Africa Aerospace & Defence 2016 (AAD 2016)

Citation :

AAD 2016: Zambian L-15s make first public appearance

Jeremy Binnie, Pretoria - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

16 September 2016


A ZAF L-15AFT was displayed at AAD 2016 with all the weapons options. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen


The delivery of the first of Zambia's new HAIC L-15 multirole jet fighters was confirmed during the Africa Aerospace & Defence (AAD) exhibition held in South Africa from 14-18 September, when two were displayed at the show.

An official from the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), which promoted the aircraft at the show, was reluctant to discuss the numbers involved, but told IHS Jane's that the first batch of "more than two" L-15s arrived in Zambia in July and the rest are expected to be delivered by early 2017. A CATIC official told IHS Jane's in 2014 that Zambia had ordered six L-15s.

It was confirmed during the event that Zambia is receiving the L-15AFT attack/fighter/trainer version as opposed to the L-15AJT advanced jet trainer that recently entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) as the JL-10.

Major Paul Besa, one of the first Zambian L-15 pilots, told IHS Jane's that the delivery of the L-15s marked a milestone for the ZAF as it now has a third-generation multirole fighter with fly-by-wire avionics. He said the aircraft are being flown by the Air Defence Command's Lusaka-based Squadron 15.

Despite the name of the command, he stressed that the ZAF's L-15AFTs would be used in both the air defence and attack roles, saying that Zambia has ordered the full-range of weapons.

In the air-to-air role these include PL-5E short-range air-to-air missiles on the two outermost hardpoints. The air-to-ground weapons include a 23 mm PC-2AI gun pod on the centreline hardpoint and a combination of HF-18D pods for 57 mm rockets, 250 kg or 500 kg bombs, and air-to-surface missiles on the remaining four hardpoints.

Maj Besa said that the ZAF had ordered both LS-6 GPS/INS guided bombs and YJ-9E air-to-surface missiles. The latter is the export version of China's TL-10.

Citation :

AAD 2016: Sudan's SAFAT says Burkan smart bomb is operational


Jeremy Binnie, Pretoria - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

16 September 2016


A model of the Burkan was displayed on the SAFAT stand at AAD. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen


The SAFAT Burkan guided stand-off bomb is already in service with the Sudanese Air Force, Ali Osman, the head of business development for Sudan's SAFAT Aviation Group, told IHS Jane's at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) show held in South Africa on 14-18 September.

SAFAT says the Burkan is a 250 kg GPS-guided bomb with wings that unfold after launch to give it a maximum range of 80 km when dropped from an altitude of 10 km (32,800 ft), which is outside the engagement radius of most air defence systems.

A SAFAT engineer told IHS Jane's that the co-ordinates of the target can be pre-programmed before the aircraft takes off, but the pilots can change them during the flight; the system also informs the pilots when the target is within range of the bomb.

Ali Osman said he could not comment when asked if Burkans had been dropped by the Sudanese Sukhoi Su-24s that have been deployed to Saudi Arabia to participate in the military intervention in Yemen.
 

Citation :

AAD 2016: Denel unveils DMG-5 lightweight machine gun


Jeremy Binnie, Pretoria - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

16 September 2016

 
The new DMG-5 is seen behind the DMG-5 CX heavy barrel version. (IHS/Patrick Allen)

Denel Land Systems (DLS) launched its new 7.62 mm DMG-5 general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) that weighs nearly 2 kg less than its predecessor at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) show in South Africa on 15 September.

Steve Matthews, the chief engineer for infantry weapons at DLS, told IHS Jane's that, although the press release stated that the infantry version of the DMG-5 weighs 9 kg, it is actually 8.4 kg, which represents a significant reduction on the 10.32 kg of the company's SS77. A standard FN MAG weighs 11.8 kg.

The company also unveiled the DMG-5 CX version with spade grips and a heavier barrel for mounting in weapon stations. The CX can also use the lighter DMG-5 barrel and has the same mounting points as the MAG so it is compatible with existing weapon stations.

