Provide Greater Security at Sea with Rheinmetall's Naval Defence Systems
14 December 2006 13:32
Building on a broad array of products tailored to the needs of the world's armed forces, Rheinmetall is increasingly setting its sights on new threat scenarios.
Around the globe, countless incidents underscore the danger posed by new asymmetric threats. Such attacks can occur at any time, anywhere, targeting civilians as well as military assets – and not just on land, but also at sea. The attack on USS Cole in October 2000, carried out by two suicide bombers in a rubber dinghy, stands out as a conspicuous example of the threat now confronting modern surface combatants.
The altered threat situation means that naval forces now have a wider range of operational responsibilities. In addition to their traditional tasks, they need to be able to engage targets on shore, to provide air defence cover, to combat seaborne terrorists and to protect civilian shipping from piracy.
STATE-OF-THE-ART DEFENCE SYSTEMS FOR NAVAL FORCES
Rheinmetall Defence offers a wide range of state-of-the-art systems for naval forces: reconnaissance and fire-control sensors for detecting and tracking targets, effectors for engaging targets at sea and on shore, and highly-effective countermine warfare and air-defence systems.
By integrating sensors and effectors into a ship's command and weapon engagement system, Rheinmetall's approach to force protection at sea assures a steady flow of real-time tactical data and extremely swift engagement of targets.
A complete range of state-of-the-art simulation and training systems rounds out the company's portfolio of naval technology products. They enable training in extreme situations that would be virtually impossible to reproduce during live exercises.
A highly experienced supplier of single-source systems, Rheinmetall Defence implements complete maritime protection projects, from conception, consulting and engineering to integration, training and client support during utilisation.
RECONNAISSANCE AND FIRE CONTROL SENSORS
Rough seas, poor visibility and salt-laden air are just some of the difficulties which designers of ship-borne have to overcome as they strive to meet new requirements with respect to range, target identification and accuracy of engagement.
Sensor systems from Rheinmetall Defence meet all of these requirements, without limitation. Nor is their usefulness restricted to surface combatants and other naval craft: they are equally suitable for equipping coastguard vessels and border patrol boats.
Versatile and accurate, the MSP500 multi-sensor platform is a stabilized sensor system for long-range reconnaissance operations. Equipped with a thermal imaging device and a laser rangefinder, the MSP500 is able to detect, monitor and identify targets at sea, on land and in the air.
It can also be used for automatic target tracking and as a fire control unit for weapons like the Millennium naval gun. The MSP500 multi-sensor platform has been integrated into virtually every surface combatant of the German Navy.
KU-BAND TRACKING MODULE TMK/EOMK2
The fully-coherent monopulse Ku-band Tracking Module TMK/EOMk2 is the successor to the well-known TMK, installed on numerous ships as part of the Seaguard close-in weapon systems (CIWS).
Rheinmetall used satellite sensor technology to reduce the size of the entire radar – TX and RX – to a frontend, weighing just 70kg, immediately behind the antenna, while still delivering improved performance. As a result, it no longer needs a waveguide or rotary joints.
It permits a full electro-optical line of sight parallel to the radar axis. The stealth-design mounting weighs approximately 800kg. Below-deck equipment is reduced to one cabinet containing the module processors, interfaces and servo amplifiers.
The TMK/EO Mk2 is impervious to mirror effects and – thanks to its high servo characteristics – is ideal for tracking anti-ship missiles. Teamed with the GDM008 'Millennium' naval gun, the TMK/EO Mk2 forms the seaguard inner-layer defence system.
Equipped with a new antenna dish of identical diameter but otherwise using the same hardware, the tracker mounting is also available as the X-band TMX/EO Mk2 tracking module.
This flexibility results from the wide bandwidth of the transmitter modules from 6GHz to 18GHz. By replacing their frontends with this new radar technology, existing TMX/EO and TMK tracking modules can be upgraded to NT level, assuring many more years of service.
X-BAND X-TAR 3D/M TARGET-ACQUISITION RADAR
Rheinmetall's multi-mode X-band X-TAR 3D/M target-acquisition radar is a medium-range search, detection, acquisition and tracking system for air and surface targets. It supplies a three-dimensional air and surface picture including digital tracking data for cueing fire-control systems up to a range of 50km (surface mode).
