WORLD
Rheinmetall: successful target engagement with high-energy laser weapons
Baku, November 24 (AZERTAC). Having recently used a high-energy laser weapon to down an unmanned aircraft at a proving ground in Switzerland, Rheinmetall has demonstrated the operational potential of combining a powerful laser weapon with an advanced air defence system. This event provides compelling proof of the Group`s 360° competence in relevant technologies ranging from military lasers and target recognition and identification to target tracking and fire control units - and its unrivalled ability to weld them into a single, forward-looking, fully functional full scale demonstrator.
At a live fire laser demo at the Group`s Ochsenboden proving ground, international guests were able to view two laser weapon demonstrators in action, each featuring different performance parameters.
For example, a 10-kW laser was integrated into an air defence system consisting of an Oerlikon Skyguard 3 fire control unit and a Skyshield gun turret. Modular and scalable, the laser weapon itself consisted of two 5-kW laser weapon modules.
In addition, a 1-kW laser weapon module was displayed, specially mounted on a TM 170-type vehicle for the purpose.
Both laser weapon demonstrators were deployed in different scenarios: as a means of providing protection from asymmetric, terrorist-type threats; in a C-RAM context to counter the threat from incoming rockets, artillery and mortar rounds; and in an air defense scenario with an unmanned air vehicle serving as the target.