The Malaysian Army expects deliveries of the IFV-25 variant of the AV8 Gempita armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) to be completed by either the end of 2015 or in early 2016, according to Malaysian Army Chief General Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor.

Gen Raja Affandi told IHS Jane’s that the delivery completion date would depend on the finances available due to payment being made as each vehicle is delivered by manufacturer Deftech.

Variants of AV8 vehicles

The AV8’s variants include:

AFV-30 armoured fighting vehicle
IFV-25 infantry fighting vehicle
Armoured fighting vehicle with 12.7mm remotely controlled weapon station (RCWS)
120mm mortar, LCT30 anti-tank vehicle
Command vehicle
Armoured ambulance
Armoured recovery
Signals intelligence vehicle
Armoured surveillance vehicle with battlefield radar and mast mounted sensors
Maintenance vehicle
Engineering and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) reconnaissance vehicle

IFV-25 variant is fitted with a one-person FNSS Sharpshooter turret armed with a stabilised ATK Armament Systems M242 25 mm dual-feed cannon and an FN MAG 58M 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun (MG)

M242 25 mm cannon

The M242 Bushmaster is a 25 mm (25×137mm)chain-driven autocannon. It is used extensively by the U.S. military, as well as by NATO‘s and some other nations’ forces in ground combat vehicles, such as the Bradley fighting vehicle and various watercraft. Originally the weapon was designed and manufactured by Hughes Ordnance in Culver City, California, which was acquired by McDonnell Douglas (later acquired by the Boeing Corporation); however it is now produced by Orbital ATK of Mesa, Arizona.

It is an externally powered, chain-driven, single-barrel weapon which may be fired in semi-automatic, burst, or automatic modes, it is fed by a metallic link belt and has dual-feed capability. The term “chain gun” derives from the use of a roller chain that drives the bolt back and forth, the gun can destroy lightly armored vehicles and aerial targets (such as helicopters and slow-flying aircraft). It can also suppress enemy positionssuch as exposed troops, dug-in positions, and occupied built-up areas, the standard rate of fire is 200 rounds per minute. The weapon has an effective range of 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), depending on the type of ammunition used. With over 10,000 units sold worldwide, it is one of the most successful modern autocannons. Source wikivividly.com

He said the programme was still within the army’s planned schedule for deliveries of the AV-8 and AFV-30 variant and would start once all IFV-25s had been delivered.

One-person FNSS Sharpshooter turret

One-person FNSS Sharpshooter turret armed with a stabilised ATK Armament Systems M242 25 mm dual-feed cannon and an FN MAG 58M 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun (MG) – The digital fire control and sighting system includes a 3rd Generation long wave or mid wave thermal imager, a telescopic day optical channel, unity window for surveillance, an eye safe laser range finder with 8.000m range and ballistic computation capability. The gunner is also provided with two up-look periscopes for all around vision. The gun turret drive system is electrical and fully digital with two axis stabilisation capability to ensure a high accuracy of fire on the move. The traverse and elevation drives have manual backup capability. Turret traverse is all-electric through 360 degrees, with weapon elevation from -8 to +48 degrees. Turret shell is made of all-welded aluminium armour with add-on composite and steel armour providing ballistic protection to STANAG 4569 Level IV standard.

The IFV-25 variant is fitted with a one-person FNSS Sharpshooter turret armed with a stabilised ATK Armament Systems M242 25 mm dual-feed cannon and an FN MAG 58M 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun (MG). Of the 257 vehicle order of 12 variants, 46 vehicles will be in this configuration.

Example of dual-feed cannon system

The AFV-30 variant – of which 68 have been ordered – mounts a Denel Land Systems (DLS) two-person LCT-30 turret with a DLS stabilised 30 mm GI-30 external dual-feed linkless cannon and an FN MAG 58M MG.

Denel Land Systems (DLS) two-person LCT-30 turret

Denel Land Systems (DLS) two-person LCT-30 turret with a DLS stabilised 30 mm GI-30 external dual-feed linkless cannon and an FN MAG 58M MGExample of 30 mm dual-feed linkless cannon

Of the remaining 10 variants, the most significant number is the anti-tank version – of which 54 have been ordered – with a Denel LCT turret fitted with the GI-30 and two Denel Dynamics Ingwe laser-guided missiles either side.

