2RHPZ
06-21-2004, 10:52 AM
Ian Bostock | Sydney (From ADM)
One of the objectives of Chief of Army Lt. General Peter Leahy during his tenure is clearly to beef up the firepower capabilities of his force. Leahy wants Army to be able to strike at an enemy more decisively and more often, Basically, it must hit harder.
All this is hardly rocket science and much of what is coming Army's way in terms of new and enhanced firepower assets should have been on inventory years ago. In many ways Army has had to fight too hard to secure delivery of weapons systems and equipment that should have been on hand as a matter of course - part of the curse of being configured as a light infantry-centric army over the last 20 years intended to fight small to mid size incursions across our northern expanses.
The following is an overview of the areas in which Army can expect to receive firepower improvements and some of the possible materiel solutions to bring about those improvements.
Artillery: Via Project Land 17 two outcomes are likely at this stage. One is the acquisition of a new wheeled 155mm 52 calibre self-propelled howitzer (SPH) to replace the M-198 155mm towed howitzer. The other is an upgrade to the existing L118 Hamel 105mm Light Gun.
With top-of-the-range full-size tracked SPHs probably falling outside the scope of Land 17 - not to mention being too heavy, complex and expensive to buy and own - wheeled SPHs of 155mm 52 calibre offer a good compromise: excellent strategic and good tactical mobility and reduced ownership costs. Again, wheeled SPHs in excess of 30 tonnes combat weight will no doubt beg the question from the Land 17 project office of what are the advantages of the extra weight and armour protection. This may count against systems such as the Denal G6 which tips the scales at 47 tonnes in combat weight and is very heavy for a wheeled vehicle of any sort, let alone one with just six wheels.
More feasible for Australia's purposes will be wheeled SPHs such as the Giat Caesar, the Soltam ATMOS and Bofors Defence FH77 BW L52, all of which are based around 6x6 truck chassis with protected crew cabs. Combat weight is 17.7, 21 and 30 tonnes respectively.
The preferred solution to the planned Non-Line of Sight Cannon (N-LOSC) element of the US Army's Future Combat System may also be a candidate. Those N-LOSC systems demonstrated so far are all tracked and have a combat weight of less than 20 tonnes to enable C-130 transportability - a factor which may well prove null and void for Army, as the RAAF's C-130J-30s (because of their stretched fuselage) have a reduced payload of 17 tonnes.
While a more mobile, responsive and survivable 155mm SPH is a worthy goal, the M-198 towed guns should not be discarded. In Iraq, the US Marines and US Army relied heavily on the M-198's firepower and range to isolate and neutralise enemy forces. Indeed, by no means have the majority of artillery engagements in Iraq to date involve manoeuvre operations where SPHs are forced to employ ‘shoot and scoot' tactics to avoid counter battery fire and keep up with fast-moving mechanised forces. The old-style gun lines of howitzer batteries lined up and hammering the opposing side for extended periods were in evidence. The Australian Army could use the introduction of a new 155mm artillery capability to get rid of its stocks of pre-Vietnam War era M2A2 105mm guns currently equipping Reserve units and cascade the M-198s down to them.
The Hamel guns are by no means past their use by date either, although previous to operational observations in Iraq the Army had plans to withdraw the type from service with all units except perhaps the parachute battalion. To grant the Army's L118 Hamel gun more range a retrofit of a longer barrel (as used on the British L119 Light Gun) seems a strong chance. For a little extra weight (all in the new barrel) maximum effective range can be extended from t/c ..km to t/c.. km. In addition, new ammunition natures are being developed which look likely to improve the range and also the lethality of the 105mm artillery round, therefore reviving its relevance against modern threats and targets.
