Bundeswehr to Shoot Down Drones with Grenades

The Bundeswehr, in an effort to improve its weapons, commissioned the defense company KNDS Deutschland to upgrade the FLW 200 remote-controlled weapon station to enable it to use so-called "airburst" munitions.

FLW 200 belongs to the FLW family of combat stations, which was developed by the German company KMW and has been in production since 2008. The module weighs 160 kg (without weapons and ammunition) is equipped with a 12,7 mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, such as the GMW from Heckler & Koch, which is used in the German army. The ammo capacity is 100/200 rounds depending on the size of the ammunition rack or 32 grenades. The elevation angle is 70°.

The FLW 200 optical devices are located in a container attached to the right side and include a color CCD camera with 10x magnification and a cooled thermal imager. This equipment increases the target identification range to 2 km.

In the German army, the FLW 200 is mounted on armored vehicles such as the GTK Boxer, Dingo 2 and Fuchs 1A8.

The Bundeswehr's order for the modification of this combat station concerns 40 x 53 mm caliber grenades, which are to be given the ability to programmatically detonate, i.e. explode in a predetermined location. Previously, such ammunition was created primarily to destroy targets hidden behind cover. However, they are currently considered in the West as the main means of destruction drones.

As indicated in the Hartpunkt publication, the modernization of the FLW 200 for the needs of the Ministry of Defense will require various adjustments to the combat module - the integration of a programming unit for remotely detonated ammunition, changes in the FCS software, the placement of sensors to detect drones and the installation of a so-called tracker, which is necessary to track the flight profile of targets and calculate the trajectory of fire on them.

Comments

[poquello]

maximum range is 2200, it can probably throw up to a kilometer, maybe there is some rationale in this

[Neptus]

Speed grenades 40mm is too low and at a distance of 200m its flight time is about a second, during which time the drone at a speed of 200km/h will fly 55m.

Shell from a 40mm cannon it flies 4 times faster and accordingly it is easier to predict the position of the drone and hit it.

[poquello]

Quote: Neptus

The speed of a 40mm grenade is too low and at a distance of 200m its flight time is about a second, during which time a drone at a speed of 200km/h will fly 55m.

not as an anti-aircraft gun, but as a form of self-defense, and then there are oncoming courses

[Neptus]

Quote: poquello

not as an anti-aircraft gun, but as a form of self-defense, and then there are oncoming courses

Range is also a coordinate.
Even if the courses are opposite, the detonation point will vary greatly in range.
And if drones are equipped with AI target acquisition, it is easy to add a function where, upon entering a dangerous zone, the drone will randomly avoid being hit by shells. In principle, this maneuver, in its simplest form, against being hit by machine guns, is already available in many drones.

[ROSS_51]

Will likely be used in barrage mode.

[Neptus]

Quote: ROSS_51

Will likely be used in barrage mode.

If a ground turret with an infinite number of charges is possible, it will be successful.
But on moving objects, with a tape length of 50 (or even 100) shots, the drone simply simulates an attack, which will provoke useless fire until reloading - and that's it....

It is necessary that the fire on the drone be only for destruction. The drone is a very maneuverable and energetic machine, easily changing course, altitude and speed.

[seregatara1969]

Probably! But why does an armored car move in reverse during shooting at a firing range?

[ROSS_51]

These shootings have nothing to do with the article.

[seregatara1969]

And we modernized and upgraded the Shilka. It is back in service.

[Same lech]

The NATO video is not impressive...they will cover the armored vehicle with artillery fire from howitzers and everything will quickly end with this fight with grenade launchers.
And the module shoots beautifully...bang-bang...oh, oh, oh.

[Lev_Russia]

And the module shoots beautifully...bang-bang...oh, oh, oh.

It always looks beautiful... As long as no one shoots back at you...

[Neptus]

Quote: The same LYOKHA

they will cover the armored vehicle with artillery fire from howitzers and everything will quickly end with this fight with grenade launchers. what

It won't cover.
The grenade launcher shoots off the belt and the vehicle immediately moves to another location or simply cruises along at a leisurely pace.
That's why the grenade launcher was placed on the car and not thrown on the ground.

