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Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 07:50
by mr.fred
I’d say that Caesar is a L0 on the basis that the crew are unprotected during operation.
The only L4 protected SPG I know of off hand is the PzH2000, although the Boxer variant might be able to claim it too.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 08:01
by Defiance
Indeed, reading the small print it specifies that protection for the cabin only. So it'd appear the RFI isn't entirely written for Caesar.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 09:04
by Aethulwulf
From Jane's Defence Weekly...
The RFI confirms that the British Army wishes to acquire an estimated 98 self-propelled guns to equip four Royal Artillery close support regiments, along with training and support packages.

“MFP’s rapid into/out of action times and mobility [will] ensure tactical agility, and [increased] survivability - making it very difficult for the enemy to kill,” the RFI specifies.

Initial objective requirements state the MFP should have a firing range of up to 80 km; a five-round multiple round simultaneous impact (MRSI) at 25 km, along with a sustained suppressive fire rate of 20 rounds a minute for up to 10 minutes; and STANAG 4569 level 4 protection standards. It should take 20 seconds to prepare to fire and another 20 seconds to leave once firing is complete.

It is also desired that the MFP can travel up to 2,000 km into an area of operations with 95% availability, although whether it is tracked or wheeled has not been specified. An objective requirement for the MFP is for it to be possibly transported by a C-130, although a C-17 is more likely.

These draft major user requirements could change as the MoD engages with industry.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 09:30
by Timmymagic
I suspect the prolific Russian use of counter battery fire in the Donbas has rather increased the need for protection and rapid engagement and re-positioning. Caesar won't come out well in that assessment compared to SPG's with the crew protected.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 09:46
by RetroSicotte
The requirements seem to not match up to any full ability. Things like Caesar aren't well protected enough, things like PzH2000 may not be fast/available/light enough, things like Boxer AGS much the same.

It sounds like they want a platform as fast as a wheeled APC, as well protected as a tracked SPG, and as light as Caesar.

Good luck on that one.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 14:54
by Lord Jim
Aethulwulf wrote:An objective requirement for the MFP is for it to be possibly transported by a C-130, although a C-17 is more likely.
Sure they meant to say A400 and C-17. If not I don't have much faith in those issuing the RFI.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 18:07
by mr.fred
It looks like they are casting the net wide with the ideal, on the understanding that they won’t get it, but judging the balance of what is offered.

That said, some of it looks like a typo. 20 rounds per minute? That’s 1 tonne in shells alone. Over 10 minutes it’s more rounds than you’d be likely to have on the vehicle and the first supply truck.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 19:42
by Voldemort
mr.fred wrote:It looks like they are casting the net wide with the ideal, on the understanding that they won’t get it, but judging the balance of what is offered.

That said, some of it looks like a typo. 20 rounds per minute? That’s 1 tonne in shells alone. Over 10 minutes it’s more rounds than you’d be likely to have on the vehicle and the first supply truck.
20 RPM? Eeh, what's this cuckoo land they live in? Not even heavy mortars can reach that, light mortars just barely with proper procedures. Seems like you're shooting for the stars only to crash and burn.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 22:05
by Lord Jim
On the plus side whatever we eventually end up getting will probably 52 calibre when it comes to tube artillery. The new ER missiles for the GMLRS wouldn't go amiss nor would the very long range ones aimed at replacing ATACMS or whatever it is called. Ideally moving to a HIMARs variant based on the same MAN chassis we already use would improve the deploy ability of these systems.

Like so many programmes we have a great opportunity here to deal with issues that have been around for ages, if the will and funding are available. We shall see.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 04 Apr 2019, 23:02
by mr.fred
Voldemort wrote:
20 RPM? Eeh, what's this cuckoo land they live in? Not even heavy mortars can reach that, light mortars just barely with proper procedures. Seems like you're shooting for the stars only to crash and burn.
Like I said, probably a typo (2 rounds a minute sustained, more likely) or missing information (20 round per minute for a battery)

