Improving the Fightability of Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) at DSEi 2007

SELEX Sensors & Airborne Systems, LONDON: SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems UK (S&AS) and Oto Melara will be announcing their formal joint bid for the UK MoD Warrior Lethality Improvement Programme (WLIP) and demonstrating the HITFIST turret at this year’s DSEi Exhibition at the Finmeccanica Stand. 
 
The Partnership is formed around the extensive capabilities that currently exist within Oto Melara and SELEX S&AS, two Finmeccanica companies and is focussed on delivering a world class, UK manufactured solution to the British Army. 
 
The team, led by SELEX S&AS UK, includes ATK, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD OTS) and Systems Consultants Services Limited (SCS). Oto Melara is a world leader in armoured vehicles with more than 500 HITFIST turrets in service with 3 NATO member nations. Drawing on the strength of the partners involved the bid is focussed on offering a solution which requires only minor mechanical modifications to the existing HITFIST turret but which will provide major capability improvements to Warrior. 
 
The solution is flexible and with ATK’s Mk44 Bushmaster cannon, it can deliver a 30mm or 40mm (Super Forty) capability within the same Turret design, with the ability to convert between the two calibres. 
 
Andrew Folley, SELEX S&AS UK WLIP Campaign Director said: “The SELEX S&AS UK bid maximises performance against cost, offering the best cost/risk/benefit solution. The HITFIST turret provides a mature TRL9, low risk solution which will deliver significantly enhanced lethality and protection. It also has funded growth paths for improved lethality with Super Forty ammunition and for target acquisition capabilities.”  
 
SELEX S&AS is recognised as a world leader and major supplier to a wide customer base of battlefield electro-optical systems, communications and network systems and has a strong track record in providing state-of-the-art products such as weapon sights, day and night vision systems, remote weapon stations and unattended ground sensors. 
 
SELEX S&AS in the UK is a Finmeccanica company and benefits from the strength of one of the world’s largest aerospace, defence and security groups. It operates within a parent company called SELEX S&AS SpA which also incorporates Galileo Avionica, Italy’s top defence electronics supplier.