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Vol. 1 2011 www.defence-and-security.com
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Foreword
Find recent editions, white papers and market analysis at: www.defence-and-security.com
Andy Oppenheimer
Defence & Security Systems International is published by Global Trade Media, a trading division of Cornhill Publications Limited. John Carpenter House, John Carpenter Street London, EC4Y 0AN, UK Tel: +44 207 753 4200 Fax: +44 207 724 2089 Email: info@globaltrademedia.com Websites: www.globaltrademedia.com www.defence-and-security.com ISSN 2042-6259 2011 Global Trade Media, a trading division of Cornhill Publications Limited. Registered in England No. 01564127. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publisher accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions. The products and services advertised are those of individual authors and are not necessarily endorsed by or connected with the publisher. The opinions expressed in the articles within this publication are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of the publisher.
elcome to the latest issue of Defence & Security Systems International. As a regular contributor to the magazine I am honoured to have been asked to preview this edition. It coincides with announcements of the drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the war and other operations, such as in Libya continues apace at a time of ongoing budget cuts. Erich Weissenbck and Benjamin Fuchs explain the vital role played by the European Defence Agency in helping its 26 member states defence departments to improve their military capabilities and cut procurement costs through interagency collaboration most notably CEDS (combat equipment for the dismounted soldier). In the military vehicles arena our enemies are asymmetric and adapt rapidly to advanced countermeasures that have taken us years to develop and deploy. Gordon Hunt of RTI assesses how the UK MoDs adoption of an interoperable open architecture has affected defence procurement. Savings will also impinge on training arguably the highest priority in an era of high-tech military hardware. Air Commodore
Paddy Teakle discusses balancing live, virtual and constructive training to ensure we get value for money without compromising operational output. Military commanders have long paid heed to the threat of attack by MAVs capable of carrying a range of weapons. Daniel Jensen and his colleagues from the US Air Force Academy describe ways to adapt MAV defence for US homeland security, while US Navy Captain Robert Dishman reviews the issue of granting UAVs access to controlled airspace. The tumultuous revolts known as the Arab Spring are being aided by civilian technology the smartphone. John Terrington of QinetiQ explains how consumer technology is changing the nature of battlefield communications and situational awareness. Finally, in light of insurgent attacks on troop and supply convoys, Angus MacGregor-Millar SAPs head of the Industry Business Unit Defence and Systematic CEO Michael Holm describe how command and control systems can make logistics safer and more efficient.
Andy Oppenheimer Editor of Chemical & Biological Warfare Review and G2 Defence
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Contents
43
118
The US Navy discusses efforts to ensure that UAVs operate safely around manned aircraft.
The intelligence
8 News
The latest defence industry news.
Tactical communications
40 Now youre talking
Tactical Command Industries
26 Future soldier
Bumar
12 Full-force efficiency
DSG
29 In full view
DEP imaging
Show preview
15 DSEi: a global showcase
We preview this years Defence and Security Equipment International.
31 Listen carefully
Peltor
43 Battle lines
Smartphones are changing the nature of battlefield communications. John Terrington of QinetiQ explains how.
34 Components of expertise
Astute Electronics
Contents
52 Its not just carrots that help you see in the dark
Vision Systems International
comes to operating UAVs around other aircraft, US Navy Captain Robert Dishman tells Jim Banks.
MilSatCom
55 Q&A
Rodolphe Paris of the EDA discusses the benefits that commercial satellite technology can bring to milsatcom infrastructure.
Telerob
Logistics
89 A united front on logistics
SAPs head of Industry Business Unit Defence Angus MacGregor-Millar and Systematics Michael Holm tell Berenice Baker how Command and Control and logistics make for safer and more efficient operations.
92 A leader in logistics
National Air Cargo
CBRNe
118 Outsmarting the CBRNe threat
Mark Brierley reveals the latest developments in CBRNe defence technology research and spending.
Military vehicles
65 Open for business
RTIs latest developments have helped the UK MoD become more effective, writes Gordon Hunt.
97 In-transit tracking
Zenatek
Naval security
126 On the lookout
Tampa Yacht Manufacturing
IEDs
77 Big bang theory
Counter-measure equipment and strategies are having a hard time keeping up with IEDs, writes Andy Oppenheimer.
Directory
133 Product showcase 138 Suppliers guide
Push-Pull or Break-Away function Excellent 360 shielding properties More than 5,000 mating cycles Easy-to-clean version available *
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News
TROOPS
MILITARY PACT
of protesters to be heeded. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed that Assads regime has lost legitimacy as he had ordered further brutal force to be used against his own people. With press freedom severely restricted in the country, it is difficult to know to what extent the violence is spreading.
CONTRACTS
Defences Sistema de Comunicaes Militares por Satlite by providing various terrestrial and naval terminals, as well as developing and managing the network.
TECHNOLOGY
Electro-Optics business unit. It has attributes of a solid-state laser combined with the efficient cooling of a liquid laser. We are developing a compact power system, compact thermal storage and other ancillary packaging needed for the system, as well as lightweight beam control. Once General Atomics develops the laser system under a $39.8 million contract, the agency will issue another contract to incorporate the laser into a prototype laser weapon system.
EQUIPMENT
Materials and Engineering which the Ministry of Defence Research Institute, and Dr intends to test for stopping Anthony Pick, who heads a ability and protection against ceramic consultancy in Barnsley. behind-armour blunt trauma. The soldier is burdened The team aims to achieve heavily in the field, said Jones. NIJ Type IV armour certification, Body armour itself is about which requires the armour to 14kg just with the base and contain a 10.8g armour-piercing theyre always getting new kit, bullet at a velocity of 878m/s. which means new weight, so if The new material can also we cut down weight in other be fired at a much lower areas then we can give them temperature than traditional better or more kit, which helps ceramics, leading to a cost them survive and operate better saving during manufacture. in the field. Current armour-plate inserts ARMS are based on alumina or silicon Weapons restriction carbide ceramics, which have for Lebanon a density of 3.1-3.9g per cubic The US has frozen weapon centimetre. The new plates shipments to Lebanons are a composite of silicon armed forces following the carbide and other ceramics, collapse of the countrys giving a density of 2.8g per pro-Western government. cubic centimetre, a saving As part of a broader review of of up to 30%. security assistance to Lebanon, The researchers have the US government decided C116-VBAT_SAFT 11:30that Page1 produced a batch of 31/05/11 30 plates, any future decisions in this
regard, including renewal of lethal arms deliveries, will be taken only after assessing the composition and conduct of the next Lebanese government. The US, however, will continue to provide training and non-lethal assistance to the Lebanese military. The Lebanese armed forces have received more than $720 million in US military assistance since 2006.
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In recent years it has emerged that criminal organisations, money-laundering networks and terrorist groups are dependent on each other. How has 5 Stones adapted to this phenomenon?
One of the first things that we did was develop a process by which we committed ourselves to understanding the relevant culture. At 5 Stones, we call this cultural acuity. As a company and an entity, we focus heavily on the black-market finance that is used to fund and support fundamental terrorist threats. For example, Harlan Bell, 5 Stones director of terrorism intelligence, was heavily involved in the FBIs work concerning Osama bin Laden. Another of the companys sayings is: Plan your work and work your plan. This means that we put our objectives and what are we trying to define on the table. What we can give to the likes of the UK and US militaries, to Nato and the United Nations, is a high degree of focus. Being a private company, were not required to do other things that might take away from that focus. While the military has to fight a number of battles and problems each day, we dont. We can
What are the main services that you provide to the marketplace?
Our strongest products are intelligence, and the process of providing answers to challenging and elusive needs. Our human intelligence network is extraordinarily unique. The most important factor that needs to be taken into account is that the problem set is correctly defined, measured and addressed. It is also important to understand context and cultural acuity when developing a prescriptive solution.
We assign the highest levels of importance to the truth, which comes from our Judeo-Christian principles. Therefore, if we tell a client something, whether they are a government or a private entity, they can rest assured that we are telling the truth to the best of our knowledge.
I also think its very important to operate at the speed of truth. In other words, if youre engaged in a war or skirmish, a lot of time is spent vetting what youve collected and trying to see if its accurate or valuable, as opposed to disinformation. We assign the highest levels of importance to the truth, which comes from our Judeo-Christian principles. Therefore, if we tell a client something, whether they are a government or a private entity, they can rest assured that we are telling the truth to the best of our knowledge. 5 Stones only hires passionate people who take ownership when facing challenges. Our operators and specialists invest their skill-sets, passions and networks to build extraordinary products that consistently make a difference. select our battles and then focus on them. Thats a big differentiator and it gives us a high-quality deliverable that you cant always get within a government.
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We maintain a global network of human intelligence sources with extraordinary access. We constantly collaborate with our operators and specialists and challenge ourselves in the pursuit of the highest level of service.
How would you describe your client base?
It is about 50% corporate, 50% government. Our government clients are within the intelligence community and military. On the corporate side, we have provided deliverables to global banking entities and large financial houses, as well as sports entities.
Further information
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Full-force efficiency
Many countries face the challenge of maintaining a viable defence force with a limited budget. Jon-Andre Garberg, marketing director of Norway-based DSG, explains how it is possible to deliver greater efciency without compromising safety or capability.
Can you tell us about DSG and its products?
Jon-Andre Garberg: Defence & Security Group (DSG) is a group of companies serving the international defence and security markets, with operations broadly split between our Defence & Law Enforcement Division (DLD) and our Sensors & Systems Division (SSD). Although the DSG group was only created with its current name in 2009, its parent company was founded in 1901 and has been involved in the defence industry since 1968, so the business has a long and proud history. SSD specialises in airport security, scanning and related systems, highly integrated video over IP CCTV, access control and border surveillance systems. It provides full system services including design, installation and support for what are often highly complex, high-reliance projects. DLD incorporates two further businesses. The first is DSG Products, which provides high-performance third party and DSG-branded products for the military and law enforcement markets. These include lasers, sights, lighting, specialist clothing, helmets, footwear and weapons systems. The second enterprise is DSG Technology, an ammunition development company that specialises in supercavitating underwater ammunition. This is a unique business, with its own patented technology, products and development team, producing Multi Environment Ammunition of all calibres for land, sea and air forces.
DSGs Multi Environment Ammunition can be fired into water from standard, unmodified weapons at angles as small as 2.
and on water, and it is being evaluated by a number of groups for harbour protection, anti-piracy operations, littoral defence, and enhanced performance and range in the air. It is also highly effective as a mine countermeasure, and even as a torpedo hard-kill countermeasure. Furthermore, DSG is working with navies and industrial partners to develop new applications and capabilities for the anti-submarine warfare community.
Are your customers requirements changing? What trends are prevalent at the moment?
The ongoing challenge of balancing defence spending cuts with a continued need to maintain a viable defensive force is creating a demand for solutions that can offer new or enhanced capabilities, or that can deliver greater efficiencies without compromising protection, safety or capability. We have seen defence programmes reduced or curtailed in various parts of the world, but in some cases there has been a shift in focus to new threats, both real and perceived. The increased threat of piracy off of the east coast of Africa has clearly stimulated a need for innovative solutions as have the growing capabilities of drug smugglers, some of whom have been found using mini-submarines. One universal trend is to reduce the weight that warfighters must carry, and we seek to develop products that can address this. One such solution is our BMD micro barrel attachment. It weighs just 95g and is 85mm in length barely larger than a standard flash hider yet it provides sound suppression, flash hiding and recoil braking, and all without the additional weight that comes with carrying multiple devices.
The increased threat of piracy off of the east coast of Africa has stimulated a need for innovative solutions as have the growing capabilities of drug smugglers.
Can you give some examples of where your technology is being deployed at the moment?
If youve ever travelled through the international airports in Oslo or Barcelona, then you will have used the scanners and baggage handling systems supplied, installed and supported by DSG. Our border and perimeter protection systems are protecting many military bases in Scandinavia as well. DSG Products supplies all branches of the Norwegian armed forces, and our solutions are helping to protect troops from many countries on exercises and in theatres around the world. Our Multi Environment Ammunition offers special forces, coastguards and infantrymen a new capability in air
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Over the next 24 months, do you envisage any technological or strategic trends that will affect the way you develop defence solutions?
DSG is customer driven and customer focused: as our customers needs evolve, so will our solutions to support them. We continue to seek new materials and designs to improve or complement our product range, or to meet customer requirements for specific purposes. The enduring trend is for less weight, enhanced range, improved performance, new capabilities and value for money. DSG, in all its forms and in all its markets, will continue to deliver new and improved products, and develop new systems and solutions, endeavouring to take advantage of technological advances for the benefit of its customers.
Further information
DSG www.dsg.no
Supercavitating Underwater Ammunition from DSG is changing the rules for ASW & MCM
Quick to deploy. Effective at very low angles. Just change the ammunition. Air to Water, Water to Air, Underwater.
Hardkill torpedo or mine countermeasure from ships using standard weapons
Harbour Protection, Littoral Operations, Anti-Piracy, UUV arming. New capabilities and enhanced air performance in all calibres, including 5.56, 7.62, 12.7, 20, 30mm.
VISIT US AT
DSEI 2011
DSG
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5 Stones intelligence
5 S i
5Si
World Class Intelligence - Collection - Analysis Investigations - Protection Services
Protecting your country, company and family from the threat of terrorism and other crime worldwide, through the delivery of our unique range of intelligence products and services designed for governments and corporations. We specialise in Global Terrorist Threats, Illicit Networks and International Money Laundering. Our personnel are drawn from DEA, United States Secret Service, CIA, FBI, IRS-CID, SOCA, Military Tier 1 and Tier 2 Special Operators, Delta Force, SEAL Team and Detectives from the New York Police Department and Miami Police Agencies. Each has extensive operational experience and understanding of the threats you face from terrorism and organised crime. Contact 5 Stones intelligence to capture the advantage for your company, by engaging our specialist products and services.
www.5stonesintelligence.com
MIAMI | NEW YORK | WASHINGTON | CHICAGO | LOS ANGELES | ATLANTA LONDON | TEL AVIV | JERUSALEM | PANAMA | BOGOTA | SAO PAULO | MEXICO
efence & Security Equipment International (DSEi), Europes premier exhibition for the air, land and sea applications of defence and security products and technologies, takes place at ExCeL London from 13-16 September 2011. This milestone event will demonstrate how the global defence and security industry is responding to the diverse threats facing many nations today. In addition to the latest ideas and innovations from 1,300 exhibiting companies from around the world, this years DSEi sees the launch of individual focus areas dedicated to unmanned systems and security, as well as a military vehicle park. The exhibitor list includes companies from leading manufacturing nations such as Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, the UK and the US. Institutions such as the Nato Maintenance and Supply Agency, the US Department of Homeland Security and the UK Ministry of Defence will also have a strong presence at the event. The increasing importance of the Asia-Pacific region is highlighted by the presence of exhibitors from Australia, India, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Overall, the significance of DSEi as a global showcase is underlined by the fact that 30 countries will have national pavilions.
A BAE Systems-designed Warrior armoured fighting vehicle fitted with the Lockheed Martin UK-led Warrior Transformation Team system for the Warrior Capability and Sustainment Programme.
helicopter and a full-scale mock-up of the Joint Strike Fighter. Inside the halls, a broad spectrum of aerospace capabilities will be on show, spanning everything from the design and manufacture of advanced composites and instrumentation to logistics and project management specialists.
Centre of Excellence for Unmanned Air, Land, Marine and Space Systems (CEUS), which delivers holistic solutions to complex systems engineering, operational and support problems, and includes a Schiebel Camcopter UAV. A range of systems and equipment will also be on display. DST Control will exhibit its lightweight, high-performance and gyro-stabilised, electro-optical systems, while Velodyne plans to showcase its deployable UAV hangars.
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Leading-edge electronics
It is hard to think of a single piece of 21st-century military hardware that does not include a computer chip, a software-controlled component or a link to a communication network. As a result, the European defence electronics sector is a key component of the international defence market, which in turn is a vital part of the global defence industry supply chain. This is the reason why the new International Electronics Pavilion at DSEi will be fully booked with key players: ALR Services, XJTAG, BUS
Solutions, Jaltek Systems, Lauterbach and Phaedrus Systems are all signed up. The International Electronics Pavilion has been created with the help of exhibition organisers New Events and opens up DSEi to a wider audience, both from a supplier perspective offering a platform to promote designs and technologies that are currently significant or potentially of value to the defence industry and from a visitor perspective by attracting those involved in electronics product specification, engineering and design. Other new features for DSEi 2011 include a seminar programme where visitors can find out about the latest industry technologies, and panel debates and keynote sessions where key ministry of defence and industry figures will share their thoughts on current challenges and future opportunities for the defence industry. The new DSEi phone app features an interactive floor plan, up-to-the-minute information on seminars and show news, networking tools and multifaceted product and service supplier search functionality. The app can be downloaded from the DSEi Visitor Network from the middle of August, but to do so visitors must first register for the event online. DSEi will take place in London from 13-16 September. For more information visit www.dsei.co.uk.
A British Royal Navy offshore patrol vessel will be moored at the exhibition.
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ARMY
NAVY
AIR FORCE
FIRE PROTECTION P
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Designed for Military Tasks 4-200 kW: MIL-STD 461 E , MIL-STD 810 Low operating sound levels with an extremely low IR signature.
Combined Generator / Aircon Systems for lightweight roles Scaleable System Solutions with full load sharing
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The SPC delivers a step change in the soldiers charging exibility and hence self-sufciency in the eld by being used as an individual charging unit by the dismounted soldier and then converting to 4 - channel charger by use of the DC Field Charger (DCFC) when back in the vehicle. The benets offered by the SPC over the existing in-service charger when mounted in the vehicle in the DCFC mode are as follows:
Reduction in size and weight of the charging unit in the vehicle. The ability to re-charge a much wider range of batteries used by the soldier. Provide faster charging rates reducing the re-charging down time. Future proofed solution - the SPC is a Level 3 SMART charger.
In addition the SPC when used by the dismounted soldier provides the following benets:
Reduction in the overall portable power weight burden by allowing the soldier to recharge his battery on the move rather than carry spares. Power scavenging - high degree of exibility in terms of the ability to utilise whatever power source is available in the eld e.g. AC or DC including solar panels, dead vehicle batteries and partly discharged primary batteries. Lightweight - SPC weighs only 0.5kg Plug and play, no settings or switches to remember. To nd out more about the SPC and other intelligent batteries and smart charging solutions, visit the ABSL website. Email: enquiries@abslpower.com Tel +44 (0) 1865 408765 Fax +44 (0) 1865 408770 Website: www.abslpower.com
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Headquarters Fischer Connectors SA Saint-Prex - Switzerland Phone +41 21 800 95 95 mail@fischerconnectors.ch
& ] [QA
Erich Weissenbck and Benjamin Fuchs of the European Defence Agency explain how their organisation acts as the catalyst that allows member states to pool their expertise and mutually develop solutions for the defence sector.
Defence & Security Systems International : How does the European Defence Agency (EDA) provide a platform for information sharing and common projects?
Erich Weissenbck and Benjamin Fuchs: As an intergovernmental agency, we help our customers, the ministries of defence of the 26 participating member states, to improve their military capabilities and save money. Not only do we offer a forum for information exchange, but we also facilitate collaborative opportunities for member states that want to cooperate in certain fields of defence capability improvement. Our unique position allows us to amalgamate different agendas and find synergies, a situation sometimes referred to as the agencys comparative advantage.
Erich Weissenbck
Erich Weissenbck is a colonel in the Austrian Armed Forces. He holds a Masters degree in political science. He works at the European Defence Agency in Brussels as a project ofcer in the capabilities directorate, with responsibilities for capability development in precision engagement.
Benjamin Fuchs
Benjamin Fuchs retired from the German Armed Forces with the rank of captain. He works at the European Defence Agency in Brussels as an intern in the capabilities directorate, with responsibilities for capability development in the eld of soldier modernisation.
development team meetings and project team meetings with the member states ensure that all parties get what they need. The EDAs project teams provide the platform for member states to identify common interests in filling capability gaps, and generate research, development or procurement projects depending on the requirements of the member states.
to operational implementation. Combat identification, blue-force tracking, command and control, and weapon deployment systems only make sense or gain value if they work in multinational tactical environments. In all cases, cooperation and coordination takes place in top-level meetings as well as on a staff level.
The EDA offers a forum for information exchange, and facilitates collaborative opportunities for member states that want to cooperate in certain fields of defence capability improvement.
Can you tell us about the agencys composition?
Although the EDA only has a staff of 115, all the relevant functions are represented: capabilities; research and technology; armaments; industry and markets; and contract specialisation. We plan our work within the agency in coordination with participating member states. In addition, the EDA incorporates an integrated way of working, an approach facilitated by its small size, regular communication between directorates and a minimum of internal bureaucracy. Integrated
Does the involvement of additional bodies make project management more complicated or more collaborative?
Both are true, even though it very much depends on the particular case. The EU has a wealth of expertise in technological matters. In some cases the participation of a body that is not usually involved in defence development or procurement issues at all may be required. This sharing of experience and ideas works both ways we benefit from other perspectives and widespread expertise.
How closely are Nato, the European Space Agency and the European Commission involved with the EDAs work, and how does the coordination with these other agencies actually work in practice?
We work in close cooperation with all three; in fact, the European Commission funds the development of dual-use technologies through the Seventh Framework Programme. The member states that participate in the EDA cooperate to harmonise national requirements, which contributes
Why do member states decide to use the EDA as a platform? What are the benefits?
European defence budget cuts require member states to spend money efficiently, and it is becoming unsustainable for each to carry out its own defence research and develop its own equipment. We act as a catalyst that promotes cooperation among member states, offering considerable
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What has the EDA got to offer that bilateral exchange cannot deliver?
The more openly member states discuss their issues, the higher the chance of finding commonalities and opportunities for cooperation. We often notice that member states are working on the same problems. Potentially, all participants can benefit from the opportunities we offer. Meetings in which all member states gather can bring significant benefits. It may be that, through the EDA, two member states succeed in identifying a common capability gap during a meeting, resulting in a bilateral project; but even in those cases the respective nations may still request our continued support, which we are happy to deliver.
