The XM2001 Crusader was to be the United States Army's next-generation self-propelledhowitzer (SPH), designed to improve the survivability, lethality, mobility, and effectiveness of the artillery as well as the overall force. It was initially scheduled for fielding by 2008. United Defense was the prime contractor; General Dynamics the major subcontractor. In early May 2002, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeldcancelled the US$11 billion program because he considered it neither mobile nor precise enough.[1] The prototype SPH vehicle is on display at the cannon park at Fort Sill.
The Crusader was conceived as the Advanced Field Artillery System (AFAS), part of a family of vehicles built around a common chassis in the Armored Systems Modernization program. In October 1992, the Army canceled Armored Systems Modernization due to changing budgetary priorities caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union.[2]
In 1996, the Crusader's experimental liquid propellant system was replaced by more traditional solid propellant bags. In 1997 the Government Accountability Office advised the Army to consider either upgrading the Paladin or to purchase the German Panzerhaubitze 2000 instead.[3]
The Crusader was intended to replace the M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer and the M992 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicle (FAASV). It was intended to be an automated gun artillery system to support the Interim Brigade Combat Teams (IBCT) Counterattack Corps and a basis for other vehicle developments.
Key features of the Crusader design included:
A cooled XM297E2 cannon for sustained high rates of fire
Survivability features to protect the vehicle and crew
GE/Honeywell LV100-5 gas turbine engine to keep up with other fighting vehicles
The Army required that the Crusader was to share a common engine with the M1 Abrams. The principal driver for this change was to shed weight off the Crusader.[4]Caterpillar Inc. proposed a diesel engine, as did a joint venture of General Dynamics and DaimlerChrysler. In September 2000, the Army selected Honeywell's LV 100 turbine engine. The Army was to procure as many as 3600 of these, including 2845 for the Abrams and 846 for the Crusader.[5]
Using the same chassis, the resupply vehicles (RSVs) would deliver automatic, reciprocal transfer of ammunition, data and fuel to the SPH or another RSV.
Program timeline
1QFY95 Approved to commence program definition and risk reduction (PDRR) phase.
2QFY98 In-process review completed and manufacture of the PDRR prototype systems begun.
3QFY99 Delivery of first RSV prototype.
2QFY00 Delivery of first prototype howitzer SPH 1.
In October 1999, Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki outlined a future that envisioned transforming heavy brigades into lighter brigades outfitted with wheeled Interim Armored Vehicles, later renamed "Stryker." Shinseki said the priority of a lighter, more mobile army could shift resources from heavier armored vehicle acquisitions.[8] The following month Shinseki said the vehicles were too heavy: the howitzer and its resupply vehicle would weigh a combined 110 tons, more than could be carried by any of the Air Force's aircraft, including the C-5 Galaxy if flight rules aren't waived. Shinseki spoke with contractor United Defense about bringing down the combined weight of the two vehicles by 20 tons, which United agreed was possible.[3]
In April 2001, a panel convened by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld recommended canceling the Crusader and other defense modernization programs. An official involved called the Crusader "a wonderful system -- for a legacy world."[9]
As of 2002, the Army planned to acquire 480 Crusaders at a program cost of $11 billion.[10]
In February 2002, President George W. Bush allocated $475 million for the Crusader program in the White House's 2003 budget proposal, which also proposed increased Pentagon spending by $48 billion.[11]
In April, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, whose concerns about defense modernization overspending had intensified, met with Pentagon officials including Army Secretary Thomas E. White to discuss defense spending cuts to free funding for more essential modernization programs. The officials discussed cuts to the Crusader, RAH-66 Comanche helicopter, and F-22 Raptor. Some officials questioned whether the howitzer was redundant given the parallel development of a lighter howitzer for the Future Combat Systems modernization effort.[10]
On May 9, Rumsfeld announced that he would ask Congress to cancel the $11 billion program. Days before, Congress members favorable to the Crusader received talking points from Army officials who sought to save the program. The last-minute lobbying prompted anger from Rumsfeld and an internal Army investigation into its congressional liaison office.[12] The investigation culminated with the resignation of the Army official who had distributed the talking points.[13] After being absolved himself of wrongdoing in the matter, Army Secretary White assured that he supported Rumsfeld's decision and said the Army was analyzing alternatives to the Crusader including the M982 Excalibur 155-mm guided artillery shell.[14] The House Appropriations Committee responded, after rejecting a measure that would have sustained the program until the fall, asking the Pentagon to delay plans to cancel the Crusader.[15] Later that month President Bush asked Congress to reallocate the Crusader's budget towards other Army developmental weapons including $310 million for Future Combat Systems in the proposed 2003 Pentagon budget.[16]
The XM2001 Crusader self-propelled howitzer had a speed of around 40 mph (64 km/h) compared to the PzH 2000 speed of around 37 mph (60 km/h). However, the Pentagon refused German suggestions of producing a PzH that would have detachable armor, which could be shipped separately, or substituting titanium for steel in many parts.[citation needed]
^(PDF). 16 May 2002. pp. 9–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2004.
