France's Defence White Paper

France has finally published its long awaited document of strategic and budgetary guidance for the next decade (2014 to 2025), setting a total budget of 364 billion Euro, with 179 of those committed over the years 2014 - 2019. 

34.000 posts within the armed forces will be lost by 2019. Of these, 10.000 posts already were earmarked for suppression since 2008. The document says that the reductions will mainly affect administration and support manpower, but reading the Defence Planning Assumptions does rise more than one doubt about this claim.

Reading the document, it is obvious that cuts and reductions in national ambition are on the way. As widely anticipated, the Navy is, overall, perhaps the service getting the best deal, but, even before we learn the details, it is clear that some sacrifices will be made: there won't be an order for a second aircraft carrier (PA2 has looked more and more unlikely in the last few years anyway, so it is not a real surprise) and there won't be a fourth Mistral-class LHD either, with the Dixmunde, third ship in the class, being the last vessel the french navy will get. 

The Fleet is set to have: 

1x Aircraft Carrier (Charles de Gaulle)
3x LHD (Mistral, Tonnere, Dixmunde) 

4x SSBNs 
6x SSNs 

15x "First Rank" frigates. This suggests that there will be an increase in the number of high-end escort ships as part of the new strategy.
The documents released do not really detail this figure, but it comprises the 2 Horizon-class air defence frigates (the french navy insists to call "frigates" these units which are destroyers by any other name) and the planned 11 FREMM frigates. This, though, gives a total of 13 hulls, which is the same number of high-end frigates currently available to the french navy. While the White Paper fails to detail this voice, perhaps the FREMM order will be incremented to 13. (NOTE: originally, the french navy was due to receive 17 FREMM ships, but the order was later reduced to 11).
The FREMM program is currently intended to deliver 9 ASW/Land Attack frigates and two FREDA air-defence configured vessels. The FREDA are needed to keep up the number of air defence ships in the fleet: originally, four Horizon units were envisaged, but costs were too high and the order was halved. The FREDA is seen as a lower-cost alternative.  

However, the "Dossier Thematiquè" suggests that the reality could be less pleasant: it says that the 15 tier-one ships include "less powerful combat units, notably the frigates type La Fayette upgraded with sonar". If all five La Fayette are similarly upgraded and counted in the total of 15 high-end warships, it would entail a reduction from 11 to just 8.



15x Offshore Patrol vessels. Again, not easy to exactly understand what this entails. Judging from a look at the current french fleet and previous plans, these 15 vessels should include the five La Fayette-class frigates, the 9 A69-class avisos and the patrol vessel L'Adroit which is, however, currently only available for french navy use for a period of three years, as a DCNS move to try and put its new OPV design in the spotlight, with the hope of gaining firm orders. The language of the White Paper is "ambiguous" enough that the number of patrol vessels could probably be dropped to 14 at the end of this three-year concession, but the Navy might also decide to buy the ship by then.   

The uncertainty on the future collocation of the La Fayette adds confusion to the whole picture. Anyway, there is plan, known as BATSIMAR (bâtiment de surveillance et d’intervention maritime), which will deliver replacements for the aging patrol vessels.

6x Surveillance Frigates. The current Floréal ships, we have to assume.   

The White Paper provides no information on the plans for the smaller coastal patrol vessels and does not give an indication of the planned future of the support vessels. The french navy has a requirement for 4 new tanker/supply ships. The relevant program is known as FLOTLOG (flotte logistique).
There is also no update on the plans for the future of the minesweepers flottilla. There will be one, and the SLAMF (Système de Lutte Anti-Mines navales Futur) program goes ahead to develop the future solution for the MCM requirement.  Drones, deployed by a new kind of mothership, are the envisaged solution.

Anyway, it does show that MOD personnel collaborated with the french for this White Paper...! 

The Fleet Air Arm will keep its nuclear role, with nuclear-tipped missiles carried on Charles De Gaulle for launch from the embarked Rafale M airplanes. The number of naval aircrafts, helicopters and maritime patrol aircrafts are not disclosed, for the moment. 
Programs ongoing include the upgrade of the Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircrafts and the acquisition of 27 NH90 NFH helicopters.
With the total number of Air Force and Fleet Air Arm fighter jets now capped at 225, i would not be surprised to the see the french air force becoming more aggressive in a bid to get an as big share of them as possible: we'll have to see if the french navy fights its corner better than the Royal Navy did when faced with the same problem... 


