US Army seeks industry support to prepare acquisitions of Group 4+ UAVs
The US Army is keen to hear about vendor designs, strategies and potential hardware and software solutions to inform requirements for procurement efforts.
The South African DoD has acquired the 20,000 rounds of the Rheinmetall 40mm medium velocity ammunition. The company has announced the deal on 13 November.
The procurement comprised high explosive ammunition, high explosive dual-purpose ammunition, practice ammunition, practice tracer ammunition, red phosphorous smoke rounds and orange target marker ammunition.
The versatile 40mm ammunition pallet closes the gap between hand grenades and mortars and serves as a veritable combat multiplier for infantry and other dismounted troops according to Rheinmetall.
It has a maximum range of 800 metres, exceeding conventional extended range low-velocity variants by up to 375 metres while delivering high accuracy.
The ammunition was acquired under the Project Kamogelo that was officially completed in October 2020.
The South African Army initiated the project in 2016 with the aim of fielding a new grenade launcher and family of 40mm ammunition.
rmscor, the nation’s arms procurement agency, approved the purchase plan in February 2018, subsequently overseeing testing and evaluation of the Milkor Y4 multi-shot weapon. It involved firing Rheinmetall Denel Munition’s less-lethal, low-velocity and medium-velocity ammunition.
The US Army is keen to hear about vendor designs, strategies and potential hardware and software solutions to inform requirements for procurement efforts.
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.