Year of the soldier.

The adoption of the new Washington, DC convention centre for the site of the annual Association of the United States Army convention was a step in the right direction--although the halls were already bursting at the seams with exhibitor displays. Another step in the right direction seems to be the proliferation of drones and robotics in the Future Combat System programme and other soldier-saving projects.

**********

Our title image is almost a contradiction to the general consensus in new-build equipment found at the show--whereas most equipment is being miniaturised and having its weight shed, the US Army Tardec's National Automotive Center, along with International Truck Corporation and Engine and Integrated Concepts & Research Corporation (ICRC) boldly covered a massive footprint with its SmarTruck III.

The concept vehicle's design is crew-oriented in that it features a double-sided (double-skinned?), 4-door galvanized crew cab that is built to +/- 1 mm tolerances for security. A new International VT275 4.5-litre V-6 diesel engine with 240 hp pulls this beast on 1.06-metre tall tyres, which give it a 40.6-cm ground clearance. International displayed its Utility version of the SmarTruck, which could include options such as a weapons station module with a remote controlled .50-calibre machine gun, a surveillance module with a 360-degree camera, a pan and tilt night vision camera with a laser rangefinder--actually the options are too many and various to list here. Let it suffice to say that this impressive truck caught many an eye.

Oshkosh also brought some big wheels to cover its own acre of floor space. The TerraMax robotic truck--an autonomous truck based on the company's Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) system. US Congress has mandated that a full one-third of operational ground combat vehicles must be unmanned by 2015. To fulfil this demand the TerraMax gives the user the option of operation by a driver or remote control. The MTVR was originally developed as an off-road vehicle for the US Marine Corps and Navy. The TerraMax includes drive-by-wire technology, electronically-controlled acceleration as well as radar, a laser range-finder and digital video for guidance, manoeuvrability and control all which rolls the vehicle into a new class.

Small is Good Too

Also fresh from the road--or rather, the skies--was Boeing's Little Bird UAV, which, about one week prior to the show, completed its maiden take-off and landing flight test in its concept demonstrator guise--as a modified MD 530F helicopter. Boeing has been funding the development of the drone to demonstrate Level 5 UAV capabilities and its ability to be flown autonomously while its payload or sensor package is guided remotely. The Boeing AH-64D is, not surprisingly, a candidate platform from which to remotely control the Little Bird's payloads and sensors.

The Skies are Full Another drone (model) that is more frequently seen 'hanging around' industry exhibition airspace is the Northrop Grumman Ucar--Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft. Although the current situation of that programme is uncertain, at time of the exhibition Northrop Grumman was displaying its Ucar design, which had a full payload and its missile bay doors open.

The Viper Strike could be seen peering ominously over the top of Northrop Grumman's barricades, while news of a 40-round launcher being developed for the AC-130 gunship quietly filtered down to hungry journalist ears. Further platforms for such a launcher were mentioned, including the Firescout (naturally), the A-10, F-35 and AV-8B and a host of others.

Six Viper Strike munitions can be mounted on a Predator, giving the bird unprecedented firepower. This and other Viper Strike developments are of prime interest to the British, who maintain a liaison at Redstone Arsenal to monitor developments. Incidentally, drone armament will be the subject of a feature article in the next issue of Armada International.

The seemingly ubiquitous Firescout was the main obstacle at the Northrop Grumman stand. Armada editors somehow coaxed company executives to discuss its 'possible' use as an emergency medevac vehicle, as well as its 'potential' ability to rescue a downed pilot in a pinch, to drop a jungle penetrator or be employed as an engagement associate for ground troops. No commitments were forthcoming, but the Firescout's 'conceivable' mission capabilities are, without question, many and varied.

Of mounting interest, yet resting quietly above the Teledyne Brown booth (and which caught the eye of the author) was the Rheinmetall KZO, of which Teledyne Engineering was offering a first glance prior to its official USA marketing announcement. Rheinmetall Defense Electronics and Teledyne have partnered to offer the KZO and Taifun to US customers, packaged as the Prospector and Thunder respectively (please see Drone Update in this issue). A diesel engine is being researched for the KZO.

Now Hear This

The most significant news in terms of the American tactical Internet was that, following a programme review, the US Government Accountability Office, who had originally put a stop order on the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) programme, had lifted its challenge to the award of the contract for Cluster 5. In light of this news, General Dynamics exhibited its manpack, hand held and small form factor radios.

Companies on the wrong side of the Cluster 5 outcome had new products on display for the first time. ITT Communications enticed a gaggle of journalists away from the show with an early breakfast and a much-awaited surprise--the launch of its new 2.4 GHz SpearNet UHF radio. Using a commercial, exportable waveform, the technology is capable of providing several times the range performance of 802.11B wireless Lan technology. The company claims ranges of one km in built up areas, but further is possible in less obstructed environments. A throughput of up to two Mbps is promised from the 312-gram (without battery) set. The SpearNet radio can support an eight-hour mission on six standard AA batteries or equivalent. ITT said that operational company-level testing of SpearNet would take place in the near future.

