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Bofors Archer System
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The Australian Defence Force is seeking tenders under the Land 17 Artillery Replacement Project for an indirect fire support system to succeed its L119 Hamel 105mm Field Gun and 155mm M198 Howitzer fleet from 2008-2010.

Tenix Defence has teamed up with Swedish BAE subsidiary Bofors Defence AB to supply two options for submission:

1. The Archer solution: a self-propelled 155mm L52 automatic howitzer incorporated into a modified armoured commercial six-wheel-drive (6×6) articulated Volvo A30D truck chassis.

2. A long range towed artillery system based on the FH-77B05 platform.

Australian-owned Tenix Defence will work closely with Bofors Defence in the integration of the howitzer with the chassis, and ensure the Volvo articulated hauler chassis meets Australian requirements and has the desired level of protection. Tenix Defence will also develop training packages and provide maintenance and repair, testing and evaluation. Tenix will conduct as much of the work as possible in Australia, where it already employs 3500 people. This will also help meet Australian government defense procurement policies and objectives.

Bofors Defence, a Swedish defence systems company wholly owned by BAE Systems Land and Armament, will provide the 155mm/52-calibre FH-77 BW L52 Archer self-propelled howitzer.

Other parties involved are

• CJD (chassis)
• Kongsberg (artillery C2 and fire control system)
• Nammo (conventional ammunition manufacture) and
• CITS (simulation and training)

Additional Readings

• DID (updated) – Australia’s A$ 450M-600M LAND 17 Artillery Replacement Gets Go-Ahead. See who the other contenders are.

• Australian DSTO TR-1662 (April 2005) – An Application of Queues to Offensive Support Indirect Fire Weapons Systems

• Land Warfare Conference (January 2004) – Fitting Offensive Support for Network Centric Warfare? The Impacts of Alternative Organisational Structures