Firepower Magazine

TANKS

The Polish government is expected soon to give its approval to proposition made by German government to lease 106 Leopard 2A4s . This offer also includes 4 assault bridges mounted on Leopard 1 chasis, 4 mine-clearing vehicles and other logistics. Ten years leasing agreement would cost Poland about 12.5 million USD . Main purpose of this lease would be to equip Polish rapid reaction forces - 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade which is assigned to the force pool for NATO's Allied Europe Rapid Reaction Corps.

After lenghty field tests, the winner of the Greek Main Battle Tank competition will finally be known in the August of this year. Even though all the tanks are supreme and can be easily picked in every competition only one will be chosen. According to the some information best chances to win have Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2A5 and General Dynamics Land Systems M1A2 Abrams. Other tanks that participated in the trials were: Leclerc, T-80U, Challenger 2E and T-84. Greece will order 250+250 tanks in two series with great share of Greek military industry involvement.

The Jordanian Army has received a new shipment of 38 Challenger 1 MBT-s, formerly in service of British Army which is now replacing them with Challenger 2 tanks.This shipment is part of 288 tanks purchase agreement made in March 1999 between Jordan and The United Kingdom. Agreement also includes a certain number of Challenger Training Tanks, spare parts and logistics. New tanks, equipped with 120mm L11 rifled guns, will replace old Centurions armed with 105mm guns what will ensure the capability of Jordanian Army to defend its territory against any ground attack.

SHIPS AND SUBMARINES

On March 30th 2001 a new Croatian corvette was launched in Kraljevica shipyard. The new vessel, named "Kralj Dmitar Zvonimir", is the sister ship of "Kralj Petar Kresimir IV", launched in 1992. The ships are 54,2 m long, 8,5 m wide; cruise speed is 33 knots, and top speed is 37 knots. Their armamant is very strong considering their size: 8 RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, one 57 mm Bofors gun, one 30 mm six-barrel Gatling gun. Both guns are capable of targeting surface and air targets. The ships are also capable of carrying mines. "Kralj Dmitar Zvonimir" will enter the Croatian fleet next year, after being equipped and tested in Split military harbour.

The Egyptian Navy has signed a $400 million worth contract with Halter Marine, with which it ordered four Ambassador III Fast Attack Craft. The construction of these vessels will begin later this year at Halter Marine's Mississippi shipyard. All vessels will be delivered by January 2005. These are the first Ambassador III FACs that are being constructed. They are 60 m long, have a diesel propulsion and certain stealth capabilities. Their main weapon are anti-ship missiles. Ambassador III FACs will significantly improve the capabilities of the Egyptian FAC fleet which consists of 21 different FACs.

The US Navy has signed a contract with Newport News Shipbuilding for construction of CVN 77, the last Nimitz class carrier. The $3.8 billion worth carrier will replace USS Kitty Hawk in 2008. The yet unnamed CVN 77 is a first step toward the new generation of US carriers (CVNX). It will have new weapon systems, new multifunction radars with antennas similar to those on Ticonderoga class AEGIS cruisers, new superstructure and machinery. It will also have about 500 less crew, thanks to automation.

France has ordered the construction of two new amphibious ships ships which could be used as multinational taskforce flagships in amphibious operations. The ships will be built by DCN in cooperation with Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The new ships, named Mistral and Tonnerre, will be 199 m long and 28 m wide. They will have six helicopter landings, displacement of 21,000 tons, speed of 19 knots and range of 11,000 miles. Their armament will comprise two 30 mm guns, machine guns and short - range missiles. These ships will be able to carry various combinations of weapons (16 helicopters, 60 armoured vehicles, 450 soldiers, a squadron of Leclerc tanks, two LCAC or four LCM landing craft). The construction will begin in 2002, with the final vessel entering the fleet by 2006. Mistral and Tonnerre will replace amphibious ships Orage and Ouragan.

Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) in Kiel has started the construction of the second of three F-124 class air-defense frigates. The new vessel, named Hamburg, will be commissioned in 2004. Hamburg and her sisters, Sachsen and Hessen, are armed with Standard SM-2 and Evolved Sea Sparrow SAM systems, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, 76 mm gun and NH-90 helicopter. The new ships are the replacement for Lutjens class destroyers.

WARPLANES AND HELICOPTERS

Chile has announced that it will buy between 10 and 12 F-16 Block 50/52 C/D fighters. Lockheed Martin's F-16 is the winner of the competition which also included Mirage 2000, Gripen and Super Hornet. The $600 million contract will be signed later this year. The F-16's, equipped with long-range fuel tanks and AMRAAM missiles, should be delivered by 2005. The new warplanes will replace 30 Cessna Dragonflies.

US Air Force has ordered further four F-16C Block 50 from Lockheed Martin. According to $47 million worth contract, the planes will be delivered by January 2003.

Russia and India have signed a $3 bilion worth contract for the licence production of 150 Su-30 MKI warplanes in India. The Su-30's will be built until 2017 by Hindustan Aeronautics. India already has 40 Su-30 MKI's and 100 recently modernised MiG-21-93's.

Due to budget limitations, the Canadian Air Force will reduce the number of aircraft from 505 to 282 and reduce yearly flying hours. The number of Canadian F-18's will be reduced from 122 to 80 aircraft in four squadrons. However, these 80 F-18's will be modernised. There will also be a significant reduction in the number of CP-140's, CH-147's, CT-114's and CH-124's. The 34 Buffalo and Silver Star aircraft will also be retired; however, the number of C-130's will stay at 32.

ARTILLERY AND MISSILES

It has been confirmed that the Swedish Bofors Defence 57mm Mk 3 naval gun has entered the finals as one of the two guns to be mounted on the corvettes to be built for the United Arab Emirates. In addition to firing the pre-fragmented high explosive and high capacity extended-range types of ammunition (maximum range of 17km), the 57mm Mk 3 can also fire the latest Bofors Defence programmable multi-target 3P shell. The latest version is the 57mm Mk 3 Stealth. The first customer for this is the Swedish Navy, which has ordered it for its Visby class corvettes, each of which will have one system. The first gun for the Swedish Army is currently undergoing extensive firing trials at the Bofors Proving Ground.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed by Italian company Otobreda and Singapore Technologies Kinetics for developpment of the Light Weight Self-Propelled Howitzer (LWSPH). The LWSPH is the world's first and only 155mm 39 calibre self- propelled howitzer mounted on a lightweight 4 x 4 chassis. Under the terms of the MoU, Otobreda, the only supplier of artillery systems in Italy, will supply its ordnance. This modern weapon will increase the possibilities of rapid forces engagement and generally ensure the efficient backup on the battlefield. With this agreement the two companies will also extend their activities from the technical field to marketing.

The Australian Army has expressed its interest for buying General Motors Defence 120mm Armoured Mortar System (AMS). Other competitor in bid of arround 120 systems is Patria Hagglunds AMOS twin-barrel system. AMS´s advantage is that Saudi Arabian National Guard has already ordered 73 weapons installed on LAV 8x8 vehicle. It´s presumed that australian self-propelled mortars will be mounted on ASLAV 8x8 chassis.AMS turret is equipped with BAE Systems RO Defence low-recoil breech-loaded 120mm mortar with possibilities of direct fire.

Copyright © Firepower, 2001

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws