapons, obtaining an effective defensive means for light armored vehicles.
Light combat modules
While most DBMs can be fitted with 5, 56mm, 7, 62mm and 12.7mm machine guns and 40mm automatic grenade launchers, some of them can also accept a small caliber automatic cannon, which, as a rule, It is installed in both medium-caliber towers and combat modules, becoming a link between these two categories
KONGSBERG PROTECH Company
The Norwegian company, part of the Kongsberg Group, remains the largest supplier of DBMS, almost 17,000 of these systems have been supplied to 17 countries. Its Protector module has been developed in various versions, becoming a kind of benchmark in the field of lightweight DBMS; this system is constantly being upgraded to meet new market needs. Based on the operating experience of the M151 module, which has smoke grenade installations, the Norwegian company developed the M153 model, in which the smoke grenade installations were removed in favor of side ballistic protection and a new loading mechanism. This model won the US Army Crows II contract in 2007, followed by several more contracts, the most recent in September 2013. According to actual operation data, the adoption of the Crows II model made it possible to reduce the consumption of 12, 7-mm cartridges by 70% due to a sharp increase in the accuracy of hitting the first shot. Another major contract was obtained from an unnamed buyer in November 2012, and in April 2013 another contract was signed for an undisclosed number of Protector modules in the Nordic configuration under a framework agreement between Norway and Sweden two years earlier. Nordic is currently the most advanced variant of the Protector family; in addition to its 4th generation fire control system, it features a new sensor kit of its own design, which includes three separate cameras with different fields of view from 1.6 ° to 95 °. The latter value is provided by the Kongsberg Day Camera VIS 95, which significantly improves situational awareness, and the 850 nm infrared laser provides high accuracy. In addition, Nordic also allows you to decouple the movement of the weapon and the sensor unit in the vertical plane in order to have a "non-threatening view" when conducting surveillance in non-combat operations. A variant with three cameras is also being developed, which will make it possible to get a picture-in-picture mode on the screen based on three images with different fields of view. In May 2013, Croatia signed a contract for the DUBM Protector for its installation on AMV 8x8 vehicles manufactured under license from the Finnish company Patria.
Protector Nordic is currently the most advanced configuration in the Kongsberg Protector family of OMBDs and features a complete optoelectronic kit, "super elevation" and ballistic protection.
While vehicle installation remains the main application of the Protector module, it is also suitable for the organization of a stationary defense system. At the AUSA 2012 exhibition, the company showed a containerized weapon station CWS (Containerized Weapon Station) based on an ISO Tricon Type 1 container. The station is equipped with an electromechanical chain hoist that can lift the Crows II RCWS to a height of 4.6 meters in less than 30 seconds. The module can also receive a Javelin rocket on the right side (a small electronics box accommodates the matching interfaces). Before launching the rocket, the station switches to rocket mode and the operator can see the image from the seeker of the Javelin rocket. The CWS is powered by a multi-fuel generator and battery pack; The Standoff Extension Kit allows communication with the command center at a distance of up to 1 km. Approximately 20 CWS are currently deployed in Afghanistan by the US Army and Special Operations Forces as part of forward base defense systems. A multi-station monitoring station has been specially developed for this application.
Another addition to increase the flexibility of the Protector / Crows family is the M134 Weapon Adapter Kit (WAK), which allows special forces to mount a six-barreled 7.62mm M134 Gatling machine gun on the company's DBM. The kit includes a cradle, weapon interfaces, a remote drive, a weapon control unit, a 24 volt battery with a charging module and a feed mechanism with a magazine for 3000 rounds. The system is currently being delivered.
Another Sea Protector kit is designed to optimize the M153 Protector for offshore operations. The kit includes sealed subsystems and components, an improved corrosion coating, a modified sensor kit, and an improved tracking system. Kongsberg supplies the Sea Protector to the US Navy, where it is known as the Mk50, for use on patrol boats and special operations vessels.
To install the DBMS on lighter machines, Kongsberg has developed Protector Lite, which has the same user interfaces as the original M151 and M153 modules and is more than 80% common with them. The Protector Lite variant weighs 100 kg less than the Nordic Protector and can be armed with a 7.62 mm M240 or MAG 58 / C6 machine gun or a 5.66 mm M249 machine gun. The sensor package includes a dual-field thermal imager with electronic zoom, a daytime color camera with a 45 ° field of view and x30 optical zoom, and an eye-safe laser rangefinder. In the arsenal of the company there is an even lighter solution weighing 30 kg, called the Protector SuperLite. It is currently being viewed by various countries in a tripod mount configuration, especially for special operations forces. The fiber optic cable allows the operator to control the Super Lite over a distance of several kilometers with a new handheld controller a la Play Station developed by Kongsberg, which delivered the first of 510 systems in October 2013.
