The British future rapid effects system.

In mid-2005 British Ministry of Defence officials indicated that 14 billion [pounds sterling] would be spent on the Fres to enable the acquisition of between 3500 and 3775 medium weight armoured vehicles in a multi-phase production programme that could extend to 2030. Lieutenant Colonel Alistair Roxburgh, the SO1 for mounted close combat within the Ministry, suggested at IQPC's Light and Medium Armoured Vehicle conference that the choice will be between an off-the-shelf vehicle, a current development programme or a mix of the two.

**********

The Army's need for a new armoured vehicle family is acute as three projects over the past 15 years--the Future Family of Light Armoured Vehicles, the Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement (Tracer) and the Boxer--were cancelled or collapsed leaving elderly or inadequate vehicles such as the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), FV 430 series and the 4 x 4 Saxon armoured personnel carrier to soldier on. The Fres Phase 1 is intended to replace the Saxon in service with mechanised infantry battalions by 2014. The service's FV430 series and the CVR(T) series will not be replaced until the Fres Phase 2--sometime after 2020.

Within the Futnre Army Structure the British Army's operational brigades will consist of:

* Two heavy brigades equipped with Challenger 2 tanks, Warrior infantry fighting vehicles and the AS90 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. Variants of the Fres family will replace FV 430 specialist vehicles deployed within divisional and brigade headquarters and within the heavy battle groups. It will also replace the CVR (T) in the reconnaissance role. Under present plans the Fres vehicle will represent 56% of the armoured vehicle fleet within the heavy force

* Three medium brigades will be equipped primarily with Fres vehicles. However, as result of recent experience in Iraq the Army has decided that one Warrior battalion will be retained in each brigade to provide a heavier capability. The Fres vehicles will form 77% of the medium force

* 16 air assault brigades

* One light infantry brigade.

Early in the decade it was hoped that the Fres project could be implemented with a speed comparable to the best equipment projects of the Second World War. It was then hoped the first Fres variants would enter service in 2007 or 2008.

The Ministry's revised strategy was to hold a competition to select a systems house independent of the vehicle industry to evaluate the technical options and risks, and determine the best way forward. In November 2004 the engineering consultancy firm Atkins was awarded a 24-month contract to serve as the systems house for the Fres initial Assessment Phase, the broad aims of which are:

* To further define the Fres capability required within the developing medium-force and network-enabled operational concepts and develop a series of affordable options for meeting Fres requirements

* To develop optimum procurement and support strategies for future phases

* To manage technology and supplier risk to acceptable levels.

As a consequence of the protracted delay in developing a procurement strategy and also as a result of a more realistic assessment of the technical challenges the Fres in-service date has slipped to between 2012 and 2014. Some industry and service sources believe further slippage is likely. The revised Fres timetable has major implications for the Army's legacy fleet. With the out-of-service date of the FV430 fleet extended from 2014 to beyond 2020 the DPA awarded BAE Systems Land Systems an 85 million [pounds sterling] contract in December 2005 to upgrade 500 vehicles. These will be returned to service from August 2006 until early 2009. The out-of-service date for the Challenger 2 and Warrior have been pushed from 2025 to 2035. Technology being developed for capability enhancements to these vehicles, such at the CTA International 40mm Cased Telescoped Weapon System planned for the Warrior Lethality Improvement Programme, are expected to be incorporated into Fres.

Although the exact Fres mix will be determined during the assessment phase variants are likely to include APC, IFV, direct-fire platform, command and control, communications, reconnaissance and surveillance, mortar, logistic support, medical and repair and recovery. The service has identified 17 roles and sub-roles although rationalisation is expected to see this number reduced.

The Ministry of Defence has always accepted that the heavier Fres variants could not be carried by the C-130 Hercules, therefore a more realistic target of transportability by the Airbus Military A400M has been set. Britain is buying 25 of these larger and more capable aircraft for the Royal Air Force. Brigadier Lamont Kirkland, Director Land Warfare, said in January, that the Ministry's planning assumption is that a "small brigade headquarters and a medium battle group" could be moved by air in a period of seven to ten days. Once in theatre a Fres battle group is expected to deploy up to 500 km without resupply.

