This year’s edition of the Police & Law Enforcement weapons and equipment exhibition was the 11th to be held. The show precedes the world-famous IWA Hunting and Sporting exhibition, which this year celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Nuremburg Messe exhibition center.
The increasing popularity of EnforceTac has led the organizers to extend its duration from the initial one-day show to three days, followed the day after by the start of the IWA International Hunting & Sporting exhibition which is held at the same venue. The show is not open to the public and attendance is limited to those involved in the defense industry. Highlighting the increasing popularity of the show was the greatly extended exhibition floor space this year covering three large halls.
Officially, more than 12,000 trade visitors, up from 7,235 in 2023, from 86 countries took part in the exhibition. Around 730 exhibitors, up from 540 in 2023, from 46 countries showcased their solutions in a display area measuring 30,000 m², up from 22,000 m² in 2023.
A feature of the show is a number of concurrent activities which, this year, included the Enforce Tac Village, an outdoor 700m² training area where noted police and military experts presented four daily sessions of live demonstrations. The Enforce Tac ‘Blackbox’ facility allowed attendees to test thermal imaging devices, residual light amplifiers, and laser light modules (among others) in a suitable environment. To make a change from walking the floor, the EnforceTac Fitness Test was on offer.
Earlier shows had a focus more on boots, bullets, and badges (to oversimplify), while the past decade has seen a vast upsurge in technical innovations such as drones and counter-drone systems. The former now providing reconnaissance and observation capabilities on par with their manned military counterparts.
The needs of many police forces require quality not quantity and locally based POL-TEC of Furth, is an example of a distributor offering an extensive range of branded products. From law-enforcement dedicated sniper rifles, training ammunition, weapon accessories such as the Blue Can suppressor replacement for use with non-lethal training ammunition.
Imaging technology continues to evolve and what was once represented by large, fixed installations is now offered by Novo Digital Radiography portable X-Ray systems.
Imaging technology continues to evolve and what was once represented by large, fixed installations is now offered by Novo Digital Radiography portable X-Ray systems.
Miniaturization of x-ray equipment is shown by the compact suitcase size equipment displayed together with a wall-mounted display of imagery of various IEOD’s at the Novo booth.
This year the EnforceTac Exhibition Guide made reference to Law Enforcement & Defense, reflecting a greater and diversity of larger ordnance systems on display.
The “long arm of the law” has been further enabled by the Euro SPIKE ground-launched missile with the Euro Spike XL variant reaching out to 10 km for terra firma targets and 16.6 km for rotary-winged aircraft targets.
The MBDA multi-national development, single-operator, shoulder-launched missile provides a hard target capability out to more than 2000m with multi-functional warhead with “lock-on before-launch” and then “fire and forget” capability.
The Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH SSW40 (Squad Support Weapon, developmental models were known as the Hydra”) is an automatic grenade launcher with a self-regulating recoil dampening system which permits the use of both 40 x 46 mm LR (Low Velocity) and 40 x 51 mm Medium Velocity (MV) rounds. Lethal effective range in the latter case is claimed to have increased to +/-900 m, double that of the LV round with its nominal +/-350 m range. Image shown is a display mock-up and is fitted with the FCS-TacRay ballistic computer in combination with the IR-Programming Unit (IR-PU) for use with air-burst munitions.
At the other end of the spectrum less-lethal systems were exhibited from handheld to backpack-carried units.
The handheld, high-power pepper soaker offered by Piexon of Switzerland.
Hatsan of Izmir, Turkey offered a range of 40 mm shoulder-fired, single, and multi-shot grenade launchers with both smooth-bore and rifled barrel variants offered. There is also an option for colorized stock components, as required by some law-enforcement agencies to indicate a less-lethal capability when operationally deployed.
Hoernecke Defence Technology of Germany offered their TW1000 RWG-10/1 Portable Irritant-Launcher for use in mass demonstrations of a violent nature.
STOOF International GmbH of Borkheide, Germany exhibited an example of their line of armored vehicle conversions. Shown here is the VR7 Test Trojan which has undergone physical testing.
Dok-Ing of Croatia exhibited their prototype MV-3 Hystrix counter-terrorism robotic system.
The range of firearms and calibers seen at EnforcTac continues to grow as the show now comprises a defense element.Continuing a recent trend, Turkish manufacturers of military style small arms continue to increase, as weapon platforms up to 20 mm in caliber were on display this year.
Canik of Turkey displayed the Venom LR (Low Recoil) 30 x 113 mm cannon mounted on the Trakon 30 Remote Weapon station. The Venom LR is manufactured by AEI Systems of the United Kingdom and is based on the original 30 mm ADEN cannon which features a “Revolver” or multi-chamber feeding system.
Originally a manufacturer of handguns Canik also displayed its current range of the TP series 9 x 19 mm handguns. The company uses colored slides to indicate slides for different uses. Left to right, the TP9 black slide for Airsoft use, blue slide for use with Simunition FX training rounds, yellow slide for blank firing, red slide that indicates a non-functional practice pistol for combatives training, and a ruggedized slide for dry-firing, lastly, a cut-away instructional model.
Major European manufacturers of small arms represented at the show included the locally based Heckler & Koch of Oberndorf am Necker which exhibited at both EnforceTac and IWA (shown here is the IWA booth).
FN Herstal of Belgium exhibited their FN Smart ProtectoR 303T, less lethal launcher alongside their traditional range of handguns, rifles, and machine guns. The former is chambered for the unique FN 18 mm caliber projectile launched by a compressed air charge. Available for use with the launcher is the FN VictoR-SP camera which can record images taken during firing, providing valuable data for after-action reviews, or judicial investigations.
