|
Canadian Forces Armour — Remotely-Controlled Weapon Systems |
|
Vehicle Weapon Systems – Protected, Remote & an Arctic Theme
There are three different types of remotely-control weapons stations in CF service. The first was the Protected
Weapons Station (right), a Rafael design built under licence by Oerlikon Contraves (now Rhein- metall Canada) for
re-roled TLAVs and also fitted to the engineering LAV III variant. PWS has since been joined by the Kongsberg M151
Protector Remote Weapons Station on RG-31 APVs ( the RWS was already integrated on that
vehicle. Latest of the weapons stations is Rheinmetall Canada's Nanuk [1] for LAV TUAs converted to ISCs.
|
|
|
Protected Weapon Station – Diminutive Strongman
PWS is a licenced copy of Rafael's Mini-Samson – known is Israel as Katlanit
(' Lethal '). In CF service, the PWS (like other RCWS) is armed with a 7.62mm C6 GPMG
although it can accommodate the 12.7mm M2 heavy machinegun (and any future 40mm AGL). PWS remote controls
consist of joystick and colour monitor ( right ) nestled within
the protection of the armour hull as the name suggests. When required, a PWS gunner can disengage the remote
controls and operate the weapon by hand. In such situations, a gunner is completely exposed to hostile fire.
|
|
|
"Norwegian Blue?" – Kongsberg Remote Weapons Station
The M151 Protector RWS is well known from its use on the US M1126 Stryker ICV. The
M151 was chosen for the CF's Armoured Patrol Vehicle largely because
Kongsberg's RWS was already integrated onto RG-31 blast-resistant vehicles. Obviously, as an Immediate
Operational Requirement, APVs and their RWS were first into combat. As usual, operational use revealed issues with the
RWS as applied to the APVs – one was emitted light (from the RWS' monitor through the APV's side
windows at night), the other was that the RWS on the APV was equipped for but not with a stablizer.
No doubt future RWS will have the stablizers.
|
|
|
All Polar Bears Have a Bite – the Nanuk Weapons Station
The Nanuk weapon station was purchased for 33 LAV TUA
vehicles re-roled as LAV-RWS Infantry Section Carriers. The
Nanuk is a Canadian design distinct from other Rheinmetall RCWS models. Nanuk
resembles its PWS predecessor in its general arrangement but the newer RCWS is much lower and has 8 x
Wegmann 76mm grenade launchers ( like the M151 ). The Nanuk has an advanced surveillance and tracking
suite, said to be capable of providing clear views of targets 10 km away day or night. The standard
armament for the CF Nanuk RCWS is the 7.62mm C6 but, rather unusually, the 5.56mm C9 LMG is also listed as
an option. [2] Nanuk was designed to accommodate the 40mm HK GMG, base weapon for the new C16 CASW. [3]
|
|
|
[1] Rheinmetall considers Nanuk to be a "medium weight" RCWS. Rheinmetall Canada markets the
Amarok in the lighter weight category.
[2] In Maple Leaf, Program Manager for Nanuk, Guy Laliberté, claims that crews are "...
able to change the weapon from, for example, a C7 to a .50 cal in a matter of seconds". Mention of the C7
rifle was almost certainly in error,
meant to refer instead to the C9 light machinegun.
[3] Technically, DND's plan to buy vehicle-mounted automatic grenade launchers is separate from CASW. CASW's 40mm
GMG has been available since the mid-'90s. It remains a mystery why DND planners were allowed to pursue the
over-elaborated CASW first. Along with programmable munitions, CASW requires a complex fire control system.
Any RWS-mounted AGLs already have sighting systems laid on.
|
|
Photos –
PWS/RWS: Stephen Priestley, top right: Trevor Reid, lower left: Rheinmetall, PWS
station: DEW Engineering, others: DND/CF
|
|