Infantry Fighting Vehicles Research Articles

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF V-SHAPED PROTECTIVE PLATES AT VARIOUS ANGLES SUBJECTED TO BLAST LOADING – A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

The mechanical response of blast-resistant vehicles, such as Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicles (MICVs), Armored Personal Vehicles (APVs), and Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicles, is crucial for their effective design. When designing armored vehicles, it is important to achieve a balance between rigid designs that transmit blast forces to the troop's cabins and softer designs that prevent excessive structure deformation hazardous to the troops. This study investigates the performance of V-shaped plates at different angles under blast loading. The focus is on modeling blast effects using the Conventional Weapon (ConWep) method and the Johnson-Cook material model. The material used for V-shaped protective plates STRENX700 (S690QL) armor steel is commonly used for blast protection in Anti-Landmine (ALM) Vehicles. The blast-wave induces large deformation, erosion, high strain rates, non-linear material behavior and fragmentation. The numerical simulation results are presented in the form of vertical displacement of the central node on the protective plate, von Mises equivalent stress, and equivalent plastic strain.

Развитие вооруженных сил и оборонно-промышленного комплекса Венгрии: стратегия правительства В. Орбана

The article examines Hungary’s modernization of Armed Forces and expansion of the capabilities of the country’s defence-industrial complex (DIC). Using the neorealistic paradigm, the author analyzes the main directions in which the Hungarian army and the MIC developed during the leadership of the Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The 10-year development program of the Hungarian Defence Forces – Zrínyi – involves a significant increase in their capabilities by 2026. Official plans to expand and modernize the DIC include the target to make the Hungarian state one of the leaders of the defense industry in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) by 2030. The main partners in this area are going to be companies not only from the member states of the European Union (Germany, France and the Czech Republic), but also from Turkey and Israel. Reforming the army and increasing the technological level of the DIC are primarily aimed at strengthening the country’s economy and protecting the state borders and Hungarian citizens both in Hungary itself and in Ukraine, in Transcarpathia. At the same time, the Prime Minister V. Orbán is confident that NATO’s actions can only be aimed at self-defense. This is related to the refusal of the Hungarian authorities to supply weapons to Kiev. However, Hungary is not only strengthening mechanized troops (German Lynx infantry fighting vehicles, Turkish Gidrán armored personnel carriers), the country’s Air Force (Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen aircraft) and Air Defense (Norwegian–American NASAMS anti-aircraft missile complex), but also, reflecting on the experience of the conflict in Ukraine, returns to the use of artillery, considers the possibility of producing drones and more ammunition on its territory, and also wants to increase the offensive potential of its Armed Forces thanks to modern multiple rocket launchers like HIMARS. Despite the fact that Hungary, according to V. Orbán, is on the side of the ‘peace party’, in the future, as part of NATO in the CEE region, there will be a modernized army with a proper defence-industrial complex, ready for a ‘new generation’ conflict. The Hungarian political opposition in turn advocates for military assistance to Ukraine and curtailing relations with Russia, while being actively encouraged by the United States.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЇ КОНЦЕПЦІЇ БОЙОВОЇ МАШИНИ ПІХОТИ В СУЧАСНИХ УМОВАХ

The analysis of concepts and technologies of improvement and transformation of infantry fighting vehicles at the present stage of development is carried out. The problem of inconsistency of combat capabilities of modern infantry fighting vehicles with their original purpose, the so-called problem of passivity, is covered. A detailed analysis of the characteristics of modern and promising infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers is presented in order to assess their combat and technical characteristics. According to the results of the analysis, it is indicated that none of the considered samples of combat armored vehicles is fully applied to autonomous or joint actions along with tanks due to insufficient level of protection, limited capabilities or complete passivity of the landing party. Particular attention is paid to the study of ways of constructive transformation of the infantry fighting vehicle on the platform of the T-64 tank of domestic production. Compromise approaches to the layout of modern infantry fighting vehicles with an optimal combination of fire capabilities, security, mobility and improving the maintainability and operational qualities of the combat vehicle are proposed. A well-founded analysis of the existing models of heavy infantry fighting vehicles in service in the armies of different countries has been carried out. Tactical and technical requirements for a promising heavy infantry fighting vehicle of domestic production based on the T-64 tank are substantiated. Conceptual directions of transformation of the infantry fighting vehicle in modern conditions of conducting military operations are defined. Ways of modernization of samples of armored combat vehicles on the basis of developments of the Kharkiv design bureau on mechanical engineering named after A.A. Morozov with the introduction of the Russian military-industrial complex. Keywords: infantry fighting vehicle, combat capabilities, security, combat effectiveness, enemy, tank, concept, design, transformation.

