Boerbol
The Boerbol is an armored reconnaissance vehicle designed by Lydenburg that is used extensively by the Blackhelm Confederate Army/
Design and Development
Modern Lydenburger military doctrine places an emphasis on the mobility of fast-moving, hard-hitting, armour - ensuring that the required punch is always there for offensive, counter offensive, or defence. This is particularly the case where long-range reconnaissance is concerned. Losing the war for information can cripple a mechanised unit in the field unless one's own scouts are continuously present and ever alert - it is imperative for leaders at every level to have a dependable input of data about the enemy, assessing his contemporary deployments and probable intention. In the shorter term, forward observers must pursue aggressive reconnaissance to identify strategic targets for air or artillery engagement. Ground commanders often consult a wide variety of sources, including but not limited to: satellites, reconnaissance aircraft, UAVs, helicopters, and counter-intelligence espionage.
Lydenburg's ground reconnaissance elements have been structured around informants, human surveillance, and deep penetration networks behind hostile - sometimes foreign - lines to both gain as well as prevent the enemy from gaining, information. Reflecting the low intensity nature of local conflicts, the only real assets beyond UAVs and radar have been some 5,000 scout cars of several indigenous types. The need for effective reconnaissance was driven home to Lydenburg during her involvement in recent cross-border operations, which led to the formulation of a requirement for a highly effective ARV capable of keeping pace with the tanks and mounted infantry. In November 1999, Colonel Johan Lieberman, Quartermaster General of the Lydenburg Defence Force, issued general specifications which dictated a relatively light, fast, long-ranged and cheap 4 x 4 vehicle with respectable offensive capability. The baseline chassis initially selected was the Unimog U1100 416 series due to general all-terrain suitability and because Mercedes-Benz components were in ready supply. Temple Development, the Industrial Science and Technology Agency, and Van Essen Engineering all furbished prototypes.
Van Essen Engineering possessed a great deal of experience in light patrol vehicles and designed an open-topped vehicle with a pointed bow. The Industrial Science and Technology Agency's prototype had a well-sloped glacis and a squat, compact, hull. Since neither complied with Lieberman's requirements, both designs were rejected. The concept was accordingly contracted by Temple and Van Essen Engineering in concert to be furthered in cooperation with Steelpoort Technology Holdings. A third test bed was delivered in June 2001 and the first complementary prototypes shortly afterwards. Modifications requested by LDF personnel involving the transmission, suspension, steering, and brakes were also incorporated. All-welded steel hulls were fabricated and grafted into a modified Unimog drive line. When the new Boerboel's weight exceeded the maximum chassis producer's recommendation, larger coil springs were developed. Van Essen ballistic glass was used for vision blocks; other firms were subcontracted for paint, seats, and modular weapon systems.
After eight weeks three prototypes were ready for experimental deployment. Two were tested by Lydenburg Army units on convoy escort and patrol missions in counter-insurgency operations until the end of 2002. The train of a similar Unimog-esque chassis, the 2.5 Lydenburger-designed WYK utility truck was also tested as a platform, to ensure the same 4 x 4 mobility and easing the problem of maintenance by using the maximum number of spares common to the LDF. A TS-90 turret as fitted to the AMX-10P and the MOWAG Piranha was added, although the Boerboel's hull had to be further braced to handle the extra weight. This choice of calibre for the main gun was largely dictated by the fact that LDF mechanised units were already using 90mm guns in a similar configuration. To prevent the use of two different types of ammunition GIAT standard 90mm rounds, which had already been produced in Lydenburg for several decades, were chosen. This had the advantage of very high kill probability against T-72 tanks and of providing the range needed to counter attacks from lighter vehicles using short range antitank guided missiles (ATGMs). Later, a turret for the chain-fed M242 25mm cannon was offered by Temple and trialled but not adopted. School of Armour workshops at Brandfontein fitted other armaments, including a 120mm gun-mortar, in mock turrets.
