France Orders More AT4-CS Infantry Rockets

AT4 firing –
note backblast

Sweden’s Saab Bofors Dynamics recently announced a SEK 150 million ($18.6M/ EUR 14M) order for its AT4-CS infantry rockets. This is France’s 4th order for the unguided system, following purchases in 1996, 2000, and 2003. The AT4-CS fills a niche as a lighter alternative to Giat/Nexter’s 112mm APILAS, which has some disadvantages that hamper its use.

The 84mm AT4 will not defeat modern tanks, but it will destroy light vehicles and some medium armor. It’s also extremely useful against fortified enemy positions. That’s currently its most common use, hence Saab’s designation as an “Anti-Structure Weapon.” In the US Army and USMC, a modified version is known as the M136, which has been license-manufactured by ATK, and also bought via direct order. The AT4-CS is now the standard version sold around the world, and the CS means “confined space,” thanks to the clever use of a saltwater mass in the back. As the firing pin hits the ammunition and the normally large and dangerous backblast begins, it turns the counter-mass into spray, baffling and slowing the pressure wave to make it safe for use in confined spaces like buildings.

GMLRS Rockets: FRP-V Orders

M270 firing M30 GMLRS

Recent wars have brought a new technology to the fore: precision artillery fire offers an alternative to air support that has a shorter reach, with very considerable throw-weight and repeatable fire, plus 100% persistence and availability in any weather. GMLRS is a highly accurate GPS-guided rocket that can be fired by ground forces 35 miles away and arrive on target, in under a minute, under any conditions, with a 200 pound unitary warhead that will take out a fortified house. That’s very useful. When integrated into a battlefield surveillance/strike setup like Task Force ODIN, their effectiveness is kicked up several more notches.

In July 2010, Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX received a $469.9 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Full Rate Production Lot V procurement for 4,770 total unitary rocket pods (with 6 227mm rockets each), and 530 reduced range rocket pods (RRPR, used for training). Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (15%), and Camden, AR (85%), with an estimated completion date of June 30/13. One bid was solicited with one bid received by US AMCOM Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-10-C-0270).

This Lot 5 buy covers hardware, support, spares, and “obsolescence support” for the USA, foreign partners, and Foreign Military Sales customers, as follows:

Jordan Submits $220M Weapons Wish List to USA

M142 HIMARS

HIMARS launcher order goes through. (Feb 19/10)

In September 2009, long-time US Middle East ally Jordan submitted an impressive wish list of weapons for its armed forces to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The list includes rocket launchers, radios, and Humvees.

DSCA said that weapons Jordan wants to buy will provide its armed forces with a long-range precision artillery support capability that will significantly improve US-Jordan interoperability and provide for the defense of vital installations. What exactly is Jordan looking for?

$151.2M to Lockheed Martin for Army HIMARS Launchers

M142 HIMARS

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Missile and Fires Control in Grand Prairie, TX received a $151.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to supply high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) full rate production Lot 5 launchers for the US Army.

The contract includes 46 Army launchers; 1 Army launcher rebuild; launchers loader module trainer kit; product definition data package maintenance tack; new equipment training; and support equipment.

The HIMARS is the newest member of the multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) family.

Triple Canopy’s Catch-22 in Iraq

(click to visit)

“Former Iraq Security Contractors Say Firm Bought Black Market Weapons, Swapped Booze for Rockets” says the ProPublica headline. They’re talking about a firm called Triple Canopy, a security contractor who replaced Blackwater (now Xe) as the US diplomatic service’s bodyguards in Iraq, and also had other contracts in theater to protect allied bases and installations, some of which were covered here.

Allegations and legal depositions state that the firm traded booze for weapons, and bought weapons and vehicles on the black market in Iraq between 2003-2004. At least one of those employees have expressed concern that the money used to buy these items may have ended up in the hands of Iraq’s Islamists, who were connected to criminal enterprises in Iraq at a number of different levels.

The article itself turns out to be more balanced than its headline might indicate, and the detailed accusations are linked to detailed responses; both are worth reading. Beginning with the revelation that significant responsibility for this state of affairs traces right back to the US State Department…

• State Department Self-Inflicted?
  
