Denel's LEO project comes full circle
December 14, 2005
South Africa's Denel group is a step closer to selling its 105mm artillery technology to the US and Canada.
This is after the company's Light Experimental Ordnance (LEO) performed well during a demonstration at the US Army Field Artillery Centre at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, last month, the company said on Wednesday.
The LEO is mounted in a proprietary Denel turret fitted to a Stryker (LAV III) hull built by Denel's US partner, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS).
Most senior US artillery decision makers, including the centre's new commandant, Major General Dave C Ralston, attended the demonstration on November 15 and 16.
"This programme started with a teaming agreement in July 2003
with GDLS to customise the Denel Land Systems LEO 105mm artillery ballistic system for various requirements in the USA and Canadian armies, the US Marine Corps and other potential customers," explained Denel Land Systems executive manager Bastiaan Verhoek.
"With this demonstration Denel and GDLS proved the success of the prototype self propelled 105mm artillery system and Denel's pre-formed fragmentation ammunition."
One major challenge facing the joint Denel-GDLS team in the run-up to the demonstration was integrating the system with the US Army's Inertial Navigation Unit and Towed Artillery Digitised Fire Control System.
Denel's newly developed unimodular artillery charge system for 105mm guns proved equally successful during the Fort Sill demonstration - as did the company's pre-formed fragmentation projectile that was subjected to a comparative test with natural fragmentation ammunition.
Although non-US military personnel were not allowed to be present at this arena test, the results were most impressive, according to unofficial information, Denel said.
"It would seem that Denel's pre-formed fragmentation ammunition showed its terminal effect to be two and a half times that of the natural fragmentation ammunition."
According to Verhoek, this project resulted from the US Army's stated requirement for an indirect fire support capability for its Interim Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, for which the US House of Representatives passed a bill during May 2003.
Denel Land Systems built a turret around its 105mm LEO system, which was integrated on the Stryker in Canada during February 2004.
The system was then formally launched at the AUSA Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March 2004 and subsequently tested at a facility on the Eglin Air Force Base, USA.
After a demonstration at the US Army Field Artillery Centre at Fort Sill in April 2004, the system was exhibited at several exhibitions and conferences in the US and Canada.
"Since embarking on this project only some two year's ago, we have come full-circle in showing the superior artillery capability residing in Denel and its US partner," Verhoek said. "I'm proud of the Denel Land Systems team, supported by two South African Army officers, who contributed significantly to a demonstration that undoubtedly exceeded expectations." - Sapa
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