The AS90 Turret Trainer has reached a milestone, successfully simulating the firing of its 100,000th round.
First deployed in 2005 to train UK Armed Forces personnel, this training system has reportedly saved the Ministry of Defence around £230 million since its introduction.
Managed and supported by DE&S (Defence Equipment & Support), the AS90 Turret Trainer specializes in the training of the commander, gunner, and loader of the self-propelled 155mm Howitzer gun.
The training apparatus is located at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire, where it allows military personnel to conduct firing drills and turret operations without the financial burden of live firing.
“The AS90 turret trainer continues to provide significant benefit through immersive training that can be tailored to the training needs of the individual, or detachment in a hugely cost-effective way,” said Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Talbot-King, Chief Instructor Close Support Wing at the Royal School of Artillery. He further commented, “The firing of the 100,000th round is a significant milestone that underpins the value of the turret trainer in preparing Royal Artillery personnel to live fire both on exercise and on operations.”
The AS90 Turret Trainer uses an electro-mechanical system to fully emulate a complete firing cycle. It mimics the weight and size of artillery rounds as well as the noise and turret movements on firing.
Since its inception, the trainer has been used by thousands of UK soldiers in preparation for live-fire exercises. Recently, the technology has been extended to train Ukrainian soldiers, equipping them with the necessary skills to operate AS90 guns gifted by the UK.
I must confess, I am surprised that it took till 2005 to get a simulator for the AS90. The Royal Armoured Corp had the PGTS come into service in 1998 for CR 1 & 2.
See Q8 in the attached
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmdfence/241/9021009.htm
You’re surprised that we got one so soon? 😉
At an average of 22 rounds a every working day, since first deployment, this doesn’t strike me as an asset that is being fully utilised. What am I missing?
It seems that there is only one such trainer in the entire British Army and that is for the benefit of AS90 Regts in the UK (but it may also be used in Phase 2 training of recruits?).
The article reads that the trainer was used solely before live firing camps – these are rare events. A gunner expert would know but I doubt a gunner unit would do more than one live firing camp per year.
Hopefully such a simulator for the purchase of the excellent Archer system will be forthcoming. And the extended range 155mm S Korean K9 SPG that the Army wants, but we don’t seem to have heard much about recently
I wonder if we will end up with more Archer or K9 SPG, or could be a mix of both platforms 🤔
And they never rebarrelled the AS90’s for newer ER ammunition. Seems like a wasted opportunity. Anyway that’s passed, onwards to better things for the RA and soon.
IMHO opinion this is just another example of what is wrong with U.K. Defence procurement and for the Army in particular.
We need to replace our aging AS90 SPG, why ? Because we didn’t keep them up to date with the AS90 Braveheart upgrade.
So now we are looking for an off the shelf solution and everyone is raving about the Korean K9 , why ? Because it is available and Poland is buying 600 and several other NATO countries have as well.
The main reason Poland is buying the K9 is because they can’t build enough of their own Krab SPG’s fast enough. They have donated 72 to Ukraine, have ordered 48 more and the Ukrainians have ordered 54 new ones.
The latest Krab is a Korean K9 chassis with a Polish licence built version of the AS90m Braveheart Turret fitted. The reason they picked it was because when they carried out trials against the K9 and Pzh2000 it was a better and more robust system.
So why are we not just doing what we are doing with the CR2/CR3 rebuild our existing AS90 turrets (or build new ones, which can be done) and fit them on a K9 chassis but stick a RR MTU engine in it so the spares are reasonably local.
There are U.K companies that can still produce and machine castings etc.
That way you have continuity for training purposes and commonality with what is going to be the largest land Army in Europe.
It’s a very good system.
“There are over 1,700 units already in service with seven NATO and allied nations, including Turkey, Poland, Norway, and Estonia. More recently, Australia and Egypt have joined the K9 user community, bringing the number of countries to nine, while Poland has signed a framework agreement to procure over 600 more of K9s.
The 155mm/52-calibre K9 Thunder is a proven tracked platform, allowing genuine, sustained 360-degree firing solutions, delivering consistent, accurate, rapid effects at +40km range with high rates and volumes of fire, including multiple round simultaneous impact (MRSI). The Thunder carries 48 rounds, far more rounds than many of its rivals, facilitating a significantly enhanced
number of missions.
Being proposed for the Royal Artillery, K9A2 will be a real game changer. The British variant of the K9A2 will be equipped with the Composite Rubber Track, which will enable more rapid ‘in to’ and ‘out of’ action, coupled with higher levels of tactical mobility and automation. The U.K. variant will be capable of firing up to 10 rounds per minute, with just three crew members.”
As part of its commitment to a long-term partnership with the U.K., Hanwha Defense created Team Thunder, a partnership of U.K. defense companies with whom it already has strong relationships. The team includes Lockheed Martin UK, Leonardo UK, Pearson Engineering, Horstman Defence Systems in UK; and Soucy Defense from Canada.
Hanwha Defense has committed to transfer at least 50% of the manufacture of the British K9A2 to the U.K. under its Team Thunder alliance.
LINK
Hanwha Unveils Advanced UK Version of K9A2 SPH Equipped with New Generation Composite Rubber Track
VIDEO
All we need now is a nice little UK purchase of the Hanwha Redback IFV to complement this… Lol 😁 just stirring..
Indeed 😂
Blimey I wondered who ate all the brochures.🤔
They certainly know how to build excellent products in a timely manner that’s for sure 😉
KF-21 successfully fired the AIM-2000 IRIS-T missile for the first time and now testing Meteor.
LINK
Does this deal just need a ✅ from Mr Shapps?
And retire the 30 Typhoons and gift them to Ukraine!
Plenty of hard points and with RR next-gen engines plus Radar 2 it would make quite a package as a replacement. Not forgetting workshare of course!
We could include them in the Tempest Programme along with Australia.
Australia Starts Looking Beyond The F-35 For Next-Gen Fighter Needs
“Australia has started looking for options beyond the Lockheed Martin F-35A for its future fighter fleet, as interest in the next generation of air combat technology increasingly encroaches on funding available for existing aircraft.”
LINK
Impressive piece of kit?