The Austrians at Eurosatory 2024 in Paris

From June 17 to 21 at the Eurosatory in Paris-Nord Villepinte around 2,000 exhibitors from more than 60 countries will be presenting their latest products. These include numerous Austrian companies – above all General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr, Empl, Achleitner, J. Blaschke Wehrtechnik, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles, Raytech, QUS Body Connected, Palfinger, Kahles, Steyr Arms, Ulbrichts, Aaronia, Zero Compromise Optic and many more.

ARGE Sicherheit & Wirtschaft satisfied with Eurosatory

The Working Group Security & Economy (ASW) of the WKO was pleased to see a large presence of red-white-red companies, as ASW Managing Director Reinhard Marak confirmed in an interview with Militär Aktuell: “With the participation of Austrian companies this year, we certainly had an all-time high. We had 26 Austrian companies in the Austrian Pavilion alone, plus a few more companies in other areas of Eurosatory.” In general, the companies were also very satisfied with their trade fair presence and the service provided by the WKO, said Marak. “The majority of the feedback we received was very positive, which naturally makes us happy. Our aim with the pavilion is to offer companies a good platform that they can make the best possible use of for their presentation. We are naturally pleased to hear that the companies were able to make good use of this opportunity for themselves.”

“With the participation of Austrian companies this year, we certainly had an all-time high. We had 26 Austrian companies in the Austrian Pavilion alone, plus a few more companies in other areas of Eurosatory.”

Reinhard Marak, ASW-Geschäftsführer

Empl on site with several vehicles

In any case, they were satisfied with their Eurosatory appearance at Empl. The Tyrolean vehicle body builder had a stand in the indoor area and several vehicles set up in the outdoor area. In the area of the German special vehicle body builder Binz Automotive, for example, Empl exhibited a two-axle Ivceo UVT (unprotected casualty transporter). At Rheinmetall the Tyroleans had a 6×6 unprotected transport vehicle, while Daimler had a Unimog built for the Brazilian army and a 4×4 Zetros with a flatbed for the Senegalese army. Also on the Thales stand was a Renault 8×8 equipped by Empl with an automatic leveling system.

Company boss Joe Empl spoke to Militär Aktuell of a good trade fair appearance: “We were able to meet many existing partners here, hold good discussions and also make promising contacts.” The Tyrolean was able to clearly feel the tension on site following the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine (-> current news from the war in Ukraine), the increased importance of the military. “Europe must increasingly stand on its own two feet when it comes to security,” said Empl, “and from everything we have seen here this week, this realization should have been widely accepted by now.”

A lot of “Made in Austria” also at Rheinmetall

In addition to the Empl vehicle, there was even more red-white-red to see around the Rheinmetall pavilion. In addition to several variants of the Skyranger anti-aircraft turret, which the army is also procuring for some of its new Pandur the German armaments group also presented vehicles from the Group’s Vienna-based subsidiary Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV), WHICH IS PRODUCED IN VIENNA: Among the vehicles on display in Paris were an HX 8×8 with Automated Load Handling System (ALHS) and an HX 8×8 recovery vehicle. Also in the outdoor area: Terrastorm, a vehicle developed by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles and Torsus performance-enhanced MAN TGE van for military use.

Inside the Rheinmetall pavilion, Florian Iglisch, Development Manager at Styrian company San Sirro GmbH, presented the QUS Body Connected brand. The company had announced a cooperation with Rheinmetall just before Eurosatory. Together, they want to integrate vital data into the innovative Gladius 2.0 soldier system. This should make data on the physical condition of individual soldiers or entire units quickly available in the event of deployment, while the vital data can contribute to optimal fitness development during training.

Pandur Evolution with Crossbow at GDELS

At the large stand of General Dynamics European Land Systems the Austrian subsidiary GDELS-Steyr was also prominently displayed. The Viennese company showcased its Pandur Evolution with crossbow mortar, as used by the Austrian Armed Forces is also procured by the army (-> GDELS-Steyr & Elbit: Crossbow mortar for Pandur). According to a recent press release from GDELS, the 120-millimeter mortar system offers “outstanding indirect firepower” as well as the ability to fire while on the move. As Militär Akuell was able to see for itself on site, the reloading function in the interior has been excellently solved, enabling a high rate of fire of up to ten rounds per minute. A new configuration of the Pandur 8×8 was also on display at the Excalibur Army stand. GDELS also presented the ASCOD in an improved infantry fighting vehicle configuration, the Ealge Tasys in a 6×6 variant for the Swiss Army (-> current news about the Swiss Army), the Piranha Advanced Artillery Carrier (AAC) and its truck-based Anaconda bridge-laying system (-> Innovations from GDELS at Eurosatory).