This leads us straight to the Air Force.
As i just said, France now aims to a force of 225 fighter jets in total, comprising Air Force and Navy airplanes. With the imminent withdrawal from service of the navy's Super Etendard and of the Air Force's Mirage F1 CR, the fleet will be composed only by Rafale and Mirage (several variants). 
In the future, a monotype fleet of sole Rafale is in sight, but for many more years the Mirage will continue to be a precious workhorse. 
In recent times, the plan had been to procure 234 Rafale for the Air Force and 60 Rafale M for the navy, with the air force hoping to have, on its own, 225 aircraft by 2022. The drop in expected numbers is obviously very relevant, and the Air Force / Navy proportions might have to change as a consequence. 
The Navy wants 60 Rafale M because it aims to have three embarkable squadrons, each having (on paper) 18 airplanes. The squadrons are the 12F, 11F and 17F, the latter being the last unit to fly with the Super Etendard.  

The announced purchase of 200 Meteor missiles and the integration of the weapon on Rafale (by 2018) seem to still be planned.

The new White Paper will undoubtedly cause a lot of big and small changes and plan rethinks in the coming months and years, but it is worth remembering that in recent times France had been planning to: 

- Retire the Mirage F1CR. The withdrawal of this reconnaissance aircraft is to be balanced by the integration of the RECO NG Aeros pod on the Rafale. 12 such pods are planned for the Air Force and 6 for the Navy, along with 3 ground control stations. 

- Mirage 2000N: to remain in service until 2018, it is compatible with the RECO NG pod but its main role is as nuclear strike aircraft, armed with the ASMPA cruise missile. 

- Mirage 2000D: the intention is to upgrade these strike fighters so they can employ the ASTAC (Analyseur de Signaleux TACTiques) pod to provide ELINT reconnaissance. Data Link 16 and ROVER image downlink also planned. The 2000D was seen likely to be in service until 2021 or even 2025. 
A new generation laser designation pod remains planned. 

- Mirage 2000-5 and 2000C: these air defence aircraft should retire by 2018. 

The White Paper signals a reduction in the number of new tanker aircrafts to purchase, from 14 to 12. The program will be launched next year, with the A330 MRRT aircraft as the choice. Differently from the RAF, which ordered the passenger variant of the A330, the french will purchase the fully multi-mission cargo/passanger variant. In exchange for this great capability, the air force will lose the 5 A310 and A340 aircrafts currently used as strategic cargo aircrafts.  
It would appear that the full order for 50 A400M tactical cargo aircrafts is confirmed without reductions, but there is some controversity still. The A400 order could still be reduced, with the air force keeping its small fleet of C130s or some of its C160s for Special Forces use instead. 

The small transport aircrafts of the CN-235 type are not mentioned in the White Paper, but they are believed not to be part of the figure of 50 tactical cargo aircrafts. They should be (relatively) safe.

Studies for a future UCAV will go ahead, so to build up options for a future program of acquisition of a novel unmanned air combat platform in the 2020s.  

In the missiles section, the document gives a welcome promise that the FASGW(H) / ANL will get the go ahead, along with the MMP missile destined to replace the MILAN. 
An upgrade program for the SCALP / Storm Shadow is also confirmed, which will keep the missile relevant out to 2030. These confirmations mean good news for RAF and Royal Navy.  
The White Paper also promises to go ahead with the ASTER 30 modernisation (Block 1 NT) which will also expand anti-ballistic capability. Italy is interested in this development, while it is not clear if the UK will join. 
A new missile to succeed to the MICA is promised. Can't quite understand if this successor to MICA is the Meteor, or if they are talking about a new missile (presumably short-range, to complement the Meteor).

The document also promises 7 aircraft for "air detection and surveillance". I immediately thought of the E3 Sentry AWACS, but France only has four of those. It is not specified in the document, but i'm assuming the total of 7 comes from adding in the 3 E2C Hawkeye owned by the Navy. 
Not better specified manned light reconnaissance and surveillance aircrafts are mentioned, along with a planned 12-strong fleet of "drones for theatre surveillance", which should be Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) machines: it has been widely reported that France is seriously considering ordering the US Reaper for this role. 
Officially, the Reaper would be "an interim solution", but in these times of extreme budget tightness, i can't see France being much willing to committ to TELEMOS after acquiring the Reaper. TELEMOS is the joint BAE-Dassault program for the development of an european MALE, which is hoped could meet both the british SCAVENGER requirement and the french needs. 
In the end, the MQ-9 Reaper might win the day in both countries. 

Lastly, the White Paper says the Air Force will have 8 batteries of medium-range air defence missiles. This means that the SAMP-T order, which was expected to deliver 10 batteries, will be cut short. 
 

As had been reported in the last while, the Army is going to be the service hit hardest by the reductions. The White Paper says that the Army will restructure on 7 brigades, two of which will be Heavy, 3 will be Medium/Multi-Role and 2 will be light. 
Studying the current structure of the french army, and the distribution of recently purchased, critical equipment such as the VBCI, it is possible to formulate an educated guess regarding the identity of the brigades to remain in the force: 

2° and 7° Armoured brigades as the two Heavy formations 

1°, 3° Mechanised brigades plus the 9° Amphibious brigade as the Medium / Multi Role formations 

11° Parachute brigade and 27° Mountain Infantry Brigade as the two light formations. 

