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The vehicle is based on the Bionix AFV, but it uses an external 40mm chaingun in an unmanned turret, which is substantially smaller than a comparative 40mm Bofors autocannon or than a manned turret, with the weapon being just 800 pounds. The smaller size not only frees up more space in the turret itself, but makes it easier to use, reducing the required crew size from 3 to 2, and reducing the potential of crew death if the turret is destroyed. The vehicle is also designed to be paired with a number of other secondary weapons, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, as well as a number of machine guns. The vehicle possesses a broad range of radar systems, which not only help direct the missiles, but also allow for the direction of the 40mm cannon at aircraft targets, giving the vehicle both anti-vehicle and anti-aircraft capabilities, as well as infantry fighting abilities similiar to the Bradley. These capabilities increase the versatility of the vehicle and in large numbers in the field, serve to provide a protect blanket of fire against enemy aircraft. The turret is remote controlled by a gunner adjacent to the driver, with the potential for a mechanism similar to an apache helicopter which tracks the soldier's eye movements. The weapons and driving mechanism can be operated by either soldier, like the apache helicopter, but typically the responsibility is divided between two soldiers, to increase ease of use and ensure focus on any given task. When sitting still, it is common for the driver to operate an additional weapon to the main gunner. The 40mm bofors round is powerful enough to defeat the majority of modern up-armored APC's, as well as light vehicles like Humvees, making it powerful weapon for use against vehicles. It is also useful as an anti-infantry and anti-aircraft weapon, defeating low lying aircraft, especially helicopters, and being useful in tandem with anti-aircraft missiles like the FIM-92 Stinger, and other anti-aircraft weaponry. In large numbers, the 40mm round is especially useful, which helps provide a protective blanket for APC's when working in tandem with each other in large groups. This serves as both a deterrent and as additional protection for the armored vehicles against aircraft, and decreases the amount of vehicles needed in the field to defeat aircraft. The increased risk of retaliation for air strikes significantly reduces the impact from anti-vehicle, tank busting helicopters and aircraft, and makes the cost-to-risk ratio effectively not worth the risk of use, mitigating their impact and reducing the chance of repeated attacks against vehicles. The weapon finally makes a good anti-infantry weapon, with air bursting rounds capable of defeating entrenched soldiers, enemies inside buildings, and even enemies behind defenses themselves, capable of penetrating through barriers before detonating. This provides incredible firepower and protection to the squad, being able to take out not only large volumes of infantry, but also barricaded and entrenched infantry as well, that normal infantry have difficulty engaging. Various FLIR's, or thermal vision cameras are used to help identify targets, even through walls, along with drones and radar to help target armored vehicles and aircraft, based on the apache longbow system. In effect, each APC serves as an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), anti-aircraft vehicle (AAV), and anti-APC vehicle, as a result of the 40mm bofors and various assortment of weapons.

The vehicle is amphibious, and makes use of a hybrid electric engine, which is not only has 30% better fuel efficiency, but allows for faster acceleration and maximum speed as well. The engine can be shut off to allow for a 20 mile "whisper mode", where only electricity is used in the spare batteries and the engine is shut off, allowing for incredibly quite operation for a short period of time. Hybrid electric engines are generally more reliable than their diesel only counterparts, and allow the vehicle to accelerate faster, with approximately 3 times the torque of and ordinary vehicle, and a much higher maximum speed. Even when the engine is damaged or shut down, the vehicle still has at least 20 miles of back-up power, allowing for emergency exits from dangerous environment even when succumbing to catastrophic damage to the engine. When connected to a power grid or military base, or other structure, it can serve as a makeshift generator, powering the local electrical systems of soldiers or civilians alike. The variant of the Bionix AFV is fitted with an active damping suspension system derived from specific formula one racing cars, based on the system in the CV90. This technology calculates the vehicle's speed and anticipates the terrain ahead, then pressurizes the suspension at independent points to lift the chassis and keep the vehicle level. The suspension, which had been modified to suit a 23-ton armored vehicle rather than the 700 kg (1,500 lb) racing car, increases the speed of the vehicle by 30-40 percent on rough terrain, allowing it to keep up with or even outrun main battle tanks, decreases vehicle pitch acceleration by 40 percent, and gives greater maneuverability and stability for fire and maneuvering techniques, increasing the vehicle's overall combat capabilities while reducing fatigue and life-cycle costs.

