Defence Equipment and Support

Artillery Systems Team.

The Artillery Systems Team manages artillery command and control, communications, computers and intelligence systems, gun systems, rocket artillery, and artillery surveillance and target acquisition systems.

The Artillery Systems Team is responsible for managing the introduction into service and through-life support of a number of different equipments. Most of the team’s equipments are in service, and many are deployed on operations, but the team also works with its industry partners to bring key new capabilities into service to performance, time and cost.

Current equipment

Surveillance and target acquisition systems

  • Acoustic Sound ranging Programme, which locates artillery weapons acoustically.
  • Counter Battery Radar (COBRA): phased array radar to detect and track artillery shells, mortars and rockets, determining their point of origin and impact, procured through collaboration with France and Germany.
  • Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar: providing warning of rocket and mortar attacks.
  • Mobile Artillery Monitoring Battlefield Radar (MAMBA): medium range radar, mounted on the Hägglund Bv206 all terrain vehicle.


Command, control and targeting software applications

  • Defence Targeting Toolset: under development, will provide a suite of targeting software to enhance rapid and effective communication between target acquisition and weapon systems.
  • Fire Control Battlefield Information System Application: a software application that provides a comprehensive command and control system for all indirect fire systems.
  • Joint Fires Integration: a suite of equipment that provides enhanced precision targeting information for Forward Air Controllers and Forward Observation Officers.

Towed gun:

  • 105mm Light Gun: enhanced by improved power management.
    Self-propelled howitzer:
  • AS 90 155mm self-propelled howitzer: enhanced by improved turret control computer and layer display, the replacement of the obsolete driver console and repositioning of the loader control unit.

Rocket artillery:

  • Tracked Multiple Launch Rocket System launcher: enhanced with crew protection measures and underbody armour to increase survivability on operations.
  • A GPS guided rocket: has a range of over 70 km, to provide precision delivery of payload with minimum collateral damage.

Artillery Systems is also responsible for managing:

  • Collaboration with allied nations to ensure interoperability between artillery command and control systems through the Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities.
  • Collaboration with allied nations to ensure interoperability between 155mm artillery systems through the Joint Ballistics MoU cooperation activities.




Page updated 17 August 2011


Quick facts

Team Leader : Mike H Horrell

Ordnance : 144 AS90 155mm self-propelled howitzers and 126 105mm Light Guns

Tracked vehicles : 36 Multiple Launch Rocket System launchers

Vehicle-mounted surveillance systems: 6 COBRA and 4 MAMBA weapon locating radars

Contact:


Artillery Systems Team
Defence Equipment and Support
MoD Abbey Wood #5103
BRISTOL
BS34 8JH

History

2004 – COBRA and MAMBA weapon locating radars enter service.

2005 – Award of multi-year Equipment Support Agreement for AS90 howitzer to BAE Systems.

2007 – GPS guided rocket and upgraded fire control system enter service.

2009 – Award of contract to procure and integrate the Universal Fire Control System for MLRS.

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