Multi-domain operations, Joint and combined forces planning together, special reconnaissance across various terrains, and enhanced readiness, just a typical day at Special Operations Command, Korea.
UFS 24 reinforces the role of the alliance as a cornerstone for regional peace and security, reaffirming the ironclad commitment between the United States and the Republic of Korea to defend their homelands.
– Courtesy of SOCKOR
Rheinmetall has once again demonstrated its expertise in the field of artificial intelligence. It achieved a significant success in connection with the Interoperable Robotic Convoy (InterRoC) project. In the European Land Robot Trial 2024 (ELROB) competition, the Rheinmetall InterRoc team consisting of the Research & Technology division of Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH and Rheinmetall Canada Inc. won first place in the “Automated Convoy” category. The combination of HX truck and integrated PATH autonomy kit proved its worth.
The Rheinmetall PATH autonomy kit (‘PATH A-Kit’) is an AI-supported navigation system that can be installed in almost any vehicle. It has already proven itself several times in trials in various platforms, including in the Mission Master robotic vehicle family. Just last year, it was successfully used in the 2023 Estonia Unmanned Ground Systems Autonomy Trials. At ELROB 2024, the PATH A-Kit controlled two of the highly mobile HX logistics vehicles as part of the convoy scenario. Both HX vehicles were also equipped with a drive-by-wire system.
ELROB is one of the most demanding open international competitions in the field of robotics, sensor technology and autonomy. Every two years, participants from universities as well as civilian and military manufacturers compete against each other. The aim is to test the capabilities of modern robots. This year was the 12th edition. It took place from 24 to 28 June at the German Armed Forces Technical Center for Land-Based Vehicle Systems, Engineer and General Field Equipment (Wehrtechnische Dienststelle WTD 41) in Trier. 19 teams took part. Rheinmetall subsidiaries Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH and Rheinmetall Canada competed in a tactical leader-follower scenario and an actual real-life scenario.
The level of difficulty of this year’s tasks was significantly increased compared to the 2022 competition. The autonomously driving trucks and the convoy commander had to react to dynamic obstacles, alternative routes and various electromagnetic interferers, among other things. However, the system was able to solve all tasks in an exemplary manner.
The HX vehicles had to overcome eleven different obstacles on a 6 km circuit. The most difficult challenges included narrow paths, transitions between on-road and off-road driving, navigating through open and dense forests, communication interference, reversing and driving around obstacles. “The course was very challenging. The organisers did a fantastic job of making the competition a realistic military scenario and our performance shows that the Rheinmetall PATH-A kit is ready for real-world use cases,” said Paul Rocco, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Provectus. The company was acquired by Rheinmetall Canada in 2019.
The competition organisers also surprised the Rheinmetall team by bringing a car into their convoy. This forced the following truck to slow down and navigate around the moving obstacle. The convoy was also broken up, so the team had to remotely control the following truck on a parallel path and reconfigure the convoy to make the remote-controlled truck the new convoy leader. “The 2024 ELROB scenario was considerably more challenging than the scenario for the 2022 ELROB participation, for example,” commented Sebastian Elze, Rheinmetall Landsysteme Research & Technology division’s project manager responsible for the overall autonomous InterRoC system, among other things.
Despite these challenges, the team completed most of the route in convoy mode without GPS, as the terrain was overgrown with dense foliage. “This is the first time we have demonstrated this new specific capability, which is a significant upgrade for the PATH A kit,” said Luc Brunet, Director of Robotics and Autonomous Systems at Rheinmetall Provectus. “We were able to seamlessly switch between GPS-enabled and GPS-free environments without any degradation in functionality or noticeable change in operation.”
Although ELROB is a non-competitive event focussed solely on research and development, an award ceremony was held at the end of the trial. This is intended to give participants the opportunity to receive feedback and insights from the judges. This year, Rheinmetall received the prize for the best convoy performance, a first for the company and an important milestone for the PATH A-Kit.
In addition to the evaluated scenarios, the area of autonomous driving was also demonstrated to the many visitors – including generals and other military personnel from various countries, officials from the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) and WTD41 – in the open presentation area. The vehicles in the competition, which were also on display and available for demonstration drives, were very popular with the visitors and aroused great interest
The Research & Technology division of Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH from Unterlüß took part in this event for the first time as Team InterRoC in 2022 as part of the InterRoC project in the field of automated convoys. At that time, the team took the 2nd place with an American autonomy kit provided by BAAINBw and integrated by Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH.