120mm Mortar: While procurement of an ASLAV-mounted 120mm mortar under Land 135 has been deleted from the current DCP the possibility of Army fielding a 120mm mortar capability should not be ruled out in the medium term, probably under a later phase of Land 17. The enduring characteristics and the very considerable terminal effects of 120mm mortars and 120mm mortar ammunition (which some claim is equal to 155mm artillery rounds in some circumstances) mean that the effect generated cannot easily be duplicated by either 155mm or 105mm artillery. This is particularly the case with transportability by light vehicle and air. Terrain to Australia's immediate north also favours the use of indirect fire support weapons which can be fired at a high angle, easily moved around the battlefield by helicopter and preferably broken down and man-packed for deployment on foot. Systems need not be turreted but should be vehicle-mounted or at least towed to provide a degree of operational self-deployability and tactical mobility.
M1A1 Abrams - 120mm Smoothbore: While on the subject of 120mm calibre weapons, the M256 smoothbore 120mm main armament of the M1A1 AIM (D) Abrams main battle tanks (MBT) heading Army's way in the next couple of years is a big step up from the Leopard AS1's 105mm gun: longer range, greater armour penetration, excellent accuracy and guaranteed ongoing developments in ammunition natures and effectiveness. 1st Armoured Regiment crews will be able to engage a wider number of targets at greater stand-off ranges and with a higher chance of achieving a first-round kill. In keeping with Army's employment of tanks in support of mechanised infantry and consistent with its most recent combat experience involving MBTs (Vietnam) a 120mm canister round will no doubt be on the shopping list.
An often missed element of the M1 Abrams' weapons suite is that capability provided by the secondary armaments. The crew commander's M2 12.7mm heavy machine gun (HMG) weapon station can be slewed left and right and fired under armour if required. It has been used extensively by American M1 crews in the fighting in Iraq as a means of engaging enemy infantry, protected positions and soft-skinned targets without resorting to use of the main armament, not to mention as a close-range self-defence weapon. Added to the .50 cal are two 7.62mm M240 machine guns (one co-axial, one pintle-mounted at the loader's hatch); the Army will likely swap the latter for the standard issue MAG-58 7.62mm general purpose machine gun (GPMG) as fitted to the turret of the ASLAV-25.
M113AS4 Turret: The development and selection of a new one-man gun turret for the 171 (out of a total of 350) upgraded M113 armoured personnel carriers under Land 106 is, of course, done and dusted. The Tenix 12.7mm HMG turret provides no actual increase in firepower with respect to weapon calibre, but by all accounts the system enables more rapid and accurate target acquisition and weapon aiming, which is all controlled via joystick. As an optional extra the turret can be stabilised to provide a fire-on-the-move capability.
ASLAV-25: Out of the 257 ASLAV 8x8 wheeled armoured cavalry vehicles which will eventually end up on Army's inventory, t/c.. of these will be the ASLAV-25 variant. Sporting a fully-stabilised, two-man turret armed with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon, the ASLAV-25's weapons system provides very handy medium-range direct fire support against everything except high-end infantry fighting vehicles and MBTs out to around 2000m.
Given the fact that General Dynamics Land Systems-Australia is the sole source of LAV-25 turret fabrication in the world outside that done in North America for the US Army's Stryker brigades, there is a strong argument in favour of junking the Tenix 12.7mm HMG turret and installing the 25mm gun turret in the M113AS4. This would realise a very significant increase in firepower and targeting and achieve serious commonality between two otherwise very different armoured fighting vehicle fleets.
BACWS: The ADI developed Behind Armour Commander's Weapon Station (BACWS) is a long time coming to fruition and appears still to be in limbo. Which is a shame, because it is sorely needed on the ASLAV-PC variant to replace the cupola-mounted 12.7mm HMG mount. With its integrated sighting system and powered traverse, the BACWS provides improved weapon aiming and firing accuracy, and gives the operator the option of engaging targets under armour protection.
Bushmaster Weapons Carrier: Another potential beneficiary of the BACWS is the Bushmaster 4x4 infantry mobility vehicle (IMV), although no known plans exist for its installation. The Bushmaster IMV variant sporting BACWS would be a quantum leap forward from the current plan to fit a simple gun ring with a 5.56mm or 7.62mm machine gun on an unprotected pintle-type mount.
