Turret Systems and Weapon Stations
Terrorism, failed states, far-flung regional conflicts and humanitarian crises: these sources of political instability pose a virulent threat to national and international security. Because non-state actors almost invariably employ the techniques and tactics of asymmetric warfare, the world’s armed forces need new capabilities in order to secure successful outcomes in modern combat situations and post-conflict scenarios. They require well-armed, highly mobile, universally deployable vehicles designed for maximum survivability. Flexible, easy-to-integrate turret systems and weapon stations are an excellent means of boosting combat effectiveness, enabling friendly forces to respond to aggression with massive firepower from the safety of an armoured fighting compartment.
Turret Systems
Modular in concept, turret systems from Rheinmetall offer excellent crew protection. A combination of modular architecture, ease of integration and flexible armament means that they can be mounted onto practically any platform, and used in a huge variety of operational scenarios.
LANCE modular turret system
Featuring 360° armour protection, the medium-calibre LANCE modular turret system is based on a new concept and can be deployed in a wide variety of combat and security roles. Its systematic modularity enables maximum variability, combining excellent survivability with a ready upgrade capability. Innovative optronic modules assure high-precision fire control. Depending on customer requirements, and thanks to a multitude of different modules, LANCE is available either in a two-man turret configuration or as a remote control turret system.
LANCE RC turret system
The LANCE RC is a remote control, medium-calibre turret system on the cutting edge of modern military technology. Owing to its compact dimensions and low weight, it can be mounted on a variety of different platforms, including relatively lightweight wheeled vehicles. Moreover, the modular turret concept offers scope for growth throughout the product’s entire lifecycle. Even today, the basic version’s capabilities can be expanded in a number of ways: with a situational awareness system, for example, or an independent weapon station or additional commander’s sight for providing hunter-killer functionality. Importantly, the LANCE RC’s crew can reload without leaving the safety of the armoured fighting compartment. This feature is a direct response to experience gained during current deployed operations, as is the ability to fire the weapon in superelevation mode (60°).
Weapon Stations
609M weapon station with double armament
The 609M modular weapon station enables lightly armoured vehicles to defend themselves against air and ground attacks. It can be armed with two different weapon systems such as a light or heavy machinegun and an automatic grenade launcher. The crew can operate the weapons and reload without having to leave the safety of the fighting compartment. Moreover, the weapon station’s modular layout lends itself to a wide array of additional options.
Remotely Controlled Weapon Stations
Rheinmetall offers a family of fully digital and stabilized, remotely controlled weapon stations that can be integrated on various vehicle platforms and used for different mission profiles. Various sizes of weapons can be accommodated from small to medium calibres, including 40mm grenade launchers. The weapon station family is designed with a high level of commonality and modularity, and is fully compliant with military standards for human factors engineering. Our weapon stations meet a wide range of specific customer requirements such as:
- Integration of small and medium calibre weapons
- Integration of a broad variety of optical modules
- Operation as a standalone system or as part of a network of systems
Full stabilisation, super elevation, long-range day/night all-weather sights, smoke protection systems, and the capability to integrate NATO and non-NATO weapons are available options on certain models. Rheinmetall’s weapon stations are fielded for instance on vehicles with the Canadian Army, the Nexter VBCI for the French Armed Forces, the MPPV and AIV for the Belgium Army, and are integrated on the Fuchs APC for the Armed Forces of an international customer.
