60 · MT 2/2023 Open your eyes to... and 7.62 NATO calibres that are easy to change between short (CQC) and standard rifles); and Heckler & Koch (promoting the G28 aka DMR 762 rifle). BDT showcases its full range of light weapons for military and law enforcement users as well as ammunitions from recently acquired company AMMOTEC. Now BDT possesses a whole supply chain in the field and can provide comprehensive packages including arms, optics, and ammunitions. At the exhibition, Beretta highlights the ARX-200 DM3 designated marksman semi-automatic rifle (7,62x51 mm NATO), the latest version of the family. ARX-200 comes in three different versions, depending on the barrel length. The 20-inch barrel semi-automatic version is thought for precision fire and mainly military use, while the 16-inch barrel version is fully automatic and suits both military and law enforcement users. As we write, BDT is working on the new 13-inch version in collaboration with Italian Carabinieri, who expressed the requirement for a shorter, easy to handle version, though without conceding on accuracy. BDT representatives esteemed that there is global interest in this kind of weapons, especially among Special Forces (SF) and units specializing in anti-piracy operations. Hence, BDT is dragging AMMOTEC’s expertise to the project in order to deliver the best-of-fit in terms of accuracy, precision, and performance. Company representatives stated that this teamwork formula will become a standard for all new projects. As far as pistols are concerned, BDT’s spearhead is the APX-A1 (9×19 mm, .40 S&W). The latest version has been improved to address customers’ feedback. Ergonomics have been tweaked for full and consistent grip, including a higher trigger guard, an improved beaver tail and modular grips to adjust trigger pull and hand palm fitting. All this results also in smoother kickback while shooting. Naturally, BDT also proposes its portfolio of PX-4 and 90 series. Among the non-lethal methodologies, Newco Safety Technologies GmbH (NST) produces a variety of stun grenades (one bang/ two bang, strobelight and whistle bottom/side vent ejection versions), which can be successfully employed against pirate attacks. The stun grenades cause a strong stunning effect provoked by the explosive charge as a loud bang associated with intense luminosity, which obstructs the view of the aggressors for a few seconds, thus allowing for efficient action. The stun grenades are typically employed to temporally neutralise the combat effectiveness of adversaries by usually disorienting their senses. Hamburg-based NST is also known for a special type of tear gas – NMI Nano Molecular Irritation Epihora 15’ – that was produced on the basis of a nanomolecular agent. According to NST, it uses the CS gas invented in 1923, diluted in a solution and proposed with an innovated output system. By emitting the irritant with the help of the evaporisation of a dissolved gas, nanoparticles are created, with the intensive effect of irritation timely limited between 15 and 20 minutes. Lastly, Rheinmetall presented its Squad Support Weapon SSW 40, the world’s first automatic, magazine-fed, shoulder-fired 40 mm grenade launcher. In terms of weight, size and handling, the SSW40 is similar to an assault rifle. Concluding remarks The overview of products and solutions presented at Enforce Tac 2023 is far from comprehensive. The complete map of companies and solutions present would include also gears, individual protections, sights, vests, equipment, batteries, etc. Big and small innovations are fed by the wealth of scientific progress in new materials and meta-materials, 3D printing, energy storage, communications, connectivity, artificial intelligence, and computing. Enforce Tac looked like a breeding ground of cutting-edge solutions based on the most recent technologies. Some of them are developed to respond to increasingly demanding requirements, some others come as supply-side offers that, on the contrary, bring a wealth of new possibilities to law enforcement bodies. Such a dynamic looks to be perfectly in line with the expanding operational perimeter of internal security forces and law enforcement bodies. can choose from a steadily increasing portfolio of mission-proven systems. As such, L3Harris’ T4 ® and T7® robotic systems were designed as versatile, highly mobile systems able to allow users to perform jobs typically only possible with large robots or UGVs. The T4, with a total weight of 70 kg (chassis with batteries installed) plus 33 kg (quick release manipulator arm), allows operators to quickly access, inspect and defeat hazardous threats in tight urban spaces and austere environments. According to L3Harris, the T4 is the first medium-sized robot with haptic feedback, meaning that this technology allows users to feel what the robotic arm touches or holds. So, complex tasks can be done quickly and easily from a safe stand-off distance. Additionally, the robot’s unique interface offers intuitive motion control: the robot arm mirrors the movement of the user’s hand. This results in reduced training efforts, so maximising mission effectiveness. To conclude, L3Harris’ intuitive motion control and haptic feedback make operating T4 as natural as moving one’s hand. A highlight on display in Nuremberg is Ziesel – Diehl Defence’s UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle). Diehl Defence delivered two of these UGVs for infantry support in the configuration logistic transport to the German Armed Forces at the end of November 2022. The Ziesel UGV is based on the base platform Rovo 2 from Mattro. The platform is adapted to military requirements in cooperation with Hentschel System GmbH and equipped with autonomous functions. The autonomous functions are obtained by the installation of the Platon kit developed by Diehl Defence, a platform-independent conversion kit for autonomous driving in a military environment. Platon, and thus the Ziesel UGV, are integrated into the Battlefield Management System (BMS) Sitaware Frontline from Systematic. This will enable the control of UGVs (as well as unmanned aircraft or drones) via the BMS in the future. The UGV, which has proven successful during tests carried out by Bundeswehr units several times, is characterized especially by its robustness, mobility and autonomous capabilities that already meet many of the future military requirements for an introduced product, such as passive sensors or the independence of GPS. The Ziesel UGV on display in Nuremberg, supplemented by a sensor mast system from Zippermast GmbH in combination with a high-capacity pan-tiltzoom camera including an artificial intelligence (AI)-based object recognition from Walaris, is able to reconnoitrer or monitor areas. In addition, AI algorithms from Walaris enable an automatic identification of objects, e.g. drones. Small weapons Among the multitude of manufacturers, there are several manufacturers that attracted the interest, including: Ceská Zbrojovka (offering the CZ 805 BREN A1/A2 5.56x45 mm NATO modular automatic rifles of which the A2 carbine is a more compact version of the modular A1 assault rifle in 5.56x45 mm NATO calibre, from which it differs by a shorter barrel), FN Herstal (marketing the FN SCAR family of assault rifles available in 5.56 The APX1-A1 was the spearhead of the holding in the pistol sector at Enforce Tac.
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