Matthews said the weight reduction has been achieved by "optimising the mass" of every component of the SS77. This has included the replacement of the folding stock with a lighter retractable stock.

Picatinny rails have been fitted as standard to make the DMG-5 a more flexible weapon than its predecessor. This has allowed the weight of the weapon to be further reduced by removing the fixed bipod and giving the customer the option of using Picatinny-compatible bipods or grips of their choice.

Noting that DLS has sold far more firearms to international customers than to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), DLS marketing executive Kobus Rautenbach said the DMG-5 was being well received. "Our clients are telling us they like what they see," he said.

However, he added that it was important from a marketing point of view that the SANDF gives the new weapon its seal of approval by placing an order.

Citation :

AAD 2016: Denel aims to lighten the load

15th September 2016 - 15:27 by Tim Fish in Pretoria



Denel Land Systems has launched a new light weight General Purpose Machine Gun that aims to revolutionise infantry weapons.

The DMG-5 weighs just 8.4kg, which is 2kg less than the company’s existing SS77 GPMG. The DMG-5 CX is a coaxial mount machine gun for vehicles, which weighs about 9.8kg, also a significant reduction.

Stephan Burger, CEO at Denel Land Systems, said that innovation in machine guns is difficult and they have not changed a great deal since World War 2. But the main capabilities lie in improved sights, hitting capability, range and mass. It is the latter two the company focussed on.

He said they were able to achieve the weight reductions because he gave the task of building a new light GPMG to young engineers in the company who had to achieve this goal without losing any of the accuracy or reliability.

The engineers told Shephard that they were able to reduce the weight by using new materials and different designs in the DMG-5 structure, whilst keeping the working parts the same.

DMG-5 has kept the original bolt and firing mechanism from the SS77, but everything else has been adapted. The engineers said they designed a new buttstock which is made of a tough plastic material along with the bipod, which are both adjustable.

The barrel is a new design the reduce excess weight and material. The front grip has three aluminium picatinny rails to allow for the addition of flashlights or laser pointers. A bipod can also be fitted. The feed cover also has picantinny rails so that any new sight systems or other accessories can be added.

The new trigger housing is aluminium and there is a new cocking mechanism and cooling system. The engineers also changed the housing for the gas parts to reduce weight.

Burger said that despite all these changes the reliability and accuracy has been maintained and the customers for the existing SS77 now want to switch over to the DMG-5.

The DMG-5 is available in either 7.62mm or 5.56mm calibre and has an effective range of 1,500m. It is belt fed using M13,R1M1 or DM1 links. It has a firing rate of 700-900 rpm and is 1135mm long with the extended stock and 1,055mm with the short stock.

During the launch, Burger also highlighted the two new upgraded mortar systems: DM42 and DM43. They are new versions of the 60mm M4Mk1 commando mortar and the 60mm M1 conventional mortar respectively, but with a longer range.

He said the DM42 has gone from the 1km of its predecessor to 1.8km and the DM43 has doubled the range from 2km to 4km with only minor modifications to the mortars.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/aad-2016-denel-aims-lighten-load/

Citation :

AAD 2016: Dual band radar goes on

16th September 2016 - by Tim Fish in Pretoria



Reutech is to continue working on the RSR320 Dual Band Radar (DBR) XL system despite development being temporarily suspended.

A partnership between Denel and Saab for the provision of the latter’s Giraffe AMB radar to be the guidance system for the Umkhonto air defence missile system appears to have scuppered Reutech’s plans to offer the DBR XL in this role.

However, Anthony Green, product strategy executive at Reutech, told Shephard that they are still working on the system because it can ‘bring more’ to the Umkhonto missile because of its level of accuracy.

He said that no other radar has the same level of accuracy and this makes it ‘appropriate’ for Umkhonto.

‘It has greater accuracy with its target reports and this means there is a greater chance of the missile hitting the target,’ he added.

