PROTECT
Interview with David Occhipinti
on the key drivers of advanced protection

Emerging threats

How are emerging threats (drones, rockets, indirect fire) redefining protection requirements?

David Occhipinti: Emerging threats — particularly hypersonic missiles, fast‑moving drones, and high‑velocity indirect fire — are profoundly reshaping protection requirements. The extreme speeds reached by hypersonic vectors now demand advanced radar systems capable of detecting and tracking targets at very high velocity, such as next‑generation sensors comparable to LTAMDS.

This shift turns protection into a domain where reactivity, detection accuracy, and the ability to engage a threat within milliseconds have become defining criteria. Systems must not only see farther and faster, but also maneuver instantly, which increases the importance of high‑performance electromechanical subsystems.

Neutralisation criteria

What are the most decisive technical criteria for effective neutralisation?

David Occhipinti: The effectiveness of a neutralisation system relies primarily on its ability to achieve extreme acceleration. The acceleration requirements imposed on turrets, effectors, or pointing subsystems push mechanical and electromechanical components to their physical limits.

To remain effective against fast and maneuvering threats, systems must combine:

• ultra‑responsive motion dynamics,
• perfect stability during firing,
• mechanical robustness ensuring repeatability, even in harsh environments.

It is precisely in this zone of extreme performance that component reliability becomes decisive!

RWS integration

What challenges arise when integrating an RWS onto an existing platform?

David Occhipinti: Integrating a Remote Weapon Station onto an existing platform introduces several major challenges. The first concerns the integration of the sensor package, which must be perfectly aligned with the platform’s capabilities: power supply, electronic architecture, mechanical constraints, thermal management, and software compatibility.

The second challenge lies in ensuring dynamic coherence between the platform and the turret: vibrations, inertia, structural rigidity, and mass distribution. An RWS can only deliver its nominal performance if the entire system — platform + turret + sensors — operates as a fully synchronized whole.

Operator safety

How do modern systems improve operator safety in contested environments?

David Occhipinti: Modern systems enhance operator safety by integrating increasing levels of autonomy. Automating critical sequences – detection, identification, tracking, engagement – allows operators to be removed from the immediate danger zone, while maintaining a high level of decision authority.

This physical and cognitive distance between the operator and the threat significantly reduces exposure to direct fire, loitering munitions, or coordinated attacks, while improving overall system responsiveness.

Automation & AI

What role do automation and AI play in next‑generation protection systems?

David Occhipinti: Automation and AI play an increasingly important role in next‑generation protection systems. They accelerate the decision chain, improve threat classification, and optimize neutralisation trajectories.

AI contributes by:

• analyzing large volumes of sensor data in real time,
• automatically prioritizing threats,
• anticipating trajectories,
• assisting the operator during critical phases.

These technologies do not replace the human operator, but augment their ability to react in saturated and highly dynamic environments.

Everaxis’ positioning in the protection domain

How does Everaxis’ approach to protection stand out on the market?

David Occhipinti: Everaxis’ approach stands out through an uncompromising focus on reliability. In a domain where the slightest failure can jeopardize the mission, Everaxis designs and manufactures electromechanical components capable of operating without interruption, even in the most extreme environments.

This reliability stems from deep expertise in motion control, robust engineering, and the ability to develop tailored solutions that withstand the most severe dynamic constraints. By delivering subsystems that do not fail, Everaxis directly contributes to the performance and safety of the most advanced protection architectures.