Rheinmetall Persistent Surveillance System plays key security role at the 2018 G7 summit in Charlevoix, Canada Rheinmetall system was tapped to provide part of the security solution for the G7 summit on 8-9 June 2018 in Charlevoix, Quebec. To find out more about the Rheinmetall Persistent Surveillance System, please visit Rheinmetall pavilion at Eurosatory 2018!

The PSS Persistent Surveillance System is a modular and scalable system that allows 360° persistent surveillance capability for day and night operations.(Picture source Rheinmetall)

Based on their past experience with the Rheinmetall Persistent Surveillance System (PSS), the Canadian organization for the G7 summit turned once again to Rheinmetall technology as an essential part of their security ecosystem. Rheinmetall Canada had previously provided Canadian officials with surveillance solutions for both domestic civilian events and foreign military deployments.

As host of the event, the Charlevoix region is known for its mountain vistas, and therefore required elaborate security preparations to ensure the safety of G7 leaders and participants.

“You will have to make a big security setup here because you have the St. Lawrence River, you have the railroad,” said Jean Racine, a retired Surêté du Québec officer who provided security for eight Quebec prime ministers over 28 years.

Security forces protecting the international summit placed their trust in the PSS, knowing that it would help them to intervene rapidly in the event of an emergency, meaning that the summit, the local population and the surrounding area would receive the highest level of protection. Three separate Persistent Surveillance Systems, plus one more for emergency situations, were deployed at strategic locations in the city of La Malbaie, ensuring uninterrupted coverage of all dimensions – air, land and water. Thanks to a special communication network and powerful command and control software, the security forces were able to view images and video feeds in the G7 control room captured by each PSS.

The PSS is a modular and scalable system that allows 360° persistent surveillance capability for day and night operations. It consists of separately available systems: the Persistent Surveillance Aerostat (PSA) and the Persistent Surveillance Tower (PST). The PSA features a stabilized electro-optical sensor system attached to an aerostat and tethered at altitudes of up to 300 metres. Conversely, the PST has a stabilized electro-optical sensor system installed on a trailer-mounted mast that can be raised to a height of 30 metres. During the G7 meeting, the PSA provided extended range surveillance capabilities of 20 km, while the PST covered a range of 14 km.

Thanks to its long-range capabilities, the PSS can deliver unsurpassed protection above areas at risk. In the past, the Canadian Forces have deployed these units for security operations during the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games in Vancouver. The PSS has also been utilized on military security missions, providing real-time surveillance of a military base in Afghanistan.