Bradley:

Demonstrated allaround capabilities

The first Bradley production vehicle was delivered to the Army in May 1981. Today, we are producing the Bradley at a rate in excess of 50 vehicles per month. The first mechanized infantrybattalion was equipped in March 1983 at Fort Hood, Texas, and the first European battalion was equipped in September 1983. The North Carolina National Guard has also received six CFV's. As of 31 January 1986, 2142 Bradleys have been accepted by the Army. Seventeen battalion equivalents have been fielded. The FY87 budget supports the production of 870 Bradley vehicles in the BFVS-A1 configuration. This vehicle includes the TOW-2 system, a tank killing armament, which allows the Bradley to shoot through obscurants while counteracting jamming.

Like the Abrams tank, the Bradley is a winner in the view of the soldiers who use it. It provides them a capability they have never had on the battlefield before. The Bradley is a superb fighting system today which can be made even better by product improving it like we do all our systems. The Army is currently developing a series of survivability improvements to make it even better.

The M113 family of vehicles continues to serve the Army in a variety of combat, combat support, and combat service support roles. The Army has begun survivability modifications to enhance the capability of this fleet into the 1990's. Improvements include spall suppression liners which decrease the spray of shrapnel in the event of vehicle penetration. Additional improvements are armored external fuel tanks, improvements to the power train and provisions for add-on armor kits to increase protection levels for the crew. The powertrain improvements increase reliability and maintainability while providing the power increase needed to assure adequate agility and mobility on the battlefield.

M113

M113 Armored Personnel Carrier

Another variant of the M113 vehicle family is the M577 Command Post Vehicle which provides command and control facilities for both forward maneuver and support forces. It features a raised top deck section that

permits stand-up work within the carrier and an auxillary power unit to permit operation with the main engine shut down. The FY87 budget will procure 300 new M577'sagainst existing shortages.

Attack helicopters continue to be a key element of our Army's combat capability. They provide our forces with a highly mobile, long range, day/night lethal antiarmor fire capability, coupled with the anti-materiel, antipersonnel effect of cannon and 2.75-inch rockets. The attack helicopter was first used in combat in Southeast Asia where it proved to be a great asset to our light infantry forces.

Because of its inherent mobility, attack helicopters will play a major role in any situation that requires our forces to react quickly. They can strategically deploy to reinforce Europe or respond to other contingency requirements; they can fly rapidly across a wide front to areas that cannot be reached easily by ground mobile forces and they provide a significant advantage in target-rich environments where exploitation is feasible. In Europe, a ground attack on our forces will be spearheaded by masses of armored vehicles. Soviet doctrine stresses building overwhelming momentum with blitzkrieg-like tactics. Frontages mandate that we concentrate on their main avenue of approach and quickly counter their armored thrusts. No other weapon system offers the combination of high movement rates, freedom of the tyranny of terrain, and long-range point target destruction capability, around the clock, even during adverse weather conditions like that of the attack helicopter.

Attack Helicopter's inherent mobility

The large number of attack helicopters that the Soviets have fielded in recent years shows that their leaders share our belief that the attack helicopter will play a vital role in any future land battle. The importance of

Appache Attack Helicopter: An allenvironment performer

Survivable

attack helicopters, and the recognition of Cobra/TOW performance limitations, led to the development and procurement of the Apache Attack Helicopter (AH-64). The Apache represents a significant increase in performance, firepower, and survivability when compared with its predecessor-the AH-IS Cobra. More important, the Apache provides the Army a mobile, lethal antitank capability that can be quickly deployed worldwide to areas of strategic concern. Apache's ability to operate worldwide over a broad spectrum of environments may be the difference between success or failure.

The powerful, two-engine Apache has been designed from the start to perform anywhere in the world under the most demanding conditions of altitude and climate. Its agility enables pilots to take advantage of the terrain, vegetation, and even buildings to avoid detection. A target acquisition/designation sight (TADS) and pilot night vision sensor (PNVS) enable the crew to navigate and attack in darkness, bad weather and on an obscured battlefield.

