|
Background – Close Combat Vehicle – Nexter / Renault VBCI 30
IFV |
|
"Beware of muddle" – VBCI 30 ... or a Turret for Two with a 30mm Gun arms the French
Véhicules Blindés de Combat
d'Infanterie
Sometimes it is hard to fathom what defence contractors are doing. Nexter was a surprise entry into CCV with its wheeled
VBCI. Prior to that, it was assumed widely that CCV was, de facto, a tracked vehicle competition. The
other oddity was that the standard VBCI VCI (the French Army's new IFV) has a one-man turret armed with a
25mm gun. In other words, a somewhat limited turret with a gun no more powerful than that of a LAV III.
Initially, we assumed that Nexter would submit its 8x8 fitted with a 30mm-armed Oto Melara turret but there was
no sign of that being the case. Now it seems that Nexter has two submissions.
|
|
|
Medium Calibre ... or in Lieu of a CCV Main Gun Choice
Like all other potential CCV suppliers, Nexter is in a bizarre situation. Rather than stipulate a main armament, DND
has left it to entrants to suggest both gun type and calibre. As a 25mm M811 cannon is already fitted to the
French Army VBCI VCI, it was a low-risk entrant which also kept things 'in the family' (turret and gun
being Nexter products). The risk with the Tarask-turreted 'VBCI 25' was being rejected as under-gunned.
Fortunately for Nexter, it also has a deal to co-market Oto Melara's line of Italian vehicle turrets. [1]
|
|
|
Chi è sulla parte superiore? An Italian on Top and French Below
The Hitfist turret on the VBCI 30 prototype appears to be identical to that fitted to Polish
Rosomak IFV. [2] Structurally, a Hitfist turret is identical to the VBCI hull.
Hitfist's structure is ballistic aluminum alloy over which steel/composite armour panels can be attached for
additional protection (the downside being extra weight without any structural benefits although this is true of
all add-on armour). In an emergency, the two-crew Hitfist turret can be operating without any
functioning electrical power source and by a single crew member.[3]
|
|
|
That VBCI 30 prototype has been around for some time but it was only recently confirmed as a CCV submission
(despite both the VBCI 25 and 30 being tested at Aberdeen). Nexter is also lining up Canadian partners for
CCV – plans include: final assembly by Bombardier, Prévost as powerplant supplier, and service
support by Raytheon Canada. [4] Nexter has greatly improved its CCV odds with VBCI 30.
|
|
|
Nexter 'VBCI 30' ( VBCI VCI )
CCV Candidate Specifications
| Crew: |
3 x crew (driver, gunner, veh cdr) plus
dismounts |
Armament:
|
1 x Hitfist 30 turret armed with 30mm ATK
MK44
+ coaxial 7.62mm C6 & flexible 7.62mm C6 GPMG |
| Size: |
Length 7.6m, width 2.98m, height 2.25m
(varies) |
| Weight: |
Empty: under 18 tonnes, combat: 28
tonnes |
Powerplant:
|
405 kW (550hp) 12 litre 6-cyl. Volvo-Renault D12
turbo-diesel with ZF 7HP 902 (7+2 speeds) auto. |
| Performance: |
Speed: 100km/h (paved road), max range: 750
km |
|
|
|
|
|
[1] Oto Melara medium-calibre Hitfist turrets include the remotely-operated Hitfist OWS 30mm and
the two-man Hitfist 30 on the VBCI 30. Oto Melara still markets a two-man Hitfist turret armed with
either a 25mm or 30mm auto cannon. Nexter might well have simplified its CCV pitch by submitting the VBCI fitted
with that two-man Hitfist 25/30. DND's decision-making disorder may be exhibited in armament choice but it
seems extremely unlikely that the CF would accept a one-man turret given the importance of 'situational
awareness' in Afghanistan.
[2] The use of French VBCIs and Polish Rosomaks with the VBCI 30's Hitfist 30P turrets in
Afghanistan allows Nexter to cite 'experience'. Hitfist is a somewhat awkward acronym for 'Highly
Integrated Technology, Fire In Small Turret'. Some sources list Selex Galilio's Janus EO and Lothar
(Land Optronic THermal Aiming Resource) fire control system for Hitfist 30. Others list US Kollsman Day/Night
Range Sights.
[3] Such redundancy is common to most modern turrets. How effective the Hitfist 30 turret
would be under such duress is another matter.
[4] Bombardier Transportation NA is Quebec-based but has manufacturing facilities in both Thunder Bay, ON and La
Pocatière, QC. Also Quebec-based is Volvo-owned bus-maker Prévost (of Sainte-Claire, QC).
Raytheon Canada's involvement would presumably be through their Services & Support Division in Calgary, AB. Foreign
partners of French state-owned Nexter would obviously include Renault Trucks Defense (another Volvo subsidiary), Oto
Melara SpA and Selex Galileo (both Finmeccanica firms), and Alliant Techsystems of Mesa, AZ.
|
|