MSPO 2017: Premiere of Badger
PUBLISHED: TUESDAY, 05 SEPTEMBER 2017, 10:06
Stalowa Wola Steelworks demonstrates at the MSPO a Borsuk
infantry combat vehicle model, made from the target armored steel armor for
this vehicle, hydropneumatic suspension and unmanned aerial vehicle ZSSW-30,
its basic armament. In Kielce takes place the first public presentation of the
Polish infantry fighting vehicle, which is to replace the BWP-1.
There is no doubt that this is the most anticipated
premiere of this year's MSPO. Presented with a formal status model, it is
practically a pre-prototype NPBWP (New Infantry Combat Vehicle). It was made
from targets destined for Badger steel armor. It also has an original
hydropneumatic suspension for this construction.
It is equipped with the original unmanned tower ZSSW-30,
also formed in a consortium headed by HSW SA, intended to arm NPBWP Borsuk and
KTO Rosomak. In Kielce is also presented - prepared by the Military Automotive
Plant No. 5 in Poznan - the original Powerpacka, designed for Borsuk.
By preparing the exhibition specimen of the new BWP
Stalowa Wola Steelworks deliberately gave up the installation of full equipment
for this car, such as filtration system, full communication equipment, etc.
After the MSPO, this Badger - still officially defined as a model - will be
subjected to series initial research.
Their goal is to acknowledge the basic assumptions of
both land-based car's traction engineers and their behavior in water - during
buoyancy and vehicle behavior tests at various phases (water input, water
output, wave susceptibility, systems for their functions during overcoming
water obstacles, breakwater performance at different levels of vehicle load,
efficiency of water propulsors in vehicle construction, etc.).
HSW SA does not confirm this directly, but it is highly
likely that the final phase of preliminary / pre-prototype testing will be
conducted on a mine defense test, with either a complete vehicle landing on the
mine or an IED. The results of this test should ultimately determine the
effectiveness of the Borsuk mine protection solutions used so far.
Illustration: Stalowa Wola Steelworks.
Irrespective of analyzes and computer simulations that
were made at the consortium's request in civilian and military research and
teaching centers, field tests on vehicle bottom model were performed. This
allowed us to focus on both the car bottom construction and the selection of
the three explosion energy absorbers that were used in the bottom part of the
vehicle in the initial phase.
The effectiveness of the assumptions and the validity of
examinations of the bottom parts, however, can only be confirmed by a test
using the full body of the chassis. Only by this way can one obtain complete
data on interplay of construction elements while absorbing, damping and distributing
explosive energy in order to minimize its impact on the crew and soldiers of
the landing and the critical elements of the structure that determine its
durability in combat conditions.
Illustration: Stalowa Wola Steelworks.
This must be verified on a real, full-size hull made of
the same materials as the serial vehicles, using special sensor-filled dummies
occupying the space of all 3 crew members and 6 landing troops.
The full program of research will be carried out on a
prototype vehicle built in 2018 and configured to the specifications according
to the construction specifications. Preliminary testing and qualification tests
to complete the R & D project are expected to be completed by June 2020.
This schedule is currently in force between the consortium and the NCBiR for
which the New Flying Infantry Program is being implemented.
Recall that the program was due to start in 2013, but the
NCBiR contest No 4/2013 was canceled. The only contest was No. 5/2014, which
enabled the signing of a research and development agreement with a budget of 75
million zlotys on 24 October 2014.
By 2016, R & D work was brought to Phase II, that is,
the conceptual and technical-economic analysis, and then - the submission of
the approved WTDs in October 2016, which in turn enabled the preparation of a
preliminary draft in April 2017. and build on this pre-prototype design,
formally called a model. Completed in armored metal this work stage can be
viewed at HSW SA and PGZ stand at the time of MSPO 2017.
Illustration: Stalowa Wola Steelworks.
It is easy to calculate - since the beginning of work on Borsuko
(what can be concluded conclusion of the agreement with NCBiR) has not passed
yet three years. If further work is to be carried out at the assumed pace,
another 33 months will elapse to the completion of the research and
presentation of the BWP in readiness for serial production, that is to say,
with its documentation.
If this schedule is implemented, this will mean that
readiness for serial production will be achieved in relatively short time
compared to other comparable programs in the world. Presenting a model /
pre-prototype vehicle during the MSPO is a step in this direction.
An important factor that influenced the work carried out
is the buoyancy requirement since the beginning. One of the most difficult
conditions of the program is the need to reconcile buoyancy and high ballistic
and anti-ballistic resistance.
Detailed data on ballistic and ballistic resistance of
Badger, as well as about the "buoyancy", are reserved in the WZTT, so
it is very difficult to make precise analyzes. Even - comparative analysis with
other contemporary BWPs. Only a handful of new generation cars are designed to
meet the buoyancy requirement, such as Turkish Tulpar-S and Kaplan-20 (no
details on these constructions) or Korean K21.
On the other hand, for example, the highly regarded
German BWP Puma was not designed with the intention of making it possible to
overcome water obstacles in swimming. Unofficial, unconfirmed by HSW and NCBiR
information shows that Badger is more like BWP Puma in terms of dimensions than
CV90's ever-popular infantry fighting vehicles.
Invariably controversial even in the military
environment, Borsuk's buoyancy requirement not only forced a number of
compromise solutions at the design stage, but also extended some of the work
and increased their cost. This is related, for example, to the
never-before-done work in Poland on the protection of mines bottom of crawler
tracked vehicles. Works were carried out in close cooperation with WITPiS, WAT
and other institutes.
At this stage, however, the work is quite advanced. As
the representatives of Huta Stalowa Wola declare, any decision to change
Tactical and Technical Assets (not yet approved) by removing the buoyancy
requirement would be unfavorable from their point of view. Although, due to the
fact that the development of the BWP was already a significant experience, the
change in the requirements at this stage would be related to the loss of some
of the effects of a significant effort and means of work.