Cecom displayed a number of products, notably its Slice waveform that uses an indicative 'puck'. The Army linked up to the ITT stand and easily sent 20 Mb images using Kodak's wavelet image compression technology--quite the feat considering few environments are as electromagnetically cluttered as found at a trade show.

Outside of JTRS, ITT continues to innovate with the Sincgars (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System), now providing a JITC-tested Combat identification solution based around a software upgrade to existing ASIP. This to enable the user to send an interrogative transmission from a Close Air Support platform or from one vehicle to another. The company is also offering a GPS anti-spoofing kit for the ASIP (Advanced Systems Improvement Program) man-pack and vehicle variants.

AUSA was the first public outing for the Harris RF-300M-HH JTRS Inter/Intra Team Radio (JITR). A single channel, SCA 2.2 compliant radio, it is designed to compete against the JTRS Enhanced MBITR (Jem). The RF-300M-HH is a modified AN/PRC-148 that supports the same JTRS waveforms. With the addition of the AN/PRC-117 family's High Powered Waveform the radio offers greater interoperability.

Raytheon announced that its EPLRS Microlight had been selected as the communication system for Land Warrior--Stryker Interoperable. The unit weighs 492 grams without Type 1 encryption and 595 grams with; these figures do not include power supply, which will be derived from the common Land Warrior battery weighing roughly 2.27 kg. Fully duplexed, the Microlight can listen in on three networks simultaneously. Microlight pucks have been developed and flight-tested in a variety of drones, including in the company's Scan Eagle as an inexpensive communication extension. Unit cost of a Microlight with type 1 encryption is put at $ 5000.

While Cluster 5 can now begin in earnest, Boeing had the 17th production three-channel Cluster 1 radio on display. The first twelve radios were being prepared for early operational assessment scheduled for December 2004.

Titan's new TTR-2101 HF/VHF multi-band family were also on display following their launch at Defendory.

Details of Ericsson's Foreign Comparative Testing GSM cellular communications solution were made public for the first time. The company is providing this capability to the US Special Operations Command under the Deployable Cellular Network (DCNet) programme. A 3G-UMTS containerised solution, DCNet is scalable from a single base station that can be provided with a reachback satcom link. Joint testing by Cerdec and Socom was completed in early 2004 with further testing by Socom due to follow. Capable of running voice, data and video in one handset, each base station supports 100 voice users per cell simultaneously with larger numbers of total subscribers, although this figure drops when running its high-speed data services.

Bose brought its lightweight Triport headset, which began shipping in August. Numbers produced are in the several hundreds but the company is seeking to ramp up production to around 1500 to 2000 units per month. A standard fit for the M1114 up-armoured Hummer, the company believes that the Triport will be a reference tit on the Military Police's ASV and should find wider usage on the Medium Tactical Vehicle.

How to power radios is a perennial issue, and one that the Electric Fuel Company is addressing. The company has sold 30,000 of its Zinc-Air fuel cells since supply to Cecom started in 2001. The BA-8180 battery powers a Sincgars ASIP for five to seven days feeding into the radio via an interface that has the same form factors as a BA-5590 battery. The company has delivered fuel cells compatible with Sincgars, the MBITR and the Javelin and is exploring uses for the EPLRS Microlight, the Dragon Eye and Objective Force Warrior. The company has also sold its products to the militaries of Australia, Turkey and Israel and is eyeing the British Bowman programme.

Still on the subject of power availability, RDECom presented the SP4 (Soldier Portable Photovoltaic Power Pack), which is a 2.67-kg solar panel-based energy source capable of recharging a BB-2590 battery in less than six hours.

DRS launched the Airborne Tactical Server--a privately developed product, which the company believes is unique. It is described as an IPv6 'server in the sky', enabling the upload and download of imagery between platforms and rapid re-tasking and targeting. Equipped with 120 GB of flash memory and using a Pentium processor running Windows XP, the product has been tested in rotary- and fixed-wing platforms in the United States.

General Dynamics C4 Systems displayed the development of its Hook range of Combat Search and Rescue radios. Deliveries of unit equipped with two-way five KHz non-frequency hopping satcom messaging have recently begun. The company is currently working on an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration funded by the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency to develop a PCM-CIA-card supporting L-Band satcom Blue Force Tracking. The initial development based around a Hook radio was on display.

In another airborne communications solution, GD launched a privately developed UHF/VHF Crossband Communications Repeater, weighing less than one kilogram, to operate as a Blos extender for the Hook family as well as other communications systems.

