Any news on ALAAWS?

[LordOsborne]

Another anti-tank related post, sorry guys.

Has any news come about the ALAAWS project? My search fu turned up a couple of dusty threads from 2005, but nothing more current. Google has also turned up rather dry, although i did find the following from the Army Transformation website:

Q33. What will replace the Tow Under Armour capability for infantry units?

A33. The Advanced Lightweight Anti-Armour Weapon System (ALAAWS) capital project will field a missile system to infantry units, beginning in 2007. This system will be man-portable and vehicle-mounted. It will operate in the medium range and cover the ranges 300-2000 m and will be able to destroy any tanks known.

http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/Land_Force/English/5_5.asp#q2

I'm assuming that since no major annoucement was made (that i'm aware of anyway), that the project is behind schedule.
The above quote leaves me a question though:  Will ALAAWS really replace TUA? If so, I wonder why we're even bothering with LAV-TUA if this missile is supposed to replace it in the near future.

 

[MG34]

The last I heard it was between Gill/Spike and Javelin.Gill/Spike was looking good as the extended range Javelin the CF was hoping for was suffering some technical issues which have no doubt been sorted as this info was from 2004/2005. Javelin  looks like the prime candidate but no word on if/when it will be deployed.

 

[Trogdor]

I had an opportunity to test both simulators for the Spike and Javelin.  My opinion is that we should buy the Spike.  For three reasons.  The Spike has a longer range than the Javelin.  It is fire and forget just like the Javelin, however, the Spike has a spooled wire that allows the shooter to see the landscape from the missile's point of view.  This allows him to use the missile as a temporary UAV and find targets that he could not otherwise see from ground level.  If he does spot a better target or decides that his initial target is too close to civilians he can correct the aim of the missile in flight using a thumbstick.
Oh and did I mention the spike costs less.

Rant off.

 

[AmmoTech90]

Wow!  Javelin vs Spike again! 

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/21034/post-107901.html#msg107901

 

[LordOsborne]

Yeah, I know it's a rehash of an old thread topic, but I'm genuinely interested in our next-generation ATGM. Does anyone know how a Javelin would go about hitting a building or fortification target like a bunker? AFAIK, the missile has an IIR seeker unit that locks onto heat sources like vehicle engines. How would it lock onto and be able to hit a building? Does it have some sort of direct-attack pre-programmed flight software?

 

[AmmoTech90]

Does anyone know how a Javelin would go about hitting a building or fortification target like a bunker? AFAIK, the missile has an IIR seeker unit that locks onto heat sources like vehicle engines. How would it lock onto and be able to hit a building? Does it have some sort of direct-attack pre-programmed flight software?

Yes it does, yes it does, it can, yes.
All of that info is available from open sources or from videos on the net.
I hate to be the OPSEC guy, but this is a weapon system that is in use by our allies right now along side us and we really shouldn't  be talking about how it works or doesn't.

 

[LordOsborne]

Ammo Tech, ack. I'll do some more google-ing.