Nolene Scott reports on South Africa’s moves to woo world markets by producing high-order new projectiles.
If any defence force is considering a ballistic artillery capability to hit long- distance targets, surely South Africa should come to mind. This does appear to be happening now, although it took a while.
Since the country emerged from its political isolation in 1994, its military wares have been shown around the world. At defence exhibitions South Africa’s claims to have developed several innovative products fell initially on sceptical ears although now the international market seems to have heeded the message from South Africa’s defence companies. The Chubby landmine detection system was evaluated in the US and Australia, and mine clearance contracts on behalf of the UN and other agencies have gone to South African companies, most with highly innovative technologies. The US and UK forces are evaluating a polyurethane (PU) tank road wheel and a non-pneumatic puncture-proof tyre developed by South Africa’s Allthane Technologies.
In 2001 the Denel Group succeeded in winning significant contracts from Malaysia for 155mm, 45-calibre G5 towed artillery, and a contract from Denmark for combustible case modular charges, the second NATO country after the UK to acquire this artillery-propelling system. The £100m UK contract to Denel’s Somchem division was seen as a definitive first-world endorsement of South Africa’s artillery technology.
Conforming to the requirements of the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMoU), the M90 bi-modular charge system (BMCS) incorporates advanced technologies that reduce barrel erosion. Research has shown that projectile muzzle velocity is in fact more dependent on groove erosion in the barrel than on land erosion. In the M90 BMCS both land and groove erosion is minimised. The M90 BMCS has passed a series of insensitivity munitions tests successfully and special attention has been given to the suppression of muzzle flash. As a world leader in the field of artillery-charge technology, Somchem’s extensive test firings at -40°C, +21°C and +63°C confirmed muzzle suppression was achieved without any adverse effect on the gun’s internal ballistics. This feature also has reduced muzzle blast over-pressure significantly, an important benefit for towed-gun systems where gun crews are more exposed to muzzle blast than when firing self-propelled (SP) guns.
The Assegai series of projectiles is set to become the new standard in the field of 155mm extended-range ammunition. South Africa’s Denel Naschem accepted an invitation from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to participate in demonstrating the maximum- range capability of Germany’s PzH2000 to the Hellenic army.
On 15 May 2001 the PzH2000 fired the M2000 Assegai base-bleed shell in excess of 40km at maximum charge (6 MTLS modules at +21°C at sea level) at Putlos, the training and evaluation centre considered technically challenging.
This followed a series of live firings by the Wehrtechnische Dienststelle für Waffen und Munition WTD91 of the Federal Office for Defence Technology and Procurement of the German Army (BWB) at its Proving Ground 91 in Meppen in northern Germany. As a result of these tests, the M2000 Assegai base-bleed shell received a limited safety declaration by the BWB to be fired from the Pantzerhaubitze 2000.
Using the in-service DM72 MTLS charge system from Rheinmetall, the M2000 Assegai base-bleed shell demonstrated full compatibility and safety at charge temperatures ranging from +21°C to +63°C. The tests demonstrated stable in-flight behaviour with the maximum charge of the DM72 modular charge system (6 MTLS modules) at +63°C. The recovered shells showed no signs of any side-barrel engraving and driving-band stripping or slipping.
NATO is replacing its current stock of 39-calibre howitzers with 52-calibre artillery systems. Starting with 45 calibre, South Africa was fortunate to move up one small development step to 52-calibre artillery. Denel Naschem’s experience with development and qualification of 45 and 52-calibre ammunition enabled them to introduce a range of 155mm 52-calibre ammunition, designed in bourrelet style in accordance with JBMoU and international specifications such as STANAG.
As the South Africans remarked: “Firing accurately to beyond 40,000m is easy once you’ve gone beyond 50,000m.” This is a reference to the 53.6km range achieved by Denel’s 155mm G6 self-propelled howitzer. Firing the fully qualified V-LAP projectile accurately over such ranges makes G6 the first 155mm fully qualified in-service gun-and-ammunition system to breach the 40km range barrier by a fair margin. Such a range increase also is due in part to Denel’s new M64 bi-modular charge system, also now fully qualified, effectively using the pressure limits of the G5/G6 barrel to increase muzzle velocity to 910m/s.
The maximum base-bleed range with ERFB projectiles is now 40.5km, better than current 155mm 52-calibre systems. During qualification test firing of Denel’s V-LAP from the G6, probable errors in range were consistently better than 0.38 per cent, successfully addressing client concerns about large dispersion at long range.
Lethality claims came to the fore when South Africa showed its new 105mm light- artillery technology demonstrator, that is designated light experimental ordnance (LEO), for the first time internationally at the IDEX 2001 exhibition in the United Arab Emirates. Arguing that it was a unique class of light gun, Denel claimed it had succeeded in meeting South African Artillery’s brief “to develop a light gun with a light logistic load that will equal or better the range and terminal effect of current 155mm light guns.”
Denel said: “Although developed as a 105mm, the LEO’s unique capabilities include a 30,000m maximum range that is similar to that of 155mm/39-calibre systems, combined with a 1,900m lethality per round against soft targets that is better than 155mm HE projectiles.”
The design team will now work on a mass reduction from 3,800 to 2,500kg in order to improve its deployment capabilities. This would be especially important for fielding in peacekeeping operations, for early entry forces in rapid support of allies, and for close-fire support. The gun’s precision-fire capability can be further improved by use of the Denel Kentron-developed Arachnida inertial laying and navigating system with direct interface to the fire-control system, a set-up similar to that in service on the British light gun.
An easy-to-use touchscreen man-machine interface is part of Arachnida’s full range of C4I management capabilities that offers fire-control and ballistics computation; autonomous navigation guidance; automated gun history; ammunition inventory and data logging as well as gun laying, stabilisation and target acquisition.
Kentron claims an autonomous gyro position accuracy of 99.8 per cent of distance travelled and laying accuracy of 1mm without realignment being required. Able to operate in extreme temperature ranges of 25 to +65ºC, the Arachnida was designed to withstand substantial vibration, shock treatment and all-weather conditions at altitudes up to 50,000ft above sea level. It can be adapted within seconds for applications as diverse as artillery guns, command and forward-observer posts, multiple launch rocket systems, mobile mortars, support vehicles and infantry- fighting vehicles.
South Africa is building a reputation for cost-effective and quick turnaround solutions to modern battlefield problems. As the authoritative Jane’s IDR reported: “Since being opened up to the full range of potential buyers, including NATO, the South African industry’s speed of response to market requirements (coupled with claims it has been advancing for the exceptional lethality, wear-life, range performance and dispersion of its ammunition and ordnance systems) not surprisingly has been greeted with some scepticism. Suffice it to note that assessments in the UK of aspects of the technologies involved have been speedily followed by others in Denmark, Germany and most recently in the US.”
A senior NATO officer said: “We want the best kit for our fighting forces and if we can’t build it ourselves we’ll go to someone who can.”
South African defence companies are now producing world-class artillery solutions
NATO is replacing its current stock of 39-calibre howitzers with 52-calibre artillery systems
