KNDS presents RapidFire artillery system at World Defense Show 2024.

At the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 in Saudi Arabia, KNDS presented the RapidFire weapon system, a tailored response to the very short-range defense needs of armed forces facing a variety of complex aerial and surface threats, including unmanned aerial and surface vehicles, light aircraft, and missiles.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The RapidFire is a remotely operated 40mm caliber artillery system (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The RapidFire is a versatile 40mm caliber artillery system, remotely operated and based on the 40CTAS cannon suite and its ammunition. It incorporates a fire control system, including an operator console, providing anti-surface and anti-air capabilities in naval and land environments. Its high firing precision, effective up to 4000 meters for both aerial and surface targets, is achieved through an optronic fire control system integrated into a lightweight and non-intrusive turret, advanced algorithms, a powerful cannon, and an automatic ammunition management system, ensuring optimal reactivity and efficiency for the operator, regardless of the sea state.

RapidFire stands out for its efficiency, which relies not on the volume of metal delivered but on precision. It features a 40 mm cannon developed by CTAS, an international subsidiary of Nexter Systems and BAE Systems, to equip the latest armored vehicles for the French, Belgian, and British land forces. The system is equipped with five selectable types of ammunition and is compatible with the full range of ammunition developed for land forces programs, including the new smart Anti Aerial Airburst (A3B) rounds.

In the naval context, RapidFire positions itself as an ideal solution for protecting ships against air and surface threats due to its quick reaction time and firing accuracy. It is set to become the new standard weapon system for the French Navy's second-rank ships, such as replenishment vessels, ocean patrol vessels, and future mine warfare vessels, as well as secondary artillery for first-rank ships.

On land, RapidFire's dual surface-to-air and surface-to-surface capability is specially designed to protect ground-based critical assets for land forces. Mounted on a vehicle, it can fire on the move, with very short setup and teardown times, making it a real asset for ultra-mobile missions. Requiring only two operators for its operation, including the unmanned turret, RapidFire land is highly automated, needing human intervention only for weapon engagement and firing orders.

Thus, RapidFire presents itself as a state-of-the-art very short-range defense solution, designed to meet the needs of the army and navy against modern threats, offering a multi-role capability for both surface-to-air and surface-to-surface engagements. Its presence at WDS 2024 underscores KNDS's ongoing commitment to innovation and the delivery of advanced defense solutions.