A fully coherent phased-array radar, it features monopulse radar technology in elevation. The system obtains elevation information through 16 simultaneously receiving, stacked antenna beams. While retaining excellent altitude coverage, the X-TAR 3D/M is specifically designed to detect and track targets flying at very low altitudes.
Despite the radar's small horizontal dimensions of just 1.6m, it features outstanding angular accuracy and resolution, enabling excellent target-to-target and target-to-jammer discrimination. The X-TAR 3D / M uses the same transmitter modules and receiver channels as the TMX Mk2, TMK Mk2, the TMX NT and TMK Nt.
Its outstanding 3D target data accuracy results in a high target-acquisition probability and thus drastically-reduced acquisition times for associated weapon systems.
FIRST RECONNAISSANCE SENSOR
Rheinmetall's Fast Infrared Search and Track (FIRST) reconnaissance sensor can be mounted on ships to provide 360° coverage of aerial targets such as unmanned air vehicles, cruise missiles and helicopters, as well as sea and land targets at medium-range distances.
As FIRST is a passive sensor, it cannot be detected by enemy radar systems. FIRST detects targets autonomously, automatically issuing an alarm message in the event of a threat and feeding the data obtained into a network.
TARGET ENGAGEMENT EFFECTORS
Optimised for the special requirements of naval units, Rheinmetall Defence naval gun systems use the company's tried-and-tested, serially produced barrel weapons.
The spectrum of products encompasses six naval gun systems, including the newly developed 27mm MLG27 light naval gun and the 35mm Millennium gun, soon to be augmented by the large-calibre Monarc artillery gun.
Rheinmetall's remote control MLG27 light naval gun – the most advanced weapon of its kind on the market today – is designed for protecting small surface combatants and other small craft; it can also serve as secondary armament on larger units.
Together with the BK27 revolver cannon (also used to arm the Eurofighter and Sweden's Gripen fighter), it enables effective engagement of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, speedboats and point targets on land.
The gun is particularly suitable for defending against terrorist attacks involving high-speed craft. The MLG27 features an integrated EO sensor system with fire control unit, day- and night-capable vision sensor and a laser rangefinder for automatic and manual target tracking.
It can be easily retrofitted into existing vessels: the German Navy is steadily introducing it as the standard medium-calibre gun throughout the fleet.
Apart from the MLG27, Rheinmetall Defence also supplies 25mm and 30mm calibre light naval guns. All three guns can fire the company's insensitive FAPDS ammunition, which has a porous, fragile, heavy, metal core, coupled with high velocity and long range, to produce excellent accuracy and target lethality.
AHEAD / ABM AIRBURST AMMUNITION
Originally developed for terrestrial air defence, Rheinmetall's Ahead / ABM airburst ammunition enables ships to mount an effective defence even against extremely small, fast-flying targets.
The ammunition is electronically programmed at the muzzle; at an optimum standoff from the oncoming target, the round ejects hundreds of spin-stabilized heavy metal sub-projectiles, forming a dense, destructive cloud. Gun systems that have already been in service for years can be retrofitted with Ahead technology.
ASTRAPI SENSOR/WEAPON PLATFORM
The Astrapi sensor/weapon platform is specially designed for defending surface combatants against terrorist attacks. The platform, which is operated from the interior of the ship, features an extensive array of electro-optical equipment for target tracking and fire control, coupled with a light gun and two guided-missiles.
MODULAR NAVAL ARTILLERY CONCEPT (MONARC)
MONARC is a joint development of Rheinmetall Defence, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Thales Nederland BV. The concept calls for mounting the turret of a 155 mm army artillery system onto the deck of a frigate-sized ship.
The consortium selected Germany's PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer, which is capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 40km, as the turret system (Rheinmetall is currently working on a new generation of ammunition with twice the range). The turret system has been successfully installed on a German Navy 124-class frigate.
Thanks to MONARC, the world's navies can benefit from the German defence industry's technological lead in the domain of large-calibre artillery systems.
Teamed with target-optimized Ahead ammunition, the 35mm Millennium naval gun can shoot down guided missiles at a safe standoff from a friendly ship. The gun is also suitable for engaging fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, unmanned air vehicles, small and large vessels as well as targets on shore and near the banks of navigable rivers.
