- Yes
- No
Warrior 2 / Warrior CSP
History
The Warrior CSP or what it was in some instances known as the Warrior 2 was a programme started in the early 2000s to upgrade Britain’s ageing Warrior fleet to modern standards.
Alongside the Warrior CSP or Warrior Capability Sustainment Project was the recent development in the areas of the 45mm CTWS (Cased Telescoped Weapon System), due to an understanding that the 30mm RARDEN cannon was quickly approaching obsolescence, the MoD started a paired programme between Royal Ordnance and GIAT to produce a new next-gen cannon that could be used on both next-gen light vehicles.
By 1994, both GIAT and Royal Ordnance had collaborated together to create a joint venture called CTAI (Cased Telescoped Ammunition International)
In 1997, the specifications for the next generation gun were moved down to a calibre of 40mm and was renamed CT2000.
By 2001, the Warrior upgrade programme had begun.
Alongside the Warrior programme a new programme at CTAI, aptly named the Objective Future Cannon Programme, was created in 2002 to use the specifications of a new 40mm CTAS gun that would be in use for not only the Warrior but the French VAD as well.
CTAI laid down the specifications for the gun.
- A Rate of Fire of about 200 Shots per minute (Which was rather standard for the main weapons of several other IFVS and similar vehicles.
- A duel feed system allows the main gun to select between two ammo types without the need to manually change the shells.
- Dispersion ><0,35 mil APFSDS><1mil GPR>.
- A minimum safety life of 10,000 rounds.
- The ability to operate safely in conditions of -46ºC to +63ºC.
- Satisfy the safety standards of both the MoD and French DGA.
- Have a high level of reliability.
- Have a low volume level.
The Xena turret was the first variant of the CTAS on a Warrior chassis.
The Manned Turret Integration Programme was a demonstrator created for the purpose and integration of the 40mm CTWS. Both companies behind CTA were asked to demonstrate the manned turret fitted on a Warrior.
By 2003, CTAI had both a manned and unmanned turret.
By 2005, the MoD went on to create the Warrior Lethality Improvement Programme to not only upgrade but keep their Warrior fleet up to modern levels and with it planned to upgrade 449 IFVs.
The programme had brought in a wide range of different bidders to upgrade the warrior along with General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin/Rheinmetall and Selex.
In 2008, the MoD announced that CTAI had been selected for the FRES Scout and the Warrior and at the June Eurosatory BAE showed off their self-funded MTIP 2 turret for the Warrior.
In 2009, Lockheed Martin and the British MoD signed an agreement in support of the WCSP Programme and with that both BAE and Lockheed Martin both showed of their own Warrior turret with Lockheed Martin proposing an upgrade to the standard Warrior turret while BAE used their MTIP 2 turret and with that Released a video showing of the MTIP 2.
BAE announced the investment of £4.5 million in a Turret rig for the Warrior programme.
By 2011, BAE was deselected for the programme and left Lockheed Martin as the only company selected for the upcoming Warrior upgrade expected to last and extend the service life beyond 2040.
By 2012, the programme was estimated to have a full set of upgraded Warriors by 2020 and have the Warriors start production by 2018 and by 2013 the purchase of 40mm APFSDS-T and practice rounds from CTAI for the project’s initial firings.
By 2014, it was confirmed that Lockheed had dropped plans to further modify old Warrior turrets and focus mainly on creating a purpose-built turret in the future of the programme.
The order for the IFV was placed in 2015 for £150m and by September the prototype for the warrior was shown of at DSEI in 2015.
In 2017 it was reported that the Warrior Prototypes weren’t yet sent though Lockheed Martin had stated that the Warriors had entered the FAT(Factory Acceptance Tests) at Bovington.
By 2018, the MoD confirmed that the programme was delayed by 13 months but soon after Firing trials had taken place in March of 2019. The Reliability Growth Trails were slated to start but it was stated that the programme had and was three and a half years late with £200m over budget.