The above is, at the state, only my guess. The White Paper seem to suggest that the brigade to be cut will be one between the 1st, 3rd and 6th Mechanised brigades, assuming that the two heavy brigades will remain the same and expecting that the amphibious, parachute and mountain capabilities will be protected.

The new army will have a core of around 66.000 deployable personnel comprising the Special Forces, the seven combined arms brigades mentioned above, Combat Support and Combat Service Support units, "prepositioned units" and the garrisons located in overseas territories.

In terms of equipment, the White Paper announces a reduction in main battle tanks (from 254 Leclerc in active service to a planned 200). There will also be around 250 "medium tanks". Quite what vehicle is indicated by this definition is not really clear, by i think it could be the AMX 10 RC rénové. This wheeled tank, armed with a 105mm gun, is the only vehicle in the french arsenal which i'd dare calling medium tank. 256 such vehicles been upgraded ("rénové", in fact) by 2010, and their out of service date is set into the 2020s, so i think this is it. 

Continuing with the generic, never detailed trend, the White Paper promises a fleet of 2700 armoured vehicles, with no real indication of what it comprises. The fate of the SCORPION modernisation and digitalisation programme for the army, as a consequence, couldn't be more confused.  
The french army hopes to replace the ERC90 Sagaie reconnaissance vehicle and the AMX 10 RC as well, with the EBCR (Engine Blinde de Reconnaissance et de Combat).
There is also a requirement for the replacement of the aging VAB (Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé) with a new vehicle known as VBMR. How the White Paper impacts all these programs, and what is counted in the "2700" figure is impossible for me to say at the moment. Among the armoured vehicles currently available and on order we can count 191 Vikings on order, well over 3000 VABs in all variants, 700 VBCI, 1610 light armored cars Véhicule Blindé Léger (VBL) and 1500 small protected vehicles Petit Véhicule Protégé and small numbers of Buffalo, Aravis and Sherpa vehicles, ordered for use in Afghanistan.
Assuming that the Vikings and VBCI orders won't be touched, even expecting the old VBL to be retired from service in the near future, it is clear that there will be reductions and changes and the hoped-for 2326 VBMR and 292 EBCR could end up coming in much lower numbers.
EBCR might become the new "medium tank", so that would mean 250 vehicles according to current plans. The VBMR, the VBCI and the lighter vehicles including Viking should make up the 2700 figure. 

The Army will have 30 "tactical" UAVs. The french are currently trialing the british Watchkeeper, which, if selected, would fullfill this requirement. 

The Army will have 140 attack and reconnaissance helicopters, which should include the full planned 80 Tiger helicopters on order. Of these, 40 are in the HAP variant (armed only with gun, rockets and Mistral air to air missiles) while the remaining 40 are in the much improved HAD variant, which can also armed with Hellfire II missiles.
115 utility helicopters will also be available. Of these, a significant proportion should be made up by NH90 TTH helicopters (known as Caïman in the french army), but as of this month France is hesitating in placing an expected order for 34 such machines. The publication of the White Paper should be a step forwards in the right direction.
34 machines are already on order and an initial capability for the type was reached in February this year. The NH90 is mainly meant to replace over 90 PUMA helicopters used by the ALAT, the french army aviation.


Revised downwards are also the Defence Planning assumptions. France is planning to be able to deploy abroad significantly smaller force packages.
A package of 5000 men will be kept at High Readiness, in order to enable the constant availability of 
a very high readiness Joint Reaction Force numbering 2300 men. This force will be able to deploy "up to 3000 km away from the homeland" within 7 days and will comprise a 1500-strong battlegroup, Special Forces contributions, helicopters, 10 fighter jets and other supports. It will be able to deploy with the support of a small naval task group centered on one LHD. 

There is an assumption that the Army will be required to carry out multiple (up to two or three simultaneously) "crisis management operations", comparable to the british army "non-enduring operations".
To make this possible, the armed forces will be able to draw from a combined force of 6000 to 7000 army soldiers and SF operators with armored vehicles up to the mysterious "medium tank" and helicopter support. The Navy will be able to provide a frigate, and/or an LHD task group, eventually with the presence of an SSN "depending on the circumstances".
The air force would provide "a dozen fighters spread on the different theatres", and the wider forces of Air force and Navy could provide long range strikes with cruise missiles (SCALP and SCALP Navale).   

