APC - PRESENT TRENDS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION

The fundamental problem of managing military research and development is that uncertainty about the enemy and the costs and benefits on new technologies make it impossible to identify the single best route to innovation.

Stephen P Rosen

1. Stephen Rosen’s statement identifies one of the most challenging problems facing political and military leaders today. In an era of uncertainty, which includes a diversity of potential threats and military operations, what is the “best route” in the area of military innovation to translate limited research and development resources into capabilities to deal with current or potential threats and its allies? By the time World War I ended military theorists around the world had learned from several rude surprises. First of all, horse-drawn and foot transport really wasn't good enough in the modern world. They didn't exactly get rid of the horse but horses were extremely vulnerable to fire, and the mud characteristic of trench warfare slowed them down a bit. Men were better in mud, but not much, and could not march quickly enough. The imperatives of battle were such that soldiers had to be able to move in almost all conditions, and if breakthroughs were to be exploited, they had to move fast.

2. The realities of trench warfare came as a rude shock to officers in World War I. Machine guns, barbed wire and trenches gave overwhelming superiority to the defense. The simple fact was men could not take a defended position without enduring hideous casualties, despite incredible artillery preparations from thousands of guns. In fact the

artillery barrages proved part of the problem, they tore up the earth all around the battlefield, making it all but impossible to cross.
3. The ultimate solution reached was the tank. The track laying system could get them across very rough and soft terrain, and armor protected them from most weapons. However tanks have their limitations. You can't see out of one very well without sticking your head out to be shot at, something most tankers don't do in heavy combat. A smart infantryman can easily sneak up on one, and if equipped with the right anti-tank weapon can easily put it out of action. So the most effective way to use tanks is with infantry, who can see quite well but aren't terribly resistant to artillery and gunfire. Realizing the problems / limitations associated with tanks armored personnel carriers were invented. The armoured personnel carrier provides the infantry the capability of cross country mobility, fire power, a degree of shock action, armour protection, flexibility, endurance, communications, capacity which enable it to operate it to effectively in mobile operations in conjunction with armour.

4. This study encompasses on the analysis of the brief history of APC with an Overview on Various Development Stages of APC. The next part looks at current APCs with their present trends. It also provides an analysis on design and development trend for future APCs.

AIM

5. The aim of this study is to highlight the latest trends of APCs and enumerate the likely future developments.

BRIEF DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF APC WITH AN OVERVIEW OF
DEVELOPMENT STAGES

History

6. Second world war has experienced the inability of tanks to hold the ground. To overcome these problems motorized and lorry infantry was evolved. The role of motorized infantry was to offset tanks weaknesses to hold the ground. In early fifties APC was designed as a taxi for carrying infantry to keep pace with the tanks in order to enable the mounted infantry to fulfill its classic role. Here Germans are considered to be the pioneers in the field of making and evolving a concept for the use of APCs. In 1920, the Germans began secret experiments with new models of AFVs. In the second world war the Germans made extensive use of APCs in Panzer Divisions. The Czechoslovaks and Swedish were also developing APCs during the time.

7. The British first realized the requirement of safer transport in the battle field for their foot infantry and in 1917 developed the first armored personnel carrier the Mark IX, essentially a redesigned and lengthened version of the Mark V Male tank of the period. The idea was to protect the infantrymen from machine gun fire until they got across the battlefield, when they could dismount and serve as the eyes and ears for the tanks. It was realized that infantry would have to be mechanized in vehicles capable of crossing poor, undeveloped or no roads at all.

8. The next generation of armored personnel carriers were half-tracks. Vehicles like the German SdKfz 251 and the US M3 halftrack served as the prime movers near the front during World War II. The vehicles were lightly armored and usually equipped with a machine gun for air defense. Some were used to mount heavy mortars or to tow artillery to give the big guns the ability to keep up with the tanks.

9. At that time the military leaders began to realize that the best time to attack an enemy combat force was before it was deployed for combat. Cold War doctrine for the U.S. Army stressed attacking Warsaw Pact units well behind the lines, as they were easier to hurt, and it was discovered such hits could produce predictable times of weakness that could be exploited. This is the thinking that moved the APC to its current form.

An Overview on Development Stages of APC

10. During World War I, when the tank was developed, the British Mark V* tank was designed with a small passenger compartment to carry troops. By some definitions this can be considered the first armoured personnel carrier. The first specialized APC was the Mark IX of 1918. During World War II, half-tracks such as the American M3 and the German SdKfz 251 played a role similar to the armoured personnel carriers that were developed later on. Another forerunner to the APC during this time was the British Universal Carrier also known as the Bren Carrier for the weapon it was designed to carry. Often, APCs were simply armoured cars with the capacity for carrying troops, but they evolved into purpose-built vehicles to suit the demands of motorized warfare from World War II.

