the bulletin - baesystems.com · the bulletin. news on munitions, combat vehicles . and bridging....

The BulletinNews on munitions, combat vehicles and bridging

Spring 2018

Operational excellence

› New technology proposed for fill efficiency and explosive power

› Production tracking system for Mortars

› Mortar bomb production line – reinstated and firing

Contract winning

› Team approach for new Army vehicle support contract

› Supporting Latvia’s CVR(T) fleet

› Cased Telescoped ammunition (CT40) deliveries to UK and France

› Small Arms Ammunition – efficiency savings enable new export orders

Quality and innovation

› Improving product quality

› New Modular Bridging System tested to its limits

› Possible shelf life extension for some munitions products

Collaboration

› Partnership announced for proposed new Mechanised Infantry Vehicle

› Radway Green hosts Shrivenham Staff College students

› Challenger 2 Life Extension Project

› G W Martin – precision manufacturer for the Defence Industry

In this issue… Foreword

Jennifer Osbaldestin Managing Director, BAE Systems Land UK

Welcome to our first edition of The Bulletin, a publication that provides news and views on BAE Systems’ Land UK business. The publication is part of our efforts to communicate more effectively across our growing customer base, especially our key contacts in the UK Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces.

From our facilities across the UK we provide a wide range of ammunition and engineering support services and have a small but growing international business.

Our plan is to grow our business through a combination of new armoured vehicle and bridging contracts as well as growth in exports of ammunition.

Our focus last year was in lowering costs by over 20% and improving efficiency across our operations. In parallel we are investing strongly in improving our existing product range and facilities, as well as in developing new opportunities so that we are able to provide effective future support to our military customers.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with your opinions on The Bulletin, including with ideas for future stories.

I hope you enjoy reading more about our business.

Key themes

Operational excellence

Contract winning

Quality and innovation

Collaboration

Land UK business changes and transformation in 2017

2 BAE Systems Land UK | The Bulletin

Environmental tests were also completed successfully to prove the bridge will remain robust and effective throughout its operational life, whilst being subjected to the harsh conditions expected in military use.

The results support our bid to provide a new bridge system for the British Army and other export customers. The tests were carried out using BAE Systems’ Bridge Test Facility in Telford, the most advanced facility of its kind in Europe.

The MBS is light enough to be transported by air and strong enough to withstand the weight of a Main Battle Tank.

It is used by soldiers to rapidly undertake assault crossings, restore vital lifelines and military routes, as well as offer rapid replacement of civilian infrastructure in combat and disaster relief.

John Lees, BAE Systems’ Bridging Business Manager, said:

“Our dedicated bridging team based in Telford lives and breathes bridging systems and has supported the British Army in this area for over 30 years, building up a detailed product knowledge and close understanding of soldiers’ needs.”

This drive for reliability has also extended into monitoring the operational use of bridges. Innovative Bluetooth-enabled sensors have been fitted to the bridge panels, analysing around 100 strain readings per second to give soldiers a more complete, real-time picture of the health of bridge systems than ever before.

New Modular Bridging System tested to its limitsWe have successfully demonstrated the safety and performance of our new Modular Bridging System (MBS) by simulating over 22,000 crossings of the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank, the equivalent weight of 121,000 double decker buses.

Our dedicated bridging team based in Telford lives and breathes bridging

28,000

16,587,938of load were applied

Which is the same as 121,000 double-decker buses

521strain gaugeswere applied to thebridge panels to testtheir performance

2,350

were carried out, that’s equivalent to 100 days

Equivalent to one person spending 14 years of their working life on the project

engineering hours invested in development

hours of testing22,200tank crossingswere simulated

Modular Bridging System: provides the most flexible, rapidly deployable military gap crossing solution in the world

3BAE Systems Land UK | The Bulletin

Production tracking system for Mortars

Project manager Mat Hinton says it will benefit both the customer and Land UK:

“This gives us an effective way to track explosive waste from Mortar production – it helps us quickly identify what can lead to rejections and to swiftly fix any problems. We expect to make significant savings – all helping us meet our price reductions.”

“The project has been a huge success and has come in at a much lower cost than expected – after getting external quotes running into millions of pounds we chose to do the project in-house and expect the final bill to be around £100,000.”

The next phase of the project will allow us to track the transfer of materials from our supplier, to Glascoed, then to its location on site. We intend to start using the system on other product lines, now that it has been demonstrated successfully on Mortars.

After being suspended in 2014, we have successfully reinstated our Mortar production line with the first test firings now complete. This puts us on track to provide the MOD with 50,000 Mortars by Q3 2018.

128 rounds of L41 were fired at the Pendine Ranges in January this year, signalling the validation phase of the order. The entire project has consistently run ahead of schedule, with this phase originally planned for the second quarter of the year.

