Denel/GDLS Canada LAV III/T7 (LAV III Light SP Howitzer)
Notes: Though
using the LAV III as a base, this version with a compact turreted 105mm howitzer
was developed primarily by Denel.
(Users of the LAV III and Stryker are reportedly already interested in the
design.) Denel approached GDLS
Canada after the cancellation of the UD NLOS-C, which South Africa was to be a
major player in.
The T7 turret
makes the LAV III a useful fire support platform, while keeping the advantages
of the LAV III. Key to the
development of the T7 turret was the development of a new lightweight howitzer
cannon, including the incorporation of new materials such as composite laminates
in gun and mechanism as well as technology borrowed from the G-6 1A3 Rhino heavy
artillery vehicle, particularly the electronics.
The LAV III/T7
relies greatly on automation; the crew is only three and one is the driver.
The commander also serves as the gunner and there is a loader.
The resulting vehicle is small, and can be airdropped from a C-130
aircraft. Virtually all rounds are autoloaded and autorammed.
The autoloading elements and fire control elements have a high degree of
redundancy. All functions are
controlled from flat panels displayed around the turret; even the driver has a
screen displaying vehicle state, fuel, and mapping information.
The 105mm howitzer does not require any sort of jacks or outriggers to be
lowered. The rear door doubles as
an ammunition replenishment door.
As with the LAV
III the LAV III/T7 has a Caterpillar 31236 turbocharged diesel developing 350
horsepower and coupled to an automatic transmission.
The driver is in the front left with conventional controls, and a night
vision block. The drive is 8x8 and has a central tire inflation system, traction
control, and antilock braking. The commander/gunner is on the right side of the
turret, with the loader on the left; the commander/gunner has a
manually-operated cupola with a weapon mount.
The loader can also operate as a gunner/loader if needed.
Add-on appliqué
armor as well as MEXAS ceramic appliqué armor is available.
(In both cases, this includes an antimine panel on the floor.) The gun
itself is actually a gun/howitzer, designed for both direct fire and indirect
fire with equal aplomb. It is meant
to reduce fortifications as well as fire support missions, as well as the
occasional engagement of enemy vehicles and personnel by direct fire. A new line
of ammunition was developed to take advantage of this fact.
In recognition of the reduced crew, the ammunition is unitary, with
combustible shell casings.
Also in recognition of the
reduced crew, computers reduce the workload as much as possible, though they
allow the LAV III/T7 to act as its own FDC, it can also rapidly and digitally
take data from FISTs and FDCs and send them directly to the gun, which at the
push of a button will slew and elevate/depress itself to the correct coarse
position, requiring only fine adjustments. A GPS and backup intentional
navigation system is supplied, along with a mapping computer module.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
LAV III/T7 |
$826,606 |
D, A |
680 kg |
25 tons |
3 |
20 |
Passive IR (D, C, L), Image Intensification (C, L), Thermal Imaging (C) |
Enclosed |
With Appliqué Armor |
$827,987 |
D, A |
581 kg |
25.68 tons |
3 |
20 |
Passive IR (D, C, L), Image Intensification (C, L), Thermal Imaging (C) |
Enclosed |
With MEXAS |
$852,827 |
D, A |
431 kg |
26.18 tons |
3 |
22 |
Passive IR (D, C, L), Image Intensification (C, L), Thermal Imaging (C) |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
LAV III/T7 |
121/69 |
28/16 |
400 |
175 |
Trtd |
W(6) |
TF7Sp TS6Sp
TR4 HF9Sp
HS6Sp HR5* |
With Appliqué Armor |
118/67 |
27/16 |
400 |
179 |
Trtd |
W(6) |
TF7Sp TS10
TR7 HF12Sp
HS8Sp HR6** |
With MEXAS |
116/66 |
27/15 |
400 |
184 |
Trtd |
W(6) |
TF10Cp TS8Sp
TR4 HF12Cp
HS9Sp HR5*** |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
LAV III/T7 |
+2 |
Fair |
105mm L/37 Howitzer, MG-4 (C) |
32x105mm, 2000x7.62mm |
*Floor AV is 5; Roof AV is 3.
