French Defence Industry Projects

http://gurkhan.blogspot.com/2012/09/blog-post_4079.html

France think to build similar vehicle to BMPT from Leclerc tank named Leclerc T40.

I used to buy RAIDS magazine, when they published an english edition.

It was a very good magazine with lots of good articles and big glossy pictures.

It had a much wider variety of countries units in it than the British magazines did, which made them rather more interesting.

This french vehicle however is not a BMPT, it is just the IFV version of armata without the troop transport capacity.

Perhaps the idea that this could be a BMPT equivalent in fact shows the BMPT is actually unnecessary with IFVs and AD vehicles with tank level armour, plus of course tube and rocket artillery vehicles with tank level armour too.

Perhaps the idea that this could be a BMPT equivalent in fact shows the BMPT is actually unnecessary with IFVs and AD vehicles with tank level armour, plus of course tube and rocket artillery vehicles with tank level armour too.

I think at the end we will come to a conclusion, that BMPT is nothing more than just AD vehicles replacement in ground battles with tank level armor and without expensive AD equipment like radars and computers. Tank level IFV and APC could be developed from BMO-T or later Armata platform and get vehicle like Israeli Namer. When France and Israel accept such idea, than it is not bad one, it just have to be developed further and integrated in concept of ground forces.

I have a feeling the T40 was just a demonstrated application of that modular 40mm weapon system they produced, whatever that was called. Which is probably why it never entered service.

I think at the end we will come to a conclusion, that BMPT is nothing more than just AD vehicles replacement in ground battles with tank level armor and without expensive AD equipment like radars and computers.

I think at the end of the day a BMPT is basically a firepower vehicle (like a tank but not optimised to engage heavy armour) that combines the armament of the Shilka and the BMP-3, though it doesn't need to engage aerial targets and it doesn't need to transport troops.

I think that the move by Russia to the new vehicle families has changed everything, and that the fact that all the heavy brigade vehicles will be tank level armour and mobility and heavy firepower means a BMPT is probably no longer needed or critical.

I do however think its focus on engaging enemy soft forces would still make it an excellent compliment for tank units, and when there is no or low threat of enemy armour I think it would probably actually be more suitable for supporting infantry than a tank, because in the armata BMPT model shown with the rifled 120mm gun it has all the firepower needed to engage the entire range of ground targets except the enemy tank that a tank could engage, yet it offers cheaper ammo and better elevation options and would be a real compliment to the armata IFVs that are transporting the infantry with their 45mm guns. I would also expect they would make excellent convoy security vehicles because I know the Vulcan was ideal in that role with its 20mm cannon, so the 23mm cannon whose projectiles are much heavier should do an even better job.

For COIN operations or in Afghanistan it would be the ideal tank substitute.

Imagine driving on the valley floor down a road and all of a sudden someone opens fire with an RPG-7 from above you on a ridge line. In a T-90 or Abrams your gun wont elevate that high so the T-90 commander will line up the target with his Kord and fire at the enemy position. The tank commander might order the loader to man the 50 cal. The armata BMPT could elevate its 23mm cannon and cover the area the rocket came from in HE shells in a single short burst of 10-20 rounds... at a cyclic rate of 200 rounds per minute it would be a short brrp a tenth of a second long... followed by 10-20 explosions over a tenth of a second as they impact.

Of course with the sensors and optics on the vehicles they might have spotted the optics of the RPG-7 being aimed at them with a laser flash dazzling the optics... blinding that muj fighter, whose mates around him are wondering why he put the RPG-7 down and is holding his eye instead of firing... seconds later 20 23mm shells impact the ground around them...

@Zivo, the fact that they have no photos of the T40, and just have drawings suggests to me that this might be advertising from the makers of the 40mm gun.

Such a vehicle would be expensive as it would be near tank costs, so you would need something to make it cheaper.

The Russians are going for reduced logistics tails with standardised vehicle families, which reduces support and maintainence and training costs.

You can also control costs by limiting the number of heavy brigades you have too... as has been announced most of the Russian army units will be wheeled, which should greatly reduce purchase and operational costs and increase mobility.

Nexter Company plans to resume the production of the tank Leclerc and leads research on future tanks

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1793426.html

A little word on the future AMX... according clutter.

It will be based on a automated turret with crew protrusion, the calibre will be 120mm/L60. It will fire MP rounds, it will have a dedicated OFL and the crew will be in the hull.

Weight is expected to be the same as current AMX56.

KoTeMoRe wrote:A little word on the future AMX... according clutter.

