Persian Gulf & Middle East Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Eurosatory 2016
Active protection for smaller vehicles [ES2016D3]

DAVID DONALD
15 June 2016

Israel Military Industries is showing its Iron Fist-Light Configuration (IF-LC) active protection system for the first time. Derived from the full-size Iron Fist system designed for large infantry fighting vehicles and main battle tanks, the IF-LC is intended to provide hard-kill protection for smaller vehicles against a variety of threats.

Days before Eurosatory, IMI (Hall 6, Stand D568) announced that Iron Fist technology had been selected by the US Army for its MAPS (modular active protection systems) technology demonstrations, IMI having teamed with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems to perform vehicle integration and production of the Iron Fist system.

Both Iron Fist and IF-LC provide 360° protection around the vehicle against threats fired from short and long ranges, and when operating in the open field or in tight urban environments.

IF-LC can be installed without any penetration of armour, allowing it to be rapidly fielded on smaller vehicles. Additionally, its efficient operation allows it to be added to older, large vehicles that may not have the SWaP (size, weight and power) ability to mount the full-sized system.

Iron Fist employs independent radar and infrared sensors to rapidly detect and track incoming threats, such as anti-tank guided missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, kinetic energy and high-explosive antitank rounds. The system can generate infrared jamming in the first instance for a soft kill, but if that is not successful a small hard-kill interceptor is fired.

The firing of the interceptor is conducted automatically, and engagement of the threat is performed away from the vehicle.

The small warhead minimises the chances of collateral damage and injury to nearby personnel.

(265 words)

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Qatar orders new navy from Fincantieri

The long-awaited Qatari order for several major naval vessels has finally been agreed, with the Italian shipyard Fincantieri announcing on 16 June that it had won the contract after seeing off determined competition.

Fincantieri said senior Qatari officials had signed a contract that day worth approximately EUR4 billion (USD4.5 billion) to the shipyard covering the construction and delivery of seven vessels, as well as support services for 15 years. All the vessels will be built in Fincantieri shipyards in Italy over a six-year period starting in 2018.

The press release said the vessels include four corvettes over 100 m in length, one landing platform dock (LPD) amphibious warfare vessel, and two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

IHS Jane's understands that the corvettes will displace about 3,000 tonnes and have a helicopter deck and hangar. Leonardo-Finmeccanica will supply Athena combat management systems (CMS) and Kronos radars for the vessels.

Air defence missiles will include both MBDA Aster 30 in vertical launchers and short-range Raytheon RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles. Their other armament will consist of MBDA Excocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles, a single 76 mm Super Rapid gun, and two 30 mm guns.

The US government has already approved the sale of 252 RIM-116C missiles to Qatar, which announced in March that it has ordered land-based anti-ship missile systems with both Exocet MM40 Block 3 and MBDA Marte ER missiles.

The corvettes will also be fitted with the Elettronica Virgilius electronic warfare suite and Leonardo-Finmeccanica Black Snake torpedo detection array with associated acoustic countermeasures.
The LPD will be similar to the 143 m vessel that Fincantieri built for Algeria, while the OPVs will be an evolution on the Falaj-class patrol boats that it built for the United Arab Emirates. These will be fitted with the Athena CMS, Kronos radar, 76 mm main guns, Exocet missiles, and MBDA VL Mica surface-to-air missiles.

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FORBIN said:

A Corvette very well armed, Frigate for size.

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The Panther No. 519 of 36th Flotilla baptize the flight deck of BPC Nasser

The first military helicopter to land on the flight deck of the projection and command ship (BPC) Gamal Abdel Nasser is French. Indeed, 19 June 2016, the Panther No. BPC/LHD just out of the shipyards in Saint-Nazaire.

The day before the first landing, the detachment commander went aboard the Egyptian BPC/LHD for a briefing and series of lectures. The afternoon was devoted to the practice, in white, on the flight deck of the Jean Bart. Alongside men DCI-Navfco accompanying them from their equipment, the aviation sector chief, the director and the flight deck crew (PONEV) of Gamal Abdel Nasser confirmed that they were ready to implement a helicopter in real life.

For two days, the Panther has made many series of "touch and go" on different spots of BPC / LHD. « You did a really good job and you improve your skills day by day.

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Elbit Systems completed recently a trial test torpedo launch from its Seagull multi-mission, autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel(USV) system. The trial, performed out of Israel's Haifa port,demonstrated the capability of Seagull to install and launch lightweight torpedoes, adding to the advanced capabilities of the USV, which is designed to carry out unmanned maritime missions, such as protection of critical sea areas and high-value assets against submarines and sea mine threats.

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