Measures related to the extension of the service life of armored combat vehicles "Wiesel" (Wiesel, aka "Weasel") of the airborne troops of the Bundeswehr, have yielded results. According to recent publications of the German media, the first Wiesel BM converted from platforms for ATGM "TOW" (Tube Launched Optically Tracked Wire Command-link Guided Missile, TOW) to a multi-purpose light guided missile system (Mehrrollenfähiges Leichtes Lenkflugkörper-System, MELLS) entered the troops.
The Bundeswehr signed a contract with FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH (FFG) for a total of 73 million euros in November 2019. The purpose of the agreement is to modernize the fleet of Wiesel 1 armored combat vehicles and, thereby, extend their service life until at least 2030.
As one of the first measures, the MELLS system from EuroSpike was integrated, thus replacing the Tow ATGM. According to sources, the conversion of the Wiesel BM from TOW to MELLS turned out to be difficult in several aspects.
Combat vehicle “Wiesel” with the MELLS complex. Front viewFirstly, previously the installation of transported weapons served simultaneously as a spare crossbar that protected the crew in case of capsizing.
The MELLS weapon system cannot perform this function, so new brackets to the left and right of the weapon system had to be developed and integrated.
The second problem was the concept of laying guided missiles, since the MELLS UR - especially in the LR2 variant, which is currently being certified in the Bundeswehr - is longer than the Tow UR, several of which were stacked across the rear of the machine.
FFG has already developed three prototypes in anticipation of the conclusion of the contract for the extension of the service life. The main elements of extending the service life were the improvement of sound and vibration characteristics, protection, as well as optimization of weight and energy balance. The measures carried out concerned the components of the chassis, ballistic and mine protection, restoration of obsolete weapons, combat control and guidance systems, lighting, batteries, as well as improvements in ergonomics and operational safety. Other elements of the task included: a set of spare parts and their stock, special tools and updating documentation.
Combat vehicle “Wiesel” with the MELLS complex. Rear viewMELLS Weapon System
For MELLS, the manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (20%), Diehl Defense (40%) and Rheinmetall Electronics (40%) have created a joint venture EuroSpike, which today, in addition to the Bundeswehr, supplies products to the armed forces of several other European states. Most of the production of the weapon system is carried out at the German facilities of the joint venture with the support of suppliers from Europe.
According to the German Armed Forces, the MELLS complexes are mainly armed with infantry, motorized infantry and sapper units, the command of special forces , as well as in coastal units of the Bundeswehr Navy. The system is also integrated into the Marder BMP (Marder) and Puma (Puma, from the VJTF 2023 forces).
The MELLS armament complex on the BMW "Wiesel"The principle of operation of the weapon is described by German military experts as follows: "Data transmission via a fiber-optic cable allows the gunner to switch to another target or adjust the hit point during the flight of a guided missile.
It is also possible to aim at a target with which there is no visual contact before the shot.In addition, the UR after the shot can fly to the target on its own.The so-called "shoot and forget" ability allows shooters to quickly change position immediately after firing."In the current version, the LR1 MELLS is suitable for dealing with ground targets of a wide range at ranges from 200 to 4000 m.
The range of targets, according to the Bundeswehr, includes "main battle tanks, armored weapons systems and fortified positions, targets in hiding (behind shelters) and so-called technical means (for example, converted and temporarily fortified agricultural machines ... or even construction equipment).In addition, MELLS will be used against slow-flying and hovering helicopters in near-Earth airspace at medium ranges."
Spike Weapons equipment of the new generation (iCLU) is already being used as a weapon installation. This opens up additional tactical and operational capabilities in the future when deploying and using a new generation of LR 2 (5.5 km firing range). In order to take advantage of these advantages, at the beginning of 2022, the Bundeswehr signed a contract with EuroSpike GmbH, based in the city of Retenbach (Röthenbach, Bavaria), for the supply of equipment for the qualification of UR MELLS LR2. The latter is designed to increase the firing range and optical capabilities of the system.
Successful qualification of the new version would mean the possibility of delivering a new version of the SD without changing the terms of the framework contract. As part of this agreement, concluded in 2019 between the Bundeswehr and Eurospike, the maximum number of delivered SD units is 11,500 units and 214 units of launchers. According to sources, all PU complexes and a little more than 2000 urs have already been delivered – it remains to transfer about 9000 urs.
Compared to the LR1 version, the guided missile LR2 has, among other things, the following advantages:
- The firing range has been increased from 4000 to 5500 m.
- Improved control and the possibility of a higher trajectory, which allows you to increase the final angle of approach to the target to 70 degrees, which allows you to operate more effectively behind shelters, as well as use the vulnerabilities of armored targets.
- Improved optronics of the missile with better resolution for the gunner and the ability to switch the homing head sensor to visual/infrared modes even in flight.
- It is possible to use an uncooled IR viewfinder. In the LR1 version, the IR viewfinder must be cooled with a gas canister. After a single activation, the function became unavailable for reuse until the gas canister was replaced. Thus, the SD could only be reused in visual mode until a new cooling element was installed.
According to the materials of the resource soldat-und-technik.de
