Mobile counter-UAS in a protected Land Cruiser: Welp Group presents its Counter UAS Platform

Mobile counter-unmanned aircraft systems (counter-UAS) capability and a highly effective protection concept against ballistic and explosive threats are combined in the Counter UAS Platform, a new concept vehicle presented by Welp Group together with H.P. Marketing & Consulting Wüst GmbH. It is designed to protect against unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).

The clear focus is on a practical, mobile solution tailored to current and future threat scenarios – above all to the fact that drone technology is becoming ever more readily available and more capable.

The successful trial at Seasec in Rostock is regarded as a milestone in the development. The platform was already used there under realistic conditions and inspected by users from NATO states. According to the company's press release, the results demonstrate the “high operational relevance and the technical performance of the system in an operational environment”. International users are said to have shown particular interest in the combination of a mobile platform and integrated counter-drone capability.

The vehicle concept had also already been shown to a specialist audience at Enforce Tac. What was discussed there and the feedback from the market are continuously fed into further development.

Mobile counter-UAS from a moving vehicle

At the heart of the platform is a fully integrated counter-UAS (C-UAS) solution developed specifically for mobile use. At Seasec, the Elysion C-UAS Mission Core platform from Hensoldt served as the operational core through which the Drone Defence Vehicle was controlled.

Modern operations make clear that threats from unmanned aerial vehicles occur not only at fixed locations but increasingly in dynamic situations. This is where the system comes in: from a protected, mobile vehicle, drones can be detected, tracked, classified and neutralised.

The system architecture is based on a continuous chain from sensor to effector. Several sensors, including radar, radio frequency (RF) detection systems and optical systems, detect potential threats early; their data is merged into a central situational picture. This provides the basis for rapid and well-founded decisions on suitable countermeasures. The effectors used can be selected on a modular basis and adapted to the respective mission requirements.

One of the central elements is the integrated operator workstation. It is located fully protected inside the vehicle and offers an ergonomically optimised control environment. Using a monitor and joystick-based controls, the operator handles all counter-drone functions in real time. Because the operating logic is modelled on established military and government systems, use is intended to be intuitive and the system quickly ready for operation.

Ballistic and mine protection

The vehicle is intended to impress not only with the performance of its counter-drone capability but also with a comprehensive protection concept. It is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, designed for the highest security requirements. It meets protection level Vpam Brv Edition 3 VR7 and is optionally available up to VR9. It thus offers reliable protection against a wide range of ballistic threats.

In addition, it meets the requirements of Vpam Erv Edition 3 and Stanag 4569, thereby also protecting against the blast effects of landmines and hand grenades. For operational forces, this combination of protection, mobility and integrated technology represents decisive added value.

The Counter UAS Platform is versatile and covers a broad range of scenarios: protection of critical infrastructure, security of airports and military facilities, border protection missions and convoy escort. The mobile platform plays to its strengths above all in dynamic situations in which threats from the air appear quickly and must be neutralised just as quickly.

High flexibility and scalability are a further advantage. Thanks to its modular design, different technologies can be integrated and adapted to specific customer requirements. It is also planned to connect the vehicle to higher-level command and control systems in future, so that it fits seamlessly into existing security architectures.

With the Counter UAS Platform, Welp Group and H.P. Marketing & Consulting Wüst GmbH aim to create a holistic solution for countering modern threats.