The Superlite module is the youngest member of the family in the Kongsberg portfolio and can accept 7.62 mm machine guns. Pictured with FN MAG installed
PRECISION REMOTES company
The American company, founded in 1997 in San Francisco, has developed a family of very lightweight ROWS DUBMs that can be easily used both in vehicles and in dismounted operations.
The TRAP T360 platform weighs only 34 kg, but can accept a 5, 56 mm M249 SAW machine gun or 7, 62 mm M240 and MG3 machine guns. The system cannot accept a 12.7mm machine gun, but it can, however, accept Barrett M82A1M or M107 sniper rifles. The sensor kit includes a day camera with a field of view from 1.6 ° to 42 °, a thermal imager and a laser rangefinder, although independence from sensors allows the buyer to choose his own sensor kit. A non-lethal green laser can also be installed as an option. TRAP T360 fully stabilized in three axes, can be rotated 360 °; vertical guidance angles are from + 60 ° to -20 °; the module's electric drives have manual redundancy. The fire control system provides a configurable aiming point that takes into account the type of ammunition, range and camera parallax error. The system stores up to three targets in memory. It can easily integrate external sensors (for example, shot detection detectors), which provide a signal to the T360 module. As mentioned, the T360 can be easily reconfigured without tools from a transportable configuration to a tripod installation in a matter of minutes. In this case, power is supplied from batteries, a generator or solar panels or any network of 10 or 220 volts AC.
Precision Remotes has developed a remote-controlled module that is easy to install on vehicles, but can be used as a means of short-range protection for infantry. The system is powered according to a mixed scheme using solar panels (pictured above)
TRAP T360 from Precision Remotes can accept armament up to 7, 62 mm (pictured above MG3) and single-shot 12, 7 mm rifles
The latter configuration is required when TRAP T360 is used to protect stationary positions. To this end, Precision Remotes has developed the TRAP 360FS (Facility Security), which has a protective cover in which the system is locked in a safe position and deployed if necessary in less than 5 seconds. They are connected to a control room with multiple operator consoles and a dispatcher console. Operator consoles include a targeting monitor showing the image from the camera, a touch screen monitor that displays a map of the facility with a highlighted weapon station and their status, and a control panel. Operators can switch from one module to another with one touch of the screen, select sensors, open or close one or all of the DUBM at the same time, pre-select targets and no-fire zones, select the firing mode and open fire after permission from the dispatcher's console, which has a touch screen and control panel … When designing the system, safety was among the top priorities. The complexes of the Precision Remotes company are used in America to ensure the safety of critical infrastructure, for example, nuclear power plants. The TRAP 360FS module can accept the same armament as the standard 360 plus sniper 7, 62 mm rifles SR 25 and LR 308. The company has also developed the TRAP T360I for the protection of stationary objects. This model is designed to be suspended from the ceiling; it can only fit the M240 machine gun with 180 rounds. The stabilization system is not included in the T360FS and T360I modules, as this is an unreasonable expense for stationary applications. However, if necessary, both options can receive a stabilization function. Precision Remotes have received requests to install the T360I on airships or even helicopters, and there must be stabilization there.
The newest addition to the Precision Remotes portfolio is NetROWS, a small black box that allows up to 16 ROWS DBMSs to be networked and managed from a netbook. It was developed in response to popular demand to connect T360 modules to the existing development command center of the same company; and since the latter had never been tested for the safety of control of the combat module, the project was often stopped, and the combat module remained separately controlled from the command center, which did not allow reaching the maximum response speed. NetROWS was created for a secure and guaranteed connection to the command center. Its size allows for the quick installation of a temporary protection system at a forward base or checkpoint, which allows you to take advantage of similar, but long-term systems used to protect critical facilities. After detecting a threat, the signal is sent to the command center, and its location is transmitted directly to the combat module. The combat module turns directly at the target, then the operator confirms the threat and opens fire.