At this early stage in the developmental life of Bushmaster the weapons carrier variant does not include a turreted weapon system of any description. However, perceptions about vehicle self-defence and the provision of direct fire support change as operational experiences are observed and lessons learned. So don't be surprised if the utility value of the basic Bushmaster platform inspires weapon system fits that enable targets to be engaged at stand-off ranges (i.e. outside RPG range).
Assault Weapons: Speaking of stand-off weapons, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Army will follow the trend of other forces and augment its stocks of Javelin anti-armour/assault guided weapons to equip a variety of land mobility platforms such as ASLAV-PC, Bushmaster or even M113AS4.
The venerable Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle is likely to receive an on-mount upgrade of some sort, probably related to its sighting system and/or its ability to be aimed and fired at night and fed improved or additional ammunition natures. Any such enhancements would be realised under Phase 2 of Land 40. To supplement the Carl Gustav at shorter engagement ranges, Land 40 Phase 2 may also seek one-man, one-shot disposable shoulder-fired assault weapons to replace Army's stocks of the obsolescent M72.
Direct Fire: Land 40 Phase 2 is one of those projects which will, essentially, bring infantry firepower to levels where it should have been 10 or 15 years ago. The weapons this project will bring on board are almost certain to include tripod-mounted 12.7mm HMGs, tripod-mounted 40mm automatic grenade launchers, and perhaps latest generation weapons such as the US Army's developmental Objective Crew Served Weapon. The latter uses impact and air burst fuze 25mm ammunition technology in a two-man package to engage targets across a broad range of scenarios with very high first round hit probability. It is understood to be particularly effective against troops in defilade.
Anti-Materiel Rifle: The Accuracy International AW-50F 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle (AMR) is already on issue to Army and is an entirely new capability for Australian infantry. There is some internal debate as to which sub-units the AW-50F should be allocated, but most who have had anything to do with AMRs and their employment agree that to truly harness the inherent destructive power and long-range of the 12.7mm cartridge requires trained snipers, rather than simply soldiers out of the infantry company's direct fire support weapons platoon. In order for Australian Army snipers to engage a wider variety of targets with enhanced accuracy and terminal effects look for additional and improved ammunition natures to be acquired over the medium term.
One of the objectives of Chief of Army Lt. General Peter Leahy during his tenure is clearly to beef up the firepower capabilities of his force. Leahy wants Army to be able to strike at an enemy more decisively and more often, Basically, it must hit harder.
All this is hardly rocket science and much of what is coming Army's way in terms of new and enhanced firepower assets should have been on inventory years ago. In many ways Army has had to fight too hard to secure delivery of weapons systems and equipment that should have been on hand as a matter of course - part of the curse of being configured as a light infantry-centric army over the last 20 years intended to fight small to mid size incursions across our northern expanses.
The following is an overview of the areas in which Army can expect to receive firepower improvements and some of the possible materiel solutions to bring about those improvements.
Artillery: Via Project Land 17 two outcomes are likely at this stage. One is the acquisition of a new wheeled 155mm 52 calibre self-propelled howitzer (SPH) to replace the M-198 155mm towed howitzer. The other is an upgrade to the existing L118 Hamel 105mm Light Gun.
With top-of-the-range full-size tracked SPHs probably falling outside the scope of Land 17 - not to mention being too heavy, complex and expensive to buy and own - wheeled SPHs of 155mm 52 calibre offer a good compromise: excellent strategic and good tactical mobility and reduced ownership costs. Again, wheeled SPHs in excess of 30 tonnes combat weight will no doubt beg the question from the Land 17 project office of what are the advantages of the extra weight and armour protection. This may count against systems such as the Denal G6 which tips the scales at 47 tonnes in combat weight and is very heavy for a wheeled vehicle of any sort, let alone one with just six wheels.
More feasible for Australia's purposes will be wheeled SPHs such as the Giat Caesar, the Soltam ATMOS and Bofors Defence FH77 BW L52, all of which are based around 6x6 truck chassis with protected crew cabs. Combat weight is 17.7, 21 and 30 tonnes respectively.
