Selected by Rheinmetall for use in the assessment phase of the Battle Tank Life Extension Programme
Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division was awarded a contract by Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems Division to provide its turret drive stabilisation system in support of the Assessment Phase of the UK MoD’s Life Extension Program to upgrade its fleet of 225 CHALLENGER 2 (CR2) Battle Tanks. Under the contract, Curtiss-Wright’s Drive Technology business unit, located in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland, will provide a prototype of its state-of-the-art Turret Drive Servo System (TDSS) for use with Rheinmetall’s 120mm smooth bore gun.
Curtiss-Wright’s TDSS delivers unmatched target location accuracy and turret stabilisation, while providing system integrators with an unprecedented level of freedom to define and deploy the exact solution they require. It uniquely enables system designers to upgrade and add stabilisation functionality as their mission requirements change. Because TDSS uses standard system configurations, it speeds system development and enables programmes to reach demonstration and production phases more rapidly. The use of preconfigured TDSS system components also reduces the time and costs associated with the requirements definition process. As part of the programme’s Assessment Phase, which started in March, 2018, Rheinmetall will demonstrate its solution and capabilities at the end of this year. In early 2019, the UK MoD will select the recipient of the program’s DMI and Series Phases, which are expected to run through 2024. The initial contract covers the Assessment Phase, and will be followed by the award of the DMI and Series Phases.
“We are very proud that Rheinmetall Land Systems has selected our turret drive stabilization solution to support their proven 120mm gun in the UK MoD’s important Challenger 2 Battle Tank upgrade programme,” said Lynn Bamford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Defense Solutions division. “This marks a significant main battle tank design win for our cost-effective, scalable Turret Drive Servo System.”
Curtiss-Wright is manufacturing the products covered by this agreement at its Drive Technology facility in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland. The products will be shipped to Rheinmetall in Germany.
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