Diehl Defense at Eurosatory 2012 (Part 2)
Continued from original article…
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Diehl Defense will be bringing a portfolio of its products, including ammunition, missiles, an air defense system, and a new non-lethal technology to the 2012 Eurosatory exhibition in Paris this June.
We previously looked at four of Diehl’s missiles: the Sidewinder, IRIS family, LKF-NG, and IDAS. Here we’ll examine four others.
RBS15 Mk3: This is a heavy anti-ship missile which serves as the main armament for Germany’s class of K130 corvettes. It is all-weather-capable and designed as a “fire and forget” weapon capable of engaging both sea- and land-based targets at long range (beyond 200 kilometers). Already highly resistant to electronic countermeasures, the missile is capable of a sea-skimming flight profile and can maneuver around islands in its path. To avoid anti-missile defenses at its target, the RBS15 engages in randomized evasive maneuvers during its final approach. In addition to its surface-launched model, the RBS15 can be employed from both aircraft and land-based launchers.
RAM: Its name standing for Rolling Airframe Missile, this is a guided missile for naval warfare. Like the RBS15 it is a fire-and-forget weapon, but the RAM is designed for close-range defense against both air (helicopter, aircraft, and anti-ship missile) and surface threats. It uses a dual mode infrared (IR) and radar (RF) seeker head that relies initially on RF guidance. The IR mode handles final target engagement, unless the target happens to offer no IR signature. As a close-in defense weapon, the RAM features rapid engagement capability and high firepower. It is specifically designed to defend against a multiple anti-ship missile attack on its platform, particularly during littoral operations that expose ships to shore-based threats at short range.
PARS 3 LR: PARS is a third-generation, long-range, standoff rocket system specifically designed for attack helicopters. In order to improve survivability of the launch platform, PARS can acquire its target from the helicopter’s mast-mounted sensor and is a fire-and-forget munition, minimizing exposure time. It employs a passive IR seeker with a highly-accurate image processing algorithm. PARS was specifically designed for use with the Budeswehr’s new Tiger attack/support helicopter.
SPIKE LR: Similar in principle to the U.S. TOW, the SPIKE is a long-range, lightweight, multi-role guided missile for use by both ground combat vehicles and dismounted infantry and special operations troops. Like the TOW and Javelin, SPIKE can be used to engage tanks and other vehicles, bunkers, weapon emplacements, and even helicopters. The missile trails a fiber-optic link that enables the operator to guide the weapon onto its target and to fire from concealed positions.
In our last piece, we’ll look at Diehl’s air defense system and some of its protective products, including one that will be showcased at Eurosatory this year.