Achleitner brought Survivor I into focus

The HMV Survivor I was the centerpiece of the Tyrolean company Franz Achleitner Fahrzeugbau und Reifenzentrum GmbH’s trade fair appearance. the Austrian Ministry of the Interior decided on a copy of the armored vehicle for its special operations unit WEGAbut there is also great interest from other sides, as Managing Director Franz Achleitner and Sales Manager Andreas Lettenbichler confirmed in an interview with Militär Aktuell.

“We also received many inquiries in this regard in Paris and had many good discussions.” For Achleitner, Eurosatory was also once again a good opportunity to talk to suppliers as well as procurers and to exchange ideas. The company was delighted with its recent Q3 certification, and Militär Aktuell will be reporting more on this soon.

Artus from Charisma Tec in the Outdoor Dynamic Show

Charisma Tec, a young company from Graz, was a subtenant at the Achleitner stand, where everything revolved around the Artus unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). And not just literally: Charisma Tec was able to present the Artus at the Outdoor Dynamic Show, which took place twice a day, where it was given the opportunity to take a spin (see video).

The vehicle had to pass through a ravine, turn on a stand, bridge a trench and prove itself in the terrain in front of around 500 spectators. Thanks to an automatic leveling construction developed by the company itself, the horizontal transport platform always remained stable – ideal for transporting casualties from the battlefield, for example, or transporting goods or ammunition, as Managing Director Sandra Slavinec and Head of Development Dieter Lutzmayr explained. “We were embedded in a performance with eleven other companies and received a lot of positive feedback for our system and were able to make new contacts,” says Sandra Slavinec.

Many international delegations at Aaronia

New contacts are also what Aaronia Austria Managing Director Stephan Kraschansky (-> Guest commentary: How do we get drones out of the sky?) was delighted with at the end of the trade fair. Among others, delegations from Hungary, Japan, Colombia, Mexico, Rwanda, Malaysia and Kosovo visited the Aaronia stand. The German delegation led by Lieutenant General Andreas Marlow, who has been Deputy Inspector General of the Army and Commander of Basic Military Organization since September 2023, stayed for a particularly long time. “The Bundeswehr delegation took a lot of time, spending more than half an hour here with us,” said Kraschansky in an interview with Militär Aktuell. The delegations were particularly interested in the new FPV video decoder. This is primarily about the direction finding of FPV video signals with the possibility of decoding the signal belonging to the respective drone. “Similar to a video and audio decoder, the signal can also be retrieved. This allows us to see on our screens what the pilot of the FPV drone also sees. The trick is to match the right drone with the right video and triangulate the approach path accordingly,” explains Kraschansky. “The system has been in use successfully for some time, but we have now presented it here for the first time.” https://militaeraktuell.at/bundesheer-black-hawk-sikorsky-kauf-offiziell/

Carinthia presents new loftshell clothing line

Not only with the announcement that the the new “SEK combat suit” to the combat suit” to thebut also with the development of the new Loftshell clothing line: the new jackets, which can be pre-ordered from the summer, are highly breathable, particularly light and quiet, yet also resistant to environmental influences. Although we were unable to test the seams and wind protection in the Paris hall, the Loftshell Hydro delivers everything else that the new material is said to do. The comfortable feel against the skin was particularly impressive, as were the extended cuffs, sealed seams and waterproof zippers. We tried out the range and will be keeping an eye on the upcoming new developments from the traditional Carinthian company.

New service weapon for the French army from Glock

Proven and new (-> Glock shows innovations and surprises at the Enforce Tac) was also on show at Glock. The wide range of pistols for the defense sector at Eurosatory included many a special feature. A must-see, especially in France: the presentation of the Glock 17 Gen5 in its version as a new service weapon for the French army. The handgun was a particularly eye-catching piece in the collection, not only because of the fine detail adaptations, but also because of the mounted silencer.

Palfinger with Canadian order

Right next to the Carinthia stand, Palfinger presented its range of products for the defense sector. The focus was on the Crayler, an all-wheel-drive truck that allows loads and equipment to be manipulated even at deployment sites. According to Josef Fenninger, Key Account Manager for Defense Solutions, the handling device is constantly being adapted and improved and is already being used by numerous armed forces. Relevant quantities are also being used by the German armed forces (80 vehicles, -> current news about the Bundeswehr), the German Armed Forces (ten vehicles, -> current news about the German Armed Forces) and the French special forces.

There were also interesting things to see from Palfinger in the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks exhibition area: Among other vehicles, the German manufacturer presented its Zetros 3851A 8×8 with Palfinger crane, with which it had recently successfully participated in a test for the Canadian Ministry of Defense. Canada subsequently awarded the company placed an order with the company for a total of 1,500 Zetros logistics trucks in various versions. In addition to Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, the contracted manufacturer network also includes Marshall Canada, Soframe, Manac, General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-Canada) and Palfinger.

