Switzerland hosts Kongsberg’s Protector weapons event

Twenty-three of Kongsberg’s 31 nations operating the Protector remote weapon system gathered in Switzerland in June for the company’s 16th annual Protector Users Working Group, the company said.

More than 300 users, industry partners and Kongsberg representatives attended the three-day event, hosted at the Wichlen shooting range in the Swiss mountains and co-hosted by armasuisse, Switzerland’s defense procurement agency. Attendees observed live demonstrations of weapon systems engaging both ground and aerial targets, several of which were equipped with Kongsberg’s Integrated Combat Solution and Protector counter-UAS capabilities.

“The demonstration brings together almost the entire portfolio, from our smallest weapon stations to the MCT-30 turret,” said Scott Hall, business development team manager for Land Systems at Kongsberg. “And our Integrated Combat Solution is the brain behind it all. It networks the systems together, allowing vehicles to share information, share targeting data and collaborate in ways that weren’t possible before.”

The demonstrated configurations included a Hybrid Eagle 4×4 fitted with a CROWS weapon station, an Autonomous Eagle 4×4 with the Protector RS4, a Swiss Armed Forces Pionier Panzer equipped with the RS4, an Eagle 6×6 mounting the RS6, and a Piranha IV fitted with the Protector MCT-30 turret. All demonstrated platforms were integrated on GDELS-Mowag chassis.

Kongsberg’s counter-UAS configurations shown at the event included the MCT-30 turret paired with a 30x173mm cannon and Echoshield radar, the RS6 fitted with a Northrop Grumman XM914 cannon and Echoshield radar, and the RS4 mounted with an M134 minigun and a Kongsberg DR100 radar.

Switzerland has operated Protector systems for more than 15 years, fielding more than 750 units across its armed forces, primarily on armored wheeled vehicles.

“Our cooperation with Kongsberg is long-standing and built on a strong partnership. We have been using these systems for more than two decades, particularly on armoured wheeled vehicles,” said Lt. Gen. Benedikt Roos, chief of the Swiss Armed Forces. “Counter-drone defence and interoperability are key priorities for us. Modern conflicts require networked solutions and close cooperation across systems and national borders.”

Conference sessions also drew on operational experience from Ukraine, with discussions focused on system reliability and consistent performance under demanding conditions.

“The primary purpose of Protector has always been to protect the soldier,” said Jørgen Bull, senior vice president of Land Systems at Kongsberg. “Fifteen years ago, much of the focus was on threats such as improvised explosive devices. Today, drone threats are evolving at an extraordinary pace, and we have to evolve with them.”

Attendees could also test Kongsberg’s Protector CORE training system, built around a digital recreation of the Wichlen training area, allowing operators to practice procedures and coordination using real controls in a virtual environment before entering a live training range.

Protector originated in the late 1990s through a partnership between Kongsberg and the Norwegian Armed Forces. The system is now in service with 31 nations across wheeled, tracked and naval platforms.

Kongsberg said next year’s Protector Users Working Group will be held in Norway.