ELECTRO OPTIC SYSTEMS
The Australian company Electro Optic Systems (EOS) with a subsidiary in the USA has in its catalog two lightweight DBMS under the designations EOS R-200 and R-400. In America, the company entered into an agreement with Northrop Grumman, which owns 8.8% of Electro Optic Systems, to jointly study the market for remote weapon systems in the country. And in 2012, an agreement was signed with the South Korean company Hyundai-Wia for production. The lighter R-200 module is still at the prototype stage. Four prototypes of this module were sent to the American contingent in Iraq. It can be armed with 5, 56 mm and 7, 62 mm machine guns, but the mass increases to 80 kg when the M240 machine gun with 200 rounds is installed. An optoelectronic kit is installed in the fully stabilized module, which includes a daytime camera with x30 magnification, a cooled thermal imager and a laser rangefinder with a range of 7.5 km. In addition to its self-defense capabilities, the R-200 module also provides the vehicle's crew with significantly better reconnaissance and target designation capabilities.
Lightweight DUBM R-200, developed by the Australian company Electro Optic Systems, was adopted in small quantities by the American Armed Forces
The R-400 module is the company's bestseller, with over 500 systems sold. He won the first contract for the Crows module and is also in service with the Australian and Dutch armies. R-400 can accept machine guns of calibers from 5, 56 to 12, 7 mm and 40-mm automatic grenade launcher; its mass reaches 250 kg with a 12, 7-mm machine gun and 500 rounds. The optoelectronic kit is the same as in the R-200 module. The main components are protected with Level 2. While the R-200 and R-600 modules are made of aluminum, the R-400 module is of steel structure. It was selected to be mounted on the Airbus Military's C-295 gunship, armed with ATK's 30mm M230LF cannon, currently deployed in Jordan.
The EOS R-400 module is a light system, but nevertheless, it is capable of accepting a medium caliber cannon with low recoil forces.
FN HERSTAL
The Belgian weapons manufacturer has in its portfolio two modules deFNder Light and deFNder Medium, the release of which began in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The Light module can accept 7, 62-mm machine guns MAG and Minimi and 5, 56-mm Minimi, in the basic configuration with full ammunition, the "above deck" weight varies from 75 to 85 kg. The armament is installed on the left side of the module, the cartridge box is below the armament; the module, shaped like a very conventional letter U, is made of an aluminum alloy. The standard box holds 250 or 200 rounds, although the taller box can hold up to 600 7.62mm rounds or 1,050.556mm rounds.
DeFNder Light module from FN HERSTAL
The container for optoelectronic sensors is located on the right side, in which a color CCD camera with magnification is installed in the basic version. An uncooled thermal imager with a dual field of view, a laser rangefinder are optionally offered, and in this case a ballistic computer is added to the system. Under the roof there is an operator console with a color LCD panel with a resolution of 1024x768 pixels and a control handle; target tracking and automatic scanning functions are also available. The basic deFNder Light module is not stabilized, an optional stabilization in two axes is offered along with modular protection Level 1. Most of these systems are installed on vehicles, however, large elevation angles from -60 ° to + 80 ° allow them to be used for other tasks, for example, the protection of military bases.
DeFNder Medium module from FN HERSTAL
The second deFNder Medium system can accept the same armament as the Light variant, plus FN machine guns up to 12.7 mm (M2HB-QCB and FN M3R, the latter has a rate of fire of 1100 rounds per minute), as well as 40-mm automatic grenade launchers. Depending on the configuration, its weight varies from 150 to 190 kg. The architecture of the modules is similar, the optoelectronic kit is offered in two versions: with a CCD camera and an uncooled thermal imager, or with a CCD camera and a cooled thermal imager. The options are the same as the Light variant, ballistic protection is also Tier 2 plus a smoke grenade launcher module is available. The maximum capacity of the cartridge box is 500 12.7 mm rounds or 1000 7.62 mm rounds. As in the case of the Light, the declination angle significantly exceeds the declination angle of most of its competitors, -42 °, and, in addition, having a maximum elevation angle of + 73 °, the module has significant operational flexibility. Following a contract with one of the NATO fleets, the new Sea deFNder Medium is currently undergoing qualification tests.
As usual, FN is not very talkative about its customers. They confirm that the deFNder Light and deFNder Medium DBMS have some commercial success, contracts for hundreds of modules have been concluded with unnamed buyers from NATO countries and not only.