Like the british armed forces, the French are also keeping their options open for the delivery, with suitable warning (6 months notice, according to the Paper) of a non enduring "divisional effort", while retaining "some of the responsibilities already assumed in other open fronts".
This "best effort", to say it with the words that the british SDSR used, would mean deploying a Division HQ (if needed) to lead the force (which would be multinational, it is specified). The combat power would come from two brigades, representing a force of roughly 15.000 men.
These would get the support of up to 45 fighter jets (provided by Navy and Air Force together) and of a naval task group comprising the aircraft carrier, escorts, two LHDs, one SSN and support including maritime patrol aircraft. The White Paper document goes as far to suggest that it will only be possible to sustain such a level of naval support only if the british collaborate and bring to the party their own assets, as decided with the Lancaster House Agreement.
Following such "best effort", the french armed forces would be able to provide a smaller force to participate in post-war stabilisation operations.

There is also a capacity to provide up to 10.000 men in support of internal security.


Regarding the nuclear deterrence, the White Paper confirms an arsenal of "less than 300 nuclear warheads". The ASMPA air-launched cruise missile will receive a mid-life upgrade and the submarine-based ballistic deterrent will be fully supported, with work continuing on the M51 missile, which will replace the older M45 on the first three SSBNs (the fourth already had the M51 at its entry in service).  


Finally, there are relevant Satellite plans ahead.
The MUSIS Earth Observation constellation is confirmed, with France planning to put into orbit two optical satellites.
The CERES programme is also confirmed: it will deliver a space-based ELINT capability. 
There is also a New Generation COMSAT programme that will have to deliver, from 2020, a successor satellite communications system to replace the current SYRACUSE. UK-France collaboration on this requirement is a possibility, as the UK will need to think about the future of SKYNET roughly in the same period.


I'm sure we will talking again about this document and its consequences in the coming months. There are some really important developments, and some promising, much awaited news.
It is, however, rather worrisome to see that, after the UK, France is following in significantly reducing its arsenal and military capability.
Surprisingly, France is reducing its conventional force even more than the UK (in certain areas): the difference is not so much in the 200 main battle tanks against 227, obviously, but in the maximum effort that France is capable to make: 2 brigades and 15.000 men, against 3 brigades and 30.000 men.

The numbers, which are the most relevant for Europe, are starting to get truly worrisome. Capability is reducing dramatically. The numbers are truly low.

Observing the french effort, i will just add, once more, two considerations that i've made many times already:

The Royal Navy is damaged by the total absence of a "second line" of warships. The direct comparison between RN and Marine Nationale makes it very evident: while the RN leads, by quality and quantity, in terms of SSNs and high-end escorts (assuming that all 13 planned Type 26 are effectively put into service), the RN, while having just as many far and dispersed standing tasks all over the world as the french navy, totally lacks a second-tier flottilla of light frigates and large patrol ships.
The french have 21 such vessels, of various classes. The RN desperately needs to find a solution to this problem: it needs its own flottilla of "standing task" ships.

The second point i want to rise, once more, is that the UK is, in my opinion, not doing enough to exploit Space. Access to US satellites is fantastic, but are we really sure that the lack of a national capability for earth observation and space-based intelligence is a good thing?

I think it is not.

The many Talismans of NATO

Talisman is the name of the British Army's own solution to the IED problem. It is a "system of systems" used for route clearance, to detect and destroy IEDs and mines and explosive traps and clear the way for the following vehicles.
Of course, Talisman is heavily influenced by the US Armed Forces' own reactions to the IED nightmare.
Now, while Talisman continues to work in Afghanistan without knowing its long term future (sudden death in 2015 when UOR funding from the Treasury dries up, or long life into the Core Defence Budget?), i want to take a look at the many talismans of NATO and allied forces, from the US to Italy, from France to Australia.

 

United States

The vehicles used by the US route clearance packages have been adopted, in a way or another, by most of the allies involved in Afghanistan. Much of the doctrine for the job is the same, as well, so i suggest reading this extremely interesting handbook, a true "Guide to route clearance in Afghanistan".

A typical RCP has a couple of Husky vehicles for the detection of mines and IEDs, particularly those buried in the road. The Husky is meant to tow mine-detonating trailers, but this is not normally done.

When a possible IED is detected, the Buffalo is sent to investigate with its mechanical manipulator arm. The Buffalo is huge and heavily protected, so it is the perfect vehicle for the job. Most of the time, the eventual explosion of the IED will leave the personnel inside unscathed. 

The Husky system is meant to carry trailers capable to trigger pressure plates and AT mines to clear paths through minefields, but in Afghanistan it is normally used without trailers, only for detection.

