3 Sep, 2017 18:08
Yuval Azulai
Sources inform "Globes" that the
trial of the cannon, selected by Israel's Ministry of Defense without a tender,
has produced disappointing results.
A few weeks after Minister of Defense Avigdor Liberman
approved the decision by the professional staff in his ministry to select the
artillery made by Elbit
Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT), a trial of the
cannon conducted two weeks ago in southern Israel ended with disappointing
results.
Sources inform "Globes" that the trial of the
new ATMOS cannon selected by the Ministry of Defense at the end of a
controversial procedure was halted. Some of the capabilities of its automatic
loading system were not demonstrated at all to representatives of the Ministry
of Defense Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological
Infrastructure and IDF artillery corps officers.
Earlier models of the ATMOS were sold by Elbit Systems to
several armies around the world in recent years. In the framework of the
proceeding conducted by the Ministry of Defense over the past year, the
Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure
developers' committee selected Elbit Systems' artillery after being promised
that various adjustments would be made according to the IDF's future
operational requirements.
In this decision, the Ministry of Defense rejected other
offers to purchase cannons made by German company KMW and South Korean company
Hanwha Techwin that had already proved their operational capabilities. Both of
these foreign companies combined with Israeli defense companies for the purpose
of gaining a possible deal with Israel: KMW with Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI)
(TASE: ARSP.B1) and Israel
Military Industries Ltd. (IMI), and Hanwha Techwin with IMI. The
two partnerships offered to carry out serial production of their proposed
artillery in Israel.
Despite these efforts, however, the Ministry of Defense
refused to conduct a tender, and selected the bid by Elbit Systems, which
ensured that production of the cannon would be done in in the Soltam plant in
Yokneam, thereby ensuring that many jobs would be created in northern Israel.
The Ministry of Defense preferred to grant Elbit Systems "sole supplier"
status, and refused to disclose the considerations that led to its decision.
Sources involved in the Ministry of Defense's
decision-making process for the artillery program have already asserted in the
past, "The cannon selected is a cannon on paper," because some of its
systems are still in the development stage, and it will take a long time to
adapt them to the IDF's specifications.
"Some of the capabilities were not
demonstrated"
Following the results of the trial of the artillery
conducted two weeks ago, one of the sources told "Globes,"
"Things didn't work. It's clear that the entire development program is
being accompanied by a long series of trials, in which there are both successes
and failures. In this case, however, it is impossible to ignore the fact that
Israel could have procured artillery with an automated loading system that has
already demonstrated its operational capabilities in the field. It is unclear
how much time the process of developing Elbit Systems' cannon, with all the
additions that the IDF wants, will take."
The cost of procuring Elbit's new artillery was estimated
at $1.5 billion. In response to a question from "Globes" about the
defects found in the demonstration two weeks ago, Elbit Systems said, "No
response." The Ministry of Defense said, "As part of the development
of a prototype for mobile artillery, trials and demonstrations are taking place
in order to test the developed capabilities. This is the prevailing practice in
the development process, and additional trials and demonstrations will be
conducted in the future that will fully demonstrate all of the
capabilities."
At the same time, a defense source claimed, "A very
successful demonstration of the cannon was held a month ago, and another
demonstration was held two weeks ago, in which a number of the artillery's
capabilities were presented, some of which were not fully demonstrated, due to
a specific problem that has been corrected."
Sources said, "No further trial of the artillery has
been held since this problem was corrected."
In a series of statements on the subject to
"Globes," the Ministry of Defense stated, "After receiving and
analyzing many professional opinions from all the relevant parties in the
defense establishment, the Administration for the Development of Weapons and
Technological Infrastructure developers' committee submitted a thick classified
document, in which it recommends carrying out the project the artillery factory
of Elbit Systems (formerly of Soltam) - the only one in Israel capable of
supply the systems according to the IDF operational requirements. The
committee's recommendations and their approval were done according to
law."
Elbit Systems' ATMOS artillery is designed to replace the
US-made M-109 guns currently used by the IDF artillery corps in the coming
years. The IDF has wanted to replace the outmoded M-109 for many years.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business
News - www.globes-online.com -
on September 3, 2017
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983)
Ltd. 2017
Original post: globes.co.il
Atmos 2000 155mm Self-Propelled Artillery System: Details
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