NationStates Jolt Archive


Africarms Initiative- competitive defence systems from the UAR Lusaka

imported_Lusaka
18-11-2004, 18:44
The United African Republic of Lusaka long operated about the most successful socialist economy on the continent, maintaining a per capita GDP to rival at least Eastern European and Latin American standards. During this time it established effective mining and manufacturing industries and dealt primarily in exchange of necessary raw materials, caring little for efficiency or for fluctuations in market prices.
Since the Lusakan United African Nationalist Party coup that deposed President Derek Igomo’s Social Progress Party, Lusaka has lost many of its communist allies and been forced to deal in currency. The economy has been hurt by fluctuations in the price of materials such as copper, as well as by poor post-coup management.
However, the instruments of successful socialist economics remain, though wear and decay faces them with menace. For now, Lusaka remains able to extract ores and to refine and process them of its own accord and further to produce finished goods as necessitated by its old economic style. Now, desperately requiring capital, Lusaka is forced to export finished goods or face the ruin of its domestic industry, and offers to the international community a number of native African defence systems.
Besides, General Tendyala is extremely keen to keep the state arms factories open and their staff employed as he seeks to cement his credibility as President.
The systems are all products of Lusakan State Arsenals, though some owe design features or individual components to foreign firms and governments.


AFRISAM mobile medium-range area defence surface-to-air missile system

Programme
AFRISAM is a mobile medium-range area defence surface-to-air missile system developed by Lusakan state arsenals during the first four years of the C21st.

The AFRISAM was meant to cover a number of gaps in the Republic’s air defence grid. The military contract called for a mobile system to display, “superior performance to the comparable Soviet-origin SAM systems currently in Lusakan service at lower cost than would result from importing modern systems from the developed world.”

Guidance
AFRISAM is equipped with electronic counter-measure equipment to cut through jamming, and employs command and optional terminal guidance with a semi-active radar seeker in the terminal stages (around 3-5 seconds) of flight. The new Scavenger radar that accompanies LS-8 battalion is capable of detecting aircraft flying at tree top height, and the LS-8 missile of engaging the same. Scavenger can track forty-eight targets and attack four at a time, guiding up to eight missiles against them. Reaction speed is said to be quite good, with perhaps less than fifteen seconds between detection and firing.

Missile
Integral ramjet rocket propulsion allows for a fairly small, lightweight missile with an impressive payload. A solid-propellant booster initiates the LS-8 missile’s flight, carrying it to above Mach 1 in a matter of seconds before being jettisoned as the ramjet motor takes over. Speed is then in excess of Mach 3.2. Launch weight is reported to be just over 600kg and warhead-weight generally around 50kg. The LS-8 Surface-to-Air Missile’s range is up to roughly 28km, and ceiling 14,500m.

Mobility
AFRISAM’s core component, the LS-8 missile launcher, is mounted upon a modified Luskan-built BMP-2 chassis and carries three launch-ready missiles. Scavenger radar and command unit is aboard a modified Czech OT-62B APC. Zil-131 trucks are probably to be used as primary reload vehicles.

Battery configuration
An AFRISAM battalion typically consists of one improved Long Track early warning radar (150km range, 30km altitude), one Scavenger fire-control radar (65km range, roughly 15km altitude) and command unit, two Zil-131 reload-vehicles, and four launch vehicles. Long Track(L) may serve more than one battalion operating in the same area.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/AFRISAM1.jpg
AFRISAM launch vehicle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/AFRISAMlaunch.jpg
AFRISAM launching LS-8 missile

Export cost
New Lusaka City hopes to receive sums in the order of:
US$100,000 per LS-8 missile
US$8.5million per AFRISAM battery (launch vehicles, fire-control and command unit)
US$4million per Long Track Improved mobile search radar
US$40,000 per Zil-131 reload vehicle

Command radar units are offered apart from battery packages as it is not absolutely required that one be acquired with every battery- Long Track may serve at least two batteries operating in the same area.
Reload vehicles are offered separately as it may be possible to convert other vehicles existing in service for customer states, making acquisition of a different type of truck for a single duty an unattractive prospect.