It will be based on a automated turret with crew protrusion, the calibre will be 120mm/L60. It will fire MP rounds, it will have a dedicated OFL and the crew will be in the hull.

Weight is expected to be the same as current AMX56.

AMX56 will be the new generation MBT ??

George1 wrote:

KoTeMoRe wrote:A little word on the future AMX... according clutter.

It will be based on a automated turret with crew protrusion, the calibre will be 120mm/L60. It will fire MP rounds, it will have a dedicated OFL and the crew will be in the hull.

Weight is expected to be the same as current AMX56.

AMX56 will be the new generation MBT ??

Nope, AMX is a manned turret. Has a L52 120mm gun and is still a command turret.

Reorganizing the internal volume of the tank will actually allow for the tank to have a a fully external ammunition load. There's simply no money to restart Cold war programs. So they have to do with what they have. France isn't the US. With all due respect.

"France  will show a life size model of the Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank at Eurosatory 2016 from 13 to 17 June 2016 in Paris, reported by forcesoperations.com.

The Leclerc XLR    is a moderate variation of the Leclerc Main Battle Tank, built by GIAT Industries.  This “Scorpionisation” provides for the delivery of 200 Leclerc XLR tanks and 18 Leclerc recovery vehicles (known by their French acronym DCL) between 2020 and 2028. This should allow the Leclerc to remain operational beyond 2040.

The €330m contract was logically awarded in March 2015 to its original manufacturer, Nexter Systems, said the head of the Leclerc upgrade contract for the French systems integrator. It has three main objectives: to integrate the Leclerc into the “Scorpion bubble”, adapt it for operations in urban environments, and improve its ability to attack. The first two prototypes will be delivered in 2018 and will be directly followed by the notification of production tranches.

Destined to operate in a joint tactical “Scorpion” group, the Leclerc will get new open vetronics architecture, the CONTACT radio being developed by Thales and the future Scorpion information and communication system (SICS) provided by Atos."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/army/france-will-show-a-new-upgraded-leclerc-xlr-at-eurosatory-2016.html

Check this one.

Look at the entries on this mock up. Only two visible, one on hull the other on turret. The third entry point has been blocked by the SAGEM Gunner sight funnel.



And now the XLR as it stands now:




There's a RWC on the gunner's entry point. It's happening. The crew's about to go deep.

KoTeMoRe wrote:Check this one.

Look at the entries on this mock up. Only two visible, one on hull the other on turret. The third entry point has been blocked by the SAGEM Gunner sight funnel.



And now the XLR as it stands now:




There's a RWC on the gunner's entry point. It's happening. The crew's about to go deep.

Interesting. But, that SAGEM GS looks epic O.o

Militarov wrote:

KoTeMoRe wrote:Check this one.

Look at the entries on this mock up. Only two visible, one on hull the other on turret. The third entry point has been blocked by the SAGEM Gunner sight funnel.



And now the XLR as it stands now:




There's a RWC on the gunner's entry point. It's happening. The crew's about to go deep.

Interesting. But, that SAGEM GS looks epic O.o

The GS is a x80 power electronic zoom. Basically you can aim at the qualifying range (1500+) as it is 20m at naked eye. Second tank after Black Panther to break the x50 electronic threshold.

KoTeMoRe wrote:The GS is a x80 power electronic zoom. Basically you can aim at the qualifying range (1500+) as it is 20m at naked eye. Second tank after Black Panther to break the x50 electronic threshold.

It looks impressive on the outside too. I did not know about it till now. Is it still in development?

Militarov wrote:

KoTeMoRe wrote:The GS is a x80 power electronic zoom. Basically you can aim at the qualifying range (1500+) as it is 20m at naked eye. Second tank after Black Panther to break the x50 electronic threshold.

It looks impressive on the outside too. I did not know about it till now. Is it still in development?

The Sagem Sagittaire/Skorpion sight has been developped for the APC initially. Then because of the capability gap between Skorpion APC it was decided it would be introduced on the AMX56 XLR. A variant of the Sagittaire has been tested with UAE and French Cavalry.



Full Single Channel multimode. One cell.

Old SAGEM sight, Bimodal.

New light armored car Scarabee from Arquus

At the international defense exhibition Eurosatory 2018 taking place in Paris from 11 to 14 June 2018, the French defense company Arquus (formerly Renault Truck Defense, part of the Volvo group) for the first time presented information on its developed light armored car Scarabee with a 4x4 wheel arrangement. Arquus said that it is already conducting factory tests of the first prototype prototype built by Scarabee.