The vehicle makes use of a number of active defense systems, which helps defeat threats before they reach the armor. The vehicle uses both the Tropy defense system and Iron curtain defense system in order to shoot down oncoming missiles, and works well against a range of projectiles, from armor piercing grenades to full sized anti-tank weapons. Ranging from the RPG-7 to the javeline anti-tank missile, to the AGM-114, the system shoots down oncoming missiles and explosive projectiles, while adding on a small amount of weight to the system. It is capable of stopping repeated impacts in the same area (between 10 and 50 rounds), projectiles of both high and low velocities, and works well even against hard to defeat threats like the RPG-29. It also causes low to none collateral damage, meaning that nearby soldiers are not effected, unlike with explosive reactive armor. It can be easily applied to virtually any surface, and thus is easily replaced if it succumbs to damage. Furthermore it works in a wide degree of angles, giving an extreme degree of overlap for protecting the armor. The vehicle works by using a small number of metallic pellets, similar to a shotgun round, in order to cover a wide area with materials capable of shooting down missiles. In combination with the existing armor, the iron curtain can sufficiently detonate the majority of anti-tank and shaped charge weapons away from the armor in order to prevent it from being destroyed. In combination with this is an EMP weapon designed to shoot down missiles and drones at long range by disrupting their electronics, giving the vehicle the ability to protect soldiers at a range before the other active defense systems need to activate. This has the ability to stop the majority of threats to the vehicle on it's own, significantly reducing wear on the armor and improving the probability of success against heavily armored enemy vehicles. Logistics costs are reduced when enemy missiles are defeated at long range or with active defense systems, sparing the armor from damage that would need to be replaced. The armor also has active defense system that relays information to infantry via the boomerang anti-sniper system and anti-battery radar, which automatically alerts the soldier to oncoming sniper fire and mortar and artillery rounds, thus allowing the soldiers to detect and avoid threats.

The armor of the vehicle is extraordinarily thick in comparison to many light APC's, such as the Stryker, making use of the increased power and weight support of the tracks to provide extra protection for the vehicle and it's passengers. The vehicle is only marginally heavier than standard APC's, being approximately 23 tons, but uses a number of high strength composites and ceramics, which gives it superior armor to most light APC's, and better off-road performance due to it's tracks. The vehicle is also amphibious, which allows it to traverse a wide variety of different types of terrain despite the heavy armor. The armor is modular and bolt-on, meaning it can be replaced when damaged, which makes the repairs easier. The vehicle is surrounded in perforated high strength 12mm thick aluminum armor, which is capable of stopping 7.62mm x 54mm armor piercing rounds, disrupts and deflects larger armor piercing rounds, and prematurely detonates explosive projectiles. The armor is extremely hard and thick, and very lightweight for it's size, being approximately half the weight of armor of the same thickness, which is achieved by possessing small holes evenly spread in the material. The holes are small enough to where projectiles cannot pass through them, and thus it can stop the majority of bullets and large sized fragmentation without it passing through. The high hardness disrupts the flight pattern of most rounds and prematurely detonates explosive rounds, serving as a form of spaced armor which protects the armor below. On it's own it can alone can stop armor piercing .50 caliber rounds, largely by prematuring detonating the round, but must be paired with armor beneath it in order to catch the fragmentation and penetrator. On top of this is two layers of slat or caged armor, which helps to prematurely detonate shaped charge weapons, such as armor piercing grenades or rockets. High explosive rounds and shaped charge projectiles are prematurely detonated by the slat armor, which are prematurely detonated by the spaced perforated armor if they managed to penetrate the slat armor, serving as a buffer that is capable of stopping the vast majority of tandem warhead rounds. Beneath this is the bulk of the vehicle's armor, which while the exact figures are classified, is a mixture of titanium, ceramics, and composites which serve as a protective layer of material capable of stopping 25mm armor piercing rounds over the body of the entire vehicle, at STANAG 5 levels of protection, while certain areas, such as the frontal arc, are resistant to 30mm rounds and higher. The sloped angle of the frontal arc and it's slightly thicker armor provides greater protection, while the slat armor is slightly curved on the outside of the armor providing some protection against repeated impacts. Non-explosive reactive armor is used to back the main armor, which increases it's relative effectiveness by helping absorb and dissipate energy better than the armor would alone. For the same weight, the armor acts as if it is functionally more protected, and works particularly well against shaped charge weapons.


