Saab’s stand at ITEC is always a busy one – both from the number of delegations and visitors thronging it and from the fact that the company struggles manfully to bring as much of its broad spectrum of product offerings onto a single exhibition space – normally with great success.
Recognition came somewhat late for me at ITEC in Prague this week, when I realised there ws, indeed, something new on the Saab exhibiti – even something quite exciting (though a little unnerving for an ex tank officer).
Leveraging virtual technologies from its acquisition of E-COM in the Czech Republic (noe rebranded Saab Czech), the company is demonstrating a suite of anti-tank weapons trainers. The synergy with the techniques developed to instil basic small arms proficiency skills is an obvious one: but that alone does not explain the interest that has apparently been shown in the new systems this week.
“Its really about cost-effective training,” says Ingemar Carlsson, Marketing Director for the Nordic market area for Saab. “An anti-tank missile operator will find he gets the opportunity to fire very few live rounds during his career: using this approach to low cost training means he can fire as many as are necessary to ensure effective training.”
The first model to appear, for the TOW anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) was shown at I/ITSEC in Orlando last December. ITEC Prague, however, represents the first occasion on which trainers for the AT-4 and NLAW ATGWs have been seen outside the factory, according to Carlsson. There is an additional trainer for the Carl Gustaf 84 mm anti-tank system, though that was not present this week.
Tim Mahon
Recognition came somewhat late for me at ITEC in Prague this week, when I realised there ws, indeed, something new on the Saab exhibiti – even something quite exciting (though a little unnerving for an ex tank officer).
Leveraging virtual technologies from its acquisition of E-COM in the Czech Republic (noe rebranded Saab Czech), the company is demonstrating a suite of anti-tank weapons trainers. The synergy with the techniques developed to instil basic small arms proficiency skills is an obvious one: but that alone does not explain the interest that has apparently been shown in the new systems this week.
“Its really about cost-effective training,” says Ingemar Carlsson, Marketing Director for the Nordic market area for Saab. “An anti-tank missile operator will find he gets the opportunity to fire very few live rounds during his career: using this approach to low cost training means he can fire as many as are necessary to ensure effective training.”
The first model to appear, for the TOW anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) was shown at I/ITSEC in Orlando last December. ITEC Prague, however, represents the first occasion on which trainers for the AT-4 and NLAW ATGWs have been seen outside the factory, according to Carlsson. There is an additional trainer for the Carl Gustaf 84 mm anti-tank system, though that was not present this week.
Tim Mahon
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