Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is a division of German armament manufacturer Rheinmetall, created when the company's Oerlikon Contraves unit was renamed on 1 January 2009 and integrated with Rheinmetall's other air-defence products.[1] Oerlikon Contraves was a Swiss anti-aircraft artillery manufacturer famous for its adaptation of the 1916 20 mm Becker as the Oerlikon 20 mmautocannon design, which was used in the Second World War and still in use today. Copies and derivatives of these designs were made by German, French, British and Japanese weapon manufacturers. Oerlikon Contraves was purchased by Rheinmetall in 1999.[2]
Rheinmetall Air Defence office at the arms factory in Zurich-Oerlikon
As of January 2009[update], Rheinmetall Air Defence had around 1,050 employees at locations in Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Canada. The group's sales in 2008[update] were about 380,000,000 euros.[1]
In 1923 it acquired a factory in Germany. It entered the anti-aircraft defence field in 1924. In 1936, it founded a purely anti-aircraft development company called Contraves (contra aves is Latin for "against birds", better translated as "anti-flying-objects") In 1989, the Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Bührle and Contraves merged to form the Oerlikon-Contraves Group, later renamed Oerlikon Contraves Defence.[4] Oerlikon Contraves was purchased by Rheinmetall, a German armament manufacturer, in 1999, and renamed Rheinmetall Air Defence AG on 1 January 2009.
American versions of the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, such as the Mk 4, Mk 10, and Mk 24, were used extensively from World War II to the Vietnam War. As anti-aircraft weapons used by the US Navy, they were frequently the last line of defence against kamikaze attacks. Most combat ships from aircraft carriers to PT boats were equipped with Oerlikon guns. During the Vietnam War they were widely employed by riverine forces as anti-personnel weapons. They remained in service until the 1970s, when they were replaced by the Mk 16 20 mm cannon.[5]
Rheinmetall Air Defence specializes in ground-based and naval air defence. Their products include search-and-tracking sensors, 35 mm air-defence guns, command-and-control posts, battle management and ship-based combat systems.
The Skyranger 30 is the Rheinmetall's latest mobile airdefence system
Naval systemsEdit
Search and Acquisition Radar: Oerlikon X-TAR3D/M
Radar and Electro Optical Tracking Modules: Oerlikon TMX/EO NT and Oerlikon TMX/EO Mk2
Oerlikon Contraves subsidiary Oerlikon Transtec manufactured railcar and locomotive systems, including locomotive brakes, subway and electric train power conversion systems, and other subsidiary systems for mass-transit vehicles.[6] As of October 2010[update], Rheinmetall's website no longer lists these products as part of the Air Defence group.[7]
Corruption chargesEdit
Rheinmetall Air Defence (RAD) is one of six companies that were blacklisted by India's Ministry of Defence in March 2012 for their involvement in a bribery scandal.[8] The companies are accused of bribing the Director General of Ordnance Factories Board (OFB), Sudipta Ghosh. RAD and the other firms have been barred from any dealings with the OFB and all other Indian defence companies, as well as being blacklisted from participating in any Indian defence contract, for a period of 10 years.[9] RAD has claimed that the charges against it are without merit.[10]
Rheinmetall Air Defence was implicated in a corruption case in India along with arms dealer Abhishek Verma and his wife Anca Verma lodged by anti-corruption agency of India, the CBI in 2012 for bribing defence officials for securing multi billion dollar weapons contracts of the Indian military establishment.[11][12] RAD Chairman Bodo Garbe and General Manager Gerhard Hoy were issued summons of the Indian courts. Subsequently a red-corner notice was issued for their detention through Interpol.[13] The case at present is under trial in Indian courts.[14]
^ ab (Press release). Rheinmetall. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 28 November 2010.
^"Rheinmetall unit Oerlikon Contraves to appeal Unaxis' name change". Forbes. AFX News Limited. 18 September 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2010.[dead link]
^Bryks, Jacqueline E.; Hausfeld, Michael D.; Abrahams, Charles Peter; Kerrigan, Robert G.; Fisher, Barry A. (11 November 2002). (PDF). DomCLIC Project: South African Apartheid Litigation. The Hague Justice Portal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
^"Switzerland Oerlikon 20 mm/70 (0.79") Mark 1 / United States of America 20 mm/70 (0.79") Marks 2, 3 & 4 / Britain 20 mm/70 (0.79") Mark I and Mark II". NavWeaps.Com. 14 January 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
^"Oerlikon Transtec Inc". Directory51.com. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
^. Rheinmetall Defence. 2010. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
^"Bribery scandal: Defence ministry blacklists six companies". The Times of India. 5 March 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
^"India blacklists defense companies". United Press International. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
^. SP's Land Forces.net. 23 March 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
^"CBI charges Abhishek Verma, Rheinmetall official with bribery". Retrieved 7 August 2016.