Armaments Group, but our scope is different. In most cases, national points of contact represented in the Nato and EDA forums are the same, and wasting resources by duplicating is not in their interest. On a staff level, our mutual relationship is very good indeed. In the end, the most important thing is that our soldiers receive the equipment they need to do their job as quickly and costeffectively as possible.
How do your project teams work with member states to identify common interests in filling capability gaps, and generate research, development or procurement projects?
The set-up of project teams is open and varies by requirement. For example, the project team for the 21st-Century Soldier
The more openly member states discuss their issues, the higher the chance of finding commonalities and opportunities for cooperation. We often notice that member states are working on the same problems.
System progresses specific development initiatives or proposals generated by the work of the EDA directorates, or proposed by participating member states and other bodies. It covers a range of issues contributing to overall capability development such as training, concepts, manpower, infrastructure and so on, as well as equipment or systems acquisition-oriented projects, including urgent operational requirements. The core of the project team consists of capability planners from ministries of defence, but depending on the issues at hand the EDA and national participants may come from research and technology, armaments or industry and markets. For conceptual questions, we may also ask for a representative of the EU military staff. The discussion is based on contributions from the member states and the EDAs input. Anyone can make proposals for cooperation on filling capability gaps, and we support this process as best we can, whether it regards an off-the-shelf piece of equipment or an entire soldier system with dozens of sub-components.
Is there ever a danger that sharing the feedback of so many voices means that good ideas are often compromised, with parties forced to settle for the middle ground?
We have thorough discussion processes and the results are very encouraging; not least because these exchanges of opinions can lead to a harmonisation of capability requirements. In the majority of cases, participating member states deploy their soldiers in the same operations; why then should their requirements differ? The nations decide on which projects they want to participate in for themselves. The member states contribute themselves, they shape the projects, and it is they who decide what to do and how to do it.
is about to enter the R&D phase, with nine feasibility studies planned. These will cover: energy (power supply and energy harvesting); survivability (biosensor information, body temperature stabilisation, lightweight ballistic protection, head protection and adaptive camouflage); the human factors (human factors interface); and observation (precision targeting and observation under reduced visibility). First results could be available by the end of 2011.In addition, a study on 3D positioning for indoor navigation which would allow soldiers to reliably cross urban environments without a satellite link will be used to improve and harmonise soldiers capabilities. A technology demonstrator will be available later in 2011. We also support some member states with their urgent operational requirement of a light mortar. This is not about a new development, but we offer a platform for information exchange, and provide our industry and market expertise. A related workshop will take place later in the year.
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Can you detail the research history and planning that has taken place with regards to the 21st-Century Soldier System?
On 20 September 2006 the EDAs decision-making body directed the agency to define the level of required interoperability between the different soldier systems developed by the 26 participating member states, to identify commonalities across the capability areas with a view to proposing possible short and medium-term cooperations on subsystems. This was the birth of the project team for the 21st-Century Soldier System. The aim is to harmonise military requirements for the next generation, beyond 2015. Several sub-projects have emerged from the project team since then, with the Combat Equipment Dismounted Soldier System established in summer 2007 being the most prominent and the 3D positioning for indoor navigation project the most recent. Related results from other areas are also being discussed and
A member state pays for one feasibility study, but will receive nine. They recognise that they can work more effectively by sharing information with each other, using the EDA as a platform.
integrated in ongoing work for example, studies from the Joint Investment Programme on Force Protection, a cooperation between 20 member states that touches on ballistic and CBRN protection, situational awareness sensors, sniper and gunfire detection, decision-aiding tools and communication links in urban areas. proceeded with the research and technology experts, identifying 14 capability gaps and modulating them into the nine feasibility studies. The most difficult part was securing funding, which was aggravated by the economic crisis. This challenge threatened to cause delays to our project, but is close to being solved. At the end of the day, this project is more about saving money than about spending it. To illustrate: a member state pays for one feasibility study, but will receive nine. They recognise that they can work more effectively by sharing information with each other, using the EDA as a platform to operate more efficiently by sharing the burden, which makes us confident about the future.
What are the main challenges of dealing with the nine member states that are jointly developing the Combat Equipment Dismounted Soldier System?
We started with infantry capability experts, which resulted in common staff requirements and laid the basis for subsequent work. The process
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Interest in insensitive munitions products has been strong among army combat engineers and members of the special forces.
Insensitive munitions technology
Creating and developing insensitive munitions products involves several factors: product structure, casings and ventilation systems are important, but perhaps the most salient aspect is the explosive itself. We use cast-cured, plastic-bonded explosives in our products, says Hannu Hytti, business director of Forcit Defence. We use reduced-sensitivity explosive components and protect them with a binder system. This makes the end product less sensitive to shocks and thermal threats. The technology enables us to create products that are safer to use, transport and store. The companys hard work on insensitive munitions was recognised internationally in 2006, when it received an award for technical achievement from Natos Munitions Safety and Information Analysis Center for developing FOXIT, an explosive designated as an extremely insensitive detonating substance. At present, it has the capability to manufacture a range of core-load charges, from a booster weighing 0.8g to charges of several hundred kilos. The company began developing and manufacturing insensitive munitions products based on plastic-bonded explosives in cooperation with the Finnish Navy.
The DFC 2010 directional fragmentation charge has been adopted by the Finnish Defence Forces.
This led to a development contract, which eventually resulted in the manufacture of the PM-85 naval ground mine. Navy solutions usually consist of very large core-load warheads, as in sea mines and torpedoes, but Forcit has also developed smaller charges, such as the BOXER underwater mine disposal charge. Interest in insensitive munitions products has also been strong among army combat engineers and members of the special forces over the past decade. Forcit has developed a variety of these smaller core-load products to be insensitive munitions-compliant, as well as having exceptional operational capabilities.
DFC 2010
One cornerstone product is the DFC 2010 directional fragmentation charge. It was originally developed for the Finnish Defence Forces as a replacement for anti-personnel mines, but was found to have good potential in international markets in fact, it has already been sold abroad and is in use in Afghanistan.
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Readily available COTS product TRL 9, MRL 10 Insensitive Munitions FOB/AOB protection In service Operational in climate categories B3-C2
www.forcit.fi/defence
The BOXER underwater mine disposal charge fills the gap between cheaper conventional products and high-end ones.
DFC 2010 is paving the way for internationalisation at Forcit, says Hytti. We have proved a product can combine good operational performance with insensitive munitions properties and give good value for money. DFC 2010 is a command-detonated area denial and force-multiplier system; on detonation it creates a fan of fragments that cover a 60 angle. It has an effective range of up to 100m and a dangerous area of up to 350m. Military engineers and special forces personnel in a number of countries have found it useful because of its operational benefit as a force multiplier thats small and light. If you think about forward operation base protection, the increased operational area and reach of this device brings great advantages, Hytti says. DFC 2010 has generated interest in many countries following its procurement by the Finnish Defence Forces. The homeland reference has been very important to our DFC 2010 marketing.
BOXER combines the efficiency of high-end modern underwater mine disposal charges with low-cost operation.
Underwater mine disposal operations
Also recently developed is the BOXER underwater mine disposal charge. This cost-efficient insensitive munitions product can be used to disable old and modern sea mines. Because thousands of Second World War mines are still being cleared from the Baltic Sea, we knew we had to make something cost-efficient, easy to use and versatile, says Hytti. BOXER has been developed and field tested by Finnish Navy explosive ordnance disposal divers, and has also shown promise in international markets. BOXER combines the efficiency of high-end modern underwater mine disposal charges with low-cost operation. It fills a gap in the market between cheap conventional methods and high-end mine disposal charges, Hytti explains. Like the DFC 2010, it offers good value for money to defence forces whose budgets have been reduced. We
R&D contacts
Forcit has always invested heavily in R&D, and has been able to field new products rapidly by maintaining close contacts within the Finnish Defence Forcess testing and verifying organisations. In the short term, Forcit Defence will be launching several new combat engineering products, as well as new underwater systems. Our personnel keep up with changes in legislation and participate in different work groups within the industry, says Hytti. We go to seminars and exhibitions, consult with our industrial partners and, perhaps most importantly, listen to our customers and the end users. Years of experience in testing and developing new explosives is combined with expertise in planning, production and marketing.
Further information
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taught Vectronix to continuously innovate, refine and adapt to widely varying user requirements. Its digital magnetic compasses are the most accurate and reliable currently available; they are robust, flexible and effective. One well-known customer is robot designer and manufacturer iRobot. Speaking about its decision to use a Vectronix module, a spokesperson said: We integrated the Vectronix LRF 3020 into the iRobot SUGV [small unmanned ground vehicle] to add rangefinding capability to our system. The LRF 3020 adds very little size and weight to the SUGV while consuming very little power. Additionally, the laser that the module contains is a class 1 eye-safe laser and is invisible to I technology. Another feature that helped us choose the LRF 3020 over other options is that the module integrates seamlessly into our existing system.
Further information
Vectronix www.vectronix.com
integrators
consumption
4 .5 k m
8 km
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Future soldier
The Soldier of the Future system has been developed by a 100-strong consortium of military technology experts overseen by the Polish Ministry of Defence. Creator Bumar outlines how the system has opened up a wealth of possibilities for military and civilian applications.
ith the nature of security threats changing all the time, many countries have found it necessary to accelerate the modernisation of their armed forces, the infantry in particular. Technological progress is forcing battle tactics to be modified and soldiers to be better prepared. Armies from across the world are searching for solutions that can make their soldiers more efficient, self-reliant and safe on the battlefield. Poland is constantly abreast of these trends with a view to modernising its forces and military systems development. The participation of Polish forces in international peace missions requires soldiers to be ready for war duty and for tasks to be accomplished in various conditions, outside familiar territory. Based on the experience of allied forces and the armys modernisation programmes, the Polish Ministry of Defence has prepared an individualised equipment modernisation programme known as Tytan for its soldiers.
RADMOR, as well as military institutes and universities such as the Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Military Medical Airforce Institute and the Military University of Technology. Thanks to this organisational framework, the consortium was able to pool the experience and knowledge of many institutions acting in various technical and medical fields. There were, in total, around 100 constructors and scientists involved. Synergies were achieved, and interdisciplinary project teams put together with the aim of analysing the threats of todays and tomorrows battlefield: modern solutions; techniques and technologies; developmental trends; and soldiers psychophysical abilities. On this basis, the vision of an individual battle system has been created, together with proposed tactical and technical frameworks. The proposition of further programme implementation has also been floated.
The Polish Soldier of the Future is a soldier-centric system that functions within the net-centric battlefield system. The focus is placed on system efficiency, effectiveness and ergonomics.
Bumar Group carefully complied with the demands of the Polish Army. In 2009, the Armament Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence announced a tender for technical requirements of the individual fighting system. Bumar was chosen to be responsible for the concept and tactical guidelines that govern the individual battle system. Many months earlier, Bumar created its own programme called Uan (Lancer), which aims to develop and deploy Soldier of the Future equipment systems. Research has been ongoing for the past two years, including the necessary analyses and partnership network creation. The Tytan programme implementation consortium consists of 13 companies and scientific institutions. Bumar holds the lead position of the eight Bumar Group representatives, the other seven being CNPEP RADWAR, Arms Factory ucznik Radom, OBRSM TARNW, PCO, PSO MASKPOL, ZM MESKO and ZM DEZAMET. A number of companies from outside the group have also been invited to participate, including WB Elektronics and
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System structure
The Polish Soldier of the Future project doesnt differ in its functional and technological aspects from the systems of other allied developed countries. As in many other programmes, the main problems were excessive weight and supply sources. The main distinguishing feature of the Polish system is its soldier-focused approach, and its orientation to ergonomics regarding the individual features and preferences of the soldier. The Polish Soldier of the Future system will be individually profiled except for the planned made to measure equipment, the soldier himself decides how he carries and uses his equipment. Each component is adapted to right and left-handed soldiers. And, aside from a few parts, such as a first aid kit, soldiers will decide on their equipment components arrangement for themselves.
The main distinguishing feature of the system is its soldier-focused approach, and its orientation to ergonomics regarding the features and preferences of the soldier.
Modularity of solutions has an influence on system flexibility, but also on production costs. One component that is used in many devices and produced in large quantities is cheaper, as well as reducing logistics and service expenses. The sytem is designed to be open for further modernisation, which means that there will be no need to exchange the whole system when only one component needs to be replaced. This openness includes cooperation with other battle systems. C4I systems are the links to such cooperation, already equipped with interfaces controlling interoperability with other systems and battlefield robots, and the group reconnaissance systems. Huge importance is attached to the system security. It concerns not only the secure communication systems, but also prevents information from being intercepted by opponents. It has been known for a long time that the soldier, his psychophysical training and his motivation are the main battle force. One should aim to keep instructions and training maximally close to real conditions. This is the system constructors approach. It is assumed that the main part of the system will be used in the training process, the components of which must precisely reflect the components used in battle.
Further information
Bumar www.bumar.com
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dep-imaging.com
In full view
DEP imaging designs night vision products and systems for defence and security applications, as well as customer support services. Giorgio Salvo, the rms CEO, tells Defence & Security Systems International about its new ClipIR device, a lightweight solution that provides soldiers with complete detection capabilities.
used night vision has quickly become the new standard for low-visibility operations. Battlefield commanders are fully aware of the tactical advantages achieved by combining the unparalleled detection capabilities of thermal imaging with the superior identification capabilities of image intensification. However, as governments may have recently invested in modern I2 systems, replacing fully operational and battlefield-tested gear may not always be the ideal solution. Therefore, the challenge is to improve the performance of existing night vision devices, while extending their useful life and minimising the total cost of ownership. The answer is simple ClipIR.
ClipIR extends the capabilities of existing gear, and maximises the return on investment.
Devices that are limited to a 20 or 30 field-of-view centred in the I2 image fail to reveal the entire environment. Soldiers must continuously scan back and forth with their heads to compensate for the limited fused image, causing excessive movements that can lead to neck strain or more serious, chronic injuries. Worse yet, targets outside of the limited field-of-view may remain undetected, giving users a false sense of security and increasing their vulnerability. Besides covering the entire global night vision standard field of view, ClipIR also operates over a wide temperature range. Although other devices fail under extreme conditions, ClipIR has been specifically engineered to provide full-view fusion from -40C to 50C. In addition, ClipIRs patented Shutterless XTi Technology completely eliminates the need for non-uniformity correction procedures, significantly reducing the downtime that other clip-on devices require for recalibration. This gives users optimal performance throughout the duration of a mission and alleviates any
concerns over image degradation. Importantly, soldiers never lose their thermal capabilities during critical situations. Fully compatible with the majority of night vision goggles and monoculars, ClipIR not only extends the capabilities of existing gear, but also maximises the return on investment. Night vision goggles and monoculars now have a longer serviceable life and can be upgraded to full-view fusion, the latest innovation in limited-visibility technology.
Further information
DEP imaging www.dep-imaging.com
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Listen carefully
Hearing damage is a growing problem for military forces around the world. Lars Melin of Peltor explains how extra protection need not come at the cost of operational efciency.
t is not the most obvious of the dangers faced by military personnel, but hearing damage has serious, far-reaching implications. Nor is it uncommon: a 2009 army questionnaire of US soldiers returning from Iraq found that around one in four suffered hearing damage to some degree, caused in large part by exposure to IEDs. A study conducted in the same year revealed that nearly two thirds of British soldiers returning from Afghanistans Helmand province experienced similar injuries. Efforts have been made to tackle the problem: in 2006, the European Commission drafted legislation decreeing that employers, including the military, must provide necessary hearing protection in environments where noise levels exceed 85dB. According to Lars Melin, business development manager of Peltor Communications, it is not just in Europe that the importance of hearing protection is being realised.
To get the highest attenuation, you have to have both a passive plug and earmuff for protection, Melin explains. Plug mode means that even with this dual protection, you can talk openly without any interference from the sound attenuation function. This is level-dependent, so if you are in a quiet area you can amplify your own hearing to four times its normal level. No one else offers these benefits. The importance of comfort cannot be overlooked either. Peltor invests considerable resources in developing new materials and technologies to improve the user experience. The company has developed the Optime Alert System, a colour-coded method tailoring hearing protection to individual needs. Training is offered with each of Peltors products, as well as information on hearing protection generally. You might have you headset on for ten or 12 consecutive hours and ideally you should not be able to feel it, Melin
You dont want to send your son or daughter to the army and let their hearing be destroyed. Its damaging for both the individual and the country. Payments to US military personnel with hearing damage are expected to be around $1 billion this year. This is unsustainable.
You dont want to send your son or daughter to the army and let their hearing be destroyed, he explains. Its damaging for both the individual and the country. Payments to US military personnel with hearing damage are expected to be around $1 billion this year. This is unsustainable. At the same time, this protection cant come at the cost of good communications. If orders cant be accurately relayed, either in person or via headphones, the risk to personal safety increases dramatically. A member of the special forces might have more than one radio on their person and needs to be able to communicate with two or three sources through a single headset. says. We work a lot with strong but low-mass materials and are always looking to develop more flexible solutions. For example, instead of having the microphone in front of your mouth, it can be throat or even bone-conducted. There are a lot of possible combinations.
Safety is priority
As the effects of the European Commission legislation begin to be felt over the next year or two, Melin expects business to pick up pace. Although the military has been slower to comply than many other industries, there is a clear movement in the right direction. If you look around the world we can see a lot of military units that are not as well equipped as they might be when it comes to hearing protection, he explains. But many are beginning to see that the right communications combined with the right protection makes for a safer and more effective soldier.
Further information
Peltor www.3M.com/peltorcomms
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Fischer UltiMate
Military Connectors Line
TM
environment
assembly solutions
www.fischerconnectors.com
Headquarters Fischer Connectors SA Saint-Prex - Switzerland Phone +41 21 800 95 95 mail@fischerconnectors.ch
Fischer offers a complete package connector, cable and overmoulding that is perfectly adapted for harsh environments.
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Components of expertise
Astute Electronics is one of the UKs largest global distributors of electronic components, offering support for manufacturing companies within the aerospace and defence industries. Managing director Geoff Hill explains how his company has honed its relationships with original equipment manufacturers by adding value to the supply chain.
What factors would you attribute to Astutes growth over the past 20 years?
Geoff Hill: We view our growth path as being controlled rather than rapid. As we have seen with the banking sector, the companies that stay the course are those that are prudent, and have sustainable targets and processes in place to make sure that they can handle their growth. As a private and independent company we are committed to long-term partnerships with our customers, and are not answerable to shareholders driven by profit or turnover. Other factors include the support and long service of senior staff members, and a solid understanding of our customers businesses achieved through constant face-to-face contact and a willingness to support them, at whatever cost, while keeping long-term goals in mind.
Astute has created separate divisions to support the major electronics manufacturing services and contract equipment manufacturers.
We have also developed a wide range of through-life support programmes and obsolescence initiatives so that we can support key projects for life, and have tried to change our mentality by being proactive at the front end. Consequently, we are now far closer to projects, understanding their lifecycles and forward loads in order to offer solutions in anticipation of any problems. We have aligned ourselves with key aftermarket manufacturers and die houses to explore alternative solutions, and work closely with the Component Obsolescence Group and other organisations in the same regard. We have innovative last-time buy programmes that offer extended scheduling as well as excess stock remarketing through our consigned inventory warehouse in Scotland. We will continue to explore avenues to offer alternative solutions by way of aftermarket manufacturers, product up-screening, hybrid engineering and repackaging options.
How has Astute adjusted itself to the evolving electronics marketplace while still supporting the aerospace and defence markets?
By remaining flexible; our management team has a strong can-do attitude, is willing to accept the forever-changing dynamics of the electronics marketplace and understands that rapid changes in the industry are the norm. Original equipment manufacturers are the backbone of our customer base in the aerospace and defence industries. There has been a move towards outsourcing manufacturing to contract equipment manufacturers and the electronics marketplace has changed focus to support commercial activities, but we have bucked the trend by creating dedicated teams to support our customers and their chosen subcontractors. After identifying this niche in the marketplace, Astute created separate divisions to support the major electronics manufacturing services and contract equipment manufacturers, as well as a military division focused on the UK defence sector.
How would you describe Astutes approach to developing relationships with original equipment manufacturers and electronics manufacturing services?
Astute treats all original equipment manufacturers and electronics manufacturing services as standalone customers. We recognise the importance of differentiation and deal with each customer according to their requirements whether these are geographical, cultural or sensitive. In this way, we deal with both local and global original equipment manufacturers and electronics manufacturing services. Building a true customer relationship is part of everything that we do. We are a transparent organisation that allows the customer to become part of our development. We have
Astute is also present in the US and China. Do you have plans for further global proliferation?
Yes, we have some immediate plans to set up in India, predominantly because of its huge position within the aerospace and defence market, and the necessity for our customers to protect trusted supply chains and deliver offset initiatives. We are also investigating south-east Asia and South America Singapore and Brazil in particular. Closer to home, we are looking to set up local offices in Germany or Italy within the next two years.
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Trust is clearly a huge factor in serving such a sensitive business as the defence industry. What recent investments has Astute made into counterfeit prevention?
Astute has invested more than 250,000 in analysis tools such as X-ray, ED-XRF spectrometery, de-capsulation and high-power 3D microscopy. Further development over the next 12 months will consist of curve trace/power device analysis, memory function testing and scanning acoustic microscopy. This will further our existing capabilities in testing both passive and active components for material composition, quality and function. This test capability, being developed in the US and the UK, is a result of listening to our
The company has invested more than 250,000 in analysis tools that can determine the quality, function and composition of electronic components.