The choice of wheels over tracks was made after thorough consideration of the likely nature of future operations and the terrain of probable theatre. In comparison with tracked vehicles, wheels offer astounding strategic mobility without the need for transporters or trains, 40 - 60% lower cost of acquisition and maintenance, design simplicity, reduced noise and chance of detection, superior buoyancy, easier logistics support, 60% lower fuel consumption, higher maximum speed, and longer range. The distances in Lydenburg were also deemed too great for any tracked reconnaissance vehicle to keep up with the dynamic flexibility and swift operational style of the LDF; furthermore, wheeled AFVs required half the power of a tracked vehicle with comparable weight to achieve a given performance. This in mind Steelpoort Technology Holdings provided a Michelin tyre adopted from heavy-duty construction equipment, altered with run-flat inserts which enable four to be driven for about 72 kilometres at 40 km/h with one or more tyres flat.
Production
Production commenced early in 2003, Temple Development churning out approximately eight per week until some 300 vehicles had been completed. Bare vehicles received their electronics, armament, and markings at 1 Armoured Division's Swettendam workshops. The Ministry of Defence subsequently ordered another 350 ARV, which they officially designated Boerboel MARS because of its 90mm gun. The Boerboel was blooded in the fighting which broke out between anti-government demonstrators and the security forces at Woenstroom in April 2007. It has since become a common appearance on the rail route and Lydenburger-owned oil pipeline to Kalumba, in turbulent border provinces, and with regional peacekeeping efforts from 2010. The Boerboel four-wheeled armoured reconnaissance vehicle is now in service with every branch of the LDF, including the Provost Corps. Due to its versatility and maneuverability, Boerboels are readily used for passive observation, hot pursuit, riot control, flood rescue, internal security, road block use, convoy escort, flank protection, and offensive and defensive fire support. They carry a crew of three, with an optional seat for a fourth passenger. Forty 90mm projectiles and 3,000 MG rounds are carried. At least twenty HE, HEAT, or APFSDS shells are directly accessible from inside the turret.
Although one Boerboel has been designed to be capable of operating independently of any other vehicles, its recommended deployment is with a troop (platoon) comprising 3 armoured cars and 1 recovery/command vehicle. The typical LDF troop also includes a supply section carrying fuel, ammunition, and spare parts to ensure optimal efficiency. It, in turn, operates as part of a squadron comprising three troops, as well as a squadron HQ. Continuous communication between the HQ and the troops - as well as between ARVs in the troop, will ensure that reconnaissance missions are closely coordinated, besides offering strong mutual support in the event of engagement.
The welded hull and turret of the Boerboel are fabricated by Lydenburg Metal Pressings' high strength armour steel, which offers total protection from 7.62x51mm NATO AP ammunition and 155mm artillery fragments, and protection from 20mm AP at a 60-degree frontal arc. Antitank mine protection is provided for up to four pound blasts beneath the double-armoured floor. The driver's vision blocks offer the same degree of protection as the hull and adequate visibility through a 180-degree arc. During combat, these can be covered by armoured shutters, in which case drivers must view the ground ahead through an image intensification periscope. Failing that, there is a single-piece cupola over the driving position for increased situational awareness. Turrets are mounted in the centre of the hull with a commander/loader seated to the left and gunner to his right. Both crew members are provided with single-piece hatch covers opening to the rear. Entrance to the turret may be gained by means of a main door on the left-hand side or the roof hatches.
An NBC kit is presently offered by Temple Group, allowing for additional armour and shrouds to be fitted as barriers to gamma or neutron radiation. An overpressure system does ensure that passengers do not need personal protective equipment in the event of an NBC threat. Automatic halogen fire extinguishers are fitted as standard near the engine and crew compartments. An air conditioning unit with NBC filters circulates oxygen through the turret from outside.