He noted that as a result of the American-led global war on terror the importance of physical protection has been elevated to the characteristic of strategic projection, which was the original purpose of the medium force.

Both the ministry and industry are hoping to 'pull through' some of the technologies developed for the Tracer. These include electric drive, electric armour and the CTA cannon. Atkins awarded the first two technology demonstrator programme contracts in May 2005 to Dstl to examine capacity and stowage and to Akers Krutbruk to assess the value of a hard kill defensive aids suite (see Sep chapter).

On 31 August teams led by Lockheed Martin and Thales received an Electronic Architecture contract. The Electronic Architecture will integrate with the Bowman communication system and the Bowman Combat Infrastructure and Platform--Battlefield Information Systems Application programme, providing seamless communications with all combat, support and combat service support systems.

In early January 2006 Atkins awarded four technology demonstrator contracts to:

* BAE Systems to conduct a Chassis Concept technology demonstrator programme and a Gap Crossing technology demonstrator programme

* UK, teamed with Boeing, for an Integrated Survivability technology demonstrator programme

* Lockheed Martin UK, teamed with Insys, for an Electric Armour technology demonstrator programme.

In early February the Thales team asked expressions of interest from companies who have either conventional or innovative technologies that could enhance platform survivability. The survivability of Fres platforms will be assured by a combination of on-platform technologies, including defensive aids systems, armour and signature management, in combination with shared situational awareness and tactics, techniques and procedures--or doctrine. Ministry officials are hopeful that this layered approach will deliver a vehicle with better protection than the Warrior.

Although the completion of the iAP technology demonstrator programmes is scheduled for completion in mid-2007, Fres project leaders will conduct a preliminary fleet review in December 2006.

The Advanced Hybrid Electric Drive

In August 2005 General Dynamics UK was awarded the first of two technology demonstrator programme contracts to examine chassis technologies. During this 18 month period GD is using its 8 x 8 Advanced Hybrid Electric Drive (Ahed) chassis to provide a baseline for its work. The vehicle was presented at the British Army's Armour School at Bovington in June 2005. At that point the vehicle had already completed more than 4200 km of testing in America--another 4500 km of testing will be conducted under the technology demonstrator programme. Development of the Ahed began in 1999 to examine technology applicable to the US Army's FCS project. The vehicle is driven by eight Magnet Motor 20-inch, oil-cooled, in-hub permanent magnet motors each rated at 110 kW. Power is provided by a 500 hp MTU diesel with 350-kW generators mounted on the engine. Electrical power can be routed to any or all of the wheel motors or stored in lithium-ion batteries in the vehicle's belly According to General Dynamics the Ahed provides 30% more internal volume than the company's 8 x 8 Stryker and a 70% reduction in external volume. At present the Ahed only carries 60 gallons of fuel, but this will be increased by an additional 80 gallons during the technology demonstrator programme. The independent suspension enables the vehicle's ground clearance to be raised or lowered from 13 to 58 cm in seven seconds while an articulated armoured skirt on either side of the vehicle bends when the wheels turn. Tracks may be placed around the front and rear pairs of wheels on each side to reduce ground pressure and improve mobility.

Fres Technology Demonstrator Programmes

                      Awards to Date

Title                            Contractor
Stowage & Capacity               Dstl
Hard Kill Defensive Aid System   Akers Krutbruk
Chassis Concept TDP 1            General Dynamics
Chassis Concept TDP 2            BAE Systems
Electronic Architecture TDP 1    Lockheed Martin
Electronic Architecture TDP 2    Thales
Electric Armour                  Lockheed Martin/Insys
Integrated Survivability         Thales
Gap Crossing                     BAE Systems

notes: TDP = Technology Demonstrator Programme