Our flexibility and quality-driven ethos provides the platform on which value-added services are built. We offer a broad range of services right across the supply chain. Astute manages last-time buy and obsolete materials on behalf of a number of customers. We are similarly capable of offering solutions to minimise exposure to problems
Weve sought to deal with obsolescence by supporting customers with long-term schedules and buffer stocks. We also work with IHS to manage customers bill of materials, keeping them aware of impending end-of-life parts.
customers needs and working in partnership with them, allowing us to develop the correct product specific analysis to resolve the issues they face. We place huge emphasis on our workforce and have a specific analytical recruitment process, which includes investing in individuals with biochemical, analytical and laboratory backgrounds. Our employees are given intense specialist training. surrounding excess and obsolescence, including full consignment, though our bespoke facility in Scotland. This is often coupled with logistics services. Vendor reduction is another service we offer, whereby customers provide a list of suppliers that Astute then manages on their behalf, freeing up resources and providing cost savings. BOM management and outsourcing is an increasing part of our business, and we often provide customers with full kits of material as opposed to numerous line items. This allows customers to free-up resources and send material directly to the production line. We are a company that embraces high-mix and low-volume customers based on long-term relationships and long-term projects that we can get involved in, from front-end design through to end-of-life support.
Further information
Astute Electronics www.astute.co.uk
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emporary security fences have a number of uses: they may be needed to keep criminals and intruders out of construction sites, to keep non-paying members of the public out of concerts and sporting events, or to keep terrorists and troublemakers away from potential targets. Although a fence can only delay a determined assailant for a short while, that delay can allow the police, security guards or stewards enough time to take action. As such, a fence is just one element of an overall security system. Rapidly erectable security fences that are also redeployable present certain problems. If they are held in place by their own weight they must be heavy, or if attached to foundations in the ground then there may be problems with underground services. The construction of foundations also requires engineering input, time and labour. HESCO, a founder member of the Perimeter Security Suppliers Association, has had considerable success with its rapidly deployable Concertainer gabions, which have been widely used by forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. This suggested that the principles and methods used in the Concertainer system could be used to develop a redeployable security fence. The objectives were to produce a system that: would meet the extra-high-security criteria of BS 1722 parts 10 and 22 could be rapidly erected and removed by a team of three would not interfere with underground services could be erected on uneven ground. The resulting HESCO redeployable security fence meets all these objectives. It consists of foldable sections based on the Concertainer, which open up to create a fence (2.4m or 3.6m high) formed of extra-high-security welded mesh,
attached to a row of cells. Reusable bags of sand or gravel are placed in these cells to hold the fence in place the bags used are the standard bags available from builders merchants, containing 800-1,000kg of fill. A cover may be placed over the bags if the user wishes. The use of bags of sand or gravel as counterweights greatly reduces the logistic burden, as these can be obtained from the nearest convenient supplier. Although the wall is designed for a bag to be placed in every cell, this will not always be necessary. In recent months, HESCO has also been developing the fence as an anti-vehicle barrier. The extra-high-security welded-mesh panels effectively turn the whole fence, weighed down with the bags of sand, into a very heavy and strong chain. A series of tests at the Transport Research Laboratory, including tests of portals the gaps for pedestrian paths through the fence have shown that the fence provides a useful level of protection against vehicle impact. PAS 68 details will be available under the usual controls. The beauty of the HESCO redeployable security fence is the ease and adaptability of its deployment and recovery. A team of three and a forklift or similar is sufficient. The HESCO redeployable security fence is suitable for use at events at which a rapidly deployable, adaptable and removable barrier is needed, such as political conferences and high-profile sporting contests. It is equally suitable for use on and around construction sites, and is particularly useful in cases where vehicle impact is a possibility.
Further information
HESCO www.hesco.com
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Worldwide patents. Patent numbers 5472297, 5333970, 7708501, 1951963 and other international patents apply. HESCO, Concertainer, RAID, MIL and HAB are registered trade marks of HESCO Bastion Limited. Other trade marks apply. Photo courtesy US DoD/MSgt Michele A. Desrocher
B and T Marketing GmbH Im Maintal 7b, 96173 Unterhaid Germany Tel: +49 (0)9503-504121 Fax: +49 (0)9503-504123 www.bandtmarketing.com
The firms containers can be used to store weapons with all their accessories attached, ensuring they are ready for immediate use.
The security checkpoint container will allow for the quick set-up of a vehicle inspection point. It will contain all the basics: a generator, lighting, inspection wands, barriers, tyre deflators, speed bumps, concertina wire and a lot more. The container itself will be designed to be placed across the road and opened up, so that vehicles will have to drive through it.
What is the nature of the relationship between B and T Marketing and its client base?
Our customers trust us to come up with complete solutions. We work hand-in-hand with them to find an answer that fits their exact requirements. You have to be careful: what customers want is not necessarily the same as what they need to work more proficiently and safely. You need to work out the purpose. That helps us to improve our products and develop new ones using past experience and the advice received from our customers.
How are your customers requirements changing? What trends are prevalent at the moment?
We always have to stay on top of technologies as they are deployed by the military. New weapon systems seem to come out daily and we need to constantly develop new storage capabilities to deal with them.
Can you tell us about some of your products in the development stage?
We are working on expanding our line of mobile container systems to include security checkpoint, hazardous materials storage and spare parts storage models.
Further information
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Who are your most common customers and how are your products most often used?
Due to the nature of our products, they are often used during very dangerous situations, such as anti-terrorism missions or military operations. They are used by special forces, military, law enforcement and security clients in over 62 countries. Our clients defend vitally important people within governments as well as strategic places of interest. They also protect against crime and terrorist attacks, and engage in situations that most people would run from. They put themselves in danger to make our countries, cities and homes safe. Many of us sleep peacefully at night because we know there are men and women who will make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety and security of others.
The major problems we solve for customers typically stem from unwise spending on communication equipment that turned out to be inferior or unsuitable for the type of missions being conducted.
What are some of the common problems with tactical communication headsets, and how have your products tackled these issues over the past 15 years?
The major problems we solve for customers typically stem from unwise spending on communication equipment that turned out to be inferior or unsuitable for the type of missions being conducted. We approach opportunities with a long-term outlook in mind. We look at all aspects including customer preferences, mission profiles and requirements, and budget to find the most suitable headset solutions for each customer. We have found that taking the time to clearly understand the customers requirements is a very critical piece of the puzzle. Its common for us to develop custom headset integration kits for customers based purely on information received during our initial briefings. Most companies believe every customer is the same, but our experience has shown us
How can the right tactical communication gear directly impact operations and missions?
I know from experience that mission compromises and failures are typically attributed to communication problems. Some of these problems result from the dissemination of erroneous or unintelligible information during a critical part of a mission. Nonetheless, many problems occur simply because of inferior equipment and technology. Training, experience and the use of quality equipment can significantly improve the chances of a favourable outcome. Mission success is important because lives can be on the line. Using the right headset should not be undervalued, and we make sure customers get the best equipment to help ensure the success of operations and the safety of all.
Hearing loss is a growing concern among military and tactical professionals. How do your products fit into efforts to protect against this?
In 2000, we realised how critical hearing preservation and safety were to tactical officers and combat personnel. By 2001, we had developed an integrated hearing protection and communication headset system called the Liberator LSS. Since then, product developers have created Liberator II and Liberator III digital hearing protection headsets. New digital technologies enable weight reduction, longer battery life and excellent situational awareness. Our developments in this area are appreciated by customers. It is common for us to receive emails telling us how a
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In what ways has military and law enforcement strategy evolved alongside developments in tactical communication equipment?
There is little doubt that headsets are used by more tactical operators and warfighters than ever before, and that our technologies are beneficial. As a result, communication capabilities have been extended to real-time situational awareness, incident command and mission execution. I think a lot of this has to do with the reliability of our equipment when it matters most, as well as the level of functionality our headsets provide augmenting mission capabilities instead of curtailing them.
Mission success is important because lives can be on the line. Using the right headset should not be undervalued, and we make sure customers get the best equipment to help ensure the success of operations and the safety of all.
What else would you like to share with us about Tactical Command Industries?
I would like to simply thank all of the customers who have followed us since the beginning, as well as new customers. It has been great to see our hard work and determination translate into a great reputation in our industry. I am looking forward to many more years of opportunities to support customers who rely upon us during some of the most dangerous situations imaginable.
Your site includes a very useful language translation tool has global reach been an important aspect of your business strategy?
We are a friendly force company, which means we only conduct business with customers in specific nations. While the native languages of our customers may differ, the fight against evil is consistent and their approaches have more similarities than differences. We are striving to increase our global exposure and making our website accessible to coalition countries is helping in that regard.
Further information
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ascal Displays is a leader within the defence electronics market, offering high-quality design, manufacturing and support services to the UK Ministry of Defence and international prime contractors. Its primary products are rugged display systems for use in harsh environments in military vehicles for land, air and sea. The company is known for its product deployment in frontline fighting vehicles such as the Mastiff, Ridgback, Viking, Warrior, Warthog and Challenger II fleets. Sascal Displays next-generation products offer the expected high environmental and electromagnetic compatibility capabilities alongside additional programming flexibility, allowing customers to integrate them with their own system architecture. Furthermore, the range incorporates NVIS capabilities and integrated PC options. At DSEi the company will be launching an organic LED display, suitable for thermal imaging and relaxed-view applications, and replacing high-resolution cathode ray tube displays. The company will also launch its rugged 3D display at DSEi, ideal for interactive, high-level training and
The companys products not only offer the expected capabilities, but also allow customers to integrate their own system architecture.
simulation environments. Additionally, Sascal Displays will be exhibiting military versions of the Revader products, including Totem Redeployable and 360 volumetric cameras alongside COFDM personal surveillance vests and equipment, offering high levels of open space and perimeter security capabilities.
Further information
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Smartphones have made a signicant contribution to the success of the Arab Spring. John Terrington of QinetiQ tells Rod James that this is just one example of how the line between commercial and military technologies is blurring, and potentially changing the nature of battleeld communications as a result.
here were no military communications available to the rebel forces at the outset of the Libyan civil war, but a recent press report described how, on the outskirts of Misrata, a rebel scout scoped out an enemy position with a pair of binoculars. Its precise location was reported back to the head of the mortar team, who turned to his laptop, opened Google Earth and accessed a map on which all allied and enemy positions were marked. The software allowed him to ascertain the distance between any two targets to within 1m of accuracy and, with help from a mortar-ranging table, calculate the right angle at which the weapon should be fired. Bringing up the compass application on an iPhone, he lined up the handset alongside a mortar barrel, repositioned accordingly, inserted the round and fired it into the sky.
This civil war has been defined by such scenarios. The ongoing conflict between rebel forces and those of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has been a watershed for defence communications and IT. The line between civilian and military has become blurred, with a great variety of consumer technologies being successfully deployed in the theatre of war. In the view of John Terrington, communications and information infrastructure practice leader at QinetiQ, this has significant implications for the way that defence technology developers approach their role. From its beginnings as part of the UK Ministry of Defence, QinetiQs communications-based projects combine military and commercial inspiration to improve battlefield communications. The crossover point between military and commercial technology is becoming less defined all the time, he explains.
For example, traditional defence companies are now producing multiband radios that also allow you to access the waveforms associated with the police, fire and ambulance services. Its only a relatively small step from there to incorporate the military. Improving situational awareness on the battlefield is at the heart of many of the things we do, and commercially available capabilities and standards can help achieve this. Learning lessons from the consumer sector is not just a benefit, but an increasing necessity. The difficult conditions encountered in Iraq and Afghanistan require an unusually high degree of operational mobility, which places restraints on the complexity of communications apparatus. In these conflicts disparate, variously sized bases with austere infrastructure are used as platforms
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John Terrington
John Terrington served in the British Army for more than 30 years, rising to the rank of brigadier. Involved in battleeld communications and IT throughout that time, he is now leader of the communications and information infrastructure practice at defence technology developer QinetiQ.
information, but has complicated the ability to pass information from one part to another, Terrington says. Operations are now performed by coalitions of the willing, which places greater pressure on the spectrum and complicates the security dimension. There is an increased threat to systems of denial of service cyber attacks, not only from the people you might be operating against, but inadvertently your own allies. Commercially available technologies, while not without risk, could prove to be a solution to many of these problems. Mobile phone handsets can be as small as they are because their power-hungry element is fixed in a base station, which by necessity manages power and spectrum very efficiently. As forward operating bases are already acting as communications hubs, they could easily be modified to host commercial telephony in situations
where a fixed base is not considered a disadvantage. Things have already begun to move in this direction, with the development of various smartphone applications specifically for the military. In recent years weve seen the development of applications for civilian systems that cover everything from ordering goods to functions that allow you to improve your situational awareness, Terrington says. Some nations, such as the US, have started trials with handheld devices that can be used to provide translation capabilities or alert them to the presence of other coalition forces in the area. This has all been enabled by increasingly data-capable fixed infrastructure combined with rapid advances in battery capability. Functions such as 3G and Wi-Fi are of particular interest as they can really help improve the passage of critical information between smart devices.
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SCHLEIFRING stands for the highest precision and reliability in the transfer of data, energy and media (air/ liquids) between moving and stationary components. In virtually all high-tech industries our accomplishments successfully provide the rotating interface solution behind the process. Such top performance shows the progress we have made in our branch of industry for almost fourty years now. More than 3,000 SCHLEIFRING customers rely on our technical hybrid systems, which are particularly suited for very complex and demanding appliances. Our customers are specialized in manufacturing of complex technical products for military appliances, that set high demands on system resilience: virtually every NATO ship, submarine, weapon station and armed vehicle is tted with our systems. At the same time SCHLEIFRING maintains a global network of sales and service establishments to be close to our customers in over fty countries in the world.
Schleifring und Apparatebau GmbH Am Hardtanger 10 82256 Frstenfeldbruck Germany Fon + 49 8141 403-0 Fax + 49 8141 403-45 www.schleifring.com
Reliability and precision are vital with regards to reconnaissance and radar systems. How have you adapted your slip rings to account for this?
We offer sophisticated solutions for the transmission of fluids, gases and air, which can be optimised for each customer. Our media rotary joints can transmit water/glycol mixtures from stationary parts to rotating parts. They work within a pressure range of up to 300 bar, have a flow rate of up to 500l/min and are integrated into the slip ring, which transmits up to 800A of power as well as optical signals.
Schleifring und Apparatebau has a significant global presence what do you currently consider to be your most lucrative markets?
Thomas Tartler: By combining optical, contacting and contactless capacitive slip rings, radiofrequency joints and media joints, we are able to meet the highest demands in terms of reliability and product quality. Our technical hybrid systems are particularly suited to complex and demanding appliances. In radar applications, for example, we transfer energy, coolant liquids and data within a single integrated system. Schleifring also provides solutions for military appliances that demand high system resilience; virtually every Nato ship, submarine, weapon station and armed vehicle is fitted with our systems. We maintain a global network of sales and service establishments so that we can be close to our customers, who are spread across fifty countries.
Have there been any recent technological developments regarding your product range? How much emphasis do you place on R&D?
Schleifring invests more than 10% of its turnover in R&D, and produces measurable results. In the past ten years, our R&D department has produced more than 100 inventions, about 180 patents and numerous patent applications. We are working on contactless inductive power transmission for defence applications while constantly pushing the limits of what is technically achievable. The knowledge of our development and manufacturing specialists provides significant competitive advantages for the users of our systems and technologies.
Further information
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How would you describe the basic philosophy of the company, and how has it changed over the years?
Our key objective is to remain an independent, privately owned company it enables us to be flexible enough to react quickly in this fast-changing world. All our business is based on taking a long-term perspective as we would rather grow a little slower but on a solid basis. SPINNER is known for high-quality and innovative products that we have developed at the right time and which have continuously set the standard in the field of passive radio frequency (RF) components. The company is also very competitive and offers additional technological benefits.
How have you adapted to the growing trend 6 channel RF rotary joint with inductosyn of miniaturisation within the component design sector?
We are permanently looking for new technologies, such as the SWS system, for our broadcast components, filters and combiners. As a result of these research activities, we have solutions that allow us to build systems smaller than competitors and also to overcome other side effects like heating and temperature drift effects combined with better channel isolation.
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How would you describe the synergy between SPINNERs various subsidiaries?
We produce in the region, for the region, but cost factors also drive our decisions as to where we manufacture. China is our main hub for all commercial business we do in Asia, where we are mainly focused on the mobile communication and broadcast markets. The Atlanta and Brazil factories cover the same markets for the Americas region. All factories are also local service and sales hubs for their regions. However, it is strict company policy that all defence-related products and projects are only developed and manufactured in Germany.
You have recently introduced new rotary joints for satcom and so-called hybrid rotary joints. What prompted this development and what does it add to the companys portfolio?
SPINNER stands for innovation and sets standards in the rotary joints market. We currently produce the smallest Ka-band rotary joint with the best possible technical data. Combining media joints, slip rings fibre-optic transmission, fast Ethernet and RF into a single highly integrated system hybrid rotary joint with the lowest weight and smallest size, opens new ways of designing platforms for our customers, especially in airborne applications.
14 channel RF high rotary Very close interaction is required to provide a continuous level of quality and support to the customers R&D requirements throughout the marketplace, no matter which
joint inc
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14 channel RF rotary joint incl. 125 way slip ring and 3 channel fast Ethernet
facility manufactures the products. China has the biggest R&D group outside of Germany. It develops customised products for the global mobile communication and broadcast markets. As we are in a linked world, we use these capabilities to shorten product development times and can thus reduce the time-tomarket, both for us and our customers. Having these R&D centres brings us closer to our customers around the globe.
Apart from satcom, what other sectors are you currently investing in with regards to new products?
Satcom also covers space rotary joints, which require a completely different product development process driven by the environmental requirements of space. SPINNER is in the ideal position to provide the highest grade of integration of slip rings, waveguides and coax and fibre-optic rotary joints for defence systems, whether ground, sea or air based. As all radar systems are reaching higher resolutions, Ethernet transmission systems are becoming more important too. Another major market we are focusing on is rotary joints for ATC radars. SPINNER is also strongly committed to being a leading supplier of broadcast-combining equipment to continuously improve product performance and the value we bring to our customers. New filters, switches for DVB-T and radar applications are on the way along with a complete new line of compact calibration kits of up to 60GHz.
Further information
SPINNER www.spinner-group.com
SPINNER is a global leader in developing and manufacturing developing and manufacturing state-of-the-art RF compostate-of-the-art RF components. nents. Since 1946, the indusSince 1946, the industries leatries leading companies have ding companies trusted trusted SPINNERhave to provide SPINNER provide them with them withto innovative products and outstanding customised innovative products and outsolutions. standing customised solutions.
Headquartered in Munich, Headquartered Munich,and and with production facilities in Gerwith production facilities in many, Hungary, USA, China, Germany, Hungary, USA and and Brazil, the SPINNER Group China, the SPINNER Group now has over 1,300 employees now has over 1,400 employees worldwide. worldwide. Our subsidiaries and representatives are present in over 40 countries and provide our customers with an international network of support. SPINNER GmbH ads@spinner-group.com www.spinner-group.com
Superior RF Rotary Joints and Slip rings Fibre optic single channel, multichannel up to 21 Fast Ethernet transmission and media joints for Air trafc control radars Defence applications air, sea, land
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The laptops sustained plenty of unavoidable ill-treatment during transit and on the mountain. They handled the trauma with ease.
Hing commented, The ruggedised laptops provided by Blazepoint sustained plenty of knocks and unavoidable ill-treatment during transit and on the mountain. The laptops handled the trauma with ease. They continued to perform to an optimal level in temperatures as low as -20C for over five weeks, providing a quality service for internet access, word processing and information exchange. Exercise TIGER KARAKORAM chose these laptops based on robustness, endurance and the ability to perform in an arduous environment. They did not disappoint.
Further information
Blazepoint www.blazepoint.co.uk.
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Its not just carrots that help you see in the dark
Pilots are increasingly demanding the same capabilities from their night vision equipment as they get from their daytime helmet-mounted display systems. Drew Brugal, president of Vision Systems International, explains how his company is making this possible and the positive implications it has for the safety and effectiveness of ghter operations.
ision Systems International (VSI), located in California, US, provides advanced helmet-mounted display systems for tactical aircraft. The company recently supplied its NVCD-ANVIS night vision system to the Royal Danish Air Force to assist in its Libyan operations. This, says VSI president Drew Brugal, a former naval officer and holder of the US Legion of Merit, was just the latest phase in the companys long relationship with its Danish customer.
the ANVIS-9 goggles. This device clips onto night vision goggles and provide the same information that pilots have access to during daylight operations.
How did the partnership with the Royal Danish Air Force come about?
Drew Brugal: The Royal Danish Air Force was the first international customer for our joint helmet-mounted cueing system (JHMCS). It placed its first order in 2000, and weve been supplying training, spares, product support, consumables and upgrades ever since. We did a demonstration of our NVCD-ANVIS system and it proved very successful. Following that, the Royal Danish Air Force took part in Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya, where it was asked to police the no-fly zone. It realised that the capability of the NVCD-ANVIS system could significantly aid this operation.
Your systems are based around the look and shoot concept. Can you explain how this works?
This technology is a targeting system already in use in the F-15, F-16 and F-35. I always use 1986 film Top Gun as an example Tom Cruise has to turn his whole aircraft so that he can get his target into the centre field of view in the heads-up display. What we do is put the heads-up display on the pilots visor, so instead of turning the aircraft, all he has to do is turn his head. The best example is the employment of modern anti-aircraft missiles: the pilot seeks a target with his eyes and points his helmet towards it; the high-off boresight missile seeker adjusts to this direction; the missile seeker locks onto target; and then the pilot shoots the missile. This process takes only one or two seconds, giving a JHMCS user a decisive combat advantage.
The look and shoot process takes only one or two seconds, giving a JHMCS user a decisive combat advantage.
What difficulties do pilots face when switching between daylight and night-time operations?
JHMCS provide pilots with all the information they normally get inside the cockpit or on the heads-up display, in addition to being able to cue their weapons systems. Pilots have become accustomed to this level of information and want it all the time. But when these systems were first introduced they could only be used in daylight we did not have a way of incorporating that cueing video information into night vision goggles. Pilots had to take off the display used during daylight and put on night vision goggles that did not provide any of that information. In the past few years we have developed a device that combines the systems cueing and display capability with
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The NVCD-ANVIS is combat proven and designed for use with existing JHMCS helmets, meaning that customers are not faced with hidden investment costs.
another new capability and we offer training to our customers maintenance personnel that covers how to service the equipment.
In light of military budgets being reduced, how important is cost-effectiveness to your clients?
Very. Thats why the NVCD-ANVIS is built to be mounted on the current JHMCS helmet no modifications are needed to the helmet, the JHMCS or the aircrafts wiring and computer software. In addition, the NVCD-ANVIS was built to use current night vision goggles in other words, customers do not have to invest in a new inventory. We are also advancing the sustainability of our systems by using new technologies as soon as they are developed, which helps to make the helmet more affordable. For instance, in the early days there was only cathode ray tube technology; now we can use LCDs, which are significantly less costly. Cathode ray tubes require a high-voltage connection, but LCDs only need a low-voltage one, and that makes the wires that support them less expensive. We are constantly exploring avenues to make our system more affordable.
fusion of different sensors, and transferring it to our other offering. Another emerging requirement is the implementation of JHMCS into advanced training, light attack and tactical transport aircraft. We are trying to come to terms with how to make all of this increasingly affordable. With it all being fifth-generation technology, it is fairly expensive. With the budget cuts that are occurring, we will do all we can to make sure that our equipment is available to the broadest customer base.
What technological developments would you like to see over the next year or two?
One of the things we are looking at is digital display, in particular being able to present video footage to pilots. A lot of this technology is carried over from our most advanced helmets, which are currently used in the F-35. We are taking some of that technology, picture and video display, and the
Further information
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& ] [QA
Harmonising Europes milsatcom infrastructure is no mean feat given the varying requirements of member nations and the budget constraints affecting defence procurement. However, commercial satellite technology can help to make this process simpler and more effective, as Rodolphe Paris of the European Defence Agency tells Mark Brierley.
ith the eurozone struggling to recover from the financial crisis, government spending has been curtailed across the board, and defence procurement is no exception. Still, the threats have not changed and adequate provisions need to be made to ensure that Europes defensive capabilities are up to the task of protecting the continent and its interests. To make the most of dwindling resources, innovative solutions are being sought to ensure all bases are still covered; for example, the recent strengthening of the Entente
Rodolphe Paris
Rodolphe Paris served in the French military for 15 years. SinceFebruary 2008, he hasbeen driving activities in the eld ofcommunications and information systems, and space, as communications and information systems project ofcer, chairman of the project team for satcom and an ofcerfor the project team for space situational awareness within the EDA.
Mark Brierley: What role does the EDA play in developing milsatcom infrastructure?
Rodolphe Paris: The EDA has been asked to consider the next generation of milsatcom, particularly in the framework of the Defence Ministers Pooling and Sharing initiative. Milsatcom is a very promising area in this context: space and ground assets could be procured by
from a common set of requirements to various forms of cooperation, as well as synergies in civil and military research and technology efforts, and different procurement methods. What scope is there to use commercial technology in milsatcom infrastructure? Milsatcom embeds a high degree of duality (technological and operational), and 80% of technologies are also used in commercial satcom. The EU and its member states can no longer afford fragmented research and technology efforts. The EDA is well placed to coordinate efforts between space agencies, ministry of defence armament directorates, the European Space Agency and the European Commission. A number of concrete initiatives to develop dual-use technologies and optimise satcom operations are expected to emerge from our SecTelSat work strand, and could generate hundreds of millions of euros in synergies.
Milsatcom embeds a high degree of duality, and 80% of technologies are also used in commercial satcom. The EU and its member states can no longer afford fragmented research and technology efforts.
Cordiale of 1904 between the UK and France will see their militaries share resources on an unprecedented scale including equipment as large as aircraft carriers. This takes the burden off individual nations and reduces the amount of overlap in defence spending across Europe. Another means of stretching budgets is to look to the commercial sector for technology, removing the need for costly R&D investment. One area that has seen great success is milsatcom, which uses a large proportion of commercial satellite technology without sacrificing performance or security. Rodolphe Paris, communications and information systems project officer at the European Defence Agency (EDA), explains how this is being achieved while meeting the needs of the European community. some nations of the EU, but could be used by a larger number of member states that could not individually afford milsatcom capabilities. The Secure Telecom by Satellite (SecTelSat) work strand is exploring a range of issues,
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The centralised procurement of commercial satcom would generate economies of scale and build a credible demand. This would not be possible through fragmented procurements.
What are the objectives of the European Satellite Communication Procurement Cell (ESCPC) Project? The ESCPC Project is a tangible case of an efficient procurement of commercial off-the-shelf services that are currently procured nationally, with little coordination at the European level. The centralised procurement of commercial satcom would generate economies of scale and build a credible demand. These economic and operational benefits would not be possible through fragmented procurements. As defence budgets are squeezed, have European milsatcom ambitions had to be toned down, or can pooling resources still deliver the most capable and resilient systems available? It is clear that the individual level of ambition of the nations that currently operate milsatcom in the EU will need to be rationalised. One option would be to switch to commercial satcom, but this would lead to the loss or reduction of military-specific requirements such as resilience, beam/bandwidth flexibility and anti-jamming. The alternative that the EDA is proposing would preserve the milsatcom next-generation at the European level, where some satcom assets could be partially opened to third-party users, while harmonising requirements and increasing the level of standardisation. Pooling and sharing options are being examined to ensure that milsatcom will be sustainable and affordable. The EDA can serve as a catalyst in that respect. Is there resistance in the European community to pooling meagre resources and developing a common milsatcom architecture? Do nations still want independent systems? It is probably unrealistic to launch a stand-alone flagship space programme dedicated to governmental satcom that would overlay existing milsatcom assets. A more practical approach would be to acknowledge the heritage of milsatcom within a few member states while making sure that a future system can be conceived and designed at the European level. This would allow for an intergovernmental approach while preserving sovereignty issues, rather than setting up a new space programme that the EU could not fund on its own. The EDA, as an intergovernmental agency, is ideally placed to take up this role. This is the ambition of SecTelSat.
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A practical approach would be to acknowledge the heritage of milsatcom within a few member states while making sure that a future system can be conceived and designed at the European level.
LIND
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The range of Rugged DVRs are capable of recording up to 32 PAL/NTSC, 360, IP, megapixel and audio input formats concurrently. They are ideal for system upgrades and entirely new builds alike. A variety of interface protocols make these products perfect for command and control scenarios, providing operational flexibility to frontline troops and commanders. Data is securely stored using the H.264 compression algorithm on solid-state storage media. Further options include rapid access to HDD and a removable caddy. The networking capabilities of these units offer large-scale video monitoring and control solutions. The flexibility of the software extends to multilingual applications, remote viewing on handheld devices, mapping capabilities and interfaces to third-party applications via a comprehensive software development kit.
Further information
Rugged DVR Systems www.ruggedDVR.com
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locking fingers) and one from Series F (coding with half-shells and locking with locking fingers). There are also connectors with push-pull locking or a break-away function. The Super Shorty is compatible with the plugs of standard receptacles from the ODU MINI-SNAP series, which means that there is no need to exchange receptacles that have already been installed. Its standard protection rating with respect to the terminal devices tightness is IP68, and 360 electromagnetic compatibility protection is available upon request. ODU AMC advanced military connector The new ODU AMC (advanced military connector) product series has also been designed specifically for military technology. The series is available in six sizes with up to 55 contact positions available.
The Super Shorty is compatible with the plugs of standard receptacles from the ODU MINI-SNAP series, which means that there is no need to exchange receptacles that have already been installed. Its standard protection rating with respect to the terminal devices tightness is IP68.
of 12mm). Contact arrangements with up to 14 positions are available as standard. The connector has a black and matt chrome surface that makes it ideal for military use. The customer has two versions to choose from: one from Series B (coding with pin and groove, and locking with The connection systems have been equipped with mechanical and colour coding, the latter of which is only visible when the connector is not plugged in. The combination of colour and mechanical coding makes incorrect plugging practically impossible.
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Custom miniature cylindrical connector with screw locking, designed to connect light-laser modules to weapon systems. It has a very compact construction being only 24mm long is watertight to a depth of 2m and rated IP68.
Custom IP68-rated key button for use in flashlights used by the military and law enforcement agencies. This key button replaces extension cables and protective covers.
The user can choose between a version with secure push-pull locking and one with a break-away function. Both connector versions can be inserted on the same receptacles, allowing maximum flexibility. The company has also included an easy-to-clean version as a standard in the product portfolio. The inserted pressure contacts allow rapid and easy cleaning of the connector in the field dust, dirt and mud cannot damage this
customer-specific solutions, ODU can provide a completely new connector that meets all requirements.
ODU has already successfully worked with system manufacturers in the soldier modernisation area. We are continually working on new developments and innovative technologies for the soldier of the future, in order to make the equipment even lighter and, above all, safer.
product. The customer can also choose among various sizes and contact arrangements here. Rounding out the new product series are 360 compatibility protection, inserts for transferring data rates according to various protocols, and special versions for tasks such as hotplugging. One question often heard in the area of cabling is, What about wireless? This is certainly a legitimate question, but in ODUs opinion not one for discussion at this time. The risk of a system breakdown is simply too high and naturally this is a risk that no one wants to take. It would also be necessary to integrate additional transmitters into the device, which would only further increase the weight of the soldiers equipment. ODU has already successfully worked with system manufacturers in the soldier modernisation area, reports Gnter Rohr, the companys director of strategic markets. A close relationship with the customer based on trust is very important to us, because that is the only way that our customers and the company can successfully press ahead with projects. We are continually working on new developments and innovative technologies for the soldier of the future, in order to make the equipment even lighter and, above all, safer.
Customer-specific developments
Standard solutions often do not satisfy all the specifications that are needed for a particular application. In such a case, clients do not need to settle for a standard solution that is almost right they can talk to ODU. As a specialist in
Further information
A connector from the ODU AMC series, including assembly and extrusion.
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Thuraya Securemobile mobile communications move. Thuraya IP - Secure communications on on thethe move.
Fast,compact, compact, easily and rugged satellite broadband solution. Fast, easilydeployable deployable and rugged satellite broadband solution.
384 kbpsStreaming Streaming IP kbps Standard IP IP 384 kbps IPand and444 444 kbps Standard Flexible pricing packages Flexible pricing packages Network exibly allocated bandwidth reduces contention, ensures Network exibly allocated bandwidth reduces contention, ensures uninterrupted and congestion-free communications uninterrupted and congestion-free communications Flexible uplink/downlink bandwidth speeds; cost effective - pay only for the Flexible uplink/downlink bandwidth speeds; cost effective - pay only for the bandwidth you use bandwidth you use Ultra-portable A5 size - 1.3 kg with battery - mounts on any vehicle Ultra-portable A5 grade size -encryption 1.3 kg with battery - mounts on any vehicle Supports military and VAS solutions Supports military grade and VAS solutions Developed and tested toencryption exceed operational requirements Developed and tested to exceed operational requirements Simultaneous voice & data applications Simultaneous voice & data applications
The network can dynamically allocate resources to areas where there is high consumer demand, increasing the reliability of our services for defence clients.
How do you see the market developing in the next five years?
The requirement for UAVs in the defence sector is growing rapidly. With our satellite capabilities, Thuraya is uniquely placed to provide broadband IP connectivity using lightweight terminals with small antennas. This will deliver high-quality video streaming from even the smallest UAVs, for which the only current solution is line-of-sight radio systems that severely limit the operational capabilities of these aircraft. We have a bespoke solution for UAVs in development. Comms on the Move is also a growing requirement for defence users. Thurayas solution in this area uses a compact and lightweight antenna, which can be easily mounted on the roof of any vehicle. The two-axis antenna efficiently enables 444kb/s standard IP and 384kb/s streaming IP services, even while the vehicles are moving at speeds in excess of 160km/h. This antenna is the smallest in the industry to accomplish such a high level of performance.
Further information
Thuraya www.thuraya.com
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ANDERS Multi-Role Combat Platform the Fire Support Vehicle Technological solutions adopted in the Fire Support Vehicle (Light Tank) project and the component selection allow to count the Polish Light Tank as the 3+ generation among world MBT solutions. Low combat weight and high ballistic protection levels (basic design level 3+, with add-on armour 5+, anti-mine 3) according to STANAG 4569 and external dimensions that allow air transport, predispose it for use in emergency or stabilising missions, both in classic and asymmetric conflicts, including in urban and mountain areas in any geographic location. Based on the solutions designed for the Fire Support Vehicle (Light Tank) project, OBRUM and the Bumar Group offer development of a complete family of vehicles based on the Multi-Role Combat Platform: the Polish Infantry Fighting Vehicle (it can carry six foot soldiers), a command, medevac, anti-air (based on the Loara concept), anti-armour (tank destroyer), electronic warfare, rocket launcher carrier and other vehicles. www.bumar.com
The adoption of an interoperable open architecture by the UK MoD will have a profound effect on defence procurement. Gordon Hunt, chief applications engineer at RTI, explains how, with its new generic vehicle architecture and Def Stan 23-09, the MoD has been more innovative and impactful than any previous defence procurement agency.
for business
economies. First, a major programme is defined, commonly around the need for a specific vehicle, aircraft or ship. Next, a tier-1 prime SI is selected to deliver the system. The prime SI is responsible for systems integration and timely delivery. Contracts are usually tied to through-life maintenance and management, and possibly training. With system lifecycles being extended to decades, such contracts are becoming an issue. DPAs and SIs struggle to sustain the supply chain for multiple proprietary vehicle designs. There is limited or no commonality of subsystem supply or economy of scale opportunity for the DPAs across their multiple vehicle procurements, which drives up costs as each vehicle is essentially a one off. The armys concern For military vehicle deployments, the nature of the threat is changing. The enemy is commonly asymmetric in nature and is adapting in the field to the high-tech capabilities of vehicles that have taken years to develop and deploy. By the time a new capability is fielded, the enemy has often already countered it. The field commander cannot use his highly skilled engineers to adapt vehicle systems in the field without access to a system specialist from each SI for each vehicle. More importantly, he cannot integrate a capability from one vehicle into another, because each vehicle has a unique systems integration structure. The MoD sought a more responsive and iterative process of integration, enabling it to deploy systems of systems that are ahead of the enemys abilities to change its modus operandi. The MoD consulted extensively with industry and leveraged years of previous work from the vehicle systems integration
he MoD has raised the bar for systems of systems integration management by initiating a fundamental shift in perspective regarding collaboration between defence procurement agencies (DPAs) and systems integrators (SIs).This new approach, supported and validated by industry leaders, provides for the development of future vehicles using a single, logically connected, cohesive and coherent architecture for maximum utility while enabling field command to derive the best logistically from military assets. Interoperable open architecture (IOA) adoption also sets the stage for a more competitive procurement process. Driven by clear economic imperatives, the MoD and SIs have had to change, accepting or divesting themselves of key responsibilities in the process. The MoD needs to spend more wisely to meet field requirements. For prime SIs, delivery risks and other penalties have been increasing, forcing them to push down on tier-2 and tier-3 SIs and push back on DPAs to ensure there is enough fat in a contract to mitigate risk. This downward economic spiral had to be stopped. The procurement process problem The approach to defence procurement follows a common model in democratic
Gordon Hunt
Gordon Hunt is a commander in the US Naval Reserves and a qualied engineering duty ofcer. His naval involvement has included working for both NAVSEA and SPAWAR commands in various robotic hardware and software integration efforts. Hunt is the chief applications engineer at Real-Time Innovations (RTI) and holds an MS from Stanford University and a BS from Purdue University in aerospace engineering. His technical expertise spans embedded systems, distributed real-time systems, robotics and controls. He is recognised as RTIs open architecture expert and principal consultant for distributed system architectures. He provides advanced designs and training to RTI customers and is an active member of the standards communities. Hunt joined RTI in 1999.
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(VSI) research programme and decided upon an IOA approach to address its system integration challenges. Full-system IOA solution The MoDs IOA and acquisition approach encompasses a whole-system view. Def Stan 23-09 addresses integration for the entire electrical system, everything from the automotive control systems to power management, sensors, human machine interfaces, health and usage monitoring systems, weapons and C4I. In short, anything with a processor, software and communication paradigms between subsystems is included in the GVA. Communication between two subsystems requires at least two common properties: the consumption and production of data. The MoD has assumed full responsibility for defining and maintaining a system data dictionary (SDD) of the complete vehicle defined on a subsystem-type basis (sensors, C4I,
HUMSs, etc), a dictionary and vocabulary for communication between subsystems. This approach to systems architecture design is a fundamental change from the traditional interface control document-based approach, which defines the low-level protocol and messages characteristic of the stovepipe system architectures that have inhibited field responsiveness to changes in threat.
between independent subsystems when used in conjunction with the land data model. DDS was originally architected to support data-centric development paradigms; the decision to implement their IOA through the specification of a data model leads directly to a data-centric development approach. The beauty of this approach is that the SDD can be openly shared. Most of
The MoDs IOA and acquisition approach is new and innovative in that it encompasses a whole-system view.
The MoD mandated the use of the object management group data distribution service (DDS) standard for the open-standard middleware for all data communication within the vehicle. Industry collaborators in the VSI research programme recommended DDS for the communication of data in a real-time environment as it ensures interoperability the land data model had by April 2011 been declassified, enabling ready sharing with the SIs, but also opening the door to collaboration between nation states a publically stated objective of the MoD. Def Stan 23-09 goes much further than the SDD and DDS mandate by promoting specific physical system interconnects, cable connection mechanisms, and HMI
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The Piranha 5s survivability system has been designed to be upgraded as new technologies are developed and new threats emerge.
More than 10,000 Piranha vehicles have been fielded worldwide. Can you tell us about the latest member of the Piranha family and its features?
The Piranha 5 was developed with adaptability, flexibility and growth capacity as the cornerstones of the design from the outset. Wheeled armoured combat vehicles now form the core of a deployable land forces power. For this reason they need to be effective across the complete spectrum of conflict, including peacekeeping, counter-insurgency and ultimately general war. A thorough analysis of the requirements across these scenarios was completed to drive the Piranha 5s design, ensuring its suitability for the operations of today and providing the growth needed to secure the future. The Piranha 5 provides the highest levels of survivability against conventional and asymmetric threats while having the capacity to fill all battlefield roles APC, ambulance, reconnaissance, command, mortar and even direct fire, via turrets of up to 120mm calibre. It can be delivered in either high or low roof configurations with open architectures, over 15 tons of payload and 120kW electrical power. This provides growth potential to secure a long service life for the vehicle as new technologies emerge and need to be integrated. The Piranha 5 sets a new survivability benchmark for the wheeled armoured combat vehicle class, providing the highest levels of mine, IED and ballistic protection. Its next-generation, full-coverage, modular survivability system was integrated into the vehicles design at the concept stage.
How does the military benefit from your wide range of services?
We are able to provide the whole range of products from small-calibre ammunition up to a main battle tank. This gives the customer the ability to deal with just one organisation to acquire the required capability. This wide product range is the enabler for a close partnership with our customers.
The company has a focus on ethics. Why is this so important and what are your objectives?
General Dynamics is proud of its name and reputation; public perception is critical to our continuing success. We provide accurate and timely information about our business to our investors, the media and the general public. We are a leader in the defence industry, providing services and products to many governments around the globe. The laws and regulations relating to doing business with government customers and public officials are complex, and we follow these laws carefully to protect our reputation.
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The Eagle BAT keeps wounded soldiers safe from ballistic threats, mines and IEDs while they are given emergency treatment.
The Piranha 5 provides the highest levels of mine, IED and ballistic protection.
As an example of the unrivalled performance that the Piranha 5 provides, the inline starter/generator creates the power for onboard systems while simultaneously providing up to 100kW AC of exportable power to sustain military or civilian infrastructure. It also has the capability to recover brake energy and reuse it to boost the vehicle powers output to 700hp.
Recently, GDELS delivered Eagle BAT vehicles to Germany. Can you tell us about this contract?
In October 2009 GDELS concluded a contract with Germanys federal office for defence technology and procurement, Bundesamt fr Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung, for the supply of 20 Eagle BAT (ambulance) vehicles. This contract, a follow-on to the 198 Eagles already ordered in 2008, was very challenging due to the tight delivery time required by the client. Within a 14-month timeline, all 20 vehicles had to be developed, tested, manufactured and delivered. Adhering to this tight schedule was made possible by closely coordinated measures in the manufacturing process, and excellent cooperation with the participating companies and authorities within the framework of the CPM integrated project management process.
Further information
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ittle more that two years after it previewed a static prototype of its innovative 6x6 extendable-platform military vehicle concept, TMV is receiving significant international interest for its fully operational six-wheel drive, six-wheel steer 6x6M SF. The vehicles design was based on the development of a unique modular platform, in 4x4 and 6x6 variants, to match the operational requirements of varied roles. This flexible approach also enables high levels of local content customers can even specify the power train and driveline. The selfjigging chassis structure minimises the investment required for local assembly, while the twin V-hull made from stainless steel entirely clad in blast plate provides enhanced levels of blast and ballistic protection at a low operational weight. This design and construction concept has resulted in an immensely lightweight infrastructure, while the innovative TMV vehicle architecture enables extreme flexibility, the same technology and benefits applying to both 4x4 and 6x6 derivatives. Modularity extends to the cab superstructure, which can be specified as a 100% composite pod. It provides high levels of
protection without being excessively heavy, while its bespoke nature allows for other blast and ballistic solutions. This modular principle also applies to removable rear pod configurations, which are specified according to role and mission, and again can be constructed in 100% composite. Personnel modules are fully interchangeable the process takes less than an hour, enabling mission role flexibility. Driveline components on all TMV vehicle options are configured using proprietary products, and mounted low-down in the middle of the vehicle so that weight distribution is optimised. This, together with a low centre of gravity, greatly assists the vehicles dynamic performance. Easy access and serviceability have been achieved using downstream input from frontline users, minimising kit requirement at FOB and GOB in operation.
Further information
TMV Limited, Park View House, 14 South Audley Street, London W1K 1HN, UK. Tel:+44 (0)1772 422911. E-mail: enquiries@tmv-ltd.com. www.tmv-ltd.com
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ehicle-mounted winches are often put to work under tough conditions in extreme environments. The requirements for them are therefore extremely high, both for civilian and military activities. In this market, Sepson has established a reputation as a trusted supplier of world-class equipment. The Swedish company was founded in 1900 and enjoys a prominent position in the market. It is always at the forefront of the development of trustworthy and reliable winches and systems. Sepsons winches are designed to be low maintenance. When repairs are needed, they can be performed without special tools by the customers own staff. Our products must always operate in a specific user environment, says Mats Elfsberg, president of Sepson. Our responsibility is to provide winches that are easy to use and guarantee high safety. He adds that the company believes it is important to provide a local presence so that it can solve problems on the spot. We also offer our end customers servicing and routine maintenance on site. And to ensure trouble-free operation, we arrange customised training for operators.
Permanent lubrication contributes to the long life and reliable operation of the companys winches, whatever they need to be used for.
Sepson has a long history of supplying drum winches with a constant maximum pulling power across the entire length of cable. All of the companys winches have a constant pulling force of up to 270kN.
Successful concepts Thanks to its expertise and a proven ability to innovate, Sepson has become a natural choice for military and civilian users worldwide. The company pioneered the use of hydraulically powered winches adapted for vehicle mounting, and since then products have been developed continuously. In addition to supplying winches that are trusted, reliable and uncomplicated, product development has focused on compact, modular solutions with low weight in relation to performance. The company has a tradition of working closely with clients to make individual adjustments to modular winches. Sepson also assists with the design of cable control and the installation of complete winch systems.
A winch for each task The winch programme consists of planetary gear-driven drum winches with a pulling force of up to 450kN. Many of the winches are available with an integrated cable feeder, which ensures excellent spooling. This is another factor that makes salvage work safer while minimising the risk of damage to the winch cable. Sepson has a long history of supplying drum winches with a constant maximum pulling power across the entire length of cable. All of the companys winches have a constant pulling force of up to 270kN and all can be free spooled, which means that the cable drum can be disengaged from the cable drive. The winch cable can then be spooled manually. The planetary gear-driven winches are highly efficient and permanently lubricated, which contributes to long life and trouble-free operations. The heat generated is very low, even during extensive use. Sepsons winches can be used in tropical and arctic climates, as well as in dry, dusty desert landscapes. They can withstand ambient temperatures ranging from -49C to +55C. All control devices for the winches meet electromagnetic compatibility requirements according to MIL-STD-461F.
Further information
Sepson www.sepson.se
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How can your high-tech glass products be applied to the area of security and defence?
Each unit in SCHOTT Defense brings unique proficiencies to the security and defence market. For example, when the military expressed a need for lighter and stronger transparent armour, SCHOTT provided a solution that is now a key component for Oshkoshs MRAP all-terrain vehicle (M-ATV). In addition to armour, SCHOTT contributes to the development of night vision systems and high-energy applications. The advanced optics team develops infrared glass designed for the next generation of thermal scopes and fused imagery. Our laser glass is used in range-finding applications (it is effective to distances as great as 50km) and high-peak power lasers for the peening of turbine engine components.
Can you give us some examples of where your products are being used?
Over the past two years, we have provided soldiers in Afghanistan with more than 8,000 transparent armour window systems for the Oshkosh M-ATV. Our lightweight system increased protection levels while decreasing lifecycle costs as the windows are less prone to discolouration or delamination. Our windows also lowered the overall weight and centre of gravity of the M-ATV, which decreased the chance of vehicle rollover.
How do you see your business developing in the next two years?
We are expanding the capabilities of our US manufacturing sites to meet the growing demands of the US defence market. In Duryea, Pennsylvania, we have created a one-stop shop for coated glass by investing in new optical coatings, infrared glass production and optics finishing capabilities. At present, we are looking to bring in new resources to manufacture a wider offering of laser glass and components. We are also in the process of expanding our electronic packaging production facility in Southbridge, Massachusetts. Our service to the defence industry over the past four decades has earned the company increasing visibility in the military and security communities. With the innovation stemming from our R&D sites and the investment in our manufacturing sites, SCHOTT Defense is poised to grow with and meet the challenges of the defence and security industry.
In the past two years, we have provided soldiers in Afghanistan with more than 8,000 transparent armour window systems for the Oshkosh M-ATV.
Our electronic packaging group specialises in hermetic packaging for electronics that play a critical role in military applications such as sensors, thermal battery covers, connectors, ordnance, opto-electronics, laser diodes and guidance systems. Our ceramic-to-metal and glass-to-metal seals are vacuum tight, and more reliable than plastic seals. This level of dependability is why our nuclear penetrators have a 60-year lifecycle and have been used for nuclear containment in more than 50 power plants and submarines.
Further information
SCHOTT Defense www.schott.com
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Defense SCHOTT North America, Inc. 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 450 Arlington, VA 22202 Phone: 703-418-1409 Fax: 703-418-4762 E-mail: defense@us.schott.com www.us.schott.com/defense
REVA armoured personnel carriers are double-skinned and possess a V-shaped hull, offering occupants superb protection from IEDs.
How have you adapted the REVA range to defend against battlefield threats?
All REVAs are designed to be upgraded by adding additional armour without influencing the baseline performance and characteristics of the vehicle. IEDs, explosively formed projectiles, landmines, suicide attacks and sniper fire are all commonplace in theatres of war in the 21st century. REVA armoured personnel carriers take all these threats in their stride; their solid double-skinned armouring and V-shaped hull design offer superb protection. All systems and procedures are fully aligned with internationally recognised quality-management philosophies, demonstrating a total commitment to rendering a superior risk-management and loss-prevention service. REVA vehicles are also highly versatile, and have been customised to a variety of military specifications.
What training does ICP provide for clients who choose the REVA brand?
Tactical and technical training customised to the local environment and vehicle configuration is given to all users. Training packages based on internationally accepted practices are available for crew members, and include outcomes related to: operation and maintenance; deployment procedures; the vehicles tactical applications; immediate action drills; recovery; offensive and defensive driving; and weapons. The training curriculum can be customised to suit the clients requirements and doctrine. Operator and technical train-the-trainer packages are also available for users wishing to rapidly integrate REVA armoured personnel carriers into existing organisations.
What are the most significant issues when designing and producing personnel carriers? How do you plan to meet these challenges?
Client requirements are primarily determined by the specific threats in their area of operation, therefore the design and development of personnel carriers is based on specific needs. Our design and engineering team are all former special forces servicemen who are in close contact with past colleagues who are active in areas of conflict around the world. Close interaction with these soldiers, who operate in hostile urban and rural terrain, together with first-hand experience of such situations and the protection required, has resulted in a versatile vehicle that can be custom-designed for the client.
What does ICP consider to be the most important factors when developing client relationships?
The company strives to form a unique partnership with each client. A thorough evaluation of the clients needs, including a strategic assessment of specific locations and terrains, enables the company to perform an integrated risk analysis and present them with innovative and cost-effective solutions. It is the companys belief that a sale does not signal the end of a partnership, which is why capability integration forms a critical phase of the client relationship.
Further information
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theory
I
EDs continue to be the main weapon used by terrorists in both the civilian and military arenas. Security and intelligence forces are facing unpredictable threats; terrorist and insurgency groups possess varied levels of expertise and capability in IED deployment, and are becoming more skilled in keeping them hidden. The devices used by insurgents in Iraq and against the International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan have become increasingly sophisticated. Although the number of troops killed by IEDs has fallen by 37% since August 2010 due to aerial surveillance and other countermeasures, the number of IEDs planted has remained between 1,300 and 1,500 a month during that period. Meanwhile, attacks in Pakistan, Iraq and separatist areas of Russia continue apace. Targeting transit systems Many IED attacks are suicide bombings that use homemade explosives, and many of these take place on transit systems. The vulnerability of airport terminals was highlighted by the January 2011 suicide attack at Moscows Domodedovo Airport, which killed 36 and injured 200. The bombs strength was equivalent to 7kg of TNT. The two explosive devices discovered on air cargo flights in October 2010 one in the UK, the other in Dubai, UAE marked a new phase in IEDs built to avoid detection. They contained around 400g of pentaerythritol tetranitrate, the
Big bang
IEDs have come a long way since the gunpowder plot. They are growing in sophistication, and military countermeasures and strategies are having a hard time keeping pace. Andy Oppenheimer reports on this constant game of catch-up.
same high-explosive used in the Lockerbie bomb and by shoe bomber Richard Reid. A component of semtex, it is stable and hard to detect. In these devices, the explosive was packed into computer printer cartridges and had mobile phone parts hidden in the printer. At first it was thought the bombs could have been detonated by calling the phone, triggering the vibrating motor, which would detonate the pentaerythritol tetranitrate inside the cartridge, but US officials later confirmed that the device did not feature the SIM cards needed to receive calls, indicating the phones were to be used as timers. The device found in the UK was rendered safe just three hours before it was due to explode. A senior counterterrorism official said it was one of the most sophisticated weve seen the naked eye wont pick it up, experienced bomb officers did not see it, X-ray screening is highly unlikely to catch it. Chemical initiation Initiation and detonation are the main challenges for the airborne terrorist, who must not only conceal components within a small device, but also ensure that, with the vagaries of air travel, they work at the right time and place. Unless all of the components of an airborne IED function at once, failure is possible and the more links there are in the chain of initiation the more likely it is to malfunction. Because commercial detonators show up on a standard airport scanner, recent bomb attempts have involved disguised devices to be detonated by chemical initiation. The so-called underpants bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, attempted to set off an IED on an aircraft bound for Detroit on Christmas Day 2009 by injecting a glycol-based liquid explosive into the devices main charge of powdered pentaerythritol tetranitrate. The device also contained triacetone triperoxide, a highly unstable homemade explosive that has been used in several terrorist attacks. It can also be used as a detonator, but failed in this case. Had Abdulmutallab been able to use a commercial detonator, he would have likely used a blasting cap or an exploding wire detonator to set off the pentaerythritol tetranitrate, and would have breached the aircraft. Improvised incendiary devices The vehicle-borne IED remains the most destructive terrorist weapon, and several attacks and attempted attacks have involved propane gas containers or other flammable enhancements. Among them was the amateurish vehicle-borne IED that failed to detonate in New York Citys Times Square in May 2010, which was packed with propane tanks. Improvised incendiary devices have also been deployed by resurgent dissident republican groups in Northern Ireland. A car bomb was destroyed in a controlled explosion outside Crossmaglen police station on 3 April 2010. Ten days later another was
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Andy Oppenheimer
Andy Oppenheimer is the editor of G2 Defence Intelligence & Security and Chemical & Biological Warfare Review, and the author of IRA: The Bombs and the Bullets A History of Deadly Ingenuity. He has worked as a consultant to Janes Information Group and defence institutes in the UK and the US.
the target, location, environment and availability of components and expertise. Electronic countermeasures, or jamming systems, have to be constantly updated as bombers quickly learn how to circumvent them. When these countermeasures were used to jam low-power radio-controlled devices the aforementioned garage-door openers and car-alarm fobs insurgents switched to high-power ones, including two-way radios and extended-range cordless phones. Then they began using the most ubiquitous initiator of all, the mobile phone.
When the US introduced heat decoys as a countermeasure to explosively formed projectiles, insurgents adjusted the firing angle so that the slug would hit 2-3m behind the heat decoy. Then, in early 2010, Afghan insurgents began using a new passive infrared trigger dubbed the Black Cat. It incorporates a motion sensor adapted to detect passing electronic countermeasure sweep bubbles and only detonates when it does so. This is the essence of terrorists catching up with and overtaking a countermeasure. IED supply chains Non-state actors require a covert and sometimes extensive logistics chain to meet the constant need to produce IEDs. In our age of increased surveillance, attacks require acquisition, planning and logistics to prevent discovery. The Taliban has extensive local and international supply chains, using informal money transfers and other localised means of acquisition. Todays self-starter jihadists may sometimes have to concoct homemade explosives of varying reliability and stability from commercial chemicals that are available locally, but insurgents operate with a ready supply of legacy weapons and many other components that come from legitimate suppliers. The pace of IED manufacture and their countermeasures keeps insurgents on a constant, rapid learning curve that sharpens their skills in bomb making and IED emplacement. As well as highly effective technical countermeasures, explosive ordnance detection techniques and interdiction, intelligence is needed to pre-empt attacks and capture the would-be perpetrators. It is even more important that intelligence services track and trace the many links in terrorist supply chains, so that they can interdict them, apprehend and shut down suppliers, and otherwise disrupt the flow. In other words: shoot the archer, not the arrow.
Chasing shadows
Iraqi insurgents also used handheld radiofrequency meters and bombs with dummy trial-and-error firing circuits to pinpoint the exact part and size of the spectrum blanked out by the jammers. They switched to new remote control devices, making use of bandwidths beyond the jamming range. Other problems with jamming include countering weak signals and detecting devices against a lot of background noise, especially in urban areas. One prime way that terrorists evade electronic countermeasures is by applying passive infrared triggers to IEDs, including the explosively formed projectiles fired at passing vehicle convoys by Iraqi insurgents. Explosively formed projectiles are constructed with a copper cone liner placed over an explosive charge, creating a hollow space in front of and along the charges axis. On detonation, the copper is transformed into a forceful stream of molten metal that can pierce a tanks armour it can hit at around 8,000m/s. The sensors in explosively formed projectiles detect motion by responding to the changes in temperature created by the engine of a passing vehicle. The infrared cannot be jammed electronically as it does not rely on radio frequencies as a trigger.
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L-3 WESCAMs MX-10GS is a lightweight Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) system that provides an all-weather, fully-stabilized means to detect, identify, track and fight threats 24/7. Its advanced imaging capabilities, HD resolution, and 360 vantage point enable long range RSTA missions while stationary or on the move, simultaneously providing wide field-of-view situational awareness for combating urban and asymmetric threats. With its leading sensor and stabilization package, the MX-10GS significantly increases platform lethality, vehicle survivability and crew protection. To learn more, visit www.wescam.com
WESCAM
L-3com.com
KYDEX Technologies has a straightforward aim: protecting things that matter. Its blast-limiting product Convoy Deck offers security to the occupants of military vehicles, preventing approximately 90% of the injuries to which they would otherwise be exposed during an IED event. The company, which has over 15 years of experience at the forefront of materials design, started out by creating shock-absorbing devices for Nike running shoes. Realising that the technology had far more wide-ranging potential, SKYDEX went on to engineer and design towards military applications. We began to look for other things that matched our objective, says CEO Mike Buchen. Instantly the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan became our focus. Since 2003, SKYDEX has been delivering products ranging from helmet and knee pads to boat decking and blast-limiting panels, all fully optimised to save lives around the world.
The chemically bonded plastic hemispheres enable the SKYDEX Convoy Deck to absorb huge amounts of energy.
out. All SKYDEX products are subject to a procedure known as tuning, whereby the variables of their constituent material, thermoplastic polyurethane, are adjusted to absorb the requisite amount of energy. Compared with a vehicle with steel flooring, one with Convoy Deck offers the same blast-mitigating protection at half the thickness and weight. It also transmits less compressive force to its occupants, thereby reducing one of the major causes of injury.
Sustainable security
SKYDEX Convoy Deck has plenty of secondary benefits. It is mainly made from recycled materials, with around 80% of the elastomeric resin used having been reground. Its extremely green, says Buchen. The product is also modified during production to achieve antibacterial and antimicrobial properties as appropriate. SKYDEX Technologies brand ethos is palpably strong as Buchen describes it: SKYDEX is a cause that became a company. Foreseeing a tremendous need for their technology during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, SKYDEX engineers committed themselves fully to the troops welfare, and thus transposed their protective expertise from the athletics field to the battlefield. Since then, Buchen has invested substantial time with warfighters and visiting hospitals as he does on product development. SKYDEX Convoy Deck is ideally suited to the needs of the military today. Unobtrusive yet lifesaving, it enables troops to focus fully on their duties, and cements the companys reputation as a leader in the field of blast protection.
Further information
SKYDEX Technologies www.skydex.com
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Mountain Lion
Taking pride of place within the RSD family of high mobility tactical vehicles, the Mountain Lion is a versatile armoured utility vehicle able to take on multiple roles on the battlefield. Engineered for a demandingly high payload, while ensuring crew survivability, the Mountain Lion enhances the mobility of combat forces and extends expeditionary capabilities. The vehicle is also ideally suited
Combat proven. Yes, the HUSKY knows what that means. It has seen service in North America, Africa, The Balkans, Asia and the Middle East, saving thousands of human lives.
Can you provide some examples of where your technology is being deployed at the moment?
More than 650 Telerob remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are in service today, the majority in police or military units. Besides 21 Nato countries, we have delivered a large number of systems to the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula in particular. These are mainly used for explosive ordnance and IED disposal purposes, but some are deployed by fire-fighting units, radiation protection departments and NBC defence authorities.
Can you tell us a bit about Telerob and your main product offerings?
Thomas Biehne: Protecting or finding a replacement for humans in situations where their presence would be either impossible or place them at risk has always been Telerobs guiding principle. Telerob has a long tradition of this, in products that range from stationary and mobile systems for the nuclear industry to military and homeland security solutions. Transferring and adapting the knowledge, technology and experience gained from nuclear industry solutions has allowed Telerob to become the standard for quality, reliability and capability in the military and homeland security businesses. Telerob produces advanced security solutions by blending high levels of creativity and competence in the fields of electrical and electronic engineering, IT and telemetry, simulation and robotics, and precision mechanical engineering. Our product range includes UGVs such as tEODor, the famous heavy robotic system for explosive ordnance and IED disposal, and teleMAX, a sophisticated medium-sized IED disposal platform. Besides a range of additional accessories and equipment for the explosive ordnance disposal technicians toolbox, Telerob provides the TEL600 series, a family of vehicles designed to tackle the demanding tasks associated with locating, identifying and disarming explosive or otherwise dangerous devices. This family encompasses dozens of vehicle types and sizes, tailored to each clients individual needs. In this way Telerob offers a one-stop shop for complete packages for situations when the best is just about good enough.
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The tEODor ROV can dispose of threats without causing collateral damage.
Our ROVs have universal interfaces that make it easier for clients to adapt and integrate further tools and devices.
Are there any products in the development stage that youd like to discuss?
Based on our philosophy to speed up and simplify the complex movements and procedures of ROVs, we are looking into possibilities to let operators feel like they are using their own arm. A manipulating arm should be designed as close to the physics of a human arm as possible and controlling this arm should be as easy as moving your own. A second arm would make operation much easier, wouldnt it?
frequently in the next few years, and there is much work to be done to ensure that the toolboxes of security authorities across the world are filled up with the right instruments.
What trends do you expect to see in the next two years that will affect the way you develop homeland security and defence solutions?
Over the years we have had to resign ourselves to the unpredictability of terroristic attacks, and this threat has become much more comprehensive and varied than it was before. The answer should be to combine all defensive measures and capabilities in order to gather and process available information, providing relevant data to decision-makers and allowing them to select from a wide selection of tools to counter all kinds of attacks without delay. Telerob already designs and delivers complete critical-asset security solutions that are capable of dealing with the full range of possible threats. Such solutions consist of several specialised units that bring specific capabilities and equipment, and are perfectly tuned to each other. Cross-linking all involved units and moving relevant data to the right place in the network has become one of the key challenges.
What are your main target markets? Do you see expansion taking place in the near future?
Security and stability are cornerstones for economic prosperity in emerging markets. Investment in security solutions will surely follow once a certain level of wealth and foreign investment is reached. At the same time, we might see a slight fall in demand for basic security equipment from the older markets due to market saturation, especially if products last for 15 or more years like ours do. We envisage that the international security situation will change
Further information
Telerob www.telerob.de
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The US Army clearly understands the importance of this ground-penetrating radar and is steadily increasing the number of NIITEKs mine-detection systems on the battlefield. Army personnel have described the HMDS as a leap forward in technology in the road clearance mission. Recently, NIITEK was awarded a fifth production contract from the US Army worth $38.4 million, with a potential maximum value of $78 million.
Further information
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With NIITEKs battle tested ground penetrating radar (GPR) products at the heart of a mine-detection system, troops get a real-time, three-dimensional view of what lies ahead roadside bombs, or any other type of buried hazard.
VehicleScan
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www.niitek.com
www.storktechnicalservices.com
email: dtw@stork.com
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o accurately fulfil the needs of operations, logistics should ideally be aligned with command and control (C2) systems to ensure that the exact equipment required, from tanks to bullets, is in place and available for a planned operation. The system could even be as
precise as recording every shot fired to prompt an automatic reorder of ammunition. This means bringing together the green, or battlespace, world with the white world of support systems. In the past, this has been done by various ministries of defence as bespoke projects, but the complexity
means development can be costly and take many years. There is also an increasing requirement for the militaries of different countries to share battlespace and logistics information when working together in a coalition, and the differing systems can make this cumbersome.
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Platforms
Because of the way SAP and Systematics offering supports different parts of the military operation, there are different versions suited to the platform. A stripped-down version can operate on a ruggedised laptop in a vehicle or a regular laptop in a forward operating centre. A full PC portal base can operate at headquarters; in the past, the logistic element would have operated completely independently. The logistics world and the operations world are seldom superimposed on one another, says MacGregor-Millar. SAP does logistics really well building a picture of supplies, maintenance and personnel. With Systematic, we can add value to what G3 operators and staff officers are doing by adding logistics information behind the C2 icons you see on the screen.
The operations component provides situational awareness for field commanders and unit leaders to enable rapid tactical decision-making and quick switching to alternative courses of action.
