Firing of 100,000th Simulated Round from AS90 Turret Trainer

Crews can use the trainer to practice their routine firing drills and turret operating procedures without the expense of live firing, therefore offering the realism of firing with a highly reduced cost By Joseph Macey / 17 Aug 2023

Combat Convoy Simulators

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
AS90 Turret Trainer Reaches Firing Milestone
Follow DA

The 100,000th simulated round has been fired from an AS90 Turret Trainer, saving the Ministry of Defence (MoD) £230 million since it was first introduced.

Procured and supported by DE&S, the trainer sharpens the skills of the commander, gunner and loader of the self-propelled 155mm Howitzer gun.

Based at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire, crews can use it to practice their routine firing drills and turret operating procedures without the expense of live firing. Therefore, it offers the realism of firing with a highly reduced cost.

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Talbot-King, Chief Instructor Close Support Wing at the Royal School of Artillery, said: “The AS90 turret trainer continues to provide significant benefit through immersive training that can be tailored to the training needs of the individual, or detachment in a hugely cost-effective way. The firing of the 100,000th round is a significant milestone that underpins the value of the turret trainer in preparing Royal Artillery personnel to live fire both on exercise and on operations.”

Based on a real AS90 turret, the trainer uses an electro-mechanical system to fully replicate a complete firing cycle. This includes the weight and size of the artillery rounds and the noise and turret movement on firing.

Since the trainer was introduced, thousands of UK soldiers have used it, building up their experience before they move on to live firing on the ranges. More recently it has also been used to train Ukrainian soldiers as part of the wider training package to equip them with the skills to fire AS90 guns gifted to them by the UK.

The turret trainers were developed and manufactured by Van Halteren Technologies (VHT). The company has also delivered more than 100 systems for other guns such as the M101, M119, M198 and FH70.

Major General Darren Crook, DE&S Director Land Equipment, said: “The great value of the AS90 turret trainer is that it allows crews to develop and hone their skills before live firing; it delivers high-quality immersive training, does so efficiently, whilst also reducing the environmental impact of live firing. At DE&S we are incredibly proud to have delivered the turret trainer for the British Army and provided training for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

Ed Noorlander, VHT’s Technical Commercial Director, added: “The system features Van Halteren’s Ammunition Recognition System (ARES), which is capable of detecting all types of currently available simulated ammunition types. ARES detects simulated fuze type and settings, projectiles, charge class and charge orientation, and it also determines recoil length depending on the charge class that is loaded.”

Posted by Joseph Macey Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

New 3D Radar System Launched with AI-Powered Drone Detection

Terma has introduced SCANTER Sphera, a compact 3D radar system with AI-driven drone detection and full 360° situational awareness

May 23, 2025
Triad RF Systems Certified to Global Quality Standard ISO 9001:2015

Triad RF Systems has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification, reinforcing its commitment to quality, continuous improvement, and delivering reliable RF solutions worldwide

May 23, 2025
LiDAR’s Evolving Role in Security & Surveillance

Inertial Labs outlines how LiDAR, including UAV-mounted systems like RESEPI GEN-II, enhances perimeter security through precise mapping, environmental awareness, and real-time monitoring

May 23, 2025
Gyro Stabilization Solutions for Tactical Military Systems

Defense Advancement showcases high-precision gyro stabilization mounts for mission-critical military and defense applications

May 23, 2025
AI-Powered Mission Planning & Target Recognition Software Selected for Long-Range Loitering Munitions

Teledyne FLIR OEM's Prism Supervisor and Prism SKR software is being integrated into Dragoon Technology's UAS under the DIU's Project Artemis

May 22, 2025
GA-ASI Begins Ground Testing of Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft

GA-ASI has begun ground testing of its YFQ-42A uncrewed jet for the U.S. Air Force’s CCA program, targeting a summer 2025 first flight as part of next-generation combat aviation efforts

May 22, 2025

Featured Content

New Hybrid Solution for Long-Term GNSS-Denied Navigation

Advanced Navigation has demonstrated a major breakthrough with a Hybrid Navigation System designed for GPS-denied environments, combining a strategic-grade FOG INS with a laser velocity sensor

May 21, 2025
New Line of Kinetic-Capable Unmanned Surface Vessels Introduced

Red Cat Holdings enters the maritime autonomy market with a new line of combat-proven USVs, expanding its multi-domain unmanned systems for naval operations

May 20, 2025
Next-Gen Group 2 UAS Enters Production with Extended Endurance & Upgrades

Aurora Flight Sciences upgrades the SKIRON-X Group 2 UAS with greater versatility and tactical mission endurance, as well as announcing the hydrogen-powered SKIRON-XLE variant

May 13, 2025
Advancing Defense Capability Through Strategic Collaboration Defense Advancement works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive defense capabilities forward.