Scalable test platforms for PROTECTOR production

Supporting production ramp-up without compromising quality

Increased production volumes of the PROTECTOR remote weapon system place strict demands on quality assurance and production efficiency at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA). To meet these requirements, KDA continues its long-standing collaboration with Virinco through several test projects, recently awarded contracts totalling approximately NOK 4 million. The projects enable scalable production growth without compromising quality.

The recent contracts build on an established partnership between KDA and Virinco, covering several parallel test projects for critical PROTECTOR components. As production volumes increase and systems are deployed in demanding operational environments, KDA depends on fast, repeatable, and fully traceable testing.

Test solutions must therefore not only verify product performance but also support a stable and efficient production flow.

PROTECTOR is delivered in multiple variants combining mechanical, electromechanical, and advanced sensor systems. Since key components are designed as Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), allowing rapid replacement and recalibration of units in the field. Consequently, production testing must verify both functional performance and calibration readiness before deployment, using standardized and repeatable test methods.

Multiple test projects covering critical PROTECTOR assemblies

To meet these production and field requirements, several parallel test projects now verify the electrical, mechanical, optical, and environmental performance of key PROTECTOR assemblies. While some test systems are already operating in production, others are in active development or pre-project phases.

The current test scope includes:

• Electromechanical testing of assemblies responsible for weapon loading
• Electrical and optical testing of units for target measurement and aiming
• Mechanical testing and adjustment of assemblies that stablilize the weapon during firing

By covering electronics, mechanics, optics, and environmental robustness, the projects strengthen both short-term production stability and long-term system reliability.

Scalable test platforms for high-volume production

To support this broad test scope, the delivered test platforms combine custom fixtures, measurement electronics, and automated test software within a common system architecture. Each platform is tailored to specific assemblies while allowing efficient maintenance and future upgrades.

By standardizing hardware and software principles across platforms, KDA can increase production capacity while maintaining consistent verification procedures and measurement accuracy. As a result, production scales without introducing bottlenecks or unnecessary manual checks.

Together, the test platforms form a scalable quality infrastructure that supports continued production ramp-up with stable throughput and predictable test performance.

Standardized software and data-driven quality control

The test software is implemented using NI LabVIEW and TestStand, enabling structured, modular, and maintainable test sequences. Measurement data is continuously transferred to WATS, where engineers analyse results for full traceability, statistical trends, and early detection of process deviations as part of ongoing continuous improvement efforts.

This data-driven approach enables production teams to identify emerging issues early, reduce variation, and maintain stable yield as volumes increase and product variants evolve.

Focus on long-term reliability

We value the long-term cooperation we have with Virinco. Their technical expertise and understanding of our production test environment make them a trusted partner as we continue to increase production while maintaining high quality standards.

Kjetil Grongstad, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace

These deliveries are not just individual test stations, but part of a broader test strategy initiative covering mechanics, electronics, optics, and environmental testing. This provides a stable test environment with wider automatic test scope of the Protector parts. All to secure throughput, traceability and quality.

Mads Dahl, Virinco

In defence applications, systems operate in environments where reliability is critical. Quality must therefore remain consistent not only during product development but throughout high-volume production and long-term deployment.

Through close engineering collaboration, scalable test platforms, and data-driven quality monitoring, Virinco supports KDA in increasing production capacity while maintaining confidence in product performance — from the factory floor to operational use.

With multiple systems already in operation and additional projects underway, the collaboration continues to evolve alongside the PROTECTOR platform's ongoing deployment.