The future of ground-based air defense

The ability to defend against threats from the air requires a holistic approach. Therefore, Rheinmetall aims to support the German Armed Forces as a system house for the entire ground-based air defense. In doing so, the high-technology company also cooperates with the renowned US system house Raytheon.

Rheinmetall's ambition is to network all relevant sensors, effectors, platforms, and command elements with each other and make them scalable. This creates a highly effective, modular, and flexible composite system for ground-based air defense for the entire spectrum of military missions.

Short-Range and Very Short-Range Protection

The phase-out of the Roland and Gepard air defense systems in the German Armed Forces has created a capability gap in the area of short-range and very short-range protection (SRVP). Rheinmetall's light air defense system ensures the preservation of capabilities until 2025.

SRVP needs to be realized as a complete system. It includes the capabilities to counter RAM targets (Rocket, Artillery, Mortar - missiles, artillery shells, and mortar grenades), unmanned aerial systems (UAS), especially in the low, slow, small (LSS) range, e.g. quadcopter drones, and aircraft in the close range. Rheinmetall proposes an effector mix of cannon, missile, and prospectively high-energy laser as an SRVP system provider.

Tactical Air Defense System

In the coming years, the German Armed Forces will still use the Patriot weapon system as a tactical air defense system, also to protect against tactical ballistic missiles. Rheinmetall is Raytheon's national partner for the future development of the Patriot weapon system.
A phased upgrade from the current state to Patriot Config 3+ to Next Generation (NextGen) satisfies future requirements for an extensive ground-based air defense system with minimal effort.

Rheinmetall's systemic approach to SRVP and Patriot NextGen already fulfills the requirements for a comprehensive modular and adaptable air defense protection in the concept phase. This enables a deployment across the entire spectrum of air defense and missile defense capabilities. Patriot is the backbone of integrated air defense and missile defense for currently six NATO countries and interoperable with another eight partner countries worldwide. As a multi-national solution, it reduces lifecycle costs, for example through a common threat database and by distributing modernization costs among the fourteen partner states.

Scalable Command Post Architecture

Rheinmetall envisions a flexible and role-based command and battle post architecture for its ground-based air defense system. The scalable battle post concept with flexible C2 architecture allows for a task-specific and optimized composition of contingents.

Inclusion of the "Qualified Air Defense" Project

Regardless of the responsibility of the Air Force for ground-based air defense, the German Army has requested a "qualified air defense" within the framework of the NATO VJTF 2023. Individual air defense vehicles are intended to protect deployment contingents from air threats in the close range. Rheinmetall can offer a commercially available system for this purpose. The transfer of the Qualified Air Defense components within the VJTF 2023 framework to the SRVP system is ensured and therefore represents a sustainable investment.

Rheinmetall on Twitter: @rheinmetallag.
Raytheon on Twitter: @Raytheon.

Rheinmetall on the Internet: www.rheinmetall-defence.com