Active Defense systems
The vehicle uses the Trophy active defense system, the Iron Fist active defense system, and the Iron Curtain active defense system. The use of multiple, overlapping defense systems help increase the systems readiness, and the redundant safety measures increase the likelihood of success of intercepting missiles and RPG's, as well as other shaped charge weapons. The Iron Curtain system uses a radar to detect the incoming round and cue the system. It then switches from armed-ready state to an armed state. As the round comes into close range, the optical sensor profiles the threat and tracks it within 1 cm (0.39 in) of accuracy to select an aimpoint and determine which ballistic countermeasure to fire. The countermeasure deflagrates the RPG warhead without detonating it, leaving the dudded round to bounce off the vehicles side. Because of its shelf-like design, the system can be modified to protect almost any surface, from the sides of the vehicle to all around protection, including a turret. Artis claims that the Iron Curtain can be enhanced to protect against “more challenging threats” like the RPG-29 and RPG-32 ‘Hashim’ multipurpose anti-tank grenade launchers, which utilize tandem warheads for penetrating tanks with explosive reactive armor. Iron Curtain should also be able to defend against ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles). The system has 360° coverage, is multi-shot, low-cost, low power, lightweight, and rugged and reliable.The system, which began in 2005 as a DARPA program, is able to defeat threats even if fired from an extremely close range. It has undergone significant safety testing, including temperature and shock testing, and its software architecture has been approved by the U.S. military's Joint Services Weapons Safety Review Process. The countermeasure fires straight down or up, neutralizing the incoming threat within inches of the vehicle, separating the system from many others which intercept threats several meters out, resulting in minimal risk of collateral damage to dismounted troops or civilians. Iron Curtain is designed to be highly modular, and the system's radar does not need to track the threat; hence, a relatively inexpensive radar will suffice. To date, two radars have been integrated onto Iron Curtain: the Mustang radar developed by Mustang Technology Group in Plano, Texas and the RPS-10 radar, built by RADA Electronic Industries. In April 2013, the company announced it achieved a perfect score during rigorous government tests. “We proved not only that Iron Curtain defeats threats and saves lives, but the risk from collateral damage is minimal, especially when compared with the alternative," according to the company's CEO, Keith Brendley. He said the system is ready to be deployed onto battlefields.

The trophy active defense system uses a Elta EL/M-2133 F/G band fire-control radar with four flat-panel antennas mounted on the vehicle, with a 360-degree field of view. When a projectile is detected, the internal computer calculates an approach vector almost instantly, before it arrives. Once the incoming weapon is fully classified, the computers calculate the optimal time and angle to fire the neutralizers. The response comes from two rotating launchers installed on the sides of the vehicle which fire neutralizing agents, usually small metal pellets like buckshot. The system is designed to have a very small kill zone, so as not to endanger personnel adjacent to the protected vehicle. The system is designed to work against all types of anti-tank missiles and rockets, including handheld weapons such as rocket propelled grenades. The system can simultaneously engage several threats arriving from different directions, is effective on stationary or moving platforms, and is effective against both short- and long-range threats. Newer versions of the system include a reloading feature for multiple firings.

The iron fist mechanism is designed to be used with the Trophy active defense system. It senses incoming threats via a fixed active electronically scanned array radar sensor developed by RADA Electronic Industries and an optional passive infrared detector developed by Elbit's Elisra. When a threat is imminent, an explosive projectile interceptor is launched towards it. The interceptor explodes very near the threat, destroying or deflecting and destabilizing it without detonating its warhead. For this, only the blast effect of the explosive is used. The interceptor casing is made of combustible materials so no fragmentation is formed in the explosion, helping minimize collateral damage. On top of this are mortar radar detection systems, designed to detect and intercept oncoming mortar rounds and relay this information to the soldiers via the Net Warrior system, and the Boomerang anti-sniper device, which detects the direction of enemy sniper fire.


