systems and six 35 mm gun mounts with each of the latter two elements being remote controlled. To aid for rapid deployment and fielding at the FOB all of the elements of the Oerlikon Skyshield C-RAM system have been designed for ease of transport and can be carried by truck or slung under a helicopter. The Oerlikon Skyshield C-RAM systems will be manned by the German Army and called the Indirect Fire Protection Capability, Networked Enabled Air Defence and Surveillance System.
This will be first element of the German Army’s new air defence system called SysFla (System Flugabwehr) that when fielded that
While some of these FOB are operated by just one country in many cases these are manned by a number of different countries who have their own equipment and methods for detecting and neutralising this threat
will eventually include surface-to-air missiles and perhaps a self-propelled air defence gun under separate funding.
Deployment of the Oerlikon Skyshield C-RAM system will depend on a number of factors such as the threat level and size of the FOB to be protected.
In a typical FOB, the gun mounts would be positioned close to the perimeter wall and the two fire control systems with associated sensors (radar and electro optics) would be positioned higher up for improved surveillance and target acquisition. The command post can be located up to 500 m away from the sensors. These would all be linked to an overall command centre to provide the FOB with a full C-RAM capability through 360 degrees on 24 hour basis under all weather conditions. The Oerlikon Skyshield C-RAM system is a further development of baseline Oerlikon Skyshield air defence systems that was originally developed to counter typical air threats such as aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and each some air launched weapons.
As the Oerlikon Skyshield C-RAM has to detect and neutralise much smaller targets it has been upgraded in
a number of areas including enhancing the radar system to detect and track much smaller targets. In addition it has improved accuracy alignment, modified software in the computerised fire control system optimising the AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction) 35 mm ammunition and automation of the fire control function. The 35 mm revolver cannon has a cyclic rate of fire of up to 1,000 rounds a minute and fires 35 mm AHEAD ammunition has a maximum range of about 4 km. Currently each 35 mm gun mount having 250 rounds of ready use ammunition which would normally be fired in bursts of 36 rounds at each target. In the future the amount of on board ammunition could be increased to allow the system to engage additional targets without reloading. The 35 mm revolver gun mount used in Oerlikon Skyshield C-RAM system is very similar to that used in the Millennium Gun (GDM 008) which is already in service with the Royal Danish Navy and has been ordered by a South American country.
Christopher F Foss Defence Journalist
Artists impression of Forward Operating Bases being
protected under the Future Interoperability of Camp Protection Systems (FICAPS) contract which aims to protect these bases from a variety of threats (Rheinmetall Defence)
34
G4 DEFENCE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48