^"Abhishek Verma was promised $5m by Rheinmetall Air Defence to remove its name from govt's blacklist - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
^"CBI to push for red corner notice against top Rheinmetall executive". 6 June 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
^"Swiss authorities refuse to share information on Abhishek Verma - The Economic Times". Retrieved 7 August 2016.
Air Force Center "Fliegermuseum Dübendorf"
Hugo Schneider: Armament and equipment of the Swiss Army since 1817: light and medium anti-aircraft air defence anti-aircraft missiles, Volume 12 of armament and equipment of the Swiss Army since 1817, Author Publisher Stocker-Schmidt, 1982
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oerlikon Contraves.
Rheinmetall-DeTec, parent company
October 05, 2023
rheinmetall, defence, division, german, armament, manufacturer, rheinmetall, created, when, company, oerlikon, contraves, unit, renamed, january, 2009, integrated, with, rheinmetall, other, defence, products, oerlikon, contraves, swiss, anti, aircraft, artille. Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is a division of German armament manufacturer Rheinmetall created when the company s Oerlikon Contraves unit was renamed on 1 January 2009 and integrated with Rheinmetall s other air defence products 1 Oerlikon Contraves was a Swiss anti aircraft artillery manufacturer famous for its adaptation of the 1916 20 mm Becker as the Oerlikon 20 mm autocannon design which was used in the Second World War and still in use today Copies and derivatives of these designs were made by German French British and Japanese weapon manufacturers Oerlikon Contraves was purchased by Rheinmetall in 1999 2 Rheinmetall Air Defence office at the arms factory in Zurich OerlikonAs of January 2009 update Rheinmetall Air Defence had around 1 050 employees at locations in Switzerland Germany Italy and Canada The group s sales in 2008 update were about 380 000 000 euros 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 Historic products 2 Products 2 1 Naval systems 2 2 Ground based air defence 2 3 Civilian products 3 Corruption charges 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditOerlikon s earliest predecessor was Schweizerische Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon founded in the Oerlikon district of Zurich Switzerland in 1906 3 In 1923 it acquired a factory in Germany It entered the anti aircraft defence field in 1924 In 1936 it founded a purely anti aircraft development company called Contraves contra aves is Latin for against birds better translated as anti flying objects In 1989 the Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon Buhrle and Contraves merged to form the Oerlikon Contraves Group later renamed Oerlikon Contraves Defence 4 Oerlikon Contraves was purchased by Rheinmetall a German armament manufacturer in 1999 and renamed Rheinmetall Air Defence AG on 1 January 2009 Historic products Edit nbsp Oerlikon 20 mm cannonAmerican versions of the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon such as the Mk 4 Mk 10 and Mk 24 were used extensively from World War II to the Vietnam War As anti aircraft weapons used by the US Navy they were frequently the last line of defence against kamikaze attacks Most combat ships from aircraft carriers to PT boats were equipped with Oerlikon guns During the Vietnam War they were widely employed by riverine forces as anti personnel weapons They remained in service until the 1970s when they were replaced by the Mk 16 20 mm cannon 5 Oerlikon also developed the following surface to air missiles the RSA Missile the RSD 58 and the Kriens RSC Missile Oerlikons 20mm cannon was frequently used on Naval Ships throughout the 1920s 30s and 40s citation needed Products EditRheinmetall Air Defence specializes in ground based and naval air defence Their products include search and tracking sensors 35 mm air defence guns command and control posts battle management and ship based combat systems nbsp The Skyranger 30 is the Rheinmetall s latest mobile airdefence systemNaval systems Edit Search and Acquisition Radar Oerlikon X TAR3D M Radar and Electro Optical Tracking Modules Oerlikon TMX EO NT and Oerlikon TMX EO Mk2 Naval Gun Systems Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun Command and Control Oerlikon Seaguard Command and Control Console and Oerlikon Weapon Control ModuleGround based air defence Edit