Armor
The armor is largely an amalgamation of spaced armor, perforated armor, high-strength but low cost titanium (being only 15% more expensive than steel), and ceramics. As the vehicles are produced from the ground up and are not just an improvement over the M113, they are substantially stronger than the original versions, using stronger, lighter weight materials in greater volume. Higher strength nanoceramics which are more durable to repeated impacts are used which are based on the AMAP armor, in combination with hardened titanium, which helps increase the strength of the vehicle. The vehicle makes extensive use of spaced armor, which allows the armor to prematurely detonate warheads on impact, as well as defuse the energy of a blast or bullet over a long period of time and space. Both squash and shaped charge warheads need a particular stand-off distance to be useful, like found in anti-tank rocket launchers, and due to the premature detonation of the rounds, dramatically reduces their effect. In addition, armor piercing rounds are more likely to be deflected, tumble or fragment when passing through the outer layer, deforming the rounds before entering in the secondary armor below, reducing their effectiveness by shifting their angle in flight or partially destroying the round. Behind this are multiple layers of energy absorbing composites and polymers, similar to Kanchan armor, that works like reactive armor, but is non-explosive, being reusable and preventing collateral damage. It also has an added benefit if disrupting and stopping armor piercing penetrators and shaped charge jets, making the armor more resistant to anti-tank threats and aiding the ceramic armor below. Approximately 315 mm (12.4 in) of Kanchan armor weighs the same as 120 millimetres (4.7 in) RHA while providing the same protection as 12.4 inches of RHA, giving it much higher strength than steel alone.

As a result of the design, shape, and material, it provides substantial protection against RPG's, light arms, heavy arms, and mines. Behind this are several layers of composite material and energy absorbing polymers, that act similarly to non-explosive reactive Kanchan armor, which help disrupt the penetrators of armor piercing rounds. With five layers of defense, the iron curtain active defense system to shoot down missiles, slat armor to prematurely detonate warheads, the kanchan armor to absorb armor penetrating warheads, spaced armor to give space for such rounds and explosive force to be diffused, and finally the ceramic armor underneath, the armor is very well protected against shaped charges and low-end armor piercing kinetic energy rounds, capable of stopping 30mm and 40mm DU armor piercing rounds, although only a few round in the same spot due to the brittle nature of the ceramic armor. Aluminium oxynitride (AlON) is a transparent ceramic composed of aluminium, oxygen and nitrogen. It is marketed under the name ALON and described in U.S. Patent 4,520,116. It is 4 times harder than fused silica glass, and 85% as hard as sapphire. The material remains solid up to 1,200 °C (2,190 °F). When formed and polished as a window, the material currently (2005) costs about US$10 to US$15 per square inch (~ US$20,000/m²). The material is composed of three parts, an outer layer that's exposed to gunfire and made of baked aluminum oxynitride, a middle layer of glass, and a rear layer of polymer backing. The aluminum armor can deflect rounds from small-caliber weapons and still be more clearly transparent than bullet-resistant glass that's been shot, it also passes a much more important test -- it resists .50-caliber armor-piercing bullets and anti-aircraft weapons that typically use .30-caliber rounds, and is roughly half the weight and thickness of traditional ballistics glass.

The nano-ceramic is backed by Dyneema, and ultra-lightweight molecular polymer, which is less dense than water, and substantially stronger than steel. At approximately 3.3 pounds per square foot, it provides level III protection (sufficient to stop 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO rounds), which is roughly equivalent to level III AR500 steel at approximately 10 pounds per square foot, being approximately 3 times lighter than comparative steel. The lower weight is matched with a higher cost, and while the armor is less durable to repeated impacts, is incredibly strong for it's weight. It makes up the bulk of the under-armor, beneath the outer slat armor, designed to stop the most powerful rounds which penetrate the outer-armor. Arranged similarly to chobham armor, but with less precision, the Dyneema is backed with titanium, and ceramic is placed on top of the dyneema, which serves as a strong backing to the ceramic to make it stronger and absorb energy better. The dyneema-ceramic composite is arranged in tiles on the base titanium armor, serving as applique armor, which is protected by the outer slat armor. The outer armor is perforated Titanium armor, itself being 40% lighter weight than comparative steel armor, and an additional 2.5 times lighter by utilizing small keyhole slots in the armor which is too small to allow bullets to pass. Shrapnel is stopped by a thin layer of titanium inbetwen the holes, which is small enough to pass inbetween the holes, but consequently too weak to penetrate the thinner armor. By having small indentions in the armor, it reduces the weight necessary to making it as strong as it is,


