Dedicated drone munitions could unlock modular mission potential
Top attacks have proven effective against heavily armoured vehicles in Ukraine. A new family of uncrewed aerial system-delivered munitions is looking to press that advantage further.
Russian industry is developing an active exoskeleton for the Sotnik soldier modernisation programme, even though the government is yet to issue specific requirements.
An active exoskeleton includes power sources, servomotors, electronics or sensors.
Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov confirmed on 7 December that ‘proactive’ work is underway on the exoskeleton, although the Russian MoD ‘has not yet approved the official requirements’.
With an ‘active exoskeleton’, he added, a soldier can carry up to 60kg of extra equipment while reducing fatigue from running and walking by 15%.
In addition, musculoskeletal strain on the soldier will be halved and ‘the accuracy of firing from automatic weapons is increased to 20%’, although Chemezov declined to go into further detail.
Rostec previously developed the family of passive (unpowered) military exoskeletons (pictured). Examples include the EO-1, which was tested under combat conditions in Syria.
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Top attacks have proven effective against heavily armoured vehicles in Ukraine. A new family of uncrewed aerial system-delivered munitions is looking to press that advantage further.
The Israeli company hopes that producing its Sigma artillery system wholly in the US will help it win a key US Army contract, but it will be up against the popular CAESAR Mk II wheeled weapon and the K9 tracked.
Germany has ordered 84 RCH 155 self-propelled guns, as system incorporating Boxer 8×8 vehicles and the Artillery Gun Module, and 200 Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicles while the UK has committed to a single Early Capability Demonstrator RCH 155.
While integration of guided weapons on modern armoured vehicles usually takes the form of a podded launcher on the turret exterior, recent developments suggest the concept of firing missiles from a tank’s main gun could be seeing a revival.
The order is a further boost for the Common Armoured Vehicles System programme which has notched notable successes in the past 12 months. The first vehicle, made in Finland, will be delivered next year with local production expected to ramp up in 2027.
The French and German governments signed an agreement in June 2018 to cooperate on the development of a new main battle tank under the Main Ground Combat System programme but the effort has struggled. This new agreement may damage it further.