Kongsberg Protector medium caliber weapon station upgrade lethality of Bradley APC at AUSA 2014 1911

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AUSA 2014
Association of the United States Army
AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition
13 to 15 October 2014
Washington D.C., United States
 
Kongsberg Protector Medium Caliber RWS at AUSA 2014
 
 
Sunday, October 19, 2014 11:38 AM
 
Kongsberg Protector medium caliber weapon station upgrade lethality of Bradley APC at AUSA 2014.
At AUSA 2014, the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, Kongsberg shows a new modernization for the U.S. Army armoured infantry fighting vehicle Bradley fitted with the remote weapon station (RWS) Protector medium Caliber armed with the XM813 30mm cannon which is based on the Mk44 Bushmaster.
     

U.S. Army Bradley armoured infantry fighting vehicle fitted with Konsberg Protector medium caliber remote weapon station at AUSA 2014, Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington D.C.
     

In September 2014, the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) of U.S. Army conducted a demonstration of Bradley IFV armed with the XM813, a 30-mm cannon integrated in the Konsberg weapon station turret, at the Digital Multi-Purpose Range Complex.

During the demonstration, master gunners from the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team were inside the Bradley getting hands-on experience with the XM813. Staff Sgt. Michael Stone, an Abrams master gunner for 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, 3rd ABCT, said he was impressed with the system after getting to fire it.

The 30-mm XM813 is intended to replace the 25-mm M242, giving vehicles greater firepower.

The stabilized, high precision PROTECTOR Medium Caliber RWS, with its high-end sensor solutions and servo systems makes it a state of the art remote turret system.

The medium caliber automatic cannon and coaxial machine gun combined with optional non-lethal effects provides the vehicle crew the necessary tools to engage in a wide spectrum of situations and to conduct Escalation of Force. The availability of having two ammunition types simultaneously gives the flexibility to configure the system to engage both soft and hard targets beyond 3,000 meters.

The optional commander's sight independent Weapon Station gives the commander an independent surveillance and lethal/non-lethal engagement capability and enables the hunter/killer capability.

The use of the Konsberg turret mounted on the Bradley IFV increase additional space inside the vehicle compared to the traditional Bradley turret.

     

Stryker 8x8 armoured vehicle fitted with Konsberg Protector medium caliber remote weapon station at AUSA 2014, Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington D.C.
     
While the demonstration featured the XM813 on a Bradley, the potential exists for the system to be mounted on other combat vehicles.

While the demonstration featured the XM813 on a Bradley, the potential exists for the system to be mounted on other combat vehicles. On the booth of Konsberg at AUSA 2014, the Protector medium caliber RWS was also mounted on a Stryker 8x8 armoured vehicle.

"The lethality and the capabilities lend themselves to integration if the Army decided to upgrade the lethality on the Bradley, move to a future fighting vehicle or upgrade lethality on a Stryker," Lt. Col. Scott DeBolt, chief of MRD's Heavy Systems Branch said. "There's a lot of opportunity with the potential of a common caliber solution across the fleet of vehicles we currently control at Fort Benning."

ARDEC is developing the system under the Advanced Lethality and Accuracy System for Medium Caliber program, and the XM813 has letters of endorsement from both Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, director of the Army Capabilities and Integration Center and deputy commanding general, Futures, Training and Doctrine Command, and Lt. Gen. Keith Walker, who formerly held the same position.