Page 12 - Seoul ADEX 2021 Day 3 Online Magazine

DIEHL DEFENCE said Straub. “The radar system is nor-
mally operated by two soldiers and the
SHOWCASES GROUND- launcher can also be made ready to fire
by two operators. Once the launcher is
BASED AIR DEFENCE ready to fire, the whole system is oper-
ated and guarded by just three people.”
SYSTEM The company’s ground-based air defence
system is different from others on the
market because of the flexibility it pro-
the IRIS-T SL missile, a technical operation vides customers in terms of picking
center that has the command-and-control different components of their choice.
software that steers the guided missile, “Diehl Defence delivers the launcher and
and a radar system. the guided missile IRIS-T.
“THE COMPANY’S MISSILE
LAUNCHER HAS EIGHT GUIDED We have an open and flexible system.
MISSILES THAT IT CAN FIRE The customer tells us what kind of radar
system and technical operations center
UNDER 10 SECONDS TO they want, and we integrate that in our
DIFFERENT TARGETS,” said system. We are currently in discussions
Sascha H Straub, Head of Partner with multiple potential customers for the
management Ground Based Air defence system, said Straub.
Defence at the company
“IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE. While the IRIS-T guided missile can be
THIS IS THE FASTEST used for ground-based air defence as a
GROUNDED BASED AIR surface launched missile, the same mis-
Diehl Defence is showcasing “the fastest sile is also used as an air-to-air missile for
ground-based air defence system on the DEFENCE SYSTEM ON THE fighter jets such as the F-16, F-18, Gripen
market” at IDEX 2021. MARKET.” and the Eurofighter. “After the missile
loses its airborne certification, it can
The company’s ground-based air defence “Normally, the technical operations center then be used by the army as a surface
system normally has three launchers with and the radar system are close together,” launched missile,” added Straub.

missile as it is too long. We also hope that
Taurus KEPD 350K-2 will be selected as
the missile for the KF-21 fighter jet.”

The Taurus KEPD 350K-2 will have one
fuel tank shorter than the original Taurus
350K. “We are taking one fuel tank off to
make it lighter, but there will be no differ-
ence in terms of performance. It will have
the same avionics and the same structure
inside. Being a smaller version, it can be
integrated into more platforms easier.”

While the missile primarily targets the need
of the ROKAF, Taurus will seek export
opportunities, said Drevstad. “The surviv-
ability of the missile has been improved by
robust low altitude capabilities. The blast
TAURUS SYSTEMS DISPLAYS and fragmentation functionality and the
Programmable Intelligent Multi-Purpose
KEPD 350K-2 PROTOTYPE Fuse enables the destruction of wider
and deeper targets.”
The KEPD 350-K2 will fit right into the
Taurus Systems is currently working on The company, which has showcased the arsenal of militaries that already have
modifying the Taurus KEPD350K missile prototype of the missile at IDEX 2021, the KEPD 350 Km said Drevstad, “It is
to into a smaller and lighter penetrating expects to complete development in important to note that all the logistics and
cruise missile, Taurus KEPD 350K-2. The 36 months, said Christoffer Drevstad, infrastructure they have for the original
lighter and smaller missile will be no less President of Taurus Systems Korea. version will fit for the smaller version of
powerful than the original version and is “This is our response to Korea’s need for the missile as well. The interface, test
intended to be used on the Republic of a standoff weapon for the FA-50. The equipment and fueling equipment; every-
Korea Air Force‘s FA-50 aircraft. aircraft cannot carry the original Taurus thing is the same.”

12 | OCTOBER 21, 2021 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/DAIL YNEWS