The preferred solution to the planned Non-Line of Sight Cannon (N-LOSC) element of the US Army's Future Combat System may also be a candidate. Those N-LOSC systems demonstrated so far are all tracked and have a combat weight of less than 20 tonnes to enable C-130 transportability - a factor which may well prove null and void for Army, as the RAAF's C-130J-30s (because of their stretched fuselage) have a reduced payload of 17 tonnes.
While a more mobile, responsive and survivable 155mm SPH is a worthy goal, the M-198 towed guns should not be discarded. In Iraq, the US Marines and US Army relied heavily on the M-198's firepower and range to isolate and neutralise enemy forces. Indeed, by no means have the majority of artillery engagements in Iraq to date involve manoeuvre operations where SPHs are forced to employ ‘shoot and scoot' tactics to avoid counter battery fire and keep up with fast-moving mechanised forces. The old-style gun lines of howitzer batteries lined up and hammering the opposing side for extended periods were in evidence. The Australian Army could use the introduction of a new 155mm artillery capability to get rid of its stocks of pre-Vietnam War era M2A2 105mm guns currently equipping Reserve units and cascade the M-198s down to them.
The Hamel guns are by no means past their use by date either, although previous to operational observations in Iraq the Army had plans to withdraw the type from service with all units except perhaps the parachute battalion. To grant the Army's L118 Hamel gun more range a retrofit of a longer barrel (as used on the British L119 Light Gun) seems a strong chance. For a little extra weight (all in the new barrel) maximum effective range can be extended from t/c ..km to t/c.. km. In addition, new ammunition natures are being developed which look likely to improve the range and also the lethality of the 105mm artillery round, therefore reviving its relevance against modern threats and targets.
120mm Mortar: While procurement of an ASLAV-mounted 120mm mortar under Land 135 has been deleted from the current DCP the possibility of Army fielding a 120mm mortar capability should not be ruled out in the medium term, probably under a later phase of Land 17. The enduring characteristics and the very considerable terminal effects of 120mm mortars and 120mm mortar ammunition (which some claim is equal to 155mm artillery rounds in some circumstances) mean that the effect generated cannot easily be duplicated by either 155mm or 105mm artillery. This is particularly the case with transportability by light vehicle and air. Terrain to Australia's immediate north also favours the use of indirect fire support weapons which can be fired at a high angle, easily moved around the battlefield by helicopter and preferably broken down and man-packed for deployment on foot. Systems need not be turreted but should be vehicle-mounted or at least towed to provide a degree of operational self-deployability and tactical mobility.
M1A1 Abrams - 120mm Smoothbore: While on the subject of 120mm calibre weapons, the M256 smoothbore 120mm main armament of the M1A1 AIM (D) Abrams main battle tanks (MBT) heading Army's way in the next couple of years is a big step up from the Leopard AS1's 105mm gun: longer range, greater armour penetration, excellent accuracy and guaranteed ongoing developments in ammunition natures and effectiveness. 1st Armoured Regiment crews will be able to engage a wider number of targets at greater stand-off ranges and with a higher chance of achieving a first-round kill. In keeping with Army's employment of tanks in support of mechanised infantry and consistent with its most recent combat experience involving MBTs (Vietnam) a 120mm canister round will no doubt be on the shopping list.
An often missed element of the M1 Abrams' weapons suite is that capability provided by the secondary armaments. The crew commander's M2 12.7mm heavy machine gun (HMG) weapon station can be slewed left and right and fired under armour if required. It has been used extensively by American M1 crews in the fighting in Iraq as a means of engaging enemy infantry, protected positions and soft-skinned targets without resorting to use of the main armament, not to mention as a close-range self-defence weapon. Added to the .50 cal are two 7.62mm M240 machine guns (one co-axial, one pintle-mounted at the loader's hatch); the Army will likely swap the latter for the standard issue MAG-58 7.62mm general purpose machine gun (GPMG) as fitted to the turret of the ASLAV-25.