The Husky has been very successful on the field, it is popular, it has gained many export orders, and has been acquired in very consistent numbers by the US, with plans to keep it around long into the future as well, and contracts worth hundreds of million of dollars already placed in this sense. But the Husky is also a stressful vehicle to drive: the single man driving it has to look around for threats, drive, and look at the sensors and screen displaying the data. The workload is noticeable, so a two-seat variant has been developed from the Husky III. The new two-seat crew cell is installed on the same vehicle hull and mechanics, but offers the possibily to share the workload, and it introduces the possibility of arming the vehicle for self-defence, with a CROWS remote weapon station. It is a significant improvement.

Husky two-seat with CROWS and ground-penetrating radar with metal detector included.

Escort is provided by RG-31 vehicles, or other MRAPs of the fortunate Cougar series, either the 6x6 (Mastiff for the UK) or the 4x4 (Ridgback for the UK). The US engineer's main vehicle is however the RG-31, which is extensively used for command and control and force protection in the Route Clearance convoys.

At least a M984 heavy expanded mobility tactical truck (HEMTT) wrecker for recovery will also typically be present. It can tow and lift all vehicles (the Buffalo should not be lifted other than in extreme cases, as its weight is actually excessive).

The M916 6x6 tractor, pulling a 40-ton M870 trailer, is used for the transport of additional equipment and the recovery of damaged vehicles.

A variety of add-on systems help the convoy carrying out its route-clearing task: one common addition is the Self-Protection Adaptive Roller Kit (SPARK) which is used to detonate IEDs and mines ahead of the vehicle. In 80% of the cases, repair of a damaged SPARK is done within hours, so it is a very effective and simple way to deal with pressure-triggered devices. The configuration of the roller can be modified to adapt to the vehicle to which it will be attached: normally in a RCP you will find it on RG-31 vehicles, but it can be fitted even to the front of M1114 and M1115 "heavy" HMMWV.    

A UK Buffalo, with RPG armor cage.

The more recent SPARK System II offers the possibility to change distance from the vehicle to the roller, without leaving the cab. The crew can also, in any moment, detach SPARKS II from the vehicle without leaving the protection of the cab, allowing the crew to carry on with their vehicle and get to safety or continue the mission if the roller gets damaged and becomes a hindrance. 

This british Mastiff Protected Eyes is employing a SPARK roller kit. Note the ROTAS mast-mounted sight

Mast-mounted sensors and gyro-stabilized day/night cameras are another very common and very useful addition normally found on RG-31 vehicles within the patrol. It provides full-motion video and on-the-move detection capability, and long-range overwatch when stationary.

Normally, on unpaved roads the Husky vehicles are always opening the way, followed by a RG-31 with SPARK roller, and then by the rest of the convoy, which has of course to dispose in the formation most adequate to the situation, with the recovery trucks normally somewhere in the middle, where they can be protected.

On paved roads, the Husky vehicles often move in second place, behind the roller, because their false-alarm rate skyrocket because of underground infrastructure, trash, debris and other deceiving factors.

United Kingdom

The Mastiff resembles the american solution both in concept and in composition. When it was first procured, at an initial cost of 97 million pounds, it included Mastiff 2 in EOD configuration (some 23), 14 Buffalo vehicles, SPARK mine rollers, 6 T-Hawk mini drone systems and Talon UGVs, plus High Mobility Engineer Excavators.

The Talisman has been expanded with the addition of a few other components over time, turning it in a very effective solution. It is believed that 6 complete Talisman teams are on operation in Afghanistan at any one time, with possibly the equivalent of a seventh used for training on Salisbury Plain, but of course there's a veil of secrecy over the matter, and details aren't disclosed.

A Talisman system is currently (probably) counting on average 2 Buffalo vehicles, around 4 Mastiff "Protected Eyes", some or all with SPARK rollers, 2 "Project PANAMA" Unmanned Ground Vehicles, 2 Talon UGVs, 2 HMEE and 2 T-Hawk drones, and at least one Mini MineWolf drone.

Numbers are roughly compatible with this interpretation, but it is likely that the composition of a Talisman patrol is far from set in stone, and changes depending on the mission and on the availability of vehicles. Escort is said to preferably provided via Viking and now via Warthog, as these all-terrain vehicles can gain the high ground around the route to clear, avoiding mines and IEDs thanks to their mobility.  

A British HMEE as used in the Talisman convoys.

Project PANAMA has been around for some time, but only last year it was confirmed that it is a conversion of a number (at least a dozen) of Snatch Land Rovers into remotely operated vehicles. It is not clear which sensors PANAMA carries, but it is believed that the suite is likely to comprehend a ground-penetrating radar and/or metal detectors. Already in 2009 a few photos were leaked of a remotely-operated Snatch fitted with what seems to be some kind of radar or metal detector.