Hybrid Electric Engine
The vehicle is amphibious, and makes use of a hybrid electric engine, which is not only has 30% better fuel efficiency, but allows for faster acceleration and maximum speed as well. The engine can be shut off to allow for a 20 mile "whisper mode", where only electricity is used in the spare batteries and the engine is shut off, allowing for incredibly quite operation for a short period of time. Hybrid electric engines are generally more reliable than their diesel only counterparts, and allow the vehicle to accelerate faster, with approximately 3 times the torque of and ordinary vehicle, and a much higher maximum speed. Even when the engine is damaged or shut down, the vehicle still has at least 20 miles of back-up power, allowing for emergency exits from dangerous environment even when succumbing to catastrophic damage to the engine. When connected to a power grid or military base, or other structure, it can serve as a makeshift generator, powering the local electrical systems of soldiers or civilians alike. The variant of the CV-90 is fitted with an active damping suspension system derived from specific formula one racing cars. This technology calculates the vehicle's speed and anticipates the terrain ahead, then pressurizes the suspension at independent points to lift the chassis and keep the vehicle level. The suspension, which had been modified to suit a 38-ton armored vehicle rather than the 700 kg (1,500 lb) racing car, increases the speed of the vehicle by 30-40 percent on rough terrain, allowing it to keep up with or even outrun main battle tanks, decreases vehicle pitch acceleration by 40 percent, and gives greater maneuverability and stability for fire and maneuvering techniques, increasing the vehicle's overall combat capabilities while reducing fatigue and life-cycle costs.


Electronics
The System is operable with the Land warrior operating systems. In addition, it carries a GPS. The radio system is also compatible with the MARS system, and as well include a microwave and radar communications disk and radios. The vehicle charges the electronics of the soldiers, serving as a sort of mobile generator with the hybrid engine producing electricity for the men. The weapon systems of the vehicles are electronically controlled and remoted operated, generally by the CROWS II or Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station program, which not only protects the crew member by removing their need for exposure, but also allows them to operate a greater number of weapons without having to change position. Despite the plethora of weapon systems on the vehicle, only a certain number can be fired at any given point in time, based on which systems the weapons operator chooses. These weapons can also be operated by passengers in the vehicle, to free up operating control needed by the weapons operator.

As an intelligence counter measure, the vehicle sports a Boomerang Anti Sniper acoustic orientation device, intended on finding the location of incoming shots, using an array of speakers. This information is relayed directly to soldiers through the land warrior system, alerting them to the presence and location of enemy fire. With a very adept radar system, similar to the Longbow Apache radar, it can target multiple moving vehicles at once, and can intercept enemy vehicles, from aircraft to tanks, with missiles if necessary; this radar system is used to aim the AGM-114 hellfire missiles, and is useful in anti-aircraft targeting features to aid the 40mm bofors in anti-aircraft attacks, as well as help locate enemy vehicles in general. Various FLIR thermal vision cameras are used to help locate enemy forces as well, and can be used to detect and automatically avoid missiles and incoming artillery. The same radar system can be combined with additional radar systems to serve as mortar and artillery battery radar,


Armament
The vehicle is capable of using a wide array of weaponry, as can be fit on the CROWS II, Defender, and ARROWS automated firing systems, and can utilize a multitude of other automated weapons systems. However, the vehicle predominately uses the following. The secondary weapon systems rotate on a single pivot, which is approximately 1,200 pounds. The main 40mm CT Cannon is 800 pounds and carries with it approximately 3000 pounds of ammunition, or 600 rounds. The round are capable of both air-bursting and anti-armor purposes, typically with an equal amount of rounds carried, or 400 air-bursting and 200 armor piercing rounds. The rounds are roughly the size of a 60mm mortar, and thus can be used effectively in an indirect fire role to provide equivalent levels of power, allowing it to function as short range artillery. With the complex targeting systems, it is capable of taking accurate shots in short bursts which conserves ammunition, as well as targeting aircraft and other low flying vehicles, such as drones or attack aircraft.

The missiles are not stored in the turret in order to make it smaller, and instead are stored in retractable armored pods on top of the vehicle's armored tracks.


1 x 40mm CT Cannon
8 x AGM-114 Anti-Tank missiles or Javelin Anti-tank missile
4 x FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles
2 x Javelin Anti-tank missiles (Detachable)
2 x M3 15.5mm Machine guns, or M2 .50 caliber machine gun or 40mm automatic Mk 47 Striker grenade launcher
1 x 6.5mm LSAT machine gun, or M240, M134 minigun, M249 machine gun