Overall length of the Boerboel MARS is 7.4 metres with a total combat weight of 10 tonnes. Powered by an air-cooled diesel engine developing 310hp, the Boerboel has an automatic transmission with three forward and one reverse gears and both automatic and manual gear selection. Power-assisted steering is the norm for the permanent 4 x 4 drive system. This gives it enough momentum to climb a 60 per cent grade fully loaded or cruise a highway at 110 km/h. Typical Boerboels have a combat range of 600 km without refueling. Maximum speed over sand is 32 km/h with a turning circle of 27 feet on the road. In addition, the ARV is fully amphibious, plunging directly into rivers without any preliminary changes for waterborne deployment. Engine and gearbox are mounted on rails and can be replaced in under twenty minutes. An independent Timoney Technologies suspension reduces crew fatigue during extended exercises.
One of the most important features of this product is that it has been completely designed and developed in Lydenburg, via a partnership between two state-owned conglomerates and a very competitive private industry. The notable absence of imported subsystems makes its marketing on an international basis both profitable and circumspect. Battle-proven in Aurora, Temple's Boerboel MARS stands supreme among modern scout cars. Other nations will be hard-pressed to match the performance level of the Boerboel series in the forseeable future.
Armament
The standard Boerboel mounts a fully enclosed weapons station also referred to as the TS-90 turret. This powered turret rotates 360° and allows for a 15° elevation of the main gun. Traverse and weapon elevation/depression is all-electric with manual backup controls. The weapons mounted in the turret consist of the GIAT CN90F4 90mm semiautomatic cannon, and a removable co-axial 7.62mm machine gun. A Lydenburger M51A7 sight allows the gunner to engage targets at the F4's maximum effective range of 1,660 metres during day or night engagements. Local turret improvements over the original TS-90 include increased survivability and a slightly reduced silhouette. Two banks of four electrically operated smoke grenade launchers are fixed on either side of the turret, firing forwards.
The long-barreled F4 is a very high-velocity weapon, firing discarding SABOT rounds, and is matched with a sophisticated fire control system. It can defeat enemy T-54/55/62 MBTs from all angles of attack at ranges up to 2,000 metres using armour-piercing, fin-stabilised (APFSDS) shells or employ direct fire suport with high explosive (HE) charges. Other ammunition available are long range HE, HEAT, Anti-Personnel (canister), and smoke. Despite the firepower not generally found in a vehicle of its class, Boerboel's purpose is not to seek out and engage tanks or support advancing infantry. LDF crews are usually warned from any thoughts of becoming "tank aces" during major battles with conventional armies.
CN90F4, measured at 52 calibres' length, has a single baffle muzzle brake and a thermal sleeve that overhangs the front of the vehicle. It combines low weight with a very high muzzle velocity. The barrel and breech are manufactured from solid steel and the vertical-wedge breech is inclined at an angle of 35° to the left, for easier loading by a crewman in the commander's seat. Every component of the breech and recoil mechanism has been integrated from modular assemblies, allowing maintenance without disassembly of the entire gun. 90mm HE, HEAT, and APFSDS rounds manufactured by Temple Group are fitted with dual safety fuses. TS-90 HEAT is capable of demolishing bunkers, walls, light armoured vehicles, and infantry fortifications. TS-90 APFSDS should penetrate multi-spaced plate armour frontally.
Protection
he Boerboel's armour package is constructed of a welded, homogenous, steel plate that provides complete protection against small arms fire, hand grenades, landmines, and the effects of RPGs. All exposed surfaces are angled for maximum ballistic ricochet. The power plant is enclosed within the hull with air intake and exhaust openings protected by an aluminum grille to allow unrestricted air passage. This enhanced protection provides a 360° defence against improvised explosive devices (IEDs). An optional laminated upgrade incorporates special foam and additional plate with protection against penetration by 20mm cannon fire.