Offset versus off-the-shelf in arms procurement: the Boxer infantry fighting vehicle in Lithuania as a case study

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to discuss offset versus off-the-shelf options for arms procurement in Lithuania between 2014 and 2022, including the acquisition of the Boxer infantry fighting vehicle. Content, quantitative, and qualitative comparative analyses are used to interpret accessible data. Lithuania, as an off-the-shelf buyer, achieved a median price for the Boxer in a short-term perspective, while countries/manufacturers or technology-acceptors gained economic advantages and beneficial prices. Upcoming arms procurements in Lithuania could anticipate and even shape the position of the government toward offset implementation in arms acquisition.

Selected Issues of Increasing the Fire Effectiveness of Combat Vehicles

Abstract The research paper reviews selected issues associated with the current state of the armoured (tanks) and infantry fighting vehicle technology, with particular emphasis on the operating effectiveness of elongated sub-calibre projectiles fired from tank guns, which enable full perforation of ca. 500 mm thick armour steel plates. Their efficiency is comparable with the impact of shaped heads with armour steel penetration capabilities, and amounts from 6 to 8 calibres – warhead diameters. Furthermore, the paper discusses a numerical analysis, which shows the velocities of elongated projectiles (of tungsten matrix sinters) required to achieve a determined armour steel penetration depth. In addition, it also presents the performance characteristics of two 100 mm calibre shaped warheads, with copper inserts and apex angles of 51º and 60º.

Cost calculation model for a tank battalion fielded in an offensive operation

Armored units, since their introduction, and especially after World War II, represent the main maneuver and attack power of modern armies due to their main characteristics (armor protections, mobility, and fire power). In some armies, only the units equipped with tanks are considered as armored units, but in some armies they include also the units equipped with armored personnel carriers and mechanized infantry combat vehicles. In modern armies, infantry units are largely equipped with infantry fighting vehicles, mainly wheeled ones. In the Serbian Armed Forces, armored units consist of tank and mechanized battalions included in the Army brigades. Tank and mechanized battalions are equipped with tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. They represent main attack power of the brigade and they conduct armored, antiarmor, anti-artillery and anti-rocket actions in combat operations. Regardless of the organizational-formation structure, fielding even the smallest tank battalion in different operations is very expensive due to the use of their heavy weapons and high consumption of fuel and ammunition. The paper describes the most important parameters required to calculate costs of the tank battalion involvement in an offensive operation (without attached units, without calculation of the fire support provided by artillery and air force units, and focusing on the operation execution phase), such as personnel, command, movement and maneuver, weapons and ammunition, service support and force protection. The final part of the paper offers a possible cost calculation model for the use of a tank battalion in an offensive operation by parameters, taking into account the factors that define it more closely. Due to the scope of the paper, it is impossible to fully describe the impact of operational environment and the operational model on the cost, because it would have to be the subject of further scientific analysis and a paper of larger scope. The cost calculation model offered might also be applied to other types of battalions, with the respective factors being changed by parameters.

Warrior Vehicle Fleet Sustainment Using Intelligent Agent Simulation

The Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle(IFV) is one of the key tracked combat vehicles in the UK Army. It was first introduced in 1988. A modernisation programme is currently underway to enhance 643 vehicles to serve to 2040 and beyond. The Warrior is typical of military assets that have to be acquired, maintained, supported and deployed. Effective materials and logistics support for the life of the asset is necessary to give the army a capability to defend the country and keep world peace. In the military world, events are uncertain. An asset can be used relatively lightly in peace time for training and readiness preparation. When it is deployed, it is used intensely and probably in situations not foreseen in the original design specification. Compared with a commercial vehicle that is designed to be continuously heavily used, military uncertainties make the planning for spares and repairs very difficult. Responding to the dynamics of military logistics, inventory planners have to make decisions on how many spares to order from the manufacturer and when, where to store the spares, and when to send them to the units. Maintenance decisions are also made by military engineers to pull vehicles into depots for scheduled maintenance, deal with unexpected repairs, and make sure all people, equipment and spares are coordinated for the maintenance work. Planning for the worst case scenarios provides enhanced resilience to military needs, but is likely to be unnecessarily costly. Compared with an inventory management problem that has steady demand and supply, optimal military logistics could be better served by adapting the behaviour of the planners to suit the dynamics of the deployment scenarios. This paper reports on a military logistics sustainment model built using an agent based simulation platform, with the Warrior vehicle fleet as the case study. The model proves an effective tool to help military planners evaluate different spares inventory policies to match deployment demands.