Illustration: Stalowa Wola Steelworks.
Among the engineers working on this project, there is
still a rule of thumb: "It's easier for a floating BWP to do a well
armored, heavier vehicle than the other way round - the car is designed from
the start as a heavy learn to swim." And according to this BWP was
designed. The BWP mass in the heaviest, most heavily armored variant, with
ballistic and anti-ballistic resistance, is included in the design of all nodal
traction decks, ie propulsion and transmission, as well as hydropneumatic
suspension and caterpillars.
The mass of this variant will be about 30 tons, with a
modernization reserve of 2 tons - for example the implementation of the BMS and
ASOP system, which practically from the beginning were inscribed in the
requirements. Whether and how they will be realized - it's a completely
different matter.
The ultimate form of the BMS military has not yet
defined, even in the form of a WTD, as it did not unequivocally determine its
expectations for the ASOP (Active Vehicle Protection System). There are still
many divergences among the military analysts about the suitability and
effectiveness of the high cost solutions of such systems, and the risks that
ASOPs can face on the battlefield for their own troops, shielding and
supporting the BWP.
So far they are used to a limited extent. On the other
hand, however, there is a clear tendency to extend the use of active vehicle
protection systems. Similar solutions are intended to be implemented by, for
example, the American armies on tanks and, eventually, other combat vehicles
intended for deployment in Europe.
As an advantage of ASOP, first of all the possibility of
counteracting anti-tank guided missile attacks is indicated. The latest large
caliber ppc, with tandem warheads, is considered to be a serious threat even
for heavily armored BWPs.
Until recently it was assumed that the ASOP building on a
vehicle of this class as a BWP is equivalent to loading it with an additional
mass of 1 ton, now it is permissible to analyze that the mass of the entire
system can be reduced to around 300 kg. Larger, about half a ton, the savings
on the weight of one car can be achieved by the use of traditional steel
caterpillar tracks, elastomer tracks.
For Borsuk, unlike many BWPs that are designed under one
type of caterpillar, it is possible to use both types of crawlers. Their
replacement in the field does not require any specialized equipment nor takes
much time.
The so-called. The "rubber" tracks provide not
only lower BWP weight, but also quieter, lower drag and therefore lower fuel
consumption and automatically - larger reach in the field, much less transfer
to the car structure and its crew vibration and vibration from the ground after
which the vehicle is moving. Optionally, it will be possible to complete a
serial BWP so that the manufacturer will equip each copy with a set of tracks
of both types, and the user will decide on which conditions he will use.
The BMS configuration has not been defined yet. From the
designers' point of view, it would be desirable in 2018 to know what
battlefield management system will be implemented on Borsuko so that it can be
installed on the prototype being built.
This can facilitate the design, for example, of
information transfer channels. Another, though more difficult, would be to
develop a universal electrical and electronic network structure and a RED /
BLACK data network that would be able to work with any potential BMS system.
The badger in the variant intended to overcome the water
obstacles of swimming is to have a mass of up to 24-25 tons and the undisclosed
level of ballistic and anti-mine protection. By adding additional, high quality
ceramic / composite panels made by the Polish industry, this mass will increase
to 30 tonnes.
For the BWP Badger, an MTU drive unit was selected, with
a power output of approximately 600 kW (ie more than twice the 17-watt WD and WDS
for the Regina system, using a 6V199TE20 engine and more than double the BWP-1)
4 forward and 2 reverse.
It can be calculated that the BWP will have a power
output of 21.2 kW / t (for the lightest variant presented on the MSPO) to 17.7
kW / t (for the most heavily armored). Parameters at this level allow for good
mobility. For comparison: in the 8-foot, 13-ton, 13-ton, 13-ton floating,
low-armored and archaic BWP-1 armament, which has the biggest advantage of high
mobility in the field, the unit power indicator is 17 kW / t.
Specialized vehicles (such as WPTs, pollution detection
vehicles, overheads, etc.) will have a mass of approximately 30 tons, so it is
unlikely that water propulsors will be built at all in the design of the
Borsuka platform. internal space for special equipment needs.
The architecture and cubic volume of the landing pad is
designed to allow not only the landing of Titan equipment for each soldier, but
also the supply of ammunition for the ZSSW-30 armament, 30/40 mm cannon and
machine gun and 4 spare missiles for the Spike-LR ppk launcher. There is no
information as to whether the military takes into account the introduction of
an additional, transported in the landing compartment, equipment for the
support team, such as the MANPADS class armament launcher.
For Borsuk there is, besides WPM Berberys, also
multi-range mobile camouflage, which Lubawa SA has in its offer. It lowers the
radar and thermal signature of the vehicle, makes it difficult to detect by
night-vision sensors, and visually looks into the environment.
HSW SA identifies these components as an extension of the
capabilities of a base vehicle, which is the first step towards creating a
large family of military equipment based on a unified construction, unified
platform.
In addition to the combat infantry, the family includes a
combat vehicle, vehicle recognition, medical evacuation ambulance, armored
transport vehicle, and ambulance car.
The platform can become the basis for a crawler-friendly
self-propelled mortar variant. Cancer, and possibly also command and
command-line vehicles for both hardware-assisted mortar companies in crawler
variant (SMG120) as well as for DMO's Regina, WD and WDSz are based on a
lightweight crawler platform related to the 2S1 Carnation self-propelled
gunner. The value of the BWP Badger program, given the need to develop
specialized versions, armaments, etc., can reach as much as a few tens of
billions of zlotys.
Jerzy Reszczyński
Translated by Google – Source: defence24.pl
ZSSW-30 Remote Turret: Details
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