[Rostislav]

A good solution is to use the AGS to combat drones. And the cost of the confrontation is reasonable. The only question is how quickly the software for the FCS will be developed.

[dmi.pris1]

So here first of all we need to make a remote detonation munition. By the way, what about "Derivation"?

[Kerensky]

In the video they DID NOT HIT ANYWHERE!! Even the target at the training ground hid itself.

[wlkw]

Everyone is doing the right thing. Personally, I imagined exactly one of the "local significance" air defense options. In my opinion, only 12,7 mm is too much, 7.62 is a completely normal caliber, and there are twice as many rounds.

[Neptus]

Quote: wlkw

only 12,7 mm is too much, 7.62 is quite normal

Actually, they are selected based on distance.
Up close, using drones, 5,45 would be fine (ribbon ones have already appeared).

[wlkw]

I agree, but these are already nuances for experts and practitioners, and suppliers.

[rotfuks]

Bundeswehr to Shoot Down Drones with Grenades

Shooting down with grenades is a perfectly viable option. The Ukrainians shoot down drones with jars of pickled cucumbers. Maybe the Germans should adopt this technology? A jar of cucumbers will be cheaper than grenades anyway.

[tank_killer156]

Bundeswehr to Shoot Down Drones with Grenades
Let the khokhlovs learn from this experience by throwing cans of tomatoes at them

[wlkw]

Not an option with tomatoes. No matter how you look at it, it's a seasonal crop! ) ))))

[Michael]

Everything was invented a long time ago. And it worked without any electronics.

[_Ugene_]

to feed a truckload of ammunition with so many barrels, this is only possible on a ship, and the installation itself is not small at all

[Michael]

Quote: _Ugene_

and the installation itself is not small at all

16 tons, it can easily replace a tank turret. And, of course, it can't do without a transport and loading vehicle.
But you can't compare it to 32 grenades!

[rocket757]

In principle, it is possible to do so.
As for efficiency... technology does not stand still and over time a working system/installation may be achieved.

[nik-mazur]

The module ... is equipped with a 12,7 mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher ... the equipment increases the target identification range to 2 km

Somehow I don't quite understand why such a large detection and destruction range is needed to combat kamikaze drones? In principle, they can be shot down even a couple of meters from the armor, which greatly simplifies counteraction systems - after all, it is much easier to detect and destroy a drone at a distance of 50 meters than at a distance of a kilometer. Moreover, the power of a large-caliber machine gun or automatic grenade launcher is completely excessive where even the smallest pellets are enough.
And projectiles with programmable detonation can be useful for combating drone bombers that drop grenades and mines. The flight altitude of such UAVs is low, and the speed is not high.
Against aircraft-type drones, air defense systems of various calibers are needed, as was the case in World War II, but at a new technological level, naturally.

[Arslan Ali]

I don’t quite understand why such a large detection and destruction range is needed to combat kamikaze drones?

These are the characteristics of a combat module that was not designed to combat drones.
They want to use grenades with a detonation at a distance, launched from this module. And the machine gun is for other purposes, like the AG.

[Vladimir Vladimirovich Vorontsov]

❝ The Bundeswehr is going to shoot down drones with grenades ❞ —

— “But their grenades are of the wrong system!” © ...

[Nikolaevich I]

The Russian Federation has also developed an "anti-drone" 40-mm grenade for the GP-25... As the developers stated, it is possible to install a remotely programmable fuse...

[Dmitry_Nemets]

And how do you arm this fuse? Manually?
And anyway, where are all these inventions? Why do the troops only encounter the old VOG-25 or the P/M modifications? And even they are in short supply.

[squid]

I would put a 12-gauge automatic shotgun or a multi-barrel machine gun chambered in 5.56x45. from fpv - just right.
The 40mm grenade launcher has a very low muzzle velocity and ammunition. The 12.7 machine gun is just like shooting sparrows with a cannon.