Eurosatory 2008 the best so far: this year's Eurosatory land equipment exhibition near Paris was bristling with ground-up novelties, particularly in the field of armoured vehicles, reflecting the realisation that ad-hoc vehicles are what is needed today, as opposed to makeshift add-on protection kits for existing vehicles, against rocket-propelled grenades and roadside bombs

Armada International,  August-Sept, 2008  by E.H. Biass,  J. Keggler,  I. Kemp

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Although many observers suspected that certain projects had been on the stove here and there, some of the new vehicles must have been developed in total secrecy, like the Nexter Aravis (named after a famous pass in the French Alps). However, other projects like the Donar howitzer were more unexpected. Amazingly, a number of vehicles were either made impossible to photograph with close fences or adorned with 'no photo' signs on their windows: word went round that Chinese spies were on the prowl.

Donar

General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) unveiled their new 155-mm/52-calibre Donar self-propelled artillery system at Eurosatory. The Donar has been developed to replace legacy systems such as the widely deployed US-built tracked 155-mm M109. The Donar weights less than 31 tonnes, in comparison with KMW's 55-tonne PzH 2000, allowing it to be transported by the Airbus Military A400M transport aircraft. The German Army is seeking funding for up to 41 air-portable weapons to supplement its fleet of PzH 2000s and the Spanish Army has a requirement to replace its 95 M109 self-propelled howitzers.

The Donar turret is a further development of KMW's Artillery Gun Module, which is armed with the same ordnance as the PzH 2000. The turret is mounted on a chassis which uses components of the Ascod 2, initially an Austro-Spanish infantry fighting vehicle, the Ascod is in Spanish service as the Pizarro and Austrian service as the Ulan. At the front of the chassis is an armoured compartment for the two-man crew, i.e. driver and commander. The commander does not have to leave the cab as operation of the unmanned turret is entirely automated. Stowage is provided within the turret for 30 projectiles and up to 145 modular charges. A rate of fire of six rds/min can be achieved.

GFF4

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Italy's Iveco signed a co-operation agreement at Eurosatory covering the development of a new GFF4 military vehicle family in the 18-to-25-tonne weight class. Both the German and Italian armies have requirements for such a vehicle in 4 x 4 and 6 x 6 configurations. According to Frank Haun, CEO and President of KMW and Pietro Borgo, head of Iveco's business unit for military wheeled vehicles, the joint aim is to develop a vehicle family that, by virtue of a standardised and modular concept, may be adapted to specific respective national demands and export customers.

KMW developed the vehicle, previously known as the Grizzly, for the Class 4 25-tonne requirement within the German Army's Geschutzte Fuhrungs- und Funktionsfahrzeuge (GFF) multi-purpose armoured vehicle programme. The service could require up to 700 vehicles in this class. The BWB is expected to make a decision before the end of 2008.

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The GFF4 is a modular design based on an Iveco chassis. In the 6 x 6 configuration it carries ten personnel within a 'safety cell' that is protected against ballistic threats, shell splinters, mines and improvised explosive devices. It can reach a maximum speed of 90 km/h and has road range of more than 700 km.The 4 x 4 variant will have a three-tonne payload and fill the niche between KMW's Dingo 2 4 x 4 protected vehicle and the 6 x 6 GFF4.

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Aravis

Nexter chose Eurosatory 2008 to unveil two new company-funded systems: the twelve-tonne 4 x 4 Aravis protected vehicle and the ARX20 remote-controlled weapon station. Nexter claims that the protection of the Aravis, based on the company's new Safepro armour technology <<outclasses that of all existing 4 x 4 vehicles>>. Nexter describes the protection level as 4-4-4: Stanag 4569 Level 4 ballistic protection able to defeat 14.5-mm threats, Level 4 mine protection able to defeat ten-kg mines under the belly and wheels and all-round Level 4 protection against 155-mm artillery splinters. Additionally, the Aravis is able to withstand the blast of an improvised explosive device, equivalent to 50 kg of TNT, at five metres. The new design incorporates modular applique armour with 'anti-blast device', V-shaped anti-mine plates and a spall liner with the crew citadel.

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Nexter selected the Unimog U5000 chassis for the Aravis because of its legendary high mobility on roads and across country, and because of the wide availability of spare parts. The vehicle is powered by a 218-hp Mercedes Benz four-cylinder diesel OM 924 engine and can achieve a top speed of 100 km/h and a range of 750 km. This vehicle offers 9.5 cubic metres of internal volume, of which eight cubic metres are under armour protection, and can carry a driver, commander and up to six passengers with their equipment. The Aravis can be fitted with a remote controlled weapon station armed with weapons up to 20 mm in calibre. Video cameras provide 360[degrees] situational awareness. The vehicle can be airlifted by a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Nexter has developed kits to enable the Aravis to be configured as a command post and an ambulance.