The 40CTC (40 mm Cased Telescoped Cannon) is a 40 mm autocannon and the central component of the Franco-British 40CTAS (40 mm Cased Telescoped Armament System) developed by CTA International. It is designed to fire 40mm telescoped ammunition.[2] This format provides significant benefit within vehicles in the space envelope required for the gun and the ammunition storage.[3] However, the selection of the unfielded, thus unproven, new design for major French and British programmes was controversial.[4][5]
The 40CTAS has been ordered by the French Army for use on its future EBRC Jaguar armoured reconnaissance vehicle. The latter entered service in February 2022. It has also been mandated for the UK Ajax (formerly FRES SV) and (cancelled) Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) programmes.
In February 2010, CTA International signed a £11m contract with the French and British defence ministries to qualify the 40CT; this included environmental testing and the firing of 15,000 rounds.[6] The company has confirmed that the ammunition for the British weapons will be assembled by BAE Systems at the ROF Glascoed facility.[7]
Design
The 40CTAS consists of the following modules:
The 40 CT autocannon
The AHS (Ammunition Handling System), a linkless carousel-type feeding system that can be adapted to any turret configuration in terms of shape and capacity.
The GCE (Gun Control Equipment), an advanced pointing and stabilization system that ensures high site and bearing performance when firing on the move.
The Gun Mount, the mechanical interface between the gun and the turret; it is adaptable to integration needs.
The CTAS-C (CTAS-Controller) is the control and command box for the weapon and power supply system. Depending on requirements, it can also integrate fire control, including the "coincidence firing" function to maximize precision performance.
Variants
Nexter/Thales Naval RapidFire
The Naval RapidFire is a naval platform based on the 40CTC. Intended as close-in defense capability for surface vessels against air and land threats, it can fire the A3B round.[8] The RapidFire was selected for integration on the 4 Bâtiment ravitailleur de forces (BRF) of the French Navy as well as the upcoming class of 10 Patrouilleurs Hauturiers (PH) offshore patrol vessels. The first system was installed on the lead ship of the BRF, FS Jacques Chevallier, in February 2023.[9]
Nexter/Thales Land RapidFire
It is the land-based variant of the RapidFire and is meant for integration on military vehicles.[8] The turret can store between 70 and 120 rounds, with additional rounds stored in the turret structure's compartment. Rate of fire is 200 rpm with a range against aerial and surface targets of 4,000 m and 2,500 m respectively. The truck-based RapidFire can be mounted on a 6×6 and 8×8 chassis, the latter of which is able to de-mount the system onto the ground for it to operate independently.[10][11]
Ammunition
The 40CTAS's proprietary 40mm telescoped ammunition is manufactured for various applications, including anti-infantry and anti-materiel. The variants differ in weight, effective range, and payload depending on the intended target.
Type
Projectile weight (g)
Muzzle velocity (m/s)
Penetration
Effective range (m)
Targets
Notes
APFSDS-T Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot - Tracer
Several French Army programmes might lead to the introduction of the 40CTC cannon within the forces beyond the EBRC Jaguar:
France is in discussion with Greece regarding the sale of 120 second-hand VBCI IFV as a quick solution for Greece.[22] It is highly likely that France would replace those vehicles with the VBCI-2 and the T40 turret equipped with the 40CTC cannon.
A report from French elected official demonstrated a need for a cost-effective SHORAD capability in the French Army. The answer given is the Land RapidFire.[23]
KNDS France also proposed the VBCI-2 equipped with the T40 turret to Qatar.[29] In April 2024, discussions for a first batch of 120 VBCI-2 were ongoing.[25]
The British Army cancelled the modernisation of the Warrior in 2021. A surplus worth £70 million of 40CTC cannons was revealed by the UK MoD following this cancellation.[30] A total of 515 cannon had been ordered by the MoD in 2015. The consequence is that some of those cannons were available for sale, or for other programme.[30] It is unknown whether these were used to supply Belgian and Luxembourg EBRC, or if the MoD kept them for future potential programmes.
The Australian Army opened a tender process in the Land 400 Phase 2 programme. Nexter offered the VBCI-2 equipped with the T40 turret and 40CTC cannon. The Australian Army shortlisted two of its competitors, the Boxer equipped with the LANCE 30 turret and the Patria AMV equipped with the BAE E35 turret.[31] The Boxer won the programme, 133 in the CRV variant equipped with a LANCE 30 turret using the MK 30-2 [de] cannon.[32]
Nexter pitched the VBCI-2 with the T40 turret and the Nexter Titus as future vehicles for the Bulgarian Army in 2019.[33] The Stryker won the competition and a contract was signed in 2024. The IFV variant is the M1296 Dragoon which is equipped with the ATK Orbital MK.44S Bushmaster II cannon.[34]
In 2015, Nexter offered the VBCI-2 with the T40 turret for the new infantry fighting vehicle of the Spanish Army.[38] The Piranha V won the tender process and it is equipped with the Guardian 30 turret with the ATK Orbital MK.44S Bushmaster II cannon.[39]