The Mortar is an 81mm conventionally -filled high-explosive, which was last made by the company in 2014. The MOD has been closely consulted at every stage, ensuring the product is still fit for service four years later.

A new Asset Tracking System at our Glascoed site will make it easier to monitor Mortars as they move through production, identifying production trends and allowing us to improve quality and efficiency.

To run an effective munitions business, it is essential to be able to switch production on and off, in line with demand.

Mortar bomb production line – reinstated and firing

A bar code is attached to each individual Mortar.

Mortar can be tracked around site, ensuring

buildings remain within licence limit.

Mortar is scanned into site. Their location can be

tracked live in and out of each building.


A BAE Systems-led team won a contract late last year to provide Post Design Services (PDS) for the British Army’s Pinzgauer, Land Rover and Light Trailer fleets, which could be worth up to £12m. Others on the team include Hobson Industries and Penman MW Engineering.

Team approach for new Army vehicle support contract

The two-year contract will see our team, based in Telford, Shropshire, keep the vehicles ready for operational use at all times. There is also the possibility to make significant modifications, including the addition of a Roll-Over Protection System for both Pinzgauer and Land Rover.

Former Defence Minister, Harriett Baldwin, said:

“This two year contract will ensure our soldiers continue to have the efficient and reliable vehicles they deserve, that can be adapted and maintained to work in any situation from combat training to patrolling theatres of conflict.”

Mark Durning, In Service Support Director at BAE Systems Land UK, said:

“BAE Systems and our partners were able to offer a cost-effective, low-risk solution for the British Army. We have been successfully supporting military vehicles for decades so we have the expertise to quickly understand technical specifications and develop an effective maintenance plan for any vehicle – even those we did not design and build.”

We have been successfully supporting military vehicles for decades

Partnership announced for – proposed new Mechanised Infantry Vehicle

We have been in discussion with Artec for some time about options to deliver the MIV programme, so this announcement formalises our partnership. If Boxer is chosen by the Ministry of Defence, we would provide a significant part of the work from our site at Telford, while the overall programme would support over 1,000 jobs in the UK. The UK Ministry of Defence would also receive full Intellectual Property rights for the vehicle and the ‘OCCAR’ procurement contract would guarantee the UK workshare.

Other British companies involved will include Pearson Engineering and Thales UK, as well as Rolls Royce, Parker-Hannifin, WFEL, and subsidiaries of Artec parent companies.

As part of Artec’s proposed Boxer solution for the British Army’s next generation Mechanised Infantry Vehicle, we have entered into a partnership that will ensure 60% of value creation and 100% of final assembly will take place in Britain.


Supporting Latvia’s CVR(T) fleet

Latvia purchased 123 ex-British Army CVR(T)s in 2014, which it is receiving in batches until 2020. BAE Systems developed a solution for integrating Latvia’s chosen communications system, which was then installed in Latvia. In the coming years more CVR(T)s will become available for re-sale.

Tomas Winney, Head of Export for Land UK, says there is a benefit for both countries in the partnership:

“This agreement helps to ensure the vehicles are at constant operational readiness and brings important economic benefits to Latvia. We are providing support while local partners build up their knowledge and skills to take on this opportunity. We intend to become a one-stop shop for all CVR(T)-related work”

The CVR(T)s purchased by Latvia are each armed with a 30mm RARDEN cannon, the same as is currently in use by the British Army.

The country’s defence minister Raimonds Bergmanis says that joint training has helped familiarise Latvian troops with the vehicle:

“The British Army trained with our CVR(T) crews during the NATO Silver Arrow exercise, so we are quickly gaining experience of the vehicle and how best to use it on operations. With the plan to maintain the vehicle in Latvia, this is great news for both our defensive capabilities and our home industry.”

We are working with the Latvian Ministry of Defence to provide support to the country’s CVR(T) fleet and ultimately transfer repair capability to the country itself – a business model that could be replicated in other countries who purchase the vehicle.

CT40 – U.S. marketing and UK/France deliveries

To help prove the capability of the system, we have been invited to demonstrate CT40 in a live firing at Fort Benning’s 100th anniversary technology week in late March. Fort Benning is the U.S. Army’s ‘Maneuver Center of Excellence’ training and technology base. U.S. generals will also watch a video showcasing the advantages of the CT40 system. The U.S. Army is interested in the increased power and effect that CT40 provides over conventional medium calibre systems, particularly for its Airburst, High Explosive and Armour Piercing rounds. Cannon deliveries continue ahead of schedule for installation on British vehicles.

Our Cased Telescoped 40mm (CT40) cannon system is generating significant interest in the U.S., who are looking at weapon upgrades across a number of platforms.

The British Army is also training with Latvia on the CVR(T) to transfer combat and reconnaissance skills.


We currently perform hundreds of dimension and visual checks on rounds as they pass through our facility to assure high product quality.

