RapidFire 40mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun missile system | armoured vehicles artillery France French army UK | French army military equipment vehicle UK

: 05 July 2019

RapidFire 40mm 6x6 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun missile system

Description

Technical Data

Specifications

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Description

The RapidFire is a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system developed and designed by the French Companies Thales, Nexter and the Anglo-French joint venture company CTA. The RAPIDFire 40 mm is mobile and can be adapted for fixed point defense or convoy protection missions. This mobile, multi-role weapon system is designed to respond to the new threats being encountered by armed forces today and in particular the low-cost targets which can attack in swarms and can saturate conventional missile defences. With its powerful antiaircraft gun, high-performance 3D radar and versatile C2 module, RAPIDFire is optimized to defeat all types of air threats including Fighter Ground Attack (FGA), helicopters or Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) and cruise missiles or precision-guided munitions.. The RapidFire was unveiled for the first time at the edition year 2012 of the International Defense & Security exhibition, Eurosatory. Early 2014, the Rapidfire has performed successfully firing tests in southern of France against two unmanned aerial vehicles. The RapdiFire has demonstrated its ability to rapidly engage very small targets such as UAVs, which are becoming of increasing importance as a reconnaissance system, as well as carrying weapons.

Variants:

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Technical Data

Armament

The anti-aircraft turret is mounted on the rear of the 6x6 Unimog truck chassis. The turret is remote controlled and armed with a 40mm Case Telescoped Armament System (CTAS), which has recently been qualified by France and the UK. The gun has an effective range of 4,000 meters against aerial targets and 2,500 m against ground targets. While the gun can fire up to 200 rounds per minute, only one to ten rounds would be required to take out a target. The RAPIDFire system has also been designed to enable firing of the STARStreak missile system, a Very Short Range Air Defence missile system with a speed in excess of Mach 3 and a range of around 7km. The combination of six STARStreak missiles and the latest generation 40mm cased telescope ammunition ensure both precision attack and high firepower. The RapidFire uses various types of ammunition including Anti-Aerial Air Burst (AA-AB) ammunition for air defence and Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) or General Purpose Round- Air Burst (GPR-AB) ammunition against armored combat vehicles, land troops or other land threats. The RapidFire can fire on the move for self-defense purposes. The vehicle has a total of 140 ready-to-fire ammunition in the turret (mix of Anti-Aerial, APFSDS and GPR rounds) and 80 ammunition in storage case. The anti-armor ammunitions APFSDS penetrates 140 mm of Rolled Homogeneous Armour at 1,500 m. In firing position, two hydraulically operated spades mounted on each side of the chassis are lowered into position to stabilize the vehicle.

The RapidFire is armes with a a 40mm Case Telescoped Armament System (CTAS)

Design and protection

The RapidfFire gun system is mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Unimog cross-country chassis. An armoured cab is mounted at the front of the vehicle with seats for the driver and gunner. The cab is of welded steel armour and provides protection from small arms fire up to 7.62 mm in calibre and shell splinters. A single door is available on each side of the crew cabin. The cab windows are 26 mm thick and the cab is fitted with an air conditioning system. RAPIDFire is highly automated and man-in-the-loop is needed only for weapon assignment and firing orders.

Mobility

The RapidFire gun turret is mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Unimog 6x6 U2450 cross-country truck chassis but the system could be integrated onto other wheeled chassis. The engine of the RapidFire vehicle is a Mercedes-Benz LA 6 cylinder turbocharged diesel developing 240 hp. at 2,600 rpm. The transmission is manual, with 8 forward and 1 reverse gear. The U2450 can run at a maximum road speed of 95 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 600 km.

Accessories

The fire control system of RapidFire includes gyro-stabilized sensor head, IR (InfraRed) day and night electro-optics with IR detection range up to 18 km and laser range finder. Optronic sensors have been integrated directly into the turret thereby ensuring that the RAPIDFire can operate autonomously if required. The RapidFire is also immune to most known signal-jamming technologies, thus protecting it from interference and enemy attacks, according to Thales.

The RapidFire is fitted with a gyro-stabilized sensor head, IR (InfraRed) day and night electro optics with IR detection range up to 18 km and laser range finder.

Combat use

The systems receive target information and intercept assignments from an associated CONTROL Master 60 surveillance radar and CONTROL View command and control module, both provided by Thales. This C2 system controls up to six RAPIDFire units simultaneously. To enter firing mode the RAPIDFire vehicle stops and sets up communications link with the control, a task that generally takes about one minute. Optronic sensors are fitted directly on the turret so the gun can operate even when not linked to the surveillance radar According to Thales, the gun can open fire within 4.5 seconds from the target detection by the radar. The RapidFire has a reaction of 4.5 seconds from target detection to ready to fire mode. RAPIDFire systems can be coordinated with CONTROLMaster 200 or CONTROLMaster 60 Command and Control stations. The CONTROLMaster family is based on the GROUNDMaster radars. The CONTROLMaster 60 provides more than 40 km coverage of stealth fighters and is instrumented up to 80 km.