Fire control can be handled by the MSP500 multi-sensor platform or the ship's central fire-control system.
ASRAD GUIDED-MISSILE LAUNCHER
Originally designed for short-range air defence on land, Rheinmetall Defence's Asrad guided-missile launcher has now been adapted for use at sea. Compatible with infrared and laser-guided missiles and equipped with an infrared search and command sensor, 'Asrad Navy' can operate autonomously or as part of a network.
MASS NAVAL PROTECTION SYSTEM
Rheinmetall Defence is one of the world's leading suppliers of force protection technology. Successfully tested in NATO sea trials, the company's decoy-based MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) naval protection system protects ships from advanced sensor-guided missile attacks.
MASS is suitable for protecting ships on the high seas and in coastal waters from conventional threats and terrorist attacks alike. A new type of programmable omni-spectral ammunition (OMNI TRAP TM) assures protection in all relevant wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum (UV, EO, laser, infrared and radar).
More effective than conventional chaff, Omni Trap's obscurant agents generate a ship-like signature. Offering significant tactical, operational and logistical advantages, the MASS decoy system can be installed on ships of all types. Moreover, it can both be integrated into existing command systems, and operate in stand-alone mode.
MASS is already in service with the navies of Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the United Arab Emirates.
BULLFIGHTER RF / IR DECOY SYSTEM
The Bullfighter RF / IR decoy system protects ships from sophisticated anti-ship missiles. Bullfighter is the latest generation in the family of 130mm naval decoys for Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures (SRBOC) launchers.
The spectrally adapted obscurant agent creates a ship-like signature in all infrared bands and is highly effective against RF and IR sensor heads. Already introduced by the German and Polish navies, Bullfighter has been successfully tested against advanced radar, infrared and dual-mode sensor heads with highly advanced ECCM.
The family of giant IR decoy products (130mm) for SBBOC launchers provides protection against anti-ship missiles equipped with IR sensor heads and image forming IR sensor heads. Deployed by numerous countries worldwide, the decoy target is also effective against two-colour sensor heads.
DECOY ROCKETS AND OTHER NAVAL COUNTERMEASURES
Rheinmetall Defence's array of naval protection systems is augmented by decoy rockets and other naval countermeasures as well as countermine warfare systems.
Irras and Dueras decoy rockets comprise the company's family of 118mm decoy rockets. Irras is an infrared decoy rocket, Dueras a radar decoy rocket, and the Hot Dog (infrared) and Silver Dog (radar) are naval decoys for 76mm decoy launchers.
Moreover, Rheinmetall Defence has long supplied a number of other tried-and-tested systems for naval applications, including the remote control cutter, the mine destruction charge and the anti-sabotage charge.
An underwater drone delivers the remote control cutter to the anchor cable of a moored mine, which it cuts by means of a remotely detonated explosive charge at a depth of seven to 300m.
The mine destruction charge is placed next to the mine by a remote control mine-hunting device, and remotely detonated by an encoded acoustic signal.
The anti-sabotage charge is designed for protecting ships and harbour facilities from frogmen and saboteurs.
The underwater signal charge is used for communications between surface ships and submarines. Both charges feature the same simple safety-mechanism and can be safely handled by non-specialist personnel.
MARITIME SIMULATORS
The navies and merchant marines of many nations use state-of-the-art training simulators made by Rheinmetall Defence. The company's navigation simulators, for example, are equipped with a bridge and a computer-generated visualisation system, offering a highly effective form of nautical training.
Furthermore, Rheinmetall Defence supplies navigation, radar, machine, sonar and mine-hunting simulators as well as systems for simulating operations centres.
Rheinmetall Defence is particularly experienced in developing and manufacturing submarine simulators, covering the complete spectrum from ops centres to depth simulation, including training systems for state-of-the-art command and weapon engagement systems.
Rheinmetall Defence's MASS-ETS (Emulating and Training System) is a complete training and simulator system for the company's MASS decoy system. The simulator can be used by ship's crews, in electronic warfare situation rooms and for integration testing of command systems.
For more information on this company:
Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH - Naval Weapon and Protection Systems
Copyright 2007SPG Media Limited a subsidiary of SPG Media Group PLC
