FRES and Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV)

About FRES

FRES is the MoD's programme to deliver a fleet of wheeled and tracked armoured vehicles to the British Army that is rapidly deployable, network-enabled, capable of operating across the spectrum of operations; and protected against the most likely threats. These vehicles are expected to be in service for up to 40 years. The total FRES fleet is expected to comprise fives families of vehicles: Utility, Reconnaissance, Fires, Manoeuvre Support and a family of simpler variants known as the ‘Basic Capability Unit’.

The total FRES fleet could comprise as many as 3,000 vehicles of which the greater proportion, possible as many as 2,000, will be Utility vehicles. It is the largest ever Army programme with an acquisition value of around £16 billion, and through life costs of £60 billion. The MoD has stated that they are aiming at an Initial Operating Capability for FRES in 2012. The Utility platforms will enter service first, followed soon after by the Reconnaissance platforms.

FRES represents a major opportunity for General Dynamics as a vehicle developer and as a Prime Systems Integrator.

The Physical Trials

The three Utility Vehicle designs remaining in the competition have undergone extensive physical trials at the Bovington driver training facility, under the watchful eye of the Armoured Trials and Development Unit (ATDU). These trials were designed to test the capability of the platforms against industry’s performance claims. The trials were undertaken by military crews with technical support from personnel from dstl and the FRES IPT. The General Dynamics PIRANHA that was demonstrated has been developed specifically to meet the UK’s FRES requirement and takes a holistic approach to meeting the exceptional survivability performance required. We are delighted with the performance of PIRANHA, the main highlights being:

• PIRANHA had no major system failures during the trials. We confidently expect this reliability to be carried through into the FRES UV solution - The excellent fuel efficiency of the PIRANHA was notable
• PIRANHA demonstrated its outstanding mobility in terms of cross-country performance, ride and handling. It also demonstrated novel features such as 4th axle steering, which enabled it to achieve a turning circle of 15m without skid steer
• We demonstrated a fully integrated UV Electronic Architecture, which was developed and installed into the PIRANHA in less than 12 weeks. It was fully integrated with BCIP, Local and Platform Situational Awareness Systems, End to end HUMS, COLPRO and a Remote Weapon Station.
• In an Ease of Maintenance Assessment, the power pack was removed, re-installed and running in less than an hour. Uniquely, the engine can be test run off the platform before refit

PIRANHA V

The PIRANHA III has been sold to Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and, in a separately developed solution, as Stryker to the US. It has evolved from 18-22-25 tonnes since 1997.

The PIRANHA IV has been developed since 2004 for higher weight applications and was designed at 25 tonnes. It has been through three development cycles in that time and is in a high state of production readiness.

Because survivability requirements have evolved very quickly in the last two years we have commenced the next evolution of the PIRANHA, known as PIRANHA V, starting from a baseline of 26 tonnes. We believe it is a strong candidate to be used as the basis for the FRES utility variant, using the proven development path and processes of the PIRANHA/Stryker family.

The interim PIRANHA Evolution, designed to demonstrate key elements of the PIRANHA V, took part in September's Medium Weight day in Warminster and was displayed by General Dynamics for the Trials of Truth in 2007. We look forward to proving that the PIRANHA V provides the lowest risk path to FRES, demonstrating this through PIRANHA Evolution's participation in the trials.

We have been building 8x8 wheeled AFVs for 30 years. We are therefore managing an evolution of a proven design, rather than ironing out many of the problems that inevitably arise with brand new first generation designs. Based on a pedigree of more than 9,000 vehicles, PIRANHA V will be the fifth-generation of a very well-proven and admired family of wheeled utility vehicles. It is being developed specifically to meet the UK’s FRES requirements. Its design will benefit from the long heritage of reliable and highly capable platforms that have grown to accommodate increased payloads and increased protection levels of up to 40 per cent over the last 20 years, without compromising reliability or performance. Our experience of managing weight growth gives us great confidence that we will accommodate the 30-year growth potential of 10-15 per cent required for FRES.