^Schafer, Susanne M. (9 October 1992). "Army drops contracts for armored vehicles". Austin American-Stateman. Associated Press. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
^ abcGraham, Bradley (25 November 1999). "Army's Big Gun Must Lose Some Weight". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
^Burger, Kim (12 June 2000). "Three Contractors Deliver Proposals for Abrams-Crusader Engine". Inside the Army. Vol. 12, no. 23. Inside Washington Publishers. pp. 12–13. JSTOR 43983808. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
^Dupont, Daniel G. (25 September 2000). "Tanks Won't Be Converted to Diesel: Honeywell Turbine Engine Picked for Abrams Fleet, Crusader System". Inside the Army. Vol. 12, no. 38. Inside Washington Publishers. p. 1, 11. JSTOR 43985032. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
^Myers, Steven Lee (13 October 1999). "Army is Restructuringwith Brigades for Rapid Response". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
^Myers, Steven Lee (23 April 2002). "Pentagon panel recommends scuttling howitzer system". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
^ abThom Shanker; James Dao (16 April 2002). "Defense Secretary Wants Cuts in Weapons Systems to Pay for New Technologies". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
^Dao, James (2 February 2002). "A Nation Challenged: the Military Budget; Bush Sees Big Rise in Military Budget for Next 5 Years". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
^Shanker, Thom (3 May 2002). "National Briefing | Washington: Army Investigates Lobbying Effort". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^Dao, James (10 May 2002). "Army Liaison Who Lobbied Congress For Weapon Resigns". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
^Dao, James (9 May 2002). "Rumsfeld Sets Up Showdown Over Weapon". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^Dao, James (16 May 2002). "A Lift for a Weapons System". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^Shanker, Thom (30 May 2002). "President Formally Seeks Halt to Crusader Artillery Program". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
External links
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XM2001 Crusader Specs 1
XM2001 Crusader Specs 2
January 09, 2023
xm2001, crusader, united, states, army, next, generation, self, propelled, howitzer, designed, improve, survivability, lethality, mobility, effectiveness, artillery, well, overall, force, initially, scheduled, fielding, 2008, united, defense, prime, contractor. The XM2001 Crusader was to be the United States Army s next generation self propelled howitzer SPH designed to improve the survivability lethality mobility and effectiveness of the artillery as well as the overall force It was initially scheduled for fielding by 2008 United Defense was the prime contractor General Dynamics the major subcontractor In early May 2002 Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld cancelled the US 11 billion program because he considered it neither mobile nor precise enough 1 The prototype SPH vehicle is on display at the cannon park at Fort Sill XM2001 CrusaderXM2001 Crusader firing a shellTypeSelf propelled artilleryPlace of originUnited StatesProduction historyManufacturerUnited DefenseSpecificationsMass43 tonsLength7 53 mWidth3 31 mHeight3 00 mCrew3 Commander Driver Gunner MainarmamentXM297E2 155mm cannonEngineGE Honeywell LV100 5 turbine engine1500 hp 1119 kW Suspensiontorsion barMaximum speedCross country 39 48km h Road 67km h Contents 1 Inception 1 1 Program timeline 2 Specifications 3 Cancellation 4 Similar vehicles 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksInception EditThe Crusader was conceived as the Advanced Field Artillery System AFAS part of a family of vehicles built around a common chassis in the Armored Systems Modernization program In October 1992 the Army canceled Armored Systems Modernization due to changing budgetary priorities caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union 2 In 1994 AFAS was renamed Crusader 3 In 1996 the Crusader s experimental liquid propellant system was replaced by more traditional solid propellant bags