The deFNder Light module is installed on the Iguana machine. This DBM, developed by the Belgian company FN Herstal, can accept 7.62 mm machine guns (pictured above is FN MAG)
KRAUSS-MAFFEI WEGMANN company
In the mid-2000s, KMW began developing the Fernbedienbare Leichte Waffenstation 100 (FLW100 - Remotely Controlled Light Weapon Module 100), which was created based on the requirements of the German army; a second variant, the FLW200, soon followed. The main difference is that the former can accept weapons of caliber up to 7, 62 mm, while the latter can be armed with a 12, 7-mm machine gun and even a 40-mm automatic grenade launcher (AG).
When changing weapons, the system automatically recognizes a new one and adjusts the ballistic tables accordingly. The number of cartridges depends on the combat mission, for caliber 7, 62 mm, two cartridge boxes are available, respectively with 120 and 250 cartridges; a box with an increased capacity of up to 480 rounds is currently installed under the MG3 machine gun; for 12, 7-mm weapons, there is a box with either 100 or 200 rounds, while for 40-mm AG the ammunition load is 32 grenades. Both modules are installed on the roof without penetration into it; over the roof, the mass is respectively 80 and 160 kg without weapons and ammunition. The vertical guidance angles are –5 ° / + 75 °, which allows combat operations in the city and mountains.
FLW100 - a light member of the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann family, armed with a 7.62mm machine gun and mounted on the Bundeswehr Dingo
The picture shows the FLW200 module with installations of 76-mm Wegmann smoke grenades. It can accept machine guns of caliber up to 7.62 mm. This module is installed on Qatari Leopard 2 tanks.
Both modules have electronic stabilization in two axes, weapons and optoelectronic kit are stabilized separately. In the FLW100, the optoelectronic unit is located to the left of the weapon, behind the cartridge box; in the FLW200, the instrument complex is located to the right. Also for both models, the sensors are common: a daytime CCD camera with x10 magnification for daytime operations offers an identification range of 1.5 km, an uncooled 640x480 thermal imager with an identification range of 1 km. In the FLW200 module it can be replaced with a cooled thermal imaging camera with a 2 km identification range. The modular design allows the optoelectronic unit to be adapted to the needs of the customer. The control system and 12”color display are the same for both modules.
Since 2008, the Bundeswehr has bought a total of over 920 modules that have been installed on all types of vehicles of the German contingent in Afghanistan, for example Dingo 1 and 2, Boxer, Fennek, TPz Fuchs and Eagle IV. In order to increase the level of protection, installations of 76-mm Wegmann smoke grenades were installed in the FLW200 module, and for training purposes, the Agdus laser simulation system was integrated into both modules. KMW received an export order from Qatar, where the FLW200 was installed on the Leopard 2 A7 MBT turret.
KMW continues to upgrade the FLW100 / 200 systems in accordance with the lessons learned in the fighting. The non-lethal Wegmann 40 mm system is adapted for the FLW100 module. 7, the 62mm H&K 121 machine gun is being considered as a possible replacement for the current MG3 machine gun. As for the FLW200, this module integrates a 12.7 mm Rheinmetall RMG machine gun with electric drives. Another recent improvement is the increase in ammunition capacity up to 480 rounds for the MG3 machine gun in the FLW100 module. Multi-position control is also underway to allow more than one soldier to observe and fire from the module. The list of potential improvements also includes an ammunition counter, a high pressure cleaning system for sensors, networking, warning sensors and a combat control system.
DYNAMIT NOBEL DEFENCE
Best known for its anti-tank grenade installations, Dynamit Nobel Defense has in recent years made two light modules that can accept Panzerfaust and RGW machine guns and rocket launchers. In the lighter Fewas 80 system, 5, 56-mm or 7, 62-mm machine guns are installed, on the right is a typical armored container with a CCD camera, a thermal imager and a laser rangefinder.
The large Fewas 120 module can be armed with machine guns up to 12, 7 mm or 40 mm AG, its architecture is similar to that of the younger member of the family, although the larger container accommodates sensors corresponding to the range of weapons. This variant can also accept launchers of the Panzerfaust and RGW90 families from DND. All installed weapons are verified along the line of sight at various distances, this data is transmitted to the computer. When shooting, the shooter should only "highlight the target", set the crosshair on the target and pull the trigger. Fewas 80 and 120 modules have been sold in large numbers to armies around the world.
Dynamit Nobel Defense has developed two light systems, the FeWas 80 and the FeWas 120. The FeWas 120 can accept 12.7mm machine guns; in the photo above, this module is installed on the Panhard VBK machine