• PIRANHA V has been designed specifically for the UK and will meet FRES requirements at IOC in 2012
• PIRANHA V has greatly enhanced survivability, uniquely benefitting from direct experience of PIRANHA on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
• PIRANHA V will incorporate the most up-to-date survivability features, from base levels of protection and integrated mine-protected seats to the physical layout that will minimise the effects of secondary projectiles. PIRANHA V is designed to save soldiers’ lives
• Our mobility solution will underpin the improved payload capability of PIRANHA V, offering the growth potential to accept additional survivability enhancements without significant compromise to performance
• PIRANHA V can generate increased power to meet modern electrical demands, and has a power management system that will enable the effective use of additional survivability technologies as they become available for use. We can provide a Euro V emissions compliant vehicle.
• PIRANHA V will have significant additional internal capacity over the existing fleet of vehicles. This will ease the burden on stowage and the carriage of supporting weaponry and materiel
• The weight of PIRANHA V section vehicle at IOC, 26 tonnes, is well within the MoD’s weight envelope for the demands of rapid deployment in the A400M. This gives an additional 4 tonnes (up to 30 tonnes) payload without the need for increased power or structural modifications
• PIRANHA V offers the greatest growth potential for capability upgrade of its class

Our experience

• We are the world's leading wheeled AFV supplier, producing Stryker, LAV, PIRANHA, and Pandur at the heavier end of the scale; as well as the lighter protected mobility platforms such as the Eagle 4x4, RG31, Pandur 6x6 and the Duro off-road tactical transport vehicle.
• We are also a major tracked vehicle supplier, producing the Abrams tank and its associated upgrades, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, Leopard 2, and Pizarro.
• We have major production facilities in the US, Canada, Spain, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, all capable of manufacturing and integrating complete systems and with the capacity and resources to deliver FRES or components of FRES cost-effectively.
• We have world leading engineering skills at MOWAG, General Dynamics’ Centre of Excellence for wheeled vehicles, and at General Dynamics UK.
• General Dynamics UK Limited (General Dynamics UK) has a proven track record in levering global technology to benefit the UK industrial base. This history stretches back to the early 1960's and Nimrod Sonar Buoy detection technology, through support to UK aircraft and rotorcraft projects and the on-going delivery of Bowman. The Company has successfully exported UK technology to the US, Canada and Europe.
• General Dynamics UK is currently installing Bowman into 100 platform types (12,000 vehicles) with 700 different installation configurations. This gives us a unique understanding of integrating complex digital electronic systems into new and legacy platforms.
• With Stryker, a variant of PIRANHA III, we have already demonstrated the necessary experience of delivering an industrial programme of this scale and pace. A 2012 IOC date is well within our capabilities

Commitment to support and enable the Defence Industrial Strategy and Policy

• This is a GD ‘One Team’ effort. As an existing MoD supplier and prime contractor, General Dynamics will bring to the programme an established, accountable and successful UK organisation with extensive onshore resources backed by a committed $27bn global group. Clear lines of accountability exist, which are designed to enhance responsiveness and promote the effective management of risk.
• We have established a Joint Programme Office in the UK in Bristol to support the FRES acquisition by providing the focal point for its FRES partnering activities with the MoD and industry
• We recognise the requirement for a self-sustaining UK industrial base for through-life capability management and mission growth capability for FRES. General Dynamics UK will invest in its people and systems engineering to deliver the through-life promise.
• We will enable the transfer to UK of Design Authority and manufacture for FRES where it represents the best value for money to the MoD or it is required for reasons of sovereignty
• As PIRANHA V is an evolution of a European design, it will be free from US ITAR restrictions We can therefore deliver an ITAR-free platform leveraging significant off-shore technology expertise that will benefit the UK industrial base
• There are no issues with IP transfer between and among General Dynamics companies. General Dynamics UK will have full and complete rights to all necessary IPR for the PIRANHA V
• PIRANHA V will be manufactured, assembled and tested in the UK. We are examining a range of options within the UK for manufacture and assembly, encompassing both existing and new facilities. Our aim is to provide the MoD and the FRES alliance with the flexibility to place work within the UK where it is most economically and/or strategically advantageous to do so
• General Dynamics has an existing UK supply chain, which we will sustain and enhance during the FRES programme. We have already identified over 400 potential UK suppliers, from major contractors to SMEs. We will embrace competition at all levels which, together with value for money, will be at the heart of our delivery programme
• It is in culture to work collaboratively, empowering, incentivising and harnessing UK industry for the benefit of our Armed Forces

