Geobrugg LASSO: Protecting ship’s bridges against RPG-7 attacks from pirates

: Posted On Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:04

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Geobrugg LASSO: Protecting ship’s bridges against RPG-7 attacks from pirates

Swiss company Geobrugg AG will present its LASSO RPG ship bridge protection system at the third Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2012).

Despite the measures introduced by the European Union’s (EU) Operation ATALANTA or NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield, a high risk of piracy remains for ships, especially in the Gulf of Aden, off the African coast, and in the Indian Ocean, as evidenced by the rising number of pirate attacks and the extent of the damage they caused in 2010. Furthermore, insurers are anticipating a general further escalation of pirate attacks on ships over the next three years.

LASSO RPG ship bridge protection

Chapter 4 of the updated fourth version of Best Management Practices for Protection against Somalia Based Piracy (BMP4) published in August 2011, entitled “Typical Pirate Attacks“, describes the growing tendency for pirates to use rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), targeting ship’s bridges and crew accommodation areas. The shaped charge beam of an RPG-7 is powerful enough to easily penetrate a ship's hull, cause very extensive damage to the bridge, and claim numerous lives or cause very severe injuries. Section 8.3 of the BMP4, “Enhanced Bridge Protection” suggests to install a protection against RPG-7 attacks.

Both the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the EU urgently recommend that their member states make sure that vessels flying their flag comply with the measures set out in BMP4. In addition, insurance companies have started to scale their premiums according to operators’ degree of BMP implementation.

LASSO Light Armor System in deployment situation
(photo Carl Schulze)

The LASSO Light Armor System against Shaped Ordnance has proved effective in combat situations for NATO allies in Afghanistan, affording protection against attacks on armored vehicles by RPG-7 grenade launchers. LASSO’s special mesh of high-tensile steel wire stretched on a frame is mounted close to the armored vehicle. When hit by an RPG-7 grenade, the steel wire mesh heavily damages the warhead, preventing the formation of the weapon’s destructive hollow shaped charge. LASSO was especially developed jointly by RUAG Defence and Geobrugg AG for deployment in war zones.

LASSO's tried and tested special mesh, which can be installed in frames or in specially designed maritime BridgeBox's, can now protect the entire bridge of a commercial vessel against RPG-7 attacks. And the rhomboid shape of LASSO’s high-tensile steel wire mesh, manufactured by Geobrugg AG out of 4 mm spring steel wire, ensures good visibility from the vessel’s bridge at all times.

View through LASSO RPG ship bridge protection

The first three ships which are under contract to BG Group operations off the coast of Tanzania, were supplied by Geobrugg's exclusive maritime security partner, Vessel Protection Solutions. The bridges of the vessels Stanford Buzzard, Crest Mariner I, and Crest Mariner II are thus effectively protected and fitted out in line with BMP4 recommendations. The LASSO system’s mesh was produced and supplied by the Swiss company Geobrugg AG, based in Romanshorn.

Visit Geobrugg at DIMDEX 2012 on stand N 222b