UK MoD gears up for WCSP decision

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) expects to announce the winner of the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) at the end of the first quarter of 2010, with an anticipated Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2013.

Under the programme, which could be worth up to GBP1 billion (USD1.6 billion), a total of 643 Warrior infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) and other variants will be upgraded in a number of key areas in order to extend their out-of-service date (OSD) to 2035.

Originally, only the turret system was due to be upgraded under the Warrior Fightability Lethality Improvement Programme (WFLIP). However, this was subsequently combined with the WCSP.

The CTAI 40 mm Case Telescoped Armament System (CTAS) has already been mandated not only for the WCSP but also for the Future Rapid Effect System - Scout (FRES - Scout) programme, a decision on which is also expected in the first quarter of 2010.

The Warrior IFV is currently armed with the slow-firing and unstabilised 30 mm RARDEN cannon, which means the vehicle has to come to a halt to engage targets. The installation of the stabilised 40 mm CTAS will enable stationary and moving targets to be engaged with a high first-round hit probability under almost all weather conditions.

In addition to firing an armour-piercing fin stabilised discarding sabot - tracer (APFSDS-T) round, the gun will also fire a general purpose (GP) round, with one version having an airburst capability.