Test Center
Individual protection is one of the army‘s most important abilities. Functional safety is also of highest priority with regard to the procurement of weapons systems and ammunition. Experts from this neutral and independent department assess the effectiveness of ballistic and detonation protection and the usability of weapon systems and ammunition. Tests and technical clarifications are carried out using state-of-the-art testing and measurement technology.
Weapon and Ammunition Tests
The core abilities include ballistic assessments (exterior, interior, and end ballistics), ammunition impact analyses and the testing of shooting safety. Ammunition and weapons systems are also tested or assessed for their operational capability. An ongoing task is to ensure and further develop Switzerland‘s unique expertise in ammunition technology, ballistics and wound ballistics as well as weapon efficacy and detonics.
Ballistic experiments are usually associated with significant noise emissions. Noise protection structures (LSBT) were built in Thun in the 1990s to minimise the impact on the population and the environment. LSBT comprises four instrumented underground systems with lengths between 30 m and 500 m. These allow for ballistic tests and trials with all calibres and types of ammunition permitted in Switzerland under laboratory conditions without resulting in significant emissions.
Ballistic and Detonics Protection Tests
S+T‘s accredited test centre STS0118 is specifically responsible for bullet and impact resistance verification including stab/puncture protection in the areas of protective clothing and light armour. Protection tests are also carried out on armoured vehicles and building sections at S+T. Protection concepts for people, vehicles and buildings are experimentally investigated and assessed in the context of concept trials.
Unique Test Infrastructure
Our measuring and testing facilities are available to national and international customers for system and component testing. All facilities have state-of-the-art equipment, and our highly qualified personnel ensure professional testing.
Outdoor Firing Range 450 m
The longest-running firing range extends over 450 m and is cleared for most ammunition types imported into Switzerland, but is usually only used if none of the underground facilities can be used.
Special Firing Range 200 m
In the 200 m firing range it is possible to use smaller guided missiles or ammunition with warheads; Furthermore, the 200 m firing range is designed to fire at explosive targets or to activate smaller explosions.
Outdoor Firing Range 50 m
The smaller firing range is designed for small calibre and non-lethal weapons (NLW) and has two 50 m cable pulleys, a mobile bullet trap and a covered sand backstop.
Underground Firing Range (500, 200, 40 and 30 m)
The noise protection structures in Thun (LSBT) have four underground systems, of which the two long firing ranges were built specifically for exterior, interior and end ballistics. They are cleared for all tube-shot inert ammunition types up to and including 155 mm calibre (artillery).
Dr. Stephan Lampert
Feuerwerkerstrasse 39
CH-3602 Thun
- Tel.
- +41 58 468 30 68