**Floor AV is 5Sp, Roof AV is 4.
***Floor AV is 5Cp, Turret Roof AV is 4Cp, Hull Roof AV is 4.
Denel T5-52 Condor
Notes: The T5-52
is sort of a counterpart to the French Caesar, but the similarities quickly end
as the T5-52 is based on a larger, heavier truck, about a heavy truck. During
development, the T5-52 was called the Condor and it still retains that name
amongst many of its users and even the chain of command.
The T5-52 is offered for export, and has taken part in many Arms
Expositions, but so far only India had bought more than evaluation versions.
The Condor is
based on the Tatra WN 8x8 truck chassis. Before firing, three stabilizers are
lowered; two of these have steps in them to enter the fighting compartment,
while the rear jack has a ladder.
In testing, the Condor was to have an L/45 gun, but production versions have an
L/52 gun. The gun has a compact muzzle brake and a fume extractor.
The gun is fed by a magazine; the autoloader takes the projectile from
the magazine and a power rammer pushes the projectile into the breech, where
manually-loaded charges are added.
The gun has the G-5-2000 top carriage of the ground-mounted G5.
The gun turntable may rotate 360 degrees for travel, but may normally be
fired in a 40-degree deflection from the centerline (Emergency shots may be
taken outside of that 80-degree arc.)
The gun also has a direct fire capability, with a maximum depression of
-3 degrees and a maximum elevation of 75 degrees. The T4-52 has considerable
computer power to calculate position of the gun given fire control coordinates;
among these is an enhanced artillery ballistic computer allowing the gun to
execute MRSI fire and may use any sort of Western or Chinese 155mm ammunition.
The normal crew for the Condor is eight, but only four travel with the
Condor, and are in the cab when traveling.
Four others are transported on ammunition or supply trucks. No
commander’s machinegun is mounted. The armored versions sometimes mount a light
machinegun, but this is not standard.
The truck
chassis has a 355 horsepower turbocharged diesel engine.
Normally, the truck has no armor protection; however, a kit of light
armor able to stop assault rifle rounds and shell splinters may be added.
Despite this, the crew, when working on the gun, has no armor protection.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
T5-45 |
$774,921 |
D, A |
750 kg |
28 tons |
4(+4) |
25 |
Passive IR (G, C) |
Enclosed |
With Armor Kit |
$776,566 |
D, A |
581 kg |
28.68 tons |
4(+4) |
25 |
Passive IR (G, C) |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
T5-45 |
125/70 |
25/14 |
700 |
131 |
Trtd |
W(4) |
TF1 TS1
TR1 HF1
HS1 HR1 |
With Armor Kit |
122/68 |
30/14 |
700 |
134 |
Trtd |
W(4) |
TF1 TS1
TR1 HF2
HS2 HR2* |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
T5-45 |
+1 |
Basic |
155mm L/45 Howitzer |
27x155mm |
*The AV value listed is primarily for the cab; however, the underside of the
vehicle also benefits from the armor kit.
LIW G-6 Rhino
Notes:
This is the standard South African self-propelled howitzer, and is also
in service with Oman and the United Arab Emirates. It is essentially a mobile
version of the G-5 howitzer.
The electronics
are just short of being able to act as it’s own FDC – The G-6 still requires an
FDC for proper firing information, but once the coordinates are transmitted, the
G-6’s own electronics calculate the fire solution.
These are collected into the indirect fire computer, and the gunner must
then only push one button for the gun and turret to automatically lay itself.
The gun also has a telescopic sight for direct fire out to 3 kilometers,
plus the gunner’s night vision gear.
Both L/45 and L/52 systems are in service with South Africa, who is in
the process changing to L/52; most other countries that use the G-6 use the L/52
barrel. In addition there is the
G-6/52, which has more advanced systems. The commander has a heavy machinegun on
his manually-operated cupola. Eight
smoke grenades launchers round out the armament; these are four per side. The
ammunition bins have blow-off panels.
The gun is capable of firing any Western or Chinese 155mm ammunition. The
gun has a large muzzle brake and a fume extractor made of glass fiber; this is
the subject of some controversy, as an few fume extractors have been discovered
with cracks in them. The turret has a rear door on the right for ammunition
replenishment. The gun has a maximum elevation of +75 and a maximum depression
of -5 degrees.
