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Major milestone successfully achieved by Lancer

21 Feb 2002

The BAE Systems led LANCER Team successfully completed a major milestone on the TRACER/FSCS programme earlier this month when the unmanned turret was integrated onto the vehicle hull. The LANCER team has now built a demonstrator vehicle representing the next generation rapidly deployable Medium Weight armoured vehicle.

Peter Newitt, LANCER Deputy Programme Director, BAE Systems said: "The successful integration of the hull and the turret is a major milestone on this complex and demanding armoured vehicle programme.

"This major milestone achievement is a mark of the tremendous systems integration capability possessed here at BAE Systems Leicester, coupled with the strengths of our LANCER partners, United Defence, Alvis Vehicles and Raytheon."

The final elements of sensor and weapon system integration with the vehicle started recently at the BAE Systems facility at Leicester. Work commenced with delivery of an innovative electrically powered Future Mobility Platform from United Defense LP in the USA. A state-of-the-art sensor and electronics mission equipment package had previously been integrated in an Electronic System Integration Lab in the USA at Raytheon's Tactical Systems facility in Plano, Texas.

A rapid integration of the Alvis built turret with the Future Mobility Platform and mission equipment package was successfully achieved. This problem free event was achieved by extensive use of the Vehicle System Integration Lab at Leicester, latest CAD drawing techniques and sophisticated simulation and modelling tools.

Following this success, the Medium Weight armoured vehicle demonstrator will undergo further integration work at the Leicester facility before embarking on field tests and Army User trials later this year at various UK Ranges.
About LANCER:

LANCER is one of two proposed solutions for the TRACER/FSCS (Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement/Future Scout Cavalry System) programme, a requirement jointly defined and funded by both the British and US armies. The programme has developed, and is now demonstrating, many of the technologies that will be hosted on future armoured vehicles both in the UK and the USA. BAE Systems, C4ISR has the Prime leadership role on the team and is also responsible for the systems engineering and integration.

United Defense LP manufacture the Future Mobility Platform. Although appearing conventional from the outside it is designed to support rapid deployment by air transport. This is achieved, along with superior mobility performance, through its novel low weight armour and use of a hybrid electrical drive design in lieu of a traditional diesel power pack.

Alvis Vehicles Ltd, Telford provide the sensor elevation system and the unmanned turret that incorporates a new cannon. The 40mm weapon system with its unique Cased Telescopic Ammunition has been developed by CTAI, a BAE Systems Joint Venture company with GIAT.

Raytheon are responsible for the advanced electronics and sensor suite. Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) is a global technology leader in defence, government and commercial electronics and business and special mission aircraft, with headquarters in Lexington, Massachusetts, USA.

The TRACER/FSCS programme is currently completing the Product Definition/Advanced Technology Demonstration phase, which will see the LANCER team formally field an integrated demonstrator in mid-2002. The programme will now be followed by FRES (Future Rapid Effect System) in the UK and FCS (Future Combat System) in the USA.