Olifant L-2 Main Battle Tank

Descended from the famous British Centurion tank, Olifant (Elephant) L-2 is closely related to the South African tank of similar name. OL2 provides the Army of Lusaka with its only truly competitive battle tank and is also in service with the wealthy African Commonwealth which is licensed to produce the vehicle for its own use. Olifant L-2 is a very heavy tank, a condition that testifies to its extremely formidable armour package.

Specifications

Crew: 3 Commander, driver and gunner.

Length (hull): 8.75m
Height: 3.5m
Width: 3.55m
Weight: 59,250kg

Engine: Air-cooled turbo diesel engine for 1,200hp
Road Speed: 62km/h
Range: 350km

Main Armament: Stabilised 120mm smoothbore gun firing HE, HEAT, HESH, APFSDS, smoke, and practice rounds, as well as LATGM-2 (anti-tank guided missile, approximately 4,500m range). Auto-loader for 10+ rounds per minute, 56 rounds stowed. Laser range finder, fire control computer. Fire-on-the-move capable at night.
Secondary Armament: 7.62mm co-axial machinegun, 12.7mm AA machinegun optional. 6x smoke-grenade dischargers.

Armour/Protection: Steel. Composite added to turret and front hull. 1st generation Explosive Reactive Armour package is optional. Lozod-2 countermeasure system is essentially a Lusakan Drozod adapted for the big Olifant tank. Armoured skirt. Turret incorporates blow-off panels to protect the crew in the event of ammunition ignition.

Other systems: Night vision equipment for all crew members, NBC system, air conditioning system optional.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/olifant2.jpg
Olifant L-2 Main Battle Tank

Overview of capabilities
Olifant L-2 has proven itself capable of operating in difficult conditions found in sub-Saharan Africa, and is a very adaptable design able still to accept further upgrade. Lusakan passive and active protection systems such as ERA and Lozod-2, and the LATGM-2 missile may be considered just behind the cutting edge of 1st world military systems, but in the case of the defence systems there is no reason that they could not be replaced by foreign contractors. Lusaka has found that its anti-tank guided missile is quite able to deal with many local threats and during the Al Khali war the weapon knocked-out a number of BMP-1 vehicles, PT-76 light tanks, and M48-derivative tanks, though it may not match the latest generation of such weapons.

Export Cost
Being now produced almost entirely from scratch within the confines of Lusaka’s state industry, Olifant L-2, while able to compete with most 1st world battle tanks, is to be exported at a low price of US$3million per unit. This is a basic estimate and negates the possibility of specific deals or new packages.


T-56(L) Medium Tank

For every Olifant L-2 in Lusakan service there are two or three T-56(L). During Derek Igomo’s two decades as President of Lusaka, the nation earned many allies in the Soviet bloc. Nations such as Hrstrovokia furnished the United African Republic’s armed forces with enough hardware to make it a local power, and Igomo’s drive for self-sufficiency saw major upgrade programmes initiated. The T-56(L) was derived from the hulls of donated T-54s and Lusaka’s first worthwhile tank entered service during the Lumbosa-Valinon war during which the UARL fought on the side of its (now defunct) Lumbosan neighbour.

Specifications

Crew: 4, commander, driver, gunner, and loader.

Weight: 41,000kg

Engine: 700hp diesel

Armament: 1x105mm fully stabilised gun with laser range-finder and capable of firing LATGM-1 based loosely on AT-8, 7.62mm co-ax mg, 12.7mm AA mg (bow mg removed in favour of new armour package and slightly more accessible ammo stowage)

Speed: 56kph+ (road)

Armour: Steel (250mm max. approx.) plus 1st generation explosive reactive armour, skirts, extra anti-mine armour, and Lozod countermeasure system (uprated Drozod)

Other equipment: IR night vision for commander, gunner, and driver. NBC suite.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/T-56L.jpg
T-56(L) Medium Tank

Export Cost
T-56(L) is being offered at the excellent price of US$950,000 per unit.


(Note: I’m not overly concerned about the exact details of the financial side of this. I’m doing it because LUAN thinks that it makes sense, not because I want to make X-billion dollars, blah blah blah.)
imported_Lusaka
19-11-2004, 19:22
(That's right, evvverybody wants African 2nd world armaments.)