11. In 1944, the commander of 2nd Canadian Corps, General Guy Simonds, ordered the conversion of 72 US-produced M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers to personnel carriers. They were, at the time, being replaced by the British Ordnance QF 25 pounder, and no future plans had been drawn up for them. The howitzer was removed, and the resulting hole was plugged with whatever steel was available. The vehicle was called Kangaroo, after the workshop which did the conversion, which was codenamed Kangaroo. Later in the war Canadian-built Ram tanks were used as a basis for the majority of conversions, as they were replaced by US Sherman tanks, and the original Kangaroos were converted back to self-propelled howitzers and returned to American forces.

12. After the war different specialized APCs were developed. The United States developed a series of tracked vehicles, culminating in the M113 "box on tracks", of which 80,000 were made. The Soviet Union developed the wartime BTR-40 into a series of 8-wheeled APC. At the end of the 1980s, Israel converted captured T-55 tanks to APCs, reminiscent of WWII conversions. The result is one of the best protected APCs in the world, called IDF Achzarit. Present infantry fighting vehicle is a development of the armoured personnel carrier concept, which carries enough firepower to breach many prepared positions beside the basic protection role.

PRESENT TRENDS OF APC
Technology

13. Most of the present APCs are not armored to resist direct hits from heavy weapons, the weight of armor required would render them too heavy and immobile. Rather APCs are designed to survive near misses and keep going, and keep their passengers safe from snipers until deployed. Most armoured personnel carriers use a diesel engine comparable to that used in a large truck or in a typical city bus. The M113 for instance used the same engine as the standard General Motors urban bus. Present APCs can be of tracked or wheeled. Wheeled IFVs can travel great distances on their own without needing to be transported by flat-bed trucks and railway like tracked IFVs. However, tracks cannot be punctured like a tyre, they offer greater off-road mobility and greater maneuverability than wheels. Some of the modern APCs can attain speeds up to 65 mph on metalled roads and has a maximum range of 315 miles. Many APCs are amphibious to get across the many waterways found in the field, but most are poor swimmers requiring ideal conditions to cross and good entry and exit points. Speed in water is typically 3-6 km/h.

14. Armour on APCs are usually composed of simple steel or aluminium, sufficient for protection against small arms fire and most shell fragments. Just about any type of anti-tank weapon can defeat the armour of an APC. The usual armament for an APC is a 12.7 (.50") or 14.5 mm heavy machine gun. This is mounted on top of the vehicle, either on a simple pintle mount, sometimes with a gun shield, or a small turret. Sometimes an automatic grenade launcher is used instead. But as per the present trends goes, military leaders around the glove started preferring IFV instead of innocent looking APC due to its overwhelming fighting capabilities. A brief list of APCs presently used by various armies is given at annex A to this paper.

Battle Filed Role of Present APC and Its Variants

15. From the beginning APCs have been adapted to many roles, and come in many specialized variants. In the beginning APCs were not designed to take part in a direct-fire battle, but to carry the troops to the battlefield safe from shrapnel and ambush. But the latest one of this series is Infantry fighting vehicles, which are designed for direct combat. Room in present APCs to spread out a map and to operate many radios made them prime candidates for command vehicles. Specialized mortar and anti-aircraft vehicles abound. Troops need to be re-supplied in combat and so they often serve as trucks where shooting is expected. There are electronic and fire control variants. With huge research and development in this field, today’s APCs can cross most terrain and protect their passengers against most threats. They can carry heavy stuff where needed and fill just about every role. And they're armored, and most soldiers believe you can't have too much armor around, so long as it's far enough away not to bring a bomb down on the nearby infantry. In times of asymmetrical warfare, local crises, and urban combat zones, the IFV is more important than ever. The IFV offers a viable compromise between mobility, protection, and firepower. They can be used in high and low intensity conflicts as well as peacekeeping operations. It can easily be assumed that the combination of mobility, flexibility and armor is more than enough to keep around the foreseeable future for the APCs.

Brief Description of Most Modern APC (Infantry Fighting vehicle)

16. General Description. Western powers were surprised when the Soviet Union paraded the first IFV, the BMP-1, in 1967. Since then, all major military powers have developed or adopted IFVs. IFVs are similar to armoured personnel carriers (APCs), designed to transport five to ten infantrymen and their equipment. They are differentiated from APCs ("battle taxis") by their enhanced armament (allowing them to give direct-fire support during an assault), firing ports (allowing the infantry to fire personal weapons while mounted), and usually improved armour. They are typically armed with an autocannon of 20 to 40mm caliber, 7.62mm machine guns and possibly with ATGMs and/or surface-to-air missiles. IFVs are usually tracked, but some wheeled vehicles fall into this category, too. IFVs are generally much less heavily-armed and -armoured than main battle tanks (MBTs), but they sometimes carry missiles, such as the NATO TOW missile and Soviet Spigot which offer a significant threat to tanks. To cope with urban combat and mine warfare, including the use of large improvised explosive devices, there have been a number of heavy IFVs (HIFV) with the high protection level.

