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LAV-25 in combat

The Saudi National Guard is seeing a lot of investment lately, including a $550 million contract for training and support services.

In July 2006, the Saudis formally tabled a multi-billion dollar request to buy LAV wheeled APCs and related equipment for its National Guard. When we talked to GDLS in October 2007, they expected to complete a deal some time in 2008, but it took until November 2009 before a contract emerged. A separate December 2009 purchase request would add substantial firepower punch for use against enemy armored vehicles – or urban warfare strongpoints. Additional investments can be expected to follow, and have.

Who is the SANG, and why are they a globally significant institution? A must-read article in the Tribune-Libanaise explains:

“The [Saudi] National Guard’s importance is that it was created to protect the royal regime and its interests, including protecting strategic sites such as oil installations. The National Guard is made up of two separate forces: a large group of 60,000 men and a smaller core force of 20,000 men originating from Bedouin tribes such as the Otaiba and Qahtani, who can be mobilised quickly. The men of the core force are called the “White Army,” a name given to them because they wear the white robes of the Bedouin. As the Head of the National Guard, Prince Abdallah has been able to win the backing of the tribes, something that the Sudairis in principle do not have. However, basic recruitment of core units is fraught with inter-ethnic and tribal rivalries. Few men are recruited from the Hijaz region, one that has been opposed to the Sauds since they came to power in the 1920s and 1930s.”

Contracts & Key Events

LAV-M-Saudi
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Jan 20/10: Northrop Grumman announces a 5-year contract to continue the modernization and training of the Saudi Arabia National Guard. The $550 million cost-plus-award-fee hybrid contract also contains fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price elements, and as a Foreign Military Sale contract it is managed through the US Army.

Under the terms of the contract, Northrop Grumman Technical Services subsidiary Vinnell Arabia LLC will provide U.S. Army-based doctrine and military training, as well as logistics and support services. Work will be performed throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Dec 17/09: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Saudi Arabia’s official request to buy 2,700 of Raytheon’s BGM-71E-4B-RF TOW-2A Radio Frequency missiles, plus 42 missiles for lot acceptance testing), publications and technical documentation, and other related elements of support, under the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) modernization program. The estimated cost is $177 million, and the principal contractor would be Raytheon Corporation in Tucson, Arizona. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, and its implementation will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Saudi Arabia.

The TOW 2A is an improved version of the original Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-guided missile that’s designed for “bunker busting” attacks on fortifications, bunkers and urban structures. It can also defeat reactive armor if used against tanks etc. The TOW 2A has a published range of 3.75 km/ 2.33 miles.

The TOW-2A RF departs from the type’s standard wire-guided approach by replacing the unspooling wire in the missile’s rear with an encrypted radio link. The Canadian Army became the missile’s first customer in 2007, and because the wireless system is built into the missile and the missile case, TOW RF is compatible with all existing TOW 2-capable ground launchers – including Canadian LAV-TUA (LAV-AT) vehicles.

Nov 24/09: General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada in London, Ontario announces a $2.2 billion Foreign Military Sale contract for 724 LAV-II 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carriers, in 10 different variants. While the destination country is not specified, the number exactly matches this Saudi order. Delivery will begin in 2011.

Dr. Sridhar Sridharan, senior vice-president of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada:

“We are pleased to be working once again with TACOM and USASAC in support of their Foreign Military Sales program. This contract now allows us to immediately start work on variant design and production readiness. We look forward to reaching the manufacturing portion of this contract which will help us bring stability to our production workforce.”

See: PR Newswire | London Free Press | AP.

July 20/06: The DSCA announces [PDF format] Saudi Arabia’s formal request for 724 Light Armored Vehicles (LAV) in a number of different variants, plus weapons, night-vision equipment, communications gear et. al., in order to modernize the SANG. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $5.8 billion.

Congress didn’t take any action to block the sale, but the Saudis didn’t take any action to complete it with a contract until 2009. Variants requested at the time included:

• LAV-PC (personnel carrier)
• LAV-25 (personnel carrier with 25mm canon)
• LAV-A (Ambulance)
• LAV-AC (Ammunition Carrier)
• LAV-AG (Assault Gun with 90mm cannon)
• LAV-AT (Anti-Tank, pop-up turret carries TOW missiles)
• LAV-CC (Command & Control)
• LAV-E (Engineer, with bulldozer blade et. al.)
• LAV-M (81mm Mortar carrier – but there is a LAV-M(S) Saudi configuration, with a 120mm breech-loading mortar in a turret)
• LAV-R (Recovery, equipped with crane etc.)

Other equipment ordered included:

• 162 84mm Recoilless Rifles (popularly known as bazookas). The well-known Carl Gustaf/MAAWS is an example of a modern 84mm recoilless rifle. It is made by Bofors of Sweden.
• 630 AN/PAS-13 Thermal Weapon Sights for soliders’ weapons
• 1,700 AN/AVS-7D Aviators binocular Night Vision Goggles (NVG). See DID’s NVG article.
• 432 AN/PVS-14 monocular NVG. See DID’s NVG article.
• 1,160 AN/VRC-90E Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS) vehicular single long-range radio systems
• 627 AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS vehicular single long-range radio systems
• 518 AN/VRC-119E SINCGARS vehicular single long-range radio systems
• 2,198 SINCGARS Spearhead handheld radios;

SpearHead radios

The Saudis are also requesting Harris Corporation Commercial High Frequency Radios; various commercial vehicles; fixed facilities and ranges; simulations; generators; battery chargers; protective clothing; shop equipment; training devices; spare and repair parts; sets, kits, and outfits; support equipment; publications and technical data; personnel training and training equipment; contractor engineering and technical support services and other related elements of logistics support.

As noted earlier, the total value if all options are exercised could be as high as $5.8 billion, with no industrial offset agreements. The principal contractors will be:

• General Dynamics Land Systems in London, Ontario, Canada (LAVs)
• ITT Aerospace/Communications in Fort Wayne, IN (SINCGARS, Night Vision)
• Harris Corporation in Rochester, NY (Radios)
• Raytheon Corporation in Tucson, AZ (PAS-13)

AN/PVS-7: The View
(note MFALS on gun)

As the DSCA notes:

“The continuation of services under the SANG Modernization Program is an evolution of the SANG as an effective defensive force with the advice, assistance, and training of the U.S. Army….. At present, there are approximately 250 U.S. Government personnel and 630 contractor representatives in country supporting the SANG modernization program…. The proposed sale will also provide SANG with additional command, control, and communications equipment needed to operate in a secure communications environment that will facilitate the performance of its mission within Saudi Arabia…. The radios will modernize equipment and provide the critical VHF and HF links necessary for a large fast moving force and integration with the SINCGARS radios SANG already has fielded in its Light Armored Vehicle and Light Infantry Brigades.”

Additional Readings & Sources

• Global Security.org – Light Armored Vehicle (LAV). Covers assorted variants as well.

• US DSCA (July 20/06) – DSCA notified congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia to continue modernization of the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) [PDF format]

• The Penninsula of Qatar (July 24/06) – Saudi raises defence spending

• Tribune-Libanaise (June 22/06) – The Geopolitics of Weapons Procurement in the Gulf States. Excellent analysis.