If fitted with a good radar and metal detector, PANAMA is undoubtedly a blessing: the initial Talisman came with a serious weakness at the "find" voice, and many have wondered why the Husky vehicle and its radar was not procured. 

Snatch Land Rovers turned into robots: Project PANAMA in action. Is that a ground-penetrating radar on the front?

The Mini MineWolf MW240 is another recent addition. Weighting some 6 tons, the drone is a miniaturized, remotely operated variant of the MineWolf mine clearing vehicle, that uses tiller or, more commonly, flails in order to detonate mines and IEDs. A few photos and a video (in German and relative to the German army, however) show the MW240s in action, fitted with EO turrets and mechanical arms that enable to drone to deploy its flails even into ditches and canals, to clean them from explosive traps. It makes for a safe and quick disposal method, that keeps EOD personnel safe.   

Mini MineWolf MW240: the introduction of the mechanical arm has opened up new possibilities for this drone, even if normally you will see it fitted with flails to cause the explosion of hidden IEDs.

The Mastiff Protected Eyes sports a mast-mounted Remote Optical Target Acquisition System (ROTAS) that incorporates the Thales Catherine Mega Pixel thermal camera, high zoom colour TV camera and the Celt laser. This allows for accurate lased ranges to targets combining with the GNAV sat Nav system for precise target and own vehicle grid referencing.

They are also fitted with the Kongsberg Protector Remote Weapon Station (RWS), armed normally with a .50 machine gun.

The Mastiff serves as a Command and Control platform for the Talisman convoys, and carries the Talon and T-Hawk drones. It is also seen pushing the SPARK roller.

The T-Hawk is a VTOL mini-drone with some 45 minutes of endurance. It was initially operated by Royal Engineer personnel, but was then assigned to the Royal Artillery when the latter became the Army's sole authority for UAVs. it is good to provide overwatch and to scout ahead, and its air downwash is known to be exploited to blast the dust away from suspected IEDs on the road. 

T-Hawk drone

The Talon UGV, from Qinetiq, is then used to investigate and manipulate the IEDs.

The UK has deployed to Afghanistan 3 Trojan vehicles as well, along with a CHARRV "Rhino" recovery vehicle. The Trojan has been used to great effect to clear the way for maneuver during several operations. The Pythoon rocket system for mine clearance was employed. 

Trojan and Pythoon: how it works

 

Talisman is operated, during each Herrick tour, by a Royal Engineer Squadron, deployed in addition to the 3 Squadrons of the roulement engineer regiment.

As it is an UOR purchased specifically for Afghanistan, its long  term future is still in doubt. Obviously, my opinion is that such a precious capability, and the skill accumulated with years of sacrifice in treasure and blood, should not be wasted. IEDs are here to stay, so the solution must be here to stay as well: the hope is that at least one squadron in one of the General Support Engineer Regiments will continue to use Talisman, brought into the core budget.

This hope is supported by this significant passage of the SDSR:

Capabilities will include:

•                    a range of capabilities to counter explosive ordnance and IEDs;

Of course, the credibility of the SDSR is not very high after all what's happened, and the above passage anyway leaves huge margin for maneuver (and for cutting Talisman off), but one can hope.

Canada

In the last three years spent in Afghanistan under Operation Athena, the canadian soldiers were assisted by the Expedient Route Opening Capability (EROC) system.

The EROC uses american-built Husky (6) and Buffalo (5) vehicles for detection and manipulation, and includes Cougar 6x6 vehicles (5) for the transport of the EOD teams and their equipment. These were organized in two packages.

The cost, with 2 years of support and training services, was 26 million dollars.

The thick of the Canadian Army's force in Afghanistan was retired during 2011, with their infantry battlegroup being removed and all combat roles terminated by July.

Some 950 Canadians remain in Afghanistan, but they are formally out of ISAF and only work as part of the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, preparing the local forces.  

The EROC has not gone wasted, as Australia leased it immediately after the Canadians ceased needing it.

Australia

The Australian army's "Talisman" is called NINGAUI and has been announced in December 2011. Four systems are being procured for the army's engineers for some 70 million dollars, with each system comprising:

• Two HUSKY Mark 3 protected route clearance vehicles with ground penetrating radars (GPR) to detect explosive hazards;

• One HUSKY Mark 3 protected route clearance vehicle with interrogator arm to confirm that an explosive hazard has been found from a safer distance;

• Two protected High Mobility Engineer Excavators (HMEEs) to repair damaged routes and create bypass routes;

• Two Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles fitted with SPARK mine rollers to provide a greater level of protection against explosive hazards.

NINGAUI won't be available before later this year, so in the interim Australia has leased two systems Expedient Route Opening Capability (EROC) from Canada.

France

The French Army put together two Route Clerance Packages for use in Afghanistan, one based in Kabisa and one in Surobi.

