Over the past decade, the requirements for a capable fire support have advanced significantly. It is assumed that in the future potential adversaries will have superiority in the area of indirect fire, and will be able to establish so-called anti-access/area denial zones (A2/AD) by means of various effector systems, which will severely restrict the operations of armed forces.
In order to create the necessary conditions for the deployment of air forces and successful combat operations by land forces, ground-based indirect fire effector systems will become even more important. Consequently, the artillery’s capability portfolio must be considerably expanded – for example, for ranges of over 300km or more precise engagement of moving targets.
Tube artillery – from efficient area coverage to precise single-target engagement
Diehl offers a range of different hightech solutions in the field of tube artillery – among them the Vulcano guided ammunition jointly developed with its industry partner Leonardo. With calibres of 127mm (navy) and 155mm (army), stationary and mobile single targets can be precisely engaged at distances of more than 80km. The combination of GPS navigation and target search functions by means of laser guidance or infrared seekers makes the Vulcano range currently delivered to troops a globally unique guided munition system.
In addition, GIWS (Gesellschaft für Intelligente Wirksysteme), a joint venture between Diehl and Rheinmetall, ensures the supply of high-precision ammunition to the armed forces through the planned restart of series production of its Sensor-guided Munition Artillery (SMArt) 155, which has gained prominence in both national and allied defence.
The ammunition enables the engagement of hard-point targets – such as main battle tanks – in indirect fire, in day or night and almost all climatic and weather conditions, including difficult terrain. Combined with an intelligent algorithm for advanced target acquisition, the multi-sensor concept is setting new standards.
Together with the Norwegian industrial group Nammo, Diehl offers the new high-quality ammunition DiNa 155mm in Germany. The range-extended, highexplosive projectile is optimised to engage soft and semi-hard targets at distances of more than 40km, and is designed, among other things, to engage the enemy’s artillery systems (counter-battery fire).
The fully qualified ammunition is prepared for the use of so-called course correction fuses, and has already demonstrated its operational capability during a mission with the self-propelled Howitzer 2000. Diehl plans to produce it in Germany.
The two-dimensional course correction fuse (2DGMArt) is a steering module with a firing function, which has been newly developed by Diehl to improve the precision of conventional ammunition.
It reduces the system-typical misalignment in longitudinal and lateral direction and thus enables precise and efficient engagement of artillery point targets, as well as small-area targets in spatial depth. As a result, the 2DGMArt fuse contributes to a noticeable reduction in ammunition requirements.
Rocket artillery – a ‘door opener’ for command and control
Currently, almost all countries that operate the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) use the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) developed by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Diehl Defence. This enables the artillery to precisely engage targets at a distance of up to 80km. The planned acquisition of a GMLRS barrier and the already developed and qualified GMLRS with sensor-guided ammunition aims to expand the capabilities of missile artillery and increase its range to at least 300km.
Looking ahead, high-performance rocket artillery will be particularly vital as a way of effectively engaging enemy A2/AD systems, to set a new standard for air force operations.
The basis for this is, on one hand, up-to-date and precise target data and, on the other, proprietary weapons systems with advanced sensor technology that can survive against modern enemy air defence methods.
Diehl Defence has extensive expertise at its disposal, as well as design and production capabilities in a range of fields including guided artillery rocket systems, thanks to its long-standing cooperation with US partner Lockheed Martin.
Diehl Defence – a strong and reliable partner for artillery
In its function as a system supplier for artillery rockets and other weapons systems, Diehl Defence is supporting the modernisation and development of artillery systems.
With a product portfolio ranging from conventional to high-grade ammunition, the company’s main objective is to promote mission accomplishment as well as assertiveness.
Working closely alongside all parties involved in the procurement process, Diehl Defence aims to continue to provide the required equipment at agreed framework conditions and to create a strategic logistics independence that will endure even in the event of a crisis by reverting to national production sites.
