Specialist Vehicle
In addition to its Scout reconnaissance role, SV will be a highly flexible platform able to carry out many other missions including liaison, escort and protected troop carrying
Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) hub able to send and receive information from other land and air based assets. And it will be able to carry out its mission on a 24-hour basis due to its advanced on board sensors, navigation and communications equipment.
In addition to its Scout
reconnaissance role, SV will be a highly flexible platform able to carry out many other missions including liaison, escort and protected troop carrying.
The first year
SV is ahead of schedule and General Dynamics UK is determined that the British Army will get this world-class vehicle as soon as possible. General Dynamics UK will build a total of seven prototype vehicles, with the first of these to be completed in the next 15 months. They will comprise three in the dedicated Scout role, one repair, one recovery, one protected mobility and one Common Base
Platform (CBP) which is the baseline for all variants. General Dynamics UK is already testing
individual SV sub-systems to de-risk the programme before the first prototypes are completed. A Mobility Test Rig (MTR) was completed by the end of 2011 and this will be used for further de-risk of the powerpack, suspension and other automotive aspects. The proven MTU V8 199 series diesel engine is coupled to an upgraded Renk 256B fully automatic transmission which has already undergone extensive trials.
The CBP is a further development of
the ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Co-Operative Development) infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) which is currently in service with the Austrian Army (as the Ulan) and the Spanish Army (as the Pizarro), with Spain fielding other specialised versions.
A number of testbed or ‘mule’ vehicles have
been used in the development of the CBP. A vehicle known as PT5 has been in use for mobility trials for almost a year whilst another known as PT3 arrived in the UK earlier this year to be used as the testbed for the Scout variant.
The Scout turret
The Scout’s turret is being developed by Lockheed Martin UK. It will be armed with a fully stabilised 40 mm CTAI Cased Telescoped Cannon and Ammunition (CTCA). This is now being qualified and can fire a variety of ammunition types. The computerised fire control system will enable stationary and moving targets to be engaged
Trusted to deliver 30
with a very high first round hit probability while the vehicle is moving across rough terrain.
The current turret ring of the Scout is 1.7m but
Year lifespan for the SV
£12m
already invested by General Dynamics UK in extensive facilities, employing over
300
Skilled people
has been designed to be expanded to 1.9m. This would enable larger turrets to be fitted armed with a 120mm gun, providing the already planned Direct Fire capability.
The all-welded steel armour hull will provide
the crew with the latest high level of protection from small arms fire, shell splinters, mines and improvised explosive devices (IED). A modular applique armour package is fitted over the baseline hull and all crew members will be provided with special blast-attenuating seats. Some elements of the armour system have been built and put through blast trials by DSTL.
The vehicle will be fitted with a patented
General Dynamics UK electronic architecture allowing the vehicle to be more rapidly upgraded in the future, and more easily re-roled and repaired in-theatre. It will also feature a CBRN capability and an Environmental Control Unit that will allow the vehicle to operate anywhere in the world. In addition, it will be fitted with a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) which will result in significant long-term cost savings.
Investment in SV
SV is expected to have a life of at least 30 years. It has a clearly designed growth path, with Scout coming in at 34 tonnes and the CBP chassis rated at 38 tonnes but with a stretch potential to 42 tonnes. To support the vehicle throughout its life, General Dynamics UK has invested £12 million in its already extensive facilities in South Wales. At the beginning of 2012, a new dedicated SV facility will open in Oakdale, South Wales, where General Dynamics UK has been head quartered since 2001.
The SV facility will employ over 300 staff and
will include system integration labs (SIL) for testing and development of each of the key members of the SV family, as well as dedicated vehicle bays. The first production SV will come from General Dynamics’ Spanish production line with the main production line being established at the same time at the Defence Support Group (DSG) facility at Donnington.
Winter 2011/12 Issue 14
Dynamics 13
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