This year’s DSEi will host 35 national pavilions, up from 27 national pavilions in 2009. Among the nations joining the show are Poland, Brazil and India, and the UAE. Other national pavilions include countries such as Israel, Germany, Italy, Spain.
Naval display has always been one of the strengths’ of DSEi. Vessels expected to participate in this year’s event include the second Type 45 destroyer, HMS Dauntless and River class HMS Tyne, both from the Royal Navy, the new FGS Braunschweig, the K130 class corvette recently commissioned by the German Navy, and the Dutch Navy hydrographic survey ship HMNS Snellius and a Storm class patrol boat from the Royal Norwegian Navy.
Naval Demonstrations
Daily waterborne demonstrations, which will take place in front of a grandstand on the jetty, will include the Griffon Hoverwork’s new 2400TD hovercraft. The vessel has recently been upgraded to allow for a greater payload and obstacle clearance, while also providing weapons and surveillance platforms which remain stable throughout operational manoeuvres. Equipped with enhanced thermal imaging, navigation and communications tools, the hovercraft travels with ease over shallow waters, rapids and rivers, vegetation, ice and even snow. A number of small special forces craft, and a co-ordinated operation to cover equipment used in maritime security and boarding operations will also be shown as part of ‘Operation Vision’. This demo will feature manned and unmanned boats, including the advanced rescue craft from Nautilus, small unmanned surveillance helicopters, providing video links to the surface vessels. Diver detection sonars and underwater hull surveillance crawler from Seabotix will also be displayed.
The Land Systems Park
A new feature at this year’s event is the vehicle park. The park will feature a Husky protected logistics vehicle fitted with Chemring’s ground penetrating radar (GPR) and its Resolve communications EW system, part of the new route clearance gear designed to combat the IED threat. Another route clearance system on display is the mine clearance ploughs, shown by Pearson Engineering. Other systems on display will include the Future Local Area Defence System (FLAADS) from MBDA, RG35 mine protected 4 x 4 from BAE Systems and and Iveco’s Light Multirole Vehicle. The upgraded British Army Warrior will be displayed, fitted with a new turret designed by Lockheed Martin UK. This upgraded vehicle delivers enhanced fighting capability, increased mobility, soldier survivability and firepower, along with an open Electronic Architecture.
General Dynamics European Land System (GDELS) is expected to showcase here the latest member of its bridge family – the Medium Trackway Bridge (MTB). Other vehicles include the PIRANHA 3 with the HITFIST Overhead Weapon Station from Oto Melara, mounting a 30 mm automatic cannon, co-axial 7.62 mm machine gun and the SPIKE anti-tank missile launcher. and the EAGLE light tactical vehicle which will also carry the SAMSON RWS (Remote Control Weapon Station), armed with a 40 mm grenade launcher and a 7.62 mm machine gun. The Eagle has a crew capacity of 4 – to 5 soldiers, offers outstanding protection against ballistic, mine and improvised explosive device (IED) threats. The eagle is currently being evaluated by the Australian Army for its Land 121 program trials.
Manned and Unmanned Aviation
A hot topic at this year’s event are unmanned systems, a rapidly growing market, expected to surge from $3 billion in 2011 to more than $5.5 billion in 2019. DSEi is highlighting this topic with focus on robotics and unmanned systems, organized under a cooperation with Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). Various unmanned and robotic systems will be demonstrated during the show, at a football pitch-sized area, located in one corner of the North Hall. A demonstration entitled ‘Foot Patrol in Afghanistan’ featuring unmanned air and ground systems, will be staged at this area daily at 10:30 and 15:30.
As a tri-service exhibition DSEi 2011 also features air warfare topics, among the aircraft expected here are a model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, presented by Lockheed martin and the AW159 Lynx Wildcat maritime helicopter, displayed by AgustaWestland. QinetiQ is expected to show the Zephyr long endurance UAV. Other unmanned systems expected to be on display are the Boeing/Insitu Scan Eagle, and Aeronautics’ Dominator, twin-engine optionally manned aircraft based on the Austrian Diamond DA42 commercial aircraft and the rotary wing Shiebel S-100 Camcopter. Exhibitors are also displaying sensors and avionics optimized for UAVs, including LIDAR, radar and counter-IED payloadsDSEi 2011 is increasingly being seen as the place to do business in the global defense and security market. Among the ground robotic vehicles expected here are systems from Allan Vanguard, BCB, Elbit Systems, iRobot, Marshall Land Systems, Northrop Grumman Remotec, QinetiQ, Recon Robotics, Rafael and Selex Galileo.
Defense electronics is also in the spotlight at DSEi, the International Electronics Pavillion focuses on defense electronics systems and supply chain, attracting subcontractors, distributors and developers of components, military Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) and OEM manufacturers, offering subsystems and used by systems prime contractors.
Security Highlights
The international exhibition takes place at the week following the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack against the U.S.A. Reflecting the industry’s growing interest in security, DSEi features a cross-discipline theme showcase highlighting security solutions, featured in exhibitors’ stands, capability demonstrations and seminars. Under the umbrella of the DSEi 2011 security showcase and demonstration zone, international agencies, government organizations, industry and academia will be sharing experience and ideas through presentations, panel debates and informative product reviews. In addition, Thursday, 15 September was set aside as a dedicated security day, hosting senior members of the international security community invited to attend the event. The international security industry will be well represented by large prime contractors, research organizations, manufacturers and service providers, such as BAE Systems, Finmeccanica, Thales, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, QinetiQ, Explora Security, Avon Protection, Remploy and G4S.
Visit us at Booth # N8-395 at DSEi 2011, where Defense-Update will present the new website and new features for 2012.