The InterRoC project was launched four years ago in order to derive customer requirements for future autonomous logistics vehicles. It is continuously being expanded by the BAAINBw through supplementary orders with regard to system capabilities. Among other things, it includes two military HX2 trucks equipped with autonomy kits and drive-by-wire, which follow each other in a leader-follower principle. In view of this competition, the PATH autonomy kit developed by Rheinmetall Canada Inc. was also installed in the vehicles so that participation in the competition could take place with a complete “Rheinmetall solution”.
The tender for the update to the Nordic Combat Uniform (NCU 2.0) has been published. Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are in, and Finland is out.
This tender is a joint procurement of the Nordic Combat Uniform (NCU) system between the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (the Purchaser), the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA).
The NCU system consists of soldier clothing beginning at the next to skin level and ends at the outermost area providing a shell cover. The different elements in conjunction with other or by themselves are designed to contribute to the soldiers’ ability to withstand the demands, threats and hazards in order to solve the tasks at hand. The NCU system consists of various items enabling the soldier to perform and survive in combat missions.
The aim of the NCU system is to provide the soldier with protection against threats to the soldier in his/her operating environments. The NCU system is meant to supplement the existing combat uniform system, including outer, mid and inner layers under the concept ‘more of the same’. The combat uniform system is for any gender soldier within any military service. The NCU system is for use in all geographical areas where the three nations are or could be engaged in military operations.
The inner and mid layers are configured in knitting material made of wool and compositions of wool. It is anticipated to be demanded as an example in the range of 500.000 to 1.000.000 pcs. yearly.
The outer layers including combat, insulation and rain layers are likewise anticipated to be demanded as an example in the range of 400.000 – 800.000 pcs. yearly.
The notice is here.
Heckler & Koch supplies the Bundeswehr with the new semi-automatic sniper rifle G210
CEO Dr.-Ing. Jens Bodo Koch at the contract signing with Arno Trebbin (BaAINBw) and Sales Director Marco Geißinger.
The Bundeswehr has once again opted for a rifle from Heckler & Koch. The traditional handgun manufacturer from Oberndorf am Neckar prevailed in the award procedure for the G210 with the model MR308A6. The G210 is a short-range sniper weapon in the proven caliber 7.62 mm x 51. The delivery of up to 500 copies of the G210 for the special forces of the Bundeswehr is scheduled for the year 2025.
The MR308A6 was developed by Heckler & Koch specifically for this tender and presented to the public at the EnforceTac trade fair in February this year. The weapon also introduces a precision cartridge in caliber 7.62 mm x 51. The semi-automatic gas pressure loader has a weight of around 4.4 kg (without magazine) and offers significantly more operating comfort by moving the loading option to the side of the weapon.
Dr.-Ing. Jens Bodo Koch, CEO of Heckler & Koch, and Sales Director Marco Geißinger were pleased with the order on the sidelines of the signing of the contract: “We at Heckler & Koch are proud to be suppliers of the special forces of the Bundeswehr. The spearhead of the Bundeswehr deserves the best weapons in the world. That’s what Heckler & Koch stands for. After the delivery of the HK437 .300BLK as G39 SD was commissioned only a few months ago, the next product innovation from our company follows with the MR308A6 as G210.”
This is a translation of the German press release.
The onslaught and intensity of the war in Ukraine shocked the world—especially as many imagined that such a full-scale war would never happen on European soil again.
The war in Ukraine has also significantly altered perceptions of warfare in the 21st century. Despite the expectations of US and NATO leaders that high-tech precision weapons bringing swift victories would dominate modern conflicts, the Ukraine conflict has showed the enduring relevance of conventional tactics and forces.
While the war in Ukraine has prominently featured elements reminiscent of 20th century wars, it has also featured the unprecedented scale and speed of adoption of small, inexpensive, commercial first-person-view drones. This off-the-shelf technology has been surprisingly easy to weaponize for tactical reconnaissance, as well as for suicide attacks against tanks and vehicles, trenches and weapons positions, and against aircraft on the ground (and even bringing down helicopters in flight).