Steyr Arms of Austria exhibited their current product line, with their new pistol caliber submachine gun under glass at the lower right-hand side of the image. The Steyr MA V9 is chambered for the universally used 9 x 19 mm cartridge, the MA V40 is, as the number suggests chambered for the 40 S&W cartridge.
Other Steyr Arms included the bolt-action HS50 M1 Anti-Material Rifle in .50 Browning (12 x 99 mm) caliber. The HS50 M1 has a horizontally mounted, five-round magazine on the left of the receiver and can be disassembled into two equal lengths for transportation and storage.
The Steyr Arms STEYR DMR 762 has been developed to compliment the Steyr range of sniper rifles and their DMR (designated marksman rifle) meets the requirement for a section weapon capable of providing effective fire support out to a range of 800 m and suppressive fire out to 1,000 m. Design is based on the generic AR-15 style rifle platform with a short-stroke, gas-operated system. The barrel length is 330 mm/13-inches and a right-side folding stock allows the rifle to be used in close-quarter environments. The mode of fire is semi-automatic only, as it is not designed or intended for use as an automatic rifle.
Another regular attendee at EnforceTac is the firearms and suppressor manufacturer Brugger & Thomet of Thun, Switzerland. Their APC9 (Advanced Police Carbine) 9 x 19 mm caliber sub-machine gun with its multiple configuration options has proven a popular choice for law-enforcement agencies, and the APC9 K variant has been selected for use by the U.S. Air Force.
Established in 2018 System Defence of Gebze, Turkey exhibited a range of their current product line of handguns, rifles and light machine guns. Shown here is the 5.56 mm MFR56 dual-feed system compact light machine gun version. The MFR uses propriety polymer 30-round magazines used with the SD15 assault rifle series (based on the generic AR-15-style platform) or STANAG M27 link.
Established in 2018 System Defence of Gebze, Turkey exhibited a range of their current product line of handguns, rifles and light machine guns. Shown here is the 5.56 mm MFR56 dual-feed system compact light machine gun version. The MFR uses propriety polymer 30-round magazines used with the SD15 assault rifle series (based on the generic AR-15-style platform) or STANAG M27 link.
Česká zbrojovka a.s. better known as “CZ” had their usual large booth and exhibited a range of products under their holding company Colt CZ Group SE umbrella including Colt USA and Colt Canada.
Zastava of Serbia presented a full range of their product line. The classic M70 line here shown as the upgraded Zastava MO5 E1 model fitted with the muzzle-loading BGP40 40 mm under-barrel grenade-launcher. A variant of the latter firing the 40 x 46 mm LV grenade is also available.
The Zastava MCS (Modular Combat System) is offered in the standard 7.62 x 39 mm caliber or the Serbian developed 6.5 x 39 mm cartridge. Two model types are offered and differ primarily in barrel length (M19 with 415 mm and M20 with 254 mm barrel lengths). Principal features of the MCS are the gas-operated system, quick-change barrel facility (weapon disassemble not required) with interchangeable calibers, and non-reciprocating charging handle. Shown here is the M20 variant with short 254 mm length barrel.
New for the show was the Zastava M20 7.62 mm NATO caliber, general-purpose machine-gun (GPMG), a substantially modified copy of the Zastava produced M84 in 7.62 x 54 mm R caliber, the latter itself a derivative of the Soviet-era Kalashnikov Design Bureau PK GPMG.
New for the show was the Zastava M20 7.62 mm NATO caliber, general-purpose machine-gun (GPMG), a substantially modified copy of the Zastava produced M84 in 7.62 x 54 mm R caliber, the latter itself a derivative of the Soviet-era Kalashnikov Design Bureau PK GPMG.
In changing the caliber from the rimmed 7.62 x 54 mm cartridge to the rimless 7.62 x 51 mm NATO round, a significant internal design change was required for the feed system which requires the use of the “push-through” M13 disintegrating link, rather than the original 25-round lengths (joined by a male-female connector tab for longer lengths) of non-disintegrating belt of the PK series. The image shows the revised feeding arrangement developed for the M20 for use with the push-through M13 link.
Sarsilmaz of Turkey were another exhibitor whose current product line includes the AKM derivative the SAR 15T.
Sarsilmaz of Turkey were another exhibitor whose current product line includes the AKM derivative the SAR 15T.
The Brazilian arms manufacturer Taurus and CBC ammunition manufacturer made the long journey from South America to attend.
Dvorak Instruments Inc of Tulsa, USA offered their Air Recoil System training aid. The company also offers the Tetherless Recoil System which, as the name implies, offers unrestricted maneuver in the training environment. Both training systems feature a drop-in kit using CO2 as a medium to cycle the weapon and replicate recoil for realistic training. Conversions kits are available for a full range of firearms from handgun to machine guns.
Among the several drone system manufacturers at EnforceTac was the Dutch manufacturer Height of Geldermalsen who were offering their Martlet range of sUAS Quadcopter drones. Three platform sizes are offered and the Martlet M1-3 offers a multi-option configuration with extra long-distance range (50 mins @ 10 m/s). Maximum payload is 3 kg, which can include communication jammers and electronic warfare modules.
EPA Manufacturing of the U.K. offer a kinetic energy solution to electronically protected UAS platforms with their small arms caliber munitions for close-in air-defense (anti-drone) rounds for 12 gauge or 40 mm systems.
Nordic Power Saw of Sweden offer a range of hand-operated chain saws for use in those emergency situations when power-driven tools are not available.
For those who have been responsible for policing spent brass, after a heavy day’s shooting, Ammo Up of Florida, USA offer a less tedious and quicker option for policing brass on the range.
The next edition of EnforceTac will be held 24-26 February 2025 at the Nuremburg Messe Exhibition complex. For those who plan on attending the IWA International Hunting & Sporting Exhibition at the same location, the latter will be held after EnforceTac on 27 February to 2 March 2025.
