General Dynamics [GD] UK completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the SCOUT Reconnaissance variant, part of the SCOUT Specialist Vehicle (SV) program, the company said on Thursday.
Completion of the CDR is a significant marker in the SCOUT SV program, GD said.
Photo: General Dynamics UK.
The CDR covered the fully-integrated SCOUT platform including the platform hull design, Lockheed Martin [LMT] UK-developed turret, electronic architecture, onboard software solutions, sub-systems, and variant specific products like the Primary Sight.
The Reconnaissance variant is aimed at providing superior protection and survivability, reliability, and mobility with all-weather Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Recognition (ISTAR) capabilities.
This was the final variant-specific CDR to be completed ahead of the pending SCOUT SV System CDR. The system CDR will examine all aspects of each SCOUT SV platform within one review.
“The range of SCOUT SV variants will allow the British Army to conduct sustained, expeditionary, full-spectrum and network-enabled operations with a reduced logistics footprint,” GD said.
“The SCOUT Reconnaissance variant is the flagship of the SCOUT SV program and will provide a step-change in ground-based ISTAR capability to the British Army. The completion of the SCOUT Reconnaissance variant CDR is a significant step in delivering a family of SCOUT SV platforms, which represent the future of Armored Fighting Vehicles for the British Army,” Kevin Connell, vice president at General Dynamics UK -land systems, said in a statement.
“This latest achievement shows great progress, with SCOUT SV vehicles well on their way to being ready for Army user trials in 2017,” Philip Dunne, UK Minister of Defence, said.
The first SCOUT reconnaissance pre-production prototype is planned to be completed later this year.