DBR XL is a 3-D radar and operates in the X- and L-bands. It was developed by Reutech as a technology project. After being integrated with Umkhonto and successfully completing firing tests in October 2013 at the Overburg Test Range work had continued until this year.

It appears that Denel may have preferred a proven in-service radar system, so that it can sell its Umkhonto air defence system much sooner instead of waiting for the DBR XL to be completed.

South Africa’s Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) programme is in two phases. The first phase was the purchase of Reutech’s ESR220 Thutlwa 2-D radar to match with the Starstreak shoulder-launched air defence missile for a Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) capability.

The South African Army has bought four Thutlwa systems that are fitted to four Al Jaber 8x8 trucks. A large amount of these trucks had been purchased in the 1990s as ammunition supply vehicles to support the G5 self-propelled howitzer, but the four were converted for the air defence role.

Phase 2 was to use the Umkhonto vertical launch missile system for longer range air defence. Green said that DBR XL was designed for this and was developed using elements of other Reutech radar.

DBR XL has an antenna height of 4-12m and weighs 12,000kg. It can track more than 100 targets per second with an uprate rate of one second. The L-band has a solid state transmitter than can reach a detection range of 80km and an X-band TWT that can reach out to 40km.

At the moment, the DBR XL is fitted to its own container with measuring systems although in the future it will be fitted to another converted Al Jaber truck.

Green said there was foreign interest in DBR from countries in a ‘similar time zone’. He added that with the exception of Norway, Reutech does not usually sell to First World countries that have their own radar industry, usually customers are those that want technology to develop their own industries or that want fielded equipment, mainly in the Middle East and South East Asia.

A spokesperson from Denel Dynamics told Shephard that they had given Reutech input on frequencies and waveforms for their missiles and there had been successful tests. However, he added that the company wanted to ‘use something off-the-shelf’.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/aad-2016-dual-band-radar-goes/

Citation :

AAD 2016: Industry joins for C-RAM


15th September 2016 - by Helmoed Römer Heitman in Pretoria



Denel Dynamics has partnered with Rheinmetall Air Defence to develop a Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) system.

The system comprises the Oerlikon Skyshield radar as the alerting, acquisition and tracking system and the new Denel Dynamics vertically-launched Cheetah missile.

It is designed to protect an area 2.5km x 2.5km against incoming weapons, including supersonic missiles, and is intended to engage and destroy such weapons at ranges between 500m and 6 000m, with the Mach 2 Cheetah missile reaching 4 000m in 6 seconds.

The Cheetah missile system has been developed on the same concept as the very successful Umkhonto SAM system, and Denel Dynamics has used both the know-how and some existing building blocks from existing missiles to reduce development time and cost.

Vertical launch gives both quick response and immediate 360o coverage, and in-flight updates from the target-tracking radar enable the missile to fly an optimal intercept profile to the where its own radar seeker acquires the target and it closes to destroy it, manoeuvring at up to 80g as required.

The 22kg Cheetah is 1.98m long and has a diameter of 105mm and a wingspan of 31.4cm. Its 3kg warhead has been optimised to detonate the charge of the targeted bomb or shell, and has been proved against a range of threats from 60 mm mortar bombs to Mk 84 bombs.

The kill probability against that range of targets is said to be 90%. The launcher is an ISO-standard unit that can be mounted and dismounted from a truck using a hook lift system, and includes the uplink used to pass the in-flight updates to the missile. While details are still to be finalised, the basic launcher could be a 60-round unit weighing less than 10t.

Given the speed and range of the Cheetah, it would seem to also be suited to shooting down UAVs and to present a threat to aircraft or helicopters venturing to close to the base being protected.

The vertical launch unit is, like that of the Umkhonto, a dismountable containerised system holding the missiles and the datalink that is used to provide in-flight updates using target tracking information from the radar.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/aad-2016-industry-joins-c-ram/

Citation :

AAD 2016: Anti-RPG protection for Puma


15th September 2016 - by Tim Fish in Pretoria



A partnership between AmSafe Bridport and OTT Technologies was announced at the AAD 2016 exhibition on 14 September.

