Kongsberg has signed a new $51 million deal with General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada [GD] to deliver the latest version of its Protector Remote Weapon Station (RWS) for Canada’s Armored Combat Support Vehicles.
Under the deal, announced Monday, the Canadian Army will receive new Protector RWS designed for wireless control, new counter-UAS tools and multi-sensor fusion capabilities.
“We are very pleased to be chosen again as the supplier of Remote Weapon Stations to the Canadian Army. This confirms the strong position of Kongsberg’s Protector RWS, and continues the close relationship between Kongsberg and the Canadian Army and General Dynamics Land Systems–Canada,” Pal Bratlie, executive vice president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, said in a statement.
GDLS-C is the prime manufacturer for the Canadian Army’s Armored Combat Support Vehicles and will integrate the new remote weapon stations onto the fleet.
Canada first ordered Protector RWS in 2015, and has since awarded deals to Kongsberg in 2012 and 2014.
BAE Systems recently selected Kongsberg’s Medium Caliber Turret-30mm (MCT-30) for the turreted variant of the Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), with an initial deal in place covering delivery of 150 turrets (Defense Daily, May 13).
Kongsberg told Defense Daily in March it plans to start production on the ‘Tech Refresh’ version of its Common Remote Weapon Station for U.S. customers by the end of the year, as well as gauging interest in a smaller, lighter iteration geared toward the Special Operations community (Defense Daily, March 23).