Hunter_AFV

Hunter AFV

Hunter AFV

Singaporean armoured fighting vehicle

The Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle (or Hunter AFV in short) is a tracked Singaporean armoured fighting vehicle jointly developed by ST Engineering, Defence Science and Technology Agency, and the Singapore Army. Intended to replace the Singapore Army's aging Ultra M113 armoured personnel carriers, it was commissioned in 2019.[1] It is the Singapore Army's and the world's first fully digitalised platform,[2] and is designed to provide armoured forces with enhanced capabilities to operate more effectively and efficiently in various phases of military operations. It was formerly known as ST Kinetics Next Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle (NGAFV).[3]

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History

NGAFV at SAF Army Open House 2017

Development of the Hunter started in 2006 as a project of the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF)'s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).

In March 2017, Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) announced that its land systems arm, Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd (ST Kinetics), had been awarded a contract by MINDEF for the production and supply of the Next Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle (NGAFV).

The NGAFV would replace the Ultra M113 AFV as a key component of the Singapore Armed Forces’ mechanized forces which has been in service with the Singapore Army since the early 70s. Delivery of the Hunter began in 2019. The vehicle would be delivered in troop carrier, command and recovery variants.[4]

The prototype model was exhibited at the Singapore Airshow in 2018.[5]

In June 2019, the Hunter AFV was commissioned for the Singapore Army,[6] with the 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment designated as the inaugural armour battle group operating the new platform. [7] The first armour battle group operating the platform was announced operationally ready by March 2022. [8][9] The Armoured Recovery Vehicle variant of the Hunter platform was unveiled on 18 February 2022.[10]

In September 2022, the Singapore Army successfully concluded the inaugural overseas live-firing for the Hunter AFV in Oberlausitz, Germany. During which, the operational live-firing of the vehicle’s SPIKE-LR2 anti-tank guided missile was also successfully conducted.[11]

On 9 November 2022, social media releases from Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) confirmed the unveil and commissioning of the Hunter Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridge (HT-AVLB) variant at the 55th anniversary event of the Singapore Combat Engineers. This variant is stated to progressively replace the Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridges based on the SM-1 platform, the only variant of the AMX-13 that is still in service with the Singapore Army. [12]

Variants

  • Armoured Fighting Vehicle (30mm and 2 SPIKE-LR2 ATGM)
  • Command Vehicle
  • Armoured Recovery Vehicle (Hunter ARV)
  • Engineer Vehicle (Hunter AEV)
  • Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge (Hunter AVLB) [12]
  • Cockerill 3105 turret with 105mm gun (For Export)[13]

Design

The vehicle has a tracked chassis[6] and is crewed by a commander, a driver, and a gunner. The vehicle is equipped with an integrated combat cockpit, which allows the commander and gunner to use a common set of controls to operate the Hunter, and a drive by wire capability, which allows the vehicle commander to take over driving functions from the driver. The commander and gunners also have independent sights.[14]

The Hunter has an MTU 8V-199 TE20 720hp (530kW) turbocharged diesel engine, & an HMX3000 Hydro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission.[15]

It has InArm Hydro-pneumatic suspension provided by Horstman of the UK, now a subsidiary of Renk.[15]

The AFV mounts an all-round surveillance system with a 360-degree field of vision, enabling closed-hatch operations, as well as a laser warning system.[14]

The Hunter AFV is equipped with the Army Tactical Engagement and Information System (ARTEMIS), a command and control system that allows the crew to operate the vehicle in a fully digitised environment and enabling the wireless exchange of information between vehicles and formations. This is also integrated with the remote controlled weapon station to enable sharing of target information. It is also equipped with a Health and Utilisation Monitoring System (HUMS) to monitor the vehicle's health and allow predictive maintenance.[14]

Hunter AFV of the Singapore Army firing an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) during a live-firing exercise.

The Hunter AFV has a remotely controlled Samson Mk II turret from Rafael armed with a 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II cannon, with a magazine for 200 30x173mm rounds,[15] two SPIKE anti-tank guided missiles, a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and eight 76 mm smoke grenade launchers. It has a maximum range of 500 km and speed of 70 km/h.[14]

Operators

 Singapore
  • Singapore Army – 140 (classified quantity, but at least 140 units of MTU 8V199 (720hp) engines were supplied from Germany for this vehicle)[16]
  • Hunter AFV of the Singapore Army at Singapore's National Day Parade rehearsal 2019
  • Rear view of production Hunter AFV at Singapore's National Day Parade 2019 rehearsal.

See also

Comparable AFV/IFVs

  • Ajax – Family of British armoured fighting vehicles
  • ASCOD – Austro-Spanish armoured fighting vehicle
  • BMPT-72 Terminator – Russian armored fighting vehicle
  • Dardo IFV – Italian infantry fighting vehicle
  • Kentaurus – Greek infantry fighting vehicle
  • K21 – South Korean infantry fighting vehicle
  • Lynx – German armored fighting vehicle
  • Namer – Israeli heavy armoured personnel carrier
  • Schützenpanzer Puma – German infantry fighting vehicle
  • Tulpar IFV – Turkish infantry fighting vehicle
  • T-15 Armata – Russian heavy infantry fighting vehicle
  • WPB Anders – Family of Polish medium, tracked combat vehicles
  • ZBD-97 – Chinese infantry fighting vehicle

References

  1. [1]
    "New SAF Hunter armoured fighting vehicle commissioned as Armour Formation turns 50". 2019-06-11.
  2. [2]
    "ST Engineering Land Systems - Hunter" (PDF).
  3. [3]
    "Singapore Airshow 2018: NGAFV to reach Singapore Army next year - Shephard Media". www.shephardmedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  4. [4]
    "Mindef Awards ST Kinetics Contract for Next Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle".
  5. [5]
    "ST Engineering Next Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle at Singapore AirShow 2018".
  6. [6]
    "Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV), Singapore".
  7. [7]
    "SAF unveils the Hunter, its first fully-digital Armoured Fighting Vehicle". TODAY. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  8. [8]
    "PIONEER - SAF's fourth Service to defend Digital domain". www.mindef.gov.sg. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  9. [9]
    "Speech by Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, at the Committee of Supply Debates 2022". www.mindef.gov.sg. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  10. [10]
    Ng, Jr (2022-11-17). "Singapore Army unveils Hunter Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge". Asian Military Review. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  11. [11]
    admin (2022-09-25). "Singapore Army Concludes Overseas Live-firing for Hunter AFV in Germany". MilitaryLeak. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  12. [12]
    "Singapore commissions new locally-developed Hunter armored vehicle-launched bridge system". Asia Pacific Defense Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  13. [13]
    "ST Kinetics prepping to hand over bid in US Army's vehicle competition". 14 February 2018.
  14. [14]
    "Fact Sheet: Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicle".
  15. [15]
    Ruzhelnyk, Olga (2020-02-13). "ST Engineering Hunter IFV close to become operational". EDR Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  16. [16]
    "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
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