The arrangements means that AmSafe’s lightweight Tarian net anti-RPG protection system has been fitted to one of OTT’s Puma M26 mine and blast protected vehicles to demonstrate the capability.

Tarian was developed as a lightweight alternative to the heavy bar armour that has been fitted to armoured vehicles to protect them from RPG attacks.

The nets can be attached to the outside of the vehicles using specialist flexible connectors. When an RPG rocket tries to pass through the net, the strong fibres will crush the nose cone of the rocket before it hits the vehicle side disabling its detonator rendering it harmless.

Whilst heavy vehicles can support the weight of bar armour, lighter vehicles cannot. This makes Tarian a suitable alternative for lighter armoured vehicles and 4x4s that may find themselves on the front line.

Richard Betts, sales and marketing director at AmSafe said: ‘The development work that we have undertaken with OTT to showcase Tarian on its M26 Puma demonstrates the adaptability of Tarian to fit a wide variety of vehicle types. The cooperative relationship that AmSafe has developed with OTT will successfully create an integrated anti-RPG protection system for OTT’s range of military platforms.’

Hans Kriek, business development manager at OTT stated that by including the Tarian system, it makes their Puma mine protected vehicle more capable adding to its V-shaped hull mine and IED protection to give it higher combat survivability during asymmetric operations.

Tarian is supplied to the UK MoD and Danish defence forces on both wheeled and tracked vehicles. AmSafe said their nets are participating in the selection process for ‘a number of high profile customers.’

AmSafe has also partnered with UMO for the Polish market and has fitted Tarian to NIMR vehicles in the UAE. The company is collaborating with IBD to combine their protection solution for light vehicles.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/aad-2016-anti-rpg-protection-puma/

Citation :

AAD 2016: Cameroon’s armour hits Boko Haram


14th September 2016 - by Erwan de Cherisey in Paris



Progress made by the Cameroonian Defence Forces (CDF) against terror group Boko Haram has a lot to do with their use of armoured vehicles.

Earlier this year the Cameroonian military received 12 Ratel infantry fighting vehicles from South Africa that have added to a growing inventory of newer armoured vehicles.

They added to other recent acquisitions of US-built PKSV armoured vehicles from General Dynamics and Israeli Thunder Mk1 armoured personnel carriers from GAIA Automotive Industries, which followed from the earlier procurement of Chinese armoured vehicles.

It has allowed the specialist anti-terrorist units such as the elite Rapid Intervention Battalions (BIRs), a semi-independent force, separate from the Army, to conduct more mobile operations at longer ranges and in cooperation with regular forces and other countries across borders.

Yaoundé is in fact eager to further strengthen its armoured capabilities with negotiations for the procurement of heavier platform being currently underway in Russia.

Counter terror operations come under the authority of the 4th Joint Forces Military Region (RMIA 4) whose HQ is located at Maroua and coordinates Operation Emergence 4. The BIRs provide a sizeable component of over 2,000 men under their own Operation Alpha and with the new vehicles they have been able to gain more successes. Until early 2015 the only armoured unit in the Far North was the Army’s Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion (BBR).

Headquartered in Douala, the BBR replaced its fleet of legacy Cadillac Cage V-150 Commando vehicles in 2013, when it received a batch of 20 Chinese made NORINCO Type 07P Infantry Fighting Vehicles (including a command post version and an armoured recovery vehicle), 18 NORINCO WMA 301/PTL-02 Assaulter Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) and four NORINCO WZ-551 support vehicles (one armoured recovery vehicle and three command posts).

This BBR used these vehicles in support of Army and BIR operations against Boko Haram throughout 2014, achieving some success. Then in October 2015, the RMIA 4 received four PKSV and with the start of cross-border operations in neighbouring Nigeria by Cameroonian forces in late 2015, the situation evolved, with the CDF adopting a more offensive posture.