nbsp Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannonGround Based Air Defence Unit Oerlikon Skyshield Mobile Air Defence Oerlikon Skyranger 30 and Skyranger 35 Oerlikon GDF 35 mm caliber twin cannon Oerlikon KBA 25 mm automatic cannon Air Defence Anti Tank System LLM01 laser light module for firearms Mosquito missile Civilian products Edit Oerlikon Contraves subsidiary Oerlikon Transtec manufactured railcar and locomotive systems including locomotive brakes subway and electric train power conversion systems and other subsidiary systems for mass transit vehicles 6 As of October 2010 update Rheinmetall s website no longer lists these products as part of the Air Defence group 7 Corruption charges EditRheinmetall Air Defence RAD is one of six companies that were blacklisted by India s Ministry of Defence in March 2012 for their involvement in a bribery scandal 8 The companies are accused of bribing the Director General of Ordnance Factories Board OFB Sudipta Ghosh RAD and the other firms have been barred from any dealings with the OFB and all other Indian defence companies as well as being blacklisted from participating in any Indian defence contract for a period of 10 years 9 RAD has claimed that the charges against it are without merit 10 Rheinmetall Air Defence was implicated in a corruption case in India along with arms dealer Abhishek Verma and his wife Anca Verma lodged by anti corruption agency of India the CBI in 2012 for bribing defence officials for securing multi billion dollar weapons contracts of the Indian military establishment 11 12 RAD Chairman Bodo Garbe and General Manager Gerhard Hoy were issued summons of the Indian courts Subsequently a red corner notice was issued for their detention through Interpol 13 The case at present is under trial in Indian courts 14 See also Edit nbsp Companies portal30mm DS30M Mark 2 Automated Small Calibre GunReferences Edit a b Rheinmetall Air Defence the new name of air defence specialist Oerlikon Contraves Press release Rheinmetall 27 January 2009 Archived from the original on 28 November 2010 Rheinmetall unit Oerlikon Contraves to appeal Unaxis name change Forbes AFX News Limited 18 September 2006 Retrieved 2 October 2010 dead link Historical Milestones Oerlikon Corporate Website Pfaffikon Switzerland OC Oerlikon Management Retrieved 2 October 2010 Bryks Jacqueline E Hausfeld Michael D Abrahams Charles Peter Kerrigan Robert G Fisher Barry A 11 November 2002 Complaint Khulumani et al v Barclays National Bank Ltd et al PDF DomCLIC Project South African Apartheid Litigation The Hague Justice Portal Archived from the original PDF on 30 September 2011 Retrieved 2 October 2010 Switzerland Oerlikon 20 mm 70 0 79 Mark 1 United States of America 20 mm 70 0 79 Marks 2 3 amp 4 Britain 20 mm 70 0 79 Mark I and Mark II NavWeaps Com 14 January 2011 Retrieved 24 September 2011 Oerlikon Transtec Inc Directory51 com Retrieved 2 October 2010 Rheinmetall Air Defence AG Rheinmetall Defence 2010 Archived from the original on 5 October 2010 Retrieved 2 October 2010 Bribery scandal Defence ministry blacklists six companies The Times of India 5 March 2012 Archived from the original on 3 January 2013 Retrieved 8 June 2012 India blacklists defense companies United Press International 7 March 2012 Retrieved 8 June 2012 Rheinmetall Air Defence AG cries foul over blacklisting SP s Land Forces net 23 March 2012 Archived from the original on 24 September 2012 Retrieved 8 June 2012 CBI charges Abhishek Verma Rheinmetall official with bribery Retrieved 7 August 2016 Abhishek Verma was promised 5m by Rheinmetall Air Defence to remove its name from govt s blacklist Times of India The Times of India Retrieved 7 August 2016 CBI to push for red corner notice against top Rheinmetall executive 6 June 2014 Retrieved 7 August 2016 Swiss authorities refuse to share information on Abhishek Verma The Economic Times Retrieved 7 August 2016 Air Force Center Fliegermuseum Dubendorf Hugo Schneider Armament and equipment of the Swiss Army since 1817 light and medium anti aircraft air defence anti aircraft missiles Volume 12 of armament and equipment of the Swiss Army since 1817 Author Publisher Stocker Schmidt 1982External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oerlikon Contraves Rheinmetall DeTec parent company Official site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rheinmetall Air Defence amp oldid 1136583590, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
