2007 Budget Proposal Cuts Swedish Gripen Force, Looks to Buy Strategic Lift

Darkening prospects?

On April 25, 2006, the Swedish Armed Forces submitted their 2007 budget proposal [note: page in Swedish]. The Armed Forces’ plans include continued commitment in the Balkans and Afghanistan, and they anticipate that from 2008, Sweden “will have the capability to contribute to two major and three minor crisis management operations simultaneously.” The English release adds that “units in the Navy and the Air Force should be given a greater role in international operations.”

There might be fewer of them, though. General Lieutenant Mats Nilsson was frank: “We need to have a proper number to be able to operate the [JAS-39 Gripen fighter] in the long-term from the type of organization which parliament and the government have determined.”

What does that mean, specifically? How could it affect a number of international fighter competitions? And where does “strategic air movement” fit into the picture?

Australia Issues Official Tender for A$ 2.0B Large Amphibious Ships Program

Navantia LHD Mockup

In August of 2005 the Australian government approved the initial design & development funds for an A$ 2 billion Large Amphibious Ships project. The goal is to provide the Royal Australian Navy with two new Canberra Class multi-purpose ships that could serve as an amphibious operations nerve center, playing transport, command centre, humanitarian aid and even limited air support roles. These LHD type ships will replace the Navy’s two existing Kanimbla Class LPAs (HMAS Kanimbla and HMAS Manoora), significantly upgrading Australia’s force projection capabilities.

Australia’s government has now announced the release of Requests for Tender, as well as additional details regarding the envisioned ships and timelines.

$44.4M more to Complete EFV Amphibious Vehicle’s SDD Phase

EFV schema

General Dynamics Amphibious Systems (GDAMS) in Woodbridge, VA received a $44.4 million cost-reimbursable addition modification under previously awarded contract (M67854-01-C-0001) for the continuation of Systems Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program. GDAMS will provide all required materials, services, personnel and facilities to complete the design and development of the EFV, perform studies and analyses, manufacture and test all SDD prototypes, prepare for production, initiate logistics support of the EFV, and successfully complete the SDD phase. The EFV is the top land acquisition priority of the U.S. Marine Corps, with a number of new capabilities over the AA7 Amtracs it would replace and a much heftier price tag of nearly $20 million per vehicle.

Work will be performed in Woodbridge, VA (38%); Camp Pendleton, CA (22%); Sterling Heights, MI (21%); Aberdeen, MD (9%), and undetermined location(s) (10%), and is expected to be complete by September 2009. The Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, VA issued the contract.

WALRUS Hunted to Extinction By Congress, DARPA?

Goo goo g’gone?

DID has covered the WALRUS airship project before, and explained why DARPA believed the time might be right to build an airship that could lift 1-2 million pounds half-way around the world in a week. We’ve continued to follow the project here, including the US Congressional Budget Office’s favorable report on WALRUS vs. other long-range air and sea transport alternatives, and a look at the interesting crew at Aeros, Inc., who won one of the $3 million preliminary design R&D contracts. Now Noah Shachtman of DefenseTech reports:

“But it wasn’t meant to be. Darpa took away the fiscal year 2006 funding for the Walrus. And the agency’s 2007 budget request calls for “termination of the Walrus effort.” Now, the Army’s Surface Deployment and Distribution Command had its own plans for a heavy-hauling airship, too. I’m checking to see if they’re still interested. Keep your fingers crossed.”

Actually, as a DARPA source notes, Congress canceled the walrus effort by zeroing the program in the FY06 Appropriations. It’s interesting to counterpoise that decision with this recent information…

Why Don’t We Do It In the Road: The RAF’s New Truck

Truckin’

Britain’s Royal Air Force had a problem. How were they to keep their helicopters operating on the front lines by delivering fuel to them in the field, rather than forcing them to divert back to remote base for fuel or doing it on metalled roads up to 100 miles away. The USA uses portable “drop and go” systems like the AAFARS, but Britain is going with a slightly different approach: a big, honkin’ 10-wheeled armored truck from Oshkosh. The MOD worked with Oshkosh to develop the vehicles, then bought 58 aviation fuel versions at a cost of about GBP 500,000 each (about GBP 29 million total, or $51 million at current conversion).

“It’s an impressive vehicle, and the improvement in capability will be severely tested in the forthcoming Afghanistan deployment, where dirt tracks and mountain passes are the norm,” said Squadron Leader Geoff Maple, Deputy Commander of the RAF’s Tactical Supply Wing (TSW), RAF Stafford. “…So far they have proved themselves extremely capable of going virtually anywhere that a tank can go.” Crews are being trained in preparation for the upcoming commitment, and the added capability for in-field refueling with rotors turning will be appreciated. On the flip side, Afghanistan will also be a stern test of the armored trucks’ survivability. Will they be able to practice safe supply? Read the full UK MoD story.