• Triple Canopy: Allegations & Approach
  
• Policy Issues
  

Venezuela Buys $2B+ of Russian Tanks, Rockets… and More?

Smerch 9K58 firing
(click to view larger)

In November 2005, the title “F.I. Looks At Latin American Arms Market, Sees Venezuelan Buildup” said it all. In 2006, “Venezuela Buying SU-30s, Helicopters, et. al. From Russia” covered a $3 billion arms deal with Russia for SU-30MK2 fighters, and Mi-17/26/35 transport and attack helicopters. Reports in December 2007 indicated a Russian desire to raise those exports to $12 billion over the medium term.

In the wake of Chevez’ purchases, neighbors like Colombia and Brazil have increased their defense budgets, and launched purchases of their own. Now, the latest large-scale deal involving Russia and Venezuela involves tanks, rocket artillery, and air defense missiles…

USMC Lays Down the LAW on Anti-Armor Weapons

LAW M72: A4, A5, A6/7

The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico is ordering up to $136.5 million worth of M72A7 Light Weight Anti-Armor Weapon (LAW) systems and trainers from Nammo Talley Defense in Mesa, AZ to replenish stockpiles. The M72A7 LAW is a man-portable, shoulder-launched rocket designed to destroy armored vehicles and covered enemy fighting positions.

The M72A7 LAW meets the needs identified by the Marine Corps in 2004 for a shoulder-launched rocket. The Marine Corps required a weapon system with the capability to defeat targets such as covered enemy fighting positions (bunkers, urban structures) or light armored vehicles that are impervious to small arms fire or out of the range of fragmentation hand grenades and other close-in weapon systems.

DID has more on the Nammo Talley contract and the tactical advantages of the M72A7…

$11.9M to Lockheed Martin for HIMARS Crew Protection Cabs

Up-armored HIMARS

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Missile and Fires Control (LMMFC) division received a $11.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the acquisition of 26 increased crew protection cabs for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 19 for the Army and 7 for the Marine Corp. The cabs are provided as kits for installation on HIMARS M142 launchers.

The HIMARS is the newest member of the Multiple Launch Rocket System family. It is a highly mobile artillery rocket system that offers MLRS firepower on an FMTV truck, making it an ideal system for medium-weight brigades. The M142 HIMARS launcher weighs approximately 15 tons, compared to 27 tons for the tracked M270; but it carries only 1 reloadable rocket pod, rather than 2.

LMMFC will perform the work at its facilities in Grand Prairie, TX (20%); Sealy, TX (53%); Rock Center, WV (14%); and White Sands Missile Range, NM (13%); with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/09. Only one bid was solicited by the U.S. Army Contracting Command, Army Contracting Center, Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-06-C-0140).

$9.5M to ATK for Solid Rocket Propulsion R&D

Solid-fuel rockets are used in a wide variety of military applications, from decoy launchers, to anti-tank rockets, to aerial missiles and rockets, to nuclear ICBMs. Not to mention the potential civilian uses. Improvements to the state of the art can have a wide range of benefits. Alliant Techsystems (ATK) Tactical Propulsion and Controls’ Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, WVA won a $9.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, covering research and development efforts for solid rocket propulsion technology.

This contract was competitively procured via a Broad Agency Announcement; 2 offers were received by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, CA (N68936-09-C-0032). Work will be performed in Keyser, WVA (54%) and China Lake, CA (46%), and is expected to be complete in September 2013. ATK’s Rocket Center facility is part of their Mission Systems group, which handles tactical missiles and projectiles, and NAWCWD’s involvement strongly suggests that this will be the focus.

IDEX 2009: The Other Purchases

Begun in 2001, IDEX in the United Arab Emirates has become the Middle East’s biggest defense show. The UAE is a significant buyer in its own right, as illustrated in “UAE Announces Deals at IDEX 2007,” which covered a range of deals for advanced aerial tankers, radios, mortars, mine-resistant vehicles, pistols,fast patrol boats, and more. During IDEX 209, the UAE made headlines again with multi-billion deals for C-17 and C-130J aerial transports, and major deals for new M346 advanced jet trainers and Dash-8 maritime patrol aircraft.

Defpro recently covered a number of IDEX 2009 deals that received less notice. The article below strips out the smallest deals, and adds a number of details and additional background: