Rheinmetall Canada demonstrates its drone defence capabilities at ultra-short ranges: A Rheinmetall system for combating drones at ultra-close range has demonstrated its effectiveness in a joint exercise with representatives of the U.S. Army Central Command and the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. The Red Sands III exercise took place in September 2024 at the Shamal 2 firing range in north-eastern Saudi Arabia and focused on countering uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS). The multinational exercise provided a challenging environment for assessing C-UAS solutions. At the same time, it enabled technology developers and operational personnel to work together to close capability gaps. The exercise was preceded by successful qualification tests, which took place in the United States in the summer of 2024. Designed as the last line of defence against small low-flying and fast-moving drones, Rheinmetall’s ultra Short-Range Air Defence (SHORAD) system offers an engagement range from 50 to 800 m. The Mission Master XT uncrewed ground system (UGS) serves as the carrier platform. Developed by Rheinmetall Canada, the system consists of the Rheinmetall Fieldranger Multi remote-controlled weapon station with a twin Dillon Aero M134D minigun, a radar, an electronic optics package and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based target acquisition and tracking system. This advanced layered defence system is capable of engaging multiple threats with formidable fire power. It offers multi-domain capabilities that execute with precision when detecting, tracking and engaging aerial and ground threats.
Rheinmetall supports Bundeswehr in Lithuania with mobile combat training centre: Rheinmetall has successfully tested the technical requirements for interconnected training and exercise operations of the German Bundeswehr involving its forces in Lithuania. The basis for this was the already established and validated live simulation-technology from the Army Combat Training Center in Letzlingen/ Altmark. The Group carried out a successful test of the data and radio transmission connections between the two countries on behalf of the Bundeswehr with its Mobile Combat Training Center (MCTC) “Legatus”. For this, mobile container solutions were used in Lithuania and in Germany. The simulation technologies at the MCTC enable a realistic performance of complex deployment scenarios. The aim was to establish and operate a fully comprehensive connection between Germany and Lithuania using state-of-the-art live simulation. The project thereby relied on the resources of the Combat Training Center based on the Reachback-procedure (service / evaluation). The successful test was thus aimed at supporting the forces of the Bundeswehr directly on NATO’s eastern flank. Almost all of the technical functional chains established at the German Army’s Combat Training Center, also presenting the artillery and engineer support capabilities, were available for the project carried out in November 2024. From the individual infantry and vehicle technology (AGDUS) to the operational coordination via troop radio (VHF) and the live situation map within the evaluation center (EXCON) to the input of exercise support options, almost all tests have been completed successfully. For this, it was aimed at simulating the technical solutions for the troops in Lithuania as realistically as possible in order to create ideal training conditions and prepare the German armed forces in the best possible way. The aim of the test was to make the globally unique, high-quality and validated training standard available in Lithuania. The tested functions were demonstrated for the first time using the so-called Reachback-method, in which the Army Combat Training Center in Letzlingen was connected to the mobile system in Lithuania in real-time via the system. The Bundeswehr evaluation personnel stationed in Germany were thus able to participate live and interactively in the exercise and prepare the subsequent after-action reviews in parallel. This approach allows an optimum use of the personnel resources already available for conducting and evaluating the exercise.
Rheinmetall and KNDS will equip 10,000 Bundeswehr vehicles with digital radio equipment: The ArGe D-LBO (Working group for digitalizing land-based operations) of KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall has been commissioned by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw: Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr) to digitize the command-and-control equipment of the land forces’ vehicle systems. The total volume of the contract, which has a term of six years, is €1.98bn gross. Rheinmetall accounts for half of this amount. The “digitalization of land-based operations” is one of the German Army’s most important projects in the field of state-of-the-art communications. The focus of the IT-conversion is about replacing the radios with the new D-LBO command radio transmitters and exchanging the software. This new IT system consists of communication devices, computers, software and IT-services, and further more. Hence, it enables the interconnection of platforms, soldiers and sensors for the exchange of information in real-time, and thus increases their operational capabilities and interoperability. The contract includes all work for the integration of new digital radio transmitters and command-and-control systems within various sample integrations and is awarded in its entirety to the contractor ArGe D-LBO, which will ensure the implementation of the overall contract.
The integration of the series will commence in mid-2025 and will comprise around 10,000 Bundeswehr combat and support vehicles. The conversion is expected to be completed by the end of 2030. At the same time, a second contract was concluded with ArGe ISI (IT-system integration), which includes the amalgamation of the IT-systems of all vehicle- and platform-systems of the land forces as part of the D-LBO project. The contract awarded to ArGe ISI, which is formed by Rheinmetall and the company blackned GmbH, has a gross order volume of around €1.2bn.
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