17. Armour and Protective Measures. Generally, IFVs have thinner and less complex armour than tanks to ensure mobility and the thickness of armour varies widely between models. Some vehicles are proof against nothing larger than 12.7mm projectiles while others, such as Sweden's CV90, can withstand frontal hits from 30mm autocannon. Most IFVs are proof against heavy machine guns, artillery fragments, and small arms. The most common counter measures are smoke grenade dischargers. These help IFVs to avoid hits from ATGMs by allowing the IFV to hide behind a smoke screen.
18. The Armaments.

a. Main Armaments. The primary weapon on most IFVs is an auto cannon, usually of a caliber between 20 and 40mm. It is effective against a wide range of targets such as unarmoured and lightly armoured vehicles, infantry, helicopters and low-flying aircraft. IFV cannons can elevate their barrels by as much as 70 degrees to permit their crews to engage aircraft.

b. Machine Gun. On all IFVs, a coaxial machine gun is mounted on the turret along with the main armament. The most common caliber is 7.62mm. Some vehicles mount more machine guns, for example on the German Marder, one machine gun fires from the rear of the vehicle.

c. Missiles. Some IFVs are equipped with anti-tank guided missiles. These missiles are mostly medium range (2000-4000 m). Others carry surface-to-air missiles or a combination of the two, such as the 2T Stalker.

d. Grenade Launchers. Some new vehicles, such as the Puma, come equipped with 30 or 40 mm automatic grenade launchers. All IFVs also have smoke grenade dischargers for concealment.

FUTURE TRENDS OF APC

19. Development in technology directly influences the design and production of war machineries and on going development in the field of APC is no exception to that. Ever changing threat perception in betel filed forcing APC’s developers to keep adapting the latest technologies, so that they can perform their assigned role. Beside mobility, major developments are taking place in the field of protection, communication and firepower. Due to similarities in mechanism various relevant developments of tanks are also being adapted for APCs. In this digital edge development in technologies are very first and it can very well be assumed that the future APCs will not be exception to that. Some of the areas which are likely to focal points of future APC will be discussed in subsequent paragraphs.

Mobility

20. Though the present power-to-weight ratio of most APCs (212-320 HP/ton) proved sufficient, but auto mobiles engineers are not sitting idle. They are in the process of developing more compact and fuel efficient engines, which will provide greater power. This will make the future APCs lighter and will also provide room for carrying additional men and armaments. In regards to fuel, there may not be any change, as diesels are preferred due to its lower consumption.

21. The debate related to track or wheels may continue for some more time as wheels aren't an entire replacement for tracks as far as armoured vehicles go. But experts are working on it, and it is expected that in near future wheels nearing capabilities of tracks will be introduced with APCs for utilizing their inherent advantages. APCs may also be included with self-recovery abilities.

Protection

22. The survivability of APCs will probably be further improved by active protection systems, which will be automatically detecting threats and activate appropriate countermeasures. The basic hard steel armour likely to be augmented by applique panels of lightweight ceramic/composite armour which will provide integral all-round 14.5mm protection against machine gun rounds, mortar and artillery fragments. In addition to that APCs may be outfitted with a "cage" of slat armour, which will encircle the vehicle about 18in from the main body, as protection against rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

23. The future APC will also use Arena Active Protection System which will protect APCs from guided and unguided missiles with velocities from 70 to 700 meters per second. Israeli APC will soon employ the "Iron Fist" APS which can defeat kinetic APFSDS tank rounds. Some APC, such as the French VBCI, will employ infra-red jamming flare dispensers. These are effective against missiles with IR guidance systems. As a whole, it is expected that most of the APC will use reactive armour for better protection.
Fire Control System and Armaments

24. Future APC may be fitted with Raytheon Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3). The system includes a second-generation Horizontal Technology Initiative (HTI) thermal imager, day TV and eye safe laser rangefinder. The US Army likely to enhance the system by lengthening the sensor mast to 10m, increasing the range to 10km. Future developments in this fields are likely to include the addition of radars, to ensure surveillance and target acquisition under all weather conditions. Other developments will include automatic target detection and recognition including automatic target tracking.