Each system is equipped with two american-built Buffalo vehicles, ordered in 2008 in number of 5 for 3.5 million dollars; 2 SOUVIM 2 vehicles and a number of heavily protected Aravis 4x4 armored vehicles from Nexter carrying EOD teams and equipment. 

Souvim 2 vehicle with trailer.

The SOUVIM 2 is a mine-clearance system capable to detonate a wide variety of mines and IEDs, both pressure and IR triggered. The system is composed by two one-man vehicles, highly protected and riding on huge, low-pressure tires capable to move over pressure mines without triggering them. The first vehicle, (VDM) is fitted with the stand-off decoy support frame, with wire-cutters and infrared and magnetic active decoys. The vehicle pulls a trailer (RDM-1) which can detonate pressure mines and mark the cleared path.

The second vehicle (VTR), tows the trailers RDM-2 and 3, which complete the pressure-mine triggering and expand the width of the cleared lane up to 3.9 meters.

The SOUVIM is intended to clear as many as 150 km of roads per day.    

Germany

Germany has been developing a national solution to the Route Clearance problem, using Fuchs and Wiesel vehicles. The German Route Clearance Package, which is the most "unmanned" solution currently available/in development.

A German RC Package comprises 5 vehicles: the first is a modified Wiesel light tank, turned into a remotely operated drone, and fitted with a large Ground Penetrating Radar with integral metal detector mounted on a mechanical arm in the back. The Wiesel deploys the radar backwards, and indeed, when in operation, the Wiesel-radar is driven in reverse, and slowly (6 km per hour). So configured, the Wiesel is known as RCDV (Remote Controlled Detection Vehicle). 

The Wiesel RCDV in action: moving in reverse and with the radar/metal detector in hunting position.

When not in use, the Wiesel radar drone is carried on the back of an 8x8 Multi FSA truck. This is a MAN SX45 chassis with DROPS equipment ("Multi" is a german acronym for Mechanisierte Umschlag -, Lagerung -, Trasport-integration”). "FSA" stands for "Fahrzeugschutzausstattung" and refers to the built-in integrated armor and protection features. Differently from normal military trucks, this particular variant is not fitted with modular armor packages for deployment, but is built with integrated protection purposefully designed. The truck can independently load and unload containers (including one armored and fitted for the carriage of 18 soldiers) or flatbeds loaded with light vehicles. Payload is 15 tons.    

The second vehicle is a heavily modified Fuchs 6x6 armoured vehicles, turned into a remotely operated platform, the Fuchs 1A8 KAI. This vehicle, still in development, is to be fitted with a massive mechanical manipulating arm with a reach of over 12 meters. the Fuchs 1A8 KAI reconnaissance and identification vehicle, equipped with a manipulator arm developed by Rheinmetall for bomb disposal. At the end of the manipulator arm is a dual ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic induction sensor. Manipulation of the stabilized arm is by a center tool control.

The KAI excavates objects through soil or paved roads with an air spade for visual inspection by camera and verification of whether they are mines, IEDs or false alarms. Mines and IEDs can then be neutralized, destroyed with an explosive disposal charge or by mechanical activation of the fuze.

The KAI is also equipped with a multitool consisting of a gripper, ripper teeth and fork. 

Loading the Mini MineWolf on the MAN Multi FSA truck.

The manipulator can be used for visual inspection of bridges, buildings and canals, and the far-reaching arm can also be used for recovering wounded personnel, if a rescue platform that carries two soldiers and is stabilized to prevent motion sickness is installed in place of the manipulator.

Industry is expecting an order for the KAI this year and is saying that the vehicle could also mount a high-power microwave and laser. In Germany, Rheinmetall has demonstrated a vehicle-mounted package comprising a 1 kW laser and an AMBUH TERMINATOR system.

The AMBUSH TERMINATOR, from Rheinmetall, was first presented in 2008. It is a vehicle-borne high power microwave (HPEM) Ultra-Wideband (continuous MHz to GHz coverage) system capable to activate, or disable electronic-controlled systems at a safe distance from the vehicle. The systems can be placed as add-on modules or embedded in the doors for concealed applications.

Laser and TERMINATOR were both shown installed on a TM170 4x4 armored vehicle, and we cannot exclude a future adoption of the system on the 1A8 KAI. 

This Fuchs is being used as demonstrator for the new mechanical arm destined to the KAI.

The mechanical arm is highly automated, and it will automatically maneuver to intervene in the spot that is indicated from the command and control vehicle.

The command and control vehicle is another Fuchs 1A8 6x6, which in the back carries a couple of operator consoles: one is for the control of the remotely operated vehicles and systems, while the other is for a mission analyst and is used to view and study all data coming in from the unmanned assets.

