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WLIP contender on show
Monday, 10 September, 2007
Being shown for the first time in public at DSEi is the Lockheed Martin UK INSYS solution to meet the British Army’s Warrior Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) Lethality Improvement programme (WLIP) requirement.
The British Army currently operates a large fleet of Warrior ICVs fitted with a two-person turret armed with an unstabilised and slowfiring 30mm RARDEN cannon. It is expected that up to 449 Warrior ICVs will be upgraded under WLIP, with this being rolled into the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme. This upgrade will enable the Warrior ICV to remain an effective weapon system through to its planned out-of-service date of about 2035. With a potential value of at least GBP500 million, competition for the WLIP is intense and in addition to the Lockheed Martin UK INSYS offering, there are three other remaining contenders for the WLIP. These are CTA International, General Dynamics and Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems.
The Lockheed Martin INSYS UK WLIP solution is based on a German Rheinmetall two-person power-operated turret armed with the US ATK Gun Systems Company 30mm MK44 cannon and 7.62mm co-axial machine gun. This weapon is being adopted by an increasing number of international customers as well as by the US Army and Marine Corps. The 30mm MK44 already fires a complete family of ammunition and there is a growth path to the enhanced 40mm Super Shot. This family of ammunition will have a significant increase in performance to meet future battlefield threats.
Prior to DSEi, the complete turret was successfully demonstrated at the Lockheed Martin UK INSYS test facility. It is fitted with stabilised day/night sights, allowing moving targets to be engaged under almost all weather conditions while the Warrior is moving. Appliqué armour has been fitted for a higher level of protection.The Lockheed Martin INSYS UK turret is also claimed to offer a simple fast-track path to future upgrades, including commander’s independent sight with a 360° capability that will allow for hunter/killer target engagements to take place. It could also be fitted with the Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin antitank guided weapon, which is already used by the British Army in the dismounted role. The turret selected for WLIP is also expected to be installed on the reconnaissance/scout member of the Future Rapid Effect System, which will replace the Sabre reconnaissance vehicle — also armed with a 30mm RARDEN cannon
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