Military Technology 06/2020

8 · MT 6/2020 Topic specific mission, without the penalties of increased weight (and costs) across the entire fleet. The German BOXERs are being modernised with new satellite com- munications, RWS and improved C2 equipment. Ten vehicles will also be fitted with a Kongsberg PROTECTOR C-UAS RWS, armed with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL) firing air-burst munitions against small drones. These units will become operational by 2023 within the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). One of the most interesting BOXER solutions is the Australian Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV), selected for the Land 400 Phase 2 Mounted Combat Reconnaissance capability. BOXER CRV will be equipped with the Rheinmetall LANCE modular turret system, fit- ted with the MK30-2/ABM cannon, two Rafael SPIKE-LR ATGM and a 12.7mm RWS – the Kongsberg PROTECTOR for Block I vehicles or the EOS R400S-Mk2 for Block II. The addition of the IFLD APS is also under consideration. Some wheeled AFV designs showed an incredible flexibility and have led to large families of vehicles. The Chinese Norinco ZBL-09 SNOW LEOPARD has a combat mass of just 15-20t and is therefore quite light- weight, compared with most of its current Western counterparts. It is powered by a Deutz 440hp engine and two waterjets for in-water mobility: it is currently serving with the Chinese PLA and PLA Marine Corps, the Royal Thai Army and the Venezuelan Naval Infantry. It is the first Chinese but can be increased up to Level 6. Underbelly and lower-side protection are provided by AMAP-IED or AMAP-M packages. The crew compart- ment is protected by AMAP-L spall liners, while all seats are suspended/ decoupled from the floor, avoiding mine blast shock. Additional protection against IED is provided by EW jammers. Different levels of protection and different types of mission modules can add weight, up to a maximum of 38.5t. Modularity allows BOXER to play many different roles; APC, IFV, com- mand post, combat engineer vehicle, reconnaissance, surveillance, fire control, repair/recovery, ambulance and cargo. Other proposed variants include heavier armament, such as the SkyRanger mission module with a 35mm revolver gun capable of engaging both air and ground targets, or even the massive RCH-155mm Remote Control Howitzer, operated by a crew of just two. Mission modules are attached at four points and can theoretically be swapped within an hour under field conditions, though nobody expects a continuous ‘Ikea-like’ assembly or disassembly functionality. The BOXER modular concept is not only aimed at providing a com- mon baseline for different roles, but also at adapting to different threat levels, as asymmetric and hybrid warfare may require different protec- tion from that on the traditional battlefield and limitation of combat losses becomes the greatest concern, especially for stability operations short of outright war. This allows adequate protection to be provided for the The Norinco ZBD-09 is the workhorse of PLA infantry units. It is lighter than most of its Western counterparts, but offers great flexibility and good armament. (Photo: PLA) The export version of the ZBD-09, the VN-1, is available in multiple variants. The new UW4 unmanned turret boasts a 30mm cannon, a 30mm AGL, a 7.62mm machine gun and a HJ-73 ATGM. (Photo: Norinco) The ARTEC BOXER concept is based on an extensive level of modularity, with specific mission modules and different types of add-on armour kits. (Photo: Bundeswehr) The EITAN is the first Israeli-built 8x8 AFV and will replace the ageing fleet of M113 vehicles, improving both protection and mobility. (Photo: Israeli MoD)