Ingwe laser-guided missiles

Denel LCT turret fitted with the GI-30 and two Denel Dynamics Ingwe laser-guided missiles

Precision-guided Missile

Ingwe (‘leopard’) missile is a laser guided, therefore jam-resistant, beam-rider missile with a tandem warhead that will penetrate up to 1000 mm of Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA) after a single layer of reactive armour. The warhead ensures effective target neutralisation. The missile automatically determines its own position in the laser beam and manoeuvres onto the line of sight. It has crossfire capability from adjacent platforms with high-speed launch from helicopter platforms and fire-on-the-move from land platforms.

The system is designed to ensure that it can be installed easily on most aircrafts in either standard two-or-four-missile configuration. Electrical integration with aircraft avionics is achieved with standard serial communication interfaces.

System Features

Multi-purpose missile for use by infantry, armoured or helicopter forces against modern threats
Crossfire capability from adjacent platforms
High-speed launch from helicopter platforms
Fire-on-the-move from land platforms
High countermeasure resistance
High-accuracy laser beam-riding guidance
Short- and long-range application (250 m to 5 000 m)
Easy to use, with automatic target tracking
Low maintenance cost

Ingwe laser-guided missile – The system consists of a laser projection unit and guidance and control units. The system uses a Laser beam riding missile that automatically determines its own position in the laser beam and manoeuvres onto its Line-of-sight (LOS). The sighting system varies from a non-stabilised optic system for light vehicles to a stabilised day/night system on helicopter launch systems. Automatic targeting modules can also be added to the missile system that can be added to ensure fully automatic post-lock on missile guidance by the operator. The missile can engage targets at ranges from 250 m to 5,000 m. It employs a tandem warhead to defeat up to 1,000 mm (40 in) of armour. The missile is also designed to be stealthy (virtually hard to detect) and highly resistant to countermeasures.

Principle of Operation

Ingwe uses laser beam-riding guidance. The missile automatically determines its own position in the laser beam and manoeuvres onto the line of sight. The missile follows the line of sight until the target is hit. The warhead ensures effective target neutralisation.

The sighting system can vary from a non-stabilised optical sight for light vehicles to a more complex and integrated stabilized day/ night sight for moving platforms such as helicopters. Automatic target-tracking modules can be added to ensure fully automatic missile guidance after target lockon by the operator.

System Description

The system is designed to ensure that it can be installed easily on most aircraft in either standard two or four-missile configuration. Electrical integration with aircraft avionics is achieved with standard serial communication interfaces.

Other platform options include heavy IFV turrets fitted with stabilised sighting systems, to light vehicle and even tripod-mounted solutions.

Technical Data

Missile mass : 28.5 kg
Missile diameter : 127 mm
Missile length : 1 750 mm
Penetration : up to 1 000 mm in RHA (with ERA)
Range : 250 m to beyond 5 000 m

Source deneldynamics.co.za

Malaysian Army trials Ingwe missile from 8×8 Deftech AV8 Gempita https://t.co/snGOEwxT0Z pic.twitter.com/5SX7LOrUPV

— nawaponrath (@nawapon10) March 14, 2018

Gen Raja Affandi also said that some minor changes within the AV8 have been requested as a result of experience with the vehicles already delivered and in service but that these did not affect the production schedule.

The Denel LCT30 turret is fitted with a 30mm gun and a co-axial gun. The huge spent 30mm cartridge will be ejected from an opening next to the gun barrel. One Ingwe box missile launchers can also be fitted to each side of the turret. The GI30 is a dual-feed 30×173 mm cannon with an effective range of 3, 000 m. It has two firing modes, a closed-breech, single-shot ‘sniper mode’ for engaging point targets, and a three-round burst mode at 100 rounds/minute for general use. The integrated fire-control system combines a video and thermal sight with three fields of view, an integrated laser range finder, a ballistic computer, an auto-tracker, and touch-screen battle panels for the commander and the gunner. The panels display the sight image, ballistic data and battle management information. Another unique feature of the GI-30 is that of next round selection. Having two feeders, with general ammunition on the right hand and specialist types on the other, the weapon allows the operator to select a specific round, without first firing off or ejecting an unwanted round.

Specifications
Weight	± 28,000 kg
Length	8 m
Width	2.7 m (not incl. side armour)
Height	2.17 m
Crew	3 + 11 soldiers

Armor	Composite aluminium and steel armour, add-on armour at front and sides of the hull up to STANAG 4569Level 4
Main armament	30mm Denel LCT30 turret or 25mmSharpshooter Turret
Secondary armament	FN Herstal MAG 58M coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun
Engine	Deutz 550 hp
Suspension	Independent air suspension system
Operational range	700 km (430 mi)
Speed	100 km/h on road 30 km/h in water