Rheinmetall and Defence IQ to Conduct Live Anti-Air Missile Demonstration in Zurich

LONDON, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

In Zurich this May, Defence IQ's Integrated Air and Missile Defence 2012 event is providing a special opportunity to military and industry professionals to see a live demonstration of air defence systems and meet senior officers at the Swiss Air Force Air Defence HQ in Emmen.

As attendees of the conference, a pre-discussion focus day on May 9^th will afford delegates VIP access to the Rheinmetall Air Defence testing ground at Oschenboden to see the cutting-edge technology on offer up close and in action.

In an interview with Defence IQ, chairman Colonel Fabian Ochsner, Head of Ground Based Air Defence for the Swiss Air Force and Vice President of Product Management at Rheinmetall Air Defence, revealed details about the demo (listen to the interview at http://bit.ly/Imy29n ).

"The demonstration that we will be seeing at the Rheinmetall Firing Range focuses around the ammunition technology that has managed to get us into the new world, to change the paradigm of how gun-based air defence operates," said Ochsner.

"The new way is to engage ordnance rather than platforms, to really close in on a specific point and [destroy] anything in the air that's incoming. Attendees will be able to see the function and lethality of Rheinmetall's AHEAD ammunition. It will really be an interesting demonstration of how this type of operation can be managed."

Referring to the wider domain and its probable direction over the coming years, Ochsner said that forces will need to focus on upgrading what they have as much as emerging equipment.

"The adaptability of a programme to respond to the threats we see today and tomorrow is very hard to do. It burns down to analysis and intelligence to see what capabilities may be used in ten years.

"I expect that besides developing new technologies like the High Energy Laser, the further development of available technologies like surface-to-air missiles or air defence guns will have to progress in order to bring the best flexibility to the shooter grid on the air defence side."

Aside to the international delegation present at IAMD 2012, attendees will have full scope to assess the latest developments, lessons, and policies, as well as application for MOOTW.

More information and booking forms can be found at http://www.AirMissileDefenceEvent.com.

Tel: +44(0)20-7368-9300
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Defence IQ