Interview with Bernd Burger, Sales Director of the Hensoldt Security Solutions Area

We have talked to Bernd Burger of the new threats that the proliferation of remotely manned air systems supposes in the civil and military sphere and the Hensoldt solutions to respond to this scenario, among which the Xpeller, an advanced warning systemC-UAV (Counter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), has become a reference.

What advantages do the UAV have brought and when they become a threat?

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also commonly known as drones, have taken important technological steps in recent years and have become an important tool for most industries in a positive way.The capacities developed in the field of unmanned aerial systems have greatly facilitated the lower cost processes and tasks, making this technology accessible to more people.On the one hand, the UAV offer great benefits, such as supporting humans in tasks where it is difficult to reach an area in search and rescue missions;tasks that are dangerous, as an inspection of electric lines;or long distance repetitive, such as crop surveillance and fields from the air.

On the other hand, the UAV have become a real threat when used in prohibited areas or in scenarios where those who use them, intentionally or not, put people or properties at risk.An example was observed in early September during an international football match between Austria and Moldova.The game was delayed and the teams were sent back to the benches because a drone flew over the stadium.Unfortunately, in this case there was no adequate system available to predict that there was going to be a threat, as well as any system to counteract it successfully and remove the drone from its position.Commercially speaking, delayed events or delayed operations, for example, at an airport, they can cause economic losses and reputation damage that they strongly impact their businesses.All this, not to mention the worst case, the loss of lives, which is also a possibility.

What are the threats raised by the UAV by which C-UAV systems are acquired and are the key criteria that influence the choice of a system?

UAV can be used with malicious intentions, such as espionage, sabotage or terrorist acts, and must be counteracted quickly and effectively.The key criteria that influence the choice of a C-UAV neutralization system are their availability, reliability, implementation capacity and modularity.In addition, they must meet local legal and regulatory requirements and can only be marketed under strict compliance standards.Our experience shows that there is no unique solution.Therefore, our configurable C-UV solutions use a portfolio of preintegrated sensors and effectors, which can be combined in different ways to better address the needs of our clients and provide the appropriate options.These systems solutions cover the most critical requirements for early warning and offer rapid response options for different scenarios

Could you describe the Xpeller system?

Entrevista a Bernd Burger, director de ventas del área de soluciones de seguridad de Hensoldt

The Xpeller system is a highly modular and configurable solution against unmanned aerial systems, which are a threat in civil and military applications.It combines cutting -edge technology, which includes radars, EO/IR cameras and RF sensors, from which information is processed and fuses within a powerful C2 software to provide advanced warnings.The solution is complemented by RF inhibitors to block the pilot control signs and, optionally, drone navigation, as well as a drone that uses a network to capture non -cooperative, thus providing a quick and effective response.Dense urban environments, as well as remote areas, are not a problem to implement the Xpeller.An adequate system configuration for these environments is selected.The system is available in standard solutions, deployed in open areas or buildings, and on container -based or even vehicles or trailers and can act independently or with multiple sensors and effectors combined.Finally, the system can be optionally expanded with Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), when information about a possible threat is used to effectively protect people or a specific area.

What is the differential advantage and the key elements of the Hensoldt solutions, especially in security?

Hensoldt is the main actor in the German and European security and defense market in terms of sensor technology.What makes its Security Solutions area special is the ability to integrate complex construction blocks, which constitute a security solution to solve an important problem for a client.In addition, Hensoldt has developed standard systems that are immediately available in different price and performance categories, so that they are quickly accessible and affordable.According to the different client's requirements.In other words, not all commercial customers need all the technological capabilities that some military applications require.

We have launched for client segments standardized packages that are reliable, efficient and scalable for specific security needs.Hensoldt offers standardized solutions, capable of protecting, for example, territorial waters of piracy actions or illegal fishing, or border areas of traffic and smuggling, or a military camp in a remote area, or an important national event orWild life in a large national park.We combine proven and mature technology to provide knowledge of the exceptional situation, together with products to respond to the threat, for example, the capture of UAV, and offer interfaces that allow integration into the existing security environment of customers.

What level of maturity does the Xpeller have?

Xpeller systems are already in use by several clients around the world and have proven successful.However, many of our success stories must remain confidential.One of the ones we can share is its deployment for the National Memory Day in Amsterdam.The system was installed in buildings to guarantee adequate detection in a specific area and included 1 Spexer 360 radar, 1 Spexer 500 radar, 2 Skyscan 7x, day and night and blockers thermal cameras and blockers.During this mission, the Xpeller constantly monitored the critical areas and transferred the data obtained simultaneously to the police center.In addition, Xpeller components are also used by German armed forces.With our ESG partner, Hensoldt provides them for the Guardion System.New contracts worldwide were awarded in 2021 and will be published soon.One of them, for example, is with the armed forces of a European country for the protection of its airports

How do you see the global C-UAV solutions?

The UAV are not new, but the ways in which they operate become more refined.New types and useful charges are being developed and more and more people have access to them.Therefore, the global C-UAV solutions will definitely grow in the coming years and will be more relevant for security, civil and military reasons.The threat is growing and, therefore, will make the demand for C-UAV systems continue to increase.There will also be a differentiation between C-UAV systems for use against standard commercial drones, according to legal restrictions, and the modified;special or military who do not get up to global legal restrictions.

To respond to the first and in short distances, the lower cost C-UV systems can be used successfully.However, for professionally intentional and caused incidents, robust and reliable solutions are needed that combine different avant -garde technologies.In these cases it should be considered that the attacker would also have a significant knowledge of drones and protection against them, so C-UAV systems must take another step to protect effectively.In addition, the growing sophistication and proliferation requires C-UAV solutions to detect them with all possible means, including increasingly capable sensors and optical detection that exploit AI (artificial intelligence) and smarter algorithms.These systems will become an inevitable need to protect people and assets and to alert users and authorities of threats.

How will hensoldt affect the new solutions they showed in security DSEI that OSINT and integrated products?

The Xpeller system is an example of Hensoldt safety solutions.The company has a wide variety of products that have already been merged to create standardized configurable solutions, to protect not only against drones.They point to market segments such as the protection of critical national infrastructure, airports, events, wild life, forces, coastal and coastal surveillance, as well as military and border.Some examples of threats can be piracy, illegal migration, illegal fishing, smuggling, espionage, perimeter intrusions on foot or vehicles, poaching, illegal deforestation, etc..For these markets and for most of these threats, OSINT's information can provide an additional advantage, by detecting potential threats that can occur in the future.Hensoldt provides this advantage to its customers also in combination with safety solutions, allowing a better preparation and even a reaction before a threat event occurs.This early alert, therefore, provides an additional increase in successful protection against threats.