The companies solution is a fully scalable C2 solution with full integration into the SAP logistics system. It works by feeding reports on the holdings of front line military units into the logistics system, enabling commanders to precisely manage the levels of stock on the battlefield and ensure correct stocks of ammunition, weapons, functional vehicles and other resources are available for planned operations. SAPs head of Industry Business Unit Defence, Angus MacGregor-Millar, says that the systems are not just compatible, they are symbiotic. scenario for joint and multinational forces, and enabling planning, tasking, logistics and status management for individual and joint forces. The operations component provides situational awareness for field commanders and unit leaders to enable rapid tactical decision-making and quick switching to alternative courses of action as conditions change.
Single picture
SAP and Systematic point out that their offering is not completely unique as many defence forces have carried out bespoke work to integrate C2 and logistics systems to support a specific countrys military operations. What is unique about it is the majority of those bespoke C2 systems work in one area, MacGregor-Millar explains. So they might support the LINK 16 [military tactical data network] air picture, the military operations picture or a maritime picture. Systematic enables all of those to be displayed in a
Human element
Holm explains this multi-level approach can gather information from a range of sources across a military operation.
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Whatever financial benefits linking C2 and logistics brings, the critical factor is that it could optimise planning for military operations.
Defence cuts
As well as improving the outcome of military engagement, a closer alignment of C2 and logistics is increasingly important to manage assets and reduce costs in an era of severe defence budget cuts. Officers doing the planning will know exactly what assets they have available when they are planning, says Holm. The systems offer a new way of planning fighting you can cut down your structural costs, and you dont buy too much stock when you know it can be resupplied within a specific lead time under the resupply cycle you have with now linked directly with the actual use of it in operational scenarios. MacGregor-Millar points out that as the militaries of several countries have already invested in SAP or Systematic, the reseller agreement brings added value for armed forces looking to bring C2 into the operational area.
Resupply on demand
Whatever financial benefits linking C2 and logistics brings, the critical factor is that it could optimise planning for the improved success of military operations. You cannot plan with something you do not have, says Holm. You cannot
The author of this article is the editor of Strategic Defence Intelligence, which provides an unrivalled source of global information on the latest developments in the defence industry. Its unique monitoring platform enables integration of proprietary reports and editorial with relevant global news sources in a highly structured manner, giving a comprehensive and easily-searchable picture of all events and activity across the global defence industry. Contact:
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A leader in logistics
Businesses and governments need to be able to depend on exible and reliable freight forwarders. Axel Hoffmeister, managing director of National Air Cargo, explains how his companys responsive and discreet services benet the military.
Can you tell us about National Air Cargo, and what business is like currently?
Axel Hoffmeister: National Air Cargo has been successful in the transportation and logistics sector for more than 20 years. We have more than 600 employees worldwide. The focus of our activities lies in the airfreight forwarding business and, since 2010, the cargo and passenger air charter and brokerage business. Our sister company National Airlines expanded its fleet last year with the acquisition of three Boeing 747-400BCFs and five Boeing 757-200s, four of which are currently being converted into combi aircraft. National Airlines will see much stronger activity in the coming years, which will open doors and create new opportunities for the freight-forwarding arm and the charter business. Our experience in transporting demanding cargoes that other companies do not want for whatever reason maybe because the cargo is heavy, outsized, dangerous or urgent is well respected in the military community. We are also getting more recognition from commercial sectors and supranational organisations.
Our military customers have contact numbers through which they can reach us at any time. In life or death cases we can deliver within 24 hours.
How do you see the market changing in the next five years?
We are optimistic about the future, but are aware that we need to diversify our product and our customer portfolio if we want to continue to be successful. We will have three pillars in the future: air freight forwarding, aircraft charter and brokerage, and the airline itself. In air freight forwarding we need to increase our geographical coverage in Europe and the Far East, and we will put more emphasis on project logistics and commercial sectors like AOG or marine parts. However, we will always stay very close to our roots, which is supplying for armed forces, governments and supranational organisations in crisis zones, and being a reliable and discreet partner for the defence industry.
Further information
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Intercontinental Range Upto 120 tons Payload Special Projects Time Sensitive Mission Critical In-Transit Visibility Personalized Services
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Americas - New York: Tel: +1 716 631 0011 Michigan: Tel: +1 734 484 4800 Europe - Frankfurt: Tel: +49 69 690 788 96 Middle East - Dubai: Tel: +971 4 299 7707 Asia Pacific - Kuala Lumpur: Tel: +60 3 8320 1900 Email: chartersales@nationalaircargo.com Website: www.nationalaircargo.com www.nationalairlines.aero
WEW Westerwlder Eisenwerk GmbH Ringstrasse 65a D-57586 Weitefeld - Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 2743 - 9222-0 Fax: +49 (0) 2743 - 3411
www.wew.de
E-Mail: wew@wew-tankcontainer.de
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Can you provide an example of a solution you offered to one of your armed forces clients?
Since 1998 the German Bundeswehr purchased more than 300 WEW tank containers for potable water; these are equipped with effective insulation, heating devices, pressure-increasing systems and, in some cases, chlorination units, UV-radiation units and their own power supplies. The containers have been proving their reliability and value in Afghanistan and the Balkans for more than ten years. So its not surprising that, since 2001, the US Army has looked to copy the German approach. In 2006, after successful long-term testing, they selected WEW and its US partner MMC to deliver the Multi Water Tank Container System HIPPO (2,000gal = 7.5m/hook-arm) in impressive numbers.
WEW is renowned for tailoring systems to suit client needs. Can you tell us about your solutions for military requirements?
Based on 1,600 international approvals and an impressive number of patents, WEW is accepted as a reliable supplier among the best-renowned certification and approval bodies in the business. We even supply institutions like the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Berlin.
The containers for potable water have been proving their reliability and value in Afghanistan and the Balkans for more than ten years.
WEW combines unique approvals, patents and experiences, even in civil applications for example hook-arm-related, double-shell pressure fuel tank systems. After our remarkable success with intermodal systems for the supply of drinking water an area in which we have generated a Nato standard, with customers in the US, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Lithuania and Slovenia we are introducing intermodal fuel supply solutions. This includes optional protection systems up to STANAG level 4. In both the water and fuel segments we see significant long-term and global need. WEW can provide a full range of fully equipped, intermodal or demountable tank systems for mobile fuel and water supply, covering the needs of disaster relief, peacekeeping and other military missions.
Further information
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In-transit tracking
Unchecked and unmonitored containers not only hamper supply chain efciency, they could pose a security risk. Custom and commercial software specialist Zenateks container-tracking solution offers real-time status updates, eliminating stakeholder uncertainty.
enatek has extensive management experience in the civil and military logistics fields, and in particular the development of custom and commercial software. The companys main product, the Zenatek Tracking System, heralds a new level of performance when it comes to tracking, monitoring and reporting on goods in transit. This smart technology allows logistics operators to manage and monitor events in the supply chain in real time, at all times. It also provides customers with in-transit visibility of their shipments and a safe service end-to-end, eliminating all uncertainty regardless of whether the goods are being transported in a dry or refrigerated container. Stakeholders receive information in a timely manner, allowing them to re-route shipments if necessary. These capabilities translate into improved supply chain efficiency, and provide high returns by reducing container misuse and avoiding rejected loads due to temperature deviations beyond a pre-established range. Correct demurrage timings are another benefit. The service lasts as long as the battery does usually three to four months or 120-150 messages and its cost is inclusive of any messages sent during its lifespan. Messages can be sent from any container the system is attached to, wherever it is worldwide, through an effective partnership Zenatek has with Vodafone.
Temperature alarm
Container localisation
Container tracing
The Zenatek Tracking System provides clients with access to a range of information via their PC, regardless of where the container is in the world.
The Zenatek Tracking System does not require any additional investment in fixed infrastructure such as porticos, readers or repeaters. Nor is it necessary to recover the unit.
The systems real-time technology provides data about container tampering, unscheduled stops, door openings and closings, temperature (in a range specified by each client), and any other environmental parameters as needed. The main characteristic of the Zenatek Tracking System is its ability to gather and transmit enough representative data to the client, without redundancy, while having the lowest possible cost impact. The product is based on a container-tracking device, which can be easily installed in the middle of a containers doors. The container-tracking device is configured on a web portal that clients can connect to using an encrypted code
unique to them; this allows clients access to all information about the transportation of their containers whenever they need it. The container-tracking device is engineered with GPS and GSM technologies, allowing it to use both cellular and satellite communication channels depending on customer needs and network availability. Clients can also configure temperature thresholds and transmission intervals to the data centre remotely. The Zenatek Tracking System does not require any additional investment in fixed infrastructure such as porticos, readers or repeaters. Nor is it necessary to recover the unit, eliminating all costs associated with this task. However, due to the systems extended battery life, and the fact that the service has already been paid for, clients can continue to use the container-tracking device until it runs out of energy. Zenateks container-tracking device is a small and sturdy piece of equipment, with simple specifications and foolproof installation. It has been tested under European Commission and US Federal Communications Commission standards. The threat of a terrorist attack can never be eliminated but it can certainly be reduced. Unchecked and unmonitored containers, trailers or rail cars, combined with current business procedures in many ports and points of origin, represent a hidden danger that we are all aware of.
Further information
Zenatek www.zenatek.eu
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helicopters stop for refuelling. The filter/separator vessels are available in 50gal/min, 100gal/min and 350gal/min models. Additional concerns about jet fuel quality led Velcon to develop the Velcon Contaminant Analyser (VCA), an electronic fuel monitoring device that can be installed on fuelling equipment and pipelines to protect against contaminated or wet fuel and determine the relative cleanliness of fuel as it passes from one supplier to the next. The VCA was developed in conjunction with Physical Sciences Inc, which had supplied a laser particle analyser to the US Navy for monitoring fuel on aircraft carriers.
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Even flow
Velcon has tested and qualified a number of vessel configurations for military requirements.
being integrated into the outlet of a Cla-Val flow control valve body. This combined unit, the VCA-CV, makes installation within an existing pipe or fuel line much more convenient, streamlined and cost effective. The VCA-CV has the ability to automatically shut off the flow at the control valve when
Another product developed by Velcon is the FDPM or Flow Differential Pressure Module which automatically calculates the corrected differential pressure across a filter vessel, as per the ATA 103 standard. The condition of the filters inside the vessel is automatically determined based on the differential pressure, the actual flow rate and the rated flow of the specific vessel. Velcon continues to develop solutions for a variety of fuel filtration challenges in an ongoing effort to ensure that quality fuel is available to the military and the commercial aviation industry.
Further information
Velcon Filters www.velcon.com
Please send an email request to vfsales@velcon.com Include your name, address, and your choice of the Apache, F-35, or both posters.
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Few areas within defence are more open to radical change than training. Air Commodore Paddy Teakle of the Joint Air Power Competence Centre reveals that there is an urgent need to address the balance between live, virtual and constructive training to achieve the best value for money without compromising operational output.
The current approach to training features legs of different lengths and a stool that is precariously out of balance. If action is not taken to address this there is a risk that the system will topple and fail to deliver the outcomes that are needed. At present it would appear that the stool is imbalanced due to the fact that the live-training leg is significantly longer than the other two. However, an equally worrying factor is the insidious reduction in the height of the stool
replacement for live training and a way of better delivering operational capability. This potential has already been proven in a number of instances but there is an urgent prerogative to take this further. In many cases virtual training capabilities remain isolated due to the fact that they were developed independently and are not easily interoperable. This not only manifests as a lack of coherency across the live, virtual and constructive training environments, but also across the individual, team, group or collective training domains. If these stovepipes can be dismantled, the resultant capability is impressive. The success of capability concept demonstrators and similar initiatives, allied with advances in technology, has led to a greater appetite for synthetic training, and emerging and future technologies. However, in order to fill existing training gaps. It is clear that defence ministries and departments must first develop a coherent and comprehensive joint training and simulation strategy. This strategy must determine the level of training fidelity required for each military task and specify the clear apportionment of live, virtual and constructive training. With skill-fade and hibernation becoming
In many cases virtual training capabilities remain isolated due to the fact that they were developed independently and are not easily interoperable.
brought about by budgetary pressures, which have forced the shortening of this particular leg. In other words, not only has the level of training been reduced without any compensating measures, but action has not been taken to bring balance to an imbalanced situation. Training gaps have appeared and an urgent assessment of investment across all three areas is required to establish equilibrium at the appropriate level. apparent in some capabilities it is evident that existing training structures, delivery and equipment do not effectively provide this apportionment. Consequently there has been a failure to make full use of the synthetic training environment to properly complement live activity. Such a strategy is but one step towards achieving an optimal blend of live and synthetic training. Procurement strategies and embedded generational attitudes must also be challenged. Furthermore, safety must be considered upfront and a minimum safe level of live
Artificial intelligence
Synthetic training has the potential to fill the existing gaps, both as a partial
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Paddy Teakle
Air Commodore Paddy Teakle DSO OBE joined the Royal Air Force in 1978, and has own Vulcans, Victors and Tornados in his long and distinguished career. He is currently assistant director of transformation at the Joint Air Power Competence Centre in Kalkar, Germany.
one might expect. Assuming that training effectiveness can be transferred from a live scenario to a simulator on an equal basis something open to conjecture any potential savings can only be realised through the acquisition of fully distributed synthetic training networks, and these do not come cheap. The problem is also exacerbated by the relatively poor state of most synthetic inventories. For example, most air forces struggle to achieve ratios of better than 75:25 in their live/synthetic balance. There are some notable exceptions that help to illustrate that it is possible to achieve a fundamentally different balance and still deliver exceptional operational capability and readiness the US Air Forces fast jet readiness aircrew programme for the B-2 delivers a 50:50 ratio. That said, military air forces
linked to operational tasks, and routinely and independently evaluated. When required, changes must be made to the training system to maintain effective and efficient delivery. The adoption of a systematic approach allows for the derivation of mission-essential competencies to establish the requisite knowledge, skill and experience, and determine where gaps exist in the training regime. Once determined, the training requirement can then be quantified, recorded and audited. A simultaneous audit of the synthetic training environment should determine if the synthetics are fit for purpose in terms of safety and functionality, and identify technical deficiencies. The output of both audits should be used to confirm the training system and inform the procurement cycle.
The challenge for proponents of synthetic training is to provide a standard of synthetic equipment that is not only safe and fit for purpose, but also attractive as a training tool to the trainee and trainer.
synthetic technology does not fully replicate the physical, psychological and emotional pressures experienced during live activity, so it must be viewed as complementary and not as a substitute or replacement. On the plus side, synthetic training can offer a level of immersion and scale that is not achievable in the live arena, it is repeatable and cost-effective, and provides a safe environment in which to assimilate and acquire skills. Moreover, synthetic training allows for the creation of richer settings than conventional training solutions alone. The cost of training will be a huge driving factor, and it is interesting to note that the cost efficiencies expected by increasing the proportion of synthetic training are not as great as remain far short of the mark set by the civilian airlines that operate zero flight-time rated schemes, with all training conducted in the simulator. It is true to say that the motivations for this are primarily financial, but this training is still subject to equally strict safety requirements. The optimal live-synthetic blend can be determined through a defence-wide application of a systematic approach to training. This approach, which is widely applied across industry, aims to determine the level of training of an individual, team, group or collective by analysing the training need, selecting the most appropriate media to deliver it and maintaining the standard through an independent and auditable review process. All training must be directly
Generation games
The challenge for proponents of synthetic training is to provide a standard of synthetic equipment that is not only safe and fit for purpose, but also attractive as a training tool to the trainee and trainer. Although synthetic training may not fully replicate live activity, the gap is closing and the required level of training fidelity for each task must be determined and matched to the available media to make efficient use of live and synthetic training opportunities. If the synthetics are antiquated or unrepresentative of the platform, negative attitudes are formed. Many older hands have a negative attitude toward simulation and look for minimal exposure, opting instead to conduct the majority of their training in the live domain, but this practice is both wasteful and expensive. In contrast, the younger generation has a much more positive attitude to synthetic training, but the standard of equipment must be improved if this optimism is to be properly nurtured. This is a generation
Reality suggests an inexorable reduction in live activity, and it is clear that this must be counterbalanced with synthetic training.
must inform the procurement process so that it can keep pace with refresh rates and exploit emerging commercial technology. An incremental approach is unlikely to keep pace with future defence reviews, acquisition cycles or technology refresh rates. Failing to approach the task holistically risks creating a dangerous imbalance of the three-legged stool. Reality suggests an inexorable reduction in live activity, and it is clear this must be counterbalanced with an increase in synthetic training. If not, training gaps and shortfalls will be created, the overall level of the stool will be reduced and operational capability will be lost. Clearly, there must be a number of safeguards in place before we set off along the path to the greater use of synthetic technology. Further analysis is required to determine the minimum levels of live activity for safety reasons, and to prepare personnel for the physical and psychological demands placed on them during operations. In addition, to enable synthetics to shoulder a greater portion of training, a fully distributed network of interoperable live and synthetic platforms and sensors must be established. This transition requires a significant shift in culture, and will inevitably challenge the attitudes of many. However, there is little option but to better balance the stool. To do so in the face of severe resource constraints is difficult, but it would appear that there is no better option than to fully embrace the potential of synthetics.
Visibly better
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With the in house developed software tools S&P focuses on the generation of high resolution 3D terrain databases. In this way we support training systems within the areas ranging from ight simulators, and tower simulators to shooting and driving simulation, as well as the entire spectrum of military visual simulations. If you like to have a visibly better quality in all desired visual system components, combined with maximum cost-effectiveness and reliability contact us.
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3D simulators are an ideal way to train without the risks of live combat and prepare personnel for situations that are impractical to replicate.
irtual Logic Systems (VLS) is a technology company focused on the application of virtual reality, simulation, mechatronics and 3D stereoscopic technologies for skills acquisition and enhancement across the defence, law enforcement, transportation, design and manufacturing industries. Its products, solutions and services are all about using the power of real-time 3D simulation, and its application for serious purposes such as training and education. The company is the fastest growing virtual reality technology solution provider in India and is now entering the European market through its office in Paris, France. It has more than five years of experience of providing virtual reality solutions and engineering services, and creating independent simulators, customised simulation software and projection systems. The cutting-edge virtual reality and simulation technology offerings from VLS have empowered defence and law enforcement establishments to plan their training strategies in a realistic environment while reducing risk. Countries whose forces face a number of combat scenarios, internal security challenges and terrorist threats can benefit from the companys expertise in strengthening its military preparedness. Today countries face new security challenges, and the preparedness of the defence personnel has become paramount, says Surya Prakash, VLS CEO. VLSs new operations in Paris can facilitate the preparedness of the defence industry across Europe. The costs involved in all aspects of the defence industry are phenomenal, but VLSs simulation technology can stop them from rising further. The companys simulator products allow customers to train in near-real conditions, thereby exposing personnel to real-life situations in a risk-free environment. VLS can deliver customised and high-fidelity simulators at an affordable cost of ownership by drawing on the strengths of its research lab in Europe and development centre in India. Simulators offer the advantage of training personnel on tasks
The costs involved in all aspects of the defence industry are phenomenal, but VLSs simulation technology can stop them from rising further.
Operator and maintenance training simulator
The companys operator and maintenance training simulator offers hands-on learning using recreated maintenance tasks and workshop environments. It can be deployed at customer locations in physical forms, ranging from fully immersive 3D systems to desktops and handheld devices. The simulator has been designed to impart the skills needed to operate, troubleshoot and maintain complicated machine systems. Through its real-time and interactive 3D simulation software, developed with photo-realistic, user-specific 3D content by subject-matter experts, users can learn about a piece of equipment or machinerys operative functions, learn specific operating and troubleshooting procedures, and identify and address bad habits.
Further information
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t s r i f y t e f a S
s V A U on
UAVs offer a way for armed forces to enter hazardous or hostile areas without putting lives at risk. However, says Captain Robert Dishman of the US Navy, their lack of a pilot means that making sure that they operate safely around other aircraft is a priority. He tells Jim Banks about the work being done in this area.
n recent years, the military has invested heavily in UAVs, which could mark a significant shift in how operations are carried out in hostile environments. They are able to keep going for far longer than a pilot or driver could, and can be used in locations that could pose a risk to human life. Unmanned systems could be a real game-changer, says Captain Robert Dishman of the US Navy, the former programme manager of the Persistent
Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office at Naval Air Systems Command. UAVs offer endurance and persistence that can exceed the limits of the human body. They can stay aloft for days or even weeks without changing pilots. They can even operate in hazardous situations where you might not want to risk a human life gathering information. They are ideal for the dull, dirty and dangerous missions.
Dishman, who was in charge of the unit from its inception in 2007 to June this year, suggests that UAVs could have played a major role in monitoring the nuclear disaster in Japan without contamination risk, or could be used to alert merchant ships to nearby pirate activity. UAVs are a big step forward in combat, surveillance and humanitarian aid missions, although they wont replace manned aircraft, he adds.
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and comply with the set of rules used by manned aircraft during ISR missions so that it does no harm when it is the same airspace as other aircraft, says Dishman. To achieve this goal, stakeholders have come together to develop and certify systems that will define the
capabilities. These include the ground-based sense and avoid technology being developed by the US Army and the US Navys existing surveillance radar.
The air-to-air radar system, which has just passed a critical design review, actually offers some improvement over the monitoring capability of an onboard pilot.
This issue is one of the challenges being addressed by the US Navys broad-area maritime surveillance (BAMS) programme and the US Air Forces Global Hawk programme. The BAMS unmanned aircraft system is designed to increase situational awareness, support coastal operations and provide surveillance when no other naval forces are present. The BAMS unmanned aircraft system must operate with due regard safety and operational effectiveness of UAVs in the years ahead. For instance, the level of cooperation between the US Navy and the US Air Force is unprecedented. The Office of the Secretary of Defenses unmanned directorate has established an executive committee to look at UAV access to controlled airspace with the Federal Aviation Authority, as well as an integrated product team that meets monthly to discuss technological
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV meets due regard requirements for aerial operations by flying above controlled airspace.
Going solo
BAMS assets will fly with this air-to-air radar capability from 2013. It will mark a critical step towards the completely autonomous operation of UAVs.
