Army Recognition meets Morri Leland – Lockheed Martin VP for Missiles and FC at Eurosatory 2014

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Eurosatory 2014 news coverage report show daily pictures video International Exhibition of Land Defence & Security army military equipment Paris France industry technology
 
Eurosatory 2014
International Exhibition of Land Defence & Security
16 - 20 June 2014
Paris, France
 
Lockheed Martin at Eurosatory 2014
 
 
Friday, June 20, 2014 02:17 PM
 
Army Recognition meets Morri Leland – Lockheed Martin VP for Missiles and FC at Eurosatory 2014
Army Recognition had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Morri Leland, Vice President of Missiles and Fire Control Systems of Lockheed Martin, during the Eurosatory 2014 exhibition.The discussion was focused on the turreted solutions being offered to possible customers worldwide.
     
Javelin missile test from a Textron TAPV (Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle)
Video: Lockheed Martin
     
The Army Recognition team has learned, LM’s new turrets with Javelin and Hellfire missiles as well as DAGR rockets, developed for Middle East customers, have recently been tested with great success. As Mr. Leland has pointed out, it is more than a turret with a gun and weapons. It is an integrated ISR system capable of extending the lethality and the range, thus changing the nature of tactics.

All of the systems in the turrets, along with the integration, were produced and performed by Lockheed Martin. Nevertheless the tests were carried out earlier this year from Patria AMV and Textron Commando wheeled vehicles. The range of the Javelin missile test has been measured at 6.4 km.
     
Lockheed Martin DAGR & HELLFIRE missiles tests from Patria AMV
Video: Lockheed Martin
     
One of the Middle East customers requirements involve the integration of a CT 40 mm gun. The integration process is not unknown, as Lockheed Martin UK has integrated this gun to the IFV Warrior, and the Scout vehicles of the British Army.

The French Army could be a future user of vehicle launched Javelin and/or Hellfire. France already purchased Javelin missiles (soldier launched version) and used a few during combat in Afghanistan. It is also deploying Hellfire missiles from its Tigre helicopters. It remains open whether the Javelin or Hellfire (or both) missiles will be part of a future procurement programme that will involve the integration of a turreted version of the missiles on the Army’s future EBRC or VBCI vehicles. In times of declining defense budgets, it would only make sense for France to integrate missiles it already has, sitting in inventory following its pullout of Afghanistan (namely, the Javelin).
As Morri Leland explains "It does make sense in a fiscally restrained environment to use the weapons that you have in multiple applications. Taking a shoulder Javelin and mounting it on a vehicle so that it can drastically change the capabilities of the vehicle makes a lot of sense."
     
Army Recognition had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Morri Leland, Vice President of Missiles and Fire Control Systems of Lockheed Martin, during the Eurosatory 2014 exhibition.The discussion was focused on the turreted solutions being offered to possible customers worldwide.Nexter T40 turret with CTA International 40mm canon at Eurosatory
     
The process would not be a "first" either, as Army Recognition learned from two separate sources during Eurosatory 2014 that Nexter is currently working with Lockheed Martin to integrate the Javelin on Nexter's T40 turret for a customer in the Middle East. Army Recognition understands that the same turret will likely be fitted on the French Army EBRC vehicle (replacing AMX 10 RC) and possibly on the VBCI.