The Rheinmetall Active Defence System (ADS) for light to heavy vehicles combines performance and innovation. ADS is able to counteract various attacks thanks to the optimal interaction between individual high-tech components. Threats are detected, assessed and intercepted in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle before they reach their target. ADS brings the rigorous engineering principles of the automotive sector to the defence sector and specifically to active protection systems (APS). As an innovator ADS is the world’s first APS developer to apply safety-critical design principles to APS development to deliver predictable and safe system performance.
ADS detects and neutralises threats in less than a millisecond. The Short Reaction Time (SRT) of the system is faster than the blink of an eye. This ensures protection against threats at the shortest possible distance. Unlike soft-kill systems, which neutralise the threat without destroying it, the hard-kill protection system ADS, in addition to intelligent missiles, also defends and destroys non-guided, antitank defence hand weapons such as RPG. Unlike other systems, only minor collateral damage occurs during the defence provided by the ADS. The ADS consists of two independent sensors and various countermeasures. Sensors and countermeasures are distributed on the vehicle shell to achieve an overlapping cover.
ADS provides abundant protection thanks to the overlapping FoA (Field of Action area) and FoV (Field of View area).
Pre-warning sensors
This first ring of sensors consists of a multi-frequency radar with planar antenna. The radiated power is very low to avoid any interference with other radars and to only control the strict, necessary detection and classification of threats in combination with trajectory calculation.
Electro-optical sensors
The second and inner ring of sensors will confirm the imminent impact time and place of a threat to the vehicle. Thanks to the high resolution and accuracy, the best countermeasures can be selected and controlled.
Countermeasures
This hard-kill ADS component is the optimised device for rendering the threats caused by warheads harmless, before an impact with the vehicle becomes inevitable. The reduction of possible collateral damage is the decisive factor. ADS constantly optimises different countermeasures.
As a pioneer in the development of active, short range protection systems, Rheinmetall Active Protection GmbH produces and distributes the world’s most innovative and top-performing Active Defence System. Expertise in the areas of construction, electrical engineering, explosive technology and software development forms the basis of the innovative capacity of The Rheinmetall Active Defence System (ADS). Rheinmetall Active Protection GmbH was originally founded under the name ADS Gesellschaft für aktive Schutzsysteme mbH in 2006 as a spin-off to IBD development activities in the area of Active Defence Systems. Since 1 February 2011, Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH, a direct subsidiary of Rheinmetall AG, holds 74% of the shares in the company. The remaining 26% of the shares are equally held by Stefanie and Susanne Deisenroth.