Armor is fairly
decent for its type of vehicle, able to usually stop 20mm hits from the front,
and 7.62mm and grenade and artillery shell splinters all around the vehicle.
The G-6 has an MRAP hull, and is capable of surviving a blast from a
TM-46 antitank mine (though it may roll the vehicle over).
Power is provided by a 525-horsepower turbocharged diesel, with an
automatic transmission and conventional controls.
The engine is located behind the driver. Originally, the G-6 had 4x6
suspension, with the front axle not being powered; however, this was quickly
upgraded to a 6x6 configuration. The crew is protected by an NBC overpressure
system and an automatic fire detection and suppression system. Navigation is by
GPS. One striking feature of the
G-6 is a powerful 34kW APU, and the G-6 is capable of conducting a fire mission
on only the APU as power.
The G-6 has an
interesting driver’s position: it is at the front center, self-contained, with
unusually large (for an armored vehicle) armored windows, giving the driver
excellent visibility. He has a
swing-down night vision scope. The
driver benefits from an automatic transmission; the driver may also select
manual or semiautomatic modes as desired.
He has conventional driving controls.
The large ballistic glass windows can be protected by swing-down armored
panels with vision slits in them.
In front of the driver is a wedge-shaped bin that normally stows extra
ammunition and doubles as a brush cutter. The driver has no direct access to the
fighting compartment; should he wish to go back there, he has to climb out of
his compartment, climb up on the turret, and enter through one of the hatches
there.
The commander is on the top of the
right side of the turret, with a manually-operating cupola and all-around vision
blocks. One of these blocks has a
night channel. The second hatch is
essentially for everyone else in the crew.
G-6/52
In addition to having a longer barrel, the G-6/52 has additional electronics,
self-surveying capability, and the ability to generate its own fire coordinates,
thus being able to act as its own FDC.
G-6 1A3
In addition to
the improvements of the G-6/52, the G-6 1A3 features a steel fume extractor
instead of the glass fiber fume extractor.
Additional safety interlocks are installed; for example, it is no longer
possible to double-load the gun.
The power rammer has been improved, allowing fire every four phases, or a burst
rate of about 3 minutes firing at the rate every phase.
This pace puts an additional level of fatigue on the crew (except for the
driver). The vehicle state is
monitored; the driver has a Windows-based touch screen which allows him to
monitor all aspects of the vehicle’s operation.
The commander’s touch screen functions integrally with the GPS and
mapping module. The gunner has a digital rangefinder and display, meaning he can
aim without having to look into eyepieces.
The G-6 1A3 is capable of MRSI firing.
The driver has a simple screen which allows him to drive in the correct
route and range, and monitor systems such as the fuel, engine, and transmission.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
G-6 |
$827,107 |
D, A |
750 kg |
36.5 tons |
6 |
22 |
Image Intensification (D, C, G), Passive IR (G, C) |
Enclosed |
G-6/52 |
$1,208,389 |
D, A |
674 kg |
36.31 tons |
6 |
24 |
Image Intensification (D, C, G), Passive IR (G, C) |
Enclosed |
G-6 1A3 |
$1,426,039 |
D, A |
569 kg |
36.73 tons |
6 |
28 |
Image Intensification (D, C, G), Passive IR (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
G-6 |
120/84 |
31/14 |
700 |
188 |
Trtd |
W(4) |
TF14 TS7
TR7 HF18
HS6 HR5 |
G-6/52 |
120/84 |
31/14 |
700 |
188 |
Trtd |
W(4) |
TF14 TS7
TR7 HF18
HS6 HR5 |
G-6 1A3 |
120/84 |
31/14 |
700 |
188 |
Trtd |
W(4) |
TF14 TS7
TR7 HF18
HS6 HR5 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
G-6 |
+1 |
Basic |
155mm L/45 Howitzer, M-2HB (C) |
47x155mm, 2000x.50 |
G-6/52 |
+2 |
Basic |
155mm L/52 Howitzer, M-2HB (C) |
47x155mm, 2000x.50 |
G-6 1A3 |
+2 |
Fair |
155mm L/52 Howitzer, M-2HB (C) |
47x155mm, 2000x.50 |