Publicerad: 2008-11-04 13:42
The Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) and its Norwegian equivalent FLO signed a cooperative agreement last week regarding development of the Archer system and acquisition of the sensor/weapon station Protector.
When Håkan Espmark from FMV and Asle Kjelsberg from FLO signed the agreement it was the first step in an intensified cooperation between Sweden and Norway in areas such as artillery. The time being it is a question of two contracts: an agreement on joint development of the Archer artillery system and an agreement to procure the Norwegian remote-controlled sensor and weapon platform Protector.
The development of Archer will be ongoing until 2010 and the first serial delivery is planned for the autumn of 2011.
Several agreements are in the pipeline: one on the procurement and one on the maintenance of Archer, one in the field of artillery ammunition, and one regarding a joint control and management system for indirect fire.
“This is the beginning of the fulfilment of the MoU that was signed by the countries in May 2007,” says Håkan Espmark, head of Land Procurement at FMV.
“I am looking forward to intensive and fruitful cooperation within these two cooperative agreements and those that will come in 2009,” says Asle Kjelsberg, head of FLO Investment.
Development work is now proceeding until 2010. FMV and FLO will begin negotiations with the Supplier BAE Systems Bofors on the assignment to complete the development and delivery of the series of Archer artillery systems.
FMV started technology studies in the mid-1990s in order to find a replacement for Haubits 77B. Several foreign systems were tested in parallel, all of which were dropped on the basis of high costs or because they did not meet requirements. The system has been rigorously tested with the help of two demonstrators.
The Archer system is built from recycling of parts of the classic Haubits model 77B and Volvo’s waist-controlled dumper A 30D. This makes the project cost-efficient. Modification for splinter and mine protection have created a safe work environment for the three to four soldiers who do not have to leave the cabin when getting ready to fire from a transport position within 30 seconds.
The Norwegian sensor and weapon platform Protector gives the operator the possibility to tend to the close-range protection of the unit. There are also sensors and other equipment for reconnaissance, observation and homing. The sensor and weapon platform Protector, apart from Archer, will also be used on other vehicle platforms in the Swedish and Norwegian defence forces that need their own protection.
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Artillery, Sweden, Norway
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