This fusion of WWII style tactics and futuristic technologies has created a unique new type of hybrid warfare and battlefield environment where there is virtually no place left to hide.
Covering these defining features of the conflict, and including many first-hand accounts, “Combat Experience—Military Lessons From The War In Ukraine” looks at the current state-of-the war and the way the conflict has evolved over the past two years.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
• Strategy & Tactics
• Leadership & Training
• Weapons & Logistics
• Use of & Defense Against Drones
• International & Paramilitary Forces
“Combat Experience—Military Lessons From The War In Ukraine” is available now on Amazon.com for $19.99, plus taxes and shipping.
LENGGRIES, GERMANY (27 August 2024)
Lindnerhof presents its newest innovations: a series ofadvanced Radio Pouches and a compact PTT Holder. Designed for secure storage and rapid access, theseproducts enhance operational efficiency andeffectiveness.
Designed with both functionality and lightweightdurability in mind, these new additions utilise therenowned MX material, slim webbing, and lightweightplastic components.
The MX132 Radio Pouch, a medium-sized option, is perfect for various communication devices. It features anadjustable bottom and a two-way safety system with a cord and stopper at the top and a buckle-securedwebbing strap at the bottom for easy handling andsecure attachment.
The MX107 Radio Pouch accommodates larger devicessuch as the SEM-52. With MOLLE/PALS compatibility, elastic side panels, and an adjustable hook-and-loopstrap at the top, it provides stability and easy accesswhile preventing sideways movement.
The MX099 stands out with its L-bar construction, allowing for secure storage of a wider range of devices. This large pouch includes a safety strap, Alpha Tab foradded stability, and a tiltable front that provides open access to the display and controls. The angle of tilt is adjustable with a cord and stopper, and additional elasticloops offer space for pens, batteries, or light sticks.
Completing the new series is the MX703 PTT Holder, compact and lightweight with MX material construction. It features MOLLE/PALS compatibility, a rubber cord andstopper for secure attachment, and a loop surface withadhesive hook tape for PTT unit attachment.
Explore Lindnerhof’s newest products, designed to enhance tactical communication with advanced featuresand modern design. Visit Lindnerhof’s webshop to learnmore.
NEWINGTON, N.H., (August 26, 2024) – SIG SAUER, Inc., is honored to announce a second procurement contract with the Government of India, Ministry of Defence to supply an additional 73,000 SIG716 rifles. When completed, 145,400 SIG716 rifles will be in service with the Indian Army.
“We are proud to be a partner in the modernization effort of the Indian Army, and prouder still that the SIG716 rifle achieves the Ministry of Defence’s modernization goals with the second largest army in the world,” began Ron Cohen, President and CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc.
The Government of India, Ministry of Defence first awarded SIG SAUER a contract for the SIG716 in 2019 for 72,400 riles. The successful fielding and overwhelming soldier acceptance led to this follow-on award for an additional 73,000 rifles.
“Since the initial fielding of the SIG716, we have received phenomenal end-user feedback on the performance and reliability of the platform. Throughout this time, we have strengthened and further solidified our partnership with the Indian Ministry of Defence and are honored to earn their continued trust equiping their frontline infantrymen.”
The SIG716 is an enhanced AR platform chambered in 7.62 NATO featuring a 16-inch barrel, M-LOK™ handguard, and a 6-position telescoping stock. SIG SAUER designs and builds the SIG716 rifles for the Indian Army and for all of its customers in the United States.
Rheinmetall supplies expertise in the field of air defence for the detection of protected bird species
With AI and sensor technology from ProTecBird and software from the military sector, Rheinmetall and ProTecBird want to ensure the protection of red kites around wind turbines and at the same time contribute to the energy transition. Both companies have now announced the successful demonstration of the effectiveness of the AVES Wind anti-collision system for the protection of red kites around wind turbines, which was developed by ProTecBird by integrating Rheinmetall technology. With this milestone, the young technology start-up from Husum, which is specialised in the development and manufacturing of economical and species-specific anti-collision systems, has now overcome a significant hurdle for the energy revolution in Germany in partnership with Rheinmetall.
