Diehl Defence

We are pleased to participate once again in the IDET, the international trade fair for defence and security technology and special information systems taking place in the Czech Republic. In order to illustrate the company’s broad product range, we will exhibit products from the fields ground-based air defence, guided missiles, reconnaissance and protection as well as ammunition. You will find more details of the products exhibited during the trade fair below.

Ground-based air defence: IRIS-T SLM

Air defence systems are generally used to protect populations, important buildings, objects as well as ground troops against attacks from the air. Particularly ground-based air defence is capable of providing continuous area protection over the long term. Diehl Defence is a leading supplier of state-of-the-art defence systems covering different ranges. During the IDET trade fair the combat proven ground-based air defence (GBAD) system IRIS-T SLM will be on display. The system consists of the components missile launcher, multifunctional radar and TOC (tactical operations center). The modular system, which is currently in operation in an area of conflict, offers 360° protection of areas as well as high value targets, such as cities, power plants and other critical infrastructure, covering short up to medium ranges. Several targets can be engaged simultaneously. This means, that one IRIS-T SLM system can protect the population and infrastructure of a large city through its protective shield against airborne threats. Due to the high level of automation, the air defence system can be operated with a very low number of staff. Diehl Defence will exhibit models of the launcher, the radar and the tactical operation center on the booth.

IRIS-T guided missile

Furthermore, the IRIS-T guided missile will be exhibited. IRIS-T (InfraRed Imaging System – Tail/Thrust Vector Controlled) is a state-of-the-art fire-and-forget short-range air-to-air missile with unrivalled close-in combat and intercept performance. The combination of thrust vector and aerodynamic control provides the missile with extremely high agility. The imaging IR seeker head in conjunction with intelligent image processing is another technological leap. Predictive flight path tracking and lock-on-after-launch features enable the missile to engage targets even in the rear hemisphere. The target can be designated by the airborne radar or via the pilot's helmet sight. Overall, IRIS-T is characterized by exceptional maneuverability and agility as well as precise aim-point selection.

Reconnaisance and protection: HPEM SkyWolf

In addition, Diehl Defence will have the HPEM SkyWolf C-UAS effector on display. High-Power Electromagnetic (HPEM) systems from Diehl Defence are designed to counter threats from the air, by interfering with the control electronics inside unmanned aerial systems through short electromagnetic pulses. The HPEM SkyWolf is a new and unique generation of effector systems for the engagement of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The directed radiation of electromagnetic pulses (HPEM) is the core technology. HPEM SykWolf was developed to protect public events, critical infrastructures as well as military missions against threats originating from unauthorized commercial drones. While the jammers only disrupt or overlay the RF (or GPS) signals of the hostile UAS, HPEM directly affects the semiconductors of the control electronics inside the small UAS (sUAS) and thus does not depend on a communication link of the UAS to the controller.

Conventional ammunition

Finally yet importantly, ammunition will also be shown during the IDET trade fair. Part of the conventional ammunition portfolio is the infantry ammunition 40 mm that was developed by Diehl Defence for the engagement of infantry targets. It comprises various types of HE (high explosive) cartridges to be used in automatic grenade launchers. Depending on the ammunition type, targets under and behind cover can also be engaged at ranges beyond 2000 meters.

Diehl Defence also has hand grenades in its product range. On display will be HGR DM51 as well as DM58. The DM51 is an offensive-defensive hand grenade and the DM58 is used for training purposes.

Guided munition

Vulcano represents a product from the guided artillery munition which was developed together with the industrial partner LEONARDO in order to provide international armed forces with the capability to engage stationary single targets as well as moving targets at long distances with pin-point accuracy in future combat scenarios. The Vuclano ammunition family combines highest target accuracy with the unique option of mission abort after firing. The combination of satellite-based navigation with laser- or infrared-sensor control, makes Vulcano one of the most accurate artillery ammunitions worldwide. Vulcano is being offered as 155 mm caliber for indirect fire solutions and 127 mm for naval solutions. The 155 mm version will be exhibited on the booth.

Kinetic defence systems

Diehl Defence also offers solutions for kinetic defence with remotely controlled weapon stations (RWS). On display will be the light weapon station R150 as well as the medium weapon station R400. Despite its very low weight of less than 70 kg, the fully stabilized light weapon station R150 is able to carry all automatic weapons introduced in the Bundeswehr up to caliber 40 mm (MG4 / MG5 / MG6 / hMG / automatic grenade launcher). This is unique in this weight class and ensures, even for light vehicles, a very far-reaching, effective protection against hostile weapon effect. Not only the weapon has a long range and precise fire, the electro-optical sensor also allows the detection and identification of hostile objects already at a long distance (from 13 km). Thus, the threatened platform is able to early evade from the hostile weapon effect or to defend effectively in case of attacks.

The medium weapon station R400 is a basic tool for mechanized infantry operations offering a lot of potential. The four-axis stabilized RWS, at low weight, is not only able to carry all automatic weapons introduced in the Bundeswehr up to 40 mm caliber (MG4 / MG5 / MG6 / hMG / automatic grenade launcher (AGL)), but can simultaneously carry two weapons – a heavy and a light one. Besides the 40 mm AGL, the MG5 can be carried at the same time, for example. The R400 also carries a 30 mm x 113 cannon with an effective range of 2 km.

Rocket artillery systems

The rocket artillery systems GMLRS-SMArt as well as 100 mm LAR will also be part of the IDET exhibition. Diehl integrated the already introduced SMArt submunition as additional effector into the new Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) under contract to the Bundeswehr which is named GMLRS-SMArt. This effector makes it possible to successfully engage armored targets at a distance of up to 85 km. On account of 4 integrated submunitions with optimized ejection performance, an area of up to 120,000 m² per rocket can be covered. The SMArt submunitions ejected above the target area detect enemy combat vehicles by means of 3 independent sensors (2x radar and IR) and engage the combat vehicles in case of a positive identification via top attack. In case no valid target was identified during the detection phase, the ammunition destroys itself to avoid blind shells on the ground.

LAR 110 mm is a training system for the above mentioned MLRS. In the course of an obsolescence elimination, Diehl Defence developed the new LAR 110 mm NG (New Generation) training rocket together with other partners. Thanks to the design and the range of 6 to 14 km, the rocket enables the training of operational procedures of rocket artillery in live firing on almost every Central European training area. On the one hand, the perceptibility (higher visibility and audibility due to a distinct explosion) of the rocket for the exercise units and safety organization is established, on the other hand the threat of fires in the target areas is reduced.