This machine is designed to replace, first of all, the well-known light armored vehicles of the Panhard VBL family that are in the arsenal of the French army, and for the replacement of which the French Defense Ministry plans in the future to launch the VBAE (Véhicule blindé d'aide à l'engagement) program, which should become a part the second stage of the SCORPIO program. However, in any case, the purchase of vehicles under this program by the French army will probably not be earlier than 2025, so until that time Arquus is going to promote Scarabee to export markets.

The characteristics of Scarabee are not disclosed, but it is claimed that the machine is equipped with a hybrid power plant with an electric drive. It is also reported that the machine can be equipped with the Arquus advanced lightweight remote-controlled combat module Hornet 30 with a 30-mm automatic gun.

It is believed that another likely candidate in the VBAE program will be the Australian-promoted light armored vehicle Hawkei PMV, promoted by Thales.



https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3235813.html

The development of a new French air-to-air missile MICA NG

As reported by the French Ministry of Armed Forces Direction Générale de l'armement (DGA), on July 24, 2018, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parley, formally authorized the development of a new guided air-to-air missile MICA NG (MICA Nouvelle Génération) It is intended to replace the main French medium-range missile of this designation MICA, planned for decommissioning after the expiration of the resource from 2018 to 2030.

Work on the establishment of MICA NG will be carried out by a partnership of MBDA. Safran and Thales, which will finance part of R&D from their own sources. Like the existing MICA rocket, the new MICA NG will be created in two versions - one with an infra-red, and one with an active radar homing system. The arrival of MICA NG missiles for the arming of the Air Force and Aviation of the French Navy is planned between 2026 and 2031. Like the MICA, the MICA NG rocket will be able to be used as a surface-to-air missile in the land and ship VL MICA and it is planned to offer for export.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3294506.html

There is a new video of the French 5th gen ATGM MMP going 5km.

Vladimir79 wrote:There is a new video of the French 5th gen ATGM MMP going 5km.

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/283282988" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/283282988">

Here you are..

On September 10-11, 2018 in Satori near Paris, the French company Nexter Systems (KNDS) presented a prototype of its developed Serval (VBMR Leger) multipurpose armored vehicle (VBMR Leger) with a 4x4 wheel formula, planned for production for the French armed forces.





https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3347244.html

Military modification of the Airbus Helicopters H160M helicopter for the French armed forces

On 27 May 2019, French Defense Minister Florence Parley, during a visit to the head office of the Airbus Helicopters (Airbus group) in Marignane, announced that Helicoptère Interarmées Léger (HIL) would be launched in 2021.

Florence Parley was shown a full-size model of the Airbus Helicopters H160M “Guépard” helicopter, which was chosen as the main procurement for the French armed forces under this program.

The HIL program provides for the purchase for all three types of French armed forces of 169 new multi-purpose helicopters to replace the current fleet of Gazelle, Fennec, Dauphin, Panther and Alouette III helicopters, as well as parts of Puma helicopters.

The French Armed Forces should receive the first Airbus Helicopters H160M “Guépard” helicopters by 2026.









https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3656472.html

The H160M needs more hardpoints.

Airbus delivered the 1000th Super Puma helicopter

Airbus Helicopters (part of the Airbus group) on September 6, 2019 announced the delivery of the 1,000th manufactured Super Puma helicopter. The 1000th H215 helicopter was handed over to the German Federal Police (BundespoIizei) at Airbus Helicopters in Marignan, France, and will be used as part of its coastal search and rescue command (Havariekommando).


The Airbus Helicopters H125 Super Puma helicopter handed over to the German Federal Police is the 1000th built Super Puma helicopter. Marignan (France), 09.09.2019 (c) Airbus Helicopters

This helicopter is the final contract for the delivery of four search and rescue helicopters H215 to the German Federal Police Havariekommando. The first three helicopters under this contract were transferred in December 2018. Thus, the total number of Super Puma family helicopters in the German federal police aviation reached 23, including 19 previously delivered AS332 L1.

The Super Puma family of helicopters has been manufactured by Aerospatiale (then Eurocopter, now Airbus Helicopters) since 1980. Now the release is carried out in commercial versions of H215 and H225 and military versions of H215M and H225M.




https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3765392.html

http://www.opex360.com/2020/04/06/le-ministere-de-leconomie-sest-oppose-verbalement-au-projet-de-rachat-de-photonis-par-lamericain-teledyne/

French economy minister said "no" to let a US company buy french Photonis company.

Photonis produces state of art optics. They have designed a thermal optic that sees colours during the night.