Rheinmetall to Supply Laser Light Module to Swiss Army

April 13, 2020

The Swiss Army’s order for VarioRay LLM is part of its defense procurement program. (Credit: Sandstein)

Rheinmetall has signed a contract with Switzerland’s Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) to supply VarioRay LLM laser light modules to the Swiss Army. Under the contract, Rheinmetall will deliver 9,640 devices starting May this year, with completion expected by the end of 2022. The company will also supply accessories, spare parts and offer training support to the Swiss Army. Rheinmetall Air Defence is serving as the general contractor for the project while Rheinmetall Soldier Electronics is the manufacturer.

The VarioRay LLM 19, which weighs about 240g, will be used for detecting, identifying and marking targets, and will be mounted on the assault rifles of soldiers. It can be mounted on a MIL-STD 1913 rail on any assault rifle and operated through a trigger cable. Swiss troops acquired the night vision and thermal imaging devices under the 2019 defense procurement program. With the new order, they will be able to perform missions in all weather conditions.

The VarioRay LLM forms part of Germany’s Future Soldier System-Extended System (IdZ-ES) used by the Bundeswehr. The system is also employed by the British Army, which calls it the Laser Light Module MK3.

In 1996, Rheinmetall supplied the REM096 laser marker to the Swiss military. Last month, the company secured a contract to upgrade the German Army Aviation Corps’ NH90 tactical transport helicopter flight simulators. During the same month, it won a contract to supply laser duel simulators for the German Bundeswehr’s Puma infantry fighting vehicles (IFV).

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