Tag Archives: Scout SV

Ground Forces

British AJAX

General Dynamics UK has unveiled on September 15, the turreted AJAX prototype platform at DSEI 2015. The platform, the flagship variant of the AJAX programme, is the second prototype to be unveiled by General Dynamics UK, and the first to feature the Lockheed Martin UK-developed turret, which is designed to meet the needs of the modern British soldier.

AJAX, the new name for the British Army’s Scout SV reconnaissance vehicle, was unveiled at the DSEI show in London fitted with its new Lockheed Martin 40-mm turret (GD UK image)
AJAX, the new name for the British Army’s Scout SV reconnaissance vehicle, was unveiled at the DSEI show in London fitted with its new Lockheed Martin 40-mm turret (GD UK image)

The AJAX platform will be the «eyes and ears» of the British Army on the battlefields of the future. It will be effective in the most difficult terrains around the world, providing all-weather Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities.

Commenting on the unveiling of the AJAX platform, MoD Armoured Vehicles Head of Programmes, Major General Talbot-Rice, said: «We are committed to supplying the Armed Forces with the very best equipment possible and are delivering on this by supplying the AJAX platform which will become their first fully digitised armoured fighting vehicle».

The AJAX platform is one of six variants to be delivered to the British Army by General Dynamics UK from 2017 through 2024. It represents the future of Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) for the British Army, providing best-in-class protection and survivability, reliability and mobility and advanced ISTAR capabilities.

AJAX has been designed and developed at General Dynamics UK’s AFV design and engineering centre in Oakdale, South Wales. The company’s employees include highly-skilled engineers who are delivering the family of best-in-class platforms.

Kevin Connell, vice president of General Dynamics Land Systems – UK, said: «We are delighted to unveil the AJAX prototype, which is another significant step in the on schedule delivery of a family of best-in-class platforms to the British Army. Working together with our industry partners, customer and end-user, we will deliver into service a platform that will enable the British Army to gather the information they need, when they need it, on the battlefields of the future».

The range of AJAX variants will allow the British Army to conduct sustained, expeditionary, full-spectrum and network-enabled operations with a reduced logistics footprint. It can operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of future operating environments. The first British Army squadron will be equipped by mid-2019 to allow conversion to begin with a brigade ready to deploy from the end of 2020.

General Dynamics demonstrates Armoured Fighting Vehicle capability at DSEI 2015
General Dynamics demonstrates Armoured Fighting Vehicle capability at DSEI 2015
Ground Forces

Specialist Vehicle

General Dynamics UK has been awarded a £390 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide in-service support for the Scout Specialist Vehicle (Scout SV) fleet until 2024. In addition, the company is opening a new Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) facility in South Wales.

Scout Specialist Vehicle
Scout Specialist Vehicle

The contract is an extension of the in-service support that General Dynamics UK was contracted to provide for the Scout SV fleet until 2020, and it includes the provision of spares and repairs for all 589 platforms. The extended in-service support contract offers a cost-effective support solution that builds upon the Scout SV manufacturing phase, taking advantage of the production pricing of parts.

With this facility investment, General Dynamics UK will undertake the assembly, integration and testing of 489 Scout Specialist Vehicle platforms. A further 100 platforms will undergo assembly, integration and testing at General Dynamics European Land Systems’ facility in Seville, Spain. The vehicles are on schedule to be delivered to the British Army from 2017 through 2024.

The new UK industrial capability, alongside the Scout SV extended in-service support contract, will support the creation of 250 new jobs in South Wales. The Scout SV programme directly supports approximately 2,650 jobs across the UK.

The investment by General Dynamics UK in this new AIT industrial capability is reaffirmation of the UK’s proud history of developing and manufacturing AFVs.

Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) variant
Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) variant

Prime Minister David Cameron said: «Today’s decision by General Dynamics to bring the assembly of these world class armored vehicles to South Wales is to the credit of the skills and expertise in the local area. The 250 additional new skilled jobs at General Dynamics UK will build on those already safeguarded by the decision to purchase 589 Scout vehicles for our Armed Forces, ensuring our servicemen and women have the very best equipment to keep us safe».

Defence Minister Philip Dunne said: «Increasing British jobs both at General Dynamics UK and through the supply chain, the Scout SV will make a real contribution to the UK economy over its 30 year lifespan. The decision from General Dynamics UK to create a facility in Wales to assemble and maintain this cutting-edge capability for the British Army will result in greater efficiency in maintaining vehicles, lower costs and create highly-skilled jobs in the process».

Kevin Connell, vice president of General Dynamics Land Systems – UK, said: «The UK MoD is a critical partner for General Dynamics, and today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to delivering world-leading AFV platforms to the British Army from the UK. This new industrial capability will support the delivery of extended in-service support for Scout SV, whilst creating 250 new jobs on this important UK programme, and will open up exciting new possibilities for General Dynamics in the UK in the years ahead».

Scout SV was developed at General Dynamics UK’s AFV design and engineering center in Oakdale, South Wales. The company’s employees include highly skilled engineers who are delivering the family of best-in-class platforms. Today’s announcement creates a UK-based team of more than 550 with expertise in the design, development and AIT of AFV.

Command & Control
Command & Control
Ground Forces

British Scout

General Dynamics UK has successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Scout Reconnaissance variant, as part of the Scout Specialist Vehicle (SV) programme. The completion of the Scout Reconnaissance variant CDR is a significant marker in the Scout SV programme, with the first Scout Reconnaissance pre-production prototype to be completed later this year.

Scout Specialist Vehicle
Scout Specialist Vehicle

The CDR covered the fully-integrated Scout Reconnaissance platform, including the platform hull design, the Lockheed Martin UK-developed turret, Electronic Architecture, onboard software solutions, sub-systems and variant-specific products, such as the Primary Sight.

In service, the Scout Reconnaissance variant will provide best-in-class protection and survivability, reliability and mobility and all-weather Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Recognition (ISTAR) capabilities. It will enable the soldier to be at the point of collection of accurate all-weather commander information within a network-enabled, fully-digitised platform.

Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) variant
Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) variant

Kevin Connell, vice president at General Dynamics UK – Land Systems, said: «The Scout Reconnaissance variant is the flagship of the Scout SV programme and will provide a step-change in ground-based ISTAR capability to the British Army. The completion of the Scout Reconnaissance variant CDR is a significant step in delivering a family of Scout SV platforms, which represent the future of Armoured Fighting Vehicles for the British Army».

The Scout Reconnaissance variant CDR is the final variant-specific CDR to be completed ahead of the pending Scout SV System CDR, which will examine all aspects of each Scout SV platforms under a single review.

Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance

Defence Minister, Philip Dunne, said: «The Scout programme has already passed several of its key milestones, including the live blast trials. This latest achievement shows great progress, with Scout SV vehicles well on their way to being ready for Army user trials in 2017. This is an exciting time for the armoured vehicles business in the UK and it is great news that the Scout programme is already securing approximately 2,400 jobs across the country».

The range of Scout SV variants will allow the British Army to conduct sustained, expeditionary, full-spectrum and network-enabled operations with a reduced logistics footprint. Scout SV can operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of future operating environments.

Recovery SV
Recovery SV

According to Nicholas de Larrinaga, Jane’s Defence Weekly correspondent, the UK has ordered a total of 589 of the vehicles, intended to replace the less capable CVR(T) family, at a cost of £3.5 billion ($5.420 billion). These are divided between two principal variant families: the 40-mm turret armed reconnaissance vehicle and the Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) variant.

Command & Control
Command & Control