Page 28 - DIMDEX 2022 Day 1 - Online Magazine

VIPER SEARANGER

SHIELD GUNS FOR NAVIES

FOR IN MENA REGION

F-16S

L3Harris Technologies is offering ‘Viper
Shield’, its new advanced electronic war-
fare system to protect the international
F-16 multirole fighter aircraft against
emerging radar and electronic threats.
“The L3Harris Viper Shield EW system
enables the F-16 to continue to be one of
the most effective combat aircraft in the
world,” said Ed Zoiss, President, Space
and Airborne Systems, L3Harris.

The Viper Shield all-digital electronic
warfare (EW) suite is custom designed
to be baseline on advanced F-16 Block Rheinmetall is looking for more custom- to US$20.2 million. According to officials,
70/72 aircraft and maximize their surviv- ers in the MENA region for its Oerlikon 90 per cent of the production work is
ability and mission success. “More than a Searanger 20 remote controlled gun sta- being performed in Biddeford, Maine in
dozen countries in the Middle East, Asia tion. The high precision, stabilized 20 mm the U.S. and 10 per cent locally in Egypt.
and Europe plan to fly the F-16 Block gun station is designed for patrol, police The work is expected to be completed
70/72 variant. Seamless integration with and border control duties. According to by March 2024.
the F-16’s weapon systems, including the a company official the gun is an optimal
aircraft’s radar, enables Viper Shield to main armament for small boats for coast According to Rheinmetall, the Oerlikon
have broad application to these fighter guard, police, anti-pirate and anti-smug- Searanger 20 is the optimal main arma-
aircraft,” he said. gling missions and can also be installed ment for small boats for coast guard,
on larger vessels as side gun and play an police, anti-pirate and anti-smuggling mis-
Last March, L3Harris Technologies was important role in close-range defence. In sions and can also be installed on larger
awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin the MENA region, Egypt expects to take vessels as side gun and play an important
for the development of the new advanced delivery of an undisclosed number of role in close-range defence. Apart from
electronic warfare system. “Our 30-year Searanger 20 mm naval guns from end its use on light patrol and combat boats,
legacy on the F-16, coupled with the 2024. this medium caliber, fast-firing gun is an
advanced technologies being developed ideal complement to current automated
for Viper Shield, provide our warfighters weapon systems on larger vessels and
and international partners with unprec- The U.S. Ministry of Defence, in September plays an important role in close-range
edented self-protection that helps to last year, had awarded a US$20 million defence. It is remote-controlled from a
ensure mission success,” Ed Zoiss added. contract to the US-based Rheinmetall gunner station, and the modular sensor
Systems to supply the Oerlikon Searanger unit is equipped with state-of-the-art
gun systems, including production, spares electro-optical sensors and a video
and training, to Egypt. The contract com- tracking unit. Due to the integrated stabi-
bines purchases for the Navy and the lization and ballistics computation, target
government of Egypt under the Foreign engagement is simple and effective. The
Military Sales program. The contract gun fires to a maximum range of 2,000
includes options that, if exercised, would meters (6,562 feet) at 1,000 rounds/
bring the cumulative value of this contract minute.

28 DIMDEX 2022