At the beginning of 2016, the BBR vehicles originally assigned to Operation Alpha were transferred to the newly operational Sector 1 of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). In early April 2016, Sector 1, launched an offensive into Nigeria with motorized infantry units supported by Type 07Ps from the BBR and the PKSV, destroying a Boko Haram base, killing several terrorists and capturing caches of weapons and supplies before joining with Nigerian Army units.

Having assessed the importance of armoured vehicles in combat operations against Boko Haram, the BIR decided to develop its own armoured capabilities, procuring 16 Thunder Mk.1 APCs in two successive batches delivered in 2015. In October of that same year, the BIR received two PKSV as a donation from the US DoD. These were followed by the 12 Ratel IFVs in early 2016.

While the Thunder have been used in the troop transport role since their delivery, the Ratel are employed in three major functions: as road clearing vehicles against IEDs and mines, being fitted with a mine roller to detonate these artefacts, as troop transports and also fire support vehicles. For this latter role, they are armed with a Serbian made M55 20 mm canon which the BIR uses with explosive ammunition.

The Thunder were deployed in combat operations inside Cameroon throughout 2015, being attached to the command posts of Operation Alpha’s three different zones (South, Centre, North). In November 2015, the BIR launched its first cross border operation into Nigeria, Arrow 1, which saw 500 troops deployed by Cameroon with armoured support being provided by the Thunder.

As one BIR officer explained, BIR armoured vehicles always work in pairs, for mutual support. While the Thunder have been involved in all Arrow operations since their inception, the Ratel made their combat debut during Arrow 4, on 25 January. They were later involved in all subsequent five Arrow operations, until Arrow 9 as well as in other smaller operations.

The BIR has said it is very satisfied with the excellent mobility and firepower of the Ratel. During Arrow 5 between 11 and 14 February, the Ratel were again heavily involved, neutralizing several Boko Haram strongpoints with their 20 mm canon, a feat they would repeat during Arrow 6, in late February.

The regional effort against Boko Haram has significantly weakened it and forced its members to resort to more asymmetrical tactics, increasingly relying on IEDs, suicide attacks and targeted assassinations. While the sect remains a significant threat, the days of major attacks mobilizing hundreds of fighters, vehicles and armoured support seem, at least for now, over in Cameroon (but not elsewhere as the late May attack on Bosso, Niger evidenced).

Despite this, Cameroonian armoured forces presently deployed in the Far North are unlikely to be heading home any time soon, since major operations against Boko Haram are likely to take place in the future, as the sect’s major stronghold in the Sambisa Forrest still needs to be cleared.

Since March 2014, when Boko Haram conducted its first attack against a Cameroonian Army patrol in the Far North province, the Cameroonian Defence Forces (CDF) has been at war with the sect. In May 2014, President Paul Biya decided to scale up the campaign against the jihadists, thus marking the beginning of a forces’ build up which has resulted in a current deployment of over 9,000 men in the operational area.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/aad2016-cameroons-armour-hits-boko-haram/

Citation :

AAD 2016: Retraction action


14th September 2016 - 12:00 by Helmoed Römer Heitman in South Africa



Land Mobility Technologies (LMT), a subsidiary of Denel Land Systems, and the Mechatronics unit of Denel Vehicle Systems have teamed to produce a retractable overhead weapons station for machine-guns and similar weapons.

The Meerkat weapons station will be shown at AAD in Pretoria, mounted on an LMT LM-13, and mounting the Denel PMP 20x42 mm iNkunzi Strike cannon.



The retractable weapons station was developed to address some of the challenges facing users of other systems: Primarily, it allows the weapon to be reloaded and malfunctions to be cleared under protection of the vehicle’s armour.

That would have been a boon to the German paratroopers caught in the ‘Good Friday’ in Afghanistan in 2010: Intense fire made it impossible to reload the overhead weapons of their Dingo and Fuchs APCs, removing the ability to support the dismounts.

