The final assembly of the Kongsberg CROWS M153 combat module is underway
Remotely controlled weapon stations are an integral part of the army's armored vehicles, and recent developments have ensured their continued dominance in the theater of war. Consider the state of affairs and trends in this area
The last few months have been rife with announcements of the purchase of remotely controlled weapon stations (RWMs) in a number of countries. In May 2013, Kongsberg received a $ 16 million contract from the Croatian army for the supply of its Protector DBMs, which will be installed on Patria AMV 8x8 armored vehicles. In April, the company received a $ 25.5 million contract for the system from the Swedish procurement agency, which follows on from an earlier $ 12.34 million contract in January.
The Swedish order is part of a $ 164 million framework agreement for the supply of Nordic DBMS to the Norwegian and Swedish armies, which was signed in December 2011.
Market needs
Continuous orders received by Kongsberg indicate the urgent need for a DBMS. In 2007, the company received a contract from the American army to fulfill its requirements for a common remotely controlled module Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station II (CROWS II), which corresponds to the M153 Protector version of the same Kongsberg company.
The company received floating contracts for this system. The most recent contract worth $ 27.5 million for production, system support and technical support was announced in October 2012. It is part of a new over $ 970 million framework agreement with the US Army, announced in August 2012 for more than five years.
With approximately 6,000 CROWS II systems currently deployed in the military (most of them in Afghanistan), the US Army values these DUBMs highly. Major Jim Miller, Assistant Director of CROWS at the Directorate of Soldiers' Armaments: "They allow us to perform a variety of tasks with a limited number of soldiers, while increasing survivability and lethality."
With a mass of 172 kg, the M153 can accept 12.7 mm M2, 7, 62 mm M240 or 5, 56 mm M249 machine guns or an automatic 40 mm MK19 grenade launcher.
Meanwhile, the CROWS II is currently being developed to protect military bases as well.
Combat module M153 Protector (CROWS II) from Kongsberg
Rune Werner, vice president of Kongsberg, said the new DBMS is being installed on a mast inside a self-contained standard container. This will allow the user to ensure the safety of remote stationary bases and protect their perimeter, although the operator can be located in a safe place many kilometers from the combat module.
Kongsberg developed similar versions of the original M151 Protector DBM for another 16 armies. According to Werner, at least 13 countries simultaneously used this system in Afghanistan.
In March 2012, Kongsberg received an order worth $ 17.1 million from Renault Trucks Defense for its DUBM under a $ 85 million framework agreement. These systems will be installed on the Renault VAB 4x4 armored personnel carriers of the French army, the modernization of which was originally announced in May 2008.
Combat modules are designed to be installed on armored vehicles, and one of the crew members controls them from inside the vehicle. By controlling the weapon remotely, the operator remains under the protection of the vehicle's armor; he does not need to manually direct the weapon from the outside, exposing himself to enemy fire.
With this in mind, the Australian Department of Defense acquired the OMB for its Protected Mobility Vehicle and Australian Light Armored Vehicle (ASLAV) light armored vehicles. In 2007-2012, a total of 210 DBM were purchased, 116 modules from Thales Australia and 94 CROWS R-400 from Electro-Optics Systems. In 2005, 59 CROWS modules were purchased for ASLAV vehicles in two batches (40 and 19) from Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace.
Kongsberg Protector can rightfully be considered the market leader with real experience of operating its systems for more than ten years, including in combat conditions, but all this, not least due to real competition.
Combat module TRT from BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa
International Suppliers
Kongsberg's Scandinavian neighbor Saab launches its Trackfire OMB family. Also among the suppliers stand out such European companies as the Italian Oto Melara with the Hitrole family; German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann with their FLW 100 and Rheinmetall with 609N module; Belgian FN Herstal with its deFNder family; and French Sagem with WASP module and Nexter with ARX20 DBM.
In addition to Europe, the South African company BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa (LSSA) supplies the SD-ROW module (Self Defense Remotely Operated Weapon) and TRT (Tactical Remote Turret) (see photo above). South African-based Reutech manufactures the Rogue RWS; the Turkish company FNSS manufactures Claw; Singapore-based ST Kinetics supplies the ADDER DBM line.
The ST Kinetics DBM ADDER can be fitted with a 7.62 mm machine gun, a 12.7 mm CIS machine gun or a 40 mm CIS automatic grenade launcher.
Israeli industry is also strong in this market. Rafael launches the Samson family; IMI produces DBM Wave 200; and Elbit is producing ORCWS (Overhead Remote Controlled Weapon Station). The latter company also manufactures ARES DBM in its Brazilian subsidiary.