The air-to-air radar system, which has just passed a critical design review, actually offers some improvement over the monitoring capability of an onboard pilot.
the right wing and 30 elevation. This replicates the volume of airspace for which a pilot is responsible under Federal Aviation Authority regulations. The system, which has just passed a critical design review, actually offers some improvement over the monitoring capability of an onboard pilot. In parallel with BAMS, we are working with the US Air Force to develop an algorithm that would allow computers to develop a manoeuvre to avoid a collision based on the radar track, which would give us autonomous control. That is not that hard, given that there are people already working on
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Multiplatform solutions
Founded in 2001, HISS is an international surveillance systems provider with a focus on applications in the airborne, ground and maritime sectors. CEO Roger Smibert speaks about the importance of a continuous R&D strategy in providing turnkey solutions to an evolving marketplace.
How has HISS managed to successfully tackle the changing demands of the paramilitary sector?
Roger Smibert: We combine an internal, collective and broad base of experience with a network of partners, which has allowed us to easily expand into international markets and grow laterally within the fixed-wing, rugged ground vehicle, marine network and ground network sectors. We are even doing some UAV and aerostat integration, sales and support work. This is all done within the context of our core area of expertise surveillance mission system integration. are especially vulnerable and must be fully protected from the environment. Cables are typically routed in well-sealed conduits specialist marine connectors are typically used. In all environments, good ergonomic design for operation and maintenance is a must.
What do you consider to be the key components, regarding technology and efficiency, when integrating and installing surveillance systems?
We only use proven subsystems from known suppliers that are supportive of us and our customers. We baseline system configurations that we know to be good, and expand system architecture incrementally in well-bounded, low-risk ways while also incorporating design concepts such as modularity and graceful degradation. This allows us to rapidly develop low-risk solutions for a wide range of customer requirements.
HISS serves a number of notable end users, including the US and Pakistani armies. How would you describe the firms global sales strategy?
We have had to reach international markets to maintain our growth and have established a full-time presence in the UAE to better serve our expanding Middle East and Asian customer base. Pakistan is one of our biggest customers. We have also partnered with Federal Inspection Services in the US to better access the countrys military market and foreign military sales opportunities. We continue to enjoy success in Asia, Central America and South America, but the real growth is still in the Middle East. In order to achieve this, we leverage our corporate partnerships while developing our prime capabilities through an expanding network of regional representatives.
HISS provides applications for airborne, ground, maritime and coastal environments. How do production methods differ from sector to sector?
Airborne system designs emphasise safety and reliability in high-vibration environments while still being compact, lightweight and low power. Due to the rigorous nature of the airborne environment, only the best equipment will survive. Airborne cabling is required to be non-flammable, well-shielded and well-secured. Rugged ground vehicles, on the other hand, operate in dirty, high-shock environments and receive regular rough handling. Therefore, equipment for these vehicles must be extremely sturdy and well-sealed.
High-end technology is clearly imperative in producing surveillance systems. How are HISSs R&D activities organised?
We have three types of R&D. The first concerns our own internal developments, which we see as added value for future programmes, offering our customers that added capability discriminator. This is followed by our incremental developments, typically platform based, which are funded by projects. The third is our co-development work with primary equipment suppliers, adding value for both parties and developing technology to benefit all end users.
HISS is always developing new technology and incorporating it into system designs to meet evolving customer requirements.
Marine systems also experience shocks, but face the additional problems of direct water immersion and corrosion due to salt spray. Equipment and materials for this environment require special seals, coatings and materials, otherwise they will not last. Outside cabling and connectors
Further information
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of MAV defence
Daniel Jensen, Chris Edlund, Brad Wheeler and Erinn Scott-Peck of the Department of Engineering Mechanics, US Air Force Academy, explain how two innovative MAV defence concepts using acid and nets are set to change the nature of homeland security in the US.
MAVs have applications beyond base defence; the US Army has used the Honeywell RQ-16 T-Hawk (pictured) to search for IEDs in Iraq.
n todays terrorist-saturated war zones, protecting a forward operating location from attack by a remote-controlled or autonomous micro air vehicle (MAV) carrying biological, chemical or conventional weapons has become a focus for commanders at all levels of the military. The possibility of these attacks becoming a reality has also increased the relevance for homeland security applications within the US.
Cadets at the US Air Force Academy have completed a project that focused on designing, building and testing an unmanned system that can detect, track and defend against an airborne terrorist attack. The solution space was limited to an air-to-air concept in which the enemy aircraft is destroyed by a friendly MAV deployed from the base being attacked. Possible solutions include using a deployable net attached
to an MAV, an MAV that uses aerosol glue or acid to destroy its enemys control surfaces, proximity explosives, and MAV-borne electronic deterrents. The functional prototypes described demonstrate two of the most promising neutralisation capabilities. The objectives for this project were focused on innovative, cost-effective solutions to protect US military bases and high-value civilian targets, such as
Concept generation
This research included the use of a suite of concept generation techniques to produce ideas for prototyping, resulting in the SprayMAV and NetMAV concepts. Using this concept generation suite, more than 80 unique neutralisation concepts were created. The concepts were narrowed down using engineering decision-making techniques, and considerations such as budget and time for development. Many of the concepts were either too big, too expensive or used technology that is not currently available. A modified Pugh method was employed to create the final ranking for the concepts. The SprayMAV and NetMAV concepts were determined to be costeffective designs that met all customer needs and team objectives.
One of the primary concepts for neutralising an MAV threat was spraying acid, or some other corrosive substance, from one MAV onto another, thus degrading its flight-control surfaces.
The SprayMAV system
One of the primary concepts for neutralising an MAV threat was spraying acid, or some other corrosive substance, from one MAV onto another, thus degrading the aggressors flight-control surfaces and causing it to crash. The benefits of this system include its low weight, allowing it to be carried by a wide range of MAVs, the low cost of building the system (since all components are commercial off-the-shelf) and finally, its durability. Additionally, this system could be adapted to spray a range of liquids for varying purposes, making it versatile. However, the idea is not without its challenges. For example, the amount of liquid that can be carried by an MAV is severely limited, based on both weight and volume constraints. Also, varying flight and weather exterior while creating only minimal drag. Keeping the weight of this prototype low was critical since both the total weight and the centre of gravity affect how the planes fly. This effect is enhanced as the planes are quite small. The operations concept for the SprayMAV is generally straightforward. A spray system will be mounted onto an existing MAV platform and the systems capabilities (volumetric capacity, spray intensity, and so on) will vary depending on the host platforms payload capabilities. Once a threat is detected by the modified bird-detection airport radar, the MAV will be launched towards the adversary. A flight path will be set so that the defending MAV will fly above the attacking MAV with a separation of 10-20ft. Once the MAVs
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The NetMAV concept involves packaging a net onto the friendly MAV, and deploying it just prior to passing the enemy MAV. The enemy MAV is caught in the net and, as a result, brought to the ground.
Net gains
The NetMAV concept involves packaging a net onto the friendly MAV, and deploying it just prior to passing the enemy MAV. The enemy MAV is caught in the net and, as a result, brought to the ground. The net used during testing was custom made and had a trapezoidal shape, with the short section that is attached to the aircraft being 6ft long. The bottom of the net is three times this length in order to facilitate a tri-fold initial folding strategy. The top length of 6ft was chosen to conform to the wingspan of the aircraft used to demonstrate the concept. The nets square holes have a diagonal of approximately 25in. The hole size was determined based on a study of commercial off-the-shelf, remote-controlled aircraft size and payload capacity. It ensures that there stowed state. In this stowed state it has a diameter of roughly 3in. The stowed net is then attached to the aircraft under the wings, approximately at the centre of gravity. This keeps the basic aerodynamic stability variables such as static margin intact. In-flight deployment uses a single servo under the fuselage of the aircraft to release the servo arms from the webbing that is used to hold the net. This causes the net to unfold from the wings and be dragged below the aircraft. In order to keep the 18ft edge of the net spread out after in-flight deployment, the 18ft section is divided into three sections, each 6ft in length. A very light, stiff rod (carbon fibre is the preferred material) is attached to each 6ft section. The straightening of the three 6ft sections from their tri-folded pattern is facilitated by coil springs attached between each of the three rods.
In conclusion
Commercial off-the-shelf MAVs could potentially be used by the enemy to deliver explosive, biological or chemical agents. In simulations, protecting against this threat has proven difficult. Although successful tests have been carried out using advanced weapons systems against this threat, these sophisticated weapons may not always be available when and where an enemy attacks. In light of this, a simple and reliable anti-MAV system is sought. Cadets at the US Air Force Academy have developed two potential concepts for defeating this threat. One concept uses a friendly MAV to spray acid onto the enemy MAV during flight. Initial prototypes show that spraying acetone in small quantities will significantly degrade the styrofoam wings of an enemy MAV. The other concept uses a net deployed from the friendly MAV to capture the enemy MAV. This concept also proved to be effective in initial testing.
Acknowledgments
This work is partially supported by a grant from the Air Force Research Labs (AFRL/RW, Eglin Air Force Base and AFRL/RB, Wright Patterson Air Force Base). Particular thanks go to Colonel Mike Hatfield, Dr Greg Reich, Dr Mikel Miller, Major Aaron Norris and Dr Greg Parker at AFRL. In addition, we acknowledge the support of the Department of Engineering Mechanics at the US Air Force Academy. Any opinions, findings, or recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors or the US Air Force.
The US Air Force Academys research has proven that MAVs have the potential to protect military bases and high-value civilan targets.
Further information
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Outsmarting
threat
Ever-changing threats demand innovative and ever-evolving defence solutions. Defence & Security Systems International editor Mark Brierley takes a look at the latest developments in CBRNe defence technology research and spending.
the CBRNe
ith budgets under scrutiny throughout the defence industry, CBRNe research and procurement has not been able to escape the spectre of swingeing cuts in government spending. Despite this, defence agencies and their suppliers are finding new ways to counter the ever-present threat of a CBRNe incident. The series of events collectively known as the Arab Spring have recently heightened concerns that dictators clinging to power may resort to using chemical weapons to quell public uprisings. So far, this appears not to have been the case, but the international community is watching closely Libyas stockpiles of precursor chemicals, such as mustard, which could potentially be
turned into weapons. As the popular revolt continues, Colonel Gaddafi has not yet resorted to these methods, and with Nato reporting just 14t of precursor chemicals in the country, it appears that he does not have the ability to do so at least for now. Despite this, concerns remain within the international community, and with major events such as the London 2012 Olympics on the horizon security forces are likely to remain acutely aware of the possible threats posed by CBRNe attacks. To counter this, the security provider for the Olympics has been awarded a 25 million contract to provide baggage, vehicle and personnel screening at the events. Working with the Home Office, several police forces,
the fire brigade, the Department for Transport and the Olympic executive, the company aims to ensure the hundreds of thousands of spectators and athletes will be able to enjoy the games in safety. In the US, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency has recently signed a $600 million contract with the sole purpose of countering the threat of unconventional attacks. The contract was awarded in April 2011, with work due to start in October and continue until 2016. It will support research, design, integration, testing and evaluation of counter WMD and non-proliferation technologies for the full spectrum of CBRNe weapons. Alongside this, the US Army Reserve
In the US, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency has recently signed a $600 million contract with the sole purpose of countering the threat of unconventional attacks.
innovations of recent months has been the development of bottle scanners that allow passengers to take liquids on-board flights for the first time since 2006. The technology utilises multi-spectral analysis of X-rays to detect any potentially harmful liquids that could be used as a weapon. This development follows the widespread adoption of shoe-scanning technology at airports. As many as 12 companies have developed devices that are competing for a place in airports around the world. Each is designed to detect metal and other possible bomb constituent components without travellers having to remove their shoes, as would normally be the case during the security process. Researchers at Illinois University have gone one step further than the current generation of scanners by creating a sensor that detects TATP (triacetone triperoxide), a common agent used in explosives. Standard technology struggles to detect the presence of TATP because it does not fluoresce under UV light or ionise easily. The new technology uses a small sensor the size of a stamp, whose pigments change colour when detecting TATP. These efforts and investments all point towards an industry that is striving forward, despite budget cuts. As long as these non-conventional threats remain, the industry will continue to plan against them.
Scanning technology
Aside from the training being devoted to CBRNe preparedness and response, new technologies are also making the task of prevention and response an easier one. One of the most high-profile
Hotzone hotzone
SOLUTIONS Solutions
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Full-spectrum protection
Blcher explains how research, innovation and unique production methods have helped it to become a world leader in the CBRN protection market.
lchers core business is the development and production of high-efficiency filter technologies. Based on spherical, high-performance adsorbents which are similar to activated carbon in principle pollutants, smells and other unwanted substances are reliably filtered from gases and fluids, and safely bonded. These spherical adsorbents are very porous. This structure produces an immensely large internal surface on which the filtered substances can be safely deposited. The net result is a truly high-tech system that knows no equal in terms of efficiency, flexibility and safety in its protective effect. Blcher has developed unique production methods that allow product characteristics such as shape, mechanical and adsorptive capacities to be individually customised for optimum performance across a range of demanding applications. Successful innovations also demand the most modern and efficient production methods. Blcher only manufactures its core components in its plants in Germany and US. The entire production process is in Blchers hands, and constantly monitored and controlled by the companys labs, from raw materials through to intermediate products, all the way up to sophisticated system solutions. This ensures that the high quality standards are always met and that no deviations or inaccuracies can creep into the process. These checks continue right up until the finished product, which is then inspected and approved by independent, internationally recognised institutes.
This self-contained production process makes it possible to develop customised product solutions at any time, to the very highest degree of precision. The new SARATOGA protective suit is the only system that covers all protection needs in terms of individual protective equipment. Besides CBRN protection it also includes ballistic protection, as well as shielding against foul weather, wind, disease vectors, fire and cold. Two more important aspects are comfort and design. Integrated ventilation systems for cooling and moisture management with designed-in weight minimisation reduce the physical strain and ensure adequate mobility. Whats more, the SARATOGA protective suit can be put on quickly and easily. Worldwide, SARATOGA technology is used by more than 40 nations, including 21 of the 28 Nato members, and by Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons inspectors. More than ten million SARATOGA protective garments have been delivered to customers worldwide. Blcher is a development partner and subsystem supplier in a number of future soldier system programmes, including Infanterist der Zukunft infantryman of the future a German Bundeswehr programme that forms part of the future soldier project. The system is based on modular combat equipment and employs the most modern technology. It aims to enhance the basic performance of infantry personnel by providing increased operational effectiveness, survivability, tactical capability, endurance and mobility.
Further information
Blcher www.bluecher.com Blcher is a development partner for a number of future soldier programmes.
BLCHER GmbH +49 211 9244 0 phone +49 211 9244 211 fax info@bluecher.com www.bluecher.com
BLCHER SYSTEMS GmbH +49 2153 9540 0 phone +49 2153 9540 70 fax info@bluechersystems.com www.bluechersystems.com
Scott Safety, formerly Scott Health & Safety are world leaders in the design and development of Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE). We ahve a detailed understanding of the physiological and phycological burden RPE can place on users. That is why we test in the eld. And we apply what we learn there - as well as emerging research and technologies to every design to ensure capability, functionality and comfort. Irrespective of whether your requirement is for CBRN protection, Breathing Apparatus for EOD, USAR, damage control, re-ghting or for specialist applications Scott can meet your requirements - comfortably.
Breathe easy
Easy to wear, simple to use the UK Ministry of Defence has nothing but praise for the new general service respirator developed by Scott Safety. The company tells Defence & Security Systems International why.
cott Safetys general service respirator (GSR) is now in service with the UK Ministry of Defence, and its use by UK service personnel will be expanded from late 2011. Wing Commander Tim Uren, the UK Ministry of Defences director of joint capability, has described the GSR as an immaculate, precision piece of equipment and noted that feedback from training was that it is easy to wear, simple to use and will stand up to being bounced around. Dr Matt Chin of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory added that the GSR offers a higher level of protection than any other negative-pressure respirator. To achieve this alongside lower breathing resistance, better all-round visibility and improved equipment compatibility is a very impressive achievement, and as such offers a new benchmark in respiratory protection, he said. The GSR is able to counter a wider threat than its predecessor, and the levels of protection achieved futureproof it against emerging threats. Building on this success, Scott Safety a wholly owned subsidiary of Tyco International based in Lancashire, UK has further developed its technologies to provide a range of capabilities in respiratory protection to meet specific and unique operational concepts. This complements Scott Safetys world-leading position as a designer and supplier of filtration devices, powered air-purifying respirators and selfcontained positive-pressure breathing apparatus and supplied-airline equipment. Not all clients have the same needs, so Scott Safety has positioned itself so that it can respond to a range of operational requirements. But it always bases its solutions around three key parameters: appropriate levels of protection; low user burden; and wide systems integration, all of which are designed to maximise operational flexibility.
The respirator could be used by UK forces for the next 20 years at least. Crown copyright/MoD.
In all cases, the companys relationship with its clients is paramount. Phil Strudley, CBRN team leader at Defence Equipment and Support [part of the UK Ministry of Defence], said that the key to the success of the GSR programme was the close cooperation between his team, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and Scott Safety. As a result, the GSR is set to provide world-class respiratory and ocular protection capability to the UK Armed Forces for the next 20 years at least, he commented. Mark Elliott, head of the SP and CBRN programme delivery groups at Defence Equipment and Support, praised the companys approach as well as its results. What has been rewarding has been the companys attitude, he said. Tyco is exemplary in the way it has developed strategies and solutions this is a world-class product, no question of that.
Further information
Scott Safety www.scottsafety.com
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are sealed and stored outside the vehicle for analysis in specialised laboratories. Marking system automated, operator controlled system allows crew to throw flags indicating biological, chemical or atomic hazards on the ground. Central computer system and multifunction display to manage and review all sensor data. Fully integrated CBRN software system for the operation and control of sensor systems, data acquisition, alarm monitoring and reporting. GPS receiver provides positioning information and precision guidance capabilities. Laser threat detection and warning system. Communication systems with required software.
Deployable laboratories
em.tronics Deployable Chem/Bio Laboratory merges functionality, flexibility and an efficient use of space with biosafety level 3 containment. The chemical laboratory is designed for the detection and identification of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals, while the biological laboratory provides fast on-site diagnostics in the event of a biological attack, correctly identifying the agents involved is extremely important. The Deployable Chem/Bio Laboratory is divided into three compartments: an engine room; an entrance with a shower; and a laboratory with a glove box. This set-up allows for safe, fast and accurate working processes. The high-quality, biosafety level 3 cabinet and instruments enable users to accurately detect and identify microorganisms. The structure integrates a number of instruments with software support, including equipment that enables data processing, communication and the transmission of CBRN reports, and a CBRN filtration system to protect against
infrared detection of known chemical warfare agents and important toxic industrial chemicals up to 5km away. Biological detection continuous and real-time outside air monitoring. Sampling system remote controlled system that allows crews to collect samples from within the vehicle. Samples
The integrated systems fitted in Slovenias light reconnaissance vehicles enable the rapid detection of CBRN agents and toxic industrial chemicals.
The light reconnaissance vehicles are equipped with sampling and hazard marking systems that can be operated from within.
The Deployable Chem/Bio Laboratory contains all the instruments needed to detect and identify microorganisms.
The CBRN system allows important areas to be monitored via stationary and mobile detection units, which report back to a control station.
harmful agents. Positive pressure provides clean air in the laboratory, while negative pressure in the glove box assures a clean and safe working environment.
Its simple digital mapping user interface is integrated with a CBRN detection and monitoring module. The aim is to calculate hazard prediction and contamination spreading probability, designate waypoints for mobile detection, and determine waypoints and routes to make a safe escape. The companys independent Stand Alone Units are placed on the field and automatically send data to the control station.
Further information
em.tronic www.em-tronic.si
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On the lookout
With concerns over terrorism and piracy mounting, authorities in littoral areas are looking to increase coastal security. Bob Stevens, CEO of Tampa Yacht Manufacturing, explains how customised military patrol boats form the core of an effective marine defence.
What are the most important factors to consider when constructing world-class naval vessels?
Bob Stevens: Mission performance, robust construction, durability, sustainability and survivability. In fact, Tampa Yacht Manufacturings main goal is to bring boat crews home. We also consider yacht-quality finish and features, and low-cost commercial-off-the-shelf as key factors in driving the success of our craft. Our design and engineering is requirement and performance focused, allowing us to deliver vessels that exceed customer needs and expectations. This approach has enabled the firm to maintain a competitive stance against global competition. By bringing in the most highly skilled labour, we provide a quicker turnaround time in terms of building boats and eliminate rework. We also place considerable emphasis on sourcing the best materials, equipment and custom outfitting from the largest pool of suppliers in the world. Value engineering ensures that money is spent on the most important features and requirements. Tampa Yacht Manufacturing maintains extremely low overheads by eliminating non-essential positions. We believe in running a lean boat-building machine that delivers the best product to customers and the best return to owners. A profitable company produces the best boats and provides customers with long-term service. Tampa Yacht Manufacturing has introduced several craft dedicated to this mission, including the 44-FCI for littoral threats and the 35-RHIB outboard-powered craft for use inshore and in waterways. We have also expanded our portfolio with a slightly larger diesel-powered version of the craft equipped with mid-shore capability for extended patrol and interdiction in all-weather conditions and a 51ft fast attack craft for over-the-horizon threats.
The use of small craft by terrorists is a great risk, as demonstrated by the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 and the attacks in Mumbai in 2008. In the wake of these events, nations realised that they needed similar craft for defence.
In terms of military use, how has Tampa Yacht Manufacturings craft range been developed in light of the increasing threat of terrorism?
The use of small craft by terrorists is a great risk, as demonstrated by the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 and the attacks in Mumbai in 2008. In the wake of these events, nations realised that to combat the threat posed by asymmetrical small craft, similar craft were needed for defence.
Are all of the firms vessels customisable? If so, do you liaise with bodies such as the US Coast Guard to meet specifications?