FRES Chassis Concept TDP

AHED – Electric Drive Technology

General Dynamics UK, in association with General Dynamics Land Systems, was awarded a contract by Atkins Limited, the FRES Systems House (SH), in August 2005, for the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) Chassis Concept (CC) Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP). The FRES CC TDP is an 18-month programme to demonstrate the readiness of electric drive technology for integration into a common FRES platform. GD's offering was based on the Advanced Hybrid Electric Drive (AHED) 8x8 wheeled demonstrator incorporating in-hub electric drive and hybrid power, two key enabling technologies with the potential to transform the design of future armoured fighting vehicles.

In testing, the AHED has demonstrated exceptional performance and reliability in 16, 18 and 20 US ton configurations and has recorded more than 6000 km of cross-country and road running with an availability of over 90 percent. GD successfully completed extended running and mobility trials of the AHED in a 20 ton configuration last year, before it was shipped to the UK for integration of an electronic architecture suite and additional trials at the Millbrook proving grounds.

Mine blast testing conducted by GD demonstrated there are no survivability issues unique to E Drive technologies. Testing also proved the E Drive technologies and associated hull structure design to be extremely robust when subjected to STANAG level mine blasts.

Feasibility studies conducted by GD demonstrated the AHED in-hub E Drive technologies retained their mobility and whole life cost advantages when scaled up to the 25 to 30 tonne gross vehicle weight range.

The AHED 8x8 electric drive technology gives a wheeled vehicle near-tracked performance with reduced whole life cost and enhanced deployability. The in-hub electric drive is reliable across the range of operational mission profiles anticipated for FRES. With over 350 kW from the hybrid power source and independent traction control in each wheel station, the AHED 8x8 can operate in terrain that would defeat conventional wheeled vehicles. In addition, the vehicle is specifically designed to demonstrate the ability of vehicle component commonality to reduce part counts and enable ease of maintenance. These features help minimise the logistics footprint and whole life costs. The e-drive technology when further matured is a contender for the drive and power demands of the Group 2 and later platforms and technology insertion into the wider fleet in due course.

AHED Demonstrator Trials

Formal mobility trials of the AHED 8x8 demonstrator took place at the Bosch Automotive Proving Grounds (BAPG), located near South Bend, Indiana, from 24th to 28th April 2006. The trial was attended by representatives from the FRES IPT, DSTL and the FRES Systems House. They were treated to an impressive display by the AHED vehicle, which performed a 3-hour sustained top speed run without a hitch and then went on to demonstrate its unique maneuverability and braking performance.

The vehicle was subjected to acceleration and slope climbing tests. The AHED has a very high power-to-weight ratio for an armoured vehicle, as it uses its engine power in parallel with the power from its battery packs giving it a total power output of 500HP and a power-to-weight ratio of around 25HP per ton. The AHED vehicle, ballasted up to 18.5 metric tonnes, returned a staggering 0-30mph in 6.6 seconds, considerably exceeding the FRES user requirement.

With that power available, the slope climbing was no problem for the AHED which negotiated slopes of 20%, 30% and 60%. The 60% was however a testing experience for the driver and passengers.

The mobility trials were the conclusion to the extended running trials of the vehicle at 14.5, 16.4 and 18.2 tonnes (which equate to 16, 18 and 20 US tons). The trials which started in September 2005 have demonstrated the maturity and reliability of the AHED electric drive system. Back to top

FRES Information Video

FRES Supplier Information

General Dynamics UK is establishing a qualified bidders list of UK suppliers wishing to participate in the FRES programme: these include large primes as well as SMEs, Universities and niche consultancies. Potential suppliers are encouraged to submit their profiles online and track the progress of the programme by monitoring updates posted on this website.

• Click here to view the presentation given during the FRES Supply Chain Conference in October 2007, which took place in Sheffield.
• Click here to view Information pertaining to US Export Licences and Technical Assistance Agreements.
• Click here to look at the presentation given during the FRES Supply Chain Conference in June 2007
• Click here to see some of the companies who attended the FRES Supply Chain Conference
• To find out more about FRES and the Defence Industrial Strategy, click here.

For further information and for general enquiries, click here.

For further supplier information and enquiries, click here. Back to top