M113AS4 Turret: The development and selection of a new one-man gun turret for the 171 (out of a total of 350) upgraded M113 armoured personnel carriers under Land 106 is, of course, done and dusted. The Tenix 12.7mm HMG turret provides no actual increase in firepower with respect to weapon calibre, but by all accounts the system enables more rapid and accurate target acquisition and weapon aiming, which is all controlled via joystick. As an optional extra the turret can be stabilised to provide a fire-on-the-move capability.
ASLAV-25: Out of the 257 ASLAV 8x8 wheeled armoured cavalry vehicles which will eventually end up on Army's inventory, t/c.. of these will be the ASLAV-25 variant. Sporting a fully-stabilised, two-man turret armed with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon, the ASLAV-25's weapons system provides very handy medium-range direct fire support against everything except high-end infantry fighting vehicles and MBTs out to around 2000m.
Given the fact that General Dynamics Land Systems-Australia is the sole source of LAV-25 turret fabrication in the world outside that done in North America for the US Army's Stryker brigades, there is a strong argument in favour of junking the Tenix 12.7mm HMG turret and installing the 25mm gun turret in the M113AS4. This would realise a very significant increase in firepower and targeting and achieve serious commonality between two otherwise very different armoured fighting vehicle fleets.
BACWS: The ADI developed Behind Armour Commander's Weapon Station (BACWS) is a long time coming to fruition and appears still to be in limbo. Which is a shame, because it is sorely needed on the ASLAV-PC variant to replace the cupola-mounted 12.7mm HMG mount. With its integrated sighting system and powered traverse, the BACWS provides improved weapon aiming and firing accuracy, and gives the operator the option of engaging targets under armour protection.
Bushmaster Weapons Carrier: Another potential beneficiary of the BACWS is the Bushmaster 4x4 infantry mobility vehicle (IMV), although no known plans exist for its installation. The Bushmaster IMV variant sporting BACWS would be a quantum leap forward from the current plan to fit a simple gun ring with a 5.56mm or 7.62mm machine gun on an unprotected pintle-type mount.
At this early stage in the developmental life of Bushmaster the weapons carrier variant does not include a turreted weapon system of any description. However, perceptions about vehicle self-defence and the provision of direct fire support change as operational experiences are observed and lessons learned. So don't be surprised if the utility value of the basic Bushmaster platform inspires weapon system fits that enable targets to be engaged at stand-off ranges (i.e. outside RPG range).
Assault Weapons: Speaking of stand-off weapons, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Army will follow the trend of other forces and augment its stocks of Javelin anti-armour/assault guided weapons to equip a variety of land mobility platforms such as ASLAV-PC, Bushmaster or even M113AS4.
The venerable Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle is likely to receive an on-mount upgrade of some sort, probably related to its sighting system and/or its ability to be aimed and fired at night and fed improved or additional ammunition natures. Any such enhancements would be realised under Phase 2 of Land 40. To supplement the Carl Gustav at shorter engagement ranges, Land 40 Phase 2 may also seek one-man, one-shot disposable shoulder-fired assault weapons to replace Army's stocks of the obsolescent M72.
Direct Fire: Land 40 Phase 2 is one of those projects which will, essentially, bring infantry firepower to levels where it should have been 10 or 15 years ago. The weapons this project will bring on board are almost certain to include tripod-mounted 12.7mm HMGs, tripod-mounted 40mm automatic grenade launchers, and perhaps latest generation weapons such as the US Army's developmental Objective Crew Served Weapon. The latter uses impact and air burst fuze 25mm ammunition technology in a two-man package to engage targets across a broad range of scenarios with very high first round hit probability. It is understood to be particularly effective against troops in defilade.
Anti-Materiel Rifle: The Accuracy International AW-50F 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle (AMR) is already on issue to Army and is an entirely new capability for Australian infantry. There is some internal debate as to which sub-units the AW-50F should be allocated, but most who have had anything to do with AMRs and their employment agree that to truly harness the inherent destructive power and long-range of the 12.7mm cartridge requires trained snipers, rather than simply soldiers out of the infantry company's direct fire support weapons platoon. In order for Australian Army snipers to engage a wider variety of targets with enhanced accuracy and terminal effects look for additional and improved ammunition natures to be acquired over the medium term.