PIRANHA IIIC protected against new threats
In cooperation with Saab Avitronics, MOWAG, a General Dynamics European Land Systems Company, integrated the LEDS (Land Electronic Defence System) Active Protection System on a PIRANHA vehicle for the first time. This active protection system enhances the vehicle’s survivability significantly. The system defends against threats encountered on the modern battlefield, such as Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) without impacting on the overall mobility of the armoured vehicle.
The core competences of MOWAG in the areas of mobility, survivability and system integration have been further underlined with the latest integration of an active protection system into the PIRANHA IIIC 8×8.
As well as conventional ballistic and mine attacks, light and medium armoured vehicles operating in today’s theatres of war must also be adequately protected against various types of IEDs, Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs) and shaped charges. Furthermore, specific symetric warfare-based anti-armour threats such as RPGs and ATGMs (Anti Tank Guided Missiles) are becoming more prevalent, even during peace-keeping missions.
MOWAG’s solution regarding the protection of its vehicles follows several different stages: firstly an assessment tool is used to generate a customized ‘threat map’ to identify the requisite protection technologies. Secondly the most suitable protection technologies and suppliers are selected as defined by the customer.
Thirdly, the additional overall weight for the proposed protective suit is compared to the relevant threat protection needed.
MOWAG performed an in-depth study of 20 different APS (Active Protection Systems) available on the world market at that time. Based on this, MOWAG finally selected the Land Electronics Defence Systems (LEDS) of Saab Avitronics as the APS element in the protective suit.
LEDS – A CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION
The LEDS like the PIRANHA vehicle follow the same system design concept regarding survivability in so far that both concepts are modular, interchangeable, up-gradable and scalable to meet different customer’s demands. LEDS combines soft-fill, hard-kill and active signature management to provide hemispherical and full spectrum active protection to land vehicles. It is designed to be an integral part of the vehicle.
The LEDS consists of a sensor suite, central active defence controller, high speed directed dispensing system and counter measure options ranging from fast deploying multi-spectral smoke, active signature management devices and hard-kill options to defeat attacking threats. The active signature management options also include the protection against petrol bombs and secondary fires resulting from IED attack. Sensor options include laser warning and an active threat acquisition and tracking system.
EAGLE AND DURO TO FOLLOW
MOWAG, in partnership with Saab Avitronics, has integrated the LEDS on an armoured amphibious PIRANHA IIIC 8×8 vehicle which will be displayed on General Dynamics European Land System’s stand during DSEi 2007. Validation firing tests will be performed in late 2007 so that pre-series integration work of the LEDS can be launched as from early 2008 on different PIRANHA vehicle variants. Furthermore, integration studies for LEDS into the other MOWAG vehicle families such as EAGLE and DURO will be pursued in 2008.