A new level of protection of forward operating bases
With the procurement of the NBS C-RAM weapon system the protection of deployed troops is being significantly improved.
20:10 GMT, May 13, 2009 Berlin | According to the German Ministry of Defence, the budget committee of the Bundestag (Federal Parliament) has decided in today’s session to procure two NBS C-RAM systems (short-range counter rocket artillery mortar) at total costs of € 136 million.
NBS C-RAM is an autonomous weapon system of Germany’s Rheinmetall Air Defence AG and will detect as well as physically intercept incoming rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM) rounds. It is to be put into service in 2011 and will provide protection of forward operating bases in places such as Afghanistan. A single C-RAM system comprises one control element and two sensor elements as well as six 35 mm guns. It is capable of detecting incoming rockets and grenades directly after they have been launched and to eliminate the threat in the air.
NBS C-RAM is a further development of the Skyshield system, already available on the market and has impressively proven its performance during tests on a firing range in Karapinar, Turkey, in August 2008. The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) for the first time is provided with a capability to actively encounter RAM threats and offers a new level of protection of military installations in out-of-area theatres of operation from asymmetric threats, especially in Afghanistan. According to the Ministry of Defence, it planned to procure further C-RAM systems.
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