CAVS rolls on as Denmark orders 129 vehicles
Denmark signed the Technical Arrangement for the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) in April this year. The order means the country will receive its first vehicle this year.
A new modular assault rifle has been jointly developed by Rheinmetall and Steyr Mannlicher called the RS556, Rheinmetall announced on 11 January.
Based on Steyr Mannlicher’s STM556, the 5.56mm x 45 calibre weapon will target the German armed forces’ requirement to replace its G36 assault rifle with a more advanced system from 2019.
The gas-operated RS556 has an adjustable short-stroke gas piston system and rotating bolt, the rifle has a 16" barrel (406mm) and a fully loaded, 30-round magazine. It weighs around 4.2kg (just over 9lbs), and the adjustable-length light-weight stock clicks into seven different positions, allowing operators to adjust the weapon to match individual equipment profile.
The hammer-forged barrel can be easily exchanged enabling the weapon to be quickly modified for various missions.
A number of standard barrel lengths are available (14.5", 16", 18" and 20"), and the RS556 features several standard and optional NATO accessory rails with receiver systems designed in accordance with MIL-STD-1913, STANAG 2324 and STANAG 4694. A 40mm grenade launcher can also be mounted on the rifle.
The RS556 is compatible with Rheinmetall’s modular Future Soldier - Expanded System (IdZ-ES), and can also be connected to other soldier systems.
Denmark signed the Technical Arrangement for the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) in April this year. The order means the country will receive its first vehicle this year.
The Soldier-Kit system consists of detector, jammer, tablet and wideband antenna and is being evaluated as part of Project Flytrap 3.0 counter uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) exercise.
Arquus displayed the Drailer uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) integrating the Akeron LP long-range missile at the Techterre technology demonstrator event ahead of trials in September.
The Czech Republic ordered 52 CAmion Equipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie (CAESAR) self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) in 2021 and added another 10 a year later. A cancellation of the programme would impact both the army’s capabilities and local industry which is involved in the manufacture.
Demand for ammunition continues to increase with manufacturing capability growing to match. Sweden have turned to the two supply lines of Rheinmetall and Nammo as part of a Nordic effort to meet demand. The Polish Government has also announced a US$700 million investment to boost manufacture of munitions.
Several US Army vehicle programmes were axed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s plans to transform the US Army, as outlined in the Letter to the Force: Army Transformation Initiative document. However, the new generation Abrams M1E3 main battle tank (MBT) was singled out for survival. But what will it look like?