Military Technology 06/2021

THEME: Armoured Warfare MT 6/2021 · 25 “What we‘ve got right here in front of us is what we call the remote weapon station-agnostic gun truck,” he began. “We designed this system to be completely modular and completely platform and weapon system independent. Right now, we have it equipped with a counter UAS-enabled BUSHMASTER cannon, our lightweight 30x113mm cannon, the M230, which is very similar to what is on the APACHE helicopter.” Levy pointed to several design enablers, including a differential GPS and encrypted radios, which allow targeting cues to be sent from any network sensor to accurately point the weapon on target. “We do that by correlating data from the weather station, the onboard electric optical camera, and a very small fire control radar, about the size of an iPad Mini, mounted directly below the barrel […] The fire control radar is from Echodyne, out of Kirkland, Washington. And data from all of those elements is combined to come up with a pinpoint firing solution for our advanced ammunition or proximity-fuzed ammunition. It‘s extremely effective against Class 1, Class 2 and Class ‘2+’ – bordering on Class 3 – UAS.” Asked about specific activities over the previous few months, Levy pointed to an enhanced ability “from just shooting close-in static drones to shooting fast-moving Class 2 drones, moving at speeds exceeding 30 kilometers per hour laterally from our location. So we‘re able to track not only things coming directly at us, but across as well. We‘ve also upgraded the cannon to ‘super-elevate.’ We used to only be able to shoot at 45°, we can now reach up to 75° with new yoke arms that we‘re installing. This is really designed for multi-mission capability.” After Levy’s overview, James Lionel Buck, Jr described the operation of his gunner’s station. “Ultimately, all I have to do is put this reticle on target […] I fire the laser for ground targets, it comes up with a range; it does precise calculation on what angle it needs to be at; I arm the system and pull the trigger. In the counter-UAS mode. I‘m sitting here on standby, with our system on our wireless network.” That network includes a long-range radar that can provide GPS target cues to Buck’s gunner’s station. If he accepts those cues, the weapon will automatically slew to the target location, allowing the onboard mounted fire control radar to start tracking the target. “I pretty much let go and watch the UAS come into my kill zone,” Buck continued. “Then I arm the system and simply squeeze the trigger. There‘s a precise time that this system is waiting for before it lets the shot off, with a higher probability that it‘s going to hit its target in that scenario.” Ryan Carlson, Northrop Grumman Project Engineer for the M-ACE pro- gramme, built on Buck’s briefing with an overview of the larger network. “The system was intended to be a demonstration platform for layer de- tection within a layer defeat capability, specifically for counter-UAS,” he explained. “But it was also expanded to be a multi-domain platform to include ground targets. And we‘re looking at maritime targets as well.” Pointing to the top of the 30ft elevating tower from Tower Solutions Inc’s Small Tower Series, he identified an SRC Inc. GRYPHON R1400 three-­ dimensional radar, which he characterised as “a long-range high-capa- bility radar system that can provide [the] multi-domain capability we‘re looking for. That provides an accurate target location for threats and items of interest that are fairly large span around our vehicle.” Moving down the tower, he identified a combination of visible and infra- red camera systems, as well as a laser rangefinder and laser designator. “Once I get a target detection, I‘m able to automatically scan my camera, with basically two button clicks, and I‘m able to get a positive identifica- tion of that threat,” he observed, adding that the tower system features multiple options that allow the design to be tailored to user detection needs, while the architecture facilitates passing targets to a wide range of target engagement subsystems. Summarising the design, Carlson concluded “All those options can be networked together into one single operation, looking at a very large swath of area and being able to detect and identify targets and then pass those target cues off to the appropriate effector.” 30x113 cannon to deliver medium-calibre lethality. During the vignette, the system engaged sUAS targets with the new percussion-primed XM1211 ammunition, before engaging ground targets with percussion-primed XM1198 HEDP-SD rounds. Vignette number four moved from land-based scenarios to focus on enhancing naval ship defense capabilities, through the introduction of the MSI Mk38 Mod4 mount with Mk44S [stretch] 30x173mm cannon. As one of the newest additions to the naval arsenal, the Mk38 Mod4 replaces the Mk38 Mod3, which had been equipped with the Northrop Grumman M242 BUSHMASTER 25mm chain gun. The new mount takes advantage of the increased range, payload and advanced ammunition designs that have been developed for the 30x173mm. During the firing demonstration, the new mount engaged distant steel targets with Mk238 High Explosive Incendiary-Trace (HEI-T) rounds, followed by engagement of an sUAS target with the new NG1170W HEP, closing with engagement of a third target set with the Mk238 ammunition. The final tactical vignette demonstrated the flexibility inherent in some of the cannon designs, combined with a glimpse at the potential of robotic warfare. The demo featured both members of the Pratt Miller Defense EMAV family previously highlighted, with the EMAV-LW30 defeating a number of smaller, close-in targets. Significantly, the EMAV-MCA, which had previously appeared using its 30x173mm against harder, longer- range targets, had been converted over the previous half hour to ‘Super 40mm’ [40x180mm], which was then fired against armoured targets using the more lethal S40 PABM-T ammo. Programme planners emphasised that the ability to change out the barrel reflects far more than just lethality. It also comes with enormous logistics benefits, stemming from the ability to train with 30x173mm am- munition, which offers the same feel, then upgun combat lethality to the 40x180mm calibre. “It‘s like when Boeing designed the 757 and 767 with almost the same cockpit,” observed one engineer. “That‘s how we designed this cannon. The whole idea being that it provides you overmatch, at extended ranges, in an actual fight, with a much heftier round.” Integrated System Designs Following the firing demonstrations, Northrop Grumman representa­ tives walked attendees through several system designs. In a highlight from the second vignette, David Levy, a business development lead with Northrop Grumman Armament Systems Division, described the design of the M230LF/ OS R400 ‘gun truck’ platform. A former US Army officer and veteran freelance writer, author and journalist, Scott Gourley continues to write for leading titles in the defence media community. BUC featured the unmanned EMAV-MCA platform, supporting a variant of the 30mm STRYKER lethality turret. (All photos: Scott Gourley) Different target sets used at BUC allowed demonstration of a range of new capabilities. f h