Rheinmetall presents its comprehensive range of law enforcement products at GPEC 2018

– This year, from 20 to 22 February, the tenth General Police Equipment Exhibition & Conference (GPEC) takes place in Frankfurt am Main. At the jubilee edition of this prestigious show, Rheinmetall will be displaying its comprehensive array of police and public security products.

– The Rheinmetall MAN Survivor R protected special operations vehicle

For the time ever, at GPEC 2018 Rheinmetall will be showcasing its Survivor R protected special operations vehicle equipped with a multi-purpose observation turret. The vehicle, various versions of which are already in service with the state police forces of Saxony and Berlin, will undergo a dynamic demonstration.

Developed in cooperation with special vehicle maker Achleitner, the Rheinmetall MAN Survivor R is based on a high-performance 4×4 MAN truck chassis fitted with a steel armour cab. Capable of reaching speeds of over 100 km/h, the vehicle combines tried-and-tested automotive technology from major production runs with the latest force protection concepts from Rheinmetall.

An armoured monocoque cab with add-on protection elements can be individually and discreetly modified to meet evolving threat situations, while a ventilation system for filtering out nuclear, biological and chemical agents is standard equipment in every Survivor R vehicle. Although it is extremely well protected, the external appearance of the law enforcement version of the Survivor R is specifically designed to make a deescalating, non-military impression. Well lit and ergonomically designed, the interior is spacious enough to seat up to eleven personnel with their personal equipment as well as extensive C4I and communications equipment. This versatile vehicle can also be equipped with remotely operated multi-purpose stations.

Systematic use of off-the-shelf civilian parts and serially produced military components make the vehicle an affordable option, while users can rely on Rheinmetall MAN’s global service network for maintenance and repairs. This makes the Survivor R a cost-effective, easy-to-maintain vehicle platform with low lifecycle costs and a high level of operational readiness.

Ballistic protection

Rheinmetall’s line of VERHA (Versatile Rheinmetall Armour) products lends itself to multiple applications, including maritime, land and air platforms as well as protective vest components. During the course of several contracts, Rheinmetall has already supplied various types of protective systems to customers in the civil and military sectors as well as law enforcement. Examples here include the partial armouring of ships, carbon fibre protection components for luxury limousines, hard ballistic inserts for bullet-resistant vests, and quick-mounting add-on protective elements for armouring helicopter cockpits.

In addition, Rheinmetall’s innovative Sensing Armour technology offers a reliable means of servicing and inspecting hard ballistic protective vest inserts. The core feature of this technology is a sensor embedded in the inserts. This enables fast and easy detection of damage to inserts which otherwise appear to be intact – and without the need for expensive X-ray inspections.

Special effects technology

Rheinmetall offers a comprehensive array of pyrotechnic products. When it comes to SWAT team-type operations, the Group’s portfolio of multi-bang grenades and improved-performance flash-bang grenades with bottom-top venting (BTV) technology offers the perfect solution. They are extremely safe to handle, highly precise and very reliable.

Rheinmetall has developed a wide assortment of flares for signalling and for illuminating the area of operations at night. These include the handheld Mithras, with ranges of 300, 600 and 1,000 metres, with versions available for the visible and infrared sector.

As a leading maker of munitions, Rheinmetall’s extensive portfolio of 40mm x 46 products covers multiple operational scenarios. These range from distraction rounds and marking charges to non-lethal impulse ammunition and highly effective special solutions for methods of entry (MOE) such as the new Multi Purpose Blast Grenade (40mm x 46 HEBE 14 SO).

The Group’s fire control and aiming devices make Rheinmetall a one-stop shop for 40mm system technology.

Simulation and training

Initial and advanced training continues to play a vital role in assuring operational effectiveness. Here, too, Rheinmetall offers multifaceted simulation and training solutions.

The Group’s Legatus live simulation system is an excellent way of training law enforcement personnel to thwart terror attacks and deal with live shooter situations. It underscores Rheinmetall’s leading role in developing advanced live simulation technology.

Three adjectives describe Legatus’s principal characteristics: robust, independent and intelligent. Robust – because it can operate in all kinds of different environments; independent – because wireless, mobile training solutions eliminate the need for fixed infrastructure; intelligent – because flexible, advanced IT solutions assure an effective, highly realistic training experience.

A detailed post-exercise evaluation forms an integral part of the live training process, enabling the team leader to understand how an operational situation developed and recognize possible weak points. Legatus components are on display at GPEC 2018.

Laser light modules

Rheinmetall has recently added two more modular components to its “Vario-Ray” family of laser light modules. The VarioRay LowProfile laser module and the separate “Lumenator” weapon lamp with 700-lumen illumination power provide the user with even greater tactical flexibility – despite their extremely small dimensions. The new products are key components for boosting the operational effectiveness of modern small arms. Moreover, visitors to the Rheinmetall stand at GPEC 2018 can learn about other members of the Vario-Ray family as well as the Group’s Multi-Ray 500 and Multi-Ray 800 40mm-fire control aiming devices. Also on display is the TAC-Ray Ballistic sniper build-on module with integrated ballistic computer.