We have also brought in a machine that can rapidly check complete rounds using a full 360 degree visual and dimension scan, which can spot defects such as scratches, cracks and discolouration, as well as all measurements and angles.

BAE Systems manufactures tens of millions of rounds of Small Arms Ammunition per year and is committed to making sure every round performs as expected.

Assuring product quality

Small Arms Ammunition – efficiency savings enable new export orders

This follows our business transformation last year, where we identified significant savings that allowed us to bid more competitively. We are also bidding for much more work than in previous years. SAA is seen as a commodity so it is a difficult market to differentiate your product from competitors, winning these new export orders shows that we are globally competitive while maintaining our high standard of quality.

We continue to see interest in our High Performance 7.62mm rounds, which British Special Forces have been reported as saying it “changes the way we do business.” We are also researching new calibres and round types in response to market opportunities, such as 12.7mm/.50cal and a ‘mid-calibre’ bullet between 5.56mm and 7.62mm.

We are currently developing our new 0.300 Blackout round aimed at special forces and law enforcement markets. This is a 7.62mm bullet that can be fired from a 5.56mm sized weapon as either a sub or supersonic round. As well as conversion kits being available that quickly transform popular 5.56mm weapons (such as AR-15) to fire the round, a number of manufacturers have also brought out 0.300 Blackout-specific weapons.

A number of export customers from around the world have recently signed orders for our Small Arms Ammunition (SAA) produced in Radway Green.

Winning these new export orders shows that we are globally competitive while maintaining our high standard of quality

Range 1km

3.5mm steel

EP BallStandard Ball

8mm steel

5mm RHA

Protectedlight truck

4g / 62gr bullet 4g / 62gr non-toxic bullet

Hardened steel core

Boxer primer

Steel tip

Lead core

Gilding metal envelope Gilding metal envelope

Double base propellant


Brass case Brass case

Boxer primer

3.5mm steel

HP Ball Standard Ball

8mm steel

5mm RHA


Berdan primer Berdan primer

Double base propellantSingle base propellant



Lead core Lead core

Hardened steel tip

10g / 155gr bullet9.3g / 144gr bullet

Range 1kmRange 1km

3.5mm steel


8mm steel

5mm RHA



Hardened steel core

Boxer primer

Steel tip

Lead core





Boxer primer

3.5mm steel


8mm steel

5mm RHA






Lead core Lead core

Hardened steel tip


Range 1km

HP PerformanceEP Performance

5.56mm

Standard Ball Enhanced Performance Ball

7.62mm

Standard Ball High Performance Ball

Range 1km

3.5mm steel


8mm steel

5mm RHA



Hardened steel core

Boxer primer

Steel tip

Lead core





Boxer primer

3.5mm steel


8mm steel

5mm RHA






Lead core Lead core

Hardened steel tip


Range 1km


New technology proposed for fill efficiency and explosive power

Programmes and Operations director John Moorby explained:

“RAM has the potential to transform our operations at Glascoed, bringing further advantages to our customers. It allows continuous filling, instead of multiple batches, saves hours of preparation per day, and can also eliminate the possibility of cavities in the fill. It will save hundreds of kilos of waste and as we’ve seen in recent tests at Ridsdale, potentially give us significantly greater explosive power.”

Whilst the U.S. has recently begun using RAM in its explosive production facilities, this will be the first of its kind in Europe.

RAM has also been shown to be more effective in the filling of Roanex 1100 – a highly Insensitive Munition that also packs more explosive punch than conventional high explosive. RAM could allow it to be made at a lower cost than existing munitions.

BAE Systems is planning to invest £6m in a Resonant Acoustic Mixing (RAM) facility at its 1,000 acre Glascoed facility in Monmouthshire, south Wales. Not only will this make the explosive fill process much more efficient, but recent tests have shown that explosives mixed using this method are up to 50% more powerful.

RAM has the potential to transform our operations at Glascoed

Reduced Wastage Time Labour Space required

Unsealed container

Few intense mixing zones

Require thorough cleaningafter each batch

Sealed container

Multiple intense mixing zones

Up to 50%

more explosive power

Benefits of RAM

Conventional Mixing RAM


Possible shelf life extension for some munitions products

Gerry Lidyard, MOD said:

“The development of this new test capability achieved by BAE Systems is an excellent example of an initial concept undergoing a robust business case activity, demonstrating clear cost savings to the UK MOD and driving great value for money for the UK tax payer. This new capability is a significant contribution to the facilities which support future qualification and in-service surveillance of both current and new energetics.”

The new Heatflow Calorimetry machine measures how quickly and consistently heat is conducted along a sample of propellant. This can simulate up to ten years’ worth of ageing over several days as opposed to months, showing the stability of the propellant as it ages. The test can be carried out retrospectively on the range of propellants used in Mortars, artillery and tank ammunition, so could be used to re-measure the shelf-life of existing products.