We decided that the best route to success involved a willingness to customise craft to suit specific customer requirements and missions, design requirement-specific boats and modify existing tooling. This design-and-build flexibility has enabled Tampa Yacht Manufacturing to respond quickly to emerging requirements. We are working with various domestic and worldwide defence and homeland ministries to help identify solutions for their defence requirements. These user groups include law enforcement agencies, coastguards, navies, border security forces, armies and customs agencies in Central and Southern Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US.
How do you go about serving markets where coastal defence is a pertinent issue?
The worlds littoral areas have become porous entry and exit points for criminals, smugglers, pirates and terrorists. Every nation with a coastline, which includes any lakes and rivers, struggles to secure these areas. Tampa Yacht Manufacturing is supporting governments bordering the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden and the Yellow Sea among others. Our small high-speed craft are uniquely suited to secure, defend and protect these areas; we offer water-jet and surface-drive propulsion for shallow-draft, high-speed and low-signature applications.
How do you envisage the future of coastal defence, and what plans have you implemented to meet these potential demands?
The demand for coastal and littoral defence is increasing daily. Some states have built and continue to build vast fleets of asymmetrical small craft, and are exporting them to hot spots around the world. Piracy is on the rise, with a record number of incidents recorded in the Gulf of Aden in 2010. The ability to anticipate threat assets and move quickly to design and outfit our craft to neutralise them is at the forefront of our strategy. Therefore, at Tampa Yacht Manufacturing, we are continuously looking to develop new craft with higher speed, greater crew comfort, improved mission endurance and expanded sensor suites for greater domain awareness, to support the governments, protectors and defenders of the worlds waterways and waterborne commerce.
The worlds littoral areas have become porous entry and exit points for criminals, smugglers, pirates and terrorists. Every nation with a coastline, which includes any lakes and rivers, struggles to secure these areas.
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Further information
Tampa Yacht Manufacturing produces a full range of megayacht-quality military and commercial craft from 35 to 80 feet in length. Tampa Yacht Manufacturing is dedicated to providing every customer with the safest, most technologically advanced high performance craft on the water. With high speed performance and maneuverability, compatibility with an array of weaponry and navionics, and the safety of advanced ballistic protection, our boats are purpose-built high-tech tools for protecting the worlds coastlines from a broad spectrum of littoral threats.
44FCI
4350 62nd Avenue North Pinellas Park, FL USA 33781 +727-954-3435 FAX +727-954-3436
35FCP 35SPC 35RHIB 35CCM 35CCR 44FCI 44FSR 44CD 50FAC
www.tampa-yacht.com
50FPB 56FPC 65MPB 20M ABRG 80FSV
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Rapid response
The demands of modern naval missions have created a need for faster and more nimble vessels. As Albrecht Muller nds out, this has led to unprecedented interest in small patrol boats among navies and government organisations.
ast, agile boats are becoming the number one option for coastguards, police forces, customs officials and other government organisations in a number of areas. Besides protecting littoral boundaries and guarding borders, they can be used to prevent drug trafficking, to protect ports and shipping lanes, and as part of maritime salvage operations. One country that is investing in this type of boat is India. In 2010, its ministry of defence announced a
tender for four fast interceptor craft expected to have a top speed that exceeds 40kts to improve the protection of its coastline. Its easy to see why the country might want such vessels for its navy when you consider that the terrorists that attacked Mumbai in 2008 travelled by sea. But the appeal of such craft is wider than the rapid interception of suspicious vessels many navies are considering these boats as an inexpensive all-round option.
Its easy to see why India might want such vessels when you consider that the terrorists who attacked Mumbai in 2008 travelled by sea.
with a maximum speed of 30kts added to its fleet. The 35m-long vessels are being built by US-based Swiftships Shipbuilders. In 2010, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard received the last of six new high-speed patrol craft. The 30m-long aluminium boats, built by Australian company Austal, can travel at more than 40kts. The Romanian Border Police have also received three SHALDAG MK IV type fast patrol craft from Israel Shipyards. The boats, which can travel faster than 40kts, will be used in the Black Sea to fight illegal immigration and smuggling. Estonias Baltic Workboats has also completed the construction of the three WC 1500 patrol boats ordered by Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. The vessel can reach speeds of about 34kts. Meanwhile, the US Navy is looking into ways of decreasing the cost of operating its riverine command boat. An experimental vessel has been demonstrated that runs on an alternative fuel a 50:50 blend of algae-based fuel and Nato F-76 shipboard fuel. The 14.7m-long vessel can reach speeds of 40kts, and therefore provides the US Navy with a platform that it can use to effectively navigate challenging shallow waters. Patrol boat refurbishment and refitting is also a growing market segment. In October 2010, Australian company DMS Maritime won a contract worth around $50 million to support the 19 patrol boats used by the Pacific island nations. It runs for five years, with an option to extend for a further 12.
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The FOXX floating boat barrier was put through a series of live crash tests in 2010, under the supervision of the Dynamic Test Center in Switzerland and in collaboration with the Polish Naval Academy. It was anchored to two buoys and successfully stopped: a frontal impact from a motorboat weighing 1.5t and travelling at 55km/h an angled impact from a motorboat weighing 1.5t and travelling at 45km/h multiple impacts without needing repairs. The gate function was also tested along with temporary installation, including launching the barrier and towing it to its place of installation.
The new generation of security barriers eliminates gaps and gives security forces time to react.
FOXX floating boat barrier
The FOXX floating boat barrier stops speedboat-launched attacks securely thanks to the MAXX spiral rope net. This has been confirmed in extensive tests supervised by independent bodies. The MAXX net is manufactured using a spiral rope made from high-tensile 4mm steel wire, and has a load-bearing capacity of 220kN/m. It can even withstand multiple impacts from sharp-edged objects without damage. Specially developed high-density polyethylene pontoons act as supporting elements. With a wall thickness of 15mm, they are extremely durable in the event of an attack, impact energy is absorbed by the drag created by the floats, while a buoyancy rope prevents the barrier from capsizing. A carbon black coating also makes them UV-resistant.
Further information
Geobrugg www.geobrugg.com/oatingbarriers
easy inspection Suitable for gate operations UV, fire, blast, and gunshot resistant easy and fast installation multi hit capability Good security visibility (no hiding behind barrier) Request our new brochure and discuss your natural hazard problems with our specialists www.geobrugg.com/floatingbarriers security@geobrugg.com
Geobrugg AG Security Engineering 8590 Romanshorn Switzerland Tel. +41 71 466 81 55 Fax +41 71 466 81 50 www.geobrugg.com security@geobrugg.com
NEW Static Vehicle Display for Land, Air & Naval Sectors
Product showcase
Antennas for all
a few hours. The software can also reliably record voice and technical signal broadcasts with simultaneous classification and around 97% accuracy. In 2011, boger is offering an extended antenna portfolio, which includes antennas for the high frequency, very high frequency and ultra high frequency ranges, and reflector antennas for frequencies up to 40GHz. Customised antennas are available on request. The companys products are designed to client requirements, for use on water, in aircraft or on land. boger can also perform commissioning and train users in either German or English.
Further information
boger electronics www.boger.de
boger antennas cover the high frequency, very high frequency and ultra high frequency ranges.
ISO-certified boger electronics develops systems and solutions geared towards providing maximum operational readiness in the civil and military sectors, even for unforeseeable situations. This is the key to the companys success and sustained growth. Among experts, boger has long been the trusted synonym for security. The German, family-owned firm is an independent provider of complete radio monitoring and reconnaissance systems in the high frequency, very high frequency and ultra high frequency ranges. Its products include hardware and software components. Sensor systems are also available on request. A modular design broadband receiver (BO-35) forms part of bogers reconnaissance systems. The hardware architecture and peripheral devices correspond to a proven design. The newest variation of BO-35 is the BO-35D digital receiver, which enables decryption of certain signals (including TETRA) due to a standardised IQ data format. In addition to a powerful database, boger integrates its fully automatic classifier software into its systems. This tool allows reconnaissance personnel to develop a situation picture that reflects data and communications traffic within
Military maintenance
Stork can advise customers how to optimise their maintenance and reduce costs while ensuring the highest levels of reliability.
Stork Technical Services combines innovative thinking and cutting-edge technology with hands-on maintenance for consistently reliable drive trains and auxiliary equipment. The company is trusted with proprietary military and naval equipment, as well as equipment used in the railroad market. Stork focuses on the development, engineering, production, testing, installation, higher-echelon maintenance and overhaul of diesel engines and transmissions (as well as systems based on these) to
power ships, vehicles and locomotives; environmental control systems for armoured vehicles (tracked and wheeled) and shelters; and chilled water plants for naval vessels. The companys products and services include: engines Stork assembles, tests, maintains, repairs and overhauls engines at its testing facilities transmissions Stork can handle everything from production to after-sales service, depending on the requirements of the main contractor or original equipment manufacturer environmental control systems these allow vehicle crews to continue their mission regardless of outside conditions. Storks focus on innovation allows it to meet everincreasing customer requirements in terms of personnel protection special cooling systems Stork has the experience to tackle the challenges of critical spaces, shock, vibration, electromagnetic compatibility and unusual temperatures. Naval customers rely on Storks chilled water plants to keep their crews and special equipment cool components Stork repairs essential components safely and efficiently. Customers often call on the company to repair or overhaul components such as turbo chargers, fuel-injection equipment, cylinder heads and liners, brakes and valves. Storks offering of innovation and technology, combined with hands-on maintenance and short turnaround times, enables
it to advise customers how to optimise their maintenance, reducing costs while ensuring the highest levels of reliability and availability. The company is investing in R&D to create a new chilled water plant that offers greater environmental efficiencies in a compact configuration.
Further information
Stork www.storktechnicalservices.com
Secure stacking
The locking pattern prevents stacks of ISP cases from falling over, even in turbulent transport conditions.
Designed to stay secure in transit, Peli-Hardigg interstacking pattern squared (ISP) cases are engineered with a 10x10cm pattern on their lids and bases. This design allows the cases to lock together in a stack, permits easy cross-stacking among all models and enhances the load-bearing properties of the rotationally moulded polymer that the cases are made of. It also allows for taller loads that wont shift or loosen due to air turbulence, rough seas or dilapidated road conditions. The ISP cases are available in 64 sizes and have been optimised for most pallet types, including the Euro pallet, Nato pallet and 463L master pallet. Cases of different sizes can be combined to maximise the total volume of available space on each pallet.
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Standard features include: O-ring seals to ensure that the cases stay secure and watertight; reinforced corners and edges (15-20% thicker) for added protection; and patented moulded-in metal inserts with recessed hardware and comfort grip high-impact polymer handles for easy team lifting. The ISP cases are made from a proprietary polyethylene formula that achieves the optimum balance of weight, panel rigidity and durability. They are available in 13 colours and can be fitted with an array of optional extras, including: pressure relief valves, card and document holders, skid runners to enhance mobility, hinged lids, additional handles, humidity indicators, lockable steel cable catches and hasps, lifting and tie down rings, and standard labels. The cases are manufactured in Germany to the most exacting standards, which allows a closer connection with local markets. Peli-Hardigg offers customisation services through its two advanced case centres in Ashford, UK, and Paris, France, allowing customers to be directly involved in the design and testing of first-article samples.
Further information
Peli Products www.peli.com
Electric dream
The Lind dual USB output DC/DC power adaptor, pictured with a military battery charger and a 24V Nato slave socket.
adapter can be powered by a 24V Nato slave socket. The USBML2-3215 adapter can be used with a BB-2590 or BA-5590 battery, a Nato slave socket or a cigarette lighter input cable. The product converts power drawn from the input power source to the appropriate DC voltage required by the devices connected to it. Special safety circuitry protects sensitive devices. The adapter circuitry is potted in an aluminum extrusion for durability, and epoxy sealed to protect against moisture and humidity.
Further information
Lind Electronics www.lindelectronics.com
Safts Intensium Max containerised lithium-ion system is ideal for centralised generation applications that require a large battery.
long calendar life (over 20 years at ambient temperature), high energy density, short response times, high power capability and maintenance-free design. For centralised generation applications requiring a large battery, such as those at a main operating base, Safts Intensium Max containerised lithium-ion system is the ideal solution. For smaller micro-grid applications to support decentralised power generation at living shelters or accommodation units such as a forward operation base, Saft offers the Synerion lithium-ion modules. Saft lithium-ion batteries are already providing energy storage for Titan Energys Renewable Energy Mobile Utility System, which is capable of providing a utility-scale electricity supply up to 307V and 138KW using a diesel generator supplemented by wind and solar power.
Further information
Saft www.saftbatteries.com
Vehicle recovery is an essential reality for the modern army, since military vehicles simply cannot be abandoned if stuck. In the past, heavy-vehicle recovery options were limited to hydraulic winches. The plumbing, fittings, fluid, servicing and similar that they require is expensive, but for the purpose nothing could quite match their endurance or strength. That is, until now. Warn Industries, an American winch manufacturing firm, has designed a DC-powered electric winch that delivers performance to rival that of hydraulic systems the WARN Olympus 25. Capable of pulling 11,340kg, it is the strongest such winch in the world. Made from anodised aluminium, the WARN Olympus 25 is extremely durable, 65% lighter than comparable hydraulic winches and much more versatile. Making it lighter still is an optional lightweight synthetic rope. It is built-to-order in 12V or 24V electrics and is available in a number of finishes, including a black chemical agent-resistant coating, anodised aluminium or polished aluminium. At the heart of the WARN Olympus 25 is the companys revolutionary axial flux permanent magnet motor, which is capable of the longest extended duty cycles of any electric winch in the world. Unlike hydraulic winches, the WARN Olympus 25 is virtually maintenance free. And, thanks to heavy-duty sealing, it is fully weatherproof.
The winch uses an innovative multi-plate electromagnetic disc brake in conjunction with dynamic braking, delivering unparalleled load holding. This braking system smartly eliminates heat caused by conventional friction brakes. The WARN Olympus 25 can be easily assigned to any vehicle it doesnt require customers to invest in a new, compatible fleet. The winch embodies everything a modern army needs to be: powerful, versatile and extremely reliable. Founded in 1948, Warn Industries is the worlds most recognised brand in vehicle recovery products. Warn continually pushes the boundaries of winch technology with its innovative designs.
Further information
Warn www.warn.com
Core competence
The XenicsCores are lightweight, consume little power and can be easily integrated.
Xenics presents XenicsCores, its compact, uncooled and ready-to-integrate original equipment manufacturer modules for shortwave and thermal infrared imaging. The cores support sophisticated applications such as night vision, and tasks such as border security, and search and rescue. They are lightweight, consume little power and can be easily integrated via a universal QTE connector. The Xenics Short Wave module (XSW-640) is optimised for the detection of shortwave infrared radiation between 0.9m and 1.7m. It is based on an uncooled indium gallium
arsenide (InGaAs) array of 640x512 pixels with 20m pixel pitch, and measures only 45x45x20mm. The Xenics Thermal module (XTM-640) is optimised for the detection of thermal infrared radiation between 8m and 14m. It is equipped with an uncooled microbolometer array of 640x480 pixels with 17m pixel pitch, and has a high thermal sensitivity of 50mK. It measures only 45x45x32mm and includes an advanced shutter design in a small-form factor housing to deliver optimal image performance. Both modules weigh only 100g and consume less than 2W from a 3.3V power supply. They deliver full digital data at 50Hz, in 16-bit resolution for the XTM-640 and in 14-bit resolution for the XSW-640. Using the XSP protocol, data is transferred over the QTE connector for immediate conversion to analogue output signals in PAL or NTSC format. Trigger input and output are available for synchronisation with external sources. Via its powerful read out and processing electronics, advanced NUC and image-processing algorithms guarantee crisp and uniform thermal images in a range of dynamic environments. The opto-mechanical design of the XenicsCores is adapted to accommodate customer-specific lens and interface requirements.
Further information Xenics www.xenics.com
Commission, United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The company offers services in three areas: live CBRN agent training; CBRN consulting and CBRN eLearning. Hotzone Solutions provides realistic and practical CBRN training to the military, law enforcement, emergency response and security communities. Its unique training is conducted using live CBRN agents, materials and devices, and has been developed by personnel who have been organising and delivering live-agent training for OPCW inspectors since 2005. The Training for Toxic Entry course is designed for all local, state and federal emergency and security personnel tasked with responding to possible CBRNe incidents. It is designed to ensure that all potential responders have a common level of knowledge to enable them to work safely and effectively in toxic environments. Courses can be tailored to meet specific customer needs. The companys certification is in line with the OPCW standard for the proficiency of toxic entries. Sharing knowledge and experience is one of the companys principles, which is why Hotzone Solutions also hires out individual instructors as external consultants to fully support the needs of its partners and customers. The companys experts boast field experience in most CBRN
specialisations. In addition to training, Hotzone Solutions has extensive experience in testing and evaluating equipment in toxic chemical environments, and can provide tailored equipment solutions. Finally, Hotzone Solutions is a partner of eCBRN, a company that offers eLearning in the field of CBRN preparedness and response. Together, they offer top-quality CBRN-related eLearning from basic to advanced levels.
Further information Hotzone Solutions www.hotzonesolutions.com
Underwater eyes
The SeaBat 7128 projector forms part of an effective mine countermeasure sensor.
RESONs forward-looking imaging sonar, the SeaBat 7128, covers a range of applications for naval, defence and security purposes, including mine countermeasure, obstacle avoidance, harbour security and general underwater inspection. The SeaBat 7128 is a high-end sonar system that operates at 200kHz or 400kHz. Its low weight and small size makes it suited to use on autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles as well as surface vessels. It illuminates a 128 horizontal sector with very high resolution and works at depths of up to 6,000m. A software package that automatically detects and tracks divers and swimmer delivery vehicles can also be provided. Furthermore, real-time imagery offers efficient visualisations of structures and objects on the sea floor. The SeaBat 7128 is a powerful tool for use in the complex
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environments seen during shallow water operations 200kHz is effective for long-range detection, 400kHz for high-resolution identification. Because the sonar uses commercial off-the-shelf components and software, clients can easily expand or upgrade the system to meet new challenges. The commercial off-the-shelf advantages are cost-effective solutions with efficient service and support, and easy available spare parts. The SeaBat 7128 has also been used for other applications in the offshore sector, including: pipeline mattress laying; template, manifold, jumper and spool-piece installation; and guiding pipelines to pre-existing trenches.
Further information RESON www.reson.com
designed for command units expecting disruption to or total loss of the mains power grid. In such an event the generator starts automatically and power supply is switched over. During periods of inactivity, advanced built-in test equipment allows the CAPS to automatically accomplish system diagnostics. Find out about Fischer Pandas Energy Solutions at its stand at DSEi in London where it will present its integrated air conditioning and power solutions.
Further information Fischer Panda GmbH http://defence.fischerpanda.de
Systematics IRIS framework has set the standard for military messaging software.
Fischer Pandas CAPS are designed for units expecting disruptions in their power supply.
Fischer Panda has a full military specification for its generators, meeting a wide range of MIL-STD requirements covering electromagnetic interference, infrared signatures, exhaust emissions, shock and vibration, and operating sound levels. The generators are designed with fast and easy maintenance in mind, whatever the conditions or circumstances essential for the
Systematic is an independent software company that provides off-the-shelf, scalable military messaging and command and control software products for defence forces, security organisations and systems integrators. Over the last 20 years, Systematics IRIS software has developed into a full suite of COTS products that unite different systems and different nations by using accepted international standards to exchange information and manage the communication flow. The IRIS software framework Air conditioner output depends became the de facto standard on the altitude, but active for military messaging after performance management Nato accepted a proposal to use ensures full electrical supply to it for automatic message the shelter. The CAPS is
The CPF900 cryo filter system carries out the purification of pure air.
The generation of breathing air for divers and firefighters, and the production of pure air for the cooling of infrared sensors, are often completely separate processes. One reason for this is their differing requirements in terms of air quality; for example, depending on the rules and standards used, one of the threshold values for pure air is a CO2 content of approximately 0.5ppm, or one thousandth of the threshold value of 500ppm for breathing air, thus imposing the use of different air purification systems. Usually, the different air flow requirements for filling the breathing air cylinders and operating the JT coolers for the infrared sensors justifies the complete separation of the two systems. In response, Bauer Kompressoren used its 60 years experience in the construction of high-pressure compressors and air purification systems to develop a solution that requires less space for installation and simplifies the supply of spare parts. Because a pressure of 3,000psig, 4,500psig or, in rare
ABSLs mixed metal oxide pouch cells within the high-capacity 2590 battery, which will be launched by the end of 2011.
ABSL Power Solutions designs, develops and manufactures advanced, portable power systems for markets where performance and reliability are critical. The companys reputation and world-leading lithium-ion cell technology derive from its pioneering role in the development of lithium-ion coatings and rechargeable cell technology, and the production of bespoke rechargeable cells, intelligent battery packs and smart charging units. EnerSys Group acquired ABSL from CIP Industries in March 2011. EnerSys is a global brand in power solutions across a range of battery chemistries, and will facilitate the future development of ABSLs battery technology. The companys power scavenging Soldier-Portable Charger is now being used by the UK Ministry of Defence. The device is a smart (level 3) power-management unit that gives soldiers flexibility when
it comes to recharging radio batteries. The Soldier-Portable Charger forms the core of the lightweight, man-worn charging system that is currently deployed. It can recharge batteries using solar panels or through energy redistribution (for which it takes surplus capacity from larger ECM batteries). If attached to a quad bike, it draws power from the 12V auxiliary socket, allowing batteries to be recharged on the move. The lightweight, man-worn charging system provides alternative solutions that are not reliant upon traditional power-generation methods, allowing available fuel reserves to be used more efficiently. ABSL has also invested in a new lithium-ion chemistry that uses an innovative active cathode material a mixed metal oxide. The company is developing cells using this innovative chemistry within a plasticised aluminium foil case, to offer a lightweight cell with a high energy density. This cell is due to be launched by the end of 2011 as part of a high-capacity 2590 battery. Its capacity will be 50% greater than conventional 2590 batteries available within the same form factor.
Further information ABSL Power Solutions Limited www.abslpower.com
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3M Peltor 30
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Xenics 111
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