A number of programs for the replacement and modernization of armored vehicles around the world have attracted the interest of DBMS suppliers. Jerry van der Merwe, head of business development at BAE Systems LSSA, is eyeing the Dutch wheeled replacement program with interest. The Netherlands wants to purchase a number of logistics vehicles with mine-protected cabins and light DUBM.
Although BAE's SD-ROW module is yet to enter service, it has already been installed on a number of test vehicles, such as the RG35 4x4 (photo below)
Eastern promises
In order to meet the requirements of the DBMS, LSSA has expressed a desire to cooperate with one of the machine manufacturers for the Netherlands to supply its SD-ROWs. The choice of the Dutch Ministry of Defense is expected at the end of 2014. Van der Merwe is also interested in the Middle East, where there is enough money to buy such systems.
Izhar Sahar, director of marketing for the ground-based combat systems division at Rafael, pointed to several potential markets for DBMS in Latvia, Poland, other European countries, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region and India. Several dozen Samson Mini were delivered to Belgium under a contract signed this year; deliveries will begin in the first half of 2014.
Samson Mini by Rafael
In addition to the fact that Rafael produces the Samson DUBM family, its Dynamit Nobel Defense (DND) division has developed its own version of the DUBM based on the Samson Dual. It is a gyro-stabilized system along two axes, on which two types of weapons are installed (for example, a 25-mm or 30-mm cannon and a 7.62-mm machine gun). DND has integrated a 12.7mm machine gun into its new mount and it was shown in Germany in April 2013.
Large angles
FN Herstal has developed the deFNder DUBM family, which the company describes as a set of systems with large guidance angles - a very important characteristic in urban and irregular warfare, where the DUBM must be aimed at tall buildings. With the Minimi 7, 62-mm machine gun, the mount can have an elevation angle of +80 degrees and a declination angle of –60 degrees.
The lightweight FN deFNder Light module has large aiming angles
FN has successfully proven itself in three major DBMS programs. Its modules were installed on Belgian multipurpose protected vehicles (MPPV) and armored infantry vehicles (AIV), as well as on VPC command vehicles manufactured by the French Nexter (formerly GIAT); in total, more than 400 FN deFNder systems have been delivered.
The Trackfire module from Saab is based on a versatile tank and anti-aircraft system. With this module, it won its first contract only at the end of 2011, when ATK chose this system to integrate its lightweight 25mm Bushmaster Chain Gun and supply it to the US Army.
In December 2012, it was announced that the company had received its second contract for the system from the Finnish Navy; 13 units will be delivered by Saab in 2014-2016. The Trackfire module will be installed on the Alutech Watercat M18 AMC landing craft. The fire control system on which Trackfire is based is currently being evaluated by Canada as part of that country's army's melee vehicle requirements.
Italian investments
The Hitrole Light module of the Italian company Oto Melara is currently deployed in the Italian contingent on its Iveco VTLM Lince machines and the Puma armored personnel carrier. The company was awarded a € 20 million ($ 26.6 million) contract in 2009 for 81 systems for these machines, which were delivered by mid-2010.
According to the company, it has signed an additional contract with the Italian Ministry of Defense for the installation of Hitrole Light on special versions of the VBM Freccia vehicle from Iveco-Oto Melara. It also agreed with Iveco to install this system on its Multi-Role Medium Tactical Vehicle (VTMM), designed for IED demining missions.
Hitrole Light module of the Italian company Oto Melara
Further developments include a DBM installed on the Iveco Super Amphibious Vehicle, which has just begun to pass qualification tests in the Italian army. The new system, designated VBA, is designed to meet the requirements of the Italian army and naval special forces.
Oto Melara looks to the future and, according to available data, is considering the possibility of installing not only NATO machine guns in the Hitrole module. An analysis of the development of a suitable turret installation along with turrets compatible with 105 mm and 120 mm cannons is currently underway.
All-seeing technology
With the increasing use of DUBM, these systems are becoming the standard for vehicles, and at the same time they install larger-caliber weapons than in the past.
According to Karl-Erik Leek, head of control systems marketing at Saab, the world of DBMS is "renaissance" with miniaturization of electronics and greater availability of thermal imaging technology.
Leek said the use of advanced stabilized systems to enable firing on the move is now the standard, while recent contracts have also demonstrated the need for systems with much larger angles of view that provide better situational awareness and are integrated with the combat information network and onboard sensors of the car.
