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2019-05-01

CAESAR Captivates Brazil

Nexter, a KNDS Group company, was present at the recently concluded LAAD exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the show, the company presented its know-how by proposing solutions covering the needs of the ground, naval, air, and security forces.

A French leader in land defence and partner of security forces, Nexter offers configurable, reliable and innovative solutions to meet the requirements of field control of its customers.

In terms of artillery, Nexter highlighted its system-integrator skills by presenting a model of CAESAR 6x6 155mm self-propelled artillery gun, endowed in several armies and ordered in its 8x8 version by Denmark.

The CAESAR 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer has been constantly deployed by the French Forces in combat operations since its entry into service in 2009: in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Mali and currently in Iraq. The CAESAR is recognised worldwide as striking the best balance between the simplicity of towed artillery and the mobility and survivability of a self-propelled system.

It provides customers with a flexible, deployable and affordable full spectrum solution for indirect fire support. Not only is the CAESAR accurate, it also has the lowest maintenance costs on the market for a mobile artillery system. Over 300 CAESAR systems have already been ordered by five different countries.

Visitors were also able to discover a model of the 105LG light gun, on the Nexter stand. The 105LG1 is a 105mm gun designed for intervention and rapid reaction forces. With a maximum range of 17km, it can be towed by a light vehicle, transported by a helicopter such as a PUMA or Bell 212, or parachuted by a tactical transport aircraft such as a C130 HERCULES. This extreme mobility, thanks to its low weight (1,650kg), allows the gun to be deployed in any operational theatre from jungle to mountains, no matter how complex. A crew of five is sufficient to bring it in to battery in as little as 30s and to maintain an initial rate of fire of at least 12 rounds per minute.

Combat proven and qualified by the French army, the 105LG1 currently equips the armies of Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Belgium, Canada, Malaysia and Colombia.

Nexter also presented its expertise in the field of armoured vehicles with a model of TITUS Mission Orchestration. TITUS is an adaptable solution for all types of missions, on all types of terrain. This version of the 6X6 armoured vehicle is equipped with the FINDEAGLE kit, which optimises the use of resources such as reconnaissance drones.

The system comprises a tethered and an untethered UAS, carried on a vehicle from which it can be launched and recovered independently. The UASs are made by Nexter Robotics and are controlled using the user-friendly FINDEAGLE software, with no deep vehicle modification thanks to its easy-to-install kit.

FINDEAGLE has a wide range of mission adaptability: road clearance, logistic convoy, vehicle self-protection, reconnaissance, targeting, damage assessment, GPS positioning (with light UAV), close and discreet approach, contaminated area long range observation, sampling. It also reduces the crew exposure, squads stay under armour, and provides an enhanced awareness.

Reconnaissance Robots

As a driver of innovation, Nexter exhibited the NERVA minirobot and the various payloads it can be equipped with. This multifunction minirobot is suitable for reconnaissance, demining or search for improvised explosive devices (IED) missions.

On the Nexter stand, visitors could also test the Nexter Digital Sandbox FINDMP touch table decision support system, which allowed them to intuitively prepare, monitor in real time and analyse at the end any type of mission. The FINDMP mission preparation system enables collaborative work to facilitate and speed up the decision process during training, preparation and mission management. It is a technical innovation thanks to three new features.

The first is the integration of a Masa SWORD constructive simulation software into the Sandbox, which has two objectives – tactical training and prepared mission evaluation. The second is to link the Sandbox to a Battle Management System to transfer battle orders to the Battle Management System (to save time and avoid errors) and to progress the manoeuvre.

While the third is Nexter Training's Immersive Building Reconstruction Tool (ORBI), which helps Special Forces prepare their interventions. ORBI contains a software tool that allows the reconstruction in minutes of 3D, an interior part of a building or a room from 2D information such as photos or drawings. ORBI then displays a 3D vision in Google virtual reality and allows the user to move inside.

Finally, a wide range of ammunition was highlighted at the show, right from 155mm artillery ammunition, medium calibre shells, combat tank shells, naval ammunition and grenades.

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