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 11:50
by Simon82
RetroSicotte wrote:The requirements seem to not match up to any full ability. Things like Caesar aren't well protected enough, things like PzH2000 may not be fast/available/light enough, things like Boxer AGS much the same.
How about the Swedish Archer artillery system? I understand that provides much better protection for the crew than Caesar, although no doubt there’s an associated weight and cost penalty.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 12:57
by RetroSicotte
Simon82 wrote:How about the Swedish Archer artillery system? I understand that provides much better protection for the crew than Caesar, although no doubt there’s an associated weight and cost penalty.
The Archer has seen a lot of doubt and pulling out. Makes me question what it really is like.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 13:12
by ArmChairCivvy
RetroSicotte wrote:The Archer has seen a lot of doubt and pulling out. Makes me question what it really is like.
The plus was the platform (100 km/h transit speeds, goes through a meter of snow when that is required)
but the minuses
-the protected compartment got fumes into it... how can it be NBC then?
- and the platform did not have enough stabilisation, which rendered the much-vaunted MRSI capabilily ineffective

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 16:28
by Lord Jim
Maybe we should dust off the old Supercat designs, but use modern variants of the weapon systems they used like the L52 version of the M777 and GMLRS and its longer range, guided rockets and even its 500Kn option. As I recall the designs were pretty mature when everything was cancelled.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 18:50
by Tempest414
What about a South African G-6 Rhino

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 20:18
by Lord Jim
Great piece of kit but very big and very heavy.

Somebody is going to have to do one of those Risk Assessments to work out which characteristics are a priority I order to narrow the field moving forward. Like a Tank what ever we end up choosing is going to be a compromise between the key properties. At the moment everything from a large towed gun to a rail gun is in the running.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 21:22
by mr.fred
I think “operational analysis” is the term you are looking for.
A protected wheeled chassis (probably Boxer) with the upgraded M777 ordnance (ERCA project) and the ability to fire Vulcano rounds would seem about the right place.
This thing is supposed to be be the field artillery for the mechanised and armoured formations, so making air transportation any kind of significant requirement would be unwise. The ability to do so might be useful, but not at the expense of other requirements. The Supercat based artillery systems were intended for light forces and would suffer too many compromises in durability, protection, capacity and the like.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 11 Apr 2019, 21:52
by Lord Jim
Basing the system on the Boxer makes sense, with a clean slate I would, as suggested have a Gun Module using the enhanced M777, but I would also develop a Ammo Module for a partner vehicle, similar to what the US Army did with the M109. For longer reach I would go with HIMARS but use the Armoured cabin version of the MAN truck already in use.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 12 Apr 2019, 13:04
by Dahedd
Boxer artillery? I had to Google that one. Looks very top heavy.

http://www.military-today.com/artillery ... rch155.htm

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 12 Apr 2019, 16:25
by Lord Jim
It might look so but it is stated it can fire at all elevations and azimuth up to charge 6, so the engineers have done their job. Its performance seems pretty good to, going into action, firing eight rounds and out of actions in 90 seconds. see below;
http://www.artec-boxer.com/fileadmin/do ... 8-2017.pdf

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 12 Apr 2019, 17:57
by mr.fred
Lord Jim wrote:Basing the system on the Boxer makes sense, with a clean slate I would, as suggested have a Gun Module using the enhanced M777, but I would also develop a Ammo Module for a partner vehicle, similar to what the US Army did with the M109. For longer reach I would go with HIMARS but use the Armoured cabin version of the MAN truck already in use.
Do you and I agree on something? Egad!

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 12 Apr 2019, 22:59
by ArmChairCivvy
Counter-battery by EW won't totally silence them:
"The Boxer RCH 155 has an advanced fire control system. It receives target data via radio or datalink. The gun is automatically laid using the fire control data. This howitzer is aimed and fired by the crew remotely from the cab. Though in case of emergency or failure this artillery system can be loaded and fired manually."

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 13 Apr 2019, 13:22
by Lord Jim
mr.fred wrote:Do you and I agree on something? Egad!
We were bound to eventually as our goals are the same. :)

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 17 Apr 2019, 08:39
by J. Tattersall
I'm guessing this procurement is off the shelf. Hence the requirement can reasonably be expected to have been informed by capabilities which are available now (automatic loading), or could reasonably be expected to be developed in a few short years.

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

Posted: 14 Jul 2019, 12:53
by mr.fred
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=376&p=93270#p93270
Lord Jim wrote:We need to make a step change in the weight of artillery we use with the 120mm Mortar replacing the 81mm weapon at Battalion level in most units and replacing the 105mm Light Gun with a highly mobile, possibly air transportable 155mm weapon.
I’m sure that I’ve asked before, but why do we need this? Why do we need to encumber our light forces with bigger and heavier ordnance, and bigger and heavier logistics demands?