The German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment (BAAINBw) has awarded Kongsberg a contract to deliver a counter unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) based on the Protector remote weapon station.
The contract worth 250 MNOK (approx. $27.3 million) was won in an international bidding process, the company said.
Germany is the first country to acquire a C-UAS solution with the Protector as a kinetic effector.
Kongsberg said they worked with German sensor solutions company Hensoldt for the C-UAS project. Hensoldt’s Spexer 3rd generation radar was integrated into the system for UAS detection and tracking. The solution uses a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher with airburst ammunition, – but the Protector RWS has a variety of weapon integrations up to 30 mm and air defense missiles that can be employed against UAS.
The emergence of inexpensive, small unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also referred to as drones, poses a relatively new threat to both military units as well as civilian infrastructure and events, such as airports, government buildings, power plants, political gatherings and sporting events. Germany is addressing this threat with the mobile Protector RWS C-UAS.
Kongsberg said it also worked with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) to evaluate possible technologies and solutions.
“Kongsberg is very proud to win this first C-UAS competition, and we look forward to a long-term close cooperation with the German Army. With this contract, KONGSBERG combines existing and new technologies entering a new growing market niche”, says Pål E. Bratlie, executive vice president Protech Systems, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS.