The ability to retract a weapons station will also avoid bush damage, the importance of which the SA Army learned over years of bush war, and will protect the sights and weapon against damage by wires strong across a road as part of an ambush, rocks and petrol bombs, against dust, sand and hail, and allow vehicles to maintain a low, non-aggressive profile until the weapon is required.

It also eliminates the need to dismount, remount and realign the weapon every time a vehicle is unattended in a vehicle park or elsewhere; simply retracting the mounting locks the weapon and sights securely inside.



The Meerkat combines the DVS SD-ROW overhead weapons station with an LMT-developed electric retraction system and B7 level clamshell armoured cover. Raising or retracting takes 25 seconds, and the SD-ROW can traverse at 80o/sec and elevate at 60o/sec, with 360o traverse and elevation from -20o to +70o, with programmable no-fire zones and open hatch interlocks.

The SD-ROW has day and thermal night sights, a laser range-finder, and can have an integrated shot detection system for quicker response in urban areas, and a clip-on gunner’s display (1024x768 colour LCD) and control unit.

This performs ballistic calculations with manual inputs or from the laser range-finder, and has a rapid target designation function providing one-touch traverse to a given bearing, after which the gunner can put down suppressive fire or engage an identified target. The control unit can be handed off by the gunner to another crew member when necessary.



Armed with the iNkunzi Strike it gives even light vehicles an offensive capability. The weapon fires at 350 to 400 rds/min with an effective range of 600 m and suppressive fire capability to 800 m or to 1 000 m against area targets.

It has a trajectory flatter and time of flight less than a high-velocity 40 mm AGL (6 m vs 11 m, 2.2 sec vs 3 sec to 600 m), making it effective against targets in upper-floor windows.

At the same time, with a projectile kill radius of about 2 m, it is more useable in urban situations than a 40 m grenade which has a larger kill zone of some 10 m.

The smaller and lighter ammunition also allows for more to be stored on-mount and in a vehicle – three times as much by volume, twice as much by weight – which can make a critical difference in dealing with a serious ambush.



The Meerkat retraction system weighs some 350 kg and is fitted to the roof plate of a vehicle. It is compact and light enough and sufficiently modest in its power requirements (24v, 600W peak) to suit most light armoured vehicles or the SUVs used by special forces and VIP protection teams.

The SDROW-Strike has a mass of 110 kg with the weapon and 100 rounds, and can also be fitted as a normal overhead mounting if there is no internal volume available, for instance on an armoured car or tank. It is 65 cm high and 50 cm wide, with a swept radius of 55 cm.

It requires three M10 bolts and a single roof penetration for the power and control cable. The control unit and loom have a mass of 6 kg and 7 kg respectively. The power requirement is 100W to 200W peak, to MIL-STD-1275B.

The configuration in the LM-13 has provision for 1,000 rounds in addition to the 100 on-mount, plus 36 smoke grenades and seats for four dismounts in addition to the driver, co-driver/gunner and gunner/loader. Alternatively there is space for 3,000 rounds of 7.62 mm, with 200 rounds on-mount.



https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/aad2016-retraction-action/

Citation :

AAD 2016: OTT Technologies M36 Puma orders build up


Christopher F Foss, Waterkloof - IHS Jane's International Defence Review

16 September 2016


OTT Technologies Puma M36 Mk 5 MPV fitted with an externally mounted central tyre inflation system and a manually operated overhead gun mount armed with a .50 calibre M2 HB machine gun. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen



OTT Technologies has confirmed that more than 100 of its latest Puma M36 Mk 5 mine-protected vehicles (MPV) have been produced in the armoured personnel carrier (APC) configuration for the export market.

The vehicles are currently deployed as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping and Stabilisation Force (MINUSMA) and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), both in Mali.

For trials purposes a Puma M36 Mk 5 has been fitted with a central tyre inflation system that is operated by the driver. An unusual feature of this version is that the external air lines can be removed and stowed inside the vehicle when operating in the bush.