Belgium Selects Piranha IIIs for $850M APC Contract, Controversies Ensue

Endangered Leopard

In DID’s July 2005 article covering Belgium’s impending defense purchases, we noted that country’s Armoured Infantry Vehicle (AIV) program to replace its 132 Leopard 1A5BE main battle tanks, as well as its AIFV and M113 armored personnel carriers, with wheeled APCs. The contract was valued at up to EUR 800 million (about $1 billion) for 242 vehicles, in 7 separate versions that would include troop transport, combat engineer, commando, ambulance and logistic support missions. We also noted that a contract would “probably be awarded by the early months of 2006.”

Now a winner has just been selected from among the finalists (GD-Steyr’s Pandur II, GD-MOWAG’s Piranha III/LAV III, Iveco’s Centauro, and Patria’s Armored Modular Vehicle), a contract has been signed with Elbit for electro-optics and a 30mm remote weapons system – and a pair of controversies are brewing, plus a related DID article we can only describe as “Dude, Where’s My Pandur?”

Return of the Gators? US Navy Stands Up New Coastal Warfare Squadron

NCWRON-5 Stand Up

EagleSpeak Blog, run by a former Captain, USNR (ret.), notes the recent “stand-up” of Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron Five (NCWRON-5) near San Diego recently. Once at full strength, 325 sailors will go to war in a fleet of speedy 34-foot, SeaARK Marine aluminum-hull boats (likely Dauntless Class) equipped with .50-caliber and 7.62mm machine guns and 40mm grenade launchers. The boats cost $500,000 each, and can be loaded quickly aboard Air Force C-17 transport jets for quick transport to trouble spots. SeaARK boats of these types are also in use by civilian agencies like the NYC Police and National Park Police.

Is this part of a trend? It most certainly is…

First of 74 BvS-10 Armored Vehicles Delivered to Dutch Royal Marines

A Viking comes ashore

Eight months after the contract was signed, BAE Systems Hagglunds has delivered the first of 74 armored BvS-10 Viking armored all terrain vehicles to the Dutch Army. The purchasing process was accomplished in less than three months, and the lead-time between contract and serial delivery has been only 8 months. “We are very content with Hagglunds and the company’s ability to keep to the time agreed for the first delivery. A key to the success has been the unconventional but flexible way of working, regarding the processes of development, purchase and production” said Brig.Gen. Paul Opgenort.

The BvS-10 is the successor to the wildly popular Bv-206, 11,000 of which have been sold to 40 countries around the world – including the USA (M978). Singapore has developed and manufactured an improved variant of its own called the Bronco ATTC, and Finland and Norway have their own local Bv-206 variants. What makes this unusual-looking vehicle family so popular?

See DID’s Focus Article for this family of vehicles, and find out.

Eire Buys 15 More Piranha IIIs for EUR 30M

Piranha III w. autocannon

Irish Department of Defence (DoD) and General Dynamics Mowag GmbH signed a EUR 30 million contract for another 15 Piranha III-H 8×8 armored vehicles, with a total value of EUR 36.5 million including VAT. The Piranha III 8×8 is a very close relative of the USA’s Stryker/ LAV III, and it beat Steyr’s Pandur II in the run-off competition. Ireland had originally planned to order 80 vehicles, but later cut the second batch of 40 to 25. This procurement restores the planned numbers, and adds two new variants to the Oglaigh na hEireann. Production will take place at Mowag’s facility in Kreuzlingen, and deliveries will start in February 2007. Payments under the contract will extend from December 2005 to January 2008.

This order includes 9 infantry carrier vehicles. They will be equipped with the same 12.7 mm Kongsberg Remote Weapon Station that is standard issue on the USA’s LAV III M1126 Stryker ICV, whose Iraq experiences were recently covered by DID. Another 6 vehicles will be fitted as infantry fighting vehicles, with a stabilized Oto Melara turret and 30 mm autocannon for heavier firepower on the move. These Piranha IIIs are intended to enhance the ability of Ireland to participate in international operations, and reflect the growing understanding that such forces need increased protection against mines and ballistic weapons. The Minister of Defence has stated that they will be used mainly in the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance roles on overseas missions.

USS Kearsarge [LHD 3] Saves the Navy Money, and Prepares for MV-22s

USS Kearsarge & LCACs

One of the quiet factors driving maintenance costs in modern militaries is electronics; not just the cost of procuring them, but the cost of ‘repairing’ them. As these components have become more complex, replacement has become the preferred option for dealing with problems. This drives both expanded inventories of expensive finished assemblies, and an increased load on rear depots and the logistics chain that reaches to them.

The Wasp Class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge [LHD 3] was recently recognized for some worthy successes in addressing this problem, and is currently undergoing refits in order to achieve a new milestone in US naval aviation…