25. Future Mobile Gun System of APC will be consisting of the basic vehicle with a General Dynamics Land Systems fully stabilized shoot-on-the-move Low Profile Turret. Curtiss-Wright Corp's Vista Control will supply the fully automated ammunition loading and replenishing system. The Mobile Gun System will use the same C4ISR communications and driver's vision equipment. The MGS will also have detectors for nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

26. The ICV will have Remote Weapon Station with a universal soft mount cradle, which can be used for multipurpose gun. Guns of APCs will have the capability to fire several types of munitions, including high explosive, incendiary, and kinetic penetrator rounds. Germany's Puma (IFV) can fire air burst munitions (ABM), which contain hundreds of tungsten rods that are effective against vehicles, helicopters, and stationary strong points.

Battle Field Management System

27. Some of the advance battle field management system, such as FBCB2, IFIS etc are already introduced by the advanced countries in their latest APC. This will allow communication between vehicles through text messaging and a map network, as well as with the battalion. The advance GPS system will show the position of all vehicles on the battlefield and the commander can mark the position of enemy forces on the map which can then shared with other commanders. All this generally increases commander’s tactical awareness enabling them to react quickly.

Variants

28. Future variants of APCs may be of good number, though main variants may be of Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) and the Mobile Gun System (MGS). The variants of ICV may include Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBC RV); Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM); Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV); Mortar Carrier (MC); Engineer Squad Vehicle (ESV); Command Vehicle (CV); Fire Support Vehicle (FSV); and the Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV) etc.

CONCLUSION

29. Development in APCs have been remarkable during the past century. With the advancement in technology role of APC are also getting changed form “battle field taxi car” to able equipped fighting machine for the infantry. At present there is no better option then APC, which provides infantry commander speed, fire power, protection, flexibility and also the guards to take calculative risk in the battle field. Present APCs are capable of moving at a high speed, even off road either of tracked or wheeled one. Some of these APC have the amphibious capabilities to facilitate the movement further. Due to its versatile fire control and armament system, it can be advantageous for any commander to have APC in both defensive and offensive operations. Present APCs are not only useful for the battle field but also very much effective in different peacekeeping operations (mostly organized by UN), as well as combating internal security threats, such as riot control, evacuation of important personalities etc.

30. Visualizing the importance of APC in future battle field, research and development wings of 1st world countries are constantly working for its advancement. As such many advance technologies related to mobility, protection, fire control and battle field management are already incorporated with some of latest APCs and many are in the pipe line as well. However, recent operations (specially in Iraq and Afghan War) have revealed some limitations of advance APCs, specially protection against mine and road side bomb blasts. Experts are working on those and it is expected that these limitations will also be overcome soon. Moreover incorporation of digital technologies in APC production increasing the opportunity for utilizing future APCs for efficient battle field management.

31. The analysis of the current strategic environment, political guidance and military operational doctrine revealed their complex interaction and influence on armament research and development and the critical need for APCs capabilities against fixed or mobile enemy. The strategic environment today and over the next two decades will create challenges for the armament research and development strategy. Future military operations will cover the full spectrum of war. It will have the ability to provide the freedom to attack and freedom from attack will be challenged by advanced technology ground systems that will be transportable, re-locatable, mobile and very agile. Recent military operations are evidence of the importance and the steadily improving effectiveness of APC to achieve national, political and military objectives

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Book 1. Military Science Course Precise on Surface and Air Mobility, EME Center and School.
2. Modern Armoured Fighting Vehicles published by Anness Publishing, UK on January 2008.

News

3. Industry News on Stryker 8-Wheel Drive Armoured Combat Vehicles, USA from Army Technology.com in January 2008.

Internet

5. Beyond Iraq Strategies – A new warfare to fight the permanent war of Totalitarianism, July 30, 2004.

6. A topic on Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) Available from http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/about/weapon/Groung/nagmashim/default.htm

7. Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) Available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoured_personnel_carrier.

Reports
8. Birkler, John, et al. A Framework for Ground Operation in Post-Cold War Military Strategy. RAND Report. Santa Monica, Ca.: RAND, 1996.

9. Department of Defense. Report to Congress, Kosovo/Operation Allied Force After-Action Report. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 10 Oct 1999.

10. Armament Product Group Manager. 2000 Weapons File. Ground Armament Center, Eglin Air Force Base, 2000.

----------------------- [pic] An M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

[pic]
A Puma IFV of the German Army

[pic]
BMM Kätzchen,
World’s first dedicated APC, 1945
Type : Armored Personnel Carrier
Length : 4.22m (13.9 ft)
Width : 2.34m (7.7 ft)
Height : 1.45m (4.8 ft)
Engine : Maybach HL50
Armament : 1 / 2 7.92mm MG42 MG