In 1997 the Government Accountability Office advised the Army to consider either upgrading the Paladin or to purchase the German Panzerhaubitze 2000 instead 3 The Crusader was intended to replace the M109A6 Paladin self propelled howitzer and the M992 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicle FAASV It was intended to be an automated gun artillery system to support the Interim Brigade Combat Teams IBCT Counterattack Corps and a basis for other vehicle developments Key features of the Crusader design included A cooled XM297E2 cannon for sustained high rates of fire Automated ammunition handling and loading Cockpit with embedded command and control Composite armor Survivability features to protect the vehicle and crew GE Honeywell LV100 5 gas turbine engine to keep up with other fighting vehiclesThe Army required that the Crusader was to share a common engine with the M1 Abrams The principal driver for this change was to shed weight off the Crusader 4 Caterpillar Inc proposed a diesel engine as did a joint venture of General Dynamics and DaimlerChrysler In September 2000 the Army selected Honeywell s LV 100 turbine engine The Army was to procure as many as 3600 of these including 2845 for the Abrams and 846 for the Crusader 5 Using the same chassis the resupply vehicles RSVs would deliver automatic reciprocal transfer of ammunition data and fuel to the SPH or another RSV Program timeline Edit 1QFY95 Approved to commence program definition and risk reduction PDRR phase 2QFY98 In process review completed and manufacture of the PDRR prototype systems begun 3QFY99 Delivery of first RSV prototype 2QFY00 Delivery of first prototype howitzer SPH 1 1QFY02 Successful preliminary design review 1QFY02 More than 4000 rounds fired from SPH 1 2QFY02 Program discontinued Specifications EditSPH RSV T tracked RSV W wheeled Curb weight 40 tons 36 tons 33 3 tonsLength 7 53 m 7 53 m 11 03 mWidth 3 31 m 3 31 m 2 44 mHeight 3 00 m 3 00 m 3 59 mRoad mobility 67 km hCross country mobility 39 48 km h 39 48 km h 64 km hArmament Cooled 155 mm none noneMaximum range Over 40 km 6 7 Rate of fire resupply 10 12 rounds min 48 rounds in 10 min 48 rounds in 10 minCrew 3 3 3Cancellation EditIn October 1999 Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki outlined a future that envisioned transforming heavy brigades into lighter brigades outfitted with wheeled Interim Armored Vehicles later renamed Stryker Shinseki said the priority of a lighter more mobile army could shift resources from heavier armored vehicle acquisitions 8 The following month Shinseki said the vehicles were too heavy the howitzer and its resupply vehicle would weigh a combined 110 tons more than could be carried by any of the Air Force s aircraft including the C 5 Galaxy if flight rules aren t waived Shinseki spoke with contractor United Defense about bringing down the combined weight of the two vehicles by 20 tons which United agreed was possible 3 In April 2001 a panel convened by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld recommended canceling the Crusader and other defense modernization programs An official involved called the Crusader a wonderful system for a legacy world 9 As of 2002 the Army planned to acquire 480 Crusaders at a program cost of 11 billion 10 In February 2002 President George W Bush allocated 475 million for the Crusader program in the White House s 2003 budget proposal which also proposed increased Pentagon spending by 48 billion 11 In April Defense Secretary Rumsfeld whose concerns about defense modernization overspending had intensified met with Pentagon officials including Army Secretary Thomas E White to discuss defense spending cuts to free funding for more essential modernization programs The officials discussed cuts to the Crusader RAH 66 Comanche helicopter and F 22 Raptor Some officials questioned whether the howitzer was redundant given the parallel development of a lighter howitzer for the Future Combat Systems modernization effort 10 On May 9 Rumsfeld announced that he would ask Congress to cancel the 11 billion program Days before Congress members favorable to the Crusader received talking points from Army