Swiss Defense Industry - Rheinmetall Air Defence AG
They are called Skyranger, Skyshield, Millenium Gun, Seaguard and MANTIS. They fight the most challenging targets during loitering, pop-up- or dive-bomb attacks. They are equipped with modern path tracking sensors, which provide precise fire control data within milliseconds. Endowed with programmable Ahead ammunition - whose detonators release a cloud of more than 150 heavy metal sub-projectiles - they parry swarming drone attacks effectively. What sounds like straight out of a science-fiction movie gets actually produced in district 11 of the city of Zurich. Around 1300 people are developing and manufacturing complex stationary and mobile weapon systems for short-range air defense on water and land at Birchstrasse 155 in Oerlikon.
With a turnover of nearly 10 billion Euros, 138 clients and 40 000 employees on 174 sites worldwide, the German company Rheinmetall AG, with its headquarters in Düsseldorf (Germany), is the global market leader when it comes to air defense as well as large and medium caliber weapon and ammunition systems. One of the 174 sites is very close to the railway station Zurich-Oerlikon. Rheinmetall’s subcompany RWM Schweiz AG produces among others the Oerlikon Skyranger, the air defense system MANTIS and the smart AHEAD ammunition.
New air defense challenges
The dissolution of the Warswa Pact in 1991 profoundly changed the military significance of air defense: National air defense capabilities of most European Nations were drastically reduced. Since the ethnic and territorial conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020, which is considered the first drone war in the history of men, air defense has massively regained importance. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both sides used and still massively use drones for several purposes such as battlefield reconnaissance, artillery spotting or kamikaze drone attacks. The demand of special drone defense systems skyrocketed in the last few years. However, because of the Federal Act on War Materiel, the in Zurich produced Skyranger cannot be exported to Ukraine. The world market leader of cannon-based air defense systems supplies other countries such as Austria, Germany, Italy or The Netherlands with its appliances. There they protect critical infrastructure.
Revolver cannons and smart ammunition
One of the appliances produced in Zurich is the mobile air defense system Skyranger, which can be mounted on different wheeled or track vehicles. Rheinmetall does not only produce but also developed the device in Oerlikon. This mobile air defense system protects mechanized units and convois against air raids but also has means of self defense against ground attacks. The Skyranger disposes of sophisticated tracking sensors that facilitate a complete ground and aerial reconnaissance and provide precise fire control data. The integrated 35 mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun provides high firepower and precision. Combined with the Ahead Air Burts Technology the system is highly efficient against today’s and future menaces from the air.
Rheinmetall also produces the intelligent AHEAD ammunition (AHEAD = advanced hit efficiency and destruction) in Zurich. The airburst round ammunition is not a recent invention. It was already devloped in the 90s in Oerlikon. The missile is equipped with a number of sub-projectiles made of a special wolfram alloy. In every missile there is a programmable detonator. When leaving the barrel, the projectile is supplied with data from the fire control computer via an electric fuse programming coil.
The fuse setting time is calculated after measuring the muzzle velocity and taking into account the target distance, and is programmed inductively at the muzzle for each projectile. The muzzle contains the measuring and programming device. The target is engaged by multiple impacts from heavy metal sub-projectiles, which are ejected from the bursting charge by individually programmed fuses “just ahead of the target”. The effect on the target is based solely on the kinetic energy of the sub-projectiles. A short burst of fire, with potentially different ignition times, creates a cloud of sub-projectiles covering the calculated target position. The surface of the target is penetrated by the sub-projectiles. These multiple penetrations destroy the target object or at least damage it so severely that it becomes ineffective.
The sophisticated electronics in each AHEAD projectile are largely assembled by hand. Before delivery, each projectile is X-rayed for quality control purposes. A 30 mm 173 KCE revolver cannon can fire around 1200 rounds per minute. At over 1000 Swiss Francs per shot (although the exact cost depends on the specific version), this can quickly become expensive. However, when you consider that the air defense systems equipped with AHEAD projectiles protect critical infrastructure (such as dams, nuclear power plants, or government buildings), the high costs are put into perspective.
Rising demand for skilled laborer
From developing air defense systems and blending materials for projectiles to providing after-sales services, Rheinmetall does all of it. In order to be as independent as possible and avoid supply shortages, Rheinmetall manufactures numerous critical components. A great deal of specialized manual work goes into every single device and every piece of ammunition. Accordingly, demand for skilled workers is high, as the company is expanding due to current order growth. Rheinmetall trains 18 apprentices and eight students annually and usually hires them after they complete their training.
Rheinmetall not only manufactures short-range air defense systems, but also offers its customers a comprehensive service package: Rheinmetall guarantees 24-hour customer service to help with any problems with the equipment and trains the personnel who will ultimately operate the air defense systems, either at its training center in Zurich or directly on site in the customer's country.
Field Tests on the Ochsenboden
Rheinmetall's field testing center is located on Ochsenboden, in the upper Sihl Valley, approximately 60 km from the city of Zurich. Ochsenboden is mainly used as testing center for comprehensive testing of weapons, ammunition, and other military systems. The facility was founded in 1953 by Contraves Pyrotec AG, a later subsidiary of Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Bührle AG, as the Ochsenboden factory shooting range on a 160-hectare site.
Uncertain future
Source: Tagesanzeiger
Although Rheinmetall Air Defense AG in Oerlikon is inundated with orders, expanding its plant, and creating new jobs in Zurich, its future in Switzerland is uncertain. The strict export regulations of the Swiss War Materiel Act are problematic for the defense contractor. Space in Oerlikon is also slowly becoming scarce. Although the company is investigating whether suitable sites for expansion are available in the greater Zurich area, such a move would only be worthwhile if the framework conditions are right. A conservative coalition wants to significantly relax the War Materiel Act in order to save the Swiss defense industry. In future, exports to NATO countries at war and the transfer of exported goods should be possible.
As left-wing parties have already announced a referendum, Switzerland will probably soon vote on the relaxation of the War Materiel Act, should the bill pass in parliament. Despite an uncertain future, Rheinmetall continues to rely on Switzerland: Rheinmetall Air Defense AG continues to maintain its location at Birchstrasse 155 in 8050 Zurich-Oerlikon, citing Swiss strengths such as technical expertise, the education system, trustworthiness, clarity, pragmatism, mutual reliability, and the dual education system.
Swiss Weapon Manufacturers
SIG SAUER AG in Neuhausen am Rheinfall