The Puma M36 Mk 5 has an all-welded monocoque hull with the traditional V-shaped lower half to provide a high level of protection against mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Gross vehicle weight (GVW) depends on the level of armour protection but it is typically around 14,000 kg with an unloaded weight of 11,900 kg.

The first production Puma M36 Mk 5 is powered by an Indian Ashok Leyland 6-cylinder inter-cooled diesel engine developing 220 hp at 2,500 rpm, and it has a ZF manual transmission with six forward and one reverse gears, and a two-speed transfer box.

The company is also marketing the Puma M36 Mk 5A, which is fitted with a Cummins diesel engine coupled to an Allison automatic transmission.

To reduce through-life costs, the vehicle uses standard sub-systems, such as the engine and drive line.

In its basic APC configuration the Puma M36 Mk 5 has a crew of two - consisting of commander and driver - and carries up to 10 dismounts who are located five either side facing inwards on blast attenuating seats. The vehicle is fitted with either a roof-mounted, protected weapon station or a remote weapon station.

In addition to the APC OTT Technologies is marketing a wide range of versions of the Puma M36 Mk 5 including an armoured ambulance, bomb/improvised explosive ordnance disposal vehicle, command post vehicle and an indirect-fire support vehicle that is armed with a 60 mm or 81 mm mortar.

http://www.janes.com/article/63767/aad-2016-ott-technologies-m36-puma-orders-build-up

Citation :

AAD 2016: Airbus and Denel sign MoU on Rooivalk modernisation


Helmoed-Römer Heitman, Pretoria - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

16 September 2016


Denel Aviation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Airbus Helicopters under which they will co-operate on modernising the Rooivalk attack helicopter. The MoU was announced at this year's Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition (AAD 2016), held 14-18 September at Air Force Base Waterkloof in South Africa.

The Rooivalk is currently in its Mk 1/Block 1F standard after the 11 operational production aircraft (a 12th is in storage after a hard landing) were brought to a single standard during 2010/13. Three Rooivalks have been deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 2013, where they have performed well in a range of missions, demonstrating particularly good availability, reliability, and availability.

Citation :

AAD 2016: Nigerian JF-17 deal close to finalisation


Jeremy Binnie, Pretoria - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

16 September 2016


The Nigerian JF-17 contract is expected to be announced at Pakistan's IDEAS show in November. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen


Nigeria has signed a memorandum of understanding covering the sale of the joint Pakistani-Chinese PAC/CAC JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter and a contract is expected to be finalised by November, a senior official from the Pakistan's Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) told IHS Jane's during the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) show held in South Africa from 14-18 September.

The official declined to say how many JF-17s Nigeria would order, but said the announcement was expected during the IDEAS show that will be held in Karachi in November.

He also declined to confirm that Nigeria will be the first export operator of the JF-17 as Myanmar has ordered the aircraft from China.

Nigeria's intention to acquire the fighter was revealed in the federal budget document that was released in January, which included NGN5 billion (USD25 million) for three JF-17s as well NGN2.06 billion for 10 PAC Super Mushshak basic trainers.

The DEPO official said that discussions were still continuing with both the Nigerian Air Force and the army's new aviation wing regarding the acquisition of the Super Mushshak trainers.

Citation :

Africa Aerospace & Defence 2016

Mbombe 8: fighting fit and ready [AAD16D1]




Being shown for the first time at Africa Aerospace & Defence is the latest Paramount Mbombe 8 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). Its very first outing in the IFV configuration was at the Kazakhstan Expo in June this year under the local name of Barys 8.

The Mbombe 8 is at the vanguard of armoured vehicle technologies and has been developed to meet the increasing demand for multi-role, high mobility and mine hardened platforms, and for t he changing demands of the global battlefield.

When compared with earlier members of the Mbombe family of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), the Mbombe 8 IFV has more volume and payload. This enables it to undertake a much wider range of battlefield missions, as well as to be fitted with heavier weapon systems.