officials who sought to save the program The last minute lobbying prompted anger from Rumsfeld and an internal Army investigation into its congressional liaison office 12 The investigation culminated with the resignation of the Army official who had distributed the talking points 13 After being absolved himself of wrongdoing in the matter Army Secretary White assured that he supported Rumsfeld s decision and said the Army was analyzing alternatives to the Crusader including the M982 Excalibur 155 mm guided artillery shell 14 The House Appropriations Committee responded after rejecting a measure that would have sustained the program until the fall asking the Pentagon to delay plans to cancel the Crusader 15 Later that month President Bush asked Congress to reallocate the Crusader s budget towards other Army developmental weapons including 310 million for Future Combat Systems in the proposed 2003 Pentagon budget 16 The XM2001 Crusader self propelled howitzer had a speed of around 40 mph 64 km h compared to the PzH 2000 speed of around 37 mph 60 km h However the Pentagon refused German suggestions of producing a PzH that would have detachable armor which could be shipped separately or substituting titanium for steel in many parts citation needed Similar vehicles EditAS 90 Panzerhaubitze 2000 2S35 Koalitsiya SV K9A2 ThunderSee also EditArmored Systems Modernization a wide ranging U S Army combat vehicle acquisition program cancelled after the end of the Cold War XM1203 Non Line of Sight Cannon a U S Army self propelled howitzer canceled in 2011 that was a part of the Future Combat Systems Manned Ground Vehicles program M1299 a U S Army replacement for the M109 howitzer M8 Armored Gun System a U S Army light tank project cancelled in 1996References Edit Prepared Statement of the Honorable Donald H Rumsfeld Secretary of Defense on the Crusader Recommendation before the Senate Committee on Armed Services PDF 16 May 2002 pp 9 11 Archived from the original PDF on 25 February 2004 Schafer Susanne M 9 October 1992 Army drops contracts for armored vehicles Austin American Stateman Associated Press Retrieved 18 November 2021 a b c Graham Bradley 25 November 1999 Army s Big Gun Must Lose Some Weight The Washington Post Retrieved 6 August 2018 Burger Kim 12 June 2000 Three Contractors Deliver Proposals for Abrams Crusader Engine Inside the Army Vol 12 no 23 Inside Washington Publishers pp 12 13 JSTOR 43983808 Retrieved 7 February 2022 Dupont Daniel G 25 September 2000 Tanks Won t Be Converted to Diesel Honeywell Turbine Engine Picked for Abrams Fleet Crusader System Inside the Army Vol 12 no 38 Inside Washington Publishers p 1 11 JSTOR 43985032 Retrieved 7 February 2022 XM2001 Crusader Specifacation XM2001 Crusader Specifacation 2 Myers Steven Lee 13 October 1999 Army is Restructuringwith Brigades for Rapid Response The New York Times Retrieved 6 August 2018 Myers Steven Lee 23 April 2002 Pentagon panel recommends scuttling howitzer system The New York Times Retrieved 6 August 2018 a b Thom Shanker James Dao 16 April 2002 Defense Secretary Wants Cuts in Weapons Systems to Pay for New Technologies The New York Times Retrieved 6 August 2018 Dao James 2 February 2002 A Nation Challenged the Military Budget Bush Sees Big Rise in Military Budget for Next 5 Years The New York Times Retrieved 6 August 2018 Shanker Thom 3 May 2002 National Briefing Washington Army Investigates Lobbying Effort The New York Times Retrieved 5 August 2018 Dao James 10 May 2002 Army Liaison Who Lobbied Congress For Weapon Resigns The New York Times Retrieved 14 August 2018 Dao James 9 May 2002 Rumsfeld Sets Up Showdown Over Weapon The New York Times Retrieved 5 August 2018 Dao James 16 May 2002 A Lift for a Weapons System The New York Times Retrieved 5 August 2018 Shanker Thom 30 May 2002 President Formally Seeks Halt to Crusader Artillery Program The New York Times Retrieved 5 August 2018 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to XM2001 Crusader XM2001 Crusader Specs 1 XM2001 Crusader Specs 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title XM2001 Crusader amp oldid 1117504901, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
