Breaking news
Rheinmetall to supply the Bundeswehr with cutting-edge Gladius infantry soldier equipment 1906121.
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Defense News - Rheinmetall |
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012, 07:043 PM | |||
Rheinmetall to supply the Bundeswehr with cutting-edge “Gladius” infantry soldier equipment. | |||
The
German Bundeswehr has placed an order with the Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall
Group to supply it with state-of-the-art infantry equipment. A contract
to this effect has now been signed at the Federal Agency for Defence Technology
and Procurement (BWB) in Koblenz. |
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Under the initial
order, a total of 900 soldiers (90 infantry sections or squads) will
be outfitted with the new equipment. Specially developed by Rheinmetall
on behalf of the Bundeswehr, it is the most advanced system of its kind
anywhere. Units due to deploy to Afghanistan in 2013 and 2014 will be
the first to be equipped with Gladius. |
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Rheinmetall Gladius infantry equipment at Eurosatory 2012 |
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A
prominent feature of the Gladius system is a holistic design approach
that takes full account of the complex operational requirements levied
on modern soldier systems. Gladius is intended first and foremost to bring
the 10-man infantry section and its vehicle into the network-enabled operational
loop. This network, consisting of reconnaissance, command and control
components, and weapons, enables rapid exchange of information as well
as shared situational awareness as the basis for planning and conducting
operations. The individual soldier receives all relevant data concerning the tactical situation, the position of friendly forces, the mission, and system status. It includes a GPS and an inertial navigation system as well as a magnetic compass, facilitating reliable orientation on the ground. Equally impressive are the system’s ergonomic features, especially with regard to weight reduction, miniaturization and improved integration of individual components. The modular battle dress uniform, body armour and harness system provide excellent protection from detection in the visual and infrared spectrum as well as from the weather – even in extreme climate zones – and especially from biological and chemical agents. Flame-retardant equipment and vector protection round out the system’s high level of protection. The system is integrated into an “electronic backbone” that contains the radio, core computer, batteries and GPS module. More than just the sum of its parts, the Gladius system puts Bundeswehr infantrymen on the global cutting edge, placing them ahead of their peers in terms of networking capabilities, command and control, and operational efficiency. |
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