A significant memorandum between General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) and RETIA Pardubice was signed during the IDET 2019 fair. Jens Bauer, GDELS Senior Director International Business & Services, responsible for Industrial Participation, and Roman Bohuněk, CEO of RETIA, confirmed their signing of cooperation in the production of ASCOD 2 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, if GDELS succeeds in the tender announced by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic.
The involvement of the Czech radar and special electronics manufacturer in the project will contribute to the ministry's requirement that at least 40 percent of the contract for the acquisition of new infantry fighting vehicles should go to Czech companies. RETIA can contribute to the integration of IT structures and electronic components such as special computers, intercoms, communications devices, camera systems, antenna systems, software equipment and diagnostics. In addition, it can integrate IFF into radar and weapon systems and integrate radars into AD networks.
See also: Retia a.s. - radars, command and control, air defence systems (since 1993)
RETIA's communication modules allow the integration of combat elements into tactical command and control systems for land and air forces. RETIA is able to demonstrate this ability with appropriate certificates and results at NATO Tobruq Legacy exercises. Software application for command and control of combat operations is an integral part of its solutions.
In these areas, RETIA has more than 25 years of experience underpinned by the realization of AGS systems, RACCOS (automated mobile communication, information, command and control system), IT integration into Pandur II vehicles for the Czech Army, TITUS vehicles and, for example, the DANA M2 modernization project. High professionalism and expertise of the company is confirmed by realized orders not only for the armies of NATO member states.
See also: Czech Infantry Fighting Vehicle Tender – ASCOD 2
Given these capabilities, the incorporation of RETIA into the upcoming project is a logical consequence and a further step for GDELS to meet the demand for participation by Czech industry in the event of an Infantry Fighting Vehicle tender. Moreover, in the case of the IT structure and the ability of vehicles to communicate, it is also of strategic importance because it will make vehicles less dependent on foreign suppliers in this sensitive area.
In addition to RETIA, GDELS is working with Ray Service, a leading supplier of cable harnesses and electromechanical units. In addition, another memorandum was signed at IDET 2019 in Brno, specifically between ELBIT Systems and Excalibur Army, which assumes that ASCOD turrets would be licensed in Šternberk.
See also: Czech IFV tender - opposition against manned turrets requirement
In addition to industrial enterprises, GDELS also aims to establish collaboration with universities and research institutes. Specifically, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at CTU is planning cooperation in the field of optical sensors and 3D printing, with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in the field of robotic systems and 3D cartographic areas. GDELS is planning cooperation in the field of robotics and augmented reality with the Technical University of Ostrava. GDELS has agreed to collaborate on the creation of ASCOD 2 simulation systems with the VR Group, and finally, with the CEITEC research center in Brno, GDELS would like to launch a collaboration on the development of nanomaterials and very lightweight materials based on a signed memorandum.