The Canadian government has tasked Rainmetal to maintain the Permanent Monitoring System (PSS). This service sequence is in progress which was completed immediately after the system was delivered for the period from 2015 to 2021. The new contract began in January 2021 and will run until the end of December 2021. After that, annual contract extensions are possible.

As a general contractor, Rheinmetall Canada undertakes the repair and maintenance of eight PSS equipment currently used by the Canadian Armed Forces.

A PSS consists of balloon- and mast-supported sensors, which are connected to a ground station. The tethered balloon can be “parked” with its stabilized electro-optical sensor, which is placed at a height of 300 meters from the field of view. The system is used by a trailer with a 32-meter high mast that carries a more stable electro-optical sensor and, if necessary, a radar. All sensors can be operated from a control center. The system enables real-time assessment of sensor data in the field of land-based guidance, intelligence, reconnaissance and networking (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, C4ISR).

Gerhard Hemming