The development of effective anti-collision systems (ACS) has been one of the biggest challenges in the operation of wind farms in areas with wind-sensitive bird species. The balance between technical feasibility and reliable species protection is of central importance for the planning processes in the construction of wind farms. With its AI-based AVES Wind anti-collision system, ProTecBird has succeeded in solving this problem by defining and demonstrating the requirements for an anti-collision system in terms of nature conservation, economics and technology for the first time. By doing so, the system offers an alternative to generalised shutdown regulations by providing a customised solution for wind farm-operators through species- and situation-dependent short shutdowns.
As one of the federal states with the most wind power, Schleswig-Holstein is a pioneer in the establishment of forward-looking standards for anti-collision systems and their integration into approval procedures. On behalf of the Ministry of Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature of the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein (MEKUN, Ger. for Ministerium für Energiewende, Klimaschutz, Umwelt und Natur), a committee was convened in September 2022 to develop a testing framework under the direction of the State Office for the Environment SH (LfU, Ger. for Landesamtes für Umwelt). This committee, consisting of a team of consultants (TÜV NORD, the Office for Biostatistics), ACS and wind energy manufacturers as well as stakeholders from nature conservation organisations and wind energy associations, developed a comprehensive testing framework for the validation of ACS by the end of 2023. On 8 August 2024, Tobias Goldschmidt, Minister of Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature of the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein, announced the first nationwide testing framework for anti-collision systems. The testing framework is currently being evaluated by other Federal States in Germany in order to incorporate it into their own area of responsibility.
The AVES Wind system from ProTecBird was tested at an existing wind farm between July and September 2023 in accordance with the requirements of the technical convention proposal “Test framework for anti-collision systems” (MEKUN 2024). A total of 237 red kite flight sequences were analysed at various sites on a total of 25 recording days: AVES Wind detects, recognises and protects the red kite in accordance with the specifications of the technical convention proposal (MEKUN 2024), meaning that the species protection requirements and the protective effect for the red kite are fully met by the ProTecBird anti-collision system.
“We are delighted to have our AVES Wind anti-collision system recognised, and are proud to be making a contribution to the energy revolution,” comments Thorsten Heinzen, CEO of ProTecBird. “The cooperation with the relevant players in Schleswig-Holstein was crucial for this breakthrough. The fact that ProTecBird was the first company to undergo and pass the officially defined testing framework highlights the company’s innovative strength and commitment. With its AVES Wind anti-collision system, ProTecBird has achieved a technological breakthrough that can be seen as disruptive for the wind energy industry,” continues Thorsten Heinzen. “We have created a clever networked system that utilises the existing wind farm infrastructure and further improves the effectiveness and sustainability of the generated wind energy”.
The solution of the AI-based AVES Wind anti-collision system is based on software developed by Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH, which was originally programmed for air defence in the military sector and is in use worldwide.
Rheinmetall uses an established software (Multi Mode Tracker) that can recognise and assign missiles via pixel changes on the horizon. Thanks to the further development of the software by ProTecBird and the use of the newly developed AI, different bird species, such as the protected red kite, can now be reliably recognised and tracked by the systems’ sensors. As a result, automated shutdown commands are sent to wind turbines, effectively preventing collisions between the animals and the rotor blades from a predefined distance between the bird and the wind turbine.
“The possible applications go far beyond the original military field,” explains Uwe Lindenau, Sales Manager Mission Systems at Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH.
“The cooperation between Rheinmetall and ProTecBird is unique worldwide. With our software and the technical expertise of ProTecBird, not only can unique protected birds such as the red kite or the white-tailed sea eagle be protected. Concerning the aviation sector, it also offers great benefits for flight safety regarding bird strikes on aircraft engines and the airframe,” Lindenau continues.
For Rheinmetall, demonstrating the effectiveness of the system in wind turbines is a successful example of the Group’s involvement in environmental protection.
As a technology start-up, ProTecBird is determined to push ahead with its research and development. The company is currently working on expanding its technology to other animal species, such as real-time detection of bats, to ensure more comprehensive protection of wildlife.
In addition, ProTecBird aims to expand its partnerships to promote the use of renewable energy not only in Germany but also worldwide.