Oykun Eren, head of weapons systems at Turkey's FNSS, said the development of infrared night cameras and high-definition daytime cameras will continue. Targeting systems are also beginning to incorporate a variety of imaging technologies and multispectral sensors, which will allow shooters to better detect and identify targets at long distances and in poor weather conditions. These systems can help operators locate recently disturbed ground or road surface, which is a sign of a buried IED.
He considers the situational awareness of the DBM operator as the main task for the developers of these systems, since the remote user of the weapons complex is deprived of peripheral vision and sound "prompts" and depends entirely on forward-looking cameras.
Claw FNSS module offers operator protection while replenishing ammunition and replacing other mechanical components
Future accents
Eren believes that there will be significant improvements in the future in the optoelectronics of the DBMS and other sensors, which will mitigate these shortcomings. Intelligent helmet-mounted displays, similar to those used in military aviation, could be used here. They provide the shooter with a computerized image of the vehicle's external environment and allow the weapon to be targeted with head and neck movements.
Closer integration of the combat information and control system with technologies available in the vehicle chassis will also improve the ability to detect and determine the location of the shot. Threat detection systems will become standard, and their integration with fire control computers will allow the shooter to react faster, automatically aiming and tracking the sniper.
According to Eren, one of the trends that has recently received a powerful impetus is the development of tower forms of the DBM. FNSS chose this path and introduced its Claw system. The installation of a remotely controlled turret eliminates the need for a turret basket, which is usually found in a traditional manned turret that rotates inside a combat vehicle.
With a standard DBM installed, the crew from inside the vehicle can only replenish ammunition, and in the case of turret DBMs, weapons (except for barrels), ammunition, loading trays and related systems can be replaced from inside the armored capsule.
The DBM, developed by FNSS and partner company Aselsan, was created both for the Turkish army and for export. It is currently undergoing fire tests and is expected to be available on the market soon.
Oto Melara also offers its own version of the tower DBM. Its Hitrole variant for armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles can be reloaded from inside the vehicle, while the crew is not exposed to the risk of enemy shelling.
The most important characteristic is considered the possibility of defeat from the first shot, and according to Sue Wee Wang, head of the weapons systems center at the Singapore company ST Kinetics, the improvement of the stabilization of the weapons complex and the video tracking system for the target is considered as promising areas.
Convenience and ease of use of these technologies in combat modules will become the basis for development, despite the ever increasing complexity of systems. “We will see the capabilities of the touch screen, which will allow the arrow to point with his finger to the target on the screen, then rotate the weapon system and that's all … destroying the target,” explained Sue.
Modularity and customization
DBM designs are currently being created in such a way that they can easily fit any user. LSSA has focused on the simplicity and low cost of its SD-ROW and TRT modules, which allows them to be modified based on the requirements of a wide variety of users. For example, a 360 ° rotating version of the SD-ROW was developed, although the original design only allowed it to rotate 270 °. The original idea was that the support and supply vehicles usually move in a convoy and it is unlikely that there will be a need to fire backwards, but the buyers requested enhanced capabilities.
SD-ROW module from BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa
Saab has prioritized modularity and developed its Trackfire DBMS based on this concept. The Trackfire module began as a mature, military-proven system capable of performing ballistic calculations for all calibers, including calculations for main battle tank guns. This functional component has been used in various Trackfire variants, including configurations for Russian and Western weapons (which requires the supply of ammunition from opposite sides).
DUBM Trackfire from Saab
The DBM should be quickly and easily installed on different types of machines without any modification of the module itself. One DBM could be installed on one machine, and the next day on another. The ability to quickly modify systems to meet different requirements also simplifies procurement tasks: reusing components and technologies between different options simplifies procurement and reduces the cost of spare parts.
Due to the rapid development of the corresponding technologies and designs of armored vehicles, the DBM needs an open architecture from the very beginning of development. It is also necessary to update the training facilities of the DUBM. Currently, there is a great need not only for more desktop classroom simulators, but consumers also want (as part of the delivery of systems) interactive and electronic operation and maintenance manuals accessible from the operator console.
Mr. Sue emphasized that there is a great need for something called immersion learning to complement classroom and simulator learning.
Mass is another problem. As more and more armor is attached to the machines for protection, less payload remains for other systems. “Compact design is very important. This guarantees the minimum mass of the DBM, but allows you to load the maximum ammunition load of ready shots in order to reduce the number of reloads,”added Sue.
It is clear that the pace of change in the field of DBMS is high, and designers, constructors and manufacturers must devote a lot of effort to maintain this pace.
