The British Army’s Warrior armoured vehicle has demonstrated its firepower and fighting capability during successful firing trials in Scotland. Pictures and video released by Lockheed Martin UK show the Warrior vehicle’s new turret and cannon successfully firing against targets while on the move.
These are the latest trials that Lockheed Martin UK are undertaking as part of the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme to upgrade the Army’s fleet of 380 Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs). Senior members of the Army and potential international customers were invited to the Ministry of Defence’s ranges in Kirkudbright to see the Warrior IFV in action and get an update on the progression of the programme.
Modified, designed and installed by engineers at Lockheed Martin UK’s Ampthill site in Bedfordshire, the infrastructure of the Warrior vehicle will be significantly improved, including fitting the new turret with the ultra-modern CT40 weapon system, an updated environmental control system to improve crew comfort, better all-round awareness cameras and driver’s night vision, along with a modular protection fitting system to the chassis to enable quick change of armour for specific threats.
Alan Lines, Vice President and Managing Director, Lockheed Martin UK’s Ampthill site said: «These successful trials demonstrate both the accuracy and lethality of the new generation Warrior IFV, which has been designed and manufactured in the UK. This is the latest in a number of trials that have increased confidence in these modifications. We remain on track for critical design review later this year where the maturity of our design and technical effort will take place».
The Warrior IFV has the speed and performance to keep up with Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) over the most difficult terrain, and the firepower and armour to support infantry in the assault. The Warrior family of seven variants of armoured vehicles, which entered service in 1988, has been highly successful for armoured infantry battlegroups in the Gulf War, Bosnia and Kosovo and Iraq.
They provide excellent mobility, lethality and survivability for the infantry and have enabled key elements from the Royal Artillery and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to operate effectively within the battlegroup. A highly successful armoured fighting vehicle, Warrior can be fitted with enhanced armour and is continuously being updated – the battlegroup thermal imager was fitted to increase its night-fighting capability.
Warrior variants include artillery Observation Post Vehicle (OPV), Command Post Vehicle (CPV), and a REME recovery and repair vehicle. All variants are equipped with a 7.62-mm chain gun. Both chain gun and CT40 cannon have an anti-helicopter capability.
40 CTAS
The 40 CTAS cannon is the next generation weapon of choice for medium calibre systems within Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) and Infantry Fighting Vehicles. It provides with firepower superior to any other Medium-Calibre.
The suite of ammunition developed in association with the weapon is designed to give increased effect against armoured vehicles including some Main Battle Tanks, defeat of reinforce concrete, buildings, and soft targets.
The 40 CTAS can incorporate unlimited natures of ammunition within the same ammunition handling system, which gives the end user the capability to quickly engage threats across the modern battlefield spectrum including those within urban environments through selection of the most pertinent nature of ammunition.
Technical characteristics:
- 40-mm Cased Telescoped Armament System
- Novel rotating breech mechanism
- Up to 200 rounds per minute rate of fire, single shot, burst and continuous
- Ability to fire over a wide range of elevation (-10° to +75°)
- Ammunition Natures (GPR-AB-T, GPR-PD-T, APFSDS-T, TP-T and TPRR-T)
- Ammunition Handling System (AHS) automatically handling the ammunition to be fed into the cannon
The currently available ammunition types are:
- GPR-AB-T (General Purpose Round – Air-Burst – Tracer) programmable round to neutralize dismounted infantry and soft targets
- GPR-PD-T (GPR – Point Detonation – Tracer) to breach or defeat reinforced concrete walls
- APFSDS-T (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot – Tracer) able to penetrate 140-mm of RHA (frontal arc of some first generation МВТ and all IFVs)
- TP-T (Target Practice – Tracer) and TPRR-T (Target Practice Reduced Range – Tracer)