‘The Tip of the Spear’—The Bundeswehr, Soviet Force Restructuring & Development of West Germany's Armored Forces, 1951–1986

After the decision to re-arm Germany in the early 1950s, the military leadership in the Federal Republic of Germany or “Bundeswehr” once again set out to create an army capable of not only defending the Federal Republic of Germany but of being able to integrate itself within the framework of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) forward defense of Western Europe. This article examines the Bundeswehr's re-armament and its operational and tactical organization as well as the weapons systems, most notably the development of a whole new generation of main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles or personnel carriers that were far superior to either their Soviet or American counterparts. The article likewise examines the incorporation of tactics and operational doctrine employed by the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front (1941–1945) during World War II.

English

Present-day reliance on wheeled and tracked armour personnel carriers (APCs) and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), may be changed in the future. Shaped charge grenades and impovised explosive devices (IEDs)represent a considerable threat, even to well protected main battle tanks (MBTs). Paradoxically, the crew of wheeled and tracked troop-carrying vehicles is numerically three to four times larger than that of MBTs, however, their protection in all aspects is significantly lower. Therefore, heavier vehicles may get more attention in the future, where sharing the chassis and a number of components with MBTs could provide significant reductions in procurement costs and maintenance, as well as a simplified logistics in relation to the latest tracked. Obviously, the IFVs mobility of heavy vehicles would be lower than that of lighter vehicles. However, by applying various degrees of modular armour protection, a significant rise in strategic, operational, and tactical mobility could be achieved. Such heavy tracked vehicles, built on a common chassis as MBTs, may equip the future heavy brigades, which will be in contrast to the lighter wheeled vehicles included in rapid deployment brigades. As a result, tracked personnel carrying vehicles may extinct in the future. Defence Science Journal, 2010, 60(5), pp.483-490 , DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.60.550

Method of estimating the probability of striking of infantry fighting vehicles during combat operation of uniform military formations

Methodological approach to the estimating of probability of striking of infantry fighting vehicles, that is based on quantitative and qualitative parameters of projectile load, as well as characteristics of elements of armour protection of vehicles, belonging to this class is examined.

Toward a Protected Future Force

A significant challenge facing planners of America's future ground forces is the question of how to think about survivability. With a great deal of emphasis placed on strategic mobility--both in speed of deployment and in logistical efficiency--the manned ground vehicles of the US Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) will be considerably lighter than the tanks and infantry fighting vehicles currently fielded in Army units. This poses a problem: without the ability to wield the armor protection of the Abrams main battle tank, FCS vehicles (1) will have more inherent vulnerability to enemy direct-fire weapons than the vehicles that they will eventually replace. This problem is not just tactical and operational in nature; it has strategic implications, and if it is not addressed effectively, the ability of the Army to meet its required aims will be put at risk. The US Army plans to introduce its next-generation ground force quickly, starting with an experimental battalion by the end of the decade and a full brigade--called a Unit of Action--in 2014. (2) The Future Force, formerly called the Objective Force, is anticipated to be a highly mobile, light armored force with previously unheard-of intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, emphasizing maneuver and stand-off precision firepower to eliminate enemy forces from long range. The Army's plan does allow for a conventional armored counterattack corps based on existing tanks and fighting vehicles through at least 2030, but the centerpiece of the Army will be the FCS-equipped Units of Action. The FCS Family of Vehicles--Survivability without Protection? The survivability of the Future depends on two factors: the technological measures taken to protect the force and the methods of employment of the Units of Action. According to the Army's Concepts for the Objective Force white paper: The agility of our formations combined with the common operating picture is critical to maximize survivability. Ground and air platforms will leverage the best combination of low observable, reduced electronic signature, ballistic protection, long-range acquisition, early discrete targeting, shoot first every time, and target destruction every time we pull the trigger. Objective survivability will be linked to its inherently offensive orientation, as well as its speed and lethality. (3) The inherent protection of the 16- to 20-ton FCS manned ground vehicle will be relatively low, primarily the result of its light weight. Future Combat Systems vehicles will be equipped with a variety of technical countermeasures intended to enhance their survivability in the event of contact with the enemy, but the underlying basis for their ability to survive on the battlefield is their ability to locate the enemy in all terrain types and then kill of outmaneuver the enemy without being effectively engaged. The extent to which armor will play a role in FCS survivability was outlined in a presentation given at the 23d Army Science Conference in December 2002. (4) The presentation outlines the Army's vision of a holistic approach to survivability: it intends to employ methods of preventing American vehicles from being effectively engaged through a combination of technical defenses and creative employment of forces. For example, to avoid detection, the Army will maneuver its forces out of contact with the enemy, it will employ vehicles with reduced signatures, and it will attempt to blind the enemy through targeting its command and control and ISR assets. Similar methods will be employed at each of the other levels of engagement--once detected, methods will be used to prevent Army vehicles from being acquired, and then hit, and then penetrated, and then destroyed. This is typically given in a diagram with concentric circles, the outermost being Detected and the innermost being Killed. …