Military Technology 06/2020

Topic MT 6/2020 · 7 requirements, thanks to modular AMAP-B appliqué armour kits (steel, composite or ceramic), differing in terms of weight, cost and protection. These can be replaced under field conditions by just two men to lift and fit the panels in position. The baseline protection is STANAG 4569 Level 4, front and Level 4 all around. The hull itself features remarkable ground clearance, improving protection from mines and IEDs. Additionally, EITAN is protected by the IRON FIST Light Decoupled (IFLD) active protection system (APS) – probably the first vehicle to be designed from the very out- set with an APS solution in mind. Another entirely new feature is the pe- ripheral observation system, providing the crew and the nine dismounts with a 360° view of the battlefield, thanks to 10 day-and-night cameras and five screens. The EITAN APC is armed with an overhead SAMSON 12.7mm remote weapon station (RWS), while the IFV variant uses the same unmanned turret originally developed for the NAMER, with a 30mm gun and a twin SPIKE-MR missile launcher. The selection of an unmanned turret solution allows the IFV to carry the same nine troops as the APC version. Flexible and Resilient Flexibility and modularity are additional features that improve opera- tional capabilities, significantly extending the range of roles and oper- ations through the life of the relevant vehicles or, perhaps more accu- rately stated, systems, responding to the evolving requirements of global operators. The ARTEC BOXER is enjoying remarkable success, with over 1,400 vehicles ordered so far by Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Slovenia, Australia and Great Britain. The system consists of a common drive mod- ule and a capability-specific mission module. The drive module includes the hull, powerpack and drivetrain and is currently available in five variants, differing in levels of underbelly protection, type of engine, cooling and ex- haust, type of tires, etc. The engine can be replaced under field conditions in 20-30min and the protection level can be adapted to specific mission RAdm. (Ret.) Massimo Annati served for 38 years in the Italian Navy, mostly in the fields of armament procurement and international cooperation. He currently holds the position of Chairman of the European Working Group on Non-Lethal Weapons and is a frequent contributor to Mönch publications. The amphibious performance of the ACV was so good that the USMC combined the ACV 1.1 and 1.2 programmes into a single vehicle. (Photo: BAE Systems)