Eurosatory presence of Ace of Spades, AVL List & Co

Several other red-white-red companies also had their stands in the Austria area of Hall 5A: At Pik-As, for example, Managing Director Christina Polster (-> Interview with Militär Aktuell) presented technical and electrotechnical components such as relays, toggle switches, lights and technical interface components. Also present in Paris were Airborne Technologies and AVL List, Billitz, the Chebcheb Group, Pewag, FrequentisEngineering Center Steyr Magna, Drone Passion, Swarovski Optik, High Pressure Instrumentation (HPI) and Plansee.

J. Blaschke Wehrtechnik GmbH shows protection solutions

J. Blaschke Wehrtechnik GmbH, which specializes in the manufacture of NBC protective suits, was also part of the Austrian pavilion at Eurosatory. The company exhibited three suit types in Paris, a new new storage option for the SAB-87 ventilation system and, for the first time and, for the first time, a newly developed urination system for women for the laboratory suit. “We have been working on this for a long time,” said Junior Managing Director Romana Haager in an interview with Militär Aktuell. Also on show for the first time at the Blaschke stand were new, fully decontaminable backpacks made of NBC-resistant material and a folding box that can be used to safely handle normally contaminated samples – at Eurosatory, however, interested parties were able to pick up giveaways via the box.

Well-filled order books at Raytech

Right next to J. Blaschke Wehrtechnik GmbH, Managing Director Doris Schneider-Schrei presented her company Raytech. With 800 employees worldwide (Raytech has plants in Slovakia, the Netherlands, Turkey and Sri Lanka in addition to its headquarters in Austria), Raytech develops, designs and produces electrical systems for all types of commercial and military platforms. This includes cabling as well as lighting solutions and tire pressure sensors,” says Doris Schneider-Schrei. National customers include Empl, Achleitner, Airborne Technologies and GDELS-Steyr.

The company boss did not want to give any more precise details about customers abroad, only this much: “Our order books are well filled and the trade fair here has once again shown that there is a great demand for our products. In any case, we have many interesting projects in the pipeline.” Doris Schneider-Schrei will soon be talking about some of these in an interview with Militär Aktuell.

K238i in focus at Kahles

Continued lively interest in the recently released K328i Kahles is pleased with the continued lively interest in the recently released K328i. The long development time and intensive exchange with users are reportedly paying off. The riflescope was developed with the requirements of precision, PRS and long-range shooters in mind. However, it is also increasingly seen as a welcome solution for hunting applications, such as aiming in difficult lighting conditions. Although the lighting conditions in an exhibition hall are not comparable to those in a forest at dawn, the view through the glass on site and not least the various reticles available make a wide range of applications appear very likely.

GL-40 grenade launcher by Steyr Arms

Steyr Arms (-> Interview with Tim Castagne: “New era for Arex and Steyr”) exhibited at Eurosatory alongside an HS .50 M1, the new DMR 762 and variants of the Steyr AUG (-> Focus on the Steyr AUG: Anniversary at the shooting range) also a model of the GL-40 grenade launcher in black. The same model (in a different color) will be as was recently announced – to the German armed forces German armed forces. Steyr Arms won the tender against strong competition.

Shot helmet models at Ulbrichts

As another strong partner for public authorities, Ulbricht’s (-> Ulbricht’s manager Thomas Poandl in an interview) presented its products. Still in demand as a supplier of ballistic protective helmets for the police, Ulbrichts is also focusing its attention on specialized forces in the military sector. Given the very high protection classes and relatively low weight, this is hardly surprising. It was impressive to see the models being shot at on site, especially when powerful calibers such as .308 Win or 7.62×39 were involved. Due to the materials used, neither splinters nor ricochets are to be feared. Instead, the bullet is completely absorbed and at the same time releases relatively little energy to the head area to be protected. High technology “Made in Austria”.

Zero Compromise Optic shows ZC 210

As a special feature of this year’s riflescope market, it was also a must at Eurosatory 2024: The ZC 210 from ZCO Zero Compromise Optic (-> IWA 2024 novelty: DMR optics ZC 210). From dynamic shooting disciplines to the official area, the robust and precisely processed glass covers a considerable range. Between this and other models, however, there was also a special example of the ZC 420 4-20×50. A large special order from the Luxembourg army required a coloration in an olive tone. Although expensive to produce, it can be assumed that other users might also like this or a similar color variant. At Eurosatory 2024, we were also shown the first development stages of a detailed solution that ZCO is working on – we can remain curious.

New jammer at Accurision

Accurision from Vorarlberg presented a new development of a jammer for all GNSS frequencies (Global Navigation Satellite System) in the long-range range. Previously focused on the development of transceivers, the Aigis EGM-2 jammer covers the opposite side of the radio spectrum, so to speak: the device can receive all GNSS signals – from radios to drones – within a radius of up to 40 kilometers.

The simple and modular design is particularly important: connect the power supply and two antennas and flip the switch – that’s all it takes. The Jammer can be carried by two people, who can set up the entire system within ten minutes without any prior technical knowledge. Attachments with cooling and adaptations to existing mobile systems are also possible. Further developments of the robust and modular system are already being worked on.