Really not Real

Quantum3D demonstrated its Thermite-based Daggers embedded training solution that includes a fully immersive head-mounted display. User's head, weapon and body are all tracked separately with the wireless Distributed Advanced Graphics Generator & Embedded Rehearsal System, giving mounted and dismounted infantry squad-level, in-the-field, computer-based training and the ability to conduct virtual training exercises against intelligent computer-generated forces. Training can be linked across the Internet.

Three systems have been fielded by the US Army Dismounted Soldier Battlelab, and seven other systems have been sold commercially to other integrators. The original programme development was funded by the US Army.

Talk of the Town

ITT's SpearNet radio was launched on the second day of the exhibition. It is the company's latest solution for the 'personal role radio' market. ITT claims the SpearNet can reach out to two kilometres, which is several times greater than the IEEE 802.11 wireless Lan protocol, and SpearNet uses a very tactful proprietary cots solution that is exportable. (Armada/JK)

Talk When Pilot Down

General Dynamics C4 Systems brought its upgraded PRC-112G Combat Search and Rescue radio, which sends encrypted global positioning (lat/long, UTM or MGRS), two-way messaging, and identification signals--the company also celebrated the delivery of the 13,000th PRC-112 unit. General Dynamics also mentioned that 406 Sarsat global energy beacon and two-way satcom software upgrades are available. (Armada/JK)

The complete Daggers system weight is comparable to an infantryman's load-bearing vest and six magazines, whereas the Thermite module itself adds a mere 1.2 kg. The Thermite is touted as the first manwearable, multi-role real-time 2D/3D tactical visual computer, and boasts a one Gigabyte processor pushing an NVidia 34 MB graphics card.

Quantum3D was talking serious with "a few international contractors", as the unit had entered full production in the summer of 2004 and 50 had been sold. The company envisions shipping over 100 units each month by mid-1005.

The Winner Is ...

Rafael provided Armada with an exclusive interview concerning the company's new Trophy active protection system for armoured vehicles. The system is said to provide protection to a main battle tank with no additional protective measures and cause no residual effects to the users.

Rafael's representative mentioned that all (as in "every version") anti-tank rockets and RPGs will be totally destroyed by the system, and it can defeat several threats from each side of the vehicle simultaneously (further details of this feature were not disclosed).

Both General Dynamics and Rafael were promoting the Trophy system on the show floor.

Personally Speaking

Ceradyne was promoting its new shoulder-mounted armoured plates. Apparently the Special Operations community had been in the market for Level III and IV side and shoulder protection weighing less than one-half kilo. The Ceradyne plates are made of a boron carbide ceramic with a polyethylene cover to add toughness. The company's Imp/Act plates were designed to protect against multiple strikes.

On the other end of the barrel, Heckler & Koch presented its new XM8 with its second-generation Integrated Sight Module. The XM8 is a standard 5.56 baseline carbine with a 31.75-mm barrel that weighs 3.17 kg with sight. The weapon is calibre convertible to 7.62 x 39 and easily disassembled in the field for cleaning. Ambidextrous controls are included for the southpaw creatives.

The ISM optical sight includes a red dot illuminator and pointer--once the dot is zeroed all functions are equally aligned. Weapon zero is achievable in six rounds and requires no more than 20. The XM8 was involved in limited user tests and should be available sometime in 2005.

Blackhawk Products

Group was showcasing its innovative carbon fibre composite hoister strapped onto the company's Strike system. The holster features a speed cut in the front for a quick draw, and a slight flare to the opening to easily re-holster the weapon. A cloud of potential clients were coveting the attentions of the Blackhawk representatives, but the author was informed that myriad personal and small-unit sales of the holster were already on the books.

Armor Holdings' RadarVision subsidiary displayed its namesake radar unit, which is a hand-held, lightweight through-the-wall motion detection system that includes a night vision equipment-readable display. The unit employs Ultra WideBand technology with an ultra low transmission power to provide a visual display of a room's contents while the user remains outside the room, effectively undetected and under cover.

Protection Without Armour

The Trophy system from Rafael includes one radar sensor (shown) with four antennas--the sensor will determine whether the threat is actually going to hit the vehicle or the defence system will not be activated. Rafael's representative also mentioned that the round must specifically be an anti-tank round. as a few 7.62 rounds provide nothing but noise to the occupants. (Armada/JK)

Protection With Armour

Ceradyne's Improved Multi-hit performance armour that uses Advanced Composite Technology (Imp/Act) seems to be just what the Special Forces teams have been looking for. Moulded from Kevlar KM2, Spectra Shield and Dyneema fibres and a variety of resins, the plates are customisable for a variety of applications. (Armada/JK)