Bofors Weapon Systems strengthens its world leadership

Bofors Weapon Systems AB which today changes its name to Bofors Defence AB strengthens its world leadership in the field of Intelligent Ammunition. -With the support of our new owner, the American company United Defense, we will leverage our investments within the product field of Intelligent Ammunition. Via United Defense ownership we will also gain access to better opportunities in more markets, for example the US market. Our TCM program is one example of the US armed forces interest in our products, says Magnus Ingesson, President of Bofors Defence AB. Bofors Defence AB already holds a strong position in the field of Intelligent Ammunition via its wide range of products. ¤TCM TCM is the latest Bofors Defence Intelligent Ammunition development project. This field artillery round can be corrected during its trajectory, thus reducing the inevitable dispersion that occurs with the increased ranges now being achieved by modern field artillery systems. The development work is being carried out together with the US company SAT. This development project is currently being financed jointly by the Swedish and US defence forces. ¤Retaliator Retaliator - a system to meet the threat of precision guided weapons.The Retaliator system is based on a completely new concept: the smart projectile rotates at high speed in trajectory. A LADAR-sensor (laser radar), utilizing the rotation, begins an overhead scan. Once the sensor detects the target, the smart munition is released, destroying the taret with its warhead effect at stand-off ranges between 50 and 100 m. The Retaliator concept can form the basis for many types of new weapon systems. ¤ BONUS Just before the Summer vacation this year, Bofors Defence together with its partner the French company GIAT received orders from the Swedish and French defence forces for series production of the 155 mm field artillery shell BONUS. This shell is used to combat armoured targets within the range of the artillery i.e., in excess of 20 km. The shell carries two submunitions which search over the target area. When a target is detected, a projectile is fired from the submunition and it penetrates the armoured target, even if it is a modern Main Battle Tank. ¤ 3P The all-target ammunition 3P is developed for the medium calibre range 40 - 57 mm. The 40 mm 3P round is today operational with the CV 9040 family, and in some naval gun systems. The 57 mm 3P round will be delivered for the new Swedish "Visby"-class coastal corvettes. This round can be programmed in six different modes, enabling it to be used against several types of threat on land and in the air. ¤STRIX STRIX is by far the most advanced mortar ammunition available on the world market. STRIX is fired from a 120 mm mortar launcher and it has a range of approximately 7 km. The shell has a sophisticated IR target sensor, and its course can be corrected towards the end of the flight trajectory so as to achieve a direct hit in the target. The effect is so great it can defeat the most modern Main Battle Tanks. STRIX is the result of a joint project between Bofors Defence and SAAB Bofors Dynamics. Series produced deliveries have been made to the Swedish and Swiss defence forces. Bofors Defence AB is concentrated in Karlskoga, where at this point in time it has approximately 550 employees. Today, Bofors Defence is a highly specialised high-tech company where roughly 50% of the employees are highly qualified engineers. This year alone Bofors Defence has recruited more than 20 persons with Msc degrees. For further information please contact: Lennart Borné, Information officer, Tel. 0586-819 19, 070-653 58 39. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/09/14/20000914BIT00210/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/09/14/20000914BIT00210/bit0002.pdf