The machine was installed following a request from the Defence Ordnance Safety Group, for whom this is the preferred test for propellant stability. It is one of only three machines of its kind in the UK and will be used for Land UK’s export customers as well as the MOD.

New equipment at Glascoed can give quick and accurate shelf-life predictions for a range of propellant systems, meaning that customers could potentially identify an increase in the life-span of some artillery products and save money.

It is one of only three machines of its kind in the UK

Time

Heat

Con

duct

or

Quality Baseline

Fail

The calorimetry machine measures how consistently heat is conducted through a sample of propellant. If there are spikes in the graph, it indicates a problem.


Radway Green hosts Shrivenham Staff College students

The staff college scheme brings together some of the brightest military minds from across the world, including representatives from British, American and Scandinavian armed forces, as well as the defence industry. The day included talks from senior figures in the Land UK team, including Managing Director Jennifer Osbaldestin.

“These visits are important because we want to make sure our customers can build relationships with their industry partners, understand the products they use and provide us with direct feedback.” Jennifer explained.

Simon Jackson, Campaign Leader for Challenger 2’s Life Extension Project, also spoke about developing good relationships between the MOD and Land UK:

“Users’ needs are central to all our design considerations. With Challenger 2, we are designing the vehicle both with the soldier and for the soldier. We in industry need to adapt. We need to listen to our customers and support them.”

While at Radway Green, the students were given a tour of the Small Arms Ammunition production process and found out more about improvements to automation and quality control.

Over thirty students on the Ministry of Defence’s Advanced Command and Staff Course visited BAE Systems’ Radway Green site near Crewe in late January, as part of their Policy to Capability learning package.

Team Challenger 2 team of all the talents

By bringing together specialists in each area that needs to be addressed, the team can offer the latest mature technology used on other platforms and guarantee it will remain supported.

Simon Jackson, campaign lead explained: “We will be giving the Royal Armoured Corps a Challenger 2 Mark 2, customised for the British soldier with the latest sensors, weapons control systems and crewstations. All systems – including lethality, sighting, situational awareness, battlefield management and survivability - will be run and managed from this integrated crewstation. We will also provide improved survivability measures, a better hit probability, faster targeting and vastly improved sighting systems.”

A modern electronic and video architecture backbone will allow the Commander to transfer tasks to other crew members, such as the control and viewing of additional sensors and systems. Crew menus and displays will be more intuitive and have the same functionality as AJAX - making it much easier for Commanders to move between the two.

Team Challenger 2 is the BAE Systems-led consortium working on the tank’s Life Extension Project.

Vehicle conversion programme and Ajax commonality

Technical support

Thermal Imaging systems

Gun control equipment

Sighting systems Fire control system


G W Martin – precision manufacturer for the Defence Industry

One such supplier is G W Martin, a Hampshire-based precision manufacturer of parts used in Mortars, shells and medium calibre ammunition. Through a long partnership with BAE Systems the company has helped develop key new products such as Cased Telescoped Ammunition, where it contributed machining and design skills.

G W Martin, employing 48, has a thriving apprenticeship programme that has been in place since before it started working with Royal Ordnance on defence products in 1975. This has developed many of the current senior management of the firm, who have continuously invested in the latest equipment to stay competitive in a global market for precision engineering.

Managing Director (and grandson of the founder), Stuart Yalden, explained why the UK Defence sector is so important:

“When you’re making components for the British Army, you know it’s crucial to get things right. Our relationship with BAE Systems means we can develop new products together, solve any problems together and ultimately do a better job for soldiers – you can’t just write that into a contract.”

While BAE Systems provides finished munitions products to the MOD, we rely on a network of British suppliers who work with us to improve quality, decrease cost and enhance performance.

It’s crucial to get things right


Copyright © 2018 BAE SYSTEMS. All rights reserved.

The information contained in this document is proprietary to BAE SYSTEMS unless stated otherwise and is made available in confidence; it must not be used or disclosed without the express written permission of BAE SYSTEMS. This document may not be copied in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of BAE SYSTEMS which may be given by contract. BAE SYSTEMS is a registered trade mark of BAE Systems plc.

Images © Crown Copyright and © BAE Systems plc

For further information, please contact Richard BrownExternal Communications Manager BAE Systems Land [email protected]

Connect with BAE Systems atwww.baesystems.comFollow @BAESystemspic on Twitterand BAE Systems on LinkedIn

Over the next 5 years through our MOD (MASS) munitions contract we expect to deliver…

Approx. 150,000 artillery shells

Almost 50,000tank rounds

Over 1 million engineeringhours to support and upgrade the inventory

Approx. 565,000mortars

Up to 24 ‘Python’ mineclearance hoses

Approx. 300,000 medium calibre rounds

Over 7,000 naval shells

Approx. 464 million small arms rounds

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