Israel’s Spike LR2 has been officially confirmed as the preferred turret-mounted anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) for Army’s Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicle (CRV) program, but in a curiously roundabout way.
According to a 20 May report in Jane’s Missiles and Rockets, Spike, produced by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, had been selected in preference to MBDA’s MMP (Missile Moyenne Portée or medium range missile) for Land 400 Phase 2, for which Rheinmetall’s 8x8 Boxer is the chosen platform.
Although the Jane’s article gave no source for this information, its content was then reported by a number of other publications in Australia and abroad. Subsequently Rafael executive Ido Spitzer referred questions to Defence, Defence sources denied an official announcement was imminent, and MBDA Australia managing director Andy Watson said on 29 May that if a government decision had been made, he had not been advised of it.
Fast forward to Senate Estimates on May 30 and a question from Senator Rex Patrick on whether a decision had been reached on the Land 400 Phase 2 ATGM.
Major General David Coglan, Head of Land Systems Division in the Capability and Sustainment Group (CASG), then disclosed Spike’s selection. “The acquisition strategy for Phase 2 was that subsystems could be presented by the two primes, BAE Systems and Rheinmetall, and in their tender they would then advance their selection”, MAJGEN Coglan said.
"Both Rheinmetall and BAE selected Spike, we conducted an independent study to have a look at that and that we were happy with that decision. DSTG (Defence Science and Technology Group) did an independent study, Land Systems looked at it, we made a recommendation to the capability manager, they’ve accepted the Spike." He also added that sub-system provider Rafael had tendered to Rheinmetall, with whom Defence was currently in negotiation on Phase 2.
BAE Systems Australia confirmed it had included both the MMP and Spike LR2 in its AMV35 offering. MBDA said it had provided Rheinmetall with MMP data, but had no visibility of whether this had been used in the company’s Boxer CRV proposal. Additional data had been provided by MBDA to DST.
Watson questioned the report’s statement that the Spike LR2’s more streamlined integration into the Army’s existing Elbit-sourced battle management system (BMS) had been a major factor in the missile’s selection.“It’s the missile that integrates with the vehicle’s systems that then interfaces with the BMS”, he said.
Both the MMP and the Spike LR2 are understood to meet the Land 400 Phase 2 requirement for a missile able to engage main battle tanks at 4,000 metres. Both are also candidates for Project Land 4108 which seeks a 4,000 metre range ATGM as a dismounted direct fire support weapon to replace the in-service Javelin missile.
ADM Comment: Given the importance of the ATGM as the CRV’s primary defensive weapon, the important role played by the platform manufacturers in its selection as just one of multiple sub-systems is surprising; even more so considering the information provided to the two platform contenders would necessarily be relatively low-level because of security issues and commercial confidentiality. With the Spike LR2 and the MMP both considered leading contenders for the Land 4108 requirement, it’s to be hoped that linkages with the CRV ATGM evaluation are fully and independently utilised.