In the backdrop of Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London, Jayant Baranwal, Editor-in-Chief, SP’s Land Forces, had a tête-à-tête with Tom O’Sullivan, International Sales Manager, ATK Security and Sporting Tactical Systems; Roger O’Dell, Director, Technology and Advanced Programmes, ATK Armament Systems Integrated Weapons Systems; and Amanda Covington, Director of Communications, ATK Armament Systems on ATK’s varied weapon systems. Excerpts of the interview:

Jayant Baranwal (SP’s): Can you elaborate on ATK’s future infantry combat vehicle (FICV) products?

Roger O’Dell (Roger): With regard to the future infantry combat vehicle (FICV), ATK is offering its medium-calibre cannon, the MK44. The MK44 is placed with various vendors who are competing with combat vehicles. The 30mm MK44 will also be present at the Defexpo show next year. In addition to FICV, ATK has navy opportunities, for 30mm gun systems and remote weapon systems (RWS). ATK is also the world’s largest manufacturer of small caliber ammunition, including the 9mm and 5.56mm.

SP’s: Is ATK open to technology transfer?

Roger: Everything is subject to US Government approval, but the company is inclined. We have indicated to our partners for ToT for FICV medium calibre gun system.

Tom: Finally, on the Special Forces side, we have had interest in ammunition and products from ATK brands such as Black Hawk!. This includes Special Forces equipment like tactical accessories, such as vests, holsters, etc. Those are the broad areas that ATK is known for in India.

Amanda Covington: ATK is also known for precision-guided weapons. We have developed precision guidance kits for mortars and artillery. GPS technology increases accuracy of the round, which is an increasing requirement on today’s battlefield.

Roger: Precision is the key word and in case of a precise fired round, you get less collateral damage.

SP’s: Tell us about Black Hawk and your India focus.

Tom: Black Hawk was founded in 1994. It is about 17 years now and about nine years back the company was diversified. For India the focus is on Special Forces and not so much on law enforcement, primarily because ATK is not the L1supplier.

SP’s: But now India is no more looking at L1. We have the example of medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), India is going for say L3 or L4.

Tom: India has a unique budget, unique requirements, and we have unique products that are proven in combat. We have found it over the years that it is a fairly easy choice so that they can buy more products at lower price. The second step in our process is conventional forces, the military and armed forces.

SP’s: Which are the countries using your programmes?

Tom: Our products are used in more than 80 countries including the Special Forces of UK, US, France, etc. India is next. ATK also owns eagle Industries, which has very high-quality, made-in-the-USA products. Those items can also be made and sold if the Indian Special Forces have a special need in terms of custom design. We offer a wide range of choices.

SP’s: And if it has to be customised, is it going to cost more?

Tom: It depends on the situation and in some cases it has been customised based on the customers’ needs and we have such economical scale that we can do that.

SP’s: Has any presentation been made to the Indian Special Forces?

Tom: No, but we are looking ahead to demonstrate our products at Defexpo.

SP’s: Can you throw light on ATK’s weapons systems and guns?

Roger: The medium calibre system side of our business covers everything—from the 7.62mm Bushmaster cannon to the Bushmaster III, 35mm. The Bushmaster series of cannons was originated in the 1960s from a military contract with the government that led to our flagship product that is the M242. the MK44 was a derivative of the M242, it started out as the bushmaster 2. It is a premiere medium calibre cannon system with the 30mm x 173mm calibre, which is combat proven, extremely powerful, expands the range of fire, keeps engaging the target, and is extremely reliable. The other advantage ATK brings is that we also make the accompanying ammunition. This helps us leverage the ammunition designers and the gun designers, who work side by side, to make the system optimal for the end user. This is what we bring to the FICV competition, in terms of validity and the capability that the system offers.

Our M230LF (link fed) cannon is built upon our success with our M230, which is the cannon used on the Apache 64 helicopter. The M230LF is a link-fed variant of the proven M230. Now we are offering the gun systems to naval and ground platforms which hadn’t been done in the past. To take it a step further, we developed our own remote weapon system that take advantage of the gun with the ammunition, put in the package that gives end users the ability to bring 30mm capability in place of the 7.62mm or 12.7mm calibre gun. It is a game changer in terms of what the warfighter can do, what the platform can do, and instantly upgunning any platform. We do it with essentially the same logistics and cost profile for the same legacy weapons, again both of them with different thrusts and different capability, strategy, but equally successful.

SP’s: Have you tried to study the potentials with some of the aerial systems, like light combat helicopter (LCH) and advanced light helicopter (ALH)?

Roger: On the air side, ATK has developed a precision air-to-ground weapon called the Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket (GATR). We have demonstrated success with GATR on both Kiowa and Blackhawk helicopters. It has applications for rotary-wing and fixedwing aircraft, with lock on before or after launch capabilities.

SP’s: But India is certainly looking at Chinooks in immediate terms, if not Apache which could be acquired a little later.

Roger: We do have the MK44 on the AC-130 gunship of the US Air Force.

SP’s: Do you have any involvement with the C-130J programme?

Roger: Yes, ATK has sensors on that.

SP’s: When you speak about the FICV programme, which all entities you are in touch with in India?

Roger: We are in touch with several companies.

SP’s: ATK seems to have a huge range of solutions.

Roger: Yes, everything used by a soldier from his outfit to his boots, up to the gun systems.

SP’s: You have created micro-solutions.

Roger: Yes, we were looking at the mandate for the next year. Defexpo is a major event. We will also be at other stands, for example L&t, Mahindra, etc. ATK apart from having its own booth will have systems on other Indian stands as well.

Tom: We are also considering doing a Special Forces demonstration around that time, though we have not worked out on the details. ATK offers a broad portfolio of products that supports a variety of platforms, from the soldier to land, air and applications.