At AAD, Mbombe 8 is being shown fitted with a remote-controlled weapon station armed with a 30mm cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun (MG), plus banks of grenade launchers.

Mbombe 8 has a gross vehicle weight of 28 tonnes and a kerb weight of 19 tonnes, which allows for a payload of 9 tonnes including the weapon system, ammunition, fuel and crew. Its powerpack consists of a six-cylinder turbocharged diesel coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission that gives a maximum road speed of 110km/h when fitted with 16.00R20 tyres, with a maximum cruising range of 800km.

According to Paramount, the standard ballistic protected level of the Mbombe is STANAG 4569 Level 3+, while mine blast protection is to Level 4a and 4b, but there is an option to provide additional armour for higher levels of protection.

Development of the Mbombe 8 has enabled Paramount to offer potential customers a complete family of wheeled AFVs in 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 configurations that share some 80 per cent of common components to reduce through-life costs, as well as easing training.

Ivor Ichikowitz, founder and executive chairman of the Paramount Group, said: “This is a momentous occasion not only for the Paramount Group, but also for South Africa, which pioneered the ICV. In six years we have designed, developed and manufactured three high-speed, long-range and low-profile armoured combat vehicles – the Mbombe 4, 6 and 8.” The first advanced prototype of the Mbombe 8 will soon start extensive mobility trials and production could be undertaken in South Africa or Kazakhstan.

Also being shown at AAD is the Mbombe 6 that is currently in production for the Jordanian Armed Forces who have ordered 50 vehicles. The first production Mbombe 6 vehicles have come from South Africa followed by progressive local assembly in Jordan at the facilities of the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KAADB).

Citation :

AAD 2016: C-130J offered up


16th September 2016 - 8:00 by Tim Fish in Pretoria




Lockheed Martin has been touting its latest C-130J Super Hercules model to South Africa are ‘in talks’ with the government.

Speaking at AAD Richard Johnston, VP of business development for air mobility and maritime systems, said that although Pretoria has not committed to any purchase, discussions were taking place with the MoD, Armscorp and the South African Air Force.

The MoD has asked Lockheed Martin for military scenarios that can show the capability of the C-130J.

Johnston said that this is being provided, adding that the SAAF will look at what they have and decide if they need additional aircraft. The air force already operates older variants of the C-130 Hercules.

Any contract to sell equipment to South Africa valued over $2 million is subject to a 50% offset requirement. Johnston said that the advantage Lockheed Martin has the range of business units that can offer skills in space, biometrics and other areas.

The company highlighted the benefits of the C-130J compared to the earlier models. It has a 20% higher initial cruise altitude, 50% higher climb rate, 55% more payload at 2500nm and 55% greater range with a 35,000lb payload. Overall it has 33% more pallets, uses half the cockpit crew, burns less fuel and flies faster and higher.

This is because the J-model is 15ft longer and has a 40% larger cargo compartment that can take 128 passengers instead of the previous 94. It also has new engines and propellers, digital avionics, a 250kt ramp and door to enable faster air drops and an enhanced cargo handling system.

At the moment, Tunisia is the only country in Africa to operate the J model although 19 countries in Africa operate Hercules. The other 15 countries using it are on other continents. France will take delivery of its first C-130J in 2017.

Denel has the only certified C-130 service centre in Africa and it seems unlikely should South Africa opt for a new logistics aircraft that it would select a different aircraft type. However, stranger things have happened.

Johnston’s argument is that C-130J can offer a capability to meet 95-98% of mission requirements. Therefore he said that rather than buy two separate aircraft (tactical and a strategic) with all the associated additional training, operating and maintenance costs to cover that additional 3% it would make sense to contract that out.

He added that one of the only capabilities that C-130J cannot do it to transport a main battle tank, but that this is cheaper to do by sea anyway.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/mil-log/aad-2016-c-130j-offered/