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DIMDEX
2012 - Show Daily News |
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| Geobrugg
LASSO: Protecting ship’s bridges against RPG-7 attacks from pirates |
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Swiss
company Geobrugg AG will present its LASSO RPG ship bridge protection
system at the third Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and
Conference (DIMDEX 2012).
Despite the measures introduced by the European Union’s (EU) Operation
ATALANTA or NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield, a high risk of piracy
remains for ships, especially in the Gulf of Aden, off the African coast,
and in the Indian Ocean, as evidenced by the rising number of pirate
attacks and the extent of the damage they caused in 2010. Furthermore,
insurers are anticipating a general further escalation of pirate attacks
on ships over the next three years. |
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LASSO RPG
ship bridge protection
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Chapter
4 of the updated fourth version of Best Management Practices for Protection
against Somalia Based Piracy (BMP4) published in August 2011, entitled
“Typical Pirate Attacks“, describes the growing tendency
for pirates to use rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), targeting ship’s
bridges and crew accommodation areas. The shaped charge beam of an RPG-7
is powerful enough to easily penetrate a ship's hull, cause very extensive
damage to the bridge, and claim numerous lives or cause very severe
injuries. Section 8.3 of the BMP4, “Enhanced Bridge Protection”
suggests to install a protection against RPG-7 attacks.
Both the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the EU urgently
recommend that their member states make sure that vessels flying their
flag comply with the measures set out in BMP4. In addition, insurance
companies have started to scale their premiums according to operators’
degree of BMP implementation. |
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LASSO Light
Armor System in deployment situation
(photo Carl Schulze)
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The LASSO
Light Armor System against Shaped Ordnance has proved effective in combat
situations for NATO allies in Afghanistan, affording protection against
attacks on armored vehicles by RPG-7 grenade launchers. LASSO’s
special mesh of high-tensile steel wire stretched on a frame is mounted
close to the armored vehicle. When hit by an RPG-7 grenade, the steel
wire mesh heavily damages the warhead, preventing the formation of the
weapon’s destructive hollow shaped charge. LASSO was especially
developed jointly by RUAG Defence and Geobrugg AG for deployment in
war zones.
LASSO's tried and tested special mesh, which can be installed in frames
or in specially designed maritime BridgeBox's, can now protect the entire
bridge of a commercial vessel against RPG-7 attacks. And the rhomboid
shape of LASSO’s high-tensile steel wire mesh, manufactured by
Geobrugg AG out of 4 mm spring steel wire, ensures good visibility from
the vessel’s bridge at all times. |
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View through
LASSO RPG ship bridge protection
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The
first three ships which are under contract to BG Group operations off
the coast of Tanzania, were supplied by Geobrugg's exclusive maritime
security partner, Vessel Protection Solutions. The bridges of the vessels
Stanford Buzzard, Crest Mariner I, and Crest Mariner II are thus effectively
protected and fitted out in line with BMP4 recommendations. The LASSO
system’s mesh was produced and supplied by the Swiss company Geobrugg
AG, based in Romanshorn.
Visit Geobrugg at DIMDEX 2012 on stand N 222b |