For the disposal of detected IEDs, the RCP has a Mini MineWolf drone. The German Army purchased seven Mini MineWolf systems and a range of attachments for a variety of route clearance tasks. They have procured flails, tillers, dozer shields and the combined gripperbucket tool for the remote controlled robotic arm, which was specifically designed to meet German Army requirements.

The Route Clearance Package started operations in Afghanistan late last year, while the development of the KAI is being completed in Germany. 

Italy

Italy is procuring its own Route Clearance solution itself, but it is a project aimed to the future more than to Afghanistan, as it won't be ready before 2014. In Afghanistan, the work will continue to be done by a package of 4 Buffalos and 6 Cougar 6x6 in EOD configuration, procured under UOR.

The solution to come by 2014 is far more complete and interesting. A full Route Clearance Package of the new type will number 5 vehicles, and all five will be VTMM 4x4, 18-tons protected vehicles.

The first VTMM is fitted with Calife 3 pushed decoy with wheels meant to activate pressure plates, wires and rollers, plus infrared, tripwire and tilt-rod activators. It is intended to lead the way and perform the initial route clearance, identifying and detonating any threat at safe distance (the arm's reach is about 3.5 meters). The frontal assembly weights some 750 kg and can be lifted to clear obstacles during vehicle movement. 

The VTMM 4x4 offers NATO STANAG Level 3 blast and ballistic protection. The Italian army is hoping to buy well over a thousand vehicles to cover a wide variety of support roles, from the towing of howitzers in theatre to Route Clearance.

A second VTMM is fitted with a powerful ground-penetrating radar, the Visor 2500 from UK's Chemring (the radar is made by the US company Niitek, which was acquired in 2008 by Chemring. The Visor 2500 radar is used on the famous Husky route-clearance system and on other vehicles). This radar can detect buried mines and IEDs and give to the operator inside the vehicle a 2 or 3D image of the ground, with software working to recognize the nature of objects detected and minimize false alarm rates.

The Visor 2500 radar is considered part of the Calife 3. The Calife 3 is being developed in collaboration with MBDA Italy, building on the experience accumulated with the french Souvim system. The Italian MOD has committed some 199 million dollars to the program, and aims to acquire 16 systems with an option for 10 more. The 16 systems are probably to be intended as 8 radars and 8 decoy modules.  

A third VTMM is fitted with a manipulating mechanical arm, with a reach of several meters, capable to dig to locate the IED and probably fitted with additional equipment to disrupt the bomb's systems.

A fourth VTMM will be fitted with sensors, probably mast-mounted, to provide overwatch and surveillance.

The Italian Army is also going to procure VTMM vehicles in EOD team configuration, to give protected mobility to the disposal teams and their drones. One vehicle in this configuration will complete each Route Clearance Package.

The plan is to procure 8 full RCPs, for a total of 40 vehicles and an option for a further 25. The expense is expected to be in the order of 157 million euro by 2014, including 22 million for 5 prototypes, 80 million for the 40 vehicles on order, 50 million for the option (if it is exercised) and some 5 millions in spares and support. Each of the 40 vehicles will be fitted with an HITROLE remote weapon station, already on order.

16 Calife 3 systems are enough to equip the 40 vehicles of the main order, making up the 8 RCPs currently planned. The option for 25 more vehicles and 10 more Calife 3 systems (5 radars and 5 decoys) would enable the Army to stand up a further 5 RC packages.

There is also a requirement for an active system capable to counter the threat of remotely detonated IEDs, and the solution, while not yet announced, is thought to have been found in the german AMBUSH TERMINATOR system.  

The VTMM is an interesting medium vehicle coming in 4x4 (18 tons) and 6x6 (25 tons) variants and developed jointly by Italy's Iveco (mainly responsible for the 4x4) and the German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. The Italian army is planning to buy well over 1000 of these vehicles to cover a huge variety of supporting roles. 12 in Ambulance variant have already been ordered, with another order for a further 50 expected soon. The total requirement could be as high as 1400 vehicles, but much will depend on the changes the Army undergoes with the recently announced loss of 2 maneuver brigades as part of budget cuts. 

Comment: the approaches to the IED problem have been similar, but the final solutions have ended up being considerably different under many aspects. Standardization within the Alliance is still often only a dream, and duplication is still way too frequent: the Souvim 2 and the Husky are conceptually very similar, while the Calife 3, while essentially putting together elements of the Husky and of the Souvim, has at least the merit of coming with an installation structure that makes it quite easy to install it on the front of pretty much any kind of suitably mine-protected MRAP. 

The UK's Talisman appears to be one of the most complete Route Clearance solutions available, at this point. Now the hope is that it is retained in the long term, so that the next campaign does not find us all as unprepared as we were in 2001.