In 2019, the Warrior CSP (or referenced as the Warrior 2 on the DSEI info board which Is suspected to be the name if it went into production similar to how the Challenger 2 upgrade was called the Challenger 3) was shown off at DSEI 2019 and with it said that the programme was still on schedule.
Lockheed Martin also released a video in 2019 showing the programme so far such as several key features the Warrior CSP (Warrior 2) was supposed to have.
By 2020, the Programme was in the Demonstration Phase and was nearing completion and by the end of that year, the demonstrator drove 21km and fired off 5000 rounds of ammunition.
By 2021, the programme was pulled in favour of replacing it with the Boxer and with that the idea of upgrading the warrior to modern standards was dead. The demonstrators were scrapped in their entirety excluding one that was donated to the Tank Museum with it being the only survivor of the now-dead project.
Specifications
| Turret Speed | 60º/s |
| Crew | 3 |
| Max Speed | 75 kph / 46.6 mph |
| Engine | 550hp Perkins V-8 Condor Diesel |
| Main Armament | 40mm CTAS/CT40 gun with a fire rate of 200rds/min |
| Smoke Launchers | 8x |
| Mass | 28 tons + |
| Elevation | +75º to -10º |
| Driver Sight | Forward day and Thermal Imaging camera (SELEX ES Driver’s Night Vision System 4 (DNVS4)) |
| Gunner Sight | Elbit Instro CRONUS Thermal Imager Gunner Sight provides the gunner with an automatic “cue to slew” function for target acquisition |
| Commander Sight | Thales Catherine BGTI REO/IR System |
Ammunition
| Ammunition Load | 100-200 rounds (estimated) |
APFSDS-T
| DIMENSIONS | 65 x 255 mm |
| AMMUNITION MASS | 1900 g |
| PROJECTILE MASS | 550 g |
| MUZZLE VELOCITY | > 1500 m/s |
| DISPERSION | < 0.3 mrad |
| PERFORATION | 140 mm RHA at 1500 m |
| EFFECTIVE RANGE | > 2500 m |
| Material | Tungsten |
A3B - Anti Aerial Airburst - Tracer / KE-AB - Kinetic Energy Airburst
| DIMENSIONS | 65 x 255 mm |
| AMMUNITION MASS | 3000 g |
| PROJECTILE MASS | 1400 g |
| MUZZLE VELOCITY | 900 m/s |
| DISPERSION | < 0.5 mrad |
| EFFECTIVE RANGE | 3500 m |
General Purpose Round - Air Burst - Tracer
| DIMENSIONS | 65 x 255 mm |
| AMMUNITION MASS | 2400 g |
| PROJECTILE MASS | 980g |
| MUZZLE VELOCITY | 1000 m/s |
| DISPERSION | < 0.5 mrad |
| PERFORATION | > 210 mm concrete at 1000 m > 15 mm RHA at 1000 m |
| EFFECTIVE RANGE | 2500 m |
(Note: Both the Warrior CSP and the Ajax use the CT40 cannon so it stands to belief that the ammo types used are the same.)
70 rounds ready to fire with the ammunition handling system made by MEGGIT, it’s composed of a translator, that holds 15 rounds, and a magazine that holds 55 rounds.
Armour
Hull
- 38.4 mm (69-70°) Upper Glacis, 44.4 mm (41°) Lower Glacis - Front (Slope angle)
- 28.5 mm Top, 44.4 mm Bottom - Sides
- 44.4 mm Hull Rear, 38.1 mm Door - Rear
- 28.5 mm Roof, 10 mm Radiator Vents - Roof
Turret
- 25.4 mm Turret front, 25.4 mm +25.4 mm Gun Mantlet - Front (Slope angle)
- 25.4 - 12.7 mm (Front to rear) - Sides
- 12.7 mm - Rear
- 12.7 mm - Roof
Pictures
Links
https://www.baesystems.com/en/our-company/our-businesses/land/ctai-joint-venture