Apache carries a formidable array of weaponry. The main armament is the Hellfire, a third-generation antiarmor missile. Apache's other armament includes the 30mm chain gun and Hydra 70 multi-purpose submunition rockets, which are lethal against a wide variety of targets and complement the antiarmor Hellfire missiles. The Apache's performance characteristics, coupled with survivability features such as armor protection, redundant controls, and electronic countermeasures equipment, make it one of the most survivable systems on the battlefield. A total of 67 Apaches have been delivered to the Army as of 31 December 1985. Training of pilots and maintenance personnel is underway to support fielding of the first Apache unit during the spring of 1986. The FY87 budget provides for procurement of 144 Apache helicopters at the economic rate of 12 per month.

Like the M60 series tank, the AH-1 Cobra helicopter has been continually upgraded to improve its operational capabilities, safety, and survivability. Cobra/TOW: Effective While these improvements will contribute to its effectiveness and but limited survivability against armor, the Cobra is currently a daytime helicopter with limited aircraft performance capability when operating in a characteristically hot Middle Eastern environment. To correct the night-fighting shortfall, approximately 500 Cobras, will be modified with a Forward-Looking Infrared System (FLIR) to provide a night target engagement capability. The FY87 budget also funds other improvements and continues the Cobra Fleet Life Extension (C-FLEX) program. The C-FLEX program will enable the Cobra to continue in use beyond the year 2000.

Scout Helicopters

The use of scout helicopters to seek and select targets enables attack helicopters to conserve fuel and ordnance, and allows the commander to concentrate his antitank capability at critical points. Upon acquiring targets, the scouts position the attack helicopters, determine the distribution of fires, laser designate targets for the Hellfire missile, and coordinate artillery fires throughout the battle area. During the battle, scouts provide real-time battlefield information relating to the enemy situation and targets destroyed.

The Army Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP) upgrades part of the scout fleet into an improved observation helicopter. Engine performance and rotor improvements make the AHIP better able to operate on hot days and a: high altitude. The mast- mounted sight incorporates a laser designator and a forward looking, infrared capability for night and adverse weather operations. This mast mounted sight allows the helicopter to remain masked behind the terrain with only the sight exposed. In addition to the employment of conventional artillery the AHIP has the capability of acquiring and designating targets for Copperhead and other Army or Air Force precision guided munitions.

Army Helicopter
Improvement
Program

The AHIP program, based upon modification of an existing light observation aircraft, complies with Congressional guidance and shows significant savings when compared with a new airframe development program. Advanced procurement funding in FY86 and procurement funds in FY87 will provide for the conversion of 48 aircraft in FY87.

The TOW missile system, which is found on the AH-1S Cobra, the Bradley Vehicles, Improved TOW vehicles, the HMMWV, and with the dismounted infantry, is the most powerful antitank weapon used by ground units. This long-range (3750 meters) antiarmor system is a prime example of evolutionary development. First fielded in the late 1960's, the TOW has been improved to keep pace with the evolving Soviet tank threat. The latest improvement, designated TOW 2, will give the weapon an even more lethal 6-inch warhead, greater speed to reduce vulnerability, and improved guidance and electrooptical countermeasures for an obscured battlefield environment. Deliveries of TOW 2 began in 1983 and it was deployed to Europe in October 1984. Fielding is now complete in Europe, Korea and Panama. FY 87 funds will be used to procure TOW 2 missiles and launcher modifications.

Squad Automatic
Weapon

Army Helicopter Improvement Program

The Swedish AT4, type classified M136 on 11 Sep 85, will replace the 1958 vintage M72 LAW. The AT4 provides the dismounted soldier with a lightweight, one shot munition that will enable him to effectively engage a variety of hard targets on the battlefield. This proliferable system will not require a dedicated gunner and will be issued to personnel as needed for mission accomplishment. The AT4 allows the soldier to engage and defeat targets at significantly greater ranges with a higher probability of kill than the current M72A3 LAW. The weapon is also being procured by the Marine Corps and the Navy.

The Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) is a lightweight, manportable weapon capable of delivering a heavy volume of effective fire up to a range of 800 meters. It provides increased range, volume of fire, and better penetration than the M16A1 rifle which it replaces as the squad automatic