Boerboel hulls are fabricated at LAFV specifications (5 to 9.71mm nominal thickness) above the beltline in standard 25 kg plates maximising protection against a defined threat (7.62x51mm NATO) while maintaining amenable weight. Although principally designed to resist a Soviet 7.62mm bullet at typical Kalashnikov muzzle velocity, it is likely to defeat heavier threats up to .30 calibre armour-piercing or 14.5mm projectiles. Flat-nosed proof rounds were used to determine the strength of armour plate under ballistic stress; it has been found that ballistic limit increases only slightly at colder temperatures. The first prototypes themselves were subjected to a service Heckler&Koch G3A3 firing long 7.62mm ball at fifty metres. In these reliability tests the side and rear armour remained undefeated. Armour even down to a range of ten metres at 25 hits was impervious to AK or G3 perforation. The front vision blocks, too, gave adequate protection against direct hits from rifle AP. Van Essen Engineering has concluded that the Boerboel will provide certain protection against any description of 7.62mm ball from GPMG or AK-47 type rifle at point blank range.
Anti-tank or anti-personnel mines and IED explosions depend on fragmentation, shock, overpressure, and combustion to damage a given target. The Boerboel incorporates several hard lessons from Lydenburg's own internal experience into its MRAP features, such as a long wheel base, high standoff height, ductile blast shields that warp but do not displace under forces of acceleration/deceleration, overpressure-safe roof panels, and a shallow V-shaped underside which dissipates and deflects mine explosions. The high strength armour steel (HSAS) by Lydenburg Metal Pressings is made to the specification of LDF service vehicles and possesses a useful advantage in high fracture toughness and ductility levels manufactured to resist crack initiation. For structural integrity, welded parts are allowed to regain their yield strength after industrial coarsening during 30 days of artificial ageing. With the proper combination of elongation, and crack arrest, HSAS ranks 1 to 5 by yield strength against fragment-simulating projectiles beyond critical thickness. At cryogenic temperatures Boerboel's 25-kg plate samples have superseded these rankings, suggesting improved resistance to small arms fire.
Armour plates quoted in Van Essen's trials measured about 9mm, although it should be noted that not all armour on the vehicle is quite that thick; only the main body shell was tested. It does not take into account the roof, engine compartment, lower sloped frontal glacis, or wheel arches. Turret thickness is approximately the same as the ARV body.
At client request, dual layer armour (an effective upgrade from 9 to 16mm) can be added to withstand a greater blast protection level - making Boerboel an ideal ARV for close protection and combat operations in cramped urban environments. Ceramic applique plates and heavier glass panes can be fitted or removed as required.
Fire Control
Boerboel's fire control apparatus is the most sophisticated of its type installed in any Auroran armoured car. It includes an eyesafe laser rangefinder, a ballistic computer, and a colour TV camera with low light mode as well as a continuous zoom. Camera screens are provided for the driver and commander. The ranging system allows enemies to be engaged as effectively in darkness as in daylight.
Target tracking is carried out by means of a stabilised electro-optical sight onto which the high-resolution TV camera is fitted. Target images from the camera may be followed manually, or via an autotracker programmed to keep the boresight on a given target's centroid as detected on the screen. A thermal application (FLIR) enables hostiles to be acquired and tracked under conditions of total darkness; probable range is calculated from a laser rangefinder fixed to the camera. The rangefinder can simultaneously zero in on multiple threats, storing up to four quarries in its memory during a single sweep. These ranges may be acquired individually when desired. Range, elevation angle, and azimuth angle are subsequently displayed by a digital goniometer, which confirms the coordinates of a selected target. Also of note is the Laser Threat Sensor (LTS), which is sensitive to acquisition by unknown laser-guided surveillance. LTS pinpoints the beam's location by nine LEDs, and indicates whether the threat is a foreign laser rangefinder, laser target designator, or laser target tracker. It has been sensitised to detect autotracker signals.
This system is manipulated by a central computer developed via Steelpoort Technology. It is powered by an independent diesel-operated powerpack in the rear of the turret, which also manages the air conditioning unit. Two layers of shock mounts are supplied as an electronic warfare countermeasure; this renders the computer immune to a wide range of low and high frequency vibrations.
As far as other electronics are concerned, each Boerboel commander is also afforded a stabilised optical periscope in his turret seating which enables him to obtain a magnified view of the target and assist with identification. FM tactical radios by Thompson-CSF provide a flexible integrated facility for short and long range communications in all theatres and environments.